25

Chapter XXV: Second Chances.

Last Time.

"BY THE GODS!"

Naruto walked forward, placed his hands on her hips, and pushed her gently into the shower. "I hope you're ready for a test of endurance, Princess," he whispered. Diana could only moan into a kiss, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Mount Justice; November 7, 09:16 EST.

Naruto, in his street clothes, dropped a box in Zatanna's room as M'gann talked to her about lending an ear if she needs it. "Thanks... Could I have a moment?" Zatanna asked as everyone, but Naruto, looked at her for a moment before they left.

Naruto turned before Zatanna grabbed his wrist. "Can you wait? I... I don't want to be alone." Naruto nodded before they sat on her bed, and hugged her as she cried.

Unknown Location.

The Brain looked at the television monitors with the Light members on each as Klarion on one smiled. "Happy?" He asked before the Brain spoke up. "

Oui monsieur... Your distraction was effective. They never notice that our agents were at S.T.A.R. Labs, and we got the... Specimen." He finished as The Riddler, Cluemaster, and Sportsmaster walked into the room.

Riddler came upon the central table in the room before setting down an advanced suitcase. Once opened, it revealed a severed tentacle from the creature that was once being studied at the Atlantis Science Institute. "And in time... We'll bring it into the Light."

Now.

Gotham; Naruto's Penthouse, November 11, 9:00 EST.

Artemis and Jade, wearing their pajamas, walked into the kitchen and saw Diana wearing a red robe and a very content, dazed smile on her face sitting at the table. "Well, she's certainly got the look."

Jade said with a smirk as Artemis then looks at her and asks, "What look?" Jade looks at her with a smirk and answers.

"The look of complete and absolute satisfaction. I walked past Naruto's room, and saw the wall behind the bed was cracked."

M'gann wearing a red coat, wool cap, and black boots walked in and heard Jade. "What are you two talking about, and why does Diana look so... Content?" They then walked over and sat by her.

"Hey, Diana?" Artemis asked but didn't get a response. "Hello? Earth to Wonder Woman?" She asks again, waving a hand in front of her. Artemis then snaps her fingers, making Diana blink.

"H-huh? Wha?" she then looks to see Artemis, Jade, and M'gann sitting at the table with her. "What are you all doing up this early?"

Artemis raised an eyebrow at her. "It's... 09:00, Diana."

Diana blinked as she looked at the clock on the wall. "Oh, I'm sorry girls, I must've spaced out for a minute," Diana said as Jade then gave her a sly smile.

"Spaced out, nothing. You were riding Cloud Nine for almost five minutes." Diana blushed realizing that they must've figured out the reason for her daydreaming.

Naruto enters the room, wearing a pair of black jeans, and a long-sleeved shirt. "Morning girls." He greeted kissing their cheeks. "Don't take too long, we're decorating the Cave for the party. Donna! Get out here, and stop making out with Conner!"

Both Donna and Conner exit her room with her asking, "Damn. How does he do that?"

After they all left, Jade leans into Diana asking, "So, just between us ladies, Naruto is..." She trailed as she raised her hands and separated them about 8 inches apart.

Diana smirked and using her index finger, pulled one of Jade's hands further apart. One, two, three... Four inches further. Jade and Artemis' jaws dropped and their eyes widened. M'gann, however, just looked questioningly at the others. "Uhh, not to sound clueless, but what exactly are you all talking about?" she asked.

Artemis looks at her and asks, "M'gann, how much do you know about the human anatomy?" M'gann gained a thoughtful look.

"I know enough; your digestive tracks, your nervous and circulatory systems, your... Reproductive organs." She said blushing at that before continuing. "But what does that have to do with-" she was cut off as Artemis leaned over and began whispering in her ear.

M'gann's eyes soon widened, just as a deep blush grew on her cheeks. When Artemis finished, M'gann had her hand cover her mouth in shock. She then looked at the other ladies. "You mean he's-" They nodded at her as she then looked to Diana, "And he can...?" M'gann trailed off to which Diana answered dreamily,

"Ooohh, yes. For quite some time, I might add." After processing all that, M'gann could only bring her hands to her chest and sigh, "Oh... My."

Mount Justice, November 11, 15:00 EST.

Naruto, now in his street clothes with a black sweatshirt, watched M'gann stand on a ladder putting the last streamer by a sign reading, 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY', and smiled as he watched her ass before being smacked upside the head by Artemis who brought a tray of drinks in. "No perving on M'gann, Naruto. You have a job to do." Naruto pouted at her.

"Oh come on Artemis. She's in her forties, technically. She's old enough."

M'gann blushed as she heard them talk before floating off the ladder. "No buts, get to decorating now!"

Donna, who was fixing the snacks, noticed a red paw come out from under the table and smacked it. "OW! What's your problem woman?!" Kurama asked poking his head out of the tablecloth.

"No early snacking, Kurama. They're for the party. Besides you need to lose some weight." Kurama's eyebrow twitched at that.

"Who are you calling Fat?! If anyone needs to lose some weight it's-!" He stopped as Naruto leaped over, and closed his mouth shut as Donna glared, her hair rising, and starting to split.

"Donna, I've got this, baby girl. So you go, and help out M'gann." Donna huffed and walked away as Kurama tried to pick up a cupcake from the table. "No, bad Kurama," Naruto said hitting Kurama on his nose.

"What the hell? I'm not some mutt, Kit! And you need to get a better handle on your spawn's attitude." Naruto sighed before speaking.

"I just saved your sorry ass, so wait until the party." He replied as they went back to fixing the cave up.

Later, the cave was empty as the Zeta-Tube lit up. "Recognized: Kid Flash, B03."

The computer announced as Wally wearing snow clothes with a red sweatshirt underneath, without his cast walked in. "Zeta-Tube Network now offline due to extreme weather conditions."

Wally sighed before speaking. "Whoa, just in time." He looked at the empty Cave before the lights near the kitchen went on showing the Team with the Flash at a table with two cakes, cupcakes, and presents.

"Happy Birthday, Wally!"

They yelled having Wally fake being surprised. "Whoa... I am so surprised." Robin snorted as Starfire flew over in purple pants and a sweater.

"Oh, happy day of the birth, friend Wally!" She soon gave Wally a bone-crushing hug before he took off his coat, and sped to the table with two cakes with sixteen candles on each.

M'gann walked to him and smiled. "We made two cakes." Wally smiled before looking at the Team.

"Awesome, what'll you eat?"

M'gann smiled at him. "We'll split a cupcake, make a wish." Wally smiled before blowing the candles on both cakes out.

Naruto looked at Zatanna in her purple coat, and wool cap, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You alright?"

"Yes," Zatanna answered as Naruto missed M'gann kissing a disappointed Wally on his forehead.

"Hey, come on now... I know it's been hard for you, Zatanna. But I promise you'll get to see your father again." He finished as M'gann walked over, and missed the small blush on Zatanna's cheeks.

M'gann fed him a cupcake as Stephanie walked to Wally. Having icing covering his mouth, Naruto's jaw dropped as M'gann used her finger to slowly clean his mouth of icing, and just as slowly licked it off her finger before hearing Wally.

"Aw, man!"

Suddenly, Batman's voice came over the intercom. "Team, suit up, polar stealth mission briefing in five."

Later, Naruto in a white coat with a light grey Kevlar vest, pants, and boots watched the Team walk up in their stealth suits with some wearing goggles.

He saw Zatanna wearing a white coat with a hood that's up, her stockings, and white boots. Mary's red was now light grey with a white lightning bolt. Starfire, in grey and using her sister's idea, wore metal around her exposed skin while Spoiler was in an all-white suit.

Batman came up on the large holo-screen from the Batjet.

"A large ice storm has crippled North America from coast-to-coast. Satellite imagery has identified five flying Ice Fortresses, source unknown, to be the cause, and must be stopped."

Kid Flash raised an eyebrow at that. "Can't the Watchtower blow them out of the sky?" Zatanna looked confused as Batman sighed.

"The League's secret HQ. is not weaponized."

Naruto continued after Batman. "Yeah, the World's Governments would just say we're going to be dictators, or one would say we'd be favoring an enemy Country, and would attack their behalf." Naruto crossed his arms and continued. "With both G.L's off World, we'll be needing all hands on deck."

Robin's eyes widened at that. "Does that mean...?"

Naruto smiled as he nodded. "Yep. Superboy, use the Super Cycle to meet with Batman at Fortress One and drop off Aqualad, Starfire, and Robin. Then you, Wonder Girl, and Spoiler will meet with Wonder Woman, Black Canary, and Red Tornado at Ice Fortress Two." He looked to the others and continued.

"Miss Martian, Artemis, Miss Marvel, and Zatanna will be with me, Green Arrow, and Martian Manhunter at Ice Fortress Three. Other Leaguers will deal with Ice Fortress Four and Five." Kid Flash blinked before walking up.

"Uhh, Kage? What about me?" Naruto smiled before looking at him. "There's a girl in Seattle in desperate need of a heart transplant, and with the roads down because of the storm... You'll need to take it to her."

Naruto frowned at Kid's depressed look. "Who is she?" Naruto crossed his arms at that.

"Does it matter?"

Kid shook his head before speaking. "Wouldn't it be faster to use the Zeta Tu-" He stopped as Robin spoke up.

"Down because of the storm." Kid's shoulder slumped as he returned to his normal colors.

"Kid, here."

Kid caught a bag of what looked like milk balls. Looking at Naruto, he raised an eyebrow. "Food pills from my World, use them instead of those calorie pills you keep. They'll last longer and your welcome." Soon all but Naruto's team left as Artemis turned to him. "We're waiting on a Javelin, I don't think all of us can fit on the Super Cycle."

"Riiight. And it has nothing to do with you wanting three hot girls all to yourself, and want to be alone with as long as possible?" Naruto looked shocked at that.

"Artemis! I would never-" She raised an eyebrow as she put her hands on her hip. "Okay, you caught me, I was hoping for a quick make-out session with you and M'gann."

"And Zatanna?" Naruto shrugged at that.

"I promised her dad I would look out for her, and I'm going to keep that promise."

Belle Reve; November 11, 16:05 CST.

A clone Naruto in his stealth suit, moved the cobwebs out of his face as he crawled through the vents. "And I thought the vents we crawled through in Arkham last year were dirty." He muttered before stopping as he saw Crystal, using a very large control panel with cameras showing the real Naruto fighting one of the Fortresses.

She suddenly stretched back and raised her hands over her head giving Naruto a clear view of her cleavage. "No time to enjoy the view. Keep moving." He said to himself with a sigh as he continued to crawl further to reach the men's side and saw Icicle Sr. and Jr., Mr. Freeze, and Captain Cold all using control panels controlling a fortress, he took pictures of them and started to crawl back.

Ice Fortress Three; November 11, 17:15 MST.

(A/N: The Kid Flash getting to Seattle is canon, and will be skipped.)

The Bio-Ship shot at the very large flying Fortress as Miss Martian clogged the ice, and snow coming out of vents. Naruto, Artemis, and Green Arrow shot explosive arrows at the guns defending the Fortress as Zatanna used a spell on them. "Erif nrub, nordlauc elbbub! (Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble!)"

BOOM!

The entire fortress exploded as Miss Martian brought the Bio-Ship over to catch them before it fell. Naruto looked to Zatanna with an eyebrow arched. "'Fire burn and cauldron bubble'?" He asks as she looked at him with a slightly irked look.

"What? It's a timeless classic. And it worked didn't it?" she says to him.

Naruto starts to grin, "Well, at least you didn't say, 'Double, double, toil and trouble'. Then it would've sounded silly." he says jokingly, causing Zatanna to crack a smile.

Seattle Hospital; November 12, 6:39 PST.

Naruto, in his costume, stood with two guards beside a girl's hospital bed behind a curtain. The girl is a small girl with delicate features. She has green eyes and chin-length blonde hair that is swept back behind her ears. She has dark, arched eyebrows.

He listens as Count Vertigo bragged on the other side about planning to kill his niece, Perdita, and become King.

"It's called... Regicide."

Naruto held a digital tape recorder up as the curtains were pulled back showing Kid Flash with a few bandages beside them. "Whoops," Naruto said with a shrug before Vertigo pulled his sword out, and attacked.

Crack!

Only for Naruto to punch him, breaking his nose as Perdita removed his Diplomatic Immunity.

"Kage?"

Naruto looked back to Kid Flash who spoke up. "Why didn't you tell me who she was?"

Naruto sighed as he looked at Perdita. "Because I didn't want to put any more pressure on you, and to show you that even the smallest mission can make the biggest difference."

Kid picked up the cane sword and handed it to Perdita. "No, even though that's a family heirloom... I would like you to keep it. As a... Souvenir?" Kid looked down at the sword before dropping it by her feet.

"I've got a better one."

Belle Reve; November 13, 12:03 CST.

Naruto, Batman, and Flash stood in front of Hugo Strange as they explain that the most likely suspects to use the Fortresses are the five Ice Villains in the Prison. Hugo shook his head before bringing up a screen showing the villains were in their cells at the time. "So they couldn't have been the ones that did it."

They walked out and saw the inmates eating lunch as they walked down to the floor.

"Oh, Kage."

Naruto looked back to see Crystal walking to him with a big grin. "Hello Crystal, what can I do for you?"

She smiled at him with a knowing grin before leaning up to his ear. "Jade came by earlier and told me you're hiding something... Big from us."

Naruto blinked in confusion before she continued pulling back. "And I've shared that secret with the women here..." She trailed off as Naruto looked to see several women blush, and either looks away or looked lower before Crystal skipped away from him.

"What was that about?" Flash asked making Naruto shrug.

"Hell if I know."

Mount Justice; November 13, 19:00 EST.

Naruto, in his street clothes, walked to the souvenir room where Wally was putting a cooler backpack on the self. "The sword was cool... But this seemed like the best one to keep." Naruto smiled as he walked up.

"Yeah, I thought the same thing too when I saved a Country." Wally looked at him as Stephanie walked in.

"Yeah, there was this Princess who had to flee her country when she was young and became an Actress. She became real... Jaded when she grew up, and as I was tasked to 'protect' her during a movie shoot, ended up rekindling her faith in her Country, and saved it. The film people still filmed even though we were attacked, and I was in it."

Naruto picked up a DVD with 'Princess Gale' on it with a picture of him, and a black-haired woman kissing his cheek.

Belle Reve Courtroom, Parish, Louisiana; November 17, 9:00 CST.

Naruto, in his costume with Artemis and M'gann, sat in the empty courtroom as Batman and Wonder Woman walked in with several security guards bringing Crystal in handcuffs and ankle cuffs. The Judge, a balding man, walked up and sat down.

"The parole hearing of one, Crystal Frost, will now begin." Naruto cleared his throat and stood up.

"Your Honor... Crystal has been helping us for a few months with taking down various plans dealing with a group of Villains, and we would like to request her to at least be placed under house arrest." The Judge looked over the file for a moment, before placing it down.

"Crystal Frost, it is the decision of this court, based on good behavior, as well as your aid in quelling the attempted jailbreak in Belle Reve, that you now qualify for parole. Adding that to the letter of recommendation given by League member, Kage, who will also be working as your handler during your trial month. While the terms of said parole do not deny you the use of your powers, so long as you are monitored by a member of the Justice League."

He looked to see Batman nod before continuing. "They do, however, keep you within the confines of the state that you will be placed in. So don't plan on making a run for it across any borders. If you attempt any criminal activities during this period, you'll then be immediately apprehended and brought back to Belle Reve with no chance of parole, at all. Is that clear?" She nodded before the Judge finished.

"Then this court is dismissed." He banged his gavel as the League walked to Crystal, and took her cuffs off.

To Be Continued.