Age: Fourteen
Interests: alone time
Dislikes: crying, losing
Master Dennen actually laughs. "And dump the Chosen One?"
Master Kenobi shakes his head, calm despite the obvious anger that is still in his Force aura, strong enough for even me to feel it. "I will go to the Council and tell them about this issue. They will accept my reasoning for taking Padawan Zhun as my own Padawan along with Anakin."
"And if they do not? Do not be foolish, Kenobi. Zhun will remain my Padawan and Skywalker will remain yours, and if you decide not to tell the Council of this little falling-out, I will refrain from telling them of this ridiculous idea of yours."
"Would you really do that, Master?" Anakin asks from his spot in the doorway, and Master Kenobi turns sharply to take in the little hints of dread he can no doubt see on his Padawan's face even though neither my Master or myself can. "Would you really take her as your Padawan, instead of me?"
"No, Anakin. Never. I am your Master."
"Then why would you say such a thing?" Skywalker demands, clenching his jaw.
Kenobi walks over to him and places a hand on his shoulder, muttering quietly, "Kirani is in a rough spot right now, Ani. It is the Jedi way to show compassion. I am sure you can handle anything I throw at you, as long as you trust me to make the right decisions. Do you trust me, Padawan?"
Skywalker looks up at his Master's face and nods tightly, causing Master Kenobi's face to break out into a smile as he claps his apprentice on the shoulder before running his hand quickly through the boy's hair and turning back around again. "Very well. This mission has officially been declared a failure so I suggest we contact the Council immediately to let them know everything."
Master exhales loudly, and I fear that he just might snap anytime soon. I've never made him as angry as I am sure Master Kenobi is right now and it makes me physically sick.
"Go ahead, Kenobi. Contact the Council. They will tell you the exact same thing as I have. In the meantime, I will go see Senator Ballon and see to the social crisis of Talus. Don't feel inclined to do your duty, Master Kenobi. Come along, Padawan."
I'm torn between following him and staying behind, wondering what would make this problem bigger and more unbearable. I decide that obeying my current Master is what's best. Perhaps, if I show the Council that I will obey my Master in all things, because I respect him endlessly, they will let him remain my Master. For, even though I feel no sense of respect or kindness toward him at all, he is still the only person I have in my life that will stay true to me no matter what.
When we return, Master Kenobi and Skywalker are in joint meditation, probably because Skywalker's too much of an idiot to meditate by himself. Or... perhaps because he's trying to persuade his Master not to try and take me away from Master Dennen. Maybe the dolt's not as stupid as I thought he was.
Master Kenobi resurfaces from the meditation first, probably sending calming waves toward his Padawan to let him know he is to continue meditating without him. The Master heads over to us and eyes us critically, speaking calmly, "I have contacted the Council. They have agreed to let you remain on the planet to finish the mission. Padawan Zhun will be returning to Coruscant with us and the Council will hear what her choices are without your presence there to interfere with her personal thoughts. When you have finished the mission, presumably within the next three standard days, you are to return to Coruscant immediately and the deliberation will continue from there."
"This is entirely asinine." I can only say that those are the most frustration-indulgent words I have ever heard come out of my Master's mouth.
"Be that as it may, it is what the Council has decided," Master Kenobi counters, "and so I shall follow orders. I suggest you do the same. Padawan Zhun, with me."
I make to follow him, but then I stop and turn around, giving my Master a searching gaze, hopeful for a sign of remorse, but all I can see on my Master's face is vexation.
"Follow him, Padawan, and set this right. You are capable." They are the most acclamatory words I have ever had the privilege of hearing from him, and though they should make my heart swell with pride, I feel like he is only saying them to win back my favor. But my heart can't be won with words anymore. Things have already gotten too banged up for that.
And if the way Master Kenobi's hand that rests on my shoulder makes me feel like I'm about to fall apart at the seams, I make do with convincing myself it's collateral damage.
"You should go pack up," Master Kenobi states, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze before heading back over to Skywalker. With a foggy brain, I start repacking the few items I had unpacked from my knap-sack. A standard minute or so later, the other Padawan is in our shared room, packing his things as well. The silence that hangs between us like fog is suffocating and makes the room feel stuffy and carbon dioxide-rich.
I want to say something to relieve the tension, but stop myself before I blurt something unnecessarily damaging. There is only one way I could fuck up whatever is to come from all of this, and that's by speaking my mind. I should probably think of ways to back out of a conversation without trouble. Perhaps I should just take a raincheck on speaking altogether.
I suddenly feel more weary than I have in years. Nevertheless, there is a tiny surging of hope burning a fiery glow in my gut that states there just might still be hope for me. I don't know how I'll fix this mess I've suddenly found myself in, but if the Force is pitiful enough to grant me small favors, perhaps it will allow me to find redemption for my sins at last. Perhaps Master's punishments have been sufficient, after all, and I can find some way to take back my rejection of other Masters' requests to become their Padawan.
… Or perhaps I was always supposed to be in the service corps. Perhaps these hands were meant to deal with packaging, or tending to plants or animals. Perhaps I just wasn't cut out to be a Jedi.
A/N: Nope, I would never destroy the Obi-Ani combo :) He still has to wreck the universe and whatnot ;)