8

Chapter VIII: Down Time.

Last Time.

Talia sighed before turning to Sensei.

"He's still feeling the effects of the pit... He'll change his mind." Sensei looked to her as the pit bubbled.

"It pleases you to think so Lady. But the mind of the Master is adamant. It does not shift with the wind." Suddenly, they heard a voice coming from the pit.

"TAAAALLIIAA!"

They turned and saw 'Ra's' walked out before transforming into her, and then transformed into a large, humanoid mass of wet clay. He has sharp teeth set irregularly in his jaws, resembling dried clay. His eyes took on a blank white appearance.

"TAAAALLIIAA!" He screamed before Sensei turned to Talia.

"I blame you for this."

Now.

Gotham; Naruto's Penthouse, August 26, 07:00 EDT.

Naruto walked to a closet in the hall and opened it. He flipped a switch on the wall, and the back wall opened up revealing an elevator. He was about to enter until the doorbell rang. Shutting the door to the closet, Naruto walked to the door.

"I'm coming!" He opened the door and saw Talia standing in the hall. "Hello, Talia."

She nodded as Naruto let her in. "Hello, Naruto." She walked to the kitchen and sat down at the table.

"So... What brings you here?" Naruto asked going to the refrigerator. She sighed before explaining.

"Something came up, and I needed to talk."

(Flashback.)

Infinity Island, August 25, 23:20 ECT.

The Clay humanoid reached for a calm Talia and brought her to him. "Hello, Matthew." Talia greeted the now identified Matthew.

"Taaliiiaaa... Whaat Diid Youu Dooo?" Mathew asked before Sensei cut his arm off having Talia fall in clay.

"What is that abomination?" Talia looked to the stairs and saw her father and Ubu. Sensei jumped up and cut Matthews's head off. "And what is it doing in my Lazarus Pit?"

"It's Hagen Master. Or what's left of him," Sensei replied falling to the floor. "Thanks to the pit, and your daughter."

Matthew's head, and arm re-grew as the others stared at him. "Whaaat iiss hhaaappeenniinng ttooo mmee?" He asked pinning Sensei to the wall.

"You are a shadow." Ubu grabbed Ra's by the shoulder.

"Master you are healed but you're not whole..." Ra's interrupted him by looking back.

"But I am Master, Ubu." Ra's looked to Matthew who bent down to eye level. "You are a shadow Hagen and must obey my command."

Matthew's eyes drooped. "Ooobbeeyy mmaasstteerrss…"

Ra's narrowed his eyes at him. "Now sleep." Matthew fell to the ground, as Ra's helped Talia up.

(Flashback End.)

Naruto handed her a glass of coffee as he sat down at the table. "So... Why was he in the pit for so long, that he somehow became a clay-like being?"

Talia sipped her coffee before a tear fell from her eye. "He... Was someone I thought that could replace Bruce as my beloved." Naruto raised an eyebrow at her as she sighed before explaining. "It started in February... We had been dating in secret for a few months since I knew father wouldn't approve."

(Flashback.)

Infinity Island, February 28, 22:07 ECT.

Ra's looked her daughter in the eyes as she just told him she's dating one of the shadows. "Talia... I don't approve of this. He is beneath you."

She sighed before turning around and walked to the balcony. "Perhaps... But it's my wish nonetheless to be with him." Ra's sighed running a hand in his hair. "I know whom you want for my father... But he does not want me, Ra's al Ghul!"

"He does I've seen it."

Talia scoffed at that. "You see with a father's eye."

Ra's sighed before speaking up. "What about your friend Naruto? He would be perfect. From that interview, he gave that Lois Lane woman. He comes from a world full of shadows like us."

Talia looked at him before speaking up. "He's just a friend Father. We'll never see each other in that sense. But Matthew sees Talia. Not Talia al Ghul." She said walking to him.

"Are you ashamed of me?" He asked making her shake her head.

"No. But I want to be seen for me. And not for the accident of my birth."

Ra's sighed before cupping her face. "Then have your shadow... But be careful... Shadows are in nature... Shallow. And whatever depths they have. Is only more darkness."

Infinity Island, February 28, 22:35 ECT.

Talia waited by a waterfall before hearing someone land.

"Well.."

She looked behind her and saw a blonde-haired man on a rock. "He gave us his blessing Matthew. In his own way."

Matthew jumped down and kissed her. "Are you happy Talia?" He asked pulling back from the kiss. She nodded before replying.

"Yes very. Are you?" Matthew sighed before looking down.

"I would... If I wasn't dying..." Talia looked at him in shock.

"What?!"

He looked at her and explained.

"I have cancer... I have six months, a year at most. Unless you save me." He grabbed her hands and continued. "I know about the Lazarus Pit. I know it can cure me." She sighed before looking at him.

"If you know of it. Then you know only my father can use it."

He hugged her and held her head. "But you can convince him, for the man you love." She looked up to him and frowned.

"No, Matthew! I cannot... Not after what happened to my mother... He'd make no exception even if my life were at stake."

He looked at her and smiled. "But you have access. You can sneak me in. After all... You're Talia al Ghul!"

She pulled away from the hug and narrowed her eyes before grabbing his hand. "You're right. I am Talia al Ghul."

Inside she took a robed Matthew to the Pit. "You must completely submerge…"

Matthew nodded before speaking. "And it'll cure my cancer?"

She nodded before pulling the robe off as he stepped to the pit. "Yes. It'll also make you immortal." He stepped into the water and smiled.

"I like the sound of that." As he got to his waist he hissed in pain. "It hurts!"

"The pain is temporary... But the results are eternal... You must fully submerge."

Nodding, Matthew did that, and Talia slammed the top of the coffin down and locked it. As Matthew banged on it screaming, Talia passed Sensei. "May I ask-!"

She interrupted him by raising her hand. "No, you may not Sensei… No one may question Talia al Ghul."

She walked up the stairs as tears came down her face. "No one but Talia herself."

(Flashback End.)

Naruto looked at her before speaking up. "I'm sorry about that Talia. But you know..." She looked at him before he continued. "When I look at you, I do see Talia al Ghul."

She glared at him before standing up. "So you're just like the others." She said walking away until Naruto stopped her by grabbing her arm.

He pulled her around and saw tears going down her face. He wiped them away before speaking. "But I don't see Ra's daughter. I see You and You alone." He smiled at her before pushing her back to the table. "I'll make breakfast."

As he was getting the food ready, Talia smiled at him.

Wayne Foundation August 26 08:15 EDT. (1.)

"What's this about Lucius?" Bruce asked the man in front of him as he and Dick stared at a metal canister.

Lucius is an African-American male with short black hair that grays around the ears. He has dark brown eyes glasses. He's wearing a gray casual businessman suit.

"Not sure Bruce. It arrived early this morning address to you."

Bruce glanced at it again before looking at Lucius. "Has it been scanned?"

Lucius nodded at him. "Post 9/11? Everything is scanned. The only thing in it is mud... Or possibly clay."

Suddenly, Matthew bursts out of the container and attacked the guards that came with Bruce. "Bruce, Dick, we've got to get you two out-!" Lucius said before seeing they weren't there.

He heard something and then saw Batman, and Robin drops down and kicked Matthew.

Matthew pushed them outside before following after. "Whaat? Whhaatt Diiid Shee dooo too mmee?" He asked before hearing a horn.

Turning around, he saw a car coming to him, and he slammed his fist down which transformed into a spiked ball.

Batman and Robin used Tasers on him before Matthew hits them into the wall, and went down the drain. "Hooww diiid thiis happpen?" He asked as Batman picked a sample of the clay up.

Mount Justice, August 26, 21:08 EDT.

The team, minus M'gann, were training as a screen with Batman came up.

"Attention Team."

They looked to see the screen widened to show Batman and Robin, both covered in clay. "Take a zeta-beam to Gotham City, and meet Robin at these coordinates."

The Team looked to each other before Aqualad spoke up. "What is the mission?" Before Batman could speak, Kid Flash spoke up.

"Should we wait for Artemis and M'gann?" They soon heard Naruto speak up from behind them.

"No. They're busy... M'gann's helping J'onn, and I have Artemis doing something else."Naruto walked over to them as Batman continued.

"Yes don't wait. There's a creature in my city." Superboy snorted before crossing his arms.

"We're supposed to clean up your mess?"

Batman narrowed his eyes before finishing up. "No... You're going to track it. Until I return with a solution."

Gotham City; Sewers, August 27, 4:29 EDT.

The Team minus Naruto, M'gann, and Artemis were in their stealth outfits walked into the sewers and Starfire noticed Aqualad had a faraway look in his eyes. "Friend Aqualad?" Aqualad shook his head. "Are you alright?"

Aqualad nodded. "Yes sorry about that." as they turned the corner, they were attacked by Matthew who created multiple hands to grab them.

Everyone attacked with weapons in Spoiler's and Robin's case, Blasts with Starfire, strength from both Wonder Girl and Superboy, and speed with Kid, and Aqualad attacked with his water. Aqualad cuts off the hand holding him, as did everyone else. Matthew re-grew them, punched them away, and left.

"Batman to the Team. Report have you encountered the creature?"

Aqualad puts a hand to his ear and nodded. "Yes, but it was... Less than successful."

Kid got up and dusted some clay off. "If that's Batman... Ask him why Artemis isn't here in the fun sewer?"

Star City; August 27, 07:54 PDT.

Artemis in an orange jumpsuit scowled as two policemen took her to a bench beside another boy with blue skin and white hair. "Sit here, and don't move."

The boy scoffed at them. "Leave her alone." The police officer looked over his shoulder.

"Quiet Jr. or you'll get yours next!" Icicle just snorted before turning to Artemis.

"Don't let them get to you." Artemis looked at him.

"I wasn't."

Icicle looked at her for a moment. "You look familiar…"

Artemis raised an eyebrow before nodding. "Yeah, you do too..." She trailed off before both eyes widened.

"Cameron/Artemis!"

They yelled together until Cameron cleared his throat. "Babe... You've really…"

Artemis interrupted him by raising a hand. "Don't get weird Cam. I'm taken anyways."

"No one calls me Cam anymore, I'm Icicle Jr. now."

Artemis nodded at him. "Yeah, I heard you hit it big on Independence Day."

Icicle sighed before slumping. "You don't know the half of it."

Artemis nodded again before speaking. "Why don't you tell me? Our dads used to be tight back in the day."

Star City; Roof Top, 08:33 PDT.

Artemis stood on a rooftop and told Naruto, and Green Arrow what Icicle Jr. told her. "He did want to tell me. Wanted me to push to be tried for an adult. I told him with my record I would go to Belle Reve. He just smiled at that."

Naruto walked up to her and hugged her from behind. "You did good Artemis." She turned in his arms, wrapped her arms around his neck, and smiled.

"Naruto..." She said sweetly leaning in.

"Yes."

She smiled before kneeing him in the groin. He groaned as he fell onto the roof. "Never have me do that again... Or you'll be sleeping on the couch, and won't be eating ramen for a year." He weakly nodded having her smile. "Good." She turned and walked away with a skip in her step.

"I'm glad you got her instead of me."

Naruto looked to Green Arrow for a second before he continued. "I don't know what she would have done to me."

Gotham City August 27, 05:38 EDT.

The Team changed into new suits with Kid Flash's being his normal yellow.

"No stealth on this one."

As they talked Aqualad sat looking out the window. "At least you have a clean costume," Superboy said before Starfire walked over.

"What should we do with the one made of clay?"

Spoiler looked to Aqualad and crossed her arms. "Aqualad. What do you think? Should we fight it?"

Aqualad blinked before replying. "Sorry... Yes..."

Batcave August 27, 5:40 EDT.

Batman with his cowl down was working on a weakness for Clayface as a slim man, with gray hair and a mustache wearing a three-piece suit, a black jacket, a maroon vest, and a white long-sleeved shirt with a black tie walked over.

"Master Bruce, do you have a plan? Or are you going to have young master Dick do the dirty work?"

Bruce ignored him while mumbling about the contents of Matthew's clay. "He doesn't hear you, Alfred."

Alfred turned to see Naruto walk over. "He's been talking with Atom and Zatara about finding a weakness. As for the Team... They can handle themselves."

Gotham City August 27, 05:59 EDT.

The Team stopped in a warehouse and had split up. Superboy looked around and found a trail of clay. Following it, he saw Wonder Girl standing in a pile of clay, her back to him.

"Wonder Girl?" He asked walking over, and not getting an answer. "Donna?" He puts a hand on her, shoulder, and sank in. 'Donna's' face morphed into Matthew's, and he brought Superboy inside him.

"Guys... I've found the creature."

Wonder Girl heard Superboy's voice in her earpiece before flying off to him.

When she saw him, she saw clay on the floor around him. "Sorry gorgeous. He got away." Wonder Girl blushed at that.

"You think I'm gorgeous?" She asked before being attacked with clay.

"WHO WOULDN'T?"

Wally turned around into Wonder Girl, who hugged him.

"Hello." She said seductively.

"H-Hey Wonder Girl. Should we do this? Naruto wouldn't like-!" He was cut off as 'Donna' pulled him inside 'her'.

Spoiler heard a noise and turned to see Aqualad. "Aqualad... Found Clayface yet?"

Aqualad shook his head. "No, I have not." Spoiler turned around, only to be hit by a spiked ball made of clay.

Robin looked to see two Kid Flash's. "OK, whichever one of you can tell me my middle name is the real Kid Flash." Both Kid Flash's smirked before having their hands turn into Hammers.

"That's easy for us!"

Starfire landed as Spoiler came out of the shadows. "Friend Spoiler... Have you found the one made of clay?"

Spoiler shook her head having Starfire turn around, and be pulled into Clayface. After a second, Clayface's head blew up, as Starfire flew up eyes glowing green. She flew up through a skylight and got the clay out of her hair. "I should find the others..."

She stopped, and her eyes widened. "But the one made of clay may have transformed into one of the others. I should call friend Kage." She flew to the Bio-Ship, not hearing the sounds of fighting.

Inside, Clayface hits Aqualad into a wall before walking over, as the Team was on the floor unconscious. As Clayface walked closer, Naruto and Batman dropped from the skylight and shot arrows, and Baterangs at him.

They exploded having Clayface to swing his arm at them. Jumping back, both Batman, and Naruto aimed a Taser at him, shot him, and forced him to become a puddle.

Mount Justice, August 27, 07:58 EDT.

"We need to talk to Aqualad... The rest of you hit the showers, and go home."

Batman said as the Team left leaving him, Naruto, and Robin by the tunnel. "Alone," Batman said to Robin who left.

"Look I'm sorry you had to intervene. I know the team performed poorly-" Batman interrupted him by raising his hand.

"The Team did fine. The problem is you. Your head wasn't in the game."

"No, you're..." Aqualad tried to deny it but sighed. "You're right... Lately, my thoughts have been in Atlantis." Naruto raised an eyebrow before crossing his arms.

"On that red-headed girl you've stared at on your phone?" Aqualad's eyes widened at that before nodding causing Naruto to speak. "Look. You need to keep your focus on the mission. Or you'll get someone hurt. I'm giving everyone the week off so why don't you go home to visit and clear your head... If you can't be up here then let us know by the end of the week."

Aqualad nodded before turning to the tunnel and walked through it. (2.)

Mount Justice August 27, 09:16 EDT.

A shirtless Naruto was hooking up a PS3, and Xbox 360 to the TV after fixing it. (3.)

Superboy was watching the blue screen before turning to Naruto. "Why do we need both the PlayStation and Xbox? Doesn't the same games come out on both systems?"

Naruto nodded before replying. "Yes, but there are games that just come out for only PlayStation, and only for Xbox. And the PlayStation plays Blu-ray."

"Hey, Naruto."

Naruto looked to see M'gann going through a cookbook. "Can you help me please?"

He nodded before walking over as she levitates the book in front of her as she walked to the fridge. "Let's see..." A bag of brown sugar went to Naruto. "We'll need brown sugar. A little butter. Some salt. Cooking oil." Naruto tried to keep everything from falling as she continued as too many items were starting to aim towards him.

"Vinegar. Eggs. Tomatoes. Milk-!" She stopped hearing something break.

Turning around, she saw Naruto with everything spilled on him, and a bowl on his head. "I'm so sorry." She said rushing over with a towel. "It's OK M'gann," Naruto said as she wiped everything off.

"Too much at once, hello, Megan!" She stopped as Naruto puts a hand on hers, and stared into her eyes.

Red tornado walked inside and saw M'gann cutting an onion as Naruto was cleaning himself at the sink. He walked off as a light came from the tunnel.

"Recognized: Black Canary, 13." A depressed Canary walked in and sat down on the couch.

"What's wrong Dinah? Have another fight with Oliver?" Naruto asked walking to her.

"No... We just broke up." (4.)

Naruto blinked at that. "What?"

She sighed before explaining. "It was mutual really. You see our secret identities don't date, and he's like Bruce. A billionaire playboy. It was just too much to handle. So we broke up."

Naruto knelt to her. "I'm sorry to hear that."

She nodded before he spoke up again. "OK. Well, I'm planning on taking the Team to the carnival tomorrow. Want to come? It'll help take your mind off the breakup."

Looking up, she nodded.

Gotham City August 27, 20:04 EDT.

Dick was practicing his gymnastics by swinging on rings before dropping down.

"Master Dick."

Dick looked to see Alfred walking in. "Master Bruce wants to see you outside."

Walking out, Dick saw Bruce in a jersey, and shorts on a basketball court. "Hey, Dick... Someone came to see you." He moved out-of-the-way revealing Starfire.

"Starfire? What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to check on your friend Robin... I noticed you seemed down after friend Aqualad left."

Bruce handed Dick a basketball and smirked. "Practice… Hand-eye coordination... Think you can handle it?" Robin couldn't help but smile before going at it against his adoptive father with Kori cheering for him on the sidelines.

Naruto's Penthouse, August 27, 22:06 EDT.

Artemis and Stephanie were watching TV before Naruto dropped a letter on Stephanie's lap. "What's this?" She asked opening it, and reading she got a scholarship to Gotham Academy. "But I didn't apply."

Naruto shrugged before replying. "Well... I've sent in some of your tests, and Mr. Wayne was impressed he wanted to add you. You should probably go. Artemis started there last year." Naruto finished before walking away.

Naruto's Penthouse August 28, 7:00 EDT.

Artemis groggy walked out of her room before hearing her mother scream. Her sleep now gone, she dashed to the room her mother was in. "Mom what is..." She trailed off seeing Paula in the middle of the room... Standing. "Mom... How?" She asked walking over to her.

"You can thank me for that."

They turned to see Naruto holding his right hand up.

"I did it last night when I picked you up to put you in bed." He was suddenly engulfed in a hug.

"Thank you."

Naruto patted Paula on the back. "You'll still need to be in the wheelchair for when company comes or when we go out. Don't want to raise suspicions of you being miraculously fixed out of nowhere"

Gotham Park; August 28, 19:00 EDT.

Naruto, The team in their street clothes with M'gann as a Caucasian girl, and Starfire in her disguise ran to the carnival as Naruto in a Henge (Transformation) to look in his twenties stood with Diana who's in jeans, and black shirt, and Paula who's in her wheelchair watched.

"Sorry, I'm late."

They turned to see Dinah running to them wearing jeans with a black jacket over a white shirt.

"Traffic is terrible, and there's no parking here because of the carnival."

Naruto nodded before they walked to play the games. Naruto glanced to see everyone playing games with Dick winning a stuffed silkworm for Starfire who hugged it.

(A/N: Picture Silkie from Teen Titans show.)

He turned to see Dinah looking around. "Wanna play any games?" She looked at him, and nodded "How about that one?"

They turned to see a game where you shot water guns into a clown's mouth making a balloon appear, and pop. "OK... Be prepared to lose." Naruto chuckled as he, Diana, and Dinah played the game with Naruto throwing it having the woman tie.

Mount Justice; September 03, 21:10 EDT.

"Recognized: Aqualad, B03."

Aqualad walked out of the tunnel where Batman and Naruto were at a holographic screen. Naruto glanced at him and raised an eyebrow. "Well...?"

Aqualad looked at him and nodded. "I'm here... 100%."

They nodded as the Team came up from the hall. "The Watchtower detected an immense power surge in the Bialyian desert."

Atlantic Ocean September 04, 00:16 UTC-2.

A man in a black armored suit with a manta-shaped head with two large red eyes stood in front of holo-screens with the hidden figures of the Light.

There are small tubes that connect from the back of the head to his shoulders. The hands of his suit are webbed with fins on each of his legs.

This is Black Manta, an enemy of Aquaman.

"I was unable to secure the objective. So I was forced to go with plan 'B'." He reported as the one in front of him spoke.

"You did well... Everything's falling into place." One of the men said with a chuckle before the screens went blank.

To Be Continued.