Disclaimer: I do not own any of the universes to be presented herein. All are property of their respective creators/rights holders with the possible exception of the occasional OC. Those are usually my children. Or those of my betas and friends. (Brain children of course)
Author's Introduction: Welcome to 'Mindset of a Marauder'. Frankly, I couldn't think of a better name for it. Anyone want to suggest one, I may rename it. Until then, that is what this shall be called. Lately I get very little time to actually write, severely impacting my ability to produce chapters to my fics. Yet every morning at work (4am in the bakery) I come up with more and more ideas for stories. So, rather than have them float in my head and distract me, I decided to put the ideas down on paper, presenting summaries, scenes, etc. Thus each chapter of this will be an individual story being presented. No one, and I repeat no one, has permission to steal or use these ideas. If one of them speaks to you, you may contact me to negotiate permission to use it, but if anyone finds these ideas being jacked, let me know so I can punish the offender. The only reason I'm not writing them fully myself is I have too many other stories to complete, and nowhere near enough time to write.
With that said, I present to you 'Spiral: Birth of the Comedian', which is Part 1 in a trilogy idea I came up with recently. Parts II and III are aptly and most likely to be named 'Spiral: Why We Hate' and 'Spiral: Betrayal Beyond'.
Spiral: Birth of the Comedian
Prologue: Consequences of Betrayal
Plop. Plop plop.
The rain fell lightly on the Valley of the End as the dark energies radiating from the center of it slowly faded away. Two figures lay on the bank of the river, the ground around them scorched and shattered, both figures covered in blood. Slowly one of the figures struggled to his feet, his eyes dark as he stared down at his fallen foe.
"Dobe...why did you have to leave? You knew we were both behind you, both ready to fight by your side. Why did you have to betray all of us?" The figure asked as he shuddered. "We were your friends!!" He screamed to the heavens as Uchiha Sasuke lay on the ground bleeding, practically every bone in his body shattered.
It was clear to anyone watching that Uzumaki Naruto had crippled the last Uchiha. It was very clear to those who were in fact watching at that very moment.
"Hmm, it looks that Naruto does not need our help after all. He managed to stop the Uchiha boy all by himself." The smaller of two figures said from the nearby bushes.
That Demon! To think I deigned to train him at all, just so he could aid the Uchiha in his desires, and this is how he repays my kindness? By destroying Sasuke? I'll kill him!!!
The sound of chirping birds suddenly filled the air.
"Kakashi, why are you charging a Chidori?" Pakkun asked in surprise moments before Kakashi ended the summon, sending the dog away in a burst of smoke.
Naruto was barely able to dodge out of the way as Kakashi's Chidori shredded the air where Naruto's chest had just been. As it was Naruto's left arm was left limp and practically useless as he dodge away.
"Kakashi-sensei! What the hell are you doing?!" Naruto yelled, still trying to come to term with his teammate's betrayal, and that Sasuke had fully intended to kill him.
"You bastard Demon!" Kakashi roared. "You were supposed to help him! Instead you've ruined his life! First sensei and Rin, now Sasuke! I won't let you kill anyone else! Die!!"
Naruto's eyes widened as Kakashi's Chidori roared to full strength once more.
Kakashi-sensei!?! You too?!!
Within Naruto something broke, and his eyes darkened. His sensei, one of his few precious people and one of the few people he trusted implicitly, had betrayed him. Slowly his mind thought back, to every slight, every threat, every betrayal anyone had ever made towards him, even as the darkness and desperation within him rose and rose. To Sarutobi, failing to keep him safe as a child, and failing to tell him of his heritage. To Sakura, always chasing Sasuke and never giving him the time of day even though he would have done anything for her. To Mizuki, Kabuto, and many many others.
As Kakashi seemed to slow down as he approached Naruto raised his right arm and formed a one-handed seal, one he had learned from the Forbidden Scroll that night a year ago when he had learned the truth about the seals on his stomach.
"Hiraishin." He whispered inaudibly as he performed the technique for the first time, taking the risk because anything outcome would be better than sitting here waiting for Kakashi to end his life.
As Naruto vanished in a burst of intense blue light Kakashi was thrown backwards, his Chidori backfiring and frying his right arm. As he crashed into the cliff face and slumped to the ground his eyes widened. There was no sign of Naruto anywhere.
On top of a nearby cliff Zetsu frowned.
"Leader is not going to like this......not one bit."
Elsewhere, in another time, another place, another world, a burst of blue light and energy flared into existence in a dark grimy alley. The nearest walls and the ground blackened under the force of the energy before it collapsed in upon itself, dropping a bleeding figure to his knees in the wet alley. As he knelt, fighting to catch his breath and resist the pain using the incomplete technique prematurely had caused, he failed to notice the single dark-cloaked figure approaching, drawn by the light and burst of power. Slowly the figure stalked through the shadows towards him.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here? A little lost cub perhaps? Or perhaps some sort of demon, drawn to this Earth to sow chaos?" A high pitched voice cackled, filled with dark humor.
Naruto looked up into a pair of insane eyes, set in a face artificially pale sitting under artificially green hair, with a grin a mile wide. He looked deep into those eyes and saw a kindred soul. One to whom the entire world is nothing but an enemy. No, this man was even further down the path of betrayal than even he. To him, the entire world was nothing but a plaything.
As the strange man offered Naruto a hand up Naruto made a decision.
His eyes...I shall go with him...perhaps he can help me...but I will never forget this pain...this pain of betrayal...I can never trust anyone again...
As Naruto took the hand with his newly healed left arm and stood up a voice deep within the back of his mind cackled.
The Kyuubi's days may have been numbered, but he would enjoy each one to the fullest if his host proved to be as entertaining as he predicted.
No one in Gotham would be aware of it for more than two years, but that night a new menace had been born. The Joker was just plain insane. The Comedian, on the other hand, was as sane as they come.
The one sane person in a world of betrayal and insanity.
Fin
I hope you all enjoyed this first preview of one of my new ideas. Now, the summary, as promised. Keep in mind, this takes place in the DC Animated Universe (Batman, Superman, Justice League, JLU, Static Shock, Batman Beyond).
'Spiral' is the story of Uzumaki Naruto, trapped by an incomplete jutsu used to escape certain death at the hand of his betrayer he finds himself in Gotham City, being trained by the Joker himself.
Two years later a blond teenager about 15-16 years old appears on the scene, taunting Bruce in real life (though he doesn't realize it) while simultaneously setting up clues in a deadly game of Chess. When Batman discovers the Endgame and moves to checkmate this new 'Comedian', he finds Joker. This unfortunately distracts the Bat, since Joker is not the instigator of this little game, but merely an audience member. The Comedian has been leaving yellow smiley face buttons as his calling card, and has led Batman into a trap. While Batman escapes, it is not without injury or consequence. A few more arcs, including the Comedian facing other heroes and even a few villains, leads to the incident portrayed in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, where Robin is screwed with by Joker just before Batman kills the Joker. After the Joker's death the Comedian appears, but gone is the dark humor he always had. He is nothing but serious. He hints to the Bats about what Joker just did, and tells him that what Joker has done crossed a line he would never cross. He tells him that the Joker has merely shown him that he was right to never trust anyone. He tells Batman not to worry, that from this day forth the Comedian is no more. The Comedian has died, and all that is left...is 'Spiral'.
Part II : 'Spiral: Why We Hate"
During the Hawk invasion of Justice League a thief known as 'Spiral' shows up and helps the Justice League save the world, although he clashes with Batman and Bruce is very suspicious of him. Since the Comedian never revealed any super powers beyond his enhanced speed and strength and his 'Doppleganger' technique (a single shadow clone) Batman is not sure he is the Comedian until towards the end, when he uses Mass Kage Bunshin to aid in the fight. However, when Batman tries to apprehend him he allows it only to talk to him. Then, when he's had his fun, he says a cocky goodbye and then vanishes in a spiral of blue light, his trademark techniques all having something to do with Spiraling blue light. He appears again during parts of Justice League Unlimited, assisting the JLU although he is not officially a member as he is technically a thief. The entire arc will delve into the source of human conflict, and why people hate one another. It will also deal with Naruto's continued analysis of the human race and his final conclusion that hatred is ingrained into sentient beings, and is not something that can be excised without destroying what makes them human.
Part III: 'Spiral: Betrayal Beyond'
Set during Batman Beyond, shortly after becoming the new Bat Terry McGinness meets a new transfer student named Namikaze Naruto. The blond haired teen is a wild card, and speaks to Terry's inner troubled teen. At first Naruto is completely unaware his new friend is Batman's new replacement, but he figures it out eventually when the pair end up clashing when Naruto, for fun's sake, starts stealing chemicals in an attempt to foil Ink's plans. Spiral developed a habit of stealing only from criminals, and even foiling other thieves and returning their marks property afterwards. This leads him to encounter Batman many times, before he eventually begins helping him directly. Eventually Batman captures Spiral, initially thinking that he is the son or grandson of the Comedian, only to discover that he was the Comedian, just ageless thanks to some of the gifts the fox left him. Spiral and him converse, where Batman challenges why he keeps claiming to be an ally when he keeps picking fights with Terry. After some witty retorts Naruto gets fed up with his hints not being understood and flat out tells Bats "You were the best of us, Bruce. Sure, revenge motivated you to a degree, but it was an abstract. You thought to protect, you always gave of yourself. Your cowl isn't your mask. Bruce Wayne is the mask. I'm just working to ensure that your son is able to measure up. A world without Batman." Here Naruto laughs. "That is a world I do not look forward to." He grins cheekily and vanishes in his spiral escape again.
The story would continue with the story, leading to the Return of the Joker, which would end the story, with the Comedian finishing the job of taking out the Joker.
Anyways, there you have it, the first preview of Spiral. Perhaps, when I finish one of my other stories I will get to it, or perhaps some brave author will ask permission to pick this story up.