Before - Legends Picture This . . . Dare Challenge response . . . Obi-Wan does a photoshoot

Title: Picture This
Era: 2 years pre=TPM
Characters: Obi-Wan and someone else, who'll become apparent later.

Note: This was done for the Dare Challenge. My dare was thusly:

I dare you to write a story where Obi-Wan Kenobi is doing a photoshoot. Why is he doing a photoshoot, you ask? Because he wants to give the pictures of himself to Siri for her lifeday. It must be written from the point of view of the person behind the camera. It does not matter who said person is, so long as he/she/it is not an OC.
Must include the phrases:
I've got a bad feeling about this
Must include the words:
shrill
giggle
caf
angel
knitting
tooth
May not include the words:
pose
smile

---

[b]Disclaimer: The characters, universe, etc. belong to their respective creators. I'm just, you know, messing about.[/b]

[hr]

The Qwnary line manager - oleaginous cretin that he is - offers me a hand getting down out of the airtaxi. I'm feeling lazy, and take it. Not having to concentrate on my balance also gives me the chance to look my client up and down. Thoros Salatis, age twenty-three, species human. Not a bad-looking example of the species by any means, either.

The first thing he does on seeing me is take a step back. I see his eyes widening; his train of thought couldn't be more obvious if he had it in flashing neon lights over his head. It's something like this: why, in a galaxy where any pronounceable combination of letters is liable to be used as a name for either sex, has he assumed that the Tanner Casadior the Qwnary manager spoke so gushingly of was a man?

Certainly a decidedly feminine personage in a red dress that can only really be described as flamboyant doesn't appear to fit his expectations.

He recovers his manners with commendable speed and gives a sort of stiff bow before saying awkwardly "Mistress Casadior, it's a pleasure to meet you."

I wave my hand expansively. It's an elegant gesture and I should use it more often. "Please. Call me Tanner."

I could get used to being Tanner Casadior. It's not my real name, not any more than Thoros Salatis is really his - I'd know that face anywhere - but it has a pleasantly aristocratic edge to it.

What does he want with a professional holo-shoot? I dismiss the tempting question, secure in the knowledge that I'll find out sooner or later, and assemble my thoughts. Time to start on the job I came here for. "Have you chosen a location?"

To his credit, he does seem to have given it some thought. "I was thinking of Tatuma Park. Would that be -"

"Perfectly suitable." I say, nodding. I'm fond of Tatuma Park. Not only is it a secluded retreat from the noisier, dirtier edges of Coruscant life, with a nice sweep of land going down to its small lake, but its real attraction is the dozens of nooks and crannies - little rocky overhangs, cavities in bushes, even hollow trees. A dozen holo-shoots could quite happily wander the park without any of the parties concerned seeing any of the others. During the day, too, it's usually relatively empty of courting or more-than-courting couples taking advantage of the hideaways.

His logic is simple enough: nice scenery, and almost nobody to see him if it gets embarrassing. I nod again. "Good choice. Let's go."

The airtaxi ride doesn't take long; my customer sits as far away from me as possible. He doesn't say a word until we're passing Lhemia Tower - the latest and most dazzling home of a particularly filthy-rich galactic corporation - at which point he suddenly asks "Do you do many of these?"

"Private contracts?" I ask. He nods. I pause, running through what I know of Qwnary policy in my head. "Not so many. The ones we do get are usually . . . special requests. It's quite a lucrative market."

He's blushing. He's actually blushing. I wouldn't have thought that anyone living on Coruscant would still be innocent enough to raise a blush at - but no, this is him. A notably clean-cut specimen even of his kind.

I half-wonder if he senses anything untoward. He shouldn

 

great work! really brilliant use of the dare elements and OMG it's him!

i loved the deception, it had me going until the broken circle reference. wonderful work!

15 years time. hmm, that would be about... ohh!

loved it!

 

An excellent answer to the response. Xanatos!

He's blushing. He's actually blushing. I wouldn't have thought that anyone living on Coruscant would still be innocent enough to raise a blush at - but no, this is him. A notably clean-cut specimen even of his kind.

I loved that, Obi-Wan is so cute!

 

Wow! What a great response to this challenge! I was looking forward to reading the response to this one!

"Are the pictures for anyone in particular?" I ask casually.

Have I caught him off guard? I can't tell.

He hesitates a minute, and then says "My - girlfriend."

I stop dead. I think he's telling the truth; no, dammit, I'm certain. I'd know if he was lying. Funny how people would rather die than breathe a word to their best friend and yet they'll happily tell random strangers all sorts of things.

Loved that section!

 

What a terrific challenge response!

I wave my hand expansively. It's an elegant gesture and I should use it more often.

I loved going back to read the beginning again after finding out who it was. I'd like to see more of Xanatos in drag, methinks. I'm sure he's very pretty.

If there's one thing that's guaranteed to get him in trouble, then it's romantic attachments. It has genuinely never crossed my mind that someone as dedicated to the ideals of his way of life as Obi-Wan Kenobi would even think about transgressing.

Oh, this opens up whole vistas of possibility.

Uh oh, Obi. Watch out!

 

Delicious. Both of them, but especially Xan.

 

Ha!!! What an enjoyable response to the dare. Wonderfully done Nemisis.

 

Oh, great story. As a (hobby) photographer myself, it rang so true. I could just see that last picture.

 

Xanatos wore a dress!?!? What a hilarious surprise and a great response to the challenge!

 

Great reply to the challenge. I loved that Xan was in disguise, taking pictures of Obi-Wan. And finding out about Siri. He must have had a lot of chuckles over that one.

Loved, too, the little throwaway tidbit about the 15 years or so. Chilling for such a small line.

Great job. This was wonderful.

 

Xanatos?! Wow, didn't expect that. And your charcaterizations of both Obi and Xanatos (even when he was wearing a dress!) were brilliant.
Very well written, very well done.

 

Xanatos!

I never would have guessed. So bravo on that count. At first I thought maybe Zam Wessel, or with the fallen Jedi bit I thought maybe Ventress since I don't know much about her.

Never would have expected a man at all, let alone Xanatos.

I think you definitely met your challenge. Great work.

 

WOW! JediNemesis, that was intriguing and wondefully done!

Great job keeping the main character a secret until the end - and the surprise ending, revealing who he was... I'm very impressed!


The almost lyrical feel to this is surreal, and the responce to a particularly difficult dare was inspired!

Great job!

 

Hello everybody!

Those dare elements were a particularly fiendish set, methinks. (If the originator would like to 'fess up, please feel free . . .) I'm glad that Xanatos' disguise was convincing And his prediction does have a definite significance for we who Know What Happens. Thanks for reading and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

 

Excellent Challenge response.

The visual writing was great. I could see each scene . . . and didn't guess who the photographer was until you revealed him.

I just your description of Obi-wan at the beginning.

 

Aiiee! That was so much FUN to read!!

The line about wearing a tunic and pants under the dress was definately my favorite, but the closing lines were priceless too! Great response to the dare.... I hope it was as much fun to write as it was to read!

-rabeuph

 

OMG that was Hilarious lol. You just made Xani the first Star Wars X-dresser. I would have never guessed it was him lol. This was a great response to the challenge.

 

Xanatos is the photographer



What a lovely twist.

Great job on the challenge

 

That was just simply: Too. Much. Fun.

Lovely story idea and beautifully done. And an excellent response for that dare. I loved that it was Xan all along. Although that last comment was a bit scary.

KD

 

Hello again

I actually didn't think this many people would be taken in by Xani's disguise. Maybe it's because I knew it was him all along . . . *shrug* I'm glad you enjoyed the visual side of it - in a story about photography that's probably a good thing

First, what a superb username Second - well, it's never comfortable wearing two layers of something that shouldn't really be layered . . . and I bet that there is the GFFA equivalent of eBay where Xani's signature would sell for quite a bit It was indeed much fun to write! Thanks for reading

Thanks for the 'hilarious' And hey, it's a disguise. I am in no way implying that Xani does this for fun! (I wonder what the TOS have to say about it . . .) Thanks very much for reading

Hey, thanks Again, I'm genuinely surprised I fooled so many people. Glad you enjoyed it though

It struck me as a dare with silliness potential written right in, but then the Xanibunny bit me hard and I had to work out a way to get him in it. I think the finished version is fun without being too idiotic I'm glad you liked it, and hey, Xanatos is a bit scary in himself. Some of the things he's done . . .

Thanks again, everybody

Nem

 

Wow! Brilliant job with a hard dare!

I have to admit I'm not very familiar with Xanatos, but he seems like an...interesting guy. Actually, he kind of reminds me of Count Dooku.

Love the idea of him cross-dressing to disguise himself!

He pauses to have a look around, and for a moment is just looking into the distance. It's an electrifying picture, with the sun just going down over the ridge; my nod to the camera is almost reflexive.

I wouldn't mind seeing that picture.

To quote the old saying, gold opens doors that steel won?t make a mark on.

I liked that line. So true.

Aagain, wonderful job, JediNemesis!