I'M BACK BABY! Well, due to popular demand, the others will be brought in when they make an appearance in the original story. Also, we'll have a surprising inclusion who hasn't been in the original story, yet anyways as I have NO idea if Thayerblue1 has decided to abandon Lunar Eclipse or not.
Before anyone could answer Hinata's question, a flash of light appeared. "I would *munch* like to read *munch* next please Hinata." A voice says while munching on BBQ flavored potato chips. Everyone from the Rookie Nine, especially Ino and Shikamaru, recognized the owner of the voice. From the light, appeared Choji Akimichi, who was given the book.
The Shamshir Holocron
Naruto opened his eyes after focusing on the holocron. He'd been trying for nearly a month to make contact and it seems he finally made it (that or the crystalline temple he saw before him was a hallucination and proved he finally had cracked). He looked around him and slowly went up to the temple that seemed to have all kinds of engravings on it. Naruto ran his fingers over the luminous engravings and saw they showed images he assumed were from the past.
"A visitor." Stated a quiet voice. The voice didn't seem surprised but rather bored. "You're not of our blood; did you steal this holocron?" Asked the voice as Naruto looked around trying to find the source.
Naruto said. "I didn't steal the holocron. It was given to me by old man Deluvion. He told me if I could meditate on it that I would be taught about the Force."
The voice sounded contemplative. "Hmmm….Well, there are no lies in your words. Let me consult the others about this 'Deluvion' you speak of. I presume he was a Force user of some sort?"
"Yes." Said Naruto. "He said his master left the holocron and his lightsaber behind and Deluvion gave them to me." Naruto sounded a little confused and continued. "Deluvion also said the Jedi Order wanted these items and he wanted me to keep them items away from them."
For the first time, the voice sounded interested. "Very well, wait here and I will see what I can do."
Naruto stood around looking at the outside of the temple for some time. He felt anxious and nervous. The place didn't seem too inviting but it did seem ancient and inspired a sense of awe into him. A man appeared at the doors to the entrance. He said, "I am Master Damien Shamshir and it seems you have met my apprentice Deluvion." Naruto looked at the man. He had a very commanding air about him. He also had golden eyes that seemed to stare into your soul. "What did the fool do now?" Asked Damien.
Naruto face-faulted. "He seemed like a nice old guy to me." Naruto replied before flinching at the Jedi Master's glare. Naruto continued. "Anyway, he said you died on the battlefield and left the holocron and your lightsaber to him. He'd been hiding them from the Jedi for fifty some-odd years and said he was giving them to me so I could learn about the Force."
Damien's face turned into a scowl. "He was supposed to take them back to my clan; not hide it under a rock for half a century!" Damien looked at Naruto. "Did he tell you why he was hiding them or who they belonged to?"
Naruto blanched. "Umm, no…."
Damien looked irate but then calmed himself. Then he face-palmed. Damien ranted out loud to the heavens. "This boy has enormous Force potential but no training! What the hell was Deluvion thinking? Giving this holocron to him is like giving a loaded blaster to a three-year old and telling them to 'go have fun' with it." Damien then slowly recollected his composure. "I'm leaving you in the hands of the Gatekeeper. You'll have to learn a lot before you're worthy of my tutelage. I'll tell you this though; if you are trying to become a Jedi and join their order then leave now. This is not the place for you." With that, he stormed off, phasing through the temple doors.
"I felt the same way when I first met you gaki." Jiraiya said with a nod. "What is that supposed to mean Ero-Sennin?" Naruto asked with a glare. "You had enormous potential and chakra reserves but no training." Jiraiya retorts. "Blame most of my teachers at the Academy, except Iruka-sensei, and Kakashi-sensei. The latter was too busy playing favorites with Sasuke-teme to properly train me." Naruto says before getting hit on the back of the head by Kushina for his cussing.
Naruto stood still. 'What the hell have I gotten myself into?' He thought to himself.
The quiet voice returned. "Man, he was pissed. What's your name boy?"
Naruto still didn't see anyone around. "My name is Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto."
A man phased into existence at the top of the stairs. It was obvious by his looks that he was related to Damien but had a laid-back contemplative aura about him. His eyes were the same color as Damien's but seemed less intimidating. "I am Master Shambhala Shamshir. I am the Gatekeeper of this holocron." Naruto cocked his head to the side in confusion. Shambhala sighed. "I'm the guy who will let you in or keep you out. My job is to guide you and give you information and training if you prove worthy."
Naruto brightened up. "Why didn't you just say that in the first place?"
Shambhala looked as if he had a headache. "Tell me your life story Naruto. Leave nothing out. Start at the beginning and bring it up to the present. You seem to know nothing about Jedi so in return I will teach you about them. Then we can make a decision about whether you should be trained or not." Shambhala said in a reasonable tone.
"This is going to take a while." Said Naruto.
Shambhala replied. "Time has no meaning here Naruto. Let's start with your childhood."
Naruto began by relating how the Nine-Tails was sealed into him the night of his birth, the persecution he suffered as a child (Kushina glared at Minato for that with an 'I told you so' look in her eyes) and his wish to become a ninja. Shambhala listened patiently, asking questions to clarify things when appropriate. Naruto then spoke about his days at the Academy and his days as a Genin. He related Sasuke's betrayal and his trip with Jiraiya. After what seemed like days to Naruto, he finally told Shambhala about the war, his death and being cloned back to life. He also told Shambhala about 'hearing' the Force.
"Now Kushi-hime…" Minato started before being cut off. "Don't you Kushi-hime me mister! I told you that the villagers wouldn't treat Naruto right if they knew that the Kyuubi was sealed in him! You assured me that they would see him as a hero and that both Tsunade-sensei and Jiraiya would take care of him should something happen to us!" Kushina said with her hair forming nine tails and a glare on her face. "What?!" Naruto shouted in shock while looking at Tsunade. "Until this pervert brought you, I was under the impression that you died that night because of an ANBU that told me you died. Though, I am now suspicious of said ANBU." Tsunade says with a shrug then a glare directed to Jiraiya at the end.
Jiraiya wilted under the glare. "Sensei sent an ANBU to have you return to raise Naruto as my duties as Konoha's spymaster prevented me from raising him on the road though when you didn't return, sensei suspected that Danzo may have sent someone from ROOT to tell you that Naruto died to keep you away. Sensei never did believe that Danzo disbanded ROOT but had no evidence to the contrary. Please don't hit me?" Jiraiya explained before begging at the end.
Shambhala took a thinking pose and reflected. "You might benefit from our training. You stand in the light but have been scarred by darkness. You also have a lover. The Jedi would never accept you." Shambhala finished succinctly.
Naruto looked shocked. "What do you mean? The Jedi follow the light and the Sith follow the dark. I'm on the light side!" He said indignantly.
Shambhala spoke gently. "Calm yourself. Let me explain. I will tell you a bit about the Jedi and why they would never accept you. It is not out of hate but rather their traditions." Shambhala sighed at Naruto's hurt look. "The Jedi believe one must virtually be trained from birth and have a strict code they adhere to. They believe in embracing the light side of the Force and lead virtually monastic lifestyles. They frown on the love of a mate because such deep passions can lead to the dark side in a roundabout way." Shambhala paused to make sure Naruto understood. "That is one of the major reasons we of the Shamshir clan broke away. We value our friends, lovers, and clan above all else. If we have to do something that will get our hands dirty to protect our family, then we will do it. It is a little-known fact that some Jedi councils in the past have asked the Shamshir clan for support when things got too ugly for their tastes. We are neither dark nor light Jedi. We are grays. I believe, given your past, we could train you in our ways. It will be difficult but since you already have a grasp on this "Sage Chakra" as you call it, there is a chance."
"Sounds like these Jedi are a bunch of Space Monks." Sasori says with a frown. The others all nod in agreement.
Shambhala stood up. "Think on this matter hard Uzumaki Naruto. It will be brutal but you and your friends could benefit greatly if we trained you to harness the Force." Shambhala looked hard into Naruto's eyes. "Do not be hasty. Talk it over with your friends and especially your mate. Come back when you have made a decision. I will be waiting." Naruto woke up from his trance. Mere minutes had passed and yet it seemed like hours. He was emotionally spent. Naruto had a lot to think about….
The days passed peacefully for the crew of the Misfire. It seemed that Naruto and Anko had a knack for piloting (after several fatal crashes in the simulations). The others found niches as well. Perhaps it was due to her Byakugan but Hinata was a crack shot with just about any pistol or rifle. She'd be a superb sniper. Everyone was attempting to get up to speed with modern technology because they were hardly trained in it. The four that dealt with Suberga had virtually nothing. Iruka and Anko were better off (particularly with weapons) but there was still a lot to learn. Jiraiya was also learning while working hard at getting back into shape. On top of that, he was training Naruto's clones on fuuinjutsu and perfecting sage mode as well.
"I have to agree that the Byakugan is the perfect tool for medics and archers." Tsunade says with a nod. Hinata just blushes while Naruto hugs her in joy.
Naruto's training was horrific. After he discussed it with everyone (particularly Hinata) he decided to undergo training in the Force. Shambhala was a sadistic and brutal taskmaster. Sadly, he was also the nice one. When Naruto wasn't learning inside the holocron itself, he was using the Force to guide him at break-neck speeds through petrified forests and doing all kinds of levitation and emotion control exercises. The Shamshir clan firmly believed in life, love and family but when you were on a mission, you had to be clever, cunning, calculating and absolutely ruthless if need be. Emotional control was a must. It seemed to Naruto that the Shamshir clan was the ninja group of the Force users.
"I can see that." Minato says with a wheeze after the brutal beating he received from his wife. "Quiet you. Chairs don't talk." Kushina says while sitting on her husband like a chair. Minato just looks pleadingly at the others but they all look away, especially those who KNOW Kushina, and don't want to end up on the bad side of the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero.
The one are he was having the most difficulty was learning how to use a lightsaber. It wasn't balanced like a sword was and one slip could cut your arm off. He had never really heavily practiced any form of Kenjutsu before either. The Shamshir style focused on dancing around your enemies while defending but switched to aggressive and vicious blows when on the offense. The offense also incorporated an ancient martial arts style for extra power and in case you lost your blade. It was known as Teras Kasi and was created by others to fight against Force users. The Shamshir clan adopted it for their own use centuries ago (some Jedi and Sith had followed suit). Fortunately for Naruto, Teras Kasi was easy for him to learn. He could switch between it and the Toad style at will. It took three months before Shambhala was satisfied with Naruto's physical conditioning. It was another month before Naruto started learning basic Force techniques like Force Push and Force Choke. The thing that was most promising was his Force Visions, however. It was difficult at first to understand that he might see the past or possible futures but he was learning.
"The future is not set in stone. It is ever changing with the choices that are made. Also, Force Choke is a technique primarily used by the Sith or other dark siders." Scheffinator says, appearing on screen. "What do you want now Scheffinator?" Naruto asks. "Oh, I'm just here to clarify some things and to let you all know that you will have a break next chapter and that more of your friends will appear as the story progresses. If I can get permission, then I will even include someone from the book as well." Scheffinator says with a grin, getting cheers from the group. "Once we get a break sochi-kun, I'll be sure to start you on some Kenjutsu and Fuuinjutsu training. No son of mine will not be a master of Kenjutsu nor Fuuinjutsu." Kushina says with a smile, while Naruto cheered.
Now we find Naruto practicing with his lightsaber against his friends. They were shooting blasters at him, set for low stun and he was trying to deflect them. Everyone was having a great time, except Naruto (and Hinata who couldn't bring herself to participate). Anko, Ino and Jiraiya ("You'll pay for this Ero-Sennin!") in particular were enjoying seeing Naruto make a fool of himself. They couldn't wait until he was at the blindfolded part of his training! Naruto was slowly improving though. Once in a while, he would start to deflect blaster shots effortlessly but then he would get excited and lose his concentration. The best part of the day was Hinata using healing jutsu on his burns and generally taking care of him as far as Naruto was concerned. She always made everything worthwhile to him….
"This is true." Naruto says with a grin while hugging Hinata close to him. Hinata just has a deep blush on her face.
It had been six months. The masters in the holocron revealed that they couldn't take Naruto much further without a proper physical master in the Shamshir style. (His swordplay still lacked without a true partner to spar with). They advised him to go to the Steelhaven enclave on the planet Nardil, where the Shamshir were based. The holocron did belong to the family after all. Shambhala felt if Naruto returned the holocron, he would gain the trust of the Shamshir clan and they would complete his basic training. It was a bit of a risk but Naruto felt it would be worth it. Shambhala taught Naruto the basic coded hand signs that would get him an audience with the current grandmaster.
"That is the downside for both Taijutsu and ANY form of Bukijutsu, except Shurikenjutsu, for a ninja." Tenten says with a frown. Lee just nods in agreement.
Jiraiya was back up to full strength and the others were up to low Jonin level training or better in their skills. After a final checkout, the Misfire rose up and set course for the planet Nardil….
Nardil, Planet of Swords
The Misfire glided into Nardil space two weeks later. It had been a long trip because Nardil was closer to the Core Worlds. Edo was on the Outer Rim. After receiving docking clearance, they landed at the spaceport near Steelhaven. Steelhaven was a strange combination of old and new. While new technology abounded, most of the buildings had an old archaic look. For some reason, Naruto and the others were reminded of Konoha. After a bit of sightseeing, they found their destination: a weapons shop called Chevron. It was a front for the Shamshir clan.
"That's the best way to hide a clan. In plain sight." Ino says with a nod as her clan did the same with their flower shop with Choji agreeing as well as the Akimichi had a bunch of restaurants as well.
Naruto entered and saw the Chevron was filled with every kind of bladed weapon he could imagine and then some. Anko whistled. "This place is incredible! The craftmanship of these weapons is unbelievable." She said as she picked up a blade.
Everyone was admiring the weaponry there when an old lady shopkeeper came out of the back. "Welcome to the Chevron. Everything you are looking at is hand-crafted. Is there a particular item you are looking for?"
Naruto replied, "I'm looking for something very special." While showing her the hand signs he was taught by Shambhala.
The old woman quirked an eyebrow. "That is a special request. I will call someone to help you out. Please relax and look around in the meantime." She said, going towards the back.
A few minutes later, a young woman arrived that had black hair and the distinctive gold eyes that seemed to run in the Shamshir family. She reminded Naruto a bit of Anko, beautiful but with an air of danger about her. She simply said, "I am Pax Shamshir; follow me." Naruto nodded to the others and followed Pax through a curtain in the back. After going through a labyrinth of different rooms, they came to a large open training hall. It was then that Pax spun around and ignited her green lightsaber. "Let's see what you are made of." Naruto activated his lightsaber just in time to block a killing strike. Pax attacked ferociously and Naruto was barely fending her off with the dancing defense of the Shamshir style. He made several attempts to take the offensive but she easily deflected his blows. With a flick of her wrist, she disarmed him. Pax said in a condescending voice, "I don't know who trained you in our family style but you're no good. What are you going to do now?"
"I hate her already." Naruto says with a scowl, as Hinata nods in agreement. Anko just looks appreciatively at the comparison.
Naruto growled and got into a Teras Kasi stance. She shrugged and put her saber away. "Teras Kasi? Fine, I'll play with you." Naruto went on the assault. His attacks were quick and precise. Pax found Naruto was actually formidable with Teras Kasi. They exchanged blows for several minutes before she jumped back. Pax stated. "You're dangerous but let me show you what a master of the style can do!" Naruto could feel her augmenting her already powerful combat style with the Force. He switched to the Toad style and activated his sage mode.
"Naruto-kun! We must have a YOUTHFUL battle in Taijutsu! Your Toad style vs my Goken (Strong Fist) style!" Lee shouts, before getting hit on the back of the head by Tenten. "No fighting until the break!" Tsunade shouts with a glare, cowing the two boys from going at it immediately.
Naruto was frustrated. He said, "I don't want to fight you but you've given me no choice. I'm taking you down!"
Naruto was a master of the Toad style. He and Pax fought savagely. She got more hits in but it was obvious that she was getting tired. Naruto's stamina was winning out. Naruto knew if they stayed locked in combat like this, he would eventually win through attrition. Then a commanding female voice spoke. "That's enough Pax. Show our guest in."
Pax looked relieved. "Yes, my lady." She said in an exhausted tone.
The female voice continued. "Bring the lightsaber you are using stranger. It clearly isn't yours. I would like to know where you got it and why you know some of our style."
Pax spoke up. "Do not keep Lady Damasca waiting." Pax opened a hidden door. "She is inside." Pax motioned. Naruto picked up the lightsaber he'd been using and after eyeing Pax wearily for a moment, he went in.
He entered a low-lit room and was greeted by a blonde woman with the same piercing gold eyes of the others he'd met. "Welcome stranger. I am Grandmaster Damasca Shamshir and the head of the Shamshir clan. It seems my great granddaughter Pax gave you quite a rough time testing you."
Naruto looked a bit bug-eyed. 'Great granddaughter? This woman barely looks old enough to be her mother.' He composed himself. "I am Uzumaki Naruto. I've come to return two items that belong to your clan. I hope in return, you'll be willing to guide me in the ways of the Force."
Damasca raised a delicate eyebrow. "You should be mindful of your thoughts. For your information, I am in my eighties. I am her great grandmother." Naruto cringed. She then commanded him. "Show me these items."
Naruto set the lightsaber down on her desk and then brought out a small sealing scroll. After he channeled some chakra into it, the holocron appeared. Naruto said. "These were belongings of Damien Shamshir that he left to his apprentice when he died in the Great Hyperspace War." He then continued. "His apprentice left them to me to keep them away from the Jedi. The gatekeeper Master Shambhala gave me instructions to bring them to you. He and a few other masters in the holocron trained me but said that they could not continue my instruction much further and that I should seek you out for further tutelage."
"That's one of the downsides to learning our clan's jutsu. We need to be mindful of our thoughts to the more experienced members." Ino says with a cringe, remembering some of the more embarrassing times her dad had heard her thoughts while they were training.
She picked up the holocron and focused on it for a moment. "It is genuine. I cannot thank you enough for returning it to us. I must contact the Masters in the holocron before I can make a decision about training you. I also thank you for Damien's lightsaber. He was my brother." She said with a melancholy tone in her voice. "Pax will show you out. Come back tomorrow after you've rested and we will discuss things properly. I'd also like to know how you held the holocron in that scroll. It is most interesting to me."
"That's the beauty of Fuuinjutsu." Kushina says with a proud smile on her face. Jiraiya just nods in agreement. Minato would have done the same but he is still serving as Kushina's chair at the moment and doesn't want to risk further angering his wife.
Naruto nodded, figuring it was the best he could ask for. Pax led him back through the labyrinth to the store. They both looked much worse for wear. "We'll be coming back tomorrow." He said at the questioning glances of the others. "Let's go." Naruto said, leading the ninjas out of the shop.
A little boy of about eight years old appeared from the shadows and went over to Pax. He had white hair and gold eyes. He spoke to Pax. "I've been observing them. Two are Force sensitive aside of the one that saw Grandmamma Damasca. I need to report to her what I sensed."
Pax replied. "Wait a while Damascus. Grandmother is troubled right now. Give her until this evening and then tell her."
Damascus frowned. "Alright Aunt Pax; I'll wait. Can I go play now?"
Pax took a resigned tone. "Go ahead; just please stay out of trouble this once." Damascus left in a blur. "That boy is going to be the death of me." Pax thought aloud. The old lady shopkeeper just laughed.
The crew of the Misfire sat around the table on their ship as Naruto related what had happened. "Anyway," Naruto continued. "Lady Damasca said that we'd discuss things tomorrow. That lightsaber I was using belonged to her brother so I'd imagine she wanted some time to herself to grieve. Did you guys find anything?"
Ino piped up. "We all found lots of things but we couldn't afford any of it. The weapons there were incredible. When Jiraiya showed the shopkeeper a kunai and shuriken, she immediately noticed the shuriken was slightly unbalanced. She really knows her stuff."
Shikamaru cut in. "We asked if she could replicate our weapons and she said it would be easy but they would have to make higher quality ones. Apparently, the ones we have are really poor quality by her standards. She said they were made by droids."
Naruto went back to the shop alone the next day to talk to Lady Damasca. He was greeted by the white haired boy. "Hi, I'm Damascus. Grandmamma Damasca is waiting for you. Your name is Naruto, right?"
Naruto smiled at the boy. "Yes, I'm Uzumaki Naruto. Where's-"
Damascus blurted out. "Aunt Pax is elsewhere. I'll guide you through the labyrinth. I'm going to be there to observe. I foresaw your coming a few months ago so I'm interested in what's happening."
Naruto looked surprised. "Aren't you a little young to be seeing the future?"
"Are you kidding?" Asked Damascus. "I've been foreseeing events since I was old enough to remember. It's unusual but not unheard of." Damascus stopped and revealed the hidden door. "Grandmamma, I'm here! I brought Naruto." He said leading Naruto in without preamble.
Lady Damasca glared at her grandchild. "You are to refer to me as Lady Damasca in the presence of others and don't barge into my office without permission first!" She sighed. "Come in and sit Naruto. I hope my precocious grandson didn't bother you too much."
Naruto smiled. "It's fine. I like the kid. He reminds me of how I was when I was little."
Lady Damasca looked at Naruto with a deadpan expression. 'Great! Another one.' She thought. "Let's begin Naruto. I spoke to Master Shambhala and my brother Damien last night at length about your situation. I believe it was the will of the Force that brought you here. I have discussed things with the other Masters here and we have agreed to help you and your ninja friends. In return for this, I would like you to work for us."
Naruto started. "What do you mean by 'work for you'? there are other ninjas out there that need our help."
Damascus cut in. "What she means is occasionally you and your group will do missions to help us out and in return, we'll give you the weapons, supplies and money you need for your own quest. Just as I foresaw!" He crowed excitedly.
Damasca smacked her grandchild on the back of the head, causing him to face-plant on the desk. "Honestly, what part of observe do you not understand? You're supposed to lead this clan someday and you can't follow instructions because you're so full of mischief."
Naruto smiled. He thought of himself and his relationship he had with Tsunade. 'I hope she's out there.' He thought wistfully. He was brought back to the present by Damascus stammering out an apology as he rubbed his forehead.
Damasca decided to get things back on track. "Well, what my disobedient grandchild blurted out is essentially correct. It is our intention to complete your training and help you and your friends with your quest. Returning this priceless holocron to us is something we can never repay but we would like you to return the favor by carrying out missions for the clan when the need arises. Do you accept these conditions Uzumaki Naruto?"
Naruto pondered. It was too good to pass up but he needed to confer with his friends. "I need to talk to the others first before I accept. Is there any ways you could help two of my comrades learn about the Force as well?" He asked hopefully. Damasca replied. "We shall see what their potential is; then we will decide if we can train them."
Naruto stood up. "That's all I can ask for. I will be back tomorrow with my answer."
He said with glee in his voice. She smiled. "We will have to work on your emotional control Naruto. You're quite easy to read." Naruto blushed. Damasca turned to her grandson. "Can you escort Naruto out? I foresee we will have to make some rooming arrangements for him and his friends soon."
Damascus nodded excitedly. "Yes, I'll show him out. This is great!"
Naruto followed the lively boy named Damascus out. He didn't know why but something told him this boy was going to have a big influence on his future….
"That's the end of the chapter. Who would like to read next?" Choji askes while setting the book on the table, in order to eat his chips. "That will have to be decided later. It's time for our break now." Naruto said with a smile. The others smile as well. "Sounds like Damasca is filling out mission requests for your group sochi-kun." Kushina says with a smile. Naruto just nods in agreement. "Do you have something that you want to say about that wistful thought gaki?" Tsunade askes with a dangerous look on her face. Naruto just squeaks and runs as Tsunade gives chase.
Whelp, that's then end of the chapter. Next chapter will be a break chapter, so if ANYONE wants to help with the fight between Lee and Naruto, PLEASE feel free to let me know. Flames will be used to bake my Chicken Parmesan Cordon Bleu.
Scheffinator out!