It's All About Luck
A Teen Titan Fan Fiction
By: Rannison
Disclaimer:
Bubby: Haha, now that Taki's not here, I can claim whatever I want! Teen Titans-
A red laser sight appears on Bubby's forehead.
Bubby: -absolutely, positively, does NOT belong to us. In any way. None, whatsoever. :D.
Rannison: Err, on with the story?
Dedication: Wolfkcing's "Pitch and Pink" really inspired me to write a romance with Raven and Jinx as a pairing! If you haven't yet, please go read his story!
Chapter 10 (Ver. 1.0)
!BEEP!
The female Titan opened one eye, then raised her com unit up. Robin.
"Yes?" she asked, trying to conceal her irritation at being interrupted during what all the Titans knew as Raven's unofficial do-not-disturb "break". Though there was no longer a need for meditation, Raven still found the habit calmed her, and allowed her to gather and "refine" her energy as well. It also gave her time to analyze-or as BB put it, to "darkly brood"-her new found emotions and impulses. As of late, most of those conflicts revolved around a certain blonde-haired witch.
"Raven, sorry for interrupting, but I have an assignment for you. Can you come up to the briefing room?".
Raven sighed. "On my way." She closed the connection, still floating in mid-air above her bed. Solo missions were rare. That Robin specifically asked for her alone was even more so. An unexpected surge of curiosity overcame Raven, which annoyed her even more. Handling human emotions was such a complex and unfruitful endeavor, and Raven was beginning to doubt she'd ever see any benefits. A flash of black enveloped her, and then she was gone.
Robin wasn't startled when a pitch-black, avian-shaped wall of energy suddenly formed and morphed into a perfect sphere. After receding into it's center, Raven stood looking a little annoyed. It had become somewhat of a common sight around the tower...really comes to show you can get used to just about anything over time.
Raven raised an eyebrow in a silent inquiry.
"Take a seat," Robin instructed.
The sorceress obliged, whereas the Titan leader stood and began to pace. "Like I said, I have an assignment for you. This one's off the record, even from the others, until you determine the subject's cooperation."
Raven only nodded for Robin to go on.
Robin came to a stop and faced her. "This is a scouting mission. I won't beat around the bush...I want you to approach the subject and determine their level of interest in recruitment."
The female Titan raised an eyebrow again. It was rare for Robin to consider recruiting another Titan, though not for any lack of qualified candidates; requests came in constantly, just as much as fan or hate mail, and some of the resumes were pretty impressive. However, the recent surge in criminal activity would warrant the need for another member to relieve some of their work load. What Raven didn't understand was why he wanted her to scout out their next potential team member. This sort of job was always Robin's forte, and Raven wasn't exactly the most diplomatic member of the team.
Reading the question in her face, Robin continued, "I know this isn't your usual thing. Fact of the matter is, this isn't exactly a normal situation. The subject has a record, which is why this needs to stay out of sight from the media, at least until we determine the subject's willingness to cooperate. It has to be you, since you seem to have gained the subject's trust already."
Realization dawned on Raven as her leader spoke. "No."
It was Robin's turn to raise an eyebrow. "No?"
"No," Raven was adamant, and even began to shake her head. "There is no way in hell that she...how can you even consider this? Why are you even considering this?"
Bewilderment was plain on her face, though the team leader was beginning to feel confused himself. Robin had expected some surprise or potential doubt, but a flat-out refusal? Raven was the one who broke protocol on multiple counts to selflessly keep Jinx from getting arrested. In a world where crime was so prevalent and the good guys were too few, innocent-until-proven-guilty didn't apply to meta-human criminals with a record, not when the authorities were so short-handed. Robin didn't like this unspoken rule, but that was how things worked if you wanted to keep innocent civilians out of harm's way. But despite that, Raven gave Jinx a chance to remain under the radar and try to rebuild her life. The former thief didn't disappoint, and did just that-admirably, in fact, compared to the majority of other cases.
Through all that, Robin instantly deducted this wasn't about Jinx's background. He also deducted it wasn't about her ability, since Jinx proved herself more than competent even so long after her "retirement". This was something else, something personal.
Raven's face turned red from embarrassment. In the few short seconds of silence that had followed her outburst, Robin had calmly and coolly figured her out. She didn't mean to read his thoughts, had in fact just barely brushed the outer layer of his consciousness, but it was enough to tell he had seen through her own thoughts.
And I thought I was suppose to be the mind-reader here, Raven thought with a bit of begrudging respect for their leader.
Robin feigned ignorance of Raven's embarrassment, for which she was grateful. "Fact of the matter is, her experience in the criminal modus operandi can become a major asset for us. In addition, her caliber of talent in combat is pretty rare to come across. Besides all that, I have my own reasons for wanting her to join."
"And that would be?" Raven was more intrigued than ever. Their leader was usually the skeptic amongst them all, but Robin was extending an unusual amount of trust here. She wanted to know why.
Robin paused to consider how to word his answer. "Let's just say...I have an idea of what she's going through right now. Most criminals and returning combatants take years of therapy and support from loved ones to do what she did alone for the last three years. Her recent incident downtown might have some negative effects. I don't want her turning to the wrong place to look for an adrenaline fix, not when she's worked so hard on turning a new leaf. If she's with us, we can make sure she doesn't stray off on the wrong path again. In other words, it's in our mutual interest that she comes under our wing."
The dark Titan understood what Robin was implying; Criminal Psychology was covered in all of their basic training (though she was sure BB had snored right through it). "Fine. I'll see what I can do."
Robin cracked a smile. "Appreciate it."
I'm here on business, Raven thought. For the umpteenth time.
Currently, a very nervous Raven was at a certain witch's front steps. She had taken time to change to her street clothes (which she told herself was to conceal her identity from civilians, and not because she was here to see Jinx), slipping into a slim pair of black jeans, matched with a black tank and casual button-up. Raven rang the bell quickly before her nerves failed her.
The door opened all too quickly, before she could compose her expression.
"Now to what," Jinx leaned against the door frame, "would I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
Raven ran a hand through her hair, her nervousness increasing exponentially. The enchantress was wearing a towel, a slightly damp white tank, and a pair of daisy-yellow shorts that were way too short. Raven's heart rate soared and her breathing became short and labored, as she couldn't help but notice just how much pale smooth skin the witch was showing, still glistening with a bit of water. The way she leaned against the door frame lifted the bottom of her tank, revealing her soft navel. A glance at her face showed a coy smile and an expression that did nothing to comfort the Titan. All of this combined proved more potent than any attack or spell, and rendered Raven completely speechless and immobilized.
Jinx giggled at the sorceress' stupor. "Do you mind coming in? It's getting a bit chilly for me."
She obliged and the witch closed the door behind her. "Tea?"
"Sure," Raven answered, numbly taking a seat on the couch.
"Chrysanthemum, right?"
Raven must have betrayed some surprise, as Jinx smiled and explained, "I remember from the diner. Just sit tight, I'll put on the kettle right now."
It was such a trivial thing, remembering what Raven's favorite tea was. It was illogical for her to feel such a rush of warmth from it. She hated feeling all this, hated not being able to control her emotions, hated even more that her emotions were starting to dictate her actions. With suddenly steeled resolve, Raven stood back up and approached the kitchen.
"Jinx. I'm here on official business."
"I know," Jinx said, her back turned to the sorceress. She filled an electronic kettle and then set it on it's base, flipping the switch.
Again, Raven was caught off guard. It was getting annoying how easily the witch could put her off her balance. "You know?"
"You guys saw the footage from the jewelry store. And since you're not here with a bunch of uni's or the rest of the team, I'm guessing the Boy Wonder sent you here to have a chat with me instead of detaining me." Jinx turned around now to face Raven. "So, what exactly does he want? If it's to give me a slap on the wrist, there's no need. I was careless, but I won't let it happen again."
Impressed, Raven shook her head. "You're partially right. I'm not here to reprimand you though. I'm here to give you a job offer."
A/N (Ver. 1.0): Whew! Finally ground out another one, which is not easy considering I'm writing everything at work now. Thanks to everyone who gave me reviews and critiques. I'm still in need of much guidance, so please don't stop with the criticism and suggestions! Still feeling a bit rusty, so it's going pretty slowly, but I hope I won't disappoint.
Review Replies:
xXBlackRavenXx: Thank you! I've tried very hard to develop their personalities, and I'm glad to hear it wasn't in vain. I'm happy to hear you like how I wrote those chapters, and I aim to keep pleasing.
spritznar: I'm glad you liked it! Updates are slow, but I'm definitely working on it!
Umbra8191: Thank you, and here's your update!
kitmaro: I've been advised to slow things down on the romantic development, but don't worry :3 I'm building up to it!
Spikesagitta: I know, I just couldn't let this one die. Thanks for the support, and sorry about the long wait!
LilithRyoka: Your review was very helpful, and I am extremely grateful for your feedback! I hope that you can continue to help me in the future, and I hope I won't disappoint!
Strgrl4eva: No problem, I'm glad just to hear that you like it! I wouldn't dare believe I've gotten better, I just try my best to please. Haha, we're not hiring currently unless you want to work in the warehouse. I work at a frozen foods manufacturer in Ontario, CA. You wouldn't happen to be anywhere near here?
Ganonfan117: You're absolutely right, and I respect that you want me to take things slow. It wouldn't feel real if the romantic development was rushed (though I know some of the readers are dying for them to just hook up xD). You're suggestions were very helpful, and you even guessed where I was going with the job offer. I am extremely grateful, and I hope that you can continue to help me along as I update. Thank you so much for your help!
Other Notes:
Thanks to all my readers! As always, you can contact me at or PM me on the website. Comments, suggestions, encouragements, or even criticisms and flames are welcome!