AN- Rewriting the shiznit out of this bitch, just because I'm embarrassed of it.
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Currently Jonathon was not a happy camper. After being released from Arkham Asylum for the criminally insane, he was told by his former employer that he had exactly three hours to vacate Gotham City before he would be killed. While leaving everything he had ever known did necessarily put him in a foul mood, that still was, unfortunately, not the worst of it. Oh no, the only place that he could get on a plane to was Jump City California or Metropolis, and he hated California, especially Berkley and was not allowed back into Metropolis. Apparently walking up into Lex Luthor's office and defecating on his desk is a big no-no, especially when done on seven different occasions. But he had no choice, his former "employer" had given him the choice and, well California had seemed like a better idea than death.
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"Attack Formation: Gamma!" Jinx yelled towards her allies Gizmo and Mammoth. This would mean that Jinx, the bad luck witch, would use her magic to bring up a giant slab of concrete, Gizmo, the boy genius, would attach one of his many explosive devices onto it and then Mammoth, the super-powered bruiser, would throw the explosive slab towards their sworn enemies, the Teen Titans.
"They are beginning their formation of meanness." Starfire yelled towards her companions.
"I got the bomb!" Robin said as he threw one of his cryo-discs towards the bomb, freezing it. "Raven, Cyborg, your turn!" Robin yelled towards his robotic and magical teammates.
"I got it!" Cyborg yelled back to his spiky headed teammate, as his right arm turned into his sonic cannon.
"Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!" Raven yelled as she formed a barrier around the exploding rocks.
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John's day had gone from bad to worse, if that was even possible. Aside from the death threats and having to relocate to California, he had to sit between two rather large Albanian women who smelled as if they had not showered in weeks, or they had smuggled onboard cheese. If that was his only trouble he might have been able to manage it, but not only had the plane run out of peanuts, the flight attendant had brought him a Coke, instead of a Royal Crown cola, like she said she would. Oh the humanity. He couldn't even bring his bag on as a carry on, no because it was 25 pounds and one ounce he had to check it, but at least his passport held up and the T.S.A didn't want a bit of T & A when he went through the scanners.
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"Beast Boy!" Starfire yelled towards her green companion.
"Right! One Extra Large Beast Boy Bomber coming up!" He responded by turning into a box turtle, Starfire then picked him up and hurled him towards their opponents, mid-flight he turned into a blue whale, smashing both Mammoth and Jinx, but the boy genius Gizmo flew out of the way.
"Take that armpit licking, fart smellers!" Gizmo yelled towards the Titans, not watching where he was going. As he crashed into a young man, this particular young man was wearing red canvas shoes, red plaid pants with suspenders hanging off the waistband. On his chest he wore a short sleeved T-shirt with "I Sell Crack For the C.I.A." on it, revealing tattoos on his arms, leading to the conclusion that he might have much more hidden under the shirt, his short brown hair was shaved on the sides and was worn down underneath a Powerthist flat-brim hat that he wore backwards, small gold balls resting in the lobes of his ears, and over his eyes, he wore a pair of Aviator sunglasses that were tinted so that it was impossible to see his eyes. As soon as Gizmo realized that he was going to hit the man, he swerved, but to no avail, the man had reached out and snatched him, mid-flight, and with a swift move, threw him up into the air and ripped his backpack off without taking a hand off his bag.
"What the heck you booger munching, butt-smeller!" the nasty little boy yelled at his captor.
"A booger smelling, butt- muncher?" the man asked, baffled at the odd assortments of insults that had been thrown at him.
"No you stinking booger breath-," he never finished that last insult as the man had smacked him with a raw fish.
"I think you are trying to insult me," The man said as he hit the little boy with the fish again, "I don't think that I like that."
"What the heck are you hitting me with?!" Gizmo snapped as he put his hands up to defend himself. To no avail, because the fish bent around his arms and whacked him on the head.
"A fish."
"Why!?"
"Because I couldn't find a pineapple," the young man told the boy, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "but, as fun as this verbal parkour has been, I think it's time for you to swim home back to your birds nest, puppy-cat." He said as he punted the little boy towards the paddy wagon that had shown up to take the other two villains away. As the five teen heroes look on in amazement, the man gives the "it's good" field goal signal.
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Robin, the first to break out of the stupor, walked up to the young man and started to thank him. "Where did you learn those moves man? Not many people can take down Gizmo on their first try." He then introduced himself and the rest of the Titans, "I'm Robin, and this is Beast Boy, Starfire, Raven, and Cyborg, and we're the Teen Titans."
"Hey boy blu- I mean wonder, and the rest of you. I'm… Jonathon…Rhodes." He said as he looked towards Robin, almost visibly fearful.
"We're not gonna hurt you John." Robin said to try and calm down the apprehensive and anxious young man.
"Uhh, yeah, ok, cool." John said as he sighed with relief. Realizing that Robin didn't recognize him, he loosened up. "So you guys are the hero team for this city or do you just like running around like that?"
"Yeah dude. We kick bad guy butt up and down this city" Beast Boy told the young man and flexed his arms.
"That sounds like a pretty sweet gig." John asked Beast Boy, "But I need to go find someplace to eat Cyborg, I haven't eaten all day."
"Yo! I'm Cyborg" Cyborg said to him,
"I thought you were Starfire." John said to him.
"I am Starfire" Starfire says.
"I thought you," he said pointing at Starfire, "were Raven and you," he said pointing at Raven, "were Beast Boy."
"Do I look like a boy?" Raven said as she placed her hands on her hips.
"Well not now Big Tits McGee." John said as he pulled his sunglasses down and started to look Raven over. "So what's up? How you doin'?" He asked her flirtatiously, jerking his head up and giving her a foxy smile.
"I'm going to ignore all of that, mainly because of the help you gave us." Raven said as she retreated into her robe, blushing from the embarrassment.
"Dude!" Beast Boy said as he gave a thinking pose, "we know of a good pizza place nearby, why don't we take you there as a thanks for helping out with H.I.V.E?"
"I don't know Beast- something or other, I kinda need to go house hunting and find a job and all that." John told the green teen, with seeming nervousness.
"Hey, John, can you give us minute, I need to ask the others something." Robin said as he motioned for the Titans to huddle up.
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Inside John's mind, he thought "Oh shit, Robin finally recognized me and they're gonna try and fight me for what I've done." He reached into his pocket and fingered a heavy piece of metal, reached into his bag, pulled out a flask and downed it; hand still on the metal in his pocket. "I ain't going back inside."
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Inside the Titans huddle things were much less grim, as Robin was trying to take a team vote on whether or not to let John join the Titans on a somewhat trial basis.
"Well you know my vote, not many people can just grab Gizmo mid-flight and disarm him with only one arm, but this is a team and I want you guys to be comfortable with it." Robin said as the whole team looked at him just to notice that he drank out of a flask. Turning back to the group, "but what I'm most interested in is, is who this guy is. He just comes out of nowhere and beats Gizmo, that's a bit…interesting. So it means he's obviously had some sort of training, and I remember Batman saying something about this guy, that doesn't happen to a nobody."
"Dude, that isn't soda he's drinking," Beast Boy said, "But aside from that, I do want to get to know him better. You're right Robin, something seems off about him, like he knows more about us than he's letting on."
"My scanners say that the liquid in that flask is at least," Cyborg said as he looked at his arm, "Holy Sh-! He's drinking something that is ninety-five percent alcohol and his vitals are not even changing! Ok, I'm at least curious to see who this guy really is."
"He did defeat the Gizmo with an uncooked fish, which is… most unconventional." Starfire chimed in.
"And I can't seem to read his mind. That only happens with people who have been highly trained in defending themselves against mental attacks or certain psychopaths. I'm going to see if I can try it with more concentration" Raven said as she put her hands up to her temples.
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John suddenly stopped as he had felt the familiar tug of telepathy in his mind, took a swig of another flask, and then fought back.
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John's mindscape materialized into a city that seemed to be split in two, one half old and dirty with large cracks and sinkholes in the streets, the other pristine and modern, and Raven was in what she thought was the ghetto. Suddenly the dirty city disappeared and Raven was transported into an open air café, John was sitting down at a table, sipping on a cup of coffee.
"Why don't you sit down and have some coffee Raven?" John said taking a sip of his drink.
"What are you doing?" Raven asked. "Where am I?"
"I'm enjoying a cup of coffee in my mind, what are you doing?" John asked, "Actually, I think I can answer that. You couldn't get a clear read on my emotions and decided to see if you could find out why. Well, you're kind of S.o.L on that because I really'd rather not go into all that mess right now." John said as he took a sip from his coffee. "But, knowing how you are, you're gonna want to know more. I may tell you the whole story, but only when I feel like it." Another sip, "I will say though; when the time comes that I do tell you, you're going to want to remember this quote, 'the more infrequently the crumbs of affection are offered, the more hooked you are. You become conditioned, like a rat in a cage.'" Then all Raven could feel was a strong force impacting her stomach and flying backwards as she was knocked out of John's mind with such force that her actual body flew several yards back.
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"I got her." John yelled as he jumped and caught Raven in mid-air. He then whispered into her ear, "I don't recommend doing that again, my mind…it's not a safe place."
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"John is she going to be ok? Robin asked running over to his now unconscious friend.
"Yeah, she'll be fine. All she needs is to lie down for a bit." John said as he picked her up bridal style. "Maybe that pizza should be for delivery instead, Chicago deep dish too. She should wake up in her own bed with something heavy in her stomach."
"That sounds like a good idea John. But the team would also like to see what you're able to do, so why don't you come to our afternoon training session." Robin said, obligating John to oblige.
"I really don't know why you would but, if you're so adamant on me hanging out with you, I guess I have no choice. But I'm known in certain circles similar to this one as Reaver." John told the team with Raven in his arms.
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"Reaver! Come on! We gotta see what you can do!" Robin yelled outside of the bathroom that they allowed Reaver to change in. The rest of the Titans were waiting outside with him, eagerly awaiting what their newest member would be wearing; the enigma that is Reaver.
"God dammit! Do you know how hard it is to put on thigh high boots?" Reaver responded as he exited his room, wearing an outfit that was eerily similar to the one that Starfire was wearing. While it did show off more of the tattoos that he had, one being what appeared to be the muses on his left pectoral, five ravens on his upper right shoulder, a mysterious tribal symbol ending at his left forearm while wrapping up to his shoulder and neck, and what appears to be a stylized double A on his right hip.
Noticing that Starfire was dressed just like him, sans the body art, Reaver said as he snapped his fingers and clicked his tongue, "Ok, one of us is gonna have to change." Noticing that Starfire and the rest of the Titans were frozen in their shock, "Fine, I'll go change."
"That was …not normal, was it?" Starfire asked in disbelief.
"I guess it is for some people… but yeah that was weird." Cyborg assured her.
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Reaver exited this time wearing a pair of gym shorts and a gray t shirt. Heading down to the training room, Reaver took a small rectangular box out of his pocket and tapped it on his palm several times. Looking toward the dark robed female who attempted to intrude in on his mind and opening the box.
Raven feeling like she was being stared at, looked around and found Reaver bringing a white stick to his lips and offered her one too. "What are they?" She asked tentatively reaching for one.
"Newport Menthols," he said as he was handed her one and took his lighter out. He went to light hers first and saw Raven's look of intense disapproval.
"There's no smoking here, Reaver." Raven said with her cold look of enmity.
"You need to chill out girl," Reaver said as he lit one up. "Don't you know? Stress will kill you." He exhaled his mouth full of smoke and started a dry, mirthless laugh at his own little joke. He stopped laughing and offered her it again but saw that her expression of contempt had not changed and decided to put the offending object back into the pack, filter side down.
Attempting to ease some tension, Reaver looked towards the other female of the group and decided to ask the question that had been burning inside of him. "So what's with all the glowing and flying and laser blasts, you an alien?"
Starfire was surprised that a human would be able think that it was possible for an alien to live among them. "Yes friend Reaver, I'm from the planet Tamaran, a long way away from here."
"Is Tamaran anywhere near Cleveland?" Reaver asked, at least attempting to make conversation.
"Where is this 'Land of the Cleaves' that you speak of? I have not heard about it." Starfire quizzically responded.
"It's where the last Tamaranean told me it was." Reaver responded almost lost in memory, smiling an almost lecherous smile.
"You met another Tamaranean?!" the whole team asked in unison.
"Yeah, but it looks like we're where supposed to be going. So what is this training going to be? You just want me to, like, spar with someone or what?" Reaver asked the team while looking around the room.
"We just want to see what you can do. So why don't you spar with Cyborg?" Robin said while pointing towards some mats set up in the middle in the room.
"I'm not gonna go easy you. So get ready!" Cyborg yelled as he got into a fighting stance.
Reaver calmly walked up to his opponent and in one sudden movement, grabbed Cyborg's head and brought it down onto his own, effectively knocking him out.
"Who's next?" Reaver asked to a dumbfounded team. "Why are you guys looking at me like that?" Still more looks of amazement. "Umm… sorry?" Reaver apologized to the rest of the team. "Look, he might have a concussion." With that the alarm sounded. "Besides, there is no better test, then actual combat. What's going down?" He said as he helped Cyborg up after he came to.
"The HIVE academy is trying to rob a bank downtown. Titans GO!" Robin yelled to his team.
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"God this is too easy!" Jinx said as she hexed open the safety deposit boxes.
"Shut up! Let's just get the money and go before the Titans get here!" Mammoth yelled to his team mates, back facing the door. All of a sudden he was launched forward with the sonic power of Cyborg's Sonic Cannon.
"Titans GO!" Robin shouted as Reaver jumped in front of the entire team and launched a fist at Gizmo, who flew up I order to avoid it, but flew directly into Starfire's fist.
"Time for this to end… what the hell's your name again?" Reaver said as he confronted the bad luck witch. "Ta' hell with it, I can find out later." He said as he pulled out a large handgun.
"Reaver! We don't kill people, we're heroes!" Raven shouted towards the teen gunman.
"I know" Reaver said nonchalantly as he pulled the trigger on his gun.
"STOP!"
"NO!"
"DUDE!"
"AWW MAN!"
The titans all shouted in protest, but it was too late, for the hammer fell down and in an explosion of smoke and gunpowder, and Jinx crumpled over in a wheezing heap of pain. "What was everybody so worried about? Didn't I say that this was loaded with non-lethal rounds? They're basically jets of air." Reaver said as he stowed the gun away in the waistband of his shorts. "I'm not some sort of murderer."
"Let's just head home and forget this whole thing happened." Robin said to his team, worried about what he had unleashed onto his city. He would have to place a few calls around to see if he could find anything out about this enigmatic young man.
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Reaver was sitting on the roof of the tower mindlessly smoking his cigarette and staring at the night sky. He looked down at the smoldering stick in between his fingers and his eyes seemed to gloss over, at least for a second and whispered to himself, "I guess I can't avoid getting involved with these kinds of people, I'm sorry guys." He was snapped out of his thoughts by the door to the roof creaking open to reveal a hooded Raven.
Reaver noticed this and started scrambling around, "Oh shit is this one of your meditation spots? I'm sorry, I didn't know," He was saying as he went to put out his cigarette, but stopped after Raven sat down beside him, took the smoldering stick from him and took a tentative puff.
"I never really did thank you for catching me after I was knocked out when I tried to probe your mind." Raven said exhaling the minty tobacco smoke and handing back the cigarette.
Reaver accepted the smoke and took drag, "It's all good, I mean it was kinda my fault that it happened," He handed her the cigarette.
Raven put the tobacco stick into her mouth and took another tiny drag, but instead of exhaling, she broke out into a large coughing fit which threw her hood down and disheveled her short bob of hair.
Reaver started to laugh and patted her back to help her stop coughing. "Alright princess puffer, I'm cutting you off." Raven sat up with her hair in her eyes and Reaver pushed it behind her ear.
"Anyway, the fact that you were able to resist me reading you raises more questions." Raven said as she smoothed her hair and wiped the tears from the coughing out of her eyes.
Reaver laughed and looked up at the sky, "That's a story for another night," he looked down at the burning filter in between his fingers and tossed it over the edge of the tower, "and I think I'll get out of your hair," he said as he went to get up, but was stopped when Raven put her hand on his.
"It's ok, you can stay." Raven said as she withdrew her hand, raised her hood up, and went to her meditation stance.
"Alright," Reaver said as he took out his pack, "I think I have a few more." He opened up his pack and saw that he only had one cigarette left, the filter down one that he had offered Raven earlier that day. He looked over to the purple haired girl next to him who was meditating, and he smiled. "Guess this really was a lucky day, huh?"
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A/N- Alright, the next few chapters should be up in the next few weeks, so maybe I'll stay around for a bit longer this time.