Disclaimer: Not mine.
Epilogue
It was another two weeks after helping sort out Obi-Wan and Anakin's issues before anything exciting happened for Rae. And it didn't have to do with her favorite Jedi duo. No, it was a pair of drunken Human males who were hitting on a Human female who clearly didn't want them to that got into a fight with the only slightly less drunk man behind the woman. Rae had growled, gone over, kicked two of them just below the hip, the third behind the knee, and then delivered a sharp knife hand to the backs of their necks, right at the base of the skull. Dex was impressed, though Rae had had to duck and dodge a few wild punches, still taking a few, and the men were far from sober. He enrolled her in bouncer school. The training she already had put her at the top of the class.
/*/
Obi-Wan and Anakin came back to the diner roughly a month and a half later, Obi-Wan's face stormy and Anakin's petulant. Rae sighed, again. "What is it this time?" she asked. Obi-Wan thrust Anakin at her then stormed out saying,
"You take care of the whiny brat! I'm going on a solo mission with lots of explosions!" Rae turned to Anakin with a glare.
"Anakin Skywalker! What have you to say for yourself?!" she growled. He huffed.
"Sensei started it," he said with a pout. Rae growled, her eyes narrowed. Dex walked over and turned on the server droid.
"Take off, Rae. Even I can see the kid needs an attitude adjustment," he said. Rae nodded, too angry to speak. She dragged him out back, flagged down a cab, pushed him in ahead of him, and took him to her gym. While it didn't have punching bags, it did have a corner covered in a giant yoga mat, which was perfect for Rae. She pulled out both her shock sticks, issued to her by the Nightclub Security School(yes, it's a thing. Look it up) and tossed one to Anakin, who only caught it due to his instinctual Force sense/reflexes.
"What... ?" Anakin managed to get out before Rae attacked. It took all of Anakin's meager lightsaber training and instincts to avoid getting seriously hurt, but his luck ran out after about two minutes. Rae took him down and held him pinned to the floor, her shock stick poised at his throat.
"You, are reckless, foolhardy, hot-headed, rash, sloppy, and rely far too much on your Force abilities. I was holding back by about eighty percent. If I hadn't, I might have killed you, idiot! And if we had been fighting with knives, just regular old knives, you would be short a hand, a good chunk of both legs, and over two pints of blood! Imagine if we had been using live lightsabers. You'd be dead, or nearly, with no hands, no legs, and cut halfway through with multiple burns and cuts littering the rest of your body. Listen to your instructor, child, and maybe you'll live to see your sixteenth birthday! And it's not just yourself you're hurting with your arrogance and petulance and idiocy! Obi-Wan went storming off on a mission he might not come back from because of you! And if you get sent on a mission, you are Obi-Wan's only back up! Sloppy work means dead Jedi, Anakin. And I have a vested interest in both you and your sensei, so I'd rather you didn't get the both of you killed! And woe betides you if you come back unscathed from a mission while Obi-Wan has to be carted off on a stretcher because I will find you, and I will mark you. I will make you suffer for your arrogance," she reprimanded, still quivering with rage. Anakin stared at her in fear. She had him completely at her mercy, and she didn't seem like she was in the mood to be merciful. With a great shuddering breath, Rae got up and began to service her weapon. "Go get cleaned up before we leave, I have to inform the Temple where you are," she said, pointing out the locker room before vanishing. Anakin shakily got up and entered the locker room refresher.
/*/
While Anakin was having a thinking session in the refresher, Mace Windu was not having a good afternoon. "Hello, Malt Ball. I have your 'Chosen One' with me and will not be returning him to the Temple until Obi-Wan gets back. He needs a good attitude adjustment, and I doubt the Jedi would be up to the task now that Obi-Wan freaking Kenobi has been driven out by The Brat. Care to tell me where said Jedi Knight went? He said something about 'lots of explosions' and I'm just a little concerned," Rae said, sugary sweet, to the dark skinned Jedi Master. Mace sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes.
"Knight Kenobi is on a mission to oversee the destruction of a weapons store on Rodia. There should be no danger to him. None that he can't handle, anyway," he said. Rae huffed.
"And here I was worried. And you aren't. Don't you know how his apprenticeship started? Don't you know it set a precedent for his future? He is not a usual Jedi, and as such he does not get the usual missions, and if he does... they go pear shaped real quick! So, if he is not back by a day and a half past his projected return date, please, go after him. Or I will. Give me the date and time of when he is expected back now, or I'll call every night, Malt Ball Head," she growled. Mace sighed but sent her the information she wanted. "Pleasure doing business with you, Master Jedi," she said with a grin before cutting off the transmission. She flopped back on her couch as she scrolled through the information she had received from the Jedi Temple, waiting for Anakin to make his way up to her apartment, which wasn't all that far from the gym. Obi-Wan's mission was about a day and a half away, via hyperspace, and his ship had a comm system, as was standard. Smirking, Rae used what little knowledge of broadcasting she had to boost her signal enough to reach Obi-Wan en transit. "Hallo, Obi-Wan! I gave your Minarai a sound thrashing with a shock stick, bullied Malt Ball into giving me your mission specs, and I have to say, be careful. Your missions have a tendency to go wonky. Please, don't make me take Anakin and go save your sorry hide," she said. Obi-Wan sighed.
"Hello to you too, Rae. I hope you didn't scare the boy too badly," he said.
/*/
"Nah, just shook him up a little. Kid's a brat, but he's got potential. Great good, or great evil, will come from Anakin Skywalker. Just give him some time to grow up. Way I heard it, you two became like brothers. It was just your Jedi mask that kept you from telling him until it was too late," Anakin heard Rae say. He stopped and hide in the doorway. This was a conversation he felt he needed to hear.
"I don't know Rae. You keep saying that but... how can we be brothers when we have so many fights?" Obi-Wan asked. Anakin wanted to know too, and he hoped Rae would have the answer.
"Oh, Obi. You're sixteen years older than him! Of course he's going to drive you up the wall! My brother was only three years older than Anakin and there were times I just wanted to bash his head into the floor. I loved him, crazy goofball that he was, but he had a knack for making me want to break something. I'd yell, my voice would go down... mom and dad called it my 'demon' or 'command' voice. They liked to mock me for it. Anyway, yeah. You two are going to fight, but once you get to know each other, and Anakin makes it out of the 'goofy kid' phase... you might be surprised," Rae said. Anakin heard his sensei sigh heavily.
"I hope you're right Rae. I've tried, really I have. Anakin is just so stubborn and... you're just going to tell me he's rebelling against the mindless obedience he was forced to give when he was a child, aren't you?" Rae laughed at Obi-Wan's resigned statement.
"Something like that. Though I have to admit, he's progressing faster than I thought. Oh, he's a brat alright, but it's more of a teenaged rebel thing than a bratty kid thing. Or maybe half way between? Perhaps he's trying too hard to grow up. Eh, we'll see. You focus on those explosions and I'll be the nursemaid, okay? And then when you get back you can be the big brother picking up his kid brother from playschool to go out for ice cream and then hit the mat for some saber practice. Kid's a wuss, but he has potential like I said. His skill doesn't lay with the shock stick, that's for sure, but with a lot of serious practice... you could be a really great fighter, Hotshot," she said. Anakin stiffened.
"You're impressive, Rae. And Anakin, it's rude to eavesdrop," Obi-Wan said. Anakin sighed but came out of hiding.
"Hello, Sensei, Rae," he said. Rae let out a rough breath, like a cross between a laugh and a sigh.
"That all you have to say in response to our conversation? You've been listening since almost the very beginning," she said, exasperated. Obi-Wan chuckled.
"I'll admit, I was expecting a little more out of you myself," he said, clearly amused. Anakin pouted and Rae growled.
"Darn pouting, angsty, broody, arrogant, cocky, sloppy, sappy, temperamental pretty boy! Don't you dare make me miss what little time I have to talk to Ritter with your stupid little displays! Or do you want another beating?" she asked. Anakin swallowed heavily. Rae sighed but waved him on.
"Do you really think we could be brothers?" Anakin asked. A slight smile, meaning a lessening of the Death Glare, was his answer. "And... do you really think I could be great?" Rae gave him a considering look.
"Well now. This is shaping up to be a rather philosophical dissuasion. Allow me to start. Anakin, what do you think makes a great man?" she said. Anakin furrowed his brow. "Let me rephrase that. What is greatness?"
"To be wise, and strong, and fair," Anakin said. Rae nodded, face still ponderous.
"To be wise, strong, and fair... huh?" she asked, mostly to herself. She looked back to Anakin. "Who is greater; a man who can win a battle, or a man who can stop a battle from even happening?"
"The one who... who..." Rae smiled.
"Both would be considered great, but which outcome is better: thousands dead and peace, or peace without blood?"
"Peace without blood," Anakin declared firmly. Rae smiled.
"Which is greater: he who wins by the fear his power creates or he who wins by kindness?"
"He who wins by kindness," Anakin said, beginning to see a pattern.
"Who is greater: he with the power to destroy a city or he with the power to build one?"
"He who has the power to build one," Anakin replied. Rae smiled.
"So, what kind of man does that make the one you are acting like?" she asked. Anakin shrank in on himself.
"It makes him not so great," he said, toeing the floor mulishly. Rae chuckled.
"Yeah... but you know what? I think you can be great. Really great. You just have to remember, power does not equal greatness. And to help you on your way is one of the greatest men I've ever seen, real or not," she said. Anakin looked over at the hologram of Obi-Wan, his Sensei, his master. Was he really that great?
"Rae. I think you exaggerate," Obi-Wan said, distinctly uncomfortable. Rae gave him a Look.
"Obi, I doubt I could exaggerate this if I wanted too," she said honestly. Anakin cleared his throat, not really wanting to hear all that. Rae sighed while Obi-Wan chuckled faintly. "The point is, you have a fantastic role model. Even if he did ditch you to go blow junk up," Rae said, Obi-Wan exclaiming somewhat indignantly behind her,
"I did not ditch him!" Rae hummed mockingly, obviously not believing him.
"Sure you didn't! That's why he's with me and not you," she said, a bit sharply. Obi-Wan sighed and Rae shook her head. "Hey, I don't blame you. When my brother was this age, I just wanted to bash his head against the wall, shake some sense into him, tie him up outside and let him wail... oh he drove me batty! But I loved him. Crazy goober that he was. And stubborn! You think I'm stubborn? Aiden could match me. Easily. He'd try to get me out of bed and I'd stay in longer just to spite him. Then he'd get on my bed and bounce and push and pull and grunt and growl and yell and squeal and I'd just lay there, resisting his attempts to move me," she said, a sad, fond look passing over her face, blue-green eyes glazing over slightly as she remembered days long past. Anakin shuffled slightly, feeling that he was now intruding on something private.
"Rae... I'll be back soon. Please, just look after the boy for tonight. You can return him to the Temple in the morning," Obi-Wan said. Rae nodded, then shut off the holo-comm. She turned to Anakin with a smirk.
"Okay, Ani! Let's go back into the gym. I'm going to teach you how to take a hit," she said, the usually calming and oh so familiar smirk suddenly hard and cold and cruel. Anakin swallowed heavily. It was going to be a long night. Unfortunately for him, it was longer than that. She didn't let him leave her apartment until Obi-Wan returned and picked him up five days later. It had been the longest five days of Anakin's short life. Rae followed them to the Temple and watched a wincing Anakin as he made his way to the Halls of Healing while Obi-Wan went to make his report to the Council.
/*/
Healer Bant stared at the young boy before her, the vivid bruises on his face, back, chest, and arms making her wince internally. "And you say it was a friend who did this?" she asked, disbelieving. Rae dropped out of the vent behind Anakin.
"Obi-Wan left him with me, and he gave me permission to teach him what I saw fit. So, I began teaching him how to take a hit. He hasn't quite got the hang of it, so I was hoping that Obi-Wan could leave him with me when he goes on serious or dangerous missions so I could continue that part of his education... at least until he's thirteen," she said, putting a hand lightly on the boy's shoulder. The gentle pressure still made him wince. Bant shook her head, wisely choosing to ignore the fact the woman had come from the ventilation shaft.
"I'm not sure..."
"Most Jedi are rubbish at hand-to-hand fighting. I'm giving him a skill the Jedi seem to always
overlook. 'A Jedi's life is his lightsaber,' and all that. Come on, Obi-Wan already gave his permission. And he said he'd join us! Where is the harm in that?" Rae cut in. Bant gave her a pointed look.
"The bruises for one," she said sharply. Rae huffed.
"Which is worse: bruises or death?" she asked. "I can teach him how to defend against nearly anything with nothing but his own body. Swords, knives, sticks, blasters, punches, kicks, grabs, holds... heck, if I tried, I might even be able to come up with a defense for a whip! Can you not see how much of a help that would be? Sure he'd have to get in close, but it could be done!" Bant shook her head while Anakin looked at her in shock. She smirked at him. "Bet you didn't think I was that awesome, did you?" she asked. He shook his head.
"You said you weren't a fighter," he said. Rae sighed.
"I was rusty, and I don't like fighting. There is a difference between knowing, doing, and enjoying. I knew, mostly, how to fight, I have fought, and in certain conditions, I enjoyed it. But I will never enjoy battle. And most certainly not against sentient lifeforms. Droids... noisy hunks of metal, not worth the metal they're made of... those I'll scrape. And laugh while doing so. Naboo... I didn't have the training I needed to feel even remotely comfortable. And I knew the outcome without my interference. I couldn't take the chance that I'd change something important and make it turn out badly. As it was, I took a big risk fighting with the gungans. I'd never fired a blaster before that day, and I'd only been working with staffs for less than a week. That I survived, let alone scraped as many droids as I did, was a mini-miracle, Anakin. With the classes I'm attending now, I'm getting the training I need for the darkness I see looming on the horizon. Within the next few years, I will have learned enough to leave on a mission of my own that is of grave importance to the Republic and might mean life or death for the good people within it. And I've just gone off on a great big rant haven't I?" she said. Anakin giggled, then winced as the movement aggravated some of his bruises. Rae sighed. "Get those treated, but only enough so that you can sleep. I want you to learn, and pain can be an excellent teacher. Especially when it comes to dodging. And just so you know... This is just the beginning," she said, trailing off ominously as she left the Halls of Healing. Anakin shivered slightly at that pronouncement of doom. Bant thought Rae was just talking about the hand-to-hand lessons, but Anakin knew better. She was talking about the future that she had Seen, that she Knew. And that knowledge sent daggers of ice through him.
/?/
A/N: END! Check out 'The Calm before the Storm,' a collection of one-shots dealing with Character Evolution, humor, and possibly some naturally developing Anidala with a side of craziness. First chapter, 'A Very Mayar Christmas,' is up!
