A/N:Hey guys, ZEN here with another chapter. To start off, I'll just answer a few questions/concerns some of you have been asking. Naruto will have his own set team when his beginner training is complete. Who it will be however is something I have yet to decide. As far as the general setting goes, I will likely be switching between Naruto's world and the Star Wars galaxy now that I've reintroduced Carth. Exile may make a cameo or two as this is running parallel with Kotor 2. As for Revan facing the Emperor, he did so once with Malak, only to get converted to the Dark Side. Much of what's happening after the first game is AU. Now, let's get the ball rolling!
Disclaimer: Naruto and Star Wars do not belong to me. I'd be a very rich, very happy man if they did. They are property of Masashi Kishimoto and Lucas Arts, respectively. Oh wait, I'm sorry, Disney. FFS...
Naruto lost track of time since he arrived on Ilum. All he knew as a constant were the hellish snowstorms, sleepless nights, and near nonstop training. Revan drove him until his body was literally crying out for rest; they would spar for hours, break to eat for ten minutes, thirty if he was lucky, and get right back at it. Today just happened to be one of those days.
"I think it's time you learned your next form; Form III, Soresu," stated Revan as they stood in the middle of a barren, white field.
"Wait, what about Form II?" asked a perplexed blonde.
"Form II is geared towards lightsaber combat, very situational. I do not expect you to have need of it at this point in time when Form III is much more flexible. Now, Soresu is known as the Resilience Form. The entire idea is to create an impenetrable defense. Think of yourself as the eye of the storm, if you will."
As he spoke, Revan began levitating many snowballs and rocks around him. Naruto gulped at what was to come. He was unnerved to say the least.
"I'm just guessing the whole idea is for me to block those things when you throw them at me, right?" he deadpanned.
The jedi responded by throwing a snowball directly at Naruto's face. He yelled in surprise as he brought the training saber up to block, the ball exploding and sizzling on the laser. Almost immediately after that was another, this time aimed for his leg. Naruto scrambled as much as he could, but still snowballs and to his great disdain, rocks, slipped past his wild swings.
"Soresu is all about tight maneuvers and subtle dodges. Your swinging is leaving you wide open."
The point was literally driven home as a rock landed into Naruto's stomach.
"You're not even giving me baby steps to work with!" he responded in frustration.
"Think of it this way; if you fail to block it, you're dead. Soresu was designed for blaster defense, but it will work just as well with kunai and shuriken."
Two more snowballs landed home, one to the arm and another to the leg shortly afterward. Revan had every intention to take advantage of Naruto's momentary pauses, and he did so maliciously.
"Constant movement; a single pause can be all it takes for your opponent to take advantage."
With that declaration, he abandoned his constant projectiles and launched at his apprentice head on, saber blazing to life in his hand. Naruto had barely a moment to swear under his breath as his master came upon him with a flurry of blows.
Needless to say, those days had the blonde limping back to the temple and swearing up a storm, which ironically would settle in as if on cue as soon as he reached shelter. Meditation was done in his own time after they retired for the evening, only to wake bright and early the next day and get right back to it. As far as Naruto was concerned, there was only one thought on his mind. It wasn't about home, it wasn't about becoming a shinobi or a jedi, nor was it about the other endless possibilities that awaited him in space.
"This place absolutely sucks," he muttered as he munched on a ration bar.
"Come again?" asked his master as he looked up from a book.
"It's freezing cold, I haven't had a proper meal in who knows how long, my muscles are aching in places I never knew I had muscles, no shower, no bed, not even a heat source that doesn't break half the time we need it, which is ALL THE TIME!"
Naruto was to the point of shouting, his voice rising with every word, yet his master only chuckled.
"You think this crap is funny? All I've done since we got to this rock is bust my ass and then-some. I know I'm in good physical condition, I know how to swing a lightsaber around, yet I'm not any closer to being a Jedi knight. If this whole thing is one big "shit-on-my-head" joke, I'm going to end up bring this whole temple down around our ears. I quit."
Revan snapped his book shut and stared intently at his apprentice. He had that look that clearly said "Are you done now? Can I start talking?". Naruto promptly shut up and stayed silent, fearing the worst his master could throw at him, literally and figuratively.
"Does my training not meet your standards?"
"Well... it's not like that but-"
"Let me ask you something. How many people do you think have gone through exactly what you are going through now?"
For once, the blonde had no answer.
"It's simple. The entire point of this trip is not just to condition your body. Jedi and shinobi live lives of sacrifice. They are lives of service, service to your people, to your country, and in our case, to our Republic. Each and every one of your peers, of mine, have made such sacrifices so that those we care about can sleep soundly at night. Many of them have made that ultimate sacrifice so that others don't have to. What I am asking you is are you capable of making such a sacrifice? Can you place the comfort and safety of others above your own? When you're out on a mission, in unknown territory, and things take a turn south, that's when your true character reveals itself. Some will turn and run, some may defect and go traitor, some my take their own lives in desperation, fearing capture. You told me once that you were ready, that you desired, you craved, for something more. Are you going to throw it all away because of a little cold? Because of a lack of food or shower? Believe me, if you quit on this, you might as well quit altogether because out there... giving up is a death wish."
Naruto sat back with a frown on his face, mulling over what his master had just told him. He was right. He wasn't alone in what he was doing. Countless others came before him, countless others succeeded. They all made it, yet here he was whining like a child. He was better than that, he knew that. He let his frustration and discomfort get the better of him. Naruto looked up at Revan and was about to reaffirm his choice not to quit when the jedi tossed a small box to him.
"I will admit however that your training has become rather stale. Eat up, because now is the moment of truth."
Revan had the boy's complete attention, if the fact that the ration bar and pre-made stew disappearing down his esophagus was any indication. It was gone in seconds and Naruto was eying his master carefully.
"I am going to present to you a choice. How you answer will determine the course your life shall take. If you decide to walk out of this temple now, you relinquish your chance and training as a Jedi and will return to Konoha to live the life of a shinobi. You will not see me again and will be free to forge your own path, but shall not venture beyond the safety of your planet. If you take that box and venture into the deep caverns, the planet will give your final test and how you emerge from it will determine your ascension to jedi knight."
"What about the box?"
"You will know when to open it when the time comes."
Naruto swallowed hard. "And the catch?"
"You will be a knight of the Republic, not of Konoha. You will be free to return to your home, work for your village and train alongside your fellow shinobi, but when you are called for duty, you must answer the call. Your service will be to the galaxy and its people, not to one village. Such a call may even claim your life."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then the peace of your planet will be broken. I will not lie to you Naruto, there are people in the galaxy who seek to extend their dominion across all the stars. One such man was someone I once served, but no more. He knows of your planet, of the people there and the tailed beasts. He has not yet claimed it yet, for he believes the losses would be too steep. But if he was to wage war against us, he will not hesitate to gain a trump-card. He will come for your world, for the power that shinobi wield, for what lies inside you."
Naruto's eyes widened at that statement. It confirmed his suspicions that Revan knew about the Kyuubi.
"Normally I wouldn't tell you that one until you were of an older age, but I sensed you found out on your own."
Naruto cast his eyes downward and started to shake. "Why... why didn't you tell me? All these years I've wondered why... what did I do to make them hate me so much? And yet you knew... this entire time, you knew!"
"It offered you power, didn't it."
Naruto's head shot up. How did he know that?
"Ask yourself, would you have been able to resist it had you been younger, with no experience but the abuse of the villagers?"
"No... I don't think I would have."
"Understand then why I waited till you were wiser and with a better head on your shoulders. Taking its offer would have brought ruin to everything and everyone around you, kill you in the process, and set the beast free to wreak havoc on the world once more."
Naruto shuddered at the thought. He knew he didn't have much to anchor him against that temptation either, but it was something, and maybe, just maybe he could gain more. Steeling his resolve, he stood up and turned... heading into the inky abyss that was the Crystal Caverns. He didn't say a word, he didn't look back, but if he did, he would have seen a small smile on Revan's face as the man returned to his book.
Sarutobi Hiruzen carefully eyed the genin team in his office. He knew as well as anyone how much of a bore D-rank missions became after the first few. He understood completely why the ninja in front of him were practically demanding for a greater challenge; team seven, led by Hatake Kakashi. One by one, the aging Kage studied each teenager, all barely twelve. The first was Uchiha Sasuke, the younger of two surviving members of the Uchiha clan. The boy showed great promise like his brother before him, having excelled highly in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and shurikenjutsu. The only problem was that his main flaw was his inability to work in a team. He was highly introverted, choosing instead to rely and focus on himself rather than the team as a whole. Such a lone wolf demeanor would only serve to get him killed.
The next was Haruno Sakura, an unassuming young girl with pink hair and an obvious affection for the Uchiha. Her taijutsu and ninjutsu skills were very sub-par, but to her credit she did possess an innate knowledge of tactics, field remedies, and human anatomy. She got along well enough with their third member, but lacked the motivation to improve her skills, favoring instead to chase an uninterested crush. From Kakashi's reports on the groups progress, she was considered the voice of reason between the wayward Uchiha and their temperamental companion.
The third member was Takeda Kenji, an orphan from Kumogakure. Brash, impatient, and hotheaded, he was quite possibly a walking time-bomb His skills in kenjutsu were unmatched by anyone near his age group, and his taijutsu was no slouch either, even overcoming Sasuke's skill. His problem however was that he had a short temper and was quick to being aggravated, something the Uchiha made a point to abuse every chance he got. He had long, thick black hair that was almost reminiscent of a young Orochimaru, but messier and had a better frame of his face. He held piercing amber eyes and odd markings running along the contours of his face, almost like scars. He always carried with him a pair of wakizashi at his waist, and wore a black shinobi shirt and pants with black sandals. If it wasn't for his vocal personality, Sarutobi would mistaken the boy for one of Danzo's ROOT.
"Explain to me how the hell pulling weeds is supposed to improve our skills as shinobi," Kenji loudly demanded of his superior.
"That's enough out of you. You are speaking to our Hokage, and like every team before you, you too will complete the required number of D-rank assignments," berated Umino Iruka, Sarutobi's current assistant.
"They're all odd-jobs! Come on, at least challenge us."
"Kenji-kun..." Sakura sighed.
Kakashi did his best not to comment. Even he was growing restless with the constant D-ranks the past month. For a moment, he missed the danger and adrenaline of the ANBU. Sarutobi studied each of the ninja carefully. While Kenji was by far the most in-your-face about it, he could see right through Sasuke's stoicism and Sakura's inhibitions that they shared the same opinion. Even Kakashi seemed restless.
"Kakashi-san. How would you rate your team's strength and skill level?" he asked.
"They have their quirks and flaws, Hokage-sama but they are plenty capable. There's only so much I can teach them when they're lacking real-world experience," replied the jonin.
"In that case..." the elder man trailed off.
Suddenly Kenji and Sakura grew hopeful, even Sasuke showed excitement. Iruka however had to make his voice known and object.
"Sir, they've barely graduated the Academy. They couldn't possibly be ready for a C-rank mission!"
Sarutobi paid the objection little mind as he took the scroll. "Look closely at them Iruka. They may have been your students once, but no longer. They've all grown and made great strides since they became a team. If Kakashi believes their skill to be of a satisfactory level, then I have no objects for testing the waters."
"You know how easily such missions can escalate. They could get killed!"
"Sometimes we must take a leap of faith to truly flourish. Now, for the mission; the client in question is seeking to be escorted and protected on his journey back to Wave country. It's a bit of a long-term mission so pack appropriately for about two to three weeks outside of the village."
"Finally, something exciting!" cheered Kenji. "Who are we protecting? A noble? A beautiful princess?"
On cue, the door slid open and in walked an aging, bespectacled gruff man. He held in his left hand a sake bottle and had a pack slung over his shoulders.
"Children, are you serious? They'll get run through in a heartbeat," he grunted as he took a swig of alcohol.
"You know what? I'll take the D-ranks if it means I can "run through" this old drunk," Kenji growled as he grabbed one of his swords. Kakashi however put a firm hand on his shoulder.
"Come now Kenji, it would be counter productive to kill the man paying us," he sighed. "I apologize for my student Tazuna-san, but I can assure you if anything comes up that they can't handle, I will intervene. I'm not a jonin for show."
The old man snorted in response. "We'll see how that turns out. I'll be waiting at the main gate tomorrow at 10am. Try to be there on time or I'll request someone else."
The man named Tazuna quickly made his exit after that, leaving a fuming Kenji, an irritated Sasuke, and a worried Sakura, but mostly for her two teammates than the client. Kakashi turned towards his students and saw the Hokage give him a nod of approval.
"Alright, you heard the man. Get your gear ready tonight. Remember we'll be on our feet for most of this mission so pack accordingly. We'll be traveling light so essentials only. Any questions?" He was met with silence. "Good, I'll see you tomorrow."
It was dark, really dark. Like complete-anxiety-claustrophobia-wet-your-pants dark. Those were the thoughts that primarily ran through young Naruto's mind as he ventured into the deep reaches of the crystal caves. While he could still feel the Force guiding his footsteps, he still wondered why they were called crystal caves when he had yet to come across any crystals whatsoever. Such thoughts however were overpowered by the prospect of being so close to becoming a full-fledged jedi knight. Still, he felt nervous of this test the planet was supposed to give him.
For all his training and discipline, if you could call it that, Naruto still felt exposed and vulnerable. It was as if Ilum itself had stripped him bare of his defenses, leaving open all his flaws, weaknesses, and fears to the outside world; something that was rather subjective considering his place in the deep, subterranean tunnels. If he focused enough, he could feel the Kyuubi stirring in the deepest recesses of his mind. Something dark was going to challenge him, but whether it was within or without, he could not guess, only continue his trek into the unknown.
It felt like it had been hours of walking since he left the camp-sight when finally light began to seep into the tunnels. With a small smile appearing on his face, Naruto quickened his pace to the point of running as the light grew. He emerged into a massive chamber and finally he could see the namesake of the tunnels. The chamber was almost like a cathedral's grand hall. Crystals of countless colors grew along the pillars and walls, their hues flashing and illuminating the caves like thousands of tiny stars. The Force resonated powerfully with the crystals, as if one was stepping into a beating heart.
The boy looked around in awe as he ventured further into the temple, trekking along some twisted, carved "walkways" in the stone. He suddenly felt a nudging in the back of his mind. Wordlessly, he followed the pull as it led him over to a formation of crystals. He loved the colors, whether it was the soothing blues or the striking greens, but he knew how often such colors were used. No, he wanted to be different, he wanted to be unique. He wanted his lightsaber to reflect him. So instead of taking one of those colors that so many jedi before him had chosen, he knelt down towards the bottom of the formation and picked a color that he felt would suit him best.
"Orange? Seriously?" he heard the Kyuubi mumble in the back of his mind.
"Shut it fuzzball, this is my saber."
The crystal seemed to shudder in his hand, a shudder that felt like... anticipation? He couldn't tell. He continued looking through the various gems and felt compared to take one more, this one much more like an actual crystal, smaller and a milky silver in color. While orange was clearly going to be his primary crystal, he also remembered that some jedi used secondary crystals to better focus the blade.
All of a sudden, Revan's words came to him, and he remembered the small package he was given. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, he placed the box and crystals side by side in front of him. With trembling hands, he unlatched the seals and let the lid fall open. The time had come. Naruto placed his hands on his knees and shut his eyes. By now, meditation had come easily to him, his mind accustomed to the odd presence of the Force.
He closed his eyes and focused, ready to begin his work. Steadily, the various parts inside the box and the crystals rose into the air. They floated in aimless circles around each other; the lens, the emitter matrix, the power cell and field conductor, even the hilt shells. Then, as Naruto let his will fall upon them, they tumbled into place. First came the two crystals and their fixture, settling in the middle of the group. They settled vertically to the ground and slowly spun as the casing slipped around them. Then came the circuitry that would give the energy focused. These parts settled themselves above the two crystals, with the lens at the very top. Below them came the power cell. Over that settled the power conductor, as well as an insulation layer to control the heat. At last came the casing of the hilt. They spun around the inner workings of the saber and slowly snapped into place with small clicks.
With the last click sounding throughout the chamber, a completed lightsaber remained. The hilt was a gleaming, polished silver with vertical grooves for grips. Near the top were the knobs for the blade's length and intensity. At the very top were stabilizing ring and a shroud for the blade itself. Naruto opened his eyes and looked upon his completed work. This was his. This was the culmination of many years of training, study, and attunement with the Force. He stood and approached the still floating blade. With great anticipation, he placed his hands around the deadly weapon. His thumb hit the activation switch and with a sharp, clean snap, the blade flared to light, it's color a brilliant and focused orange. Power flowed through him as he watched the humming laser in awe. It was done.
"You've done well, my young apprentice."
Naruto spun on his heel and faced the voice. To his surprise came Revan. The man was beaming and he strode with purpose.
"How does it feel, knowing you finally walk among legends?"
The question puzzled the boy.
"I don't know. It's a great achievement but I don't really think it's legendary. I mean... plenty of jedi have done this before."
"It is of greater significance than you think. The power you wield is far greater than that of any jedi knight. You have on your shoulders the power to shape worlds and rewrite history. Entire planets would bow to your might, armies would follow you to the very edges of the galaxy, even if it meant their own demise. I chose well when I took you in."
Naruto grew wary of his master. Never had Revan ever spoke of power like this. The master was always reserved about strength. He held a calm of confidence over the power he wielded, but he never flaunted it, let alone brazenly like this. He knew he had a power inside him, a mighty power that men would probably kill for. But it was dark, it was tainted, it would only leave death and destruction in its wake. As Revan approached, rather than stand in front of him and bow like a student would, Naruto kept his sword alight and waited.
Revan came closer to his student but did not stop. Naruto began walking as well, in the opposite direction. Pretty soon, the two were circling each other, one haughty, the other cautious.
"Getting bold, are we my apprentice?" he asked. Was that a sneer?
"Who are you?" Naruto challenged.
"I'm your master, of course," Revan replied.
"Right. My master does not speak like you do, walk like you do, and certainly doesn't entice like you do."
"You find me enticing, do you?" it commented, its voice becoming more and more tainted.
"Any lesser person would jump at your offers of power. But I won't. You are not my master, you have nothing to offer me but my own damnation. I'll not ask again; who... are... you?"
A dark cloud seemed to rumble behind "Revan". The man sneered and began to laugh.
"Ever noble to the last. Very well. I suppose you won't be making this easy. But that's alright. I already know you. Besting you will be of no great effort."
From his sleeve came a familiar glint of silver. A red blade roared to life and with a ghastly snarl, the figure leaped at Naruto. He brought his blade up to parry the red saber, the two falling into a fierce flurry of swings, blocks, and counters. It became clear that whatever this thing was, it was no jedi and far from the caring but firm man Naruto knew as Revan. The sith swung high, trying to decapitate the boy, but Naruto dropped and shot his leg out in a sweep. It caught the figure off guard and it tumbled to the ground. With an orange blade raised high, he brought it down on his enemy to carve it in half, but it effortlessly blocked it. By now, his head faded away and was covered by a black hood. It laughed and sent a Force push into Naruto's chest, sending the boy flying away and into a pillar of crystals.
Naruto grunted at the impact, the jagged edges digging into his back but not enough to draw blood. He fell to the ground but landed on his feet, and as he rose from the crouch, he brought up his saber at the ready in the opening of the Soresu stance Revan had been drilling into him since his training started on the frigid world.
"You're a monster," he breathed.
"Am I? Am I really?" it hissed.
Sickly pale hands rose up to its hood, the fingers wrapping around the edges as it pulled it back. Naruto let out a gasp as his blood ran could. He was staring at himself. The phantom Naruto's hair was an inky black, its face just as pale as the hands. Angry black veins framed his eyes. Oh Kami his eyes... they were a diseased yellow that writhed with malice. His lips were thin and cracked. A black tongue snaked out and licked them in anticipation, causing Naruto to shudder.
"If I'm really such a monster, then that makes you just as diseased, just as tainted. You've only clarified what everyone else has known all along."
Naruto shook his head in disbelief. "No..."
"Freak, demon, scum... murderer," it hissed as it steadily walked forward.
"Shut up..."
"I am you, boy. I am the real you."
"Shut up!"
"I am your true feelings, your repressed desires brought to the forefront. Imagine the look on Revan's eyes when he sees how you've embraced your inner darkness!"
"I said shut up!" roared the blonde as he charged at his doppelganger.
"That's it," it taunted as it blocked and parried with ease. "Embrace me, embrace your anger and your hatred. Embrace your destiny as the devil within!"
"Boy, calm down! It's only goading you! If you let yourself succumb to your rage, you really will turn into that... thing," growled the Kyuubi.
"Why the hell are you of all people siding with me? I thought this is what you wanted me to be!" Naruto mentally argued back as he continued his assault.
"Your prejudice against my kind is of no consequence. I'll not submit to a creature like that, no matter how much I despise you."
To make his point, the fox pushed chakra into Naruto's system. The wispy red tendrils encircled the boy's arms and empowered his strikes. They circled his body and warded him against the sith's blade when it slipped past his defenses. Its smile faltered when it looked at the boy's eyes. No longer were they the fierce blue of a strong, untainted soul, but the angry and animalistic red of the other soul sharing his body.
"You are not me, you are not my desires. You are a taint, a demon reincarnate," Naruto declared.
The Kyuubi's chakra flowed through him, empowering him with a strength he had never known. The orange lightsaber blade crackled and sparked with the extra energy, seemingly just as angry as its master.
"Make peace with whatever devil you confide in. You will not survive this fight," Naruto declared as he attacked the apparition with even more ferocity.
It struggled against the heavy and precise blows its other half was pitting against him. He ducked, rolled, and jumped away from the strikes that he couldn't parry in time, but the blonde continued his assault. Finally, a slash to the side slipped through, the blade sizzling through his abdomen. It hissed in pain but continued to fight on. He raised his saber high and locked with his opponent. He couldn't lose here. He just got out. They struggled, neither able to overpower the other. Naruto pushed harder, trying his best to carve the phantom him with his own red blade. In an act of desperation, the sith broke the connection and spun out of the way, spinning his blade as he moved.
He snarled and struck back. They traded blows once more, this time Naruto on the defense, backpedaling away from the rabid demon bearing down on him. All those hours of drilling Soresu were finally paying off. His defenses were tight and his lightsaber never stopped moving. Despite the Kyuubi's angry red chakra augmenting his body, Naruto finally understood the concept of being the calm eye of the storm. Everywhere the red blade tried to strike, Naruto's own was there to stop it. There, an opening!
Naruto caught the red blade with his own, and with a quick spin, the saber slid down to the hilt and cleanly sliced off the sith's hand. It yelled in pain and collapsed to its knees. As it cradled the cauterized stump, Naruto brought his lightsaber tip to the thing's neck.
"You have lost. I am not you, nor will I become you," he spat out. His eyes remained that same, feral red.
The sith panted and looked up, his sickly yellow eyes challenging Naruto's.
"Is that what you think? How do you think I came here? Deny it all you want with your superiority and baseless sense of honor." It began to chuckle. "I know what you are thinking. You want nothing more than to end me, to erase my existence from this life. Do it. I am defenseless. Take that sword of yours and carve it straight through my head," it taunted.
Naruto couldn't deny it. He felt an immense loathing for this thing that claimed to be his own desires. It was all a lie. He was not this thing, he would not bring harm to his master. He would not turn against a people that didn't know any better. It was disgusting.
"Do it!" it spat.
Without further hesitation, Naruto raised his lightsaber up and brought it down onto the thing's neck. For all its barbarism, the cut was still clean. "Naruto's" body slumped over, its neck a sizzling end of flesh. The head itself fell away, bouncing as it hit the deck. It rolled a few meters to the side. To Naruto's horror, it stopped rolling with the face in his direction. Frozen in time was phantom Naruto's last thoughts, brought to the living world in a triumphant grin. He switched off his saber as he began to shake. Red eyes faded back to blue, his knuckles turning white as they balled into fists.
The magnitude of the situation finally came crashing down on him, and all he could do was scream.
A/N: Phew, that was a big one. This is my longest chapter yet and hopefully it at least partially makes up for the long wait time. Heheh. Thank you all for your continued support, those who voiced their satisfaction in reviews and those who were quieter about it with a favorite and following. You guys are the reason I keep writing! Stay tuned for the next installment of A New Order! Until next time!
