sparky // a padawan story

chapter 28. reunited.

Mid 20 BBY. 15 years old.
"I believe you deserve a break, my Padawan, we've been training more than usual today," Obi-Wan says as he sits on the floor of the sparring room and hooks his saber back on his belt. I do the same and sit next to him.
"I think you're just too tired to keep going, old man."
"Oh really? Well then—"
Suddenly, Anakin barges into the room. "Oh, there you are, Master. Where's Arlo?"
"Sitting right next to me," he responds, unamused.
"Oh. Yeah. Well, Senator Amidala says she has someone who'd like to see you, Arlo. Obi-Wan, I'd bet you'd enjoy it, too, if you'd want to come."
"Oh, that's all right. You know how I feel about politics."
"But it has nothing to do with politics," Anakin argues. "I think you should—"
"Really, Anakin, it's all right. Besides, I have a Council meeting, and I need to get cleaned up before then."
"I can still go, right?" I ask.
"Of course. As long as you don't cause a ruckus in the Senate building."
I stand up. "Oh, you know me, Master." I hold out my arms to him. He takes them and I help pull him up off the ground.
"Do you know when she'll be back?" Obi-Wan asks.
"Depends on how long it takes for her to catch up," Anakin tells him.
"Catch up? With who?" I question.
Obi-Wan smirks. "Oh. I think I know who. Well, then, have fun, and don't do anything stupid."
"What would I do that's stupid? Who are we even talking about?"
"Best not keep them waiting," Anakin tells me.
"See you later, Arlo," Obi-Wan says as I follow Anakin out of the room.
"See ya, Obi!" I call back with a wave. Anakin and I leave the temple and catch a speeder cab to the Senate building. He starts laughs at me during the ride. "What are you laughing at?"
"Don't do anything stupid."
I laugh. "Don't act like he never said that to you!"
"He didn't! Well, at least not directly."
"Well have you considered that maybe you're the reason that he just says it straight up now?"
He stops laughing and falls into thought. "...Oh, shut up."
I laugh at him. "Well, have you?"
"I just did!" We get off the cab in front of the Senate building and walk up to Padmé, who waits for us.
"Hello, Arlo, it's been a bit," she greets with a smile.
"It has, but it's good to see you again. How've you been?"
"I've been just fine, thank you," she says as we walk into the maroon halls of the building. "You've grown up quite a bit since I saw you last."
"Thank you, Senator. It really has been too long, hasn't it?"
"I agree. I get to see Anakin and Ahsoka a lot, but I never seem to get the pleasure of crossing paths with you and Master Kenobi."
"I'm sure he'd love to catch up. So, since him and Master Skywalker won't tell me who's here, will you tell me?"
"We're almost there. Satine!" Padmé calls.
Satine turns to face us and smiles when she sees me. "Hello, Arlo!"
"Satine! How are you?" I ask with a large smile and a small bow.
"I'm all right, how've you been?"
"Ah, you know. The usual getting on Obi-Wan's nerves. He's about to go to a Council meeting, by the way, so that's why he didn't come."
"Oh, that's quite all right. That wasn't really why I brought you, anyways." She steps to the side to reveal a familiar blue-eyed, reddish-blonde cadet. Korkie.
"Hello, Arlo," he says with a grin.
My eyes widen happily as I smile. "Hi!"
"Well, I guess I'll leave you all to it," Anakin says. "I'll tell Obi-Wan to pick you up before curfew." I give him a thumbs up and wave goodbye to Padmé as they walk away.
"You two can go along. I'll be in our hotel if either of you need me," Satine says. "Arlo, it was great seeing you, dear."
"You as well, Satine," I say as she walking in the opposite direction as Anakin and Padmé.
I look at Korkie again with a wide smile. "Korkie!"
He matches my expression and tone in a playful manner. "Arlo!"
"Why are you here?"
"Sometimes my aunt lets me come with her to Coruscant. This is one of those times. So I wanted to see you, of course."
My face gets unwillingly warm. "How long will you be here?"
"Just until the morning," he tells me.
"Ah. Well, what are your plans? What do you usually do here?"
"Just sightsee around the city, usually. You should come with me."
"Sure. I'm done with training for today, after all. And I don't really ever get to see the actual city."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm always at the temple, of course. But it's not like I'm here often."
"Right." He offers me his arm, like he did back on Mandalore. "I guess I can show you around again, then?"
I slip my arm into his. "I'd like that." We walk through the red halls towards the exit. "Wait, how'd you know I was here?"
"Honestly? Lucky guess."
"There's no such thing as luck, my friend."
"What makes you think that?"
"Nothing happens by chance. If something is meant to happen, it will happen. It's the will of the Force, as some like to say."
"So you're saying the Force is the reason I found you here? I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't have the Force."
"Well, if you think about it, everyone has it. It flows through everything. Some are just more in tune with it, like I am."
"That's an interesting way to see it."
"That's just what I've come to learn." We step out into the perfect-temperatured air. "So what have you been up to?"
"Not much, mostly the same as before. Cadet stuff. Except we can get our midnight snacks now."
I laugh softly. "Sounds like fun."
"What about you?"
"Also the same as before. Jedi stuff. Except I'm still no better at not almost dying. So you've been all right, then?"
"I have. Have you?"
"I suppose. Could be better, as always, but I can manage."
"What happened?"
"I just found some things out. Things I guess I just never really wanted to know. Or not really that I didn't want to know, but more... something I'd rather push away the thought of. But that's all I'll say for now, don't worry about it."
"...Okay."
"So how are the others doing?"
"I believe they're okay. Soniee says hi, Lagos says hello, and Amis says to tell you that they all miss you and Ahsoka."
I smile. "Well tell them I say hello too. We miss you all, too, we had a lot of fun."
"You'd call that fun?"
"Sure, I suppose. Not really the whole treason and corruption part, but you all were fun to teach. And you were..." I stop as I feel something off.
"What is it?" I turn my head slightly to see a couple of officers walking our way. Korkie turns his head as well. "Are they... coming towards—?" he starts to whisper. I turn my head away from the officers, then reach over to Korkie and use my hand to push his head back straightforward.
"Yeah, I think so," I mutter as I grab his wrist and drag him along with me. I walk quickly and swiftly, and he has to jog to keep up.
"What did you do?"
"Oh, so you just assume that I did something?"
"Yeah, I do."
"And why, may I ask?"
"You're the one always getting in trouble."
"What, do you think I go around committing crimes just for giggles?" I question as I scan the area, trying to be as discreet as possible. "Besides, you're the one who quite literally broke-in-and-entered into a government warehouse, not me." I notice a crowded club nearby. I start towards it, dragging Korkie behind me. "Come on."
"Why are we going to a club?"
"To drink," I say sarcastically. Korkie s furrows his brows in confusion, and I groan. "Why do you think? To hide, Korkie. We're hiding," I tell him as we start into the entrance.
The bouncer stops us at the entrance. "Woah, woah, you kids aren't allowed in here—"
I wave my hand. "You will let us in."
He falls into a daze. "I will let you in." I smirk as I pull Korkie into the club with me. Blue and purple lights dance around the walls as we make our way towards the back.
"You know, maybe this is why we have cops chasing after us."
"Very funny, Kryze. Hilarious, actually." I let go of his wrist as I open an exit door in the back, by a dumpster. I move to stand on the other end of it in case anyone comes out the back door. Korkie follows closely as I pull out a hologram and try to call Obi-Wan.
His hologram appears in front of me after a few minutes. "Arlo, I'm supposed to be in a meeting, what could you possibly need right now?"
"There are cops following us, Master."
He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose with his hand that isn't holding the hologram in front of him. "Arlo, it's hardly been an hour. What did you do?"
"Why does everyone think it's me that did something?"
"Who else would it be?" Korkie and Obi-Wan ask in unison.
"I did nothing. And, Master, how do you know it isn't Korkie's fault? Do you not remember anything I told the Council during briefing after I got back from Mandalore?"
"You convinced him to," Obi-Wan states.
"Did not."
"He's right," Korkie agrees.
"Exactly. Listen to him, Arlo, he'll teach you how to agree with me for once," Obi-Wan jokes.
"Hey, I almost always agree with you!"
"Sure you do. Now just try to get back to Satine until I'm done with this meeting. Then I'll get you out of this mess."
"So you think I can't do it myself?"
"That's not what I said. But if I know you at all, you're going to try to fight them instead of being rational and negotiating with them. You should really start listening—" We suddenly hear footsteps from close to the door inside. I hang up the call quickly and put the hologram away. I can practically see Obi-Wan shaking his head at me right now. Korkie and I turn and run into a nearby alleyway. It smells bad and it's dark. We look back and see the cops standing right where we had just stood.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Korkie whispers.
"Yeah, I know, now be quiet." My hologram suddenly begins to beep, and the cops look in our direction. They point towards us. "Well, I guess we run now."
"Yeah, good idea." We sprint away from them through the alley as they chase after us.
I grab the com from my belt and shut it off. "Damnit, Obi-Wan!"
"Arlo, where even are we?"
"Don't know, who cares, we just need to get back to the Senate. And quick!"
"Don't you think they'll, I don't know, follow us there?"
"You're right. We need to shake them off first."
"That's not what I—!" He starts, then groans. "I meant you need to talk to them like your master said to!"
"Yeah, that's exactly what we're not gonna do. If they find us at the Senate building, either Satine or Obi-Wan will be there to talk us out of it. I may be the Negotiator's protégé, but I'm no negotiator myself."
"To talk you out of this, you mean."
"No, us. Whatever I did, you're in it with me, now."
"Well, thanks for that."
I look behind me as I run and see the officers pull out stunners from their belt. "Oh, kriff."
"Kriff what?"
"Stunners. Keep running, I've got your back." I ignite by lightsaber as they shoot stuns at us. I stop to block them, then catch back up to Korkie. I block another stun behind my back as we run.
"How—?"
"Lucky guess, as you would say," I joke.
"Hilarious as always, Arlo," he says, a small smile forming in the corner of his mouth. I turn off my saber and put it back on my belt as we approach the end of the alley and skid to a halt as we almost fall over the edge. I hold my arm out in front of Korkie to make sure he doesn't go over. I look down at the speeders flying in lines underneath us in the afternoon light.
"Freeze!" Two officers run up behind us and point their stunners at our backs. Korkie and I put our hands behind our heads and turn around slowly. I glance behind me again, and an idea pops into my head. Could I...?
"If you tell Obi-Wan what I'm about to do, I'll drop kick you all the way back to Mandalore," I mutter to Korkie.
"Wha—?"
I remove one of the hands from the back of my head and lock my arm with his, then give the officers a lazy salute with the other. "See ya later, guys," I say with a wink as I let my weight fall backwards over the edge, which pulls Korkie down with me. "Woohoo!"
"Haar'chak, Arlo!"
"No clue what you just said!" I say, laughing as we freefall through the lines of traffic.
"I said damn it!" he yells, holding tighter to my arm.
I laugh even harder as we near closer to the ground. "Relax, I've got you!"
"Do you? Because to me, it looks like we are falling to the ground in the middle of traffic!"
"F'course I do. Now hold on." I let go of his arm and use the Force to fall faster to the ground.
"That's the exact opposite of holding on!" he shouts.
"You're fine, calm down!" I call back up as I turn in the air so I'm facing down. I use the Force to slow my fall as I come within mere yards of the ground and land on both of my feet. I look back up to find Korkie getting closer to me. I use the Force to then slow him down as he falls into my outstretched arms. "Fun, right?"
"Absolutely not." I put him back on the ground. "You're crazy."
"Yeah, and you like that," I retort with a smirk. I take a look at my surroundings. We landed in the middle of a long platform just above the slums of the underworld. It's much darker down here than it is up above. "We need a cab. But we're not gonna find one down here."
"So now what? Should we call Obi-Wan?"
"Not quite. Now hold on." I wrap an arm around his midsection.
"Actually hold on, or your version of holding on? Which is really called 'letting go', by the way."
"Actually." He holds tight around me as I Force jump up a distance to the next platform. We let go of each other as we land.
"I just don't see why we don't just tell him to pick us up here."
"General's orders. Meet at the rendezvous point given, since we know it's safe."
"This isn't a battlefield, Arlo."
I shrug. "Same principles." I wave over a taxi speeder, who pulls over and lets us in.
"Where to?" he asks.
"Senate building, please," I say. He nods and speeds off. I pull my hologram again and fiddle with the circular device until it turns back on. I call Obi-Wan.
"I hope you know, Arlo," Obi-Wan starts as his hologram pops up, "that I was watching your location beacon from your holoprojector, and it's highly unsettling to see your location dot drop down thousands of feet to the ground at an alarmingly rapid pace. Almost like you were... falling, perhaps?"
"I, uh, dropped it?"
"You are a horrible liar, little one. And you didn't listen to me."
"They were trying to capture us, not have a friendly conversation with us!"
"My enemies don't want to have friendly conversations with me, either, but I still do it."
"Well I'm not the Negotiator, am I? Didn't think so. Moving on. We're on our way to the Senate building now."
"I'm already outside waiting."
"Good. We'll be there soon." I hang up the call and put the hologram away as the driver looks back at us.
"So you just dragged me into your crime?" he questions.
"There's no crime," I tell him.
"I should report you—"
"You will not report us and you will forget about this conversation," I say as I wave my hand.
"I will not report you and I will forget about this conversation," he repeats mindlessly. I sit back and cross my arms.
"You know, Arlo, you scare me sometimes. But, like, in a good way."
"Is that even possible?"
"I don't know. I guess so."
"I'll take that compliment, then." The taxi driver pulls up in front of the Senate building. Korkie tosses him a few credits as we exit and begin to search around for Obi-Wan.
"Stop right there." I feel the hard metal of a stunner rest against the back of my shoulder. I slowly put my hands up in surrender. Even I know that this time, there's no way out.
"Do what Obi-Wan said," Korkie mutters to me.
I nod and turn around slowly. Korkie follows my lead. "Look, can we just talk about this?"
"About what? You've been missing for twelve years."
"Twelve— what? Who do you think I am?"
"Quit playing dumb. I know you're Annabeth Casimir."
I give him a confused look. "I have no idea who you're talking about. Really, I don't. My name is Arlo Just, I'm 15 years old, and I'm Jedi Padawan and Co-Commander of the 212th Attack Battalion of the Grand Army of the Republic."
"Arlo... Arlo, that sounds familiar. Stay right there." He pulls a small holopad from his back pocket. "Yes, you're from Batuu and have a daughter named Arlo."
"But I am Arlo. Is this... Annabeth, did you say?" He nods. "Is that my mother's name?"
"I mean it when I say to stop acting stupid. You ran away when you were 21 and your husband has had a search warrant out for you since. You're coming with me."
"She's not going anywhere, actually," the familiar voice of my master says from behind us. I sigh in relief. He walks up and holds his hand out to to officer. "Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I see you have a problem with my padawan and her friend, here?"
"Your padawan is actually a missing person by the name of Annabeth Casimir."
"I can assure you that this is, in fact, Arlo."
"Then you won't mind if I take a small blood test, then?"
"On second thought—" I start.
"No, she won't mind," Obi-Wan interrupts. The officer grabs the needle from a special pocket and begins disinfecting it.
I glare at Obi-Wan. "He is not getting near me with that thing," I whisper.
"It's the only way to prove that you're you, Arlo. I know you hate it, I'm sorry."
"Why is this even happening anyway?"
"Arlo, your mother could have been involved in some dangerous stuff. If you don't prove it's you, then you might actually be arrested. And that's the last thing we need at the moment."
"Fine. I guess I'll rot in prison, then," I grumble. Obi-Wan pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs.
"My aunt always says to look at the sky when you're nervous," Korkie tells me.
"Really? That's what Obi-Wan tells me."
"Where do you think I got it from?" Obi-Wan says to me. The officer approaches me with the needle and Obi-Wan holds my arm out towards him and rolls up my dark grey sleeve, keeping a firm grasp on it so I don't move away.
"Look here," Korkie says. I look away from the needle to him. He points up at the sky and looks up with me. I observe the light blue skies lined with skyscrapers and extravagant buildings as I feel the blood being drawn out of me. I quickly grab the nearest hand with my free one, which happens to be Korkie's, and squeeze it until the officer is finished. I give Korkie an apologetic look, but he just smiles as if to say that it was fine. The officer hands Obi-Wan a bandage as he hooks up the syringe to a small portable machine to examine it.
Obi-Wan places the bandage gently on my arm and rolls my sleeve back down. "All done."
"I hated that," I mutter, annoyed.
"I know."
"I'm never doing that again."
Obi-Wan chuckles. "Good luck with that."
The officer reads the results off of his holopad. "Yes, you're Arlo Casimir."
"So Annabeth Casimir is my mother's name?"
"Did you know her?"
"Barely, before she left."
"Do you know where she could be?"
I hesitate. I look at Obi-Wan, who nods reassuringly. "...Dead. She's dead," I say, more quiet than normal.
His brows furrow. "Where did you learn this?"
"We came across one of her old friends on a mission," Obi-Wan lies.
The officer sighs. "Well then. I'm sorry to hear that."
"Don't be," I say.
"Apologies for bothering you. We'll let your father know."
"I don't care what you tell that son of a—"
"Don't be rude," Obi-Wan whispers in a slightly scolding voice as he nudges me. "Have a good day, officer." The officer waves as he walks away. "Are you okay?"
"I'm... okay. Yeah. Just... shaken, I think."
"Well, I'm glad you two are okay. And Korkie, it's nice to formally meet you."
"You as well, Master Kenobi," he replies. They shake hands as they begin a friendly conversation. I find myself staring at my feet. There has to be a reason I'm finding all these things out about my mother... there's no way this is some kind of coincidence. She's always been a mystery to me, but now... it feels like I've known her forever. Her name was Annabeth Casimir. Casimir... it makes sense to me now. That's what they used to call my father. But little me just thought that was his name. I haven't heard it in so long, I forgot how much I hate the sound of it. And the fact that I'm now associated with that name...
"Arlo?" Obi-Wan suddenly brings me back. "What are you thinking about?"
"I don't like it."
Both of their faces grow confused. "Like what?" Obi-Wan questions.
"Casimir. I didn't know that was my name. I don't like it."
"Well that's not your name, last I checked," Obi-Wan says. "I named you Just, not Casimir."
I smile. "Just still has a nice ring to it."
"I agree. Now I'm going back to the temple, I'll come find you up before curfew. Unless you'd like to come back with me now."
Korkie and I share a look and smile. "I'll stay with him."
"Very well. Make sure you eat something for dinner later. Keep your holoprojector with you just in case."
"I will."
"Then I'll see you later. Have fun, and be good this time," he jokes as he begins to walk away.
I roll my eyes. "Very funny."
"I mean it!" he calls back.
I turn back towards Korkie. "Uh... sorry."
"Don't be. I've never done anything like that, it was... exciting, to say the least."
"And what was what happened back on Mandalore, chopped bantha liver?"
He laughs. "Right. That happened, too."
"We make a good team, don't you think?"
"Yeah. We do." He pauses. "Can I... ask you something? About your mom?"
"...Sure?"
"Earlier, you said you found something out that you wanted to push away. Was that...?"
"Yeah. I had a vision, and... yeah. I saw it." He opens his mouth to speak again, but I stop him. "Don't apologize. I'm not grieving or anything. It's just that, well..." I lower my voice. "My dad, he was the one who did it. And as much as I wish I could turn him in, bring him to justice, I know I can't. It's practically impossible without visible proof, and he's got friends that can get him out. And if he knew it was me who turned him in... it's a whole thing. Obi-Wan knows, too, that's why we didn't say anything. These drug lords and black market dealers... once you're involved, there's no getting out. And the Jedi don't need that right now."
"It's okay, I understand. If there's anything I can do, you know where to find me."
"Thanks, Korkie. You're a great friend, you know."
"Speaking of friends, friends don't usually run away from the police for fun. So what do you want to do now? It's still only the afternoon."
"I cut up Seppie battle droids for fun, so I'm probably not the person you should be asking what to do."
He laughs. "Then I'll teach you what me, Amis, Soniee, and Lagos like to do. Come on." He grabs my wrist and drags me along towards the city once again.
—
After spending the rest of the afternoon trying foods in the marketplace, making braided bracelets out of string we found, Korkie teaching me a tiny bit of Mando'a, and playing holochess in Korkie's hotel room (and me winning every time but once), we sit out on the balcony of his room. We sit on the end of thick railing together. My feet dangle over the edge while Korkie's back rests against the wall, one leg bent and the other extended towards me.
"Today was fun," I say, breaking the comfortable silence.
"It was. Especially when I finally beat you in holochess."
"You're letting that get to your head too much," I joke as I look away from the city around me to face him. He's already gazing at me intently.
He shakes his head with a soft chuckle. "You're the one to talk."
"I'm not the one boasting about winning a singular game of holochess. Out of four games."
"Well excuse me for being excited. You're too witty to beat."
"No wonder you didn't beat me. Not with that attitude."
"I did. Once."
"Let's just say I let you win."
"Nuh-uh. You're just too scared to say you lost to me."
"If there's one thing I'm scared of, it's certainly not you. You couldn't say the same, though."
I laugh, and so does he. "I said in a good way!"
"And I said I'd take that compliment."
"I didn't think you were scared of anything before today, honestly."
"Of course I am. I'm scared of lots of things. I'm scared of needles, my father, losing Obi-Wan. Sometimes I'm afraid to fall asleep, so I just sit up all night. And I'm absolutely horrified of not being enough. If we're not scared of anything, are we even living?"
"I suppose if you're not scared, you may as well be one of those droids that you chop up for fun."
I laugh. "Exactly."
"Well I'm scared of losing my family and friends, and being snuck up on. And dying. And for some reason, I'm scared of drowning. I don't know why though."
"Then I'll be sure not to drown you. Or sneak up on you."
"Don't die, either."
"No worries, if I were to die I'd come back and haunt you," I joke. "It will be like I never left."
He sits up from his relaxed position against the wall. "No, Arlo, I'm serious. I don't wanna lose you."
"...You mean that?"
He reaches out and grabs my hand in his. "Of course I do."
My face grows warm and I smile. "Then you don't have to worry about it."
"Promise?" He lets go of my hand and holds out his pinkie.
I give him a small smile and lock my pinkie with his. "Promise." Our hands move to rest between us, pinkies still interlocked. "You know, I never really thanked you."
"Why would you thank me?"
"For today. I felt... kinda like a normal kid for once. I feel like I can be myself around you, like I don't have to hide behind my whole Jedi apparatus."
"Well if you ever want to be a normal kid again, you know where to find me."
"And if you ever want to fall through the middle of moving traffic while running from the police, you know where to find me." We laugh together as we hear the elevator inside open.
"It's time to go, Arlo!" Obi-Wan calls from inside. I shoot him a thumbs up with my free hand and remove my pinkie from his with my other hand so I can grab the little braided string bracelet I made with him earlier.
I grab his hand and place the string in his hand, then close his fingers around it. "Don't miss me too much, yeah?"
"Yeah."
I lean to give him a quick hug, which he quickly reciprocates. "I'll see you soon, Korkie."
"It can't come soon enough, Arlo." I walk back inside towards the elevator and take one last look out at the lanky Mandalorian boy. The door closes and the elevator door closes. We ride down silently and get on a speeder outside, Obi-Wan taking the pilot's seat while I sit next to him.
"Be careful with your feelings for him, Arlo," Obi-Wan says, breaking the silence as he drives.
I sigh. "I know. It's just... when I'm with him, it's like I feel... normal, you know? Like all my problems go away."
"But you do realize you're not normal, correct? Not in a bad way, of course. You just have special abilities that very few have."
"I know. But it's nice to think about normal sometimes." I pause. "Did Satine make you feel like that?"
"Actually... yes, she did. But part of the reason why I didn't leave for her was because I realized that I'm not normal, that I'm not meant to be. We were made like this for a reason."
"I still wouldn't leave everything for him, you know."
"I know. You really are one of the most loyal people I know. I just worry, as your Master, that you'll let these feelings cloud your judgement. Because I know you can sometimes struggle with things like that, which is completely normal, but I don't need it driving you crazy."
"Yeah. I'll work on getting better at that, Master. But I don't think I'll go crazy."
"And I'll be there to help you with it. Oh, and don't hesitate to come talk to me about this ever, okay? Because when I harbored my own feelings for Satine, keeping it all to myself did me no good. Talking to my master helped, and I want to be there for you, too."
"Thanks, Obi-Wan. I don't know what I'd do without you. Try not to fret over me too much, though."
"Oh, trust me, little one. I probably will."
—
yeah, so this was just something fun to kinda start off this part, because we're just going straight into the pain next chapter :) i also wanted to offer a bit more into arlo's past, because that will come into play sometime eventually, but i won't say much other than that.
thanks for reading! -a 🪐