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Annabeth was seven years old when she became a sister for the first time. She had never been particularly close with Mathew and Bobby although their relationship had improved after her father had tried to better their relationship.
She was twenty-six when she became a sister again or physically, she was closer to five but that was neither here nor there.
But she had loved Anakin from the day he was born.
When Annabeth was told that Shmi was pregnant she first expected to be told to leave. Shmi never did and Annabeth didn’t want to ask about it for fear that she’d then have to leave, so they never talked about it.
Annabeth didn’t know who the father was, and she had never asked it didn’t seem like her place.
As time passed by Shmi became more visibly pregnant Annabeth's protectiveness of Shmi grew. Her master was unsurprisingly not very good at following workplace safety rules. She wasn’t sure there were any in this part of the galaxy.
So, when Shmi went into labour she had been anxious, to say the least. She hadn’t been there to help her through it. When babies were born to a slave the ownership went to the master, so her master had been there to make sure the slave ship was injected.
When the little boy was in her arms Annabeth looked down on him and wondered how anyone could think that he didn’t deserve the world.
Shmi smiled tired but ultimately happy “his name is Anakin” she told her.
Something about the name Anakin Skywalker had brought back the memory of being fifteen and watching the Lego Star Wars the holiday special with her brothers. She had never watched Star Wars she had been a year-round camper from age seven and when she at twelve returned to the mortal world the name Luke left a sour taste in her mouth, so she had tried to avoid it.
But Mathew and Bobby had ben in their Lego faze and had begged her to watch it with them and how could she refuse? It had been uncertain times and she had no idea if that would be the last time, they saw her, so she had agreed so they at least had that if she didn’t survive the war.
If she remembered, it right Anakin Skywalker had been a Jedi working alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi. A Jedi was something like a space coop that worked for the republic. She remembered them being on a planet she thought might be Tatooine. It could of course be another kid named Anakin, but with her track record she doubted it.
Honestly being reincarnated into the Star Wars universe was strange but it definitely wasn’t the weirdest thing that had happened to her. She and Percy had lived through all kinds of weird. She missed Percy it was the kind of ache that you couldn’t possibly describe.
The Greek philosopher Plato told a creation myth where all people used to have two heads four hands and four legs. But as a punishment from Zeus, they were split in half and forced to forever search for their other part. When Annabeth was younger, she hated that story the idea of being made whole by another person seemed ridiculous.
But after falling in love with Percy her perspective changed it wasn’t that he made her whole more that they made each other better.
Missing Percy in the truest sense felt like missing a piece of herself. But Percy would want her to live, and she would do anything to make Percy happy even if he would never know.
Sometimes in the quiet of her own mind, Annabeth would dream of meeting Percy again. But she usually stopped herself before she could go too far.
It was an unrealistic dream even if he magically was transported to the same world as her there was no guarantee that he would ever be able to recognize her she didn’t look like she used to her new hair was brown and straight a stark contrast to what she looked like before. The only thing that was still the same was her eyes. They were still grey like a storm.
At first, she had only had a vague idea of what she looked like she could see her hair but not her eyes it wasn’t until Shmi lent her a mirror that she got to see her eyes again and she would gladly admit that she had cried when she first saw them.
Percy had always loved her eyes.
…
When Anakin turned three, they were sold to Watto, Watto was a giant alien fly which was strange it had been difficult to follow them home she had been on her own for a short while which had worried Shmi. But Annabeth wasn’t a demigod for nothing, so she managed to find them again.
Watto was not a kinder master, but he was less micromanaging, so it was easier for Annabeth to hide. But every day when Shmi came home she would fall down in her bed but still try to make food for them all.
Sometimes when no one was in the shop Annabeth would do the work for her and then hide as soon as anyone showed up but not as much as she would like Shmi always got nervous when she could be caught.
When Anakin was four years old, he came home with bruised knees. Annabeth’s eyes had darkened she had been reminded of the bruises that would sometimes decorate Shmi’s arms.
“Who did this to you?” she asked.
Anakin’s eyes widened “No one” he whispered.
Annabeth crouched down so she could meet his eyes “Anakin I can only help if you tell me what’s wrong.”
Annabeth crouched down so she could meet his eyes “Anakin I can only help if you tell me what’s wrong.”
he sniffed. “It was one of the older boys from the city who pushed me. they said some awful stuff about mom being bad because she let me be home alone when I was a baby.”
Annabeth scoffed. when Anakin was younger, she would look after him. it had been too dangerous for Shmi to take him with her after he reached the terrible twos and wanted to touch everything in the shop. but the other people didn’t know that Annabeth was watching him, so they simply assumed that Shmi was neglectful, not that they ever did anything about it.
“Ani you’ve gotta stay out of trouble you’re gonna give Mom a heart attack someday,” She told him.
he scrunched his nose. “it’s not my fault Beth, trouble loves me” Sometimes he reminded her so much of Percy it hurt.
she smiled and pinched his nose “I know Ani, maybe I should teach you to protect yourself.”
his eyes lightened up like fireworks. “Yes, yes, yes oh pleas would you Beth” his lip wobbled as if he would cry if she denied him which Annabeth knew he definitely would.
She huffed “Okay” she put up her hands. “The first thing you’ll need to learn is hand-to-hand combat.”
“But I want to use a lightsaber” he whined.
She smiled. “Lightsabers are for big boys.”
“But I am a big boy.” He huffed.
She laughed. “Let’s make a deal, when you can beat me in hand-to-hand combat I’ll teach you, agreed.”
“Agreed” he pouted
.........
If you asked Anakin Skywalker Annabeth was the best sister in the whole galaxy.
Which was why he had to find her the perfect gift.
Technically it wasn’t her real birthday, but it was the day she had found his mom and that was worth celebrating.
Anakin had been working by the side delivering things for people in the little village. He had gotten enough to buy her a knife. It was old but sturdy he had bought it of a vendor at the market.
He was halfway home when he was stopped by his bullies. He never put any effort into learning their names Beth always said that names have power, and he didn’t think they deserved any.
“What have you got there little Skywalkers?” bully one asked.
Anakin tried to hide the dagger behind his back but bully two had already ripped it out of his hand.
“Hey, stop that that’s for my sister” he cried.
Bully three laughed an evil laugh. “What sister you don’t have a sister, stop lying only babies lie.”
“I’m not lying I do have a sister” Anakin cried out. He tried to get away but bully two had him in his grip.
They were all laughing now. “Then prove it,” said bully number two.
“Fine” he huffed “come see after dinner I'll show you.” Then he grabbed his arm that he was using to hold him down and flipped him just like Annabeth had taught him to do. He gapped the dagger and ran home with the two other bullies staring after him with their mouths open.
They ate dinner in peace their mom had set aside some of their food so they could eat extra well she always did this before any of their birthdays.
After dinner it was time for precents, their mom gave her a mirror that Anakin had never seen but there were tears in Annabeth’s eyes and she was smiling so Anakin guessed she liked it.
“When can I give her my gift,” Anakin asked.
Annabeth laughed “What gift Ani?”
Anakin ran into the workshop and found the dagger he had hidden between his other tools. He brought it back and gave it to his sister with a smile.
Her eyes watered again. “Thank you Ani, but where did you get the money to buy that?” she asked him.
He tried to avoid her eyes he had never been able to lie to her storm grey eyes “I worked for it”
“How much was it sweetheart?” their mother asked.
“The old lady at the shop said I could get it for a cheaper price because it was old” Anakin mumbled.
Annabeth smiled. “Thank you, Ani that was really thoughtful of you,” she said.
A knock on the door interrupted the celebrations. Anakin’s mom hurried Annabeth into the workshop.
Anakin knew he had forgotten something. There was a lady at the door behind him bully two was grinning meanly at him.
“Hello Cara, what can I help you with.” His mother smiled at the woman. Who smiled back with a fake smile.
“Hello Shmi, my son told me the strangest story. Apparently, Anakin has been telling the kids about his sister now I thought to myself that couldn’t be true.”
His mother sent him a look that made him grateful that looks couldn’t kill. She put her focus back on the lady again “Well.”
“And I don’t want to barge in here and accuse you son of lying.” To Anakin, this seemed like exactly what she was doing. “But I just didn’t remember you ever having a daughter” she smiled sweetly.
"Mom what’s going on," Annabeth said she looked terrible. She was dark under her eyes and her hair was messy like she had a fight with the droid they were building together out in the workshop.
Their mom looked panicked, but she seemed too calm when her eyes met Annabeth’s. “Hey honey, what are you doing in here.”
Annabeth coughed “I heard a voice and wanted to know what was happening, I’m sorry Mom I know I’m not supposed to be seen” She finished it off with another coughing fit.
“Oh, I had no idea,” Cara said.
“Please don’t tell anyone” Anakin’s mom pleaded.
The lady took her hand “Of course, I would never I know what’s at stake.” She squeezed her hand like a promise.
“Thank you, Cara.”
“We’ll be off then we don’t want to impose.” She left with Bully number 2 and left a sense of uncertainty behind. But something told Anakin that she wouldn’t tell.
………
After most of the excitement of the situation had worn over Annabeth took Anakin to the side to have a serious conversation with him
They sat down on his bed so he would feel comfortable “Anakin have I ever told you what my fatal flaw is?” she asked.
“What’s a fatal flaw? “He asked her.
Annabeth hummed “It’s the thing about each person that could make even the most noble warrior fall.” That seemed really morbid. Thought Anakin “my fatal flaw is hubris.”
“hybis?” Anakin said.
She laughed. “No Anakin hubris it means believing you can do better than the goods.”
“But that’s just being confident,” Anakin said.
“See that’s the thing about a fatal flaw sometimes it’s the things that can be your greatest strength that are the most dangerous in the wrong situation.” She explained.
Anakin huffed. “So, what’s my fatal flaw then?” he asked.
She laughed. “Well right now it might be, not being able to keep your mouth shut but you’re eight so it can change” she bobbed his nose “but it’s a good thing to know about you self.”
Anakin huffed. “When I’m big I won’t have any fatal flaws.”
“Oh, Ani everybody has a fatal flaw.” She smiled with a faraway look in her eyes.
………
When Anakin had gone to bed Shmi and Annabeth sat down and had a cup of tea. It was a tradition that had started after Annabeth’s first birthday with a brother. Most of the day had been spent on looking after Anakin so when they finally had some time alone Shmi had bought some tea to calm down.
“That was a very risky thing you did Beth if Watto finds out you live here we could all be in trouble,” Shmi told the girl.
Annabeth looked down at her tea “I know” she said, “but it’s better that they think that I’m your sick kid hopefully the guilt will make her stay quiet about it and otherwise it’s better that they think you’re hiding your sick kid than what else they would assume.”
“You could have just let them think Anakin was lying.”
“Yeah, but those kinds of rumours always spread and at that point, Watto would have to investigate, trust me Shmi I thought it through.”
“I trust you.” She told her.
They sat there in silence for a while.
“I’ve thought about something,” said Shmi.
Annabeth's head went up from her tea.” What?” she asked.
Shmi sighed “I want you to start training Anakin in sword fighting.”
Annabeth was silent for a moment before answering. ”I don’t know if he’s old enough yet.” Her eyes fell on the window and the dunes of sand outside.
Shmi took her hand. “Please, something is coming I can feel it.” Annabeth knew she was right she had known it for a while, but she hadn’t wanted to acknowledge it. So, she agreed.
“Okay, I’ll teach him.”