When they were both four years, two months and eleven days old, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi became archenemies. Little Anakin liked mechanical classes a lot. He was one of the best students in his class. And he liked to dismantle everything. Obi-Wan's favourite cuddly toy, an orange dragon called Dragon, met this fate. Anakin was just too curious to see what was inside the dragon. So, using scalpels and vibro spanners, he worked his way through cuddly fabric, wool and synthetic material. Anakin was a bit disappointed there were no screws and switches inside. That was why he checked under the dragon's eyes, skilfully removing the two shining black buttons.
It was an accident, everyone confirmed later. Anakin had not done it on purpose in order to hurt Obi-Wan. But little Obi-Wan's heart was broken. He cried in front of Dragon's remains for hours and not even Master Yoda, who bought him a new dragon the same colour and the same size as his old one, could soothe him. Because the new cuddly toy was not Dragon. It did not smell like Dragon and it did not have the stain on his right hind leg. No, Obi-Wan could not be fooled that easily. So he took revenge. The following night, he sneaked into Anakin's sleeping quarters and chopped off his braid. Naturally, Anakin was very angry when he awoke the next morning and found his braid missing. That was when things started getting out of hand.
Anakin desperately wanted to cut off Obi-Wan's braid too. He tried to do so every meditation session when Obi-Wan was supposed to be relaxed and have his eyes shut. Master Yoda was getting annoyed because his younglings did not focus on the Force anymore but were just anxious to a) cut off Obi-Wan's braid (Anakin), b) prevent Anakin from cutting off his braid (Obi-Wan) or c) see whether Anakin succeeded in his plan (the rest of the Bear Clan). It was futile to explain to a four-year-old who had lost his favourite cuddly toy or his braid that revenge was not the way of the Jedi. It also did not help to point out to them that a Jedi should not have possession and that a Jedi must learn to let go of the things he feared to lose. It was something four-year-olds did not understand yet. So Master Yoda was forced to separate them. Obi-Wan was sent off into the Wookie Clan and Anakin stayed in the Bear Clan. After a few days, things settled back to normal. But there was some rivalry between the Wookie Clan and the Bear Clan. But then again, there had almost always been rivalry between the different groups as everyone wanted to prove they were the better group. There was no reason to worry.
Master Windu, however, did not see things as lightly as that. He was worried. That in itself did not say much, actually. Mace Windu was practically always worried. His friend Qui-Gon... Mace frowned. He did not like to refer to him as "his friend" because the term "friend" sounded too much like attachment... His fellow Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn had once pointed out to Mace that the fact that he worried so much just showed how deeply he cared for everyone and that he had such a big heart. Mace disapprovingly shook his head while he was pacing up and down his quarters. Qui-Gon was an optimist by nature, convinced to see good will in everyone's actions. Mace Windu was a pessimist, who saw the dark side lurking everywhere, even in himself. He had just talked to Master Yoda about their troublemakers Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. Mace was very worried because both of them had shown the will to take revenge. Without thinking about the consequences, they had wanted to hurt each other. What was most worrying about the whole affair was the fact that Anakin Skywalker was presumably the Chosen One who was to bring balance to the Force. How could someone bring balance to the Force if he could not even control his own dark nature? Yoda was sure both of them would eventually learn control when they were old enough. Mace doubted that. It was a dangerous sign if children of such a young age already showed hints of the dark side like revenge and uncontrolled anger. Mace stopped in his pacing. He realised his mind had wandered off too far into the future. A Jedi always needed to be in the present, they needed to live in the Here and Now. It was a trait Qui-Gon had perfected. Mace, however, was not so sure if it was a good thing. Qui-Gon had got himself into trouble too often because of his recklessness and had had too many nearly death encounters. Every time Qui-Gon was going to be sent off on a mission, Mace gave him a long talk in front of the whole Council, enumerating all Qui-Gon's previous mistakes and failures and telling him to behave better in the future. Mace definitely worried a lot about Qui-Gon.
Six years later...
The Combat Training Chamber was filled with fierce battle cries and wild laughter. The Jedi apprentices did their warme-up. Master Adi Gallia, who taught this class of students from the age of nine to twelve, had not arrived yet.
"Yield, you unworthy space pirate scum!" nine-year-old Bant Eerin screamed in an admittedly not very threatening voice at Siri Tachi.
Siri, who had Bant's trainings lightsaber at her throat, lifted her chin up defiantly. "Never," she declared proudly, ducked Bant's lightsaber and slashed at the Mon Calamari's legs. Bant staggered backwards and bumped into Bruck Chun.
"Hah!" Anakin Skywalker, who had been fighting Bruck Chun, quickly stood over the other boy and pretended to give him the final blow. "This is your end!" Bruck clutched at his heart and did a death performance with lots of painful groans. "I am Master Dooku, Master of swordsmanship, and no one stands a chance against me!" Anakin cried triumphantly and whirled through the room, doing a rather inadequate imitation of Dooku's distinguished fighting style.
"You forgot me," Obi-Wan Kenobi panted, running up towards Anakin and slashing his training lightsaber against Anakin's. "I am Master Windu, Master of Vaapad, and that's the deadliest form ever!" Obi-Wan wildly swirled his lightsaber through the air, getting no closer to Windu's Vaapad than Anakin to Dooku's fighting technique.
"Master Yoda I am," Garen Muln said, "older, wiser and stronger than all of you together I am!"
"We'll see!" Anakin said, and several Jedi students lunged forward in order to fight Garen together. Garen saved himself with a somersault backwards, which was meant to look like Yoda's technique. Unfortunately, Garen did not land very gracefully on the ground. "Ouch... Stupid I am." Everyone laughed. Garen may not be a good swordsman but he was always fun.
"Got you!" Obi-Wan stormed towards Garen but somehow he had been too fast and so he tripped over Garen's legs and landed headfirst on the floor, making everyone laugh more loudly.
"Great stunt, Oafy-Wan!" Bruck Chun teased Obi-Wan and used the Force to call Obi-Wan's lightsaber, which he had lost during the fall, in his hand. "You want it back?" With that, Bruck tossed the lightsaber to the other side of the room. Obi-Wan ran for it but Anakin was faster.
"Come, come, Oafy-Wan, here is your lightsaber, come and get it," Anakin said as if he was talking to a dog.
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "You're so childish, Anakin."
"Ooooh." Anakin smirked and threw the lightsaber back to Bruck, who caught it. "And you're sooo grown-up, aren't you?"
Obi-Wan gritted his teeth and stopped chasing his lightsaber. They would eventually give it back to him. But then, when Bruck threw the lightsaber back towards Anakin, Garen stopped the lightsaber with the Force and it landed clattering on the floor. Seeing his chance, Obi-Wan dashed forward. Suddenly there was a foot in his way and he tripped again. His palms touched the floor painfully. Cursing under his breath, Obi-Wan turned around and saw Siri sneering down at him.
"Man, you're so clumsy, Oafy-Wan," she said and used the Force to pick up his lightsaber.
Obi-Wan hated that. He hated his own clumsiness and he hated them calling him 'Oafy-Wan'. They were the former Bear Clan – mostly Bruck, Anakin and Siri. Fortunately, Master Gallia entered the Combat Chambers that moment. She clapped three times and silence settled immediately. Siri tossed Obi-Wan's lightsaber to the ground and moved in the circle of students, who had gathered around Master Gallia. Angrily, Obi-Wan picked up his lightsaber in his burning palm and joined the other students too.
Master Gallia divided them into pairs. As always, Obi-Wan was teamed up with Anakin. Anakin was by far the best swordsman their age. Obi-Wan was the second best but he did not stand a chance against Anakin. Still, Adi Gallia would always choose him as Anakin's sparring partner. Once, she had explained to him why. "You know Anakin is the best fighter. The others are no match for him. They would get so depressed and would start doubting their own abilities if he routed them completely. I know you're a good fighter too, Obi-Wan, that's why I want you to spar with him." Of course, Obi-Wan had been a bit flattered but that compliment did not help him when he lost again and again to Anakin, when he had to bow to him and when they would call him 'Oafy-Wan' again. No one asked if Obi-Wan got depressed and doubted his own abilities when he hopelessly lost against Anakin every day. He was depressed. It was getting more and more frustrating each day. Sullenly, Obi-Wan walked over to Anakin.
"At first, I want you to show me the katas I taught you last week," Master Gallia instructed them. "I hope you have practised well."
Obi-Wan had practised a lot and yesterday he had been sure he did the kata really well. But next to Anakin he felt clumsier than ever. With a mix of envy and admiration, Obi-Wan watched Anakin perform the kata gracefully and effortlessly as if it was the most natural thing in the galaxy; spinning, slashing and parrying in a perfect flow with the Force.
Master Gallia watched Anakin approvingly. "Well done. Now it's your turn, Obi-Wan."
Trying to get the images of perfect-swordsman-Anakin-Skywalker out of his head, Obi-Wan focussed on the Force. He tried to remember how he had done it yesterday, how it had seemed so easy then. He managed to do the correct movements but he lacked the necessary grace and balance.
Master Gallia nodded curtly. "That was okay so far. But try to do it more fluently. It's like you're still doing several different movements but it is meant to be only one movement. Anakin, show him that once again, okay?"
"Yes, Master," Anakin replied politely and started the kata anew. Master Gallia walked over to the next pair.
It was always the same: Anakin, show him once again... Anakin, help him with that... Obi-Wan, try to do it like Anakin... Most of the times, Anakin did not really show off or gloat because of that. Most of the times. And still, being helped by Anakin was the most humiliating thing for Obi-Wan. As always, he just watched Anakin do it again, then Obi-Wan tried it again, then Anakin explained a few things again and Obi-Wan listened silently, his face an impassive mask. Sometimes Anakin's tips helped him, sometimes they did not. He was always relieved when Master Gallia clapped again and told them it was time for a little duel before class was over.
Anakin and Obi-Wan bowed to each other and then held their lightsabers ready above their head waiting for the signal to start.
"Go."
Obi-Wan attacked quickly and ferociously. He knew it did not help him if he attacked without thinking but he wanted it to be over soon. He had often enough fought until utter exhaustion, just to end up tripping over his own feet and lying, panting heavily, on the floor while Anakin, smiling and breathing evenly, had his lightsaber on Obi-Wan's throat. Now Anakin easily blocked his attack, and with a few flawless strikes and blows, he was behind Obi-Wan's back and his lightsaber hummed close to Obi-Wan's neck. Obi-Wan had beaten his own record. Never before had he lost so quickly. He slightly inclined his head towards Anakin and muttered a "Congratulations".
Anakin bowed too and replied in the ritual way, "You fought well".
Obi-Wan snorted. "Rather horribly", he muttered to himself.
Anakin, however, had heard it and laughed. "Well, you have been better than today, I guess," he commented good-naturedly. "You shouldn't have attacked so quickly right at the beginning."
Obi-Wan just nodded grimly. Anakin lecturing him was the possibly worst thing ever. He quickly went into the changing room. He and Anakin were the only ones here. Everyone else was still duelling. Obi-Wan changed at speed of light and hurriedly left the room, murmuring a quick "Bye".
"See you later," Anakin replied.
Obi-Wan headed for the Room of a Thousand Fountains. He always went there after lightsaber training. There he could meditate and find peace. There he could be what he could never be when he fought against Anakin: Be one with the Force. Obi-Wan sat down on his favourite place, a mossy stone next to a little pond with lots of tiny toads in it. He loved water. When Obi-Wan pictured the Force, he always imagined it would look like a clear lake where every sentient being and every event left a ripple like a water strider. The idea of going swimming in the cool water after his meditation seemed promising. Maybe Bant would join him – once she had finished her duel. Obi-Wan closed his eyes and slowly ridded his mind of every conscious thought. His muscles relaxed and the Force flooded freely through his body.
"Hey, Obi-Wan! Hey!"
Obi-Wan jumped up as if he had been touched by an Electro-Jabber. Anakin was running towards him, all excited. Annoyed, Obi-Wan rubbed his head, which was buzzing because of being so abruptly jerked out of meditation. "Anakin!" he barked. "I was meditating."
"Master Windu and Master Dooku are duelling!" Anakin said enthusiastically. "You're coming, or what?"
"Of course!" Obi-Wan got on his feet, his buzzing head and all animosity and resentment towards Anakin forgotten. "Where?"
"In the Temple Gardens. Quick!" Anakin stormed off and Obi-Wan followed him. They skidded through the Temple halls, dodging Master, who sent them disapproving glances because of their un-jedi-like behaviour.
"Over there." Anakin pointed to a cliff where already some other students had gathered. They waved enthusiastically down at them and gestured for them to climb up too. Anakin and Obi-Wan used the ropes from their utility belts and scrambled up the rock. From the top, they had a perfect view over the two duelling Masters. Obi-Wan lay down flat on his stomach next to Garen and stared down in awe. The sun was already low and the tall, majestic trees cast long shadows. Master Windu and Master Dooku skilfully used their surroundings, leaped above stones, used the trees as shields and tried to get each other's lightsaber into contact with the little river so that it would extinguish. The blades moved so quickly they were only a blur of blue and violet and sometimes it was difficult to follow their movements with the eyes and recognise who was who.
"Gee, they're so bloody amazing," Anakin, who lay next to Obi-Wan, muttered in complete awe.
Obi-Wan simply nodded – without taking his eyes off the two fighting Jedi for a moment.
"Any more bets on who's gonna win?" Bruck asked them.
"Master Dooku," Anakin said immediately.
"Master Windu," Obi-Wan said just as convinced.
"Okay, that makes the odds... six to three in favour of Master Windu," Garen announced.
"Master Dooku is gonna win, definitely," Anakin muttered distractedly. "You see his technique? That's so...wow. No one has such a fighting style like Dooku."
"But Master Windu is younger and his condition is better," Obi-Wan argued. "If the fight is going to last longer, he will definitely win."
"Just look how Master Dooku moves! He's so damn great! It looks so... elegant."
"Yes, but just because he's looking all impressive doesn't mean he's the better fighter," Obi-Wan contradicted Anakin. "Master Windu is just more...economically. He fights so cleverly and it seems like Master Dooku's blows do not bother him at all. He –"
The apprentices collectively held their breath when the two Jedi Masters both somersaulted – slashing and parrying each other's blows in midair. When they landed on their feet again, each on either side of the river, the apprentices disbelievingly tried to find words for what they had just witnessed.
"How did they do that?" Garen asked incredulously.
"Whoa, that was sooo..." Bruck muttered.
"Well, alright, that was impressive", Obi-Wan admitted.
"Yeah...," Anakin and Siri said in unison.
The sun had set now and it was difficult to recognise the two fast-moving shadows. The fight had already lasted almost an hour and they still did not show any sign of exhaustion yet.
"It's dark, we ought to be back in our sleeping quarters by now," Bruck said regretfully.
"Yes, we'd better go back or we're going to be in trouble tomorrow," Siri agreed sadly.
Everyone sighed and got on their feet again except for Obi-Wan and Anakin.
"Are you coming?" Garen asked them.
Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other and shook their head simultaneously. "No," Obi-Wan said, "you never know when you get the chance to see them duel again."
"Yeah," Anakin agreed, "I bet one of them is sent on a mission again very soon and then we'll have to wait for another year if we want to see them again."
Some of the other students hesitated but in the end they all decided to leave. Obi-Wan and Anakin watched the fight continue in awe-struck silence. Meanwhile, down in the "fighting arena" it was completely dark. All that could be seen now were the two glowing lightsabers, which danced through the shadows, coming in and out of view behind the trees. The lightsabers bathed their immediate surroundings in a dreamlike, surreal glow. It looked as if the flickering trees were twisting or moving. Anakin and Obi-Wan absorbed every movement like a dry sponge, trying to learn just by watching their heroes.
"I don't understand how they can fight like that on such uneven terrain," Obi-Wan whispered.
"They just can control everything," Anakin whispered back. "Stars End, I guess I would have run into a tree after five minutes."
"I bet I would have tripped over a stone after one minute," Obi-Wan admitted freely. They both giggled softly.
"You know, one day I'll be as good as they are," Anakin said dreamily. "I'll have my own very special lightsaber and I'll have my own fighting technique and I'll be a swordsman as great as they."
Obi-Wan did not doubt that for a second.
Suddenly, the two Jedi below stopped their duel. They did not say a word but just stopped simultaneously in their movements and deactivated their lightsabers at precisely the same time.
"It has been an honour, my friend," Master Dooku's deep, booming voice could be heard.
"The pleasure was mine," Master Windu replied just as politely.
Then their steps and voices got off.
"No one won – they just stopped," Anakin said, undecided whether he should be disappointed or thrilled.
"They probably would have to continue the whole night until someone would gain the upper hand," Obi-Wan said. He was definitely thrilled.
"Yeah, I guess they're just too good to make mistakes," Anakin said thoughtfully.
Then the two of them climbed down the cliff and sneaked back into the Temple. The lights had already been turned low and the corridors were empty. In hushed voices, they continued to discuss the duel in every detail. Unfortunately, they ran into a Master just before they had reached their rooms.
"Hey, stop!"
Guiltily, they turned around and faced Qui-Gon Jinn. He looked very angry. "And who are you two?" he demanded to know.
"Um, Anakin Skywalker."
"Obi-Wan Kenobi," Obi-Wan answered subdued. Qui-Gon Jinn was a very tall and intimidating Jedi-Knight.
"You know you have to be in your rooms after sunset, don't you?" Master Jinn asked strictly.
They nodded dutifully.
"Well? Do you have an excuse for your behaviour?"
Jedi were not allowed to lie and so, bit by bit, they told the truth.
"Well, we were...," Anakin started helplessly.
"Practising lightsaber combat," Obi-Wan finished his sentence.
"Lightsaber combat," Master Jinn repeated doubtfully and held a glowstick up in order to examine them. "You don't look as if you are very conscientious with your training. You aren't sweaty at all."
They sheepishly blinked in the glowstick's light.
"Um, we weren't exactly..." Anakin trailed off, looking nervously up at Master Jinn.
"We're sorry, Master Jinn," Obi-Wan said simply. "We were outside because we, um, watched a lightsaber duel between Master Dooku and Master Windu."
"Aha. And you call that lightsaber practice?" Master Jinn said severely.
"Um, yes. Learning by watching, you know?" Anakin suggested timidly.
"Yeah, it helps us a lot if we watch them spar," Obi-Wan followed Anakin's line of argumentation. "They're so good and we get ideas on how to improve our technique if we watch them."
"That is a very praiseworthy thing to do, of course. But not at this time of night." Master Jinn held the glowstick up again and illuminated their faces. "How old are you?" He looked at Anakin, frowning. "You can't be older than eight."
"I'm almost eleven," Anakin said defiantly.
"And how old are you?" Master Jinn addressed Obi-Wan.
"I'm almost eleven too."
"I have my doubts about that," Master Jinn said sourly. "Your braid is much shorter," he told Anakin, "you cannot be eleven if Obi-Wan is eleven too."
"We're both almost eleven," Obi-Wan corrected him. "We were born on the same day."
"Listen, boys, I don't feel like listening to your lies any longer," Master Jinn said impatiently.
"But it's not a lie!" Anakin said outraged. "I lost my braid when I was four and that's why everyone thinks I'm younger. It was an accident! And we were born on the same day, you can check it in the archives!"
"Oh yes, I'm definitely going to do that. And if you're right and both of you are almost eleven – which means you're ten, by the way – you're still not allowed to stay out so late at night. So it's detention for you, let's say refectory duty for one week. If I find out you've lied to me, it's archives duty for two weeks. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Master," they answered in unison.
"Alright, then go to bed now. May the Force be with you."
They bowed, replied the greeting and quickly hurried off.
"Man, I didn't know that Qui-Gon Jinn's such a spoilsport," Obi-Wan complained once they were out of earshot.
"Yeah, I always thought he was okay, too. Maybe he's just still peeved because of his Padawan," Anakin said thoughtfully.
"Why, what happened to his Padawan?" Obi-Wan asked curiously.
"I'm not sure but I heard rumours he had turned to the dark side and died."
"He turned to the dark side? Oh, I didn't know that," Obi-Wan said, suddenly feeling sympathy for the strict Jedi Knight. Maybe Obi-Wan had learned a lesson today that he should not judge people so quickly. "Who was his Padawan? And when did it happen?"
"He was called Xanatos De...thingy. It happened one year ago, I think."
"One year ago?" Obi-Wan repeated incredulously. "And he still hasn't managed to let go, and is taking it out on us instead?"
"Yes, I've heard some on the Council aren't happy with him at all. Personally, I think they should throw him out. I mean, he obviously had an attachment to his Padawan and if he can't let go, it could lead him to the dark side."
"That's just so unfair. They always teach us we must learn to let go and Master Jinn can just disobey the rules. Just because he's already a Jedi Knight, they pretend they don't see he's a bad Jedi. But we are punished just because we're out late at night!"
They agreed that, indeed, Qui-Gon Jinn, the Jedi Council and life in general were very unfair to them.