OOOKAY. Sorry about the next post coming so late. But between my other two stories and my school work, this kinda got shoved on the back burner. To make it up, this chapter is slightly longer than my norm.
First I would like to thank all of my reviewers. For those that loved the idea, I'm glad you liked it. For those who hated it, Thanks for not flaming. I really didn't expect everybody to like it, and I'm glad you can express yourselves in a civilized manner instead of "U SUX!!!" or some such other nonsense.
Ahem, Anyway. It helps if you try not to envision Ewan as a girl as doing so usually leads to laughter that causes whatever beverage you're drinking to come out your nose. Rather, try seeing a teenage girl with the general Obi-Wan hair coloring etc.
BTW: as this is AU anyway, I changed the Jedi don't date rule. I really just did it for one scene, but I was feeling too lazy to rewrite it to fit standard Jedi code.
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Obi-Wan swore that the whole Jedi order had to hate her. She didn't know why they were even making her go through the trials again. It wasn't like she was going to be chosen. That, however, was not the real reason she felt that way.
The real reason was that she had to go do the infamous plant trials. They had been thought up by an incredibly gifted Master with way to much time on his hands. The premise was simple. Get the vine in front of you to grow. Great and wonderful, if you had any more Living Force than she did, but, she didn't have enough to make contact with algae let alone a vine. Hence the whole part of the trials had always been incredibly embarrassing.
Only this time, it would be worse, much worse. Usually the initiates did the plant phase in pairs because it took less time than doing it individually. She had always taken the stance that her ineptness might help some other initiate obtain a favorable review from a prospective master. Now, she was dealing with the fact that her "partner" was none other than Bruck Chun. Bruck had many failings, but his contact with the Living Force wasn't one of them.
He was going out class her in one minute tops. And, that would impress Master Jinn. Not that she would have cared, but she felt sorry for the guy. Anyone could look and see the misery he was in. Bruck wouldn't help him. Garen would be much better suited to him. Master Jinn could learn from Garen's outlook, Garen could pick up some nice saber skills. They would both learn. That was the point. Wasn't it?
Shaking her head to achieve a look of calm instead of doom, Obi-Wan went into the "plant room."
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Qui-GOn bit back an irritated remark as Mace elbowed him when Chun came into the room. He KNEW the boy was there. His name was on the Sith spawned schedule for pity's sake! He rubbed his temples when a wave of pity welled up from the gathered crowd. Apparently, initiate Obi-Wan had always failed this particular test, and everyone knew it. Wonderful. He could practically feel the wave of smugness that would envelop Chun when he beat Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon swore he'd met senators with smaller egos.
With a signal from the Knight below, the initiates concentrated on their vines. When Chun's began to grow, Mace leaned over, "Incredible control of the Living Force."
That was it. Qui-Gon had a headache from all of the disappointment and high strung emotions the initiates had been projecting. He didn't need Mace to push him one bit farther.
A thought crossed his mind. A bad thought. A naughty thought. The kind of thought that had gotten him stuck with washing dishes for a week when he was an initiate. A smile crossed his lips. It had been a while since he'd been in trouble, and his scheme would be even better if he wasn't caught.
Smoothly, he closed his eyes as if meditating. Waves of the Force assaulted him. He could feel initiate Kenobi's Force signature. It was very bright and very blue. Full of strength and truth, there was barely a spark of the verdant green of the Living Force in it. It wasn't that she wasn't capable; it was more like an atrophied limb.
Pushing away his observational instincts, he let his own Force power brush alongside Kenobi's, hiding underneath it while she worked desperately on her vine. A large hand went up to cover his now large smirk. Opening his eyes, he saw what he already knew to be true. Not only was Obi-Wan's vine long and healthy, but it had sprouted three new leaves and was budding.
Maybe he had overdone it.
Glancing around, he saw a small frown cross Mace's face. Mace always did have a small childish side to him when he lost. Bruck was stewing; he was a worse loser than he was a winner. Obi-Wan was surrounded by her friends who were congratulating her. The girl her self had a glazed, disoriented look on her face.
No-one, though, seemed to think there was anything suspicious about the whole ordeal. Contentment radiated off Qui-Gon. Sometimes, he truly did enjoy doing things the council would never approve of.
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Obi-Wan rolled her eyes as she saw Master Windu approach Master Jinn again. She didn't know why, but ever since that morning she'd had the nastiest feeling towards any member of the council she saw, especially Master Windu. That was very odd for her as she always held all masters in the highest regard.
Then again, her whole day had been weird. When she had finally made the plant grow, it had felt like someone else was beside her. Like when Master Flichel had taught her to write with a pencil and had guided her hand in the shapes, she had been the vehicle, but the master had actually done the writing.
She shook heard head and started a conversation with Bant.
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Adi glanced at Mace with enquiring eyes. Mace just raised his eyebrow and shook his head. He'd never seen it either. Not even when he was ten.
Qui-Gon Jinn had two plates of food in front of him. One piled full of salad and entrée's the other full of desserts. And he was eating both. Qui-Gon never ate that much.
Not even when he grew two feet in one year.
"What?"
"Nothing," was the quick reply from both. They shook their heads and went back to wondering, shooting glances at Qui-Gon every now and then.
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Qui-Gon was taking a slow walk through the hallways of the temple. Truthfully, dinner was getting to him. Why had he ever eaten all of that? Taking a deep breath, he pushed the overfull feeling out of his perceptions. The best way to get rid of the extra calories was to burn them, and he wasn't up to strenuous saber practice just yet.
As he passed by a small meeting room near the master's quarters, he heard voices. Children's voices to be exact. Hiding around a corner he listened to the conversation.
"Obi-Wan you can't do this, you'll get kicked out of the order."
"I'm going to get kicked out of the order anyway Bant."
"You don't know that."
"Yes, she does. Do you see any master inquiring after her?" A third voice added.
"Well, she still shouldn't be doing it. What's the point?"
"The point is that Master Mace is pushing Bruck on Master Jinn."
"I get that. I just don't understand why it's any of our business."
"Yeah, Obi. Doing this to Master Mace won't change his or Jinn's mind about Chun."
"Well it just that… never mind. Hand me that other bottle."
"Do you know what will happen if we get caught?"
"We won't get caught. I told you, Master Mace is taking Master Joreelle to the symphony tonight. He won't be home for hours."
"How do you know this?"
"Because I helped Master Joreelle with her hair."
"Teacher's pet."
"You still haven't explained why we're doing this."
"Because 'we' aren't doing this, Garen, I am. You two just came along because you were bored."
"Obi-Wannnnnnnnnn…." Bant's voice took on an amazing whiny tone.
"Okay, Okay. I'm doing it for Master Jinn. I think he's really annoyed by Master Mace right now."
"Master Jinn? Why do you want to do anything for him? He's a walking stone wall. Frozen slushies have more warmth in their character."
"That's not nice Garen."
"You weren't the one he interviewed. I thought I was on trial for a crime."
"Face it Obi-Wan, even I know that Master Jinn isn't very nice. Maybe Master Mace is just trying to help him." Bant chimed in.
"He is not mean, he's just tragic."
"Tragic? Next you'll be saying Master Yoda speaks poetically. Personally, I think it would serve Bruck right to be stuck with him as a master. Living with the personal embodiment of Hoth would even wear on old Bruck after a while."
"You think what you want. Now give me the camera, I have to get this back in his room and set up the camera before he returns."
Qui-Gon crept quietly away. What was the Kenobi child doing? Not that he really cared. She wouldn't hurt Mace too badly. "Personal embodiment of Hoth?" Despite the fact that Qui-Gon didn't want an apprentice, he didn't want to have the child thinking poorly of him. He knew that children talk. But, he felt oddly hurt when Garen said that, just as he felt oddly proud when Obi-Wan defended him.
Qui-Gon shook his head. It had to be the indigestion. With a sigh he continued his walk.
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With a groan, Qui-Gon lurched awake the next morning. He was dreading today. The "maze" day. They blindfold the initiates and tell them to find their way through a maze. Then some master taunts them, trying to break their focus. Qui-Gon thought it cruel. Others argued that it was little compared to what they would face in real life.
With a grunt, he hurried to go to his first round of observation.
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Qui-Gon had actually found something to be happy about. Mace, for some reason had not been to the early trial, which meant he wasn't there when Bruck came through. That had made Qui-Gon reasonably tolerable when he went for lunch.
Just as he was about to take his first bite, Mace tapped his shoulder.
"May I sit down?"
Qui-Gon glanced up and nodded. Then he glanced over again.
Where yesterday Mace Windu had a full head of hair rivaling Qui-Gon's, there was a smooth bald head. Qui-Gon turned his head to fully appraise his friend.
"Mace? Did you really have to shave your eyebrows off? Wasn't the hair enough?"
"I. Don't. Want. To. Talk. About. It."
Jinn quickly finished his meal and headed back to his quarters. With a sigh he began to play his messages. A frown crossed his face when he saw an image had been transmitted.
People rarely sent him images, especially from public access comm. stations. On a whim he opened it. There, in vivid color, was Mace Windu, with bright Purple hair.
The mirth from the picture was quickly wiped away by the rest of his messages. Council member after council member, nagging, prodding, pushing, suggesting, etc: it was annoying. Qui-Gon groaned. He needed a nap.
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Obi-Wan had never felt so stupid in her life. What in the Force had possessed her to call Yoda a nasty green troll? To his face even. Sure, the maze was tough, but she'd never even thought about saying something like that before. It was just like suddenly she had the insatiable urge to tell off each and every member of the council. She'd even used some words that weren't in her vocabulary when she spouted off to Master Yaddle. They had sounded like Huttese, but she wasn't sure.
Thankfully, she managed to stop there. The training master had sent her to her room with a ration bar for diner and gave her orders to meditate until he came back.
She deeply regretted saying anything. Master Yaddle had looked so hurt. She had always been very fond of Obi-Wan.
All Master Yoda had done was frown at her, Hurrmph, and ask for a recording of what she had said to him and Yaddle. A recording that they had thanks to the fact that she said the damming words in the training room, in front of the recorders.
Sith, she was hungry. What she wouldn't give for dessert.
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Qui-Gon woke up with a growl from his stomach. He had an intense craving for anything sweet. He paused. More like anything chocolate. Briskly he walked to his kitchenette.
Ah a chocolate bar, and some instant hot chocolate, and, oh, some durgat chips would be good.
This was not good. He hadn't had a craving for the munchies since he was eleven. Once he heard his Master lecture him about proper ways to eat that become a Jedi, he had never even allowed his stomach a rumble when he was hungry. He had learned to sneak a filling and healthy meal whenever he could in the most unobtrusive way possible. Junk food wasn't worth the trouble of being yelled at. The only reason he had it at all was because his friends came over and liked it.
Ten minutes after his binge, he felt slightly sick. His life was a mess. No-one liked him. No-one cared. He was doomed to spend the rest of his life a glacial Jedi who said stupid things to council members.
He sniffled. He was lonely.