I do not own the characters made by George Lucas, but the plot twists are mine, as is Vataloni.
Vataloni's Thoughts
She hurried down the long corridors of the new, strange temple. If she had been there in the past, Vataloni had no idea. Her master never used to like to speak of her past, so she barely even knew who she was.
She looked at a clock that hung rigidly on the wall, she was late.
Her master would have chastised her for this; oh how she would have been punished. He was a stickler for being on time, and Vataloni had learned her lesson the hard way in the past.
Her former master had been a very skilled Dark Sith lord, and he was rather old when he first met Vataloni. She had been living with her parents on one of the outer rim planets, or so she had been told, when her master came for her.
He took her in graciously, helping her channel the use of the Force. She was very strong, and she knew it scared him a little. Vataloni knew her powers would some day be greater then his, so he left her. It wasn't long ago he had left her, maybe five years? He had told her he had another apprentice on the side, one that he found more valuable.
It hurt to hear him say such things to her, but Vataloni had learned to mask her emotions, and only let them truly shine through when she was alone.
Her master knew she had emotions; love, hate, jealousy and envy were always hardest to hide on the beautiful girl's face. Her former master would call her weak when she showed her emotions, saying she could never be a Sith with love etched in her heart.
Her master told her that she had to respect him, and respect meant calling him 'Master' and nothing more. Vataloni never learned his name, nor had she seen his face. All she knew was his voice. It was cold, raspy and distant. He never yelled though, but the eerie calmness of his voice when he was angry was worse then any type of yelling one could imagine.
"Excuse me," she finally asked timidly to a droid, who whizzed around and beeped, "I'm looking for where the Jedi meet?"
She felt stupid inside, and knew she sounded thick and unintelligent. Once her master had left her, she was alone. Vataloni had never embraced the fact that she was called a Sith, while the other people just like her fought for the good of things, Jedi's, were loved by all.
Vataloni had searched endlessly about how to come into contact with a Jedi, any Jedi, and learn their trade. She still had her Sith like powers, but the combination of both Forces would be an excellent tool for her future.
The droid beeped several times in different intervals and she nodded, "Thanks."
It told her the Jedi Council met in the tip of the tower, and it was only a garbage cleaning droid, and knew nothing of the Jedi.
She wrapped her dark cloak around her thin frame tightly and felt her lightsaber bounce against her leg softly as she strode as fast as she could down the hall.
Stepping into the elevator, she held her gaze with the floor, though she knew the other occupants of the rising machine were staring at her.
The door chimed and Vataloni stepped out before anyone could ask her what she was doing here. She obviously stood out in the sea of light cloaks, hers being darker then the night.
She looked around the large hall, and noted there were several doors, all looking the same in height and colour.
"Which am I to take…?" she whimpered, the feeling of worry and stress making her feel dizzy.
The door at the end of the hall slid open and a pair of Jedi strolled out, one rolling his eyes as the other smirked at him arrogantly.
"Anakin," the older looking Jedi said loudly, "Keep your sarcastic comments out of the Jedi Council… Please?"
"I'm sorry Master Obi-Wan," the younger Jedi replied, still smirking, "Yoda found me amusing."
Vataloni moved quickly against the wall and almost blended in with the shadows. From her hiding she studied the pair of Jedi's.
The elder, Obi-Wan she was guessing, was the master out of the two. His chestnut brown hair was short, but the beard that wrapped itself around his face seemed to be growing thick. He strolled in a respectful manner, his shoulders back and head high, only glancing down occasionally at his apprentice.
The other figure, Anakin, was not a great deal younger then his master, or so it looked. His hair was much darker, and it hung loosely to just above his shoulders, making shadows move across his face when he spoke.
"I feel something…" Anakin muttered, stopping suddenly. Vataloni's eyes widened as she remembered the Jedi could sense Sith. Her master had told her to be aware when hiding from a Jedi, for they will always find you.
Vataloni let out a soft groan as the pair pulled out their lightsabers, the blue blades humming to life. She gulped and stepped out the shadows, making them both jump at her presence.
"I-I'm looking for the Jedi Council," she stated, trying to sound her best and be confident, but her voice still wavered.
"Why?"
Vataloni's eyes shifted around nervously, making the older Jedi frown.
"I have a meeting with a… Mace Windu?" she whispered, "And I was meant to meet him in the Jedi Council."
She flicked her loose, brown curls behind her shoulders and chewed on her lower lip nervously. Vataloni had never been good with speaking to people, unless she truly knew them.
"They didn't tell us they were expecting anyone," Anakin said skeptically, looking at his master.
"Well do they have to tell you everything?" Vataloni snapped, shocking herself at how forward that was.
"You're that Sith… aren't you!" Anakin spat, pointing his lightsaber at her menacingly.
Vataloni drew out her own lightsaber and ignited it, the red making a sharp contrast in the blue.
"You will not call me Sith," she said, confidence building up slightly, "I'm here to forget my past…"
"Need for fighting, in Jedi halls, there is not."
The three of them looked back to the door in which the Jedi had emerged from to see another pair of Jedi walking out. One was small, green, and had floppy ears which made Vataloni want to giggle. The other was tall, lean and looked in shape.
"Vataloni?" the taller figure asked her, and when she nodded, he smiled, "Typical of a Sith to be late. I'm Master Windu, not get in; we've been waiting for you."
Vataloni's red blade slowly slid away from view and she hung it around her waist, and then stalked off towards the Jedi masters.
"Needed, are you two," the smaller Jedi barked, beckoning to Obi-Wan and Anakin. They looked at each other and frowned, then slowly followed after Vataloni, who let out a soft moan with annoyance. The younger Jedi, Anakin, irked her easily, but the older Jedi, Obi-Wan, seemed to catch Vataloni's attention more then a mans normally would.
Obi-Wan's View
Obi-Wan followed his masters into the Council room, beckoning for Anakin to speak with him breifly.
"Please," he whispered, "Keep your tongue at bay... just for now."
"Of course master," his Padawan replied, bowing his head with respect, but Obi-Wan saw no respect in the young mans eyes. He almost noted a hint of mocker, which was disterbing.
Mace Windu and Yoda returned to their respected seats in the circle and he, Anakin and the Sith... Vataloni stood in the center. The young womans gaze wondered over the room; clearly she had been expecting something else.
She stood beside him, so Obi-Wan took the chance to look her over, trying to detect her evil. But as his gaze traveled over her face, he hardly found any. Her eyes were blue, yet not a cold blue, a deep one, like the waters of Naboo. The complextion of her skin was delicate and soft, but she had large dark rings around her eyes. Obi-Wan guessed she had not had a proper sleep for some time.
"Spoke with you, before we have," Yoda said calmly to the girl, "Pleased to see you, we are."
She smiled weakly, nervously. Fear. That was the Siths trait, Obi-Wan knew it well. He, like all Jedi's should, learned to control his fear and not let is surface.
"I no longer know what to do..." Vataloni muttered softly, "I don't want to be a Sith... I would gladly and willingly change sides. My master has left me alone... Left me to face the coldness of space alone. I figured..."
"You figured we could help you," Mace sighed, rubbing his chin with thought. Vataloni nodded her head and her eyes wandered over the Jedi masters in front of her, then chewed on her lower lip.
"Are you fully trained?" Mace questioned, remembering Vataloni's use of her lightsaber before.
"I...I don't know sir," Vataloni replied, looking at the floor, "My master said I was close... But he never told me if I had fully completed my training."
Yoda nodded kindly, "He would tell you, I doubt. Very powerful are you with the force."
Anakin shifted beside Obi-Wan, and he felt a sense of jealousy building up inside his apprentice. He locked eyes with the young man for a moment and the jealousy left Anakin.
"Then we will get a Jedi master to finish your training," Mace stated, looking at Obi-Wan, "We believe you are fully capable of taking on a second apprentice. Though it should not be much of a burden, she will be finished her training soon."
Vataloni quickly looked at Obi-Wan, a hint of excitement in her eyes, making Obi-Wan try to surpress a rising grin.
"If the Council wishes it, then it will be done," Obi-Wan declared, bowing to his masters.
"Give her Jedi robes, and she will have to fashion a new weapon," Mace told Obi-Wan, ignoring Vataloni now.
Obi-Wan, Anakin and Vataloni bowed to the Jedi masters and Obi-Wan turned to leave the room,Anakin at his side and Vataloni close behind them.
They walked in silence until Obi-Wan stopped at his private apartment in the upper levels of the Temple.
"Master," Anakin whispered, "I do not wish to share you."
Obi-Wan smiled, "Soon you will be a master, my Padawan, and Vataloni will not be here for long. All we must do is show her the ways of the Force from our side of this."
"We?" Anakin asked, raising an eyebrow. Obi-Wan nodded, "I will need help with this. Doing this will also give you some preparation for your apprentice some day."
Anakin smirked, and Obi-Wan sensed a great deal of pride swelling up within him.
"May I be excused master," Anakin asked as Obi-Wan lead Vataloni into his room, "I wish to pay someone a visit."
Obi-Wan frowned, but granted him promission to leave. He looked back to Vataloni, who was looking around his living room and at a few holographic pictures that stood on some stands.
"This is your master, isn't it?" she asked suddenly, pointing to one of Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan laughed and nodded, asking her how she knew.
"He's on the highest stand..." she noted, "and he seems to have the nicest hologram."
Obi-Wan chuckled and rummaged through his things, glad to see one of the female Jedi masters had left a change of clothes for his new apprentice.
"You may change in the bathroom," he said formally, handing her the set of robes. She grinned and accepted them. Her smile was... something else. It wasn't how a Sith should smile.
She returned in a few moments, wearing a female Jedi's robes, and Obi-Wan noted her attractive figure had stepped out much more now that her thick, black cloak was gone.
"What should I do with this?" she asked, holding up her lightsaber.
Obi-Wan watched her for a moment, feeling slightly lost in her gaze, then shook his head and extended his hand, "I'll take it, and you may go down to the bottom floor to the Weapons Assembly room. You should find the supplies you need to build a new one."
She nodded and walked forward, handing him the lightsaber, her hand lightly brushing against his. She smiled and left, leaving Obi-Wan's gaze lingering at the door, even long after she had left.