Tada! It's the Sequel to Dawn of a New Life :D I'm so happy to finally get to this part :D
First of all...
Disclaimer! I do not own ANYTHING Star Wars (Though I wish I did), all of that is Disney/George Lucas...
I hope you guys like this one :D Please Review and ENJOY!
"Patience Padawan! How many times must we go over this?"
Zelina Du'ahn sighed, her shoulder's drooping a little as she prepared herself for another reciting of one of her Master's many lessons. "I'm sorry Master, I'm just tired of being cooped up in the Temple."
Master Ur-Sema Du shook her head, a few strands of her brown hair falling out of her permanent bun to fall in her face. "A Jedi does not seek adventure Zelina, you should know this by now."
"I do know Master, I'm sorry, it's just that sometimes I can't help it, I want something to happen, I get bored…" she said sheepishly.
Ur-Sema sighed. "You are still the energetic little girl I met ten years ago Zelina, and I'm beginning to think that will never change."
Ur-Sema was right. It had been ten years since she had been set free by Qui-Gon. Not a day went by she wasn't grateful to the deceased Jedi for her freedom. She was sixteen now, almost seventeen. Her blonde hair had darkened just a little, and had grown longer. She'd grown taller: she was just slightly shorter than Anakin.
Speaking of Anakin…
He was nineteen now, his hair had darkened some like hers, and now he stood a full head taller than Obi-Wan. Just as Obi-Wan had promised, she had seen both of them a lot more than she had thought she would. Though recently, she hadn't seen them at all really. It had been a while, seeing as Obi-Wan and Anakin seemed to always be on a mission when Zelina and her Master were taking a break, and vice versa. She was dying to see them both…though mostly Anakin.
"Zelina."
"Hmm?" Zelina asked, snapping back to reality.
Ur-Sema smiled a little. Despite the fact she could be brisk and reprimanding sometimes, she was very kind and understanding in the long run. Zelina knew she was lucky to have her as her Master. "Still getting lost in your thoughts, are you Zelina?"
Zelina blushed. "Sorry Master."
Ur-Sema shook her head. "I received a mission from the Council: I'm going to be meeting with a pirate informant on Christophsis."
"Oh, some pirate action, interesting," Zelina said as the entered the Jedi Temple hanger. When she was younger, the sights of the Temple took her breath away. Some sights still did, but others she had grown used to, like the Jedi Hanger. She'd just been in here too many times by now.
Ur-Sema laughed a little. "I guess that's one way to look at it, yes."
Ur-Sema stopped by her green Jedi Interceptor, leaning on the wing. Zelina frowned, confused. "Master…when you say that you've received a mission from the Council…"
"I mean that only I am going. You are staying here young Padawan."
Zelina visibly wilted. She'd been hoping to get out of the Temple for the first time in weeks. "Oh…"
Ur-Sema smiled, putting a hand on Zelina's shoulder in comfort. "Chin up young one, you didn't let me finish."
Zelina looked up at her. "What do you mean?"
Ur-Sema's smile grew. "I put in a word for you with the Council, and you're going on a separate mission."
"On my own?" Zelina asked, suddenly excited.
Ur-Sema laughed. "No, no, not on your own young one. You're going to be helping protect an old friend of yours from Naboo."
"Padme?" Zelina asked, her excitement growing.
Ur-Sema nodded. "Yes…there is apparently someone trying to assassinate Senator Amidala, and the Chancellor has requested that she receives Jedi protection."
Zelina visibly blanched, and Ur-Sema chuckled. "Yes Zelina, I am aware that you do not like the current Chancellor, but there's not much you can do about it."
"Still…" Zelina muttered. Anakin might like him, but he creped Zelina out. She got very bad vibes from Palpatine, and she still hadn't forgotten the vision she'd had when she'd first met him.
"You also are going to be on this mission with two old friends…"
Zelina felt her heart soar, and was convinced she actually rose off the ground from her elation. "Obi-Wan and Anakin?"
Ur-Sema simply grinned in confirmation. "They arrived back from their mission to Ansion with Master Luminara and Padawan Offee this morning. I would have thought you sensed it my young apprentice. I'm disappointed."
"I wasn't looking for them today!" Zelina said, stretching her senses out all over the Temple as far as they could go to see if she could find Anakin and Obi-Wan. She lit up like a lightsaber when she located Anakin's familiar luminous light, feeling warmth and happiness flow through her. He was with Obi-Wan in the Council Room, a fact that frustrated Zelina because she knew that meant she would have to wait until the Council were done briefing the two.
Ur-Sema laughed. "Well Padawan, I believe you would like to go see your friends now, and I must be going myself."
Zelina nodded and bowed deeply. "Thank you Master. Truly. May the Force be with you."
"May the Force be with you too young one. Now stay out of trouble, and keep Skywalker in line for Master Kenobi."
"Of course Master," Zelina said with a grin.
She stepped back, waving as Ur-Sema got situated in the Interceptor. She stayed where she was as her Master lifted off the ground and exited the hanger, only turning away when she could no longer see the Interceptor from where she stood.
Now she needed to go and find Anakin. He'd be wondering why it took her so long to show up.
Zelina made her way swiftly through the halls of the Jedi Temple, her dark grey nearly black robe fanning out behind her. When she'd been given the choice of her color, she'd picked the greys, wanting to be a little different than from what Anakin wore. She liked the same thing as him apparel wise, but she'd picked different colors ranging from black robes to dark grey boots. She liked the colors. Some members of the Jedi Order disapproved, disliking the color and taking it as a reference to the Gray Jedi (The Jedi that walked the line between light and dark or the Jedi who distanced themselves from the Jedi High Council and operated outside of the Jedi Code), but she didn't care. She hadn't picked the colors because of her views, she'd picked the colors because they seemed to suit her.
She hadn't even gotten to the Council Room yet when she spotted the two. A grin broke out over her face as she met them halfway down one of the hallways.
"Obi-Wan!" she exclaimed happily, giving him a hug before he could possibly duck away. Obi-Wan chuckled, returning the hug. She pulled away, probably grinning like a fool as she threw her arms around Anakin. "And Ani, or course," she said warmly, hugging him tightly.
"It's good to see you too Zelina," Obi-Wan said with a light laugh.
"Yes, it is good to see you again Zee," Anakin said softly in her ear before she pulled away, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She still had yet to pin her hair up in a messy bun or a braid, anything to keep her hair out of her face really.
Zelina took in their appearance, sizing them up. Obi-Wan's beard—which Zelina was still trying to decide if she liked on him or not—was a little shaggy, though every other hair was perfectly in place, as usual with him, though it looked like his robes were starting to wear. His greyish blue eyes twinkled at the moment with joy, which immediately put her in a better mood. If Obi-Wan was happy, everyone was happy.
Anakin was making scruffy look good, as normal, his dark brown and black Jedi clothes finally seeming in place next to Zelina's own dark colored Jedi clothes. He seemed to have a permanent smirk, his bright blue eyes sparkling mischievously. It was nice to see her friend relaxed and smiling, not tense and scowling over something that had recently happened. He needed to smile more: his smile could light up the room.
"So, how was Ansion?" Zelina asked, looking between the two.
"Oh, the normal," Obi-Wan said vaguely.
Zelina gave Anakin a teasing look. "Anakin, did you cause that much trouble again?"
Anakin held his hands up in defense. "Hey, don't look at me, it wasn't my fault!"
Zelina laughed. "Well was your mission at least a success, more or less?"
"Yes, it was; we were able to convince them not to join the Confederacy, so Ansion is still in the Republic," Obi-Wan said formally.
"That's good," Zelina said absentmindedly. "You'll have to tell me the stories later. I hear that we're all three being assigned on the same mission."
Anakin visibly brightened at the reminder. "Yeah, we're supposed to protect Senator Amidala."
"It's like we're all having a little reunion of sorts, isn't it?" Zelina asked with a bright smile.
Anakin chuckled. "Yes, I guess so."
Zelina smiled at him. "Well I'm glad you're both doing fine."
"I trust things are going well between you and Master Du?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Of course! Things couldn't be better! She's headed to Christophsis on a mission right now, so she's going to be gone a few days. By the way," she said suddenly, turning to Anakin. "Don't think I've forgotten that you turned twenty yesterday. How does it feel to finally be out of your teens? You have to tell me, I want to know," she said with a small laugh.
Anakin laughed as well with a little bit of embarrassment. "Yeah, I guess it's nice…just another year really."
Zelina rolled her eyes, nudging his arm. "Well, you can't say I forgot about it, so there."
He chuckled again. "I don't think you've ever let me forget my birthday Zee," he pointed out.
"Of course not," she said innocently. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes in amusement.
"Alright you two, can we focus on the mission at hand?" he asked pointedly.
"Yes, of course Obi-Wan, sorry," Zelina said politely, turning her attention to him to listen to his detailed explanation of what was happening with Padme.
Her anxiety for the woman developed and grew was she listened to Obi-Wan explain how her ship had been bombed as she'd arrived in Coruscant. She didn't miss, however, that he stressed that they were only to protect Padme, not launch an investigation into the matter. He gave most of the brief lecture on the way to Padme's apartment, though half of it was a lecture for Anakin, which Zelina tuned out as she watched Coruscant roll by. When they arrived, Anakin tapped her shoulder to get her attention.
"Wake up sleepyhead, we're here," he teased her. Zelina chuckled a little and wacked him on the arm, successfully getting a laugh out of him before she got up and followed them off of the shuttle they had taken. Obi-Wan lead the way, Anakin and Zelina hanging back to chat a little more.
"So how's your training going?" she asked him quietly.
"Uhg, terrible. Obi-Wan can be very overbearing some days, and sometimes he doesn't even give me the chance to voice my opinion. And I'm ready for the Jedi Trials, but he won't let me move forward. It's driving me insane! I'm ready, I really am, but for some reason he doesn't see that…" Anakin ranted softly.
I sighed a little. "Well it's not going to be perfect. And truthfully Ani, some days you're a little cocky and you overestimate yourself. Just pace yourself, I'm sure Obi-Wan knows what he's doing," Zelina reassured him.
"Yeah right. If he knew what he was doing he'd let me move on," Anakin grumbled.
Zelina glanced at him. "You really feel strongly about it, don't you?"
"You have no idea," Anakin told her before they filed into the elevator. Obi-Wan's presence ended the conversation there, allowing Zelina time to mull over what Anakin had told her.
As the elevator ascended upward, Anakin started fidgeting, fixing his appearance over and over, straightening his robes and tunic, and shuffling from foot to foot. His tension was thick in the air, and obvious through the Force.
Obi-Wan was the one to speak up about it. "You seem a little on edge…"
"That's an understatement," Zelina muttered under her breath.
"Not at all," Anakin said defensively, making an obvious effort to stand still now that he knew his nervousness had been noticed by them.
"I haven't felt you this tense since we fell into that nest of gundarks," Obi-Wan said matter-of-fact like, not giving up on the subject. They all knew why he was restless of course.
Anakin laughed a little. "You fell into that nightmare Master, and I rescued you, remember?" Anakin asked pointedly, shaking his head a little as he turned away again.
"Oh…yes…" Obi-Wan said, before he started chuckling. Zelina smiled as well, and soon they were all sharing a laugh. Obi-Wan's laugh was infectious like that.
"You're sweating: relax," Obi-Wan advised Anakin, though it had an undercurrent of assurance in it. "Take a deep breath."
Anakin smiled at him a little, his nervous excitement showing through. "I haven't seen her in ten years Master…"
Obi-Wan simply smiled and shook his head, though Anakin's smile slowly faded as he stared nervously at the door. Zelina leaned against the elevators wall, watching him contemplatively. Apparently after all of these years, Anakin still had a thing for Padme…perhaps even more so than when we were kids. She sighed quietly, gaining a look from Obi-Wan as she shook her head and looked away.
When the doors opened, Zelina heard a voice she immediately connected to annoying clumsiness, though she would never say that out loud.
"Obi? Zeleena? Ani! Meesa so smiley to see you!"
Obi-Wan, thankfully, was in front and got the brunt of Jar Jar's enthusiastic welcome, having his arm practically shaken off. Zelina stayed behind Anakin to try and avoid Jar Jar, trying to be discreet about it so she wouldn't appear rude or mean.
"It's good to see you again Jar Jar," Obi-Wan said.
Jar Jar lead them into the living room, announcing their arrival. Zelina pulled up beside Anakin while Obi-Wan took the lead.
"Lookee Lookee Senator: Thesa Jedi alright," Jar Jar said. As Padme approached, Zelina sized her up, having not seen her just as long as Anakin.
She had grown, that was for sure. She was no longer the fourteen year old they'd once known. She seemed more sophisticated, and seemed to hold herself higher and with more dignity. Her hair was pulled back in some extravagant contraption, and she wore deep blue colors that Zelina thought complimented her rather well.
Padme grinned as her eyes fell on them, and Obi-Wan bowed deeply and respectfully. "It's a great pleasure to see you again my lady," Obi-Wan said, holding out his hand for Padme to shake.
"It has been far too long Master Kenobi," Padme said softly. She turned to take in Obi-Wan's accompaniment, and her eyes got a little wide. "Ani? My goodness, you've grown!"
Anakin smirked and stepped to the front of their little group. "So have you…grown more beautiful I mean…" he seemed to catch himself and tried to backpedal as Obi-Wan got a flash of an exasperated look on his face. "Well…for a Senator I mean."
Padme smiled at him. "Ani, you'll always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine," she said with a small laugh.
Ouch, Zelina thought. Anakin isn't that little boy anymore: he's grown. Quite a lot…I wish he'd compliment me like that at least once…
She buried her pangs of hurt and jealousy and smiled at Padme. "Hey, what about me? What am I, spare parts?"
Padme laughed as she saw her. "Zelina! I almost didn't recognize you! You've grown too, quite a bit!"
Zelina returned her smile, inclining her head in acknowledgement. "Well, I'm no longer six…"
"Sixteen now?" Padme guessed.
"Mhm," she said proudly.
"I thought so," Padme said, smiling at her once more before they got down to business.
"Our presence here will be invisible my lady, I can assure you," Obi-Wan informed her as everyone took their seats on the couches. Padme's group sat on one side, and Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Zelina took their seats on the other, Zelina perching on the end next to Anakin.
"I am Captain Typho of her Majesty's security service. Queen Jamala has been informed of your assignment. I am grateful you're here Master Kenobi. The situation is more dangerous than the Senator will admit," the dark skinned man who remained standing said.
"I don't need more security, I need answers!" Padme objected. "I want to know who's trying to kill me."
"We are here to protect you Senator, not to start an investigation," Obi-Wan said sternly.
"We will find out who's trying to kill you Padme, I promise you," Anakin suddenly said, drawing a surprised look from both Obi-Wan and Zelina. Obi-Wan was swift to scold him.
"We will not exceed our mandate my young Padawan learner."
"I meant it in the interest of protecting her, or course Master," Anakin returned tersely. Zelina shifted uncomfortably at the gradually increasing tension in the room.
"We will not go through this exercise again Anakin: and you will pay attention to my lead," Obi-Wan rebuked him. He turned away to continue the conversation, but Anakin was not done.
"Why?" Anakin suddenly challenged. Zelina stiffened, catching his eye long enough to give him an 'are you stupid?' look before Anakin looked away to hold Obi-Wan's gaze challengingly.
"What?" Obi-Wan asked, seemingly surprised and angry that Anakin was challenging him in front of so many people. Zelina shook her head, embarrassed by them both.
"Why else do you think we were assigned to her if not to find the killer? Protection is a job for local security, not Jedi. It's overkill Master: investigation is implied in our mandate."
He has a point…Zelina couldn't help but think, glancing at Anakin from the corner of her eyes. She had to agree with Anakin on this one.
"We will do as the Council has instructed. And you will learn your place young one…" Obi-Wan tacked the last part on quietly, though everyone heard it in the awkward silence that followed as Obi-Wan turned his attention back to Padme, ending the discussion. Zelina tapped her knee against Anakin in a way to show that she was with him on this one, but said nothing more. He returned the action in a way of expressing thanks for letting him know he wasn't alone in his thoughts this time.
"Perhaps with merely your presence, the mystery surrounding this threat will be revealed," Padme said carefully, her eyes remaining on Anakin as she spoke. She stood slowly, triggering everyone else's own rise. "Now if you will excuse me…I will retire…"
Zelina discreetly squeezed Anakin's shoulder before she walked around the couch after Padme. "I'll come with you. There's plenty to talk about and hardly any time to do so," she said with a small smile. She didn't bother to turn around for any permission; she was going to talk to Padme one way or another.
Padme smiled at her. "Of course Zelina, I'd be delighted to talk to you."
Zelina turned and gave Anakin a soft smile as Padme walked ahead. Her heart dropped a little at the sad look on his face as he stared after Padme, and she lingered to hear what he would say.
"Meesa bursting with happiness seeing you again Ani!" Jar Jar exclaimed.
"She hardly even recognized me Jar Jar…I've thought about her every day since we've parted and…she's forgotten me completely…" Anakin said mournfully.
"Sheesa happy. Happier than meesa seein her in a long old time," Jar Jar said, trying to raise Anakin's spirits.
"You are focusing on the negative Anakin, be mindful of your thoughts…" Obi-Wan scolded. He paused before smiling a little. "She was pleased to see us…now, let's check the security."
Zelina sighed and shook her head, burying the rising pangs in her heart. She shouldn't have lingered. It would have been better for her to miss that conversation completely and go on in ignorance.
No longer feeling as happy as she'd been earlier, Zelina put on her signature 'everything's perfectly fine' mask and followed Padme's path into her quarters.
