"X"

The lines of good and evil are often blurred. Sometimes it's hard for us to tell the difference, don't you agree? A lot of people, mainly humans, see things in black and white; right is right and wrong is wrong. However, that is not always so accurate. Not many people can see, nor accept, the grey in-between.

I remembered it like it was yesterday. I was only 15 and I had lost someone very special to me. I felt a part of my heart shatter like glass and I felt…I couldn't feel…I was…empty. It was like an infinite dark tunnel with no light, no hope.

That was the day he found me, the man who would be my master and the man I would turn my back on. He pulled me out of the darkness I suffered and showed me a different dark path. I became the Snake and a member of a Dark Guild of Knights.

I trained, I fought, I did everything to fill up the void in my heart but it was still so empty. Where was my heart?

One day he sent me on a mission. He sent me to assassinate someone he deemed a threat. Assassination is just a glorified word for murder. I can't believe I actually accepted it.

I went to the strangely shaped Tower, shaped like a "T", on an island overlooking a city in America. I didn't come to sightsee, I came for business. From the shadows I watched my target. It was a she, clad in a tight fitting leotard and a blue cloak. I saw her powers, the powers of darkness. It was quite similar to my own powers. I stayed out of sight and watched her and her…comrades (I didn't believe in the term 'friends') did what they did. They fought criminals of the most extreme kind and saved lives. I almost felt guilty but I owed my master for taking me out of my depression.

I stayed out of sight, in the shadows, in the darkness, and snuck into the Tower. It was easy to do with my mastery of invisibility. I found myself in her room and prepared the killing blow…but…I hesitated. I gazed at her sleeping form. She was so beautiful and innocent. This just didn't feel right for me even if my master saw her as a threat. I got out of her room through the floor and I arrived in what looked to be a trophy room. I didn't make a sound as I hovered past a vault and stopped. The skull on the metal vault drew me to it and I couldn't help to see what it was. Turning into non-tangible shadow matter, I phased into the vault to see what was inside. What I found was most impressive. It was a black bodysuit, sleek and tight, with grey gloves and a black tattered cape with a grey lining on the inside. I looked into the eyes of the mask and placed my hand on it. I had some psychic abilities and items had a tendency to hold memories. When my fingers were on the mask I got all I needed to know. I placed my hands on the suit and it too changed into shadows. I phased myself out with my new 'toy' and out of the Tower. Maybe I could play with them…

The next night I broke into a facility looking for a Xinothium scanner. I studied the suit and the energy source, though had a long life, was quite limited. The Xinothium itself was also hard to find but not with this scanner. As soon as I broke in I was pursued. They didn't see my face though but this little game of Cat and Mouse was just so much fun.

The look on their faces was priceless when they saw me in the light. They were struck speechless and the little green one said something along the lines, "I thought Robin was Red-X!"

We fought and to keep up appearance I spoke in a cocky tone. The voice changer in the mask made me sound like the masked one and he didn't like the digital parody of his own voice…Who would? I studied the suit's capabilities and was quite impressed on how the Xinothium manifested itself into either a gooey paste or sharp blades. To keep up appearances even more I 'flirted' with the red haired. She was beautiful, truly, but I was grateful that the mask hid my eyes as they were focused upon the cloaked girl. She was a dark vision of beauty. If I had been paying attention I wouldn't have been blasted by the red haired girl's eyebeams.

I did, however, get away in the end and taunted them for their failure.

When I met Robin again, after I found the Xinothium ore, I explained myself. I didn't really have anything to gain and I didn't really care about other people…but still…Robin cared…I never really liked humans before but Robin…I grew to respect his drive. Then we got zapped and I lost consciousness.

When I woke up again, Robin trapped me in a cage. We exchanged words and then he left me to my own devices. I rolled my eyes under the mask and changed into shadow to escape. It was easy. I could just leave but then this Chang person really made me angry. So, against better judgment, I went after the 'kid'.

We fought side by side. I may not like playing the hero but that didn't mean I didn't know how. We saved his…comrades…and the city. Mind you this was the first good deed I ever did in a long time since I met my master. As the Titans confronted me, I realized too late that Robin had swiped the belt away. It didn't matter, really. My father's resources could have a new belt made. I did remember to make notes before all this. I threw the Xinothium and then disappeared…not to be seen again.

I still remained in the city to watch these Titans do what they did. Why did they care? Why did they have to gain? I then realized that it was not about all that. They just do it because it's right. My eyes went over to the cloaked girl. I had been told about her, of her evil legacy, and what she was fated to do…But to kill her, just didn't feel right with me. She was, strangely, quite similar to me…I respected her for doing the right thing, being good, despite her bloodline. I made my choice.

I left my master soon after and decided to follow my own path but I still had my wish that I wanted to be fulfilled.

2 years later I came back to this city but not on my own accord. I just came to track down a wayward friend of mine (I now realized what friends were) and then I found her again. I had been too cowardly to face her, hiding behind a mask, but not anymore. I was direct with what I wanted and she was quite reluctant but in the end I won her heart…Strangely, the Titans never suspected I was even Red-X to begin with. Then again, why would they? I had my own powers so why would I need the suit in the first place. They would assume a normal powerless guy would be the one running around in the suit. The suit in question had been heavily modified…and it was now quite powerful.

It was funny, really, to be here again and being their friend. I had a lot of secrets, terrible secrets, and even though they were upset they still trusted and believed in me and stood by me. They were my true friends and that is why I will cherish and protect them. Sure Beast Boy and Cyborg drove me as insane as Pluto but they made my life a little more lively. Robin and I did have some issues, though. I wasn't used to taking orders since I left my former master. I did, however, adapt after a little while.

I grew close to all of them, Starfire especially. I remembered that I pretended to flirt with her. It was awkward to be spending time with her but she grew on me. She was a lot like my mother.

Now I was with Raven…the girl I would've killed. She filled up the void in my heart and despite her inevitable destiny I would stand by her. Despite my former master's insistence, I will fight him and save her. In the end I did.

I proposed to her, on her birthday. It was my gift to her, a promise to always stand by her side. She appreciated it, truly. She was now my fiancée…

Oh, and the suit, it was with someone else and in safe hands…at least I hope it is. My brother can be quite reckless.

The alarm blared and it shook me out of my thoughts. I heard Robin's voice, calling for me to team up with a few others. I took in the names and nodded.

These were my friends and I care about them…I never had friends like these before and I wouldn't trade anything for them.

No matter how crazy they drove me and no matter how tempting it was.

My door slid open and I saw Cyborg standing outside, calling me, "Yo, Shadow! We gotta go!"

"Yeah, dude! Like, now!" Beast Boy called.

I chuckled to myself and pulled up my collar to cover the lower half of my face. Time to save the day…again.

Later I became 3rd in command but that's another story to tell another day.