Back at the Watch Tower, Clark looked at his team, at his friends, and was awash in conflicting emotions. He was angry that they'd lured him to J'onn assuming the two may have to fight. He was disappointed that they resorted to such deception, double so knowing Bruce was its architect. He'd been worried when he thought they were going to attack Naruto and in a mild panic after seeing them standing on a rooftop, helpless and unaware. If an enemy had trapped them in such a way they would be dead. And thinking back to his departing exchange with Naruto, he was growing increasingly worried they'll make the Uzumaki exactly that.
"Naruto, this was a mistake and I will get it sorted," Clark said, just short of thanking him. He didn't want to suggest Naruto had done something noble in not murdering heroes. Naruto waved off his sentiments as he continued to look at the clouds.
"Our unspoken agreement still stands. Leave me to my work and I will do the same. The League is your business, I extend the agreement to them. But if they refuse to leave me to my work I foresee conflict. For a variety of reasons, I'd prefer to avoid it but I will not run from its inevitability either."
"You'd make it a lot easier to maintain this once unspoken agreement if there was no more killing," Clark suggested. Naruto snorted.
"On the entirety of the planet? Nationally? Or just on any piece of land I inhabit at that moment? I didn't kill Joker. The idea I could scramble a sniper that fast or that I keep track of police transit routes is beyond absurd. Only you pajama weirdos have the time and inclination for shit like that."
"You should be a hero," Clark said. Naruto looked at the Kryptonian as if he'd grown another head and lost a brain simultaneously.
"Have you not heard a single word I've said?"
"Oh, I have. I've also seen reports in various locations about a blur stepping in to help people in immediate danger. These reports coincided with the places you lived previously."
"How long have you been sitting on that little reveal?" Naruto asked.
Clark shrugged shamelessly. "Figured I'd get a few free meals out of you first." He saw the barest hint of a smile form on the Uzumaki's face before the forced neutrality returned.
"Just because I won't strut around in sexy lingerie and engage in foxy boxing doesn't mean I'll let people get hurt. I was in the right place at the right time."
"What could be more definitionally heroic than being in the right place at the right time and acting because no one else would or could?"
"Seeing to the conditions that necessitated the action. Healing broken communities so the heroic becomes the everyday. Making people believe they can have a positive impact on their lives, on their surroundings. You don't need superstrength or invulnerability for that."
"Just consider it, the choice isn't dichotomous," Clark offered. "Besides, the idea that you could be so powerful but not use them to pursue your interests isn't something easily believed."
"Ah, so if I pledge fealty to the Way of the Pajama the Detective might end his burgeoning crusade against me? Hm, no dice. But you should remind the Detective of Captain Ahab," Naruto said. Clark looked puzzled so Naruto clarified. "It wasn't Ahab's relentless pursuit that ruined him, it was that he relentlessly pursued that which could relentlessly pursue him in return."
"Is that a threat?" Clark asked. Naruto smiled.
"Maybe I just want him to remember he has both of his legs and I'm not a fucking whale."
"Supes," he heard Wally call out and Clark broke from his internal deliberations, once again at that same table holding another meeting instead of being of service. As he looked around the table, to his friends he gathered himself. He didn't want to start a fight, didn't even want to chastise them but something had to change.
"I sit here and I wonder what we accomplished today. J'onn and I could have irrevocably damaged our relationship if we'd come to blows. You all could have been killed if Naruto wanted to do so. What did we accomplish?"
Several members looked down in shame as the easy answer was nothing, they'd accomplished nothing. But on a deeper level, they now had doubts. Doubts they could stop the newest Luthor should he ever attack them or they attempt to stop him. Their trust in Batman was cracked, his willingness to sacrifice them felt callous. The Uzumaki managed to drive a series of wedges between them and hadn't lifted a finger.
"He cannot continue to get away with murder," Bruce said, his resolve not shaken in the slightest.
"He had nothing to do with Joker. If you'd been willing to listen to me I could have told you that. He was actively disassociating when I found him and in no place to be ordering an assassination nor did he have the time to arrange one," Clark explained.
"What happened to leave him in such a state?" Shayera asked. From her understanding, he was safely removed from the violence so should have been unaffected by it. Bruce had a similar question, his mind piecing together information from the day at impressive speeds.
"He's an empath," Bruce concluded. At the end of the first illusion, he knew what they were feeling; it wasn't speculation or a guess, he knew.
"And two of his security detail were killed, he held himself responsible," Clark said as he nodded in affirmation. "There's a reason that most of what we do is revolved around catching people in the act and emergencies. There's no doubt about guilt and we don't risk the public's goodwill. If you keep going after Naruto that may change."
"Why are you so insistent on protecting him?" Bruce asked.
Clark almost laughed at the question. If anyone demonstrated they didn't require protection it was Naruto. Clark was glad he didn't have access to those illusions some years ago or their fight would have gone a bit differently. The hero of Metropolis decided to put his cards on the table.
"I want him to join us." There were a lot of reactions to the simple statement but they could be boiled down to questioning his sanity.
"Supes, you can't be serious. He's homicidal, literally. And I still remember what my throat nearly being crushed feels like. Not good, if you're wondering."
"He has no respect for us, for what we do," Diana added.
"There's too much Lex in him," Bruce put forth for good measure.
"You all witnessed me nearly beat Darkseid to death; am I homicidal?" Clark asked. "He thinks you are all good people, it's the reason he didn't harm any of you." Clark turned to Bruce, "You're just as devious as Lex, you just use it for good. The same could be for Naruto."
"Why? Why do you want him to join us and why now?" Shayera questioned.
"Several reasons. First, I believe his commitment to doing good, to justice is sincere. Something happened, something that left him disillusioned with his powers and I think his falling out with Lex was the straw that broke the camel's back. That was fine for a time but events may force him to reveal more of himself."
"Lex's final plot?" Bruce asked, understanding Clark's insinuation. Clark nodded.
"Naruto's potential might be the only thing we've ever agreed on. He won't become Lex, I don't see that as a possibility even remotely. However, if he rejects our way I am fearful that his third way will leave him our enemy; not because he wants it but by necessity.
Another reason and today proved this, we need a voice willing to rein us in. We have to be disciplined in how we engage. Today we overstepped our bounds. Luckily, no one was hurt and no one knows but we have no clue how many times we get to do that before the public turns on us. We are not a replacement for the police but a supplement and today we forgot that." Looks of shame return to several of the members, they internally acknowledging Clark's point. They were meant to be better and had to do better.
"Lastly, and this is purely selfish, none of us should plan to do this forever. I foresee a day I'll want to hang up my cape, confident I've left the protection of the world in capable hands and I believe Naruto to be that person." Clark's words were met with stunned silence.
As Naruto looked around the collection of very important people he was in proximity to, he missed being an anonymous coder geek. Best thing about the tech industries was that if you committed a social faux pas no one cared because they assumed everyone was socially deficient. He wasn't, he didn't mind interacting with people but political figures, dignitaries, and the hyper-wealthy seemed to have difficulties letting the conversation be anything other than a game of wit or jockeying for advantage.
The vexing thing was, given how unnatural it was to talk to people this way, it likely didn't occur organically. One generation probably saw some movie or read some book that made this shit look cool and life imitated art. Now, instead of communicating to share ideas and build connections, it was just to demonstrate how crafty and clever you were. If that's all they wanted couldn't they do something or make something? Like, have a tangible impact on the world? No, let's play word games with "friends". They got apps for that and he certainly didn't have to fly to Paris to take part.
He had three people to blame for this; Mery, Mr. Wintergreen, and Rose. Mercy had been on his neck to hire a new PR person, saying he needed to raise his public profile but in a curated way. She hounded him so much about it he gave her permission to hire who she wanted, as he really didn't care. She also insisted he come to this party to start networking with European business and political leaders. He was going to say no but Mercy had an ally in Mr. Wintergreen.
The unassuming man had taken to criticizing Naruto's schedule of train, work, and sleep. "You must get out more, sir," he would say with that knowing tone that made Naruto feel like a little kid. On and on and on until Naruto relented. He didn't see the big deal as if he were at Lexcorp or the penthouse he was staying out of trouble. No trouble meant no pajama people in his face or judging him for being less than morally upright.
Then there was Rose, his surrogate sister. He knew she'd assigned herself the role after she'd lost her two brothers but Naruto didn't mind. They did grow up together, sort of, and she was supportive. Sometimes maybe too supportive. Well, after about a year of intermittent contact she'd taken to texting him every day asking why she never saw him in celebrity gossip, why he wasn't seen with this or that starlet. On and on and on. Her advocacy for him having a string of casual hookups was appreciated but just wasn't in the cards. One, he was busy and even no-strings, one-night stands took time to cultivate. Two, even if he could just walk into a bar and a desirable woman materialized on his arm via magic, he was an empath.
He could block his empathetic abilities relatively easy now but that was during the normal course of the day. Sex, even with someone you didn't know well, carried an expectation of vulnerability and openness and in that state repression of his empathic abilities was near impossible. If anything, they were heightened and produced a momentary bond more powerful than some people had with partners they'd been with for years. And he just didn't want to forge that deep of a connection with someone he didn't plan to see again.
Taking a sip of the cold, clear, liquid Naruto savored the sensation. There was no real taste to speak of but the chill was pleasing. He scanned the room once more, a habit forced on him by Slade and one he'd never put forth the effort to break. He'd expected to see more of the same, high society types and their minders roaming about aimlessly. He hadn't expected to see the princess of the Amazons approaching him in a black, form-fitting gown. As she elegantly strode toward him with all the grace befitting her title her voice was soft and firm, "Care to dance?"
No. No, he didn't care to dance unless the "dance" was one to the death and he'd even cut back on those. But it would be rude to turn her down, he had no real reason to do so. "Of course," he replied with an easy smile and took her hand as they moved to the dancefloor. One hand, lightly, respectfully on her hip and the other enclosing her own, Naruto failed to squash the sense of familiarity. His body's muscle memory seeking to betray him as he flowed through the steps, from the outside seemingly lost to the rhythm. But he was anything but. For just as much as it felt routine, there was a wrongness.
"You seem like a natural at this," Diana complimented and he favored her with a smile.
"I have years at boarding schools to thank, a gentleman of high society must know how to dance formally you see," Naruto said, and while not a lie, it wasn't the whole truth. Dancing was something they did. Finding reasons, inventing reasons to engage. Their first dance, he remembered vividly. How she swayed along with the music, the smell of her perfume, and how she felt in his arms. At the moment when something was happening but neither had admitted yet still promoting the fiction of professor and student. Denial or reticence, he didn't know on either of their parts but the pattern couldn't hold.
One dance was all it took, the gala drifting away until it was just the two of them. That night was the start, the first dance of many until one day the dancing stopped. A gulf appeared between them and nothing could be done. But that didn't stop the memories.
"So, not that I'm not flattered but why did you ask me to dance?" Naruto asked. He didn't expect a real answer, the distraction would be welcomed.
Diana stared deeply into his eyes so there could be no mistake that she meant what she said, "Someone very important to me thinks very highly of you and I want to understand why."
"If this person is who I think he is, just know I've tried to dissuade him toward those expectations," Naruto cracked.
"Then you've failed," she said as if it were an inarguable fact. "But maybe that's a good thing, expectations aren't to be run from but met or exceeded."
"Following the expectations of others is a good way to lose yourself," Naruto countered.
"Or find yourself," Diana pressed. Naruto's contemplation of her words was cut short when he saw someone from his past, which would be fine except this person should have been dead. If it were him, and his senses were saying it was, the man was a problem and people could be in danger.
"Diana, may I call you that?" he asked. She nodded and Naruto spun her while turning one hundred eighty degrees. When Diana returned she was now facing the direction Naruto had been and let out a small gasp. No longer needing to request she scope him, he moved on. "I take it you know that man, too," Naruto said.
"Yes, but it should be impossible. He'd be well into his hundreds if that were the same man. How do you know him?" she asked and he hesitated. A half-truth might work or burn a bridge and if nothing else, Naruto needed her to believe him.
"During the Markovian Revolution, he was known as the Butcher of Markovia and he especially liked experimenting on the children of the revolutionaries. If you're having trouble believing him to be the same man you knew, I don't blame you as he died in the final days of the revolution."
"How do you know that?" Diana asked.
"At eleven years old I took out his right eye with a spoon and slit his throat with a broken teacup." The music stopped with Naruto's statement. The Princess of the Amazons stared at the Uzumaki as if seeing him for the first time. Naruto understood, not everyone was cool with being a child mercenary but this wasn't a time for a heart to heart. "It seems someone wants an audience," Naruto observed as a well dressed blonde woman approached. The time it took for Diana to look toward the woman and back again, Naruto had vanished.
Outside of the gala, Naruto felt a blast of negative emotions. He tracked the source of the negativity to a staging area for multiple gunmen. "Remember," the one said, "We target the Princess. Grab and go, put down any heroes, and haul ass to the extraction point." Having heard his fill, Naruto blurred into action. It was over before any of the seven could react. He rummaged through their flak jackets and found zip ties. He bound their wrists and their ankles. Picking up the MP5 Naruto shot several times into the air but magnetically pulled the bullets back. Lighting a small bush on fire, so there could be no mistake, Naruto departed once he heard people nearing.
Two hours later Naruto had his laptop up doing research on Kaznia. Of the guest list he retrieved, she wasn't the only princess in attendance but the only connection with the man going by Vandal Savage III. He didn't have much as the country wasn't a hotbed of international news and he didn't understand Kaznian but from what he could find the country was a medium-sized economy, though struggling due to King Gustav's diverting money to the International Space Station.
There were a scant few articles on increased political repression and strong-armed tactics; not full-on totalitarian but the King was certainly warming up to it. If Vanda kept to pattern then he may have manipulated the King into focusing on the space station and stoked the outrage of the people. He may have even made the military loyal to him. He couldn't discover what his title within the government was, only that he was a high ranking official.
It was thin, nothing linking to a solid conclusion but Naruto believed Vandal was planning something. He was stuck, he had no contacts within international law enforcement, he had no proof and therefore no leg to stand on. It was frustrating but there wasn't much he could do. He had a restless night of sleep, his mind refusing to settle down.
Knowing any kind of travel would be rare until things settled down at Lexcorp, Naruto kicked around Paris for a few days. He hadn't done much beyond walking around but it felt good to be free of his laptop and of the various responsibilities he'd placed on himself. Not that he regretted them but being periodically unburdened was nice. It was at a nearby Patisserie that Naruto learned the King of Kaznia was paralyzed, his daughter, Princess Audrey, would ascend to the thrown, and would be marrying her intended; Vandal.
It was a coup. The only question was if the princess was in on it or not. He recalled her was the woman that wanted to speak to Diana after their dance. He hadn't read her beyond the surface so he had no idea what she was like. He shook his head, none of this should matter. If she were involved then one dictator replaced another and he'd hope the people would rise up and the international community would support them. If she wasn't then she likely wasn't long for this world. Another thing that didn't sit well with him was the space station. If Vandal was diverting resources to it then was there a reason beyond sowing discord.
Naruto was at an impasse. Something was happening, it likely wasn't good but he didn't have enough information to spur anyone to act. Inaction felt unacceptable but direct action was dangerously arrogant. He couldn't just involve himself in a nation's governmental affairs with no understanding of the dynamics, the facts on the ground. The people might want Vandal in charge. Was it right to act if that were the case? Was it right to do nothing if two people were going to be murdered or falsely imprisoned in service to a powerplay?
The only firm conclusion he could land on was he needed more information. Unfortunately, it was not information he'd be able to ascertain remotely, which meant infiltrating Kaznia and its royal palace. He wasn't excited by the notion but espionage was better than attacking wrongly or not and allowing something vile to happen. He dialed Mr. Wintergreen and requested his flight be pushed back for a few days.
It was fortunate that Kaznia wasn't too far away, only two hours at his mid-pace. Naruto got dressed in some tact-gear he kept on a scroll. Basic dark pants and a turtleneck, black boots, and a cloth face mask to cover his whiskers. Naruto finished the ensemble with a mesh-lined, knee-length, and long-sleeved jacket. It was baggy and the hood covered his hair comfortably.
Naruto departed the city, keeping it at Mach 1 until he got to more rural areas turned it up. It was just after sunset when he arrived at his destination. He instantly heard sounds of combat and people fleeing, it appeared he was too late. He heard multiple people bellow that nothing could be done and soon saw an asteroid aimed for the palace. Not having much time he couldn't put full effort into it but Naruto formed the biggest Rasenshuriken he could, given the constraints, and tossed at the falling heavenly object. The chakra spear met space rock and decimated most of it but a large shard still crashed into the palace. After his attack, Naruto blended into the shadows. From the conversations he could overhear, and understand, the Detective and Diana were there trying to protect the newly installed Queen while her husband revealed himself to be a madman.
He stayed hidden while everyone cleared out and when he was sure he was alone he made his way into the wreckage of the palace. He watched as the butcher, Vandal, rose up and cackled madly. He watched the man heal, his madness deepening as his health improved. Naruto unsealed and unsheathed his katana. In a flash and two swings, Vandal was dissected at the waist and beheaded. Not interested in taking chances, Naruto concentrated his chakra and created a deep pit for Vandal to fall. The sage manipulated the earth to close up and bury the mad man. He bent down and touched the earth, placing a seal that would alert him should Vandal ever unearth himself. Once done, he disappeared into the night and was back in Paris before anyone noticed he was missing.
In the Batwing, Diana stared out the cockpit window. It'd been a trying few days but they'd prevailed in the end. She was thankful for that, grateful that they unseated a dictator but there were pieces to the puzzle that didn't quite add up. The rogue Kaznian Special Forces that were rounded up and detained and the strange ball of energy that destroyed most of the asteroid. She'd assumed Batman had taken down the military men but he'd denied it. And while it could have been Naruto, a part of her doubted it as they were left alive. Wouldn't he have killed them?
The ball of energy was even more perplexing. She'd never seen anything like it. And its aftermath looked like a vortex of wind. Could it have been Naruto? Possibly. He may have managed to piece some things together but was he there simply to kill Vandal or something else?
Lastly, she thought back to their short exchange. He'd revealed himself to have been a child soldier and had clearly done things no child should be in a position to do. She grew up in a warrior culture, trained from a young age in the art of combat but her people never sent children to the frontlines unless there was no other way. That Lex sent Naruto to such a conflict, made her wondered how the experiences shaped the young man. Was there something that happened in the revolution that explained his disdain for heroes? Diana had hoped to start to see what Kal saw and she was only left with more questions. Well, she did know one thing, he was quite the dancer.
Naruto's first day back at Lexcorp had gone smoothly, though he hadn't missed much as he worked remotely. He was seeing to establishing a Governmental Affairs department, aghast that Lex hadn't done so. Apparently the man was used to bribing officials when he wanted something. He had other plans he was considering, the work culture was slowly starting to shift so he could focus elsewhere. He wanted to help build interstate, high-speed, rail that would have stops in more rural communities. He wanted to design community health centers in those communities as well. A good relationship with the state government was mandatory to get that done and have it all be above board.
He had a lot more he desired to do but knew a methodical approach was needed. A great idea can be killed by poor execution, a good idea elevated by great execution. He just had to be patient and focused but there was no doubt he could achieve these ends. He spent so much time being an executive that he didn't get much time to tinker. Lex hadn't been all that progressive in his management style so it freed him up to build outrageous machines. Naruto wanted to give himself a year to establish changes before he split his focus.
A buzz from Mercy broke him from his thoughts. It seemed the new PR specialist she hired was coming up for a first meet. He had her resume on file so pulled it up. Linda K… he skimmed the name, not really recognizing it. National University Graduate, worked at Catco. Media. She certainly seemed qualified, not that Naruto doubted Mercy. He heard a knock on the door and gave permission for entry. As soon as he saw her, the new hire, Naruto took back every kind thing he thought about Mercy. She was a hack. Probably put raisins in potato salad and kicked small kids.
Worst of all, she was in league with the pajama people. As evidenced by the person sitting in front of him, red cardigan covering her attire, unnecessary wire-frames on her face, and loosely curled hair. All given focused by her knowing gaze and smug smile.
"Linda K. Danvers reporting for duty, sir," she said. A twitch formed over his left eye and she giggled in response.
"Your fired," Naruto said in all seriousness. He got laughed at in response.