DISCLAIMER: Star Wars and all publicly recognisable characters, names and references, etc are the sole property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd, Lucasarts Inc and 20th Century Fox. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author. Sugar is inspired by a friend's cat, and yes, the cat is actually named Sugar. Shara Kender and Rees Toth are used with the gracious permission of Aya. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Obi-Wan wiped up the latest mess left in the wake of the Urussean puppy. This time the mischievious animal had found its way into the apprentice's dirty laundry and had proceeded to shred several pairs of socks and some underwear. Bits of material floated everywhere in his room. Then from there, the pup had, by rearing up on its hind legs and placing paws on the edge of the table, been able to pull the day's dinner entree onto the floor with a resounding CRASH. Running from the kitchen, Obi-Wan had screamed at the dog, threatening it with the large spoon he was holding. The pup had slunk away, tail tucked and had not reappeared in the intervening twenty minutes.
"How ridiculous must I have looked?" the young man muttered to himself. "A freakin' spoon. Force take that dog."
The door opened and Qui-Gon came in along with Master Mace Windu. The two were caught up in a heated discussion.
"I will not pay for the repairs, Mace."
"Yes, you will."
"No, I won't. And stop waving your hand at me."
Mace growled in frustration. "That stupid Sith Cat nearly ruined my quarters. It practically tore up everything."
"I'm truly sorry, Mace, that you failed to achieve a repoire with that cat." Mace rolled his eyes. "But," Qui-Gon halted mid-sentence as his gaze settled on the mess that was to have been their dinner and his apprentice on his knees on the floor madly wiping up said dinner. And said apprentice was muttering very grumpily under his breath.
"Damn dog" were the only recognizable words in Obi-Wan's sotto voce tirade.
Qui-Gon and Mace exchanged a look, their argument set aside for the moment.
"Which creature is it this time?" Mace asked, raising an eyebrow.
Qui-Gon stifled a chuckle as Obi-Wan's head jerked up. His apprentice wasn't happy. "The damn dog, Master, decided it wanted to eat dinner early. This was after it decided to do my laundry for me."
"Sarcasm doesn't become you, Obi-Wan," said Qui-Gon, eyes glinting in amusement.
"Yes, well, neither does cleaning up after this damn dog every frickin' day!" Obi-Wan clambered to his feet and tossed the cleaning pad on the table. He sighed. "I apologize for my outburst." This was directed more at Mace than his own master. He bowed at the Council member. "I also apologize for the lack of a proper meal. However, I do think we may be able to scrounge something together, that is, if you wish to stay in this house of mayhem." Obi-Wan kept his face neutral, but couldn't keep the sarcasm from seeping back into his voice.
Mace was having a hard time keeping a straight face. Obi-Wan usually didn't look this nonplussed. It was quite amusing. "No, Padawan Kenobi, I believe your master and I will get dinner at the commissary tonight. We wouldn't want to tempt your 'damn dog' any further. Qui-Gon?"
Qui-Gon glanced at Obi-Wan, who just stared hard back. "Yes, well, I suppose that would be best, Mace. Padawan, will you be okay here alone?" The needling was intended.
Giving his best "Fuck you, Master" look, Obi-Wan nodded. "Of course, Master."
Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow. "Well, then, I'll be back in a couple of hours."
"Master, one thing."
"Yes?"
"Shara may come over for a bit. Just want you to know."
Qui-Gon smiled. "I appreciate that, padawan." Then the Jedi Masters left.
Obi-Wan looked around the room. The dog was probably hiding in the bathroom. That was its favorite place since it had a ready and waiting water dish. It was amazing how much the pup had grown in the last few weeks. Surely, Qui-Gon would find a home for it soon. There certainly wouldn't be room for all three. Part of Obi-Wan was afraid, though, that his master might choose to keep the dog over his padawan.
"Especially since I've been a major brat lately," he said to the room.
That received an answering whine. Yes, the dog was in the bathroom.
"Come on out, damn dog. I'm not going to hurt you," Obi-Wan walked over to the door and knelt down and peered at the dog. It regarded him with wide, brown eyes. Another whine. "Oh, come here." Obi-Wan motioned at the dog, which crept towards him slowly. The pup was almost to Obi-Wan when the young Jedi heard a scratching noise at the front door. *What the...?* he looked at the door perplexed. The scratching noise continued, then...
"Meowrr?"
"Sugar?"
"Meowrrr."
Obi-Wan scrambled up and rushed to open the door. There sat Sugar, pretty as she pleased, looking up at him. "Meowrr."
"Thank the Force. You're alive. Where have you been?" he scolded. Sugar merely blinked, then strolled into the apartment. She didn't get far before she froze and that unearthly growl issued from her small frame again.
"Oh, no, the damn dog," Obi-Wan whispered. Just then, the damn dog chose to come bounding out of the bathroom. It trotted right up to Sugar, by now towering over her, and tried to lick her.
SWIPE!
"YIPE, YIPE, YIPE, YIPE!" The dog ran back to its sanctuary crying piteously. Sugar sat there glaring, then licked her paw.
Obi-Wan just sat down on the couch and rubbed a hand over his weary face. Now he had pet wars to contend with. Joy.
He looked at Sugar. "You behave." Then he went to look at the puppy's injured nose.
And so it went. The puppy continued to grow and wreak havoc. Sugar, who had apparently returned for good, continued to hate the interloper and spent her time either ignoring the dog or when it refused to be ignored, torturing it. Obi-Wan continued to take care of the animals, muttering vile epitaphs under his breath. Surely this would eventually cause him to turn to the Dark Side. And Qui-Gon...Qui-Gon didn't seem bothered by any of it. The puppy didn't irritate him or bother his stuff, Obi-Wan thought glumly. The elder Jedi was genuinely glad to see Sugar again and she him. In fact, Sugar spent more time with Qui-Gon now, which really bothered Obi-Wan. He thought of Sugar as his. Maybe she was mad at him because he had to care for the dog, but regardless, Obi-Wan was finding it hard to appreciate any lesson in the living Force in all this.
"Caring for living things is not easy, padawan," Qui-Gon said that evening as he sat on the couch reading a datapad. He must have picked up on Obi-Wan's thought processes.
"Do tell," muttered Obi-Wan as he worked on a report at the kitchen table.
"I had hoped that caring for the Urussean canine, which requires a lot of attention, would help you to connect with living things that rely on you totally. I can see that it has only generated resentment in you. Not compassion."
Obi-Wan frowned. There was censure in his master's tone. Well, so what? He was tired of all this. Lesson? He'd certainly learned his. No more pets.
"Master, it's hard to feel compassion for an animal that only destroys everything you own."
"You're just being petulant. The dog can't help himself. He's just acting on instinct--sharpening his teeth. Much like Sugar uses the scratching post and our good chair, by the way, to sharpen her claws. With the puppy, proper discipline should be introduced. He's a smart animal. He'll learn."
"So, I was supposed to become an expert in animal training?" Obi-Wan knew he was being stubborn but he couldn't help himself.
Qui-Gon sighed. His padawan could out-stubborn Yoda when he got like this. Hard-headed in the extreme.
"Fine, Obi-Wan. We'll have it your way. The pets go tomorrow."
"Good." Then Obi-Wan came up short. This was way too easy. His master wouldn't relent over this. Pets. That meant Sugar too.
"You're including Sugar, aren't you?" he asked meekly. Gods, this was embarrassing. But he had come to love that cat. She was part of the family.
"Yes, padawan," Qui-Gon sipped his tea.
Obi-Wan sighed. "I bandaged its nose. Does that count for something?"
"I wondered about that."
"Yes, well, it wasn't the best job of first aid, but he wouldn't sit still. And Sugar was sitting there hissing at him."
"She's just jealous, Obi-Wan. The puppy has invaded her territory. She'll have to get used to him."
"I don't think she will."
"Give her time."
"But will we live to see it?"
Qui-Gon chuckled. "Obi-Wan...never mind. I'm going to bed. We'll discuss this some more in the morning. In the meantime, I suggest you meditate some more on the subject."
Obi-Wan bowed. "Yes, master."
"BARK, BARK, BARK, BARK, BARK, BARK, BARK, BARK, BARK"
"Reorr!"
The zoo had turned into a circus, Obi-Wan thought as he watched Sugar and the puppy chase each other through the apartment. He shook his head and sat down at the computer console. He couldn't believe he was getting used to the racket, but the pets' antics weren't so annoying anymore. In fact, he found them quite entertaining.
Qui-Gon entered while Obi-Wan was working on a report. The apprentice looked up to see his master staring at him, arms folding in his cloak, with an enigmatic look on his face.
"Yes, Master?"
"I have good news. And I have bad news. Which do you want first, padawan?"
Obi-Wan bit his lip as he tried to figure out his master's mood. He didn't appear to be joking, but with Qui-Gon it was hard to tell.
"Well, Master, I guess I would take the bad news and get it over with."
"Logical thinking, Obi-Wan. I commend you, however, in this case..."
"Oh no, this has something to do with your meeting with Master Windu, doesn't it?" Obi-Wan groaned. He knew that wasn't going to go well. He knew it.
Qui-Gon's lips pressed together in a tight line. Obi-Wan had his answer. He sighed. "Okay, master, what's the good news?" There was no sense trying to deal with his master when the man was pissed off about something.
"The good news is that the puppy has a new home. The training temple on Yavin is going to take him. He will have plenty of space and will receive plenty of attention and love."
"Oh." Obi-Wan suddenly felt disappointed. This was the good news? He should be more excited. The damn dog had a home. He felt something brush his leg and looked down. Sugar was looking up him, almost to say, 'But you still have me.' He bent down and picked her up, petting her. "That's really great news, Master."
Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow. "I expected you to jump up and down with joy over this, padawan. Could it be you're going to miss the dog?"
The object of conversation chose that moment to come loping into the room, tongue lolling. It came over to Qui-Gon and reared up, putting its large paws on the Jedi's legs. "Bark!" Qui-Gon smiled then and reached down to fondle the dog's ears.
"Yes, my friend, you have a good home to go to." Qui-Gon glanced up and saw Obi-Wan looking at him.
"He really has to go then?"
"Yes, he'll be too big for this place. Sooner rather than later." Qui-Gon lifted one large paw.
"I suppose so. But he and Sugar are just now getting along. And I....sound like a ten-year-old..." Obi-Wan shook his head ruefully. "And to think, for the longest time all I wanted was to get rid of him, and as soon as I start to like him, he has to go."
At this, Sugar purred and butted her head against his hand, demanding attention. The young man smiled. "I know, Sugar. You're not going anywhere."
"Meowrr."
"So, what's the bad news?"
"We have KP duty for the next three weeks."
"WHAT?"
Qui-Gon waved a hand in exasperation, prompting the dog to leap and bark some more in play.
"Mace is still upset about my 'persuading' him to take the Sith kitty. He told me he had finally found the perfect revenge. We have kitchen duty for the temple nursery and school for the next three weeks."
Obi-Wan could only stare open-mouthed in horror. Sugar meowed in sympathy.
"I have never been so tired in my entire life," Obi-Wan groaned as he eased his body onto his bed.
"Here, Ben, let me give you a nice massage," cooed Shara as she divested him of his tunics.
"That would be nice, thank you, love. I never realized how disgusting kids can be, especially where food is involved," Obi-Wan grumbled. He stretched out tentatively. "Ahh...my back is stiff. My feet hurt and my hands are all dried out. I have never seen so many dirty dishes in my entire life. Hey, I wonder if we can get maid service here..."
Shara laughed, then chucked him lightly on the chin. "Spoiled rotten, that's what you are. A little kitchen duty, a few kids, and look at you--you fall all to pieces!"
"A little? I don't call three weeks 'a little' kitchen duty, Shara. And there were a lot of kids. Very messy kids. And macaroni and cheese? I never want to hear the words again."
With that, Obi-Wan rolled over on his stomach and rested his head on his arms. "My massage, please?" came the muffled request.
"Poor baby," Shara clucked her tongue in sympathy.
"That's right," another muffled reply. Shara rolled her eyes and began to knead Obi-Wan's shoulders. He sighed in pleasure.
"Lower please," he managed in between groans as Shara focused on a knotted muscle. She continued to rub down his back and before long Obi-Wan was snoring softly. Shara bent down to kiss the nape of his neck.
Just then, a small form bounded onto the bed with a light trill. Sugar.
"Hello there," said Shara softly, eyeing the cat carefully. She had a feeling that Sugar was jealous of her. "I'm not hurting him if that's what you're thinking. He's just asleep."
Sugar trilled again, narrowed yellow eyes gazing up at the young woman. Then the cat looked at Obi-Wan and placed a paw lightly on his back and pushed down, paw flexing. "Meowrr?"
Shara bit her lip to refrain from a wicked laugh. Obi-Wan wanted a massage, huh? Well... "Sugar, I do believe Ben would like a massage. Perhaps you could oblige him?"
At that, Sugar jumped onto Obi-Wan's back and began to knead. Using her claws.
"AAAAAAH!" Obi-Wan leapt straight up. "FUCK!!!"
Sugar went flying to the floor with a hiss and Shara fell to the bed laughing.
"You should have seen your face!" she crowed. "Priceless! I don't think I've ever seen you move that fast, even in the practice hall!"
"I'm going to get you for this." Obi-Wan twisted around to try and look at his abused back. "My back is a bloody pin cushion now! Literally!"
"Well, you said you wanted a massage," Shara put on her most innocent look.
Obi-Wan turned back around and saw Shara's wide eyes. She fluttered her eyelashes at him. "That's it! Time to pay!" he growled and pounced, covering Shara's lips in a bruising kiss.
"Does my punishment start now?" she managed to gasp out in between hot kisses.
"Oh yes," Obi-Wan breathed against her neck. "I'm going to torture you all night for that." He began to nibble lightly along her jawline.
"Oh good. Remind me to thank Sugar for her help then. We should give you massages more often," Shara purred low.
Sugar sat in the doorway and glared for a moment at the two humans. Then with a flick of her tail, she headed for her favorite scratching chair.