CHAPTER ONE

Outside on a sunny day, five-year old Obi-Wan Kenobi was chasing after a butterfly. He stumbled on a thin branch on the ground, but continued his chase.

"Younglings, time to go inside! Playtime is over!" Master Yang-Di called. Yang-Di was a strict teacher, and most younglings obeyed his orders immediately, whilst they ignored Master Lang'hi, the gentle, caring Master. Obi-Wan jumped forward, hands outstretched, but the butterfly fluttered away high into the sky.

"Come back here! That's not fair!" Obi-Wan cried. The butterfly disappeared. Obi-Wan turned back to his clan, expecting to see them playing and running around but he didn't. It was all empty. He was the only one left. Obi-Wan's stormy blue-gray eyes began to water with tears. He was afraid! Master Yang-Di had told the younglings what happened when they were all alone. Obi-Wan sat down, crying.

"Hello, young one. What are you doing out here?"

Obi-Wan looked up and squealed in fright. The figure bent down and picked him up. "Let me go! Let me go!" Obi-Wan squealed, struggling.

"Hey, hey, whoa! It's okay! It's okay."

Obi-Wan paused, seeing the lightsaber on the person's belt. He pulled back his hood, revealing a kind face, blue eyes, a long beard and a moustache. "Who are you?" Obi-Wan whimpered.

"I am Master Qui-Gon Jinn. You are Obi-Wan Kenobi, aren't you? What are you doing out here all alone? Where's your clan?"

Obi-Wan sniffled and wiped his tears away. "I don't know. They're gone. We were out for playtime, and I was chasing a butterfly. I didn't mean to run away, I was just having fun."

"Naughty boy, running away like that," Qui-Gon said, smiling warmly at him. He tapped Obi-Wan's nose. "Let's go find your Crèche Masters before they start to worry."

"Will they be mad?" Obi-Wan asked, trembling as Qui-Gon walked into the Jedi Temple.

"I'll tell your Masters that it was an accident," Qui-Gon assured. Obi-Wan snuggled closer to the Master.

"Thank you so much, Master Jinn!" Master Lang-hi was saying.

"We apologize. Was Obi-Wan bothering you?" Master Yang-Di shot Obi-Wan a stern and meaningful look. Obi-Wan shrank back, whimpering, clutching Qui-Gon's robes.

"No, no, not at all," Qui-Gon replied, smiling. "It was a pleasure to talk to him."

Yang-Di snorted. "Well, thank you again, Master Jinn."

Qui-Gon nodded and brushed Obi-Wan spiky brown hair. "Goodbye, Obi-Wan." Obi-Wan watched with huge eyes as Qui-Gon stood up.

"You're not going to stay?"

The question surprised Qui-Gon. Yang-Di gave Obi-Wan a firm smack on the head. "Master Jinn is busy. Thank him for rescuing you, youngling, and go and play."

Rubbing the place where Yang-Di had hit him, Obi-Wan bowed – or at least tried to. "Thank you, Qui-Gon." He flinched when Masters Yang-Di and Lang'hi flashed him a meaningful glare. "Er, I mean, thank you, Master Jinn," Obi-Wan corrected quickly. He watched as Qui-Gon walked out of the Crèche."

"Is he going to visit me again?" Obi-Wan asked.

"If he has the time, Obi-Wan. Go and play."

Obi-Wan ran off to his friends, Bant, Garen, and Reeft.

The next day, the younglings were painting pictures, and Obi-Wan was trying to paint a picture of the butterfly he had been chasing. Just when he was about to add the finishing touch to his butterfly, somebody knocked over a jar of red paint. It splattered his picture, ruining the painted butterfly. Obi-Wan jumped to his feet, eyes round. His arch enemy, Bruck Chun, had knocked over the jar of paint – deliberately. "Hey, Oafy-Wan," he sneered.

"Don't call me that! You ruined my painting!" Obi-Wan said, making Bruck snort.

"So what? It's just a picture, Oafy-Wan. I don't care about pictures."

Obi-Wan lost control of his temper. The jars of paint exploded, splattering the younglings. They all started wailing about how their paintings were destroyed. Obi-Wan gulped.

"Now look what you did, Oafy-Wan. Now Master Yang-Di and Lang'hi are going to come, and you're going to be in trouble," Bruck said tauntingly.

Just at that moment, the door swung open and the Crèche Masters ran in. "What happened?" Yang-Di demanded. The younglings fell into a terrified silence. "Answer me!" Obi-Wan gulped as all of the younglings pointed toward Obi-Wan.

"Obi-Wan exploded the paint jars!" Bruck howled.

Obi-Wan clenched his fists. Hate you. Thanks a lot, he thought.

"Initiate Obi-Wan Kenobi, follow me!"

Obi-Wan swallowed and got up from his chair. Master Yang-Di had used his full name. It was not a good sign. Obi-Wan caught sight of Bant's anxious face. He shook his head and walked out of the door. He stopped, nearly crashing into Master Yang-Di, who had turned around and was glaring at him, arms crossed.

"What happened?" Yang-Di demanded.

Obi-Wan shrank back. "Master, it was Bruck, he –"

"No excuses, youngling! You will answer my questions truthfully or you will get a spanking."

Obi-Wan swallowed. "Master … it is the truth … Bruck … he knocked over a jar of red paint on my picture!"

"The. Truth."

Yang-Di's tone was cold – also not a good sign. "Master, it is the truth," Obi-Wan said quietly.

"Are you really continuing to lie to me?"

Tears began to run down Obi-Wan's cheeks. His blue-gray eyes were tear-filled and he began to sniffle.

"No crying! Do not cry, Initiate."

Obi-Wan quickly wiped his tears. "I'm sorry, Master," he whimpered.

Yang-Di sighed. "We will figure this out later. For now, you will clean up the mess you have made. Then come and see Master Lang-hi and I."

"Yes, Master."

Obi-Wan was on his knees, scrubbing the paint off of the ground and walls. Occasionally, Bruck would make a cocky comment, taunting Obi-Wan.

"You fit the job you're doing. Maybe you should just stay in the Crèche and scrub the ground instead becoming a Padawan Learner. It's not like anyone's going to pick you."

Obi-Wan gritted his teeth, fuming with anger.

"Initiate Bruck Chun! Stop making arrogant comments to Obi-Wan and help him!" Master Yang-Di, who was supervising, barked.

Obi-Wan hid his face and slightly grinned as Bruck got to his knees and began to help, sighing. Obi-Wan felt a sharp blow to his head and looked up into Yang-Di's glare. "You have nothing to smile about, youngling."

Obi-Wan nodded meekly and continued his job. After all the paint was washed off, he stood up, back and knees aching. He sighed, threw the sponge across the room and stomped over to the Crèche Masters' room. He couldn't believe he was being punished for something he didn't do! Well, he did blow up the paint jars, but it was only because of Bruck. Wasn't it?

Yeah, man! The start of a new journey! Have fun reading!