[This was originally two seperate stories, but I thought they worked nicely together for this prompt.]
There was a new infant in the crèche and all the young Initiates were very curious. The Masters that looked after them kept shooing them away, because the new baby was still adjusting. Three-year-old Obi-Wan didn’t know what the grown-up words meant, but he could tell that they didn’t want her to be scared by all the curious little beings that wanted to poke her.
Some other grown-up words they used when the group had been told about the new arrival was that she was a Mon Calamarian. Obi-Wan had never seen a Mon Calamarian before.
“Oh, dey has weally huge heads, like dis!” one boy, a human named Bruck Chun, told his friends really loudly, demonstrating with his hands held out a foot away from his ears. “And dey has eyes like dis!” He curled his thumbs and forefingers into circles and placed them on his temples. His classmates had laughed.
Obi-Wan didn’t. He didn’t believe Bruck, and wanted to see one for himself.
One night, a few days after Bruck’s lesson on Mon Calamari physiology, Obi-Wan pretended to fall asleep. Once the Masters had made their final rounds, he very carefully peeked around. Once he was sure it was clear, he crept from his bed and tiptoed to the nursery where the new baby was located.
He opened the door cautiously, not wanting to wake up the Masters or, worse, the baby. As he stepped into the room, he was startled to find the room was very, very wet and tasted like salt. He edged up to the crib and climbed the side. He leaned over the railing and gazed down at the peaceful, sleeping face of a very young Mon Calamarian girl.
He didn’t know what Bruck was talking about. Her head wasn’t that big. And her eyes were perfect. Honestly, didn’t Bruck know anything?
Obi-Wan gasped as the firm grip of one of the Masters picked him up. He had been caught! He guessed he wasn’t so quiet after all. He looked up sheepishly into the crèche-Master’s face. She gave him a kindly look, and shifted him onto her hip. Then she moved closer to the side of the crib so they could both watch the sleeping baby.
“Her name is Bant, Obi-Wan. And she needs to be in this special room so she can be comfy. It’s very wet where she comes from and the water has a lot of salt in it.” The Master whispered to Obi-Wan
Obi-Wan nodded, still staring at Bant. “Like da ocean, right, Master?” he whispered back.
“Yes, exactly. This is why we don’t want you children to come in here all the time. Not yet, anyway.”
Obi-Wan nodded again. He let out another gasp as the tiny eyes blinked open and Bant’s gaze met Obi-Wan’s. Instead of crying out, the newest Temple youngling gurgled happily, blinking up at the boy in the arms of the crèche-Master.
“I think she likes you, young one,” the Master said, tapping Obi-Wan on the nose. The young boy smiled, pleased with that pronouncement. “But enough. It’s time for you to go to bed. For real this time, okay?”
Obi-Wan blushed, and hung his head once more in shame.
The Master carried him back to his bed and tucked him in. “No more night-time adventures, young Obi-Wan. If you can be a good boy all week, then maybe we can let you have a proper visit with little Bant, okay?”
Obi-Wan nodded enthusiastically.
“Good. Now, get some sleep.” With a final pat on the head for Obi-Wan the Master went back to her nightly duties.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes and settled in for sleep. He vowed he’d be the best boy ever over the next few days; he had made a new friend tonight and he wanted to get to know her before anybody!
**********
The curiosity of a new child in the Jedi Temple was something of a rarity these days. While they kept coming in, it seemed that the days a Master brought a child into the fold were growing far and few in between. When Bant had been brought in, the other children had been quite inquisitive as to the Mon Calamari species, and Bruck Chun had caused all sorts of false rumours to spread. But Obi-Wan knew better. He had seen the Mon Calamarian girl, and she was perfect. Not at all the hideous monster that his crèche-mate had made her out to be.
Of course, that little expedition had ended with a chastisement for the young Obi-Wan, but it had also garnered a promise. A promise which was to be fulfilled today. Obi-Wan could barely contain his excitement as he sat colouring. He had been on his best behaviour all week, just like he had promised. The Crèche-Master that had promised him a visit with Bant, Jenna Nidor, had noticed and she had to smile. Not even the taunts of the other children drew Obi-Wan out of his good behaviour, and Master Nidor figured that the Force had something planned for the two young ones.
Finally, when it was time for meditation-practice, Master Nidor took Obi-Wan aside and led him into Bant's room, much to the extreme curiosity and jealous mutters of the others. Another Master, Sarli Holgor, had the young girl cradled in her arms.
"Master Holgor, this is Obi-Wan Kenobi. He's here to visit Bant." Master Nidor gave Obi-Wan's shoulders an affectionate squeeze before she gently pushed him into the room and left to deal with his crèche-mates.
"Hello, Obi-Wan," Master Holgor said with a smile. "I hear that you and Bant have already met?"
"Yes, Mastur Ho'gor. I snuck out of bed last week because I wanted to know what she looked like," Obi-Wan said quietly, inching closer.
Master Holgor smiled. "It's okay, young one," she said, holding a hand out to Obi-Wan. The young boy reached out and let Master Holgor tug him up beside her. He gazed at the baby in her lap and smiled. She was just as he had remembered her.
Bant's eyes met Obi-Wan's and she gurgled happily. Master Holgor let the two of them have a moment before she spoke next. "Would you like to hold her, Obi-Wan?"
"Oh," he replied, taking a small step back. "I dunno. Aren't I too little?"
"No," Master Holgor said, shaking her head. "You're just right, I think. Come on, sit down."
Obi-Wan sat on the floor cross-legged and watched as Master Holgor carefully transferred the baby to his lap.
"That's it. Make sure you support her neck, like this...yes, exactly! See? I knew you could do it."
Obi-Wan beamed up at Master Holgor before he looked back down at Bant. She gurgled again, quite happy to be this close to her new friend. Obi-Wan offered her his finger to grab, and he marveled at her strength. And then he was tickling her lightly under the chin, which elicited another happy gurgle from Bant. Obi-Wan giggled and did it again, his giggle turning into a chuckle as Bant gurgled happily once more.
Master Holgor watched in amusement as the two bonded over the simple interaction. Yes, these two would be a special pair, as friendships went, she could tell.
-----------------------
Word Count: 1, 204
Muse: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Fandom: Star Wars Prequels
Comments:
Click Here