Pathetic Lifeform
Master Dooku knew that something was up the moment his Padawan stepped into the apartment.
"Qui-Gon?" He asked, causing the boy to stop mid-step.
"Yes, Master?" Qui-Gon asked as innocently as possible, keeping his hands behind his back.
Master Dooku just sighed wearily and put the datapad he had been studying to one side, so he could take a careful look at his Padawan. His boots and knees were covered in dirt again, and his hair was in desperate need of another cut, not to mention the state of his Padawan braid. Master Dooku couldn't believe he let his Padawan wonder the Temple like that. Unfortunately, those weren't the only things amiss.
Qui-Gon didn't even flinch under his Master's scrutiny, he just waited patiently for the man to speak.
"Padawan, did you…?" Dooku started slowly before taking a different approach, "Don't tell me you…" He sighed again, leaning back in his chair, "You did, didn't you?"
The young Padawan smiled a little sheepishly as he pulled out his hands from behind his back.
Dooku had to lean forward a little to see the small ball of fur in his Padawan's hands. "What is it?" He asked, not without turning his nose up a little.
"It's a baby Lira." Qui-Gon explained, as he stroked the creature and it started purring quietly.
Dooku pinched the bridge of his nose. Not again… He thought to himself. "So, what's the reason for this one then?"
Qui-Gon took a deep breath. "I was in the gardens and I found her, she must have been lost because they don't usually appear around the Temple. I'd never seen one before, so I went to get a closer look. Turns out she's injured, so I brought her here to treat her."
Dooku hummed thoughtfully. "And then you'll put her back where she belongs?"
"Um…" Qui-Gon hesitated for a moment, "You see, Liras are pack animals, they can't really survive on their own, so if this one was alone in the gardens then that means she was cast out. Even if she gets back to full health, I can't just set her free somewhere…"
His Master's eyes narrowed as he understood where Qui-Gon was going with this. "Your point being?" He asked, nevertheless.
"Can I keep her?" Qui-Gon blurted out.
"Can I keep her, Master?" Dooku corrected insistently.
Qui-Gon had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. "Can I keep her, Master?"
Dooku frowned at the way his Padawan emphasised the word "Master" but didn't comment on it further. That was a lesson for another time. Including the way his Padawan insisted on presenting himself.
"Please! She's so small, you won't even notice her!" Qui-Gon continued. "Master." He added hastily.
Dooku had lost track of the amount of times he had sighed in the last 5 minutes. "Qui-Gon Jinn, I am training you to be a Jedi, not a vet."
Qui-Gon could hear the exasperation in his Master's voice, but instead of backing down, he stood a little straighter ready to make his point. "Master, a Jedi is meant to be compassionate, isn't he? A Jedi's purpose is to help, so by helping this Lira, aren't I becoming a better Jedi?"
Dooku raised an intrigued eyebrow at his Padawan before an amused half-smile appeared on his face. "That's an interesting way to look at it…"
"Does that mean I can keep her?" Qui-Gon asked cautiously.
"I don't think there's even a point in saying no, you'll just ignore me at keep her anyway…" Dooku picked his datapad up again. "But you know the rules, if she comes anywhere near my room…"
"Yes, yes, I know." Qui-Gon interrupted. He had heard the rules enough times. "Thank you, Master." He continued before walking towards his room and disappearing through the door, not before Master Dooku caught sight of another unwelcome visitor peeking around the corner.
"Maybe he'll grow out of it." Dooku muttered to himself hopefully.
. . .
35 years later
"Padawan!"
Obi-Wan turned around to find his Master walking towards him, looking strangely excited. I have a bad feeling about this… He thought to himself as Qui-Gon got closer. He could have been mistaken, but he could have sworn he saw something moving in his Master's big hands.
"Yes, Master?" Obi-Wan asked cautiously.
"Look what I found!" The older Jedi said full of enthusiasm.
A small frown appeared on Obi-Wan's face as his gaze drifted to his Master's hands again. He craned his neck slightly to get a better look only to stifle a yelp and take a small step backwards again. His gaze shot back to Qui-Gon's face, but the man didn't seem at all alarmed by the fact that he was holding a small reptilian creature in his hands. Obi-Wan's dismay only increased when his Master proceeded to place the creature in his hands.
Obi-Wan kept a wary eye on the grey-brown creature that was curling up in his hands.
"So?" Qui-Gon asked, looking at his Padawan expectantly.
"Um…" Obi-Wan glanced at his Master, "It's…" He hesitated slightly, trying to figure out what his Master wanted him to say, "cute?"
That must have been the correct response because Qui-Gon practically burst with joy. "I knew you'd like it!"
"Oh… yes…" Obi-Wan said slowly as he wondered how much longer he'd have to hold it for. The creature was starting to grab one of his fingers with a taloned claw.
"And yes Padawan, you can keep it." Qui-Gon patted his Padawan's shoulder encouragingly.
What? Obi-Wan glanced uncertainly at the creature in his hands. Keep it? Looking at his Master again though, Obi-Wan felt like the correct response was to just accept the creature. "Um… Thank you, Master?"
"You are very welcome." Qui-Gon said with a broad smile before turning and walking away again happily. I'm a good Master, Dooku would never have done that for me, he thought to himself proudly.
So, Obi-Wan was left standing there, holding some scaly creature in his hands, uncertain about what to do next. "What am I going to do with you, my little pathetic lifeform?" He asked the creature that was just sitting there, staring at him with big eyes.
Without warning the creature opened its mouth and a long slimy tongue shot out, catching a fly that had been hovering in front of Obi-Wan's face.
"Ah!" Obi-Wan cried quietly, jerking his head backwards.
"Master?" He called as he jogged to catch up with Qui-Gon, holding the creature out as far away from his face as possible. "Master!"
