Title: Childs play

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this! I am making no money from this!

Summary: During a time of civil-unrest on Denari, a planet that normally holds a state of affluent peace, Obi-Wan and Anakin are sent to resolve the situation. By an anonymous request, the council decide that perhaps this seemingly simple mission will be a perfect opportunity for one of the younger Sets of initiates to get a first hand experience of standard Jedi procedure. Soon the two men find themselves in a sticky situation as they try to negotiate the ever-increasingly complicated proceedings whilst remaining at the head of a group of overexcited seven-year-olds who turn out to be impossible to control. Fun has no choice but to ensue.

THE FUN PART: Brief little bit of information so you can understand my OCs. AU end of EpII Padme reveals that she is pregnant. Nine months later a little girl is born, Mayco, and Anakin and Padme have to give her up because she is to be raised at the temple like any other baby strong in the force (and boy is she powerful). Now stretch the gap between EpII and EpIII to like eight or nine years. Mayco has grown up like any other child in the temple, save from the fact that she has been personally tutored by Yoda because her skills are unprecedented (to see why read 'The Lost Skywalker'). Anakin stayed a strong and ubiquitous influence in Mayco's life, and even though Mayco sees him and Obi-wan as father figures, she doesn't quite know the whole truth. Mayco's best friend in the whole world and partner in crime is a small human girl called Tio, the pair of them have shared a room as far back as they can remember. So yeah, that's all you need to know about my OCs.

Childs Play

The little...darlings

Anakin yawned tiredly and slouched down in his chair. A month of no missions had made him slightly lazy, so consequently this early start was hitting him hard. His eyelids weren't behaving the way he wanted them too, so he was forced to hold his fingers to his closed eyes in an attempt to massage them back to normal. It was in this state that Obi-Wan found him.

" Anakin, you might want to wake up a little before you get in here," he said fondly. Anakin looked up at his master wearily.

" Get in there?" he asked uncertainly, his mind racing through his recent antics that might bring him before the council, but as far as he could see there was nothing...that he had been caught doing anyway.

" They need to ask if you're on board about something," Obi-Wan replied and he motioned for Anakin to get to his feet and follow him into the council chamber. Anakin furrowed his brow curiously and obeyed.

Moments later Master and Padawan stood before the council waiting patiently, the former perhaps slightly more than the latter, for them to speak.

" You know of your mission to Denari?" Master Windu suddenly said in a painstakingly slow way. Anakin nodded soberly, urging Master Windu to go on. " Well, two days ago we received an anonymous request."

" The nature of your mission is so mild, that it was brought to our attention that perhaps this would be the ideal opportunity for some of our youngest charges to get their first real experience of Jedi conduct," Master Gallia explained in her ethereal manner.

A small smile started tugging at the edge of Anakin's mouth.

" So we are requesting whether you and your Master will agree to take charge of a Set of initiates and show them how a standard mission operates," Master Ki-Adi-Mundi continued.

" Obi-Wan has displayed no objections, now it is your turn to voice your opinion. Do you have anything to say?" Master Windu asked. Anakin cocked his head to one side.

" What Set is it?" he asked curiously, although he realised he probably knew the answer already.

" First Set Seven," Master Windu replied and was unable to hide his smile. Anakin nodded to himself and looked at his feet. Now it was time to seriously consider his options. Did he dare take a group of ten seven-year- olds to a planet where his main task was to settle a dispute? Would he have the time to help Obi-Wan manage the little initiates? Would Mayco and Tio, the Temple's most roguish initiates, and consequently the gang leaders of this Set listen to him if he tried to stop them from causing trouble? Oh what the hell, why not?

" Yeah sure, sounds like fun," he said cheerfully.

* * *

The little blonde girl drew a lot of stares as she flew threw the mess hall. Even though people often associated her with all manner of insane activity, they rarely saw her skipping along with a beaming smile plastered on her face with no trouble about. As the child reached the centre of the hall she dropped from sight and landed next to her best friend at her Set's table.

" You will never guess what I just heard!" she exclaimed. The children at the table looked up in interest.

" What?" Oskar Danu, a very good-looking boy asked, his eyes gleaming happily. He knew that Mayco only ever delivered exciting news. Mayco leaned in slowly, drawing her friends with her like a magnet until all their faces were mere inches away from each other.

" Guess where we'll all be going this afternoon!" she ordered. The children's excitement shot up a notch and they squirmed with anticipation.

" Oh come on May, spill!" Kara, the smallest child of the group, hissed impatiently. Mayco beamed at the small girl and nodded.

" We're going on a mission..." A buzz of chatter erupted from the children and they all flew apart chattering wildly about the possibilities. " Hey you guys!" Mayco complained looking visibly disgruntled now she had lost her audience. Her friends stopped chattering and looked at her expectantly. " What you guys don't wanna know where we're going?" Within moments every single face was back in the centre of the table again. Mayco smirked and looked from one to the next. " We are going on a mission with Master Kenobi and with Anakin Skywalker..." She quickly held up her finger to hush the children. " We're going to Denari and we can help sort out a civil unrest dispute thing!"

With this she leaned back and watched as her friends chattered wildly about possible adventures they were going to have. Next to Mayco Tio, Mayco's partner in crime, leant back next to her and grinned.

" Score!" she said sneakily and the two girls clapped their hands together. " This is going to be so amazing!"

" Especially seeing as it's those guys, they're going to make this a journey we'll never forget!" Mayco added. " Oh look, there they are!"

In an instant the nine children seated at the table were on their feet and hurtling towards the two nervous looking adults.

" Is it too late to turn back?" Obi-Wan whispered before the kids reached them and flooded round them firing questions at them from every possible angle. Anakin tried his best to answer their queries as Obi-Wan attempted to count the bobbing heads.

" Why are there only nine of you?" he asked sternly. The children stopped jumping and stood in front of him curiously. " Where's the tenth?"

" It's Anis, she's over there with the Wanabee Setless Wonders," Tio explained. Obi-Wan stared at her nonplussed.

" She's with the losers," Mayco added pointing in the direction of the final member of the Set, a gangly blonde girl sat hunched over a book with several other similarly socially handicapped children.

" The geeks," Oskar put in.

" The..." Emas Dakara began, but Obi-Wan merely held up his hand to silence the children and they obeyed helplessly.

" You should show all initiates respect, they are your equals," he said sternly and with this he strode off in the direction of the rejected girl.

" So what's the story with this Anis girl?" Anakin asked the children once his master was out of hearing range.

" She thinks she's so much better than us," Tio grumbled.

" And she's the biggest tell tale that ever lived," Mayco added, glaring evilly in the direction Obi-Wan.

" Hey," Anakin laughed and he brushed the side of her face with his fist in a play punch. " You have to behave! You're this close to being subjected to a new punishment regime the capes are mustering up," he said seriously. Mayco wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

" You liar, what new punishment regime?" she asked cockily. Anakin smiled sneakily and crouched down in front of the little girl.

" Well did you ever meet Obi-Wan's friend Dexter Jettster?" he asked her. Mayco frowned worriedly and shook her head. " You know, four arms, diner chef, about ten times the size of a normal person?" Mayco suddenly jumped backwards and eyed Anakin timidly. " Oh good, you know him! Well they're thinking of putting him on the payroll."

" Doing what?" Mayco asked.

" Well if anybody steps out of line enough times," he began, drawing out the suspense he had gathered as every child in the nearby vicinity was staring at him in awe.

" Then what Anakin?" Mayco asked sounding scared.

" Well they say that he'll..."

" Children, ready to go?" Obi-Wan said from behind the group of children. Each and every one of them jumped and spun round to see he had found Anis and was ready to go. " Right, now each of you will return to your quarters and gather together enough clothes and belongings to last you a week. Remember to travel light," he told them. " In half an hour we will meet in the transport hanger." They instantly scattered leaving Mayco and Tio behind.

" Go and pack girls," Obi-Wan told them kindly.

" Anakin what is he going to do if we get in trouble?" Mayco pleaded hanging off his arm.

" Well go pack or you may just find out!" Anakin said darkly. Mayco and Tio exchanged a terrified look before sprinting out of the mess hall. Obi-Wan smiled tiredly at his Padawan who was watching Mayco's retreating back with a beaming smile on his face. They had reached a secluded corridor before Obi-Wan spoke.

" Remember Anakin, you have to divide your attention equally between the children. You can't just focus on one alone," he said calmly. Anakin nodded tiredly.

" Yeah I know, but it's hard Master, she's my little girl..."

" Something she doesn't know and must never know! So remember, she can read you like no one before because of the bond you have. You have to be on your guard all- "

" -the time and ready for anything. Yes I know master, but it's just hard that's all I'm saying," Anakin said dejectedly. Obi-Wan nodded knowingly.

" I know, now come on, we have to get the transport ready to take us to the port. Getting these kids through that busy space sport is going to require every bit of training both of us have ever had!"

* * *

More to come soon!