Disclaimer:In case ya'll forget; I don't own Star Wars or any of its characters. So don't sue me Lucas Films Ltd.
Luke awoke the next morning to see the sun creeping up from the horizon, turning the sky into beautiful reds, pinks, and even a shade of purple. Normally he loved watching the sun rise, but he was still incredibly sore. He knew that his father was angry and maybe he did deserve the spanking, but he wondered if the prank had been worth it and now to be grounded as well. He and Mara were going to be training very hard with their father all this week before the tournament. He can't say he was looking forward to it, especially the chores.
Obi-Wan sensed his padawan's anxiety when Luke had returned to the apartment last night he was incredibly sore and his eyes were red from crying so hard. It was odd though; Luke didn't feel any resentment that Anakin always did when he was disciplined.
Mara Jade awoke also feeling sore and it didn't help that her master was singing in the shower so damn boisterously, he was so happy. It grated on her nerves, but she dare not say anything. She couldn't wait for this entire week be over already, she knew that Master Skywalker would be working both her and Luke so hard that they wouldn't have time to even think of pranks or for anything else for that matter except chores and Jedi training. Mara dressed and went out to the kitchen to start preparing breakfast, Anakin couldn't cook to save his life, and fortunately Mara spent most of her spare time learning from either Padmé or Jobal. "Good morning, my padawan. Isn't it a beautiful morning?" Anakin came in to start his coffee. The only thing he could make without wreaking havoc in the apartments. Mara wanted to scream, she absolutely detested morning people, something that Anakin knew of course.
"Morning, master." Mara sullenly replied. Anakin smiled at her most deviously and then pulled her into an embrace.
"After we eat breakfast, we will be going to clean the Jedi council chamber."
"Oh, boy. I can barely contain my excitement." Mara mumbled sarcastically underneath her breath.
"I knew you'd be thrilled." Anakin skipped out of the kitchen.
Luke finished dressing and joined Obi-Wan in the dining room, breakfast was just about ready.
"Good morning, Luke."
"Morning Master Kenobi. Is it really necessary that I go with father and Mara Jade? Can't I please stay with you?"
"You would miss the opportunity to work with your father? I'm surprised Luke."
"He's going to kill us! He has assigned Mara and me a bunch of chores and then he's going to work on our training."
"It's only for a week, Luke."
Luke sighed and stood at the table, not wanting to sit until the last possible moment. Once Obi-Wan put the food on the table and sat as he saw Luke struggling.
"Come now, Luke, don't tell me that it still hurts."
"It does, Master Kenobi!"
Obi-Wan smiled inwardly, he approached Luke and put his hands on him to help with the pain. Luke felt better and was able to take his seat.
Mara put the food on the table and had the same struggle as Luke in sitting. Anakin wasn't as forgiving, "Please have a seat, my little prankster."
"No, I can't."
"I can't eat with someone standing over me, now sit."
"Over you, Master Skywalker, even when you are sitting you are still taller than me!"
Anakin glared at Mara Jade; she immediately sat and looked at her breakfast. She just about lost her appetite, but knew that she needed to eat to keep up her strength for that day's activities.
While Mara was washing up the dishes, Luke was excused to spend the rest of the day with his father. Obi-Wan was going to be helping the younglings to prepare for the tournament. Each division had their own tournament. Luke went to the kitchen and helped Mara dry the dishes.
"How's it going?"
"It's not."
Luke climbed up on the counter and hugged Mara Jade and then put his hands on her head. "Obi-Wan helped me this morning; I figured I could do the same."
"Good luck."
"In my experience this no such thing as luck."
Mara felt a warm tingling expand and heal; she added her own healing abilities to Luke's and both of them were completely healed.
Anakin took them to the council chamber and while he sat his council chair, Luke and Mara Jade swept, dusted, and scrubbed. He was studying on his datapad, while they worked. It took approximately three hours to complete the council chambers, Luke and Mara were sore from kneeling and scrubbing virtually the entire time; after they put up the mop, broom, scrub brushes and pails, Anakin took them to the gardens to meditate.
When they arrived, one of the bravest younglings of the Bear Clan approached Master Skywalker. "Master?"
"Yes?"
"Is it true?"
"What?"
"Are you a Sith Lord?"
"The rumors of me being a Sith Lord have been greatly exaggerated, young one." The youngling looked relieved and briefly touched Anakin's mechanical hand and ran off to join Obi-Wan.
"Thanks a lot, Obi-Wan. I will meet you in the sparring room at 1500 hours." Anakin telepathically sent to Obi-Wan.
"What? How did I know that he knew about that?" Obi-Wan replied laughing.
Luke and Mara sat on the rocks near the fountain meditating together. After meditating, the three of them went to the cafeteria for lunch. Anakin was constantly getting approached by several younglings and padawans and asked whether he was a Sith Lord.
"I have had enough of this." Anakin jumped on the table, "May I have your attention, please?" Anakin exclaimed.
The lunch room fell completely silent.
"For the record, I am not a Sith Lord; it was a prank, so please stop asking me. Thank you." Anakin jumped down from the table and joined Luke and Mara for lunch.
Even though Luke was in a different category from Mara, Anakin didn't see the harm of having the both of them work on their sparring and physical take down skills. After warming up, Anakin observed their actions with minimal interruptions. Afterwards, Luke and Mara were handed training lightsabers and started to spar. The training lightsabers were meant to merely sting and not cut like a real one could. Mara was quite good in her sparring abilities and managed to sting Luke a few times. Anakin intervened and helped his son with his stance and balance. Afterwards, Luke and Mara were told to get cleaned up and to meet Anakin in the gardens at 16:30.
"You are good with the saber, Mara." Luke complimented.
"Thanks, you're not so bad yourself."
Luke grabbed Mara's hand and she sighed deeply, "Luke, you are just a boy. I'm five years older than you."
"So? I won't always be."
"Yea, let's hope you take after your father's height as well as his saber skills." Mara laughed.
"That's not funny." Luke whined.
"Oh, Luke, you know I'm just teasing."
The rest of the week went quickly; Luke and Mara both had dramatically increased their skills with a lightsaber. One the morning of the tournament, Luke dressed in his best robes and cloak. He hooked his training saber to his belt.
Mara was pulling on her cloak when she felt her master about to open the door she pulled it open to find him holding a beautiful purple rose, it was a peace offering. He gently smiled at her which was indicative of his forgiving her of her latest prank. Mara took the rose and inhaled the heavenly scent. She knew it wasn't very Jedi like but she hugged her Master anyway. He lifted her up and spun her around the room as he always did with Padmé. "This week was the hardest week of my life, Master. Even hanging out with Jar Jar was a pure joy compared to this."
Anakin laughed at that, even he would get annoyed with Binks' antics and his funny accent.
"No matter how you come out in the tournament, Mara Jade, I want you to know that I'm very proud of you."
"Can you take Luke and me to Dex's after the tournament?"
"I don't see why not. Let's get something to eat; I brought up some fresh fruit from the hydroponics gardens."
Mara and Anakin sat on the living room floor and meditated.
"Master?"
"Did you ever win the tournaments?"
"A few."
"Tell me."
"There's not much to tell, Mara."
"Are you being modest?"
"No. I don't want my successes or failures to cloud your ability to do well. You must focus on the moment and concentrate on your rival."
After meditating, Mara felt better but still a bit nervous, Anakin reassured her that it was okay to feel a little nervous that way she wouldn't get cocky. Padmé and Han Solo were also invited to the tournament as were other civilians.
"Break a leg, Mara; not literally, it means good luck."
"Solo, I know what it means." Mara retorted.
Leia hugged her mother and looked at Han, "What's nerf-herder doing here?"
"Leia Skywalker, that's not nice! I invited him." Anakin admonished.
"Sorry father." Leia sighed.
Han rolled his eyes, he really liked this girl, and he knew that if he should ever marry this spit-fire of a woman it would be his perfect match. But of course, Anakin might have something to say about that. He was incredibly protective of his daughter, more so than an average father.
Luke, Leia, and Mara went off to their various divisions. Anakin sat with Padmé and Han.
"You're not judging?"
"No. Conflict of interest, they asked me but I said no."
Yoda oversaw the Bear Clan and the little four and five year olds were very cute with their training lightsabers and the helmets over their heads, they didn't fight each other but with training probes set to a very low setting that would only sting slightly if it hit you. As each of the younglings fought and summarily stung they were excused from the ring, only one youngling managed to beat them all out and it was a young human by the name of Winter. She bowed deeply to the crowd and to Master Yoda offering her training saber to him.
"Very impressive." Anakin whispered.
The next group came out and Luke and Leia were among them, however since they were older they were set up as teams. As each opponent was struck, that person would leave the ring. Leia was holding her own pretty well and she managed to get struck and left the ring after bowing to her opponent. Luke and Marcus Antilles were the last two in the ring. They bowed respectfully to each other and it started, "You've improved, Luke; been working with your father?"
"Unfortunately, yes. He's a tough and exacting swordsman; enough to drive you crazy."
Marcus laughed. "Maybe I am glad that I don't have to train with him. Is he as good as they say?"
"I guess. He loves to attempt to pull the lightsaber out of your hand."
"That's some trick."
"It works; I don't know how many times I've been flat on my back this week with him grinning mischievously at me asking me if I yield."
"I'd love to see him and Obi-Wan go at it."
"They know each other's moves though so well it's almost like watching a ballet or something."
Marcus and Luke continued sparring though it was obvious that they were getting tired.
"So do you want me to take the hit or do you?"
"I'll take it."
Before that could happen, Yoda called it a draw. Marcus and Luke each bowed to each other and to Master Yoda and the crowd
"Excellent you both were. Congratulations."
"Thank-you, Master Yoda."
Marcus and Luke left the ring.
"One more lightsaber duel is next, will Master Anakin Skywalker and Master Obi-Wan Kenobi please report to the center ring." Mace Windu announced.
Anakin rolled his eyes, "Good luck Ani." Padmé kissed him on the cheek.
"Thanks, they do this every year and every year it remains the same."
"What's that?" Han asked.
"A stalemate." Anakin left the chair and went to the center ring.
"Obi-Wan, why does Mace do this every damn year? It always ends the same a damn stalemate."
"So you want to relinquish and let me be the victor? That's so unlike you, Anakin." Obi-Wan teased.
"Oh, you think I'm going to just give up? You've got another thing coming, Master."
"That's the spirit!" Obi-Wan patted Anakin on the back and they went into the ring.
After bowing to Yoda and to each other they activated their lightsabers. Marcus noted that Luke was right it was like watching a ballet, but much more exciting. Luke was conflicted he wasn't sure who he wanted to win, his master or his father. After a solid thirty minute duel, neither Anakin nor Obi-Wan getting the upper hand, Yoda intervened and declared it a stalemate.
"Obi-Wan?" Anakin said telepathically as he smiled mischievously.
"Yes?"
"Let's get our little green friend, let's truly make this an exciting event."
"Oh, brother you really are devious. Let's do it. Of course we might end up scrubbing the floors for a week my old padawan."
After Anakin and Obi-Wan bowed to each other and Master Yoda, they activated their lightsabers and proceeded to go after Yoda.
"Wish to fight me do you? Might get more than you bargained you will."
Yoda activated his green lightsaber and the duel became interesting very quickly. Yoda for being over 800 years old was incredibly fast. Anakin was force-pushed into the wall and hit it with a solid thud as Obi-Wan flipped out of the way of Yoda's blade. Anakin returned to the battle and soon it ended with Master Yoda hovering over the both of them while holding their lightsabers over their heads while they lay flat on their backs.
"Much to learn you still have." Yoda laughed as did Anakin and Obi-Wan. The crowd was going insane with laughter; as all three Jedi Masters bowed to each other leaving the tournament.
"For pulling this trick on an old master, both of you will work in the crèche and with the Bear Clan for a week." Anakin and Obi-Wan moaned at the same time, but at least they didn't have to scrub floors.
Author's Note:Sorry for the delay, I've had a slight writer's block; as always thank you for your kind reviews and ideas.—DarthGladiator45