Friday
"M'birthday's next week," young Anakin Skywalker announced around a mouthful of fried tronkin.
"That's nice," his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi replied.
"My birthday," Anakin repeated, not sure if he'd been heard.
"Mmm-hmm." Obi-Wan looked up from his food, wondering if he'd missed something. The look on Anakin's face told him that he definitely had. "Is it some sort of a holiday on your planet?"
Anakin gave him a funny look. "Kinda. Well, I dunno if everyone on Tatooine celebrates birthdays, but most o' the humans do. Rodians have hatchdays -- Wald had a party every year for his. His mom makes the best pahku wafers ever."
"I'm sorry I don't understand, Anakin. What do you do on your birthday?"
"Well, it's the day you were born."
"I figured as much. But does everyone celebrate your birthday? It seems like just about every day should be someone's birthday."
"No, stupid."
Obi-Wan's eyes widened.
"Er, no, Master. It's more of a...personal thing."
Obi-Wan really wanted to get it. He really did. Suddenly, it hit him. "Like Naming Day."
"I don't know what Naming Day is."
"Normally when a Padawan-to-be is brought to Coruscant, he is renamed, to symbolize the end of his old life and the beginning of his new. Every year, he remembers that day."
"That sounds like a birthday! What do you do on Naming Day?"
"Well, usually a Padawan is relieved of all his training, and he spends the day in quiet meditation and oneness with the Force."
"Nevermind. It's not really the same thing, after all."
"Perhaps you could explain it to me..."
"Naw. It's not really a big thing, anyway."
Anakin concentrated back on his tronkin, but Obi-Wan could see the boy wasn't nearly as flippant about this birthday thing as he appeared.
This warranted some further investigation.
Saturday
"So which day is your bornday?" Obi-Wan inquired as he carefully watched Anakin working on his new lightsaber.
"Birthday," Anakin corrected. "An' it's Tuesday."
"Tuesday?"
"Yep."
"How often do you have birthdays?"
"One a year."
"I've never had one."
"Sure you have."
"I'm quite sure I haven't."
"Look, even if you didn't do nothin', you had a birthday."
"I don't know what day I was born. What am I missing?"
"Nothin' much." Anakin poked at the weapon dourly.
I'm not getting anything out of him, Obi-Wan thought. Who else could I ask? He could only think of one person.
Sunday
She'd answered right away. He'd sent Anakin off to the market for more groceries. Anakin loved the market, and knew how much Obi-Wan hated it, so he didn't suspect a thing. Obi-Wan, sure the boy was miles away, sat down and turned on the transmission.
A ragged picture of Amidala, Queen of the Naboo, fizzed into existance. Though the hologram was small, the detail was perfect, and he could even see that she wasn't wearing any makeup. He'd made a comment once about how whenever she spoke to him in full costume, he felt like she was ordering him around. Ever since, she'd made an effort to scrub her face before sending him transmissions.
"Hello, Obi-Wan," she said brightly. "I got your transmission. I was a little surprised about the choice of topics, although by now, I should start expecting this sort of thing from you and Anakin."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Obi-Wan sniffed at the hologram.
"Here on Naboo, we do celebrate birthdays. I believe most humans do, although I can understand how that sort of thing could be precluded by the Jedi philosophy. I think it's very sweet that you want to do something for Anakin on his big day."
"'Big day'?" Obi-Wan echoed. He'd had no idea this whole birthday thing was so important.
"I don't know how birthdays are celebrated on Tatooine, but on Naboo, it is a family occasion. You invite relatives, sometimes from far away, and you have a fancy dinner. Maybe you could take Ani into town for supper."
Obi-Wan snorted. She'd never even tasted his cooking.
"Sometimes little presents are given. It's not a big celebration, but just enough to make the birthday boy feel he's special. I included a special message at the end of this for Ani. Don't give it to him until Tuesday.
"Oh. Jar Jar was visiting today, and I asked him if Gungans had a similar holiday. He wanted to talk to you."
Suddenly, a larger, oranger figure stepped into the hologram, blocking most of the Queen's visage.
"Howdy-ho, Obiwun!" the Gungan announced cheerfully.
"Jar Jar," Obi-Wan replied scornfully, almost forgetting the other creature wasn't actually there.
"Queen Amy-dala say yousa be askin' all 'bout birthdays. Down in Otoh Gunga, hatchdays be the most bombiggest day o' de year! Yousa invite all o' yousa friends, an' t'row a maxibig party! Wit' hoodingers an' globoomers an' --"
"Of course, I know exactly what you're talking about..." Obi-Wan said sarcastically over the Gungan's nonsensical ranting.
"-- An' cake. Dere's gotta be cake, made by yousa momma."
"Cake? What sort of cake?" Obi-Wan exclaimed. He had no idea this occasion was so elaborate.
"Meesa momma made de bestest cake ever. Dat's de most bombiggest important t'ing. Yousa tell Ani Happy Hatchday from Jar Jar."
Jar Jar stepped off screen again.
"Thank the Force you're back," Obi-Wan sighed to Amidala.
"Don't listen to Jar Jar."
An irritated noise came from off-screen.
"All that's important is that you make it a special day for Ani. Think of what would make him happy, and do it. Good luck, Obi-Wan. Okay, turn off the message now, the rest is for Ani."
He flicked off the rest of the transmission. Make a special day for Ani. And cake. Special day and cake. He could handle that. Probably.
Maybe.
Monday
"You're not concentrating, Anakin."
"How'm I s'posed to concentrate when you keep tellin' me I'm not concentratin'?"
"That is something you must figure out."
Anakin stuck his tongue out at his teacher. Obi-Wan sat crosslegged, eyes closed, hovering about a foot in the air.
"I saw that, Anakin."
Anakin sighed and closed his eyes again. He felt the Force surge through him, and he shot into the air, about the same height as Obi-Wan. Unfortunately, keeping himself there was like clenching a muscle. After about three minutes, his bottom hit the floor with a thud.
Obi-Wan opened his eyes carefully. "You're trying too hard, Ani. Don't try to hold yourself in the air. Make the air seem natural. You don't have to concentrate on sitting on the ground -- don't concentrate on sitting on air."
Anakin sighed. This definitely fell under the "easier said than done" category. He tried again, but as soon as he stopped concentrating on keeping himself aloft, he plummeted like a womprat tossed out of a speeder. "Obi-Wan, I'm no good at this."
"Anakin, you've just started. I've been practicing these things for twenty-five years."
"Well, I don't want to practice them for twenty-five years." He stuck out his lower lip. "Who wants to sit in the air with his eyes closed for three hours, anyway?"
"This is just the first step to more important skills, Anakin. If I had not perfected this technique, I would probably be dead now."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
"You seem frustrated today. Perhaps it would be best to spend a few hours meditating."
"Okay."
Obi-Wan was shocked. While Anakin was normally a fairly hard worker, and did most of the things he asked, the boy drew the line at meditation. He hated it. He had trouble sitting still for meals, let alone on purpose. Obi-Wan wondered once more if it had anything to do with the birthday thing.
Anakin bit his lip. "Obi-Wan, I don't feel very good today. Can I just go to bed early?"
"The sun's not even down, yet, Ani." He felt Anakin's forehead. "But I suppose so. Get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow's a busy day."
"Sure thing, Obi-Wan."
As the boy shuffled off to bed, Obi-Wan grinned. Time to get to work.
Tuesday
Obi-Wan poked the batter with a spoon. Surely it wasn't supposed to be this lumpy. It had never been this lumpy when Qui-Gon had made these. Or maybe it had. He threw some more batter on the griddle. It sizzled cheerfully.
Suddenly, a door slammed, and Anakin walked into the kitchen, dressed in a clean set of Jedi robes. He rubbed his eyes, sleepily. He looked at Obi-Wan. He looked at Obi-Wan's cooking. He looked at the big sign on the wall that said, "Happy Birth Day, Ani!" He rubbed his eyes again.
"Happy Birthday, Ani," Obi-Wan announced cheerfully.
"I'm goin' back t'bed," Anakin announced.
"But I made breakfast."
"No, you didn't. You made gruel again. I'm still asleep, an' I'm dreamin'. See ya when I wake up, Obi-Wan."
"When you wake up, Anakin, I'd change my clothes if I were you. You're going to get those awfully dirty."
"Yeah. Okay, Obi-Wan." Anakin trudged back to his room.
Ten minutes later, Anakin reappeared, wearing an older, rattier set of clothing. He looked around the room, and at the plate of Corellian oatcakes with jackleberry syrup sitting at his place.
"I didn't dream coming down here ten minutes ago," he reassured.
"No," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin looked at the sign. "Birthday is one word."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"Naw, that's okay. You're wearing the swamp robes."
Once, Obi-Wan had gotten the brilliant idea of going down to the nearby swamp to train. He'd ended up falling in, much to Anakin's amusement. His robes, even after numerous cleanings, still had a somewhat peculiar odor to them. Anakin had dubbed them "the swamp robes." Obi-Wan hadn't worn them since.
"I made breakfast. It's not porridge."
"Yup. I love jackleberry syrup," he said, scooping up some oatcake.
"I know."
"How do you know?"
"I'm your Master. It's my job to know these things." Besides, it helps that you told me last week, Obi-Wan didn't add.
"We aren't going back to the swamps again, are we, Obi-Wan?"
"No, we are not, Anakin. Today is your birthday. It's your day off."
"I don't have to spend the day in meditation and oneness with the Force, do I?"
"You can if you want to..."
"No, thanks."
"Good, because I had much better plans."
"What?" Anakin perked up.
"You'll see. Eat your breakfast."
Anakin stuffed a bite in his mouth, and chewed. And chewed. And chewed. He decided not to mention it to Obi-Wan. He definitely didn't want to spend his birthday stuck in his room.
**********
"Ready to go?" Obi-Wan asked as they stepped outside. The landspeeder was ready to go.
"Where are we going?"
"To town."
"Really?" Anakin was shocked. Obi-Wan never went to town voluntarily. "Awesome! Let's go!"
Obi-Wan didn't move.
"What are you waitin' for, Obi-Wan?"
"I'm waiting for you to hop into the driver's seat."
"I can drive?" Anakin exclaimed incredulously.
I am so going to regret this, Obi-Wan thought to himself.
**********
Obi-Wan smoothed his hair back. Anakin was bouncing about, still enthusiastic over his driving prowess.
"Everything's so busy t'day, Obi-Wan!"
"I know."
"I wonder what's going on."
"There's a podrace today."
Anakin's eyes went wide. "A podrace?" he mouthed silently. He frowned and licked his lips. "Obi-Wan, can we please go look? Just for a few minutes? It doesn't cost anything to look at the racers through the fences..."
"I suppose so," Obi-Wan shrugged. "Though I don't see why you'd want to..."
"Obi-Wan, please --"
"... after all, I got tickets."
Anakin's jaw dropped. "You got tickets?" That would explain the dirty clothes. Podraces were notoriously unsanitary events. "But you said podraces were --"
"Never mind what I said. Just don't tell Master Yoda I took you to a podrace, okay?"
"Okay!"
**********
Obi-Wan had been to several podraces in the past. He'd endured them, rather, soley for Anakin's sake. But Amidala's words ran through his head. All that's important is that you make it a special day for Ani. Think of what would make him happy, and do it. And he knew that Ani would be happy if he could be a better sport about the whole podrace thing. Maybe he could just pick one racer, and cheer for him.
"Which one's the best, Ani?"
Anakin furrowed his brow in thought. "Lem Pokway's got a nice pod, but he's not a great driver. He's the favorite. Winzo's usually pretty good, but he's cracked up the last two races. I like Gekka Yun. She's never finished, but she's my favorite anyway." Obi-Wan wasn't surprised, considering Anakin's own record in the podraces of Tatooine. Obi-Wan glanced at Yun's podracer. It was a slick, streamlined model. The engines were smaller than many of the others, but they looked powerful. Yun herself was a petite Beldarian. She waved as her name was called, and Obi-Wan and Anakin cheered. Anakin looked at Obi-Wan yelling enthusiastically, if a little stiltedly. He smiled. He'd probably never see his Master acting so goofy ever again, he might as well enjoy it.
"Gooooo...Gekka!" he called as her racer whizzed past their stands. He knew the racers couldn't possibly hear him, but it was fun to yell anyway. Besides, everyone did it.
"Yea...Ms. Yun!" Obi-Wan called a little belatedly.
"You can call her Gekka, Obi-Wan."
"But I don't know her."
"That's okay."
"Okay."
Two of the podracers jostled together going through a turn, and both went up in a puff of orange flame. The audience roared. Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at Anakin. Anakin shrugged. "Happens sometimes. At least the drivers are still alive." He pointed to where the two strangely-shaped creatures had ejected.
A few minutes later, the pack began to round the turn again.
"Hooray, Gekka!" Obi-Wan called. "Did I do it right that time?"
"Uh-huh," Anakin said, his mouth partially full. "You wan' some garduin-on-a-stick?"
"Where did you get that?"
"From the garduin-on-a-stick guy."
"I'll pass."
"Please, Obi-Wan?"
Obi-Wan stared at it disdainfully for a minute. "Ani, did that used to be a lizard?"
"Uh-huh. But now it's batter-dipped."
Obi-Wan sighed. "Okay." He closed his eyes and bit off a chunk. I'm only doing this for Anakin, he thought to himself. He chewed. "It's...chewy."
"Yup."
"But crispy, too."
"Yup."
"I'm guessing it has no nutritional qualities, either."
"Nope."
"Where's that garduin-on-a-stick guy?"
**********
The race was nearing the end, and only five racers were left -- including Lem Pokway and Gekka Yun. As the racers zipped past the stands again, Obi-Wan and Anakin stood up and yelled. Obi-Wan was finally getting the hang of it.
"Gooooo Gekka!" they yelled together. And then sat down again.
"You humans don't know nuttin' about podracin'," a portly Bactian sitting behind them announced. "Lem Pokway's gonna win this race, tentacles down."
"Nuh-uh!" Anakin protested. "Gekka Yun's gonna win!"
"What d'you know 'bout podracin', kid?"
"He knows enough," Obi-Wan broke in.
"Keep an' eye on yer kid, human. Next thing you know, he'll be tryin' to drive one o' those things himself."
"He could, too," Obi-Wan broke in.
The Bactian laughed harshly. "No dopey little human can drive a pod."
Obi-Wan looked at his Padawan. "Anakin, I want you to remember that anger leads to hatred and suffering," he intoned solemnly.
"Yes, Master," Anakin replied. Then Obi-Wan slugged the Bactian in the stomach.
**********
"Anakin, I'm sorry I got into a fight at the podrace."
"That's okay, Obi-Wan," Anakin said, holding an coolpak up to Obi-Wan's eye. "It was kinda funny. At least until he hit you in the face."
"I don't know what got into me."
"Probably the garduin-on-a-stick. At least Gekka won."
"True. I think I'm done with the ice now."
Anakin pulled the coolpak away.
"How does my eye look?"
"Kinda purple."
"Oh, well. Hungry?"
"A little. Is it time to go home, already?"
"Actually, I thought we'd eat out tonight."
"Wow! Cool!"
Obi-Wan let it go. After all, it was the kid's birthday.
**********
Obi-Wan ended up driving back home. He would have let Anakin do it, but the boy fell asleep in the passenger seat of the speeder minutes after getting in. Obi-Wan smiled fondly. He was mildly surprised. It was Anakin's birthday, not his -- why did he feel so good about it? They arrived home, and he touched Anakin's shoulder gently.
"Ani, we're home."
"Mmm."
Anakin managed to stumble sleepily back into the house, and sat down on the couch.
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said, sitting next to him. "I have to apologize. About the cake."
"The cake?"
"I tried to make one. I thought it was better if you didn't see how it turned out."
Anakin grinned. "That's okay, Obi-Wan. Today was really great. 'Specially after you faked all that stuff about not knowin' what birthdays were an' stuff."
"Ani...that wasn't faking. I still don't know what most humans do on their birthdays."
"Oh. Well, Mom used to make me a cake...don't worry 'bout that...an' sometimes my friends would come over for a while, but before bed, she always sang to me. Doesn't matter what you do on your birthday, long as y'know someone cares 'bout you." He smiled, then threw his arms around Obi-Wan's neck. "You're the best, Obi-Wan. Thanks."
"Well, there's one more thing."
"It's not cake, is it?"
"No, it's not cake. It's not from me." He pulled out the transmission player. "Would you like me to leave? It may be private."
"Naw. You can stay."
Anakin keyed the player, and Amidala's face shimmered into view. Anakin's smile widened into a grin.
"Hello, Ani! Happy Birthday! I'm sorry I couldn't be there in person, but that's what happens when you're a Queen. I hope you had a wonderful day with Obi-Wan. If you didn't, let me know, and I'll beat some sense into him." Obi-Wan snorted. Anakin giggled. "Jar Jar says hello and Happy Hatchday. On Naboo, it's a tradition to give someone a kiss on their birthday for good luck. It's a bit long distance, but..." She blew him a kiss. "I hope it will do. I didn't know what else to do for you, so I thought I'd sing a song my mother used to sing for me on my birthday. I know I haven't much of a voice, but I hope you like it."
As Amidala's sweet voice filled the room, Anakin leaned his head on Obi-Wan's shoulder. Obi-Wan put his arm around the boy, and they both listened peacefully. After a few minutes, Obi-Wan looked down and realized Anakin was fast asleep. He smiled, and listened to the rest of the song.
"Happy Birthday, again, Ani," Amidala smiled. "I'll be sure to visit you for next year's!" The hologram clicked off.
"That would be nice," Obi-Wan murmured, about to fall asleep himself. Suddenly, his eyes shot open. "Next year?"
