Padme couldn't help but snuggle into him tighter as the tears began to fall again, "How can you do that and then say you don't feel?" "I didn't say I didn't feel, Senator." Vader whispered, his voice unusually soft, "I said I didn't care."
"Sometimes, I think you do," Padme whispered in return, "Just a little. A very, very, tiny little."
It was then that sleep overtook the exhausted senator and when she woke up the next morning, as always, Vader was gone... and she couldn't remember a thing.
Obi-Wan felt his arms chained tightly above his head, restraining him to a hard object that stood behind him. He tried to look around to find answers, but did not find anything helpful. He took note that he was in an arena and apparently the source of the entertainment to the roaring crowd around him. Three other sturdy posts, about a meter in diameter, were centered on the arena floor around his own. His, however, was the only one that held a prisoner. He almost laughed at the situation and how inconvenient it was. He had no idea where he was or how he had got there. He was alone tied to a post, with what seemed to be his death moments away… and yet, he felt like he had all the answers in the world, because he done it all before.
The fact made him utterly confused. Obi-Wan knew he had never experienced this situation before. He would have remembered it – But it felt like he was remembering it. It felt like a memory… Just like before.
The answer screamed to him, making him realize the situation he was in. He was not in danger; at least any real danger because he was experiencing a vision. The Force was showing him another vision just like before… but if that were true, where was the boy?
As if being controlled, annoyance, anger, and fear came over Obi-Wan as he turned his head towards the approaching cart. He couldn't explain it, but just like before, he was unable to stop himself. He knew the emotions swelling inside of him were not the Jedi way… but still he felt them. He felt as if he had been ignored… disobeyed… disrespected. He felt annoyed at being ignored. He felt angry for being disrespected. He felt scared– why? He didn't know. He wasn't even sure if those were the emotions that he was feeling. He couldn't explain it. He didn't know what he was feeling, or more importantly, why he was feeling them.
Obi-Wan continued to scowl until the cart paused before him. He took quick note of Senator Amidala, before turning to the boy beside her. It was him. As soon as he saw the boy's face, he knew it was him. It was the boy. The Chosen One.
"Obi-Wan!" The now older boy cried as he was pulled down from the cart, dragged over, and chained to the post beside him. "I was beginning to wonder if you had gotten my message," Obi-Wan replied automatically, unable to stop himself. Both he and the boy winced as Senator Amidala was similarly, roughly dragged over to the post next to the boy, and chained up.
"I transmitted your message just as you had requested, Master." The boy explained seeming a bit embarrassed, "Then we decided to come rescue you."
"Good job!" came Obi-Wan's quick and sarcastic response, as he turned to look between the chains that still held him and the boy that had apparently tried to save him. Due to the boy's confession, he was slowly beginning to understand some of the unknown emotion racing inside of him. But still, so much was unknown.
"Don't be mad, Obi-Wan," A voice said from beside him, interrupting his train of thought, "That senator talked him into it. I think she may be even more foolish than he is."
Obi-Wan's head snapped towards the voice, immediately recognizing it. He felt his eyes widen as his eyes laid upon the voice's owner. "Master!" He said in shock and amazement, as his gaze froze on the man that now stood beside him, "How– What are you doing here?"
The old man laughed for a moment as he walked forward, "Never were much for surprises were you, Obi-Wan?"
Qui-Gon neared his old padawan, using what Obi-Wan thought was the Force to make the chains that held him against the pillar disappear. As he was freed from his bonds, Obi-Wan remained silent. He rubbed his hands over his wrists, more in comfort than actual hurt. He was confused and shocked… far beyond words. Knowing he could not push off the meeting forever, he slowly raised his gaze from his wrists to the arena. Obi-Wan quickly noted that everything around him had paused. Frozen as he had left it. He turned to his Master that remained quiet near the pillar where he had been released, allowing him to take in the new situation.
"Master," Obi-Wan asked finally, gesturing to the situation around him, "What is all of this?"
"The Force's way of trying to explain." Qui-Gon answered quickly, before he walked around Obi-Wan to pause in front of the Chosen One.
"I'm afraid I don't understand, Master." Obi-Wan replied, following his Master to get a better look at the boy as well, "Not even Master Yoda understands."
They both were silent for a long moment, starring at the boy that remained frozen to the post. Obi-Wan noted the boy's features, trying to engrave them into his memory for his later search when he awoken from his vision. He memorized the boy's face, eyes, and hair color; any factors that would not change now that the boy before him was becoming a man. He knew the boy looked older than the previous time he had seen him, about ten or so years older, but he also knew that the boy was probably still older in his world. The elements of the boy that he was memorizing, however, had a good chance of being the main features of the boy that remained the same, no matter his age.
Obi-Wan knew he needed a Jedi, and the boy before him was only a padawan. The boy before him now was young, much too young to be considered ready to take upon the title of "The Chosen One."
"What is his name?" Obi-Wan asked softly, feeling another deep connection to the boy. "It will take time for you to fully understand, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon said, ignoring his question as he removed his gaze from the boy to look at his padawan, "The Force works in mysterious ways."
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