Individuality: All Together Now
Visions of an apoplectic Mace danced through the Jedi master's head, bringing a slight smile to the craggy face.
It would be a first; the man's ire directed not at him, but another. A flash of sympathy for his apprentice was quickly banished; if Obi-Wan wished to rebel, however slightly, he must be prepared to face the music – or the infamous scowl, in this case.
He was strong enough to remain unscathed, even if the boy did not yet know it.
So Qui-Gon Jinn stood with arms crossed, staring out the window of the Jedi Council's antechamber. Beside him, his young padawan stood, waiting for the dreaded summons to "enter and be judged," or so the master assumed – Obi-Wan Kenobi had shown a decided flair for the dramatic lately. In fact, that was why they were here now.
It was rather refreshing, if distressing to the padawan, to be here because of Obi-Wan's recent dive into the unorthodox – a development that had pleased his master greatly and had displeased Master Windu equally as greatly.
Mace Windu was a very orthodox Jedi. Qui-Gon Jinn was not.
Now the quite proper and orthodox padawan had suddenly veered into unorthodoxy and Mace Windu was personally going to see to it that it would not happen again. He often and loudly complained over a sociable drink that dealing with Qui-Gon Jinn had taken whatever hair he had once and his sanity was the next thing he feared to lose.
Friends or not, Mace Windu was not going to allow Qui-Gon Jinn to corrupt the apprentice; he planned to put a stop to the boy's rather minor and quite harmless descent into dreaded "individuality" by coming down fast and coming down hard on the boy – and Qui-Gon knew it.
That wasn't going to happen, not if Qui-Gon Jinn had any thing to say about it – and he usually did. This time he would not; he would let his actions speak on his behalf as he stood by the boy.
Obi-Wan was too well trained to fidget, but the master was well aware of the padawan's slight defiance and greater apprehension by the stiff and upright posture he had adopted as a cover. No padawan liked to be called in front of the Council, especially when under a threat of reprimand.
Sensing something of his master's thoughts and misreading them entirely, he offered a meek, "I'm sorry, Master," that was quite in contrast to the firm line of his lips.
The older Jedi did not turn around, but remained with arms folded and eyes closed. "You have apologized already, Padawan, and I have already told you that you have nothing to apologize for."
"Master Windu is not happy."
A snort greeted that pronouncement. "Master Windu is never happy, Padawan, or at least he would like us to believe that." With a swift movement, Qui-Gon turned and dropped a hand on the padawan's shoulder. "It is unusual, I will admit, but Master Yoda, at least, quite understands the range of expression allowable in a Jedi's life and frequently exceeds them as he deems fit. He will support you and thus the Council will support us as well."
"Us, Master?"
"What my padawan does; I do. It is only fair I stand with you as you have so often stood with me, your loyalty has always exceeded your embarrassment at my conduct." As Obi-Wan colored, Qui-Gon finally chuckled. "Just as my loyalty to you exceeds my embarrassment on your behalf."
"You don't embarrass me, Master." The words were quite earnest. "You just – don't do things quite the way the Council expects and they seem to remind you of that no matter how successful you are."
"I am unorthodox and proudly so. Now it seems my padawan is as well. I was beginning to fear you would never flaunt your individuality; I am well pleased that you have."
"Flaunt? I really did not mean to 'flaunt,' Master."
"You didn't?" Qui-Gon pondered a moment. "That's a shame."
"I will change it back, Master."
Qui-Gon's eyes softened for a moment. His padawan was so young, so earnest, so desirous to do well that he was well willing to compromise even those parts of himself that should be allowed free expression.
When his padawan had declared his intentions, Qui-Gon had been secretly thrilled. It was nothing he would have done, admittedly; however, he had done far worse in his years of teenage rebellion.
Obi-Wan would violate no rules, no boundaries of good taste even when a bit of rebel finally peeked out. Qui-Gon would nourish and support that spark. His padawan would make a fine Jedi; a brilliant one if he did not limit himself to the orthodox and usual.
"Enough, Obi-Wan. Change it only when you wish to. You are only young and foolish once in your life, and if this is the only teenage defiance you ever display, I shall count my blessings that I have an uncommonly well-mannered if colorful padawan."
Both turned as the double doors opened. "Be proud of who you are, Padawan," Qui-Gon reminded Obi-Wan, his fingers neatly arranging the cowl of his robe upon his shoulders and finishing with a gentle flick of his fingers through the brushy padawan cut of his hair. "I am."
Qui-Gon strode confidently to the center position as his padawan followed and took up his position slightly behind and to the side.
A quick sideways glance showed that Obi-Wan stood quietly enough, fingering the edges of his sleeve but he otherwise showed no sign of his trepidation as they both waited to be acknowledged.
Before Mace even could, a slight chuckle broke the stunned silence. The chuckle became a chortle, then a snort of amusement.
Mace Windu's glare, transferred from Obi-Wan to the old Jedi, had no effect on Yoda at all.
"Approve I do. Very becoming, Padawan. Master Qui-Gon, pleased I am that encourage freedom of expression in your padawan, you have. Too mindful of the rules young Obi-Wan tends to be."
"You would be amused," Mace muttered. He re-directed his glare at Obi-Wan, then Qui-Gon. "Your padawan is in violation of Section I Clause Six regarding personal appearance."
"I beg to disagree, Master Windu." Qui-Gon turned and pointed as he spoke. "My apprentice's hair is cut according to the regulation cut for human male padawans, his braid contains three strands and the ends are nicely trimmed. His clothing is unwrinkled and clean, his boots polished." He turned and faced Mace and thought a moment, then added innocently, "I checked and he has washed behind his ears and brushed his teeth as well."
A small grin twitched his padawan's lips at that, something Qui-Gon felt more than saw.
"His hair is green," Mace growled.
"Yes, it rather complements his coloring. I had suggested blue, but my padawan has a better eye than I. Green is definitely a better color on him."
"This was done at your suggestion?" Depa asked, trying not to smile.
"It was Obi-Wan's idea but I told him I had no objections. He has been trying to rid himself of the stigma of the 'perfect padawan' label for some time. I prefer this method to failing classes, becoming a disciplinary problem, or acting out."
"Padawan."
Obi-Wan raised his eyes once addressed. Yoda was pointing a claw at him. "A novel idea, that. Gotten much attention, it has, I understand."
"Yes, Master. Too much, I fear."
"Too much only for Master Windu, I think." Yoda smirked at his colleague, who shifted uneasily in his seat. The old troll was taking control quite easily. There would be no reprimand this day; all in the room knew it now.
"Master Qui-Gon; you have an apprentice worthy of your – quirks. Normal it is for the young to rebel. Normal as well that a master should show solidarity."
Yoda's eyes met Qui-Gon's, and a slight nod passed between them. The Jedi master bowed and as he stood, he threw his head back so that the cowl of his robe fell back as well.
With a sly grin, Yoda lifted a claw. "Normal indeed."
Yoda cackled as everyone stared. Qui-Gon's hair was as blue as his padawan's was green. Beside him, Obi-Wan was doing a masterful job of hiding his shock – better than Mace Windu, at least.
"Normal? Qui-Gon? That man is not normal!" he snapped, after his mouth opened and closed several times before he could get the words out.
Yoda scratched an ear with a claw and carefully studied his colleague. After a long moment, he asked, "What's normal?"
That caused Mace to hesitate a moment, before he added triumphantly, "Normal is everybody doing the same thing."
Several of the Council nodded sagely
Qui-Gon lifted his chin slightly and asked in a deceptively low voice, "What about individuality?"
For once, Mace gave Qui-Gon the courtesy of a moment's consideration before replying. That may have had something to do with the proximity of Yoda's gimer stick, or it may have had something to do with Obi-Wan's rather stellar record with the Council.
Unlike his master, Obi-Wan had until now given the Council little reason to doubt his sanity or his common sense. Mace had even frequently teased his old friend about his inability to rub off on his padawan, something that Qui-Gon had pointed out must eventually happen. They'd even made a bet on how long it would take – that even if it took months of being paired with Qui-Gon, he would be bound to pick up a few of the Jedi master's quirks.
It had taken longer than Qui-Gon had supposed and less time than Mace had anticipated; perhaps Mace was remembering the bet and thinking he had come the closest and thus had won.
Or, unlikely or not, it may have been – finally – that the humor of the situation had finally sunk into Mace's mind, not to mention that Mace knew he stood not a chance when paired against the combined mirth of Yoda and Qui-Gon.
After all, Obi-Wan's so-called "transgression" was, at worst, against personal tastes. Mace knew perfectly well there was no code dictating attire other than "neatness in personal appearance."
He leaned back in his seat, his good humor restored for the moment. "Well, individuality is fine- as long as we all do it together."
That was just the cue Yoda had been waiting for. He won the argument with a simple, "Your excuse, Mace Windu? Hair we all have but you."