30

Chapter XXX: Performance.

Last Time.

Only for her to grab his arm and break it before slamming his head onto the table…. Repeatedly. She then takes the blade he dropped and stabs it through his shoulder, sticking him to the table. "If you intend to either kill me or put me on a leash. Then you're going to have to try better than this," she states as the assassin is screaming in pain.

She walks off, leaving the Light completely flabbergasted. Outside, she picks a piece of paper out of her cleavage and sees a list of villains with Ocean Master crossed out.

Washington D.C. December 13, 18:00 EST.

Kage and Wonder Woman dropped down in an empty hangar before the lights went on showing Megaera in faded blue jeans, and a black shirt. "How did you find me?" She asked as Naruto raised his hands.

"I used my Sage Mode... I wanted to see you." She flew down from her room, and in front of him.

"Why?"

"Christmas is only a few weeks away Honey. And I'm guessing that you won't join us for the holiday. So, we wanted to give you our presents in person." Naruto gave her some scrolls and smiled. "Here's some techniques, and tips on using Sage Mode."

Wonder Woman walked over and handed her a few books. "And training instructions in Amazon fighting styles. You'll need to see mother for any gifts you may have not have received from Cadmus, though."

"Why?" She asked again as her hair shadowed her eyes.

"Because you're our daughter... No matter what you say." Naruto said before hugging her, getting Megaera to stiffen. Wonder Woman hugged her as well before they backed away. "Merry Christmas Megaera... Don't worry. We'll keep your hideout a secret until you're ready to join us."

Naruto finished before he, and Wonder Woman flashed away with Hiraishin. (Flying Thunder God.)

Fury stood there, her knees beginning to numb. She fell to her knees, looked towards her gifts, and picked up a scroll and a book. She fell backward and held them close to her chest. She smiled as she shed tears of joy.

Now.

Bruges; December 22, 20:08 CET.

A large group of people walked into a tent where purple lights turned on.

"Ladies, and gentlemen!"

Said a man in a top hat with grey hair. He's wearing a red coat with black edges, with gold stars, and holding a cane.

"Welcome to Haly's International Traveling Circus!" He finished as fireworks went off. "Allow me to introduce our latest attraction... The Daring Dangers!"

The lights focused on Dick wearing white tights with red accents, and a heart outline with a matching eye mask tied around his head holding a trapeze swing. "Dan Danger!"

He swung off to Megan in her disguise wearing the same outfit. "Dawn Danger!"

They swung up, flipped past each other, and grabbed the other swing. "Diane and Donald Danger!"

Artemis and Naruto, both in the outfits, with red, recurve bows held three arrows as Roy and Blackfire stood opposite of them.

Blackfire is wearing a watch giving her Caucasian skin with black hair, and blue eyes.

"Dane and Desiree Danger!"

Donna and Conner were currently juggling barrels before the ringleader pointed to them. "Donna and Dean Danger!"

Komi sighed before speaking up through the link. "Why isn't my sister doing this? I'm not even a part of this Team." Donna and Conner each threw a barrel up into the air.

Dick and Megan jumped through them just as the others shot arrows through them having glitter follow their path. "Because... Starfire still hasn't gotten English completely down yet." Naruto replied as the crowd cheered as Haly explained the trapeze routine just as Megan switched to hanging upside down.

Robin jumped at her and missed her hands as Naruto narrowed his eyes. 'Dick would never miss a catch like that.' He thought as Conner threw a barrel up, and had Dick jump back up.

Only to miss Megan's hands for a second time as he stopped an inch away. Megan's eyes glowed and had Dick quickly float up to her hands, and finished their routine. Naruto looked up and noticed Dick was sweating as they finished the rest of the show. Naruto sighed remembering giving Robin leadership for this mission concerning factories being stolen just as the Circus came to each town.

They walked backstage were more performers were getting ready. "Naruto."

He looked at Artemis who motioned for him to talk to her alone. "Alright, why are we doing this mission?" Naruto opened his mouth as he raised his hand to explain himself. "I know Batman didn't approve of this mission. He never called you. I slept in your room last night, remember?"

Naruto sighed before speaking. "This. Is just something Dick needs to do."

Artemis sighed before speaking. "Is that why the jerk is here?" Naruto smiled at that before speaking.

"Yeah... He and Wally have a soft spot when it comes to him because they knew each other for a while. But I met him before they did, and I'm not turning a blind eye. Especially now."

Later, the Team watched two twin brothers in blue and yellow pants held up by blue suspenders talking to Haly about being replaced because one had the twenty-four-hour flu before being stopped by a man in a suit with white hair. 'Interpol.' Naruto thought as Haly was questioned about the previous robberies as the Circus was in each City.

The man walked toward them and showed them his badge. "Faraday, Interpol. You the new act?"

Naruto nodded before answering. "Yeah, just joined."

Faraday put his badge away before speaking. "Probably clears you. But don't get too comfortable... Haly's going down for this."

Later; Warehouse.

The Team, in their stealth outfits, with Blackfire's metal becoming black watched the warehouse from the surrounding buildings. "If Interpol's got this covered. Why are we staking this warehouse out?" Naruto heard Superboy ask as he and Wonder Girl watched from a building to his right.

"Because this is our mission. Why? You got somewhere better to be?" Naruto asked before Blackfire spoke up.

"Someone's running inside."

They looked down to see someone jump on a light post before jumping over the fence, and ran inside. "Move!" Naruto said as he jumped down, Blackfire grabbed Red Arrow and flew down as others flew, jumped, or grappled their way down.

"See him?" Naruto asked as Superboy looked at the building.

"Inside." He said out loud before they ran in through a window.

They ran along the catwalk and saw the man wearing a hoodie, and camouflage pants as he rummaged in a small crate.

"Ha-Ha-Ha." Robin laughed getting the man's attention. "Caught red-handed. Red-faced too, probably." Naruto aimed down as the man pulled out a flare, and blew fire at them, forcing everyone to dodge. Blackfire growled as she flew, and shot purple bolts at the man who jumped into a flame, and disappeared.

Red Arrow looked to see the fire cover several ammo crates before yelling. "Go!" Everyone ran to the windows and jumped through them.

BOOM!

Naruto twisted around and caught Miss Martian just as the fire covered everyone, and fell on his back. "Sound off! Everyone all right?!" Naruto asked standing up, and held Miss Martian bridal style. Everyone groaned as they stood up, and Superboy growled.

"I've got hi-!"

He stopped as Naruto spoke up. "Leave him. We've got to get Miss Martian and Robin out of here."

Superboy looked to see Robin groaning still sick as he was helped up by Artemis and Red Arrow.

Haly's Circus, Next Morning.

The Team in their disguises watched Haly argue with Faraday as he was questioned about last night's robbery. "I counted every head last night! Everyone was accounted for." Haly said as M'gann looked on in sadness.

"I left clones disguised as us last night so we wouldn't raise suspicion. So... Technically we were here." Naruto said through the link.

Later, the Team was discussing the mission as Robin showed surveillance footage showing someone using multiple skills used by the Circus performers. "Maybe the whole Circus is in on it." Red Arrow said as Robin looked at him.

"You don't know that! I've told you to keep an open mind!" He walked off getting Naruto to sigh.

"Donald," Artemis said getting Naruto to look at her. "Talk. Now." Naruto shook his head before she glared.

"Talk.. Or I'll convince the other girls not to give you sex for an entire mon-!" She stopped as Naruto stood up.

"This is the Circus Robin worked for before becoming Batman's protégé, okay!?" Seeing the shocked looks, Naruto took a breath. "He worked here with his family until Haly wouldn't deal with a crime boss... The guy didn't take 'No' too kindly and tampered with the trapeze rope as Robin's family was doing their routine without a net... Robin's family died. I know this as I was there that night." Naruto finished before leaving and missed Conner, and Red Arrow argue.

Later, Naruto was putting bags in a train car as Artemis and Megan were checking him out. Artemis smiled. "I gotta admit, he looks pretty good in spandex." She said, admiring how his suit tightly hugs his body.

"Ar- Diane. You've had a glow about you for the past couple of days. Why is that?" Megan asked Artemis, who blushed.

"I... I'll tell you about it later." She replied as they picked up suitcases.

As Megan grabbed hers, a muscular man grabbed it, touching her hand.

"Need help?"

She looked up to see he has short blonde hair. "No, I've got it. But you could help the others." She pointed to a strongman, and the fire-breather both sweating and groaning. "They seem to have gotten that bug that's going around," Megan said as everyone finished, and got on the train.

Later, Naruto sat on the couch in their car as Megan laid down on it with a blanket. "I'm sorry, you caught the bug Me-Dawn," Dick said as Megan smiled weakly.

"It's OK. Who knew Martians could get Earth sickness?" She asked making Dick blink.

"Uhh, H.G. Wells. Look, when did you first feel sick?"

"Just suddenly... Right after we got on the train."

Robin rubbed his chin in thought before speaking. "Same with me the other night. I remember getting it right after Ray rubbed my head for good luck."

Donna raised an eyebrow at that. "That roustabout? I saw him touch her hand as he reached for the same suitcase as she did."

Robin and the others, minus Naruto and Donna, walked out as Megan got up, and followed. "Da-uh-onald."

Naruto turned to his daughter who shuffled on her feet. "Yeah?"

Donna took a deep breath before speaking. "I took a deeper look into the laptop I got from Fury's room. Cadmus... Has a... Shut off switch for us."

Naruto narrowed his eyes as he shut the door missing the Team running past the door. "What?" He asked before Donna explained everything that had happened at Cadmus that she left out before. Naruto groaned as he sat down, and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What are they?" He asked as she sighed.

"Conner's... is... Well, I shouldn't say it in case it works no matter who says it, and he could hear me."

She reached up to the luggage, took a piece of paper, and wrote the phrases down. Naruto took it, and saw 'Red Sun', and 'Fusion' written on it. "Shit!" He cursed before punching the wall. "If you blacked out... Then Red could be right about you, and Conner giving secrets to the villains... Damn it, I don't want to say I was wrong."

"Okay, we'll take you both to J'onn... He can erase the phrases from your mind so you'll no longer have to worry about it. Don't tell anyone else. It'll only make Red, and possibly the others think you're the mole." Naruto said before hearing Dick speak through the earpieces.

"The person stole Dawn's.. 'Whole' act if you catch my drift."

They ran out as Naruto grabbed his red bow, and several arrows before they flew, and ran down the cars. "He's onto us! He ran to the roof!"

They heard Conner yell before they jumped out, ran/flew to the roof, and caught Conner being held by a man in a purple, and white clown costume with purple skin, dark veins on his face, and eyes with black sclera, and yellow eyes.

"Parasite!" Naruto yelled pulling his bow as he put an arrow in it.

"Kage? I didn't think the League would be here!" Parasite said before using heat vision to melt his, and the other's bows. Parasite dropped Conner and flew up in the air as a crate followed. Robin jumped up, but was hit down, and fell off the train. Only for Blackfire to grab him as she flew over.

"Thanks." He said as she smirked.

"Oh come on. I couldn't let my sister's boy toy get hurt." Earning Robin a deep blush on his cheeks.

Later.

The Team, in their stealth costumes, looked as Robin pulled the flash drive he stole from Parasite into his computer and hacked it. "It looks like Parasite's working for Intergang. Everything he's stolen... They're pieces for something. Putting a weapon that generates... Black holes!?"

Red Arrow snorted at that before speaking. "Oh, come on! To build that you'd need a particle accelerator!"

"Like the large Bozine Collider in Geneva?" Robin asked as Red's eyes widened.

"The Circus' next stop! And now that he can fly he's got a big head start on us!"

Naruto unsealed his, and Artemis's bows as Red got his out. "I'm sorry." Miss Martian said before Naruto kissed her head.

"It's not your fault honey."

Crack!

The Team looked to see Conner punch a dent in the wall by the door. "My power's back." Naruto narrowed his eyes as the Team looked on in shock, and left.

'Superman has never been able to heal that fast. And he's a full-blooded Kryptonian.'

Geneva; December 24, 00:37 CET.

The Team saw a couple of knocked out and dead guards around the Laboratory. The Team ran inside as Superboy put on a red shield on his shoulder, and glared before following after them. Superboy charged past them and dashed to Parasite who was powering up the Collider. Parasite grabbed him and drained him again before Naruto ran inside with Blackfire.

"Red! Artemis! Flammable gas! He also gained our weaknesses as a result of getting our strengths!" Naruto yelled as he shot an arrow that exploded into gas as well as Artemis who jumped down from the rafters.

Blackfire shot a bolt by Parasite igniting the gas.

BOOM!

Fire surrounded Parasite who groaned before Naruto stopped by him, and placed a seal tag on him, knocking him out.

Gotham; Naruto's Penthouse, December 24 15:23 EST.

Naruto walked around the decorated kitchen as Paula and M'gann cooked together. Diana walked in with several presents and looked around. "Where's Donna and Conner? She told me they would be here early."

Naruto put down a tray at the larger table before walking through the living room, and down a hall. He stopped at a door and banged on it. "Get the hell out of there you two! And you better be fully dressed!"

Donna, with her hair messy, and Conner with his shirt on backward walked out. "OK! Seriously, how in the hell are you able to do that?" Donna said walking by Naruto.

"Father's intuition," Naruto replied walking behind them. "Now get moving. The Team will be here for the party. And several members of the League will be stopping by to say hello."

The doorbell rang, and Naruto walked to see Dinah in a black coat. "You don't need to ring the door-HMPH!" Naruto was interrupted as Dinah held mistletoe up, and kissed him.

She pulled back before picking up her presents. "Just a taste of tonight."

She said walking past Naruto. And suddenly jumped as he pinched her ass. She looked back to see him with a small smirk. Zatanna walked in the opened door followed by Crystal wearing a watch showing Caucasian skin, and black hair with blue dyed tips.

Later, Naruto turned on the Christmas lights and the fireplace as the others, minus Dinah, left. "I'll get the drinks," Naruto said walking into the kitchen and bumped into Zatanna. "Sorry/I'm sorry." They said before Zatanna glanced up, and saw mistletoe. "Rules are rules." He said before leaning to kiss her cheek.

Only for her to quickly give him a chaste kiss. She pulled back and smiled as she looked into his eyes.

Gotham; Naruto's Penthouse, December 25, 07:00 EST.

"GET UP DAD! IT'S CHRISTMAS!"

Donna jumped on Naruto's stomach effectively waking him up, and knocked the wind out of him. He took gasping breaths as Donna pulled him out of the room having him fly behind her. "Geez, you'd think a teenager would be calmer during Christmas morning," Naruto said as Donna smiled.

"I'm only a year old, remember?"

"That only counts for dating. Remember?" Naruto said as the others got out of their rooms, or walked in from the front door.

To Be Continued.