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❝𝘓𝘦𝘵'𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘋𝘶𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. ❞
                      - 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐬é 𝐀. 𝐀𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞

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❝𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓, ❞ Qui-Gon affirmed after his padawan, who I learned to be Obi-Wan, confirmed what was on board (mainly Indirá and I's wardrobe) our currently broken transport, "I'm sure another solution will present itself. I'll check back later."

Qui-Gon put his comlink back into his Jedi robes, starting down the street before Jar Jar grabbed his arm, preventing him from going anywhere as my Jedi friend looked back towards the Gungan.

"Noah gain," Jar Jar fretted, scared about the chances of getting robbed, "Noah gain da beings hereabouts cawazy. Wesa be robbed un crunched."

"Not likely," Qui-Gon disagreed, looking at Padmé and I hidden in the deep shadows of the corridor we were currently standing in, "We have nothing of value, that's our problem."

Padmé looked at each other, my green eyes staring into her dark brown ones, the two different irises holding very concerned depth to them.

We sighed simultaneously and started to follow Qui-Gon, who hurriedly made his way out onto the Main Street of Mos Espa.

As I made my way out of that cozy little crook, I couldn't help but think about my new blonde companion, Anakin, who I had met at the junk shop we entered.

He was strange, but captivating, and I greatly liked him. He was sweet and flattering, with a touch of arrogance in his tiny face. I didn't mind very much. His good seemed to outlook his flaws.

Anakin Skywalker.

What a curious name.

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐔𝐒 continued to walk in silence, never once looking back.

Somewhere along the line, we ended up losing Jar Jar. I wasn't quite sure where he had gone, although I suppose Qui-Gon didn't dwell much on it, as he continued to move forward.

While Qui-Gon led Padmé and I by taking up the front, my older sister and I stayed behind a tad bit, attempting to have a private conversation in the crowded marketplace.

"So," Padmé started, her long and intricate hair floating around her beautifully, "you and that slave boy."

I huffed out in embarrassment. My sister always found a way to tease me about something. I never really meshed with the boys back on Naboo, even though they were always interested with my looks. They usually left after my curiosity or love for knowledge broke through in our dull conversations. Anakin was the only one to never really leave. Perhaps that's why I considered him to be so special. He understood me, in a way, and I think I greatly liked it.

"He's not just a slave, Padmé," I gently scolded, feeling the need to defend my new companion, as something tells me he would do the same for me, "he's so much more than that. Besides, I've only just met the boy!"

"Not to mention the fact that I'm only nine years old..." I mumbled under my breath, my supersonic hearing sister apparently hearing it as she chuckled as loudly as she could without drawing attention to our walking group.

"I know that, Clarie," she still chuckled, although her voice eventually started to melt into a softer, sweeter and more serious tone, "I'm just glad to see you making new friends. It's nice to see you talking to someone your own age who isn't Indirá or the rest of the handmaidens."

My eyes slowly started to cast down at Padmé's words, as I realized I would never get to see my brand new friend again.

"It's not like I'll see the boy ever again, Paddy," I whispered, my vibrant eyes looking up and staring sadly into her dark brown ones, emotion prevalent in them, "we're never going to be here again. And what are the chances that he's going to just pop up right now."

Of a sudden, I heard a slight choking sound.

On instinct alone, I whipped around to see Jar Jar being held up by his neck by a hideous Dug.

I truly didn't think with my head when I raced over to the Dug, lightly tugging on his dark brown pod racer vest with my tiny hand when I reached him. I had to look up at the horrible creature, as he was too tall for my petite height.

I had to make sure Jar Jar was okay.

After all, he was my friend.

I was also curious, but could you blame me? It was simply in my nature to question and thirst for knowledge about everything and anything.

When he felt my sixth tug, he looked down and glared at me greatly, his beady little eyes digging into my fluorescent ones.

"Excuse me, Sir," I said with no waver or tremble in my voice. I would be brave with this thing, "but I believe you're holding my Gungan friend, Mister. Whatever he did," I quickly threw a friendly glare towards the trembling Gungan, "I'm sure he didn't mean it."

The Dug scowled terrifyingly and shot out a wrinkly, grey hand, roughly grabbing my long braid and throwing me into his side.

He leaned down, his cold breath fanning into my ear as he threatened, "Listen here, girl. I don't know who you think you are to be demanding me, Sebulba the Great Podracer, but you have another thing coming, Pigtails. Are you with that group of people over there? I could take them out in a second if you run that little mouth of yours one more time." He snickered atrociously in my ear.

I gulped loudly, trying desperately not to kick him in his... sensitive areas. I had always believed in non-violence, but this Dug was making it increasingly difficult for me to not hit him hard. I could care less that he had threatened me. No, it was when he threatened my friends and sister that I got ticked off. No one did that and got away with it.

I could feel my nails grind into the soft palms of my hand, causing identical bloody indents to the ones Nute and my frustration toward him caused.

The horrible Dug threw me to the ground, and I fully braced myself for impact on the hard, sandy floor. I even shut my eyes tightly closed

The impact never came.

Instead of face planting on the desert floor, I had landed into a pair of arms.

Skinny but warm arms, at that.

I peeked one vibrant eye open, looking fully up to see a familiar outline. I peeked the other eye open and was in stark shock at the face I was staring at.

Anakin Skywalker's little blonde head entered my vision, as did his sky blue eyes.

I blinked my remaining eye open, bewildered at the fact that my friend was here, and he had caught me.

"Anakin?" I questioned softly, "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged with a cheeky grin, lightly lifting me back up and putting me feet first on the hot ground. I still stood baffled.

"Sebulba," Anakin caught the attention of the rotten Dug, frowning with disapproval, "the girl and Gungan are big time outlanders. I'd hate to see you diced before we race again." The blonde boy smiled cockily, to which I tilted my head in mite confusion.

The Dug snarled at my blonde friend and pushed me harshly away from Anakin and into the waiting arms of a very concerned looking Jar Jar Binks. I smiled at him with assurance in my bright eyes, telling him I was fine.

The hideous Dug named Sebulba towered over my little slave friend as the said boy didn't cower down in fear. My eyes widened in disbelief, with a touch of admiration in them.

Anakin Skywalker was extremely brave.

"Next time we race, boy, it will be the end of you!" Sebulba rasped in his grating voice, the sound making me want to claw out my brunette hair, "If you weren't a slave, I'd squash you now."

"Yeah," Anakin replied with confidence radiating off of his small form, "it'd be a pity if you had to pay for me."

I slightly smiled at the young boy's wit. It impressed me, to an extent. I had always wanted a good sense of humor back at home, but Sola, the oldest Naberrie sister, was usually the one to provide the humorous jokes, seeing as she was courting Darred, a kind hearted man who never passed up on a good laugh.

The Dug snarled once more at my blonde companion, and then turned around, continuing to talk to his ugly Toydarian friend.

I stared and grinned at Anakin, my heart swelling at his rescuing abilities, failing to notice a certain grey Jedi, brave little astro mech, and beautiful brunette haired sister coming towards our mini trio, the latter of the three of them rushing over and kneeling in front of me.

"Clarissé?" Padmé questioned softly but frantically as she grabbed my face in between her two gentle hands, "Are you okay? I saw you with that horrible Dug! Did he hurt you?" Padmé, as gently as possible, starting to put more pressure on my face, worried sick for me.

I placed my smaller hands on her bigger ones, softly prying them off of my freckled face.

"Padmé, I'm fine," I whispered, smiling kindly towards my over protective sister, "he didn't hurt me. I would have taken care of it if he had. I'm not a defenseless little royal everyone needs to watch after. I can take care of myself perfectly fine."

"I know you can," she mumbled, looking over my puffy face, "I was just worried sick, that's all. You're my little sister, Clarissé. I'm not letting anything happen to you. You shouldn't have ran after Jar Jar, either way."

My sister softly chuckled at me before pulling me into a crushing hug. "Damn your curious nature and heart of gold," her voice cursed, the string of words muffled from her face shoved in my bony collarbone.

When my sister finally released me from her bone shattering hug, I looked up to find Qui-Gon staring at Anakin with familiarity in his grey eyes. I tilted my head in confusion.

What was this about?

"Hi!" Anakin greeted excitedly at the grey Jedi, smiling widely at the older man.

"Hi there," Qui-Gon returned, looking at the little boy with a sense of confusion yet astonishment. I was curious about his reaction. My curiosity would have to wait for the opportunity to ask Qui-Gon about it later though, when we were safely in Coruscant.

"Your buddy here was about to be turned into orange goo. And Clarissé over here was about to be beaten to a pulp," Anakin turned his head towards me, a worried frown over his dirty face as he thought about what could have happened to me, had he not intervened, "The Gungan picked a fight with a Dug. An especially dangerous Dug called Sebulba. Clarissé stood up to him, causing him to feel threatened."

I slightly smiled at the fact that I could make a fully grown Dug threatened by me. It made me feel quite empowered, to say the least.

Qui-Gon bent down to help the fallen over Gungan, who had started to speak.

"Mesa haten crunchen. Dat's da last ting mesa wanten."

"Nevertheless," Qui-Gon countered with a stern yet soft expression on his face as he addressed the Gungan, "the boy is right. You were heading for trouble and you somehow got Clarissé involved."

Qui-Gon clapped Anakin's shoulder with his large hand, smiling sweetly at the young slave boy I had befriended.

"Thanks, my young friend. For saving the both of them."

Anakin smiled brightly, looking towards me as he thanked, "It's no big deal. I'd save Clarissé anytime she was in danger."

I blinked once, and then snapped out of my stupor to notice the bright red coloring creeping onto my usually cool, porcelain cheeks. I blushed, hard, as I attempted to cover it by looking down at the sandy floor and seeing my nice boots come into view.

Padmé snickered from next to me, causing me to not only glare at her with deadliness in my vibrant green eyes, but also elbow her harshly back into reality. She yelped in pain and started to rub her ribs, whimpering at the sensitive skin I had left behind.

Serves her right for teasing me.

I turned back to Anakin and smiled shyly at him, my head all down and bashful. He grinned in confidence back at me from my reaction. I had the sudden urge to scoff at him and his cocky persona.

"But... but... mesa doen nutteen!" Jar Jar exclaimed as we all started to walk through the sullen looking streets of Mos Espa, Anakin Skywalker and I walking side by side together.

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❝𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄, ❞ Anakin offered as he handed a pouch of some type of Tatooinan fruit to Qui-Gon, "you'll like these pallies."

Anakin took another pouch and handed it to me so I could share with Padmé. Qui-Gon would have to share with Jar Jar, something I slightly sympathized with the older Jedi master.

"Thank you, Anakin," I thanked, opening up the bag to find little pruned grapes sitting there. I took a handful out and gave them over to Padmé, who had her palm outstretched towards the sky, signaling she wanted one. I plopped a few into my mouth after I gave my sister some. They were bitter, but in a good way.

I think Tatooine was starting to slightly grow on me. And no, it didn't have to do with a certain Anakin Skywalker living there.

Okay, maybe, just maybe, it had to do with Anakin Skywalker.

"Thank you," Qui-Gon expressed his appreciation as he moved aside his grey robe to put the pouch of pallies into his belt. When he went to move away the unwanted fabric of his robe, the perfect, clear view of Qui-Gon's infamous lightsaber shone in the bright Tatooine suns.

I looked through the corner of my eye to find Anakin tilting his head at the sight of an actual lightsaber, a habit I myself did quite often. He shook off his shock of seeing one quickly.

"Oh," the old woman who gave us the pallies groaned, shivering slightly as she did, "my bones are aching."

She looked at Anakin and pulled him a little closer, muttering under her breath, "Storm's coming, Ani. You'd better get home quick."

Anakin nodded and considerately turned towards us, asking politely, "Do you have shelter?"

I nodded once while Qui-Gon gave a verbal response.

"We'll head back to our ship."

Anakin tilted his head again, looking up at the extremely tall Jedi.

"Is it far?"

I looked towards Padmé as she affirmed, "It's on the outskirts."

"In other words," I countered, looking back at Anakin, "we're pretty far away."

"You'll never reach the outskirts in time," Anakin fretted as he shook his head with worry, a plan starting to form in his head to the sudden head tilt he provided, "sandstorms are very, very dangerous. Come on! I'll take you to my place."

The little boy strutted forward without a care in the galaxy, it seemed. I looked at Padmé, who simply shrugged and continued onwards with Anakin Skywalker. I followed her, trusting both her and Anakin.

After all, he did save me from one horrible Dug.

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A/N: And chapter five is officially completed. This one isn't super long but still gives everyone the content they have been waiting for. The next chapter will have our lovely Shmi Skywalker. How is everyone liking the split point of view? I've been trying to balance it as far as the tone for a certain chapter goes. I think I may add more of Clarissé's point of view to additional chapters. Anyways, it's been fun but I've got to go finish Pixar's Turning Red, as it literally just came out. Go watch it though. It's fantastic. Goodbye!

Fun Fact: Clarissé generally really liked Tatooine, because it was so different from what she was used to back on the green planet of Naboo. Although it did break her heart when it came to the slaves, and there were times when she couldn't look at how heartbreaking it all was.

Word Count: 2744 words