The Book of Paths: The Chosen Path (AU/Tagged) Complete

Brilliant post, RRK!

Touchingly emotional reunion, eliciting great relief and joy for both Obi and Bali and poignant sadness that due to his self-sacrificing injuries, the master can only mind-speak his feelings to his reawakened padawan.

It's no surprise that obstinate Obi remained an immovable figure beside Bali's bedside until he awoke, probably giving Bant a devil of a time during the entire duration.

Bali's concern for his master was assuaged by his comforting presence. Master Spex's prophecy did not come true, however, Obi and Anakin are sure to butt heads in the future.

 

OK, RED - Concise is fine - but short? That's something else again. This was just an appetizer, meant no doubt to whet the appetite. Consider it whetted - but we need more. Short though it was, it explains much - especially about that infamous prophecy - but it raises even more ominous questions - such as how come Obi-Wan isn't speaking? If his efforts to save Master Incipient Disaster left him comatose and permanently damaged - what did the additional effort, in the face of said pre-existing damage, to save his beloved padawan do to him? What kind of permanent, irreparable damage has he suffered? See - too few answers leave your readers hungry - make that starving - for more.

There's entirely too much good writing going on around here these days to allow someone to swear off daily readings and concentrate on completing plot lines that are dangling around out there somewhere. I think I'll just sit back and enjoy the ride (and the read) for a while. This is really great stuff!

CYN

 

Oh Red,

This was beautiful. Their reunion was so touching, but far, far too short. This was almost a teaser.

I have to wonder after rereading TLTP and having the last scene stuck in my head and reading this one, just how damaged Obi-Wan was afterwards. If he was in a coma after healing Qui-Gon, and if almost died three times after healing Bali . . .

Okay, I'll just be patient and wait for the next post.

 

Oh no, poor Obi!!!

*Camps out to wait for the next part*

 

Yep. I definitly need to go back and reread TLTP. THe prophecy thing and how the end all happened is just a fog that needs to clear up so that I can fully understand this all. This weekend for sure. That along with many other NJO books. Star by Star finally came out in paperback so I can read it and the gazillion that have come out after it while I was waiting to get my hands on a copy!!! Just like TLTP though I easily for get a lot of the stuff that has happened previously so I'm going to start at the beginning with those too. Horrors!!! hehe! Poor me, having to reread all those awful books all over again.

Well...I had a question about what this quote meant, but I thnk that Sugar_Bear asserted the same thing I was going to suggest and so convinvingly too that I feel kind of silly asking now, but are we right???

Through the bond, he felt his master?s understanding but he wished only to be told with spoken words that everything would be all right. Bali settled with the protective arms that wrapped around his trembling, weak form.

Is it because Obi is so drained that he can't even physically speak, only allowing the Force to communicate for him? That's actually a bit ironic considering that he just "Force" healed him and yet the Force is the only he has enough strength to use. Did that make sense? See what I'm saying? I guess it just goes to show how the Force is always there and accessible, regardless of any physical effects it takes out on you.

Nice Red Short and sweet, though I'm glad to hear that tomorrows will be extra long. Can't wait -Rogue

 

Short post, but to the point.

Now we know what Bali has been told. Ok, that answers one question, but a hundred more have started to swim through my head. And I got a feeling it's going to be a while before they are answered, so I'll just sit here and get confy.

 

First off-thank goodness for topic notifications! There is no way I would have found this otherwise. And I only missed the first couple of posts-which was probably a good thing as far as classes are concerned with 3 exams last week.
Anyway, on to what may make me pretty unpopular. In reference to Qui-Gon, I think that what I feel most of all is pity for him to have completely missed out on everything good that could have happened to him. Do I want to smack him over the head? Yeah, I do-I have ever since this whole saga started and Cynical's writings haven't helped that urge much , but right now I feel sorry for him. Of course, this could all just be the perpetual lack of sleep talking here and if I ever catch up, I'll start to see reason.
-V

 

Rouge~ you're right. I was thinking in the past! Duh!

:::hits herself in the head:::

I would hope Obi feels comfortable enough to share his old relationship with Qui, with Bali. They seem close now, but then as you said... maybe Obi's forever scarred, and will never share that time period with anyone!


Poor Bali! He had to walk around knowing someone was out to get his master. What's with Obi in this flash back? No talking out loud? I'm also curious to see how he was affected by this bout of healing. Good short post there Red. Can't for tomorrow!

~*Nik*~

 

uhm, OK, got me to wondering too, so I went back and read the last couple of paragraphs so I could check on what I remembered:

A trembling hand reached up and tugged at the cloak and blanket again. "Cold." The mumbled word was slow and slurred having lost the elegance of the inner rim accent.

"I don't know there is a lot we can do for that," Bant said softly. Kneeing before her friend, the healer carefully adjusted the blanket to better protect Obi-Wan from the phantom coldness that had plagued him for so long. And now had become a burden she did not know if he could handle. "Maybe if you would lie down and take a nap??

"No," Obi-Wan slurred adamantly even as his weariness showed in heavy eyelids. "Stay?wakes up?stay." Frustration danced across his weary face and tears welled in his eyes. "Bali?not alone." One trembling hand tightened into a fist as the other wrapped around the Bali?s wrist. He struggled against the crippling injury he had willingly accepted in trade for the boy?s life. "Not?alone."

So, here's my take. He was very definitely injured severely. But what I was thinking is that with physical therapy and time to heal, maybe he's managed to overcome most of his residual handicaps. As for the not speaking when Bali woke up, I would imagine that the slurred speech was very difficult to understand, so he used the training bond to speak to Bali because he could make himself better understood that way and reassure Bali that he was there.

Ghads, Red I got all choked up when I went back and read this.
and should you be worried ?, uhm, no not unless you're particularly paranoid about all of us following you around everywhere.

TW

 

Sorry I wasn't around yesterday, too tired, but the thing that very nearly made me turn on my computer was to see Tuesday's post, somehow I managed to resist the pull and get some sleep instead.

Uh oh...Obi-Wan is having visions again, that can't be good. Is it Sidious he is "seeing" but can't make out behind the shround? Hmm...

Speaking of lightning, sounds like lots of fireworks are going to be going off around that Temple, what with Jinn and Obi-Wan returning after long absenses.

although the ginger haired Jedi was quite certain he would never put such knowledge to use unless he just happened to be storming the Chancellor?s office.

Oh if only Obi-Wan knew how close he was, who knows maybe he will figure it out yet. What he needs to do is to stay with that vision, despite it's unpleasantness, to stay with it and to try to get beneath that shrouded face or to recognize some other aspect which could identify it as Palpatine.


And yes, I do mean "goatface." The image of him with white hair and beard just makes me think of the three billy goats gruff.

LOL!!! Oh my god, that's funny, CalaisKenobi. Now everytime he shows up I'm going to be thinking "BaaaAAABAAaaaaa".

As for Obi-wan's preconcieved notions, the thing that strikes me about AOTC is that Obi-Wan is the ONLY one who doesn't seem to be hung on Anakin's status as the Chosen One. He just views him as his padawan, one who has a lot of power but is greatly lacking in self-control. Obi-Wan in AOTC actually seems to expect the same thing out of Anakin as he does of Bali in this story, that he "be the best he can be", however the best Anakin can be is very different than the best Bali can be. Bali makes the most of his talents, he works hard and has humility. Anakin has greater natural ability but is much less willing to do the hard work involved in taking them to the next level and to truly develop as a Jedi, not simply a powerful Force user.

He?s hurting but you will have to wait to see more.

RRK oh you do know how to tempt us don't you.

This guy still seems to believe that Obi-wan must miss his "home" as well when we all know that's totally not true. Obi's praises have been sung and he has been called family and yet, they know nothign about one of the most prominent issues of Obi's life. You get that? It's just ironic. Obviously, we wouldn't exepct them to know anything, but still, it just comes off so sad that Obi must be so intent on not letting it show, that these

ROGUE_49, that's so true. It is sad. Because they don't realize just how hurt Obi-Wan is and what he goes through physically privately, to the leader speaking he very likely does seem fairly young. I believe "Your Grace" made reference to his own age and how old he was, so to him, Obi-wan--who is only 40 after all--appears to be a fairly young man, someone in the prime of his life. Which just makes it that much sadder really.

That there is no reason to even want Obi-Wan and his old master to reconcile? ...

It isn't really that, I don't really have a problem with them reconciling, but to me it's really more like a gift than anything Qui-Gon deserves. I think he's got alot of mea culpa-ing to do.
--------------------------

The flashback was so touching. And finally we find out more about Spex's prophecy! Alas, there is still time for that one to come true. It's been six years since the events in this post(current TCP time as opposed to flashback)--good god, how is Obi-Wan even functioning? He couldn't even speak(as I recall from the of TLTP, he could barely get out a few words at at time vocally--EDIT: Flashbacca posted it that's what I was talking about), if saving Master Lugnut put him in a coma and left him with a terrible permanent chill, what kind of permanent damage did this leave him with?

 

Short, but definitely powerful. I am once again in awe

naw_ibo Anakin has greater natural ability but is much less willing to do the hard work involved in taking them to the next level and to truly develop as a Jedi, not simply a powerful Force user.
I don't think I've ever seen it put so clearly. That is EXACTLY what is wrong with the Galactic brat!

 

Yes, the take I got was that that healing scene was from just after Obi-Wan used the Force to save Bali's life...

Why did a chill just go up my back?

This and a line from the previous posting also haunts me...that Obi-Wan knows Bali will never be a great Jedi, but...oh, man. Why do I have a feeling Bali is going to be the sacrificial lamb here?

One fanfic I read somewhere once made mention that Anakin was not to be thought of as particularly special because of his midichlorian count...he was just more 'sensitive' to the Force than everyone else. That didn't necessarily mean 'greater' or 'better' than anyone else.

 

TW-. As for the not speaking when Bali woke up, I would imagine that the slurred speech was very difficult to understand, so he used the training bond to speak to Bali because he could make himself better understood that way and reassure Bali that he was there.

Good insight. Obviously Obi wanted his Padawan to understand him. Plus, I don't think it would have done Bali much good to see his Master so incapacitated. Language can be a tell tale sign of either weakness or strength. It would oly have worried Bali and made him feel bad to know that his Master had hurt himslef so. The best way for Obi to help his Padawan was to ensure Bali that he was alright and using the bond was the only way he could manage to do that since he really wasn't.

gtg- or I'm going to get kicked out of the computer lab because I'm not really working
-Rogue

 

Hi Red, sorry I missed replying to your previous post and am late replying to this one. DC (Darth College) has reared up and I have papers and projects for 4 of my 6 classes coming due soon. But I loved both! Even if the flashback was rather short. The interaction between Obi and Bali is great. I really liked how you described Obi's hopes for Bali. That he doesn't care that Bali will never be one of the best as long as he lives up to the best that he can be. The way that they care for each other was shown wonderfully in the flashback. Obi was using whatever way was possible to comfort Bali and Bali was just happy to have his master there with him. Great work! Now I'm waiting for the next post.


Jovieve, I don't know if this is the exact finfic that you are thinking of, but that is said in In the Prism of Time & Eternity by Padawan Ben & Qwi. Which is a wonderful post TPM AU. If you haven't read it, I would definitely recomend it.

 

Sorry everyone but there will be no postie tonight. I just can?t get it done there is too much going on but everything is okay. I will promise posts Friday, Saturday and Sunday because I have writing time tomorrow.

Thanks for your replies yesterday and I?ll just say all will be revealed in good time.

Here?s a question to mull over: Would anyone be interested in a story about Bali in the real GFFA? He may bump into cannon characters but it pretty much all about him. Just wondering because I have been turning over the idea in my head for a while.

 

Red, there's nothing like your nice mushy posts! That was so touching. I really love the flasbacks that you write! They are just awesome! But I always have this feeling that posts like that are only there to soften us up, so that when the bad thing happens in the next chapter, we are shocked out of our computer chairs.

<Celeste sitting on the floor in front of computer chair, a look of utter surprise and horror on her face. Hair is standing on end, and eyes are bigger than saucers, causing her conatacts to fall out>

"Oh no!!! Now I won't be able to read Red's next post!!! The computer is too far away!!!! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

<end of vison>

Am I right?

Keep up the awesome job!!

Celeste

 

I just found this story today....damn camping trips!
It must be said RRK...

"You have a gift"

*MM*

 

Hum.A Bali without Obi fic? I think I could live with that!

 

Any story with Bali would be a great read. (grin) I'd love to see that.

 

I would be more than willing to read a story about Bali.

 

Padawan Amanada

Re:Jovieve, I don't know if this is the exact finfic that you are thinking of, but that is said in In the Prism of Time & Eternity by Padawan Ben & Qwi. Which is a wonderful post TPM AU. If you haven't read it, I would definitely recomend it.

You know, I think that's exactly where I read that line and you're SO right. It's a very wonderful and very touching fic.


Red

As much as I love Bali, to have Bali without Obi-Wan would be like Mulder without Scully. It's the dynamics of their relationship that draws me...

 

Does anyone have a link to that story Jovieve , Padawan Amanda are talking about. Sounds like it could be worth pursuing. Or do you guys know the time frame so that I could look it up in the Official Story Index? It doesn't sound like it's recent. Any clue leading me in its direction would be appreciated.

Red I'm kind of glad you didn't post cause then, with all the other things i have yet to do tongiht, I would be up even later writing my monstrous reply of praises and speculation. Thnak you for not giving me an excuse to stay up! And this story about Bali. I love the kid so I'd definitely be interested. Jovieve's right. It is the realtionship between him and Obi that I think has played a big part in us falling in love with him, but you're such a talented author, that I have faith you will be able to rope us in yet again using your unique and dramatic writing style, regardless of Obi's absence. What exactly do you have in mind thogh as to his circumstances? I'm sure you'll come up with somthing wonderful, but any hints you'd like to offer would be nice. Oh! I'm so excited now! I know it was just an idea, but you have to write it now! I"m slready addicted to the thought. Not that I htnk you'd be tempted to do this, but please don't even offer it up on the plot bunny board. I couldn't stand it to see someone else writing him. You can find the time somehow!! hehe! Have I persuaded you yet? If you don't write, my mind will be forced to write it in my head and it just won't be nearly as good as you'd do it. Please!!! Ok- I"ll stop now- 'nough begging and pleading.
To bed I go. Actually- I think I'm going to read instead, but regardless- I"m fleeing the boards before I become stuck here permanently. Bye! -Rogue

 

Rogue- I"m fleeing the boards before I become stuck here permanently.

Ha!!! Too late- for you and me both! You can already tell that we're "stuck"- that's obvious by the number of times we check for posts during computer class! Good thing Mr. Mac doesn't care...

Red- A story about Bali would be great! I'd definetly read! I've liked all of your fics so far... though I don't if I've read them all... Anyways, even without Obi as a foil for sweet little Bali, I'm sure the fic would be great!

Nice last post! Can't wait for the next one...

 

hehe! I couldn't resist to see if you managed to get on tonight Halcyon Sure enough! we check for posts during computer class! Good thing Mr. Mac doesn't care... Yeah- we're bad; actually I'm worse than you. I'm in the computer lab sometimes even 3 class periods a day, not just two. My first response to your mention of Mr. Mac was just that he can't care about what he doesn't know, but...knowing him, you're probably right. He has eyes in the back of his head, but he loves us and would let us get away with murder just like everyone else. hehe! I love our teachers. Anyone out there, younger than us? If there is- I can not stress the importance of making a good reputation for yourself right off the bat when you get into highschool and probably even college I'm sure. I am set for the slight remainder of my highschool career. Too bad I'll have to start all over next year and I don't even know if my usual charm will even work in college!!! hehe! Emily- all these adults and other seasoned students are probably laughing their heads off at me. I really am going to bed now before I get too slap happy. Oh! BTW em- My printer ran out of ink, so now I'll have to print my essay off at school! I actually did it tonight too!! Oh- welll- just means I can be even more lazy tomorrow than I was today.

Look at what you're doing to me Red You've got me glued to this thread spouting absolute nonsense, just because I can't bear to leave. So if anyone ever gets tired of listening to my rambling, it's her fault!!

-Rogue

 

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!

I know I'm not the only one who has been wondering and puzzling over what Spex told Bali ever since that old retired Jedi first whispered in that green eyed Padawan's ear...

And honestly red...you acually have to ask if would be interested in a story not only written by you...but starring our favorite Padawan since Obi? WAKE UP!!!