Jacks sanctorium.

"Jack why is there a portal into a pantry in your closet?" Mandy was used to strange things but she still had to ask to know about the relevance.

"Some demon from the Trigon Plains tried to eat me. So I followed my golden rule and when he died this thing popped into existence. So now I keep it as a food pantry." Jack has a rule that any time something tries to eat him he eats it.

…

In the TEEN TITANS TOWER.

Beast boy was currently playing a video game when an odd looking green portal came out of nowhere and spooked the kid so hard his head hit the ceiling. The sirens broke out across the tower as the titans came out and stared at the portal.
"What is it." Green one shook his head.

"It's a portal from my father's dimension. Be on guard anything could come thought." As she said this the portal started to shimmer and a very tall pale guy stepped out of the portal. His hair was long and straight. His face the epitome of boredom. He was also wherein pajamas that had ponies on them. Friendship is magic.

"Sloth what are you doing here?" Her brother sloth never went anywhere. He was normally in bed doing whatever it is he does. What raven and really no one else knew was that when he was asleep he just changed bodies to that of a human and lived life like normal mortals. Especially at night clubs.

"We have a small problem, gluttony is dead."

"So what, he'll just regenerate after a ear and be as good as new." Raven dismissed this as a problem.

"No I mean he is dead, dead. His body cant regenerate since there is nothing left to regenerate."
"How did this happen?"

"He was eaten by a mortal."

"hahaahahaah. You're telling me that Gluttony, The guy that never stopes eating got eaten. Oh what delicious irony." Raven actually cracked a smile.

"Well none of us will miss him but I just felt like giving you a warning that there's something out their eating demons." The team was disconcerted by this. Picturing a huge shadow with chopsticks eating demons.

"I'll keep an eye out."

….

Jack and Mandy were currently in a card game that involved Grim, the abominable snowman, and Swamp thing. Billy was running on a hamster wheel chasing a toy action figure.

"I enable my trap blazing your monster into sorbet." I say to Swamp thing.

"I enable effect of summoning the greet beast." The Swamp thing countered. You may be wondering why some of the oddest bunch in the world were playing a kids card game. Well when you have magic and can make illusions of the effects actually happen. Well the game suddenly becomes more interesting. My deck was based on food. Gryms were based on kittens. Alberts (Snowman) was on trucks, Swamp was on the green and Mandy had torture/ fairy.

"Oh before I forget did you eat that gluttony demon in Trigons demotion?" Grym asked just to know. Summons chimera.

"Yah he was being so pushy and then tried to eat me, so I just ate him right back." I put down an exodus spell.

"Impressive. You defeated the very being who stands for what you are." Albert can be very philosophical.

"Yah, I also got three powers off the bloke so I'm good. I can now digest anything. I can teleport and I renovated the pocket dimensions he called a stomach into another hang out area. I also took him life force so no more regenerations. Also grim catch." Jack throws him a vile with a shrieking spirit inside.

"Thanks man, these immortals always think they're so invincible. But I always get them in the end." He put the vile in his clock and it disappeared. Swamp thing how did that fight with the justice league go."

"Fine if a bit annoying. Thanks for bringing me back Grym."

"Hey yo the one to take the job as keeper of the green Man. I like ze green so here you go."

"As much fun as this has been I do believe I win." Mandy holds out all five pieces of exodia the destroyer. Basically winning the game.

"Ah, darn it, Man, doh," we all concede our defeat. This time Mandy one so she gets a favor from us.

"Al right Man what do you want."

"I want a vacation in the tropics." We all perk up at that.

"I think I may know a spot" Jack said. "It's a bit remote but we can teleport there. It's inhabited by a friends of mine but should be able to get a week end pass. I can even bring in that dim-pocket and turn it into a sort of resort. We can do it next Friday." After agreeing on a meeting Billy unfortuanly got wind of thins so we also had to bring him.

..

The next weekend.

"We all set?" We were all in Billys yard as I opened a portal to Vander, Plasma Island. It was a nice tropical island that moved around so no one could find it. There were the standard things you would see on a paradise island. We brought with us a few more people. Swamp thing and Albert brought their boos and Grim Brought a friend called Smaus. Jack brought his Friend Alice.

"Man I have not been here is forever." Grim said witch bodes well for the inhabitance.

"Were are we?" Billy asked.

"This is part of a three island chain that moves across the sea. They are very heavily warded and once you leave its best not to speak of it again. You won't see the inhabitance this time but you may next. For now let's get our party on.

When the Party was winding down Jack got a call on his phone. "Hello"

"Hi Jack, this is Barbra can I ask you for a big Big favor."

"What do you need me to hunt and or kill?"

"Why do you assume it's that?"

"It's always that."

"Fair point."

"Were are you will be there in a bit" Jack took his bag out of item box space and changed into his combat gear. It essentially just looked like a soldier wearing metal camo gear.

"Titans tower, how soon can you get here?"

"I'm already here." Jack pounded on the door to the Titans tower spooking the inhabitance.

Barbra closed her phone and left to open the door.

"May I come in." Jack did his best imitation of a vampire. Witch went well considering the sun was out. "Sure." She walked him back to the top of the tower. "That is one impressive tv."

"Ok, so what's the stich?" Barbra started to show me some files of a creature they needed me to hunt. Preferably alive. It was a multicore that was of the fire species. As Batgirl finished giving me the description of what they needed the other titans came in. "Yow hos this." Beast boy and Cyborg blared out. Robin star and Raven also had curious looks on their faces.

"This is my friend Jack, he's an expert on monsters and that's kind of what we need now."

"What do you need it for anyway?" Jack asked about the monster seeing as how with these hero types you never really had much difference. Ether they needed him to find it so they can defeat it or one of their people was put in danger over it.

"Well one of our friends Tera was kidnapped by it and is more than likely still encased in stone in its stomach, We need you to help us find it so we can get her out." Barbra began showing me the video of the fight. It was good fight but the Multicore Scorpio Fire version ant nothing to sneeze at. It was basically a giant scorpion with fur and fire.

"Good news I know where to find them." Give me a few hours and I'll get our friend back."

"Wait we need to come to." Robin stepped forward.

Jack just ignored them focusing instead on Barbra. "The fee for this one is the usual and you can't lower it by coming on this one since it's in a level 35 section." Her face fell at this but she held out her hand and we shook.

Jack opened another portal to the realm that they inhabit and steeped through. The portal closed off behind him.

"Are you sure we can trust him?" Robin asked. He hated not being able to do anything to help and he never heard of this Jack before.
"Yah I've never heard of a hero called Jack before." The green one said as he dug into an ear.

"Iv scanned my data banks but have not heard of a Jack either."

"Well he's not Hero" Bat girl looked away hoping to avoid this talk.

"WHAT." The team were now worried since they left the fate of tear in the hands of a guy that wasent a hero.

"Who was he then?" Robin put is detective mode on.

"Please tell us friend, who was the person that went to save our friend Tera. And why we could not go with him?" Star asked

"Well let's just say I trust him to do the job." Batgirl said.

"That's not good enough we need more." Robin exclaimed.

"Look I literally can't say much more. All I can say is that he is going to a very inhospitable environment to get our friend back and it is going to cost me a fortune. So don't b about it." She snapped at them.

"You seem a bit conflicted in this. " Raven spoke finally.

"It's not that. I'm just remembering how the last time was. Let's just say that a Level 35 area is no place for a human." In fact it wasn't even any place a sane person should ever go. The animal on that planet were both numerous and deadly. She was there for all of five minutes before she was found and she only survived do to sheer luck.

It was a odd experience but Jack explained to her that each dimensions has a level of difficulty. A normal human is realistically a level two or three. If they were like Batman or green arrow then they get bumped up to level 5. A level five can survive against a level 10 but anything beyond that would be due to sheer luck. A super powered individual can be anywhere between level 5 to 10 depending on mastery of power. Someone on the level of superman would be at about a level 40 actually. Thought his power is at about 80 his weaknesses lower him a lot. Barbra after a test found she was a level 4. Still facing the terror of a level 35 dimensions was bound to be too much.

It was twenty minutes later that Robin snapped. "I can't take it anymore. Raven open up a portal and let's get our friend back." Barbra just looked at her watch and counted down the seconds. Just as raven was about to make a portal appear Jack came into the room asking about dinner. "Hey bats, Dinner will be ready by five." He took out a note and handed her a letter.

"Wait, where's our friend?" Robin barked.

"Ok, you stop being rude, Ill tolerate it for now since you are in distress but next time I'm chucking yah into the lake. As for your friend were would I put an injured person?" Cyborg took a look at all the cameras and found Tera in the Med Bay. They ran out the room and rushed to find her. They were all wondering what state they would find their friend. She was stuck in a monsters stomach for a while. Beast Boy in particular was worried for Tera. The team opened the med bay doors and found Tera sleeping next to an empty bowl of soup. After a rush to go see her cyborg quickly pushed everyone out so he could do a checkup. He found some bruises and cuts and a small amount of burns but overall she was not in any mortal danger. He would still recommend a week of bed rest.

…

"Thanks Jack, she has been through a lot and doesn't deserve this." Barbra handed him a tea as they cooked out the tower window. She was concerned for her new friend as well as what might come of her.

"Many people do however from the brief time I've met her she seems like the type that wants to be normal. But also has fun with her power. I bet you a week of DWIW time that she doesn't even realize she has more options then Hero, villain and runaway. Thought I'll admit that prejudice is quite high." He takes a sip of his tea while conjuring up a pair of chairs for them. He sits down with all the elegant of a truck smashing into a wall. "She's dose have spunk. But I don't believe the hero life is for her. Her talents could be used to far better use. As well as a way to make a living. Her heart's not into it. I bet the first time her powers are taken away shell turn from hero'ing and never look back. "Barb takes a somber drink knowing how many people decide they have no choice but to be hero or villain because they have such few options.
"However I believe I know a place where she can both do some good, would have friends and make a living." Heroing was not a poor man's hobby. "When she wakes up I want to speak to her for a bit." She was far too shiny to just let go so easily.

Barbra didn't see the harm in letting him talk to get and arranged for tomorrow earnings. She knew that the team would want to have at least the first day with her so they could have that much.

..

The Next Day.

Tera was feeling a lot better today than she had any right to. Just yesterday she was a mere moment away from being dissolved into stomach acid and now she was in a comfy bed with wounds that would take only days to heal instead of weeks. Whatever was in that soup that the guy had given her had made her feel like she was on a constant positive high for hours.

When he had come to rescue her she had already tore her way out of the Scorpion but the place she found herself was so wired and awful that she was knocked around like a pinball till she was stopped by that guy and force fed soup out of delirium. She was amazed at the power that man wielded. He punched a dragon in the nose and it ran the f away. That's not something a normal person would do. Thought she was now concerned that this was becoming normal in her life.

When she next woke up she was greeted by the titan's worrying over her. It felt good to have people work and take care of her for a change. It made staying in this odd and sometimes dangerous business worth it.

It took a few minutes but they asked her if she remembered what happened. They informed her that the last thing that happened was that batgirl had called up some mysterious friend of hers that was hired by her to save her from some dangerous and mysterious place. That the man refused to help if they came along witch made them all suspicious. She could not tell them much since everything was a blur and she only saw him for a short time before blacking out.

The next day when she was listening to her toons and taking Cyborgs request that she not move around too much for a week the door opened to admit Batgirl of all people. She had trained with Batgirl a few times and had even talked to her about the random things people talk about. She wasn't here often but it was like having your favorite aunt over.

What was surprising thought was that the Man who saved her was standing behind her. Being able to see him more clearly now she noted the sharp European features. The dark gray hair and a small gouty. His clothes were stylish and had a medieval barbarian look to them. His use of the color orange with green was also an odd but not displeasing choice. "Ok Jack you got about twenty minutes before I believe a titan gets suspicious and popes up."

"Good, Also after I'm done taking to her you can disclose anything you see fit to her. Thought not to the titans." Jack poofed up a chair out of the ground and set it beside her. She was startled and nearly jumped out of the bed. "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to spook yah. Ok, maybe a little. I'm Jack mars it's nice to meet you under less, trying circumstances."
She shook his hand and told him it was fine.

"So I guess you're the hero I have to thank for saving me?"

"Oh, dear I'm not a hero. I am an adventurer. Bet example of what that is a adventurer from a game. Thought I am specifically a gourmet adventurer." He went into detail about what he does and some of the other adventures that were out there. They were close nit but didn't often interact much. They were also secret so they had to be choose about who they talked to.

"We don't often operate do jibs on earth but I like it here so I do business here. Now I bet you're wondering why I'm telling you all this is because I want you to see that there are more options out there in the world for meta-humans then just being a Hero or villain. I can also see that you don't really want to be a Hero." She got a wild look in her eyes as images of her friends came up in her head. "That's Not.." he held up his hand and ask that she let him finish.

"You don't want to be a hero, you want Stability, Friends, and Love. I can tell you know I have seen it all before. A young normal women suddenly discovers that she has powers. Things sometimes turn out ok but often times someone discovers she has powers and one reason or another then she is forced to run or fight back. She runs but sometimes catches on the new that there are people like her. People in shiny tights and ridicules costumes running around stopping bad guys. That people admire them and don't try to kill them on site. So they think that they will try this hero thing so that they can get back to at least some level of normalcy.

For a time they get friends and family they start to think they really do want to be a hero. But trust me being a hero is very hard and has a 89 percent chance of ruining your life.

People will die. You may die and even if you don't you will still forever be indentured to the team that took you in. After a while you won't even be able to leave. You risk your life for food and shelter but you don't get paid, you don't get an education and you aren't thought even something as simple as a retirement plan. Eventually you won't be able to support yourself."

"This is where my offer comes in. I have a few friends and business everywhere. Whit you permission I would like for you to work for me, Not know of course your still what fifteen? If you promise to work for me after graduation. I can get you into a good high school and college. I will need a person that knows the ground. I can show you not only how to use you powers but how to make a living off them. These other kids. They have other things they can fall back on when they get done being heroes. You however are just a normal girl that wants to have a life."

"What about my friends?" She cherished her attachments to them and letting them go would be terrible.

"I admit they do care about you but are they worth sacrificing any future you might have? There's nothing stopping you from giving them a call or visiting every so often. Heck that's how most people friendship's work. I do recommend stopping crime fighting till you get a stable income thought. I would recommend also that if you still want to have something to do with the hero buis then Mabey get called up on Monster attacks or emergencies. That way you don't get a mortal enemy.

You have a long bright future ahead of you that… Sheee" He held up a finger to his lips in a, be quite gesture and took a look at the door. He slowly crept to the door and faster than you could blink had robin pined to the ground. The rest of the titans were not far behind. He tied Robin's hands together and then tossed him at the rest of the Titans. "What do you all think you are doing?" He was very pissed off now.

"We were just coming to check up on Tera." Beast boy tried to speak for the team. "That is a lie, if you had just wanted to see her then this prick wouldn't have spent the last two minutes with his ear against the door. And you would not have been a fly on the wall. There is this thing called privacy even your friend here deserves it." Jack had few pet peeves but one of them was defiantly when his privacy was invaded. He detested it.

"Well it's good we did, you were asking her to betray the titans and destroy the world." The rest of the team that didn't eavesdrop were shocked to hear this but quickly got into their fighting stances.
"Wait he didn't say that. I heard him confess his undying love for terra."

Now they were just confused about what happened. "That was a privacy ward you fools. It makes you hear something you fear. An extra measure I put up while speaking to clients and those I wish to speak priestly to. So if you don't mind GET OUT." I transported them to just above the lake and they fell in.

"Well that gives us about another five minutes. Sorry about that but I detest when people think they have every right to know everything about you. As if nothing is privet. I will go soon. But I would just like to give you this brochure that details what I am offering. It shows what schools are safe. What jobs are available and so on and so forth? The papers are charmed so that only you can read what on them. Everyone else will just get a shock at what they see. You can tell them I made you an offer and that it would take you away from here. Thought you can still visit. But keep what I am and what I do a secret. I imagine they won't want to lose someone as powerful as you so they will say you can do a lot of good as a hero that you are all friends perhaps family. Mabey that they do care for you but keep in mind. Would you stay only to appease them? While their words are sincere have they thought this all through? Look beneath their words." He handed her the booklets and let the chair disintegrate back into the ground.

"Why me? Why give me this chances?" She was so confused now.

"Well there are a few reasons. Chief of them is that you don't seem like a sheep. Your one to think for yourself. I also found you interesting since you survived in that Place for even five minutes witch is impressive. I'm also selfish. I want all the best people working for me. And I believe you will be both powerful and a great mind. So I want to recruit you early. Someday you may just become an adventurer yourself. Make sure to contact Batgirl with your answer. I'll give you a good two weeks to mull it over. Bye now" With that he disappeared in a show of rainbows and colors. No sine was left of him other than a small booklet and a very confused girl.

..

After a few more minutes the teen titans Burst through the door in attack ready position and were looking over the place.

"Were is he?" Robin yelled eyes darting from corner to corner.

"Oh he left a few minutes ago." Tera said having calmed a lot in the last few minutes. That rational part of her mind having started processing the information.

"Did he hurt you, what did he want, are you Ok?" so many questions assaulted her so she used the old hospital trick. "I'm fine guys, I'm just tired I think I should sleep a little more." They begrudgingly let her get back to sleep after a checkup from Cyborg.

They were all a bit worried about this strange new character that seemed to have a fascination with their friend. They tried once again to get some information from Batgirl but she was nowhere to be seen.

..

Tera was just lying in bed processing her thoughts when she spotted batgirl in a chair next to her. She nearly jumped out of bed a second time today. Batgirl just gave that grin that made you know she did it on purpose.

"So I'm guessing Jack gave you one of his offers? How much can you talk about it?"

""With you, everything, now spill how do you know him?" Batgirl went into detail about the school incident and how she would go on some adventures with Jack while trying to get some strange ingredient. "Wait you went to another dimension, fought countless beasts and dangerous environments for food? That's the stu…." She had to stop talking as a cookie was shoved in her mouth. He was going to spit it out when her tongue registered that one it was a cookie and two it was the sweetest thing she had ever eaten. "Yah and that's from a day only cookie, imagine how good some of his other food must taste. Also the other thing you must never do in front of Jack is waste food. He will accept criticize over his food but never waste it. Just a warning." After a bit longer more joking around her finally told her what Jack offered her.

"Wheeze. Jack doesn't offer that to just anyone. You must have done something to impress him. I'm actually a little jealous that he doesn't offer it to me."
"So you think I sould take his offer."

"I can't tell you what to do, you're a strong and independent person. I'm sure you will make a choice. However I will impart some advice. Look in your heart what it is that you want I mean truly want and witch path do you think will lead to it. This is a big opportunity and I can say with full certainty that whatever he promised you. He will fight tooth and nail to get it to you. He may not be a hero hell I wouldn't even call him a good man. But he will always keep his word." She smiled down at terra secretly hoping she took the out that this presented to her. She was never offered the out since she loved crime fighting in Gotham and he knew it.

..

"So what did that guy want to speak to you about?" Beast boy asked as they were eating Breakfast the next morning.

"Well he offered me a Job of sorts." Tera responded while finding the celling a lot more interesting.

"Wow that is cool, what's the Job?" Beast boy exclaimed he was always a little slow on the uptake so he didn't catch on like robin and cyborg did. "Well at first id be going to school but then I get my pick of jobs based on how I do. He did recommend I work in mines and tunnels thought since my affinity would make things a lot safer for everyone. But I got other options too. As long as my grades are up he might even take me on some of his jobs as well. "

"Wow Tara that is awesome. But wait how will you have time to go to school and be a titan?"

"I think the tradeoff here beast boy is that she can't be both a titan and go to this school."

"Hay that's the stich of it." Tera looked over at the team and while beast boy, and cyborg, star looked quite crestfallen Robin and Raven looked more thoughtful.

'I think this would be a trap" was robins immediate response. "However Batgirl vouched for him and getting her to approve of anyone is difficult to say the least. So I have to assume this is legit and say go for it." Robin didn't like him but also knew that Tera couldn't get far with only a middle school education. Fact was that if she kept crime fighting like she was then her identity would be out and school would be far too dangerous. At least with that guys help she would be safe.

Raven while having similar thoughts also new that Whenever Tera fought with them it was the emotions for them that fueled her rather than a need to do good like the rest of them. It would inevitably drive her to madness or at least a very short temper.

With that she said "I to believe that it would be for the best. You have many choices but here they would be limited."
"It's not like I can't come over and visit you guys. We can still be friends. I just feel like this is something I have to do, for me." The rest eventually agreed that it was for the best and threw the best party they've ever had to celebrate Tera's leaving. They even pounded DR light into the ground a few times for old times' sake.

…