Authors note: This chapter is going to cover a lot of Anakin's thoughts as to why he fell to the darkside. because being in Palptines presence makes it clear why he was so easily manipulated. it is also going to contain some more jedi bashing as we saw a little bit last chapter. We are also going to explore some of Anakin's less favorable views on the Jedi.
In addition, I haven't read much around Anakin's life as a youngling so I'm not sure what things were like in Canon, but I'm going to make things quite bad in order to allow Anakin to understand Palpatines manipulation
"What is my bidding my master"
"I felt a disturbance in the force"
"I have felt it"
"We have a new enemy. The young rebel who destroyed the death star, I have no doubt this boy is the offspring of Anakin Skywalker"
Anakin lay in the luxurious bed he had been appointed by the chancellor.
How was I so blind. Palpatine had been going for me even as a child. Although this Senate trip never happened in my time, he was constantly pushing me to use my anger and to crave more power and luxuries like he's doing right now. Trying to make me experience what luxuries their are in life, so when I go back to the drab and prison like conditions of the Jedi temple I will want to crave this luxury I have experienced. I'm not surprised I turned- Palpatines manipulation was spot on. he knew that I came from a place away from the order where I was experienced to what luxuries existed in he universe (Albeit I didn't have many) and I also wanted revenge on my slavers, whereas the other students had been growing in the temple since a very young age, so they would have been harder to manipulate as they were confined to the Temple where they were put under the impression that no luxuries existed anywhere or at a minimum they were instilled with an ideology that craving is bad, whilst I always was craving for freedom from slavery, so I knew more susceptible to Sidious.
He isn't going to win this time.
He fell asleep fairly easily due to the far superior bed he was in (It's an understatement to say the temple beds were poor) and he was used to limited sleep as his time as vader so the comfort of a good bed was nice.
Despite falling asleep quite quickly his dreams were still plagued with visions and memories of his time as Vader, and particularly his time with Sidious.
"You must choose Anakin"
I'm choosing the Jedi. Although they are flawed, they are far superior to you.
Anakin tried to get over his guilt for these memories as Master Yoda had advised.
Once morning arrived he was greeted by 2 senate guards who escorted him to the chancellors office. They entered and Palpatine ordered the guards to leave.
"Hello my child. How was your sleep?" palpatine asked
How did I not realize that his condescending words such as "My child" or "My boy" were him trying to make me obedient to him already at a young age.
"It was good thank you." Anakin replied
"Take a seat my boy. Let us eat together" palpatine requested with a caring and father-like voice
Palpatine had already set up an extra chair in his office as well as had food brought to his office. he made his desk into a table. The smells of a warm delicacy swept into Anakins nose. Anakin couldn't help but make a facial expression of gratitude, but also of lust. he hadn't eaten any proper food for over 25 years, he had been living with little food, or having nutrients being dripped to him whilst in his bacta tank.
"You seem shocked my boy. I don't know what they've been feeding you at the temple, but hopefully the next few days should make up for it." palptine uttered with a fake sincerity
Still trying to turn me from the Jedi. My lack of thought towards his comments in the last timeline is really showing here. No wonder he was able to rule the Galaxy- Everyone, including the Council and myself, were all blind to his cunning manipulation. He also isn't wrong about the food at the temple. it is probably best compared to the food you would see at the republic prison. it was enough to keep you alive, but not much more. The Jedi believed that If we ate to much, or had anything decent then we would all turn into sith lords, although clearly it worked with the other students as not many of them went on to be ruthless sith lords for over 20 years.
Anakin continued to mentally vent his anger towards palpatines manipulation as well as how the conditions at the temple helped lead thim to the darkside.
I see now why they thought i was too old to train. Their practices and methods wouldn't and didn't work for someone like me.
palpatine sensed a little frustration coming from the child and decided to capitalize on it.
"From what I've seen from you so far I dare say it, but I feel the Jedi have been mistreating you. You seem surprised by such food and accommodation. I understand your time on Tatooine must have been hard, but shouldn't your time with the Jedi have helped resolve such issues? Surely the Jedi care for their young with dignity" palpatine spoke in a fatherly voice again.
To an extend I agree. The conditions in the temple aren't to dis-similar to those as a slave on Tatooine. Constantly serving a master, being forced to do certain things and being punished if I don't comply with their rigid rules and beliefs and the list goes on, and although what he is saying is true to some extent he doesn't care for me either. He wants to exploit me. I understand now why the Jedi do what they do, but if this was said to me in my previous life I would have been all for it as I didn't feel life in the temple was any batter than life on Tatooine. At least on Tatooine I had my mother, whilst at the temple the other students would harass me for my chosen one status, and even older Jedi and masters would give me a hard time. Even my master Obi wan held me back, and would always side with the council even when he knew they were wrong such as when Ahsoka was framed and the Jedi tossed her to the senate dogs to be ripped apart and executed. Luckily I was good at my Job.
Even though I don't agree with the council, and I'm not fond of life as a youngling especially, It far surpasses life as Sidious's slave, so I can't let it happen again as much as I disagree with the Jedi
"I mean I guess. The rooms and food here are better. And when I came to the temple I was expecting Jedi life to be epic and grandiose, but it's pretty boring so far, and the Masters don't treat us very well. In fact it's similar to life back on Tatooine. They don't let us have any possessions or personal space. We can't leave the temple or anything like that and there is a strict schedule of sleeping, eating and classes. It feels more like a prison than A Jedi academy. Yes there are some fun bits especially the lightsaber, but the rest is underwhelming " Anakin gave a somewhat true monologue.
He exaugurated in order to make palpatine more confident in his choice of future apprentice. He wanted to appear to be a perfect candidate for sith apprentice, so it would be easier to turn on him later on as if he took a very pro-Jedi stance it would be harder to make a surprise attack or get information from him.
Palpatine gave a grin.
Palpatine POV
This is going far better than I had expected. Young Skywalker is already losing faith in the Jedi.
"I am sorry to hear that my child. But I am certain that you will go on to the the most powerful one in that order and you can teach those Masters some respect" Palpatine now was more aggressive in his anti-Jedi stance since he knew Anakin was accepting all of it.
"I hope so. I want to make master Windu sorry for hard time he has been giving me" Anakin replied, again with a half-truth.
He hated Master Windu with a passion, and that was likely a leading factor in his turn, but he also knew that that mindset was only going to turn him to the darkside, however palpatine ate it all up and the sith lords eyes were glimmering with delight.
It was working. Anakin wanted to make sure he was close with the sith lord, so that palpatine would feel relaxed when around Anakin and not on the defensive.
"I feel your pain my boy. Whilst growing up I was abused by someone I was supposed to look up to. He would hurt me both Physically and mentally." palpatine reassured the child with a story from his past.
"How did you escape it?" Anakin asked with a fake curiosity
"I had my revenge and I killed him" Palpatine said bluntly
"Wha-" Anakin said with an actual shock. Why had he just confessed a murder to a child
"Don't worry by boy. I'm not a murderer. He attempted to kill me one day and he killed 2 of my friends, so in self defense i killed him." Palpatine assured the child, but was still pushing a message of violence and revenge.
Anakin remained silent.
"Eat up my friend" Palpatine added
Anakin POV
Things are escalating a lot faster than last time. He didn't call me friend until the clone wars. He must really believe I can be his apprentice. he's trying to get close to me and form an attachment which goes against the Jedi code, albeit it's a stupid rule.
The 2 ate for a short while longer, and Anakin ate it thoroughly because, despite his mission of stopping Sidious, he couldn't deny that the food was vastly superior to anything he had as Vader or at the Temple.
"I believe we should go for a walk my child" Palaptine commented
He's going back to his condescending tone. he must be building it up and sprinkling up our relationship. He want to maintain his position as master but also create a friendly acquaintance between us.
"Okay" Anakin replied simply but with a smile on his face
Palpatine also responded with a smile and both stood up.
They walked towards the door, and palpatine placed his hand on Anakin's shoulder in a patronizing manner. He couldn't resist and just had to let the uncomfortable feeling continue.
They walked along some corridors with Palpatine still standing above the child and continued placing his hand on his shoulder.
BLAST
Blaster fire filled the corridor and Palpatine went into a defensive posture defending Anakin. A blue skinned alien with a brown hat aimed a blaster at the chancellor.
2 republic guards ran towards them but were rapidly gunned down.
"Cad bane" palpatine spat aggressively
"So you know who I am chancellor" Bane responded
"What do you want you monster. I won't let you harm the child" palpatine condemned Bane
"I don't care about the Kid. I've been paid a handsome sum for your head" bane said gritting his teeth
"How did you even get in here?" palpatine pondered
"Your security is pathetic!" Bane expressed
"Now," Bane aimed his blaster at Palpatines head, "Come with me or Ill kill the kid"
Anakin, still standing behind the chancellor, contemplated for a few seconds as to what to do, and came to the decision that this was likely a test,a nd he wanted to pass, so he came out from his protection and held his hand out causing th bounty hunter to fly backwards into a wall. He then ignited his lightsaber and held it to the hunters face.
"You are under arrest" Anakin proclaimed
Palpatine wanted more of Skywalker so used the force to cause Banes blaster to open fire. Anakin deflected the shots with ease and disarmed the hunter. He almost proceeded to put the hunter in a force choke but decided that would be going too far.
4 republic guards and master Saesee Tiin, who was currently at the senate building, rushed towards them and saw to their surprise a child holding a lightsaber at a bounty hunters face.
Bane was placed in cuffs and taken by the guards, and Master Tiin walked towards palpatine and Anakin.
"I am so glad Anakin was here. I do not know what I would have done without him" palpatine muttered trying to make Anakin feel superior and powerful
"Yes, it is good timing. I will need ti mae a report with the council, and Skywalker will be needed aswell, so I am sorry, but this trip will have to be cut short." Saensee said
"I am sorry to hear that, but I understand. This trip has already been more eventful than one may have hoped" Palpatine replied
Saensee POV
Saensee picked up his comlink and contacted the temple.
"What is it master Tiin" Mace asked
"It would appear that Skywalker just saved the chancellor from an assassination attempt by Cad bane." Saensee repsonded to the council members disbelief
"How did that happen. How did an assassin get into the senate building" Master Fisto asked
"We're still investigating. I am bringing Skywalker back to give a full report."Saensee told the council
"very well. bring Skywalker back directly to the council chambers" Mace replied
Anakin POV
That must have been a test to see my abilities, but also my loyalty to the Jedi code. He probably wanted me to kill him, but I don't want to go that far yet. Hopefully my rapid takedown of bane was sufficient for his test. Palpatine was in noreal danger though, he could have killed Bane at any point, so his words to Master Tiin must have been exaggerated to not only make the council realize and potentially fear my power, but also make me aware that i am powerful, and make me crave to continue that power and gratitude I earned, which are very un-jedi like traits. Well it failed.
Sidious POV
The test went well. I wasn't expecting him to kill the hunter. Not yet at least. But The force power he showed was most pleasing as well as him effortless deflection of the blaster bolts.