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❝𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘣𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘮. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘺, 𝘗𝘢𝘥𝘮é, 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦. ❞
- 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐬é 𝐀. 𝐀𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞

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»»-----------►Ｆｏｒｃｅ

𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐈𝐌𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐒 for its horrific sandstorms that lasted anywhere from one hour to one week.

After the horrible sandstorms passed, many of the citizens of Tatooine came out of their hovels and sheds, continuing on with their day as if nothing happened.

Qui-Gon Jinn, Clarissé Amidala-Naberrie, her sister, Padmé, Jar Jar Binks, and Artoo Detoo exited the comfort of the Skywalker home to return to Watto's shop, hoping to recruit and enroll Anakin Skywalker into the upcoming podrace for the spare parts they needed to get to Coruscant.

Just as the group of five approached the front entrance of the cruel Toydarian's shop, Padmé Naberrie stopped right out front of the archway to get in and turned towards Qui-Gon and her little sister, the two of them quizzically staring at her action, the younger and only female of the duo tilting her head as she often did when something curious appealed to her.

"Are you two sure about this?" The older Naberrie as she questioned her little sister and Jedi Master, "Trusting our fate to a boy we hardly know."

Padmé looked straight at Clarissé with a questioning glance as she quietly informed, "The Queen will not approve."

It seemed that the fourteen year old was only talking to her sister, who almost glared at her accusation.

"We don't know that, Padmé," Clarissé slightly hissed at her sister, worried that Padmé's suspicions would get them caught in the decoy act, "The queen might react positively to this news. You never know."

While Padmé huffed and stared uneasily at her sister and the Queen of Naboo, Qui-Gon could sense the Naberrie sisters meant something deeper than what met the eye.

"The Queen does not need to know," Qui-Gon imputed his own opinion, simply choosing to not comment on the exchange between the two sisters.

"Well," Padmé stalled, darting her eyes back and forth between two spots on the sandy ground, "Clarissé and I don't approve."

The mentioned little girl whipped her head around to meet her sister's gaze, suddenly enraged at her sister putting words into her mouth.

"I never said that!" She exclaimed, hurt at the words that came out of her sister's lips, "You're putting words in my mouth!"

Padmé looked slightly surprised at her little sister's reaction, not expecting it in the slightest.

She sheepishly glanced down at the grainy ground, feeling guilty at her assumption. Padmé had never meant to assume anything, but she wasn't sure about this plan Qui-Gon and her little sister created.

The success of the plan relied on one little boy from Tatooine, a nothing planet in the Outer Rim of the galaxy. The success of the plan would determine Clarissé Amidala-Naberrie's future.

Padmé didn't want anything to go wrong as her sister's future was on the line, and Padmé would do anything to make sure her sister thrived in the coming days.

Her little sister was her life and Padmé Naberrie loved her more than words could say.

"I'm sorry," Padmé apologized, looking back up to Clarissé's tilted gaze curiously staring at her, "I shouldn't have assumed."

Clarissé gently sighed, her cute scrunched up nose relaxing into a more natural position as she softly smiled at her sister, forgiving her silently.

"It's fine," Clarissé forgave Padmé as she turned to Qui-Gon to address him, "we should probably go in now."

Qui-Gon blinked at the brunette before nodding once, whipping around to enter the bewildering Watto the Toydarian's junk shop to recruit a very special boy.

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»»-----------►Ｃｌａｒｉｓｓé

❝𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐘 𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐌𝐄 you wanta sponsor him in a race, ❞ Watto slightly chuckled as he flew over to Qui-Gon and I who had walked in not a second earlier. Anakin was behind him, cleaning some part by his lonesome. I sweetly smiled at my young friend when his azure eyes met mine. He smiled widely in return, excited to see me.

"How can you do this?" Watto asked, surely bewildered at the idea of Qui-Gon being a sponsor for his slave, "Not on Republic credits, I think, huh?" Watto chuckled manically at his little joke. I scowled at the sound, hating the raspy, piercing laugh coming out of his horrible mouth.

"My ship will be the entry fee," Qui-Gon responded calmly, his hands tucked back into the pockets of his robe.

The older Jedi pulled out a compass of some sort and activated it, showing our Nubian transport in all its holographic glory.

Watto, who was clearly interested in our transport ship, satisfyingly exclaimed, "Oh... not bad... not bad... ah, Nubian, ah."

"It's in good order," Qui-Gon replied, looking at the Toydarian creature with guarded eyes, "except for the parts I need."

Watto put a wrinkly blue hand on his chin as he thought about it, coming up with, "What would the boy ride? He smashed up my pod in the last race. It will take some time to fix it."

I looked over to find Anakin sheepishly blushing and meekly making his way to Watto's side, a bright red blossoming across his face.

"Ahhh," my blonde friend started, rubbing the back of his neck with vigor, "it wasn't my fault really... Sebulba flashed me with his vents. I actually saved the pod... mostly."

Watto laughed cruelly in Anakin's face, making me infuriated beyond belief.

I could practically feel the blood boiling in my veins.

"That you did huh," Watto replied, still smiling with malicious intent, "The boy is good, no doubts there huh."

"Well," Qui-Gon countered, looking slightly at Anakin from the corner of his eyes, smirking at their plan, "I have acquired a pod in a game of chance. 'The fastest ever built'."

I smiled at the interaction, hoping to Force that our plan would work and we could get to Coruscant in time.

"I hope you didn't kill anyone I know for it," Watto chuckled with a disgusting gurgle, the action making me almost gag with disgust, "So, you supply the pod and the entry fee; I supply the boy. We split the winnings fifty-fifty, I think."

"If it's going to be fifty-fifty," Qui-Gon attempted to compromise, having some bargain up the sleeve of his robe, "I suggest you front the cash for the entry. If we win, you keep all the winnings, minus the cost of the parts I need."

My Jedi friend looked at me and held a question in his eyes, almost like he was asking if we should deal this bargain.

I tilted my head in slight thought, before looking back into those grey eyes I think I trusted more than anything, and nodded one time, my bright green eyes blazing with determination.

Qui-Gon nodded in return, smiling a tad and continuing, "If we lose... you keep my ship."

Watto's big yellow eyes widened in slight surprise, not expecting that big of a payment. Anakin Skywalker stood behind him, trying desperately to not look scared and nervous for Watto's upcoming deal.

"Either way," Qui-Gon continued, trying to convince the Toydarian even more, "you win."

After that revelation, Watto's fat eyes perked up and he eagerly shot his wrinkly hand out to meet Qui-Gon's already outstretched hand.

"Deal!"

Qui-Gon nodded at the Toydarian and we both headed towards the exit, looking back to see Anakin lightly smiling at us, happy that everything was going to plan.

Against my better judgement, I smiled back.

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»»-----------►Ｆｏｒｃｅ

❝ 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 about this boy... ❞ Qui-Gon Jinn trailed off, talking to his young apprentice on his comlink while looking down at Anakin Skywalker and Clarissé Amidala-Naberrie working on his pod, the latter of the two trying to help with her lack of engineering training.

Appearing from the open walkway of the porch, Shmi Skywalker walked through, looking around for Anakin but seeing the mysterious Jedi her son had brought home, along with two beautiful, young girls, a Gungan, and a brave astro mech.

"You should be proud of your son," Qui-Gon told Shmi, feeling the need to tell the beautiful woman only good and positive things about her little boy, "He gives without any thought of reward."

"Well," Shmi explained, looking down at her son and his newfound friend, the two of them laughing at having a great time fixing up the expertly made podracer, "he knows nothing of greed. He has a..."

"He has special powers," Qui-Gon finished for the middle aged woman, the said woman smiling in understand.

"Yes..."

"He can see things before they happen," Qui-Gon explained to the dedicated mother, his eyes shining, "That's why he appears to have such quick reflexes. It is a Jedi trait."

"He deserves better than a slave's life," Shmi wistfully decided, her dark brown gaze looking out into the warm Tatooine sun.

The same sun that rotated around the planet her and her son had been imprisoned on.

"Had he been born in the Republic," Qui-Gon revealed, looking back at the beautiful woman, "we would have identified him early. The Force is unusually strong with him, that much is clear. Who is his father?"

Shmi suddenly looked uncomfortable at that question, much to Qui-Gon's surprise.

Was the father a criminal? Or perhaps a Sith?

"If you do not wish..." Qui-Gon started, not wanting to upset the mother of one special little boy, but he was cut off before he could finish.

"There was no father," Shmi admitted in a strained voice, her eyes faraway and distant from the present conversation, "I carried him, I gave birth, I raised him, I can't explain what happened."

Qui-Gon nodded in understanding, knowing what her situation was.

"Can you help him?" Shmi whispered, looking up at the Jedi with pleading eyes, hoping and praying with everything that she had that he could.

The Jedi felt conflicted, for he desperately wanted to help the poor mother and her incredibly talented son, but he had to deliver the Queen of Naboo to Coruscant safely. And what would happen to Clarissé and Padmé?

"I don't know," Qui-Gon answered the desperate woman's question truthfully, "I didn't actually come here to free slaves. I came here to deliver the Queen of Naboo to Coruscant so she may present her case to the Senate."

"The Queen?" Shmi questioned bewilderedly, not aware of the very important little girl of Naboo being thrown into the vast mix, "Of Naboo? What in this galaxy would bring her Majesty here to Tatooine of all places?"

"The Trade Federation needs her Highness to sign an important treaty," Qui-Gon explained as simply as possible to the shocked woman, "We managed to evacuate her and her handmaidens to safety, although we were attacked by the Federation in the process, causing us to have an emergency landing on Tatooine. Our transport was damaged in the crossfire, thus why we need the parts to get off this planet. I need to take the Queen to Coruscant so she may present her case of the Trade Federation to the Galactic Senate. It's the only hope we have for Naboo at this point."

The information only baffled Shmi more, but she quickly closed her mouth, not wanting to appear rude or unwelcoming.

The woman attempted to process the information, her attempt failing miserably, but she did have a question for the Jedi Master. She looked back down at her child and his friend, focusing more on the little girl this time, who was chasing Anakin around after he had put sand in her flowing, brunette locks. The two nine year olds were laughing and giggling, having a fantastical time.

"The two girls," Shmi started her question, as it had been lingering in the back of her mind for some time, "are they yours?"

Qui-Gon seemed to do a double take at the woman's question, not believing it to be coming out of her mouth.

"No," Qui-Gon replied, still shocked at the invasive thought of him being a father. Although he was quite fond of the younger one, Clarissé, "It is against Jedi Code to form attachments, therefore, have any children."

"Oh," Shmi replied in understanding to his explanation, "I see. That makes more sense now."

The two awkwardly nodded at the other, neither of them knowing what to say after Shmi's question of Qui-Gon being the father of Clarissé and Padmé.

"You care about her," Shmi suddenly found herself saying, her eyes still looking at the kind hearted little green eyed girl, her braids flapping in the warm Tatooine wind, "The younger girl with the braids and the green eyes. Clarissé."

Qui-Gon sighed at the mention of the little brunette, knowing full well that he cared about the little girl's well-being.

"Yes, I suppose I do," he admitted to himself and Shmi Skywalker, his grey eyes trailing onto Clarissé Amidala-Naberrie's figure as she happily chatted to Anakin, the two of them sitting crisscross on the sandy dunes, "She's special. Not in the ways that Anakin is, but she is, nonetheless. She's very kind, a trait you don't find too often in the galaxy nowadays. But she's strong, a fighter, some might say. I believe I grow more impressed by her maturity and kindness every passing second I am with her. She's very curious, a trait many seem to underestimate. Either way, she's incredibly special."

Shmi nodded at the older Jedi's words, agreeing with everything the middle aged man said about the young Clarissé. She liked the young girl, who payed attention to her son like no one had before. Shmi, like many others, noticed the kind and nurturing nature of the girl, especially when it came to her friends and sister.

"I appreciate her," Shmi answered, looking away from the Jedi Master and onto Clarissé and Anakin, the younger boy now taking the time to talk and share whatever he wanted to with the beautiful girl, "Her and Anakin seem to be great friends. She listens to him. She doesn't dismiss him. I've never seen him light up the way he does when she enters the room. It's strange, but also lovely at the same time."

Qui-Gon nodded, noticing the way Anakin acted around Clarissé as well.

Silence ensued the two as both didn't know what to say.

"Just," Shmi started after she figured out how to break the tension, playing with a loose hem on her dress, "promise me you will try to help Anakin. It might be too much to ask, but he doesn't deserve to be here. Not with his heart or his talent."

Qui-Gon looked down at the mother, feeling the need to accept her request for helping the boy.

"I promise."

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A/N: Hey guys! Guess who watched Steven Spielberg's West Side Story? Me, and I absolutely loved it. Ariana DeBose is so freaking talented. I really want her to get the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She definitely deserves it. Anyways, enough rambling about that. This chapter was originally supposed to come out tomorrow, but I couldn't help myself. It's shorter than the others, but that's okay. I hope the next chapter will be published on Monday or Tuesday, but I'm not sure. Anyways, goodbye and until we meet again!

Fun Fact: If Clarissé was a princess, she'd be Rapunzel for her bright green eyes and curious, adventurous spirit, although I am curious myself, who do you see as Clarissé's Disney Princess doppelgänger? Let me know in the comments, I'm genuinely super curious as to what you all have to say.

Word Count: 2638 words