Disclaimer:
Star Wars does not belong to me, nor do any of the images displayed. This fic was created by me for entertainment purposes.
NA 1: This is a translation from Spanish. Before, I used to upload the translation from Google Translate, but I found this one and it seems better to me. Please comment to let me know what you think.
NA 2: If anyone wants to help with corrections or translations and serve as an editor, please send me a private message. I am too busy to do it myself. Again, my apologies to everyone.
NA3: También he publicado el original en español, ya pueden leerlo.
Star Wars Xion 4
On the evening of the next day, after Padmé's victory, a symbolic funeral was held for Qui-Gon, for he had been a hero who sacrificed his life for the people of Naboo. The inhabitants requested permission from the Jedi Council to hold a funeral for him there. For this, they built a dummy in his likeness and placed it on a pyre. Obi-Wan, who was sure that his master survived or something like that, was not happy about it.
...
-And this is the hero of Naboo," said Palpatine, approaching him at the end of the funeral, which was attended by the Jedi masters, who seemed unconvinced that Qui-Gon still existed.
Anakin was with Padmé and her handmaidens, and Padmé was quick to secure him in front of her and look at Palpatine menacingly. Palpatine smiled, there was no way he didn't know she was the queen.
-I only intend to greet our hero, I'm sure there's nothing wrong with that," said Palpatine, more to Anakin than to Padmé and her handmaidens.
-Senator Palpatine, the queen says you are useless, and that you only wanted to profit from Naboo's misfortune. If I could, I would fire you and investigate you for laziness," Anakin said with a frown. Obi-Wan, who was approaching to greet and make introductions, seemed hesitant to approach, but he was already only a few steps away, so he couldn't run away. Palpatine laughed.
-Young Skywalker, I was told that your intelligence was unusual. What do you think? -asked Palpatine.
-I take it from what I see," Anakin said calmly. In the Senate, when everyone was shouting and looking like drunken mercenaries, you were one of the few who were silent. I don't think you are useless, only that your Senate is useless. I also think you are smart, as you may have thought that they could take advantage of the situation and try to increase their power. Although I agree with Padmé, your plan was very bad, appointing you chancellor would do nothing to solve the situation on Naboo, your Senate is a circus and changing the circus man would have no practical effect, because they are the same monkeys," Anakin concluded.
-Anakin! -exclaimed Obi-Wan, who had just arrived a few seconds ago and couldn't find a way to shut him up, from the moment he said the Senate was useless, and now that he had called the senators monkeys, he was outraged. Palpatine ignored him and sighed sadly.
-I'm afraid my young friend has witnessed a sorry spectacle, so I understand his way of thinking. However, that day was unfavorable, there were too many tensions and conflicting interests. I am afraid it was one of the worst days of the Senate. But I hope our young hero will not judge us for having had a bad performance.
"Now that I have barely managed to retain my position after those unfortunate events, although I have earned his majesty's enmity, I hope to have the opportunity to show him that I can be forceful with my actions. Since you will be close by, I may invite you on one of these days to some of the Senate sessions. We don't want our future Jedi to have a bad opinion of the Senate," Palpatine said diplomatically.
-Of course, if the Jedi allow it," said Anakin, looking at Obi-Wan.
-The masters must decide about it," said Obi-Wan, avoiding any responsibility.
-Of course," Palpatine said and placed a hand on his shoulder in farewell. He was able to control the dark side and hide perfectly. Despite his superior senses, Anakin could not pick up anything from him.
...
-Anakin! -said Padmé when they were in his room, which was now hers. Palpatine is very dangerous, he is a snake hiding under the skin of a mouse. I couldn't see him before, but now, just having found out a little about his life, I can see him clearly. You must not try to play with him," he advised with concern.
-So you found out he killed his whole family to keep his fortune," Anakin said. Padmé looked at him with wide eyes and then looked around.
-Don't worry, Palpatine doesn't have spies here and there are no bugs," said Anakin, sitting down on the bed and patting his side so Padmé would sit up. Padmé sat down, biting her lips.
-Padmé, Palpatine is evil, we both know it, and we both know we can't touch him. Not even the Jedi would be willing to believe me if I told them anything, and if Palpatine finds out and comes after me, and kills me, they won't even suspect. In addition to being evil, Palpatine is a skilled politician and has a lot of experience manipulating people. So the only way to deal with him now that everyone is in his hands is to play along, make a profit and act decisively when the time comes.
"For all that, you can confront him, but always remember not to go to extremes, for Palpatine will use it against you, and all your friends will turn their backs on you. You will lose those you love if you fall into his hands," Anakin advised.
-That's why you told him that the reason I'm angry with him is because I think he didn't do his job and because I think he tried to gain power by using Naboo," Padmé said sympathetically. Anakin nodded with a smile, "And now you'll pretend you like being around him so he'll trust you," said Padmé. Anakin shook his head.
-Padmé, he will never trust anyone. What I intend to do is to get close to him to give him the impression that he can use me. That will make him include me in his plans, but when he tries to put me on the board, I'll play on my own," Anakin explained.
-That will make me want to discard you immediately," Padmé said fearfully. Anakin laughed.
-I don't plan to become a piece that he can discard as he pleases," Anakin said. Padmé hugged him.
-Ani, you are very brave," Padmé praised.
-No, Padmé, I only plan to survive, to be strong and to be able to defend the things I love," Anakin explained sincerely, for if he failed in the end, he would not hesitate to flee.
...
A month later, Anakin was in the Jedi Temple and was not allowed to leave, even though he was Obi-Wan's padawan and not an initiate like the Jedi apprentices. Even so, Anakin was taught with the other initiates, although he did not have a group and did not go near them. They were children between the ages of seven and thirteen, and though there were older ones, the idiots looked down on him, as he himself did. Dealing with children, feigning interest in their nonsense and problems, caused him annoyance and discomfort, but dealing with teenagers and their multiple hormonal problems made him repulsed.
In fact, he wondered if one of these days his hormones would attack him and he would become a brainless teenage chaser. He would have to wait to find that out. In Xion's life, his adolescence and childhood were a bad memory for him.
As I was thinking, the current class came to an end. Although it was not a repeat of the previous class, what they were explaining was too similar to what they had already learned in previous classes. It was as if one day they were learning to add on the two-board and the next day they were on the three-board. To a child, this would be a new world, but he was not a child. If he were introduced to the two-board, he would understand that it was the addition process that was important, not the numbers themselves, so he could get to the ten-thousand board without any problem.
So even if the class wasn't repetitive, it was still the same as the previous time, and Anakin understood why it was torture for a genius to be in the class of ordinary people. It was like putting a college student in with preschoolers. He would simply be bored to death.
Anakin caused no problems in class. He had already asked if he could take more advanced classes or advance in level, but the Jedi would not allow it. Only Obi-Wan could teach him more and he was a man of rules who wouldn't skip a beat. Therefore, he was stuck there and wouldn't make life difficult for a bunch of brats just because he was unhappy or bored. If he did that, he would be like those wretched teachers who, in his former life, came to take out their frustrations on their students. "Miserable bastards," Anakin thought, remembering them. He wished they would fall into the Warhammer 40k universe and be born as normal citizens with a Nurgle cult nearby.
As Anakin hurled curses at his former masters, he arrived at the place where he would have the next class: a circular room where they practiced basic Jedi skills, such as telekinesis or perception with practice sabers and robots. They also trained in combat form one, which was the most basic when it came to using the lightsaber.
The class would be in half an hour and the other children had not yet arrived, so Anakin sat down and reached into his pocket to pull out about a hundred small pearls a couple of millimeters in diameter. He dropped them in and held them up with the use of his telekinesis. For a Jedi, the size of the object to be moved was important, and any child could move those small spheres as if they were dust. Anakin could also do it from his first attempt, but holding them was not his goal.
The pearls formed orbits around him, which was difficult as they clashed against each other, but Anakin would pick them up and return them to their place. One day, this would be a very impressive ability, but for now it was only a developing skill.
...
Half an hour later, the initiated children were already there and some of them were pointing and whispering as the spheres fell, laughing because Anakin couldn't hold such small things. Anakin ignored them because these kids shouldn't even be able to hold two of those spheres like he could. Besides, they would surely die in the Clone Wars. The worst thing in a war was to be a rookie who thought he was superior, and that's what these kids were.
When the teacher arrived, Anakin put the spheres in a small packet in his pocket and turned his attention to the class. The teacher, who was also a Jedi, greeted in a respectful manner and the initiates imitated him. He then gave them an example by picking up twenty small bricks and moving them to build various things, such as walls or buildings, or simply making them float.
Then it was the turn of the initiates and the teacher brought out several sets of bricks. The initiates went through in groups of five and Anakin was in the first group. He picked up four bricks and played around with them without any trouble, dropping the fifth when the teacher brought it up to him so he could try to hold it.
Of course, Anakin could hold more bricks. At this point, he had been practicing telekinesis for a month and was developing his own skills. If he wanted to, he could hold forty of those bricks and juggle them. However, he wasn't showing off all of his skills, he was simply in a class of children and didn't want to excel too much. He fit the average across the board and the average was now four bricks. The teacher instructed him to keep up the effort and moved on to the next child.
At the end of the class, all of their scores were averages, and when the teacher dismissed them, he was the first to leave.
-Initiate Anakin, wait," called the teacher, and the children whispered curiously, but none dared to stay longer than they could drag their feet.
The professor didn't fall for any of his little tricks, and even the most stubborn ones had already left by the time he decided to speak. The professor was a human in his mid-thirties, with average looks that left no impression.
-I would like to give you a personal evaluation, do you agree? -asked the professor. Anakin bowed.
-Go ahead, teacher," said Anakin curiously. The teacher walked to the center of the room and took the bricks and other classroom tools from the pedestal. Then he took out a group of bricks.
-Please lift as many as you can," said the professor, and Anakin raised a hand to lift the twenty bricks.
The professor blinked and quickly pulled out another set of bricks. Anakin understood what he wanted and at once lifted all five sets of bricks, pulling them out of their cases and then lifting them up with his telekinesis. He had to use both hands to maneuver and close his eyes to concentrate, as this was no longer a game to him. The Jedi was stunned.
-Thank you, Anakin initiate, that will be all," the professor stammered, and Anakin helped him put the bricks in the suitcase. Then the professor said goodbye and left.
Anakin returned to his small room, as classes for the day were over.
Arriving in his room, Anakin took off his clothes and stood in his underwear to bring out the spheres. This time it was a whole pack of about five hundred, and he floated them around him. This time, he was just holding them, not moving them into orbit, and because of their small size, it was easier than holding four bricks weighing one kilogram each, as each sphere weighed only two or three grams.
The spheres covered his entire body, leaving a space of one centimeter between them and his skin, as well as between them and the floor. Anakin did some stretching and started doing cardio exercises for half an hour, making sure that no sphere touched his body during the jumps, neither the walls nor the floor. Halfway through, he had about fifteen minutes of strength exercises and at the end another fifteen minutes of cardio. He wasn't going to let his body be a mess, just like Qui-Gon, and since he knew a war was coming, he wasn't going to be lazy.
After his exercises, he took a bath and returned to his room to meditate until midnight, in search of some answer from Qui-Gon and to train his ability to see the future. Although he had not received any classes on seers, the Force itself had already confirmed some things to him and, following it, he could glimpse some distant or near events happening around him. However, she felt that something was not right, it was as if she did not have the right signal, everything appeared blurry and she could not understand anything.
...
After meditating to no avail, Anakin gave up and woke up the next day to take a bath and get ready for school. However, his routine was interrupted when he opened the door to find Obi-Wan and Jadle.
-Master," Anakin greeted Obi-Wan. Master Jadle," he bowed. Obi-Wan made a small grimace.
-Anakin, come in," Obi-Wan said. Anakin nodded and the three entered, sitting in a circle on a rug in the center of their small room.
-Master, I will be late for class because of this interruption," Anakin warned. Obi-Wan shifted uncomfortably. Jadle noticed his discomfort and gave a faint smile.
-Anakin, why do you hide your abilities from your masters in your classes? -Obi-Wan asked, getting straight to the point.
-I have never done such a thing. In fact, I had already told you that my skills far exceeded those of the children in my class, and you told me that you couldn't do anything about it because of the rules we must follow.
"I haven't refused to show my skills to my teacher either, I just didn't want a bunch of kids crowding around me. I do it for their own good, as my skills would only interfere with their learning. Our life experience and knowledge are not the same," Anakin explained in detail.
-When you told me, I checked your evaluations, but they were average," Obi-Wan complained.
-Do you blame me for not verifying the data you obtained? -Anakin asked, raising an eyebrow. Obi-Wan didn't seem to know what to say. Master Jadle flashed a faint smile again.
-Knight Kenobi, let's check things out first," said Jadle both as advice and to end the discussion. Obi-Wan looked somewhat embarrassed.
-Anakin, show us what you were doing when your homeroom teacher entered your classroom," said Obi-Wan.
-Ah, he noticed. A Jedi sensor? -Anakin asked curiously.
That could be useful to him, with his great affinity for the Force. His main talent was his extraordinary perception. In Xion's memories, Anakin did not fully trust the Force and had rejected this advantage, but now he did not intend to do the same. He would accept visions, hunches and anything that could give him an advantage. He would even practice healing and spatial movement. Any advantages he could gain would be few.
Jadle simply nodded. Anakin mentally sighed at his lack of cooperation, but reached into his pocket and pulled out a hundred pearls, placing them in orbit around him. One of the spheres fell immediately and Anakin picked it up again. Obi-Wan touched one of the spheres, which left its orbit and then returned to it.
-Anakin, how do you do that? -he asked in a daze.
-I summon the Force around me and ask it to hold the spheres for me, so I don't have to concentrate on them and my mind is free for other more important tasks. This is a skill I've been thinking about, but for now it's only in its infancy. I should be able to hold about ten thousand spheres for it to be complete," Anakin explained.
Jadle picked up a falling sphere and floated it in circles around his hand. It had taken Anakin a week to accomplish that. Experience definitely made a difference. Obi-Wan also tried to imitate it, but the sphere wobbled and fell. It was better than when Anakin first tried it, but not much.
-Master, your control of the Force sucks," said Anakin. Obi-Wan looked at him in annoyance and did not try to hold the sphere in orbit again.
-It's an interesting application of the Force. I would like to see the full use of this ability," said Jadle. Anakin nodded and Jadle nodded to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan looked at him.
-Anakin, from today on, you will not have to return to the classroom. I will be in charge of teaching you. Do you agree? -Obi-Wan asked.
-It would be nice and less boring. In the last month, I've even felt the need to participate in some of the things the kids say in class," Anakin confessed. Obi-Wan grimaced.
-Anakin, why don't you talk to your classmates? -Obi-Wan asked with a sigh.
-Master, if you were put in a room with a bunch of infants, would you feel the need to talk to them? -asked Anakin.
-No...
-And you are a sociable person. I'm already asocial, and I find it hard to relate to adults. Pretending to be interested in the affairs of children just to start a conversation with them is too much for me," Anakin said sincerely. Obi-Wan looked him up and down. Anakin assumed he would say something in response, but Jadle interrupted.
-Padawan Anakin, you seem to be interested in the skills of a sensor Jedi, and I could be classified as one. From now on, you may attend the classes I teach as my assistant," Jadle offered. Anakin nodded quickly, though he understood that this was a proposal to try to get him to interact with other initiates. He didn't mind, as he really needed to learn more about the skills of a sensor Jedi, as this ability would give him a greater advantage against Palpatine.
-All right, then let's get started," said Jadle, standing up.
...
A month later, Anakin entered a practical class taught by Master Yoda, following Master Jadle, who would show the children a graphic representation of a pair of trolls. Anakin had fun thinking about it as he watched the little brats...
Anakin's heart leapt at the sight of one of the girls, a baby of about four years of age of the togruta species, with her distinctive white pigmentation on her face and orange skin. Anakin looked at Jadle beside him, who was walking toward Yoda as if nothing, and Master Yoda was welcoming him. He didn't disguise his surprise, there was no way these two sensor Jedi wouldn't notice his reaction.
Anakin had already given himself away, so he didn't hide his gaze from the baby, Ahsoka. Of course, normal Jedi were recruited at a young age, and this little Ahsoka had to be at least about four years old. She was Ahsoka. Ahsoka Tano, the Ahsoka of the Clone Wars. Xion was a Star Wars fan from the first three movies, but she didn't like any of the original characters, except for R2D2. Then came the prequels and his favorite character was Anakin, and Darth Vader. But it was because of Anakin that he liked Darth Vader. Without Anakin, he didn't care about Darth Vader. Obi-Wan wasn't bad either, and they became his two favorite characters.
As for the female characters, he didn't like any of them, nor was he attracted to twi'leks and togrutas like Shaak Ti, who aroused certain base instincts. That's why, when the prequels saga ended and The Clone Wars began, he only wanted to see Anakin and Obi-Wan.
Seeing the other Jedi was great, but they were his favorite, and they were who he expected to see first in the introductory movie for the series, and they were. The problem was that after a brief introduction, a little orange, chattering critter showed up and latched onto his favorite character like a tick. He was ill-mannered, foul-mouthed and smug...
She was a terrible creature, and her name was Ahsoka Tano. Xion had sent it all to hell, thinking it was another unbearable female character. There weren't any of those in Star Wars up to that point, at least none that didn't have their male counterparts, like Luke and Leia, but he was sure this little orange critter named Ahsoka Tano would be the first of its kind.
Still, turning off the part of his brain that saw the little orange talking bug, he kept watching until, a few minutes later, he blinked as the little orange bug turned into a person. A person more real than any other Jedi, giving him the same impression Anakin had when he first appeared.
By the end of watching the movie, he had three favorite Star Wars characters, and by the end of the first season, Ahsoka was already on the same level as Anakin. Then, at the conclusion of The Clone Wars, without a doubt, Ahsoka was his favorite character in all of Star Wars. He loved Ahsoka because Ahsoka was Anakin, but an Anakin who managed to move forward without falling. Where Anakin failed, Ahsoka grew stronger and more determined. She was what Anakin could never be. She was human, like Anakin, but she was also a heroine without equal.
Anakin blinked. Xion's thoughts of himself made him a little uncomfortable, but he smiled as he looked at baby Ahsoka. Going to hug her and ask for her autograph would undoubtedly cause her terror, and Anakin didn't want to upset her. Besides, he had things to do, so he hurried to help with the classroom tools, which were bricks, while Jadle and Yoda, the pair of green trolls who watched him intently as he watched Ahsoka, gave the introduction to the Force for the practical class.
From what he heard, those words were to give confidence to those children and drive doubts from their minds. Doubts were truly a great enemy to a Jedi, it was doubts that limited their power. That was why the unreasonable Sith could also gain a great increase in their abilities by supercharging their emotions and clearing their minds of any doubts. They would simply raise their hand and proclaim the results to the world. But these children were not Sith and would have to advance little by little as they got to know themselves and cleared their minds of doubts.
Jadle and Yoda began the practice and between the two of them performed some juggling to relax the children, while handing them three bricks each and asking them to lift them with telekinesis.
The children lifted the first brick with some difficulty, some lifted two... Ahsoka was having trouble with the second brick and the first one fell to the ground. She was nervous...
Anakin looked at a child who had lifted two bricks and was trying to lift the third, but that wasn't the reason he looked at that creature from hell. What made him look was that that little gray fish-faced beast was laughing at Ahsoka, and that made her cringe.
"This fish is tired of living," Anakin thought angrily, but took a deep breath to calm himself, as both trolls sensed his emotions and would not allow him to harm the gray critter. Anakin shook his head in his mind. That was emotional overload, and he let it all go with the Force and his urge to carve the fish and grill it faded.
"I understand," Anakin thought. So far, he hadn't met someone he liked too much, since he was Anakin and he took care of himself carefully. Obi-Wan was fine, and although he had befriended Padmé and trusted her, plus she was the person who knew him best in this world, she was not someone he shared interests with or identified with. But this was Ahsoka Tano. She was an icon to Xion had strong feelings for her, just as he did for his mother. This was a real test of control, and he had already failed a couple of times...
Ahsoka lost control again, and the children in the class laughed at how nervous she was. "These children must be Sith infiltrators," Anakin thought, and he couldn't take it anymore. If he didn't intervene, he was going to do something very ugly with these spawn of children.
-Teacher Jadle, can I help? -asked Anakin, bowing to intervene for the first time in a class since he was Jadle's assistant.
Jadle, who was helping a boy by giving him some advice, nodded calmly. Anakin didn't wait to be told who to help and headed straight for Ahsoka. He knelt down in front of her and she looked up at him blinking her big blue eyes. She was the cutest baby Anakin had ever seen in his life, but he shook his head in his mind.
-Hello, Ahsoka. I'm Master Jadle's assistant," said Anakin, picking up a brick. Do you want to learn a trick? -asked Anakin with a smile. Ahsoka blinked and Anakin decided it was a yes, so he nodded and showed her the brick.
-Look, it's a common brick," said Anakin, showing the brick all over. It looks like an ordinary brick," said Anakin and tested its weight. It weighs like a common brick," he threw it in the air and then caught it, "It has the same flying ability as a common brick," he said and, with a quick movement, hit the fish boy next to Ahsoka on the head, the same one who had laughed in the first place and was now paying attention to Anakin's explanation. The fish boy blinked as he realized that Anakin had hit him.
-It seems to hit like a normal brick too," said Anakin, and the fish boy blinked again, but Ahsoka laughed.
-He didn't hit me," said the fish boy in confusion, as he touched his forehead. Anakin frowned and took another swing at the fish boy, who couldn't defend himself this time either.
The thump sounded loud and some of the children turned to look. The fish boy was startled by the noise and rushed to touch his forehead, but he was fine. Ahsoka also looked at him in confusion, because the blow had sounded loud, but the fish boy didn't seem to have been hurt. Anakin also looked closely and then looked at the brick.
-This brick is defective, let me use another one," said Anakin, taking another brick. To avoid mishaps, this time we'll skip the tests and go straight to the trick," said Anakin, and the fish boy and Ahsoka paid attention.
Anakin held the brick between his two hands and then pulled them apart, and the brick floated in the air.
-Magic! -declared Anakin. The boy and Ahsoka blinked.
-It's not magic, it's the Force," said Ahsoka.
-It's not magic, it's the Force," said the fish boy. Anakin ignored him and looked at Ahsoka with a frown, while holding the brick.
-No, what you do is the Force, what I do is magic," Anakin said, and pointed to his head. What you do comes from here, you think and you try, then you may or may not succeed," he said, pointing to his heart. What I do comes from here," he said, pointing to his heart. And my heart doesn't think, it just does it, that's why it's magic," Anakin said. Look," he said and closed his eyes, turning his head away and dropping the brick, which floated in front of him.
The children did not understand, and Anakin turned his head away. It was very difficult to explain to children that they should not try to use the Force, they should use it, because the Force was part of them, like their hands. They didn't try to use their hands, they used them. Trying to use their hands was something only a handicapped person would think of. Anakin thought for a few seconds, then smiled.
-Ahsoka, look," said Anakin and crushed the brick between his hands, but instead of exploding or turning into dust, it turned into many small thin slabs that formed a circle. Then they changed shape and became a flower, then a large polygonal feline, a dog, a cat, a cat, again a flower and then a cat, as the fragments approached Ahsoka's hands. Anakin allowed her hands to join his.
-What do you want it to be now? -asked Anakin.
-A big cat," said Ahsoka and the fragments formed a fluffy cat. A house, a flower, a circle..." she concentrated on the figures and continued ordering changes, while the fish child laughed and she got even more excited. But the fish child suddenly stopped laughing and Ahsoka demanded five more changes before looking at what had happened. She looked up to see the children around her looking at her in amazement. Ahsoka looked at him blankly, until Anakin raised his hands and Ahsoka turned her gaze to the flower she held in her hands, using the shards and her own telekinesis.
-You can do magic too," said Anakin with a smile.
Ahsoka was surprised and the polygonal flower fell apart and fell to the ground. Anakin reached out and the multiple small blades flew towards him, forming a brick in his hand again. Anakin tossed the brick to Ahsoka, who suspended it in the air raising her hand decisively. There was no doubt in his eyes as he looked at his other two bricks and used his other hand to lift them with telekinesis. Then she smiled, discarded two bricks without giving them a second thought and kept one to smash...
-No, wait! -The brick crumbled into dust.
Of course, changing the structure of a mass of material required more than telekinesis. Ahsoka coughed with a face full of dust. The fish boy, who had come closer, was also covered in dust and after blinking, he began to laugh. Ahsoka looked at the appearance of herself, Anakin and the fish boy, and also burst out laughing. Anakin sighed and reached out to gather all the dust and reform the brick.
-Magic! -exclaimed Ahsoka and Anakin nodded, dividing the brick again into small spheres.
The children around her could not contain themselves and ran to get closer. With Ahsoka realizing that the Force was part of her and performing a multitude of tricks, the other children followed suit and soon bricks were floating everywhere, surpassing even her former class.
...
After three hours, the class ended, but the children were still excited and helped him pick up the bricks. However, the fish boy found the brick that hit him twice and that Anakin had discarded because it was broken. The fish boy picked it up and examined it all over, but found nothing strange. The other children also remembered that the brick had hit him twice without hurting him and watched with interest. Finally, the fish boy decided to try hitting himself in the forehead with the brick.
-Oh," she squealed as the brick left a red mark on her forehead and a bump was probably forming.
Ahsoka and the other children laughed when they saw that they had been tricked, and the fish boy forgot his pain and laughed with them. Anakin, who pretended to pick up bricks but had all his attention on the fish boy, smiled in satisfaction, for the boy had gotten what he deserved. He could not hit a child, but the boy could hit himself and no one would reprimand him for the brat's lack of lights.
Jadle, who was waiting for Anakin next to Master Yoda, smiled a small smile. Yoda did not approve of revenge, so he chewed his saliva in obvious disappointment, though he did not rebuke him, as he knew Anakin would deny everything blatantly. Anakin hurried to put away the rest of his things and bade the children goodbye with a bow...
Ahsoka hugged him and Anakin blinked. Then she smiled and patted him on the back. But then the other children hugged him too and Anakin got a twitch in his eye. "Get away from me, you bunch of ugly critters," Anakin chided in his mind and hurried away with propriety towards the two green trolls, who seemed to have something to say to him. Anakin wondered if he would get a lecture on attachments.
...
-Matter transmutation," said Master Yoda as they walked. Anakin grimaced.
-No, I would say reorganization of matter. Transmutation would require manipulation at the atomic level and what I do is simply a consequence of the technique I am developing. Also, I still find it difficult to reorganize matter, as it depends on the density and consistency of the material. Clay is easy to manipulate, but metals, better not to talk about," explained Anakin.
-Have you completely mastered the skill you were practicing? -asked Jadle. Anakin nodded.
-Rearranging living matter, easy it would be, according to your description," Yoda accused.
-Only someone with no knowledge of biology and genetics would say that," said Anakin. Living matter has its own rules, you can't just mold it and shape it as if it were clay, that would give frightening results," added Anakin, looking at the master with displeasure for having suggested that idea. Yoda ignored his discomfort and kept walking. This green troll thought he could annoy him without facing consequences.
-Of course, trying to rearrange living matter would be a very foolish idea, especially when you can influence the force to do it for you," Anakin said, and the green troll was so surprised that he took a false step. "Keep messing around and you'll die before your time," Anakin thought with satisfaction. Yoda noticed the smile on his face and understood that he had been trolled. Master Yoda looked at him with something very close to anger.
-You have deep knowledge, young padawan," Jadle interjected quickly to avoid a fight. How did you learn matter rearrangement? That goes beyond telekinesis.
-My master taught me that," Anakin replied.
-Obi-Wan doesn't possess that kind of knowledge," Yoda muttered grumpily, his near heart attack having left him with his emotions out of control.
-He knew the basics, and my imagination did the rest," Anakin explained.
Anakin had also taught Obi-Wan, but he knew that the rearrangement of matter was something close to taboo and was frowned upon. Unfortunately, he could not erase what he had learned from his mind, so he would have to live with that knowledge. Knowing that one of the most code-bound jedi knights had learned something that defied the rules would surely upset Yoda's emotions again, but Anakin would save that to tell him another time when Yoda came to bother him with nonsense. For now, he grinned mischievously.
Yoda did not overlook this and could sense that Anakin had more resources at his disposal, which generated a flash of fear in his eyes.
-Padawan Anakin, it is difficult to make initiates understand that the force is part of them. Even some jedi knights do not understand this and still see their greatest ally as something external to themselves," said Jadle. Anakin was aware of this and nodded.
-I have noticed. Even though they are brought here at a young age, they already have notions of what a living being is and see the force as something external and foreign," said Anakin. He knew this, so he decided to give Ahsoka an additional focus so that she would have no problems practicing with the force.
-The girl is important to you. You wanted to make it easier for her," said Yoda. Anakin sensed that this was a neutral statement, one might even say he agreed.
-She will be the greatest of all jedi, the only person I will look up to in this world," Anak said without holding anything back. Perhaps that statement would alienate Ahsoka from him, but perhaps it would be for the best. Jadle nodded and Yoda chewed his saliva, probably holding back some comment about the unpredictability of the future.
-I understand," said Jadle, "Your connection with her is deep, even transcending language," he added.
Anakin blinked. The fish boy repeated everything Ahsoka said, but it wasn't just for attention, he didn't understand what she was saying. Overcoming the language barrier required more than just admiration, it was more like a bond, and for it to work, she had to accept it. So, she liked him, too...
-You're good at teaching," Yoda praised, setting off all the alarms in Anakin's mind. He frowned, and Jadle's dejected sigh confirmed all he needed to know.
-No way! Absolutely not! -Anakin scolded.
There was no way he was going to be forced to teach a group of children. Jadle scowled at Yoda and Anakin understood that she was up to something, but Yoda ruined her plans. Anakin glared menacingly at the two teachers. Yoda chewed his saliva, but Jadle smiled.
-Padawan Anakin, Knight Obi-Wan said you want a lab and access to the holonet," said Jadle.
This time it was Anakin who made a false step when he realized that they were trying to bribe him. Yoda sighed. Anakin was hesitant. He had already flatly refused the proposal, so his dignity would suffer if he backed down for a bribe...
-Perhaps we should split this negotiation into parts," Jadle threatened.
-I accept! -Anakin exclaimed. After all, his dignity would not provide him with a laboratory or access to the holonet, things he needed to start building some artifacts and gain technological advantages. Jadle accepted with satisfaction.
...
With the deal done, within a month Anakin had his lab and access to the holonet. He also held up his end of the bargain, although it was not as easy as teaching Ahsoka's group, as they had a special relationship. However, he had made good progress and after several repetitions, the younger initiates were no longer on his list. He continued with those of his own age, then the teenagers and, finally, the padawans and the more stubborn jedi. Depending on the age of his disciples, Anakin would use more demanding methods, but that would be in the future. For now, he had an appointment with Palpatine, who had kept his word and gotten the Jedi Council to allow him to visit him.
...
-Senator," Anakin greeted with a respectful bow as he entered Palpatine's office, being led by his assistant, a sort of blue demon. In this world, people didn't put much stock in horns.
-Anakin! -Please come in," he said, rising from his chair behind a large desk. Anakin approached and Palpatine held out his hand. Anakin shook it and looked around the office, which had a few plants and subtle decorations. It was not luxurious, but every detail was of high quality, implying that Palpatine was very wealthy.
-Not bad," Anakin said sincerely, "It's not my style to spend the day in an office, but this is great," he added, looking at the decorations and the view of the city behind Palpatine's desk.
-I have some comforts," Palpatine admitted with a smile, looking out over the city beside him. Unlike you, I am told that the life of a jedi is austere, as they are not allowed to have possessions," Palpatine commented. Anakin dismissed his words with a gesture.
-These are minor details of concern only to those of low intelligence. I already have my own lab because I am a prodigy," said Anakin. Obtaining funding will be a challenge, though," he added, raising an eyebrow with an insinuating expression. Palpatine smiled, but did not give in to her attempt to get money from him.
-If you've already been provided with a laboratory, I assume you have equipment as well. What do you need money for then? -Palpatine asked with interest.
-The Jedi do not understand the need for scientific advancement. For them, a laboratory is limited to creating chips and programs, which is a tragedy for the development of knowledge," Anakin explained, leaving the subject aside. And what do they do in this place besides yell at each other like drunken mercenaries? -asked Anakin, resigning himself to not getting any money. Palpatine nodded and returned to his desk to give him a master class on the workings of the Senate.
...
-Then we are not really a democracy," said Anakin, realizing many things about this world. Few Republic worlds used popular vote to elect their rulers, and senators in the Galactic Senate were handpicked. Democracy only applied to Senate votes, which explained why it was so easy for Palpatine to proclaim himself emperor and also why there was always opposition to his rule.
-Do you think it's wrong? -asked Palpatine.
-Democracy and freedom are overrated, as are other principles. People don't know what they want," Anakin said sincerely. Order is preferable to the chaos I witnessed earlier," he added. In general, we seem to live in a peaceful galaxy where a small army would be sufficient to maintain order. The main problem in this galaxy is inequality. It's strange that no one has taken advantage of that to start a rebellion, but I guess it doesn't make sense to me at this point. I should concentrate on myself," he concluded thoughtfully. Palpatine looked at him with interest.
-You seem to have plans of your own," Palpatine said. Anakin leaned back in his seat and shrugged his shoulders.
-I can feel the danger approaching. Some jedi masters too, but they ignore it all and don't believe in their visions of the future. I don't agree with that, and I'm not going to die because of their negligence. I will take my own perceptions of reality seriously," said Anakin.
-Interesting," said Palpatine curiously. I've heard before that jedi can see the future. Could you see mine? It would be useful for my work in the Senate," Palpatine proposed. Anakin rolled his eyes.
-Senator, I am not a show magician, and the Force is not magic. It is linked to people. If there is danger in the galaxy, I can feel it because the Force surrounds us all. I can even sense it if there is imminent danger near me. But the Force does not grant magical powers or allow me to see the future at will.
"Therefore, plans like winning the lottery using the Force or predicting political events are doomed to failure. Although if the person you are looking at has a strong affinity for the Force and doesn't know how to hide its presence, something similar to what you mention could be done.
"I've also heard of some rituals from other Force user orders, but if you mention something like that in the Jedi Temple, Master Yoda would be furious, he's always after me giving me silly advice," said Anakin with annoyance. Anyway, I got my lab, albeit at a high and unpleasant price. But now I need money, and I've discovered a loophole in the rules for getting it," said Anakin, looking at the senator with a smile. If you help me and we get caught, Master Yoda may pay you a visit, along with the charming presence of Master Windu.
"But if things go wrong in the future, as I believe they will, I can make sure you are safe," Anakin proposed. I assure you that if things go as wrong as the Force warns, no one in this galaxy will be safe," he added confidently.
-Well, messing with the Jedi Council could mean the end of my political career," Palpatine said, weighing his options. But my life is also valuable to me," he said thoughtfully. Then he smiled, "Although it might if a certain senator gets some good advice about me," Palpatine proposed. Anakin looked at him as if he were stupid.
-Senator, Padmé already has an opinion about you and considers you an ambitious person who will take advantage of any situation. On the other hand, she considers me her friend and even if she does not agree with my ideas, she believes that I still have salvation.
"However, if I speak well of you, whom she considers a lost cause, it would actually be like speaking ill of me and I would also earn her enmity. Padmé is a determined person and is not afraid to draw clear lines. If you haven't noticed, she can be extremely ruthless and I don't want to lose friends, I want to gain them," Anakin explained. Palpatine sighed regretfully.
-My young friend, I fear you are right. I think I would have fared better with her by joining those she criticized that day," Palpatine complained. Anakin nodded in agreement.
-Well, he hasn't lost at all. Padmé's fame may bring him political support, and she doesn't hate him. She just won't lift a finger to support you. You can take advantage of her fame and the situation on Naboo, as you have done so far. Also, if you support me in my company, you will get solid backing in problematic situations. You could say it would be a 50-50 partnership," said Anakin. Palpatine reflected again, holding his chin.
-My young friend, as I thought, you have a gift for politics," Palpatine praised. Anakin looked at him in horror, and Palpatine laughed, "May I know what your proposal is without compromising? -Palpatine asked. Anakin nodded and pulled out an information unit and handed it to Palpatine. Palpatine took it and inserted it into his terminal.
...
Twenty minutes later, Palpatine had finished checking everything.
-A book? -he asked as if expecting something much more outrageous.
-Don't look at me, I just want money to secure my own future and that of the few people I like or might like in the future," said Anakin looking at Palpatine. I'm the victim here," he added with a sigh.
-Does that mean we are not friends? -Palpatine asked with disappointment in his voice.
-Senator, fine words are not enough to make friends. If it were, Master Yoda would be my best friend. Actions are the most important thing, and his actions always annoy me," Anakin complained sincerely. Palpatine laughed.
-You want me to publish this book and donate the proceeds to your lab," said Palpatine.
-The book has potential, but like everything in life, it needs proper backing, and your image at the moment is very popular. So is Padmé's, but she understands little about business and would surely rat me out to the Council, ruining my plans and putting my own life at risk. She's a great friend, but she doesn't think of the benefits and that's a terrible thing. I don't want what happened to you to happen to me," said Anakin, and Palpatine grimaced.
-Yeah, I should have just yelled too," Palpatine complained. It's okay, as you said, it seems to have potential. I'll finish reading it and then we'll meet again. Anakin nodded.
-I will share thirty percent of the profits to pay editors or anything else, but the story is set in stone and no characters or ideas will be added. The editor is just a formality. If movies or games are made, I reserve the right of approval, so you must ensure good legal backing in all aspects. You must take this into account if you accept my proposal," said Anakin.
-I'll keep that in mind," said Palpatine, and the meeting did not last much longer.
...
As he returned to the temple, Anakin thought that his relationship with Palpatine would cause him the least trouble. He could complain about the Jedi to him, which would make Palpatine like him better. Trade and occult dealings wouldn't be a problem either, not to mention disobeying the rules...
"I'm a better candidate for the Sith than the Anakin in Xion's memories," Anakin thought in a daze, but he too was ten times more carefree and shrugged his shoulders. He was sure Master Yoda would be infarcted if he knew his thoughts and Windu would pull out his lightsaber at once.