The Padawan

I don't own Naruto or Star Wars.

Naruto awoke on his tenth day on Tython and rubbed his forehead. He had taken control back from the Kyuubi but couldn't find his drive again.

"Young Master, Master Satele requests your presence." said Elie as she came into Naruto's room.

"Alright." said Naruto as he stood up, "Go tell her that I'll be out in a bit."

Elie bowed and left as Naruto said a morning prayer in Mando'a. He then got dressed and attached all of his lightsabers before he looked at the lightpike he'd made the other day. He examined it before he attached it to his back and headed out. He went into the Jedi Council Chambers and found Satele had taken a seat.

"You wished to see me, Master?" asked Naruto as he took a seat on the other side of the table.

"Thanks for coming." said Satele, "How have you been adjusting?"

"Pretty good." said Naruto as he relaxed in the chair.

"I have been thinking." said Satele, "Since you are a Jedi Knight and your skills are far beyond those of your age group, the other Masters and I have decided that you should take on an apprentice."

"You want me to have a Padawan?" asked Naruto in surprise.

"You can take one now that you're no longer one." said Satele, "Although, you technically never were one. But still, the Council believes that it will be good for your confidence."

"I don't know." said Naruto in worry, "What about Tayuya?"

"Meetra has already taken her as her Padawan." explained Satele, "Just give it a try."

"Fine." said Naruto as he went to observe some of the classes.

Naruto went to a philosophy class after several other uneventful classes and stood in the back of the room. When the class was over, Naruto watched the students file out when one particular student caught his eye. She was a young human female with short brown hair, slightly tanned skin, and green eyes. Naruto took a guess that she was about sixteen with her height.

"Can I help you with something?" asked Jedi Master Yuon Par.

"Who's that girl with the brown hair and green eyes?" asked Naruto.

"That's Alar." said Master Yuon.

"I see." said Naruto as he folded his arms, "Do you happen to know what Form she prefers?"

"You're guess is as good as mine." said Master Yuon.

"Well, then." said Naruto, "I guess she's going to need a test."

(Two Hours Later)

"Hello?" asked Alar as she entered into one of the repair rooms in the temple, "I was told to be here."

She felt something off and drew the lightsaber she had been lent before she came and walked forward. The lights turned on and Alar turned around to look into Naruto's eyes. Naruto drew one of the standard lightsabers he had taken from the armory as he stopped about three feet from Alar and they both ignited the lightsabers, both blue in color. They then engaged in a duel and switched places when Alar hit Naruto in the face with a Force Push, staggering him momentarily.

Naruto countered an instant later and forced Alar to bend backwards to avoid the thrust to her head. They then proceeded to exchange blows as they hurried down the room and Alar went on the offensive. She went for a downward strike, which Naruto avoided by stepping back before kicking her in the chin. The girl stumbled back a few steps as Naruto came in and went for a strike to her right shoulder. Alar blocked by making their blades lock and gritted into Naruto's eyes.

She continued on the offensive and went for a couple heavy blows before Naruto locked blades again, forcing the tips to the ground. He slammed his left shoulder into Alar and sent her stumbling back. He followed up with a kick and he went on the offensive now. After a brief exchange, they locked blades yet again with Alar having the upper hand. She backhanded Naruto and sent him stumbling toward the corner furthest from the door. He blocked an overhand swing and Alar kicked him onto a table of tools.

Naruto quickly dodged Alar's strike and exchanged positions with Alar. He parried a blow and sent her onto one of the large machines. She moved out of the way of Naruto's strike that destroyed the machine before they entered another blade lock and Naruto forced her to bend back on another machine. Alar noticed a tube out of the corner of her eye and cut it. She then grabbed the top segment and blasted Naruto in the face with hot air, blinding him for an instant and breaking off the blade lock.

Naruto backed toward the door, trying to shake off the burning sensation in his eyes as Alar advanced. He began using Niman and managed to gain a slight opening then proceeded to elbow Alar in the face. When Alar came back at him, he flipped her onto her back and walked around her. He brought his lightsaber down and it was blocked by Alar. She rolled to the side as she deactivated hers and pinned Naruto's wrist under her shoulder then held her lightsaber to his head.

Naruto pulled back less than an nano second before Alar turned her lightsaber on again as the Initiate got up and backed away slowly. She noticed Naruto reaching behind his back and quickly went in. Naruto blocked her and pulled out an identical lightsaber in his off hand. Alar parried and backed up as she knew she was at a disadvantage. Naruto slowly walked forward while spinning both blades in his hands. Alar went instantly on the defensive before gaining the upper hand and knocked one of Naruto's lightsabers out of his hand.

He went deeply into Soresu while reaching out and pulling the lightsaber back into his hand. He turned it on and combined it with the other lightsaber to form a saberstaff. Naruto began to use Niman and managed to cut the head of Alar's lightsaber off. She stumbled back and looked at the lightsaber, pressing the button and only getting sparks. She took some deep breaths then ran at Naruto. She stunned him with a Force Wave and grabbed the handle of his lightsaber.

They engaged in a tug of war for the saberstaff with Alar on the losing end and holding back the blade by not allowing Naruto to get the leverage by blocking the handle with her hand. She tried to hit Naruto in the head with her broken lightsaber but he caught her wrist. She pressed the button and blinded Naruto with the sparks from the broken weapon. She managed to disconnect the two lightsabers from one another and backed away. Naruto managed to shake off the pain in his eyes as he put his lightsaber into a reverse grip in his right hand.

Alar threw her broken lightsaber at Naruto, who rolled his eyes and flicked his wrist, sending the useless thing off against the wall. They then closed the space and began a furious duel.

"Enough!" came a loud voice from the door.

Naruto and Alar stopped with their lightsabers mere centimeters from each others heads and deactivated them before turned to a slightly angry Satele.

"Master!" exclaimed Alar as she bowed.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" asked Satele.

"I was just seeing how good she was in combat." he explained, "Sorry for not telling you, mother."

"Mother?" asked Alar as Naruto reverted to his younger form, surprising the girl.

"And?" asked Satele as she folded her arms while Naruto came up to her.

"She tends to favor Niman but also likes to mix styles like myself." said Naruto as they both looked at the confused Alar, "It's all unrefined but it can be improved. I pick her."

"Can someone tell me what's going on here?" asked the extremely confused girl.

"Youngling, what is you're name?" asked Satele as she went up to Alar, who stood at attention.

"A-Alar, ma'am." said Alar with nervousness in her voice.

"I apologize for Naruto luring you down here." said Satele as she glared back at Naruto, who was now exploring the room with R2, "But I'm afraid this was a test."

"A test?" asked Alar, "For what?"

"To see if you were ready to become a Padawan." explained Satele.

"And did I pass?" asked Alar with hope.

"Yes." said Satele with a smile.

"I'm greatly honored you have chosen me as your Padawan, Master Satele." said Alar as she hung her head.

"I'm afraid that I'm not your master." said Satele.

"Then who is?" asked Alar.

"Ow!" exclaimed Naruto as he sent sparks into his face with the broken lightsaber while Satele and Alar looked at him.

R2 beeped and Naruto glared at him as he rubbed his eyes.

"Oh shut up, you bucket of bolts." said Naruto.

Satele and Alar looked at each other and Alar became distressed when she saw Satele's face.

(Ten Minutes Later)

Alar and Naruto sat in Naruto's room against opposing walls and both were quiet.

"Elie!" called out Naruto, "Can you come here, please?"

"What is it, Young Master?" asked the cathar as she entered.

"Can you get us both something to eat?" asked Naruto.

"As you wish." she bowed to Naruto and left the room.

"Elie's been with me since I was adopted by a Mandalorian during the Sacking of Coruscant." explained Naruto as he polished his many lightsabers, "She's free now but she prefers to serve me anyway."

"Just how old are you?" asked Alar.

"Almost thirteen." replied Naruto as he went onto his cross guard lightsaber.

"And you're already a Knight?" asked Alar.

"I was just as surprised as you when it happened." he replied, "I was made one after that whole incident with a Dark Council member being captured."

"Young Master was amazingly skilled." said Elie as she entered a room with a tray and two bowls of ramen and served Naruto first, "Young Master and Kin were..."

Elie suddenly stopped and Alar felt Naruto get slightly angry at the mention of the name before calming down just as quickly.

"I'm so sorry, Young Master!" exclaimed Elie as she bowed to Naruto, "Please forgive me!"

"It's fine." said Naruto as he used the Force to give Alar her ramen, "Go and see if they need help in the library."

Elie bowed again then left. Naruto broke his chopsticks and said a prayer in Mando'a before eating. He noticed Alar having trouble with the chopsticks and chuckled.

"Something funny?" asked the ticked off Alar.

Naruto just shook his head and went over to her. He took the chopsticks from her and showed her how to hold them properly. After a minute, she began eating the noodles and Naruto went back to eating his. After he finished, he watched Alar continue eating and the young girl noticed this.

"Can I help you with something?" asked Alar.

"You're in pain." said Naruto, "I'm guessing you grew up by yourself. Probably as a slave or something. You were beaten often. You never knew your parents. You discovered your connection to the Force by accident. What happened? You defended yourself and killed your master?"

"Shut up." said Alar as everything in Naruto's room trembled a little.

"So that is how it went." said Naruto as he nodded, "What did your master do to you? Did he hit you? No. That's not it. That wasn't how it happened."

"I said shut up." said Alar a little more forcefully.

"Did he touch you?" asked Naruto and he felt Alar's anger flare, "He did, didn't he? His cold hands touched you everywhere. They prodded. They poked. They filled you with pain."

"SHUT UP!" shouted Alar as cracks appeared on the wall.

"I apologize." said Naruto, "That was just to see how easy it would be to get you angry. I swear I'll never bring it up again."

Alar panted and Naruto could tell she didn't feel like he was telling the truth. Naruto removed his top and showed his scar to Alar.

"I got this during the Sacking of Coruscant." said Naruto, "I got this from the Sith Lord Darth Malgus."

"And you're telling me this why?" asked Alar.

"Every so often, because of this thing, I begin having seizures." said Naruto, "You're pain is over. But mine is constant. I have to live with this for the rest of my life."

"Why didn't you get it fixed?" asked Alar.

"The lightsaber cut my spine." said Naruto, "I've had cybernetics implanted implanted to allow me to move as I did before. They glitch and that's what causes me to have the seizures. And the process was experimental so it's too dangerous to do it again."

"Since when?" asked Alar is disagreement.

"The last time they worked on my back, I nearly died." said Naruto with a scowl and shutting Alar up, "Every doctor that I've seen has said it's just too dangerous to try it again."

He put his top back on and looked at the floor.

"This is my curse and this is my burden to bare." he said with a sigh, "If those cybernetics ever stop working, then that's the end of me. I told myself after the last surgery that I would make this galaxy peaceful again. But I need your help."

He walked up to Alar and held a hand out to her.

"Let me teach you." he said, "Let me teach you and we'll bring balance to the Force."

Alar looked at the hand then into Naruto's eyes before she reached out and took it.

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