Hey guys, welcome back. In contrast to the last chapter, this one is pure focus on the superpower side. Also darker than other chapters as a result.
Enjoy!
Italics: Naruto talking in Japanese/ Thoughts
Miracle City, Mexico(?)
Some people avoided Miracle City and its neighbor Calavera, like the plague, others flocked to it—mostly for the wrong reasons, however.
The cities were technically a part of Mexico, but it was declared a no man's land due to the high rate of super-powered and magical incidents or simple technological disasters. The Mexican government kept it on the hush-hush. They simply pretended the area didn't exist and it was illegal for the news to cover anything about the region, which was both a blessing and a curse depending on who you asked.
For villains, outlaws, and run-of-the-mill ne'er-do-wells, it was the perfect place to escape the heat or establish a base of operations.
For the brave few that decided to be heroes, this meant they couldn't count on outside assistance.
However, by some strange unspoken agreement, things rarely, if ever, got out of scope. Revenge vendettas against a certain person were a go. Collateral was acceptable. Targeting that person's family, friends or anyone unrelated was a big no-no that would find the perpetrator in hot water from both sides. The only exception to the rule was the Rivera family.
They were the only family in the city that produced both heroes and villains. They were considered fair game to all.
Kitsune came to the city whenever he needed some quick cash.
One of the city's main draws was the numerous dead or alive posters that littered the town. The other was various insurance scams. As a result, the citizenry had to pay a premium for what was dubbed "Comic Book Insurance"
Kitsune used the money from completing the requests as part of his on-hand cash. Or in other words, when he or his siblings did something that resulted in the destruction or bodily harm of someone or something in Royal Woods. I.E. the debt he'd have to pay off from earlier in the day.
Miracle City was his quick cash spot. He'd been to the city so many times, he'd even picked up basic Spanish via osmosis.
And shadow clones.
Lots of shadow clones.
It was a very convenient jutsu for picking up new languages. If he wanted to, he could've been a translator. Huh…Maybe he should look into that. It went perfectly with his love of history.
Today, he was crouching atop a light post overlooking the bank.
Kitsune glanced at his wrist, imagining a watch sitting there.
"Three….Two….One"
On cue, the top of the bank exploded sending ash and debris everywhere. Amid the smoke cloud, three women clad in black latex and plumage swooped out and landed on a nearby apartment complex, cackling like mad, their hands clutching various briefcases. No doubt containing ill-gotten funds.
Kitsune shook his head in exasperation as he scanned the three unassuming villainesses.
The eldest and the leader of the flock was Lady Gobbler, a short older lady with a big black collar meant to resemble turkey feathers. A simple gray dress poked out from underneath her black suit that was accented with orange. The visor on her helmet was also a sunset orange to conceal her identity.
A cane with a turkey head was strapped to her back, one that could transform into a sniper rifle-styled laser gun.
The tallest of the bunch was Voltura. Unlike Lady Gobbler her body suit and helmet were accented with neon green. She had tufts of fur around her wrist and collar to emulate a vulture's plumage. Leathery wings hung off her arms and back which gave her the ability to glide.
Further setting her apart from the other two was that her body suit was more so a leotard than a full outfit. The woman's costume unashamedly emphasized her thick thighs and large breasts. However, what many of her victims failed to notice was that those same voluptuous thighs and hips were teeming with raw trained muscle that was attached to rather sharp combat stiletto boots that could easily slice the balls off any man not named White Pantera that dared ogle her. She had a body to die for and she'd make sure most men would if they weren't careful.
The youngest of the bunch, Black Cuervo, was a girl who looked to be around 15-16. Her choice of accents was a gothic purple. She wore a leotard similar to Voltura, but instead with long black and purple striped leg warmers to preserve a sense of modesty.
Kitsune knew her thick clawed gloves were just for show. She much rather to use the lasers hidden on her wrist. While she lacked the sheer range Lady Gobbler had, the speed and flexibility made her an effective mid-range fighter.
"Three O'clock right on the dot. People around here are insane as they are predictable. Ya' know you might've gotten away if you didn't stop to laugh like Dick Dastardly."
"Who dares stand against The Flock of Fury!"
The three women turned to see Kitsune standing up from his crouching position brushing soot off his orange fatigue pants and infantry belt. He calmly shook his black uniform jacket, ridding it of any remaining waste, then rubbed his hand on the back of his head, through his short spiky blonde hair.
"¡El Zorro!" Lady Gobbler screamed.
Underneath her helmet Cuervo rolled her eyes "Are you here to spoil our fun again?"
He gave a noncommittal shrug. "Gotta pay the bills somehow, ladies. Nothing personal."
"Yet we have been your people of interest the last three times you were here. I think it's all too personal at this point." Voltura shot back.
"Maybe you shouldn't attack the same damn bank three times on the exact same day each time! Geez, this ain't the way I want to spend my Saturday afternoon either."
"Entonces, ¿por qué no ser un buen chico y dejarnos ir?" Lady Gobbler said, trying her best to look innocent.
"No can do. Already sent word to Chief Suárez that I took the request; he's expecting you guys by the end of the day." He shook his head and wagged his finger. "Besides…The sweet old lady look doesn't work when you have briefcases of cash in your hands and a super weapon on your back."
The innocent visage on the elderly lady's face melted into a flippant smile.
"Eh. It was worth a shot."
Lady Gobbler dropped the briefcases and grabbed the cane off her back, where it swiftly transformed into a high-powered semi-automatic rifle with a scope.
The other two women followed her lead. Elongated claws extended from Voltura's gloves. Cuervo's wrists began to glow with a sickly purple light.
"Let's kill him, ladies!" Was her battle cry as she fired a pumpkin-colored laser at him.
Kitsune jumped to avoid the laser which carbonized the top of the lamp post he was standing on.
He wasn't given any room to breathe as he twisted his body in mid-air to avoid Cuervo's dual lasers. However, this allowed Voltura the perfect angle to kick him in the chest.
The natural energy concentrated in his body prevented her blade from penetrating his flesh and the flat of her foot from crushing his ribcage, but the sheer force did send him flying backward.
He landed on a nearby rooftop perfectly unharmed. The three women landed on the opposing roof, a look of frustration etched on their faces.
"When I stab you, you should bleed," Voltura raved. "It's not that hard of a concept to understand."
"Sorry, I didn't get the memo. Being stabbed isn't very fun from my experiences."
"The point isn't to have fun, the point is for you to die!" She screamed at him
"Tch, annoying as always." Cuervo stomped her foot in frustration. "What's it with animal-themed heroes being so hard to kill!"
"You're not the first to say that. I take pride in that, by the way. Not many people can claim that in my line of work, believe it."
"Then we'll be the ones to finally add your name to the list of the dead!"
"You guys are silly. Didn't you ever think about the fact that foxes eat birds?" He quipped as he slammed his palm to the pavement and three golden chains flew out, each targeting a group member.
The three ladies fanned out. Gobbler and Cuervo using their rocket soles went left and right. Voltura was the odd one out as she propelled toward the chain and kicked it out of her way as she advanced to his position.
He caught her hands with his and they interlaced their fingers in a death grip. Each combatant's claws dug ruthlessly into the soft uncalloused dorsal of the other person's hands. Blood flowed freely down Voltura's wrist from out of her gloves.
Voltura gave a savage smile at the increased thrust from her rocket boots and slowly pushed back the taller shinobi.
"What's the matter? Feeling a little dead on your feet? Don't worry because vultures are scavengers!"
Instead of responding to her quip, Kitsune simply disengaged and leaned back, letting her fly over him.
While she was directly overhead, he planted both hands on the ground and launched his feet into her stomach in a devastating kick that sent the woman flying into a water tower, spraying the battlefield in a light shower.
"You'll pay for that Zorro! No one does that to my daughter and gets away with it!" Lady Gobbler cried, firing her rifle while strafing to avoid the chain that was still chasing her.
Kitsune quickly reached into his back pouch with both hands and pulled out a pair of specially made trench knives grasped in his fists.
The teen focused his chakra into the blade giving it an additional ethereal blue razor-sharp edge. He then swung his arms like a heavyweight boxer throwing jabs, deflecting beam after beam, using his wind chakra to repel the lightning-based attack.
A couple of deflected beams narrowly missed Cuervo who was busy running from her own chain. The last member of the group wasn't as lucky. A soaking-wet Voltura who had just recovered was hit square in the chest, sending the green-clad woman sailing off the roof.
From the metallic clangs and the sound of air dissipating that followed, it could be reasonably assumed she landed in a dumpster.
"Lo siento, mija…." Lady Gobbler said sheepishly, batting her chain away.
Arms low and behind him, Kitsune used the momentary confusion to rush to where Lady Gobbler was.
With two short leaps, he crossed the rooftops and was in range to throw a punch, hopefully, to slice her cane in half, if not sock her gut to take her out of the action early.
Right, when he was winding up, a surge of malintent rushed over him. Backstepping, he obeyed his instincts as a purple-colored laser impacted where he was a mere moment ago, the spot now smoking and charred.
"Watch out abuela, that scum almost laid his filthy claws on you."
"You should be watching yourself first!" He yelled as the chakra chain ensnared the teen girl and flung her into a smiling face on a billboard advertising toothpaste.
Kitsune scratched his neck as his chains disappeared. "Need more toothpaste to get rid of that plaque…."
"Like how I'm going to get rid of you!" Voltura squawked as she flew upwards covered in garbage and lunged at him.
Suddenly a tiger's claw attached to a silver chain enveloped her torso, slamming her to the ground before retracting to its owner.
"EL TIGRE!"
A teen appeared on another nearby rooftop, wearing leather pants and boots, with a simple sleeveless cotton black t-shirt and a red bandanna around his neck. His most notable features were his tiger mask and metal-detachable tiger claws. However, he was most known for the giant Texas-style belt buckle on his waist with a large T in the middle.
"Robbing the bank again, Aves?! This is why we broke up. I don't know whether to be mad you're robbing a bank, or you're doing it without me!" The teen shouted while pulling the ears on top of his mask.
Cuervo pulled herself off the billboard, her face flushed under her visor.
"I am not Zoe Alves you deluded *sexy* man. I share no relation to the girl you once called your girlfriend!"
"It wasn't that hard to figure out. You say 'The Black Cuervo' out loud before laughing like a crazy person and transforming. Besides, I don't know about Grandpappy, but me and dad have only dated two women a piece, and you and your mom constantly shout about broken hearts."
Kitsune could practically see the steam coming from her helmet. "Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black, Manny?"
"At least everyone knows who I am, and I don't try to hide it like some two-bit cartoon villain!"
Kitsune, Lady Gobbler, and Voltura's eyes bounced back and forth between the two like a ping-pong match as the teens bickered.
"Dude, I can literally smell the tension between you two. Get a room after this." Kitsune said, determined to put an end to the argument.
"DAH! Zorro! You're not here for me are you!" Manny then lifted his arm and brought his head close "Do I really smell that bad?" He took a sniff of his armpits and then gagged.
Across the way, a blushing Cuervo discreetly tried to smell and check herself.
"Not today, Tigre. Didn't see your poster on the wall this time." Kitsune stifled a chuckle as he addressed the lanky teen.
"Phew….Thank goodness for Frida. Dating her was the best move I ever made!"
"Do not mention that floozy's name in my presence!"
As a cat doused with water, Cuervo lunged onto the poor boy, and together they went tumbling off in a tangle of limbs across the rooftops.
Tearing his eyes away from the two teens tussling he addressed the older women.
"Shall we continue or…"
"WHITE PANTERA!"
"Why do I take the hunter-nin missions….?"
Kitsune facepalmed for deciding to open his mouth. Contrary to popular belief, both super heroics and supervillainy were not systematically coordinated. A simple bounty hunt often turned into a full-scale brawl if Kitsune wasn't careful.
The stout man in the white suit with black pants slammed onto the rooftop. The cat ears atop his mask twitched and his golden magical boots gleamed and cackled with electricity.
His entry caused everyone to pause, including Tigre and Cuervo who were in the middle of tugging on each other's faces.
"I was hoping to get through the first couple chapters of my limited extended edition copy of 'Make-out Violence '" The man held up his black-gloved hand allowing everybody to view the purple book fervently clutched within his fingers and the comical tears streaming down his mask.
Kitsune's eyes didn't miss Lady Gobbler patting her own vest at an auspicious square-shaped indent.
"This was supposed to be my 'me' time! Do you know how many strings I had to pull to get this book?"
"By strings, you mean crying at my feet when I said I had a copy…"
Befitting his cat theme, he jumped in surprise at Kitsune's voice.
"DAH! Zorro! You're not here for me, are you?!"
"Dad, you actually read that stuff? It's nothing but a bunch of sappy romance junk."
"Mijo, what are you doing here!? Sappy!? It's one of the purer portrayals of the bond between a—"
The man's face straightened out mid-sentence as he realized who he was arguing with.
"Did grandpappy let you read that book?" He said with unnerving calmness in his voice. Everyone took a step away, isolating El Tigre by himself.
"I guess Luna isn't the only one curious about that stuff,"
"Uhh….Maybe?" He touched his claws together nervously.
"Manuel Pablo Gutierrez O'Brian Equihua Rivera! You know those books are not for kids!"
"But Dad, I'm 16 now!"
Pantera exasperatedly rubbed his hand down his face, his features and mask jiggling as if he was made of rubber. Kitsune absently wondered if it was an ability of the mask and if so, how'd he get injured so often.
"Not much in this town makes sense as it is. Best not to think too hard."
The older man took a deep breath before he addressed his son. "We'll talk about this later. Let's focus on the Aves family first." He then turned to Kitsune and bowed at the waist. "I would appreciate you helping us deal with this matter."
He waved him off. "Um…Don't mention it. It's what I'm being paid to do."
He shoved the book into the front pocket of his suit and cracked his knuckles. "Alright then…Let's wrap this up quickly so I can return to 'me' time!"
"You disgusting sinful man!" Voltura cawed, taking her battle stance. "You break my heart and then turn to that filth on paper!"
Instead of responding, White Pantera answered with a flying kick that launched his counterpart up into the air despite her use of both hands to block.
Kitsune humorously chuckled that the scene was a reversal of the book cover.
On the ledge below Tigre and Cuervo resumed their own scuffle.
A smile graced his lips as he pushed off a leap towards Lady Gobbler who had already started firing at him.
He nimbly weaved under and around the blasts like a professional boxer as he made his approach. Lady Gobbler stopped firing once he was in close range. She revered her high-powered rifle back to a cane then elongated it into a Bo-staff just in time to block an errant kick.
"You learn a couple of things when you get to my age, boy. One of them is to never rely on only one way to fight." she pressed a button on her staff and a current of electricity flowed through the weapon and into Kitsune's leg.
Kitsune was unable to voice a response as the electricity coursed through his body. Capitalizing on her opening Gobbler retracted her bo-staff, twirled it, and slammed the butt of the weapon into Kitsune's exposed chest. The teen went tumbling across the roof they were on before planting a claw into the ground to regain his bearings.
"¡Cómo patear una pared de ladrillo! You're a tough one, boy,"
"You're a tough old bird yourself, lady. I can't let my guard down around you."
"Good that we have something in common. Now then, it is time you were defeated by none other than I, Lady Gobbler!"
Kitsune flexed his arms and cracked his knuckles. "Alright, in that case, try this one on for size."
"Ninja Art: Hot Steam Battlefield!"
Thick hot steam began to pour from the exposed parts of Kitsune's body rapidly filling the arena the six combatants were brawling on. In a couple of moments, everyone's vision was obscured.
"Where'd all this steam come from?"
"Why'd I pick a suit for my costume again?"
"Zorro! You bastard!"
"My make-up!"
"This feels nice on these old bones."
Kitsune smiled as his jutsu gripped the battlefield in an iron hold.
"How do you guys like my Steam release?"
"Keep your gasses to yourself." came the snappy reply of Voltura.
Kitsune immediately retaliated by swinging his trench knife and sending a blade of wind in her direction following the sound of her voice.
The unmistakable and familiar sound of wind colliding with electricity followed. Stashing one of his chakra blades in his back pouch he rushed in and caught Voltura's extended arm, taking care to avoid the sparking claws of her gauntlet.
"It seems we had the same idea," he said cheekily before tossing her over his hip, sending the woman sailing into the obscurity of the steam.
The sound of two bodies hitting one another and a masculine cry of pain came this time.
"What the hell Kitsune?!" El Tigre's voice called out at him.
"Why didn't you use your nose? Your powers enhance your senses almost as well as mine. It's what your father's doing." Kitsune pointed out, various sounds of rapid-fire kicks, grunts, and cries of pain filled the rooftops.
"Oh…Right. Forgot about that."
"A little late for that…" Voltura garbled right before El Tigre shrieked.
Kitsune ducked as Manny flew over his head. He sent out a golden chain to wrap around Tigre's claw. With the boy safely ensnared, Kitsune grabbed the chain and spun. Tigre extended his own chain claw giving him extra distance as he maneuvered feet first into the steam.
Twin feminine cries came from the distance as Voltura and Cuervo were captured in the chains between the two. Like a fisherman reeling in his haul, Kitsune yanked the chain bringing all three combatants to him. With a thud, Voltura and Cuervo were slammed on the ground while Tigre landed on his feet and skidded on his heels, pulling his end of the chain tight, making sure the two villainesses were bound up tight.
"Don't you think this city is hot enough?" Cuervo complained, her visor mostly obscured except for one purple eye that glared at Kitsune intensely.
"Eh, sauna steam is meant to make you sweat though."
Right as Kitsune finished his sentence, Lady Gobbler was kicked into view and knocked from the air by the chain acting as a makeshift clothesline.
"She's right, you know, Zorro. I'll have to get this suit dry-cleaned after this," White Pantera said as he came into view.
Voltura's gauntlets started to spark, an act that didn't escape Kitsune's eye.
"I wouldn't do that if I was you; metal is a conductor. Try that and you will fry your family too. You don't strike me as the type to hurt them either,"
Voltura immediately stopped sparking a look of fury painted on her face.
"Looks like this battle is just about 'wrapped' up!" Tigre quipped.
"We really need to work on your pun skills, son."
XXXXX
The town jail looked more like a Wild West saloon than an actual jail. A stark contrast to the metallic cubed fortress that they called the prison on the other side of town.
Various wanted posters of heroes, villains, vagabonds, rogues, assassins, and anything in between lined the canteen area of the jail.
Beautiful Gorgeous & Junk Man–Joyriding, Indecent Exposure–5,000–Wanted Alive (Preferably Clothed)
Cyber Sumo- Illegal underground fighting ring–1,000-Wanted Alive
Desiree- Illegal wish granting–1,000–Already Dead
Django of the dead- Destruction of my daughter's heart!-Grind his Bones into Dust!-Everything I have on me!
Dr. Chipotle Sr.-Unlawful Robot Building, Mass Destruction of property, Child Endangerment-100,000–Wanted Alive
El Tigre- Theft of my daughter's heart!-Grind his Bones into Dust!-Everything I have on me!
Glowface- Conspiracy to commit conspiracy.-Wanted Alive–10,000
Golden Eagle Twins- Harassment and Mass Destruction-Alive–5,000 a piece
Lisa Loud- Unpaid Library fines, Book Theft.- Wanted Alive–750
The Mustache Mafia-Tax Evasion, Money Laundering
El Oso-Bank Robbery-Wanted Dead or Alive
Puma Loco- Armed Robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
Sartaña of the dead- What hasn't she done?-Just do it for the good of everyone.
The Box Ghost- Theft, Jaywalking-1 peso—Who cares-BEWARE
Wulf- Prison Escape, Evasion of Authorities-Payment upon request—Preferably Alive
El Halcón- 100.000 USD
"Huh? " Kitsune muttered as he grabbed the last one to take a closer look.
Unlike the others, no other information was available on the target. It was simply a name and price, no description of reason wanted, no rough sketch of appearance, nada. Yet….something in his soul was unnerved at the simple arrangement of words and numbers.
"Hey. Get a move on already! I grow tired of being dragged through the dirt like some sort of mongrel!" Cuervo cried from the ground beside him bound in chains. The trio's helmets had been removed along with their weapons. The Rivera father and son took the helmets as a trophy, Kitsune nabbed the weapons for himself.
"But she's the one who forced me to do this…." Kitsune thought to himself.
Not giving him any satisfaction from walking her in like a normal captive, akin to a child throwing a tantrum, she had refused to move, forcing Kitsune to drag her the whole way to the station.
Voltura had no such qualms whatsoever walking on her own two feet. Though Kitsune thought part of it might relate to how much exposure she had.
"Ugh. Only one man is allowed to chain me up!"
"You know someone else I know said something along those lines yesterday," Kitsune didn't have to turn his head to know Voltura's scowl had deepened.
"Well, I enjoy being carried. Sonny flip me over, these old bones won't crack by themselves."
Compared to the other two, Lady Gobbler was being carried over his shoulder, his arm curled around her for support.
Kitsune sighed as he gave in to Gobbler's demands, and let go of the flier, and the sounds of bones popping followed soon after.
"You're a nice young man. Maybe you should've married this one, mija."
Kitsune tugged the chains and forced the odd trio along before another argument could ensue, but not without crumpling the flier that depicted his younger sister.
Why she was even in Mexico, to begin with, he didn't want to know. Confronting her would bring up the question of why he was in Mexico, so it was simpler to pretend the whole situation didn't exist in the first place.
He made his way to the bar counter that was manned by a single policewoman dressed in black and blue with a standard bulletproof vest.
"Ah, El Zorro. I see you've completed the request?" she said, eyeing the three he had in tow.
"Have I ever done you guys wrong before?"
The woman raised her eyebrow and gestured to the poster behind her.
El Zorro—Mass destruction of property-100,000–Wanted Dead or Alive.
It was his own wanted poster that had been bronzed and placed for all to see.
"Hey, I worked that off though!"
He pointed to the plaque next to his wanted poster.
El Zorro
Bounty Hunter of the Year—2015
Villains Captured: 30
Heroes Captured: 12
Rivera family apprehended
Unable to be devoured by El Mal Verde
Kitsune tilted his chin up at his own accomplishment. A smug smile tugged its way onto his face underneath his mask.
The policewoman was not as amused, she rolled her eyes and waved her hand, signaling for him to head back.
With another tug on his chains and huffs from Voltura and Cuervo he proceeded to the back part of the jail where the cells were contained.
In front of one of the cells stood a giant of a man dressed in a military general's uniform.
The uniform was murky brown in color like dried-up desert mud. Atop his head sat a matching color sombrero with 'Police' written on it in embroidered yellow letters. Two badges that said 'Jefe' stood proudly on his person-one on his chest and the other on his sombrero.
The lower part of his face was covered in stubble save for the thick mustache that sat atop his lip. However, it all served to cover up the various nicks and scars that he had obtained during his years of service. Completing his rugged war hero look was an eyepatch that covered his right eye.
He was Emiliano Suárez. The man who attempted to bring lawful order to Miracle City, a land long abandoned by the government like a coin down the storm drain.
From the looks of it, he was currently interrogating an elderly man Kitsune identified as Dr. Chipotle Sr. Sr.
"Alright, Dr. Tzatziki—"
"Chipotle."
As someone whose own name was frequently got wrong or ignored, he couldn't help but sympathize with the elderly man.
"—Are you ready to give up your son? He attacked the high school last week and put 10 kids in the hospital!"
With a loud meaty thunk, the man slammed his head into the metal bars separating the two. Chipotle Sr. Sr. retreated to the back wall.
"Even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you, cabrón. You'll have to beat it out of me."
Chief Suárez stepped back and cracked his knuckles, a hedonistic smile on his face. Beads of sweat slipped down the old man's face, and he unconsciously swallowed but his defiant expression persisted.
"That can be arranged…." The man said darkly.
"Hey! Chief Suárez! Good to see ya pal!" Kitsune said cheerily, slinging his arm around the larger man's neck, and turning him away from Chipotle.
Kitsune made a show out of digging in his pockets and pouches until he pulled out the flier that contained the information on his captures.
"Just like you requested, I brought the flock of fury to you." He waved his hand in a circular motion to the three ladies still tethered to him. Each face was decidedly neutral in the face of the city's highest authority. Though his enhanced hearing did catch one of them muttering the word 'cerdo' under their breath.
The chief gave the three a once-over before he cleared his throat.
"Good job, boy," he said as he flicked his hat, his face stonewall. "Put them in that cell over there, I'll go prepare your compensation," He pointed to a cell not too far from Chipotle and next to some members of the mustache mafia. He grabbed the flier in Kitsune's hand and walked out of the holding area.
"Thank you." Chipotle Sr. Sr muttered once the man was gone.
"Don't mention it, Old-Timer," Kitsune said while bowing his head.
"Tell me something, Zorro," Voltura said as the teen started to walk, forcing them to follow.
"I'm listening."
"You've fought and captured almost every villain and every hero who's set foot in this godforsaken shit-hole."
He twisted his head and looked back at her. "Sounds about right. What are you getting at?"
"In this place, nothing is forgotten. Nothing is ever settled. No debt is ever repaid, unless with blood…...Why did you stop him? Many would see the Chipotle family suffer for what they've done; They've earned what had been coming to them. They've crossed swords with you as well. Why would you intervene on his behalf?"
Her face morphed into a scowl, now stripped of her helmet, her eyes tried to glare a hole in him. He turned his head back to the front. He could sense the other two waiting for an answer as well.
They were women whose hearts were wrapped in bitterness and hatred. The whole city was, save for White Pantera. It was covered in a putridness that was enough to make him gag on his first initial visits.
"Because it's wrong." he said solemnly, pausing to gather his thoughts. "If I let him do what he was going to like you said, Chipotle would have come back for revenge later…. Two wrongs don't make a right, it would be an endless cycle."
"What's the difference? The man who hurt me will never understand unless I teach it to him myself. Until he feels what I felt."
Behind her, the other two hummed in agreement.
"What's the point in that?" He answered her question with a question. "Would it really make you feel any better?"
At their silence, he continued. "Even someone as blind to this stuff as me can tell you three had feelings for the Riveras at some point. Would constantly beating them up heal your hearts?"
"You don't know anything about us! You don't know what it's like to have your heart ripped out and spat upon! Do not speak like you are above us, you are as much of a lowlife as the rest of us!" Zoe yelled at him.
"Maybe so," He admitted, causing the three women to pause. "I never claimed to be better than you."
"Then why preach to us, pendejo?"
"Because I come from a place where hatred only brought more hatred. Wars were waged. Counties were destroyed. Lives were needlessly taken only causing more lives to be lost in further revenge. I've seen it personally, I've experienced it personally, so I think I'm qualified to say that at the end of your path….lies nothing. Give up." Gobbler and Voltura unconsciously backstepped from him. Zoe angrily opened her mouth to retort but Kitsune cut her off. "I'm not saying you have to forgive them, but maybe you can find something else to fill the void. They say the best revenge on an ex is to be happy with someone else right?"
Zoe closed her mouth with a spark of thoughtfulness in her eyes, despite her veins popping out from the force of her jaw being clenched. The beginnings of an idea were brewing inside her mind.
"Where are you from if I may ask, young man," Gobbler asked this time. "It doesn't seem like a very friendly place. Then again, neither is Miracle City."
"Hmph." Kitsune scoffed. "That's an understatement, every generation was trained with the expectation there would be a war by the time they became adults." in their silence he continued. "It's a place far far away from here. I'll say that much at least," he said, not willing to offer too much information
They had finally approached the jail cell the Flock would be residing in. Kitsune opened the door and ushered the three in. The look Gobbler gave him seemed to go right through his mask and into his soul. None of them attempted to make a move as he closed the cell behind him and locked it with one of his claws.
"I should probably leave them alone. I gave them an option. They have to be the ones to end the cycle."
Kitsune shook his head and turned around, determined to go collect his reward.
He passed by the Mustache Mafia as they jeered him,(He put them in there after all.) and Dr. Chipotle Sr. Sr who thanked him once again.
XXXX
"...Maybe I'm getting too old for this." Lady Gobbler said as she sat on her knees.
"Don't tell me that boy's words got you!" Voltura exclaimed in shock.
"Mija, I've been at this for over 40 years now. I eventually found someone, even if temporary; it's how I had you after all. It seems your daughter has the same idea too."
Voltura turned to Cuervo who looked away.
"So, both of you are going to tell me you're going to give up just like that just because some–" She clenched and unclenched her fists in frustration. "-idiot, wet behind the ears boy told you?"
"I realize now, that is hardly a boy who brought us in. I always thought something was off with him, but now I know. He is a man who has perhaps seen too much."
"Don't tell me you believe anything he says, Mother?"
Gobbler only offered her daughter a noncommittal shrug. "I think it's time to step down from being the leader of the team. We've been essentially following your lead for some time now."
"But what about the plan? What about our revenge?"
"I will leave that decision up to you, my daughter," Gobbler said serenely. "But if I was you, I'd try doing as the young folks say 'shooting your shot' with Zorro!" she finished with a devious smile on her face.
"Mother!"
"Abuela!"
The two younger members of the flock yelled, faces flushed red.
"Why I would never!"
"My mother would never stoop so low as to fraternize with vermin like that!"
"Yet she was once with White Pantera…." Gobbler replied, causing Zoe to take a step back.
"He is the farthest from White Pantera you can get," Voltura spat with venom. "A villain pretending to be anything else other than a villain is nothing more than pyrite–Fool's Gold. I bet he doesn't have a singular heroic bone in his body. All his talk is nothing but the naive bluster of a child ignorant of the way the world works. Worthless."
Just then a loud thump could be heard across the jail followed by the painful grunt of none other than Chief Suarez.
"Are you so sure about that?
XXXX
Kitsune dropped his fist back to his side.
Ignoring the gawking looks of the officers and bar patrons, Hands in his pockets, Kitsune stalked his way up the downed police chief and put his foot on his chest preventing him from rising.
The chief wheezed as he struggled to raise his head and weakly grasped Kitsune's ankle. "Assault on a peace officer warrants a heft punishment, and in police headquarters to boot. Why do something so foolish, Kitsune?"
"Cause I felt like it. Just like you felt like trying to beat up an old man." Kitsune pressed his foot down a little harder. Despite Suarez being twice his size, the larger man was helpless to even move the sandal even one inch.
Kitsune turned his head and let loose a wave of killing intent that caused the officers that were trying to sneak closer to him to fall back in fear.
Satisfied, the teen turned his attention back to Suarez. "Now then, I think it's time we talked about your guard practices."
XXXX
Inside the holding area, the Mustache Mafia cheered in jubilation while Dr. Chipotle Sr. Sr. wept in relief inside his cell.
The three members of the flock of fury listened to the commotion with varied expressions.
Lady Gobbler was smiling sprightly at her daughter.
Cuervo's face was impassive as she leaned against the back wall, arms folded in thought.
Voltura's face was warped in a frown, more out of disbelief than contempt, however as she sat on the lone bed.
"Well?" Lady Gobbler said triumphantly.
Instead of giving her an answer, Voltura shoved her hand into her ample bosom and reached around in her cleavage. Several members of the Mustache Mafia began to gawk at the sight, thinking the woman had begun to grope herself in public.
"Gape one more second and I shall rip your abominable eyes straight from their useless sockets, then your ridiculous mustaches off your quivering lips and turn them into pigs in a blanket!" Cuervo said as she stepped in front of her mother, obscuring the Mafia's view. Hastily, the mafia members turned to face the wall, shivering in fear.
"That's what I thought."
Finally, Voltura found what she was looking for and pulled two small pieces of metal out of her boobs and readjusted herself. She flashed the two pieces of metal to the others revealing a key and a communicator.
Lady Gobbler's smile turned into a frown. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"
"You've given me the reins, so I'm calling the shots now," Voltura replied back. Her green eyes met her mother's orange and her daughter's violet.
Gobbler noted a minute degree of uncertainty on her daughter's face but decided not to question it as she nodded in agreement.
Taking the nod as a sign to go ahead, Voltura hit the button on the back of the communicator. A brief bout of static came through before a light airy almost haughty male voice could be heard.
"Come in….Is this the Flock of Fury?"
"Yes." was Voltura's flat reply.
"I assume you've taken me up on my offer? That's the only reason why you would contact me after all. Ahahahahaha!"
"Don't get ahead of yourself, you laughing maniac. I only want the opportunity for payback on Zorro. I reserve the right to withdraw from your silly plan if it's not advantageous to me or my team."
" Your team? Did that old bat you call a mother finally kick the bucket?"
Voltura let out a growl that would have made lesser men cower and hold their crotch. Gobbler tugged on her daughter's arm and shook her head.
"You wish, payaso," Gobbler said to the speaker. "I've simply decided to leave the direction of the team to the next generation."
"Is that right? Anyways, let's get down to business. You know where I'm located; my 'wing woman' will meet you at the door–Pfft–Ha-Ha-Hahahaha!"
The communicator cut off in the middle of the man's laughter.
"For a man who wears more makeup than a Victorian-era woman, he talks a big game, that's for sure," Cuervo said as she returned to leaning against the wall.
"That's why I entertained him in the first place. People with his ambition are rare to come by,"
"More like his insanity, Abuela."
"Doesn't matter, we shall see in person ourselves soon enough," Voltura said with finality.
The sharp bird-like expressions the flock was known for made an appearance on all three members' faces.
"Prepare the passports, we're going to the U.S.!"
New Show Debut: El Tigre
Gave the Flock of Fury a 1-2-3 range gimmick to keep from repeatedly writing "And she fired her laser". Also, I feel it's more fitting to be a dark reflection of the Rivera family.
….Yes, I expect at least one of you to meme what I just said in the reviews.
Originally it was going to be a five-way brawl between Naruto, The Flock of Fury, Ember, The Rivieras, and a second El Tigre villain. But that would have been a fluster-cluck so it got cut down massively. Besides, I'd rather save that second El Tigre villain for later. Maybe they have their own arc. Ember is best used for another idea I have.
By the way, in case it wasn't clear. Naruto's Kitsune outfit is his Blank Period/Last outfit with Menma's mask. I feel it's a very underrated look. I hated it at first but as time passed it grew on me until it was my favorite. It gives off the modern soldier look Naruto's world progressed into, especially the infantry belt.
Got some talk-no-jutsu going on, but will it work though?
Also, there's a History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi reference buried somewhere in this chapter. I'll shout out the first person who finds it.
