Disclaimer: I don't own.

Slade ordered, "Muteki, you are not to leave."

The odd shape-shifter nodded, not really caring why his leader set up these boundaries. Zuko, beside him, still lay asleep, breathing deeply and comfortably next to Muteki. It was still night, but the moon was nowhere to be found. "I will not leave, Slade."

Slade didn't notice that there was no 'Master' or 'Lord' before his name.

It must be a new moon.


Rin sprinted over the newly red splashed stones.

"Get back here, bitch!"

"Witch! You can't run forever!"

More voices joined in, their anger evident.

Rin kept running, immediately ducking down any alleyway at her first chance. The angry voices she had been hearing dimmed, only their echoes haunted her. She shivered into herself. Scary men wanted her. Now what? She threw herself beneath a large trash bin; it was surprisingly roomy under there. The mean voices grew louder, closer, sooner than she had anticipated.

Gold eyes stared down on her, watching as she screamed in agony from the heat, the fire consuming her. Her body outstretched a hand without her will, for she had no strength to even twitch, her shaking soul begging to be saved. The gold eyes continued to stare down on her, pity swarming deep inside; pity, regret, and . . . something else.

Rin shook her head frantically. Where did that hallucination come from? She cleared her head, focusing all her mind on the angry yells of her pursuers. But, no matter how hard she tried, she could not erase those gold eyes. Those surprisingly…sad...gold eyes. Sad gold eyes – that reminded her of someone, but whom?

"Witch! Show yourself! If you do, we will give you mercy."

LIARS! That is what you all are! You'll kill me as soon as you can! NEVER! You won't win! You can't! Rin fit her body in further. She wouldn't leave her hiding place. She wanted to live, oh how she wanted to live.

"No one will care if you die! You have no one," one of the burly men yelled to her, his voice closer than she would have like. "Our mercy will not be offered again."

A smaller man than the first snickered, "You deserve to die, and no harm will come from your death. No one will know. No one will care!" He laughed then, and only one or two people in the gang flinched. "You should not have thrown those rocks at us! Those children would have died anyways, whether or not you interfered." Rin choked back a sob. It was unwise during this crucial moment to make any noise. She couldn't help it however, when tears leaked through her lashes. The mean men spoke the truth. What was she doing here, under a garbage can? She had more dignity than that! They were going to kill her, no matter what, so…she might as well just get it over with.

"I am not one to pity the weak, human . . . You're loud . . . Escape . . . I must go . . . Rin, stay safe . . ."

NO! She would not give up! Someone would save her…she kept that hopeful thought in her mind as black and red splotches tore up parts of her vision. She would NOT give up! Not when she was told to stay safe; it would be dishonorable to break such a promise.

"Rin, stay safe."

Her body fell, limp, to the ground and, thankfully, did not give off any sound to alert the angry men outside of her hiding place. Yet, only time would tell if she was to be saved or not.

Swirling red and blue flashes cracked through the wall's many openings.

Two men, large men, began pacing after an hour or two. They both shared glances. Finally, one of them, the braver one, spoke up, "She isn't here, boss. We've already checked this alley for more than an hour, can't we take a break?"

Click! The man's once full of life eyes went blank and dark, his body crashing into the dirt by the other gang member's feet. The other partner, wide eyed, watched his boss warily and shock still. Their – his – boss twirled the gun once before smashing it back into its case. The glint in the eyes told the tale that the gangster very much enjoyed by that death.

His boss answered, kneeling down to the dead body, "Are you enjoying your break?" He turned away and stood back up to normal height, now speaking to the living member, "Is there something you wish to ask me?" The glint was still there.

The lower member hissed under his teeth, inaudibly. "My comrade," he started, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.

"What about that unfaithful mutt?" the man interrupted, no concern or sympathy anywhere. The glint was still there.

He finished, "Will get a proper burial."

The boss laughed, "Who is whose boss here?" The higher crossed his arms, "He has killed too many to be able to get into heaven. How will a burial save his soul?" The glint never faded.

Mumbled under his breathe, "It is the least you could do."

Crack!

Blood spurted out onto the ground, his red puddle mixing with that of his partner's. He groaned, squirming, clutching at his head.

"Be thankful I did not pull out my gun." The glint was still there, and it was also stronger and more…hungry. It roared in his irises, his pupil captive to its snarling and growling, its need to kill, to hunt, and to laugh at their stupidity and his superiority.

The lower laughed, spitting up blood, "You want me to believe this was an act of mercy! Ha!" More sticky liquid soaked him. "You're out of bullets aren't you? Well, isn't that just…dainty!" He mocked, yelling even as his lungs seared in pain. He would not show his weakness. A boss that he had had for a few weeks at most, the death of a friend he had for a few years at least, made him realize that weakness would just kill him quicker.

The question his boss asked was exactly what he was. He knew the answer was yes, the death of his comrade, his friend, his brother, made him loose it. Yes, he was mad; yes, he was going crazy; yes, he was insane. The crazed gaze in his eye told his story.

The gun was out in seconds. "Want to test your theory?"

Red and blue lights flashed once more, though the wall's many holes. Sirens could be heard, getting louder by each passing second.

The man on the ground, next to his fallen brother gangster, propped himself up with an elbow. His nose hit the stench of garbage directly to his left, and he wrinkled it. "Shoot, if you still have bullets – and risk the sound calling to the police."

"Police don't scare me."

Dark gangster eyes saw closed ones. A limp form lay hidden beneath the dark green of garbage. Slowly, he looked into his boss' cold and merciless eyes. "Yet, a six year old girl scares you?"

He waited for the inevitable punch, the inevitable hit, the inevitable breaking of his skull and shooting of bullets into his heart. For he who got away with calling someone a coward was unheard of. Yet, they never came. In return, what he saw made him blink so hard his vision started to fray on the edge. Teenagers, in hero costumes no rather, were fighting for him. They had saved him, and were now fighting for him. But what really made his heart lurch was that...they had somehow won.

The leader of them, looking like it, with dark black hair, held his boss in chains, making both hands unable to reach for a weapon, asked him, "What is your relationship to this man?"

Right then, he realized how pathetic he must look to them. Blood matted his hair, and the puddle of murky liquid surrounding him did not help, either. The blood pooling beside him fogged his vision, but eventually he got out, "I…I was serving under him…until…I broke off…when…he killed my fellow brother."

The boss snarled as the hands wrapped around him tighter. "Teen Titans, I presume." Both his hands were tied to a handcuff, but he still managed to look superior even as he was held in chains. Or at least, that was how he saw himself.

The teenagers narrowed their eyes in response.

The boss cracked one of his limbs, completely breaking the bone in his left arm, the bone connected to the handcuffs. The pain and agony that was foreshadowed was blocked when he let out a vicious laugh. Before anyone could blink, the boss of the gang had leapt down under the garbage can. His hands pulled something out.

"A body?" the green one asked, horror springing in his eyes.

"A girl…a child," gasped a flying girl, a hand over her mouth in worry.

"Back off, or the girl dies!" his boss threatened, a gun to the petite girl's head. Blood was already soaked up in the child's shirt, making it clear that they had harmed her before now. The glare had a wild look to it; he was no longer a sane man.

The Titan's leader grit his teeth, ordering, "Titans, down."

"Die."

No one moved. The new voice was unexpected. The boss of the notoriously merciless gang tightened his grip, already clicking the gun's button allowing him to shoot immediately if needed.

He yelled, "She'll die if you come any closer!" It wasn't an empty threat, all there understood that.

A cold and unshakable voice called back, "Die, you worthless human!" But the voice didn't sound closer. Whoever or whatever the new voice belonged to-hadn't advanced.

The gang member feared by many, too many, removed his target as the girl-pup in his arms, instead aiming for the darkness. But, he allowed the light of red and blue flashes to expose the glint of silver-a knife, to the Titans. The young heroes knew that that meant he could still kill the child if they tried anything, and that was surely what he was saying too.

Yelling, "You can't kill me! I am invincible!" He clicked, sounds of firing going off in all directions. The silence that blanketed after was stifling. Until, a crunch of out-of-season leaves on dirt was heard.

"You can't kill me! I am invincible!" The voice from the unknown repeated back, using his words against him. "Die!" And the figure revealed itself to all that could see.

A perfect mirror image of the gang member boss stood before them, the gun in the same hand as the real boss who was in possession of the child and knife in the other hand. "You can't kill me, I am invincible." The mirror image held up the gun, clicking off the safety button.

The feared boss with the child had eyes larger than one would think possible. His pupils had gone small and a tick had developed in his left cheek. He was shivering, rage and fear mixing well. "I will not die by a fake!" he snarled.

"I am no imposter."

All eyes widened, surprised that this other man wasn't just a reflection. Surprised, awed, worried, and fearful glances were exchanged. Robin kept his gaze focused on the duplicate. Something was wrong . . . they were not exactly the same, if someone looked closely. And, what was different reminded him of . . .

The mirror image's gun pointed to the boss' head. "You can't kill me, I am invincible," he repeated once more, tone soft.

Cyborg shifted nervously where he stood, blue weapon out and in position. He knew, oh how he knew, how unwise it would be to stop the new figure from killing the gangster, but that was the problem! Someone was going to die right in front of them, and the murderer would not be someone seeking justice, but someone . . . well, he had no clue what the clone wanted. They were either going to stop the gangster from dying there, and risk him shooting the girl, or let the clone kill him and the girl's safety would be ensured (for those few seconds, at least. Cyborg didn't know if the clone wanted the girl, or what) but the death would be on their heads. When the time for choosing came closer, Cyborg looked to Robin for help. Seeing nothing, he did what everyone else was doing-watching and waiting fearfully.

His target, the boss, panicked. "If, if you come any closer I, I'll shoot her." The threat was emptier than before, but there was no lying that the boss would not kill her if he could. And that was the problem lay; he was never given the chance.

Crash! The boss' body fell to the ground, limp and lifeless. His eyes forever open and staring into dimension no one could see or fathom of this realm. It was over. The mirror form disappeared, not wasting time to stay. The child groaned, and all the Titans rushed over to her concerned. She blinked out her sweat, staring up at the teenager curiously and warily.

"She comes with us."

Beast Boy raised a confused brow. "Huh? What are you talking about, Robin?" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other Titans nod, also confused with Robin. The child seemed to shrink closer to the ground.

He offered all that he knew, "We've met . . . that clone . . . before."

"You…you aw gunna…brifff her wit you? Cun I cum wit yougs foo?"

Beast Boy coughed. "Uh, what's wrong with him?" They all looked to Robin for help, but he was already moving up closer to the ill gangster.

"Cuuld hann, misssttte. I sleepyy." Robin nodded, softly telling him that his hand was indeed cold and to just bare it for the moment.

Robin's hand retreated. He now faced the other heroes, "He doesn't have a fever."

Cyborg eyed the fallen man carefully. He said, "And it can't be from the blood loss."

All the Titans formed a circle, similar to football strategic circles. They were discussing what was going on, trying to make sense of it all. They had decided that instead of talking to the injured gang member, they would discuss with each other.

The girl, who no one had been paying heed to, crept closer to the bleeding boy. She whispered, sadly but urgently, "Are you alright?"

Wild and crazed eyes met her light and sane brown ones. "Ma'ammm, I ffin." His eyes were as wild as the mean man from before. Whatever the boss had, they all have. Slowly, they were all losing their sanity, she realized.

"Did someone give you something," she harshly whispered, "an item, anything?"

The injured gangster rolled his eyes into his head and back out, thinking. "Mphff, s'man numed Slad, me think, give us te power to git sum mony." Rin nodded and he continued, "Owr buss tuke it te git te mony. Awso gat uz sum enery en ah buttle," he slurred.

"Energy in a bottle, as well as power for you to get money?" Rin echoed, aghast. "With nothing in exchange?" Rin softly asked herself. Slowly the puzzle pieces were coming together. The boss had given some man named Slad (she didn't know if his slurred speech jumbled the name or not) some sort of power to grant his greedy wishes. But, apparently his sanity wasn't strong enough, resulting in his death. Now, the living member was drifting off because of the "energy" drink's result.

"I wouldn't want to play chess with Slad. He'd kill all his ponds first," Rin murmured, realization dawning on her features, as one idea crept in her mind. If I was Slad, I would give the weak something to make them strong, but then, when what I want is done, the power that helped them will kill them. Like the bottle and power that Slad gave them. Give the ponds power, then let the power destroy them, if they fail with what was asked or if they succeed. Slad must have asked for something in return, for them to do something with the power. But, what?

"Maaa'aamm, I wanna sleeeepp."

Rin gently smiled down to him. "Sleep, brave and strong man." She took his hand in hers, placing both intertwined fingers over his chest, where underneath a beating heart would slow and soon stop.

When the thumping stopped, Rin stood stiffly, and shakily walked over to the heroes. "I'll go with you."

Eyes blinked at her, surprised. Then, they lay on the dead figure of the gangster. Understanding and realization lit up in their eyes and faces, as well as a mix of sadness.

"Let us go."


"Mphhh," Zuko groaned, just waking up, bleary eyed. "Muteki, where did you go?"

Muteki didn't answer. The clean, very clean, shape-shifter chose to stay silent. He continued to stare at the clouds drifting over the blood-red sunrise's light. Then, to no one and everyone all at once, he said, "They say . . . that one must learn to kill, before they can feel safe."

Zuko didn't know what to say, what to do, to that. It didn't matter though, because Muteki had already faced away from him, his unprotected back to the Firebender.

The ex-prince didn't know what to make of his new ally. Asking what happened was foolish, especially with Muteki sulking around at the moment.

Surprising Zuko again, Muteki asked, "Where is Slade?"

He shrugged noncommittally, "I dunno."

"Why didn't he want me leaving? He never cared whether or not I left before, what has changed?" Without even realizing it, Muteki began to pace swiftly and rapidly.

"Are you seriously worried that Slade is loosing faith in you?" Zuko asked with a laugh, Muteki was worried over that? Ha, Slade trusted Muteki, much more than he trusted him, which was understandable considering at first chance Zuko would be out of there. Slade trusted Muteki like his left arm, though.

"No!" Muteki snapped without even the slightest hesitation. Zuko threw his head up, astonished. But then, how Muteki was sounding…

"Are you loosing faith in him?"

Muteki ignored him. His feet moved quicker. Slade, I know you were involved with those gangsters. Why? What did they do for you? You gave them power, then they die from it after they accomplished what you wanted. But, why? What in this damn world do you want!

"I don't want to play this game anymore." Muteki stopped pacing.

Zuko was now utterly bewildered. "HUH?"

Next chapter's Preview: The fire gave off a warm, orange glow to all four faces in the room. Two of them had expressions of astonishment mixed in with anger. One's face just yelled triumph, smirking at them all slyly. The other, last face, was pure rage. The warm glow vibrated a blood-red hue over his face. The smell of death could not escape him...

A/N: The preview right above may or may not be word for word in the next chapter. However, the concept overall will be the same as the preview above.

Muteki/Rin were the main characters in this chapter. The next chapter is going to be huge for them both! (It will be like a finale, but...not. :P )

Shoot! I forgot about Toph. She'll be in the next chapter, I promise.

~~Enjoy your day~~ (I hate finals...but hey! School is almost out!)