Disclaimer: I Do Not Naruto Or Supergirl

As they left the stuttering hero and her sister behind, Naruto glanced at the man he had known for years as Hank Henshaw as they entered the armory.

"Let me start by saying, Agent Prince, how grateful I am that you chose to return to National City to help the DEO," J'onn said. "I trust you had a pleasant journey?"

He wore the same black uniform Naruto was, sans cap, and if he hadn't seen the video, Naruto would have never known the Director wasn't an alien. Hank looked human. It was when he shifted into his true form that the alien hiding underneath showed.

"It was something," Naruto replied. "They put me in a private cabin." The new agent sat on a low bench before the gun racks, flipping the cap off his head. He ran a hand through the longer than regulation blonde hair on his head

Naruto's accent wasn't subtle, J'onn had traveled Earth enough to know it was from Australia. He watched as the agent unzipped his bag, pulling guns and knives out, going about attaching them to his waist and legs.

"I imagine your return home was not a suggestion," J'onn said, making sure to widen his eyes sympathetically.

"Order came straight from the Commander-in-Chief." Naruto sighed. "And frankly, I was still tempted to ignore it."

J'onn put a hand on his shoulder. "Well, I'm sorry for being part of what forced you back. I'll try and keep this as brief as possible—I didn't ask for any new recruits. The President—"

"I know," Naruto interrupted. "I talked to her in Metropolis."

J'onn raised an eyebrow. "Oh? She didn't mention that."

There was a question there. Unasked, and Naruto didn't answer. He moved to the nameless lockers against the wall and placed his neat pile of shirts and pants inside. Behind him, he heard the sounds of something shifting.

"I understand if you are upset," J'onn said. "I betrayed your trust. Betrayed everyone's trust."

Naruto coiled his fist tight enough for his nails to make indentions in his palms, he shut the locker and turned to face his new boss. J'onn had shed the skin of Hank Henshaw. He was the Martian Manhunter now.

Tall, green, and alien.

"I've been through this before," J'onn continued. "I know how angry you must be. Jim was the same. He was furious."

"I knew you weren't human," Naruto admitted. "I've known for years."

"You did?" J'onn's body began to shift. Shrinking and compacting until he was once again Hank Henshaw. "Is that why you left the DEO?"

"I left the DEO because I couldn't trust you," Naruto said.

"Because I was an alien—"

"—because you were a liar. You were doing good work as Director, but I couldn't trust you anymore. I had to move on."

"Have you?" J'onn asked. "Moved past my deceit? Can I trust you to conduct yourself professionally?"

Naruto bristled. He didn't want to be here. Keeping J'onn's secret was easy so long as the man kept dedicating his life to protecting Earth. Naruto was fine with leaving the DEO in his hands, but now, against his will, he was back. And that filled him with more anger than any lie.

Without a moment's pause, he smashed a fist into the side of J'onn's face. J'onn dropped to a knee.

"Now I can," Naruto grunted.

J'onn rose, and slugged Naruto hard enough to snap his head past his shoulders.

One of Naruto's teeth skipped along the floor and came to rest near the doorway.

"We're finished." J'onn stood straighter. "That's an order."

"Yes, sir," Naruto said.

The director gave him a final, emphatic glance, then marched across the armory to the weapons racks.

"Your arrival was short notice. We have standard-issue gear ready for any new arrivals. We'll get you measured and outfitted for field operations as soon as possible."

Naruto looked over the weapons racks and tables at the variety of knives, guns, and armor. All of it was the best the United States had available. The DEO was fighting a war against aliens, run-of-the-mill body armor and bullets wouldn't do more than weigh and agent down in the field.

It was nice of J'onn to offer, but he had his own gear.

"Kryptonite bullets." Naruto pulled a magazine filled with glowing green bullets from his bag. "Brass didn't usually let me carry them around, but after the whole Myriad deal I think they're finally getting it in their heads that Kryptonians can't be judged solely on the actions of two of their kind."

"That's not going to go over well here," J'onn eyed the bullets with wary eyes. he knew the importance of Kryptonite. "Not with Supergirl, or the agents she works with."

"The President asked me to come here, J'onn. Gave me some half-assed explanation about misconduct and Myriad." Naruto slid the magazine into his gun and attached the pistol to his belt harness. "I'm not sure what she expects me to do, but I do know that it involves changes to the DEO. And considering you spent the last couple of months fighting Kryptonians and didn't have every agent equipped with anti-Kryptonian weaponry I can see why she is worried."

"Careful, agent," J'onn warned. "You're speaking about matters you don't understand."

"I understand enough, Director," Naruto stressed the title. J'onn, Hank, whatever he wanted to be called needed to get his head out of his ass. The President herself had been forced to intervene because he was not doing his job correctly. If things didn't change, Olivia was going to be under a lot of fire for pardoning J'onn J'onzz. And while Naruto was pissed that his "friend" had lied to him for so long, he didn't want to see J'onn in a prison cell. Or worse, a Cadmus Lab.

"Director," Agent Vasquez rapped her knuckles on the armory door. Her eyes went from J'onn to Naruto. "Deputy Director, a level 5 package from the White House is waiting in your office, sir."

"Thank you, Vasquez." J'onn nodded dismissing the agent. When she was gone, he turned to Naruto. "Deputy Director? That's quite the promotion for a field agent."

Naruto held up his hands. "I'm just as surprised as you."

Although it did make sense. Before he left Metropolis, President Marsdin had made it clear that he was being sent to National City to make sure the DEO started doing their job right again. He really should have seen a promotion coming. Without a position of authority, he wouldn't have been able to change a thing.

"I'll head to Lane's old office and start working," Naruto said. "Change is coming, J'onn. I'd like for us to work together so we have something to show when President Marsdin's Alien Amnesty tour reaches National City."

"Of course." J'onn agreed. As if he had a choice to do anything but.

Naruto smiled and left the armory for his new office. The Deputy Director's office. He couldn't believe it. It almost made him forgive Olivia for sending him back to National City.

Almost.

It was hours later that Naruto got his first glimpse at what was wrong with J'onn's branch of the DEO. In the form of a self-righteous hero.

"You're exposing him to Kryptonite?"

The agents inside the medical-bay stepped back nervously, letting Superman closer to the unknown alien.

"I didn't authorize this, Superman," J'onn said, standing at the foot of the aliens' bed. He wore a deep frown that did nothing to hide his confusion.

"Get these off," Superman ordered the doctors. "This man is a survivor, not a prisoner."

Naruto glared at the superhero as the doctors, DEO doctors, moved to follow the command.

"Stand down," He said, shooting Superman and the nodding Supergirl an irritated glance. "Superman does not work for the DEO. He has no say in how we conduct our operations. And neither does Supergirl."

Naruto shouldn't have had to make that order. He watched the two doctors, making note of their nametags. No one working for the DEO should be answering to non-DEO personnel unless authorized to do so. And he had given no such authorization.

"Superman," He said, calmly. "If you cannot keep your opinions to yourself, I'm going to need you to vacate the premise. Actually, who let you in here anyway?"

"Oh, I did!" Supergirl raised her hand. "He helped me with the Venture and I—"

"Did he sign the required paperwork?" Naruto interrupted. "Civilians are not allowed inside the building without first going through the proper channels. There are rules, Supergirl. I expect you to follow them."

"And you are?" Superman asked. He seemed amused. As if it was funny to think he would be held to the same standards as everyone else.

Naruto felt the blood in his veins heating up. J'onn noticed the signs and he placed himself between Naruto and Superman.

"This is Deputy Director Prince."

"Deputy Director?" Alex asked. "Didn't Lucy take that position after you were pardoned?"

J'onn shook his head. "We'll talk about this later. Right now we have something more important to discuss."

"What?" Supergirl asked.

"The Venture." Naruto glanced at J'onn and jerked his head at the hall. "Until Superman signs the required paperwork, he isn't authorized to know more."

"He helped save the Venture!" Supergirl said as she, Agent Danvers, and Superman all followed Naruto and J'onn out of the lab. "Superman's here, we should include him."

"And we will. If and only if he signs the required paperwork first." Naruto repeated what was slowly becoming a mantra. "There are rules, Supergirl."

Superman smiled. "It's alright, Supergirl. The government and I haven't seen eye to eye in years. I'll talk to you later."

Naruto watched the man of steel rise into the air and drift out of the building before vanishing in a burst of speed. Supergirl turned on him and stared like he had done something atrocious.

"You just kicked Superman out. Superman!" She said, waving her arms. "And don't think I forgot about the Kryptonite handcuffs on our guest. My cousin is right, they need to go. Now."

"That's not happening."

"He could be Kryptonian. Those cuffs could be hurting him."

"The possibility of that alien being Kryptonian is exactly why I ordered the cuffs be put on." Naruto retorted. "Kryptonians have shown us, time and time again, that they cannot be trusted."

"What?" Supergirl exploded.

"Deputy Director," Agent Danvers cut in, a soothing hand holding Supergirl's arm. "Superman and Supergirl have done nothing but help."

"Yeah?" Naruto narrowed his eyes. He'd have to take a closer look at Agent Danver's history in the DEO. She was closer to Supergirl than her file had led him to believe. For now, he'd focus on getting through to Supergirl so she didn't end up like her cousin. "Tell that to Cat Grant."

He snapped his eyes from Agent Danvers to Supergirl who wilted. "You threw her off a building, didn't you?"

"That's not...I wasn't..."

"Supergirl wasn't in control of herself." Agent Danvers interjected. She moved, stepping slightly in front of the hero. "She had been exposed to an unknown substance and—"

"I know all about Red Kryptonite, Agent," Naruto said. "That was just one example. Zod. Non. Astra. Their cohorts. Myriad. Kryptonians as a whole have proven to be not only dangerous but extremely hostile towards humanity."

"You cannot judge all Kryptonians on the actions of a few." Supergirl bristled. Like a cat. "Our people were peaceful."

"All evidence to the contrary."

The small group fell silent. There was no snappy comeback for Supergirl to use. Naruto knew it, and so did J'onn. They might have their differences, but their stance on Kryptonians wasn't one of them. Or so Naruto thought.

"Let's focus on the Venture," J'onn changed the subject.

Naruto nodded. "I'll let you fill in Supergirl, Director. My team and I will get in contact with the company that built the Venture."

As he was leaving, Supergirl spoke up, no doubt trying to get the last word in the small spat.

"I'm going to prove you have nothing to worry about from Kryptonians."

"You can try. However, your efforts won't make a difference. Not to me."

"Why is that?" Supergirl folded her arms over her chest.

"Because you and your cousin are the outliers of your species. There is only one difference between you two and the other Kryptonians. Do you know what that is?" Naruto asked, and then he answered. "The two of you were raised by humans."