Before - Legends Parched - (JA, Obi/Qui) - *Part 4 updated - 01/01*

Beautiful descriptions of the Living and Unifying Forces... loved seeing how Obi-Wan's Force and Qui-Gon's Force differ!

Do you PM people at updates, and if so, may I be added to the list? I'd like to keep reading this!

Again, gorgeous writing. Keep it up!

Paz de Dios~ ari.

 

Hugs to all those who replied to this.

I've come up with the next instalment - but only a tiny bit of the mystery is solved. Yes, I'm evil. I also follow the will of the Force, and the Force told me that this was how it should be.

I felt that this transition piece was necessary.

Replies later, beloved ones. I am well nigh exhausted.

****************

Part 4


Water.

The single most beautiful element in existence. That which could drive away pain. Restore strength. Replenish dried out cells, filling them with energy. Fresh. Cool. Comfort.

Water that had been denied to him for hours and hours and hours, as he trudged across dry, barren lands. Water that had been denied to him as he almost reached the brink of exhaustion.

Water that now settled on his parched, cracked lips. He could barely believe that this was what it was - this invigorating drop of moisture on his face. Impossible. And yet, its presence could not be denied. That cool feeling that he had experienced for years, in the Room of a thousand fountains, underneath the waterfalls - that could not be denied either.

Nor the soft something that held his head, caught as he was in the half-land between sleep and wakefulness. Strange. He did not remember having fallen asleep. The last thing he did remember was trudging along sandy wastes, and feeling as though his skin would dry into nothing. And yet, he must have, during some point. When, though?

And then there was the Force.

Surprise and soothing peace satiated him in equal parts when his thoughts touched the Force. It ebbed and flowed through his consciousness like the soft waves of a peaceful ocean, seething power at rest. It touched him every once in a wile as though to assure Itself that he was present, and he did the same. Both, it seemed, had moved towards a closer understanding of each other.

Exactly what this understanding was, he was yet to know. Try as he might, he could not move past some kind of an invisible barrier that kept him from analyzing recent events. He felt that he should, but it danced out of his reach like an errant piece of fabric, twitched away by the wind. He was reluctant to let go of it, yet couldn't.

Ah, leave that be. What did it matter, after all?

He sighed in deep contentment. He was lying on something soft, cool and not too yielding, exactly the kind of headrest he might have chosen for some well-earned rest. Obviously, someone else had chosen it for him. He certainly didn't remember having done so. He turned to his right slowly, moving his limbs as little as he could, bound as they were in something, and found himself against that same, soft something again. He nestled himself into it once more, wanting to sink into soothing blackness.

Something echoed within his head.

He moved slightly, unwilling to wake.

Now, something echoed outside his head. Something raked his hair too.

Obi-Wan.

That voice sounded familiar.

Obi-Wan. Wake up.

He stirred slightly, completely convinced that dawn was just breaking, and that Qui-Gon had had one of his urges to go sweeping into the Tranquillity gardens for a meditation. Perhaps he would convince him to just settle down in front of those Inn'et creepers they had brought back on one of their journeys. After all, it was green, it was a plant, and it reeked of the Living Force -

The Living Force.

He gasped as realization hit him with all the force of a wave crashing onto the shore, and his eyes snapped open.

The first sight that met him was Qui-Gon's deep blue eyes looking into his own. His usually neat hair was billowing over his shoulders in the epitome of unkemptness, and his face looked tired and drawn. One thing puzzled him, though. For Qui-Gon to be looking down from such an angle, he had to -

His fingers scrabbled at his headrest, and he found that he was lying - quite comfortably - in Qui-Gon's lap, his master's cloak wrapped up around it.

A deep blush crept up his cheeks; he started u

 

Firstly I would like to say that wonky formatting is inherently amusing when you're half awake.

Secondly,

I really liked this line. The whole thing was very interesting--especially the part about Qui-Gon acting as a conduit. Never would have thought of that, and yet...it makes perfect sense.

Brilliant work.

[Obi-Wan] You know... I really think the water's real.

[Subconscious] Nah.

[Obi-Wan] Are you sure?

[Subconscious] No, not really.

[Obi-Wan] Hm. ::Thoughtful face:: There's only one way to settle this.

[Subconscious] ?

[Obi-Wan] We'll flip a coin! Call a side.

[Subconscious] Fine. I call Speedy Update.

[Obi-Wan] Tails?

[Subconscious] Tails.

[Obi-Wan] Oookay... ::Flips coin::

OHWOWFIRSTREPLY!!!!11oneone1

 

Lovely discussion of the Force. And I'm so glad that Obi-Wan is up.

But...um, it's full of expanded-alphabet, uniconde-like characters.

â?? instead of "
â?? instead of "
â?? instead of '

All the apostrophes and double quotes are hosed. I've tries reloading my screen and looking at other pages and opening a new browser. But they're still there. I tried making some of them, but drat, there are some browser macros I need to kill first.

 

Ah yes, using smart quotes in Word will give you that.

Loved the way you write these two. They are so perfect together and I love how they can intrude in each other's spaces as if they are two parts of a whole. Poor Obi-Wan, not knowing which was real and which was not.

Great job. I look forward to more.

 

WHat a great New Year gift

You still haven't answered the question, but I don't mind since I am enjoying the journey too much to care

 

Oh, I loved this so much. Your mush is just perfect...gives me the warm fuzzies without ever being over the top, and very few writers can do that to me. And I also loved the way Qui-Gon played off of Obi-Wan's strengths to find the solution, because that's exactly how I see their relationship--it's the contrast and the balance that makes it work so well. Not to mention that the explanation of the illusion was coherent and plausible. Thanks so much for this.

 

Very good. Looking forward to lots more.

 

Wonky formatting!!!!!!!!!!

But I tried to set it right. This is what happens when you've got weird fonts in your sytem.

I hope it reads all right, now.

 

Yep! I just got to this, and I don't see any wonky formatting! What a nice New Year's pressie! More soon, please?

Bright

 

That was an awesome post, Princess!

I loved the mush. And I loved the idea that Obi helped Qui to see what was really going on, and Qui helped Obi in turn, thanks to their different Force connections.

"Force Sensitives?" He touched the beetle still crawling along his forearm. "They were playing with us, weren't they?" He said finally. Hmmm, I wonder why...

I was so glad to see this updated! I can't wait for more, when you can!

 

I loved the way Qui-Gon sat Obi in the water and they
soaked in it to cool off.

And even though Qui-Gon spoke about leisure time
he was actually teaching Obi-wan, About the living force
and what was illusion and what was not!

It was a lovely update.

 

Ah ha! The awful word-processore hash is gone. Happy. Happy.

"I'm afraid the truth screamed itself at me. I didn't shut myself out from the messages, the hints I received. Reality is largely what we believe, padawan. It is what you choose to see. And when you throw away the unwanted thoughts, the truth shows itself."

This quote is so very Qui-Gon. It makes you wonder which reality he's in.

 

Lovely new post.

 

"Force Sensitives?" He touched the beetle still crawling along his forearm. "They were playing with us, weren't they?" He said finally.

"I've asked for them to meet us only after a respite," Qui-Gon said. "They have agreed to my request, and I'm sure we'll know the reason tonight." He threw a look at Obi-Wan. "The Force has its reasons, padawan." He threw his head back, a conspiratorial glint in his eyes. "I, for one, am determined to make the fullest use of our leisure."

Very interesting update, PA!

Force sensitives, cloaking their presence, and hiding the truth!

Can't wait to find out what they are up to!

Star

 

Lovely and intriguing as always, PA. Your descriptions are incredible. They always draw me right into the scene, always fresh and original. I love that about your writing. It's interesting how Obi and Qui's gifts seemed to complement each other to a great degree in this story. I don't know if I've read them portrayed in quite that way, and I enjoyed it very much. Keep it up!

 

Oh, that was so wonderful, P_A. I loved how you described the mysteries of the mirage, and the water-wrinkled hands of the child. It really felt like I was waking up beside Obi-Wan (no, not in that way ) and experiencing everything through that thin little veil of confusion he's been feeling. And then, at last, the relief of water. The last bit, with Obi-Wan braiding Qui-Gon's hair, was incredibly sweet and right. I just adore this story more and more with every post.

 

Whoa, lost track of this but i'm all caught up now!

So Obi's subconscious was confused and those people were just playing with them! Can't wait for the explination! More soon!

 

Ah, lovely--just lovely. It makes me want to go back and re-read, to see what jewels of foreshadowing I unknowingly missed.

 

The mystery continues.

A lovely example of banter which is not banter. Qui-Gon's unshakable calmness and matter-of-factness throughout this post was funny.

Hopefully you'll begin handing us clues soon. I'm chasing my tail with this mystery.

(Personally, I thought the wonkiness added character. )

Fluffy

 

It's been said many times, but I so enjoy how your write these two. I'm very intrigued by the yin-yang relationship of the Unifying Force to the Living Force and they've combined to affect what goes on in their heads.

I'm not so coherent right now, but just know that I'm loving this and very much looking forward to more.

 

oh wow...I know you've been told this about 304595696 times now, but you write them like THEM. I have no other idea how to say it! excellent post!

 

Up! And late review.

Hmm, interesting that Obi's connection to the Unifying Force helped Qui see past the illusion, and Qui's connection to the Living Force helped Obi see that there was something going on (even though he didn't quite get through). Lovely conversation between Obi and Qui, I can just hear Qui explaining everything to Obi. I'm still wondering why the illusion though.

Wonderful job as always!

 

You're great at being very descriptive with words.
So far, a very intriguing story - with complex perspectives... all it needs is an update.