Sorry for the extra-long wait on this chapter. This whole arc has been a bear to write, from start to finish. On top of that, I wrote my first omake for this chapter, so be sure to check that out down below. It is canon to the story, and will act as the start of a series of omakes covering a major event in Ahsoka's life that I couldn't fit into the main plot. Let me know what you think.
Once again, sadly, I am going to ask my readers to show their support for Ukraine however they can. While this pointless war drags on and on, we cannot let their plight fade into the background and become the new normal. I would also like to extend my support to the people of Uvalde, Texas, in the wake of senseless massacre perpetrated against children there earlier today.
On a brighter note, I cannot believe it has been over a year since I posted the first chapter of this story. I had no idea, at the time, how big a project this would become, nor how much support and feedback I would receive from all of you. Thank you to everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed this story.
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Chapter 28
2 years later
12 GRS (23 BBY)
Aurra Sing was, without question, a dangerous woman. Once a Jedi Padawan apprenticed to the Dark Woman herself, her future had seemed bright and promising. All of that changed when she pirates captured her during a mission, though. She had held out hope her master would come rescue her for months, but she never came. Instead, she had abandoned Aurra, left her to rot. The years after that had been difficult, painful, and harsh. In the end, she had wound up being sold to the Anzati assassins.
Under their brutal tutelage, she had been picked apart; torn down piece by piece and rebuilt into something new. Something dangerous. A predator who would carve a bloody trail from one end of the galaxy to the other. In the years since then, she had risen to become one of the most feared and respected bounty hunters in the galaxy; one especially renowned for her success in killing Jedi. Masters, Knights, Padawans, all had died at her hands, and each kill had fed her bloodlust. She now took only the most difficult, dangerous jobs; ones that promised bloodshed and violence. Her name struck fear in the hearts of trillions, and she answered to no one but herself.
Thus, it was even more surprising that someone had not merely requested, but actually demanded, to meet with her. When the pathetic skug of a messenger had first dared to relay that command, she had come within a bare millimeter of shooting him dead just on principle. Only one thing had saved him; the name of his boss. Xomit Grunseit, the current Underlord of Black Sun.
There were very, very few beings that she was still wary of, but Xomit Grunseit was most definitely on that list. He controlled the most powerful criminal empire in galactic history, after all. Black Sun was the power in many portions of the galaxy. She would know, having taken jobs from them often enough before. Picking a fight with them needlessly would just be unintelligent, so she had heard the messenger out before she gutted him, the obsequious little womp rat, and had then promptly made her way to Mustafar. As the scorched lava world loomed in her viewport, she hoped that whatever job he had for her would prove interesting. She wouldn't even be able to murder him for wasting her time like she would a normal client if it turned out to be beneath her interest. Maybe she could main a few of his lieutenants, just to maintain her rep.
The beep of her incoming landing clearance shook her out of her happy thoughts. Ten minutes later, she had landed and met her escort to the Black Sun fortress. Unlike the simpering sleemo of a messenger, these were warriors. Five of them, to be exact, armed, armored, and nervous. That was good. It meant they knew not to kriff with her. Their fear tasted delicious in the Force.
They also apparently knew not to make her wait. The guards led her straight to the room where Xomit and three of his senior Vigos were waiting, along with a few slaves. When he saw her, Xomit stood and frowned.
"I hear you killed my messenger, Sing. Explain, now."
Aurra bristled at his imperious tone, not to mention the sheer gall to give her an order, but she restrained herself from violence. If she moved to attack anyone, she would doubtless be dead before she drew her blaster. Instead, she swallowed her pride and bit out a response.
"I'm not some pet massiff at your beck and call. Giving me orders; not a good idea. Besides, he was a whiny little pile of bantha shit."
Xomit narrowed his eyes for a second before a smug grin crawled across his reptilian face. "You can bluster all you want, hunter, but I notice you still came when I called. That was smart of you."
A growl tried to force its way out of her throat at how self-satisfied he was, but she bit it down. In the end, he wasn't wrong.
"Now, I have a job for you," he continued. "One you will take. Don't worry, though, I assure you, you'll enjoy it. There is a certain young man who has… interfered in my business too often the last few years. You will kill him for me."
He waved a hand, and a slave passed her a datapad. She skimmed through it, and her lips slowly parted in a predatory smile as she took in the details. Golden hair, blue eyes, some sort of cloth mask, and most important of all, a Padawan braid dangling behind his right ear.
"You've got yourself a deal. I'll need to hire a crew, though. For something like this, I know just the people."
"That's your prerogative," Xomit said. "All the details are on there. We will pay double your usual rate, plus expenses. Leave no witnesses."
He gestured for her to leave, and she departed with a lazy salute and a cheerful grin. Not even his relentless arrogance could dampen her good mood. It had been too long since she had gone after a Jedi. As she calculated her hyperspace jump, she even let out a low chuckle.
'Naruto Uzumaki, it is not your lucky day.'
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
In the two years since his first mission to Naboo, Naruto had taken to regularly sparring with the various Soresu experts in the Temple at least three times a week. Today it was Obi-Wan facing off with him in the training salle. Though not as experienced as either Master Unduli or Master Bilaba, he was already a master of Form III. Certainly he was more skilled than Naruto, as evidenced by him still being upright, while Naruto found himself on his back, wondering where his lightsaber had gone.
"I think I'm starting to memorize this ceiling," he said. "I definitely spend enough time looking at it."
Obi-Wan let out an amused snort. "I see Anakin has passed on more of his questionable habits. If either of you dedicated as much effort to your training as you seem to do your witticisms, both of you would swiftly surpass Master Yoda."
"Hey! I train more than any other Padawan in the Temple."
"I suppose you do," Obi-Wan said as he tossed him his lightsaber and helped him to his feet. Not for the first time, it struck Naruto that he and Obi-Wan were now roughly the same height. Naruto estimated he had just over a centimeter left before he passed the older man up. While Obi-Wan didn't exactly tower like Mace or Jiraiya did, Naruto still reveled in no longer being short. Even better, at fifteen, he still had at least one more growth spurt to look forward to.
"By the way, what was that last combination you used? It wasn't Soresu, and I don't think it was Juyo, either."
Naruto shrugged and looked away, trying to project an air of casual nonchalance. That was something he had wanted to keep to himself, at least for a while longer. Judging by the way Obi-Wan's eyebrows quirked, he hadn't quite pulled it off. He considered just remaining silent on the matter, but he quickly dismissed that idea. Obi-Wan's eyebrows could pry information out of anyone. They ought to be studied. After a second, he sighed and tried for prevarication.
"It's just… something I've been working on. In my spare time, you know. It isn't ready yet, though, obviously."
Obi-Wan stared at him for a long minute before he gave a small nod. Naruto couldn't sense anything concrete from him. His shields were too good for that, but he thought the older man had guessed more than he was letting on. Still, if he wasn't going to press, then Naruto wasn't going to worry about it.
"We still have some time, Naruto. Care for another round?"
Under ordinary circumstances, Naruto would have said yes without hesitation. However, even as Obi-Wan offered, he sensed a familiar sunburst of emotions through the Force heading his way. With the distinct mix of eager happiness, stubborn resolve, and boundless confidence, all backed up by a faint thrum of hunting instincts, Ahsoka may as well have shouted her presence with a loudspeaker. For some reason, he could always sense her more easily than just about anyone else in the Temple; nearly as easily as he could sense Master Windu, in fact. He could tell someone else with her, too, but he couldn't tell who it was. It didn't matter, though. The game was on.
"Sorry, but I think Ahsoka's looking for me. Say hi to Anakin for me and tell him he still owes me ten credits."
"Why does he owe you-" Obi-Wan started, but it was too late. Naruto was already out the door.
As he felt her getting closer, he scuttled up the walls and onto the ceiling, flattening himself into the shadow of a pillar. As she passed underneath him, he dropped, aiming to land behind her. It was a game they had been playing for over a year now, seeing who could successfully ambush the other whenever the opportunity presented itself. As he fell silently through the air, it looked like he was going to win again. She hadn't even glanced up once, and his hasty plan was going perfectly…
…Right until he felt the Force grab hold of him and suspend him two meters off the ground. Ahsoka turned around with holodrama slowness, one hand held out in front of her, a triumphant grin plastered across her face. Said face was framed by an Akul tooth headdress, a mark of prowess for any Togruta. It was not the only change Ahsoka had made to her outfit in the last two years. Gone was her traditional Jedi tunic and its place was a much less restrictive garment. It consisted of a maroon tube top that left her stomach bare, a matching short skirt with a purple, Togruta sash on the front, white leggings, and tall, maroon boots. She also wore a set of maroon fingerless gloves and forearm warmers. Overall, she cut a very different, though no less fearsome figure than she had two years earlier.
"Really, Naruto. Dropping from the ceiling. That's just sad. You can do better than that."
Naruto just eye-smiled at her. While she focused on him, the Kage Bunshin he'd made earlier dropped silently behind her and leaned right next to her left montral. "I did," it whispered as it poked her in the side. Ahsoka yelped and jumped a solid meter into the air. It would have been hilarious had she not also lost her Force hold on Naruto. Instead of enjoying the startled look on his best friend's face, Naruto instead let out a shocked yelp of his own as he landed on the floor in an unruly heap. From that less than dignified position, he heard a quiet, familiar voice.
"Umm, are you two okay?"
He glanced up and quickly zeroed in on the source of the question. "Oh, hey Viir. When did you get here?"
"Seriously, Naruto?" Ahsoka asked, having returned from her brief flight. "She was with me the whole time. How is it you sensed me from halfway across the Temple, but you didn't notice Viir even when she was literally right in front of your face?"
Naruto scrambled to his feet and drew whatever was left of his dignity around him like a cloak. "Well, your shields are crap, 'Soka. Viir's are a lot better. They actually exist, for one."
Ahsoka growled, a low, trilling rumble that no human could replicate, and flashed her fangs at him. "Hey, there's nothing wrong with my shields."
"Whatever you say, 'Soka." Naruto raised his hands placatingly. "Now, why are you two here? Shouldn't you be studying for your Padawan trials?"
Ahsoka, ever kind and gracious, snorted like an eopie. "You, of all people, are going to get on us about studying? Really?"
Naruto just fixed her with his best deadpan stare. Two years with Master Windu now paid off when she immediately shivered and backpedaled.
"Okay, okay, sorry. Force, you're getting way too good at that. Anyway, that's sort of why we're here. With the trials coming up at the end of the week, Viir wanted more hand-to hand combat practice. She asked me, and I… sort of decided…"
"To enlist me?"
"Only if you're not too busy," Viir said, shuffling her feet and trying not to look nervous. "I don't want to bother you."
Naruto frowned and cocked his head to the side. "What are you talking about, Viir? You're not bothering me. She is-" he gestured at Ahsoka, who bristled with false outrage, "-but you're not."
The smaller girl looked away, an embarrassed blush turning her ears red. Her voice dropped to a near whisper, and only Naruto's hyperacute hearing let him make out what she was saying.
"It's just… you're a Padawan now, and you go on missions with Master Windu and everything. I'm sure you've got a bunch more important things to do than help me out. It's really not that big of a deal."
By the time she had finished talking, her voice was nearly inaudible and her gaze was glued firmly to her feet. Naruto could sense the nervousness and shame whirling inside of her, even through her shields. He shot a discreet glance at Ahsoka, who nodded minutely, before reaching out and gently grabbing Viir by the shoulders. With such close contact, the storm of failureshame, tooweaknotready, and stayquiet, notaburden echoed loudly in his mind. Only his training with Aayla on how to control his empathic powers and insulate his mind kept him from wincing.
"Viir, please look at me," he said, careful to keep his voice calm and soft. Slowly, reluctantly, Viir raised her head to meet his gaze. Her eyes glimmered with repressed tears, and she sniffled. "I want you to listen to me carefully. Helping you is the more important thing."
A small spark of hope flickered within her Force presence. "Really?"
"Really. You're not a burden, you're not a bother, and you're not weak. You're my clanmate and my friend. I told you when I became a Padawan that wouldn't change, and I meant it. I would be thrilled to help you train for your trials. Would you like that?"
Viir nodded once, more a jerk of her head than anything else, before she launched herself forward and wrapped her arms around him. Naruto readily returned the embrace and projected happycalm and warmsafe as hard as he could. If any of the nearby Knights and Masters shot him a stern look for the blatant display of emotion, he ignored them. After a minute spent burrowed into his robes, Viir finally pulled back. Her eyes were a little red, but they were free of tears, and her Force presence screamed embarrassment over her outburst more than anything else. Most importantly, a small smile had made its way onto her face. Satisfied, Naruto ruffled her hair and gestured down the hall.
"How about you go find an empty training salle and get warmed up, okay? We'll be there in a minute."
The now shyly grinning girl nodded and scampered off, no doubt eager to regain her composure away from prying eyes. Once she rounded the corner and moved out of sight, Ahsoka walked up next to him and bumped him with her shoulder.
"Thanks, Goldie," she said, using her latest nickname for him. "She needed that."
"How long has she been stewing like that?"
Ahsoka hesitated for a long moment before answering. "I don't actually know. I didn't notice until a few days ago, when it got bad. I should have seen it sooner, though. She's probably been nervous for weeks. I was just- I should have seen it sooner."
Now it was Naruto's turn to bump her with his shoulder. "Hey, don't you go beating yourself up, too. You had your own Trials to worry about, and Viir's always been good about keeping stuff like this to herself. You noticed, and now you're helping. That's what matters."
She shot him a grateful look and leaned her head against his shoulder, using him as a pillow. It was a habit she had developed years ago. When he'd asked, she'd just said he was warm and sounded nice. Naruto wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but he'd decided to take it as a compliment. For a pleasant minute they just stood there, enjoying each other's company and the feel of each other's Force presence. Occasionally, she would give his Padawan braid, which now extended down to his shoulder, a gentle flick. After a while, though, Naruto gave her a gentle shake.
"Come on, we'd better go before Viir thinks we abandoned her."
Ahsoka looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean 'we'?"
Naruto gave her his most self-satisfied eye-smile. "What, you thought you could just rope me into this and run for the flight simulators? Kriff, no. You're helping me, like it or not. Besides, you're hand-to-hand isn't exactly awe-inspiring. Don't worry, though. I'll whip you both into shape."
"Wha- My hand-to-hand is just- Goldie, you-" Ahsoka sputtered as he took off in the same direction Viir had gone. "Get back here. I am so going to clobber you."
Naruto just laughed, and she raced after him, determined to teach him a lesson. If they stumbled into the salle Viir had chosen already a little breathless and disheveled, and if Naruto was rubbing a swiftly reddening ear, as if it had been firmly pinched by a pair of sharp-nailed, orange fingers, well, that was just the sort of friends they were.
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After an hour of sparring and katas, Naruto had determined that Viir's biggest problem was, perhaps unsurprisingly, confidence. She might not have been the most skilled fighter in the Clawmouse clan, but she was still above the standard for new Padawans. The problem was, she refused to see it. She was so convinced of her own inadequacy at fighting that she was subconsciously sabotaging her own technique. He might have admired her stubbornness had it not been the very thing causing her problems. Since it was, Naruto resorted to the oldest and most reliable method of dealing with stubborn students; the one that all of his teachers had used on him over the years. Endless, exhausting repetition.
"Again, faster!"
Viir rolled out of her fall and struggled to her feet. Her slight frame dripped with sweat, and her breath came in rapid pants, but her stance was strong and her arms were steady. Ahsoka signaled them to start, and he wasted no time in aiming a low, sweeping kick at her legs. She jumped over it and snapped her own kick out at his head. When he blocked it, he was pleasantly surprised that she was indeed faster this time, despite her exhaustion. Fast enough that he couldn't grab hold of her leg before she retracted it and followed up with a punch to his liver. With a smile hidden beneath his mask, Naruto twisted around it and gave her arm a yank, tugging her off balance. Before she could recover, he had her locked in a chokehold with one arm twisted behind her back. She struggled valiantly for a few seconds, before the increasing pressure on her carotid arteries forced her to forfeit or risk passing out.
"Again, Viir. Don't hesitate before you follow up this time."
She looked up at him from rubbing her tender throat and gave him a glare. It was actually a little shocking to see sweet, shy Viir, who never raised her voice, actually try to glare a hole in his head.
"What's the point of this, Naruto? I'm not getting anywhere."
'Kami, is this what I sounded like when Kakashi-sensei first trained me,' Naruto thought. In the end, he decided he probably didn't want to follow that train of thought further, and tried to channel the wisdom of his teachers.
Both Jiraiya and Mace were big believers in confronting problems directly, and Naruto saw no reason to stray from their well-trod path. It had worked for him, and there was no way Viir was as Bantha-headed as he had once been.
"You're wrong, you know," Naruto said, flicking Viir in the forehead to emphasize his point. She squawked in protest, but it got her attention. "You've been improving this whole time."
"But-"
"Viir, have I made the same correction twice so far?"
She frowned, thinking back. "Well… no."
"That's because I haven't had to. You haven't made the same mistake twice. When you dodged my first counter last match, I didn't let you do that. You earned it. You've already improved, and you were plenty good enough to start with."
Viir made a face as if to protest, but Ahsoka cut her off.
"Naruto's right. Your skills are fine. You need to stop worrying so much."
Viir looked back and forth between the two, her mouth moving silently. She looked completely lost, and Naruto could sense the confusion and denial blanketing her thoughts.
"But- but you two are both so much better at this than me. I'm always last in sparring, and you can beat me without even trying, and- ow. What was that for?"
Naruto interrupted her with another flick to the forehead and smiled at her reaction. "For being a Nerf-stubborn spacebrain. Listen, Master Windu has a saying. 'The only person you should compare yourself to is the person you were yesterday.' So what if Ahsoka or I are better fighters than you? We're both going to be Guardians. Fighting's our specialty. You're way better than us at diplomacy, and history, and all sorts of other things. Okay?"
He looked at her expectantly, trying to see if his words had sunk in. Outside of a few stints at crèche duty with the younger clans, and his few times coaching Konohamaru, Naruto had very little experience mentoring anyone. It felt like she was starting to accept what he was saying, but he wasn't sure. She still seemed hung up on something.
"But… the Padawan trials? What if I'm not good enough?"
"Force, didn't you hear Ahsoka and me?" Naruto moaned with a put-upon sigh. "You'll. Be. Fine. You were already good enough before we started. Your only issue was confidence."
Viir frowned and opened her mouth to respond, but Naruto silenced her with a look; another skill he had picked up from his master.
"I swear, if you try to disagree with me, I'll just flick you again. Got it?"
Viir pouted at him for a few seconds before she rolled her eyes and huffed. "Fine. If you say so. But… well, can we keep sparring? I miss spending time with you."
"Of course. I'd like that."
The smile Viir gave him was smaller than her earlier one, but the pure delight in it shone all the brighter. She crossed the short distance between them and gave him a tight hug. "Thank you, Naruto-nii," she whispered in Nihongo. Naruto stiffened in surprise for a moment before he returned the embrace even tighter. His eyes stung a little, and his breathing was shaky. Until now, only Anakin had called him his brother. He had long since considered Viir a little sister, but to have those feelings returned so openly was an unexpected, but cherished, surprise.
"You're welcome, Viir-chan," he whispered back in the same language. "Now, let's beat each other up."
She giggled at that and stepped back into a ready stance. Before they could start, though, Ahsoka dragged Viir over into a corner.
"You two have had your heart to heart, Naruto. Now it's my turn," she said in response to his unspoken question. Viir looked equally confused, but didn't protest as she marched her across the room. Ahsoka whispered something in her ear, too low for even Naruto to catch. Viir giggled and whispered back. If that wasn't suspicious enough, both of them had raised their mental shields as high as they could, keeping him from sensing their emotions unless he forced it.
"What are you two planning?" He asked when the two of them had turned back towards him. Their shields were still up, but their mischievous grins told a story all their own.
"Oh, nothing," Ahsoka said, in what was perhaps the least genuine tone he had ever heard. "Get to sparring. We don't have all day."
Naruto tried his best deadpan stare, but she managed to remain strong this time. With a resigned snort, he took his position for the spar. Whatever was going on, prying it out of the girls would be like pulling gundark teeth. In his experience, 50,000 years and a whole species of separation hadn't changed the fact that girls were mysterious, scary, and just plain weird.
"Ready… begin!"
As soon as Ahsoka called the start, Viir was in motion. With her earlier worries assuaged, if perhaps not completely gone, her form was much more graceful. The split-second hesitation that had crippled her technique earlier was gone, replaced by a tentative confidence. The last thing Naruto wanted to do was destroy her newfound faith in her abilities, so he deliberately held back. Rather than use his superior speed and skill to force an opening, he allowed her to demonstrate, to herself as much as him, the new tricks and techniques he had taught her.
They traded blows back and forth for several minutes, more enjoying the activity than actually trying to win. Just when Naruto thought he had been mistaken, and the girls hadn't been planning anything after all, they sprung their trap. He was about to launch into a double spin-kick combo when he felt a bunch of invisible hands grab onto him and hold him fast. A familiar Force signature accompanied the sudden attack.
"Ahsoka, what the hell?"
"Viir, get him!" He could hear the smirk in her voice. His newfound little sister promptly transformed into a tiny, brown clothed rocket aimed straight at his legs. With a burst of power, he broke free of Ahsoka's Force hold, but it was too late. Before he could dodge Viir's tackle, a pair of skinny orange arms wrapped around his chest and pinned him in place. Viir slammed into his legs, and they all went tumbling to the ground in a tangle of laughter and limbs. When he finally disentangled himself and pinned both of the others to the mats, Naruto stood triumphantly.
"You two are a pair of incorrigible pests," he said. "But you're both ready for the Padawan trials."
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One week later
The Padawan trials went as well as Naruto could have hoped. All of his former clanmates had done well at the various tests. Viir had even won several of her sparring matches, much to her surprise. She and the rest of them were now sequestered, preparing for the Gathering and learning how to build their lightsabers. Naruto was busy with Jiraiya, practicing his elemental manipulation. He had long since progressed past cutting simple duraplast, and now was in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, trying to split one of the larger waterfalls. He had stationed half a dozen clones around the room at other waterfalls, practicing the same exercise.
He had managed to get almost halfway through the largest waterfall when he felt a familiar nudge at the back of his mind.
'Naruto, report to the Council chambers. There is something we need to discuss with you.'
Jiraiya must have noticed his lapse in focus, because he tossed a pebble at his head. "Pay attention, brat. You'll never get this down if you keep losing focus."
Naruto tossed the pebble right back at his mentor. It made a clink as it bounced off his forehead protector.
"What's the big idea, baka-sensei? I didn't lose focus; Master Windu was talking to me." He dodged another pebble. "Oi, stop that. What's that one for?"
"Being disrespectful, brat," Jiraiya said with a grin. Naruto just stuck his tongue out and made a rude gesture. "Very mature. Now spill. What did Mace have to say?"
"Apparently, the Council wants to talk with me. He told me to report to the tower right away."
"Oh," Jiraiya said, grinning knowingly. "What did you do this time? You didn't traumatize another class of younglings, did you?"
Naruto sputtered with outrage. "I didn't do anything… this time. And those kids had a great time. They learned a lot. It's not my fault their crèche master was such a stick in the mud."
Jiraiya just shook his head. "So what do they want you for, then?"
"I don't know. Master Yoda didn't say anything to you?"
"He tries to keep me out of Council business," Jiraiya said. "Can't imagine why."
Naruto rolled his eyes. The Council may have softened their stance on things such as relationships and emotions over the years, but only slightly. It had been more of a tacit relaxing of the stricter rules rather than any formal change in doctrine. No doubt Jiraiya had been making a nuisance of himself again, trying to speed up the changes he had started. Naruto wasn't about to get involved. The politics of the Council were, if anything, even less interesting to him than the politics of the Senate. It wasn't like he had ever really followed the Code when it came to attachment or emotion, anyway.
"You'd better get going," Jiraiya said. "Don't want to keep the Council waiting, even if it is fun watching Tiin's face twitch."
Naruto nodded and dispelled his clones. The sudden rush of information had him shaking his head, but it passed after a moment. Those clones had been active for most of the morning, so the combined strain was noticeable, but hardly debilitating. Once he had filed the fresh memories away, he crossed his fingers and made ten more Kage Bunshin.
"Go to the archives and study those binary linguistics textbooks Master Windu assigned me. Dispel when you're done and don't piss off Master Nu this time. She threatened to ban me after that crap with the monkey-lizards."
Fortunately, there didn't appear to be any oddballs in this batch of shadow clones. They all saluted as one before disappearing in a blur of shunshin. Naruto took the time to wave a quick farewell to Jiraiya before he used a shunshin of his own to vanish from the room.
After a quick stop at his quarters to change into fresh robes, Naruto headed to the Council chambers. When he arrived, the doors were already open, and Master Poof called him in right away.
"Thank you for coming, Naruto," the Quermian Master of the Order said in his thin, reedy voice. "We have something to discuss with you."
"Um, am I in trouble?" Naruto asked. He didn't think he was, but no one had ever lost money betting that the Council was upset with him for something. Not the whole Council, typically, but Master Tiin and Master Rancisis could both usually find something to grumble about. Right on cue, Master Tiin spoke up.
"Is there some reason you should be in trouble, Padawan?" His gaze bored into Naruto, who determinedly kept his face blank. He'd been dealing with the uptight Iktotchi Master for years now, and had learned not to rise to the man's confrontational attitude.
"I don't think so, master. Your boots aren't squeaking again, are they?"
Usually.
A soft ripple of laughter spread across the room, accompanied by the clear, bell-like ring of amusement from several of the Councilors. Tiin stared at him blankly for a few seconds before he let out a rueful snort.
"Fair enough," he said. Naruto dipped his head in a small bow to acknowledge their verbal spar. Contrary to his master's frequent complaints, he did have some grasp of maturity and politeness.
"Your wit remains sharp as ever, young Naruto, but I fear we have important business to discuss," said Master Poof. Naruto immediately straightened and returned his focus to the venerable Quermian, the picture of Jedi calm and professionalism. "Thank you. Master Yoda?"
"Hrrm, know, you do, that passed their Padawan trials your former clanmates have. In three days, leave for the Gathering they will. Accompany them, you will. Their guide you shall be, yes."
It took a few moments for Naruto to realize what Yoda was saying. Gatherings traditionally took place aboard the Crucible, and were only accompanied by a single guide. That couldn't be right, though. If he was going to be that guide, that meant-
"You mean I'm going alone?" Naruto asked, too shocked for manners. "This'll be my first solo mission?"
"Yes, Padawan," Mace said. "The Council has decided you are ready for such a responsibility."
'I've decided you are ready,' he sent over their bond. The feelings of trust and confidence that accompanied the words would have settled warmly in Naruto's chest, had he not been so busy trying not to panic.
"I- but I've only been a Padawan for two years. Aren't solo missions for senior Padawans?"
As he struggled to rein in his shock at the unexpected assignment, he felt the comforting touch of Master Depa Billaba brushing against his shields. "Naruto, you have shown remarkable skill and maturity, despite your relatively brief time as a Padawan. Your actions on Chandrila and Kuat, as well as your dedication to your training at the Temple have all garnered notice."
"The galaxy is becoming a more and more dangerous place every day," Plo Koon said. "The Jedi are already spread thin, trying to maintain the peace. In such times, I fear we must ask you to step up and assume greater responsibility, tradition notwithstanding."
Naruto took a deep, calming breath, and released his anxiety into the Force as best he could. With the initial surprise over, he could see only one real option. Never once had he balked at a challenge, and he wasn't about to start now.
"I accept, Masters. I won't let you down."
"Good," said Master Poof. "You will leave in three days to rendezvous with the Crucible. May the Force be with you."
As the Council filed out of the room, a signal from Mace had him walking into an antechamber down the hall. To his mild surprise, Depa joined them as well. As soon as they were all in the room, Mace wasted no time in speaking.
"I sense you are nervous about this mission. Why?"
Naruto paused before answering and tried to order his thoughts. He wasn't entirely sure how to articulate what he was feeling, but he tried anyway.
"I've… never been on my own before. Even back in Konoha, I never ran a mission by myself. I never even led a team. I've made tough decisions before, sure, but…"
"It's never come down to just you?" Depa finished, her voice kind and soothing. Naruto nodded, and she laid a hand on his elbow. "I can remember feeling the same way before my first solo mission. Most Jedi do, especially those who already know how high the stakes can be. Just know that you are ready, and you can handle this."
Mace nodded. "It's good to acknowledge your fears and get them in the open. Fear thrives in darkness and secrecy. When we admit our fear, it loses the power to control us."
You really think I'm ready for this?" Naruto asked. Mace looked him straight in the eyes and nodded.
"I do, Padawan. You have much to learn and you often drive me to distraction, but you have never disappointed me. In time, you will become a great Jedi Knight. This is just another step on that journey. Remember what I have taught you, and you should perform adequately."
While they may have seemed cold to most, Naruto could sense the warmth and conviction behind his master's words. Mace was rarely one to display open emotion, but over the last two years, Naruto had learned the subtle cues he used to show friendship and affection. His trust was difficult to earn, and it meant a lot to Naruto that Mace had such faith in his abilities. It should have calmed his worries, and to some extent, it did. However, he couldn't shake the lingering feeling of dread he had about being on his own for this mission.
'This is stupid,' he thought. 'I haven't let fear control me since my first mission outside of the village. There's no way I'm going to start now. Not when everyone believes in me so much.'
With that in mind, he smiled and bowed his head in gratitude. Mace excused himself to take care of an overdue report to the Senate about their last mission, leaving him and Depa alone in the room. He could feel her gaze on him without even looking; warm, yet eerily perceptive. Over the last few years, she had become something of a confidant of his. He had often gone to her for advice, seeking a different, and sometimes gentler, point of view than that of his master. As such, she could read him better than most, sometimes even better than Mace himself. Judging by the gentle concern he could see in her eyes, it seemed this was one of those times.
"You hide your feelings well, Naruto," she said. "Better than most would credit you with. But I can still sense your trepidation. You can talk to me. Perhaps I can help."
Naruto grimaced. "I just- I don't even know what the problem is. It's stupid. I shouldn't be afraid. I know I can handle this. It's just… ugh, I don't know. Something just feels wrong."
"Hhmm." Depa looked at him for a moment, and then pulled him into one of her rare embraces. Naruto let himself relax into the comforting warmth and released his pent up tension with a deep sigh. His fists unclenched and his shoulders relaxed as the stress drained out of him. "You know, just because this is a solo mission doesn't mean you have to go through every part of it on your own."
Naruto pulled back and gave her a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"
"Ever since I've known you, you've drawn strength from your friends. Perhaps you should do so now. Go to them. Talk to them. You may find they can provide answers you can't see. Even if they cannot, I think you'll find that a little comfort before a frightening task goes further than you might think."
Naruto stood stock still for a moment as he processed her words. Finally, he groaned and slapped himself on the forehead. "Aarrgh. Force, I'm such an idiot. Why didn't I think of that?"
Depa gave him an impish smile. "I believe you just answered your own question."
"Oi! I thought you Council members were supposed to be all stoic and professional," Naruto said in mock outrage. "Isn't making fun of a lowly Padawan beneath you?"
"First of all, there's nothing 'lowly' about you anymore, Naruto," she said as she looked up at him. It was true. Depa was not a tall woman, and Naruto stood nearly a head taller than her. "Second, while mocking a Padawan would be frowned upon, bantering with a friend is hardly going to be censured."
Upon hearing that, Naruto gave her a brilliant eye-smile. He didn't think it would ever get old, being reminded that he had friends now. Lots of friends. For someone who had grown up almost completely alone, it was sometimes hard to believe it wasn't all a dream. Unbidden, his thoughts turned to his old comrades from Konoha. As always, the memories came with a stab of grief, but the thought of what he had gained since then dulled the pain of their loss. Though they were all long dead, the memory of his lost friends lived on in the new bonds he had forged.
"Thank you for the advice, master." He bowed his head. "And thank you for being my friend. I promise I'll make you all proud."
"You always have, Naruto. You always have."
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
The next day, Naruto found himself in the Senate building, in the office of an old friend; Padmé Amidala. Shortly after her term as Queen had expired, she had taken up the post as Naboo's Senator. Since then, she had become a staunch supporter of the Jedi Order, as well as a personal friend to several of its members. It was for that last reason Naruto had come.
"You know, I really shouldn't have even bothered to ask Aayla where you were, Anakin. You spend practically every spare moment you have here," he said as he walked in. Sure enough, the older Padawan was in the office, talking with Padmé. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
Now, Naruto wasn't entirely sure what was going on between the two of them, and he wasn't about to seriously ask. He had his suspicions, ones backed up by the complex tangle of powerful emotions they both projected when they were around each other, but there were some things he felt he was better off not knowing. He didn't have words strong enough to describe how much he didn't want to get in the middle of that part of his older brother's life. Still, he wasn't about to pass up such a golden opportunity for teasing. Honestly, the wisecracks practically wrote themselves, and he needed some comic relief. He even added an extra waggle to his eyebrows, just to drive the point home.
To his immense satisfaction, Anakin immediately turned pink. Surprisingly, though, so did Padmé. She was better at hiding it, but he definitely spotted a faint blush on her cheeks in response to his joke. Now that was interesting, and definitely worth filing away for later. If his time spent with Jiraiya had taught him anything, it was to never pass up dirt on your friends.
While Padmé managed to more or less keep her composure, Anakin was reduced to a red-faced, spluttering mess. "You- I'm not- Naruto, what are you doing here?"
"Ani, don't be rude," Padmé gently chided him. "Naruto, are you alright? You look stressed. Is something wrong?"
'How the hell do girls know shit like that?' Naruto wondered. 'I know I'm not that easy to read.'
The mysteries of feminine intuition would have to wait, though, because Padmé had that look in her eyes, and woe betide anyone who didn't answer her when she had that look.
"It's nothing serious, really. I just needed to talk to Anakin really quick."
Her skeptical frown, accompanied by a surge of worry and disbelief, told him exactly what she thought of his flimsy excuses, but he ignored her in favor of Anakin. His brother seemed to have forgotten his prior indignation in favor of curiosity and moved around the desk to face him.
"What's up? You in trouble with the Council again? I heard you got called up there suddenly yesterday."
"Why does everyone always assume I'm in trouble?" Naruto rolled his eyes while Anakin and Padmé both smothered giggles. "No, don't answer that. I'm not in any trouble. Kinda the opposite, actually. You know the Gathering coming up in a couple of days?"
Anakin nodded. "Yeah. What does that have to do with-" He paused and gave Naruto a stunned look. "No? Really?"
"Yep."
"Already? That's- wow."
"Ahem," Padmé cleared her throat and gave them both pointed looks. "Would either of you care to fill me in on what the blazes you're talking about?"
"Oh, right. Sorry." Naruto scratched his head in embarrassment. "The Council gave me my first solo mission yesterday."
She blinked in surprise for a moment before breaking out into a huge grin. "Naruto, congratulations! That's wonderful." Her smile faded a bit, then, and she paused for a moment before continuing. "No offense, though, but aren't you a little… young for something like that?"
"Oh no, he's definitely young for his first solo mission," Anakin said. "I only got my first one two months ago. Master Windu must really believe in you."
Naruto grimaced. "Yeah. I just- I don't know if I'm ready. I mean, I know I'm ready. I just… don't feel ready, you know?"
"Hey, you'll do fine." Anakin clapped him on the shoulder. "I heard Master Windu let you take point during that guild dispute on Kuat. If you could handle that, then a Gathering should be easy."
"Not to mention how you handled yourself on Chandrila," Padmé said. "Senator Mothma told me how you helped end the insurrection there without a single life lost."
Naruto sighed. "Yeah. The Council pretty much said the same thing."
"Well, as much as I hate to compliment the Council, they're usually pretty smart about this sort of thing," Anakin said with a grin, before his face turned serious. "Have you talked to Jiraiya about this? He usually gives pretty good advice."
"I did, but it didn't really help. He's been running missions on his own for decades. I don't know if he even remembers what it was like to be a rookie. He just told me I was ready, and that it was just nerves."
"Well, he's not wrong," Anakin said apologetically. "When I went on my first solo mission, I was damn near having a panic attack the whole time. I was worried about making Obi-Wan proud, worried about screwing up the mission, and just worried because being on my own was new and weird. I'm pretty sure everyone gets nervous before their first solo mission. It'll be fine."
"You should listen to him, Naruto," Padmé said. "I know he doesn't act like it most of the time, but Anakin knows what he's talking about. Usually. About some stuff."
"Hey!"
Padmé and he couldn't help but laugh at the outraged expression on Anakin's face. After a moment, Anakin joined them, and Naruto slowly let the tension ease from his mind. As they passed the next hour bantering, joking, and, in Anakin and Padmé's case, gently flirting, he forgot all about his former worry. Depa had been right about how much strength he drew from his friends. Eventually, though, Padmé began herding them towards the door, pleading that her workload needed her attention.
"What are you working on, anyway?" Naruto asked. "You've been even busier than usual lately."
She sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose, while Anakin squeezed her other hand in support. "It's this Separatist movement. Ever since Count Dooku made his speech on Raxus last year, it seems as if the whole Republic is falling apart. More systems join his cause every day. The commerce guilds are inflaming the situation, and few in the Senate seem to care for diplomacy. The Military Creation Act is on the table again, and a depressing number of Senators seem in favor of it this time."
Naruto grimaced. Padmé had mentored him in galactic politics, but it remained an unpleasant topic for him. There was too much sneaking around and backstabbing for his taste, and he was a former shinobi. Despite his distaste, though, he could read the current climate.
"Don't those idiots know that raising an army right now will only lead to war?" Anakin voiced his exact thoughts before he could. "I'm going to go talk to the Chancellor. Maybe he can get them to see reason. Naruto, good luck on your mission, and may the Force be with you."
Anakin left in a swirl of cloaks and indignation, while Padmé shook her head fondly. She gave Naruto a hug, wished him luck, and then gently shooed him out of her office (though not before extracting a promise from him to visit again once he got back). Out in the hall, Naruto inhaled deeply and smiled. He felt refreshed and ready to face his upcoming mission.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
When the time came for the Clawmouse clan to leave for the Gathering, Naruto woke up well before dawn in order to get to the shuttle before any of the others. He hadn't bothered to inform them of his assignment, and he was very much looking forward to their reactions. Sure enough, when they walked into the hangar, bleary eyed and drowsy from the early morning, they stopped in their tracks upon seeing him.
"Um, Naruto, why are you here?" Ahsoka asked with a confused look. The others with her; Barriss, Viir, Trilla Suduri, Knox, and Galdos Stouff all seemed equally puzzled. Naruto gave his brightest eye-smile and clapped loudly to make sure they were all paying attention.
"Didn't you hear? I'm your guys' guide for the Gathering."
"But… where is Master Windu?" Knox asked. "If you're coming, shouldn't he be here too?"
"Nope. It's just me. The Council made this my first solo mission."
That caused a bit of a stir. Even Galdos, who was normally as expressive as a brick wall, widened his eyes and twitched his quills at the news. Knox's gills fluttered in excitement, while Trilla gasped in surprise. Viir and Barriss both smiled and congratulated him. Ahsoka, however, just groaned dramatically and palmed her forehead.
"They trusted you to go out on your own," she said, though she was clearly trying to suppress a grin. "Great. We're doomed."
"Ahsoka," Barriss hissed, scandalized. "Don't be mean. I'm sure Naruto will do fine, or the Council wouldn't have given him the mission."
"I mean, come on," Ahsoka continued, as if Barriss hadn't interrupted her. "They couldn't find anyone else. Feren's a Padawan now, isn't he? Couldn't he take us?"
"Ha ha ha," Naruto said as he rolled his eyes. "Hilarious, Ahsoka. You done?"
She tapped her chin, as if contemplating some deep mystery. "Mmm, yeah. I'm done. Nice job on getting a solo mission. Try not to get us lost or anything?"
Naruto just shook his head. "Stars, Anakin really has it right with his nickname for you, huh?"
"Maybe. But you're not going to use it, are you, Naruto?" Ahsoka's smile was dazzling. It also did an excellent job of showing off her wickedly sharp fangs. Naruto had to suppress a shudder.
"Anyway, we're burning daylight. Sort of. Can you use that expression if the sun isn't up yet? Whatever. Just get in the shuttle. Barriss, you be co-pilot."
"How come Barris gets to be co-pilot?" Ahsoka objected.
"Because she was nice to me. Sorry, Viir, but I've seen you fly. I choose life."
Ahsoka pouted, and his little sister chuckled sheepishly as he herded his former clanmates onto the shuttle. Once they were all onboard and strapped in, he fired up the engines and piloted them out of the hangar. As the pre-dawn cobalt of the sky swiftly gave way to the infinite black of space, he angled them towards the small Jedi spaceyard. There, amidst the various hyperspace rings and training modules, sat the Crucible. An ancient Paladin-class corvette, it had served as a Jedi training vessel for over a millennium. It could technically dock at the Temple, but with Coruscant traffic, Naruto had decided that a shuttle would be faster.
"Alright guys," Naruto said as he docked with the larger ship. "This is where the fun begins."
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
That's the end of the chapter. But wait, there's more. As stated above, the following omake is canon to the story. It takes places several months before the events of this chapter.
Omake: Ahsoka's Hunt 1
On the morning of her thirteenth birthday, Ahsoka Tano woke up not expecting much. Jedi put little stock in celebrating things like birthdays and holidays, nor did they often give or receive gifts. For the most part, Ahsoka was fine with that. She thought it was silly how most beings were so attached to physical possessions. To her, people were what mattered, and her friends most of all. So, when Barriss gave her a tight hug without any prompting, or when Viir asked to partner with her in flight training later that day, even though no one ever wanted to be her partner because she "flew like a swivel-eyed mynock with a death wish" or something, she basked in a warm feeling of contentment.
The only thing that was missing was her best friend. Every year since he had first arrived at the Temple, he had done something special with her to celebrate her birthday. Admittedly, the first time had involved a terrifying journey through the monster infested bowels of Coruscant and concluded with a death-defying fight against a group of vicious slavers, but it had still been special. This year, however, Naruto was off on a mission with Master Windu. It sucked, but such was the life of a Jedi. Missions always came first.
A brief flicker of jealousy curdled in her stomach before she banished it. 'Soon,' Ahsoka told herself. 'Soon I'll be a Padawan and go on missions too.'
That mantra had kept her going ever since Naruto had come back from Ilum with a lightsaber hanging at his side. It had driven her to push herself right to her limits and beyond, to the point where she now competed with or beat Barriss for the top spot in every class. She had sworn she would stand beside Naruto as they became Jedi, and no way was she going to let her infuriating, stubborn, wonderful, goofy prankster of a best friend beat her.
It still would have been nice if he were there for her birthday, though.
To her surprise, when she got back from the clan's early morning exercise and went to change, she found a gift nestled on top of her fresh tunic, a gift that definitely had not been there when she woke up in the morning. A gift that, judging by the bright orange wrapping, had somehow come from her aforementioned doofus of a best friend. A best friend who was, and had been for four days, over 20,000 light years away.
"How the- oh, that sneaky punk." She shook her head, unable to keep a smile from tugging at her lips. "Programming a Temple droid just to surprise me with a present. Only you, Naruto."
When she tore open the wrapping, to her utter lack of surprise, she found a scroll covered in four seals. 'Of course he'd seal my presents up. Stars forbid either of us ever do anything normally.'
With a half second's focus, she pulled the Force into her body and generated chakra. As she expected, the first seal contained a sizable bag of Ronto jerky. No matter what else he got her, Naruto always included a bag of her favorite snack on her birthday. The second seal contained another scroll, somewhat smaller than the first. When she unrolled it, Ahsoka saw it held the instructions on a Katon jutsu, written in Nihongo.
"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu," she read off the top. "Wizard!"
When she unlocked the third seal, a datacard appeared on top of the scroll. The tiny disc, small enough to sit comfortably in her palm, looked innocent enough, but she eyed it warily. Given that it came from Naruto, it could contain anything from a heartwarming birthday message to a montral-splitting Gamorrean poetry recitation. She'd seen him use datacards just like this one in his pranks a dozen times. Naruto didn't claim the title of 'Most Unpredictable Padawan Ever' for no reason, and even Ahsoka knew to look for a prank behind his every twitch and whisper. She didn't think he'd prank her on her birthday, but she also hadn't thought anyone could turn every light in the Senate Rotunda orange, and stars, had he ever proved her wrong about that.
Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, she gingerly set the datacard to one side and tried to open the fourth and final seal. Unlike the first three, though, it stubbornly refused to unlock. She tried again, channeling more and more chakra, until she was actually out of breath from the strain, but the seal remained stubbornly unresponsive.
"Fierfek!" When she looked closer at the last seal, she noticed it looked a little different from the others. Ahsoka knew next to nothing about the sealing arts, particularly compared to a growing expert like Naruto, but she thought there was a blank space on the central array, as if some of the symbols were missing. There were also extra arm thingies (radials, Naruto had called them) spiraling off from the main body of the seal. She had no idea what it meant, but one thing seemed certain. She wasn't getting into that last seal without help. Slowly, reluctantly, her eyes turned towards the datacard sitting next to the scroll.
"Okay. This better not end with me covered in paint, though." With her Force senses attuned for any potential danger, Ahsoka took the datacard and slipped it into her holopad. With one last check for any hidden surprises, she started the recording. A blue hologram of Naruto, about fifteen centimeters tall, flickered into life above the holopad. In the hologram, he wore his trademark eye-smile and waved enthusiastically.
"Happy birthday, Ahsoka! Sorry, again, I couldn't be there in person, but I arranged this instead. Pretty wizard, huh? You were probably scared I was going to prank you with the datacard or something, though."
"I was not," Ahsoka growled reflexively, before her stripes darkened in embarrassment when she realized she had just tried to argue with a recording. She was very grateful no one, especially Naruto, had seen her do it. Hologram Naruto kept talking as if nothing had happened.
"Not this time, though. I just wanted to say hi, and to tell you that you're the most awesome best friend anyone's ever had. Jedi are supposed to be humble, though, so don't let it go to your head or anything. I mean, it's true, but still… be humble in your awesomeness." A grin stole across her face even as her montrals burned out of embarrassment from his words. Her stripes were practically black now, and some feeling she couldn't identify flared to life in her chest. Whatever it was, it felt warm and soft, and she liked it.
"Oh, also, you probably noticed already, but you can't get into the last seal just yet. It's password locked, so you'll have to write the password in the blank space before you can open it. If I'm right, you should be getting the password in the next day or so. Until then, I guess you'll have to use some of that patience Master Leem and Obi-Wan are always saying you don't have. Think of it as your chance to prove them wrong. Have fun!"
With one last cheeky salute, the hologram shut off. Ahsoka glared at the blank display, as if she could somehow project her annoyance (and affection) towards her irritating friend through the inert machine and into his brain. Unfortunately, she didn't have time to properly fume. She had to hurry if she didn't want to be late for morning meal.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
Her day continued normally until midday meal. Viir made a good show of pretending she didn't regret flying with her after training, even though the poor girl's face had turned an ashy green color. The rest of her classes were the usual mix of boring and interesting. Just as she was sitting down to eat, though, she felt a sudden yank, followed by the rushing sensation of a kawarimi. When her head had stopped spinning, she found herself perched atop one of the arched ceiling supports, hidden from view. Next to her, grinning like a Kowakian monkey-lizard, squatted a familiar human.
"Kark, Anakin, what was that about?" She thumped him in the ribs as hard as she could in their precarious position. He winced and held up his hands in surrender.
"Ow! Watch it, Snips." She growled at her nickname, but he paid it no mind. "It's your birthday. I'm kidnapping you. You're welcome."
Ahsoka took a deep breath and counted to ten in every language she knew. Only in the demented minds of Anakin or Naruto could any of those sentences go together. She loved Anakin like an older brother. He was usually a great mentor, but sometimes he could be crazier than a solar flare jockey. It wasn't bad, per se, but you needed to adjust to it.
"Skyguy, I still have classes. I think they'll notice if I just suddenly vanish from the mess hall."
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, Snips. You're still down there, see?" He pointed towards the dining tables, looking far too satisfied with himself. When she followed his finger, she saw she was, apparently, still sitting in her seat, eating her meal. No one around her seemed to have noticed anything amiss.
"A shadow clone?" She asked. Anakin nodded and somehow contrived to look even more smug.
"Yep. I checked your schedule; none of your other classes need the Force. It'll pass as you, while you enjoy your birthday present. What do you think?"
Annoyingly, Ahsoka couldn't see anything wrong with the plan. Anakin's henged clone probably could pass itself off as her for the rest of the day, and she didn't doubt that whatever activity he had lined up for them would be more fun than sitting around in class for the next six hours. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of admitting he had a good idea, though. Not after he had kidnapped her in broad daylight.
"What about my food?" She snarked, just to be contrary. "I am not going hungry."
Anakin just shrugged. "We'll stop at Dex's then. We've got plenty of time."
With a sigh, Ahsoka relented. Anakin laughed and pumped his fist in victory, before swinging her onto his back. She had just enough time to brave herself before he flashed through a quick set of familiar hand signs and they vanished in a quick shunshin.
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
And so ends the first chapter in the new arc. This should be the longest timeskip for the rest of the story, though there will be at least one more leading into the start of the war. For now, though, you have (semi) grown up Naruto. You'll see more of his improved skills later on, but trust me. He hasn't been lazing around in the last two years.
If any of you were wondering, both Xomit Grunseit and Galdos Stouff are canon characters, not OCs. There is no information on Galdos' species, nor any physical description of him, so I just made up what he looks like. Also, the Trilla here is the same Trilla who appeared in Jedi: Fallen Order. Based on her age in that game (mid 20s ish) she could very well have been in the same clan as Ahsoka. Knox is the Nautolan Padawan whom Savage killed on his first rampage. Finally, in case my description was confusing, Ahsoka is now wearing her outfit from the first couple season of Clone Wars. Naruto is still dressed like young Cal Kestis, only bigger and with his gauntlets, headband, and mesh armor.
Please, let me know what you think of this chapter, and the omake, in the review section. Thank you, and I'll see you next time.