All right, so I couldn't resist another baby Obi story. He's just so cute! This one kinda follows after my other story, "New Beginnings," which I'm currently revising, but it doesn't depend on it.
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Troublemaker, Part 1: My Mischievous Child
Laughter and shouts filled the garden as the children ran around playing. The initiate caretakers had taken some of the initiates out to one of the gardens to get some exercise and fresh air.
Sitting nearby was Master Qui-Gon Jinn. His future apprentice was among the group of frolicking children. Obi-Wan had made friends with most of the children he was now with, and Qui-Gon was very proud of his progress since recently moving in with the other initiates.
Qui-Gon had taken this opportunity to meditate in the peaceful environment of the open-air garden. The children's light laughter did not distract him but rather made the atmosphere all the more relaxing. He had finished a few minutes earlier and now watched the young ones at their games. After playtime he was going to take Obi-Wan to his quarters for a story before returning him for bedtime.
"All right, younglings, time to go inside," the initiates' Master called, and the children lined up as they had been taught.
Qui-Gon stood to fetch Obi-Wan. He was standing near a fountain watching the others file out until he noticed the Master approaching. "Come here, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon held out his arms, waiting for the boy to run to him as he always did.
Instead Obi-Wan watched him get closer. Just when Qui-Gon was in front of him and about to pick him up, Obi-Wan turned and dashed off into the foliage.
"Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon yelled in surprise and displeasure. "Come back here!"
"Catch me, Master!" he cried in his little high voice. Laughing, Obi-Wan disappeared into the bushes where Qui-Gon could not follow.
Qui-Gon could not help but smile as he shook his head. "You little troublemaker," he said as he took the long way around the clump of growing vegetation, easily following the boy's joyous laughter through the greenery. Obi-Wan was taking all the hidden paths etched between tall close shrubs and under low branches.
Obi-Wan careened down his path, childishly determined to keep out of Master Jinn's hands. He at last came to the point where his private road came out into the open. Before him was a clear blue creek that meandered throughout the flowerbeds and trees. "Uh oh," he said as he looked at the barrier. He turned around and saw Qui-Gon nearing him across the lawn. "Uh oh!" He looked around for an escape route, but he was blocked on all sides.
With his long strides, Qui-Gon was quickly to him. "I caught you, and now you will be punished," he said calmly. Instead of grabbing the boy before he bolted away, however, Qui-Gon got down and tickled him.
"Ah! No!" Obi-Wan fell to the ground laughing and trying unsuccessfully to get away.
Qui-Gon laughed too as Obi-Wan wriggled in his grasp pleading for mercy. It was when he noticed a pair of silver eyes watching them that he let the boy up.
"Hello, Bant," Qui-Gon said to the newcomer.
Obi-Wan stood up. "Hi, Bant!" He waved at her.
She smiled shyly and said, "Hi, Obi."
Qui-Gon knelt in front of her. "Shouldn't you be with the others? Your caregiver will worry about you."
"I know, Master Jinn, but I heard you over here and I was wondering if we would get to see Obi-Wan before bedtime," she explained.
"Of course you will, if he behaves himself." He gave Obi-Wan a mock menacing look, but Obi-Wan only beamed at them both.
Qui-Gon stood. "Now come along, both of you. We've got to take Bant back where she belongs."
They followed Qui-Gon inside and through the halls. Qui-Gon had to walk very slowly so he would not get ahead of the tired younglings. As they walked, Obi-Wan told Bant about the joke he had played on Master Jinn, making her laugh.
"Don't listen to him," Qui-Gon told her. "He's a very naughty boy."
They arrived at the initiates quarters and entered. Qui-Gon went to the Master who had been watching the children. "Master Trajun, I believe you have a wayward initiate, but here she is." Bant stepped forward on her cue.
"Oh, there you are, Bant. Thank you very much, Master Jinn." Trajun left to take care of Bant.
Qui-Gon turned to take Obi-Wan home, but the child was nowhere in sight. He stepped into the hall to find Obi-Wan halfway down the corridor running in the wrong direction and laughing.
"Obi-Wan!!"
******
Troublemaker, Part 1: My Mischievous Child
Laughter and shouts filled the garden as the children ran around playing. The initiate caretakers had taken some of the initiates out to one of the gardens to get some exercise and fresh air.
Sitting nearby was Master Qui-Gon Jinn. His future apprentice was among the group of frolicking children. Obi-Wan had made friends with most of the children he was now with, and Qui-Gon was very proud of his progress since recently moving in with the other initiates.
Qui-Gon had taken this opportunity to meditate in the peaceful environment of the open-air garden. The children's light laughter did not distract him but rather made the atmosphere all the more relaxing. He had finished a few minutes earlier and now watched the young ones at their games. After playtime he was going to take Obi-Wan to his quarters for a story before returning him for bedtime.
"All right, younglings, time to go inside," the initiates' Master called, and the children lined up as they had been taught.
Qui-Gon stood to fetch Obi-Wan. He was standing near a fountain watching the others file out until he noticed the Master approaching. "Come here, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon held out his arms, waiting for the boy to run to him as he always did.
Instead Obi-Wan watched him get closer. Just when Qui-Gon was in front of him and about to pick him up, Obi-Wan turned and dashed off into the foliage.
"Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon yelled in surprise and displeasure. "Come back here!"
"Catch me, Master!" he cried in his little high voice. Laughing, Obi-Wan disappeared into the bushes where Qui-Gon could not follow.
Qui-Gon could not help but smile as he shook his head. "You little troublemaker," he said as he took the long way around the clump of growing vegetation, easily following the boy's joyous laughter through the greenery. Obi-Wan was taking all the hidden paths etched between tall close shrubs and under low branches.
Obi-Wan careened down his path, childishly determined to keep out of Master Jinn's hands. He at last came to the point where his private road came out into the open. Before him was a clear blue creek that meandered throughout the flowerbeds and trees. "Uh oh," he said as he looked at the barrier. He turned around and saw Qui-Gon nearing him across the lawn. "Uh oh!" He looked around for an escape route, but he was blocked on all sides.
With his long strides, Qui-Gon was quickly to him. "I caught you, and now you will be punished," he said calmly. Instead of grabbing the boy before he bolted away, however, Qui-Gon got down and tickled him.
"Ah! No!" Obi-Wan fell to the ground laughing and trying unsuccessfully to get away.
Qui-Gon laughed too as Obi-Wan wriggled in his grasp pleading for mercy. It was when he noticed a pair of silver eyes watching them that he let the boy up.
"Hello, Bant," Qui-Gon said to the newcomer.
Obi-Wan stood up. "Hi, Bant!" He waved at her.
She smiled shyly and said, "Hi, Obi."
Qui-Gon knelt in front of her. "Shouldn't you be with the others? Your caregiver will worry about you."
"I know, Master Jinn, but I heard you over here and I was wondering if we would get to see Obi-Wan before bedtime," she explained.
"Of course you will, if he behaves himself." He gave Obi-Wan a mock menacing look, but Obi-Wan only beamed at them both.
Qui-Gon stood. "Now come along, both of you. We've got to take Bant back where she belongs."
They followed Qui-Gon inside and through the halls. Qui-Gon had to walk very slowly so he would not get ahead of the tired younglings. As they walked, Obi-Wan told Bant about the joke he had played on Master Jinn, making her laugh.
"Don't listen to him," Qui-Gon told her. "He's a very naughty boy."
They arrived at the initiates quarters and entered. Qui-Gon went to the Master who had been watching the children. "Master Trajun, I believe you have a wayward initiate, but here she is." Bant stepped forward on her cue.
"Oh, there you are, Bant. Thank you very much, Master Jinn." Trajun left to take care of Bant.
Qui-Gon turned to take Obi-Wan home, but the child was nowhere in sight. He stepped into the hall to find Obi-Wan halfway down the corridor running in the wrong direction and laughing.
"Obi-Wan!!"