Injustice Book 1: A Journeys Beginning (Naruto + Batman Comics crossover)

Chapter L - Time Gone By

"Normal Speech."

'Normal Thought.'

"Demon Speech."

'Demon Thought.'

"Other Speech variants."

Location/Time.

-X- Line Break -X-

Tuesday 1st December, 14:30.

Florida,

Location Unknown.

It was a peaceful day, snow had begun to fall covering the horizon in a blanket of white. Snow fell from the sky, wafting gently in the light breeze. Everything was tranquil and peaceful.

However, that was not the case for everyone.

Collapsing to the ground with a groan, a topless Naruto looked to see his opponent, Slade Wilson walking towards him with two escrima sticks held loosely in both hands. His form was covered in a thin sheen of sweat and a few bruises were beginning to form from where Naruto had managed to land a number of blows. Even then, Naruto could clearly see them starting to heal.

"Get up, we're not done yet." Slade said as he twirled the escrima sticks in his hands slowly and elegantly. "You've only managed to land a handful of blows on me today. You're distracted and that's not good enough."

Breathing out, Naruto reached for his own escrima sticks that had fallen out of his hands "I'm sorry I don't meet your ridiculous standards." Naruto muttered as he pushed his battered and bruised body to his feet. As he licked his dry lips, he could taste the coppery hint of blood as it flowed from a recently healed cut on his lip.

"Ridiculous?" Slade questioned as he shifted his footing into a ready stance, Naruto doing the same. "It's hardly ridiculous when you did far better against me two months ago than you are now. You're distracted, plain and simple. In a fight that will get you killed and you'll never get to see Barbara Gordon again." The mention of Barbara caused Naruto to grit his teeth in annoyance.

It was safe to say that after accepting Deathstrokes offer of training, Naruto hasn't seen her at all, not in person anyway. He had wanted to, he having already explained that he was going travelling to Jim and he had no doubt told Barbara in turn, but Naruto never actually spoke to her about it. There were a lot of things he wanted to say, wanted to explain, yet he never did.

Especially not when Slade showed him images of Barbara going on a few dates with other guys. He knew why Slade had done so, yet it still worked despite him knowing that it was all to foster anger in him.

And Naruto had been angry.

Dates of when the pictures were taken had been provided, one dating to before Naruto was forced into the Suicide Squad and the task of breaking into Arkham Asylum. It was safe to say that any lingering guilt he felt over sleeping with Killer Frost quickly went away after that. The next one was three months later and there had been two photos, the second two weeks after the first of Barbara going on a date. Then there had been another two months after that and there had only been one.

In the months since the Court of Owls she had gone on four dates, one before his time in the Suicide Squad. Then there was two with a second guy three months later in the space of two weeks and one final date with a third guy.

The sight had hurt and Naruto has thrown himself into training with single-minded determination that he hadn't experienced before. As a result, his already impressive improvement, skyrocketed.