Chapter 3: You Scratch My Back I Scratched Yours (1/2)
Location: Was.h.i.+ngton D.C.
Date: July 18, 2008
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”So what exactly are we dealing with here?”
Nick Fury was standing in a rather large office, the back wall acting as a large window giving Fury a clear view of the country's capital. Across from Nick was a man in his late 70's. The man wore an expensive looking business suit, his combed blond grey hair rather thick for a man of his age. This man was Alexander Pierce, Secretary of the World Security Council. Secretary Pierce was the middle man between the WSC and s.h.i.+ELD, making sure that both parties were kept up to date with the other.
Nick took the seat across from Pierce, ”You've seen the pictures I'm guessing?”
Pierce snorted, ”Along with the entire Council. They're not exactly pleased that we have a literal walking nuke roaming around unsupervised.”
Fury sighed, ”Well from what I've seen, the kid has experienced war. And I'm not talking about as a civilian, but as a soldier. That and according to him his home world is quite liberal with using child soldiers, him being one of them. When I debriefed him on his mission, the kid didn't even flinch at the prospect of enemy casualties.”
”Is he stable?” Pierce asked.
Nick closed his eye, ”He hasn't shown any signs of instability, or at least he's more stable than most people I've dealt with in this kind of situation.”
The Secretary leaned back in his chair, ”Give me a full a.s.sessment, from you're point of view.”
”Name: Naruto Uzumaki. Age: 15-17. He's humanoid in appearance, with his only distinctly inhuman characteristics being the whisker marks on his cheeks. The boy seems intelligent, but hides it behind a mask of naivety. From what footage we could recover, the boy is very adept at hand to hand combat, being able to disarm and disable with very little effort on his part. In the Sankt Georgen Raid, he demonstrated several strange abilities, from producing spinning spheres and disks of energy, to his body being covered in a yellowish flame with strange markings surrounding his arms and torso. He is also able to create a ma.s.sive avatar like construct around himself in the shape of a fox like creature with nine tails. In said avatar state, Uzumaki was able to fire off an attack that when set off is similar to an atomic bomb only smaller in size and lacked any kind radiation aftereffects. According to Agent Romanoff, the attack he used wasn't at full strength, apparently holding back to keep it from reaching Romanoff and her team.”
Secretary Pierce rubbed the side of his head, his age momentarily catching up with him, ”I know this is probably redundant but I'll ask anyway. Threat Level?”
Fury didn't hesitate, ”Threat Level: Omega.”
Pierce sunk deeper into his chair, ”That's two people to become Omega Threat Levels in two months Nick. What the h.e.l.l is going on?” He asked in exasperation.
”I think this is the universe telling us that something is coming, and its giving us the pieces to fight whatever it is. First, Tony Stark builds an incredibly technologically advanced exo-suit and uses it to combat terrorist cells in Afghanistan. Then, the scientist Dr. Bruce Banner turns himself into a real life Jekyll and Hyde, only his Hyde is a ma.s.sive rage machine that can demolish a prepared military unit and later destroy an entire city block as though it was nothing. Now, we have an alien from another dimension that's so powerful you'd think he was some kind of comic book character brought to life. We've been given these men for a reason Alex.” Nick reasoned.
Pierce shook his head with agitation in his eyes, ”Would you drop the Avenger Initiative Program already? The Council doesn't support it, and neither do I. The idea of having those three alone is bad enough, but together? Imagine the damage they could do before they're taken out, if we even could take them out!”
”And image the good they could do as a team working to make a difference.” Nick argued.
Pierce sighed, ”Even if the Council approved of your program, you'd never be able to get them to work together, Tony Stark being a good example. Sadly, the man is nothing like his father.” Leaning forward, Pierce looked at Naruto's file that was sitting on his desk, ”He may be powerful, but he's still young. And young means malleable, impressionable.”
Fury shook his head, ”I already said that the kid is smart, even if you do succeed in manipulating him, he'd eventually figure it out and turn the Triskelion into a parking lot.”
The Triskelion was the main public headquarters of s.h.i.+ELD. The building itself was rather strange in appearance compared to most, with it being on an isle in the middle of a river, the building built along the main outline of the isle. The top floors of the building were set to the side, going up in a cylinder shape only the sides divided up into thirds. It was the pride and joy of the s.h.i.+ELD founders, it being their last project before the majority of them retired sans Howard Stark.
”Do you think you can control him then?” Pierce pressed.
Fury folded his arms across his chest, ”Control him? No. Keep an eye on him? Yes.” He then got up from his seat, ”Tell the Council that I'll keep a close eye on him. That should sate them until he does something stupid.”
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With Naruto
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”What the h.e.l.l is taking so long?! This place is so boooring.” Naruto whined, leaning his head back in his chair in the room he was waiting in.
Agent Coulson sighed, ”Director Fury is having an important meeting right now. He'll get here when he gets here.” Phil was standing near the window, looking outside at the monuments on the horizon.
Naruto leaned his chair back on its back two legs, resting his legs on the table to keep his balance, ”So exactly do you do?”
”That's cla.s.sified.”
”Where's Natasha at?”
”Black Widow's location is none of your concern at the moment.”
”…Black Widow?”
”Agent Romanoff's codename.”
”Do you have a codename?”
”No.”
”Why?”
”I don't know.”
”I feel like you do but you're not telling me.”
”…”
Seeing that he was getting the silent treatment, Naruto sighed, ”If it's any conciliation I never had a codename back home.”
Coulson didn't get to respond since Fury walked briskly into the room, ”I'm sure you're ready for me to give you my side of our bargain Naruto, so I won't waste time with small talk.” Fury sat down in the chair next to Naruto, another folder in his hand, this one labeled, ”S. Rodgers.” Sitting the folder down on the table, Nick said, ”According to one of the founders of s.h.i.+ELD, Howard Stark, the Tesseract is capable of sustaining an infinite amount of energy. As I told you before, it was once in Tonsberg, Norway where it was kept safe for thousands of years. However, during World War II, Hydra Commander Johann Schmidt discovered where the Tesseract was and used Germany's invasion of Norway as a way to find and acquire it. It was with the Tesseract that he broke ground in his weapons research, using it as a power source for his new state of the art rifles that are advanced even now. Schmidt then enacted his master plan of flying a t.i.tanic sized aircraft powered by the Tesseract to fly over and bomb the United States. In a last ditch effort, Captain America sacrificed his life after defeating Schmidt by cras.h.i.+ng the aircraft into the Arctic.”
Naruto sat there, his stomach dropping further and further as Fury finished, ”So what happened to the Tesseract? Did you find it?”
Nick sighed, ”The Tesseract was in the aircraft with Captain America. By the time we figured out the general area Rodgers crashed, it had been frozen over countless times.”
”So it's lost.” Naruto concluded.
”I'm sorry Naruto. I know you had your hopes up for this to work out.” Kurama said, feeling the disappointment rolling off Naruto at the moment.
Nick nodded, seemingly thinking something over before he said, ”I'd like to make a deal with you Naruto.”
Naruto got up from his seat, ”Sorry Fury, but I'm not going to work for you and your 's.h.i.+eld.'”
Nick got up himself, walking behind Naruto as he spoke, ”I don't want you to work for me. I to work with you. We both have a common interest, the Tesseract. Why not work together here?”
Naruto stopped before turning around, ”What're you suggesting Fury?”
Nick put his hands in an almost pleading gesture, ”What I'm saying is we work together, s.h.i.+ELD has several teams working extensively to find Captain America and the Tesseract. We're going to find the Tesseract eventually. The question is, are you going to be here when we do?”
Naruto narrowed his eyes, ”I thought what I did to that Hydra base was warning enough. Don't try and manipulate me Fury, or you'll live to regret it.”
Fury raised his hands in a placating manner, ”I'm not trying to manipulate you, I'm not trying to trick you. This is a legit offer, you work with us until the Tesseract is found, and you'll be allowed to use it to get home.”
Naruto kept his eyes narrowed at Nick as Kurama said, ”He's telling the truth brat. No matter how much I loath to admit it, it would probably be a good idea to stay close to these guys until you get what you want. And it's not like you can't take care of them if they prove to be too much trouble.”
Naruto sighed, ”Fine.” His face then became rigid, ”But there are gonna be some rules.” He then stuck out his hand out with four fingers out, ”First, I'm not gonna be your dog on a leash. Second, if I don't want to do something, I won't. Third, when you find the Tesseract, I'm the first one you call. Not that Pierce guy, not the World Council or whatever. Me. And fourth…well I haven't really thought of a fourth. But when I do you'll know.” Seeing Nick nod in confirmation, Naruto extended his hand forward in a closed fist.
Fury looked at the fist with confusion at first before it turned to understanding and humor. Reaching his own fist out, he b.u.mped fists with the strange alien. And just like that, a deal was made.
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Location: Malibu, California
Year: May 30th, 2010
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”I still don't get why I'm here.” Naruto said as he sat next to Phil in a s.h.i.+ELD SUV. In the two years on Earth Naruto's appearance had taken on a change. His usually eye length hair was now more cropped and groomed, brushed to the side yet still maintaining its messy look. Whatever baby fat Naruto had on his face was now gone, looking more lean and mature than he had two years ago. Speaking of his face, his whisker marks that had been such a key part of his life were now missing. Thanks to some kind of artificial skin thing over his cheeks, the official name of it going right over Naruto's head when they told him what it was, allowed him to blend into human society perfectly. The decision had been a tough one, his whisker marks had been a part of him his entire life, it just didn't seem right to hide them. But, he knew that it would make his life easier on Earth if they were hidden, as with them on people's attention was immediately placed on him, along with the fact that if people ever asked around about him, his abnormal appearance would make him easier to remember thus be found.
Similar to Coulson, Naruto was sporting a tactical business suit, with the jacket and pants a standard black, with a white b.u.t.ton up t-s.h.i.+rt and an orange neck tie. Usually he'd wear something more comfortable but Phil had insisted.
Naruto could hear his partner sigh in his head, ”You're here because you owe Fury a favor you fool. You can't be mad that he'd want collect.” Kurama grumbled, sick of his partner's complaining,
”Director Fury wants us to watch over Tony Stark as he is working on a cure for his ailment. We're to make sure he doesn't leave or get side tracked.” Phil said for the third time in the last hour.
”It just seems like a waste of my skills. I'd much rather be out with Natasha or Clint doing a field mission. At least then I can get my monthly quota of violence and mayhem.”
”And you wonder why they gave you the codename 'Maelstrom.'” Coulson said, probably still sore over Naruto getting a codename while he still didn't have one.
Naruto scoffed, ”I still think that it's a stupid name. Orange Flash is way better.”
”No it isn't.”
”It really isn't Naruto.” Kurama added.
Naruto decided to change the subject, ”So this Tony guy, what's he like?”
”His personality is thoroughly examined in his file.” Seeing Naruto rubbing the back of his head in embarra.s.sment he sighed, ”You didn't read the file.” He stated.
Naruto folded his arms across his chest indignantly, ”I'm not one of you s.h.i.+ELD toadies, I don't gotta do s.h.i.+t.”
Phil sighed but knew that Naruto was right. The only reason he was hear was because Naruto needed some spending money to buy an apartment in D.C. so Fury told Naruto he owed him a favor, this mission being said favor. Any other time, the only reason Naruto did anything was because he wanted to, which usually involved field missions with Agent Barton and/or Romanoff, the former of whom taking Naruto under his wing so to speak on matters such as Earth culture and activities, showing the blonde things like videogames, movies, sporting events, and the internet in general. The Council hadn't been to happy learning that tidbit about him not taking orders, but were placated by the fact by the fact that he wasn't roaming around doing G.o.d knows what but was instead under the watchful eye of Fury.
Looking out the window, Coulson saw that they were pulling into Stark's mansion driveway, ”We're here.”
Getting out of the SUV, Naruto couldn't help but marvel at the Malibu mansion. The all white building had a square theme, with multiple intricate levels jutting out every which way. Walking towards the double doors, Coulson didn't bother knocking, instead barging right through. Naruto couldn't help but be unimpressed by the inside of the house, but that probably had something to do with the fact that it looked like Rock Lee had just got done with one of his usual training session in there. In the middle of all that mess sat Tony Stark, looking out the large window acting as a wall into the beautiful ocean view
Giving Tony a look over, Naruto could see that he didn't look any different from the pictures he'd seen. He dark brown hair spiked up at the front, with a rather unusual goatee that had a rather sharp and pointed design. The man looked kinda pathetic at the moment, his usual bravado he'd seen on TV gone, in place of a man looking to be on his last leg. The fact that he was still wearing a robe in the middle of the day didn't help much either.
Sitting next to Tony was Fury, the two of them seeming to have just gotten done with their conversation. Looking over at Coulson and Naruto, Fury said, ”I believe you've already met Agent Coulson, and this is Agent Uzumaki.” Naruto held back a scowl at being called an agent, he seriously couldn't wait for this favor to be payed and done with, ”they're going to stay here, watching over you until you're done.”
”Babysitters, really?” Tony cracked, ”The blond one looks young enough to be in high school.”
Naruto narrowed his eyes at Tony but kept his mouth shut. For now.
”Agent Uzumaki is more than qualified to make sure you stay here to finish your work Tony. If you're really concerned you can put your armor on and he can give you a demonstration.” Fury said before making his way towards the door, ”Get it done Tony, we're gonna need you.”
Naruto rolled his eyes at Fury and his constant references to the 'Avengers Initiative.' He'd lost count how many times he'd tried to get him to get involved, with Naruto ignoring him as much as possible when asked.
Natasha, who'd been in the other room, also made her way towards the door after Fury as she said, ”We've disabled all communications. No contact with the outside world.” Looking over at Naruto she said, ”Good luck.”
”So this is where Natasha's been.” Naruto thought.
Tony, who thought Natasha had been speaking to him, said, ”Please…alright, first things first I need a little body work, then I'll put some time in the lab. Hey Junior, make yourself useful and go on a Starbucks run. Please and thanks.”
Coulson stepped in between Tony and Naruto, probably thinking Naruto might attack the inventor, saying ”We're not here for that. Director Fury has authorized us to use any means necessary to keep you on the premises. If you attempt to leave, or play any games, I will taze you and watch 'Supernanny' while you drool into the carpet, understood?”
Tony nodded in understanding, ”Yeah, uh…I think I got it.”
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