He's Not Our Enemy
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all credit goes to George Lucas and Lucasarts.
Summary: After vanishing from the Jedi temple ten years ago, Anakin Skywalker is found. The Jedi imprison him until he decides to tell them what happened to him. After getting lost after fleeing from some of her abusive class mates, Ahsoka stumbles into Anakin's room and discovers a side to the force she never knew.
Final Class, Day Four, Ahsoka Tano
I wake up to the buzz of my chrono, the alarm clock setting for week days. With a groan, I reach up and turn it off, seriously considering using the force to crush it to a pulp or something - not that I could. Throwing back the covers and getting out of bed, I wonder whether or not there is a special place in the netherworld of the force for each and every alarm clock in the galaxy. There should be because I don't know anyone who likes being woken up early in the morning; if they do then I'm shocked because it seems so out of place.
After getting dressed and making sure that this is, in fact, the last lesson I have before my classmates and I go our separate ways for three weeks to learn from the mentors that we have chosen, I depart my room and head straight for the room where my class trains. I doubt we will be doing much training today, though, since it is most likely the time when we have a chat with one another and then go our separate ways for three weeks. To be honest, I don't really see the point in not being allowed to talk with each other about our plans for the competition. It's not as if anyone is going to spill their big secrets, least of all me since I have the biggest, especially when there is so much riding on the competition.
It does not take me long to reach the place where my class line up, it never has and probably never will, the corridors are almost deserted apart from younglings and masters that rise early. All I can do is envy the knights and the padawans, they can get up whenever they want if they don't have a mission. I stop dead still when I catch sight of the line of people who are all talking about what happened to the three bullies who were chasing me yesterday. When they spot me it's like making a noise in an exam room, everyone turns to look at you.
"Ahsoka," Barris greets, coming towards me. At least now I don't have to answer questions without someone by my side. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" I say, smiling.
"But... those three were chasing after you on Friday and we hadn't heard from you since. We thought you might have been expelled along with them." Barris said, concern lacing her voice.
"Why would I be expelled? They were the ones who ran straight into a Jedi's room trying to hit me and got what was coming to them," I explain, the hint of a smile on my face. "It was quite funny, actually. They didn't bother to sense if I was in there with someone."
"So they got caught?" Liam, who is a youngling in my class, asks.
"Yes, they got caught and expelled from the order." I confirm.
"Just for chasing you?"
"Well... they sort of chased me into a room that the council doesn't want anyone to know about," I say slowly, knowing that I shouldn't give too much detail. "But I can't talk about that."
"Why not?" Katooni asks.
"Because it's supposed to be a secret, that's why."
"Can you tell us?" Pedro asks.
"No, I'm not allowed."
"Come on, Ahsoka. You've never been able to keep a secret." Gungi says. I learned a while back how to understand his language, as did everyone else.
"Believe me I can keep this one," I mutter under my breath. "I can't tell you, the council told me not to tell anyone and to forget all about it."
I join the line with Barris, who is giving me one of her thoughtful looks – meaning that she is trying to figure me out – and the door to our classroom opens. We are all in a clan, my classmates and I, but we don't stay in the same room. Well, they do but there wasn't enough room so I got a room all to myself. It isn't big, I'm guessing its the smallest room in the temple that isn't a broom cupboard, but I don't mind so long as I have my privacy. Master Yoda is stood in the doorway, as he always is, and his expression is a happy one. His gaze holds mine for a few seconds before continuing back up the line once more.
"Welcome, younglings. An interesting day ahead, we have." He greets – if you can call that a greeting – and steps to the side to allow us in.
"Good morning, Master Yoda." We all say one by one as we walk through the doorway. I do not bother to look at the grand master this time, only when I greet him do I look at him and look away before his gaze can tell me anything. I doubt he's forgotten my stubbornness of the other day and he'll probably make a point of it during the lesson, if not, later on.
The whole idea of the competition that we are doing is to give us an idea of what it is like to be a padawan learner and to only have one mentor – I doubt I'll be having a master who could teach me more than Anakin has. Besides, having a competition to teach us what it feels like seems a little over the top to me, I don't know how it could be a hard thing to adjust to.
We all sit where we have since we were about three and wait for Master Yoda to begin the lesson, usually with a stern talking to.
"Younglings, an important lesson this is." He begins. "To prepare for your competition in three weeks, it is. In this lesson, do what you wish you may. Be sure that aid you in the future, it will."
I glance at Barris, who returns the glance with a look that is on everyone's face – except mine. To be honest, I find these lessons rather boring now, compared to Anakin, they just seem like yesterday's news. All of my classmates seem to be thoroughly pleased by the idea of being able to do whatever we like, which knowing them will involve sitting around looking at the designs of lightsabers or something, and I do my best to look just like them – except I keep my face somewhere between expressionless and pleased for good measure.
"If observing you I am not, speaking with the council I will be. Good luck, younglings."
I don't see what he is wishing us luck for but nod in appreciation with the rest of my class like I usually would and stand up as he leaves the room. As if on cue, a buzz of excited chatter breaks out. Everyone is deciding on what to do and how to do it when I know full well that in five minutes time we're all going to be sat down either reading, looking at designs or discussing lightsaber techniques. That's one of the reasons why our class is liked the most – trust me, it is – in the temple. No noise except for quiet talking and no doing things we're not supposed to, unless your name is Slimo. He is strangely absent today, which I find interesting.
"Ahsoka, what are we going to do?" Barris asks me, smiling.
I think for a moment. My first idea was to make fire like I had with Anakin, but I can't do that if Barris is with me. Or can I?
"Well... we could read the things on our datapads," I begin, but seeing the bored look on her face I laugh slightly and change the subject. "Or we could, I don't know, make a fire? It's really cold in here." No lie, the room is freezing and it is winter on a city planet in a metal room, how much colder is it than on any other planet? A lot colder.
"What do we use for fuel? Or to start it?" Katooni asks, obviously feeling cold too.
"Uh..." I realise that I have a ton of crap in my pocket that can burn easily. None of it is important, just pieces of scrap paper, the bits for the flash bomb that I made with Anakin yesterday – which I will not be burning – and I know for a fact that Gungi carries wood with him wherever he goes. To start it... I'll just have to make sure their backs are turned and come up with a quick lie. "We could start it with the junk in our pockets, anything that's flammable, and then add some other things when we feel like it."
"Cool," Pedro says. Since when did so many people want to work with me and Barris? "Let's start. I'll get the lights."
"I'll ask Gungi for some wood." Katooni says, rushing off.
"I'll get the blinds." Barris says.
I don't say anything as they all move to do their separate things. The others in my class are all busy in the corner so I crouch down where I am, a metre or so in from of the wall so we can lean against it or sit around the fire, pull out the scrap paper from my pocket and think of a strong memory. Looking up to check that no one is looking, I think hard and a small flame pops to life in the palm of my hand, lighting the paper instantly. I ball my hand into a fist to put out the fire and lean back just as the blinds close and the lights go out. I am just dumping all of the junk that I don't need on it, which is burning nicely, when they all come back.
"Woah," Pedro says, eyes widening. "How'd you do that?"
I shrug my shoulders. "Metal floor, metal object, sparks start fires, you get the idea." I say lazily, trying not to get into a conversation about how I did it. Luckily, they don't press the subject and just sit down around the fire with me. I sit cross legged for more comfort and wonder whether it would be a good idea to practise making a flash bomb again. Master Yoda did say we could do anything and it is not nearly as bad as the fire setting off the smoke detector, which it won't because there is no smoke detector in here.
We start to talk about normal things, life, lessons, the competition – since we haven't been forbidden to talk about it yet – and who are mentors are. I don't answer, saying I have someone already but they're busy right now and leaving it at that. Once the fire has been built up nicely – meaning that it won't need much help from us apart from the occasional bit of wood – the others join us and a few go silent whilst the rest of us talk and laugh and have a good time, as we usually do.
When Master Yoda walks in, to say he is speechless is an understatement. I think he expected us to have caused a riot by now or at least be in some sort of disarray but he obviously didn't expect us all to be sat around a fire in a 'U' shape and to be doing our own things or talking quietly. This must be something completely new to him, especially since the fire was started by younglings who, he thinks, don't have much experience in the area. I am glad that we put a spare piece of sheet metal under the fire because, otherwise, we would have had to clean up everything with our hands and a bucket of water. That is something that no one wants to be seen doing.
I am busy writing out an equation for a smoke bomb – which I spotted on a sheet in Anakin's room the day before as we were making flash bombs – in the ashes of the fire when he comes and sits beside it as we all are. Making our 'U' shape have a dot in front of it, he begins speaking with a youngling who is the oldest in our class. I completely miss the way that they are talking about the fire and am brought back to my senses when my name is said by the youngling. Listening intently, I change a number in my equation before Master Yoda asks me something that I had planned for, thank the force.
"Youngling Tano, start the fire how did you?"
A lot of people look at me, but not Barris, Katooni or Pedro since I already told them, and I am glad for the explanation in my mind.
"I made sparks by scrapping metal on metal and that ignited the scrap paper that I pulled out of my pocket," I explain simply, nudging Pedro away as he leans in to look at the equation I have drawn.
"An interesting way to start a fire that is," He says, though he is smiling so it cannot possibly be that he is scolding me. "Well done, young one."
I smile at him before going back to the equation that I am drawing. For some reason making things and writing out equations and languages that people don't usually know at my age seems to interest me, either that or I just like smoke bombs. The annoying thing is that my silence has attracted Pedro's attention – not to mention Barris' – and even though I nudged him out of the way the first time he still keeps on looking at it.
"Will you quit it?" I ask in a friendly voice.
"What is it?" Pedro asks.
"A map of Naboo," I say sarcastically. "It's an equation."
"For...?"
"Smoke." I say simply, adding an extra part of my own that it seems like a good idea to try out.
"An equation for smoke?" He archs an eyebrow. "Don't you mean a smoke bomb?"
"If that's what you want to call it them yeah, it is."
"Mind if you give me a copy of the equation?" His voice is completely mischievous and if I hadn't known him so long I'd think he was giving it to a friend, but he's not. He's going to use it himself to cause havoc in the temple.
"Nice try," I say. "But the last time I gave you something we both got in trouble."
"It wasn't my fault."
"You booby trapped the hallway in the third tower, explain how that is not your fault."
I've got him there and he goes back to tinkering with his datapad. I'm not sure what he's trying to do with it but I know him well enough to know that it's not something good – in this case he might be trying to get something for the competition, which still isn't good for me. Pedro may be nosy, persistent, chirpy, won't take get out for an answer, never grouchy, mischievous and serious about nothing but he is one of the best saber fighters in the class and if he gets his hands on a training saber I am doomed.
I turn back to my equation and frown when I see that it is changing on its own. The letters are swapping places and the numbers are either getting bigger or shrinking, as Master Yoda gets up to leave the room after being called away Barris nudges me.
"What are you doing?" She asks me in all seriousness. The equation stops changing and I look at her with a frown.
"What do you mean?" I question in confusion.
"You were changing the letters with the force, I saw you." Barris says. It is only my ego that prevents me from giving away that I did not do that and that I have a very good idea of who it was.
"They were... in the wrong order." I say truthfully.
Barris pins me with a look, narrowing her eyes. "How did you know how to do that? The letters are in the ashes, I've never heard of someone being able to do that."
"Say what?" Pedro asked, leaning in closer. I groan in annoyance but he does not seem to care. "What happened?"
"Nothing." I say quickly.
"Ahsoka changed the letters around with the force," Barris says right after I finish. I give her one of my outraged looks but she just shakes it off by looking back at Pedro. "In the ashes. Look."
Though I try to cover up the letters, Pedro pushes my hand out the way and his jaw drops. He is probably the only one apart from Barris who saw the letters in detail and he knows that I could not have changed them by wiping them away, that would get rid of the ashes and leave finger marks – except there aren't any. I want to disappear right now; how am I supposed to keep Anakin a secret is he is changing the letters and making people wonder how I did it?
"How did you do that?" He asks in a tone which, if I did not know him, I would think was wonder. He has never said something in a tone like that, selfishness is what he is but not a wonderous boy like he should be. Nothing like that has ever happened to him before, I know.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I lie, drawing something else and then repressing a sound of distress when it shrinks and floats to a letter. Pedro looks at me like I'm the most amazing person in the world and Barris is just looking at me with confusion and curiosity. I deliberately put my head down so that I cannot meet their gaze and when the bell goes – a new feature which I am still getting used to – I am out of the room before either of them can stop me. The reason that I left so quickly? Pedro is the biggest blabber mouth in the temple, he was already telling the rest of my class as I left.
Quickly, I make my way to the mess hall which is specifically for the younglings and yelp in surprise when two people jump on me from behind. My reflex is what keeps me standing and I turn around to see that it is the twins, the biggest trouble makers in the Jedi temple. Kay and Jay. It wasn't the best move to go making friends with them but at least I'm not the victim of their pranks, and they have the worst pranks in the world. They have strange smiles on their faces and I roll my eyes.
"What have you done?" I ask, crossing my arms.
"For once it's not what we've done, it's what you've done." They say, their grins widening.
I frown. "What are you on about?"
"The writing in the ashes," Kay says, his grin – if possible – widening even more. "You know we hear about everything first."
I stiffen and let out an exasperated breath. "I don't know what you're on about."
"You obviously do," Jay points out. "Now you can either tell us how or Pedro is going to tell everyone about it."
I snort. "He already has so I don't see the threat in that. I know you're friends and everything so don't this personally. Who would believe what he tells them?"
They both share a look that says what I am dreading and look just beyond me to the door to the mess hall. "We'll talk more about it later, right now let's eat. I'm starved. You coming 'Soka?" Kay asks.
"Don't call me that," I grumble. "Yes, I'll come with you."
I turn and make my way to the mess hall with them on either side of me - they always do that - and I can tell by their shared glances that they are not going to drop this easily. Then again, if anything bad happens they can always make the best of a bad situation, that's why they're such good friends to have. When we open the door and go into the mess hall I choose a table to sit at and wait until they return from getting their meals - without Barris here I suppose these two are the only people closer to me than any of the other younglings, which is a little spooky.
I'm quite glad that it's the evening now, because if it were mid-day then I would have to spend the next half of the day being badgered by Pedro and Barris. Force only knows how happy I'll be when they finally drop the subject. Sighing, I know I can't ignore my rumbling stomach much longer, I take a shurra fruit out of my pocket and debate whether or not to eat it.
"Where'd you get shurra fruit?" Kay asks, his mouth full of food. The twins aren't exactly polite or hygienic or anything else for that matter that doesn't involve humour.
"Oh, uh," I wonder what to say. "My mentor gave it to me." They both pause in their eating and I mentally slap myself.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
"You've already been to your mentor," Jay says, amazed. "I didn't know any of them had the time. Who's your mentor?"
I am not going to slip up on this one. "I don't know his name," I lie, it is pathetic.
They both look at me. "Who's your mentor?" Kay repeats what his brother said, shifting in his seat to look at me fully.
"I'm not saying." I say decisively. "You'll badger me if I do."
"We'll badger you if you don't." Jay says.
"Who's your mentor?" Kay repeats, again.
"Drop it," My tone is laced with a threat that even they, with the thickest skulls in the galaxy, can see. They take the hint and go back to their meals, though they continue to share looks and I curse the fact again and again that I let slip that I got shurra fruit from my mentor.
"So..." Kay says slowly. I roll my eyes. "Why did your mentor - whoever that may be - give you shurra fruit?"
It's not as if it will tell them anything about his identity so I can't very well not tell them. Then again, why in the world would they ask about shurra fruit? Isn't it obvious that I was given it because I was hungry, even though I was only a little bit. These two know how to spot a liar like they know how to use the force, its damn near impossible to lie to them. I make a mental note to ask Anakin to tell me how to lie perfectly, I'll need to know how given the fact that these two are going to badger me night and day. "Because it gives you more energy the quickest and replenishes your force abilities, or something like that." I curse myself, I can't remember what Anakin said in detail.
"It does?" They ask in surprise. "I never knew that. Mind if we try some?"
Rolling my eyes, I take two slices and hand one to each of them. For some reason Anakin likes to slice up his shurra fruit and it is very convienient at the moment. I take another bite as they both eat and their eyes widen in total shock after they swallow. Force help me if they ask any more questions, I will be doomed.
"It... it works?" They say, astonished.
"Yeah, that's what I was like when I first tried it." I say, swallowing the food in my mouth. "You won't tell anyone will you? About the shurra fruit thing."
"Why would we tell them about that?" Kay grins mischievously. "That stuff could get us out of loads of scrapes, why does anyone else have to know about it?" They begin to shovel down their food, as they always do, and I finish the shurra fruit easily before they finish their dinner. "So..." Kay wipes his mouth clean. "Wanna help us out with some business in the second tower?"
I smirk and roll my eyes. "No thanks," I deny. "I'm going to bed."
"It's only... what is it?" The look around for a chrono. "Oh, it's only ten o'clock."
"Only?" I roll my eyes and shake my head. "I might help you some other time. See you tomorrow, if you're not in trouble."
"Would we do something like that?" Jay says, hand over his heart.
He is lucky that I have already stood and am on my way out of the mess hall otherwise I might have been tempted to slug him in the gut. On my way out I walk past Pedro, who attempts to stop me but I speed up and am already out of his reach. I make my way to my room silently, not making eye contact with anyone for good reason and when I palm open my door Master Kenobi is sat there again with his arms crossed over his chest. It takes most of my strength not to roll my eyes as I walk in and stand in front of him.
"Master Kenobi, you're back again." I say, frowning and cocking my head. "Have I done something wrong?"
Obi-Wan chuckles and shakes his head. "No, no, you've done nothing wrong. I just wanted to make sure you got back here on time for once."
"I always get here on time," I protest. "Well... mostly." I add due to Obi-Wan's blunt stare.
He chuckles again. "You were certainly cutting it close but you managed to arrive here on time." He confirms standing up. "Good luck in the competition, by the way, I'm sure you chose an excellent mentor."
I smile and nod my head. "Well, I think he's brilliant." I say. Obi-Wan gives me a reassuring smile as he walks out of my room and the door closes behind him.
With an exasperated sigh I practically collapse onto my bed. That was way too much attention for one day and I detest attention. How on earth do people keep secrets as big as these? Well, I suppose not everyone is a Jedi or has to hide it from the entire order, do they? With another sigh - more of tiredness than anything else - I stand up and get changed into my sleep wear. The moment I am safely snuggled under the covers of my bed I close my eyes and try to relax.
I only hope that none of this attention will mean anything.