Redemption

BONUS CHAPTER TWO:

[FT: Padawan!Obi, set Pre-Episode I]

[This fic will be ignoring the origins of Bruck and Obi-Wan for the purposes it needs to serve. Just know, if you don't already, that Bruck tormented him for years.]

Opal Stone bowed low as her Master nodded, clearly satisfied with how well her combat training had gone. Despite the fact she'd been far too old to be taken in as an Initiate when her parents had died, Mace Windu had been good friends with Parker and Lorelei and thus held a soft spot for their daughter. That respect he held for her parents carried through to her when he realized her potential in The Force and how resilient she was.

"That will be all for today, Padawan. You may go." He instructed. "We will return at daybreak to practice your Makashi. Understand?"

Opal nodded in reply. "Yes Master. Good evening." Her voice was soft as she fled the room, intending on making it back to her bunk before she could run into any of the other Masters or their Padawans. She was desperate to see Obi-Wan, but he was most likely training with her uncle and too preoccupied to visit her.

It had not been long since Obi-Wan had been brought back from the AgriCorp and taken in as Qui-Gon's Apprentice. Nothing had broken her heart like the look of defeat that had shone on his face when he was denied by almost every Master in the Jedi Order. He'd whispered his uncertainties to her in training and in the mess-hall, but despite that, he still held a clear determination to never allow himself to fail his newly appointed Master.

The thought of it made her stomach clench. When he inevitably did fail Qui-Gon, it would break him.

Sunlight filtered through the open windows of the Jedi Temple as Opal continued towards her quarters but was stopped by the sound of Bruck's voice. Bruck was a Padawan along with her and Obi-Wan and spent the greater majority of his time when he was supposed to be training torturing her best friend instead.

She couldn't see the victim of his torment from where she stood.

"You think the Stone girl likes you? Psh! You're the one who couldn't get a Master, Oafy-Wan. The Council only made Qui-Gon take you because nobody else wanted you! You're a failure, and you'll never be a Jedi!"

Opal recognized the red hair of her best friend who stood pinned against the wall by Bruck and Aalto. Maker, these two are obnoxious. "Oh, hello there!" She exclaimed. Bruck gasped as he and Aalto were thrown a considerable distance down the corridor by the female Jedi, who removed her blade from her tunic and ignited it. Obi-Wan gasped as anger radiated from her Force signature along with an overwhelming desire to protect- protect him? "Leave him alone, you imbecile. You already know you're inferior. Don't you have anything else to do?"

"You got picked early, Stone. Windu was all over having you as his Padawan!" Aalto exclaimed. "Fourteen years old. Beautiful, strong, cunning and capable. Do you really want a coward like Kenobi, or one of the great Jedi of the future?" Opal's eyes flickered to Obi-Wan. Even at fourteen and sixteen, he was still fearful of failing the people he'd worked so hard to gain respect from. That had also included her pretty much since the day they'd met.

"I'd take a coward over a false, proud warrior anyway." She snapped. "Now do run along, or I'll tell Master Yoda about your conspiracy. Or does your father not know Xanatos?" Bruck's eyes widened and together he and Aalto took off across the Temple, ignoring the glares and shouts from those who passed them.

"Why, why would you stick up for me that way? Your Master will be angry, Opal!"

"I don't care what my Master says about attachments, Obi-Wan." She murmured. Turning away from the mouth of the corridor, Opal took his hand in her own and frowned at his bruised knuckles. It was clear he'd put a fight before she arrived. "I agree with The Code, but I don't agree with the attachments aspect of it. It's wrong to deny someone feeling their emotions. But you.. You matter too much to me for me to just let endless torment slide. It's not right." She nudged her head in the direction she'd come. "I'm sure Vokara Che will be waiting for you when you arrive at The Halls of Healing. Hop to it, Kenobi."

Obi-Wan grinned widely. "What would I ever do without you?" He asked. Deep scarlet bloomed across her cheeks as Opal Stone placed a hasty kiss on his cheek and scurried away from him to see his reaction. Force, he was even more adorable when he was embarrassed.

"Nothing. You'd be miserable without me." She mused in reply. "By the way, you're so cute whenever you're embarrassed."

Despite the fact that he was sixteen years old, Obi-Wan still very much embodied the boy she'd met her first day in The Jedi Order. Had she known the desires of her heart better, Opal would've guessed that she held a deeper affection for Obi-Wan. one that developed well past friendship. "I-I better go." He said. "Do you wish to train together tomorrow?"

"I wouldn't want anything else, Kenobi." She replied. "Goodnight."

Opal watched in awe as he fled down the hall, Padawan braid loosely hanging on his shoulder, as he made his way to The Halls of Healing just as she had told him to do.

He's such an idiot.

But he's my idiot.