Folks, I have some good news, and some bad news. The Good news is that this story is nearly complete. The Bad news is there will be only one more part after this one. Both this part and the next part have some fairly significant time jumps, but I think everything makes sense. If you want, you can take these two parts as an epilogue to the whole story.
It was finally time. And none too soon, because Anakin was running out of patience.
In the last few years, Anakin had kept his head down and done his best to not irritate the majority of the Council. He had been on the front lines of the remaining part of the war, and had accepted almost every assignment he'd been given. And he'd trained Ahsoka. Ahsoka, his Padawan he'd never wanted. And then she'd become his little sister. He looked up as he felt Obi-Wan approaching him. "I didn't know what to tell her," Anakin said. "I never…"
"Neither did I," Obi-Wan said. "She's the first one of our line since… oh, since Qui-Gon's first Padawan."
"Others will say she's too young," Anakin said.
"She grew up in the war," Obi-Wan said. "Not to mention all the trials since."
Anakin nodded and returned to his vigil. Obi-Wan sat next to him. As they waited, Anakin was aware that a few clones had joined them- Cody and Rex, Fives, Kix, and about half a dozen others.
He glanced over at them. Rex smiled. "We figured no one would want all of the 501st and the 212th in the Temple. We're the representatives. Everyone else listening in through comms."
Anakin smiled before turning his attention back to the doors he sat in front of.
Luckily for him, he'd been paired with Obi-Wan more often than not, especially while the fighting was still going on. They were too much of a good team to separate them. And they were also often paired when dealing with Sith artifacts.
Unfortunately, they'd had to deal with a lot of Sith artifacts as the Order started investigating Palpatine and his plans. Most of the artifacts saw Obi-Wan and Anakin as fellow Sith, though a good chuck of them tried to get them to actually use the Dark Side. Their study of the Sith artifacts had led them across the galaxy and into- and out of- several traps.
But for the last couple of months, Anakin had insisted on remaining on Coruscant. The Council hadn't objected, as they seemed to realize just why he wanted to stay at the Jedi Temple.
"She's fine," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin nodded carefully. "I know," he said. He tapped his left forearm. "I have a strong bond with her as well."
Obi-Wan smiled. "I know," he echoed.
Anakin fell silent once more. Out in the galaxy, the war had faded without Sidious and Tyranus to push it along. Slowly, the Separatists were beaten back. Those who had committed war crimes, on both sides, were tried. Those who had been unwitting pawns to the Sith were freed. And those who truly fought for peace were rewarded.
The galaxy was slowly recovering under Chancellor Bail Organa's guidance. Padmé had become one of his advisors. Obi-Wan, too, had started advising him, giving him a Jedi's perspective. Anakin knew he wasn't suited to politics or diplomacy and had mostly stayed out of it. The only time he had intervened was when the Jedi Order as a whole had petitioned the Senate to give the Clones full rights. It had taken nearly half of the order threatening to, basically walk away from the Senate's requests, Obi-Wan and Anakin each giving a speech (somehow, they were still considered the most popular Jedi in the galaxy), and a few Senators and their persuasiveness to pass that law.
Anakin had been able to ignore a lot of the Council's attitude to him, since he knew Obi-Wan was confronting them behind closed doors about it. It hadn't done much good, but he knew Obi-Wan was fighting for him. And he knew it wasn't going to last for too much longer.
Not too much longer at all, no matter what happened.
His last responsibility to the Jedi Order was Ahsoka. And soon enough, she'd be done with her training. It was not a moment too soon- Padmé had just learned she was pregnant two weeks ago.
Anakin had been very careful, though. He was not going to make Ahsoka an unwanted obligation. She was his Padawan, and he loved her like a sister. She was not a burden and he would never begrudge her the time it took to train her.
As he thought that, the doors he was sitting in front of opened and Ahsoka stumbled out. Almost on instinct, Anakin caught her before she fell. "Easy, young one," he said.
"Master?" Ahsoka rolled her head back to look at him, apparently exhausted.
"I'm here, Padawan," Anakin said.
He was aware that the men behind him were suddenly concerned.
"You did well," Anakin said. "Most impressive, Snips."
She took a deep breath and pulled herself up. "Anakin is right," Obi-Wan said. "You did very well indeed."
She looked over their shoulders at the clones waiting with them. "Rex?" she asked. "And… why is everyone here?"
"Well, I'm your master, and I promised I'd wait here," Anakin said. "Obi-Wan helped me train you, you know. And…"
"We wanted to be here for our Commander," Rex added.
"And now," Obi-Wan said. "Is everyone listening?"
"Yes sir," Cody said as he held up a small comm unit.
Anakin smiled. "Master, if you would," he said.
"Ahsoka Tano," Obi-Wan said formally. "We of the Council, and your Master Anakin Skywalker, have observed you in the past two months." He paused and ignited his saber. "Today, you faced your Trial of Spirit, and you showed the true strength of your Spirit. By the power granted to me through my position as Councilor…" he lowered his saber to touch first one shoulder, than the other. "I now pronounce you Knight of the Jedi Order." He brought his saber up in a salute before turning it off. "Congratulations, Knight Tano."
Anakin smiled and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Congratulations, Knight Tano," he echoed. He heard the men behind him cheering, both in person and through the comm.
She smiled at him and then carefully took off the strand of beads that marked her as a Padawan. She held it out to him. "Master," she said. "Thank you."
He took it carefully. "And thank you, Padawan mine," he said. "You were a wonderful student." he gave into impulse and hugged her. "And, if you want, we can take a short trip," he whispered. "Just you, me, Obi-Wan, and Padmé. We could use someone else who can handle Sith artifacts."
Ahsoka smiled up at him. He knew, without even thinking about it, that she'd agree.
Yes, they're headed for Rivan's Temple. He did say that as long as a potential Sith won a battle inside the temple, they'd become Sith. That's what they plan here. The next (and final) part will have another time jump, and we'll see some of the future of the Jedi and "Sith" Orders.