Chapter 4: Why we hate Obito: Home Coming

Why we hate Obito: Home Coming and Home Front.

Bruce Wayne looked at the report of his destroy building. It was a miracle that no one died or was hurt for that matter. It would cost a lot to rebuild and keep the workers on paid leave, but it didn't matter to him, not even a dent in his pocket.

Sometime later he was at Mount Justice, Robin had told him that Pain took responsibly for the destruction of one of his branches. He needed answers, so he was going to get them from the one person who could provide them, Artemis. However, answers would have to wait. It seemed Gorilla Grodd was up to his old monkey business.

With Pain he was in front of his monitor as always, monitoring anything and everything going on in the world. It didn't faze him nor surprise him when a pair of arms wrapped around him. "When will you end this little game of yours and join me in my bed Naruto?" Asked a woman's voice.

"When you stop trying to take over the world." Pain answered without hesitation.

The woman smirked. "Where's the fun in that?" She asked playfully. "Are you not going to take over the world?" She asked.

"No… I intend to lead it to peace. If I must I will directly rule for a while." Pain's monitor came to life, showing him Gorilla Grodd and his Gorillas working on some machine that was on the top of a STAR labs building. "I must go now… leave the way you came in." He told her coldly.

The woman pouted behind him. "You must learn to lighten up a bit. I'll be in my bed waiting for you to enjoy life with a real woman." The woman left the way she came in, via a portal she made.

Pain shrugged. "Women." He said out loud. Then in a vortex he was gone, going to Coast City where Grodd was.

Pain made it to Coast City with little effort; he was on top a building next to the Star Labs building. He saw about 8 gorillas and Grodd all working on a machine, most likely a devolver that Grodd likes to work on to devolve humanity. Pain almost smiled, for hating humans much Grodd sure acts like them. Pain then, in a flash, was on the building the gorillas were on right dead center of them.

"A penny for the stranger…" He said.

That got all of the gorilla's attention as they stopped what they we're doing and looked at the hooded masked man. "You! You're not Flash!" The lead gorilla, that Pain ID'ed as Grodd, yelled him.

"Thank the Sage for that…" Pain just commented.

"Destroy him!" Grodd yelled.

All of his gorillas charged at Pain, Pain just stood there and in an instant, all of the gorillas stopped. Pain was crouched with his hand extended and a tri-kunai all bloody. Then the next second all of Grodd's soldiers were on the ground, dead.

"You insolent human! How dare you kill my soldiers!?" Grodd was pissed.

Pain just tilted his head. "For hating human's so much you sure act like them far more then you think. You believe all life that is not Gorilla is inferior to your own. You believe that your race is superior to any other, so that taking a life of something that is not a Gorilla means nothing to you. You are no better than the human race which you hate so much."

All of Pain's words, true as they are, pissed off Grodd more and more, more so then him even being there. "I will destroy you with my own two hands."

"Yes another thing you over look in your egotistical rant… while I was talking with you, I've destroyed your machine." Pain stated calmly.

"WHAT!?" Grodd looked back only to see his devolve was nothing more than scrap metal. "WHY YOU!" Grodd stopped, and looked down to see a black rod sticking out of his chest. "Again… your ego and pride cost you your life Grodd… you took your eyes off a ninja that is the same as signing your death warrant." Pain then grabbed the rod and energized it with lighting chakra.

"AHHHHHH!" Grodd, in a pained scream, used his strength to grabbed Pain's neck. "I'LL SNAP YOUR NECK HUMAN!" Grodd yelled at him.

"A small problem with that Grodd…" Pain said from behind him and a safe distance away. "That's just a clone of me… rigged to blow…" Grodd's eyes widened. "Shadow Clone Smash!"

BOOM

The smoke clear, with a little help from a news chopper, and there was Grodd, one arm less thanks to Pain. It took a full moment before he realized the pain of having his arm blown off.

"AHHHHH!" Grodd's scream could be felt from miles away.

Pain was not done. He created some chakra chains and wrapped it around Grodd's neck. "I'm a ninja, not a hero Grodd, I will attack you with your back turned if I can, and I hope in your next life you learn that lesson well." Pain lifted Grodd off the ground and then dropped over the side of the building, then yanked it hard snapping Grodd's neck, and the news chopper caught it all on tape. Pain stepped near the edge where Grodd's body was hanging from. Pain allowed his chakra chains to lose their power and allowed Grodd's body to fall 20 stories down and go splat.

"PAIN!" Pain heard the, unmistakable, angry voice of Superman. "There was no need to do that! He was a criminal but you had no right to kill him!" Superman yelled at the young man.

Pain lifted up one finger. "One… is the magic number Superman…" Was all he responded with, it was then that Pain noticed a large number of other heroes, the most notable was the first 7 JLA members. Pain wondered… if so many were here about to fight him, what of their own cities? "We are bringing you to justice Pain!" Superman yelled.

"Can you?" He asked. "Can you bring me to 'your' justice? You could no more bring me to your justice than anyone else for the matter. Even if you defeat me I'll live to fight another day. Where I'm from 9 times out of 10 defeat means death. So take a guess what happens when I beat you…"Pain told him with no nonsense in his voice.

"We will bring you to justice Pain, you're more dangerous than every other villain in the world."

"I. Am. No… VILLAIN!" Pain's power spiked. "But if you wish to view me as such I can play the part!" Pain did the only thing a person like him could do and still be considered normal… he walk off the edge of the building. He fell the full 20 stories down, but missed the Grodd splatter on the ground. When he landed he didn't shatter anything, any glass, and concrete nothing. "Very well…" He said. "Our battlefield will be in the park… less collateral damage there…" In a flash he was at the center of the park, he waited a full second before he saw any of the JLA members, them being Flash and Superman, he figured that the rest would come soon enough.

(Play Naruto Shippuden AMV - The Power of a God)

Sure enough, soon enough came. In front of him was Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman the rest of the first 7 and at least 15 other heroes. Pain smiled, they wouldn't pull any punches here. But despite their brave front they we're putting up, he saw something is that lives on in all beings, fear. It was obvious that some of the other heroes remember the little visit that 'Madara' gave them last year, and if by the fear that these heroes are giving off, Batman must has told them of him and 'Madara' being the same person. He expected Batman of all people to figure that out first.

Pain started to walk slowly, at first. Pain saw some heroes get into their stances. Some started to pry to whatever god they believe in as he got closer. Some even bringing up all of their anger to fight him, a monster of a man. It was then that Pain decided to run to them, as he is not the type to sit and wait.

"Manhunter! Focus on him, don't lose him! Superman, Aquaman, Black Canary Flash, Wonder Woman engage in close combat! Everyone else support and long range!" Batman yelled his orders.

"That won't save you!" Pain yelled being right in front of the small group of heroes.

Superman was in front of the hero line, ready to punch Pain's lights out. Superman's fist was a mere inch away from Pain's face. Pain could only smile. "Perfect…" Superman's fist and his whole body simply fazed through Pain.

Pain, once fully passed Superman, moved to punch Wonder Woman. However she used her own strength and skill to block the attack. She was, however, struggling to hold Pain at bay with both her hands against just his one. 'What power…' She thought right before Pain unleashed a fury of punches and kicks to her body and head sending her back.

Aquaman came next using his trident at his weapon of choice to attack Pain. Pain just casually moved out of the way of each one of Aquaman's strikes. Aquaman even decided to use his water manipulation into his attacks, when he brought down his trident with a torrent of water bearing down on Pain, however he just allowed the water to pass right through him. Then Pain kicked Aquaman in the gut sending him flying into the trees.

Flash tried his luck, using his speed he tried to punch Pain one hundred times. However he was not counting on Pain being able to keep up with him. "What!? You can keep up with the Speed Force!?" He asked out loud.

"The question is, not whether I can keep up with you, but can you keep with me?" Pain unleashed his own flurry of punches. The last few managed to hit home and Pain sent him through many trees. Pain just smiled, as 3 arrows went right through his head. Pain took a look at Green Arrow.

"Damn that power of his!" Green Arrow yelled as he fired 3 more arrows. Pain let them faze through him and then fried his own black rods at Green Arrow. Green Arrow jumped out of their path before he could be littered with holes. Batman threw a few of his batarangs at Pain they just went through him like everything else. However when a green hammer came down on Pain he jumped out of the way. Batman saw this.

'Why did he just and not let it faze through him like the rest? It is because he had to jump because of how big the hammer construct was? Or because he couldn't use his ability?' He had to know.

Pain had just defeated a few more of the no name heroes that had accompanied the group. "AHHHH!" Pain looked to his left to see a mace.

"Perfect…" The mace fazed through his head, but his hand grabbed Hawkgirl's head, then slammed her into the ground. "It's over."

"HAWKGIRL!" Hawkman tried to hit him with his mace but again it faze right through his head. Pain let go of Hawkgirl and did a spin kick to Hawkman's head sending him crashing into a few trees before he crashed into a bridge in the park. With Pain's attention on Hawkman's form, being sent into a small bridge, she managed to get out from under him.

Pain didn't take any mind to Hawkgirl's retreat. He turned to his new opponent a beautiful blonde haired woman, she was a screamer for sure. A sonic scream was sent Pain's way. "Wind Style: Barrier Wall!" The air around Pain was charged with his chakra, making a wall of wind and it blocked the scream that Black Canary sent his way. Pain smiled at her attempt and used his speed to appear in front of her. She managed to block his first attack. "Impressive…" He said to her. She blocked two more attacks before he managed to hit her in her stomach. "Most impressive…." He said out loud to her. Impressed that she managed to do much with her normal speed and strength.

Superman was back, it was evident when he had to use his Kamui ability to avoid Superman's super widow maker. "Your attacks are straight forward and predicable… you'll never hit me like that." He told the Man of Steel. Superman just fired his heat vision at Pain. Pain moved out of the way, again this was noticed by Batman. Both Superman and Pain engaged in CQC. However Pain is far more skilled than Superman ever will be and knocked back with a powerful punch to the chest. Superman was shocked that he felt it. "You feel that Superman?" Pain asked somewhat cryptically. "Its your mortally. You've never felt pain unless magic or your weakness of Kryptonite was being used. But unlike everyone else you've faced… I need not such things to harm you… let alone kill you…" Pain said to him.

Superman wiped his mouth of blood. He used his speed and tried to punch Pain, but he just fazed through him like everything else has. Pain caught him in his charka chains, he did a spin and entangled Superman in the chains. "Chains? You're funny." Superman tried to break the chains with his might.

"Good luck with that. Not even the strongest being in the world could break them, and you are nowhere near as strong as him." Pain said. Then sent lighting and fire chakra into the chains to give Superman a little jump. The reaction he got was what he wanted. Superman screaming in pain, but not just the act itself, but it being videotaped by the news choppers over head and being seen all around the world. "You may be super… however you are but just a man." Just then a sword fazed through Pain from top to bottom. It seemed Wonder Woman just tried to end him, or make him move. However he had to grab her hand when she tried to punch him. Then he grabbed her other hand when she raised it up. "Your strong Warrior princess… but you are not strong enough."

"Don't under estimate the power of an Amazon!" She yelled and broke free from his grip and grabbed his neck. Everyone, Batman and Wonder Woman mostly, was shocked. Someone had managed to get a hand on Pain. Wonder Woman got over her shocked almost instantly, and gave him one hell of a punch to his face. His charka chains faded and he crashed into a large rock, shattering it to dust.

"Alright Wonder Woman!" Flash said appearing at her side, many of the other heroes that weren't injured follow suit. While everyone was waiting for the dust to clear Batman was analyzing what he had witnessed. Why could he use his intangibility skill with most things but not some other things? Why did he dodge some attacks and allow other to faze through him? Then there was the greatest question of them all, why was Wonder Woman able to touch him and hit him when the rest of the team had yet to even touch him? He would review the tape and everything later at the bat-cave.

"You're right… I did under estimate you Amazon Princess… no… Amazon Warrior Princess. You are truly worthy of such a title… being able to land a blow on me is no small feat." Pain emerged from the dust cloud, no worse for were. "But such a blow could never be enough to harm one such as me." Pain smiled from behind his mask.

"I have an idea, Superman, Wonder Woman." Batman called to the 2 other leaders of the Justice League.

"What is it Batman?" Superman asked.

"I've think that I've figured out his power to allow things to phase through him." He told them. "I need more information before I can be certain." He said.

"Then I think that we can give you some info you need." Green Arrow said as he and Black Carney stood up along with Hal Jordon, Hawkman and Hawkgirl and lastly Huntress.

"You think that you can do it?" Batman asked. Never taking his eyes off Pain who, for some reason, hadn't moved.

"Of course we can." Black Canary said, wanting a rematch with Pain.

"Do what you can. If I'm right I can come up with a plan to defeat him." Batman said

The small group that decided to engage Pain walked/flew forward. Only the first 7 and the for-mentioned group were all that were left. The rest taking their wounded back to the Watch Tower.

"I'm first!" Huntress fried her mini-cross bows at Pain, explosive bolts to be exact. All Pain did was allow them to pass right through him. Almost instantly both Hawkman and Hawkgirl swung their mace at Pain's head. Pain just bent backward to avoid the attacks. He then saw a large green hammer coming down on him. Using his speed Pain moved out of the way, Green Arrow was right in front of him, an arrow pointed right at his head. Green Arrow released the arrow, and it passed right through him.

"Damn your powers!" Green Arrow yelled trying to hit Pain with his bow, but Pain back handed the bow shattering it. Green Arrow jumped to the side when 2 arrow heads came from behind Green Arrow going straight for Pain. Pain allowed them to pass right through him. He again jumped back when Green Lantern attacked him with a fist construct.

'Damn… I'm using too much chakra on these so called heroes.' He thought to himself. He looked up to see Black Canary coming down on him, he had to jump out of the way again. 'Even though I haven't used so much as 10% of my over all chakra, I've already used too much toying with these cretins. I should have just ended it… but I will not murder them. Such a pity my own honor code prevents me from doing that right now.' When he did another hop back, both Hawkman and Hawkgirl had swung their maces once more. 'Don't they ever learn?' He asked himself. He got his answer when he felt a presence behind him. "Perfect." He used Kamui to avoid the kick. A purple boot went through him and soon after that Huntress passed through him from her own momentum. However the twin maces he couldn't use Kamui. He used his black rods to stop them. He noticed their smile, both of them. A green beam of light was fired at him, using Kamui at the last second he avoided the attack. He was soon raised up by Superman smashing the ground, both Hawkgirl and Hawkman moved away during this time, Pain saw a shadow above him. With the speed of Wonder Woman, the shadow above him, and the raising earth underneath him he couldn't jump out of the way or use Kamui.

'Got him. We timed this just right, he can't dodge or use that intangible ability of his.' Batman thought out loud.

BOOOM

Smoke was kicked up as Wonder Woman smashed into her foe. She smiled. 'He was a worthy opponent indeed.' She thought. Her smile ended when she saw what she had punched. It wasn't the orange mask like she thought she would have hit, but a red-orange metal like bone. She was then punched back to the Justice League by a massive red-orange fire hand.

"Wonder Woman!" Batman and Superman yelled as he saw her crash into a rock.

"I'm alright, but this fight is not over." She told them as she got up. The dust cleared a bit, only to reveal a fox like metal bone structure, the upper half, covered in a red-orange fire like skin. It had 2 claws like hands to boot with a pair of long horns around 20 feet long on the head with a pair of tusks coming out of the corner of its mouth. Its red eyes and unnerving fanged smile put all of the remaining JLA members on edge. "What in Hera's name is that?" Wonder Woman asked.

Pain was, however, impressed but not amused anymore. "I'm surprised you've brought this out of me." Susonoo grew two more claw-like arms and now each had grew even longer claws. "Playtime is over." he said ominously.

"What the hell!? We barely managed to land a blow on him, and now he comes up with this thing!?" Flash yelled. Annoyed by this person that, he dare not say aloud, was faster than him.

"I'm afraid I did not hit him Flash. He manifested this new power before I managed to land a blow on him." Wonder Woman told him.

"Damnit! Now we still haven't hit him and now he has a new power that he brought out!" Flash whined.

Pain smiled, in the seal he could hear Kyuubi roar with laughter saying something like, 'Take that you Uchiha ass whip! Your grandson made a mockery of your Susonoo and made it look like my almighty form!' or something along those lines. But with much cursing involved. "The strategy you choose is ill relevant, nothing will faze me, this battle ends here and now…" He could feel that somewhere in hell Madara was proud of him. He knew his grandfather wasn't in heaven right now.

"How do we do this?" Superman asked.

"As a team. I'm guessing but, now that he brought this out, he can no longer make himself intangible. Meaning was can now hit him with all we got." Batman told them.

"That's all well and good Batman but when I hit him I didn't so much as make a dent in the armor." Wonder Woman told him.

"Maybe Superman can break open this one." The Manhunter asked.

"Worth a shot." Green Arrow said out loud.

"Make it interesting this time." Pain said as he launched a pair of his Susonoo's claw arms at the JLA group, they scattered. Flash came up first and started unleashing dozens of punches at once. Pain barely registered that he was doing such a thing and shooed him away. Flash managed to get away before he was destroyed by Susonoo's claw.

"We can hit him now!" Flash yelled to the rest of the team. Pain continued to swing his claws at the Justice League members. He felt the maces of the two avian heroes smash into his Susonoo, but to little effect. Such weapons couldn't touch him as he is now. He saw Green Arrow, with his replacement bow most likely thanks to Batman, and Huntress try to fire their arrows at him, even with explosive bolts they did nothing to him or his Susonoo.

"Don't bother wasting your arrows on me now. You are no more than ants trying to stop a title wave!" Pain told them. He was then shuck off balance when he felt a hammer of an attack hit Susonoo. It was Superman and he landed a good punch on Susonoo's head. Pain smiled and attacked Superman, but Superman's speed saved him. "Hump... this ought to make you dance!" Pain swatted away Aquaman and Green Lantern. He then fired dozens of fire balls all over the place. Making Green Arrow and Huntress displace to avoid being cooked, however he felt that he was missing something. He put it out of his mind for now. It was then that both Wonder Woman and Superman hit him square in the chest, Susonoo's chest. It made a small crack. Pain smiled as they retreated before he could attack back. "I'm surprised you've lasted this long against me… here's your reward…" Small meteorites were fired at the Justice League team. As the claws on his Susonoo grew bigger he attacked with all 3 of his abilities. Susonoo's claws, his Great Fire Annihilation and his Planetary Devastation. Pain hit Hawkman to the ground and he landed hard. "This is the end for you…" Pain said bringing down a claw to end him.

"Hawkman!" Hawkgirl yelled as she raced to save her counterpart. She managed to save him before the claw could finish the job.

[Screech]

A high pitch screech came from in front of Pain alerted him of Black Carney's presence. He suffered from the attack as he had no time to put up a wind defense. The cracks in Susonoo grew bigger. 'Great…'

"AHHHH!"

Pain looked up after he recovered from the sound attack. He saw Superman and Wonder Woman rushed him at full speed. Pain moved his 4 arms to prevent them from making the crack any bigger, however his effort was stopped by the Green Lantern, both Hawkman and Hawkgirl and lastly Aquaman and Flash. "Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!" Pain fired a large stream of fire at his two aggressors. However the team was ready for that as will, a combo of explosive arrows and batarangs, tornado's and a screech snuffed it out before it could do any damage.

SMASH

Both Superman and Wonder Woman hit the large crack on Susonoo that protected Pain. The crack grew and grew. The smashed it a bit more and the crack grew even more. "Enough!" Pain yelled and forced the two back and the 5 heroes that where holding his arms. "Huh?" He had felt a tug on his left arm looked to his left arm. It was a gold rope?

"Got'cha!" Wonder Woman pulled on her Lasso of Truth. It was then that Pain realized what he had been missing. The Martian! He had not made an appearance since the fight started, he had been hiding waiting for the right moment. He was most likely the one that put the lasso on him. He was forced from Susonoo through the crack and it shattered open. Susonoo soon dissipated into nothing. Being dragged out into the open by Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth, and for some reason he couldn't use Kamui, most likely due to the Lasso's power.

"NOW!" Batman yelled.

Batman threw a dozen batarangs, Green Lantern fired a green energy blast, Aquaman fired a torrent of water, Black Canary unleashed her Canary Cry, Huntress and Green Arrow fired their explosive arrows, Flash made a pair of tornados with his arms, Both Hawkman and Hawkgirl tossed their Mace, Wonder threw her shield and Superman fired his heat vision all at Pain.

Pain watched slowly as everything the JLA had was launched at him, slowly the powers of the combined might of the group sent to arrest him was barreling down at him. He watched as 'slowly' the powers of the greatest of this world's heroes had to offer… the powers he watch with his lone eye… then it changed. Form the ever infamous Sharingan to the even more fabled and legendary Rinnegan.

BOOOOM!

"Got them!" Flash yelled.

Everyone five fived each other, aside from Wonder Woman and Batman, many wondered if Pain could even have survived that. Darkseid would have been near death if hit by all that.

"That was quite dangerous…" Everyone heard Pain say. The dust and smoke cleared… only to revile Pain without injury.

"What?"

"How?"

"Impossible…"

"Great Hera! What is he!?"

"Had I allowed all that to hit me even I would have been injured." Pain said to them. Batman was calculating everything. He knew that he couldn't use that intangible ability as they timed everything just right and he theorized that Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth would prevent that from happening. He then noticed that Pain's eye had changed. It was no longer red with a 9 thin line in a swirl whirlpool pattern. Now it was sliver with many rings. "I cannot allow this fight to go on any longer than it already has. Now watch closely… " Pain clasped his hands together and created a surge of chakra that it was visible to everyone. For those who are magical in tuned they felt a sinister dark power coming from him. Soon they all saw Susonoo once more. Then Pain poured more power into his jutsu and Susonoo started to grow.

BOOM!

Dust and smoke covered the area when Susonoo exploded in power. The smoke didn't need to clear to see what had happened. "Meet once more Susonoo. It's complete form." Susonoo was now complete. It was standing upright(think Naruto's tailed Beast mode just with Susonoo's design, steel bones and 9 tails of course with red-orange fire that acts like skin, it lacks the 4 arms however). "This… is the last dance of our little number heroes… don't blink… and if you happen to die… too bad."

Susonoo charged up its own version of a tailed beast bomb, nowhere near as powerful as the Kyuubi's but strong enough to make a scene. Pain had already set up a barrier to protect the buildings and the people outside of the barrier, even the chopper would be safe as it is on the outside of the barrier.

"Shields up now!" Batman yelled to anyone who could but up a shield to protect them.

"Susonoo Bomb!" Pain yelled and fired.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

A small mushroom cloud covered the park area but never left out of the park area. Even the dirt, dust and rocks that were kicked up from the attack didn't leave the park area. The dust settled to reveal Pain standing over the defeated heroes. "I must admit… you are skilled enough to last awhile while facing me." Pain said. "But… I can't allow you all to leave with the information you've managed to figure out." He lowered a black rod from his right sleeve. Pain walked up to the downed Batman, he knew that he was the one to do all of their planning. "And as my grandfather said… stick to the basics, take out the head." He poised his rod to kill Batman. He made his move to strike, only for the rod to be destroyed by Wonder Woman, she was worse for wear but the only one that could still fight back. "I'd figured you would be able to still stand." Pain hoped back. "But don't think you're a match for me as you are. You're weakened from battle even with your healing factor I was known to fight for days at my full power. Something I have yet to do. What hope do you have?" Pain asked.

Wonder Woman just smirked, and punched him. "That is my answer." She told him.

Pain was shocked at first and just looked back at her. "I see… let's see what makes you dance!" Pain said bringing out two rods, one for each hand. Wonder Woman dodged Pain's attempt to cut her with his chakra rods, even blocking them with her bracers. Pain was relentless in his attacks and kicked Wonder Woman into a rock that was unearthed by the blast. Pain was on her but she managed to recover. "Always the bravest of these heroes you are Wonder Woman!" He said while Wonder Woman was attacking him, but he was using his chakra rods to block her attacks "But you could never make the hard decisions!" Pain said fighting back. He kicked her shield out of her hand. She then tried to punch him but he ducked and did a spin, using his chakra rod he stabbed her in her right shoulder. The effect was instant she lost all feeling in her right arm. She tried to give him a left hook but Pain just knocked her hand away and kicked her. She was knocked down face first, Pain stabbed her in her other shoulder, dragging her on the ground. "You've could have been gods… the lot of you!" He told her. "But now! There can only be ONE!" He raised another chakra rod to finish her off.

It was then destroyed by an arrow and Pain grabbed the other one aimed for his head.

(END Naruto Shippuden AMV - The Power of a God)

Pain didn't need to look to know who it was. It was Artemis, she was the only one that had the courage to face him. She knew that he had a soft spot for her and he wouldn't raise a hand to harm her, anything lasting at least. Pain however showed a great deal of, not hate, but rage. "Why… Artemis…?" He asked. She rushed him with her bow blades, her bow becomes 2 short swords allowing for close combat. Pain stopped her blade, unlike normal sliver her blades we're black. Made by Pain himself. "Why protect them!? Why save them!?" He asked her.

While she knew it was pointless to try and over power Pain, she tried anyway. Her pride wouldn't allow her to do anything less. "You don't get it." She told him. "This isn't about them! This isn't about me saving them!" She yelled. "This is about YOU! This is about me saving YOU! I don't want to save them I want to save you!" Pain's eyes widened. Artemis felt him no longer try to hold her sword at bay. Not that it would matter. "I want to save you from yourself! Before it's too late."

Pain disengaged from her. He took a few steps back. "It's too late for me Artemis. There is no saving me from myself. I was born into this world as I am. I was raised to be who I am today. Trained to be what I am. By the time I first saw the light I was already a man… and by then… it was blinding!" He forced her away.

"That's not true!" Pain looked at her again, he saw it in her eyes. She truly believed, no, she knew that he could be saved. "I know you Pain, you told me yourself. That there is a chance for everyone that wants to redeem themselves, and it is up to that person or the people that care about that person to do it." She said to him.

He narrowed his eye at her. Did he really say that? It sounds like him but not him at the same time. "Don't think this will go unpunished Artemis." He said and he left in a vortex.

However this little talk didn't go unnoticed, by the Justice League and everyone else watching at home. Everyone that had watched this little fight saw two very important things. That the will and a single man can bring down the Justice League, and that he has a weakness for a green arrow using heroine. And if anyone says Green Arrow they were in for a world of hurt. Almost every villain and any secret government agency now wanted Pain and his power for themselves.

Next Day

Naruto was walking to Artemis' home. It was Monday again so school was in full torture session. He made it to Artemis' apartment and knocked on the screen door. "It's open!" Come from inside. Naruto smiled and walked in.

"Hello Paula." Naruto smiled and gave her a hug. "How was your weekend?" He asked the cribbed mother.

She looked at him and bags under his eyes. "Naruto, are you getting enough sleep at night?" She asked the young man.

"Of course I sleep. I just worked out more than I normally do yesterday is all." He played off.

"Trying to man up for my baby girl?" Paula asked Naruto with a giggle.

"What!? No! No! Nothing like that!" He tired to play off.

"Oh? Are you saying that my little girl is not pretty enough for you?" She asked teasing him.

"What!? No! She is! But! I…"

"Hahaha, oh I'm joking Naruto." Paula laughed at the boy's expense.

Naruto sulked. "You're an evil mother Paula." He said.

"What was that?" She asked with full righteous mother fury mode active.

"I'm sorry what was the question?" He asked dumbly.

"That's what I thought." She smirked at his relived face. "You know Naruto, that wasn't very manly of you. If you want to act like a man you have to do better." Paula said.

"I'm manly enough Paula, I'm so manly I make less manly men around me seem manly." Naruto boasted.

"Oh yeah? Care to prove it?" She asked.

"Yeah, give me any test of manliness you can muster, I'll prove to you I am manly enough for anything." Naruto had a hero like pose.

Paula smirked "Then ask my daughter out to the Fall Dance this weekend."

Naruto somehow tripped and fell to the floor. He got back up. "Are you crazy!? She'll break every bone in my body, drag me to school taking the scenic bumpy and sharp rocks route, beat me within an inch of my life then say no while leaving me at the front door of the school so I can be late to class!" He told the mom what her daughter would do to him if he asked her out.

"You two talking about me?" Artemis came from her room.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Naruto jumped behind Paula.

"Oh, Naruto. That is very unmanly to act like that in front of my daughter." Paula told the boy.

"Speak for yourself. I wish to live past today."

"Naruto get your ass out from behind my mom and let's get to school. I don't want to be late!" Artemis yelled at Naruto.

"Language young lady." Her mom said.

"Sorry mom. Let's go Naruto." She grabbed him and started dragging him away.

"Bye Mrs. Crock. See you later!" Naruto said.

"Bye you two have a good day at school." She then smiled. "Oh and Artemis! Naruto wanted to ask you something, right Naruto!?" She yelled back at them.

"What!? Oh shi! Son-of-a! Half troll! Jaegermiceter! Joker! Fox!" Naruto cursed as he fell down the stairs.

"Nice landing Naruto. It's always smart to land on your face. Now what is it that you wanted to asked me?" Artemis asked.

Paula could only laugh as she heard Naruto fall down the stairs. "Ah, that boy, he's going to be perfect for my baby girl."

(Later that day Mount Justice)

Artemis was waiting at Mount Justice. It had only been a day since she stood up to Pain in public and she was already regretting it. She knew she was going to get flak from Batman and the rest of Young Justice and the Justice League. They could all go to hell as far as she cares. However it is what Pain said before she left. "Don't think this will go unpunished Artemis.". She didn't fear Pain like the others did. She knew that he wouldn't kill her. She knew that with all her heart that he wouldn't kill her, no matter what she did. Unless she started killing innocents then all bets are off. But why oh why, did Naruto, her only 'normal' friend, have to drop the bomb? What bomb was that you ask? Well Naruto grew the balls to ask Artemis to the Fall Dance. When he did she broke every bone in his body, dragged him to school taking the scenic bumpy and sharp rocks route, beat him within an inch of his life but say said yes while leaving him at the front door of the school so he could be late to class. She had no idea why he asked her, she's not the girly type, nor did she know why she said yes. She just did, she called her mom say that she was with her 'study group' she knew it was code so she could tell Naruto why she didn't walk to her home with him like he normally does. "I so don't need this right now." She heard Supergirl and M'gann enter the room.

Speaking of home back with Paula. "Well… how'd it go?" She had asked Naruto. He did look worse for wear.

"Well… the only thing I was wrong about was she said yes." He said to her, and she giggled at him. "So not funny."

"Oh, man up Naruto."

Back at Mount Justice M'gann and Supergirl were bugging Artemis for answers. I mean it's not every day that your mentor or family member gets his ass kicked and then some girls sends to person who kicked their ass in retreat with just words.

"Really, how'd you do it? I mean, he beat over 20 Justice League members, we as a team can beat 2 or 3 of them but that's it. He did it himself." Supergirl bugged Artemis.

"Yeah, my uncle didn't say a thing when I saw him last." M'gann said she had baked cookies for the Justice League members that we're hospitalized by Pain.

"Look, I'd rather not repeat it so I'm going to wait until, at least, Batman, Superman, Black Carney and the rest of our team get here." She told them.

"What makes you think that they'll all come?" M'gann asked.

"Well for one, Batman wants to know how to beat Pain, Black Carney is our Martial arts teacher, Superman had at least 3 to 4 broken ribs and a fracture or two and he wasn't hit by magic or Kryptonite and the rest of our team will need to know a little bit of Pain's powers if they want to at least get a chance to fight him and not get knocked out the first 2 seconds of the fight." Artemis told them.

"Is he that good?"Supergirl asked.

"Based on what little Pain told me about himself. He was holding back." She said.

That shocked both girls. "He… was holding back? How… the power he used was beyond anything that anyone could do." M'gann, being more emotional than the rest of her race, was fearful of the knowledge that she just gained.

"He told me that if a ninja battle lasts longer than a few minutes then one side or the other is holding back. The only time that holding back is not the case if it is a battle between, what he said, 'higher' ninja evolutionaries." Artemis said. Artemis reached into her bag that they brought with her for this event. "But first, I need a drink." Artemis brought out a bottle.

"What's that?" Asked Supergirl.

"This, my dear sweet naive girl, is what we call alcohol. We drink this to get drunk and forget our troubles that currently plague us in life." (You pick what you want them to drink)

"Um… what are you intending to do with it Artemis? I think that human law says that you can't drink that until your 21." M'gann said.

"The law also says that we can't take the law into our own hands and yet we do everyday M'gann." She took a big swig of it. "Come on. Have some." She passed it to Supergirl.

"Um…"

3 hours later

Still in Mount Justice the rest of the team had just arrived, and then right behind them were Batman, Superman, The Manhunter, Black Canary, Green Arrow and Huntress. Upon arrival they noticed two things, uncontrollable giggling and the smell of alcohol. They reached the living room/ kitchen and the small was stronger.

"Man it smells like a beer factory in here!" Robin yelled holding his nose.

"That what I said when this one guy crapped his pants before Pain got him to knock himself out by banging his head on a wooden beam." The group heard Artemis say from the table. On said table were about 15 or so bottles of all sorts of alcohol and the 3 girls drunk as can be. Holding a small bottle was M'gann, still drinking said bottle, Artemis was holding a large bottle the same size as Supergirl, as the pair were having a drinking game before the group got back. "Now if you don't mind, I intend to drink this 'super' girl under the table." Artemis said taking another swig, only for Black Canary to take it from her. "Hey~~~…" She whined.

"Waont zome deeze chew go with that whine?" M'gann slurred out.

"No, it's snot 'deeze' its sneeze Meden." Supergirl then burped loudly, so loud that the birds outside made a brake for it.

"The the hell possess you to start drinking!?" Black Canary yelled at the young girls.

"What? Pain said I'm an honest drunk, and I'd rather not be sober when, when I tell the flying rat man about Pain." Artemis said taking out another thing of jinn, only for that to be taken away too. "Hey~~~~!"

"How are you not wasted as bad as those two?" Huntress asked, while getting a glare form Black Canary for her lack of scolding.

"Those two are light weights. I can drink them under the table any day." Artemis said.

"Who said it was alright for you to drink like this? And how did you get so much!?" Black Canary said noticing about a dozen empty bottles on the table.

"Pain's stash, by the way. He's going to be sooooo pissed when he finds out."

With Pain

Pain was noticing the… emptiness… of his stash. His lone eye was twitching.

"I think archer babe was here and took… some…" Ravager said.

"Some?" X said. "Half the damn thing is gone!"

Back at MJ

Artemis took another bottle and only again for it to be taken away. "Hey~~~. These aren't mine you know." Artemis told Black Canary.

KF decided to take advantage of honest drunk Artemis to get some answers before Bats got to her. "Hey Artemis, what do you think about me? Come on be honest." He said.

"This should be good." Huntress said.

Artemis took one look at him and said. "I know you're an egotistical jerk that has a hard on for any pretty girl in a skirt, namely M'gann Kara and myself. You have a hero complex worse than most, you compensate too much for your lack of skill and based on what Pain said about you odds are you're limp dicked." KF turned white and broke light glass.

"Burn." Robin snickered.

"Drunkenness aside, tell me everything you know about Pain." Batman told Artemis.

"What do you want to know?" Artemis asked.

"How to beat him. His powers. What his real name is."

"In order. You can't. Too many to list. Don't know." She said bluntly.

"What? He can't be that strong." Flash asked Artemis.

"You're lying." Batman said without missing a beat.

"He was playing with you. If that fight lasted longer than a few minutes he was testing the waters so to speak. He was holding back to see if you were a threat to him. He judged that you all are not a threat to him or his plans." Artemis said taking another drink, only for BC to take it again. "Dammit stop that!" She said.

"Language young lady." Black Canary scolded.

"Yes mother." Artemis said sarcastically.

"What are his plans?" Batman asked staying on topic.

"Kill everyone that can't be redeemed and if Plan A fails Plan B is to rule the world… or something like that, and lead it to peace. But that's all I know. No details." She said drunkenly.

"Why are you telling us this? What do you have to gain from betraying Pain?" Wonder Woman asked the million dollar question.

"For one, I can't lie to you, I'm drunk." She raised all 10 of her fingers. "22." She said. "Maybe not that drunk." She commented.

"You count 22 fingers and you're not that drunk?" Huntress asked while getting another glare from BC.

"I managed to count to 30 once before passing out." Artemis giggled at a drunken memory that was her own.

"Back on topic. Who is Pain?"

"And I told you Bats, I don't know." She told him again.

"You're lying."

"Am not. I don't know who he is because I've never seen him with his mask. I do know it's a 'he' though." She did another drunken giggle.

"Binded his years did ya?" Supergirl said drunkenly. Although she meant 'Grinded his gears'.

"Something like that."

Batman was annoyed. "I can't read her mind Batman." Man Hunter said.

"Hey~~~" Artemis saw all of her booze confiscated by BC. "Stop that." She whined more.

"Give me a list of his powers." Batman told Artemis.

"Alright, I've give you a list of the things he can't do. It'll be shorter." She said to them. She took out a piece of paper and wrote something on it and handed it to the Batman.

"Is this a joke?" He asked her.

"What?" Flash took the piece of paper and read it. "What's this? 'He can't stop'. Is that all? What's that suppose to mean?" He asked.

"It means the only thing he can't do is stop what he is doing. No prison can hold him. No power can stop him. If, and I mean if, you want to stop him you've got one way. Kill him. But that can't happen for two reasons. 1: being he can't die and 2: being you won't kill anyone." She told them.

"That isn't funny." Flash said.

"Dose it look like I'm joking? When I say he can't die I mean it. I think that other day was the first time I've ever seen him get hit. You even managed to force him to up his level of power he was using on you. Take that as an insult or complement. And if you don't mind, unless we got a mission, I'm going to follow these two light weights over there…" She said pointing at the girls she had 'girl' time with. "… and pass out."

"We do have a mission. But not for you 3. Go home."

"Works for me." She slammed her head down on the table and was passed out.

"Cheer up Kid Flash… I'm sure she didn't mean it." Robin said trying to repair the manhood of Kid Flash that had been utterly destroyed by honest drunk Artemis.

"You think so?" He asked Robin.

Huntress, who was passing by. "Oh she meant it. Every word. Ow?" She rubbed her shoulder when Black Canary hit her.

(Later that Day)

Later that day Pain was waiting. Then he was called.

"Brother…"

"Bane. Good to hear from you. How has your research going?"

"Back on schedule, thanks to Mr. Freeze."

Then the face of Mr. Freeze was on the monitor. "Happy to help. Your research combined with the DNA Pain gave me has helped with my Nora."

"Glad to here it frozen brother." Bane said to him.

"This isn't a social call. I have a meeting soon and I need to tell you the next step of my plan." Pain told them.

"Go on." They both said.

"While Young Injustice team is at a good number of members for now. The 'older sibling disciple' must grow as well. As it stands there is only 4 members of the Vengeance League and 1 is undercover and I'm leading Young Injustice."

"I see what you mean." Mr. Freeze said in a thinking pose.

"As we are now we stand no chance, aside from you brother, in an all out war with the Justice League." Bane said.

"I need a list of possible members for the Vengeance League. I have a few nominations but I wish for you to send me a list whenever you can this week." Pain told them.

"Of course brother. I'll have a list for… interested, parties sometime this week." Bane's face blacked out.

"As will I, however it won't be as long." Mr. Freeze's face blacked out.

Pain got up and was covered in smoke when the lights came on.

"Mr. Namikaze."

'Mr. Namikaze' smiled at the man that just walked in. "General… glad you can make it. I have a few some things that you might like." 'Mr. Namikaze' smiled.

Saturday

It had been an agonizing week for both Naruto and Artemis. Why you may ask? Because now it was the Fall Dance and Naruto was set to pick up Artemis any minute now.

"Oh Artemis stop fidgeting." Paula said to her youngest daughter who was squirming around in her dress.

"I'll stop fidgeting when this night is over. We've been friends for about a year and he pulls this on me? I so didn't need this." Artemis still didn't know what she said yet to this.

"Oh Artemis. Naruto's a nice boy. Better than any other boy you'd meet in this world." Paula smiled.

"That's the truth." Artemis said thinking of Kid Flash.

"Besides, it takes a lot of guts to ask out my daughter to this dance. Especially after what he said you'd do to him." Paula giggled at her daughter's reaction.

"It was a reaction." Artemis defended.

"It was still brave of him to do. He asked you to this dance knowing what was going to happen to him." Paula laughed at her daughter's pouting face. The door bell rang. "That's him. I'll get him, you stay there and look stunning until I till you too comes out alright?" Paula told Artemis.

"Oh mom." Artemis wasn't looking forward to this. Naruto was her friend for only a year and she wasn't the girly type. She looked down at her dress, it was her moms and she hoped Naruto like it. Even if she could afford one of her own with the money she got from Pain and all of their raids she keeps it for her mother. She slips in a 20 here and there to help support the family. Unnoticed by her mom of course.

"Artemis dear. Naruto is here!"

"Of course he's here." She said to herself. "Well, time to disappoint." She said to herself.

Naruto was all nicely dressed up and nervous. Why wouldn't he? He was talking his best friend out on a date, for lack of a better word, and he had no idea how to go on one. A 'normal' one anyway, most dates he had dealt with dealt with death and battles. Although to be fair those types of dates we're romantic in his old world. I guess being as powerful as he is he can still be nervous around a girl.

When Artemis walked out of her room and into view Naruto was speechless. Paula had to poke him a few times to get him to wake up out of his daze. Artemis was wearing a glittering black dress; it was modest yet alluring and beautiful at the same time.

"Wow…" Naruto managed to say.

Artemis blushed a bit. "You don't look half bad yourself." Paula shuck her head a little.

Naruto walked her to the limo, saying his uncle had paid for it, and Paula wished them a good time. However unknown to Naruto and Artemis, they were being watched.

Paula wheeled herself to her room happy that her daughter found someone like Naruto to be with. "That boy will be good for Artemis. Might even tame her… a bit at least." Paula smiled; no one could fully tame her little girl. She opened her closet grabbed something and closed it again. In the mirror was a figure behind her. She threw her throwing knife at the intruder only for it to vanish.

"I see now where Artemis get's her fiery attitude." The figure said.

"Who are you!?" Paula demanded. Not that she could stop whoever this was from doing what he intended to do.

"I am Pain…" Paula's eyes widened. This was the man that went toe to toe with the Justice League and won. Only for her daughter to talk down and make him leave. Her heart stopped when she saw her daughter do that. She had no idea what she was thinking.

"How do you know my daughter!?" Remembering his comment from before.

"She and I were partners for a time."

"Is that where she got all that money!?" She asked.

"Yes." He plainly answered.

"How!?"

"Raids on the underground. Do not worry; she has yet to take a life… if that's what you're worried about." He told her.

"Why are you here?" She asked. She was talking to the most powerful person on the planet.

"When Artemis stood up to me. I told her that it would not go unpunished, and it will not." Pain used his power and lifted Paula out of her chair and onto her bed face down.

Paula would have resisted, but she felt that she was being held down. "What… do you intend to do to me?" She asked fearfully. She might not see her daughter again. Or her oldest that she hasn't seen since she went to jail. Pain put something in front of her face. He pressed a button and 9 long thin needles shot out. "Will I feel any pain?" She asked.

Pain took a moment before he answered. Lifting up her shirt. "This will only hurt a little…" He said. Then he stabbed her right in the back, where she was shot long ago. She let out a pained grunt. "… what comes next… more so." When he injected the substance she screamed even more. No one heard her.

(With Naruto and Artemis)

Naruto was still nervous even when he got there. The trip there was all silence even with Naruto trying to give Artemis complements on her looks. When they got out of the limo Artemis was the center of attention. Her black dress captivated nearly every guy there, also them getting a back hand from their girlfriends.

"Well… Artemis, I see that you're an eye catcher." He laughed awkwardly.

"Lamest line so far Naruto." She said to him.

"Ouch! How my heart has been stabbed by the ever beautiful Goddess of the Hunt Artemis." Naruto held his heart in mock pain.

"Oh I'll stab you alright if you keep that up."

"Yes ma'am!" Naruto said mocking seriousness. Artemis sighed, why did she say yes again? "But I… uh… I got you something."

That got Artemis' attention. "Y-You did?" She asked. She wasn't expecting that.

"Yeah." He pulled out a box and handed it to her.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Open it and be amazed." He smiled, he laughed a little when Artemis rolled her eyes at his lame line.

Artemis opened the box. "Wow…" She said as she stared at the gift. It was a green Jade colored necklace. "It looks… wow…" She was awed by its beauty.

"It doesn't look as 'wow' as you do Artemis." Artemis blushed a little on the inside. "Here let me put it on you."

He put it around her neck and she looked at it in the mirror. "Thanks Naruto. It's really thoughtful of you. It's really beautiful."

"I know you… I mean it is. I'm such a sensitive guy." Naruto gave off his little goofy grin."

"Don't blow it now Naruto."

"Sorry."

Naruto got Artemis some punch for her so she didn't get ogled by the guys there. Although when he got back the local school bully was hitting on Artemis. That didn't last long; he got a sudden case of blue ball syndrome. A little later Naruto and Artemis we're on the dance floor waiting for the Principle to start the Fall Homecoming Dance. They didn't need to wait long, the principle gave a short speech and the dance was under way.

It started off slow with the school band. So everyone was slowly dancing to the tune, it picked up a bit after the 4th dance but it was the 8th dance where it got wild.

(Play Pit-bull - Timber ft. Ke$ha) (AN: Don't expect this part to be any good)

"Alright young people, the school band have practiced this for weeks now and are ready to give you a good time. Now they're going to play for you Timber by Pit-bull and Kesha! Here we go."

"I like this song." Naruto commented.

"You would."

"Ouch. I'm hurt." Naruto joked as he took her to the dance floor once more. The pair started dancing to the beat of the music which was fairly fast. They started dancing around each other. Naruto had Artemis spin a few times in match with the beat. They didn't stop or slow down when everyone else did. Soon they became the center of attention, even if they didn't know it. When the band speed up their beat so did Naruto and Artemis. This went on until the song ended although it felt like mere moments for Artemis and Naruto.

(End Pitbull - Timber ft. Ke$ha)

It was now the last song of the night. Artemis and Naruto then started to dance slowly as did everyone else. However they were not along. A good friend of there's decided to give them a private show. Using his violin he started to play a slow romantic tune for them. In sic with the rest of the band. Naruto and Artemis tried their best to ignore him, not deterring him much. When the friend was behind Artemis… Naruto was flipping him off. Didn't do a thing accept put a smile on his face. When he went behind Naruto, Artemis was giving him the bird, so he lay off the couple.

The night was over, and Naruto walked Artemis to the limo then later to her home. "I had fun Artemis."

"Yeah, me too Naruto. Despite that ass Grant trying to 'help'." She smiled.

"Yeah, I'll be sure to leave enough of his ass for you to kick when I'm through with him."

"Your so~~ thoughtful." Artemis smiled at him. Naruto walked her to her door. "Good night Naruto."

"What? No kiss?" He asked mockingly.

"Sorry Handsome. Never on the first date." She gave off a grin as she slowly closed the door behind her.

"Ouch." He said as he walked back to the limo.

Inside the home Artemis went straight to her room, almost glided there. It seemed that she had such a wonderful time. She got to her room and went to her closest. She placed her jacket in the closet and closed the door. She then turned around quickly and aimed her mini-cross bow at a shadow in the corner. "What are YOU doing here!?" She asked.

"What? Can't a father see his baby girl on her special night?" The shadow soon tuned into Sportsmaster.

"You're no father!" Artemis sneered.

Sportsmaster ignored her comment in favor for looking out her window. "Nice kid you've found there. It would be a shame if he had an… accident." Artemis could see his smirk.

"You stay away from Naruto!" Artemis warned him.

"So, Naruto is it? Why should I?" He asked.

"He's innocent. He has nothing to do with heroes and villains!" She told him.

"No one's innocent in this world baby girl. Not you… not me… not Naruto." Sportsmaster moved his head when Artemis fired an arrow at his eye. "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were trying to kill me just now." He smirked.

"That wasn't a warning shot." She warned him.

"Oh? Is that love I see for that boy? What was the first thing I ever thought you?" He asked her.

"I don't give a shit! You stay away from Naruto. If one hair on his head is missing. If I see a scratch on him. If so much as a car cut him off on his way home. I will come after you, and END you." She said once more.

"Oh? End me will you? What would your new team think of that?"

"I don't care what they think of me if I kill you!"

Sportsmaster smiled. "Leave Lawrence." Both Artemis and Sportsmaster looked at the door. To see Paula leaning on the door frame, but standing.

"Paula/mom?"

"Artemis, go to the living room while I talk to your father."

"But…"

"Now!" Paula left no room for argument so Artemis left.

"I'd never thought… why color me speechless." Lawrence said to Paula. "You're standing once more."

"Leave Naruto alone Lawrence. He's good for Artemis; she has a chance for a normal life with him. I don't want you to ruin that."

"Normal life? Who would want a normal life? You get a taste of this life, this true freedom; you never want a normal life again."

"I had a taste of that freedom Lawrence. It cost me time in jail and away from m girls, one I never got to see grow up into the woman she is now and the other left not a week after it happened. I've been in a wheel chair for years and only now able to stand. Normal life sounds like a better one now."

"Hump."

"I'm warning you dear. Leave Naruto alone."

Sportsmaster smiled. "I see now why Artemis fell for him and why you protect him. He reminds you of me when I was that age doesn't he?" He smirked.

"You we're once like that, but you have abused your skills, like me, however he would never do that."

"Are you sure? I was once like him, want makes you so sure that he won't become like me? How do you know that he isn't already like me?"

"He's nothing like you!" She shouted at him.

"So you say…" He walked passed her. He made his way to the front door walking passed Artemis, as she was giving him a death glare and as the old saying goes, 'If looks could kill'. "See your soon… baby girl." He said as he left his wife and youngest daughter.

Paula collapsed on the sofa next to Artemis. "Mom. How can you be walking?" She asked calmly.

"Your old partner paid me a visit as soon as you left on you date with Naruto."

"It wasn't a date!" Artemis fired back.

"Aw~ is my little girl shy about liking a boy?" She asked teasingly.

"Back to the topic at hand. Pain paid you a visit?" She tried to steer the conversation.

"Yes, he injected me with something then helped me to walk again."

"How? I was only gone for 3 hours. How could he have done that?"

Paula took a breath. "He… I looked into his eyes and then I felt myself in a new world. The sky was red and the clouds black. He said in that world he is god and controls everything. In that world, he helped me rehabilitate. It took months in that world, yet a mere second has passed here. I… I still find it hard to believe myself. But enough about that. I have only one question for you." Paula smirked at her daughter's expression.

"What is it?" Artemis asked.

"When's the wedding?"

"Mom~~~!"

(Next Day: Mount Justice)

Artemis was still trying to get over the fact that she had a good time with Naruto, and her father showing up and nearly threatening Naruto. She hoped that she was strong enough to protect him from her father. "What? Why do I care? He's just a friend. Right just a friend."

"I believe the Earth saying is 'You better convince yourself that before she tell that to others." Artemis looked to her left to see M'gann and Kara AKA Supergirl. "Say what now?" Artemis asked.

"Whoever this, Naruto is, must be important to you." Kara responded.

"WHAT!? You've been reading my mind!?" Artemis asked accusingly to M'gann.

"No. You've been saying a lot of things out loud Artemis. No need to be a mind reader for that." M'gann smiled.

Soon the rest of the team came into the room. "What do you want?" Artemis asked the boys of the group.

"Why didn't you answer Batman's questions? Are you still loyal to Pain? Even after everything he's done?" Robin asked the archer.

"Of course I am. Yet I'm here aren't I?"

"The only thing you really told Batman was that he can't stop. Why does that really mean?" Aqualad asked.

"Just as it sounds. The only thing that will make him stop is killing him. His own words. You can fight him, you can talk to him, and you can put him in jail that last one is just laughable but he will never stop fighting for what he believes in." Artemis answered Aqualad's question.

"What other abilities does he have?"

"Why ask her…?" The group turned around at the new voice in the room. It was Pain. "… When you can get the answers straight from the mouth of Pain." Pain answered. Young Justice got in there battle stances. "You don't think that any of you has a chance against me do you? Just look at what I did to your mentors. I beat them all with little to no effort on my part."

"Don't listen. If he stopped dodging their attacks that means he took them seriously." Artemis said as she was seeing the others faultier.

Pain tilted his head. "Using what you know of me to help these… heroes in training now Artemis?" Pain asked. "Let us see how much you've learned while training under me then!" Pain fired a large fire ball at them. Destroying their little living room. When the smoke cleared they were nowhere to be found, he did however see an open vent. "Smart thinking." He commented.

With YJ they all were crawling through the vent. "That was close." Supergirl said.

"M'gann establish a link so we do not get found out by Pain." Aqualad said.

"Right." 'Link established.'

'Alright, Artemis, we need to know why Pain is attacking us here and now and we need to know a way to defeat him.' Aqualad asked Artemis.

'Your joking right?'

'No he isn't. We need to beat your boyfriend if we are to have any chance contacting the league.' Robin told her.

'You think we have a shot at beating Pain!? He nearly took out almost 30 members of the Justice League, most without even a fight! What hope do we have!?'

"Don't despair Artemis!" They all heard Pain over the intercom. "You're thoughts betray you. Concentrate!"

'Can he… can he read our thoughts even with M'gann's mental link?' Supergirl asked.

'It wouldn't surprise me. I don't know anything that Pain can't do.' Artemis said.

'We need a plan if we are going to beat him. Any information that you can tell us about Pain would help Artemis.' M'gann said to Artemis.

'Its what I know that frightens me. I mean, I've never seen Pain go all out before. He said that if he ever did it would destroy continents, and that was if he could focus enough.' She told the group.

'Your joking… right?'

'Dead serious. You never seen true fear until you've faced Pain set out to kill you."

"Hum. I wonder whose room this is?" Both occupants of the mountain paled.

'He going in our rooms now! That's a new low for villains everywhere!' Supergirl yelled, in her head.

'Some advice, don't say that to him. He hates it when people call him a villain.' Artemis said to her. 'And don't read too much into it. He's trying to get us riled up. To make us lose our cool.'

"G-string panties…? Never thought a heroine would where something like this." One could almost hear the bloody nose come from Kid Flash.

'Keep focus. He's trying to draw us out by pissing us off. It's worked for him before.' Artemis warned. She had a feeling that it was Supergirl's panties he was talking about.

"Oh look. The piece of pizza."

'That bastard! I was saving that!' Kid Flash yelled. Wanting nothing more than to kick Pain's ass right now.

'Now is not the time for this.'

"Cute girl. Nice aqua colored hair."

'…'

'You want to beat his ass too now huh?' Robin smirked.

'We need a plan. Artemis tell us what you can about his powers. We'll form a plan from there.' Aqualad said.

With Pain he was wondering what the group was up to. He hadn't felt their emotions or feelings for some time now. 'Come now Artemis? Did you all go coward and leave? No. I trained you better than that. So I wonder…' "How much longer?" He asked.

"Almost done. Need at least 15 more minutes."

Pain nodded. "PAIN!" Pain looked to where the voice yelled at him. It was Artemis, no surprise; he'd figured that the team would send her. Using whatever feeling of loyalty he has for her. "Why are you here!? Why are you attacking us!?" She asked him.

"If you must ask why… then I have not trained you well enough it seems. I have deemed Young Justice too much of a threat to let grow any further."

"What?" Artemis didn't think he would… "I thought you said that you would never kill a hero until war stated that you know will start someday!?"

"I did… yet these little sidekicks are no heroes. They are shadows. So I am not breaking my own word here."

"Your serious!?" She felt cold.

"I am. Last chance Artemis… come back to now. Leave this martyr of a life behind."

"And what of helping my mother last night!? What was that for!?" She asked Pain. Seeing her mother walk again was nothing short of a miracle, one she was happy to witness and it was thanks to Pain.

"That was for all the times you stood by me while I killed the scum of this world. Nothing more."

"I don't believe you!"

"Believe what you well. Last chance Artemis. Join me and fight to fix Injustice that these Justice leaguers won't fix… or join the long list of people I have killed." Pain told her.

"No…"

"No hesitation?"

"If you want to kill anyone on this team you'll have to kill me first!" She aimed her bow and fired, the arrow went right through his head.

"Very well… Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!" A massive torrent of fire was launched at Artemis. The hall was melted, but no Artemis was seen. It seemed she was saved by someone.

With the team, Artemis was saved by Supergirl, although what Pain had said it seemed that he was serious. "But… I don't get it. He wouldn't."

"It seems you don't know Pain as well as you think." Aqualad said to her.

"Or he's just showing his true colors. Like any other murderer." Robin said with a sneer.

"He's not a murderer!" Artemis yelled, surprised at herself for still standing up for Pain.

"However knowing what he intends to do with us, you still stand with us. That's brave of you. I thank you for that." Supergirl said to Artemis.

"Yeah, you could have sold us down the river but you decided to stick with us like a true hero." Kid Flash said. Hey, he gets some good lines sometimes.

"Yea, thank you very much Artemis." M'gann hovered around Artemis.

"I still don't get it. Why? Why would he do this? It's not like him." Artemis wondered.

"Maybe you didn't really know him."

"Now is not the time for this. What we need is a plan of attack." Aqualad told the team.

"Attack? Your joking right? This guy took on the Justice League, and won. Not even so much as getting a good hit being landed on him." Kid Flash said. "We need to get out of here."

"That won't work. Pain would have had this place sealed off. No one in and no one out. That includes Zeta Tubes." Artemis said to them.

"How do you know that?" M'gann asked.

"I don't know how. I just know. He's don't it before. It's a barrier of some sort." Artemis answered.

"So flight is out, we can only fight. Sounds good to me." Supergirl smirked.

"Artemis tell us the powers that you feel that Pain will use." Aqualad asked Artemis.

With Pain. Pain was looking around. He had his fun with the girl's rooms. He knew who's was who's. He even kept a few trophies… in the form of a few g-strings. He did a slightly perverted giggle. However back on track Pain wondered what the group was up too. He had hoped that Artemis would come back to him with the threat of death, however she didn't. He raised his right hand, and stopped a wall of water coming at him. "Using the elements against me? What has Artemis told you about me?" He asked. He sent the water back to whence it came and saw no one on the receiving end. He then grabbed 3 disks coming from behind him. Then allowed 3 arrows go right thru him. "You know about my powers Artemis? Why do you allow them to waste their time?" He asked out loud.

"PAIN!" Artemis started running at Pain.

Pain raised an eye brow. Artemis wasn't one for a frontal attack. Pain brought out a pair of charka rods to block her bow blades. Pain's eyes widened. Deflected her hands and grabbed her neck. "Who are you!? Your not Artemis!"

M'gann let go of her transformation. "Got ya."

Pain's eyes widened, then he ducked as a fist come from behind him. M'gann's knee was coming up at the same time. He had to use Kamui to avoid her knee making friends with his face. He appeared in the main hall only to grab 3 arrows aimed at his head. "I told you before Artemis. I can grab them faster than you can fire them!" He yelled. He then blocked Kid Flash's speed attacks, with ease really, he allowed 3 disks to pass by him and raised his hand once more to block a torrent of water come from Aqualad. "Why continue this fruitless resistance? All the resistance in the world won't change the fact, that you, have, no, future!" Pain told them. Pain hoped back when Aqualad landed behind him tying to cut him in half. He then grabbed both Supergirl's and M'gann's fists that where aimed for his head and allowed 3 arrows to pass right through his head and embed themselves in the wall right behind him. "Have I taught you nothing Artemis!? I taught you to be better than this! Your training with this cretins have dulled your ability to fight!" Pain told her while holding onto M'gann and Supergirl.

Artemis smiled. "You did teach me many things Pain. I don't doubt that, neither should you. But the one thing that you taught me that I hold closer than most… is to be unpredictable." She smirked.

Pain's eyes widened. For two reasons, one: the two people he had grabbed where not M'gann and Supergirl, but Aqualad and Kid Flash. 2: he heard a beeping sound that sounded a lot like one of Artemis' bomb arrows… or 3. He looked back and had only a second to realize that what they were. He had been forced to let go of the two boys and use Kamui to avoid being a smear on the ground.

BOOM

"ARGH!" He felt the first second or so of the blast but stopped most of it from hitting him. He looked up when he felt two powerful energies in front of him. His lone Sharingan eye saw both the 'real' Supergirl and M'gann both had their fists cocked back ready to dish out pain. No pun intended.

"Eat fist bitch!" Supergirl yelled.

Pain tried to grab their fists but missed. Both fists connected with his mask, and it cracked. They put more power behind their attack and sent Pain flying back to the water on the other side of the room.

"I… I can't believe that worked!" Robin was shocked. Their mentors took a full hour just to hit him once and it wasn't that powerful. In a time less than that they managed to send him flying, and Artemis' plan did work. They never thought.

"Well done…" They heard Pain's voice. However they also noticed a large piece of his mask on the floor just a head of them. "… I was right about you all…" He said once more as the mist cleared. Pain was covering the exposed part of his lower left side of his face. "For all of you able to land one good punch on me… using what Artemis knows about me…" However what he didn't cover was his left eye, a blue left eye. Artemis' eyes widened. "We will meet again, and Artemis, your punishment, has been delivered. You've passed my test. Yet… I still come out on top." He looked at his wrist and say it blinking. He pressed it and Red-X came to life. "Report."

"Mission complete. Everything on the Bat Computer is now ours." Red-X said.

"Perfect. Get out of there and meet up later." Pain looked up. "My plan is done. Everything that Batman had on you heroes and heroines and even the villains is now mine." Pain said.

"WHAT!?"

"Currently, almost every hero that is not on duty to something else are now on their way here to respond to the distress call that you sent out." Pain told them.

"What!? We didn't send any distress call!"

"Of course not. I did under the impression that Aqualad sent it. Aqualad told them that I was here and that you are all under attack. So they'll be here in a few minutes." He smiled at their reactions. "So… I now have all the names of heroes, their real names, powers, locations, weaknesses and how to beat them… or… how to KILL them. Dickey… thank Batman for me will you? Thanks to his paranoia, I now have the means to terminate every hero and villain in this world." He once again vanished in a vortex.

"Fuck!" Robin yelled.

"He played us, and played us well. We would have never have thought he would pull something like this." Aqualad said.

"How does he even know where the Bat-Cave is? Hell almost no one knows where that place is!" KF yelled.

"Artemis does he know where the Bat-Cave is? It might have been a bluff." Robin asked.

"If he meets you once, he can find you no matter where you are. He can feel life signatures he should know almost all of the Justice League's life signatures by now because he fought them. Batman would have been no different. He knows mine, all of yours. Everyone he has ever fought before he knows." Artemis told them once again.

"Then it was no bluff. We need to tell the Justice League about this." Supergirl told Robin.

"I need to go." Artemis said making her way to the Zeta tube.

"What about the report?" Robin asked.

"Our fearless leader can handle that I need to get going!" Artemis ran to the Zeta tube. Oh there was going to be hell to pay with Batman. Later anyway.

(Monday)

It was the Monday, 6th period, after the dance and a day later from the attack on the cave, if one could call it that. Pain just came to the cave, tested the waters and left. Also taking everything Batman had on every hero and villains past and present. She wondered his true intention, but what about Batman? What will he do to her to find out about Pain. Their little fight at the cave showed that Young Justice has what it takes to at least stand up to Pain. Even if he didn't take the fight seriously.

"Hey Artemis."

Artemis looked up to see Naruto. "Hey Naruto. How are you?" She asked, although without any feeling to it.

"Ouch. Did I hurt you in some way? Did you not have a good night the other night?" Naruto asked.

"No! No! It's not that. I had a great time!" She said to him. She then blushed when she said that.

Naruto smirked. "I knew you were soft on me." He smirked. "Ow!" He rubbed his shoulder when he was punched by Artemis.

"Alright class. I had something for you all to do today but I misplaced it. So we're going to watch a documentary on T.V. for this class period." The teacher of the class informed them. Hey a free Monday.

The teacher turned on the TV and about half an hour into the film the TV went blank. However it wasn't just there's, it was everyone's around the world. There was some screeching and a horrid sound coming from the TV and only one thing could be seen and heard on it. The word 'Jinchuuriki' in all languages.

"My name is Obito Uchiha… I come from a world, far different for yours. When I first came here… I was following a… monster… he brought famine, wrath and war to my world. He has killed hundreds of thousands of people all in the quest for ultimate power… in our 4th world war… he killed over 70,000 people in 2 days…"

While the world was watching. Artemis noticed that Naruto looked pissed.

"… for the last year of your time… he has hidden in plain sight… macerating as a hero… he may walk like you, talk like you… but he's not one of you. His so called 'hero' name is Pain. He also goes by another name, the name of my Grandfather… the man he killed for more power Madara Uchiha. He may look young, act young, act innocent… but he is a monster…"

Artemis was shocked. Pain was… a mass murderer?

"He has always killed for more power… no matter the motives he tells others… he's a master manipulator. He's even killed his own family… his mother… his father… everyone that was close to him died… because of him."

That shocked Artemis even more. He killed his own parents? However that was nothing compared to the shock she was going to receive right now.

"However… his cover name… the name he has the gull to use… is Naruto Uzumaki..."

Everyone looked at Naruto. Artemis looked at Naruto as well, however while all the rest we're looking at him with distrust and distain. Artemis' look was more along the lines of betrayal.

"For any that you think you are his friend… he has killed many that way. He cannot be trusted. If anyone knows where Naruto is you must stop him before his plans of world domination are completed. To Naruto I say this… I will stop you… and avenge my family and friends you've killed… I'm coming for you… little brother…" The TV shut off.

Naruto was beyond furious at Obito right now. 'He played the 'I'm the hero you're the villain card… no doubt everyone in the world is against me right now… well played Obito. He even went so far as to say I killed my family, and on top of that he played the 'little brother is a manic power hungry merciless monster' card. Nice. I bet grandpa is proud of you 'big brother'. I'll get you for that.' Naruto looked at Artemis once more. "I guess this puts a strain on our current relationship huh?" Was all he said before he vanished in a vortex.

(Watch Tower)

"Um… what's going on?" Flash asked. Just about the whole League had just watched what everyone else just watched.

"We're leaving." Batman said. Already had a plan going.