CHAPTER 11:

AFTERSHOCKS

It had been a varied few days. Anakin had to admit, the architecture of Sadera was magnificent. It reminded him a little of Theed on Naboo, a sentiment Padme shared. But he hated waiting around like this, and his conversations with Padme were still somewhat awkward. Less awkward, true, but Anakin had to keep a lid on his infatuation. So, he and Padme discussed the Jedi Order, as well as developments on Naboo. Apparently Jar-Jar Binks was a Junior Representative for the Gungans, thus having him appear in the Senate alongside Padme. For the time being, he was currently in Theed, discussing things with Queen Jamillia and Sio Bibble. It was a measure suggested by Palpatine, as Jar-Jar did have a tendency to blunder into trouble without guidance, and there was no truly urgent business with the Senate for now, even with the Separatists gaining ground. Anakin had to agree: as humorous as the Gungan was, leaving him alone without guidance was a potential recipe for disaster.

Sugawara had also discussed some news from Earth. The Galactic Republic's existence had been quietly divulged to the United Nations, and the reaction was apparently quite startling. President Dirrell had resigned, albeit after pressure was put on him, due to, well, his trying to kidnap a representative of a galaxy-spanning superpower (on top of everything else he did). The new president, Graham(1), was according to Sugawara a much smarter and saner man. The heads of the Chinese and Russian governments hadn't done the same, though they were apparently trying to rectify the 'misunderstanding' over the whole Mount Hakone incident, as was Graham. Other countries were either accepting, wary, or downright belligerent, and it wouldn't be long before this knowledge became public. Padme would need to speak before the UN, sooner than they had thought.

Padme had, rather unsurprisingly, got along well with Pina, and the two exchanged stories. The former Queen of Naboo also gave Pina lessons in statecraft, and Anakin noticed that the redhaired princess was becoming more confident and comfortable with herself. Indeed, there was something of a sisterly relationship between the two.

Anakin had garnered the interest of the Rose Knights after Italica, and they wondered how they could get lightsabers. However, they didn't handle exactly the same way as swords did. After all, virtually all of the weight was in the actual hilt of the lightsaber, with the blade itself being made of plasma.

He also had quite a bit of money, apparently. He'd been given a substantial share of the money they had collected by selling those wyvern scales at Italica, enough to buy a slave, he was told by an amused Rory. He had brought it with him because he was wondering whether he should buy a souvenir, something to take back home once his mission here was complete. He was certainly not doing what Rory suggested and head to the local Red Light District for some fun, sexy though some of the demi-humans were. Leaving aside the Jedi precepts against sex, he also remembered some of the holovids about STDs they had been shown at one point, and shuddered(2). He'd seen Hutts that had looked less ugly!

Earlier today, they'd had a party here, to try and convince some of the senators to call off the war between the Saderan Empire and Japan, as well as to explain the Galactic Republic to the senators. They'd even had demonstrations, not just of the JSDF weapons, but of blasters. Anakin was called upon to demonstrate his skills with a lightsaber. Anakin had made a snarky remark about how these were 'aggressive negotiations', though to be fair, they weren't as aggressive as some he had been involved in with Obi-Wan. They had to discontinue the party to avoid Zorzal, who had come to investigate.

Anakin couldn't sleep that night. He had a lot of things to worry about. His feelings about Padme, getting caught up in this relatively localised conflict, his doubts about being a Jedi, his argument with Delilah, the possible spelling and grammar errors in the written reports Yoda wanted transmitted…that, and he had a bad feeling about tonight. A very bad feeling.

As he wandered, he found himself near a balcony overlooking the rather beautiful lane leading up to Pina's palace…and Padme was there. She noticed his presence, and glanced back at him, smiling. "Can't sleep?"

"No," Anakin said.

"…I guess even a Jedi's sleep isn't always untroubled," Padme remarked, turning back to face the lane.

"I'm still a Padawan, Padme," Anakin said quietly. "And…as much as I used to believe the Jedi Council was holding me back…I think being here really put into perspective how much I do have to learn. And with all due respect to Obi-Wan, I think I've learned more under Rory than I have under him. And I do mean Obi-Wan is due a lot of respect. He's like a father to me."

Padme nodded. "I'm sure. I haven't seen either of you for so long. But why do you think the Jedi hold you back?"

"…Because I feel I could do so much more with my power. At times, I feel more powerful than even Master Yoda," Anakin confessed. An apple tree was planted nearby, and he reached out with the Force, a fruit gently sailing into his hand. "But…I've met beings more powerful than me. Rory…the Flame Dragon…once, I felt I could take on an army with ease. Now, I'm not so sure."

"…Even a Jedi is not invincible," Padme said quietly. "I used to think they were myself, even when I was Queen of Naboo…and then, Qui-Gon was killed by that Zabrak, the one Nute Gunray claimed was called Darth Maul." Then, after a moment, she said, "Rory told me, you know. About what you feel for me, Ani."

"She likes talking when it isn't wanted," Anakin said coldly.

"But is it where it's not needed? Anakin, I don't mind us being friends. But…"

"I know. You're a senator…and I'm a Jedi. As I am reminded regularly." He looked up at the stars. After a moment, he said, "After all this time, seeing you again for the first time in years was like…well, like a glass of water given to a man wandering the Dune Sea back home."

Padme chuckled softly. "I'm flattered. But…" Suddenly, they heard yelling.

"Anakin!" Itami was yelling. "Senator Amidala! Get out of the palace now!"

"What's the matter?" Padme yelled at Itami as he ran up the corridor. Anakin could feel something coming.

"There may be an earthquake coming!" Itami said. "We just got word from our people in the Akusho District that some of the demi-humans sense an earthquake on the way. I've just roused the princess. Come on!"

The pair of them rushed outside with Itami, Padme staying only to alert her bodyguards and attendants, and just in time. A tremor began to rock the palace, a shaking of the ground that made their very footing seemingly tenuous. Padme gently held on to Pina, who had an expression on her face as if the very world was coming to an end. "Are earthquakes uncommon here?" Padme asked, as the tremors died away.

"…Is that what you call them? They rarely occur here. What about your world?"

"It depends on the world and the geological activity," Padme said. "Still…" She looked at Itami, Akira and Shino. "Aftershocks are a possibility, aren't they?"

"Yeah."

"Aftershocks?" Pina asked, her eyes wide.

"Tremors that occur after the main quake. They can cause already weakened buildings to collapse," Anakin explained.

"Then we need to tell my father!" Pina said.

Sugawara was brought along too, just in case. Pina went on ahead to rouse her father, and have him dress. Then, they were granted an audience. Despite the clear signs of tiredness on his face, Anakin had to admit that Molt Sol Augustus was an impressive looking man. Charisma, authority, and power rolled off him in waves from his figure alone, despite his age. However, Anakin also reminded himself that this was the man who ordered the invasion of Japan, sent hundreds of thousands of his men and the men of his vassal states to their deaths, and who, according to Rory, thought nothing of enslaving those he conquered. He was tempted to run the old sleemo through with his lightsaber, and only the thought that they needed to do this diplomatically stayed Anakin's hand, frustrating though it was. Instead, he let Sugawara do the talking, along with Pina and the others.

However, he felt something approaching. Ever since the earthquake, he could feel a roiling, boiling mass of fear and anguish coming from the city. But what he felt approaching was…lust, malevolence, contempt, much of it coming from one person. And there was despair and desperation and pain and fear, in a small cluster coming from near those sources. For all Molt's dark acts, even he didn't make as great an impression on the Force as did this one who was coming.

And then, a young man with blonde hair, and handsome but brutal features came in. Anakin barely heard what he said, about a slave called Noriko who had said something about the earthquakes…because the man was dragging behind him, on a chain, a girl in a ragged smock. A girl who shared the same epicanthic folds around the eyes and dark hair of the Japanese. A girl who looked like she had been used and abused. Others gathered behind Zorzal, mostly rich men in fine clothes, though he saw another couple of slaves.

As Zorzal boasted and bragged, and the girl pleaded for help in Japanese, Anakin could feel his control slipping, his anger rising, he wanted to do nothing more than to reach out with the Force and snap his fucking neck…

And then it became a moot point when Itami screamed, "YOU BASTARD!" and rushed over, slamming Zorzal with a punch to the face, following it up with attacks to Zorzal's cronies. Shino went over and helped the girl, who had been thrown to the floor, get up, removing her restraints.

"…You…how dare a lowly one such as you strike one of royal blood?!" Zorzal snarled. He then gestured at the guards. "Kill him!"

Anakin decided it was time to intervene, reaching out with the Force, and knocking the soldiers and cronies over like pins at a bowling alley with a swipe of his arm. "Some advice for you," Anakin said to them. "Don't. Get. Up."

"You…don't you dare interfere!" Zorzal snarled.

"I dare to interfere, you kriffing slaver scum," Anakin snarled back. "You took these people from their homes, and made them your damned sex toys?! What gives you the right to do that?!"

"It's by right of conquest! I don't expect a foreign mage to understand that!" Zorzal sneered back, unwisely, before he whipped out a sword and attacked Anakin…who whipped out his lightsaber and disarmed him. Very literally. Well, more of a dishanding. Zorzal clutched the cauterised stump of his wrist and screamed in pain. Anakin was sorely tempted to lop off the man's head and be done with it, but Zorzal had attacked him first, and this could be at least construed as self-defence.

"Now, prince," Itami said coldly, "you said that Noriko was a survivor. That means you kidnapped other people as well. Where are they, and what happened to them?"

Zorzal sneered. "I am under no obligation to tell you."

"Have it your way. Shino…he's all yours."

Shino thanked Itami, before pulling on some gloves, before punching Zorzal to the floor, and then punching him repeatedly while straddling them. Padme frowned, and asked, "Is this normally how Japan undertakes diplomacy?"

"I think it's what Obi-Wan and I would call 'aggressive negotiations'," Anakin snarked.

After Shino was done tenderising Zorzal's face, Itami went over, and asked, holding a pistol to Zorzal's face, "Now…have you changed your mind, your majesty?"

However, then, someone dashed over and interposed themselves between Zorzal and Itami. A woman, with white hair, pale skin, red eyes…and a pair of limp rabbit-like ears on her head, also dressed in a ragged smock like Noriko. Her beauty was marred by a fatigue, a tiredness, the signs of abuse. "Do not kill him!" the Bunny Warrior said.

Anakin realised he could sense something. Her desire to keep the prince from harm was not born from altruism. She radiated malice towards Zorzal, a desire for his suffering, and towards the other Imperials present, and a bleakness, a hopelessness, like dark clouds blotting out the sky. But on the other hand, there was something within her that called out for rescue, for assistance. And there was also a strange, indomitable spirit there that had been tarnished, but never quite extinguished.

Then, Anakin realised he knew who she was, from the descriptions Delilah had given him. "Tyuule…" he murmured, noting that her eyes flickered over to him in surprise at being recognised.

He only distantly paid attention to what Sugawara and Molt were saying, Sugawara making a demand, albeit a polite one, to have all Japanese captives returned, and Molt retorting about how the Japanese's compassion would be their downfall, as would their belief in the superiority of their weapons. No, that was a sideshow. He was staring at Tyuule. It wasn't her beauty, ragged though that was thanks to her captivity, that kept his attention. No, it was something he realised about her.

If she had willingly become Zorzal's captive, selling out the other Bunny Warriors, her loyal subjects, then she clearly regretted it. But no, there was something else. It took a moment's glance at Padme to realise what that was.

Tyuule was like Padme.

No, not like she was now. Tyuule was a poor comparison as she was now, a Queen without a kingdom, royalty in rags. But Anakin realised that he was looking at something that could have been. Had Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan failed in their mission, had Padme remained on Naboo, the captives of the Trade Federation…she may have ended up like this. Broken. Abused. Downtrodden. Just the barest amount of spirit and pride keeping her alive.

Anakin felt he was coming to a crossroads. What he was about to do may change his fate, and the fate of so many others, forever. He fumbled around in his robes, and found the money bag. "Your Majesty," he said, trying and failing to keep the contempt out of his voice. "I also wish to take this one with me." He placed the money bag on the now unconscious Zorzal's chest. "There's a lot of money in there, enough for her."

"You wish to take my son's prize with you?" Molt asked, bemused. "Well, she's yours now. How much did you leave with him?"

"Enough." And then, he straightened, and looked at Tyuule, before reaching out with the Force, causing her restraints to fall off her. Her eyes widened as she felt them slip off, and then she stared at him, as if unsure. There were mixed feelings within her, he could sense. Anger, frustration, fear…and yet, there was also joy, and even a tentative hope.

He reached out his hand gently, and said, quietly, "Do you want to come with me?"

There was a long period of hesitation, before Tyuule reached out her hand and took his own.

And in that moment, a destiny changed, an apparently certain fate splitting into possibilities. A young man whose future was to become a dark enforcer of a dictator's will, a revenant encased in a suit that kept his part-roasted body alive. And a young woman, once a queen, whose lust for revenge would have led her to cause a massive civil war that would kill thousands, all out of spite for the man who had stolen her future from her. Now, those dark futures seemed uncertain, all from a simple gesture…

CHAPTER 11 ANNOTATIONS:

So, there you have it. The pairing has been revealed at long last! Yes, I am going for, as I did with Parva Sub Ingenti, a pairing with Tyuule. And I had wanted to do this from the beginning.

This isn't to say they will fall in love straight away. God, no! There's too many factors preventing this, aside from love at first sight being a load of bollocks. The obvious ones are Anakin's feelings for Padme, and Tyuule's own traumas hindering any ability to feel affection. But this is where the seeds are sown.

Now, I'm sure a few of you may gripe about me doing the same pairing as I did in Parva Sub Ingenti, but frankly, Tyuule is one of the characters whose potential wasn't really shown in the anime. Yes, I know, they give her more in the manga and light novels, but this is based more on the anime. Plus, sexy bunny woman like a Viera from Final Fantasy XII? As a bit of useless trivia, Aussie actress Nicole Fantl, who played Fran in that game, played Senator Lexi Dio in Attack of the Clones. Hmm, would that make Tyuule a future Chewbacca analogue with Anakin, like Fran was with Balthier? But I digress.

If I was going to do another story (probably another Potterverse one), with another pairing, it'd be Yao, as I think she had a lot of potential that was wasted. Plus, the other pairing choices, aside from Pina, Delilah and members of the JSDF, are pretty much restricted to Tuka (a lesbian Elf, though you can make a case for her being bi given what happens in the series), Lelei (who's underage) and Rory (who looks underage, despite being over 900 years old).

Also, I think Tyuule would appeal to Anakin for similar reasons that Padme would appeal to him. He sees something of her in Tyuule, as mentioned above…but he also sees something of himself and his mother. He empathises with her, knowing that being a slave is not a box of chocolates. Watto may not be as bad as Zorzal, but that Toydarian apparently did beat Anakin, and certainly abused him verbally.

His 'paying Zorzal off' was meant partly to pay lip service to the forms of this world, as much as it galls him to do so. He wants to be as diplomatic as possible, especially in front of Padme. He'd love nothing more than to lightsaber the fuck out of every Imperial present save for Pina. Keep in mind, this Anakin is only one year away from massacring a bunch of Tusken Raiders for torturing his mother (assuming we stick to canon), so the potential is there.

Now keep in mind, Tyuule's not going to be falling over herself in gratitude towards Anakin. In fact, she's going to be frustrated that her plans have been derailed, even have a bit of a death-seeker attitude now that her main purpose in life has been taken from her…but by the same token, she's free, and she owes Anakin for that. I think that, given her monologue in Episode 15, if she was given the chance to be freed like Noriko was, she would have taken it. So her feelings towards Anakin are complex. Not to mention the fact that she's going to have to face her own people again…with a confrontation between her and Delilah pencilled in for the next chapter.

Sorry about the extended discussion there, but I felt I needed to justify my story choices there. Also, I should warn you that I don't intend to post the next chapter for a little while, so you're going to have to wait a day or two for some bunny on bunny action…which is also the title of the next chapter. Only, it's not THAT sort of action…so get your minds out of the gutter.

Review-answering time! Guest: What is the Blue? Is that something to do with the True Magics of the Nasuverse? Is that something to do with…Aoi Aozaki or whoever it is? Still…I have a very terrifying mental image for you, and for you all: Rory Mercury as the godmother of Luke and Leia…who have rabbit ears in this story. If that isn't one of the crackiest things you people have heard today, then you're agelasts. What's an agelast? Look it up.

1. Graham was named for the surname of the President from Resident Evil 4 and 6. I wanted a name that conjured a benign American president in fiction, and his was the first that came to mind. Yes, I know there was a CIA operative of the same name in GATE. It's a common surname. I couldn't call him, say, for example, Callahan (as in the Smiler from Transmetropolitan) or, heaven forbid, Luthor.

2. This actually came from an anecdote Tom Baker (aka the Fourth Doctor from Doctor Who and, more recently, the Bendu from Star Wars: Rebels) related in his autobiography Who On Earth Is Tom Baker? During training in the army, he and his fellow recruits had to watch films on the effects of VD. He tried to channel the same horror he felt while playing Macbeth seeing Banquo's ghost…but his expression merely caused the audience, and some of the castmembers, to laugh.