Archive: master_apprentice and Jedi Moon, others ask, please
Category: PWP, humor
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
Summary: Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon go on vacation. Just a brief
interlude inspired by my own vacation plans. May be expanded
later.
Feedback: yes, please, any comments welcome. It's my first,
though, so be gentle. ;)
The two Jedi knights walked along the path, surrounded on all
sides. They were constantly jostled as they walked along, were
constantly having to move to avoid small children who appeared
suddenly in their path, transfixed by the magical obelisk in
the distance. The adults were just as bad, coming to a sudden
stop in the path, raising their recording devices to their
eyes, and gazing rapturously through their lenses at the
gleaming prize.
The riot of color and noise (some of it apparently music, most
of it attributable to the people) was almost too much to bear.
Every signpost, every street light, every merchant's door, was
strung with greenery and colored lights, flashing in time to
the music. The children trailed balloons behind them, sucking
on sticky confections, while their parents struggled to carry
the tired little ones in their arms and on their shoulders.
There was a sense of overwrought hilarity, a sense that no
matter how tired one was, how ill from too many sweets or how
overwhelmed by the crowds and sensory overload, that you could
not stop until you reached the top of the hill. Adults
chastised their whining children, and pulled them along, hardly
looking behind to see if they had left their feet.
"What planet did you say this was, Padawan?" Qui-Gon Jinn
asked.
"The natives call it Earth, Master," Obi-Wan answered
distractedly, suddenly shifting his feet to avoid a child who
stopped in his path and gazed up at him in wonder. He just as
suddenly realized that the child was gazing not at him, but at
a man-sized animal--some sort of duck, perhaps--standing just
behind his left shoulder and speaking in an incomprehensible
language.
Qui-Gon looked around at the crowd in distaste. "Is it
all like this?"
"Well, no, sir," Obi-Wan answered, ducking his head to avoid
being struck by an ice cream bar being wielded by a child
riding on the shoulders of a large man wearing a shirt with a
cartoon of a mouse on its front. "As I understand it, most of
the planet is a little more subdued."
"Is this some festival, then? Are all these people coming to
pay tribute to a king? Some other ruler, perhaps?"
"Um, well, no, Master, not that I've been told. Although the
purpose is similar, I suppose, in some respects." Obi-Wan
turned his head so that his Master wouldn't see him smile. He
was enjoying this immensely. The older Jedi's confusion was
pleasing him at the moment. It happened so rarely. But yes,
this was somewhat different.
As they traveled from planet to planet, protecting those who
were unable to protect themselves, fighting battles in
far-flung galaxies, meeting with trade federations on behalf of
the Jedi council, they'd seen many strange and unusual things.
Many native cultures worshiped strange objects, and it wasn't
unheard of to find a culture which celebrated simply for the
joy of celebration, taking any excuse to move out into the
streets and dance. And, of course, they had attended many
coronations and royal weddings, and this had the feel of one of
those--the feel that the people were being carried along by a
force larger than themselves, one that they were powerless to
resist.
"I still cannot understand why the Council sent us here,
Padawan."
"You told them yourself that we needed a rest after D'Nah,
Master. You asked if we could be spared another assignment
until we'd had time to recuperate from the last one. You said
we needed to spend some time together, alone, to . . .
train." He turned his head again, smirking. His Master
didn't like to be reminded of how they were forced to hide
their true relationship from the rest of the Council for fear
of disapproval or retribution. If the Council became aware of
their Soul Bond, it would no doubt seek to separate them,
sending them to different planets, perhaps, or at least find
assignments that would keep them apart for long periods of
time.
Since they had discovered their love for one another some
months ago, such separation was unthinkable. And although they
were Jedi, trained to hide every emotion, it was almost
impossible to keep the Force that moved between them damped
down enough that it was not apparent to those who would judge
them.
They came to a complete stop suddenly, as a parade wound its
way across the street in front of them, a parade made up of
huge electrical beasts, carriages and vehicles, all of them
filled with strange, brightly-colored animals and beautiful
young men and women, all smiling and waving. The spectacle
momentarily blotted out the sight of the edifice in the
distance, its spires and pinnacles sparkling in the
seemingly-endless sunlight.
Qui-Gon motioned with his hand impatiently, gesturing at the
crowd. "I know all that! What I'm asking you is, why here? Why
not somewhere quiet? Why couldn't we have gone where
I wanted to go--that little resort on Kerreth IV we went
to that time would have been perfect--those lovely secluded
beaches, lying out at night under the full moons, feeling the
waves wash over us . . ." He drifted off wistfully. "I quite
liked the food there, too. Everything here seems . . .
sticky," he ended petulantly as he peeled a piece of
taffy from the sleeve of his robe, deposited there by a
flaxen-haired boy in a hat sporting huge, round ears.
"Instead, here we are, in this stiflingly hot place, surrounded
by people in silly costumes . . . I ask again, Obi-Wan, why
here?"
Deftly avoiding tripping over a tiny girl tethered to her
mother by some sort of harness and leash contraption, and
diplomatically refraining from mentioning that among this
crowd, their Jedi robes undoubtedly looked like silly
costumes, Obi-Wan pulled a well-worn piece of parchment out
of his sleeve and held it out. "Well, Sir, according to Master
Yoda, it's The Happiest Place on Earth."
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