Unsuspected Heroes

An alternate look at the Prophecies Universe

A/N: It's been forever since my last update, and this one is really short. I know. I've had some rather serious computer troubles, and this is the first update from my new computer. I promise, the next update will be better, and finish off both the X plotline and the scene that you see the beginning of at the end of the chapter. Anyway...I'm back.

Robin didn't find the old observatory the least bit inviting, no matter that it was a familiar location. But Chang was a valuable source for cutting edge tech and materials. Without his help, the Red X suit would not have been possible, the good Professor's amorality aside.

Robin took the 'ninja' approach for his entrance, dropping down from the rafters above the weapons dealer. "Hello, Chang."

The old Asian man started and spun to seen the Teen Wonder standing behind him, his surprise quite excusable, considering the way Robin had appeared. "Oh! Robin! You should not startle this old man like that. Now…how can I help you, protégé of Batman? I have a number of new designs…"

The Titans' leader slashed his hand to the side, cutting off Chang's simpering and quite annoying voice. "Shut up, Chang. I'm not interested in the prototypes you've abandoned but keep lying around to make a quick buck. I want information. The X suit."

"Why Robin, what could I tell you about that suit that you do not already know? We built it together, you recall. It was such a pleasure to work with a good little boy who appreciates dangerous toys…"

"You know full well I'm not talking about that, Chang. Now start talking about what I want to know about." He let a razor-edged birdarang slide into his palm.

A sly smile crossed Chang's face. "Why Robin…you would not have lost the suit, would you have?"

The Teen Wonder growled, fingers tightening on the bladed throwing weapon he clutched. "Deeper hole, Chang."

The baggy-suited weapons broker turned from Robin with an innocent expression. "I merely wished to know, dear boy. Such a pity. That suit was a work of art. Second to none but my latest project. I never could understand why you did not continue using it."

"One word. Xenothium. So I take it that you're going to tell me that you haven't seen the X suit."

"No," said Chang, bending back to his work. "Nor do I have xenothium to power it. In fact, I have seen neither since you locked the suit away. Now leave me to my work. If I am to work for the government, I think that I should have a work environment uninterrupted by accusations of criminality."

Robin was already gone.

"One source of xenothium is dry," came Robin's voice through Cyborg's com, the other Titans clustered around him to view Robin's picture. "X will have to go to the unstable materials vault to get some. We'll be guarding it until he makes his move. I'm still a ways out. Join you soon."

The screen blanked out and Cyborg lowered his arm to his side. "Well, that's that, dawgs. I guess we wait."

The other Titans shrugged and went off to their guard positions. There really wasn't much else to do.

Impatience wasn't often a vice that Raven let herself indulge in, but the Titans had been waiting for a good fourteen hours, and still Red X had not come. In this case, she felt somewhat justified in taking a walk to one of the other guard spots to see if another Titan might want to talk. Boredom dulled the senses, and perhaps a quick chat with one of the others would give her senses a finer edge.

Still, it was odd to see Cyborg practicing DDR…badly…and without a machine. The piece of J-pop that he danced to just made it an even stranger scene, the lyrics about a girl searching for a strong yet shy samurai…love interest most likely. Shaking her lavender-haired head, she moved on.

But as she found herself alone in a hallway, her hand rose to the pendant. "Topical lyrics," she whispered. I wonder where my samurai is. I hope he's alright…

Where indeed…

Ker ducked underneath the longsword's cut, the pattern-welded steel blade's fine edge trimming a few strands of hair from the fast-growing beginnings of a ponytail that Ker was now sporting.

"Boneheaded, overly religious, fanatical, sword-wielding pain in my ASS!" cursed Ker in Japanese.