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“Master Kenobi,” Ahsoka asked, coming up to stand beside Obi-Wan as they planned strategy for the next mission.
“Yes?” Obi-Wan asked, clasping his hands behind his back and turning to give her his full attention. “What is it?”
“Have you ever heard Master Skywalker say ‘by the will of the force I am here’?”
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. “Unfortunately, yes,” he confirmed. “Have you ever asked him to ‘give you a hand’?”
Ahsoka frowned. “No.”
“It is best advised that you don’t.”
Looking around, Ahsoka saw the clones in the room nodding in agreement. Unsure what that meant but deciding that she’d just asked Anakin when he returned from his solo mission later, she turned back to Obi-Wan.
“Why does that mean?” Ahsoka asked. “By the will of the force he is here? I’ve never heard any other Jedi say that.” She thinks for a moment. “Well, maybe , but he says it like it has a secret meaning.”
“For him it does, in a sense,” Obi-Wan replied. “It is unknown, but believed that he was created through the will of the force.”
Ahsoka stared at him. “You mean he means that literally?”
“Yes,” Obi-Wan replied. “When we spoke with his mother, when my old master, Senator Amidala, and I met them on Tatooine, she told us that it was as if she just woke pregnant one day.”
“Is that why he’s the Chosen One?”
“It is believed so, yes. There is an ancient Jedi prophecy which foretold that the Chosen One would bring balance to the Force by destroying the Sith. Anakin is believed to be the Chosen One on account of his birth.”
“That’s…” Ahsoka thought for a moment. “A lot of pressure.”
“And unfortunately, it is pressure he must carry alone,” Obi-Wan replied. “But the Jedi are here to help guide him down the right path.”
“Still…” Ahsoka murmured.
Obi-Wan placed his hands on her shoulders. “It is not our job to speculate on the Jedi Council’s choices, nor the reason that the Force chose Anakin,” he told her. “It is merely our job to stand at his side and help him make the right choices.”
Ahsoka nodded. “I understand.”
“And if I may offer one final piece of advice?” Obi-Wan asked. “Anakin is…not fond of his destiny. He prefers to pretend that it doesn’t exist.”
“Are you recommending I don’t mention it to him?”
“If he wishes you to know of it, assuming he doesn’t think you already know, then he will tell you.”
“I understand.” Ahsoka nodded. “Thank you, Master Kenobi.”
………………………
“Master, may I ask you a question?” Ahsoka asked a few days later, she and Anakin in the cockpit of the smaller ship they were piloting together for a simple recon mission.
“Of course,” Anakin replied, keeping his eyes ahead. Ahsoka had once asked why he didn’t just put the ship on autopilot but he had said that other than meditating, piloting a ship was one of the only times he felt closest to the force.
It reminded her of the conversation she’d had with Obi-Wan a few days earlier, which was what had her asking her question to begin with.
“Do you think you have a stronger connection with the force than other Jedi?”
Anakin glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “You’ve been talking with Obi-Wan.”
“How can you tell?”
“Because he warned me of the discussion you had and informed me that you’d definitely be showing up to ask more questions.”
“Oh.”
Anakin chuckled. “I wouldn’t say I have a stronger connection,” he eventually replied. “But I know the council believes I do, on account of being the Chosen One and all.” He said the words with such sarcasm and a dash of hidden venom that Ahsoka almost regretted asking her question at all.
“Do you think that really makes a difference?”
“Perhaps a little,” Anakin replied. “Perhaps it allows me a bit more stamina than other Jedi might have but other than that, I don’t believe there’s any other difference than the rest of them.”
They were silent again for a few moments. “Do you really believe that it’s by the will of the force that we were put together?” Ahsoka asked.
Anakin’s quick reply surprised her. “Yes, I do. Obi-Wan was the one that requested a padawan. I was not and yet they intentionally gave you to me.” He glanced at her. “None of the council have ever treated me as the most mature. Even now, they treat me as that youngling from Tatooine who stood before them as they debated my future. So yes, I do truly believe that it is by the will of the force that we were paired together.” He frowned. “Are you having doubts?”
“No,” Ahsoka replied, relaxing into the co-pilot’s seat and resisting the urge to smile. “Not at all, master.”