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

Chapter VI - Black Hood

"Normal Speech."

'Normal Thought.'

"Demon Speech."

'Demon Thought.'

"Other Speech variants."

Location/Time.

-X- Line Break -X-

Tuesday 17th, March, 22:10.

New Jersey,

Gotham City,

The Bowery.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto did a quick check of his current equipment. His outfit consisted of black cargo pants, boots and a hoodie, with a stolen bulletproof vest underneath. All things were in place, with a Bowie knife attached to each of his thighs and a pistol holstered to his left hip.

Tonight, was the night he had been planning for a while.

Ever since his argument with Barbara about his alter ego, Black Hood and the mortality of his new job, things had been quiet between the two. He had all but stopped going to school and focused most of his time on training in nearby gyms, making sure not to draw too much attention. And he had to say he was already receiving results having already put on a few pounds and grown two inches in the span of a month.

This meant that he and Barbara barely had anytime to break down the wall that had started to form between the two of them. But Naruto knew that it would take more than just a simple apology to heal some of the open wounds in their friendship. After all, how do you take back what you said when you still mean it, who goes first when you both feel right and the other is wrong.

Yet Naruto didn't have the time and while he would never admit it, he was a little scared that maybe Barbara didn't want him anymore. She had really stuck to her word and had not made any attempts to reach out to him and had left it to him to come to her when he had 'sorted himself out.' But the thing was, Naruto didn't know where to begin, didn't know how he could convince Barbara that this is who he is, who he always was. Already too clouded in his tunnel vision to see another way, after all the first step took so long already, why would he turn back now?

She had made it clear that she didn't like who he was becoming and he was terrified that maybe, when she realised that this was the way he always, that she would leave.

'Perhaps that's for the best.' A part of him whispered. 'That way she will never get hurt, never become a target that our enemies will use to hurt us.' And that was also what scared him, the thought of his enemies – which there would be many if he continued down this path – getting to Barbara to get to him.

But it all boiled down to two simple things.

Did he love Barbara enough to let her go and seek a life with someone else – the thought alone made his heart clench – safe and sound without the threat of a supervillain hurting her. Or was he going to be selfish and seek a life with her, knowing that supervillains are out there and could strike at any moment.

He would have liked to say the answer was much easier to answer than he had thought, but it also wasn't. As much as it would pain him to see Barbara with another person, as long as she was happy and safe, he would accept it. Her happiness and safety were all that mattered because he would protect those he cared about with a fierce ruthlessness.

"Man, this is so boring."

Breaking out of his dark thoughts, Naruto took a peek around the corner and saw two guards sitting outside a small warehouse. They weren't very well-dressed, their outfits mired in sweat and grime as they nursed a beer in one hand and the one on the left also nursing his holstered gun.