Hello all Storm here with a new chapter! Here we'll be seeing some of Naruto's time in the Jedi Order, with it being about as good as you'd expect given his connection to the Dark Side. So, without further ado.
I own nothing
Three weeks have passed, since Naruto was brought to Coruscant and was allowed to join the Jedi Order, with the new youngling having a rocky start since joining the Order. Having kept his distance from his peers and any other Jedi, stilling reeling from the death of his parents and how they were killed.
With things not getting better, when the other Jedi began taking notice of his connection to the Dark Side; leading to them now starting to avoid Naruto as well. Making the whiskered blonde feel like even more of an outcast, while the only Jedi that seemed to go out of their way to interact with him were Master Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka. Though Naruto didn't really open up to any of them, finding it difficult to do so, with his past experiences with Jedi making it hard to trust them.
Leaving Naruto to trying to simply complete his training and then go off on his own to avoid drawing any attention to himself. Unfortunately for Naruto, Ahsoka proved to be rather stubborn in her refusal to get him to open up and hang out with her.
"Come on Naruto! Ever since you got here all you've done is train and attend lessons! It won't hurt for you to take a break and relax." Ahsoka said, following after Naruto as he finished some of his training for the day.
"Sorry I can't. I have stuff to do" Replied Naruto, lying about that since he only really trained and attended lessons.
Other than that, he spent his time in his room; since he still wasn't really sure if he could trust Ahsoka, finding it difficult to trust any Jedi after the last encounters he had.
"Like what?!" Questioned Ahsoka with an annoyed expression, since that seemed to be his excuse every time she asked him to hang out with her.
"Isn't it obvious, he's trying to hide he's using the Dark Side." One of the older younglings said, making Naruto flinch and Ahsoka glare at the group of younglings that were snickering.
"Yeah, that's why he's always hiding away, he knows when the Masters find out, they'll kick him out of the Order." Added another youngling.
"Not like the freak should even have been allowed to join. But hopefully he'll be gone soon." Another youngling stated.
"Then he can go cry by himself and not bother us anymore, since no one else would want a freak like him." Said another youngling as they laughed at the whiskered blonde.
With Naruto flinching at their words and lowered his head before preparing to take his leave, knowing it wouldn't do him any good to retaliate. Starting to learn to just endure the mocking and the insults, telling himself that eventually he won't have to deal with it anymore when he becomes a Padawan.
"Why don't you all just shut up! None of you have any right to say whether Naruto deserved to join the Jedi Order or not! You're all probably just jealous that he's stronger than all of you could hope to be!" Said Ahsoka glaring at the younglings, while Naruto looked at her in shock that she actually defended him.
'Why would she…defend me?' Thought Naruto, confused as to why Ahsoka would defend him from the other younglings, since that hadn't happened before since he arrived at the Temple, having anyone speak in his defense to the other Jedi and younglings.
"What do you know, Togruta?! You're lucky to have even been brought to the Temple!" Retorted one of the younglings as they turned to her.
"Yeah, you should grateful that Master Koon even managed to find such a tiny runt like you, anyway!" Another youngling added.
"And why should we be jealous of the freak?! No one cares about him and he doesn't even deserve to be allowed to join!" Said another youngling.
"She's probably only defending him to become his apprentice as a Sith!" Another youngling said as they began pushing Ahsoka around now.
The sight making Naruto frown, getting upset that now they were picking on Ahsoka simply for defending him.
Though before he could try and do something, all the younglings fell silent when they saw an aging man approaching wearing Jedi Master robes. Most of them recognizing him as Jedi Master Jorus C'baoth.
"Enough! All of you!" Jorus said, looking at the younglings with narrowed eyes.
"You are meant to be Jedi Younglings, start acting as such! You have been blessed with the power of The Force, putting you above the rest of the being in the galaxy. I'll not see any of you disgracing the Jedi Order by acting like such common rabble!" Said Jorus, making the younglings flinch and quickly nod, having learned that it isn't wise to get on the wrong side of the Jedi Master.
With Naruto being surprised again that someone would come to his, and Ahsoka's, defense. Only for that idea to vanish when Jorus then rounded on him with a disgusted sneer on his face.
"And you, boy! You should just be grateful the Council didn't have you executed for what you did to the Jedi Shadows on Faldos! Danzō was a close friend of mine, and now he's labeled as a Dark Jedi and a traitor, because of you! If Qui-Gon acted like a Jedi should, he would have put you down like the mad dog you are; you and the rest of your repulsive family! The fact you're Mandalorian only further shows you have no place amongst such a prestigious order as the Jedi, that you were allowed and the reason for it escapes me. Perhaps only that The Force believes you to be a living reminder of why all connected to the Dark Side should be eliminated, or perhaps merely as a joke. Walking around, believing yourself to be a Jedi, when you don't even deserve to scrub the Temples floors, let alone enter it." Jorus spat out, while glaring at the Naruto, the whiskered blonde shaking with tears in his eyes, having started getting used to being insults and mocked, but never to that degree, let alone his family being brought up as well.
With Naruto not even reacting before immediately running away and out of the Temple, with Ahsoka running after him in worry.
"Wait Naruto! Come back-oof!" Ahsoka said, only to end up running into someone and sent falling to the ground.
"Are you alright youngling?" The person asked, Ahsoka looking to see a blue-skinned female Twi'lek wearing the robes of a Padawan.
"I-I'm fine, but I have to go after Naruto, he just ran out of the Temple and I don't want him to get lost!" Said Ahsoka, surprising the Twi'lek, knowing who Naruto was, though didn't judge him for his connection to the Dark Side, like most of the other Jedi did.
"Then let me help, I can't just let two younglings leave the Temple alone and get lost, or hurt." Said the Twi'lek, surprising Ahsoka before she nodded, thankful for the help before the two left to try and find where Naruto ran off to.
*With Naruto*
Meanwhile, Naruto was running through the streets of Coruscant, trying to find the nearest spaceport to take him away from the planet and the Jedi as a whole. Seeing that it was a mistake to come here and join the Jedi, seeing that they'd never accept him as a member and only see him as a freak for his connection to the Dark Side, and even being a Mandalorian. Now Naruto wanted to go back to his aunt and cousin.
'I shouldn't have come here! I'm not a Jedi and I don't belong here, I wanted to stay with Aunt Honoka and Tayuya!' Thought Naruto, wiping his eyes of the tears falling from them, while not seeing where he was going or even knowing which way he was going, due to being unfamiliar with the planet.
Leading to Naruto letting out a short scream when he almost fell off a ledge to the Lower Levels of Coruscant. Thankfully, someone grabbed his arm and pulled the whiskered blonde back, stopping him from falling off the ledge.
"Careful there young one, we wouldn't want you getting hurt." Said the person, with Naruto turning to look and see who saved him, seeing two men.
The first was a human with graying red hair, fair skin, and blue eyes, with a kind smile on his face and wearing fancy red robes.
While the second was a Muun with pale skin, yellow eyes, and wearing grey robes that, while not as extravagant as the first man's, still spoke of wealth and status.
"Th-thank you." Naruto said lowly while wiping his eyes, not wanting them to see he'd been crying.
"Think nothing of it, young one. But if I may ask, what is a Jedi Youngling doing so far from the Temple?" Asked the first man, recognizing the uniform Naruto was wearing, with the boy flinching at his question.
"I'm not a Jedi, not anymore. I was leaving to try and find a spaceport." Replied Naruto, not wanting to be called a Jedi or a youngling when he's leaving.
"Hmm, what is your name child?" Questioned the Muun
"Naruto, Naruto Vizla." Naruto introduced.
"A pleasure to meet you Naruto Vizla, I am Hego Damask II, Magister of the InterGalactic Banking Clan. This my student Sheev Palpatine, Senator of the planet Naboo. Tell us, why do you wish to leave the Jedi?" Hego asked curiously, Naruto looking between them warily, given the encounter he just had with the younglings and Jorus.
But they did save his life and were being kind to him, so maybe he could tell them why he's leaving.
"Because…because I don't belong there. None of the other Jedi like me or want me there because I have…different abilities than the rest of them, one of the Jedi Masters even said I didn't belong because I'm Mandalorian. So, I don't think I should even stay in the Order, if no one wants me there to begin with." Explained Naruto, before lowering his head.
"Ah, you're having difficulty deciding if becoming a Jedi is what you should do, simply because you're connected with The Force." Said Palpatine, nodding in understanding, with Naruto looking at him in surprise.
"You know about the Jedi and The Force?" Naruto asked, not expecting them to know about the Jedi and The Force, besides what everyone else knows.
"Of course, we both do; after all, who wouldn't want to learn about such a prestigious and ancient Order that's defended the Republic for many millennia. But back to your own problems young Naruto, you don't know if being a Jedi is the path you should take or if there's another you feel would be right. I know the feeling of such indecision, growing up as a nobleman on Naboo, I wanted for nothing more than to know what I wished to do, later in life. But I did have a passion for speeder racing, something I wished to do professionally, which I did and even became quite successful. Though eventually, I lost interest and was once again unsure what to do. It wasn't until I met Magister Damask and he took me under his wing, teaching me about the politics of the galaxy, that I had gained my interest and desire to become Senator of my home planet; first becoming an ambassador, until finally I was able to join the Galactic Senate. My advice to you Naruto, is that there will be times you are unsure of what you wish to do; what's important is never giving up on your current path until you are sure it's not right for you." Said Palpatine, smiling kindly at Naruto.
"Sheev is correct. During my own childhood, I grew up with my mother, who was very controlling. Always desiring to know everything I was doing, even pushing playmates onto me, it would feel like I never had a choice to make of my own freewill. If leaving the Jedi is truly what you wish, then do so. But let it be because it is what you decided you wanted, not a choice that was forced upon you by others." Hego added, with Naruto looking between the two at the advice they gave him, thinking over their words.
Naruto was pulled from his thoughts when Ahsoka and the female Twi'lek suddenly arrived, with the Togruta glomping Naruto.
"Naruto! There you are, I was really worried when you ran off and we couldn't find you! But I'm glad that you're alright!" Ahsoka said, relieved to see Naruto was alright, much to Naruto's shock that she was worried about him and even came searching for him, before looking at the Twi'lek.
"Wh-who are you?" Naruto asked, wondering who the Twi'lek was, with the Padawan smiling at him.
"I'm Padawan Aayla Secura, it's nice to officially meet you Naruto. I ran into Ahsoka when she went off trying to find you, and offered to help her; and I'm glad as well to see you're alright." Introduced Aayla before she took notice of Palpatine and Hego, making her immediately bow at recognizing who they were.
"Senator Palpatine, Magister Damask, forgive us for any interruption. We were just trying to find Naruto here and make sure he was safe." Aayla said, with both the Senator and Magister waving it off.
"No apology needed Padawan Secura, my old student and I were just catching up since the last time we saw each other, and we happened to stumbled onto young Naruto here." Replied Hego.
"Indeed, now I'm sure you all need to get back to the Temple, before anyone else comes searching for you." Palpatine said, while glancing at Naruto, who nodded.
"Y-yeah, we do. And thanks again for the help and the advice." Naruto said, before he went with Ahsoka and Aayla back to the Temple.
"Thanks for helping me find Naruto, Aayla." Said Ahsoka, smiling at the Padawan, which she returned.
"No problem, I'm glad I could help and that we found him." Replied Aayla, with the whiskered blonde looking at her.
"Wh-why did you help? You…probably know who I am." Said Naruto while looking away, thinking Aayla didn't know who he was and when she did, she'd be like the rest of the Jedi.
"Yes, I know who you are Naruto; and no, I don't see you any differently for your connection to the Dark Side. My Master, Quinlan Vos, is actually a lot like you. He has his own connection to the Dark Side, one that he struggles with every day. Yet he was able to rise through the ranks and become a Jedi Master; so I'm sure that you can do the same." Aayla said, smiling reassuringly at Naruto, surprising him again.
"…Thanks." Muttered Naruto, looking away, not sure what to feel at Ahsoka wanting to come find him and Aayla's Master having a connection to the Dark Side like him, with her believing he could still be a Jedi as well.
*With Palpatine and Hego*
Back with Palpatine and Hego, after the group of Jedi took their leave, the Senator and Magister made their way down into Coruscant's underworld. Heading towards their base, where they finally dropped their masks and revealed their true selves, that of the Dark Lords of the Sith, Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious.
"It would seem The force has favored us greatly, Master." Sidious stated, with Plagueis nodding in agreement.
"So it has my Apprentice. It would seem the Jedi are unknowingly aiding their own enemies." Replied Plagueis with a small smirk.
Both Sith Lords had sensed the presence of someone powerful in The Force, more specifically in the Dark Side, arriving on Coruscant. Something that pleased both of them, even more so that they've now met the boy and managed to start gaining his trust, thanks to the Jedi's own stigma towards anyone connected to the Dark Side.
Stigma that will only continue to follow him as he stays with the Jedi even longer, which was their intentions by encouraging him to stay with the Order. Which was further helped by the arrival of Ahsoka and Aayla, all of which helped their plans to have the Jedi push him further to the Dark Side.
Not to mention, that the more Naruto trains with the Jedi, the better he'll be taught on how to kill Jedi.
"Though I feel I must bring up that if you recruit the boy, it will be violating the Rule of Two, Master." Said Sidious, given that while Naruto would make for a powerful Sith, recruiting him would violate the Rule of Two.
"I forget nothing Lord Sidious, as long as you don't forget that we plan to discard the Rule of Two and form a new order of Sith." Plagueis retorted, since they planned to phase out the Order of the Sith Lords and rule the Galaxy as equal; knowing that by forming a Sith Order like during the Old Republic, it'd ensure the Sith never vanish should both the Master and Apprentice be killed.
"After all, I've let you continue training Darth Maul as a Sith Assassin, haven't I? While the young Vizla will make a fine Sith Acolyte when the time comes." Added Plagueis, fully aware his Apprentice had his own secret Apprentice, but let him continue training Maul due to his power and skill.
For now though, in regards to Naruto, they'll let the Jedi do their work for him in pushing him to the Dark Side.
*With Naruto, Ahsoka, and Aayla*
After arriving back at the temple, Naruto looked at Ahsoka.
"Ahsoka, I…I'm sorry for running like that." Naruto said, seeing that she really was genuine in being nice to him, rather than just tricking him.
"You don't have to apologize, after what the others and Master Jorus said, it's understandable. What matters is that you're back and safe." Replied Ahsoka while smiling at him, which he slowly returned.
"R-right. And…if the offers still open, then I'd like to hang out with you." Said Naruto, making Ahsoka's smile widen and nod in response.
"Great, then let's go! Thanks again for the help, Aayla!" Ahsoka said, before grabbing Naruto's hand and waving at the Twi'lek, which she returned as the two younglings left.
*Timeskip-One Year*
*32 BBY*
One year has passed since Naruto joined the Jedi Order, along with him having finally started opening up more with Ahsoka, leading the two of them becoming friends. Both younglings having also started spending time with Aayla when she was free, with the Padawan even helping them in their training, with them soon seeing her as an older sister. Naruto had also started opening up more to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, seeing that both of them were being honest as well. Even managing to meet with Senator Palpatine and Magister Damask as well, still thankful for their help and advice.
With Naruto starting to feel more comfortable in the Order, even with the occasional taunting and insults from some of the other younglings. Now able to deal with it, since had people he was starting to care about.
Unfortunately, that didn't last when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan went on a mission to Naboo, after the Trade Federation put up a blockade around the planet. Which soon lead them to the desert planet Tatooine, where they encountered a Sith named Darth Maul, along with a Force-sensitive boy named Anakin Skywalker.
While things got worse, when they returned to Naboo to lift the blockade, only to be confronted by Darth Maul again; a confrontation that lead to the death of Qui-Gon. Even worse, was that Naruto soon learned that Hego Damask had been killed in an assassination attempt. Saddening Naruto, that two people he'd gotten close to were now dead, along with feeling bitter to the Council at refusing Qui-Gon's request for reinforcements on Naboo, since he'd still be alive if they accepted his request.
It was at Qui-Gon's funeral that Naruto met Anakin, finding that he was older than him and Ahsoka. Something that surprised the whiskered blonde, given the age restriction for younglings joining the Order. Naruto had also attended Hego Damask's funeral as well, wanting to pay his respects to one of the people that helped him grow used to being in the Order.
Once the funeral was over, Naruto returned to his room, where he began crying over the death of one of the few Jedi in the Order that was kind to him. Along with the death of one of the people that helped him get used to his new life on Coruscant.
The whiskered blonde not looking up when the door opened and Ahsoka walked in, sitting beside her friend, and putting a hand on his shoulder in comfort.
*With Obi-Wan*
Despite having been promoted to Jedi Knight for killing Darth Maul, Obi-Wan still felt like a Padawan that still had so much learn. Even more so, now that he's taken Anakin on as his own Padawan, wishing to fulfill his Masters dying wish to train him to become a Jedi. Though, while Obi-Wan intended to do just that, it didn't mean he knew the first thing about training a Padawan.
Leading him to seek help from his Masters own Master, Jedi Master Dooku.
"Master Dooku!" Obi-Wan called out to the Jedi Master, getting Dooku's attention as he turned to see his deceased former Padawan's newly promoted student.
"Knight Kenobi, is there something you needed?" Questioned Dooku, as Obi-Wan walked up to him.
"I…where are you going?" Obi-Wan, asked only to see Dooku was carrying a bag filled with his personal belongings.
"I am leaving the Jedi Order. I can no longer remain with the Order; ever since the Battle of Galidraan, I noticed that the Jedi Order is no longer what I originally believed it to be. The Jedi have changed from what they once were in the Old Republic, no longer preparing for dangers, no longer believing the Sith still exist. But I believed that I could still done some good, only to now see that I was an utter fool and can no longer stay in the Order. So, I am returning to Serenno to reclaim my family's title of Count." Revealed Dooku, having been growing disillusioned with the Jedi ever since the battles of Galidraan and Baltizaar, along with refusing to aid his home World of Serenno during his brother's treachery.
The latter having caused him to take an unsanctioned mission to aid his homeworld, while nearly leaving the Order then, if not for his sister, Jenza, convincing him to stay in the Order. But now, with his former Padawan's death at the hands of a Sith, that none of the Council believed him about; Dooku could no longer stay with an Order that would dismiss such claims from one of their own.
"I…I'm sorry to hear that Master Dooku, the Order will be losing a great swordsman with you." Obi-Wan said, disappointed that Dooku was leaving, but understood his reasoning, with Dooku nodding in response.
"Yes, now you needed something from me?" Dooku said, reminding Obi-Wan of his original reason for approaching.
"Yes, advice on training a Padawan. Master Qui-Gon's last request was that I train Anakin to become a Jedi, something I plan to do both for him, and for young Naruto as well, once he's older and Anakin has become a Jedi Knight himself. But I don't know if I have what it takes to train them, and wished to know if you had any advice to help me." Explained Obi-Wan, with the soon-to-be former Jedi thinking it over for a few moments.
"Qui-Gon believed that Skywalker is the Chosen One, destined to bring balance to The Force, while Vizla has a connection to the Dark Side unlike any I've seen before. If you truly intend to take them on as Padawans, the best advice I can give is this; do not treat them like every other Padawan and youngling. If Skywalker is truly the Chosen One, then he will never be able to become a traditional Jedi; to bring balance to The Force, he must have balance within himself. He must understand both the Light and the Dark Side, never one or the other. While Vizla, his connection to the Dark Side will make him vulnerable, he will never be an ordinary Jedi nor be treated as such. The best you can do is this, do not just be their Master, be someone they can trust and confide in; that is how you can help both of them." Dooku said, with Obi-Wan thinking over his words, before nodding slowly.
"I believe I understand Master, thank you. And may The Force be with you." Said Obi-Wan while bowing to Dooku, who inclined his head to the Jedi Knight.
"And may The Force be with you as well." Dooku replied before taking his leave out of both the Temple and the Order.
So, what did you think, good. Yep we see what Naruto's had to deal with since joining the Jedi, being mocked and insulted by other younglings and avoided by other Jedi, with only Ahsoka, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan interacting with him. With Ahsoka even defending him from some of the older younglings, which lead them to insult Ahsoka, before they're stopped by the arrival of Jedi Master Jorus C'baoth, who's either seen as a model Jedi or the biggest extremist in the Order that sees everyone who's not a Jedi as insignificant and beneath them, with him having a particularly low opinion of Naruto and has no problem showing it. Leading to Naruto running out of the Temple in tears, with Ahsoka running after him running to Aayla who offers to help her, while Naruto plans to leave Coruscant to return to his aunt and cousin. Only to nearly fall into the lower levels, but is saved by an unlikely source, Senator Palpatine and Magister Damask, who then also give Naruto some advice one what he should do before he returns to the Temple with Ahsoka and Aayla. While Damask and Palpatine then go to their base and reveal their true selves as Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious, along with their plans to form a new Sith Order, with Naruto as a potential recruit but they're letting the Jedi do their work for them in pushing him towards the Dark Side. Then we get a timeskip of a year, with Naruto having gotten used to living at the Temple and started opening up, but things don't last when Qui-Gon is killed by Darth Maul and Damask is assassinated, much to his sadness, and bitterness towards the Council. Finally we see Obi-Wan going to Dooku for advice on how to train Anakin, and eventually Naruto, but learns he's leaving the Jedi Order, but does offer him advice on how to train both of them before taking his leave. So, review if you liked go away if you didn't.
Storm out