Disclaimer: Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)
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Chapter Nine: Of Padawans
Obi-Wan corrected Ashden's stance and lowered her hands by a few centimetres. Although doing very well for a young one, she was having troubles with the ninth Kata started in the class he demonstrated in over a month ago. So he was giving her an extra session that focused on that Kata alone, in addition to her lightsaber classes with her group and other lessons with he.
"Now move your right foot round, bring your lightsaber up and over your head and then straight down, in line with your nose,"
With careful movements, she did as she was told with a face creased with concentration.
Walking around her with long steps he posed a challenge,
"Alright, can you tell me what's wrong with your stance now?"
Looking down at her feet, back at her hands and then her feet again she widened her stance, "My feet were too close so I wouldn't have been well balanced."
"Right, but can you do the Kata all the way through? Without me?"
"I think so, Master."
"You think so?"
"I can, Master."
Obi-Wan nodded and watched her take up the starting position once more. After his own apprenticeship to Qui-Gon was always a pit of doubt over whether or not he was good enough, whether or not he could so something and whether or not what he was doing was right, he was determined to stop that happening again; to find a happy medium of positive comments and constructive criticisms and not using a choking layer of indifference and silence.
Pausing every so often to contemplate her next move, Ashden made her way through the Kata from start to finish, ending with a bow as appropriate.
And to top it off, a smile from ear to ear.
"I did it!"
"You did it, and all it took was…?"
Ashden powered down the training 'saber, put it on the closest rack and jogged back to his side. "Lots of practise."
"Right, so you know that next time you needn't fret and worry all night because you're stuck, understood?" She spent most of the nights a week prior lying awake all night because she was falling behind in the class, which he realised when he checked their fledgling of a bond, expecting to find a sleeping Padawan and instead finding an upset one.
"Yes Master." She said, tying her belt over the sandy tunic, "Are Master Erin and Master Reeft coming over tonight?"
"They are Padawan, and Master Muln may visit too, so you will be tidying your room before they arrive and on your best behaviour while they are here, won't you?"
"Yes Master."
Tugging her braid as they walked he felt content. He'd seen neither hide nor hair of Qui-Gon, or his quick to anger apprentice, Anakin, since that day weeks ago. Ashden and he moved into their new rooms and were gradually settling in to a routine both were comfortable with. And to top it off, both Garren and Reeft were planet-side, as was Bant, though Garren only arrived a few hours ago and be staying for a matter of days; Reeft was hoping to stay for a week.
Naturally they organised a get together.
Naturally it was held in the biggest apartment: his apartment. And naturally, Ashden was like he -not prevalently tidy.
In fact in his opinion she was worse, working from the 'every pot in the rooms' method whenever she worked on anything.
Entering the turbo lift he selected their level and asked, "Do you have any work from class?"
She nodded unhappily. "Yes, Master. I have a pad of mathematics questions to do, and I have a research essay to do for history of the senate class."
"The senate." Obi-Wan tried hard not to let his feelings for politicians colour his thinking. Unfortunately his distaste ran deep and the words held an unpleasant taste in his mouth.
"What on?"
"A planet of our choice, but I don't know which one to pick 'cause there are so many!"
"How about Jardeni?"
"I already know the senate history about that, Master. It wouldn't be hard to write an essay on it."
Obi-Wan smiled, "So do you want a challenge, or something that will interest you?"
Ashden kept quiet, unsure of what to say, then,
"Is interesting different to challenging?"
"What is challenging is not always interesting or enjoyable to do, but one must do it to complete the challenge, do you understand, Padawan?"
The lift came to a halt, opening its doors to let them out, he watched her turn over the words in her mind whilst he savoured saying 'Padawan', an honour he took a lot of pleasure in. The word rolled off his tongue, leaving a warm feeling all the way through him.
Toying with the sleeve of her tunic she formulated the thoughts before speaking. "Fun things won't always teach me? Sometimes boring things will?"
"Correct, and a good thing to remember for some of your classes in the future, most probably. If you're not going to do Jardeni, which planet will you choose?"
"I don' know," she murmured, taking great interest in her boots as they walked, "I was thinking about doing Naboo."
Qui-Gon's voice became strained with each passing word, "Obi-Wan promise… promise me you'll train the boy…"
"Why Naboo?" His voice came out strained as memories of that planet assaulted him from every angle.
"It is too late… It's…"
"I read some on it a while ago, they have an interesting history,"
"He is the Chosen One… he will… bring balance… train him!"
"If that's what you want to do, now go shower and tidy your room before our guests arrive."
Flashing him a bright smile she bounded to the 'fresher and locked the door behind her.
Obi-Wan set about forgetting the harsher events on the beautiful planet, tidying the main room, moving pads to sensible out of the way stacks and re-arranging the few cushions and holo-captures as quickly as possible -Bant should be arriving first and was due in only two hours.
And he hadn't even begun to cook yet.
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Qui-Gon watched Anakin with prominent approval, evident from the smile that tugged at his lips and lit up his hooded midnight blue eyes.
Anakin was progressing very well, very well indeed as the young teenager worked through an advanced Kata for his age group.
A cloud was constantly overshadowing his thoughts, which otherwise would never have been the equivalent to a sunny day.
Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The boy, a man now, simply didn't grasp the importance of Anakin. He acted like a jealous child during their confrontation weeks ago.
"Did I teach you so little?"
"You taught me to follow my instincts in the Force! When I told you the boy was dangerous you dismissed me like a child who didn't understand!"
"If you cannot see what is right in front of you then you are a fool, Obi-Wan, and taking you as my Padawan was a mistake. The Order doesn't need fools."
He replayed the same words over and over in his mind. Remembered those ever-changing eyes darken to a stormy grey before he turned and left.
After a time to cool his temper and think, Qui-Gon wasn't proud of his last words to Obi-Wan, but neither did he regret them. Anyone who couldn't see that Anakin was the Chosen One was a fool.
Taking you as my Padawan was a mistake.
Those were the words that made him tug at his hair, tied as it was away from his face. Those were the words he knew would hurt Obi-Wan the most.
He never meant to say them, he didn't remember even thinking them -in his displeasure at his previous apprentice he wielded the one weapon he never meant to use.
Obi-Wan's own insecurities.
Anakin was looking at him expectantly, lightsaber deactivated at his side and blue eyes unreadable -so different to Obi-Wans, "How was that, Master?"
"Excellent, you've mastered that Kata quicker than any other Jedi I ever heard of, my Padawan." He pulled gently on the boy's ponytail, directing them to the exit.
What was done was done, he couldn't change it.
He would focus on the present, the Living Force… Anakin.
Anakin would be their saviour, balancing the Force and he would be his greatest legacy.
"Do you need any help with your work from class?"
Anakin gave him a small smile, an unreadable expression crossing his face, "Not much, Master."
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Author's Notes: Hmmm.... believe, I do, that this chapter could've gone better. But this was like, the third re-write and my mind was spinning :S Hope you liked!
Review Thank Yous...
Snow-Glory: Nope. Qui is evil!
Janna Hawkins: Now there's an idea for another story! Arrrh! Take the plot bunny away! It's trying to eat me and i have enough already! Nooo! Hehe...sorry if i sound looopy, i'm ill Hmmm. If i manage to get enough cash left over i'm gonna see if i can order the next 4 books from amazon or something, i wanna read more Bant!
Telperien: HEY! You de-lurked! Congrats huggles... here's the update :D
Knight Kenobi of Eryn Lasgalen: Swat? More like a kick!
lurker1: Hmmm i never thought of it like that! Right, i'm gonna work the harsh-ness and it's reason into the end plot so it makes sense. Hehe pooor Qui! I tried to write bonding between them but it wouldn't come out, so i tried to portray a way of thought and teaching for them instead... does that make sense?
MistiWhitesun: First was the Sith apprentice from TPM, sorry my friend asked me that too lol! Nah... if the blonde was someone Obi knew you'd know. She was just like those Security Guys from the Star Trek: TOS -doomed to die ;)
Regarding paragraphing every english teacher i have ever had always contradicts the last one... ie i used to indent them and i got told off and wasn't allowed, then i got told off for not indenting... so what I have now is a happy medium which doesn't get me yelled at. How do you do yours?
As for spelling, i'm guessing you're talking about
"You taught me to follow my instincts in the Force!
which is weird....cause that's the right word. Is it different in the US or Canada or something? I'm confused :S
Anyway... i'm gonna take up the suggestion of reading aloud to see if i can catch any errors :D
mirax: Hiya! Something bigger than Yoda's stick? Hmmm.... maybe we'll poke him with a lightsaber? Ooooh wait... okay how about whacking him around the head with a tree! evil grin here Obi will get lots of support. I think. Ummmm.
Walking Through Shadows: I am writing more! See! And i have one line of the next chapter! :P
Knightlight: Welcome! Yes! De-lurk :D You've taken the first step to complete de-lurking Lol yes my poor schedule.. plus i just picked up a second job, oh well! Yes Qui-Gon is very cruel, but he has his reasons.... which will be explained eventually. Honest.
Aida: phew i was worried you'd hate it! Next clash is scheduled in, uuuh, two chapters time. I think ;)