1 The Force of One
By: The Goddess of Mush and Stuff
Chapter 1: The Force's Trail
There had once been a time, long ago, when the Force wasn't such a restricted resource. On a tiny planet no one can remember, the first of the fledgling Order began feel and test their strange gifts. There were many back then, and many different types. Back then Jedi, weren't as they were today. Many had special gifts that made them part of a separate group inside the circle.
It was because of this, they formed a Council, to help decree laws and pass on learning to one another. Each strongest and wisest of each group represented their area on the Council of Thirteen. Each group could contribute to the Council and the greater good of the order, and each group did, bringing with them their individual view point and gift to help understand their strange gifts.
Vision Masters were those who dedicated their gift to those visions they sometimes received to warn them or safe guard them against danger. The strongest of these Vision Masters would be able to put themselves into a trance to bring on visions and warnings.
Combat Masters who were the experts at defense and weaponry; as well as hunting and trapping. Combat Masters didn't hold a seat in Council, not officially. Each Sect had their own Master and several younger ones still learning in their Holds for safety reasons. When the Council was called to meet Council Member and the Combat masters left with them for protection and to get their word in wise at the meeting. Many did not mind this station in life and found it much more satisfying to stick to their cause than to bother with politics.
Healers were those who heal body, mind and spirit. These masters hone techniques of healing, and helping out their fellows as well as keep others in a good state of mind and spirit. They were the largest of the groups, many finding much pride in working to help others.
Empaths were those with the ability to sense feelings of another, and use it to help them determine credibility or determine if the other is lying. Empaths were also somewhat good Soul Healers though many do not think of themselves this way, and are only companions on diplomatic type envoys to provide a person who without a doubt can read emotions.
Telepaths were those opposite of the Empaths. They could read thoughts and intentions from those around them. They were the more focused of the pairs, and more quiet than their counterparts. Many a telepath became paired with an Empath to give a team a broader area of sensing.
Mind Masters could force their will's upon other creatures, of course if those other creatures also have the gift then they cannot do that. They can control a person, make them speak truths, or tell them information they need at the time. The person must not have strong mental capacity or gift of the Force for these masters to work their magic.
Levitators were those who can manipulate objects and/or people. Many can do many different objects at one time. They are somewhat linked to Mind Masters and Elementals but they need solid objects for their gift to work.
Concealer were the masters of disguises in a ways. These few can hide themselves and others using the force and their gift.
Seekers were the opposite of Concealers. They can search out with their mind and gift to find others in the Force or just in surrounding areas. They are great for search and rescues and of course when tracking down dangerous enemies.
Mediatators were the peace-bringers of the Sects. Most Mediatators have an overbearing need for peace relaxation and plenty of time for reflection and of course meditation. They also serve as neutral parties during conflicts and disputes.
Elementals were those who can control different aspects of nature. Like weather, plants and growth, Earth, air, water and fire. Each elemental is different, though two common traits held are weather and plants. They can control or manipulate both, it's when they get into the real elements do their differences show.
Illusionists were somewhat rare and an off branching of the Mind Workers. Illusionist can make an opponent or threat see it's worse nightmare or something of fear, they can also create diversions using this gift.
Sensors are those who can 'enhance' their natural senses to the point where they can use them effectively. Hearing, sight, touch, smell, and taste all they can enhance and use. Though hearing, sight, and smell are the most commonly exercised traits.
Then there was the Channels. They were the strongest, and the some what uncommon Gift Area. They always come in pairs, closely bonded friends, siblings or partners of some sort. They were always Living/Unifying counterparts and they have a unique use for their gift. They could "connect with" and channel plus use the Force as weapon, healer, guide or other uses. They could use it as a weapon, many doing so only if a great threat arises, can use it to replenish another, restore their 'life force', can use it to see visions or almost in many ways Speak with the Force.
Many generations passed, and each group advanced and taught new comers in their ways. The Council met at certain intervals to exchange their new finds and new ideas and get in touch with what others had learned. Till one generation a discovery changed all the Sects and how they taught and progressed.
The Mind Workers brought with them, one of their newest recruitments. Not only could the boy use the Mind Talents of his teachers but he had demonstrated more than once his ability to control objects like the Levitators and had the heart and soul of the Mediatators.
Great discussions were held about this one strange child that showed three different gifts. Many others began to admit to having others like the boy, that showed a great deal of control and ability in other areas of the Force- Gifts. This caused the Channels to think. If they could take on the abilities of their peers and fellows, and someone else could also learn to do the same, it meant possibly that all the Sects were meant to be as one larger group.
This lead the revolution of the Sects. Many that showed their talents in other areas were shipped off to others to teach them, and then passed to the next to learn more. It took many years to train them of all the Gifts but soon Five strong Jedi were produced that held nearly all the Gifts in their control. It forced the Council to find a way to teach new students and possibly older generations to do as these Five had done. Control the Force in many ways they only saw others do.
Mental bonds began forming and teachers and students became more like Apprentices to Skill Masters of the common folk. Seeker gifts became their one tool to find one another when they needed to. Mind gifts aiding in the forming of close bonds and relationships. Levitators gifts taught young ones to focus their minds and on the Force itself while Mediators Philosophies were learned and taken to heart as their one way to the Force and Empathy traits were ingrained on nearly all the new comers and Combat skills were drilled mercilessly into them for their own survival.
Healers were the one sect that refused to merge. They said that Healers had to have their heart and soul in their work and so those who came as Healer bloods usually did not learn other gifts save for empathy, and mind worker traits. They were still strong in numbers though and were held in high place for still being the largest of the lot.
There were only three Gifts that began to flounder in this newly found order. That of the illusionists, which had begun to loose recruits before the change occurred. Their Gift needed strong minds that could read fears, and transfer them to images. Not many could master this gift and soon none at all could be found to do anything near to what the old Masters could do.
Elementals began loosing numbers, though many could still sense Weather Patterns and could find what was ailing dying Plants. It was becoming harder and harder to find those who could control actual, Earth, Air, Fire and Water Elements as it was becoming much harder to find "weather witches" who could control the weather itself to save them from hazardous storms.
The third, and most devastating loss was that of the Channels.
They had led the Councils for many Generations. They were the strongest of the Gifts, and the most needed at times during hardships. Their gift allowed them council with what they could not give a face or voice to, and it allowed them to use the Force like no other could. All the others could use the Force as an Aide, Channels could use it as a Tool.
It seemed that all the other Sects could be combined except this one. Bonds so tightly nit were needed, those with Unifying and Living counter balances and those with a partner to share the burden with were required. That and a tiny trendil of Force that connected both to the Force itself. Many described it as a creek, that fed them their Force gifts, gave them their normal talents. The Creek however could turn into a River if rains were forced to fall to quickly or if the dam was released to allow the flood to come. A Channel needed only to follow the Creek to the Dam and release the waters they needed.
The Mediators believed in "The Will of the Force". What the Force intended for them, needed of them, or forced from them usually came to pass in some odd or coincidental ways. The Force guided each person to their destiny even though they could not feel or control it. Many Sects and Mediators alike believed that these Channels could Hear and understand the Will of the Force and so the loss of them would leave the others stranded with no way to be certain.
Those with Visions began to doubt their gifts. For if in doubt they could check with a Channel who by all means could see past and futures. Of what could have been, has been, or will be. Mediators began to fear their ideals and their prophecies. Many others began fearing that the merging of the sects had been wrong.
They were quickly reassured by what was seen to be the last of their Force Channels. Kira and Liksen, two very close lovers were the last surviving pair after age began to take the others. They were mid-aged and quite strong, but for the most part they were still inexperienced by past standards. They still were the only ones left.
They smiled and told how their master before them said how right this had been. The Force had never been more content feeling and warm. The Joining of the Gifts had been the right thing to do and once more they should keep doing it. With this reassurance though came a warning.
"Darkness rises on the borders of our world. Evil comes to fight for our places and we cannot allow it reign. For if we do, the common people will suffer and then we have not done our job. Be warned my friends, there cannot be darkness without light, there cannot be light without the need to rid the darkness. We can fight them back, but for many reasons we cannot banish them. There must be balance between the light and the shadows for you to live in peace again." Kira had warned. Her normal gift was Visions and she was incredibly accurate.
"You will fight, you will win, and the Jedi will rise in the world. We will be the Peace Bringers, the Guardians and the speakers. But listen to us now. This Darkness we must face alone when it comes." Liksen said forcefully, knowing that the Order's protectiveness of them wouldn't let half their peers to let them go alone. Many protests were made and after they quieted Liksen spoke once more. "You can work without us. The Will of the Force echoes through you as it does us. You can hear it just as well, you just need to listen harder. We must go because the darkness that comes is another Force Channel, one with darker intentions for their Gift. No other can stand against a Channel except another Channel and that is why we must go."
It was agreed then that no one else could go and protect all they had worked for. So when a dark-figured pair approached the Orders grounds, two solemn people stood to greet them.
The fight was long, days of the two fighting for control of their own element. Dark Force against Light Force, and until that moment, the Light didn't know of the dark or it's strength. But in the end light prevailed and all four Channels were never seen again. On the night they died, many of the Channel's close friends swore to dreams where they saw them, glimmering and smiling as part of the Force they were so Connected with.
They were also glad to pass on their friends final words to their friends and their friend's friends.
"May the Force be With you." Was what they were told and it became a quick catch on around the holds. Mediators worked it in with their scripts and their ideals and it soon was as much of a Jedi as was the Force itself.
The Council was now of Twelve chosen people to represent and the Gifts continued to Merge together and they soon learned how to teach at a much faster rate. Students were paired with Teachers that could point them in the right directions for what Gifts to pursue and what skills they should learn. Many showed the gift of Channel's but with no one to teach them the gift became dormant, and rarely, if ever seen to the point where it really no longer existed unless it was in a myth book.
That was, until one Generation a pair emerged.
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Sadie Cori sat in the bushes, watching the Crèche Masters search fruitlessly for her among the sea of children. The blonde five year old beamed with pride as it dawned on her they couldn't find her, no matter how close she was to them.
She turned her bright blue eyes to the set of green ones right behind her and grinned mischievously. "Come on, we can go play now."
The smaller, year younger red-head smiled and followed her lead through the bushes. Both toddlers being extremely careful not to make any noise or alert the Group Mothers to their position. Each one sneaking their way through brush and flowers till finally they found the secluded little spot in the small gardens both girls called their own.
Jumping out of the bushes like some wild animal, Sadie flopped down on her back and looked over at her friend, Telly Liksani. "easy easy easy!"
"It always easy." Telly grinned sitting just beside Sadie near a small fern plant. "They never look here, and they never look hard."
"Maybe day don't like us?" Sadie giggled. "Finally became monsters and they don't want us no more."
Telly shook her head vigorously. "No! They want us! Just not all time."
Sadie looked up at her friend and got one of her smiles. "So.want ya wanna do?"
"I dunno? What you want to do?"
Sadie sat up grinning broadly. "I know!" she proclaimed throwing her arm around Telly's shoulder and connecting heads. "I hear the helpers talking about a place with animals in it. It's close to here and all, why don't we go play there?"
Telly frowned. "How we gonna get out?"
"Easy! I also heard them say there was a short way through here to there." Sadie told her as she began looking around. "Near the back they say."
"That will take us forever!" Telly said in disbelief. They'd never seen the 'back' of the gardens! Who was to say there was one.
"No it won't!" Sadie said jumping up. "We just have run."
"And hope no one see us."
"Has anyone ever seen us?"
"No."
"Then they won't today!" Sadie grinned a tugged on Telly's arm. "Come on."
It only took them a little while to find a spot of very dense trees and foliage. Sadie stepped up to it and tried to peer though, but because of the denseness of the trees it was very hard to do. "I think there's something on the other side."
"Think this the door?"
"Yeah."
"how do we get through this?" Telly said holding up a thick plant stalk, wondering just what type of plant got this big.
"We climb." Sadie said casually starting to try and scale one of the large trees.
Telly watched in disbelief. "Climb? Why do we hafta climb?"
"Cause you wanna see the animal's don't ya?"
"Yes."
"Well then you think we can walk through that stuff?" she pointed at the undergrowth. "We climb!"
"We're gonna get in trouble." Telly said following up after Sadie, who by now had anchored herself on a tree limb very much likely larger than herself.
"Never stop us before." Sadie shrugged. "Anyway, sitting around there boring. We need to go do stuff. We're smart remember."
"If you say so." Telly giggled coming up beside Sadie. They started walking through, the Trees here had very big stems that were quite easy for the two little feet to balance on. Finally they came to the end of the barrier and were in another larger gardens.
"I don't sense any animals. Just more Masters." Telly whispered looking at the serene plant life and small streams that seemed to spread out over the great room.
"Must be the Meditation room." Sadie smiled. "Heard about it. Boring let's keep going."
"Okay."
They walked in a straight line, hoping that the back way into the Animal Gardens was right across from the barrier into the Crèche was. Though both were easily getting tired, the Meditation Gardens were much larger than their own.
"Okay.where is it again?" Telly asked sitting down exhausted by a small little pond and tree.
"Just after this room. That's what they said." Sadie sighed sitting next to her friend.
"Are you sure this room ends?" Telly laid back in the grass. "Master Callie gonna be very angry."
"Yeah so?" Sadie flopped back. "This better than listening to her all day about stuff we already know."
"Know everything do you?"
Both girls jumped and clung to the tree branches above them. The tree barely holding their weight but also keeping them somewhat off the ground. They looked around the area to find a small, green creature staring at them with tired green eyes. Sadie stared at him, while Telly looked to the ground and back to him. The Force was underneath them? Why?
"Hmm, scare you did I?" the little creature laughed, it's large ears perking up as he looked up at them. "Never seen two jump so high, have I. Use the Force you did to aid you."
:Well Duh: Sadie snickered to Telly. The two could talk in their minds if they needed or wanted to. Telly giggled a bit and nearly lost her grip on the tree limb, but quickly pushed herself back up with the Force. Why did she feel another presence of Force energy below her?
:Is it a what or a who?: she asked Sadie, trying to discern for herself what this thing was.
:You're asking me? You're the brains!:
:ME! You the one with all the ideas:
"Hear you I can." The little green creature chuckled tapping his head with a clawed hand.
Sadie growled a bit, her frustration at being caught becoming a bit more apparent as Telly felt the little 'wall' go up around them. She always put it up if they were around Masters, so that quickly answered her question.
:It's a who!: she glanced over at Sadie. :It's using the Force to try to hold us up:
:Why? We are doing it already by ourselves. Must be a master, otherwise it would see that.: Sadie groaned. :We're caught:
:Like always:
:We never even got to see the animals: Sadie snorted. :Stupid masters.:
Telly let go and dropped slowly to the ground. She tested the feeling of the Force she went through, knowing it not for her own or Sadie's but assumed it was the green creatures own energy that was what slowed her down.
Sadie followed suit, but her independence forced her to reject the help and do it herself. "Who are you?"
The ears shot up again as the green eyes got a gleam of amusement in them. He leaned on a small gnarled stick and regarded the two of them each in turn. "Who am I? Belong here I do, you do not! Who are you, I should ask."
"My name is Sadie." She proclaimed crossing her arms in front of her. All the while Telly shrunk back behind her as she normally did when that tone came up. Sadie was about to get the both of them in trouble. "Now who are you?"
"You're friend, her name is?"
"Telly." Sadie frowned. "Your not answering me."
"Impatient you are, young one. Patience you must have, tell you I will." He said coming closer, regarding the only slightly taller humanoids before him. "Yoda I am." He finally told them, as it seemed the blonde girl was just going to up and leave him to find someone else to answer her.
"Yoda?" the smaller red-headed girl said, her green eyes regarding him now with recognition, instead of shy-fear. "Master Yoda?"
"The same I am."
"wow." Telly smiled up at Sadie. The blonde girl only regarded him with the same impassive look.
"What's so special about him?" Sadie asked, looking at her friend.
Yoda wanted to laugh at this. This blonde girl never either heard of him, or didn't care. She was a strong-willed child with an imagination to fuel it. "On the Council I am."
"So?"
"Shhh Sadie. You don't want to get us in trouble with them!" Telly tugged on her tunic sleeve. "Group Mothers one thing, them another. They'll send us away!"
"Really!" Sadie's grin got wide. Her mind thinking of all the places they could be sent to, not the consequences it would have.
Yoda did have to chuckle at that. This girl wasn't afraid of him or anything for that matter. She was thinking more of where the Council could send her not what it meant to her own status or living arrangements. What worried him though was how they got this far from the Crèche gardens. The barrier between this and that garden alone should have stopped them but here they were none the less. "Get here how did you?"
Sadie and Telly exchanged looks then finally Sadie sighed. "Through the back there. We climbed a bunch of trees and got through."
Yoda nodded, thinking of what it meant for the two to get through the Barriers. He had sensed their Force Presence quite plainly when he snuck up on them and they used to force to unknowingly shoot themselves for the safety of the branches. Again, when the little Red-head nearly lost her grip and pushed herself back up. Lastly when the blonde very easily got herself down without his help. The blonde was stronger of the two but the red-head seemed to feed off her and vise versa in a way. "Left the Crèche you should not have. Group Masters looking for you they must be?"
"Not really. They think that we're in our hiding place." Telly said coming up a little more to Sadie's side, not behind her. "They don't look for us till noon meal."
"Let you go to this place they do?"
"Most times." Sadie answered, her tone betrayed her annoyance and her impatience. She was strong but she also was quite restless.
"Going where were you?"
"The place that the older helpers say the animals are." Telly responded getting a withering look from Sadie.
"Ah, close you got then, but come, take you back I must."
"Oh come on!" Sadie moaned as Telly reluctantly fell into step behind the older master. "Please don't take us back! We're bored and needed something to do."
Yoda looked back at the child, warring with his good judgment about telling the pair just how close they got to their goal. Another few miles and they would have gotten there without a problem. "Bored you are cause do what the Masters ask you do not."
"We get done before the others." Telly spoke up. "We learn it faster than the others do."
"Then help the others you should hmm?"
"Why should we? They don't help us or like us." Sadie frowned looking at Telly, wondering why they were even following the little green troll. They could easily out run him.
Yoda shook his head. No getting through to the blonde, she was thick headed "Like someone else you know hmmm." He thought merrily to himself. "take you back I must, face the Group Mothers angry I do not."
:Some council member, he's afraid of the Group Masters." Sadie snickered.
"Heard that I did!"
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It was just a few short months later that the pair deemed it safe enough to try their journey again. This time they made it without a hitch, much to both of theirs delight. Sadie said it was a journey of her getting old enough to finally start taking some other classes. She was soon going to be six years old and usually that's when they started introducing the children to real classes. Sadie was excited and promised that she'd teach everything to Telly so she could knock the masters boots off when she turned six.
So they played for hours there in what Sadie had deemed "the holy land" since that day they were caught. Finally though, two masters stumbled upon them and returned them to very angry, distraught Group Masters. They assigned them extra chores to give them a sense of what was going to happen to them as they got older. They weren't just going to get lectured they were going to get punished for such actions. Sadie hadn't quite cared and did the Chores without complaint. She made it to the Animal Gardens she didn't have anything to be sorry for.
A few days later, however, Sadie began to act weird. Telly felt it immediately, as they sat around, or were working. Sadie wasn't her boastful, playful self. Her Force was different to. Not as bright of a blue as it usually was. The Masters immediately thought it was her way to back out of the work. Telly wasn't so sure, so she stuck to Sadie like glue and tried to help her anyway she could.
Finally though, Sadie couldn't wake up. She was in there, Telly could still hear her and all but Sadie was really sick. So she ran to the Masters and brought them back. It was then they began to believe the little girl was sick, and rushed her to the Healers.
Telly and Sadie still spoke to one another, in their minds if not in person because the Healers were afraid to let her see Sadie. They weren't sure what was making her sick. Telly didn't know what it was but she knew Sadie was hurting and was only getting worse. Every time she spoke with her or formed that tighter bond with her the bright blue glow was duller and smaller.
Telly saw an emotion she never saw from her best friend for the first time during those weeks. For the first time in her short life, Sadie Cori was afraid. She was afraid and she was alone, and Telly for the most part was the closes thing she could grasp to, even if it was only mentally.
Telly tried to tell the Masters that she needed to be there that Sadie needed her but they told her no, the Healers wouldn't allow it and they were taking care of her. She knew better though. They were only hurting her worse and making her more afraid.
The day come that the worst thing that could happen did. Telly was just sitting with the group, mentally just watching as Sadie was resting, or that's how it seemed and physically listening to what the Group Mothers were teaching the kids for that day. Telly felt so out of place among the small circle, and wanted nothing more to bolt to the hiding place where she and Sadie spent most of the days at. Everyone kept looking at her as if she was some strange alien, or if they knew something was happening. She didn't like the feeling at all and wanted them to just stop looking at her.
She was about to try and sneak away when all the sudden her head felt like a saber went through it. Apparently she screamed and was trying to claw at her head cause seconds later a group mother was holding her asking her what was wrong, to be still tell them what was the matter and they'd help. That was just it though, she didn't know what was wrong.
That is till she checked on Sadie. Where the once familiar Force resided there was nothing. She wasn't there! Where had they taken her? She began searching and searching for her, going to all the places she knew Sadie would go to and couldn't find her. What was this? What..
:Telly quit, you're gonna hurt yourself.:
She stopped dead. There she was! She followed the voice and the small presence she sensed with it and nearly wanted to hurt herself when she realized where she was. The Force?? No.impossible, they only went to that place together, as a game. Sadie wouldn't be there by herself. Unless.
:Telly, it's alright.: and she saw her then. The bright blue haze she knew as Sadie's signature was conforming to Sadie's form. Telly stared in disbelief at what she was seeing.
"No."
:Telly.:
"No!" she screamed at her. "No you can't! You can't go without me, remember? We promised!"
:Telly listen to me. It's okay, I'm still with you, we can still do this together. Thing is I have to stay here now instead of coming back with you."
"Not fair!" Telly tried to swing at Sadie, trying to find some substance of her friend left. All she felt was a warm, power she recognized as her Force Energy. "It's not fair!"
:You're acting like a little kid, stop it.: Sadie snorted. :Trust me this will work out for both of us, that game will be a lot more fun this way than it was with both of us alive.:
There she had said it and Telly rubbed furiously at her face. "I am a little kid, so are you! You're not suppose to die."
:I can't help it Telly: Sadie grinned. :Anyway it's better here. I don't hurt anymore and I'm far from alone.:
"But what about me?" Telly sobbed helplessly now. "I'm alone."
:I'm still here, in your head.: Sadie smiled sadly. :Other than that there is no more I can do about that. You're bright, make friends or something.:
"None of them will understand."
:Then make them understand:
"But I'm not like you!" Telly turned away.
:No you're not and you don't have to be. People will like ya for you. I'm sure of it.:
Telly only stared out into the strands of color, looking at the green strand she stood upon herself. Her color, dark as the forest, was green. "I don't have to go back.I could stay here."
:nope.: Sadie sighed. :Trust me little sister, The Force needs us this way. We're special Telly, I'm not sure how yet but we are. It has a plan and it'll be alright in the end.:
"Starting to sound like one of the Masters." Telly murmured.
Sadie laughed and Telly felt a warmness around her. :So I am. Oh well, I guess it will happen sooner or later. Take care Telly, I'll be here, if ya need me.:
Then she woke up. The room was unfamiliar and the bed slightly different and harder than her own. She looked around the small white room, the door way slightly ajar. She could see shadows just outside and wondered just where she was.
Hopping down she crept up silently to the door.
"Psychic Shock is my guess. All the time we were trying to help the other little girl we kept feeling this alien presence in her mind and we couldn't quite trace it. I think the pair of them had a close bond of sorts."
"Why would they have that?" Telly stepped back. That was Master Callie she heard.
"I'm not sure why they would. All I know is what caused her to do what she did today. We have an idea as to what might have caused Cori's illness and that would explain the amount of pain the young girl was in while she was sick. When.when she died you could fairly tell it was painful, she couldn't breath or anything and well I'm assuming that young Liksani felt exactly what Cori did through the bond."
"Oh Force, Telly kept saying she needed to be with Sadie.she kept saying she needed her." Callie said sitting down, fairly near the door. Telly froze. To move now would alert them to her presence and not to move would get the same outcome if Master Callie turned her head. "We just told her no, told her it would be alright. Oh what she must think of us."
"Don't blame yourself, Callie. You didn't understand that it was there, I doubt anyone short of a Council member would have been able to discern that deeply hidden bond."
"We should have, they went everywhere together, and it was like they were inseparable." Callie smiled a bit. "Sadie was the mischief maker and Telly just kinda went along for the fun. They both were too bright for their age."
Callie finally turned her head, to glance at the bed where Telly should have been. She was met face to face with the red-head standing, actually crouching at the doorway, her eyes intent on watching both herself and the Healer. "Telly!" she jumped a bit, and the girl jumped back as well.
The healer, and older man of a different species Telly hadn't seen before opened the door and stared down at her. She made a mad dash for the bed she was supposed to be in but was caught up by a strong arm. "My, are you sure they both weren't trouble makers?" he smiled gently at Callie, then held Telly up so that they were face to face. "Hello young lady."
Telly froze. Oh she was in trouble now, she looked at Master Callie's tear stained eyes and wondered what had happened exactly since she had been out. This large man however was intent on smiling at her, even though she had the express feeling of guilt and a bit of sorrow. He looked at Callie for a moment then back up to her. What was he doing? Was she in trouble now or what?
He chuckled. A deep rumbling sound that seemed to come from his chest. It was a nice sound Telly relaxed only marginally. "You're not in trouble little one. We've only been worried about you."
She glanced a bit at Master Callie. Surely the Healer couldn't get her in trouble but what about Callie. Callie was sitting back down and staring up at her with the oddest of looks. Strange, she hadn't seen that stare down before. She looked back up to the Healer, staring in wonder at his hair. His hair varied colors of black, brown and reds that hung in loosely way past his shoulders. His eyes were funny too. Some kind of filmy stuff covered them and made them seem cloudy and murky.
"I understand now." The healer said sitting her down. "The thinker and the actor." He smiled some. "Tell me little one, did you ever think so much with the other girl around."
"Her name was Sadie!" Telly protested quite fearlessly to her surprise.
"I'm sorry little one, did you think so much with Sadie around?"
"No." Telly confessed, noting she hadn't ever really remembered having thoughts like she was having now.
The healer bent to be at her level. "Just to quell your curiosity little one, I am Master Kik Rian. I'm a Firrerreos from the planet Firrerre." When he saw Callie ready to voice something, he turned to her. "She's was hanging there the whole time wondering how you were going to react, how I was going to react, then to cataloging why I was different from her and you. She was just about to get to thinking about how to get down."
Callie looked at Telly for a moment then back up at Kik. Waiting for him to go on. He only picked Telly back up again and put her back in the bed she vacated who knew how long ago. "You have had a long day little one, why don't you rest I must talk to your Group Mother."
Telly felt what he was doing, Masters had try to do it to her before but most times she just blocked it out, this time she just didn't feel like fighting. She laid down, staring at the wall and sighed as she felt her eyes shut against their will. Who knew what they'd be saying behind her back.
Kik walked back out and motioned for Callie to follow him. They walked into a small but comfortable office and Kik sat across from Callie. "I understand that bond now; at least a little better than I did. You said the other one, Sadie, was quite restless and always moving. I bet you right now, if the roles were reversed that Sadie would be pacing and trying to find out why she couldn't settle down. So would you. I've seen this before." Kik said looking at the worried Master. "People bond to complete themselves sometimes. They need someone else to fill their other half. Tell me was the other girl Outgoing and personable?"
"She was a little terror. She had quite the mouth on her that's for sure." Callie smiled a bit. "Always had an answer for anything we tried to say to her."
"You see how the girl acts now right? Telly? She's frightened easily, she won't talk unless spoken to. She's going to stay that way too I'm afraid. Unless someone of an equally strong personality as Sadie comes along, which sometimes it's hard to counterbalance people out."
"what do we do?"
"Hope for someone to come along is my guess. Bring her to me every other week if you can also. She won't talk unless forced and well, you admit I'm the soul healer here." Kik grinned as Callie nodded. "She'll just be different that's all, half a person, until maybe a Master can be found for her or another person like Sadie."
"I hope we can." Callie said as she stood. "I'd hate to see her go to waste, she's such a bright child."
"No doubt there." Kik smiled. "Just keep an eye on her that's all I can suggest right now."
"Thank you Kik."
"Anytime Callie."
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Telly sat up in the familiar place of the glen, watching Bruck Chun torture a few of their fellow group mates. She really wished for Sadie to come back, because since then Bruck had gotten worse about picking on people. Sadie had been the only one really to stick up to him.
Sighing and walking further away from where the other children were playing she sat on the far end of the glen, watching the helpers work on various projects. One was inevitably close to her, with jet black hair and a padawan braid. What was a padawan doing here? Usually only initiates or wards came to help with the Children.not Padawans.
:He got in trouble.he got in trouble.: Sadie echoed in her mind. It had taken her several weeks to get used to the sometimes random attacks of hearing Sadie's voice ringing in her head like she was still right beside her. It was comforting to know she was still there but all the same it made her more aware of how different she now was.
"What ya mean?" she smiled a bit, wanting in on the gossip Sadie no doubt had.
:he and his master got in a fight, and as punishment for disobeying is he's gotta help out down here. How wrong is that!:
"Very wrong." Telly smiled, watching the boy. He was nearing his twenties, which this had to be the ultimate insult to him of all people. He had deep blue eyes, that seemed to mirror his unpleasant mood and displeasure for being here at this time. "What's he doing?"
:goofing off.: Sadie giggled. :He's way back here so he can pretend to be working when really he's not doing anything. Let's help him?:
"Why?"
:Cause if you'd look hard enough he's like us silly!: Sadie said pointing in the Force to that small little mark in his Force Signature that signaled a certain player in a game she and her friend once played. :And he needs company, you need company, we all need company.:
"What if he doesn't like me?"
:Then he'll leave, no trouble right?:
"Yeah no trouble." Telly said, as she crept up to striking distance. She could just grab him by the collar of his shirt and pull him back. None of the masters were looking, neither were any of the other helpers. It was like they were avoiding him for some reason.
:Just do it!:
And so she did. She grabbed his shirt, threw him off balance and got him into the brush. Just as he was about to yell she covered his mouth and watched as the other helpers looked around for the Source of the sound.
"Hey! What was that?"
"Whatever it was it's gone. Probably a bird or something." Another girl sighed. "Let's hurry up and get this stuff done."
After they turned away again she smiled at the older boy and released her hand from his mouth. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya."
"What do you think you're doing?" he whispered angrily, and Telly shrunk back.
"You looked like you wanted a way out.so.so I thought I'd show you where you can hide in here."
The face softened as the boy looked around him and noticed that not one had noticed him missing. He looked back at her a bit then sat up a bit straighter. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." Telly said sitting where she stood. "I'm Telly."
"Xanatos. So why would you help me?"
"Dunno," Telly said, mulling his name over in her head. "You looked bored. I know that feeling."
"Really." The blue eyes studied her for a bit then he smiled a bit. "Nice hiding place."
"Not as good as the back of the gardens. You can get all the way to the animal gardens from back there."
Xanatos started at her again, his eyes not angry or soft but surprised. Then he began laughing. "How old are you?"
"Five."
"Good Force, you're something else!" Xanatos laughed silently. "So you sneak out a lot do you?"
"Yes." Telly smiled. "Me and my friend used to a lot but.but she died so now I have to go alone." She said feeling ultimately sadder all the sudden.
"I'm sorry kid." Xanatos murmured seeing the change in attitude, not sure why he was being so nice to the girl. He hated children, especially young children. "Hey, can you show me how to get out of here? Without getting caught."
"It's risky, never know who's in the Meditation gardens this time of day, or that far back." Telly said slowly. "But I haven't been back to the Animal gardens since Sadie died and I want to go back, come on." She pulled on his hand as she stood and began taking the back path around to the Barriers.
Xanatos was surprised at the willingness of a five year old to show him just how to sneak around. Just when he thought he knew everything he was shown something else as they came to the spot where many thick, large trees closed a gap in the walls. He whistled. "wow.who would have guessed this was here."
"Nobody, that's why it's our secret, Kay!" Telly smiled up at him.
"Yeah, our secret." He smiled back. "But one small problem. "How do you get through?"
Telly began scrambling up one of the large trees and when she to a large enough branch she sat down and waved to him. "We have to climb through! Just like you have to go around the edges of the lake between the Animal gardens and the Meditation Gardens."
Xanatos shrugged and forced himself up the tree. If it meant getting out of here, it was worth it. Soon, he was walking around the tree stems, following behind Telly who seemed to have done this many times before. The trees had to be something from the Wookiee Planet, as big as they were. Otherwise they'd be hoping that whatever branch they jumped too was strong enough to support them.
Finally they were trekking their way through the Meditation gardens, trying their hardest to stay on hiding paths and through brush, so as not to be seen. Xanatos was a bit jumpy here, Force knowing his luck his Master was going to be here and find him right away.
"Someone's coming!" Telly ducked up a small yeria tree, that was just small enough for her to climb easy and bushy enough to hide her small frame. Xanatos had a much harder time finding such a hiding spot and soon regretted sneaking away.
"Xanatos!" the angry bellow soon confirmed his worst fears.
He turned and was face to face with an angry Master. "Master! Hi! Ummm.. I.."
"Xani what are you doing here? I left you in the Crèche Gardens today. Remember because of your disobedience?" the cobalt blue eyes were flaring with anger and annoyance at finding his padawan where he shouldn't be. "Better talk fast too." He warned narrowly, crossing his arms in front of him.
Xanatos was ready to run, to save his own skin but before he could even open his mouth a little voice cried from the tree. "Okay! I give." He turned and faced the Yeria tree, seeing Telly wriggling her way out of it. His Master's arms had come loose from their tightly held position and he too was staring at the girl.
She walked up to the men, looking might ashamed of herself and hung her head as she stopped in front of him. "Master Callie sent you to find me didn't she?"
Xanatos couldn't believe his ears! This little thing was going to save him? He didn't argue though and began to nod. "Yes she did. Nice little escape route you have to kid." He tried to sound normal, but after the scare his Master gave him it was quite hard to.
"You were sent to find a runaway?" Qui-gon questioned his apprentice, his cobalt eyes not quite loosing their sting yet.
"Yes Master," he could explain it if he knew how.but he didn't. Then he heard a small voice in his head begin reciting words and he found his mouth mocking them. "Master Callie asked me since I was the one able to get through the brush she came through. Said she runs away a lot, and most times they can't find her cause she knows when they are coming. Knows their Force Signatures by now, so she thought it might be easier to send someone the kid didn't know." He looked down at Telly, dear Force this child was smarter than a five year old.
Qui-gon looked down at the small fearful face, Telly playing a nice role to help Xani out. He looked back up at his Apprentice then sighed. "I'm sorry to have interrupted your search then but it seems we were both very close to finding her." He looked down at the girl. "You shouldn't run away from your teachers."
Telly only grabbed at Xanatos' leg, hiding her face in the soft folds of the cloth. "I wanna go back now."
Xanatos nearly bowled over laughing, the kid wasn't acting! She was afraid of Qui-gon! He sighed, rolled his eyes and picked her up. "Okay then, and don't run off again till I'm not in the Crèche anymore alright? I've got scratches all up my arms from those nasty trees."
"Okay deal." The girl whispered, looking at the face of Qui-gon with a bit more fear than Xani had thought from her.
"I'll see you at supper Master." He said.
"Alright Xani." Qui-gon sighed watching his apprentice walk off. "Sorry I jumped to conclusions."
"It's okay." Xani said walking off towards the doors. As soon as they were outside of it, the two rushed to outside the door of the Crèche and Xanatos found himself ruffling the red-heads curly hair. "You brilliant child!"
She was still looking behind her, making sure the other wasn't following them. "He seems mean." She said actually burrowing herself closer to Xanatos' body.
"Ah, he's just frustrated with me that's all." Xanatos smiled a bit, patting her back. "He's really quite fun when he's in a good mood."
"So big though, and so loud." Telly shivered and Xanatos let her down.
"Seems that way to you doesn't he." Xanatos smiled. "Well looks like we have to go back in." he groaned.
"It's okay we can stay in the glen. No one will bother us there."
"Admit it kid, no amount of sneaking is going to get us in that door without anyone noticing."
"Who said anything about sneaking?" Telly asked as she walked in and Xanatos hurried to follow behind her as if he found her.
Master Callie locked on them instantly and walked over fairly mad. "You disappeared Xanatos, I was just about ready to call Qui-gon."
"I followed this little imp through the Barrier, quite interesting the way she has about sneaking out." Xanatos smirked. "Thought you wouldn't want her to go alone."
He looked down at Telly, who had supplied pretty much the gist of what he should do. He liked how she thought, she wasn't petty oh I'm so sorry Initiates she was cover your own ass ones.
"She let you follow her?" Master Callie was staring now at Telly with shock.
"For the most part, then she just kinda told me I got her." Xanatos recited.
"Well then thank you Xanatos." Callie said, softly. "You should probably get back to."
"Can he stay with me?" Telly spoke up, sounding quite younger than what her intelligence made her.
"What?" both of them said at the same time.
"Can he stay with me? I like him." She smiled shyly up at him. "He's like Sadie."
And there was the clincher. Callie looked at Xanatos as if he'd grown another head then nodded silently and waved them off. Xanatos waited until they were safely inside the small Glen and finally began laughing. "Damn you have them on a leash don't you?"
"Kinda." Telly laughed with him.
"Well thanks for saving my skin back there by the way. Master Qui-gon would have me hung up by my braid if he found me sneaking away from duty again."
"You're sure he's not mean?"
"No, he just needs to lighten up a bit that's all. He's too serious and he gets frustrated with me a lot."
"Why?"
"Cause I'm less than perfect that's why." Xanatos sighed. "I'm not like a lot of Jedi."
"Neither am I."
"So I see."
It was a strange feeling talking to someone that much older than her, yet feel as comfortable around someone as she used to feel around Sadie. The two joked and Telly told him about the other kids in her class, so he'd know who to avoid, in her phrasing. Till finally he had to go to his next class.
Telly was alone again but the next day he was returned and it kept on that way for nearly a week, until one day he stopped coming. Telly searched and searched for him, using the Force, even asked Sadie to find him if he happened to have passed and couldn't find him. She couldn't find him either. So the only assumption was that he and his Master had left.
The rumors didn't help her standing much as she shrunk farther and farther away from others. She heard the rumors of his turning to the Darkside. What would others think of her if they knew she liked him, thought him a more than capable Jedi? What would happen to her if anyone found out?
She wasn't sticking around to find out so she begged Sadie to fulfill a promise that she had given. To teach her all she was learning there in the Force, so one day she could maybe knock the Master's boots off when she became a Padawan. Unfortunately the Ghosts of the Force had their own rules as to what she could learn.
TBC..
By: The Goddess of Mush and Stuff
Chapter 1: The Force's Trail
There had once been a time, long ago, when the Force wasn't such a restricted resource. On a tiny planet no one can remember, the first of the fledgling Order began feel and test their strange gifts. There were many back then, and many different types. Back then Jedi, weren't as they were today. Many had special gifts that made them part of a separate group inside the circle.
It was because of this, they formed a Council, to help decree laws and pass on learning to one another. Each strongest and wisest of each group represented their area on the Council of Thirteen. Each group could contribute to the Council and the greater good of the order, and each group did, bringing with them their individual view point and gift to help understand their strange gifts.
Vision Masters were those who dedicated their gift to those visions they sometimes received to warn them or safe guard them against danger. The strongest of these Vision Masters would be able to put themselves into a trance to bring on visions and warnings.
Combat Masters who were the experts at defense and weaponry; as well as hunting and trapping. Combat Masters didn't hold a seat in Council, not officially. Each Sect had their own Master and several younger ones still learning in their Holds for safety reasons. When the Council was called to meet Council Member and the Combat masters left with them for protection and to get their word in wise at the meeting. Many did not mind this station in life and found it much more satisfying to stick to their cause than to bother with politics.
Healers were those who heal body, mind and spirit. These masters hone techniques of healing, and helping out their fellows as well as keep others in a good state of mind and spirit. They were the largest of the groups, many finding much pride in working to help others.
Empaths were those with the ability to sense feelings of another, and use it to help them determine credibility or determine if the other is lying. Empaths were also somewhat good Soul Healers though many do not think of themselves this way, and are only companions on diplomatic type envoys to provide a person who without a doubt can read emotions.
Telepaths were those opposite of the Empaths. They could read thoughts and intentions from those around them. They were the more focused of the pairs, and more quiet than their counterparts. Many a telepath became paired with an Empath to give a team a broader area of sensing.
Mind Masters could force their will's upon other creatures, of course if those other creatures also have the gift then they cannot do that. They can control a person, make them speak truths, or tell them information they need at the time. The person must not have strong mental capacity or gift of the Force for these masters to work their magic.
Levitators were those who can manipulate objects and/or people. Many can do many different objects at one time. They are somewhat linked to Mind Masters and Elementals but they need solid objects for their gift to work.
Concealer were the masters of disguises in a ways. These few can hide themselves and others using the force and their gift.
Seekers were the opposite of Concealers. They can search out with their mind and gift to find others in the Force or just in surrounding areas. They are great for search and rescues and of course when tracking down dangerous enemies.
Mediatators were the peace-bringers of the Sects. Most Mediatators have an overbearing need for peace relaxation and plenty of time for reflection and of course meditation. They also serve as neutral parties during conflicts and disputes.
Elementals were those who can control different aspects of nature. Like weather, plants and growth, Earth, air, water and fire. Each elemental is different, though two common traits held are weather and plants. They can control or manipulate both, it's when they get into the real elements do their differences show.
Illusionists were somewhat rare and an off branching of the Mind Workers. Illusionist can make an opponent or threat see it's worse nightmare or something of fear, they can also create diversions using this gift.
Sensors are those who can 'enhance' their natural senses to the point where they can use them effectively. Hearing, sight, touch, smell, and taste all they can enhance and use. Though hearing, sight, and smell are the most commonly exercised traits.
Then there was the Channels. They were the strongest, and the some what uncommon Gift Area. They always come in pairs, closely bonded friends, siblings or partners of some sort. They were always Living/Unifying counterparts and they have a unique use for their gift. They could "connect with" and channel plus use the Force as weapon, healer, guide or other uses. They could use it as a weapon, many doing so only if a great threat arises, can use it to replenish another, restore their 'life force', can use it to see visions or almost in many ways Speak with the Force.
Many generations passed, and each group advanced and taught new comers in their ways. The Council met at certain intervals to exchange their new finds and new ideas and get in touch with what others had learned. Till one generation a discovery changed all the Sects and how they taught and progressed.
The Mind Workers brought with them, one of their newest recruitments. Not only could the boy use the Mind Talents of his teachers but he had demonstrated more than once his ability to control objects like the Levitators and had the heart and soul of the Mediatators.
Great discussions were held about this one strange child that showed three different gifts. Many others began to admit to having others like the boy, that showed a great deal of control and ability in other areas of the Force- Gifts. This caused the Channels to think. If they could take on the abilities of their peers and fellows, and someone else could also learn to do the same, it meant possibly that all the Sects were meant to be as one larger group.
This lead the revolution of the Sects. Many that showed their talents in other areas were shipped off to others to teach them, and then passed to the next to learn more. It took many years to train them of all the Gifts but soon Five strong Jedi were produced that held nearly all the Gifts in their control. It forced the Council to find a way to teach new students and possibly older generations to do as these Five had done. Control the Force in many ways they only saw others do.
Mental bonds began forming and teachers and students became more like Apprentices to Skill Masters of the common folk. Seeker gifts became their one tool to find one another when they needed to. Mind gifts aiding in the forming of close bonds and relationships. Levitators gifts taught young ones to focus their minds and on the Force itself while Mediators Philosophies were learned and taken to heart as their one way to the Force and Empathy traits were ingrained on nearly all the new comers and Combat skills were drilled mercilessly into them for their own survival.
Healers were the one sect that refused to merge. They said that Healers had to have their heart and soul in their work and so those who came as Healer bloods usually did not learn other gifts save for empathy, and mind worker traits. They were still strong in numbers though and were held in high place for still being the largest of the lot.
There were only three Gifts that began to flounder in this newly found order. That of the illusionists, which had begun to loose recruits before the change occurred. Their Gift needed strong minds that could read fears, and transfer them to images. Not many could master this gift and soon none at all could be found to do anything near to what the old Masters could do.
Elementals began loosing numbers, though many could still sense Weather Patterns and could find what was ailing dying Plants. It was becoming harder and harder to find those who could control actual, Earth, Air, Fire and Water Elements as it was becoming much harder to find "weather witches" who could control the weather itself to save them from hazardous storms.
The third, and most devastating loss was that of the Channels.
They had led the Councils for many Generations. They were the strongest of the Gifts, and the most needed at times during hardships. Their gift allowed them council with what they could not give a face or voice to, and it allowed them to use the Force like no other could. All the others could use the Force as an Aide, Channels could use it as a Tool.
It seemed that all the other Sects could be combined except this one. Bonds so tightly nit were needed, those with Unifying and Living counter balances and those with a partner to share the burden with were required. That and a tiny trendil of Force that connected both to the Force itself. Many described it as a creek, that fed them their Force gifts, gave them their normal talents. The Creek however could turn into a River if rains were forced to fall to quickly or if the dam was released to allow the flood to come. A Channel needed only to follow the Creek to the Dam and release the waters they needed.
The Mediators believed in "The Will of the Force". What the Force intended for them, needed of them, or forced from them usually came to pass in some odd or coincidental ways. The Force guided each person to their destiny even though they could not feel or control it. Many Sects and Mediators alike believed that these Channels could Hear and understand the Will of the Force and so the loss of them would leave the others stranded with no way to be certain.
Those with Visions began to doubt their gifts. For if in doubt they could check with a Channel who by all means could see past and futures. Of what could have been, has been, or will be. Mediators began to fear their ideals and their prophecies. Many others began fearing that the merging of the sects had been wrong.
They were quickly reassured by what was seen to be the last of their Force Channels. Kira and Liksen, two very close lovers were the last surviving pair after age began to take the others. They were mid-aged and quite strong, but for the most part they were still inexperienced by past standards. They still were the only ones left.
They smiled and told how their master before them said how right this had been. The Force had never been more content feeling and warm. The Joining of the Gifts had been the right thing to do and once more they should keep doing it. With this reassurance though came a warning.
"Darkness rises on the borders of our world. Evil comes to fight for our places and we cannot allow it reign. For if we do, the common people will suffer and then we have not done our job. Be warned my friends, there cannot be darkness without light, there cannot be light without the need to rid the darkness. We can fight them back, but for many reasons we cannot banish them. There must be balance between the light and the shadows for you to live in peace again." Kira had warned. Her normal gift was Visions and she was incredibly accurate.
"You will fight, you will win, and the Jedi will rise in the world. We will be the Peace Bringers, the Guardians and the speakers. But listen to us now. This Darkness we must face alone when it comes." Liksen said forcefully, knowing that the Order's protectiveness of them wouldn't let half their peers to let them go alone. Many protests were made and after they quieted Liksen spoke once more. "You can work without us. The Will of the Force echoes through you as it does us. You can hear it just as well, you just need to listen harder. We must go because the darkness that comes is another Force Channel, one with darker intentions for their Gift. No other can stand against a Channel except another Channel and that is why we must go."
It was agreed then that no one else could go and protect all they had worked for. So when a dark-figured pair approached the Orders grounds, two solemn people stood to greet them.
The fight was long, days of the two fighting for control of their own element. Dark Force against Light Force, and until that moment, the Light didn't know of the dark or it's strength. But in the end light prevailed and all four Channels were never seen again. On the night they died, many of the Channel's close friends swore to dreams where they saw them, glimmering and smiling as part of the Force they were so Connected with.
They were also glad to pass on their friends final words to their friends and their friend's friends.
"May the Force be With you." Was what they were told and it became a quick catch on around the holds. Mediators worked it in with their scripts and their ideals and it soon was as much of a Jedi as was the Force itself.
The Council was now of Twelve chosen people to represent and the Gifts continued to Merge together and they soon learned how to teach at a much faster rate. Students were paired with Teachers that could point them in the right directions for what Gifts to pursue and what skills they should learn. Many showed the gift of Channel's but with no one to teach them the gift became dormant, and rarely, if ever seen to the point where it really no longer existed unless it was in a myth book.
That was, until one Generation a pair emerged.
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Sadie Cori sat in the bushes, watching the Crèche Masters search fruitlessly for her among the sea of children. The blonde five year old beamed with pride as it dawned on her they couldn't find her, no matter how close she was to them.
She turned her bright blue eyes to the set of green ones right behind her and grinned mischievously. "Come on, we can go play now."
The smaller, year younger red-head smiled and followed her lead through the bushes. Both toddlers being extremely careful not to make any noise or alert the Group Mothers to their position. Each one sneaking their way through brush and flowers till finally they found the secluded little spot in the small gardens both girls called their own.
Jumping out of the bushes like some wild animal, Sadie flopped down on her back and looked over at her friend, Telly Liksani. "easy easy easy!"
"It always easy." Telly grinned sitting just beside Sadie near a small fern plant. "They never look here, and they never look hard."
"Maybe day don't like us?" Sadie giggled. "Finally became monsters and they don't want us no more."
Telly shook her head vigorously. "No! They want us! Just not all time."
Sadie looked up at her friend and got one of her smiles. "So.want ya wanna do?"
"I dunno? What you want to do?"
Sadie sat up grinning broadly. "I know!" she proclaimed throwing her arm around Telly's shoulder and connecting heads. "I hear the helpers talking about a place with animals in it. It's close to here and all, why don't we go play there?"
Telly frowned. "How we gonna get out?"
"Easy! I also heard them say there was a short way through here to there." Sadie told her as she began looking around. "Near the back they say."
"That will take us forever!" Telly said in disbelief. They'd never seen the 'back' of the gardens! Who was to say there was one.
"No it won't!" Sadie said jumping up. "We just have run."
"And hope no one see us."
"Has anyone ever seen us?"
"No."
"Then they won't today!" Sadie grinned a tugged on Telly's arm. "Come on."
It only took them a little while to find a spot of very dense trees and foliage. Sadie stepped up to it and tried to peer though, but because of the denseness of the trees it was very hard to do. "I think there's something on the other side."
"Think this the door?"
"Yeah."
"how do we get through this?" Telly said holding up a thick plant stalk, wondering just what type of plant got this big.
"We climb." Sadie said casually starting to try and scale one of the large trees.
Telly watched in disbelief. "Climb? Why do we hafta climb?"
"Cause you wanna see the animal's don't ya?"
"Yes."
"Well then you think we can walk through that stuff?" she pointed at the undergrowth. "We climb!"
"We're gonna get in trouble." Telly said following up after Sadie, who by now had anchored herself on a tree limb very much likely larger than herself.
"Never stop us before." Sadie shrugged. "Anyway, sitting around there boring. We need to go do stuff. We're smart remember."
"If you say so." Telly giggled coming up beside Sadie. They started walking through, the Trees here had very big stems that were quite easy for the two little feet to balance on. Finally they came to the end of the barrier and were in another larger gardens.
"I don't sense any animals. Just more Masters." Telly whispered looking at the serene plant life and small streams that seemed to spread out over the great room.
"Must be the Meditation room." Sadie smiled. "Heard about it. Boring let's keep going."
"Okay."
They walked in a straight line, hoping that the back way into the Animal Gardens was right across from the barrier into the Crèche was. Though both were easily getting tired, the Meditation Gardens were much larger than their own.
"Okay.where is it again?" Telly asked sitting down exhausted by a small little pond and tree.
"Just after this room. That's what they said." Sadie sighed sitting next to her friend.
"Are you sure this room ends?" Telly laid back in the grass. "Master Callie gonna be very angry."
"Yeah so?" Sadie flopped back. "This better than listening to her all day about stuff we already know."
"Know everything do you?"
Both girls jumped and clung to the tree branches above them. The tree barely holding their weight but also keeping them somewhat off the ground. They looked around the area to find a small, green creature staring at them with tired green eyes. Sadie stared at him, while Telly looked to the ground and back to him. The Force was underneath them? Why?
"Hmm, scare you did I?" the little creature laughed, it's large ears perking up as he looked up at them. "Never seen two jump so high, have I. Use the Force you did to aid you."
:Well Duh: Sadie snickered to Telly. The two could talk in their minds if they needed or wanted to. Telly giggled a bit and nearly lost her grip on the tree limb, but quickly pushed herself back up with the Force. Why did she feel another presence of Force energy below her?
:Is it a what or a who?: she asked Sadie, trying to discern for herself what this thing was.
:You're asking me? You're the brains!:
:ME! You the one with all the ideas:
"Hear you I can." The little green creature chuckled tapping his head with a clawed hand.
Sadie growled a bit, her frustration at being caught becoming a bit more apparent as Telly felt the little 'wall' go up around them. She always put it up if they were around Masters, so that quickly answered her question.
:It's a who!: she glanced over at Sadie. :It's using the Force to try to hold us up:
:Why? We are doing it already by ourselves. Must be a master, otherwise it would see that.: Sadie groaned. :We're caught:
:Like always:
:We never even got to see the animals: Sadie snorted. :Stupid masters.:
Telly let go and dropped slowly to the ground. She tested the feeling of the Force she went through, knowing it not for her own or Sadie's but assumed it was the green creatures own energy that was what slowed her down.
Sadie followed suit, but her independence forced her to reject the help and do it herself. "Who are you?"
The ears shot up again as the green eyes got a gleam of amusement in them. He leaned on a small gnarled stick and regarded the two of them each in turn. "Who am I? Belong here I do, you do not! Who are you, I should ask."
"My name is Sadie." She proclaimed crossing her arms in front of her. All the while Telly shrunk back behind her as she normally did when that tone came up. Sadie was about to get the both of them in trouble. "Now who are you?"
"You're friend, her name is?"
"Telly." Sadie frowned. "Your not answering me."
"Impatient you are, young one. Patience you must have, tell you I will." He said coming closer, regarding the only slightly taller humanoids before him. "Yoda I am." He finally told them, as it seemed the blonde girl was just going to up and leave him to find someone else to answer her.
"Yoda?" the smaller red-headed girl said, her green eyes regarding him now with recognition, instead of shy-fear. "Master Yoda?"
"The same I am."
"wow." Telly smiled up at Sadie. The blonde girl only regarded him with the same impassive look.
"What's so special about him?" Sadie asked, looking at her friend.
Yoda wanted to laugh at this. This blonde girl never either heard of him, or didn't care. She was a strong-willed child with an imagination to fuel it. "On the Council I am."
"So?"
"Shhh Sadie. You don't want to get us in trouble with them!" Telly tugged on her tunic sleeve. "Group Mothers one thing, them another. They'll send us away!"
"Really!" Sadie's grin got wide. Her mind thinking of all the places they could be sent to, not the consequences it would have.
Yoda did have to chuckle at that. This girl wasn't afraid of him or anything for that matter. She was thinking more of where the Council could send her not what it meant to her own status or living arrangements. What worried him though was how they got this far from the Crèche gardens. The barrier between this and that garden alone should have stopped them but here they were none the less. "Get here how did you?"
Sadie and Telly exchanged looks then finally Sadie sighed. "Through the back there. We climbed a bunch of trees and got through."
Yoda nodded, thinking of what it meant for the two to get through the Barriers. He had sensed their Force Presence quite plainly when he snuck up on them and they used to force to unknowingly shoot themselves for the safety of the branches. Again, when the little Red-head nearly lost her grip and pushed herself back up. Lastly when the blonde very easily got herself down without his help. The blonde was stronger of the two but the red-head seemed to feed off her and vise versa in a way. "Left the Crèche you should not have. Group Masters looking for you they must be?"
"Not really. They think that we're in our hiding place." Telly said coming up a little more to Sadie's side, not behind her. "They don't look for us till noon meal."
"Let you go to this place they do?"
"Most times." Sadie answered, her tone betrayed her annoyance and her impatience. She was strong but she also was quite restless.
"Going where were you?"
"The place that the older helpers say the animals are." Telly responded getting a withering look from Sadie.
"Ah, close you got then, but come, take you back I must."
"Oh come on!" Sadie moaned as Telly reluctantly fell into step behind the older master. "Please don't take us back! We're bored and needed something to do."
Yoda looked back at the child, warring with his good judgment about telling the pair just how close they got to their goal. Another few miles and they would have gotten there without a problem. "Bored you are cause do what the Masters ask you do not."
"We get done before the others." Telly spoke up. "We learn it faster than the others do."
"Then help the others you should hmm?"
"Why should we? They don't help us or like us." Sadie frowned looking at Telly, wondering why they were even following the little green troll. They could easily out run him.
Yoda shook his head. No getting through to the blonde, she was thick headed "Like someone else you know hmmm." He thought merrily to himself. "take you back I must, face the Group Mothers angry I do not."
:Some council member, he's afraid of the Group Masters." Sadie snickered.
"Heard that I did!"
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It was just a few short months later that the pair deemed it safe enough to try their journey again. This time they made it without a hitch, much to both of theirs delight. Sadie said it was a journey of her getting old enough to finally start taking some other classes. She was soon going to be six years old and usually that's when they started introducing the children to real classes. Sadie was excited and promised that she'd teach everything to Telly so she could knock the masters boots off when she turned six.
So they played for hours there in what Sadie had deemed "the holy land" since that day they were caught. Finally though, two masters stumbled upon them and returned them to very angry, distraught Group Masters. They assigned them extra chores to give them a sense of what was going to happen to them as they got older. They weren't just going to get lectured they were going to get punished for such actions. Sadie hadn't quite cared and did the Chores without complaint. She made it to the Animal Gardens she didn't have anything to be sorry for.
A few days later, however, Sadie began to act weird. Telly felt it immediately, as they sat around, or were working. Sadie wasn't her boastful, playful self. Her Force was different to. Not as bright of a blue as it usually was. The Masters immediately thought it was her way to back out of the work. Telly wasn't so sure, so she stuck to Sadie like glue and tried to help her anyway she could.
Finally though, Sadie couldn't wake up. She was in there, Telly could still hear her and all but Sadie was really sick. So she ran to the Masters and brought them back. It was then they began to believe the little girl was sick, and rushed her to the Healers.
Telly and Sadie still spoke to one another, in their minds if not in person because the Healers were afraid to let her see Sadie. They weren't sure what was making her sick. Telly didn't know what it was but she knew Sadie was hurting and was only getting worse. Every time she spoke with her or formed that tighter bond with her the bright blue glow was duller and smaller.
Telly saw an emotion she never saw from her best friend for the first time during those weeks. For the first time in her short life, Sadie Cori was afraid. She was afraid and she was alone, and Telly for the most part was the closes thing she could grasp to, even if it was only mentally.
Telly tried to tell the Masters that she needed to be there that Sadie needed her but they told her no, the Healers wouldn't allow it and they were taking care of her. She knew better though. They were only hurting her worse and making her more afraid.
The day come that the worst thing that could happen did. Telly was just sitting with the group, mentally just watching as Sadie was resting, or that's how it seemed and physically listening to what the Group Mothers were teaching the kids for that day. Telly felt so out of place among the small circle, and wanted nothing more to bolt to the hiding place where she and Sadie spent most of the days at. Everyone kept looking at her as if she was some strange alien, or if they knew something was happening. She didn't like the feeling at all and wanted them to just stop looking at her.
She was about to try and sneak away when all the sudden her head felt like a saber went through it. Apparently she screamed and was trying to claw at her head cause seconds later a group mother was holding her asking her what was wrong, to be still tell them what was the matter and they'd help. That was just it though, she didn't know what was wrong.
That is till she checked on Sadie. Where the once familiar Force resided there was nothing. She wasn't there! Where had they taken her? She began searching and searching for her, going to all the places she knew Sadie would go to and couldn't find her. What was this? What..
:Telly quit, you're gonna hurt yourself.:
She stopped dead. There she was! She followed the voice and the small presence she sensed with it and nearly wanted to hurt herself when she realized where she was. The Force?? No.impossible, they only went to that place together, as a game. Sadie wouldn't be there by herself. Unless.
:Telly, it's alright.: and she saw her then. The bright blue haze she knew as Sadie's signature was conforming to Sadie's form. Telly stared in disbelief at what she was seeing.
"No."
:Telly.:
"No!" she screamed at her. "No you can't! You can't go without me, remember? We promised!"
:Telly listen to me. It's okay, I'm still with you, we can still do this together. Thing is I have to stay here now instead of coming back with you."
"Not fair!" Telly tried to swing at Sadie, trying to find some substance of her friend left. All she felt was a warm, power she recognized as her Force Energy. "It's not fair!"
:You're acting like a little kid, stop it.: Sadie snorted. :Trust me this will work out for both of us, that game will be a lot more fun this way than it was with both of us alive.:
There she had said it and Telly rubbed furiously at her face. "I am a little kid, so are you! You're not suppose to die."
:I can't help it Telly: Sadie grinned. :Anyway it's better here. I don't hurt anymore and I'm far from alone.:
"But what about me?" Telly sobbed helplessly now. "I'm alone."
:I'm still here, in your head.: Sadie smiled sadly. :Other than that there is no more I can do about that. You're bright, make friends or something.:
"None of them will understand."
:Then make them understand:
"But I'm not like you!" Telly turned away.
:No you're not and you don't have to be. People will like ya for you. I'm sure of it.:
Telly only stared out into the strands of color, looking at the green strand she stood upon herself. Her color, dark as the forest, was green. "I don't have to go back.I could stay here."
:nope.: Sadie sighed. :Trust me little sister, The Force needs us this way. We're special Telly, I'm not sure how yet but we are. It has a plan and it'll be alright in the end.:
"Starting to sound like one of the Masters." Telly murmured.
Sadie laughed and Telly felt a warmness around her. :So I am. Oh well, I guess it will happen sooner or later. Take care Telly, I'll be here, if ya need me.:
Then she woke up. The room was unfamiliar and the bed slightly different and harder than her own. She looked around the small white room, the door way slightly ajar. She could see shadows just outside and wondered just where she was.
Hopping down she crept up silently to the door.
"Psychic Shock is my guess. All the time we were trying to help the other little girl we kept feeling this alien presence in her mind and we couldn't quite trace it. I think the pair of them had a close bond of sorts."
"Why would they have that?" Telly stepped back. That was Master Callie she heard.
"I'm not sure why they would. All I know is what caused her to do what she did today. We have an idea as to what might have caused Cori's illness and that would explain the amount of pain the young girl was in while she was sick. When.when she died you could fairly tell it was painful, she couldn't breath or anything and well I'm assuming that young Liksani felt exactly what Cori did through the bond."
"Oh Force, Telly kept saying she needed to be with Sadie.she kept saying she needed her." Callie said sitting down, fairly near the door. Telly froze. To move now would alert them to her presence and not to move would get the same outcome if Master Callie turned her head. "We just told her no, told her it would be alright. Oh what she must think of us."
"Don't blame yourself, Callie. You didn't understand that it was there, I doubt anyone short of a Council member would have been able to discern that deeply hidden bond."
"We should have, they went everywhere together, and it was like they were inseparable." Callie smiled a bit. "Sadie was the mischief maker and Telly just kinda went along for the fun. They both were too bright for their age."
Callie finally turned her head, to glance at the bed where Telly should have been. She was met face to face with the red-head standing, actually crouching at the doorway, her eyes intent on watching both herself and the Healer. "Telly!" she jumped a bit, and the girl jumped back as well.
The healer, and older man of a different species Telly hadn't seen before opened the door and stared down at her. She made a mad dash for the bed she was supposed to be in but was caught up by a strong arm. "My, are you sure they both weren't trouble makers?" he smiled gently at Callie, then held Telly up so that they were face to face. "Hello young lady."
Telly froze. Oh she was in trouble now, she looked at Master Callie's tear stained eyes and wondered what had happened exactly since she had been out. This large man however was intent on smiling at her, even though she had the express feeling of guilt and a bit of sorrow. He looked at Callie for a moment then back up to her. What was he doing? Was she in trouble now or what?
He chuckled. A deep rumbling sound that seemed to come from his chest. It was a nice sound Telly relaxed only marginally. "You're not in trouble little one. We've only been worried about you."
She glanced a bit at Master Callie. Surely the Healer couldn't get her in trouble but what about Callie. Callie was sitting back down and staring up at her with the oddest of looks. Strange, she hadn't seen that stare down before. She looked back up to the Healer, staring in wonder at his hair. His hair varied colors of black, brown and reds that hung in loosely way past his shoulders. His eyes were funny too. Some kind of filmy stuff covered them and made them seem cloudy and murky.
"I understand now." The healer said sitting her down. "The thinker and the actor." He smiled some. "Tell me little one, did you ever think so much with the other girl around."
"Her name was Sadie!" Telly protested quite fearlessly to her surprise.
"I'm sorry little one, did you think so much with Sadie around?"
"No." Telly confessed, noting she hadn't ever really remembered having thoughts like she was having now.
The healer bent to be at her level. "Just to quell your curiosity little one, I am Master Kik Rian. I'm a Firrerreos from the planet Firrerre." When he saw Callie ready to voice something, he turned to her. "She's was hanging there the whole time wondering how you were going to react, how I was going to react, then to cataloging why I was different from her and you. She was just about to get to thinking about how to get down."
Callie looked at Telly for a moment then back up at Kik. Waiting for him to go on. He only picked Telly back up again and put her back in the bed she vacated who knew how long ago. "You have had a long day little one, why don't you rest I must talk to your Group Mother."
Telly felt what he was doing, Masters had try to do it to her before but most times she just blocked it out, this time she just didn't feel like fighting. She laid down, staring at the wall and sighed as she felt her eyes shut against their will. Who knew what they'd be saying behind her back.
Kik walked back out and motioned for Callie to follow him. They walked into a small but comfortable office and Kik sat across from Callie. "I understand that bond now; at least a little better than I did. You said the other one, Sadie, was quite restless and always moving. I bet you right now, if the roles were reversed that Sadie would be pacing and trying to find out why she couldn't settle down. So would you. I've seen this before." Kik said looking at the worried Master. "People bond to complete themselves sometimes. They need someone else to fill their other half. Tell me was the other girl Outgoing and personable?"
"She was a little terror. She had quite the mouth on her that's for sure." Callie smiled a bit. "Always had an answer for anything we tried to say to her."
"You see how the girl acts now right? Telly? She's frightened easily, she won't talk unless spoken to. She's going to stay that way too I'm afraid. Unless someone of an equally strong personality as Sadie comes along, which sometimes it's hard to counterbalance people out."
"what do we do?"
"Hope for someone to come along is my guess. Bring her to me every other week if you can also. She won't talk unless forced and well, you admit I'm the soul healer here." Kik grinned as Callie nodded. "She'll just be different that's all, half a person, until maybe a Master can be found for her or another person like Sadie."
"I hope we can." Callie said as she stood. "I'd hate to see her go to waste, she's such a bright child."
"No doubt there." Kik smiled. "Just keep an eye on her that's all I can suggest right now."
"Thank you Kik."
"Anytime Callie."
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Telly sat up in the familiar place of the glen, watching Bruck Chun torture a few of their fellow group mates. She really wished for Sadie to come back, because since then Bruck had gotten worse about picking on people. Sadie had been the only one really to stick up to him.
Sighing and walking further away from where the other children were playing she sat on the far end of the glen, watching the helpers work on various projects. One was inevitably close to her, with jet black hair and a padawan braid. What was a padawan doing here? Usually only initiates or wards came to help with the Children.not Padawans.
:He got in trouble.he got in trouble.: Sadie echoed in her mind. It had taken her several weeks to get used to the sometimes random attacks of hearing Sadie's voice ringing in her head like she was still right beside her. It was comforting to know she was still there but all the same it made her more aware of how different she now was.
"What ya mean?" she smiled a bit, wanting in on the gossip Sadie no doubt had.
:he and his master got in a fight, and as punishment for disobeying is he's gotta help out down here. How wrong is that!:
"Very wrong." Telly smiled, watching the boy. He was nearing his twenties, which this had to be the ultimate insult to him of all people. He had deep blue eyes, that seemed to mirror his unpleasant mood and displeasure for being here at this time. "What's he doing?"
:goofing off.: Sadie giggled. :He's way back here so he can pretend to be working when really he's not doing anything. Let's help him?:
"Why?"
:Cause if you'd look hard enough he's like us silly!: Sadie said pointing in the Force to that small little mark in his Force Signature that signaled a certain player in a game she and her friend once played. :And he needs company, you need company, we all need company.:
"What if he doesn't like me?"
:Then he'll leave, no trouble right?:
"Yeah no trouble." Telly said, as she crept up to striking distance. She could just grab him by the collar of his shirt and pull him back. None of the masters were looking, neither were any of the other helpers. It was like they were avoiding him for some reason.
:Just do it!:
And so she did. She grabbed his shirt, threw him off balance and got him into the brush. Just as he was about to yell she covered his mouth and watched as the other helpers looked around for the Source of the sound.
"Hey! What was that?"
"Whatever it was it's gone. Probably a bird or something." Another girl sighed. "Let's hurry up and get this stuff done."
After they turned away again she smiled at the older boy and released her hand from his mouth. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya."
"What do you think you're doing?" he whispered angrily, and Telly shrunk back.
"You looked like you wanted a way out.so.so I thought I'd show you where you can hide in here."
The face softened as the boy looked around him and noticed that not one had noticed him missing. He looked back at her a bit then sat up a bit straighter. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." Telly said sitting where she stood. "I'm Telly."
"Xanatos. So why would you help me?"
"Dunno," Telly said, mulling his name over in her head. "You looked bored. I know that feeling."
"Really." The blue eyes studied her for a bit then he smiled a bit. "Nice hiding place."
"Not as good as the back of the gardens. You can get all the way to the animal gardens from back there."
Xanatos started at her again, his eyes not angry or soft but surprised. Then he began laughing. "How old are you?"
"Five."
"Good Force, you're something else!" Xanatos laughed silently. "So you sneak out a lot do you?"
"Yes." Telly smiled. "Me and my friend used to a lot but.but she died so now I have to go alone." She said feeling ultimately sadder all the sudden.
"I'm sorry kid." Xanatos murmured seeing the change in attitude, not sure why he was being so nice to the girl. He hated children, especially young children. "Hey, can you show me how to get out of here? Without getting caught."
"It's risky, never know who's in the Meditation gardens this time of day, or that far back." Telly said slowly. "But I haven't been back to the Animal gardens since Sadie died and I want to go back, come on." She pulled on his hand as she stood and began taking the back path around to the Barriers.
Xanatos was surprised at the willingness of a five year old to show him just how to sneak around. Just when he thought he knew everything he was shown something else as they came to the spot where many thick, large trees closed a gap in the walls. He whistled. "wow.who would have guessed this was here."
"Nobody, that's why it's our secret, Kay!" Telly smiled up at him.
"Yeah, our secret." He smiled back. "But one small problem. "How do you get through?"
Telly began scrambling up one of the large trees and when she to a large enough branch she sat down and waved to him. "We have to climb through! Just like you have to go around the edges of the lake between the Animal gardens and the Meditation Gardens."
Xanatos shrugged and forced himself up the tree. If it meant getting out of here, it was worth it. Soon, he was walking around the tree stems, following behind Telly who seemed to have done this many times before. The trees had to be something from the Wookiee Planet, as big as they were. Otherwise they'd be hoping that whatever branch they jumped too was strong enough to support them.
Finally they were trekking their way through the Meditation gardens, trying their hardest to stay on hiding paths and through brush, so as not to be seen. Xanatos was a bit jumpy here, Force knowing his luck his Master was going to be here and find him right away.
"Someone's coming!" Telly ducked up a small yeria tree, that was just small enough for her to climb easy and bushy enough to hide her small frame. Xanatos had a much harder time finding such a hiding spot and soon regretted sneaking away.
"Xanatos!" the angry bellow soon confirmed his worst fears.
He turned and was face to face with an angry Master. "Master! Hi! Ummm.. I.."
"Xani what are you doing here? I left you in the Crèche Gardens today. Remember because of your disobedience?" the cobalt blue eyes were flaring with anger and annoyance at finding his padawan where he shouldn't be. "Better talk fast too." He warned narrowly, crossing his arms in front of him.
Xanatos was ready to run, to save his own skin but before he could even open his mouth a little voice cried from the tree. "Okay! I give." He turned and faced the Yeria tree, seeing Telly wriggling her way out of it. His Master's arms had come loose from their tightly held position and he too was staring at the girl.
She walked up to the men, looking might ashamed of herself and hung her head as she stopped in front of him. "Master Callie sent you to find me didn't she?"
Xanatos couldn't believe his ears! This little thing was going to save him? He didn't argue though and began to nod. "Yes she did. Nice little escape route you have to kid." He tried to sound normal, but after the scare his Master gave him it was quite hard to.
"You were sent to find a runaway?" Qui-gon questioned his apprentice, his cobalt eyes not quite loosing their sting yet.
"Yes Master," he could explain it if he knew how.but he didn't. Then he heard a small voice in his head begin reciting words and he found his mouth mocking them. "Master Callie asked me since I was the one able to get through the brush she came through. Said she runs away a lot, and most times they can't find her cause she knows when they are coming. Knows their Force Signatures by now, so she thought it might be easier to send someone the kid didn't know." He looked down at Telly, dear Force this child was smarter than a five year old.
Qui-gon looked down at the small fearful face, Telly playing a nice role to help Xani out. He looked back up at his Apprentice then sighed. "I'm sorry to have interrupted your search then but it seems we were both very close to finding her." He looked down at the girl. "You shouldn't run away from your teachers."
Telly only grabbed at Xanatos' leg, hiding her face in the soft folds of the cloth. "I wanna go back now."
Xanatos nearly bowled over laughing, the kid wasn't acting! She was afraid of Qui-gon! He sighed, rolled his eyes and picked her up. "Okay then, and don't run off again till I'm not in the Crèche anymore alright? I've got scratches all up my arms from those nasty trees."
"Okay deal." The girl whispered, looking at the face of Qui-gon with a bit more fear than Xani had thought from her.
"I'll see you at supper Master." He said.
"Alright Xani." Qui-gon sighed watching his apprentice walk off. "Sorry I jumped to conclusions."
"It's okay." Xani said walking off towards the doors. As soon as they were outside of it, the two rushed to outside the door of the Crèche and Xanatos found himself ruffling the red-heads curly hair. "You brilliant child!"
She was still looking behind her, making sure the other wasn't following them. "He seems mean." She said actually burrowing herself closer to Xanatos' body.
"Ah, he's just frustrated with me that's all." Xanatos smiled a bit, patting her back. "He's really quite fun when he's in a good mood."
"So big though, and so loud." Telly shivered and Xanatos let her down.
"Seems that way to you doesn't he." Xanatos smiled. "Well looks like we have to go back in." he groaned.
"It's okay we can stay in the glen. No one will bother us there."
"Admit it kid, no amount of sneaking is going to get us in that door without anyone noticing."
"Who said anything about sneaking?" Telly asked as she walked in and Xanatos hurried to follow behind her as if he found her.
Master Callie locked on them instantly and walked over fairly mad. "You disappeared Xanatos, I was just about ready to call Qui-gon."
"I followed this little imp through the Barrier, quite interesting the way she has about sneaking out." Xanatos smirked. "Thought you wouldn't want her to go alone."
He looked down at Telly, who had supplied pretty much the gist of what he should do. He liked how she thought, she wasn't petty oh I'm so sorry Initiates she was cover your own ass ones.
"She let you follow her?" Master Callie was staring now at Telly with shock.
"For the most part, then she just kinda told me I got her." Xanatos recited.
"Well then thank you Xanatos." Callie said, softly. "You should probably get back to."
"Can he stay with me?" Telly spoke up, sounding quite younger than what her intelligence made her.
"What?" both of them said at the same time.
"Can he stay with me? I like him." She smiled shyly up at him. "He's like Sadie."
And there was the clincher. Callie looked at Xanatos as if he'd grown another head then nodded silently and waved them off. Xanatos waited until they were safely inside the small Glen and finally began laughing. "Damn you have them on a leash don't you?"
"Kinda." Telly laughed with him.
"Well thanks for saving my skin back there by the way. Master Qui-gon would have me hung up by my braid if he found me sneaking away from duty again."
"You're sure he's not mean?"
"No, he just needs to lighten up a bit that's all. He's too serious and he gets frustrated with me a lot."
"Why?"
"Cause I'm less than perfect that's why." Xanatos sighed. "I'm not like a lot of Jedi."
"Neither am I."
"So I see."
It was a strange feeling talking to someone that much older than her, yet feel as comfortable around someone as she used to feel around Sadie. The two joked and Telly told him about the other kids in her class, so he'd know who to avoid, in her phrasing. Till finally he had to go to his next class.
Telly was alone again but the next day he was returned and it kept on that way for nearly a week, until one day he stopped coming. Telly searched and searched for him, using the Force, even asked Sadie to find him if he happened to have passed and couldn't find him. She couldn't find him either. So the only assumption was that he and his Master had left.
The rumors didn't help her standing much as she shrunk farther and farther away from others. She heard the rumors of his turning to the Darkside. What would others think of her if they knew she liked him, thought him a more than capable Jedi? What would happen to her if anyone found out?
She wasn't sticking around to find out so she begged Sadie to fulfill a promise that she had given. To teach her all she was learning there in the Force, so one day she could maybe knock the Master's boots off when she became a Padawan. Unfortunately the Ghosts of the Force had their own rules as to what she could learn.
TBC..