Alright everybody. I hope you guys have all been watching the epic new season of the Clone Wars. If not, GO DO SO NOW! GO! For those of you still remaining, here is Chapter Five of Under the Stars.
Previously…
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 stretched out on the mattress, and within moments fell asleep.
When Naruto awoke, he had a brief moment of panic staring at the ceiling, before his memories from the day before caught up to him. He sat up, and stared at the training lightsaber on his dresser. We made the first step, he thought, carefully lifting his hand. He had seen the others summon their lightsabers to them with the Force, and he reached out, trying to find it in him. He found his chakra, and felt the thrum of the Kyuubi's. He focused further, and could almost feel the blood pulsing through his veins. He focused further, and searched his mind, looking for anything he hadn't found before. He finally found it, a deep, throbbing energy, limitless in power. He delved into it, and felt everything. Billions of voices, fluctuations, births, and deaths. He focused on manipulating it into a pull, and the lightsaber wobbled for a few seconds, before it launched toward him. He caught it, and ignited it, holding it at arm's length to observe the object.
The hilt was fairly plain. The only ornamental features were four orange lines circling around the blade emitter, and small grooves where his fingers would fit. The blade was a light orange, and was about a meter long. He noticed that the hum was a bit different than the other blades, and looked at the various notes he had accumulated, coming to the conclusion that it was on stun. He dug through the bag of clothes, and pulled on a black leather belt, tying the lightsaber onto it. He spent ten minutes sorting through his clothes and putting them into the dresser. Upon completion, he pulled out a few holocrons, and read more about the history of the Jedi and Sith. He copied some of the information onto his datapad, and sat on the meditation pad. Just as he closed his eyes, he heard someone knock on the durasteel, and he sighed, before opening the door.
Ahsoka knocked on Naruto's door, and waited for him to answer while Gaara stood a few feet from her, observing his knew robes. He wore a simple pair of dark brown pants, along with a tan tunic, and a blood-red cloak. The door finally slid open, and she turned to Naruto. She stopped when she caught glimpse of his muscular chest, and for a moment forgot what she was there for in her desperate attempt to hide a blush. So this is what shinobi training does to you, she thought, feeling lightheaded. She saw a cocky grin worm its way onto his lips, and he leaned against the frame, showing off more of his body under his white robe. She shook her head, and said, "Master Yoda wanted me to find you two and take you to him, so he could train you in the basics of the Force." Naruto and Gaara nodded, and followed her, walking through the maze of hallways. They remembered the path as best they could, knowing that they would eventually lose their guide.
Before too long, they came upon a room full of younglings of every species training around combat remotes while Master Yoda shuffled around, occasionally giving them instructions. They walked up to him and bowed, and awaited their instructions. Yoda hobbled around the two shinobi, and observed them. Naruto waited, and found himself a bit confused as to what the small Jedi was doing. "Hmm," they heard him croak, and he and Gaara straightened in the shinobi bearing that had been drilled into them. "Militant, you are. Impatience, confusion I sense in you. Your purpose here, what is?" Yoda asked in his strange accent, and Naruto and Gaara both softened a bit. "To be accepted," they replied in unison. Yoda nodded and gave a wheezy laugh, before asking, "To be accepted, how do you plan?" Naruto and Gaara glanced at each other, before Gaara spoke. "By helping people." Yoda nodded again, and hobbled toward the center of the room, while the two followed.
Over the next several weeks, the two learned how to access the Force from the small Master. They practiced nonstop when their lessons were over, and also learned lightsaber combat from their Masters. A week after the start of training, Naruto had snuck out, and infiltrated the Coruscanti underground. He had found a discreet smuggler, and paid him to take a long-range communicator back to his planet, telling the man the coordinates, and to give it to a Jiraiya of the Sannin. The man completed the task, and Naruto would occasionally stay up late, talking to his sensei and learning new jutsu. He discovered the ability of Shadow Clones to enhance training and knowledge, so while he was practicing with the Force, or learning Vaapad from Mace Windu, he would have a dozen clones in his room, reading holocrons and dispelling themselves so he could learn the knowledge. Within two months, both boys were able to use the Force to throw their opponents, lift objects into the air, heal, pull, use a saber-throw, and use the infamous Jedi Mind Trick. They knew a large amount of the history of the Jedi Order, and had memorized the layout of the Temple.
He taught Gaara how to use his Shadow Clone training method and Vaapad, and learned the Soresu style the redhead was being taught, as well as the Ataru style. From Ahsoka, he learned Shien and Niman. He also spent time with her, learning more about her life. He told her some of his history, and even showed her some of the techniques he knew. Her favorite by far had been the Rasengan. Everything he knew, he taught to Gaara, and when Gaara learned Makashi from Cin Drallig, the Jedi Battlemaster, he learned the form from Gaara. He eventually formed hundreds more clones, sending them to secretive places throughout the Temple to practice his form.
Eventually, he knew all of the classic forms except for the very first. Knowing who taught it, he went to Yoda to learn Shii-Cho. He and Gaara learned from the small Master, and finally finished the form. It had been three months now, and the boys decided to practice deflecting blaster fire with the remotes. They went to see Yoda again for the practice.
Ahsoka watched the exchange, and remembered her own training under the small Master. She had struggled with deflecting the shots from the remotes, and found that it had been essential in learning how to use her lightsaber. She watched as the boys were given instructions, and pulled out the training lightsabers they had been issued; Naruto's orange, and Gaara's sandy yellow. The boys took a back-to-back stance, and deflected the occasional shots the remotes fired at them. Yoda raised his clawed hand, and two helmets with dark visors, and they landed on the boys' heads. She watched as they relaxed their stance, and could feel them reaching out with the Force. They deflected a few shots, and the remote increased speed. The blades arced through the air, faster and faster until they were in a constant state of motion, throwing back dozens of bolts in as many seconds. A circle of younglings surrounded them, awestruck as two more remotes floated forward, sending shots at the boys. The blades moved even faster, and she saw sweat drip down the shinobi's bodies, Naruto's especially, and felt her skin tingle in excitement.
The training ended with a sudden slash from both boys; Naruto's arm swept directly to the side, and Gaara brought his blade into the Ataru guard. The shots ceased, and both stood tall. Naruto slowly lowered the lightsaber, and deactivated it with a hiss, while he heard Gaara do the same. He pulled the helmet off of his head, and ran a hand through his damp hair, before wiping his forehead on his sleeve. He and Gaara both panted lightly, and he saw that Yoda was watching them, his eyes displaying just a hint of excitement. "Excellent, that was," the green man said to him hobbling over. "Skilled at deflection, you are. In combat, how would fare, hmm?" He motioned for the younglings to form a ring, and motioned for Ahsoka to come over. The female Togruta complied, and Yoda said, "Duel Padawan Tano, you will, Naruto."
Naruto nodded, and wiped his brow again. He turned to Gaara, and asked, "Can I borrow your lightsaber?" Gaara looked surprised, but nodded, handing the blade to his friend. Gaara then moved to the edge of the ring, making sure he could watch the two. Naruto rolled his shoulders, and ignited the two lightsabers, holding them in a reverse grip. He decided to try the Jar'Kai variant of Vaapad. Ahsoka ignited her own lightsaber, and stood across from him. They stood for a moment, before he charged, attacking her with a back-hand right slash, the speed of his attack giving the appearance of several blades. Her blade came up to meet his, and he brought Gaara's blade in his left hand toward her legs. She flipped over him, slashing at his shoulder while he sidestepped, bringing his saber to meet her in a clash of light.
Ahsoka landed in a roll, and barely brought her blade up to block a double overhead slash, her arms buckling under the blow. Hellfire, he's strong! she thought, trying to escape the saber lock. She managed to stand, and twirled to the side, deactivating her lightsaber in the process. Naruto stumbled, and she reactivated the blade, slashing at his exposed back. He somehow twisted his own body in time to block the blade, and orange met green. He jabbed at her, and she leapt back, the tip missing her stomach by mere centimeters. She landed a few steps away, and charged. She was caught by surprise when he flipped his blades into the air, grabbing his cloak and throwing it at her, before catching the blades. Smart move, Naruto, she thought, throwing the garment off of her, rather than tearing it.
Naruto panted slightly as Ahsoka managed to clear herself of the obstacle, and brought her blade to his. Sweat poured off his bare torso, and he could see several of the female younglings swoon when they saw the results of the shinobi lifestyle. Now I know how Sasuke felt, he thought grimly, strafing a counter-attack. He saw Master Yoda watching attentively, and even saw several passerby stop to watch the duel. He moved faster and faster, his body drenched in more and more sweat. He saw Ahsoka moving for an overhead slash, and brought his sabers into an X, blocking the green lightsaber and effectively immobilizing it with his strength. Ahsoka tried to pull the blade away, but he maintained the pressure, before releasing it suddenly, causing her to stumble.
He found an opening, and smashed Gaara's lightsaber against hers, disarming her, before his own came to a halt at her throat.
The younglings cheered, and Gaara nodded, acknowledging his skill. Yoda signaled the end of the match, and he licked his lips, before deactivating the blades. He tossed Gaara's to him, and summoned Ahsoka's, handing it to her. A tingle ran up his spine as their fingers touched, but a moment later it was over, and he was pulling his robe back on. "Naruto," a voice boomed, and he instantly turned and took a knee before his master. "I'm impressed," Mace said as he placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I think it's time you built your lightsaber." Naruto jerked his head up in excitement, and he stood, snapping his training blade to his belt. "Obi-Wan asked me to take Gaara with us, and Anakin also wants Ahsoka to build a shoto, so the four of us will leave tomorrow. Do you have any questions?" Mace asked, preparing to leave. Naruto shook his head, and turned to leave, before saying, "Oh yes. Naruto… be sure to wear a shirt tomorrow."
The next day, the four were in their Jedi starfighters. Naruto wore a flightsuit, and in a sealing scroll he had a heavy robe, heavy pants, and a thick long-sleeved shirt. He was thrilled to finally be flying one of the ships, and opened the comm channel with Gaara. "Did you ever imagine we'd be doing this when we were gazing up at the stars?" he asked, gently pushing on the throttle to escape the atmosphere. "If I had, I would have been committed," Gaara replied, and they both shared a brief laugh. They linked their fighters to hyperspace rings, and entered the coordinates Mace had given them. "Alright, guys," Naruto said, pressing the button. "See you on the flipside." The stars blurred, and he performed the jump.
He took off his headset, and ran his hands through his hair. "Hey, R2D7, can you lock the controls and the overhead? I gotta change into something more suited for Ilum's climate, then I'm gonna meditate for a bit." He saw the Astromech's response on the computer, and waited until the auto-pilot kicked on. He quickly pulled off the suit, and put on the clothing, a heavy pair of white pants, an off-white shirt, a heavy fur-lined coat, and a Jedi robe. He pulled on a cloth belt, and snapped his lightsaber onto it, before he leaned back, slowly closing his eyes. He reached out into the Force, and felt himself immersed in his visions.
He saw a black-and-yellow-skinned Zabrak fighting a Jedi and Padawan. The man was merciless. An animal. He brutally cut down the two, before releasing an arcane roar.
He saw Count Dooku fighting against Obi-Wan and Anakin, while the latter was still a Padawan. They fought against the man, and Obi-Wan was eventually incapacitated. Anakin took up his master's lightsaber, and fought against the Count. His attacks were reckless, and he eventually left an opening, allowing Dooku to remove his arm.
He saw the man from his vision under Mace's gaze in a large arena. He was dressed differently, wearing a torn flightsuit and wielding two red lightsabers. He saw a rancor run at the man, but noticed that it appeared to be frightful, and watched as a giant hand grabbed the creature, pulling it into a dark pit. He heard the creature scream, before its cries were suddenly cut short with a crunch of bones. A second later, a giant creature appeared, roaring like the Nine-Tails. Its arms were like clubs, and it was the size of several transports. The man showed no fear, instantly sliding into a fighting stance.
He opened his eyes, and saw that the ship was shaking. He grabbed the controls, and tried to veer the ship, but couldn't; his Astromech was still on autopilot. He shouted for the droid to release the controls, but it was fried. He saw that what he thought was the canopy of lightspeed was actually airstream from entering Ilum's atmosphere. Flames started streaking the ship, and he heard Ahsoka over the comlink, trying to give him instruction. "The ship's on auto, and my droid is fried!" He heard Mace begin saying something, but his comlink suddenly blasted static, and he clawed it out of his ear. He quickly reviewed everything he knew, and decided that he would have to get out. He removed his harness, closed his eyes, and focused on the Force, trying to blast the cockpit open.
His eyes shot open, and he released a surge, the Force blasting out in a sphere around him. The ship exploded, and he was instantly sucked out of the wreckage into the frozen, thin air. Sudden instinct took over, and he surrounded himself in a cloak of the Force, shielding himself from the fire and ice swirling around him. He was freefalling, and spinning out of control. By the time he regained control, he had fallen a thousand feet, and still had several thousand to go. He could see the starfighters to his sides, and sent a Force push to his right, sending him spinning toward the closest on his left.
He reached out, and just barely managed to grab the slim frame.
He looked in, and saw that he had grabbed Ahsoka's. She was leaning over her controls in her snow gear, crying. He rapped on the glass overhead, and her head shot up, a smile instantly blazing across her features. She started chattering on her comlink, and while she did so, his lungs were aching. He knew he was too high to breathe, and he knew he wouldn't make it down in time at this rate. He mustered up just enough oxygen to yell, "I have to jump!" As he did so, he hoped she had heard him.
He snapped his arms to his side, and shot down in a steep dive.
He released his shield, and felt the subzero air against him. He had to speed up, so he released a blast of the Force, propelling him faster and faster. He kept shooting down, the seat on his body freezing. Just as his lungs were about to explode, and the edges of his vision blurred, he felt the shift, and gasped, breathing deeply. The ground was coming up fast, so he slowed himself with the Force, aiming to land on a snow-covered mountain. He knew he would still land hard, so he braced himself, and slammed into the snow.
His vision was covered in total whiteness, until he felt a sharp pain in his right arm, left leg, and totality of his chest, before he blacked out.
Ahsoka sped toward the place where she had seen Naruto disappear, desperately trying to see past the swirling snow. She had just barely heard him yell that he was jumping, before he disappeared. She had deepened the slant of the ship's dive, and barely managed to see him against the white of the snow. She saw him blur in a burst of speed, before he started to slow. She saw him disappear into the mountain.
As soon as she landed, she got out, running through the snow. She heard Master Windu on the comlink, and quickly opened the channel. "What were you saying, Master?" she asked. "I was saying that the snow is too much. Gaara and I can't penetrate through it, so if you find Naruto, the two of you are alone."
He cut off with a burst of static.
Ahsoka swore, and dug through banks of snow, desperately trying to find the blond. She tried using the Force to blast the snow away, but the wind kept blowing it against her, chilling her body. Her fingers grew numb as she dug, but she kept going, determined to find her friend. She finally came across a spot where the snow was already slightly disturbed, and she frantically dug, screaming in triumph when she saw his hand. She pulled him out, and gasped at his appearance.
His arm was covered in frozen blood, and a piece of bone jutted out near the elbow. His leg was in a similar condition, the crimson liquid staining the beautiful clothing. Worst of all was his chest, completely crushed and bloodied. She saw that his wounds were healing before her eyes; his arm snapped into place, and the leg straightened out. His chest started to expand back out as his ribs healed, and she saw his visible lungs repair the shredded tissue. She gingerly lifted him, and cast her gaze around her. She was unable to see where she had left her starfighter in the blizzard, and was incapable of seeing more than a foot or two in any direction.
This way, child.
She jerked, and saw a form appear before her. She saw a white jacket with flames surrounding the bottom, a pair of blue pants she knew was shinobi in design, and blond hair, with a headband identical to Naruto's. His face was so similar, that for a moment she believed it was a future Naruto, but she noticed the lack of the whisker-like markings. It must be his father, she thought, and trudged through the snow after him.
The bid paid off, and within a few moments she found a cave. She pulled Naruto inside, and the figure stayed by the door. She gently set him down, and saw that his wounds were in the final stage of healing. His arm and leg had repaired without a scar, and his chest was fusing its skin together before her eyes. It finished the task, and again, left him without a scar. Naruto's eyes fluttered open, and she sighed in relief. He sat up, and his gaze lingered on the ghost before him. The ghost smiled, before it flickered out of existence.
Naruto stretched his limbs, and felt the small itch he felt whenever he healed a major wound. I must have broken something on the fall, he thought, rubbing his hands together. He noticed that despite the cold temperature, and his wet clothes, that he was actually about as warm as he had been in the cockpit. It must be because of the Kyuubi, he thought, peeling off the robe and coat. He reached into his shirt pocket, and pulled out a small scroll the size of his thumb. He released the seal, and pulled out enough wood to last for a few hours. He set it ablaze with a quick jutsu, and leaned back, listening to the crackle. He heard a slight sniffle, and turned, jumping when he saw Ahsoka huddled against the wall, staring at him. Ice blistered her face, and her fingers were frozen. He quickly pushed her over to the fire, and rubbed her hands, trying to warm her up. He reached for his robe, and activated the seal he had sewn on, pulling out a sleeping bag. He wrapped her in it, and kept rubbing her, trying to warm her.
He sighed, and remembered something he had learned in shinobi training for such situations; in order to warm her, she would need to take off her wet clothes, and share his body heat. A blush crawled across his face, before he told her what needed to be done. She stared at him blankly, and he gently pulled off her coat. She still didn't respond, and he gently lifted her, before lowering the snow pants she wore. She was left only in her underwear and the cloth wrapping around her chest. He turned her around, and removed the garments from her body, leaving her naked. He quickly wrapped her in the sleeping bag, before he stripped down and crawled in, pressing himself against her. She was cold as ice, but he did not move.
Within a few hours, her body had warmed somewhat, and Ahsoka was mumbling in her sleep. Her fingers were back to their normal color, and the ice had thawed from her face. She was still cold, so he increased his body temperature by releasing a small trickle of the Kyuubi's chakra. He felt some discomfort, but ignored it. He had to make sure that she would be fine. He started to fade into sleep, and welcomed the sweet release.
Gaara stood outside of a cave on another mountain, staring at where his friends had disappeared. The snow whipped his hair, and he felt sleep weigh heavily upon him. I wouldn't sleep well tonight, even if I could, he thought, rubbing his eyes. He pressed the crystal he had found, a white pontite, against his chest. When he got back to the Temple, he was going to compress some of his sand into a solid crystal before synthesizing the two crystals together in order to get the sand-colored blade his current lightsaber had. He stared at the storm clouds surrounding the mountain, and sighed before heading back in to sit around the fire Mace had started.
I hope you are safe, my friend.
Well, there you have it guys. Hope it was worth the wait. And for those who don't know, when a person is faced with hypothermia, one of the ways to treat them without professional medical assistance IS by sharing body heat. The only sexual part of Naruto's situation was him trying to control his hormones. Anyway, read and review.