[RED X: YEAR ONE]

||Universe-16, January 1st, 2010, 01:44 CST Location: Gotham City, Otisburg District||

Red X silently moved across the buildings, as fluid as liquid- though a solid presence. He didn't rely on his now newly functional teleportation belt at all to get around the urban landscape- and instead let his body fall into a natural sort of limbo he had been trained into as he gracefully moved between buildings with practiced ease. He's needed this for a long time. The rush of moving from building to building. He was in a better place now, it feels like a part of him has slipped into where it was supposed to be. A puzzle piece in its perfect spot. Maybe he wouldn't be whole again, missing key components like his friends- however it was still enough to see the bigger picture. He took a deep breath from the air as he leaped, he glided for some distance before he used his grapple to hook onto the lip of a building and swing himself onto the roof of another.

It was like flying and falling all at once, incredible and terrifying.

It's what he always loved ever since he was a young circus boy, flight.

It's been too long since he's simply taken in the scope of the city…. a city; any city. The sheer size of how everything was incredibly large compared to him. He needed the reminder that this world wasn't just a stand-in for his old one. It wasn't a cheap cardboard cutout. This world was a living breathing thing, something that had existed before he had. Something that would hopefully continue exist after he died.

He would make sure that it would.

He used all his pent-up energy, the anticipation- the anger, the restlessness, he flushed it out of his system as he put every ounce of flourish he could into each flip, like he was trying to impress the crowd of the circus all over again. He moved with a practiced precision and used it to expend all of his feelings. Now he felt like a blank canvas, and tonight- his actions would paint the first stroke.

He patrolled the areas he knew that Batman wouldn't be near. He had tapped into the bat network earlier but only to really get a grasp on where the dark knight and Robin would be, so he could preferably; avoid them. He'd also put a system on his gauntlet computer that alerted him when the bat and bird's signals were within a two-mile range of his own location.

It was so odd calling someone else his name. The name his mother made for him. Though, this Robin seemed to have the same experiences he had that had made him don that mantle in the first place. That meant that this- other him deserved the mantle as much as he had.

Besides, Red X was the intruder on this world.

Not him.

Those thoughts still didn't make the bitterness go away entirely though.

The caped vigilante fell forward into a handspring, propelling him off of the warehouse roof and feet first onto another. His tattered cape flared behind him silently like a shadow. The smell of Gotham wasn't filtered through the mask, and instead the lingering smell of carbon lingered on the back of his teeth like a bad aftertaste.

He had stopped a few petty crimes near Park Row, mostly muggings and attempted car jackings. Though after his wrist mounted computer notified him of the bat and bird were only two miles from his location, he had silently slunk away to find a new plot of land in Gotham to look over while the caped crusader did the same. He hadn't wanted to meet the other vigilantes yet, not if he could help it.

If the Batman of this world was anything like his back home, then as soon as Batman found out about him- he'd obsessively try to find out everything about him. Then once he found out all he wanted to know, he'd probably lock him in a padded cell or something equally paranoid.

Red X wasn't going to let that happen. He couldn't let that happen. He had secrets he needed to keep. He couldn't let the world's greatest detective catch wind of him, not just yet.

Maybe it wasn't smart to stage his debut in Gotham, given his previous train of thought (not to mention how territorial the bat is), but he has his reasons.

He may not believe in fate, but he couldn't deny that there was an irresistible pull to Gotham. In this world; if he was going to start anywhere, he needed to start here. He didn't know why he just…had to. Gotham is where Robin was born, so Gotham would be where Red X was born too.

So now on the edges of the Otisburg District- he was looking for anything to catch his eye. Illegal transport and Gotham Crime Family turf wars were at the top of his list. Though a drug bust or something similar wouldn't be adverse either. Red X needed something easy, something to get his feet wet with as he started to learn how to work by himself again. It's been…. a long time since he's been completely on his own, and it wasn't for very long. Because then he had met his team. Occasionally he'd look back, expecting Starfire to be flying beside him with a smile on her face, Raven also following as a dark shadow, or Beastboy to be switching animal forms trying to keep up with him, while below them Cyborg drove the T-Car.

Then he had to remember all over again that they were gone.

The memories and the pain are washed away by the chill of the night, the breeze that flutters his tattered cape pulled him from the daze he had fallen into. His body had moved on autopilot during that time and had covered a good half mile on the rooftops as he had been crowded by his own thoughts. Falling out of the memories, he allows himself to focus again at the matter at hand. Landing in a crouch atop a gargoyle, he pressed a button to activate the zoom function on the lenses of his mask (yet another improvement upon the old suit.) He looked over the area and sighed to himself. The first night he decided to get back into the thick of things was the only night that Gotham was completely quiet. It may not be the same city he was used to, but this Gotham had one major thing in common with the old one. Crime. Yet there was a distinct lack of it tonight, which could be very good, or very bad.

A shadow flickering out of an alleyway caught his attention, assuming it was an alley cat or something of the sorts- he leisurely turned his head only to see what looked like a stumbling drunk staggering out of the mouth of the alley. Feeling his skin crawl with a feeling he couldn't shake, he decided to follow anyways. Despite his initial thoughts that it was just another drunk. He couldn't help but feel that something was off- and in the field you learn to trust your instinct. Even if it did turn out to be a drunk, he could make sure they weren't going to do something stupid- like try to drive while inebriated.

The staggering person seemed to be walking in a singular direction as if it was being beckoned. It knocked over garbage cans and didn't bother to go around obstacles. It was as if it was a mindless toy being pulled along by a string. Red X hopped along rooftops while keeping a close eye on the person he was following. He mentally thought of the map he had analyzed earlier of this world's Gotham, he made a mental list of all potential places that the person could be staggering towards- but nothing prominent came to mind. Looking back down again, the figure suddenly changed directions, veering into traffic.

Okay, maybe it was just a drunk, a really dumb drunk.

Pressing the button on his belt, he felt everything around him distort- in a blink of an eye, he was beside the person. Wrapping an arm around their middle, he shot off his grapple line and launched them out of the way of a car just in the nick of time. Setting the person down in the mouth of the nearby alley- Red X placed his grapple back on his utility belt. His head was still throbbing from using his teleportation. He didn't understand how the second Red X teleported so often without getting sick. "Are you o-" Whatever he was going to say died in his throat as his eyes widened behind his mask. "What the-"His voice modulator couldn't convey emotion very well with the mechanical undertone, but there was definitely a huge amount of shock flooding through him at the moment.

The person- if it could even be called that- was covered in bloody clothing, and a doll mask seemed to be surgically implanted onto their face. The thing didn't even look at him- as it was suddenly moving again in the direction it had been going. Shaking himself out of his shock, Red X frowned. Something was going on, but he didn't know what- but he was going to find out. Grappling up onto a building, he began pursuit again.

This time he followed closer, jumping over gaps in buildings and grappling to different vantage points to keep pace. His mask was working on getting the vital signs from the thing. Either his tech was already malfunctioning, or this thing wasn't human. Its heartbeat was slow- very slow. Its temperature was low enough that for a normal human they'd be taken to the hospital for hypothermia. However, the creature just ambled along without a care in the world. As if it didn't feel anything.

Checking his mental map of New-Gotham yet again, he realized they were getting close to an abandoned pharmaceutical factory. Red X had actually been planning on scoping it out later for a potential hideout. The thing shambled around to the back of the building, where it seemed the fence was broken. Though when Red X went to follow, it had disappeared.

There was most likely a way inside that the creature knew about, but for Red X- he'd rather go in through a window. Less chance of security that way. Shooting his grapple he zipped up to a small window on the third floor, he checked for any sign of alarms or traps. Seeing none, he quickly placed his hand on the pane- the X on his hand glowed red, and the window pane started to melt. It took a bit longer, but was silent- whereas shattering glass was not. With each pulse of red light, the pane melted further and further until there was an 'X' shaped hole large enough for him to slide through.

As he crept in, he brought a finger up to his temple to turn on night vision. Seeing no one down the hall, he swept through the area like a shadow, combing over every square inch for that thing from earlier.

A flickering florescent light at the end of the hallway did little to illuminate the area around it. There wasn't much in the hallway, it was mostly a blank space. The interior walls were sagging with water damage, and mold covered every corner and crevice. 'Living in the sewers might actually be cleaner than living in here. That's just sad.' Red X mused internally.

Coming to room at the end of the hall, it had a single square window- from that widow was a flood of light. Turning off his night vision, he crept to the window to look inside.

It was empty.

Cautiously, he opened the door slowly. Wincing when it creaked. Looking around, the room looked like an operating room. The light was coming from big metal lamps with circular metal around it to focus the light on the operating table. The operating table was ripped and taped in some places- with stains that he had a sinking feeling about. Below his feet there was white tiles that were broken and chipped, analyzing further he noticed blood in the crevices between tiles. Taking a swab for evidence, he then placed it in his utility belt before he further looked around.

There was a second door at the far end of the room, though as he got closer- a rancid smell became noticeable upon the air. He pushed the door open, and there was a gruesome scene. Bodies were stacked upon each other- it looked like they were surgically mutilated. The faces had similar masks as to what the thing he followed earlier.

Backing out of the room, he closed the door as if he had never been inside. Well- it looks like he was on the trail of a serial murderer. Hearing a noise, he quickly hopped atop a cluster of lockers lining the side of one wall. He covered the Red X on his chest with his cape to blend in with the shadows.

"Oh Mr. Toad, did you leave this door open? Silly you. In any case, it's time to make this new project beautiful."

A young boy was being dragged along behind a man with a pig mask. The boy was being held by two people similar to the one he followed to get here. Their masks did nothing to hide their empty eyes, while the boy's shone with terror. "Please- Please no! Please don't do this."

"Don't you want to be beautiful like my Dollotrons?" So, that's what the creepy things were called. The man in the pig mask picked up a syringe off of the metal surgical table. "Now hold still you ugly little thing. Professor Pyg will fix you."

Not able to stand by any longer, Red X threw a shuriken, shattering the glass vial. He leapt from his spot to the floor so that 'Professor Pyg' would see him. "Pretty sure the kid said no, besides…that needle couldn't possibly have been clean."

Throwing down some smoke bombs, red smoke filled the room. Pyg wheezed and coughed. "Dollotrons- get him! I'll make him beautiful too!"

Disoriented by the smoke, Red X was able to sneak up behind the two Dollotrons and hit them on the back of their heads with his bo-staff. As the smoke dissipated, Red X quickly kicked a wheeled chair into Pyg's gut before hauling up the kid by the arm. "Move!" He barked, the kid didn't have to be told twice. He ran out the door, though when they hit the hallway more Dollotrons blocked their escape.

"Who the heck are you!?" The kid asked. Red X glanced back before twirling the bo-staff in his hands.

"Red X. Now listen to me closely. I'll keep them off of you, you just avoid getting grabbed. We're going to head for the stairwell. I clear a path, you escape. Got it?" The boy gave a shaky nod.

Red X then launched into combat, he worked on keeping a safe perimeter around the kid. Though every time his bo-staff came down on a Dollotron it seemed like they just got back up. Backflipping over two Dollotrons, he quickly changed tactics and used his adhesive X to stick them both to the nearby wall. They struggled, but for the moment they were contained.

Dodging a knife from being jammed into his side, he lashed out in a kick before following with a rapid flurry of strikes from his staff. The Dollotron staggered back, and once it got close to the wall, he used the same tactic of adhesive to trap it. "Go, stairwell- now!" The kid complied and took the steps two at a time. Red X followed behind to make sure that he escaped safely- when the kid was out of the stairwell, he threw a few explosives to block off the area. That should by them some time. Once they got into the first-floor entrance, the boy tugged onto the doors only to not have them budge an inch.

Gently nudging the boy aside, he activated the X blade and activated the rotating feature to turn it into a saw. He sliced through the lock on the door and kicked it open. "Run, don't look back. Get to the nearest place and alert the authorities. Got it?"

"What about you?" The kid asked.

Red X smirked behind his mask. "Finishing what I started. Before you go, is there anyone else here that needs rescuing?"

"He keeps them down below in the basement. There were a couple of 'em." Nodding, X looked up when he heard a crash. Seeing Dollotrons crawling through the rubble he'd collapsed behind them on the stairwell, he urged the boy to go. He seemed to look hesitant to leave, but fear won out in the end- and he ran.

A Dollotron lunged for him, Red X flipped over it before landing behind to swipe it's legs out from under it. Though as he did, another Dollotron kicked at him- only barely blocking in time- he crashed through an old weak wall. His forearms and back throbbed from the force of the hit, it seemed they had enhanced strength to make up for their lack of intelligence. Picking himself up- Red X looked around seeing Dollotrons swarming the area. Easily there could be a hundred of them.

Scowling, Red X threw himself into the fight again. He couldn't lose, not when there were people counting on him. The teen decided no more playing games, he was going to use the most brutal tactics he could. His bo-staff glinted in the low light, the room was then bathed in a small glow of blue as electricity crackled from the end of it. He dodged an attack, weaving in between Dollotrons he starts letting out a stream of attacks. He moves gracefully like a performer, but his hits are hard enough to shatter bone. Aiming most for the knees to keep them down- it seems like not even that works long.

Feeling a prick in his neck, he looks up to see Pyg on a balcony overlooking the entrance hall. He's holding some type of gun. Reaching up, he realizes that a dart is sticking out of his neck. The world seems to turn violently, and he has to stagger to keep himself upright.

Focus.

He doesn't have long before he passes out, he needs to stop trying to stem the flow of Dollotrons and instead go for the source. Ripping out the dart he drops it before pressing his button on his belt. As he blinks temporarily out of existence, he then lands in a crouch on banister in front of Pyg. He feels his stomach lurch and black trickles into the corners of his eyesight.

Focus.

X needs to stay conscious. He narrowly avoids a hit from the blunt handle of Pyg's dart gun. He flips behind Pyg, Red X's knees almost buckle beneath him. He doesn't remember that move being so hard before. Once weightless and graceful, he is now heavy like lead and awkward jerky movements like he can't control his own limbs.

Focus.

Pyg whirls around and lets out a stream of pig like squeals that matches his name sake. Red X lashes out with his bo-staff, but with whatever sedatives Pyg had put in his system dulls his reaction time- he is milliseconds too slow. Pyg manages to dodge, though as he does, his back hits the banister and he flips over the back of the balcony.

Reaching out, Red X only narrowly grabs Pyg by the arm. Suddenly his mind flashes back to a rooftop, and Pyg's mask morphs into something black and orange.

Focus.

Letting out a yell, Red X hauls him back over the bannister. Pyg goes crashing through the double doors leading to the hallways. Only Red X doesn't see Pyg.

Focus.

His vision is getting darker, he lands on top of Pyg and leaves his bo-staff in favor of hitting him with his fists. The pig themed villain lets out a small squeal each time a hit lands. Red X is fading out, he's back in his old uniform. He's Robin- he's fighting Slade. He can't let Slade get away. He can't-

Focus.

Suddenly he snaps back, Pyg is still conscious, with a final calculated blow- the professor drops into unconsciousness. When he does, so do his minions. They litter the floor below like bodies after a plague, Red X only barely manages to stand up. He grips onto the door frame;

his hands are shaking.

Hitting Pyg with an adhesive X, the vigilante then stumbles over to the bannister. Leaping over, he uses his cape to glide down and slow his descent. He still lands too heavily, too uncoordinated. It feels like he's swimming.

The next thing he knows, he's breaking open a lock on the door to the basement. Kids are huddled together and clinging to each other for safety, when they see him- there is a mix of terror and confusion. "You're safe. He's not going to hurt you." He says, or at least tries to. One of them asks him if he's okay, but by the time she's finished with her question- Red X is gone. Like he disappeared into thin air. Sirens wailed in the distance, alerting the approach of authorities. It seems the kid had made it after all.

He staggered to a nearby alley, but once in a vaguely safe enough location to change out of his costume- it's like he's forgotten how the suit works. Once he's fumbled through that, his knees want to buckle underneath him.

His apartment is closest, by the time he shoved the case holding his Red X suit under the bed- he's passed out. He can feel unconsciousness consume him as his eyesight finally goes completely black.

Robin looks around with a small frown. "You think it was a turf war that took Pyg out? Fighting for control of the factory to make drugs?"

A shadow from the corner of his eyesight suddenly morphs into his mentor. He glides past Robin, busy trying to figure out what had happened. "Based on multiple eyewitness reports and evidence that's unlikely-" Batman started before kneeling down. "Whoever it was, they were alone."

"How can you tell."

Batman looked up, narrowing his eyes. "This is practice Robin. Why don't you tell me?"

The vigilante hummed. "Well, eyewitnesses only saw one person- one kid called them 'Red X'. Even if we were to toss eyewitness reports aside, based on the injuries the Dollotrons sustained seemed to be from someone trained. Targeted towards weak and soft areas, that takes a bit of know how. There weren't any indications of something different so that could mean only one person and one fighting style. Also, the window- it seems to have a small enough opening for someone my size- and that seems to be the only entrance way exploited, so it's doubtful there were any reinforcements. Good?" by this point, Robin had gone into a handstand as he talked. He did the same thing when he was talking to someone on the phone, an idle habit of his.

The corner of Batman's lips twitched upwards ever so slightly, but after a split second it was gone. "Adequate." Robin flipped back to his feet with a grin.

Batman then knelt to pick up something off the floor. "It would seem to be a vigilante. A mercenary hired to take out Pyg wouldn't bother to save the hostages- and likely would have killed Pyg. An infiltrator hired by a gang would have killed instead of cripple and likely in a more brutal and unsophisticated manner. This is different- Quick, clean, precise. Whoever it is, they're trained like you said."

"What is that?" The young vigilante asked.

Batman narrowed his eyes, he debated in thought. Whatever blood sample he could get from it would be too small. He then passed it to Robin to look at. "Sedative dart. It's empty. Whatever it hit, it was a big enough dose to render a full-grown man unconscious within a few minutes." Robin nodded and handed it back. Batman slipped it into an evidence bag before putting it in his utility belt anyways.

"So, possibly drugged- swarmed by creepy zombie things, and without backup. So not aster for them. They must be pretty good though. Right?"

Batman simply grunted. Hearing his comm line signal, he pressed it to get a notification from his police scanner. "Ivy's at the botanical gardens. Let's move."

"Right." Watching as his mentor strode out of the room- Robin took one more glance around before following after his mentor.

Who was Red X?

WHEW! And done! That took forever, and to be honest was a complete b*tch to write. This probably isn't nearly as good as either other chapters, but at this point I was kind like 'meh'. Anyways, I gave this chapter a more horror-esque type vibe. I didn't focus on fighting too much since I wanted to give it the atmosphere and the buildup.

Also, because I suck at writing fight scenes.

Haha.

Anyways, a few things I wanted to mention- in this universe I am taking the liberty to say that Mr. Toad (usually Pyg's sidekick) is a figment of his imagination, despite it not being stated explicitly in this chapter, this is how I see it. Which is why Toad doesn't actually make an appearance. It gives Pyg a sorta unhinged grip on reality which makes him a bit more nerve wracking in my opinion.

Also, despite being M rated for violence- I didn't want to give too much detail into the gritty bits (being the corpses and stuff) I could have but then I felt it would be too dark as a result. I tried to make a sort of balance.

As always, if you liked this chapter leave a review. If you didn't like it- also leave a review!

EDITS DONE ON 1/8/2019: I fixed the formatting. When I uploaded this I was severely sleep deprived and for some reason Fanfiction kept uploading the story while showing the HTML code whenever I tried to post it. So I removed all formatting and hoped it worked at least well enough to get the chapter out, since I didn't want to post-pone it any longer. It worked, but I didn't feel like trying to fix the format at the time- so it waited until now. Sorry for any confusion guys!