Answers to reviews:
Guest: Here you go.
chanteholland807: Thanks.
DragonEmperor87: That is the pairing.
Anthony: Thanks.
Mrmarcusj95: The appearance I'll use for Artemis' adult form is based off a picture on google images. But it is the story cover for a Naruto/PJO crossover called The Young God, which is a Naruto/Artemis fic. Check it out and you'll see the picture of Artemis, which is what I think her adult form would look like. Author that did the story is called Kyoka Suigetsu Totsuka.
ayatoamagiri3425: Thanks.
Azai Jin: Thanks.
Perseus12: I wouldn't say they've fallen in love yet, just interested, though Nathan is reluctant given his past and what happened to his wife and kids.
Disclaimer: I do not own Spawn or Justice League. I only own the OC Nathan Nolan/Spawn.
Diana walked down a street in Metropolis after leaving Nathan, lost in her thoughts about what Nathan said. Hos opinion of the Justice League. How Spawn is doing a better job than they were. She did have to agree with some of his points. She had seen just how cruel man could be, cruel that they deserved to be put down and if things were still in ancient times, they would've been cut down for the crimes they've committed.
'Is protecting innocent people more important than maintaining some shitty rule that keeps letting them get killed by psychos like the Joker? Better yet, are the people's lives more important than that of a monster like the Joker?'
It made Diana think. The League was all about protecting the world and its people, they stop bad guys nearly every day of the week, and yet the cycle would always continue. The same villains break out to make a plan for revenge, the League stops them but innocent people are killed by then, the villains get locked away and then eventually break out weeks or months later to continue the cycle of life and death. That wasn't fair to the victims who died and the families who grieved.
She was raised and trained as a strong, fierce, yet kind warrior. The problem with that was in recent years the villains of the world were receiving far too many second chances, doing crazier and crazier things since they know the heroes won't kill them, or even badly hurt them. It often made her wonder.
If she were still on Themyscira and villains like these somehow found their way there, she would have likely killed them on the spot. So why? Why did she let herself succumb to what society dictates a hero should be like for these last two and a half years? What was the point of fighting the same criminals damn near every week and putting them in prison, only for them to break out and start terrorizing people again? How many times had she held back when she could have easily ended a villain in one blow?
Diana couldn't help but smile as she thought of Nathan. In her time in man's world, she hadn't really thought about a relationship or anything like that, though she will admit she had been curious about it. But she had been hesitant, namely because of what her mother had taught her. How men use women and toss them aside when they no longer need them. Diana knew that not all men were like that, but her mother's teachings were not to be ignored and it left her cautious on the idea of pursuing a relationship.
She thought she could try with Batman, but it was clear that he would never go for such a thing because of his 'mission'. Because if his enemies found out he had someone special, they'd use her to get to him.
It was admirable, but very annoying. So she gave up on what she knew was a pointless pursuit.
But why not try with a normal man? A man who wasn't a vigilante? To try and be a normal woman herself, in a relationship with a normal man.
She sighed and held back the urge to rub her forehead. She could do with a small glass of wine right now, to just cool off and relax from everything that's been happening lately. So she resolved to make her way towards the hotel she was staying at tonight...
...However, such a chance ended quickly when two men came out of the alleyway ahead of her, blocking off her route. The three others that had been with them behind her making is so she couldn't go back.
"Now, what do we have here boys?" asked one of them as they started to close in on her. "A little lady that's lost her way, maybe we should help her, eh?"
"I don't need any help." Diana said backing up, eyes scanning left and right for a way out that didn't involve exposing her identity to these lowlifes.
"Then, would you mind helping us with something?" asked another one of the thugs, eyes rovering over her form shamelessly while licking his lips. His and the others' intentions quite clear with what they had in mind.
By that point Diana had her back to the wall with no escape by normal means, and as much as she didn't want to show off her abilities it was the only thing she had with no alternatives. Steeling her resolve and hardening her gaze, she prepared to defend herself.
Sudden;y, they heard the sound of chains before one shot out of the darkness of the alleyway and wrapped around two of the thugs, yanking them into the darkness as they screamed in surprise before the screams became blood-curling, then there was the sound of flesh tearing and bones snapping, and the screams went silent.
"What the fuck?!" One of the thugs shouted, looking at the dark alleyway.
Suddenly, something was thrown out, colliding with the thug who was knocked to the ground. Diana and the other thugs had their eyes widen when seeing the thing that had been thrown was the headless body of one of the thugs that had been dragged into the darkness.
"Son of a bitch..." One of the thugs breathed.
"That he was."
The new voice caused them to snap their gazes to the alleyway just as none other than Spawn stepped out, his pure green eyes glowing with fury, his cape writhing on it's own, the chains crinkling and jingling as they moved.
"But then again, so are you." He growled darkly.
"Get him!" The so-called leader of the group exclaimed, pushing his friend towards the vigilante who drew a pistol and fired a single shot through the thug's head, splattering his blood and brain matter onto the wall and floor.
"Fuck this! I'm out!" The other thug shouted and ran.
"Get your ass back here!" The leader shouted but Spawn grabbed him by the head and slammed him head-first against the wall, leaving a bloody stain as a result. The Hellspawn's gaze then snapped to the running thug before he held his hand out, a ball of green fire being conjured, then he sent it straight at the thug.
As soon as the fire struck him, the would-be rapist screamed as he was burned to cinders and ashes.
"Fucking scumbags." Spawn muttered under his breath with disgust, then turned his attention towards Diana, who couldn't help but shiver when seeing those green eyes looking at her again. "Did they hurt you?" He asked, his voice still gruff and hard, but it had softened a little.
"No. I'm fine." Diana said, shifting a little on her feet. "Thank you."
Spawn merely grunted and turned to leave. "You should stay away from alleys. Stay safe."
With that, he disappeared into the darkness.
Knowing she had to find him, Diana quickly ran into another nearby alley and changed into her Wonder Woman costume before taking to the air in pursuit of Spawn.
Nathan leaped across the gaps between buildings, using his cape to glide across the long gaps, before he finally stopped and looked down at the streets of Metropolis. His time in the City of Tomorrow will be coming to a swift end, as he knew he was overstaying his welcome. Plus, he had to get back to New York and make sure nobody was trying to soak the streets with blood again despite the crime rate having fallen a great deal because of his work. And then there's the fact he'll need to continue his work in Gotham, as that city was practically worse than New York and Detroit combined.
His thoughts soon turned towards Diana, the woman he accidentally bumped into. As soon as he thought of her, he felt heat bloom inside him before he shook it off. She was beautiful, yes, but he wasn't sure if it was safe for him to try and move on. To try and find someone else. The last time he had that sort of life, his family had been murdered. His wife, pregnant with their third child, killed. His children, only seven and eight, killed in cold blood. And he couldn't even join them in Heaven because of what he is.
Why would he want to expose another to what he is? To the life he now led? What if the same thing happened again?
No. He was better off alone in every sense of the word. It would keep anyone that got close to him safe.
He was brought out of his conflicted thoughts when he felt a slight breeze, followed by the sound of boots walking behind him which made him turn to see Wonder Woman approaching him. He couldn't help but tense up a little, but rather than fighting, Wonder Woman came to stand beside him and look out at the city with her arms folded over her chest.
"What do you want?" He asked in his usual manner.
"To talk." Wonder Woman said, turning to him. "Don't worry, it's not gonna be like what happened in New York. I didn't agree with the approach the others took."
Spawn looked at her, narrowing his eyes. "Did they send you?"
"No." Wonder Woman shook her head. "I was in town, saw you saving that woman from being raped, and took the chance to speak to you. I don't know what to think of you."
Spawn scoffed. "I really don't care what people think about me. I don't do what I do to be liked. I do what I do because the people I kill need killing. I won't allow innocents to suffer anymore because you so-called heroes won't do what needs to be done to keep them safe. Guess you are a sort of exception. You were clearly trained to be a warrior, right?"
Wonder Woman nodded. "Protecting the world is what me and my sisters were raised to do. As Amazons, it's our duty to bring peace and order, even when there's no other way. Killing during battle was always our way, at least where we're from."
"Amazon, huh?" Spawn raised an eyebrow under his mask. "Like the ones in Greek mythology?"
"Yes." Wonder Woman nodded. "I'm the princess of the Amazons."
"Hmm, first time I've been around royalty." Spawn mused with a low chuckle.
There was a good stretch of silence between them as they stood there, Spawn's cape softly billowing and flapping in the soft breeze, the same with Wonder Woman's black hair.
"The Justice League have the wrong idea about you." She suddenly said, bringing Spawn's attention to her. "You aren't some crazed psychopath that just likes to kill. You care about the people you protect, and you're not as bad as some say you are."
"Well, you got that right." Spawn said quietly, crossing his arms. "I do care for the innocent, none have died at my hand. And I won't start targeting them out of some bullshit reason. Only people I kill are the ones that deserve it. Murderers, child predators, rapists, terrorists. The worst of the worst when it comes to humanity. Thieves on the other hand, they get less of a harsher penance depending on the reason for them stealing. If it's because they are desperate to feed their families, then I understand but it won't stop me from breaking their bones and leaving them in hospital for a couple of months. They should feel lucky I would be that merciful compared to what I can really do to those that deserve it."
"You don't have to tell me twice." Wonder Woman said grimly, aware of how brutal he can be, such as when she found out he left men hanging from meat hooks in a meat factory.
And as he said six months ago in New York when Batman brought this up to him, those men 'got off easy' despite their fate.
"Still, I feel I should warn you." Wonder Woman said, causing Spawn to narrow his eyes at him. "With the League banned from entering New York after what happened, the others think they can take you down as long as you are out of the city."
"Let them try." Spawn growled. "They made the mistake of coming to my turf uninvited and trying to throw their weight around. they're lucky a ban is all they got. But... maybe I can make the exception for you. You seem alright."
Wonder Woman smirked a little and raised a brow. "Is it because of my looks compelling you?"
Spawn chuckled in amusement. "Well, you are a very beautiful woman, but no. It's because you don't have a problem with me and I don't have a problem with you. Out of all the League, you're the one I harbour less ill thoughts about. And this is not me trying to flirt with you or get into your pants, I just know someone that is capable of doing what needs to be done when I see it. You were trained to be a warrior, to do what's right, but the League restricts you. One of these days, there will come a time where you may have to take a life to safe someone, be it a friend, lover, or even your teammates... and I know how they'll react, even if it was to save them. They'll cast you out."
Wonder Woman frowned. "Do you really think they'll do that?" She didn't want to believe his words, that her friends would cast her out if she had to take a life in order to save them, but a part of her knew the cold truth.
Spawn shrugged. "With guys like Batman and his black and white view, Superman with his idea of perfection or whatever, it's not that hard to guess. The League is too busy focusing on taking me down rather than protecting the people they swore to protect. You shouldn't take any shit they throw at you or their bigot views. You're a warrior, a woman and a princess. Make your own rules, your own choices. And if they don't like it, then to hell with them."
Wonder Woman stood there with shock on her face. She never thought about this at all. Whenever she stated her opinion on Spawn, she was always turned down by the majority of the League, mainly Batman and Superman, with only a few agreeing with her, and then dropping it. Now, after taking Nathan's words from earlier, and now Spawn's, she could feel some confidence growing inside of her.
"I… I think I'll consider it. Just try to lay low and head back to New York while you still can. I don't want our next meeting to end up like last time." Wonder Woman said as she put her hand on his shoulder, making Spawn look at it in surprise, before he gave her a nod, which Diana returned with a kind smile.
"Good luck." she finished as she flew off into the air, leaving Spawn standing in silence as he watched her go.
'Did I just score a date with Wonder Woman?' Nathan thought before shaking his head. 'Nah...'
And that's it for this chapter. Let me know what you think, please.