Anakin had officially turned seventeen and after alot of successful mission he was finally being promoted after a few long years of nonstop monotony.
"Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, it has only been a few short years since you have been promoted from a Padawan and now you will be given another promotion today." Mace was present for the promotion for himself.
In fact, all of the High Council was present for such an event because he was now officially the youngest person ever to become a Jedi Master as well.
"Jedi Master you shall become, a seat on the Council you may recieve. This is if you wish to take a seat that is." The Grandmaster stood up and announced to everyone present.
Most people were surprised and some even gasped because this would set another new record throughout the Order. Even more surprising it was Yoda who had decided to hand over one the vacant seats to Anakin because he was of the most afraid of the Jedi right from the start.
Anakin had predicted this outcome through the various means and methods he had access to him, whether that be through the Force or his ability to connect the dots through logical forethought.
There were many benefits to becoming apart of the Council but he had decided that if it were to ever be presented to him he would reject. He would have less free time to explore the things he wanted to do himself.
And there was alot of things for him to do.
"I will have to decline the seat." Anakin answered.
"Reason you do have?" Yoda asked him.
"I just like Qui-Gon, as everyone here must know have my own misgivings." Anakin stated not afraid of confronting the stubborn lot.
"We are aware of your antics and it would seem Qui-Gon has lead you astray in this manner." Ki-Adi-Mundi said as he was one of the strictest when it came to the Jedi code.
"I think that is enough Master Mundi. It would seem that Anakin has made his decision and we shall respect it." Mace having formed a positive relationship with Anakin was easily able to look away from his disrespect because his own thoughts were starting to change as well.
In fact he had been influencing alot of Jedi younglings for a long while now with him participating in many of their lessons.
This was once something that was a cause for concern but whatever investigation they did ended up with no results that would point to some misconduct.
"I thank the Masters here that believe that I am ready to become a Master." Anakin dispels the tension within the room by saying this.
"Yes, I believe that will be all for today." Mace says as everyone starts to exit the room, but Anakin has something more to say, not to any of them but towards Shaak Ti.
Shaak Ti had become apart of the Jedi High Council this very year as a replacement to one of the Jedi Masters that had died. She would have replaced Yaddle if Anakin didn't save her but there was still an open seat. Master Yarael Poof was slain so she had been offered the seat.
"Master Ti, I would like to have a word with you." Anakin signals her out as the rest continue to leave them alone.
After everyone else had left it was only Anakin and Shaak left within the room and a slightly awkward atmosphere was being created.
"Well? What is it that you wanted to talk about?" Shaak was given off the vibe of not wanting to talk as if she wanted to escape the area.
Anakin being aware, much more now then when he had first met her knew she didn't like her new 'feelings.' "I believe that it is appropriate we talk about a few things." Anakin said before she could make an excuse to leave.
"Talk about what exactly?" Shaak tries to play it off but she knows full well what he was confronting her about.
"I think you know exactly what I mean." Anakin said then transitioned from physical speech to mental communication. 'You wont be able to escape what has happened.'
On instinct she replies mentally herself. 'I deny this. A Jedi must not be attached, I should not, you should not and no other Jedi should as well. It was the pact, the commitment we agreed to when becoming a Jedi.'
'Are you sure that you agreed with this? With what agency did you have and with what choice did you make when you were brought to the Jedi?' Anakin questioned.
'I-I made my choice. I stayed with the Jedi because I believed this is the place I am meant to be in.' Shaak answered.
'It would seem that you still deny our bond.' Anakin then continued telepathically. 'Let me show you what would happen to you if you were to stay with the Jedi.'
Anakin then proceeded to tell a story, a story of how she would have lead a life of isolation within the Jedi before dying because she was apart of it. He conveniently left out bits and pieces that may have indicated that he was apart of the cause within another timeline because that wouldn't be a good look.
He was here to confuse and persuade her into accepting their bond as he had no way to sever it even if he wanted too. At least not yet.
Shaak Ti drops to the ground and is on her knees seeing these events take place. Seeing her potential future and the choices she had made that even when in the right place still lead to the consequence of death.
And it was all for nothing.
Anakin went towards her and embraced her within a warm hug giving her some emotional support in this moment. She silently cried as she held onto him, which led to Anakin thinking he was taking advantage of the situation he had created.
'Well... This kind of makes me feel like a scumbag even when I am right...' Anakin thought to himself.
[]
Anakin had calmly settled everything with Shaak Ti and she was not avoiding him like she was and in fact had become even more attached after that event. Given he had revealed a potential future to her and through their bond she could see the truth and his honesty, he wasn't surprised.
Just as settling one problem is good and all it doesn't stop it from creating another.
One problem leads to another because that is just the way it is. After Shaak's warming up to him it was apparent that Aayla was able to easily pick up on the difference between him and Shaak.
Another was Barriss and her new connection to him by a created Force Dyad which he had to manage and deal with. Having the affections of multiple women is surely a great thing but that doesn't mean it is no work at all.
Anakin was within the training room given to him by the Jedi alongside Aayla.
She was meditating and seemed to be very contemplative about something, her concentration was very intense and he was curious as to what exactly she was struggling with.
He could always invade her mind but that really isn't conductive to a healthy relationship and Anakin didn't like doing this much to others as well. It is best that she keep her privacy just as he is allowed to have his own.
He doesn't need to know what is going through the minds of the women he is currently connected to all day, every day.
With that Anakin begins his own task of looking over his new design, a specially made new armor. He had to make this armor sooner or later and it would be his replacement for his Vader suit as he considered it incomplete to what he could have now.
Especially with the correct materials available to him and his ability to synthesize much more powerful and much more capable metals.
His design was a combination of many things which included the blueprints left behind by that ancient Sith holocron along with other things with which he took inspiration from.
He didn't want anything too bulky as it could impede his movement but he didn't want something that would be unable to fully protect him while at the same time it needed to be aesthetically pleasing.
Regal looking in a sense and the regal or royal look he was going for was an outfit that looked similar to Darth Vitiate. The interior was robed but he wanted to add more metallic plating and have the mesh be better made.
As Anakin was going over the design he didn't notice that Aayla had actually snuck up behind him and he was caught off guard as she jumped him.
Aayla had kissed him on the check and as he turned around to say something. "Hey-" She kissed him on the lips while he was low enough for her to do so because of his height.
She shyly let him go as he was briefly stunned by the display of affection. "Well... That was quite an unexpected first kiss." While Anakin had kissed others before because of his 'nightly activities,' that didn't mean he had actually officiated his relationship with any of those he was connected with.
"I thought about it long and hard and have come to the decision that we should finally become a couple." Aayla stated quite boldly, partially because there was no one else around to see this moment.
"A couple, eh?" Anakin has a smile on his face which brings an even deeper blush to Aayla.
"Yes." She confirms with no hesitation.
"You also realize that I am currently not only connected to you and to others in this special way, correct?" Anakin had informed the three he currently had a Force Dyad with about what exactly it was and what it was meant to entail.
"I have also taken that into consideration and I believe that I wouldn't mind 'sharing' you." Aayla said then continued. "I have known Barriss for a long time now because of you and have come to think of her as my own sister. While with Master Shaak, I am also aware of the small feud we have but I have overcome this."
"I just want to be with you now, even if it is in secret." Aayla says rather cutely before continuing. "Do you agree?" She was rather shy but he could also feel her emotions because this confession was quite something.
It embarrassed her and she was also afraid about the answer.
While not stated, it is quite implicit that Anakin had been giving off the vibes of not wanting to be in any type of romantic relationship. His reasons? He wasn't exactly ready himself and he knew his own character well enough to know he would want more then one woman.
He had practically asked the Force itself about this and it only responded by sending him visions, teasing him about it.
It was his fault for reincarnating this way, indirectly making him like this.
As if thinking it over and building some suspense on purpose Anakin delays his answer. "I think..."
"Yes?" She was both excited and anxious to hear his answer as she had grown rather impatient over the years and was ready to fully accept this bond. In fact she had already done so and was ready to go all the way for him, even willing to leave the Order.
"I believe..."
"Yes?"
"I feel that-" Anakin was cut off.
"Hurry up with it already." Aayla caught on to what he was trying to do.
Smiling, Anakin answers by picking her up and embracing her. "Yes." He kisses her back and she is overjoyed, he could easily tell through their bond as he was able to share in her feeling.
"What does that make us now then?" Aayla asks as he puts her back down.
"This means we are in an official relationship, but not a fair one per say since you have accepted I will have multiple significant others..." Anakin left off.
"You dont have to feel worried about that, I have already accepted this will happen. All I know is that I will be your first girlfriend, first lover, meaning that I have you to myself." Aayla says in response.
"I am glad but feel slightly guilty-" Anakin again began only to not finish his sentence.
Aayla decides to shut him up by merging her face with his as they continued to kiss for quite a while and it would seem they were both quite passionate about it.
Anakin was more passionate then Aayla and had even wanted to continue their little play into something more... intimate, but he was stopped by Aayla. "I think that is enough for now." Even though she was passionate herself that didn't mean she had no reason.
They were currently within the training room that even though had become more secure as no intruders could get in without Anakin's express permission, that didn't mean there was no one else who could enter.
One reason why Anakin was so passionate was because of the bond, the dyad and in combination with his pronounced trait of lust from the magick ritual enhancing his desire. It really didn't help but he was able to regain control of himself.
"Right, the others may come in." Anakin replied.
"I know that you-no, we are both wanting to continue things but yes it would be bad if someone walked in on us." Aayla expressed her concerns.
"More specifically Ahsoka." Anakin said.
"Yes, the others as well but Ahsoka is the most important here." Aayla continued.
Ahsoka was obviously still very young and still had some innocence about her even though she had recently started learning about adult things from the other women here because the Jedi dont really have the best track when it comes to things like this.
Just as they were discussing and calming themselves down, the subject of their conversation made herself known by rushing Anakin and hugging on to his thigh. She had started to grow but she was still not tall enough to really hug him as much yet.
"Ani!" Ahsoka called. "I wanted to learn about..." She then started to go on a rant about her day and about what she wanted to be taught next full of energy not realizing the ambiguous atmosphere between Anakin and Aayla.
"Alright, I think you should calm down now. I think you need to go back to your meditation practice." Anakin said to Ahsoka because she was a bundle of excessive energy.
Pouting she replied. "I dont like meditation though."
"That is too bad because without it you will grow slower and be unable to become an adult." Anakin said in jest.
"I am not a kid anymore, I know that what you said is a lie!" Ahsoka said having a mini temper tantrum.
"Alright, alright, I apologize. I was in the wrong." Anakin smiles down at the little girl.
Ahsoka cutely blushes a bit having developed a crush as her teenage hormones were starting to kick in. "Ok." Of course Anakin is not aware of this and doesn't think much of this but Aayla could see this and could only sigh within her mind.
Anakin may have been a playboy within his last life but that didn't mean he was any good at noticing things like this. In fact he was quite oblivious and was only good with feminine ques in relation to adult things.
'This man, I guess that is just how he is.' Aayla thought to herself.