Much had changed over the past six months. However, not everything. The Order stood firm as before and refused to give up, but some of its followers had clearly undergone significant changes in their lives. After the incident on Ilum, Ahsoka became more responsible and serious, although she still smiled occasionally. As for Anakin, he was affected by these changes more than many others. Several hours in the ice resulted in severe pneumonia, which lasted for a month. The chief healer told Ahsoka that if measures had not been taken in time, he could have died; his hypothermia was critical. But even so, he suffered greatly and had to spend a whole month in the medical ward. For the first two weeks, the teenager was between life and death, and even healing trances sometimes did not help him. Master Che never left his side, nor did Asoka. She only left his room when she had to go on a mission. She even slept and ate with him. Master Plo saw his apprentice's passionate devotion to this youngling and sighed heavily, knowing how difficult it would be for them in the future, because if the Order suspected anything contrary to the rules, they would be forcibly separated. He tried his best to cover for them. However, he had another reason for doing so, which he was in no hurry to reveal. Meanwhile, Anakin gradually recovered, and after a couple of weeks he returned to his training group. He did not fall behind in the programme thanks to Asoka, who told him in detail every day about what the others had been doing. She made a point of attending the younglings' classes and even took it upon herself to lead the training sessions on several occasions. They even assembled their lightsabers right there on the hospital bed. Yes, lightsabers — the second crystal that Anakin had found in the gorge was intended for Ahsoka. She really didn't want to accept it for a long time, knowing the price Skywalker had paid to get it, which was greatly influenced by the words Darra had thrown at her on the threshold of the medical ward. By the way, Asoka still often caught her openly hostile glances when they met and during training. But Anakin asked her to take the crystal with such sincere warmth that Tano couldn't resist, because he was still very weak after his illness and it was better not to upset him. And now the Togrutai had two lightsabers — a light green one and a rainbow-coloured one, which was the envy of many. But that was where the good ended, because from the day of his recovery, strange and irreversible changes began to take place in Anakin. He had never been a gift before, often allowing himself to be wayward and openly criticising the rules, but now he simply crossed all boundaries. He was openly rude to his mentors, skipped group classes under various pretexts, and at night he began to run away from the Temple to who knows where. Even Ahsoka was finding it difficult to control him, and Anakin had completely stopped listening to his elders. Sometimes he even allowed himself to be disrespectful to Ahsoka.
"Why did you refuse to go with me to Republic Day?" he asked her after class, looking hurt and proud.
"You see, only those with a rank higher than Padawan are allowed in. Younglings are not allowed, unfortunately. I'm very sorry, but those are the rules," Ahsoka tried to explain, struck by the unchildlike firmness in his gaze. However, she immediately replaced it with distrust and even a kind of evil determination.
"Rules?" he whistled in obvious contempt. "That's not funny. When did they ever bother you? Just say you're embarrassed. You don't want everyone to know you're friends with a little kid! You're afraid they'll laugh at you!"
"Anakin!" Asoka cried out with undisguised hurt. "Don't talk to me like that! You know very well what our friendship means to me! I've never cared how old we are, the main thing is that we need each other!"
Anakin didn't seem to believe her, if he even heard her.
"Stop lying! You think that because I'm little, I don't understand anything!" Anakin's eyes flashed with anger and his voice rang out like metal. "But I know. I know everything. It's because of your beloved Chancellor!" I was told that you didn't leave his side the whole holiday, while I was left alone in my room!
Ahsoka could no longer bear to listen. Blood rushed to her face, and her eyes filled with anger. No matter how much she loved this boy, she was not going to put up with such accusations, which bordered on insults, any longer. Her hands began to shake, and she even hid them behind her back and tried to speak as calmly as possible:
"I think we should talk later, when you've calmed down. Right now, you're just being unreasonable.
And before he could answer, Togruta hurried away, especially since she had a reason to do so — her teacher had been waiting for her to tell her something important. Walking down the long corridor, the girl thought about Anakin's behaviour, how he had changed recently and why. She also felt terribly uncomfortable that he allowed himself to speak ill of the chancellor. He showed his dislike for him almost openly. Could Anakin really not see what an amazing person he was, how much kindness and warmth he had inside him? How often did Ahsoka come to his office and leave feeling refreshed and reborn? Any problem that seemed difficult and unsolvable would immediately become a minor inconvenience that was not worth worrying about, let alone dwelling on. For example, when Asoka was once prevented from participating in the rescue of the captured Master Evan Piel from the Citadel prison, she was terribly offended by her teacher and did not even want to talk to him. Of course, he flew off, and she stayed behind. She stood right there, near the window in the corridor, wondering if she had done the right thing in choosing the path of a Jedi. She wanted independence, she wanted her decisions to be listened to and respected. But in reality... Everyone just criticised them, not even wanting to consider them properly, but she wasn't a little girl anymore, she was almost eighteen. Palpatine found her lost in these gloomy thoughts.
"What's the matter, Ahsoka?" he asked as always, sympathetically, even putting his hand on her shoulder. "Are you upset that you weren't chosen for the mission?"
As always, he guessed correctly, and the girl once again admired his insight.
"Yes, Master Plo said that this mission is not for training and that he simply has no right to put me in such danger," she replied bluntly, not bothering to remain silent or choose her words carefully. She knew that he would guess what was on her mind. And so it happened.
"You know, I don't think you should always take such statements at face value. Most likely, he's just afraid that you won't be able to handle it," said the chancellor, looking into her eyes as if reading her thoughts.
"But I have to be able to do everything. Including taking unnecessary risks," Asoka replied, frowning as she remembered her morning conversation with her teacher.
"I meant that the Masters are often blinded by the rules, and anything that deviates from them must be eliminated," Palpatine hastened to explain his point of view, folding his perfectly manicured hands on his chest. Asoka immediately hid her cracked and broken nails behind her back.
"But what if the rules prove powerless in the face of reality?" she asked, recalling some details from past conversations. "For example, when I have to break them to save someone's life. What then?"
"I think you'll get a reprimand," the chancellor replied seriously. "Or they'll decide to rewrite the code. Think about which is more realistic."
The answer was as always specific and thought-provoking, leading to the most obvious answer, the essence of which Asoka did not yet fully understand and was simply afraid to say aloud, even to herself. So she decided to change the subject to that ill-fated task. As always, he said what was needed, without reproaching Asoka in any way, but trying to calm her down and understand her. This caused another wave of tender gratitude towards this man. And that was why Asoka now found it doubly unpleasant that Anakin didn't like him so much. And her teacher was clearly distrustful of their friendship. However, as soon as she saw him now, all her resentment and problems were forgotten. After all, Master Plo had said that to her!
"Ahsoka," he began in a serious and thoughtful tone, as if he were nervous about saying what was about to come. Troghuta cringed inwardly, thinking that he was about to scold her or reprimand her for another joke at Master Windu's expense. But what followed exceeded her expectations:
"At the last meeting, the High Council decided that, based on the results of the latest tests, some of the current Padawans will soon be eligible for the title of Knight. To this end, they will be sent on a final test, which will take place tomorrow at eight in the morning. Why am I telling you this, Ahsoka?" Plo looked away slyly and waited for Tano to start jumping up and down with impatience, then added in a special voice, "And you are among the chosen candidates!"
Asoka's mood skyrocketed to unattainable heights, she let out a joyful cry and threw herself into her teacher's arms. She was sorry to part with him, but in return she was gaining independence. The opportunity not to follow other people's decisions, but to make her own, and even lead others. Perhaps even an entire army of hundreds of people. And they would all obey only her. Asoka's eyes darkened at the realisation of all this. Her imagination painted new pictures of a bright future. Here she was, single-handedly completing a serious task, saving hundreds of innocent lives, and now, tired but proud, standing before the entire High Council and receiving thanks from Grand Master Yoda himself...
"At first, I had doubts about including you in the list of candidates," Master Plo's voice intruded on her thoughts. "But Master Yoda assured me that it was worth it, and after the meeting, I met with the Supreme Chancellor, and he also voted for you. Tomorrow, you could become a Knight. Now it's up to you.
Ahsoka burst into a joyful cry again and almost suffocated her beloved teacher in her embrace, not yet thinking about the fact that knighthood is not only an honourable title, but also a very difficult role. Nor how difficult the obstacles on the path to it were. And often they could be related not only to the trial itself, but sometimes the soul itself was put to the test. A test of great sorrow...
***
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