Swipe Chapter 2: They Meet, a teen titans fanfic

"Swipe" by Ed Alger aka "SecondLevelWriter"

Brand names, like Wheaties or Nike or Reebok or whatever, are trademarks of their respective companies. Think of it as free advertising! Also, references to Dungeons and Dragons are property of Wizards of the Coast.

Mini-Chapter 2
They Meet

Swipe ran for several blocks before it dawned on him that he was no longer being followed. He dropped his speed down to about half and breathed a short sigh of relief. It would have been a great blow to his reputation if he were to get captured by the Teen Titans on his first official encounter with them. The swift pace slowed to a normal jog, and then to a leisurely stride. With nobody trailing him, there was no need to go full-tilt.

As he got to an intersection, a lone person that was sitting on the edge of the roof of an apartment building caught his attention. Squinting to get a better look, he could make out that the person was a girl... with lavender colored hair in the shape of an oblong "U"... And now she's standing up; she's wearing a black, longsleeved shirt with deep blue frills along the neckline, and a black skirt with violet and black striped stockings and dark blue boots... and, she's holding her arms out, why would... oh my lord, she's JUMPING!

Even with his phenomenal speed, Swipe knew he really had to work to foil this girl's suicide attempt (or perhaps she's another teenager with superpowers... no, scratch that, she's still falling). A nearby cardboard recycling bin had a fair amount of boxes, but probably not enough to break her fall. Still, he piled them up anyway and further appraised his situation.

'Dammit, she's halfway down... think, Swipe, THINK! Why couldn't someone open up a mattress store around here?'

With only seconds left, the rogue threw a dozen of his knives into the side of the building and leaped to the makeshift handholds. He hoped he was high enough as the girl's form hurtled towards him, and he reached out to grab her.

He managed to hook an arm around the girl's waist, but her momentum pulled Swipe down with her. Both parties crashed into the pile of boxes, and for a long moment, there was only silence in the ensuing cloud of dust.

Eventually, a rustling could be heard, then coughing. Swipe emerged from the heap bruised and scraped, but otherwise okay. In his arms was the girl, slightly less bruised but she wasn't moving. The rogue put a finger to the girl's neck... good, there's a pulse. She's still alive.

"That was mighty close," he murmured to himself just as she began to stir. When she slowly opened her eyes, Swipe noticed that they were pink-hued and cat-like. Her skin was an odd shade of gray, a bit lighter compared to Raven's, and she had small triangular patches of purple makeup highlighting her cheeks. She was also rather thin, but he could feel some strength in her frame.

"Why... why did you save me?" she whispered.

"Um, because it was the right thing to do, and I can't bear to witness anyone take their own life. Especially in the messy fashion you chose."

"I wanted to die. Please.. let me die.."

"Why?"

"Because there's nothing left for me to live for."

This concerned the thief. He had heard about people in this state, sufferring from complete depression, and how single-minded they become in their own destruction.

"You don't have a home?" he asked her while making sure she hadn't broken anything.

"The Hive was my home.. not any more."

"Then I guess I'll have to take you to mine. Can't just leave you here..."

Swipe got to his feet with the girl being carried in his arms. She would have struggled, but the stabbing pain in her left leg from the rough landing prevented it. He started walking, not at his usual blinding speed, but just enough to keep from jostling his passenger around.

"I probably should introduce myself, seeing that I saved ya and all. My name's Swipe. What's yours?"

For a long moment, the girl was silent. It seemed like she wasn't going to talk to him, as she was still unhappy that he did not allow her to plummet to her demise and let her end her misery. After another few minutes, the rogue gave up on getting his answer.

"Jinx," the girl finally spoke, with her voice barely above a whisper.

"Hm?"

"My name... it's Jinx."

End of Chapter 2

In Chapter 3: Trying to be the "good guy", Swipe brings Jinx back to his hideout so that she at least has a place to stay for the night. During the night, he tries his hardest to be a proper host, but she doesn't seem to be in the mood for talking...