Authors' Note: Hey everyone! This is the co-written story of ClassicalBrunette and jedimasterobi-wankenobi, two separate authors here in Fan Fiction.

This story combines both our Original Characters Arryn Mindalen and Jaina Knightrunner. It's pretty much about life as a padawan to renowned Jedi Knights during the Clone Wars. We're both just humans and we have feelings so please don't flame!

Disclaimer: We do not own ANYTHING except our original characters, their friends and some of the bad guys.

Chapter 1 - A Fated Meeting

Sunlight creeped its way into a pink bedroom as its inhabitant sleepily snoozed the alarm clock.

"Five more minutes, master...wait a minute...OH NO!"

Jaina Knightrunner swiftly jumped out of her bed and ran into the fresher. She was turning thirteen years-old, had shoulder-length black hair, and was LATE for the breakfast before Exhibition Day would begin.

"Oh, come on!" she cried as she put on the wrong boot. She had taken a shower, brushed her teeth and combed her hair all at the same time. "Oh, jeez!"

Jaina's door slammed shut as she hastily put on her robe and ran for the dinning hall.


Meanwhile, two floors down at the Jedi Temple, another young student sat tersely at her desk, reviewing kata positions, breakfast a mere afterthought.

Light filtered in through a crack in the heavy red curtains on the window and fell on the auburn hair of twelve year old Arryn Mindalen.

She blinked her unusual cerulean eyes at the computer screen and habitually pulled her hair into an intricate braid as she read.

A loud noise emitting from the datapad on her bedside table sharply drew her concentration away from her computer, her schedule flashing on her ceiling. It was time to get going.

Arryn pulled on her boots and walked out the door, mumbling to herself.

"Well, here goes…everything."


Jaina walked through the hallways, nervous of the day ahead of her. Her thirteenth birthday was coming in less than a month and if no master picked her, it would be off to the AgriCorps.

Yikes, she thought with a shudder. Ugh...I can't let that happen.

She spotted her two friends, Faithe Policarpio and Sari-Chell Summers, at a table nearby.

Easing slightly at seeing their faces, she made her way to the table. Jaina was so focused on her anxieties about Exhibition Day that she didn't notice the other girl walking right towards her.

"Oh, my goodness, I am so, so sorry!" Jaina exclaimed helping her pick up the bag that the other girl dropped. "I'm so sorry. Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine thank you," the red haired girl replied.

Oh... Jaina thought. Looks like every Padawan in the whole Temple is nervous...

"Are you participating in Exhibition Day?" asked the red haired girl with a knowing smile.

"Yes, I am," replied Jaina.

"Me too. Oh goodness, I'm sorry for being so rude. I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Arryn Mindalen. I think I've seen you in some of my classes."

"Oh, hi, I'm Jaina Knightrunner," she replied smiling as she shook her hand. "Hey, aren't you in Master Siri's advance lightsaber training? I see you every week."

"Oh, you're there too?" Arryn asked. "Does she go hard on you too?"

"If by 'hard' you mean the extra sit-ups, the jump-and-jacks and all the velocities against her, then, yes, pretty much," she replied smiling wryly. "At least the hard physical training will help today."

"Hey, Arryn, over here!" called a voice Jaina knew as Anaria Zahn.

"Those are my friends. So I'll see you later?" Arryn asked.

Jaina smiled back. "Most definitely."


"Hey, Jaina, you all right?" Faithe asked as her friend sat down next to her, a tray of food in her hands.

"Um, yeah," Jaina replied. "Just really, really scared. Actually, no, that's a lie. I'm TERRIFIED."

"Why would you be scared?" Sari-Chell asked.

"Well, duh," she replied smiling. "I have only like two weeks and this is the last Exhibition Day before I turn thirteen."

"Ahh..."

"Still!" Faithe said. "You are the sparring club head--"

"Faithe, choosing a padawan does not always rely on physical strength," Jaina stated.

"Jaina," Sari said, "You might even be our valedictorian--"

"Not with my current grades in Huttese," she interrupted.

"Jaina, just stop looking at the downside for once," Faithe begged. "Okay, just answer my questions with a simple 'yes' or 'no.' Can you do that?"

"Of course."

"Okay, now, wasn't it you who was elected the president for the twelve year-olds sparring club?"

"Yes."

"Wasn't it you who got the highest grades in the whole clan just last semester?" Sari asked.

"Yes."

"And, Jaina Knightrunner," Faithe smiled proudly. "Is it going to be you, who is going to walk out these doors tonight, with a master?"

"OH, YEAH!" Jaina exclaimed standing up. "You know what? You guys are right? I shouldn't be worried because whatever happens, happens."

"Yep," both said.

"And I shouldn't be panicking because the right master will come, when the time is right."

"Yep."

"And I am going to walk into the Room of a Thousand Fountains WITH COMPLETE CONFIDENCE!"

"YEAH!" Faithe and Sari stood up and three girls gave high 5s gigling.

"You know," Sari smiled. "This is fun. We should do this more often."

"Yeah...although," Jaina smiled sheepishly, "I still am TERRIFIED."

Sari and Faithe groaned. "We're going to have some work to do..."


At the table several rows over, Arryn and her two best friends, Elantra, and Anaria were in the middle of a similar conversation.

"This is insane," said Arryn, barely picking at her plate of breakfast. "I think there must be some rule against subjecting students to this kind of torture. It can't be good for our psyches."

Elantra's gulp of blue milk nearly shot out his nose

"Arryn, honestly, you say the most random things when you're under stress."

Arryn smiled. "Yes, Elantra, I know. But there is a part of me that really doesn't want to do this. What happens if I don't get chosen? I hate this phase of waiting...it perturbs me like nothing else."

Anaria took Arryn's fork, stabbed some of her breakfast, and handed it back to her. "You won't get chosen unless you eat," she said pointedly.

"Fine, yes, you have a point." Arryn dug into her food and tried to think of other, more pleasant things.

"Ary, you'll be fine. Just relax. You've been preparing for this for longer than I can remember. At this point, you can only trust in the Force. Whatever happens, happens. Don't worry." Elantra locked eyes with his best friend.

She held his gaze for a moment as his message sunk in and nodded. She trusted the Force and knew that things would work out no matter what.


"You know what? Suddenly, I don't really feel like going," Obi-Wan Kenobi admitted. "It doesn't seem like a really good idea."

"Come on, master!" Anakin Skywalker urged. "Don't back out on this one! You've faced many dangers in this entire universe and you're telling me that you, Obi-Wan Kenobi, can't even face Exhibition Day?"

"Yes," he replied nervously. "Anakin, you were my only padawan and I took you because it was my dying masters wish. We turned out to be closer than ever and I'm not sure if I'm ready to choose someone else."

"Master, you were able to handle me. Anyone else will be a piece of cake!" Anakin smiled as Obi-Wan chuckled. "Besides, I've done my homework- this is a great group of students."

Obi-Wan put on a face of mock surprise. "You've actually done research on the students...beforehand?"

"Very funny, Master." Anakin rolled his eyes at the jest. "What's wrong with wanting to know into what I'm about to get myself?"

"You are turning over a new leaf, Anakin. I'm impressed."

"I learned from the best."

"So did I, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "So did I. Jedi Masters keep saying that they learn most things from their padawans. I think I'm beginning to understand."

"You know, Master Yoda said this wise saying to me all those years ago. He said: 'a great teacher makes his student better than himself.' That's why you're so great, master. Because I'm now finally better than you," he said with a wink.

"You wish, my former, but still young, apprentice."


Why? Why am I doing this? Jaina nervously walked around the bleachers. She had gone around the entire training room about five times and this stroll didn't help things AT ALL.

Maybe I'm just making a fool of myself...I mean, there's no way I'm going to get chosen and I'll end up a reject for the REST OF MY LIFE! What's wrong with me? I can't--

"Jaina?"

"Yes?" Jaina turned around. "Oh, hi, Arryn!"

"You pace when you're nervous, too?"

"Well, everyone has a weird habit they haven't outgrown," Jaina remarked with a sheepish grin

"Haha, don't worry...I do the same."

"It's great to know I'm not alone...so, do you have an idea as to who you want for a master?"

"Well, I suppose I could give the diplomatic answer and say that I'm here just to enjoy the opportunities that Exhibition Day provides," Arryn's face quickly broke into a smile, "But we both know that's not true." She twirled the end of her auburn brain. "Would you be awfully mad if I said yes...but didn't reveal whom? I really don't want to jinx myself."

"No, I completely understand," Jaina said with a smile. "I actually don't want to jinx myself either. Although I probably already have with all this...I don't think I've ever felt this, I feel so...I just... I know that I...uh, never mind. My friends don't really understand me and I don't think anyone ever will."

Jaina's smile transformed into a frown. "All of my friends are like a year younger and they don't have anything to ever worry about except their grades," she said with a sigh.

"Oh, what I wouldn't give to be a year younger!" cried Arryn. "It's ironic, though. I can't count the number of times last year where all I wanted was to be here at Exhibition Day. Now that it's finally arrived, I wish it were over."

"Exactly," Jaina said. "Do you ever get that feeling where you just...you just know that you belong out there. In the front of battle, in the pilot's seat of a giant starship or just at your master's side? I know I don't belong in the AgriCorps. It's this weird feeling but I know I don't belong there."

"Of course! That's what I'd consider the true will of the Force."

"It just seems so cruel that we'd be sent as farmers or something just because we turned thirteen! Most people around this universe are excited for the day when they become teenagers, and we're terrified of it."

Arryn and Jaina looked at each other and burst out laughing. "I'm so glad that I'm not alone," said Arryn.

"Me too!" Jaina said in relief. "You know what, I think this is the start of an...interesting friendship, Arryn Mindalen."

Arryn smiled. "You know, I think you might just be right, Jaina Knightrunner."


A/N: Like it so far? Who do you think their masters are going to be? Please review our story and we hope you enjoy it!