On his first night spent at the Temple, Anakin Skywalker could not sleep. Despite his tiredness, the comfortable bed, the ample sheets, and the surprising silence that belied the frantic pace of Coruscant, he was unable to find calm. When it came to the silence, he was used to it as the only time you heard a commotion after the suns went down on Tatooine was due to slaver or Tuskan raids. Silence on the desert planet was always preferable to the alternative. When it came to the bedding, he was used to covering himself in his sleep — albeit not with such nice sheets — for the nights on Tatooine were cold and the last thing an owner wanted was for their property to expire prematurely due to frostbite or pneumonia. Even when he rested on the uncomfortable medical bunks in the refugee shelter of Naboo, or on the durasteel deck of a freighter in transit, he tended to be able to find a position that suited him enough to sleep.

Now? There was a constant pressure that weighed down on him which seemed to stem from the very walls of the Temple and that, he thought, was unnerving. It was as if the Temple watched him, protected him, and intruded on him all at once. His senses were sharpened in his idleness and the constant hum of the air recycling unit burrowed deeper and deeper into his ear. His chest felt weird, like it was being crushed and something wanted to burst out from inside him at the same time. He could tell exactly how many other children were asleep near his own single room occupancy but he couldn't explain why or how.

The number was seventeen.

He tried blocking out his ears with his hands then with his pillow but neither eased the sensations. He felt overwhelmed, like his senses were pushed into overdrive and he didn't know how to make it stop. One of the children nearby was having a turbulent dream, a nightmare perhaps? Something whispered into Anakin's ear and it made the hairs of his nape stand on end. He curled into a foetal position and grit his teeth hard as if becoming smaller would somehow lessen the unease he felt. Please make it stop, make it stop, make it stop—

The sound of knocking on his occupancy's door snapped him from his stupor and his eyes bolted open as his body startled into a sitting position. He scanned his surroundings as he usually did whenever his sleep — or attempt at, in this case — was interrupted. His room was decent in size, but sparsely furnished just as he was used to. Although, this time, he had his own refresher so there wasn't any need to share it anymore. The blueish glow of dawn seeped past the blinds on the window to signal the hour and the room itself was quiet.

Anakin shook himself awake — and to get rid of the tingles that crawled under his skin — then made his way to the door so he could greet whoever's knocking at this hour. What he was met with was a chrome protocol droid, the sight of which made him question if this was Threepio fully built, but he knew better. This wasn't his droid that he left behind on Tatooine.

"Good morning to you, young one."

"Morning… who are you?"

"Oh, apologies, I am En-Oh-Eight-Oh-Tee, also known as Nobot. I am an auxiliary protocol droid whose primary directive is to assist Jedi in their day-to-day affairs here at the Temple." NO-8OT said, with mannerisms that were so surprisingly similar to Threepio that Anakin simply stood there dumbfounded as he blinked a few times following the droid's introduction.

"Are you alright? Silence in Humans is normally indicative of brooding-slash-sorrow-slash-shock-slash-stupidity. Are any of these applicable?"

Scratch that, this droid was nothing like Threepio at all.

"Oh, no no. You just… remind me of someone, sorry. Hi, my name is Anakin." The boy then paused and looked down the corridor and saw that it was completely empty save for Nobot. It would appear this droid either came here on its own or was sent by someone.

"If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?"

"I monitor the well-being of younglings and padawans past curfew since some require more specialised care than others; nocturnal species, for instance. I was also instructed to bring Padawan Skywalker, Anakin a set of fresh robes until I picked up readings from your vitals that indicated you were in distress. It was then that I decided to 'murder two avians with one geode' and so here I am. It does not seem you require any medical assistance, however, so please take these."

The droid then thrust his arms out to practically push the tan robes Anakin had seen so many Jedi wear before right into his face. The boy took a step back to give himself some space then accepted the bundle with a muttered thanks. The fabric was… nicer than he had expected. It was similar attire to what he tended to wear, but less coarse, and actually felt soft to the touch. It also smelled overwhelmingly of flowers.

"Hey uhh… Nobot? Not to sound ungrateful but how did you even know what size to get me?"

"You grossly overestimate the physiological variance in developing Humans. Based on my calculations, I have reached a delta of ninety-eight-point-three-three-five percent probability that this clothing will fit your diminutive and scrawny frame." Nobot said, to which Anakin frowned; that was just rude and not true! He was still growing! Besides, he was the one who moved the shop's inventory and did all of Watto's errands which often had him run up and down Mos Espa.

"Gee, thanks… y'know, you're a very different droid from what I was expecting."

"That is understandable. Not many organics who reside outside of civilised space have had the pleasure of interacting with protocol droids."

"It's not that! I've built a protocol droid before and he's really nice and polite, I thought you would be more like him." Anakin saw the light in the droid's optical receptors flicker and he could practically hear Nobot run calculations for a split second before he spoke.

"I find it unlikely you would be able to accomplish such a feat, Padawan Skywalker, Anakin."

"Well you're wrong; his name is See-Threepio, and I really did build him. Bet I could even build another one right here at the Temple."

"That will be the day when a youngling is able to build such complex and sophisticated machinery by himself and unsupervised. Please refrain from making such jokes in the future, Padawan Skywalker, Anakin as you will be mocked by your peers." Now that was an insult if Anakin had ever heard one and nobody slighted his skills as a mechanic and fabricator then got away with it.

"Fine then, guess I'm not gonna be building you a sibling after all. What a shame."

"A… sibling?" Nobot said with a distinctively inquisitive tone, which amused Anakin. Gotcha. He now bore a mischievous grin as the droid stopped to consider the possibility.

"Tell you what — you become my friend and help me out with things and in return I'll build a droid sibling just for you." Anakin had a smug expression on his face as Nobot weighed the pros and cons of such an agreement.

"… Will they be good conversationalists so I may reduce my time spent interacting with organics?"

"The best, I promise. Pinky swear."

"We have ourselves an agreement, Padawan Skywalker, Anakin."

Anakin pumped his fist as he basked in his lucky break, that was a clear excuse to go build stuff to stave off boredom. Now he felt wide awake and the thought of returning to sleep was the furthest thing from his mind. He considered getting around and exploring the Temple on his own, but decided against it as he did not wish to get lost on his very first day here. His Master would likely be quite disappointed in him if he did; maybe even punish him for it. He wondered if his Master would be willing to show him around the Temple, not to mention that he wanted to ask him if he knew anything about these weird sensations that nagged him all night long.

"Hey Nobot, would you happen to know if Master Windu is awake?"

"I do believe he is. He has the habit of meditating in the Room of A Thousand Fountains at five-fifteen in the morning, galactic standard time. That means he likely started half an hour ago and is still there."

"Wizard! Could you take me to him? I got some things to ask him."

Nobot agreed to his request and waited patiently as Anakin laid the new clothes down on his bed and promptly exited the occupancy. There was no reason to wear brand new clothes when his ones were still far from smelling like a Jawa after all. Besides, it's not like anyone told him these were uniforms that he had to use so he'd rather wear stuff he's comfortable in; first impressions and all that. His plans were dashed when Nobot noticed he didn't change and immediately had him turn around to do so, for those robes — that looked exactly like moisture farmer clothing back on Tatooine — actually were a uniform! Drat, he was going to be itching all day.

The two then made their way down the halls and floors of the Jedi Temple still in the process of waking from its slumber. There were a few Masters and Knights that walked about as they either headed to the refectory, off to their next assignment, or returned from said assignments. A few of the older Masters spared Anakin glances, but kept to themselves. Beyond that, the only presences wide awake were the ones of the unwavering Temple Guards: the homogeneous and masked cohort of Jedi that safeguarded the building. Their complete lack of movement as they held their assigned posts no matter what bothered Anakin, weren't Jedi allowed to come and go as they pleased? He opted to chat up Nobot to keep his mind off of them.

It didn't take them too long to reach the First Knowledge Quarter at the base of the Temple and, once they took a few corridors that led to the northwestern side, Nobot stopped before two massive wooden doors. He gestured for Anakin to head inside and wished him a good day, to which the boy thanked him for. Now alone, Anakin wondered how in the hell he was going to be able to push these doors open when they suddenly did so in a surprisingly silent fashion. The boy was taken aback by this but figured the doors could either be opened remotely or had a motion sensor, so he shrugged himself off and walked in.

A short passageway laid before Anakin and he quickly crossed it until the narrow path opened up into a sight that took the boy's breath away. Green. Everything was so green and lush with plants and shrubbery from every corner of the galaxy. The ceiling was seemingly gone completely, replaced by a sky that weirdly looked more alive than the sky outside the Temple. Anakin couldn't possibly name a single plant, yet he could marvel all the same. The air was crisper and more… clean, for lack of a better term, than he was used to. It reminded him of Naboo, in a way. He could also hear some weird rumbling roar in the distance he had never heard before and it nagged him to find out what that was.

Anakin picked one of the dirt trails to follow and he made his way to the sound as best he could. The path was winding and serene as he crossed many bridges that went over gentle streams, and passed by benches meant for relaxation and reflection. The sound he chased after was getting increasingly louder which both excited and unnerved him. It was starting to get uncomfortably loud. Soon, the source for such a racket made itself clear as Anakin stepped into a clearing and came face to face with a waterfall. Once again, the boy was struck by pure awe as the sight of cascading crystalline water mesmerised him. It was a spectacle of nature he didn't even think was possible and he wished he had a recorder to immortalise this moment. The other children back on Tatooine would lose their minds. He stood there and basked in the sensations and the sheer noise that enveloped him in this piece of paradise.

A shiny glint that pierced through the foliage — which he caught with the corner of his eye — reluctantly took his attention away from the waterfall. Was that metal? Machines? The trees shifted with a gentle breeze and… there! That glint again. He wondered what sort of machinery would be placed in the middle of such a meticulously planned and well-kept garden, as, to him, that sounded like something odd to do. Anakin took to the trails once more and he was surprised by how quickly the trees and greenery could drown out the thunderous roar of the waterfall.

After a few minutes, he broke through the foliage and found that he indeed had seen something glinting, a nice and silvery shine under the sunlight. However, what produced such a sight were not machines as he believed, but leaves. Large trees were planted in this secluded portion of the gardens which bore striking silver leaves. Anakin thought they were artificial and made of metal at first, but their shimmering as they gently swayed with the breeze scrapped that notion.

Sat cross-legged close by, was Master Windu. His face was relaxed, with eyes closed, and Anakin couldn't help but study him: his back was straight, yet his shoulders lacked any tension, and his breath was both even and slow. It made him appear vastly more open and unguarded than every other time Anakin had seen the man. Now his desire for a tour and something to do felt like an intrusion and he couldn't bring himself to interrupt.

"I am surprised you are up this early." Windu said, which spooked Anakin a bit, but he should have known that his Master would've been able to feel his arrival. He's still not used to all the incredible things Jedi are capable of.

"Sorry to bother you…"

"There's nothing to forgive." Windu waved him off then opened his eyes and glanced up to the silvery trees, "Galek trees. Beautiful aren't they? To think there are forests full of these on Mandalore; it must be a sight to behold."

"Mhm! It's the second most incredible thing I've seen today." Windu cocked his eyebrow as he returned his gaze back onto Anakin, "Number one is that Jedi have all this water and they use it for decoration. I know moisture farmers on Tatooine that would kill for a full canister of water and you have this much just laying around."

"The Core worlds do have different priorities than the Outer Rim." Windu couldn't stop the small smile that crossed his features this time, which made Anakin smile in return. "Was there something you needed, Skywalker?"

Anakin's smile fell as he thought about why he came here to speak to Windu. He didn't want to bother him on his very first day at the Temple, but what happened during the night still irked him.

"It's just… I couldn't sleep."

"That's understandable, you're in a new environment after all."

"No, I mean that's true, but… I've slept in worse places before and all it took was a bit of stubbornness. Last night, I couldn't sleep. It was like…" Anakin bit the inside of his cheek as he thought about what he should say.

"Take your time and tell me everything. I will help you as best I can." Windu said in reassurance and Anakin did. All throughout his explanation and retelling of what happened, he had Windu's full attention. The Master now bore the deep frown that Anakin was used to seeing on his face. Suddenly, Anakin had a thought that maybe this was a quirk of how Windu channelled his awareness rather than being a sign that he was perpetually upset.

"That was the first time you recall this ever happening, correct? I will peer into your presence to feel if anything is afflicting you. If you could lower your shields as best you can, that would be welcomed, as it will make things easier for both of us." Windu then proceeded to close his eyes. Anakin wasn't sure what he meant by that so he just tried to not think of anything in particular. He let his gaze wander to the silvery tree as he tried to commit its beauty to memory.

"I said lower your shields." Windu grunted out and Anakin snapped his eyes back onto his Master as he flinched due to his aggressive tone. Now the man's frown conveyed frustration as well.

"W-what do you mean? I'm not doing anything…"

"That's not possible. Your presence is borderline nonexistent; it's some of the most robust shielding I've felt." Windu's scowl deepened and Anakin's frustration boiled.

"It's true! I don't even know what you mean by 'shields.' You're the Master, you're the one who's supposed to tell me what's going on. Don't pin you not being able to sense me or whatever as my fault."

Windu was quiet for a long time afterward as his eyes scanned every centimetre of Anakin's face. He barely blinked or drew breath and Anakin shuffled under the intense scrutiny, but nonetheless stood before his Master. Finally, after a few long and agonising minutes that felt far longer, Windu breathed deeply.

"Sit."

"I don't wanna." Anakin crossed his arms and looked off to the side with a pout, to which Windu sighed.

"I apologise for my reaction but I truly wish to help you. I will guide you into a meditative state to see if we can find the root of what troubles you, but I require your cooperation and reciprocity. The process will be easier if we are both grounded. So, sit."

Anakin was still hurt that his Master tried to blame him for something he did not do and wasn't his fault, but he was somewhat mollified thanks to the apology. He could still act petulantly though, which he showcased by sitting down in a huff. He kept his arms crossed in front of him and gave his Master the stink eye for a while until Windu affirmed that he didn't think ill of Anakin, he was simply incredulous. With that, the boy's antagonistic posture was eased and he calmed himself completely once Windu had him undertake a breathing exercise until they were synched to one another.

Now that Anakin was receptive to Windu's words, his Master gave him the same explanation about the Force and midichlorians that Master Qui-Gon had all those weeks ago — was it really only that long? It felt much further in the past. His musings were cut short when Windu told him to focus as he instructed Anakin to peer inward. At first, Anakin had no idea how he'd be able to look into himself since his eyes couldn't really roll back inside his head. His Master told him to focus on his heartbeat and feel how it synchronised harmoniously to the pulse of the Force as it flowed through the universe.

It was actually surprisingly easy for Anakin to attune himself now that he had been told what to look for. If he had to put it into words, it was like if a ship had unlocked its hyperdrive and could at long last cross the stars. In his mind's eye, Anakin was now keenly aware of every micrometre of his body. He was aware of the midichlorians that were scattered by the thousands in his bloodstream as the two worked in tandem to channel the Force. It was like seeing colour for the first time or breathing air instead of smoke all the time. Now he understood why Jedi constantly harped on about meditation if this was what it felt like.

Once he began to spread his awareness to his surroundings he felt… something weird. He had the impression that there was a barrier or a veil around him that muted his explorations, yet he had the distinct feeling that this barrier — and how Windu described the Force to be — were one of the same. Is this what Windu meant by his shields? Anakin tried to rip it apart but it refused to budge. It would yield, and yield, but never break. The effort and concentration Anakin had to put behind these attempts were wringing him dry. Was the Force protecting him? If so, from what? And how? 'Focus', Windu told him. The time for questions would come later.

He began to immerse himself deeper into the vastness of the Force as he attempted to uncover the mysteries behind this shield. Anakin was curious if there was a way to 'control' it; to circumvent it; or, at least, to understand where it came from. Thus, he tried to open the floodgates as much as he could. To feel every ripple and shift in the embrace of the Force. Soon, he began to feel a warmth and his mind conjured the image of a light. A small dot deep in the core of the Temple.

Anakin was curious, what was this? Was this the 'controls' that he was looking for? Had other Jedi felt this before? He decided to approach. As he neared, the dot began to take shape and grow. Anakin felt like it was a sun or a star going supernova, but… it pulsed and thrummed like a beating heart. It felt strange and different from his own presence. He was attracted to it; like a magnet to iron. When he realised he was being pulled towards it he tried to move away, but he couldn't. Anakin began to panic. The supernova grew in size and intensity at an uncontrollable and exponential rate. It filled everything in his mind's eye and he felt like it would consume him. The light was so bright that it blinded him and he regretted trying to approach the exploding celestial body. Suddenly Anakin could feel the heat. It burned and seared the very core of his being. It hurt. It hurts. He couldn't make it stop… please make it stop, make it stop, make it stop—

Anakin could barely feel the presence of his Master wrap protectively around him at first, but he definitely felt how it lessened the effects the supernova had on him. Then, as abruptly as he came, Windu pulled.

Anakin's eyes nearly bulged out of his skull as they snapped open and his lungs burned fiercely as he tried to take a deep breath. It made the muscles in his chest ache and he began to violently cough as he keeled over to lay down on his side. His body felt weak, like his muscles were drained of energy after a long workout and could barely support his own weight, yet he could still feel the tingles underneath his skin. The Force, his mind supplied, but he was too drained to care. Anakin didn't know how long it took until he could compose himself, but, when he got his bearings, he felt how Master Windu had laid a hand on his head and was helping him recover.

"Congratulations on a successful meditation." Windu broke the silence once Anakin was less insensate. The boy tried to speak but his mouth felt drier than the desert and the words died out on his tongue. Was he broken somehow? How could he have possibly been successful if this was the result!? He mentally scoffed as his mind raged.

"You were," Windu reiterated and it made Anakin snap his eyes to him and give the man his undivided attention, "however, your body is not accustomed to channelling the Force to such an extent and it overloaded you. You are akin to a superconductor for the Force: it passes through you effortlessly, but too much all at once and it drowns you. It would seem you have subconsciously developed a natural shield to passively mitigate and protect yourself from this effect. How this came to be I do not know. Perhaps it is due to your upbringing or the Force willed it.

"Regardless, that barrier — along with your ignorance of the Force and its will — have kept you safe thus far; except it can do little to protect you when you consciously attempt to overturn it. As for why this adverse reaction occurred, meditation serves to open oneself up and strengthen one's connection to the Force; like removing the limiter on a repulsorlift engine, if you will. I believe that it, along with the Temple itself being a potent nexus in the Force, compounded the effect that the removal of this limiter would have on you and you were unprepared for it."

Anakin blinked sluggishly at the explanation and he tried to nod that he understood but even his head felt too heavy to move. Windu continued to nurse the boy to a more acceptable condition — meaning he could now actually sit up and breathe normally — before he pulled his hand back and sat in deep contemplation. Anakin, for his part, thought about all that transpired and all the things that he felt and his conclusion was that the Force was scary. It was beautiful, breathtaking, and one of the most incredible and awe-inspiring things he had ever seen in the universe. It went beyond even his wildest imagination… but it was scary.

"W-" Anakin coughed again, "What now, Master?"

"Your training will begin in earnest. Your ability to let the Force flow so freely through you is astounding, but as things stand, it is not sustainable. You cannot rely on others to pull you from the brink every time you go too deep into a meditative state, and becoming incapacitated whenever you channel the Force makes for a poor Jedi." That ripped a chuckle out of Anakin, despite the circumstances, but his smile quickly fell as his mind began to process what had happened.

"I just… hope I'm ready."

"Both your body and your mental fortitude will be strengthened as far as you allow your discipline and diligence to take you. If you follow the teachings of both myself and the Order, there is no doubt in my mind you will become a great Jedi. I have faith in your potential." Windu said as he sent a pulse in the Force to Anakin which let him feel the conviction behind his Master's words. It caused a lump to form in his throat and Anakin didn't trust his voice at the moment, so he nodded his assent as he fought back the tears. Master and padawan stayed in companionable silence after this as they felt their bond strengthen over the shared experience.

"Now, I do believe we are due a good meal after this. We need you back at full strength since we have the whole day ahead of us still."

Windu rose to his feet then helped Anakin up as well. The boy wobbled as his knees still felt weak, but Windu supported him and the two made their way to the refectory. By now, many more Jedi and younglings were awake, with their arrival being met by dozens of curious stares that made Anakin feel self-conscious about his current condition. So much for first impressions. Windu let Anakin plop down heavily in his seat at one of the many tables available to them then left to grab their servings of breakfast.

Anakin leaned forward on his elbows and allowed his shoulders to sag as he looked around the hall. This place definitely felt like one of the Mos Espa cantinas he was used to as there was a hodgepodge of species scattered through the place. There were conversations and merriment as all these people shared a meal together. He could recognise many of these species, if only by sight if not name, and he would've started playing a mental game to see how many of them were there but even thinking too hard was difficult for him right now. He groaned and closed his eyes to rest on the table when Windu returned with a tray in each hand.

His Master set his portion down in front of Anakin and he studied its contents: it was a primarily beige bowl of Nerf beef porridge with grilled vegetables and a glass of blue milk. The boy cocked his eyebrow as he looked at Windu and asked how in the world was this breakfast food. The simple answer the man provided was that he needed to regain a lot of energy, and that dish was incredibly nutritious. Granted, it did smell mouth-wateringly delicious, but Anakin was still sceptical of the bland-looking dish. He survived a long time on nothing but nutrient paste and everyone said the same thing about those. He wouldn't wish that fate on his worst enemy. Reluctantly, he took a spoon and took his first bite.

He came dangerously close to shedding a tear right now.

Anakin hummed in delight as flavour exploded all over his tongue and he practically inhaled the remainder of his porridge. When he was done, he chased it by downing the whole glass of blue milk in one go, then he leaned back into his seat with a sigh and a contented smile on his face. That was until he burped — quite a long one to boot — which prompted him to immediately blush bright scarlet in embarrassment. He looked up to his Master to see that he had frozen still in the process of lifting his own spoon off his bowl, his mouth hung open, and was looking at Anakin with two widened eyes and raised brows. Anakin shrunk even more into his seat. Windu composed himself then asked if he wanted seconds to which Anakin squeaked out a 'yes please'.

Breakfast proceeded much more calmly after that and Anakin felt his strength return with each passing minute. He was still taken to the infirmary for a quick checkup to confirm that everything was okay and, once cleared, he asked Windu for that tour of the Temple that he wanted. The Master nodded and guided him through the Temple, telling him of all the important locations and the places he'd most likely frequent during his stay. From classrooms, to the library, the infirmary, the courtyards, meditation chambers, and everything in between. Anakin took particular interest in the Temple's workshop and the hangar bay where a number of starships and speeders were located. He took the time to memorise where it was located in his mental map so he could come back later. Idle hands and all that.

Windu then told Anakin he had other duties to attend to as Master of The Order, so they were forced to part ways. He did assure Anakin that he'd be placed in class along with other younglings so he could further his training even during his absence. The prospect of going to school didn't hold much appeal to the boy, but he wanted to meet his Master's expectations and he was quite excited to get to know other kids his age. He hoped he'd be able to make friends and get a gang together like back on Tatooine.

The two made their way through the Temple toward one of the many training areas where a class was taking place. Windu unceremoniously opened the door and ushered Anakin in, which startled the boy as he was now the centre of attention for over a dozen kids. Fortunately, his Master had a presence that commanded every room he was in and so the scrutiny lessened when he stepped in behind him.

"Oh. Greetings Master Windu, I wasn't expecting you today."

The voice came from the Jedi teaching this class who was a human from what Anakin could gather. She was of average height but with an impressive physique; even through the modest robes of the Order, one could tell her body was sculpted with well defined muscles. Despite the definition, she was lean, and exuded a self-assured confidence in her physical abilities that one could only attain after years of training. As she kept her hands clasped in front of her, Anakin noticed how they looked calloused and had the knotted joints of someone who either did hard manual labour or was a warrior.

"Apologies for interrupting your class, Master Xan, but this was a hastened decision on my part. I have a padawan that would benefit greatly from your tutelage." Windu's mention of a padawan stirred a commotion amongst the other children as murmurs began to bubble. Anakin shifted uncomfortably.

"So it would seem the rumours held some truth to them after all and you have truly taken a new student. Is this him?"

"Indeed. May I introduce you to my newest padawan, Anakin Skywalker." Just like that, his Master put Anakin in the spotlight right in front of all the other children. Great… he didn't want to be made a big deal out of so it'd be easier to strike up a friendship but that idea's been shunted completely. Anakin tried to wave back and introduce himself without coming across as a complete dullard, but he could hear how the other children spoke in hushed tones about him. It made him wince slightly. That was until Mater Xan silenced the crowd with a reprimanding look.

"I am honoured you would entrust your padawan under my care, Master Windu. I promise to impart upon him my skills to the best of my ability."

"Of that I have no doubt. Thank you for your work and may the Force be with you." With that, Windu nodded to both the Master and the rest of the younglings. He then squeezed Anakin's shoulder in reassurance, and left.

Now that his Master left him on his own, Anakin could once again feel the more than dozen pairs of eyes on him and he decided the best way to deal with that was to ignore them completely. He rooted himself in place and kept his eyes firmly locked on Master Xan as he totally made it seem like he was intensely focused on what the woman had in store for him. It would seem that Ilena Xan had a similar idea since Anakin could tell she was running a critical eye over his frame to assess what she was working with. After some time elapsed over this impromptu staring contest, Xan deemed she had seen enough and motioned Anakin to join with the others.

As he approached the crowd of younglings he was given a rather wide berth as the other children didn't know what to think of Anakin. Even when he turned his head to look around to try and catch someone's attention and start a conversation, they always turned their head away when their eyes locked. It was really weird; he wasn't used to being singled out by other kids. He could only hope that things didn't stay like this forever.

What followed were two hours of rigorous fitness training and conditioning that were gruelling for Anakin. Granted, he wasn't a slob but being primarily a slave, a mechanic, and a pilot meant that physical prowess weren't exactly at the top of his short list of priorities in life. He never actually had to dedicate time to the pursuit of fitness before. It didn't help that Master Xan — he quickly learned why the other children started answering with 'Yes, Miss Iron Hand' when she instructed them in their drills — was relentless. She didn't have a very hands-on approach to teaching, but she demanded every ounce of blood and sweat you could muster and then some. By the end of the first hour, Anakin had already reached his limits and desperately hoped for a break. When the training period ended and they completed their wind-down stretches, his limbs felt like they were made of lead and refused to cooperate.

The boy ended Master Iron Hand's class sprawled on the ground, panting heavily, with his limbs twitching from exhaustion. He had never been so physically tired in his whole life and then Xan told them to be ready again next week. The entire class let out a collective groan. Anakin heard the other younglings shuffle out of the practice area, but he was too tired to get off the floor just yet so he closed his eyes and attempted to relax his rapidly beating heart.

"Here new kid, you look like you need it."

Those words made Anakin open his eyes to look at a canteen being held out for him to take. He did and propped himself up with his elbow so he could ingest the offered beverage, which turned out to be some isotonic that was cool on his lips and very refreshing. He drank it in big gulps then sighed in relief before he handed the canteen back.

"Thanks, you're a lifesaver."

"Looks like you owe me a debt of gratitude then," the person said with mirth then offered their hand both as a handshake and to help him up.

"Hi, I'm Ahsoka Tano."

"Anakin Skywalker."

The boy clasped her forearm so he could get on his feet. He hobbled a bit but Ahsoka helped him steady himself which gave him enough time to study this samaritan. She had orange skin and big, expressive blue eyes that reminded him of his own actually. The girl was a bit shorter than him, despite him guessing they were of similar age, and her body was in far better fitness than his seeing as she was sweaty but not overly winded. Instead of hair, she had two white tentacles with blue patterns atop her head that reminded him of a Twi'lek's lekku but he didn't think she was a Twi'lek. She wore robes similar to the other padawans, only hers seemed tailored to be a bit lighter on her frame to allow for greater mobility. Her legs were clad in typical Jedi trousers at least until the knee, below which she had bandages wrapped around her calves down to her ankles and she left her feet bare.

"What are you?" Anakin blurted, which caused Ahsoka to snort out a laugh.

"That's the first thing you have to say to me?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean—" He hastened to apologise with a flushed face but Ahsoka waved his concerns off.

"Relax, it's no biggie. I'm a Togruta and we're native from Shili. You haven't been around the galaxy much, have you?"

"No, I've only been to Naboo before the Temple and I grew up on Tatooine. I've seen a lot of different people on Tatooine but never a Togruta." Ahsoka hummed in acknowledgement as she stopped to look him up and down.

"Say, is it true that you're Master Windu's padawan?"

"Yeah, it's been just over a week or so I think. Why do you ask?"

"Because none of the other kids here are padawans yet, we're only younglings in training. It's pretty rare to see someone still taking classes when they have a Master. In fact, I think you're the only one I've seen since I came to the Temple; aren't you a special one." She said with an amused lilt and a smirk as she pointed over her shoulder with her thumb to no one in particular.

Suddenly him being given a wide berth made some measure of sense. Still, he thought it was unfair of them to treat him like an outsider when they were all here for the same reason. It didn't help that as she said those things, he saw some children off to the side who were sending him some ugly glares his way that he wanted to wipe out of their faces. They finally noticed that Anakin had caught them staring and decided to leave.

"Well, I hope they get over it." Anakin said with a frown.

"Eh, some people just don't like change. If you get into the Clawmouse Clan then I could introduce you to some people."

"Claw-what?"

"Oh boy, didn't Master Yaddle tell you anything about how the Temple works?" Anakin shook his head.

"This is pretty much my first day here." That perked Ahsoka up as she now sported a glimmer in her eye.

"Alright then, Skyguy; looks like it's on me to show you the ropes. Come on, let's get cleaned up at the fresher then big sister Ahsoka here will help you feel right at home." The Togruta was already dragging him outside the sparring area by the sleeve of his robe as she spoke, which made Anakin stumble a bit in an attempt to follow her quickening pace.

"That'd be— wait, Skyguy?"

Him and Ahsoka spent the rest of the day practically glued to one another as she excitedly told him all the tricks and tips that she knew about the Temple. All the cool places to hang out and what Masters to keep an eye out for — she didn't particularly like Pong Krell and thought Kit Fisto smelled funny — plus many other bits and bobs. They laughed, talked about their experiences with the Force, and shared what they hoped they'd come to learn how to do in the future. Both immediately said they wanted to learn to fight with lightsabres. Even during the boring classes about history and stuff, the two still tried to make things interesting and more fun for the other. Meanwhile, Anakin told her everything about his adventures on Naboo and Tatooine. She was particularly interested in his podracing exploits and he promised he'd race her one day, if not with pods then with speeder bikes.

By the time night had fallen and they were separated, Anakin was in much higher spirits than he had been this morning. Even though there were uniforms, and a bunch of rules, and classes, and curfew, and way too many Masters to keep track of, the Temple now finally felt… right. He made his way back to the dormitories — he ended up finding out that he had been placed in the Bergruutfa Clan, whatever that meant — and quickly reached his own room. Once he kicked off his boots and undressed, he laid down on his bed and looked out the window into the Coruscanti night sky as he thought about all that had happened that day. How Master Windu had helped him with his issues and then Ahsoka being the first person to actually try talking to him. Did she count as a friend now? He hoped it did. The thought filled him with warmth and he closed his eyes to bask in that feeling.

On his second night spent at the Temple, Anakin Skywalker slept soundly.

AN: Phew, took long enough. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Yes! We have Ahsoka Tano early on in this story. I want to elaborate on a few things in regards to her so I can cover my bases and dispel some speculation right off the bat. This Ahsoka Tano has been aged up a bit, she is now 6 months-1 year younger than Anakin. Therefore, when she called herself "Big sister" she was peacocking. Typical Ahsoka. As for why she's here, I wanted Anakin to have a foil/yardstick to measure himself up against while at the Temple and, while I could get a character from Legends, I doubt anyone would care or have any idea who they were. Ahsoka is a far more entertaining and iconic character for Anakin to play off of.

Now. I must disclose something explicitly. This is a Legends compliant story meaning that none of the Disney-approved things will make an appearance. However, I know how popular the 3D Clone Wars is and so I made an executive decision to poach one thing — and one thing only — from the 3D Clone Wars and the choice was obvious: Ahsoka Tano. So in this story there will be no Rex, no chip in the clones, no Cad Bane, no Satine, no New Mandalores, and Dathomir will be Legends accurate. Meaning that Maul is an Ithorian Zabrak and Ventress is from Rattatak. Why did I decide upon this? I did not want people asking "Why isn't X, Y, Z in this story?" or hoping to find a character that will never be here or having misguided notions of certain events. If this upsets anyone, I apologise, but I promise I have great things planned for this story so I hope you stick around.

Thank you for reading and liking the chapter.