X was in a BBS when an interesting post came on.
"What are you smiling at?" She looked directly at him.
"The Joker just hit Wayne Manor…and made out with chump change." X laughed and she cocked an eyebrow.
"Bruce Wayne is one of the richest people in America…now that would be a challenge…" X looked like he was thinking.
"What would be a challenge?" Her voice had an edge to it.
"Lex Luthor…" He smiled and looked at her.
"The acquisition?" She smiled.
"A new type of android…a weapons model meant for the military, Cuba would pay a fortune for it." X had laughter in his voice. She smiled that small smile of hers.
Starfire was sitting on the couch when she felt a hand on her shoulder. BB smiled sadly.
"What is it friend Beast Boy?" She looked concerned.
"Star…I know you think of me as a replacement Robin…I can never be that, just…if you want…oh, I'm always bad at things like this…" He scratched his head in confusion.
"I am sorry friend Beast Boy…I-I led you on a falsehood…I…" BB put his finger to her lips.
"It never happened, kay?" BB smiled and walked away.
"Ok…" She looked back down. 'X will take me…I'll find him…' She then headed for the roof.
Ravens dress was ruined, but at least Richard was safe. Bruce finally walked in and looked in horror at the condition his house was in.
"Alfred! What happened?" Bruce ran up to the old butler with concern on his face.
"The Joker…dropped by and robbed the guests." The butler dryly replied.
"Richards been hurt!" Raven shouted with concern.
"Alfred?" Bruce looked at the butler.
"An ambulance is on the way sir." Alfred replied.
"Raven…he'll be okay…stay with him…" Bruce hugged the girl.
"Selien is that way…" Raven pointed when the hug was broken.
"Thanks…" Bruce nodded and left. A kid parted from the crowd and helped Raven prop Richard up.
"I'm Tim, who are you?" Tim asked.
"Raven…where're your parents?" Raven looked around.
"I…don't have any…Mr. Wayne took me in…" Tim looked down and a silent tear went down his face.
"I-I'm sorry…I didn't know…" Raven embraced the grieving child.
"It…still hurts…" He wiped his tears away with his sleeve when Raven let go.
"Do you have any…parents?" The question caught her off balance.
"Not really…I kinda know where your coming from…" Raven looked down.
"Then that makes us brother and sister." He sadly smiled at her and she nodded in return.
"Tim…don't you need to study?" Bruce looked at him.
"Yeah…" Tim looked down and left.
"Why make him study right now?" Raven looked confused.
"Try and get his mind off of it…now I have to get back to the office." Bruce left a very confused Raven.
Richard woke to two violet eyes staring down at him. He smiled at her and sat up.
"How long was I out?" He looked at her and then the clock.
"About four hours…did you know Bruce took in another orphan?" Raven searched his features.
"No…what's his name?" Richard got up and got a glass of water.
"Tim…he seems like a nice kid…" Raven smiled a small smile.
"Well…you seem lost in thought…" Richard smirked.
"N-not really…just thinking about…family." She looked at him. He walked up and embraced her.
"You have one…with me." He stated while looking in her eyes.
X done the surveillance and she went in and acquisitioned the android.
"Ya' know…I didn't really get your name…" X looked over to her.
"Loki…I was wondering when you where going to ask." She smiled.
"Sweeet." A voice came from nowhere.
"Show yourself." X got into a defensive stance.
"Actually I'm here to talk business." A man in black and a silver belt buckle that looked like an anarchy symbol stepped out of the shadows.
"What kind of business?" X replied relaxing his stance.
"I need you to steal what's called 'the Circle of Merlin' from the museum in Gothem, the pay is one hundred million…I need it in six months." His voice was monotone.
"One hundred mil? What's the catch?" X looked suspiciously to his employer.
"No catch, do you accept?" The man still held his monotone, neither showing any emotion one way or the other.
"I accept…half now, half later." X demanded.
"I thought you'd never ask." The man held up a briefcase and X took it.
"It's all here? The first half?" X looked questioningly to the man in black.
"Yes, now if you'll excuse me…I have business to attend to." The man faded out and a popping sound was heard.
"We need to start on our homework…something tells me this ain't gonna be easy." X diffanetly had a bad feeling about this.
Bruce was in his office when Richard walked in.
"You called me in?" Richard looked at his mentor.
"Yes…Robin has returned to Gothem…" Bruce looked and smiled.
"Really…so, I guess that means…new costume?" Richard nodded.
"You could say that…" Bruce smiled, his message had gotten through.
"So…what's the name going to be?" Bruce looked questioningly at him.
"…Nightwing." Richard nodded in certainly.
"See Alfred for the costume…how's your girlfriend going to take the change?" Bruce smiled.
"I think she'll like it…" Richard smirked and left.
Six months later…
Cyborg still couldn't believe the new leader. 'Nightwing…why you go'n off by yourself? However, we haven't heard from Decimeter in a while…' Starfire had gotten over her initial heartbreak over the boy wonder, she apparently had been seeing someone else; they didn't know who.
"Yo' Nightwing! You've been…happy lately…what's shakin?" Cyborg tried to sound normal. Nightwing changed to the news and turned it up.
"Thank you Jean…A body was found in the harbor today that bore the markings of Decimeter, back to you Phil…" The camera changed to the newscaster. Cyborg couldn't see the small smile on Nightwings face.
"Decimeter is dead? Did I just hear that? I'll bring up the coroners report." Cy looked in disbelief at the TV as he searched and brought up the report. He let out a slow whistle.
"What did you find?" Nightwing asked nonchalantly.
"Died from blunt force trauma…looks like all the pressure points where hit and he died from internal bleeding…what a way to go…" Cyborg shook his head. BB caught the news report as well.
"Well…he didn't loose his head!" BB looked around and smiled but no-one was laughing. The red light flashed and Nightwing was at the computer consol.
"It's Cinderblock…he's making an early withdraw at the Jump City Bank…Titans GO!" He shouted the last part of the order when all where assembled.
Cinderblock Smashed through the rear wall with the vault to be greeted by the six teens. Nothing was said as Jinx hexed Cinderblock, the vault fell on him. When he removed the vault he was knocked down by a green triceratops and trampled. Cinderblock recovered and grabbed hold of BB's tail and swung him into Cyborg who caught the green changeling. Starfire came at him with an uppercut that sent him to Raven and Nightwing, Raven encased him in a multicolored aura and threw him through the street. Nightwing somersaulted off the rooftop kicked him in the face, knocking him out. Jinx looked to Cyborg as if something was wrong, he just nodded back.
"Friend Nightwing…you seem to be more…ruthless?" Starfire looked at Nightwing with concern.
"And?" He cocked an eyebrow. Raven pulled him into an embrace and laid her head on his chest.
"I actually like this change in him…he seems to know how to get the job done." She looked up into his face and seen a faint smile on his lips. When the police arrived and took Cinderblock away, they all took their separate ways except for the birds who went for some privacy.
"Rae…I have something for you…" Nightwing pulled something out of his belt.
"What is it?" Raven was pulled closer and he opened the ring box to show a silver band with diamonds.
"This is for you…if you want it." He smiled because he already knew the answer. She kissed him deeply and passionately.
Red X was lounging when the balcony door opened. He smiled and took off his mask. Starfire came up to him and embraced him, pulling a needy kiss.
"Well, well…long time no see cutie." X replied when he could breathe again.
"What is this 'next step' that is always referred to in earth relationships?" She asked while cuddling against him.
"Well…it means…we…do more than kissing." X blushed.
"And would you like to 'do more than kissing' with me?" She looked innocently into his eyes.
"…that I would…" he pulled her into his arms and she straddled him, he turned off the lights by remote control.
X found an open skylight and dropped through. Quickly surveying the scene and going invisible, stalked up to the 'Circle of Merlin'. 'Laser systems…pressure plate…electrified cage…and knockout gas…looks like they went all out…hello, silent alarm…they really went all out for protection of this thing. Good thing I did my research…' X upped the speed of the suit a little bit and took out a replica of the Circle. In one fluid motion he switched the real for the fake. He skipped his way through the lasers and back up to the skylight. When he flipped out and onto the roof a shadow loomed overhead.
"I was expecting you Bats…what took ya' so long?" X snidely commented. Batman just lunged at him and X dodged…right into a younger Robin in a black and red outfit.
"Drop it slime ball!" Robin dropped in for a kick only to have X disappear on him.
"Where'd he go?" Robin looked around in confusion.
"Right here…Robbie." X did a spin kick that launched Robin off the roof. Batman tackled X to the ground and punched him in the gut. X laughed and kicked Batman off of him. X then dove off the building and disappeared.
"He got away…" The younger Robin balled up his fist and hit his other hand.
"We'll get him…" Batman replied weary. They launched both their grapples and swung searching for any clue of Red X.
When the three Titans returned to the tower, the message light on the answering machine was blinking. Cyborg hit the play button and Batmans voice was monotone.
"Titans, this is Batman, be on the lookout for a guy in a black suit wearing a deaths head mask that has a red 'X' on it. Contact me with any and all info on this guy."
"I'll send him all the info we got on the guy…" Cyborg began typing into the computer.
"And what do we have on Red X?" Jinx asked.
"We won't tell him how he was created…that's for Nightwing to decide…" Cyborg paused at the typing and then continued.
"Oh…ok…" Jinx hugged Cyborg from behind. He had a nod of agreement from BB.
Starfire landed in her room and took a shower. When she was finished she made her way to the common room, and was stared at. 'Do they know?' She looked nervously into their eyes.
"Yo' Star…where ya' been?" Cyborg asked nonchalantly.
"I bet she's been with her boyfriend!" Beast Boy had a childish edge in his voice, and Star blushed.
"Your right!" Jinx smiled like a chesure cat.
"We…" Star didn't quite know what to say, she didn't want to say what she did that night, so she just smiled.
"You have to give me the gory details later…" Jinx smiled mischievously.
"Ok…Friends…I have to leave for Tamaran…to get married." Star looked down and closed her eyes. She was looked at in shock. Jinx looked like she was going to ask a question when Star said the answer.
"No…none of you may come, just me and my betrothed." Star began to leave the common room.
"Wait…who is your 'betrothed'?" BB looked like he was having a nervous breakdown.
"His name is…Ronald Xzaiver. We will be leaving tonight." Star left to go and pack.
"This is sudden…" Jinx still had a look of shock.
"We should tell Nightwing…maybe he can get her to take us with her." BB looked at Cyborg.
"Well…it's her choice…I'll call him to let him know though." Cyborg opened a channel.
Nightwing and Raven where on their way back to the tower when his comm. started beeping. When he opened it up and seen the expression on Cyborg's face, he knew something came up.
"What's up Cyborg?" Nightwing had a reserved look on his face.
"It's Star…she's leaving earth tonight to get married to a Ronald Xzaiver…she doesn't want us to go." Cyborg looked to the side.
"If that's her wish…even though I hate to say it…we aren't going, we have to make arrangements anyway." Nightwing looked to Raven and smiled.
"You mean…you popped the question? What did she say?" Cyborg looked shocked.
"He will become a Prince to the 5th Circle of Hell." Raven deadpanned. Nightwing looked at her with shock.
"Did you have to tell him? You do realize what this means, right?" Drake turned to Nightwing with a mischievous smile.
"No…" Nightwing looked confused.
"Well, it means you get many perks! First off you will gain true immortality, which means even with decapitation you'll live. Second you'll gain demon blood, which comes with it's own powers and abilities. Flaws…anything holy will burn you…that's about it. But you will have one more thing that a demon will not have…Love, plain and simple. Most marry for power anyway." He grinned and cackled manically.
"Don't tell me he's there…" Cyborg looked worried.
"I'm here…and here…and here!" Drake appeared in the comm. and then appeared next to Cyborg.
"Dude! That was so cool!" BB's voice could be heard in the background.
"I'll make the arrangements…" Raven looked to Nightwing.
"That's…fine by me." Nightwing smiled back.
"It just so happens I have what you need…'The Circle of Merlin', It's needed when a mortal wish's to wed a Demon or half-Demon." Drake gave a knowing smile.
"Why is that?" Nightwing asked as he pulled Raven closer.
"I can't say just yet…I'll leave you in suspense…" Drake laughed and faded out. Nightwing flipped the comm. closed and looked at his bride to be with a question in his eyes.
"I'll see if I can look it up…for now lets get back to the tower." She teleported them to their room for some alone time.
When Starfire returned to Red X's hide out, X was getting ready for another job.
"Benorphka? We need to get ready to depart for my home planet…" She pulled him into a hug.
"Wha-, why?" X looked a little agitated.
"It is to get married…and for you to ascend the throne with me." She held onto him as if he was going to leave.
"Well…lets get going." He wrote a note for Loki to do the job for him, packed a quick suitcase and left with her.
Raven found no reference to 'The Circle of Merlin' in any of her books and she was tempted to ask Jinx is she ever heard of it. 'Why does he like pulling jokes like this?' She sighed in frustration and closed another book. 'There's one book I haven't checked…Malcheor's book…' She opened a foot-locker and pulled out the white tome.
"Yes, my dear?" The disembodied voice had a certain ooze to it.
"I ask the questions, you answer, got it?" Raven deadpanned.
"And if I refuse?" The snide remark hung in the air.
"I'll send you to meet my Father…" Her voice took an evil air.
"Sure, why not. I have nothing else better to do anyway." The nervousness was slightly in his voice.
"The 'Circle of Merlin', What is it exactly?" Her voice was a monotone.
"Well, well, that's a history lesson…short answer is: that is the circlet he placed on his head when he dealt with demons." The voice had a strange questioning air about it.
"What are it's exact uses?" Her voice never changed.
"Well it has many uses, one being to protect the bearer from any harm that might be caused by a demon, half-demon, or demon like being. Second it bestows a nullifier field around for any energy-based attacks. It does however have a side effect…it has a…sapping effect on the wearer. In other words, the person who wears it will get tired more easily from excess activity." His voice held a remembrance in it.
"What does it feed off of?" She probed.
"The wearers soul…if worn enough times in succession, the wearer becomes a soulless body." The voice held a trace of malice in it.
"Thank you." She promptly shut the book and put it back in the foot-locker before it complained. She left for the common room to find Nightwing.
Drake was watching from inside his dimension and he smiled. 'I love it when things fall into place…the machine-man will be more difficult to do…but it is still do-able…' He chuckled and looked over at his 'guest'.
"Now, now…you don't get to play with your toys yet…one more actor is still needed…and I know who…" He grinned.
"And who would that be darling?" A raspy female voice came from the 'guest'.
"I believe your daughter will do nicely…" He had a grin on his face.
"I really don't care anyway…they have to be ripe at the same time in order for that to work." She stated.
"Not to worry…THAT can be arranged…" He laughed and she glared at him.
"I hope you know what your doing." She rasped out.
"Of course I don't, I wing it all the time!" He smiled at her.
"Are you going to offer them what you offered me?" She looked questioningly at him.
"I'll think about it…Ooo! Deathball!" He was paying full attention to the open dimensional anomaly that resembled a '50's TV.
"Men!" She rasped in frustration.
Starfire and Red X meet up with the Tamarainian ship in mid-flight.
"Princess! We shall be on our way." The honor-guard saluted and set the word to the pilot.
"Is this the Princely Consort?" Another-one of the honor-guard asked stiffly, like he didn't approve.
"Yes he is my betrothed." When she said that the honor-guard bowed to X.
"Well…looks like I did get lucky…" X breathed with no sound, glad to have his mask on. Star smiled at him and lead him to their chamber.
"So…how is it a humble thief like myself got into this…predicament." X said carefully.
"Remember when we made love? You became the Princely Consort that very day, and Tamarainain law dictates that the Princely Consort must be wed in…two days, using earth time." She smiled at him, and he was really glad to have his mask on, because it hid the look of shock on his face. 'It's too late to get myself out of this…I just HAD to let the hormones get the better of me…' He didn't let on what was going through head and instead pulled her into an embrace.
One week later…
Cyborg walked into the common room to find a naked 17 year old girl with Jade colored hair laying on the floor unconscious. He ran and hit the emergency button on the wall and the rest of the Titans assembled minus one. Jinx hooked her arm around his and pulled him away as Raven teleported her to the med lab.
"Was she like that when you found her?" Jinx asked innocently to her boyfriend.
"Yeah…after I seen her I hit the button." Cyborg had his hands in a defensive position.
"He didn't have time to do anything…I was just training with him and Raven." Nightwing put a hand on Jinx's shoulder.
"What did I miss?" Beast Boy came running in.
"Nothing much…" Cyborg was cut off by the Vid-phone ringing, when he answered it, it was Starfire.
"Long time, no see Star." BB looked happy for second and then noticed the down cast face.
"What's wrong Star?" Cyborg looked uneasy.
"I'm afraid that I can't come back to Earth…I have ascended the throne of Tamaran with my new husband and can no longer leave…I will miss you all…" She gave a sad smile to her former teammates.
"That's why you didn't want us to come…you knew it would be a one-way trip…Starfire, just remember this, life is what you make it. Be sure to call on a decent schedule, we want to keep in touch with you, ok?" Nightwing just smiled a knowing smile.
"Yes Friends…I'll do that…take care." And with that the screen went dead. Raven walked in with a serious look on her face.
"What's wrong?" Nightwing looked in her eyes.
"That is no ordinary girl…she is three-fourths demon, one-fourth human. Whoever her mother was…sent her to a different place other than Azarath." She looked down and then at Nightwing.
"Girl? What girl?" BB looked confused.
"The one in our med lab right now." Raven deadpanned. BB left the common room nonchalantly.
"Jinx, Rae, take turns keeping watch on her…I don't want her left alone…" Nightwing looked at the both of them and they nodded back. Raven teleported back to the med lab before BB arrived there. The alarm started blaring and Nightwing was at the computer already pulling up the information.
"Its Mammoth and Gizmo…Their in the tech district, Jinx and Cyborg go ahead. Me and BB will catch up to you." Nightwing barked out the orders and both Jinx and Cyborg complied. Nightwing got up and headed toward the Med Lab. When Nightwing got to the Med Lab, he saw Raven pushing him out.
"Hey BB, you'll have enough time to visit after we stop the gruesome twosome, besides I need a lift there." Nightwing smirked and BB let out an impatient sigh.
Gizmo had been thoroughly disabled due to Jinx and Mammoth was still having a strength contest with Cyborg. Jinx was standing watch over a very mad Gizmo.
"Crud-munching Titans!" Gizmo grumbled.
"Yo' grass stain! Need some help over 'ere!" Cyborg looked like he was feeling the pressure. BB morphed into an elephant and rammed Mammoth into the building.
"Cyborg! We'll handle him." Nightwing sprung into action kicking Mammoth back down, but getting tossed out of the building by the very person he kicked. BB morphed in to a T-rex and glowered at Mammoth. Nightwing jumped behind Mammoth and gripped his head like he was going to snap his neck.
"All I have to do is one quick movement and its all over…do you surrender?" Nightwing's voice was harsh. Mammoth had a nervous look in his eyes.
"I give, I give!" Mammoth's voice was full of fear. Nightwing didn't move a muscle.
"I'm going to wait till the police arrive." Nightwings voice was full of malice.
"There're on their way…" BB looked nervously to Nightwing, then to Cyborg and Jinx.
"Good." Nightwing replied. All their looks said the same thing, 'What's changed him?'
BB looked over the girl in the Med Lab and had a starry eyed look in his face. Raven was calmly reading a book while keeping an eye on the patient and BB. When BB turned away from the girl, he looked right at Raven.
"Raven…I'm just wondering…what's changed Rob-er-Nightwing?" He fidgeted nervously.
"What do you mean by changed?" She looked concerned and put down her book.
"He looked like he was gonna…kill Mammoth. I know the guy is a sleaze-wad and all, but…doesn't mean that he deserves to die…Please don't tell him I told you!" He looked pleadingly at her. She closed her eyes and gave a short nod; he smiled at her as Jinx entered the room.
"My turn…get some sleep." Jinx sat down and glared at BB.
"I'm gone…" He had that whiney voice as he retreated from the room.
"No change…wake Nightwing when she comes to." Raven instructed.
"Will do." Jinx relaxed as Raven left. Raven looked thoughtful while going to her and Nightwings room. 'The crime rate is steadily dropping…the criminals have either reformed or disappeared, and of course with Decimator's demise…' She didn't like where the thoughts where going.
Nightwing was looking through evidence files when Raven entered in unannounced. He looked up from what he was working on with a questioning glare.
"It's a wonder that we still have work in this town…" She hugged him from behind.
"I think that the criminals have actually started learning not to mess with this city." He replied casually.
"It's the 'masterminds' I'm talking about…They either leave, reform…or end up dead." She let it hang in the air.
"From what I hear, Decimator was killed by his own…partner, something about a double cross…" He was still looking through the evidence files and pulled one out.
"Oh? And where did you get this information?" Raven turned him around to look him in the eye.
"His partner, goes by the name of Cinder, she is like Slade in one respect, never break a contract, or be prepared for the consequences." He looked straight into her eyes and pulled her close.
"And just to let you know, Jane Doe still hasn't woke up yet…" She sat in his lap and pulled him closer. He gave her the evidence file and looked at her.
"Can you look into this? Apparently this case is magical in nature…just your expertise." He grinned and she looked annoyed.
"Did you remember that there are two spell casters in this building?" She eyed him.
"Yeah…work with Jinx on this one…and behave yourself Rae." He smirked as he pecked her on the cheek and shooed her into bed. He went to bed five minutes later.
Night wing heard a beeping that wasn't the alarm clock. He groggily looked at the time. 'Three AM…' He hit the intercom button.
"What?" He sounded annoyed.
"It's Jinx sunshine, she's up." Jinx sounded just as annoyed.
"Fine…I'll be there, just stay there to where I can question her, kay?" He got slowly out of bed and dressed himself, once he looked in the mirror and decided he looked ok he left for the Med Lab.
Jinx knew Nightwing liked late nights, but when he was got up he was grumpy! She smiled to herself. 'At least Cy ain't like that…I have to treat him special when I go to bed…' Nightwing entered and pulled up a chair to the bed with the girl on it.
"I'm Nightwing, and your name is?" He waved for Jinx to stay there and she did.
"I-I'm Molly…what am I doing here?" She looked around the room confused.
"That's what we would like to know…where were you before you appeared here?" Nightwing asked candidly.
"I was in my home…then I woke up here…where is here?" She looked confused toward him.
"Titans Tower, Jump City, California." He rattled off.
"I'm from Celeste, Ourinverg…" She trailed off as she saw the confused looks.
"I believe your not in Kansas anymore Dorothy." Jinx had a playful look in her eye.
"Quit the teasing Jinx, she's new here, just as you are." He looked hard at Jinx and she looked away. Molly looked confused at the reference.
"I'm going to bed…" Jinx began to leave.
"Hold up…Molly, you can sleep in here for now, tomarrow we'll get you a room, ok?" Nightwing began to follow Jinx out of the room. Molly nodded and fell back asleep.
When Nightwing climbed back into bed it was four in the AM. Raven stirred a little as he wrapped his arms around her waist. 'lets not have another Terra episode…I'll have Rae check her out when we get up.' He drifted back to sleep peacefully.
Raven woke up to a peacefully sleeping Nightwing. She smiled and gently kissed him. When his eyes fluttered open he took her into her arms.
"That's a nice way to get up…now lets get a shower in." When he got up he pulled her into the bathroom with him. She didn't object.