"Titans, listen up." Robin called for attention, "Something big is happening, and it includes Slade. Leads, however, have shown Slade has moved outside Jump's city limits. So we'll be splitting up to track him down." Everyone nodded in understanding, waiting for him to announce teams.
"Cyborg and Beastboy, you two will head for Sapphire City to see what you can find. Starfire, you'll be coming with me, so I'll explain the details later. Then Raven, I need you to stay in Jump in case of trouble. Still, keep an eye out for Slade, it's possible he might try coming back, think you can handle it?" He waited for conformation before dismissing everyone to prepare for tomorrow morning.
Six days had since passed, and she had heard little from her team. A few days after leaving Robin had begun to suspect someone was tampering with their communicators, and ordered them to be turned off until Cyborg had the chance to look into it. Now communication was limited, Robin or Cyborg would call for an update on how she and the others were doing. Other than that Raven had no way of contacting her team.
Things had been shockingly easy considering the circumstances, more often than not Raven dealt with a simple robbery or heist. The worst there had been was another run in with Dr. Light. Which was fairly easy due to the fact the moment he'd caught sight of her the man had begun trembling with fear. Nothing she was proud of, but what's done is done.
So far nothing had interrupted this fine, peaceful morning, but seeing as it was only five in the morning Raven suspected villains were taking the time to catch up on their beauty sleep. Although it seemed someone was more than ready to prove her wrong as the alarm went off and the crimson light flashed urgently. Raven wasted no time making her way to the surveillance system. She noted the disturbance was in downtown Jump, and there was no signature marking the culprits known enemies. The problem consisted of seven people, one a young girl cowering at the end of an alley. Raven figured it was an ordinary or otherwise unimpressive gang out to cause trouble. Still, worried for the girl the sorceress quickly transported herself to the scene.
As her dark raven receded Raven glanced around but saw no sign of the gang members, so she turned her attention to the terrified girl. Before the demoness had a chance to comfort the petrified girl a gunshot rang out, catching Raven off guard.
Now, most would believe Raven to be much like Superman in some ways; faster than a speeding bullet and such. This could be considered true, on one condition – she had to know it was coming. On this occasion, she unfortunately did not. So the piece of scrap metal continued uninterrupted on its course and tore unforgivingly into her arm. Holding back a cry of pain Raven whirled around to face her attacker as she tried to ignore the pain. Only, upon turning a fist cracked against her face with unimaginable force.
It seemed she'd found the gang, but had made a serious miscalculation. One of them, the leader no doubt, possessed superhuman strength, resulting in Raven slamming against a brick wall five feet away, her head cracking sharply against it. For a moment she felt herself losing consciousness, but immediately pulled herself back. Opening her eyes Raven winced at the pain behind her eyes as her head throbbed, other than that she let none of her pain show.
Before she had time to launch her own attack their superhuman leader lunged forward and once again attacked. Once more she was thrust against the wall, and as before her head met painfully with the wall. Raven couldn't help the groan that escaped her and she reached up to touch the back of her head, and felt the blood streaming from her wound. Forcing herself onto her feet Raven surrounded the whimpering girl in her aura ten hurriedly transferred her to the tall alley backwall, where she would be safe until someone else arrived.
This did nothing to help her situation however, as the leader was by no means happy with her heroic act that had robbed him of his previous toy. With terrifying vigor the man rushed her and this time aimed for her head. Raven managed to dodge this attack by running past, but was left open to his next attack. His fist made contact with the back of her head, the force unbalancing and sending her sprawling across the cold concrete. Again Raven felt consciousness leaving her, and knew she needed to fight the growing darkness but found she could not. Behind her knuckles cracked, and she was gone.
A figure clad in black jumped from one roof to another, searching out his next target. In the early morning Jump was quiet and dark, his two favorite adjectives. Only it seemed some would care to disagree. Hearing hiccupping sobs he turned to the right, and saw the silhouette of a girl sitting on top of an alley wall. Confusion quickly swept over the masked man as he wondered why someone would sit in such a place, not much caring why it was she was crying.
Quietly he approached, careful to remain unseen. As he neared sound from below the girl's perch became evident. Thankfully the building next to the alley loomed a few feet higher, and from there he had the full view of the spectacle below. He was rather surprised to find Raven as part of the entertainment. Although the show did nothing to entertain, in fact, it made him rather angry. It also filled him with an unusual sense of dread.
Below a well-known gang leader, especially known for an unnatural case of superhuman strength, was more or less, pumbling his Raven. What was worse; she didn't seem able to fight back. He could only sit and watch for a moment as she took a rather nasty blow to the head, which sent her spiraling to the ground where her head again cracked violently against the concrete. He watched as she struggled to stand again. But he could see how shaky she was beneath that cape that hid her from everyone else, how difficult it was for her to remain standing, and as expected, she collapsed.
Fury, of a whole new level, coursed through his blood seeing the violet haired girl sprawled across the ground so helplessly. Knuckles cracking he dropped swiftly into the alley as the man started again for the fallen raven.
"How's it going? Having fun I see." Red X's voice was a deadly whisper, hardly heard even in the silent night, but the a threat was evident. "Mind if I take over?" X would've smirked seeing one of the henchmen shiver slightly at his appearance, had he not been so angry. The super strength hotshot didn't look to hot now, in fact, you could almost see him cowering under the façade he unsuccessfully used to mask his growing fear.
"Hey, the shrimp's ours; we got to her first, so go find your own Titan, man." A step forward, a step back. X grinned eerily; sure they would sense it,
"Oh, but I rather like this one. I don't however," Another step forward, "Appreciate people who mess with my things, nor is it very gentlemanly," Another step forward, "to attack a woman so violently, don't you agree?" Red X now stood nose to nose with the leader of this so called gang, and he didn't seem so leader-like at the moment. A few more seconds was all he could take.
"Okay, fine, you want the witch? She's yours, do what with her, I don't care." He insisted, backing up, and quickly running off with the rest of his crew. The phantom stood a few more seconds, making sure they didn't plan on some type of retaliation. Apparently his reputation preceded him, they were long gone. Rushing over to the fallen woman Red X knelt beside her to inspect the damage dealt. Bruises covered her body, as well as a few scratches, most worrisome though were the two knots on the back of her head. Not that he considered himself a doctor in the least, but wounds of this caliber did not belong on the head.
Quickly X finished a quick scan, several ribs had been fractured, and he suspected a wrist sprained, probably as she tried to catch herself at some point. Thinking for a second he realized he wasn't sure where exactly he should take her. Of course not to his house, he already knew how that would end, plus, he needed a good medical facility. And the hospital wouldn't cut it, to many questions. It would have to be the tower then, X decided, if he remembered correctly – which he did – the other Titans were gone for the next few weeks so there would be no problem.
Red X had no trouble making his way onto the Titan's island, having long ago found the secret passage Robin used to get his cycle into the city. Swiftly X dodged the sensors surrounding the Titans' tower. Then bypassed the system in under 15 seconds, which surely would've blown a fuse in the Tin Can, had he seen the feat. Once he had made it into the building the thief abandoned stealth in turn for a quicker approach. Darting though the tower X raced down corridors and floors until he reached the medic room.
Then gently – so as not to further injure Raven's head – Red X sat the girl on the examining table. Making his way around the clinic he collected an armful of supplies, which he sat next to the unconscious girl. From there he couldn't figure out what exactly to do. Start out easy, he decided, and picked up the antiseptic and began applying it wherever it was needed. Only a few cuts needed to be cleaned, none of which needed bandaging.
Picking up a wrap of gauze, X turned to Raven's wrist. After straightening her wrist the thief spun the white fabric around until it covered most hand and a portion of her arm. After Red X was finished he stood still, with only one area left to bandage. Her ribs. Eyeing the unconscious demoness' leotard he sighed fitfully. Bad enough was the fact to bandage a broken rib her shirt would have to be removed, worse was the fact she wasn't wearing a shirt per se.
Red X was nothing of a gentleman, that he himself knew, but he did have a sense of self preservation. He knew very well if Raven woke up in such a condition, she would send him to the darkest dimensions of hell. Frankly, that wasn't on his to do list. With another sigh the life loving thief set to work, a rip in her uniform presenting itself in the form of an answer. Grabbing the edge of the tear X ripped it until it stretched horizontally across the length or Raven's uniform, just under her ribcage. Then he proceeded to do the same on the other side, until the leotard had been ripped into two separate pieces. From there he lifted the top, his gaze avoiding the woman's chest. Quickly he cut a length of gauze before securely winding it around her ribs, ending at her bust. No sooner than he was done the man pulled her shirt down and put everything away.
Coming back to the girl he lifted her light frame and carried her slowly up to her room on the seventh floor. Walking through the electronic door that did nothing to stop him he gently laid her on the dark covers. For a time he stood there, unsure of what to do. Already he knew he couldn't leave quite yet, not until he'd had the chance to irritate his Bluebird. A sudden idea came to mind, and with a light chuckle he decided no harm, no foul.
A groan slipped past Raven's lips as her pounding head forced her awake. Eyes squeezed together she sat up slowly and even with her eyes closed the world seemed to spin. Gripping her head she waited for it to stop, and after a while, it did. Holding her breath tightly she then released it, suddenly wondering what was going on. Violet eyes opened, and met a gaping blackness. Raven blinked, then rubbed her eyes furiously, before looking again. Black.
Panicked the sorceress thought back, what happened? She remembered the alarm, the gang, their leader, saving the girl, and then having been knocked unconscious. Terrified she leaped up, whirling around yet seeing nothing, able to do nothing. Her powers jumped and something shattered. Forcing herself to stop Raven ordered herself to breathe in, then out, and in again.
Backtracking Raven turned around slowly, then feeling for the bed she began to climb on slowly. Only her newfound blindness threw her off, and losing her balance she pitched forward, right onto another body. An odd grunt sounded from beneath her, and an arm reflexively pulled her toward the man.
"Let go of me!" Raven cried with hardly concealed panic. The arm in turn only pulled her closer and a monotone voice answered.
"Aww, but it's only me Sunshine, and might I say, what a wonderful wake up call." She recognized the voice, and was almost relieved, at least now she knew who she was dealing with. The thief leaned back, pulling the struggling girl along.
"What did you do to me?" She demanded, while trying to pull herself away from the man's iron grip. The man shifted, and she could only assume he had turned to look at her. She felt a gloved hand come to pat the top of her head, which she swatted away.
"Nothing Bluebird, promise, I found you playing with the Alrzo gang and stepped in, and what exactly," He began to ask as she glared daggers at him, "Do you have against your blanket?" She shifted her gaze in what she could only hope was more or less him. Perhaps seeing the problem Red X sat up, allowing the girl to snatch herself from his grasp.
"What's wrong with your eyes?" He questioned and her glare intensified. He grabbed her chin and tweaked it to the left, where she assumed his eyes were.
"I don't know whatever you did to them!" Raven replied, and scooted backwards in order to get away from but was stopped as he gripped her arm.
"Okay, sit still before you fall off the edge of your bed, and let me see the back of your head, will you?" Irritated Raven lashed out, and got lucky, managing to land a blow on his costumed figure. Tisking X pulled her forward, trapping her arms to her side with on hand as he turned her around. He prodded and poked around the back of her head until she flinched as he touched a tender spot. After a second more of examination he released her and she turned around, aiming and successfully hitting Red X with a fist to the cheek.
"Sunshine, I'll have you know… that hurts."