Delusions of Grandeur

Ani started his lessons a few days later. First on the curriculum was lightsaber training. He was really excited about this, itching to get his own training saber and use it. He was in my class and for the first time since he arrived, he was dead serious.

We were both very tired, washing all those dishes twice takes a long time, so it was always late when we finally got to go to bed. Ani yawned and yawned during Master Windu's three-hour lecture on saber safely.

Bla, bla, bla... On and on Master Windu goes. I swear he never shuts up once he gets going.

Finally, we got split into pairs. I got Ani, which I was thrilled about. Our lesson was simple; one of the pair would swing our blade, the other block, taking turns. Easy enough, you would think. First off, I stood back a good 4 feet from Ani because I knew he was going ignite his blade in my face again. Sure enough, it came to life close enough to burn my nose hair. He started laughing and I knew he done on purpose. I told him to "Bite me!".

Never tell Ani to do that, he'll do it every time. Ani bites like a greedy Hutt snatching credits. OUCH!

We began. I went first, swinging, he blocked. He swung, too hard, and I blocked. Back and forth without a problem. After a while, he did all the swinging and I ended backing up to the wall because he was coming at me so fast. But I managed to reverse it on him and back him up.

Our blades locked, and we tried to push each other with them. My arms got really tired. So I sidestepped and cut off my saber. Ani went flying forward into the wall. He smacked the wall hard, face first and landed on his backside, dropping his lit saber.

Training sabers are supposed to cut off. This one didn't, however. The carpet caught on fire, and spread amazingly fast. What a mess! The sprinklers came on, and we all made a mad dash for the doors. I slipped and ended up sliding out of the room on my tush!

Master Windu wasn't amused. I thought we were done for. It was an accident, really. I didn't mean to send him into the wall and drop his weapon. And I don't think he meant to set the floor on fire. Even if Ani did think it was pretty darn funny.

And it was. I can still see his face smack the wall. Still makes me giggle.

Thank the stars; Master Windu understood it was an accident. We were sent to change clothes and go to our next class.

The next day, the Master's had all the carpets removed from the Training Rooms.

Later that day, I ran into Ani in the Temple Archives. Literally. He was coming around a shelf and we collided. Holobooks went everywhere.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm hiding from Obi-Wan," he said, looking around.

"Because of the fire?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"I was in his room; he almost caught me in there. I found this." Ani reaches in to his backpack and pulls out a picture.

Ani leans over and whispers. "He still has it!" Out pops this white, tattered thing from his pack.

I thought I would die laughing. I knew Obi-Wan was strange but this was too much. I had tears, and Ani had to slap a hand over my mouth to muffle my laughter.

It was this picture that planted in me the urge to take up photography. I wanted to catch moments like this myself.



So you see, it's Ani's fault, his and Obi-Wan with his teddy bear, Pookie. Yes, Pookie!

This picture was taken by Master Qui-Gon Jinn. Stars, I miss that man, he had such a sense of humor!

Note: Ani owns a bear called Mr Snuggles. I think he got it from from Obi-Wan. He won't confirm that, but it seems like the logical place to me. As far as I know, Pookie the bear came from Qui-Gon. See the pattern here? :-P