Confrontations galore
It had taken almost two years, including both Christmas breaks, for Naruto to start truly controlling the immense chakra Kurama had kept at bay. He was getting close to controlling the eighth full tail, on the verge of starting with a piece of the ninth. The blond faced the challenge all day for three days a week intially, when that showed little progress they upped it to four days a week and the five. Now he trained physically for two days while meditating and trying to control the chakra in the isolation chamber. It had become a lot harder without his mom to help but he prefered having her alive at home than just a chakra signature in the chamber. Of course he still had to do it on his own, because in Izuku's words relying on help to do this will only make it harder when you have to do it on your own. The blond didn't think that was entirely true but he went along with it anyway. Initially everyone had been optimistic abotu him picking it up quickly but after both B and Yamato had to get involved with an incident at five tails. Well, people were just looking forward to having him home. He was seventeen, almost eighteen and now he was about to fight in a war that'd change the world, no doubt he'd be a lead charge too. The others would try stop him, sure but Izuku and Sasuke wouldn't. Those two knew him well enough to know, Naruto Uzumaki doesn't sit back and let other people fight for him, he might not be a genuis but boy does he know how to improvise. Naruto's game plans consisted of 'something Rasen- something', and 'Shadow Clone Jutsu ' but his improvisation was much more dangerous. He used everything he had after then, fire style, water style, his stronger wind style, even the limited earth and lightning he knew, despite everyone not letting him learn Chidori, because it was Sasuke's signature like Kakashi's Twin Lightning Shiver. He sighed and continued to sit in the chamber. Kurama pushed the last bit of the eighth tail and Naruto felt his cannines extend while the chakra vied for animalistic control. And so the fight began. Not between Kurama and Naruto, but rather Kurama's chakra and Naruto. There was a difference. The great fox didn't want to fight Naruto, his chakra just brought out the wild animal side to Naruto, which the blond then had to fight to maintain control. Forcing the emotions back into check he opened his eyes and mumbled, "You are mine, not the other way around," The chakra seemed pacified and Naruto sat still, letting his body adjust to the chakra. Kurama grinned at him before pulling the chakra back. B appeared in front of him in the physical world.
"Yo Nine, I think it's time, gotta come with me, it's something ya need to see," Naruto got to his feet tiredly, after the first six months stockholm syndrome had set in and he'd grown used to his fellow jinchuuriki's eccentricities. They walked out of the room and out of the temple. "It'll be a tough fight see, but you goatta win, wree!!" There were still hiccups to the man's rhyhming. "Helps man and beast both, gotta sit in the waterfall of truth," Some severe hiccups, but B meant well. Naruto knew it, so he didn't get mad anymore, midly aggravated sure, bit tired of it sometimes, but not angry, not any more. He grinned as they head towards the waterfall next to the entrance of the underground temple. B stopped at the edge of the lake, Naruto continued until he stood in front of the falling wall of water. He closed his eyes and stood unerneath it before turning around and sitting down. Despite everything he felt stone dry.
"Why?" A voice asked him "Why do you bother doing this for them?" Naruto opened his eyes to see himself staring at him from the small island in front of the waterfall. It was almost a [aerfect copy, save for the eyes. The whites were black and the irises blood red.
"Who are you?"
"I figured that would be obvious I'm you, but I don't know why you bother doing this, they will only shun you once the dust settles,"
"You don't know that,"
"Nor do you," His copy reasoned, "Why risk your neck defending them when all they did was isolate us? They made up rules to decieve us, lies to hurt us, falsehoods to shun us,"
"Yeah, I know that, and yet here we are,"
"Why?! Why waste your time, leave your family, leave them to their own suffering they wrought upon themselves, after you beat Pain everyone suddenly fakes familiarity, you know it is only superficial, don't you,"
"Of course I do, Konoha is home to ninja, people who make a living being superficial,"
"And yet you stand and guard them from threats irrelevant to you, you could've stayed in the Land of Iron and let Pain give them what they had coming!"
"Again, yeah, I could've, I could've left them all behind, easily, all the people that hurt me, scorned me, but who else was there?"
"What does it,"
"Kakashi was there, so was Ino, Shikamaru and Choji too, Old Man Third was there as well, Itachi and Shisui were there too," A small smirk, "I didn't save the village for the people, I saved the village for my family,"
"Oh, so you finally admit you aren't the,"
"I never claimed to be a beacon of forgiveness, or pillar of what is right," A non-commital shrug, "I never said any of that, those are just the things people like to call me, just like demon child and waste of space and brat, Aunty Tsunade loves that one," Walking forwards he looked at the physical form, he knew it was just the darkness in his heart, hence the name of the waterfall. It was the true feelings he was afraid to admit, something he kept close to his heart. "I know you, you know me, if we fought it would serve no purpose, we attack and defend exactly the same way," Stepping closer and closer he continued, "Y'know, Izuku once told me something long ago that I never understood, until now," Hugging his darker self he closed his eyes, "It's important to forgive yourself, before you forgive others," The copy seemed to grow weaker, "Not because you are at fault, but because if you do not forgive yourself for holding onto it, you will never truly let it go, only after you shed the weight of the grudge from your shoulders, can you truly take the weight of guilt of another's," His arms tensed, "I am sorry for letting you fester and hurt without addressing you, but it's okay now, we can move on," The figure began dissolving away lifting into the air. Naruto watched the dissolving, his heart already feeling lighter.
His eyes opened as he stood under the waterfall, taking himself out of the water and walking towards the group. His thumb lifting gave them all grins. "Naruto, ya did it yo!"
"Yeah, I guess I did," He grinned, "So what did that do?" Kakashi spoke before B could rap.
"From what we could translate, it means the chakra madness is easier to prevent, you couldn't fight it before because it wasn't concentrated enough for the waterfall's effect, narrowing it all into one tail meant you could finally address whatever feelings were causing it,"
"So I should have control of all nine tails now?"
'Sounds about right kit, you should still be careful though, you might lose it if you lose focus'
'Thanks Kurama' The blond grinned as he felt the chakra flood his system. It didn't overwhelm him this time as the others were bathed in an yellow orange light. They gaped in shock as Naruto looked at his hands. His whole body and gone a yellow colour with black highlights and shapes, and where did the haori come from?
"That's one impressive chakra shroud," Yamato noted, "Actually it's really impressive, I can see how you'd be an ace in the hole,"
"Alright, we finally did it," The blond grinned as Kurama took his chakra back. "Let's get home," They all yelped as he made a Shadow Clone and grabbed them, "See ya later B!"
"See ya soon little dude!" B cheered as both parties disappeared in joint flashes of yellow light.
"SWEET BABY SHINIGAMI!" Shisui leapt back onto one foot as the group appeared in the living area. "Naruto?" The blond grinned and held out his fist,
"Better believe it Shisui,"
"Well, about time you got finished, you need to head Tsunade's office, like right now, the others are there, I'll go let Ino know you made it back,"
"Thanks, I'm off," He appeared in the middle of his team in seconds. This time no-one reacted wildly, just muted greetings and Sakura taking his hand in hers. "What have I missed?"
"Unfortunately, quite a bit, we didn't discuss at Christmas but it's been hectic while you've been away," Tsunade was frowning with her hands folded in front of her face. "The Akatsuki and ROOT have been heavily active, they've been launching attach after attack, they have foot soldiers called Zetsu, they just keep coming," She nodded towards his greenette brother, "Izuku and Katsuki ran some investigations and it's because of a nin known as Zetsu, who is split into a black and white half, his white half seems to beable to create living clones, not constructs like Shadow Clones but actual living breathing clones capable of individual thought, he has created a thousand and one of them and they just keep coming,"
"What they lack in everything they make up for in sheer numbers, imagine a whole country of Shadow Clones, ready to charge you," Izuku grunted, Naruto looked to see he'd changed his hairstyle since last Christmas, the sides of his head were shorter than before, while the top of his hair had been left alone and pulled back into a man-bun. His face sported a few new scars as well. "Bastards can't fight but they are scrappy,"
"The war already began?" Naruto looked at his team, "And you didn't,"
"Because the war would mean we attack too, right now we're just defending Naruto, we have to set up squadrons, make united fronts, we don't have time so we have to but as much as we can," Izuku folded his arms, "Now that you're back though we can finally," He froze, "Naruto, eyes," The blond thought for a minute as Izuku grabbed Katsuki.
"SHIT!" He grabbed Sakura and Sasuke, they moved through space in moments and found Izuku and Katsuki already charging, wait, was,
Was that MADARA UCHIHA?!
It was clearly just an impure reincarnations, from the cracks along the skin and the irregular eyes, black whites and grey scelera. The blond didn't hesitate to dive in however, quickly joined by Sasuke and Sakura as the five tried to attack the zombie shinobi. "How long have you been back then dear prince?" Izuku quipped as he rolled over a blade,
"You are the ones Nagato entrusted to guard my eyes? Pathetic," It was a smooth voice that would get almost anyone to do as he said.
"Your eyes?" Katsuki paused long enough to recieve a punch to the gut.
"Yes, my eyes," Madara growled, "I put them into young Nagato shortly before my death," Naruto grunted as he lifted his arms to block a particularly powerful kick.
"That's impossible, the implant would've killed him!" Izuku barely avoided the large war fan from swatting him into a wall.
"Except he was an Uzumaki, part of the Senju bloodline, it meant he could weild both Rinnegan succesfully, I do my research boy," Madara spat as he deflected Sasuke's Chidori and blocked Sakura's Cherry Blossom Crash. They all were sent rolling away. Getting up with groans, "If you're wondering how I made the Rinnegan, I took Hashirama's cells and mixed them with my own,"
"Which restored your eye when you used Inzanagi to rewrite your death," Sasuke grunted, "If you weren't a sick bastard that let your clan get killed I'd call you a genius,"
"You pick up fast young one, you must be Sasuke, the one Itachi was too weak to kill," Three Sharingans activated, "I shall see to, you hold them as well?"
"A gift from a teacher of mine, just like Itachi Uchiha," Izuku growled, the four boys stared down the Ghost of the Uchiha, "Don't mock our sensei," Naruto moved first, his kick getting intercepted,
"And don't threaten my family," His body rotated and his other heel struck the man's face. The blond was thrown into Katsuki as Izuku and Sasuke charged. The revenette was avoided and grabbed by the back of his collar, used as a shield against Izuku's attack before both boys were sent back to square one.
"So that's how it feels," Izuku mused as he got up slowly. "Alright, I'm up," Madara merely wiped his face, getting the dirt from it.
"All of that and you can't even draw blood," Sakura joined the group as Izuku held up one hand. The five were immediately in ANBU gear and pulled out their weapons. Naruto held his kunai, Sasuke weilded his tanto, Katsuki held a steel staff while Sakura used trench knives like Asuma. Izuku however, the greenette was armed to the teeth, he had a pair of trench knives equipped while he held a tanto in his left hand, a staff was slung over his shoulder and a kunai in his right hand. The five fell into a formation with practised ease. Oh yeah, he might have been gone a year, but he was still Naruto Uzumaki, Squad Seven's Fox and it didn't matter how long he'd been gone, they would always fight as a unit.
"Wanna bet?" Izuku growled, both pairs of trench knives began glowing blue, Katsuki's staff gained a dangerous spike at one end. "Squad Seven, ready?"
"Yes Captain,"
"Then let's finish this fucker right here and," Madara disappeared in a flicker. "Shit," He muttered as they turned back to normal, "Guys?" Sasuke and Sakura both shook their heads, "Damn it,"
"What do you mean he got away with Rinnegan?!" A yelled at the meeting, "Do you,"
"Of course we know what that means A!" Izuku barked "We have been trying to prepare for this ever since before the summit! We put the Rinnegan in one of the most secure areas that only Naruto or I could've ever known about, and since B was with Naruto the entire time and I've been trying to save your ninja from suicide missions neither of us have had time to make sure it was safe!" The greenette was clearly very tired, Naruto put a hand on his shoulder and stepped past him.
"Raikage," His voice was level and gaze unflinching, "I think you are missing the part where we said Madara fucking Uchiha is back as an immortal reincarnated warrior for the opposing team, they only need the Rinnegan to convert the Nine Tailed beast chakra into the Ten tails,"
"He is only a summoned reincarnation, I don't,"
"Of course you don't you thick headed boar!" Naruto stuck out his arm to stop Izuku from charging the man, "Because you haven't bothered to understand how the jutsu works! If they know his full capabilities we'll just have another Madara Uchiha running unchecked ready to fucking destroy everyone," His arm tensed from the strain of holding the greenette back, who stopped took, a deep breath and let it out slowly in a guttural growl, "I need the best fighters from all five nations, if anyone is going to fight Madara we are going to need,"
"Surely your Uchiha can beat one of their own, one of them managed to,"
Thunk
"Mention the massacre, I dare you motherfucker," Naruto's eyes became slits, "It will be the last thing you do,"
"ARE YOU THREATENING ME CHILD?!" Tsunade made circles on the desk with her finger, Rasa was busy sharing a tea recipe with Mifune while Onoki and Mei simply traded information.
"Make no mistake Raikage," Rasa turned back to the meeting, "Kumo is not needed in this alliance, it never was, four of five will do nicely, hell Suna and Konoha were doing pretty well before you decided since they threatened you it was a problem for all of us, with Kiri and Iwa we have been able to locate their point of operations, Kumo has shared no information, made no deals, you have not helped at all, isolating yourself from the world, the other four have quickly grown close with peace being closer than ever,"
"The only outstanding issues right now," Mei took over, "Is the Akatsuki and Kumo's unwillingness to co-operate," A seemed to seeth in fury, "Do as you wish Raikage, leave if that's what you really want to do, but if you do, this Alliance will not allow Kumo to join until a newer, more open minded Raikage takes the hat from you," His dark skin slowly became red.
"It is your naivety that has slowed our process down Raikage," Onoki hummed "Even in my old age, I knew better than to continue bickering while something was on the horizon," His fist slammed down on the table.
"I WILL NOT BE,"
"YOU WILL SIT DOWN RAIKAGE!" Tsunade stood up, putting her hands on the table, "AND YOU WILL ACT LIKE AN ADULT OR YOU WILL NO LONGER BE PART OF THIS ALLIANCE!" She lowered her voice "As Kazekage stated, Kumo has been unhelpful and unneeded, Mizukage points out that your actions make you the second problem we will address after the Akatsuki is dealt with, and as Tsuchikage mentioned you have been a down right hinderance to our efforts, so you will either grow up or leave, either way make it quick, the adults have to talk,"
"Ooh, you done pissed her off," Sakura pulled a face, "Nobody does that," Raikage sat down slowly along with Tsunade. "Anyway, as we were saying," She motioned to Izuku.
"I believe it is best to move all jinchuuriki into a place they can be monitored safely, where the five villages can all meet and act as neutral ground,"
"And where would this be?" Rasa offered, Izuku flicked his headm
"Where seals like that first originated of course, where Naruto hails from, a place that took four of the nations to just break the walls," Mei lifted a hand to her mouth and Onoki raised his eyebrows.
"Usushiogakure,"
Naruto stood with B and Gaara in front of the other six jinchuuriki. "Why are we here?" A man in a gently blue Yukata with an orange sash blew bubbles from a pipe.
"We are here for our protection, I'm sure you all know the Akatsuki?" Gaara folded his arms, "Many of you would've had help from Uzumaki Izuku to fend them off at one point or another, Fu, Yagura and Han, we know at least, I am Gaara, I hold Shukkaku, the One Tail"
"I remember him," A purple eyed man nodded gently, "He not only broke the genjutsu they had placed over me but healed my body and prevented me from dying, I'm the holder of the Three Tails, Isobu,"
"Yes the green haired boy saved me too," Yugito Nii folded her arms, "I am Yugito Nii, holder of the Two Tails, Matabi,"
"Wait does this mean you guys are like me?" A girl with mint green hair and orange eyes looked at the figures around her, "Awesome, I'm Fu and I have Chomei, the Seven Tails,"
"I do not see why we are here still," A man with a thick red beard folded his arms, "If there is someone threatening us, then we should simply stomp them," He paused "You may call me Roshi, holder of the Four Tails," Silence,
"You mean Son Goku, the Four Tails,"
"I am not soft enough to refer to the beast by it's name,"
"Very well Shinobi," Naruto waved a hand,
"You must excuse him, he's a bit bull headed," A man with a steaming furnace on his back explained, "I am Han, holder of Kokuo the Five Tails,"
"Nice to meet you Han," They took shook hands calmly,"This is Killer B, jinchuriki of the Eight Tails, Gyuki," He elbowed the man before he could wrap, "Who are you?" He turned to the man that had spoken first. "Does Saiken's jinchuriki not have a name?"
"I am Utakata, holder of Saiken, the Six Tails," He began blowing more bubbles. People began putting it all together as Naruto grinned, jabbing his chest with his thumb.
"I am Naruto Uzumaki, partner of Kurama, the Nine Tails, brother to Izuku Uzumaki, the traveller that made all of you an ally, even if you don't admit it," There were several huffs and Fu grinned,
"You're the brother to the green haired dude?! That's so cooool! He totally saved me from these guys that pretended to be my friends, then he became my friend!" Naruto chuckled,
"Yeah Izuku's like that, you'll latch onto him after long enough and he just, lets you," He shrugged lightly "But anyway, the lot of us need to work together for now, whoever is after us has used a revival jutsu to bring back Madara Uchiha to hunt all of us down, he's tough so we'll have to keep an eye on each other," Han raised a hand, "Yeah?"
"But why are we in Uzushio?"
"Because it's the last place they'd expect us to live, we'll rebuild a few of these ruins and it'll be our defensive area," Naruto summarized, "Izuku should be joining us once he's dealt with the politics but until then, we should just,"
"I'm here," Everyone jumped as Izuku stepped out from behind Naruto, "The nine of you are currently under my jurisdiction, what that means is, do was you wish in here, but if you are attacked anywhere, you summon me to aid you, otherwise it's just go about your business and do not leave Uzushio,"
"And how did you settle this?" Utakata folded his arms as Izuku just smirked,
"I played a game of Blackjack,"
Naruto knew first, it wasn't a competition but Kurama alarmed him before Izuku blinked away. Naruto followed him through Raijin and came to see the other eight fighting Madara. "How the fuck did he get here?!" Izuku barked, charging in into the fray, "We told no-one except the Kage!"
"What the fuck is going on?"
"Shit's hit the fan fucking quickly, that's what!" Gaara yelled back as he barely avoided a knock out blow, "We don't know how he get here but he did, and now we're fucking boned,"
"I can pissing see that Gaara!" Izuku roared as he attacked the lone shinobi, "Can I get a few tails please?!"
"Too risky in such close space!" Killer B yelled "We'd just level the place more!" So he didn't rap in emergency situations, not exactly the news Naruto wanted but it'd help for now.
"Fucking, brilliant alright," Izuku kicked off the handle of the war fan, landing a safe distance away. "Naruto, stay out of nine form, I'll do this,"
"Great Extraction Jutsu!" Madara shouted as a clone appeared to fight them again. The real held Han by the throat as chakra began pooling in the jinchuuriki's gut. Green filled a corner of Naruto's vision as Izuku roared,
"Absolutely not!" Turning his head showed Izuku had changed. His hair began standing up, more like his style than Izuku's curls. The boy was caked in ethereal light that glowed a dark green, his eyes had gone into full Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan spinning furiously, he too seemed to gain a haori as a chakra cloak with a high collar that came halfway up his face. Chakra seemed to come off in wisps as he stood still before he disappeared. The clone was suddenly chakra smoke that weirdly was absorbed by Izuku's haori, "Perish," Madara grinned like a madman as he fought Izuku one handed. Still it seemed he was stonger than the greenette. The chakra difference was clear but even with his speed Izuku still couldn't land a punch. Until Han was able to begin fighting back too. His foot kicked out, catching Madara in the ribs, giving Izuku enough time to kick the man with enough force to clear the group and then some. "Han, you good?"
"He just took some chakra, he didn't get Kokuo,"
"No, unfortunately I didn't, but I got the chakra, which is enough," Madara drawled, Naruto ran forwards, ready to attack. "You are not safe," He disappeared in a swirl as green streaked past Naruto and almost landed a solid blow. Izuku returned back to normal and roared at the sky. They all watched the greenette fall to his knees and punch the dirt. Naruto walked over and put a hand on his shoulder.
"I know, but at least he didn't get Kokuo entirely, that could've been a lot worse, Han would be dead,"
"I still wasn't strong enough," Izuku mumbled, "Even after everything I did, all the work, the hours practising, testing myself and I couldn't fucking come close to his power," The greenette just got up and kicked a stone with all his might. "Fucking, gah! Right, this plan's a bust," He groaned to the air.
"That means it's back to the drawing board,"
"Yeah," Izuku admitted tiredly, the stone broke through a couple ruins as they turned around. Naruto nodded, impressed. "Alright, travel in groups of two at least, call for help and stay out of the larger villages, the more you move the harder it will be for them to pinpoint you," Everyone nodded, "Great, get moving,"
Another meeting happened hours later. Izuku leading it this time. "I've had to split them up and send them out," He summarized "We were setting up when Madara attacked us, how he found us we don't know but he did," Naruto's eyes thinned as he looked around the room, no-one truly stood out as a possible double agent. "There isn't much I can tell you about them anymore, I will be getting updates from them, often as possible, they are going to call for help and," There they were. Naruto made his steps just loud enough to stop Izuku talking. He pulled the note pad out of the ninja's grip and looked at it.
"A cypher? Bit unnessacary when all the villages are sharing information don't you think?" He smiled gently with a hidden danger behind it. Izuku caught it as the blond frisbeed it over.
"An incredibly complex cypher too, something old that isn't really used today," The greenette passed it around the table of kages. "It was used a lot however, during the warring states era, y'know, back when Madara was alive," The man panicked as he turned to Mei,
"Lady Mizukage I was only,"
"You were only what?" Mei interrupts, standing up to walk over.
"This peace is frail at best and it will not last, I was working with Madara to ensure a glorius future fo-urk," The man's eyes widened as a kunai was jabbed into his throat,
"You betrayed my trust and my confidence, you betreayed this alliance while it was still in it's infancy and worst of all, you betrayed your village," She spoke calmly, pulling the blade out and letting the man collapse dead on the floor.
"The fuck Mei?!" Izuku cried "I was going to break the genjutsu on that guy!"
"My bad," She shrugs and sits back down. "But now Madara won't know,"
"Unless he's got more than one spy here, genjutsu doesn't stop after one person," The greenette retorted
"YOU WERE WORKING WITH THEM?!" A stand up, "GIVE US,"
"I trust her with my life Raikage, in fact she saved it more than once a while back," Izuku turned to the grey haired man, "You, however, I don't trust you further than I could drop you, either get those anger issues sorted out or I will sort them out for you,"
"I to trust the Mizukage, she is one of us in all meanings of the word," Rasa stepped forwards, "She has proven over the last year and a bit that we can trust her,"
"While I share the sentiment, I am wary of the fact we found the spy with her first, simply because it was first, if they can infiltrate the Hidden Mist, who's to say they haven't already infiltrated the other villages?" Onoki voiced a concern,
"I understand that concern Tsuchikage, which is why from now on I will only be bringing Squad Seven with me to these meetings, they are the ones that have been working hardest against the Akatsuki for the longest,"
"I shall be bringing the Hyuuga heiress, she has proven invaluable to our defences along with my own son Kankuro and Karin Uzumaki, those three are aligned with the cause beyond all others,"
"I will bring Kurotsuchi, she's still got a soft spot for the Konoha ninja, I know she would never seek to damage relations or the peace we are building together," Onoki nodded gently, "That won't be,"
"No Onoki, we are both adults and we shall act as such," Izuku shook his head with a smile, "Besides I have not contacted her in a while, it will be nice to catch up," Mifune stepped into the conversation.
"Are we in agreement," Everyone nodded "Then this meeting is declared over,"
Naruto saw Izuku twitch minutely before he closed his eyes and sighed "Alright, I'm going to be completely upfront with you guys," The four rounded to him, "I'm planning on fighting Madara alone when the time comes," They all were about to step in, "I know, I, look the way things are going, we may well have to end up fighting an army, the Ten Tails and Madara and Obito, we can leave the army to the united Shinobi forces, we can leave Obito to Kakashi, but you'll need as much firepower as possible on thte Ten Tails, which is why I want you four to fight it with the other Jinchuuriki, meaning that I am left to fight Madara, so I have a favour to ask," They continued walking home slowly.
"Whatever you need," Sasuke agreed "Just tell us," The other three nodded, Naruto wasn't sure about it just yet but he knew Izuku would only do what he felt was doable.
"Alright, I need to fight the family, I need everyone against me at once, because if I'm going to stand a chance against Madara, I will need more experience in actual fighting, the group of us are in a twilight zone, there's no-one quite on our level, so we can't improve, but everyone that we challenge is miles above us, so we get our assess handed to us, I still don't understand the Primal abilities that Katsuki and I possess but we need to maximize the ones we do know,"
"We'll help," Sakura lifted her hands to her chest, "And it means we'll have an easier time to bring Danzo in as well," Three of the four boys nodded with seriousness while Katsuki stuck his thumb up.
"We'll be the best no matter what," He proudly declared, "By the way, who's Madara Uchiha?" Naruto opened and shut his mouth for a moment, of course Katsuki wouldn't really know. The other blond chuckled for a minute before waving a hand, "I'm just messing, I know who he is, I'm surprised they left it this long to bring him back in all honestly,"
"Unless he didn't die until now," Izuku stated quietly, "He must've programmed an Izanagi to activate after he died, rewriting his death as an illusion and plotting in the dark, he would've been a genius if he wasn't so insane,"
"Well, the one issue we have is that Madara was able to kick our asses like nothing, hold back eight Jinchuuriki and Izuku while also holding the ninth Jinchuuriki and absorbing their charka," Sakura looked upwards, "He does seem pretty strong,"
"He is incredibly strong, but Hashirama was just as strong, after all, he defeated Kurama in Susano'o armour with nothing but a Wood Style golem made of his own chakra," Sasuke added, almost in disbelief, "I just wanna know why we were surprised they attacked so soon,"
"I wasn't expecting him," Izuku began gesticulating wildly, "It took me by surprise okay? I figured they wouldn't mount an attack so soon after they stole the Rinnegan, and even then I though, hey, whoever they send can't beat nine Jinchuuriki and me alone righ? I got cocky thinking that ten people could beat him, but Madara lived as a soldier, he knows more about fighting than anyone of us, maybe if Shisui and Itachi worked together they could get him but," The greenette began mumbling, "There's no way I'd let them fight him, I mean, we already lost them once, plus a fact it's about time they got to rest easy," Naruto had to agree, the two older Uchiha had been through too much, they deserved the ability to relax for once. "I, I just wish things like this could not happen, part of why I don't like Second is because he fucked around with life and death, like, if he and First were going to fight Madara, burn the fucking body, then the Sharingan doesn't work and he stays dead, but since you didn't, could you maybe lock the super powerful scroll that tells you how to bring the dead back in a locked vault? Seriously, three of us could break into there when we were like, six! Surely they should've locked it up in a super powerful, nine locks, seals out the wahzoo type of safe? Please?" The greenette was clearly sleep deprived judging by the way he was acting.
"Izuku, bro, how about tonight we forget all this stuff?" Naruto offered gently, "We can make some hot chocolate for you as well," His brother looked at him with a twitch in his eye, "Look, you're clearly not sleeping well, so just, forget about your responsibilities for a night and leave it at that alright?" Izuku sighed,
"Yeah, yeah you're right, I need to sleep, it's just, I, I feel like the world's depending on me, and I don't, I'm not enough, y'know?"
"Izuku Uzumaki," Everyone whipped up to see Kushina stood in the door, "You are not baring the weight of the world on your shoulders by yourself, no way no how," Her gaze softened "Oh sweety," She hugged him gently "Don't worry alright? I promise that things will turn out right so long as you try your hardest, you are more than enough, look at everything you've accomplished so far, you need to remember one loss doesn't take away all the hard work you've put in,"
"I know Ma, I just, can't help it," Naruto felt guilt in his stomach as he watched, Izuku had shouldered so much for them, he'd been a brother to himself and Sasuke, taken care of both boys when an entire village decided not to, grew strong enough to threaten the elders of the village by the time they were about to leave the academy to make sure that no-one hurt Naruto. He'd been the adult out of everyone that slowly joined their family, and now he was trying to say he'd save the world alone to protect them all again. It hurt to see his brother feel the need to take everything on alone. Itachi had warned them about it but Izuku did it anyway to try save them. Kushina pulled away from the greenette slowly and everyone heard a soft snoring. They looked to see.
Izuku had fallen asleep on his feet.
Naohana Tsukauchi was let into the interview room. Everyone in the station felt so pleased with themselves that they managed to catch the vigilante even after his partner disappeared sometime last year, despite the evidence stating Midorikage walked into the station and sat himself down in the room. An officer had quickly then handcuffed him to the table and left him shut in the room there. Of course they were quickly able to descern he was male. There wasn't exactly a ton of them walking the streets anymore. Sitting opposite the man she furrowed her brows, trying to look at his face directly, but she either ended up looking at his mop of green hair of either side of his head. The traveller's cloak was still around his shoulders and the hood forcibly pulled down.
"Ah, detective, you took your sweet time, I figured you might have hurried since I asked for you personally," His voice was rough yet endearing. She'd stood in the monitoring room the other side of the mirror behind her, observing him look around the room.
"Why are you here?"
"Kill time, none of my ladies are going out tonight, none of them are calling for me yet either so,"
"Ladies?"
"Well you didn't think I was single did you? So far I have my Young Miss, my Cuddle Bug and my Radio Head," Partners, great, just what she needed, more papaer trails. Alright, gently engaging her quirk she decided to start with a base quesiton.
"What colour is your hair?"
"Red," Truth
"What?" His hair was dark green, "Are you,"
"Wearing a wig? No," Truth "Detective, does your quirk tell you if someone is telling the truth?" She remained silent, "It's easy to infer when you ask a question so basic and easily proven wrong," Had, had he just tricked her quirk? That was impossible. "Detective, I'm going to be honest, I've trained against every interrogation method you know, you could waterboard me for hours and I won't talk, leave me with the water drip torture and I'll just start making a song, tear out my fingernails and I'll just grow them back," His hands lifted and the handcuffs dropped onto the table, "Truth be told I have no reason for being here, I just wished to see who I was working against, turns out, y'ain't shit compared to what I go against, daily," The hood of his cloak was suddenly up and his face covered in shadow. Several people burst into the room, ready to strike him. "I wouldn't do that, even if I wish not to hurt any of you my reflexes might cause you harm,"
"My quirk doesn't work on him, so take anything he says as truth right now, we need to be careful,"
"Careful? Detective I'm hurt, you really think I'm going to hurt you?" An officer charged him, her baton raised. A hand flew from his cloak and caught the object in moments. Moving in a feat of flexibility he twirled the officer to put their back against his chest, the baton across her own. "I'll only hurt you if you ask me too," Naohana wished she didn't see how the officer shivered in excitement. Midorikage spun the officer away and left her to fall on her ass. "Please, anymore attacks will be met with hostility, do not fight me," Several more aggresive officers readied to challenge him, "Please, I do not wish to fight anyone, there are just some errands I need to run," Naohana watched them ignore him in real time and begin a charge on him. He ducked under the first attack, sticking his foot out in a turn to knock the second officer over. His body tilted slightly to avoid the third baton that was going to strike his chest, catching the wrist of the officer, there was eye contact for a moment before the woman collapsed, "She will be up in five minutes," Naohana watched him deflect the fourth attack, stepping forward to tower over the officer that threw the attack, "If you wanted my number, ask politely next time," She fell to her knees, as he swung his arm wide. Taking the baton from the fifth officer in his free hand he rested the baton of the fourth behind her neck, "Congratulations, when're they due?" The fifth officer calmly moved out of the way. Midorikage made his way over to Naohana and gave her the batons. "Naohana, how's your god-daughter?" Her shock turned to anger,
"Listen here you sick fuck, you,"
"I will not approach her, I'm aiming to stay as far away from her as possible, however her little nightly outings are making it obscenely difficult," No, Izumi wouldn't do that, right? "She and her friend must work on codenames or something, I don't wish for Musutafu to know that an Izumi Midoriya and Katsumi Bakugo are parading the streets at night, blatantly using their quirks to fight the homeless, or rather, just assualt the homeless," Naohana stepped backwards, "I am tired of having to taxi them to first aid shelters and I am sure Recovery Girl doesn't want anymore surprises on her doorstep," He disappeared in a green flash, leaving Naohana with six shocked officers.
"HE COULD'VE ESCAPED THE WHOLE TIME??!" The second officer that attacked him cried. Naohana stared at the air almost trying to pull him back through sheer force of will, she leapt back in shock when he reappeared,
"Almost forgot," He stooped down and picked up the, jesus fucking christ, was that a kunai? Where did he get that? Standing up straight he offered the handle to her, "Just hold this and think of me whenever you are in over your head, I'll come help whenever I can," He disappeared in a flash of green again. Naomasa glared at it, while a few grumbled about her getting the 'rare hot dude hotline' when someone else burst into the room.
"Detective!" They paused at the sight of the room, "We ran the face through the databases, every register, photographer, street camera, everything," They turned the laptop in their hand around to Naohana, who just paled at the response.
No matches found.
Mina sat on her bed in the quiet of her room. It was New Years and she hadn't seen Kage since before Christmas, holding the kunai and looking out of her window she watched the fireworks go off. "Should you not be partying downstairs?" Mina flung the kunai in shock, flailing and looking up to see it stuck in the ceiling. Kage sighed and walked up the wall until he stood above her, pulling it out and handing it back to her.
"How do you do that?" She hissed to him as he just shrugged, "Right, trade secrets, why are you here?"
"Well, you called me here Radio Head,"
"Radio Head?"
"Well, you listen to me when I talk and your horns make cute antennaes," Kage waved a hand, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah I'm I just, I'm not in the mood to celebrate y'know?" She sat abck down on her bed.
"I understand," Kage stepped over to her and radiated warmth, "My brother had to go away for a while, he's working really hard and I was only able to see him at Christmas, I'm hoping he'll come back soon but it might be a year or two before I see him again,"
"Oh, that, that sucks," Mina sighed, "Did, did you mean it when you said my horns were cute?"
"Of course, with how bubbly you are, you're like my own little radio, telling me stories, playing songs," He sat down next to her. "Do you not like the nickname?"
"No, no, I love it, it's just, no-one's ever really said I look good,"
"Well, they're just jealous, you'll find that the people most often tearing you down are the ones afraid to reach as high as you," Mina felt her eyes watering, "It's all about confidence, those who don't have it, find it by attacking others, and those with it can't show it because it is torn down when they do, nothing will make people stop, so you must give them reason to stop, give them something so incredible they can't stop you from soaring," She turned to face him, her legs over his lap. "If there is something you learn it is that words, they do not have power, they never will, words only have the power you give to the speaker, the less power you give them, the less you find yourself caring abotu their words," She inched closer and closer.
"You, you mean it?"
"Of course I do my Radio Head, my brother and I were subjected to hatred too, but we worked through it became stronger than anyone else, and the stronger we got, the less we listened,"
"How much power do you give me?" She sat on his lap now, an arm over his snaking around his back.
"How much do you want?" The smile he gave audible as Mina felt an arm around her lower back.
"Enough for you to believe me," Her arm lifted to drape around his neck as she sat straight up and faced him.
"i'll believe, that won't be the problem, will you believe me if I say it?" Mina tried to ignore the heartbreak because of course, no matter what happened or how hard she tried to keep him her little secret, it would get out eventually, and he'd be forced to take more wives, if he was able to stay outside the governmental compounds that is. "Mina," She hugged him, letting her head rest on his shoulder.
"Of course I would, because no-one ever talks to me like you do, no-one has ever, ever said that I was cute, or built up my confidence in my entire life, anywhere near you have in the last five minutes," His other hand cradled the back of her head. "I, I, it won't be easy, I will be insecure,"
"We have a while until I come back permanently, so you have some time to mentally prepare yourself, but you know," She leant back to sit up, "I will answer whenever you call, no matter what, unless of course, I'm fighting somebody, then I'll be with you as soon as I'm done," She let herself giggle lightly, "What do you say Radio Head? Are you willing to face it all with me?" Her answer was pulling on his neck and kissing him deeply. His hands held her tightly, keeping her body close to his, her hands scrunched up his hair and stopped him from pulling away. Not that he would, since he was clearly trying to keep her as close as possible. When they finally pulled away she looked to where she figured out his eyes would be,
"Good enough answer for you?"
"All that and more, next dumb question?" Her hands didn't move from behidn his neck and his didn't move from her back and thigh. "I think it's time I gave you your Christmas presents,"
"Oh, but, I,"
"I know, it is no trouble, it is just a good time to give you these," His mask lifted to his face and he pulled the cloak from his shoulders, gently draping it around her, "This will keep you cool no matter where you go, in the cold it will keep you warm," The hood was pulled up for a moment, as he reached into his pockets. A small scroll was pulled out and laid on the free part of her bed. "This is your true present," A puff of smoke and suddenly a large coil of wire was present with a small stick and a blade attached to one end. "This is a Kaginawa, it is similar to a grappling hook, except you can use it as a weapon, it is one incredibly difficult to use, it you are going to be jumping like when I found you, this will allowed you to swing instead of splat, please practise using it, I can guarantee there is not a person capable of using it in this world,"
"I, but, Kage I,"
"Go and see Yumiko Musha, tell her that Midorikage sent you, say you are one of the few and she will know, you will be able to train with her there," His hand rubbed her thigh reassuringly,
"But I, I'm not,"
"You are incredibly capable of learning it, I know you can master this craft," His confidence in her felt more motivating than anything she'd ever heard. "In fact, I'm so confident, I'm giving you until you enter university to do it, you are aiming for UA correct?"
"Well, yeah, I mean, who isn't?"
"Exactly, knowledge of this weapon will make you extra appealing, if you prove you are a master of something people barely understand, you are near unbeatable to any opponent, so master it before you take the exams, and make them want you," Mina hugged him tightly. Once she had given him room to move again his hand stuck out and a cloak shimmered into it, he sealed it around his shoulders and pulled the hood up again. The mask clipped out of place and was stored somewhere again. Mina gazed at his shadow covered face.
"Are you staying again tonight?"
"Like I would leave you so harshly," Kage admonished quietly. "You've locked you door to prevent disturbances right?" She nodded, "Then there is no reason to not stay here with you," He tilted sideways as Mina fell onto her back. The light flickered for a moment and Mina heard leaves rustling before Kage's arm ensnared her. Rolling to put her back against his chest, she curled up in his arms, commiting every detail to memory. Kage held her close as she drifted off. The price of Kage's company wasn't cheap.
It had cost her heart, but it was okay,
Because she kept a piece of his too.