Therockyroad4

Title: The Rocky Road (Part Four)
Author: Angel5000

*****

The next morning Anakin was awakened at dawn by a gentle shaking on his shoulder. Quickly he rolled onto his back only to roll back onto his stomach. "Sith that hurt!"

     "Language please. I'm not going to warn you again. Next time you will suffer the consequences." Qui-Gon warned in a stern voice. "Right now you need to get up and get ready for your training. Your speaking privileges are being returned as long as you can keep your tongue under control."

     "Yes sir. Thank you sir." Anakin answered with the perfect Padawan answer. He knew how to act like a Padawan; it was just a matter of if he wanted to.

     Qui-Gon nodded and left to let the boy get ready. Some day...some day Obi-Wan was going to come back and Anakin was going to respond to his Master just like he just did to him. He would be the perfect Padawan and Obi-Wan wouldn't have to worry about him any more. It was the least he could do. After all, Qui-Gon was the one who requested that Obi-Wan take Anakin as a Padawan in the first place. If it hadn't been for him Obi-Wan would be a Jedi Knight, not a Master with a boy too young to be a Padawan yet to old to be a temple student.

     Anakin's voice interrupted Qui-Gon's thoughts. "I'm ready Master Jinn." His voice was quiet, calm and...for once...respectful.

     "Grab a Muja Muffin and come along. We're going to go and meet with your Instructors." Qui-Gon said.

     "Instructors? But I thought you were going to be my Instructor! Obi-Wan always gave me my lessons!" Anakin complained.

     "Yes, you are having Instructors. The reason your Master gave you your lessons was because you were on an assignment half the time or you were misbehaving. When you misbehave the Instructors send you back to your own quarters and many times you aren't permitted back into the classroom for a few days." Qui-Gon explained.

     "So you mean that because I wasn't the perfect Padawan then I didn't go to classes with the other students? I think that the reason my Master did it was because I'm younger than most of the other Padawans, and definitely less skilled, and I'm older than all the other students who are at my same skill level. I'll feel like an idiot in the classes!" Anakin whined.

     "Please stop whining. I have heard enough whining from you in the last two days to last a lifetime. Now you will go to classes with the other students of your skill level. If you want to get into the same classes with other students your age you are just going to have to work a little bit harder now aren't you?" Qui-Gon knew the boy would be upset but it was the only way to make him work harder.

     Anakin scowled and grabbed a muffin, his obedient mood broken. "Fine. I'll go to classes but I won't like it!"

     "I don't care if you like it or not but you will behave. Is that clear?" The Jedi Master's voice had suddenly grown severely stern. He didn't like the boy's attitude.

     "Crystal." He spat out moodily.

     A few minutes later Qui-Gon and Anakin had arrived at Anakin's first classroom. "Okay Anakin, after class come back to our quarters. We have some important things to do today and I don't want you late. I'll see you in two hours." Qui-Gon said handing him a datapad.

     "Do I have to do this?" Anakin whined. Qui-Gon shot him a stern look and the boy sighed. Complaining wasn't going to work; this was obvious. With a small moan Anakin opened the door and walked in while Qui-Gon headed back to his quarters for a glass of tea.

*        *        *        *        *

     "Padawan Anakin we do not speak that way in the Temple, especially not in my classroom! You may have been allowed to use obscenities back on your home planet but that is not permitted here. I want you to apologize right now to me and the rest of the class!" Instructor Bat'mava exclaimed. Anakin had been having some difficulties understanding the biological makeup of some of the Alien species, mostly Wookies and Hutts, and had let out a string of "colored" words to release his anger.

     "Whatever. I didn't do anything wrong! Those words aren't even PG-13 rated! You and your sheltered bunch of sissy students haven't heard anything yet!" Anakin said with a sneer. He had always hated Instructors and this one was an especially annoying one.

     "Anakin Skywalker this behavior will not be tolerated. Where is your Master located?" She asked, pulling out her comlink. She of course expected him to answer because all Temple Students were taught from early ages not to lie but she had evidently forgotten that Anakin had been raised on a very ruthless planet.

     "Like I'm going to tell you that. Do you honestly think I want to get in trouble? Besides, my Master isn't even on Coruscant, he's on some stupid mission by himself."

     "Fine then, if you won't be cooperative then leave this classroom. I don't want you back until I have an apology from you and a note from your guardian." Bat'mava pointed towards the door, "Now!" She snapped when he didn't move fast enough. This wasn't a good day for her. It wasn't often she lost her temper but cussing and disrespect was not actions she would accept. When Anakin was gone she pulled out her comlink and turned to the class, "I want you all to continue reading the datapad and answering the questions. I'll return in a few minutes." Then she hurried outside the classroom to contact Qui-Gon Jinn.

*        *        *        *        *

     Qui-Gon was waiting in the main room of his quarters when Anakin walked in the door. If Instructor Bat'mava hadn't contacted him he might have thought that nothing was wrong. Anakin had been smart, or perhaps dumb, enough to stay away from his quarters until he would normally get out of class and he was shielding his thoughts rather well.

     "Hello Anakin. How was your class on the Biological Makeup of Alien Species?" Qui-Gon asked neutrally.

     "Not too bad, although it�s really rather boring. Who cares what organs a Wookie has?" Anakin replied.

     "I see. Well I had an interesting conversation today." Qui-Gon commented.

     "Really?" Anakin didn't care but he tried his best to sound somewhat curious.

     "Yes. It was about you actually." Qui-Gon watched as Anakin's interest spiked a little, "It was rather interesting actually. Instructor Bat'mava contacted me on my comlink to inform me you were causing some trouble in her class. It seems that you were asked to leave class after only an hour. I have spoken with you several times about your use of language and about your disrespect. I thought we had an understanding. Obviously I was wrong."

     Anakin stared at Qui-Gon. He was more scared at this moment right now than he had ever been in his entire life. Oh sith! I am in so much trouble! SITH! This is not good! Anakin's thoughts weren't shielded and Qui-Gon heard every word of it.

     "Anakin, for your actions and choice of language you have earned yourself a bar of soap for lunch." Qui-Gon grabbed the boy by the shoulder and led him none to gently into the kitchen.

     "Master Jinn! This isn't fair! My Master would never make me eat a bar of soap!" Anakin said. He fought against Qui-Gon the entire way but Qui-Gon had an iron grip on his shoulder and fighting only made it painful.

     "You have been nothing but arrogant, and disrespectful since your Master left. I warned you about the consequences of using that language. Obviously your mouth must be filthy if you are using foul language and therefore must be cleaned out. The only means that I see to clean it out would be with some soap." With that Qui-Gon picked the boy up and plopped him onto a stool.

     Anakin tried to get up but found that the force was holding him there. "Let me go you jerk! I won't stay here! You ****ing *******! Let me go!" Anakin screamed, kicked and fought for several minutes using every obscenity that he knew before Qui-Gon backhanded him.

     Anakin's screaming stopped and he just stared for a few minutes before he began to cry. "If you use bad language one more time Anakin you will regret it. I want you to stop fighting or I will turn you over my knee and spank you until you can't fight anymore. Am I understood?" Qui-Gon's voice was unsympathetic and strict and Anakin knew that if he wanted to be able to sit down comfortably he would obey. Miserably he nodded while wiping away a stray tear. "Good. Now you are going to put this bar of soap in your mouth and keep it there until I say you can take it out. It isn't poisonous so don't try that line on me, I've heard it plenty of other times." Qui-Gon handed him a bar of soap and waited until the boy had gingerly placed it in his mouth. He ignored the begging look that he was receiving from Anakin and instead began to prepare a holo-letter for Obi-Wan. He was just settling down to send the letter when his holocom began to beep. When he activated it he was surprised to see Obi-Wan's form before him.

     "Hello my Master. I hope that I haven't interrupted you in the middle of anything important?" Obi-Wan's calm voice rang out. Was it so long ago that Obi-Wan had been a young boy with so many curious questions? Now he was a Knight with a Padawan. His voice was no longer the curious, inquisitive, playful one of his youth. Instead it was a serious and calm one.

     "It is good to hear from you my Padawan. You haven't interrupted anything important. I have just finished correcting Anakin for his use of language. He has made some "bad choices" today and is now finding out that there are consequences for them." Qui-Gon replied.

     Obi-Wan smiled a little, "Ah. I am guessing that at the moment he is in the kitchen on that hideous brown stool with a bar of soap in his mouth and he is making awful faces."

     "You remember your own experiences well. Yes, that is where he is. Do you wish to speak with him?" Qui-Gon asked, eyeing the boy.

     "If it doesn't interfere with the correction Master I would like to speak with my Padawan for a moment." Obi-Wan remembered well the taste of soap in his mouth and perhaps he could give his own Padawan a break from the taste for a few minutes and find out how things were going at the same time.

     "It doesn't interfere." Qui-Gon turned to Anakin, "Come here Ani." Anakin took out the bar of soap and, placing it on the counter, went into the room. "Your Master wishes to speak with you. I will be in my room preparing the datapad for Master Yoda. When you're done bring the holocom back to me." With that Qui-Gon left the two alone.

     "Hello Anakin. How are things at the temple?" Obi-Wan asked, trying to make conversation. He desperately wanted to form a connection with his Padawan like the one that he shared with Qui-Gon.

     "The temple is fine but I'm not! I can't believe you left me with him! I swear he hates me. He has beaten me several times already and I bet he plans on doing it again after I get off from you just for telling you. He's a madman Obi-Wan and I can't believe you left me with him!" Anakin knew he was lying but he didn't care. Right now he was angry enough to even go that far just to get his own Master back and get back at Qui-Gon.

     "Don't lie to me Anakin Skywalker! I grew up with that "madman" and he is the kindest man in the world! If you weren't such a brat to everyone then you would see it too! He may have given you a spanking for disobeying or being disrespectful but he didn't beat you and he isn't going to beat you for telling me this although I wouldn't be surprised if you were punished for lying. I want you to start obeying and quit giving Qui-Gon grief! If I have to make that an order I will. Is this understood?" Obi-Wan said, his voice rising. He was climbing out on a limb and he knew it. He could loose any respect that he had with Anakin at this moment. Since he wasn't there to enforce his order Anakin could disobey and get away with it.

     "You aren't here and right now you aren't my boss! If my mother knew what you two were doing to me she would make me go back and live with her! I don't have to do a single thing you say Obi-Wan! You aren't here to make me obey so you can't stop me from doing as I please! I don't want to do as you say, I don't have to and I'm not going to!" Anakin spat out.

     Obi-Wan reeled as if he had been slapped. Before he could answer however he saw Qui-Gon appear in the background. Qui-Gon had heard Obi-Wan's voice rise and had come to the door to see what was going on. What Anakin was doing sickened and angered him. When he told Obi-Wan that he didn't have to obey Qui-Gon decided that was the last straw. Walking into the room he picked up Anakin by the neck of his shirt; sat down and pulled the boy over his knees. Flipping up Anakin's tunic Qui-Gon landed several swats on his rear end. The boy was crying hard when Qui-Gon let him stand back up.

     "Obi-Wan may not be here to make you obey but I am Anakin. You will apologize right now to your Master for your disrespect and then go back to the stool and your bar of soap!" Qui-Gon's voice left no room for argument.

     Anakin could barely talk through his tears but he managed to spit out a shuddering, "s...s...sorry...Obi...er...m...master." Before he went back to the kitchen.

     "I'm sorry Padawan. I should have stayed in the room. Honestly I thought he would have some respect." Qui-Gon apologized.

     "Don't apologize Master. I have trained him wrong. Never have I laid a hand on him until the day I left. I hoped I could win his respect from love and kindness over strictness. I see now I was wrong. Master he respects and obeys you." Obi-Wan seemed awed at that thought.

     "He respects me, this is true. But I had to earn it and that was done when he saw that disobeying me wasn't a smart thing to do. I didn't let him get away with anything. Had you been able to win him with love it would have been better but you must remember he wasn't raised here. He was raised on Tatooine and he needs the firmness, Obi-Wan he needs restrictions. The boy was a slave and he has never known a world of freedom. You must give him borders and limits and he needs to know the consequences of crossing those borders. All he knows is that if he crosses you he spends an hour meditating. If I had only made you meditate when you were disrespectful what would have happened?" Qui-Gon asked.

     "I probably would have kept doing it." Obi-Wan said. "When you punished me however I realized that every action has a consequence and sometimes it can be quite painful. Because I didn't want the pain I obeyed but that wasn't the only reason. I also saw that by being disrespectful I was hurting you and that hurt me worse than the punishment did. I truly did respect you if I didn't always act that way and I still do. You know that don't you?" Obi-Wan asked. He hoped that Qui-Gon didn't think that he had obeyed as a child out of fear.

     "Yes Padawan. I know that. I always have." Qui-Gon replied with a smile.

     "I need to go Master, there is a meeting starting in a few minutes. I will speak with you soon." Obi-Wan bowed

     "Goodbye Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon turned off the holocom and turned to face the kitchen where Anakin stood. "You had to do it didn't you? You just had to hurt him again. Why Anakin? Why are you so cruel to your Master?" Qui-Gon asked.

     Anakin just glared at him. His face was streaked with tears and his eyes were red from the crying. He couldn't reply because the soap in his mouth and his rear end was on fire, not to mention sitting on the stool made it a lot worse. Right now Anakin was wishing he could start this day all over again.

     "You will remain there for two more hours. When your two hours are done I want you to meditate on your actions for another hour and when that is done you will come speak with me. I will be in my room resting." Qui-Gon turned and walked from the room. He didn't wait to see if Anakin would acknowledge him because he knew the boy would obey. If he didn't obey then the child was stupider than he had thought.

     Anakin spent the next two hours on the stool glowering and trying not to taste the soap in his mouth. It tasted awful! His mother had made him eat soap once before when he was seven and that hadn't tasted this bad. The Jedi must make special soap that tasted especially dreadful just for sticking in the mouths of Padawans.

     Three hours later Anakin walked into Qui-Gon's room. When he saw the Jedi Master lying on his sleep couch, apparently asleep, the boy knelt cautiously beside him and bowed his head. He would wait in this room until Qui-Gon woke up. That way he wouldn't be in the fault. Qui-Gon wouldn't be able to get angry with him for waking him up and he couldn't be angry for him not coming after the three hours.

     Qui-Gon opened his eyes and looked at the boy kneeling beside him. He knew from experience that Anakin was in pain the entire time he was kneeling there and probably still was in pain. Slowly he sat up. "Did you finish your meditation Anakin?" Qui-Gon asked.

     "Yes Master Jinn." The boy replied without lifting his head.

     "Anakin I want to speak with you about your attitude and behavior lately. I don't think I'm the only one that has noticed that in the last couple of days you've earned yourself more punishments than most Padawans get in several months." Qui-Gon commented.

     "Yes sir, I've noticed this." He whispered.

     "Then why do you continue to behave so? If you would remain respectful and obedient then we wouldn't have any of these problems. You have deliberately hurt your Master and when he is hurt so am I. I don't think you know this but we still have our bond and occasionally his feelings are projected to me. Lately he has been in much mental and emotional pain. More than he should be in." Qui-Gon's voice was sad.

     "I'm sorry Master Jinn." Was Anakin's simple response.

     "It is a little late to be apologizing don't you think Anakin? The pain is already there. It is like shooting a blaster. Once you pull the trigger you can't stop the beam from being fired and as soon as someone is hit you can't take it back. The only thing that can be done is to try and fix up the wounds and help them on the route to healing. You have already pulled the trigger and Obi-Wan has been hit by your venomous words. Apologizing won't make it better but it won't make it worse." Qui-Gon gently lifted Anakin's face so that he made eye contact.

     "I will apologize to my Master right away." Anakin replied, starting to rise. Qui-Gon shook his head and the boy stopped.

     "He is going to a meeting with the planet's officials. You will have to wait until he contacts us again." Qui-Gon replied.

     "But that could be weeks! Can't I please contact him? Please Master Jinn?" Anakin begged.

     Qui-Gon shook his head; "We cannot risk interrupting him in the middle of a meeting or negotiations. However, I will allow you to send him a holo-letter. I expect it to be respectful and considerate. If I find out that you did something cruel in that letter you will regret it Child." Qui-Gon warned.

     "Master Jinn you have my word that I will be nothing short of the perfect, respectful Padawan. I plan on turning over a new leaf. From now on I'm going to be the ideal Padawan." Anakin said. The boy sounded so sure of himself it was just amazing!

    That will be the day! Qui-Gon thought to himself, out loud he said, "Okay Anakin. I will trust you to send this letter."

     "Thank you Master Jinn." Anakin stood up and bowed before hurrying off to prepare a letter to send to his Master from the 'perfect Padawan'.

***End Part Four***