The Tragic Jedi | Anakin Skywalker

𝓢𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓮 𝟏𝟓

 ❝𝑫𝒐. 𝑶𝒓 𝒅𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒕𝒓𝒚.❞ -- 𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒀𝒐𝒅𝒂

❈✱❉✤❈✱❉

"Sebulba?" Anakin exclaimed angrily. "That treacherous, lying, cheating snake?" 

Obi Wan smiled slightly as if amused by Anakin's memory of the famous-- or shall they say infamous for his notorious cheating-- pod racer of Mos Espa. At Astrid's apparent confusion, Obi Wan explained that Sebulba had been the reining champion of the Boonta Eve Classic pod race until Anakin had beat him at the finish line. 

Astrid looked to Anakin as she realized, "So this was the podrace you mentioned to me back in Coruscant." 

Anakin nodded proudly and remarked, "By winning the race, I won Obi Wan, Qui Gon Jinn, and Senator Amidala the ship parts they needed to repair their ship from my old master, and I was able to free myself as part of the transaction deal." 

Astrid shuddered internally at Anakin's description of the deal, as if he had merely been an after thought, just another thing to be casually bartered. Though, she was positive Anakin hadn't been merely an afterthought to Master Kenobi and this Qui Gon Jinn. 

But no doubt Anakin had been adjunct to the bargain in the eyes of Anakin's old master. 

Anakin rolled his eyes as he continued, "But Sebulba, the cheating, arrogant filth, connived with the other podrace competitors to purposefully crash into me, and he made illegal mortifications to his pod racer. It was only by mere luck that I won."

Obi Wan chuckle and placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder as he remarked, "No, you had the Force on your side, Padawan. That was how you won." 

 "And skill," Astrid offered, even though she hadn't been there at the race. But for Anakin to have beaten this Sebulba and his enhanced podracer, while also managing to maneuver past the other competitors trying to sabotage him, Anakin must've been a skilled pilot. 

Perhaps that was why Anakin called himself the greatest star pilot in the galaxy. 

Astrid rolled her eyes affectionately at the thought. 

"Well," she remarked as she placed a hand on her hip and twirled her lightsaber hilt in her hand, "we better go find this Sebulba." 

A grin split across Anakin's face, and he slung an arm around Astrid's shoulders and began leaded her down the dusty street as he called over his shoulder to Obi Wan, "Hurry now, master. I'm so very eager to meet this old friend of mine."

❈✱❉✤❈✱❉

All it took to find Sebulba was visiting another pub. 

This pub was very much the same as the last, except bigger, and much more lively. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, so all the pubs were more lively, but this one had an extra spark of energy to it. 

And their trio stood out like a sore thumb. 

Nearly every person in the pub was coupled with someone else, and they all had a drunken sense to them. Anakin's hand founds hers as he said to Obi Wan, "We'll split up to be more discreet. Astrid and I will stay together and pretend that we are... an item of sorts." 

Master Kenobi narrowed his eyes just slightly before nodding in agreement. "I'll see you around," he told them before splitting off from the two Padawans.