| Title: One Apprentice, One Pathway #2: Hidden (Part Seven) Author: Ginger Ninja ***** Obi-Wan slowly opened his eyes. For the first time in a very long time, he was dry and warm and it felt good. He didn't particularly want to wake up but something told him it was time to greet the world. "Obi-Wan? Are you awake?" The voice prompted Obi-Wan to open his eyes fully. He was lying on his side, on a very comfortable bed in a small, well lit room and was face to face with a very relieved yet tired looking Qui-Gon. "How are you feeling?" Obi-Wan thought about it for a moment before answering his Master. His chest ached but not nearly as badly as it had been, he was nice and warm and very sleepy. "I'm OK," he settled on saying. Qui-Gon sat on the edge of Obi-Wan's bed and placed his large hand over Obi-Wan's smaller hands. "I'm so very glad," Qui-Gon said. "You've been asleep for two days you know. It's about time you woke up." "Two days?" Obi-Wan echoed. "Yes Padawan, two days. You were in a bacta tank for one of those and the other you were just being your usual, sleepy self," Qui-Gon said, smiling at Obi-Wan's surprised look. Qui-Gon helped Obi-Wan sit up. "Is Kyrana OK?" Obi-Wan asked once he was sitting up comfortably, leaning on his Master slightly, more for reassurance that this wasn't a dream rather than needing support to sit. "She's still asleep but she'll be fine," Qui-Gon assured. "Master Lena has been very worried about her. Do you know what happened?" "I do," Obi-Wan said a little hesitantly. "But I don't think it's up to me to tell you or Master Lena." Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon. "I hope you don't mind." "Of course not," Qui-Gon said, smiling. "I'm sure Kyrana will tell us when she is good and ready." Obi-Wan smiled back but halfway through the smile, he began to yawn. He snuggled a little closer to Qui-Gon and closed his eyes. "I guess the council must be wondering where we are," Obi-Wan muttered sleepily. "Oh don't worry about them, Master Lena and I took care of it," Qui-Gon replied. "I must say, the report for this mission will need some contribution from you." "Sure, whatever," Obi-Wan said with a yawn, too tired to disagree. "OK, who are you and what have you done with the real Obi-Wan Kenobi?" Qui-Gon said jokingly. "Are you sure you're OK Padawan? It's most unlike you to just agree to helping me write mission reports like that." "I'm just saying that for effect. I assure you Master I have absolutely no intention of giving in that easily. Now do you think you could stop going on for just a minute so I could get some sleep?" "I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Repressing a sigh and opening one eye, Obi-Wan saw Master Lena standing at the doorway. She was holding a cup of coffee in one hand and her other rested lightly on one hip. Her tail swung gently behind her. "Of course not Lena," Qui-Gon replied. "How is Kyrana doing?" "Oh, well she's..." The cup of coffee in Lena's hand suddenly dropped to the floor and shattered to pieces, startling Obi-Wan out of his doze. Lena's face held an expression of panic but her eyes were distant. "Lena?" Qui-Gon called to the spaced out Master. Lena shook her head and blinked. "I'm sorry," she said, turning her eyes to Qui-Gon. "I must get to Kyrana. I..." she looked at the smashed cup on the floor. Indicating at it she looked back at Qui-Gon. "Could you...?" "Yes, I'll sort it out. Now go to Kyrana. She obviously needs you," Qui-Gon said Lena dashed out without another word. Using the Force, Qui-Gon soon cleaned up the mess without leaving Obi-Wan's side. "I wonder what's wrong with Kyrana," Obi-Wan mused aloud without opening his eyes. "I hope she's OK." "I'm sure she'll be all right," Qui-Gon said. "But for now Obi-Wan just worry about yourself. Get some more sleep." "Yes Master," Obi-Wan replied and fell asleep once again in Qui-Gon's arms. ***** The nearer Lena got to Kyrana's room, the louder her Padawan's screams seemed to get. When she stood outside the room, the sounds of loud bangs and crashes accompanied the yells. //Master! Master! Please make him go away! Make him leave me alone!// Lena opened the door and a ripple in the Force told her to duck. The Master managed to miss being hit in the head by a flying chair. 'What the...?' Lena stepped into the darkened room and saw Kyrana huddled up on her bed, pressed as far back into the corner as she could get herself. On the floor cowered a male Elmvanian Healer amidst blankets, needles, charts and many other objects that belonged on shelves and beds. Lena turned to the Healer first. "Perhaps you should leave us for a moment," she advised gently to the terrified Healer, who nodded and dashed out of the war zone like room as fast as his long tentacles could carry him. Lena approached her Padawan quickly and quietly. "Kyrana?" she asked the trembling girl quietly. "Kyrana what happened?" "H-he w-was trying to hurt me!" the girl cried out hysterically. "He was going to..." //Kyrana, I mean before. When you were on the ship.// Kyrana turned to her Master. "I..." Kyrana started sobbing. Lena swept her Padawan up in a hug. "It was terrible," Kyrana whispered into her Master's robes. "It's OK, you can tell me," Lena assured, holding the young girl close. "No matter what it is you can tell me. I won't be angry." "You w-won't b-be mad at me?" Kyrana said, sounding like a young child. "E-even after all the b-bad things I-I did? Y-you won't abandon me?" "Kyrana why would I do such a thing?" Lena asked. "I love you. No matter what happens I'll always be here for you." "I know Master," Kyrana said. "It's just I-I'm not the same as I was. You don't mind that I'm different now? You'll still love me?" "Of course not," Lena assured the girl. "I will *never* stop loving you Kyrana. Now, why don't you tell me every thing? I can help you." Composing her self, Kyrana began to tell her Master everything. By the time she had told her entire story, Kyrana was sobbing in her Master's arms. "Shall I call the Healer back in now?" Lena asked, winking at Kyrana. "I think we need to clean up this mess." "OK. But Master? Is it OK if the Healer is a female? It's just I don't..." "Of course Kyrana," Lena understood immediately. "I'll sort it out in a minute." Kyrana felt so used. She simply wasn't comfortable around any male Elmvanians. Kyrana felt as though she couldn't trust them. She had been hurt and now she was wary of them all, even though none of the men around her now had been the ones who had done this to her. All Kyrana wanted was to feel how she had before. But she knew that wasn't possible. So Kyrana knew she had to change too. "Master," Kyrana said, eventually pulling out her Lena's embrace and looking into her Master's eyes with a determined look. "There's something I must do." Then she added, "Promise me something." "What Padawan?" "Remember how I was before," she told her Master and then allowed herself to be pulled back into her Master's awaiting arms. Lena didn't understand what Kyrana meant but she trusted in her Padawan and knew that she meant nothing dangerous. "I promise." Kyrana smiled and rested more easily in her Master's arms. Lena rubbed the girl's back until Kyrana too was sleeping safe and sound in her Master's arms. ***** Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Lena stood a little way away from Kyrana on top of the windy hill just outside Tonir's city. Obi-Wan, who was still recovering from his injuries and hypothermia, was leaning slightly on Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon had a protective arm wrapped around the boy's shoulder. Lena watched Kyrana a short distance away but did not support her. Lena stood away from her Padawan. This was something Kyrana had to do alone. The hill on which they stood was usually reserved especially for the Section Rulers as a place to come for quiet thought and reflection. Past Section Ruler's were buried here, even Moeren. But Tonir and Suo had agreed to let the Jedi use it. The Sectioned Army had found the Section Rulers not long after Lena had told the Vices that the Jedi had seen them. The kidnappers were from Moeren's section and had been arrested, as were all of the other men working under the former Section Ruler. Yashan now stood as the Section Ruler in Moeren's place. The Misfits were now welcome and it was decided that soon there wouldn't even be Sections. Everyone would be free to live wherever they wanted to live. Atop the windy memorial hill, Kyrana stood alone at the very peak. In her right hand she held her lightsaber. In her left she gripped her long, red hair to stop it blowing around in the breeze. She activated her lightsaber; the long blade the light orange, almost yellow colour of early morning sunrise and held out her hair. Closing her eyes and holding her Padawan braid between her teeth, she hacked off her long hair, leaving it at a length that was just reached her earlobes. She deactivated her lightsaber and put her left hand out. She opened her palm and the hair she held spilled out and was caught up by the wind. It was a symbolic gesture of letting go of the past. Kyrana returned to the others and smiled for the first time in a long time. Obi-Wan forced himself not to gawk. She was really, really pretty! "W-w-wow Kyrana!" he stuttered, blushing hard. "You look beautiful." Kyrana smiled at him. She left her Master's side and carefully hugged Obi-Wan, mindful that he was still a little sore. "Thanks for saving me Obi-Wan," she whispered in his ear. "I owe you my life." Obi-Wan's cheeks reddened further and he grinned back at her nervously. "Y-you're welcome," he whispered back. Then the Padawans returned to their Master's and left the gusty hill behind. ***** "But Master! Why do I have to have them now?" Qui-Gon looked at Obi-Wan sympathetically. He knew the boy wasn't fond of having shots but these were really necessary and Qui-Gon didn't want to see Obi-Wan sick again. It always worried him far too much. Just before they had left for Coruscant, the Jedi had received a message from the council informing them of a mini-epidemic of some disease or another that was ravaging through the Temple's human population. It was recommended that the foursome be vaccinated before they arrived. "You'll just have to put up with it won't you Obi-Wan. And besides, you're long overdue for your fifteen-year vaccinations. We haven't been at the temple long enough for them to give you them. You can have those while you're here too. Besides, you'll be thanking me when you see what kind of symptoms some of these illnesses have. I'm sure you wouldn't want to be trapped in a Healers ward for several long weeks unable to talk to or see any of your friends because you were so contagious now would you?" Obi-Wan grumbled a bit more and watched with increasing nervousness as an Elmvanian Healer prepared the jabs. When Obi-Wan saw the Healer blow dust off one bottle, he lost all his cool and began to slowly make his way off the sleep couch. "And just where do you think you're off too young man?" Qui-Gon asked, grabbing hold of Obi-Wan's braid. "You are having these shots whether you like it or not." Obi-Wan tried to squirm away but to no avail. "I. Do. Not. Want. Any. Jabs." He said, making each word sound like its own sentence. He resumed his wriggle for freedom. Qui-Gon laughed. He knew Obi-Wan wasn't fond of shots but this was the first time the boy had ever tried to escape. "You are having them Obi-Wan and you are having them now." "Ha!" Obi-Wan cheered as he found himself suddenly free. "Ha ha! I won't have any needles stuck in me now!" Obi-Wan made it as far as the door. He was suddenly so tired... He turned around to face his Master, a look of confusion on his face. "You better not be doing what I think you're doing," he informed his Master, shaking his head to clear the fluff that was collecting in his mind. "I am Padawan and you will be having your shots," Qui-Gon informed Obi-Wan smugly. He walked over to Obi-Wan and caught the boy just as his legs gave out beneath him. "Don't you worry Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon told the drowsy boy. "When you wake up it'll all be over." Obi-Wan struggled to keep his eyes open. "You...are...going to regret...this," he muttered and the fell fast asleep. Qui-Gon put Obi-Wan back on the sleep couch. "It's for your own good," he told his slumbering Padawan. Qui-Gon held Obi-Wan in his arms and rolled up Obi-Wan's sleeves, all ready for the needles. The Healer came over with a tray of syringes and looked at Obi-Wan. "Did you sedate him?" she asked, looking amused. "Is he really that bad?" Qui-Gon grinned. "You have no idea!" ***** "And he actually knocked you out?" Kyrana and Obi-Wan sat together in Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon's cabin on the cruiser home. Obi-Wan was telling her his version of what had happened at the Healer's. "Yeah, can you believe it? Talk about unfair!" Obi-Wan said. "I'm like 'Master I've had these jabs anyway.' And Qui-Gon's all like," Obi-Wan cleared his throat and then did an imitation of his Master's voice. " 'So? Another jab or two won't hurt.' And then he just knocked me out! Force! Master's these days just don't respect us Padawans!" Kyrana giggled at Obi-Wan. She too had had her injections on Elmvanis but like most normal people, they hadn't bothered her at all. Plus she'd heard Qui-Gon's version of the entire story and found it much more plausible. But Obi-Wan's version was good for a laugh. "But you know Obi-Wan," she said, looking at him with a sly grin. "You'll be thanking Master Qui-Gon when you don't get sick." Obi-Wan said nothing. He just picked up a nearby pillow and threw it at her. ***** Qui-Gon and Lena were enjoying a peaceful cup of tea. "How is Kyrana doing?" Lena smiled. "She'll be fine. We're going to be speaking to a counsellor at the temple but I'm certain she'll make a full recovery." "I'm very glad for you. It seems strange sometimes," Qui-Gon said. "They seem so fragile but they constantly surprise you and show you how strong and mature they truly are." "Indeed they do," Lena agreed. The two Master's sipped at their tea. Everything was calm, quiet and... "Ahhhhhhh!!!!! Get off me!" "Ha ha! Serves you right for being such a baby!" "Aw come on! It would be wrong for me to fight a girl. I might hurt you." "What was that? You hurt me? Oh you're in for it now Kenobi!" Qui-Gon and Lena shared a confused look. Whatever was going on back there? The Masters' placed their teacups on the worktop in front of them a went to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's cabin. In side they found two Padawan's holding a pillowcase each and a lot of feathers. Kyrana had Obi-Wan pinned down and was pummelling him with her pillow. Obi-Wan was the first to realise they weren't alone. "Oh Kyrana..." When the pair saw the mess they had made, they offered their Master's big grins. Lena and Qui-Gon shared a look. Both rolled their eyes. What was that about mature...? "Kids!" they said simultaneously and walked out. ***End*** |
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