It's been nearly a full school term since I've updated. I'm so sorry!
I've been really busy with school with exams of DOOM!. Not to mention a friend introduced me to Death Note… needless to say, I obsessed like a fangirl over that for the longest amount of time.
It took a PM from Annethy to get my muse back into gear. Thank you so much, as I was in quite a fix over what to do for that particular aspect of Jedi Alchemist. And it was not a dumb idea:D
Also taking into consideration is my would-be survival of the Central Coast Disaster. Which was a pain in the neck, for power decided to commit suicide for a long while. And the water… I mean, sure, us Australians have been suffering from a drought for yonks, but we didn't need to be flooded under up to 11.4 metres of water (in some areas around the Hunter Region). The ground is still trying to dry out.
For the usual jazz:
Pairings: Ed/Win, Anakin/Padmé and maybe Al will have a special someone sometime… Here I say: Master, for the love of God, I'm not going to try and write Anakin/Gunray/Grievous. Very… imaginative threesome, though. Where in the world did it spring from?
Warnings: Spoilers for the series up until episode twenty four. Things may change, as I'm rewatching the series at the moment. In fact, to be on the safe side, spoilers for throughout the series!
Disclaimer: No own. I can dream, however...
Thank you all to my reviewers!! Mustard Gal, Lunatic Pandora1, shinigami109, getuo6, Annethy, Shadewolf7, chris and soupcan! I love you all, and give you muffins!
The Jedi Alchemist
Chapter 5- To Acquire Transport
The echoes and whirs of the transports had begun to fade into the distance when the two Jedi, two alchemists and one annoying Gungan came to a halt in front of a murky swamp.
Jar Jar bent over, panting, as Qui Gon scrutinized their surroundings thoroughly, checking for any signs of danger. The Force was silent. The old Jedi couldn't tell if that was good or bad. Things were so unclear…
Ed was eying his covered-in-muck-and-slime-and-who-knew-what boots, disgust clearly showing on his face. And add to the fact that Al was screeching from the waist down everytime he so much as bent his knees to take a step…
It was safe (or not) to say that the Fullmetal Alchemist was annoyed beyond all hell.
"Is it much farther?" he managed to ask politely, gritting his teeth to keep from screaming and destroying the closest alien in a fit of frustration. Al admired his control… any other place, and his whirlwind of a brother would have the closest harmless individual in a headlock.
"Wesa goen under water, okeyday?" Jar Jar replied, and started wading into the filthy swamp.
"No, not okay!" Ed smothered his screech. Instead, his voice came out sounding like a breathy half-scream.
"Whie?" Jar Jar stopped, turned and asked, crab-eyes wide with stupid-induced confusion.
"Your droid-"
"His name is Al and he's not a robot!" Ed yelled at the Padawan, losing his cool (who could blame him, really?) for a fraction a second.
Obi Wan glared at him. "Al then… him being a suit of armour will pose some problems from here." He turned to Qui Gon. "What if we were to follow Jar Jar to the Gungan city, and then return for Edward's brother?"
The Jedi nodded thoughtfully. "That could work…"
"Uhm… about that…" Ed interrupted, looking sheepish now.
"Brother can't swim either," Al interjected helpfully. "He has automail limbs."
"Which means what, exactly?" Qui Gon narrowed his eyes, unwilling to fall victim to anymore of the brothers' 'surprises'.
Ed sighed dejectedly and yanked the mud-smeared glove from his automail hand, and flashed the sparkling metal in the sunlight peeking through the vines, to get his point across. "I lost my arm and leg in an accident when I was younger. The same accident that made Al as he is, as a matter of fact."
Obi Wan stared in honest disbelief, as his master brushed the news off with a half-grumble. "It looks as if we will be visiting the Gungan city and then returning for the two of you."
"That sounds good, mister Qui Gon," Al offered timidly, shifting a little.
"You better come back for us," Ed threatened. "Or I'll hunt you down and-"
"Do what, brother?" Al cut in, annoyed now. "Those shiny silver tube-things can slice through anything you can create with alchemy."
"Alll…" Ed whined in response.
"My warning yous," Jar Jar said, loudly. He was still confused, and felt that he should put something intelligent-sounding into the conversation. "Gungans no liking outsiders. Don't espect a warm welcome."
The two Jedi stepped into the water, Obi Wan pulling a face as it soaked through his boots. Jar Jar dived.
Ed folded his arms as their new traveling companions pulled some sort of metal breathing devices of their utility belts and ducked underwater.
"This has to be the worst death ever," he declared.
Gungans of all sizes scattered as Jar Jar Binks passed through the portal to the outside underwater world. A few youngsters even screamed as they saw the convict was followed into peaceful Otah Gunga by two tall humans… humans!
An alarm was instantly raised, and the intruders were surrounded by guards wielding fierce-looking shock sticks. Jar Jar greeted one of them, much to Qui Gon's amazement; the bearded Gungan was regarding the younger with open hostility.
"Heylo-dalee, Captin Tarpals! Mesa back," Jar Jar stated happily, not troubled in the slightest, disregarding the fact that he was trapped.
Tarpals glared at him. "Noah gain, Jar Jar. Yousa goen to da Bosses. Yousa in big doo-doo dis time." He poked the Gungan with his shock stick to emphasize his point.
Jar Jar acknowledged it. He drooped visibly, muttering about rude people, as he and the two Jedi were led to the Bosses.
Obi Wan had to admit, he found the entire Gungan race repulsive. He didn't mean to sound racist, not even in his own head, it was just… by the Force, they were stupid and kept disgusting habits. The Boss himself was the worst: nearly every time he spoke, he gurgled and slobbered onto the floor.
Qui Gon was likely to reprimand him if he didn't keep his mind focused on the matter at hand, in any case. He didn't want to be caught making a youngling's mistake.
"Yousa cannot bees hair," Boss Nass was saying to the elder of the Jedi. The rest of his council were glowering and trying to look as imposing as possible, but all attention in the room was fixed on the war of words between the human and Boss.
"Dis army of makineeks up dare tis new weesong!" he continued, making no sense whatsoever to the Padawan.
"That droid army is about to attack the Naboo," Qui Gon argued and put his hands on his hips. "We must warn them."
"Wesa no like da Naboo. Un dey no like uss-ens. Da Naboo tink day smartey den us-ens. Day tink deir brains so big." The Boss was more stubborn than the blond teenager, Edward, in Obi Wan's opinion.
"After those droids take control of the surface, they will take control of you," the young Jedi found himself saying, vexed at Nass's lack of cooperation.
"Misa no tink so," the Boss turned his ray of stubborn-ness on the Padawan. "Da makineeks no comen here! Dey not know of uss-en."
This called for a scientific statement of some description to back up his argument. "You and the Naboo form a symbiont circle. What happens to one of you will affect the other, you must understand this."
"Wesa wish no nutten in yousa tings, outlander, and wesa no care-n about da Naboo," Nass declared. Obi Wan held in a sigh of irritation.
Qui Gon waved his hand, discreetly using Force-suggestion. "Then speed us on our way."
The Boss leaned forward, a nasty sneer on his face. "Wesa gonna speed yousaway."
"We'll need a transport," the Jedi Master hinted, sounding as if he was commenting on the weather.
"Wesa give yousa una bongo. Da speediest way tooda Naboo is goen through-" the great lump of an alien leered unpleasantly at him. "…da Core. Now go."
Qui Gon bowed. "Thank you for your help. We go in peace."
Obi Wan held in relief as Qui Gon turned, and nodded for him to lead the way out. He complied happily.
"Master, what's a bongo?" he asked.
Qui Gon looked somewhat puzzled. "A transport, I hope." He paused, and Obi Wan ceased walking a heart beat later. He turned to find Qui Gon looking at a chained and dejected Jar Jar. His heart sank.
No! We just got rid of the Gungan, Master! His child-like self yelled.
"Dazen setten yousa up. Goen through da planet core is bad bombin!" Jar Jar informed the older Jedi woefully. He looked around and looked noticeably cowed at the angry stares being sent his way. "Uhh… any hep heire would be hut."
"We are short of time," Obi Wan reminded before his Master got any wild ideas.
Qui Gon nodded absently. "We'll need a navigator to get us through the planet's core," he said. Obi Wan slumped inwardly. Too late… "This Gungan may be of help." He walked back towards the platform and spoke directly to Boss Nass.
"What is to become of Jar Jar Binks here?"
Nass smirked, almost evilly. "Binkss broken the nocombackie law. Hisen to be… pune-ished." Jar Jar swallowed visibly.
Qui Gon ignored the threat. "He has been a great help to us. I hope the punishment will not be too severe."
The huge Gungan grinned. "Pounded to death."
Jar Jar cowered, grimacing. "Oooh, ouchie!"
"We need a navigator to get us through the planet's core. I saved Jar Jar Bink's life. He owes me what you call a 'life-debt'." Qui Gon chose his words carefully. He needed to sound as if he could take the nuisance away and never let him return.
"Binkss." Jar Jar looked up at the direct use of his name. "Yousa havena lifeplay wis dissen hisen?"
The Gungan nodded quickly.
"Your gods demand that his life belongs to me now." It was the icing on the cake.
Nass nodded in begrudging agreement. "Hisen live tis yos, outlander. Begone wit him."
Obi Wan couldn't help but think that Edward was going to chuck a hissy fit when he saw Jar Jar. Like the Padawan, Ed had been hoping that the annoying alien would be left behind with his own kind. Apparently not.
"I suddenly have a bad feeling…" Al piped up, stopping Ed in his tracks. The blond teen was pacing - sloshing, really - back and forth on the edge of the swamp, almost wearing a groove in the mud.
"What d'you mean, Al?"
The armour shrugged. "I don't know… just bad. You know that saying, when someone walks over your grave?"
"Al, I'm willing to bet we don't have graves for people to walk over."
Alphonse shrugged a second time. "It's just a feeling, anyway."
Just a feeling.
Sorry, this chapter was really just a filler-in. Hopefully things'll get more interesting soon.
Also, if anyone wants a translation of Gungan words/phrases, just ask, and I should be able to send you back the Gunganese in English.
Please review! Like or hate, I would like to know!