Chapter 5: Anakin.

9 years later…

Her face brightened into the rosy smiling face he had always loved whenever he had seen her. Even though wrinkles started to be engraved on her face, he never cared about it loving her the way she was. She was his mother whether biological or not, the one who had taken care of him using blood and sweat.

"I had to repair the new droids that came in!" Anakin exclaim, voicing his dislike of that command from Watto to his mother.

Shimi frowned as she glanced off to the side. She had been doing that ever since those short episodes where she would space out for about a candle's flame. No one knew what really was wrong with her and Watto seeing as she could still work fine never called the healer. After all as one of his constant grumblings, 'those fake just swine money, Ha! They won't cheat me that easily!'

No one but he knew what was really going on. After all, he himself had them save that his was shorter and most would dismiss his episodes as the years of youth dreaming. Yet it wasn't.

Images of an old man would come up to him with that grandfatherly smile of his; often it was of a shaggy mane man with a smile on his lips but with eyes that he just couldn't place the feeling.

His mother was always there to hear him out and help him. She would rub between his shoulder blades humming a tune and while it would sooth him then, it didn't manage to curb his curiosity.


Shimi Skywalker didn't know what those scenes were about unlike her own which she managed to recover from past future. Slowly over the years she had learned her true past as a Zabini and her reason for being here. Gapping holes were still shown but she contributed it to the time's ravage that dull her memory, and her 'visions' or 'episodes' as they were known were lessening greatly too. However, the most important scene of the results of how the first spell and her reciting the second was still missing no matter how hard she tried to remember it. Only the knowledge that she did the two spells.

"I had to repair the new droids that came in!" Her son said his scowl screwing his face to a fat puddle.

Her son, she still didn't know much on her son's past, or the past that he should not have at all. After all, the spell she had was for an orphan who wished to be willing to be adopted by her, with the traits or the future prospects of a Zabini heir. However, as soon as she had gone over the spell's description again in her mind, she learned of the unexpected twist.

An orphan- the spell never signify the orphan's age at all, thus it was possible that Anakin was transported as a teenage to this alien world as a fetus in her ovary. But… why were they sent here? If Anakin had really been a teenager or perhaps an adult then what were his 'visions' that would always make him teary?

"Mum." A voice shook her from her musings.

She turned back her focus to her son, Annie as she nicknamed him.

"Alright then, that old idio… stuck-up pig, don't worry about it, go and wash up first, dinners ready on the table." 'And I'll have a talk with 'Master' Shimi thought.

He smiled and hastens off.

Annie was an energetic youngling, like any other human child. He was a joy to her yet also a bundle of fear that signaled to the start of new experiences in this lifetime.

She had gone through the pains of pregnancy without any help or support. She had pleaded against her nature, for Watto to let her keep the child, to the growing years of Annie. Most especially the growing years, they were based on her try and error, being new issues to her.

Although he was everything she thought of as an educated youngling, with a conscious and moral value, she couldn't help but fear that she had taken a wrong step in the past. Even after 9 years where past corrections cannot be done, she still worried much. Her heart pines for the days where he was younger as she watched him grow taller with the passing of twin moons, but she was helpless to stop it. A mortal she was and a helpless one in all sense counted.

Change was like fate in every way working harmoniously together and being inseparable.
However she treasured it, as her guts told her of an imminent parting, one that she had hid in the bottom of her mind.

Yet now wasn't the time to dwell on those issues but for her son's next race tomorrow. Oh! How she detest those dumb races, mostly when all they bring her were either fears for her son who was participating in the event, or the sadness that dwell in those sapphire eyes when he admire the race with her.

He had lost as she had expected and had wished. Winning the race would only invite Watto to get him to participate more often which was her very nightmare, not that this current day wasn't an ordeal in itself.

Yet she felt proud that Annie, only a human and the youngest at six, as the Hutts call him, to be able to operate a pod-racer smoothly. Humans or ordinary human beings didn't have the quick reflex and intuition to last even five minutes into the race. Indeed, that sort of intuition and accidental occurrence were what she knew to be the accidental magic. The very proof she wanted to confirm that he was a wizard, that what she had taught him was going to be useful to him.

It was with a relief smile that she greeted him, her burden lighter and her face showing the carefree spirit that was taken away so long ago. A glint worked its way through to her pupils.

Things were starting to look interesting now that she was going to get her way. No more torturous time spent praying for her son's safety on the track.


Foreigners often visited this planet as un-tasteful as it might seem, though those with poor insight have never left it. Their bones buried far under the sifting sand never to be found for years to pass. Some of the lucky ones were mostly on a shady business and the man who had stepped down from a silver ship so sleek and vast to a land-dweller was no different.

Walking along the busy streets as creatures of all sorts, some he had never met before, most he did paid him no attention. This was a world of harsh survival. Only the fittest and smartest live.

Along him two companions followed dutifully although it was clear none were well-verse in surviving such a life here. Well… it was two unless you counted the third- a non-living robot working daily on snakes of wires as lights blinked rainbows indicating such intelligence which might be of use.

Gesturing for his companions to wait outside and warn him of any imminent danger, he walked into a quiet small shop made of clay and sand. Both were molded so finely, not a crack could be seen. It was like a different reality into which he had just entered. One of a busy city with heat oppressing the brain's reflex to a cool and quiet refuge deadening the voices outside. His footsteps echoed behind him, each move he took brought chills to the occupants until he stopped.

"I need parts for a J-type 327 Nubian." A deep baritone voice made its way to Annie's ear echoing its rich tone throughout the cave.

For a moment as he felt its effect washed over him, he felt safe and unusually delighted. Like when he first tasted chocolate… oh… the sweet taste as he felt it roll itself, warming him on the inside. Such pleasure…

Wait chocolate? There wasn't such a thing as chocolate on Tatoonie! Giving himself a slap on the forehead, he focused his sight onto the stranger that had just entered the shop.

"Ah yes! Nubian! We have lots of that" Watto's buggy voice rang. "But can you pay me or not- that's the question!"

Watto rubbed his thumb and 3rd finger together for the universal sign of money, inching closer to the stranger, with suspiciousness written all over.

"I have twenty thousand Republican dataries…"

"DATARIES? Republican credits? Who do you think you're fooling? That money is no good here! Value- something worth trading with, that's what I take."

The stranger shook his head, his brown over sack swirling along.

"I don't have anything els…"

"None? Then what you doing here then, Scram!" Watto screamed, abandoning his pleasant countenance at once, his pair of four-fingers swinging out in front of him.

'Hah, true colours finally appear.' Anakin thought.

"But credits will do fine," the stranger said passing one hand across Watto's face… wait… hand?

'Could he be magical too?' Anakin thought.
'Mother had said that Sirens had the power to be compelling and he is most certainly reeking of the taint of magic being used… a different one from the one I normally use but still…'

"No, they won't!" Watto answered again after the stranger had repeated his statement.

"What do you think you're doing, waving your hand around like that? You think you're some kinda Jedi? Hah! I'm a Toydarian! Mind tricks don't work on me- only money! No money, no deal!" And with that he flew away back to the counter to count the money.

The stranger stared for awhile before his face transformed to one of chagrined, wheeling from the shop back to the outside world.

'Hmm…' Anakin thought. 'A Jedi would surely be versed in the arts of magic, and that retired pilot down at the end did say that Jedi could do some mind tricks…'

"Chut-chut!" a screech brought him out from his reverie as Annie craned his head up only to meet the smack of a pile of cash from Watto.

"I didn't keep you to daydream! Work!"

Grumbling silently, Annie returned to scrubbing the bin as he renewed his vow once again to try his best to be rid of being a slave and leave Tatoonie with his mother.


4 candles (hours) later…

Anakin was dismissed from the shop as soon as he had finished cleaning up the shop and was currently peacefully walking towards his home.

Around him creatures of all looks walked past. Some were in chains, dragged by unknown, some cheerfully walking about. Not he.

He wasn't happy or sad, irritated or excited, just walking down the road as balls of dust rolled past his feet. His arms rose crossed behind his head as he blindly walked down the street, seemingly able to avoid any skin contact with others even thought his eyes were lidded.

'Blind sight' as he had termed it though its real name was really too complicated to remember, Annie walked down training his senses to guide him, trusting the ambient magic to keep him safe. Even though he started doing this as an order from his mother in order to train his magical sight and had hated it, he needed it now.

That man from this afternoon… he was the second person to ever be felt using magic apart from him and his mum and it surprised him. Never having prove that a Jedi had used magic, his mother wasn't able to certify her theory correct… yet now…

Wait… something was going to happen, and indeed he could feel it in his very skin as if the wind was spreading the news, even see it. A fight was going to take place … and it was smacked right in front of him.

"Chubba! You!" It was Sebulba, a dug- a creature vicious in both cunningness and right connections.

'Stupid Dung', Annie cursed under his breath, there was the cheater who had sabotaged every single Pod-race he was ever in, and unwontedly but not unusual, the one who had caused him the chance to ever participate in Pod racing again.

A brown-skinned creature laid on the ground, his posture in that of a submissive servant. With two large flopping ears and large eyes that seemed to protrude out, it was certainly a creature who would win the overall cutest alien on Tatoonie.

However, Anakin wasn't able to identify the victim's specie, and since he didn't know its race, one thing was for sure, that wasn't a native here. He sighed knowing thinking of all the trouble his mum were to give him should she ever find out today's events. Yet… he couldn't just stand here and let the worst bully he ever hated reign right in front of him, especially when this one here didn't have any way out.

"No, no," the victim moaned plaintively,
"Why me always da one?"

Snorting in laughter at the victim's dumb question, he stepped forward a plan forming in his mind already.

"You're always the one because of your fear, it reeks and that's the key to being conquered." Anakin told the victim and surged forward not a moment too soon as Selbulba prepared to swing his fist forward.

"Chess ko, Sebulba," he told the dug, an image of a calm adult toying with a baby.
"Be careful, this one's well-connected… don't want you missing form the next race now do we?"

Oh he was going in for a fun time now.


"Tooney rana dunko, shag?" Selbulba asked, his eyes going wide betraying his nervousness. If it was true and this pathetic life form on the ground was well connected…

"Hutts, Connected to the higher ups." That irritating boy said his face betraying no emotions save for the smugness in his voice…, oh how he loved to ripped that voice from him and make him suffer in front of him.

But if it was true, and that the Hutts are connected to this fellow…

Selbulba backed off a step unconsciously, his memory dicing out his previous unlucky encounter against the Hutts, but a snort brought him back to reality as he spotted his fly.

"Neek me chawa! Next time we race, it will be the end of you! … Oh I forgot…" Selbulba paused with a smirk.

"You can't race anymore… can you wermo…" hoping to get a rise from the boy. His muscles do need some exercise anyway.

He was disappointed although it wasn't really unexpected since he had never been able to get a rise out of both the brat and it's filthy elder… and for that he was in awe of them- not that he would ever reveal it.

"Oh… that's true but then I heard that next race is going to involve certain … additions- not so pretty now for you now, is it dung?"

That brat … quickly he restrained himself, he wasn't in the mood to deal with any authority figures today.

Gesturing violently, he gave his last threat for the day, or in Anakin's words, his farewell speech.

"Uto notu wo shag! Count yourself lucky slave; you better go running back behind your master's protection…" Spitting on the ground, he wheeled around and moved off with his companions- fellow dugs- back to their tables.

"I think you're going to need them more Selbulba." Anakin added softly, having the last say as usual.

"Jar Jar! Are you alright?"

'It was that siren from before' Anakin started, spinning around so fast and unexpectedly, he felt dizzy for a moment.

"Careful there, my young friend." The stranger said grasping Annie on the arm steadily.

"Ah… Sorry about that…" Anakin blushed.

"No, no, I should be the one thanking you for saving Jar Jar here from trouble… although you… Jar Jar, seems to have a penchant for finding trouble…" The stranger replied eyeing the creature- Jar Jar as he seemed to be known as- being helped up by a young lady… who was ravishing!

"Nossir, nossir!" The peeve foreigner (Jar Jar) quickly replied brushing off the sand and dust collected on his shirt.

"ME hate crunchen. Tis' da last thing me want, especially with evil creature!"

"I should hope so…"

"Me does nutten!" Jar Jar insisted forcefully, abandoning the subject to bury in the desert.

For a moment silence reign through time and space even though the daily occurrence were still happening around them.

Then the stranger spoke.

"Yes, well my companions and I had better start going on our way now…"

"Yeah well, see… I was kind of wondering … I was…" Annie stuttered, unsure of how to phrase his question.

"Yes?"

"Well, Jar Jar there doesn't seemed to be a native here, and since you all knew each other I was wondering if you could tell me what sort of creature is he, and what is he doing here?"

"Ah, well Jar Jar is …"

"Me is Gungan, Gungan from underwater!" Jar Jar interrupted the stranger, eager to start off a session about himself.

"Gungan? I've never heard of you? And where's underwater? Do you mean you live like the fishes, and… and do you stay still with your eyes wide open like a fish when it's sleeping?" Anakin quickly asked, his mind spinning up all his unasked questions. It was really some time since he had ever needed to learn something, his mind absorbing things like there was no tomorrow.

"No, no! Mesa no sleep with eyes wide open" the Gungan said placing special emphasis on the word wide, while his arms flail wildly about.

"Then…" Anakin started, but the stranger interrupted them.

"As curiously and fulfilling as it to answer all your question, there looks to be a storm brewing soon, and we will need to get back to our ship as soon as possible."

"Oh! I'm really sorry!" Annie said and indeed he was. Sandstorms were notoriously vicious especially on such a planet as this which consists of mostly sand. Hoping to make up for it in some way he offered them a temporary refuge till the storm tides over after hearing that the ship they were heading to was on the city's outskirt.

"You'll never make it there in time, especially in this storm! Tatoonie's famous sand storm can blow any wanderers off track in just minutes!"

"We have no where else to go!" The stranger shouted back, raising his voice against the rapidly rising wind. It was clear then to Annie what the outcome would be, having seen the gleam in his eyes of his nervousness. All around them, people were hastily taking shelter and it was rather clear that the stranger himself doubted if they could reach their destination in time.

"Come on. You can wait it out at my home. It's nearer than going out to the outskirts and my mum won't mind much too." Annie said.

The gleam in those hazel eyes increased.
'Just a bit more', Annie thought.

"Hurry! Your lives are more important than you reaching there anyway, and I don't think your ship could leave in such weather too!"

It was enough, and the stranger gestured to his companions to follow Annie as they hurried down the desolated streets to a small man-made cave, no speech was needed, and none dare too for fear of choking down the stinging sand.

Dying of a lung full of sand was dumb when you're in a place civilized enough to avoid it.


The sand pounding started louder and as each sound boomed the small hovel- which in secrecy was enforced with spells and wards making it bigger on the inside discreetly and safer too- Shimi started to sweat more profusely.

Oh she may have drilled the ways of survival when caught in a sand-storm into her son's head, she might have taught him spells that he shouldn't be learning at his current age, but she was still worried. Tens of scenarios entered her mind and despite her stony façade, she was starting to break focus.

Bang!

That was all she needed. She stood up hurriedly, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. This was the house she had personally built after her son's birth and every sound that was ever heard, she would have recognized it by heart already. The door had opened and her son was back, for only he could open it in such weather.

Moving speedily, she slowed down unexpectedly. There was more noise than there should be. That could only mean one thing. She had guests. Moving once more, a firm stride in her actions, she muttered the password under her breath as the air around her shimmered for a moment, before returning to its normal state.

"Mom! Mom! I'm home!" Her son called out excitedly to her from the doorway.
Just past the first security now, and she would decide.

"Tis cozy", someone voiced out.

Beside her in her personal room, what used to be furnished lavishly with a wardrobe, technology, a goose-feathered bed and walls painted with a dull glossy green gave way to only sandy wall rough to the touch but not harmful. A bed made of bad branches with a table was the only furniture left. All these depicted one with serious financial problems. Her 'rightful' image as a slave.

Walking slowly pass her room's doorway to the main room where she knew her guests and son would be waiting, she threw a glance to the table where four folders laid waiting innocently before she stalk out her face one of pure bliss.

"Oh my!" Shimi exclaim upon seeing her guest on first glance. What was she to do with them now…


A/N: Sorry about the delay but there was a slight problem with the computer! Really, i am so so very sorry! On the other hand, while i can't give another promise to be on time, i give my word that i'll try.

Now i know this chapter was to be on Anakin's childhood but i'm not really sure the chapter i wrote on Anakin's childhood is actually productive. In fact it seemed boring so i added some tibits of it in this chapter and any extra relevant to the story, i'll put it in the other chapters as flashback. By the way, does anyone have trouble understanding the story?