Chapter 2 - Homecoming

A woman was getting released from prison, her belongings were slid under the bars by a female prison officer. "We're gonna miss you around here."

The woman just stared blankly for a bit before speaking. "You gotta Newport?"

Moments later, the steel gates to the prison slid open and out walked Cookie Lyon. Late 40's, thick, and sexy as hell. Wearing a 20 year old mink coat, she smoked a cigarette. She was prepared to get what was owed.

"Cookie's coming home."

-Days Later-

"You can't just go in there!" Becky yelled

"Get yo ass out the way." Cookie dismissed walking into the office and closing the door behind her.

She idly walked around Lucious' massive office and took everything in. Against the wall was a shelf full of music awards. She looked out at the stunning view of Central Park, in awe.

Cookie looked down and saw a picture of Lucious and Anika on his desk causing her smile to fade, while behind her Lucious leaned on the threshold. "When did you get out?"

Cookie turned around and faced Lucious. They stare at each other for a long, painful beat. "Two days ago."

Lucious walked over and gave her a hug. She slowly hugged him back. It was awkward but when they pulled back, she slapped him across the face.

Lucious staggered back and looked at Cookie. "You black bastard. The only one that came was Jamal. He's the only one. How could you do that to me?" She asked.

"For a while I thought about you everyday. But I couldn't take it. I had to try to forget about you. I'm sorry, Cookie, I really am, but it was too painful for me. I couldn't take it anymore." Lucious said

"Yeah. I get it. But that doesn't mean I have to accept it." Cookie glared as Lucious looked nervous.

"So how'd you get out so early?" Lucious asked only for Cookie to scoff.

"That's all you got to say to me?!" She demanded, easily sidestepping the question.

"I don't know what else to say." Lucious said honestly.

"Then don't say anything. You forgot about me the second you divorced me in there. But that doesn't mean you don't owe me what's mine." Cookie replied.

"What are you talking about?"

"Half of this company. It was my 400,000 that started this bitch. You know it and I know it. I did 17 hard years for that money, and I want half my company back."

Lucious looked nervous not sure how to explain this. "Cookie... it doesn't work like that. You wanna house? You want money? I'll get it for you. You'll be taken care of, but I can't give you half the company."

"It's mine." Cookie hissed.

"I only control a piece of this damn thang now. I've had investors come in over the years, it's why we're so big. I have a Board of Directors, a CFO, SEC filings. We're about to go public which will dilute my voting power even more."

"Public? What the hell is going public?"

"I can give you a huge salary, but I can't give you half the company. I can't give you any of it." Lucious said.

"I started this!" Cookie screamed putting her finger in Lucious face. "You need to stop playin' with me."

"Tell me what you want and you can have it." Lucious compromised.

"I want five million a year and I want to be head of A & R."

"The money is tricky. I'll figure something out. I can't do A & R. We have someone." Lucious said

"Fire them."

"I can't." Lucious said.

Cookie scoffed and nodded toward the picture of Lucious and Anika. "Is it little Halle Berry over there?" She asked only for Lucious to keep his mouth shut. "Okay, I'll manage Naruto then."

"What?" Lucious scoffed.

"Kushina and I were friends before you almost fucked it up. She used to send me letters, but they stopped a couple years ago."

"… Kushina passed around five years ago. She died of lung cancer." Cookie stumbled onto the couch at hearing this news. Some tears fell as she tried to process this. Lucious got the tissue box off his desk and placed it in her hands, before patting her shoulder consolingly, and walking off to let her grieve in private.

He made his way down to the studio where he saw Anika sitting down beside Naruto who playing a beat while rapping under his breath. "I'm noticing that I don't have a set style. My flow is malleable, and my rhymes are unpredictable. That's good though, because one thing I don't want is niggas saying all my shit sounds the same."

"Right." Lucious nodded. "Uh, so I know you've been looking for a manager and I think I found one for you." Naruto just raised an eyebrow, so Lucious continued. "I don't know if you remember her, but my ex wife just got out of prison after 17 years. She helped me start this company. All this would be impossible without her. Now she's quite a handful, but apparently, she and your mom were cool and she'd like to be your manager."

"I'll see what she on." Naruto said getting a nod.

"Good to hear." Naruto turned back to the computer as Lucious and Anika shared a look, before Lucious walked off.

"So, what do you think about running Empire and all that?"

"Don't want it. This company got issues that I want no involvement in." Naruto replied immediately.

"Think about it. You were, and possibly still are, a king in the streets. Kings don't follow anyone, and they get whatever they want." Anika smiled placing her hand on his thigh.

Naruto looked down at it and back up to her with a raised brow. She got up and left with a sway in her hips.

Cookie left to get some air and found herself at a coffee shop. She entered and saw a sign for live music playing in the basement. With a shrug, she decided to go see the local talent and was pleasantly surprised to see Jamal performing.

Jamal played the guitar with a back up band as he sang a soulful tune about a boy who wanted to be loved. The packed room was enthralled with his music. Cookie stood in the back, her sad mood evaporating as she watched in pride her son singing.

Loud applause was heard when the song ended and Jamal humbly nodded. He saw Cookie in the back, and they shared a smile.

Moments Later

"You got it, Mal. You got all of it and now we gotta show the world exactly what you got." Cookie said

"I'm showing people what I got. I showed a whole room tonight." Jamal replied.

"Look at this place? You shouldn't be selling muffins and coffee with your music, you should be selling out stadiums. And you will." Cookie assured.

"I just wanna play. If I tour or release an album, then it's gonna change me, it's gonna change the music. I've seen it. I've seen it first hand with Dad and the artists he signs. Right now my shit is pure, that's how I want to keep it." Jamal explained.

"Oh yeah, you're pure. So pure only a couple thousand white kids in Brooklyn, Seattle and San Francisco ever heard your stuff. Come on, Mal, you gotta share what GOD gave you with the world."

Jamal stared at his mother for a long beat and shook his head. "Ma, this is who I am. This is what I want to be. I'm not Lucious. I'm not that guy, and I'm leaving New York."

"What?" Cookie asked, completely surprised.

"It was a plan in the works a while before you came home. I was holding out for when dad would you know try to get to know me. Asked him to spend time with me, he brought up doing an album. I'm sick and tired of all of this, ma. With Lucious is all about business and keeping my little faggot ass in the closet. Since you've been home you've only talked about Empire. I love you but this toxicity is not for me so I'm going to separate myself before I get hurt in the crossfire between you and Lucious." Jamal spoke, a little pain slipping into his words.

"Baby-"

"I know you would never intentionally hurt me, ma. Trust me, this is what's best for me." Jamal said before he kissed her cheek. "I love you. Call you later.*

"You too." Cookie said, watching him walk away. "Stupid sissy."

Naruto didn't waste any time with the wealth he had accumulated. He sold the deeds to a couple houses, the Tesla stock, and the yacht making him a billionaire, but he spent the majority of it building affordable apartments and condos, both regular and luxury. He had new appliances installed, and some basic furniture moved in. He had inspectors comb over all the buildings multiple times to make sure everything was safe.

After that, he designed what would be one of the tallest buildings in Manhattan, and sent it to be inspected by several different architects, and structural engineers to make sure that it was safe and visually appealing.

After all of that, he was left with just under a million dollars. He easily made his money back from a couple more poker games and clearing out a casino in Los Vegas. Using that money, he hired the same architects to build a building where the basement was a nightclub and the top two floors was an extravagant restaurant. The floors in between would be apartments for employees.

It's been a couple years since his projects started, and they finally finished.

He spent some time dropping in on different gangs from Philly and hiring them for security work. He became the gateway to get out the dangerous lifestyle and go legit.

Now he sat in the a VIP booth of one of the strip clubs Nia owned, just listening to his music to see how it sounded in the club. The strippers were practicing their routines while he bobbed his head to the beat.

Hearing heels clacking their way towards him, he opened his eyes to find a beautiful black woman in a leopard print dress, her long legs exposed, while the tight dress showed off her curves.

"Goddamn." He unintentionally muttered. She heard him and a small smirk appeared on her face.

He rose from the booth and approached. "Welcome home, Cook." He took her hand and kissed it, looking deep in her eyes. "Mmm. Damn, I love chocolate."

Cookie smiled. "Boy, I am-"

"A beautiful black Queen in a sinfully tight dress that I'm tryna help you out of later." Naruto finished while caressing her hand.

Cookie playfully pushed him back. "Pleasure later, you lil hoe. We gotta talk business first, then maybe after a couple drinks we'll see what happens." Naruto chuckled as he led her to the bar. She looked around at the empty establishment in a bit of curiosity. "This place dead or something?"

"Nah, it's just closed for now. I'm using the opportunity to test how my songs sound in a club." He hopped the bar and poured the two of them some liquor. "Before we do anything together, I gotta say straight up that I'm not interested in whatever beef you got wit Lucious. That's y'all shit. If you gon manage me then Ima need you to be focused on getting this money and helping get to the top. Can you do that?"

"Yeah, I got you." Cookie nodded. They clinked glasses and downed their drinks.

Cookie wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck as he fucked her standing, one hand holding a leg, the other gripping her ass as he pulled her to match his thrusts. He kissed her neck, her moans just enticing him to fuck her faster.

"Shit, puh-lease slow d-down. I haven't had dick in too long!" Cookie pleaded.

"No. You wanted this. You don't get to complain now." Her battered core trembled at his tone.

Suddenly, he pulled out, much to her displeasure, then he lifted her other leg. She let out a startled yelp. "Wha-"

She was silenced by Naruto lifting her, then slamming all the way to her womb. He has both hands on her ass as he easily carried her. He gave her a moment to get used to his full length before thrusting. She had her forehead against his as she was assaulted by the pleasure she was feeling. With her mouth hung open, he stuck his tongue inside and initiated a deep kiss.

This kiss continued as he pounded mercilessly into her. She came many times from that position alone as he kept her aloft. Abruptly, his pounding became faster and harder. Cookie almost broke their kiss from the surprise, but he bit her lip to keep her close, then they resumed their kissing as his punishing tempo continued.

With a guttural groan, he came deep inside her, directly into her womb. She came again from this action, as their kissing continued.

He walked to the bed and every step, he deliberately bounced her on his still hard shaft. He laid back on the bed, with her on top. "How are you still hard?"

"A sexy woman like you, and you think I'd be soft? Get ready." With that warning given, he began to pound her from below.

"Fuck!" She cried out. Naruto just started licking her nipple.

Rhonda, Andre's wife, walked into the room, with a glass of water and 2 pills, stopping at the doorway she wined her hips for Andre who looked up at her uninterested before he looked down to the magazine he was ready causing her to sigh. "Come on, honey, take your pills."

"They make me feel worse." Andre complained.

"You always say that when you don't take them, then in two days you'll feel normal again. Now take your pills or I'll tell your dad you're off your anti-depressants again." She threatened.

Andre sighed himself. He took his pills and downed the water, before slapping Rhonda's ass as she climbed onto the bed.

After a moment Andre spoke. "He always loved them more than me. Even Jamal, who he hates. I don't even stack up to the son he had shipped off."

"My dad is the same way. He loves my fat, idiot brother more than me, because they watch TV and smoke pot all day together. Deep down it's because they're jealous of us. They hate that we went to Ivy League schools. It makes them feel inferior, so they treat us like we're inferior to keep us down."

"He loves them because they're talented like him. You know it'll come down to Naruto and Hakeem, right?"

"Right, but Naruto doesn't want it, so he'll leave it Hakeem, and Jamal won't object because he's too passive." Rhonda replied before she had a thought. "But what if he did? What if Jamal made a play for the company? Your brothers just may kill each other."

Andre turns to her, so she continues. "What if Jamal made a play for the company and your two brothers end up going to war against each other?"

"It would never happen. They're as tight as can be."

"Money and power has torn apart a lot more than two brothers. And if they did go to war, they just might end up killing each other..."

"...and the talent-less brother is the last man standing." Andre finished.

"Looks like those pills already started working."

Andre was still a bit unsure. "I don't know. That's some tricky shit."

"You'd probably also have to get rid of Naruto." Rhonda said.

"Nah, it's ok. Naruto doesn't want it, and he's very stubborn. It took 2 years for him to even call dad 'dad'." Andre explained.

Lucious and Anika are asleep when Lucious' phone rings. Groggy, Lucious sees 'Bunkie' on the caller ID. "Somebody better be dead."

"We need to meet."

"What?"

"Now. The warehouses."

Lucious looks concerned, knows it's serious. Easing himself off the bed, he makes his way to the warehouses.

Arriving at his destination, he stands in a dark alley surrounded by warehouses with busted windows and graffiti. It's eerily empty. From out of the shadows steps Bunkie, he looks nervous. "Last time I got this call your, brother had just been murdered."

"Nobody's dead. At least, not yet." Bunkie takes out a hand gun. Lucious looks stunned.

"What are you doing?"

"You forgot me. You left me behind."

"I've been paying your a salary for the last 20 years." Lucious said, confused.

"Peanuts. I've been with you since the beginning and you won't even give me a measly 25 large." Bunkie sneered.

"Because you won't stop losing it! I could give you a million dollars and you'd gamble it away." Lucious barked.

"A million ain't enough. I want ten million."

This declaration made Lucious laugh. "Go ahead and shoot me, because I ain't giving you ten dollars."

Bunkie points his gun right at Lucious. "Stop laughing." Lucious' chuckles pattered off. "You need to pay me or this so called legacy of yours is dead."

"What are you talking about?"

"I got information, and if it got out, Empire could never public." Buckie bragged.

"Seems like everyone I know wants to go to the Feds. So what do you got?" Lucious asked, disappointed.

"You killed them four dealers for starters. I saw it with my own eyes. You're a murderer and there's gotta be a DA in Philly who'd love to make his name bringing you down."

Lucious stares at him, more hurt than surprised. "Why you doing this, Bunkie?"

"I've been with you from the start nigga. I've seen what money has done to you. Our friendship means nothing to you anymore. Empire's gonna make everyone billions except for me and I want what's mine. You hear me, Lucious?"

Lucious stares at him for a long beat, calculating.

Takeshi Uzumaki sat in an examination room wearing a hospital gown and feeling just a bit foolish. He was an old man in his sixties, but he didn't look a day over 40.

He had many regrets in his life, one of biggest being the falling out he had with his daughter. The pain he felt when it was reported she couldn't be found was only surpassed by the pain he felt when he found out she died years ago with him none the wiser.

Maybe he could make some sort of amends with Kushina through her child. While he contemplated, the doctor entered the room looking solemn.

"I apologize, oyabun, but all of our follow ups have confirmed what we've always feared. The cancer is back. It's not contained, and it's spreading quickly. I'm not into the calendar game, but... two, three months." The man shook his head.

Takeshi sighed deeply. He strongly suspected that his wife and daughter's death were murders, but him also having cancer is practically throwing in his face that it definitely was.

Naruto was in the studio bored out of his mind, listening to the same wack ass beat over and over as Hakeem was in the booth hungover, messing up some even more wack lyrics. He sat beside Anika, with Andre and Lucious standing near them. Naruto showed Anika a picture. "Ooh, it's so cute." She said looking at the picture of the puppy.

"Shit gon be big as hell." Naruto smiled.

"Damn, I ain't feeling that run it back." Hakeem said.

Naruto sighed and shook his head. "Alright take thirty seven."

Hakeem looked at Naruto with anger in his eyes. "So what, I said run it back!"

"Aye who you yelling at, lil nigga?!" Naruto said standing up.

"Naruto, calm down." Lucious said, not needing Hakeem to be beaten.

Andre got up and left when Hakeem messed up again. "What's the line again?" Hakeem asked.

"Get the fuck out the booth!" Lucious yelled.

Hakeem groaned and walked out of the booth sitting down beside Lucious across from Anika as Naruto went in, and a beat played.

(Play Snitch - Joyner Lucas)

Hakeem looked to Anika and Lucious who were smiling and nodding along to Naruto's rhymes and he saw Cookie by the door smiling as well, and he frowned.

Lucious leaned over to Hakeem, "If you don't get yo shit together. Naruto is going to get everything you ever wanted." He said causing Hakeem's frustrated frown to grow deeper before he got up and stormed off.

From the two-way mirror of his office, Naruto watched the opening night of his club. He looked over to his door when it opened. "Mr Walker? An older gentleman is here for you. He says he's your maternal grandfather."

This made Naruto tilt his head in curiosity. "Send him in."

His mother never said a word regarding her father nor any family members at all. He took notice of a big asian man holding the door open, while another stood guard outside. A older man with long black hair in a ponytail entered. He walked in with a wooden cane that Naruto could tell had a hidden blade in it. He wore a black suit and shirt with a red tie.

Entering with him are two twins wearing short black kimono dresses exposing their long legs, but Naruto just knew their baggy sleeves held several blades.

"Naruto." The man said as the door closed.

"Yes. And you are?" Naruto asked as he held his hand out to shake. The man took it without hesitation.

"I am Uzumaki Takeshi, your grandfather." Takeshi replied in Japanese.

"Yeah that's the thing. Kaa-san never mentioned anything regarding her relatives." Naruto said as he directed them towards the couches.

Takeshi sighed. "That would be my fault. A couple decades ago, when I was trying to tie all the Yakuza under one banner, I planned on marrying your mother to the heir of a rival clan in order to start negotiations in a peaceful union. The prideful and free spirited woman that was your mother rejected the union and we argued. Words were said that I am far too ashamed to repeat, but it ended with my only daughter leaving the country and vanishing completely. It wasn't until one of my people saw your post on social media that I received any news regarding her." A small tear left his eye as he spoke. "My wife died never knowing the whereabouts of her only daughter, and I am dying never getting the chance to apologize for my words and actions towards your mother."

"You're dying too?" Naruto asked, startled.

"Yes. I have maybe a month left. Just as my wife and daughter, I am dying of cancer."

"But… nah that doesn't make sense."

"You believe that someone gave us cancer?" Takeshi asked with a tired smile. "You'd be right."

"How? How is that possible?"

"What I'm about to tell you will completely change your worldview, but you are my heir, so you must know these things before I go." At Naruto's nod he continued. "The supernatural is very real. Magic, monsters, all things of such nature. It's all real."

At Naruto's skeptical look, Takeshi held a hand up, and Naruto was transfixed by the flame that appeared and danced around his palm.

"We of the Uzumaki clan come from a long line of magic users. We invented runes and improved it as time passed. I can sense that you are incredibly powerful, but you have yet to use your magic."

"I can use magic, too?"

"Yes, my bo-" Takeshi was interrupted by a persistent cough. Naruto quickly got up to get a water bottle while his coughing died down. "Thank you. I should be going, but here."

In a swirl of water, a pitch black book appeared on the table. It was thick and only had a red swirl on the cover. "This is the clan's grimoire. Read it when you're free if you want to get a handle on your magic. Also, there's this." He took out a flashdrive from his pocket. "This is all you need to know for when you receive the title of Kumicho. I would love to teach you all of this personally, but my health is rapidly declining, so I must rest for my last days."

He slowly rose from his seat, Naruto rising with him. "Would you be opposed to some guards well versed in magic use?"

"It would probably be smart to have some. Especially since I have no experience in this new world you've introduced me to." Naruto agreed easily.

"Good. This is Keiko and Meiko. They are now yours." Takeshi left after that.

He looked to the women who had bright smiles. "Do y'all mind answering some questions about the supernatural?"

"Of course not, Naruto-sama." They said in unison.

Naruto spent a couple hours asking question after question.

A huge party was taking place on a yacht. Beautiful women, guys in tank tops, corporate types in suits; a lot of people were present. The partiers paid attention to Lucious who held a glass of champagne and a microphone.

"It is a great honor to announce the return of Cookie Lyon, the heart and soul of Empire Entertainment." The crowd applauded as Cookie beamed. Naruto was with Nia on the couch, clapping politely. "I never would've left the streets of Philly if Cookie hadn't taught me everything I know. I also want to announce that in a year's time, my two sons, Hakeem Lyon and Naruto Walker will both be releasing their debut albums."

There was more applause as Hakeem looked over to Naruto who was being fed grapes by his girlfriend. Lucious held up his glass of champagne and screamed in triumph. "To the Empire!"

Lucious sipped his champagne idly thinking how he put a bullet through Bunkie's head last night.