The Real Rise of Skywalker II (Patreon)

Hello, hello, hello!

So, this one here is this week’s update, meaning there won’t be ANOTHER update on the first.

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“Wooooow, so pretty.” Ahsoka, Aayla, and Kali all had stars in their eyes as they stared at the glittering pearls. They’d all been cleaned off and were shimmering every color of the rainbow. The amount of Force energy they were emitting was equally mesmerizing, to those who had even mildly trained senses. Even little Ani was impressed.

“I don’t understand…” Shmi was also mesmerized, “I’ve heard stories of Krayt hunts before. Five or six was considered a good day. How are there so many?”

“It was confusing me too.” Anakin chuckled, “I think that the beast must have eaten a Canyon Krayt recently, which would explain all of the smaller ones.”

“But not the big ones. There are just as many of those!” Shmi countered.

“For that, I do have a theory. Not sure how good of a theory it is, but it’s all I got.” Anakin shrugged, “With the Greater Krayts, digging them out is half the battle to getting any pearls. They live beneath the sands for the most part. And the pearls are destroyed quickly by the acids once the dragon can no longer keep its own bodily fluids from eating it from the inside out. They’re some of the fastest creatures to decompose and it begins almost immediately. So when they’re killed in hunts, it takes ages for hunters to actually dig any pearls out, and most of them are probably destroyed before they can be harvested. Especially if it dies with most of its body buried. I was able to harvest all of these within minutes of its death.”

Shmi chuckled, “As good a theory as we’re going to get, I think.”

Anakin smiled at her before reaching over and snatching two of the small, pitch-black pearls. When he held them to the light, it was almost like staring at a galaxy. “Well, go ahead and pick your favorite small ones.” All of them gasped and looked at him, wide-eyed. He grinned at them, “Go on, little ones. Don’t look with your eyes. Feel which crystal, if any, is right for you.” He remembered something and raised a hand. One of the locked chests opened and the crystals that he had stolen from Sidious joined the Krayt Dragon pearls.

Ani was the first one to be guided. His eyes had been closed, and then he raised both hands, seizing a pearl and two Hurrikaine crystals. Anakin raised an eyebrow at seeing him pick three as well as which crystals he had chosen but patted him on the shoulder. “Congratulations.” He said, smiling at his younger self. ‘It’s certainly going to be nothing like my first lightsaber. Are things really that different?’ He thought to himself in confusion.

“Congratulations?” Ani asked in confusion.

Anakin smirked at him, “Those will make a powerful lightsaber.” He told the boy. Ani gasped in glee, a wide smile crossing his face. The girls also gasped as they realized what was going on. “Keep them close to you. I will teach you how to bond with them. A powerful connection to your crystals is necessary, and it will be a while before you’re ready to actually make your lightsaber.”

“Okay!” Ani chirped eagerly.

Ahsoka was the next one. “These ones!” She said happily, holding two Durindfire crystals. Anakin smiled, though with some melancholy. He remembered those white blades she’d had in his past, and how she had come about them. It was a future he wished dearly to prevent.

Aayla was next, selecting two pearls as well; both a deep, beautiful blue that glimmered with darker blacks and lighter cyan. They were identical in every way. Finally, Kali reached out and grabbed a slightly larger black pearl like himself. She hesitated for a moment, before also taking a smaller, blood red one.

“Excellent.” Anakin clapped twice before turning to his mother. “Go ahead, Shmi.” His mother’s eyes widened.

“But I don’t need one, Anakin. I’m certainly not building a lightsaber.” She protested.

He chuckled, “Perhaps not.” He smiled at her, “But it’s a gift.” He then projected into her mind, ‘I owe you so many Mother’s Day gifts.’

‘Oh, Ani.’ She almost wept, ‘You don’t owe me anything, my love. My son.’ Still, she walked over to the pearl that was calling her most strongly; the one that most closely resembled her Ani’s eyes.

“Excellent.” Anakin smiled as he floated all the remaining crystals back into that chest and locked it. “Don’t lose those, okay? Keep them safe.”

“Okay!” They all agreed.

“Shmi, I’m going to take the younglings for a lesson on the Force now. Is there anything you need first?” Anakin asked.

“No, I’ll just go sit at the helm.” His mother smiled dreamily, still holding her new pearl close to her chest. “It’s been so long since I’ve been in Hyperspace… I think I’ll just go enjoy the view.”

He chuckled, “Good choice. We’ll see you later then.” He led the younglings to the ship’s training room: a massive area that they could spar and practice with the Force inside. “Okay, little ones, sit down like this.” He sat with his legs crossed, and they all hurried to copy him. “Good. It’s time you all start learning how to touch the Force.” He declared, and they all traded excited grins. “It has been called many things throughout the years: the Ashla, the Life Current, the Unity, the Power of Cosmos, among many others.”

“But what is it?” Kali asked curiously.

He smiled at her. “The Force is an energy field that is produced by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together. Droids and other things that do not possess true life cannot wield it.” He told them as they listened intently. “Without the Force, life could not exist.” They gasped at the knowledge he was giving them, though he knew Ahsoka especially was too young to really understand it. “Every living thing possesses the Force, but few have a strong enough connection to truly touch it.” He said, before he started to float upwards of his own accord.

He chuckled as they gasped and started floating too, under his power. They whooped and hollered in excitement, and he let them enjoy themselves for a moment before bringing them back down to earth. “Again, again!” Ahsoka cheered, holding her arms up for uppies.

Anakin chuckled and resisted the urge to sweep her up, “Wouldn’t you rather learn yourself, Snips?” She gasped again and nodded eagerly. “Then you need to be patient.” He told her, and she settled down, putting on a look of serious focus. She looked adorable. “Now, like I said, few have strong connections to the Force. All of you are among that group.” He had ensured it. He certainly hadn’t planned for Aayla, and he still had zero idea if Kali was someone he had known or ever interacted with, but he had maximized their potential all the same. Little Ani was obviously the strongest, but Ahsoka, Aayla, and Kali had all been brought up to the same level that he had been able to bring Padmé to.

“How do we touch it?” Aayla asked eagerly.

“We will meditate.” Anakin replied, “There are many ways to meditate, and we will try all of them until you find something you succeed with. I will help you, this one time, so that you know what the Force feels like.” He told them, “First, close your eyes. Now… feel.” He gently used the Force to get them into the correct mental states.

“Woah…” They all gasped, feeling like the entire galaxy was at their fingertips. Things they had never even imagined they could experience bloomed in their minds’ eyes.  They could feel the galaxy around them, they could feel everyone on the ship, and it was simply the most amazing thing any of them had ever experienced.

Anakin thrummed the Force like plucking the string on an instrument and they all reacted, reaching first for him and then for each other. Like they were holding hands without their bodies moving. Anakin smiled at the feeling and gently coaxed them back from their trances. “That was amazing!” Aayla moaned, reaching up to wipe the tears that had gathered from her eyes. She didn’t know why, but she suddenly felt emotional.

“That was the Force.” Anakin said simply.

“Do Jedi feel that all the time?” Ani had a dreamy smile on his face.

“I’m afraid not.” Anakin replied softly, and they all grew confused. “Do you remember how I’ve never once stated that I’m a Jedi?” He asked them, and they nodded, suddenly confused. “Well, it’s true. I cannot be a Jedi, nor would I wish for any of you to be.”

“But why?” Little Ahsoka was the one who asked the question.

“That, little one, is a question for when you’re older and have more experience with the Force.” Anakin said, “But the short answer is that for as much good as you can do with the Force, you can also use it to do bad.” They gasped and flinched as Anakin unleashed the Dark Side, making the entire room chill as though he had turned the climate control too low. All of them shivered, before Anakin returned to balance. They all relaxed but looked a little uncomfortable now. “The Force is not good or bad. It’s what I’ve learned from all my years exploring it. But when you do bad with the Force, the Force makes you want to do more bad.”

Anakin flinched, “Like a spice addict?”

Of course he would know about that. The looks on Aayla and Kali’s faces told him they were familiar as well. “Yes.” He nodded, sad that they had such bad experiences that they would know of it so young, “It takes a strong person with great love in their hearts to be able to use the Dark Side without getting addicted to it. Without letting the Dark Side control them.” He told them, “Most people cannot do it.” He said sadly, “Most people get addicted to it. They start to enjoy hurting others, because the Dark Side will make it feel good to hurt people. They completely lose all control over themselves.”

“Yucky.” Was the insightful comment from Ahsoka.

“Yes, yucky.” Anakin agreed with a smile, “The Jedi are so afraid of falling to the Dark Side that they try to…” He paused, wondering how to explain it to children, “Ignore or get rid of their emotions. The way they meditate is they focus on their emotions and then release them into the Force. They try to empty themselves so that the Force will fill them instead with passivity and tranquility. They do this because the Dark Side uses anger. Fear. Hatred. They’re easy emotions to feel, and so they try to eliminate things that make them angry or fearful. They try not to hate. But they go too far and eliminate the good too. Love is forbidden to Jedi. A Jedi would never allow you to see your mother again, Ani, because of your love for her.” His younger self gasped in indignation, “They believe that love can make you become too attached to the one you love. When you are attached, you become afraid to lose them. When you lose the person you love or they get hurt, you become angry. And when you become angry, you start to hate the one who hurt the one you loved.”

“But that’s stupid!” Ani and Kali protested.

Anakin smiled proudly, “Yes, it is. But not because they’re wrong. They’re very, very right that a person can grow afraid to lose those they love. And that fear can turn into anger and anger into hatred.” Oh, he was pushed onto that path by the master of manipulation, but it didn’t make it inaccurate. “It’s stupid because those who cannot understand the Dark Side drown in it when they experience it for the first time. And when you do not have any love in your heart, you cannot pull yourself away from the Dark Side.” How many Jedi had Fallen during the Clone Wars? Far too many, he knew, for they had no defense against the Dark.

“Ohhhh…” Ani, Aayla, and Kali understood. Ahsoka was still a bit too young. He knew he would have to have this conversation with her again at a later date.

“It’s sad because it wasn’t always like this. The Jedi were allowed to have families and love for twenty-four thousand years. It was only in the last one thousand that they adopted this new code, and it has utterly ruined them.” Anakin sighed, “And that is why I can never be a Jedi. We are not droids. We have emotions, and we need to be able to deal with them in a healthy manner. Something they lack. We love, regardless of whether others allow us to or not.”

The four nodded. Even Ahsoka understood that much. “Now, I will teach you my favorite form of meditation. It doesn’t have to be your favorite, but it will be good to learn regardless. It is called Alchaka and is a form of moving meditation. It will leave you tired, so don’t worry. It’s perfectly normal.” He stood and gestured for them to stand as well, before spacing them out so that they wouldn’t run into each other. “Open your minds to the Force. Feel for it. Let it penetrate you and guide you. Copy my movements. Do not try to be fast. Try to be consistent. Speed will come later.”

And with all of his little prodigies embracing the Force, he led them on a slow and deliberate trek through the many forms.

-]|[-

“How are they?” Shmi asked as he entered the bridge. She had a snack in her hands, something she had rarely had a chance to experience in these last few decades.

“All tuckered out.” Anakin chuckled, “I bathed them and put them to bed. They form the cutest cuddle pile.”

Shmi smiled gently at him. “But they enjoyed themselves?”

“Oh yes.” He smiled back, “They will be diligent learners, and I can’t wait to teach them more. All of them will be strong in the Force.”

“I’m glad.” She said, before rising and softly laying a hand on his cheek. “Are you ready to talk, Ani?” She gently rubbed her thumb on his cheek.

This conversation, on the other hand, he could definitely wait to have. “No.” He sighed, closing his eyes. “But it will be good to have it anyway.” He took her hand and led her to her room, taking a chair to sit down on while she sat on her bed. “I…” He said, his voice hoarse, “I was nine when a Jedi landed on Tatooine.” He told her, “They weren’t there to free slaves. They’d landed there entirely by accident, truth be told. I helped them, and they freed me because they saw my potential with the Force…”

He talked into the night, having had a lot more time to come to terms with the things he’d done and been forced to do since he had the same talk with Luke and Leia. And by the end, both had sobbed their hearts out and comforted one another. As Anakin finally went to bed, he realized that it felt like a great weight he hadn’t even known was there had finally been lifted from his shoulders.

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“There’s so much GWEEN!” Ahsoka screamed in delight as she whirled around, a massive smile on her face. Some small insects that looked really pretty came fluttering by and caught her attention, and she began chasing them in sheer glee.

Anakin and Shmi both had “does not compute” looks on their faces as they stared at the lake surrounding his island. “This-how is this even possible?” Ani gaped at the sight of all that water.

Anakin dropped a hand on his shoulder, “By all records, Tatooine once looked like this.” Both his younger self and his mother’s necks practically snapped as they turned to him in shock, “From very old records, it appears that Tatooine suffered an orbital bombardment in the past. It glassed the surface and maybe even knocked the planet itself slightly off its normal orbit, causing it to go closer to the two suns. The glassed surface eventually became the sands.”

“That’s AWFUL!” Ani, Aayla, and Kali all yelled.

Anakin nodded, “Yeah.” He sighed, “But that’s neither here nor there. Most planets that have people actually living on them are more like this than Tatooine or Ryloth. On Tatooine you have to pay hand over fist for water. Here? Most places with humans living there?” He smirked lightly, “We could swim in it, drink from it, whatever we wanted, provided we weren’t polluting it. And no one would bat an eye.” He smiled in the lightest amount of melancholy, “This is my favorite place in the galaxy.”

“It’s amazing.” Shmi had tears in her eyes and a smile on her lips as she looked around.

“Yeah, this could totally become my favorite place too!” Ani still sounded awed, “It’s so wizard, big brother!” He then abruptly realized what he had just said and clammed up.

Anakin laughed, “That it is, little brother.” Ani flushed but beamed happily up at him.

Aayla snickered, “Having two Anakin Skywalkers is going to be so confusing!”

They all shared a laugh and Kali said, “He can be Anakin One and you can be Anakin Two!”

“Hey, why does he get to be Anakin One!” Ani protested, though he was laughing over it.

“He’s older, duh!” Aayla teased him a little more.

Anakin chuckled and summoned Ahsoka into his arms. “Come on. You kids can play more later. I’ll even teach you to swim if you want to learn. Let’s go home.”

“Awww, but I wanna pway more now!” Ahsoka pouted and had him peck her cheek, earning a giggle.

“Nope. Even I haven’t been inside the home yet! I want to see what we’re working with.” He started walking back up the small hill towards the home he could see in the distance. He had chosen a bit of an eclectic style for the building, with interior spaces planned to be like a mix of Varykino and Padmé’s apartment at 500 Republica. It was a many-level building where each of the dozen bedrooms had floor-to-ceiling windows that could be dimmed not only to blackout the room at night, but also for privacy from the outside world.

They all enjoyed the day and Anakin allowed everyone to pick their own rooms, before taking the kids for the Force lessons once more inside the inner courtyard. Shmi spent her own time learning from a teaching droid, much like the kids would be once they started on a regular schedule. She did not want to be a freeloader for her own son. She had skills that could be useful, so she wanted to see what else she could branch out into.

-]|[-

Almost a year had passed since they all had relocated to Naboo. All of them had grown by leaps and bounds over that time. For Anakin himself, just being around his family, found and otherwise, had done much to heal the remaining scabs on his soul. He loved each and every member of his little family and, for the first time in his life, didn’t feel like one person was his entire world. Oh, he missed his wife for sure. He wanted her back. But if this Anakin had been present when Palpatine had tried to kark with his mind, he would have laughed at the manipulation. He was much more… grounded now.

The kids had taken to the Force like Mon Cals to water, as he had expected and planned for. Already, their skills both with the Force and with their training lightsabers were leaps and bounds beyond normal the Padawans he remembered from his own time at the temple. Ani in particular could utilize Force Push at a level that he felt would overwhelm many Jedi Knights. He was learning even faster than Anakin himself had, partially because Anakin knew how to properly train him.

For as much as he had loved Obi-Wan, he hadn’t been lying when he had said that the man was the wrong master for the wrong Padawan. No one in that temple could really have taught Anakin properly, though some would have done a much better job than others.

They had mastered all of the skills he had taught them, the most important of which was the ability to cloak themselves. He didn’t want any Jedi or worse, Palpatine sniffing around his kids. All of them could keep their own potential masterfully masked, and he had not been satisfied until even he could barely sense them unless they wished him to. And he suspected it was only the bonds he had with all of them that allowed him to do it.

This had a rather amusing side effect: that being that Ahsoka loved ‘hunting’ him and trying to surprise him. Those sharp, little teeth hurt on the few occasions she had managed to catch him not paying attention, and he had to teach her not to gnaw on all of them.

He loved his little gremlin.

And the four were as thick as thieves too. They had bonded with one another even more than they had bonded with him. They did practically everything together, pushing each other to greater heights. Soon enough, he was even going to feel comfortable enough to allow them to finally build their own lightsabers.

And much to his amusement, his younger self was going to be drowning in estrogen when he was older. The three girls had already all but staked their claims… and only hadn’t done so yet because they were too young to even know what that meant.

He was going to leave sex ed to his mom. They didn’t pay him enough for that kriff. (He didn’t get paid at all.)

Today, they were all out in the fields. This was where they could go wild with their powers without any real risk of collateral damage. Under his watchful eye, the children were practicing their Force Pushes. He smiled lightly, seeing the visible churning of the air as the waves moved forward, making the taller grasses wiggle. “Good.” He called out, before moving them towards the Shaaks so that they could practice their beast taming. Ahsoka was an absolute natural at it and could make friends with basically anything. Or at least anything she had tried it on thus far. He wasn’t about to go looking for another Krayt for her to try it on any time soon.

He watched the kids laughing in delight atop their mounts. He turned to Shmi, who was sitting on a blanket with their picnic basket. “I’m going to let the kids have some fun.”

She didn’t look too worried. She had seen how good they were with animals. “Where will you be going?” She asked curiously.

“I’m going to go do some meditation.” He replied. It had been a while since he had been through a true Alchaka routine. Most of the time he meditated, he did so by tinkering. Alchaka was more personal and much more intensive. He wandered off into the field with a wave at his mother, finding himself in a slightly rockier area with decently-sized boulders buried into the landscape.

Taking a deep breath, he assumed his stance. Immediately, the boulders in the landscape shook themselves free, lifting into the air. He closed his eyes and began to work. If the kids had been watching, they would have been awed at his speed, precision, and sheer intensity. It was practically a dance, accompanied by the Force. Strike after repetitive strike flowed from him. Had he been using the full potential of his connection to the Force, the area would have been rendered into a hellscape in moments. But this was about control. About serenity. About intensity. About improving his connection with the Force. Not about destruction.

Each burst of Force from his body was tightly controlled. Intense, but controlled. He was beginning to sweat heavily, a sheen brightening his skin. His breathing was still even and the boulders surrounding him didn’t so much as waver, not even when he leapt atop one and continued to fight his invisible enemy. Hop after precise hop, punch after intense punch, kick after forceful kick, he worked his muscles until they were screaming from the exertion.

And throughout it all, he began to sense that he had attracted an audience. Something that would have annoyed many Jedi Masters, who felt such a thing was too personal to do in groups or be witnessed. Even Obi-Wan had been mildly irritated when Bail Organa had witnessed him practicing. But for Anakin who knew this signature like the back of his hand, it became an opportunity he hadn’t expected or planned for.

Smiling, he somersaulted off his boulder and landed back in the grass. He let out a slow, drawn-out exhale as he finished his routine. The boulders returned to their proper places in the soil once more. He took in a deep breath and finally opened his eyes.

Padmé Naberrie and her sister Sola both clapped excitedly, their faces flushed. The two sisters had been on a walk through the fields with a picnic basket of their own. Padmé had been stressing out hard lately, what with her studies as well as her campaigning for the election at the end of the year. She needed a break. And so her beloved sister decided that it was the perfect day to go have a picnic near the waterfalls. And the two sisters knew it to be the right decision when they saw the specimen on display. Padmé was just at that age when she was starting to really notice boys, and Sola had been there for years already.

Both sisters thought he was the most handsome boy they had ever seen.

“That was amazing!” Padmé called out.

“Thank you!” Anakin called back, giving Padmé his signature grin and bowing playfully. Both of them blushed in response and started to walk forward. “Anakin.” He introduced himself, “Anakin Skywalker.”

“I’m Padmé Naberrie.” Padmé introduced herself shyly. “This is my sister Sola.”

“It’s nice to meet you, cutie.” Sola winked at him.

He chuckled, “The pleasure is all mine.” He offered Sola his hand and kissed her knuckles when she accepted. Her bravado vanished and she blushed brightly, biting her lip. And then he did the same with Padmé, and it was like a tiny shock ran through their hands. He repeated his action as her breath hitched, before smiling at her, “My, I didn’t expect to find another Force Sensitive here.”

“What?!” They both blurted, their eyes going wide.

“Oh, did you not know?” He asked ‘inquisitively.’ He chuckled at her shock.

“That’s impossible!” Padmé sputtered.

Sola agreed, “Padmé was measured when she was born.” She protested, “As all Nabooans are. Her Midichlorian counts were only just above average.”

Anakin smiled at them again, “And I suppose that no droid or piece of equipment has ever malfunctioned before?” He asked playfully. They giggled nervously in response, taking a look at one another. “My senses don’t lie. I can prove it to you if you can bring yourself to trust me.” He said gently. Padmé bit her lip, before nodding minutely. “Close your eyes.” He said gently, hypnotically. She followed his instructions under her older sister’s watchful and slightly-worried gaze, “Now… feel.” He said, the word reverberating in her mind as he coaxed her to feel the Force.

Watching her have the same reaction to the Force that the kids had one year ago brought a smile to his face. “O-Oh!” She breathed out, feeling like she had been born a second time.

He smiled, “Hold out your hand.” He instructed, moving around her and lightly moving her arm. “Feel the boulder in front of you.” His Force entwined with hers, helping her direct it. “Now lift.”

“But it’s too heavy!” She protested, almost falling away from the trance.

“Weight matters not.” Anakin assured her, “You can do it, Padmé. You have more than enough strength for this.” She bit her lip again, before the boulder wobbled and slowly floated into the air. “Open your eyes.”

She did so, gasping as she witnessed the floating boulder gently before her. The shock was so great that she lost focus, dropping the huge rock.

Anakin’s hand snapped out and he caught it, gently lowering it back down. “So… how do you feel?” He grinned at her.

“Like…” She paused, not really having words for what she felt. “Like everything that came before and everything that will come after are two different lives lived.” She was exhilarated.

“That was AMAZING!” Sola hugged her sister, “Oh, I’m so proud, little sister!” Padmé laughed wetly and hugged her back. She smiled at Anakin, “Do you think she could be a Jedi?” She asked eagerly.

“No.” That one word brought them crashing down. And then Anakin made it worse, “And honestly, you should be glad she fell through the cracks.”

“What?” Padmé blurted, “But being a Jedi is a great honor!”

Anakin shook his head, “That was true once. Long ago.” He sighed tiredly, “But no longer true today. The Jedi lost their way long ago.”

“What do you mean?” Sola demanded.

Anakin looked at her softly, “Do you love your sister?”

She reared back as though he had struck her, “Of course I do!” She said indignantly. “What kind of question is that?!”

Anakin turned to Padmé, “And you? Do you love your sister? Your parents?”

“Of course!” She frowned at him. “Again, what kind of question is that?!”

“You wouldn’t have, as a Jedi.” He informed them and watched as both of them looked like they had been punched in the gut. They looked utterly poleaxed. “In point of fact, you never would have known each other. The Jedi would have taken you away to their temple and you likely would never have seen your family again.”

“But-” Padmé protested, “But why?!”

Anakin sat and gestured for them to join him. They did so, “Every living being possesses the Force.” He told them, repeating the lessons he had given the younglings. This time though, he could give a much more advanced lesson than he had given them. “Everything from the lowliest of insects to the greatest of beasts possesses it. It is the very energy of life itself. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together. But it affects Force Sensitives like us differently than those who are Force Blind. It’s more than just being able to interact with it and perform unbelievable feats.”

“I assume this has something to do with why the Jedi would take babies from their parents?” Sola asked archly.

“Indeed it does.” Anakin nodded at her, “The Force itself is neither Good nor Evil.” He said softly, “But there is a Light Side and a Dark Side to the Force. Two halves of the same coin.”

“You mean like the Sith?” Padmé asked curiously.

“Indeed, though they were hardly the only ones to use the Dark Side.” Anakin replied, “What is important is that the Dark Side uses and is empowered by emotions. Usually negative emotions.” He told her, “Anger, fear, hatred… those are the emotions most commonly used by Dark Siders. And that is important because the Force can be likened to a mirror. It feeds you what you feed it. If you use the Force utilizing love, joy, and peace, it will fill you with those emotions. But if you feed it anger, hate, jealousy, it will-”

“Feed it back onto you.” Padmé realized, “A positive feedback loop, except in the worst way possible.”

He gave her a little clap, making her flush, “Precisely. And worse, the Dark Side can be addictive. Seductive. Those unprepared for it will drown in it. The Dark Side will control them, rather than them controlling the Dark Side. They will begin to take pleasure in hurting others.” Both of the girls flinched and exchanged worried glances. “It IS possible to use the Dark Side without falling. It’s possible to be balanced. But it is hard. It is the most difficult thing you can ever do. And because of everything I’ve told you, the Jedi fear nothing more than falling to the Dark Side.”

And here his face became sardonic. Mocking. “So the solution to it is obviously to just not feel.”

“…” The two stared at him, dumbfounded. Finally, Padmé minutely shook her head, “W-What?”

“The Jedi-” He said blandly, “-accept Force Sensitives into their order only if they are younger than five years of age (or their species equivalent) when they are discovered. They raise these younglings themselves in the temple, teaching them never to form attachments to anyone. Not even each other. Those who fail to do so are considered mavericks. They claim that they are encouraged to love the galaxy and everyone in it, but personal love is forbidden. Brotherly, parental, and even loving bonds are forbidden. Jedi must always put the galaxy and the greater good above their own happiness. They believe that love will lead to fear of losing that love. That fear will turn to anger. That anger will turn to hate.”

“That is NONSENSE!” Padmé and Sola both yelled, their faces reddening.

“Of course it is. We’re not droids. We have emotions, and we need to be able to deal with them in a healthy manner. Something they lack. If we are meant to fall in love, we will fall in love regardless of whether others allow us to or not.”

“And because it’s forbidden, you would either have to hide it, or you would have no support for it. If something happens to their love, they will be alone.” Sola paled.

“Exactly.” Anakin sighed, “And it gets worse. Those who fail to leave their emotions behind are not given the right to become Jedi. They get sent to the Agri Corps instead, once they’re thirteen. They age out, essentially. The Jedi claim the other Jedi are their family, but when one of them dies, they have no grief counselling at all. After all, their friend or sibling/parent-in-all-but-name became one with the Force. They’re always with you. You just have to let them go.”

“That’s-” Padmé wanted to tear her hair out. “This can’t possibly be true! The Jedi are respected around the galaxy!”

“And yet feared or simply not understood as well. Many who meet Jedi are weirded out by them, are they not? How they feel so… placid and expressionless.” Anakin countered, “I need nothing more than to recite their Code to you. You can look it up yourself if you wish, if you don’t believe me.”

Sola swallowed, “Tell us.”

Anakin took a deep breath and recited it. “There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force.”

The two young women simply stared at him. He could see Mt. Padmé boiling. “That is WRONG!” She said passionately. “Those children are not being given a choice!” She hissed, “And even if they wanted to leave, they don’t know anything else! They have no connections at all outside of the Order! That isn’t a choice at all! No one would be a Jedi if they knew and understood what it required ahead of time!”

“Wrong.” Anakin said, “It’s why I’m so glad we fell through the cracks. The Jedi don’t steal children per say, but they do everything in their power to get parents to give them up. They don’t just take no for an answer. They’ll first try to convince and then frighten the parents into giving them up, explaining what could happen if they fall to the Dark Side. Usually they win and get to take the child to indoctrinate them into their ways.”

“That is horrid.” Sola was glaring at nothing.

“And it’s even worse, because love is the only buoy one has against the Dark Side.” Anakin stated, “It is the ONLY way to keep yourself from drowning in it if you fall. The Jedi teach their younglings to embrace peace and harmony. Even their meditation involves it. The Jedi are taught to focus on their emotions and then let them go into the Force. The goal is to be an empty vessel that the Force can fill with peace, serenity, and passivity.” He said, snorting derisively, “But you don’t counter hate with passivity. It’s not a powerful enough emotion.”

“Of course it isn’t.” Padmé practically snarled, “The opposite of hate is love. They’re literally antonyms.”

Anakin chortled, “That they are.” He tilted his head to the side a bit, “And the saddest part is that it wasn’t always this way. A thousand years ago or more, being a Jedi truly was an honor. The Ruusan Reformations ruined the Jedi.” He sighed, “I come from a line of Jedi who left the Order in disgust hundreds of years ago. It isn’t always a direct blood line, but they would sometimes find other Force Sensitives and take them before the Jedi could.” He smiled, “It is a tradition I’ve continued. I have four younglings who live with me, three of which I rescued from slavery.”

“SLAVERY?!” Padmé yelled, gasping in horror.

“But slavery is against the law! The Republic outlawed it millennia ago!” Sola looked utterly stunned.

“If everything the Republic outlawed was actually enforced, this galaxy would be a much better place.” He said darkly. “Oh, the Core and Mid Rim worlds obey it, sure…” His eyes narrowed, “-for the most part.” He grumbled, “But the Republic doesn’t exist in the Outer Rim. Not really.”

“No.” Padmé shook her head with tears in her eyes. “No, I can’t believe that.”

Anakin looked at her sadly, “Padmé, do you know what Ryloth’s only export is?”

Padmé shook her head, as did Sola. “Twi’leks.” Anakin said heavily. “Ryloth’s only export is Twi’leks.” He watched the gamut of emotions that raced across her pretty face, “I found Aayla and Kali there. They were in a bar owned by a local Hutt gangster. They were collared and chained to the bar, serving alcohol, but only because they were too young to be dancers.” He said, sighing heavily. “They were both five.” Padmé clenched her fists so hard they began to shake. “I went to Tatooine next and saved Anakin and his mother. Neither had collars, but that didn’t mean they were free. No, on Tatooine they used surgically implanted bombs instead.”

Sola lost her battle with her horror and turned, vomiting onto the grass. Padmé was made of sterner stuff and held it in. But the utter fury on her face was plain to see, and the maelstrom of dark energy of the Force surrounding her was dangerous. The grass around them was whipping. Anakin snapped into action, his own much more powerful and trained abilities drowning hers out and suppressing her burgeoning gifts. “Calm, my dear. Shhhhh. Deep breaths.”

Padmé took several moments to fully calm down and was suddenly very tired. “…I see what you meant about the Force being a mirror.” She said quietly.

“Exactly.” He smiled gently at her.

“It has to stop.” She said quietly.

“It does.” Anakin replied, “And it’s my dream to end slavery for good.”

She smiled at him again, finally, “A good dream. A worthy dream.” She said softly, “I wish I could help.”

He grinned at her. Who said she couldn’t? “Which is the perfect segue, I suppose. Become my student. I will teach you how to control the Force. The whole universe will open up to you once you master your abilities.”

Padmé was excited for it despite her loss of control. Sola was a bit more reticent. “Padmé, you have a lot more studying to do.” She said, reminding her sister of the election coming up.

“Ah… right.”

Anakin chuckled, “As much as I disagree with the Jedi, they have a point in trying to force the issue to teach the children. An untrained Force user can be dangerous.” He said, “On a peaceful world like Naboo, it’s unlikely that Padmé would have run into a situation that pushed her to her physical or emotional limits. But if she ever does lose control, like she almost did now? Well, with the amount of power I sense from her…” He turned his torso to one of the boulders and raised his hand, lifting it up into the sky. He then clenched his fist, and the boulder shattered into not smaller rocks, but straight sand. Padmé and Sola became so pale he was actually worried they were going to pass out. He hurried to smile at them, “And it’s not all bad. There are many benefits. Longer life. Better health. Increased learning speed and better retention.” He listed off idly. “It will exhaust you, sure. But it’ll be more than worth it.”

“I’ll do it.” Padmé smiled at him, her color returning. In fact, she was blushing slightly, happy to have a reason to get to know him.

“Excellent.” He smiled and stood up. He offered her a hand and pulled her to her feet before doing the same for Sola. “Come on. Let me introduce you to the family.”

Sola giggled lightly, “Lead the way, Anakin.” As they started to follow him, she leaned towards her little sister, “Someone has a crush.” She sang quietly.

“Solaaaaa!” Padmé whined, her flush growing even deeper.

-]|[-

“Hey everyone!” Anakin called out, drawing their attention. “Meet Padmé and Sola.” He introduced them.

“Hello!” All of them called out, before Ahsoka ran up. “Wooooow, you both are really pretty!” She smiled at them.

‘So cute!’ The sisters mentally squealed, “So are you, little one.” Padmé leaned over and put her hands on her knees. Ahsoka giggled and quickly hugged the two of them before running off. “She’s adorable.” Padmé gushed, before turning over to Anakin, “How could anyone-”

Anakin cut her off with a shake of his head, “Not her. She was the only one who wasn’t.” Turning to the others, Anakin called out, “Don’t be shy. You’ll be seeing a lot more of Padmé and Sola from now on.”

“Oh?” Shmi walked up and offered the sisters a smile, “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Shmi Skywalker.”

“Oh, you must be Anakin’s mother.” Sola exclaimed, “You must be very proud of him. He’s a perfect gentleman.”

And here was where their cover story was going to come in. Shmi smiled sadly, “I’m afraid I can’t take credit for raising him.” She murmured softly, and Anakin put a hand on her shoulder. The smiles on Padmé and Sola’s faces disappeared, and Ani started to look really confused. “I was… captured by the slavers long ago. I think they… did things to me. I can’t even remember having him…”

“Mom?!” Ani gasped in shock, “Wait, is big brother really my big brother?!”

Shmi teared up and nodded. “I… I thought you and him looked too much alike to be a coincidence, Ani. I didn’t think it was really true, but Anakin tested us just to be sure. We matched. I… I always knew I was going to name my first child Anakin. I guess I just… did it twice.” She let out a tear before kneeling down. “I’m sorry for not telling you sooner, Ani. We… we only found out recently. We were still in… shock about it.”

Ani burst into tears and hugged his mother and ‘big brother.’

“By the Force, I’m so sorry.” Padmé wanted to cry, and Sola felt like shoving her whole foot down her own throat.

Shmi shook her head. “Not your fault. I’m just… so happy that all of us are free now. Anakin was even the one who saved us from that life. I’m just so relieved that he’s such a good boy.” Anakin blushed despite himself.

“Boy?” Sola raised an eyebrow, “How old are you, Anakin?”

“Fifteen now.” Anakin replied and Sola’s jaw dropped.

“What the kriff?! I’m older than you?! You’re only two years older than Padmé?!” She gasped.

“What a shocker.” Padmé looked dumbfounded but also pleased.

“Mhm.” He chuckled. “I get that a lot.” He teased her. “And Anakin Two is six!” He pointed at his mini-me.

Padmé looked like she had a brain freeze, “…How confusing does that get?” She asked Shmi, grinning.

“Very.” Shmi deadpanned.

Anakin then turned to the kids, “Anyway, say hello to your new fellow student.” He grinned, “Turns out Padmé here fell through the cracks. She’s just as Force Sensitive as the four of you are.”

The four gasped, “YAY! NEW FRIEND!” Ahsoka cheered. Padmé giggled at her excitement.

“Oooh, you’re going to love it!” Kali beamed at her.

“The Force is so much fun!” Aayla threw in.

“And the cool abilities are so wizard!” Came from Ani.

Padmé smiled, “What’s the coolest ability Anakin has shown you all?”

“FORCE LIGHTNING!” The four of them yelled at once.

Sola’s eyes widened, “Wait… that doesn’t mean what I think it means, does it?”

“Depends.” Anakin grinned, “What do you think it means?”

“You can summon a lightning bolt from the sky!” Sola exclaimed.

“Ha!” Anakin laughed, “No. Force Lightning is a Dark Side ability that allows you to produce lightning from within your body and shoot it out.”

“Dark Side?!” Padmé and Sola gasped.

“Mhm.” He nodded, “I’m one of the few who can use it without being corrupted.” He said proudly. “Watch.” He raised his hand to the air away from everyone and channeled the Dark Side. Black lightning wreathed in a golden aura shot from his fingers into the sky.

Padmé and Sola merely gaped as the kids cheered. He cut off the power and bowed, “Thank you, thank you, I’ll be here all day.”

“How powerful is it?” Padmé blurted out before she could help herself.

“Big brother used it to kill a Krayt Dragon back on Tatooine after he rescued us.” Ani bragged on his big bro’s behalf.

“No, it was a Greater Krayt Dragon, Ani!” Aayla nudged him.

“Yeah, they’re much bigger!” Kali said.

“…Dare I ask how big?” Sola asked with some trepidation.

“The Greater ones grow up to a hundred meters.” Anakin grinned evilly.

The sisters adjusted their perception of him. He wasn’t just a specimen. He was a specimen.

He clapped lightly, “Anyway, unless anyone has any objections, it’s time to start training Padmé.” And the eagerness on her face was back.

“You have fun.” Sola nudged her sister, “I’ll talk with Shmi.” She pressed her lips to her sister’s cheek.

“What will we be doing?” Padmé asked him eagerly.

“First, we will teach you how to touch the Force on your own.” Anakin explained, “When you did it earlier, I used my own abilities to bring you to that state. Once you begin to use the Force under your own power, I will teach you the most important skill that you will have for the next several years.”

“Okay, and that is?” Padmé asked curiously.

“Force Cloaking.” Anakin replied, “There are many in the galaxy who wouldn’t hesitate to use a Force Sensitive for their own nefarious ends. Force Cloaking will enable you to hide the fact that you are Force Sensitive at all, until you are trained enough to be able to defend yourself.”

Worry crossed her face, before she bowed to him, “I’m in your care then, Anakin.” She said softly.

“Let us begin, then.” Anakin smiled gently at her, “Unlike my little gremlins here-”

“Hey!” They yelled indignantly.

“I sense that you will be comfortable with regular meditation.” He grinned cheekily at them. “So sit and cross your legs.” He did so and she mimicked him. “And now close your eyes and relax. Breathe slowly and deliberately. Think not of your worries for the day or of tomorrow. Simply reach for the Force. Feel the world around you with more than your senses.” The younglings did so as well. Ani had the most amount of trouble doing so, but after a year, even he could do it in a place like this.

He chuckled inwardly as the thought suddenly struck him that there was more Force Potential in this clearing than in the entire Council Chamber of the Jedi on Coruscant. “Remember, you are one with the Force, and the Force is with you.”

Something seemed to click for Padmé, and to Anakin’s surprise, she began to float into the air of her own accord. Anakin’s jaw dropped slightly as she entirely bypassed the basic form of meditation and went straight into a more advanced version of the technique. ‘That’s my girl.’ The thought rippled through his mind before he could stop it. Thankfully, he didn’t project it outward. Smiling, he closed his eyes and lifted into the air as well. The kids didn’t want to be left out and did so too.

They were in their own little world as they explored the Force. Anakin sent tendrils out to all of them, embracing them with the Force. Padmé immediately reciprocated, albeit more roughly and hesitantly. The two of them nearly fell as a tight Force Bond erupted between them. The shock was almost enough to jar Anakin from his concentration. Padmé did jar, and he had to catch her and soothe her back into her trance. Still, he was shocked. Their bond had just formed and yet it was as strong and durable as the ones he had with the kids.

More than anything, it showed him how foolish the Jedi were to deny this. This was what the Force was about. Not passivity masked as serenity. True serenity.

Anakin wanted to see how far he could push her right now. He started lifting small rocks about the size of a person’s head into the air before gently spreading them around. The kids were able to capture them immediately, though Padmé was not. Slowly, he coaxed her into catching the rocks on her own and soon, dozens of them were floating around all of them, exchanging figurative hands and orbiting around all of them.  

Down below, Sola and Shmi watched with some awe. “This is… incredible.” Sola said with a small bit of jealousy. “I never imagined…”

Shmi let out a little chuckle, “Everyone in our family is. My Anakin sure knows how to pick them.”

“Do you have any idea how they compare to the Jedi?” Sola asked quietly.

“Just what Anakin has told me.” The mother replied, “He’s… he’s the strongest Force user to ever live… at least if what he’s told me is true. Ani is the second. Anakin’s Midichlorian count is 35000. Ani’s is 27000. Most Jedi don’t even have half of Anakin’s. The strength of their connection with the Force can barely be understood…”

“Wow…” Sola breathed out.

“I worry for them.” Shmi said softly, “Worry… but I’m so, so proud.”

“Yeah.” Sola smiled and reached over to grab her hand, “You may not… remember… but you’ve made two wonderful sons.” She grinned a little evilly, “I can’t wait to see what his and Padmé’s babies look like.” Shmi almost choked and had to cover it up with a laugh.

-]|[-

The year passed quickly after that. What little social life Padmé had before meeting Anakin evaporated like the morning dew once she began training with the Force in earnest. She moved away from many of her older friends. The only one she still spent any time with now was Sabé, who was actually one of her opponents this election.

With her potential, equally high as Ahsoka, Aayla, and Kali’s, she soon caught up to the younger kids. She could process the information faster than they could and understand it better. Her lightsaber skills were a bit lacking in comparison, but her actual Force powers progressed rapidly. They even learned that she possessed the ultra-rare skills of Battle Meditation. Even Anakin himself didn’t have that.

She wasn’t the only one with a rare skill though. Aayla, to his surprise, developed the same Psychometry skill Quinlan Vos had in the original timeline. It was another case where something in this timeline didn’t match what Anakin expected.

Ani was the one that really shocked him though. One day, he realized that his first PROXY prototype had been upgraded heavily. His power output and therefore strength and agility had increased dramatically from one day to the next. When he asked PROXY, the droid had told him that Ani had been tinkering and had upgraded him.

Now, Anakin himself was good with technology. He had built C3PO when he was nine. This? This was far beyond that. The output of the power core Ani had created and installed was quintuple the output of the old core, and more importantly… it teemed with the Force somehow.

Unless Anakin very much missed his guess, his younger self had somehow recreated a Force-damned Rakatan Power Core. Or at least something that was approaching it in equivalence.

Anakin was good with technology. Ani was a wizard.

But that was for future musing. Padmé had progressed quickly with her Force Abilities, though she struggled with some aspects that were easier for children to learn. She also didn’t have the same amount of time to dedicate to her training as the kids did. She was on the campaign trail more and more as the year went on, and she still had her regular studies to worry about.

She was perpetually exhausted as the planet continued to spin onwards, and if it wasn’t for the Force itself, she doubtlessly would have already had a breakdown. Anakin had to sit on her heavily when he discovered that she was starting to try to sustain herself via solely the Force. Without Midichlorian Manipulation, that was impossible. It only took one narrowly-avoided crash out for Padmé to understand that the Force was no substitute for actual sleep and food.

He and Padmé also got close to each other. In some ways, he was closer to this Padmé than he was to his wife in the previous timeline. There was just something about not being at war without seeing one another for months on end that allowed relationships to deepen.

Yes, he was a bit bitter.

Padmé wasn’t his Padmé, and he knew she likely never would be. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t flowering beautifully. With his guidance, she would be a much stronger, more confident Queen than she had been in the previous timeline. It took some effort, but he also worked hard to coax her away from some of her pacifistic views. He also planted the seeds of doubt against the Republic. It was difficult but it wasn’t like what he was telling her wasn’t true. She was still incredibly idealistic… but he was pushing her away from her childish naivety. He just hoped that it wouldn’t prevent her election. Without the Trade Federation’s impending invasion, the planet as a whole was incredibly naïve.

Thankfully, he didn’t manage to derail the timeline that much. The time for the elections came and Anakin dutifully voted for his Queen. The Skywalkers and the Naberrie were all at Varykino the night of the election. Everyone but Anakin was nervous as the results were tallied. And finally, in the twilight hours of the night, the announcement came in.

BREAKING NEWS: QUEEN SANANDRASSA OUSTED! LONG LIVE PRINCESS OF THEED: AMIDALA!

The room erupted into cheering as Padmé began to cry in relief and elation, flinging herself into her parents’ arms. “Padmé won! Padmé won!” Ani, Aayla, Ahsoka, and Kali cheered. Sola joined the family hug as well.

With a beaming grin on her face, Padmé hugged Shmi, Ani, Aayla, Ahsoka, and Kali in turn. As she turned to Anakin, he congratulated her. “I knew you could do it.” he said softly as she leapt into his arms, hugging the life out of him. “Congratulations, Padmé.”

“Thank you, Ani.” She breathed his scent in. “I… I don’t know if I could have-”

“You absolutely could.” Anakin interrupted her. “You would have been elected regardless of whether you met us or not. You are amazing and the best candidate around.”

She swallowed back a happy sob, before grabbing his hand and dragging him away. He had a bemused look on his face. Sola had a knowing grin on hers as her sister dragged Anakin into some privacy. Their father had an ‘oh no.’ look on his face and stomped after them. Sola and his wife quickly grabbed his wrists and forced him back onto the sofa.

As soon as they were in private, Padmé gathered her courage, whirled around, and kissed him. Despite having suspected it was coming since she dragged him away, it still surprised him. He pulled back in his surprise, and she instantly wilted, all the good feelings vanishing. Her bottom lip quivered, “I’m sorry-”

He couldn’t have that. He cupped her cheek and pressed his lips to hers. She melted against him in relief and kissed him harder. Eventually, they separated for air, and Anakin gently embraced her. She rested her head against his chest as he gently ran his fingers through her chocolate locks.

As elated as he was over this, he also knew he had to tread carefully. It was easy to forget how young she happened to be with how wise and mature she was. He knew that one day, he would have to share his origins with her and that it could become a breaking point for them. “As happy as this makes me…” He sighed and she stiffened.

She pulled away but not entirely, “Do you not…”

“No, I do. Believe me, Padmé, I’d like nothing more.” He said softly.

“Then why?” Her eyes moistened a little.

“Well, for one, you’re a little young.” He smiled playfully. Right. ‘Little.’

She rolled her eyes, “You’re only two years older than me, jerk.”

He chuckled and deflected, “More importantly, you’re Princess of Theed now, Padmé. Soon, you will be Queen. You will be incredibly busy in the coming months. And I’m your Master in the Force. There’s a power imbalance.”

She frowned, “You’re… not wrong.”

“I want to be very clear here…” He said, “This isn’t a ‘no.’ It’s, ‘We should wait.’ Because I’m willing to wait for you forever.” He gently caressed their bond with the force.

She took a deep breath. “Then just for tonight.” She whispered.

“Just for tonight.” He agreed, before their lips met once again.

…

“How did it go?” Sola asked eagerly once everyone had either gone home or to bed.

Padmé smiled with a tinge of melancholy. “We made a promise.”

“A promise?” Sola asked in surprise.

She nodded, “He… pointed out that we both have… duties and obligations.” She sighed, “And that as my teacher, he has power over me. We’re… committing to each other but aren’t together yet.”

“Ah.” Sola looked sad for her. “I’m sorry things didn’t go your way tonight, baby sis.”

Padmé grinned, “That’s Queen Baby Sis to you.” The two of them giggled. “I’m not happy.” She said after a moment, “But I am satisfied. I can feel what he feels about me. I’m his and he’s mine. I just… need to have some patience.” She finished with a pout.

“Well good thing you have plenty of that.” Sola snarked. “Well then, it is my civic duty as your sister to make sure you know how to drive him wild with desire until he gives in.” The two erupted into giggles.

-]|[-

They accelerated Padmé’s training as much as they could prior to her coronation. With the increased amount of time she had available, she was able to progress rapidly in her training with a lightsaber. To Anakin’s surprise, she never felt quite comfortable with any of the forms he tried to teach her. She kept saying that something felt off. Regardless, she was diligent and a hard worker and rapidly improved despite her discomfort.

He also talked to her about some of her plans for when she was Queen and immediately had to talk her down from introducing term limits. It surprised her, but Anakin was able to convince her that it would just make her look weak. He also reminded her that Dynasty formation was something provisioned for in their Constitution.

It took some arguing, but Padmé agreed to implement the term limits at the end of her reign, rather than at the beginning. He would just have to persuade her otherwise. Months passed as her predecessor’s reign ended, and Padmé was finally crowned Queen Amidala in 968 ARR.

Now, Anakin actually didn’t know all that much about what had led to the Invasion of Naboo. Oh, he knew that Sidious and his master Plagueis had their grubby mitts over it and he was well aware of the general events that led up to it, but he didn’t know specifics. He didn’t know what specific events had shaped the increase of tensions that led to the Trade Federation falling under Sidious’s sway. It had never truly interested him, before or after Darth Vader. And so, he just let Padmé do her thing and advised her where requested.

Their first act was to move into the Palace at Theed. Anakin accompanied her both as an advisor and as head of security. This immediately led to a minor conflict with Quarsh Panaka, whom he had never really liked. The man had been incredibly loyal to Palpatine and Anakin actually suspected that he was the reason Palpatine had even known he and Padmé were married. That was something that neither he nor Padmé had shared with the man with how leak-prone his office seemed to be.

It was rather amusing, actually, watching the older man squawk in outrage that he was being sidelined for a teenager. Panaka almost got himself dismissed when he angered Padmé with one of his comments. In the end, Anakin took over and started to train the defense forces and the handmaidens especially. He used Midichlorian Manipulation on all of Padmé’s prospective doubles, raising their Force Potential to the level of Jedi dropouts. Not enough to truly use the Force, but enough to dramatically increase their capabilities.

Even Panaka was forced to concede defeat when the handmaidens proved capable of outshooting, outflying, and reacting to danger far faster than any of the men he trained himself could after only a month.

He was tempted to raise Sabé’s potential further as well as the young woman was Padmé’s best friend, but he held off. Padmé herself was so skilled with a blaster that she could be mistaken for a Mandalorian. She became close friends with all her fellow young ladies, and Anakin could tell how much fun they had trolling one another and others when one of them took up the role of Queen Amidala so Padmé could have a break.

This time, it was Anakin’s turn to work himself to exhaustion. After all, he had his younglings he needed to see and train, so he was constantly going back and forth between the Palace in Theed and his home near Varykino. And that was without even considering the times he would need to leave Naboo to ensure the shipyard construction was going well. He also had to map out new, secret Hyperlanes in order to have secure locations to actually build his future fleet. It was rewarding work, but kriff if it wasn’t utterly exhausting. If it wasn’t for the PROXY droids he probably would have lost it, but they were more than good enough now to pretend to be him at the palace.

Padmé worked diligently to start dismantling the disastrous policies of her predecessor. Sanandrassa had been an isolationist Queen who had neglected Naboo’s neighbors in the Chommell sector and weakened the ties between the planets. The most impactful consequence of this was the negative effect on Naboo’s food supply. Naboo had its own agriculture, of course, but not enough to supply food for the entire population. That meant that they relied heavily on trade to supplement their food supplies. This particular bit of idiocy meant that Naboo’s population was in danger of starvation if they were ever cut off from the wider galaxy. And Queen Sanandrassa had only managed to make this worse.

Padmé’s first order of business was immediately making overtures to the other worlds of the Chommell Sector, hoping to restore diplomatic ties and alliances with them. Unfortunately, Queen Sanandrassa had seriously angered the rest of the Sector with her policies, and Padmé saw little success initially. As the food supplies began to seriously worry her, she called for a Summit to take place between the worlds of the Chommell Sector.

It angered Anakin slightly as he saw how little respect the other worlds had for his darling Queen. Most of the worlds’ leaders refused the invitation, sending governors instead, or worse, attending by hologram. Two planets even tried to insult her by sending their children, though they only succeeded in amusing Padmé who figured the children would be more amenable than their parents. She was a young Queen herself, after all. Only one other world actually had a leader visit in person, which Padmé was thankful and gracious about.

Now, while Anakin didn’t know specifics about these events, he did know dates. And the Naboo Invasion was rapidly approaching, caused by, he figured, this Summit. It made sense when he thought about it. A weak Naboo suited Palpatine far more than a strong Naboo. And so, when Padmé called Palpatine to inform him of the upcoming Summit, Anakin felt that disturbance in the Force he had been anticipating.

-]|[-

Welp, hope you guys enjoyed this one! More than you apparently liked the Darth Padmé one shot. I think that was the last amount of comments I’ve ever gotten on here.

I think that this is how I’m going to work from now on. Whenever my muse fixates on something I’m going to ride it as long as possible. If I only have one story or series to post for, then I’ll do that. If I have multiple, I’ll just alternate until I run out of one. As is, I have four more complete chapters ready for this story.

Anyway, hope you liked the little explanation for the sheer number of Pearls that they found. I also recognize that there was a little bit of overlap in two of the sections (the teaching the kids and Padmé about the Force sections) but it was kinda necessary to have it that way. Also, HA, Padmé was the one with the crush this time. I did have Anakin pump the brakes on that, kind of by necessity. He’s not going to start a real relationship with her until she knows for sure what she’s getting into and who he really is.

Now, for this story, I WILL be taking from both Disney and Legends and also will straight up change dates and events as needed if it suits my purposes.

Anyway, once again, hope you enjoyed! Leave a comment lol. (And reminder, no chapter on the first. We’re updating on every Wednesday I have something to post on.)