Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor the X-Men. If I did, I would be rich, powerful and have millions of geeks and freaks at my every whim…wait, that would include myself…ah well, on with the show.

"(English)"

Chapter 29

"I've known about it since I was really little." Hinata began as they sat comfortably around Naruto's living room after the preliminaries. The four Genin along with their Jonin instructors were waiting to hear about Hinata's unveiling.

"When I was five, my lungs were turning to ash, my power began to consume me." She said and both Naruto and Ino took a hand giving her reassurance through gentle squeeze.

"My mother, desperate to save me found a doctor, he was called Essex, a strange foreigner, but he checked me over and after a little bit of time presented me with an injector and every six months a package would appear with medicine to keep my lungs from dissolving."

She sighed. "I see now it was either his mistake or a lie."

"Wait, did you say, Essex?" Naruto asked a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Y-Yes?" Hinata was confused.

Naruto rose. "Wait here." He said and standing rushed upstairs to his room. He grabbed the mobile hologram projector Forge had made. He grabbed his laptop from his nightstand as well and prayed he was wrong.

Coming down he set the laptop down and after logging in he connected the projector.

"What are you doing?" Anko asked. She herself like computers, but she'd never seen anything like what Naruto had.

An image fluttered into being. "Was this the doctor?" Naruto asked.

There was a man, white skin, black hair and beard with blood red eyes, pointy sharp teeth and a red diamond mark on his head. He was wearing blue armor with a cape.

"N-No…that isn't him." Hinata said.

Naruto sighed in relief, then remembered something that Cyclops had said to him long ago. He tapped a few more keys on the keyboard the image altered slightly, showing a man with similar looks, pale skin, and normal looking eyes and teeth wearing a suit.

"How about now?"

Hinata looked at it and nodded.

"FUCK!" Naruto swore and paced. "That sonova…"

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked.

He stopped pacing and looked at both Ino and Hinata who looked at him concerned. Shino was even leaning forward.

"The man you know as Essex, is in fact a very dangerous mutant known as Mr. Sinister." He looked at the image and shuddered as he remembered how many times that man had made not only Scott and Jean's life a living hell, but the crap he put his adoptive brother/father through.

"He's nearly immortal as we can tell…" Naruto wasn't sure what to say. "Did he take any blood and tissue samples from you Hinata-chan?"

The pale eyed girl nodded. "He said he needed them to make my medicine in the hopes of finding a cure for me."

Naruto sighed. "He wasn't looking for a cure. Until Beast gets here I ask you not to use that injector."

"I don't think I will. Since I…transformed, I feel different." Hinata said holding a hand to her chest. "I don't feel like my insides are ripping apart."

Naruto nodded. "If you see him again, or get a package, please let me know. Sinister is a scientist who believes he can create a super mutant. He's come across my family numerous times and its never a good thing."

"So we kick his ass." Ino said.

Naruto shook his head. "Its not that easy Ino-hime. Sinister is powerful. He's taken on nine or ten opponents at once and is left standing. And he has several powerful bands of mutants around him as well."

Not to mention his alliance with Apocalypse which might include the Dark Riders and some incarnation of the Horsemen. Naruto thought to himself, remembering how bad things get when the ancient mutant is involved.

"For now we keep our eyes open and train for the finals." Naruto said.

"Yeah, congratulations about that." Anko said. "Our whole team made it in."

"We need to come up with plans for your matches." Kurenai said. "Hinata's got the toughest fight in the first round."

"I'll help her with that." Naruto said.

"But what about your own training?" Kurenai asked.

"I'm used to my skills and am already prepared. Hinata needs someone to learn her powers with as does Ino."

"I can help Ino." Shino said. "My family's bloodline mutated in me alone and I can use my various insects to help her learn about communicating more with her plants."

"And I can speak with my dad about getting different seeds to use." Ino said.

"Then we'll meet together every other day and do team drills and spars." Kurenai said after talking with Anko. "One of us will be with each pair up with you, that way you have a sensei present should there be complications."

Naruto thought about it. "Can you get us a training ground with water and sand?" he asked Kurenai.

"I'll check with the hokage." She said.

He looked at the image of Sinister. "I need to contact my family, let them know of what's happened. Knowing them, they'll be here long before the third exam takes place."

Naruto shot a look at Shino as Ino and Hinata left with promises to be back for dinner. Anko and Kurenai left saying they'd meet up tomorrow.

"You know more than your letting on Shino."

"I know. My bugs and I are different than those my family have. I've developed three separate hives in my body that aren't my family's Kikai. They are my central hive." He held his hand over his heart. "They along with me changed. I thought at first that it was a simple advancement of my bloodline."

Naruto was amazed, this was the most Shino had spoken at once, but he kept quiet as the Aburame heir seemed to need to speak now more than he did.

"When I brought it to the attention of the main hive in my family's compound, I was presented by the Kikai queen." Shino pulled his shades off and Naruto didn't see normal eyes, they were bug eyes, multi-faceted.

"She knew my whole DNA was different. Since team assignments I have been changing and when you mentioned mutation, my father sent for books from the world above."

Shino made a sound. "Some of my bugs have been taken for study to see if this will alter the others, thus far none of my clan have been able to handle or communicate with the new breed." Shino looked at Naruto. "My father while proud of me has asked that should my genetics prove strong and I can breed them that I start a new clan of Aburame."

"So, you figured you're a mutant." Naruto said. "I can ask Beast when he arrives to run some blood tests to find out for sure. But like you said, it could just be your kekkai genkai has changed."

Shino sighed. "I will ask that you keep what I've told you in confidence until we know for sure. My clan isn't going to say anything until then either, and will continue researching as this has never happened before."

"I thought your clan tried to breed new bugs and such?" Naruto asked.

"But the existing hive in ones body has never altered, and no other member of my clan has had other hives in their body." Shino extended his hand and there rested a bug that looked like a cross between a scorpion and a dragonfly.

"I've been able to merge bugs together to form whole new species. That what makes me sure that I am a mutant and not an advancement of my families bloodline as many think."

Naruto nodded. He remembered when his own gift had activated. He thought it was another trick from the Kyuubi, then later thought it was his own kekkei genkai kicking in. It hadn't been until Beast had run several tests.

"I'll tell Hank to bring extra gear." Naruto said puling out his pocket watch and looked at it. "I swear, I've been here a couple months and mutants are popping up all over. Wonder how many there are?"

Shino shrugged, the bug in his hand made a sound and Naruto looked at it. "Could you put that away…"

Shino actually chuckled as the bug seemed to slither into a slit in his wrist. Naruto shuddered. "I don't mind the usual bugs, but that one…"

"I believe Shikamaru won't know won't know what hit him." Shino said.

"And that sound nin has no clue what I can do." Naruto said. "We just need to get the girls ready, both in their ninja skills and their abilities. Ino will be fine, she's got the basis down, and time spent with you learning about communication and her dad about other plants will help."

"What are your plans for Hinata?"

"Coach her in the use of her powers, see if there is a limit." And pray the others come quick after I call them. Hinata's power reminds me of Magma's and Jean's when she's in her Phoenix form. Naruto thought.

XX

Once the house was locked down and Naruto made sure Shino hadn't left any bugs he activated the computers camera.

"(Solitaire to War Room, Solitaire to War Room, Priority One alert.)"

He waited for a moment before repeating the message.

The holo-projector showed a sleepy looking Jean Grey-Summers. "(Naruto?)"

"(Hey Jeannie. We have several problems. Record this and present it to everyone when they're awake.)" Naruto said.

"(Okay, its set.)" Jean said coming fully awake as Naruto spoke, leaving nothing out about events since the encounter with Random and up through his talk with Shino.

When he finished he sighed. "(I'm not sure what more to do. I aim to help Hinata learn about her abilities as best I can, but…I am afraid what might happen.)"

"(You certain her abilities are similar to Magma's?)" Jean asked.

"(She brought lava up through the floor. I think that's a good indication. But her fiery form reminded me of your Phoenix form.)" Naruto said.

"(Sit tight Naruto. I'll get the others and we'll call you. I have a feeling we'll be coming sooner than expected.)"

"(I don't mind. I miss you all.)"

"(And we miss you little sunshine. Even Logan, despite him not admitting it.)" Jean said. Naruto smiled at the nickname she'd given him when he was younger as he'd always been bright and his hair color.

Jean smiled "(Both Laura and Sarah are looking forward to coming back, something about putting two girls in their place.)"

Naruto groaned. "(Ino and Hinata. this is going to be messy.)"

"(Not if Rogue is involved. She had them cleaning the Blackbird and hanger for a week after they got back and Kitty spilled the beans.)"

Naruto sighed. "(I'll keep my communicator active. Now, go back to bed before Cyke wakes up, we all know he's a stick in the mud without eight hours.)"

Jean smiled. "(Stay safe till we get there. Sinister is never far from one of his schemes, and he's been far too quiet, I guess we know why now.)" Jean clicked off and Naruto sighed as he slumped in his chair.

"Can it get any worse?" he muttered shutting the system down for the night and went to change for dinner with Ino and Hinata.

AN: Training next time on Naruto Prince of Thieves.