Hi! This is sort of a continuation of my one-shot Shy Girl. I've always loved Barriss, and just had to do more. So, I hope you guys like it.
I will update soon, weather people like it or not, because I LOVE BARRISS! *looks around* ...What?
"Ah, so this is your padawan." Obi-wan smiled as he looked at Barriss. She looked down shyly and backed behind her master a little ways. Both masters laughed fondly as they watched her reaction.
"Say 'hi', Barriss." Luminara said through quiet laughter. Barriss looked up at her, her shockingly blue eyes wide with disbelief and terror at the request.
"Go on." She ordered, giving her padawan a gentle push forward. Barriss's reaction was instant. She stepped back to her original position, pressing bodily against her master and burying her face in her side. The two adults laughed yet again.
Luminara, done trying to force Barriss to speak, put an arm on her apprentice, patting the back of her head.
"I'm sorry." Luminara spoke to Obi-wan. "She's painfully shy."
"So I see." He chuckled. Then, turning to Barriss, "I don't want to hurt you, I only want to be your friend."
Barriss hardly lifted her head, just enough to peek at him. He reached his hand out, making a friendly gesture. The moment he did, her head shot back to it's 'hiding place', which happened to be her master's side. Luminara smiled fondly at her before looking back up at Obi-wan.
"I wanted to talk to you about this weekend. Barriss, why don't you run along while we talk."
Barriss looked all too happy to leave. As she took off running, Luminara spoke.
"So, as you know, Barriss is turning fourteen this week. I've only had her for about three months, and we aren't very close yet."
"'Not very close yet?' She ran to you for cover." He said incredulously.
"Well, as much I adore the fact that she depends on me to hide her from people, we still aren't as close as I'd like us to be. And I think that if I did something for her for her birthday, maybe it would make her a little less shy towards me.
"She's still shy towards you and you've had her for three months?"
"We're doing better. But I still can't make eye contact, get her to talk loud enough for me to hear or ask her her opinion."
"The shy ones take longer I guess." He shrugged.
"Yeah, I guess. So, do you think you could help me do something special?"
"Of course. What does she like?"
"Well I doubt she wants a party."
"No kidding." He chuckled.
"She really likes horses."
"That's good. Maybe we could do a trail ride."
"I was thinking something…bigger. It is her big one four after all."
"What are you suggesting?" The Jedi asked, stroking his beard.
"Well, I'd like to get her…her own horse."
"Her own horse? Well, that is big. Where do you plan to get this horse."
"That's where you come in." Luminara explained.
"You want me to buy her a horse?" He said sarcastically.
"No. I want you to find a ranch that sells horses. Good ones. I'm counting on you."
"Alright, I can do that. Maybe it will even make her like me."
"Don't get your hopes up. She's still scared of me."
"Aha, right. Well, we'll talk later."
Luminara turned and made her way down the temple hall. She scanned for Barriss, who couldn't have gone far. She had barely opened her mouth to call to her when the child came running around the corner and slammed purposely into her…hiding. Two teenage boys came around the corner shortly after with devious smiles on their faces. When they saw Luminara, they left reluctantly, remaining silent.
"What'd they do Barriss?"
"They were throwing paper at me…" She said, voice barely even a whisper as she unburied her face from Luminara's body and looked up at her, eyes wide with terror.
Luminara chuckled at the incredible sensitivity of the child standing in front of her. "I see. Were they making fun of you as well."
Looking hesitant, she nodded.
"Oh, Barriss." She chuckled. "Come on."
"Thanks for letting me come with you, Luma'." Vallary said giddily as she, Luminara and Barriss all walked on a gravel path. Barriss rarely took her eyes off the ground. She occasionally looked up to see her whereabouts or glance at the two older women as they chatted with each other.
Luminara felt a tug on her robe and looked down to see Barriss looking up at her, nervousness plastered on her face. Luminara wanted to laugh at her Palawan's strange yet sweet uneasiness when it came to asking questions… Or speaking in general. But, she forced her self to remain serious -but kind and welcoming- to keep Barriss from cowering yet again from social interaction.
"Yes, Barriss, what is it?"
The girl answered by mumbling something so fast and quiet that she simply could not understand her.
"What?"
She repeated herself a little louder, but it wasn't much difference.
"You've gotta' enunciate your words." Vallary told her, her friendly smile never leaving her face.
"Ho-How long until-until we get there…" She stuttered, trailing off at the end.
"We're almost there." Vallary answered. "And I bet you are really going to like it."
Barriss looked away. Not down, just away. That was good, they were making progress.
After a few minutes more walking, they came across a barn, horse boxes, and paddocks, a horse in almost every one. Barriss looked around, studying each horse with immense curiosity and admiration.
"Do you like them?" Vallary asked.
Barriss nodded, not looking away from the animals she was so intently interested in.
"Well, soon one of them will be yours." Luminara told her. Barriss whipped around to face her, her facial expressions shocked and disbelieving.
"No joke." Vallary promised.
Her jaw dropped for a moment, before she looked back at the horses and asked softly, "Which one?"
"Depends." A human girl said walking up to them. "You have been given the opportunity to work here. You can get to know the horses during that time. Then, once you know all their personalities, you can choose an available one for yourself."
"Hello, Katy. This is my Padawan, Barriss Offee. Barriss, this is Katy Shcout, owner of this ranch." Luminara introduced.
"And I'm Vallary. I'm bilingual."
"Why does she need to know that? That was so random." Luminara muttered.
"Why should she not know it?"
"Because she- Oh, never mind. Uh, so Barriss, I'll leave you here with Katy and you can decide a working schedual, meet the horses, and I'll pick you up at- oof!" She cut off as Barriss slammed into her, clutching her robes with a death grip.
"No, don't go! Don't leave me alone with people I don't know!" She whimpered desperately, but somehow keeping her voice lower than the typical talking volume of a…less timid citizen.
"Oh, Barriss, you'll be fine. You love horses and Katy isn't going to hurt you. She teaches Kindergarteners how to ride, she's very kind."
"No." She protested, snuggling comfortably into her body as though she wasn't going to leave ever again. Luminara sighed in exasperation when Vallary jumped in.
"Barriss, you want your own horse, right?"
"…Right." She whispered.
"And you want to work here, right?"
"Right."
"But you feel too shy around new people… Right?" She said, more sober now.
"…Uh… Right." Barriss mumbled, sounding defeated.
"Well don't worry about that, okay?" She said, going back to her smile. "A lot of girls are shy around new people. But if you get to know her, she won't be a 'new person' anymore, she'll be someone you know."
Barriss pursed her lips in thought.
"Right?"
"…Right." Barriss answered, sounding a little more confident.
"Okay, then! Luminara and I will leave you to it, and be back at five. Okay?"
"Okay." Barriss agreed discreetly, backing away from her master to follow Katy.
"Alright. Bye, Barriss." Luminara waved as they turned to leave. "I don't know how you're so good with kids, Vallary."
"Ah, it's a gift." She said mystically.
Done! Please review, and don't say anything complaining about the horses or Barriss's shy personality because I already decided that I want horses in the story, and Barriss is supposed to be shy. Please review, and don't say anything mean.
Barriss stories don't seem to get a lot of attention, so please review so I don't feel discouraged.