Ivy turned the water off, instantly missing the warmth and pressure. She stepped out of the walk-in shower, towel at the ready. As she dried off she considered what she'd like to do for the day. Staying in bed sounded nice but exploring more of the city wouldn't be awful. She might have to entice Harley to split the difference. The plant manipulator smirked, she was never one to doubt her powers of persuasion and there was no sense in waiting. Wrapping a towel around her, cinching it to hug her curves she walked to the living room, to see Harley red-eyed and fighting back tears.
"What happened?" Ivy asked. What could have possibly happened in the span of her shower?
"Joker… the fucking bastard. He tortured and killed Kingy because he didn't reveal where I was. The sick fuck says he wants me back. He even threatened you," Harley explained. Ivy felt terrible for the loss of King Shark, he was much too kind for the villain's life.
"We can take our time and plan how best to pay him back. I doubt he could find us, he isn't that resourceful outside the states." Ivy watched Harley nod but she could tell there was something else, a burden causing her to sink into herself. Ivy, gently, took Harley's cheeks into her hands and met her eyes. "What else? Whatever it is, it'll be ok."
"He threatened to target Naruto to draw you out and I was so mad I told him to do what he wanted, I-I'd kill him no matter what."
"While the wording wasn't ideal, Joker wasn't awaiting your permission. Don't worry, I'll take of it." Ivy kissed Harley on her forehead and then headed toward her travel bag, retrieving a cellphone with high-level encryption for secure calls. It was in one of the suitcases Mr. Wintergreen gave them with two numbers programmed into it, his and one other. She called the second number, hoping the respondent would pick up.
"Who and where?" the voice asked.
"Joker and Metropolis."
"You've got your facts wrong, sweetie. He stays away from big blue."
"He's targeting Naruto."
"What did you do to put Naruto in his crosshairs, Stringbean?" the voice said with an edge and Ivy could sense this was going to devolve quickly.
Ivy sighed in annoyance, "Still with the annoying nickname? We don't have time for this. Can you do the job or not?"
"Oh, I'm going to do the job, and if I find out this has anything to do with you and your new bedmate we're going to have a chat."
"You seem to forget I've never been afraid of you and can keep up a conversation as well as anyone," Ivy said, tiring of this discussion.
"I look forward to it, then. Don't worry about contacting Mr. Wintergreen, I've got it all from here. Luckily, I'm in the area." The voice hung up and Ivy was glad to be done. She returned to the living room to console Harley trusting Naruto would be ok.
Speeding to the sounds of gunfire and explosions, Clark hoped he could make it in time before catastrophe struck. He wasn't alone, so if that was good, Kara could handle anything Joker could do but Clark had to be honest, the clown wasn't who he was most worried about and if the worst case scenario came to be could he let Kara fight by his side?
He let the question hang in his mind as he scanned the scene. "Joker and rocketeer on the roof, gunmen in the lobby. I get the former, you the latter," Clark said and Kara sped off in compliance. It was a short encounter, heat vision the rocket launcher, knocked both men out, and deliver them to the police to transport. It was the same for Kara. Clark had hope, hope they'd prevented something truly terrible from happening. Hopes dashed by a few simple words.
"Two fatalities," Kara said. Any senseless loss of life was tragic and Clark hadn't allowed himself to become numb, to be relativistic about death but that was another problem for another day. He knew Naruto took the welfare of his employees, his people more seriously than some people did with their families. Only two fatalities, only one wouldn't matter.
Clark took off in due haste, he had to get to Naruto first. If there was going to be a fight then he could take it. He knew Kara was right on his tail, he wished he had time to stop her, to tell her to stay back but the tingling on the back of his neck, the sense of impending danger gripped him. When he arrived outside Naruto's penthouse, he saw not a young man but the avatar for death and vengeance. His normal red spikes floating like nine angry tails. His eyes completely white and his fist clenched so tight the pressure could have potentially formed diamonds from coal.
"What's wrong with Naruto?" she asked. The sound of glass being torn asunder by razor-sharp winds was her answer. Naruto stood at the center of a vortex of cutting winds, the deadly currents moving as he did.
"We have to stop him before he goes for Joker but we must be careful," Clark said. He approached the force of nature, slowly, and called out to him. The slightest incline of his head informed Clark that Naruto was still there, deep down. They just needed to take it slow but Kara had other plans as she rushed toward the eye of the localized storm.
"Ah!" she screamed when one of the gusts of wind cut her deeply, drawing blood. She looked shocked and while he'd informed her of Naruto's ability to negate their invulnerability, he could forgive her for not truly understanding what that meant. He'd admonish her later but her impetuousness did bring change. Subconsciously reacting to her pained yell, the display of power stopped. No winding down to a slow crawl but a complete end. Clark put his hands on the younger man's shoulders trying to bring him out of his state. It worked. His hair returned to its normal state and the color returned to his irises.
Naruto returned but Clark could tell he was confused; as if the last several minutes didn't happen. He wasn't the picture of blind fury but he seemed hollow like the world wasn't fully real to him. The Uzumaki still had enough awareness to heal Kara, something Clark didn't know he could do that, and the two entered his penthouse hoping he wouldn't go after Joker with both of them there.
The information on Joker's movements had come too late for Bruce to stop his assault, even alerting Clark and Kara hadn't prevented any fatalities. It was a failure, he'd been too slow and Joker claimed more lives because of it. He was getting tired of their never-ending cycle, of the trail of horrors Joker would leave. He hated the sound of the man's voice, the sight of him. Everything about Joker was detestable and Bruce sometimes wished he could make an exception. Just one time, break his rule and kill a villain so he can't harm anyone else. But he knew if he ever crossed it once, he'd cross it repeatedly.
Instead, he shadowed the police wagon just in case Joker had an escape planned. As he watched from the rooftops things appeared to be going smoothly but he couldn't shake a nagging suspicion something would go wrong. Using his binoculars he scouted ahead. The traffic lights did seem out of sync, cars were starting to back up, slowing the convoy down. Concerning but inconclusive. There were readily accessible onramps, no entry points to the subway system. Just city streets. Traffic could impede a chase but Superman wouldn't be bothered by it.
Bruce knew he was missing something, the predicted traffic jam soon occurred and he was alert for any oncoming vehicles or pedestrians looking to interfere. But he saw nothing. Heard no signs of a large vehicle meant to plow through other cars. Nothing. But his instincts were screaming at him to stay vigilant, to notice what he'd missed. What? What?
It took the sound of a high-velocity rifle firing, the sound echoing against the skyscrapers was the final piece of the puzzle. He shouldn't have been preparing for an escape attempt. From his vantage point, he could see blood dripping down the side of the police wagon in the location Joker had been sitting. It gave Bruce a rough trajectory and he was off.
He raced through the sky trying to find the origin of the shot, and therefore the location of the shooter before anyone could get escape. Whatever his crimes, Joker was to be judged by the system. His murderer would not get a free pass, not if he had anything to say about it. As he neared where he estimated the shot came from, Bruch saw a building under construction. Taking a chance he entered through an empty window, landing in a three-point stance, Batarang drawn. Not two windows down Bruce saw an abandoned rifle. .50 caliber, expensive model. One the average hitman wouldn't want to leave behind but a well-financed professional might chalk up to the price of doing business.
Maybe, Bruce considered, the Uzumaki was lying in wait for the Joker but Superman and Supergirl interfered before he could have him killed. Maybe the shooter was a backup plan. The time it had taken Bruce to get to the building left the assailant with ample opportunity to escape. He'd try to get some forensic information off the rifle but wasn't confident. They needed to question the Uzumaki but Superman was so protective of the younger male, something Bruce neither appreciated nor liked.
He needed answers and he was done waiting, done letting this murderer walk around free. Bruce put a call into the League, requesting the assistance of every member and making a point of asking Wonder Woman to bring her lasso. He'd get the truth tonight and no one would stop him.
Kurama hadn't pulled Naruto into the mindscape, he only trusted these people so much with Naruto's welfare. The super aliens were fine, to a point, but not so acceptable he'd leave Naruto open to attack. He suspected something like this was coming, his charge was not taking care of himself but wouldn't have amended his behavior until he suffered the consequences.
'Why did I disassociate? I've lost people before.'
'Not on top of a breakup, killing your parent, increased scrutiny and added work pressures.'
'But I've dealt with that, I know how I feel about them. I didn't hide from it.'
'You also didn't process your emotions, little sage. You identified them and acted as if that were sufficient. It was not and your intellectualization left you unbalanced. What has the old man said to you a thousand times?'
'Ninshu is not ninjutsu, my chakra is not a weapon to be controlled but a manifestation of me, we are one. As I go, it goes,' Naruto repeated robotically.
'And you went right off an emotional cliff. See what happens when you don't deal with your issues?' Kurama taunted.
'Yea, yea, yea. Except, I wasn't doing it intentionally. I really don't have time to be off my game,' Naruto lamented.
'Then do the work. And stop using your abilities as an excuse to avoid things,' Kurama counseled. Sensing Naruto was about to ask a stupid question, Kurama continued. 'Why didn't you ever tell your woman about your abilities or me?'
'You know why. If I could have explained your existence without the rest I would have but it would have just caused problems.'
'So, you kept a part of yourself hidden to avoid conflict? What kind of relationship is that?'
'A happy one.'
'Until it wasn't.'
'Ok, I'll make a deal with you. My next girlfriend, I'll lay it all out. Hey, I'm akin to a demigod from another dimension. I was supposed to be the savior of my people but my ancestral daddy, having watched various iterations of his transmigrated son fail at that task, sent me away before I ever got the chance. I fell into the lap of my ruthless, corporate mogul, gangsta daddy who seemed to only love two things; me and fucking over Superman. Past events have raised questions as to which were one and two on that list.
My ancestral daddy has trained me in secret since I was four. Trained with the world's best Mercenary before most kids walk themselves to school. Liberated Markovia when I was eleven. Met and trained with my bio parents when I was thirteen. I look a lot like my mom so on top of everything else, I'm a pretty boy. Yep, pretty boy, wunderkind.
What else, let's see, I can create something from nothing. Turn water into ice, earth into lava, and sprout some fucking trees if I'm bored. I'm an empath, my range is insane. My best friend is a chakra beast sealed inside of me who acts as my guardian and can increase my already ridiculous power by a number it isn't worth considering. Oh, and I can simultaneously blow up two hundred of the largest population centers on the planet and no pajama person could prevent me from getting ninety-eight percent of them. And I hate kale. Oh and the only two women I've ever been with are a superhero and villain respectively.
What do you think, Kurama? Third date material or should I just dive right in the first night?'
'I don't like you refusing to tell people I could destroy the planet myself. I can, that's my power and I deserve to have it acknowledged.'
'I refuse to laugh at that.'
'Uh-huh, you just can't give Kurama his props. But that'll be for our next session. Right now, you need to stop avoiding things. If Pamela Isley reacted poorly or eventually accepted, she deserved the chance and so did you.'
'I know how it would have gone.'
'You suspect and not without good reason. It isn't a justification to not even try. Unless you're scared.'
'Maybe I am?'
'Get over it. I'm not here to support a coward, now eat your lunch before the aliens take it all.' Kurama ordered.
Naruto blinked slowly as if emerging from a trance and realized he was at his table. Boy Scout and Captain were there too, helping themselves to his tacos! Mr. Wintergreen was dutifully stirring his pots, so at least they hadn't boiled over.
"Did you save me some al pastor or did you inhale it?" Naruo asked the Kryptonians.
"I saved you some, sir; don't worry," Mr. Wintergreen informed him.
"Don't be greedy, Naruto. There's like, a hundred dollars worth of tacos here," the Captain scolded and Naruto rolled his eyes.
"I'm not half plant, the sun doesn't feed me," Naruto said and swiftly looked down at his plate. He didn't want to see the Captain's reaction or he'd break.
"We're not… do you think? What do you think we are?" Kara demanded. They did not go through photosynthesis.
"I think you're gullible," Naruto said as he chuckled. The Boy Scout laughed, too, but the coward was hiding it.
"I see how it is. The next time you need saving up in your tower like some storybook princess I won't come." The Captain said in a huff.
"Good, more tacos for me," Naruto said but felt her getting irritated so he decided to throw her a bone. "Thank you, both of you. I appreciate you being here." Naruto felt his phone vibrate, alerting him that it was beside him on the table. 'I must really be out of it,' he said as he looked at the alert. The message was encrypted, one no one could see as it required his biometrics and a burst of chakra. Getting that to work on his phone was as tedious as it was impressive. Looking at his message he denied his urge to facepalm.
Hey, Tomato, don't say I ain't never done something for ya! :)-R
Naruto went to his preferred social media platform and it was right there trending, Joker killed in transit to a Metropolis police station. He didn't care that he wasn't the one to end Joker. That was vanity, if the job was done then he had no more investment in it. And if Rose felt comfortable enough to send him a text, secure though it may be, it meant she was safe and headed out of town if not outside the city limits already. It still left the matter of why Joker came after him. His phone vibrated again.
Call me when you can.
It's important.
That was from Pam. Naruto doubted her request he calls her wasn't connected to today's events. It did him no good to stress over the how or to speculate. When his guests departed he would get his answers. Fortunately, they were called away shortly after. Naruto erected a barrier where his windows once were, ensuring privacy until the repairs could take place.
"Rose?" Naruto asked Mr. Wintergreen.
"Like it or not, sir, but she is very good at what she does and time was of the essence," Mr. Wintergreen said, sitting at the opposite end of the table.
"If you knew Joker was coming why not tell me?"
"Master Naruto, if you wish to hide your abilities then you cannot continue to put yourself in danger. If I had informed you, that's exactly what you would have done."
"Otto and Robert would still be alive," Naruto argued.
"Yes, sir, that is likely true. But both of those men took a job and I was thorough in explaining the risk. Whether you have them because you need them or want them, they knew of the danger and stayed."
"Fine," Naruto said, though he was unconvinced. "Just don't get in the habit of withholding crucial information from me, not even for my own good."
"Very well, sir. If you may, I have tasks that require my attention." Naruto nodded and Wintergreen vacated, leaving the sole Uzumaki free to call Pam. He knew it was serious when she picked up on the first ring.
"Hey," she said but something in her voice sounded wrong.
"So, a clown, a boy scout, and a one-eyed assassin walk into a bar…"
When Clark arrived at the location specified by Bruce he expected the other League members to be in attendance, not just J'onn. He couldn't shake the feeling he'd been lured into a trap, that Bruce was about to do something monumentally stupid and it was a mistake that could just be walked back. He landed softly in front of his fellow alien and greeted him.
"Hello, J'onn. Where are the others?"
"They have gone to detain Naruto," J'onn explained calmly. He wasn't entirely sold on the idea but somehow the young man was shielded from his telepathy. If he were like Lex, or worse, they needed to stop him. The murders had to end.
"For what? He hasn't done anything."
"Joker is dead, killed in the police transport vehicle by a sniper. Baiting an attack and countering with lethal force, doesn't that sound like his M.O.?" J'onn questioned.
"Naruto wouldn't put his people at risk, only himself. I was with him after Joker was arrested, Supergirl, too. He couldn't have done this."
"If he's innocent he has nothing to fear," J'onn responded but was taken aback by Clark's response. Disgust. He looked disgusted. The Kryptonian shook his head in disbelief. He'd always known they skirted the line but he believed, among other things, they were there to meet challenges normal people could not. If Naruto needed to be questioned there were authorities for that. He was hiding nor on the run.
"Naruto won't cooperate and honestly, he shouldn't. If the police suspect foul play then let them question him. This isn't why we were created."
"I, too, have misgivings about this course," the Martian confessed. Using Diana's lasso was dubious but no more than his telepathy. He steeled himself. The acts were borderline, true. However, the Uzumaki had demonstrated a facility with lethal violence and it had to end. "But is it right to allow him to act with impunity because his methods are covert? How many more will die if we do nothing?"
"That's empty speculation," Superman argued back. They could go in circles without ever agreeing. They could frustrate each other and fight. Clark didn't want that. If they could only settle disputes via force, even amongst themselves, then Clark wasn't sure if what they were doing was worthwhile.
"J'onn, search my mind. You'll see why I know this is a mistake and I believe once you do you'll help me." The Martian agreed and began scanning the Kryptonian's mind.
The five remaining Justice Leaguers landed on the rooftop of Naruto's building, their target already awaiting their arrival. He seemed relaxed. Bruce wondered if he had a plan; if they'd walked into some sort of elaborate trap. He'd remain diligent but they had to press onward regardless of the risks.
"We're here-" Diana started, being interrupted by the Uzumaki's calm tone.
"Don't care, I refuse. Whatever you are here to do, I refuse."
"We aren't here to fight," Wally explained. "Just answer some questions and we'll be on our way; no biggie."
"You have no authority to ask me questions and are trespassing on private property. My private property and not for the first time. I feel threatened by your presence so must warn you, if you attack me I will defend myself with the confines of the law."
"Is that how you do it? Put yourself in jeopardy then kill anyone that could contradict the story?" John asked as he began to levitate. Naruto rolled his eyes. Yes, he made them show up here and surround him. He didn't answer Space Cop's question, it was too stupid to devote effort to.
Naruto could feel their agitation, anticipation. The Fool was unsure but the rest were resolute. The Detective was also certain, convinced he was right and would be proven so. Their emotions gave away so much. Their entire strategy centered on the Princess's lasso. He didn't know if the lasso could affect him but he had no intention to find out. For the time being, he was content with waiting. If they didn't attack him he had no reason to meet nonviolence with violence. Besides, that's what they expected. For him to lash out, to prove them right before they'd ever asked a question.
He wasn't a villain and he refused to be treated like one. If they wanted to stand up here all day then he would. Mr. Wintergreen was attending to his ramen and the day was pleasant enough all told. He had time to waste and could look at the fluffy clouds.
"Uh, Bats?" The Fool asked. The Detective acknowledged the question. He wasn't going to get the reaction he'd expected so they'd have to initiate. Naruto felt his resolve before he ever spoke.
"N-" he barely got the first letter out before Naruto's knuckles impacted upon his chin, knocking Gotham's hero out. Naruto grabbed the utility belt around his waist and tossed it away while using his other hand to strangle the man, dangling him off the roof.
"No one move. Space Cop, Princess, Macy, throw all your weapons over to me or I'll break his neck and toss the body. Fool, if you even twitch the Detective dies." Naruto added some pressure to his squeeze to demonstrate he wasn't bluffing. An nth metal mace, a sword and shield, and lasso were tossed, The Space Cop was slowest to comply but did. As soon as the ring was off tossed Naruto pulled the Princess's sword to him and stabbed the Detective. Throwing his body away without a second look, his next target was the man desperately summoning his ring back to him. Naruto was just faster, cleaving the Space Cop's outstretched hand and then impaling him just like he had the Detective.
He could feel their anger, hatred, and mortification at his actions. Didn't he warn them? Hadn't he been clear what would happen if they attacked? They were awash in emotions but ready. Macy had retrieved her weapon, the Fool had lightning traveling over his body, and the Princess had taken up her fighting stance. All charged in righteous fury, improbably meeting the killer at the same exact time only to be back to where they were.
All were confused as they hadn't moved an inch. All were alive and unharmed. "Think I found a flaw in your plan, boss," Naruto said while staring at the clouds but all knew he was speaking to Bruce. "You can be made a hostage whenever I deem it necessary. You're weakening the team."
"You can create illusions?" The Detective asked. "Who's to say you could actually do it?" He frowned when their target shook his head.
"They saw you die, boss. You can say it was fake but they felt it. Even now, they are processing grief. Their bodies are telling them they are in mourning. Combat effectiveness has dropped. If you continue anyway that's a stunning disregard for the welfare of your team."
Yin release might be the most powerful ability in his arsenal for its ability to strip away at the will, the confidence, or even the sense of reality of those targeted. Old Man Sage said the ninjutsu variant, genjutsu, was limited in its use and effectiveness. Except for the most gifted, it relied on the target having a chakra network. He worked hard to overcome that limitation and it routinely bore fruit.
"We all know what we signed up for and the risks involved," The Detective said and witnessed the face of cold fury replace what was once feigned indifference.
"I was going to, at most, slap you around a little bit. I have almost no respect for any of you but you aren't bad people. However, your callous disregard for your team is appalling. Goodbye, Detective," Naruto said as his palm crackled with lightning. The Fool tried to reach him but he wasn't quite fast enough. Smoke billowing off his rapidly cool corpse, the Bat was no more. Until they all found themselves in the exact same spots, as if reset once more.
"No one should be so cavalier with the safety of their teammates but the weak link really shouldn't be," Naruto lectured. He smiled as he sensed their trepidation. They weren't sure what was real anymore or if any of their actions made the least bit of difference. By trying to be heroic, they'd sacrificed the initiative and were reacting instead of enforcing their will. Maybe that was fine when heroes fought villains but he wasn't a villain. He didn't have some need for attention or some intricate scheme to foil.
There were no ticking clocks, no games to win, no "inators" with self-destruct buttons. That wasn't him. He'd seen war and its consequences. He kills his enemy and moves on. But these people, they weren't his enemies; not yet. The potential was there but it was just potential; a possibility. One of many and he considered himself a man of possibilities.
The five league members stood around, hoping to reason their way out of the dilemma. To Naruto, it was obvious, retreat but he doubted they would flee. Pride wouldn't allow them to be backed down by someone who didn't throw a single punch. They went a few more rounds, ineptly trying to brute force their way out but were trapped. They could break the illusion with a sudden bout of intense pain or blocking the sense(s) being affected but he wasn't going to share that.
When they were released, the gang of five was surprised to see Clark and J'onn sitting on the side of the roof with Naruto, each happily munching on tacos. John, emotionally drained, couldn't countenance seeing the trio just snacking away while the five of them had gone through hell. Spitefully, he blasted the tray of tacos between the triad. Wally snorted, agreeing with the petty act.
"That was so uncool, Pajama Narc," Naruto said but the voice came from behind as the noshing trio disappeared. Naruto chuckled when his victims turned to him, pure hatred in their eyes but were cowed by Clark's cold tone.
"I think we need to talk."
Pranksters gonna prank. Besides, what's a little emotional trauma between friends?