Naruto was quickly taken under the wing of Master Yoda, who sent her to learn under Obi-Wan with Anakin. The old Master thought she could learn more from Obi-Wan than him; the truth was, Naruto knew that Yoda was busy with other things, like teaching the younglings, and didn't need more added to his workload.
Anakin, Naruto, and Obi-Wan were quickly assigned to the protection of Padme not long after Qui-Gon's death; someone was trying to kill Padme and Bail Organa had demanded a security protection for her.
That meant spending time in the political arena.
Naruto entered the room with Obi-Wan and Anakin, to see Padme talking with someone Naruto knew.
The woman turned, and Naruto saw aqua eyes widen in shock.
Naruto wanted to talk with her, but she knew now was not the time. Kushina's eyes dimmed in sadness, and Kushina walked out, passing Naruto.
Naruto's tail brushed against her mother's, and Naruto's resolve nearly broke.
But Kushina was gone.
Anakin was frowning.
"You know her?" he asked. He'd been walking on eggshells since the Tusken Raider incident.
"I... Knew her a long time ago." Anakin didn't ask what she meant. Naruto had met a lot of people. "Senator, we've been assigned to your protection."
"I don't know why," Padme replied angrily. "I didn't come to Coruscant just to leave it when this bill is just now coming through."
"We know," Anakin said, stepping up and letting Naruto go into the background. "Naruto is just here to make sure you are safe for the duration of the night. She's more attuned to the life and death side of things to do with the Force."
Padme raised an eyebrow at Naruto.
"I have a slight precognition ability," Naruto said with a tight smile. "If something happens that the Force doesn't want to, we'll act accordingly."
The Force was in flux around Padme, though. Well, not in flux; but if she died now, there would be little danger to the Force and all its machinations. But, if she died now without giving Anakin at least a small chance (even though there WAS an age difference, she could tell they were actually crushing on each other), Anakin would kill Naruto.
So, Naruto left them to their devices just as her communicator pinged.
Aurra had given her a new communicator, from both her and Jango. With Naruto's birthday coming soon (although only Anakin, Aurra, and Jango knew it was with Naruto's help), Aurra had figured that giving her a better communicator was a good idea.
Naruto tapped the first button. "Yes?" she asked through it.
"You have a bounty hunter coming your way," Aurra's voice floated over the communicator. "He hates Jedi. Especially your kind of Jedi, the Jedi that makes powerful enemies."
"Am I a threat or something?" Naruto frowned. "I'm not sure I've done many wrong things, lately."
"...you do know that the Zygerrian Empire put out a bounty for your capture, right?"
Naruto stilled. "No. No, I did not." Naruto opened up her connection with the Force. "Do you know this bounty hunter's name?"
"Unless you have ten million credits, you ain't gonna make friends with him," Aurra warned. "He's not a friendly person. His name's Kakuzu, and your bounty's four mil, alive. The senator's is three mil."
"Thanks, Aurra. Any more advice?" Naruto asked her.
"Yeah. Get off of Coruscant. He's either headed there or there now," Aurra said flatly.
"Okay. We're leaving in a few minutes. Any good vacation spots?"
A crackle.
Naruto looked up, seeing someone on the other side.
She managed to avoid the small dart, moving an inch. Sensing no further attacks, Naruto sighed.
"Well, Aurra, I think I need to move to a new planet. Know any good ones?"
~:~
Obi-Wan frowned at Naruto. "Trying to kill you?" he repeated.
Naruto shook her head. "I'm wanted alive by the Zygerrian Empire," she admitted. "If I hadn't gone to Ilum, I wouldn't have known why."
Obi-Wan eyed her. "Does it have anything to do why you're going into the Undercity of Coruscant?"
Naruto winced, but shrugged. "A little. There aren't many whip teachers around, so I've been attending lessons of a master. Can't use the 'light' part of my lightwhip, so I added some cortosis metal to it and made it into two whips." She winced again at Obi-Wan's stare. "Believe me, the cortosis metal did not come cheap. Anyway! I went to the master's place, asked around about the dart, and I came up with a planet name that makes these kind of darts. It's a Kaminoan dart; not really known."
"Let's go to the Archives and -" Obi-Wan started, only to pause at Naruto's smiling face. "You already went."
"Yep. And when I couldn't find the planet, I asked Aurra Sing. She gave me coordinates." Obi-Wan stared at her. "What?"
"You're still in contact with that bounty hunter?" Obi-Wan asked, incredulous.
"Yes, and that's why I dragged you out here," Naruto responded with a frown. "Aurra's dropping by to give us a lift to Kamino. I already cleared it with Master Yoda," Naruto added.
"I want to take my own ship," Obi-Wan said stubbornly.
"I can connect your ship to mine," Aurra Sing said, leaning against the wall. A smile appeared on her face at seeing Naruto. "Hello, brat."
"Aurra!" Naruto hugged the hunter. Then Naruto turned to Obi-Wan. "Please?" she asked, blue eyes wide.
Obi-Wan suddenly realized just how Naruto had become friends with two of the most deadly bounty hunters in the galaxy.
Her blasted puppy eyes.
They were a devastating attack, and for a second, recalling just how adorable Naruto was eight, he imagined her younger and brighter on Tatooine, with those puppy eyes.
Oh, Force.
"...Okay," he said with a sigh.
Aurra snickered, and Obi-Wan shot her a look that basically said she got you first.
Aurra scowled.
~:~
"Welcome to the rainiest planet in the galaxy," Aurra said in a rather bored tone. "Jango's waiting for you. Has a surprise he wants you to meet."
Naruto smiled. "He's got a kid, doesn't he?"
Aurra froze, then sighed. "Seriously, all you Jedi and your Force is strange to me."
Naruto smiled again. "I was kidding, but he's got a son! That's amazing!"
Naruto got out of the ship, excitement in her veins. Then she paused, frowning.
She was getting drenched, but she ignored that. Obi-Wan's ship was on a slightly higher level, but she ignored that, too. There was a presence here, a presence the Force wanted her to take notice of.
Naruto walked up. A Kaminoan approached - and Naruto felt them.
Hundreds of minds within the Living Force, suddenly appearing; all with the same signature.
"Naruto, are you alright?" Obi-Wan's question was intended to be a good one, but the young Alderaanian ignored him and smiled at the Kaminoan.
"Welcome, Masters Jedi," the Kaminoan said, gesturing for them to follow. They entered the white hallway - so bright Naruto finally drew up the cowl of the robe and squinted; following the Kaminoan, Naruto asked the one question that she needed to.
"Sorry for asking so rudely, but have you seen this before?" Naruto held up the dart.
The Kaminoan looked mildly surprised as Naruto dropped it in his palm.
"Ah, yes - the most recent shipment made by the Black Sun. Several of our ready-made darts were sent out to them."
Naruto frowned and turned to look at Obi-Wan, whose face held alarm and surprise at the same time.
"I see," Obi-Wan managed. "But we're not here for the dart."
"Mind if I go see Jango?" she asked the Kaminoan, who favored her with a smile.
"No," the Kaminoan said. "You know where he is?"
Naruto nodded. "I can sense living people."
The Kaminoan tipped his head. "An interesting facet of the Force."
Naruto nodded and walked through one of the hallways, fixed on Jango and the presence she was feeling.
She pressed the buzzer on the door she sensed Jango behind and leaned against the wall when it opened.
"Hey, Jango," she greeted with a friendly smile. "It must be just me - or maybe not, considering I have the Force - but I swear that there was a massive army of people with your exact Force signature beneath me." Jango flinched.
"Dad, who is it?"
A little boy appeared, maybe ten or so.
"Wow," Naruto said, impressed despite herself. "You had a kid?" She thought Aurra had been joking.
Jango sighed. "No point in hiding it."
"No, there really isn't," Naruto agreed. "Mind if I come in?"
Jango shook his head. "Just please don't kill anyone," he said to her.
"I don't kill, it's not my policy," Naruto said flatly as she walked in.
The kid looked at her, confused as she walked in and stared at the place around her. It was comfy, and it held two others in the room.
"I told you she'd come," the second one said. Naruto pointed at him.
"YOU!" she said, pointing at him.
"Me," he agreed, his pleasant voice sending shivers down Naruto's spine.
Naruto pretended she wasn't about to melt into a puddle at hearing that soft, quiet voice and tilted her head.
"Who are you?" she asked him. "I know you were at the Temple, but then you freaking vanished. What, did you walk through the walls?"
"No, I cloaked myself," he replied. "I was expelled from the Order and was quite curious as to the shift I felt in the Force."
Naruto scowled. "So you entered my room?"
He simply smiled at her. "I thought my powers would affect you. Obviously, they did not."
Oh, you're affecting me right now. Force, I know I'm a teenage girl, but the Order insists on celibacy. DO NOT GET ATTRACTED TO THIS GUY.
Naruto cleared her throat, then held her hand out. "Naruto Uzumaki."
He grasped her hand. "Itachi Uchiha."
His hand was soft and pale underneath hers.
"Now that you two have stopped flirting -" Naruto ripped her hand away from Itachi's hand as Jango said that, turning away from Itachi with a blush on her face "- Naruto, I'd like you to meet my... Son, Boba, and my newest... Friend, Zam Wessell."
Naruto beamed at Boba. "Hi!" She held out her hand. "I'm a friend of your dad's - I'm Naruto Uzumaki!"
"Nice to meet you," Boba said, smiling at her and grasping her hand.
Naruto then turned to Zam. "Like I said, Naruto Uzumaki."
"Zam Wessell," she said, standing from the couch and grasping her hand firmly. Zam frowned. "Are you a Clawdite?"
"A Claw-? No, even though I think it'd be awesome," Naruto shook her head. "To be able to completely change your race would be an awesome gift."
Zam gave her a very real smile.
"Now that introductions are out of the way, I have to find my bounty and collect it," Itachi said.
Naruto turned to him. There was something bugging her about Itachi.
Then she got it.
"You're a Grey Force user." She blurted it out, having to really look at his color. It was a silver color, and there was a smooth quality in it as other colors seemed to circulate around him.
Everyone in the room looked taken aback at Naruto's exclamation, and Itachi looked at her.
"How did you know?" he questioned, fingers tightening briefly.
"I'm very attuned to the Living Force," Naruto gulped, taking a step back - feeling very threatened by his demeanor.
He relaxed. "I see." He turned and started to leave, but then paused. "The hunter on your... Tail was Kakuzu, wasn't it?"
Naruto nodded, taking another step back for reasons she couldn't explain - it was like his Force presence loomed over her suddenly. Her back hit the wall.
He turned his head, red eyes meeting hers. "Thank you."
He left, and Naruto's legs collapsed under her.
"Force, that was the most intense meeting I have ever had with another Force user," Naruto whispered.
"And highly uncomfortable," Jango grimaced. "You two were flirting."
Naruto rolled her eyes. "As if, Jango. Jedi aren't allowed attachments." Naruto refused to acknowledge the look; but then she pushed her head back and Saw.
A green-eyed man sliced down with a blue lightsaber, making the grey around the man before him dissipate.
He'd joined the Force.
Naruto doubted the Force was showing her that Itachi was so weak as to fall with one slice; she hadn't fallen from Anakin's slice. But it was clear that the Force wanted her to be there with him.
If she didn't know any better, the Force was trying to get her together with him. But she did.
(Not that she was claiming she knew exactly what the Force wanted, exactly; but she did know that the Force wasn't lobbying for two complete strangers to fall in love and have a couple kids, because she was certain that two people could not change the fate of the entire galaxy.)