Minawa-chan: Hello dear reader, welcome to my new fanfiction. This will be my first Teen Titans fanfiction and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do!
:D
Like when the pin is drawn to north, two polar opposites pulls to each other. Helplessly they despite one another but at the same time they cannot be apart.
...
Like every story, this one starts with a beginning. Somewhere. Unfortunately I wasn't all too sure myself exactly where it began.
I took a deep breath, swallowing the night's cool air and filled my lungs with it. It soothed the inside of me and when relaxing I let it all out in a heavy sigh. A big and heavy one but surprisingly not depressing; as most of my sighs usually were. No, tonight I felt at ease.
The Titans worked better as a team now, fighting together effectively, not only with each other, but also with other heroes and the police officers. It made me proud as a leader and tonight we spent most of the time shoving pizza and tofu down our throats, watching movies and playing games. Except for Raven who picked up a book but still stayed in the same room as the others. Something she herself told me took a lot of meditation to do.
Our own little celebration, as a team. Now everyone slept and alone I sat on the roof, enjoying the gentle summer breezes.
-X-
Getting into this thing, the vault, was a piece of cake. Not even that. No guards kept the place safe and the few alarms and traps weren't more than a child splay. They simply made it too easy. No surprise when I gave it some consideration. If people didn't know where to look for it then they probably wouldn't think of breaking into it… but that went to ordinary people and not super villains, or people like me; thieves.
I opened the door to the huge cooler in the back of the vault. I made my way over to my target. I mirrored the laser away from the glass container and cut a circle in the glass. With a slight pop the piece fell out and gave me a door to the bottle of chemicals.
"Piece of cake…" I said to myself in triumph. Unfortunately I wasn't alone.
"I think this piece is a little to big for you to swallow, X." Robin said as her entered the cooler. I smirked behind my mask.
"How nice of you to come and see my show, Kid. Seeing something you like?" I asked in a mocking tone. Robin narrowed his eyes on me.
"Just a potential ass-kicking victim." He said and stood in a fighting stance. I raised the bottle in front of me.
"This is dangerous stuff, Kid. I don't think you'd want me to drop it." I said. Robin just grinned.
"Then you better hold onto it!" he said as he attacked. For a moment I wondered if his head was all right but figured I really didn't want to waste precious seconds thinking about it. Robin's roundhouse kick missed me by mare millimeters and left me an opportunity to distance myself.
"Where's the team? Out for pizza?" I asked as his fists came my way. I grabbed his arm and gave him a shoulder throw, sending him halfway through the cooler. Of course he had to ruin my fun by making a beautiful flip, sliding on the iced floor on his feet.
"Actually, they're down with a cold. I'm flying solo tonight." He said as he stood up and drew his Bo. I figured this was my exit cue.
"That's my Birdie, unfortunately, this is the part where I get away." I said and ran out through the door and into the main hall. I stopped at a halt when I saw something that really shouldn't be there. A huge box stood in the middle of the hall with huge red numbers on it, doing a countdown.
3.
2.
1.
Crap.
The force of the explosion was stronger than I had expected and in a bright light I was thrown inside the big cooler again. I figured as much since I could feel, while tumbling around, the iced floor and the cooler air. With a loud bang the door shut close, locking me inside the cooler as I heard a loud rumble outside which probably was pieces of the roof falling down.
I sighed and suddenly realized I wasn't really alone. Robin lied further away, rubbing his temples. I walked over to him.
"You okay, Birdie?" I asked as I pulled him to his feet. He snapped back his arm and glared at me.
"What the hell did you do?" he asked and grabbed my collar. I raised my hands in defense.
"Whoa, slow down. I'm innocent this time. Wouldn't want to kill myself, would I?" I said, making the hero let go. He glared at me but at least let me be for the moment. He walked up to the door and gave it a push.
"Locked inside, huh?" he asked. I supposed the question rhetorical so I leaned against a box, deep in thought. Robin looked over to me.
"Don't you have any explosives with you?" he asked. I shrugged.
"I didn't bring all that much, why do you think I need the chemicals? Besides, even if we blast the door, there will probably be impossible to get through the entire rumble outside." I noticed that the boy nodded and then rubbed his arms absently.
It was cold, no question about that. Nothing directly deadly but sooner or later we would be cooled down to a dangerous level.
"Good thing your friends are home in their cozy beds." I said in a sarcastic voice. Robin glanced my way.
"Can't help it, they're human too." He said. I understood what he meant but still grinned.
"Except for your hot alien girlfriend. Can aliens even get colds?" I asked, mainly to piss him off. It worked.
"Shut up, if you really want to know, Starfire is the one who's worst right now." He said, losing his calm attitude. I shrugged.
"Besides, she's not my girlfriend…" it came, more like a whisper. I grinned.
"Oh, is that so?" I dragged out on it. He looked at me.
"We're just friends, something you wouldn't understand." He said. I looked at him.
"So now I'm incapable of having friends? I'm heartless cuz´ I'm a thief?" I asked him. I could tell he felt guilty for his rude behavior but obviously wouldn't back down on his comment. I really did want to start a nice wrestling match with the slightly younger boy but more or less lost the will to jump around. It was just too cold…
...
Before the second Red X
I put the coke in my bag and threw it over my shoulder. I continued down the street, passing by the neighbor kids running around. It was still hot as hell even though it was august and school had already started. I was happy as I could be since I prefer summer and heat. I had the freedom to do what ever I wanted for as long as I wanted without getting cold. Still, school takes way too much time of the day. I just figure I could use the time for something more useful.
I have a perfect memory, almost photogenic. Most people think it's a curse because you remember almost everything including things you don't want to remember. I think it's the greatest thing ever, it's saves me the trouble of studying. I grinned to myself, pleased by the thought.
My sneakers made a sharp turn and ran up the stairs to the front door. I unlocked it and walked in, across the hallway and knocked on the office's door. I heard movement behind the door so I opened and walked in. My dad turned the chair and looked at me over his glasses.
"Got the gold?" he asked. I smiled at him with a playful look on my face.
"Yeah, I have. Mom really put you on a diet, didn't she?" I said as I opened my bag. He smiled.
"Yeah, she's into this health thing now a days. You would know if you ever stuck around." He said as I handed him the coke.
" I know but I'm out being healthy in my own way." I gave him a charming smile before turning for the door. He laughed.
"I know, I know. Jumping around all day and night. What if Mom knew what you did, huh?" He said but I knew he was never really concerned. I halted in the door.
"Good thing she doesn't then." I said before I left him. Mom popped her head out of the kitchen.
"I don't know what?" she asked, drying her hands with the towel. I kissed her on the cheek.
"Nothing." I said before I ran up the stairs.
"At least eat something before you go out!" she yelled after me. I waved my hand down the stairs to assure her I would.
I put on an extra hood and changed into some better shoes before I opened the window and jumped down on the smaller side roof underneath it. Today was definitely a great day for running and since I had a huge amount of energy I figured the best way to waste it was doing some le parkour in the city.
Before I gave it much thought it had already turned dark and I was a bit further away from home than usually. I stopped my pace and thought about it for a moment, wondering if my parents were having a fit about it…
That's when I saw him. A dark clad figure jumping over a nearby rooftop. His cape fluttered and on his mask I saw a red X one eye. I was stunned by his speed and agility and before I knew it I was following him. It was a thrill I had never before felt when I realized I was keeping up with him easily and got to see more of this guy. Of course he didn't notice my presents and sooner or later we arrived at a huge building I knew was a military thing and off limits. When the figure continued over the fence with grace I stopped to a halt. I figured he wasn't exactly on the law abiding side…
Moments later I noticed another group advancing the building but these guys I knew of. The Titans were out to stop whomever this guy was and truthfully? It made me tick a bit. I looked at the team but still didn't see Robin being among them, something that disappointed me slightly. Still, I was stuck down here on the outside and after losing sight of the Titans I turned to go home.
The next morning I held my eyes open and very much as I had thought: The newspaper was holding the story on their front page.
Who is the Red X? Read the title and inside the paper there was a short interview with the police and the titans but I weren't interested. At least now I had a name.
I stayed out more at night, keeping my eyes open. I had started out with looking out for Red X but I soon noticed how crowded of abnormal people the city was at night. You have no idea how far you can go with just a dark outfit and great sneaking skills. I had followed around some of the more famous villains and had gotten a first row seat to their trading deals and meetings. Without them knowing it of course. Still, things took a huge turn when I decided to go for the worst of them all; Slade.
I had overheard some other villains talk about Slade's hideout so I had figured it was a good idea to check it out. It had taken me over two hours to find the entrance and then another hour to find my way down in the tunnel network. I silently thought for myself; if I get a super-evil-secret-hideout I will not have it in the sewers.
I sneaked into, what appeared to be, the main room and soon enough I saw Slade. He was sitting by a huge screen, being served by an elder guy in a tux. I took myself closer into hearing range.
"Are you absolutely certain, sir?" the servant asked. Slade didn't move, sitting unmoving like a creepy mannequin.
"Yes, I am. There is no doubt that Red X is our lovely Robin in disguise, out to get me." He spoke in a disguised voice. I had never seen Slade before but I knew for a fact, I didn't like him. Still, what he had said had shaken me. Robin was Red X?
I sneaked out of the place as quietly as I could as a plan started to form inside my head.
Soon enough Robin was revealed and the case of Red X was closed, as the costume was locked up inside the Titan tower. I had figured it would take some time before they would droop their guard and the opportunity to steal the suit would eventually come.
If there was something I wanted, it was a little piece of Robin and his life, the action and the chance to make a difference. With all my information it would be easy to find my way into the trading and sooner or later I'd make a name for myself, or more like, I'd use the name of Red X.
I had snuck into the tower with difficulty, cutting cameras and different security cords on my way. I was, just to be sure, dressed in all black and wearing a black mask. If anyone would show up I didn't want to be seen.
Crawling through the air vent went fairly easy; going by a map I had gotten from the Hive Five on the market. It was suprising how much the villains actually knew about the Titans. I would have to remember that in the future.
Opening the vault was easy (not!) and once I had gotten my hand on the suit I was to crawl back through the vents. I stopped myself and hit my own forehead. I could just use the suit and transport outside. I put the belt on and pressed the button when a hit suddenly hit me. How exactly did you...?
It was too late as I felt myself being ripped apart in the air, suddenly landing hard on another kind of surface. The air was cold so I figured I had made it out. My stomach made a turn at the sudden joyride and I spat up something, which closely resembled vomit. After a few more choughs I stood straight and had a look around. Now, just where was I?
Two hours later I found my way home and threw myself dead tired on the bed. The suit lay in a bag I'd found in a dumpster along the way. Now it was on the floor next to me and I stared at it. Would it fit? Obviously I could change the size... only problem being my lack of sowing skills. I sighed and crawled to an upright position, poking the bag with my foot. Excitement spread in my body as I pulled the contents out and started to undress. I locked the door and pulled the curtains closed to be sure of privacy.
Minutes later I was fully dressed, the only thing missing being the mask. The suit fit alright thanks to the stretchy fabric but I was still a bit taller and broader over the shoulders, a fact that made me grin with glee. I turned and decided I could get the suit rearranged or make a new one... somehow, probably with a touch of magic. I sighed but shrugged at my reflection.
"Jake! Dinner is ready down here!" Mom called from downstairs and I jumped in surprise.
"Be there soon!" I called back, getting a final glance in the mirror before taking the suit off. This was a good day.