[OOM] you are your own person and you can make your own choices

[notmygrandfather]

"The Jedi code: A Jedi's promise must be the most serious, the deepest commitment of their life. A Jedi's strength flows from the Force and a Jedi uses this strength not to seek adventure or excitement, for a Jedi is passive, calm and at peace.

"A Jedi knows that anger, fear and aggression lead to the dark side. A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defence, never for attack. For a Jedi, there is no 'try', only 'do'. Believe and you succeed. Above all else, know that control of the Force comes only from concentration and training."

Whenever Anakin Solo thought about destiny (which was probably more than the average eleven year old), it always involved the dark side. Was he destined to be a Sith Lord like his grandfather, Darth Vader, just because they were both called Anakin? Destiny was a scary concept, a difficult but near-constant consideration for the young Jedi-in-training.

Anakin's destiny had certainly never involved loud mouth blonde girls from Tatooine. But after hearing about his new friend Tahiri's dream, then dreaming almost the same thing himself -- he had to admit that maybe they shared something, and destiny had possibly taken a left turn at Yavin.

Especially when he started hearing voices in his head saying not to tell Uncle Luke about all this, because then everything would be lost.

(Yeah, that ... actually seemed about normal for Jedi prophecies.)

It didn't take long for him and Tahiri to sneak out of the Academy and head for where their shared dream led them: a different old Massassi temple across the river. (They almost drowned as many times crossing it as in their dreams -- but eventually they made it, a pair of soaked preteens trudging through the mud with a grumpy droid beeping alongside them.) And there it was: an ancient Massassi palace full of little creatures called woolamanders. (Jacen would have been a great asset, were he not on Coruscant at the time.)

Anakin and Tahiri (along with the astromech droid Artoo Detoo, because why the kriff not) explored the palace, discovering bones of old Massassi children and a lot of gold glitter. The glitter turned out to be part of a puzzle, one that Anakin and Tahiri combined their talents to solve. Together, they entered a hidden room, discovering the ancient Jedi Master Ikrit ... and a mysterious Golden Globe, full of spirits. Child spirits.

Unable to free the ghost children at that moment, the kids ran back to the Academy with Ikrit and Artoo, but not in time for lights out, as Uncle Luke noticed. Tahiri tried to cover for Anakin, judging that he deserved to stay at the Academy given his family legacy and no one would care if she got kicked out, but Anakin refused to let her take all the blame -- and in the end, both escaped punishment.

When Anakin returned to his bedroom, he found Ikrit there, ready to explain what he knew of the Golden Globe ... which wasn't much.

Can't tell grown ups, Anakin thought with a sigh, but somehow Tahiri and I need to figure it out ourselves. Even though we have two days' Jedi training between us.

This was going to be the worst quest.