The Lucky One (a Star Wars fanfic)

Chapter 28

Anakin's pov

"I pledge myself to your teachings."

"A worthy apprentice you shall become. Now rise, Darth Amicus."

"Yes, my Master."

I wake up suddenly, hoping that what I just saw was only a nightmare and not a vision. As I feel sweat drip down my brow I stand up, hoping that I will find Rider asleep in the mediation chamber.

I open the door to see that Rider is no longer laying down in the bed that I had made for him.

"How could he do this?" I whisper as I reach into the force to try and find his presence.

I begin to panic when I can't find him after a minute.

"How could he join the Sith? Maybe Obi-Wan was right. We should have put him in a cell when we had the chance," I say angrily to myself as I begin to pace.

After a few more minutes I find his presence very far away.

I reach into our force bond and pull back almost immediately as I feel all his fear.

"Maybe he didn't actually join the Sith. Maybe he just left to go see Zeba. It's not anything he hasn't done before," I say in a bitter tone as I stop pacing, hoping that is the case but knowing in my heart that he is gone.

Remembering that he had talked to Shawn yesterday, I reach out into the force to find Shawn. When I don't feel anything coming from him, I come to the conclusion that he must be in cuffs.

I exit the mediation chamber, knowing that I will need to talk to Shawn in person to get some answers. If that doesn't work, I will have to ask Zeba.

I put my cloak on and grab my lightsaber, then walk into Obi-Wan's room and out the door.

After walking through the halls for five minutes, I reach the door and enter the room. Shawn is sitting with his back up against the wall farthest from the door, looking at me with a little fear in his eyes, making me more worried about Rider.

"Shawn, where is Rider?" I ask Shawn as I sit five feet in front of him, afraid to hear his answer.

Shawn opens his mouth to talk, but is interrupted by Zeba asking, "Did he leave already?"

When I turn around to look at her surprised, she says, "Oh. Hello, Anakin."

"Why don't you come in, Zeba," I say in a bitter tone, feeling as if everyone but me knew that Rider was leaving to join the Sith.

Once she is sitting down beside Shawn, becoming a little desperate, I ask, "Please, tell me where Rider is."

My worry for Rider increases even more when I catch the two of them sharing a nervous glance, seeming like they don't know how to tell me that Rider has joined the Sith.

"Do you want me to just guess?" I ask with a frustrated sigh after they remain quiet for a minute.

"Go ahead and guess," Shawn says while sharing another nervous look with Zeba.

"He joined the Sith," I say in a bitter tone.

"He did. But before you get upset Anakin, you need to know that he had a good reason for leaving," Zeba says as I feel my anger rising.

"What reason can justify joining the Sith?!" I ask in a raised voice, not understanding why Rider would leave me like this.

After everything we've been through, I can't believe it's come to this. He is my best friend in the entire galaxy. How could I have not known that he was thinking of joining the dark side?