Obi-Wan emerges from the snow, flurries rising around him as he breaths in the rushing cold air. He curses under his breath, upset that a storm has started around them. It wasn't nearly this cold and windy near Dooku. Now, he can't see anything besides the blinding white flakes whipping around him. 

He squints his eyes, attempting to stare into the horizon for any sign of the lost boy.

But all he sees is white so bright that it hurts to look at.

He can sense Anakin. He's nearby, his force signature vibrant. 

"I know you're out there!" Obi-Wan shouts over the wind, upset that he has to make his presence known. "Show yourself, Anakin!" He demands, tightening his fists to restrain himself from completely giving in to his anger.

He begins to spin, scanning for any signs of his padawan. Still, he sees nothing but cold, empty white. He looks for anything to identify him. Dark hair. Dark clothes. Something that gives away the boy's presence.

Where is he? 

He takes a few steps forward, slightly sinking into the growing snow that gathers around him. Though Obi-Wan is no stranger to the frozen elements, this is much more than he cares to deal with.

All of this is making him terribly upset.

Dooku keeping him a secret. The cold, unforgiving snow and wind. And now, added to the list, is Anakin.

Can't he keep his nose out of his business? This is stuff that he shouldn't be digging into.

Obi-Wan is about to shout again at the boy, but the sound of a lightsaber igniting startles him.

The blue light appears in front of him, unfortunately much closer than Obi-Wan likes. 

"What are you doing here?" Obi-Wan demands, narrowing his eyes. He cautiously walks towards the buzzing blade, scanning for his padawan. Each step he takes, he sinks deeper into the snow. Still, he can not make out Anakin in this blizzard. 

But where his lightsaber is, the boy can not be far.

"Checking up on you," Anakin says, his voice making Obi-Wan jump.

He turns, searching for where Anakin is hiding. 

Why can't Obi-Wan see him? Has he gone blind?

Anakin smirks to himself, figuring it's time to stop messing with Obi-Wan. He dramatically removes his hood, letting his dark hair give away his position. He stands between his master and his precious saber, just a few feet from both of them.

"When did you become so stealthy?" Obi-Wan snarls, his hand resting on his hip near his saber. The movement does not go unnoticed by Anakin.

"I've always been stealthy." He replies as he calls his lightsaber to his hand. "I've just been given clothing much more appropriate for this world."

Obi-Wan nods, finally able to make out the full white apparel. The boy was right in front of him the whole time and he didn't even know. This gives Obi-Wan a bit of a fright, but he swallows it down. 

Just because Anakin could hide from him means nothing of his abilities. He is still just a boy, after all. 

"So you've come to this wretched planet to check up on me, huh?" Obi-Wan says, standing more upright and adjusting his clothing. "It's a tad colder than Tatooine, isn't it?" He shouts over the wind with a sly smile.

"Only a little." Anakin shrugs, unsure where this conversation is heading. He has a list of things that he wants to say to Obi-Wan, but he's unsure how to get there. Things between them aren't quite on good terms, but they aren't necessarily bad either. 

They're just... neutral.

At least in Anakin's mind.

Judging from how he interacted with Obi-Wan on Bancar and now, there are obvious differences that only Anakin could spot. Any of the other Jedi would see him as this mad, wild sith with no care for others.

They'd pick up on his anger, which would be observable to anyone attuned with the Force. Obi-wan is harboring quite a bit, but Anakin thinks it's shifted elsewhere because the man isn't as harsh on him. It's more focused, directed at someone else.

Obi-Wan is also tense and unsteady in the Force, just as before, but it's not nearly as noticeable. Either the man has dug himself further into the dark side or he's allowed more of the light to guide him. The rumbles of fear and doubt are just subtle enough to perk Anakin's attention. 

"You've seen me now." Obi-Wan exasperates, tossing his arms out to the side. He tilts his head, keeping his eyes locked with Anakin's. "Anything else to add before you head back to the Temple where you belong?"

"I've come to warn you," Anakin calls back, bringing his hood up to protect his face from the wind.

Obi-Wan, now able to make out Anakin's winter camouflage, follows his actions with his eyes. "Warn me of what? This kriffing storm?"

"The Council has sent Jedi out here to kill you," Anakin says, ignoring Obi-Wan's sarcastic comment. 

That statement hurts Obi-Wan much more than he thought they would. All of his life, he's grown up in the Temple. The Jedi sent to kill him have probably known him since they were young. 

The idea of fighting off people he used to protect and laugh with stings.

"Great. Thanks for the warning." Obi-Wan waves away in an attempt to play off his pain. Rather than address it, he redirects it as Dooku taught him. He narrows his eyes, feeling himself getting more agitated as the seconds pass. 

Anakin rolls his eyes. "That's it?"

"What do you want me to say?" Obi-Wan fires back. "That I can't wait to show them how powerful I've become now that I've allowed the dark side into my life?"

"No." Anakin snaps. He thought that Obi-Wan would be grateful, maybe even be a little proud that he risked his life to come here. Maybe he would even get a chance to show him how much he's grown as a Jedi, or just matured in general. 

"Do I need to give you a reason to stay away from me?" Obi-Wan suddenly asks, igniting his vibrant red blade. It lets out a loud hum as he swings it to hold it in a wide stance. The move makes Anakin hesitate, stepping back. "Because I'm not afraid to harm you if necessary." 

"What are you going to do?" Anakin scoffs, pain evident in his voice. "Kill me?"

Obi-Wan immediately shakes his head. "No. But if I need to chop off a limb or two to keep you away from me, then that's what I have to do."

Anakin growls, igniting his own blue blade. "Dooku's already beaten you to one of my arms."

"Don't worry, I've heard plenty about it." Obi-Wan chuckles as he slowly begins to make his way closer to Anakin. "He scolded me about how I didn't train you to be humble. He claims that you were too full of arrogance and that's what led you to lose."

Anakin doesn't respond. The old fool might be right on that. 

"Just leave, Anakin," Obi-Wan says, his voice giving away his exhaustion with the conversation. "There isn't anything here for you."

"Or you." He replies back, tightening his grip on the lightsaber. He feels his heart beginning to pound in his chest as the two of them begin to circle each other, waiting for the other to strike. "You're on the wrong side of this war. Come back into the light."

"I'm on the wrong side?" Obi-Wan scoffs before swinging at Anakin. The boy steps back and deflects the buzzing red blade with his blue one. "The Jedi Council shouldn't have gotten involved with this war to begin with. They have no business dealing with these politicians and leading armies."

"They wouldn't need armies if the Separatists would stop destroying planets to get what they want."

"Oh, and the Republic has caused no damage to a single planet ever?" Obi-Wan fires back, his rising rage making his face scrunch in the most awful way. Anakin swipes his lightsaber at him, causing Obi-Wan to parry.

"We're saving innocents!" Anakin shouts. He can't believe how blinded Obi-Wan has become. Can he not see the death that the Separatists are bringing with each battalion of droids? Does he not hear the cries of the civilians who have been caught in the middle of it all?

"By sacrificing innocents!" Obi-Wan exclaims as he slides underneath Anakin's sweeping blue blade. "Those men, the clones that you send off to fight your war. Don't they deserve a better life than to be sent to the slaughter?"

This makes Anakin pause, the idea now placed in his mind. He cares deeply for the clones, especially Captain Rex. He has thought greatly about how to keep them safe while in battle but has never looked at the starting point for them. They've never gotten a say in whether they want to fight in this war or not. 

"We use droids to fight," Obi-Wan says, his voice a bit softer than before. "The Republic and the Jedi Council are the real monsters for allowing their creation and sole purpose to be dying on a battlefield."

Anakin tenses, not liking how easily Obi-Wan is persuading him to see the faults in the Republic and the Jedi Council.

"Have you been to Kamino?" Obi-Wan suddenly asks. Anakin doesn't respond yet Obi-Wan continues. "I have. I've seen the way they create the clones and accelerate their growth. It's unnatural and wrong. They make living, breathing beings knowing that they're going to experience the worst kinds of conditions for something they've been programmed to want. The Jedi Council claims to act with good intentions, yet they allow this horrific process to take place for their own good."

"The clones want to save defend the Republic," Anakin argues, yet he himself is not sure anymore. Is it true? Have the clones been programmed with this type of loyalty to the Republic without their knowledge?

Anakin is quickly discovering that he knows very little about the clones. He accepted a battalion with little hesitation and was eager to begin making battle plans. He knows almost nothing about how his soldiers have come into this galaxy or what the Kaminoans have done to make them just about as old as him in half the time.

He definitely doesn't like that Obi-Wan knows all of this.

"I think that you need to do some research on your army," Obi-Wan says, a smirk now growing on his face as he realizes that Anakin has been left in the dark. "You'll quickly find out that the Jedi Council has done some pretty terrible things to give you endless soldiers to kill across the entire galaxy."

"The Jedi Council isn't perfect," Anakin argues.

"No kidding." Obi-Wan laughs as he begins swinging his blade at Anakin again. The two of them take turns defending and being on offense. If they weren't in the middle of the blizzard with two different colored lightsabers, Anakin would have almost thought that they were sparring. Just as before, they know each other's actions before the move is made and react quickly enough to stop the burning blades from coming close. "If the Jedi Council wanted perfect, they would have ended your relationship with Padmé from the start."

"What did you say?" Anakin demands, his gaze quickly narrowing.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to go tattle on you to the Council." Obi-Wan chuckles as he presses Anakin's lightsaber towards the snow. Crackles are heard as the two blades begin melting the cold fluff. "It's just that it's obvious to practically the entire galaxy at this point. You two do a terrible job of hiding your feelings for each other."

"It's not like that, and you know that," Anakin growls, his anger now taking over just as Obi-Wan wanted.

He smiles, enjoying how easy it was for Anakin to give in to his emotions when Padmé became involved. "She's a very pretty woman, Anakin. I don't care that you're breaking the rules. I just thought that I would get it out of the way in case you thought it was a secret. The Jedi Council has never been impressed with you and these actions can't be helping your case."

"The only Jedi I've ever worried about impressing was Qui-Gon." Anakin fires back as he takes another hot swing at Obi-Wan. "What do you think he thinks of you right now?"

His name causes something to snap inside of Obi-Wan. "I think that he would be happy to see that I'm learning from his master. He would be proud of the power that I now have."

"Really?" Anakin scoffs. "Because I think that he would be disappointed to see that you've become the very darkness that he died fighting."

The two of them continue fighting, but no winner is decided. Anakin finds himself conflicted over the whole ordeal with the clones and his marriage with Padmé. Obi-Wan's blade doesn't leave a mark on him, but his words have.

Before he gets a chance to recognize how clouded his thoughts have become, Obi-Wan practically disappears into thin air. Anakin finds himself spinning in circles looking for him, but his former master is gone again.

Anakin sighs, wiping the sweat from his forehead. As he heads back to Artoo and the ship, he worries about how this fight will change things. Does he have to be more cautious with the time that he spends with Padmé? Will he be able to do his duty as a general and send out his troops that have no choice but to fight in a war that is starting to seem endless? 

xxx

Upon leaving the fight, Obi-Wan can't help but wonder about Qui-Gon. What would he think about him? Would he be disappointed as Anakin said? It's true that Qui-Gon died trying to fight the dark side, but if he knew that Dooku had become a powerful Sith Lord, wouldn't he join him?

Qui-Gon has always spoken highly about Dooku. The only person Obi-Wan ever heard about growing up was Dooku and his strength in the Force. He would be proud of Obi-Wan for learning from him, right?

Perhaps he'd be upset at Obi-Wan for abandoning Anakin and his training. His master told him on his deathbed to train the boy, even when he wasn't a knight. And Obi-Wan tried his very best, but he believes that it was for the best that he left. Anakin needed a better master and he had to learn about the secrets of the Sith.

Qui-Gon would understand.

Right?

Obi-Wan glances over his shoulder, watching the ship that belongs to Anakin leave the planet. He decides that he needs more proof that his plan has been the right path. He will seek Anakin out again and very soon. 

xxx

Immediately upon arriving on Coruscant, Anakin decided to seek out Padmé. If there's anyone in this galaxy that understands him, it's her. Unfortunately, it seems like he's caught her at a bad time. It probably wasn't his best idea to jump straight into this topic without thinking about how to approach it with her first, too.

Padmé scoffs and rolls her eyes after listening to Anakin's recollection of the past few days. "Obi-Wan has no room to talk." She mumbles as she gathers up her papers. She taps them against her desk, lining them up neatly before placing them in a folder. 

"He's not wrong, Padmé," Anakin says, stepping towards her. "The clones are living beings. They didn't sign up for this war."

"If Obi-Wan is such a saint, then why is he on the side that kills them?" She fires back, her voice tight. "Clearly, he can acknowledge how wrong it is for us. He has morals but refuses to apply them to himself."

Anakin locks his jaw. This is a losing battle. Both sides have their flaws. This isn't as black and white as he originally thought when going into this war. "Can you make a motion in the Senate about this issue? I think that this is a problem that should be addressed."

Padmé turns, her deep brown eyes narrowing at him. "No one will approve the vote to dismiss the clones for battle. We're too far into this war. We have no one to replace them."

"Then at least give them the option," He begs, moving to grab her hand. She stiffens at his touch, anger radiating off of her. "I'm sure most of them will still want to fight, but at least let it be a choice."

She then sighs, her eyes falling to look at their intertwined hands. Her shoulders drop and she looks exhausted. "Ani, I share your feelings on this matter." She softly says. "But I'm in no position to bring this matter to the Senate. I've already lost so many allies for such ideas. I'll only lose more or make it so that the topic can't even be approached."

"Padmé, please."

"I'm sorry." She replies, pulling her hand away from his. "I can't now. But that doesn't mean I can't offer it in the future."

Anakin's face scrunches, pressure building in his chest. He feels his face flush, hot with anger. "If not now, then when? How long do you think this war is going to last?"

"You tell me!" She fires back, mirroring his abrupt emotion. "I want this to be over! I want the clones to have their freedom!" She shouts, her voice rising with their combined anger. 

Can't he see that she stands with him? That she understands everything about this war that bothers him? All-day every day, all she thinks about is how to end this war and how to help those who have been caught in the middle. 

"But as a single Senator, I am powerless."

Anakin gives his head a slight shake, walking backward to the exit. "All it takes is one voice to make a change."

Padmé swallows back a firey reply. She has much that she would like to say to retaliate against his remark, but she drops the subject. "I have a vote to plan for, Anakin. It would be best if you were to return back to the Temple."

"As you wish, Senator."

He doesn't bother bringing up that Obi-Wan knows about their relationship. 

xxx

Anakin returns to the Temple. After his talk with Padmé, he hopes to be met with higher enthusiasm from his padawan. Besides, talking about what happened while he was gone is a great way to ignore what happened on Kijimi and in Padmé's apartment.

"Snips," Anakin says, catching her in her piloting class. Her head peeks around her screen, a smile growing on her face.

"Master." She greets. Quickly, she logs out of her simulator then explains to her teacher that Anakin has requested her presence. Seeing him in the doorway, Master Jun-Fan allows Ahsoka to be dismissed.

Once they're out in the hallway, Ahsoka begins to chatter more than Anakin has ever seen. "I didn't know you were coming back today. I'm so glad to see you safe."

"I'm glad to see you too, Ahsoka," Anakin replies with a gentle smile. 

He is happy to see her, but he can't fight the hurt and confusion he feels from the former days. He thought being with her would raise his spirits, but he quickly realizes that she can't fix everything with just her smile. 

"How has training been without me around? I can't wait to see your skills in action." He teases with a shoulder bump, ignoring the hurt and confusion in his chest. 

Ahsoka furrows her face and rubs her arm in thought. "Well, it's been alright. I would have been happier training with padawans closer to my level, but I made do."

Anakin pauses, stopping in the hallway. "What do you mean?" He asks, furrowing his eyebrows. "Have you not been training with your peers as I asked?"

"Well, they are technically in my age range." She corrects, raising her finger at him. "I wouldn't consider them in my same skill set though."

"Huh?"

"Well, Caleb is only a few years younger than me. He doesn't have the same experiences as me since he doesn't have a master yet. He's never left the Temple before, but he's alright with a lightsaber."  She says, seeming to ramble.

Anakin reaches out, touching her shoulder to stop her from talking. She pauses, looking up at him. "Ahsoka, start somewhere I can pick up." He slowly says, trying to keep himself from getting upset. "What has happened? Why are you training with younglings?" 

She sighs, rolling her eyes. "Caleb's not a youngling. He just doesn't have a master yet. There is a slight difference."

"Who is this Caleb? Why aren't you training with someone like Barriss?" Anakin asks, scrambling to pick up the pieces. "I thought the two of you were friends. I thought I made it clear that I wanted you working with someone close to you so that you could actually learn."

Ahsoka looks to the side, pain evident on her face. It's not fair that she's being scolded for something that's out of her control. It's not that she didn't want to train with Barriss. It's that she wasn't even allowed within twenty feet of her.

Quickly, Anakin senses her shields going up to protect whatever else she's feeling from him. "Since you've left, everything has changed." She quietly says, but her tone carries a harsh tone. "Caleb is one of the few here who will train with me. He doesn't have a master who has scared him away."

This response takes Anakin back. "What?" He asks, his voice low.

Ahsoka's head turns with anger now taking over her face. "Because of our lineage, no one will train with me!" She shouts, her pain now evident. "Barriss has been locked to her room because of Obi-Wan. Other masters have instructed their padawans to stay away from me because I am in a lineage with not just one Sith, but two!"

Anakin's eyebrows furrow darkly and Ahsoka is almost frightened of what has become of him. "Who has been spreading this?"

"I don't know." She sighs, tossing her arms out in exasperation. "I've gone to Master Tiin, but he's done nothing about it. He said that he isn't going to tell masters how to train their padawans. Said that if they want to instruct their padawans to ignore me then there's nothing we can do."

"He's not your master, Ahsoka," Anakin says, beginning to march down the hallway. "But I am. And I will do something about it." He growls.

Ahsoka finds a grin forming on her face as she follows her master. Finally! Someone is doing something to help her. They aren't just sitting around and letting other masters walk all over her. Anakin will do something. He will make their padawans train with her!

But before any of it can happen, Master Tiin appears out of thin air.

"Anakin." He says, his voice low and strict. He heads right for her master, his hand grabbing Anakin's upper arm.

"Out of my way," Anakin grumbles, trying to shake the old master off of him. 

"What are you doing?" Maaster Tiin asks above a whisper. Though the master wears a look of calm, Ahsoka can sense the anger starting to build in him as well.

"I'm going to talk some sense into the other masters." Anakin quickly answers, his fury starting to become more than obvious. Other Jedi in the hallway turn to look. It starts to grow silent, everyone watching the scene. Ahsoka can feel their eyes on them.

"With me." Master Tiin says as he lets go of Anakin. "Now." He adds before turning around.

Both Anakin and Ahsoka obediently follow him. Ahsoka fears that they will be punished. She probably deserves it, but Anakin doesn't. He was going to do this for her. He is blameless in this situation.

Master Tiin takes them to his apartment. They are out of sight from everyone, finally able to speak in normal voices. "What is the matter with you?" Master Tiin asks, his eyes widening.

"I could ask you the same thing!" Anakin fires back, his voice booming. Ahsoka flinches at it. She has never heard her master use that tone with anyone, especially a master. "Ahsoka has been shoved aside because of something she can't control and you are doing nothing about it."

"What do you expect me to do?" Master Tiin asks, crossing his arms over his chest. "Go and demand that they let their padawans train with her?"

"Yes!" Anakin shouts, tossing his arms up. He paces around the room, clouds of anger rolling off of him so strong that Ahsoka's surprised she can't physically see them.

"Will you get a grip?" Master Tiin asks, shaking his head at him. "I refuse to believe that Master Kenobi trained you to act this way. You are letting your emotions control you."

Anakin snaps his head at Obi-Wan's name. He isn't going to get into that argument now. 

He tightens his fists. "I want to tell them that they are being ridiculous. I want them to apologize to Ahsoka for falling for this obvious lie! They are insane for believing that she could turn to the dark side, let alone drag their precious padawans with her."

Ahsoka holds back a gasp. She doesn't like the way he's speaking of the other Jedi's padawans. It came out of him so wickedly, sending shivers up her spine.

"Doing that will not change their minds." Master Tiin argues, his tone low and slow. His eyebrows raise as he maintains eye contact with Anakin. "If you were to go and talk to them like you are talking to me now, it would only strengthen their thoughts on her and you. You are the one who sounds uneasy in the Force right now."

This makes Anakin pause. He swallows the fire of insults that tempt him to be set free. 

Master Tiin steps forward. "I am remaining calm and uninterested in the situation. Ahsoka has to show them herself that she is not what they want her to be." He says. His voice is free of any emotion, just as it has been for the entire argument. "I suggest you do the same. Fighting with them will only hurt us."

Anakin turns away, anger still clear on his face. 

Ahsoka reaches out, grabbing his hand. "Master, he's right." She says, catching his attention. His face softens as he meets her eyes. "I wanted revenge. I wanted them to pay for how they've made me feel, but that's not the Jedi way. I understand that now."

Anakin nods at her then looks at Master Tiin. "So what?" He asks with a shrug, his voice hard. "We just do nothing?"

"We collect our thoughts and push aside our emotions. With them gone, you will see that you are overreacting." Master Tiin says. "You can be upset and angry over this without completely losing it."

Anakin drops his head in shame. Perhaps he is overreacting, but he just wants to protect Ahsoka from the people that have had it out for him since he first arrived.

"Start acting like a Jedi. Obi-Wan raised you better." Master Tiin adds, his gaze still locked on the boy. He will show him no sympathy for how he's acting. If he wants to be treated with respect in the Temple, then he needs to start maturing. 

Beginning with his reckless emotions. There is no place in the Temple for such wild actions.

Anakin wants to snap back, but he doesn't. Instead, his face falls free of emotion. He stands straighter and his shoulders loosen. He seems like a completely different person, but on the inside, he is still fuming with rage.

"Much better." Master Tiin says, a soft smile on his face. "Now we do nothing. Eventually, they will see that they are the ones overreacting. They will see what Ahsoka really is. A smart, beautiful, and skilled Jedi. They will see that you have trained her and realize they were wrong. Soon, this whole mess will be a dream long forgotten."

Anakin only hopes that Master Tiin is right. Ahsoka is not the monster they seem to want to paint her as. 

Wanting to change the subject, Master Tiin asks, "How did your mission go?"

Anakin turns away, his answer clear enough for Master Tiin.

Ahsoka tilts her head, confused, but remains quiet. Now is not the time for questions that require background knowledge. And when they involve Anakin, they're usually painful knowledge.

They exit Master Tiin's apartment without another word, going separate ways. Ahsoka obediently follows Anakin, ready to go wherever he orders. "It'll be okay, Master." She says, wanting to get rid of the awkward tension after that scolding.

Anakin takes a deep breath. He must remain stoic and in control of himself for Ahsoka. She will never see him lose his cool like that again. She needs a good role model. "You're right, Ahsoka. I'm sorry that you had to witness that."

"I'm sorry for complaining." She says, her face flushing. "If I didn't get you riled up, then you wouldn't have been yelled at. It's all my fault."

Anakin stops in his tracks and suddenly grabs her shoulders. The action causes her to freeze with wide eyes. "Never blame yourself for situations like that. Ever." He demands. Ahsoka gulps, unsure what to say or do. "What they say or do to me will be because of my own actions. It will never be because of you, Ahsoka. Do you understand?"

Ahsoka nods her head after a short pause. "Yes, Master." She says above a whisper.

He gently pats her shoulders, pain evident in his eyes. "Good. Because I never want you thinking that you've done something wrong. You are a good person, and will become an even better Jedi."

She lightly smiles. "I will be because I'm learning from the best!" She cheers, bumping his shoulder to keep them walking. "We just need to work on finding me better partners. Ones that aren't afraid of us."

Anakin chuckles. "That'll be hard." He says. "Everyone is probably afraid of how good you are with two lightsabers."

~~~~~~~~~~~