Cutting losses
"Alright, I'm here, what's going on?" Izuku clapped his hands as he sat down at the very busy table for breakfast. Naruto gave him a look before glancing at Tsunade.
"Izuku Uzumaki, you are going to be spending less time on missions from now on," He didn't like using his power as clan head, in fact he never had before, but this needed to be done. "I've already spoken to the Hokage about it and you will not be going on any more solo missions, only those with your team, if a Jinchuuriki calls for assitance you are to grab at least one other team mate before going," The greenette felt an eye twitch, "This is my decision, do you understand?"
"Yes Uzumaki-sama," Alright the venom was uncalled for, but he could understand his brother was upset.
"Izuku you have been asleep for two days straight," Tsunade's soft approach gave Izuku pause, "You came home after the meeting and fell asleep as Kushina hugged you at the door, on a side note, you need to pull back on the training, your muscle mass is so dense it took the other three boys working together to carry you upstairs,"
"Bogoff," Izuku mumbled "I'm not that heavy,"
"Boy, we nearly called Onoki for a Light-Weight Rock Technique Jutsu," Sasuke joked.
"Just because I got more muscles than you weedy," Izuku joked.
"Puh-lease," Sasuke rolled up his sleeve flexing his arm jokingly, grinning childishly Naruto got off his seat and moved over to flex as well, his bicep was slightly bigger than Sasuke's.
"Ladies," Sakura teased, pulling her own sleeve up and showing her arms were stronger than Naruto's. Sasuke began forming a slight cloud above his head.
"Hi," Katsuki threw in his arm, flexing too, his arm being bigger than Naruto and Sasuke's combined, Sasuke visibly got more agitated and embarrassed.
"Ahem," Izuku leant over and showed off his, Naruto blinked, once, twice.
"I'M OUT!" Sasuke threw his sleeve down and began stomping away as the table tried not to laugh.
"Holy shit dude, it's, where, how is your arm bigger than my head all of a sudden?" The blood has drained from the blond's face.
"Muscles appear smaller than normal when relaxed," The greenette shrugged, "Sakura's arms are smaller than yours when she isn't tensing, Tsunade's aren't that big if she's not flexing either, at first glance you'd think Jiraiya of all people was stronger than her,"
"You trying to say something brat?" Jiraiya grumbled from his seat as he looked down at his breakfast.
"Nothing I haven't said already," The greenette grinned, "I'm not doing missions as often anymore, gotta put that energy somewhere,"
"Get a hobby," Shisui swirled his cereal around the bowl quietly, "I don't get it 'Tachi, how come they get to be so,"
"I know Shisui, I know," The tallest Uchiha comforted the crying eldest. Kakashi and Anko were just sharing a shocked gaze while Shizune sat up, slightly prouder than normal. Tayuya and Temari had left to go comfort a mockingly distraught Sasuke while Ino was busy losing her shit. "Actually, Naruto, Tsunade, if it's alright, there is something Shisui, Sasuke and I wish to discuss today, is that possible?"
"Swing by around noon," Tsunade nodded "We can hopefully get whatever it is done quickly,"
"It won't take long," Itachi confirmed. "Actually it possibly onvolves Kushina as well, if you'd be so willing to join?" The matriach nodded from her end of the table quietly recovering from her giggling fit.
"Yes, yeah, I can be there," She wiped her eye, "Oh my, ho Kami, I needed that," A wistful smile from her and Naruto felt something bubble in his chest. "Now, I know I'm no longer in charge, but you're all,"
"We're all going to get showered and cleaned up before leaving Ma," Izuku grinned, Naruto smirked, clearly not much had happened in his hiatus from Konoha, if anything he was the one considering getting a chair for Yamato to join the fold. The redhead raised an eyebrow,
"I was going to say you're all going to be helping me with the house today, but now you can clean up from breakfast and then I think I'll leave chores to you," The greenette shrugged "And no Shadow Clones," Izuku froze, Naruto began to laugh at the boy's suddenly pale complexion. "Katsuki,"
"Yeah Ma?"
"You are going to be coming shopping with me, since you decided we needed more chilli spices for our food last time I sent you alone,"
"Hai," He grumbled about 'weaklings afraid of spice' and 'just cowards' Naruto quickly shovelled food into his mouth to stop himself from laughing.
"Naruto, I don't know why you're trying to not laugh, you're the head of the clan, they just listen to me because I'm their mom," Kushina shrugged from her chair, "What can I do to you except ground you? Even then as head you can override it, as much as it hurts to admit, now I'm an elder of the Uzumaki clan, I'll be included in clan affairs but the decision still falls to you, which reminds me, since you were offically stated as head, we haven't decided if I should return to active duty or not,"
"What? Oh, yeah, no, you can, I'm not going to stop you, if I can't keep Shisui and Itachi from risking their lives I can't stop you," He shook his head, "I lost all of you once and sure, I'm scared to lose you again but I can't keep you all here if you don't want to be here," Izuku began collecting empty bowls from the table as people slowly got up and left for their respective days. "Ah, Kakashi, before you leave," The silver haired jounin stopped and turned around to face his former student. "I, this is going to be a weird question so just bear with me," He nodded "Alright so, you, y'know how you and my old man were close and all? Well I was thinking, since you don't, oh Kami this sounds so wrong, but, since you don't have a family home and you're here every breakfast and dinner anyway, I was, well, I was wondering if you'd like to be part of the Uzumaki clan?"
"Naruto, there are other,"
"Kakashi, I want you to be part of our clan, part of my family, you're like the cousin I never had," A metaphysical arrow seemed to pierce the stoic ninja's heart, "And I know, I get it'll be a lot of paperwork and all, and I'll have a Shadow Clone deal with everything, but, well, I, I just wanted to offer and let you know that you'll always have a seat at the table no matter what," Kakashi denies to his grave he teared up, "Because you're like family Kakashi, and I wanna make you actually family, since y'know, I have that power now,"
"I," Kakashi paused for several moments, "Y'know I'd really like that Naruto," He gasped in excitement and beamed a smile of a thousand suns.
"So does that,"
"I'll meet you at noon in Tsunade's office, get everything done in one fell swoop,"
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Naruto held his thumb out.
The office was crowded as the sun reached its apex. Shisui, Itachi and Sasuke stood in one group, Kushina stood behind Naruto, hands on his shoulders, with Kakashi off the the side by his lonesome. Izuku was there too for some reason, between Tsunade and the Uchiha. Shizune was stood behind Tsunade, fidgeting slightly as she eyed Itachi's stoic face. Tsunade leant on her desk, "Alright, you're the smallest party so Kakashi, what's your issue?"
"Not so much an issue as an acceptance of an offer," He rubbed the back of his head nervously, Tsunade sighed and opened a drawer, Naruto made a Shadow Clone to grab the papers she revealed.
"Brat, you're doing the paperwork, it's a good thing Sarutobi told me to keep a spare stack of these before I took office, since he's an offical ninja already it will be a different process," She rubbed her temples "Alright, growing small militia aside, what's your situation?" The Uchiha sucked on their teeth, Tsunade raised an eyebrow, "Seriously?" They all nodded, "And you've,"
"Lady Hokage," Sasuke opened, he only did that when he wanted to be in her good books, what was going on here? "I became head of the clan when Itachi and Shisui supposedly died a decade ago, this decision was something the two of them suggested well over a year ago and one we've spent time debating and decided unanimously," Naruto was really confused now, "It's quite possibly the only thing the three of us can agree on," Tsunade sighed and rubbed her forehead,
"You are aware that it is an entirely different process to what normally happens correct? You are talking about a clan,"
"We know Lady Hokage, Shizune has helped us understand the process and the paperwork," Itachi nodded as Shizune grinned shyly to Tsunade.
"Very well, is there any reason you have decided this?"
"Well," Shisui began, "You are the last Senju, so the clan will die with you, we feel that the same must happen for the Uchiha,"
"Your lineage will cease to exist,"
"Our lineage is one that we can't be proud of," Sasuke spoke levelly, "The wars the Uchiha decided to fight in were petty and had great fallout, we don't want to be a part of that legacy," Itachi and Shisui nodded in agreement.
"If you understand the full effects and still wish for it to happen I see no reason for it to not, alright boys, by the end fo the week the Uchiha will be no more," Naruto's eyed bulged,
"Wait, woah, what?!" He snapped his head back and forth, "Can someone please catch me up?"
"Naruto, you remember what you said when I first had Hiruzen make me an Uzumaki?" Furrowing his brows, he tried to got back to that night so long ago.
He'd just woken up from meeting Kurama for the first time, Izuku and Sasuke had beat up the ANBU that had attacked them. Sasuke asked if Izuku had anything more to say as he hauled Naruto to his feet. The greenette puffed out his chest and walking over to Gramp Third's desk. A piece of paper was pulled out from his pocket and put onto the desk, "I wish to become an Uzumaki," The blond had frozen in shock, the mere idea of having family completely alien,"I want to be part of the Uzumaki clan, because my old family wants nothing to do with me and I don't want anything to do with them, I wish to lose the Midoriya name and become Uzumaki Izuku," Kurama had murmured something about the two no longer being alone as Naruto felt his stomach tense and relax before he'd rounded on Sasuke, "Hey, maybe one day,"
"You can join out clan too," His eyes widened again, "Wait, you mean?" Itachi nodded as Shisui grinned widely.
"By the end of the week we will be Uzumakis,"
"So how many sons will I?" Itachi chuckled as Kushina raised an eyebrow,
"Shisui is not a brother, he is a cousin, it'll be more akin to him being a branch member instead of the main family,"
"Wait, hold on," Kushina held up a hand, "I'll have, Naruto, Sasuke, Kastuki, Izuku and Itachi? Kakashi and Shuisui will be cousins to them? We've also got Tayuya and Temari with Sasuke, Ino and Sakura with Naruto, Shizune with Itachi, Anko with Kakashi,"
"Heh, the clan's gotten pretty big again huh?" Naruto summed up neatly, his face heating up from his mother's implications about his girlfriends,
"Telling me, I was a single member, turned mother of one and now I have five sons and," She began counting on her fingers, "Six daughters in law!"
"Yeah, thanks for reminding me I'm lonely and single," Shisui folded his arms, pouting to the side. Nobody liked the look of plotting that overcame Izuku's face. Shisui of course, didn't notice. An ANBU landed at the open window.
"Lady Hokage, forgive the intrusion but there is urgent news," Tsunade nodded to them as Izuku changed his attention, Naruto matched his tensing and Sasuke slowly crept over to Izuku. "Our network has spotted ROOT movement near Samurai Bridge!" The blond didn't even wait as he heard,
"Squad Seven, mobilize!" Twin green and yellow flashes and the three boys were gone. Kushina twitched her eyebrow.
"How long have they been ANBU?" Tsunade just gulped.
They found him at the bridge alone. His arm was out of the container and bandages while the bandages around his head had been removed. The team took in the warped sight. Danzo's right arm was grey a face forming on the shoulder and ten Sharingan implanted in the lower half and hand. That meant he had eleven along with the one implanted in his eye. Sasuke was first to speak. "You sick bastard," He growled out lowly.
"Ah, the brat brigade, come to yell about revenge and fail to strike m-," A single kunai grazed the side of his face, drawing blood immediately.
"Oh no Danzo, you see, this isn't a childish fantasy," Izuku moved his arm back to his body, "The five of us are going to kill you, as a team," Danzo sneered at them,
"You think you have a chance to beat me child?!"
"Squad Seven round off!"
"Raven,"
"Fox,"
"Petal,"
"Embers, all present Captain!"
"Midori make five," Sasuke drew his sword as Sakura's trench knives extended with chakra blades. Naruto had a kunai around each finger as Katsuki pulled out his bo-staff. Izuku didn't draw any weapons yet, his fingers snapped and like a well oiled machine the team fell into formation, Sakura and Naruto were knelt in front of Izuku, ready to push of, on his sides Sasuke spun his sword and readied it in a reverse grip, Katsuki twirled his staff before leaving it straight against his back moving under his arm to his palm. "Today we fight you Danzo Shimura," He heard Izuku draw a sword before was pointed at Danzo form the corner of his vision, "We will cut you down hrere and now, to avenge those you hurt! To claim the Sharingan you stole and prevent them from ever being used to harm another again!" The sword was lifted "Squad Seven, out mission is to terminate Danzo Shimura, ready?"
"Ready!" Came a chorsued reply,
"Mobilize!" The five broke apart, Sakura led with her trench knives, swiping at Danzo, who leant and pushed himself backwards. "Danzo Shimura has Lord First's cells implanted into his body, combined with the Sharingan his Izanagi will work for roughly a minute per eye, eliminate him before he is able to blind all of them!" Eleven minutes, that's more than enough openings for the group to land a killing blow. Following her into Danzo's guard, he slashed the man's jugular. Blood arced out and Naruto saw the figure fade from the corner of his vision as a foot lifted into his gut. As he launched towards the edge a cord wrapped around his ankle, pulling him onto solid ground. Izuku pulled the roped back to his hand. Once he caught it he spun a bit around his wrist and dropped an item from his other hand. it was a small wooden block with two blades coming from the top end. One was a straight blade about a five inches long while the other curved around from the base, appearing to be a hook. Picking up a piece of the rope running from his, the greenette began spinning it at high speeds. There was a lot of slack on the rope between his hands as he kept twirling the rope. It was catapulted towards Danzo and wrapped around his arm. Izuku yanked it backwards and Katsuki charged forward with a Rasengan. "Fox, Embers and I need to go," That wasn't a good sign, "You're in charge,"
"Understood Captain!" Naruto barked back, "Get moving!" Katsuki and Izuku disappeared in a flash of green. "Squad Seven, regroup," The three united at a point opposing Danzo. "Alright let's go with Sannin Styles," The great part about having Izuku as captain of the team, was that he had them all train to fight as individuals and units, Katsuki, Sasuke and Naruto for example, trained together to fight when Izuku and Sakura were busy. Each group had their own name, Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto were the New Sannin, since they'd studied under a Sannin each. The 'Sannin Styles' were based off how the original three fought, Sasuke taking point, Naruto tanking hits and Sakura dishing out the power. Speaking of the ravenette, he dashed forwards with incredible speed, his kenjutsu showing as he pressured Danzo who was fighting with a kunai. "Fox, Round Robin method three!" Nodding the blond and Sasuke swapped places, he avoided Danzo's strike, lifting his knee to hit his wrist. Naruto's arm snapped down at the same time to deal a blow to a pressure point, forcing Danzo's hand to open and drop the kunai. He quickly ducked under a punch and caught it, driving it into a Sharingan.
"Brat!" Danzo growled as blood spilt from the wound. Sasuke was in his place in seconds. He and Sakura began moving around the brawl, ready for the opening.
"How many Raijin's does he have left?" Sakura asked as they circled.
"I don't know, his reserves have increased a lot and this is the Raijin heavy method that only Izuku and Katsuki have used with me, it takes a lot of swaps," Naruto took Sasuke's place again as he took the opening the ravenette gave, dealing consecutive blows to his gut and chest. A single kunai was taken from the pouch in his flurry, spinning in the air as he jumped back and grabbed Sakura, "Petal, give it all you've got," They were in front of Danzo again and Sakura pulled her fist back, using his superior speed Naruto threw the kunai as far as he could behind Danzo. He was back with Sasuke as Sakura dealt the blow, "Go for his shoulder," Sasuke nodded and they were at the kunai, watching Danzo fly back towards them. Sasuke drew his blade as Naruto ran through signs. The moment the arm was severed Naruto spewed flames from his mouth. The wound was cauterized immediately and the arm turned into ashes. The body flew past them and rolled along the floor. They stood above him as he tried to get up with his lone arm. Sasuke's sword was pointed at his chest, Sakura's extended trench knife at his throat and Naruto's kunai hovered over his remaining implanted Sharingan. "Danzo Shimura, you are now under arrest for betraying your village, going against the Hokage and various other crimes resulting in the deaths of many," His tone was clipped and short. "Do not resist," The blond's foot connected with the man's temple and the body crumpled. Naruto stared at it, visibly shaking with how much rage this man wrought from him. Sasuke wasn't faring much better, white knuckling on the hilt of his sword. Sakura was the one to break the tension.
"Let's get him back to Lady Hokage, she'll take great pleasure dealing with him," Lifting the body onto her shoulders, he could feel her sympathetic gaze, "I hate the bastard too, so let's just get this done quickly,"
They arrived to a mess. Tsunade quietly watching as Izuku seemed feral with rage. Books were strewn around the room and the chairs knocked over. Katsuki and Shizune were nowhere in sight. "Ah, you got him, Petal take him to T and I for now, Raven, you can stay if you wish otherwise you're dismissed, Fox, you, you're going to want to hear this," They watched Izuku punch a pillow over and over. "Madara went after the other Jinchuuriki," Ah, that's why the duo had disappeared, "He went after each consecutively with a Wood Clone," Fuck, "Izuku and Katsuki moved to each just after they had beaten the last, they must've covered the entire Five Nations, luckily we had no casualties," There was a but coming, "But," There it is, "Madara got chakra from each beast, Katsuki was able to get them to safety after Izuku interrupted the process and then destroy the clone, but not before the chakra was absorbed by it," Sasuke sat on the window ledge, "They lost, eight conescutive battles, Katsuki's upset naturally but as you can see, Izuku's taking it really badly," The greenette threw a pillow with almost inhumane power. It seemed to be the last of his rage as he took several deep breaths before he began cleaning up.
"Apologies Tsunade," He mumbled while putting books back, "I should not have let such emotions out, it was, uncharacteristic of me,"
"It is alright to get mad after a defeat Izuku," She reassured him "You are allowed to get frsutrated, but at least no-one died,"
"Yet, he got eight out of nine, that's problematic to say the least, all he needs now is Naruto, which I'm pretty sure Danzo was meant to do,"
"We stopped him," The greenette froze, "Destroyed one Sharingan, he used Izanagi with a second and then we were able to sperarate the rest from his body and burn them before a jutsu could activate," His posture straightened. "There's only one Sharingan left and that was in his face, we removed it en route here," There was a great, heavy sigh, "We made sure the rest were cinders though, now there's only nine Sharingan left,"
"Thirteen," Izuku turned around,
"What?"
"There's thirteen left, Kakashi's, Obito's and Madara's pair," Izuku counted on his fingers, "We have enough to give each Jinchuuriki a Sharingan and then a pair for Sasuke and Katsuki," He could feel Sasuke lift an eyebrow, "Not that we're giving them the Dojutsu, obviously, just listing, we're at a five to one if it comes down to a battle of dojutsu, it's better than the odds before hand," He grumbled, before continuing to organzie the room again, "I came so close in the ninth battle, I know his moves now, I've fought him ten times,"
"So what was the issue?"
"The issue was that even though I killed him without drawing out my full power, was that I was still too slow, I didn't, I wasn't fast enough to stop him absorbing Fu's chakra,"
"Is she okay?"
"He hit her last and managed to get the most chakra as a result, right now she's in our house, Ino is treating her for wounds and chakra exhaustion, Shisui's been as helpful as he can,"
"Might finally get a girlfriend," Tsunade joked, Sasuke shrugged,
"Don't know how,"
"She's twenty-one," Izuku cut in, "The Akatsuki had records on most jinchuuriki to hunt them down, obviously Naruto wasn't one of them until Pain but," A pause, "They didn't guard them all that heavily,"
"You, how, you broke into Akatsuki headquarters and didn't kick their asses?"
"Well, I would've had anyone been there, with the fact we had dismantled their so called surprise attack, resulting in not only a death but also Konoha chasing them, they had all hands looking for the Jinchuuriki, I was barely able to catch up to them after I collected the records," Tsunade opened her mouth, "I destroyed them already,"
"Good, now, the three of you should come with me, we have a traitor to oust,"
Naruto didn't feel at ease gazing over the village, they had collected en masse to watch Danzo be tried and judged for crimes they didn't know he did. Tsunade undid a scroll, "Danzo Shimura, you are charged with using a cursed seal on shinobi, forcing them to flee the village, how do you plead?"
"Not gu-aahh!" The seal forced onto his chest blared as it detected his lie. The public let out a collective gasp,
"You are charged with using a cursed seal and forcing Orochimaru to expirement on shinobi unwillingly, how do you plead?"
"Not gaaa!" Another gasp.
"You are charged with forcing Itachi Uchiha to massacre his clan and flee the village as a rogue against the wishes of Lord Third, how do you plead?" The seal activated before he could even open his mouth, mutterings began. "You are charged with causing the Nine Tails to be unleashed from Kushina Uzumaki's seal and controlling it on a rampage through the city, causing the deaths of both Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage and his wife Kushina Uzumaki, how do you plead?"
"Not, guilt-AAAH!" He tried rushing out the words before the seal could stop him but it didn't work as he contorted in pain. The crowd began booing and yelling at him.
"Danzo Shimura, you are charged with causing and arming the civil war in Kirigakure, how do you plead?" Danzo kept his lips sealed but the blaring rang out anyway. "Mizukage?" Mei stepped from a shadow,
"That is enough evidence for me to trust you Hokage," She nodded as Tsunade continued,
"You are charged with ordering the attempted assassination of Lord Third Hokage, how do you plead?"
"NOt, aaaahhh!" If the crowd could get angrier, it did.
"You are charged with kidnapped infants from their cribs and expirementing on them, resulting in deaths untold, you are charged with using a cursed seal to force ninja to obey you without question, you are charged with attempting to kidnap Uzumaki Izuku, Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke while they were still children, how do you plead?"
"I would not have had to resort to that if Hiruzen had given them to me like I said he sho-!"
Smack
Tsunade retracted her hand and repeated, "How do you plead?"
"Guilty," The seal didn't activate. The crowd was in genuine shock now, but Naruto didn't feel vindicated, this wasn't what he wanted. The rage Danzo caused him was just that, rage, the things he did were beyond forgiveness. And yet Naruto didn't feel the joy he thought he would at the sight of Danzo being tried as Tsunade kept listing out his crimes.
"It's because revenge isn't something you focused on," Izuku leant over to him, "You forgot about getting revenge on him, you focused more on the good in life, family, friends, smiling and protecting that, Danzo has been a second to everything for all three of us," His brother smiled softly, "Trust me, you might not feel joyful or vindicated but by the time we go to bed, you'll have a weight off your shoulders," Smiling, the blond looked back over the crowd as they were all stunned into silence. People kept flicking their attention towards him with true guilt and regret, Teuchi and Ayame looked directly at him, the pride and joy clear on their faces. He waved discreetly to them as Teuchi lifted a thumb and Ayame nodded with a wide grin. Danzo cried out as his body contorted again in pain.
"As Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure I pronounce you guilty of all charges and sentence you to execution," Danzo growled and shouted,
"If I go, I shall take Konoha with me," His shirt was torn open, "Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Jut-" His throat was slashed by ANBU too late as the seals moved from his chest.
"Naruto, Katsuki!" Izuku called out as they disappeared in flashes, moving off Tsunade the group danced around the area, taking handfuls and groups of people out of range. The four seals took to the air as they kept bouncing between spaces. Naruto was back to his kunai as Katsuki appeared next to him in a flash, the seals suddenly became an orb.
"TSUNADE!!" Naruto screamed at the growing orb. Izuku put his hand out and the blonde was suddenly at his hand. "The, the,"
"Raijin was more than just sending things there remember?" The Hokage whirled around to him. "I mark everyone important to me, just in case," Him talking wasn't strange, but the silence that followed was, they all looked towards where Danzo had been. There in the centre of the Hokage tower, from the roof travelling almost to the ground, was nothing. The walls, furniture and items had all been sealed into the body as it laid in what remained of the building's front. The man fell to his knees, blood falling from the gash in his throat.
"This, isn't possible," The body fell further, "I was, supposed, to be, Ho-ka-ge," The fear died down as people say the corpse laying still, Tsunade addressed the village from where she stood.
"Danzo Shimura is dead in a suicide attack trying to take the life of myself and many ninja in the building, boys?"
"None dead, several in shock but he didn't get anyone," Katsuki saluted puffing his chest, she just nodded and waved a hand,
"As you heard, Danzo Shimura once again tried to hurt our village and yet he failed to take even one person with him thanks to these three boys! Naruto, Izuku and Katsuki Uzumaki, now the trial of Danzo Shimura is over!" The crowd burst into cheers as the three just stepped backwards out of the way. Kushina was on the roof immediately.
"Boys!" She charged over, taking all of them in a hug, "Don't you ever, ever leave it so late again! I was so worried you were going to get caught in that!"
"Y-you mean you aren't mad?" Izuku ventured,
"Mad? Why would I be," She smiled sweetly, "No, Izuku, I'm not mad at you, you're shinobi, danger is part of the job description, but I was worried since you guys cut it so close to the wire, you could've run through and put a hand to teleport everyone out instantly,"
"We, we didn't actually think of that," Katsuki mumbled into her shoulder.
"Well, I'm not mad, you just scared me,"
"Sorry Ma," They mumbled in sync, looking down as she stepped away from the trio.
"That's enough of that you two, you aren't in trouble," She gently admonished, "No need to act like I'm going to lay a hand on you, even if those who-horrible parents did," Naruto raised an eyebrow as his mom caught herself mid word, eyes widening in panic as she corrected herself, "You, young man," He gulped, "You are almost too much like your father, a magnet for trouble and adrenaline junkie to the letter," A gentle chuckle "But that is to be expected I suppose, c'mon we should get home for dinner,"
"Yes Ma'am!" All three cried eagerly. A Shadow Clone puffed into existence next to her, "Wait you know that?" Naruto muttered,
"I married your father, of course I knew how to be in two places at once," A laugh in stereo as she took his hand, the clone taking Izuku and Katsuki by the hand, leadning them gently down the stairs. It wasn't much to the world, or onlookers in general, but to those three?
It was the world.
"Young Miss," He landed on the railing of her balcony, "You called me?" Momo smiled warmly, reaching into his cloak and pulling his jacket to quickly peck his cheek.
"I should've known you'd come running," Leading him gently into her room she sat on her bed, Kage looked around briefly. It was the first time she'd called him anywhere enar her room. "I missed you last Christmas,"
"And you continuously called me this year practising the ability to do it perfectly," He nodded wisely "But I have something to make it up to you this year," His hand came from his cloak, holding a single piece of paper. It laid on her bed and poofed into a metal bowstaff. "It is a custom weapon, when I ordered it they told me it would take months to create," He picked it up in his free hand, twirling it between his fingers, "I suggest you learn how to wield it before your eighteenth birthday," Her eighteenth? That was next year, "You are aiming for UA correct?"
"Of course, anyone who's anyone is,"
"Then learn the weapon, regardless of the exam you take, the knowledge and ability to use it will make you more noticeable, especially in a crowd of recommended fighters,"
"But I, if I suddenly ask my parents,"
"Then do not ask them, go to Yumiko Musha, tell her Midorikage sent you and you are one of the few, she will know what to do from there, by learning it before you turn eighteen, your skill in it will only grow before the exams, for now I urge you to familiarize yourself with it," Twisting it slightly revealed a small hole under his palm, "This is a cannister, fill it with whatever glass you wish," It twisted again, "Lock it into place and then," His palm smacked the end of the staff, a small dart fired out the other end at high speed, thudding into her wall as several holes opened. "Once it had landed the gas will emit, perfect for a stealth takedown,"
"How will I fill it with gas?" Momo picked up the small dart and handed it back to him. "I can't make organic,"
"Gasses aren't organic Young Miss, if you can make water, you can make water vapour correct?"
"I, I never tried it before,"
"That is okay, you have time to learn," He nodded patiently, "If you twist the middle of the staff," He did so and it broke into two pieces, small arms snapped up and he wielded them as tonfas, "To reattach them, press the arms until it clicks and twist the pieces back together," A quick demonstration before Kage continued, "I'm guessing you have yet to try and make lightning?"
"I could never, lightning it just," There was a bird like screech as lightning formed around Kage's hand,
"This is a Chidori, it is the first I have demonstrated a jutsu without it being a knockout blow to the viewer," It died in his hands "If I can create it with my trade secrets, I am sure a physics mind like yours can make it logically," She looked at her hand and back again, "I believe you can do it, how do you make a working light if not with electricity?"
"I don't make it work before it is done though,"
"Then you must work on your confidence and definitions, a charge is no more organic than it is man made, it is simply a demonstration of energy,"
"But I can't make energy, I can, only make," Momo paused looking at Kage, "Matter and Energy are linked, I can only repurpose the matter in my body," He nodded again, gazing at her arm she imagined a single bolt passing down to her hand. A gentle flash before her hand stung lightly. "Ow," She hissed, shaking her hand. Kages quickly held it and glowed a soft green, immediately her hand felt better and there was no sign of the electric burn, "I did it, oh my god I, I did it! Kage I,"
"I saw Young Miss, it was impressive, but now you must work on it, make it stronger, bring up your own resistance to it, then you can utilize it in your weapon," Picking up the staf again she marvelled as it crackled with energy, originating from his hand. "Further if you take the cap off the end in ronfa form," Breaking it apart again he put the dart launcher half down and unscrewed the cap of the end in his hands. Once it had pulled free parts of the staff were quickly moved into place. The arm of the tonfa had gained a trigger a finger's width in front of it. The longer sides snapped apart before they became arms with a thin string attaching them. "For further reach with a dart or a trick arrow,"
"Trick arrow?" Kage sighed and unrolled another piece of paper,
"Part two of your gift, since killing in your world is not as normal as it is in mine, this will fire arrows designed to debilitate, distract or discombobulate, you can fire a blunt arrow that will knock someone out, a smoke filled cannister that will release upon stopping and create a smokescreen for you, or a flashbang arrow that will unleash a lond noise and harsh light, I could not get you more than five of each, so you will have to create more of them yourself," They were rested gently into a quiver. It laid on a large piece of fabric, "This will loop around your waist and over your shoulder," Kage lifted it up, "Your staff will be attached magnetically," He quickly restored the staff to it's original form and clipped it onto the holder. "It will not slip or fall from your back, learn to fight with it,"
"Kage I,"
"As I said, find Yumiko Musha, tell her you are one of the few and show her your weapon, she will understand from there," His smile gave her confidence, "I believe you can do it, I know you can master this weapon in time, even if only the staff form,"
"Is it not yours?"
"I don't need such a weapon, I can launch projectiles faster than it with more accuracy than most," Her eyebrow raised in disbelief. "A display then, give me a target," From her shoulder she launched a small disc. His hands moved almost imperceptably, the disc shattered as a kunai thudded into the wall. Momo looked between it and the calm form Kage held. "Believe me yet?" She caught the staff, it was oddly lightweight in her hands, "This is your Christmas gift," She clutched it gently and moved to a door. "A hiding spot?"
"A walk in wardrobe, there is little to no chance of any finding it in here," She spoke from the room, stowing it away cleverly. Turning around she found Kage leaning against the doorframe.
"I may have to go soon, things at home aren't looking good,"
"Does that mean you won't visit?"
"If the worst happens, I will need to go home, my full power may be needed there, it should only take a few days if I am needed at home," Nodding in understanding Momo grabbed a set of pyjamas and began changing. A rustling and she looked over to see Kage turned around, facing her window again. "If I started undressing would you not look away?" She gazed at him, 'No, I would enjoy the show' biting her lip she flushed,
"I guess so," He made a sound of choked laughter as she continued getting changed. Once she had finished she tapped his shoulder, "Does this mean you are staying the night?"
"Do you want me to?"
"Yes," A copy of Kage appeared and disappeared,
"Then before you go to sleep there is something I wish for you to see," His hand came from his cloak, dragging her slowly onto her balcony. "The way I come to you generates a strong flash of light, the colour depends on what colour I am wearing most prominently, so I made a little something," A green blip in the distance on a rooftop, followed by a red one nearby, then a second green, and red, and green again. Until red and green consistantly appeared over the rooftops, illuminating the city below. Different patterns popped out before it became a simple green to red switch. A pair of hands slowly encircled her waist. "Merry Christmas," He whispered into her ear, making her shiver. Leaning against him she let his warmth encompass her as the lights flickered through the night.
"Three against one? I would hardly call those fair odds," Enri paused and looked around in alarm, clearly whoever was there was surprised too as Kage's voice quickly followed with, "Oh? were you unaware of each other?" He stood at the edge of a building, looking out over the city.
"Alright, whatever little trick you're trying to pull Kage," Wait, was that, was that Erazerhead? The heroine stepped out of the darkness into Enri's field of vision, "I want to know why you dropped an infant at my doorstep,"
"You read the note, that should explain it all, you wouldn't have kept her if you didn't believe me,"
"Y-you've been watching me?"
"Eri may have seen a little flicker of green from her window, a note telling her I was going to visit her when she grew up big and strong," He looked over his shoulder "You said she kept asking where I was Christmas before last, figured a visit after a few months would be alright," Erazerhead only seemed to take offense.
"So you're calling me incompetent?"
"The only thing I am calling you Shouka Aizawa, if fucking deaf," Kage turned around with such conemtpt the even Enri stepped away. "If you wish to talk shit, how about the fact you have been stalking a seventeen year old boy every night for the past year?"
"YOU'RE SEVENTEEN?!" A familiar voice screeched,
"Yes Usagiyama, I am seventeen, have an issue with it?" Usagiyama? Enri knew that name from somewhere. "Anyway, Shouka, you wann chat shit?" His hands clapped together dramatically, "Let's talk shit," The venom in his gaze alone made her look over her shoulder. "You told me, she kept asking where the green man was correct? Well I'm willing to bet you didn't fucking tell her he had to go home like I said to, so I stepped in, doing your job for you, yet again," The sass on this boy, "And explained to the little one that she was in your care while I had to deal with some very bad men from my home that were interfering here and making it harder to fight the baddies,"
"Now listen here you," Whoosh
"I'm a male vigilante in a female dominated society, you think I give a damn about turning you into a corpse?" His voice was incredibly low, "You might take inspiration from ninja, but I am one, where I'm from, you are less than an academy student, understand that?" It was only then Enri saw the gleam of a small blade in the moonlight. "It would take less than a moment for me to kill you, on your very best day, ask Miruko, after all, I damn near shattered her leg after catching her strongest attack," Enri watched a white streak go for him,
"Luna Arc," Miruko! She was Rumi Usagiyama! One of her agencies best sidekicks, slated to go pro the moment she left UA. She'd met Kage before? She lost to Kage before?! She watched with fascination as Kage raised his free arm and stopped the woman's kick dead in its tracks.
"Did you not learn last time?" Pushing her ankle up, he forced her into a vertical split while still holding the blade to Erazerhead's throat. "Endeavor, you can come out now,"
Oh shit.
The flaming hero calmly revealed herself in the moonlight, her distinct flames off because duh, how else was she going to be stealthy? "As I said, three on one, hardly fair odds," Kage's grin was audible from his shadowed voice, "Next time, bring more,"
"There won't be a next time," Enri spoke as levelly as she could, "Miruko will not be attacking you again unless she wishes to face dire consequences," Miruko paled slightly, wobbling on her one foot. "You have made it clear you are not an enemy, even though our only meeting was over a year ago, through my occasional observation you are yet to prove a threat to the city or wider public, with your skillset attacking you serves no purpose," Her hands lifted placatingly, "if it helps I was not here to fight you, I was here simply to observe and maybe discuss your further operations,"
"An organization from my home has found its way to yours, I am dismantling it before it can become a threat, you will find no trace of them anywhere, at least that is what I hope to accomplish,"
"And who can corroborate this story?"
"Currently? No-one," He paused "Although, there are a few people I would ask you to speak to privately, the list will find you when I get the time to write it," Erazerhead stepped away from his blade and tried to attack. Without releasing his hold on Miruko's ankle he deflected the attacks before lifting his own leg and letting the grey capture scarf wrap around it.
"Got y-urk!" She scratched at her neck as he stomped his foot, forcing the woman down as it tightened around her throat.
"Part of being a ninja is knowing when to shut up," Enri swears to her deathbed she heared Miruko mutter something directly to Kage as her face flushed scarlet. "Now, anymore stupid decisions tonight? Endeavor not included because she's been the only civilized one here," She smirked at the respect from the boy. "If there is nothing more to discuss I shall be leaving, Endeavor, I owe you something," Letting for of Miruko and unwrapping his leg he walked over to her and handed her something, sweet Christ did he just hand her a knife?! "That, is a kunai, try and give it your quirk when you need my aid and I shall be there to help, if I am able to," He began walking towards the edge, "Now all three of you have a way to contact me directly if you ever need me, if you wish to talk, please use that instead of following me for several weeks," His foot began hovering over the air, "Rumi will tell you I don't appreciate being followed," The body dropped and they all rushed to the edge to see nothing, just leaves sailing away in the wind.
"So, how does Kage know your identities?" Enri folded her arms at the pair, Miruko having the self awareness to look away. She sighed, this was turning into a long night.
"What is it Doctor?" A voice growled. The body was currently laying on a hospital bed surrounded by life support equipment as their body slowly healed. "If he has,"
"I am afraid ma'am, that we have recieved word he is dead, captured by the forces hunting him and then went out with a suicide attack earlier today," The Doctor spoke evenly as to hide her fear. The bed bound body hummed. She peered at a monitor that displayed the contents of a warehouse, tubes containing growing bodies lined up and across the floor. He had promised her test subjects, not only that but more power than ever before. Power she could've used to make sure that blonde thorn in her side was dead instead of just greatly injured. Moreso than that, he had offered a way to heal her of her unsightly scarring and injuries. Permanently
"Ah well, it is just a minor setback, we did not need him anyway," A non-chalant wave of her hand. "He was only insurance to ensure victory, we shall still win our war without him," The head turned to a mirror, "Besides, these eyes are advantage enough," A pair of crimson eyes stared back, gleaming with vile intent.