A/N: Hello dear ones, this is my little December gift to you : a small Star-Wars Advent Calendar. The concept is simple : each day a small story, told from a different point of view, always revolving about dear Obi-Wan. The goal is even simpler : enforcing resilience and hope throughout December until Christmas in a fandom I love :).
Take care and enjoy, I hope, Meysun.
Sparks of Hope (A Star-Wars Advent Calendar)
By Meysun
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1. Linked (Master Ti)
54 BBY
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Master Shaak Ti gently opened the blinds and watched as the light kissed the ten small Initiates awake. Her fellow crèche-master Adi was currently doing the same in the girls' wing, and Shaak smiled as she watched young Kit stretch, beady eyes sparkling as they met the sun. Little Quin on the contrary was wrinkling his nose in displeasure, covers firmly wrapped around his body with no intention of budging. Fortunately, Shaak knew how to draw him out.
"Hot rolls and marmalade, Quin-o'-Quin…", she whispered, hand finding his small arm, gently tickling him as her fingers moved to his shoulder, electing a giggle.
He soon flung himself at her, dark locks whipping the air, small body warm as baked bread as he hugged her.
"Good morning Master Ti", he smiled at her, and then his finger moved to his lips and he nearly-whispered: "Shhh. Obi is still asleep."
Master Ti carded her fingers through Quin's hair, marvelling once more at the fascination the little one seemed to have for the newly-arrived baby-boy, who was indeed still deep in slumber, lips parted in such abandonment that waking him was almost painful.
"Obi dearest?", Shaak said, gently stroking his back, then brushing his shields with her Force-signature, watching the little one slowly leave sleep's shores to come back to them. "Time to wake, sweetheart."
She felt him reach out with the Force first, distinctly catching impressions of safety, no-need-to-run, still here, and then his tiny face was peering up at her, fist rubbing at sleepy grey eyes.
"Good morning Master Ti", he whispered, throwing the covers back and getting up like the independent little soul he was, hair still mussed by sleep.
The small boy had adapted amazingly fast, and as she watched them get dressed and ready themselves for breakfast, she realised it was because Kit and Quin were never leaving his side, spurning him on and showing him everything. Both were among the most energetic and eldest of the small clan, yet Obi seemed perfectly content and at ease with them and young Luminara, allowing them to drag him around and following them everywhere.
The little one was tired, though. For a few days now, Shaak had noticed that his strength seemed to flag right before their afternoon nap, and in the early evening – that was usually the time they would be reading stories, and she had noticed that Obi barely seemed to follow the words, second and middle finger placed between his lips, left hand rubbing the hem of his tunic rhythmically.
He had to be coaxed into finishing his dinner, as well, eyelids usually starting to droop mid-meal, and Shaak realised that day, as she watched him play and interact and try to adjust, just what tremendous efforts it meant for a baby-boy who was almost a year younger than the rest.
Especially one who had not grown up in the safety of the Temple, and had been forced to leave his brother behind only a month ago.
That day she decided she would let Obi-Wan nap as long as he needed, and congratulated herself when she realised that two full hours had passed since the others had woken, before she felt him stir in the nearby room.
She was not prepared, though, for the feelings of absolute terror-I'm alone-they all left that met her as soon as Obi realised no one was with him, nor for the wave of complete relief washing over him as she cradled him, shushing his tears with hands and Force both.
"I'm there, we are all there, we did not leave, Obi dearest, we just let you sleep…", she soothed, feeling the little one reach out for them, anguish abating slowly as he checked her signature, and Quin's, and Kit's, and Nara's – and the whole clan's, reaching out for what seemed the entire Temple before he huddled against her.
And Shaak realised, then. That the little boy was still defining himself in the Force, among them all. That he needed the closeness and the feeling of fellow-Jedi nearby so badly he was unwilling to let them out of sight, because he had not learned yet that he was one among others who were all one with the Force.
"Obi dearest? Sweetheart? Sweetest pea on Coruscant?"
She rubbed her nose against his hair, softly, very tenderly – baby Humans had no lekku to probe the Force and assess the world around them, but Shaak had learnt that they craved touch all the more, and she felt Obi calm down, going almost boneless against her.
"The Force always links us. When we are awake. When we sleep. When we dream. And even when we pass. It cannot go away. Those links you feel, those links you love… They may seem to fade, sometimes, but the Force will always be there, and we are all one in the Force."
That day, she kept Obi on her lap during story time. She had chosen an old holovid, because the theme seemed fitting, watching Obi's fingers return to his mouth as the story began – this time however his grey eyes never wavered from the images, small body still with rapture and awe.
It was an Old World's tale, about a young boy playing in the snow, inviting a snow-man into his house, learning to know him and befriending him, entering a wintery dreamworld, then letting his friend go, with an open ending that left everybody wonder what had been real.
"I think it was a dream", Luminara said, quietly.
- No, I think it was real, because of the speeder taking him away into the air!"
Quin was almost bouncing with enthusiasm and Kit supplied:
"And he still had his shawl, so I think the snow-man was a Jedi!
- I think the little boy looked a lot like Obi", a small Rodian-girl named Eryn said, and everybody giggled, Obi himself smiling behind his fingers.
"What do you like most in this story, Initiates?", Master Ti asked, and ere long she had a bunch of excited answers thrown at her.
"When the snowman changes his nose with all the fruits!
- When he puts red on his cheeks", Quinlan giggled.
"When they dance in the little boy's room", Nara said.
"When they fly in the air like Jedi", Kit added.
"When they see the Aiwha in the air!
- When he sneezes!", young Stass Allie laughed, tendrils shaking in amusement.
"And you, Obi?", Shaak asked the little boy who had stayed silent on her lap, following the exchange. "What did you like best, playing with your friend the snowman, making fun of us all?"
That made Obi smile again, removing his fingers from his lips.
"The song", he answered, astonishing even Shaak. "It's beautiful.
- Yes!
- Yes!
- It's true, it's beautiful!
- But I have already forgotten how it goes", Eryn observed, somewhat sadly.
"Do you remember it, Obi?", Shaak asked, sensing something change in the small boy's signature – and she had the surprise to see him nod. "Can you sing it for us? I can help you with the words, if you want. I love the song as well."
The little boy stilled for a while, and then he nodded, shyly, looking up at her, grey eyes wide and trusting. The Initiates had all sat down cross-legged around them, and after a few seconds, Obi-Wan's voice rose, tiny at first but getting surer as he sang, feeling the Force settle around them.
"We're walking in the air… We're floating in the la la sky… The people far below are sleeping as we fly…"
His pitch was absolutely in tune, Obi only faltering when he reached a difficult word.
"We're holding very tight… I'm riding in the midnight blue… I'm finding la la la, so high above with you…"
The little boy paused then, shyly hiding his face into her tunic once more. And Shaak realised that the rest of the clan had gone silent, signatures relaxed and open in the Force.
"I think we should learn the song", Master Ti suggested, wrapping a lekku around Obi-Wan, smiling at them. "I think we should sing it together. That way we won't forget it, and remember the way it made us feel."
And that evening, as small Initiates brushed their teeth and went through their sleeping routine, it was not uncommon to hear some of them hum quiet words from a long-gone world. Until they were all asleep under their covers, save for a small, auburn-haired Initiate who reached out, one last time, through the Force, whispering:
"And everyone who sees us greats us as we fly."
His signature quietly touched the others, brushing them, seeking reassurance and bestowing love, and then Obi-Wan closed his eyes, curling up under the sheets. Soon lost into dreams.
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A/N: The song Obi-Wan sings, and the movie the Initiates watch really exists. The movie is called "The Snowman" (1982) and if you love dreamy drawings, beautiful music and simply magic, go and enjoy a rare moment of pure childhood watching it on Youtube. The song was composed by Howard Blake and is called "Walking In The Air". Whenever I hear it, my heart sings, especially the Chloë Agnew version. Have a lovely December 1st, much love, Meysun.