Darth Vader: Hero of Naboo

Chapter 21

Anakin did not have much experience with children much younger than him. Tatooine wasn't a great place to raise them, so most children he knew were about his own age. On that planet, by the age of nine, children either knew how to avoid trouble or learned very, very quickly.

He tried not to think about the ones that didn't.

But these younglings were all about half his age!

It had already been a tad uncomfortable after he had somehow stopped...whatever was making all of them scared and screaming earlier. He had gotten stares before, but never these looks of awed adoration. And he didn't think it was that impressive.

But after his short conversation with Vader, things got a bit...Worse? Better? More intense? More intense was a good description.

Because now he was trapped on one of the seats, mobbed by these tiny younglings of various species, all excitedly asking questions faster than he could understand them.

"That is enough now!" Phara Nannar chastised, the Kushiban hopping up to stand on the backrest next to Anakin. All of the younglings quieted under their teacher's tone. "I understand you are all curious and have many questions for Young Skywalker, but please allow him some breathing room and peace," she requested, her tone more kind and understanding now.

"Yes Master Nannar," the children intoned apologetically.

The bunny-like master smiled before turning to Anakin and growing amused at his owlish expression. "First time with younglings?" she asked to the boy.

Anakin nodded slowly. "It felt like being a ship surrounded by Jawas," he remarked quietly, almost afraid to provoke them again.

Phara gave a squeaking chuckle, the amusing noise eliciting a few laughs from the children themselves. "Not an incorrect comparison," she said in jest before growing serious, and inquisitive. "I don't mean to pry, but I am confused by you as well, Anakin Skywalker. You are not a Jedi Youngling?"

Anakin shook his head uncertainly. "The council was going to tell me if I could join, but then..." he paused to consider the proper phrasing. "Vader happened."

"Yeah, he definitely did," Telloti remarked under his breath, getting shushed by several younglings- including and especially Ahsoka.

"An apt way of putting it," Phara conceded, giving the boy a considering look. "May I ask, how do you know...Vader?"

There was a hush over the children as Anakin looked uncertain. Did he want to tell this story? He wasn't sure. It was getting late and he was tired from the entire day. The creeping exhaustion was making it hard to think. "He was with Master Qui-Gon when they came to my planet. He saved me when someone tried to kill me after I won a pod race to help repair the ship they and the others were using," he abridged for now.

There was a short silence in the room before one human girl spoke up. "What's a pod race?"

All of the children leaned back in frieght as Anakin's snapped his head to the voice, giving the youngling a wide eyed stare of disbelief.

Another youngling next to her leaned over and loudly whispered. "It's a race with these things that are like really fast hovercars."

Anakin blinked hard at that. "You're not wrong, but I still almost feel insulted," he remarked, confusing the children again. "If its okay, Master Nannar? I'm going to go wait and see when the council wants to see me."

"It might be best if you wait here," she stated warily.

Anakin turned to give her a confused look. "Why?"