Ultimate X: Naruto

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, nor do I own X-Men.

Speech
Thought
Demonic/Pissed[Telepathy]

AN/ I know I'm not very consistent with updates, particular for my older stories, but I felt like putting out some on this one after reading some old comics.

Chapter 2: Wanderlust

Can you tell me what a MUTANT is?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it's an individual, organism or new genetic character arising or resulting from MUTATION.

According to the NEWSPAPERS, it's a supper-powered sociopath hell-bent on nothing less than the ABSOLUTE DESTRUCTION of the entire HUMAN RACE.

The truth, like MOST things, lies somewhere in the MIDDLE.

My OWN definition of that six-letter word is just an ORDINARY PERSON with EXTRAORDINARY TALENT.

WHY we have these gifts is impossible to say.

Speculation ranges from holes in the OZONE LAYER to nature preparing us for life in the THIRD MILLENIUM, but no one REALLY knows the answer.

All we know is that these talents make us DIFFERENT and those differences make people NERVOUS in these STRANGE, UNCERTAIN TIMES.

My name is Professor Charles Xavier and as I prepare for an international tour to promote a BOOK I've just published, I've been asked to write an article which might ALLEVIATE your fears.

Personally, I've never understood why individuals who exhibit MUTANT abilities are regarded with suspicion when every other form of excellence is LAUDED by society.

Are songwriters persecuted for the power of their LYRICS? Are Quarterbacks hounded for the accuracy of their ARMS?

Of course, I don't mean to diminish the BIOLOGY of the situation when ninety-eight percent of all known mutants test positive for the X-FACTOR gene…

But aren't we all slaves to our inherited genetics?

After all, some say MUSIC runs in families…

…and others are clearly born with an aptitude for SPORT.

Are mutants SINGLED OUT for alienation because our talents extend to FREEZING RAINDROPS and LEVELING MOUNTAINS?

Is our world-shaking POTENTIAL the reason young mutant teenagers only dare communicate through INTERNET CHAT ROOMS?

Dear reader, as I argue at length in my book, this RAW POWER you fear is precisely the reason that these young, terrified mutants must be EMBRACED.

Can't you imagine the potential for GOOD with the proper GUIDANCE and TEACHING?

Marvel Girl is a PERFECT EXAMPLE.

When I found her, those formidable psychic powers were so unfocused that she was unable to distinguish between VOICES and THOUGHTS.

Through careful training, her abilities were SUPPRESSED, and now, over time, are being gradually REINTRODUCED.

Her main area of schoolwork is dealing with the MENTALLY-ILL, but she's been helping police find three missing persons lately, and is reportedly making excellent progress.

Storm is ANOTHER young student who has blossomed in the short time she's been following my PROGRAM.

An illegal Moroccan immigrant with almost no formal schooling, she's currently in the middle of a telepathic JOINT-DIPLOMA in both HORTICULTURE and ECONOMICS.

Last week, she used her atmospheric manipulation to reinvigorate a recession-hit FARMING COMMUNITY and achieved a well-deserved A-PLUS for APPLIED USE of her ABILITIES.

Of course, there's more to education than TRADITIONAL ACADEMICS. My syllabus specializes in pop-culture, conversation and the arts of SELF-DEFENSE too.

Cyclops, for example, might have very poor grades, but his leadership skills are EXCEPTIONAL in our virtual reality COMBAT CLASSES.

Twice a week, between CHEMISTRY and HUMOR, I ask him to utilize these gifts and do something DANGEROUS with groups of UNDERPRIVILEGED YOUNGSTERS.

As an orphan HIMSELF, I know he appreciates the importance of a solid and dependable ROLE MODEL.

When we first found him, ICEMAN was as traumatized and frightened as any OTHER fifteen-year-old schoolboy would be in his unusual situation…

But his warm heart and sense of humor have been a source of strength to EVERYONE lately; particularly in the late-night COMPASSION EXERCISES I assigned him.

The same holds true for our sensitive and intelligent BEAST. More than ANYONE, he has a right to despise mankind for the atrocities which were committed against him.

But his passion for RESEARCH remains undiminished, his latest project being a breathtaking alternative to the expensive pharmaceuticals required in THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES…

…although, I must confess, I DO worry about the amount of time my prize student spends working in the SCHOOL LABORATORY sometimes.

But perhaps the development I'm MOST proud of is how WOLVERINE and COLOSSUS have reinvented themselves over these last few months.

Both young men raised in violence and misery, they now spend their evenings scanning newspapers for HARD-LUCK STORIES and UNSOLVED CRIMES, sometimes joined by Ronin.

…walking the streets from dusk 'til dawn in search of people who might need their PARTICULAR kind of HELP.

And then there is RONIN…

As of late, when I consider those aspects of arguments slandering mutation, I look at RONIN.

A young man who'd seen and experienced some of the worst that mankind is capable of; he has lived his life in spite of that. Despite his sometimes distant exterior, he is one of the most COMPASSIONATE and THOUGHTFUL people I will ever meet. Quiet and indifferent, surrounded by peers and POSITIVE INFLUENCE he has garnered a far more approachable persona. He has even begun studies towards degrees in botany as well as cooking. Either being subjects unexpected for such a hardened young man.

Looking at him, I am also reminded of the irrepressible goodness in us all, as it is so powerfully present in him. He has become something of a guiding light for the other students, nurturing hope where it fades.

In a way, I find it symbolic that he should have the ability to invigorate plant life as he does. I have high hopes for a petition towards sending him to South America for the summer to see how far he can get in restoring trees to stripped landscapes.

Of course, it would be NAÏVE to suggest that the MUTANT INFLUENCE is always an ENTIRELY positive one.

It's understandable that people are afraid when they see their homo-sapien children declare themselves X-FACTOR POSITIVE or hear the lyrics to their ANTI-HUMAN SONGS.

Spike Lee's upcoming MAGNETO bio-pic clearly isn't going to help matters, nor is Professor Bolivar Trask's popular theory that mutants have cruelty HARDWIRED into our GENES.

It's a VERY COMPELLING ARGUMENT…

…particularly in light of The Brotherhood of Mutants' re-emergence as a political force and what they did to the Japanese FINANCIAL DISTRICT last week.

My students and I might have neutralized MAGNETO back in Washington, but I'm afraid his children inherited more than just their father's striking EASTERN EUROPEAN PROFILE.

Some people ask why we don't just WAGE WAR on The Brotherhood, but that's such an old-fashioned, IMPERIALISTIC solution to the problem…

As we look around the world today, it's clear that violence breeds nothing but FURTHER violence.

IDEAS are the only way to change the world and, as a teacher, I feel it's my responsibility to PROVE it.

When I returned home this evening to have our picture taken, Wolverine asked if he could borrow one of my suits because he wanted to make a good impression in the magazine…

Cyclops was on the telephone to Toad, laughing about how Storm had caused a tiny thunderstorm in Iceman's large intestine for some reason. I must remember to ask about that later.

Shortly before I began to finish this article, the police called and said they had found the three missing girls precisely where Marvel Girl had suggested they LOOK for them.

For a moment, I pause and reflect upon Trask's idea and wonder if evolution is INDEED moving in the wrong direction.

But although man invented torture and cruelty, we also remember that evolution gave us science and art and empathy as well as upright backs and opposable thumbs.

Why should people think we're just a mutation of everything BAD about themselves?

Isn't there a chance that we could be an evolution of man's intrinsic capacity for GOOD?

"…" The sole spiky-haired blonde was snoozing under the latest of his creations. The attack by Wraith had destroyed practically all the plants and trees around the school, so Naruto had offered to regrow them for the Professor. The bald man had planned to purchase turf for the destroyed lawn, as well as several decent sized trees from a nursery, but the blonde had been too insistent to ignore. His mood had done a near one-eighty from before, but he was still a little nervous when interacting with the others. And often, when reminded of things from his past he would lockup emotionally. Not that that wasn't to be expected. All damage, including psychological, left scars, even if they weren't visible.

It fascinated the professor how the blonde's abilities were actually quite simple, but had such expansive applications. He wondered if it was at all possible to use the exercises he knew to teach others like him, should they ever pop up. Within reason, a few of the training techniques he'd demonstrated had potential application to telekinetics and psionics in learning fine control.

To his secret interest, the way his power manifested at times, waves of raw energy, was similar to Wanda's, though his application was far different, if not more refined, but that final supposition could only be if they were in fact that similar.

Breakfast the following morning…

The sun hadn't even cleared the treetops on the edge of the property, but, as a rule, during the weekdays, anyone and everyone were expected to be up crisp and early. On the weekend, some wouldn't clock in until nine or ten, but most kept up the routine of an early start. "It was good, but we both know why it was cut," Naruto offered, putting his laden plate down on the table. Xavier nodded. The blonde's optimism was beyond anything he'd ever seen, but it hid a surprisingly grounded mind. Optimism...but scarred, jaded with realism.

Coming out on the patio, his own breakfast in hand, Bobby was also holding a copy of the article that Charles had written, having given a copy to each of them for their approval. "Wait, you expected this, Professor?"

"Indeed I did, young man."

"Then why even write it?"

"The entire point was to write it," Xavier answered. "Silence will do nothing for our cause. Even if the article was cut, that alone is proof of the effect it could have had."

"Shouldn't you be packing?" Naruto dropped into a seat and poured himself a cup of coffee. He'd started to develop a liking for the drink, even if it had no practical use for him. Simply, it tasted…interesting. "I'd hate to up and find that we'd left you behind," he added, snickering into his drink.

Land's End, Scotland (Sometime Later):

The skiff was tied to the larger, yet still small, boat, the storm causing the pair to pitch and yaw perilously. "This isn't our job, by the way," one of the men in the boarding party complained. They were all wearing heavy raincoats under their life-vests, but that did little to hold back the water of a storm like this. In fact, it seemed to make it all the more annoying when the icy water collected on their heads and funneled straight down their collars. "Ordinary police shouldn't even be handling this mental stuff."

Heading around to the aft end of the boat, "Some Norwegian lad trying to smuggle in a wee bit of dope is one thing, but this boat hails from Muir Island, boys. I'm not getting paid enough to handle runaway mutants."

The man in charge didn't deign his subordinate with reproach. They were already here. This was just him taking his chance to bitch about it, job and weather included. "He's a nineteen year old boy, man. He's been sick since he was thirteen and we've got our instructions. What could possibly go wrong?"

Someone give the man a smack to the head for jinxing them.

Grouping at the door, he looked to his men, waiting for nods of readiness before unbolting the door and pushing it inward. "Aw, for God's sake." The small room was decorated with strewn, decimated corpses, bodies shriveled and dried up as if the very life had been literally sucked from their tissues.

"Radio Doctor MacTaggert at the hospital and tell her the crew he attacked are dead, lads," he ordered, panning his flashlight over the room of death. "There's no sign of her boy anywhere." One of the bodies stirred though at his words. Hunched against the interior wall, the withered man lifted his head from his arms before bringing them up to shield his eyes from the too bright beam of light.

"I'm in here, you clown, although God knows how much longer this stupid old body's going to last me!" grumpily snapping at them.

"Sergeant! Over here! One of them's still alive!"

Hit by sudden realization, the Sergeant, the man in charge of this little foray, recoiled. "God almighty! He's jumped inside the Professor! Fall back and shield your eyes, boys! Remember what the doctor told us!"

Bringing his weapon up, surprisingly a MAC 10, odd for a policeman, he leveled it cautiously on the glowing-eyed old man. Who, it seemed was not what he looked. "Now c'mon, David. Let's be sensible about this, young man. We both know you're not going to last twenty-four hours away from your mother's hospital, so let's not make this any more difficult than it has to be, eh?"

Yellow eyes flickered, locking with those of the Sergeant. "Well, that's still about twenty-four hours more than you and your pals, fat man."

"What?"

In the span of a blink, the bearded sergeant swung his weapon around, spraying rounds over the men that had loyally followed him into this situation. Blood sprayed from their wounds as they tumbled under the hail of lead, a pool of red growing ever larger beneath them.

"Sarge!"

Smirking darkly, he turned glowing eyes on the surviving comrade of this body. Left outside, he hadn't seen what had happened within the room, and had no idea that the man he was addressing was no longer himself. "Not anymore, ye wee jobbie." It didn't take a half-minute's effort before he was the sole living occupant of the boat once more, and in a new suit, too.

Head cocked to the side, he judged the many lengths between him and the rocky shore that he could just make out through the storm and waves. "Ten to one I can hit that beach without getting my feet wet." Sprinting across the short stretch of deck, boards splintered underfoot as he leapt, body miraculously flying hundreds of yards through the air before…

'THUNK-SRSHH!' Landing in a crouch, mud sprayed outward as he skidded then came to a full halt.

Standing, he smirked in satisfaction at the distance between where he was now and where he'd been, "Result!" Digging around in his current body's pockets, he stopped when his fingers brushed over worn leather. "Now let's have a look and see what they're paying big, fat policemen these days, eh." Fingers wrapping around it, he pulled the wallet out. "Oh, ye dancin' bear…" he marveled over the decently plump wallet. Flipping it open, he paid no mind to the credit cards or other bits and instead opened it up to take a gander at the simple wad of green in its folds.

London, two days earlier:

Practically the moment their feet had hit the foreign soil, the students of Xavier Institute had all scattered. They were allowed a certain amount of autonomy over what they could do, so long as they fit in time for…extracurriculars. It was something of a mix between humanitarian services and homework.

Jean and Ororo had chosen to have a "girls' day," taking to rollerblading around the streets of London, seeing the sights and browsing as they sought out their would-be assignment of the week.

Logan and Peter on the other hand had elected themselves the ones to introduce Bobby to late-night clubbing in Soho.

Scott and Henry, dressed heavily against the inclement local weather, had decided on a less drastic approach than their friends/teammates/classmates. Walking the late-night, early morning streets, they let their assignments come to them.

And that left Naruto. None of the others' ideas had really called out to him. Well, maybe Hank and Scott's had. It was low key enough that he wouldn't have minded, but… He felt he needed to find something of his own.

"Read the professor's little book yet, Storm?" In the lead, Jean swayed through the sidewalk traffic. The concrete flew by under the wheels of their rollerblades.

Trailing by only a few feet, Ororo bent and swerved as she followed after. "Are you nuts?" she retorted, smirking to herself. "I saw the chapter on "a mutant alternative to boom-and-bust economics" and went straight back to Cosmo and People Magazine, girlfriend."

"Well, Cosmo didn't get the X-Men out of school in New York for an eight-week promotional tour, Miss Munroe," she lectured teasingly. "And People Magazine certainly never took us to London. Do you know I've wanted to go shopping in Carnaby Street since I first saw Austin Powers?" The small back on her back bore within it the proof, a few small knick-knacks that she'd picked up so far. She'd come back for anything else. Ororo though hadn't shown the same interest in the local shops that she had.

"Me, I prefer the more touristy stuff myself, Marvel Girl: Buckingham Palace, Madame Tussaud's, laughing at a country where sixty-million people talk like Mary Poppins…"

Jean smiled at that last remark. It was funny when she thought about it. But now she had to defend the place she'd dreamed about. "Oh no. London's the coolest city in the world, Storm. This is where all the clothes, and all the movies and all the music I've ever loved come from, you Philistine," her attempt at convincing her turning chiding in its finale. Taking a sharp right, she reoriented and, getting a quick look of the area, dashed for the stairs.

Behind her, Ororo skidding into the turn and speeding to catch up, "I'm surprised you haven't tried making a move on our wonder-blonde," she teased. "He's certainly good looking enough. But…you probably figure all this romantic ambience is gonna get big, bad Wolverine interested in you again, little Jeannie?" the weather-witch ragged, closing the distance between them. The banter was playful, but no less relevant in the current events of their lives.

"Not even close to funny, Ororo," the redhead countered stiffly. "Naruto's a good guy, great even, but I don't want to be that girl. You know, the girl who's been with every guy. Not that I wouldn't be interested. He is rather delicious… There's this thing about the guys. Whenever I talk to someone telepathically, I don't look too deep. But getting in contact, they have to open up a little bit, and I get…impressions."

Storm sent her a sidelong glance. "Don't keep me in suspense, spill the goods, sister."

"Well, Wolverine…he's the most difficult…I either get this standoffish feeling or outright attraction."

Ororo pondered on that. "Sounds about right, I guess. He's got the bad boy charm down. I just can't really see him as a long-term relationship kinda guy. Not that it couldn't be fun…"

Skipping over Ororo's allusions, "And, Scott… He gives off this sense of stodginess, control…when underneath he's really a teddy bear."

Ororo snorted, but prevented herself from breaking into outright laughter. "…Teddy bear, right… Which leaves our quiet blonde."

Jean's brow furrowed momentarily. In all honesty, she had tried once…looking a little deeper…and had been summarily shamed. "Naruto is…different," she began. "On the outside, he's all cheerful and sometimes quiet…"

"Uhuh…keep it going, sweetie."

"Inside, I can sense a lot of warmth," she eventually put to word. "He really is a good guy." But…deep down…and she'd refrained from saying such as it wasn't her right…she had sensed…

She had sensed…

Loneliness.

As if he had never really experienced a place that he truly felt like he belonged.

For someone who could tap in empathically, it was a sobering, almost heartbreaking sensation.

"A good guy, huh?" Ororo mused. "Say what you want, Marvel Girl, but…no matter what you say…I think you might just be a smidgeon smitten, if you catch my drift."

Flushing under the direct insinuations of her teammate, Jean looked away until the heat in her cheeks faded. Fact of the matter, the blonde practically exuded that…goodness. The briefest glance into his head had shown her quite openly that he was a creature of passion. He'd just not had an outlet for it. Should he ever open up to a girlfriend… And that lean body of his…

"Besides, you've been trying to get a rise out of our boy Cyclops for how long now?"

That was…a sobering statement. She had in fact been trying to get closer to Scott for a while now, but with only moderate success. For such a "leader" he couldn't seem to take control. She had thrown around hints and clues, but he really was rather…well, shy. She'd hoped that all the effort she had put into Scott would pay off. Time was…leaving her doubtful. "I'm sure Scott 'll take the hint sooner or later."

The short distance elapsed, legs tensing, she jumped, Storm following suit almost in time with her.

Clsh-Clsh!

Clsh-Clsh!

In tandem, wheeled feet left the concrete, and almost in-time came back down onto the metal railing of concrete steps before them.

"And each time you say that is less convincing than the last, superhero." Grinding the rails, leaning into it as much as they could while balancing, each to a side, they rocketed toward the bottom. It was only a short ride though as they approached the base, pushing off to clatter to the concrete below at an even greater velocity thanks to the momentum of their descent.

Cl-Clak! Cl-Clak!

"You need to recognize when it's time to cut bait, Jeannie. I'm just saying, you shouldn't dismiss the thought right away. With those copies of his, Naruto could make things very…interesting. Mm…and that stamina of his…"

Okay, now there was no hiding the full-body blush brought on by Ororo's overacting imagination!

Feeling she needed to argue her point, Jean continued. "Listen, you can't exactly talk about love triangles when your boyfriend's teeny pal, Iceman, hides your press clippings in the bathroom, little miss sorted." Oooh, point.

If Storm was the slightest bit spurned by that, she didn't show it. Quite the opposite. "Honey, ten years from now, that Westchester school is gonna be brimming with younger, skinnier mutants and you and I are gonna be twenty-something and ugly." Her words soaked in dramatic fear. "Let's just enjoy the attention while we're the only girls on the team, baby."

Momentarily sidetracked by the wafting smells of a local Pizza Hut, Jean was broadsided. Telepathically. Losing her balancing, she fell back on her rear, only for Storm to grab her by the shoulders, keeping them both from crashing to the concrete. "WHOH!" Shaken at the unexpected wave of aggravation, she shared, dizzily, as her mind began to clear. "Crazy lady with a gun and a migraine at two o'clock, Storm." Storm grinned. "I believe we've just found our target."

"Send me back to the states," Naruto sighed. There was something to be said about serving oneself, and then there was having a bunch of well-dressed toadies kissing your ass as they serve you breakfast. It just wasn't his style. He'd ordered a healthy, for him, sized serving of fruit for breakfast and not only did the weedy little jerk continually try to correct him of the amount, but he'd initially only brought out the one bowl. "Or someplace with real breakfasts. A guy could starve here."

He'd had to order yet again.

Logan sent him an agreeing nod. "Yer tellin' me, blondie. They won't even let me have a beer with my breakfast."

Clearing his throat to get their attention, Xavier dropped his paper to the tabletop. "Well, class, the 48-hour deadline is done. What say we check the local papers for word of your exploits?" Each group had spent the last few days presenting themselves as exemplars of the mutant race, or, at least, trying to.

Grinning satisfactorily, Jean presented hers and Ororo's joint venture. A three-page story of their stopping of an England-based terrorist cell.

Bobby, the youngest in his group with Logan and Peter, held up the paper with their story. After their snooping around the club scene, they'd gotten wind of the local drug trade, and promptly went in proverbial guns ablaze.

Hank and Scott didn't bother presenting a paper as they had none. While their tasks had not been as colorful and well-reported, they had made an effort with their own spin on things, having stopped a group of muggers, entered them into rehabilitation, and lined up prospects to keep them on the path of recovery for the future.

"Is that it?" Ororo almost guffawed. It wasn't first page material. In fact, it wasn't even make-the-paper material. "You boys may've been sitting pretty at the head of the class, but something tells me Jeannie and I have just pilfered your shiny crown."

Well, she didn't lack for confidence.

The professor kept his tongue just a little longer, at least until all sides had their moment. "And you, Naruto? How have you spent the last two days?"

The blonde looked up from his latest bowl of fruit, this one cantaloupe. Swallowing the mouthful, "Not much, really. I went to Oxford and asked them to let me read their library. I used some of my Shadow Clones and skimmed through it for a few hours." Stabbing another chunk of melon with his fork, he held it up and idly examined it. "I even got to talk to this really cool guy in a wheelchair. He was giving a lecture about something or other; something called String Theory, whatever that is."

Hank's fork dropped.

"Afterward, I got to speak with him directly, mentioned a few things about some Space-Time techniques back home and he seemed really interested. We talked for an hour or two after."

Hank's large palm swept over his face.

Xavier coughed. "Naruto, did this man use a computer to speak for him?"

"Mhm, yeah. You know him?" Hank looked about ready to cry.

"Young man, you just had a conversation with one of the more brilliant men alive."

"Oh…that's cool," shrugging it off. All fair given that he had no context to just who it was he'd been talking to. He plucked the paper from Bobby and began to nose through it. "Anyway, while I fiddled around all that time, I had several hundred of my Shadow Clones working to clean the Thames river. Disgusting. Some cleaned the shores, but a lot of them practiced their water techniques to work on cleaning the water itself. Pretty good day's worth of exercise if you ask me."

Xavier nodded appreciatively. "That's very ecologically minded of you."

"Yeah, well, I could practically feel the death coming off the thing. You'd be surprised just how much my clones pulled out of that muck."

"Here we are." Scott, having taken the initiative, opened his own paper to what had to be the very last page. Reading aloud, "American mutant spearheads cleaning of the Thames…" There had apparently been some community involvement as well.

"Hmm, very well done," Xavier complimented, meaning it. "Scott and Hank…I'm afraid your winning streak has come to an end." The pair clinked glasses, not feeling too put out at having lost. "Naruto, I'm pleased to say that you have excelled in this task this morning." The blonde shrugged.

"Not that I care or anything," Wolverine voiced, his voice slurring a little from the way he propped his cheek against his palm. "But how does busting a heroine ring fall short to being civic minded?"

"This exercise was about making a difference, and, in that effort, improving the outlook of the world on mutant-kind."

Bobby almost spit up his orange Julius. Coughing, he whipped at his mouth with the back of a hand. "Tell me this isn't what the new term's going to be like, professor. I didn't leave my normal school just to become a social worker," making point of Scott and Hank's activities.

Charles didn't glare or respond harshly, but there was steel there in his words and in his eyes. "This has all been about a species we are trying desperately hard to ingratiate ourselves to." The seriousness to the tone of his lecture silenced any further rebelliousness. "Gaining the trust of Homo sapiens is integral to our agenda, my X-Men. Our survival as a race depends on their acceptance. This exercise was designed to promote pacifist alternatives to traditional human problems." Bobby looked away, momentarily cowed for his outburst. "So, for now… Don't give them any new excuses to hate us yet."

(Around Midday)

The stretch limousine, as it had been so dubbed to Naruto, pulled through the heavily policed crowds of protestors, but despite all its "poshness", Ororo's words, there was no blocking the cries of outrage and scorn.

Stepping out of the limo, "Well…don't I feel just at home," Naruto mused. It didn't really affect him all that much. He'd long gotten used to such a response and, well, just didn't care that much about it anymore. The humor was mainly for his friends and comrades who weren't as used to it. For them, he'd broach the familiar topic of his homeland, for now. "Only thing missing is-Oh, there it is." Catching the flaming bottle deftly in hand, he pulled the burning cloth out and smothered it under foot on the concrete. From that point on, Jean flexed her telekinetic muscles, erecting a protective field between them and the crowd. Just in time too as the flying of the first bottle and subsequent shield made it all too tempting to the audience to not throw anything else. Another Molotov, rocks, even cups of coffee.

Iceman looked at him speculatively. "Home, huh? I'm really having a tough time buying that."

Smiling crookedly, the tall blonde dropped a heavy palm atop the iced-up teen's head. "Don't let it bother you, kid." That was what he did. No matter where or when, it just came so naturally to him to want to make people feel…better.

They were all in their various uniforms and "states" that gave them their distinct appearance as X-Men: Bobby with his ice-powers activated and Peter in all his armored glory. Each had a uniform that was distinct from one another, yet filled the needs of that person. In Naruto's own case, he had a shirt made of the same tight, black material, its burnt-orange sleeves down to his elbows, the bright color tracing along his shoulders to his neck. His pants also sported the same dark orange down the sides, blending into the boots with their orange patches and highlights. His clothing was much the same as the others, except for the additional pockets, and pouches on either thigh, where he tended to keep some necessities on hand. Necessities that included lock-picks, the sturdiest length of wire he'd been able to get ahold of, and some throwing knives, the best he could do to replace his kunai in the "thrown weapon" department. He kept some other assorted knickknacks, but he was the only one to know their purpose.

Humming to himself, he pushed Iceman forward by the shoulder. "C'mon, kiddo."

"I'm not a kid," Bobby groused under his breath. "You're like, what, two years older than me?"

The kid distracted from the crowd's protest, he considered the small mission a success.

Unfortunately, in trying to protect the youth from their disgusting show of intolerance, he missed the seething anger that their metallic teammate was feeling right back at the crowd.

(Hours later)

"He's what?" Bobby shouted, disbelieving.

Coming back from their "performance" at the seminar, they'd all returned to the hotel, some even separating to do what they felt. Logan spent the evening at the hotel bar, running up the Professor's tab. Jean and Ororo had taken advantage of the high-end hotel and signed up for just about every spa option they could find. Ordering junk food through room service, Bobby relaxed to some mind-rotting movies. Hank idly checked the internet to see how they'd been received before being bogged down in a chat room.

And Naruto…he sat down with some books he'd picked up, wondering if there was any way to use this growing understanding of physics to reconstruct the Yondaime's space-time technique. It would be cool to hop around the globe whenever he wanted. It was like slogging through cement, but he was willing to see if there was a gain before quitting.

Peter on the hand… No one saw Peter after the seminar ended. He retreated to his hotel room and that was that. Now though, they began to piece things together.

"Gone," Jean reiterated. "Reception has him checking out at 3 this morning, and asked them to call him a cab to the airport. They also said he wasn't alone. There were two people with him: a man and a woman." She hesitated. "You don't think he went to the other side, do you?"

Logan snorted from where he lounged, rather uncomfortably, in the expensive chair in their penthouse's common room. For such an expensive chair, it really wasn't comfortable. Give him a ratty recliner any day. "Not a chance, Jeannie. Peter Rasputin ain't the kinda guy to do dirty on his pals."

"He has been rather quiet these last few weeks." Sitting on the steps, deep in thought, Henry had his chin in his hand, cogitating, going over events of late for anything that he hadn't given thought to. Had he missed a sign of their wayward teammate's change? So stymied by their teammate's sudden egress that he wasn't aware of just how close Ororo was sitting to him. "What do you think, Professor," he inquired, but the Professor was too focused on something else.

"You're right, Hank," Naruto mused from where he lay on the loveseat, his legs dangling at the knees from the armrest. "Now that I think about it, his mood started taking a turn right after we started making those public appearances. Logan's right though, I don't see Peter becoming a bad guy. I'd bet dollars to kunai he's just up and left."

"Professor?" Concerned by the man's silence, not even responding to their discussion, Scott had looked over to their mentor and teacher, only to grow concerned at the way he was staring at his phone.

No one else could see it, but there was a Missed Call listed on the screen.

3 Missed Calls: MCTAGGERT

"I apologize," he said rather distractedly. "Could you excuse me for a moment, please?" rolling away and bringing his phone to ear.

Muir Island (Hours Later, Afternoon)

Ororo was not happy. This was not her idea of a vacation spot. "If this is Scotland…it stinks."

Naruto chuckled at her grumpiness. It was pouring, a cold, miserable torrent, but he'd never really minded the rain. "I don't know. Kinda reminds me of a place I went to once."

"Where's that?" Bobby sighed. Unlike Ororo, he didn't have an umbrella.

Head lolling as he thought it over. "The Land of Rain," he supplied before amending his statement. "Maybe even the Land of Mist, if the rain stops. Beautiful places…in their own ways."

The team had split up. Scott and Jean were sent after Peter.

The rest…Logan, Ororo, Bobby, and Naruto…followed along with the Professor to a complex on the edge of a rocky spit of land. While they waited, chatting, the Professor had been in the same state for the last half-hour, silent, with his hand to his temple.

Everyone was decked out in rain gear. Even Bobby and Hank whose uniforms didn't include shoes were still huddled in insulated coats.

Naruto was the only one minus a coat or anything. In fact, by all appearances…he was steaming. Literally. "That is so unfair," Ororo griped, shivering under the umbrella she'd been holding over herself and the Professor.

"One-hundred and ten degrees, 'Ro," he said with a smirk.

Glaring petulantly back at him, "Screw it." Walking up to him, tossing away her own umbrella, she opened her jacket and wrapped her arms around him. "Don't get any ideas," she grumbled, only to sigh at the transfer of heat. "Better…"

"I feel so…cheap," he mumbled.

"Dude, you're being hugged by a hottie," Bobby retorted.

"Meh, she's just using me for my body," he corrected, grinning from ear to ear.

"So?" the youngest X-Man countered.

Sooner or later, someone would have to leave the humorous…often sardonically so…X-Man speechless. Sadly, it would not be today, nor would Bobby be the one to do so. "I'm just not that kind of girl," Naruto returned back, sounding ever so innocent.

Not just Bobby, but Hank as well, facepalmed. It was Bobby's fault really, for feeding the beast that was Naruto's inner-Puck. You couldn't win. You either ignored him entirely until he got bored of trying, or just shut up and stopped throwing gasoline on the dumpster fire.

"Hm, I'd read Charles' file on your physiology… Anyone else, and a core temperature like yours would be a death sentence." Fording through the downpour, a woman in a lab coat approached the landing zone, shielded from the rain by the umbrellas of two other lab coat sporting individuals. "Welcome to Muir Island. If my dear ex-husband has neglected to inform you, I'm Dr. Moira McTaggert."

Naruto (18)
Scott (19)
Jean (19)
Ororo (19)
Hank (18)
Peter (20)
Bobby (16)
Logan (?)