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Obi-Wan heard the commotion in the dining hall before he saw it, heard tables overturned and the angry shouts of little boys. With a flood of intuition that was not entirely brought on by the Force, he knew Anakin was somewhere in the middle of it all. He quickened his pace. Bant saw him hurrying through the tables from where she sat with her Master. She sighed. Anakin tried his Master's patience everyday, but somehow she felt that this debacle was going to put even more of a strain on their relationship.
Mace Windu had reached the squabbling children before Obi-Wan did. He reached down with one smooth, well-muscled arm and lifted a squirming Anakin from the fray by the boy's belt. Anakin flailed about wildly, but his little arms and legs weren't long enough to do any damage.
"This, I believe, is yours," Master Windu said scathingly, depositing Anakin at Obi-Wan's feet. Obi-Wan felt the Master's irritation in waves. He schooled his features to try to look stern without much success. Obi-Wan had not yet reached an age where he did not feel abashed when others were scolded. In truth, he did not feel he possessed sufficient maturity of his own to even consider raising a boy of nine.
Obi-Wan drew a deep breath and looked Master Windu in the eyes. "Thank you, Sir. I will deal with him elsewhere if it pleases you."
Mace Windu regarded Qui-Gon's former apprentice with something approaching sympathy and nodded.
Anakin winced as Obi-Wan's hand clapped like an iron vice over his shoulder. He looked up, eyes wide and imploring. "I can explain, really," he protested as Obi-Wan steered him away from the other boys who were eyeing Anakin with malevolence.
"Save it," Obi-Wan requested curtly. He led his apprentice firmly back to their quarters. Anakin practically ran to keep up with his Master's longer stride.
Once in their quarters, Obi-Wan turned to face the wayward boy. "Alright, Padawan, start talking."
"Well, the other boys, we were talking about our families. When I told them I didn't have a father, Lezix said that maybe my Mom just didn't know which of the spacers had spawned me. So I told him to take it back and he said no, so I punched him on the nose. It sort of went downhill from there."
Obi-Wan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He squatted down so that he looked his Padawan in the eye. "He should not have said that, Padawan, but when you hit him, you erred also. Fighting does not change the opinions of others."
"Yeah, I know, Qui-Gon said that too."
Obi-Wan flinched slightly at the memory of his late Master. The years fell from his shoulders as he remembered a similar situation years before.
Sixteen-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi was nursing a lightsabre burn on his left arm as he slipped quietly into his room. "Stop right there, Padawan."
//Damn//
"Where have you been and what have you been up to?"
"Nowhere and nothing," Obi-Wan lied. It was forbidden for an Apprentice to lie to a Master, he knew this but he was past caring.
A heavy hand landed roughly on his shoulder and he was spun round so that he faced Qui-Gon. The Master's gaze fell upon the burn on his Padawan's forearm. His eyes narrowed and took on a dangerous gleam.
"Strange," said the older man. " 'Nothing' seems to have given you a rather large burn on your arm."
"It was a cooking accident," Obi-Wan was digging himself in deeper. This was not shading the truth; this was a deliberate, calculated lie.
"Padawan, I could have you whipped for lying to me, you know."
Obi-Wan swallowed hard. Qui-Gon had slapped him a few times and cuffed him about the ears a few more, but he had never, ever taken anything more than his hand to Obi-Wan. The boy nodded mutely. He was frightened now.
"So, my boy, why don't you start by telling me why you decided to get into a fight - and why you deemed it necessary to draw your weapon. Oh, and well you're at it, you can also tell me who drew a weapon on you."
Obi-Wan swallowed again. "I was in the dining hall with Bant and Reeft and I was walking to the table with my tray and Bruck tripped me. When I fell, some of the stew got on him and he got angry."
"So, let me get this straight," Qui-Gon said with a long, hard look at his Apprentice. "Bruck tripped you on purpose?"
Obi-Wan nodded again.
"Why would he do that?" Qui-Gon was genuinely curious now.
"He was upset that I got to be your Padawan. He thinks he should have been."
"Not with an attitude like that," Qui-Gon said grimly.
"So anyway," Obi-Wan continued. "I didn't say anything and I went to the table with Bant and Reeft. After we were done and on our way back to the lecture hall, Bruck came up behind me and tried to knock me down. We scuffled about on the floor for a bit and then he drew his lightsabre on me. So I drew mine. That's about it."
Qui-Gon could sense that the boy was hiding something more. He probed deeper with the Force. Qui-Gon was surprised to find that one of the Masters had broken up the fight.
"I think there's more," Qui-Gon said firmly. "Keep talking."
"Master Gallia found us. She stopped it before it got serious."
"What did she say?"
"She told us to go to our quarters, and then she took our lightsabres."
Qui-Gon's eyes widened suddenly. He glanced to Obi-Wan's belt, and sure enough, the familiar presence was gone. He frowned. "Come with me," he said shortly.
Obi-Wan looked startled, but he followed his Master out the door. He was somewhat surprised to find that Qui-Gon had led him to the quarters Bruck shared with his Master. Qui-Gon knocked and when the door opened, he found himself staring at a Padawan who was slightly taller than his own. "Is your Master home?"
"No, Sir."
"Good." Qui-Gon took hold of Bruck's Padawan braid and tugged him firmly out into the hall. The look Bruck gave Obi-Wan was so full of hate that Qui-Gon shuddered inwardly.
Qui-Gon and the two boys arrived at a training room about five minutes later. The Jedi Master put a firm hand on each of their shoulders, turning them so that they faced him. "Settle this - Now." He pushed both of them into the training room roughly, closing the door behind them. Qui-Gon turned then, putting his back to the door, and leaned up against it. He smiled slightly to himself.
Obi-Wan regarded his Padawan. He tried without much success to emulate the 'look' Qui-Gon had given him when he had fought with Bruck. He wondered vaguely if locking Anakin and this boy Lezix in a training room would have any effect. When Qui-Gon had locked him and Bruck in the room together, the two boys had eventually reached the conclusion that they would have to at least pretend to have resolved their differences if they had any hope of getting out of the room. At the time, Obi-Wan had been convinced that Qui-Gon would have left the two of them in there until they starved to death. Now he was not so sure. Despite his Master's efforts, Bruck remained a thorn in Obi-Wan's side for many years. The boys had only become more adept at hiding their arguments.
Anakin finally spoke, startling his Master out of his reverie. "Are you going to punish me?" He asked in a small voice.
Obi-Wan sighed. He seemed to have developed a headache somewhere along the way. //I'm not sure yet, Padawan. I haven't decided.// His doubts remained unspoken.
"Anakin, why don't you go to bed. We'll talk about this more in the morning." //After I've had a chance to confer with some other Masters, that is.//
"But it's only six o'clock," Anakin protested.
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said in what he hoped was a warning tone. "What have I told you about questioning me?"
Anakin blushed. "Sorry," he mumbled, scurrying towards his bedroom door.
Obi-Wan was still so new to his title of Knight that he felt uncomfortable addressing many of the older Knights as equals. So, he went to see Bant's Master, a man he knew fairly well. Demaris was a man of uncertain age. He had grayish-blue skin and a high forehead, which caused him to have what appeared to be a permanent expression of surprise on his features. Obi-Wan liked him; moreover, he trusted his judgement. Bant opened the door to his knock, surprised to find her friend at her door.
"What's going on?" She asked him.
"I need to speak with Master Demaris. It's about Anakin."
"I thought it might be," she smiled at her friend. They had been friends since their earliest days as Initiates. "I saw that horrid display in the dining hall."
Obi-Wan groaned. "I know, everyone did. It was so embarrassing. I just know everyone is laughing at me behind my back."
"Actually, I don't think so." The smooth voice belonged to Demaris. Obi-Wan politely inclined his head. Demaris moved aside. "Come on in, Obi-Wan. If it's council you need, then council I shall give. Whether or not it is of any use to you, only the gods can know." He laughed softly. "I seem to remember another Jedi Master coming to me from time to time, complaining of his own Apprentice." He winked broadly at Obi-Wan. The younger man managed a small smile.
Bant prudently discovered some task in a far corner of the Temple that needed her immediate attention. Obi-Wan flashed her a thankful smile before she whisked herself out the door.
Demaris and Obi-Wan discussed disciplinary tactics for several hours when Demaris interrupted his train of thought with a question.
"I was wondering Obi-Wan, exactly how did Qui-Gon punish you for your various infractions?"
"Normally, he didn't have to," Obi-Wan said with a faint smile. "Just one of his looks was enough to put me in my place for weeks. But he did on occasion see fit to smack me a couple of times. I got my fair share of slaps and thick ears, but he never hit me hard enough to leave a mark."
"That's the answer you've been searching for then," said Demaris with a quirky smile. "Just remember the rule 'not hard enough to hurt, not soft enough to be forgotten' and you'll be just fine. That goes for every punishment too, not just the physical ones. Your Padawan shouldn't be afraid of you, but they should respect you. Never mistake fear for respect."
Obi-Wan suddenly felt very humble. He knew Anakin would never have the respect for him that Obi-Wan had had for Qui-Gon. He desperately wished his Master was the one to train Anakin. With heartfelt thanks he left Demaris and returned to his own quarters. He lit a candle, set it on the table in front of him, and sat staring into it for hours. When it finally burned itself out, he slumped forwards onto the table and fell asleep.
When Anakin woke up the next morning, he tiptoed softly to his door and opened it gently. Nothing happened. He stepped into the hall, still with no result. He crept ever so carefully down the hallway to the living/dining room. It was with some surprise that he found Obi-Wan fast asleep on their table. Anakin's Master sensed his presence however, and he sat upright, blinked twice, and regarded his Apprentice.
"Good morning, my little trouble-maker." Obi-Wan softened this with a smile. Anakin's eyebrows rose. He hadn't expected his Master to be in a good mood. In truth, he had expected to be smacked - hard.
"I might get to that yet, little one," said Obi-Wan, smiling at Anakin's surprised reaction. "Your thoughts are open to me as mine should be to you, if you'd only practice your lessons more."
"I'm sorry about yesterday, Obi-Wan, really, I am."
"I know you are - I'm sorry too. You not only shamed yourself, you shamed me, you shamed the Jedi Code, and you shamed Qui-Gon's memory."
At the last, Anakin began to cry. Obi-Wan forced himself not to give in. He had to be firm, he had to carry through and finish what he'd started. So he merely waited. Anakin sobbed for a few minutes, then his tears subsided and he sniffled for a few more. Obi-Wan continued to wait. Finally, Anakin looked up at him.
"What are you going to do with me?"
"For starters, you're not to eat any more meals in the dining hall unless you're accompanied by me. Moreover, for the next 14 days you're under house arrest. You will not leave unless you leave with me."
"But what about my lessons?" Anakin protested.
"I'll give you your lessons. That's what Qui-Gon used to do when we were out on a mission. This will be similar. When you're not being instructed, you will sit in your room and meditate."
Anakin turned timid eyes to his Master. "Are you going to hit me?"
"I thought about it, but I don't think so. If you are obedient and mindful over the next 14 days, I shouldn't have to. But be wary, Padawan. One misstep will cost you dearly."
Anakin nodded, face glum. He knew that if his Master thrashed him, he would be well within his rights. He thought about Qui-Gon then and wondered what he would have done. Anakin looked up at Obi-Wan. "Did you ever get in fights?" he asked softly.
"Oh my yes," said Obi-Wan, laughing quietly. "Qui-Gon took me and a boy named Bruck and locked us in a training room until we'd settled our differences. It took 2 days. By the end we were both so hungry, we'd have said anything to get out of there."
"Did it work? Are you friends with Bruck now?"
"No," Obi-Wan said, somewhat sadly. "Bruck and I never really resolved anything, only that we wouldn't let anyone know we'd been fighting. But Qui-Gon always knew - and he'd give me 'the look' that could reduce anyone to half their normal size."
"Is he still here? Bruck?"
"No actually, he died, years ago. There was a girl I was seeing, and he figured if he could hurt her, I'd be hurt too. But it kind of backfired on him. He was trying to hurt her and she screamed, loudly. Qui-Gon and I came running and when Qui-Gon saw that he was attempting to force himself on her, Qui-Gon kicked him in the side and challenged him. Bruck accepted the challenge and was killed."
"Qui-Gon killed him?" The boy's incredulity was palpable.
Obi-Wan nodded. It was not something he remembered with any pleasure. His own anger had brimmed over at that moment. He remembered the sobbing, screaming woman on the floor, remembered her hands clutching at him, never wanting to let go. He remembered the expression on Qui-Gon's face as he killed Bruck. The Jedi Master had never taken pleasure in a victory until that moment. The inquiry after Bruck's death had cleared Qui-Gon of any wrongdoing. The council had agreed that it had been in defense of the girl and Bruck had undoubtedly turned to the dark side. Obi-Wan suppressed a shudder at the memory. Anakin sensed that his Master was reticent about the matter and asked no more questions. Instead he changed the subject. "Did Qui-Gon ever smack you?" he asked innocently.
Obi-Wan smiled. "Yes, he did."
"Really? You must have done something really, really bad, huh?"
"You could say that, I suppose. Did I ever tell you about the time…"