Chapter 13:

The door to the prison opened and a guard came in. He looked down at the two prisoners looking up at him from seated positions in the back of their cells. Standing where he was, he smirked down at Boruto.

"Looks like your old man came to bail you out," he told Boruto.

Boruto stood up. He had no idea how his father managed it, but it looked like he wouldn't have to try escaping after all. Although, if he was being released, that must have meant his father found a way to turn Kai back into a human being. He wasn't sure how he felt anymore, knowing this.

Mixed feelings turned to confusion when he noticed that the guard didn't have a set of keys on him and wasn't moving towards the door of the cell.

"Where is he?" Boruto asked.

The guard laughed cruelly at his question. "Begging the king on his hands and knees for you back. Don't see that happening. Your old man won't hold up his end of the bargain, so why should he?"

Then they haven't found a way to change Kai back after all but his father was still trying to reason with the king.

"After what you did, I don't see the king listening to your old man unless he has something valuable to offer. The king wants what he wants and if your old man doesn't deliver, you're not going anywhere, no matter how much he begs."

Boruto gritted his teeth, glaring at the guard. "You came all the way here just to taunt me?"

The guard scoffed, looking down his nose at Boruto. "Give me a reason to come in here and do something else, boy."

If Boruto became violent, the guard would have reason to beat him. Boruto wasn't going to give him that chance. He thought it made him look weak, but he didn't want to make another mistake while his father was so close, so he backed off without another word.

"That's what I thought," said the guard. "Coward. Are all shinobi underhanded? Attacking us when the king's trying to make peace? Didn't even have the guts to do it to our faces. Snuck around like a snake and hid for your chance to strike when our backs were turned."

Boruto clenched his fists. "It wasn't like that."

"I was there. I saw what I saw."

"It wasn't like that," Boruto repeated. "I want to see my dad."

The guard turned his back to Boruto as he went for the door. "I doubt your father would want to see you. If you were my son, I wouldn't be able to look at you either."

The door opened and slammed shut, locking as the guard left Boruto with those hurtful words.

Still seething, Boruto kicked the bars of his cell and sat back down in the corner, hugging his knees to his chest.

Yuji gave Boruto a sympathetic look but didn't come any closer to Boruto's cell. "It's ok. Don't listen to him."

"Jerk," Boruto said under his breath. "He doesn't get it."

Yuji looked away. "At least you have a father who's trying to get you back. Couldn't see my parent doing that for me."

Boruto was too upset to feel sorry for Yuji.

"Between family and friends and people who favor someone else with a different skill set, you get used to being abandoned."

Boruto glanced over at Yuji who was looking wistfully up at the cement ceiling. "My dad cares too much sometimes. I'm sure if he knew you, he'd do something."

Yuji laughed softly, still looking at the ceiling. "Then he's one of the good ones."

Naruto and Shikamaru were led down the carpeted hallway towards the king's throne room, passing by all the artwork and jewel-studded ceilings. The sheen had their eyes watering as they passed more polished gemstones and glass cases containing priceless jewelry and artifacts.

The floors of the king's throne room were so polished, they could see their own reflections as they walked towards the king's throne, stopping halfway when the servant told them to. It seemed the king liked keeping people at a distance.

"Well?" King Nita asked in that same expectant voice. "You've come for your son, I take it. Then you must have found a way to do as I asked."

"We have," said Naruto hesitantly. He was suddenly nervous speaking to this man which rarely happened to him. He was usually more decisive than this, but all the uncertainties around Boruto seemed to have been taking a toll on his nerves.

The king gestured towards them with his hand, as if expecting them to place it before him.

Clearing his throat, Naruto tried again. "In order to change Kai back, we'll need to take him to a specific location."

"Out of the question," said the king.

Naruto gave the king a stern look. "Where is my son?"

"In our prison."

"I want to see him."

"Don't try to stall," the king told him. "Return Kai to me and you'll get your boy."

Naruto huffed angrily, fighting to keep his emotions in check. "How will I know Boruto's safe and will be returned to me if you won't let me see him?"

"You really think I'd swindle you?"

"No, that's Kai's job," Shikamaru said under his breath, despite himself.

"I want to make sure Boruto's being treated well," Naruto said to the king. "Unless I can verify his condition, no deal."

The king leaned forward in his chair. "If I show him to you, you'll use one of your ninja tricks to snatch him back. I'm not a fool. It's too big of a risk to show him to you."

"You don't have to bring him out here. Just take me to wherever you're keeping him."

The king refused. "Same issue. Shinobi are tricky. You'll just swap him out for one of my guards and slip away in the confusion. Same way the boy did when Kai went missing."

Shikamaru frowned. The king was already anticipating ninja arts which meant even if they had gone that route, it would have failed. Shikamaru knew it wouldn't have been wise, whether or not the king was considering it, and was glad he didn't go with that option.

"How do we know Boruto is still alive?" Shikamaru asked the king. "If we give Kai back to you, you'll get what you want but what about us? We need to know and make sure that per our agreement Boruto will be allowed to return home with us alive and unharmed."

"Of course, he will be."

"Then verify his condition. We need to make sure we still have something we're fighting for. Unless we see proof of Boruto's condition, we're not going any further."

The king threw up his hands and sat back in his chair. "Then you won't get him back."

"And you won't get Kai."

He shrugged. "Then it's a stalemate. And one I'm willing to accept. Are you?"

On the way to the palace, Shikamaru had told Naruto to act indifferent to see if there was a way to get the king to barter with them. Both realized that wouldn't work, given Naruto's reaction when Boruto was taken into custody. The king would know it was a bluff. Even so, Shikamaru still wanted Naruto to try going that route to see the king's response. There was a slim chance the king was too preoccupied to notice.

Naruto shrugged. "Fine. I've got a village to run. I don't have time for this."

The king laughed. "I know you care about him. Don't act like you don't. You asked about his condition, which means you care."

"To a point," said Naruto. "If it's going to be a whole thing, then forget it. I'm not wasting my time on one person."

"Alright," said the king and called a servant into the room. "Our bargaining chip is useless. Tell the guards to go down there and have him executed. I know they've been itching for revenge and won't be disappointed."

Naruto's heart skipped a beat.

Shikamaru grabbed Naruto's arm and whispered, "Don't react. He could be bluff-"

"Wait!" Naruto shouted and Shikamaru cringed.

The king held up his hand, stalling the servant from leaving. He looked at Naruto with interest.

Recovering, Naruto said quickly, "Even if he's useless, there's no reason to kill a child."

"He attacked us. Why not?"

"He didn't actually kill anyone," Naruto argued. "And he's just a kid. Kids are impulsive and stupid. I'm sure he's learned his lesson. You can keep him in the cell, just don't kill him."

"He's taking up space but releasing him would benefit me none," King Nita said from his throne. "I have a hoard of guards wanting to take their anger out on the boy. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't allow that. And don't tell me moral code."

Naruto hesitated, knowing there was only one answer he could give. The king knew he cared about Boruto and knew this was his only bargaining chip. Without Boruto, they had nothing. Naruto would have no reason to comply and the king would have nothing to gain.

"He's more useful to you alive," Shikamaru blurted out. "Whether or not the Hokage cares is irrelevant. You can have a tactical advantage having him alive. Someone in the Leaf cares about him, even if his father doesn't."

Naruto shot Shikamaru a look. Was he helping him or not? It seemed like he was giving the king pointers in how to make his threat more effective.

"And ending a shinobi child's life would be an act of war. Shinobi would come here and even the Hokage would be unable to hold them back. Is that really what you want?"

The king lowered his hand and the servant did not move. The king seemed to be considering his possibilities.

"All I'm saying is that you have more options with him alive than not," Shikamaru finished. "There are no takebacks if you kill him."

The king tented his fingers as he had done during their meeting some time ago, thinking. "I see your point…"

"We'll still need to verify his condition, though," said Shikamaru. "If it makes you feel more secure, you can handcuff one of us and have us look into the cell from the hallway so you know there's no funny business."

The king raised his brow at Shikamaru.

Shikamaru knew the king was suspicious of shinobi because he knew of their talents but didn't understand their abilities completely. Because of this, it would actually be harder to convince the king because he would give them more credit than they deserved, presuming everything to be a trick. Convincing the king that they weren't as powerful as he thought they were would be pointless. Their best option was to placate the king by letting him set their limits. It was the only way to make any headway on this.

The king lifted his hand, signaling the servant. "Bind that man's hands and take him to the prison. Alert the guards. See that he doesn't move a muscle or speak." The king looked at Shikamaru. "You will get your proof and report to your Hokage. No one else moves."

Shikamaru was escorted away from Naruto and relieved of his weapons which were given to two different servants. From there, Shikamaru's hands were bound and a gag was placed in his mouth. To make sure he could not leave or fight, he was shackled to two guards and six surrounded the group, watching him from different angles. The king wasn't taking any chances.

He was taken down the hall while Naruto was left in the throne room with the king and several servants watching.

At first, it seemed the king had covered all his bases but one: Shikamaru would see where the prison was located. Something which occurred to the guards because after descending a staircase, he was stopped and blindfolded. Seemed everyone was on the same page after all.

However, Shikamaru was very good at observation, even when deprived of his other senses. Shikamaru once had to navigate his way through a cave with no flashlight while wearing earplugs to protect himself from a debilitating noise. This was going to be different but very similar.

He counted his steps and how many turns were taken until arriving at another staircase where his blindfold was removed so he could step down safely. He was in a spiral staircase with no windows and the walls made of stone. It looked old, like it had been built a long time ago but was still holding strong.

They entered through a reenforced door and went down a long corridor, through another door to another hall with several doors lined up on one side. He could see the guards inside the rooms through the small windows on the doors, which could have been breakrooms or interrogation rooms. They went through yet another door and into a short hallway where there was only one door with several locks on it.

The guard started to undo the locks and when Shikamaru moved to follow him inside, the guards holding his chains yanked him back, signaling that he wasn't supposed to follow from this point. The guard put his finger to his lips and entered the room, leaving the door open.

Shikamaru concentrated his hearing on the room and heard Boruto's voice. He and the guard were having a conversation.

"You came all the way here just to taunt me?"

"Give me a reason to come in here and do something else, boy."

Shikamaru was relieved. Boruto was alive and as feisty as ever. It seemed he wasn't injured, though he couldn't see him.

The guard returned, locking the door. "Satisfied?"

Shikamaru couldn't answer with the gag in his mouth and was escorted away nonetheless.

At the top of the stairs, he was blindfolded again and it wasn't removed until they got to another staircase. He was taken back to the throne room and unshackled. The gag was removed and his belongings were returned to him.

Naruto was looking at Shikamaru with worried eyes. He silently nodded to him, letting Naruto know Boruto was alright.

"There," said the king. "You have your proof. Now do as I say and you'll have him back. My demands are simple."

Naruto took in a deep breath, trying to remain calm when he answered. "We can change Kai back, but only if he comes to a certain location. Otherwise, it won't work."

"Find another way," said the king.

"It's the only way," said Naruto.

The king scoffed. "I think not. You're just not trying hard enough."

"We found a way and you won't accept it?"

"How do I know it isn't a trick? I will not entrust you with something to take to some unknown location just because you insist it's the only way."

"Then send a guard with us," said Shikamaru.

"No," said Naruto. He had to preserve the cat spirit's secret location. Anyone they sent with them wouldn't be allowed and the cat spirit would assume they were trying to trick him. He couldn't risk them disappearing again when they needed their help, like the boy from their story who betrayed them.

There had to be another way to do this without the outsiders finding out about the cat spirit or scaring away the cat spirit before it could help them. Naruto couldn't let them believe they were being betrayed again.

But there was no other way. The only reason the cat spirit showed itself to them in the first place was because they were…

Naruto looked down at his hands. "That's a human complaint," he whispered to himself, remembering Ryosuke's advice from so long ago.

He wasn't human right now. He was a kitsune. And one of the abilities a kitsune had was possession. He could take control of the guard to keep them from knowing the truth.

This would only work with one guard, however. If the king sent two or more, it wouldn't work. While using kitsune abilities, Naruto wasn't able to use shinobi abilities, like his shadow clones. He couldn't be in two places at once. He would only be able to possess one guard at a time.

If Naruto told them how many guards to send with them, the king would suspect and do the opposite.

Naruto blinked. "Well, I suppose that would be ok as long as you send more than one guard with us," he told the king.

"One would be enough," said the king.

Naruto smiled. "Then if you could please send a guard with us and the donkey, we'll be…"

"The guard goes, the donkey stays."

Naruto frowned at the king. "But the whole point is for the guard to come to the location with the donkey to get Kai back."

"Get whatever you need from that location and bring it here."

"The location is the point," Naruto said, emphasizing his words by gesturing to a specific location with his hands.

"Then find another way," said the king.

Naruto ruffled his hair with both hands in aggravation. "Have you not been listening to a single thing that's been said?!"

Shikamaru hurried to Naruto's side to calm him down. Naruto only got excited like this when he was about to lose his temper. His fuse had gotten longer with age, so Shikamaru knew Naruto was reaching his breaking point.

"It's ok. We can do this, Naruto. Calm down."

Naruto took several breaths to calm down but he was still fuming. This king was impossible to please. He had to tie their hands one way or another.

The king pointed to the door behind them. "If I were you, I'd get started. Get what you need and bring it back here. If that's too much trouble, I'll send a guard with you. But I am not letting that donkey out of my city."

Shikamaru grabbed Naruto's wrist to keep him from talking. "Give us a minute?"

They went out into the hall to speak privately, though there were guards positioned at the end of each intersecting hallway. Shikamaru went over their options with Naruto and Naruto insisted there was only one way to do this, only the king wasn't going to allow it.

"We're stuck," said Naruto. "Unless it's at that location, it's not happening."

"There's another way." Shikamaru tried to think. "There has to be."

"He's not going to listen to us. He doesn't care. He's too cautious. Shikamaru, what else can we..?"

A servant came bustling down the hall with a message in hand. They stopped when they saw the shinobi blocking the door and tried to move around them.

There was an official seal on the envelop with a coat of arms Shikamaru didn't recognize.

The servant opened the doors and hurried inside, calling the king. The closing door muffled their voice but Shikamaru distinctly heard the king request the letter be brought to him at once and to send the shinobi away.

Shikamaru looked quickly at Naruto. "The king just got a letter and he wants us to leave."

"We can't until-"

"We have to see that letter."

"What? Why?"

"It's important enough to shove us out the door."

The guards started to encroach on them and push them down the hall. When they protested, the guards said to come back when they've finished their mission and nothing else.

"Can I at least use the bathroom first?" Naruto asked, already thinking of a plan.

"Must you?" asked the guard.

"Keep shoving me and you'll have your answer."

"Fine." The guard pulled Naruto away from Shikamaru and down another hall.

They were alone but there were several other hallways connecting to this one. One led back to the throne room.

Hoping he still remembered how to do this, Naruto started down one of the side halls, pulling the guard who roughly yanked him back. "Restroom's this way."

"Yeah, no, I thought I saw something."

"Don't dawdle." The guard shoved him. "Move."

"Alright. I guess that display case is supposed to be empty, then."

The guard looked into the hall. "What display case?"

"That one." He pointed down the hall.

The guard stepped in front of him to look. "That one? That's the glare of the sun on the glass-"

Naruto's hands slipped through the guard's back and pulled himself inside the man's body, fox ears on top of his head. The guard braced himself against the wall, gasping as if punched in the stomach. It had been years since he had last done this, but this feeling was so familiar to him. It was like putting on a suit of armor. One that resisted being worn like a second skin. This was much easier when the person was asleep but being unaware was the next best thing when taking control.

The guard held onto the wall, gasping, then slowly caught his breath and stood up. Wearing Naruto's gleeful expression, the guard moved quickly towards the throne room.

Naruto, in the guard's body, entered the throne room and slowly made his way towards the throne, sliding his back against the wall. He took a step with one foot and slid with the other, over and over again. When he had nowhere else to slide, he stepped forward, inching his way towards the throne where the king sat looking at the letter in his hand.

"What?" the king asked impatiently.

Naruto halted. "Um…"

The king looked in his direction. "Speak."

Naruto tried to act like a soldier. "The shinobi are voicing their complaints about being removed before their conversation with you was over, Your Majesty," he said stiltedly.

The king didn't seem to notice. "I will not repeat myself to them again. See that they understand that."

Naruto moved a little bit closer to the king. "Your Majesty, what if they speak the truth?" he asked, still putting on an act. "They seem so insistent. Would that one really jeopardize his own brat?"

"It doesn't matter," said the king. "It must be done before my eyes."

"Why?"

The king gave him an angry look. "Are you questioning me?"

"N- no, of course not, Your Majesty." Naruto stood tall with his back straight at attention.

The king stood up and walked down the steps leading to his throne. "I must see to other matters. Tell those shinobi not to come back unless they can bring Kai back in the way I say it must be done."

Naruto acted the way he had seen the soldiers when given orders, standing with his heels together and his back straight. "Yes, Your Majesty."

As the king left, he saw the letter Shikamaru spoke about. He couldn't see what was written, but he saw the seal and something else.

He rushed back to where he had taken control of the guard and jumped out of his body, landing in a heap on the floor while the guard slumped against the wall. The guard recovered quickly and looked down at Naruto.

"You don't have to shove me so hard," Naruto told him, pretending that the guard had pushed him to the ground to explain why they were in this position.

The guard took Naruto to the restroom and then back to Shikamaru. They allowed themselves to be shoved outside and waited until they were far enough away to talk about what they learned.

"You see the letter?" asked Shikamaru.

"I saw the coat of arms you mentioned, but I didn't see what it said," Naruto told him. "But I did see what was in the letter."

"What was it?"

"It was a piece of cloth. Torn. I could see the threads."

Shikamaru frowned with a finger to his chin. "Sounds like a threatening letter. One to evoke fear. That sort of thing usually suggests a ransom."

"Like your third-party theory?"

"The king must be being threatened. That cloth could belong to someone he cares about."

"Then that's why he's being so stubborn," said Naruto. "These guys must want the king to do things a certain way in order to get something in return."

Shikamaru shook his head, looking at the ground. "Given what we know about the king, or at least what he says, it just doesn't seem right. Not that it's out of character, just different. All this could be a front he puts on and isn't even like this. Could be how he protects himself from people. But…"

"We should go there."

"Huh?"

"We should go there," said Naruto. "We have the coat of arms. We just have to find out where it came from, go there ourselves and see if there's another way to do this. If the king is only doing this because he thinks he has no choice, let's give him a choice. Let's see who these guys are and deal with them."

"Should we really get involved with that?" asked Shikamaru. "This isn't a standard mission we're hired to do. These are kingdoms with people effected by every choice made by their leaders. Leaders who are under contract with the other. We could end up screwing things up if we don't know how things operate."

"Then you tell me a better way to change Kai back without bringing him to that location."

Shikamaru looked Naruto in the eyes and groaned. "A coat of arms like that hints at a king or someone of nobility. Let's ask around."

Meanwhile, the king notified several of his soldiers to come to his location for orders.

"If his son isn't enough bait, then we'll find someone with more pull." He pointed at the door. "Go to the Leaf Village and find me a better hostage."

The soldiers hesitated. "Your Majesty…"

"Was it not a Leaf shinobi who tried to assassinate me and possibly kill you all?" the king asked them. "It was probably a planned attack. Which means others are involved."

"We captured the one who…"

"He has two friends. The same two who fled our city when Kai vanished. The Hokage was protecting his son and those children. They're at the Leaf, and with their leader gone, it will be easy to swoop in there and take them." The king pointed at the door again. "Find them. That's an order from your king."

The soldiers stood at attention and accepted the order given to them. "Yes, Your Majesty."