A/N: Back! Sorry for a longer-than-promised delay. Apparently, student teaching is crazy stressful and time-consuming. Who knew? But enough about me, you want Obi and Qui! :)

The cafeteria was a zoo. Scores of older initiates and padawan-less Masters were milling about, each in various stages of searching for the registration table or waiting to be matched. A group of younglings, unsupervised, were sitting in a circle around one initiate. The male in question was inhaling spice dumplings through his nose to the delight of the group. Another pack of females on the other side of the cafeteria had created a hair-braiding circle, with one girl left with the unfortunate task of braiding the body hair of a young Wookie. All around the room, there were children running and yelling, and Masters already checking themselves for gray hairs. Qui-Gon surveyed the chaos from the doorway and cursed Mace Windu for the second time that day.

"You know it's for the best, Qui," Tahl said from his side where she'd placed herself a few hours ago. Qui-Gon had mumbled that he didn't want to go to this Master/Padawan mixer alone, and Tahl blessedly agreed to join him. She continued, "Mace said that choosing a Padawan would keep you from review. You hate being in front of the council, and exempting your last, you really enjoyed having a padawan. So let's make nice with the littlies, and find you a protégé." She gave him her best 'cheer up' smile to go along with the pep talk.

Qui-Gon sighed as he watched two boys sprinting at each other in a game of force-propelled chicken. She was right. Not that Qui-Gon would ever admit it out loud, but one of these kids was his ticket to better terms with the Masters above him. He gave her a firm nod and together they marched up to the registration table.

"Ah, Master Qui-Gon, Master Tahl. I have been expecting you." The insectoid Jedi whom Qui-Gon did not recognize used four of his appendages to boot up data on his computer. "You have been matched with an initiate named Bant Eerin, Tahl. And you, Qui-Gon…" The Jedi's multi-faceted eyes narrowed at the screen, and he typed in a few more symbols. "I'm sorry, there's a problem with the software. Perhaps he has removed himself from the event? Hold on one moment."

Tahl shuffled her feet and craned her neck around his massive form, her eyes scanning the room. Apparently, she didn't only accompany him because of his flawless puppy-dog face.

"Go and find your child, Tahl. I'm sure I'll figure something out."

Tahl didn't even ask if Qui-Gon was sure before giving his hand a tight squeeze and running off. Qui-Gon's hand tingled where she touched it, and for a second he lost himself in trying to hold on to the feeling.

"Master Jinn?" the insectoid Jedi asked.

Qui-Gon balled his hand into a fist. Attachments lead to the Dark Side. Keen on joining your former padawan, are you?

The Jedi started to babble, "I'm not sure what happened. I found your initiate, Obi-Wan Kenobi, but it's like he's been erased and haphazardly put back into the system. I don't know what to make of it. Here's your registration card, but if he doesn't show up, I'll personally see that you receive a replacement initiate, Master. I'm so sorry for this mix up." Qui-Gon nodded and took the paper from the Jedi at the table before striding off.

Within seconds a voice came over an intercom, indicating that both masters and initiates should take their seats at the tables indicated on their cards. Qui-Gon wove in and out of darting initiates, bumping into several before finding his place. But when he looked up, a small, sandy-haired boy was already there waiting for him.

The boy rose upon seeing Qui-Gon and bowed deeply. "Master Jinn. I thank you for taking the time to come today. It is a- a pleasure to meet you."

Qui-Gon smiled at the obviously rehearsed speech and bowed in return, "The pleasure is all mine, Initiate Kenobi. Though I don't believe this is the first time we've met, unless I'm mistaken?"

The initiate gave a small smile, "No, Master Jinn, you're not mistaken. You were the master who taught me the valuable lesson about being aware of my surroundings. Even in empty hallways."

"And aware you seemed to be when waiting for me. Lesson well received."

The boy smiled even wider, but then fell silent, waiting for Qui-Gon to speak as he'd probably been instructed. Qui-Gon, however, felt nervous. The boy had prepared remarks, but why hadn't he? He looked up to see a pair of expectant eyes trained on his face, and he instantly looked down again. Sith he thought internally, I've forgotten how to be around initiates entirely.

Thankfully, the silence was interrupted by the sound of the intercom, indicating the pairs in his section of the cafeteria could go to any of the various counters to choose their meals. Qui-Gon motioned for Obi-Wan to choose a station, and he followed the boy up to the section with pasta-like substances in thick sauces.

While waiting in line, Qui-Gon thought of something to ask, "Initiate Kenobi, why are you here?"

Obi-Wan cocked his head to the side with a puzzled look on his face, "Because I like noodles?"

Qui-Gon chuckled as he rolled his eyes, "No, initiate. While I'm glad you're so enthusiastic about noodles, I was asking why you chose to come to this event."

Obi-Wan took so long to answer, Qui-Gon was about to ask again. But finally he heard the boy say in a small voice, "I decided to follow the Force. It was the Force that led me to register my name, despite a block from some… unknown location."

Qui-Gon felt around the boy's Force signature and determined that though he hadn't outright lied, he was certainly hiding something. He let the matter go, however, as he was 0-2 in picking conversation topics.

As a result, they went back to their table and ate the rest of their meal in silence. Well, relative silence. Obi-Wan tended to enjoy his meal most when he could slurp his noodles. When the slurping noise became too annoying for Qui-Gon, however, he burst out with the first thing that came to mind that he thought suitable for an eleven year old.

"Do you enjoy Qeechii*?" he asked. Qeechii? That's what you think young boys like?

But the boy's eyes lit up. "I do! The computer is too easy though, so Bant and I hacked into the system and now it lets us play each other!" The joyous expression was gone in seconds though, and Obi-Wan looked at the table, saying "I apologize for my behavior, Master Jinn."

Qui-Gon was confused. Why would any youngling looking to make an impression be honest enough to admit to a Master that they committed even the most venial of infractions? But something pushed Qui-Gon to confirm the boy wasn't just affecting humility to impress him.

"What behavior is that, Obi-Wan?" he asked, feigning ignorance, "You did nothing wrong."

"Master Jinn, I was bragging about hacking into the Qeechii system. Jedi aren't supposed to brag about themselves, but think about others instead. Maybe you've never hacked it before! I wouldn't want you to feel bad."

A loud laugh burst from Qui-Gon, interrupting the whole cafeteria. In hearing the child's honesty, Qui-Gon felt the strangest feeling of joy well up in his chest. It was like the first time he held a lightsaber, or the feeling he had whenever he saw the Jedi Temple come into view after an away mission. It was such a deep feeling of rightness that he had to laugh. He felt strangely complete, like the living Force was singing its approval of the pair. He never expected to feel that for a person. Well, except for Tahl…

And then Qui-Gon stopped laughing. Qui-Gon, you fool. Getting attached again? And this time to a boy you've only just met? Some Jedi of the Light...

The boy with the sandy hair had no idea about the war that had just broken out in Master Jinn's head, but he was sensitive enough to sense something was amiss. This master was silent for almost the whole time, then asked a silly question, then laughed loud enough to disturb anyone, and now was looking a little angry. A few other pairs were breaking up across the room, so Obi-Wan decided it was safe to follow. Oh well, he'd gotten to eat most of his noodles. Obi-Wan stood up and cleared his throat.

"Master Jinn, I have greatly enjoyed getting to know you. I hope to see you around the Temple again," but here he broke away from the responses Master Tachi taught him, "although I hope I won't literally run into you again."

Obi-Wan gave a serious bow towards the Master who was behaving most un-Masterly by not also standing up. When the older Jedi failed to acknowledge Obi-Wan at all, the boy slunk off towards the direction he'd last seen Bant. Maybe she could help him understand why a Master would stare into his pasta bowl like that...

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*Qeechii is a game I imagined was rather like chess, but more complicated. Think Sheldon's three-decker chess board from the Big Bang Theory, if you like.

A/N: And that's all for this week. Join us next time when we answer why Qui-Gon can't just love his obviously pre-destined munchkin the way the kid ought to be, what's going on between Mr. L'Oreal commercial and Tahl, and just what happened to Obi-Wan's name on the registration list. Leave guesses in the review box!