Guardian | Obi-wan's new padawan

Chapter 13: Gardens and Diners

No matter how impossible it sometimes seemed, there was always a time during the day when Coruscant was blissfully quiet. Surprisingly, it wasn't at night, and it most certainly wasn't during the day either.

But there was this specific hour, right before sundown, when the sun would start sinking towards the horizon and coloured the sky in millions of orange and pink shades, when workers headed home to their families and enjoyed a homemade meal, and when the people that ruled the night were still enjoying the bliss of their beds. It was way too early to be out after all.

And so, the traffic slowed, the noises of chatter and the bustle of people receded, and the scents that wafted up from the levels down below decided to take a break, leaving the sky clear.

It was during this time that I always found myself in my favourite place of the temple, the gardens. It was one of the few places on the planet that had naturally growing flora, the place littered with little ponds filled with glittering fishes and corals. And in the middle, right by the largest pond, was a huge tree surrounded by flowers. Its roots burrowed deep into the ground, moss peeking out from between them, making it look as if someone had taken green paint and slathered the roots with it.

It was in stark contrast with the top of the tree. It had grown cold during this time of year, the cold air turning the leaves bright yellow and orange, with red sprinkled in between. It was like someone had set the top of the tree on fire, the flames billowing with every gust of wind.

The grass was crisp after another cold day, the blades tickling in between my toes as I sat between the roots, my back against the moss-covered bark. The sweet scent of the flowers flitted past my nose, and as the sun sank lower and lower, and the world quieted, I could feel something akin to what I'd always been able to feel on Pandora. My connection to the planet, going deeper than even the lowest levels imaginable, to the very core where I was tethered. And there, everyone, everything, was connected, like an intricate web of energies.

I plucked at one of the strands, and it thrummed as one of the fish in the pond jumped above the surface, droplets of water glistening in the light. Another strand, and one of the blades between my toes brushed past a particularly ticklish spot, making me smile.

I really loved this place.

It wasn't long before I'd plucked at most of the strands from the garden, creating my own little bubble. I could feel everything. The insects burrowing beneath the earth and between the roots of the trees. The cool water as it flowed past the sleek scales of the fish. The weight of a bird as it perched on a branch above me. The breeze that made the flowers and fragile leaves shake.

I exhaled slowly and the entire garden rippled, like it had released a content sigh.

But... something was missing.

It was like there was a hole in my bubble, and no matter how many times I tried, I was never able to fill it. I'd searched and searched the web, but I never found the missing connection. It was like it had been ripped out of the planet, only the faintest trace of it lingering behind.

And it left the garden feeling... empty...

It was then that a speeder zipped past, its engine going full throttle, and I yelped as I was harshly pulled out of my meditation. The change was sudden, making the bird above me squawk and fly off, feathers falling down in its haste. The fish flitted through the water nervously, disturbing the surface that had been like glass before, and the grass stiffened beneath my feet.

I heaved a sigh, willing my heart to slow down from the rude awakening, and my tail to relax.

"Stupid kriffing speeders." I muttered, rubbing my face as the fur on my arms laid back down.