Latest Update:September 18th, 2011 *Author hasn't posted anything in like 10 years, but he has been favoriting stories, so prolly just stopped writing*
Summary: It has began. A war that will spread like a wild fire across the galaxy. And I just wish I could live my life peacefully. Heh, I guess that's just a stupid dream. I'm Naruto Uzumaki and I'm NOT a Jedi. Not anymore. NarutoXSW. Summary inside
Link: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/6146786/1/STAR-WARS-CLONE-WARS-The-deflected-Jedi-Naruto
Word count:160k
Chapters:14
Chapter 1: PROLOGUE
A small boy was walking over a huge pile of garbage, right outside of the capital of Serenno, a world in the Outer Rim. It was few years after a terrifying epidemic had ravaged through the world and caused deaths of thousands and thousands of humans.
Families were wiped out. Clans were wiped out. And because of that, economic was ruined. Those who survived were forced live in poverty. On that same garbage mountain, many people tried to scavenge what little they could use to survive.
This young boy had no one. He was an orphan. He only had one memory. It was his only memory of someone with a sad smile. Of a woman who had left him behind. He had been alone ever since. Fighting for his survival. He would fight over food with other beggars. He would steal from others if he could. He would do what he had to in order to survive this harsh unforgiving world. He was well known on this garbage mountain.
And even still, after time that felt like a forever, he was alone. People were scared of him. They were scared of his magic. That boy had powers even he couldn't understand.
Today was just like any other day. He would wake up in his little den, start scavenging for food and anything else that seemed worth saving. Like that used battery with a glow. The child didn't know what it was but it was warm and maybe he could use that warm in the coldness of the nights.
He pushed some rats aside and picked it up. He didn't eat rats. They were his friends. They helped him when he needed them. They would do what he wanted. Who would kill his own friends? He even shared some of his food with his friends. When he reached for the battery, few rats appeared behind it and started pushing it closer for his fingers to reach. That's how they helped him.
"Greetings, young one." He sprung around, much like a rat or an animal himself, his teeth bared, ready to face anyone who tried to steal his loot. He was surprised to see a man in capes. A weird man. This man wasn't like himself. He was one of the 'Others'. The term used on people outside of Garbage Mountain where he lived in. He inched away, very much a like an anxious rat, baring his small teeth. He was so life-like that this 'Other' man raised an eyebrow to this.
The reason boy was so anxious was because he hadn't known this man was there. He always knew when someone was there or not. No matter how much they tried to hide it. He always felt them. Even once when someone had found a way into his den and tried to steal his things. This boy could be ruthless when defending his own. That unlucky fellow was a good meal to this boy's rats.
But this man… was different.
Something shiny was strapped into mans waist. This boy was curious, fast forgetting the anxiousness from earlier. "Are you hungry?" The 'Other' smiled and lowered himself slightly to level with the boys eyes and slowly offered something small to the boy. It was a candy this man had bought for this very purpose. From experience, the man knew that sweet things were a key to gain a child's trust.
That something he offered smelled good. And from the looks of it, the boy hadn't eaten for days. He was about to step forward until the boy could reach it when it flew out of his hand into his.
The man watched as the boy ate the candy bar with an enlightened look on his face. The man noticed how the rodents around them moved more relaxed and started to disperse like an invisible chain was broken. "Force is strong in this one." He muttered amazed of the boy's skill. Then he smiled. "Do you like it?"
Boy nodded boldly and offered his hand again signing that he wanted more.
"Do you want more? I know a place where you can have lots of more. Would you care to come with me, away from here?"
The boy tilted his head and the man felt the sudden hesitation in his mind.
"Ooh! Where are my manners, of course!" The old man smiled. "My name is Dooku. I'm a Jedi Master. Would you like to come with me? There are many people who would just love to meet you."
Boy thought for a moment until he smiled widely and nodded. Man was nice. And had given him food. No one had even given him anything. And now was even promising more food and people. Something inside this boy told him to trust this man. And this boy never thought much and went with his gut feeling.
In all what had started like any other day, had turned out definitely into his lucky day.
"So, what should I call you?" Dooku asked as he led the small boy out of their world. The boy looked up. "Name? Do you have one?"
The boy tilted his head before letting out a line of similar voices you expect hearing out of a rat. Then he put his hand into his dirty clothes (Dooku was impressed he even bothered wearing any, as much as he was surprised of the boys rodent-likeness) and pulled something that might've been on its glorious days a fishcake. Then to Dookus greatest displeasure, the boy offered it to him. "For me?" He asked as the boy nodded excited. Using all his training not to make a face to the disgusting thing, he took it. Then he looked down to the boy, hoping that he wasn't looking up so he could quickly throw it away. But the boy was looking up an expecting look on his face. So the Dooku gulped and prayed the Force before gulping it down in whole. "Delicious." He forced a smile on his face and laughed. The boy seemed satisfied and continued to walk down the road.
"Naruto." Dooku whispered, praying that his stomach wouldn't give up. "You shall be Naruto." Then he blocked his mouth to prevent himself from throwing up. What the masters did for the future generations.
((A))
Roughly twelve years later, that same boy, now grown much older, was running down the hallways of the Jedi Temple, an excited look on his face.
He looked over his shoulder. A bunch of weary and angry looking kids were running after him. Someone actually stumbled on his own feet and didn't bother getting up. The boy just laughed and started concentrating on the running.
Then, suddenly, the hallway was blocked by a group of masters, younglings and couple padawans after some kind of lesson. They stopped walking when they noticed a crowd running closer, this boy in the front. Couple masters raised their hands, attempting to stop this.
The boy only got more excited and took a quick assessment of the surroundings. The hallway had the long pillars running at the side. The tallest person in the group front of him was over two meters high. And the group was covering an area over five meters long. And the brats – I mean the younglings were like special obstacles that attempted to get into your way. But this boy knew how to handle such an 'obstacle'.
"Stop!" The master Luminara Unduli yelled with very uncharacteristically angry voice. "I demand you to stop!" She raised her hand but the boy ignored her. He leaped over them. Then, with amazing agility, he raised his legs so they wouldn't hit anyone's head. But about half way over them, he realized that he didn't have enough force in the jump and was landing too soon. So he took some support of the head of Jedi Master Quinlan Vos and pushed forward and then, with surprising grace, he landed without a single incident. "Padawan Namikaze! What is going on? Explain yourself?" Luminara demanded to know.
The boy flashed his excited smirk. "Sorry. Gotta run. Lookin' good Barriss." He winked to his friend, Barriss Offee who smiled back. Then he suddenly concentrated on something behind them. "Watch out."
Confused masters, padawans and younglings didn't really understand what was going on until the crowd they had just waited, crashed with them, when they tried to copy his stunt. "Sorry boys. You just can't beat the master!" The boy laughed and quickly turned around and dashed off leaving the angry masters with new scapegoats.
Few more corners and a long hallway and he was in the finish. The Meditation Garden. Beautiful garden full of life and serene feeling. This was the unofficial finishing line of their race. Some of the boys in the Temple had said that it would be impossible but he had gotten from library to the Gardens in less than three and half minutes. Damn he was good. And modest.
"You know Master Unduli is looking for you." He turned around to see his friend, Anakin Skywalker entering the garden. "I heard you managed to star another fight."
"It was not a fight." The boy shook his head undignified. "It was a race to find out who is the fastest."
Anakin looked at him curiously. "Then why does Kibas voice echo through corridors, calling your name like he had gone mad?"
The boy shrugged. "How should I know?" Then he noticed movement at the door and smirked. "Gotta run!" He turned on his feet and started yet another race.
Anakin looked behind him to see very angry looking Luminara Unduli ready to do something very uncharacteristic. Yell. "Namikaze! Padawan Namikaze! I demand that you stop running this instant or you will be in big trouble!"
But the boy ignored her completely and continued to run away. He jumped onto some trees that were growing, climbed up like an animal and then leaped into a vent before disappearing from sight. "How does he do that…" Anakin shook his head and sighed. His own master had told him to meditate until he would return from the council meeting. He wished he could just disappear like that.
Then he noticed the very angry looking group of masters that entered the gardens. Word of this little 'race' had spread far enough to even to the 'I'm-always-angry' looking Master Windu who scanned the gardens.
"Skywalker! Did you see where Namikaze went?"
Anakin only shrugged quietly and attempted to look like he was continuing his meditation.
Masters left the gardens quickly muttering angrily about the boy. Someone asked where the boys master was and what was he doing at the time like this.
Anakin thought it was a good question.
((A))
The boy crawled through vents, quietly and quickly, being very careful not to make any sounds that might attract any master's attention.
After he had been brought to the Temple by Dooku, he had actually lived inside the vents for the first weeks, too scared to come out. Not even a small army of service droids had managed to drive him out but left lots of spare parts into the vents for others to clean up. He had that effect on machines even now.
Finally, after Dooku had figured out to use fishcakes as a bait to lure him out had they managed to get him out of there. During his years as a youngling, the boy had always hid himself in the vents when the time got hard for him. It reminded him of his home at the garbage mountain. This is why many other younglings had started to call him a 'rat'. Not that the boy minded at all. Rats had been his friends for long as he could remember. Being called one was something very nice to say to him.
Anyway, after years of crawling, the boy knew these vents better than anyone in the Temple. Even better than the droids.
But lately, a problem had arisen.
He was getting too big to crawl in the smallest tunnels. He had never gotten stuck before but as he grew up, he had realized the harmful side of growing up. Well, luckily, the boy had a tool that he always carried with him and what he could use to make any tunnel wide enough.
A lightsaber that was strapped to his waist but what he didn't need today. After all, right outside his current location was one of the smaller hangars where he could easily borrow a transport and leave the Temple until the masters had calmed down. Which might take awhile.
He opened the hatch and made sure that no one was around before stepping out and closing it behind him. Right in the middle of the platform was a nice old speeder. He quickly leaped in.
If he was good at running away, one should see him flying.
He pressed a few buttons and cracked his neck. Let's do this.
The speeder started moving… backwards and crashed hard into the hangar wall. Okay, the statement about flying was a complete lie. The boy knew nothing about machines.
"That's why I always tell you to spend less time getting other masters angry and practice flying!" A loud yell echoed through the hangar which was followed with a hard slap on the back of the boys head.
"OW! OW! OW!" The boy clutched his head and cursed. "Why the hell would anyone do that! I only crashed something that was almost older than you! Almost."
This earned another slap from a man with a big white hair. "Seriously." He sighed. "What am I gonna do with you?"
"You could start with an apology followed with a quick trip out of the Temple until the Masters cool off." The boy suggested helpfully.
"Like hell I will!" Jiraiya screamed. "They are already going to eat me alive for not being able to control you! What do you think will happen if I will be seen as an accomplice?"
The boy waited a moment. "What?"
"The council will eat me alive, very slowly."
"… so how's that any different from earlier?"
Jiraiya thought a moment. "That's a good point. Move. I drive. I'm too young to die in hands of a maniac like you."
"Excuse me!" The boy shifted from his seat and his master jumped in. "I'm not that bad driver! I'm an excellent driver if I have enough room." He stated matter-of-factly.
"You once crashed our speeder to the only rock in a dessert." Jiraiya pointed out as he drove the speeder out of the hangar quite gracefully. "How is that 'good driving'?"
"It wasn't my fault! You were the one who kept pestering me about the dance girls we had left behind!"
They kept arguing like that as Jiraiya drove them away from the Temple.
"Why did you do it?" The master asked his pupil finally. "Minato?"
Minato Namikaze, the name the boy was given by the Order had golden hair with blue eyes and whisker-like lines on his face looked back. "I'm bored." He muttered quietly. "You're off around the galaxy while I'm stuck in the Temple, forced to show some brats how NOT to use a lightsaber."
"Hey! It's not like I'm at some health spa having my shoulders massaged by some beautiful women of the galaxy! I'm doing some serious stuff out there." Right then he stopped right front of a 'Lunar Skin' massage parlor. Minato narrowed his eyes. "This proves nothing!"
"Yeaaah…" The boy muttered and leaped out of the speeder as the valet took opened the door for Jiraiya.
"Welcome again, Mister Jiraiya." The valet bowed his head. "I hope you enjoy our new mud baths right from Suna system."
"I might just do that." Jiraiya smiled and threw some credits on the man's hand. Naruto walked past the valet, ignoring him completely.
"Welcome again, Mister Minato. I'm glad to inform you that we have a pair completely fresh twilek dancer's."
Just when the door closed behind them, Jiraiya slowly turned around with a glare.
Minato only shrugged. "I'm a growing boy." He suggested sheepishly. "And I find twileks to be a very beautiful, elegant, smart, race."
Right then a pair of twilekes customers walked past them in skimpy outfits. The boy's eyes followed them all the way through the lobby. Or rather, followed their butts.
"Such a beautiful race." He whispered dreamily and wiped some drool of his face before correcting his face.
"What would masters say if they saw a padawan lusting after couple of street dancers?" Jiraiya shook his head disapprovingly.
"I'm pretty sure it would be something similar when they found out that you're a megapervert."
Jiraiya huffed and lead them out of the lobby.
Search for the padawan and his master continued throughout the Temple relentlessly for hours. And all that time, the duo was having full body massages, spa treatments, entertainment and much more, everything delivered by beautiful ladies. Jiraiya justified all this by saying: "If we're going to be chewed by the Council, might as well face them relaxed." Even if he was a Jedi, the old man had hardest time detaching himself from physical pleasures such as these. He had never been much of a humble person like most Jedis sought to be. Actually, many would describe him as arrogant, vain, foolish perverted old man who didn't deserve the title of a Jedi Master. And many seemed to think that it had been a mistake to hand him a padawan like Minato who seemed to follow in his exact footsteps.
Well, as long as he could enjoy the ride, Jiraiya didn't care what would people think about his padawan.
"Or this might be our last meal so to speak." The boy suggested with a dreamy voice as he sunk himself on a bubble bath. Living in Corusant had it perks.
"That's a possibility. Seriously." The old man sulked. "I had to end up with such a padawan. Not even an ounce of respect to anything."
"I wouldn't say that." Naruto shook his head. "I have lots of respect to lots of things. Just not for you."
Finally, after five hour, full-course treatment, a couple of very relaxed and lazy Jedis stepped inside of the main doors. The main lobby was quiet as always that time of the day so they thought that they could quietly sneak into their bedrooms and escape punishment for another day.
"You two!" They stiffened when they heard the voice. Mace Windu had been waiting them, in the middle of the lobby floor, meditating. "You will be summoned to the Council first thing tomorrow. You will arrive." He then stood up and walked away after delivering the message.
After he was gone, Minato slapped his master's head. "I told you we should sneak through lower levels!"
((A))
Minato spent few more hours practicing his lightsaber use. No matter how he was called a 'rat' by other padawans or how other masters saw him a failure in making, no one dared to deny his skills.
Narutos natural agility and speed gave him an edge over any opponent. His ability to adapt to almost any field and situation made him amazing fighter. It was no wonder that he had managed to master the seventh form of lightsaber combat, Vaapad, in a staggering age fourteen, roughly a year ago. He was strong in Force and he had amazing reflexes and many teachers had commented that if he would start taking his duty seriously, he would be promoted into a knight in no time.
But Naruto ignored them. He wanted to become stronger. And better. And faster but he didn't care about the rank or what other people thought. Long as he could go out and save the galaxy.
He formed few katas of the style before he stopped and looked around. Not many knew, but after master the Vaapad, Naruto had started creating a style of his own, something more suitable that would give him a true edge in battle. It was near complete but not complete enough.
((A))
That night Minato entered his own quarters, yawning and stretching boisterously. He had trained like crazy and started to believe his style was soon to be ready.
Now he was planning on crashing into his bed and sleep all his troubles away. That was until he noticed a guest waiting outside his door. "A bit late for a visit, don't you think, Barriss?"
The Mirialan female looked up from the meditative position she was in, trying hard to remain calm, even though the human male could sense the strong emotions dwelling inside her. "I see that you've found back from your… adventures again, my friend." She said with her serene voice. He black hair was not tied to a typical padawan braid but all her hair was free. Minato never grew his hair like that but always allowed it to run wild, 'just like me' he would often laugh when the subject came up.
"Please, come in." He sighed now and opened his door and led her in.
Minato had his own chamber like any other padawan. It only had a bed. He started to remove his clothes and carelessly threw them on to a big pile on the floor.
"Do you must be so untidy all the time?" Barriss scolded him as she couldn't stand the messy pile of rags and used the Force to quickly make neat piles of folded clothes. Minato didn't even response, only took his lightsaber and dropped it on the floor carelessly. His friend closed her eyes, trying not to imagine the sacrilege.
After removing his shirt, Minato sat on his bed and looked at her who in the lack of chairs had knelt on the floor, facing him. "So, what is it that you want to talk about?" He asked. "Or have you finally decided to take up on my offer?" He winked knowingly.
Even the 'Perfect Barriss' (like Minato called her inside his own head) couldn't help but blush and take a second to pulled herself back together. "No." She shook her head as she was back to her serene self. "I'm here as a concerned friend."
"Really?" Minato raised an eyebrow. "What's going on then?"
"Masters are at their limit with your stunts." She whispered suddenly. "You've caused so much trouble these last weeks that they are ready to take drastic measures in order to restrain you."
Minato shrugged. "Then they should give me something to do. I've pretty much proven that I don't do well sitting down."
"But you must!" She raised her voice, battling to keep her emotions in control. "What if they expel you from the Order? What then? Where will you go? What will you do? What will I…" She quickly closed her mouth and looked away.
"What will I…?" Minato suggested. "what? Do if you, 'my love' will leave me? C'mon!"
She only glared at him. "Jedi are not allowed to love."
"Yet compassion is necessary." He shot back and waved his hand. "Don't worry. They won't kick me out. I'm too great. And I have my dream to fulfill." Then he smirked. "And I couldn't dream about leaving you behind."
This was enough for Barriss who quickly stood up. "I really need to go. Well, good night and try to be careful and – and – and – good night!" She turned on her heels.
"Wait." Minato stopped her. "I have something for you." She turned around just to see her friend pulling something from his shirt that was on the floor. "Here." He handed it over.
With her hands shaking, she took it and looked at it. It was a necklace made from something shiny dark blue substance in a form of a crystal.
"It's… beautiful…" She whispered as she gently touched the surface. "Where did you…?"
"I made it." He grinned proudly. "From hardened mold from the vents."
Barriss face faulted. "Mold? You made this out of mold?"
"Amazing isn't it?" He grinned and looked up. "You don't know how much life there are inside those small holes."
"But how did you get this to be so beautiful and hard. It's almost like a rock."
"Trade secret." He answered. "So, do you like it?"
Slowly, Barriss took the necklace and placed it around her neck. "I think it's precious."
"Don't think it's yours though." He said quickly. "I will take it back one day."
"What?" She asked confused when he leaned closer.
"Because I always keep my word, I promise to come back to you." He whispered into her ear.
Even for a green skinned Mirilian, the blush was visible when she bowed her head and left the room with quick good byes and closed the door behind her. Inside, the boy was laughing his ass off. In the corridor, she took a deep breath, before collecting herself. She couldn't help when this happened. It was so easy for her to lose herself around him. She bit her lip, trying to figure out a reasonable, acceptable explanation to these feelings. When she realized that it wasn't possible, she left the corridor, promising herself to spend more time training to improve herself.
At the other end of the corridor, very displeased Master Luminara watched her go. This was the reason she was so angry with the Namikaze boy. Her student was nearly perfect as she could be. She was (not to sound too arrogant) like herself when she was a padawan, years ago. Just like Luminara, Barriss would one day become a strong Jedi Master who would be able to fulfill her duty as a protector of the Republic. Expect she was around that boy. Ever since the very beginning, when the two were younglings, they had been close friends. Minato would often try to lead his friend into trouble, while she was trying to keep him out of trouble. Both failed and succeeded from time to time.
That's were the problem had began. Luminara had noticed that their closeness was getting dangerous for a Jedi. Just by looking at the two, she realized how close they really were (or rather how close the young girl wished to be). Luminara had then decided to pick the girl up and take her away before the girl who had so much potential would be ruined. When she became her padawan, Luminara had thought that worse danger was avoided. Now, the girl would be guided by the suitable road, away from the risk factor. And while she was training her, the boy would be picked up by some other master who would do same to him.
"Cute, isn't it? The young love?"
If only.
She sprung around to see her old friend Master Jiraiya wearing his usual stupid smirk on his face. Of all the people who could have taken the boy, this man had to be the one call himself his master.
"You should be careful." She said coldly and stepped past him. "Other masters won't look kindly at you two much longer. They don't believe you have any kind of control over your student."
"Actually I'm the only thing that has any kind of control over that brat." Jiraiya pointed out. "Without me, he would've turned this place into a ruin in a month."
"Well that's not enough, is it?" She sprung around and snapped into his face.
"No need to be angry with me just because you have a problem with my student." He shot back.
Luminara took a breather. "I'm apologize old friend." She continued her walk. "It's just that your student has a bad influence on mine who could very well be a great Jedi Knight one day."
"And talking to my student ruins it because…" Jiraiya waited.
"You know very well what I mean." She said.
He didn't answer. Only shrugged and walked other way. "I gotta go now and have a talk with my student. See you later."
Luminara watched as her friend disappeared into corridors. "Please try to take tomorrow's meeting seriously, Jiraiya. For your sake as well as your student's."
She turned around and continued her own walk, her thoughts occupied by her friend. Even though many people mistook him to a bumbling moron with no use in the Order, they were wrong.
Jiraiya was a great Jedi. He was wise, strong, calm and patient. Even if he hid all that into an appearance of that moronic disguise, there were only a handful of people who she would rather see by her side in battle. Jiraiyas skills with a lightsaber were amazing. His swordsmanship was among the best in the whole order. He was strong in Force and he was just in his decision. Wise and thoughtful who had patience when really needed. Even if he had a vice of physical pleasure, he never attached himself into anything and if he could detach himself from that only vice, he would surely be raised to the Council. He was an excellent strategist, good pilot and had many friends over the galaxy.
And his student was growing up the same way. Minato, who had managed to master Vaapad before he was fourteen, whose ability to connect with other living things was amazing and who was probably another great strategic genius in the making. The boy too had so much potential but the road he was walking was dangerous. He was rash, hot and frustrated. If the boy would ever fell, it could be disastrous.
She just wished everything would turn out okay.
((A))
The next morning, doors behind the Council Chamber. Minato fought back a yawn.
"Huaaah!" He failed miserably. "What are we here for again?"
"We're here because you can't be still for two seconds." Jiraiya muttered equally tired but better masking it. "Huaaah!" Or not.
"Or because you're a failure as a teacher."
Before the master had a chance to retaliate, the doors were slid open, inviting them in.
The Council was waiting, and they weren't happy. Many of them had been affected by yesterdays brawl one way or the other.
"This doesn't look good." Minato whispered under his breath as they stepped in.
((A))
Roughly year and a half later, that boy was fighting a fierce lightsaber combat in an abandon hangar on Corusant, using his own new style that surprised his opponent. But the opponent wasn't some great Sith or even a bounty hunter or anything like that. It was Jiraiya, his own master.
Their lightsabers locked together. "Why did you do it!" He demanded raging voice. "Why did you do it?" He repeated quietly.
Minato didn't answer. His cold eyes and angry face was an answer enough. He broke the block and kicked his master into gut and then quickly jumped back. Then he jumped on an old spaceship that had been warming up and flew to the space.
Several seconds later, Jiraiya came to the hangar doors and looked into distance. "Why?" He whispered. "Minato…"
((A))
Another rough three years later, that teenage boy had grown into a full man, and was now walking through dark corridors side by side with a purple twilekess wearing a very revealing outfit. But not too revealing. "Let's go!" She hurried him and almost pulled his arm out. "It's about to begin! I want to see! Hurry up!"
At the end of the tunnel, there was light coming out. She started running faster, pulling the man with her towards it. He almost fell over when they were surrounded by that burning sun light and stopped so quickly.
The man blinked rapidly his eyes to get used to the sudden brightness. After a long, dark corridor it was pretty hard.
"Look! Look! There! Do you see it!" He heard the twilek asking sounding very excited.
The bright blue eyes finally could do more than just blink rapidly and they caught up with a sight of a large amphitheatre, made of red stone. In fact, everything made out of this same stone and everything seemed to be exact same shade of rusty red.
They were in Geonosis.
The twilek watched around in awe as thousands of Geonosians cheered at the spectacle they too had been invited to watch. The man leaned onto the railing and looked around as well. His golden hair moved around when turned his head.
He looked down to the arena. There were four poles coming out of the ground and one of them had a man bound, his wrist up. The golden haired man narrowed his eyes when recognized him. It was Obi-Wan Kenobi. Seeing the Jedi waiting there patiently made this man very anxious. He wondered what was going on…
He continued to scan around when he noticed the balcony at far away. The man's eyes widened slightly when he recognized some of the people but especially, one in the middle. The man's presence was unmistakable. "I'm going for a walk." He announced suddenly.
The twilek sprung around. "Where? Why? Don't you want to watch? They said that a Republic senator is going to be killed. And couple of Jedis. Isn't that exciting?"
The man smiled calmingly. "Don't worry. I just spotted an old friend in the audience and am going to visit him. I'll be right back." He promised with a smile. When twilekess didn't seem convinced, he suddenly leaned closer to her and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. When he was about to pull back, she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to more demanding, passionate kiss.
After a time that seemed few light years, she let him go. "You better." She whispered with a harmonious voice and then quickly turned to face the arena. They were just brining more victims. She really wanted to watch this. They had been promised a good show. She had always wanted to see a Jedi in action and there wouldn't be a better chance than this. "Is that what a Jedi usually looks like?" She asked quietly. "Don't look that strong."
The man smiled to her and then started walking by the railing, towards the main box.
"Naruto!" He turned around quickly. The twilek, had raised her hand to get his attention. "If you can find anything to drink, could you bring me some? This sun is burning my lekku." She wrapped the tip of one her head-tentacles around her finger and smiled seductively. A purple jewel of the same shade as her own skin was attached to her headgear. It swayed almost hypnotically when she played with her head-tentacle.
"Sure." He nodded and turned around, not much affected by the smile or the jewel but by the common courtesy of not wanting to sleep on the floor for the next week. "But I doubt you would like anything they have to offer, Hiina."
The twilek didn't seem to listen to him anymore but kept following the show. Naruto shook his head and kept going to the main box where the man he wanted to meet was.
He continued his walk when the sights of familiar faces were caught in the corner of his eyes. Anakin Skywalker and his master. Inside him, strong feelings were mixing inside him even if he could hide them. But sometimes, past was just too much for one man to carry.
Naruto wasn't a Jedi. He wasn't wearing Jedi robes. He didn't carry a lightsaber. He didn't dedicate his life to protect weak and justice. He didn't even care that a senator of Republic was about to be executed with her Jedi bodyguards. No. He wasn't a Jedi. He was a smuggler.
That's right. Minato Namikaze, once one of the raising stars of the Jedi Order, who had laughed and caused chaos throughout the Temple for laughs, was now just a lone smuggler who tried to make his life breaking laws of the Republic. He had even disregarded the name the Temple had given him and taken the first thing anyone had ever called him. Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki. That was his name now.
He couldn't help it when he stole another glance of the arena. There had been a time when he would've disregarded his own safety, jumped down, and ran like hell to save his friends. But people in the arena weren't his friends. They were just people who had betrayed him. People who he had thought were his friends.
Minato had had enough with the corrupted Senate and the Jedi who protected it. One more mission and he had… snapped. Now, he was a murderer in the eyes to the Republic, chased criminal. He had been chased through the galaxy by people he had thought were his friends until he had finally managed to disappear.
There was a time he had been at the bottom. Darkness had taken him. And he had welcomed it. Then something happened again and he had left the lightsaber behind completely. He didn't even consider himself a Forceuser. Only a typical smuggler with a typical blaster.
That's the reason he was here, in Geonosis. A client had asked something to be delivered here and the smuggler and his partner, the purple twilek, Hiina had delivered it. Well, they had managed to deliver the item and received the payment. The man who had accepted the item had asked them to stay behind and see the show. This had gotten smugglers partner excited like a little girl.
He had finally reached the balcony as the execution began. The ackley, reek and a nexu all charged at their respectful targets.
Meanwhile, Naruto decided to have a little fun and tried to sneak up on the people in the main box. He wanted to see if Dooku still had it. He had crawled up the wall, hand over the railing and one only more jump and…
"I could sense your presence the moment you landed this planet, son." Count Dooku said calmly and everyone else looked puzzled.
"Damn." Naruto jumped over the railing and landed right next to him. "I so wanted to surprise you." He waved his hand to Jango and Boba who both nodded back varily. They worked in the same circles.
So while Nute Gunrey demanded to know who he was, the smuggler walked next to his first friend ever who was following the execution quite keenly. "It has been a long time, hasn't it, Naruto."
"Ten years." Naruto answered back. "Ever since you left the order."
Dooku turned his face sideways. "I heard you're a smuggler now these days."
"And I heard that you're a 'political idealist'." He said back.
The old man chuckled. "Do you enjoy the spectacle?" He asked, focusing on the scene front of him.
Naruto looked. Anakin… once they had laughed and fought together, good friends they had been. Struggled to get stronger together and faced many dangers. There was a time when he would have given his life for him. And Obi-Wan Kenobi. Man's patience and wisdom had always inspired him. But it had been almost four long years since that one time. Lots had happened. Now, his friend was being dragged like a doll by the big reek and he just watched this from audience.
"Very much." He nodded when he felt it. Something he hadn't felt for a long time. After he had left his lightsaber behind, Naruto hadn't used the Force but to cloak his presence. But it seemed that he hadn't lost his touch in sensing someone's presence just yet. There was a disturbance in the Force. He looked around. Cloaked figures everywhere. Slowly moving to surround the arena. Something big was about to happen. Not wanting to show that he had noticed anything, he quietly pressed his wrist controls.
((A))
"Oooh!" Hiina cheered as the Jedi managed to jump on top of the reek. "Cool." The Jedi were more amazing that she had ever thought. And that senator wasn't bad either. She hoped Naruto was watching this. Where was he anyway? She was getting seriously thirsty. She even considered using her own wrist communicator to contact him when she received a code. Huffing somewhat angrily, she stood up and walked away, without looking back. "Always something." She muttered and stormed away. She was so rash that she didn't notice when she almost crashed with a cloaked figures coming from the corridors.
"Excuse me." Several of them said quietly and made her a way.
She was slightly stunned, but nodded back. Most of the time when someone crashed into her that someone tried either to grope her or steal her belongings. Or use her as something to vomit on. So someone to actually say they're sorry was rare.
As she passed them, she noticed something shiny in all of their waists. Realizing who they were when they exited the corridor, she started hasting herself, the foul mood forgotten. It seemed that Jedi had friends coming to the rescue. She looked over her shoulder to see a young Mirilian female looking back at her. Not really sure what she wanted, she run away.
The Mirilian female wasn't looking at her. She was looking at the jewel attached to her headgear. And she unconsciously felt her own necklace inside her robes.
((A))
"He couldn't have!" She yelled with on top of her lungs. "Minato would never do that! He's a good person! He's a Jedi!"
"Barriss! Calm yourself!" Her master demanded.
"No! I will not!" She yelled and grabbed the man front of her by his robes. "Skywalker! Tell me you're lying! Tell me! Please…" Her voice turned into whisper.
"I'm sorry." Anakin whispered, devastated himself. "I just… thought I should tell you… Minato… is a-"
"Don't say that!" She yelled and collapsed. "Don't say that!" She repeated and started crying. "Why… why didn't you stop him!"
Anakin Skywalker turned away in shame. Why didn't he? He couldn't even save his own friend when they were about to do something.
At the side of the room, Obi-Wan was looking at the scene a sad look on his face. "I should've been able to stop him."
"You and your padawan weren't the only ones there." Another master, Tsunade answered. "We all were there. You, me, your padawan, my padawan, Jiraiya…we all were there and we couldn't stop him."
"How is he?"
"I don't know. He chased after him soon as we left the scene and closed his communicator. I think he wishes to face Minato alone."
"What do you think will happen?"
"I don't know. I truly don't know." Tsunade whispered.
((A))
"Barriss. What is it?" Luminara asked from her padawan.
"Nothing master." Barriss Offee shook her head. "It's nothing."
"Then we must hurry. Master Windu is about to start."
((A))
Naruto looked down from the railing. Anakin and Obi-Wan were doing great all things considered. "So, Jango, how's life? Ended anyone's lately?" He asked, trying to make a conversation.
The bounty hunter, Jango Fett turned his attention from the spectacle in the arena to him. "No."
"Really? I heard something else."
"You always hear something else." The bounty hunter muttered.
Naruto smirked. "I always do, don't I."
"Naruto," Dooku began, as the Jedis and the Senator had managed to all free themselves and had united on top of the reek. "you know that we're running out of time."
The smuggler glanced around inconspicuously. Cloaked figures were everywhere already. "Yes."
"That's why I wish to ask you, would you join me, in my quest to destroy the rotten Republic that thinks that you're a murderer after delivering only justice to one who deserved it?" During that moment, Nute Gunrey started to demand that Senator Amidala would be killed now. Dooku hurried to assured him that she would die.
Droidekas rolled out of the catacombs and surrounded the Jedis and the senator. Meanwhile Naruto thought. Would he really want that? Would he want to take his lightsaber once again and start fighting? Or rather, join the war that was about to start. He knew.
He knew about the cloning facilities of Kamino. He had done few gigs for Kaminoans. He knew about the Separatist Alliance that was forming. He knew about the mass production of the battle droids. And he knew that today would be the day that everything would start. How did he know? Because Naruto Uzumaki was the apprentice of the 'Investigator' Jiraiya. And he had learned more than just how to use Force to remove woman's underwear.
Even if he had renounced the Force, he knew better than just let the investigating skills go to waste. If he had wanted, he could've became an informant to one who paid the highest price and easily made more money than he ever needed. But the downside was that his old master was also a good at that and sharing the 'world' would soon lead the man he had managed to avoid all these years right to him.
That's why he worked as a smuggler. No matter how good his old master was, even he couldn't locate him among the endless line of below-average smugglers.
He didn't have an answer then but he didn't have to. He heard when a lightsaber was activated and he could hear it being pointed at Jangos neck.
Slowly, Dooku turned around an expecting smile on his face. "Master Windu. How pleasant of you to join us."
"This party is over." Windu answered with that angry voice he always had. That voice brought back some unpleasant memories inside Naruto. He hated that voice so much. Its constant disapproval and judging. Even after so many years, he really wished he could… rip his arm of so he had something to throw at him.
In the mean time, over two hundred lightsabers were activated all around the amphitheatre. This got every Geonosian to start flying like bees that nest had been disturbed. Down in the arena, Naruto recognized several people. "This figures why we managed to deliver the package so easily." He muttered to himself. "If it's not the one thing it's the other."
"Brave." Dooku continued. "But foolish, my old Jedi friend. You impossibly outnumbered."
"I don't think so."
"We'll see. Naruto, you might want to step aside now. You're unfortunately at the line of fire."
Slowly, Naruto stepped aside and turned around.
"I should've known." Windu muttered but he didn't have time for further greetings when the new superbattledroids attacked him, forcing him to jump out of the balcony and to the arena floor. Hundreds of battle droids rushed to the battle against Jedi.
((A))
It was over. As suddenly as it had started, just as soon it ended. The battle of the Arena.
Naruto had watched from high ground when the battle raged on.
It had lasted for a while. Then suddenly, Coleman Trebor, a male Vurk jumped into the balcony, trying to end the battle swiftly. Unfortunately, Naruto remembered Coleman and knew that he was a talker, not a fighter. So it took about three or four shots from Jangos blaster to kill him. His limb body fell down the railing to the arena.
Coleman had been a mentor to many padawans who had wanted to learn how to politically solve problems. And now he was falling like a ragdoll. Then Mace Windu appeared in the battlefield, being chased by the large reek. Jango thought it would be his duty to deal with him so he flew into the battle, in attempt of finishing the strongest of the Jedi now.
Unfortunately, Mace Windu was too much for the bounty hunter and his head was cut off. Even Jango who had saved Narutos life awhile back was now dead.
He watched as Jedi fought bravely against the impossible amount of battle droids and Geonosians. It didn't take long until they started falling one after one and they were forced to try to form a ring, facing outwards.
Then it became quiet. Dooku was showing his mercy.
"Master Windu! You've fought gallantly! Worthy of recognition in the archives of the Jedi Order! Now, it's finished! Surrender and your lives will be spared."
"We will not be hostages to be barged, Dooku!" Windu yelled back.
"Then, I'm sorry old friend." The battle would soon resume. And end.
Naruto closed his eyes. Time seemed to stop around him. "It's time." He whispered and looked up. Republic fleet had arrived. And saved the Jedi. Few moments later, as Dooku and others retreated to deal with this new threat, Naruto stayed behind at the arena. Not because he enjoyed the company of dozens dead bodies, many who he knew.
But because he needed to take care of someone.
So now he was walking towards the boy who had rushed to his father's dead body.
Boba was in the middle of the arena, holding his father's helmet, the head still inside. "We need to go." Naruto whispered and looked around cautiously. "Before it's too late. The Jedi will form a blockade around the planet and then it will be much harder."
"I have to avenge him." Boba whispered, holding the helmet against his face. "I have to avenge my father."
"You can think that while we go." Naruto activated his wrist control. "Hiina! Do you copy?"
"This is Hiina, Darling. Copy! What's going on? All of a sudden I'm picking up signals of a fleet of star destroyers! What the heck is going on?"
"I'll explain later. Now I need you to come and pick us up. We're at the main arena."
"We? Who we?"
"I'll explain everything the moment we're onboard." Naruto promised.
"I'm not going with you! I can't leave my fathers ship behind!"
Naruto bit his teeth. "Listen kid, I don't like it either but your father saved my ass more than once so I feel that I owe him. And I kind of almost considered him as a friend. I can't let his only son to be captured by either side! So you're coming with me or you're crying and coming with me. Choose now."
The old smugglers ship came out of nowhere and started hovering over them. "Darling! Hurry up! There are lots of ships coming in fast!"
"Lower the hook!" Naruto answered and almost immediately a grabbing hook started lowering itself and stopped over them. He took it and quickly wrapped it around reluctant Boba.
"What about my father! We can't leave him!"
Naruto bit his lips. "Fine!" He took the extend of the hook and wrapped it around Jangos headless body. "Hiina! Pull up!"
"But you're not on yet!" She yelled into her communicator.
"I know. I'm heading to Jangos ship and bring it to the rally point." He answered as she started pulling father and son up. Naruto could see great loss and hatred in Bobas eyes as he was being pulled up. He was still clutching to his fathers helmet.
He was half-way up when suddenly couple Republic gunships game out of nowhere and started firing at the ship.
"Hiina!" Naruto yelled when the she flew off. "Are you okay?"
"I'm alright. I just hope your passengers didn't fell off."
"Don't worry about it. Just get out of Geonosis and please, be safe."
"… you better come straight to me and not go around sleeping with those sluts!" Naruto rolled his eyes. Hiina was amazing in many ways but her paranoia was sometimes a bit too much. "Promise!"
"I promise." He smiled and closed the communicator. "Now… Slave I is… that way…"
"Halt! Hands up!" He looked over his shoulder. Group of clones had returned to see if there were any survivors among the Jedi. And they weren't alone. "Hands up!"
Slowly, Naruto turned around to face a couple of people he hadn't wished to meet. Barriss Offee and her master, Luminara Unduli. "Yo." He greeted in lazy manner.
The look on Barriss's face was nothing but staggering. "What are you doing here?" She whispered.
"Little this. Little that." He shook his head and looked. Clones had quickly surrounded him. "Could you tell your new friends to stop pointing their blasters at me?"
"Not a chance." Luminara snapped angrily. "You're a criminal and you will be brought to the Republic to be prosecuted as such!"
Naruto sighed. "You know, I've always wanted to say something to you, master Luminara."
"What?" She asked. "What could you possibly want to say to me?"
"I think you're one big bitch." He took a breather. "You had that coming for years." He smirked. "And just try and capture me."
The clones had walked closer, in order to restrain him but suddenly, for the first time in years, Naruto used Force to do something. He gathered it into his feet and blew the dust of the arena, covering himself. Then he called the Force again and pulled a lightsaber that belonged to one of the fallen Jedi. Not wanting to waste any time, he activated it and sliced three clones dead in one go.
"Shoot him!" Luminara demanded and used Force to settle the dust, revealing her own lightsaber activated.
Naruto was running towards the edge of the arena, using the lightsaber to deflect the blasts.
"Hold your fire!" Barriss yelled. "You will only get yourself hurt!" The clones stopped firing. "Master, I will deal with him." She was about to run after.
"No." Luminara stopped her. "Do what we were supposed to do. See if there's any wounded left. Then head back. I will deal with him." She rushed after running Naruto.
"But master-!"
"Do as I say." She snapped back harsher than she had wanted. Damn that boy! Damn him! Just two minutes with that boy and he had already confused her student to this extent and caused herself to be roused in anger. She couldn't let him get away. Not anymore. It would have to end. One way or the other.
((A))
Naruto reached the platform Jango had used pretty fast. He was confident that he had at least two minutes before Luminara would catch up with her. So he didn't waste any time starting to warm up the engines.
Even if Naruto had been a total klutz when it came to anything mechanical, he knew now at least how to fly a ship. Not that well, but he didn't crash. Too often. "Damn sand!" He cursed as he looked through the diagnostic program. There had been some sand getting into vents of the ship and they needed to be blown away. Ship would take care of it but it would take at least six minutes.
"Get out of there, Namikaze! I know you're there."
Naruto cursed under his breath. "Five minutes and forty-eight seconds." He took the lightsaber he had taken and walked out of the ship. She was waiting at the edge of the platform. Naruto used Force on controls and the roof opened. The sounds of battle were constant. "So it begins."
"What?"
"The war." Naruto answered and stepped down to face her.
"What do you mean? We will defeat Separatists and bring peace and order back to the galaxy."
"You really think that will go so easily?"
Luminara didn't answer. But her look was a question enough.
"I know a lot." He smiled smugly.
"You really were something else, Namikaze." She shook her head. "In so many ways you had so much potential. You were strong in Force. You knew how to show compassion without getting yourself involved. Much like your master. You studied hard and never turned down another student who needed help. You would sacrifice your own time to help them to get better. And you had an act of connecting with other living things."
"Yeah, I remember." He muttered. "Every time I tried to take a nap in the Gardens butterflies would just cover me and rodents would start gather around me."
"Why did you do it?" She asked suddenly. "All of us, especially Barriss, we wanted to know, why did you do it? Why did you kill a Republic senator?"
Naruto smirked. "Tell you what, I'll answer your questions if you will manage to defeat me." He raised his lightsaber and activated it. Green flame sprung out. "If you dare."
"Don't get too cocky just because I praised you. I said the things you were not the things you are." Luminara activated her own lightsaber.
"True. It might've been a while since I last fought with this thing, but I think I can take care of you. You forget I was one of the best students with the lightsaber." He charged forward and swung down and she blocked the attack. "I don't want to kill you. I just need to get off this planet."
"So you're saying that you're not working with Dooku!" She forced him back and did a 360 turn but Naruto managed to block it.
"I work for myself." He struggled before he managed to kick her into guts and he charged forward again.
"You're saying that you're not part of Dookus rebellion?"
"No. This war won't concern me." He gritted his teeth. "I only want to live my life to the fullest. That's all there's to it."
"You're style doesn't seem to have lost any of its edge over these few years." Luminara commented. "If anything, it seems to have gotten better. What have you done these past years?"
"Little this and little that." He smirked and jumped back lowered his weight and took some support of the ground with his one hand, taking his lightsaber blade behind him with a reverse-grip. Like a tail. He had named this style as 'style of the rat'. His own new style. "Let's go!"
Fight lasted couple minutes and Luminara Unduli was pushed back. She couldn't believe herself. A man, not even knighted, was pushing back an actual master. Then it came, using Force to push her back and then throwing the lightsaber over the pillars, making the roof fell off.
Luminara was forced to concentrate on what was happening around her, and let Naruto go.
Now, Slave I was fully operational and ready to lift off. From the cockpit, he saw Luminara throwing the rubble away and glaring up to him. "Minato!" They both turned to see Barriss running towards them with a unit of clones.
Closing his eyes, he left the ground and set the coordinates to the rally point.
The battle of Geonosis was about end to the Republics victory. But with all the Trade Feredation ships going away, it didn't take much to jump to hyperspace and leave that rock behind.
CHAPTER END
EPILOGUE
On one small space station in the Outer Rim, Naruto docked Slave I and walked down the ramp. He was welcomed by a crying twilek. "I was soooo worried! We only managed to escape that hell ourselves and I was soooo sure you wouldn't make it! I'm so glad!" She pressed herself against him and hugged tightly. "Don't leave me like that again! Okay? Please?"
Naruto smiled and gave her a peck on the lips. "I promise." He had fingers crossed behind his back. "Anyway, where's Boba?"
Hiina gulped her own sorrow and pointed at their ship. Boba was sitting on the ramp, still looking into his father's helmet. "Did you remove the head from there?" He asked with a whisper.
"There's a head?" She gasped. "I was holding on to that when he was in the bathroom! Ohmygod!" She started wiping her hands. "I just touched a dead human head. Anyway? What should we do with him?"
"I don't know. I guess we will take him in for awhile. But he has that look that he isn't really interested in anything what we have to say." Boba was glaring into nothingness. Still gathering hatred towards that one Jedi. "Let's wait and see what happens."
"What happens now?" Hiina asked.
"The war has begun." He whispered back and pulled her closer.
EPILOGUE END
Link: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/6146786/1/STAR-WARS-CLONE-WARS-The-deflected-Jedi-Naruto