Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or any other DC characters.
Author's Comments: Had to get a bunch of other stories caught up. Namely Universal Threat, so please go, read and review it! RIP Heath Ledger.
Chapter 7 – And Here We Go!
Red X looked around. Almost every villain that the Titans had ever faced were crowded in one room. Among them were Mad Mod, Brother Blood, Plasmus, Cinderblock, Dr. Light, Overload, Atlas, Control Freak, Killer Moth, Kitten, Fang, Johnny Rancid, Adonis, Professor Chang, Punk Rocket, Katarou, Private Hive, See-More, Billy Numerous, Andre Le Blanc, Kyd Wykkyd, Ding Dong Daddy, Cheshire, and Psimon. They had all heard about what had happened to Slade. Personally, Red X was curious just to meet the person who had done it. The door opened and in came a man with white make-up on his face, black around the eyes, and red around the mouth. Red X blinked.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen," the clown spoke.
"Ello me ducky," Mad Mod spoke out from the throng of villains.
"I have a little proposition for you," the clown grinned widely. "One that I doubt any of you would be likely to refuse."
"Are we to believe you're the one who took down Slade?" Kitten scoffed from somewhere in the throng. "Yeah right."
"Hey!" Mammoth stepped up from where he was standing beside the clown. "Be respectful when you're talking to the Joker." Mad Mod laughed.
"That's a laugh that is you slag," he grinned.
"Don't believe me?" Mammoth roared indignantly.
"It's sort of hard to believe," Red X replied.
"Is it the scars?" Joker asked. "Want to know how I got them?"
"Not really," Red X replied. "But I have a feeling you're going to tell us anyway."
"You've got a little fire in you," Joker beamed at him. "I like that."
"You are like so disgusting," Kitten made a face. "And my daddy has way more fire in him than that freak."
"Why so serious?" Joker asked her.
"Because you are like so disgusting," Kitten made another face. "And purple and green is so last year!"
"Look," Joker gestured, a knife in his hand. "I don't want us to get off on the wrong foot here, but I know why you're all here. And I know why you're so afraid to do what you want. The Teen Titans."
"You think we're afraid of those duckies?" Mad Mod laughed. "The only one that fears them is Dr. Light over there." Dr. Light paled at this.
"Then tell me why you haven't been robbing all of those banks?" Joker challenged.
"Um, well, we've been planning," Ding Dong Daddy replied. "That's it, planning."
"You see the Titans have made this town see all of your true colours unfortunately," Joker ignored Ding Dong Daddy.
"Then what do you propose we do?" Killer Moth asked.
"Simple," Joker replied. "We kill the Titans."
"Even that hunk Nightwing?" Kitten seemed horrified at the idea.
"So give me a call when you want to take things a little more seriously," Joker ignored her. "Here's my card." He placed down a joker playing card on the floor, and exited with Mammoth in tow.
"Can you believe that side show act?" Mad Mod asked, once Joker had left.
"Yeah," Kitten agreed. "That was like such a waste of my time. Let's go Fang."
"You got it babe," Fang agreed.
"Kitten, I want you home by midnight alright?" Killer Moth reminded his daughter.
"Okay daddy," Kitten kissed him on the cheek and then left with Fang. Killer Moth exited as well. A lot of villains went to the exit, muttering something about Joker being a joke. Soon the only ones who were left were Red X, Johnny Rancid, Dr. Light, Punk Rocket, See-More, Professor Chang, Control Freak, and Billy Numerous.
"I guess it's just us now," Red X mused.
"Yes," Professor Chang agreed. "It seems that we are the only ones who wants to get rid of the Titans once and for all."
"I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when I, Control Freak, defeat them!" Control Freak burst into laughter.
"You can do what you will with the rest," replied Dr. Light. "I want the witch."
"I just think it could be fun," Billy Numerous grinned. He duplicated. "Right Billy?" He asked his doppleganger. "Right you are Billy." The other replied.
"I just want to destroy their silly little team," Johnny Rancid scoffed.
"I just want to work with the mind that took down Slade," Red X replied. "Now let's go!"
- Scene Break -
"I don't know boss," Mammoth shrugged. "I don't think anyone's going to come."
"Just wait," Joker replied. "They will come. They all have one thing in common. They want the Titans gone." They turned to see Red X come out of the shadows followed by Dr. Light, Billy Numerous, Johnny Rancid, Control Freak, Punk Rocket, Professor Chang, and See-More.
"You're right," Red X replied.
"Well this is disappointing," Joker mused. "I guess all the others care about is money. This town deserves a better class of criminal, and we're going to give it to them. So which of you fine gentlemen would like to join our team?" He paused and regarded them. "Oh, and there aren't enough spaces for all of you, so we're going to have...tryouts! Make it fast." He walked away. Mammoth turned to them.
"This is the part where you try to kill each other to get the job," he grinned at them. Red X looked at the others, and brought out one of his red X's. It was time for battle.
- Scene Break -
The lights shone dimly on the turning gears. The Titans and Slade were clustered in the middle of the room. There was a tension in the air that was so thick, it could be cut with a knife.
"This would probably be more productive at the Tower," Slade mused.
"For the last time Slade," Nightwing glared at the villain. "We're not letting you in the Tower."
"Come now Nightwing," Slade sighed. "We are working together now."
"We are not taking you to the Tower," Nightwing repeated. "And that's final!"
"Can we get this over with?" Changeling interrupted. Nightwing glared at Slade.
"Yes!" Starfire gushed. "I am eager to return to Raven and have a talk of the girls!" Changeling shuddered. He could only imagine what Raven would have to endure during this talk.
"I bet she will enjoy that," Cyborg grinned. Changeling really hoped that the robotic Titan was joking.
"Let's just find out more about this clown okay?" he growled.
"Maybe I should call Batman," Nightwing suggested.
"You're only thinking of this now?" Changeling bellowed.
"Well I don't think that Batman would really help," Nightwing narrowed his eyes at the green Titan.
"Wasn't the Joker Batman's arch-nemesis?" Cyborg pointed out.
"Sort of," Nightwing replied. "He has a lot of villains."
"But isn't Joker to Batman like Slade is to us?" Cyborg wanted to know.
"I suppose," Nightwing nodded.
"I don't know whether to be insulted or flattered," Slade mused.
"Be both," Changeling muttered.
"So how about it dear boy?" Slade ignored the shape-shifter. "Feel like calling the old Bat Coot?"
"That is none of your business," Nightwing growled. Slade chuckled softly. "Shut up Slade."
"Now Nightwing," Slade's voice was patronizing. "Is that really necessary?"
"Can we please just do whatever we're going to do fast so that we can go?" Changeling sighed in exasperation. "I promised Raven I'd go visit her in the hospital."
"You'll have time to visit the half-demon spawn later," Slade replied.
"Stop calling her that!" Changeling bellowed. Nightwing took advantage of the situation and snuck away. He opened his communicator. It rang a few times.
"Hello?" Batman asked from the other end.
"Batman," Nightwing hissed. "Joker's in Jump City."
"What?" Batman looked horrified.
"Like it or not," Nightwing sighed. "It's the truth."
"What are you going to do?" Batman asked.
"That's why I called you," Nightwing replied. "What can you tell me about the Joker?"
"Not much that you don't already know," Batman admitted. "I will send you the file that I have."
"Thanks," Nightwing meant his words.
"If you need anymore help," Batman continued. "Just ask." Nightwing looked around to make sure no one could hear him.
"Thanks Bruce," he smiled at his mentor.
"You're welcome Dick," Bruce Wayne smiled back.
- Scene Break -
Raven sat on her hospital bed. She didn't even have a book to read. The white walls were beginning to make her feel as though she was trapped inside a psychiatric ward. She groaned. She wished that Beast Boy would come and visit before she died of boredom. Raven closed her eyes.
"Friend Raven!" Starfire's voice made the telekinetic Titan jump into the air with a shriek.
"Don't do that!" she exclaimed, flustered, once she had returned to the bed.
"Oh," Starfire grinned nervously. "I am sorry friend Raven. I did not mean to startle you."
"What do you want anyway?" Raven demanded, hoping it wasn't what she thought the reason was.
"I am here for the talk of the girls," Starfire gushed. Raven groaned.
"Must be my lucky day," she grumbled.
"Oh it is friend!" Starfire clapped her hands togethor and sat down next to Raven. "Especially since friend Changeling has admitted his love for you."
"Yeah," Raven laughed softly. "I'm still in shock about that."
"Oh but why is that friend?" Starfire asked. "It is glorious that friend Changeling loves you."
"In case you've forgotten," Raven scowled. "I'm not supposed to feel emotions."
"But do you not feel the same about friend Changeling?" Starfire enquired. Raven felt her cheeks beginning to burn.
"Um," she couldn't bring herself to look at the alien princess. "Well...I...uh..." Starfire squealed in glee. Raven glared at her. "Shut up!" She bellowed.
"But friend," Starfire seemed to be more confused than hurt. "Why do you not like these feelings?"
"I dislike not being in control of my feelings," Raven admitted.
"Oh but it is a glorious feeling," Starfire gushed excitedly. Raven wanted the alien to go away and leave her to her thoughts. "The feeling of someone who will be with you and hold you tight and comfort you when you are lonely or sad."
"It's easy for you and Nightwing," Raven remarked bitterly. "You don't have to worry about breaking something anytime you two are close."
"But friend Raven," Starfire blinked. "Nothing broke when you were showing affection to friend Changeling."
"He kissed me," Raven pointed out. "I didn't kiss him."
"But friend," Starfire exclaimed. "You did when he was the beast." Raven massaged her temples. She loved Starfire immensely, but right now wished that she could teleport the lovely alien to anywhere else in the world.
"That's different," she sighed. "He's not Beast Boy when he's in his animal forms."
"But he is!" Starfire rebuked cheerfully. "He is the same person. He's just using his primal instincts to protect you."
"It's still different," Raven repeated stubbornly.
"But he cares for you," Starfire reminded her. "And you do for him."
