Feedback: The feedback y'all have sent me over the past few months is what helped resurrect this series. I would love to know if you like this one too.

Notes: Sometimes early friends are the best friends. Er, that's a round about way of saying I got the idea for this while I was finishing my story, Bant's Promise :) I just wanted to get a little more buddy time for the two kiddos.

Thank Yous: Thanks Marzilla for reading over this for me :-)

Disclaimer: since it looks like lucas refuses to give us stories about obi and qui before the movie, other than the far too few JA series, (but full length novels about obi and ani? sigh.) i'll have to do it myself :)

It was late on a winter evening, and a class of trainees was in the Starglow Garden. The students were spread out across the garden, a small overgrown stretch of land inside one of the tall spires of the Temple. It was the best place within the Temple to see very many stars.

They were supposed to be observing the stars and centering their minds, but most preferred to talk among the small groups that had formed.

"What do you think it will be like, Bant?" Obi-Wan was looking up, squinting to see the few scattered stars that could be seen from Coruscant. Glancing at his friend, who was laying beside him, he added, "When we grow up?"

The girl laughed before replying with a certainty born of youth. "We'll be Jedi, of course."

Obi-Wan blinked quickly at a bright flash of light across the dark sky, wondering what it might have been. A moment later he rolled his eyes and tucked his arms under his head. "That's not what I meant."

"Really?" the Mon Calamari asked with a smile. "What did you mean then? We will be Jedi after all."

Obi-Wan rolled over onto his side, the stars forgotten for the moment. "Do you think we'll get to go on lots of missions? See all the different worlds and use lightsabers?"

"I thought you said Master Qui-Gon told you Jedi didn't like to have adventures, Obi." Still lying on her back, Bant watched a transport in orbit arc across the sky.

Play punching Bant in the arm, Obi-Wan groaned. "Being a Jedi can't be boring, Bant." Careful to keep his voice down, so they wouldn't risk getting in trouble, he continued. "I mean, that's just . . ."

"Boring?" Bant offered, giggling.

"You think you're so funny." Obi-Wan tried to sound serious, but laughed. "You're not, you know."

She smiled innocently. "Yes I am. You just don't get it."

"There's nothing to get!" Obi-Wan protested.

"Yes there is." Bant punctuated her words by sitting up and pushing Obi-Wan off balance and onto his back.

Recovering quickly, Obi-Wan grinned. "You pushed me."

"Yep." Her eyes sparkling, she did it again.

"That's it, my turn." Laughing, Obi-Wan pounced on his friend, pushing her off balance.

Within seconds, they were wrestling. Legs and arms were pointing out in every direction, the movements highlighted by a steady stream of laughter from the two friends.

Obi-Wan managed to get one of Bant's arms pinned behind her back, while she had a choke hold on his neck with the other.

"Give up," Obi-Wan said around bursts of laughter.

Laughing in return, Bant shook her head. "No way, I've got you!"

They ignored the rustling noises from nearby, and when they looked up it was to see a pair of feet standing in front of them. Bant and Obi-Wan's gazes locked before slowly looking up the robe-clad figure in front of them.

Both of them barely managed to choke back a groan when they saw Padawan Jonis looking down on them with an odd look on his face. Within seconds the two children were standing side by side, serious looks on their young faces.

"You're supposed to be observing the skies, children," the Padawan reminded them. "This is not physical activity period."

The initiates nodded. "Yes, Padawan Jonis," the replied in unison.

Each was wondering what their punishment might be, when a faint smile broke on Jonis' face. "Very well. Return to your observations."

They looked at him in surprise, but weren't about to pass up the reprieve. "Yes, Padawan Jonis," the replied once more. He waited for them to lay back down, eyes focused far above, before he returned to his post near the entrance to the garden.

Once the Padawan was out of earshot, Obi-Wan risked a glance over at Bant. "You don't think when we're older they'll make us watch us do you?"

Bant burst out laughing. Eyes wide, she threw a hand over her mouth to stifle the noise. "I hope not, Obi. Seems more like what they make you do if you get in trouble a lot, to me."

"Wonder what he did then?" Obi-Wan asked, turning wide eyes toward the direction Padawan Jonis had gone. "Must have been bad, he's been with Master Kohn for months."

Blinking, Bant smiled. "Think we should ask him?"

Obi-Wan considered the idea for a moment. He grinned and nodded. "Let's go before Master Kohn gets back."

Matching Obi-Wan's grin, Bant's eyes seemed to glow with mischief. "Race ya."

"Three!" Obi-Wan called, already on his feet.

"No fair," Bant cried, even as she easily caught up to her friend.

Moments later, they were standing in front of the elder Padawan. He listened to their questions, and replied with a straight face. "My best friend and I kept getting into trouble when we were initiates. Couldn't seem to stop chasing and wrestling during meditations."

Two sets of disbelieving eyes looked up at Jonis, all traces of humor gone. "Really?" Obi-Wan asked, unable to blink.

The young man nodded. "Really."

Bant swallowed nervously, backing up slowly and pulling Obi-Wan with her. "We'll go back to our place now."

Jonis smiled and nodded. "Very well."

They turned and all but ran back to their more hidden spot. "Obi, you don't think he meant that, do you?"

Obi-Wan shook his head, red-gold hair falling onto his face. "I don't know, Bant. I don't think I want to know."

Their voices had just faded away when Elyzabe walked over to the padawan. "That was quite the tale you just spun, Padawan."

The man smiled, humor lighting his eyes. "I apologize, Master Kohn. It seems I just couldn't help myself."

Elyzabe grinned. "Keeping those two in line gets more difficult every week." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Just don't make a habit of scaring them into behaving." The serious words were lessened by the laughter in her voice and eyes. "Else Master Yoda might really punish you."

Jonis laughed. "Not the gimmer stick, anything but that."

Kohn, in response, merely smiled.

End

there you go! *g* the oft mistreated padawan jonis speaks for the first time *l*