Its not that he doesn’t believe.

Actually, in all honesty, Mace quite easily believes young Kenobi and his words, doesn’t really need Plo to confirm the man’s mental states all that much.

There has always been something different and strange about him, even for a Jedi.

Something that had been tucked away as he grew older, as if he learned to control it but Mace remembers a young redhead that smiled a bit too widely, remembered glowing eyes in the dark and something a bit too knowing in a too young face.

But its still a hard pill to swallow, especially seeing how much power the boy has over Kenobi.

There is much danger in the boy, untrained he’s still powerful, trained he will know how to conduct that power.

So many shatterpoints.

There is power with becoming a Jedi.

Power that goes to some people’s head, its why one of the reasons they take only young people due to teaching them the dangers of abusing such powers.

He knows they are not the only one to take their members on young, several other Force organizations do so too, though many view the Jedi as baby snatchers.

There is after all a reason they do not go to Bardotta.

That is neither here nor there in the current situation.

What matters right now is a young boy with eyes that are far too powerful and a smile too full of teeth, the smell of ozone in the air around him as power practically crackles and the sight of Kenobi on his knees, his own teeth hidden and his eyes glowing faintly.

He’s not sure what the rest of the council is thinking, but he knows what he is as he stands and moves in front of the boy, staring down into blue eyes.

The whispers of how dangerous a path this is, is clear to Mace, how much this boy could damage not only Kenobi but the order.

And yet…

Slowly, Mace knelt down, ignoring Kenobi for now as he trusted Qui-Gon to at least take care of his padawan for now. Instead he offered his own hand to the boy. “Anakin Skywalker, I offer you a place as my padawan,” He stated, ignoring the murmurs behind him and the sound of Depa standing. He was fully focused on the power of those two blue, glowing eyes. “It will not be an easy path if you accept, there will be sacrifices for the future that you do not understand now. But if you accept, I will train you and if you choose to leave, I will guide you to a new path if so desired. But this is your only chance to accept me as your teacher or leave the temple for another path.” He stated sternly.

He left the decision in the boys hands.

Whatever happened here, whatever else, the boy would know that he choose the Jedi order.

Mace had offered him chances.

The chance to say no and go another way, the chance to say yes and decide later on that he wanted to leave with the blessing of the Jedi council or stay, become one of them.

But regardless, Mace offered this former slave child with too much power and too much strength the power to choose.

And maybe, for all that he had the power that practically lived beneath his skin, maybe no one had ever given Anakin Skywalker a choice before.

Because the boy was staring at him with suddenly wide and vulnerable eyes.

Slowly, ever so achingly slow, Anakin Skywalker put his hand into Mace Windu’s, staring at him searchingly.

Whatever he saw, whatever he was looking for, the Tatooine native found it in the Korun’s eyes because he tightened his grip Mace large hand and stepped closer, moving away from Kenobi, who let out a shuddering breath of relief at the distance. “Please, train me.” Anakin stated, almost a tad shyly.

Tightening his grip on the boy’s hand, Mace smiled slightly. “Then welcome to my lineage, padawan Skywalker.” He stated quietly, feeling several shatterpoints suddenly close and die while others opened up, far into the future.