Naruto and Marvel belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Disney respectively.

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

"Dialogue"

'Thoughts'

"Telepathy/Foreign language"

"Jutsu/Technique"

Chapter XVIII: You're in the Army Now

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There was a strange kind of comfort in seeing familiar things stay as they were. In Konoha, that was when he woke up to his room, surrounded by his mess, and with a view to the Hokage monument. Whatever happened in life, at least the faces of the previous leaders would always be present.

After a year on Earth, Naruto had also come to rely on several things for comfort. His new room, less messy than his Konoha apartment due to Jean's insistence on cleanliness, the vast grounds of the Institute, with its training and recreation areas. He had also gotten used to waking up to a warm body next to him, usually Kitty curled up next to him. Things that brought him a sense of continuity, that despite everything, some things would always stay the same.

When Naruto stepped into the Institute's grounds, he was met with a warzone.

The green plains and small hills were now scorched and cratered, with the small stone road leading away from the mansion completely destroyed. The carefully planted green areas were also torn and shredded, along with some of the trees. Several holes had been blown into the mansion house itself, and he sadly realized one of the most affected areas was Ororo's precious garden. The training grounds were completely destroyed.

"Looks like the war has already knocked on our door," grunted Logan as he lit up a cigar.

Naruto desperately looked around for any sign of familiar faces… alive that is. The idea of seeing a lifeless body ate at him with each passing second, especially as he spied the remains of a Sentinel laying on the battered ground.

Suddenly, the front door of the mansion opened, and Naruto took a deep breath in relief.

"Naruto!"

Kitty immediately dashed from the doorway, jumping into his arms as soon as she reached him. Her face buried into his neck; Naruto could feel her damp tears on his skin. Naruto wrapped his arms around her body in a gentle embrace.

"I was worried," she whispered into his shirt. "After the battle was over, we didn't know where you were."

"I'm fine," he assured. "I wanted to go find you when it all happened, but I had to take care of the Sentinels first. If they followed me, they would've hurt innocents."

"Have to be the hero in every situation, huh?" asked Kitty with a small grin. "I'm just glad you're back safe."

"What happened to you? Did you get hurt?"

Kitty eased her hold on him. "The mall was damaged by the explosion. We got trapped, but I managed to get everyone out. It… took a toll on me and I passed out. My friends took me to Janet's apartment for the rest of the night. We all watched your fight with the Sentinels after that."

"Thank Kami that the girls took you to safety."

She finally let go of him and stared into his eyes. "Naruto… they know. Everyone knows. They know about me too, and the Institute, and about mutants. They're saying that we were responsible for the attacks. God… what are we going to do?"

Before he had a chance to respond, Naruto spied Dani Moonstar peeking cautiously from the entrance. As soon as their gaze met, she turned back to the building.

"Naruto is back!" she shouted.

It didn't take long for more figures to begin pouring out of the doorway. First Bobby and Rahne, followed by Amara, Xi'an, Roberto, Sam, and Jubilee. The joy to see all of his team alive was tempered when he saw their injuries. Bruises and cuts, covered with bandages, but none of that hid their smiling faces.

"You were the Maelstrom all along?" asked Jubilee with wide eyes.

"Did anybody else know?" added Amara.

"Did you really put down five Sentinels?" interrupted Bobby with an excited grin. "We could barely take on one!"

Question after question came after him, each more demanding than the last. But Naruto didn't feel annoyed. He just felt relief to see the team that had been assigned to him had all managed to get through the night safely, if a little banged up. He looked back at the entrance and saw Jean, Ororo, and Rogue coming out with the Professor. He must've arrived in the last few hours.

Dani's voice came in last. "Are you hurt?" she asked simply.

"I'm fine," he answered the last question as he stepped towards Professor Xavier, the rest of the group following him.

The Professor's gaze stayed on him throughout the entire time. He seemed neither happy nor angry; his face turned to stone. Naruto did not dare to even try poking around his mind to get a hint of whatever storm must've been raging underneath.

"Are you alright?" Professor Xavier asked simply.

"I am," Naruto responded simply. A long silence followed. "I think –"

"I think we all need some good rest," interrupted the Professor.

Naruto shook his head. "We can't. There's not much time."

Logan stepped in at that moment, his grim face telling more than words could. "He's right, Chuck. We don't have much time. Let the brat explain everything. Everyone deserves to know."

There was another moment of silence, with only the wind's howl blowing through the ruined grounds. The Professor looked at both of them intently, and nodded. "Very well… let's go back inside."

Naruto turned back to the gathered students. "All of us."

The entire student body of the Institute scurried back inside the relative safety of the mansion. The destruction was not as bad as when Magneto had attacked, but there were still holes in several of the walls, and many of the glass decorations had been destroyed.

Instead of the briefing room, everyone was seated around the larger entertainment room, thankfully unaffected by the Sentinel assault, though dust had been shaken onto the furniture. They all found seats where they could, some even taking their places on the floor. Naruto found himself sitting on the sofa, with Kitty on one side and Jean taking the other, Rogue preferring to stand next to the sofa.

All eyes were looking at him, some eager, others worried, but all of them were waiting for him to speak first.

He looked at New Mutants first. "I suppose I should start by stating the obvious. Yes… I am the Maelstrom." A flurry of questions erupted from the younger students, all of them at the same time. He raised his hand. "All of the X-Men knew. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I thought the more I kept people in the dark, the less danger there would be for everyone. I was wrong."

"What happened last night?" asked Jean with a soft voice.

Naruto took a breath. "I have to start from the beginning. When I first started going out at night, I was alone. Eventually, I met Spider-Man and Daredevil. We were going after low level goons first, but eventually we began to get information about the higher ups of the big organizations. Among them was one that was smarter than the rest – Wilson Fisk."

"Fisk?" asked Scott, eyebrows narrowing behind his glasses. "Never heard of him."

"Neither did we. We had thought the big guys were the most visible ones. The Maggia, cartels, Russian mob, all of these. We started disrupting their operations… and then we got new information about this man hidden in the shadows, this Wilson Fisk guy. So we started to hit him too."

"New information?" Professor Xavier questioned.

"Yeah, we had an informant at first. Mike, he called himself. He was very useful. Gave us a lot of accurate targets that really put the pressure on the crime syndicates. Especially the Russian traffickers and Mexican drug cartels. But… he died trying to get more information."

"Where did you get your information after that?"

Naruto pursed his lips. He couldn't tell them about Emma. He had to protect her, even when he had failed everyone else.

"I can't say… for her safety."

"Her?" Kitty, Rogue, and Jean questioned at the same time. He would've found it funny if the situation had been different.

He raised his hands and gave a weak smile. "I-It's not like that. I promise. She just gives me information. She was the one who told me about Wilson Fisk in the first place."

"So this new informant knew about Fisk while 'Mike' didn't? Did you ever stop to think that this Mike might've been working for Fisk?" grunted Logan with a puff of his cigar. "Seems pretty coincidental that the moment you got new, better information about the bigger enemy, the whole thing started to unravel. He was probably giving you Fisk's targets. When you started going after Fisk, he finally retaliated."

Naruto felt a pit form in his stomach. He wanted to deny it immediately. Mike? Working for Fisk? But the doubt gnawed on him. How did Mike get all of that information? He never questioned him on that. Mike was dead now, and he may never know the truth.

Was Emma connected to Fisk, too?

He could only press on. "All of the syndicates were supposed to gather in one place last night, and they did…"

"Except Fisk, I take it?" commented Ororo.

Naruto nodded. "Except Fisk. When everyone realized he was not present… all hell broke loose. A bomb was placed right under the meeting spot. The cops that arrived didn't come to arrest, but to exterminate… and the Sentinels dropped from the sky."

"To eliminate you," finished the Professor.

"But he failed," Kitty said with a smile. "You're alive. We're alive. That's all that matters."

"I'm alive," agreed Naruto, "and unmasked. The same as all of you."

A long silence fell on the room. Some found their gazes on the floor or the ceiling, while others fiddled with their hands or feet, the realization that their existence was no longer anonymous sinking in. Naruto was glad that the large TV lay cracked on the floor, no need to see what the news was spreading against them.

"What happened next?" asked Rogue. "Ah heard the boys in uniform picked you up."

"It was SHIELD," answered Logan, his jowls tightening. "They've been investigating the brat since he arrived. They even found out his identity."

"And they just let you go?" asked Jean, disbelief in her tone.

He took a deep breath. "Not exactly." All eyes turned to him. "They took us to one of their bases and informed me about the situation. I know what they're saying about mutants on television. They're blaming us for the attacks, even saying the Sentinels are our creation." His eyes turned towards everyone, taking each of their eager faces. "They offered me a deal for government aid for mutants and the Institute… I took it."

Another period of silence followed until Ororo asked the obvious.

"What did they want in return?"

Naruto pursed his lips before he took out a newly minted card with the SHIELD logo on it, his face plastered in front. "I've agreed to join SHIELD as one of their agents."

"You what?!" exclaimed Kitty at his side, her grip on him tightening. Other voices joined her, each one more unintelligible than the last. Only the Professor and Logan stayed put.

After everyone took their time to calm down somewhat, he continued. "They told me that if I volunteered to join them, SHIELD would offer protection to the Institute and do their best to look out for uncontacted mutants. They also offered to fully legalize me as a US citizen and make it so all charges against me were dropped. That way, we'll be safe from prosecution. They'll even help new mutants find their way to safety here." He looked at the Professor. "I thought it was a fair deal."

Jean stood up. "In exchange for you becoming a government tool? They can't do that!"

"Can and did," Logan responded gruffly. "Naruto's a military man now."

"He's fourteen! He can't make those kinds of choices! It's illegal!"

"Exceptions can always be made, especially when the circumstances are extreme. The government may have suspended the military draft in '73, but it was never truly abolished. Laws are written with words, and those words create loopholes. If there is a war in the future and we find ourselves with a lack of bodies, that suspension can be lifted," the Professor commented.

Logan took a puff from his cigar. "And while the Army has no shortage of recruits, those are normal humans. What there is a shortage of, is super powered individuals, ready for war."

"What war?" protested Jean. "There is no war."

"Isn't there?" responded Logan. "A simple look outside the window would suggest otherwise."

"But–"

"Jean," interrupted Naruto with a sharp tone. "I volunteered for this."

Her green eyes turned to him. "No you didn't. You were blackmailed into this. It's not right. You didn't have to agree to this."

"Yes I did!" he responded, more loudly than he intended. "I messed up," He declared to the entire room. "If I hadn't been playing the hero so recklessly, none of this would've happened. They went after you to get to me, all because I have been fooling around without thinking about how that would affect all of you. These are the consequences of that. Many of you almost died last night. It's my responsibility to fix the situation as much as I possibly can. Joining SHIELD means that we get political protection and keep you safe. I agreed knowing the consequences. Back on Asteroid M, I chose to sacrifice myself to save you, and now I will do it again."

"There's no need for sacrifice!" snapped Jean. "We're students, here to learn to control our powers and lead normal lives. We're future doctors, engineers, scientists, writers… not soldiers!" Jean stood up and reached for the exit. "Don't ask me to be relieved to see you die!" With that, she left, shutting the door behind her.

If the others wanted to say something, they held their tongues, keeping their thoughts to themselves. Their faces shifted from worry to admiration, and back again, dozens of emotions shifting like the wind. Except for Professor Xavier, who had not moved a single muscle.

"What do you think about this, Professor?" he finally asked.

The Professor finally moved to cross his fingers below his chin, eyes deep in thought. Naruto had made his decision on his own, and had no idea of what the man who had given him a place to live would think. Even when he felt free to make his own choices, he realized how much the Professor's approval meant to him.

Finally, the Professor raised his voice. "I will not chastise you for making this decision. What you do is up to your free will, while you still have it. I will not lie and say that your actions did not have consequences. They did. Yet you took those decisions because you thought you were doing good for mutants and humans alike, and I can see you are doing the same with you joining SHIELD for the sake of the Institute. If I were to say we will not benefit from your service, I would be lying."

His gaze turned towards the rest of the students. "Change is coming. It was always coming, whether we wanted to or not. It was never up to us to decide how these events would transpire, only what we do with the choices given to us. Much like Naruto has, I expect all of you to look into yourselves and your morals to make the correct decisions. Those choices are the only thing we have full control over, and as long as you follow a path of honor, I will be proud of you, my students."

As Professor Xavier wheeled himself out, with Logan following suit, the rest of the room fell into silence. Young eyes looked around the floor, ceiling or windows in contemplation.

Naruto couldn't know exactly what was going through their minds, and did not dare to intrude with his powers. He knew that despite their age, there was a large gap between their upbringings. He was raised into the ninja class, knowing he would be expected to live, fight, and die for his village, with personal sacrifice being the most noble and selfless act for a shinobi warrior. Jean and Kitty never shied in telling him how alien such values were to them. As much as they admired his heroism, they always tried to steer him from the inherent danger, a danger they were now forced to confront.

As his eyes wandered across the room, he couldn't help but notice an important absence.

"Where's Wanda?"

Dani looked into his eyes and led him out of the mansion, Kitty and Rogue following right behind him wordlessly. He clenched his jaw as he saw Dani walking awkwardly on one leg, and stole glances at the dark circles around her eyes. It was tough for him to take out the Sentinels; he could only imagine how hard it must've been for them.

Naruto was led past the grounds and into the woods. As his legs took him deeper into the woods, a foreboding eeriness creeped into him. There was no sight of the squirrels that liked to make their homes in the trees, or the singing of birds that usually annoyed him every morning. The answer to these mysteries became clear when he reached a field of grass, with no trees to block the view of the sun, and a barely controlled power seeped into his bones.

There, in the middle of the clearing, sat Wanda.

She was still wearing her pajamas, dirty and torn as they were. As he got closer, the face that had become more colorful and healthy as well as the vibrant auburn hair had reverted back to its haggard appearance at the asylum. Her emerald green eyes, dulled once more, stared unblinkingly in front of her, looking at nothing in particular.

Surrounded by nature, the scene should've been calming. Instead, Naruto's instincts kept him on edge. Power thrummed through the air like an unseen ocean threatening to crush him.

"Wanda?" he asked softly.

The power around him awakened at his words. Leaves, twigs, and stones were raised to the air, Naruto could feel his heart thumping in response to the almost chaotic force while the three girls drew closer to him.

"Wanda," he tried again, matching the power with the tone of his voice. "It's me, Naruto. I'm not here to harm you." He stepped closer slowly.

"Naruto," whispered Kitty at his side. "Be careful."

"She ain't thinkin' right," said Rogue. "Been that way since last night."

"What has the Professor said?"

"He said we should wait for you," responded Dani.

Naruto turned around to give the three a nod. "Stay back." They did not argue with him.

As he took several more steps, Naruto saw the debris begin to circle faster, and some of the larger rocks began to increase and decrease in size, all laws of matter starting to break before his eyes. Yet not for one second did he stop. He was the one who had broken her out of that asylum. If he did not take responsibility, nobody would.

"Wanda?" he asked once again. just a few steps away from her.

"Stay back!" she finally snapped, her eyes closed. "I'll hurt you!"

"You can't hurt me."

"Yes I will!" The air cracked and growled with the snapping of branches and breaking of rocks. "I'll hurt everyone! Then you'll abandon me! A failure that you want nobody to know about!"

An oppressive force slammed into Naruto like a sledgehammer, sending him flying back until he landed on shaky feet. A violent gust of wind almost drowned out Kitty's cry of concern

"My," came a wizened and familiar voice behind him. "Seems we have quite a mess on our hands."

Naruto turned around to see an elderly woman, her face covered in wrinkles and with a head filled with white hair. Despite her age, she stood proudly, and dressed just as magnificently in high quality clothing that looked straight out of the nineteenth century. Recognition dawned on him. "You're the granny from the woods!"

"The youth and their manners," chided the wizened woman. "It's Agatha Harkness to you, boy."

"Sure thing, obaa-chan! Now you best get out of the way if you don't want to get hurt."

The woman's wrinkles shifted slightly. "It is I who have come here to protect all of you." She slowly took several steps towards Wanda, muttering words in an unknown language. As she got closer, the power surged, eventually exploding with overwhelming force that shocked even Agatha.

"Oh dear," she remarked with a slightly raised voice. "The situation has escalated, it seems."

Just as she said that, the trees around them were uprooted, the laws of physics and matter shattered as objects around them shrunk and expanded, vanished and materialized. Even the ground beneath them shifted like waves of the sea. He only managed to stay still by sticking the soles of his boots to the soil.

"Calm her down, child!" commanded Agatha Harkness.

Naruto looked back, covering his eyes to protect from the debris. "Are you crazy, obaa-chan?! I don't know how to do that!"

"You know how, boy. Do what must be done, or she will die by your cowardice."

Her words were like a whip. Wanda could die? Just how powerful was she? He racked his brain in a panic, thinking about what he could do to stop her. The only thing he could think of was telepathy, and he despaired at the realization. Telepathy, his greatest power, according to Jean and Professor Xavier. The power he was most hesitant to use. The power that Agatha clearly was referring to.

The power he had to use now.

Letting go of the ground, Naruto struggled to float towards Wanda. She too was raised above ground, the debris circling around her like a shield. He grunted in pain as several branches and rocks hit his body the closer he got, until finally he reached next to her. Wanda's teeth were clenched shut; her eyes glowing a bright red, brimming with power.

Naruto closed his eyes as well and let his mind expand around him. Her mind was like a flaming beacon of rage and fear. Even though he could not see with his own eyes, the tendrils of emotions and thoughts were easy to hold on to. He didn't like to do it because it felt like he was imposing his will on others. Forcing them to feel what he wanted them to feel. Even if it was the right thing to do, it felt wrong.

'But it's for her own good, isn't it?'

Feeling his resolve hardening, Naruto clenched tightly to those feelings. He felt the rage and horror lash out, but he remained strong. "Wanda!" his mind boomed. "Let go!"

Almost immediately, the powerful rage that he had felt from the auburn-haired girl withered, only the fear remained, stronger than before, but he also felt loneliness, and the all too familiar sorrow that came from it. He opened his eyes again and met Wanda's green orbs, now brimming with tears.

"N-Naruto?" she whimpered, her eyes widened and her fingers traced a sore spot on his cheek. When she let go, he saw blood on her fingers. "I-I hurt you…"

He could only let out a tired grin. "Don't worry, it doesn't hurt at all." He could already feel the wound closing thanks to the fox's power. "See? No harm done."

"No!" Tears poured down her face as she dropped to her knees, hugging herself. "I'm a danger to everyone, just like last time. You'll get tired of me, of the danger I pose, so you'll throw me away, lock me and forget I exist. Like a broken toy."

"I won't. You remember what I promised? I will never give up on you." He lifted her chin gently and looked into her emerald eyes, bright with her tears. "Never."

Before she could respond, silent footsteps approached. They turned around to see the regal figure of Agatha Harkness standing, her wizened face staring without showing any emotion.

"You need not lose anything, child," she declared, her voice sharper than what her age would suggest. "The power you hold is immense, quite unlike anything I've ever seen. But it's not uncontrollable. With proper training, you could learn how to bend that power to your will."

Agatha's hands brimmed with power, similar to Wanda's, though quite clearly in control of it. The debris that had settled around the clearing rose up and slowly returned to its original size, and was put back in its place. Within a few minutes, it seemed as though nothing had ever happened in the first place.

Naruto's posture turned defensive, the old woman's motivations now laid bare. "What do you want from her?"

Agathat turned to him with narrowed eyes. "I know of you, boy. You do not seem the type to be so cynical that he sees everything as a selfish bartering of favors."

Naruto bit his teeth. "Wanda is my friend. I don't want her taken advantage of. I'm not going to let anyone use her for their own gain."

The old woman stared at him, no emotion in her wrinkled eyes. "You question my motivation? Suffice to say that I have quite a long history with knowledge many consider dangerous… because it is dangerous. Through my years I have seen talented young women get destroyed by their own potential. Power beyond imagining; power that young Wanda has been born with. I do not wish for such an unfortunate end for her."

"But what will you have her do when she controls it?"

Agatha gave him a patronizing stare. "You really do not know her potential, do you? Do you really think that someone with her power could be controlled by someone like me?"

Before he could protest anymore, he was interrupted.

"Can it truly be done?" Wanda asked, a sliver of hope dawning in her eyes even as her voice was tinged with desperation. "Can I control this?"

"I do not talk in absolutes, child. I cannot promise you a certain outcome. All I can promise is that I will teach you everything I know, as for the rest, that is up to you… and to fate."

Wanda's eyes widened, looked at him, and back at Agatha. "But… I will have to leave again, won't I? I'll be alone again?"

"I will not deprive you of home and friends, girl. If you wish to remain here, it will be allowed. We can begin your lessons within the woods, if your Professor allows it."

"And allow it I shall… within reason, of course."

Naruto turned around to see Professor Xavier, surprised to hear his voice deep inside the forest, but his eyes quickly met with the new wheelchair he was on, if it could even be called that. In fact, it was more of a hovering device, yellow in color, which moved silently above the ground.

"Ehh! Nice ride, sensei!" he couldn't help but blurt out. "Where did you get that?"

"A gift from an old friend of mine," responded the Professor as he turned his attention back to Agatha Harkness. "As I said, I will agree to put Wanda through special courses with you, so long as you remember that I'm responsible for her wellbeing."

Agatha pursed her lips. "I'm not going to become a teacher in your Institute."

"Yes, I am aware of that. We can discuss the finer details later. This is all for Wanda's sake."

Agatha stood in place."Does it feel strange to you, Xavier? Taking the seed of your enemy into your home?"

"Wanda is not her father," responded Professor Xavier. "Erik was once my comrade, and I chose to give his daughter a home and safety because he was a close friend. To remember what was instead of what is."

"Ah, always the saint," she muttered as she stepped back into the woods. "Meet me here tomorrow at noon, Wanda. We'll start your first lessons then." As if by magic – which might as well have been – Agatha vanished into the air.

Professor Xavier was the first to speak. "Well, that's another worry we can put at the back of our minds. I would suggest you get some rest, Wanda. From what I know, Agatha is no gentle teacher."

Once the Professor floated his way out of the woods, Wanda finally found her voice again and launched herself at him.

"Naruto," she said, hugging him tightly. "I will learn to control this power, no matter what it takes. I promise you. Thank you for not giving up on me."

He grinned and returned the embrace. "I know you will. We'll get better together, believe it!"

"Are you two alright?" asked Kitty, walking to his side. "There's some blood on your face."

Naruto nodded. "No problem. I get healed fast thanks to the fox."

As the group went back to the Institute, feeling better at seeing Wanda smiling hopefully, he noticed a lone figure standing on the small hill overlooking the wrecked remains of the Sentinel with a large hole on its head.

"Naruto?" asked Kitty. "You coming?"

He let go of her hand gently. "I'll be back with you in a bit." He waited for her to nod before going up the hill.

Dani Moonstar stood as still as a statue, with the wind blowing her long, silky black hair through the air, her obsidian dark eyes set on the horizon, looking at everything and nothing at the same time. It was only when he reached her side that he realized the fragments of wood that she held tightly in her hands.

Her bow, the bow she had brought from her home to the Institute and stunned everyone with her proficiency with, was now split in three different pieces. There was no way to repair it.

"It was my grandfather's last gift. The last thing he gave me before…" She pursed her lips and said no more. Her teary dark eyes told the rest of the story. It was a look he would never have expected out of the same Danielle Moonstar that could hunt, skin, and cure a wild pig all by herself.

Naruto was about to ask if she could get another, but stopped before the words came out of his mind. He was getting better at this "think before you speak" thing Jean kept drilling into his head.

"I'm sorry," he said simply, though knowing the words meant little now. "I was going to ask if you could find a replacement, but I imagine it wouldn't feel quite the same."

Dani shook her head, eyes downcast. "The feeling that comes with holding a weapon is not the same when it is bought. Same as all things in life. This bow was crafted by someone who meant a great deal to me. It can't be replaced."

"I understand," said Naruto, though truthfully, he didn't. He had not yet been trained in weapons aside from the standard ninja weapons, and nobody had gifted him a particularly special set. But he could understand that it was important to Dani, and that was enough to empathize.

Naruto was surprised when Dani turned to him with a barely noticeable smile. "The only way to find something to replace it is to make it myself."

He raised his eyebrows. "I guess… that's true. Bowyers back in my home took years to learn their craft, but you're very resourceful."

She shook her head. "I'm not talking about making another wooden bow," she said cryptically and must've noticed his confused look. "When the Sentinel attacked, I lost my bow… but suddenly, I felt my powers surge unlike anything I've ever seen. I raised my hand as if I still had it in my hands… and a beautiful golden bow appeared, made out of my powers." She pointed at the downed Sentinel. "That's how the Sentinel was destroyed."

Naruto's eyes widened. He had heard in passing that Dani had dealt the killing blow to the first Sentinel, but they hadn't told him the details. "That's amazing! How did you do it?"

"I don't know. It was all instinct at the time, and since then I haven't been able to do it again. But it can be done. I know it." Dani turned to look at him. "The next bow I hold in my arms… will be made with my mind," she vowed, black eyes brimming with determination.

Dani's eyes softened. "Though… I do not know how. I'll train every day to make it so." She looked at him, her face unlike any he'd ever seen from her. "Naruto…can you help me?"

"Of course I will!" he promised with a smile. "Just need to get back from that SHIELD mission and we'll work on it."

She bowed her head graciously. "I'll train vigorously until your return."

Dinner was a mostly silent affair. He couldn't really blame the rest of his fellow students for it. He imagined that there were a lot of things they needed to process. Mutants were public knowledge now and their existence was revealed in the worst possible way. Even Jubilee and Bobby were silently eating their pasta and meatballs.

It still hurt when Jean refused to meet his eyes, and left as soon as she was finished. Naruto didn't want to leave for SHIELD with his first friend on this planet hating him.

His heart was still heavy, but was lightened when Kitty phased into his room for the night. He was going to miss her cuddling. He really couldn't imagine there'd be someone showing him this kind of affection in SHIELD. Colonel Angry didn't exactly look like the cuddling type.

"Will they allow you to return home? Or will you be gone for good?" asked Kitty as she lay down on his bed.

Home.

The word drilled into his mind. It usually brought images of the Hokage monument, or Ichiraku Ramen, even his old apartment with his worn mattress and a fridge that could barely keep his groceries cool. But that word equally brought images of the Institute with his loved ones, and the big city he protected, and even the star-spangled banner that was just as important to this country as the leaf-emblazoned headband was to Konoha.

"They're calling me to train with the team and go on a mission. They told me that I could come back after that. I'll be gone for the rest of spring break."

Kitty winced. "That's a pain. You really needed that break." She hugged him tightly. "But it's good that you won't be gone for good. I'm just worried and I feel guilty for not helping more."

"You know I'll be fine," he reassured.

"I know you're not going to die. You're the strongest person I know. Doesn't mean I don't get worried." She let out a breath. "I've supported your actions because I believed in them. I've seen the way you've improved the lives of many people, and I feel guilty because I'm your girlfriend and I don't do the same. It makes me feel selfish."

"You saved lives too, and you revealed yourself to do so. A selfish person wouldn't have done that."

"I just don't feel that it's enough."

He gave her a kiss and smiled. "It's enough for me."

"For you. But maybe it's not enough for me. Things are totally gonna change after last night." She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest. "I'm scared. Aren't you?"

Fear was not an emotion that Naruto was familiar with. He always jumped at any challenge. But he had come to realize that he was afraid of losing the small things that brought him joy. Like Kitty and his friends. He was alright with getting hurt, so long as they didn't.

"I'm scared for you."

"Then I'll make it so you're not. I'll make sure to get stronger… for all of us."

"You don't have to."

"I want to," said Kitty with a yawn. "Get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow."

Naruto tried to do just that, but even after he felt Kitty go limp beside him, he couldn't get a wink of sleep. He let go of her carefully, hearing her whimper and replacing him with a pillow. The hall of the Institute was silent, lit only by the moon. It had been the better part of a year, he realized, since he had settled in this place. He already had trouble remembering the faces of his comrades from Konoha.

It was while he was wandering aimlessly through the halls that he saw a familiar figure. The light of the moon turning her deep red hair to a crimson color revealed who it was. A weight settled on his stomach and he turned back around. He didn't want to see Jean angry again before leaving.

"Naruto?" she called but he kept walking. "Naruto… please stop…" The voice in his head came with a feeling of warmth. The connection between them didn't seem to be getting any weaker. Quite the opposite in fact. He could feel her sadness, her fear, and especially her regret.

His body stopped moving, slowly turning back to see Jean. The whiteness of the moonlight made her sad eyes sparkle like emeralds and it made Naruto's heart clench. He didn't want his last memory of her to be anger, but sadness was just as bad.

"Hey," he muttered when he reached her.

Jean gave him a nervous smile. "Hey yourself."

Silence reigned as both of them walked out of the mansion, the fresh air making Naruto feel more at ease as he sat down on the stairs next to Jean.

"I'm sorry I made you angry again," Naruto muttered.

Jean let out a humorless chuckle. "I'm not angry at you, Naruto, I'm just…"

"Scared?" He could feel it coming out of her in waves.

She nodded. "Yes. Scared, terrified even, of what's to come, and what's happening to us. We were just supposed to be students, normal people who were born different. We were being trained to handle our gifts, and fight only as a last resort… but now, it feels like we're being thrown into a battle. That's not what I want, for you, for me, or for anyone. I want everyone to graduate from school, go out into the world, become doctors, engineers, lawyers, find love, grow old, and live in peace. Not to become soldiers in a war we didn't choose." Jean took a breath and looked at him "It's not something that you can understand, can you?" she questioned, though not accusingly.

Naruto shook his head. "I've never been afraid of a fight. In my village, greatness can only be achieved through military power. As someone who can manipulate chakra, I was always going to be a shinobi, and I grew up admiring the Hokage. I always knew that the only way to become someone important was through battle."

"I know. I've seen enough of your memories to realize that. The way you grew up is – if you'll forgive a pun – alien to me." She closed her eyes and sighed. "But it's not my place to judge. And I can't find it in myself to be angry at your actions. You wanted to protect us. I just wished it hadn't come to this."

"I told you before that I'll do anything in my power to keep you safe. If someone has to be a soldier so you can grow up to become a doctor, then I'd rather it be me. I'll fight for you even if you hate me for it."

Jean looked at him silently for what seemed like an eternity, even her feelings were hidden from him. Finally, she touched the golden necklace he'd gifted her and laughed. "You really are stubborn, aren't you?"

"Is that a bad thing?"

"I'm still deciding that," she responded with a lighter tone.

After another moment of silence, her eyes turned serious again. "Naruto, there's not much I can do to help you. But there's something I've been meaning to show you for some time. I just wasn't confident enough until now."

Naruto waited for her to do something, but instead, it was her voice that made his eyes widen.

"I'm going to teach you how to learn things with your mind," she declared, but not in English. She was speaking in his language!

"You can speak like a shinobi?"

"I've been able to for some time. How do you think I was able to learn about your memories?"

"Ehh?! Really? How did you learn it? It must've taken you months!"

Jean shook her head. "It didn't. I learned it instantly."

Naruto gave her a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"With my mind, silly. It'd be too hard if it was another way," Jean responded with a smirk. "Now, don't go on another rant about how mind powers are a hassle and listen to me, Mr. SHIELD. You still haven't been trained to fly the Blackbird, right? Well you're going to learn right now."

Naruto gave a grin as Jean quickly coached him on how to use this new ability to absorb another person's knowledge. It was so easy to learn things from Jean, far more than with Professor Xavier, especially after the link they'd formed. It took only an hour until he got all the information he needed on the controls of the Blackbird. He doubted it'd be as easy as it seemed to fly it, but at least the theoretical knowledge had been absorbed. It did leave him slightly tired now, and he could only think about going back to Kitty and his bed.

"Thanks, Jean," he said, suppressing a yawn. "I don't know how I'll be able to repay you for it. I'm afraid if I try to do anything to thank you I'll mess it up again. For once, I'd like to make you happy instead of screwing things up."

Green eyes looked at him sharply. "Naruto. You don't screw things up."

"If I hadn't done –"

"If you hadn't done what you did, you wouldn't have been you," said Jean. Her green eyes turned soft. "You're not the type to let people suffer injustice. That's who you are. It frightens me, to be honest, seeing you jump into danger without a care for your own safety." Her fingers grabbed his hand gently. "But if I tried to change that, you wouldn't have saved all those people. You wouldn't be doing everything in your power to protect us."

Naruto chuckled. "Sorry I couldn't be what you wanted me to be."

"Don't be sorry. You don't have to make anything up to me. I can't change you… I don't want to change you. Just like you can't stop me from worrying about you."

"What do you want then?"

She gave him a sad smile. "I want you to stay safe and come back to us."

"That's a promise I can definitely keep," he replied with a large grin.

The next day, Naruto was the center of attention. Everybody helped him get packed before breakfast was served, which had been cooked with extra care by Jean and Rogue. All of the New Mutants had offered him luck, Ororo had given him some special herbs to remind him of home, and even Kurt gave him a cross like the one he constantly prayed to. Despite not sharing his religion, he took it graciously, knowing his friend did believe in it and wanted to offer him luck.

But the best present came from Kitty when they were back in his room.

"Look," she said, holding a black leather wallet. "I bought it for you when we were shopping. Felicia said it'd be just right for you."

Naruto grabbed it with a grin. Gama-chan would always be dear to his heart but it was better for holding ryō than dollars, and it didn't have places for credit and debit cards, something completely unknown to his planet.

"Thanks, Pretty Kitty."

Kitty giggled. He was definitely going to miss her laughs. "Go on, open it!"

When he opened the wallet, he immediately saw that there was a photo already placed inside. The memory came to him as if he was reliving it. It had been their first date together, though it wasn't technically a date yet. They had gone just when there was a promotion for couples and the waitress had snapped a surprise photo. They both looked quite awkward in the picture, but now it brought a wide smile.

Holding her shoulders gently, Naruto leaned down for a long kiss, the last one he was going to be getting for some time. "I'm going to miss you. A lot."

"I know. I'll miss you too."

They were all waiting for him outside the mansion. Now that he was seeing them all together, he realized just how much he was going to miss them. At least Logan would be coming with him, the old grouch.

He approached the New Mutants first. He didn't even have to try to get their attention now.

"I'm proud of all of you," he said, nodding his head. "You acted like a true team, worthy of taking on those who would threaten our home. I will grant you the privilege of choosing your codenames. Tell me all about them when I come back."

He followed by giving a firm handshake to Scott and the Professor, both of whom gave their blessings and wished him luck. He walked next to Kurt to also shake his hand but he gave him a brotherly hug.

"May the Lord watch over you, mein Freund." Naruto gave his thanks and went to Rogue.

"I'm sorry that you'll have to wait a bit longer for that seal."

She gave him a smirk and a hug. "Don't you worry 'bout me, ninja boy. Just come back home as soon as you can. Don't keep a girl waitin'."

Next was Ororo, who also gave him a warm hug. "It'll be harder without my second in command."

Naruto let out a dry chuckle. "I'm not sure I'm deserving of that position anymore."

"Yes you are. If you were undeserving, you would've skirted responsibility, sent someone else to do what you're about to do. You grow, adapt, and learn by making mistakes. I would have no one else."

Wanda was looking far better this morning, her hair once again a vibrant auburn and the bags under her eyes were gone. "You're going with SHIELD; I'm going with Miss Harkness. We may change a lot when we meet again."

"I'll still call you my friend," replied Naruto, giving her a hug. She stiffened slightly before awkwardly returning the gesture. The emotions he caught from her were no longer of fear, but hope.

Kitty gave him a final hug and just a chaste kiss on his lips. "Don't hurt yourself too much."

"I'll try not to."

Lastly, there was Jean. A small smile was on her lips. He was grateful that he wouldn't be taking the memory of an angry or sad face with him to the military.

"Remember your promise."

"I will," he vowed. "You stay safe as well."

Logan was waiting last in line, looking as a black SUV entered the compound, just as the one who had left him last afternoon. It stopped just in front of them and out of the driver seat, Clint Barton exited with a grin.

"You two ready?"

Logan grunted and tossed both of their bags inside. "Let's go kid, we can't say our goodbyes forever."

With a quick nod and a heavy heart Naruto got into the back seat slowly, keeping eye contact with all of his friends as the vehicle's engine turned on and began to drive out.

"Stay out of trouble, Naruto," said Ororo.

"Keep him safe, Mr. Logan!" shouted Kitty.

"Come back home safe!" followed Jean.

"Don't work too hard, ninja boy!" added Rogue.

"We'll be waiting for you!" promised Dani.

"I'll be stronger when you come back!" yelled Wanda.

The farewells and shouts of encouragement turned incoherent after that, but he still kept his eyes on them as they shouted and waved him goodbye. He kept his fake smile on, the one that he put on to mask his sorrow. He didn't want to leave them. Not now when the whole world would be coming down on them. But… what he was doing now was to help protect them. So he would do it without question.

"Don't worry about it, rookie. You'll be back before you know it," said Clint with a light hearted tone.

Naruto held onto those words as he watched Xavier's Institute fade from view.

---

Magneto opened his eyes to a blurry world, the voices around him drowned as they reached his ears. It was a state of impotence that he greatly detested, and yet he knew that it was necessary. His frail, elderly body would not be enough for the challenges ahead. His embarrassing match against Naruto Uzumaki had proved that well enough.

Nor did he have any successors worthy of his mantle. Pietro was still young and arrogant – although that scar he received from Uzumaki had humbled him greatly. His gift was powerful, but not enough to lead their people to the future. Sabertooth was impulsive muscle. Useful, but no less impulsive. Mystique, his most useful companion, had betrayed him over a disagreement with her adopted daughter.

No. He was the only one that had the strength and will to guide their people through the wars to come.

As he fully regained consciousness, the world became clearer. Sabertooth and Quicksilver were waiting for him outside of the large tank. The glass doors opened with a hiss and he welcomed the cool air into his lungs. Despite the clumsiness of his first few steps, he breathed easier, and the soreness that plagued his muscles were gone. It was as if he was reconnecting to a body he knew from decades past.

He turned towards his son. "How do I look?"

"Younger," Pietro replied simply.

He felt younger as well. With far more energy than before. As if he had broken the harsh malady of time and dared to take his age back. Just as the machine had promised to do.

A part of him felt disgusted at using HYDRA's technology for his own benefit. The abandoned base he found himself in and the technology housed within was the product of the suffering of his people. Both of his people. How many had entered this machine only to have their time stolen from them? Or come out twisted and torn?

Even so… just as Moses had carried the gold of the Egyptians for better use, so too would he use HYDRA's technology for the benefit of his people.

"With this body, nobody will stand in my way," he declared confidently. He had half a mind to go back to Uzumaki and finish what they started.

But a quick look at the monitors in front of him made it clear that there were far more important matters than payback. How ironic was it that Xavier's student was the one who exposed their people to the wider world? And in such a dramatic fashion as well. He was almost glad that Uzumaki had defeated him, if this was the result.

Just as he had believed for his entire life, the rhetoric from the humans was one of fear. He knew well enough that it would soon turn to hate. Exclusion would come later, followed by isolation, discrimination, persecution, and finally, extermination. The Sentinels were proof enough that humans were already preparing for that eventuality. Charles' dream was breaking just before his eyes.

Faced with that fate, their people would look for a way to survive, a way to act in their own right to exist in this world. They would look for a leader. Someone to carry their hopes into the future. All it took was someone to guide them in the correct direction.

"The fields have been sown and the fruits are ripe for harvest." He looked at Pietro and Sabertooth. "We must find those that wish to fight for their survival and bring them into the fold. You will aid me in this duty."

"Of course, father," replied Pietro with a cocky grin. "Mutants will follow the strong, and you are the strongest."

Of that there was no doubt. Not with his youth restored. He knew that just himself would not be enough, he needed others. Powerful ones that could take his mantle if there was ever the need to, at least until he found a permanent solution to death.

"Have you found your sister?"

Pietro's eyes lost their confidence. "She's not in the asylum anymore, father," he admitted, gritting his teeth. "She escaped thanks to Uzumaki. Wanda is with Xavier now."

Magneto clenched his jaw. That was most unfortunate. Wanda's gift was far more powerful than Pietro's, so much so that he couldn't help her control it. The asylum was the only way he could think of to keep her from destroying herself while he worked on securing the future for their kind. Now she was under Xavier's care, and taken there by Uzumaki, no less. It would be a shame to see his own daughter twisted by Xavier's empty idealism. The daughter he once thought dead along with her mother.

Suddenly, he was reminded of the one he found comfort with in his time of weakness. He didn't think much could've come from his time with Suzanna Dane, and yet he couldn't stop wondering about it. Once, he had thought Magda had taken Wanda and Pietro to the grave with her, but he was proven wrong.

He would have to look into it.

"Let us not waste time. There are followers out there waiting for a leader. Make them know the name of Magneto," he ordered.

The future was so clear that he could see it. He looked down to his arm. The tattoo had almost faded now, but it was still fresh in his eyes. As dark as the day it had been etched into his skin.

"Never again."

---

Emma took a quiet breath of the pomegranate tea, letting the rich aroma relax her mind before taking her first sip. No matter how much she searched, no store in New York could match her personal collection.

Her personal office was also an upgrade from the safehouse she had. Better lit and with even more luxurious furniture, as well as a clear view, showing off the beautiful harshness of Snow Valley. Most of all, the air didn't stink of trash and plebs. The only thing better than her office was slipping under the merino wool sheets of her own bed at night.

Of course, that was not the only thing that brought her joy. At the moment, she was smirking while looking over the progress reports of two of her most promising Hellions while both of them sat right in front of her desk.

Angelica Jones had been their most recent addition. Accepted into her school only a week before she went to New York. The redhead had the gift to harness and manipulate microwave radiation. An extensive look at her lineage had revealed a proper bloodline from Wales, with no inherent defects or recessive genes. The only true flaws she had were her low self-esteem, a product of being bullied by her inferiors.

The girl next to her was the complete opposite. Jennifer Stavros hailed from a particularly gifted lineage that originated from Macedon, the land of Alexander the Great. Her powers allowed her to create disks that would grant terrible luck or good fortune. She almost always preferred to bestow the former. Emma had been witness to her viciousness first hand.

"Angelica, Jennifer, I wish to congratulate you for your hard work during my absence. I'm pleased that you have studied hard and improved the handling of your powers. Such dedication deserves merit… and rewards."

Angelica tried her best to hide her shy smile, but she was betrayed by the reddening of her pretty cheeks. Jennifer did not even try her smug grin.

"I did my best for you, Ms. Frost," admitted Angelica. "I'm glad I made you happy."

"You know I would never disappoint you. That's why you enrolled me," replied Jennifer.

Before Emma could say anymore, she was interrupted by a knock at the door. She could already tell that it was Tessa on the other side. Her knocks were quite calculated. Emma raised her voice to allow her in.

"Tessa, darling. Glad to see you're back." She turned towards the two mutants in front of her. "Girls, your manners."

"Welcome back, Ms. Tessa," they chorused, good and proper. Good enough. Sadism and shyness was something Emma could work with, so long as they had good manners.

Emma took another sip of her tea, offering the teapot to Tessa. "I believe your task was successful?"

"Indeed." Tessa opened the case she had been carrying and laid out a mountain of files on her desk. "This was as much data as I could collect to the best of my abilities. Grades, medical examination, family histories going back to written records, and I've added my own comments based on personal observation."

"Wonderful work, truly." Emma let her hands wander into the thickest folder and opened it, pleased to see it carry Naruto's name. "Girls," she smirked, showing them Naruto's picture. "What do you think?"

Surprisingly, it was Angelica that answered first. "That's the Maelstrom, isn't it? The one that was all over the news? Part of Xavier's Institute?"

"He is indeed."

"He's cute," snickered Jennifer with playful eyes.

Seeing the other names of the folders on her desk, she turned back to the girls. "I'm afraid we must continue this at a later date. Keep improving, my darlings. Great things are coming our way."

Angelica and Jennifer bowed gently as they walked out of the room. Once the door shut behind them, Emma turned back to Tessa.

"Well then. How has the situation been since our little secret was made public?"

Tessa adjusted her glasses before she began her report. "The school is currently debating whether or not to allow mutants to return to class. Based on my calculations, the probability of Xavier's students being allowed back to Bayville High is… close to zero."

Expulsion would be for the better, Emma thought. Mutants were different from regular humans. The systems, laws, and customs of humans would not do for mutantkind.

Emma grabbed the folders and slowly began to go through them. She had to admit that while Xavier's standards were lacking compared to her's, he still did not invite just any mutant to his Institute. All of his students came from at least a decent genetic lineage, and some of them were truly superb. Wanda Maximoff, the daughter of the Master of Magnetism, Jean Grey, descending from a pristine New England bloodline, and Ororo Munroe, the heir of a long line of Kenyan princesses, stood out in particular.

Naruto was mostly a mystery, of course, but she knew that he was from a special bloodline, even if he had trouble admitting it. She had a good eye for these kinds of things. Which made it all the more unfortunate when she went over the folder of his girlfriend.

Katherine Pryde had good genes from a decent heritage. Genes that should get passed to the next generation and had even grabbed her attention when Emma had first tried to recruit her. But they paled in comparison to other prospects, both in Xavier's Institute and her own school. Emma wouldn't be bothered if she had partnered with someone of slightly lesser stock. The degree to which she had monopolized the genetic prize irked her immensely, though.

Thanks to Tessa's comments and her own personal investigation, the full picture was becoming clear. Naruto had arrived at Xavier's school and immediately made friends with Jean Grey and Ororo Munroe. From that friendship, Naruto developed a subconscious affection for both of them, especially for Jean. Unfortunately, Jean had subtly discouraged that affection. That's when Katherine came into his life, and even if they fell out, Anna-Marie was just waiting at the sides to pick him up. Another one with decent genetics, but not the best, and with a serious flaw to boot. Both were quite attractive though, Emma admitted. Not as much as herself, of course, but still.

She could understand Jean Grey in a certain way. Naruto was certainly immature, brash, and ready to jump into situations. But that was not being able to see the forest for the trees. Jean Grey and Ororo Munroe were exceptionally well bred too.

"It's such a shame," she sighed. "If it were up to me, I would've encouraged a more suitable candidate for a potential partner."

"It must be stressed that he is still a high school student."

Emma waved the thought away. "It doesn't hurt to plan for the future, Tessa. You out of anyone should know that."

Tessa gave a nod, her face set in stone. "Indeed. What I'm referring to are the changes in probabilities as the future strolls along. Especially with relationships at that age. If you are still uneasy about it, you can always find a way to extract some of his… reproductive cells."

Frowning, Emma looked at Tessa's glasses. "Such a boring outcome."

"If that's the case, wouldn't it be more convenient for you to offer yourself? Since he already has your attention and trust. By the time he reaches adulthood, you will be at your peak fertility."

"Me?" Emma scoffed. "And ruin this figure?"

"I'm merely offering a potentially beneficial – and easily achievable – outcome. Since you seemed highly concerned about reproductive gratification."

Emma hummed and changed the topic. "If Bayville High does not allow Xavier's students to return to classes, then there is no further reason for you to continue as principal. You will resign and reveal yourself as a mutant, and you will offer your services to Xavier. You'll have far more access to information that way."

Tessa gave a nod. "Understood." Suddenly, there was a change in her mood. Her finger went to her earpiece. "Emma," she said, voice turning even more serious, "the Black King wishes to speak to you."

"Tell Shaw that I will pay him a visit soo–"

"Emma… he's here."

It didn't take long for Emma to feel Sebastian Shaw's presence getting closer with every second. She quickly hid the documents in a secret safe below the carpet just in time to sit down again. The Black King of the Hellfire Club did not even bother to knock on the door before he came in. She gave a look to Tessa and her most trusted friend exited the room, leaving both White Queen and Black King alone.

"Well… it's been a long time since we've spoken, Emma Frost." His voice was as slippery as his smile, and as strong as his imposing physique.

"Could you not have sent a message? Technology has done wonders to our ability to communicate."

Shaw hummed humorously as he helped himself to an expensive bottle of gin and sat down on her favorite chair. "I would not be so eager to trust modern communication if I were you, Emma Frost. Who knows who else out there might be listening in."

"My lines are encrypted."

Shaw ignored her and took a sip of his drink. "I'm not the only one who has noticed your absence. Every member has been wondering why you have been so difficult to reach in the school which we funded just for you. Especially when we expect many things out of this investment, considering recent events."

Lying to Shaw would be a terrible mistake. Instead, Emma decided to muddle the truth. "I was out doing my own business. Was I not told I was allowed to indulge in my own personal goals? Were we not all supposed to be equals?"

Shaw took a sip of his drink. "You are correct in that, but your primary efforts should be for the benefit of the Club, not your own objectives. We stand on the precipice of change, and we must ensure not only our collective survival, but dominance over the world to come. Our dominance. Not yours."

"Do you not trust me to do what is right for our collective good?"

"I trusted your abilities, Emma Frost. That is why I proposed your inclusion into our club. Whether I trust your character is yet to be seen. Equals we may be on paper, but in reality, you are still unproven, and these little absences are being noticed. Queen you might be, but I am the King. Do not forget that."

A heaviness settled on Emma shoulders, though she did not let it show. An unpleasant feeling she hadn't felt for a year came storming back. The feeling of being small and helpless. Of being less than others.

"If you need me to attend the meetings, then I will do so, and if you question my progress, then my Hellions will clear those doubts," Emma responded confidently.

Shaw finished his drink and stood up, leaving the glass on her table. "I'm glad we've been able to set things straight. Do remember that I was the one who convinced the others of your inclusion into the Club despite your age, Emma Frost. Do not make me regret that decision. Prove to me you're more than a silly girl stripping for rent money," drawled Shaw, his voice both calm as the wind and hard as steel. "Otherwise, I'll need to clean my own messes to save face…"

Emma kept her confident smile until Sebastian Shaw stepped out of her office, and kept at it until his presence was completely gone. Her hand immediately grabbed the empty glass in front of her and threw it viciously at the wall, shattering it into a thousand pieces.

Tessa didn't take too long to return. Emma was glad she did not comment on the mess she had made, or questioned her about the meeting.

"Do you need anything else? Aside from cleaning the accident." Efficient and straight to the point. That's why Emma loved her so much.

"Send in the rest of the reports on the Hellions and include comments on their progress."

Tessa gave a single nod. "As for business in New York, do you wish to put a halt to it? I could shut down our operations as soon as you wish."

"Absolutely not," Emma declared firmly. "I want you to inform me the moment he returns, and I'll give you a list of things I want you to send to the New York safehouse as well." She pointed towards the expensive chair Shaw had been sitting on. "And send someone to throw that to the trash."

---

As soon as Naruto and Logan arrived at the base, they were greeted by Colonel Fury and Steve Rogers. Though it wasn't so much a greeting as an acknowledgment of their arrival.

"Uzumaki, you will follow Captain Rogers and Agent Barton to get yourself registered. After that you will be shown to your room in the barracks. Don't get settled in just yet. You'll just leave your bags in there before you join us to meet the rest of the team you'll be working with. We start team training immediately after that." Fury turned around and went back with a dark haired woman who was waiting for him with a communicator.

Naruto turned to Logan. "Angry-rikusa is not very charming, is he?"

"Can it, brat. This is the army. 'Charm' is not part of the vocabulary," Logan responded gruffly. "Now follow Steve. You don't want to keep Fury waiting."

Steve Rogers was far more welcoming than Fury. The Captain rubbed his back encouragingly as they walked to get registered. "Don't be too worried, son. You'll fit right in in no time. Military service builds character. Made me into the man I am today."

"We're more of a special agency than a proper military," countered Clint with a grin. "Couldn't get me to serve in the real military. Not too good with following my superiors to the letter. Fury is more forgiving so long as you get the job done without making too much noise."

The registration took only a few minutes. His picture was taken quickly. Unfortunately, he was not allowed to put on his war paint and make a pose. Other than that, it was eerily similar to the same registration process as the one they had in Konoha. He even got a number assigned to him (SSA-0099). His room was not as good as the one back at the mansion, but it was better than he expected. He expected to share his room with other agents but was pleased to see that he had his own room, even if it was small and only had a bed and desk. They even gave him a laptop to receive official messages and training instructions.

Naruto only had a few minutes to unpack his things before Steve returned to guide him down to the lowest levels of the base. They entered what could only be called an underground complex of rooms. He could see a room filled with lab equipment and another with a large training area. There was even a conference room of sorts, similar to the one that the Professor had back at the Institute. It was in a break room of sorts that he met the rest of the team, including some familiar faces.

"Hey kid!" called out Tony Stark, holding a drink on one hand and a cellphone on the other. Dressed in an extremely expensive looking suit, he looked fairly out of place compared to the other occupants.

Vibrant red hair made Naruto's memories flood back to a woman's scream and an abandoned alley. The same hair he had also seen at Stark Tower. That woman now stood in front of a table, tapping quickly at her laptop, but she was not wearing an assistant's outfit, but a skintight uniform, complete with a couple of handguns at her hips and some odd devices around her wrists.

"Ehhh! Weren't you the woman getting roughed up by that guy?" he asked accusingly.

The redhead simply gave him an amused smile. "His name is Evan and he was in the medical wing for four days, if you must know. You have a mean kick, rookie."

Naruto's eyes widened as he pointed at her. "So it was all a fake? You weren't really getting mugged?" Realization finally dawned on him. "You did it to get closer to me, didn't you?" Seeing the redhead's smile was all the confirmation he needed.

"Don't beat yourself up, kid," muttered Tony. "You're not the only one that fell for Natasha Romanoff's charm, and you definitely won't be the last."

Clint let out a laugh. "Natasha's no damsel, rookie. I'd even say she's the best agent that SHIELD has. Her skills in information gathering and undercover operations are even better than her combat prowess. And believe me, the Black Widow is very, very skilled in a fight."

With a groan, Naruto crossed his arms and pouted. "Can't believe I got fooled like that. I'm supposed to be the super cool and mysterious ninja. How could I have fallen for that?"

"Having a good heart is not something you should be ashamed of, rookie." responded Natasha. "If it makes you feel any better, had I truly been a damsel in distress, my heart would've swooned. Chivalry is something sorely lacking these days."

Naruto sighed loudly as he turned back to Tony. "So you're in here too?"

"Of course I am. Gotta see to it that the organization my old man helped set up doesn't fall apart. Though there were some slight disagreements about my qualifications."

"Instinctively compulsive, self destructive, textbook narcissistic personality disorder," droned Natasha while tapping at her laptop.

"Oh, please! You're making me blush!"

"Wonder what you wrote about me," said Naruto.

She smiled at him. "Only the good things. Including your innocence."

Clint introduced him to Maria Hill and the last couple of men. Carrying neither weapons nor wearing special uniforms, they didn't look like agents. Both of them looked middle aged. The younger, blonde haired one was called Hank Pym, and he looked even more laser focused on his work than Reed Richards tended to be. The other one had grayer hair with a thick beard. He immediately greeted Naruto with a smile and a handshake.

"Vernon Van Dyne. Words cannot express how excited I am to meet you, Mr. Uzumaki. I'm thankful that the Director did his best to have you put under the care of SHIELD instead of handed over to the other agencies."

Naruto heard the name and immediately thought about Kitty's friend. "Van Dyne? Do you know Janet Van Dyne?"

Vernon beamed at him and grabbed a photo near his desk, showing him smiling with a younger Janet with the Eiffel Tower in the background. "Of course! Janet is my little princess. I must give my thanks for saving her back in Stark Tower. Although… you seem to know her more than that."

"Yeah. She's in my girlfriend's dance class," responded Naruto. "They're good friends."

The old scientist smiled solemnly. "It's great to hear she has friends," he muttered, then quickly reached out for a piece of paper. "I hope you don't mind, but Janet would kill me if she knew I met the Maelstrom and didn't get his autograph. She started a fan club for you, I think. So entrepreneurial! I'm very proud of her!"

Naruto rubbed his head sheepishly. "Eh… I don't really have an autograph." He grabbed the paper anyway and signed it with his name. It's not like his anonymity could get any more compromised.

"I hope you don't mind me intruding, but you mentioned you have a girlfriend? Is she human?"

"She's from Illinois," said Naruto. "Kitty is from this Earth but she's… special. You must've seen the news by now."

"Ah, yes. The mutants." Vernon gave a nod. "I'm fully supportive of mutants, if you want my opinion. What I was asking is if she was from Earth. Forgive me, but I was under the impression you came from another planet."

"I'm not originally from this planet. But back in my own home we didn't even know about space or other places where life could be found. It really shocked me that people here look so similar to the ones on my planet. Though there are some differences."

Vernon's ears perked up. "What kind of differences?" he asked, his voice brimming with excitement.

"Well, people from my home seem to have better endurance. Especially shinobi like me. Though I guess that's just because I'm part of the people that can manipulate chakra."

"So not everyone can use the kinds of powers you use?"

Naruto shook his head. "There's only a certain amount of people that can manipulate chakra. Almost all of us live in hidden villages and have shinobi heritage. We have higher stamina, stronger bodies, and can perform jutsu." Naruto stopped for a moment and looked at the ceiling. "Now that I think about it, we're not all different from mutants."

The scientist gave a slow nod. "Amazing. You're so similar to us that you're able to even form romantic connections and blend into society. I never expected extraterrestrial life to be so… mundane."

Naruto gave an awkward grin. "I hope I didn't disappoint you."

"Disappoint me? Quite the contrary! If anything, you have given me far more to think about when it comes to our relations with alien life. Despite the great distances between us, we can be very similar. Until now, the most popular ideas of extraterrestrial life has been one that we would find incomprehensible, and yet through you I can see that you're able to emote much like us, speak like us, even love like us."

Fury entered just as Vernon finished talking and looked at all of them. "I believe you all have met our newest recruit." Everybody nodded. "Good. Now, it's time to bring him up to speed. Natasha, you'll show him the ropes. We will launch the operation in ten days."

So began his first days at SHIELD. He was quickly brought up to speed by Natasha, better known by her Black Widow codename. Apparently, the guys who had attacked Stark Tower were actually an old remnant of Nazi Germany called HYDRA. Captain America had fought against them in WWII and it was believed that they were defeated along with their leader, the Red Skull. Now they had shown up after nearly six decades of near silence. It was up to them to cut off all their heads for good this time.

"Your form has many openings, but your reflexes are amazing, and your endurance is even greater than Cap's. I'm guessing you were trained back on your home planet?" asked Natasha after she put him through a training program with some dummies.

He nodded. "Placed on the shinobi program since I was six, graduated around two years ago as a genin. Didn't get further than that before I was sent here by my asshole best friend. But yeah, I've been trained to fight since I could hold a kunai." He saw Natasha's eyes fall just as he said that. She looked lost in her own thoughts.

It seemed everybody had an odd reaction when he talked about his origins.

She quickly recovered "Good to know I'm working with someone with solid foundations," she replied with a smirk. "Here, let me fix your stance a bit. Follow my lead."

Naruto soon found himself learning from her, and from Clint as well. Even Logan came and offered some pointers about the combat basics. Taijutsu had never been his strong point. He was always more of a brawler compared to other students. It was something he'd been trying to fix since he met Lee, but just like with jutsu, he hadn't had the chance until now.

"Don't try to copy me in everything," said Natasha after the first week. "We have different physiques and capabilities. You're stronger than me while I'm more agile, for example. I use my entire body weight against my enemies to throw them off balance. That's not something you need to trouble yourself with. Master the basics, then make your own style."

Captain America and Tony Stark were gone for most days, so he didn't have a real chance to continue talking with them. Hank Pym was always buried in his work. The person he found himself talking to whenever he had some free time was Vernon Van Dyne.

He tried to answer the questions as best he could. Vernon was interested in their technology and political system. So he told him about the shinobi nations, the daimyo that served as the divinely appointed heads of state, and the five Kage who wielded the true power. He told him of his life and village, of his friends, and of his sensei. The scientist also asked him what he thought about Earth, and how he had fit in with their society.

Even if it was mostly questions, Naruto was always glad to speak to Vernon. It was clear that he loved the idea of extraterrestrial life almost as much as he loved his daughter. He wondered how Kitty was doing now, and if she was still friends with Janet.

That was how he found himself on the last day of training, sitting down in the mess hall with his laptop in front of him, wanting to see if he could communicate with Kitty. Fury had made it clear that they would be boarding the Quinjets soon, to strike at HYDRA at the same time in different suspected bases. Tony and Fury would take on the first while Steve and Clint would go after the second suspected base, leaving him and Logan with the third and final base. This was the last chance to get a message out.

Thankfully, Naruto had taken Kitty's email address when he left, so before he sent anything, he made sure to add "kittykatxp" as the recipient and started writing.

"Hey, rookie. You're being unusually non-hyperactive today," teased Clint.

Naruto didn't get a chance to give a response before someone else spoke up.

"He's writing to his girl," grunted Logan.

Hearing the hall erupt into snickers, Naruto slammed his laptop shut. "No, I'm not!" he responded defensively..

Fury stood up and approached him. "You do realize you're potentially leaking out serious information? All personal correspondence needs to be authorized before it can be sent."

"I'm not letting you read Kitty's mail!" Now the snickers became loud chuckles. Naruto could feel his face heating up.

"Then don't send anything. You'll be back to Xavier's when you're finished with the mission. Keep everything within this base until then," warned Fury.

Naruto sighed as he put his laptop away and continued eating. The others, however, were not all too keen to let him off the hook just yet.

"You have a girlfriend at your age? Huh…" commented Steve.

"No," responded Tony with a mischievous grin. "He has two girlfriends. Kid almost had a ménage with both of them on my bed."

Naruto swallowed his drink a little too hard and began to cough and sputter. Stark's bed? Was he talking about Rogue? And what the hell was a ménage?

"Two? Seems your information is a little bit outdated, Stark," added Clint with a teasing laugh. "Last time I checked, he had more than a few young ladies calling for his safe return with hearts in their eyes."

"Those are my friends!" blurted Naruto.

"Can confirm. The brat's our local Casanova. Our standards truly are low."

"Logan!" he protested.

Colonel Fury walked to them again and narrowed his eye at them. "Finish your meals quickly and get ready for our missions," he ordered and he walked off the hall… but not without adding a final comment.

"We have too many duties that don't involve Uzumaki's unorthodox lifestyle choices." Was it his imagination or did Fury actually smirk? That damned Angry-rikusa! He was going to prank him so bad!

"Two girlfriends? Things really have changed since I was put on ice," mused Steve. Naruto didn't think he was teasing.

"I don't have two girlfriends!" he shouted. "I only have Kitty. She's very sweet and I love her, thank you very much!" he bellowed. The entire mess hall heard that and exploded into laughter. His face heated up again as he heard countless calls of "lover boy" as the agents finished their meals and left.

The only people left at the end were Clint, Logan, Steve, and Tony.

"We should get ready," said Steve.

"Why? It's quite the interesting conversation, and I happen to be a bit of an authority on the fairer sex," teased Tony, waggling his eyebrows. "I was young, once. Girls are the most important thing at that age… and still are at my age, really."

"An authority that doesn't have a ring on his finger," responded Steve.

Tony chuckled. "Come on, grandpa. What's the point of being a billionaire if you don't have fun? Besides… my father told me that you were hopeless with girls. Still a virgin before you were iced?"

Steve frowned. "There was no time in war for a proper courtship, Stark. These things are a bit complicated."

Logan's voice interrupted them. "There's no complexity to it. You see each other; you like each other. If the attraction is clear, then you do your business. We're not that different from animals. We even get a bit aggressive when there's competition."

"That can't be right," replied Steve with a shake of his head. "Women value honorable men above all else. If you want to have a good relationship with one, you must respect her at every moment. Going for carnal pleasure immediately is not the way."

Tony let out an amused giggle. "You both have no idea what you're talking about." He looked at Naruto. "Listen, kid. Trying to know exactly what goes through a woman's mind is a surefire way to land yourself in an insane asylum. That doesn't mean that you can't learn a thing or two. Good thing you have me here for that."

"Now," he said, sending a look towards Logan. "Given you actually have a girlfriend, I imagine you know that if you let go of all instincts and smell her butt like a mutt, the only thing you're gonna have to think of is a nice excuse to explain the red handprint on the side of your face to your friends and the sexual harassment suit to your mom."

"Oddly specific scenario," laughed Clint.

Turning his gaze towards Steve, Tony continued, "On the other hand, if you are like a good guy all of the time and act more chaste than St. Agnes, she's going to be drier than Death Valley."

"We're talking about courtship, not sex," protested Steve.

"And I'm saying they're one and the same. You treat her right, take her to a good place, show her a good time, make sure to flex some of your assets, whether that be money or physique… and when you get home, you do things that will make Aphrodite blush!"

A female voice cleared her throat.

Natasha looked at them with her arms crossed, her face a mixture of amusement and annoyance. "As hilarious as it is to see grown men being clueless about my gender, we all have our assignments to see to. It's time to go now." She looked at Naruto and Logan. "You're coming with me."

Naruto grabbed his things and walked right after Natasha. He couldn't stop thinking about the things Tony, Logan, and Steve had said. Usually, when he was really in doubt, he'd ask Emma. But she wasn't here. After two weeks, it's the longest he'd gone without seeing her.

"Hey, Natasha?" he asked as they walked towards the hangar. "You're a woman, right?"

"You are wonderfully perceptive," she responded playfully.

"Which of them was correct? Tony, Steve or Logan?"

Natasha turned to him with a smirk. "All of them are right… and all of them are wrong."

Well… that was a cryptic answer to rival the old sage in his dreams. "Well, can you tell me the whole truth?"

Natasha's smirk grew into a grin. "Now… where is the fun in that?"

Naruto sighed. He really wished he had Emma right now.

Both of them eventually arrived towards a prepared Quinjet, ready for takeoff. This is it, Naruto realized, his first mission. He'd had brushes with death with the X-Men, but those were missions that had gotten out of hand. With SHIELD, it was crystal clear that he was heading into potentially mortal danger. In a way, it was like he had actually made chūnin.

"You're going to be heading out with us?" he asked Natasha, who was settling herself comfortably in the seat opposite to his.

"Of course. I'm going to be your handler. Make sure you stay out of too much trouble. All of your missions are going to be with me."

Naruto nodded. "Hope to get along with you, then, Black Widow. You're a far better companion than Colonel Angry."

She laughed. "Call me, 'Nat', rookie."

"Alright, Nat. So, where are we going?"

"The land of the wounded bear," Natasha said cryptically and muttered something to herself in an unknown language.

"What do you mean?"

Logan stepped into view and lit a cigar. As soon as he sat down next to him, the Quinjet roared to life and took off.

"Russia, brat. We're going to Russia."

---

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Until next time!

The Metal Sage