Chapter 4 Ahsoka

On the night of the following day, after Padmé's victory, a symbolic funeral was held for Qui-Gon, as he had been a hero who sacrificed his life for the people of Naboo. They sought permission from the Jedi Council to hold the funeral there. They constructed a dummy in his likeness and placed it on a pyre. Obi-Wan, convinced that his master survived or something similar, was not pleased with it.

"And this is the hero of Naboo," Palpatine said, approaching Anakin after the funeral attended by the Jedi Masters, who seemed unconvinced that Qui-Gon still existed.

…

Anakin was with Padmé and her handmaidens, and Padmé quickly reassured him in front of her and glared threateningly at Palpatine. Palpatine smiled, well aware that she was the queen.

"I'm just here to greet our hero; surely there's nothing wrong with that," Palpatine said, more to Anakin than to Padmé and her handmaidens.

"Senator Palpatine, the queen says you're useless and only sought to profit from Naboo's misfortune. If I could, I'd fire you and investigate you for laziness," Anakin said with a furrowed brow.

Obi-Wan, approaching for greetings and introductions, seemed hesitant to come closer, but he was only a few steps away, so he couldn't escape. Palpatine laughed.

"Young Skywalker, I had already heard that your intelligence was uncommon. What do you think?" Palpatine asked.

"I think what I see," Anakin said calmly. "In the Senate, when everyone was shouting and seemed like drunken mercenaries, you were one of the few who remained silent. I don't think you're useless, just that your Senate is useless. I also think you're smart because you might have thought you could take advantage of the situation and try to increase your power. Although I agree with Padmé, your plan was very bad. Appointing you chancellor wouldn't do anything to solve Naboo's situation. Your Senate is a circus, and changing the ringmaster wouldn't have any practical effect because they're the same monkeys," Anakin concluded.

"Anakin!" exclaimed Obi-Wan, who had just arrived seconds ago and couldn't find a way to shut him up, especially since he had called the Senate useless and now referred to the senators as monkeys. Palpatine ignored him and sighed sadly.

"I fear my young friend witnessed a regrettable spectacle, so I understand his way of thinking. However, that day was unfavorable, with too many tensions and conflicting interests. I'm afraid it was one of the worst days in the Senate. But I hope our young hero doesn't judge us based on a bad presentation.

"Now that I've barely managed to keep my position after those unfortunate events, even though I've earned the enmity of her majesty, I hope to have the opportunity to show that I can be decisive with my actions. Since you'll be nearby, I may invite you to some Senate sessions one of these days. We don't want our future Jedi to have a negative opinion of the Senate," Palpatine said diplomatically.

"Of course, if the Jedi permit it," Anakin said, looking at Obi-Wan.

"The masters must decide on that," Obi-Wan said, avoiding any responsibility.

"Certainly," Palpatine said, placing a hand on his shoulder to bid farewell. He could control the dark side and hide it perfectly. Despite his heightened senses, Anakin couldn't grasp anything from him.

…

"Anakin!" Padmé reprimanded when they were in their room, now his— "Palpatine is very dangerous. He's a snake hiding under the skin of a mouse. I couldn't see it before, but now, having learned a bit about his life, I see him clearly. You shouldn't try to play with him," she advised with concern.

"So you found out he killed his entire family to inherit their fortune," Anakin said. Padmé looked at him with wide eyes and then glanced around.

"Don't worry, Palpatine has no spies here, and there are no microphones," Anakin said, sitting on the bed and patting the space beside him for Padmé to sit. Padmé sat down, biting her lip.

"Padmé, Palpatine is evil, we both know it, and we both know we can't touch him. Not even the Jedi would believe me if I told them something. If Palpatine finds out and comes after me, and he kills me, they won't even suspect. Besides being evil, Palpatine is a skilled politician with a lot of experience manipulating people. So, the only way to confront him now that everyone is in his hands is to play his game, gain benefits, and act decisively when the time comes."

"For all these reasons, you can confront him, but always remember not to go to extremes because Palpatine will use it against you, and all your friends will turn their backs on you. You'll lose the ones you care about if you fall into his hands," Anakin advised.

"That's why you told him I'm angry with him because I think he didn't do his job and tried to gain power using Naboo," Padmé said with understanding. Anakin nodded with a smile. "And now, you'll pretend to enjoy being around him so that he trusts you," Padmé said. Anakin shook his head.

"Padmé, he'll never trust anyone. What I intend 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," explained Anakin.

"That will make him want to discard you immediately," Padmé said fearfully. Anakin laughed.

"I don't plan to become a pawn he can discard at will," said Anakin. Padmé hugged him.

"Ani, you're very brave," praised Padmé.

"No, Padmé, I just plan to survive, be strong, and be able to defend the things I care about," Anakin explained sincerely, as if he would not hesitate to flee if he failed in the end.

…

A month later, Anakin was In the Jedi Temple and not allowed to leave, even though he was Obi-Wan's padawan and not an initiate like the Jedi apprentices. Still, Anakin attended classes with the other initiates, although he didn't have a group and didn't get close to them. Dealing with children, pretending interest in their nonsense and problems, annoyed and discomforted him. But dealing with teenagers and their numerous hormonal problems disgusted him.

In fact, he wondered if one of these days his hormones would attack him, and he would turn into a mindless person chasing teenagers. He would have to wait to find out. In Xion's life, his adolescence and childhood were a bad memory for him.

While Anakin thought, the current class came to an end. Although it wasn't a repetition of the previous class, what they were explaining was too similar to what they had already learned in previous classes. It was like one day they learned to add in the two tables, and the next day, they were with the three tables. For a child, this would be a new world, but he was not a child. If they presented the two tables to him, he would understand that the important thing was the addition process and not the numbers themselves, so he could get to the ten thousand tables without any problem.

That's why, even if the class wasn't repetitive, it was still the same as the last time, and Anakin understood why it was torture for a genius to be in a class with ordinary people. It was like putting a college student with preschoolers. He would simply be bored to death.

Anakin didn't cause trouble in class. He had asked if he could receive more advanced lessons or move to a higher level, but the Jedi didn't allow it. Only Obi-Wan could teach him more, and he was a rule-abiding man who wouldn't skip any. Therefore, Anakin was stuck there and wouldn't make life difficult for a bunch of brats just because he felt unhappy or bored. If he did that, he would be like those miserable teachers who, in his past life, came to unload 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 ordinary citizens with a Nurgle cult nearby.

While Anakin cursed his former teachers, 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 lightsabers and robots. They also trained in form one combat, which was the most basic when using the lightsaber.

The class would start in half an hour, and the other kids hadn't arrived yet, so Anakin sat down and reached into his pocket to take out about a hundred small beads, each a couple of millimeters in diameter. He dropped them and held them in place using his telekinesis. For a Jedi, the size of the object to move was important, and any child could move those small spheres as if they were dust. Anakin could do it from his first attempt, but holding them wasn't his goal.

The beads formed orbits around him, which was challenging as they collided with each other, but Anakin picked them up and returned them to their place. One day, this would be a very impressive skill, but for now, it was just a developing ability.

…

Half an hour later, the initiated children were already there, and some of them pointed and whispered when 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 did. Plus, they would probably die in the Clone Wars. The worst thing in a war was being a rookie who thought they were superior, and that's what these kids were.

When the teacher arrived, Anakin packed the spheres into a small bundle in his pocket and paid attention to the class. The teacher, also a Jedi, greeted respectfully, and the initiates imitated him. Then he gave them an example by lifting twenty small bricks and moving them to build various things, like walls or buildings, or simply making them float.

Then it was the turn of the initiates, and the teacher took out several sets of bricks. The initiates passed in groups of five, and Anakin was in the first group. He lifted four bricks and played with them around without any problem, dropping the fifth when the teacher approached him to try holding it.

Of course, Anakin could hold more bricks. At this moment, he had been practicing telekinesis for a month and was developing his own abilities. If he wanted to, he could hold forty of those bricks and juggle them. However, he wasn't showing all his skills; he was just in a class of kids and didn't want to stand out too much. He adhered to the average in all cases, and the average now was four bricks. The teacher indicated that he should keep trying and moved on to the next child.

At the end of the class, all his results were average, and when the teacher dismissed them, he was the first to leave.

"Initiate Anakin, please wait," called the teacher, and the children whispered with curiosity, but none dared to stay longer than they could drag their feet.

The teacher didn't fall for any of his little tricks, and even the most reluctant had already left when he decided to speak. The teacher was a human around thirty years old, with an average appearance that left no impression.

"Padawan Anakin, I would like to conduct a personal evaluation. Are you agreeable?" the teacher asked. Anakin bowed.

"Go ahead, Master," said Anakin with curiosity. The teacher walked to the center of the room and took the bricks and other class tools from the pedestal. Then, he pulled out a set of bricks.

"Please, lift as many as you can," the teacher instructed, and Anakin raised a hand to lift the twenty bricks.

The teacher blinked and quickly brought out another set of bricks. Anakin understood what he wanted and immediately lifted the five sets of bricks, taking them out of their cases and then raising them with his telekinesis. He had to use both hands to maneuver and close his eyes to concentrate because this was no longer a game for him. The Jedi was stunned.

"Th-thank you, Initiate Anakin, that will be all," stammered the teacher, and Anakin helped him pack the bricks into the case. Then the teacher said goodbye and left.

Anakin returned to his small room as the day's classes had ended.

Upon reaching his room, Anakin undressed and remained in his underwear to take out the spheres. This time, it was a complete package of about five hundred, and he made them float around him. This time, he only held them; he didn't move them in orbit, and due to their small size, it was easier than holding four one-kilogram bricks each since 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 stretches and began to do cardio exercises for half an hour, making sure none of the spheres touched his body during jumps, nor the walls or the floor. In the middle, he had about fifteen minutes of strength exercises and another fifteen minutes of cardio exercises at the end. He wouldn't let his body become a mess, just like Qui-Gon, and as he knew a war was looming, he wouldn't be lazy.

After his exercises, Anakin took a bath and returned to his room to meditate until midnight, seeking some response from Qui-Gon and training his future vision ability. Although he hadn't received any classes on seers, the Force itself had already confirmed some things to him, and by following it, he could glimpse some distant or nearby events happening around him. However, he felt something was off, as if he didn't have the right signal; everything appeared blurry, and he couldn't understand anything.

…

After meditating without getting any results, Anakin fell asleep and woke up the next day to take a bath and get ready for school. However, his routine was interrupted when, upon opening the door, he found Obi-Wan and Yaddle.

"Master," Anakin greeted Obi-Wan. "Master Yaddle," he said, bowing. Obi-Wan made a slight grimace.

"Anakin, come in," said Obi-Wan. Anakin nodded, and the three entered, sitting in a circle on a rug in the center of his small room.

"Master, I will be late for class due to this interruption," Anakin warned. Obi-Wan shifted uncomfortably. Yaddle noticed his discomfort and showed a faint smile.

"Anakin, why do you hide your abilities from your teachers 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 surpassed those of the children in my class, and you told me you couldn't do anything about it due to the rules we must follow. I haven't refused to show my abilities to my master; I just didn't want a bunch of kids crowding around me. I do it for their own good, as my abilities would only interfere with their learning. Our life experiences and knowledge are not the same," Anakin explained in detail.

"When you told me that, I checked your evaluations, but they were average," complained Obi-Wan.

"Do you blame me for not verifying the data you obtained?" asked Anakin, raising an eyebrow. Obi-Wan seemed unsure of what to say. Master Yaddle once again showed a faint smile.

"Knight Kenobi, let's first verify things," said Yaddle, both as advice and to put an end to the discussion. Obi-Wan looked somewhat embarrassed.

"Anakin, show us what you were doing when your class teacher entered your classroom," said Obi-Wan.

"Ah, he noticed. A Jedi sensor?" asked Anakin with curiosity.

Anakin thought that could be useful for him, given his strong affinity with the Force. His main talent was his extraordinary perception. In Xion's memories, Anakin didn't fully trust the Force and had rejected this advantage, but now he didn't intend to do the same. He would accept visions, premonitions, and anything else that could give him an edge. He would even practice healing and spatial movement. Any advantage he could gain would be too few.

Yaddle simply nodded. Anakin mentally sighed at her lack of cooperation, but he reached into his pocket and took out a hundred pearls, placing them in orbit around him. One of the spheres fell immediately, and Anakin lifted it again. Obi-Wan touched one of the spheres, which came out of its orbit and then returned to it.

"Anakin, how do you do that?" asked Obi-Wan, stunned.

"I call upon 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 early stages. I should be able to hold about ten thousand spheres for it to be complete," explained Anakin.

Yaddle took a sphere that had fallen and made it float in circles around her hand. It had taken Anakin a week to achieve that. Experience definitely made a difference. Obi-Wan also tried to imitate her, but the sphere wobbled and fell. It was better than when Anakin first tried, but not by much.

"Master, your Force control sucks," said Anakin. Obi-Wan looked at him annoyed and didn't try to keep 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 Yaddle. Anakin nodded, and Yaddle gestured approval to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan looked at him.

"Anakin, from today, you won't have to go back to the classrooms. I will take care of imparting the teachings to you. Are you agreeable?" asked Obi-Wan.

"It would be good and less boring. In the last month, I have even felt the need to participate in some of the things the kids say in class," confessed Anakin. Obi-Wan grimaced.

"Anakin, why don't you talk to your classmates?" asked Obi-Wan with a sigh.

"Master, if you were put in a room with a bunch of toddlers, would you feel the need to talk to them?" asked Anakin.

"No…"

"And that's considering you're a sociable person. I am already antisocial, and it's difficult for me to relate to adults. Pretending to be interested in the affairs of a bunch of kids just to start a conversation with them is too much for me," said Anakin honestly. Obi-Wan looked him up and down. Anakin guessed he would say something in response, but Yaddle interrupted.

"Padawan Anakin, you seem to be interested in the skills of a Jedi sensor, and I could classify myself as one. From now on, you can attend the classes I give as my assistant," offered Yaddle. Anakin nodded quickly, although 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 Jedi sensor because this ability would give him a greater advantage against Palpatine.

"Very well, let's begin," said Yaddle, standing up.

…

A month later, Anakin joined a practical class taught by Master Yoda, following Master Yaddle, who would show the children a graphical representation of a pair of trolls. Anakin amused himself with that thought while observing the little brats…

Anakin's heart skipped a beat as he saw one of the girls, a baby around four years old of the Togruta species, with its distinctive white facial pigmentation and orange skin. Anakin looked at Yaddle beside him, who walked towards Yoda as if nothing, and Master Yoda welcomed her. He didn't conceal his surprise; there was no way these two Jedi sensors wouldn't notice his reaction.

Anakin had already given himself away, so he didn't hide his gaze towards the baby, Ahsoka. Of course, normal Jedi were recruited at an early age, and this little Ahsoka must be at least four years old. She was Ahsoka. Ahsoka Tano, the Ahsoka from the Clone Wars. Xion had been a fan of Star Wars since the original trilogy, but he didn't like any of the original characters except R2D2. Then came the prequels, and his favorite character became Anakin, and Darth Vader. But it was because of Anakin that he liked Darth Vader. Without Anakin, Darth Vader meant nothing to him. Obi-Wan wasn't bad either, and they became his two favorite characters.

As for female characters, he didn't like any, and he didn't feel attraction to Twi'leks and Togrutas like Shaak Ti, who aroused certain base instincts. Therefore, after finishing the prequel saga and starting The Clone Wars, he just wanted to see Anakin and Obi-Wan.

Seeing the other Jedi was great, but they were his favorites, and they were the ones he hoped to see first in the series' debut movie, and so it was. The problem was that after a brief introduction, a little orange, talkative creature appeared, clinging to his favorite character like a tick. It was rude, spoke poorly, and was arrogant…

It was a terrible creature, and It's name was Ahsoka Tano. Xion had given up on everything, thinking it was another unbearable female character. There wasn't one of those in Star Wars until that moment, at least none that didn't have a male counterpart, like Luke and Leia, but he was sure this little orange creature called Ahsoka Tano would be the first of its kind.

Nevertheless, turning off the part of his brain that saw the little chatty orange creature, Xion kept watching until, a few minutes later, he blinked when the little orange creature turned into a person. A more real person than any other Jedi, giving him the same impression Anakin had when he first appeared.

After watching the movie, Xion had three favorite Star Wars characters, and by the end of the first season, Ahsoka was already at the same level as Anakin. Then, concluding 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 progress without falling. Where Anakin failed, Ahsoka became stronger and more determined. She was what Anakin could never be. She was human, like Anakin, but she was also an unmatched hero.

Anakin blinked. Xion's thoughts about himself made him slightly uncomfortable, but he smiled as he looked at baby Ahsoka. Going to hug her and ask for an autograph would undoubtedly terrify her, and Anakin didn't want to bother her. Besides, he had things to do, so he hurried to help with the tools of the class, which were bricks, while Yaddle and Yoda, the pair of green trolls watching him closely while he looked at Ahsoka, gave the introduction to the Force for the practical class.

From what he heard, those words were meant to instill confidence in those children and dispel any doubts from their minds. Doubts were a great enemy for a Jedi; it was doubts that limited their power. That's why the irrational Sith could also gain a significant boost in their abilities by overwhelming their emotions and clearing their minds of any doubt. They would raise their hands and proclaim the results to the world. But these children were not Sith, and they would have to progress slowly as they got to know themselves and cleared their minds of doubts.

Yaddle and Yoda began the practice, juggling between them to relax the children while giving each of them three bricks and asking them to lift them with telekinesis.

The children lifted the first brick with some difficulty; some managed to lift two. Ahsoka struggled with the second brick, and the first one fell to the ground. She was nervous…

Anakin glanced at a boy who had lifted two bricks and was trying to lift the third, but that wasn't the reason he observed that creature from hell. What made him look was that the little gray fish-faced beast was laughing at Ahsoka, and that made her feel embarrassed.

"This fish has had enough of living," Anakin thought with anger, but he took a deep breath to calm down, as both trolls sensed his emotions and wouldn't allow him to harm the gray creature.

Anakin shook his head in his mind. That was an emotional overload, and he let it all go with the Force, and his desire to skewer the fish and grill it faded away.

"I understand," Anakin thought. So far, he hadn't encountered someone he liked too much because he was Anakin and took care of himself meticulously. Obi-Wan was fine, and although he had made friends with Padmé and trusted her, as she was the person who knew him best in this world, she wasn't someone he shared interests with or identified with. But this was Ahsoka Tano. She was an icon for Xion, and he had strong feelings for her, just like he did for his mother. This was a real test of control, and he had failed a couple of times…

Ahsoka lost control again, and the children in the class laughed at how nervous she was. "These kids 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 to these demon children.

"Master Yaddle, can I help?" Anakin asked, bowing to intervene for the first time in a class since he became Yaddle's assistant.

Yaddle, who was helping a child by giving some advice, nodded calmly. Anakin didn't wait to be told whom to help and went straight to Ahsoka. He knelt in front of her, and she looked at him blinking with 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 Yaddle's assistant," Anakin said, taking a brick. "Do you want to learn a trick?" Anakin asked 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," Anakin said, showing the brick all around. "It looks like a common brick," Anakin said and tested its weight. "It weighs like a common brick," he tossed 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 on the head who was next to Ahsoka, the same one who had laughed in the first place and was now paying attention to Anakin's explanation. The fish-boy blinked realizing that Anakin had hit him.

"It seems to hit like a normal brick too," Anakin said, and the fish-boy blinked again, but Ahsoka laughed.

"He didn't hit me," the fish-boy said with confusion as he touched his forehead. Anakin frowned and gave another blow to the fish-boy, who couldn't defend himself this time.

The blow sounded loud, and some children turned to look. The fish-boy was scared by the noise and hurried to touch his forehead, but he was fine. Ahsoka also looked at him, confused because the blow had sounded loud, but the fish-boy didn't seem to have suffered any harm. Anakin also looked closely and then examined the brick.

"This brick is defective, let me use another one," Anakin said, taking another brick. "To avoid mishaps, this time we'll skip the tests and go straight to the trick," Anakin said, and the fish-boy and Ahsoka paid attention.

Anakin held the brick between his two hands and then separated them, 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 frowned at Ahsoka, holding the brick.

"No, what you guys do is the Force; what I do is magic," Anakin asserted, pointing to his head. "What you guys do comes from here; you think about it and try it, then you might succeed or not. What I do comes from here," he said, pointing to his heart. "And my heart doesn't think; it just does, that's why it's magic," Anakin pronounced. "Look," he said and closed his eyes, turning his head away and letting the brick drop, which floated in front of him.

The children didn't understand, and Anakin turned his head. It was very difficult to explain to children that they shouldn't try to use the Force; they should use it because the Force was a 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 disabled person would think of. Anakin thought for a few seconds, then smiled.

"Ahsoka, look," Anakin said and crushed the brick between his hands, but instead of bursting or turning into dust, it transformed into many small thin boards that formed a circle. Then they changed shape and turned into a flower, then a large polygonal feline, a dog, a cat, again a flower, and then a cat while the fragments approached Ahsoka's hands. Anakin allowed his hands to join hers.

"What do you want it to be now?" Anakin asked.

"A big cat," Ahsoka said, 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-boy laughed, and she became even more excited. But the fish-boy suddenly stopped laughing, and Ahsoka demanded five more changes before looking to see what had happened. She looked up to see the children around her looking at her in astonishment. Ahsoka looked at him without understanding, until Anakin raised his hands, and Ahsoka directed her gaze to the flower she held between her hands, using the fragments and her own telekinesis.

"You can do magic too," Anakin said with a smile.

Ahsoka was surprised, and the polygonal flower fell apart and dropped to the ground. Anakin reached out, and the multiple small sheets flew towards him, reforming into a brick in his hand. Anakin threw the brick to Ahsoka, who suspended it in the air by raising her hand decisively. There were no doubts in her eyes when she looked at her other two bricks and used her other hand to lift them with telekinesis. Then she smiled, dismissed two bricks without giving them much importance, and kept one to crush it…

"No, wait!" The brick turned to dust.

Of course, changing the structure of a mass of material required more than telekinesis. Ahsoka coughed with her face covered in dust. The fish-boy, who had approached closer, was also covered in dust, and after blinking, he began to laugh. Ahsoka looked at her appearance, Anakin's, and the fish-boy's and also burst into laughter. 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 them couldn't contain themselves and ran closer. With Ahsoka realizing that the Force was a part of her and performing a multitude of tricks, the other children followed her example, and soon the bricks were floating everywhere, surpassing even their old class.

…

After three hours, the class ended, but the children remained enthusiastic and helped to collect the bricks. However, the fish-boy found the brick that had hit him twice and that Anakin had discarded for being defective. 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 harming him and watched with interest. Finally, the fish-boy decided to test it by hitting himself on the forehead with the brick.

"Ouch!" he squealed when the brick left a red mark on his forehead, and he was surely forming a bump.

Ahsoka and the other children laughed seeing that they had been fooled, and the fish-boy forgot about his pain and laughed with them. Anakin, who pretended to pick up bricks but had all his attention on the fish-boy, smiled satisfied, as the boy had received his due. Anakin couldn't hit a child, but the child could hit himself, and no one would reprimand the brat for his lack of intelligence.

Yaddle, who was waiting for Anakin next to Master Yoda, flashed a small smile. Yoda did not approve of revenge, so he chewed his saliva with evident disappointment, although he did not reprimand him, knowing that Anakin would deny everything shamelessly. Anakin hurriedly stored the rest of his things and bid farewell to the children with a bow…

Ahsoka hugged him, and Anakin blinked. Then he smiled and patted her back. But then the other children also hugged him, and Anakin had a twitch in his eye. "Get away from me, bunch of ugly bugs," Anakin scolded in his mind and hurriedly walked away with dignity towards the two green trolls, who seemed to have something to tell him. Anakin wondered if he would receive a sermon about attachments.

…

"Material transmutation," Master Yoda said as they walked. Anakin made a face.

"No, I would say it's material rearrangement. Transmutation would require manipulation at the atomic level, and what I do is simply a consequence of the technique I'm developing. Besides, I still find rearranging matter difficult, as it depends on the density and consistency of the material. Clay is easy to manipulate, but metals, let's not even talk about it," explained Anakin.

"Have you fully mastered the skill you were practicing?" Yaddle asked. Anakin nodded.

"Rearranging living matter would be easy, according to your description," accused Yoda.

"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 like clay, that would give horrendous results," Anakin added, looking at the master with displeasure for suggesting that idea. Yoda ignored his discomfort and kept walking. This green troll believed he could bother him without facing consequences.

"Of course, attempting to rearrange living matter would be a very foolish idea, especially when you can influence the Force to do it for you," said Anakin, and the green troll was so surprised that he took a misstep.

"Keep bothering, and you'll die sooner than later," thought Anakin with satisfaction. Yoda noticed the smile on his face and understood that they had trolled him. Master Yoda looked at him with something very close to anger.

"You have profound knowledge, young Padawan," Yaddle intervened quickly to prevent a fight. "How did you learn material rearrangement? That goes beyond telekinesis."

"My master taught me," Anakin replied.

"Obi-Wan doesn't possess that kind of knowledge," grumbled Yoda, in a bad mood; his near heart attack had left him with uncontrolled emotions.

"He knew the basics, and my imagination did the rest," explained Anakin.

Anakin had also taught Obi-Wan, but he knew that material rearrangement was something close to being taboo and not well-received. Unfortunately, Obi-Wan couldn't erase what he had learned from his mind, so he would have to live with that knowledge. Knowing that one of the Jedi Knights most attached to the code had learned something that defied the rules would surely stir Yoda's emotions again, but Anakin would save that to tell him on another occasion when Yoda came to bother him with nonsense. For now, he smiled maliciously.

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's challenging to make initiates understand that the Force is part of them. Even some Jedi Knights don't get it and continue to see their greatest ally as something external to themselves," said Yaddle. Anakin was aware of this and nodded.

"I've noticed. Although they are brought here at a young age, initiates already have notions of what a living being is and see the Force as something external and strange," said Anakin. He knew this, so he decided to give Ahsoka additional focus so that she wouldn't have problems practicing with the Force.

"The girl is important to you. You have sought to ease her path," said Yoda. Anakin perceived that this was a neutral statement; one could even say that he agreed.

"She will be the greatest of all Jedi, the only person I will admire in this world," said Anakin without hiding anything. Perhaps that statement would distance Ahsoka from him, but maybe it would be for the best. Yaddle nodded, and Yoda chewed his saliva, probably containing some comment about the unpredictability of the future.

"I understand," said Yaddle. "Your connection with her is deep, it has even surpassed language," she added.

Anakin blinked. The fish-boy repeated everything Ahsoka said, but not just to get attention; he didn't understand what she was saying. Overcoming the language barrier required more than simple admiration; it was more like a bond, and for it to work, she had to accept it. So, she also liked it…

"You're good at teaching," praised Yoda, triggering all the alarms in Anakin's mind. He frowned, and Yaddle's weary sigh confirmed everything he needed to know.

"No way! Absolutely not!" scolded Anakin.

There was no way they could force him to teach a group of children. Yaddle looked at Yoda with a furrowed brow, and Anakin understood that she was plotting something, but Yoda ruined her plans. Anakin looked threateningly at the two masters. Yoda chewed his saliva, but Yaddle smiled.

"Padawan Anakin, Knight Obi-Wan has said you want a laboratory and access to the holonet," said Yaddle.

This time, Anakin took a misstep realizing they were trying to bribe him. Yoda sighed. Anakin was hesitant. He had rejected the proposal, so his dignity would be affected if he backed down for a bribe…

"Perhaps we should divide this negotiation into parts," Yaddle threatened.

"I accept!" exclaimed Anakin. After all, his dignity wouldn't provide him with a laboratory or access to the holonet, things he needed to start building some artifacts and gain technological advantages. Yaddle accepted satisfied.

…

With the deal sealed, in a month, Anakin had his laboratory and access to the holonet. He also fulfilled his part of the deal, although it wasn't as easy as teaching Ahsoka's group, with whom he had a special relationship. Nevertheless, he had made good progress, and after several repetitions, the youngest initiates were no longer on his list. He continued with those his age, then the teenagers, and finally, the padawans and the most obstinate 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 convinced the Jedi Council to allow him to visit.

…

"Senator," greeted Anakin with a respectful bow upon entering Palpatine's office, guided by his assistant, a kind of blue demon. In this world, people didn't pay much attention to horns.

"Anakin!" exclaimed Palpatine joyfully upon seeing him. "Please, come in," he said, rising from his chair behind a large desk. Anakin approached, and Palpatine extended his hand. Anakin shook it and observed the office, which had some plants and subtle decor. It wasn't 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 city views behind Palpatine's desk.

"I have some comforts," Palpatine admitted with a smile, looking at the city beside him. "Unlike you, I've been told that the life of a Jedi is austere, as they're not allowed to have possessions," Palpatine commented. Anakin dismissed his words with a gesture.

"Those are minor details that only concern those of low intelligence. I have my own laboratory because I am a prodigy," Anakin said. "Although obtaining funding will be a challenge," he added, raising an eyebrow with a suggestive expression. Palpatine smiled but didn't succumb to his attempt to get money from him.

"If you already have been provided with a laboratory, I suppose you also have equipment. Why do you need money then?" Palpatine asked with interest.

"Jedi don't understand the need for scientific advancements. For them, a laboratory is limited to creating chips and programs, which is a tragedy for knowledge development," Anakin explained, putting the money matter aside. "And what do you do in this place besides shouting like drunk mercenaries?" Anakin asked, resigning himself to not getting money. Palpatine nodded and returned to his desk to give him a masterful lesson on how the Galactic Senate operated.

…

"So, we're not really a democracy," said Anakin, understanding many things about this world. Few worlds in the Republic employed popular votes to choose their rulers, and the senators of the Galactic Senate were appointed. Democracy only applied to Senate votes, explaining why it was so easy for Palpatine to proclaim himself emperor and also why there was always opposition in his government.

"Do you find it wrong?" Palpatine asked.

"Democracy and freedom are overrated, just like other principles. People don't know what they want," Anakin said honestly. "Order is preferable to the chaos I witnessed before," he added. "Overall, it seems we live in a peaceful galaxy where a small army would be enough 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 right now. I should focus on myself," he concluded thoughtfully. Palpatine looked at him with interest.

"It seems you have your own plans," Palpatine said. Anakin leaned back in his seat and shrugged.

"I can feel danger approaching. Some Jedi Masters can too, but they dismiss it all and don't believe in their visions of the future. I disagree with that, and I won't die due to their negligence. I'll take my own perceptions of reality seriously," said Anakin.

"Interesting," said Palpatine with curiosity. "I had already heard that Jedi can see the future. Could you see mine? It would be useful for my work in the Senate," proposed Palpatine. Anakin rolled his eyes.

"Senator, I'm not a stage magician, and the Force is not magic. It's linked to people. If there's danger in the galaxy, I can feel it because the Force surrounds us all. I can even sense it if there's imminent danger near me. But the Force doesn't grant magical powers or allow seeing the future at will.

"Therefore, plans like winning the lottery using the Force or predicting political events are doomed to fail. Although if the person being looked at has a great affinity with the Force and doesn't know how to hide their presence, something similar to what you mentioned could be done.

"I've also heard of some rituals from other Force user orders, but if you mention anything like that in the Jedi Temple, Master Yoda would get furious, always behind me giving me silly advice," said Anakin with annoyance. "Anyway, I got my laboratory, albeit at a high and unpleasant price. But now I need money, and I've discovered a loophole in the rules to get it," said Anakin, looking at the senator with a smile. "If you help me, and we get caught, Master Yoda might pay you a visit, along with the charming presence of Master Windu.

"But if things go south in the future, as I believe they will, I can ensure your safety," proposed Anakin. "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, meddling with the Jedi Council could mean the end of my political career," said Palpatine weighing the options. "But my life is valuable to me too," he said thoughtfully. Then he smiled. "Although I might do it if a certain senator receives some good advice about me," proposed Palpatine. Anakin looked at him as if he were stupid.

"Senator, Padmé already has an opinion about you and sees you as an ambitious person who will take advantage of any situation. On the other hand, she considers me her friend, and even though she disagrees with my ideas, she believes 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 myself, 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 but to gain them," explained Anakin. Palpatine sighed regretfully.

"My young friend, I'm afraid you're right. I think I would have fared better with her joining those she criticized that day," complained Palpatine. Anakin nodded in agreement.

"Well, it's not a complete loss. Padmé's fame can provide you with political support, and she doesn't hate you. She just won't lift a finger to support you. You can leverage her fame and the situation in Naboo, as you have done so far. Also, if you support me in my endeavor, you'll get solid backing in problematic situations. We 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 talent for politics," praised Palpatine. Anakin looked at him in horror, and Palpatine laughed. "Can I know your proposal without committing myself?" asked Palpatine. Anakin nodded and pulled out a data unit, handing it to Palpatine. Palpatine took it and inserted it into his terminal.

…

Twenty minutes later, Palpatine had finished reviewing everything.

"A book?" he asked as if expecting something more scandalous.

"Don't look at me; I just want money to secure my own future and 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're not friends?" asked Palpatine with disappointment in his voice.

"Senator, nice words aren't enough to make friends. If they were, Master Yoda would be my best friend. Actions are what matters most, and his always cause me trouble," complained Anakin honestly. Palpatine laughed.

"You want me to publish this book and donate its earnings to your laboratory," said Palpatine.

"The book has potential, but like everything in life, it needs proper backing, and your image at the moment is very popular. Also, Padmé's image, but she understands little about business and would probably expose me to the Council, ruining my plans and putting my own life at risk. She's a great friend, but she doesn't think about benefits, and that's terrible. I don't want the same to happen to me as to you," said Anakin, and Palpatine grimaced.

"Yes, I should have stuck to yelling as well," complained Palpatine. "Alright, as you said, it seems to have potential. I'll finish reading it, and then we'll meet again." Anakin nodded.

"I'll share thirty percent of the profits for the payment of editors or anything else, but the story is non-negotiable, and no characters or ideas will be added. The editor is just a formality. If movies or games are made, I reserve the approval right, so you must ensure good legal backing in all aspects. You should keep this in mind if you accept my proposal," said Anakin.

"I'll keep that in mind," said Palpatine, and the meeting didn't last much longer.

…

As he returned to the temple, Anakin thought that his relationship with Palpatine would be the one causing him the least trouble. Anakin could complain about the Jedi with him, which would make Palpatine like him more. Commercial and hidden dealings wouldn't be a problem either, not to mention disobedience to the rules…

"I'm a better candidate for the Sith than the Anakin in Xion's memories," thought Anakin dazed, but he was also ten times more carefree and shrugged. He was sure Master Yoda would have a heart attack if he knew his thoughts, and Windu would draw his lightsaber immediately, but he didn't care.