"Convergence"

[rheasilvia]

Gensoumaden Saiyuki / Star Wars Crossover. Hints of slash. No spoilers, no rating.


Convergence
by Sylvia


Living Force swirled around the gambler. Hadrian could almost see it, the power stroking against his senses like liquid velvet – and Hadrian had always been woefully imperceptive when it came to this particular manifestation of the Force. If even he felt it to this extent…

"Remarkable, is it not?" his old Master said conversationally, pensively lifting a small confection from the plate of snacks that had arrived at their table soon after they'd sat down. He inspected the bite-sized pastry for a moment and nibbled delicately at one end. His gaze drifted across the room casually, passing over the gambler and his small coterie of enthralled fans, snared by the lure of something they had no hope of understanding. "It's entirely subconscious," he added at length, pausing to finish the pastry before going on. "Instinctive, you might say."

"With all due respect, Master, that's nonsense. Someone taught him." Someone *had* to have taught him.

Goran smiled. "No, I'm afraid not. I checked very carefully, my boy, and you're not getting off that lightly."

"Surely you're not serious. He's too old." And he was – far too old, in his early twenties, if he was human. Whether he was human or not, he was certainly old enough to be entirely open to the sexual aspects of the Living Force; it curled around him like a lover, saturating him in a way that, for no immediately obvious reason, Hadrian found slightly unnerving.

"Too old to learn the basics, certainly." Goran's lifted eyebrow told Hadrian that he'd yet again failed to come up with a valid argument. "Fortuitious, then, that he doesn't have to. It's evident he already knows them."

*Better than some full-fledged Jedi,* was the voiceless addendum, made without reproach and received without resentment. It was true, and it was not a flaw. Nobody was strong in every aspect of the Force.

The fact that this was not one of Hadrian's strengths *did*, however, make it even more peculiar that his old Master had gotten it into his head to persuade him to take this entirely unsuitable man as his padawan learner.

"Then he doesn't need to be taught." His voice was serene and even, just as it should be, but even so, Hadrian couldn't help but remember Goran's oft-voiced complaint that Hadrian was stubborn as a nerf. Well… at least in this instance, he had good reason to be.

A thoughtfully tilted head and half a shrug were the only answers he received, and his Master turned his attention to his cup.

Hadrian took a sip of his own tsha, savoring the aromatic burn of spices and alcohol on his tongue.

He'd never taken a padawan, and he wasn't about to do so now merely to humor Goran. Who knew what the man had gotten into his head now… he'd come across this apparently natural virtuoso of the Living Force on one of his rambles through the backwaters of the universe, and now nothing would do but that Hadrian take him as a padawan.

Never mind that the man was full-grown and – judging from his provocative attire, his brash and somewhat braying laugh, and his altogether appallingly indecorous demeanor – highly unlikely to fit in at the temple. Never mind that if Hadrian had met him under different circumstances, he would be buying him a drink at this very moment and hoping to persuade him into bed.

Never mind that the Living Force limned the man's shape with life-scented power, flowing around him in smooth intensity, doing all but curling up in his lap and purring. If this man ever lost at cards, it would be either a miracle or a desperate attempt to escape being branded a cheater.

The only thing like it that Hadrian had ever seen was Councillor Sadta – though the resemblance was less than perfect, considering she was two milleniae old, tiny, wizened and green. Also, the Force around her retained enough dignity not to purr.

"Ah," Hadrian's Master said, sounding pleased. Hadrian followed his gaze to a woman who had just entered the room and was making her way to the bar.

The gambler's back was to the door – he hadn't seen her come in. But the patterns around him changed, re-oriented, and he fidgeted and turned, a restless gaze sweeping through the room.

It didn't come as easily to Hadrian as most other things did, but he strained to attune himself to the currents of the Living Force, striving to feel what the gambler had felt. When he finally did, the gambler had already tossed down his cards, collected his winnings, and ambled over to the new arrival.

Despair and pain hung over the woman like a pall; the Living Force around her was jagged and raw, heavy with suffering.

Hadrian and his Master watched as the gambler began a crude flirtation. His approach was swaggering and unsubtle; if he had any charm, it was lost in his gracelessly forward manner. But even as he leaned too close and leered too openly, the glow of pain around the woman lightened.

Hadrian squinted, and to his embarrassment, his Master chose that moment to look back to him, catching him in the act.

Goran was kind enough not to laugh, but his mouth twitched, and when he spoke, amusement was clear in his voice. "You still do that, even now?"

Hadrian ignored that. "What's he doing?"

The question pleased Goran. Hadrian had been meant to ask; for some reason, this was something Goran wanted him to see. "He's responding to the suffering he feels in the Living Force. He's drawing it into himself."

Hadrian frowned. "How can you say he hasn't had a teacher? That's an advanced technique. He couldn't have picked *that* up instinctively – even healers –"

But Goran was shaking his head, and Hadrian broke off.

"That part is actually quite simple – almost automatic, to someone who is attuned to the Living Force on such a level," Goran said. They watched the woman allow the gambler to lay an over-friendly hand on her shoulder and lean into her personal space; Force flowed between them soothingly. "It's the dispersion of the negative energy that's difficult."

Hadrian stared at the tableau in front of them. "You're not serious." There was no sign of darkness to the gambler's aura, no indication of pain or suffering in his demeanor – but that didn't necessarily mean there was none, and if he didn't know how to disperse the Force he drew into himself from this woman and others like her…

"This is the second time you've said that," his Master said mildly. "There must be something very mischievous about me today."

Hadrian didn't think it was possible for someone so attuned to the Living Force to fall to the Dark, but that didn't mean the gambler wasn't courting catastrophe – for himself if not for others. If he'd been doing this for a year, two years…

The gambler was stroking back the woman's hair now, whispering into her ear. She giggled, weakly, and stopped abruptly, looking surprised at herself. Then she giggled again, the Force around her lightening further.

"I'll speak to him tomorrow," Hadrian said, and stood up.

A padawan… a padawan like *that*.

"Don't think I won't get you for this, you manipulative old sod."

***

Goku smiled and lifted one hand in a wave as Hadrian stalked out, stoic patience written in every line of his body. Being extremely put upon didn't prevent him from regally turning in the door to cast one more look at Kenren, of course.

Now they were all together again. Goku couldn't wait to see what Sadta would think of this version of Kenren.






This was inspired by the "Sci-Fi AU" challenge on the drabble community 100_roadtrips; it ended up fitting challenge #19 (Crossovers) and challenge #9 (Reincarnation), as well. However, it is most definitely not a drabble.

Comments

[permetaform]

OMG. LOVE. THIS. It flows...smooth, if you get my meaning. They're same and not-same in an utterly beautiful way that works with both worlds. I would cheer if you continue this, although is a beautiful fic as is, as well. =D ::glomps::

[http://users.livejournal.com/liriel_/]

*snicker* OMG, that was fun! *snickers again*

[rheasilvia.livejournal.com]

::glomps back::

So glad you like! :-) It's my first reincarnation fic, and I did feel that - opposed to a "straight" AU fic - there are differences in what is and isn't plausible in terms of characterization... hence, Jedi Master Goran and his lot. :-)

(Of course, it could just have turned into a "huh?"-experience for readers - which is why I'm very reassured that you thought they were recognizable, even in their Star Wars incarnations. *g*)

[rheasilvia.livejournal.com]

:-) And imagine Sadta's face when the new padawan is turned loose in the previously well-ordered temple... "Dignity and decorum you must learn, young padawan... and as for you, Knight Hadrian, stop staring at your padawan's behind in public, you will, this instant!"

[http://users.livejournal.com/liriel_/]

LOL! Yes, indeed. I also find the AU universe very interesting. Any chance you'are writing more in it? *makes Haedulus-eyes* ;)

[koorifumi.livejournal.com]

Highly amusing this is! *g* Really enjoyed it! I like how you picture Gojo and the way the force works with him - I think it really suits his character.
And Sadta *snicker*, though Goku was the most mindboggling! But if you put him through Jedi-training, he'll probably end up like that, if he doesn't turn berserk to the dark side of the force... *g*

[rheasilvia.livejournal.com]

Thank you, glad you liked it! :-)

Goku is mindboggling, I'd definitely agree... which is why I'm still somewhat worried about him. But since he's the only one of the four who will not be reincarnated again and again, and instead have a lot of time to grow up and accumulate knowledge, I imagined Jedi Master Goran would be a possiblity.

Grouchy old Sadta... well. She's mellowed a bit with age, too. *g*

[toscas-kiss.livejournal.com]

I loved this! So many subtle things about it. And;

"A padawan… a padawan like *that*."

Just perfect. [beams]

[rheasilvia.livejournal.com]

I'm very glad you liked it! I do realize it's rather strange, and likely to seem OOC at least initially...

Just perfect. [beams]

*g* Let's face it, Hadrian's going to have to say goodbye to peace, quiet and meditative contemplation now. ;-) I'm sure it will do him good!

[toscas-kiss.livejournal.com]

Most definitely! Well at least he'll learn to loosen up a bit. . .

[jilltanith.livejournal.com]

Bravo! Encore!

[(Anonymous)]

even though i know next to nuts about star wars, i still liked this fic. The way you portrayed them... It was really good! Hmm... Goku seems quite different. Then again, I wouldn't know what they would put him through to train him to be a master. But the way you characterised Kenren... Perfect!

Still, there's a little bit of trouble for poor sods like me who don't know star wars. And i'm not too sure if i got the characters right. But nevertheless, great story!

,enkaii

[cougarfang.livejournal.com]

Ohmigaaaaaaaaawd...

This is better than some of the actual published Star Wars books I've read. The description of the Force around reinc!Kenren, the dialogue, the scene, the flow of the writing... *happy sigh* This just made my evening for me. ^_^

Well, that, and the mental image of Sanzo being 2000 years old, female, and apparently rather Yoda-like. *giggles*

[rheasilvia.livejournal.com]

*blush*

Thank you very much - I'm glad you like it so much! I don't even remember where this idea came from... it just materialized, and then fit far better than I'd suspected it would. :-) Hadrian is going to have a real handful with this padawan... in more ways than one. ;-)

And Sanzo, yes. He makes such a very good grouchy, grumbly, anti-social little Dagobah swamp dweller. *g*