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[jedies]

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[jedies]

[ he shakes his head. ]

All I can do is remind him that visions are unpredictable and generally unreliable. Visions can be implanted. False.

I suspect another person's hand in them. Palpatine. And while he has acknowledged that Palpatine may not be good, I fear the damage and fear has dug itself deep.

[demonicbeauty]

Obi-Wan...

[There's a sense of "you should know better" in her tone there, although she doesn't say it.]

This isn't something that can be intellectualized. Loves lives in the heart, not the head.

[jedies]

I am aware. But he has to open up to be helped.

I cannot force him to accept it.

[demonicbeauty]

[He's right about that. But in her experience, some sense of commiseration is often very good at getting snarly males to be less...snarly.]

Have you considered talking to him about Sabine?

I mean, the way you talked to me about her.

[jedies]

[ he sighs. ]

I have spoken to Anakin about Satine many times. It is normal to have feelings of fear and sorrow. But he will not confide in me.

[demonicbeauty]

Is it, though? Normal to feel that way?

[She frowns.]

The way you talk about the Jedi, it sounds as if they treat those feelings as dangerous and bad. Something they discourage feeling. And if you discourage a feeling, that means you don't get a lot of chances to see it expressed in the right way.

[Ariadne sighs.]

I'm not a Jedi. And I'm not a snarly male either. I've never been in love and I've never been loved. Everything I know, I know from seeing it.

[jedies]

[ his frown deepens. ]

We have powers that could be used to hurt others. As witnessed quite clearly by Maul and Savage. Love is a part of the Jedi, but we choose to be selfless with it. Even feelings like anger, sorrow, hate . . . we are allowed to feel.

But if we let those feelings control us and drive us to do unconscionable things, then we are no better than animals. Love is not an excuse to hurt someone. Hate is not an excuse for violence. Sorrow and pain are not excuses to lash out.

My masters have loved. As have I. And that love is still within me.

We do not discourage feeling. We encourage peace.

[demonicbeauty]

And what better way is there to demonstrate peace than to talk about your own struggle with the exact same emotions?

[These Force-users are so frustrating.]

Maybe what Anakin needs more than a teacher is a friend.

[jedies]

Which I have done. As I already stated. I did not tell him my struggles in order to lecture him.

[demonicbeauty]

[Ariadne is...skeptical. But she lets it go.

And breathes out a long sigh.]

What if the worst should happen? What if Anakin falls to this Dark Side?

What should we expect?

[jedies]

[ obi-wan purses his lips. ]

Akin to Maul's earlier self, I would say.

[demonicbeauty]

Earlier self.

[She considers this a moment, not-too-pleased.

But then. Then the hope lights up her eyes.]

So we'll be able to pull him back?

[jedies]

Yes. Going to the Dark doesn't mean the end. You always have a choice to free yourself from it.

If you choose to reach out.

[demonicbeauty]

I see.

[Another moment of thoughtful silence.]

Will he try to hurt everyone? Or just the people closest to him?

[jedies]

[ a brief pause. ]

Most likely, he would lash out to those who he perceives have done him harm.

[demonicbeauty]

So, both of us.

[jedies]

[ obi-wan falls silent. ]

I would intervene long before then. And I must do so now as well. I was busy last month and thus, did not realize Anakin was so duly affected but I will be more mindful from now on.

[ he can't afford not to be anymore. ]

[demonicbeauty]

I hope...you're not blaming yourself, Obi-Wan.

None of this is your fault.

[jedies]

[ it's true that anakin is responsible for his own decisions and choices. obi-wan can't make them for him. and yet. it is difficult to untangle. obi-wan practically raised anakin, after all. ]

. . . No. But I cannot look away.

[demonicbeauty]

Neither can I.

[Said in a rather no-nonsense sort of tone.]

So tell me what I can do--short of changing my face--to help.

[jedies]

[ obi-wan mulls it over. ]

Maybe encourage him to speak freely. So he's less likely to repress what is bubbling under the surface.

[demonicbeauty]

I can try.

[She will try, that is. Because Ariadne's a stubborn little thing, when she needs to be. And clearly, she needs to be.

Another pause.]

You know, when Maul contacted me to offer his protection, he said something curious. He said that only two people in Trench were capable of fending off Anakin: Him and you.

[jedies]

[ obi-wan runs his fingers down his beard. ]

Anakin is strong in the Force. But I am the more experience fighter as is Maul.

[demonicbeauty]

Interesting that you two should be joined as the line of defense.

Together.

[jedies]

[ hrff. ]

Not the word I'd use. At any rate, I don't believe Anakin is so far gone. Something else is at the core. I will have to find it.