Chapter I - The Homecoming
The day started really early as Initiate hopefuls prepare for the Annual Tournament that was going to be held in the Jedi Temple that day. Students who do not have any masters yet, passed by the halls with great urgency, making the air feel thick with tension—most noticeably to Force sensitives.
Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of the hopefuls, stood back and lazily leaned on one of the pillars, crossing his arms as he watched the different Force sensitive beings go about their daily routine. It was going to be his third time joining the event, but sadly no Master stood up to take him as his/her learner. As promised, he told himself that he will do a serious round of meditation before the tournament commences, but the thing is, he already lost count as to how many times he circled the whole temple for a place to do just that.
"I've still got next year…but I'm not going to wait until I'm 13." He thought bitterly as he jogged towards one of the lifts that will bring him up to the towers. It was one of his favourite spots to meditate and apparently his last resort.
Shortly after the turbolift brought the young Obi-Wan to the towers, a tall man accompanied by Jedi Councilor Mace Windu entered the premises of the Jedi Temple. "Mace, my friend. I am all right without a Padawan. I will not take another…" his signature voice faltered as his gaze shifted from his companion to the busy halls of the temple. "This is not coincidence, hm?" the tall man said without looking at the councillor. "The Force might have something…or someone for you, Qui-Gon. Master Yoda can sense it." Qui-Gon lifted a brow and crossed his arms. "Don't even drag Master Yoda to the conversation." Qui-Gon said as he exhaled slowly. He knew that he won't win the debate.
"It's busier than usual, Qui. This should excite and rejuvenate you somehow. It's quite appropriate for a man who is always on the go." Mace walked slowly beside his friend as he returned the bows and greetings he received from fellow masters, knights, padawans and initiates. "I'm broadcasting a wrong message here. The students will think I'm here to choose." Qui-Gon replied as he too, acknowledged the greetings sent his way. He felt the shift of excitement go up a notch as soon as the initiates saw his imposing figure. "Don't close your door, Qui-Gon. He or she might just be the person you need…to have a happier jedi life. You know it isn't easy to live a life like a hermit." Mace retaliated as he paused and watched a small initiate, about 4 years old standing in the middle of the hallway looking lost. "Isolation can drive any specie to become insane. As for us, we are not infallible." He said as he clapped Qui-Gon's back and made his way towards the lost initiate.
Qui-Gon stood back and watched his friend talk to the young boy and accompanied him towards the turbolift that will bring them to the crèche. In a flash, Qui-Gon saw a very vague memory of him being warm to children…or in his case to a child like the one Mace found. As soon as he tried to get hold of the elusive memory, it immediately slipped out of his head. The tall master shook his head and got himself inside a turbo-lift to bring him to the towers. Knowing that the gardens and the fountain area are crowded, he decided to head for his second favourite meditating place at the towers. He figured that no one was crazy enough to meditate in a chaotic environment.
Seconds later, he found out that he was very wrong.
Qui-Gon watched as he silently approached the young boy who was deep in meditation. He spent most of his time outside of the temple that he did not expect someone shared his meditation spot. By the looks of the boy's uncut hair, the jedi master took it as a sign that he is still master-less. And with the kind of deep meditation that the boy was into, he figured that he was one of the participants in the tournament, draining out his anxiety.
Qui-Gon's brows furrowed as he turned around to leave. He was itching for some time alone, and he was a bit disappointed that someone else found out his secret meditation spot—let alone discovered by an Initiate!
As soon as he reached the door that will bring him inside the temple, he abruptly stopped as he sensed the boy's 'disturbing' breathing pattern. His eyes widened as he turned around and watched the boy breathe slowly. The Initiate was in a too deep of a trance, that it was already affecting his life system. "Force, I have heard about jedis dying from too much meditation, but not a boy that young!" Qui-Gon rushed towards the meditating form and crouched in front of him. "Initiate…Initiate! Wake up!" Qui-Gon placed both of his massive hands on top of the boy's shoulder and gently shook him.
Obi-Wan gasped in a huge amount of air as he opened his eyes looking bewildered and confused. "What? Where am I?" he said as he looked around and above him. "You were in a very deep meditation, young one." Qui-Gon said gently as he supressed the surprised look on his face. Somewhere in the back of his brain, it was nagging him to remember where he saw those pair of eyes before. But because of mission upon mission assigned to him, and the great tragedy of his second padawan to Turn, the memory of seeing those eyes before failed him. "Where did you learn to do that?" Qui-Gon asked curiously as the pair of ice-blue eyes met his dark blue ones. "In…in meditation, class sir…I mean, master." The boy replied as he blinked in shame. "You are aware that it is dangerous to go in deep meditation, my friend." Qui-Gon replied, with a hint of impression. "Yes, master…but…but in times when I'm anxious I tend to go that far." The boy replied and bowed his head completely embarrassed. "I…can't control it." He added. "Have you talked to any of your teachers, about it?" Qui-Gon pried further. "N-no, master. I should have…" the boy replied as his face went redder. "You shouldn't be ashamed of it, young one. It is a gift, but you must know how to control it." Qui-Gon replied with a small smile as he placed an assuring hand on his shoulder.
It has been years that he felt light…and close to a being he barely knew. As much as the stubborn master did not want to admit, he did feel at home with this young fellow. "What is your—" before he could even ask for the boy's name, his ComLink went off. "I have to go. This must be the council." Both the master and initiate stood up from the floor. "May the Force be with you, my friend." Qui-Gon gave the boy a small nod and walked out of the roof deck, leaving an embarrassed, but grateful Obi-Wan behind.
A/N: Please review. :) Thanks!