MasterMind

Chapter 7

Atathum sat straight up in Anakin's bed, but slowly lowered when he had a quick headrush. What happened since I went to...sleep, I guess? Atathum asked himself.
    "You've got staples in your head," Gül said, sitting on a chair, resting his head in his hand.
    Atathum lifted his hand and touched the back of his head. He felt where Obi-wan put the staples, and paused ever so slightly, for the pain was incredible. Gül laughed, sarcastically, and stood up. He almost seemed to teleport right in front of him.
    "Did you know that I would be here?" Gül asked.
    "I figured," Atathum replied, scowling at him.
    "Don't you remember that your anger fuels me?"
    "Yes, and I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!"
    Gül smiled his regular, evil smile. He touched Atathum's cheek, and Atathum moved away, and Gül muttered something. Atathum raised an eyebrow, but then turned to the side. Gül suddenly appeared in front of Atathum, he tilted his head a little. Atathum twitched his nose.
    "Should you go find your friends? or will you stay with me?" Gül asked.
    Atathum sat up again, but slower this time. His head was fine, but the back of it was still throbbing slightly. He moved his legs out from underneath him, but noticed that his right ankle had swelled to the size of an apple. His back was starting to ache, too. He used his arms to balance, but he couldn't put as much pressure on them because they appeared to be purple. I just want to get out of here! Atathum thought angrily. Gül almost laughed, resulting in Atathum using the force to stand him up.
    "I mean, I just don't understand," a voice talked, faintly.
    Atathum used some of his force power to listen to the person, while keeping the rest of it for him to stay standing.
    "Why, Atathum is so powerful?" another voice entered.
    "Yeah, I mean, he isn't even the chosen one! Why should he have all the strength?"
    "True, but, he is--"
    "More gentle, humble, sure, but that doesn't make any difference! He could be that humble minus the power."
    "You know, someday you are going to regret that, Obi-wan."
    "Anakin! Do not talk back to me!"
    Obi-wan, doesn't like me being powerful? Maybe one day he will regret it! Atathum thought, darkness clouding his mind.
    "That's it, Atathum, let your anger control you actions, and you can strike him down with
one swift force movement!" Gül encouraged.
Atathum's mind cleared, and he sighed.
"I will not listen to you, Gül, and you will keep asking me to join you for all my days," Atathum replied.
Gül almost seemed to hiss at Atathum's response. He clenched his fist tightly and was about to punch Atathum across the face.
The two heard the door of the foyer screech open. Gül instantly disappeared and Atathum carefully flung his body back onto the bed, softening his fall with the force. He looked at the ceiling until the door to where he was opened.
"Atathum! You woke up!" Anakin said, ecstatic.
Atathum turned his head to see Anakin, Obi-wan, and his master standing in the back. Atathum was slightly confused to see her, but he didn't care. Anakin ran up to Atathum and stood by his side.
"I thought you might have died when I found you in Coruscant!" Anakin exclaimed.
"Wait, I was in Coruscant?" Athathum asked.
"Well, um, yeah."
"I fell into Coruscant?!"
"Yeah."
Atathum used the force and sat himself up for a third time. He leaned back against the backboard, unable to move any further because his back had gotten worse. He watched as Luminara moved past Obi-wan and went onto the other side of Atathum.
"Was something wrong?" Luminara asked, putting her hand on his.
Atathum slightly winced. "No, I just made a mistake," Atathum replied.
"An almost fatal mistake."
"I know, I was just too tranced to realize what was happening until I felt "the force" all around me."
"Obi-wan told me he warned you about falling off the edge."
"Yeah he did, it's just that..."
"'It's just that' what?"
"It's not important."
"It is if you almost died because of it."
"Master. I'm serious--"
"Is this just like the other night? The "Master, I'm serious. I'm fine." business?"
"It was true. I was fine, it's just--"
"You weren't fine, I saw it. The fact that your eyes were tired and worried at the same time was not a good sign."
"Master--"
"Don't try to deny it, Atathum! Now tell us the truth: what was bugging you so much that you thought of killing yourself?"
"Master! I wasn't thinking of killing myself! I just made a mistake! And don't tell me what's next because we've already gone over this!"
"Then why did you make the mistake?!"
"I already told you!! I was lost in thought!!"
"Atathum, I know that you are smarter than this."
Atathum suddenly flew straight out of bed and almost seemed to dash into the middle of the floor.
"Are you calling me dumb?!" He asked, frustrated.
"Atathum, that's not what I meant."
"But it was what you were thinking."
Luminara stopped.
"I knew it."
"You don't understand, my young appre--"
"Stop calling me young! I'm fifteen! At least just call me apprentice!"
"Atathum! Don't disrespect your elders! You've known that since you were a youngling!"
    "Was leaving my father disrespectful?!"
The room went dead silent. Obi-wan was trying to put the pieces together with unknown pieces. Luminara's mouth was stuck open in shock, Anakin's skin tone went pale, and Atathum was glaring at Luminara to prove his point.
"Good job!" Gül applauded, resonating in Atathum's head.
Atathum stared straight into the non visible distance. Gül, now is not the time!
"Oh, but it is! You see, your anger actually has made it for me to be unable to leave you alone."
Screw it!
Atathum started to use the force on his own mind, and clearly his face was showing on how painful it was because it wasn't long before he heard Luminara speak up.
"Atathum, is something wrong? Is something hurting you?" Luminara asked desperately as she ran up to him.
Oh dear...huge mistake number two. Note: don't use the force on your head to get rid of your Sith-emotions.
Atathum put his hand up to his head, ignoring the pain in the arm so he could stop the pain in his head.
"Atathum! Please tell me what's wrong!" Luminara begged.
"It's probably just a migraine," Atathum lied.
"You sure, because if so, it must be a very strong and painful one."
Atathum just nodded, still keeping his hand up to his head. He moved over to a seat and sat down.
"We'll leave you alone," Luminara said.
Obi-wan and Luminara both walked out of the room. Anakin was still standing there, almost wondering if he should move at all. He made up his mind and stood right next to Atathum. The room was again silent, but more of an awkward silence.
"So..." Anakin began and slowly sat down.
"I'm sorry about lashing out," Atathum apologized.
"Yeah, you acted like an aggressive viper back there."
Atathum raised an eyebrow. ...What?
"That wasn't supposed to be offensive! Sorry, please forgive me!"
"You shouldn't forgive him! Remember, he is the only reason why you aren't the chosen one!" Gül persuaded.
Atathum watched, painfully--since Gül was breaking through the force barrier--as Anakin was getting choked to death. Just ignore Gül--ow!! Atathum pressed his head harder.
"Quit it!" Atathum whispered, painfully.
"Are you talking to me?" Anakin asked.
Atathum shook his head. Anakin suspiciously moved his hand towards Atathum's head. Atathum removed his hand, hoping that Anakin's force touch would help. He felt his warm hand touch his face. The pain suddenly grew stronger, and when he looked at Anakin, it seemed that something was hurting him, too.
"If you stop using the force, your pain will stop," Gül persuaded.
"Wait, your using the force, Atathum?" Anakin asked.
He heard him! Atathum thought excitedly, imagining what Gül's expression was at the moment.
"Yeah, I am," Atathum replied.
"Maybe you should stop using it, that way, your "migrain" will be over!" Anakin suggested.
The pain increased again. Atathum released the force he was using on his brain, and instantly, the two felt better. Atathum almost seemed to regain pain quickly, though, for his back was all like nice to see that your head is better, but lets just give you another hard time, you know, because I feel like it!
"Anakin, did I possibly break my back?" Atathum asked.
"Yeah, why? Is your back hurting?" Anakin replied.
"Yup."
"Is anything else hurting?"
"My arms, legs, chin ever so slightly, neck, and the back of my head."
"All the places you hit when you fell."
"Well, not my chin, I hit that before I fell completely down."
"Oh."
"What should I do?"
"Maybe we could go to healers and see what they think."
"Okay."
Anakin stood up and held out his hand. Atathum grabbed it, and was hoisted up. Using the force, Atathum walked slowly beside Anakin. They left the room. Luminara and Obi-wan were talking on the balcony.
"I don't know why he doesn't trust me. He trusted me with his horrific past, but he can't tell me this?" Luminara questioned.
Anakin and Atathum silently moved towards the door.
"Whatever did happen to Atathum? His past, I mean."
Atathum froze. Anakin knew exactly what was happening.
"C'mon, Atathum," Anakin said through the force.
"Well, when Atathum was three..." Luminara began, before Atathum ran out of the room, hoping that she wasn't telling Obi-wan.
"Okay, which way to the healers?" Atathum asked.
"Over here," Anakin replied as they headed to the left.