Chapter Text
They should probably count themselves lucky. Matters could be a lot worse, even though Anakin himself could hardly believe that. The fact that the wisest and greatest Masters of the Jedi Order were turned into toddlers, was already bad enough, but to be assigned to watch them by the few Councilors who remained adults, was even worse.
Anakin was just glad that most of the Council had been offplanet and had therefore not been affected, because seriously, it was bad enough to deal with six little Jedi children. He honestly wondered how the crèche did it… and he wondered why the crèche did not take care of them.
“Master,” Ahsoka’s voice, brought him out of his brooding thoughts.
“What is it, Snips?” he looked over to the female Togruta, who was literally covered in toddlers. She seemed delighted to have six de-aged Jedi Master’s crawling around her and over her. One of the toddlers in particular, had taken a liking to her and so it was no surprise, that Plo Koon was sleeping happily against the female’s chest, content despite the noise and commotion around him.
“I think Master Fisto needs a diaper change,” she said.
Anakin had to grimace. “Please Ahsoka, don’t say it like that, it makes it even worse.” He sighed and proceeded to get up from the couch, making his way slowly towards the Nautolan green child. Kit Fisto was still his happy self, at least that had not changed.
“Yes Master,” the Togruta replied, but her main focus was on the toddler versions of her Grandmaster, Master Yoda and Mace Windu. The three of them had been suspiciously well behaved while they were building a house out of blocks and she couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen very soon.
The blond Knight shook his head and picked up the miniature version of Kit Fisto, who looked at him with wide open eyes. In his hands he held a small droid, one on which Anakin had tinkered before being called before the Council… or what remained of them.
“Time to change your diaper,” he was infinitely glad for the hours that Obi-Wan made him stay in the crèche, sometimes as punishment and sometimes so he would learn about the Jedi Order’s most precious belongings, the children.
The Nautolan clapped with his hands, as best as he could with the small droid still in his hand. He and Plo Koon were pretty easy to take care of. The Nautolan boy just needed something in his hands, then he would giggle and be happy. The Kel’Dor wanted to be near Ahsoka, there was nothing more that he required. The other four toddlers, were a little more active. Though Anakin was pretty sure that Yaddle only wanted to stay near Yoda, who was already showing great skills in Force control, in form of levitating blocks out of Mace Windu’s reach. It was comical to see the awestruck impression on the dark skinned toddler’s face, every time a block just suddenly started to float.
“I’ll be right back,” Anakin said. He waited for his Padawan to nod and then he vanished into his fresher, silently hoping that the healers and archivists would find a solution or cure for their little problems as soon as possible. He was not sure, how long he could take this.
A commotion in the living room alerted Anakin as soon as he stepped out of the fresher, with a still happy Kit Fisto secure in his arms.
The Nautolan was quickly put back onto the ground, next to Plo Koon. The two of them immediately started playing with each other, but the young blond Knight’s focus was on his Padawan, who held a crying and very angry looking Mace Windu in her arms.
“What happened?” he picked up Obi-Wan, who looked up at him with a calculating look. He handed the boy a bottle of milk, hoping it would keep him occupied and quiet.
“Master Windu wanted a block that Master Obi-Wan had, but when he didn’t get it, he started to cry,” Ahsoka explained over the toddler’s crying. Silently, Anakin wondered, why he was the only one throwing a tantrum.
“I see.”
“Ani,” the ginger haired toddler wanted his attention and when Anakin did not give it to him, he found himself with the content of the bottle dripping from his face. The toddler giggled in delight and wriggled, trying to get out of his hold.
Ahsoka winced. “And then Master Obi-Wan knocked the building over… and he made this whole mess.” She gestured to the blocks that were scattered EVERYWHERE on the floor and some even on the furniture.
A huge part of Anakin could not quite believe that this mess had all been done by HIS former Master. The man was always so neat and tidy.
“I see…” he repeated. He was not amused, but it wouldn’t do him any good to scold the boy in his arms. In fact, he somehow had the feeling that he would just make matters worse. “I guess we have to keep Obi-Wan away from things that could pose to be… distracting,” he cleared his throat, glad that Ahsoka understood what he meant, “Bring Master Windu to his crib and try to get him to sleep. If he does not stop, put him into his play pen until he calms down enough.”
He had seen crèchelings been put into the play pen, where they had exhausted themselves by their crying and tantrum. Afterwards they had been put into their bed to sleep.
“On it,” Ahsoka vanished.
Anakin kept a tight grip on Obi-Wan and rummaged through the things the crèche had sent them. He silently cheered after having found what he was looking for. With the aid of the Force, he fastened the toddler carrier around himself and then he put the miniature version of his Master in it.
“No,” the ginger haired devil said, he did not like being restrained.
“But Obi-Wan, I wanted to take you with me on an adventure, don’t you want to come along?” that was a lie, but perhaps it would help.
“Want Quigee,” the boy said. Anakin had no idea what that was supposed to mean, if he meant a toy or a person.
“Ah… sure, we are going to look for Quigee,” he replied. That did the deal. The toddler’s face lit up and he snuggled close to his chest, allowing the Knight to clean his face.
It was a couple of minutes until Ahsoka returned. Anakin had meanwhile explained to Obi-Wan that they would be going to look for Quigee as soon as Ahsoka returned and then he had coaxed a sniffling Yaddle out of her hiding place under the couch. It had been Obi-Wan calling for his playfriend, that had finally convinced the female to come out again.
“Master Windu is asleep now… I used a Force suggestion,” she looked truly ashamed of herself.
“Don’t worry Snips, I would have done the same,” he reassured the younger female. That was one small problem less.
There was a smile on the Togruta’s face, but it quickly turned into a deep frown. “Master… where is Master Yoda?”
Panic arose in Anakin’s chest and he frantically looked around the room. Kit Fisto and Plo Koon were still playing peacefully on the ground, with Yaddle wobbling slowly towards them. Mace Windu was sleeping in the other room and Obi-Wan was secured against Anakin’s chest, he was playing with a few blond strands of hair.
“Shit,” he said.
“Master!” Ahsoka said scandalized. Thankfully Obi-Wan’s attention had been elsewhere and the three other toddlers in the room had not heard the ‘bad’ word.
“Sorry,” the blonde mumbled. “I cannot feel him anywhere in here.” He hesitated, then looked down, right into a pair of blue-green eyes. “Obi-Wan and I are going to look for him, you stay here. If there is any problem, contact me.” Without waiting for an answer, Anakin was gone.
The young Skywalker took a deep breath, calming his thoughts. Yoda was a very small toddler with equally small legs, but with huge ears. There was no way he could have gotten far… right?