Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Danganronpa.

AN: Uncomfortable themes are featured in this chapter.

To the story.

Chapter 49:
Kotoko Steps Up Part II

This was a tragic story. This was the story of five kids who had placed their trust on the wrong people and were paying the price for it. Maybe it was by chance that they had found each other, that they had come to the same school and had ended up in the same class. Who could say. Life was full of coincidences like that.

They all had their part to tell, but they couldn't tell them all at once. It had to start somewhere.

Monaca felt that starting with Kotoko was good enough. It was a natural progression, after all. That was always important for a good story.

Ah, yes. What could she say about Utsugi Kotoko? That Monaca didn't really care about her? That she was just a stupid kid? That would be redundant by this point. Perhaps some backstory was in order! People always say that a backstory was another requirement for a good story.

Monaca knew she didn't have all the pieces, but no one could fault her for that. Right? She only just started digging for information. She might have to use her imagination to fill in some of the gaps here and there. So to anyone interested, Monaca sincerely apologizes, from the deepest corner of her heart. This was her first time being a narrator like this, so hopefully no one will flame her for it.

The story of Utsugi Kotoko did not begin with her, funnily enough. It began with the adult known as her mother. That adult had always had big ambitions for herself. She had felt as though she had a huge destiny laid out for her in showbiz. That she would become a talented actress, with her name and face known worldwide.

It never happened.

Perhaps she never considered failing. It was hard to say. Many times people were so fixated on the finish line that they never stopped to think about what other paths to take. They overestimated themselves, and because of it they became miserable. They had no one to blame but themselves, but rarely were people willing to admit to their own faults.

The adult ended up just being some housewife to a dentist. By all accounts, it should have been a comfortable life. Average, but comfortable.

It just wasn't enough for her.

She wanted more. That's when Kotoko finally entered the picture. You see, Kotoko had been born with something that her mother had lacked: talent. That fickle thing, which so many people wanted but so few had. Her mother did not resent Kotoko for this, however. It was the opposite. She was thrilled. Because now, Kotoko could do what she had been unable to do. She could be the ultimate actress.

Kotoko's opinion did not matter. So what if she just wanted to be a regular kid? After all, a mother always knew what was best for her child. One day, surely, Kotoko would appreciate what her mother was doing for her.

That's what adults like to say anyway.

Kotoko's father did not care for any of this. Perhaps he had been in love with his wife at some point, but by the time that Kotoko had started acting it was clear there was no love left between the two parents. All he cared about was the money and influence that Kotoko's acting career was bringing him. He could use it to spend more time with his mistress while his wife was too busy to take notice. A perfect situation for him.

Kotoko's mother wasn't going to just leave things to chance, however. Kotoko's talent had set her apart from many others, but the mother wanted to make sure that nothing could go wrong. The acting world was a fickle one. What other way to guarantee success than to gain the favor of the producers in the business and other men in similar positions of power?

Kotoko had been around ten years old when her mother had first made her sleep with one of the TV producers, so more or less a year ago. It had been for an ad of all things. For something so insignificant, Kotoko lost her innocence. Of course, that was only the first time of many. Using the same tactic, Kotoko's mother had ensured that her daughter got bigger and bigger roles. Already, barely at eleven, Kotoko was a bigger actress than her mother had ever been. Surely, the woman was proud of her child's success.

All of this was a nice way of saying that Kotoko had been forced to endure multiple rapes by dozens of men four times her age, perhaps older. Monaca was trying to be considerate here, because while she did not care for Kotoko she could certainly pity her. After all, what kind of kid wants to face the reality that their parents didn't love them?

Monaca sent her condolences to Kotoko.

Monaca was sure that Kotoko would deny this of course. Just like with the others, she was under the delusion that her parents loved her. She did not yet understand the falsehood that she was living under. Really, what a pitiable child. What kind of love would make a parent prostitute their own child? And for what? Some sort of delusion of grandeur?

She might just be a kid, but Monaca was smart enough to understand just how stupid that was. The adult world was full of stupid things like that.

And yet, Kotoko was still enduring it all. She still tried to put on her silly little mask, to act as though nothing was wrong and she was a perfect darling child. She might enjoy acting, even now, but it was clear that her attitude and personality were just a front.

Well, Monaca wasn't any different there. Perhaps that was the reason why she could see through this lie.

She was getting sidetracked.

So all of this had been happening for a better part of a year now. Thanks to her mother's actions, Kotoko was now a star, a star worthy enough to be accepted into Hope's Peak Elementary School as the Li'l Ultimate Drama. But because of her abuse at the hands of the adults, she had grown to resent them and any other authority figure, even subconsciously, with the exception being her parents. That's why she was placed with the other "troublemakers." It wasn't Kotoko's fault really, but such was the label the adults had given her.

This had been the status quo so far. Just utter despair for an entire year…..until Naruto appeared that is. Another one of those coincidences that just made the world go round.

Right off the bat the blond had managed to smitten Kotoko. It took a bit longer, but he had done the same with the others. Something about the blond just screamed "safe." Now, Kotoko probably trusted him more than she trusted her own parents.

Monaca still didn't understand what made the blond boy so special. He might say some pretty things, but that was it. She refused to acknowledge him or his words, no matter how they made her feel. It's why she had bothered to make a bet with Kotoko in the first place. Because, despite all that supposed trust, Kotoko couldn't bring herself to reach out to the blond. She couldn't step up and face her demons head on. She was disgusted with herself, and she didn't want Naruto to think any less of her for it.

It was comical to Monaca. But, really, what could Naruto do, even if he found out the truth? There was no way for him to save Kotoko. It's why Monaca found his attitude so infuriating. He knew nothing, but he acted like he did.

'He can't save any of them.'

He couldn't save her.

Tonight would prove that to her. Monaca was sure of this as she took a sip of her tea from her dorm room. The green haired girl was certain that Kotoko would be enduring another gentle night with that American gentleman from their little outing. The signs had all been there earlier today. It's why Monaca had also accidentally let it slip that Naruto was staying with the former headmaster of Hope's Peak. It wouldn't take much for Kotoko to figure out where that was. While Monaca thought of Kotoko as stupid, she wasn't as stupid as some of the others.

How did Monaca know all of this? She might hate her family and their name, but she did have to admit that they came with a lot of perks. Just bribe some people here and there and they would be telling her all sorts of things.

Adults really were stupid. Kids too, now that she thought about it.

And tonight, both were against one another.

So the question remained: what was Kotoko going to do tonight? Finally step up and reach for help?

Or continue drowning in her despair?

And even if she did reach for help, would there be salvation waiting for her? Would Naruto actually be true to his words? Or just be another fickle-washy adult?

Monaca couldn't wait!

It was almost like a routine for Kotoko at this point. Her body was moving on autopilot even though her mind wasn't in it. During times like this, she had learned to remove all her fear and vacate to the deepest part of her mind. She still had to act a certain way, but with her skills that was easy enough. She could act in her sleep! That's why she was worthy of being called the Li'l Ultimate Drama. As painful as everything was, Kotoko could take comfort in that small part of her life.

Today had gone pretty well, all things considered. As it turned out, Naruto and his class were doing a play for the school festival. It was the perfect opportunity for her to show him how amazing she was. A play was right up her alley, after all. Unfortunately, the blond had been too preoccupied with writing it than actually being there for her lessons. Drat! But Kotoko was sure that when he was done with that, he would start taking her lessons too. With her help, they would reach the top spot at the festival!

Then he would pat her head, which would allow her to feel even more of that warm aura that she had come to love so much.

It had made Kotoko giddy just thinking about it.

Then reality came back to slap her in the face. Just when she was having fun, she was reminded of the duty she had to perform by her mother. Apparently the American man her mother had so graciously introduced her to was looking forward to "meeting" her again as soon as possible. Supposedly he was due to return back to the states soon and didn't want to pass on this opportunity. His vacation couldn't last forever, her mother had told her.

Right away Kotoko knew what this meant. This led her to her current situation, where, after classes were over, she hadn't returned to her dorm room but rather to the hotel the man was currently staying in. It's where her mother had been staying this past week too. It wouldn't do to have these sorts of rendezvous at Towa where they could easily be recognized. Public image was everything. Another one of her mother's mottos.

With all of these thoughts running through her head, Kotoko was changing out of her school uniform and into a black lace nightgown. Not what she typically wore during one of these "meetings," but apparently the man had different tastes in…..aesthetics compared to a lot of the producers that she had been forced to meet in the past.

It didn't change anything in Kotoko's mind, but again she didn't bother to think on it too much. If she did, she was sure she would start trembling again. Her mother always told her that she shouldn't act like that in front of these gentlemen. She needed to please them more, to make them think that she wanted it more than they did.

It only took a few minutes for Kotoko to step out of the bedroom, now fully dressed in the nightgown, and into the main living room. The man had practically picked a penthouse for his stay in Japan. They were at the very top floor of the hotel. If the circumstances were different, Kotoko might have even enjoyed the view from up here. The room was filled with all sorts of snacks and foods that Kotoko didn't recognize. Not to mention the wine.

She hadn't partaken in any of it of course. Her mother said that it would be unbecoming of her, or something along those lines. Why? Kotoko couldn't remember. Now that she was walking into the living room, where her mother and the man were quite literally on top of one another on the large sofa, her mind was beginning to lose focus.

Despite his hands being busy roaming through every part her mother's body, the man's eyes immediately took notice of her.

"Ah, there she is!"

The man's thick accent caused Kotoko to flinch but she tried to hide it the best she could. She was going to make her mother proud tonight.

He practically pushed her mother off him in order to get a better look at her. Kotoko was able to see a bit of annoyance flash on her mother's face, but it was quickly gone.

Had she imagined that?

"This is what I came to Japan for." The man quite literally licked his lips as he took in her form. "At first, I had my doubts about this, madame. But then several of my colleagues explained the situation to me. I can't believe you are willing to go this far for your daughter."

"I love her, you see." Kotoko's mother draped herself at the man's side. Her eyes were filled with an emotion that Kotoko could never place. "I want to make sure she succeeds. I know you are a very caring gentleman who can open many doors for her in America. We would love to have your patronage."

"But of course!" The man didn't hesitate to agree as he stood up from the sofa, his attention focused solely on Kotoko who did her best to put on her award-winning smile. "I would have preferred if she wasn't so used already, but I will be sure to give her my full attention tonight."

"Oh, sir, you are just too kind!" Her mother gushed with a giggle.

The man didn't seem like he had heard her as he quickly closed the distance between himself and Kotoko. As he did, Kotoko couldn't help but to start to tremble despite her wishes. Her body was betraying her thoughts. Many times her mother had instilled in her the role that she needed to play, but she still couldn't get it right.

"There's nothing to fear, Miss Kotoko." The man tried to appear soothing as he placed his hands on her shoulders and started to rub them. It did not help as Kotoko's trembling only increased. Her smile never wavered. "I am not sure how these Japanese do it, but I promise to be very gentle with you. I am a caring man, you see. I have a daughter that's right around your age, so I know how to handle girls your age. Just leave everything to me."

That word. Gentle.

Was there something unique about that word? Why did they always use it?

Kotoko loathed that word with every fiber of her being.

Her lips began to quiver as her smile finally faltered, but the man didn't seem to care as he was already kissing her neck. Her mother was watching everything from the couch, her face disapproving. Not because of what the man was doing, but because of Kotoko's reaction.

Kotoko could already see what her mother was going to say later. Keep the tears away! This was for her future. She should be happy, not suffering. And those words and others like it always made Kotoko steel herself for what was to come. After all, she needed to make her mother happy. She didn't want to see her mother sad. Her mother loved her, so Kotoko needed to do everything in her power to return that love.

…..right?

As the man moved to finally kiss her on the lips, another voice echoed in her mind.

"When you feel like talking, don't hesitate to come knocking on my door, alright? I promise to be there for you."

Naruto.

Even now, she could picture the blond's face very clearly in her mind. There was always something very different when she was around him. He wasn't family, but when he interacted with her there was a warmness that she couldn't feel anywhere else, not even with her parents.

What made that so different? Why did she feel safe with him but not with her own parents? Kotoko had been struggling with all of this lately. She just didn't understand. If this was love, then why did she feel better when she was with the blond?

None of it made sense.

She was confused. She was scared. She felt alone.

But was she alone?

"Do you really promise?"

"Of course! When I make a promise, I keep it."

That had been his answer to her. If she needed someone, then all she had to do was ask him.

She no longer knew if this was right. Because if it was…..then why did she never tremble like this when Naruto was with her?

"Our first kiss for the night…." The man's voice snapped Kotoko out of her thoughts. He was mere centimeters away from her face, and she could smell the alcohol on him. She had gone through this exact moment many times before, but tonight something in her finally snapped.

'NO!'

This wasn't what she wanted. She couldn't stand here anymore.

She didn't even think about it. Her body moved on its own, spurred by Naruto's words still echoing in her mind.

She kicked the man in the balls. It was something she had learned before. You could please a man from that area, but you could also hurt them. She was going to take full advantage of that fact.

"KOTOKO!" Her mother screamed as she saw the man howl in pain and fall back to the floor, holding his crotch.

Kotoko didn't stop the tears from falling at this point. She was full of adrenaline. She locked gazes with her mother for a split second before she took off running out of the hotel room.

She knew where she needed to go.

Chisa had had a lot on her mind when Peko called her that night, namely Mahiru's encounter with Fuyuhiko's sister. She already had a pretty good idea of what she was going to do about it, but all of that had to be pushed aside for the time being as she rushed over to Tengan's house of all places.

'So it's true, Uzumaki-kun is staying with the former headmaster.'

Already a lot of alarm bells were ringing in her mind, but Chisa knew this wasn't the time for that. She could question Tengan's motives later. Right now, her adorable students needed her.

When she arrived at the house, Peko greeted her at the door and led her inside. Fuyuhiko was there too, his arms crossed as he stood off to the back, his face expressing displeasure and anger.

Naruto was in the living room with a crying Kotoko in his arms. The little girl was burying her face in his chest. She appeared to be wearing one of Naruto's orange hoodies, and it was clearly too big for her.

Just what was happening here?

"I'm glad you came, sensei," Peko said as she gestured to Naruto and Kotoko. Fuyuhiko's face was one thing, but Naruto's…it bore an expression that Chisa had never seen before. She didn't even know how to describe it. It made the hairs on the back of her neck tingle in unease.

"O-Of course I came!" Chisa tried to hide her apprehension as she placed a hand over her chest and did her best to smile. "It's not every day that my adorable students contact me like this. So? What's the matter?"

It was Fuyuhiko who answered her. "There's something going on with her shitty parents, and we need to do something about it."

That….was very vague.

Naruto remained silent, so it was Peko who stepped up to better explain the situation to the confused Chisa.

The Ultimate Swordswoman relayed everything that Kotoko had managed to tell them after she had calmed down enough to get some words out, which wasn't much as the girl was still hysterical.

Chisa paid rapt attention, her face growing more and more shocked with the more she heard.

"You…..can't be serious."

Fuyuhiko scowled. "Do you think we would be kidding about something like this?"

He still remembered how he felt when he first heard it. Naruto had grown eerie quiet ever since Kotoko had told them about her experience tonight as well as everything she had endured for the past year. It was Peko's idea to contact Chisa to see what she could do for Kotoko. At the very least, they could get some of the power of the school behind them.

Chisa took a deep breath as she tried to compose herself.

"This is a lot to take in," she admitted after a moment's silence. She cupped her chin in thought. "I can't believe a parent would….."

Her eyes drifted over to Kotoko, who by now had quieted down enough to only let out a few whimpers as Naruto rubbed her back.

Chisa's face softened. "Kotoko-chan, you were very brave to come forward. Don't you worry, we will help you through this!"

Kotoko didn't answer her, but Chisa was okay with that. She knew the girl needed some time before she could return to normal.

"What are you going to do, sensei?"

Naruto's voice brought Chisa's attention to him. His face still bore that unreadable expression. His voice was surprisingly calm, but Chisa admitted that she did not enjoy seeing this side of him. Just what was he thinking right now?

"Of course, I will bring this up to the headmaster. Even if it's only the elementary school, the headmaster carries a lot of power there. We will need to go the police and investigate this."

"Investigate?" Fuyuhiko didn't like the sound of that. "And how long do you think that's going to take? By the time the police can do anything, that bastard will have left the country."

The guy was a foreigner, after all.

"I understand your concerns, Kuzuryu-kun," Chisa tried to placate him, "but we can't just go acting on our own. We have to go through the proper channels. We don't want to be taking the law into our own hands."

Her answer didn't sit well with the yakuza heir, but Chisa stood firm with her plan.

"We need to be careful with how we approach this. We can't be-"

"I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! MULTIPLE PEOPLE SAW YOU COMING THIS WAY, YOU UNGRATEFUL GIRL!"

Chisa's voice was cut off by a loud banging on the door as well as a string of shouts.

Naruto knew who it was immediately, and by Kotoko's shaking she knew too.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE, YOU LITTLE BRAT!? HOW MUCH WORK IT TOOK FOR ME TO SET THIS UP FOR YOU!? HUH!? DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THE POSITION YOU'RE IN!?"

Fuyuhiko's face darkened when he started to piece it together.

"Don't tell me…"

Peko's face darkened as well. "Young master, just give me the word."

Neither were very close to Kotoko, but they weren't going to let something like this pass. They wouldn't call the little girl a friend, but they also weren't going to allow something like this to continue.

"All of you, calm down. Now." Chisa instantly took charge of the situation as she stepped in between them and the doorway. Naruto hadn't moved a muscle yet. "We are not going to start something here."

"Tell that to her," Fuyuhiko said with a spat.

Instead of answering him, Chisa opened the door to greet their guest. She didn't recognize the woman that stood on the other side of the door, but she could tell right away that it was Kotoko's mother.

"What can we do for you?"

"Don't act coy. Get out of my way. I'm here to get my daughter."

"I am afraid I have no idea what you're talking about," Chisa said with a cheery voice. "I think you lost your daughter the moment you decided to sell her off to a bunch of rapists."

Chisa didn't want things to escalate. This did not mean that she was going to let the woman get away with what she wanted.

"You dare!?" Kotoko's mother raged. "You have no idea what you're talking about! I did not just climb over a gate to have some nobody interfere with my family."

Oh, so that's how she got in.

"I think she made it very clear." Chisa was startled when she suddenly heard Naruto's voice right next to her. She hadn't even sensed the boy move! "Your daughter isn't here. If you don't leave, I'll be forced to kick you out here myself. Don't tempt me."

Chisa noticed right away that the blond's hands were shaking. He was trying to restrain myself right now.

"You!" Kotoko's mother recognized him. "Why are you here!? What do you have to do with this!?"

Naruto just stared at her.

The woman continued with a flick of her hair. "If my daughter was so appealing to you, you should have just waited your turn. I did promise you that I would give you a good deal, did I not? There was no reason to resort to all of these theatrics."

Chisa's blood was boiling now. She told her students to show restraint, but she was struggling to follow her own words.

"Did you put any stupid ideas in her head? Do you have any idea how much she has set back her career for us tonight? What I'm going to have to do to smooth things over? The nerve!"

"You're pretty open about your crimes, you shithead." Fuyuhiko came to stand by the doorway next to Naruto. Behind him, Peko was ready, her sword in hand. "Do you want us to kill you here and now?"

"Kuzuryu-kun!" Chisa said, alarmed as her eyes widened. She knew that the Ultimate Yakuza was more than capable of carrying out that threat.

Kotoko's mother laughed off the threat. "Do you really think I'm here alone?" She gestured behind her to two men who started to approach the door from the driveway. Seemed like they had been hiding in the shadows from the beginning. "I have my own bodyguards. Showbiz can be a dangerous profession, especially when you're so popular. One can never be too careful."

None of them were fazed by their presence.

"I'll make short work of them," Peko whispered, her body ready for a fight.

"Pekoyama-san, calm yourself. Nothing is going to happen here." Chisa knew she had to get the situation under control before someone got hurt, and she wasn't talking about her students. Although if it came down to it, she would protect them at all costs.

"This bitch here doesn't seem to think so." Fuyuhiko was all for a fight as he started to roll his sleeves. He wasn't going to let Peko do all the fighting while he did nothing. That wasn't his style. "I'm more than happy to give her a cut or two."

He really liked cutting people.

"Kuzuryu-kun-!" Chisa moved to stop them but was already too late. All she felt was a small breeze before she realized that Naruto was no longer standing next to them.

"I'll say it again." Kotoko's mother didn't know what happened. She was only fast enough to turn around to see her two bodyguards hitting the ground, clearly unconscious with Naruto standing over them. Because of the poor lighting and the boy's hair, she couldn't see his eyes very well but something told her that she didn't want to.

"You don't deserve this, but because you're Kotoko's mother I'm giving you the chance to walk away. So leave. Now."

The woman might be angry, but she was still rational enough to understand her position. She wasn't going to be able to force her way into the house.

So be it. She had other options.

"Have your small victory today, boy." She scoffed as she backed away from the door and back onto the driveway. "She is my daughter. I'll be the one calling the cops about all of this. You'll be lucky to see the light of day after I'm through with you."

With those parting words, she quickly ran off. How she was going to make it back onto the street none of them knew but they didn't care.

"Uzumaki-kun, that was reckless!" Chisa scolded as she approached the boy. "Now all of this is going to get more complicated."

"The bitch got off lightly if you ask me." Fuyuhiko took out his phone as he scowled. "Don't worry, I'll have my guys get rid of the trash in an hour."

They weren't listening to her, were they?

Chisa couldn't believe this. She groaned as she placed a hand over her forehead, trying to calm herself.

"I know the situation was tense, but violence wasn't the answer."

"Bullshit." You can guess who said that.

"How are we going to proceed?" Peko was already trying to figure out what their next move was going to be.

"I need to speak to the headmaster." Chisa wanted to scold them more, but there wasn't time for that. "If she goes to the police about this, we're going to be in a tricky situation."

Naruto didn't get it. "If Kotoko tells them what happened, then obviously she doesn't have a leg to stand on."

Chisa wished it was that simple, but she had a feeling that depending on the allies that Kotoko's mother had it wasn't going to be.

"Just get some rest, okay? Let your sensei handle this. I doubt they'll come back tonight."

"I'll leave some of my guys patrolling the area, just in case." Fuyuhiko was still typing away in his phone. "The Kuzuryu Clan watches out for their own."

Naruto was grateful for that. Truly, the only good news of the night.

And on such a cloudy night too.

It didn't take long for Chisa, Peko, and Fuyuhiko to take their leave, the last two with great hesitance. It was only after Naruto had told them that he and Kotoko were going to be fine that they finally left. Fuyuhiko still kept his promise and had a whole squad of his yakuza members come to the house for extra security. They were kind enough to drag the two bodies of the unconscious men out of the driveway.

Trash indeed. What they did with them Naruto didn't know nor did he care. Maybe he was being too cold about it, but Kotoko's crying face was still fresh in his mind. So his heart wasn't feeling charitable at the moment.

Speaking of the girl, he had set her to sleep in his room where she was snuggling away with Kurama. He checked on her one last time, smiling a little at her sleeping face. Her face was still fresh with tears, but at last they had stopped.

He was going to have to work hard to make sure she never cried like that again.

Naruto left the room as quietly as he could, making sure not to wake her up. Most of the lights in the house were off by this point, but to his well-trained eyes this mattered little. He allowed himself the chance to walk to the kitchen to grab a cup of water.

He needed it.

He was only just able to grab a cup from one of the cabinets before it smashed into tiny pieces. The glass from the now shattered cup cut into his hand, with blood dripping onto the floor but he did not flinch. He was sure Mikan was going to throw a fit about this later, but right now he did not care.

He was angry. No, he was livid. If this had been a year ago, Naruto was certain that he wouldn't have been able to keep his cool and let that woman walk out of here without punching her once. Hell, he still had a tendency to blow up at the worst of times. Somehow, he had been able to avoid the worst outcome of just giving into the temptation of killing the woman on the spot.

That desire still burned hard in his heart. What would Kotoko think, if he did something like that? No, Chisa was right. He needed to keep his cool. At least for the time being.

This did not prevent him from punching the wall with his bloodied hand. His punch managed to crack the wall, but it did little to alleviate his anger. He was going to have to pay Tengan back for this too.

Deep down, Naruto knew that he was more angry at himself than anyone else. How had he not seen this? When he had met the woman several days ago, he should have acted on what his instincts were telling him. Instead, he had allowed Kotoko to suffer more.

'I hesitated.'

And someone dear to him had payed the price.

Now that she had reached out to him, Naruto was going to make sure that nothing like this happened to Kotoko again.

How was he going to do that? What was there to do?

If there was one thing he had learned during his time in this world, it was that things were more delicate than in his old world. There were more laws, and countries could be very stupid with how they enforced them. Laws regarding children were specially like this, although technically he was still considered a child in this world too.

So then, how were things going to play out?

Naruto didn't have the faintest idea. It wasn't his way, but he was going to wait and see what Kotoko's mother did first.

'No, she doesn't have that right.'

He shouldn't be calling that woman a mother. Perhaps his standards were too high considering everything Kushina had done for him, but that woman was anything but a mother.

Just how twisted did she have to be? For once in his life, Naruto wasn't interested in understanding her motives. She had turned against her daughter, the one that she was supposed to protect. And for what? What was the point of trying to make Kotoko a star?

'I don't get it.'

Naruto couldn't understand that mentality. As he wrapped his hand with a piece of cloth from the bathroom, he idly wondered if there could ever be true understanding with someone like that. Was there even a point of trying to understand them? He knew that deep down he was very cynical about these things, something he shared with Nagato.

This thought kept nagging him as he lied down on the couch.

It was a silly thought really, as at the end of the day it came second to what Naruto really cared about the most: ensuring that his precious people were always smiling. It was selfish of him, but he didn't care. Ideally, all of this could be settled without a fight, but based on the woman's demeanor he knew he was being too idealistic there.

If it came down to it, what were his choices going to be? What would be the right to do? Was there a right thing to do? Was he trying to find justifications for what he had already decided? What would Jiraiya think of his decision? Would his father approve? His mother? Nagato?

His mind was swirling with these thoughts that he didn't notice Kotoko approaching him with a small yawn until she was right next to him.

"Don't leave me alone, Naruto….."

She wasn't calling him "Naruto-kun" as usual, which meant that her mask had really fallen.

All the better.

Naruto sat up with a small smile. It was better to act as normal as possible.

"Sorry about that, Kotoko. I was trying to let you rest."

"I can't sleep without you. Kurama was snoring too loudly."

Story of his life.

"It's alright. I'm not going anywhere."

He allowed the younger girl to lie down next to him on the sofa. It was a bit cramped, but Naruto made it work.

Kotoko was still wearing his hoodie. Underneath that she was wearing that disgusting nightgown. Naruto was going to make sure he got her some decent clothes tomorrow. He might have to skip school, but that didn't matter to him.

He idly patted the girl's head as she snuggled into him.

There was silence between them for a few moments until Kotoko spoke up, her voice timid.

"I didn't think you were going to stand up for me….."

If the situation was different, Naruto would have flicked her on the forehead. Instead, he just kept patting her head.

"Don't doubt the great Uzumaki Naruto like that. I gave you a promise, and I always keep them."

Even if he hadn't, it was because of his words that Kotoko had managed to run away at the last second. They had given her strength, and in a way they had already saved her. For that, Kotoko would always be grateful.

How could she ever repay that kindness? What could she offer in return?

It was wretched, but in Kotoko's mind she only knew of one way that she could make adults happy. It made her mind tremble, but surely there was no other way, right? If it helped to pay back some of the relief she was now feeling, then it had to be worth it, especially if it was for someone that was so important to her. There had to be a difference between then and now, right?

Naruto was startled when Kotoko suddenly shot up and started to get on top of him.

"What are you-?"

His eyes widened when he saw her hand start to go for his lower body.

She couldn't be-!?

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Kotoko said softly. "I just have to pay you back, right?"

She was using the voice that she knew some of the adults had enjoyed hearing from her. Apparently it made them happy to see a little girl talking like an adult woman would. Naruto probably liked that too, right?

Instinctively, Naruto grabbed her by the wrist before she could go too far.

"Kotoko, what do you think you're doing?"

She was confused. "I-I don't….."

Wasn't this going to make him happy?

Kotoko flinched when she saw the disapproval in the blond's eyes. What had she done wrong?

Naruto felt sickened again, this time aiming it all of it at that woman. Even if Kotoko had been able to physically escape her clutches, mentally she was still thinking like her.

Damn that woman.

"You don't have to repay me for anything. I'm not helping you because I expect something from you. That's not why I do things."

Was that really true? Kotoko didn't know what to think anymore. Her mind was a mess. She wanted to believe in Naruto, but at the same time there was still a voice in her saying that this was just how things were done.

"And another thing." This time, Naruto did flick her on the forehead which caused her to yelp. Ironically, the pain helped her to clear her mind a little.

"You're a kid. You're never going to be doing something like that again. Do you understand me?"

When he put it like that, it was almost like he was her big brother or something.

Regardless, his words were enough to make her go teary-eyed again as she finally understood that there was some hope for her. There really was someone who was willing to save her with no strings attached. She could now have that belief and sleep soundly at night.

And so she did. Finally, Kotoko allowed herself to cry tears of happiness as she hugged Naruto again. The blond was more than happy to accommodate her as he allowed her to let everything out for the second time that night. She might be crying, but these tears were different from the ones that came before.

Kotoko was now under his protection, and he wasn't going to let anyone hurt her again.

Not even her own mother.

As you can see, I had these two chapters ready for some time now. I remember struggling if I should add that last part or not, but in the end I decided it was worth it to show Kotoko's final growth out of her shell and her mother's control. She needed it.

Anyway, I'm surprised so many of you are still following this. Makes me feel all warm inside. Too bad I had to return at this dark part of the story. But we must carry on.

Kotoko's arc isn't over yet. I already know how I want it to end, and with all the groundwork I've laid so far it only feels natural for how I want Naruto to be going forward. It's something I've talked about before with what I personally would have wanted the manga to show. Makes it all the more spicy for when Junko (eventually) shows up.

That's it for now.

Till next time.