Chapter Text
Chapter 1
The funeral seemed both too quiet and too loud. The crackling of the flames eating away at Qui-gon’s body filled the area. It felt unreal. It felt unreal that a Jedi could die.
To Anakin it was hard to connect the corpse to the man who once was so full of life and promises. It seemed almost selfish to ask but...
“What will happen to me now?” he asked Obi-wan fearfully.
“That depends on what the council decides,” Obi-wan replied, “ If they allow me, I will train you.”
“And if they don't?”
Obi-wan was silent for a moment before replying firmly, “I promised my master that I will train you, if the council rejects you, I will train you anyway.”
“Oh,” Anakin said only slightly reassured but very thankful.
The two turned back to the body.
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The Jedi Council was built with the same design philosophy as most of the Jedi Temple, to impress with scale. Being at the center of all these jedi masters made Anakin feel smaller than ever, despite some of said masters being shorter than him. Any reassurance Obi-wan had managed to instill before melted like bantha butter in the middle of the Tatooine desert, the carefully stoic faces of the council members making it easy to imagine all the ways they probably hated him.
“Plan to change our minds, do you Knight Kenobi?” asked Yoda, his eyes watching Anakin keenly. In any other situation Anakin might have found the miniature master reassuring, but he was once again making a life changing decision for him.
“Yes masters, Anakin had displayed great intuition on Naboo, and it is clear that the Force has something planned for him, he had single handedly crippled the occupying army. Qui-gon was certain...”
“Yes yes, heard about that, we have. Commendable, young Skywalker’s survival is. Inadvisable, however, to bring a child to a battlefield it was. Reckless, many of your Master’s decisions were. Trust his judgement, we cannot.”
“We realize that this may not be the time for such words, Kenobi; however, we at the council must not let the tragedy of his death cloud our judgement,” added Master Kit Fisto, with a small sad smile.
“Well…” continued Kenobi, visibly taken aback, “Even so, surely this boy coming to our attention at the same time as this Sith means something? The boy has been through many life-threatening situations, are you not willing to entertain the thought of him being the Chosen One?”
“Often deceptive, prophecies are. End in failure, pursuits to fulfil prophecies do. Yet, success they find, if avoid them you try,” said Yoda.
“Asking the wrong person, perhaps we are.” Master Yaddle spoke up, and turned to Anakin, “Wish to become a Jedi, why do you?”
“I uh…” Anakin hesitated, “I want to… um.” Obi-wan gives him a comforting pat, “I um, I want to be able to help people.” Somehow a hush had settled over the council, despite the fact that they had been silent up till now, somehow this silence felt thicker.
“I wish to have the power to be able to go to Tatooine and free all the slaves. I wish to go from planet to planet, fighting injustice wherever I go, so that nobody would have to be a slave again. I want to be able to save whoever I want, from whatever I want.”
There was a small silent pause as the council processed that Anakin's bravado had melted away once again and he shrunk against Obi-wan’s robes.
“Then unhappy, will you be young Skywalker” Yoda said, “Much restriction there is on who we can save. To provoke Jabba we do not wish. Saviors we are not, peacekeepers we are. Much passion you have, but suited for a jedi, passion is not. Noble intentions you have, but intentions that disturb the peace they are.”
There was clear agreement in the council, and so, “Then, it is settled, we do not accept young Skywalker into our ranks,” said Mace Windu, He continued as the council members gave their agreements, “Then this session is over, you are dismissed” he said to the two standing in the middle of the council room.
However, before the masters could leave their seats Obi-wan spoke up.
“My apologies Masters, but if he is not accepted - I renounce my knighthood,” declared Obi-wan.
“What did you say, Kenobi?” Mace Windu asked, surprise flickering through his stern demeanor.
“I will leave the Order, I promised my dying master and this boy that I would train him, and I refuse to break that promise,” Obi-wan said, his heart beating wildly, unsure if he was doing the right thing.
“Hasty, you are being young Kenobi,” Yoda said, “Sure you are this decision you will not regret?”
“No, I will not,” he declared, clearly lying even to those not open to the Force.
“You didn’t want to train me anyway sir,” Anakin said, “You only agreed to do so because of your promise to Mr. Jinn, I would have been a problem anyway.”
He fowned in disappointment, but Obi-wan grabbed him by the shoulder, and Anakin looked back up at him.
“No, this is more than just about that,” Obi-wan said firmly, “You are not a problem as much as some wish to make you one,” the certainty in his voice and the Force left no more room for questions.
“Now then, Mr. Kenobi, while you are here we demand respect, whether you are a jedi or not,” Master Windu said sternly, “We will arrange for your Compensation Fund to be disbursed to an account belonging to you, but you have three days to get ready or change your mind.” his face softened for a moment, “I hope you do.”
“Adjoined this meeting is,” Yoda announced then turned his attention back to Obi-wan, “Wish to speak with you I do”
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The remaining council members left the rooms, with quite a few funny looks being thrown Obi-wan's way, eventually, only Anakin, Obi-wan, and Yoda, who had approached while the others were leaving, were left in the room.
“Certain you are?” he asked once more.
“Yes, Master” Obi-wan replied.
“Hrm,” Yoda sighed gravely, “Careful you should be. If another Sith on the loose there is, targeted you will be,” Obi-wan tried to interrupt as Yoda continued, “If not you, then the boy.”
“Sir, what is a Sith?” Anakin spoke up.
“Those who seek not peace from the force, but control. Who seek not harmony but manipulation. When into these impulses, a Jedi gives, becomes darkened, their connection to the Force does. Embrace this darkness many Jedi did. Left the order and created an empire that sought to control the galaxy they did. Set themselves up as gods they did.” Yoda replied gravely.
Anakin was silent and thoughtful as Yoda turned his attention back to Obi-wan.
“Perhaps help you might need?” Yoda turned towards Kenobi, “Face potential Sith on your own you should not.”
“Do you really think this will be a problem?” Obi-wan replied softly.
“Vengeful the Sith are. Hold grudges they do. Cautious you should be. Protect you the Jedi will not.”
“Very well, then what do you propose?”
“Inform Count Dooku I could. Help you he may.”
“Oh Master Dooku, I haven't heard from him in a long time. Are you sure he would want to help us in our situation? Last time I heard of him, he completely disappeared from the public.”
“Perhaps bring him out hearing of the Sith returning might. Perhaps hide you as well he will.”
“Where do I find him then?”
“Seek him out on Serenno you should, find him there you might”
“Very well, thank you Master Yoda, may the Force be with you.”
“And with you.”
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Author’s Notes: I’m unsure what the title of this fic should be. If anyone has any suggestions, please leave them in reviews, and even if you don’t, please review, this is my first fic!