A/N: Well, I guess I've regained some of my muse. I spent the entire day re-watching the entire first season of Young Justice and remembered how freaking awesome the show is. Then I spent a few hours yesterday reading a few Naruto fanfictions and a few chapters of the Manga and remembered how kick ass Naruto is...so yeah, I regained some of my inspiration for this story. Yay~! I'd also like to state a public thank you to Lanelle! Your message was read and received and your ideas are definitely going to find their way into my story! I'll get to replying personally as soon as I can, but for right now, now that I greatly appreciate everything you've said! But anyway, here's the next chapter, and decided to add in the next "episode" into the chapter, so it's super long! Cool right? Hope you like!
P.S: For those of you who absolutely HATED the cliffhanger last chapter, well just for it to be known, I hated it too. But~ cliffhangers are there for a reason! As much as I know reading a chapter that is suddenly ended at the most intriguing moment sucks hairy monkey butt, I felt that, that point in my writing was the best place to stop it. Thankfully I'm still continuing so you won't be stuck with that moment forever! It depresses me when I find a wonderful story that is abandoned after a horribly gripping cliffhanger... sometimes imagination is not as satisfying...
Key:
"Regular talking"
"Communicator speech"
"Flashback"
'Thoughts'
"Megan's telepathic conversations"
"Kyuubi"
"Automated speech."
Chapter 8: Revelations and Infiltration
GOTHAM ACADEMY
August 3, 22:08 EDT
'This cannot be happening!' Superboy screamed in his head as he pressed his black shirt over the bloody hole in Shadow's chest. Why had Shadow switched places with him? He was Krytonian, it wouldn't have pierced through his body like it did with Shadow's! Right? No, it didn't matter. Shadow wouldn't have let him get hurt eve if he wouldn't have been so horribly wounded as Shadow was.
"Shadow! Shadow stay with me!" Superboy screamed, panic evident in his voice. "You're going to be okay! Just stay with me! Stay awake!" 'You can't die!'
Superboy vaguely heard as Robin called for medical evac as he continued to put as much pressure over Shadow's chest without causing more damage.
He could see it. As clear as day, Superboy could see Naruto's insides, his half-destroyed, half-collapsed lungs, his ribs, his spine...he could see it all. He had to survive. Fire Shadow had the ability to heal himself, and he hoped with every fiber of his being that Shadow would be alright somehow. That somehow he would just bounce back up and everything would be alright. He would go back to torturing them all through his training regimens, laugh with them while they ate lunch and tried to see his face behind his mask, and beat them in that Black Ops game... he had to be okay. He was the only constant in his life... the only person in the whole League, Young or otherwise, that made him feel normal. There was just something radiating off of the masked hero that made him feel like he wasn't a clone...but a normal teenage kid like Wally, or Robin... he knew what to say, he knew what he needed, and never pushed him to do anything more than his absolute best. He felt understood around Shadow...and he couldn't just stand by and watch, doing nothing, as he laid dying.
"I'll be okay..." Superboy heard his voice, no louder than a soft whisper rasp out. "Promise of a lifetime...and Naruto Uzumaki never breaks a promise..." Superboy didn't even notice that Shadow had said his real name, only that his breathing had stopped and eyes closed, soon followed by the lack of a beating heart.
"Sha-Shadow..! Shadow, come on! Wake up!" he screamed at the masked man.
"Superboy..." he heard Robins voice speak softly at him, but all he was focused on was Shadow.
It was a moment after Robin had spoken that Black Canary, followed by Batman, and Martian Manhunter, came storming in, Canary holding a syringe filled with some sort of liquid in her hand.
"Shadow." She gasped out before stabbing the syringe into his heart and injecting the liquid into it. Superboy immediately recognized what Canary had just given him: adrenaline. It would be enough to keep his heart going a little while longer, just enough to get him to proper medical attention.
Without needing a order, J'onn used his telekinetic abilities and rushed Shadow to their transport, where Canary quickly followed. The Watchtower was the only place where Shadow had the best chance at surviving. Superboy watched, wanting nothing more than to race after them, but knew that he could do nothing to help him, he would only hinder them as they did all they could to save Shadows, or rather Naruto Uzumaki's, life.
Batman turned to the shell-shocked Team, and immediately spoke softly to them. "Shadow will be given the best medical treatment we can offer. For now, let's return to the Cave, and we'll speak more there."
"Wi-will he be okay, Batman?" Megan asked, tears streaming down her face. She wouldn't be able to forget the sight she raced in on. Superboy pressing his shirt over Shadow...a pool of red thick blood around them.
Batman sighed slightly, "I honestly don't know." he admitted. "But Shadow has always been resilient. We can only hope for now." Despite their...rivalry, against one another, Batman wasn't about to let his feelings and history with Shadow cloud his obvious worry for the young man. He was only nineteen, a kid by his standards... he deserved to pull through and live a long fulfilled life, especially after everything he had done for the League despite his suspicions.
"He has to be okay." Superboy said softly but with a firm tone. "He promised."
Nodding, Batman motioned the Team over and they all entered Megan's BIOShio and made their way back to the Cave where he would drop them off, and he would make his way to the Watchtower and see if Shadow survived.
WATCHTOWER
August 3, 22:15 EDT
"Move!" Canary growled at Flash as she and J'onn raced to the Medic Wing of the tower, Shadow floating closely beside them. Shadow couldn't die. He had seen it with her own eyes as he regenerated healthy skin and tissue over hundreds of wounds he attained in the time she had known him. She watched as his shoulder mended itself back together! She knew this was a hole in his chest, but he had to pull through.
"Woah!" Flash exclaimed as he caught sight of Shadow. He could see the blood that dripped off his body, leaving a bloody trail into the Medic Wing. He didn't bother with racing over to see how he was, the blood was enough to indicate that it was bad, and he didn't want to distract J'onn as he worked to heal him, or face Canary's wrath as she had all but adopted the kid as her little brother of sorts.
'Hope you'll be okay, kid.' Flash thought softly, his face engulfed in worry and concern for their youngest teammate. He noticed that the other Leaguers that were in the tower looked to have the same thoughts, as they all had witnessed Canary and J'onn race their teammate to medical attention. The other Leaguers took the somehow peaceful time to worry for their teammate, rather than busy themselves with something else. They all sat in vigil, waiting for something to be said about Shadow and his condition, when an automated voice broke their revere.
"Recognized: Batman - 02."
Flash turned his head and saw as the Dark Knight sped walked through the zeta-tube and turned to go directly to the Medic Wing where Shadow and the others were.
"They got here not too long ago." said the speedster. "We haven't heard anything yet."
"Understood. I need to check on them."
"Let us know...please." He said, knowing that he spoke for the entire League that sat behind him.
Nodding, Batman made his way to the Medic Wing, hoping that their youngest teammate would live yet.
WATCHTOWER: MEDICAL WING
August 3, 22:48 EDT
"How is he?" Batman asked an exhausted looking Canary as soon as he entered the room.
"He's...He's stabilized. That red energy he was emitting back at the fight with Amazo resurfaced, and we weren't able to get near him, let alone touch him after that, but J'onn says he's stabilized and he put him in the healing tank just in case with his telekinesis. Bruce...he...he almost..." her voice trailed off. She knew she shouldn't let herself show such weakness. Shadow would be fine...he was healing, even though it was extremely slow, he was getting better.
"That's all that matters, Dinah. He'll be fine." he said placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, though inwardly he wanted to learn everything he could about this red energy that practically filled his entire being with dread.
"He...he's so young, Bruce. He's only nineteen and he took his technique that ripped his chest apart..."
Bruce nodded slowly, squeezing her shoulder lightly. He never doubted that Shadow was loyal to the League's members and would do everything in his power to protect them, but this really proved just how far he was willing to go for someone he considered to be a friend. As Batman, he had seen numerous accounts where that particular technique had been used, and he had seen on each account just how powerful and destructive it was. For a moment, he wondered why Shadow didn't allow Superboy to take the attack, with him being Clark's clone, he was bound to have been less injured than he had been, but then remembered that he knew much more about his own technique than what he could procure together about it. If Shadow believed that Superboy would have been mortally injured, then there was little doubt that he would have been injured.
'He's been through more than he lets on.' Bruce thought to himself as he watched the teen float in the tank, a breathing mask over his entire head as J'onn respected the teen's wish to remain unknown to the League. Bruce had figured that after two years, J'onn had figured out just why the masked teen adamantly refused to show his face to anyone, but didn't bother trying to get it out of him; he knew a lost battle when he saw one.
"He'll be fine, Dinah. For now, we tell the rest of the League and Team and wait." Bruce said to the blonde. Canary nodded shallowly and left the room, with J'onn staying behind to continue monitoring Shadow's condition.
When the two entered the main hall, the League that had been on the station stood up and waited with trepidation for news on their youngest member.
"Is he going to be alright?" Flash asked for everyone, wanting to know his fellow Leaguer was alright.
Canary cleared her throat and answered as strongly as she could. "He's stabilized." she said with slight hitches in her voice. "His own regenerative abilities is playing together with the healing tank we have him currently in, and though he's healing slowly, J'onn suspects he'll make a full recovery, though we don't know when he'll awaken."
The group let out a collective breath, happy to hear that they would not lose a valued member of the League who had come to be considered a pleasant presence around everyone, even though none knew him as well as a collective few.
"Great!" Flash exclaimed. "I have to head home, but J'onn, could you let me know if anything changes? And especially when he wakes up. I need him conscience to take that mask from him and learn his name." he asked the Manhunter through the communicator, trying to lighten the mood a little by mentioning the deal that he and Shadow had with each other.
"Of course." J'onn answered. "I will send out a League wide notice the moment Shadow's condition changes."
"Thanks, J'onn." Flash said appreciatively. "I've gotta go, be back in a flash!" the League members present groaned lightly at the last comment, but watched and followed his lead as he left through the Zeta Tubes connected to the Watchtower for either their respected homes or to patrol the cities around the world the best they could.
Canary turned to Batman and said, "I'll head back to the cave and let the Team know personally."
Nodding, Batman replied, "That would be best. I have a few things to run here, let me know how they are, and tell Robin we will speak when I return."
"Sure thing, Bruce." Canary agreed before she too was engulfed by the Zeta tube.
Batman returned to the Medical Wing, J'onn already having his computer up without even reading his mind.
While J'onn understood Shadow's desire for anonymity, he also understood Batman's merciless need to simply know everything that could even be the slightest threat. Not understanding Shadow's powers, or even his true identity, was something he would not stop to figure out and would go through any means at discovering the truth. With Shadow being unconscious, it gave Bruce the perfect opportunity to examine the red energy that was literally flowing off of him.
Quickly typing in the correct scans, Bruce was incredibly surprised at the initial results.
'This certainly explains a lot.'
MOUNT JUSTICE
August 4, 01:05 EDT
When Dinah Lance, AKA Black Canary, returned to the Cave, the entire Team was waiting with baited breath for whatever she had to say just outside of the Zeta Tube. The Team looked worse for wear, as physical exhaustion coupled with emotional trauma took it's tool over their bodies. Superboy had never looked so physically exhausted before, nor did she think he ever felt it being a Kryptonian and all, while the rest seemed as though they aged quite a few bot of years.
With a strained smile, Canary said, "He's stabilized and healing slowly." As soon as "stabilized" left her mouth, she watched as the entire Teams shoulders droop with relief and their held breaths exhaled from their lungs. Superboy, in particular, looked to be the most relieved, a smile washing over his normally blank face.
"We'll be keeping you updated on his condition, don't worry about that, and as soon as he is able, we'll bring him back to the Cave to finish treatment. I know he would have wanted to keep close to you all rather than the Watchtower." she said softly, remembering fondly at how much he vehemently stated that the Watchtower was a deathtrap waiting to happen.
"It's in space! One accidental fight or explosion and we're sucked into space! I can't survive without air!"he once screamed at her, his boyish characteristics shinning brightly the entire time. She actually laughed when he started flailing his arms up and down at the sheer thought. He didn't care about all the safety mechanisms placed into the tower, he kept his time there to the bare minimum and sometimes could only be convinced to go through bribery. Rather than money or a favor, it was always with his beloved ramen.
"You should all head to well deserved rest." she said softly, feeling her own exhaustion taking it's toll on her body. "Robin, Batman said that when he returns home, that he wishes to speak to you, but other than that, goodnight." Robin nodded slightly, feeling too tired and relieved to say anything.
Quietly, he, Wally, and Kaldur used the Zeta Tube to return to their respective homes while Megan and Superboy retreated to their rooms. Everyone just wanted rest after what had happened today, and they could only wait until Shadow was back up and running in the Cave, which hopefully, would be sooner than later.
INFINITY ISLAND
August 7, 23:49 ECT
Roy Harper, otherwise known as Red Arrow, sped through the island as quickly as deftly as he could while took out any guards silently with his arrows. He needed to get in and out as quickly and quietly as possible with Dr. Roquette before the League of Shadows hailed down upon them. He knew that going against the League of Shadows on his own was foolish, but seeing as he had very little time to get the good Dr. out of the Shadow's grasps, he didn't have time to contact anyone for backup if he needed it, and the only backup he would ever ask for was currently out of commission thanks to Professor Ivo's latest creation.
Pushing away all distracting thoughts aside, Roy bombed his way into the room where they held Dr. Serling Roquette, and saw her hopeful expression.
"Dr. Roquette." he acknowledged her with a small nod before readying his bow once more for their escape.
"Tell me you're the advance guy." she said, dreading the answer.
"The only guy." Red answered shortly.
"You couldn't bring back up? What! With our budget cuts?!" she patronized the solo-hero, annoyed with the entire situation she was in.
Not a second after, the bells were rung and the two knew that they would be swarmed with Shadow guards within minutes, if not seconds; the sound of thundering footsteps a dead give away.
Keeping calm, Roy fired an explosive arrow that destroyed the far wall, opening a way for him to get the Dr. out quickly.
"Now or never time Doc." he said to Roquette, waiting for her to grab hold of him so they could get off the island as quickly as possible.
"We can't leave this!" she exclaimed, staring down at a powerful looking machine. He knew what it was, but there was no time for him to take both her and her creation.
"Look!" he said harshly, "I take it, or I take you."
"Right.." Serling said taking off her glasses. "Take me."
Quickly, Roy fired off another arrow, this one with a wire attached at it's end so that he could use as a quick means of escape.
Holding onto her waist, Roy said, "Hang on!" a mere second before the guards came through the door and began firing upon them as they zip-lined down to the shore. Dodging the bombardment of bullets hailing down upon them, Roy and Roquette uncovered a blue speed boat.
"So what do you call this, the Arrow Boat?" Roquette asked patronizingly.
Annoyed, Roy answered, "I call it a rental. Now get down!" Pushing her back down toward the floor of the speedboat, Roy floored the accelerator and pressed a button on the boats navigation to ignite numerous explosives he rigged all around the shore the moment he arrived on the island. The large explosion led Roy to believe that they were safe from any who would try to chase them.
"I think we're in the clear." he said, motioning for Roquette to sit straight.
"Great." she said with dread. "Leaves only one problem."
MOUNT JUSTICE: BEACH
August 8, 09:58 EDT
The Team, while still waiting patiently for their Head Supervisor to wake up from the near-fatal wound he received only five short days before, were pushed to spend a relaxing day on the secluded beach just outside of the cave. None of the team was in a very celebratory mood, but they knew that their supervisor and friend would be alright, and the next time, they would take Shadow with them to the beach.
"Hello, Megan!" Miss Martian exclaimed while pointing out to the crystal clear sea.
"First," Robin started with his head bowed slightly, "a moment of silence for our absent comrades." The entire Team became quiet, a pang in their hearts as they thought of both Wally and Shadow who couldn't be with them.
"They will be with us soon enough." Kaldur said with a nod of his head. "For now, all we can do is wait for news on Shadow's condition, and Wally can join us another day."
Superboy remained silent, taking a deep breath of calming air before saying, "Canary did say he's improved a lot. They're talking about moving him back to the cave in a few days."
"Soon, we will be a full Team again." Kaldur said with a slight smile.
"And the torture will begin again." Robin snickered, not willing to admit that he actually missed the intensity of training when Shadow was there. He had to admit that while strenuous on the body, his own physical strength and speed had improved ten-fold to what it had been before Shadow was in the picture.
"Well, come on, let's get into the water!" Megan said, hoping to bring them away from depressing subjects. With smiles, the Team began to enjoy their day at the beach, somehow feeling that something would change today.
MOUNT JUSTICE: OBSERVATION DECK
August 8, 17:30 EDT
The Team, after a nice relaxing day at the beach, Red Tornado called them into the observation deck where he, Batman, Green Arrow, and a blonde haired girl donning a Green Arrow-esque disguise stood waiting for them.
"You wanted to see us?" Kaldur asked for he and his teammates, all wondering who this girl was, though having an inkling feeling of what they were going to say.
"This is Artemis." Green Arrow said, "she's my new protégée and your newest teammate."
"It is a pleasure to meet you Artemis." Kaldur said politely, bringing out his hand for her to take. "I am Kaldur'ahm, please feel free to call me Kaldur."
"Names Robin." the Boy Wonder said with a small wave of his hand, already setting a mental reminder to look up everything he could about who this Artemis was. It had barely been over a month since Roy walked out on Green Arrow, and suddenly having a protégé that hadn't been on the news at all, was something worthy of being investigated. He didn't care if the League was ready to trust her with them, Robin wanted to know for sure on his own.
"I'm M'gann M'orzz, but you can call me Megan, it's my Earth name!" Miss Martian said happily, excited to have another girl on the Team. While it was nice having Wally, Robin, Superboy, and Kaldur on the Team, she never had any close relations to a female on Earth, and now this was her chance!
"Superboy." the Kryptonian answered shortly. He didn't really care for a new teammate, so long as she didn't hold them back or impede them in any way.
"Nice to meet you all." Artemis said politely.
"She will be joining you on all further training sessions and missions." Batman said to the Team. "Though she will not be living in the Cave. There is also news about Fire Shadow that we need to tell you." The last sentence brought the full undivided attention of the entire Team, wanting to know everything they could about their wounded Head Supervisor.
Before Batman could continue, the automated voice rang in the room as it was being illuminated by the Zeta Tube.
"Recognized: Black Canary - 13. Fire Shadow - 16."
Bathed in the Zeta Tube light was both Canary and Shadow, the latter being supported by the former as he walked slowly into the filled room.
"Shadow!" Megan exclaimed before flying over to her masked friend with her arms spread open to capture him in a hug. Canary stopped her right before she could though with a frigid glare.
"Nice to see you too, Megan!" Shadow said joyfully in a less muffled voice than they were used to. In fact, it sounded more like a normal voice would. "But, I'm still pretty wounded so no touchy until I'm all healed up. Shouldn't be too long, fuzzbutt is doing his best to heal me, and I better be up and about before I rot in the hospital beds." he rambled.
"He's been feverish, and we now know he has a tendency to ramble during this state, so it'd be best to ignore half the words he says until he's completely healed and back to normal." Canary explained.
Robin's eyes widened a bit at that information. As a detective, he knew that everything Shadow had said since he regained consciousness (which shouldn't have been too long ago considering that Canary had been giving them updates on even the slightest bit of change) was recorded by Batman and being reviewed intensely. Whatever he was saying would definitely paint a clearer picture on just who Fire Shadow was.
When Superboy's eyes drifted onto Shadow's form, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders and sighed in relief. He hadn't told anyone, not even his Teammates that Shadow had let his true name slip before he slipped into unconsciousness back at Gotham Academy. He figured that it wasn't meant to escape his mouth, and when he was ready, Shadow would reveal just who Naruto Uzumaki was to everyone.
"Artemis, this is Fire Shadow, your Head Supervisor." Green Arrow introduced. "He's been wounded recently and only barely regained consciousness. When's he's back up to full health, he'll be the one in charge of your training with the Team as well as assigning missions."
"Oh?" Shadow looked up to the green-clad girl. "Hmmm, new protégé, Arrow? A bit soon don't ya think? But it's been a month and Roy hasn't come back so I guess why not. Not like she's related to you or anything right? I mean you have...oh I probably shouldn't talk about that huh? Yeah, fuzzbutt would maul me right now if he could, rambling like some drunk... ugh...I'm tired.." Shadow muttered softly in the end. A part of his mind that was completely lucid was screaming at him for letting out so much information that should definitely remain unknown.
"Let's get you to the infirmary, Shadow." Canary said softly, leading Shadow toward their designation.
"Recognized: Kid Flash B-03." Came the automated voice just as Wally came through the Zeta Tube carrying a large assortment of beach related items.
"The Wall-man is here! Now let's get this party star-" he began, only to start running and tripping over himself, falling face first in front of everyone inside the Observation Room. Staring at Batman's unimpressed gaze, Wally finished off his sentence lamely. "-ed...?"
"Wall-man, huh?" Artemis said with a smirk as she and the rest of the rooms occupants stared at the red-haired boy as he got up with as much of his dignity as he could muster. "I love the uniform. What exactly are your powers?" the green-clad girl asked, the same smirk playing on her lips.
"Uhhh, who's this?" Wally asked with a raised eyebrow before he looked over to see Shadow in all his masked glory. "SHADOW!" he exclaimed with a bright smile, racing over to his Head Supervisors side.
"Yo!" Shadow said with a two-fingered salute to the speedster. "You got some pigeon doo-doo on your nose...you should get that wiped off." he said with a concerned voice.
"What?!" Wally exclaimed before wiping his nose feverishly. "Oh... wait, no that's just sunscreen." he said relieved once he realized it. "How long have you been up?"
"Ohh, an hour? Yeah an hour. I had to get out of that stuffy place. I don't care haw many times Baa-chan struck me on the head, I'm not staying inside a hospital bed as long as I can help it. Sooo I'm moved here! Better than that steel...titanium...that death trap we call a Watchtower!"
Wally looked at his supervisor with a confused gaze. "Uhh, okay?" he said none too sure about the situation and why Shadow was acting so wierd.
"He's feverish." Canary chose to explain again. "He's rambling off about random things, so don't pay too much mind to it. Once he's back to a hundred percent, he'll be taking back his duties."
"Oh, okay, but who the heck is she?" he asked once more.
"Artemis." she replied. "Your new teammate."
"Kid-Flash. Never heard of you." Wally answered with a raised eyebrow.
"Uhm, she's my new protégé." Green Arrow said quickly, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Wh-what happened to your old one!?" Wally asked quickly. Roy hadn't gone solo that long ago!
"Recognized: Speedy B-06." The automated voice brought everyone's attention back to the Zeta Tube where they saw Roy walk through.
"Well for starters, " Roy said harshly. "he doesn't go by "Speedy" any more. Call me Red Arrow."
Brushing himself past Artemis, Oliver Queen looked at his ex-protégé. "Roy... you look..."
"Replaceable." Roy finished firmly with narrowed eyes at Artemis.
"It's not like that." Oliver tried to defend himself. "You told me you were going solo."
"So why waste time finding a sub?" Roy hissed at his ex-mentor. "Can she evenuse that bow?" he asked with doubt lacing his voice.
"Yes. She can." Artemis said, getting directly in his face to defend herself.
"Who are you!?" Wally asked again, wanting to know just how this girl became Green Arrow's new protégé so quickly and without them knowing.
Green Arrow said "She's my niece." at the same time Artemis replied, "I'm his niece." The way it was said so quickly led everyone to think it was some sort of lie.
"Another niece?" Robin asked with a raised eyebrow, now knowing the League was hiding her true identity from them. That simply would not do for the Boy Wonder. He would hack through the Watchtower's databases again if that's what it took to discover just who "Artemis" was.
"But she is not your replacement." Kaldur said firmly, staring at his friend. "We have always wanted you on the Team, and we have no quota on archers."
"And if we did," Wally added. "You'd know who we'd pick."
"Whatever Bay-Watch." Artemis said annoyed. "I'm here to stay."
"Besides!" Shadow said loudly. "Red Arrow over here has been doing great on his own! And he already has an open invitation to stay, he chooses not to, but that's fine, Roy is fine on his own and knows we'll be there for whatever he needs should he ever need anything."
Roy looked at Shadow curiously, having already noticed his existence in the room the moment he arrived. Something was a bit off about the masked Leaguer, though. He was more chatty and had a different air about him that seemed completely off.
"You came to us for a reason." Kaldur said curiously.
"Yeah." Roy admitted. "A reason known as Dr. Serling Roquette."
Immediately, Robin's eyes widened, his right hand typing furiously at his build in computer on this arm. "Nano Robotics genius and claytronics at Royal University in Star City. Vanished two weeks ago." he informed while pulling up numerous holographic monitors of information on the Dr.
"Abducted two weeks ago." Roy corrected. "By the League of Shadows."
"Woah!" Robin said awed, walking toward his older friend. "You want us to rescue her from the League of Shadows?"
"Hard core!"
"I already rescued her." Roy said walking toward the monitors. "Only one problem." he said taking out a portable holographic monitor. "The Shadows had already coerced her into creating a weapon. Doc calls it "The Fog." Comprised of millions of microscopic robots - nanotech infiltrators capable of disintegrating anything in their path. Concrete, steel...flesh, bone. But it's true purpose isn't merely destruction - it's theft. The infiltrators eat and store raw data from any computer system and delivers the stolen intel to the Shadows. Providing them access to weapons, strategic defense, cutting edge science and tech."
"Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power broking...yeah, sounds like the Shadows." Artemis said with a glower in her eyes.
"Like you know anything about the League of Shadows." Wally said patronizingly, only to receive a knowing smirk as an answer. "WHO ARE YOU!?" he finally exclaimed, getting tired of her.
"Hey now, the Shadows do what they think is right, and we do what we think is right." Shadow said softly. "We all do things...whose to say whose right or wrong?"
Batman glared openly at what Shadow had just said, making sure that everything that was said in the room was being recorded. He knew that right now, Shadow was at a vulnerable state and rambling out things that when normally lucid, he would never say. He needed to take advantage of what he could for the time being.
Ignoring, but taking note of what Shadow said, Roy continued. "Roquette's working on a virus to render the Fog inert."
"But if the Shadow's know she can do that..."
"They'll target her." Red finished for the Boy Wonder. "Right now, she's off the grid. I stashed her at the local High School's computer lab."
"You left her alone!?" Oliver exclaimed in worry.
"She's safe enough for now." Roy answered confidently.
"Then let's you and I keep her that way." the Green Arrow tried, hoping to bridge the relationship he had with Roy back together again.
"You and I?" Roy answered tersely. "Don't you want to take your new protégé?" He asked harshly.
Oliver began to walk to him, but Batman stopped him with a firm look and a strong hand on his shoulder. With slightly slumped shoulders, he said, "You brought this to the Team. It's their mission, which means it's hers now too."
"Tch. Then my job is done." Roy said walking away from the holographic monitors and toward the Zeta Tube.
"Always a pleasure talking to ya Roy! Don't forget to write!" Shadow said happily waving at the red-haired boy.
"You too, Shadow. Find me when you're...you again." he said before the automated voice said,
"Recognized: Speedy."
"That's "Red Arrow B-06." Update." As soon as he finished the sentence, the zeta tube light engulfed him once more and disappeared from their sight.
"Okay, I need to get Shadow down to the infirmary. Good luck Team, I know you'll do fine." Canary said walking away with Shadow by her side.
"Do what I've trained you to do! Never leave a man behind no matter what, and look underneath the underneath!" Shadow said as he was being lead out of the Observation Deck.
The Team looked at Shadow once last time, promising to do just that before they all headed to Megan's BIOShip and head to the local High School, dead set on protecting Dr. Serling Roquette from the League of Shadows.
MOUNT JUSTICE: INFIRMARY
August 8, 19:21 EDT
"Come on, Shadow, up on the bed." Canary said softly as she helped her fellow Leaguer, and friend onto the infirmary cot.
"Ugh...I feel awful Canary...why won't the fuzzball heal me already?" he asked out loud, his voice almost whining.
"I don't know who this "fuzzball" is Shadow, but you're getting better, just slower than usual."she said softly. "I didn't know you were such a wimp with pain." she said hoping to lighten up the mood a bit.
"I'm no stranger to pain, Dinah..." he said sounding completely lucid. "It's been my companion since I can remember. It was the only thing that was constant in my life. Heck this isn't even the first time my chest has been ripped through! Can you believe that...I did everything for him, loved him like a brother and what do I get? His hand in my chest... Kami, I'm so tired Canary..." he muttered softly.
Dinah looked at Shadow with wide eyes, finally getting a clearer picture on Shadow's past. From what she's heard over the years, she figured it wasn't a happy as many could say theirs were...but this, this just proved that he's lived a hard life, filled with pain. Who ever this "brother" was, had hurt him more than she could ever imagine, so much so that his voice sounded like he was going to cry any second.
"It's alright Shadow..." Canary said softly. "That's not how it is anymore. You have friends, a family with the League, and you'll always have me."
"I'm glad... I don't think I would be as sane as I am now if it weren't for you..."
"Go to sleep, Shadow. You need rest if you want to get better."
"Naruto."
"What?"
"My name's Naruto...Naruto Uzumaki." His voice drifted off until steady breathing was all she could hear. It took her a moment before she realized just what he had said. He had finally told her his name, something that she had been vying after since she had met him when he was seventeen.
Dropping her head down, Dinah placed a soft kiss over his mask. "Sleep well, Naruto..."
HAPPY HARBOR
August 8, 21:53 EDT
The entire Team plus their newest member arrived at the local high school a few short hours ago, protecting Dr. Serling Roquette as she completed her virus that would stop the "Fog" from being a danger to the world. While Superboy and Megan patrolled the perimeter, Wally, Kaldur, Robin, and Artemis took to protecting the Dr. Within the Computer Lab she was working in.
"Megan." Came Kaldur's voice through his and Megan's telepathic link. "Link us up. I do not want the Shadows intercepting our communication."
With a mental nod, she linked everyone up. "Everyone online?" she asked.
"Ugh..this...is weird..." Artemis commented through the link.
"And distracting." came Dr. Roquette's patronizing voice. "Coding a distributed algorithm virus on a kiddy computer with less RAM than a wristwatch is hard enough! Now I have to hear teen think in my skull!?"
"Lady, do you always complain when someone tries to help you?" Wally asked while eating his protein bar.
"Megan cut the link with Dr. Roquette, she needs to concentrate on the virus." Kaldur said, getting an appreciative look from the Doctor once she no longer heard what they were saying.
"Pot. Kettle." Artemis thought annoying Kid Flash.
"Hey, hey! I do not need attitude from the newbie who drove Red Arrow off the Team."
Finally having enough, Artemis stood up and pointed accusingly at Wally. "That is so not on me!"
"She has a point, Kid." Robin thought. "Even Shadow said he has an open invitation. He just doesn't want to be on the Team for his own reason." While he definitely wanted his friend to be on the Team with him and the rest, he wasn't about to blame this new girl because of his actions, that would be completely illogical. And unless she proved to do something that threatened him or his friends, and until he found her information off the League data base, he was going to give her the benefit of the doubt.
"Enough." Kaldur thought while rubbing his temples.
"How about I just help Miss Martian and Superboy patrol the perimeter." Artemis said walking out of the room
"Good idea." Kaldur thought to the green-clad girl as he watched her leave the room. "The virus won't be of much use if we don't know where the weapon is. Can you track it?" he asked Dr. Roquette as she was working on the virus.
"My utility fog, is not a weapon. It's science, brilliant science, and of course I can track it, but I'd have to go online. Might as well rent a billboard that says "Assassinate Me" in neon."
Noticing her worry, Kaldur placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We will protect you." he said confidently.
Believing him, Dr. Roquette clicked enter on the keyboard and said, "Tracking the Fog now." The tracking system on the computer showed that the Fog was located on a plane in Philadelphia, and she also knew that the Shadows knew her exact location.
"They'll know where we are now." she said with worry in her voice.
"We understand." Kaldur said. "Miss Martian, Dr. Roquette has located the Fog, reconfigure the BIOShip so that Robin and Superboy can pursue."
With another mental nod, Megan put her hand in the air and motioned for her BIOShip to touch down while simultaneously changing the piloting system for Robin and Superboy to use.
"Ready." she said as she and Artemis watched both Robin and Superboy speed away on the ship, headed to stop the Fog.
While waiting standing in the front of the school with Artemis, Megan said, "You embarrassed Superboy." patronizingly. She was referring to the fact that she had complimented him through their telepathic link, in a way that Miss Martian didn't appreciate.
"I didn't hear him say that." Artemis replied smugly, continuing to keep a look out.
"Must you challenge everyone?" Megan asked with her hands placed squarely on her hips.
Thoroughly annoyed, Artemis answered with a frown. "Where I come from, that's how you survive." Because of their little argument, both girls missed a lone deft figure that snuck past them, twin sais held tightly in her hands and a Cheshire mask over her face.
Once the figure was inside the building, she silently caught Kid Flash's attention, and once he was lead to the proper place in the pool room, knocked him out with a firm kick. Knowing he was completely unconscious, the figure kicked him into the pool face down, and immediately ran to the computer lab where all she had to deal with was Aqualad.
Opening the door slightly, the figure threw a lone shuriken toward the doctor, only for it to be blocked by Aqualad who had heard the sound just before it had struck the Doctor.
"Doctor get down!" he urged the woman, only to have to force her down himself when she hesitated. In doing so, he had taken three additional shuriken to the forearm, and then immediately had to defend himself against the figure with his water bearers as she attacked him with her sais.
"Cheshire." he said as he realized who the figure was. It was the same woman they had fought the previous month, the one who had ties to the League of Shadows as well as their Fire Shadow.
"Mmm, that had to have hurt." she commented lightly.
"Atlantean skin is quite dense." he replied tersely while defending and attacking the Shadow.
"And my shuriken are quite poisonous."
"Megan, Kid, Artemis! We are under attack in the Computer Lab!" Kaldur said through the telepathic link needing back up against Cheshire.
"On our way!" Artemis said, readying her bow as she ran to the Computer Lab. Megan was right behind her until she stopped short, feeling Kid Flash's life draining away. She flew immediately to the Pool and used her telekinesis to take the water directly out of his lungs.
In the Computer Lab, Aqualad had to move on the defensive, his movements becoming slightly more slugish. Cheshire was taking advantage of the situation and brought Kadlur to the ground before she threw one of her sais toward the Dr. hoping to impale her head. Aqualad barely stopped the sai from reaching it's target, and was able to redirect it to impale the wall be her head.
"Almost." Cheshir commented, taking out a kunai to replace the sai she threw. "Poison slowing you down?"
"Jellyfish toxins. I'm largely immune." he said with a narrowed gaze at the woman. With one headbutt though, Kaldur was on the ground unconscious.
"Largely." she commented before raising her sai, readying it to throw and complete her mission. One arrow to her wrist though, and pain errupted through her hand and caused her to drop the said. Turning around, Cheshire noticed Artemis standing by the door, her bow readied with another arrow trained at her.
"Don't. Move." she said.
"Hmmm." she began, noticing that Kaldur regained consciousness and stood up, his waterbearers in hand. "This gig's getting interesting."bringing out her expandable tanto, she readied herself for another fight, and once Artemis fired her arrows, she effectively cut them down while in the air. When Kid Flash and Megan entered the room though, she knew when a tactful retreat was necessary. "Maybe a little too interesting." Grabbing hold of a smoke pellet, Cheshire cut down another arrow and made her hasty retreat when smoke filled the room.
"She's getting away!" Dr. Roquette screamed. "You're letting her get away!"
"This is all your fault!" Wally accused Artemis. "You were on perimeter! How'd that Shadow get in!?"
"That's not really fair..." Megan said to Wally. "I was outside too..."
"O-outside being distracted by her!" he said still vehemently blaming Artemis. "Besides, I can't be mad at you...you gave me mouth to mouth."
"We heard that!" everyone said through the telepathic link.
"Dangit!"
"I didn't do half as well on my first battle." Megan admitted to the green-clad girl. "And I know you can't have been Green Arrow's side-kick for very long." she said hoping to console her.
"Focus everyone." Kaldur said in a commanding voice. "The Shadows will be back."
"Robin to Aqualad!" came Robin's voice through the communicator. "We're over Philadelphia. We've located the Shadow's next target: Star Labs...we're too late. It's destroyed. Totally destroyed. The Fog decimated it... This is bad. Star Labs has cutting edge science and now it's secrets are in the hands of the enemy. What's our next move?"
"We scan for that Fog." Aqualad said, looking to the Dr. "Find it. We're moving the Doctor."
The Team moved the Doctor to the ports, where she would complete the virus for the fog. They had a plan though, and they hoped it would work long enough for the Doctor to complete the virus, because then, they could move her to absolute safety rather than random places which had internet access and a viable computer. They couldn't take her anywhere near League locations, what with the Shadows being able to track their exact location, else wise they would be protecting the Doctor within the Cave.
Inside a large building off the port was Dr. Roquette working diligently on the Virus while Kid Flash and Artemis stood guard. Though even through the telepathic link, Kaldur could hear them glaring.
"Stop it you two." he ordered the two hot-heads.
"What!?" the exclaimed in unison.
"I can hear you glaring." Shaking his head lightly, Kaldur said out loud, "Miss Martian, stay in camouflage mode and make a wide perimeter sweep." Only seconds after he said that, he was lifted into the tree and thrown into the side of a white van, making a sizable dent to the metal door. Unconscious, with a strong elbow to the back of the head, Cheshire came out of the Shadows and stood among two other Shadow Agents, Black Spider and Hook, and said,
"The Martian could return any second, and I'm not keen on evening the odds. We end Roquette. Now."
Black Spider flung the doors open and immediately began attacking, Kid Flash taking him up as his opponent, keen on putting all of his hard training to good use. Over the training with both Shadow and Black Canary, his speed and precision had increased, and he was sure that he could beat this spider-wannabee without too much trouble.
While Kid was taking care of the Spider, Artemis was forced to go toe-to-toe with Hook, a tall burly man who had an insanely large hook rather than a right hand.
"Don't stop working!" Artemis ordered the Doctor who immediately took back to working on the computer.
Above, unnoticed, was Cheshire with a crossbow readied at the Doctor's head. But just as she released the arrow, a desk telikinetically placed itself between the arrow and the Doctor's flesh.
"Martian's here!" Cheshire exclaimed, throwing the crossbow to the side. "It's now or never!"
Just as Cheshire was about to claim the Doctors life, as she was ordered to, Roquette morphed into none other than Miss Martian, who wore a smug expression on her face.
"We've been duped!" Cheshire exclaimed to Hook who was next to her.
"You'll never find Dr. Roquette!" Megan stated rising up from the floor and shifting back to her Miss Martian form.
"Never is such a long time." Cheshire commented lightly. "Pursuing target! Keep them busy!"
"Pursuing their leader, take the rest down!" Artemis exclaimed, running after Cheshire.
"You are so~ not the boss of me!" Wally screamed at her retreating back.
"Just do it!" she screamed back at him, still chasing after their leader.
Wally didn't have time to argue, as he was immediately thrown back into a heated fist fight with Black Spider, who was turning out to be a difficult opponent.
Outside, Cheshire changed her mask to track heat and saw the nice little trail that the shoeless Atlantean left for her to follow. "Oh, I do not like to be played." she said as she followed the residing footsteps. As she ran, she turned to cut down an arrow sent by Artemis.
"I was hoping it would be you." she said, a smirk sounding evident in her voice before she jumped onto the roof of the nearby buildings and made her way to the place where the real Dr. was at.
While running, she narrowly dodged an arrow, only to fall down from the gas it emitted shortly after.
Coughing, Cheshire fell to the ground, her sais falling beside her. As soon as Artemis got close enough, Cheshire swiped her legs to the side, effectively throwing Artemis to the ground beside her.
"Mask has built in filters. Better luck next time, kid." she said patronizingly before she sent an elbow to the back of Artemis' neck, causing her to fall unconscious. She would honestly have to thank Naruto for pressing the need of having her mask built with a filter if she could, else wise she would have been taken down far too easily for her liking.
Hearing the drop on the roof, Kaldur brought out his water-bearers and prepared for a fight. "We have company!" he said to the Doctor.
"Uploading now!" she said with a determined smile. "And by the way, you said you'd protect me!"
Ignoring her comment, Kaldur stared at a single smoke pellet that rolled into the room, only for him to turn around and take three thick darts to the chest.
"Let's test the limit of your jellyfish immunity, shall we?" she said coyly, bringing out her sais against him. Kaldur shook his head a few times before running after her, attacking with precision and strength she wasn't expecting after taking a healthy dosage of poison.
"My, it seems you do have quite the immunity, don't you?" she commented with a smirk, though inwardly she was annoyed that he wasn't as easily knocked out as she had hoped.
"Always be prepared, and have an immune-booster on hand." he said as he blocked her sais.
"And always look underneath the underneath." she said with a haughty tone.
"How do you know Fire Shadow." he demanded as he fought against her.
"Oh, you know, from here and there. Nothing little boys like you need to know about." she said throwing a few shuriken toward Roquette, only for them to be blocked by Aqualad.
"It's uploaded!" Roquette screamed with a smile.
Jumping back, Cheshire said, "And with that eliminating the reason for your elimination. But not for the entertainment value." Kaldur readied himself once more, putting himself in front of Roquette. "Lucky for you, my orders are clear. You live to program another day. After all, Doctor, the Shadows might have use of you yet." With another smoke pellet, Cheshire made a hasty retreat, heading to the nearest Shadows base.
As she ran to the near forest shadows, an explosive arrow hit her squarely in the face and her mask was blown off.
"Don't move a muscle!" Artemis hissed at the black-haired woman, an arrow trained at her as she stood up.
"Wow." Cheshire said turning around. "I am completely at your mercy."
"You..." Artemis breathed out with wide eyes.
"I suppose now you'll bring me to Justice. Let your new friends interrogate me. I wonder if your position is secure enough to survive them learning everything I know."
Defeated, Artemis put down her bow and stared as she left through the shadows. She barely got on the Team... if they learned everything Cheshire knew about her, she would be sent back and this time, her father wouldn't let her go.
As soon as she disappeared, Kaldur walked out of the internet café, Roquette right behind him.
"Artemis, where is the assassin?" he asked her quickly.
"She...she got away.." she answered, her eyes focused on the concrete ground.
"Woah, from you?" Wally said as soon as he sped toward them. "Big surprise." his voice was coated in sarcasm, but Artemis didn't say anything where in most cases, she would. "Notice? We got ours." he said motioning to where Megan held Black Spider and Hook suspended in air with ropes tied tightly around them. Looking to the ground, Wally noticed Cheshire's mask. "Woah! Souvenir!"
"Her mask? Did you see her face?" Kaldur asked.
"It was dark.." Artemis said, avoiding the question through misdirection.
"It is fine." Kaldur said to her. "Robin and Superboy neutralized the fog, and Dr. Roquette is safe, thanks to no small part to you. Welcome to the Team."
For the first time since she arrived at the Cave, Artemis gave a genuine smile and walked toward her new Teammates, shaking their hands.
"I've always wanted a sister. Here on Earth I mean! I have twelve back on Mars, but trust me, it's not the same."
"I...wouldn't know." Artemis admitted. "But, thanks."
When Wally refused to say anything, Kaldur elbowed him in the ribs.
"Ow... yeah, okay, welcome." he said unhappily shaking her hand.
MOUNT JUSTICE
August 9, 00:47 EDT
When the Team got back to the Cave, everyone went on their separate ways, taking the Zeta tube to their homes, or moving to go to their rooms within the cave. Before he went to his room, Superboy walked to the infirmary, set on visiting Shadow before he went to sleep.
Walking in, he noticed that Shadow was actually awake, and greeted him with a wave.
"Superboy! Good to see you. Come to bail me out?" he asked, a smile evident in his voice.
"Uh, no. I think Canary would have my hide if I did that." he said with a soft smile on his lips. "I just came to see how you are."
"Ohh, I'm fine, fine and dandy. Just feeling really jumbled, but Canary and J'onn said that it would pass by tomorrow hopefully, what with fuzzball healing me and all." Shadow, no Naruto replied.
"So uh, Naruto? Right?"
"Yup! Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze at your service!" he said cheekily. "No more denying my name since pretty soon everyone will know. Old Batsy is probably recording everything right now! Such a creepy little bat, probably sitting at home in his dark little lair watching these videos like it's some trash television show."
"Are you sure you're alright, Naruto?" Superboy asked.
"Maa, I'm fine. I'm feeling more... normal as we continue to talk." Naruto admitted. "You know what you need Superboy?" Naruto said suddenly.
"What?"
"A name. I'm not going to call you Superboy all the time. Robin has a name, Kid and Miss Martian have names, you need one too." I put a finger to the painted mouth on his mask before snapping his fingers. "How about Conner? We can work out a last name later on, but for now, you just need a good first name, and I think that works." he said.
Superboy blushed lightly, feeling a joy he had never experience before. A name. He wasn't just the Superboy anymore, now he was Conner. With a bright smile, Conner said, "Yeah, I like that."
"Perfect! Now, you should probably head off to bed. If I'm well enough to get out of this stuffy bed, I'll be observing your training again!" Naruto said, shooing Conner out of the infirmary with his hand.
With the same bright smile, Conner said, "See you in the morning Shadow."
UNKNOWN LOCATION
August 9, 03:19 EDT
"So he's awake now, is he?" said a figure, his face masked with an elegantly painted bird mask.
"Yes, but he's also feverish, and apparently spouting out a few of his own secrets." Cheshire said as she walked out of the shadows.
"Nothing that includes what we are doing, I presume?" The figure said, knowing that in no matter what state Naruto was in, he would not let their secrets be known.
"Not that I know of, and we would have heard by now if he did." she replied.
"Good. For we must remain in the shadows if we hope to extinguish the light."
A/N: I actually liked this chapter. If you didn't, well to bad! And I'm sorry you feel that way, but I'm not about to change it. But anyway, if any of you have questions, feel free to ask me and I'll get straight to answering them to the best of my ability. If you have any suggestions on bettering this story, then I'm all ears too. Other than that, thanks for reading and see you next chapter!
