[hiatus] ¹ 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍 ━━━ star wars.

𝗜𝗩. a deal to end all deals; confrontation.

a deal to end all deals; confrontation.
━ CHAPTER FOUR,
trust in me and i trust in you.

THE STORM PASSED. Esme found herself following Padmé and Qui Gon to Watto's shop, Anakin having left earlier that morning. Esme goes to stand next to Artoo and Jar Jar as Padmé stopped Qui Gon as he was about to enter the shop.

"Are you sure about this? Trusting our fate to a boy we hardly know," Padmé spoke, and Esme looked on, confused. Does she not trust Anakin? "The Queen will not approve."

"The Queen does not need to know," Qui Gon said, and Esme smiled. Oh, if only he knew. "Well, I don't approve."

Qui Gon turned and started into the shop, and Esme made the split-second decision and ran in after him, ignoring the questioning glance Padmé sent her. The aforementioned man looked down at the young princess and smiled lightly before walking the whole way into the shop.

Qui Gon and Esme walked into the shop, just as Watto and Anakin did. Esme smiled at Anakin. "The boy tells me you wanta sponsor him insa race," Watto started. "How can you do this? Not on the Republic credits, I think, huh?"

As Watto laughed Qui Gon pulled out his holoprojector and a hologram of the Naboo spacecraft Esme was familiar with appeared. "My ship will be the entry fee."

Watto studies it. "Oh, not bad! Not bad, huh? A Nubian, huh?"

"It's in good order, except for the parts I need." Esme quietly moved over to the other side of Qui Gon, closer to where Anakin was standing.

"What would the boy ride?" Watto asked. "He smashed up my pod in the last race. It will take some long time to fix it."

"It wasn't my fault, really. Sebulba flashed me with his vents. I actually saved the pod, mostly."

"Mmm. That you did, huh." Watto chuckles. "The boy's good. No doubts there, huh?"

"I have acquired a Pod in a game of chance, the fastest ever built." Esme grinned at Anakin.

"I hope you didn't kill anyone I know for it, huh?" Watto laughs. "So, you supply the pod and the entry fee, and I supply the boy. We split the winnings, um, fifty-fifty, I think, huh?"

"If it's going to be fifty-fifty, I suggest you front the cash for the entry." Qui Gon walked around Watto and Esme leaned back against the counter, right next to Anakin. "If we win, you keep all the winnings, minus the cost of the parts I need. And if we lose, you keep my ship." Esme looked at Anakin. That means he'll be stuck here! "Either way, you win."

Watto grumbles, thinking. Qui Gon looks at Anakin, and Esme notices how her friend is trying not to be nervous about this deal. Qui Gon looks back at Watto just as he says, "Deal!" Qui Gon sticks out his hand and Watto slaps it.