Chapter 7 – What started it all

"Who the hell are you?" Naruto shouted.

The man called Guy frowned. He didn't understand the blonde teenager's shouted in English words but he detected the hostility in his voice.

When his shout was met with silence, Naruto's looked at the other person who rushed towards the middle-aged man...and then his eyes fell on his little sister. His eyes flashed coldly and a fierce killing intent erupted from him as he asked:

"Misaki, did these two creeps hurt you? I'll rip their fucking hearts outta their fucking chest if they as much as touched one of your hairs!"

But Misaki was petrified in fear at the hostility Naruto unconsciously released. Misaki had never witnessed her brother ever getting this angry before as he had always avoided being violent in front of her eyes. Misaki had not really understood until this moment how could all the students in their school be so terrified of her sweet and caring brother.

"N-No, I-I'm fine!" Misaki fearfully said.

Hearing his sisters trembling voice, Naruto finally realized that he was frightening her. He circulated his chakra forcing himself to calm down. He stepped in front of Misaki and hid her behind his back while asking Guy calmly this time but with no less amount of hostility in his voice.

"Who are you? What is your business here?"

Although the middle-aged man didn't understand the English words he heard, he could guess their meaning. He straightened his posture and with a courteous bow, he said:

[My name is Maito Guy, master of the Gokken style. I'm here to challenge the Monkey King to prove everyone which is the strongest Kung Fu style in the world!]

Scene break

As if they hadn't been at each other's throats just a while ago, the Uzumaki siblings and their uninvited guests were seated at a table, drinking coffee and discussing.

[What do you mean the Monkey King is dead?!] Maito Guy yelled in disbelief.

Although his Japanese was a bit rusty, Naruto could still make himself understood:

[Just as I told you. Two months ago, ojisan left for a trip to an old acquaintance of his...only for a month later to return home...in a box.]

Naruto's face scrunched into a frown.

[The police, like usual, was fucking useless. The didn't know anything besides that fact that he had been shot in the back of his head...but that much even an idiot could see.]

A momentary silence instilled in the room. Everyone seemed to have fallen deep into their thoughts.

[It would be unfair for you if a senior like me were to challenge you instead of your grandfather.] Maito Guy said eventually [However, Lee and I have come all the way from Japan specifically to face powerful opponents and train our body and spirit. To leave just like that would be a great waste... So what do you say? If I can't compete against the Moneky King directly, I will through my disciple! How about it?]

Naruto thought for a brief moment.

[My style does not resemble my grandfather's. I'm more like a mixed martial artist, so this fight would be meaningless as your Gokken style would not face off against Monkey Fist Kung Fu.] Naruto said before adding as an afterthought [Besides...I have a habit of not holding back.]

These last words were like a slap on Lee's face. Naruto basically implied that he doesn't want to spar with Lee because he's too weak for him and might get hurt.

And Rock Lee's reaction came immediately, his pride as a martial artist flaring:

[Yosh! I'm going to fight you with my entire strength! I'll win this even if my legs break in the process! And if I don't defeat you, I'll run 20 laps around Gotham...on my hands!] he yelled and Naruto had the impression for a moment there that flames came out of Lee's eyes. This type of determination was something that Naruto greatly admired. No-one ever gets to the top without an iron will and an unshakeable determination.

[...Alright. But before that, your sensei there will buy new hinges and fix the gates he had smashed through and I will also get some sleep. I have already had an intense training session today.]

Both Guy and Lee became like two deflated balloons at Naruto's words.

Scene break

Trees towering at hundreds of feet in height covered the entire horizon. A young boy, younger than 7, was perched on the highest bough of one of the larger trees of this ancient-looking forest.

A hint of worry and fear was flickering in his innocent and large blue eyes. The surprising thing is that it wasn't the enormous height of hundreds of feet that worried him, nor was the thought of falling from there frightening him. There was another reason for that.

"I got lost again." the boy mumbled.

From the top of the huge tree everything in sight was an ocean of green. There was no sign of the mountain where his village was built.

As the boy said, it was not the first time he got lost. It happened quite often in fact. But the reason behind that was heart-wrenching: as an orphan, there wasn't anyone to take care of him. He didn't even have someone to call "auntie" or "big brother". How would he fend for himself? How would he even get the food he needed in order to no starve? The boy had tried stealing at first but after a few mean beatings, he felt forced to stop...and given his age he couldn't work as anything. The only thing left was for him to hunt. Him, a 7-year-old boy.

It didn't happen just once for him to return home with his stomach empty after a whole day of fruitlessly chasing some small game. And today was a particularly bad day - not only he failed to catch the rabbit he had been chasing, but he had also gotten lost.

The boy heard his stomach growl loudly.

"Oww!" he said and crouched with hands on his stomach in pain. The hunger he felt was so big that it was already painful.

A few moments passed and the pain in his stomach faded till it became like a dull throb at the back of his mind. Again, it wasn't the first time he felt that - by now he had gotten used to the pain that came with the feeling of hunger.

The boy sat on the bough on his butt and let his feet dangle. He propped his elbows on his knees and he buried his face in his hands.

While other children his age were playing ninja in the park and made stone-throwing contests he had to fight everyday to his limits to even find something to eat. While other children's problems were not having enough time to play, his problem was surviving from one day to another. Loneliness had matured his mind beyond his years.

'Why is life so unfair?' the little boy thought.

Between the small fingers that were covering his face, tears began to leak.

"Kuso!" the boy cursed. It was something he heard the villages say many times when they saw him. He began to do that as well whenever he saw them or when he felt sad or angry. It somehow made him feel a bit better.

He wiped the tears on his face with the sleeve of his dirty black shirt and lightly slapped both of his cheeks at the same time.

"Man up! Are you a girl, or what?"

"You're a very interesting brat." The hoarse voice of a male was suddenly heard and the boy screamed in fright, never having expected someone else to suddenly appear beside him at the top of the tree and that without even seeing him. The boy was startled so bad that he actually jumped!

"Aaaargh!"

The boy screamed in a panic - he was falling from a height of over 300 feet!

But right before he was about to hit one of the large lower branches of the tree, a rather thin yet very powerful arm caught him safely from his waist.

Looking up at the one who saved him the little boy felt stumped. It was a very short and very old man with a wrinkled face and a skinny frame that was holding him tightly. He was dressed in white and red robes and a white hat with the kanji for fire inscribed on it with red was dangling from his other hand.

Naruto suddenly awoke with a start. His clothes and the bedsheets were dripping with his sweat and he felt sticky all over his body.

"What the hell was that?!" Naruto asked himself when his crazily beating heart calmed a little. It was the weirdest dream he had ever had. It felt so real that after he actually woke up, for a few good minutes, he was still finding it hard to believe that he didn't almost die. Because in the dream everything he had experienced had been from the little boy's perspective. Naruto had actually felt the painful hunger of the boy and his worry at not finding his way back home. Naruto had felt his great sadness and the boy's tears had felt like they had been his own tears as well! It was as though the boy was actually him!

Naruto was so overwhelmed by the dream that he couldn't sleep anymore for the rest of the night. What was daunting him even more was that it was his own grandpa that caught the little boy at the end.

Scene break

"Listen to me, Misaki, no matter who is he, if there is anyone bothering you, call me!"

"Yeah, yeah." Misaki said with a dull voice making Naruto want to bonk her head.

"Listen to me, Misaki, I'm serious. This time is important...a few hundred teenagers will be on two yachts in the middle of the sea...after a few drinks many things can happen. Promise me you'll keep this phone at you!"

"Yes, yes, I promise!" Misaki said this time seriously. Although Naruto was sometimes nagging her as if he were her father, she understood that he only wished her safety and happiness. He had proved that to her countless time since they were little until now.

"Truth being told, I'm rather good looking, don't you think so?" Misaki asked with a sly look in her eyes and made a twirl in front of the mirror.

"Of course you are." Naruto said with a smile but Misako pouted.

"You're sooo boring! You were supposed to get flustered or at least praise me like you mean it!"

"Why would I get flustered, dumbo? I'm your brother."

Misaki's face became an interesting shade of red as she yelled:

"You're the idiot, idiot!"

Naruto laughed at her.

"Oh. Ok then. Laugh all you want!" Misaki said in a sullen voice and with her arms crossed.

Naruto's smile only widened at how childish his big sister was acting. It made him want to ruffle her hair and pinch her cheeks...but he would probably not be allowed to sleep for a week if he did that right now. That's because in half an hour a limousine would come and take Misaki to the docks where the yachts were. And since it was the prom, like any other girl, she had dolled herself up quite a bit.

"Alright, alright!" Naruto conceded. "You're stunningly beautiful! I'm sure you'll eclipse any other girl at the prom!"

"I'm almost envying the guys who'll get to dance with you tonight! By the way, if any of them's hands start exploring-"

"I know, I'll kick them in the nuts!" Misaki cut in.

The two of them looked at each other for a second before both burst into laughter at the same time.

"You know, you don't need to be envious of the guys who'll dance with me tonight... you could dance with me right now!"

"Oh please, you know very well that dancing and I have nothing in common." Naruto said.

"Come on, how many times will I ever get to dress like that? Besides, you should be the first guy to have asked me for a dance."

"But you were the one that as-" Naruto retorted.

"It doesn't matter! Now. Come. On!" Misaki insisted.

"Nope!"

"Pretty please?"

"Still no."

"Hmpf! Fine, be like that!" Misaki huffed in annoyance before her face was lit up by a brilliant smile.

"You don't want to dance, but at least you won't get away from taking photos with me!"

Before Naruto could even get the chance to voice his opinion, Misaki came and hugged him from behind. She handed him the phone before saying sternly:

"Selfie! Now!"

Twenty minutes later the two of them took over 50 photos together. Misaki was currently transferring the photos to Naruto via Bluetooth to have them on his phone as well.

In no time, the doorbell rang - the limousine had arrived.

Misaki jumped up to her feet and grabbed her purse before checking herself in the mirror one more time.

"How do I look?" she asked Naruto for the last time.

Misaki's dress showed a rather small amount of skin. She was wearing an elegant black siren dress with a cleavage that wasn't too deep and the slit of the dress started from a bit lower than her mid-thigh. But Misaki was one of those girls that could turn heads without there being a need to get naked. Because while the dress didn't show too much skin, it definitely outlined her curves brilliantly. And since Misaki had always worked hard to keep herself fit, her hourglass figure truly was a sight to behold.

Misaki's brilliant crimson hair was styled into a waterfall braid and she wore a pair of golden high heels. Naruto didn't exaggerate when he said that she would eclipse any other girl at the prom.

"Yes, you look perfect! Had you not been my sister I would have already fallen for you." Naruto laughed.

"Oh stop it!" Misaki yelled when she heard his corny compliment. However, Naruto knew that she was secretly elated.

"Gotta go now!" Misaki said but before leaving she hugged Naruto one more time and kissed him on the cheek, taking him by surprise.

"Ok, go now and have fun!" Naruto smiled and waved his hand in good-bye.

Scene break

Naruto was bored. Misaki left around 4 pm and it was now 7 o'clock in the evening. He had already trained in the morning and he had no job for the night. The Guy and Lee duo were at a hotel - he had postponed their little contest after Misaki's prom - and on TV there was also nothing interesting to see. He was changing the channels mindlessly not really paying attention to what he was watching.

But suddenly the transmission was lost on every channel he changed and, for a moment, only a black screen could be seen. Then, something else appeared.

Green hair, a wildly smiling face grossly covered with a thick layer of white powder, two rows of yellow teeth and a pair of red lipstick-covered lips. It was the unmistakable face of a clown.

"Ah, ah, aaah! Don't touch that remote! I know it's heart-breaking to have your favourite TV shows preempted, but look at what you're getting instead: ME! ...and a whole truckload of mindless violence and propriety damage! Everything that makes TV great!" the laughing voice of the Joker sounded as he gesticulated animatedly.

But then the Joker's laughing face turned dead-serious in an instant:

"So stay tuned. You will have the once in a lifetime chance to see what is the true nature of humans!"

"Some of you may know, some of you may not, but, tonight, the graduates of Gotham County High School are having their prom. While so many of you are eating cheap burgers for a living, these rich kids are going to spend the night on two 5-stars luxury yachts."

"...but that's beside the point, isn't it? Haha!"

The Joker's face suddenly came very close to the camera and his voice took an eerie tone:

"They say I'm crazy... but I'm not." He licked his lips as he said again: "I'm not crazy. I'm just not hiding my true self."

"All of you and especially the self-righteous Justice League are just wolves wearing sheepskin."

The Joker's voice became a whisper, a whisper that was sending chills down everyone's spine:

"Humans are inherently evil. If it weren't for the laws keeping you chained, you'd all be stealing, killing and raping... Although you don't want to admit it, deep down inside you all hate someone...you envy the wealthy and you lust for what's not yours. It's only fear that makes you behave."

The Joker continued whispering but this time he said with a laugh:

"Humans are evil. You are evil. You are even more evil than I am... you don't believe me?"

He suddenly shouted:

"I'll prove it to you in like..." the Joker checked out the time on his golden wristwatch "...12 minutes!"

"You see, I may have planted two bombs...one in each of the luxury yachts, so it would be fair. And you know what's the best part of the joke?"

"That it isn't me who's going to blow them up!"

"Huehuehue!"

The Joker seemed to have found his own joke overly hilarious because he couldn't stop his hysterical laughter.

"I know you are watching me...yes, I'm talking to you, the ones on the boards of the yachts. See this remote?"

A black remote with a big red button magically appeared in the Joker's gloved hand.

"In 10 minutes I will press this button and BOOM!" he yelled the last word. "You will all be blown to smithereens...unless... unless you make a choice!"

"In each of the two yachts, in the captain's cabin, there is a remote similar to the one from my hand. The only difference is that while my remote will detonate both bombs at the same time, your remotes can only detonate one bomb: the bomb from the other yacht."

"So you have two choices:" the Joker said and then he lifted one finger in the air:

"1. Press the button and the people on the other yacht will die but you'll get to live."

Raising another finger he continued:

"And 2: Don't press the button and die."

"So what is gonna be? Will you kill the other ones in order to survive, or will rather choose to die instead of taking away someone else's life?"

"It's your call!"

"And remember, not only is the clock ticking...but what if one side instantly pressed the button in an act of desperation? You wouldn't even get the chance to make a choice anymore!"

"Hahahah!"

"Huehuehue!"