He was coming today. Usually she always looked forward to his visits, but not today. She felt the tears start to form, but quickly shook them away. No, if she had to see him, she wouldn’t cry in front of him, ever. She suddenly heard him out in the hall and did the first thing that came to her mind. Hid under the covers of her bed. ~~~~~~~~~~~ "Hello Ven." Qui-Gon greeted the man warmly. He had always seemed like a good man and to put up with Rela he had to be. "Welcome Master Jinn." Ven replied. "Please, call me..." "No sir. I couldn’t do that. It wouldn’t be proper. What brings you here today, sir?" Qui-Gon smiled inwardly. Ven was also a sly one; either that or his wife never told him anything. Since Rela’s eighth birthday two weeks ago, Qui-Gon had been somewhat concerned about the small girl, but a passing comment by Spiri had brought him some hope. Maybe, Force be willing, things would work out. "Spiri had contacted me Ven. She had said you both had wanted to speak to me about something." "That’s right!" Ven said remembering. "I don’t know where I’ve put my mind. Spiri should be back in a moment. Did you want to see Rela? She’s in her room." "Actually Ven, I thought I would wait until after we talked. That way I can give her the good news if you don’t mind?" "Why not at all, sir. That is your right and she would probably be happier hearing it from you." The two men waited in silence for Spiri to come back from her errand. She soon joined them with an embarrassed look on her face. "Master Jinn! I am so sorry that I’m late. I never thought it would take as long as it did. Would you like something to eat or drink?" "No thank you. I would rather get started. Have you mentioned anything to Rela?" "No, no, not yet. We wanted to mention it to you first. The dear girl is such an angel, we don’t want to get her hopes up." "This ~is~ Rela we’re talking about, correct?" Qui-Gon asked confused. "Yes sir. We didn’t want to say anything wrong to her." Ven explained. Qui-Gon, who was still trying to get his mind wrapped around the fact that they had called Rela an angel, started to pay close attention to the couple. They seemed eager, almost too eager, but he remembered that they couldn’t have a family of their own. He felt that they were good people, just a bit odd. Which in itself was good because so was Rela. He caught Ven and Spiri looking at each other anxiously wondering what the he was thinking. Qui-Gon knew what was best for Rela, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to give her up to them fully. She would have to make that choice. He looked up into the worried eyes of the couple and knew that this is what they wanted. It was all up to Rela now. "I’ll tell her, but the final decision is up to her." he told them finally. He rose and started towards Rela’s room. "Now let’s see what our ~angel~ has been up to." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ KNOCK, KNOCK "Rela dear. It’s me Spiri. Master Jinn is here and wants to see you. They quickly heard a muffled reply. "Not today thank you. Maybe some other time." Ven and Spiri looked at each other in shock. If there was one thing they knew, it was that Rela always looked forward to Qui-Gon’s visits. She would drive them to the verge of insanity with all of her questions of when he was due to arrive. Maybe they had just heard wrong. "Rela, dear? Master Jinn is here to see you. He has something important to tell you." Spiri explained through the door. "Umm, maybe tomorrow." came the muffled reply again. "Master Jinn..." Spiri started in disbelief, but Qui-Gon quickly waved her off. "Something’s bothering her. Let me take of it from here." he told them gently. "Rela? May I come in?" he asked through the door. "Do you have to?" she asked back doing her best not to cry. "Yes, I’m afraid I do. Can you unlock the door for me?" He soon heard the muffled sound of movement making its way towards the door, then make a quick dash away. He had to suppress a smile. He could only guess what she had gotten herself into now. He briskly stepped inside and closed the door behind him. All he could see was a mound in the middle of the bed, which he guessed was Rela, so he sat down next to it. "Do you want to tell me about it Small One?" "Not really." the bedclothes told him. "Why not?" he calmly asked. Suddenly the bedclothes were violently thrown down and he saw what had Rela so upset. It took everything he had to keep from laughing. Her hair was green. Not even a decent color of green, but a Hutt slime green. "The lady at the store said it would turn my hair a beautiful pale blonde." Rela wailed "Why did you want to color it?" "I hate being called Red, Cherry top, and Ringlets!" Rela shouted. Qui-Gon stifled a chuckle and looked at the serious child sitting on the bed. "Small one, you shouldn’t let things like that bother you because in the end you cannot change the way others think." "I know that Kai, but it still hurts all the same. They judge me by my size and hair. They don’t want to waste their time to know me. No one does." "Then they are not worth knowing." Qui-Gon told her pointedly. "Be patient, Small One, and be yourself. Now let’s do something with this green mop." "I really screwed up this time didn’t I Kai?" "Well...yes. But nothing that can’t be fixed. Did you try washing it out?" "Yes." "I guess we’ll have to cut it then." Qui-Gon told her sadly. "I personally love your hair. I think it shows everyone all the passion you keep in your heart." "Kai..." "Can’t you call me Qui-Gon?" "Qui-Gon..." "Yes?" "That was really corny." "Was it?" "Yes." "But ~I~ didn’t color my hair green. Now get the scissors." Qui-Gon soon got to work on cutting the large amount of green hair that Rela had now acquired. Since she had to stay where she was, Qui-Gon figured that now would be the best time to really talk to her. "There is another reason that I came." Rela sighed heavily. "As soon as you’re done I’ll get my stuff together." "Why would you need to do that?" he asked her confused. "Whenever you have ‘another reason’ to see me it’s usually because someone called you to take me somewhere else." "Sorry, Small One. This time you’re wrong. Yes, Ven and Spiri did call me, but to ask if you could stay." "Stay?" Rela whispered in awe. "No one has ever wanted me to stay before." "Well, they do. They are unable to have a family of their own, and had even mentioned adoption. I told them that I would leave the final decision up to you. I thought that you may want to get to know them better." Rela was in a daze as she sat motionless while Qui-Gon continued to cut her hair. She still couldn’t believe that someone actually wanted her to stay with them. Suddenly Rela jumped up and threw her arms around Qui-Gon’s neck. "They want me to stay!" she declared excitedly. "Yes, they do Small One. Now let’s finish your hair, so we can go talk to them." Qui-Gon was soon finished and they both looked at the reflection in the mirror. "I look..." Rela started. "Like a Padawan?" "Stupid!" "Don’t worry it will grow back." Qui-Gon reassured her. "Could you help it along a little?" "That would be abusing the Force, Small One." "I won’t tell anyone." Rela begged. Qui-Gon chuckled as he turned Rela toward the mess of hair they cut off. "Clean it up and we’ll go talk to Ven and Spiri." he told her. Rela began picking up the long strands of green hair that moments before had been attached to her head and red. She stared at an extra long lock that she had picked up and an unusual thought came to her. "Qui-Gon, you know those..." she paused looking for the right word. When she didn’t find it she pointed to her hair. "Padawans?" he supplied. "Yeah, them. Don’t they usually have a long braid of some sort?" "Yes they do, but it’s something sacred between a Master and his or her Padawan. You can’t have one, I’m sorry." "No, I don’t want one. I was wondering if you knew how to braid so I can keep a lock. Something to remember today by. It started out wretched, but turned out wonderful!" Silently Qui-Gon took the lock of hair from Rela and quickly began to braid it. Rela stood and watched him afraid that if she moved something would go wrong. He was soon finished and gently handed it back to Rela. She quickly grasped the lock and looked up at Qui-Gon with gratitude in her eyes. He held out his hand to the small girl and she promptly took it. They walked together out of Rela’s room and into the next where her new family was waiting. ~~~~ TWO YEARS LATER... Rela’s grin reached from ear to ear as she raced home. She had finally done it! After so long she had finally proved herself and had gotten into the Higher Mathematics class. Yes, it was several years ahead of the classes she was in now, but she knew she could do it. No more gossip, whispers, or rumors of cheating. She went into the testing area armed only with her writing utensil and came out the victor. She couldn’t wait to get home to tell Ven and Spiri all about it. Rela tucked a stray curl behind her ear and it caused her to chuckle. Her hair was now shoulder length and as curly as ever, although she usually wore it pulled up. As another curl fell into her face, Rela wondered what Spiri would say about it. Rela was bound and determined to let her hair grow out all one length. The only problem was that her bangs tended to grow the slightest bit slower than the rest of her hair, and that caused curls to fall in her face. They seemed to fall a lot and it drove Spiri crazy. Rela’s grin, if possible, grew wider as she remembered Spiri following her around the house with some type of hairclip to try and tame the wild curls. The small girl picked up her pace as her house came into view. Rela had been happy the past two years with her foster parents. The only thing that troubled her was Qui-Gon. He still visited, but not as often and Rela missed him. She missed his smiles and just his presence in her life. The last time she had seen Qui-Gon he had seemed different. Almost as if something awful had happened, but he always avoided her questions when she asked him about it. He still smiled at her, but it never managed to reach his eyes. They seemed to be filled with despair now, almost...haunted. Rela paused a moment before she stepped inside. <That’s odd. Ven’s home early today. I wonder what’s going on?> Not wanting to disturb her foster parents, Rela quietly entered the house. She could just make out voices, but not what they were saying. She slowly crept closer to see if she could find out what was going on. <What have I done now? I haven’t gotten in trouble in a long time. Not since I hit that boy on the head with my school datapad. He deserved it anyway! No one makes fun of my height!> Rela was soon close enough to hear what they were saying. "...ve to let her know. Then she can tell him." she heard Spiri’s voice stress. "He scares me Spiri, he always has. I have no idea why she looks forward to his visits." Ven complained. A confused look made its way over Rela’s face. <They’ve got to be talking about Ka...Qui-Gon. But why? He’s not supposed to visit for another few days.> Rela went back to listening as she heard that Ven had started to complain again. "...knew we shouldn’t have done this. There is something about her that he’s not telling us." "What could it be?" Spiri begged. "She’s just a young girl." "A young girl that has been in and out of foster homes more times than we can count, and is watched over by a Jedi Master. There is something odd about that. I wouldn’t have minded, but now we are being blessed with a family of our own. She’s not our obligation anymore!" Tears began to stream their way down Rela’s face. <After two years, that’s all I am is an obligation? Now that they are going to have a ~real~ family they don’t need me anymore?> Rela quickly caught Spiri voicing her concerns to her husband Ven. "You’re right Ven, we have to protect our own family, but where will the little thing go? I hate to think that she’ll be shipped off to some other unsuspecting family." Rela didn’t stay long enough to hear Ven’s reply. She ran to her room as fast as she could as the tears continued to stream down her face. Once in her room she quietly shut her door so she wouldn’t alarm the Zemans, as she now thought of them. <An OBLIGATION!> she screamed to herself. <That’s all I am, and I guess that’s all I ever will be! I’ve disappointed Qui-Gon again. Now he’ll be burdened with putting me with some other ‘unsuspecting family’. I can’t put him through that again. Not now! What am I going to do?> Rela leaned up against the closed door to her room and glanced around. There was nothing here she wanted. Nothing that wouldn’t bring back haunted memories. Why stay? That would make everything easier for everyone! She would just leave, then the Zemans wouldn’t have to tell her and Qui-Gon wouldn’t have to be burdened with her anymore. She quickly changed into the overly big clothes, the Zemans swore she would grow into. <What heaven it would be to have clothes that fit!> She grabbed her newest boots, which she loved. They had been the last thing that Qui-Gon had given her and she had vowed that she would always wear them. The last thing she grabbed was a small leather pouch which contained the braid of green hair. She clearly remembered that day. She had been so happy and Qui-Gon had been...well, Qui-Gon. Rela started to climb out the window and stopped in mid-step. Maybe she should leave a note. To at least explain why she had left. The thought of anyone coming after her never entered her mind. Rela quickly climbed back out of the window and scribble a note on a piece of flimsyplast. ~ I wanted to let you know that I left. I figure it would be best to let you know. I don’t want to be a bother anymore or trouble. I know that if I stay, I’ll be passed on to someone else. I don’t want to be anyone else’s obligation anymore. Good-bye. Signed, Rela Quinn ~ Rela laid the note on her pillow, the quickly climbed out her window never looking back. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Epilogue * "What do you mean she’s gone?" Qui-Gon asked the couple in front of him in a deadly voice. "She’s gone Master Jinn. Never came home from school." Ven answered in a fearful voice. "That was three days ago! What have you done since then?" "Nothing sir. We thought she had gone to visit you." "Did you ever think to contact me?" Both Ven sand Spiri shook their heads to afraid to say anything. They had always been nervous around Jedi and a little fearful, but an angry Jedi Master, that terrified them. They sat fixed to their seats as they watched the angry master begin to pace. He soon stopped and began to stare at the Zemans. "I know there is another reason for her leaving." he told them leaving no room for argument. "But I want her FOUND! No matter what the cost." "Y-yes s-s-sir, Ma-master Jinn." Ven stammered. "I will be waiting for news." Qui-Gon informed them in a hostile tone as he left. "You didn’t tell him about the note." Spiri whispered in disbelief. "That would be smart Spiri. Tell an already angry Jedi Master that the girl he put in our are left because she found out we were going to get rid of her." Ven sarcastically answered his wife. "Maybe, but then he would know the truth and leave us alone! All this so you could tell everyone that a Jedi Master owed you a favor!" she spat back at him. "I don’t care anymore. We will destroy the note. Then we’ll put in a call to Coruscant Security, and leave it at that. If they find her, we’ll get them to contact Mater Jinn. Then as soon as we are able we disappear." Spiri just stared at her husband in disbelief, but deep down inside she knew he was right. If the Jedi Master ever found out that they couldn’t keep Rela because they were finally going to have their own family, they would never be welcome anywhere in the galaxy. With sadness in her eyes Spiri looked up at her husband. "When do we leave." |
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| It's Not Easy Being Green By Mouse |
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