Ok, when I said I would update tomorrow, I lied. Sorry! :s
I made this chapter nice and long to make up for it! I'm going to say I'll update by tomorrow, but you probably know not to believe me, by now. I'll try!
Knocking lightly on the door, Macu waited for someone to open it. He waited a short while, longer than he'd expected, before an amused looking Master Obi-Wan opened the door.
"Ah, hello, Macu." he said cheerily.
Deciding he didn't want to ask, Macu just gave the Knight a small smile in return. "Good morning, Master Obi-Wan."
"I suppose you'll want to see Corrie?" Obi-Wan asked, already turning to call after his Apprentice.
Macu coughed politely to stop him. "Actually, I was looking for both of you."
Obi-Wan gave him a questioning look.
"My master asked me to retrieve all of the Padawans under 19 and their Masters, and get them all to the Dining Hall as soon as possible." the twi'lek reported blandly.
Obi-Wan's curiosity had now turned to caution, his eyes taking on a hint of apprehension.
"I don't know why we're wanted." Macu informed him in advance, killing the Knight's question in its tracks.
"Alright, then, we'll be one moment." Obi-Wan said slowly, a slight grin playing on his lips as he turned to call back into his rooms. "Coronarcher! Clean yourself up quickly and put your shirt on."
Macu's impassive face didn't change at the strange order. He didn't really want to know.
Obi-Wan turned to grin at him. "There was a bit of an incident with the flour."
Macu simply nodded. Having been in his particular circle of friends for four years had numbed him somewhat to the oddities and abstract events that seemed to occur on a daily basis.
Bitter mumblings found their way out to Macu and Obi-Wan, but they only caught a few words, namely eyebrow-raising curses, and a short while later, a disgruntled Coronarcher walked out of the door.
Obi-Wan's hand briefly met the back of his head in a light reprimand. "Language, Padawan."
Corrie turned to glare at his Master for a moment. "Do you have any idea what happens when flour and water are put together?"
Obi-Wan laughed and pulled a gluey flour remnant out of his Padawan's hair. "I can only imagine."
Looking distinctly unhappy, Corrie walked past him and glared at the smirking twi'lek. "I'm going to have flour in my nose for the next year." he said as he took the lead, stalking theatrically to the Dining Hall.
From what he gathered, Macu assumed that the still dripping human had heard the situation from the 'fresher. If anyone knew how to pretend they were blameless, it was Corrie. Shaking his head, Macu followed his friend in silence to the Dining Hall, at which stage, they were shocked by the volume of the babble coming from the curious Padawans and uncomfortable Masters.
The trio shared looks. Corrie grinned at Macu, before the twi'lek was called away by his Master.
He brushed close to Coronarcher as he passed. "Eight days, nine hours." he muttered, his slow stride taking him to Master Windu at the front of the Hall.
Corrie simply grinned again, knowing that the twi'lek wouldn't see him. He turned to grin at his Master, who was looking around the Hall, curiosity evidently piqued. "So, Master, what do you fancy this is all in aid of?"
Obi-Wan continued to check out the other pairs as they slowly made their way through the crowd. "I'm not sure, but I have a feeling,"
"A bad one?" Corrie interrupted. It was a running gag between them. Obi-Wan always had a bad feeling about something.
His Master gave him a look and Corrie shut up. "A feeling, that you might be about to get me into trouble, Padawan."
Corrie gaped, feigning offence. "Master, how could you say such a thing?" He knew that if Master Yoda was there, which he was, then they were going to be found out, but he wasn't about to openly admit anything. He wanted to see how much they could extend their 'not being caught after a prank' record by.
Obi-Wan scoffed. "Easily. When there's trouble, you're always behind it."
They sensed the crowd quietening, but Corrie had to put in one last comment.
"Really? I like to think I'm usually ahead of it."
Obi-Wan just shook his head, looking up to the front of the Hall, where Mace was about to speak.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice. I'll be quick about this." His eyes scanned the crowd, taking in the pairs as he spoke. "We have decided that it's past time to find the culprits behind the Jedi Radio."
Jonah, who was standing near the front beside her Master, shot a look at Macu. She saw him looking at her in much the same way. Master Windu always meant what he said, and he had said he would find the culprits behind the Jedi Radio. He hadn't said they meant to put a stop to it.
Shrugging, Jonah turned back the bald Master.
"This Radio is a major breach of security for the Temple and will be considered vandalism."
Jonah winced inwardly. That wasn't good.
"The culprits will be punished accordingly."
Definitely not good. Jonah was preparing to be forced to admit her guilt, when Master Yoda interrupted Mace Windu's next words. There was silence as he spoke.
"The Padawans who did this, very bad, they are. Very dangerous, their task was. Very disobedient, and irresponsible, they are."
Jonah instantly felt a ball of guilt in her stomach. Reprimands always hurt more when they came from Yoda. She felt Master Swan look at her sideways. She must have felt her guilt through their bond. Oh well, Jonah thought, We're about to be found out anyway.
"Also, very clever and talented, they are, to succeed with their Radio, right under our noses."
Jonah's head again snapped to Cuey. They both felt grins tugging at the corners of their mouths. What was going on? Whatever it was, obviously Master Windu didn't appreciate it. He interjected before Yoda could speak again. Yoda obviously found it rather amusing.
"However, if these' very clever and talented' culprits step forward now, we may show lenience."
Jonah held her breath. She wouldn't move unless someone else, namely Corrie. That was how it always went. He was so obsessed with his record, he always managed to find a way to avoid detection if there was one. And, there was always the reasoning that if he didn't find a way out, he always managed to make them go slightly more dramatically. It was just about the only good use for his over the top theatrics.
The silence was deafening.
"Well now, this is awfully tense, I'm not sure I like it all that much."
Jonah simply grinned. Corrie. She spun around to see the crowd splitting around him as he walked up to the front. Obi-Wan, with his head in his hand, was following behind. Slowly.
"Very clever and talented? I think they must be talking about us, gang." he continued.
Jonah kept grinning, as Lolee and Cra and Arak split off from the crowd to join Corrie as he walked up to Windu and Yoda. Macu smirked as he joined and Corrie offered Jonah his hand. She graciously too it, obliging his dramatics as he spun her.
Eventually, all six of them stood in front of the two Council Members.
Master Windu was glaring at his Apprentice, but the twi'lek was pointedly ignoring him. He knew he was in it deep, and he couldn't really do anything to help himself.
"The rest of you may leave." Master Windu's voice was icy.
The gang couldn't help but grin, seeing Corrie and Lolee's larger than life, way too toothy smiles.
The crowd dispersed very quickly after that, not wanting to be around when Mace Windu got mad.
"Would the Masters of these…Padawans join us."
That, scared the Padawans.
The hairs on Corrie's neck raised as he sensed Obi-Wan coming up behind him. He heard the slow footsteps that led to his hands resting none too lightly on his shoulders. Corrie looked sideways at Lolee, who was being similarly held by Master Mundi. Lolee smiled at his Master sheepishly.
Corrie glanced around the group. The others were all looking down at the ground guiltily.
Looking up at his own Master, Corrie's cheesy grin faded at the death stare he was getting.
He found that looking up at Master Windu proved much the same.
The floor had never been so attractive.
They've been found out! Oh dear, what will happen to our pesky Padawans?
Maybe another review might entice me to update sooner…Please?
Pronker, you are awesome, by the way!