Hello boys and girls and welcome to chapter twenty-two of The New Teen Titans. Well last chapter was the end of an arch so this will be the beginning of one. It's not really an arch though it's the story of Mystic, or more precisely, how Mystic came to be. Well anyway now that's explained on to reviews. Ah my three regulars, Valda, Mr D 91 and Mortal Guardian, thanks for always reviewing guys I just wish more people would. But moving on, Mortal Guardian, you did miss a bit I think when Android looked back and Red X wasn't there. Encase you still can't find it Red X jumped out the window. Oh and Stretch and Bobcat just kind of got a way, never said that though. Oh and Mr. D 91 I'll work on those descriptions. So yes then without further ado I give to you chapter twenty-two of The New Teen Titans.
Chapter 22: Cloaked Past
My name is Jason Flinders though most know me as Mystic. My life has recently been given meaning by a group of fellow teens that could have been enemies under different circumstances. Luckily my long time friend Alakazam was there when we met. Lucky for them that is. But now I suppose you could call us friends. They do not ask why I don't speak and I silently watch as they go around their complex teenage lives. I have no room in my life for the love they try to show to each other. Besides I don't think there are many girls who would date me. You can be too tall and dark sometimes. Right now though I am going to visit my father in prison where he rests. He asked to see me because he wanted to tell me something. Something…important.
Mystic paused in front of a large square building with no features along the outside, just a few windows which looked too dusty to let the light in. Steps led to two large medal doors and above them was an old sign that read, "Jump City Reformatory." Looking around the entire area around the building was baron of any life. With all the fields and hills that surrounded Jump City it was amazing just how baron this place was. No life came anywhere near the building. Come to think of it maybe it has something to do with the many super villains with nuclear powers who were held there. Letting out a heavy sigh from behind his hood Mystic walked towards the featureless building.
Coming though the doors he was greeted with a short nod from the elderly women at the desk and then began to go through the process of security check. A trainee who looked like the uniform given to him was one size too big confronted him. "Oh wow you're Mystic aren't you?" he said as he ran a metal detector over the inside of Mystic's long cloak. Mystic didn't even look at him twice but that didn't stop the man from continuing, "you totally saved my girlfriend life once and I just-" the man was cut off though as Mystic walked forward into the visiting room when one of the older men waved him through. The young mans hand dropped from where it had been raised to shack Mystic's as soon as the doors to the room slammed shut.
"Don't worry kid," the older guard said, "that boy never talks to anyone but his dad when he comes here."
Inside the room tables were set up with different people sitting at them talking to their love ones. The room was grey and the tables were old. Most of the people in the room were normal, but there were a few clearly super-powered felons. This was a room for the well behaved. To spite this positioned at every door were guards who unlike the modest uniformed guards outside were decked out in full body armour and held large plus rifles at their side. Mystic saw his father stand up above the crowd and wave him other with a big toothy grin.
"Hey there son," Mammoth said as he grabbed his son's hand and gave it a firm shack. The giant men both sat down at the table and both silently waited for the other to start talking. Mammoth was the only one Mystic knew taller and bigger them himself. He was a giant man but was starting to show age. A bushy red beard covered most of his face and he wore a pair of jeans and a plaid shirt with the selves rolled up to show his muscles. His hair had grown long and he had it tied back in a low ponytail. "So aren't you wondering why I called?" Mammoth asked in his deep voice as the lopsided grin stayed on his face
"Can't you just tell me?" Mystic said as he lowered his hood and bowed his head closer to the table. There was no smile on Mystic's stone face.
"You know you got same kind of eyes as your mother," Mammoth said as he looked at his son's deep, blue eyes.
"Do you have something to tell me?" Mystic asked in a monotone as he ran a hand through his blond hair with a sigh.
"Fine, fine," Mammoth said with a laugh as he leaned back in his chair, "I want to tell you everything."
"Everything?" Mystic questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"You still hanging out with them Titans," Mammoth asked, a low growl escaping from his throat.
"They are not the ones that put you here Father," Mystic said simple as his expression never changed, "now what do you mean 'everything?"
"Everything about them," Mammoth said as the growl got deeper but then quickly lightened, "everything about your mother."
"I'm listening," Mystic said in a whisper an emotion flashing across his blank face, though only for an instant.
"It all started about fifteen years ago…"
An underground honeycomb of caverns and tunnels stretched on for miles under the desert outside of Jump City. Out of thousands of tunnels only one was important at the moment. A small rounded out room with only a table and a single swinging light.
"Why should we let that snot munching, puke throwing, phlegm eating-" came the familiar insults of a certain bald madman.
"We get it Gizmo," came the deep voice of Mammoth as he leaned his colossal head into the light, "point is she asked to come back."
"Yeah but she's a total-" Gizmo began but was cut off once again.
"Yeah but did you see what she did to them Titans?" the military like voice of Private Hive said as he smiled his good ol' boy smile, "looks like she aren't working for them no more."
"Yeah but the last I checked she was still dating that stupid speedster," Gizmo said as he finally just jumped up on top of the table. Suddenly a pink hex hit the leg of the table and it began to wobble. Gizmo tried to get his bearings but it was no use as the table collapsed and as it hit the floor a set of florescent lights turned on above the single swinging one.
"And the last time I checked I was still in the room," Jinx said as she stood, her hand still rose slightly at her side. The room went silent, less because of what Jinx had just done and more so because the door behind her opened.
"Now, now maybe we should all listen to Jinx," said a feminine voice from the shadows.
"Yes Sister Blood," the pack said in unison, though their eyes did not glow red as they did but rather stayed half opened from boredom or annoyance.
"Good," Blood said with a smile as she stepped from the shadows looking very young she may not of even been the oldest one in the room. "Now Mammoth show Jinx all the new attachments we've made to the tunnels would you," Blood said before turning, robe whooshing at her feet, and exiting the room.
"I don't know why we listen to that stupid brat," Gizmo said as he picked himself up from the rubble of the table.
"Because she's Brother Blood's cousin and she actually knows what she's doing," Mammoth said as he got up to show Jinx around the tunnels.
"Yeah but I still don't know why we listened to that jerk ether," Gizmo said but his argument fell on deaf ears as Mammoth and Jinx left the room. Private Hive and Kyd Wykkyd would have to put up with him now.
So Jinx followed Mammoth around the lair with her eyes half open as he pointed out things that she already knew like where the TV and kitchen were. It was all really boring and they just started to tune each other out, that is until they reached a door Jinx couldn't remember. When Mammoth opened it her mouth dropped and the gum she had been idle chewing fell to the floor.
Behind the door were hundreds maybe thousands of villains all walking around or flying or going about their business. "Yeah we kind of expended," Mammoth said with a chuckle smiling down at Jinx's shocked expression, "we're the Hive Five-hundred now."
The room was pretty much one tall dirt hall that stretched on for what seemed like forever. Along each wall were three rows of scaffolding. Every couple of feet on each row there were holes in the side of the wall. Each hole led to a different room, a different villain, and there were hundreds. "When did this…?" Jinx got out, not even able to finish her sentence.
"It was Sister Blood's idea," Mammoth said with a huge grin, "she's got big plans for us. Come on I'll show you your room."
Mammoth took Jinx's hand and she would have followed silently had it not been for the ringing coming from her pocket. She let go of Mammoth's hand and took the small cell phone out opening it up and greeting the person with a happy, "hello." She seemed to smile wider as she realized who it was and Mammoth settled in to listen intently to one half of a conversation. "Wally! What do I owe the-" she seemed to get cut off and her smile dropped as she turned away from Mammoth. "So you saw the news…Listen I don't think you…Yes, I understand what it looked like…Listen where are you?…Ok fine can you get to the café on main street…Jump City's main street…You're there already? Alright then."
She hung up the phone and turned on her heels towards Mammoth who stood behind her with a serious look on his face. She opened her mouth to explain but Mammoth cut her off, "just go," he said with a slight smile. She smiled nervously too and quickly ran to the door out of the hall.
"So Jinx is back," one of many Billy Numerous said as he came up next to Mammoth who was watching her leave, "tell her about how bad you want to suck face with her yet," he laughed as he pretended he was kissing someone with big lips. Billy was quickly silenced though as Mammoth brought his fist up to meet with Billy's face.
A few hours later Mammoth found himself playing video games with Gizmo in the main room. He also found that he couldn't pay attention to the game or his miniature friend who was standing on the couch and moving his control in the direction that he wanted his car to go like that would help. Jinx still hadn't come back and he was getting a bit nervous. A glance at the door caused his car to crash into a wall as Gizmo passed him and won the race. As Gizmo jumped up and down and did a little dance Mammoth looked back and realizing that he had lost simple shrugged and threw down his controller.
"You know you're no fun?" Gizmo said as he stopped mid dance and jumped down from the couch. "I'm going to bed," he said with a yarn as he left the room saying over his shoulder, "if the trader comes back tell her we got practice in the mourning."
Mammoth ignored the insult but with a large sigh even he had to admit it was late. With a heave he got up from the couch that creaked in relief when his massive frame left it. A little snack and he'd go off to bed too. But right as he began emptying what was left in the fridge onto a giant plate he heard the door slam open and then saw someone go into the living room and pace it violently before collapsing on the couch. He hadn't seen her face yet but he knew who it was as he approached her, "Jinx?"
"He dumped me!" Jinx said as she looked up from her hands to reveal a trail of makeup and tears coming from her red eyes. She hadn't necessarily said it to him though, it was more like she just wanted to state it. Not really knowing what to do Mammoth wrapped his colossal arms around her and she began to sob into his shoulder.
"What happened?" Mammoth asked out of curiosity and to break the silence as he rubbed the crying girls back.
"He wouldn't let me explain what happened. He said I was becoming a villain again but when I tried to tell him the truth he said it didn't matter because he found someone else," Jinx explained as she pulled away from Mammoth to wipe away her mascara but quickly went back to his shoulder.
"The 'truth'?" Mammoth said out loud as he puzzled just what this meant. Jinx wasn't even listing anymore though as she pulled away from his shoulder again.
"You never replaced me," she said as she locked eyes with Mammoth and all his suspicions were lost in her beautiful violet orbs.
"I could never replace you," Mammoth said as he smiled a bit at her not looking away from her eyes, which he noticed where moving closer. He didn't know if she was moving towards him or if it was the other way around but there lips met and both fell back onto the couch.
Three months passed and Mammoth once again found himself playing video games in the main room. Only difference was it wasn't late at night it was the middle of the day and his new opponent was See-More. That and Jinx wasn't out but somewhere in the tunnels probably in one of the bathrooms, lately she seemed to be getting sick. Him and Jinx weren't dating now, one night hadn't made them admit their love for each other or anything. Jinx just needed someone to fall back on and Mammoth was right there. Mammoth was trying his best to not make it seem awkward and he thought he was doing a pretty good job. Everything had went back to how it used to be back when it was just him, Jinx and Gizmo against the world. Well he thought it had anyway.
"Mammoth can we talk," Jinx said in a very small voice as she came up behind Mammoth. Mammoth quickly put the game on pause much to the relief of See-More who was just about to lose. "Sure Jinx," Mammoth said as Jinx began to lead him away from the others in the main room. "What's up?" Mammoth asked as he found himself in Jinx's room with the door shut behind him.
Jinx didn't answer his question, instead bursting into tears and falling to her bed as she let lose a mighty wail. Mammoth quickly moved to her side and tried to comfort him as best he could like he had done that night. "I'm pregnant!" Jinx shouted in-between sobs as she curled into a ball on the bed.
"So you mean when we…" Mammoth said as he paused mid sentence, "you think that when we…just that one time?"
"Maybe," Jinx said as she stopped sobbing when she realized that Mammoth wasn't angry, more like he was stunned.
"What do you mean 'maybe'?" Mammoth asked, as he suddenly didn't realize what was going on anymore.
"Well you weren't my first. Wally…" Jinx didn't need to finish her sentence as Mammoth swept he into a tight hug.
"I'll do anything for you Jinx. You don't have to say anymore," Mammoth said as Jinx sat shocked in his arms. She quickly snapped out of it as she hugged him close and shut her eyes tight as if to stop the tears.
"You're too good to be a villain," Jinx said as she let go of him and smiled.
It was three years before anything else happened. Whatever Sister Blood was planning it was taking a long time to set up or maybe it was just delayed from the birth of Jinx and Mammoth's child. At just under three years old he was already taller then Gizmo and seemed happy and normal except for his slightly above average height. On this day though Sister Blood had told the current lead team, consisting of Mammoth, Jinx Private Hive, Gizmo and Kyd Wykkyd, that they were all going to rob the Jump City bank as some kind of test. Mammoth couldn't find Jinx or his son anywhere though. He found his son walking down the hall and realized that whoever was left in charge of taken care of him had lost him again.
"Stupid Billy," Mammoth said as he came behind the boy wearing a pair of blue footy pyjamas with a tuff of blond hair. "Hey champ," he said as the little boy silently sucked on his thumb, "where's mommy?"
Without taking his thumb out of his mouth the small boy pointed towards a room with his free hand. Mammoth gently opened the door to reveal a dark room only lit by the glow of a computer. "He's different," Jinx said to an unknown person on the other end, "I think that he could change," she said and the voice responded to low for Mammoth to hear. "I know but… just don't miss today at the bank," Jinx said as she ended her first thought abruptly. Jinx then shut off the computer and headed towards the door where she bumped into Mammoth and instantly panicked.
"Look who I found," Mammoth said as he tried to act like he had just been passing by.
Jinx took the child from Mammoth's arms and cursed to herself, "Billy," she too completely forgetting that Mammoth may have just heard too much. A few hours later and the whole team found themselves outside the bank with bags of money in tow.
"Stop right there," came the familiar voice of Nightwing.
"Finally," Mammoth said as he dropped ten bags of gold he had been carrying and prepared for a fight. The rest of the team got ready as Kyd Wykkyd dropped most of the gold into a portal leading to god knows where.
The two teams faced off with each other in a dead silence as the members picked who they were facing off against today. The stare down was interrupted though as ringing came from the Titans side. Beast Boy smiled sheepishly as the rest of the team looked at him as he took out his communicator. "Hello?" he asked awkwardly as the two teams stared at him. High pitch sound from the other end was all the Hive students could make out and then Beast Boy turned away slightly. "Wow Em it's really nice that you can work the communicator by yourself but daddy's kind of busy."
The Hive alumni were confused at first but almost at once they all got the same sinister smile on their lips as they glanced at each other. Moving slowly they surrounded the Titans who grouped together like sheep being herded. They all got into an attack stance except for Beast Boy who was still on the communicator. "Daddy has to go now here's mommy," Beast Boy said as he threw the com-link over his shoulder.
Raven reached up and caught the device without effort as the HIVE prepared themselves around her. "I love you honey, but mommy has business to take care of," she said quickly as she shut off the link and tucked it into her cloak. With that the Battle began.
"Titans go!" Nightwing shouted as the Hive all ran towards them and the Titans prepared themselves for the fight of their life. But just seconds before the Hive's punches would have connected they disappeared into black portals which were gone almost as fast as they had come.
"Where'd they go?" Cyborg asked as he raised his eyebrow and lowered his cannon slightly. At that moment Mammoth came from a portal above Cyborg and landed right on top of the mechanical teen. Another portal opened below Cyborg and the two giant men fell through it as the other Titans turned to see their friend disappear.
"Cy?" Beast Boy asked as his voice creaked for the first time in a long time. His question was answered quickly as Cyborg and Mammoth both burst from the side of a building. When the Titans were destructed from the suddenness portals opened up under all of them and a different member of the Five grabbed hold of their ankles and tried to drag them under. Beast Boy flew from Gizmo's hand easily and Starfire and Raven easily escaped by flying but Private Hive pulled Nightwing under.
Meanwhile Mammoth landed on top of Cyborg and brought up his fist to start beating Cyborg into submission but Cyborg shot his arm up and blocked the blow. The hand grasping Mammoth's fist turned into a sonic cannon and Mammoth's smile disappeared from his face as Cyborg sent a beam of energy out at the villain. Mammoth flew back and Cyborg struggled to his feet. "I'll show you," Cyborg said as he pointed his cannon at Mammoth who was lying on the ground ahead of him. Just as he fired a sonic blast though a portal blocked it. "This can't be good," Cyborg said with a gulp as from the portal the blast remerged only now coming straight at Cyborg. Sticking him in the head he was out cold before he even hit the ground. Kyd Wykkyd rose from a portal next to Cyborg to examining his work with a smile on his face.
"Hey!" came an abrupt yell from above the teleporting kid. When he looked up he was already encased in one of Raven's bubbles and she was smiling with her hands held out. Kyd felt the bubble timidly with his hands and Raven's smirked, "No way out," she said. Just then though Kyd took his hands away from the wall and pointed behind Raven with a smile. Raven slowly looked behind her where Gizmo flew with two big bat wings and two machine guns coming out at his sides, his hands ready to fire.
"Hey," he said mockingly as he opened fire. Raven avoided the bullets and they bounced off her bubble surrounding Kyd Wykkyd harmlessly before the bubble just disappeared and Kyd Wykkyd walked off.
As Raven ducked and weaved through the air to avoid the bullets Beast Boy appeared in front of the Kyd. "Portals can only protect you for so long," Beast Boy said as he turned into a Billy goat and stamped his foot, letting out a loud snort. Kyd didn't even show emotion as he simple cast another portal that Mammoth came storming through. Beast Boy's eyes went huge as he quickly turned into a Woolly Mammoth and locked his tusk up with Mammoth's arms as the two fought back and forth for dominance.
"Where is Nightwing?" Starfire questioned as she shot Gizmo out of the air with a starbolt.
Meanwhile Nightwing was on top of the bank the Hive had just been robbing. Rising from a portal opposite Private Hive who stood with an all American smile on his face. "Well howdy there Nightwing."
"Private Hive?" Nightwing said questionably as he looked down to see his team-mates battling with all they got against a winning Hive Five. He quickly made to jump off the roof of the building and down to the street but Private Hive was too fast for him. Just as he got airborne Private's foot connected square with his chest. He flew backwards and wheezed as he grabbed his chest.
"Well then Nightwing," he said as he removed his helmet, shield attached by some unseen force to his right arm. Throwing the helmet to one side he revealed he wasn't wearing his mask instead choosing to let his blond hair blow in the wind. "I've always wanted to see what was better," he said as he moved into an attack stance as Nightwing stood, "your Kung-fu," he said over pronouncing Kung-Fu, "or my…lets call it freestyle brawling."
"If that's all this is about," Nightwing said as he regained his composure, "I'd be glade to show you who's better."
Nightwing ran at the Hive member as fast as he could and Private Hive grabbed the edge of his shield and spun low to the ground like he was throwing a discus. The shield launched from his arm towards Nightwing who quickly ducked down to avoid it. This didn't faze the yellow clad villain as he simple turned his palm up and made the come on sign. Nightwing glanced behind him to see the shield returning to its owner. Using the force of his squat he jumped high into the air as the shield flew under him. He took out his staff and it extended in flight as Private Hive caught his shield just in time to block the overhead attack of Nightwing. With a shove Private Hive broke the clash as he pushed forward and made Nightwing topple backward, who tumbled so he was in a starting position when he stopped. "That the best you got boy," Hive said with a smug smile.
Nightwing sent out a barrage of batarangs as cover as he ran toward Hive. Hive blocked them all as he then began to block Nightwing's blow and sent a couple of his own. Finally Hive caught one of Nightwing's legs under his armpit and turned using the momentum to toss Nightwing across the roof.
They ran at each other again and continued to fight as the battle raged on below. Mammoth came crashing through the air and landed right on top of Raven driving them both to the ground. Raven used her magic to take the blunt of the attack and was about to stop Mammoth's fist as the communicator in her robes went off. "Mommy are you done distracting the bad guys yet," came the voice of a small child as Mammoth paused what he was doing, the smile dropping from his face as Raven went even paler.
Mammoth rose off of the dark Titan and looked out at the fight in front of him. Beast Boy was flying around as Gizmo shot at him from the ground, Starfire was throwing and avoiding her own starbolts as she made no attempt to advance on Kyd Wykkyd, Nightwing exchanged blows with Private Hive and Cyborg was moving to help Nightwing. Where was Jinx? "It's a trap!" Mammoth screamed as the entire area went died silent.
Kyd was the first to react as he raised his arms and the whole of The Hive Five disappeared into them. It took only a second longer for Nightwing to curse and look down at his team shouting, "Come on. Titans Go!"
The team headed east but already the HIVE had arrived back at their hideout. The team all ran to the barracks and found the door ripped off and inside it was all breaking down. The members of the Hive Five joined the fight except for Mammoth who just stood back and watched. The entire room was full of heroes fighting villains and the villains were losing. Mammoth saw one of Billy's clones running past him and grabbed hold of the boys collar.
"Where's Jinx?" Mammoth yelled at the frightened boy.
"I don't know," Billy said, his accent partly disappearing in panic, "they attacked out of the blue and a bunch of people abandoned ship after Sister Blood ran off to start somewhere new."
Mammoth grunted and threw the boy to the ground as he ran out of the room and toward his child's room. Rushing in he found it empty and his eyes went large as he walked into the baron room. "I dropped him off at a friends house."
Mammoth quickly turned to see Jinx standing in the doorway. "Jinx? What's going on?"
"I'm sorry Mammoth but I've been spying," Jinx said bowing her head, I still work for the Titans."
Mammoth opened his mouth but just then the whole of Titans East arrived and stood at the door blocking Mammoth's path. Mammoth took a step back and Jinx took a step towards him, "Listen though Mammoth you're different you can join with us."
"No!" Mammoth shouted before bowing his head and silently repeating, "no." Sitting down he said, sounding very tired, "I surrender."
"What are you doing," Gizmo shouted as he appeared behind the Titans.
"I give up Gizmo there's no way to win," Mammoth said with his head down, "I'm not becoming a hero but I'm not staying a villain."
"Both of you are traders," Gizmo shouted as he blasted the Titans East and ran from the room followed by the Titans. Mammoth just silently watched as Jinx walked up to him and silently sat down next to him.
"…and that's how it happened," Mammoth finished as Mystic sat in front of him with a look of seldom seen shock plastered on his face.
"That's it?" Mystic asked as his face began to move back to normal.
"Yeah, they took me to jail and your Mom went on to do something with Titans East."
"But you said that you and my mom were in love and that both of you went to person," Mystic said as he got annoyed and stopped using his monotone.
"I said I loved your mother, which I did. And all I ever said is that your mom disappeared in a prisoner moving, she was the one moving the criminal."
"Why are you telling me all this now," Mystic asked his father in annoyance.
"I though you should know what the people you work with do," Mammoth said as he slumped against the table, "what they can do to a person."
"I see," Mystic said as he stood up and began to leave but then he seemed to remember something as he turned around and said, "If my mother was free then why was a put in an orphanage?"
"I honestly don't know," Mammoth said and Mystic simple turned and walked out without another word. Mammoth looked after him and then dropped his head as he said grimly, "but you may get your chance to ask."