Thank you all for the wonderful comments. I am really glad everyone liked
his lightsaber. When I was first writing this I didn't know how to make
him so different from the other initiates, but realized that the saber is
what made a Jedi truly unique. So I had to work with that and that was
what came to mind. : )
REALbluelightsaber, Tiger Eyes, Dragonsong, mydogisfudge, Aiska, Lord Angelus, lillian jinn, Jaqueline, and Katt - Thank you all so very much, I really appreciate you letting me know how much you are enjoying this. Keep reviewing and I'll keep posting. ; )
Has-Bei - The mention of his transformation was very subtle. Yoda used the Force to "mask" Obi and produce "Cay." It's alright if you missed it. Like I said it was really subtle.
Ciria - Your wish has been granted. The little troll shall return; next post. ; ) Hmmm, Qui know Obi's father? It's possible. But you're just going to have to wait and see. : p
Maygin - Thank you very much, I'm glad you liked the fight. I was afraid it was too vague. Let's see how far takes that "suspicion" shall we? ; )
Lighted eagle - sorry about the woman at your mum's work. Sometimes people can be so inconsiderate. But now I can't wait to read what you have to tell me. So I'm posting for you to do that. *hint, hint* : )
Well, folks here's that post. Enjoy!
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Come back Down to Earth
With each step, every inch that he drew closer to his home, Obi-Wan could feel the weight of his oppression fall heavily on his shoulders. Also with every footfall, he knew he must do something he would never, could never, imagine himself doing. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to not go back, instead run away, free himself from the impending doom that waited for him. But his stubborn mind refused to give up his last connection to his family. He also knew that even if he tried to run, his stepfather would hunt him down to the ends of the galaxy, in order to finish what he started. So on he walked despite of his desire to flee.
Once Obi-Wan entered the dwelling, he hesitated before making his way out to the small courtyard that he needed to return to. As dusk set in, he stood there staring at the small hutch he had to force himself into. But what he feared and fought against most, internally, was the cool ring of metal he held in his hand. The elation he had felt from the tournament slowly drained itself from him to be replaced by the fear and despair that he lived with daily. He knelt in front of the opening and stared at the loop he held in his lap.
With trembling hands and a strength of will he did not know he possessed, Obi-Wan brought the silver roundlet to his neck. Closing his eyes, he felt the cool surface circle his soft skin. He tried to still his shaking as he heard the clasp lock automatically, but it was impossible. He felt his world rip apart as the strength he had clung to was cruelly stripped away from him, reaching as far in as the most intimate thoughts of his mind. Ever so slowly, the agony of the loss subsided. When he at last opened his eyes, he noticed vaguely that his appearance had returned to its previous pitiful state. The ache in his body also returned as he crawled back into the void. He had already programmed it to close and lock behind him.
In the darkness, Obi-Wan sat and waited to see if his stepfamily would even bother with him after the tournament. He tried to make himself as comfortable as he could in his misery, when he felt something poke him in the side. Hesitantly, he reached down to grab the object. Feeling the ridges and smooth metal, tears formed in his eyes, as he recognized the familiar hilt of his father's lightsaber. Overjoyed at not having lost the prized position to the dispersal of the illusion, he found something he had thought long lost, hope. In the depths of the blackness he clung to the light of hope as his grip tightened on the handle.
~~~
Hours passed as he drifted to sleep in the darkness, when a rustling outside roused him. He sunk back further against the walls of the shed in a vain attempt to hide from what might lay beyond his prison. Gripping the hilt tighter, Obi-Wan felt the rush of a new panic run through him. Quickly, he pressed the handle as far back as he could into the ground behind him. He could not let them find his secret or they would know he had escaped. He figured that they wouldn't search the shed anyway, and thought it would be a good place to keep it. A whoosh of air swept into the enclave just as he finished securing the weapon. And a husky voice commanded, "Out."
Not wishing to face further backlash, Obi-Wan hastily complied. As soon as he scrambled out, a hand grabbed at the scruff of his neck. "Who tampered with the lock?" The question was growled into his ears.
"I don't know what you mean." Obi-Wan abruptly answered. "I've been sitting here all day." The hand released him and he slumped to the floor. Thinking rapidly, he added, "M - maybe, it's the collar, interfering with something." Palpatine glanced at him skeptically.
"It matters not," stated the senator. "We are one step closer to infiltrating the Jedi. Both Anakin and Xanatos won their matches. Tomorrow they will fight again and win. And with my influence, they should be selected as Padawans by the end of the tournament. And in time your precious Jedi will be eliminated, by our hands." Obi-Wan said nothing but listened to everything. Pleased with himself, Palpatine turned back to the youth, "What do you think of that?"
"I think they are smart enough to see through you." He replied steadily. At this point he didn't care what happened as he stuck to his belief. "You will never win," declared Obi-Wan with defiant eyes. His reward for such insolence was what he expected. However the power behind it was more than he anticipated. He felt himself being flung across the garden by a powerful Force wave. White-hot lances speared through him as his side collided with a dormant fountain wall. A cry burst from him due to the new pain as he fell to the ground in a heap. Obi-Wan could not force his weary body to rise, but it did not matter since a hand grabbed his arm and thrust him back into the cave.
"I hope you enjoyed your freedom, as it was your last." Obi-Wan heard his stepfather hiss just before the door closed behind him and plunged him back into darkness. Gasping for breath he ignored the wicked man and concentrated on easing the agony coursing up his side. He calmed his racing heart and drew in a couple of steady gulps of air. Little by little, the pain abated, discovering that it only lasted for as long as he didn't move.
Once again in the void, he answered his body's request for rest, allowing his mind to drift into unconsciousness. About an hour later, a light tapping woke him from his slumber. Dazed for a moment, he searched the darkness for the source and was surprise to hear, "Obi? Are you in there?"
"S - siri?" He moaned.
More urgent now, she called, "Obi? I've been searching for you everywhere. Have you been in here all day?" She had crept up to the shed and stood just in front of it.
"I'm sorry I couldn't make it. He locked me in here last night." Obi-Wan explained, his voice was soft and tentative. Trying to ignore the pain of his body, he decided to speak as little as possible to hide it.
"I'm the one who's sorry. I should have tried harder to get you out of here yesterday." He could hear the regret in her tone.
Soothing her frustration, he replied, "It's ok." Changing the subject, he did not want to dwell on something that was unchangeable, he asked, "So, how'd you do?" Honestly, he really was curious about how she did. The way Garen had talked about her didn't seem at all like the girl he helped in the alley. Maybe as a student she hasn't really been in too many real fights, and she was just caught off guard.
Accepting the change, she delved into a detailed explanation of how she beat her opponent. Siri also expressed her displeasure at Garen's success as well. He gathered that there was still a bit of a rivalry between them. But then she brought up some thoughts she had about other competitors, which he took a great deal of interest in. "The group from Naboo are a strange lot. There's something about all three of them that don't feel right. Although, the one, puzzles me even more."
"Really, how?" A smirk crossed his lips in the darkness and he was glad he was the only one to know about it.
"Well, his name is Cay Andur, and he has a blade unlike I've ever seen before. And his fighting style seems vaguely familiar. You would laugh at me if I told what a fool I was earlier." She sulked at her ineptitude.
"I doubt it. What happened?" Obi-Wan urged her on, his curiosity barely maintained in his composure.
Hesitantly, she said, "Well, for a while, I thought he was you." As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt infinitely more stupid, and quickly, followed with, "I mean, how could it have been if you were here all day."
Silently, he smiled, but he also felt a pang of regret in not telling her the truth either. He had come to grow fond of the Jedi student, but he was still afraid of his stepfather's ire, to reveal himself just yet. Instead, he responded, "No, it couldn't have been me." They talked for a little while longer, until Obi-Wan felt sleep beckoning him again. Not wanting to deny his body the only luxury it could afford, he suggested, "You should be getting back. You will need your rest for tomorrow."
"I suppose you're right," she agreed sullenly. "I promise, I will get my Master to help me get you out of here. If I don't see you at the tournament, I'll come back tomorrow night." Obi-Wan could hear her moving away, and before she leapt back over the retaining wall, she called back to him. "Bye."
Alone with his thoughts, Obi-Wan succumbed to the night. His last thoughts were about the tournament, and the excitement of tomorrow. Believing that Yoda would return to free him, he fell into a peaceful sleep.
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I'm like the crowd in Gladiator, but instead of Spaniard, I'm shouting: Review! Review! Review! Review! Review! So, please review. ; )
REALbluelightsaber, Tiger Eyes, Dragonsong, mydogisfudge, Aiska, Lord Angelus, lillian jinn, Jaqueline, and Katt - Thank you all so very much, I really appreciate you letting me know how much you are enjoying this. Keep reviewing and I'll keep posting. ; )
Has-Bei - The mention of his transformation was very subtle. Yoda used the Force to "mask" Obi and produce "Cay." It's alright if you missed it. Like I said it was really subtle.
Ciria - Your wish has been granted. The little troll shall return; next post. ; ) Hmmm, Qui know Obi's father? It's possible. But you're just going to have to wait and see. : p
Maygin - Thank you very much, I'm glad you liked the fight. I was afraid it was too vague. Let's see how far takes that "suspicion" shall we? ; )
Lighted eagle - sorry about the woman at your mum's work. Sometimes people can be so inconsiderate. But now I can't wait to read what you have to tell me. So I'm posting for you to do that. *hint, hint* : )
Well, folks here's that post. Enjoy!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Come back Down to Earth
With each step, every inch that he drew closer to his home, Obi-Wan could feel the weight of his oppression fall heavily on his shoulders. Also with every footfall, he knew he must do something he would never, could never, imagine himself doing. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to not go back, instead run away, free himself from the impending doom that waited for him. But his stubborn mind refused to give up his last connection to his family. He also knew that even if he tried to run, his stepfather would hunt him down to the ends of the galaxy, in order to finish what he started. So on he walked despite of his desire to flee.
Once Obi-Wan entered the dwelling, he hesitated before making his way out to the small courtyard that he needed to return to. As dusk set in, he stood there staring at the small hutch he had to force himself into. But what he feared and fought against most, internally, was the cool ring of metal he held in his hand. The elation he had felt from the tournament slowly drained itself from him to be replaced by the fear and despair that he lived with daily. He knelt in front of the opening and stared at the loop he held in his lap.
With trembling hands and a strength of will he did not know he possessed, Obi-Wan brought the silver roundlet to his neck. Closing his eyes, he felt the cool surface circle his soft skin. He tried to still his shaking as he heard the clasp lock automatically, but it was impossible. He felt his world rip apart as the strength he had clung to was cruelly stripped away from him, reaching as far in as the most intimate thoughts of his mind. Ever so slowly, the agony of the loss subsided. When he at last opened his eyes, he noticed vaguely that his appearance had returned to its previous pitiful state. The ache in his body also returned as he crawled back into the void. He had already programmed it to close and lock behind him.
In the darkness, Obi-Wan sat and waited to see if his stepfamily would even bother with him after the tournament. He tried to make himself as comfortable as he could in his misery, when he felt something poke him in the side. Hesitantly, he reached down to grab the object. Feeling the ridges and smooth metal, tears formed in his eyes, as he recognized the familiar hilt of his father's lightsaber. Overjoyed at not having lost the prized position to the dispersal of the illusion, he found something he had thought long lost, hope. In the depths of the blackness he clung to the light of hope as his grip tightened on the handle.
~~~
Hours passed as he drifted to sleep in the darkness, when a rustling outside roused him. He sunk back further against the walls of the shed in a vain attempt to hide from what might lay beyond his prison. Gripping the hilt tighter, Obi-Wan felt the rush of a new panic run through him. Quickly, he pressed the handle as far back as he could into the ground behind him. He could not let them find his secret or they would know he had escaped. He figured that they wouldn't search the shed anyway, and thought it would be a good place to keep it. A whoosh of air swept into the enclave just as he finished securing the weapon. And a husky voice commanded, "Out."
Not wishing to face further backlash, Obi-Wan hastily complied. As soon as he scrambled out, a hand grabbed at the scruff of his neck. "Who tampered with the lock?" The question was growled into his ears.
"I don't know what you mean." Obi-Wan abruptly answered. "I've been sitting here all day." The hand released him and he slumped to the floor. Thinking rapidly, he added, "M - maybe, it's the collar, interfering with something." Palpatine glanced at him skeptically.
"It matters not," stated the senator. "We are one step closer to infiltrating the Jedi. Both Anakin and Xanatos won their matches. Tomorrow they will fight again and win. And with my influence, they should be selected as Padawans by the end of the tournament. And in time your precious Jedi will be eliminated, by our hands." Obi-Wan said nothing but listened to everything. Pleased with himself, Palpatine turned back to the youth, "What do you think of that?"
"I think they are smart enough to see through you." He replied steadily. At this point he didn't care what happened as he stuck to his belief. "You will never win," declared Obi-Wan with defiant eyes. His reward for such insolence was what he expected. However the power behind it was more than he anticipated. He felt himself being flung across the garden by a powerful Force wave. White-hot lances speared through him as his side collided with a dormant fountain wall. A cry burst from him due to the new pain as he fell to the ground in a heap. Obi-Wan could not force his weary body to rise, but it did not matter since a hand grabbed his arm and thrust him back into the cave.
"I hope you enjoyed your freedom, as it was your last." Obi-Wan heard his stepfather hiss just before the door closed behind him and plunged him back into darkness. Gasping for breath he ignored the wicked man and concentrated on easing the agony coursing up his side. He calmed his racing heart and drew in a couple of steady gulps of air. Little by little, the pain abated, discovering that it only lasted for as long as he didn't move.
Once again in the void, he answered his body's request for rest, allowing his mind to drift into unconsciousness. About an hour later, a light tapping woke him from his slumber. Dazed for a moment, he searched the darkness for the source and was surprise to hear, "Obi? Are you in there?"
"S - siri?" He moaned.
More urgent now, she called, "Obi? I've been searching for you everywhere. Have you been in here all day?" She had crept up to the shed and stood just in front of it.
"I'm sorry I couldn't make it. He locked me in here last night." Obi-Wan explained, his voice was soft and tentative. Trying to ignore the pain of his body, he decided to speak as little as possible to hide it.
"I'm the one who's sorry. I should have tried harder to get you out of here yesterday." He could hear the regret in her tone.
Soothing her frustration, he replied, "It's ok." Changing the subject, he did not want to dwell on something that was unchangeable, he asked, "So, how'd you do?" Honestly, he really was curious about how she did. The way Garen had talked about her didn't seem at all like the girl he helped in the alley. Maybe as a student she hasn't really been in too many real fights, and she was just caught off guard.
Accepting the change, she delved into a detailed explanation of how she beat her opponent. Siri also expressed her displeasure at Garen's success as well. He gathered that there was still a bit of a rivalry between them. But then she brought up some thoughts she had about other competitors, which he took a great deal of interest in. "The group from Naboo are a strange lot. There's something about all three of them that don't feel right. Although, the one, puzzles me even more."
"Really, how?" A smirk crossed his lips in the darkness and he was glad he was the only one to know about it.
"Well, his name is Cay Andur, and he has a blade unlike I've ever seen before. And his fighting style seems vaguely familiar. You would laugh at me if I told what a fool I was earlier." She sulked at her ineptitude.
"I doubt it. What happened?" Obi-Wan urged her on, his curiosity barely maintained in his composure.
Hesitantly, she said, "Well, for a while, I thought he was you." As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt infinitely more stupid, and quickly, followed with, "I mean, how could it have been if you were here all day."
Silently, he smiled, but he also felt a pang of regret in not telling her the truth either. He had come to grow fond of the Jedi student, but he was still afraid of his stepfather's ire, to reveal himself just yet. Instead, he responded, "No, it couldn't have been me." They talked for a little while longer, until Obi-Wan felt sleep beckoning him again. Not wanting to deny his body the only luxury it could afford, he suggested, "You should be getting back. You will need your rest for tomorrow."
"I suppose you're right," she agreed sullenly. "I promise, I will get my Master to help me get you out of here. If I don't see you at the tournament, I'll come back tomorrow night." Obi-Wan could hear her moving away, and before she leapt back over the retaining wall, she called back to him. "Bye."
Alone with his thoughts, Obi-Wan succumbed to the night. His last thoughts were about the tournament, and the excitement of tomorrow. Believing that Yoda would return to free him, he fell into a peaceful sleep.
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I'm like the crowd in Gladiator, but instead of Spaniard, I'm shouting: Review! Review! Review! Review! Review! So, please review. ; )