Before staring, I'd like to say that this fic is based off the history of one of my role-playing characters named Xochen. Please, don't think I'm horribly self-centered. I just love me character! –hugglz Xochen doll- Now enjoy!
A New Face In The Tower
"So, please, explain that one more time," Robin's voice did nothing to cover his obvious confusion. The others were sitting on the couch looking at the oddly dressed girl in silent contemplation. She sighed, exasperated, and started speaking again.
"All right, last time! My name is Xochen. I am a biologically engineered weapon from the future designed to stop all conflict by forcibly taking over the world. When Beastboy knocked me on the head with his fist, the chip that controlled my nervous system was destroyed, thus returning to me the ability to make my own choices and distinctions. I happen to have multiple personalities within my mind. Each has range over certain emotions and areas. For instance, the side of me that is personified by the color yellow is not a fighter but enjoys reading and knows more than most of my other personalities. Now that I can make my own choices, I decided to use my powers to save the world I was meant to destroy and join your team. Unfortunately, I was attacked upon coming close to the Tower and was temporarily taken over by the angry part of me, who I call Rage, and began a rampage of destruction that ended with Han, who is the opposite of Rage, taking control. That led to you guys chasing me halfway across town. After that, the rest of the personalities, there's 9 as I've told you already, began to struggle for power. Except one. All my personalities listen to that one and she restored to me the control of my body. Using my amazing powers, I transported us all back here and began explaining why you shouldn't consider me an enemy. So far, I've told you that seven times," she finished and began to breath normally. Xochen had said all that in one breath. To her dismay, the five Titans sitting on the couch before her seemed just as confused as the first time she explained. Sighing, she shifted her weight to her right while rubbing her forehead with her left hand. "Fine, you give it a shot!" she grumbled to herself. Instantly, her entire outfit and body changed.
Now, the figure before them was a young woman in a mellow yellow suit. Her hair was the same blonde color as her suit, though it only reached to about her shoulders. One of the personalities had taken control it seemed.
"Salutations, I am Libe, the thinker of the group," she took off her hat revealing golden eyes that captivated the titans, or three of them at least. "I will try to explain it in terms you all would understand. Let's start with you Beastboy."
"Huh?" Beastboy raised an eyebrow, not sure of what he was supposed to do.
"You can change into many animals, each animal has its own ideas and habits. It's the same thing with Xochen. Only, instead of being able to call on those different states, they have the ability to control her. It's simple, right?" Libe stated confidently. She turned to Raven. "Of everyone here, you would relate most to this, yes?"
"Yeah," Raven offered in her usual monotone, her hood masking the suspicion in her eyes. How did this Xochen or whatever know so much about the Titans and their powers? "I just didn't give my sides cute nicknames." For a moment, Libe looked quite annoyed, but it passed and she was smiling again, this time at the remaining Titans.
"So, we've got the fact that Xochen can't account for her actions sometimes, right?"
"Hm, I can see most of what you're saying, but what still is confusing is your creation. You say you're from the future, well, who created you and in what year?" Robin crossed his arms, thinking deeply about the entire situation. "Who would do that?"
"Yeah, and while we're at it, what powers do you have? You said you were based on heroes from the past, who were they and how can we defeat you if you ever get out of hand like earlier?" Cyborg added quickly, his red eye scanning and rescanning Libe.
"Dear dear, I am not the one to answer these questions. I will see who can though," Libe seemed to space out for a moment. While she seemingly couldn't hear, the Titans quickly conversed with themselves.
"How can we trust her when she could just as easily kill us all and not remember a thing about it? Her emotions are obviously powerful, and when combined, we can't defeat her. The only good thing is I haven't had a bad vision… yet," Raven added darkly, glancing at the still form near the window.
"Dudes, what if she's really here to help us? Like, I don't get the feeling she's going to hurt any of us. I think we should give her a chance," Beastboy's eyes had a sad glint to them as he looked from one titan to another.
"Guys, she's powerful, what we need is more information. She's coming back," Robin and the others returned to their positions in time for Libe to come back from wherever she had been.
"Lein and Ray will be with you shortly," she stated before changing again. This time, the figure before the titans was of two colors, black and white. The short hair was whiter than snow and the same could be said for the hellish armor she seemed to be wearing. The armor encased her from collar to foot and the only flesh visible was the face. Her eyes, which had been closed, opened to reveal a slightly sickening sight. The right eye had a black pupil in a sea of white. However, the left eye was the opposite, a white ball in a pool of blackness. The figure folded her arms and smirked at the titans.
"I am two, Ray and Lein, good and bad, the personalities of morality for Xochen," the voice was a mix of an angel's harp and a demon's rasp. "We are the eldest of personalities and know what most do not. We can answer your questions, but we do not guarantee correct or desirable answers. We woke up to find our creator. We knew him only by the letter he wore on his mask. He named us after that letter. X. We knew our creator solely by the red X on his mask when we awoke. He told us our mission: to go back 15 years and conquer the world. This was all we knew of our purpose. Of our creation, we knew who we were molded after, those who's powers inspired our creation. The Teen Titans of the year we were to arrive in. Shape shifting from Beastboy; Psychic powers from Raven; Chi from Starfire and Cyborg; Fluid motion from Robin. These were the basic powers granted us at creation. Of course, these powers have been expanded, improved, and we became invincible against your elder counterparts. It was then, after months of testing, that we became worthy of being sent back through time, to this place. To defeat us, you merely override the current personality. At the moment, you cannot, but never fear. We would never agree to fight together unless it was for the benefit of us. We are too different to actually agree on fighting. To defeat Xochen, we have told you, it is impossible. She cannot lose to you at this point in time. You'll just have to trust her," Ray and Lein looked at every Titan in turn, the two eyes moving independently and, quite honestly, freaking out Beastboy.
"Dude, that is so not cool!" Beastboy practically shouted after the speech was done. The figure smiled and then changed again, this time back to the normal Xochen.
"Any more questions? I'm getting quite sick of changing from one to the other," she rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. The Titans looked at each other quizzically. What were they to do?
"I guess this explains your flawed fashion sense," Raven broke the tense silence. Xochen did indeed have an odd wardrobe. The most notable feature probably being the large, sleeveless jacket, blood red in color, that reached from her collarbone down to the floor. Beneath that was a t-shirt that had seen better days, with the right side black as night and the other white as snow. Her pants were baggy and blue, with an odd patch here and there of another shade. The ends of her pants were tucked into faded gold colored boots that looked heavy. A gray sash was wrapped tightly around her waist and the same colored band held her hair in a tight ponytail. Her hair rivaled Starfire's in oddness, being the color of an orange, and short, even more though than the personality Libe. The gloves on her hands were green on the palms and pink on the fingers. Xochen's eyes were currently a radiant blue. Beastboy was the first to notice her eyes.
"Hold up, weren't your eyes black when we first met?" Beastboy blurted out. The others looked at him questioningly.
"Beastboy, how do you know this?" Raven asked, raising an eyebrow from under the hood of her cloak. Beastboy nervously laughed, scratching his head and smiling. Xochen laughed, which diverted all attention to her, since the voice that was laughing wasn't the one she had been speaking with.
"Oh, my eyes change color to match the personality that's, well, advising me at the time. Lein was in charge when I first met you Titans. Han is currently in control. They seem to think she's more, well, sociable than any others."
"Right, um, I think meeting these guys, er, whatever, would be a really good idea. Face it, we can't learn the names without the faces!" Cyborg pointed out, standing up. "Starting with the one everyone else bows down to."
Xochen stood for a while, still and silent, her eyes closed, another meeting, apparently. Raven had her eyes closed as well. Beastboy and Starfire absently wondered if both could speak to each other, since they shared much in common. Robin and Cyborg were both considering what modifications could be made to the security array in response to what Ray and Lein had said. Xochen started mumbling, at which the entire team turned their attention to the somewhat annoyed looking girl with her eyes still closed.
"No, you're not nearly strong enough for this, please," however, the sound of her voice indicated she was fighting a losing battle. A moment later, she transformed. This form was scarier than any monster Starfire had ever described. The figure before them was entirely metal, but not like Cyborg at all. If anyone had asked them what was so different about her, none would even be able to recall what they saw. It was a living metallic creature, one that looked human but would never pass as such.
"I am the one whom you seek. I am Bri, personality in control of the things called 'love' and 'caring'. It is I who rules the others. Not because my emotion is any 'purer' or my goals any 'better' but because I remain unchanged. I am feared because I do not exist in the fashion you humans classify as 'alive'. I was fabricated, unlike the others. Xochen feels no love or caring for anyone, not even herself. The other feelings, emotions, those personalities, were the effect of being exposed to her creator and the Titans of the future. I am here as a comfort. Nothing more."
"I don't understand, what do you mean? How can you not exist?" Robin questioned, genuinely confused by the new personality's statement. She laughed, or what would pass as such coming from the metal figure. Beastboy moved slightly, closer to Raven. She pretended not to notice.
"When a person is born, they come to understand their creation was the result of love, or at least, this is true for most humans. When Xochen came into being, it was not because of love. For this reason, she has no sense of the meaning of the word instilled in her. However, she was taught that I exist, that the ability to love is within her. Therefore, I am in existence only to comfort her, to allow Xochen the right to call herself human. The others have been there from the beginning, or mostly so. From the future Titans came the distinction between right and wrong, resulting in Ray and Lein. From her training came anger and happiness, resulting in Rage and Han. From her creator came knowledge and habits, resulting in Libe and Laiz. From the people she has fought came courage and fear, resulting in Fie and Deep. These are the eight personalities shaped by those she has met. I am of no such creation. I am here, as I have said, so Xochen can classify herself as human. I rule all the others because I do not exist and, therefore, cannot be defeated."
Starfire, frightened by Bri's words, clung to Robin's arm. Robin, though he'd never admit it, was glad someone else was just as afraid as he was, though he showed no signs of it. Raven was afraid as well, but not for the reason Robin and Starfire were. She knew what Bri was saying, how true it was and how amazingly close to it she felt. She denied herself the emotion of love, and here was a person who could not feel it because, to her, it did not exist. For a moment, Raven felt like the other Titans did when talking to her.
"Now, you have met Ray and Lein as well as Libe, but perhaps the best personality for you to meet next is Fie. However, I believe that you should wait before seeing any of the others," Bri disappeared much like she had come and before the Titans was Xochen once again. When her eyes opened, they were of a dark blue color.
"Well, what's on your mind? Can I stay with ya'll for the time being?" Xochen asked the stunned team. Robin was the first to regain his senses.
"Um, we'll need to talk, real quick, just stay here, okay?" he got up and walked to the kitchen. Everyone followed his lead and soon, they all stood in the kitchen, watching Xochen out of the corner of their eyes. She seemed completely carefree and ignored them.
"Okay, if we do let her stay, she can never show that creepy Bri, okay?" Beastboy was the first to speak. The others were thinking the exact thing themselves.
"Well, can we trust her? I mean, if she has two personalities that can take control who aren't friendly at all, can we honestly call her a Titan?" Raven glanced in Xochen's direction, trying to read the girl. All she could see was the creature called Bri. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of the creature.
"Let's be fair, three months ago we'd have said yes in a heart-beat. She's a little off, but look at us, we aren't Normalcy Central here. You guys know she'd be a great addition to the team, plus, she doesn't even know Slade," Cyborg pointed out. And it was true: had Terra never betrayed them, Xochen would have been welcomed with open arms.
"We cannot judge her by her looks or by her oddness. I came from another planet; I understand much of her problems fitting into this world. Many of the things I did when I first arrived were considered wrong by the people here, but I was forgiven. We should at least give her a chance," Starfire smiled and hovered over to Xochen. The other turned and returned the smile.
"Oh, have you decided?" Xochen asked her eyes tinted by different colors. Starfire, temporarily stunned by the colors in her eyes, quickly regained her ability to speak.
"I believe they are still deliberating, but I wanted to keep you company," Starfire smiled a little bigger.
"Well, I am never alone to be honest, but I appreciate the company," Xochen took to hovering, much like Starfire was doing. "So, Starfire, what's life like in the Tower?"
As the two girls continued talking, the other four Titans continued to argue. However, they were all on the same side. They wanted Xochen to stay, but no amount of time could heal the wounds that still plagued them. Raven finally left the group and walked over to Xochen and Starfire, her cloak engulfing her body.
"Xochen, say we let you stay, would you help us defeat your creator? Starfire has proven that nothing is set in stone, which means we could prevent your creation. Would you help us in this endeavor?" Raven looked at the other's eyes with her own emotionless orbs. Raven watched the conflict going on in Xochen's eyes. The colors shifted, expanded and retracted, as if fighting for supremacy. Finally, they all quieted and Xochen spoke, slowly at first.
"I… would help you… prevent my creation. However, know that it would be more for my sake than yours. The gift of life is amazing, but I'd prefer it given to someone else. I should not be here, and it would be best if my existence were erased," Xochen concluded, her eyes shinning pink. Raven had counted and knew that only eight of the personalities agreed with this decision. However, eight out of nine is an overwhelming majority.
"Very well then, I don't see why you can't stay. Just know, going back on your word means certain death. You're from the future and you know the Titans. You must, then, know what happened to Terra after she betrayed us. Take heed, you will have no other warning," a lamp nearby exploded as Raven's voice shook with repressed anger. The guys watched and considered.
"Hey, if Raven says she's cool, I say so too!" Beastboy ran over to Xochen and smiled up at her, since she was still hovering. "Hey, you can transform into animals too, right?" he asked, his eyes wide.
"Well of course!" she changed into a miniature version of a T-Rex and stood on Raven's shoulder, pretending to roar, though it came out as a faint growl.
"Then I suppose you can move things with your mind?" Raven asked as her black aura covered a lamp and a cushion from the couch and floated them around the room. The T-Rex nodded and soon the pillow Raven had in her control was wretched away and floated around the room at a rapid pace, then stopped.
"Can you throw starbolts?" Starfire asked, amazed by the tiny T's power. Once again, the miniature dino nodded and two yellowish orbs appeared in its hands. One was thrown and it hit the cushion, which promptly exploded into dust particals. Robin and Cyborg shrugged.
"Well, I guess you can stay, but you aren't a Titan yet, I hope you know that," Robin emphasized the last part. The tiny T-Rex turned into a humming bird, which left Raven's shoulder and flew over to Robin. It hovered there a moment, then changed into a huge robin, standing about as tall as the Boy Wonder.
"Dude, I think that means she gets the drift," Cyborg managed between laughs. Robin just peered at the bird while Starfire and Beastboy joined Cyborg and Raven crossed her arms, slightly grinning. It seems Xochen would be accepted for the time being.
End Chapter
Yes, well, I am sure there are a bunch of loose ends in this chapter and never fear: it's part of the plot. Just hang tight, chapter two will be up soon enough, in the meantime, I'd love some reviews. Please? I'm asking nicely. Hope ya'll enjoyed it! Bye for now! .