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Obi-Wan stared glumly out the window of the transport as it approached Coruscant. He just could not shake the feeling that he had made a terrible mistake by leaving Sarah on Roden. He glanced over at Anakin who was gazing out the window on the opposite side of the transport. Obi-Wan sensed an odd feeling coming from his apprentice.
"Padawan?" Obi-Wan asked gently.
Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan and then looked quickly out the window again.
"Anakin, is something wrong?"
Anakin took a deep breath and looked Obi-Wan in the eyes. "I just wonder why you never told me those stories before? Of when you were a Padawan. I know that you're still sad that Qui-Gon died, but so am I! It's like sometimes you don't even care."
Obi-Wan couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Anakin-"
"Whatever Master, just forget I even mentioned it." Anakin got up and walked towards the back of the ship.
Obi-Wan gazed out after his apprentice. He felt so helpless. You just had to leave him with me, didn't you Master? Obi-Wan sighed and resumed gazing out the window. He would talk to Anakin later, the boy needed time to cool off.
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As the ship finally approached Coruscant, Obi-Wan could not help feeling relieved. He needed the tranquility of the Temple. After every mission, the Jedi were granted a period of rest, and Obi-Wan was really looking forward to it. He needed to think, and Anakin needed to be back at the Temple where other Jedi could watch over him.
As they stepped off of the transport, Obi-Wan figured that it would be better to resolve these issues with his Padawan now. "Anakin, please do not ignore me, we need to talk."
"I have to go unpack. I'll talk to you later Master."
Obi-Wan had to restrain himself from bursting out in anger. He never would have even thought of speaking to Qui-Gon like that when he was a Padawan. Qui-Gon would have demanded that Obi-Wan tell him what was going on, even if it took a week. He would fix Obi-Wan with his trademark stare, and they would quickly resolve their issues. But I'm not Qui-Gon.
Obi-Wan knew that he would need to fix things with Anakin, and he knew that it was imperative that his Padawan learn discipline, or he would never become a Jedi Knight. The problem was that Obi-Wan had no idea how to do help him. The only thing that he knew for sure was that insolence did not ever go over well with the Council.
Once again, Obi-Wan was left alone to figure out his path by himself, even though he wished more than ever that his Master could be there to help him. Obi-Wan rubbed his eyes and ran a hand over his forehead and through his hair. All of the sudden, he felt absolutely exhausted. But he needed to report to the Council, and then he could figure out what to do with Anakin.
As he arrived in the Council Chambers, he gave a reverent bow towards the Senior Members, and he gave his report. All the while, he could not help but get the impression that Master Yoda was not listening to a word that he said, but doing his trademark sizing Obi-Wan up. No doubt the Master would see that something was going on. Obi-Wan tried anxiously to keep his shields strong.
"Where is your apprentice, young Obi-Wan?" The diminutive green Master was staring into Obi-Wan's eyes. Obi-Wan wanted desperately to avoid Master Yoda's eyes and shift his feet. Get a grip Kenobi, avoid eye contact with Master Yoda and you'll be in for hours of soul-searching in his quarters.
Force, Obi-Wan thought to himself, I really hope he didn't hear that. "Anakin wasn't...he wasn't feeling well. I told him that he did not have to accompany me to this meeting." Obi-Wan was praying to the Force that the Council Members did not sense the lie.
"Thank you, Obi-Wan, for your report. You are dismissed." Mace Windu said.
Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief. He could not believe that he had escaped the Masters. He bowed and walked quickly out of the room. Once he was outside of the Council Chambers, he nearly collapsed. The effort of keeping his shields up had practically caused him to collapse in the meeting.
He had just gathered himself when Master Yoda walked out of the Chambers. "Young Kenobi. Come with me perhaps you should. Sense I do that some soul-searching in my quarters you need." The little Jedi stared pointedly at Obi-Wan.
FORCE! He heard me. I am so in for it. Obi-Wan knew that Qui-Gon was laughing uproariously in the Force. Enjoy it now Master. Yoda turned back to Obi-Wan and poked him sharply in the shins with his cane. "Curse the Force you should not, young Kenobi." Obi-Wan clenched his jaw and followed the Jedi Master to his quarters, dreading what would come.
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Once Obi-Wan was settled in to a small pod chair with a cup of disgusting looking tea in Yoda's living quarters, the Jedi Master sat across from Obi-Wan and gazed at him for a long time. "Conflict I sense in you, young one."
"Master Yoda, I can assure you that I am fine." Obi-Wan just wanted to get out of here. Master Yoda was no exception to the long list of Jedi whose presence Obi-Wan felt supremely uncomfortable in.
"Training with your new apprentice, going well is it?"
He knows, Obi-Wan thought. Of course he knows, he's had eight hundred years to figure out how to make Jedi feel uncomfortable. "Master Yoda, I can assure you that Anakin's training is progressing well."
"His training yes. But your relationship? Hmmm?"
Obi-Wan sighed. There was no use. Master Yoda was as good at breaking him down as Qui-Gon used to be. "Anakin and I...its been difficult Master. Our last mission brought us to someone who I feel should be here now, with the Jedi. Our latest mission brought us to her, but I feel as though my relationship with Anakin has only grown more awkward. I know that it is my responsibility as his Master to instill a sense of discipline in him, but I just...I don't know how to do it."
Master Yoda looked at Obi-Wan for a long while. "Hmmmm. A sense of inadequacy you feel? Compared to Qui-Gon?"
Obi-Wan bowed his head. He could not bring himself to speak.
"Young, you are, Obi-Wan. Find your own path you must, to train young Skywalker. Mistakes, you will make. Accept them you must, and let them go."
"Yes Master." Obi-Wan replied, still not bringing himself to make eye contact with the Jedi Master.
"Work in mysterious ways, the Force does. If meant to be brought to the Jedi the girl is, than in time will she be."
Obi-Wan glanced up. How did Master Yoda know? This session with Master Yoda had only brought him more confusion.
"Go, you may, young Kenobi. At the Temple, you will remain for a time. Ready for another mission you and your Padawan are not."
Obi-Wan bristled at the Master's rebuke. "Thank you Master." He got up, Master Yoda still examining him closely, making Obi-Wan feel like an open book. As he walked out the door, he glanced back at the Jedi Master who was already deep in meditation. Obi-Wan just could not help the familiar sigh that came.
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