AU centered around an original character, starting a few months before the begin of the clone wars. Anakin is made to be 17 at that point (not 19 like in the original movie)
Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, is found on Tatooine by Qui-Gon Jinn who decides to train him. But Qui-Gon dies at the hands of Darth Maul, and while Obi Wan Kenobi wins through and has the boy accepted into the Jedi Order to be trained, he is first assigned to an old, experienced master who leads Skywalker with a strict, restraining hand. Master and Padawan couldn't be in greater contrast, which is why the Council had originally chosen this arrangement. Anakin is kept at the temple for the most part and taken on very few, unspectacular missions both because his Master fears to put him in danger and also because of his unpredictable nature. While certainly talented, he has few friends and feels misunderstood and disrespected by the Masters, turning out as an intelligent, but arrogant and brash teenager having his fair share of difficulties with the Jedi teachings. On a mission just a few days after his 17th birthday, his Master gets killed.
Instead of getting knighted as he demands, Anakin gets assigned to another Master who is unlike any other Jedi he knew before. While he tries to establish himself and become the heroic, respected Jedi knight he always dreamed of being, his new Master challenges him more than he'd like. Then, the galaxy tumbles into the chaos of war. Everything Anakin knew is turned upside down and the line between what is good and bad and light and dark becomes blurry.
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The usual disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. Only my original characters are my own
Big thanks to SeverusSnapers and Yesac for their inspiration!
Trigger warning: this story contains foul language and descriptions of graphic violence and mental illness. Not sure if it really exceeds what we see in the Star Wars movies and shows, but I'd like to give a warning nonetheless, just to be sure
Feedback and reviews make my day! This story is my very first time writing anything other than technical reports, and also I apologize for grammar/language mistakes – English is not my native language, so I'm sorry for what I don't get right
The council meeting was set to begin in less than five minutes. Anakin was waiting outside the chamber doors. He had been summoned without being given a specific reason, and no matter what it could possibly be, he was not exactly happy to be there. His mind was elsewhere. The events from two weeks before had replayed over and over in his head. It had happened a few days after his 17th birthday. His Master was dead. Killed by a dark side acolyte named Ventress. While he would have never thought he'd feel that way, and he'd never admit it to himself, he was shaken. Master Atal had been fairly old, a conservative scholar living his life by the book and extremely strict as a master who never showed any respect or acknowledgement of his Padawan's potential, leaving Anakin feeling left out and held back. Yet he had been the closest to a father he had had – very strict and authoritarian, but still a father figure. Now, what the teenager felt was grief, and a sense of ...yes, what exactly? Rejection? Deception? He was angry. He could have saved his Master, had the old man only listened to him and taken Anakin along with him. Again, he had not been trusted and been sent back to wait on the ship while Master Atal planned to retrieve some historic artefacts of presumedly purely academic value that natives had offered him. It had been a diplomatic mission, supposed to settle a minor conflict on the planet. What neither of the Jedi had been aware of, the old scholar was not the only one interested in these artefacts. A set trap or a coincidence – nobody knew. Either way the darksider had been there and made short, cruel work of the elderly Jedi, being not even close in combat prowess to the well trained assassin. If only he had been allowed to accompany him, Anakin was certain he would have defeated the darksider. But nobody believed in him. Nobody trusted him. The whole Jedi order seemed determined to hold him back.
He heard footsteps and turned his head to see another person arrive. It was a male human Anakin had never seen before and who looked very young, barely older than Anakin himself. By the lightsaber clipped to the man's belt and the fact that non-Jedi were hardly ever allowed to access the temple, he assumed he was a Jedi – probably a knight. The man didn't wear a Padawan braid. His long, pitch-black hair was tied into a messy bun, a few strands hanging in his face that had an almost feminine beauty to it, with lightly tanned skin and prominent, monolid eyes that were slightly angled upwards. The teenager curiously scanned the new arrival. Oddly, he couldn't sense him in the Force. He was a good bit shorter than Anakin, and of a broad-shouldered, stocky, impressively muscular physique. The way he carried himself suggested he was a proficient warrior. In addition to the lightsaber, there was a small blaster holster. Anakin had never seen a Jedi openly carry a firearm before. Underneath a grey, short-sleeved cloak, he wore a simple, black, sleeveless tunic without a tabard and black gloves with some sort of armour covering his forearms. The outfit was completed by black military pants in dark brown boots, which were covered in dust and dirt. Not exactly traditional Jedi robes. His facial expression was grim and dismissive.
'This guy looks like he's even less happy to be here than I am' Anakin thought.
The overall rough appearance gave the impression of someone always ready to fight. The man ignored the teenager and stopped by a window without a word of greeting.
"Hey. Do you know why we're here?" Anakin asked him.
"Hello. And no, I have no idea." He spoke with a notable accent, as if galactic basic - although the standard in the Order - wasn't his first language, but Anakin couldn't pick out what it was. Once more, he reached out with the Force, trying to read him, without success. His aura was impenetrable, like a wall and he still couldn't detect any sign of a Force signature. If anything, the man had something slightly menacing about him, as if to discourage those around from talking to him. That was something Anakin would have found intriguing, hadn't he been so busy resenting the Council and literally everything and everyone around him at that moment.
The Council members had finally settled into their chairs and they were gestured to walk in. Yoda spoke up first.
"Continue your training you must, young Skywalker. And for you, Master Kano, time to take on a padawan learner, it is"
„Padawan Skywalker, this is Master Kenshin Kano." Added Windu „He will be your new Master."
The words took a few seconds to sink in, then Anakin realized what they meant. Again, he was not to become a Jedi knight, he was to remain a Padawan learner for another, undetermined length of time and his temper surged.
„What? No, I'm ready for the trials! This is outrageous! I don't need a new Master" he angrily busted out.
„Ready for the trials you are not. Accept the decision oft he council you will" Yoda firmly stated. Mace Windu shot him a fiercely disapproving glance but Force knew he was more than used to those. The other Jedi – who they had just made his Master - kept a straight, marble face and didn't say a word.
Great, Anakin thought. I'm the most talented and most powerful Padawan in the whole Jedi order, I'm top of my class! I even surpass most of the knights, and they still won't let me do the trials! They reassign me, and to who? Who is that even supposed to be!
Outside the council room, his supposedly new Master said „Please meet me at the common training area in two hours."
„I don't even know who you are! Some rogue idiot from Force knows where. I am ready for the trials, and they keep holding me back! Back off!"
In the back of his mind, Anakin knew he was judging the other Jedi prematurely. The man in front of him didn't deserve any of it, but he was so furious, he didn't care. The tantrum fit he had just thrown however just earned him an unimpressed smirk. Anakin looked him defiantly in the eyes – very dark brown, almost black, but it was not the colour that startled him. They were intense and piercing, as deep as the galaxy. All of a sudden Anakin felt uneasy, as if the young man facing him could read every thought of his.
"Maybe you are ready for the trials, maybe not. Maybe I am unfit to be your master, maybe not. Whatever holds true, we will soon find out. See you later." And with that he was gone.
Anakin sighed in frustration. He heard the familiar tap-tap of a walking stick behind him and turned around."Master Yoda! Please, explain to me, why was I assigned to..."
"Judge your new Master already, you do, hmm?" Interrupted Yoda "Open eyes and ears you should. Learn a lot from Master Kano you can!" Yoda dismissed him with these words, being mysterious and vague as always. He might be very wise, but why, for blast's sake, couldn't he just give actual answers!
Anakin was not the only one doubting the recent assignation. A short distance from where the teenager had his frustrating conversation with the old grandmaster, Mace Windu felt his much longed for retreat into one of the meditation chambers would have to wait as a voice demanded his attention.
"Why?"
Windu turned around, he hadn't sensed nor heard the young man approach.
"Why what, Kano?"
"Why was I ordered back here? Was it really for that Padawan - that I am the worst possible choice for? Or to put me on a leash?"
"As much as I'd like to do the latter - I had nothing to do with it. In fact, I voted against it. Blame your old Master"
"The old troll never truly was my Master. And not even the Force knows what he is thinking! " Without saying goodbye, Kenshin left as swiftly as he had appeared. Windu shook his head. He contemplated what exactly he liked the least about the young Jedi Master. Either way he hadn't changed a bit in the last few years, neither had his blunt demeanour. Pairing Skywalker with him as a master could prove a troublesome combination. As if Yoda had sensed his concerns, the small green figure chose this very moment to show up.
"Something I sense, bother you it does" A knowing, amused smile sat on Yoda's face.
"Forgive me, Master Yoda, but are you sure assigning Skywalker to Master Kano was the right choice? I can't help but think it's fighting fire with fire."
"Hmmmmm, not sure of this assignment you are? Master Atal like a father for Skywalker was. Another father we have not – but give him a brother, we can! Doubt Master Kano, you should not! A great part in his training you had, yourself. Young he may be, bold and rebellious - but loyal and strong with the Force. Have faith you should! A good master for Skywalker he will be"
Anakin woke up, his head was pounding and he was feeling sick. Slowly opening his eyes, he realized he was in a room that was unfamiliar to him but it looked like most typical temple living quarters, although one of the smaller ones. The sun was shining outside, it must have been early morning. A young Jedi looked at him with a grim, yet concerned expression on his face.
„Where am I and who the blazes are you?" Anakin asked him, squeezing his eyes shut and blinking a few times. The light of Coruscant's sun was too bright for his liking.
„I'm Kenshin Kano and we're in my living quarters. Yesterday, you were assigned to me as my new Padawan."
The words failed to make any sense to Anakin. „What happened? How did I get here…hold on, wait…..ugh" He grunted. Vague, incoherent memories started coming back, he remembered being tossed to the ground, feeling sick, everything including the ground was moving. Then a glowing blade, a pair of dirty, dark brown boots next to his face…- a Jedi! -…..then darkness.
„I'd be surprised if you remembered anything much. According to the bar tender, you downed 14 shots of his hardest stuff "
„The bar…I got into a fight…..you brought me here?"
Anakin looked confused, more memories of the day before came flowing back into his mind…..a fellow Padawan calling him names, they started a fight, an argument with Master Windu who had shown up to separate them and of course berate him…..him storming off, away from everything…..
„I was told you got into a fight and then ran. So I went looking. The moment I found you, a large Togruta was about to turn you into pulp. I convinced him otherwise. After that you barfed once onto my boots and once all over my coat – thank blast not into the speeder – and I brought you here. I deemed it better to keep your field trip secret. Unless you want to fill Master Windu in on it. I checked for injuries, you got away with just a few bruises "
Speak of the devil, a comlink started beeping, and it was Mace Winu's voice that asked „Master Kano. Where is Skywalker?"
„He's with me."
„What is he doing there! I tried to summon him, he didn't respond. I want him to explain yesterday's incident and why he attacked other Padawan, again!"
„He's feeling sick today and will rest until he recovers."
„He needs to learn his place! Send him to me now!"
"As his Master, this is now for me to decide and deal with!" Kenshin said and cut the comlink off.
Anakin looked at him in disbelief. „You don't seem to be very impressed by Master Windu"
„I am not. Never was."
„Why are you helping me?"
"Should I not?" Kenshin flatly replied
" I think I haven't exactly been nice to you yesterday. At least from what I remember...Ouch" Anakin felt a sting of pain in his head that slowly diminished as Kenshin used the Force to ease the headache.
„I didn't take it personally. What did even happen yesterday?"
Anakin gave a short recite of his fight with the other boy, and Windu stepping in. "They were calling me names. And Windu got mad at me for defending myself. But I can't let that slide! He doesn't understand. Nobody understands! I'm not allowed to do anything, nobody ever listens, everyone just keeps bossing me around and tells me I must control my emotions" Anakin now stared angrily into empty space.
"I see. Get some rest and sleep off that hangover. We'll start training tomorrow"
Anakin didn't understand. He'd expected to at least get scolded, another reprimand added to the many he had received to that point. Not that he liked being scolded, but that was all that ever happened. Nobody ever cared about how he felt. As he tried to contemplate all of it, he drifted back to sleep.
"Thank you...Master"