Disclaimer: I still don't own the Teen Titans…
Gunsmokeand Black Roses… Chapter One
'Gentlemen… we have here: a new breed of soldier.'
A… soldier?
'Fifteen times normal limb strength…'
I'm that strong?
'It's cognitive functions read normal…'
It? I'm… an it?
'The prototype is now complete…'
So… I'm only a prototype…
'Alive, yes. Unique or significant, no.'
No… I AM…. I know I am… you're wrong…
A young, brown-haired boy in overalls and a black leather jacket awoke sweating and gasping… he looked around frantically, cutting his eyes all around his unfamiliar surroundings.
He was on a white, infirmary bed in Titan's Tower… on a small table next to his bed was his gear, all there and loaded.
He looks back and forth between his gear and the room… at first, he can't remember how or why he got here…
Then, he remembered everything. He was a prototype 'super-soldier.' But he was only a prototype… once they were sure he worked properly and lived up to their expectations, they were simply going to dispose of him, like he was just some useless, broken tool.
What they hadn't counted on… was their little 'secret weapon' developing thoughts and a free will of his own.
He hadn't wanted to die… he wanted to live. And he was tired of being an 'it.' A tool, a weapon… he wanted to be a person, like everyone else had been… was that too much to ask for?
So he'd gotten out… and capped a few of those military bastards on his way out the door… and he'd taken his equipment with him.
He had known he didn't have much time before Wagner's tranquilizer took it's effect. So, he had gone to the biggest building he could find, thinking he could hide there… and here he was…
"Well… I see you're awake." A voice said from the shadows.
The boy gasped and whipped around… and there stood a guy with white robes, blue crystal armor, a sword at his side, a shield, and red eyes and white hair… whom we already know to be Sub-Zero.
"I guess those tranquilizers wore off, eh?" Zero chuckled. "You were pretty drugged up with the stuff when you got here."
The boy calmed himself somewhat when he realized Zero wasn't hostile.
"Who are you? Where am I?" he groaned.
"Me? The name's Sub-Zero… but you can just refer to me as 'Zero' for short, if you like… and you're at Titan's Tower."
"Titan's… Tower?" he whispered, blinking.
"Right." Zero nodded. "And what's your name, anyway?"
The boy was silent… he HAD no name… did he?
"… It." He said simply.
"'It?' Your name can't be 'It'!" Zero protested. "That's just strange…"
"Or… maybe…. Prototype?" The boy offered, thinking this might work. "I'm not… really sure…"
"Pro—wait a minute… are you telling me you don't even know your own name?" the knight demanded in disbelief.
"I… I don't really… have a name." He said simply.
Zero blinked and ran a hand through his snowy hair. "Well… I guess… we'll just have to make one up, huh?"
The boy shrugged and remained silent.
Sub-Zero looked over at the boy's gear… a shotgun with four barrels, a pair of old-style revolvers… and a chainsaw with a custom blade… he tried to think of a name that would fit the boy… then, it hit him. What do a shotgun, a pair of pistols, and a chainsaw have in common? They all let off… smoke.
"AHA! Got it! How about…" Zero paused for dramatic effect. "… Smoke?"
The boy blinked… and for the first time in his short life, he genuinely smiled. "Smoke?…. I…. I like it…."
"Great! Smoke it is, then… " Zero said with a clap of his gloved hands. "Now, if you're feeling up to it… I'll introduce you to my friends… they're awake by now, I'm sure."
The newly named Smoke stared. "By now? How long have I been knocked out?"
"Oh, about nine hours…" Zero answered. "That tranquilizer had quite a kick. Who shot you anyway?" the young knight looked genuinely concerned.
"Well… it's a long story… a VERY long story… but to be brief, I'm being pursued…" Smoke explained.
Zero looked at him with concern and curiosity. "Pursued? By who?"
"The military. Let's just say… I belong to them… and they want me back." The young gunman explained sadly.
"Belong to them? You can't belong to anybody. That's slavery, and it's wrong." Zero insisted simply.
Smoke just shrugged again.
"Say… if you… do you have a place to stay?" The knight asked, getting an idea.
Smoke looked up, perplexed. "Uh… no…. not really…" he answered honestly; he really didn't.
"Great! You can stay with us! For a while at least…" Zero said with a lopsided grin, punching his palm. "Of course, I'll have to make sure with Robin, but I'm sure he'll think it's a splendid idea."
"Uhhh…. No…. really… you don't have to…" Smoke tried to protest nervously, but Zero cut him off.
"Nonsense! I can't just leave you out without a place to stay." The knight said firmly.
"But… don't you get it? If I stay here, neither of us would be safe. If they came for me…" Smoke began protesting, but was cut off again.
"I assure you, Monsieur… I'm not helpless; neither are my friends. And from the looks of things…" Zero paused and looked over at the small arsenal on the table. "… Neither are you."
"Well… I'm just a bit of a marksman, that's all." The boy said… of course, from the way he was gunning down those guards earlier, we all know he's just being modest.
"The point is…" Zero continued, "… You are more than welcome to stay, if Robin and the others agree."
"Robin… who's Robin?" Smoke asked.
"Well, Robin's kind of the boss around here. The Fearless Leader." Zero explained. "If you'll wait here in the infirmary, I'll go get him, and the others, and I'll introduce you!"
Smoke sighed loudly, seeing he simply couldn't win an argument with the snowy-haired youth. "Well… if you really think so…. Then go for it, I guess…"
Ten Minutes Later:
Beast Boy and Cyborg were currently in the kitchen whipping up some breakfast.
"Hey B.Boy… which do you think: waffles… or eggs?" The bionic teen asked thoughtfully.
"Hmm…. Waffles, definitely." B.B. replied. "Hey Cy… have you seen the soy milk? I can't find it…"
"I threw it out. It went bad yesterday." Cy explained.
"WHAT? And you didn't tell me?" The shape shifter demanded.
"Relax… we'll buy you some more the next time we go shopping'" Cy reassured.
The pair was interrupted from their conversation when a yawning Tamaranean walked into the room.
"Glorious morning my friends! Are we to feast on the cakes of the pan this morning as we did yesterday?" Starfire bubbled, referring to the pancakes they'd had yesterday for breakfast.
"Nope… waffles." Cy said, yawning. For the life of him, he couldn't see how on Earth the alien girl could be so perky in the morning…
A few minutes later, Robin and Raven walked in, about six minutes apart from each other.
And a few minutes after that, Jinx came in last, yawning widely.
"… (Yawn)… G'morning guys…. " She yawned. Then, the first thing out of her mouth, "Is Zero up yet?"
"I dunno… we haven't seen him." Robin said shrugging, helping Cy with the waffle batter.
"Oh, yeah…. I'm up." Zero said, walking into the kitchen.
"Zero!" Jinx squealed and ran over to give him a hug. "Good morning, sweetie."
"Mornin', darling…" The knight said, hugging the pink haired girl back, and giving her an affectionate peck on the cheek. "What's for breakfast, anyway?" Zero finished, turning to Cyborg.
"Waffles." Cy replied, putting the first of the batter into his large waffle iron. "And don't you guys have a better place to do that than in the kitchen?" He added, though he was just joking.
Sub-Zero didn't respond… but he just looked intently at the waffle iron.
"Hey, Cy… how long before those things are ready… ten or fifteen minutes?" Zero asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, I guess that's about right." The mechanical man responded.
"Good… I need you guys to do something for me, if you've got time… It can wait 'till after breakfast, but still… I'd like to do it now." Sub-Zero explained, looking at his friends pleadingly.
"Uh… what do you need to do?" Robin asked hesitantly.
"Just come with me down to the infirmary for a couple minutes… you'll see why."
Back in the Infirmary…
Smoke was lying on his side, his guns, backpack, and saw back on him. For some reason, he actually felt more comfortable with them on… even though most people would find such weapons awkward or restrictive.
He sighed heavily… where'd that stiff with the sword go, anyway? He said he'd be right back with his friends…
Friends… heh.
They welcomed him now… hopefully, anyway… but if he let on for a moment what he was… they'd have him out in an instant.
Smoke looked intently at his hand. It looked… perfectly normal… but he knew that it wasn't. Normal people have naturally occurring hands… his had been built to specific standards… just as the rest of him had. He was a… not a machine; that wasn't the right word. There was nothing mechanical about him; he knew that. But he was… fake. He was an artificial person, built from a few, super-enhanced cells in a damn test tube…
He was a monster. A freak. An accident that should have never happened…
Smoke was interrupted from his angst-filled reverie by the sound of footsteps coming toward the infirmary… he gulped, and grabbed the curtain around his white cot and pulled it closed, hiding himself… if only momentarily. He couldn't look at them…
"So why are we down here anyway, Zero?" Smoke heard a female voice say. It was highly feminine, and seemed almost like a purr.
"Oh, you'll see Jinx…" Smoke recognized this voice… it was the swordsman with white hair who'd taken him in.
"It had better be good, dude… I'm hungry, and those waffles aren't going to eat themselves!" Another voice, male, but high-pitched and somewhat whiny.
"Hush, Beast Boy… I'm sure Zero's got some good reason for bringing us down here…" This voice was female, but monotone and gravelly…
"She's right… but why the infirmary, bro? You didn't decide to do a little spring cleaning while we were asleep, did you?" A deep, masculine voice.
"Oh, Friend Zero, I can no longer contain my curiosity! What is the surprise you have been leading us to?" This voice a girl's, too; twittering and bubbly.
"Just relax, guys… He'll tell us when he's good and ready." This voice was baritone and authoritarian; it sounded like a young man.
Finally, Smoke heard the footsteps getting very close to him…. And Sub-Zero told his companions, "Wait here…"
Then, the curtain opened up. There stood Sub-Zero, grinning and looking at the young gunman expectantly.
"Well… you ready?" He chuckled.
Smoke just took a deep breath and nodded. Making sure his arsenal was on right; he stood up and followed Zero…
Meanwhile, the Titans were waiting in the front room of the infirmary when Zero stepped through the doorway.
"Well, you guys are wondering why I brought you here, hm? Truth be told… I've got someone I'd like to introduce to you guys…" The knight grinned good-naturedly and waved a hand to the doorway. "Friends… Titans…. Countrymen…. I'm pleased to present… Smoke."
After a moment of silence, a boy edged nervously out the door and stood next to Zero. His dark brown hair was spiky, he wore a white muscle shirt and overalls, a black leather jacket with collar turned up and a camo backpack… not to mention, two revolvers and a chainsaw at his hip, and a quadruple barreled shotgun on his back. His golden hazel colored eyes darted back and forth between Zero and the Titans.
In response to his friends stunned looks, Zero smiled and explained. "This fellow… came to us in the dead of night, while you guys were asleep… thank goodness, I was awake because…"
Jinx cut him off. "Wait a minute… you weren't eating Ice Cream again, were you?" the sorceress demanded.
"Uh… well… I, uh…." It was Sub-Zero's turn to look nervous.
"What have I told you about that? It's not good for you!" Jinx hissed angrily, but when she saw Zero cower at her anger, she sniffled and apologized. "I'm sorry… anyway, what were saying, sweetie?"
"I, uh… right. Smoke here, was in need of a place to stay last night, so… I took the liberty of letting him use an infirmary bed." Zero finished.
Starfire was the first to react. Smoke yelped, startled, when Star flew over and looked him dead in the face.
"Your name is Smoke? How did you get here? What is your favorite color? What is your favorite food? Do you wish to be my friend?" She asked her trademark 'Star's-new-friend questions' in rapid succession.
"Uh, well, I… I ran at first, when the tranquilizer kicked in I … stumbled. I guess I like… uh… I'm not sure… " He looked at his clothes, and was struck by the color of his backpack. He pointed to it.
"This color, I guess… camouflage. I don't really have a favorite food… I could never taste my food at the military base anyway… it came in through a needle. And… I… I guess I'd like to be your friend, if you don't mind…"
"Wait… military base? You're a soldier? Is that why you got enough guns there to take on the Russian army?" Cy chuckled. "And what's with the chainsaw? I've never seen one that long… or with a curved blade like that…." He finished curiously.
Smoke smiled for a second and unhooked his saw from his overalls. He held it up for the Titans to look at, silvery exhaust pipes, brown handle and body, and long, curved blade all showing clearly.
"This… is a specially customized, indestructible, gasoline powered chainsaw. It was designed specifically for me." Smoke explained. "And so were… these."
He hooked the saw back to his waist and removed his pistols…
"Now these little numbers… are genuine, .44 magnum, six-shot revolvers… compact, sturdy, easy to use, and packin' enough punch for guaranteed, one-hit-kills. And last…"
He put the revolvers back in the holsters on the left side of his hip. He pulled the souped-up shotgun out of his large, back-holster.
"This sweet baby, is a top secret, quadruple barreled, sawn off, 10 gauge… effectively delivers 4 times the buckshot, with minimal recoil. A hair trigger also comes standard." Smoke added, grinning proudly. "That's right… THE shotgun of choice… military top-of-the-line."
"Uh… Well then… I wasn't really expecting all that info…" Cy blinked. "But thanks for sharing…. Wait, did you say 'Top-Secret'? What are you, some kind of secret agent?" he asked.
"Um, well… not exactly…" he stuttered. He couldn't tell them… could he? Would they hate him or fear him? No… just from looking at them, he could tell that these guys weren't exactly 'normal' themselves. Hell, that short guy in the corner was GREEN.
"Well… look, if you really want to know… it's a long story." Smoke warned.
Sub-Zero stepped up from behind Cyborg.
"Don't worry… we've got all the time in the world."
Eight Minutes Later, Back at the Breakfast Table in the Kitchen…
"So, basically, what you're telling us is… you're a genetically engineered gunman, with superhuman strength and speed, as well as enhanced reflexes and coordination… the first of a line of new, 'Super-Soldiers?' And those are stolen, experimental weapons you've got?" Robin asked their new 'guest' doubtfully.
"Hey, they ain't stolen! They were built for me in the first place, right? I was just takin' back what was mine." Smoke corrected.
The Boy Wonder still had his doubts… until Raven leaned over and whispered into his ear.
"He's not lying… I read his mind. He's telling the truth." She whispered, too soft for anyone but Robin to hear.
"Well… do you think we can trust him?" Robin asked her.
"I don't see why not. He's not hostile toward us." Raven answered with a shrug.
Smoke interrupted their private conversation.
"So… I don't think I caught your names…?" he asked.
"Right… well, I'm Robin…." The Boy Wonder explained. He began to introduce the others.
"I think you've already met Sub-Zero…." He motioned toward the Knight, and then towards a pale-gray-skinned young girl in black clothes with cotton-candy pink hair in two, bull-horn shaped pigtails. "… that's Jinx…" he motioned toward the Cybernetic teen Smoke had been showing his gear to… "That's Cyborg…" … then to the green guy. "And that's Beast Boy."
Robin was interrupted when Starfire decided to introduce herself.
"Yes, and I am Starfire!" she bubbled cheerfully. "We are pleased to have you over for the break of the fast, New Friend Smoke!"
"Yeah… that's Star." Robin said. "And…. That's Raven." He pointed at a short, dour-looking girl who also had gray skin, though a little darker than Jinx's… she was wearing a blue cloak.
"Pleased to meet you." Raven said… although she said it in a low, deadpan voice that almost made the remark seem comical.
"Yeah, right back at ya, Raven." He said, grinning.
"So, are you like… a runaway, or what?" Beast Boy asked.
"I… I guess… I think they'll be looking for me, soon enough." Smoke sighed. "It's not safe for any of you if I stay here… I should get going pretty soon…"
Cyborg shook his head "You actually think those army rejects would stand a chance against us?"
"Well… I'm…" Smoke wasn't sure what to say. "They're pretty heavily armed…"
"So are we… maybe, after breakfast… we should show you just what we can do." B.B. said with a self-satisfied smirk.
"Ooooh, yes! And you can show us your skills with firearms!" Star added, beaming.
"Uh… how, exactly?" Smoke asked, hesitantly.
At the Obstacle Course…
Robin stood at a control terminal, ready to switch on the obstacle course out behind the Tower.
"Okay, Zero… you're up first." He informed the knight, who chuckled and turned to Jinx.
"Well, sweet… how about a good luck kiss?" He asked with a grin.
"Of course…" Jinx purred, leaning up and giving him a peck on the cheek "… not that you need it."
Satisfied, Sub-Zero stepped up to the starting point, and drew both Eviglasere and Snevakt… his sword and shield.
Robin counted down. "3… 2… 1… GO!"
With the press of the button, mechanical turrets popped up out of the dirt and opened automatic laser fire on the young warrior.
"Heheheh… I think you guys need to chill out…" Zero joked, sending a flurry of freezing wind and snow… the turrets were frozen solid and rendered harmless.
The knight made his way through the rest of the course, freezing or slicing anything that got in his way, blocking fire with his shield. Soon, he crossed the finish line and everybody clapped and cheered.
"Nice going Zero! Now…" Robin looked at a slip of paper he held. "Next is… Jinx."
The bad-luck sorceress displayed a mile-wide Cheshire Cat grin and her narrow, feline eyes glowed neon-pink for just a moment… then, she set off on the course just as Zero had.
Shortly after the course started… well, Smoke wasn't sure what to think. She was either pulling off some insanely complicated acrobatics… or doing the most bizarre dance moves imaginable… maybe both. The whole time, she was slinging pink bolts of energy that seemed to cause random, unpredictable things to happen to her targets. She finished almost as quickly as Zero had.
"Alright! Nice moves Jinx!" Zero cheered. Between this and the kiss earlier, Smoke was beginning to think there was some sort of… involvement, between the knight and the witch.
"Next… Beast Boy…." Robin read off.
As B.B. started the course, Smoke stared in amazement. He just changed into a green elephant! No wait… a giant python! Or no… a rhino? A giraffe? What the--? Now he was a platypus! What the Hell? Beast Boy finished the course in a quick time, just like his comrades.
"Now for Starfire…. Good luck, Star!" Robin cheered as the redhead from earlier floated over to the course.
Robin started things up again, and Star surprised the Hell out of Smoke. She took off into the air. "What the Hell? You're telling me that chick can FLY?" Smoke demanded, mouth agape. Zero just nodded and smirked.
Star took out a bunch of flying robo-drones with a barrage of green starbolts.
"Oh great… she's also the worlds largest bug zapper, apparently." Smoke chuckled.
Star finished the course in excellent time, prompting the next one up…
"Cyborg… it's all you, man." Robin said.
The big guy grinned and charged up his sonic cannon.
The course started and Cy immediately got into a fire fight with some turrets… and won in about 30 seconds.
"Damn! That cannon packs a punch…." Smoke whistled to himself, clearly impressed.
Cy blew away some more obstacles and dodged a few randomly placed booby traps, and crossed the finish line.
"Okay… time for you, Raven." Robin informed.
The dark telepath said nothing, but levitated over to the course.
The first thing to happen was a large robot with missile arms emerging from a large trapdoor. It fired at the girl, and Smoke began to get concerned… there was no way she was fast enough to dodge those missiles!
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!"
The missiles began glowing jet-black… froze in midair… and made a perfect U-Turn, blowing up the bot that had launched them… Smoke just stared, dumbfounded. Raven's magic words helped her take out a few more bots and turrets, and she hit the finish line fairly quickly.
"Well… that just leaves me." Robin sighed, nodding.
The Boy wonder pulled off several different martial arts moves as he began the course, taking out a few bots… and used a couple birdarangs and exploding discs to take out some gunner turrets… He finished the course the quickest of all so far.
Robin turned to Smoke. "Well… that just leaves you. Unless, you'd rather not, I mean."
Smoke wasn't concerned… he felt fairly certain he could get through with little trouble. So, he popped some fresh shells into his shotgun, cranked his chainsaw with a shrill whirr, and spun a revolver around on his index finger.
"Nah… let me at it." He insisted.
Meanwhile, Back at the Military Base
"Dammit! I don't care how you do it! I don't care how long it takes! JUST BRING ME THAT PROTOTYPE!", screamed professor Wagner.
"Sir, Yes Sir!" A platoon of marines responded, before leaving off to hunt down smoke.
"Sir… we've just come up with something that may help…" a technician said, walking up to Wagner.
"Yes, yes, what is it?" He asked exasperatedly.
The techie held up a vile of green liquid.
"This… is a special type of acid we've concocted. It is capable of dissolving any substance almost instantly… except human tissue."
"And how will that help?"
"If all else fails… this can be used on the prototypes weaponry… they will be dissolved, without actually harming the prototype."
(A/N: By the way… this acid can be used on other things… like, oh say… rock, for example. So say, just hypothetically… somebody was somehow encased in rock, but still alive on the inside… the rock could be melted without hurting the person…'hint hint'… if you guys don't get what I'm hinting at, I should smack you…)
Meanwhile, in space…
(A/N: Don't ya just love all these sudden, wacky scene changes…?)
Gliding slowly through the inky, black void of outer space… was Starfire.
Well, no… it's not. But she LOOKS almost like Starfire… she is, in reality, Star's older and definitely meaner sister, Blackfire. She looks identical to Star, except with black hair instead of red, and metallic under-armor under her top and skirt. In place of Star's shining emerald eyes, Blackfire had dull, bluish-grays.
'Damned Sister… damned banishment… damned Tamaran… entire damned galaxy…' Her mind growled savagely, her eyes blazing with violet fire as she did so.
Her thoughts are interrupted when she looks back and sees a large group of things…things that look like missiles with long tentacles.
With a growing look of panic, Blackfire turns around and soars at top speed towards the nearest planet: a small, mostly blue planet dotted with greens, browns, and whites. Somewhere she'd been before…
Earth.
Well that's the end of Chapter Two… and I think I've fairly thoroughly set up a few events to come. As always, read, and then review to let me know what you think.
The Mad Phantom…
