"I want you to double cross them," the man said, facing away from the other person in the darkened room.
"Why?" shot back the other person occupying the room, Xavier.
"You work for me, remember? Besides, the lot of them, they're amateurs."
"They may be a group of amateurs, but they avoided capture and detection for at least two months," Xavier told the man with a hint of defiance in his voice.
"They're a ticking time bomb, then; a disaster waitin' to happen."
"I heard they managed to recruit Madame Rouge. From all the stories I heard about that woman, she's a force to be reckoned with."
"That's it! They're just stories, nothin' more!"
"How could you possibly know? You spent the majority of your time in the past five years behind bars at Arkham Asylum! Besides, you give half-ass orders with no purpose behind them! What was the point behind drowning that one kid in a damn warehouse?"
The man whirled around, a feral snarl firmly fixated upon his face, highlighting his ghastly features. This man greatly resembled a shark, particularly a great white. His sharp canine-like teeth held a hint of yellow, showing the first signs of tooth decay. He possessed an abnormally fair complexion and was completely bald. The man's nose was caved inward, drawing attention to wide, flaring nostrils. One could obviously tell that something traumatizing must have happened to the man based on his deformed state. People could easily agree that this man was one of the worst people that you could possibly meet, and if you did, it was rather unfortunate that the celestial beings cursed you so.
The man standing before Xavier was the Great White Shark, a man who had been assaulted and locked into a refrigerator unit after pleading insanity and winding up in Arkham Asylum, leaving him successfully deformed.
"Listen here. You're an excellent sharpshooter, but that ain't goin' to stop me from shootin' your bloody brains out. I own the muscle in this town and I will use that power. Just because you have to potential to be as great as your predecessor doesn't mean anythin'. Hell, you even remind me of Calendar Man, save for the psychotic breakdowns. You have power, kid. But, let's not forget that I do, too."
"First off, you don't own the muscle in this damn town. Carmine Falcone does. Secondly, if you have as much power as you're insinuating, why do you hire people like me to do all your dirty work?"
The Great White Shark lunged forward, planning on wrapping his beefy hands around Xavier's throat. Agilely, the man of African descent leaped out of the way, dodging his snarling client. Quickly, Xavier charged forward, taking the deformed man by surprise. Xavier punched him in the face, easily breaking his nose. The dark skinned man watched scarlet blood trickle down his pale skin before executing a flawless uppercut that sent the Great White Shark sprawling onto the grimy floor. Swiftly, Xavier slammed the deformed man's head on the hard floor, successfully knocking him out.
Sighing, Xavier began dragging the body to his car….
-Meanwhile With Batman-
Batman stared at his equipment, looking defeated. The World's Greatest Detective was heavily contemplating the situation. Could this mean that somebody knew his identity? Secondly, why weren't Victor Zsasz's fingerprints on the note? He was so busy thinking (enough that would make a mere man's brain explode) that he didn't notice Alfred, his butler, enter the Batcave.
"Master Bruce, I brought you another cup of coffee. Although, I'd like to advise you to get some sleep. You look, pardon me, like you're dead on your feet."
"I can't, Alfred. Gotham needs me," the masked vigilante said, refraining himself from telling his surrogate father what had just transpired.
"What good could possibly come out of a scenario in which you die from exhaustion, Master Bruce? You would have better success if you're well rested. Or do I need to remind you about what happened with Bane a couple years ago?"
"I'm stronger now than I was then."
"That may be so, but even you have your limits."
"Everyone does, Alfred. You just have to push past them." With that, the infamous superhero brushed past his butler after ensuring all of the equipment was turned off.
"Let's not forget about hoping that a higher entity is willing to bestow good fortune on you," Alfred muttered to himself. He gave the dank cave one final glance before exiting the lower foundation of the estate, a plan already developing in his mind.
-Meanwhile With Wonder Woman-
"Now, the key to hand to hand combat is form. If your posture is lacking, the chances of you winning the battle are very slim, I'm afraid to say. This is why Black Canary and myself are teaching you a wide arr-" Wonder Woman stopped speaking when her communicator went off, a very familiar voice sounding in her heightened ears.
"Hello? He what? So you want me to help with the motions? What if doesn't want me to, though? Well, you know how stubborn he can get! He always has to have things in a certain way, including the simplest of things. Especially that! Do you honestly think the two of us will be able to satisfy his needs…? Is the lasso really necessary? Yes, of course, I understand. I'll be there in promptly ten minutes. Be ready."
Wonder Woman turned off her communicator and without sparing Black Canary a glance, she sprinted out of the room. Luckily, she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. Otherwise, there would have been a strong possibility that a member of Class Titan would have been slammed into the wall quite forcefully, one might add.
Luckily for Kid Flash, his girlfriend wasn't in the room to see him practically drooling. Inappropriate thoughts about the wondrous woman raced through his hormonal mind, the fantasies very detailed. Kid Flash had always been good with imagination, after all. However, the thought of Wonder Woman using her lasso in an intimate setting was enough to drive any guy over the edge.
Black Canary voiced the thoughts of every guy in the room. "Well, that was awfully kinky. Now, who wants to play dodgeball?" After all, Wonder Woman deciding to put a hot date before her duty deserved celebration, even if it did sound slightly like pedophilia.
-Meanwhile With Raven And Robin-
Robin pressed pause to stop the audio from playing. This was surreal. How could this woman, a mere waitress, be able to plant a recording device without his noticing? He was Batman's sidekick, for crying out loud! This revelation acted as a blow to him, a major disappointment. Spying was one thing, but managing to place a bug right in front of him took this to a whole new level.
Raven's thinking process shed some light on a different point of view and angle. "This could work to our advantage, I hope you realize."
"How can that possibly be?" Robin asked, adopting a grim expression that was remarkably similar to Batman's daily look.
"I'm not an expert at this, so there's a strong possibility that this assumption could be erroneous. However, I don't think you can buy recording devices of this caliber in just any store. Plus, this program doesn't seem very familiar, maybe even illegal. If we can find out more information about the download and the bug, we can be one step closer to solving this mystery."
"We don't even know the name of this program, which means we can't find out from what website it was downloaded from. Besides, it could have been downloaded to the laptop from a disc. As for the bug, we don't even know what it looks like, so it would be impossible to find out where it was purchased."
"You're awfully pessimistic," Raven commented.
Robin studied her appearance for a minute or so before saying, "Well then, what are you proposing?"
"I'm simply suggesting that we go back in the apartment and do a thorough sweep of the place."
"We'll get caught for sure, Rae. It was a close call, remember?"
"I never took you for one that's afraid of a little risk," Raven said with a smirk playing at her lips.
"You forgot. I live for the thrill, remember?"
"Well, you're just going to have to prove it," Raven said with a challenging tone to her voice.
"You're on," Robin said, his voice pitched low.
-Meanwhile With Roxanne Lenore-
Roxanne Lenore impatiently tapped her foot, trying her best to ignore the overwhelming and suffocating feeling of her fear of claustrophobia that was overpowering her. Her initial fear of enclosed spaces began when she was a little girl, on her sixth birthday. Roxanne had been waiting in the lobby of her mom's work, LuthorCorp, with her dad, for the two of them were planning on celebrating their precious little girl's birthday by taking her out for lunch and later seeing a movie. It was supposed to be a special day, considering the fact that the married couple hardly got time off from work. Unfortunately, a freak accident took place that day. Roxanne's mother had just entered the elevator from one of the highest floors in the building when a cord snapped, sending the elevator plummeting down at high speed. Upon impact with the bottom of the elevator track, the loyal employee's body was severely battered and bloody, obviously devoid of life. The sight that greeted Roxanne's eyes once they managed to open the elevator reclaim the body was traumatizing. Twenty years later, it still gave her nightmares.
Roxanne partially blamed her unappealing personality on this accident. She didn't want to get hurt anymore in life, so she hid her and true self behind a mask, a façade. Of course, this didn't actually start until Roxanne was old enough to fully understand what happened, once she completely understood why strangers were sending her family their condolences. Then, she started acting like she had a horrid personality, willing to be alone rather than hurt, for being alone was going to dish out less hurt than losing a loved one.
Roxanne let out a sigh of relief when the elevator finally touched down onto the ground level. She had just been visiting her father at his hotel in Gotham City since he wished to discuss her monetary situation. Roxanne's father was a well-known district attorney in Metropolis and personally knew the Luthors, as did her mother. Even though Roxanne wished that her meetings with her father ceased, she visited him annually when he took the time out of his busy schedule and came to Gotham. Of course, the main reason was that he provided the majority of her income. Sure, he wasn't nearly as rich as the billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne, but he was fairly rich.
The district attorney's daughter stepped out of the elevator, firmly placing her sunglasses over her blue eyes, and ignoring the bellhop that was staring at her ass. Xavier would probably make some half-ass joke by saying how the bellman obviously liked it doggy style, referring to her slight resemblance to a basset hound. He was such an ass.
Roxanne walked for half an hour, finally stopping in a secluded park-like area. One reason why she liked this place was that it was peaceful. Plus, the scenery was beautiful and she didn't have to worry about anyone intruding on her placidity. After seating herself down on a wooden bench, she rummaged through her purse, searching for a slip of paper that contained a phone number. Once she managed to find it among the clutter, she took her phone out of her pocket and dialed the important number.
A woman answered the phone. "This is the Daily Planet. How may I help you?"
"I'd like to talk to a reporter by the name of Lois Lane," Roxanne cordially said.
"Name, please?"
"Roxanne Lenore."
"One moment, please."
Roxanne sighed, waiting for a response on the other line. Suddenly, she was lifted off the bench and was thrown forcefully against the fence. The phone went flying out of her grasp, skidding in the opposite direction. Roxanne let out a blood-curling scream, hoping to notify anybody, even her opinionated father.
"Don't even waste your breath. Nobody is going to hear you," a man said, hunched and looking deadly. Roxanne squinted, her vision fighting against the blazing sunlight. Her inspection enabled her to know that her attacker was Xavier.
"You don't know what you're doing," she said, trying to sound reasonable.
"This is what I do for a living," Xavier said. "My employer wants you dead, so you're going to die. It's as simple as that."
"Xavier—" Roxanne started, but only to be cut off.
"Don't call me that!" Xavier snapped. "The name's now Tally Man."
"Be as that may, I'm sure we can settle this matter peacefully. After all, it's not that black and white."
"Of course it is! It's death! Whether you live or not is set in stone! All one has to do is move a few muscles and pull the trigger."
"Well, some people have the nasty habit of surviving from a bullet or two."
"You know, I'm surprised that your smart mouth hasn't got you into trouble yet. That's about to change right now, though."
The Tally Man II took a few steps forward, a double-barreled handgun glinting in the sunlight. Roxanne watched with wide eyes. She was going to die. That much was clear. However, she wasn't going to go down without a fight. She timed her move before swinging out her left leg, sending the man sprawling down onto the immaculately cut blades of grass. Quickly, Roxanne stood up, and in order to give herself a head start, she sent a swift kick to his crotch.
Roxanne started running, as fast as her legs could carry her (after ditching the heels, of course). She didn't bother retrieving the cell phone since that would surely waste valuable time. Glancing over her shoulder told her that Xavier was catching up, making his way through the throng of people with a speed that exceeded her own. With a destination in mind, she hurried once more, ducking while putting her plan in action. She quickly tied her hair up into a ponytail and gave her jacket to an old man in exchange for his fisherman hat. Knowing that the disguise wouldn't work, Roxanne quickened her pace, heading for her father's hotel. Following tradition, Mr. Lenore had given her a spare keycard to his room, although she had never dreamed of using one before. Another glance behind her showed that Xavier was only five feet away from where she was standing. So, for once in her life, she took a risk.
She stepped in front of a moving car. The car swerved out of her way amid panicked screams as the car nearly pummeled them. Thankful for the disastrous distraction, Roxanne sprinted across the street, jumped a person's fence, and continued to make her way to the hotel.
Within a couple of minutes, Roxanne was in the hotel lobby. She made her way to the off-limits stairwell, but noticed that the bellhop that had been eyeing her earlier was intently watching her. After sending him a knee-trembling, flirty smile, Roxanne ducked into the room and began climbing the stairs. Fortunately, the workers that were fixing a problem in the area were nowhere to be found. She repeatedly checked the signs by the different doors to see what floor she was at. Her father's room was on the thirteenth floor, giving him a perfect view of the skylines. With sweat trickling down her olive skin, she sighed when she reached her destination without getting caught.
Roxanne quietly walked past the rooms, heading for the end of the hallway. Just when she started relaxing and thinking she was safe, she was suddenly grabbed from behind just when she was passing the elevator. She tried screaming, but a hand was firmly clasped over her mouth, preventing any alarming sounds from escaping her mouth. Her captor threw her against the wall of the open elevator.
"Try anything and the elevator drops," a low, dangerous sounded in her ear. "That's right, I know all about your little fear of elevators."
"What do you want from me?" Roxanne whimpered, internally panicking.
"Your blood," was the last thing she heard before falling into an empty void of darkness…
-Meanwhile At Wayne Manor-
Alfred winced when he heard something (most likely valuable) smash upstairs. Apparently, his ward was trying to prove a point by undergoing what Alfred liked to call a temper tantrum. He sighed. It was truly miraculous how he, an elderly butler, hasn't lost his mind yet due to the ornery that Bruce Wayne emitted, almost ludicrous, even.
As soon as a knock sounded on the door, Alfred rushed over to greet his visitor. He ushered her inside the elegant hall and neatly hung her coat on a stand.
"Thank you, Alfred," Diana, Princess of Themyscira, said, a genuine smile gracing her beautiful features.
"You're certainly welcome, Miss Diana," Alfred responded, leading her up the many stairs in the manor.
Diana sighed. "Alfred, how many times do I have to tell you? You just have to call me Diana."
"Old habits die hard," was the butler's response.
A few more minutes elapsed in a comfortable silence between the two adults. Soon enough, they quietly stopped in front of a closed door that happened to lead to the master bedroom. Alfred handed her a syringe that contained the right amount of a sedative. She slipped it into her back pocket where she could easily access it. Then, Wonder Woman gently rapped on the door three times.
"Alfred, how many times do I have to tell you? I'm fine," a gruff voice said.
"It's me," Diana said.
Bruce sighed. "Come on in."
Diana complied, but not before sending a sharp look at Alfred that told him to wait outside the room. "How are you feeling, Bruce?"
"Alfred put you up to this," Bruce said, cutting to the chase.
"What do you mean?" Diana asked, trying her best to look confused.
"He's concerned about my health because I haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately."
"You haven't been sleeping at all, Bruce? Everybody needs sleep in order to function."
"Diana, don't play stupid with me. You shouldn't even be here. You're supposed to be teaching."
"Dinah gave me the day off and I wanted to spend my day with you."
"Dinah hates teaching. She would never do it alone."
Diana placed her hands firmly on her hips. "Are you trying to say you don't want to be here?"
"I never said that, Diana. You're taking everything out of context." It was obvious that Bruce was starting to get annoyed with all the coddling.
"Is it really that hard to believe that I just want to stay here and spend time with you without having an ulterior motive?"
"Yes," he flatly said.
"Bruce, if I didn't know better, I would say that you weren't cuddled very much as a child. However, I do know better since every single story about your parents conveys their kindness, determination, love, and will. They would never go a day without giving their handsome son a hug."
"I wish you could have met them. They were truly amazing people." Diana had managed to evoke a sentimental feeling within him.
"Of course they were. After all, they had you. However, if it wasn't for their passing, I would have never met you."
"Maybe things would be better for you if that's what happened," Bruce said softly.
"Don't even say that, Bruce. I wouldn't have it any other way."
With that, the Princess of the Amazons kissed the Dark Knight. Bruce automatically wrapped his arms around her small waist, pulling her closer as she encircled her arms around his neck. She loved spending time with Bruce, even when he was brooding. He helped her adjust to Man's World, which is something she appreciates, even to this day. Naturally, she was getting caught up in the moment, cherishing the moment. A small moan escaped her lips when he deepened the kiss. Their tongues were participating in a sort of battle, or rather, a fiery dance that elicited powerful emotions.
The billionaire's hands traveled lower, resting on the princess's rear end. A red alert started ringing in the back of his mind when he felt something poking out of her pocket. Quickly, the World's Greatest Detective pulled it out. When he saw clear liquid within the confines of the syringe, he immediately pushed away from the Amazon.
"Why am I not surprised?" Bruce said, his face perfectly emotionless.
"Bruce, we're just worried about you. We don't want you to hurt yourself in the heat of the moment due to your fatigue."
"I'm not weak, Diana! I've survived through much worse than fulfilling my daily sleep quota."
"You're not like Clark, Bruce! As you're aging, you need your rest."
"I guess that's part of the problem, then, isn't it? I'm a mere mortal and you're an immortal princess. You'll have to watch me grow old and eventually put up the suit and cowl while you remain eternally young. The exact same thing will happen between Lois and Clark. A decade or two from now, it's likely that you and Clark will end up together."
"Bruce, don't think like this. My relationship with Kal-El is the epitome of a sibling relationship. You are the man I love. While my immortality does create a small obstacle, why can't we just cherish every moment spent together?"
"This aging ordeal is not a small obstacle, Diana! I can't bear the thought of watching you remain young and beautiful while I'm withering away! Besides, maybe your immortality is an indication on why we were never meant to be. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to attend to in which I discuss some important matters with Warden Sharp at the asylum." Bruce pushed past the Amazon, heading for the door while still holding onto the syringe.
"You're not going anywhere." Wonder Woman gritted her teeth and quickly swung her lasso around the billionaire's ankles. This successfully made him trip and sent the syringe flying out of his grasp. "Alfred!" Diana called as she pulled the thrashing Bruce towards her.
Alfred immediately entered Bruce's bedroom and was startled nonetheless by the sight that greeted his eyes. It was truly amazing that Bruce was putting up such a fight due to the Amazonian Princess's unbridled strength. When he was within her reach, he swiftly swung his bound legs out, managing to knock the superheroine down to the ground. This gave him time to quickly remove the lasso from his limbs.
"Alfred! Get the syringe," Diana choked out, jutting her chin in its general direction. The butler automatically complied with the order of retrieving the sedative.
Diana leapt to her feet and lunged forward to tackle the escaping billionaire. Bruce did a kind of twirl where he jumped in order to avoid collision with her. Even though one might say he looked incredibly stupid doing so, it prevented him from getting captured by the determined Amazon. Unfortunately, when Diana's body made impact with the floor, she made a mad grab for Bruce's ankle, tripping him once more. Princess Diana of Themyscira rolled over and pinned him down with her legs firmly wrapped around his torso. Despite that, Bruce struggled and surprisingly flipped them around by gaining leverage by preventing her from using her wrists. They grappled around some more, trying to gain the upper hand.
"Bruce, stop it! I don't want to hurt you!" Diana cried, applying a little more pressure than she should have to his biceps.
"You're not!" Bruce yelled. "Let's wound the clocks back some, shall we? If you were still on Themyscira and intruders invaded your island, would you rest until they were gone?"
"That's different!"
"Miss Diana! Catch!" Alfred yelled, throwing the syringe to Diana when she managed to get on top of Bruce once more.
Diana caught the medical device with one hand while pinning Bruce down by his shoulder with her other hand. Once the syringe was in her grasp, she immediately let go of his shoulder and carefully aimed the widget with both of her hands. He grabbed her wrists and pushed back, trying his best to prevent her from making the sedative enter his system. Sighing, the princess applied some more strength and managed to slide the tip of the syringe into his arm. She quickly held down the thing that would make the liquid enter his body. As soon as the last drop disappeared within the syringe's confinements, she removed all of her weight off of his body. Unsurprisingly, he tried to fight off the effects of the drug that was supposed to make the intended drowsy.
Diana quietly watched Bruce stumble towards the door. There were two thoughts coursing throughout her mind. One thought said that there was no way Bruce could get very far considering the amount of the sedative that was given to him combined with his own weariness. The other thought insisted that Bruce's will and determination would overpower the want to fall asleep. After all, one could never underestimate the Batman. She got her answer when Bruce suddenly collapsed near the doorway. However, she assumed that that was Alfred's doing considering the fact that he was standing beside his surrogate son.
"Is he okay?" Diana asked, slowly standing up.
"He will be," Alfred said. "I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience, though, Miss Diana."
Diana didn't bother with correcting him. "It's fine, Alfred, really."
"I'll watch over him and inform you when he wakes up."
"Thank you, Alfred. I really appreciate it."
"Next time, however, may I just advise not to be… ah, so vocal with your escapades."
A rosy blush quickly spread across the princess's face. Okay, so maybe it wasn't a small moan after all…. That thought quickly vanished, though. 'If there is a next time,' she thought solemnly.
-Meanwhile At The Daily Planet-
Lois Lane was flustered, for lack of a better term. Here she was, sitting at her desk when someone from a lower level in the building transferred a call to her. She took the call and was greeted with an ear-shattering scream just as the other line was beginning to break up, sporadic static pounding in her eardrums. Despite the terrible quality, she managed to hear this man threaten the woman, mentioning how death is black and white. Soon enough, the line went dead.
Lois casually looked around the place, putting on her experienced poker face. It would be best not to arouse suspicion among her fellow workers. She wheeled around in her office chair and frantically typed away at the keyboard. With hardly any time elapsing, she found out who Roxanne Lenore was. Sure, the amount of research she uncovered wasn't as much as her cousin, Chloe Sullivan, would receive, but at least her goal didn't fail. She quickly scanned the limited material, discovering that the woman was at the scene the day her mother died and that she lived in Gotham City. Nonchalantly, Lois made her way to the roof of the building, hoping to avoid any confrontation with her peers.
Once she was away from the several people roaming around busily at the Daily Planet, she flipped out her phone and immediately called Bruce. After all, it was his city to protect. Strangely, he didn't pick up. The famous reporter checked the time, noting that it was too late for a board meeting at Wayne Enterprises. Besides, he usually answered her calls, knowing that something must have happened since she tended to avoid seeing him.
With curiosity burning through her, the reporter called the love of her life, Clark Kent, who was secretly Superman. He answered on the very last ring. "Hey, Lois! Shouldn't you be at work?"
"I am at work, but something happened…. "
"The Planet didn't explode, did it?"
"'Course not. Although, a woman did call me…. She screamed, Clark. This man was threatening her, just before the line went dead."
Clark quickly went on the alert. "What was her name, Lois?"
"The lady that transferred the call to me said her name was Roxanne Lenore. I did a little research and found out that she lives in Gotham City," she said.
"Did you call Bruce?"
"I called him right before I called you. He didn't answer, so I naturally called you. Is he away on some important mission or something to show off how badass he really is?"
"No, he isn't. As far as I'm aware of, anyway…." Clark trailed off, pondering about what could possibly be going on.
"Well, do you think you can take some time off at that special academy of yours and come to help me get to the bottom of this? I was planning on tracking the area of the cell phone in order to get a general idea of where this Lenore woman could be. I would ask Chloe, but she's in Moscow for that one story she's working on. So, you're my best bet in figuring all of this out."
"I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted," Clark joked.
"Just get your ass down here, Smallville," Lois told her boyfriend before hanging up.
-Later That Day In The Class Titan Tower-
"So, what should we do tonight?" Speedy asked, sitting down with his arm extended over the length of the couch.
Starfire exclaimed, "Eeek! My friends, we should all hogie a morflark! Or, perhaps, participate in the cooking of a stewed grunthmek!"
"Uh, Star, as nice as that sounds," Kid Flash said as he nonchalantly cringed, "we honestly don't feel like cooking or messing with flarkymorsh."
"Morflark," the alien automatically corrected the speedster.
"Yeah, that," Kid Flash agreed in order not to dwell on the topic.
"Why don't we have a dance party or something?" Bumblebee suggested, for lack of anything better to do.
"Does that include the three of you pretty girls pleasing us?" Aqualad asked. Apparently, he's been spending too much time with Kid Flash.
"Only in your wet dreams," Bumblebee shot back snarkily.
"Uh, no. Please don't envision that, period," Astoria said, looking at Bumblebee as if she was nuts.
"Killjoy," Beast Boy muttered.
Before any more words could be exchanged, a couple of beeping sounds were heard, seemingly coming out of Cyborg's arm. Beast Boy gasped, fearing for his robotic buddy's life. However, their worry ceased when Cyborg tapped a few buttons and the sound finally stopped. Something that intrigued them, though, was how a tiny screen appeared, which made the group of teenagers gather around the cybernetic teen.
"Robin!" Starfire wailed when she saw his face.
"Woah!" Beast Boy shrieked shrilly when he caught a glimpse of the sleek screen.
"What?" Robin asked, his words audible through Cyborg's installed technology.
"Raven! S-s-she looks like a girl!" Beast Boy exclaimed, dumbstruck. This made everybody except Raven snicker.
"Shocking, isn't it?" Robin joked.
"Do you want me to hex off your testicles, Bird Brain?" Raven snapped. This effectively drained the color out of their faces. The guys, that is.
"I'm good," Robin choked out. Bumblebee noticed how he was leaning forward slightly now. She assumed that this was a feeble attempt to protect his manhood.
"Is there a reason you called?" Cyborg asked, wondering why the two birds hacked into his system somehow and managed to start a video feed.
"Yes, there is, actually," Robin said. "Do you think you guys could come to Jump City and drop off a pair of our uniforms?"
"According to Bird Boy over here, it's rather urgent," Raven added.
"Where are you guys, anyway?" Speedy questioned, genuinely curious.
"You don't listen, do you?" Raven spoke with a dry tone added to her usual monotone.
"Someone's PMSing," Kid Flash boldly whispered in Aqualad's ear.
"I heard that," Raven growled. Someone obviously had a death wish.
"Raven, that's enough," Robin gently told the empath. Bumblebee took notice of how she automatically complied. How sweet.
"Is there any place in particular where you want us to drop off the clothes?" Cyborg asked, being the only mature person. Shocker, right?
"How about the alley by the pizza parlor?" Robin suggested.
"Sweet! Road trip!" Beast Boy shouted gleefully.
"Not all of you have to go," Raven said, dreading the upcoming meeting. Sure, they could be considered her friends, but she wasn't one for company, especially if it included Beast Boy.
"Hey! Motion sickness buddies stick together!" Aqualad indignantly said.
"Oh, great…." Raven sighed.
"What time?" Cyborg asked, with a small smile across his face.
Robin glanced at his watch. "Thirty minutes from now, our time?"
"We'll be there."
The video chat soon ended and the group of teenagers dispersed in order to get ready. Cyborg idiotically put Kid Flash and Beast Boy in charge of getting one of Raven's uniforms, while he went to retrieve one of Robin's. The two mischievous teenagers quietly crept up the stairs and entered the Azarathian's room. Kid Flash automatically made his way to her drawers while Beast Boy headed for her wardrobe. The speedster rifled through the contents of the drawer, his eyes often widening.
"Get a load of this," Kid Flash snickered. He held up a lacy, black bra for Beast Boy to see.
"Woah, woah, woah—No! Somebody like Raven can't own something like that! It's impossible!"
"We know nothing about Raven's past, right? Maybe she used to be a pole dancer or something."
"Yeah, and Cyborg's pregnant," Beast Boy snorted.
Kid Flash quietly squealed. "Who's the baby daddy?"
"You know I was being sarcastic, right? And that Cyborg is a dude?"
"Technically," Kid Flash drawled, "he's half man and half robot." He paused. "Can robots get pregnant?"
Beast Boy mumbled to himself as he continued looking through her wardrobe.
"Talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity," the speedster advised as he continued to search through her underwear drawer. Beast Boy gaped, looking like a fish out of water. How could this kid possibly give him advice when he was the one with issues!
When Beast Boy returned to his daunting task of trying to find anything juicy within her wardrobe, Kid Flash took out the bra once more and with some difficulty, he managed to clasp the back. He stuffed several pairs of socks in the black bra to the point where it was about to overflow. Using his super speed, Kid Flash quickly made his way behind the green changeling. He got as close as he possibly could without alerting the green boy of his presence.
"Let's go, girls," Kid Flash whispered in Beast Boy's ear with an abnormally deep voice. Beast Boy screamed bloody murder and turned around to see Kid Flash cupping his "breast implants". When Kid Flash began to do a very dirty and insinuative version of the moonwalk, every ounce of color in Beast Boy's face disappeared. He was going to have nightmares for the rest of his life now!
Cyborg burst in the room and his jaw dropped when he saw Kid Flash doing his gyrating dance while wearing a lacy bra. How many times was this kid dropped on his head as a child? Or rather, did his mother punt him across a football field when he was an infant? Either way, Cyborg literally dragged the two goofballs out of Raven's room by their ears. Then, the cybernetic teenager went back in the empath's room and took a uniform off its hanger.
The eight members of Class Titan quickly made their way to the transportation deck, hoping for something exciting to happen….
-Meanwhile With Roxanne Lenore-
A thumping sound resonated in the back of Roxanne's head, adding to the pain that her aching skull provided. Her eyes didn't flutter open for fear of seeing what would lie before her. It was cruel, really, being held captive and not knowing what was in store for you. There was a possibility that her limbs would be cut off very slowly, the blood flow constantly being staunched in order to carry on with the torture. Then, before chopping off her hand, they would take a drill and break the skin on her hand by puncturing the organ with the tool. They would stab her bones without mercy and laugh with glee as she screamed in tremendous pain and for mercy. Her captors could heat up a knife to just below the melting point for the metallic element and slash at the bare skin of her lower torso. Then, they would force her to swallow her own blood by thrusting the knife into her mouth, clacking against her teeth and threatening to break the wall that the roof of her mouth provided. But, of course, she always excelled at imagery.
Before any more thoughts could course through her mind, somebody slapped her and screamed, "Wake up, bitch!"
Groaning, Roxanne finally opened her eyes and studied her surroundings. As far as she could tell, she was in a dank cellar in old of the oldest building ever built in Gotham City. The low rumbling of a chime sounding indicated that this particular building wasn't too far away from an ancient cathedral. She concluded that this house was vacant and the only reason Xavier selected it to be his current hide-out was purely because it was highly doubtful he would be hiding out in some place that was no longer being commissioned. Assuming that her cheek would soon be blazing red, she finally looked ahead of her and came face to face with the darkly skinned and mysterious Xavier.
The only reason Roxanne stayed by Xavier for an extended period of time was to study him. From their very first meeting, she could tell that there was something a little off about the man. Unfortunately, her lack of evidence against him prevented her from giving an anonymous tip to some cop or lawyer. So, she decided to check out the situation on her own. She often rifled through his papers whenever he was out of town and tried to hack through his security and encryption codes, even though it never worked. Whatever answers she could retrieve were cryptic and weren't solid evidence as it wasn't black or white, but different shades of grey. Now, it seemed like she finally had her answer.
"This isn't like you, Xavier," Roxanne said, hoping to buy herself a little more time. She was also internally praying that enough time had elapsed for night to fall so she could hopefully count on the Batman saving her ass.
"Once again, that's no longer my name. From now on, I am referred to as the Tally Man."
"Well, I can see how you lack the creativity to come up with an original name." Tally Man dug his fingernails into the bare skin on her arm, drawing blood. She now felt as if maggots were crawling on her skin. It was sickening. However, it was satisfying to watch her manage to get underneath his skin. It showed that she was getting to him.
"I would watch your tongue, if I were you," Xavier said. "After all, running commentary can lead to an even more painful death."
"Aside from the fact that you held me in a chokehold until I had no accessible oxygen and that you presumably dragged me here, why the hell am I here?" Okay, so she was totally asking for it. But, hey! It's better to die with dignity than without it, right?
"The only reason you're alive right now is simply due to the fact that you still have some usefulness in you," her captor growled, carefully studying her. She felt as if she were his prey, which, in a way, she was.
"Oh, yeah, because I'm so useful when I'm tied to a chair in some filthy cellar."
Xavier walked behind her, pulling something out of his pocket as he did so. Something cold pressed against the back of Roxanne's skull. Even though she didn't see it, it didn't take a genius to figure out that it was a gun. One bullet through her skull and she was dead.
"You're not going to kill me," Roxanne said, her voice slightly quivering despite her accusation.
"There are other ways in achieving my means, you know. I wouldn't hesitate to kill you."
Roxanne gulped, her previous bravery quickly dissipating. "What do you want me to do?"
"When I untie you, I want you to call your father. Try anything funny, and I shoot you." Her captor looked deadly and she knew without a doubt that his threat would be carried out.
"I don't have my cell phone on me," she told Tally Man.
"Well, let's just hope you have his number memorized, for your sake."
"What do you want me to tell him?"
"I want you to greet him normally and ask him to get away from his security. After that is completed, you are to give me the phone. Understood?"
Xavier removed a dagger that was attached to his belt and sliced the ropes bounding Roxanne in half. She was completely and utterly aware of the gun aimed for her skull. Slowly, she took the phone that was being given to her, her fingers feeling like dead weight. Ever so slowly, she dialed the number to her father's cell and listened to the generic ringing that engulfed her eardrums, acting as the deafening gong that indicated her death. Luckily, the busy district attorney answered the phone, albeit not recognizing the number.
"Hello?" Harold Lenore greeted uncertainly.
"Hi, Daddy," Roxanne chirped back, faking a cheerful tone. How he bought it, she'll never know.
"Roxanne? Did you get a new number?" Obviously, her father was flummoxed.
"I'm using my friend's phone since mine died."
"You have friends now, kiddo? I'm proud of ya!"
Rolling her eyes, Roxanne said, "Dad, I need you to do something for me. It's really important."
"You know the drill, Roxanne. I need to know what the favor is before putting it into action."
"I need you to break away from your security guards or anybody with a connection to you."
"Now, why the hell would I do that?"
"Please, Dad, just do it. It's really important. Mom would want you to do it. If you won't do it for me, please do it for her," she pleaded.
Harold Lenore sighed, resigning. She waited for a few minutes, hearing obvious signs of scuffling about. Finally, the man who raised her spoke, "Okay, I'm alone. What's going on, Roxxie?" He used the nickname he had used when she was a little girl. It dredged up horrible memories.
Abruptly, the phone was snatched out of her grasp. She screamed when she was slapped once more. However, this time, it wasn't a bare hand that smacked her. Instead, sharp, pointed claws raked against her cheek, drawing a considerable amount of blood. Due to the immense stinging on the flesh of her face, it felt as if the metallic spines were coated in some kind of poison or pain-inducing drug.
"Did you hear that, Harold? That's your daughter, in some serious pain. Now, we're going to play a little game, as I like to call it. You're going to come to the old house on Benson Hill by the old cathedral. I'm sure you know what place I'm talking about. After all, you used to christen the old chapel with my ex-fiancée. If you're not here within half an hour, your daughter dies. If I hear one siren, your daughter dies. If I see anything that looks remotely like a bat, your daughter dies. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to introduce your precious 'Roxxie' to a very carnivorous pal of mine. We'll see if you can bear witness to a killer in your family, due to all your bullshit morals and all. Don't forget: the clock's a-ticking."
Xavier, also known as Tally Man II, hung up the phone. His words still lingered in the ear, making Roxanne's throat close up. Did her father really have an affair with some woman half his age, presumably an unfaithful slag? She couldn't believe it. Unfortunately, her thinking process was interrupted when Xavier tightly gripped her wrist and began pulling her forcefully with him through the house.
-Meanwhile With Kole-
Extraordinary things always happened to Kole, no matter how much she wished to deny it. Take this moment, for example. She had been meaning to go to her hometown, Daytona Beach, to retrieve a few belongings of hers. Unfortunately, the launching pod spazzed out and she was now stranded in the middle of nowhere, amongst thickly packed trees and plants. The sun was practically obliterated. Kole just hoped she could get back to the academy, especially since the communicator had no service in this dense forest.
Sighing, the girl that always craved for adventure as a child began lifting her legs, deciding to explore the area. She could hear animals darting around the forest, absolutely carefree and wild. Even though she was under the impression that she was aimlessly wandering around in circles, she had to admit that this place was beautiful. The nature here wasn't destroyed by farming or development. It was untouched, magical.
When Kole was a little girl, her father used to enthrall her with enchanting tales of princesses, knights, pirates, dragons, and mermaids. Each story differed from each other, containing different amounts of fantasy-like elements. The tales all had twists and happy endings. They brought hope to the little girl, allowing her to know that it was perfectly okay to be different. The fairy tales had relieved some of the pain she had felt due to the death of her mother, Gabrielle Weathers. Even though she had passed away when Kole was only a year old, nothing could replace the touch of a mother's love.
Right now, this forest was reminding Kole of what she considered her father's best tale, one he created when she was slightly older. This story involved a rebellious jester that lived in a beautiful kingdom where laughs were plentiful and smiles were utterly heartwarming.
It was a prosperous time in the kingdom. However, there was one thing that the kingdom lacked: a permanent court jester that was easily accessible for amusement. That all changed, however, when a young jokester moved into the king's palace upon the aging man's request. Despite wearing ludicrous attire, the jester was admittedly handsome with a boyish face and roguish smile that had the strange ability to pull you right in. One could never guess that he was the estranged son of a bard that wound up in an asylum due to incessant ramblings about an ancient relic.
One day, on a surprisingly frosty night in midsummer, the young jester was summoned from his sleeping quarters to a giant feast the king had spent ages planning. Initially, the young jester didn't know that the cause for the celebration was for the king's daughter's birthday, marking the day she would marry her betrothed one day closer. Coming as a shock to some, the jester had never once met the princess even though he lived in the elegant castle she grew up in. After all, he had spent most of his time practicing juggling in his quarters while she focused on her studies, particularly astronomy.
The fool quietly ate during the feast, rarely glancing up. This astonished the royals in the room, for they were used to the jester's pleasing jokes throughout meals. In some kingdoms, jokers would be executed on the spot for using their tongue when not given permission, but this king was like no other, kind, gentle, and patient. He was the sole reason for the increased placidity in the region.
Once everyone had a full belly, the king clapped with twinkling eyes. "Now, I believe it is time for everyone present to receive a wide amount of amusement from our talented jester."
With confidence now washing over the young man, the jester stood up, intent on amusing the people amongst him that were brimming with excitement. The jester sent a devilish smile towards the queen's advisor, before beginning a new routine he had just recently developed. He gracefully leaped about, doing extraordinary flips and acrobatic stunts. After a beautifully executed backflip, the jester began juggling with his feet, miraculously not missing any of the colorful balls. Soon enough, he finished that particular juggling task and began telling jokes that were making the king chortle merrily. Before the jester could finally complete his act by another round of juggling, he accidentally tripped over a leg on the table and started flailing about as he headed for the recently scrubbed floor.
Only, he didn't.
He blinked, staring into emerald eyes that were perfectly shaped like almonds. He realized that the princess was carefully steadying him, preventing him from falling over. The princess smiled, revealing pearly white teeth and a beautiful smile. Her skin was fair, allowing a rosy blush to highlights her features if need be. The blue gown she wore accentuated her body, from the curve of her bosom to her slim waist. Ringlets of auburn hair framed her face, cascading gracefully down her back. In all, the fool thought she was absolutely beautiful, an angel.
"Do be careful where you tread, jester. You never know where you might land." Despite the princess's biting tone, she was smiling warmly.
At a loss for words, the jester mutely nodded.
And from that moment on, the jester and the princess became friends.
Months passed and Princess Madelyn had finally met her betrothed, the man she would be forced to marry. Ignoring the fact that she was expected to spend every possible moment with her future husband, she still spent time with the reckless jester. He would often nimbly sneak into her room in the late hours of the night and they would spend time studying the stars with her charts and telescope. The princess didn't want to marry her betrothed. He had pasty skin, a hooked nose, and a sneer that could send shivers down your spine. Her betrothed was too serious, organized. She longed for adventure.
Her heart yearned for the court jester.
At precisely midnight, the bell tower clock chimed, low and rhythmic. The prized jester and the elegant princess met in the queen's garden on the east side of the palace. Upon seeing him, Princess Madelyn flung herself at the jokester, hugging him tightly as the jester's arms automatically snaked around her slim waist. They spent an unknown amount of time in that embrace, cherishing each other's company.
"I missed you," she told him once they let go of each other.
Unlike their first meeting, the confident man wasn't tongue-tied. "As did I. How did you escape your quarters this time?"
Princess Madelyn gave him a wry smile. "I have my ways, jester."
"And I have my ways of finding out that important piece of information, princess."
She laughed. "I told the guard that my father called for an important meeting in his study."
"He didn't escort you?"
"I told him that it was family business. Naturally, he let me go, not wanting to face the wrath of the king. Now, tell me, how did you succeed in leaving your sleeping quarters?"
The jester grinned. "I scaled the side of the building." This made Princess Madelyn gasp. "It really wasn't that difficult. There was this vine conveniently growing beside my window. It also helped that there were several bricks sticking out."
"You could have died!" she exclaimed.
"I wanted to see you," he simply told her.
The princess remained quiet for a few minutes, shifting through her jumbled thoughts. Soon enough, she shocked him by saying, "Let's run away together."
"Pardon me?"
"I love you. You're not like any boy I have ever met before. With you, I taste adventure, recklessness, and action. With Victor, I feel none of that. I don't want to marry him in a week's time. You're the one I want, jester. Now, the question is, do you love me?"
"How could I not? You're like an angel sent from the heavens. Anybody is fortunate enough to be graced with your presence. Every moment spent with you has been utterly amazing."
In response to the jokester's little speech, the princess wrapped her arms around the jester's neck and kissed him. The jester reciprocated her movements, overwhelmed by the emotions that were washing over him like a wave being pushed forward by a great wind.
A few feet away from the young adults stood Victor, Princess Madelyn's betrothed. Jealousy brimmed throughout his body, sending him over the brink of anger. From the very moment he laid eyes on the poorly clothed jester, Victor hated him with a burning passion. Something about him ignited a buried feeling in the pit of his stomach, awakening an unwelcome memory. Swiftly, the tall and dark man turned around and hurried to the king's quarters with an unbridled purpose to his step.
"Your Highness, pardon me for the disturbance, but I just saw the court jester trying to take advantage of your daughter. She kept refusing, but he was relentless."
"Nonsense. My daughter is marrying you, not the court jester! Besides, he surely knows that he will be executed if he dared touch my precious girl."
"Sire, I know what I saw."
Wearily, the king summoned his guards to find the jester so he could be questioned.
Only, they found him a little too late.
"They're coming for me," the jester told the princess, intently listening to the aroused guards.
"But, why?" she asked, her voice a quiet whisper.
"Someone must have seen us together. As much as I loathe it, they were right to do so. Listen to me, I want the best for you, which is something I can't give you. You deserve so much more than a crackpot fool like myself."
"Don't talk like that," she cried, not wanting him to leave her side.
"Here, have this," he said, handing her a small juggling ball that was a beautiful sapphire in color, the color of the gown she had worn on her birthday, "as a token of my memory."
The rest of the story proceeded with the jester escaping the kingdom on a descendant of the dragons, a dracoralith. A dracoralith was an omnivorous reptile that loved rum and was puissant due to its speed, agility, and strength. The creature had acute hearing, sharp claws, and had an arrow-like head. Its scales were black and silver with the ability to glisten in the sunlight. The alcohol it consumed allowed it to breathe fire, although not nearly as much as a dragon. Despite looking ferocious, the dracoralith had a caring heart, although it could easily attack somebody if provoked or if the situation called for it.
The jester decided to look for the ancient relic his father talked about, located in the Enchanted Forest, a myriad of leagues away from the beautiful kingdom. On his way to the densely packed forest, the jokester encountered a village inhabited by giants and flesh-eating maggots in an ancient library. The jester suffered from a lethal wound from a maggot, and managed to find a shimmering spring, where his wounds heal. Unfortunately, a siren resided in the spring and made the jester see images of his beloved princess, causing him to become insane for a short period of time before almost drowning. Luckily, he is saved by a cursed wood nymph, who administers some herbs to the court jester to help heal his fragile mind. The two of them embark on the continued journey, coming across a tower. The resident of the tower offers them a pie, and the jester manages to figure out that the host was a witch when he caught a glimpse of her in a mirror. Luckily, the dracoralith saves the two companions after catching fire to the building at the last possible moment. They soon reached the Enchanted Forest, and find the ancient relic that was supposed to amplify one's qualities and strength, as well as remove all inhibitions. However, what they didn't know was that it did absolutely nothing other than make the bearer think it granted them mystical powers. The two friends rushed back to the palace, where the jester is caught by a sentry scaling the walls on his way to the princess's bedroom. An elite guard chases him, the jester winds up getting arrested, and is scheduled to be executed a day before the postponed wedding. Like all fairy tales, this one had a happy ending.
It ended with the fool and the angel falling in love and marrying on a hillside in the middle of spring at sunset.
Kole smiled at the memory of the story. Her father's tales made her crave adventure as a little girl, which was how she could relate to Princess Madelyn. While she had been reminiscing about her favorite childhood story, she had continued to walk. Unfortunately, she still had no idea where she was. Fortunately, she wasn't walking in circles since she was standing in front of giant lake with crystal clear water, just like the bodies of water in the Enchanted Forest.
The pink-haired teenager looked up, finding something that looked a little odd. Without even consciously thinking about it, her legs started carrying her over towards the object that was partially submerged in water. Upon closer inspection, she saw what it was.
It was the body of a man frozen in a large chunk of ice.
-Meanwhile With Class Titan-
"You stink," Beast Boy told Kid Flash, wrinkling his nose.
"I do not! I smell like angelic babies sliding down a rainbow!" Kid Flash protested.
"You know," Speedy mused, "I bet those 'angelic' babies are going to grow up being the type of people that burn down Christmas trees…."
"Shut up," Cyborg snapped. They needed to be conspicuous, which was already difficult enough since they were still wearing their uniforms.
"Hey!" Kid Flash defensively lifted his hands. "If anybody needs to be blamed, blame Speedy for being a downer."
"Go ahead and blame me for wanting to drown you," Astoria muttered, sounding like Raven.
"She's channeling Raven! We're closer to finding them!" Beast Boy exclaimed.
The group of teenagers walked for a couple more minutes before stopping in the alley by the pizza parlor. They could see the beginning signs of the setting sun. Luckily, nobody was watching them enter the alley. Otherwise, they would probably be thinking that the teenagers were about to have an eight-some or something. The sick-minded people these days….
"You're late," Robin said flatly, leaning against a dumpster and standing beside the obviously grossed Raven.
"We came, didn't we?" Cyborg said, throwing the two teenagers the plastic bag that contained their superhero attire.
"Yeah, thanks," Robin said.
Robin pulled off his shirt, revealing his perfectly sculpted abs. Unknowingly, Raven was staring at the Boy Wonder. Subconsciously, she licked her lips. Fortunately, nobody saw her examining Robin since a little boy shouted, "Look, Mommy! It's a group of teens about to have an orgy!" The mother ushered the child away, not even sparing a glance in the dank alleyway. The group of friends, minus Starfire and Raven, began laughing.
"I never would have guessed that a stripping Boy Wonder would be the sign for sexual interactions," Astoria remarked, clutching her side.
"Shut up," Robin muttered.
Raven quickly teleported Robin and herself to their hotel room, where they finished changing into their costumes. Then, she teleported them back to the side of the pizza parlor building, where their friends were still waiting.
"You can go back, you know," Robin told them, checking to make sure his utility was full once again.
"We want to help," Aqualad said seriously.
Before Robin or Raven could respond, screams and honking horns pounded against their delicate eardrums. Alert, the group of teenagers raced out of the alley and checked to see what happened. Several cars were veering off course, out of control. People were screaming, trying to sprint to safety. Oh, and let's not forget the biggest thing that stood out: there were hundreds of mutant moth creatures flying about, wreaking havoc.
Kid Flash set off, helping poor civilians into buildings for protection against the bio-engineered creatures. Aqualad tried eliminating some of them by making water shoot out of a fire hydrant. The only effect it had was irritating the animals further. Using his strength, Cyborg prevented some car accidents, while occasionally sending a blast from his sonic cannon at a mutant
Suddenly, the ground shook, making the teenagers fall down to their knees as the ground caved in somewhat. Pink energy shot forward, rocketing Beast Boy forward into a lamp post. Mechanical spiders trickled out onto the road where the members of Class Titan were, snapping and pulling at their feet with razor sharp claws.
Looking up, they saw a group of four people at around their age standing there. The largest of the group was cracking his knuckles, looking intimidating. Beside him, the shortest of the group was laughing like a mad scientist, gripping tightly onto a controller. Both of them have been seen before by some of the members in Class Titan, although they had managed to get to the one named Gizmo was a pink-haired girl, different from the one they had fought previously. She was grinning wickedly, as if she knew something they didn't. Next to her was somebody they all recognized… Kitten.
"Surprised, snot-brains?" Gizmo spat.
"Not at all," Beast Boy yelled. "We're going to kick your butts!"
"Bring it," the pink-haired girl challenged before exclaiming, "Attack Pattern Alpha!"
Mammoth lunged forward, his fist firmly clenched, preparing for a punch that would hurt… a lot. Starfire, Bumblebee, and Cyborg intercepted it, giving the other teenagers time to get out of the way and avoid being crushed. Several starbolts left Starfire's hands, hitting the giant squarely in the chest. Cyborg provided even more pressure by continuously sending blasts from his sonic cannon at the giant. They were pleased to see that Mammoth was retreating ever so slightly.
Astoria headed straight for the girl with pink hair. As she neared the girl, she envisioned a particular scene from a horror film that prevented her from getting a decent amount of sleep when she was younger. A small smirk crossed her face when she saw the witchy girl wince. When Astoria was closer to the girl, she gasped, her train of concentration breaking.
"Jennifer," Astoria uttered, shocked.
The girl named Jennifer examined Astoria for a few moments, realization dawning on her. "Astoria Lacroix, what a lovely surprise. The name is now Jinx."
Jinx was Jennifer Faust, the girl that had blown a laboratory when she was in seventh grade. She was the girl that had killed a boy that was annoying her. She was the girl that Astoria was telling Raven about the day they participated in the tests to attend the academy.
"How fitting," Astoria grunted, avoiding a pink blast of energy. Apparently, somebody hadn't died and had gained control of her powers.
Meanwhile, Robin was swiftly avoiding the gadgets that Gizmo was throwing at him, taller from his mechanical spider-like legs. After avoiding a metallic widget, Robin quickly removed something from a pouch in his utility belt, throwing it at Gizmo as he was running. Gizmo laughed when it missed entirely, causing Robin to smirk. Gizmo's smile faltered as he ended up sprawled on the sidewalk. Beast Boy, transformed into a lion, was sitting on Gizmo's back, breaking the several wires attached to Gizmo's technology with the lion's sharp teeth. Apparently, the failed birdarang was a mere distraction, not even supposed to turn around in the opposite direction.
Farther along the street, Raven was fighting Kitten, who was conveniently still pissed. Unfortunately, she had two guns that she had no problem using. Trying her best to ignore the blaring sounds the guns gave off to indicate that the trigger was pulled, Raven kept putting up shields to avoid being injured by the weapons. Soon enough, Kitten would run out of bullets and Raven could successfully take her down. Although, she was pretty sure that she should have invested in a silencer first….
"You ruined my life!" Kitten shrieked, throwing the guns down on the ground.
"I didn't do anything to you, Kitten! Besides, if you were a true hero, you wouldn't be drowning in self-pity by attempting to be a villain."
"You don't know shit!" Kitten hissed, throwing a punch at Raven's face. Raven dodged it by gripping firmly onto Kitten's wrist, slowly turning it. Kitten cried out in pain, feeling the bone that was threatening to snap if more pressure was applied.
Luckily, Raven pitied the blonde and let go of her small wrist. Instead, she opted for a deft kick to the girl's knee, causing her to drop to the ground. Before she could cleanly knock the blonde out, someone appeared by her side, holding onto a retractable bo staff. Raven realized that the person was Robin, causing her to sigh with annoyance when he deftly hit Kitten in the abdomen. The teenage female gasped as the wind was knocked out of her before falling into unconsciousness.
"That was completely unnecessary," Raven huffed.
"Don't worry; you can thank me later," Robin said, smirking, before sprinting over to where the others were.
Rolling her eyes, Raven phased into the concrete, reappearing next to Starfire, who avoided a collision with a large slab of concrete. Raven automatically wrapped an abandoned car in her aura and dropped it on Mammoth's head. Unfortunately, the large teenager wasn't knocked out.
Kid Flash was sprinting around the scene, checking to make sure that there weren't any injured civilians. When he was satisfied with his results, he signaled to Speedy, who had scaled the side of a brick building and was standing on a window ledge. When Speedy saw the signal, he immediately took out a specially designed arrow from his quiver and carefully aimed it. He released the arrow and watched as it soared across the sky, heading for its intended target.
Meanwhile, Aqualad was now fighting a newcomer on the ground. He had introduced himself as Fang, which Aqualad thought was actually fitting, despite not having fangs like vampires or cobras. Aqualad ducked behind a deserted car, avoiding coming in contact with some kind of web. He had a feeling that it wasn't just pure silk, but something completely terrible. Concentrating, Aqualad peeked, watching as water engulfed Fang, making him gag unattractively. Slowly, he approached the still body. Luckily, it wasn't a ruse and Fang was actually unconscious. Aqualad assumed that spiders must really hate swimming.
Astoria hissed in pain as a pink bolt shocked her. It felt as if her skin was burning, like some parasites were greedily attacking her sweet flesh, sucking on her blood while poisoning it.
"What happened to you, Jennifer?" Astoria questioned, ducking in order to avoid another encounter with one of the villainess's hexes.
"Shit happens," was Jinx's response.
"I can certainly see that," Astoria grumbled under her breath.
"I guess I ought to give you props, though. Nobody mistook you for a freak."
"Jinx, having powers doesn't make you a freak. With it, you can do so many extraordinary things that help other people."
"You saw what happened in that science lab. My calling longs for destruction, not butterflies and rainbows," Jinx sneered.
"It's your destiny, Jennifer. You get to choose what path you want to walk on."
"That's the silver lining now, isn't it? You will never understand."
Instead of replying, Astoria took advantage of the pink-haired girl's distraction. She envisioned that fateful day in seventh grade when Jennifer Faust ran away. The illusionist skillfully shed some light on every detail, enhancing the situation incredibly. This was one of Jinx's weaknesses. Talking to her while they were fighting made Astoria realize that. So, she used that terrible day against her. She hardly noticed Jinx drop to her knees, tightly covering her ears with her hands as if that would get rid of the images. Astoria ended the illusion by revealing how she wanted and tried to help the troubled girl. Once the illusion ceased, Astoria yanked the sly teenager along the road by her hair, preventing her from escaping.
"Beast Boy!" Cyborg yelled, dodging a series of debris.
Understanding, Beast Boy morphed into an eagle, and using his talons, grabbed hold of the robotic teenager. Beast Boy flew straight for Mammoth's face with awe-inspiring speed. At the last possible moment of avoiding collision, Beast Boy let go of Cyborg and circled around before clawing at Mammoth's eyes. Meanwhile, Cyborg was obstinately latched onto the giant and fired a shot from his cannon before punching him, using all his strength. He was pleased to see the giant falter, falling backwards. Thankfully, Starfire flew up into the air and gently set Cyborg on the ground.
Unfortunately, there were still the mutant moth creatures to deal with. Only, they were gone... It was as if they had been obliterated. The group of teenagers looked up to see Speedy sliding down a drainage pipe.
"That was awesome!" Kid Flash praised the archer.
"What did you do?" Cyborg asked, for he hadn't seen what had happened and why the moth creatures were suddenly gone.
Speedy grinned. "Well, as I did a somersault in order to avoid Mammoth's wrath, I noticed that there was this small device plastered on the side of the building by the pizza parlor. I figured that it wasn't coincidence that it was there, so I scaled the building opposite of it and sent an arrow rocketing towards it. It must have been some type of system that controlled the creatures. As soon as it was destroyed, they headed for the hills."
"You should have seen how small it was, though! It was tinier than the fingernail on my pinkie! He hit the target when he was all the way on the opposite side of the street! Talk about impressive!"
Before any more words could be exchanged among the teenagers, a reporter ran up to them, carrying a microphone. Behind her was a camera crew, looking dazzled. "That was absolutely incredible! I haven't seen anything as impressive that in quite some time. What are your names?" the reporter gushed, craving for some juicy information to help write a great article.
Robin glanced at his companions. They were truly great people and he was grateful to have the opportunity to work with them. Looking back at the young reporter, he said, "We're the Teen Titans."
A/N – Favorite part? Least favorite part? Hate? Like? Anything you want to see in the upcoming chapters? Let me know in the reviews.
Okay, I know I said that Solstice and Argent would be in this chapter, but I came up with some more ideas that made this chapter way longer than I had anticipated. Besides, the timeline of what happens with them is better suited for the next chapter. So, they'll be in that chapter, which would probably average at five thousand words. That's just a guess, though. Secondly, in my story, I'm envisioning Kole as a dreamer that loves adventure and action. That was the first thing that came to my mind when I did research on her powers. The little fairy tale I came up with will most likely play a role in her character development, which is why I included it. If you want me to actually finish the story with more details about the rest of the adventure, let me know and I'll try to make an account to and upload it. Also, Roxanne Lenore really isn't going to have a larger in this story. The next chapter will probably be her last appearance.
Story time: The kid that made that inappropriate remark when he saw Robin take off his shirt was actually inspired by something that happened to me. You see, when I was younger, like seven years old, my sister and I used to be best friends. We were shopping at this one store with my mom and my sister made me read what this one shirt said. The shirt had the word "bitch" on it, so I said it, not even realizing that it was a bad word. This couple was nearby, and the girlfriend heard it, and I guess she thought he said it. So, she slapped him…. True story, guys.
Luckily for you guys, there's only one more week of school left for me, and it's not even a full week. That means I'll have more time to work on this story because of summer. Hopefully, it'll be completed soon, even though we have quite a ways to go. Also, I'll start revising this story a little bit soon. If you really care, you should check that out, even though the changes aren't going to be anything major.
Lastly, I made a video on Youtube in regards to this fanfic. It's kind of like a trailer for it. Even though it's pretty long for a trailer, it would be awesome if you guys watched it and tell me what you think. I know it's not the best, but I actually thought it was decent.
watch?v=Bmu-ZGQ0r_E
Questions To Think About:
Was Madame Rouge really recruited into the society Xavier was talking about?
Why did the Great White Shark want to try to kill Speedy?
What did Xavier do with the Great White Shark's body?
Does somebody know Batman's identity?
Why weren't Victor Zsasz's fingerprints on the note?
What happened between Batman and Bane a few years ago?
Will Black Canary tease Wonder Woman about the phone call?
What will happen to Raven and Robin at the apartment?
How will Robin prove to Raven that he lives for the thrill?
Why was Roxanne Lenore calling Lois Lane?
Will Bruce and Diana break up?
What will Lois and Superman find out?
Will Raven find out that Beast Boy and Kid Flash were in her room?
What's up with Xavier's serious mood swing?
What connection does Harold Lenore have to Xavier?
Who's the carnivorous pal of Xavier's?
Will Kole be able to leave the forest?
Who's the man Kole found in ice?
Will Jinx's past play a vital part in this story?
How will the Titans handle being famous?
Thanks for reading!