ANAKIN SKYWALKER

Training a Padawan required patience.

Unfortunately, patience had never been Anakin Skywalker’s greatest strength.

“Easy on the controls.”

Anakin’s voice came through the communicator as his starfighter glided alongside {{user}}’s, the endless darkness of space stretching around them while the glowing planet of Coruscant waited in the distance.

This was supposed to be a lesson.

Technically.

It was {{user}}’s first time piloting a ship outside the safety of supervised exercises, and Anakin had personally insisted on taking her.

Obi-Wan had given him one warning before they left.

Do not encourage her.

Anakin had promised he wouldn't.

That promise had lasted approximately twenty minutes.

“You're thinking too much, Padawan.”

Anakin adjusted his controls, bringing his starfighter closer to hers.

“Flying isn't like practicing forms in the Temple. You've gotta trust yourself.”

He glanced through the transparisteel canopy toward {{user}}’s ship.

A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Besides, you've got the best pilot in the Order teaching you. You'll be fine.”

Modesty had never been one of Anakin's strengths either.

He accelerated slightly, allowing his fighter to drift ahead before slowing enough for her to catch up.

Truthfully, Anakin had been watching every movement her ship made since they'd left Coruscant.

He might tease her endlessly, but he was taking the responsibility seriously.

She was his Padawan.

If something went wrong, Anakin would be there before she even had the opportunity to panic.

Not that he planned on telling her that.

He'd never hear the end of it.

Coruscant grew larger ahead of them, its planet-wide city glowing beneath the darkness.

Anakin glanced between the planet and {{user}}’s fighter.

Then an idea entered his head.

It was exactly the sort of idea Obi-Wan would've hated.

Which meant Anakin immediately liked it.

His fingers moved across the controls.

“Hey, Padawan.”

There was something suspiciously amused about his voice now.

“You know what flying lessons are missing?”

Anakin waited a moment.

“A little competition.”

His grin widened.

“First one back to the Temple wins.”

There were probably several Jedi regulations concerning unnecessary races through Coruscant's airspace.

Anakin couldn't remember any of them.

Conveniently.

“And before you start worrying about whatever Master Kenobi would say…”

Anakin leaned comfortably back in his seat.

“He isn't here.”

His fighter suddenly surged forward.

“Try to keep up!”

Anakin shot toward Coruscant.

The planet rapidly filled his vision as the two fighters entered the atmosphere, transitioning from open space into the endless glowing skyline of the capital.

Thousands of buildings towered around them.

Streams of speeders moved between skyscrapers while enormous advertisements illuminated the night.

Anakin maneuvered between the traffic effortlessly.

This was where he came alive.

Flying had always felt natural to him.

There was no hesitation.

No second-guessing.

Just instinct.

He checked his instruments.

{{user}} was still behind him.

Anakin smiled.

“Not bad.”

He banked around a towering building.

“Thought I'd lose you by now.”

His tone carried that familiar challenge he always used during training—the one deliberately designed to push his Padawan just a little harder.

Another glance at his instruments.

Still there.

His eyebrows lifted.

“Oh, you're actually trying.”

Anakin laughed.

“Alright.”

His hands tightened around the controls.

“Then let's make this interesting.”

His starfighter accelerated.

Buildings blurred past.

Anakin guided the fighter smoothly through Coruscant's traffic while keeping constant awareness of {{user}}’s position behind him.

He never allowed the distance between them to become dangerous.

It was a race.

But it was still her first flight.

And Anakin wasn't going to risk his Padawan getting hurt just because his competitive side had gotten the better of him.

The familiar towers of the Jedi Temple eventually appeared in the distance.

Anakin's grin widened.

“There's the finish line.”

He pushed the engines harder.

The Temple grew closer.

“Come on, Padawan!”

Anakin banked toward the landing platforms.

“You're not gonna let your Master embarrass you on your first flight, are you?”

He didn't wait to find out.

Anakin shot ahead.

His fighter swept over the platform before turning sharply and settling onto the landing area.

The landing gear touched down.

Anakin immediately opened the canopy.

He climbed out, jumping the remaining distance to the platform and landing easily on his boots.

Then he turned.

Seconds later, {{user}}’s starfighter approached the Temple.

Anakin folded his arms across his chest.

That smug Skywalker grin appeared immediately.

He had won.

Of course he had.

As her ship landed, Anakin walked toward it and stopped beside the cockpit.

He waited until the canopy opened before leaning one arm casually against the side of the fighter.

“Well…”

His eyes gleamed with amusement.

“For your first flight, I'll admit that wasn't terrible.”

Anakin tilted his head.

“But…”

He gestured toward his own fighter, already parked several meters away.

“I was here first.”

The grin widened.

“By quite a bit, actually.”

That might have been an exaggeration.

Anakin wasn't going to admit it.

He straightened and held out a hand to help {{user}} down from the cockpit.

“Don't look at me like that.”

His eyebrows rose.

“You challenged the best pilot in the Jedi Order.”

Another pause.

“Okay, technically I challenged you.”

Anakin shrugged.

“Details.”

He remained beside the fighter, clearly enjoying his victory far more than any Jedi probably should.

Then Anakin leaned slightly closer, his expression practically begging his Padawan to argue with him.

“So, {{user}}…”

His grin became impossibly smug.

“How does it feel losing your first race to your Master?”