Chapter 16: Danzo

(Alternatively, Danzo Fucks Up)

Author's Notes: For those of you don't know, in my home state of Florida, in the city of Orlando, 49 people were killed and 53 more injured in an LGBTQ club on June 12, 2016. This was a hate crime and I am extremely sad right now because those people didn't deserve this. No one deserves to be killed or injured for being who they are.

Hate is an evil, vile thing and it has caused so many deaths and injuries. If you agree with me please post this as part of an Author's Note, in your Profile, or wherever it is that you go to rant online. For any of my readers who may be part of the LGBTQ or Muslim community, don't ever be ashamed of who you are. Don't let other peoples' hatred drag you down. You're worth so much more than their hate.

For the LGBTQ and Muslim communities who have to bear yet another hate crime:

silvershadowfoxuniverse . Tumblr post / 145878500296 / staff-over-the-weekend-orlando-saw-a-terrible

You're not alone in this struggle against hate. Don't be afraid to reach out. If you have something to say then tell me. I'll listen because, as unfortunate as it is, that's all I can do. But sometimes that's enough, isn't it? To know that someone cares enough to want to listen.

(Naruto's POV)

Nine-year-old Naruto is staring up into the eye of a mummy and he doesn't like what he sees as he pushes Sasuke back behind himself. He remembers what happened the last time someone looked at him like that and it hadn't ended well. He doesn't shiver as he glares up at the mummy man and opens his mouth to scream at the top of his lungs.

"CHILD MOLESTER!"

The man jerks back in shock, his one dark eye widening, and Naruto sees a dark streak pelting across the Academy grounds towards them. And then, his brother is there, stooping low and driving his right shoulder into the back of the mummy's knees. Naruto has already grabbed Sasuke and has started running for the teacher he sees coming towards them as he hears his brother's roar of rage.

"YOU WON'T TOUCH THEM YOU PERVERTED SON OF A BITCH!"

He doesn't wince in sympathy for the man as a faint crack sounds out from behind him. He should have never approached the two of them and certainly not the way he had either. The frigging creep. The teacher catches Naruto by his shoulders, demanding, "What happened?!"

Naruto gladly points behind him and cries out, "There's a bad guy on the grounds! He approached me and Sasuke saying weird things. I got scared because he reminded me of the bad guy who attacked me and my brother when we were littler!"

The teacher – he isn't one he's seen often and Naruto briefly wonders if the scarred man is new to the jobs – nods. "Alright boys, go find the rest of your friends and go inside. I'll deal with things here and then I'll come find you."

"Hai, sensei!" Naruto and Sasuke chorus together.

(Shikamaru's POV)

When he'd heard Naru's cry his mind hand gone blank. All Shikamaru could think of was getting his brothers away from whoever had made Naru cry out like that. He'd wanted to hurt the person responsible. He hadn't even realized how much strength he'd put into his stomp until he'd felt the crunch of the man's ankle under his foot. 'Well,' he thinks to himself as the Hokage himself steps in to stop the bandaged man from hitting him, 'I've certainly done so.' The Hokage's face is calm, but Shikamaru knows a lot about pretending to be something he's not. The Sarutobi must be furious.

"You have gone too far Danzo! Not only by approaching those boys but by attempting to hurt the heir of the Nara Clan! I expressly forbid you from having any contact with those boys and you have disobeyed me for the last time!"

From underneath the Hokage's fingers a seal blooms starkly across the other man's wrist. Shikamaru recognizes it as a chakra suppression seal meant for prisoners. He finds himself rumbling softly in approval of the Hokage's actions. Shikamaru's eyes narrow to thin slits and he focuses them on Danzo's. The man's breath hitches and his eyes widen as their eyes meet.

(If the Hokage had bothered to look or if Shikamaru would have looked into a window, they would have noticed the ring of glowing acid green around his pupils.)

(Naruto's POV)

When the scarred Chūnin had told them to find their friends, Naruto and Sasuke had done exactly that. Now Naruto and Sasuke are quietly filling them in on what had just happened to them. The entire group is disturbed and they all agree that they should tell their parents, but Hinata stutters as she asks what the word child molester means. Naruto shudders as he says to Hinata, "A child molester is an adult who touches little kids, like us, where they pee without having a very good reason for doing so! Like doctors do if you've been hurt or something. It's really bad!"

Her eyes go wide. "Y-y-you m-mean l-l-like t-the p-p-people o-otou-sama t-told m-me t-to s-s-stay a-away f-from?"

"Yep," Naruto confirms. "Just like them."

"W-w-we h-have t-to t-tell Neji-nii-san! He doesn't know!" Her stutter is completely gone by the end of her sentences.

Naruto and Sasuke quickly agree. The rest of the kids here deserve to know that a bad man is on the grounds.

When the group of friends finds the boy Hinata is looking for, they watch as she lunges forward and grabs his hand before he can pull away. She cries out with tears in her eyes, "Neji-nii-san, there's a bad man on the grounds that like to touch little kids where they pee! He came after Naru and Sasuke! I don't want you to stay out here because he might come after you too!"

Neji, as he'd been called, goes very still and he focuses all his attention on his and Sasuke's friend. "Hinata-sama, are you telling me that a child molester is on Academy grounds right now?"

She nods as tears start to fall and she sobs out "Shikamaru-kun stayed behind to stop him from going after them!"

Neji frowns and looks at them, "This is true?"

Naruto nods emphatically, "Shika-nii came outta nowhere and caught him from behind. We didn't stick around to watch 'cause I know he'd of told us to run and get help. I just hope he's okay!"

Sasuke wraps an arm around his shoulders and pulls him close, "Aniki is fine, Naru. You'll see. Anyway, we should head inside. I think they'll want to interview Naruto and me, but we'll feel better if we can get more kids inside and away from that freak. I really hope ANBU has him right now!"

Author's Notes #2: I'm sorry for the short chapter, but I think I can be forgiven with what's happened.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it and how I will have essentially taken Danzo out of the picture after this. His whole kidnapping and brainwashing kids to be loyal to him has always freaked me out.

By the way, it is hot as hell still. Blegh...