News soon spread throughout the Republic, easily moving between worlds with the help of long-range communication. Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine was tried under the courts of the Republic, returning a guilty verdict for the cause of the Clone Wars on both fronts. His penalty had already been served, the body being burned on a small moon orbiting Mustafar.
Anakin had spent the days since the death of the Sith Lord at his home, processing what had happened not a week before. Locked in a small room away from his family and friends, the only solace he found was in the form of visions. The future. A crying voice...no, two. Twins. The look on Padme's face as she held two children in her arms.
A knock on the door stirred him from his visions. Only one person knew he was in there, and as he slowly opened the door, he noticed his brother of the Force. "Anakin, the Council wishes to speak with you on the matters that have past," came the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a soft look in his eyes. "I understand, Master," was Anakin's only reply, as he stepped out of the room and out to the landing platform.
The flight aboard the clone trooper's ship was silent aside from the signals to different landing crews, and the whistling of the wind. Anakin's and Obi-Wan entered the Temple, proceeding quickly to the lift, and entering the Council chambers. Every master minus two were in attendance, as Obi-Wan took his seat.
"Anakin, the Council thanks you for all you have done for the Republic, and the galaxy," echoed Mace Windu, in his chair directly ahead of the young Jedi. "You have not only brought down the remaining Sith Lords, but you have proven this Council wrong in a previous decision."
"As it stands, the Council agreed to your appointment on a tentative note in order to keep a watchful eye over former Chancellor Palpatine. However, due to recent events, this Council would like to extend a welcoming hand to our ranks." A small smile spread to Obi-Wan's lips, as Mace continued. "Please take your seat, Master Skywalker."
Sabers flashed through the air, as the two Jedi squared off against one another. Neither were willing to give up, and neither would. Each clash sent and echo through the chamber, and as the younglings watched, the blue and lilac hues of the blades spun through the air. Finally, after a minute more, the two stopped and powered down.
"When two Jedi have spent countless hours together on missions and in training, their lightsaber styles start to compliment and contradict each other. While Master Kenobi is a Form III specialist, I have devoted my studies towards Form V. The impenetrable defense of Soresu, the overwhelming power of Djem So. In time you will find your own style of lightsaber combat, but all start from Shii Cho. Class dismissed."
Breathing a sigh of relief, Anakin slumped to the ground as the class left the room. "Who would have thought that teaching a class of younglings would tire me out this much?" Obi-Wan chuckled, sitting beside his friend.
"You seemed perfectly comfortable teaching the younglings, Anakin. Why not train to be the next Battlemaster?"
"I just reached the rank of Master, and you're already pushing me into staying at the Temple," he joked, levitating a training droid into the air. "Besides, there's something I have to do before I can even think about giving up on being a Guardian."
"Ahsoka?" Anakin nodded slowly, returning the droid to its resting place.
"I feel that I can convince her to come back if I can just find her," he said softly, his thoughts swimming in his head. "I still feel guilty over letting her go, and...I feel she will be a great ally to the Order."
Anakin sat in the Jedi Archives, searching stories of a ghost that was told to defend the helpless. "Ilum, Bespin, Toruga. All locations of this so-called 'ghost,' but here," he said bringing up an image of a planet on his display, "is the location of most of the instances. May come back with some information on Ahsoka."
Landing his ship on the surface of Dantooine, he made sure to get into town as quickly as possible. The regular bustle of a village swam with life as he wandered, hood pulled up over his head. A familiar presence passed by him, a few meters to his right. Bridging the distance quickly, he made certain to hide his presence from the figure.
The figure led him outside of the city, to a nearby cave glowing with a small fire. An echoed voice resonated from the entrance. Ahsoka. He entered the entrance of the cave, the shadow of his cloak's hood covering his face. The Toruga female that sat before him was older, changed, more skilled. The Force was strong with her, as it had been when she was his apprentice.
"Ahsoka." Lightsabers flew out of a nearby pouch, as the white blades ignited at his neck.
"Who are you, and how do you know my name?!" There was a surprising amount of fear in her voice, almost as if she didn't recognize him at all.
"C'mon Snips, you couldn't have forgotten me already," he said, as he removed the hood of his cloak. The fear on the Toruga's face melted, as the lightsabers fell to the cave floor.
"Master."