Chapter 1: An Unassuming Beginning

This is my new story! It is actually going to be serious! Gasp! I'm not canceling my other story, this idea has just been in my head for a while and I don't want to forget it. Know this before reading: This is only based off of the movies. I don't know anything about Clone Wars, The Force Unleashed, or anything like that. I only know episodes 1-6! Anyway, this is really just an introduction, which is why it's short. Please, enjoy! And R&R!

Oh, the disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars!

This is a flashback from a couple days after the end of The Phantom menace. The flashback will be in non-bolded italics.

Anakin raced through the Jedi Temple. He had been distracted, what with the recent events, and had not explored the vast temple properly. Normally, he was able to sense things before they happened, but as he was not paying attention to his surroundings, he ran into… something.

"Hey, watch where you're going!"a small but indignant, young female voice exclaimed. Anakin turned around, looking sheepish, to face a small girl with emerald green eyes and dirty blonde hair streaked with light brown, who could not have been more than eight, and was smirking slightly.

"Sorry "apologized Anakin. "I was just exploring, and I guess I got a little carried away." The girl looked confused for a moment. "Exploring? But-" hen her expression cleared as she understood, and she suddenly looked much more interested in the boy. "You must be the new Padawan from that faraway planet! You're Anakin, right?" Anakin was surprised at first that he was known, but quickly adjusted.

"Yeah! And.. you are?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"Story. Story Mansou. You're lucky it's me you ran into, and not my Master. Mace Windu." She laughed slightly.

"Hey, nice name."Anakin said simply, trying to make up for running into her.

"Thanks. What's your last name, anyway?"

"Skywalker."

"Well, that's not too shabby." She smiled."Well, see you around, Skywalker."

And so she would.

Story grinned slightly as she reminisced, the smile raising the long scar that started just above her left eyebrow that ran straight through her eye (which, by some miracle, she had managed to salvage, so that she was perfectly capable of sight in both eyes) and ended half an inch from the corner of her mouth. Obi-Wan and Anakin were arguing again, and Story found it tiresome, as they had been…debating… a lot lately, but they were her friends, so she put up with it. Oh what was happening now? It sounded as if they were discussing the security of senator Amidala. It was time to resume paying attention - this was important.

"The security cameras are being covered?" exclaimed Obi-Wan.

"It was her idea" said Anakin defensively, but it was obvious he was a more than willing accomplice.

"Oh, yes, surely the best protection for someone with very recent attempts on her life is by turning off the security" retorted Story, her words dripping with sarcasm.

"I'm very able to sense everything that's going on in that room!" Anakin sounded rather indignant.

"I did not know your senses were that attuned to the Force, my young Padawan" Obi-Wan replied smoothly.

"And yours are?" challenged Anakin. Obi-Wan did not reply. Story mouthed don't make me laugh at him to Anakin while Obi-Wan's head was turned, but before either of them could smile, all three of the Jedi went rigid.

"Something's wrong." Anakin said tensely.

" I sense it too" replied Obi-Wan. All three of the Jedi sprang into action and into the Senator's quarters, where they found two crawling monstrosities heading for the Senator and a frantically beeping and whistling R2-D2. Anakin quickly dispatched the horrid many-legged creatures. Before the action was over, however, Obi-Wan spotted the small machine that had unleashed the monsters. He leaped spectacularly out of the window and grabbed the droid before it left. It promptly began dragging him towards the ground.

"I'm going after him! You stay here and make sure Senator Amidala remains safe." She thought this would be a good plan, since earlier that day, Anakin had expressed some feelings for the beautiful Senator. Story turned to race out of the room, grab a speeder, and help Obi-Wan, but Anakin grabbed her shoulder and stopped her.

"No, you can stay here, where it's safe! I'll go. No offense, but I'm a better pilot."

"If I'm safe, you're not. I'm going!"

"No, I am!"

"Don't I have a say in this?" exclaimed Padme.

"We're wasting time" Story said abruptly. With that, she dashed out of the room before anyone could stop her.

This is Story Mansou. An 18- year old with a fearsome scar and dark clothing. When people (or other creatures) see her, they usually think "rogue" or even, in these troubled times, "Sith". "Jedi" is not usually the word that comes to mind. Nevertheless, a Jedi she is, and a devoted one. Theoretically a Padawan, she is Mace Windu's apprentice, but he was and is a very busy Jedi Master, and often sent out Story with Obi-Wan and Anakin (and still does). During all her missions and time spent with these two Jedi, she has developed a friendship with the two. Story is usually "a good Jedi"- calm, level-headed, compassionate, skilled with a lightsaber, smart, connected to the Force (for a Padawan, anyway) and relatively free of anger. Unless, that is, her friends are threatened. Story will do anything to protect her friends. She can be an angel - or a demon. And it is her choice. And her story.

So, that was the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! I apologize for any inaccuracies. The main part takes place during Attack of the Clones, in case you couldn't tell.

~Firecracker