And here we are again! Isn't it nice to have regular updates again? I know it's not the Pokemon story, but I'll say it as many times as I have to, it WILL be done! Just let my inspiration flow freely and all will be well. Promise. So, now we've gotten the Titans into Gotham City, and you all have hopefully gotten to take a look at Raven, Beast Boy and Starfire's civilian disguises courtesy of the one and only HollyLu. When we last left off, the media had jumped the Titans, and Bruce had to come to their rescue. Now, we see the aftermath of all that...and TWO twists. One twist will be obvious...the other twist? I'll be pleasantly surprised if you get the reference.
So let's do the anon reviews!
vi: I always try to reply to every review I see, and if I miss one, then I assure you (and everyone else) that it was not on purpose. It likely just got lost in my inbox...that happens sometimes. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much, and hopefully you'll enjoy this new chapter just as much!
And...that's that! Alright, no more waiting around, let's get started! I own nothing except the story.
As soon as Bruce arrived, the disguised Titans suddenly found themselves no longer the subject of scrutiny, all the questions quickly switched over to Bruce, and Dick caught the signal Bruce sent to him with his eyes, indicating that they should slip out while the media was focused on him. "We have to go," He said quietly. "Follow me, Alfred probably has the limo right outside!" He silently picked up his luggage and walked quickly away from the mob of reporters, his friends following his lead. Once outside, Dick scanned the road for the parked limo, and a few moments later, he smiled as he spotted Alfred standing in front of their ride in his chauffeur uniform. "Looks like he dressed for the occasion," Dick chuckled as he waved for his friends to follow. "Let's go guys, as soon as we're in there, we're home free!"
They hurried over to the stretch limousine, and as soon as Alfred spotted them, the old man's eyes seem to light up with joy, even if his lips only quirked up ever so slightly; always the epitome of professionalism and poise he was. "Master Dick, it is ever so good to see you again. You certainly have grown since the last time I saw you."
"It's good to see you too, Alfred." Dick said with a bright smile. "But we can catch up later, right now we gotta make a break for it before the media circus comes back."
"Excellent idea." Alfred opened the door, and the Titans all squeezed in; Victor had the unfortunate disadvantage of being a bit too tall for the limousine, so he had to sprawl out a bit in order to not have to be hunched over. Luckily there was plenty of room for that. Then Alfred closed the door and got into the driver's seat. "I hope everyone is comfortable back there, fortunately the journey back to Wayne Manor will likely be a short one, traffic permitting. In the meantime, please help yourselves to any of the refreshments in the back."
"Refreshments?" Garfield's eyes lit up as he spotted a mini-fridge, and he immediately opened it up to see a veritable treasure trove of snacks and drinks. "Duuuuuude!" He grabbed a soda and took a swig, and the belch he let out echoed throughout the limo. "This is awesome! Talk about living in the lap of luxury!"
"C'mon man, at least wait until we're alone before goin' off the deep end." Victor rolled his eyes in disapproval before smirking at his friend. "And hand me one of those sodas while you're at it."
"Is there perhaps any mustard in the tiny refrigerator?"
"I wouldn't mind some tea if it's in there."
"What am I? Your personal butler?" Garfield flinched as he realized that Alfred was probably still listening in, and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and chuckled nervously. "Uh...no offense Mister Alfred, sir."
"Think nothing of it, Master Garfield, and please, just 'Alfred' will suffice," Alfred replied with laughter in his voice. "Why, this is nothing compared to some of the antics I had to put up with when Master Dick was running around the manor."
"Oh really?" Victor grinned and shot a sneaky look in Dick's direction, the grin growing wider when he saw Dick shooting him a disapproving glare. "Do tell."
"Don't tell!" Dick shot back, dragging his hand over his face in exasperation. "Listen, Alfred, um...can we get some privacy for a minute...I need to brief my team." He said awkwardly, much to the surprise of the others.
Alfred just took it in stride and nodded, a small smile appearing on his face before he closed the window separating them. "I do hope Master Bruce takes his time."
Once the window closed, Dick sighed and slouched in his seat, his features already showing the utter exhaustion that was setting in. "I'd rather go five rounds with Slade than go through that nightmare."
"Dick, what's goin' on? Ya kinda slipped into...y'know-"
"I know, Cyborg." Again his apparent misspeak stunned his teammates, but Dick just looked over at each and every one of his friends, his gaze lingering just a little bit longer on Kory...his shining Star. Finally he stood up and addressed the whole team. "I haven't been completely honest with you guys, and it's time I fixed that. When I said that Bruce Wayne was my...k'norfka..." He shot a hesitant smile Kory's way, and she smiled back at him, giving him just a bit more strength to continue. "That was only half the truth. What I'm about to tell you can never be shared with anyone, not even the rest of the Titans-"
"Dude," Garfield scoffed and rolled his eyes, holding up a hand to cut him off. "If you're about to tell us that Bruce Wayne is Batman, don't even bother. We already knew."
Dick's jaw dropped and his limbs went limp as he paled, then he suddenly turned red as he whipped his head around to glare at Rachel, steam practically spewing out of his ears. "You-"
"Did nothing." Rachel deadpanned, again cutting Dick and his tantrum off before he could explode.
"B-But...how-"
"Dude, it's classic superhero comic cliché." Garfield grinned. "I mean it all adds up; tons of money, a tragic past, and then we find out our leader is Dick Grayson, the 'son' of Bruce Wayne? How could Batman be anyone else?"
"Yeeeah," Victor drawled as he rubbed the back of his head. "Have to admit, we were kinda playin' dumb back in the T-Ship, it wasn't hard to put the pieces together."
"I must admit," Kory said slowly as she folded her hands in her lap and looked down at the ground, avoiding her boyfriend's gaze. "I too surmised that your k'norfka was the Batman of which you often speak so poorly of. I simply did not wish to anger you or put you in a precarious position by revealing that I knew this information." Finally she raised her head to stare earnestly at him as green met blue. "We will never reveal your secret, Richard, you or the Batman, or may the flesh-eating ruchyt of Tamaran devour our tongues."
"Uh...thanks, Star..." Dick rubbed his arm awkwardly. "Bit of a graphic sentiment, but you made your point and it's appreciated." Dick smiled and sat back down next to Kory, and she immediately laced her fingers with his and settled her head into the crook of his neck. "At least that's a load off my mind, but now I'm gonna have a huge mess to clean up with Bruce after what happened out there."
"I don't get it man, he seemed like a nice guy out there, what's the problem?"
Dick turned to Victor and exhaled through his nose. "Bruce tends to see everything through the cowl, what you saw out there was his 'playboy persona' that he puts on to keep anyone from suspecting that mild-mannered Bruce Wayne is actually the dark, brooding hero of Gotham City. In all honesty, Bruce is more of a mask than Batman is...and I guess that's something we have in common; Robin being more like my true self than Dick Grayson."
"I do not believe that is true." Kory lifted her head to stare earnestly into her boyfriend's eyes. "Now that we have seen both sides of you, we can see where Richard ends and Robin begins. When you lead us in battle and when you are focused on solving a mystery, or perhaps even thinking of ways to better our crime-fighting capabilities, that is Robin. Robin is also defensive, he is sometimes unwilling to let others in, for better or for worse." She placed a hand on his heart when he looked down guiltily, and that brought his eyes back to hers. "But Richard is kind, Richard is who we see when you do things simply for the joy of doing them, he is also the one who is hurt when one of us is feeling bad, he is vulnerable...and that is usually when Richard transforms back into Robin, in order to solve the problem and make things good again."
Dick stared in awe at his girlfriend. "I...never thought of it like that before."
"Our girl's a lot smarter than folks give her credit for, Rob." Victor smirked as he leaned forward with his arm resting on his knee. "I'd say she's right on the money; we've all pretty much got two sides to ourselves that make up a greater whole."
"Indeed." Kory nodded. "There are times when Robin and Richard intersect, such as when you play the videogames with friends Beast Boy and Cyborg, you are competitive like Robin and excited and happy like Richard." She closed her eyes and shook her head a moment. "I am rambling, forgive me. What I believe I am trying to say is...neither of your sides are more true than the other. Everything that defines both Robin and Richard combine to make who you are; there is more to Richard than meets the eye, and there is more to Robin than meets the mask."
Dick said nothing for several moments, then finally breathed out a chuckle and admired his girlfriend for a bit. "If we weren't being watched, I would so kiss you right now."
"Well you are, so spare us the display." Rachel deadpanned, though her face bore a small smirk under her hood. "Well...only about forty-five minutes in Gotham and we've already had a huge team heart-to-heart. What's next?"
"Next, we go the manor and you guys relax while I deal with Bruce." Dick frowned as his mind played out the likely scenarios and arguments that would take place. "With any luck, we'll be able to focus more on Red X and not so much the extracurriculars...but knowing Bruce, I won't get that lucky."
"Hey, I just realized something!" Garfield exclaimed in realization. "If Batman's here, then who's keeping an eye on Red X?!"
"Batgirl." The team's spines went ramrod straight as the suddenly imposing figure of Bruce Wayne entered the limousine. The voice they'd heard was nowhere near as velvety as it had been before, now much more coarse and rough, deeper even, and the charming smile had been replaced by a hard, neutral line. "Welcome to Gotham City, Teen Titans."
After the initial shock, the Titans were unable to bring themselves to say much on the ride to Wayne Manor. Thankfully, Alfred's prediction of a short trip was mercifully correct, and they were able to exit the limousine and get some fresh air; Bruce's presence had made it almost stifling. "Sheesh," Garfield whispered to Rachel as he grabbed both of their luggage. "That dude's wound tighter than a python about to squeeze the life out of its dinner."
"Now we know where Robin gets it from." Rachel whispered back. "I'll take my luggage now."
"Nah, don't worry about it." He winked at her and shot her a grin. "Consider this my good deed for the day. Besides, best to make as good of a first impression as possible, am I right?"
Rachel smirked. "Right. Thank you, Gar."
The rest of the Titans grabbed their luggage and carried it into the manor themselves, much to Alfred's dismay as the butler insisted that it was his duty to carry the bags. "Forget it, Alfred." Dick smirked as Alfred continued to fume. "We can handle this part. Besides, you'll have plenty to take care of in the next few hours, Victor can eat enough to feed an army all by himself."
"Guilty as charged."
Alfred nodded in understanding. "Very well then, Master Dick. If you'll follow me, I will escort you and your friends to the guest wing, where you can unpack and get freshened up."
"After that," Bruce chimed in much to the shock of the others; already they were starting to realize that Bruce had a knack for coming out of nowhere. "I would appreciate if we got acquainted; I'm sure by now all of you are aware that Dick is actually Batman's former partner, Robin, which means you've probably figured out that I'm Batman."
"Bruce-"
"No, Dick," Bruce said firmly as he held up a hand to cut him off. "We'll discuss this later. Right now, Batgirl is down in the cave keeping our guest occupied. Do whatever you need to do to get settled, then meet back here in ten minutes, as your hero selves." With that, Bruce walked off leaving the Titans to themselves, one of whom was dreading his own existence.
"Terrific, he already knows." Dick sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "The hits just keep on coming."
"Master Bruce has never been one to mince words," Alfred said comfortingly. "Come along then, young masters, it's best we not keep him waiting." As Alfred led the Titans to the guest wing, he showed them each to their own individual rooms, until he was left alone with Dick. "You have two options, Master Dick...you can take the final guest room here with your friends, or you can reclaim your old room, I've made it up for you just in case you felt the desire to do so."
"The guest room will be fine, but I appreciate the sentiment." Dick gave the butler a tired smile before it faded into a frown as he dipped his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Things haven't changed much have they? Tell me the truth, Alfred, do I need to prepare for war like I think I'll have to?"
The older man hesitated for a moment before giving a fatigued sigh of his own. "You may very well have to do so, Master Dick...but then, on the other hand, you may find that things have indeed changed more than you're aware." Alfred continued when Dick raised a confused eyebrow. "I hesitate to admit this, God knows it would take a miracle for Master Bruce to admit it himself...but he has missed you more than you realize, and I'm not referring to Robin, though he has missed you in that regard as well."
"I couldn't stay, Alfred. All the secrets, all the lies, I couldn't stand it anymore!" The Boy Wonder closed his fist and slammed it against the wall, leaning against the wall with his arm with his head on top of that, his eyes squeezed shut in frustration. "Everything we'd been through, fighting crime, saving lives...but at what cost? Traumatizing kids while he interrogated their parents, having no regard for the lives of the people he swore to help, or the people who helped him for that matter!" He bumped the wall with the side of his fist again and grit his teeth as he again turned back to Alfred. "It was bad enough he kept breaking his own code of conduct, but to keep the fact that Barbara was Batgirl from me, knowing we were dating, knowing that we were supposed to be partners! What kind of partner gets left in the dark about something as important as that, and for what?! He never respected me, Alfred! I was nothing but his little sidekick all along...and I was dumb enough to believe otherwise."
The butler closed his eyes and lowered his head for a moment before answering. "You have every right to feel the way you do, Master Dick. However, I would offer that things are not as black and white as you make them out to be."
"Oh?" Dick crossed his arms over his chest. "And how's that?"
Again Alfred hesitated, and after glancing at a clock on the wall, he turned back to the young man and placed his hands on his shoulders, something that caused Dick's eyes to widen as Alfred had rarely ever veered out of his lane like this. "I know that you still care, Master Dick, and despite the impression you may get, I know for a fact that Master Bruce has missed you dearly. It hasn't been the same without you, he hasn't been the same without you." He then took his hands off Dick and placed them behind his back as he stood up straight, once again the epitome of professionalism and poise. "It might be best if you discuss this with Master Bruce personally...in the meantime, I believe Robin and the rest of the Teen Titans have a scoundrel that needs to be taken care of."
Dick watched the man walk off, and then shook his head in exhaustion and walked into the final guest room. It was extravagant, as always. His own bathroom, a king-size bed, dimmable lights and a soft green color scheme that created quite a cozy atmosphere. It would have been relaxing, had his nerves not been frayed to the point of snapping. "I can't do this..." He dropped his suitcase and flopped face first onto the massive bed; it smelled of the detergent that Alfred used in the wash, bringing back memories of when he would help fold the sheets simply because he needed an excuse to escape from training for a while. "Now I give Beast Boy a hard time over pulling the same trick," He snorted derisively. "How the tables turn." He jumped when he heard a knock on his door. "Who is it?"
"It is me."
Starfire. Of course. He sighed and picked up his suitcase and placed it on the bed, his back turned to the door as he opened it and started unpacking what little he had. "Come on in, Star." He heard the door open and then close again, and seconds later, he felt his girlfriend hover over to him, and in his peripheral vision, he could see she was still dressed in her Kory Anders disguise. "How's the room?"
"The accommodations are wonderful, Richard. Your g'tuverth Alfred has made certain that I will be most comfortable."
"My what?" Dick chuckled and started to turn around. "You know you're gonna have to-" His tongue seemed to grow three sizes too big for his mouth as he choked on his words. When he finally got a full look at her, he briefly forgot how to think as a rush of desire flooded into his belly. Gone was Kory and in her place was Starfire, his Starfire; golden skin, glowing eyes and all the love he could ever ask for. If the outfit she was wearing made her look amazing before, she was simply a goddess now. Finally he was able to form words again, so he used some. "Wow...you know, I think you really could be a model."
Starfire gave a small smile at the compliment. "I thank you...but I would not wish to share myself with the world..." Her eyes softened even more, and Dick's knees went weak at the amount of love that seemed to be oozing out of her. "I am for you, Richard." She floated right to him and wrapped her arms around him, and it took him merely a second to reciprocate as he squeezed her tight. "Please, do not allow yourself to fall into 'the funk' as friend Cyborg would say. Perhaps this will be an opportunity to repair what has been fractured."
Dick sighed and released the embrace, pushing her back a bit so he could look her in her eyes. "Star, you don't understand. Bruce, what he did...he doesn't trust me, do you know how that feels? He practically raised me after...after my..." His face contorted as he looked away and squeezed his eyes shut, fighting to swallow down the grief he could feel building up in his chest. "It's not like he'd change, he's set in his ways and no matter what, he'll always believe that his way is the best way, no matter who he hurts in the process. How can I just...forgive him for that?"
"I know exactly how that feels..." Starfire pulled back completely and looked away for a moment before glancing back at him. "Just as you feel the Batman did not trust you, it was not that long ago that you did not trust us, when you first became the Red X."
Dick's breath hitched in his throat, her words piercing right into his soul. "I-guh-that was different!"
"Was it really different, Richard?"
"Of course it was!" He threw his arms out to his sides. "The only reason I did that was because I didn't want Slade to suspect anything! There was a reason for what I did! I'm not saying I was justified, but at least I didn't do it just for the sake of keeping a secret! I had a goal in mind!"
"It does not matter." Starfire shook her head. "We did not know your reason at the time, just as you do not know the Batman's reason now for not telling you his secret. Just as you are hurt by his actions, so we were by yours. It is no different...and yet we forgave you."
"It is different, Starfire! I-" Then he stopped, his girlfriend had turned her head away and closed her eyes, her hands folded in front of her stomach. The image jarred him from his locked and loaded response...and his eyes widened in realization before he slumped his shoulders and bowed his head in shame. "It really isn't different...is it?"
"It is not," Starfire said quietly as she crouched down to get in his line of sight again, cradling his face in her palms. "But please do not think that what I am telling you is with the intention of harming you, I merely wish to convey that this rekmas that you and your k'norfka have suffered is not yet permanent, I believe there is still time to change things for the better. We forgave you, d'anthe l'ani, now forgive him of the same grievance, and start your bonding anew."
The Boy Wonder slowly lifted his hands to place them over hers, then he suddenly pulled her in for a tight embrace, with one arm around her waist and the other curling up and around her back to grip at her fiery mane of hair, his chin resting on her shoulder as he absorbed her emanating warmth, soothing his troubled soul. "God, Star...how did you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Forgive me so easily? You didn't even think twice, none of you did."
"Oh, Richard." She reached up to stroke his hair, the other arm holding him close to her as she gently lifted them up enough so that they were both comfortably sitting on the bed. "It is because we care for you, we love you...and I believe it is one of your Earthly religious texts that says that love covers over a multitude of sins. You are family, Richard, and even when you make mistakes, you always have our best interests at heart. How could we not forgive you?"
Once again, Dick was left speechless, so he simply closed his eyes and snuggled deeper into the comforting embrace of his Tamaranean girlfriend. "Okay...then...I guess I'll try to do the same."
"I thank you." She pulled back for just a moment so that she could lean back in and give him a tender kiss, which she broke after just a few seconds to look into his eyes again, brushing aside a stray lock of his hair. "I am certain that you will not regret this decision. I am positive that your k'norfka still cares for you."
"I know he does, Star...and I care about him too...I just...don't know if we'll be able to come to an understanding, that's what I'm the most worried about."
"You will never know until you try." She floated away from his embrace and landed back on her feet in front of him. "Come, we must not keep the Batman waiting, we still have the Red X to take care of."
"You're right, you're right." Dick took a deep breath and exhaled it out of his mouth before getting up off the bed, removing his inactive holo-ring and placing it into the case. "As much as I think you'd enjoy the show," Dick snarked with a smirk. "I think it'd be best if you left while I got changed."
Starfire smirked back, and instead turned around so that her back was to him. "You have my word that I shall not do the peeking."
"Not sure I believe you, but whatever." His smirk only grew as he started stripping down to switch back into his Robin uniform. "Hey, Star?"
"Yes?"
"Um...what did those Tamaranean words mean?"
"Oh...well, if you are referring to the one I just used now, 'd'anthe l'ani,' it is a Tamaranean term of endearment for one's significant other."
"What does it mean in English?"
"I believe the closest translation would be, keeper of my heart."
Dick's own heart warmed at that. "That's real sweet, Star...I hope you don't mind if I use that."
"Nothing would bring me more joy."
"And the other? Klumatra? I'm dressed by the way."
Starfire turned around and saw her Richard now once again dressed in the way she knew him best. His taut muscles rippling through the Robin uniform, the sight made her heart race as a smile involuntarily formed on her face. "K'lu Malth'era..." She corrected gently as she walked up to him. Then she momentarily removed his mask and wrapped her arms around his neck, reveling in the way his eyes gleamed with affection for her. "That means, quite simply, I love you."
The revelation instantly brought a smile to his own face, and he hugged her close before placing one more kiss onto her lips, the soft hum she gave causing his heart to swell. He pulled back moments later, removing her arms and grasping her hands in his larger, gloved ones. "K'lu Malth'era, Koriand'r."
"I love you too, Richard."
As soon as they exited Robin's room, they were met by the rest of their smirking teammates, even Raven couldn't help but shoot a teasing gaze their way. They had blushed, and Starfire briefly excused herself to change back into her own uniform, leaving Robin to face the others. "Not a word out of any of you."
So Cyborg and Beast Boy opted to whistle knowingly instead.
"I hate you all."
Fortunately it didn't take long for Starfire to switch back to her usual look, and they all went back to the front entrance of the manor together...where Batman was waiting for them. "Dude," Beast Boy whispered excitedly in Cyborg's ear. "It's the freaking Batman! Guess this means we've made it to the big leagues!"
"Far as I'm concerned," Cyborg whispered back through the side of his mouth. "We're already big time, this just confirms it."
"Zip it you two." Robin grunted quietly before stepping forward to size Batman up. At six foot two, the Dark Knight still had plenty of an advantage over the Boy Wonder, and it was clear who out of the two of them had more muscle mass and overall strength. Batman cut an imposing figure, and with his chiseled jaw set and spine ramrod straight, there was no question he was all business. "Batman."
Batman simply nodded at his former partner before addressing the Titans behind him. "As it's clear you've already learned the truth, there's no point in putting this off. What you are about to see can never be shared with anyone, under any circumstance. My anonymity, as well as Robin's, is crucial for doing what we do, and the slightest slip-up could spell disaster; not just for Robin and I, but for all of Gotham and potentially the world. Wayne Enterprises has investments in research and development ranging from science to medicine, and if anyone knew I was Batman, all of that could come crashing down, which would allow less equitable businessmen like Lex Luthor to retake control of the flow of development."
"Bruce, enough." Robin scowled and crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance. "They get the picture, they've known who I am for nearly a year, and no one's slipped."
Batman's eyes narrowed slightly. "Nevertheless, I'd like to hear it from them." He turned to the Titans again, much to Robin's annoyance as the boy's scowl grew. "You understand the responsibility that comes with knowing our identities, correct? You're expected to do everything within your power to keep that information confidential, no matter what the cost."
"We understand." Raven replied as she took one step forward. "Rest assured, your secrets will be taken to our graves."
Batman raised an eyebrow. "Including from the other Titans? I know for a fact that you recently recruited a Hive Academy graduate to your network."
"And how do you know-" Robin bit his tongue to cut himself off, nearly drawing blood as he fought to swallow his barely contained frustration. Glancing backwards for a moment to look at Starfire, he remembered his promise and kept his voice level. "Jinx has proven herself to be a changed person. We're superheroes, Batman; our job is not to just punch out bad guys and solve crimes, it's also to be a beacon of hope for the people under our care, and I firmly believe that everyone deserves a second chance." He suddenly smirked at his former mentor. "Isn't that what Arkham Asylum is for? To rehabilitate those who need help and eventually give them a second chance at life?"
"True." Batman admitted, much to Robin's satisfaction as the boy stood up a little straighter. "However, the inmates at Arkham are clinically and legally insane, and have noted doctors and psychiatrists working with them to ensure that they are ready to rejoin society; they have to pass a competency hearing and show that they have been cured of their psychotic behavior for a minimum of six months. That's far different than simply taking a villainess at her word that she's reformed."
"Oh, I agree of course, villains should never be trusted," Robin scoffed sarcastically before fixing Batman with a pointed glare. "By the way, how's Selina?" That earned Robin a patented bat-glare, but at this point he was unfazed by it. "This is pointless, Bruce. The damage is already done; they know, and there's nothing you can do to change it. If you can't trust them, then at least trust me when I say our secret could not be in better hands."
For several moments, Batman remained silent, staring down the Titans behind his cowl. Finally, he gave a curt nod. "Very well. Come with me." He then turned and led the young people to the manor library, where he pulled on the pendulum of the grandfather clock, and it slid aside to reveal a stone staircase leading down into a dank, dark cave.
"Duuuude, can we get one of those in the tower?"
"Not unless you plan on diggin' the tunnel yourself, grass stain."
Batman chose to ignore the banter and simply flipped a switch that turned on several floodlights, which revealed the rest of the stairs and the entirety of the infamous Batcave. "I captured Red X while he was attempting to steal the tires off the Batmobile, most likely in an attempt to sell them on the black market for cash." As Batman led them down the stairs, the Titans - sans Robin - oohed and aahed at the grandeur they were witnessing. The Batcomputer took up a large part of the cave all by itself, and it was Beast Boy who seemed most enamored by it.
"Look at the size of that thing! I bet there's no videogame in the world it can't play!"
"I'm sure it has more practical uses." Raven rolled her eyes under her hood. "I take it that the computer has been upgraded a lot over the years."
"Yes." Batman replied without looking back. "Originally, it was simply used for quick information searches and an electronic filing system for criminal profiles. Since then, with the recent breakthroughs in technology, the computer can now uplink to any satellite in the world and access classified files that have been crucial to solving several cases."
"With that kind of processing power, I bet even the Titan mainframe is fair game." Beast Boy commented.
"No way, I update the software every week, our computer's just as cutting edge as-"
"Actually, your security system has a few flaws in it." Batman cut Cyborg off suddenly. "While it did take some doing, I was able to hack into the Titan mainframe a few months ago when I needed to gather information regarding Killer Moth when he attempted to raid a Wayne Biotech research lab doing experiments on female hormone imbalances. The intended goal of the research was to find a way to prevent such things from ever occurring, but Killer Moth had...other ideas."
"You hacked into our mainframe?!" Cyborg's anger was quickly quelled though when another thought came to him. "Wait, Killer Moth did what? For what?"
Batman hesitated to answer. "That's classified."
"Classified?!" Cyborg's anger came roaring back. "You hack into our mainframe and now you can't even tell us why Killer Moth went and did something so weird? He's our villain!"
"Cyborg," Raven said firmly. "Trust me when I say this...you don't want to know."
"And why not? And how do you know?!"
Raven sighed and suppressed a shudder, and she lifted off the ground to whisper in Cyborg's ear. "I can feel Batman's discomfort, and I even got a mental image of what Killer Moth wanted with whatever he wanted to steal...it's disturbing."
"Try me." Cyborg's pressing finally got him his wish, as Raven explained exactly what Killer Moth had planned...and the more she talked, the paler Cyborg became as his face scrunched in disgust. "Kitten wanted to what?!" He squeaked. "That's...that's messed up! Ugh! Thank God my memory has a delete function!"
"Don't you dare, I don't ever want to repeat this conversation. Next time, just trust me when I say something."
"Dude, I wanna know!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "What did Kitten want?"
"Shut up and walk, there's no way I'm going to put more garbage in your mind than there already is."
"Raaaaaveeeeen!"
"Is your team always this...excitable?"
Robin cringed at Batman's inquiry. So much for good impressions. "We're teenagers, Batman." He finally grunted. "When it's time to get serious, we're a well-oiled machine...and for the record, we're going to talk about invasion of privacy, again."
Batman said nothing and continued leading them deeper into the cave, where he had built interrogation and holding cells in the event someone needed to be held in protective custody. "We're almost there. Because of the nature of Red X's abilities, I made sure to remove the suit and place the xenothium power core into a secure storage facility, to make sure he couldn't teleport away. Had the suit not malfunctioned, he likely would have easily escaped. The suit's a remarkable piece of engineering."
"It was a mistake," Robin snarled through gritted teeth, his fists clenched in self-disgust. "A mistake I won't repeat ever again."
"You attempted to go undercover, it was a good plan to gather information."
Robin snapped his head up to glare at Batman. "I nearly lost everything because of that plan, the cost wasn't worth the potential reward."
"Sometimes things don't go as planned, that's the reality of detective work."
Batman's level tone of voice was only serving to make Robin angrier. How could he be so casual about all this? Didn't he realize that he'd nearly lost his friends and even his life because of that suit? And he had the gall to compliment him on what he did! "Naturally," He thought darkly. "After all, Batman doesn't have friends, why would he care about something like that?" This wasn't the time to argue, especially not with Starfire still in the room, his promise to her to try and make peace with Bruce still looming largely over him. "You put Red X in a holding cell?"
"Yes." Another nod from Batman. "Batgirl's been keeping an eye on him to make sure he doesn't try to escape; he's got a few skills, but most of his abilities seem to rely on the suit's power. He tried to get past Batgirl once, but it didn't take much for her to restrain him, his martial arts are fairly basic in nature."
"Then it should be fairly easy to transport the Red X back to our city so that he may face the consequences for his crimes." Starfire spoke up.
"Never assume anything," Batman said warningly. "The moment you let your guard down, that's when things are most likely to fall apart." His words silenced the Titans, and after a few more minutes, they turned a corner, and down the corridor they saw a new face.
There was a young, slim woman with red hair and a bat-themed costume leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. The color scheme of her suit was mostly black and shades of dark blue, but there were also shocking contrasts of bright yellow in the form of her gauntlets, boots, the inside of her waist-length cape, and the bat symbol on her chest. She turned and smiled when she saw the team coming, and she put a hand on her hip as they came up to her. "Well well, the prodigal son returns, it's been a long time, Robin."
"Batgirl." Robin gave her a curt nod, a slight pang in his chest as memories of his past life started playing in his mind. "You look good, glad to see the Gotham nightlife hasn't gotten to you."
"It still has its moments, but I can handle it." She smirked at the Boy Wonder who was now a couple inches taller than her. "You've grown up, height looks good on you." She walked up to him and sized him up, a brief spark in her eyes as similar memories came to her. "We've missed you around here, y'know. Hasn't been the same."
"So I keep hearing." Robin frowned and took a step back, much to Batgirl's apparent disappointment as she turned away slightly and crossed her arms with a frown of her own. "I'm sure you've heard of my team by now," Robin gestured towards the Titans. "This is Cyborg, Raven, Beast Boy...and my girlfriend, Starfire."
"Oh." Batgirl closed her blue eyes for a moment, pasting a smile on her face as she forced herself to look at them all. "Pleasure to meet you all, you've done amazing things over in Jump City, you must have some amazing stories to tell." She looked back to Robin. "Maybe you'd be willing to share some after this is over?"
"We'll see." Robin flicked his eyes towards Batman as he said that, then stepped up to the cell that Batgirl had been looking at before they met up. There, Robin was once again mask to mask with one of his most elusive villains. Laying on a bed with an empty plate of food on the table next to him, was none other than Red X, who had been stripped of his suit just as Batman said, and was now wearing a simple t-shirt and pants despite keeping the mask to hide his identity. "Red X."
"Well look who it is," Red X drawled as he stretched and sat up in the bed. "Hiya, Chuckles...have to say, if this is your idea of prison, then chain me to the wall!"
Robin raised an eyebrow and looked over his shoulder to glance questioningly at Batman, but of course he received no response, just the same, steady stare he always wore. "You won't be making jokes like that when we take you back to Jump City Penitentiary."
"Still wound up as ever I see, have to say you'd probably be right, I imagine the guards there aren't as good-looking as the one who's been keeping a very close eye on me." Red X then turned his head slightly to the left, and the smirk he was wearing under his mask could practically be heard. "Of course, with all due respect to the bat girl, I'd trade her for you in a heartbeat, cutie." He chuckled huskily at the Tamaranean girl. "She's pretty and all but she doesn't have your build."
"My build is not your concern." Starfire sneered, her eyes glowing with energy. "And you will cease being a geumvist or you will find yourself in a very uncomfortable situation."
"Is that a threat or a promise?"
"Enough!" Raven raised her hand and a second later, Red X was mumbling incoherently behind his mask. "That'll shut him up. Can we please get this over with?"
"Yeah, it's time we found out who this creep is once and for all!" Beast Boy said as he pounded a fist into his palm. "Then we can put him where he belongs for a good long time!"
"I'm afraid it won't be that simple."
Robin stiffened and slowly turned around to face Batman, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "There's something you're not telling us...you already know who he is, don't you?" Batman didn't reply, and simply walked up to open the cell door to make room for Robin, whose muscles were now wound so tight that it took every ounce of his self-control not to grab Red X by the lapels and throw him up against the wall. "Who are you?" He growled in his face.
Red X simply pointed at his own face, then after a quick nod from Robin, Raven removed the magical gag and allowed him to talk again. "You really haven't figured it out by now? Think back, Robin. There's only one other person who's gotten close enough to you and Batman to have an idea of where to find the suit and how to access it."
"You're lying, there isn't anyone else."
"I don't mean emotionally speaking, I'm talking physical proximity...think real hard." Red X tilted his head to the side a bit. "Maybe a hint'll help...does the name 'Frog' ring a bell?"
Robin's eyes widened for a moment, then he grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes again as he ripped Red X's mask off, letting it clatter to the ground. Robin jerked back as memories once more flooded his mind at the sight of the boy's brown eyes and hair, but this time they were much different in nature. "No way..."
"Way." Red X stood up and smirked at him, the lack of a voice synthesizer now revealing a more high-pitched tone of voice, like it was still in the middle of changing. "It's your ol' pal Jason. Hi, Dick, good to finally see you again face to face."
A/N: I'm sure 99% of you saw Jason Todd being Rex X coming...how many of you know who "Frog" is though? I love taking creative liberties, much like the DCAU did when setting up the backstories for its characters. Maybe some of you will look it up, maybe some of you already know what I'm talking about. If you do, then tell me! I wanna know what you all think about the connection I'm making here.
There will be more on this little twist of mine in the next chapter...but until then, I hope you all enjoyed this one. Make sure to follow and fav this story so you're alerted to updates, and make sure to leave a quick review! Remember you don't need an account to do that, just leave a temporary name below and say what you wanna say if that's what you wanna do.
Until next time dear readers!
