Injustice: The Path to Hell.
Book 2: Darkness in the Light.
Chapter XI – Halloween.
"Normal Speech."
'Normal Thought.'
"Demon Speech."
'Demon Thought.'
"Other Speech variants."
Location/Time.
Wednesday 29th October, 15:00.
New Jersey,
Gotham City,
East End.
"Keep your heads down!" One masked man shouted out, gun raised and pointing at the cashier. His partner kept his gun raised, eyes alert as he looked at the group of customers in the little shop they had decided to rob and funnelled into a small group. "Come on, hurry up, put it in the bag!"
The cashier with shaky hands frightfully pulled out the money from the cash register and into the bag he had been given by the masked man.
"Come on. Come on. Come on!" The other robber exclaimed agitatedly, jumpy as his eyes flickered out towards the street. Black Hood's disappearance had made it safe to commit crimes again, Batman, like always, focused most of his attention towards the supervillains that targeted Gotham Heights, leaving the East End open for small-time criminals like them to operate with relative impunity.
Black Hood had changed that, but with his disappearance and if the rumours were true, supposed death, the East End was returning to its natural state. However, then two new heroes made their debut, Hawk and Dove. They didn't kill, but they focused purely on the East End and unlike the other vigilantes that had been inspired by Black Hood, they didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon.
And now a new hero had joined them in the last few days, some guy named Maelstrom and he seemed to be leading this new team of heroes that operated solely in the Gotham East End and this new hero, wasn't afraid of grievous bodily harm.
These two robbers were aware of several 'friends' and colleagues that were laying in hospitals right now. Their bodies broken from the beatings this new hero gave, he didn't kill, but much like Batman, he wasn't afraid of breaking your body. It was why Gotham Heights only ever dealt with supervillains and gangs. They were the only ones who could withstand or pay people to take those beatings from Batman and come back for more.
In the East End though, the criminals like them were of a different breed. They were opportunists, survivors who picked their moments. Some would call them cowardly criminals, but there was no denying that they were difficult to get rid of.
"Alright!" The lead robber informed his partner, taking the bag from the cashiers' hands. "Let's go!"
The two made their way out onto the street and directly to the car they had parked outside. Chucking the bag into the backseat, the lead robber entered into the passenger seat while his partner already having gotten into the driver's side, revved the engine and burst off down the street.
"Woo-hoo!" He eventually exclaimed out happily, smacking the roof of the car as his heart pounded madly in his chest. "That's what I'm talking about. We got this!" The thrill of success, the fear of getting caught by the heroes only to subside and give way to excitement as they made their getaway was not something that could be understated.
"Hell yeah!" His partner shouted in equal levels of excitement as the lead man, looked out the back window to make sure they weren't being followed. Once he was sure that they weren't, they reached into the backseat and pulled the bag into the front. "We're rich! Who'd have thought a corner shop would have so much money! They were right!"
"And they're gonna pay us good for this hit as well!"
It was in that moment of levity that things suddenly changed, one of their tires bursting and their car jerked. The driver in an attempt to regain control of the vehicle swerved around but couldn't regain control in time as they crashed into a lamppost.
Groaning, the driver clutched his head, looking around with blurry vision. Even when he heard something heavy land on the roof he didn't even properly register it. That was until two hands smashed open the glass of his window and dragged him out of his seat. Suddenly his back was slammed against the car door and he let out a gasp, only for a fist to smash into his face and knocked him clean out.
Wednesday 29th October, 15:20.
New Jersey,
Gotham City,
East End.
"That's the fifth one in the last day," Dove noted as he watched Hawk finish off the last robber with a powerful blow, so hard that his head whipped back and left a dent in the side of the door. Naruto who stood beside him nodded his head, quietly thinking over it in thought.
Robberies weren't uncommon, but to run across five robberies in a day, now that was strange. As Hawk left the scene of the crime with the money, Naruto and Dove remained where they are.
"You got any ideas on why?" Naruto eventually asked and Dove shook his head.
"I thought you would, considering you lived here."
Naruto shook his head. "It's been a while since I've been here, and things have changed drastically from what I remember. Mario Falcone's dead, the Red Hood Gang is now growing rapidly. Two-Face took over the remnants of the False Face Society. Gotham's constantly changing and my knowledge of this place, it's no longer what it was."
The two went silent, looking down as police rolled up, handcuffing the unconscious robbers as people excitedly watched on. "Don't worry, I know someone who can help. Something is going on."
"So, it's not just me that thinks that." Naruto let out a short laugh.
"No, it's not just you. Something is happening, more than likely a turf war of some kind. The question is, what sides are we dealing with?" That question alone was not a simple one to answer, there were so many pieces in Gotham to narrow them down accurately and easily.
At least right now.
Wednesday 29th October, 17:25.
New Jersey,
Gotham City,
Gotham Heights.
"Goodnight Samantha." A small, but handsome man with shockingly white hair said kindly with a smile on his face as he stepped out of the expensive building. Pausing momentarily to enjoy the cold air wash over him, he opened his eyes and the smile on his face disappeared as a deep frown came upon it.
Buttoning up his jacket, he made his way towards the car waiting for him, the guard waiting for him opened the door and he sat inside the backseat. "How did our little robbers do today?" He asked, looking to the woman who sat beside him.
"No, they failed." The beautiful woman dressed in a tight-fitting red dress answered.
"…That's surprising." He muttered in thought. "What happened?"
"The heroes, Hawk, Dove and Maelstrom intervened. Three out of five succeeded in getting out of the door, only one made it away from the scene of the crime before being stopped by one of the three. It's not as you envisioned it would go, Sebastian."
Sebastian nodded his head in agreement. "You're right, it's not. But the message has been sent all the same. All we have to do is wait and eventually, the criminals of Gotham will tear into one another and we shall rise from the ashes. That's all we have to do." He explained, one hand resting upon the leg of the woman, slowly rising. "Be patient, Bennett, the Church will not be denied."
Bennett moaned out, head falling back as his hand rode higher up her leg, settling between them. "Yessssss." She answered when he paused in his ministrations.
Wednesday 29th October, 17:50.
New Jersey,
Gotham City,
Gotham Heights.
Naruto let out a laugh as he watched Don get knocked on his ass by Ted, beside him, Hank shared his amusement. Both of them sat there laughing out loud as Don slowly pushed himself onto his knees, glaring at them.
"Shut the fuck up, Hank, you're not much better." Don snapped out frustratedly, Ted watching the three young men with his share of amusement.
"No, but I am better though." Hank shot back, his smile growing wider as Don huffed out.
"If that's the case, why don't you come down as well." Ted intervened and Hank froze. There was a pause from all three young men before Naruto and Don began laughing once more. "You said you were better than your brother, why don't you prove it to me because I can't say that you're any better."
"Yeah, go on, Hank." Naruto urged, pushing Hank off the stairs and down onto the training ground.
"Asshole." He cursed, but it didn't dampen Naruto's smile at all as he watched Hank move towards Ted while Don sat down beside him. "Alright then, let's do this." Shaking his body off, Hank stretched his arms out and rose his arms up in a boxing guard.
The past few days since Naruto had proposed the offer of training to Ted and then later, Hank and Don, they had thrown themselves into it headfirst. They were every bit as determined to get stronger as Naruto was, especially after the humiliating defeat they suffered at his hands. However, Ted and Naruto had soon learned that their powers were not natural, but more a result of a transformation.
Neither of them knew anything behind what gave them power, only that they would vocalise their codenames and suddenly transform. It was this vocalisation of "Hawk" and "Dove" that led them to choose those as their hero names.
"How are you finding it?"
"Difficult," Don answered.
"You're improving though," Naruto told him. "That much is obvious."
Don turned to him questioningly. "Really? Doesn't seem like it."
"Yeah, that's common," Naruto said. "Trust me, I'm speaking from experience, you can rarely tell if you're improving until you can suddenly match or beat someone who was once beyond you." It was in that moment Hank was knocked on his ass for the fifth time since entering the ring with Ted, both cracking a smile at the sight.
"Speaking from experience again?" Don asked and before Naruto could answer, someone beat him to it.
"Naruto only ever speaks from experience." Don let out a shout of surprise, spinning around, but did so a little too quickly and slipped off the steps in an attempt to see who had spoken. Only to lay there with a groan and look at the ceiling while Naruto failed to even attempt to stifle his laughter. He glared at the blonde before turning to see who had spoken and once he did, his mouth opened in shock.
"B-Batgirl?!"
"Hey, you must be Dove, right?" Batgirl greeted, a smile on her face as she extended one hand to him. Don took it hesitantly, still in shock at being met with one of the most famous, young heroes.
"Y-yeah." He stuttered out.
"Eyes up front, Hank," Ted told him, before cracking the older Hall brother across the face when he had remained to stare at Batgirl in equal amounts of a shock to his brother. "You're not stopping just because a girls in the room, even if you're a virgin."
"I'm not a fucking virgin!" Hank snapped out, falling for the taunt just like Ted had expected.
"Hey." Naruto greeted with a smile as Batgirl sat down beside him.
"Hey, yourself." She smiled back, in turn, momentarily pulling away when he reached up for her mask. He paused in turn, and Don watched them hold a silent conversation before she eventually relented with a sigh and he pulled down her mask. She was beautiful, but to be honest with himself, Don had always expected that was the case. What he didn't expect was for Naruto to wrap one arm around her shoulder and for her to lean into the embrace.
"Okay, before I jump to conclusions, are you two…"
Both Naruto and Barbara turned to him. "Kinda jumping to conclusions there, Don," Naruto replied before a smirk came on his face. "But yeah, it's a recent thing."
"Oh, okay." Don sat down on the steps once more. "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that you're dating Batgirl, I mean you're being trained by Wildcat of all people and got him to train us as well."
"If it makes you feel any better, Don, I'm just as surprised as you that Naruto got Ted Grant to train him. It took Batman a long while to convince him to become his teacher." Barbara answered. "Though I guess having Jason Blood as a mentor does help you out with that, doesn't it?"
"A hero must use all resources available to him," Naruto smirked, and Barbara shook her head in disbelief.
"You sound so stupid when you talk like that." She muttered and Naruto just shrugged, far from insulted by her words and recognising them for the joke that they were.
"So, how long have you two, known each other?" Don asked curiously. "And sorry, I know that you know who I am, but I don't know who you are."
"Yeah, sorry," Barbara responded. "I'm Barbara Gordon, as for how long I've known this idiot, we've been friends since we were kids."
"So, not to sound rude, but how come you're here?"
"Two reasons." Barbara turned to Naruto. "I did what you asked, look at the shops a bit closer as well as those who hit them. Well, you're looking at the beginnings of a gang war like you said. All of them belonged to Sofia Falcone and the guys who've hit those shops, all have connections to various gangs, the Yakuza, Russian Mafia, Triads and the Maroni Family. All active members."
"Jesus Christ." Naruto deeply exhaled. "They're moving in after Mario's death. They're testing Sofia."
"It's gonna get bloody and Batman's too busy with other matters."
"What other matters are more important than a potential gang war?" Hank asked angrily, more frustrated with his humiliating defeat than anything else. Either way, Barbara didn't seem overly perturbed by his hostility. Naruto had already told her beforehand that Hank was someone quick to anger, but was all-around, a decent guy.
Both Naruto and Barbara shared a look, hesitant to answer right away, but eventually, they relented. "As you're aware, I, Batgirl, haven't been seen in Gotham for a while, neither has Robin. The reason for that is because we're part of a team of heroes, young heroes. Naruto was part of that team for a while, but he left for his own reasons a couple of days ago."
"But, when I was part of the team, we would do covert missions dealing with overseas crime and crime-related activity and organisations." Naruto continued. "One thing that became very clear very soon, was that there was an individual or organisation that wasn't just controlling criminal activity but directing and guiding for one purpose."
"Eliminating the Justice League." All four of them turned to see Ted stood there, he had been listening in. "It's something that happened to the Justice Society on several occasions, but never to this degree. Then again, the Justice League is far more powerful than we ever were. So, it makes sense, power invites challenge and as much as governments might not like it, there is no greater power in this world, than the Justice League."
Ted wasn't speaking of a strict strength level when it came to power, he was also taking an influence and monetary sense. Bruce is one of the richest men in the world and has a large and stable company that enabled him to live the life of a playboy as a cover to hide who he was.
Then you had people like Superman, Captain Marvel and Martian Manhunter. They alone had power capable of wiping out entire planets if push came to shove, that was more power than any country could bring to the table.
As for influence, well there was Bruce Wayne who as the richest man in the world had several people who could be bribed or bought by him. People like Wonder Woman and Aquaman, a Princess and a King, respectively. The Justice League had power in every and meaning of the word and if they decided to take over the world, no one could stop them.
"Take out the Justice League and what are you left with?" Ted posed to them all.
"A couple of young heroes, inexperienced and lacking power to do anything to stop them," Hank answered instantly, earning looks from both Naruto and Don, both generally surprised that he answered that quickly. "What? It's online. People take an interest in heroes and one thing they're always asking is what happens when guys like Superman retire or die?
There was a pause from them all, but Naruto spoke up soon after. "Yeah, that's exactly the point. Batman's spending his time trying to figure out who's behind the criminal movement, the Justice League are doing what they always do, and the team are spending their time helping Batman." Naruto directed that last part towards Barbara. "So that leaves this to us, you ready for it?"
Hank chuckled lightly. "Is that a fucking question?"
Wednesday 29th October, 18:00.
New Jersey,
Gotham City,
Gotham Heights.
It was quiet and tense.
All those gathered, sat around the table, judging, glaring and staring at one another with distrust and even anger in others. It was a collection of men that had only ever come face to face with one another on a small handful of occasions.
For peace, for trade and for the formation of a limited alliance.
The first alliance was forged to combat Batman and the heroes that followed his example. And now another alliance was being forged, war was brewing, and they needed to face it together. Black Hood was a consequence of their life and they wanted to avoid giving birth to another one. Ending the war quickly and before there was too much collateral damage would be the best way to do this and to do that, they needed to pool their resources.
Attending this meeting, was Tony Li of the Neon Dragon Triad, a group that oversaw the running of guns and controlled a large portion of the docks. They were rich and held connections with several other crime families considering they allowed them to use their docks as a trading and business site in return for a substantial amount of money.
Ekin Tzu of the Lucky Hand Triad operated within Chinatown and is a major trafficker of heroin. It was the largest supplier of heroin in Gotham and had sub-branches in numerous other cities.
The Commissar of the Hammer were perhaps the most dangerous group of those gathered. It was formed after the fall of the Soviet Union and its members consisted of mainly ex-KGB operatives. But they had since expanded their numbers to incorporate ex-soldiers who had been abandoned by society. It was a well-trained and disciplined unit that dealt in several criminal activities. But more often than not, worked as mercenaries that sold their services to various crime families in Gotham.
Then there was the Yakuza, not the largest group in Gotham, but still powerful nonetheless. Especially considering that the Yakuza was one of the most widespread and influential multi-national criminal organisations in the world.
"Where are the Maroni Family? I thought they were amongst those called to this meeting?" Ekin asked, interlocking his hands in front of him, eyes directed towards the empty seat at the table.
"I don't care if they're here or not." The Commissar replied, leaning back into his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. "I want to know why you called us here, Mr Li?"
"I didn't call this meeting," Tony said confusedly. "I was told that Mr Tzu had."
"It seems none of us knew who called this meeting then," Akhara noted amusedly, eyes becoming sharp and frame tense. "I was told that the Commissar called it and no doubt, Mr Tzu was told that I called it. So, the question remains, if none of us here did, then who was it?"
"That would be me." All in the room turned in the direction of the voice to see a man looking down at them from on top of a pile of boxes. The warehouse they had held this meeting in had been thoroughly searched, guards from all four crime families, armed in place on the roofs and outside with them each bringing two, unarmed guards to the table with them. Which raised another question, how did he get here and how long had been there.
"Who the fuck are you?" Ekin demanded, the four crime lords having very different reactions to the figures sudden appearance.
Ekin was angry and confrontational.
The Commissar, calm and collected, unmoving.
Tony Li jumping to his feet and reflexively reaching to his side as if attempting to go for his gun, only for him to grasp nothing but air.
Akhara meanwhile looked around, eyes flickering across the warehouse for any sign of others. Even when he found nothing, Akhara didn't relax.
"I, am the Talon." Alton greeted, jumping down from the crates and sauntering towards the table with a confident stride. "And I called you here, for one very simple reason, the elimination of one of your greatest threats to us all here, Maelstrom."
There was a pause from the men before they laughed, even their guards did the same. "Maelstrom? That new hero? This is a joke right?" Tony Li asked, his fellows sharing his amusement.
"If you said Batman it'd be more believable, but it's been tried, many times before. And look, he's not only still alive, but more powerful than ever. His sidekicks, Robin and Batgirl are dangerous in their own right and he also has the Justice League to aid him should the situation ever go too far south." Akhara explained.
"Oh, I'm very much aware of Batman's power. But he's not unbeatable." Talon responded.
It was the Commissar that spoke up next, his Russian accent thick and palpable. "Explain your reasoning?"
"My reasoning for what?" Talon returned.
"For both." The Commissar stated firmly and while disbelieving of both claims, was not a man to outright dismiss them either. Call it professional paranoia, but in his experience, costumed freaks like the one across from him now, usually had some intelligence that even they couldn't get their hand on. "Why you believe Batman is beatable and why Maelstrom is our greatest foe?"
Talon didn't answer straight away but instead looked around at the four crime lords. He had long since taken a seat at the table, but besides the Commissar, the other three still seemed tense and distrusting. "Please, sit while I explain." He indicated to their chairs and hesitantly, Tony Li took his seat back at the table. "The reason I say Batman is beatable is that I've done just that, beat him. As for Maelstrom, it's a little-known fact, but he went by another name once. One I believe you're all very familiar with, Black Hood."
There was a ripple of shock from the four men, some even taking in a sharp breath at the last bit of information. Beating Batman wasn't an impossible task, it had been done before, killing him was another matter and that was down to his sidekicks and allies. But the knowledge that Black Hood was alive and operating under a new codename was even more shocking and quite frankly, terrifying. "You're certain?"
"I am."
"If you know that Maelstrom is Black Hood, then you must know more about him." Tony Li spoke up.
"I am, but that's for myself to know and use at a later time when it's more appropriate." Talon had his plans for Naruto and when this plan was put into action, revealing the identity of Black Hood would be unimportant and unnecessary. But if for some reason it did fail, he didn't want others claiming his kill. "In the meantime, I propose an alliance between us all. In about a weeks time, an event will take place that will draw the Justice Leagues attention away from their respective cities. In that time, we will strike."
"And what of Sofia Falcone and the Maroni Family. It is obvious by the fact that the Maroni Family are behind the attacks on the Falcone Family. That has put us in a difficult situation where we must protect business and interests, while also dealing with both the Falcone and Maroni Families. If you wish for our aid, then we must deal with them first." Akhara informed him.
"You're wrong on that point," Talon told them. "It seems, Sofia Falcone has absorbed the Maroni family into her own organisation and is making moves against you. But you see, they won't last long, there are many dissenters amongst her ranks, and she'll be too busy fighting her own internally problems to focus on us. However, I have intentions to use her as a scapegoat. Our mutual enemy will be so focused on dealing with Sofia Falcone that he won't notice he is walking into a trap. And that is when we strike."
There were many nods around the room. "A good plan." Commissar nodded his head. "And besides putting this all into place, what do you intend to bring to the table? It seems to me that we could do this ourselves."
"Maelstrom is far beyond your ability to deal with." Talon then clicked his fingers and from the rafters, two dozen figures, dressed in similar attire to the Talon. "These are but a fraction of what I intend to bring to the table. I want Maelstrom dead more than any of you, and I will not fail in that task. In four days, a shipment will be arriving, I entrust that to you, Mr Li and with that shipment, we'll have the arms needed to deal with him."
Wednesday 29th October, 20:30.
New Jersey,
Gotham City,
Gotham Heights.
"Are you gonna go?" Barbara murmured tiredly, lying beside Naruto on the sofa as the TV played on in the background. After finishing training with Ted Grant, Naruto and Barbara had head out for a date. To be entirely honest, it wasn't a date and was more in line with what they used to do back before the Black Mask incident.
It was an eye-opener for both as to how alike they had been to a couple back in the past. However, it had been an enjoyable afternoon for them both and they had since returned to her home and just sat comfortably watching TV.
With one arm wrapped around her waist, Naruto brought her closer to him. "Yeah, I'll go. Just because of how much you've been bugging me." She lightly smacked him on the chest for his teasing words. " All jokes aside, who's going that I'll like?"
"No one." Barbara didn't even hesitate and told him the truth. She was only going because she had agreed to it before knowing that M'gann and Connors high school was hosting a party. If she had known beforehand, Barbara would have said no and gone with the rest of the team to avoid a boring and quite frankly annoying evening of avoiding her friend's attempts to hook her up with a boy.
She understood why they were doing it, they thought they were helping, but it was getting annoying, and she wished they would listen to her and stop. "What about the team?"
"At M'ganns and Connor's school party."
"Then, in that case, I'm gonna ask Hank and Don to come as well." Barbara looked at him questioningly. "I'm gonna need someone to hold me back from kicking's Tom's ass if I see him. Especially if he continues to hit on you."
"Overprotective much." Despite her words, Barbara was quite happy by his words. Could she defend herself? Yes, but it didn't mean she didn't like her boyfriend getting jealous of her.
Wednesday 29th October, 21:00.
Location Unknown.
Waking down a small corridor, Talon paused momentarily as the wall before he slid open, and he stepped inside. As he did, seven screens flickered to life, each one showing a figure shrouded in light upon it.
"Is the plan in motion?" The centre screen asked, his voice deep and powerful.
"Yes, the Triads, the Yakuza and the Russian Mafia have been allied together. Sofia Falcone shall be our scapegoat and once Maelstrom has been eliminated, the Church of Blood will sweep in and take over Gotham. They will serve us." Talon informed them. "However, I had a meeting with our benefactor afterwards, and he wants Maelstrom alive, we need him dead. So I suggest we change the plan."
There was a pause from the seven figures before the lead figure spoke once more. "What do you have in mind?" Maelstrom was a figure they had all identified as a serious threat. The Justice League were already a dangerous threat, but the one thing that had always been in their mind was that eventually, they would retire. All they had to do was wait because none of the young heroes had shown potential to take over the mantles of their predecessors.
That was until Maelstrom made his appearance. If allowed to grow, Maelstrom could, if given time, rival the biggest threats in the Justice League and they intended to ensure that never happened. Taking him out while he was weak was the best decision to make.
"We eliminate the heads of the criminal organisations and the Church of Blood. Take control of Gotham and then eliminate Maelstrom on our own." Alton explained. It was a simple plan, but oftentimes the simplest plans were the most effective. Plus, it would give him more influence and eventually, he could levy that to enable him to rise into the ranks of the council. He didn't like being a servant and would much rather sit at the head of the table, but for now, he would settle for simply a seat at the table.
Not beneath it, never again.
"You will succeed?" A woman spoke this time, her voice regal and gentle.
"I do not intend to let Maelstrom live."
"Then do what you must." The lead figure spoke once more. "Maelstrom is a threat to the Light and all enemies of the Light will be eradicated."
Thursday 30th October, 17:00.
New Jersey,
Gotham City,
Gotham Heights.
Grunting, Hank stumbled back as Naruto knuckles slammed into his cheek. It was only due to his superior physiology granted by his powers that enabled Hank to remain conscious as a result of the blow. Even then, his cheek stung and after shaking his head, watched his brother go into attack the blindfolded Naruto.
However, as soon as Don's fist seemed to hit Naruto in the side, the blonde pushed off the ground backwards. And as he jumped back through the air, he twisted his hips and lashed out with a roundhouse kick that struck Don in the face, knocking him away.
'Damnit!' Hank cursed out as he watched this. 'Every time we land a blow he just uses that to land one of his own.'Clenching his fist, he rushed forwards once more, intent on landing a proper blow on Naruto.
Meanwhile, Ted watched on with a frown on his face. He had been told a great deal about Naruto from both Jason and Bruce, not only about his character but his skills as a fighter as well. All of their descriptions of him painted an interesting picture, a flawed person with great skills and power, with an even-greater well of untapped potential. Ted's understanding of Naruto grew when he began to teach the boy and his admiration for his skills and dedication to working hard grew with every day.
It hadn't even been a week, but Naruto had committed himself fully. Pushing his mind and body to the absolute limit to improve himself rapidly. But it seemed that much like everyone, he made mistakes or did something incorrectly and this was one of those moments.
The aspect of fighting blindfolded was to learn to fight without seeing. It was so that when fighting normally, he wouldn't just rely on his sense of sight, but use his smell, hearing, touch and taste to aid him. It was about learning to fight without seeing and therefore, making them a more dangerous and deadly fighter.
Naruto's serum allowed him to grasp the basics much quicker than anyone else, but they also worked against him. It amplified not only the sounds of those around him but his own as well. When standing still, Naruto was able to tell where someone was coming from with ease, but when in motion, Naruto struggled, but he never stopped and constantly pushed himself to learn how to do this.
Yet, it seemed Naruto had found one way of fighting blindfolded that while certainly impressive, was risky and not the aim of this training. "All of you stop," Ted said and after a few moments, the three young men came to a stop, Naruto removing his blindfold as they all turned to look at him. "Don, Hank, good job. You're moving much better than before, but Don, you need to stop holding back. You sometimes hesitate when going in to hit someone. As for you Hank, the problems the opposite, you just rush in sometimes without thinking."
Both Hank and Don looked to one another before looking back at Ted and nodding their heads. "As for you Naruto, what are you doing?"
"What'd you mean?" Naruto asked confusedly.
"I mean, why are you not dodging, but letting them hit you?" Ted clarified and Naruto's mouth formed an O-shape.
"Well, I'm struggling to get the whole dodging part down, and I've always had good reactions, so I thought why not go with that?" He shrugged his shoulders to extenuate his point. "You know, focus on their movements and then let them come close and the moment they hit me, go with the momentum and use their force against them."
"I understand that Naruto." Ted continued. "But that's not the aim of this training session. It's certainly a good way to fight and you seem to have a good grasp on it, but that's not what I'm teaching you. I'm teaching you to not rely on just one of your senses, but to fight with all of them to push you that one level higher. So, go at it again, take on board what I said," he directed this part to Hank and Don before turning back to Naruto. "And just focus on dodging. Understood?"
Frowning slightly, Naruto nodded his head. "Got it."
Thursday 30th October, 18:00.
New Jersey,
Gotham City,
Gotham Heights.
"You call yourself, the Talon?" Sofia questioned dubiously as she stared across her desk to the figure sat in the chair. She had arrived back from a meeting with the various family heads that worked for her. They were discontent, that much she knew but even Sofia had underestimated just how quickly the Maroni Family had folded and now she was stuck trying to deal with a sudden influx of revenue and territory.
It wasn't as easy as her father had made it out to be, but then again, the expansion of the Falcone Family empire under his rule had been done in piece-meals.
However, she had returned to her home, intent on getting a heavy drink, maybe invite one or two of her guards to her bed to relieve some of her stress. Only for that to change when she found a figure waiting for her in her office. And now here they were, sat facing one another.
"That's correct," Talon responded.
"What'd you want?" Sofia bluntly asked.
"Well, it's not what I want, but more what I can offer you." Sofia indicated for him to go on. "You see, I work for a powerful organisation and we have an opening that we would like to offer you. As I'm aware, you're currently at war with the Triads, the Hammer Mafia and the Yakuza. But you're too busy scrambling to deal with the sudden influx of the Maroni Family and all the internal problems that come with it, to deal with them, am I right?"
"You are, now get to the point. Surely choosing one of those would be better. I'm not stupid enough to think that I can win while also dealing with internal problems. But you know already that otherwise you wouldn't be sat there looking like a smug piece of shit if you didn't." Despite the mask on his face, Sofia knew the Talon was smirking, it just radiated from him. "So what are you offering?"
"I'm aware that you've hired two individuals to help you deal with this problem you've found yourself, a smart decision but they won't be enough. Not with the information you have on hand, you see, it wasn't the Maroni Family, nor the Triad, or the Hammer, or the Yakuza who attacked your establishments."
"Then who?" Sofia questioned, an angry frown on her face.
"A little-known group, calling themselves the Church of Blood." Talon continued. "They work for a benefactor of our organisation and, we intended to help them take over Gotham City in return for two things. First, a place in our organisation and access to the resources that come with a leading position within it."
"And the second?"
"That's where the problems start. Are you aware of the young hero, Maelstrom?" Sofia nodded her head. "You see, the Church of Blood and our benefactor want Maelstrom alive. However, we want him dead, he's too much of a threat, not right now, but in the future."
"How big of a threat are we talking?"
"Does it matter?"
Sofia smirked. "It does, I want to know how badly you want him dead."
Talon didn't answer right away. "You're looking at a threat that could rival the top tier members of the Justice League if given time to grow." The silence from Sofia spoke volumes. "That is where you come in, with the Church of Blood and our differing viewpoints, that creates problems and opportunity. You'll be offered a position within our organisation and in return, all that we ask is you take over Gotham and eliminate Maelstrom."
"Why take over Gotham?"
"Well, war has already begun," Talon replied simply. "And you won't be able to kill Maelstrom with our help if you're also dealing with others."
"I thought that you said that currently, he wasn't that big of a threat?"
"He's not, it is those around him that are the problem," Talon answered. "He's currently being trained by two individuals, Wildcat and an ancient hero known as Jason Blood. Within him is a Demon capable of matching and defeating Superman. Not to mention, you need to operate quickly, too slow and the opportunity my organisation will create that draws the attention of the Justice League away, will not work. It's about speed and you can't operate with speed if you have others pushing in on your territory."
"I can understand that. But the question remains then, what do we about my enemies?" Sofia asked.
"In three days, a shipment will be arriving at the Neon Dragon Triad docks. Among this shipment of weapons, will be members of my organisation who will be of service to you. When that shipment arrives, they will be dealing with the Neon Dragon Triad. I and those operatives that are already here will deal with the Church of Blood. You, on the other hand, will have to deal with the Yakuza, the Hammer and the Lucky Hand Triad." He explained and Sofia considered everything she was being told.
"If it works, I won't need to worry about internal problems." She realised, thinking over it further. If it succeeded, which was a big ask in of itself, but if it did then all the dissenters within her empire would be silenced. "If you make good on your promise, then you will have my full support in eliminating Maelstrom."
"Excellent."
Friday 31st October, 21:00.
New Jersey,
Gotham City,
Gotham Heights.
It was a nice peaceful night in Gotham City, surprisingly mild with a cool breeze that made it a little on the chilly side. However, it was much nicer than it had been the previous few days, with no rain, no strong winds and not as cold as it had been.
"That's so stupid." Barbara laughed as she walked down the street, Naruto beside her, one arm wrapped around her shoulders laughing alongside her.
"No joke, Don couldn't show his face in school for the new week. Just huddled up in his room refusing to come out and when he did, he walked around school with a hat over his head for weeks." Hank continued to the story he was telling, laughing uproariously as he recalled the memory of his younger brothers failed haircut.
"You're all a bunch of assholes." Don cursed out, a flush on his face from the embarrassment of it all.
His words only made the three of them laugh harder. "Damn, Don, that's." Naruto waved his hand, once again bursting into laugher and unable to finish his sentence. His laughter was infectious because Hank and Barbara started laughing again all the while Don's flush darkened.
"Fuck you all."
"Come on, Don, we're just taking the piss." Hank protested, quickening his pace to match his brother who pulled ahead. "You don't even know where the party is. So where are you going to go?"
"Away from you assholes!" Despite the words, all of them knew Don was far from angry.
Barbara after calming down, took one deep breath to help ease her aching stomach from the fits of laughter she'd been enduring. "You know, I'm kinda glad you invited them two, they're good guys." She said, leaning her head onto his shoulder.
"Hmm, they are." Naruto agreed. "Plus, with Tom being there tonight, I can see him pissing me off."
"He always did have a knack for getting under your skin," Barbara noted, remembering the numerous fights between Tom and Naruto in the past. She doubted her using Tom as a means of petty vengeance after the disastrous ruin of hers and Naruto's friendship would make things better. Tom seemed to have taken that act as a sign that Barbara was interested and despite making it clear on numerous occasions that the mistake of a date would not happen again, he still tried.
It was why she had been so insistent on getting Naruto to come, not only would it make the night enjoyable, but it would make it clear to all that she was off the market. Which was something both she and Naruto both wanted.
"Doubt that will happen now though. Plus, I'm here more to keep you from kicking his ass." Naruto teased.
"That's not what I remember you saying when you agreed." Barbara shot back.
"Really?" He questioned disbelievingly and she nodded her head. "Well, you may be right." He leaned down kissing her, something Barbara returned.
"That's something you should know already."
"Oi, Naruto, Barbara, come on and hurry up!" The two broke apart to see Hank stood with Don. "I want to get drunk tonight, sooner rather than later."
Naruto waved showing that they heard and were coming, despite being a little annoyed at the interruption. "He just reminds you of a jock, doesn't he?" Barbara pointed out and Naruto let out a short laugh.
"Tell me about it, though he's far more likeable than those I knew."
"Naruto, the football players at Gotham are assholes, maybe not all of them. But when you get them all together, even the decent guys are. It's the herd mentality and when you have a bunch of testosterone-fuelled football players, well let's just say we've experienced that first-hand." Naruto gave a sound of agreement, the two catching up to the two brothers. "Just around the corner Hank, then you can drink as much as you like."
"Perfect." Don shook his head in exasperation at his brother.
Friday 31st October, 22:00.
New Jersey,
Gotham City,
Gotham Heights.
The music was loud and blaring, the room hot and stuffy, packed with dozens of young teens all of whom danced to the music and drank heavily. To one side of the room, Naruto stood beside Don, downing the last of his beer from a plastic cup, the latter looking to him in shock.
"Jesus, Naruto, you sure can hold your beer."
Naruto snorted, a smirk coming onto his face as he cracked open another can from the pack and poured it into the plastic cup and began drinking from it again, just taunting Don. "It's more to do with the fact, I can't get drunk and let's leave it at that." The unspoken meaning behind it didn't go over Don's head and he nodded his head.
"Understood." Both turned when they heard a loud cheer, turning to see Hank raising his fist victoriously in the air, a small group around sharing the celebrations of his victory. Those on the other side of the table shaking their heads, but their smirks showed they were impressed with the throw.
"Didn't take him long to fit in, did it?"
"Like you wouldn't believe." Don agreed. "This was his life before, you know?"
As they continued to watch the party unfold, Naruto's eyes sought out Barbara who was stood talking with a few of her friends. They had big smiles on their faces, which was different to how they'd been when Barbara turned up with him. He was never liked by her friends; they were from relatively rich families who were very concerned with their image.
Barbara Gordon, despite not coming from a rich family, was beautiful and popular, well-liked by everyone. So naturally, they gravitated towards her and Barbara, in need of alibis and a cover story for her alter ego as Batgirl, accepted them as her friends. It was not to say Barbara didn't like them, no, according to her, once you got past the snobby exterior, many of them were quite nice and friendly. Naruto found that difficult to believe because whenever he interacted with them, he was only ever presented with the bitchy attitude.
And considering Naruto was an orphan, incredibly poor – or was at the time he went to Gotham Academy – and lived in the East End, it was safe to say they did not like him in the slightest. They liked it even less when they believed he was holding Barbara down.
So to find out that he and Barbara were now dating, was perhaps the last thing they wanted to learn. But Naruto didn't care for how they thought about him.
"You know, I still struggle to believe you and Barbara are dating. I mean, considering who she is." Don muttered and Naruto let out a short laugh. He knew full well why Don struggled to grasp it, Batgirl was much like all heroes, symbols. They were put on a pedestal as untouchable beings and considering that most heroines were incredibly beautiful women, Batgirl being no exception to this, that nature of untouchability was only amplified.
"Tell me about it." Naruto agreed. "What about you?"
"Oh no, that is the furthest thing from what's happening." Don shook his head. "Hank was the one that girls were always interested in, me on the other hand, I didn't have much luck."
Naruto chuckled lightly. "That's not what I heard." Don looked at him questioningly. "I heard there was one girl, quite pretty from what Hank described. Now, what was her name again?"
"Dawn," Don answered with a smile, remembering the girl he had briefly dated a few years ago. "That was the longest, relationship I had."
"Then what happened?"
"It was pretty early on in our career as heroes. Do you remember that terrorist attack on the art gallery in Washington, about a year and a half ago?" Naruto nodded his head, it had bene pretty good news, especially considering it was directly under the nose of the Justice League. "Well, I and Dawn went to visit it, it was a date. And I got shot down by the terrorists. Somehow, she developed the same powers I did and saved the day, that's when she learned of what I and Hank were doing and pretty soon after that, we decided to move to Gotham. Dawn, however, wanted to stay in DC to further her education."
"So it was a mutual thing?"
"Yeah."
"Have you talked to her at all?"
"Occasionally, not so much recently though. Kind of underestimated how bad Gotham is." The understatement made Naruto chuckle.
"You should." Don paused at those words, eventually smiling.
"Yeah, I think I will."
Saturday 1st November, 03:00.
New Jersey,
Gotham City,
Gotham Heights.
"You sure you don't want some help?" Barbara asked in concern, looking at the heavily drunk Hank that Don was bracing against him.
"Nah, I'll be fine." Don shook his head. "It's not the first time I've done this. Besides," at this, Don looked between the two with a smirk. "You kids should go enjoy yourselves." Here, Barbara flushed while Naruto just smirked, drawing Barbara closer to him.
"Will do." Barbara looked to him in shock, her blush deepening. "See you later, Don, make sure Hank gets home safely."
"Yeah, yeah." As the two pairs broke apart, heading in two different directions, Don pulled out his phone and called a taxi. As he did, he dumped Hank on a bench and sat down beside his brother. "Hi, yeah, I'd like to get a taxi from, seventeenth street. Yeah. Ten minutes? Alright."
Leaning back into the bench, Don turned to see that Naruto and Barbara had already turned down the street. Could he have used Naruto's help? Definitely, but he'd seen the looks Naruto and Barbara had been giving each other near the end of the party. Hell, Don had very uncomfortably watched his brother go upstairs with two different girls throughout the night and due to not knowing anyone, had felt like a third wheel when Naruto and Barbara started to get a little handsy with one another.
However, he had enjoyed the night.
He and Naruto had spent a good portion just stood laughing, even playing a few games of beer pong with Hank and a few of the guys he had made friends with. And things had been calm, no fights, no standoffs, nothing. Which was the opposite of what Don had been expecting considering Naruto had initially convinced them to join when he described his difficult relationship with some students of Gotham Academy in particular.
Well, he had convinced Don, Hank was convinced the moment Naruto mentioned alcohol.
But, as much as he could use Naruto's help getting Hank home, Don had done this plenty of times on his own. And as he sat there, Don looked at his phone once more, flicking it on and scrolling through the contacts before stopping on one name, in particular, Dawn Granger.
Just as he went to dial the number, the taxi arrived, and he helped Hank into the taxi and rode down the street. Even as he sat in the back of the taxi, Don continued to pause over the number.
What he had told Naruto wasn't a lie. He and Dawn had technically broken up when they moved to Gotham, but that was only because Don had never once talked to Dawn after what happened in the art gallery. Don had blamed himself for what happened, blamed himself for putting Dawn in harm's way even though the terrorists weren't there for him. But he had still blamed himself and he was scared that Dawn had as well.
He had left Gotham, not saying a word to Dawn and had ignored her calls and texts ever since. Don had been afraid that much like he blamed himself, Dawn would do the same.
As the taxi came to a stop, Don stepped out of the car and helped his brother out as well and as he went to open the door to their apartment building, instantly realised something was wrong when he found that the door was already unlocked.
'I locked it; I know I did.' Tensing up, Don pressed his brother against the wall and slapped his face a few times. "Hank, get a hold of yourself, somethings wrong." Despite his brother blinking a few times, he remained entirely out of it and with a huff, Don sat him down on the stairs and stepped inside.
Cautiously, he looked around, senses alert and eyes scanning the dark apartment with scrutiny. It then he felt something strike him in the back of his knees and Don let out a cry only for another blow to strike him in the side of the face.
It was strange, that much Don recognised despite not being able to see what had attacked him from behind. "Such a disappointment." His attacker taunted, moving round into sight and despite the pain and blurriness of his vision, Don could make out a masked figure clad in all black with gold highlights. "I honestly expected more from the great, Dove."
The figure reached out with a gloved hand, gripping Don around the neck and he let out a grunt as the claws dug into his neck. Slowly, Don was picked to his feet and he let out gasps and gurgles as he attempted to suck in air.
"I would like you to send a message to one, Naruto Uzumaki. Tell him, that an old friend has returned."
"Donny!" A slurred voice shouted; a voice Don was familiar with.
"What's this?" The figure asked, raising his head to look at the doorway. "The great, Hawk. Look at you, a drunken mess, do you intend to save your brother like that?"
"Hawk!" Hank slurred and his form was clad in the white and red suit of his alter ego. Then, with clenched fists and grit teeth, charged forwards. He stumbled slightly as he did, still suffering from the aftereffects of drinking too much.
Chuckling, the figure jabbed Don in the throat and slammed his head against the wall.
Despite the heavy and powerful blows that Hank throw the figures away, none of them so much as came close to touching him. Holes were put in walls and furniture was thrown, but the figure just weaved around the blows like they weren't even there. Nothing Hank threw came so much as close to touching him.
Even as his healing came into play, quickly combating the alcohol impairing his thinking and judgement, allowing Hank to think clearer and move more fluidly, it changed nothing. The figure was just far too skilled and, even as Hank got sharper and cleaner in his execution of technique, the figure just seemed to avoid them with greater ease.
Then he moved, a powerful kick slamming into Hank's solar plexus causing him to gasp out and stumble back. This was followed by two fast strikes that knocked Hank back with a bust nose.
"How amusing?" The figure taunted, raising one hand to flex his clawed glove. "I think I'll give a new message. One that I think Naruto will understand far better."
And as Don laid there, unable to properly move, he watched as the figure came at Hank with a ferocity and savagery that was terrifying. His claws cut through the air and blood splattered across the walls and ceiling.
Saturday 1st November, 03:30.
New Jersey,
Gotham City,
Gotham Heights.
Barbara struggled to believe how things had gotten to this moment so quickly. She was a virgin, or had been until tonight, but it had never been her intention to put out so soon into her relationship with Naruto. It was for a multitude of reasons, but mainly, Barbara just hadn't understood the obsession surrounding sex that guys and even some of her friends.
Her friends weren't virgins, they weren't sluts either, but they certainly were adventurous with their boyfriends. Barbara had heard them talk about some of the stuff they had done, but she had never been able to grasp the reasoning behind their liking for it.
Yet she understood now, oh boy did she understand why they enjoyed it.
Just like Barbara had never understood her friends obsession with sex, she had never understood people's obsession for alcohol. It was why she had at most, three drinks tonight, sipping on them slowly throughout the night. So this wasn't a drunken decision, yet at some point throughout the night, she and Naruto had begun dancing.
Now Barbara was very much aware that she was a beautiful young woman. Her outfit had being more modest than most girls that attended the party, but feeling a little adventurous herself, Barbara had worn something a little more revealing than her usual attire.
When dancing with Naruto she had felt the reaction she had on him brush against her ass and the heated kisses he gave her at time. It had ignited something in her that drove her to just go a little further and perhaps that was where things changed. Because after that, there had just been this intense desire that gripped her, a need that she hadn't been able to smother and they had all but rushed home before the mood dissipated.
They had been quiet initially upon entering as to not awaken Jim. But the moment they entered her room it had just been a mad scramble. She vaguely remembered tearing Naruto's shirt in her attempts to get it off him and she remembered Naruto stripping her of her clothes at the same time as she did his. Then it had been heated kisses, both groping and exploring one another's bodies before they collapsed onto her bed.
Heat, a momentary flash of pain before bliss gripped her.
Their first moment was frantic, expressing their desire to satiate their need for one another as soon as possible.
Their second time had been slower, more gentle as they truly just basked in the experience.
And their third time, despite being tired physically, Barbara was still more than eager, trying and failing to match his intensity and desire as her tired body struggled to keep up with her own desires. This led to Naruto taking control and she simply reacting to his movements.
Her legs locked around his hips as he thrust deep inside her, a scream tearing from her lips as Barbara tossed her head back against her pillow.
Naruto groaned, his body scathing hot as he moved against her in a fast, irregular rhythm. His fingers dug into her hip while Barbara's nails scraped down his back, leaving thin red marks that only served to further increase his speed.
Her body arched off the mattress as she turned her head to the side, her hair clinging to a sweaty forehead and rosy cheeks. Barbara gasped out and moaned, her hips bucking wildly as the heels of her feet dug into Naruto's lower back.
"Barbara," he groaned, dipping his head and kissing her as a wave of euphoria washed over him. His lips brushed her cheek and neck as she tangled her hands in his messy blonde hair, crying out as she hit her climax.
Naruto collapsed beside her, his chest heaving with an grin on his face.
Barbara held the bed sheet over her quivering body and panted, her flushed face staring dazedly at the ceiling above her. "That was…"
"Yeah." Naruto agreed, turning to Barbara with a smirk on his face, something she noticed, especially when his hand began stroking her side in a teasing, suggestive manner.
"You're insatiable."
"Didn't hear a no?" She didn't reply, instead just leaning forward to kiss him something Naruto eagerly returned as he once again moved between her legs, she spreading them open for him. Without a moments hesitation, he eased himself inside her once more, both releasing a momentary moan.
Never once did the two break apart, their lips moulding against one another as they breathed heavily through their noses. And slowly, Naruto began to build a steady pace. His mouth slanted over hers as her tongue tangled with his. She curled her toes into the bedsheets and broke the kiss to release a loud moan, turning her face to the side as her hand gripped the back of his neck tightly.
Naruto grit his teeth against one another, his jaw clenching as his hips rocked fast against hers. His forehead rested against her collarbone as his free hand tilted her lower body up to meet his every slam. He swivelled his hips before thrusting deep inside her, making the girl cry out.
Her moans come higher pitched, and the way she clutches his hair shows him that she's close. So he lifts her lower back off the mattress, trailing one hand down her spine making her back arch even further as she gasped out. Her body is getting hotter as her skin rubs against his, and this heat is one that both crave further. Naruto himself reached round and gripped her ass with one hand, fingers digging into the soft pliable flesh as he used this change in positions to hit a deeper part of her.
She kisses his cheek and moans into his ear, whispering three words that send a surge of energy through him as he pounds relentlessly into her. Before long, her body is trembling and she hits her release, her legs squeezing even more around him. He rolls his hips and grinds his teeth, burying his face in her neck as she runs her fingers through her hair and pants heavily.
Despite the time, both were still very young and very much eager for more.
So, a 'little' development between Naruto and Barbara, as well as a developing friendship between Don, Hank and Naruto. However, the main focus of this chapter was on the Talon and the Lights plans for Gotham and for Naruto. To be honest, I really enjoyed writing his scenes, he's perhaps one of my most favourite characters to write and as you can see, he's still incredibly skilled. Hank who has been trained by Ted Grant didn't stand a chance. Things are going to start heating up soon and I hope you enjoyed what I've been writing because I certainly have.
Once again, if I haven't responded to your question down below then I will have sent you a PM. Anyway, let's get onto the questions:
LFeat: I understand what you're saying and I am trying to think of a way to introduce the Adamantine Chains, but I'll have to see how the story develops. I don't want to just throw Naruto new abilities one after the other. If I'm going to introduce a new ability or power, it's going to be because Naruto not only needs it, but also because he's earned it.
The unknown: No, Batman and Batgirl will not be having that atrocious relationship that happened in Killing Joke. So don't worry, it won't be happening in my story at all.
Yakuza2010: No, that happens in a different city and Naruto has been busy with other matters, teenage hormones and a beautiful girl. Jason Todd will not be making an appearance for a while, and that's purposeful for two reasons. First, he doesn't really serve a purpose for the plot and wouldn't really push the story forward in anyway at this point. Second, Jason is one of Naruto's biggest failures, I won't clarify more on that at this point in time.
No, the JL are still very much the territorial heroes they are with a few exceptions here and there and those that aren't, don't really require Naruto's expertise as they have access to more experienced and powerful people in the JL. And no, Slade and Naruto partnership is very much in the past and both know it.
Denzel Eristhee: The poll was put up when I first published the second chapter and ended by the time I finished updating the Black Mask Arc. So it was a longtime ago now and it basically decided the pairing, there were four choices. Naruto x Barbara, Naruto x Barbara x Starfire, Naruto x Barbara x Supergirl, or Naruto x Barbara x Starfire x Supergirl. And a vast majority of the people voted for the latter, over 400 people in total.
Batman9117: Yeah, I've heard, kind of interested to see what they do with it. I have to admit, DC have made some good animated movies and TV shows. But they've made some questionable choices in their films, some I enjoyed, some I didn't, like the Batman and Batgirl scene.
tamagat: I've considered it, but I've decided against it, I have another character in mind for that weapon.
foxtail98: Yes, I plan to have Naruto explore the more supernatural aspect of the DC world during the time skip, which is where a lot of Demonic activity will be taking place. But yes, as one of the strongest characters in DC, Trigon will be making an appearance and will have a huge impact on the story as a character of his power should do.
jalonayers593: Yeah, Unis being a bitch. They've given us two exams and two assignments due in on the 21st of April. It was a joke, like couldn't they have spread it out a bit more, all it takes is an email to my other tutors just to ask when they're going to be making a deadline.
SandaKagami: Not too sure just yet, I'm thinking of having a mix of the two where Starfie uses killing as a last resort, but isn't unwilling to do so if she believes it's necessary.
Issexwithyourcloneincest: I'm not sure, it's a possibility but there'll be so many characters involved in the story that I won't be able to give each of them dialogue or screen time. If it happens, it'll probs be off screen, but it all depends on how the story develops because a lot of things are different to how I initially planned. And yes, Killing Joke will be happening but with major differences and no, there will be no Batgirl/Batman scene because that was just, no, it's not happening.
Vizard890: Same as the answer above when it comes to Booster Gold and Blue Beetle.
Yohnos: Yep, Naruto's being incredibly skilled and incredibly powerful, but he's just been surrounded by equally powerful people so he never got to shine as much. Nows the time for that and we saw Naruto dismantle Hawk and Dove with ease. And yes, he will be relying more on his skills and not trying to rely on his powers as much as he and with the team. He's recognised that he developed an over reliance on them and while he's not afraid to use them, it's a last resort for him.
Sultan Asil Arslan: The split world episode will be still going ahead and will affect Naruto differently than the team. But he will still be around. There are going to be a number of Naruto characters going to be in this story. Already we've had Minato, Kushina, Hiruzen (the next door neighbour that taught Naruto the basics of how to fight, sadly dead now), Mito, Ashina and Kurama and Yami Naruto. In total I intend to introduce around ten more people from Naruto.
However, the other clans haven't been forgotten, but they're role is minor in comparison to the main story. At most they'll be a little mention of them that's all. DC comics is mental as it is and this story is long enough, trying to incorporate too many characters and too many things is too. much. But I think I've included enough Naruto lore and in a way that's fluid and makes sense to balance that out.
Hope this clears up any confusion and if not, please let me know and I'll answer as best as I can. And just a reminder, if I haven't replied to you here, then I will have sent you a PM.