KEYnote: I make up random shit in this chapter :D
Thank you, MacGordon93!
Chapter 3 - Nexu
Obi-Wan didn't count on Master Jocasta kicking him out of the archives. It wasn't early, but he had planned on staying until so early in the morning, that even the most patient Initiate would be easily escaped.
Of course, Obi-Wan had a plan B, C, D, and F, all of which Jocasta ruined by insisting on escorting him directly to the Initiate wing before leaving him.
Obi-Wan waited for her to be gone from sight.
Which was his mistake.
He sensed his attackers too late to act on the warning the Force screeched at him.
Obi-Wan got tripped by Aalto, but misjudged his own height and wound up opening himself up for a punch.
Obi-Wan hit the ground, it was jarring.
But not unfamiliar.
Obi-Wan knew pain. Pain was a constant, and it would not hold him back.
For the Force was with him and he was one with the Force.
Obi-Wan twisted, kicking Aalto in the gut before he could get back to his feet, and hitting Bruck beneath his chin with his other foot.
Bruck stumbled back, activating his lightsaber. Obi-Wan lit his own and the sound of lightsabers crackled in the empty hall.
Obi-Wan was more tired than he thought, and it took all his concentration to stay submerged with the Force, letting it lead him.
Bruck wasn't able to get a strike in, but things got more complicated when Aalto joined them. Only with the Force was Obi-Wan able to navigate in the tight space with two inexperienced Initiates.
Initiates were trained in Form I and Form VI, the basics and defensive moves from the other Forms as Form VI was a compound of all those before it.
Of course, because they were kids, they picked up on more aggressive manoeuvres on their own. Only, Initiates were not allowed to practise out of calling distance of help and were completely forbidden to duel without supervision.
Initiates didn't have the control necessary to not hurt their opponent or themselves.
So thank the Force Obi-Wan wasn't truly a mere Initiate.
Aalto —who had never been chosen as a Padawan— slipped up on a spin, scoring the wall and would have taken Bruck's shoulder off, possibly his head, had Obi-Wan not thrown himself into Bruck.
Bruck grunted, having the sense to deactivate his saber as they hit the wall before falling in a heap on the floor.
But Aalto in his shock wheeled backward.
Obi-Wan swore Huttese under his breath, holding his hand, catching Aalto's saber in midair with the Force.
Aalto was a vindictive idiot and instead of being grateful for the help in not stabbing himself with a laser sword, he pushed forward, throwing his own weight with the Force into the motion.
Aalto in his emotion called to the Darkness and overwhelmed Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan, still on his sheb on the floor like a di'kut, leaning over Bruck, had a few choices and no time to deliberate.
His arms came up in a block.
Aalto was wild, his energy in the Force being twisted to violence and chaos. His blow would be lethal.
Obi-Wan could have rolled out of the way, could have taken Aalto's hands off at the wrists, or he could take the risk and rise to his feet, ending this 'duel'.
But all of those options either maimed Aalto or endangered Bruck, and no matter his appearance, Obi-Wan was the adult here.
He wouldn't let either of these boys come to harm, not even by their own foolishness.
Aalto's blade skidded across Obi-Wan's. Obi-Wan grunted as the green blade skidded against the underside of his forearm and across his stomach.
Before Aalto could apply any pressure, Obi-Wan used all his reserves to throw a Force push. Aalto slammed back into the other wall.
Obi-Wan wished he had done that earlier but the black spots eating at his vision hinted that he had over done it.
"Obi-Wan?" Bruck asked, voice full of fear. "Force, Force, are you alright?"
He was nauseous, that's what he was.
His head was spinning; he should have disarmed the pair before the duel began, but while Obi-Wan's ability to wield the Force in this body had limits, his spirit did not. The discord between his mind and body, his very soul, was debilitating.
"Obi-Wan?" Burck asked, voice small.
Aalto stared at Obi-Wan, hazel eyes wide with horror and confusion.
Obi-Wan waved them off, "Go."
"You need a healer-"
"Go," Obi-Wan commanded, he had never liked to show weakness before enemies or younglings; Aalto and Bruck were possibly both.
"I cut you," Aalto said in a hushed tone.
"Surface burns, go away. I know where the healing wing is," Obi-Wan groused, fighting to not wrap his arm around his waist. The wound was carturized, but only partially. If he moved too fast or put pressure on it, the soft tissue would rip and then he would have a bloody burn.
Count Dooku had taught him that; quick lashes were burning and cutting, enough to bleed, not to fully close and cauterise the wounds. The burn across his stomach was large, but shallow, skin deep and a bacta patch would heal it just fine.
"Obi-Wan…" Bruck said, offering a hand down to him.
"Go away!" Obi-Wan snarled between gritted teeth.
Where the hell were the Masters?
Surely, Master Ali-Alann had sensed them, or one of the other creche Masters? They were in a hall that if everyone had been behind closed doors wouldn't have heard anything, but they should have sensed…
Aalto caught Bruck's arm, the brunette pulling Bruck down the hall, the white-blonde hair of Bruck was the last Obi-Wan saw of the other boy as he disappeared down the long hallway.
Obi-Wan blinked fast, realising he was losing time.
He hadn't been sleeping much, and today had been long, stressful, and… he was suffering from Force exhaustion.
Kriffing hells, this was exactly what he had feared, that his connection to the Force was more developed than his physical body could handle.
Kriff.
Obi-Wan waited in the hallway, waited for anyone to come and check on the disruption. But the longer he waited, the more he was able to focus past the pain.
The Force churned, the cloud of Darkness that was so typical of the Clone Wars, was not typical for this time period.
An ever present danger that dulled one's senses, especially, those who turned away from the Darkness…
Like the Jedi.
Obi-Wan's heartbeat picked up, he thought for a moment he could call out for help, but if no one had heard lightsabers clashing together, they wouldn't hear him call.
He used the wall to help him stand up, his wounds slowly becoming larger than life as the pain seemed to reach into his bones and hollow him out.
The sense of dread, following him as he made his way to the healers also seemed to grow.
He wished again that he wasn't alone.
Obi-Wan came to an abrupt stop as the Force screamed at him, cutting through the ringing in his ears. He turned to look behind himself, only to feel a needle plunge into his neck.
In that moment, all Obi-Wan could think was of loss.
Loss of safety.
Loss of home.
No one came to help, no one saved him.
Obi-Wan fell into oblivion feeling that whether he ever woke up again or not, home was lost.
They shouldn't have been surprised when Obi-Wan wasn't found the next day.
But Qui-Gon had the itching suspicion that the Initiate hadn't chosen to disappear.
Master Ali-Alann was more than a little upset when Qui-Gon and Tahl asked him to gather the rest of Obi-Wan's creche-mates.
"I don't understand," Ali-Alann said. "Obi-Wan loves Yoda, he always has. He's never been shy of the Grandmaster, I don't know why he would turn down an apprenticeship with him."
Siri Tachi, now a Padawan, crossed her arms angrily as she was gathered with the others.
Sometimes it was best to question younglings alone and other times if their friends would give them away or they would try a little too hard to conceal things.
This mix was strange, the Manta Clan; Bant Eerin, Reeft, Galen Muln, Aalto, Bruck Chan and the still missing Obi-Wan Kenobi. Siri Tachi, Shaak Ti, Kit Fisto, and Quinlan Vos had also been a part of this clan until they had been chosen as Padawans.
The four Padawans looked uncomfortable, particularly Quinlan Vos.
So Qui-Gon decided to leave the Kiffar boy for last as he and Tahl began questioning the Initiates, but before they could get far, Bruck Chun stepped forward.
"You mean Obi-Wan didn't make it to the healers?"
Everyone froze.
Master Ali-Alann was the first to recover, "And why, Initiate Chun, would Obi-Wan need to go to the healers?"
Aatlo tugged on Bruck's sleeve, "Don't-"
Bruck ripped from Aalto's hold, "No, Aalto. No, if it wasn't for Obi-Wan we would have gotten hurt or worse. I told you turning our sabers up was dangerous."
Qui-Gon's blood went cold.
Ali-Alann's voice was deadly calm, "What was that?"
Bruck turned back to him, "Aalto and I picked a fight with Obi-Wan when he got back last night, it got out of hand and Obi-Wan protected us."
"Protect you?" Kit echoed, crossing his arms. "How did the person you attacked protect you?"
Qui-Gon's thoughts exactly though he feared he knew.
Bruck has the grace to be ashamed as he said, "The hallway was too small and we ended up on top of each. Obi-Wan took a hit that could have killed me and he saved Aalto from stabbing himself."
Aalto looked sheet white, contrasting with his hazel eyes and dark hair it made him appear sickly.
Ali-Alann was visibly furious and Bruck flinched away from him.
"How hurt was he?" Tahl asked.
"The wounds seem shallow and he didn't want our help," Aalto attempted to defend himself.
Padawan Shaak Ti crossed her arms, "Really? I can't imagine why?"
"Why didn't you come and get me?" Ali-Alann asked.
Bruck swallowed, "Because I thought someone had surely heard. Besides, he couldn't have gotten to the healers without running into anyone, even that late at night."
There was a silence and Qui-Gon said softly, "We've already checked with the healers. The last person to see him was Master Jocasta Nu who said she brought him back to this floor."
Quinlan Vos shook his head, "I saw him earlier yesterday, he took my allowance."
"He stole from you?" Qui-Gon asked.
Shaak Ti and Kit Fisto sniggered.
Quinlan shook his head, "Obi-Wan and I used to share everything… It wasn't, he would have had a good reason. But I don't know where he went. I don't think Obi-Wan would have gone into the city by himself but yesterday… Wasn't a normal day, I guess."
"What about the security footage?" Galen asked.
When neither Tahl nor Qui-Gon answered immediately, Ali-Alann stepped forward.
"Alright, this investigation will be continued by the Masters. Bruck, Aalto, you will be speaking with the Council for disciplinary action. If either of you were planning on becoming Padawans, I think it best you begin looking at your other options."
"We're only twelve!" Bruck protested.
"And yet the first thing you are taught as younglings is how to not hurt yourself and others with a lightsaber, much less taught never to turn up the strength of a live blade," Ali-Alann said, holding out his hand. Both boys handed in their lightsabers.
The Padawans waited as the initiates were filed out. As soon as the door closed behind them, Quinlan asked, "What's wrong with the security footage?"
Qui-Gon sighs, "It cuts off after Jocasta leaves Obi-Wan alone on the floor. It is a looped image of an empty hallway."
"How did no one hear?" Kit asked.
Tahl shook her head, "There is tech that could do that, but there are Force techniques that could shield the extent of sound."
"Nothing a Initiate or Padawan could pull off though," Shaak Ti said.
Tahl nodded, "This is true."
Qui-Gon's comm lit up, informing him he had a message on his datapad.
"What's that?" Quinlan asked.
"Information on a cab Obi-Wan was seen returning to the Temple in," Qui-Gon said as he read over the report.
He was surprised but somewhat relieved to see the log of the cab driver's accounts had come from a diner that wasn't far from the Temple.
It wasn't appropriate for an Initiate to go out into the city unescorted by a Padawan or Knight, however, Dex's Diner was a favourite spot of many at the Temple.
So inappropriate but not strictly speaking out of bonds.
"He's back then?" Quinlan asked hopefully.
"No," Qui-Gon said. "This is before he spent the evening at the archives. I think this is all we can gather here. Unless any of you feel that you have pertinent information?"
The Padawans all shook their heads.
Qui-Gon sighed as he said, "Very well, we will keep you informed when he is found."
Kit asked, "Wait, was Obi-Wan kidnapped or was this an assassination attempt within the Temple?"
"We do not know," Qui-Gon said.
"He was in the creche," Quinlan said, heat in his voice. "He should have been safe."
Qui-Gon bowed his head, "He should have been."
Obi-Wan woke in a dark and dank space.
He didn't immediately open his eyes, letting his senses stretch out.
There were three nexu cats in the room.
How did Obi-Wan know that?
Because had the semi-unique experience of being in one too many gladiator rings and wild places where nexu cats thrived that he recognized the smell of them.
But in the Force, he could feel their hunger.
These were beasts used for competitions.
Nexu cats were prime predators who enjoyed playing with their food, but they weren't scavengers.
They didn't eat the sick or dying; well, unless they ran away, or made themselves entertaining at any rate.
Unconscious, Obi-Wan was no prey at all, but if he moved too quickly… if he showed any sign of fear, he would be torn to shreds.
Obi-Wan let his nerves go, relinquished the pain and his worry, and the realizition that someone within the heart of the Temple had successfully been able to disappear and murder a youngling.
He was able to let it go, for the moment, because he wasn't a child, and he wasn't helpless.
He was Qui-Gon Jinn's Padawan, and even without his lightsaber that he could no longer sense, he had the advantage.
Obi-Wan unclicked the cuffs at his wrists with a thought. Whatever he had been drugged with had run its course.
With the nexu cats, drugging him would have been over kill. Then again, for most Padawans this whole thing would be overkill.
Then again, judging by the life that shone above and below him, he was in one of the lower levels of Coruscant's Underworld.
If he died here, not even the Council would be able to find his body.
They would likely have an easier time locating his lightsaber, which was why it wasn't with him. The best thing to do with it would be to destroy it so no trail could be followed.
Obi-Wan was assuming that whoever had attacked him had been that careful. Even if this was because he said no to Yoda, only a fool would try taking a youngling from the creches.
One of the Nexu cats rose to its feet, having heard the tinkle of his metal cuffs hitting the floor.
Obi-Wan opened his eyes, pushing himself up into a seated position as the giant cats, each the size of a speeder, focused on him.
He breathed normally, and remained passive as the three felines snarled at each other until the one with chestnut fur with ebony stripes stepped forward to scent him. Its nostrils flared, its red eyes mad with hunger.
Obi-Wan didn't drop his gaze, leaving his palms up and open on his lap.
The nexu snarled, snapping its jaws at him, trying to antagonise him to run, to feel fear.
Only too sickly didn't run and only other predators didn't feel fear. Half-starved, half-mad, the nexu was relying solely on instinct.
Obi-Wan remained passive, gathering his own plan, feeling out his surroundings. Not all of them would get out of this alive, but if Obi-Wan did this right…
He and this nexu, a female, would make it to the surface alive, and the other two… well, they would at least have the opportunity to avenge themselves against their captors.
Obi-Wan only had the reserves to bond with one nexu, and he would choose this one, who looked at him with a hunger that went beyond physical needs.
Freedom, sometimes, was worth more than oxygen.
Obi-Wan settled himself in for a long wait. He had time.
After all, if his captors wanted to make a show out of him, there would be spectors beyond himself and the cats.
The longer Obi-Wan Kenobi was missing, the more likely it became that the boy was dead.
With no other leads, Qui-Gon and Tahl went to the Dex's Diner. Qui-Gon hadn't frequented here, mostly because the diner wasn't quite a decade old and it was a prime spot for Padawans of that generation, not his own.
The besalisk greeted them with a wide smile, "Ah, I guess it's my week for space wizards."
Qui-Gon couldn't even pretend to smile in turn, "You met Initiate Obi-Wan Kenobi yesterday, did you not?"
Dex's smile fell and he waved them into the kitchen to the back storage room that connected to the back of the establishment. "I paid for a cab ride home to the Temple. I don't know why he was on his own, but I made certain he returned home safe."
Qui-Gon instantly liked the male.
Tahl said, "He did make it back safely, but he's gone missing within the Temple. Did he say anything strange to you while he was here?"
Dex nodded, "You mean aside from turning down an apprenticeship with the Grandmaster of your Order?"
Qui-Gon blinked, "He told you that?"
The real question; You understood that?
Dex seemed to catch the subtext, narrowing his gaze, "He did. He wasn't my first Jedi patron, not by a long shot, but among the youngest."
"Did he tell you why he turned Yoda down?" Tahl asked.
Qui-Gon shot her a look to which she shrugged almost imperceptibly.
"He said he wanted someone else to ask him. I think he had someone specific in mind, though he didn't name anyone else."
Qui-Gon felt his hopes both rise and sink.
Had Obi-Wan wanted Qui-Gon to ask him?
But of course not, Obi-Wan didn't know him.
"Thank you, Dex," Tahl said. "Was there anything-"
"Else?" Dex finished for her. "Yes, there was in fact something else."
"Oh?" she replied, caught off guard by the edge of steel that had coloured the Besalisk's voice.
"He was starving," Dex said. "I've seen Padawans with injuries, but I didn't think the Jedi condoned their younglings coming to harm."
"We don't," Qui-Gon snapped.
Dex crossed two of his arms over his chest, the other two he placed on his hips, "He spent five hours eating two baskets of fries. I've seen boys his age inhale that in five minutes. And he was ravenous. The only reason why someone eats food like mine slow is because they are fighting to keep it down. He ate like a famine victim, said he couldn't eat in the Temple because of the odd smells from various species in the Temple houses, but I find that rather suspicious. Presumably, he grew up in that environment."
Tahl and Qui-Gon shared a look.
Master Ali-Alann had said Obi-Wan was having trouble sleeping but that he was otherwise content.
But then, even for a Jedi, their robes could hide a multitude of injuries.
As well as weight loss.
That shouldn't have been a problem for an Initiate, but then Obi-Wan had been rooming with Quinlan, until he moved out nearly two years ago.
Obi-Wan had stayed alone after that.
Dex sighed at their silence, "You didn't know. If you take some advice from a mundane, your folks' children don't often come here alone. The path of the Jedi may be famed for their lone Knights, but from what I've seen of your culture, it's when you are alone that you are most vulnerable."
Qui-Gon bowed deeply to the Besalisk, Tahl following the motion a moment later.
"We thank you for your wisdom, and for caring for our youngling's well being. I will inform you when we find him."
Dex nodded, "Appreciated. May the Force be with you."
"And with you," Qui-Gon and Tahl said in unison.
As they sped back toward the Temple, Tahl said, "There is something we are missing, Qui-Gon. There is more than is going on here then we can see, I can feel it. The Force rings of warning and yet…"
"It's not specified to Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon agreed, though saying that sounded callus to his own ears.
The Force wasn't panicked about Obi-Wan's safety, not when Qui-Gon focused his energy toward the boy, but there was a larger concern. A sense of doom, of imbalance that seemed drenching the stones of the Temple itself.
"Whoever took Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said. "It wasn't an outsider."
A Jedi had done this.
A Jedi Knight or Master had harmed and planned an attack or abduction of an initiate.
"Qui-Gon, this wasn't a single foe. To pull this off… they couldn't have done this alone."
Qui-Gon let out a long breath, closing his eyes. Before he admitted, "Finding Obi-Wan will be easier than unmasking his assailants."
"Let's just pray," Tahl said. "We find him whole and alive."
"The Force is with us," Qui-Gon said in deviance. "The Force is with him."
Obi-Wan allowed his mind to be open to the nexu.
He discovered it was a she and that she would do just about anything to be free. In turn, the nexu learned from him that he had the ability to open the locks and had a way to the surface.
The nexu dropped to her belly, her tails flicking, her lips remained closed over her wide rows of teeth, and she bowed her head.
Obi-Wan touched her forehead, her five ruby coloured eyes shutting in peace.
They were both hungry, both tired and hurt from past injuries, but they had a united purpose.
Obi-Wan gently moved to her side, putting his leg over her back. The nexu rose to her feet, striding to the door. Obi-Wan held out his hand and turned the bolts of the lock over and over again.
Apparently, no one thought he would get this far, or didn't know what he was, because the lock was primitive and far from Jedi proof.
As soon as the door was open, the other nexu pushed through the door, jostling him and his nexu.
But the cat beneath him was clever and undisturbed from its purpose in the first sprint to freedom.
Obi-Wan guided the Nexu with a direction, they would go through the tunnels and find their way to the Temple by the light of the other Jedi.
Screams preceded them, and his nexu used his senses to evade the blaster fire that followed after them, chasing them higher and higher.
The screams drew curiosity that opened door after door.
Soon they were outside into the wider city, and they were climbing.
They were levels down and despite the ache in the nexu, her hunger, her fear, and her fatigue, she never slowed.
When they finally reached the base of the Temple from the Underground, Obi-Wan became more aware of his surroundings again.
This deep in the Temple there was a presence of darkness that would hunt him. The nexu had no trouble navigating the unlit halls, she trusted his senses more than he did.
During the Clone Wars, there were very few ways in and out of the Temple. But this was before then, when the Jedi's arrogance believed it protected them.
Only the creches, archives, and the hangars were securely protected.
Well, maybe not as protected as he believed.
Obi-Wan had never realised how intelligent nexu cats were, because the cat was able to pick from his mind the tunnels wide enough to pass through.
Also able to find her desired destination.
When they jumped from the vents to an elevator shaft and then into stone halls, it wasn't the sound of screams that greeted them but calls of alarm and igniting of lightsabers.
Obi-Wan could barely hold on as the nexu sprinted, and when they entered the mess hall, he slipped off as the nexu lunged at the meat table.
Thankfully, no one attacked her; Obi-Wan didn't know, as weak as he was, if he could survive her death while their minds were so closely inclined.
He held his stomach, where the burn had torn and bled. He should be safe now, help was close.
He was home, he was safe, but he was not certain he believed that anymore.
Qui-Gon had been certain that denying Master Yoda an apprenticeship was the most surprising thing an Initiate could do.
Only to be proven wrong the very next day as Obi-Wan Kenobi rode a fully grown half starved nexu through the halls.
They chased after him, along with others.
A hundred lit lightsabers, and the nexu attacked only the trays of warm food. The nexu glowed in the Force, as if it were Force sensitive, powerful in the Force.
But it wasn't the nexu, it was Obi-Wan's light.
Qui-Gon dropped to his knees, "Obi-Wan."
Blue-grey eyes flicked up to him, as he fought not to breathe too hard. His robes were torn and dirty. More worryingly were the blood stains.
"I'm going to pick you up," Qui-Gon cautioned the boy.
Obi-Wan didn't fight him as he pulled the boy into his arms. Tahl gave them a worried look as Obi-Wan's eyes rolled back, the pain overcoming him as he passed out.
She brushed the back of Qui-Gon's hand, before running to help the others cural the nexu that had just been set loose on Temple.
Only the nexu had sensed the connection between itself and Obi-Wan drop and it lunged for Qui-Gon.
Tahl stepped in front of the cat, holding out a bare hand and opening her own bond with the feline.
The nexu could have easily taken her hand —her arm— clean off. But Tahl and fear didn't get along well, and the cat sensed her and was reassured by whatever she was able to communicate to it.
Obi-Wan was too light in his arms and by the time they got to the healers, Qui-Gon was fearful that the youngling might not make it.
Obi-Wan woke slowly, pulling himself out of a deep oblivion toward the starlight that surrounded him. He sensed Qui-Gon and Tahl in the Force with him and for a moment; he was relieved.
He was dead, one with the Force.
The war was over, at least for him.
He needn't fight anymore.
But then he opened his eyes to the fluorescent lights and the clinical smells of the healing wing.
He was very much alive, and his body was his own, but it wasn't.
The person who greeted him to wakefulness was an incensed Master Che, her blue face scowling down at him.
"Why didn't you come here after getting burned by a lightsaber?" Che demanded.
Anger burned in Obi-Wan, and he sat up too face. He didn't care that his head was spinning as he glared back and snapped, "I did come here. And on my way, I got drugged and was left dead with a pack of starving nexu cats in the Underworld. Why didn't anyone hear the fight?"
Mace cleared his throat.
That's when Obi-Wan took stock of those in the room. As he had first sensed, Qui-Gon and Tahl, as well as Mace and Yoda.
"Well?" Obi-Wan demanded. "Why did no one come? And who attacked me after Bruck and Aalto left?"
Mace caught his gaze steadily, "You don't remember?"
"No, I was attacked from behind on the way to the healers. Who was in the footage?"
"No one," Mace said. "The footage was looped on an empty hallway."
Obi-Wan gaped at him. "Are you telling me it was an organised attack? Why? How did they even get that close to the creches? Were the Temple Guard involved?"
"Enemy make of the Guard, did you?" Yoda asked.
Obi-Wan glared at him, and he forgot for a moment he was just an Initiate and spoke to Yoda as a fellow Master on the Council would have. "One, even if I did, that shouldn't matter as it is the Guard's sole purpose to defend, and two, we have bigger problems if any Temple Guard has been compromised enough to not catch a disturbance that close to the creches."
Yoda's ears drooped, "Right you are. Hear nothing, the Guard did. An internal attack, we fear this is."
Sorrow filled Obi-Wan then, as he remembered how far the Jedi had fallen.
They hadn't merely failed against the Sith.
They had fallen from within.
His shoulders dropped and he asked, voice smaller than he meant it to be, "We are truly a waning people then, aren't we?"
Another silence fell then, and none of the Masters seemed able to refute the point.
Master Che shook her head, her lekku shifting on her shoulders, "There is no reason to assume this was a wider attack. This could be the act of an extremely skilled individual, we do train our Knights to be lone agents."
Obi-Wan sighed, rubbing his face, feeling older than the thirty year old man he had been, much less the youngling he was now. "But why? Because I told Yoda no? Whoever attacked me didn't even wait long enough to learn my reason."
Which meant either his attacker was insane or there was something deeper here he wasn't seeing.
"Why say no, did you?" Yoda asked.
Obi-Wan deliberated for a moment before he said, "It was not the Force's will."
Yoda brows shot up, crinkling his forehead. "Oh, think you, go against the Force's will, did I?"
Obi-Wan quirked a smile, "No, Master. I think you were meant to ask, just as you were meant to hear my answer."
There was a silence, then Yoda chuckled. "Know you, the Master you wish to have."
Obi-Wan couldn't stop his glance toward Qui-Gon, but he said only, "Only if he wishes it. I will pressure no one into a bond they don't want."
He.
Qui-Gon felt his heart thrum in his chest like a nervous bird. Obi-Wan had looked toward him, again, and Qui-Gon had to know.
Obi-Wan was certain on who he wanted, and Qui-Gon had to know if what he had presumed the Force wanted from him was to ask.
"Initiate Obi-Wan Kenobi," Qui-Gon began.
Obi-Wan looked at him, straight on, no flinching, no looking away. His expression was one of waiting, even now, while in the healers wing, after a failed assassination attempt in his own home, he had a presence of surety, a reserve of calm that even Qui-Gon struggled to hold onto at times.
"Will you do me the honour of becoming my Padawan learner?" Qui-Gon asked. He held his breath as he waited for an answer.
A smile broke across Obi-Wan's expression like the sunrise, "It would be the greatest honour, Master Qui-Gon Jinn."
Qui-Gon's breath escaped him as something undefinable swelled through him. Something like hope breaking through years of despair and failure; there was hope that the future might be better.
He was a teacher again, and he knew in his heart that he had much to learn from his new apprentice.
He could not be more grateful.
AN: Thoughts, desires, songbirds, or feedback, pretty please?