I know, I'm as surprised as all of you. Two chapters in less than a week. It's been a long while since I managed that. Honestly, I'm not sure how it happened. The chapter I was working on this week just came easily. It might be because I've started a new arc, but we'll see if it keeps up. Don't get your hopes up too much, I doubt this will be a regular thing.

Regarding last chapter, wow, I was not expecting such a large response. This story now has over 200 reviews, something I initially thought it would never see. That gives me so much encouragement and motivation, so thank you to everyone who reviewed, even the flamers. You at least made that number next to my story tick up, and that's how I derive at least 15% of my self-worth, so thank you.

That being said, if you want to ask me questions in the review section, please sign in to an account and allow PMs. I don't answer questions in Author's Notes, as that makes them too long and risks spoilers. I am willing to answer your guys' questions, even if the answer is "don't be an idiot", but you need to be signed in with PMs turned on.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Naruto. I also don't own wild bears or nuclear weapons, but apparently it's the entertainment franchises that are the real issue.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Chapter 14

10 GrS (25 BBY)

"Ready… begin!"

Naruto activated his training saber and sprang forward, bringing the pale yellow blade down at Ahsoka's head in a strong overhead slash. For a moment, he thought he had moved too fast for her, but then her own identical training blade hissed into life, interposing itself between his blow and her face.

Grunting with effort, she pushed his blade back, nearly overbalancing him. Wary of her riposte, Naruto disengaged and leapt backwards, out of range of her saber. The opening salvo now over, they began slowly circling one another, searching for openings.

It had been eight months since their little sojourn into the undercity, and today marked the one-year anniversary of Naruto and Jiraiya's arrival at the Temple. In keeping with the Council's plan for their training, it was time for them to be evaluated to see if they were ready to become Padawans. Naruto had already completed the academic evaluation, much to his discomfort. Though Jedi methods of both teaching and learning had certainly improved his academic performance, classroom learning and written tests were still far from his preferred activities.

After that came the hand to hand combat test. That too had been rather boring, though for very different reasons. The fact was, Naruto was simply far too advanced in taijutsu for any of his fellow younglings to offer a decent challenge. He had already been at the level of an advanced Padawan when he first came to the Temple, and the last year had seen him hone his hand to hand skills to the level of many Knights. Combined with his extensive real world experience with melee fights, and Naruto had dominated that exam easily.

Now, though, he had moved on to what was by far his favorite aspect of Jedi training. Lightsaber combat. Like most boys his age, let alone former shinobi, he had instantly fallen in love with the idea of lightsabers as soon as he had seen them. His opponent, Ahsoka, was perhaps even more enthusiastic about them. It was not a coincidence that Master Leem had selected her as his opponent for this spar.

Conscious of the eyes of Master Windu and Master Yoda on him, Naruto refrained from his typical mid-fight banter. Even their intimidating presence, however, could not keep the smirk off his face as he prepared another attack. He just thanked Kakashi for the mask which hid the expression from his observers.

It seemed Ahsoka had run out of patience too, as he had only taken a single step forward when she began her own charge towards him. They met in the center of the sparring ring, their lightsabers squealing against each other. Ahsoka's unorthodox reverse grip worked against her here, as Naruto's greater weight and strength let him push her blade closer and closer to her face. He noticed his growing advantage and sought to press it further. As he bore down, though, he missed the glint of triumph in Ahsoka's eyes, as well as the slight shift in her stance.

Just as he felt assured of a quick victory, the force opposing Naruto's blade vanished, as she pivoted neatly to the side. With an alarmed yelp, Naruto stumbled forward into the sudden void, desperately trying to keep his balance. All of a sudden, his danger senses flared, and he turned his clumsy stumble into a quick roll, one that carried him just beneath the yellow arc of Ahsoka's slash. As he sprang back to his feet a good ten feet away, he cursed himself internally for his overconfidence.

For all his skill in hand to hand combat, Naruto was still a relative novice with a blade. He had learned only the very basics that all academy students learned back in Konoha, and neither Kakashi nor Jiraiya had taught him more about swordsmanship. While he soaked up instruction on the subject like a sponge, it didn't change the fact that Ahsoka had been training with a lightsaber since she was six years old, and was something of a prodigy with a blade. His experience with hand to hand and knife fighting helped close the gap a lot, but he still sometimes fell for beginner tricks like that one.

As he looked across at Ahsoka, he saw the cocky smirk on her face. They may have been best friends, but that didn't mean she didn't thoroughly enjoy getting one up on him. Growling slightly, though more with excitement than any real anger, Naruto leapt back into the fray.

Above him, on the viewing platform, stood Mace and Yoda. Both were watching the spar with experienced eyes, picking apart techniques and analyzing attitudes.

"He is impressively fast," Mace said. "Strong too, for his age and size. His technique leaves something to be desired, though."

"Hrrm, inexperienced with a blade he is," Yoda said, nodding in agreement. "But, great potential he has, yes, great potential. For only a year of training, remarkable his skills are."

Mace nodded silently, agreeing with his old friend. In truth, he was also impressed with Naruto. He had made a point of quietly monitoring the boy's training and progress, and he was not disappointed with what he saw. While it was true, Naruto's movements were still somewhat clumsy when compared to Ahsoka, they were nonetheless more skillful than most thirteen-year-old Initiates, all of whom had been training with a blade for over seven years at this point.

It wasn't something he could attribute to Naruto's shinobi training either. For all his other skills, the boy had begun his lightsaber training with only the most basic of skills with a sword, most of which were not really transferable to a lightsaber. Now, scarcely a year later, Naruto was showing a more than adequate grasp of the basics of Shii-Cho. Indeed, as Mace watched, he saw the boy blend an Ataru sequence into his attack pattern. He must have learned it from a holocron in the archives. The basics of each form were available for anyone to study, even younglings.

"Do you think they are both ready to become Padawans?" Mace asked. As usual, he cut straight to the heart of the matter at hand.

"Jiraiya, more than ready he is," Yoda stated. "Naruto, the more difficult question that is. On physical skill alone we must not judge him."

"Agreed. But I have seen no issues with his character that would hold me back from taking him as my apprentice," Mace said. "He seems to get on well enough with his peers. I've heard that he has even helped some of his clan mates begin to create chakra."

"Yes, popular he is with his friends. But very emotional he remains. Impulsive. A troublemaker even," Yoda said. He was not condemning the boy, Mace knew. Rather, he was laying out all the possible arguments in order to get a sense of Mace's thinking. Yoda often did this, with younglings and experienced masters alike. Mace supposed it came from being a teacher for eight centuries.

"He is emotional, true," Mace conceded. "But I do not sense the same darkness surrounding him I once sensed around Skywalker. No, he reminds me more of Qui-Gon in that respect. I do not believe that remaining an Initiate will do him any good. What Naruto needs to learn now, he can better learn from me."

Yoda nodded in agreement with his colleague's words.

"Think you the others will agree?" he asked. Naruto and Jiraiya remained a regular source of controversy amongst the Council. Though most of the masters had at least resigned themselves to their presence in the Temple, Yoda anticipated some measure of pushback when it came to making the two former shinobi into Padawans. As Master of the Order, for now at least, Mace often had a somewhat better sense of where the Council was on any given issue than Yoda did, and the aged Grandmaster wanted to hear his opinion.

"On Naruto, yes," Mace answered. "The boy may be a prankster, but he is still just a boy. That covers all manner of youthful indiscretions. In truth, I suspect some will be glad to see me take him in, if only so that he isn't in the Temple as often."

Yoda chuckled at that. It was true, Naruto had proven to be one of the most inventive and successful pranksters the Temple had seen in many centuries. He, often with Ahsoka's help, had done everything from modifying the training sabers to spray brightly colored ink all over their users to reprogramming the sonic showers in the gyms to play Corellian love ballads when the user tried to bathe.

Yoda's, and Yaddle's, personal favorite, had been when he had somehow installed miniature squeaky pet toys in the soles of all of Master Tiin's boots. The poor man had not had time to get a new pair from the supply droids and had been forced to attend a Council meeting sounding like a rusty gear. To his credit, the Iktochi master had borne it with dignity and even some humor, though he had run Naruto through a truly exhausting series of velocities as penance.

"Jiraiya, on the other hand, will be a topic of discussion, to say the least," Mace continued, his eyes never leaving the ongoing spar. "His blatant disagreement with the Code has made him…controversial; and that's putting it mildly. I have had several complaints a month from various knights and even masters who have spoken with him."

As he was speaking, Luminara walked into the observation area. The other two masters seamlessly moved to one side to accommodate her. Though she had never served on the Council, it was not for lack of invitation, but rather lack of interest. For Luminara, the idea of being an administrator held little appeal. Despite this, her long service and well-known skills and wisdom had earned her the respect of the entire Council.

"Master Unduli, something to add, have you?" Yoda asked, displaying his usual level of supernatural perceptiveness.

"Yes, master. I have spoken with Jiraiya several times over the past few months," she said. "We have often discussed his views on the Code, and the Order in general. They are… not overly positive."

"That is an understatement," Mace said. "He has stated flat out, more than once, that he believes that attachments and emotions can make a Jedi stronger without drawing them towards the Dark. It is a dangerous viewpoint."

"I can see why you would say that, Master Windu," she said slowly, choosing her words with care. "I had a similar reaction myself when I first heard his views. However, the more I have talked with him, the less sure I am that he is wrong. At least, not completely."

Mace gave her a sharp look, but he held his tongue. This was not some rebellious teenaged Padawan, questioning the Code to get a rise out of their master. This was Luminara Unduli, a Jedi Master of 45, famed for her control and wisdom. Whatever her opinions may be, he knew she would not hold them lightly. Bearing that in mind, he motioned for her to continue.

"He does not believe that Jedi should necessarily be motivated by their emotions at all times," she explained. "Merely that we shouldn't be so reluctant to even acknowledge them. He believes it is possible to use the more 'Light' emotions to fuel our use of the Force without risking falling to the Dark side."

"I confess, I have not actually spoken to him in depth about his views," Mace admitted. "But it is not his views on emotion that truly concern me. His position there is not unheard of for Jedi. Qui-Gon and Master Fay come to mind there. It is his views on attachment that give me pause."

Luminara nodded her understanding at that.

"Yes, there he most definitely disagrees with the Code," she said. "It is his belief that the best way to achieve peace between people is through mutual understanding, and that such understanding can only come about by forging strong bonds between people. From his perspective, avoiding such bonds undermines the Jedi's mission."

"A dangerous view," Yoda said, though he had an oddly thoughtful tone to his voice. "Many Jedi, fallen because of attachment they have. Yet, strengthen others, such things have too. An example of this, young Skywalker is. Speak with Jiraiya on this I will."

With that, he fell silent. Mace got the feeling that he was not willing to say more on the subject right then, so he refocused on the spar between Naruto and Ahsoka. He dimly registered Luminara excusing herself, his focus already on the ongoing spar. As he watched, Naruto launched a blisteringly fast series of strikes, sacrificing form for speed and power. Ahsoka fell back before his attack, blocking as fast as she could.

For a few seconds, it seemed as if she would weather the storm intact. Despite his rapid fire blows, Naruto looked had yet to land an actual hit on the Togruta girl. Her small, agile form, combined with her more experienced defense, stymied his efforts. It took every ounce of her concentration though, and as it turned out, that had been his plan all along.

As soon as he sensed Ahsoka had focused entirely on his blade work, Naruto sprang his trap. His control over the Force may not have been especially subtle, but it was adequate for what he had in mind. Reaching out, he telekinetically gripped the edge of the thin floor mat Ahsoka was standing on. With a sudden twitch of his hand, he dragged it several feet backwards across the smooth floor.

Naruto had positioned himself well, and was standing on a separate mat from his friend. As such, Ahsoka found the ground suddenly, and quite literally, yanked out from beneath her feet. With a surprised yelp, she fell backwards, landing hard on her butt, bruising her tailbone. The pain of the impact tore a sharp gasp from her throat, and, more importantly, forced her eyes shut for a moment. By the time she opened them again, Naruto had the tip of his blade a centimeter from her throat.

"Hold. Winner, Naruto Uzumaki," Master Leem said, signaling an end to the fight.

"Nice match," Naruto said, the smile audible in his voice. He deactivated his training saber and hooked it onto his belt. Leaning down, he offered a hand to Ahsoka, who seemed torn between annoyance and amusement. Eventually amusement won, and she took his hand, pulling herself up with a smile.

"Still using your cheap tricks," she said teasingly. "You know, one of these days you're going to run out of them. What'll you do then?"

"By then I'll be good enough that I won't need them," Naruto replied easily. No matter who won their spars, their post-fight banter was always a friendly tradition with the two of them. Before he could continue, though, Master Windu and Master Yoda walked onto the mat.

"Well fought, both of you," Mace said, falling easily into the role of instructor. "Naruto, your speed and strength are excellent, but you rely on them too much. Work on refining your blade work and integrating your hand to hand skills more."

"Yes master," Naruto said, his voice unusually respectful. There was something about Mace Windu that demanded, and received, automatic respect, even from someone as allergic to formality as Naruto.

"Ahsoka, your lightsaber technique is excellent for your age," Mace said, drawing a poorly concealed grin from the orange-skinned girl. "However, your focus is too narrow while in a fight. Remember, though you may have more experience with a lightsaber, Naruto has far more experience with actual combat than you. He was able to leverage that and neutralize your skill advantage by misdirecting your focus. Do not allow yourself to be drawn into only one aspect of a battle. Keep your mind open and aware of everything that is around you."

"Yes, Master," Ahsoka said, her grin fading somewhat. She wasn't thrilled with the criticism, but she took it as best as she was able. Even her fiery attitude tended to falter in the face of Master Windu. Besides, it was good advice.

"So… does this mean I get to become a Padawan now?" Naruto asked, the optimism shining through his voice.

"Hrrm, think yourself ready, do you?" asked Yoda, who had hobbled in behind Mace.

Naruto opened his mouth to say yes, before shutting it again. His expression turned thoughtful as he considered the question more deeply. Much as Master Windu inspired respect in even the most recalcitrant youngling, so too did Master Yoda inspire introspection. He just seemed to emanate an aura that encouraged you to look deeper and think harder on his every word.

"I… don't know, master," Naruto said eventually. "I don't actually know what a Padawan needs to be able to do."

"Indeed, you do not," Yoda said approvingly, his eyes sparkling with humor. "My job it is, to know if ready to be a Padawan you are. If know this you did, then my job you would have. Alas, my job I must keep, it seems."

Naruto frowned a little, as he tried to puzzle out whether he had just been insulted or not. In the end, he decided he hadn't been, though it was often hard to tell with Yoda. With a start, he realized the diminutive Grandmaster was still speaking.

"Deliberate on this the Council will," he said. "For now, back to the crèche with you both."

"I trust you two can make it back without somehow getting lost on Tatooine or dismantling a drug syndicate?" Master Leem asked, her voice dryly sarcastic. Despite her tone, though, there was a faint light of affection in her eyes as she looked at their two most rambunctious charges. It was tempered with no small amount of exasperation, but it was there.

"Why Master, you mistake me for some sort of scoundrel," Naruto said, his voice suffused with such innocence it would have charmed a Rancor. "Ahsoka and I would never do something like that."

"After all, how would we end up on Tatooine, Master?" Ahsoka asked sweetly. "The ships headed to Onderon are much closer to the Temple. If anything, we'd end up there."

"I'm not even going to ask how you know that," Master Leem said, rolling her eyes. On a Gran, it was quite a sight. "Just go, before I find something that needs cleaning. I have to go set up next week's schedule."

At the implied threat of chores, Naruto and Ahsoka scurried quickly out of the sparring hall. Ahsoka was limping slightly, her bruised tailbone making itself known. With a fond sigh, Master Leem turned back to Mace and Yoda.

"I hope you allow him to become a Padawan," she said, her voice suddenly serious. "Despite his antics, he probably has the best heart of any youngling I have ever seen. He will make an outstanding Jedi one day. As will young Ahsoka, come to think of it."

"The Council will have to deliberate on that," Mace said. "But I personally do not see any reason to delay his advancement. With all respect to your teaching, Maks, he has learned all that he can from the crèche training. He needs a more personal touch now."

"I agree," she said respectfully. The group of masters chatted amiably for a few minutes before going their separate ways. Maks went to go arrange the training schedule for the Clawmouse clan for the next week, while Mace and Yoda went to call a Council meeting.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

As soon as Naruto and Ahsoka had exited the training hall and rounded the corner, Ahsoka jumped onto Naruto's back, clinging to him like a limpet.

"Agh, what the hell, Ahsoka," he yelled, stumbling at the sudden weight. "Get off."

"Nope," she said cheekily, popping the 'p' at the end. "You bruised my butt, so now you get to carry me back to the crèche. Consider it your penance."

"Penance? We were sparring!" he yelled. "We were supposed to try and hurt each other."

"Pfft, sounds like an excuse to me," she said, before pointing down the hallway. "Now, mush."

"Ugh, fine," Naruto grumbled, setting off towards the crèche. "Crazy girl. I should just drop you on your butt again."

"Yeah, but you won't," Ahsoka responded cheerfully. "You're too much of a softie to do that. Besides, you know I'd just beat you up if you did that."

Naruto rolled his eyes, but said nothing. In truth, he didn't really mind Ahsoka riding on his back too much. She weighed almost nothing, and it made her smile. He liked it when she smiled. It also didn't hurt that he did, in fact, know that she would beat him up if he dropped her. She was just special like that. Still, no matter how fond he was of Ahsoka, Naruto was never one to let someone else get the last word.

"It sounds to me like you're just mad that you lost the spar," he said.

"Hey, I would have won if you hadn't pulled that dirty trick on me," Ahsoka complained, smacking his shoulder with one small, orange fist. "You heard Master Windu, I'm better with a lightsaber than you."

"Yeah, but I'm the better fighter overall," Naruto countered. "After all, I won that spar. And using the Force isn't a 'dirty trick'. You wouldn't have lasted two seconds if I actually used my dirty tricks."

Ahsoka couldn't actually counter that point. It was true. She had seen some of Naruto's dirty tricks. She may have learned a few of them, but she knew that if he actually broke out his arsenal of cheap moves and dirty cheats, he would have beaten her before she could blink. She wasn't about to admit that to him though, so, in the finest traditions of reasoned discourse, she changed the subject.

"Well, I'm definitely a better pilot than you," she said confidently.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked. "I won our last speeder race."

"Yeah, but only because my engines blew up at the last minute," she protested. "I was 200 meters ahead of you before that."

"Maybe," Naruto said, "but after that, I won the race, while you had to be rescued by Anakin."

"I did not need to be rescued," she said hotly. "I had everything under control."

"Sure you did," Naruto replied, rolling his eyes. "That's why there was all that fire and smoke and screaming…"

"Oh shut up," Ahsoka huffed.

Naruto grinned beneath his mask at his verbal victory, but wisely said nothing. If the last year had taught him anything, and it had, it was to not push his luck with Ahsoka. Revenge may not have been the Jedi way, but, as she was fond of pointing out, she wasn't a Jedi just yet.

As he rounded a corner and looked down the long, straight hallway in front of him, the prankster inside of him got an idea. He nudged Ahsoka to get her attention.

"Hey, how long do you think this hallway is?" He asked. Ahsoka peered around his head to look.

"About 100 meters," she said. "Why do yo- oh no! Don't you dare do whaaaaaaahhhh."

It was too late, though. Naruto flashed through three lightning fast hand seals, and vanished in a blur of motion. Ahsoka's shriek of surprise was still echoing down the hall when they reappeared a second later on the far end of the pathway.

"You jerk!" She snapped, as she beat his shoulders with her fists. "Don't surprise me like that."

"Aww, come on Ahsoka," Naruto pleaded, his grin hidden beneath his mask. "That was my best shunshin yet. It was fun, right?"

Ahsoka hit him a couple more times for good measure, before ending with an aggrieved huff. It wasn't until Naruto craned his head around to look at her that he saw the small grin she was struggling to suppress.

"Ha, I knew you enjoyed that!" He crowed.

"Okay, maybe it was a little fun," she admitted. "But don't you go doing that without warning me, got it?"

Naruto just nodded and hoisted her a little higher on his back. She hummed contentedly and rested her head on his shoulder. Before too long, they arrived back at their clan crèche. Naruto walked in, by now totally unselfconscious about the passenger on his back. Given that lessons were over for the day, several of their clan mates were sitting in the common area, studying.

Barriss, who was probably Naruto's closest friend after Ahsoka and Anakin, looked up and pursed her lips at the sight of them. She shook her head disapprovingly, but Naruto thought he spotted a tiny grin on her face for a second.

"Ahsoka, did you make Naruto carry you all the way from the sparring hall to here?" she asked.

"Maybe," Ahsoka said as she slid off Naruto's back and onto a chair. "He deserved it, though."

"Just because he beat you in your match doesn't mean you should turn him into a pack animal," Barriss said pointedly.

"Hey, he did not beat me," Ahsoka protested. "Not fairly anyway."

"It's fine Barriss," Naruto said, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Besides, she's so puny she weighs almost nothing. It wasn't hard to carry her."

"Wha- you blockheaded nerfherder," Ahsoka sputtered indignantly, waving her arms with outrage. "I am not that little."

"You are too," Naruto shot back.

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Quiet, both of you," Barriss said sharply, fixing them with a piercing look. It was not quite a Look, not yet, but it definitely had potential. "I'm trying to study for our engineering class."

Naruto winced a little at her tone. Barriss was usually very reserved, and she rarely raised her voice. For her to snap at him now meant he must have really annoyed her.

"Sorry Barriss," he said, scratching his head sheepishly. He looked more closely at her and noticed her tensed shoulders and slightly clenched jaw. She looked like a spring wound too tight, liable to snap at any moment.

"Hey Barriss, are you okay?" he asked.

For a long moment, it seemed as if she either hadn't heard him or was going to ignore him. Finally, however, she closed her eyes and sighed.

"No," she said, her voice cracking slightly. For Barriss, that small tremble was the equivalent of full-blown sobbing. "It's just… I don't get mechanics like you and Ahsoka do. I don't understand it, and I need to do well in all my studies. How am I supposed to be a Jedi if I can't even pass an Initiate level engineering class?"

"I'm sure it'll be okay," Naruto said. "You're doing great in all your other classes, so what if you don't do so well in this one?"

"No!" Barriss hissed, actually startling Naruto and Ahsoka with the venom in her voice. "I will not just accept failure. I know I can do better than this. I will do better than this. It's just… I don't know how."

At that last part, Barriss sounded very small and vulnerable all of a sudden. It was a bit disturbing for Naruto and Ahsoka to see, as Barriss was usually an unshakable bastion of calm competence. Indeed, it was occasionally annoying how unflappable she came off as. To see her so off kilter was like seeing Mace Windu crack a smile; technically possible, but definitely outside the normal proceedings of the universe.

However, shocked or not, Naruto was never one to let a friend suffer alone. Reaching out with one arm, he pulled Barriss into a half hug. Ahsoka walked around to her other side and did the same. Barriss squirmed a little at first, unused to such close contact and comfort from other Jedi. After a second or two though, she relaxed into her friends' embrace, allowing Ahsoka's soothing warmth and Naruto's boundless joy to wash over her. For several minutes, they all just sat there and enjoyed each other's presence.

"How about I help you study?" Ahsoka finally asked. "I'm pretty good with electronics."

Barriss blinked at the offer, before shaking herself out of the haze of comforting feelings. With a twitch of her head, she snapped back to cold reality.

"Don't you have your astrogation project to finish?" she asked in return, her tone indicating that she already knew the answer to the question.

"Uh, well, it's not that-"

"It is that important," Barriss said firmly. "You shouldn't sacrifice your own class work just to help me with something I should be able to handle myself. I'll be fine, really."

"It's fine, really," Ahsoka protested. "I'll just-"

"No," Barriss said, putting her foot down. Ahsoka opened her mouth to respond, but before she could formulate another comeback, Naruto spoke up.

"I can help you," he said loudly, confidence practically shining out of his every pore. "Anakin's been teaching me a lot about engineering for the past year. I bet I'm almost as good as he is by now. I could totally help you out."

Ahsoka and Barriss both automatically rolled their eyes at their friend's typical utter lack of humility.

"Really? You're almost as good as Anakin now?" Ahsoka asked skeptically, an 'I call nerfshit' look on her face.

"Weeell, maybe not that good, but I'm still definitely the best in the clan," Naruto defended himself. "This way, you can do your project while I help Barriss with the engineering stuff."

"I- are you sure?" Barriss asked. "I wouldn't want to inconvenience you."

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, seemingly genuinely confused by her question. "You're my friend. I'll always help my friends."

The words themselves may not have seemed especially profound, but the tone Naruto delivered them in was striking, to say the least. The way he said it was so sure, so absolute, so completely and utterly without compromise or question that all Barriss could do for a few seconds was blink in shock. She had never heard such emotional conviction from a Jedi before, even an Initiate like Naruto. A part of her said that such a display of emotion was inappropriate for a Jedi, but just right then she couldn't really bring herself to care. It was a lifeline she desperately needed, and so she clung to it regardless of the rules. Finally, after several seconds, she found her voice again.

"Thank you Naruto," she said. "If you're willing to help me, I would like that."

Naruto grinned and punched the air, chuckling happily. As far as he was concerned, there was no greater confirmation that you were awesome at something than being able to help a friend with it. Since he liked to think he was awesome at engineering (an exaggeration, but he was getting there), and he loved helping his friends, this was basically the perfect outcome. A small part of him pointed out the irony of him of all people offering academic help to anyone, but he ignored it, chalking it up to personal growth and increased awesomeness on his part.

Ahsoka snorted a bit at his over the top antics, before reluctantly pulling away from Barriss and standing up. Channeling a year's worth of experience in dealing with the former shinobi, she lightly smacked Naruto in the back of the head, snapping him back to reality. Satisfied that he was focused again, she sighed unhappily and went off to finish her astrogation project. Though she was loath to admit it, Barriss had been right when she said it was important.

Naruto, meanwhile, now that his head was out of the clouds, walked back over to Barriss. Eye-smiling at her, he stood next to her and gently tugged the datapad out of her hands, ignoring her sound of protest.

"Okay," he said as he walked towards the door, "Follow me."

"Wha- where are we going?" Barriss asked, confused. "I need to study."

"Yeah, and the best way to do that is by doing stuff," Naruto said sagely, as if imparting the secrets of the universe to a disciple. "We're going to one of the engineering workshops. Master Leem lets me use one to work on my electronics skills, so it's fine. Come on."

Bemused, but also intrigued, Barriss followed Naruto out of the crèche. She wasn't entirely sure what he had in mind, but with as confident as he was, she was willing to give it a chance. He was her friend, after all.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

While Naruto was tutoring Barriss, an event so unusual that many would have taken it as a sign of the apocalypse, the Council was deliberating. The topic was one that had come up often in the last year; Naruto and Jiraiya. Specifically, whether or not they were ready to take the next step and become Padawans.

The debate had been going for several minutes already. They had finished reviewing their test results and had moved to discussing what they meant.

"I do not think there is any question about their physical skills," Plo Koon said. "Both were already at the necessary level even before they came to us. Since then, Naruto, under Jiraiya's tutelage as well as his Temple instructors, has progressed splendidly. He is now at or above the level of a senior Padawan in terms of agility, hand to hand combat skills, strength, speed, and endurance. His lightsaber skills are far less developed, but still impressive considering how recently he began training with a blade."

"And what of Jiraiya?" Even Piell asked curiously. "How have his skills developed?"

"Jiraiya was already at the level of a Jedi Master in every physical field save lightsaber combat," Plo Koon answered. "He has maintained and even improved his overall fitness, and his sword skills are now near the level of a Jedi Knight."

"Their physical skills may not be in question, but what of their Force abilities?" Eeth Koth asked. He had not been involved with any of Naruto or Jiraiya's training, and so was genuinely curious.

"Strong they both are with the Force," Yoda replied. "Inexperienced they are also, especially Naruto. Struggles with control he does, and inefficient he often is. Jiraiya, a different problem he has. Hard it is, for him to touch the Force as a Jedi does. Defaults to creating chakra he often does, when his focus is disrupted. When touch the Force he does though, strong and controlled he has proven to be."

Eeth nodded at that, but Oppo Rancisis looked askance.

"If they struggle to use the Force properly, should we really be considering making them Padawans?" he asked, his tone almost disdainful.

"Why not?" Yaddle asked. "It is our duty to teach a Padawan what they need to know. If already so advanced they are physically, then more time will their masters have, to teach them of the Force."

"Let us not prevaricate any longer," Yarael Poof said. "The real question is; what do we think of their characters? Are they mentally and spiritually ready for this?"

"The boy is far too emotional," Rancisis said. "He flouts the rules, pulls pranks almost weekly, and he is fiercely prone to attachment."

"He is also 13," Mace said. "I believe I can channel that same energy he puts into his pranks into a more useful outlet."

"See what you expect to see, you do," Yoda said, gently chiding the other Master. "Those same faults, shared by many new Padawans they are. The purpose of an apprenticeship, getting rid of them is."

Rancisis frowned, but accepted the rebuke with good grace. Yoda rarely outright contradicted a fellow Council member, but when he did, it was generally taken as given that you had stepped out of line. Yoda had, at one point or another, taught every Jedi in the Temple, including each and every master in that room. He respected their opinions, even and especially when they differed from his own. However, he was not above laying down the law when he felt it necessary. That he did so now spoke volumes.

"I have my own doubts about Uzumaki, but I'm not opposed to Mace taking him on at this time," Saesee Tiin said. "He seems to respond better to a more personal teaching style, so perhaps being a Padawan will help him shape up in a way the Temple instructors could not. My bigger concern is Jiraiya."

Rancisis, Adi Gallia, and Even Piell all nodded at that. Mace glanced at Yoda, who twitched his ears in acknowledgement.

"He simply refuses to accept the truth of the Code," Tiin continued. "He has challenged numerous Knights and Masters on the matter. His stance on emotions, his belief in attachments being a strength, these things are simply incompatible with the Jedi."

"Incompatible with the Jedi, or incompatible with the Code?" Yarael asked quietly. Tiin merely cocked his head questioningly, prompting him to continue.

"Are the Code and the Order the same thing?" he asked, now addressing the whole Council. "You speak of the 'truth of the Code' Master Tiin, as if it were some immutable aspect of the universe. A year ago, I asked if we had not become blinded by dogma. Today I ask that same question again."

"Surely you cannot be suggesting we change the Code," Adi Gallia said, a shocked look on her face.

"No. Any change to the Code would obviously need to be exhaustively debated and meditated," Yarael said placatingly. "I am merely pointing out that the Code has changed in the past, and it would be folly to assume it will never need to be changed again."

"The old Code was changed because it had failed us," Rancisis said. "Its permission of attachment, and even families, led many Jedi to fall."

"And has the new Code solved this problem?" Yaddle asked, cocking an eyebrow. "In the past 1000 years, how many Jedi fallen to the Dark have there been?"

"Just since I have been a youngling, there have been several," Plo Koon said. "Ter Idi, the Elrood marauders, Xanatos, Bruck Chun, and most recently, Alysun Celz."

"Before them, Volfe Karkko, Allya, and Kibh Jeen there were," Yoda said, his voice melancholy. "Others too, there have been, but made I think Master Poof's point is."

"And what is your point?" Tiin asked the Quermian master. "Do you mean to say that some Jedi will inevitably fall? That we can do nothing to stop it?"

"No," Yarael responded firmly. "I only mean to say that the new Code is clearly not perfect either. We clearly have not yet found the ideal Code, so it would seem to be folly to dismiss or suppress differing opinions."

"So you believe Jiraiya is right in his views?" Adi Gallia asked.

"I do not know," Yarael admitted. "I have not spoken with him on the matter. I merely propose that he is not wrong simply because he disagrees with us, and that we should not be so fragile as to be frightened of his views. Has he engaged in anything other than polite and reasoned discussion when it comes to the Code and views on it?"

There was a general shaking of heads. Despite how radical his views seemed to many of those present, none of them could recall an incident where Jiraiya had even raised his voice in anger when talking about his personal philosophy. He may have ruffled plenty of feathers, but he had done so calmly, with clear arguments rather than vitriol.

"I see your point, Master Poof," Depa Bilaba said. "But the fact remains that his views have made him a very polarizing figure in the Order. Would any Master even be willing to take him as a Padawan?"

There was a brief pause as they considered the question. The silence was broken by the tap of Yoda's gimer stick on his chair.

"If pass the trial on Ilum he does, take Jiraiya as a Padawan I will," he said. "Some time it has been since an apprentice I have trained. Time to do so once again it is."

There was a moment of shocked silence from most of the Council as they processed the news. Only Mace and Yaddle seemed unsurprised by the news. Mace because Yoda had informed him of his plan weeks ago, and Yaddle because she knew Yoda better than any other living Jedi and had predicted this. She privately suspected he had waited until now to announce this just to see the look on the other masters' faces. Though he did not often have a chance to indulge it anymore, Yoda had a mischievous streak leftover from his distant youth. It was part of why he enjoyed teaching younglings so much.

Still, petty jokes on the Council aside, she agreed with his decision. From the feelings of acceptance and reassurance coming from the rest of the Council, she was not alone in that. It made sense, Yoda being the one to take on Jiraiya. He was well known for taking the difficult students, the misfits, the ones who didn't quite fit in with any other master. After 800 years of teaching Jedi, Yoda often proved able to turn even the most unlikely and misfit Padawans into excellent, if not somewhat unusual Jedi Knights. If anyone could train Jiraiya to be a Jedi, he could.

Sensing the same thing as Yaddle, Mace spoke up.

"I believe we are ready to make a decision," he said, exercising his authority as Master of the Order for what would likely be the last time. "Let us vote."

The vote went quickly. Yoda's announcement had soothed most of the objections from Tiin and Rancisis, and in the end it was unanimous. Both Naruto and Jiraiya were to be taken as Padawans.

"Very well. Tell them to prepare for a trip to Ilum I will," Yoda said, as the Council stood to leave. "Find a master to accompany them I will also. Leave Coruscant at the moment I cannot."

"I may have an idea of whom to send with them," Yarael said, remaining behind with Yoda. When he mentioned the name, Yoda nodded sagely.

"Decided it is then," he said. "An interesting trip this should prove to be."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Thus begins the next arc, lightsaber building. This is the longest arc so far, and it gets a little weird at times, but I think it turned out okay. For this chapter, I tried to show how Naruto has grown in the past few months, as well as expand his interactions beyond Jiraiya and Ahsoka. This marks the first major appearance of Barriss in my story, and boy is she a tough character to portray. Given what happens to her in canon, I tried to show the cracks starting to form already. She's obviously a massive perfectionist and anxious about her future, and anyone who has seen ATLA knows how that can end.

I already have a plan for how I'm going to handle Barriss, and it will differ from cannon in several ways. The most important will be that I plan to actually resolve her character arc, rather than leaving you all hanging like canon has so far. I don't want to share anything beyond that, because plans can always change, so you'll just have to wait and see.

As always, leave any comments, questions, or obscure bits of trivia in your review. I always appreciate longer reviews, as they actually give me lots of useful feedback. I read every review I get, and they all help. Until next time, enjoy.