A black blur with streaks of red ran in to the computer store and back out before almost anyone could notice it had come…almost anyone. Unfortunately for the blur, someone had been watching. Nothing fazed this silent sentry. Like the trained warrior he had conditioned himself to be, Robin, leader of the Teen Titans, sprung into action and was quickly in hot pursuit of the mysterious thief, Red X.
X stole a glance behind him as he ran, and much to his dismay he saw Robin. "Come on, kid, try and keep up," the thief taunted as he ducked into a dark alley. X had picked the wrong alley, though. Waiting in the shadows was Raven, the dark Azarethran sorceress and fellow Teen Titan. Red X skidded to a stop and tossed out shurikens in the shape of an "x." Raven avoided the flying blades, but Red X had managed to flick on the belt's invisibility switch while his adversaries were occupied.
Robin made it into the alley at the end of the few-second battle, angrily looking around. He swallowed his emotions and looked around for the villain. "Did you see him, Raven?"
"Not since he tried to take out my eyes… He can't have gotten far on foot."
"Rest assured! We will find him!" Starfire said, happiness oozing from every part of her as she flew into the alley.
Robin nodded and tore off in the opposite direction. "I'll cover the ground search."
"I've got the air!" Starfire cried, zooming away once more.
"I'll take everything in between," Raven said to herself. She levitated into the air, not high above the ground, and channeled her focus as she looked for any sort of motion. Red X could not stay invisible forever. That power sapped his utility belt of its Xenothium fuel. When he was visible, if even for an instant, Raven would find him. She scanned every inch of the street her eyes could cover as she floated, grumbling a few angry thoughts in her mind. It was hard for Raven to emote like anyone else on the team, as her powers were controlled by her emotions–especially her anger. When she was mad, she had to get over it quickly. When she screwed up, no good came from her cursing herself; what happened had happened and she had to do what she could to make it right.
The buildings of Jump City were dark on this end of town, giving the industrial district near the docks quite an ominous feel. It would bother most people. To Raven, though, it was a comfort. If anything, it shut out distractions. Because it was dark, not many people came down this way. It was really a blessing for Red X to choose this area of Jump City to rob. This way, when the Titans took him down, there was far less chance of anyone being hurt.
"AW, NO! YOU ARE NOT GETTING PAST ME!" an all-too-familiar voice echoed off the buildings.
"Cyborg," Raven breathed. She teleported herself to his location, feeling the connection to her friend and finding his location almost as quickly as she had nearly lost an eye earlier, thanks to Red X. Her dark energy brought her through the city street seamlessly. Quickly assessing the situation, she was able to throw a shield up to protect her friend—and herself—as Red X shot binding goo from his gloves.
The metal man smiled brightly and turned quickly, pursuing Red X.
Beast Boy leaped into the action, in the form of a green grizzly bear. He stood up on his back legs, letting out a mighty roar.
Red X was intimidated, but he only hesitated for a second before producing sharp "x" shaped metallic blades designed for close combat from the tops of his gloves. While Beast Boy was distracted, Red X went for a killing strike at the bear's throat.
Out of nowhere, though, the assailant was blown backwards by green light. Starfire had struck again. She continued her assault with her starbolts, angrily fighting back Red X. No one even attempted to harm her friends and got away with it.
As Red X stood up, painfully so, he was attacked from every side. Raven possessed his arms and legs and rendered him motionless, Starfire shot more starbolts, and Robin and Cyborg threw repeated punches between the starbolts. Finally, the attacks subsided. Beast Boy, in the form of a green wolf, ran forward, snarling and snapping. He was not about to let the whole team down when he was so close to permanently ridding them of one of their most dastardly foes. Beast Boy, in the spotlight… He liked the thought of that. As the wolf grew closer, he targeted the "x" on the villain's chest–"X marks the spot! I crack myself up. I have to save that one for later!" the green boy thought–and leaped into the air, claws and teeth completely bared.
Red X sensed the expectation in the air. He felt Raven's control lift, just for an instant, and took his killing strike. As the wolf soared into the air in front of his face, his combat blades came out and his hand slashed down Beast Boy's chest. The slobber had barely landed on his face before Red X managed to turn invisible once more and disappear from sight. "Looks like the kids should have stayed on the playground!"
As Beast Boy fell to the ground, he morphed back to his human state. His eyes were wide with fear and with pain, his face pale. The red stain on his uniform spread from the initial wound all the way across his chest.
"Beast Boy!" Robin screamed, leaping to his friend's side in an instant. Robin hated to see anyone injured on the team, but Beast Boy especially. He was like the plucky, annoying little brother in the family. Starfire, Cyborg, and Raven were not far behind their leader. Robin gently supported Beast Boy's head and lower back. "Beast Boy…"
The green child's eyes fluttered. He had a pulse, but it was weak. He was losing a lot of blood.
Robin turned to Raven. "Can you heal him?"
Doing her best to hide the tears in her eyes, Raven reached her hands out, touching the wound. She closed her eyes and exhaled shakily, trying not to cry. If she could not heal Beast Boy, Raven did not know what she would do. God, anyone but Beast Boy… Breathing deeply, Raven repeated her familiar incantation, "Azarath…metrion…zinthos." She took as much pain from Beast Boy as she could bear, putting forth all her healing energy she could. Raven couldn't imagine waking up tomorrow and not hearing a Beast Boy joke or seeing his smile. She wouldn't lose him, not like this.
When Beast Boy did not wake up, Raven let a single tear fall.
"Raven…he will be okay. Friend Beast Boy will awaken soon," Starfire assured her friend.
But it was useless. Raven was deaf and blind to anything, except her anger. She rose up into the air, focused on one thing: vengeance. Red X would pay for this. He would feel the pain that Beast Boy–and now Raven–felt. Silently, she set off on her mission.
"Where is she going?" Starfire asked. The alien hated it when her friends were separate.
Robin watched Raven, unsure of her plans but deeply worried about his friend. "I'm not sure. But I'm going to keep an eye on her. Cyborg, you and Starfire get Beast Boy home." Robin ran down the road, grabbing his motorcycle from another alleyway. Raven had gotten quite far, but that would not stop the young hero from tracking her down.