The Book of Paths: The Long Twilight Path

YOU....ARE....A....DEAD WOMAN!!!!!

And it will be a VERY painful death!!! OH YES!!!

It will be .... salt in an open wound painful .... paying the psychiatrist's bill painful .... finding out your blind date is your Ex painful .... pummeled by force lightning painful .... minete by minete torture painful .... BIG FAT STINKING CLIFFHANGER PAINFUL!!!!!!

BWAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

~~~~~~~

OK....I'll chill....really....I can do this....

::deep breathing::

Hey, nothing against you as a person RED...but...your wrighting habits really bring out the worst in people.

Not that we haven't enjoyed every second of your bloody reader torture....



::

And you didn't leave it off at as big a cliffie as you could have....

::shoots up silant thanks::

But what are we going to do now?????

I...I...I'll....

I know!!! I'll just double my daily fic intake! Keep my mind off it.

Make that triple.

Oh, and don't worry....I'll wait till the next book is finished before I hunt you down.

Now if you'll excuse me I need to crawl into a corner and rock back and forth for about three months.



P.S. It reflects a whole lot on your skills as a writer when you can invoke this type of reaction from normally somewhat sane people!!

Thank you RED. Thank for the torture. Thank you for the cliffies. Thank you for the fun.



::mutters::

My withdrawl must be starting already...

 

Shellshocked:

I don't know what to say. You and Bali captured my heart with the first story's depth, characterization and all around obi torture and haven't let go yet. The ride has been uunpredictable, with twists and turns and we still don't have all the awnsers we are searching for...

It's over... I almost can't believe it, I'm already shaking and wondering how in the name of the Force I will last so long with out knowing what happens next. Prehaps my worst fears from this story will happen in the next: more speculation: as obi can no longer feel the force, and with out a padawan, or because his last one disapointed him, master buckethead will attempt to make up with obi and possibly attempt to take over as Bali's master. *Sigh* Its too soon for speculation now though.

Well Red, this ride has been fun and I can't wait for the next one.

JKH

 

one word RRK......

Thankyou...

thats the only thing i can say... thatnkyou for writing this story

 

A remarkable and bittersweet finale showcasing the recovery of Obi, Bali and Warbler. All loving, caring and devoted souls fiercely determined to protect one another from harm and all willingly suffering great bodily injury recently in order to do so.

A frail Obi was exceptionally moving as he adamantly insisted on being bedside the second Bali awoke. His padawan would not first open his eyes only to experience the feelings of loneliness and abandonment he felt after awakening from his own two month coma.

It's devastating to observe Obi crippled with relentless chills, tremulous hands, heavily impaired speech and dull listless eyes. One wonders how he can assume his role in the future as a functioning Jedi and as Bali's master. I hope Obi's able to overcome his debilitating injuries, after all he did pledge to train his apprentice to knighthood.

I noted with interest that The Chosen Path will take place after six years have past. Does that mean that there is no chance for a Bali and Obi hospital room reunion scene? I truly wish we were privy to that moment.

RRK! TLTP has been an immensely enjoyable and entertaining tour de force! A sparkling second jewel in your triple crown opus! You've created a fantastic SW universe and populated it with marvelous characters that have inspired the imagination and evoked passionate discussion amongst a captivated and privileged audience. Merci beaucoup! ~SB

 

Flashbacks, we have can have flashbacks in the next story like we have had in the past two which would hopefully fill us in on some of the stuff in between.

 

naw - A flashback scene sounds great. Hopefully that's what RRK has in mind. If not, please consider it...pretty, pretty please!

 

Wow RRK it's over. (sigh) I'm certainly going to miss reading this every week and I look forward to reading the next story. You made me feel for everyone. Poor Qui-Gon who's managed to muddle it up again (and remember I loveQui-Gon ). Obi-Wan paying such a terrible price for Bali, and Bali having to wake up to all this.
I even feel for Ani and Amidala because you know Palpatine is going to be close by ready to lure Ani futher down the dark path. (Yes I'm one of the few who thought there was nice chemistry between Ani and 'Dala in the AOTC ) I can't wait to see where you take everyone next.

I had to respond to naw ibo's mini rant on the covers for Scholastic's books. She mentions that she believes that Obi is missing from quite a few of the bookcovers, but this really isn't so. In the 20 book series, if you include the two special editions, Obi is missing in only four of the books. These are the books that feature Qui-Gon on the cover. Obi without Qui-Gon is featured in seven of the covers. The other nine books have Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan together and in the two special editions he's on the cover twice. (Yes, I really went and counted. I know, it's sad, how much more anal can I get. ) I really don't think he's getting short shrift on the covers of the JA books. Now on the Jedi Quest books you have a point since, from what I remember, he's only appeared on the first cover. I believe they have a new artist working on these covers and hopefully as more books appear Obi-Wan will show up more often. (wonders if Scholastic needs to get some emails on lack of Obi coverage)

 

I wasn't really complaining about the JA covers(but it is called Jedi APPRENTICE, so having two of the first four books not even feature the apprentice while featuring the master, I'd say it was pretty good portent for the series ), I was just comparing it to the first four JQ covers and showing the basic inequity. Jedi Quest just means the focus should be on the Jedi, Jedi APPRENTICE would certainly seem to point to the focus being on the apprentice(hahahaha) yet he didn't even make it onto half of the covers of the first four books, nor in his older masterly version make it onto half the covers of the first four book of the Jedi Quest series, yet another portent of things to come no doubt.

 

*delurks* wow, that was, was... theres not a good word to describe it. i'm looking forward to the next part.
is Anakin still going to turn to the darkside?
at first i thout that obi might have gone into a coma after he did that, *shrugges shoulders.* guess i was wrong.
can you give us a proluge to the next part, (i think thats the word.) ? please.

 

Well, RED - what's left to say? That you've stunned us, manipulated us, made us laugh and cry, scared us out of what few wits we have left, made us scream with frustration - and that's just the tip of the iceberg. The mark of a good writer isn't how well she grasps grammatical usage or sentence structure; it's how well she entices her readers to keep coming back for more. It goes without saying that these boards should convince you that you have more than a spark of the divine fire.

A stunning finale - worthy of the characters, and, as always, you leave us with a magnificent mental vision of that lovely, haunted face, and eyes frosted with a damage that may just be too severe for him to ever recover from. And you allow no hint of whether or not there is anyone who might be able to help him. In fact, the hints you DO allow suggest that - once more, his plight has been pushed aside while the powers-that-be (not to mention, he who cannot see beyond the end of his nose - or Master Fathead, if you will) concentrate elsewhere - on the loss of the Chosen One, for example - or on what the Sith said. (Sounds like a good title, that - you know: "What the Sith Said." )

And, of course, you raise the biggest question of all - without actually mentioning it. He is obviously determined that Bali will not be left alone - but it is also painfully obvious that, in his present condition, he would NOT be capable of continuing Bali's training - and, given his devotion to the boy, it's equally obvious that he would refuse to endanger the child's future by insisting on continuing to be his Master. Thus setting up another opportunity for him to sacrifice himself for the good of one he loves too well - leading to the inevitable question: at what point is there nothing left of himself to give?

Well, Hell, RED - Now I've even managed to depress myself! Which, of course, is all your fault.

Someone mentioned teasers - I think that's a great idea. Just "Up" this periodically with a sentence or two - to whet our appetites, which are already plenty whetted, I can promise.

Absolutely fabulous denouement - and enough trailing details to guarantee that we'll be waiting with baited breath.

Roses and champagne to the author!!!

 

But I don't want it to end!

Superb RRK. Every last word of it and especially this last post. So touching how Obi cares despite his own condition and Bant was as great as ever.

Now all I got to do is hold out 'til October... *gulps*

 

Great story Red. Bravo

Had enough of the elements of the last fic to satisfy, even more flashbacks, the backwards one was a nice touch. It had AOTC elements in it. Just a great fic.

Reading your Path fics has become a habit for me lately. I didn't have to wait very long after finishing your first for the sequal, so I don't know how I'll manage 5 months.

I guess I'll have to concentrate on my own fic and try and dig up some of your other ones to read.

 

Brilliant Red... simply Brilliant!!!!!

Your characters have come alive in a way that is rarely seen in fiction, your talent is a gift that is obviously greatly appreciated.

I look forward to part 3 even more than I look forward to Ep III, and that is saying a lot!! I have a this mental picture of 19 year old Bali and it is magnificent to say the least. I, like many others, hope that the next will include several flashback books so we can see how our boys have gotten to where ever it is you will have them go. And of course a scene in Bali's healers room and reunion with his very impaired, but much loved, Master would be great!

Thanks again for the many months of reading enjoyment, I have laughed... I have cried and I have above all else enjoyed every single word.

Looking very forward to Part 3.... write fast!!!!!

 

Wow! I can't believe that the story is over and we have a 4 month wait!!!!! NO!!!!! What am I going to do between now and then? Great writing. I seriously can't wait for the next novel to come out. Hope you post the link to the next novel when you start posting the story here so I'll be able to find it! ;P

Keep up the awesome writing.

 

Ok I thought about this story all night and one very disturbing question kept me awake.If our Obi is unable to train Bali you wouldn't go and do something REALLY crazy like have Qui-Gon take over would you? I mean look what he managed to do with the three he allready had! shudders with revulsion

 

Yeah there has to some other way for that lunkhead to make "restitution" besides that.

 

I was trying to sleep when I thought of the line that Obi said, "How am I supposed to protect you if you won't listen to me?"... ... ... ...

Lights zippo and sways back and forth

 

TheFallen, very true and so . When he went back and found Bali dying he said something along the lines of Bali shouldn't die for his own "mistake". But he didn't make a mistake, not really. Under the circumstances, his decision was the best possible, it was Sidious' and Vengier's evil, Anakin's selfish and self-centered interests(to say the least) and Bali's disobeying that caused that situation, not some mistake on Obi-Wan's part.

 

I was thinking about that last night. If Bali hadn't disobeyed his master and followed him into that hell hole, what would have happened?

a) the fight with Halla would have continued until Obi-Wan was as severely injured as he is now; or dead.

b) Jira/Halla would have convinced the Brat to bring little Bali to her, then the result would have been the same

c) All hell would have still broken lose at the Senate, but the atack on Bali probably would have taken place a few days later. Probably when his master was either dead, or in bacta and unable to save him...Bali dies.

I don't think I like any of the other options out there.

 

Seems like speculation for Book 3 has already begun in earnest and I'd like to share my rambling musings.

To be totally honest, the idea of Qui-Gon undertaking Bali as an apprentice sort of turns my stomach, but I wouldn't mind at all if it were the elder Jedi's ambition to help nurse a recuperating Obi back to health.

Imagine it as a genuine attempt at redemption as no one else could encourage, discipline and brow beat Obi back into Jedi condition. Consider it a second chance for the old master to complete his unfinished task of guiding his former padawan towards the right path to follow.

 

*sobs uncontrollably* WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO RANT NOW???????

LOL.

-Tim (still assimilating the past few posts he's caught up on)

 

To be totally honest, the idea of Qui-Gon undertaking Bali as an apprentice sort of turns my stomach, but I wouldn't mind at all if it were the elder Jedi's ambition to help nurse a recuperating Obi back to health.

Imagine it as a genuine attempt at redemption as no one else could encourage, discipline and brow beat Obi back into Jedi condition. Consider it a second chance for the old master to complete his unfinished task of guiding his former padawan towards the right path to follow.

Exactly, I'm with Sugar_Bear. I could handle Qui-Gon getting Obi-Wan back into some sort of shape, but after his "interaction" with his other three apprentices it would be just plain cruel and sadistic(and yes, PERVERSE ) to sic him on poor Bali, who is going to be going through enough without having to deal with Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan does know how Qui-Gon is and despite it all I think probably has a better understanding of him(he did think despite everything he'd still make the same decision if he had it to do again which shows that inspite of everything and even our own railings against the big Chowderhead that Obi-Wan must still have some deep seated feelings of caring and respect for him--also I still think on a certain level Obi-Wan might feel an unworthiness even as he, in his actions with his own padawan, strived to avoid he could logically say were his old master's failings--those feelings can be sort of hard to overcome with logic).

It wouldn't even really be a true "redemption" for QG to train Bali(at least not as dramatically satisfying I don't think)--whereas working with Obi-Wan, one of those apprentices he managed to, let's just say make some serious errors with particularly the last time Obi-Wan decided to do something like this, would be a kind of path to redemption for him as well. IF he didn't screw it up yet again! Qui-Gon was so worried about his legacy, then really Obi-Wan should have been the one, had QG not been so blind and pigheaded, that would truly have done him proud. So having him help him in this most difficult of times would, I don't know, kind of make Qui-Gon semi-worthy of such a legacy.

 

I'm all for Qui helping Obi! But keep him as far from Bali as humanly possible!

 

I agree with/b all three of you. SugarBear has a sound argument, Qui-Gon may be the only one who can motivate Obi-Wan and whip him into the same shape he was once in. He may consider it an apology, redemption, or renewed interest/affection for Obi-Wan, but, whatever the reason, he may be the only one capable. Bant pushes out of love and concern, but she seems to be a fly weight when it comes to a knock down drag out battle. Qui-Gon may be the only one who can intimidate or spur Obi along when he needs it.

BUT keep him away from Bali. He obviously shows concern and, I might venture to say, affection, for the boy. But he seems to have this habit of screwing up his padawan's lives.

 

up
I doubt you have to be his padawan for Qui to manage to screw up your life