Merry Christmas everyone, and welcome back! It has been a good while, hasn't it? Well not anymore, I am back, and here to bring you more KitsuneX! Metropolis started last chapter, but this is where the real meat and bones of the visit come into play.
Let us not dillydally, and start working out what the heck I have planned, shall we? START!
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Clark Kent, AKA Superman, was currently in his fancy apartment taking of his tie as he was relaxing from a hard days work. He sighed suddenly. "Bruce, we talked about this. You can't just hide in a corner and wait for me to return just to tell me how I should be spending my down time."
Bruce Wayne, AKA Batman, walked from the kitchen and held his glass of wine. "You at least have been getting a new taste in wine. And I didn't sneak in or hide. You just didn't know I was here until you heard me close your fridge."
Clark turned to see Bruce, as Bruce, and was a little puzzled by that, seeing as the sun was already coming down. "You're not in uniform. Care to explain why? You've been more uptight lately, it isn't your style to be laid back like this."
Bruce looked at Clark with a blank stare. "I'm always on alert, but that doesn't mean I have to enter this room as Batman. I have news... A certain thief is in town. He wasn't subtle about arriving here."
Clark threw his tie to the side. "And your point is? You shouldn't be here, this isn't your city to protect. I thought you made yourself clear that you didn't want anyone messing around in Gotham when you are working, and you wouldn't chase any rogues around our neighborhoods."
Bruce nodded. "And I'm not. I am here not to chase him, but to warn you of him. This thief is not your typical thief."
That got Clark's attention. When Bruce breaks his own rule to warn someone, it's always best to listen. "If you are this uptight about him, then he must be something other than just a thief. What, terrorist? Meta-human disaster about to roam free?"
Bruce drank his wine and sighed. "Neither. He is just a thief. All he does is steal, and defend himself when attacked, he looks out for collateral damage which make him way less evil than your normal meta-human disasters. He had the strength to take out Killer Croc with ease, Bane and Poison Ivy as well, and he was even beating me in pure hand to hand combat."
That opened Clark's eyes, as he remembered when Bruce told of KitsuneX. "You mean HE is here? Why?"
Bruce shook his head. "I can't say for certain, but it seems like he wanted to be found out. He left a calling card after beating on a gang of thugs in Gotham, and when I investigated, it led me straight to Metropolis. He is more careful than that, he wouldn't come to Gotham to beat a gang of thugs then jump here without a reason."
Clark nodded. "I see, so you came to warn me he is here, huh? Any reason why? If he starts any trouble, I shouldn't have too much trouble with him. You may be skilled, but from what you said he only uses physical prowess, and if he can't keep you down then he can't bring me down."
Bruce frowned at that, narrowing his eyes. "I am only a human, Not some alien who has special powers here, so my ability to fight you on equal terms is nothing to raise your nose at. Besides, he is capable of much more than hand to hand combat. He's shown the ability to increase his speed and strength indefinitely. The Titans? They've been trying to bring him down for a good year now, not once have they succeeded."
Clark was about to say something when his door opened, and a young man with a messy hair-style walked in. "Richard. You're back awfully early. You told me you were going to be here tomorrow."
Dick looked to Bruce and narrowed his eyes a bit before calming down, looking softer. "It's been awhile Bruce. How's your new adopted son?"
Bruce looked to Clark and hummed. "Why is he here, Clark?"
Clark tossed his tie away, sighing. "Dick came to me for advice. After you took away his mask, he was out of options. He had to go and find a new path that didn't involve you. How could you, Bruce? Dick isn't in Gotham because you can't see past your own mistakes, and taking your own anger out on him for no reason is not something I would consider you to do. He was your partner, and you threw him aside for someone else without hesitation."
Dick took a deep breath. "You're one to talk, Clark, Connor isn't happy about how you two dealt with your issues. So it's kind of hard to say you are better for it. But you did help me find my own path, and gave me a new mask to wear. For that I thank you. But I may need to use it officially tonight, because KitsuneX, the one I talked about, is here, in Metropolis."
Clark looked to Dick and nodded. "Bruce was just telling me about that. He tells me I should be careful and not underestimate him."
Dick looked to Bruce and nodded. "Guess you are worried too. But seeing as you and Clark aren't in good terms about who you go after and where, you can't help him. I can. Thanks for coming, but it's under control."
Bruce finished his wine and set the glass down. As he was about to leave the apartment he looked back to them. "Everyone needs direction in their lives... You needed your own path, not one in my shadow. So I took away your small wings, and hoped you would get bigger ones. Someone else needs guidance in Gotham, so I chose to give him a path as well. The only path I knew was the one I gave you, back when you were still a child. You are no longer that child, so you should no longer need the mask I rid you of. If that is why you hate me, then hate me. But I hope in time you will see. I only did it for your own good."
Bruce left without hesitation, and Dick just stood there, slightly confused, but also surprised. Bruce was not one to talk very much, and he just gave a short speech to him, not to mention one that could be seen as advice. Bruce never gave him advice on anything but fighting.
Clark looked out the window and gasped, seeing a familiar jump from one building to the next, and turned to Dick. "You brought him along here? Connor?"
Dick nodded, turning to him and crossing his arms. "He only agreed to come here if I told you not to get near him. He doesn't want you lecturing him anymore. I can't blame him."
Clark sighed, looking back out and sadly. "I never meant for him to think I was trying to lecture him, or tell him what he is doing wrong. I guess I always expected he would grow out of bring reckless."
Dick sighed. "Being reckless is what younger people do. Even when Robin, and as a force to be reckoned with in Gotham, I was reckless. I acted brashly, and I know that it was not really a good idea sometimes, but the difference was that I didn't want to be known as the next Batman. Being under the shadow of someone widely known can have that affect on you. You want to help, you want to do good, but the one you have similarities to will always overshadow anything you do."
Clark looked to Dick with a stern look. "That isn't our faults! We don't have any control over how the population sees us. Batman and me may not agree with each other, but we know we are both needed, we are both needed to do what we do, and show what we believe. It's how it is. I grew up with nothing, no one to show me how my powers worked. I grew up with this power, born with it, and no one to teach me to control it. I had to will myself to control it, and that is thanks to my parents. My Earth parents, my real parents. All I wanted to do was give Connor what I couldn't have back then."
Dick came up and put a hand on Clark's shoulder. Truthfully, this was about Connor, not about their attitude towards each other. Dick and Clark were actually friends. Dick nodded as he gripped Clark's shoulder. "I know. But here's some advice, give him distance. He needs to learn to grow himself, like you did. As did I. I grew up the last year, training, finding out why I even wanted to become Robin. Why I ever wanted to be under Batman's wing. I found my peace... And you helped give me a path, something to live up to that was my own. Someday, Connor will be known for his own deeds, not yours. That is what he needs, and wants."
Clark nodded, turning and smiling weakly as he put a hand on Dick's shoulder. "I guess... Still, I wish I could apologize. Maybe I can get a chance later, but only if he is willing to hear it. Thanks, Dick.. Or should I say, Nightwing now?"
Dick smirked and gave a small jab. "You know the rules. Mask with the mask, truth with the truth. Right now, I'm Dick Grayson. Soon, tonight, I will be Nightwing."
Clark chuckled before h turned to get something to eat. Dick looked out the window, looking at the sky as it was starting to get dark. "My peace..."
XxX xXx XxX
Naruto was sitting in an apartment he paid for, and looked out the window towards the precinct. "So, no activity. Nothing coming or going. It's as if nothing is going to happen. But, the real problem is getting in. This place is practically impenetrable. Actual magic barriers? How do I get past those. Not to mention magical alarms, seeing them alone is going to be heck. I had them going around like nuts with a few false alarms. Thank goodness for Shadow Clones."
Before he could make another to send in, he got a call on his phone, and answered it. "I'm guessing my public name and address is yours now."
On the other line was Lex Luthor. "I'm getting impatient. Are you going to steal it or not? I gave you a job to do, and you haven't budged! I hear you haven't even left your apartment, and there were several false alarms in the place to take advantage of!"
Naruto sighed. "Those false alarms are my attempts to scope out the place. I attempted a few entries secretly, but none ever worked. The place is heavy, Magic and technology working together is a hard fight. I'm not going in quiet, like I hoped, so just be ready. Tonight I jump in and take your damn prize and get out. It'll be loud, and Superman may be on me before I can get back to you, so just hold on till I give you a call. I can face the big guy, but it'll take everything to do so and still give you your package."
Lex hummed angrily, but patiently, sighing. "Fine, I guess you're good to go, Just remember, if you don't get me that package, Jump city and all your friends will be ash! Now get it to me, and fast!"
Naruto hung up on Lex and sighed. "Damn, he's a vicious bastard. I said I'd get it done by tomorrow, and I'm gonna get it done by tomorrow. I might as well try it tonight"
As Naruto went back to the window he looked a bit surprised, looking closely at the new activity down below. Naruto smirked. "Well, now, this is interesting. SuperBOY is here in Metropolis? The Titans must have gotten on my trail somehow. Whoever found out, I should give a prize to."
Naruto hummed as he thought for a moment. "If the Titans are here, then it means this just got more complicated... I need a new strategy. I can't barge in now, I have to plant Kunai. A hundred clones should be able to break in with ease. Take out the guards, break down walls, enter the chamber, and set a Kunai. As soon as they set it, I am in, grab the thing, and get out. I'll need a route of Kunai out of the place... Best time to do this is before sunrise, Superman will be at his weakest and can't regenerate energy using the sun. Thank you Gizmo for that piece of info, otherwise I'd have a harder time."
Naruto pulled his Scroll from his bag and opened it up, unsealing his KitsuneX armor. "Time to dress up." He got ready and grabbed several Hiraishin Kunai. "Time to tell Lex and give him a Kunai. Not like he can use the damn thing, it's only to my signature, from my world." With that, he left the Apartment, smirking as he did.
XxX xXx XxX
It was two in the morning, and Nightwing was in full uniform and fully equipped. He felt off tonight, as if something very bad was going to happen. As he jumped from building to building, he got a communication from Raven. "Go ahead."
Raven spoke dryly. "I don't suppose you can tell us what KitsuneX is even here for. You only told us he came here to help Lex Luthor with something."
Nightwing flipped up on a higher roof and landed in a crouch. "Yeah, I don't know. All I know is he is here working for Lex, and Batman even came to warn Superman of the same thing. We don't know why, but KitsuneX is going to strike, and soon. Besides, I can't get rid of this feeling something very bad is going to happen soon..."
That got Starfire's attention. "What do you mean? KitsuneX has never been one for any real disaster."
Beast Boy's growl echoed a bit before he spoke normally, he changed from some predator cat to normal for this to happen. "Yeah. I mean, sure, he's always been dangerous in a fight, and we never caught him, but he's never been one for major destruction unless it's against something like that ice golem a year back. No collateral damage and all."
Nightwing started running again, this time jumping form his current roof and activating his glider, two rods snapped from his side to his arms and he closed his legs together, two large cloth pieces catching the air under him and let him glide forward. "I don't know, but something tells me KitsuneX is in the middle of something big, and I don't think we will like how big it is going to be."
Nightwing landed and sighed. "Just keep checking for him. If he's here, we need to catch onto him before he does anything. Whether it's minor theft, or something disastrous, he is here for a reason, and we need to keep anything he does from happening."
After a confirmation he started walking through the ports. It was closed off during Lex Luthor's smuggling ring, though no evidence was found. With it being so quiet, Nightwing figured KitsuneX might find some kind of base of operations here, or at least a way to get away from the noise of the city.
As he was walking past a few crates he stopped. With a deep breath he reached up and behind him, grabbing his Eskrima sticks. "Come on out. You've been following me since I landed."
Naruto stepped from the shadows of the crates and chuckled, leaning against them. "Well, truth be told I seen you here and hid. So, new hero in town? Never heard of anyone in black and blue."
Nightwing turned, having a playful little smirk. "If you want that, then it'll be you at some point tonight."
Naruto whistled, looking a bit impressed. "Well, damn, someone who knows how to joke. I might actually LIKE to play around with you a bit. So, what's your name? Batman version 2.0? That bird on your chest isn't like a bat, but a winged mammal symbol with black uniform? Come on."
Nightwing turned to Naruto, presenting the blue bird symbol on his chest, the wings raising up to his shoulders, where they fell back in a V on his back, as well as continuing blue lines down the arms, all the way down to the fingers, only the ring and middle were blue. Nightwing flipped his Eskrima from facing forward, to facing backward. "My name, is Nightwing."
Naruto raised a brow at this. "Nightwing? Huh, catchy. I'm-" "KitsuneX. Yes, I know this very well. Master thief, powerful Martial Artist, but with a meta-human power unlike anyone has ever seen. Some kind of red power that turns into a cloak of energy, shaping into a fox itself."
Nightwing started walking around Naruto a bit, putting Naruto directly between him and the metal container behind him. "A cloak that can have multiple tails, maybe... like the Japanese myth? The Nine Tailed Fox? You hardly use it, however, but you seem to use it when you need a boost to fight more powerful opponents. You normally use hand to hand combat skills, maybe a sword or two? Let's not forget you have an assortment of gadgets, with a trademark X for them."
Naruto was impressed, but he felt like Nightwing was familiar with him. Something about Nightwing made him think of Robin, but that was impossible. Robin vanished a year ago. "Maybe that is all true. But how do you know all this? The only one who can know me this well is Chuckles. That's what I call him, but his real alias was-"
Naruto stopped and looked wide-eyed, as Nightwing pulled a Kunai from his belt. IT was the same one he had, tri-pronged with a seal on the handle, but it was blue, not yellow, and the writing was way different. "No way..."
Nightwing smirked and let the Kunai fall, sinking itself in the ground. "My FORMER alias was Robin. Nice to see you again, X."
Naruto narrowed his eyes, feeling this was serious, and stood up straight. "So, you went and changed your name to Nightwing. Now I'm curious..." Naruto looked to the Kunai. "How could you change my seal? It's unique to my signature, to my blood, to MY energy."
Nightwing gripped his Eskrima and smiled playfully. "Well, it wasn't easy. I had some help. It's amazing what a little magic can do if you know who to look to for help. Now? It's unique to mine."
Naruto stayed still, processing that. Sure, the seal could change, maybe it could be unique to another, but the whole process of the Kunai had to involve Chakra, and this world didn't have active Chakra like his world did. "You may have it unique to you now, but you still can't use it. Activating it is more than just unique to a single person."
Nightwing suddenly stormed Naruto, coming up fast, making Naruto surprised at how Nightwing was so fast against him, and came up to block the punch Nightwing was starting to swing to his face. Just as Naruto was about to block the punch, and the fist was about to connect to his block, a blue flash caught his eye, and suddenly Nightwing was no longer in front of him swinging a fist.
Naruto looked at Nightwing standing in a ready position right on top of the Kunai. Naruto was stunned. "You... learned how to perform the Hiraishin..."
Nightwing smiled. "If that is what you call it. But truthfully I had to work hard to even do it. I was told it needed a special energy to work, so I went around trying to find a way to use this technique of yours. Finally, I had my Chakra's opened thanks to some monks I met in India, and I finally felt it, the first jolt of this technique. Ever since, I have been practicing to use it. That was three months ago."
Naruto gripped his fists, Nightwing saw this and got ready for the attack, but after a few seconds, he heard a soft chuckle. Naruto was shaking as he started to chuckle louder, laughing as he raised his head and putting his hand on his head. "You remind me much like myself now! HAHAHAHAHA!"
Naruto started to settle down before getting into fighting stance. "I SHOULD be pissed, mad that you would degrade my technique and use it against me, when you should not even have been able to comprehend it. But to tell you the truth, I am glad. I feel honored that I made someone so driven to perform the technique that they would leave and go through whatever hell you went through to do it."
Nightwing smiled proudly. "To tell you the truth, knowing I make you proud feels good." Nightwing frowned and narrowed his eyes, turning serious. "But you are still a criminal. And whatever business you have with Lex Luthor is finished now."
Naruto ran forward and sent a kick at Nightwing, a snap to the side of him, but Nightwing ducked under it, flipping back and snapping his legs up, kicking at Naruto's chest. Naruto looked shocked to see this as Nightwing flipped backwards and sent a double heel kick into his stomach, and sent Naruto back into the crates behind him.
Naruto hit them slightly and just landed on his feet, looking unfazed, but felt like he got hit by a bus. Naruto looked up to Nightwing, who lowered his stance, a single Eskrima in front of him along his arm, and the other behind him facing forward.
Naruto brushed off his chest and smirked. "A year and you can fight like that? Damn, I wish Batman ruined your life earlier! And you got smarter, more observant. How did you know I came here for Lex?"
As Naruto raced forward, Nightwing rose up with a roundhouse kick to Naruto's head. Naruto ducked under it, but Nightwing was prepared, hopping off his grounded leg and spinning, sending a heel up at Naruto and swinging his Eskrima outward.
Naruto backed off from the rising foot, and barely dodged it, the wind pushing the mask to his face ti was so close, and tried to swing to the left to dodge the Eskrima, but it poked right into his shoulder, and the REAL strike happened.
Nightwing pushed a button on his Eskrima, and the tip in Naruto's shoulder as it connected sparked with electricity, and Naruto jolted, flying back in a shocked rag doll mess. Nightwing landed on a single knee and looked up to Naruto, who jolted on the ground a bit before he pushed off it and stood up, shivering.
Naruto stood there for a few seconds before smirking more, turning to Nightwing. "Oh, you are MUCH better than I hoped. Damn, I gotta admit, putting a fire under your ass was the best idea I ever had! You've grown in skill to the point I actually WANNA fight you. Lex be damned, I wanna fight you till one of us finally falls, and I mean without my Fox Cloak."
Naruto was practically bouncing as he got into stance again. Nightwing smiled at that, but still looked serious. "So, why DID you come here for Lex? What brings you here to help a villain like him?"
Naruto checked the time and hummed. "Well, to tell you the truth, I am just about to attack the Magic Police. Their HQ holds something Lex wants, and I am tasked with getting it."
Nightwing looked puzzled as he stood and got back into stance. "What do you mean? Why would you even do something like that? Your no villain, only a thief."
Naruto got into stance and sighed. "Look, this isn't about me, or about Lex, it's about Jump City. You know that fucking building I raided recently with my whole team?"
Nightwing nodded at that. Naruto stormed up again, this time getting down low and swinging a sweep kick at Nightwing. Nightwing raised the foot about to be swept up and kicked forward. Naruto caught the leg and twisted it.
Nightwing used the twist to spin and land on a hand, swinging his free leg into Naruto's gut. Naruto used his elbow to block it and push it back. This made him let go of Nightwing's other leg, and Nightwing used Naruto's push to pull it up and flip back onto his feet again before jumping forward, swinging his Eskrima at Naruto.
Naruto blocked on and as the other came down he spun around and pulled hard, attempting to throw Nightwing to the ground. Nightwing caught himself with his free hand that was swinging before and twisted with it, the hand that Naruto let go of landed further back as his legs swung back as well, but Nightwing used his power to spin his body and swing his legs out at Naruto, who stepped forward to try and kick him.
Naruto landed a harsh kick into Nightwing's gut as he got close, but did NOT expect Nightwing to power his way to use his swinging legs momentum to send a jabbing double heel kick into his side and making him slam to the ground. Nightwing rolled on the ground a few times before getting up, holding his stomach a bit but looking unfazed.
Naruto chuckled in a bit of pain as he got up, holding his side. Nightwing had managed to hit right at a sweet spot in his armor, and it really stung this time. Naruto looked to Nightwing and held his side. "Batman 2.0? Nah. I think you have earned every right to be called Nightwing from me. No more chuckles."
Nightwing stood up, letting go of his stomach. "Why are you going to attack the Magic Police HQ for Lex? What does that new Tech facility have to do with this?"
Naruto popped his neck, groaning as he worked his side a bit to lessen the sting. "Well let me just go from the beginning. Blackfire joined us, remember? Well she has this sickness to Tamaranean's. She needs radiation to help her cells to absorb sunlight. Kinda like Kryptonian's you know? Well, the radiation she was using before was Kryptonite, but it got destroyed."
Nightwing narrowed his eyes. "She was trying to bring down Superman or Superboy?"
Naruto shook his head. "No. It had the right radiation signature to saturate her cells in order to absorb ultra-violet rays to power her Tamaranean physiology, that's it. You know me, I don't cheat. It's wrapped in lead and monitored at all times to make sure it doesn't cause any long term sickness. However, without Kryptonite, she was basically human. Squishy, powerless. Everything a Tamaranean isn't. On her own world, she was considered a cursed being, so she wasn't about to let them tell her she can't be a Tamaranean."
Naruto took a deep breath and looked at the time. It was nearly the hour to strike. "So, I broke into Lex Luthor's lab, and stole a good amount of the stuff. It's sealed in a Lead Vault in my HQ, monitored at all times. It was either Luthor, power Plants, Batman, or Superman. Like hell was I going to risk fighting superman for his rocks, and Batman isn't very cooperative. If I stole from power plants, there would be meltdowns, and I am not about to kill millions for that shit, so the only solution was Luthor."
Nightwing started putting the pieces together. "So, because you stole his favorite toy, he is planning on something to make you do his bidding... But your team managed to escape, so did you, how is it any danger now?"
Naruto sighed loudly, hanging his head. "The building was a trap. It had things of value, things we wanted and needed, and he made sure it was a tantalizing soft target. When I went in for the big stuff, I fell into a trap of his own. The building? Is a giant nuke."
Nightwing gasped at that, his eyes going wide. Naruto nodded. "If I don't steal something from the Magic Police for him, he sets it off destroying thousands. Why am I here? Saving lives."
Nightwing was stunned by this information. As he processed it, he imagined what would happen to Jump City if it went off. Naruto turned and started walking off. Nightwing seen Naruto was near his Kunai, and he teleported, stopping Naruto in his tracks. "Wait. You know Lex, you know how he works, right? Even if you do this, he may set it off anyway."
Naruto narrowed his eyes on Nightwing. "What would you have me do? Say no and it blows up now, or stall him? You got a better idea then lay it on me. But better do it fast, my armor of clones are about to raid the MPHQ."
Nightwing and Naruto stared at each other, the two still as statues as Naruto waited for Nightwing to either try and fight him, or accept him doing this. Nightwing lowered his arm to let Naruto pass. "I know you... No one gets hurt or killed, that's how you operate."
Naruto nodded and started walking off. "I'll knock them out, but they will be just fine. In then out... Though, Superman may find and fight me. So if he does, let him. It'll be my way of stalling Lex even further, as well as testing myself against the strongest on earth."
Nightwing turned to Naruto, gripping his Eskrima. "Whether you beat him or not, my team will fight you when you finish. Don't expect us to watch on the side-lines after you and Superman are done and you win. But I doubt you will. He is strong, and skilled."
Naruto chuckled and looked back to Nightwing. "Look who you are talking to. I'm the master of deception and stealth. See ya."
Naruto vanished in a flash, and Nightwing saw a yellow Kunai hit the ground. Nightwing gasped before looking into the city. "He's teleporting here when he's done... Why?"
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Well, there we go, finally done! Man, this took a little more time than I hoped, but it was worth it! I got Nightwing's fight in, which I have been day-dreaming of doing this for a LONG time. A fight at the docks at night? I think that is cool.
Also, just so you all know, Nightwing is NOT going to just start teleporting everywhere... HECK NO!
THIS IS IMPORTANT! NIGHTWING WILL NOT BE TELEPORTING ALL OVER THE PLACE! I HAVE LIMITED HIS HIRAISHIN ABILITY TO TEN USES! 10! AS HE PROGRESSES, IT WILL GROW! THE MAX AMOUNT OF TIMES HE CAN USE THIS TECHNIQUE IS MANY CHAPTERS AWAY FROM NOW AND WILL BE 20 TIMES ONLY!
So there, do not be giving me crap about this, ok? I added it, deal with it! MERRY CHRISTMAS!