Obi-wan' POV
Today's events were just plain… tiring. First up, all the Jedi masters and knights held a meeting together to discuss about our regimes and more other things. Secondly, Chancellor Palpatine had ordered Anakin to be his representative in the meeting.
The meeting was especially unpleasant and grueling for me. We had refused to make Anakin a Jedi master. I was very secretive about the Council's decision so I didn't tell the reason behind to Anakin. It seemed like Mace Windu in particular didn't want to make him a master, as he never trusted him or liked him. I had tried very hard to change his decision, but the guy wouldn't budge at all. Unfortunately most of the masters thought so too, so we had to decline the role.
It was very difficult to announce the news to him, as I noticed that he was in a very angry and terrible mood these few days. I was very worried about him, but he would never tell me what he had in mind despite my constant wheedling. He even brought up mind shields to prevent me from sifting through his thoughts via the Force.
The most unsettling thing was the Council's order on Anakin. We knew he was Palpatine's representative in the meeting, but regardless of that, the Council appointed him to spy on the Chancellor.
It was true that the Council was suspicious about the Chancellor. Yes, even I could sense the lingering darkness inside Palpatine, almost similar to the darkness of a Sith. Though most of us trusted Palpatine, we had to be 'better safe than sorry'.
Anakin was so shocked and outraged when we asked him to spy on the Chancellor. I knew that he trusted Palpatine a lot, and viewed him as both a good friend and mentor. So it would be rather hard on him. I was shooting him rather apologetic and sympathetic looks, but his stormy and indignant demeanor remained until the end, where he stormed out the room directly without saying 'goodbye'.
After the meeting, I felt like a deflated balloon. My emotions and thoughts were so conflicted and messy. Half of my brain was so overwhelmed with concern and worry for my former Padawan. The other half was to know what he was thinking about inside the great head of his.
I failed to make him open up. That guy would never talk about his feelings to anyone. All his feelings were bottled up like wine inside his mind, and I was pretty sure that one day, he would crack under all the pressure. I didn't want that to happen.
As I loitered around the Temple corridors, I couldn't help but wonder the reasons behind his angry and upset Force signature these few days. I had a really bad feeling about that, because the last time he had such a trauma, it was right after his mother died. I never knew the reason behind her death, and I never asked.
If only I could get some information…
Hey!
What about Ahsoka Tano? Maybe she knew about what was going on with her incredibly moody master!
The chance was slim, seeing how Anakin liked to protect his secrets, but still, it wouldn't hurt to give a try. Hopefully, we could work out a plan to make him open up to all of us.
Making up my decision, I walked all the way to Anakin and Ahsoka's quarters in hope for searching for an answer.
I stopped right outside the door and knocked politely.
' Coming,' Ahsoka's voice answered almost immediately, and the door swung open.
' Master Kenobi!' She said. ' What a surprise.'
' Yeah… about that… Is Anakin here?' I looked over her shoulder.
She shrugged wryly, ' Master has gone off sulking, I don't think he will be back so soon. Are you looking for him?'
' Not really. I have come here to talk to you, Ahsoka,' I said, deciding to be truthful and blunt.
' Erm, talk to me?' She panicked. ' Um, are you coming to interrogate me about the broken door? Master Kenobi, I didn't mean it, it was just a lightsaber accident-'
' A broken door?' I repeated incredulously.
' You are not coming about the broken door?' She said, confused. ' Then… But Master said that he would notify you about the door accident at the meeting. Did he forget?'
' Ah, forget about the broken door, Ahsoka. I am not coming here for the broken door or anything,' I shook my head. ' I am coming here to talk to you about Anakin. Do you know why he has been acting weird lately?'
Ahsoka' POV
' Do you know why he has been acting weird lately?'
My jaw dropped, not knowing what to say. My mind had raged into a complete battlefield of two opposing opinions.
The more responsible part of me kept yelling at me to tell Obi-wan the vision of the future, Darth Vader and all those stuff.
However, the more protective part wheedled me to keep the things to myself. Anakin would get expelled from the Order for sure, if the Order knew about his marriage to Senator Amidala!
' Uh,' I squawked.
' Ahsoka!' Obi-wan pleaded desperately. ' Really. Are you hiding something? Do you know something about your master that I don't know? Please just tell me. I am also very worried about him. I'm afraid that… All the negative feelings, I am afraid he will turn to the Dark side. Something is wrong with him. I know it.'
I had never seen the usually in control Jedi master so heartbroken and sad, that I had to reconsider. He was right. Darth Vader said so. When I asked him why he didn't speak with Obi-wan, it was because of his mission to capture Grievous! It would be up to Obi-wan and I to stop him from going further to the Dark side.
But first, he would have to know everything. Like everything.
I breathed hard before saying, ' You are right, Master Kenobi. I do know something, please come in.'
Obi-wan came in, looking gratified and relieved. I motioned him to the couch. After he sat down, his eyes swiveled to Anakin's bedroom door, and it immediately widened to the size of saucers when he saw the broken, charred pieces.
' You weren't joking about the broken door, were you?' He demanded. ' Looks like a lightsaber accident.'
' Long story,' I said sheepishly.
I plopped down onto the couch to make myself as comfy as possible, as the tale I was preparing to tell would definitely be traumatizing and dreadful.
' So… What is going on with Anakin?' He said urgently.
' Before I let you know what is going on with him, I will have to tell you something,' I said, looking at my lap.
' What?'
' Remember the day when I nearly left the Jedi order?' I asked.
Obi-wan said, ' Of course I remember. Anakin was so sad back then. But you came back in the end.'
' Here is the strange part. Have you ever wondered the real reason behind my decision?' I pressed on.
' No, not really,' He said.
' This may sound really strange, but I will have to be blunt to you. Originally, I was not thinking of coming back. I was walking down the stairs of the Jedi temple, and… The Force brought me to the future,' I said quickly.
' Wait,' Obi-wan held up a hand, looking positively shaken. ' You said the Force brought you to the future.'
' It is true, I felt it. It knocked me off my feet,' I reminisced. ' And then… I ended up inside a metal cabin. The strangest thing was a Sith was pointing a red lightsaber at me.'
' Wait,' Obi-wan gasped. ' A Sith? The Force brought you to the future to meet a Sith? Who is the Sith?'
' The Sith is called Darth Vader,' I said sadly.
' Darth Vader,' Obi-wan pondered. ' I've never heard that name before! There is no Darth Vader!'
' There is not a Darth Vader now,' I said bitterly. ' But there will be a Darth Vader in the future. Anyways, I fought the Sith, and found the most terrible truth about the Sith.'
' What?'
' The Sith… Is Anakin.'
' What?! Say that again?' Obi-wan said weakly.
' Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker. Or used to be Anakin Skywalker,' I growled.