A/N 1-13-11: I should probably get this out of the way now. Since KF has been transposed into a villainous life in a parallel manner to Jinx from the show, there have been questions on whether there will be a Stone/KF pairing to parallel to Stone/Jinx pairing. My response: I write cannon or implied cannon pairings (hence the KF/J match-up for the story); therefore, there is a greater probability of me writing a Cyborg/Jinx pairing then a Stone/KF, and even greater then those two pairings coming into play is the KF/J pairing. In sum any relationship between KF and Stone will be a platonic, manly friendship thing. Thanks for tuning in.

Chapter 36: Welcome

Welcomes at the HIVE were notoriously cold, Stone soon learned. All day he'd been the object of cold stares, and all day a building current of anticipation seemed to be wrapped around his arrival and some as of yet unwritten verdict by the HIVE's top dogs, See-more and Co. Now walking down the halls en-route to his dorm room, Cyborg allowed himself a smug smile. The top dogs had been taken down, again, courtesy of his holographic masked hands. In the end lunch had been a sweet revenge against the trio. Right at the point where Cyborg began to descend into replaying his triumphant power play he was snapped out of his ruminations by the sound of his alias ringing through the hall.

"Stone!"

Turning Cyborg assessed the situation, and his caller, one of the HIVE students with the build of a runner clad from head to toe in black with the exception of a white lightning bolt in the middle of his chest.

"Yo," he replied, tone naturally guarded as he eyed his atypically cheerful greeter closing the distance between them.

"Name's Kid," the runner said, a smile quirking at the corner of his mouth as he reached out and pumped Stone's unoffered hand enthusiastically. At Stone's crooked eyebrow and guarded look, Kid chuckled. "Don't worry I come in peace."

"Really because the impression I got was that the HIVE was quite exclusive in its student body," Stone replied.

"It is," Kid agreed, "It's a dog eat dog world here, so all outsiders are viewed with suspicion until accepted into the folds or disapproval has been marked by the upper echelon."

"Upper echelon," Stone echoed.

"See-more," Kid said and proceeded to elaborate. "Which is why I'm here. See-more doesn't like being shown up and has shown only shown one way of handling competition, elimination."

Cyborg shifted his suspicions of the villain in front of him being a bit too friendly, especially by HIVE standards which quickly turned into suspicions of a ploy. "Which is why you're here. Well, you can go tell See-more that I don't scare easy, and if he has a problem than he can talk to me face to face."

Kid, if possible, brightened even further, "Glad to hear it, but that's not why I'm here. I ran by to see if you'd be interested in an alliance."

"An alliance…?"

If Kid noticed Stone's skepticism he didn't show it; he forged right on ahead. "I'm a member of a cell rising in power. We can more than hold our own against See-more and his crew, but if you joined us we could rise up through the ranks of the school like that," he said with a snap for emphasis. "We look after our own. If See-more decided to retaliate we'd stand with you."

"Strength in numbers," Stone summarized. "Thanks Kid, but I'll pass. I work alone these days."

Kid shrugged. "If you say so. The offer still stands, and even if you don't want to join up, if you need anyone to hang out with or help psychoanalyzing the teacher's thought processes, I'm your man."

"Thanks Kid."

Conversation closed, Kid looked down the hall and did a double take. "Well, I don't believe it." Smiling heartily, he clapped Stone across the shoulders. "Hang in there Big Guy, HIVE isn't done with you yet. Later."

And he left in a black blur leaving Stone staring after him bemused.

Of course, shortly after See-more himself appeared followed up by his entourage with the most shocking offer, one after his conversation with Kid, Cyborg accepted, and somehow, he survived the initiation. But even after Cyborg infiltrated the team at HIVE academy and even post exit, he'd think back at how sometimes there was indeed honor among a den of thieves.

Prompt: Den