Diana laid in Naruto's grasp, her cheek resting atop his chest as she studied the strong jawline and the intriguing whisker marks adorning his cheeks. She could not deny that Naruto was a man made to be admired and loved; he was broken, yet still brimming with life and compassion. Brushing her fingers across his chiselled features, Diana couldn't help but smile at the sight of Naruto snoring peacefully in his sleep.

It's funny how things turned out for her. She was sent to persuade Naruto to join the hospital, but now she was tucked against him and listening to his heartbeat. The log cabin by the lake that was reserved for Naruto, courtesy of Sister Clarice, was the perfect haven for the weary who wanted to take the weekend off just to be basked in the warm ray of sunrise and listened to the birds chirped jovially above a still lake.

When Naruto's eyes creaked open, she was flabbergasted by his pure undiluted blue eyes, as if some divine artist had crushed diamonds and sapphires into his paints and then coloured his iris with the finest brush. He was built like a fantasy, his chest sculptured with the honed muscles of a man who could possibly lift a mountain and more.

"Good morning." Diana offered a small smile.

"It's already morning?" Naruto almost let out a chuckle. "I guess we played with the kids too much last night."

"You think it could be the soup too?" Diana grinned.

Naruto stretched an arm and let out a yawn. "Sis's soup has that effect on people."

Diana started tracing circles on Naruto's muscular chest. "Say, you never told anybody, besides your sisters, about your… powers?"

"Yeah." Naruto responded as if it was common sense. "Why would I do that?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

"The world is not ready for me."

"They are ready for Superman," Diana argued.

Naruto scoffed. "Sure they are."

She raised a brow. "You don't seem to trust… human beings."

At that, Naruto's eyes lit up. He sat up abruptly with his legs crossed and so did Diana, who was tiding her dishevelled ebony hair. "Do you know how I come to this world?"

"From another planet?" Diana blinked. "That's how Superman came to earth."

"I came from another universe, Diana." Naruto's comely features went haggard, thickening the atmosphere. "I came from a world where children are trained to be killers and the monsters walked the planet. I came from a world where men like me could easily level an entire country and wipe mountains off the map. Do you understand now? Superman was raised as a symbol of hope for the people of Metropolis, but I was born as destruction incarnate. The humans in this world will never be able to accept a monster like me, Diana."

"That's not true." Diana reached out to caress Naruto's cheek. "You are a brilliant doctor. You saved lives and did countless good for this world. These children would have been dead if it weren't for you. They have a future to look forward to because you saved them. You. Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto shook his head, his face became dreadfully expressionless… and all the more dangerous. Diana had to fight a shiver; his face reminded her of what a veteran killer would look like. "I became a doctor just so I can atone for the lives I have taken."

"If I may ask… how many have you… killed?"

The blond blinked. "Too many."

A tense silence intruded, but only for a moment.

"Do you hate me now?"

Diana tilted her head. "Why will I do that?"

"Because I'm different. The very nature of my existence cost me my wife and child." His raspy voice cracked and the sorrow and hurt laced in his voice was palpable. "That… thing knew about me. They came to my world. They pillaged and destroyed. My homeland. My people. My country. Gone… Ravaged by the flames of their tyranny. They knew they couldn't kill me, so they sent me away. So far away that I didn't even know which galaxy I hailed from. You have no idea how many planets I have ventured, trying desperately to get back to my world."

Naruto didn't cry. His tears were all dried up. Diana had so many questions, but she knew it wasn't right for her to probe him about his tragic past. "People who I cherished and love had either left me or stolen from me. I hate to admit it, but there is no way for me to return to my world."

"You're not alone, Naruto." Diana pulled Naruto to her bosom and stroked his unkempt hair. "You still have your sisters. Your town. These children. Sister Clarice."

The Amazonian princess swallowed.

"Me."

She took in a deep breath and mustered a weak smile. "People keep secrets because they don't want people to think they are different. That's why people are reluctant to disclose secrets to people. I am grateful that you are willing to disclose your secret to me, Naruto."

"Why am I doing it?" Naruto suddenly glanced up, their lips were inches apart. He stared at her with such fierce intensity that Diana was taken aback by it. She didn't even realise that her heart was pounding, but she was certain of one thing; she liked it. "Are you a witch, Diana Prince?"

"Why will you say that?" A mischievous grin curled at her lips.

"Because I'm suddenly revealing things I don't normally tell people."

"How about a fair trade? I tell you something about me?"

Naruto's brow was perfectly arched. "Oh?"

"Can we lie down first?"

Without a word, Naruto pulled Diana into his embrace and they fell back to their warm bed. She pretty much crawled onto him, wrapping her leg around his waist and inhaling his scent. He was enticingly warm. "I was born in an island where women thrives in combat. My mother is the queen. My father is Zeus, the King of Olympus. I was raised to inherit my mother's throne. I have no friends, because they were taught to be my inferiors. I was lonely and scared. All because I'm… different."

Naruto shifted his hold on her so he could accommodate her better. "I guess we are both different."

"The weird ones have to stick together, no?"

As they shared a light guffaw together, they didn't notice the sun had peaked over the horizon.

Diana's head perked up. "So, what was it like volunteering in Afghanistan?"

His lips thinned to a straight line as memories flooded his vision. "It was a… rich experience. I saw many things. I once pulled a girl out from her destroyed home. Airstrike killed her parents. Collateral damage from what I've heard. When we dug her out from the mess, she was too shock to even show emotions. She sat there in the corner, bloody and injured. That image of her soulless eyes still haunt me in my sleep."

"Do you believe human beings are too primitive for their own good?"

"I believe there are bad people out there, but there are plenty of good people too." Naruto smiled. "We can't throw all the apples away just because of a few rotten ones in the basket."

"You should sign up for the Justice League. I heard they're recruiting boy scouts like you." Diana grinned.

"Why didn't you?"

The Amazonian princess huffed. "I'm a doctor. I have better things to do than playing vigilante. Besides, I feel that being a doctor is the right thing for me to do."

"You said you are born from an island filled with warriors, right?"

"And I'm the best of them." Diana beamed proudly. "But that doesn't mean I like being one. Saving lives as a doctor suits me."

"Being a girl scout is somehow doing the right thing for the world too."

Diana leaned forward, peering at Naruto's dauntless and passionate blue eyes. "I make my own decisions, Naruto."

"So have you made your decision?"

The Amazonian princess blinked. Naruto's sturdy expression didn't change, but she could've sworn he was amused.

"Are you going to convince me to join your hospital… or are you going to kill me?"

Her lips curved, her voice honey and cream. "Depends. I notice there is a huge tension between us."

"Sexual tension, you mean?" She was gazing sensually at his lips. Every fibre of her being was compelling her to taste his lips and give herself to him, something that frightened and excited her in the process. "We can do something about it."

Naruto grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Or… we can have breakfast."

Just like that, Naruto diffused the tension between them, leaving a lustful Diana yearning and disappointed. He climbed out of the bed, put on a tank-top, looked behind his shoulder to give Diana a playful wink, and headed to the kitchen.

Donna of Themyscria was grateful, but confused altogether. She really wanted Naruto Uzumaki dead, especially after being notified by mother with the execution order. She didn't know what had driven her bloodlust, but it seemed to be natural of her. The beat-down she got from Naruto Uzumaki was mind-boggling too. No human could move or fight like that and she really didn't want to meet him in the battlefield again, honour be damned.

Kara was magnificent though. The bubbly blonde tended to her injury, fixed her breakfast, and was a delight to talk with. When she walked out of the clinic, she was surprised to see Diana laughing heartily with Naruto. "Sister…"

Diana turned to Donna, a smile found its way to the Amazonian crown princess's face. "Donna, you're awake. Thank Zeus."

She skipped briskly to a dazed Donna and wrapped her strong arms around her sister's frame, giving her a tight squeeze. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Yes…" Donna sighed. "I… apologised for my transgression. I didn't -"

Diana placed a finger on Donna's lips, effectively silencing her. "It's alright. We will go back to Themyscira after this is over and I will personally see to it about this matter. Someone is behind this, I am sure of it."

Naruto coughed into his hand, alerting Donna. "I think it's time."

Diana nodded. "Let's go, Donna. I'll escort you back."

She pulled out her car's key fob and unlocked the door to her red Bentley. Donna was led by her sister to the passenger side of the car, but before she went into the convertible, she gave Naruto a courteous nod. Diana ambled towards Naruto, gave him a soft peck on his cheek, and got into her car. He waved his goodbye, watching as the Bentley sped through the dirt path with its thunderous revs.

Naruto snivelled to Kara, who met with his striking blue eyes. "Where's Grail?"

"She went out early in the morning. Said she is hitting town to let off some steam."

"Alright. Let's get the shopping done for you then." Naruto ruffled Kara's hair and headed to his garage. "You haven't eaten lunch yet, yeah?"

The Kryptonian nodded, curious as to what her fellow blond was doing. She could see why Diana, and to some extent, Grail, was infatuated with the enigmatic blond. He was strong, but kind – the kind of man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. He seemed that good, that perfect, but she knew better. Good things never last long.

Kara shifted uncomfortably, watching keenly as Naruto dragged his Kawasaki Ninja H2 by its handlebars out of the bowel of the garage. Flipping down the kickstand of his bike, Naruto went back into his garage to retrieve a pair of helmets. "Let's go grab some ramen. You'll love it."

Grail loved busking; she had been moonlighting as a street performer for years, singing and strumming her guitar as means to showcase her talent and to forget unhappy things in her life. The people living in the town would recognise her distinctive wild and rock hairstyle and the guitar strapped behind her back. After setting up her equipment at a street corner, she gave the redwood of her classical guitar a gentle knock.

"Guess it's true, I'm not good at a one-night stand~"

Her gentle voice allured passer-by to stop peering at their phones and watched her performance.

"But I still need love cause I'm just a woman~"

The sweet melody of her song made Monday morning a little brighter.

"These nights never seem to go to plan~"

"I don't want you to leave, will you hold my hand?"

"Oh, won't you… stay with me~"

The crowd was amazed as Grail hits her notes like an angel.

"Cause you're… all I need~"

"This ain't love it's clear to see~"

"But darling, stay with me~"

While the populous was awed by Grail's music, her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a group of teenage boys yelling at a frail granny. Her fingers stopped strumming her guitar as she was distracted by the commotion happening at the nearby Starbucks café. There were three boys who were playing gangster; one of them was ransacking the elderly woman's purse.

"Ya should have handover all ya money, senile old bat."

The other boys sneered at the hapless elderly lady, who was begging the punk to stop his immoral ways.

Grail slung the nylon strap of her guitar over her shoulder, marched towards the three hooligans, and glared at them with righteous fury burning from her eyes. "What the fuck are you doing with her? Are you out of your fucking mind?"

"What ya want, doll?" One of the delinquents purposely pushed the old lady to the brick floor, much to Grail's chagrin.

In a fit of rage, Grail snatched the perpetrator's shirt collar and hurled him over her shoulder, sending him tumbling on the unforgiving ground and knocking him out almost instantly. "Touch her again and I'll knock your teeth out."

The supposedly leader of the gang whipped out a 9mm handgun from his back, aiming the weapon at an unfazed Grail's forehead. "You better mind ya own business or I'll empty three bullets in ya skull!"

"Oh yeah?" Grail's sinister grin played about her lips. "Go ahead, tough guy. Try it."

Confronted by a dauntless woman who shed no fear in the face of death unnerved even the two hooligans. The elderly lady tugged at Grail's sleeve, protesting vociferously at her not to escalate the matter, but one of the teenagers was too egotistic to admit he was intimidated by a mere woman, and so he pulled the trigger. With a flick of her wrist, the daughter of Darkseid repelled the bullet with her manicured nail, petrifying the foolhardy ruffian.

"W-What are you?" The teenagers backpedalled.

Cracking her neck and knuckles, Grail narrowed her eyes. "Didn't you say something about emptying three bullets -" She pointed a finger laxly at her temple, taunting them with her maniacal and fearless smile. "- right in my skull? You only fired one bullet though. Two more to go, right? Well, what are you waiting for, tough guy? Too chicken-shit to pull the trigger? You have some mighty big balls to rob an old lady in broad daylight, but today is your unlucky day, because I'm about to slap you so hard, Google ain't gonna be able to find you."

"Y-Ya stay away from me! Don't think I won't shoot -"

In split-seconds, Grail had chopped the teenager's wrist and fluidly snatched the handgun away. His friend lunged at her with a switchblade, but she casually sidestepped the assault and stormed her foot down at his calf, breaking his shinbone almost instantly. The teenager gaped in horror as he saw his friend's foot twisted to an impossible and grotesque angle; his friend's scream of agony and terror would traumatise him for years to come.

Grail smile cruelly at the leader of his defeated gang, who had wet his drawers. "Aww, look at you, tough guy. You just peed your pants."

The elderly woman limped towards the apathetic Grail and fell to her knees. "P-Please, don't hurt my grandson. H-He's just -"

"Forgive me, madam. It seems like your grandson desperately needs a morality check."

"That is enough."

Grail blinked, her fury was overwhelmed by confusion. She turned to the elderly lady, who carried an ominous smile on her face. The supposedly defenceless old woman stood a little straighter, her frame imposing and strong. "I am fascinated by your desire to protect the weak. Your father would have second opinion about your resolution, but I beg to differ. Perhaps your desire to shelter the weak brings out true strength from within. The strength worthy of being the child of a god."

At that, Grail steeled her gaze. "What are you?"

"Call me… Granny Goodness."

The trip to the mall was a thrill, albeit an embarrassing one for Kara. She didn't know how fun it would be riding a bike; she clung onto the blond as if her life depended on it, but the rush she felt when the sharp wind brushed across her scalp and her billowing hair dancing along the rhythm of the breeze. When Naruto brought his bike to a halt, Kara was amazed by the architecture of the mall.

Granted, it lacked the finesse that could only be found in Krypton, the building was presentable nonetheless. She dropped her helmet atop the bike and smiled cheerily at Naruto, who let the growling engine of his baby died down. "Thank you for the ride, but you do know that I can… fly, right?"

The blond grinned and nudged a finger playfully at her forehead. "Stay incognito, don't forget it."

"Right. Stay incognito." Kara strolled alongside the blond. She couldn't help but be captivated by the fashion sense human beings had. She was tempted to go into the Gucci store and drool at their handbags or the Sephora store to check out their plethora of lip sticks. Naruto was amused by how easily awed Kara was; he almost had to forcefully pull the Kryptonian away from pressing her cheek on the window display of Burberry's boutique.

Naruto led Kara into an authentic Japanese ramen restaurant, much to her wonderment. As they sat on a booth, Kara was skimming eagerly at the menu. "What's the best this place offers?"

"Almost everything here is great, actually."

"I'll eat whatever you eat then." Kara chirped.

Naruto shot the blonde a suave smile, who found her heartbeat racing suddenly. He approached the waitress to make an order before briskly heading back to his seat. "I ordered Cha-Shu Ramen with extra toppings for the both of us. You'll like it."

"Um!" Kara nodded fervently.

Her fingers drummed on the table as she glanced at the blond. "So, can you tell me what are you? Are you a Daxamite?"

"Daxamite?"

"They're from a neighbouring planet. I figure that they hail from the same solar system as Krypton, so that might explain why you're so… powerful." Kara looked hopeful, but Naruto only shook his head. "I see. Then what are you?"

"A human," Naruto said, but Kara didn't seem to be satisfied with the answer. "You don't look convinced."

"I don't think humans can do what you did."

"Because there is no human like me." The snarky tune merely caused Kara to roll her eyes. "Tell me more about Krypton."

Kara's lips and shoulders tightened, her gaze downcast.

"You don't need to tell me if you don't wish to."

"No, no. It's fine. I just…" Kara fidgeted, but offered Naruto a beam. "I guess I really want to let it out. Before the chaos descended upon my planet, we were attacked by invaders."

That caught Naruto's attention. "Invaders?"

"They called themselves… Brainiac."

Naruto's eyes widened, raw umbrage was smothering his heart as he clenched his fist till it turned white. Kara didn't notice a sudden thunderstorm was rolling over the town, perhaps she was too engrossed in her memory to notice that Naruto's anger was affecting the weather. His rage was becoming a sheer physical force that was disrupting the law of physics. "They came and killed my people. The House of El led the charge against Brainiac, but we were betrayed."

Kara said her thanks to the waitress who delivered a set of hot tea to their table. She took a small sip, oblivious of Naruto's perturbed expression. "General Zod sided with Brainiac. We didn't stand a chance against General Zod's army. My mother has no choice but to send me here. She was… she was killed by Brainiac's goons."

"Brainiac." Naruto recited the word with a hint of venom. "He… destroyed your planet?"

Kara nodded grimly. "He does that to all the planets he conquered."

Naruto almost let out his pent-up rage, if it wasn't for Kurama's timely intervention. "Oi! Take a deep breath, boy. If you haven't noticed, your anger is stirring the life force of this planet. Calm the hell down."

"Brainiac destroyed my planet."

"…Deep down, you already know that your planet is gone. Even if he didn't, there is no possible way we can find our way back to our world. It's best you come to terms with it. Our world is gone forever, Naruto."

"This is all my fault. I could… I could have -"

"This is not your fault, boy. Nobody could anticipate an alien invasion. You tried your best."

"My best isn't enough to save Hinata!" Naruto grasped his chest, his heart ached as he was bombarded with the haunting nightmare of his wife's death. "My best isn't enough to save anybody."

"W-What?" Kara stared stupefied at Naruto. "You say something?"

The blond regained his composure, clearing the dark clouds that had blotted out the sun in the process. He held Kara's trembling hand and gave her a sorrowful smile. It was a kind gesture from his part, but at that very moment when they touched, Kara felt a shock rocking her body. Her stomach tightened with anxiousness, her breast hot. "It must be… traumatic, for you. To go through all that and still gather the will to live. Believe me, I understand what you're going through. You are strong, Kara. Maybe stronger than I am."

"How did you know that?" Kara averted her gaze. "I'm just… a girl who is stranded in a planet that somehow gives me superpowers. I'm not strong at all, Naruto."

"You know how I know?" Naruto's voice was deep and sombre. "I would have gone insane and destroyed this planet out of grief and blind anger if I were you. I, too, lost my world. I travelled to hundreds of barren planets. Destroyed countless of them. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to find another planet that inhabits life, until I stumble across this earth. I thought this planet is the key to my salvation, but I was wrong. It never really fill the void inside my heart."

He gave Kara's hand a light squeeze. "I know you are capable of something more. Perhaps that is why you're sent here. To make a difference."

"How could you possibly know that?"

Naruto shrugged, but the conviction in his eyes says otherwise. "I have my way with knowing things."

Their conversation was cut short when the waitress delivered their bowls of steaming ramen to them.

"Right, party time." Naruto rubbed his hands together, picked up his chopsticks, and dove into his food.

Kara, however, was touching the spot of her hand that Naruto had held her. She glanced up and snuck a gaze at the blond. Perhaps the blond was her salvation; he was righteous like her uncle Jor-El, but compassionate like her mother Alura In-Ze. Not to mention, he was a walking piece of fine art, which really was the icing on the cake.

"Are you not going to eat it? It's getting cold."

Snapping out of her daze, Kara scrambled for her chopsticks. "R-Right."

She wanted to stop thinking about Naruto, but that smile of his was doing things to her, melting her defence and making her vulnerable. She hastily devoured the noodles, but was awestruck by its deliciousness. The noodles were tender, yet the soup hit her with so much heavenly flavour. "T-This is wonderful! I have never tasted anything quite like this before."

Naruto let out a rich, masculine laugh. "I'm glad you like it. We'll go get your things after this, yeah?"

"Father sent you?"

Granny Goodness took a sip from her coffee and let out a sigh of content. "Yes, he did. My lord wants to make sure his daughter is safe and well taken care of."

Grail rolled her eyes and folded her arms under her bosom. "Yeah, right. If he really wanted to make sure I'm safe, why don't he come down to see for himself?"

"My Lord is a busy god."

"So I'm not worth his time." Grail snorted and looked away. "Typical."

"Do not defame your father, Princess Grail."

Grail growled. "For the last time, Granny. I'm Grail. Just plain old Grail. No princess. No goddess. Just Grail."

"I must not disrespect your highness." Granny Goodness was anything but good. Grail had her suspicions. "If you must know, I am here because my lord has entrusted me with an important mission."

Grail pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't really care what he wants from me."

"My lord wants to test if you're worthy of his throne."

Grail rose a brow. "I've never been interested with his throne. I'm happy living here. This place is my home. You can take your mission and shove it up his ass for all I care."

"He is your flesh and blood! Apokolips is your kingdom!" Granny Goodness chided. "It is your birth right. You must be worthy!"

"Whatever. If he really cherishes me as his own flesh and blood, he wouldn't have abandoned me and mom to die."

Granny Goodness scoffed. "You really think so?"

The daughter of Darkseid narrowed her eyes.

"You really think my lord would abandon his own heiress?" Granny Goodness shook her head, a sinister smile found its way to her mouth. "You are his strongest offspring, Princess. Truth is, Prince Orion, Prince Grayven and Prince Kalibak were never worthy sons to my lord. His desire to have a powerful child to lead Apokolips with him is so great that he goes to great length just to ensure you're safe. You are his most favourite child after all, Princess Grail."

"Then why did he let my mother die!"

"Lady Myrina was a fool, your highness. She believes my lord's intention is nefarious, but it is anything but. My lord only wants you to become the rightful ruler of Apokolips. Lady Myrina was delusional, thinking that my lord wishes to mould you into a mindless puppet. She took you away from Lord Darkseid." Granny Goodness grinned. "Please understand this; if my lord wants to turn you into a mindless puppet, you would have already become one… ages ago."

A chill crawled up Grail's spines. She knew how powerful Darkseid was; the Machiavellian monster had destroyed worlds for sport. She wanted no part of his games. Darkseid wasn't just almighty, but ruthless in his reign. He would do anything to get what he wants. Grail suppressed a seething growl and glared heatedly at the apathetic Granny Goodness. "Did my father murder my mother?"

"Don't be a fool, Princess Grail." Granny Goodness scowled, her tone cut through the turbulent layers of façade that masked her anger. "My lord may have many wives, but Lady Myrina is the only one he has ever loved. My lord may have despised your mother for stealing you away from him, but he would never kill her. Hurt her, maybe. Not kill."

"Then who murdered my mother?"

"Unfortunately," Granny Goodness sighed. "I do not know."

Grail furrowed her brows. "I can't help but feel that there is more to this than you're letting on."

"Sharp, and very insightful."

The daughter of Darkseid rolled her eyes.

"The man that you lived with."

Grail cocked a brow. "Naruto? What about him?"

"Do you even know what he is?"

Her lips pursed. "Does it matter?"

"My lord knows about your relationship with the… man."

Grail's heart chilled. "W-What relationship? There is nothing going on between us."

"Is that so? That is not what my lord has told me."

"Father is wrong then."

"My lord said you wish to make the man… yours."

She looked away. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Rummaging her pocket, Grany Goodness dug out a black orb. "Take this, your highness. All truths will be revealed once you gaze into it."

Grail was reluctant at first, dubious about the old bat's motives. After all, Darkseid was a conniving and brutal warmonger, so would his faithful subordinates. She didn't give it much thought and took the orb, not knowing what disasters were soon to unfold before her. As she took a nonchalant peek into the orb, her Omega Effect emanated a red effulgent, burning everything around her.

Granny Goodness let out a cruel cackle as the daughter of Darkseid fell into her knees, writhing and coughing. Fury was blazing in her eyes as she glared at the perpetrator. "B-Bitch! W-What did you do to me?"

"Nothing? Just enhancing your… desire, that's all."

Clawing away from the menace that was Granny Goodness, Grail was struck by an agonising chest pain that sent her thrashing violently. Gasping for air, she clutched her head, which was throbbing like as if she was hit by a truck. Hot tears were bursting from her eyes as she let out a silent scream, begging inwardly for someone to save her. "Naruto… Naruto! S-Save -"

"All hail Darkseid…"

That voice, dipped with pure evil, blared in her brain. "N-Naruto…"

"All hail Darkseid."

Grail clamped her ears shut, trying desperately to drive out her father's voice. "Naru…"

"All hail Darkseid!"

Her eyes full of terror; she was slowly losing grip on reality.

"ALL HAIL DARKSEID!"

Her kicking and thrashing stopped abruptly.

Grail climbed her way up to a standing position, albeit groggily and blinked awake out of her trance-like state.

Grinning sinisterly, she muttered, "All… hail Darkseid."

The Phantom Stranger had never understood how vain the Spectre could be. The CEO's office of Paragon Manhattan Hospital was dominated by deep grey marble shot through with veins of gold. Antique vase, red Persian rugs, and crystal chandeliers made the office more opulent then it should be. He glowered at an insouciant Jim Corrigan, who was swirling his glass of Balvenie single-malt scotch at his desk. "What can I do for you today?"

"It's about Naruto Uzumaki."

"What about him?" Jim raised a brow. "Aren't you supposed to be an observer of fate? Why are you meddling with his affair?"

The Phantom Stranger straightened himself. "You are right, but Naruto Uzumaki is not part of this universe. And you have no right interfering."

"If you're here to give me a pet-talk, the door is just right there." Jim jerked his chin at his oaken door. "I have neither the patience nor time to indulge with your skirmish. Leave… before I erase you."

His eyes burned green fire, but it didn't intimidate the Phantom Stranger.

"Izaya the Highfater, Zeus the King of Olympus, and Ganthet the Chief of the Green Lantern Corps have made their moves."

A humourless smile graced Jim's lips. "Fantastic."

"Fant -" The Phantom Stranger was dumbfounded. "Do you even know what's going on? Naruto Uzumaki is in danger!"

"And why do you care?"

"The Lord wants him alive."

That piqued Jim's attention. "Big Guns Upstairs wants him alive?"

"Yes. I thought I could rally the help of Izaya, Zeus and Ganthet to protect Naruto Uzumaki, but -"

"But you screwed up and now you want me to help you clean up your mess?" Jim grinned. "You will stoop so low just to get me to help you?"

"Are you not interested with Naruto Uzumaki's welfare?"

"I don't." Jim took a sip from his beverage. "The man is more than capable of taking care of himself. Whatever those three old croons send at Naruto, it won't matter."

The Phantom Stranger narrowed his eyes. "Why not?"

"Because they have no idea what kind of monster they are dealing with." Vivid eyes bored into the empty ones of the Phantom Stranger. "I would know, because I see myself in him. A man who is afraid of exposing himself to the world. A man who is burdened with great purposes. You see, people are motivated by fear. It drives them to their purpose. We are no exception. Fear made us who we are. The only difference between us…"

A cruel grin curved at Jim's lips. "Well, I see the world as a petri-dish. I'm peeking at it from a microscope. Naruto sees it from the perspective of a bacteria, floating amongst other protozoa. Mingling with them. Trying to fit in like them. Trying to be them." He said it with conspicuous disdain. "Adapting to the environment set in stone by the very inferior creatures who made them. That's why I will always be ten steps ahead of him."

The Phantom Stranger clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Do you really have to go this far to ruin him?"

"Ruin him?" The Spectre stood up from his desk, cold fury filmed his eyes. "He is already an apex predator in this universe. A monster hiding amongst sheep. I'm awakening the beast within. Like a kitten, he's small and fearful, only willing to trust those who offer their sincerity to him. I'm sharpening his claws. Teaching him how to draw blood. I am already on top of this food chain. He's the only one capable of reaching me. All he needs is a little push."

"You…" The Phantom Stranger growled. "What are you scheming, Spectre?"

Jim took a swig at his glass of whiskey and let out a blissful sigh. "Say, have you heard about this criminal called… the Joker?"

The Phantom Stranger narrowed his eyes. "A psychopath who is hell-bent on destroying Gotham City. Yes, I've heard of him."

"What happens if I use a mere man to break a god?" There was a gleam of dark glee reflecting from Jim's luminous green eyes.

"You want to pit the Joker against Naruto?"

"No." Jim shot the Phantom Stranger an incredulous look. "Why will I want to do that? We both know what would happen. The Joker will not receive the same mercy he receives from Batman. No. Naruto will murder the Joker and then the story ends. How is that entertaining? No, no. What happens if the Joker happens to break an immovable object? What if the Joker… breaks Superman?"

The Phantom Stranger gave him an inscrutable look. "The Man of Steel is invincible, in mind and in body. You can't break a man of high moral such as Superman."

Jim chuckled. "Nobody is truly invincible, my man. There is always something that grates on people. Hell, even God gets angry. A man like Superman is riddled with weaknesses. He is afraid of hurting the people around him. He hates to kill out of his twisted sense of poetic justice. You see, his fear makes him what he is today. A big lump of muscle to protect his poor-excuse of a sense of just. But most of all, he is afraid of losing his loved ones."

"How do you presume to know him?"

The Spectre scoffed. "A man like him is not sophisticated enough to hide away his thoughts from the scrutiny of a ten year old."

"What you're planning is madness!" The Phantom Stranger bellowed. "You are willing to twist Superman for your own amusement?"

"Yes." The cruel humour plastered on Jim's face sent a chill up the Phantom Stranger's spine. "Picture this. Joker murders Superman's loved ones. What do you think his pal Batman would say about that? What do you think his band of brothers would do? A conflict of interest will arise, I assume. Civil war amongst the righteous ones. It will be glorious to pit Superman against Naruto."

"Why?" The Phantom Stranger was horrified. "Why would you want to tear down the symbol of hope and justice so badly? The Justice League protects this planet!"

"Their strength invites conflict. It has always been the rule of the jungle." Jim said it as if he had justified his cause, wagging a finger while he's at it. "You can't destroy an ideal, but you sure as hell can break them apart from inside out. Say, have you ever studied Shakespeare's work? I have always found Shakespeare's 'The Tragedy of Julius Caesar' a fantastic play."

He stared dangerously at the Phantom Stranger. "I will make chaos with chaos. Cry Havoc, and let slips the dogs of war."

Naruto didn't know Kara's stomach was an abyssal pit. She ate three bowls of ramen and still had rooms for whoppers. After Kara spent a fortune from Naruto's wallet on clothes, they bought takeaway from Taco Bell for Grail. Kara hated herself for feeling the pang of envy in her chest; Grail had someone who cared greatly about her, but Kara couldn't really say that for herself. The blond even knew Grail's favourite was shredded chicken burrito.

On their trip back home, Kara wrapped her arms around Naruto's stomach and pressed her body closely to his back, enjoying the moment of serenity as his sport bike bolted across the isolated country road. It gave her time to think.

Krypton was no more. She had to buckle-up and focus on the grave matter at hand.

Kal-El, her baby cousin.

Truth was, she didn't know where to begin searching for him. Krypton was twenty-three galaxies away from Earth. He might still be in his space-pod, undergoing cryosleep. The trajectory of his flight might went off-course. He might be in some distant planet. Worse still, he might be dead. Kara didn't want to even consider the latter. Her cornucopia of disarray thoughts were forgotten when Naruto suddenly pulled his bike to a stop.

"We're home." Naruto removed his helmet, shooting a cheerful smile at the abashed blonde. "I'll bring your clothes in."

"No, no. It's fine. I'll do it myself." Kara smiled weakly and took the bags from Naruto's hands. "I'll make some tea. Do you want some?"

"Sure. I'll go take a shower first."

The Kryptonian nodded before strolling into the house.

Taking a glance at the coastal clouds rolling across the evening sky, Naruto sighed, turned off the ignition of his bike, and followed the blonde. He went upstairs to his room, closed his door, and stripped himself. Heading into his shower, he turned on the tap and let the lukewarm water worked its magic, washing away his fatigue, loosening his muscle, clearing his mind.

With his guard down, he didn't realise he wasn't alone.

When a pair of hands wrapped themselves around his toned stomach, he almost spun around and behead whoever was behind him out of instinct. His blood went cold when he heard a familiar, soothing hum.

It was Grail's voice.

"Grail?"

He turned around to meet a pair of inebriated eyes, longing and intense. Her cheeks were flushed, framed by her wet hair that fell to her slender pair of shoulders. Her skin was pale and flawless. He never realised how beautiful she was, but the rational side of him had filtered out any thoughts that could exacerbate his current dilemma. "Grail, what are you -"

She abruptly pulled him to a kiss, sucking at his lower lip. Naruto tried to pry Grail away from him, but she was adamant to have him. Her blood in fire, her eyes bold and desperate. She couldn't take her eyes off him as she snaked her hands around his neck, hauling him against her curvaceous, naked body. Her kiss was demanding, her tongue and lips coaxing his. She melted into him when her tongue met his.

She could hardly contain the riotous feelings and her hormones rampaging in her body.

"At any given day, I would've giggle and let you do your thing, but she is being controlled."

Naruto had to use every fibre of his being to resist Grail's pheromones. "I know! That's why I'm -"

"It's the same type of mind-control technique that was cast on that Donna girl. Like Kotoamatsukami, it is a powerful but subtle. A mind-controlling technique that make people do things out of their 'own' will. Like hypnosis, but better. This one is reinforcing her feelings for you, which makes it even more easier for her to succumb to its effect."

"Her feelings for me?"

Kurama almost slammed his head on the floor. "You are one dense motherfu -"

Grail moaned into his mouth, her hand moved into his unruly hair. Their lips broke apart, but her voice was husky and needy. "I have always wanted to do this, Naruto."

"Grail, you're not on your right mind."

She shook her head, her lips trembling. "I have never been so alive before, Naruto."

She convulsed in ecstasy as she felt Naruto's resistance wavered, a look of pure pleasure on her face. "Take me."

Author note: Hi guys! I'm back! This story isn't dead yet, which is good news! I am very busy with my schedule, hence it took me so long to update. Will try to update sooner. I hope you guys like this chapter.

Pairings could be:
1.) NarutoXDiana
2.) NarutoXGrail
3.) NarutoXKara
4.) NarutoXBarda
5.) NarutoXZatanna
6.) NarutoXHarem

Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Please review!