Raising The Chosen One

Chapter I

Obi-Wan walked through the marble halls of the Jedi Temple in stoic silence, like one of the masked guards. Normally he always had something to say, in even the most unrelenting circumstances. But for the first time in almost 23 years of living, he didn't know how to respond.

He wasn't all that inept with the Force. He knew how to wield a lightsaber, and move his way through a battlefield. That was about it. Yet here he was expected to just become a Consular like Master Shaak Ti in the blink of an eye... Master Qui-Gon was right about the Council. Sometimes their commitment to the rulebook was their greatest folly. Suddenly, his heart was hit with the realization. Master Qui-Gon was gone-

"Obi!!! Who is THAT?!" The embarrassingly loud yell of a 10-year-old boy echoed through the reverent halls like a crack of lightning in a summer night sky.
Master Luminara Unduli glared disapprovingly at Obi-Wan from a nearby datapad desk, and Kit Fisto held a webbed hand to his mouth to stop from laughing.
Not even a half hour out of the gate and training Anakin Skywalker as his padawan was getting him in trouble. Was Quin-Gon right about this being the Chosen One?

Obi-Wan took a knee to reach the little boy's eye level. "That, Anakin, is a statue of one of the first Jedi, from the Old Republic era, Master..." Obi-Wan bit his lip... the Masters in the room were clearly watching to see if Obi knew Jedi history to teach Anakin; he had to be sure he remembered the ancient Jedi's name. But before he could respond, the boy jumped to his own conclusions.

"Well, whoever she is, she's beautiful. I have yet to see a Jedi lady that pretty. You ever met any that pretty Obi? Oh, she's almost as pretty as Padme! You remember Padm-"

A booming chuckle filled the hall. Kit Fisto's huge amphibious eyes were squinted in laughter. "Haha, I like this boy already. I happen to know a few pretty Jedi ladies."

Master Luminara flicked a data stylus at the Nautolan. "Fisto! That is Master BASTILA SHAN! HOW DARE YOU ENCOURAGE HIS IRREVERENCE! How did you get on the Council?"

Kit's head tails flicked in embarrassment, and he went back to typing. "Ehem, sorry Luminara."

Obi-Wan grimaced in shame and nodded respectfully to the bickering masters as he hurried the kid along. He ruffed his blonde shaggy hair brotherly. "Come on Anakin. Let's take you to somewhere a little more your speed."

Obi-Wan absent-mindedly traced the halls of the Temple to the sparring room. It seemed like not long ago, he was running through these halls late to a form III class with his friend Hareno and Aayla Secura. He lifted a finger to his lips to make sure Anakin stayed quiet so as not to anger Master Yazmin. The Chiss became angry if you interrupted her saber training sessions.

A Pantoran girl and a Tholothian boy were in the center of the combat floor, their safety gear helmets barely above their little eyes. They skillfully exchanged a few parries with their practice blades and then stopped when they saw Obi-Wan enter. "OBI-WAN!" Soon all of the younglings were yelling in the excitement that the great swordsman Obi-Wan came to visit.

Master Yazmin got up from her cross-legged place on the referee pad and greeted Obi-Wan and Anakin. Anakin's eyes widened in fear at the red eyed alien woman. He'd never seen the glowing red eyes of a Chiss. "Hello, little one! Do not be scared. I know we Chiss are scary at first to humans. I'm happy to have you sit in on my class! I can say your Master here is one of the best swordsmen I have ever trained."

"Hey, my name is ANAKIN! And I'm not that little! Trust me I know, Obi's the best! I saw him fight some BATTLE DROIDS!"

Hearing Anakin praise him like that made Obi-Wan smile. He'd never gotten that kind of accolade from anyone but Qui-Gon and Siri.