Knock.

KNOCK.

KNOCK!

"Windu, come out!" Dooku ordered as he knocked on the door once again.

Knock.

Mace groaned angrily, sitting up and walking over to the door. He pulled it open, quickly moving aside in case it flew at him, which it didn't.

"What is it now, Master?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"Your consequence," The Jedi began,"has been decided."

"And?" The padawan raised an eyebrow.

"You will be trained separately from everyone else, including you friend Padawan Fatino."

"What? You can't be serious!"

Master Dooku gave him a warning glare. "Windu, by now you should know to show some respect to your superiors. And, yes, I am serious."

Mace clenched his teeth together and tried not to ball his hands into fists. "So, who will train me and where will I train then, Master?"

"Master Yoda will train you." Dooku replied. "As for where, I do not know."

Some of the padawan's anger drained away as shock replaced it. "Master Yoda is going to train me?" He repeated, half in disbelief.

"Only for a week, Windu." The Jedi continued. "Then you will go back into normal training."

Mace nodded slowly. "Okay...I understand, Master."

"Next time I catch you breaking into the kitchen or anyplace else, you will be training with a more...strict master. So, do yourself a favor and stay out of trouble."

"Yes, Master."

"Good." Master Dooku looked satisfied for the moment. "Now, come. I'll take you to Master Yoda now."

The padawan nodded. "Alright, right behind you, Master."

*X*

"Greetings, Master Dooku." An old, raspy voice came from the small green form sitting on the chair. "Brought young Windu, you have?"

"Yes, Master Yoda." Dooku responded. "I've brought him."

Mace stood beside the older Jedi Master, his arms crossed.

"Have things to get done, have you?" Yoda asked.

"Yes, I do indeed, Master Yoda." The man responded with a small nod. "I must be going. May the Force be with you while you teach this one, Master."

And with those cheery words, Dooku left the room.

Mace stood in the doorway silently. He'd never met or seen Master Yoda before, in all his life at the Temple.

"Great anger and sadness, I see in you, Windu." Yoda spoke up. "Suffering. Yes, suffering."

The padawan gave a quiet sigh. It was true, he was suffering after all he'd lost in the mission on Haruun Kal. It haunted his thoughts and nightmares. He couldn't stop reliving the moment that'd destroyed his old self.

"Pain, lots of pain I sense in you." The great Jedi Master murmured. "Something bad happened, hmm?"

"Yes." Mace responded in a quiet voice.

"Train yourself to forget, you must."

"How do I do that?"

"Let go of what hurts you, you must." Master Yoda told him.

"But how?" The padawan argued. "I can't stop thinking about it, Master."

"Block off your feelings, young padawan."

"Which ones?"

"Choose yourself, you must."

"Okay, but how do I do it?"

"Distract yourself." The great Jedi Master explained.

"Like...just do other things to keep me from thinking?" Mace asked. Then he shook his head. "You don't understand, Master. I can't stop thinking. Whatever I do, whether it's train alone or talk to friends, I'm always thinking about h-it."

"Going to say something else, you were." Yoda looked at him curiously, obviously having heard his change of words.

"No." He lied, shaking his head. Then he sighed. "Okay, yes, I was going to, but it wasn't necessary."

"To talk about it, good it can do."

"Not for me."

"Talking about your troubles can do good for anyone." A voice came from the doorway.

Mace looked to see one of the younglings in the doorway. He had to give the human boy a small smile for such wise words. "What's your name?" He asked.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi." The boy told him. "I'm five years-old. Who are you?"

"Mace Windu." He replied, holding out his right hand. Kenobi came over and shook his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Obi-Wan."

"You too." Obi-Wan gave a small, shy smile. "What's it like to be a padawan?"

"Challenging," Mace said,"but worth it."

The youngling nodded thoughtfully. "How challenging?"

The padawan held back a soft chuckle. "You'll see for yourself some day, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan just gave a small, accepting nod. "Okay. I will."

"Have you met many of the other padawans?"

"Some."

"How about Reach Fatino?" Mace asked.

"I know Reach." The boy smiled. "Light brown hair and a blue lightsaber."

"That's her." He smiled back with a nod. "You remind me of her. When we were your age, she was the same way."

"Really?"

"Yes. She's great with her lightsaber and the Force and you will be too."

"You actually think so?"

"I do."

The youngling threw his arms around Mace in a hug. The padawan couldn't stop grinning. He hadn't felt this good since before the incident on his home planet happened.

"I promised Siri I'd join her in a little while for some practice." Obi-Wan said a few moments later. "I should probably go. She'll be mad if I'm late."

"You go have fun, Obi-Wan." The padawan urged with a small smile.

After the boy had left, the good feeling leaked from Mace. He sighed, remembering the days he used to have fun and mess around, getting into trouble all the time. One last small smile crossed his face before he snapped himself to reality. And he remembered all of his problems.

"Fascinating, the joy young ones bring." Master Yoda said after a few moments.

"Yes, it is pretty interesting." Mace agreed. "Obi-Wan will make a good Knight someday, I think."

"Agree with you, I do." The tiny green Jedi Master nodded, turning towards him. "But a flaw, he has. Guess it, can you?"

"He...he cares for others too much." The padawan realized, his voice quiet. He was the same way as the youngling. He cared too much about her. Not Reach. Of course he cared for Reach, but not in the same way as the other girl. The one he'd lost on Haruun Kal. "And...so do I."

"Yes, yes. Very good." Yoda nodded in approval. "Good observing, you have."

Mace looked at him curiously. "What does observing have to do with anything?"

"Everything, observing is needed for. Very important to know, it is."

"Why is it so important, Master?"

"The Force, feel around you. Sense, what do you?"

"Life. The presence of others. Darkness. The light." He thought. Then the word clicked. "Balance. I sense balance."

Master Yoda gave another small nod. "Balance. Balance of what?"

Mace shook his head. "I don't know, master. The light, the darkness, maybe. Good and evil. Those who want power and those who are against them. The balance...is peace and conflict."

"Which side now, is it on?"

"Neither."

"Yes. Peace and war, the balance is." The great Jedi Master agreed, approval in his voice.

"What happens if one side overpowers the other?" A commanding voice came from the entryway.

"Then the balance is lost." Mace responded easily, turning to face Master Dooku.

"Exactly." Dooku nodded.

"To calm your mind, let go to everything, you must." Master Yoda concluded the original conversation. "Balance in your mind, there must be."

The padawan gave a small, understanding nod. "I understand most of it, but I have one question."

"And what's that?" Master Dooku asked curiously.

"What will it take to bring balance to my mind?" Mace questioned.

Master Yoda responded this time, looking the padawan straight in the eye. "Up to you, that is."

This fanfiction occurs 20 years BEFORE the Phantom Menace.