Injustice: The Path to Hell.
Book 2: Darkness in the Light.
Chapter XXVI – Mentorship.
"Normal Speech."
'Normal Thought.'
"Demon Speech."
'Demon Thought.'
"Other Speech Variants."
Location/Time.
Sunday 3rd January 2016, 11:30.
New York,
New York City,
Titan Tower.
Rachel Roth, aka Raven.
Naruto vaguely remembered her from his meeting with Starfire once he had been freed from Lady Blaze's grasp. He didn't remember much of what the file upon her had said, he had been a little preoccupied with dealing with his own trauma, and the revelation that Jason was dead.
All he knew at the time was that she was a half-demon like himself and was struggling with controlling her powers. Everything else had escaped his mind until he reviewed her file, something Starfire graciously loaned to him as he prepared himself over the course of the night to teach her.
He had never really taken someone under his wing, always being the mentee rather than the mentor. It was a strange feeling to be on the other end, but he rationalised it as him once again being the team leader of the Young Justice, leading them through the drills.
Starfire had said he had done a good job with his team, enough to make his name a known figure, not only for his powers but also for his leadership. Which meant he had done something right for a change.
Thinking of it that way certainly helped matters.
From what had been discovered, Raven was the child of a powerful demon, Trigon. Her mother, a human named, Angela Roth ran away from home and joined a cult. There she had been involved in a ritualistic summoning of what was believed to be Satan himself, instead, they succeeded in summoning Trigon who raped Angela, taking her to his realm as his wife.
There she gave birth to Rachel, raising her daughter alongside the many other children of Trigon, only sons. One day, Trigon began killing the mothers of his children but spared Angela for unknown reasons, However, after truly seeing what Trigon was capable of, Angela fled, fearing what he would do to her and her daughter. There she arrived upon Azarath, raised and taught amongst the mystics that lived there.
Until the day she decided to reach out to her father, someone Raven had never known and never understood why she couldn't know. Her actions were that of a child desperate to meet her father and who he was. No one in their right mind would fault her for that, except her actions led to the destruction of Azarath as she opened the doorway that allowed Trigon to invade the realm.
Raven escaped his grasp, fleeing to Earth.
This time though, her mother was not with her and Trigon followed. The protections surrounding Earth weakened him, allowing the Teen Titans to defeat him, Trigon sealed away within the jewel that lay within the centre of her forehead. He was the reason her powers were so uncontrollable, they were already unstable, connected to her emotions. But with Trigon trying to use that instability to escape, it only made it that much harder for her to control and use her powers.
To Naruto though, the information that stood out to him, was who Trigon was.
He was a Demon spawned from the dark emotions of the Azarath who in the pursuit of pacifism, cast them off themselves. These emotions gradually took shape and formed the powerful Demon, Trigon. One who went to conquer his entire dimension and then those beyond it.
'This might prove to be exactly what I need.' Naruto thought, fists clenching lightly as he watched Raven enter the room. 'Some closure.'
Rising to his feet, Naruto smiled. "Hey, I'm Naruto Uzumaki." His last name earned a reaction, surprise, though as soon as that emotion arrived it was suppressed. "And you must be Raven, nice to meet you."
He extended one hand, Raven hesitantly accepting. "Hello." Her voice, much like her face, was monotone, but Naruto didn't let that bother him, just continuing to smile.
"So, I know that Starfire's already said this, but I'm going to be helping you with controlling your powers from now on. Honestly, I don't know how well of a job I'm going to do, but I can guarantee that I'll do my best." He explained, Raven just staring at him.
"Okay." She responded simply, Naruto coughing lightly.
"Yes, well, first of all, I'd like to know what Jason did to help you."
"Meditation and practise."
Naruto rose a brow. "What kind of practice?"
"Magic and spells."
"Okay, I'm going to need a little more information than that. I understand that you don't know me and don't trust me. But I am here to help, Jason's first choice was to get Starfire to ask me to help you. I don't know how close you and Jason were, but I hope this might stand for something. I only have your best interest at heart." Naruto implored, a little frustrated with the short and simple replies. They were straight to the point, but a little short on details that would be important to help her.
Raven was silent for a little while, before sighing. "He had me meditate to calm myself while also trying to use magic. The aim was to slowly acclimatise my body to my emotions, build up my mind's ability to both control my emotions and keep my father in check without losing control of my powers." Naruto nodded his head, digesting that information for a few seconds.
"And how was that going would you say?" Starfire had mentioned over dinner that Raven had been able to express a bit of emotion for a little while, though it was only a small amount.
"We made progress." Naruto nodded his head. "But once he left, I did not feel comfortable pursuing this avenue." There was a not-so-subtle undertone that made it very clear that she knew what had happened and why Jason had left.
'So that's why she's being icy. It's not just because she's a teenager who can't control her emotions, but because she knows I was behind Jason leaving.' He withheld the urge to wince in guilt and instead just looked to Raven. "And would you say it was fast or slow? The progress that is?"
"Slow."
"Okay, and your powers are connected to your emotions, correct?" Raven nodded her head, Naruto humming in thought. "Right, well honestly, I'll try my best, but I don't think I'll be as much help in learning magic and using spells as Jason was. The way I learned was vastly different and your type of magic isn't, from what I've heard and seen, isn't like mine."
Cyborg had provided a vast number of videos captured from security cameras that showcased Raven and her powers. The breadth of it was complex whereas his was more concise and simpler.
"One thing I can do though, that might be a different avenue for you is to be a sparring partner." Raven rose a brow, a little hint of interest beginning to shine through. Though there was also a dangerous glint which made him wonder if perhaps her interest in him being her sparring partner was also to do with the fact, she could fight him. She obviously held a grudge over him being behind Jason leaving, this could be her chance to get a little revenge.
Even so, Naruto ignored it.
"I can force you to use your powers in new and interesting ways, be that overwhelming force that makes you adapt and grow while working within the limits of your powers. It may not help you increase the amount of power you can use, though that's a possibility." Naruto explained. "However, what it will do is make you a much better fighter as you are able to use what powers you have more effectively. What do you say?"
Raven was silent, considering her options, the benefits and downsides to it. It was definitely different to how Jason taught her, but from what she remembered Jason saying about Naruto, this was better suited to him. Not to mention, she could still meditate in her own time.
But there was something she wanted to know. "How did Jason train you?"
"He never told you?" Naruto questioned, surprised by that. "Wait, how badly do you want to gain control of your powers?"
The silence he received was all the answer Naruto needed and he could understand why Jason never said anything. His demonic powers were nothing like Raven's, he had stages to it that had clear limits and while the absolute peak of his powers was as of yet, unidentified, Raven's did not operate in the same way. In one of the videos Naruto had seen, she seemed to warp the world around her in a moment of lack of control.
His powers were dangerous because they enhanced his physical abilities to a degree that could put him on the level of the upper tiers and possibly, beyond. They also could be used in unique ways such as the creation of clones and condensing of his powers into destructive attacks.
Ravens, on the other hand, was the complete opposite and equally as dangerous as his own, perhaps even more so. His grew more dangerous over time, hers was instantly dangerous, warping reality itself to suit her needs. If she could control that power, there was no telling what she could do or become.
'Which is precisely why Jason never told her about the way I trained.' Naruto realised, frowning. 'Etrigan was able to handle me much easier because my powers suited a fistfight in which he had the upper hand. But Raven is the direct opposite. The question is, do I do what Jason was unwilling to risk or do I simply play it safe.'
"The way I learned wouldn't work for you." Naruto lied calmly, Raven not looking totally convinced. "So, I know it's not the way Jason taught you, but I don't really have the tools or skillset to teach the way he did. But, do you want my help?"
"Okay."
Smiling, Naruto indicated with his hand for her to follow him. "Alright then, let's start with a little sparring match. I want to see what I have to work with." He may not be the best suited to teaching her, but when it came to fighting, especially with magic, there were few better than him. His time spent in Tartarus, with Doctor Fate and the Parliament of Vapors made sure of that.
He may not have great fanciful spells or complex illusions to trick opponents, but was in fact, stuck with simple and basic uses of magic. However, they were things he had practised over and over again till they were almost instinctual and they were highly dangerous. Combine that with his fighting skills, battle experience and the amount of magic he had available to him, it made Naruto one of the most dangerous combatants on Earth.
That was not Naruto boasting either, it was something Doctor Fate had said in a rare moment of praise. If there was anyone who could help Raven become a better fighter with her magic, it was Naruto.
Tuesday 5th January 2016, 05:15.
New York,
New York City,
Titan Tower.
Something just wasn't right.
No matter how hard Naruto focused upon the map, his brain kept replaying that image over and over again in his mind. That wide-open circle that lay near the centre of Manhattan that spanned nearly two miles in diameter. An area that was completely empty of Krolotean life, a place they avoided completely.
That large blank space in a filled city with pulsing lights indicating the presence of Kroloteans was impossible to miss. It was why it had stuck with Naruto for so long, why it bothered him so greatly.
There was something there, something that the Kroloteans were so afraid of that they wouldn't even go near. Only made even more clear by the strange behaviour of said aliens when approaching that circle. They ran away, sometimes directly into the pursuing heroes, they would rather get caught, than enter within that circle.
Naruto may not be the brightest bulb in the box, but even that was clearly unnatural.
"Jesse Quick," Naruto said, tearing his gaze away from Manhattan and to Queens where a large group of Kroloteans was being chased by a single figure. "You're approaching the position, slow your speed and wait for my signal. Ravager, Arrowette, Bunker, are you in position?"
"I'm in position/Yeah, I'm waiting." Arrowette and Bunker responded.
"I've got eyes on them now," Ravager said, Naruto taking that as a yes.
Waiting for the Kroloteans to push up further north, Naruto calmly watched those blinking lights move upwards through Queens. Right until they were in the centre of the formation, Bunker north of their position, Jesse Quick bringing up the rear and Arrowette and Ravager east and west respectively.
"Now." He need not wait for a response, nor did he receive one.
The members of the Teen Titans, all in position sprang into action on his orders, a hologram popping up, showcasing the security footage overseeing the heroes capturing the Kroloteans. It was quick, simple and effective, Naruto was highly impressed with it all.
"That's the last major group. Good work everyone." He told them, there being just a few single Kroloteans left throughout the city. However, Starfire, Caveboy, Raven and Aquagirl II were already in the process of taking them out or moving into a position to do just that. They no longer needed him right now and Naruto was comfortable with the idea of sitting back and relaxing. "Cyborg, I'm transferring back surveillance to you."
"Alright, cheers for this Maelstrom." He replied, the holograms beginning to respond to unseen commands as Cyborg seamlessly and easily took back control. It had been Starfire's suggestion, their first outing with her as the leader, with Naruto acting as their eyes in the sky as it were.
Moving away from the monitoring station, Naruto made his way towards the elevator. He needed something to eat and a drink, then he'd hit the gym. Being in an oversight position like that was not something he enjoyed. He preferred being in the thick of the action, especially after all his time in Tartarus, sitting on the sidelines was not something he enjoyed in the slightest.
'Though it does remind me of that time against the League of Shadows.' He still remembered that mission, in fact, he remembered all the missions he had with the Young Justice. But this one stuck out to him at that moment, all because of the similar roles he had assumed then and now.
In that situation, he had been a leader and as the leader, trusted his teammates to do most of the fighting while he worked within a makeshift 'control tower.' His oversight and instructions based on the information and actions of both his enemies and teammates were what enabled their team to succeed in that mission. But just as he did not enjoy the role then, he had not enjoyed it now either.
As the elevator doors opened for him, Naruto stepped out, making his way straight towards the kitchen. He opened the fridge pulling out the milk, but just as he closed it, turning to place it down on the kitchen counter, the sight of Superman floating outside caught his attention.
Even more so when said hero continued to float forwards slowly, body seemingly phasing through the glass and sink till he stood on the other end of the counter, feet firmly planted on the ground.
Naruto rose a brow in shock at the power. "Neat trick, when'd you learn that?"
Superman chuckled. "Quite recently." Theoretically, he had been capable of it for a very long time. However, it required a fine-tuned control over one's own body, right down to the smallest atom to be able to pull it off. It was also dangerous, unlike Barry's whose entire skillset if you dumbed it down was super-speed, Superman's was much more complex.
That wasn't to say that Barry's powers weren't complex, the Speed Force was something that despite how much Barry studied it, was something many did and could not fully comprehend. However, when dumbed down, the powers of Superman had been much broader in scope and it was that, which made phasing for him so difficult. A single mishap could cause the yellow sun radiation that he had absorbed prior to being released.
The last time such a thing happened, Superman had caused an expulsion of solar energy that scorched an entire planet. Luckily it had been barren because if not, Superman would have killed an entire planet's population alongside making it inhospitable.
However, he had worked hard and while it was not perfect nor easy for him to do it, Superman could phase through objects. "Huh, cool." Naruto shrugged. "I guess you got my message?"
"I did," Superman said. "Bruce said that you had some concerns. That there was something other than Kroloteans within New York. I came here to not only give a hand with Kroloteans if need be, though I see that's not necessary. But I also came to find out whether your suspicions have any basis to them."
"I get it, can't just go off assumptions without some measure of proof." They may not have all the red tape and political shenanigans that police had to go through, but heroes operated on a moral code. The measures of how to deal with criminals varied from hero to hero, there was no strict guideline for any of them.
However, no hero would make a move without proper proof.
It would not be good to attack an innocent man simply because of an assumption. "I guess you won't have had time to spare a look at the map?" Superman shook his head; he had been busy dealing with western Europe and removing the Kroloteans stationed there. "Give me a minute."
Swiping his hand over the centre of the kitchen counter, Naruto activated the inbuilt system there, a hologram popping to life. One of the best features about the Titan Tower was that Dick had spared no expense in ensuring it was one of the most high-tech buildings ever built, just another nod to how much sway he had over Batman that he would invest this much money into it. There was a holographic computer in practically every room, ensuring that meetings and displays could be showcased anywhere if need be.
"This is the map of New York when we first got it through." Naruto then zoomed in a little, focusing mostly upon Manhattan, it was not necessary though, the large circle was a standout compared to everywhere else. "That's two miles from this Krolotean to this one. If we take a look at other maps, none of them even come close to having a distance as far from each other as that. Unless it's a base but..."
Naruto need not say anymore, Superman nodded his head in understanding. There was a total of four bases, one for each of the boroughs minus Manhattan, a large concentration of Kroloteans being inside of each of those bases denoted by the much larger yellow light. There was a total of near five miles between the base and the surrounding Kroloteans.
However, in this circle in Manhattan, there was a two-mile span that was uninhabited by Kroloteans and there was no base there either. That alone did raise questions, but considering the knowledge that an alien species had been planning a subtle takeover of the planet right under their noses and had made quite frightening progress, it escaped many of their notice.
Except for Naruto, he only had access to the map of New York and had remained within the Titan Tower, directing the Teen Titans on their mission. It was constantly staring right at him and it had been impossible to miss in those circumstances.
"And you're certain something is going on?" Superman wondered, trying to gauge whether this was simple paranoia or educated instinct. One thing a hero like him had come to learn was that in their line of work, their instinct was rarely wrong. Even if they didn't have the evidence to prove a person guilty, so long as their instinct said they were, they would make sure to find all the evidence necessary and would not stop.
Naruto nodded his head firmly. "I'm sure. There's something within that area that has terrified the Kroloteans. They would make their best effort to steer clear of that area, even if it would have slowed them down. At times, some Kroloteans would run inside and they'd run right back out, caring more about getting out of the circle than being caught."
'Then something is definitely within that area that the Kroloteans are afraid of.' Superman didn't like that realisation one bit, another reminder that there was something else going on right beneath their noses and they hadn't seen it. 'Just one of many instances that this has come to light. Too many though.'
Turning to look back out the window, Superman gazed upon the borough of Manhattan and directly to the area that Naruto had highlighted. "See if there's anything in the database on the Dark Side Club."
"Why?" Naruto asked, already in the motion of typing it down.
"I scanned the area, that was the only place I couldn't see into. There's a strange amalgam or materials that were used to build that club, including lead." Superman explained.
"You can see that far?" As soon as those words came out of his mouth, Naruto felt stupid. "Right, forgot, you have superhuman senses. My bad." The Man of Steel chuckled, moving around to look upon the file that popped up. There wasn't much information on it, but it was on here for a reason. "A villain safe-house. Could be a possible reason as to why the Kroloteans haven't entered?"
Superman shook his head. "No." He responded. "The villains that frequent the Dark Side Club are low-level mostly. Hardly enough to terrify the Kroloteans to that extent. They had people inside the Hall of Justice."
"So, it's not that it's a villain hideout," Naruto muttered in thought, conceding that Superman was right. "Who owns it then?" He wondered, but the search came up empty. "Unknown owner, typical."
"Indeed it is." Superman agreed, the hologram disappearing. "I trust that the Teen Titans can handle the business with the Dark Side Club?"
That made Naruto raise a brow. "You're not going to handle it yourself?"
Superman shook his head. "There's currently a flood in South America that needs my attention. Besides, we are not like we were, holding the hands of the younger generation, hiding them from the dangers that could make them stronger. You showed us the error of our ways in that thinking."
"How do you mean?"
"In a fortnight, come to the Watchtower. I will explain it to you then." With that, Superman took off, phasing through the glass of the window and disappearing from view faster than the eye could see.
Saturday 9th January 2016, 16:45.
New York,
New York City,
Titan Tower.
Shouting in effort, Raven thrust her powers, a fog of shadows rolling across the ground and trying to envelop Naruto who stood across from her. Yet with a single click of his fingers, numerous tiny globes of fire burst to life, the light emitted from them beating back the shadows as Raven collapsed to her knees. Both hands were braced against the floor, sweat dripping down from her chin as she took large, laboured breaths in.
She was exhausted, physically and mentally.
Naruto on the other hand looked pristine, not even his scruffy hair looked disturbed. Not a single blemish, hint of exhaustion or sweat, he looked as normal as he was when they started nearly two hours ago.
"You did good, Raven," Naruto said, moving over to collect two water bottles. "But can you tell me one thing you did wrong?"
Throughout the course of their sparring match, Raven had been the aggressor, constantly unleashing attack after attack at Naruto who masterfully dodged, blocked and deflected her attacks. Yet as Cyborg and Starfire taught her, she kept pressuring him, hoping to force a mistake and make an opening that she could exploit.
But upon reaching the halfway point, Raven quickly came to realise that was going to be next to impossible. Naruto's use of magic may be simple and basic, but he had mastered and developed it to such a degree that it was perfectly suited for combat. There was no subtlety to it, no incantation or preparation required. It was instantaneously, magic that responded to his will.
No, it was more that Naruto had mixed it with his martial arts.
Whereas other magicians need sigils, circles, crests, artefacts, scrolls or incantations to cast spells, Naruto did not need any of that. In fact, every punch, every kick, every movement of his body was an incantation. Much like a Demon, like her, Naruto's body was attuned to magic in a way a normal human was not. Magic flowed much easier throughout their body and they could handle much more magic in turn.
Yet whether it be in their mind or with their mouths, a Demon often needed to make an incantation only the truly powerful and skilled removing such a need. Those that had lived for hundreds if not thousands of years, who had developed their understanding of the natural order of the world to such a degree that they became, even more, attune to magic than anyone else.
It was a level of understanding that Naruto did not possess, Raven could tell that much. But he had worked his way around such a limitation, his martial arts were the incantation with which he cast his spells. Whereas before he had used the two separately, Naruto in his time with Doctor Fate and the realisation of his weakness, began to look upon magic circles with even greater interest.
He had always known that his branch of magic did not require any preparations, it was perfect for combat and hence why he chose it. However, under his time training with the Parliament of Vapors, Naruto started to begin the development of this new form of incantation.
He mixed his magic with his martial arts and during his battle in Hell, this new technique began to form and take shape enabling him to do techniques with even greater power and even do things he had never been able to do before. It was only under Doctor Fate that this new form of incantation became truly developed and completed.
'Because of that, I was completely unable to break apart his defence.' Raven thought, silently considering what would have happened if Naruto had gone on the offensive. 'I wouldn't have even opposed a challenge.'
She was strong, one of the strongest on the Teen Titans, yet Naruto had defeated her without even throwing a punch. By simply defending, he forced her to exhaust everything she had until there was nothing left to give. And now, she was helpless, unable to do a thing if he chose to continue this fight.
"I wasn't strong enough," Raven admitted, accepting the bottle of water with a heavy frown, not liking the admittance of her weakness.
Naruto shook his head and Raven's frown deepened.
"I wasn't creative enough with my powers or my attack?" Again, Naruto shook his head, smiling lightly. "I didn't think things through properly?" His smile widened. "So, I didn't think things through properly? What exactly didn't I think through properly?"
"What do you think you didn't think things through?" Naruto was starting to see why his teachers in the past would answer a question with a question. Not only was it quite amusing to see the student get frustrated, but one never learned by simply being given the answers.
"Can't you just tell me?"
"That would defeat the purpose."
Raven's frown turned into a scowl, Naruto finding it amusing that displays of emotion were becoming more common. Her face was still not overly expressive, even now her scowl was small and almost unnoticeable, but compared to her usual emotionless expression, it was clear to see.
"I'll give you a hint." Naruto offered upon seeing her struggling. "What should you have done when you realised there was no way you could beat me?"
That only further stumped Raven, not quite sure how to answer that question. "I-I don't know." She admitted honestly.
"That's alright." Naruto comforted. "I was like that myself a lot of the time, still am at times. But you admitted that you didn't know, I'm usually more stubborn about admitting when I'm lost."
"And what was the answer?" Raven pressed; brow raised.
Naruto chuckled at her snippy response. "Alright, alright, don't get your panties in a bunch." She glared at him for that, but Naruto ignored it. "The answer is simple, whereas you continued to press your attack hoping that something would change. What you should have done is change your tactics, conserved your energy and found a way to retreat or stall for time so that backup could arrive."
"I thought the purpose of this was to make me a better fighter?"
"It is," Naruto responded. "Do you know what makes the difference between a good fighter and a greater fighter?" Raven shook her head. "A great fighter knows when he is outmatched. You recognised you were outmatched, but what did you do with that information?"
"I kept fighting."
"Exactly. And what you should have done is found a way to escape. I'm here to help make you stronger, that's true. But to make you stronger, you first need to have a strong foundation. A house built on sand is destined to crumble and all that nonsense." Naruto explained. "If you don't have the mentality of a fighter, if you don't have any knowledge, experience or skill, then you will plateau very quickly. Hitting that plateau is a death sentence for heroes."
In situations, heroes may not be able to win that first encounter and therefore are forced to retreat. In doing so, yes, they allowed the villain to keep rampaging, but it was not the end of the world. If they kept fighting, exhausting themselves as Raven had, then they would be at the mercy of the villain who could put them out of action for even longer, or kill them putting them out indefinitely.
Even if it meant allowing a villain to keep causing chaos, it was better to use this opportunity to prepare themselves for the next engagement, to come better prepared for when the next battle came. The best example of this was Batman, Naruto had come to learn from his time with Dick and Barbara that they had multiple utility belts, each specifically attuned to certain villains with technology and in some cases, minerals, poisons and materials that could give them an advantage.
They were specialised fighters.
Skilled and dangerous, yes, but only against those that are human. But only when they have the time to prepare for an encounter against a superpowered being, can they truly showcase just how dangerous they can be.
The utility belt often used by Batman was the best showcase of this fact. Often mistaken as being a single utility belt that seemed to possess an endless number of tools that could help him in all situations, he in fact had dozens, if not hundreds of them. He had one for every super villain he had ever encountered, specifically tailored to their individual weaknesses. It was not one utility belt, but dozens, he often wearing a singular one that provided him all the necessary equipment to deal with basic thugs in the hundreds and also enable him the technology to make a speedy escape when encountering a supervillain. Thus allowing him to gather the proper equipment for the next engagement.
A fine-tuned art, one that he and his sidekicks had mastered. But it was all based on that understanding that they couldn't exhaust themselves, they had to preserve enough energy to allow themselves to escape and make those preparations.
More often than not, the first engagement was also the villain probing strike. A test to see what the hero had, less so in recent years however. Even so, Raven needed to get in that mentality that preserving energy was a key factor in battle and not just purely to escape.
What if a teammate was heavily injured and you and a villain of equal speed were an equal distance away from them? One would be seeking to use that injured teammate as a hostage the other seeking to help protect them. However, if Raven was exhausted then it wouldn't matter if they were both the same speed, she wouldn't be able to muster the energy to come to her friend's aid. It was the same for an injured civilian nearby.
Preserving energy was a facet of combat that Naruto had touched upon in his time with Deathstroke, but never truly mastered until entering into Tartarus. The constant hordes of Demons that rushed to kill him, the need to preserve energy in a fight in preparation for the next. Naruto knew better than most how important preserving one's energy was, it was the difference between life and death.
"Do you understand what I'm saying?" Raven nodded her head, Naruto smiling. "Get some rest, even though you exhausted yourself, you did good. Your use of powers is imaginative and creative, there's nothing I can teach you on that front. Just remember, think less with this," Naruto indicated to her heart. "And more with this." Here he pointed to her head.
It was rich coming from him, he knew that much, he often acted emotionally and still did to this day. But it was precisely for that reason he was telling her that. The saying was do as I not as I do.
Saturday 9th January 2016, 17:55.
New York,
New York City,
Queens.
"So, you think there's something at the Dark Side Club?" Dick inquired, beside him Starfire placing her cup of coffee down on the table of the diner, the very same diner Naruto had been brought to days earlier.
The blonde himself, sitting across from the two, nodded his head. "Superman confirmed that there was definitely something strange going on there, he couldn't even see through the walls. The strange reactions of the Kroloteans to the surrounding area was a pretty obvious indicator as well."
"I saw the footage as well, Richard." Starfire concurred. "The Kroloteans were afraid to enter into a near mile radius of the Dark Side Club, there is something there that should be looked further into if we are to be certain. It may not even be bad, but it is still something to look into."
Dick smiled. "You're the team leader, Star." He told her. "The Titans are yours now, if you think you need to look into the Dark Side Club, then do so, that's your prerogative now. But if you must know, I've been keeping an eye on the Dark Side Club for a while now."
This caught both Naruto and Starfire's attention, the two sharing a glance before looking at him questioningly.
"It's one of many villain safe-houses. I'm hesitant to call it a villain bar or pub or anything along those lines, but that's about the best I've got from the limited info I've uncovered." Dick smiled at the thought of such a thing, as did Naruto. "However, I've spotted numerous known supervillains coming and going from the establishment. I just haven't been able to get inside, the security is top-notch, plus if I'm caught then I will become subject to the wrath of all the villains inside."
"Sounds like a good time to me," Naruto smirked, Dick shaking his head in amusement.
"Yes, well not all of us can conjure a tornado with a flick of our hands."
"Sounds like a you problem."
Dick chuckled. "It does, doesn't it?"
"Is the reason the Kroloteans are unwilling to enter the area surrounding the club due to the villains, do you think?" Starfire asked, bringing the conversation back on topic.
"Unlikely," Dick said. "Most of the figures that visit it are low-level villains, you're talking guys on the level of Captain Boomerang. The most dangerous figures I've recorded entering into it are Blockbuster, Mammoth and Doctor Light. Other than that, though, it's not enough to scare away the Kroloteans."
There were dozens of similar sights all over the country, the reason they were allowed to continue operating was that the villains inside did no damage to the citizens outside. It was like there was a rule to make sure that the safe-house was never revealed or damaged and so, villains were kept on their best behaviour, as amusing as that thought maybe. But other than that, it was also a good indicator of where the villains were going to strike next.
Well, at least from the safe-houses they had eyes on, these were no doubt the 'decoy' pubs. Those put in place to be purposefully found and therefore, hide the real ones, another indication of the rising danger of the criminal underworld.
The Kroloteans had spread far and wide, only infiltrating at a low level as to escape notice. The highest they had ever gotten was Secretary General Tseng. They had, however, come within a much closer radius to these villain safe-houses, ones with much more dangerous and powerful villains than those in the Dark Side Club.
So no, the villains entering the Dark Side Club could not be the reason.
"Perhaps it's not the Dark Side Club then?" Naruto posed, all three considering the idea.
"Or maybe it is not the villains themselves that the Kroloteans are afraid of?" Starfire added, both looking to Dick to see his opinion on the matter.
However, he simply rose his hands in surrender, then indicated to Starfire. "Like I said, you're the leader of the Titans now, Star. It's up to you what the next move is. Infiltrate the Dark Side Club or don't, that's your decision."
"…" The Tamaran leaned back, thinking deeply on her next course of action, both Naruto and Dick waiting for her next words. "I will have Victor look at it closer over the next few days. Find out which villains are inside and which are not. Then make our decision based on that."
If there were too many dangerous villains there, then Starfire would prefer to keep far away from it for the time being. The new roster for the Teen Titans while relatively well-balanced, was made up of many untrained and inexperienced members. She and Victor had stood on the back burner during the battle against Doctor Light as to allow the newer members a chance to prove themselves.
They had been soundly beaten and even when she and Victor stepped in, defeating Doctor Light had not been easy. Attacking the Dark Side Club with her current team as it was and if there were plenty of dangerous villains waiting inside, then Starfire did not want to take that risk.
However, if it was the opposite, there weren't many dangerous villains, then she would do it. Certainly, the Dark Side Club might never return, another villain safe-house making shop somewhere within New York that they wouldn't be aware of, but it was worth it. There was definitely something going inside that had spooked the Kroloteans enough to be absolutely terrified of even going near it.
In their line of work, that usually meant that there was something incredibly dangerous inside. Whatever it was, Starfire knew she would have to up her team's training in preparation for this, whether it go ahead or not.
"I'll be here in New York if you need me." Naruto offered, recognising the look on her face.
It was the same look he had a few times when he had been the leader of the Young Justice, even when 'leading' Hawk and Dove though there had been no clear statement of who was in charge. She was worried that she may be pushing her team too far, that perhaps they weren't ready and that something could go seriously wrong.
Starfire had every right to be.
They had no idea what was within the Dark Side Club and in this world, there was nothing more dangerous than the unknown. A single miscalculation, overlooking just one crucial detail, not doing the proper research, a simple mistake in the plan, just one of those things could spell the difference between victory and defeat.
The difference between life and death.
It was the weight of leadership, something both Dick and Naruto recognised and knew well. "If you go ahead with this and things go south," Dick said, resting one hand on Starfire's shoulder. "Just contact me, the Young Justice will be there as soon as we can."
Heroes may be divided by their 'territories' and affiliations to certain teams, but that was not to say they were truly divided. Every hero, no matter their opinion of one another or their ideals, were fighting the same fight. That made them all allies and whether you liked them or not, no hero ever abandoned someone in need.
That's who they were.
Saturday 9th January 2016, 16:15.
New York,
New York City,
Queens.
Pulling on his jacket, Naruto pushed open the door to the diner, holding it open for Starfire as they stepped out onto the bustling streets of the city. The impromptu meeting they had, ended once the talks on the Dark Side Club came to an end, at which point Dick was recalled back to Mount Justice.
That had left Naruto and Starfire to finish off a comfortable meal. Their chatter was mostly centred around the Teen Titans, the direction Starfire wanted to take it and the training she had planned. Naruto offered some tips and tricks, mostly the things he had with the help of Black Canary, taken the original Young Justice team through. There were of course alterations that needed to be made to cater for the difference in powers and skillsets, except for Jesse Quick of course.
But other than that, there was not much else Naruto could offer, Starfire had a much better understanding of the limits of her team than Naruto did. She also knew them better as people, how they would best respond to certain teaching styles and so on so forth.
Naruto would admit, it was quite relaxing.
Back when he had been leader, it had been exhausting and quite frustrating at times. There was so much to balance and so little time to do it in, not to mention his own training needs on top of that. Being leader had been a new experience, but not one Naruto would say that he overly enjoyed, yet he nonetheless rose to the occasions and did his best.
Starfire on the other hand, she seemed to love it. All that responsibility and it was quite contagious to see. Plus, it helped that he wasn't leader himself, he didn't quite share the same level of responsibility that Starfire did.
"So, I will leave Raven in your care?" Starfire questioned.
Naruto nodded his head. "Don't worry, I'll make sure that she'll be ready should you decide to go ahead with the mission. If not though, I can guarantee you that she'll be a much more skilled fighter. Perhaps enough to beat you."
The last part was a tease, but Starfire just smiled genuinely. "I hope so. Raven has so much potential, more so than even me. I have always prided myself on my strength, it is something that I can use to show that I will not be stripped of my freedom again. But Raven, her potential is monumental." Her words were quiet, yet Naruto could hear them easily. "However, she is so afraid of herself, of being herself that she can never truly use them. I hope one day, even if it is just for a brief moment, she is not afraid of who she is. Because when she is not, I think she could become more powerful than all of us."
"You really care for her, don't you?" Naruto murmured, Starfire nodded her head, looking at him with a sad smile.
"She is a gentle and kind girl, but she closes herself off." She explained. "Raven does not deserve that, no one does. I want to do everything I can to help her. It's why I am so thankful to you and Jason for trying to help her."
"I wouldn't thank me," Naruto argued. "I'm not very good with the whole mentor business. And if it wasn't for me, Jason would still be here teaching Raven."
He paused afterwards, not having meant to admit that.
Starfire though did not judge him. "I do not think Jason blames you for that."
"No, but Raven does."
"She may close off her emotions, Naruto, but they are still there." She pointed out. "Besides, Raven has never been one to hold a grudge for very long. Show that you are trying your best to help her and she will respond in kind by opening herself to you. She already is beginning to open up more, her time spent training with you is working."
"That's all down to her, not me." Naruto chuckled. "She's an attentive learner, determined and stubborn."
"I am just glad that I do not have to worry about her so much, now that she is in good hands." Starfire nonetheless was undeterred by Naruto's seeming inability to take the compliment she was trying to give to him. Doubling down upon it, but all the same, taking the hint and moving away from the topic in general. "I just now have to focus upon the rest of my team."
"I'm assuming you have access to video footage from nearby surveillance cameras that captured your fight against Doctor Light?" Starfire nodded her head, Cyborg made it a habit for him to access and download it all, something Dick had apparently drilled into him when in the early days of the Teen Titans. "Well, instead of pointing out their mistakes, let them find them themselves. Admittedly, I had some pretty intelligent and tactical people on my team which often meant they found things I didn't and before I did, but I still think it would be better for them to find their mistakes and weaknesses rather than you point them out."
Heroes like Nightwing, Kid Flash and Batgirl were highly intelligent, the former and the latter, apprentices of Batman were not only highly adept detectives, but also excellent tacticians. He often relied upon them to help set up an initial plan, and he tried his best to stick as close to as possible until it became impossible. At which point, he made his own decisions, improvising on the spot and also taking their own input on top of that.
Kaldur as his second in command while not as intelligent as either of those three, was still an intelligent guy, but also one that was highly trained and disciplined. From a young age, he had been trained in Atlantean martial arts, the mystic arts and warfare, preparing him to become an eventual member of the Atlantean military.
Ultimately his skill and talent got him recognition, enough to be chosen by Aquaman to become his sidekick on the surface world as Aqualad. As a result of his history, he was able to easily pick out his own errors and already come up with ways to avoid them in the future. He was also a skilled tactician, someone that Naruto could confidently rely upon many times in the past to take control when he was otherwise indisposed.
"I think I will do that, thank you for the advice," Starfire murmured, looking a little lost in thought for a few moments. "Though I am worried that a few members will not be able to improve enough. Actually, that is incorrect. It is not that they cannot improve in time, but more that they have no way of improving in time."
Naruto rose a brow in questioning. "Do you mean that you think they've reached some sort of limit?"
"Precisely like that." Starfire concurred.
"Who?" Though as he thought over the members of the Teen Titans, the answer became very clear. "Rose."
"Yes."
Naruto snorted. "I wouldn't worry about that. Rose is incredibly skilled and strong; I doubt there's much anyone will be able to do to get the better of her. Plus, I don't think you'll be able to stop her. I'm pretty sure she's not your biggest problem either, that'd go to Arrowette. Unlike Rose, she doesn't have a serum. Nor is she as skilled or experienced."
"Cissie does not insist upon being in the centre of the action like Rose does," Starfire stated, Naruto shaking his head, fully understanding where Starfire was coming from. Rose was a stubborn woman, definitely not one willing to simply stand on the side-lines and do nothing.
She wanted to be in the thick of the action at all times.
While she could use guns, she didn't much prefer them. Rather all Rose wanted was to brandish her broadswords and go charging in headfirst. It worked out well for her, but in situations like these, it would only cause problems.
"In the fight against Doctor Light, Rose proved to be skilled and was one of the few who was able to get up close and stall him for a long time. But that was after Jesse, Miquel and Lorena risked their lives on numerous occasions to stop her from getting killed by one of his attacks." Starfire described, Naruto wincing slightly. "It is not her skills that I have a problem with, I know that there are very few people who would be able to confidently beat her in a fight..."
"It's just that she has a habit of rushing in headfirst."
Rose was one of the deadliest fighters to exist, even without her serum, which only made her more so. However, much like all human fighters, no matter how skilled they were, they couldn't bridge that gap between them and a superpowered being with skill alone. If they could get up close to someone like Doctor Light or someone else that didn't have superman attributes, then they certainly could.
However, there was a reason why Batman and Deathstroke had weapons and technology designed personally to take out superpowered beings. It was to bridge that monumental gap and give them that slight boost necessary to gain victory.
Rose, on the other hand, she was incredibly stubborn, insanely so.
Sure, she had her bits of technology to give her an edge, but something about her that would never change is her desire to never rely upon it. Even in situations where victory is all but impossible, Rose's first and only instinct will be to draw her blade and go charging in headfirst, even if her opponent is Superman of all people.
That was her biggest flaw, something she and everyone around her knew, but didn't know how to change.
"Could you speak to her?" Starfire wondered and Naruto's gentle walking pace seemed to slow to an almost stop before he once again picked up the pace. However, this moment of hesitation didn't go unnoticed. "Naruto?"
Shaking his head, Naruto forced on a smile. "Sorry, I think it's best to leave this to her to sort out. No one could force Rose to do anything she didn't want to do. I also think it would come better from you, as she is a member of the Titans and now, you're leading it. If you spoke to her after the video, she might be willing to listen a little more."
"Is there another reason you do not wish to speak to Rose?" Starfire questioned, knowing full well that since moving into the Titan Tower, Naruto had subtly made an effort not to interact with Rose. He always seemed to be relaxing when she was working out, and always busy when she was relaxing. If she was in one room, he in another, seemingly ignorant to the fact that she was in the tower.
Inadvertently, or not so inadvertently as was now appearing to be the case, the number of punching bags that Rose usually made her way through had doubled since Naruto had arrived.
Naruto shook his head, the smile upon his face so clearly forced and fake that even she could see that. "Nope. No reason."
Saturday 23rd January 2016, 21:00.
Earth's Atmosphere,
The Watchtower.
"Recognise: Maelstrom, B-0-7."
As soon as Naruto stepped out of the Zeta-Tube and onto the floor of the Watchtower, he paused as he looked down at the bustle within the main auditorium. Nearly every member of the Justice League was here, each chatting in small groups.
Some shot him a glance, but his presence was almost entirely ignored, they had expected his arrival. "Naruto, I'm glad you could make it." Superman greeted, walking up the stairs towards him, having just broken off his conversation with Captain Atom and Doctor Fate.
The Kroloteans discovery had also brought with it even more information about what happened during the sixteen hours that five leaguers were unaccounted for. Their attack of a notable black market, smuggling planet, Rimbor had sent shockwaves to those connected to it. Considering its illegal practises and criminal infestation, little information ever spread out reaching the ears of the Green Lantern Corps.
However, in recent months there had been leaks here and there about what had happened, eventually leading to it spreading across the galaxy. Thus, those five leaguers were now to stand trial and if they couldn't prove their innocence, could be executed or lead to war against Earth.
It just so happened that Superman, leader of the Justice League and his two aids, Batman and Wonder Woman were part of the five-standing trial. This meant that a new, temporary leadership had to be put in place.
With his past in the army, Captain Atom was going to be the acting leader. He was a well-respected member of the Justice League and his power didn't fall behind Superman's either. If a situation came about that required someone of Superman's pedigree to act, Captain Atom could definitely step up to the plate.
However, he could not do everything alone which was where Doctor Fate came in.
While standoffish and distant from most Justice League matters, rarely ever attends meetings. The recent situation in Hell with Blue Devil now ruling and handling the thousands of Demons on that end and Constantine handling the Demons on Earth, it left him a great deal of spare time. He certainly had his own problems and situations to handle, but with the current crisis the Justice League were facing, he had deemed it necessary to step up to the plate and contribute massively.
Naruto still didn't fully know what the reasoning behind Nabu's actions was. It wasn't like the Justice League hadn't faced a crisis in the past, nor the Justice Society, so what was different about things this time around?
Down below though, Batman and Wonder Woman stepped out of a small room, Naruto just barely catching the edge of a table of some kind. The arrival of these two coming from this room caused the auditorium to go quiet.
"Everyone, let us head inside." Wonder Woman announced, the members of the Justice League heading into the room.
"What's happening?" Naruto wondered.
As the last member of the Justice League entered inside, leaving just Naruto and Superman behind, the latter placed one hand on his shoulder. "Today we select new members for the Justice League," Superman said, directing Naruto down the stairs. "Admittedly, it is later than when we would usually do it, or earlier depending on your preference."
"Are you not going to join in?"
Superman shook his head. "Unlike most meetings, this will be a little different than how it's usually run. My options have already been chosen and Bruce is aware of them." In most cases, each member should come with their own choice of a new hero, often many shared the same ideas on new prospects, but there was always a variety. After this, a large number of debates would be held that could often last for a couple of hours before a vote was held.
However, this time around, things were different.
"How is this time different?" Naruto asked curiously, the two coming up to the edge of the glass windows that looked out over the planet that the Watchtower orbited. They were over central Asia at this point.
"...We're not simply looking for new members to join the Justice League." Superman began, hands clasped behind his back. "This time we're looking as many members as possible to draw attention away from the five missing leaguers. I doubt that any prospect proposed today will be refused on that basis alone."
Those words made Superman frown and Naruto wondered why.
Surely it was better to have more heroes in the Justice League, more heroes to respond to threats and to answer the call for aid when needed. But Superman clearly didn't see it that way and it made Naruto curious to know more.
"You were considered, five years ago, just after you left Young Justice." Superman continued, catching Naruto by surprise. "Batman proposed your membership into the Justice League. However, it was Black Canary that told us that you probably wouldn't accept.
'She was right.' Naruto thought to himself, smiling slightly.
"There were also those unwilling to accept your membership, based upon your past as Black Hood. Even I was sceptical because of your actions as Marauder." The smile on Naruto's face drained away at the reminder of the auction robbery he had conducted under Deathstroke's leadership.
It had been so long ago that he had forgotten about it.
"However, I saw that Batman was determined. He saw something in you that none of us could see. Something that I have yet to see myself, but I know Batman. If he saw something in you, then it was real." Superman turned to look at Naruto. "I have put your name forward as a member of the Justice League, when the offer comes, I want you to accept."
So, another chapter done and with it, things are beginning to get rolling. We get a look into the past of Raven, a mix of New Earth and Prime Earth continuity. Hopefully you understand what I was trying to explain about her past, admittedly there's still more to come as Naruto learns more and more about what's to come. However, for this point in time, we know enough. We also get to learn that Raven isn't overly pleased about him being her new mentor, mostly because it was because of Naruto that Jason had to leave.
She doesn't know the full truth about his past, but she will do eventually and her attitude will change. We also get to see how Naruto is handling his new position of mentor which he isn't overly pleased about, nor confident he can do a good job of. But he's still willing to give it a hundred and ten percent, just to help Raven.
The Kroloteans have been dealt with, but we also get a little insight into a new problem called the Dark Side Club. Now, for those of you who know your history about the Teen Titans, then you might recognise what this club is and it will explain why the Kroloteans are so afraid of the owner. Honestly, you probably don't even need to know your TTs either. But, while the YJS2 storyline takes place in the background, this will be one of Naruto's major story arcs with the TTs. But we also get more Superman and a little expo as why he doesn't use phasing very often even though he can.
We also see that Naruto has been avoiding Rose for reasons that will eventually be explained. Finally, he is offered a position on the Justice League, part of the JLs attempt to distract the public and villains from the missing presence of a few of their members. Superman even asking Naruto to accept.
Anyway, now that that's done, let's get on with the questions:
guardianx15: Right now, considering what we've seen of both characters, Doctor Fate is of a higher level than that of Pein. But considering what has been said by other characters, Pein is still higher up on the list despite not having any feats to prove this. I'm still uncertain on whether to make Pein stronger than Doctor Fate and honestly, while I understand from a plot perspective, it would be very good. I am still unsure whether to go ahead with it because I can make both ways work.
7hanatos: Yes, the YJS2 will mostly happen the same, that's because Naruto will be spending time with the TT who are mostly outside of the actions of the YJ storyline. He will get involved at points, but for the most part his main focus will be on training with Raven, overcoming his trauma and developing a relationship with Starfire.
vishusingh2009: Frustrating and annoying how? I'd like to know to avoid it in the future. He let Slade go because of the fact he had been dropped a bomb on him about what he thought he knew about his mother's death. Naruto had shown in the past that when delivered shocking news, he tends to shut down a little like seen during the simulation. Same happened there.
Do they face repercussions? No, you're right, except if you go back and read the scene between Sofia and Talon after capturing Hawk, it's actually explained why they don't and why the heroes keep track of them constantly. Why are other people telling him? Because they have information that he doesn't so they let him know. You want Naruto to find the information on his own, okay, where does he go to find it? The fact is, yes, he could, but why when he'd be going to the same place that Jason has been to. In that case, you'd be saying, why didn't Jason simply tell him.
You're right, I am because at that point in time, the power progression of Naruto was understandable, natural and good story telling. Why attempt to improve something that doesn't need improving. Plus, Naruto's progression in terms of powers is not the exact same. The difference are subtle, but overall, the progression of Naruto's power in the early stages of canon were top tier storytelling.
Hope this clears up any questions and if not, please let me know and I'll try my best to explain without giving major spoilers.