Disclaimer: i do not own the teen titans
authors note: IMPORTANT! of course, thanks for all you reviewers. also, if you haven't noticed, i go around and switch up "kori" and "kory". if you wanna know why it's because i am so used to writing kori yet i wanna use her real name in the comic book kory. but kori is such a cooler way to write it...
oh, nother thing, sorry for any confusion, it WILL be all answered in the end. just thing... time traveling. -don't ask-
thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chapter 10
I felt his pounding heart trapped in his chest; his sudden deep, sharp inhale. His numb fingers rapped around my waist tighter and his body became stiff and tense- every muscle in his body clenched. The sound of nothing spun through the air except for the whispering wind and his pounding heart against my chest that increased ever so slightly in his sudden realization of my Theory. I got him.
Finally, after a deathly silence, he loosened his grip on me and pulled back slightly, avoiding my gaze. "Now what would make you think that?" Richard gave a hoarse chuckle. His plastered grin hid any obvious emotions. Stop playing games Richard Grayson.
"I am not understanding what you are addressing Robin." I cooed flirtatiously, giving a somewhat casual, innocent smile. I might as well played along.
"Uh-that." He tried to explain, his voice coming barely above a cracked whisper. He gulped.
"Robin?"
"Yes, d-don't call me that. It's not my name." He shuddered. What a liar.
"Oh Richard Grayson you are indeed such a dreadful liar." I cocked my head to the side with a smirk now played across my face. So my innocent smile couldn't last forever, but at least I had him cornered between the truth and... me shoving him off the building in my cleverly covered frustration if he didn't start giving me answers.
"I- Kory..." He sighed, grabbing my numb hand tightly and leading me over to a cinder block- there went my plan of shoving him off the building- where we both sat down in the snow, in close contact, but not so much that we were touching since there was a presence of uncomfortableness in the air between us.
The smirk on my face disappeared and I became more serious. I just needed answers! "Richard, you can tell me anything." I assured him, locking eyes for a brief moment, mine steady, cold and serious. No playing around, no innocent sparkle- nothing anymore. He looked away instantly to hide his guilt and drew his attention to gathering up fluffy snow in one hand and packing it into a snowball. I clasped my hands over his and crushed the snowball in our grasp. "Do not do the changing of the subject. Do not look away from me. And do not lie to me Richard Grayson. I am not a fool and if you play me for one you will surely lose. Now, are you going to tell me what everyone seems to be hiding from me?" I asked coldly.
It was as if he was trained to disguise himself- hide any secrets, feelings, anything that he wanted to. For, it was simple for him; child's play. So- stubborn, quick-witted, or devious. Take all of the above and you've got yourself Richard Grayson. In other words- the leader of the Teen Titans, a.k.a. Robin. Talk about a workload.
"Define everyone..." He trailed off, smirking a little. Oh that idiot.
"You Rachel and Xavier!" I informed him, sighing, but not a hint of defeat was actually emitted in my sigh. Nope, I was not defeated yet.
"Kory, this isn't the easiest thing to explain." He declared.
"I am listening."
He scratched the back of his neck and sighed. "Kory... you can be so stubborn sometimes."
"Please friend Richard!
"You wanna know the truth Kory?" He sighed in defeat. My victory...
I nodded. "I devised a disguise mission for Crystal, Rachel, and I."
"You mean Raven, Crystal, and you?" I tested my theory again. He scowled. "Yes..."
"Okay, well, you see... there have been some issues with a group force called the Shadows." He started.
"The shadows?" I interrupted.
"It's a gang." He mumbled. I looked at him shocked as I thought back to the fight with Xavier's enemies. "I ran into them on the way home from school one day." I announced as Richard's eyes widened with shock. "What?!" He stared in disbelief. "What happened?" Maybe I should of kept my mouth shut.
"Xavier got in a sort of duel with them using sharp knives."
"Did you get hurt?" He asked concerned. "No." I stated, rubbing my arm with discomfort suddenly. I didn't of course, but that's not the same condition for another person whom felt my wrath of... er... green energy? But there seemed to be no proof in that matter since the body was never found which would lead to the covering up of my crime. Xavier perhaps dealt with the situation?
"Please, let us not continue this absurd conversation and resume your informing me of the gang called the "Shadows"." I cut him off. Please, no more recollection of that horrible event else I think I would of shoved snow down his throat for being so nosey. Why did he have to care so much? Not to mention he was changing the subject YET AGAIN!
"Okay, This group is in fact one of the most highly sophisticated and deadly gangs in Jump City and the Teen Titans have had trouble locating their whereabouts."
"You mean you and the team?" I reminded him. He scowled once again.
"All we know so far is that they uh... have a secret lair somewhere in an underground facility located in Jump City. Which so far our tips had pointed us to none other than Jump City High. We've had cases of murder, torture, rape, drugs, explosives... the readings were just so numerous. So, the team and I," He emphasized, "decided that it would be best if three of us went undercover to find out any information on the Shadows."
"Why not just do the searching of the building as a team instead of disguising as students at the high school and continuing your search under those circumstances?" I asked, utterly confused. It wasn't rocket science, I mean, when you had a team full of super heroes you think it would be better to just bombard the school during the night and scrounge around for any evidence of a... secret lair?
"Well you see, we also had some... conclusions that there might be members of the gang in the very school. And even if we find their lair, who's to know how many of them will slip out of our grasps. If we ever found their hide out then word would spread so fast that half of the gang would scatter before we could ever find out who they were."
I remained silent, absorbing the information. "If it isn't Xavier. Ex- gang member of the shadows I believe." Josh's words from the fight a while back stung into me. Oh crap... Xavier!
"So I'm trying to get up close and...er...personal with the supposed leader of the gang. That way if things go as planned, I'm invited into the shadows- set up a meeting and... well... they're busted." He shrugged.
Xavier... busted?
"Personal, correct?" No flippin' way...
"Kitten..." He grinned sheepishly and I rolled my eyes.
"How is it that, that... beast could be the leader of the most powerful gang in jump city? Doesn't that job actually require intelligence, which, mind you, Katherine Moth has none of which I can tell-"
"Her father is the leader." Richard cut me off. I dropped my hand which I used to point out and use as clear statement that Katherine was no where near close to smart. That would make sense...
"So you are getting "personal" with Kitten just to get Kitten to do the confessing of her secrets?"
Richard nodded. You know, it was actually not that bad of an idea. Except of course that part where the word "personal" came in...
"So, if you don't mind me inquiring, exactly how "personal" have you gotten with Kitten?" Richard chuckled. "You are jealous." I was not... that much.
"That is most certainly not-"
"Just drop it Kory." He smirked with his success and now it was my time to sigh with defeat.
"Then please continue your story." I informed him, hands now crossed over my chest. I huffed as he laughed again. I had to admit, his laugh was... enticing, which would explain why I had to find myself suppressing a laugh.
"That's pretty much it." He shrugged.
"Xavier?!" I sneered.
"Oh, that... you see... I don't really think you wanna know that." His grin was replaced by a more serious expression. Oh no.
"Richard, I'd like to know... he's my friend." I tried to explain, but he would hear no protest. Stubborn jerk!
"No Kory." he stated sternly.
"So that's it then huh?!" I spat. "Kory, it's not as simple as you think it is." he argued.
"Nothing in life is ever under simplicity Richard!"
"No, it isn't kory!" He snapped.
"So now you won't even tell me what's wrong with Xavier?! You think I should at least know what has happened to my friend seeing that Rachel told me to stay away from him at school today! Not to mention your mood has dramatically..."
"Changed?" He sneered.
"Yes." I timidly replied, Richard's voice came out harsh and threatening. The tension between us tightened drastically as I continued to try and get him to answer me. "Richard please! I care for him. Can't you please tell me what he did?"
"Kory.. I cant!" he snapped again.
"Secrets Richard. That's all it ever is." I held back tears threatening to fall...
"Well I've told you all you need to know already. So get lost." He rose up suddenly. "Richard!" I pleaded, a tear slid down my cheek, unwanted.
"What happened." I sniveled, still attempting to prevent tears from falling. Which was proving to be unsuccessful.
"He..."
"What happened!" I yelled in frustration.
"He...murdered innocent people." Richard confessed through clenched teeth. His fists were balled in fists and eyes cast downward almost as if he was in deep shame.
"What?!" I gasped in shock. Impossible- absurd!
"Kory..." he stuttered, still furious, "Xavier is Red X."
Tears seemed to freeze down my cheek, leaving paths of ice water stained to my skin. It stung like the pricking wind; tiny needles whipping by. Snow crunched under my feet as I backed away slowly, ready to sprint; to run away from all that mess. "No, Richard, you're lying." I shouted though I was choking in the tears sliding down. "You're lying." I whispered again. "I'm not lying kory!" He exclaimed while throwing up his hands in defeat and I his anger... "Xavier would never do the murdering of people! He is a kind and very caring friend. He-he always cares for me and plays fair in gym and never cheats on tests and always shows consideration for some people." I rambled on, trying to prove that the theory was indeed a case of mistaken identity or... something.
"Kory, I fought with him that night on the pier. He confessed that he knew who I was and..." He trailed off.
"Richard..." I placed a shaking, yet comforting hand on his shoulder and he pulled me slowly to the ground, never leaving eye contact with me. Taking in a deep breath, I sat there on the ground with his as he continued his story with anger, fury, frustration and... his voice held a hint of... regret...
"It was just him and I battling in the pier. I don't remember where the others were but all I was concentrated on was capturing him..."
Flashback
My bow staff extended and I twirled it expertly through my fingers. My concentration was set on the looming figure circling around me in the dusty, dark pier warehouse. He was highly amused and cocky at the moment. This time I was not going to let Red X to escape... his black suit symboled a red X in the center and his haunting skull mask outlined his figure along with a flowing black cape.
"So Kid, how's life going at Jump City high?" He smirked, catching me by surprise.
"What are you talking about?" I snapped.
"Don't play stupid kid, I think we've already established that you have obsession issues so don't make it to hard on yourself. So tell me, how's it like being Richard Grayson for 5 days a week. You know, being a playboy- going around from girl to girl, like Crystal, Kitten... and still trying to fit in your duty as leader of the Teen Titans." he smirked again, cockiness ran high in his voice. Keep talking X...
"What's your point X?" I sneered, watching him like a hawk as he continued to circle me steadily.
"Ah, nothing, except I know exactly who you are and yet, you have no idea who I am... It's sad that you're chasing someone you don't really know about."
"I know enough to see that you're a criminal who belongs in jail!" I sneered once more, "Now enough of your games X."
"This isn't a game Richard. I was just here to talk. You know, steal some Zinotheum and then sit down and chat with my favorite Titan." He sarcastically stated, twirling the tube of bright red Zinotheum in between his fingers.
"Then let's talk, shall we X?"
"I thought we already were." He smirked.
"Fine then. If we're talking then tell me who you are!" I ordered.
"Come on Richard, stop ruining the fun." The white mask covering my eyes and outlined by a black border became no more then a thin black line as I narrowed my eyes. My black and yellow cape flowed behind me as I started sneaking closer to empty wooden boxes piled up near the window.
"This isn't fun X. Now tell me who you are!"
"Hold up traffic light," I grimaced. My super hero outfit did not look like a traffic light! Sure... it contained green tights... red shirt... yellow cape... green gloves... "I think now that what you want to know is how I figured out who you were."
"So then are you going to tell me the answer to that?" I raised an eyebrow and smirked as my hand rested on the pile of boxes. "Keep talking X... get distracted... when you do I will take you down." I told myself.
"Nope..." He chuckled.
"Have we met?" I continued the conversation.
"Of course, every day practically." He shrugged.
"Get to the point X."
"There is no point" He casually stated.
"I think you're lying."
"Of course," He smirked again, well, from what I could tell aparently, since his mask covered his whole face. But I could just feel his smirk bore into me and burn... X edged closer to me and I grasped my staff and stanced myself into a ready position.
"So then are you really going to tell me why you are here? You got your Zinotheum, so why stay and talk?"
His voice suddenly turned cold. He glared at me with intensity, "I'm here to tell you to stay the hell away from Kory. She's mine Richard."
I stared at him with shock, yet kept on my expressionless face. Kory... "I've seen the way you stare at her and the way she stares at you Richard. Don't forget your times on the roof top together-"
"Stalking, are you X?" I mocked.
"She likes me more than you." He bragged.
"Then why worry?"
"Take this as a warning Richard!"
"And take this Xavier!" I grabbed the wooden crates and thrust it in X's direction. Surprised from attack, he barely dodged the flying box before more came his way.
We found ourselves in brutal combat at once. But that was short lived once Xavier pulled out one of his bottles of Zinotheum again. "Hold it kid." He gasped for breath.
"You move and I drop this, sending a massive explosion throughout the area."
"Put it away X. You've never killed before, so I don't think you want that under your conscious." I snapped.
"Stay away from her Richard. Got that?"
"Not if I have anything to do with it Xavier. It's all over now. You come anywhere near her or the school and I'll arrest you in seconds. Now put that vial down. You're going to kill everyone here and around this area including you."
"Then I'll see you in Hell." He shot back, dropping the vial. I grasped my cape and pulling it over me, it strength of high density titanium shielded me from the explosion, but I found myself forced backwards and knocked out cold.
okay, i have to say, i sort of...well... LIKED THAT CHAPTER! i know, weird eh? well, it was a little rushed i have to admit. but i personally think it...well... rocks. i have no idea why. well, maybe the beginning is cool... but the end is kind of crappy.
anyways!! REMEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i wanna read stories. so, if you happen to read this story, please review and comment or critisize and i will check out your profile like i always try to do.
ORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR you could just private message me. yep!
best wishes
-sam