Hey everybody, I'm back in the track on this one. I don't really have an excuse for my extended absence. I've been working on other stories, and this one fell behind. However, seeing as I've been reading more books on the series and playing some of the games, I'm hoping all that will come out to make this story a lot better. I did draft some ideas during my absence, so it wasn't a complete bust. Anyway, it's finally time. Chapter 4 of Under the Stars begins… now.
Previously…
The two boys suddenly felt a surge of fresh energy as they realized that they were both about to reach the place where all their past discrimination was about to be forgotten. They were about to find a place where they belonged. They both felt the same.
They were about to arrive home.
As Naruto and Gaara stared out the viewport of the Venator-Class Star Destroyer, the first thing they noticed was the pattern of strange orange circles covering the planet. When they finally were through the atmosphere, both boys gasped, a slack-jawed expression of disbelief on their faces. The planet was a hotbed of activity, and despite the fact that it was nighttime, hundreds of ships shot through the skies, and thousands of nightclubs cast their neon glow throughout the streets.
"The first time I saw Coruscant, I felt the same thing," a voice behind them said, and the two turned to see one of the clones, a man wearing blue-streaked armor, a kama on his legs, and a single pauldrons, along with a rangefinder on his helmet. When he removed the helmet, the two boys were slightly surprised to find he was blond, a strange occurrence when everyone was meant to look exactly the same. Naruto noticed that he had two unfamiliar weapons at his waist, and asked the man what they were. "They're DC-17 hand blasters," he replied, and, extending his hand, said, "and I'm Captain Rex." The three shook hands before turning back to the view.
The ship finally touched down, and Anakin, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan appeared, bringing them through a maze of platforms, streets, buildings, until they reached another platform with a few unfamiliar ships. "What are these?" Naruto asked. "Jedi starfighters." "What kind?" Gaara asked, his face displaying obvious appreciation. "They're Delta-7 Aethersprite-class Light Interceptors," Ahsoka replied, casting occasional glances at the two boys. The three Jedi entered their ships, while Naruto and Gaara stood in, looking at the ships sullenly. Ahsoka turned to them. "What are you doing?" she asked, her impatience obvious. "We can't fit in there," Naruto murmured, shifting his feet nervously on the platform. Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "Then get on the speeders," she said, motioning behind her. The boys craned their necks to see, and saw two machines; they somewhat resembled the old bicycles they had seen back on their homeworld.
The frame was covered with tan plates, while the seat was made out of padded leather. Two outriggers lead in front with steering vanes, while a sensor array sat in between. The two boys sat on each, getting a feel for the machines. Naruto placed his kunai case in the cargo compartment, while Gaara tightened the straps holding his gourd in place. The two boys figured out how to fire the engines, and once the starfighters shot off, they launched forward, following them on the skylanes.
As Naruto felt the thrum of the engine beneath his legs, he felt a thrill of excitement he had never felt before. He let out a whoop of pure joy, corkscrewing behind the ships, hearing a sound of equal excitement from Gaara. He increased the speed, coming level with Ahsoka. "THIS IS GREAT!" he yelled, hoping she could hear him over the roaring engines. He saw her smile, before focusing back on her controls. He sped past, feeling a strange tug on his heart.
Ahsoka laughed as she saw the young blond careening through the sky. She hadn't seen anybody that enthusiastic for a long time. Not since the war began… she thought to herself glumly, her grin fading from her face. She turned back to the controls, heading for the Jedi Temple, a strange twinge in her heart.
After some time, the Temple finally came into view. Naruto and Gaara once again gasped, before Naruto veered over next to Gaara. "That place is a freaking fortress!" Naruto shouted, pointing at the structure's ziggurat, and staring at the spires. "I've seen mountains that were smaller than that thing!" Gaara replied, slowing his speeder down for descent. Naruto stared for a moment more, before descending with everyone else.
He brought the speeder to a jerky halt on the landing platform, trying for a few seconds to turn the machine off. He finally figured it out, and pulled his kunai case out, strapping it around his leg. When he tried to stand, his legs buckled beneath him, and he stumbled, grabbing onto Ahsoka for support. She helped him for a few steps, before he was able to walk himself. "Sorry," he mumbled. "It's alright," she replied. "It's your first time riding a speeder. It takes a little getting used to." He cast a glance at Anakin, and to his chagrin, saw him roll his eyes, while Obi-Wan just grinned and shook his head.
As Naruto and Gaara walked through the halls of the Temple, they saw hundreds of things they had never dreamed of. Strange statues lined the halls, and even stranger people walked them. Some had tentacles, some had horns, and some were covered from head to toe in fur. Then there were the colors. Red, white, purple, blue, black, orange, hundreds of colors made up the skin of the Jedi's. Before too long, they stood in front of a large durasteel door. "Wait here," Anakin said to the two, walking toward the door. He turned back, before glaring at Ahsoka. "You too." He turned, and walked through with Obi-Wan.
Ahsoka sighed, and sat down on the floor next to the door, leaning against the wall with a huff. Naruto flopped down next to her, and Gaara set down his gourd, sighing with relief as he removed the weight from his back. "So what exactly are these?" Naruto asked, pointing to the horn-like protrusions on Ahsoka's head. "Montrals," she replied, "and these are lekku," she said, pointing to her head-tails. "Cool," Naruto said, leaning back against the wall again. He closed his eyes, reveling in the silence.
Peace is a lie. There is only passion.
His eyes shot open, and he turned his head, searching for the source of the sound.
Through passion, I gain strength.
He shot up, instantly in a fighting stance, frantically searching for the sound. "What is it?" Ahsoka asked, slightly afraid of the blonde's expression.
Through strength, I gain power.
He jerked back, breathing as though he had received a blow. His breath came in pants, and he kept searching, like a wounded animal surrounded by predators. He could hear Ahsoka pound on the door, yelling for the Council, while Gaara grabbed his arms, slamming him into a wall.
Through power, I gain victory
He roared, slamming Gaara into the opposite wall, clawing at his stomach, his seal burning. He could feel the Kyuubi raging, and he fought to keep it down. He felt his canines lengthen slightly, and his eyes took on an amber hue. He groaned in pain, fighting against his burning body to keep the fox in check. He barely heard the Council race through, staring at him with lightsabers drawn.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
He saw fear and recognition appear on their faces, and it dimly occurred to him that the words must have passed from his lips. Anakin's eyes narrowed, and his grip on his lightsaber tightened, while Obi-Wan looked at him with a calm expression. With his last remaining strength, he slammed the fox back into its cage, the offensive features disappearing. He felt his lips form a few last words before he lost consciousness.
The Force shall set me free.
Ahsoka stared at the young shinobi lying on the floor, surrounded by a small semi-circle of councilmen. Obi-Wan knelt beside the young man, checking him for anything that might be wrong with him. Gaara slid to the ground panting, holding his bruised shoulder as he grit his teeth. She could tell from his expression that whatever had happened to Naruto had likely happened to him as well. For a second, she had thought she saw a strange purple mark appear on his arm, but it had disappeared just as quickly. "Ahsoka," Anakin barked out, and she instantly stood at attention, hearing the seriousness in his voice. "Take Gaara into the meditation chambers, and keep a close eye on him. Don't let him leave until we've sorted this out." Ahsoka nodded, and gently touched the redhead's arm. Gaara stood, and followed her as she walked away.
After traveling through the maze of hallways, she reached the rooms, bare and shadowed, giving the place an eerie feel. Gaara sat down on the floor, shaking as he gripped his arm. Ahsoka stood by the door, saying nothing for some time. After she finally collected her thoughts, and opened her mouth to speak, she heard Gaara mumble just five words: "We're not what you think." She focused on him, and asked, "Then what are you?" One word passed his lips, before he launched into a story that he had never told anyone.
"Jinchuuriki."
Naruto felt a strange sensation as he opened his eyes. He felt as though he was everywhere and nowhere at once. He saw thousands of lights, dim and burning in equal measure. He tentatively reached out, and gently touched one. Instantly, a blaze of images shot before his eyes.
He could see a young man wielding dual lightsabers fighting on a water-soaked platform against the robotic man he had seen in his vision on the destroyer. He was slammed against the rain-slicked durasteel, holding a pillar inches from his throat as he was pushed toward the edge. He threw one at his attacker, and created a circle of what Naruto somehow recognized as lightning rods. He lifted an arm, and a bolt of lightning struck the circle, bouncing between and becoming greater and greater in power, before flying toward his outstretched fingers. The man roared, and lifted his other arm, blasting the inferno toward robo-man, forcing him to kneel. He brought his other arm forward, and moved in a deadly dance, arcing lightning repeatedly into the man until a harsh mechanical wheezing filled the air.
Naruto gasped, jerking away, back into the swirling vortex. He reached for another light, before flying into another vision.
He saw a middle-aged Jedi wielding an emerald lightsaber fighting alongside a young boy of maybe eighteen, who in turn held his own sapphire blade. They fought a horned, red-skinned man covered from head to toe in black tattoos. They fought through a room full of strange white beams and dizzyingly high platforms, before entering a hall with randomly activated energy barriers. The young man fell behind as the older Jedi fought the tattooed man, before in a dirty move, the tattooed man ran him through. The young man fought hard, but was knocked into a giant hole. Just as Naruto was sure he would fall, he launched into the air, the green lightsaber flying into his hand before he bisected his opponent. As the tattooed man fell down the hole, Naruto finally got a clear look at the young man's face. He recognized young Obi-Wan.
The transfer back was far smoother this time, and he felt himself gently enter the vortex yet again. The swirling slowed to a sluggish trickle, and light reflected around him, giving him the feeling of floating underwater. A single light floated toward him, and he reached out. It paused, and moved back and forth, mimicking an animal sniffing his fingers. A second later, he felt the contact, and he was submerged in another vision.
He found himself surrounded by grass, gently rolling in the breeze. The stars shown through a crystal clear sky, granting a surreal beauty. He saw two figures lying nude under the stars, entwined tightly together in the throes of passion; the grass and each other hid their bodies from his view. Before he faded, he recognized the rapturous faces as his and Ahsoka's.
He finally came back to consciousness, finding himself inside a dark room. He could make out calm, meditative breathing, and focusing his eyes, he could make out the silhouette of a large, dark-skinned man before him. His eyes were closed, and he exuded an aura of peace. The man's eyes opened, and he nodded, noting Naruto's return to consciousness. "My name is Mace Windu," he said, his voice a deep boom in the silence. "Can you tell me what happened?" Naruto relayed the message, repeating the words he had heard in his mind. Mace's eyes narrowed. "The Sith Code…" he murmured.
He stood, rubbing his hands as if removing dirt. Naruto noticed they were covered in callouses, and figured they must have been from his lightsaber. "Well, Naruto," he began, looking the boy directly in the eyes, "You have created quite the dilemma for the Council. You and your red-haired friend." "How so?" Naruto asked, genuine concern coating his voice. "By normal standards, you are too old to be trained in the Jedi ways."
Naruto sat down, dumbstruck. He had left his home, and everything else behind for the promise that he would be able to become a Jedi. Had it all been in vain?
"However," Mace said after a pause. "The Council has come to a decision. You will be trained in the Jedi ways, but in one year's time, you must take the Jedi Trials to become a Jedi Knight. Under normal circumstances, you wouldn't take it for several more years until deemed ready, but based on what we have heard from Anakin, you and Gaara have already passed the Trials of Courage and Flesh. If you can complete the Trials of Insight, Skill, and Spirit, you may then join us."
"And if not?" Naruto asked, worry evident in his voice.
"Then we shall cast you into exile."
Naruto thought for some time. He knew that he would likely be speaking for Gaara and himself, and he knew that neither one would be able to give up on the dream. If this was the risk, then they would have to take it. Before he responded, a thought occurred to him, and he asked, "Are Gaara and I going to be taught how to use the Force and lightsaber combat?"
Mace nodded. "Gaara will be apprenticed to Obi-Wan Kenobi, and will learn all that he can as fast as he can. The sooner you two learn, the sooner you can take the Trials and officially become one of us." "Who will be my Master?" Naruto asked. "I will," Mace replied. He stood, and said, "Ahsoka will show you both where your quarters are. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask her or anyone. Train hard, Naruto, and you may be worthy of being my apprentice."
Naruto sat for a few more minutes, before leaving the chamber. The instant the durasteel opened, an orange blur slammed into him, and he found himself being fiercely hugged by Ahsoka. He looked questioningly at Gaara, who replied, "She knows what we are." Naruto's face instantly hardened, and he gave Ahsoka a fierce stare. She stared back just as fiercely. A smile split his features, and he explained Master Windu's orders. Ahsoka nodded her consent, leading them through the temple, making sure to explain in depth as much as she could. She eventually brought them to two rooms.
"And here is where you'll live," Ahsoka said, waving her arms at the doors. Gaara sighed, saying his good-nights as he opened the durasteel doors. They heard the thunk of his gourd landing on the ground, before the door slid closed. Naruto turned to enter his room, and murmured his thanks, before Ahsoka decided on a whim to say his name. He turned, and looked at her with a quizzical expression. She shot forward in a blur and wrapped him in a hug, taking him completely by surprise. He cautiously wrapped his arms around her, and they stayed there for a few seconds, before Ahsoka released him. "I'm sorry for how I treated you when we first met," she said, staring at her feet. "It was rash, and had I known about your past, I would have never treated you as I did." She looked up when she heard him laugh. "Don't worry about it," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I know that we're going to get along just fine," he said, barely keeping down a blush as he remembered his vision.
Naruto turned, and entered his room, giving a content sigh as the door closed. He noted that the room was rather bare; it consisted mainly of a bed and dresser for clothes, as well as a small circular mat for meditation. He saw a large bag next to the bed, and, opening it up, found a wrist comlink, datapad, several Jedi garments, and a training lightsaber. A note attached to the handle said only one thing; Until you build your own.He disrobed, and pulled on a pair of baggy black pants, and dug through, looking for a shirt. He was unable to find one he liked, so he decided to forgo the shirt, and pulled on an open-chested white robe. He pulled out a few cube-like objects, and read that they were holocrons. He read for a few minutes, absorbing the information before transferring it to his datapad. He groaned when he found another note saying he was required to grow a ponytail to receive the Padawan Braid, but focused his chakra. He figured out how to make his hair grow, and once he had a lock a few inches below his shoulder, stopped the flow. He created a clone, and had him braid the ponytail while he continued to read.
When everything was completed, he sighed, leaning back against the wall. He decided to put the clothes away, and set his new equipment on the dresser. He stretch out on the mattress, and within moments fell asleep.
Well, there you go everyone. I hope it was worth the wait. Until next time, Read and Review.
-Zeratide.