Semele navigated the ship while Obi-Wan spoke with his former Master. She had learned this skill pretty fast, seeing as these ships weren't so different from the Alternian cruisers. She gave Anakin a smile when they had reached the planet Qui-Gon had directed her to, and pulled the ship into an idling position.
She stood, gathering her jade robes around her and heading to the sleeping quarters. She knocked, softly. "Master, we've arrived."
The door slid open to reveal Qui-Gon almost chest to nose with her. She quickly too a few steps back. Semele was still...very attached and she'd be lying if she tried to say this whole mentor-student thing didn't do funny things in her belly. That said, she did want to learn the Force, since her god tier was apparently gone now. But at least she could do this, look directly at him face to face. She did now, taking in his pleased expression.
He looked at her, and the brand new braid resting on one shoulder. "You put a padawan braid in your hair? I told you that you don't have to abide Jedi tradition. What we're doing is hardly traditional after all."
Semele shrugged. "Anakin asked for something to do. As it turns out, working for Watto made him very good with his fingers." She studied his expression and was very interested to see something other than a stoic passivity. Was that...was that a hint of arousal on Qui-Gon Jinn's face? Jealousy? Her lips quirked in the tiniest smile. Honestly, it was one reason she let Anakin do it. She knew the Jedi didn't see it that way, but...On her home planet doing such a thing basically meant she was acknowledging Qui-Gon's power or...ownership over her. Not like a slave thing, but...It made his expression delicious.
It passed quickly. "I thought your people saw such things as indication of ownership? It's one reason why I told you that it wasn't necessary."
She startled. Semele forgot all the time that Qui-Gon was well versed on Alternian culture or what remained of it, anyway. "Well, sometimes yes. But it's not like slavery. It's more like I answer to you. You own the relationship. Meaning you're in charge. Is that a problem? I can cut it off-"
This whole time she spoke she carefully gauged Qui-Gon's face, drinking in his facial expressions. Since she had taken a death blow for him, he had gone to great pains to keep his mental barriers up. She hadn't sensed anything from him except a vague sense of... disappointment? Disbelief? Surprise maybe. She couldn't tell. He held up one hand, gently. "Semele, it's alright. You may keep it if it pleases you." He stepped by and began to take the ship in for a landing. Semele's eyes followed him.
"The tension is thick enough to be cut with a saber around here." Obi-Wan joked, drawing her attention back to him.
Semele pursed her lips. "I wouldn't know. He's been very guarded since Naboo. For all I know, he's processing anger at my rash actions."
Obi-Wan sighed. "Ms. Maryam, he's scared. Or he was. He confided in me that he knew he was supposed to die, toward the end there. He was at peace with it. Then you rushed in and...Well I guess seeing you lifeless on the floor made him realize some things."
Semele felt a spark of anger herself. "So he...made a grand promise to teach me, to take me under his wing, and was then totally chill with dying not long after that?" She crossed her arms. "Interesting."
Obi-Wan made a slight gesture of surrender. "Easy, Mage. All I meant was he had a strong reaction to seeing you die, literally right after you said you loved him. Master Qui-Gon doesn't do strong reactions. That makes you special to him."
Startled by this revelation and trying to focus on her upcoming trial she found words. "I'm not the Mage anymore, Obi-Wan. I lost my god powers when I died and the Force rushed into me."
He chuckled quietly and leaned in as he was passing by her. "He's not going to make the first move, Semele. You have to tell him exactly what you want." He left her there by the sleeping quarter, jade blush deep on her pale gray cheeks. She fought to get that under control before slowly rejoining the others in the cockpit.
X
Semele was shivering before the ship even opened. She glanced at Qui-Gon. "Have I told you jade bloods like myself don't enjoy cold or caves very much? It's sort of a generational trauma type thing."
He was quiet when he spoke, out of what sounded like reverence. "Yes, I know. Jade bloods were often kidnapped from their homes on the surface and made to take care of the mother grub so she could keep making more Alternians." He turned to her, facing her with a look of definite pride. "Today you will undertake your first major trial Semele. You will enter the cave alone and find the crystal that calls to you. You've demonstrated the Force sense necessary to hear the song. This is your trial, Padawan. Good luck. We will remain here, but in case you feel something has gone wrong, just... push your panic through the Force. I will feel it."
She looked to the right where Obi-Wan was saying something similar to Anakin. He met her gaze when he was done. "You need to split up. This is an important spiritual quest."
Semele was uncomfortable. "But he's-"
Anakin smiled at her. "Technically older than you? I'm nine. Aren't you six or seven? Let's go."
It was a race to the cave, a mad scramble to escape the cold. Once they had made it in, they shared a glance with each other and nodded before opposites paths on a forked walkway. Semele pushed aside everything else, closing her eyes and listening. There was a lot of whispering coming from the many colored crystals surrounding her, but only one that really seemed to sing. Eyes still closed she began to follow it, confused when the source seemed to move all around her at times.
When she finally got confused, she opened her eyes to see a large white bird. In it's beak was clasped a gently singing pink kyber crystal. It hissed angrily at her and ruffled it's feathers to appear even larger. Semele smiled at it. "An illusion? I didn't know there were Force sensitive birds on Illum. I need that crystal." It hissed again. She sighed. "I'm sorry about this, then." Her hands darted out, using the Force to see through the illusion and she snatched the crystal from the actual beak." It clacked angrily at her and she reached into her pouch, producing some dried fish Tavros had given her. "Trade?"
The snowbird snatched the fish and ran off making crazed little noises. She turned her attention to the crystal. It was... incomplete. She frowned. Was there supposed to be two of them? Qui-Gon hadn't said anything like that. Nonetheless she sat, focusing with the crystal in her hands. It began to float in front of her as she focused on it, and understood in a flash. The crystal that belonged with this one had been taken off planet already. She stood, taking the glowing pink crystal and wandering back to the mouth of the cave. It took her a few tries as she kept getting turned around. Anakin was there already, clutching a blue crystal.
His eyes went wide at the pink one she held. "Wow, I've never heard of one like that before! It's almost white."
Looking at it, a slightly troubling thought struck her. She voiced it. "It's also just as close to being red, Anakin. Let's...let's back to the Masters, hm? Stick close. Your trial is over. Surely I'm allowed to shield you from the cold now."
