sparky // a padawan story

chapter 21. guidance.

Our ship lands in the Jedi Temple hangar and I skip out towards Obi-Wan, who stood there waiting for us. 

"Hey, Obi-Wan!"

"Hello, dear," he says as he holds out an arm for a side hug. I hug him with both arms anyway, and he rubs my back as I let go. Ahsoka and Anakin exit the ship. "Come along, then, you two must go and brief the Council."

Anakin smirks. "Wait until they have to explain the part where they convinced untrained children that they could break into a government warehouse, and then—" 

"I'm sorry, they what?" Obi-Wan questions scoldingly. 

"That's not how it went!" I defend. Obi-Wan and Anakin raise their eyebrows at me. "...Not exactly."

"But, hey, it worked out, did it not?" Ahsoka chimes in. 

"Barely," Anakin mutters as the four of us walk into the temple together. 

—

"I hate briefings," I mutter as Obi-Wan walks me out of the High Council Chamber. 

"I know. But it is necessary."

"I know, I know. But they're still boring."

"I can guarantee you that your story was not boring for us. It sounds like you had quite the few days."
I nod. "Satine sends her regards, by the way."

"Arlo, I hope you didn't—"

"I didn't call you her boyfriend to her face... just in my head, I did."

He rolls his eyes. "Speaking of, who was this Korkie you spoke of when I called you?"

"Oh! Uh, he's Satine's nephew, like I said."

"I know, you told me. Are you two friends?"

"Yes, I'd say we are."

He smiles. "Well, it's always good to have someone outside of all of this to be able to rely on." I nod in agreement. "Are you hungry?"

"Very."

"Then let us get lunch." We walk off side by side to the mess hall and sit across from Anakin and Ashoka, who were already eating. Two bowls of nuna gumbo are placed in front of us, which I start eating immediately. 

"So briefing went well?" Anakin asks Ashoka and I. We nod as we eat. "Obi-Wan? Did it actually go well?"

"Yes, I believe it did," he answers.

Anakin nods in approval. "Good job, you two."

"Thanks, Master," Ashoka says, who sits directly across from me. "So, you miss Korkie yet, Lo?" She winks. 

"Well of course I do, he's my friend."

"Are you sure it's not because... well, you know." She winks again. 

Obi-Wan gives me a suspicious glance. "You know what?"

"Korkie likes her." Obi-Wan's eyes widen and he begins poking at his food while my face begins to burn. Anakin's eyebrows raise in amusement. "He kissed her." Obi-Wan, who had just taken a bite of his gumbo, nearly chokes on it. Anakin begins to wheeze with laughter while my master wipes his mouth with his napkin. 

"My hand!" I defend as I bury my face in the palms of my hands. "He kissed my hand. That's not a kiss."

"It's basically the Jedi equivalent," Ahsoka says. Anakin continues to wheeze with laughter. "And you didn't deny when I asked if you—"

"Yes I did!"

"No, you said—"

"Soka!"

"Fine, sure, whatever you say." She winks dramatically once again. I roll my eyes jokingly. She then spots Barriss from across the hall. "Oh, there's Barriss! Let's go say hi!" The two of us get up and walk up to Barriss. I start to feel not as hungry anymore even though I had barely ate. I kind of just wanted to go. I nudge Ahsoka.