The Hokage Of The League
As suspected, last chapter was a hit or miss. I'm truly thankful that the vast majority approved of it though so thanks for the complements. The main tidbit that got a lot of readers wild up was the "no killing" policy thing. Let me abide your fears. Perhaps I could have rephrased the way I put it. From my perspective I merely meant that Naruto won't be able to outright kill every criminal he comes across. The league doesn't want to put out the image that they justify their ideals by killing any criminals they find to protect the peace. Which is a fair statement if I say so myself. That is not to say that such an event won't happen. Whether Naruto kills anyone in the story is still undetermined. So don't always assume that something is as it is. In kakashi's words look underneath the underneath. Hint: his hesitance to agree to their terms.
The other complaint is that some readers felt that it didn't make sense for the league to vote on Naruto's admittance into the league and on normal terms this would be very much true, but Naruto's situation was unique. My reason for including the voting was because out of everyone there, Naruto was the most enigmatic and unknown of the group. They practically knew nothing about him other than a few of the abilities he displayed before the telling of his background. His people are raised at a young age to kill their enemy and protect their village. He comes from a different universe all together. They needed to know what his ideals were and what his views on killing people were. The other well-known heroes had already established their ideals on killing their criminals and enemies. As for the new additions that appeared suddenly. J'onn practically told his whole story to the league during the invasion. Diana's people, while secluded from the world, are actually known in the history books, even if many had originally suspected that they were mere myth. There was absolutely nothing on Naruto to go on, other than what he had shown since his appearance, which is why I said he's the most unknown.
I hope that clears any misunderstandings; if not then feel free to leave a review or PM me. I realize that I cannot appeal to every reader out there but even if you don't agree with some things that I've written, don't let that deter you. Also I must thank my audience for being very civilized in any disagreement, complaint, or advice they've given me.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Justice League or Naruto. All rights belong to their respective owners.
Much thanks to my beta reader Masamune X23 for the excellent work.
"Talking"
"Thinking"
"Kyuubi/Kurama Talking"
Chapter 10: Beginnings
Dragging his legs with a noticeable slump in his shoulders, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze slowly approached his bed. Oh how he longed to lay down in those comfortable linens and mattress of his. For nearly three hours after his induction into the league, they had gone over all the specifics that came from being a part of the newly constructed Justice League. What times they would operate, who would stay on watchtowers duty, which J'onn readily volunteered for, and other generally important matters.
For the meantime, J'onn and Diana would be living on the Watchtower, at least until they wished to search for another stay of residents.
Naruto's tired mind still lingered to the private conversation that he had with Batman, shortly after the meetings end. For a man who had no control to speak on his chakra, the coweled knight could still appear very imposing and intimidating, especially with that scowl of his. Not a minute after the ending of the meeting, Batman had whisked Naruto away to another room on the Watchtower, making certain that the door was secured and their conversation would not be compromised.
~Flashback Start~
Naruto raised a brow at the sudden intervention from the Dark Knight. He had no idea as to what the man wanted to speak to him about, but judging by the situation and his actions, it must've held some importance.
Batman turned his focus on blonde shinobi before him, giving him a sharp appraising look that held a question. "I read the reports from Nightwing. It mentioned your interactions with both Pamela and Selina. What exactly is your affiliation with them?"
"So that's what this is about. How careless of me. I nearly forgot that Nightwing has close ties with Batman, so it's no surprise that he and the other two protégés told him about my connection to Selina and Pamela."
"Be wary of this man kit." Kyuubi's booming voice warned. "He may be an ally, but that does not diminish how much of a potential threat he could be. The man is no fool, so tread lightly."
"Got it, thanks for the heads up."
Returning from his brief conversation with Kurama, Naruto brought his attention on Batman, who kept his gaze fixated on the blonde, anticipating the slightest twitch of deception from Naruto.
"My relationship with them is of friendship, and is of no concern to you."
"No concern?" Batman barked, his eyes slightly enraged. "Pamela was the one who helped orchestrate the nerve gas. Both women assisted in the fight against the parasites, and there are even reports that they were shown saving some civilians. Selina I could understand, given her personality, but why the sudden change of heart with Pamela. She has shown a blatant hatred for humanity all together. Even putting some in hospitals near their deathbed on more than one occasion, so forgive me if I'm a little suspicious of her actions."
Naruto matched the Dark Knight's glare with equal intensity. "Is it so hard to believe that she may be trying to turn for the better? I listened to Pamela's story first hand, and after hearing it I must say that she has reasonable reason for her actions. You've met her on numerous occasions in the past. She's just trying to do good, but for all the wrong reasons. With a little time, I know I can nudge her in the right direction. Her recent actions should be proof enough that she has redeeming qualities. We just need to give her the benefit of the doubt."
"And if you're wrong?" Batman accused, letting the question linger a few seconds in the air. "If she were to betray this trust, then she could cause irrevocable damage to not only the league's reputation before it even begins, but also put innocent bystanders in jeopardy." The memories of when Pamela poisoned Harvey Dent, Bruce's former friend, was still fresh in his mind, adding to his reluctance to trust the former Eco terrorist.
"I would be willingly to bet my honor as a shinobi on the line. You can't expect someone to change if you yourself aren't even willing to give them the opportunity to try. In the event that I am wrong, then will claim full responsibility, withdraw from the league and face whatever punishment is deemed fit." Naruto's features softened in his response.
To say Batman was surprised would be an understatement. He could scarcely believe that the man in front of him would go to such lengths for a supposed criminal. The Hokage was willing to bet his freedom just to give Pamela a chance to show that she was worthy of redemption.
"Why would you be willing to go so far for her? From what I know, you've only known her for hardly a few months now, so why are you willing to risk so much for her?" The dark knight questioned.
"I may have only known Pamela for a relatively limited amount of time, but in that time I was able to see a side of Pamela that not many if anyone else can claim that they know. It took some time, but over time she showed glimpses of her inner self. Push past the image she has projected to people as Poison Ivy, and what you'll really find is Pamela Isley; a woman who has suffered much grief. Now, I realize that she has made many past mistakes and has a long way to go to earn forgiveness, but I am willing to help her through this and I would assume that she wants this to.
Batman did not speak as he digested the Hokage's wor. Truth be told he actually once thought that he had seen the true side of Pamela when she was released from Arkham and faked a marriage with her psychiatrist Steven Carlyle. He visited her with Gordon and learned about her loss of fertility. It was when she spoke about it that he felt like she was being completely honest. He left and kept an eye on her, observing to see if there was any connection with her to the recent increase in men being poisoned, but couldn't find any connection. He saw her do nothing suspicious or potentially threatening, and allowed himself to momentarily believe she may have actually turned for the better, but no matter how much he wanted to believe it his instincts and judgment said otherwise. In the end they were right as he found out Ivy's real goal and stopped her with Robins help, but not without her escaping.
A long pregnant pause filled the air for the longest of minutes as Batman mulled over everything the blonde had said. In his mind he had already made his decision, but he couldn't help but hesitate. Just as Naruto was going to start again, Batman interrupted the silence.
"Very well." He relented with a heavy sigh. He hoped that he had made the right decision and was not being hasty with his answer. "But I have several conditions that she will have to abide to. Otherwise, this agreement will have become null and void."
"State your terms." Naruto gestured for Batman to continue.
"The first and foremost will that you will be directly responsible for Pamela's actions. Meaning that her mistakes will inadvertently affect you as well, repercussions and all."
Naruto didn't hesitate to agree to the first term, finding it to an agreeable standard. "My only other condition will be that Pamela will have to turn herself in and face the past crimes she committed."
This condition gave Naruto considerable pause. After a moment of careful thought, Naruto replied. "I cannot fully agree to this condition, as it will concern Pamela directly. I must first notify her before I speak on behalf of her herself."
"Then I will await for her reply." Giving a curt nod, the Dark Knights quickly spun on his heel, releasing the locks on the door and backtracking out of the room, leaving Naruto by himself.
Making sure that Batman was gone for sure, Naruto sighed heavily. "That guy can be such a hassle to deal with sometimes."
The familiar tugging of Kurama reeled Naruto into his mindscape. "Was it really wise to put so much faith in that red-headed woman? I know that she's one of the only people that you've managed to befriend in this world, but putting that aside, in the end she has been blacklisted by her own kind. She is a convict, and any negative actions she commits would directly reflect back to you."
Naruto got to head level with the giant fox, staring directly into one of his slitted irises without any sign of fear of hesitance. "Kurama you know me better than anyone here. Never have I ONCE abandoned a friend, and never will I attend to do so in the future. I have no doubt that Pamela will prove her worth, as will Selena."
"Sounds like you got the hots for little miss red head if you ask me." Kurama mocked with a toothy grin that looked more vicious than probably intended.
Naruto made no retort or sign of indignation, but held a faint redness in his cheeks. His time from the Elemental Nations had matured him significantly, but he still held a traceable amount of innocents in him. One of which Kurama knew to be any mention of the young Uzumaki in any relationship with a woman. All the same, Kurama thought it was nice to see a rekindling of some of Naruto's old tendencies that he had not shown for some time since his arrival in this world.
~Flashback End~
"I suppose I should notify Pamela about Batman's offer tomorrow." Naruto concluded as he finally reached his bedroom's door. Just as his fingers touched the handle of the door knop, his senses caught a presence from behind the door. In his self-musings and minor exhaustion from the day's events, he had dropped down his guard. A mistake that could have very well cost him his life had an enemy taken advantage of it. Cursing at his own mistake, Naruto made to focus on the subject at hand, idly making a mental note to set up more protective countermeasures in case of events such as now from happening ever again. How someone had somehow found this island when he had erected several barrier that surrounded its entire land mass, he'll never know, but that hardly mattered at this point in time. Now more awake and alarmed, the young Uzumaki swiftly burst through the room, kunai held in hand and posed to strike at any given moment.
Scanning the room's interior, Naruto's serious expression turned to one of surprise as to the lone occupant in the room. Dressed in her usual alluring nature themed attire, Pamela Isley perched herself into a more comfortable position on his twin sized mattress.
"…Or I suppose now is good as time as any to tell her now that she's already here." Naruto innerly deadpanned.
Sky blue eyes met vibrant green, as the two silently measured each other. Pamela's usual sensual expression was replaced by one of an uncharacteristic earnestness. A perceptible knowing smirk cross her beautiful features as her nearly glowing eyes eyed the weapon held in Naruto's hand. "Is that how you normally greet your lovely friend…Naruto" she joked in attempt to quell the awkward situation; adding his name as an afterthought, testing the still slightly unfamiliar name with her lips.
Blinking to himself, Naruto finally processed what the woman before him had said. Quickly retracting the kunai within his wrist's sleeve, the young shinobi tried to shirk off the embarrassment he felt.
"You know…" Pamela started. "I would've thought that with all of this space, I thought that you would've gone and built yourself a larger house. Not that I'm complaining mind you, the décor does have a certain taste to it, I just pegged you as someone who would have put out all the stops to create some enormous structure, considering you do live on an island with enough space to house an entire village."
Chuckling to himself, Naruto situated himself onto the nearby chair in the room by his desk, removing the mask from his whiskered face; something that had garnered Pamela's natural curiosity when she first saw them. She had yet to figure out whether or not if they were birth marks or tattoos. Whatever they were, they did not detract the young man's handsome features in the least. When the Hokage now known to her as Naruto had finally revealed his identity, she had been naturally surprised by how young he truly was. He looked to be a young man or teenage, nearly at his final years of growth. The blonde's unruly but strangely fitting hair and his strong and chiseled jawline made for a fine, handsome young man who was fairly attractive, even to her eyes. "You do know that you've just committed a break and entry into my home don't you?" he asked with amusement laced in his tone. "As for your previous question, I've yet to truly need a larger living space. This will suffice for now."
Pamela's inner musings were brought to a halt as her face faintly crinkled into what Naruto assumed was slight annoyance. "Then why may I ask, did you go and make yourself an island of all things as a home if you don't feel the need for space? It wasn't exactly easy to grow all those tree and provide them with sufficient nutrients to grow you know."
Naruto merely shrugged his shoulder. "Eh, the majority of the island was to be occupied for animals, insects, and other such things. I only truly require some land for structures that I have in mind. Ah, and before you ask, those said structures will be kept a secret for now. A surprise for later." The blonde added mysteriously.
The former eco-terrorist folded her arms, huffing and puffing her cheeks, pouting. An expression Naruto found to be kind of cute. "You and your secrets. Oh well, I'll find out soon enough what you have planned. I aim to make sure of that." She finished playfully.
Naruto shook his head in equal amusement. "As much as I would love to continue the enjoyable banter between us, I've had a long day and would like to get some rest soon, so would you so kindly tell me what the reason is for your unscheduled visit. And while we're on the topic, how exactly did you manage to get here in the first place?"
Pamela moved her body in a more comfortable position, hand holding her chin, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Well that would be telling wouldn't it? Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise now would I? Besides, a woman has to keep a few secrets to herself." Pamela laughed heart fully, enjoying how she threw the blonde's own words at him.
Naruto, officially miffed, stifled a small pout of his own. It was his job to be the prankster, not the other way around damn it! Thoroughly enjoying the usual stoic and in control blonde squirm, Pamela finally relented, her mood now somber.
"I wanted to touch off where we last left off." Relinquishing his pouting expression, Naruto again stared back into Pamela's eyes, which were quite the contrast to her usual mirthful and seductive playfulness. A lump suddenly grew in his throat. There last conversation was met with the sudden revelation of some of Naruto's secrets; namely the most surprising one being Kurama's existents. He had hoped that giving her some time to think on the matter would have given her enough time to properly digest everything he had previously told her. For now was the moment of truth. Would she accept him for who he was; the Naruto who had a penchant for mischief and a fixation with ramen. Or would she cast his aside and reject him for the demon that resided within him, just as the villagers had done so to him throughout most of his childhood; not that Kurama was necessarily a power hungry and evil beast bent on the destruction of everything. After you got past his temperamental façade, as well as all that crimson furry hair, he was actually a cool nine-tailed bijuu to hang with. Not that he was all kittens and rainbows. He could still be an egotistical and sarcastic bastard on more than a few occasions, but that was just a part of his unique quirks you get used to over time.
"Admittedly, I found myself taken aback from the revelation of a demon sealed within you. But after some thought, I realized that it doesn't matter." Pamela drew a small smile when she saw the look of bewilderment on Naruto's face. "You know me better than most do Naruto. Who am I to judge and condemn another for something that was clearly out of their hands? I befriended you, demon or not, your still Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze to me."
Before she knew it, Pamela felt the arms of Naruto enveloping her form. Surprised by the sudden intimate action, a faint hue of pink warmed her cheeks. Inwardly, Naruto cursed at himself for his moment of weakness, but it had been some time since he had felt the assurance and confidence of a friend. It was an emotion that he had not felt since he last saw his dear friends in the Elemental Nations. Sure he still had Kurama to back him up in times of need, but he still missed his other important loved ones. Thus, he savored every moment of this embrace while it lasted. Stealthily wiping away a small tear that threatened to fall from his eyes, Naruto quickly let go of Pamela, giving a wide berth between him and the former eco terrorist.
"Err…Uh…sorry about that. It's been a while since anyone has put their faith in me and called me their friend, so I…" Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of his head, his face flushed with embarrassment.
A moment of awkwardness filled the air as Pamela had yet to give a response, still somewhat shocked by the experience. Pamela quickly got a grip on her nerves. "Ah, no… it's alright. No harm done. Just wasn't expecting the sudden contact is all."
"A-actually, there was something rather urgent that I meant to tell you tomorrow, but seeing as you're here now, I'll just tell you right now." Naruto abruptly changed topics, in attempt to clear the awkwardness and bring back some normalcy to the conversation. Pamela gestured for the blonde to continue; also eager to change the topic of discussion.
Naruto briefly recalled Pamela about the Justice League's formation and the following proceedings between him and Batman. When Naruto told her of the deal that Batman had laid out for her, Pamela fell into a position of deep contemplation, involuntarily chewing on the nail of her thumb in silence. Naruto could clearly see the trepidation pouring off of Pamela's emotions. For years she had been running from the authorities, and now suddenly she would have to turn herself in. They'd probably throw her inside Arkham again; a facility that she loathed to be shackled in. Her only solace while she was locked up in that mental ward was her questionably insane friend Harley Quinn.
Pamela was broken from her conflicting reverie by the calming hand of Naruto, who tried to placate her worries. "I know that you'll be moving in unknown territory and trying things that you have never done before. Whether or not you plan to follow up and agree to Batman's proposition is ultimately up to you, but just know that I will help you see this through till the end." The words were spoken with such conviction and honesty that Pamela was nearly inclined to give in and accept his support without thought.
The botanists smiled softly at the blonde's assurance and conviction. Truly, she had been blessed to have such a faithful friend, a bond that she had once thought she could never truly ever have with another before now. Sure she had Harely, but at best the jester dressed woman was an acquaintance that she conversed with every so often. She was glad to have had the chance of meeting the blonde, but at the same time, a part of her was still afraid and weary of forming a close connection with anyone. The last person to have gotten this close to her had taken advantage of her, and changed her into what she had become today. That part of her still not fully trust the blonde, and despite the kind treatment he had given her, would not let him in completely for fear of being betrayed yet again.
For her to agree to these terms, she would be confiding in the blonde and letting him that much closer to her. Could she really trust the man based solely upon his word and code of honor? The last time she had tread down this path, she had been mortally betrayed by the very man she had held in high esteem.
Her smile faded in favor of a small frown. In spite of her inner turmoil, the botanist thought it best to give Naruto a truthful answer. "While I am…glad of your undying support. I just don't know if I'm ready to fully put my trust in another by word and promise alone."
Naruto's eyebrows knitted together into a frown of his own. He was about to say something to convince her otherwise but stopped suddenly. The whiskered blonde knew that while he probably was the person closest to Pamela, this also made it all the more difficult to reach and gain her trust. She had already been betrayed by the one she cared for most. It was only natural that she would still carry a suspicion towards him. It was ironic is a sad way. While Naruto was indeed the closest to Pamela, this also made him the prime subject to be wary of. Reaching out to the emotions that Pamela was putting off, she knew this to. There was an invisible wall preventing Naruto from earning Pamela's trust.
Suddenly a crazy thought crossed his mind. It was something he knew may get her attention but he wasn't sure she would believe that he could deliver it. Never the less he decided to try and propose his preposition to her.
Making sure to choose his words carefully as appropriate of the situation, Naruto calmly tried to reach out to the plant loving woman. "I understand your heedfulness of both my and Batman's offer, but perhaps I can offer something in exchange to encourage your decision?"
Pamela's eyes narrowed dangerously at the sudden suggestion. "I am not one to be bribed Naruto."
Naruto's hands rose defensively. "I meant no offence in my proposition Pamela. I am simply offering something in compensation to the deal to ease your decision. At the very least, please hear my offer out."
Pamela relented and gestured for Naruto to say his peace. "If by chance you do accept Batman's offer, then we can get you checked out on the watchtower."
At Pamela's confused expression, Naruto moved to elaborate. "I know that what was done to you has affected your fertility to bear a child. You may not show it but I felt your emotions earlier in my bijuu form. I know that this has hurt you more than you care to admit." From the sharp but short wince reflected from Pamela's face, Naruto knew that he had struck home with that observation. Pamela's inability to bear a child played a large part in her self-isolationism from everyone; as well as her hatred for humanity. With the advanced equipment on the watchtower, they'd be able to perform a thorough scan on Pamela's body to see what exactly has changed in her system, and possibly reverse the effect of her nullified fertility.
Pamela gave the whiskered blonde a straight look, trying to discern whether he told the truth or not. Inside, she felt torn between accepting Naruto's offer or follow her instincts in denying his request. Accepting his offer would be going against everything she had promised she would never do again, but yet she could not deny that the offer Naruto proposed was too enticing to resist. As a woman she felt that she should accept it if it meant that she could one day hold her own child in her arms. The memory of that sweet little girl Kelly only heightened her desire to regain her fertility. However, the part of her mind that still withheld a deep mistrust of men made her doubt if Naruto could even find a cure for her. Before she became a villain she tried to find a cure for her loss of fertility but couldn't. It was when she gave up that she became Poison Ivy.
Pamela's rational side battled furiously with her recently surfacing emotional side. The green woman was brought out of her reverie by Naruto's voice. "Take some time to think of my offer Pamela.I won't rush you into a decision before you're fully prepared and willingly accept the conditions." Pamela gave a nod of thanks towards Naruto, silently excusing herself from the room.
XxX
Some days later…
Only days after the first meeting of the Justice League, Superman had presented the idea of the newly formed League to the World Assembly, which brought a lot of attention from not only the press, but practically the entire world. The official formation of the Justice League was to be publicly broadcasted live at the World Assembly, and everyone would be watching the world wide event that would undoubtedly make history.
World leaders and military personnel of all countries waited impatiently for the meeting to begin. A school of reporters could be heard bickering and chatting excitedly with one another. The familiar opening of a door alerted everyone to the entrance of the eight heroes that they had been waiting for. Flashes from cameras went off as the group of heroes strode into the round room. Many of the heroes looked slightly perturbed by the glaring flashes of cameras and stares fixated on them, while others namely Flash basked in all the attention he was receiving. The heroes situated themselves into the chairs positioned behind the lone podium that Superman took possession of. It was decided within the league members that Superman would be the one to represent the Justice League in the meeting at the World Assembly, considering that he had the most capable of the group when it came to diplomacy, handling large crowds, and presenting speeches. All talking ceased as the Man of Steel loudly cleared his throat to start off the meeting.
"It has come to both me and my fellow heroes that the people of this world have become concerned with the integrity of our security and lives. After much deliberation, all eight of us have come to the arrangement of forming a team. It is my hope that with the joining of myself and my fellow heroes that we will be able to better create a more sufficient system that will protect Earth and all of its people to the fullest of our ability. This team will officially be known as the Justice League." Superman spoke with confidence as sudden frenzy of murmuring borke out amongst the large crowd of delegates, reporters, and military men. With his incredible eyesight, Clark was able to make out the form of Louis Lane amongst the crowd of reporters, notepad and pen in hand, and Jimmy nearby her, trying to shuffle through the mob to get a better angle for a photograph.
Using his enhanced hearing, Clark managed to pick up on select conversations from the crowds. Many of the whispers were in agreement with the league's formation, with a few who were against the idea, and others who remained neutral through the engagement.
The familiar colors of one of the US military personnel called attention to himself by speaking out towards Superman. "I mean no offence when I say this Superman but I've heard reports that it was you yourself who had unknowingly assisted the parasites in their takeover of Earth?" Gasps could be heard from the people and Superman had to hold in a deep frown. The military commander continued, unmindful of a few scowls sent his way from a few members of the league and a sharp glare from a certain reporter in purple. "I find it unwise to put my trust in a hero who has not once but twice betrayed the very people that he has sworn to protect."
More murmurs spread amongst the crowd, setting an air of uncertainty between the delegates. Superman stood stiff on the podium, unsure of how to act to the situation. He felt he should say something to refute the man's accusations but doubt in himself prevented him from speaking. Seeing the situation beginning to escalate, Naruto made move to assist Superman, but was beaten surprisingly by Flash who had sped next to Superman's side. Placing a comforting hand on the Man of Steel's shoulder, Flash gently gestured Clark to move over so he could take over the podium. With an uncharacteristic seriousness that many had not seen from the speedster ever, Wally spoke to both the military commander and the crowd of delegates and reporters in Superman's stead.
"Superman represents the best of us heroes. He is symbol of hope that has protected you time and time again. Despite how much of a shining example he is to the hero community, even he is capable of making mistakes, just as anyone of is and has. You say that he had helped those parasitic aliens harm our planet, but it was also him and the rest of our group that managed to fight them back and drive them away, saving you all." Flash spoke out, earning some thoughtful looks from the world leaders while the military commander now looked unsure of his previous claims. Seeing that he had grabbed their attention, Flash pressed on to try and make his point.
"And let's not forget that we were all fooled by that parasitic alien that had impersonated Senator Carter and managed to convince the mass majority here to pass his enactment plan of disarming our weapons. We are as equally to blame as he is. Pointing fingers and using him as a scapegoat does not help the situation at all. So I ask you not to place blame on this man as we are trying to help you people, not bring you harm…." The red clad speedster's words left a deep impression into the minds of everyone present. Hearing these words allowed them all to see the truth. The parasites had played them as fools, feeding them false promises of a better world without conflict, in the hopes that we would take the bait and we would drop our guard. And it had worked.
As the words sank into the minds of everyone watching, Flash felt the rush of the adrenaline that helped motivate his speech begin fade away. Suddenly he noticed all the attention focused on him, and despite his outgoing attitude, it made him uncomfortable. Even his fellow heroes were giving him looks of disbelief, their mouths agape from the sudden shock of finding that the acknowledged jokester of the group had such a way with words.
Feeling the need to get out of the spotlight, the speedster hastily made move back to his seat, but not before receiving a high five from Naruto who had a savage grin plastered on his concealed face. Once the moment of awkwardness finally abated, a renewed Superman once again assumed his position back on the podium where the meeting continued for some time, with the Man of Steel answering the majority of the questions and the occasional input from the other leaguers.
News of the Justice League quickly spread worldwide within a matter of minutes. Many of the populace's reactions were positive, welcoming of the reassurance that there was now a powerful team of good superheroes overlooking the well-being of the planet's inhabitants. Something that was severely needed after the devastating attack from the parasitic aliens, who seemingly had easily passed by their defenses. Naturally, there was also some negative feedback from the introduction of the Justice League, namely from the villain department, some from the military department that held the belief that they were having their jobs or duty taken from them, as well as several others individuals who held some dislike for superheroes for whatever bigotry reason they had.
XxX
~Luther Corp~
Up at the top level of the conglomerate corporation of Lex Corp, Lex Luther sat in his lavish leather chair. He watched the televised meeting of the Justice League with a blank and unreadable expression. On the inside he was seething at the appearance of his longtime rival and personal annoyance; Superman. The news of this league put a small note of concern for the bald businessman. Countless times, Superman had proven himself to be a major annoyance in his expedition to further build his empire, foiling several of his past schemes. Now the Man of Steel was backed up by several other powerful individuals that could cause more trouble than they were worth. One hero alone could have a nasty bite, but several could become a major threat. A threat that may need to be… terminated.
He watched the presentation of the League's Watchtower which had been stationed above the Earth in the atmosphere. Despite how he loathed the Man of Steel, he had to admit that he was mildly impressed with the installation. Though, one had to wonder where exactly did they acquire the funds to procure such an advanced orbital station. The bald company owner suspected that the funds were provided by Batman, though he had no proof to back up his suspicion. The Dark Knight was the most likely candidate considering he carried some of the best and most expensive equipment on hand. Not the type of material one could obtain on a regular salary.
Quickly growing bored of the vid, he switched the monitor off just as his long standing secretary Mercy Graves came striding in; wearing her usual black uniform and black cap.
"Aw Mercy, have you come with the files I requested for?" Mercy gave a curt nod as she filtered through her side pocket, procuring a small flash drive that could store a wealth of information.
Relieving Mercy of the device, Luther let the faintest of smirks cross his almost haughty features. A ways back since the ending of the invasion, Luther had used his connections to pilfer as much alien tech left behind by the parasites; all the while avoiding any suspicion and covering any tracks. With the technology salvaged from their species, it would bolster his company's tech and power to newer heights. The parasites may have been excessively violent, but Lex could not ignore that they did have impressive advancements. The only issue that he possibly could foresee would be the compatibility of the alien's technology with how he based his models on. The alien's technology was modeled oddly in that it infused organic matter into their tech, while Luther preferred a more mech and streamlined approach. A minor inconvenience at best. He had absolute faith that his intellect would be more than enough to decipher their technology. What he truly desired was the schematics on weapons, force deployment, alternate power sources; anything to further advance his vastly growing empire.
Mercy propped a hand on her hip, her lips stretched thin in agitation. "It was a real pain acquiring the damn thing. All of the relevant data is stored on it but I can't say for certain how compatible their tech will be with ours."
Lex made no verbal reply, instead moving to store the flash drive in a secure container. Something to look forward to analyzing later. Perhaps it would provide him that extra edge to deal with the newly formed Justice League, should they prove themselves a threat to his company and agenda.
XxX
~Unknown Location~
A group of individuals sat perched along a round table, watching the live feed of the Justice League's official introduction. One figure dressed in unmistakable military fatigues, addressed the developing situation to his other colleagues.
"So they've finally made the initiative of banning together under a single force. The only question is, what is our next move?" The balding military man questioned, with a hint of distaste in his speech.
Never taking her eyes from the monitor, a rather corpulent woman spoke in a serious manner that meant business. "We do what this program was created to do. We have been anticipating this very moment for some time now."
The plump woman shifted in her chair to face a graying man in a white lab coat. "Hamilton, how is the progress with our experiment coming along?"
The now addressed Hamilton, fiddled with the rim of his glasses, the monitor's screen reflecting off his glasses' lenses. A small but noticeable frown marked his features. "I've forwarded the DNA sample over to Nuvo-Gen but progress has been slow. The cloning process is arduous and there have been many failed attempts, but with the recent technology that your people managed to pilfer from the remains of the parasitic species, we managed to make a breakthrough in the project's performance. Our results have calculated that we should have a successful clone by the end of this week. We're now in the process of altering the subject's age to its prime stage." The professor informed as passed out a manila styled folder enclosed as "Eyes Only". The folder contained the latest developments of the subject's progress and a few photos of the subject in question.
The military operative of the group looked at the photo of the still growing subject in slight contempt. The picture depicted what appeared to be a human fetus that was still in its early stages, though its gender was unmistakably female. From initial inspection, the artificial still born appeared rather harmless and fragile, but the military man knew it would be anything but fragile when it grew to its prime stage and was trained to peak performance. It would grow to be one of their most powerful assets, yet despite this he still left a bad taste in his mouth knowing exactly what it really was. He was still against the idea of working with one of "them" to pursue the government's goal, but ultimately this he had no say in what direction the program went. He was a man of action, not a strategist.
The plump woman of African American descent, nodded her head in satisfaction at the Hamilton's report. Closing the manila folder, she addressed the rest of her colleagues once again. "Excellent work Hamilton. We may have been delayed by this recent hic-up with the parasites, but now with the Justice League's formation, we will have to more vigilant that ever. Already, our funding's have increased significantly so now is the time to increase our activities. For now we will bide our time, observe the league from afar. Find both their strengths and weaknesses. I want our people watching them at all times. Once we have gleamed enough information, we will deliberate on our next move. I want to be informed of any relevant information pertaining to anything the league does, as well as an update on the subject's further progress."
"What do we know of these two new developments?" The military affiliated man gruffly asked, pointing out to the pictures of Diana and J'onn respectively.
The large woman answered his question smoothly, though with an edge in her voice. "Regrettably, we have little information as to who they are. All of which we know about them is what the league was willing to provide to the public when they came out with the proposition of their Justice League."
"Wonderwoman claims to be Amazonian and we are half inclined to believe her statement. She was kind enough to give the name of her homeland, Themyscira, but not its exact location. All attempts to locate this mystical all female island had been met with dead ends. As for the Martian, everything that would have deemed important concerning his species has been removed by the parasites long ago. We could send a convoy up to Mars, though it is highly doubtful that anything relevant still exist up there anymore."
"Already I have several of our agents observing them both. If such an opportunity arises that they are careless enough to leave behind some blood samples or anything we can scavenge for a DNA examination, then the samples will be presented to your company Hamilton." The bearded scientist nodded his assents.
A lanky looking man dresses in a white lab coat similar to Hamilton raised a tentative hand. "And what are we to do if the league should overstep their boundaries?"
The same overbearing woman replied with a clear tone; one that held an objective. "Honestly, I pray that such a situation does not happen. But if it should and the league gets out of hand, then we do what this organization was made to do. Fight back and take them down, whatever the cost."
XxX
~Some time later~
"Whooo hooo this is so cool!" Shouted the voice of Naruto Uzumaki as he piloted one of the league's new Javelins for a test flight and to familiarize himself the vehicle's controls. When he was told about being given the chance to learn to pilot the small aircraft he felt unsure of himself, but now he was having the time of his life. It all felt so cool; the flying, the speed, the view of earth, the force his body felt as the Javelin flew through space. It was a completely new experience for him and he was loving it like ramen.
However, his passenger didn't seem to share the blonde's sentiments. Hawkgirl had a face that showed she was really terrified at what was happening, which is something she rarely ever showed given her nerves of steel, bravery and combat trained personality. Now, however, all that had just been introduced to something that caused her to truly panic, and that was Naruto's expert driving capabilities.
Superman and Batman were back on earth, the Flash couldn't be trusted to be a flight instructor, Diana wasn't familiar with piloting a Javelin yet, J'onn was busy with monitoring the computer systems and Lantern had been the one who convinced her to do it. She didn't mind much since she had been a bit bored with nothing to do but now she regretted her decision with every fiber of her terrified being.
Hawkgirl gripped onto the bullhead in front of her for dear life. The small transport shuttle jerked violently above the atmosphere of Earth. She was now regretting having ever volunteering to coach her fellow blonde shinobi hero on how to properly operate a Javelin. Given how competent the Hokage usually acted, the Thanagarian had assumed that he would've been quiet capable of driving a vehicle. Her assumption was proven deathly wrong nearly as soon as the lesson began.
Despite the unstable turbulence shaking the shuttle, Naruto was laughing in such a maniacal and hysterical manner that it would put the Joker's laugh to shame. Shayera's eyes widened in horror upon seeing the fast approaching satellite dish coming in on the front view port. "VEER LEFT! LEFT!" the winged heroine frantically shouted as Naruto spun the steering wheel harshly in the opposite direction, much to Hawkgirl's utter dismay as she silently prayed for her well-being. The Javelin skimmed by the satellite dish, passing it by safely within a few inches of a collision.
Having enough of this madness, Hakwgirl demanded that they return back to the Watchtower before she lost either her life or sanity. Miraculously, Naruto managed to safely park the Javelin shuttle into the docking bay, if a little unsteadily. Turning off power to the Javelin, Naruto inclined his head to his side to see a shell shocked Hawkgirl, wings tucked in with one hand clawing into her seat and her other hand clutching the bulkhead so hard that her fingers left indentions into the metal.
No words were exchanged for a full minute until Naruto casually broke the silence with his usual upbeat tone. "So how did I do Miss drive instructor? Did I pass with flying col-" Naruto was silenced by a death glare sent his way by the winged Thanagarian woman who had eyes filled with murderous intent in them, which were only enhanced by her hawk like eyes and the way her fingers now twitched eagerly towards the spiked mace attached to her hip.
Naruto gave a nervous laugh, sweating profusely now. "Hehe, guess that's a no huh?" Hawkgirl replied by setting her mace's power to its highest voltage setting, her body language filled with menacing intentions. Naruto took this cue to run for his life. He could honestly say that he could never recall a moment where he had to run as fast as this in his life. The winged woman was just as scary and intimidating as Tsunade and Sakura, except in addition to inhuman strength, she also carried a blunt and electrified weapon on her side at all times.
"Get back here and take your punishment like a man!" Shayera screamed as she flew after Naruto, taking a few swipes at him without holding back any strengths in her strikes. Never in her life had she seen anyone pilot like that, and quite frankly she couldn't believe someone who seemed to be mature and competent like him could be so unbelievably and dangerously reckless and stupid. She was even wondering if he piloted like that on purpose to mess with her. If he did then there's going to be hell to pay and her wrath would be extended to a certain Lantern for saddling her to be his instructor; despite the fact that she had willingly accepted the Lantern's request in the first place.
"No way Hawkgirl, I've personally experienced a woman's wrath before and there's no way I'm letting you dish it out on me with that electrified mace of yours!" Naruto shouted back, not sparing the moment to even look back for fear of getting mauled in the ace by Hawkgirl's spiked mace. Let it be known that an angry female Thanagarian + electrified blunt spiked weapon = ungodly amounts of pain for whomever is unfortunate to have suffered their wrath. He saw a left turn up ahead and took it, which lead to the main hall of the watch tower where J'onn and Lantern where at. Both heroes turned to see what the commotion was about.
Naruto's eyes immediately fell on Lantern, remembering that it was he who had requested for Hawkgirl to guide Naruto on the Javelin. A mischievous fox like smirk could be seen in the folds of his mask. Mustering up his old pranking tendencies, Naruto gave a soft sympathetic pat on the unsuspecting Lantern's shoulder.
"Sorry about this Lantern but I'm not going to take the heat for this." Naruto said cryptically, confusing John. A sudden premonition of impending doom made John shutter from its effects, as though he instinctually knew that the next few hours would be very unpleasant. Before the dark skinned ring bearer could question Naruto's motives, an estranged and blood thirsty Hawkgirl came bursting through the mechanical door, "THIS IS SPARTA" style.
"And that's my cue." Naruto finished his parting words, his body suddenly materializing out of existence.
Stalking around the room like a predator searching for its prey, Hawkgirl cursed vehemently as she saw no sign of her blonde haired prey. Her sights zeroed in on a startled Lantern. "WHERE IS HE?!" She demanded in outrage and frustration.
Still confused on how he had suddenly become focus of the winged heroine's anger, Lantern just answered truthfully. "He came in just a second ago, then suddenly disappeared as you came bursting into the room. What exactly happened?" It was obvious that the blonde shinobi did something horrible that ruffled a few too many of the woman's feathers; pun non intended.
"You have no idea of what horrors I had to experience just now, and since Naruto is currently nowhere in sight I guess I will have to vent my anger on the next best thing." She spoke sinisterly, already brandishing her weapon for the punishment she was going to exact on the man. Lantern took several steps backs, hands up in a surrendering gesture in hopes of calming the estranged woman down.
"Now wait a second Hawkgirl, let's just try and talk about this. I don't know what happened but I'm sure we can…OH SHI-!" The man paused mid curse as he foresaw Hakwgirl already making her move.
"HAAAAAH!" Hawkgirl shouted as she lunged forward with her mace light up. Lantern wasted no time putting up a wall in front of him to protect himself. He grunted from the pressure as her mace met contact against his hastily erected shield.
Being the only bystander present, J'onn turned his attention back to the monitor in front of him, resuming his duties of watching for any activity on Earth that would acquire the league's attention, unmindful of the sounds of pleas, war cries, curses, and objects breaking. "Please keep the damage to a minimum." The Martian added stoically, never removing his eyes from the monitor.
End…
Let me just warn my readers now that my updates will take some time as I do have lots of work outside of writing my story here. I do promise to try my best not to extend the length of each update past over a month if I can't help it. Thanks for your cooperation. Also, not every chapter will always contain action pact scenes. While they are indeed fun to read. If I keep pulling them out every chapter then it'll get old real fast, and this story looks to be a long standing story. At the very least it'll be all the more exciting when an action scene does come up.
Thanks for reading.