Before - Legends A Change of Heart-Vignette (Semi-Sequel to 'A Change of Plans')

A Change of Heart
By LuvEwan

Sequel piece to A Change of Plans, working as a response to the Mature Themes Rainbow Challenge.

PG

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.

WARNING: As mentioned, this is a challenge response to the Mature Themes thread, under the topic of Rainbow Stickers and Lightsabers. If the subject matter is offensive in your opinion, then I would recommend you click back now.


A conversation between Master Qui-Gon Jinn and Knight Ullo Tirr.

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The rain was restrained behind the windows, but it seemed to rebel, to appear on the two mugs, where moist beads rose from the smooth surface.

Ullo Tirr had been staring at the forming sweat for a long while; time had begun to meld almost instantly upon his arrival to the private quarters. He had appeared at the door, not knowing why (or admittedly how) he had wandered from his own, perfectly comfortable apartment to the shared living space of Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, only that he was there on the threshold, and he needed to come inside.

The elder Jedi had been standing before him, his proud, elegant face pulled between surprise and gladness. He had, of course, ushered his friend inside with a gracious smile. When Qui-Gon asked what had prompted the unannounced visit, there had been no answer, and so, as Ullo had discovered early on in his friendship with the Jedi Master, Qui-Gon had gone about preparing tea?he did this whenever there was a prolonged period of nothing, of discomfiting silence that had to be filled with something.

But Ullo guessed that the Master knew that this time, the hollow gap was not the result of a void, and the absence of sound was not one that spurred limbs into restless stirrings and throats into a series of clearings.

This silence was made of patience. Qui-Gon had brewed the hot beverage as a pure act of kindness, thinking that his abnormally pale-faced companion might appreciate a drink, and now, he simply waited, sipping now and then from the cooling lip of his mug.

Ullo?s gaze traveled the humble room, moving from the old bookcase, crammed with holos and scattered with sentimental trinkets, to the floor, where the carpet was decidedly faded and undeniably stained, to the sofas, worn with time and use. Other quarters in the Temple were not like this. They were streamlined and coordinated to match the rest of the sprawling establishment, polished, as though the inhabitants were the austere curators of a museum who fretted if a piece was touched or improperly handled?and no one really lived there at all.

Ullo?s own chambers resembled Qui-Gon?s. Perhaps that is why his feet led him here with such confidence, while his mind could only struggle to understand. Qui-Gon Jinn was not like other Jedi. Which is why he was the Jedi Ullo could bear to speak with now, as the clouds split and emptied their swollen wounds onto Coruscant.

?Master Yoda has advised me to attend the initiate dueling this afternoon,? He finally said, in a voice far more weary than he was used to hearing, ?I think he intends for me to choose a whelp to mentor. You know, one that?s meant for suffering.?

Qui-Gon chuckled. ?I already pity the poor child.?

?Call me self-centered, but I hold more pity for myself. Abuse at the hands of a troll wielding a gimer stick is no laughing matter.?

The bearded Master could not contain his sigh. ?Is that your method of informing me that you won?t be selecting a Padawan this year??

It was the third year in a row, to be exact. Ullo felt a heaviness in his chest, attributing it to the sense of futility that had plagued him for as long as he could remember. During a harrowing mission with Qui-Gon and his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ullo had been shaken with a new understanding of the depth of the bond between student and teacher, something that had been intentionally elusive for the Knight. Since that assignment, the instinctive desire to pass on his knowledge of the Force to a protégé

 

Ullo! I truly love this character LE, even more now. This was a truly wonderful vig.

Every Jedi must be of compassion. It isn?t selective. It must encompass everything.

Too bad more humans can't get that. I wish you'd considered expanding on this and testing those OC waters.

 

W00t! This was great! I loved the comfortable feeling between the two, it shone through beautifully!!! Beautiful as always, LE!

EDIT: Darn it, I thought it was first post. *shakes fist at OE*

 

I already told you, this made me cry! It was so beautifully done that I just felt drawn into the story and the characters.

Bravo!

I can't tell you how much this moved me.

 

?Widely accepted?? Qui-Gon guessed. ?That is not for you to worry yourself with. Those who are intolerant should be worried?for themselves. And if an initiate happens to be as blind as so many are, then you would have the opportunity to change that, to erase that shadow from their heart. Every Jedi must be of compassion. It isn?t selective. It must encompass everything.



You have captured a moment that is so difficult, with such beauty and skill

I just love this! I have to read it again Qui-Gon was wonderful.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing this!

I can't tell you how wonderful this is!

 

Ah, Ullo, again. Bloody brilliant, dear one. I loved the way you wove such a complicated theme into a few sentences, and the subtlety involved in it. Have I told you I love subtlety? And you are a past master of that art. Oh, loved Qui-Gon to bits in this. He was just as I thought he'd be - patient, understanding - the kind of person who'd stand with you even if the skies came crashing down - as Ullo seemed to think, poor Knight.

Lovely, lovely.

 

This was excellent LE. And handled so well. I just love Ullo and I hope to see more on him . . . eventually

Very nice little scene. Qui is just so understanding and comforting

--shan

 

Fabulous, LE.

?It would have been the greatest mistake of my life. And that isn?t a title easily given, considering the levels of foolishness I have achieved in my time.?

That line made me laugh.

 

This was really exquisite, LE. I loved that Ullo felt such despair and anxiety about how he would be perceived by others when a Jedi should be compassionate to all. I also loved that you had Qui-Gon help him see that not all would reject him for what he was.

Bravo...

 

obi_ew Too bad more humans can't get that That's one of the things that frustrates, saddens and disgusts me about the world, that so many can't get it. Thank you so much for reading, and your support of Ullo.

rhonderoo Thanks!

VL Your support of this has been amazing. This will always hold a dear place in my heart because of you.

tangled_sphere Thank you. And I eagerly await the next installment of your gorgeous Mature Theme offering.

P_A I was quite afraid I wasn't being subtle, so that's a lovely thing to hear. Thank you for reading.

shanobi Ullo is such a fun character to write, mostly because in my mind he's hot.

Opal I think you and I are in agreement when it comes to a lot of things, specifically that Qui-Gon is usually a fool.

diane Thanky you.

Leona Thank you for your lovely review, and thank you for your help.

 

I rarely read fan fiction any more and I comment even less. Every now and then there is a truly exceptional story which moves me enough to momentarily step out of obscurity. This is a truly exceptional story. A powerful and important message delivered beautifully. Thank you very much for putting it up.

 

Wow, this was great, very moving, and the flow was wonderful.

Thanks for posting this beautifully written Vignette!

 

Ullo is one of my favorite OCs. I think you did a wonderful job with this discussion and character!

 

That was utterly beautiful! I love the easy-ness (sp? I suck at it..) you've established between these two characters and your writing is as wonderful as ever.

Bravo!

Stormqueen

 

Ahhh man it's finished?? I so hoping for more! I so love Knight Tirr! Oh well...no way to con you into doing more? Him finding that Padawan?

Great job! Loved how he was so worried about his past, but yet Qui helped him realize that it doesn't matter cuz it's juz that - the past.

 

I'd like to add my voice to those asking to see more of this amazing character! Pretty please?

 

thegreatyoda Thank you so much. That meant a lot to me.

Yodan Thank you!

PK That's so sweet of you to say about Ullo. Thank you.

stormqueen Thanks so much.

Kynstar Ullo is a fun character for me to write, so it's never out of the question that I would return to him. Thank you.

VL Well, you never know.

 

Beautiful! I love how Qui always saw what kind of person Ullo is, and helped him see that when he had so much self-doubt. Great job! I'd love to see more to this too.

 

I read this again, and I just wanted to say I still love every single word of it!