The Titans After Rasemune

by Professor Curly

The sequel to Rasemune. After the defeat of Trigon, everything is going well for the Titans. However, when a slew of new and old villains come along, the titans find themselves almost overwhelmed. What will they do? Shekron Kaizer raves: This is so great!

7. Curly and Crazy Both Start With 'C'

1Chapter Seven: Curly and Crazy Both Start With 'C'

Curly sighed as he eased himself down into a chair. His room was a little small for his tastes, but it was furnished well. He would need to add some stuff before he really became happy with it. He doubted though that he would bother though, he didn't plan to stay very long. Only as long as it took...

"This stupid curfew thing... Dang it, at ten o'clock the night is just getting started! And I don't even have a gamestation! What does that little brat expect me to do, sleep? Sheesh..."

"Yes, sleep. You know, it's what normal people do at night."

"Well they can have at it, I know much better things to do with my time." Curly said, quite peeved at the girl behind him. He managed to scream that time, but just walking out of the wall like that... it freaked him out to no end. And besides, it was invading his privacy, "Now what do you want?"

"Answers."

"Answers... Sorry, the professor isn't in right now, what do I get out of this?"

"I talk to Robin about loosening the leash a bit."

"Hmmm... I'll think about it."

"And I'll keep you company for a bit. I know you're bored."

This however, peeked the teens interest. He glanced behind him at the girl, blue cloak wrapped around her. Honestly, she scared him. Not his first, second, or third choice for someone to keep him company. Still, he didn't have any other options, "Alright, as long as you don't suck out my soul or something."

Curly regretted saying it quickly. At first anger flashed through her violet eyes, something that he could handle. Then it died, replaced by deep sadness, then there was nothing. Some said that a person's eyes were a window to a person's soul. He knew that there was something very wrong with what he'd just said.

"Um... Sorry, that was a joke."

"I know. I can't say that I've made much of an impression to the contrary, but just because I don't show my feelings doesn't mean I don't have them. Do you play chess?"

Smirking, the scientific teen waved his hand over the small two person table, inviting her to sit, "Class is in session. So then, you seem a rather odd choice for an ambassador, did bird boy put you up to this?"

"...He tried to convince me to wait till you were asleep then try to read your mind. I think he was joking, but... That's something he doesn't quite understand. Though he's getting there."

Raven came back from the closet she had entered, holding an old and worn looking box of chess pieces. She pulled out a checkered brown and black board, and the two began to place pieces in their respective spots. It turned out that Raven had the 'white' (Though they were actually brown) pieces, so moved a pawn in the center forward, "So, do you have a real name?"

"Not going to answer that one."

"Ok, any family?"

Making a counter move with his own pawn, Curly rolled his eyes, "Not going to answer that one either, look if this is all you want-"

"Alright, I get it. You aren't going to tell me things like that. So, you're 'powers', were you born with them or did you actually learn it?"

"Uh... Powers?"

"You possess an intimate knowledge of advanced technologies at a fairly young age that surpass most anything else on the planet. That counts as a power."

"Oh... I guess it does... That's hard to say really. I was born with the capacity and natural affiliation, but I had to learn the things I know."

"That makes sense... Where did you learn?"

"Hmmm... I guess there isn't any harm in that. I was taught at the Academy of Advanced Abstract Sciences."

"You've got to be kidding."

"A.K.A., mad scientist school. Well, what I always called it. I hold the record for graduation, it only took me a grand total of four years. However, my diploma was later taken back..."

"What for?"

He growled, and it wasn't at her success in taking one of his knights without him having any way to strike back. This was obviously a sore spot, "Cause I skipped the reanimation course. Sorry, I'm not Frankenstein, I don't like dead bodies."

"Reanimation? There is a school that teaches how to bring people back to life?"

"Purely theoretical, I assure you. Part of the reason why I skipped it, so far it's never worked. Frankenstein, not the guy in the book but the real one, did a lot of work in the field. He concluded, it was impossible. No one else listened apparently..."

"What other kinds of classes were taught? I mean..."

"Let's see... Beam and Ray construction, Rocketry/Aerodynamics/Missile design, Advanced Electronics & Circuitry, Electrical Production, there was an elective, Gun Design and Smithing, I took that one, Chemistry, Advanced Lighting and Sound, holograms and such, Explosives, Fields and Barriers, Breaking the Laws of Physics 101, Molecular Rearrangement, Genetics, Splicing and Enhancing, Basics of Nanotechnology-"

"Alright, I get the point. And you learned all that in four years?"

"You don't see me rearranging the molecules in your body or creating giant mutated monsters do you? No I didn't learn all of that, I took the 'hard' sciences, weapons, rocketry, things like that. I still have the highest grades in Beam and Ray design. Check."

Raven blinked, looking at the board. She tilted her head to the side, trying to figure out the plan that Curly was using. He didn't seem to have one, random moves all over the place. She just took his knight with her queen and moved on, "Have you ever heard of the H.I.V.E. Academy?"

"Dude! They were our biggest rivals in the A.S.O.!"

"The what?"

"Advanced Science Olympics. Man, they had this one little bald kid, he was the most annoying little... I considered building a heat ray and turning him into baby back ribs... He had this backpack thing, it almost did me in during the Finals."

Raven looked on in shock, "...Gizmo?"

"Ya! That was the kid's name. How did you know?"

"The H.I.V.E. is a school that trains supervillians, we fight against him and other students from that academy almost every other week."

"Well, graduates."

"What?"

"They only let them do field work after they graduate. Then they go into advanced training and evaluation."

Raven glared at him, "And you know this how?"

"Oh, I had the choice, I could've signed up with them, but Tri-A had a better science program. What?"

"You, could, have, joined, the, H.I.V.E.?" Raven asked, almost trembling in anger.

"Well, ya. What, do you think people go to the H.I.V.E.? No, no, no, it's like any other school. They go out and look for the top candidates, and try to recruit them. This old lady came and visited me, gave me a pamphlet and everything. I still have it if you want to look at it.", then he noticed the look of suppressed fury on her face, "I'll be quiet now."

"That would be a good idea." Raven sighed, dispelling all latent feelings aroused at the mention of their rival team, "Alright, so when did you go to this 'Academy of Advanced Abstract Sciences'?"

"Hmmm... I think it was when I was ten."

"That young?"

"Heh, I built a fully automatic dual clip fed automatic double barrel twelve gauge shotgun when I was eight. I'm good at what I do."

"What in the world possessed you to make a weapon like that?"

"My dad was a big gun fanatic, collector, etc. He always liked to have guns that had some feature that made them one of a kind. And, well, I decided on time I was going to make him a present. He was, shocked at first... Then it started sinking in I had a gift for stuff like that. People started coming in about that time from different places. Saying that I should develop my talents young. When the guy from Tri-A came along, I knew that was the place for me. Signed up, bang, I was off."

Taking another one of his pieces, Raven shrugged, "That's it? So four years later, you graduate. What happened then?"

Curly sighed heavily, inciting the sorceress to look up at him. He suddenly seemed older, like he had aged, and he looked like his shoulders were suddenly heavier, "Then... Let's just say I signed up with the wrong team. Check mate."

Raven glanced at the board, confirming that she had indeed lost, before taking the hint and leaving. Yet as she was about to create a portal and walk away, he asked, "How about you goth girl? How did you end up on this team?"

"...A hope."

"Hope?"

"Hope that I could be a hero."

"That tone suggests to me, oh emotional emotionless one, that this is some sort of penance. Covering up a bad past?"

"...Yes, I am."

"Wow... You're an honest person, I'll give you that. Maybe we can do this again sometime."

"Sure. Good night."

Then she was gone. Curly leaned back in his seat, arms behind his head, "Well, that's more sharing than I've done in the past two years. More than I've wanted to do in the past two years..."

He glanced back at the board, then smirked. He picked up the piece that he had won the game with, "Still, I didn't think I'd pass that one off on her. She already had both my rooks. Guess it's true what they say, never underestimate the power of a pawn. Hehehe..."

Curly shook off his memories. It was the past, nothing he could do to change it. You hear that everywhere, because it's true. The same goes for dwelling on it. Remember it, don't obsess over it. He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "Ok... I'm bored again... Let's see... Oh, he'd kill me if I did that... Oh well, wouldn't be the first time someone's tried. It seems I'm in a devious mood tonight. Muahahahaha..."

TEEN TITANS!

Robin's eyes opened slowly, and he had to blink several times before his sight adjusted to not staring at the back of his eyelids. He got up, yawning and stretching, working the kinks out of his body. Popping his neck, he made his way to his closet where he kept his several sets of uniforms. Opening the door, he reached for one, when he noticed something.

The tops were there. The gloves were there. Even the cape. Yet all of the bottom halves were gone, without a trace. His eyes widened behind the mask (Yes, he slept in it.), then narrowed angrily. He was about to slam the door when he noticed something in the corner. He picked it up, and read the note attached. Body trembling, vein in his forehead throbbing, he proceeded to stomp towards the living area.

Cyborg, Raven, Starfire, and even Beast Boy were already seated at the table, eating. They didn't know what had driven Curly to wake them up (Everyone except for Raven, she was already awake. The lab-coat wearing teen was beginning to suspect that she didn't sleep) at exactly 7 o'clock, but he had made breakfast, so who cared?

Technically he wasn't breaking the rules, since Raven was following him around asking him what he was doing the entire time, that questioning/accusing glare fixated on her face. Yet her eyes betrayed a measure of actual curiosity. She knew, as all of them knew, you couldn't predict what the 'semi-mad' boy was going to do.

The door slid open, and Robin entered, practically spontaneously combusting with anger. His jaw clenched, he walked slowly over towards the table. Curly, who was sitting with his back to the approaching boy wonder, leaned his chair back, tilting his head up so he could look at Robin without actually turning.

He gave a taunting whistle, "Nice P-Js, did you forget to change this morning?"

Cyborg and Beast Boy sniggered at this. Robin's eye twitched a few times. He was beyond angry, he was to the 'say-something-smart-again-and-I'm-going-to-kill-you' phase. Walking over to the table (Curly leaning forward in his chair, bringing the front two legs to rest on the ground again), he slammed something down on the table.

"Care to explain this?"

It was a faded pair of blue jeans. Nothing particularly interesting about them, they looked about the right size for Robin. No one really got it until the boy wonder flipped them over, revealing a large piece of paper taped to them. It read, in letters that took up the whole page, one simple word.

'Pants'.

Cyborg and Beast Boy thought a moment, before bursting out in laughter. Raven shook her head, rolling her eyes at this new prank. Starfire, while not entirely understanding, knew enough to know that this was another joke, picking up on everyone else's (Excluding Robin) general attitude towards it, also began to giggle.

Curly just shrugged, suppressing his own laughter, "I figured you could use some help, it didn't seem like you knew what pants were-"

Bursting into cackles, he dodged a swing from the leader of the titans, who began to chase the lab-coat clad trickster around the tower. General mayhem ensued, with Beast Boy and Cyborg cheering them on, switching from one combatant to the other at random intervals.

"GET BACK HERE!"

"CATCH ME IF YOU CAN BIRD BOY!"

"GOTCHA!"

"AHHH! GET OFF ME!"

"GO CURLY! GIVE HIM ALL YOU GOT!"

"ROBIN! ROBIN! ROBIN! ROBIN!"

"OW! OW! OW! OW!"

"NOT SO FUN WHEN IT'S YOUR HEAD BEING SLAMMED INTO THE GROUND IS IT?"

Curly managed to stop himself from being bashed into the floor, and spun around with one leg out, tripping Robin up. He then dove on the smaller fighter, getting him into an arm lock, "Say uncle!"

It took the boy wonder about three seconds to get out of the hold and toss his opponent over his shoulder. He slammed down, the breath knocked out of him. Robin by this time was also out of breath, so they just sat there for a while.

"Now, where are, the other, halves of my, uniform?"

"I, put them, under, your bed."

"How did you, get into, my room?"

"The same way I got out of mine..."

"Seems you've violated our agreement."

"Pfft, if anything I've solidified it. Honestly, if I was meaning you harm, I would've done a lot more than hide you're tights."

"THEY ARE NOT TIGHTS!"

"Fine, fine, they aren't tights. Ug... Fine, I'm rebellious and mischeivious, but have I done anything to suggest I'm not trustworthy? No, so then, take off the curfew thing, and I'll stop messing with you."

"Give me proof."

Curly managed to sit up, "Alright, ye of little faith. I'll..."

"Honestly Robin, just accept him. Unless you want to continue to be on the receiving end of these pranks, give him what he wants. It's not all that unreasonable. Refuse if you will, but I personally would grow tired of being the morning comedy show." Raven stated in her monotone, sipping her tea. Robin glared at her, before shrugging.

"Fine. You know what, fine. But if he blows up the tower or turns on us, remember I was the one who tried to make sure it didn't happen."

"I can't get much off of him, but he means us no harm."

"And she's psychic remember, so I trust her judgement on this one."

Raven glanced over at the emerald changeling, "You're just say that because you find his jokes amusing."

"You're point?"

"Nothing... I'm going to go meditate, DON'T disturb me."

She floated off, and things started to turn to the standard schedule. Robin slowly just let it go, he was trying to follow the True Master's words as much as possible. He did take things far too seriously. He just went into the gym, worked out for a while, trained on his punching bag, then started his all consuming research.

Starfire started to play with her pet worm-thing Silky. She flew around with it, almost squished it with a rolling pin, fed it non-radioactive food, cuddled with it. You know, the basic stuff aliens did with little worm-things.

That left Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Curly. Who could be found on the couch, trying desperately to win against each other at gamestation. It could be broken down like this: Cyborg was better at fighting games, Curly was good at first person shooters, Beast Boy was good at third person shooter type things, and they were all about equal at racing.

"Ya, you can't catch this!"

"Don't bet on it tin-man!"

"Bring it on four eyes!"

"You're going down for that one grass stain!"

"Hey, only Cy gets to call me that!"

"Really? Raven seemed rather found of the nickname."

"...She's an exception. I'm too scared of her to tell her to stop."

All three of them shared a grim nod, and Cyborg and Curly said at the same time, "I hear that."

The moment of peace lasted, well, a moment, as they resumed yelling at each other almost immediately. As Cyborg played the game, watching his car weave and dodge between Beast Boy's and Curly's, he suddenly had a flashback of that night. When he and Curly had really raced. It got his adrenaline going.

"Come on man, you didn't beat me on the street and you aren't going to beat me here."

The curly haired teen froze. Then he caught on, "I DID beat you on the street, and I WILL beat you here!"

"Bring it on!"

"Hey, don't forget about me!"

"Who could, you talk so much!"

"Oh ya tin-man?"

"Ya grass stain!"

"OH YA! EAT MY CARBON FILLED DUST!"

"You passed me! I can't believe you passed me!"

"You can't keep up with da' Professor!"

"HAHA! WHAT NOW! BLEW YOU BOTH AWAY!"

"NOT FOR LONG GRASS STAIN!" Both older boys yelled at the same time.

And so the day went. Of course, there was no way that this was going to last. After all, without exception, some idiot would try to steal something or blow something up. Like now.

The lights suddenly turned red and began to flash, the air being pierced by high pitched alarms. Everyone knew the signal, assemble in the main area. The gamestation automatically switched off, letting the tv switch to a display of the city.

Robin ran in, in full uniform this time, "What's the situation?"

"It seems we have an old friend causing havoc downtown." Cyborg told him grimly.

"Who?"

"Mad Mod."

Clenching his teeth together, he had to calm himself for a few seconds. He still remembered the last little run in with the British criminal. He knew that being ninety seven years old was no fun. And had never really gotten over the fact. C'mon, he had been turned into an old man, that's just wrong!

"Titans, move. Let's make sure he stays in jail this time."

They all scrambled, Cyborg and Robin heading for their vehicles, Raven, Starfire, and Beast Boy flying off. Curly just leaned back and relaxed, until the half-robot titan yelled to him, "Hey man, you coming?"

"I dunno, am I?"

Robin glared, "Yes, you are coming. Step to it."

"Alright, alright, don't get your tights in a twist now. Sheesh..." Curly yelled, jumping up and running to his own car. When they got to the garage, the roar of three engines filled the air, and the garage door opened. They zoomed out, and as they were about to hit the water a bridge rose out of it. They drove across to the mainland, then when they were all over it slid back under the water. One of the more clever devices Cyborg had thought up.

"Ok, Curly, just follow our lead. I know you can take care of yourself, but Mod is unpredictable. I want you to stay back this time."

"I'll get as close as I need to be thanks. Don't worry, I'm much more unpredictable than he could ever be."

"That's part of the problem..." The boy wonder mumbled under his breath. Then he shook the thought off, "Just, keep it together. That little bust you pulled didn't attract much attention, but the media drinks up these super-villain/hero stories. This is going to be you're first major step into the limelight, and as far as the public is concerned, you're one of us."

"Um... I'm pretty good at staying out of sight, thanks."

"What do you mean?" Cyborg asked, eyebrow raised.

"Look, I got some old friends that I really don't want to know where I am ok?"

"Meaning?"

"What do you think it means? Just cause I don't have a big letter across my chest or a tower that physically shouldn't be standing doesn't mean I haven't made my fair share of enemies over the years."

"...If the Justice League comes knocking on the door asking for you, I'm going to be extremely perturbed."

"The Justice League is a boy scout convention with some overly done up babes in it for good looks. Oh wait, you're good guys, never mind."

"...Do I want to know why you've come to that conclusion?"

"You do, but I really don't feel like telling you."

"It's that kind of attitude that makes me not want to trust you."

"You'd think you'd have gotten used to it by now."

"I for one remember all the times that this team has been betrayed by someone they called 'friend', and I'm not keen on repeating the experience."

"I feel you, neither am I."

"Stop talking in riddles!"

"It's not a riddle, it's a statement. If you trust one thing about me bird boy, trust this: When I want you to know something, you'll know it ok?" Curly sighed, "Do I really have to stay for the media convention?"

"You'll only arouse more questions if you don't."

"That's true. And even if you stayed at the tower, someone would start asking questions about the new guy hanging around was. Just be your crazy self, who knows, you may get a fan club."

Rolling his eyes, the semi-mad scientist shook his head, "Great, a fan club. That's all I need... Oh well, I guess it has been pretty lonely... Anyway, who is this Mod guy-"

Suddenly, from no where, a sleek, black car swerved around a corner, almost side-swiping the T-Car. It's speed matched the other vehicle's pursuing it, as it sped along just ahead of them. All of their guy titans mouth's, Robin's included, hung low and filled with drool as they looked at it.

"Jaguar! Yes!"

Then an all too familiar red head appeared on their displays, straightening his glasses, "Hello my duckies, did you miss me?"

"Duckies?"

"Oi, I don't remember that voice. Who is that?"

"This is uh, your conscience. Ya, your conscience. You're going to pull over and surrender, then give me the keys to that car."

"Well, aren't you a smart one. I'm afraid not my ducky, you're flat out of luck. I haven't had a conscience in fifty years!", He shifted gears, and began to speed away, "British engineering, can't beat that! Ahahahaha!"

"...Did that guy just indirectly insult America?"

Cyborg nodded, "Ya, he did."

A newly formed patriotic fire in his eyes, and you could almost see the American flag waving in the background as he switched into high gear, "Hurray for the red, white, and blue!"

"BOYAA!"

"TITANS, GO!"

Then the race was on. Good versus bad. Right versus wrong. New versus old. America versus England. Um... ran out of versus... Anyway, they were off. Easily going two hundred, if not more. Curly was following behind Cyborg, who followed behind Robin. Mod was driving in a clearly deranged manner. Well, British anyway...

Mostly staying on the left... Silly British people... Anyway, Mod's car was more than fast. Two lasers came out from under the car, and began firing. Robin swerved, going down another road to avoid getting hit. Cyborg activated the T-Car's own lasers, firing his own barrage. Of course, the crazed Englishmen dodged that without a scratch, laughing all the way and just blasting everything.

Then Curly pulled up along Cyborg. Two lasers extended out from the sides, charging with energy. There was a split second pause, before both teens opened fire full on. The combined weaponry of the two was more than anyone could hope to weave through, and Mod's car was bombarded.

Somehow though, it remained functional, and one of Mod's guns pulled a potshot off that sent the T-Car spinning and skidding to halt. This left Curly and Mad Mod to duke it out one on one. Curly's vision began to focus in, his concentration solely on his target. He set his lasers to maximum power, and his finger hovered over the trigger...

When suddenly the road in front of Mod shot upwards, wrapped in a black aura. The shot that Curly fired hit only the road as the Jaguar flew into the air. The explosion from the laser meeting the upraised pavement send debris, smoke, and dust everywhere. He blinked, before growling in frustration.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"What do you want goth girl?"

"That would've blown his car into a million pieces! Are you trying to kill him?"

"Our normal shots aren't working, if you have a bright idea please do tell. Other wise just stay out of my way!"

The conversation was born of anger and frustration. It could've turned ugly very fast. But at that moment Curly realized what was going on. These guys... this team, they had everything down. Harmony, they worked in perfect harmony. They didn't need to tell each other their ideas, it just flowed naturally. And he was just an extra cog in the system, probably more of a hindrance than a help.

He was a loner. He knew it to, and was perfectly happy with it. But for this he couldn't be the lone gunman, he had to be apart of this team. If he didn't want four years, practically his life's work to go to waste, he had to make this work.

And with a new conviction, he increased his speed, using the same bit of road that Raven had pulled up to ramp up into the sky. As he flew in mid-air, soaring forward at an ever increasing speed, small jets appeared on the side of the car, pushing the car till it was traveling backwards.

"YEE-HAW!"

Mod didn't know what was going on when a car suddenly crashed down in front of him, "What the? Oi, out of the way you bloody yank!"

"Yippie ky yay! Come on, you can't get around me."

Mod tried to go around to the side, but Curly stayed right with him, keeping the other car from passing him. Finally the Brit began to fire with his car's weapons, the American teen quickly doing likewise. Burns, dents, and cracks began to appear on both cars as they exchanged blows.

Opening up a private link to the Titans, the professor said, "Our British friend is about to pull a Tony Hawk. You may want to set up so you can blast the engine right out from under him in about... ten seconds."

"What?" Robin asked as he drove along, monitering the two car's progress by radar. Then he noticed where Curly was leading Mod. A smirk on his face, Robin ordered the team, "Ok guys, everyone get to the skate park. You'll know what to do."

Cyborg pulled up behind Mod, finally catching up with the chase. He readied his weapons, when Curly's face appeared on the moniter, "Don't bother. Pull up closer, then get ready to turbo and brake within about a second of each other in five, four, three, two, one... NOW!"

In a move that put the Fast and the Furious to shame, Curly hit his brakes and spun his car around before hitting the gas again. This brought him right next to the T-Car, and about ten feet behind Mod's car. Oh, by the way. Mod's eyes were popping out of his skull as he saw what he was heading for.

Jump City Skate Park.

The crazed Brit began to turn, but before he could deter his path in the slightest Curly yelled, 'TURBO!', and his car suddenly got a speed push from a double battering ram from behind. Screaming at the top of his lungs, Mod careened right through the front gate of the skate park. Dodging several items, he couldn't turn in time to miss a concrete quarter pipe. His car went up...

And rocketed straight upwards. Robin ramped into the park, tossing a few exploding disks which blew up on the underside of the Jaguar. Starfire also fired several starbolts, adding to the damage, which Raven picked up rubble and random objects. The car was trashed, gutted from the engine up. It slammed back into the ground, somehow managing to land on it's wheels, all four of which promptly fell off along with the bumper and a tail light. Smoke poured from under the hood.

Mad Mod jumped out and began to run a little shakily. In fact, he probably would've escaped, except for one small detail. One small, green detail that fell right out of the sky. Mod went down as Beast Boy landed on top of him, and before he could crawl away the changeling morphed into an elephant and put his foot on the Brit's chest.

Curly and the rest of the Titans arrived a few moments later, the leader striding confidently over to the stricken super-villain.

"Hehe, 'allo gov'ner."

"You're staying down this time Mod." Robin told him, reaching into the man's jacket and pulling out a cane which he broke over his knee. Mod aged about sixty years, and his body went limp in defeat.

Beast Boy morphed back into a human as police came and cuffed Mod, dragging him away, "Aw ya, go us, we win, again, we win, again..."

"Nice save there Beast Boy."

"I'm just that good."

Curly meanwhile was still freaking out, "WHAT THE HECK MAN? WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM! HE AGED SIXTY YEARS IN THREE SECONDS!"

"It was his cane. Somehow he figured out a way to make himself young again using it. We're still trying to figure out how exactly."

"Dang... I mean, dang... That's just weird..."

They had no more time for discussion, as at that moment about ten news vans appeared, and camera crews jumped out of them, surrounding the teenage superheroes like ants over a piece of dropped candy.

"Titans, you've taken down Mad Mod again, how do you do it?"

"Starfire, are the rumors that you and Robin are dating true?"

"Well-"

Then one of them noticed Curly, who was slowly making his way, well, away. Back to his car, and away from the news, he blurted out, "Have the titans gained a new member? Who is this stranger that helped you?"

That was the drop that broke the dam. They washed over Curly like a tidal wave, "What's you're name?"

"Cu-"

"What are you're powers?"

"I'm-"

"Can you fly?"

"Kinda-"

"When did you join the Titans?"

"I never-"

"Are you secretly a spy for Slade?"

"No, and why would I-"

"Look over here, come on, don't hide. Jump City wants to welcome it's newest defender!"

"I'm not a Teen Titan."

"So then, how long have you been on the team? Come on, we need answers, answers!"

"I'm trying to tell you, I-"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"What's you're favorite color?"

"How old are you?"

"When's you're birthday?"

"What's you're mother's maiden name?"

"How much can you bench press?"

"Are you psychic?"

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. Rearing up to his full height, he slammed his foot down and screamed at the top of his lungs, "ONE AT A TIME DANG IT!"

Silenced filled the air. A breeze blew a tumbleweed across the scene. Then after taking a breath, Curly said, "Ok, you."

"Are you a member of the Titans?"

"No."

"Then what are you?"

"Consider me freelance. I'm helping them take down someone."

"Are you a mercenary?"

"No."

"So then, what's your name?"

Running a hand through his hair, he smirked, "Call me Curly. Professor Curly..."

TEEN TITANS!

"Call me Curly. Professor Curly."

The interview continued, as he watched with his one good eye. Slade sat, legs crossed, fingers intertwined in front of him, staring at the large television screen. He stood up, then rewound the footage.

"Are you a member of the Titans?"

"No."

"Then what are you?"

"Consider me freelance. I'm helping them take down someone-"

He paused it there, before rubbing his chin, "Hmmm... This is something I hadn't forseen. No matter, no one will be able to stop me, not while my plan has come this far."

His dark chuckle echoed throughout the hideout. It was enough to make lesser men faint. Enough to make a hero's blood run cold.

Enough to make a superhero's rage overflow.

"Interesting... Still, I wonder how this will affect the game. I may have to move at a slightly slower pace. Professor Curly... Hehehe..."