Full Summary:
Naruto and Sasuke are close friends who help each other during the tumultuous time of the Zetsu Wars. Both are Jedi who were predicted to be the Chosen One, but there can only be one, right? Well, time is running out for everyone as the Sith return and things get a little complicated. Sasuke is tempted by the Dark Side, and it's up to Naruto (as usual) to chase after him and bring him back. Add in a bold and kinda flirty bounty hunter Shikamaru and an unamused ambassador/princess Temari plus Prince Gaara who probably has a thing for the blond Jedi who he's come to befriend and is completely off-limits, and you get this random story of mine.
Okay, so here's another random Nart idea of mine. This time it's Nart and co in the Star Wars universe! Thought this would be fun to write, so here goes.
The fic is focused mainly on Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Temari. There's going to be Shikatema, and also some hints at NaruSasu and NaruGaa. Also, anyone up for a bold and slightly flirty Shikamaru? ? Please leave a review if you enjoy this and wanna see more...?
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Naruto.
Chapter 1: Prologue
Third Galactic War
35 BBY
Location: Planet Konoha, Outer Rim
Hatake Kakashi watched in silence as their spaceship finally arrived at their destination, stumbling a little as the pilot clumsily landed on the uneven ground. The scenery outside was a mixture of green and brown, filled with far more trees than he had ever seen back on Coruscant, but the Jedi Knight didn't stop to wonder about it. He was here for a mission, and that was all there was to it.
Like the scenery outside, the mood of the passengers onboard the ship was grim. Beside Kakashi was his former Master, Namikaze Minato. Minato was resting against the frame of the pilot's chair, peering at the sight before him.
"We're here," the pilot announced, unnecessarily. Kakashi ignored him and, as soon as the doors slid open, was the first to clamber out, reaching out to with the Force to sense his surroundings. It was eerily empty, and Kakashi could feel a large absence before him.
Minato, unlike his former Padawan, was much politer, thanking the pilot for the ride before getting out himself.
"You know, I don't see why we couldn't have just piloted ourselves here," Kakashi muttered, more to himself than to Minato.
Minato replied anyways. "It's better if we slip in on a small ship than on one of our Jedi transports. Those are easily recognizable."
"But there's no one here," Kakashi said, a little irritated.
Minato smiled, used to the younger man's seemingly cold attitude. He put a hand on Kakashi's shoulder, reminding the twenty-three-year-old to be patient.
"That's what worries me." A third voice spoke, and both Minato and Kakashi respectfully took a step back to let an older man forward. He was the current Grand Master of the Jedi Order, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and the look on his face was laced with concern and unease.
"The Uchiha live on this planet," Hiruzen said. "They should have come out to meet us by now."
"But they haven't." The man behind Hiruzen, Jiraiya, looked just as worried as his former Master. "I'm afraid the reports were true. All of the Uchiha have suddenly been wiped out."
"So, that's why I don't sense anyone," Kakashi reflected. He could feel the imbalance out there, and it made him a little nauseous. Something was definitely wrong.
"Come, this way," Hiruzen said. The others followed behind him, each on high alert. Kakashi scanned the trees, watching for movement. Born as what the others deemed a genius, Kakashi had always been keenly attuned to the Force. His mastery of it was on par with that of Minato himself. However, as they continued trekking, it became all too apparent to the young man that it wasn't his lack of ability with the Force that was preventing him from feeling the presence of life; in fact, there was no life. The trees had been long dead, and what little was alive of the plants were slowly dying. There were no animals within their range, save for themselves.
Kakashi stopped suddenly, involuntarily sucking a breath as something flickered on the edge of his senses.
"Master," Kakashi called out, but he hadn't needed to. The three Jedi Masters had already stopped, their faces mirroring Kakashi's own.
"Someone's alive out there."
.
He was a small boy, with spiky blue hair and light skin. His eyes were red, a trait that Kakashi had read was hereditary in the Uchiha and was activated when its owner felt strong emotion, and he looked up fearfully as the four men approached.
Hiruzen held up a hand, and they all stopped a good distance away from the boy. Minato and Hiruzen exchanged looks, and, after a small nod from the Grand Master, Minato stepped forward cautiously.
"Hey, there," Minato said softly, and Kakashi wondered if Minato saw in this small Uchiha boy—for surely he had to be a Uchiha with those eyes of his—the same thing he had seen in the other orphan they had picked up a few years ago on the planet Uzushio.
The boy said nothing, though his eyes told a great deal. Minato seemed to pick up on the boy's distress, choosing to sit down at a respectful distance as he introduced himself.
"My name is Minato, and I'm here to help you. I'm a Jedi. Do you know what Jedi are?"
The boy nodded slowly, fascination and admiration lighting up his eyes. "You're a hero. All Jedi are. They save the galaxy."
Minato chuckled, amused at the boy's answer. "In some ways, yes. We do try out best to save this world."
The boy's face darkened. "Why didn't you save my family?"
Minato paused, unsure of what to say, and Kakashi could feel an abrupt shift in the Force. Something dark was emanating from the Uchiha, something dark and powerful.
Minato sensed it, too, as he suddenly tensed up, but then relaxed just as quickly. "You're Force-sensitive, aren't you?"
The boy nodded, pride—and what looked like sorrow—gleaming in his eyes. "All the Uchiha are."
"But you're more so." It wasn't a question, but the boy didn't understand, either way. He tilted his head slightly to the side, confused.
"No, I'm not very good," the boy said. "My fa—people say my brother is talented, and I'm just a disappointment. I can't do what my brother can. I can't use the Force, even if I can sense it a little. Which is how I knew you weren't lying when you said you were a Jedi."
"I think you'll be surprised to find out how wrong you are," Minato said. "You seem to have an … unusual connection to the Force."
"What are you trying to say, Minato?" Hiruzen asked sharply, speaking up for the first time.
Minato stood up, looking at Hiruzen with a fierce determination. "He might be the one, Master Hiruzen."
Jiraiya shook his head. "You said that already, about Naruto, and I agree with you on that one. The Uzumaki boy has a strong connection with the Force, but this boy? It's true, as a Uchiha, that he'd be stronger than the average. But how can you be so sure he might be the Chosen One?"
"I don't," Minato said simply. "But we can't take any chances. Since you've already promised to take Naruto as your Padawan, I'll take this boy as mine."
"He's too old," Kakashi said, spotting the problem right away. "He's—how old are you?"
"Seven," the boy replied, watching the ongoing conversation with interest.
"Right. He's seven," Kakashi continued. "Which is far too old. A large part of being a Jedi is to let go of emotional attachments, is it not? How can this boy do that, when he holds such memories of his family? Can't you feel the emotions coming from him?"
"He's just a boy," Minato said calmly. "He will be taught, and he will learn. I don't know for sure if it's him or the other one, but wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry?"
Kakashi sighed, seeing no point in arguing with his former teacher, especially when Minato had clearly made up his mind on the decision.
"I'll respect your decision this time, Minato," Hiruzen said, looking as pleased as Kakashi felt. "With the war going on, we have a lack of Jedi right now, and a few new recruits won't hurt. However, Kakashi is right about one thing. This boy feels too strongly. He'll be hard to train."
Minato smiled. "Don't worry about his training; I'll take care of it. Just trust me, like you always have."
Hiruzen didn't agree. "Your students have mostly turned out to be disasters. What's to say this one won't?"
Kakashi froze, shocked at what he had just heard. Hiruzen was normally a compassionate and considerate man, but just now, he had brought up a very sore topic for Minato.
Minato smiled stiffly, his eyes narrowing. "Kakashi hasn't turned out badly."
"But that's one, out of three."
"Master," Jiraiya said softly. "It's not his fault. The galaxy is a cruel place, and it's expected that some Padawans will die before they even complete their first year."
Kakashi knew painfully well where this conversation was headed, and he tried to clear his mind, but failed. The images of Minato's former Padawans, as well as Kakashi's former friends, surfaced, and Kakashi grimaced, the familiar pain of their deaths digging its way into his heart. They're talking about Rin and Obito.
"Are you taking me out of here?"
The adults started, staring at the newly made orphan they had forgotten was still there.
Minato cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "That's only if you want to. We can take you anywhere you want, but, personally, I would like to take you back with me to Coruscant, and train you to become a Jedi."
"A Jedi?" the boy grinned, the first positive emotion he had showed since their encounter. "I've always wanted to be a Jedi!"
"Then it's settled," Hiruzen said. "Let's head back. I don't think there's anything left on this planet anymore."
"That's strange, though," Jiraiya commented. "Who, or what, could have done this?"
"It's the Outer Rim," Kakashi stated. "It's always been chaotic here."
"But not like this," Jiraiya said. "I know you sensed it, too, Kakashi. There's a disturbance here."
"We'll investigate another time," Hiruzen ordered. "Right now, our priority is to take this boy to safety."
The four adults moved to help the boy pack what little he had (one jacket, a lamp, and what looked like a rock), before they made their return journey.
"So, what's your name?" Kakashi asked. Being the only one closest to the boy's age, Kakashi was trying to make an effort to bond with the boy. Though, if he were being honest with himself, Kakashi respected Minato, and if Minato thought this boy might be the Chosen One, then Kakashi would go along with it with as much cooperation as he could muster.
The boy smiled shyly. "Uchiha Sasuke."
.
The fire was still burning as the ship ascended into space. The fire had somehow spread throughout the whole planet, turning it in an ugly red color.
As if the planet itself is bleeding.
"Are you alright, Kakashi?" a gentle, but firm voice asked beside him. Kakashi turned away from the window and towards the face of Jiraiya.
"What do you think?" Kakashi asked. His tone wasn't angry or sad—just resigned. Jiraiya seemed to understand, as the older man closed his eyes.
"He was the best student I ever had," Jiraiya said quietly. "I had high hopes for him, and he will be missed greatly."
"He was my Master," Kakashi said, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. Kakashi shook his head, forcing the tears back. He was a Jedi, and as such, he had to keep his emotions in check. Besides, he had never cried in his life. Not when he had heard the father he had never known had died trying to protect him, not when his eye had been stolen by a pirate, and certainly not when Obito and Rin had both been proclaimed dead.
But now, the tears wouldn't stop, and Kakashi hung his head in shame, wiping the tears away with the sleeve of his robe.
"It's okay to cry sometimes," Hiruzen said, appearing on Kakashi's other side. "You may be a Jedi, but you're still human. A young one, at that."
"I'm twenty-three," Kakashi said stubbornly.
"I know. But in some places, that's a very insignificant number. Let yourself cry this one out, just this once. Minato was a great man, and his loss will be felt by all of us."
Kakashi nodded, and the two older men left him alone to grieve. Kakashi didn't feel like grieving, though. As the ship jumped into hyperspace, Kakashi stared out at his last view of the planet that had stolen his master from him.
Kakashi stared for a long time, even as the planet blinked out of view. He could see it still, the scene repeating scene over and over in his head. Minato crumpling before him, the long deadly edge of the red lightsaber stabbing its way through his former Master's heart…
Minato had wanted to train the Chosen One, and help restore balance to the Force. But now he was gone, and a Sith had emerged from hiding. Things were looking grim, but Kakashi clung on to the hope his master had seemed to know so sincerely.
"I'll train him for you, and I'll do my best to uphold your wishes, Master."
