Chapter 33 - A Tatooinian Street Fair

"DA-ad!" Huff begged.

"Please." Jula, his brother, stood beside him.

"Alright, go ahead. But I want no trouble from either of you," said their father.

Jula looked down in shame. Their father was clearly thinking about what happened the last time the Jedi were on Tatooine. They're little misunderstanding with the one named Anakin, and the Lars boy was unacceptable, or so their father had scolded.

"There'll be no trouble. Promise." Huff looked his dad directly in the eye. A lot had changed since that happened, and, if he were pressed to say so, he actually liked the Lars kid a little bit. 'I mean, he's still a nerd, and a little weakling, but his stepbrother is a Jedi. And his dad's idea to move everyone out here wasn't all horrible.'

"Alright." Mr. Darklighter nodded, accepting his son's promises.

Huff reached for his brother and pulled him when they got the chance. Both boys ran down the street towards the celebration. Sure, they could have waited for their father to close the shop and rode with him, but there were going to be Jedi at the celebration. And nothing was more embarrassing than arriving with a parent.

As they walked through the crowd, Jula became distracted by a man selling a dish that smelled of meat and spices. Huff pulled his brother's sleeve. "Come on. We will have plenty of time to eat later. I want to see the Jedi. Look for Owen. They'll probably be near him."

Jula sighed and looked longingly at the food. Then he obediently turned to follow his brother into the crowded streets. Weeks ago, when it became apparent that everybody would be celebrating this day, folks decided to just throw a big block party and celebrate together. Then various vendors heard about it and things grew even bigger.

There was a speeder built with a kitchen inside of it that came all the way from Orto. It had his brother's attention almost instantly.

"Oh I see him." Huff called. Then he rolled his eyes. Jula was standing at the head of the line near the window on the food speeder. Inside a server handed him a dish of noodles.

"I'm coming. I'm coming," Jula assured. Grabbing the dish and a utensil he walked the direction his brother was leading him.

"Hey Owen! Have you seen them? Are the Jedi here yet?" Huff asked.

"They will be here soon," Mr. Lars answered for his son. "Why don't you boys go play? I'll come get you when Anakin arrives."

Huff almost whined. This, this is why arriving with your parents was not acceptable.

Jula just sat down and said, "Sounds great, sir." He put down his noodle dish and pulled out two other empty flimsy bowls he'd also picked up somewhere. Then he said, "You wanna share?"

As Anakin walked into town today, he noticed it was very different from the other day. There were banners everywhere saying, "Happy Liberty Day," in both Basic and Huttese. A small clinic tent was set up where Jedi healers and volunteers were already removing slave chips from those who freely walked in. And people. People of all different species were everywhere.

The Jedi Younglings were all told to "buddy up," with another member of their clan. Buddies were to stay together. It saved the Creche Masters from having a Coronary, with all their charges running off in different directions.

Anakin's friends, the Bergruutfa clan, all decided to stay together. It wasn't even debated in their group. The girls, Kate, Leeta, and Freya, all began walking with Anakin, Alex, Kent, and Ramu right away.

"So, where do you want to go first?" Kate asked.

"Anakin wants to find his mom and brother." Alex answered. "Then we can go see the sights."

"Alright, which way do we go?" Freya asked. They all looked at Anakin.

Anakin looked inward. He never thought of it as using the Force before he came to Coruscant, but he'd always been able to locate his mother easily, even in a crowd. It was like there was this cord tied to each of them and if he pulled it, he would know where to go. Only after he got to Coruscant did he learn that such a thing was called a bond. "She's this way," he announced.

"The dish is called Nensa, and it is usually served with a spicy Burra Fish, but this chef seems to have substituted Eopie brisket for the fish. I think it tastes pretty good." Huff listened to his brother nerd out over the dish he was sharing with them.

'Jula, always the foodie,' thought Huff. On their family's last trip to Mos Eisley, his brother dragged them into five cantinas looking for one dish he'd read about on the HoloNet. 'And to think father's biggest worry, getting the technology, was me using it to find a girlfriend.' He shook his head to the thought.

"Yes, though if it was less spicy I think I would appreciate it more," Owen politely replied.

Jula merely shrugged and slurped the last of his portion. "Huff, if you're not going to finish yours, can I have it?"

"Wha- Oh yeah. Go ahead." Huff hadn't disliked the strange dish. Just that he was a bit distracted looking around for Jedi.

"Anakin!" Shmi called out and bent over to hug a youngling. Then Huff looked over and she was standing there with Seven Jedi younglings.

"Mom, These are my friends," Anakin introduced.

"Greetings to all of you," Shmi replied.

"Yes. Owen and his friends are over there. They've been waiting for you," Cliegg said.

That was when Anakin turned to look towards their table. When he saw huff, Anakin glared. He walked up to them. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey," Huff placed his hands up and waved them passively.

"Anakin, it's okay. We're good now," Owen spoke up.

Anakin folded his arms, and his face slowly became less tense. The other Jedi looked back and forth between them, puzzled.

"Hi, my name is Jula and this is my brother Huff. We're very glad to meet you." Jula broke the tense silence.

One of the girls, a red skinned humanoid, Espirion Huff thought, smiled back at them. "I am Leeta. This is Kate and Freya." She referenced the two other human girls.

"And I am Alex." Another boy introduced himself.

"Kent." said another. "And this is Ramu." A sixth youngling waved. Huff blinked. He was a Nautolan. Not many of the water loving species would ever travel to Tatooine.

"It's nice to meet you. Anakin, I'm sorry for what happened last time." Huff pulled on the manners his father had taught him.

"So, what do you want to do first?" Owen asked.

They all looked at eachother. "I heard some interesting music when we were coming through the crowd." suggested Kate.

"You mean the Marcan Pipes?" Anakin asked.

"I don't know, I never heard anything like it before," she answered.

Anakin didn't look too impressed with the suggestion, but Huff smiled. "It's as good a place to start as any. Have any of you ever heard Tatooine Blues?"

Qui-Gon carried Abigail and tried to keep up with his former Padawan. Obi-Wan was trying to tail Anakin at a distance, and trying to keep track of a conversation between Mace and Siri at the same time.

"And that's why we're worried. Right Obi… Obi," Siri's tone became scolding.

Obi-Wan shook his head. If their connection were stronger, Qui-Gon felt he'd be asking what he missed.

Mace hummed, "Well, I admit I did bring him to that group meditation because I was curious how far he could reach with the right push. Naturally, I was blown away by the results. But I don't think we should stop testing him. The boy is gifted. Knowing his limits and his potential will be safer in the long run. Don't you agree, Master Jinn?"

"Oh uh…" Qui-Gon held back his first instinct to state that Anakin was the Chosen One, and that he was capable of great things. He was not the Youngling's Master.

"But he could have died, if Obi-Wan and I hadn't pushed him off the Force Healing in time. At least wait until he's had a few more basic lessons before you test his limits!" Siri threw her arms up.

"You're both right." Obi-Wan spoke up at last. "If we don't teach him he'll never learn to control himself. But if you had told me you were testing his reach, I would've shielded myself before trying a healing meditation, or other extensive feats with the Force."

Siri nodded, relieved to finally have backup.

"But he hadn't tried group meditation before. How would you know to shield yourself all the way from the site?" Mace asked.

"Because this isn't the first time he's surprised me," Obi-Wan answered. "Even when I have my shields up… he calls it knocking, but it feels more like a quake… and I know immediately that he wants me. The first time he did it I thought he was dying. It Turned out he just wanted to know when I'd be back."

"Hmmm," Mace tapped his lip. "I will have to design a set of experiments we can run when we get back to Coruscant." He looked up at Siri before adding, "With proper safety measures. And you will be fully informed. Yes, Master Yoda will like to help, l am sure. And the other Masters. I'll set aside time in one of our Council meetings." Mace stood up and began to walk off, a man with a mission.

"Master Jinn?" A familiar voice behind him called. "It is you. Master Jinn, it's so nice to see you." Shmi walked around to the front of them.

"Shmi. It is wonderful to see you well. Are you working? They said this was a party," said Qui-Gon.

"It is. My husband and I volunteered to help prepare the big meal for later on."

"Do you need an extra hand? I can put this one down."

"Oh, I could use an extra hand setting up the tables, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." Qui-Gon turned to hand Abigail over to Obi-Wan. "Here little one. Go to Daddy."

Obi-Wan gladly took his daughter and Qui-Gon stepped off with Shmi.

"Daddy? Your people said they are like a family, but I didn't think you used such familiar terms." Shmi leaned over to whisper as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Oh, we usually don't. Except when they're true. The little one was unexpected, but he didn't need to see the DNA test." Qui-Gon gave her a sheepish smirk. "It's an unusual situation, but I think it's good for him," Qui-Gon replied.

"Ah. I think it sounds like something your Master Yoda asked my opinion on a while back. I'm glad he took my advice."

"Me too." Qui-Gon smiled.

Later that evening everyone sat down to a large meal on picnic tables in the center of town. Huff was thankful that he kept his brother from trying every food stand earlier, or they might not have been hungry to eat the big feast. And Jula would have surely regretted that, as there was grilled Bantha steaks and Macaroni 'n Blue cheese.

Cliegg came by their table with his apron on and said. "Hey kids, I pulled these off the grill for you." He proudly presented a plate of deep-fried Gorg.

Anakin's eyes went big. "Yum. Thank you sir."

Owen licked his lips and Jula held out his plate to receive a serving.

The reaction of their non-Tatooinian tablemates was less favorable. Alex's eyes went wider, eying the strange, deep fried amphibian. Leeta's face puckered, and Ramu shook his head.

"Come on, try some. It tastes better than it looks," Anakin stated.

Obi-Wan was enjoying the feast as well. He and Siri were sitting with Mace, Yoda, Plo, and the rest of the council members who came to Tatooine. They even roped Qui-Gon into sitting with them, though he was sure the man would've preferred to be far away from the Council. Something about them being stuffed up and not good partiers.

Abigail was being fussed over for being so-ooo cute. A woman named Mrs. Whitesun was serving her some pureed fruit. A Pallie, he thought she said it was. Qui-Gon and Siri were quickly entrenched in listening to stories the woman told about her own younglings, when they were that age.

Obi-Wan looked up from their meal, stopping Mace from talking. "I need to go be an example," he said. Then he got up.

Anakin and his friends were sitting on another table near theirs. Obi-Wan nodded to Cliegg Lars, still standing there with the odd dish. Obi-Wan remembered his own first taste of a strange new dish. He and Qui-Gon were on a mission to an Outer Rim planet and the natives passed out a strange slimy thing. His Master just dove in with no abandon, but Obi-Wan took some convincing. It tasted remarkably better than it looked, he remembered.

"Oh, Anakin. What an interesting dish. May I try some?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure," Anakin replied.

Obi-Wan used a knife to cut away a small bite of meat, then he picked it up with his own fork and put it into his mouth. The other younglings were watching him, the two youngest with their mouths dropped a little. "Mmm. It tastes like chicken."

Cliegg moved to offer him a serving, and Obi-Wan waved. "No thank you. I've had enough to eat already."

As he was backing away he saw one of the little ones reach over to try a bite that Anakin was offering, and he wiped his sleeves. Job done.

"Obi-Wan, I was meaning to say congratulations. You have a beautiful daughter," said Cliegg.

"Thank you."

"And a nice woman. Might there be a wedding in the near future?" Cliegg looked up with enquiring eyes.

"Oh, I don't think so." Obi-Wan blushed.

"Really, I think it's worth considering. They call me old fashioned, but I think for younglings it adds a sense of permanence, of stability to their lives."

"That may be, but I think the council was pushing new bounds just by allowing me to keep the attachments."

"Hmm. Well you know your own." Cliegg hummed.

As both men were talking they didn't notice the green ears that went up a table over, or the side eyes the others around him were giving. Around the councilors, talk became whispered huffs and nods.

Obi-Wan returned to his seat next to Siri.

"And it rhymes too. It's my favorite story to read to the little ones. You should read it to her every day. She'll be talking before no time," Mrs. Whitesun gave her advice.

"Oh, in my day we didn't have holo-tales to read to Younglings." Shmi spoke up. "When they are ready to, they will talk. My Ani didn't start until he was three and a half. When Gardulla gambled us away, she never really knew what she lost. A skinny woman and a slow boy. Not much to miss. When Watto got us, he thought the same. Most days he let me keep my boy with me while I worked. But then, one day, he got it into his head that he was going to teach Ani something productive. He told me to clean the back of the shop, and leave the three year old with him. And so I'm back there and I hear a crash! My motherly instincts shot off and I ran out. What do I find? Ani had managed to repair the hover droid while Watto was talking, and decided to take it for a ride. A very short ride. Little Ani looks up at me from the pile of scrap metal he'd knocked over, and he says, 'Uh-oh mee bolla boom-boom.'"

Beside Obi-Wan, Siri cracked up.

"Mom!" Anakin loudly protested.

"Which is huttese for, 'I go crash.'" Obi-Wan and the other Jedi who were not fluent in Huttese laughed. "Yup, he spoke his first words, and revealed his affinity for mechanics on the same day, and I haven't been able to rest since. So you appreciate what you've got while you have it. They won't always be so small."

Hello,

This chapter was fun to write. Next chapter I've already started writing it, and am really excited about the plans I have. There will be a slumber party and unexpected paths for certain characters.

This chapter I hope you liked that I brought back Huff and Jula from chapter 16. The boys were bullies in that chapter, but they've learned something since then. There is very little in Canon for either man's personality, so I had to get creative there.

And the story Shmi told isn't exactly canon compliant, but I had the idea and it was too tempting to give Anakin an embarrassing "OH MOM!" moment. I love doing that to characters whenever I get the chance.

Thank you all for your lovely comments, Favorites, and Kudos. I am proud to say we have over 500 Kudos on AO3, which is more than I've ever had on any of my stories.