DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.

The bounty hunter was sent home after two long weeks of intensive training. Palpatine had allowed Rankin a full night's sleep every night but had not given Anakin the same courtesy. Anakin had been forced to continue training even while the rest of the planet slept. Still trapped in the darkness of the hood, Anakin was unaware when day had turned to night so he didn't think anything of this persistent training. He was exhausted more often than not since having been moved to the Emperor's apartment.

Anakin's only clue to the absence of the bounty hunter was when Palpatine didn't order him to continue training. The morning the Emperor came down to the identical apartment by himself, Anakin wasn't to know it would be his most gruelling training session yet.

Palpatine led Anakin onto the mats where he left him standing on one side while he walked to the other.

"I have been watching your progress. When you can defeat me, I will remove the hood," Palpatine announced.

Anakin clenched his hands into fists at his side. Every muscle in his body was already coiled and ready for the fight Palpatine was promising but the new instincts that Palpatine had spent months instilling in him were screaming at him not to do it.

Next thing Anakin knew he was on his back, his legs swept out from under him. He groaned, sensing Palpatine had already moved away again.

"Get up pet."

Anakin pulled himself to his feet, trying to clear his head and prepare himself for whatever Palpatine was going to do. He stilled himself and opened up his senses. He could feel where Palpatine stood, his presence as strong and powerful as ever. He could hear his even breathing...

There!

Palpatine had moved quick as lightning and suddenly he was in front of Anakin. Anakin ducked as he felt the air around him alter as Palpatine's fist flew towards where his head had been moments before. As he ducked, Anakin kicked his leg around in a flawless roundhouse that would have landed Palpatine on the other side of the room if he hadn't leapt backwards. For a moment, neither moved. Anakin was still, listening beyond his pounding heart for any sound the Emperor might make. Palpatine was watching his hooded captive with judging eyes. Anakin had definitely grown strong under Palpatine's tutelage but he could sense that the boy was holding back.

Palpatine sprung forward again, this time his kick landed squarely on Anakin's stomach. Instead of losing his footing, Anakin grabbed a hold of Palpatine's leg, using the older man's balance to steady his own. Then in the next moment he twisted the Emperor's foot to the side and threw him. He didn't use all of his strength, that ingrained need to protect the Emperor overpowering Anakin's need to win. He wanted the hood off, he wanted his sight back but Palpatine's conditioning was stronger than either of those needs.

Palpatine was back across the room before Anakin could rid himself of the awful sick feeling that gripped him at the thought of injuring the Emperor. This time he used the Force, sending Anakin flying across the room. Anakin landed with a thud on the wall and stayed there, held up by an invisible hand.

Anakin could sense Palpatine walking closer, his anger a palpable thing in the air.

"For this one time, don't hold back," the Emperor hissed when he was right in his face. "I need to see that you are capable of defending me."

Anakin swallowed but nodded slowly.

Palpatine released him and Anakin's feet landed nimbly on his feet. He had barely managed to pull himself together before Palpatine was at him again. The Sith Lord fought hard, throwing every move in the book and some he'd created himself, at his young captive but Anakin managed to dodge and duck every blow. Not one kick, punch or swipe landed on him.

To start, Anakin stayed simply on defence. He allowed the Emperor to throw hit after hit, blocking every one. He allowed the Emperor to lead the strange dance but not once was he cornered. But then Anakin wasn't looking to end the fight fast, he wanted to win hands down, because that was what the Emperor wanted. So he played smart.

He felt for the changes in the air, the sudden whoosh of air as a fist flew. With every moved the Emperor utilised, Anakin countered and stored in his memory. Anything he could use against his opponent would help him in the long run. He also needed just a little gap in the onslaught so he could strike, just once, hard and fast.

Sweat was pouring down his back when he finally sensed the weakness he'd been waiting for. The Emperor had swung his last hit high leaving his ribs open for attack. Without thinking, Anakin took the chance. He stepped towards Palpatine, ducking and twisting at the same time. His arm was already drawn back and as he came within the Emperor's defences he struck.

Behind the punch was all the rage and pent up frustration towards his situation and when it landed on Palpatine's ribs, the Emperor was sent flying backwards. His bones cracked on impact sending blinding pain through the Sith's ribcage. The Emperor howled in pain as he landed hard on the mats, his arms going around his chest.

But as loud as Emperor Palpatine's cry was, Anakin's was louder. The moment his punch had landed, his cuff had activated, sending flares of intense agony through Anakin's body. Losing all control of his muscles, Anakin dropped to the ground, writhing in pain. The collar had already tightened viciously around his throat, the sheer intensity of the power from the cuff making the collar react quicker.

His stomach had started revolting but with the collar so tight, he found it too hard to expel the bile from his throat. Choking and thrashing on the floor, Anakin feared for his life more than ever. He couldn't breathe, could feel himself suffocating on his own bile and knew that he had gone too far this time.

Palpatine breathed through the pain, forcing his anger towards Anakin into the Force. He had told the boy to try and defeat him, and defeat him he had.

His ribs were probably broken but that was easily fixed, he tried to convince himself. Clearly he had succeeded in this new venture. Anakin's training was coming along a lot quicker than he could have hoped.

Pulling himself to his feet, Palpatine glanced down at his captive. The boy was twitching violently, his breathing nothing more than half gasps. Palpatine smiled down at the boy, smug in his knowledge that he could control Anakin Skywalker, the Hero with No Fear.

Sensing a loss of consciousness swiftly coming upon Anakin, Palpatine deactivated the cuff and allowed the boy a reprieve. Anakin's reaction was instantaneous. His body relaxed and he managed to roll himself onto his side. He started coughing violently.

Palpatine stepped over him before ordering him to stand. Slowly, with shaking limbs, Anakin did as he was told.

"I'm sorry Master," Anakin said, his voice hoarse, throat dry.

Palpatine smiled again before patting him on the head. "You did well pet. Now close your eyes."

He placed his thumb on the lock and seconds later it deactivated. Palpatine unzipped the hood and carefully pulled it away from Anakin's face. The boy had his eyes scrunched closed but still winced at the sudden exposure to light. Having been stuck in the dark for just over two weeks, Anakin's eyes had adjusted perfectly to the absolute black of the hood. The light now shining on his eyelids was almost too much. He kept his eyes closed as Palpatine spun him around.

"I will give you one day to readjust to the light, then we will start the next part of your training," the Sith said before leaving Anakin alone in the second highest apartment of 500 Republica.