Prologue
Seven years. Seven long grueling years of the Clone Wars under his belt and there was no end in sight, so the Hero with No Fear made an end for himself before he lost anyone else. He found escape in fighting when he lost Padmè, their relationship a victimless causality of war. Their separation caused the lost of a friend and mentor in Chancellor Palpatine, but no death. Both were still alive and well and not truly part of the war. Politicians didn't understand war as much as they think they do. Padmè, who was on the front lines at the very start of the Clone Wars and again many other times, didn't even really understand as much as Anakin did. Didn't understand why he woke screaming from nightmares, she even accused him of cheating on her when he called out Ahsoka's name in his sleep. She didn't care that it was the same reason why he cried out Obi-Wan's or Rex's. How did she comfort him when he shared his nightmares of his friend's dying? "The war will be over soon, Ani. Go back to sleep." Unless he was crying out his Padawan's name, then it was "I knew it! I am too old for you, you are bored of me!" "Is it because I am not a Jedi like her?" Padmè was too happy for his liking when Ahsoka left the Jedi order, even though Anakin was glad that she left. She was safer away from the war and his nightmares, no girl her age should have been fighting a war, Jedi or not. Soon after she left Rex died. That tore Anakin up…the Clone Captain was going to be fine, it was just a head injury, he wouldn't be able to fight any more but he didn't need to die. That was when he started to doubt the Republic and its methods, killing off "useless" Clones? That was when his friendship with Obi-Wan started to strain. Anakin fought the council on every decision, everything was for the Republic, pointless deaths of Clones didn't affect the Jedi, didn't affect the good citizens of the Republic. Better mass produced slaves die than tax payers. Obi-Wan, despite on many times agreeing with Anakin, chose the Council over his former Padawan, which just frustrated him more. The Knight even started to use his status as The Chosen One to try to get his voice heard, and that didn't work, he then abandoned the Order, and his former master, with nothing but the robes on his back and lightsaber on his belt.
He didn't leave Coruscant, he spent his days bar hopping and mind tricking free drinks from the bar tender, avoiding ones with bar tending droids which left him to the slums of the lower levels of Coruscant, which worked perfectly for him. Face hidden by the shadow created by the hood of his robes he was nothing but another drunk and no one minded him if he was sat in a corner or right at the bar. Every day, in and out, a wave of his fingers and all the alcohol he wanted. Anakin was at peace with this being the way he would eventually die, finally numb from the pain. Anakin welcomed the numb sleep as he passed out in a booth in the darkest corner he could find.
The Bounty Hunter could not believe his luck…stumbling upon a Jedi like this, a drunk and sleeping Jedi. He slipped into the both next to the robed figure, a foolish Jedi, his lightsaber in clear view. Gently he lifted back the Jedi's hood, revealing a dark blonde hair male with a scar cutting down his right eye. "Anakin Skywalker, we meet again."