A Knight In Training- Chapter 9
By ~*Visage*~
Hello again! After almost two months of thinking, I've finally figured out how to write this chapter!! Don't you just love it when you're sitting somewhere and out of no where you figure out how you're going to write something? It's like the Demolition Crew finally decided to show up to knock down the wall that was stopping your thoughts! Whoever said "Ignorance is bliss" never had writer's block. ^_^ Anyway, lots of people have their ideas as to how Qui-And Obi met for the first time. Rightfully so... This is mine. ^_^ (I've been debating how to do it for MONTHS! And I always came up with ideas that someone else had already had. (Can't do that... It's called ILLEGAL!! ^_^) So... same things apply that were in Chapter 1. Please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors on my part, and as always, Enjoy!
***
Qui-Gon walked through the Meditation Gardens at the Jedi Temple. The late afternoon sun gave a dark hue to the flowers and plants growing within the Temple walls. It matched Qui-Gon's mood perfectly.
It had been almost six years since he had been back to his home on Courscant for more than a few days at a time. Yet the memories felt as if they had occurred yesterday. Qui-Gon sat before one of the fountains, running his finger through the cool water. As a young child, he had loved to spend hours in the Gardens meditating or just gazing at the flowers. He had tried to bring Xanatos to meditate, but he had never had the same connection that Qui-Gon felt.
Xanatos. Qui-Gon sighed, retracting his hand from he water. It was Seven years to the day since he had turned to the Dark Side. Seven years since Qui-Gon's life had changed.
In those seven years, Qui-Gon had done nothing but blame himself. Why hadn't he seen what everyone else had in the boy? Qui-Gon had chosen to ingore the evil and disrespect for the Order. For many years, Xanatos could do no wrong.
Qui-Gon stood and began walking through the gardens. Memories from the past began flooding his mind. He wished he had never returned. The pain was still to fresh.
Before long, Qui-Gon found himself wandering in the Temple. The thoughtless wandering seemed to sooth his distraught mind. A few Jedi on business were hurrying along, some pausing for a moment to wave. Qui-Gon kept his gaze down at the floor to avoid any prolonged contact.
Suddenly, a little boy around five or six came running around the corner. Qui-Gon saw him for only a moment before he rammed into the Jedi Master's knees.
The boy fell to the ground, his face flushed with embarrassment. "I apologize, Master Jedi." The boy said quietly, not raising his eyes to meet Qui-Gon.
Qui-Gon smiled. He held out his hand to help the boy to his feet. "That's quite alright. It was partly my fault as well. Even Jedi Masters need to watch were they are going." The boy looked up cautiously with his eyes before allowing his face to follow. "What are you doing out here all alone, Young One?" Qui-Gon asked.
The boy let his ocean blue eyes fall to the ground again. "I- I was running an errand for Master Bourma, Sir. I... Kinda got a little lost. I don't know my way around this part of the Temple. I was trying to hurry back before anyone noticed."
Qui-Gon suppressed a small laugh. "I seemed to have noticed! Would you like to come along with me? I'm headed in that direction."
The boy looked up again, a smile of relief present on his face. "Thank you, Master Jedi."
"Qui-Gon Jinn."
"Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"Come, Obi-Wan. This way." Qui-Gon started walking in the direction of the Creche. "Did you say, Master Bourma?" Obi-Wan nodded. "She was my Creche Master. I haven't seen her in ages."
Obi-Wan gave the Master a disbelieving look. "You were in the Creche?"
Qui-Gon laughed. "Yes, Obi-Wan. I wasn't always this tall."
Obi-Wan seemed to pause in thought as they rounded a corner. "Do you think I'll be as tall as you someday?"
"Perhaps." Qui-Gon answered truthfully. Obi-Wan seemed to take pleasure in his answer. "But you must wait and see. For now, remember to focus on the here and now."
Obi-Wan nodded in understanding. "But it's not fair. I'm the smallest kid in all my classes. The Youngest too. Everyone always picks on me because I'm little."
The two came to a flight of stairs. After seeing Qui-Gon start down them, Obi-Wan followed. "Children can be cruel in their teasing at a young age. It took a long while for my classmates to grow out of that stage. But I can say that they do not call names any longer, unless it is truly in jest."
"That's good. I don't want to be 'Runt' my entire life."
Qui-Gon kept his laughter suppressed, surprised by the bluntness of this young boy. He looked over and saw Obi-Wan skipping over the tile, trying not to step on the cracks. Qui-Gon couldn't help but feel something about this young boy with cropped ginger hair and blue eyes. More than likely he would be taken as an Apprentice at a young age. He had a lot of potential, from what little Qui-Gon had seen of him.
Qui-Gon stopped at the entrance to the Creche. "I trust you can find your way from here, Obi-Wan?"
"Yes, Master Jinn. Thank you very much." Obi-Wan bowed slightly forward out of respect. "May the Force be with you."
"And also with you." Qui-Gon nodded to the boy before he watched Obi-Wan turn and trot off. Qui-Gon found a smile had formed on his face. The dark mood of only quarter of an hour ago had disappeared. Left was a feeling of peace. 'That boy.' Qui-Gon thought. 'Something about that boy.'
Qui-Gon turned and headed back to his quarters, feeling puzzled. "The Force works in mysterious ways." He repeated the old lesson he had heard many times from his Master. This encounter was the proof to show it was true.
By ~*Visage*~
Hello again! After almost two months of thinking, I've finally figured out how to write this chapter!! Don't you just love it when you're sitting somewhere and out of no where you figure out how you're going to write something? It's like the Demolition Crew finally decided to show up to knock down the wall that was stopping your thoughts! Whoever said "Ignorance is bliss" never had writer's block. ^_^ Anyway, lots of people have their ideas as to how Qui-And Obi met for the first time. Rightfully so... This is mine. ^_^ (I've been debating how to do it for MONTHS! And I always came up with ideas that someone else had already had. (Can't do that... It's called ILLEGAL!! ^_^) So... same things apply that were in Chapter 1. Please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors on my part, and as always, Enjoy!
***
Qui-Gon walked through the Meditation Gardens at the Jedi Temple. The late afternoon sun gave a dark hue to the flowers and plants growing within the Temple walls. It matched Qui-Gon's mood perfectly.
It had been almost six years since he had been back to his home on Courscant for more than a few days at a time. Yet the memories felt as if they had occurred yesterday. Qui-Gon sat before one of the fountains, running his finger through the cool water. As a young child, he had loved to spend hours in the Gardens meditating or just gazing at the flowers. He had tried to bring Xanatos to meditate, but he had never had the same connection that Qui-Gon felt.
Xanatos. Qui-Gon sighed, retracting his hand from he water. It was Seven years to the day since he had turned to the Dark Side. Seven years since Qui-Gon's life had changed.
In those seven years, Qui-Gon had done nothing but blame himself. Why hadn't he seen what everyone else had in the boy? Qui-Gon had chosen to ingore the evil and disrespect for the Order. For many years, Xanatos could do no wrong.
Qui-Gon stood and began walking through the gardens. Memories from the past began flooding his mind. He wished he had never returned. The pain was still to fresh.
Before long, Qui-Gon found himself wandering in the Temple. The thoughtless wandering seemed to sooth his distraught mind. A few Jedi on business were hurrying along, some pausing for a moment to wave. Qui-Gon kept his gaze down at the floor to avoid any prolonged contact.
Suddenly, a little boy around five or six came running around the corner. Qui-Gon saw him for only a moment before he rammed into the Jedi Master's knees.
The boy fell to the ground, his face flushed with embarrassment. "I apologize, Master Jedi." The boy said quietly, not raising his eyes to meet Qui-Gon.
Qui-Gon smiled. He held out his hand to help the boy to his feet. "That's quite alright. It was partly my fault as well. Even Jedi Masters need to watch were they are going." The boy looked up cautiously with his eyes before allowing his face to follow. "What are you doing out here all alone, Young One?" Qui-Gon asked.
The boy let his ocean blue eyes fall to the ground again. "I- I was running an errand for Master Bourma, Sir. I... Kinda got a little lost. I don't know my way around this part of the Temple. I was trying to hurry back before anyone noticed."
Qui-Gon suppressed a small laugh. "I seemed to have noticed! Would you like to come along with me? I'm headed in that direction."
The boy looked up again, a smile of relief present on his face. "Thank you, Master Jedi."
"Qui-Gon Jinn."
"Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"Come, Obi-Wan. This way." Qui-Gon started walking in the direction of the Creche. "Did you say, Master Bourma?" Obi-Wan nodded. "She was my Creche Master. I haven't seen her in ages."
Obi-Wan gave the Master a disbelieving look. "You were in the Creche?"
Qui-Gon laughed. "Yes, Obi-Wan. I wasn't always this tall."
Obi-Wan seemed to pause in thought as they rounded a corner. "Do you think I'll be as tall as you someday?"
"Perhaps." Qui-Gon answered truthfully. Obi-Wan seemed to take pleasure in his answer. "But you must wait and see. For now, remember to focus on the here and now."
Obi-Wan nodded in understanding. "But it's not fair. I'm the smallest kid in all my classes. The Youngest too. Everyone always picks on me because I'm little."
The two came to a flight of stairs. After seeing Qui-Gon start down them, Obi-Wan followed. "Children can be cruel in their teasing at a young age. It took a long while for my classmates to grow out of that stage. But I can say that they do not call names any longer, unless it is truly in jest."
"That's good. I don't want to be 'Runt' my entire life."
Qui-Gon kept his laughter suppressed, surprised by the bluntness of this young boy. He looked over and saw Obi-Wan skipping over the tile, trying not to step on the cracks. Qui-Gon couldn't help but feel something about this young boy with cropped ginger hair and blue eyes. More than likely he would be taken as an Apprentice at a young age. He had a lot of potential, from what little Qui-Gon had seen of him.
Qui-Gon stopped at the entrance to the Creche. "I trust you can find your way from here, Obi-Wan?"
"Yes, Master Jinn. Thank you very much." Obi-Wan bowed slightly forward out of respect. "May the Force be with you."
"And also with you." Qui-Gon nodded to the boy before he watched Obi-Wan turn and trot off. Qui-Gon found a smile had formed on his face. The dark mood of only quarter of an hour ago had disappeared. Left was a feeling of peace. 'That boy.' Qui-Gon thought. 'Something about that boy.'
Qui-Gon turned and headed back to his quarters, feeling puzzled. "The Force works in mysterious ways." He repeated the old lesson he had heard many times from his Master. This encounter was the proof to show it was true.
