Naruto and Marvel belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Disney respectively.

AN: Special thanks to Meneldur for helping to beta the story and giving me plenty of ideas.

Chapter XI: Indra's Love

There was an unusual amount of activity in the school grounds tonight, specifically the auditorium, where both adult parents and younger students sat waiting. The chatter died immediately when the announcer called for the beginning of the show. The lights dimmed; the curtains parted, and Naruto sighed, wondering once again just how he'd gotten roped into this to begin with.

He had told himself that he should try and build a distance between himself and the rest of the team, particularly the female members, for that was where his brain defers to his hormones for wisdom the most. Yet here he was, persuaded by Kitty and Rogue to come to the former's dance recital. How could Naruto resist? After all, Kitty did not have parents who could come and watch her, and her best friends were Rogue and Naruto. Wouldn't it be wrong for him to not come? Especially when Kitty's efforts landed her the main role? He tried to resist, of course, citing other duties… but a look of those crestfallen brown eyes guilted him into coming.

So here sat Naruto, alongside Rogue, holding a bouquet of flowers and with a torn conscience. Was he doing Kitty good by coming here or was he just making it harder for the eventual time that the band-aid would have to be torn off? Ignore her? That would hurt her now. Please her? That would hurt her in the future. No matter what decision he took, it would be a bad one.

"It's startin'," whispered Rogue as the seating area's light was darkened. Naruto would never cease to be amazed at how quickly the auburn-haired girl and Kitty had gone from nearly tearing at each other's throats to best friends in a matter of days. Even Sasuke and him had held out their rivalry longer.

Lights illuminated the stage, where the red curtains were slowly parting to reveal a dozen dancers, dressed in sparkling outfits and ballet shoes, at the center of which stood Kitty, posing perfectly still like a mannequin until a passive instrumental music commanded her to move, slow and graceful, moving her arms and legs in conjunction with the instruments. Her movements were an example to the rest of the group, who followed Kitty's precise movements, though not nearly as flawless.

As the music grew quicker and more dramatic, so did Kitty's speed and gestures. In just a few minutes, she managed to showcase her agility and the amazing flexibility of her body, contorting her body fully at one point, stretching her back all the way to the floor while her legs were split. The show finally ended with a solo performance by her, standing only on the tips of her toes. Naruto wondered how she didn't break anything.

Despite the smile that she put on, Kitty was clearly in pain. Despite no longer wearing a bandage, the wounds from the events of Stark Tower were still affecting her, but if Naruto hadn't known about it, he probably wouldn't be able to tell aside from the few moments in which the smiled turned into a wince.

Once the song had reached its climax, the petite girl made an impressive spin that had everyone in the audience clapping. She finished with a one-legged bow, her smile larger than ever while looking straight at where Naruto and Rogue were sitting. The presentation ended with her exiting the stage with a barely noticeable limp. He stood up and clapped as demanded by the stirrings in his heart.

Naruto was not interested in the rest of the following presentations, which had mostly older and more experienced students. Instead he turned back to Rogue. "She was good."

Rogue smiled. "Ah'm not one for this kinda fancy strict dancin', but she does it well and it seems to keep her happy."

"You really don't get angry with her anymore?" It was a dangerous question.

Rogue's eyes met his. "Kitty and Ah… we managed to come to agreement on several things. Fightin' was gettin' us nowhere and it got damn exhaustin' very quickly. It's better to work as a team."

"I'm glad it's over – the two of you look better as friends than as enemies."

Rogue flashed a dangerous smile. "We seem to be better at gettin' results when we work together as well."

Kitty looked excited and tired at the same time when the show was finally over. She was wearing a coat to cover her outfit and different shoes but the heavy makeup still made sure that Naruto had a telltale lipstick mark on his cheek when he gave her the bouquet.

"You did great," congratulated Naruto. "Want to go home?"

"A shower and bed sound wonderful but I'm totally starving for a sandwich!" responded Kitty. Naruto was hungry as well, but then again, he always was.

Rogue however, waved them goodbye. "I'm goin' home. Still have to finish some homework. See you guys later." She kissed Naruto goodbye and sent a conspiratorial nod to Kitty before getting in a cab.

Naruto walked out of the school, with Kitty's arm locked in his while she sent smirks to the rest of the students. The main road of Salem North was mostly quiet as was characteristic of smaller towns. Naruto could still not wrap his head around the absolute size of America. Even this small town had the same amount of activity at night as Konoha did, and New York City was usually busier at night than Konoha at mid-day when the Chūnin Exams were being held.

"Oooh! There! I heard that place was nice!" Kitty tugged Naruto to a traditional bistro, the door being opened for them. Inside, there were several families with other dancers around, including a couple with their boyfriends. Much to Naruto's dismay, that's where the waiter led them towards.

Naruto quickly ordered four sandwiches for himself, drawing stares from the waiter, while Kitty only ordered one. He was silent after the waiter left, unsure of what to say and fully aware that what was supposed to be only an invitation to see Kitty, accompanied with Rogue to make it seem less like a date, had now ended up with Kitty holding a bouquet of flowers, in a restaurant, and both looking very much like they were on a date. How the hell does this happen so quickly?

"I'm going to start training more with Logan soon," said Kitty, passing a hand over her now barely swollen knuckles. "As soon as this heals, of course. Logan told me that I'm going to have to train twice as hard as others because of my size." Her voice dropped before whispering, "I'm totally motivated right now."

Naruto chewed his delicious second sandwich, making a show of prolonging it to think about his response. What should he say? How should he break it to her? Should he go along and make her happy or should he just get out with it? "That's good. We all need to defend ourselves." He tried to put meaning into his words, yet they came out empty, not at all how he would usually speak.

"I was thinking if you could like, help us. Me and Rogue, I mean. We need help with extra training and you're the strongest fighter in the team."

Naruto's ego inflated like a balloon, even if he would question that statement considering that the team had Ororo, Logan, and technically Professor Xavier. "Well, I am awesome, I won't deny that." Naruto shuffled around nervously. He truly wished he didn't have to do this. "I… look." The blonde felt awful when looking at her eyes. "I know where all of this is going." Kitty's gaze was fixed at his with an unsure smile tugging at her lips. "I… err… we can't do this."

"Why not?" questioned Kitty as if she were asking for a very simple thing. "Do you think I'm ugly? Am I too short for you? Is my hair too long? Too brown? I'm still a growing girl, you know?"

Shaking his head, Naruto took another deep breath. "It's not your looks." He looked away from her. "You know I'm not from here."

Kitty shrugged. "So? My grandparents were not from here either and yet my family has settled so well that I can't even speak a lick of Polish. Rogue probably doesn't know anything about the French aside from baguettes, and Jean is so un-British that she drinks milk, but no tea. You just need to accommodate a little, is all."

"The difference is that all of your grandparents and great-grandparents came here by choice or because they looked for opportunities – I was forced to come here and I intend to go back to my village at some point."

The petite girl sat silent, but not for long. "So? You're still here for like, some time, right? Can't you have a little fun in the meantime? It doesn't have to be like, totally serious, you know? Or do you like… have a girlfriend back home?"

Naruto thought back to his female friends. Sakura, Hinata, Ino, and Tenten. It hurt how little he could remember their faces and yet he could still remember that nobody would want to do with him what Kitty wanted, at least not that Naruto was aware of. "No. No girlfriends, but a dream to be Hokage… and that means that I will be leaving the Institute behind as soon as I find a way back. I'm a shinobi of Konoha – I don't belong here."

"Yes, you do!" Kitty declared, her hand grasping his own. "You belong! We're you're friends, right? Or are you going to forget all about us when you back to your home? If you can even go back"

Naruto ignored the last part his mind read. "It's not just that… there's other stuff you don't know about me. There's another reason this won't work." 'I have a monster inside me. A monster that will hurt you. I don't want to hurt you.' "If you knew all about me…" He let the statement hang, not even wanting to imagine the consequences of the Kyūbi's revelation. Naruto let his mind wander back to days gone by, before coming to Earth, before even becoming a shinobi; the days of loneliness because of a curse he had no choice in. 'You would all hate me.'

Kitty, however, was not dissuaded in any way. "I don't think you could ever be bad. Even when you are angry, it's because you care about someone other than yourself."

Her words could not reach him no matter how much she tried. He could never tell them. Never let them know of what he had been carrying since the day of his birth. His friends should never come across the nine-tailed beast that would bring destruction and woe to all. Just like he could never tell his teammates or Konohamaru. In his nightmares, that was always the worst; seeing friendly eyes turn to fear and hate.

Naruto could never allow them to know.

"I think we need to go back to the Institute," said Naruto once they were done with the meal. He paid for Kitty's meal despite her protests and tried to be as silent as possible as he carried his friend on his back all the way to the Mansion.

"I'm still gonna try to convince you," declared Kitty, her voice low but not the steel behind the words. "I still believe that you belong here, with us. Nothing will change my mind about that." With that, she gave a quick kiss to his cheek and phased through the door.

Naruto sighed. "Women are troublesome," he repeated the Nara philosophy. Dissuading women from a chosen path was hard. Even after telling Kitty that it would not happen, she would still continue to try. It would have to take him leaving for her to be convinced. At the same time, Naruto still wanted to spend time with her and Rogue; they were the best friends he had here. If he kept hanging out with them, however, that would only continue to encourage them. 'Is this why the teme was so cold to Sakura and Ino? Should I follow his example?' No, Naruto thought to himself after just a millisecond of internal debate. He was not going to act like a stick-in-the-ass Uchiha.

He continued to think about it even after a shower, stopping only when he walked into his room with a thunderous yawn and after opening his eyes, the blonde saw Rogue standing there, waiting for him. "Err… hey Rogue," he stammered.

"Hey." She looked nervous. Rogue had the right to be, of course, when he remembered about her nightmares. Turns out that Rogue was able to recall the memories from the people she'd absorbed, even the memories that those same people had suppressed. A few days ago, Rogue had gotten one such recollection from Kurt. One thing led to another and by the end it had been revealed to everyone that Mystique was his biological mother; the blue skin should probably had been a dead giveaway, but Kurt had nonetheless been distant since then. He just needed a few days to himself, Naruto thought.

Turning his attention back to Rogue, Naruto asked, "Do you need help with anything?" His voice was neutral; Rogue's intentions were probably the same as Kitty's.

Much to his dismay, she sat down on his bed. "Ah was hopin' to stay the night with someone, and you're the only one Ah don't have to worry 'bout killin' in my sleep," she stated with a nervous smile.

Naruto closed his eyes. This was the worst possible thing at the moment. 'Time to put your foot down, Naruto. You have to be stricter if you want to stop this. It's not hard, just look her in the eye and be honest with yourself and her. Tell her you can still be friends but that this has to stop for the good of both of you. Take a deep breath, open your eyes, and do it.'

As soon as he opened them, however, a warm hand had his harm. Rogue's pleading green eyes met his and those were not the only things he looked at. At this distance, her scent was intoxicating; soft fruity smells that stoked the fire that was erupting below the waist. "Please, Darlin'. Ah need someone to hold on to tonight."

His response was automatic. "Sure! I'll keep you safe!" 'Dear Kami! How can this keep happening! Damn it!'

Rogue's touch was decidedly tamer than Kitty's. It's almost as if she were afraid to hurt him, or maybe that was just because it was the first time they slept together. She fell asleep a lot quicker than him with a small but sincere smile, the kind of smile only Rogue could have.

Naruto tried to think why Rogue would be into him of all people, just as he did with Kitty. 'She can touch you, that's why. That's the only reason why.' That was more than likely the truth of it. If Rogue could touch anyone, she probably would not even glance at Naruto a second time. Anyone would be able to make her smile.

'Before I leave, I will find a solution. Then you will be truly happy.'

As Naruto Uzumaki walked into the building with the address he'd gotten from the newspaper and climbed up the stairs to reach the office where his friend was currently waiting in, the blonde promised himself one thing. No matter what happened, where his life took him or what circumstances he found himself in, Naruto would never find a job as a blasted journalist.

Yells came from everywhere, from one desk to the other. The place was constantly ringing with the exhausting screeching of telephones and people trying to talk over each other just to get the message across to the person on the other line, then slam the phone back and sprint out of the room to follow on some lead outside the building. Naruto heard arguments over editorials, over headlines, and most of all, fights over who should have the front page for which story.

"So," drawled Naruto, hands behind his head, "this is where you work, huh?"

Peter shrugged with a sheepish smile. "You take what you can get in this economy. Jameson may keep a tight grip on his wallet in a way that would make an anaconda green with envy, but he is capable of coughing up some bills for pictures of Spider-Man."

"Ehh!" Naruto looked around to see if nobody was hearing. "You give him pictures of yourself?!"

Peter shrugged again. "So long as I'm wearing the suit, nobody knows it's me. Don't worry, I keep you and Daredevil off the photos."

Naruto grinned. "I already got all the glory last time I appeared on the news. How's Gwen, by the way?"

Peter turned a little red in the face. "She's fine. A little shaken up and her father got worried, but she's stronger than most people think."

Nodding, Naruto looked at his watch. "What is it that you needed help with?"

"Later. I need to get paid first, then we'll go to my house."

"Guess you make a lot of money taking the best Spider-Man pictures."

Peter chuckled like if he was in prison. "Not really. I get the standard freelance fee. Three hundred dollars per week if I get lucky."

"Ehhh! That's theft! Why don't you ask for more?"

"Naruto," Peter muttered in a serious voice. "There is not a single person in this Earth that could ever persuade J. Jonah Jameson to give up more money than he wants. Not. A. Single. Person."

Just as Peter asserted that, the room went completely silent to hear a raging verbal storm coming from the biggest office in the floor.

"Are you mad, woman?" The voice was one that Naruto had heard before in the news – the Jameson guy. "I'm already offering twice what I would normally give! That's not enough?!"

The voice that responded was young and female. "I want half ownership of the magazine, Mr. Jameson. Fifty percent, to be exact."

"God damnit, Danvers! You're looking to bleed me dry!" thundered Jameson in response. "You get a salaried position and a bonus for sales, along with being the editor of the magazine. That's it! Do you know how many women still in college get this opportunity?!"

"I did not leave an internship in NASA to work for less than I'm asking." There was a pregnant pause, in which only the ringing of telephones could be heard. "On second thought, I think I may find some better offers elsewhere. The Daily Globe, perhaps?"

Another pause. "Forty percent, Danvers! And your magazine better sell what it's worth!" Seconds later, the door opened and a young, well dressed blonde woman strode out with a smirk plastered on her lips, everyone else staring at her in shocked silence.

"Unless you're her," Naruto pointed out to a flabbergasted Peter.

Just as the woman left the floor, a red-faced J. Jonah Jameson stepped out of his office. "What's this?! Labor Day?! I'm not paying you to just stand there like a bunch of sloths! Get back to work!" The chaos returned immediately after that, and Jameson turned his attention to the two teens. "Parker!" he barked. "What do you have for me?!" He looked at Naruto. "And who is this?!"

"Just a friend of mine. He helps me with some things," responded Peter while giving the perpetually angry editor an envelope.

"Well don't think for a moment that I'm going to pay him!" He snatched the envelope and looked through the pictures. "Crap. Crap. Not crap. Crap. Extra crap. Salvageable. Alright Parker, here's your fee. Don't come back here until you got more pictures to sell," he growled while jamming a different envelope towards Peter as if he were giving away one of his arms.

"Sooo…" drawled Naruto as Peter placed the envelope in his pocket.

"Right. We're done here. Let's go." After walking a couple of blocks from the building and buying a few slices of pizza (a whole pie in Naruto's case), both of them got into their outfits to travel to Queens faster. The skyscrapers soon gave way to smaller buildings, and latera far less busy sea of small businesses and houses unlike those in Manhattan. They stopped a couple of streets away from their final destination – a humble, grey colored house.

It was equally humble inside, with a rustic feel to it. Almost everything looked to be a little old and yet it only added to the charm of the place. Naruto saw several pictures of a couple, and some of Peter growing up, he seemed to be especially fond of the older man, who looked not like a father, but almost like a grandfather.

"Peter? Is that you?" asked a voice from what looked like the kitchen. A grey-haired woman followed soon thereafter, wearing a smile that immediately made Naruto feel at ease.

"It's me, Aunt May."

"Oh… who is this?" Aunt May looked at Naruto with curious eyes. "Is this a friend of yours, Peter? You've never had friends before! Much less brought them into the house."

Naruto smiled sheepishly. "I'm Naruto, ma'am. Naruto Uzumaki," he responded, remembering the manners beaten into him by Jean.

"Nice to meet you, young man. It's so nice that Peter's making friends now."

Naruto noticed that there was no mention of the man in the photos, and the way that Peter looked at them with a hint of sadness told Naruto all that needed to be said. It was the same look that Kakashi-sensei's eye made when he thought nobody was looking.

"We'll be up working on something, Aunt May. No need to worry about us," assured Peter. Naruto was about to follow him up the stairs when he was stopped by a wizened gentle hand.

"Thank you for being with Peter. He's been so different since… since Ben." The voice almost cracked, but there was still a strange strength in the woman's voice if not in the body. "Peter's a good kid, just a little distant because he's smarter than most people."

Naruto grinned and gave a thumbs up. "You got it, Oba-san."

Peter's room was a little different than the rest of the house, a bit like Reed Richards on a budget, and a lot tidier despite the massive amount of stuff that made the place almost impossible to move around in. The owner of the room was currently at desk, overflowing with all sorts of modified electronics, some that appeared as if they'd been fished straight out of the dumpster.

"What is it?" asked Naruto. It was not just one device, but several. Some small gadgets the size of his thumb, a huge radio transmitter, and a handful of receivers.

Peter grinned as if he were holding a newborn baby. "This… is what's going to help us get into all radio communications of the police force," he declared, holding the gadgets in his hand. "If we manage to place all of these into their transmitters, they can be rerouted into our own." He patted the big radio. "Then we can hear them straight into our ears with this thing. We can even access their database."

It was dangerous and probably illegal, yet the idea of having access to all police communications made Naruto return the grin. "Do you know if it works?"

"Let's try it out," declared Peter, turning on the volume of the broadcast. "I've been working with a prototype but it's faulty and can only give me reports of key areas in Queens."

"… reports of a half-naked man taking a woman by force near the Brooklyn pier. Can you confirm?" The voice contained a fair bit of static, but was still clear enough for Naruto to make out.

"Confirmed, dispatch. The woman in question has been identified as the Invisible Girl of the Fantastic Four and the other three members are already in pursuit. Err… the suspect looks to be a superpowered individual."

"Acknowledged. I understand that she insists on being called the Invisible Woman now. Stand by for assistance but do not engage unless necessary."

"Sue?!" gasped Naruto and he immediately jumped from his seat and made for the window. "All of it looks good! I'll talk to you later!" he yelled to Peter before jumping out, casting his clothes aside and into a scroll, revealing his Maelstrom outfit as he continued to speed towards the sea.

Naruto didn't even need to turn on his eyes to know where he needed to go; Johnny Storm burned a path right to the destination. The chakra signatures of Mr. Fantastic and the Thing were lagging behind the Human Torch but still making a beeline to where a fit man was carrying an unconscious Susan Storm towards the endless sea.

Just as the muscular man was sprinting towards the dock, Naruto appeared before him with gust of wind and leaves. "Stop right there!"

The man glared daggers back. "Who is this that dares cross the path of Prince Namor? Name yourself, insolent peasant!"

"Ehh? Prince? Prince of what? You're just a perverted streaker!" Naruto created a dozen clones around himself and prepared for a fight. "And you better let go of Sue before I teach you a lesson!"

The man sneered so arrogantly that he could have put any Uchiha to shame. "I am Prince Namor, heir of throne of Atlantis, and I hereby take Susan Storm to be my betrothed – the future Queen of my kingdom."

Pointing a finger at the unconscious Sue, Naruto exclaimed, "She didn't agree to it, did she?!"

"I offered her a deal, peasant. Her hand in marriage in exchange for the lives of her pitiful race. She has agreed to the terms and I have defeated her companions once. I will only cede my claim to the opponent who achieves victory over me. Are you foolish enough to defy the King of the Sea?"

Naruto shrugged. "Err… I guess I am."

"Foolish boy!" cursed Namor as he set Sue on a nearby bench. "No human has the power to beat the might of Namor. May your death serve as an example to your feeble kind."

Turning on his Sharingan, Naruto adopted a battle stance. "That may be true," he whispered before disappearing into smoke, teleporting behind Namor and kicking him as hard as he could on the side of the head with a chakra infused kick. The muscular man was strong, but he was still knocked a good twenty feet into a nearby warehouse, "but I'm not exactly human, Pervy-Streaker."

Namor rose from the rubble with clenched teeth and a death glare. "Who are you?!"

Naruto grinned beneath the mask. "I am a shinobi!"

"It matters not – one Earth dweller is just as bad as the next!" spat Namor, adopting a strange stance and charging at Naruto. He was fast. Faster than any other person Naruto had seen on Earth, and yet, Naruto had seen faster on his world. He jumped away just before a fist made contact with the wall behind him, demolishing it like if it were paper. The blonde winced – Namor may be slower, but if one of those punches hit him, Naruto would be in serious trouble.

The jinchūriki made a fist as hard as stone and ran towards his opponent, who was quick enough to avoid it by palming the fist away. Just as he was about to get hit by a counterattack, Naruto's eyes caught it in time to make an evading somersault. Namor's leg crashed to the ground, cracking the cement with so hard that it sent debris all over.

'The Sharingan can let me predict things, but that doesn't mean my opponent is helpless. They can still counter my attacks.' Naruto could have knocked himself in the head for not listening to everyone brag about the Sharingan closely enough. One thing he could recall was the ability to predict movements, yet that was still something Naruto had not experienced. He imagined that this would have something to do with the number of tomoe in each eye. Naruto had one – Sasuke had three. How could he unlock the rest of the capabilities?

"You are far more tenacious than those three I defeated earlier," snarled the half-naked man, his voice betraying haughtiness with just a smidge of intrigue. "Perhaps you are not a peasant after all. Very well. I, Namor – rightful heir of the throne of Atlantis – declare you a worthy foe."

'Man. This guy could give the Hyūga and the Uchiha a run for their money.' His eyes focused on the unconscious form of Sue. She almost looked like she was sleeping. Naruto ran over to her but was speedily blocked by Namor. "Get out of my way!"

"Fool! You cannot lay claim to the prize before you have beaten the mighty Namor!"

Naruto sighed. "Fine! Be that way!" A dozen clones soon joined him to fight his opponent. Namor managed to beat many of them but Naruto just created more and more until the half-naked man began to get sluggish and distracted. Finally, when Naruto saw a window, he punched right between the eyes.

Namor lay on the ground for a quick breath, standing up again despite the injuries. If anything, Naruto had to admire his will to not give up. "You're not going to give up, are you?" It was a rhetorical question; Naruto already knew the answer. It was the same question that many others had asked him before.

"Namor will never accept defeat." He looked up to see Johnny landing next to Naruto and a resuscitated Sue already walking over to them. "Yet, I do observe that you have triumphed this round. Therefore, Namor is willing to cede the betrothal of Susan Storm to you… for the time being – until I regain my full strength to defeat you and stake my claim once more."

"Erm… betrothal?" questioned Naruto, squinting his eyes.

Namor now looked at him with an equally confused look. "Namor and therefore, the Kingdom of Atlantis, considers you a worthy rival for the privilege of taking Susan Storm as your wife. Did you not engage into combat with Namor for her hand in marriage?"

"Ehhh! Marriage?! She's not even my girlfriend!"

"Girlfriend? Feh! Such ridiculous nonsense you ground dwellers practice. In Atlantis, courtship is determined by strength and status, not with romantic outings and the exchange of silly trinkets." Right as he said this, Mr. Fantastic and The Thing had arrived, with the latter grumbling even more than usual.

"Oh man, I didn't know I was going to have a brother-in-law so soon! Can I be the best man? At the very least I'll have to be the one to walk her down the aisle. Hey, Sue? Do you have your wedding dress ready?" Of course, Johnny just had to turn it into a joke.

"Alright! That's it!" exploded Sue from the sidelines. She thundered over to Namor and jabbed a finger. "You are too forceful!" Then she walked to Reed. "You are not forceful at all!" She turned to Naruto. "You… you're sweet. Maybe if you were a few years older and a little more mature," she whispered before walking away and turned invisible. "I'm staying with a friend tonight!"

Namor looked like he had eaten something foul. "The stakes still stand. Namor demands to know the identity of his rival before leaving to regain his strength."

Naruto sighed, checked to see if there were any onlookers, and then took off the mask. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki. Shinobi and future Hokage of Konoha."

"I will be back one day. For now, Namor has other business with his kingdom," promised the dark-haired prince as he jumped into the sea and disappeared below the watery depths.

"Thanks for your help," stated Reed plainly.

Ben Grimm looked a little more reluctant. "I would've given him a beatin' if I just had the chance to get a holda his scrawny ass, but thanks fer takin' care of him for us," he grumbled in a low, rocky voice. "Awright. Looks like that's it fer today."

'This planet is strange.' To be fair to himself, that seemed to be the thought of everyday people now who were getting more and more used to seeing these kinds of strange things. Now, it seemed that superpowered people with different kinds of abilities were cropping up each day, and for some reason Naruto always was getting caught in the thick of it.

'This is just one city,' realized Naruto. Back home they didn't have the advanced and accurate maps that Earth had, and every time the jinchūriki looked at the globe, he began to fathom just how huge this planet was. He hadn't even left the country and so far, he'd seen more threats than back home. Orochimaru and Akatsuki, those were what Naruto had to focus on. Here, there was Magneto, the many gangs of New York, the group that had attacked Stark Tower, and now this fish-man… all in one city.

What else was hidden in the shadows, lying in wait for the correct moment to strike? What else would come descending from the stars with nefarious intent? What other threat was lurking just around the corner?

This planet was so easy at times, and yet so complicated as well… and that wasn't even getting to the women!

'Troublesome.' Channeling Shikamaru was the only way to cope now. Was that the reason why he looked at the clouds while jumping back to the Institute?

'It's all so troublesome.'

Wesley straightened his tie just as the elevator reached the tallest floor. The doors opened and he was met with several professional men guarding the door where his boss was currently in a meeting. None of them batted an eye as he walked towards the entrance. Wesley had never seen any of them before, but that was to be expected of agents belonging to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

His boss was standing where he always was – in front of the window overseeing the city, his back turned towards both Wesley and the man seated on the other side of the massive hardwood table. "What is it that the esteemed members of the FBI wish of me? I believe if you go through my records you will find them completely clean of any wrongdoing."

The man – Deputy Director if Wesley remembered correctly – was as still as stone when giving a response. "You are… on the surface, at least, Mr. Fisk. Of course, we both realize that there's a lot of things the appropriate people can hide, as well as things other types of appropriate people can find."

Wilson Fisk stayed planted in the same place, not showing a hint of any nervousness that he might otherwise be under. "And yet you come here, to inform me of your intentions. That means either one of two things – you are a fool, or you want a deal. I am under the impression that your agency has the reputation of not being fools. The real question then, is why you come to me now, Mr. Sanderson?"

"Circumstances have changed in Washington, and with it, the status quo."

Fisk turned around and slowly walked towards the desk, his massive body was probably more than Wesley and Sanderson combined. "Continue."

"Our agency is just one of many in this country, all of us serving a different purpose, and every year each agency receives funding depending of their necessity to the nation. For most of the time, it has been stable, with us and the CIA getting most of the funding with a few ups and downs. As you might imagine, the… unfortunate events of the Towers meant that we had an increase in that budget. It was only understandable, of course, considering the risk of security to the nation, both from inside and from outside."

Fisk sat still as stone. "Am I correct to assume there has been a, shall we say, 'modification' to this budget as of late?"

Mr. Sanderson nodded. "It has happened before – a new threat arises and a previously underfunded agency becomes relevant to the fight. It happened in the eighties with the DEA… and it is happening once again."

"A new agency?"

The Deputy Director nodded his head. "SHIELD was formed with the purpose to tackle concerns over worldwide threats. This was ludicrous in the Cold War, as our only real enemy was the Soviet Union. They only received a paltry sum and were essentially held up by Howard Stark's money. Most people don't even know they exist." The man straightened himself in his seat. "Until recently, when worldwide and supernatural threats have become of increased importance to Washington."

Fisk tapped his fingers absentmindedly on the desk. "Things have been… unusual, as of late."

With a nod, Mr. Sanderson continued. "The budget for this year was quite disappointing for the agency. SHIELD now finds itself with the lion's share of funding, claiming that they are able to fulfill the purpose of the FBI and the CIA with increased efficiency thanks to their agents. The people of our agency tend to disagree but that has not swayed Washington." The man took a deep yet calm breath. "It is the belief of the agency that Washington needs to be reminded exactly why our agency is paramount to the security and wellbeing of this nation."

"That is one question answered," mused Fisk while he continued to tap his fingers. "The one that remains is why have you come to us instead of the other organizations."

"I believe the answer is self-evident, Mr. Fisk. Our agency is seeking to work with a true professional that runs a clean ship, not choleric dimwits. We believe that you are the best option to help us keep these activities under wraps, not to mention that Washington would be far more impressed with bringing down these overly violent individuals rather than someone as yourself." He lit a cigarette, blowing smoke in the air. "Of course, for a fee, the Bureau is willing to aid you in your entrepreneurship."

"It seems we have an understanding," drawled Fisk after taking a drag of his cigar. "Of course, you would be unwise if you decide to go behind my back. I have more ears than you may know."

"Together we rise, Mr. Fisk," declared Mr. Sanderson as he stood up and marched towards the door. "We shall be in contact soon."

Wesley stood still, not voicing his opinion. If Wilson Fisk wanted his advice, he would be asked, until then, it was not an assistant's place to protest a boss' decision. "Mike is here," Wesley stated plainly.

"Send him in." Soon, a young and unprofessional looking man stepped into the office and stood at attention.

"All of the targets have been hit by our costumed friends," reported Mike.

Fisk nodded, blowing out smoke into the air. "Do they not suspect you?"

"The Maelstrom is a lot dumber and younger than you might think. I think he's barely in his mid-teens. He trusts me enough to take the information and not ask questions," informed Mike with a smirk.

"We will have to continue the way we have. Soon enough we will find a way to know their identities when it's time to deal with them permanently, but as of now, they have been of great aid in dealing with the filth of this city," mused Fisk while giving a new folder to Mike. "These are the new targets. Ignore the Mexicans and Russians for now – I think we can leave what is left to our new partners in the Bureau – the Irish and the Japanese have been left alone far too long, however. Make them your priority."

Mike nodded and wordlessly left the room, leaving Wesley and Kingpin alone. "Any orders for me?"

Wilson Fisk took a drag of his cigar. "I think it's time we persuaded several agents in the Bureau to enter a working relationship with us. Better to know when they try to stab us in the back."

Wesley gave a slight nod and walked towards the door just as Mike had done. He should never have doubted his boss; always one step ahead from the rest, that's why Wilson Fisk was the most formidable man in the New York City underworld.

"Wesley," called Fisk just as the smaller man was about to leave. "If our new contacts cannot be swayed with the usual monetary incentive… get the information on their families."

Wesley gave one final nod before leaving. There was never a lack of work to be done in this business.

Naruto bit his lips, holding a pendant that felt heavier than it should be, standing in front of an intimidating hardwood door. He hadn't talked with Jean at all since she'd discovered his after dark identity and after a few days it really started to eat at him. The blonde was used to talking to her at least once every day since coming here and the disruption of that constant assurance in his life was uncomfortable in a rapidly changing world.

Finally, after minutes of staring at the lifeless oaken barrier for minutes, Naruto raised his knuckles and tapped firmly against the door.

"Coming!" announced the voice from the other side just before Naruto heard the clicking of the lock a and handle, the door opening along with a gust of perfumed air. Jean's emerald eyes peered from the entrance at him and a smile dropped. "Oh… hey, Naruto. Can I help you with anything?"

The jinchūriki shuffled his feet. "Can I talk to you?" he asked, eyes glued to Jean's expression as it evolved from gentle glare to uncommitted indifference.

"OK, come in," relented Jean. Her room was neat and tidy. The walls were adorned with posters that ranged from musicians to human anatomy, a shelf with small drama novels right next to massive textbooks, every surface was absolutely spotless, and quick peek at her desk told Naruto that all her homework had been done even though it was still Friday. "What do you want to talk about?" she asked, not unkindly despite the stony stare.

"I want to know what I can do so everything can go back to normal and we can be friends again," stated Naruto.

Jean pursed her lips, sitting down on her bed. "You're still my friend. It's just… I don't know what to make of you." She must have seen something interesting out the window. "Since I've come here, I told myself that my powers would not define me – that I would try to fit in with the rest of society as well as I could. No heroics, just learn control and then go to college, learn biology, become a doctor or a researcher. It's something I try to tell everyone else here." she said, looking back at him. "You… you seem to want to live this life."

The blonde found a seat near her desk before he responded. "That's completely different from where I come from." Naruto fished his headband from a pocket and showed the leaf symbol emblazoned on the metal. "From the moment I was given this, I was considered an adult. I was sent to missions where I could easily die just like many before me. I wanted to become the Hokage – the leader of my village. We are currently on the fifth. The previous four… none of them died peacefully. Almost no shinobi do." His blue eyes met her concerned green ones. "I don't care if I die so long as I can fulfill my dream and protect those who I care about."

"But you're not there anymore," insisted Jean. "You are here, with us. Nobody is asking you to die. There's so much more that you're capable of doing. You could become a doctor, or a scientist, or an inventor, for God's sake, even a lawyer! Why don't you take advantage of that?"

"Because I don't deserve it," blurted Naruto. "All of my friends are back home, still fighting. I don't belong here with all of you… even when I want to." He saw Jean bite her lip and look back to the window.

"You are so frustrating, you know?" she sighed once she turned her gaze again. "Sometimes, you're so childish and immature, and yet, at other times you're competent, absolutely brilliant… and the most dependable person I can think of. I'm… confused about you, and every day that goes by I try to understand you, but I just find myself wandering deeper and deeper into a maze." She stood up in front of him. "But I do know that you do deserve it. No matter who you were before."

'I am not. If I told you who I am, you would not think that.' Naruto raised his head and handed her the pendant. "I got something for you. I tried to give it to you before but you were angry."

Jean's fingers curled around the chain. "Why are you giving me this?"

Naruto shrugged. "I thought that that's what friends did."

Jean's green eyes closed and she took a deep breath. "Is that really all that you want, Naruto? Friendship?"

The blonde gave a tired smile in return. "What else could we be if not friends?"

The red-haired telepath studied the pendant, running her thumb over the surface. Despite its gold color it was clearly cheap, and if Naruto had more, he would have gotten something better. "I'm sorry," breathed Jean as she extended her hand to give the gift back, "I can't – "

A loud crashing noise thundered across the mansion, followed by a heavy tremble that shook the foundations of the Mansion itself. Naruto's attention was torn from Jean and he promptly transported to his room to get his uniform. He was fighting with the team this time; the Maelstrom would not be needed, only Naruto Uzumaki.

"Assemble outside the entrance!" came the mental order from the Professor just as the young jinchūriki finished tying his boots. After a swift flicker he was outside; the first one to arriv, just in time to see a line of shadows marching towards the Mansion, with their leader floating in the air. A quick activation of his eyes confirmed his suspicions – the Brotherhood, this time with Magneto. One by one, he saw them: Lance Alvers, Todd Tolansky, Fred Dukes, Mystique, and two others he hadn't seen before, one around Naruto's age with silver hair and a smug smirk plastered over his mug, and the other a tall, beastly man with a predatory gaze and a confident stride.

Ororo was the first to join him, floating to the blonde from the window of her room. Scott followed next from the entrance, Jean flying in from the rooftop. Kurt appeared with an odorous poof, followed by Kitty and Rogue phasing through one of the walls. Finally, The Professor wheeled himself from the main entrance, guarded closely by Logan just in time to see the attackers stop around two dozen feet in front of them.

"What is the meaning of this, Magneto?" demanded Professor Xavier, sounding angrier than Naruto thought could have been possible for such a usually calm man.

Magneto kept floating in the air, face hidden in the shadows of his helmet. When he spoke, it was with a gravelly voice. "The time has come, Charles. I told you back then that we must one day choose a side." He extended his arms around his minions. "You either join your fellow mutants against a world that will see us destroyed… or," he drawled, fingers pointing at the direction of Salem North, "you betray your kind in sympathy of those inferior to us. Two choices – you are either with us, or against us."

Professor Xavier hands tightened around his chair. "I have told you before, old friend, there is another way. One in which both humans and mutants can coexist together – a path of peace and cooperation. You would have us be dragged into an unnecessary conflict."

"You are still as foolish as ever, Charles." He turned his gaze towards the rest of the X-Men. "What about your students? Have you deigned to ever tell them of their place in the world? Their superiority above the humanity we left behind? Or have you been stunting their progress to keep them blind of their innate potential above the lesser species?"

It was now Jean's turn to respond. "The Professor has told us to control our abilities and use them for good, not for selfish reasons." Her voice was hard as steel with conviction.

"Control? Is that what he told you?" mused Magneto. Naruto thought that behind that shadow of a face the man could have been glaring. "Do you even know of your potential, child? Just how much power lies behind that mind?" His gaze turned towards Kurt. "Your mother is already by my side. Come join her with us." Eyes shifted to Rogue. "What about you? Have you ever thought that you could be able to touch without harming others? If you join our side, I can promise you that ability!"

Mystique's poker face shifted for just a second to look confusedly at Magneto, only just baring her teeth for a few moments but that did not stop the Master of Magnetism from continuing.

"Scott Summers," he drawled towards the bespectacled member of their team. "Can you imagine not being imprisoned by those glasses? Can you imagine ocular prowess far beyond what you have now? I can help you… I am already helping your brother with his pain." Scott's mouth immediately began to gape. "You are someone who wants to lead, Scott Summers, but you cannot lead without power. I offer you power."

Scott turned to their leader. "Professor?"

"Do not listen to him, Scott," commanded Professor Xavier. "He is lying to you to get you on his side."

"But… how does he know about Alex's pain?" asked Scott. "He only ever told me and I haven't told anyone else." He took a step forward. "Maybe… maybe we should hear him out. If he wants to give us strength, how can it be a bad thing?"

Soon, everyone started to protest as Scott took another step forward to where a large metal ball was floating down. "Don't do it, Scott!" yelled Jean. "You cannot leave with him, Scott!" exclaimed Ororo. "Come back, you little brat!" continued Logan. It went on and on until Naruto stepped up.

The blonde could see it. It might have been a different place, and a different person, but Naruto had seen it before. "Scott!" he yelled, drawing a look backwards from his teammate. "Do not do this. Never turn back on your comrades."

In spite of the initial look of hesitation, Scott just looked down in shame. "I am doing this for you… all of you, so that I may become a better leader… so that I may protect you all." His eyes turned to Naruto. "So that I may become as strong as you." With that, he stood up in front of the opening metal ball and stepped inside. As soon as the teenager was swallowed in the darkness, it closed and rose up into the air until it disappeared in the blackness of the moonlight sky.

Naruto turned around to see Professor Xavier gripping the handles of his chair so hard that his knuckles turned pale. "Magneto! If you hurt him…"

"No harm will come to him, Charles. Only salvation." Magneto turned back to the rest of the team, specifically Storm. "You were once called Goddess before you reached the age of ten and now –"

Storm promptly cut him off. "Do not use your silver tongue against me," she spat elegantly. "I shall not hear a word. I will never lower myself to falling at your side. For I have seen the death and destruction your ideas bring with my own eyes."

Magneto turned one last time. "You," he said to Naruto. "Your potential is more than you can imagine. Join us, and I will give you the tools to reach that potential. Shortcuts to the magnificent power you possess."

Everyone was silent when Naruto took a wordless step forward. He turned around to see the uncertainty in many pairs of eyes. Many of them were thinking about it. Naruto could see it plainly, at least that was before he tightened a fist and slammed it against his palm. "There are no shortcuts to strength. We must find it within us with hard work, not with charlatans like you!" The spell that had fallen over the team was broken with the declaration, now their eyes were hard with conviction.

"I see," drawled Magneto. "It is unfortunate that so many of you reject my offer, but sometimes, salvation cannot be given. Sometimes, salvation must be forced." As if on cue, the Brotherhood all changed their stance for battle.

"Do not do this," protested Professor Xavier, "but if you must, then you must know that they are well trained, enough to defeat your team. You will not win this battle, Magneto."

Then they all felt it; the ground started to shake beneath their feet, harder and harder with each passing second until they heard the source coming from the ruined gateway. "I am not foolish enough to underestimate your team, Charles. I decided to bring a trump card. You are quite familiar with your brother, are you not?"

Naruto saw it then, for his eyes could not process just what exactly he was seeing. From the distance it looked like a walking boulder in crimson red, slowly stomping in the same manner as a person, inching closer and closer towards the X-Men with each passing step. When Naruto finally got a good look at it, he saw a giant of a man, almost twice the size of Kitty and nearly as wide as he was tall, yet every gram of the mass appeared to be pure muscle. The crimson outfit was completed with a dome-shaped helmet that covered his head revealing only a teeth-baring mouth and murderous eyes that were fixed on Charles Xavier.

"Cain!" gasped the Professor and turned towards Magneto. "Do you intend to kill us all?"

"No. He is on my side," replied Magneto. "Perhaps he will kill only you, Charles. That is a trade I am willing to make. After all, there's already two other telepaths right here that can help me control the Juggernaut."

Professor Xavier shook his hairless head. "You are a fool, Magneto. No one can control him." He then turned towards the X-Men. "Leave! All of you! You cannot win against him!"

"No!" bellowed Naruto with as much steel as he could put in his voice. "This is the only place we have! We are not giving it up without a fight!" Usually Scott would be issuing attack orders now… but Scott was not here. The bespectacled teen was supposed to be the leader; that was how they'd been trained. "How can we defeat your brother?" he mentally asked Professor Xavier.

The Professor looked hesitant to tell them anything, more than likely hoping they would run away yet Naruto kept that determined looked in his eyes. "You cannot hope to beat him physically. His body is strong, yet his mind is weak. If you can take off that helmet, then I'll be able to subdue him." Naruto turned to see with the Sharingan that there were four clasps that held the helmet attached.

Naruto nodded and turned to the rest of the team. "Jean and Storm, you distract him along with my clones while Nightcrawler undoes the clasps. Shadowcat, you and Rogue try to get close to him, see if Rogue can absorb his powers. If he attacks, then use your phasing to protect both of you." The blonde nodded to the rest of the Brotherhood. "I'll go and deal with these clowns and join you later. Understood?!"

"Understood!" they all replied in unison.

Naruto then turned to Logan. "You –" but before he could say anything else, he had already brandished his claws and made a beeline towards the equally wild member of the Brotherhood with a roar.

"Sabretooth!"

"Wolverine!"

The two apparent rivals engaged in a savage brawl that shattered the stalemate. Naruto immediately crossed his fingers and created roughly a hundred clones, much more than he'd needed since arriving here. Even the Brotherhood widened their eyes at the sight of the mass amount of Naruto replicas. With a war cry, the replicas promptly charged towards the hulking beast charging towards the team.

Seeing the rest of the team engage with the Juggernaut, Naruto turned his attention towards the four foes standing before him. Toad, Avalanche, Blob, and the cocky silver-maned newcomer. Magneto and Mystique looked content with watching the battle for the moment with analyzing gazes.

"Alright!" taunted Toad with a yellow-toothed grin. "Now it's all of us against you, blondie. Just make it easy on yourself and surren –"

Toad could say no more, not because there he'd run out of words to say, but because his mouth was soon smashed with the tip Naruto's speedy boot with such force that he flew to the grass with his eyes rolled back. The blonde felt the beginnings of tremors on his feet but before Lance could truly start an attack, Naruto already sent a fist to cleave against Avalanche's helpless stomach. The shinobi heard an exhalation of hot breath and a whimper followed by his opponent collapsing. He did not have the time to relax, for in the corner of his red eyes, he saw a meaty fist looking to bash his head in and stepped away as the Blob smashed the ground. Naruto knew his telepath skills were not as honed as Professor Xavier or Jean, yet with someone as simple-minded as Fred Dukes, little effort was necessary; the massive teen soon got a dumb look and crumpled face-first to the ground.

A disgusted sigh came from Magneto. He turned towards Mystique. "Months of training for this spectacular failure?"

Mystique grit her teeth like she had eaten something foul. "Some knives can never be sharpened, no matter how many times you drag them through a whetstone."

Naruto ignored them; his attention captured by his clones showering Professor Xavier's brother with kicks and punches to no apparent effect. Jean and Storm were floating in the air, throwing objects and lighting respectively while Nightcrawler periodically appeared trying to undo one of the helmet's clasps. Kitty was visibly trembling; she probably had been phasing Rogue and herself quite a bit now. Naruto sent a mental command to his clones and they all made Rasengans but even after they all hit the massive man, it had no effect.

"You can't stop the Juggernaut!" roared the giant, fist flying wildly to dispel most of Naruto's clones, with one swing unfortunately hitting Nightcrawler just as he appeared in a poof of sulfur scented dark smoke.

Naruto felt his legs making his mind for him, they sprinted towards his comrades like they were at the end of a dark tunnel, but his gait was suddenly stopped when the blonde jinchūriki felt something kick his shins, ending with him falling on his chest to smell the freshly watered earth. He raised his head to see the cocky silver-haired teenaged boy.

"Whoa, whoa! You're forgetting about me?! Too fast for you? Or are you just too slow?" he taunted with an insufferable shit-eating grin. "You may have gotten the drop in on those losers, but you'll find that Quicksilver can't be handled by slowpokes."

The blonde growled and summoned a dozen clones. Unfortunately, as soon as a wave of smoke heralded their existence, another wave of smoke signaled their immediate demise, accompanied by a barely visible streak of white. Once again, Naruto felt his legs being tripped but this time he used his hands to fling himself back to his feet, Sharingan activated.

Quicksilver appeared in front of him again. That smile was insufferable. "Oooh… those are some mean-looking eyes, slowpoke. Think you can catch me?" He disappeared but Naruto only got a glimpse of movement even with his eyes before the side of his head was smacked with a kick. "Man! Your head is like cement! Maybe that's all you have there instead of brains."

"Step aside, you little punk!" snapped Naruto. This guy was a bloody nuisance! His eyes were still fixed on the rampaging Juggernaut and the way none of friends' attacks were making effect. 'Shunshin.' A seal had already been made, but instead of the chakra being formed into a jutsu, he felt a kick on his hand.

"Oh no! No more of that fancy teleporting stuff, slowpoke. You go through me first if you want to get to them."

Naruto grinded his teeth and used the burning anger as fuel to stand up again. "I'll take care of you after I take care of the Egghead!" He heard a grunt coming from his team; Jean was on the ground, clutching her head with a grimace. They were all getting tired while the monstrous Juggernaut looked no worse for wear.

"Come on! Magneto said you were the most powerful! Is this the best that the X-Men have?!" mocked Quicksilver. Each word was like another drip of gasoline was being flicked at the fire inside Naruto. He heard another gasp coming from Kitty, who was barely standing with lidded eyes, supported by Rogue.

"Wow, you guys really are weaklings. Maybe Juggernaut should just get rid of them, don't you think? We already have a fair amount of cannon fodder," pondered the silver-maned speedster. "Then again, at least your cannon fodder is prettier to look at."

"Stop it!" barked Naruto, his gaze shifting from the little shit's grinning face to Juggernaut stomping towards Rogue, who was now carrying Kitty and running away while Storm and Jean continued with futile attacks. Ignored for the moment, Nightcrawler sat on the earth panting heavily.

Quicksilver just continued to grin and chuckle. "Begging, is it? Come on, slowpoke!" He stood next to Naruto to see what I was seeing. "Hey, I got an idea. How about a little race, huh? See who can reach them first." A silver flash and he was gone. Next thing Naruto saw as he stood up was Rogue getting hit on her back and falling down along with Kitty, the Juggernaut snapping at their heels. "Aw! Guess I win!" cackled the speedster. "Want to try again?" Just as Rogue was getting up and limping towards Kitty, she was slammed on the back and fell down again. Jean and Storm stopped their attacks to place themselves between the walking muscle of mass and his target. The flash of silver came back. "Too slow! Who's next? The redhead? The blue guy? Help me choose here, slowpoke!"

Naruto was sure that if he tightened his jaw any more, he would shatter it. His fingers curled into a tight fist to be hurled at his opponent. "Leave them alone!" But the fist only met air again; Quicksilver was already ten feet away, laughing. Yet this time his lips moved slower, and Naruto managed to see more than a flash. As if he were slower. Hell, as if everything was slower.

"Huh? Your eyes changed a bit. Freaky stuff. Not that it's gonna help you." He charged again, his body visible this time to the Sharingan, still very fast but now the blonde could somehow see that he was aiming for the chest. Naruto raised his defense just in time to intercept the hit. Quicksilver looked with bewildered eyes, motionless as if caught by a spell, enough for Naruto to smack him square in the stomach.

"Urghh!" cried the silver-maned mutant, lips contorted into a grimace. "W-What the hell?!"

Naruto prepared to finish him off but was interrupted by a scream. His eyes left their target to focus on what was happening with the rest of the team.

The scream had come from Jean. She was trying to pull Storm from the massive grip of the Juggernaut. His hand was so gigantic that it almost completely wrapped around the lightning manipulator's waist. Storm was banging her fist against the meaty fingers, using the most furious lightning Naruto had ever seen to fry her captor, but it was shrugged off as if it was just a minor itch. The Juggernaut ignored every attack as he carried his captive to a big metal ball, identical to the one that Scott had entered. The sphere opened its metal maw and Juggernaut unceremoniously dumped Storm into it, metal tentacles restraining her entire form.

Naruto watched as Storm struggled angrily at first before truly taking in her situation… then her eyes changed completely. Terror. Primal and unadulterated terror that the blonde thought would be impossible for his white-haired friend. "N-No… No!" she wailed as the metal jaws began to close. "Get me out! By the Goddess, get me out!" Her eyes went from white to their natural blue, and tears began to flow uncontrollably as they darted about before settling on Naruto. "Please! Please, Naruto! Help m–"

That was the last Naruto saw before the sphere closed completely, yet he could still hear her mental agony. Storm wailed and screamed and cried inside the metal prison; pleading, begging, praying to her Goddess for someone to let her out.

"No!" sobbed Jean, banging her fists against the sphere, cheeks wet with a trail of tears. "Don't do this to her! You have to let her out!"

"That's enough! Stop this, Erik!" roared Professor Xavier, angrier than Naruto thought possible. "This is between you and me! Leave her out of this!"

Magneto acted as if he were deaf, raising his hand and the metal sphere followed the command. Up and up it went and Naruto could hear Ororo's mental cries fading the more she rose. The screams turned to whimpers by the time the sphere was no bigger than an orange in Naruto's eyes, and finally into nothing as it disappeared into the blackness of the sky.

A mocking laugh broke the silence. "Well! That's one down! Hey, Cain!" Quicksilver called to the Juggernaut. "Go for the redhead next!"

Naruto's mind went blank, his gaze turning away from where he last saw Ororo's metal prison to the chuckling speedster, then to the grinning Juggernaut stomping his way to a sobbing Jean. The cruel laughter was drowned out and the blonde could hear nothing, feel nothing, and his eyes could see nothing aside from encroaching blackness.

Then he felt it.

Pump.

Pump.

PUMP!

Each beating of his heart felt like a punch, pumping burning rage over every inch of his being and with it came power beyond his control. Naruto felt his front teeth turn to fangs, and his fingers became claws. When there was previously a blackness in front of him, now he saw red like blood, and in that crimson visage the first thing was the laughing speedster.

"Hey, slowpoke! Looking for another kicking? Happy to oblige." Quicksilver sped and his leg did hit Naruto… but the blonde felt nothing even as he grabbed the leg and the silver boy screamed. The raging jinchūriki then swiped his claws at the chest. Even when he saw nothing but red, Naruto could still recognize blood.

'The Kyūbi… it's the Kyūbi!' thought Naruto in a moment of clarity, which was gone the moment his crimson visage set itself on Juggernaut.

With a snarl, Naruto charged on all fours, each step leaving a smoldering crater and smoking wisps of orange embers until he slammed claws first into Juggernaut's helmet with such force that he staggered a few inches behind.

"Grhhg! You little shit!" snarled Cain Marko, already grabbing at Naruto's leg and throwing him away.

The raging jinchūriki landed on all fours with a blood-curdling scream. He clawed his hand around the chakra that was rapidly forming a Rasengan. The sight did not seem to intimidate Juggernaut, for he was already charging head first like a ram. Naruto charged as well, brandishing the blue and orange ball like a spear.

They met with an explosion, the pressure flattening everything around them yet both stayed still; an unstoppable force meeting an unmovable object. Hateful eyes staring at each other in a battle the stalemate.

Last time, Naruto had lost memory after the Rasengan… not this time. This time he felt even more power. Power that he added to his hand as the ball grew and grew tenfold from its original size until it exploded into Juggernaut's helmet and the massive mutant crashed into the ground. Before he could get up, Naruto was already on him, his crimson tail pining him down and both hands scratching at the helmet. Clawing and slashing until they found the orifices for eyes and lanced down hard.

Naruto heard the roar of his opponent but his mind was set on digging deeper and deeper, fingers soaking in blood as they squished the two eyeballs like they were grapes, spurting on his thumbs as the blonde reveled in the anguish. He wanted to make the man cry. Make him cry like he had made Ororo cry.

Then, there was a tickle in his brain, a tickle that turned into a voice. "Naruto! Naruto!" it yelled and the jinchūriki turned his gaze to meet Jean. But it was not just Jean, it was also Kitty, Rogue, Kurt, and even Professor Xavier. All of them looking, all of them with those same eyes.

Those eyes.

Those eyes that Naruto had seen many times before. Those eyes that he saw in his very first memories. Those eyes that Naruto hated more than anything in the world. The faces changed… but the eyes were the same. Naruto never had the same nightmares everyone else had. Oftentimes Sakura had told of men hiding under the bed, or monsters in the closet, or even fire burning through their house. Naruto never had any of those. His nightmares were always the same; the eyes that Jean was looking at him with now.

'They know…' He tore his eyes away from them. Naruto could not bear to see those eyes on Jean. He would rather never see her again than see her with those eyes.

He turned towards the woods – dark, hidden, and removed from civilization – and leapt away into the trees as fast as he could. He jumped and ran from branch to branch and then to the ground again, moving away from the only home he'd known since leaving Konoha. It didn't matter if he got lost, in fact, he wanted to get lost. Lost so that nobody could ever find him again. Lost so he could never hurt anyone with his curse.

Unfortunately, his wish did not come true, for as soon as he stopped for a moment to breathe, he heard and felt the cratering steps snapping at his heels. Naruto's eyes were fixed behind him to the sight of the Juggernaut plowing through the same trees he'd just jumped through.

"Come back here, you little shit!" growled Cain Marko, his eyes having regenerated with what Naruto could only guess was his mutation.

"What do you want?!" Naruto demanded, still running away. "It's over! It's all over!" It was over. He could never return again. Only hide and bide his time until a way to come back home came.

"Nothing is over!" barked Juggernaut, his mouth twisted into a sadistic grin. "Come back and fight me like you did before! That was fun!"

Naruto stopped and turned. "Fun?"

Juggernaut laughed maniacally. "I've never faced anyone like you before! It's been so long since I felt a thrill like that! Come on and keep fighting me!"

Fun… it was all a game to this guy. It was a game to hurt Ororo like he had. It was a game to come barging into the Institute and into his life. It was game to destroy the life he'd been trying to build. He would never be able to see Jean again or hear Kitty laugh. He would never get a hug from Ororo or dance with Rogue again. That was all gone because Cain Marko wanted to have fun.

"I'm not going to fight you!" snapped Naruto. "There's nothing left for me to fight for anymore."

"Come on! Why do you need a reason to fight? Don't tell it was for that pathetic woman and her puny friends?!"

"Don't call her that…"

Juggernaut grinned. "You like those people?" He chuckled. "Well if you're not going to fight me, then I'll have to take my frustration on them. I'll break their legs first so they can't run. Then I'll break their arms."

"Stop it…"

"Then I'm going to snap their fingers one by one, gouge out their eyes, cut off their ears. I will tear out their throats when they have no more screams to feed me, and then… then I'm going to get really, really mean!"

"Shut up!" growled Naruto, the chakra around him getting darker and more toxic. The fire was not just inside him now; through the pain he felt parts of his skin break away with fiery energy but it mattered little.

"Which one do you like best? The short one? The lightning one? Maybe it's the redhead? I'll be sure to give you what's left when I'm done."

Tendrils of darkness crept from the corners of Naruto's eyes, his posture returning to that of a beast. With each passing second, he felt the energy get larger and stronger until it was now pushing away the biggest of trees like they were twigs. Before the tendrils took him, he let out one last inhuman roar and then he knew only blackness.

In the barely illuminated darkness, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki opened his ringed eyes, seeing nothing, yet at the same time seeing everything. For the first time in countless lifetimes, the old Sage felt a tugging in his heart. Memories of days past came to him – memories of joy and sadness.

"Oh, Indra," he whispered in a solemn tone. "Your love… 'tis a frightening thing."

AN: Here with another chapter. Are all of you guys doing well? Hopefully you're staying safe and healthy. I hope that this latest offering can at least shave a few moments of your boredom. Remember to stay home and wash your hands.

Two in a row for Heir of the Sage. Now the next chapter is going to take a little while cause I'm going to concentrate a few chapters on my other fic.

If you liked this chapter then you can leave a review on what you liked and what can be improved. If you want to join my Discord server, you're more than welcome to.

Link: FEKnu79

Until next time!

The Metal Sage