Obi-Wan watched as Anakin instructed Ahsoka on her lightsaber technique. After their meeting with the Jedi Cody, Rex and Kix had headed back to their barracks to scout out some among their men who would be willing to be the first batch to get their chips removed, alongside Cody, Rex and Kix. After their departure Anakin and been tense and restless, so Obi-Wan had suggested some lightsaber practice. Anakin was not someone who meditated easily, and Obi-Wan had learned over the years as Anakin's teacher that lightsaber practice worked well as a sort of moving mediation for his young Padawan.
Both Anakin and Ahsoka had both agreed, so they had headed down to the training areas of the Jedi Temple. There were not many Jedi about, a few Padawans around Ahsoka's age doing some extra training under the watchful gaze of a Master, and a couple of solitary knights doing rehabilitation exercises as they recovered from injuries gained on various battlefields. Ahsoka had wanted to try a few things out, and Anakin had offered a few pointers.
Obi-Wan watched Anakin carefully. He'd noticed a few things since Anakin had woken up in his younger body, suddenly a twenty year old again, rather than a 45 year old Sith Lord. He'd first noticed it when they were heading to the Jedi Council chambers the first time, although he'd noticed it every time after his former Padawan had been walking the halls of the temple. He would be oddly quiet, his eyes would often be cast downwards, his gaze flickering to the side, or down a corridor, as if Anakin was seeing something that wasn't there. It wasn't until now that Obi-wan was beginning to suspect that Anakin was looking at spots where Jedi had lain as they were slaughtered, by Clones, or by Anakin's own hand.
Whenever they encountered other Jedi, even ones that Anakin had gotten on well with, Anakin wouldn't look them in their eyes, instead looking at the floor. Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and to a lesser extent, Yoda, seemed to be the only exceptions, that Obi-Wan had observed anyway.
Obi-Wan hoped that as things settled down and they were able to use Anakin's knowledge to defeat the Sith, once and for all, Anakin would settle down and be able to move on from what he had seen, done and experienced, once the younger Jedi knew that it wasn't going to happen again. Obi-Wan had already seen signs of it. Compared to when Anakin had first returned to his own body he looked less…strained, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Yes, there was still tension…their situation hadn't improved that much, they'd barely done anything, but there were the beginnings of plans.
Obi-Wan leaned against the wall of the training area, his arms crossed in front of him as Anakin demonstrated a move for Ahsoka to copy. Anakin's tension had been there before he'd woken up in his younger body. It had been noticeable since the start of the Clone Wars…or even before that, when he'd started having dreams…no, visions, of his mother's torture and death. Who knew how much before that Obi-Wan just hadn't noticed it?
Telling the truth, revealing secrets that Anakin should never have felt he needed to keep, had obviously done Anakin some good, although it revealed a whole new set of problems. Obi-Wan couldn't help but feel as if he'd made multiple serious mistakes during Anakin's time as his Padawan.
Obi-Wan viewed Anakin as his brother…he had for a long time now. Perhaps it hadn't always been like that, but it had certainly developed into a brotherly feeling. Anakin, he'd thought, had felt the same. With that, Obi-Wan had thought, came trust, but obviously Anakin had been convinced that Obi-Wan's loyalty to the Jedi was deeper and more meaningful than any relationship he had with Anakin. It had to explain why Anakin had never told Obi-Wan the truth about his relationship with Padme.
It couldn't have been easy for Anakin, the pressure of hiding his marriage, in addition to being newly knighted, the Clone Wars and Anakin's position of responsibility as General of the elite 501st. Then there was training Ahsoka too. It was no wonder that the Chancellor was able to manipulate Anakin and make him feel isolated.
"Deep in thought you are?' Yoda's voice cut through Obi-Wan's thoughts, and Obi-Wan glance down, observing the wise Jedi Master beside him. Yoda was accompanied by Mace Windu, and while Yoda was focused on Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan noticed how Mace was watching Anakin and Ahsoka.
"Yes," Obi-Wan admitted, although it had been rather obvious. He hadn't even noticed the two Jedi Masters walking into the room, and he knew they were both fully aware of the fact.
"Hmmm, share your thoughts, will you?"
Obi-Wan walked to a bench that was against the wall, "Just reflecting on…things I've missed," he admitted.
"Cloud everything, the Dark Side does," Counselled Yoda.
Mace nodded in agreement, "You are not the only one who failed to see what was going on beneath our noses."
"Not that," corrected Obi-Wan with a shake of his head, "things with Anakin. He…he obviously didn't trust me with anything."
"Over estimated your adherence to the code, Skywalker has," Yoda agreed with a nod, "Aware of your own past, and even current, difficulties, he is not. See you as the perfect Jedi, he always has, compare himself unfairly, he does. At fault, we all are for this. Forget we do that raised in the Temple, he was not."
"You think he shouldn't have been trained, after everything that's happened?"
"No," Yoda was quick to shake his head, "Correct, Master Qui Gon was. Train the young Skywalker, we needed to do, but handle the situation better, we should have. Cruel it was, to him and to you, to expect what we did of you both. The effects of that now we can see."
Obi-Wan was confused. Was Yoda saying that Obi-Wan shouldn't have taken Anakin as his Padawan?
Yoda seemed to sense Obi-Wan's thoughts, because he shook his head again, "Misunderstand me, you do. A better Master for Skywalker I could not imagine. Perfect you were for him, both then, and now. A teacher, a Friend, a brother even, you are for him. It is the Council's treatment of you both that is wrong. Nine years of life outside of the Temple, Skywalker had lived. To suddenly expect him to adapt to our way of life, that is what was cruel. A normal jedi, Skywalker would never have been. Exceptions we should have made, attachments allowed. Needs them to thrive, he does."
"Every Jedi should follow the code," Mace reminded them both, still watching Anakin and Ahsoka. The pair had begun sparring, and Obi-Wan could see that Anakin was struggling…holding back, even more than he normally did when sparring with Ahsoka. A youngling could have defeated Anakin the way Anakin was fighting. For a moment Obi-Wan wondered if Anakin had disguised some injury or illness that was troubling him, before he sensed Anakin's fear.
Anakin was holding back because he was afraid that he'd accidently hurt Ahsoka. A horrible though occurred in Obi-Wan's mind. Anakin had already confirmed that he'd battled Obi-Wan at least once after Anakin had fallen. Had Anakin fought against Ahsoka at some point during his time as a Sith? Had Anakin killed his own Padawan? Was that why Anakin couldn't bring himself to even challenge Ahsoka?
Obi-Wan moved to get up, but Mace rested his hand on Obi-Wan's arm, holding him back as Ahsoka easily disarmed Anakin.
"Not always forbidden Attachments have been," Yoda reminded them. Mace sighed and nodded. It was true, the code hadn't always existed, it had been introduced as the main doctrine for the Jedi 1000 years earlier. Prior to that attachments hadn't been forbidden.
"Time it is, to review the code," Yoda told them, "Bring this up with the council I must. Weakened the Jedi are, and Vulnerable. Isolated from those we protect. Mistrust towards the Jedi, there is. Feel it, I do, when fighting alongside the clones to protect the republic, I do."
"First we need to deal with the Sith," Mace grumbled.
"Correct you are," Yoda nodded, "After that, if live we do, then change we must if survive the Jedi order will."
Obi-Wan nodded, pleased that the council was thinking about taking action. It would sooth Anakin, if nothing else. He looked back at Anakin and Ahsoka, cringing sympathetically as Ahsoka kicked Anakin's legs out from beneath him, sending Anakin sprawling to the ground. Ahsoka obviously had noticed Anakin holding back and was trying to force him into putting more effort in by continuously beating him.
"I should go and rescue Anakin, he's probably already bruised."
"It's alright, Obi-Wan, I'll deal with it."
Obi-Wan blinked in surprise. Mace was the best duellist in the order, and he trained hard, but Obi-Wan didn't think he remembered Mace offering to spar with Anakin since Anakin was about fourteen and Obi-Wan had been stuck in the Halls of Healing after being injured on a mission. Anakin had told him enthusiastically about it afterwards, and one of Obi-Wan's friends who had witnessed the fight had told Obi-Wan that Anakin had paid avid attention to the older Master, trying to soak up any offered pointers or advice.
Anakin had definitely learned from the experience, the next time he'd sparred against his Padawan he'd noticed the improvement in Anakin's skills.
"Wise, this is," Yoda nodded as Mace approached the pair, apologising for interrupting their training session.
"Wise?"
"Defeat your former Padawan in the future, you did, and leave him maimed. Not sure, I am, if ready to fight you again, he is," Yoda reminded gently as Ahsoka joined them, taking Mace's place on the bench. The Padawans had stopped their practice, their eyes drawn to the sight of two of the order's best duellists on a sparring mat together.
"Hmm, gather round padawans," Yoda called to them cheerfully, "much to learn, there will be."
The Padawans assembled themselves at the edge of the mat, whispering between themselves, probably anticipating who would emerge the victor. In the centre of the mat, Anakin and Mace were readying themselves. Mace had adjusted the controls of his lightsaber, switching it onto the lowest setting to prevent any accidental injuries. Anakin had already adjusted his settings when he had fought Ahsoka so instead he was doing some stretches, preparing himself. Obi-Wan bit his lip, unable to deny that he was uncertain how this was going to go.
On one hand, Anakin might be ok, and would fight to the best of his abilities. He might even be able to use the knowledge he'd gained during his time in the future to increase his skill, even though Obi-Wan knew that Anakin was still getting used to his own body again. Anakin's future self was heavier and taller than Anakin's 20 year old body, and all four limbs were prosthetic, rather than only one. Obi0-Wan thought that Anakin was doing well, considering this was the first time Anakin had been sparring since he'd been brought back.
On the other hand though, would Anakin be able to bring himself fight against a Jedi? He was still drowning in guilt over his actions towards the Jedi, and, just as with Ahsoka, Obi-Wan didn't know if Anakin had fought against Mace following his fall. Was this just going to cause Anakin even more trauma?
"Betray you, your thoughts do. Worry, you should not. Careful, Master Windu will be, and ready, you and I shall be. Face his fears, Skywalker must, if succeed he will."
"Yes Master," Obi-Wan, nodded, forcing himself to release his fears into the force and relax a little on the bench as the two Jedi on the mat face each other, assuming their usual opening stances. Anakin looked more than a little uncertain, shifting his feet and glancing away from Mace. Obi-Wan was obviously the not the only one to notice.]
"You can do it, Skyguy," Ahsoka whispered under her breath encouragingly, while Yoda narrowed his eyes, lowered his ears, and tightened his grip on his gimer stick.
Mace too seemed to notice, because he dropped out of his opening stance and stepped a little closer to Anakin, saying somethings to him, although too quietly for Obi-Wan to hear. Mace had his back to Obi-Wan, Yoda and Ahsoka, but Obi-Wan could just see Anakin say something in reply, although once again too quiet for anyone to overhear.
Mace replied to Anakin's response, and they continued their quiet exchange of words for a minute, before Mace stepped back and reassumed his opening stance. Anakin too seemed ready now, assuming his own usual opening stance, looking much more confident.
The pair faced each other, their eyes fixed on their opponents. Mace made the first move, a relatively easy strike that Anakin deflected easily, and then it was on.
Despite being disadvantaged compared to his peers when it came to experience, having spent the first nine years of his life outside of the Temple, Anakin had always been skilled with a lightsaber. In that moment, watching Anakin fighting Mace, Obi-Wan was taken back to the first time he put a training sabre in Anakin's hand and began to teach him his first Kata.
Now, watching Anakin as he sparred against Mace, Obi-Wan felt pride well up within him. Anakin had always been skilled, but Obi-Wan had never seen Anakin fight so well. The two lightsabers clashed and whirled as they were wielded by the two Jedi. Mace and Anakin moved quickly across the mat, as if they were in some sort of fierce dance. Neither were willing to give up too much ground, and Obi-Wan wasn't sure who would win.
Beside him, Ahsoka was leaning forward, her mouth hanging open in awe at her Master's skill, while the other Padawans were enthusiastically leaning forward, cheering and whooping as one of the Masters performed an exceptionally good or difficult manoeuvre. Yoda too was leaning forward, his lips quirked upwards just a hint.
On and on they fought. If Mace seemed to gain the upper hand, then Anakin somehow managed to step up his own skills a level to match, and then if Anakin seemed to be getting the upper hand, then Mace would do the same, until, suddenly, it was over. Anakin tripped on his own feet a little, and Mace was able to take advantage of the error, quickly disarming Anakin, knocking him to the ground, and holding his lightsaber to Anakin's throat, signalling the end of the match.