The hangar beneath the Jedi Temple was unusually quiet when the Nubian Royal Cruiser arrived. Revan stood atop a nearby walkway, watching as Queen Amidala and her entourage, including the boy—Anakin Skywalker—disembarked, accompanied by Master Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
From afar, Revan watched the boy with quiet intensity. He could see what the Council had already begun to discuss: the boy's Force presence was blinding. A raw, untamed surge of power, like a supernova on the verge of collapse. But what unsettled Revan was the shadow lingering beneath it. The boy's potential stretched in both directions—toward great good and great darkness.
Naruto, perched on the railing beside Revan, tilted his head. "He's strong… like me?"
Revan nodded slowly. "Yes. Maybe even stronger."
Naruto narrowed his eyes as he studied Anakin. "But something about him feels… weird. Like he's got a big storm inside."
"You're not wrong," Revan murmured. "That's why we need to watch closely."
Inside the Temple – Council Chambers
Master Qui-Gon stood firmly before the Jedi Council, Obi-Wan at his side and the Queen's party dismissed to quarters. Revan stood in the corner, arms crossed, permitted to observe but not interfere.
"He is the Chosen One. You must see it," Qui-Gon pressed.
Mace Windu's expression remained unreadable. "You refer to the prophecy of the one who will bring balance to the Force. But the prophecy… is vague. Dangerous."
"He was conceived by the midi-chlorians themselves. I've never seen a Force presence like his."
Revan watched carefully, noting the unease in the room. Only Yoda held a sliver of consideration behind his eyes. The others resisted, clinging to centuries of orthodoxy.
"We will decide his fate later," Windu finally said. "We must first focus on the political crisis at hand."
Revan stepped forward after the Council dispersed. "You felt it, didn't you?" he said to Qui-Gon. "The Sith."
Qui-Gon turned to him, his expression grave. "I did. He attacked me on Tatooine. He was fast… deadly. He wielded a red blade and fought like no other I've faced."
"Then you believe me now," Revan said.
Qui-Gon nodded. "I never doubted it."
Elsewhere in the Temple
Meanwhile, Naruto and Ahsoka were at it again.
This time, the prank had escalated into "Operation Phantom Robe." Using cleverly rigged fans and concealed pulleys, they managed to switch Master Windu's ceremonial Jedi robes with a set enchanted to constantly flap in the wind, dramatically—even indoors. When Windu stepped into the Council chambers mid-meeting with Chancellor Palpatine, his robes billowed heroically, as if he were constantly preparing for battle.
"Why… is Master Windu's robe acting like that?" the Chancellor asked, clearly confused.
Revan, standing near the wall, coughed to hide his smirk.
Windu gave the faintest twitch of an eyebrow. "I don't know."
Punishment followed swiftly. Naruto and Ahsoka were assigned to polish every lightsaber hilt in the Temple's training wing by hand. Revan, acting as a stern mentor, found them elbow-deep in chrome polish by evening.
"You two are incorrigible," he said flatly.
"We're improving Temple morale!" Ahsoka chimed with a toothy grin.
"Besides, it was so worth it," Naruto laughed. "You should've seen his face!"
Revan sighed… but didn't correct them.
Later That Night – Temple Balcony
Revan stood alone once again, watching the stars. The presence of the Sith loomed closer now. A piece had been placed on the board—and it wasn't moving in shadows anymore.
Footsteps behind him broke the silence. Shaak Ti approached, arms folded, her expression soft.
"You were right," she said quietly. "The Sith have returned."
"Not just one," Revan replied. "There's always two."
"And the boy?"
Revan exhaled slowly. "Anakin… He is the eye of the storm. I don't know whether he'll save us or destroy everything we've built. But I do know we can't abandon him."
Shaak Ti nodded. "Then we stay close. All of us."
Below them, Ahsoka and Naruto were already plotting their next "Temple Enhancement," and the Temple buzzed with quiet rumors—of dark returns, of chosen children, and of a Jedi who might just see more clearly through the dark than the light.
Chapter 16: The Gathering Storm
The atmosphere on Coruscant buzzed with subtle tension as Queen Amidala, flanked by Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the newly freed slave Anakin Skywalker, prepared to return to Naboo. Though the Senate had failed to act decisively, Amidala had resolved to take matters into her own hands. The Jedi Council, sensing the ripples of something far darker beneath the surface, debated carefully.
But there was one voice in the room that resonated with quiet certainty—Revan's.
"I've seen this before," he told the Council, standing before them in his traditional robes. "A hand guiding things from the shadows, pushing factions into chaos. This isn't just a planetary blockade. It's the first move in a much greater war."
Most of the Council remained skeptical, unwilling to act without evidence. Only Master Yoda, silent and observing, gave a small nod. It was not full belief—but it was acknowledgment. The Council ultimately decided not to send a full force, but Revan was granted leave to accompany the Queen and the Jedi delegation back to Naboo.
Naruto had pouted dramatically when Revan told him he was staying behind.
"But I could totally prank the Trade Federation into giving up!" the boy protested.
Revan smiled and knelt beside his little brother. "You'll hold down the Temple while I'm gone. And maybe keep the archives from smelling like burnt Wookiee fur this week."
"No promises," Naruto muttered, arms crossed.
As the royal starship departed, Revan took a moment to observe the young boy who sat wide-eyed at the viewport: Anakin Skywalker. There was a powerful storm in the boy's Force signature—untamed, vast, and raw. Revan recognized it for what it was: potential to save... or destroy.
"You're a Jedi too?" Anakin asked as Revan sat beside him.
"I was... a long time ago. I suppose I still am," Revan answered.
"Qui-Gon says I might be one someday."
Revan looked at him, serious but not harsh. "Being a Jedi isn't just about swinging a lightsaber or using the Force. It's about knowing who you are... and choosing the right path even when it's the hard one."
Anakin nodded, trying to seem older than his nine years. "I want to help people. Like you and Qui-Gon."
Revan smiled faintly. "Then you're already on the right path."
The journey was quiet—on the surface. But as they neared Naboo, Revan's senses stirred. Like wind before a storm, the Force trembled. He couldn't pinpoint it yet, but something dark and fierce waited ahead. Not the mechanical menace of the Trade Federation, but something far more dangerous.
He would soon learn what that darkness truly was.