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The youngling looked at him very carefully and assessed his intentions, and Yoda suddenly wondered if he had not been a little hasty when he said he would take the boy on as a Padawan to teach him and make sure he did not take the wrong path through lack of supervision and specific care.
The little Cerean - even though he was already taller than he was - was already wary, so it would be a delicate task to allay his worries and suspicions.
"Your room, this room will be. Helping you catch up, I will, then living with the other children, you will."
"It’s up to you."
Yoda nodded patiently. The child was arrogant and ambitious, but he was only a child, and his desire to be strong to protect his people was not something for which he could not be blamed. Revenge was not the way of the Jedi, but the boy was not yet a Jedi, so he had to let time take its course.
"My home, this place is. Leaving Coruscant, I rarely do. My own duties I have, but make time for you I will. If unavailable I am, other Masters can help you, all you have to do is ask."
Yoda preferred to inform him directly so that he would not feel neglected if he was not available even when he was supposed to be. He was often asked for advice and it was difficult to have time for everyone.
"I understand, thank you. How am I going to learn to be a Jedi? The Lady who brought me here said it would take years, but she didn't say much more than that."
"To be a Jedi is to follow the Force. Helping you learn, understand and use the Force well, we will. We will guide you. The knowledge, the Jedi education will give it to you so that you grow up to be wise and of service to others."
"That's all I'm asking." The boy answered seriously, and Yoda hummed in approval.
His feelings stemmed from a desire to protect and help, with a little encouragement in the right direction he would undoubtedly make a Jedi with the right mindset.
"Right, then. I'll answer all your questions. All of them," he clarified when he saw the young man hesitant look. "There are no stupid questions."
"You... speak strangely. Why?"
"Basic, I learned on my own. I can speak normally," he continued, putting it into practice even though he had to think a lot more about the words that came out of his mouth, "but the order of the words is different from the other languages I learnt first. Subject, verbs, adjectives, complements, each language is articulated differently and I've stopped making the effort because people understand me. Would you prefer me to speak correct Basic?"
The boy looked at him in surprise but shook his head as soon as he had understood him.
"No, you're understandable, just speak as you prefer."
"Thank you. At ease, I hope you'll be here."
"Thank you, Master Yoda."
"If you wish to visit the Temple, a Jedi I can call."
"If no one minds, I'd like to," the little boy agreed before pointing to his door. "I'm going to look at my room, see you later!"
"See you later," Yoda replied with relief.
He had been concerned that fear of the unknown or even perhaps a fear of Yoda himself would make him unable to ask for anything for the risk of being deemed a nuisance and expelled, but the Cerean seemed to have listened and believed his words about them being there to help and guide him. He then sent a message to Yaddle's youngest Padawan, knowing that even though Oppo was now a Knight he could trust him on this. The people around him were almost all in that period between Padawans, for those who were even interested in taking one, and for such a special child he preferred someone he could trust.
The Thisspassian assured him that he would be there soon, and Yoda was all the more relieved to hear this when he received at the same time a message from his last Padawan telling him that he was coming to see him, which in Dooku language meant that he was already on his way.
Sometimes Yoda wondered how he had managed to take on the only Initiate in the Crèche who considered another Master to be better than him in almost every respect. Yoda had nothing against Master Lene Kostana, this woman was a good Jedi even if a little mysterious and sometimes a free spirit, but he just was not used to being considered inferior to anyone. And yet here he was, with a Padawan who had found himself loving and respecting another Master more than the person who was teaching him and trying to impart his wisdom. Sometimes he thought that Dooku had learned more from the others than he had done from him, since he listened to them more and actually pondered over their advice.
The teenage rebellion had started early with this one... and had never really stopped.
When his door opened, unfortunately it was not to the one Yoda had hoped to see first.
"Master Yoda. Youngling."
"Knight Dooku, he is," he introduced to his unexpected guest, who was looking with renewed suspicion at the very tall figure of the man, rising from the couch. "My former Padawan."
He understood this almost instinctive aversion and avoidance instinct, even Yoda thought he was far too tall for him and he was not a confused and frightened child who had just left his home and family.
... then Yoda realised that since he was a Cerean, and regardless of the size of their brains, Cereans tended to be very tall, it was possible that Ki-Adi would easily be taller than Dooku. Damn.
When he turned to face him, the youngster straightened abruptly before bowing just as brusquely.
"Hello. I am Ki-Adi Mundi."
Dooku nodded and entered without another word, scrutinising the boy who looked between them hesitantly. Fortunately, Oppo arrived at that moment, as if sent by the Force, and did not let himself be intimidated or distracted. He had always been good at picking up on situations at a glance and the silent tension could not have escaped him.
"Hello everyone. Ki-Adi Mundi? I'm your guide on a first visit to the Temple, please follow me. Master Yoda, Knight Dooku, I hope you have a nice day."
"Likewise, Knight Rancisis."
"Thank you, Oppo."
The door had barely closed on them when his human Padawan looked down at him with that barely concealed silent judgement.
"What is this now? At your age, it's not a good idea, especially as he is already four or five years old. What is he, an experiment?"
"A child, he is. My Padawan, he will be."
"Please reconsider. In ten years you may not feel up to the task, don't give him false hope in vain, the disappointment would be greater for him."
"All you had to say, it is?" He asked as the other was already returning to the door.
"I'm leaving on a mission with Sifo-Dyas in eight minutes. I only made this diversion because Master Yaddle informed me that I would soon have a Padawan brother. Good evening Master."
"A good evening and a good mission I wish you. My best wishes to Sifo-Dyas."
"Thank you, Master."
And Yoda was alone again, at last. He understood what Dooku was telling him, even with all the love and patience in the world for the children he saw growing up in these halls, it was true that he was not growing younger. It was something to think about, he was already thinking about it alone, but Dooku could not be accused of being irrational, even if he was sometimes curt in his approach. He was thinking of Ki-Adi's welfare, and because that was indeed what Yoda wanted to have as a priority he explained the situation to the boy once more, reassuring him that even if he did not know what the future was made of there was a place for him here with them. Looking more serene than he had before his walk – bravo Oppo! – the Cerean had not taken the news badly, saying he understood and asking questions about how things would work out in this case.
He was open-minded and responsible, and Yoda would have many reassuring things to say to the Crèche Masters. Some children were just badly brought up by neglectful parents when they were not just completely abusive, that was not the case with this child, he was fertile ground for all the lessons they were going to teach him.
The child went to wash up, asked Yoda to help him put on Jedi clothes so that he could do it himself the next morning and went to bed. A peaceful evening.
Peaceful, that is, until the shrill cry dragged him out of bed several hours after he had gone to sleep.
The flat was silent and plunged into darkness, and it took his foggy mind a few embarrassingly long seconds to remember that the room once used by Dooku was no longer empty. When he entered, despite his good eyes he turned on the light when he saw nothing and heard a moaning.
The noise stopped the second the light was switched on.
The bed was unmade and empty, Ki-Adi was nowhere in sight. Flabbergasted, Yoda went to check the cupboard before hearing a muffled sob coming from... under the bed?
Confused and worried, Yoda bent down and flattened himself to look at the space under the bed. It was small, too small, but the boy had made it work and managed to squeeze in and rolled himself into a ball, clutching his legs with one hand, his left hand pressed over his mouth to stop himself making any sound.
"Young one?"
But the boy looked at him without recognition and with an irrational fear that made Yoda realise something else was going on. He wanted to protect himself and his family, did not he? It would seem that he had been much closer to danger than he had initially thought.
Yoda had to crawl a little to come closer, reached out and put his hand on the boy's forearm.
"Ki-Adi," he then said calmly, remembering to change his grammar to be easily understood. "I'm here with you. You're safe, no one's going to hurt you and if anyone tries, I'll protect you. You're not alone, I'm here."
When he finally managed to get the child out of there, he promised himself that he would make sure that if he ever sought refuge again it would be in the cupboard, he would ask someone to make that space under the bed inaccessible. The boy clung to him and hugged him, only falling asleep again when Yoda held his hand.
His sister was the one who did this at home, he informed him. Yoda would make sure he could talk to her from time to time, a real transition would be necessary for him.
Admittedly, Yoda fell asleep while telling the children a bedtime story and woke up slumped over on the mattress in the morning, his hand still held by Ki-Adi.