Tigerclaw97: Yeah, Cass is adorable. Best member of the Bat Family
Gizmo's vocabulary has 'evolved' as he got older
That is Trigon
And neither of those theories are correct I am afraid
GriffonicTobias: Finale
Skull Flame: It's coming. But not yet.
Shooting Star Dragon 3000: Because we are evil, haven't you realized that yet?
SaurusRock625: Ghost and I are keeping this arc close to our chests
Here are some reviews answered by Ghost:
SaurusRock625: Yes, the ending IS foreboding. No, Paradox won't be involved.
Shooting Star Dragon 3000: It's how we roll. Glad you liked it.
Jss2141: That might be next on the docket.
61394: ALL the kinks right there. *Chuckle*
jasongd: Thanks for your kind words.
GriffonicTobias: Yes, it is. And it IS good to be back.
Tigerclaw97: Yeah...A WHOLE lot of stuff going on right now.
Co-Writter: GhostKaiser23
Artist: GhostKaiser23, he goes by Hangman12 on Deviantart. Either look him up, or go to my profile to see links to all of his official work for this story
Disclaimer: Cartoon Network owns Ben 10 or Teen Titans
AUTHORS NOTE
I am glad the return of James has made you all so happy
Well here is the next chapter, an adaptation of a rather classic Teen Titan's episode
James' Harem 2
Chapter 17: Rise of the Crimson Cross Thief
It's the early hours of the day, 1 maybe 2 AM. And in Jump City, a figure was slinking through a roof into a building.
A heist.
The figure landed silently, pulling out a small laser device. The laser carved through the roof's grating allowing the figure to go in. He reached in, aiming to grasp the gem inside... When the room was filed with lights suddenly, several figures standing confidently behind them
"I don't think that belongs to you." A figure commented. The figure being Nightwing, standing proudly alongside James, Changling, Argent and Robin
"Says you." The figure answered, clicking something.
"Nightwing, isn't that-?" James blinked in shock
The group watched, seeing the figure be illuminated. Black suited, with silver gloves and boots, a silver skull mask with a dark red 'X'.
"It is." Nightwing whispered
"Where did you get that?" Changeling snapped
"Who's that?" Robin asked
"Name's 'Red X'." The figure answered, shifting something subtly in his hand... and threw down a smoke bomb
BOOM!
"GAH!" The group coughed.
"Where'd he go?" Nightwing called out, clicking his mask to activate his sensor ray. He saw the glimpse of a cape slipping through a window "The window!" Nightwing ran towards it and opened it up, clearing the fog and tried to catch him. He was moving as fast as he could, jumping through the window
"Nightwing, WAIT!" Argent called out.
"I'll follow him!" Changeling answered, turning into a hawk and flew out of the window.
"Damn." James hissed
"Who WAS that? Why did Nightwing get pissy like that?" Robin asked, wiping the smoke away from his face "So weird."
"That guy was 'Red X'. At least, the COSTUME is." James answered
"What do you mean?" Argent responded
"Years ago Nightwing went undercover as a villain. Using that same costume and codename." James explained, getting angry at the memory.
"REALLY? He never told us." Robin answered
"It was a ploy. In order to get information on a worse villain." James admitted. "Though we thought that the costume was destroyed or locked away. So seeing it again...I honestly don't know how some nobody got their hands on it."
*with Dick*
Dick was keeping track on Red X, glaring daggers at him; who was this? HOW did he get that suit? He was sure that he kept it under lock and key!
He readied a few Wingdings and threw them as hard as he could
Red X looked behind himself and his eyes widened. "Nice try!" He dodged them,only a few snagged on the cape, tearing it slightly. As he flipped he threw several bolos, which twisted and flew through the air
"Whoa!" Dick's spun his body so that the bolos missed him, but his lack of eye contact made him miss him.
"Nightwing! This way!" Changeling called out, keeping track on Red X.
"No! Bad Kitty!" Red X joked as he launched goop from his wrist gauntlet
"Gah!" Changeling was splattered with red goop and plummeted down to the ground, landing on his face. "FUCK!"
"YOU!" Dick glared but he came to a stop, if that's what he thought it was then Gar needed his help "Hang on, Changeling. I'll get you out." Dick helped, freezing it off him. He knelt next to his friend, pulling out a small can and spraying it over the goo
"Thanks. But what about-?" Changeling asked
"I know. But family comes first." Nightwing answered
"...Thanks, man." Changeling responded, feeling touched by that. "Just one thing."
"What?" He rebutted
"Destroy that FUCKING SUIT!" He snapped, straining against the solidifying and brittle goo.
*time skip*
The group was back at base and Dick looked in his secluded safe. The one he stored the Red X suit inside.
"So, Dick had a suit that he used against you guys back in the day...and did it to beat a worse bad guy?" Bart asked
"Yeah, my dad." Rose nodded sadly. "He told me about it after I got back."
...
"Will you knock that off?!" Dick snapped, Gar and Victor looking super close at him and poking him every now and again
The two flinched back and Gar turned into a cat on accident "Sorry, we just had to make sure you were real." Victor answered
"Real?" Cass asked in confusion
"Last time there were holograms." Gar answered. "STI~LL waiting on that one."
"On what?" Dick asked, the Teen Titans clearly paying close attention as they wanted this story
"Seeing if you're really real or not." Gar responded.
"Oh for the love of." Duela rolled her eyes and French kissed Dick on the lips. "...He's real." She answered
...
"Ew." Cassandra mumbled as she made a face as you'd expect when a child saw their parents kiss
"O. Kay... Dick, why don't you tell us from the start. Okay?" James offered
"Tell you what?" Dick asked, blinking
"The suit. And why it still exists. What's powering it. All of it. Cause this guy seems to know his way around it." James added
"I've got a better question." Raven commented with a deadpan "WHY didn't you DESTROY IT?!"
Dick looked down at his hands and sighed, the guilt that set in from not destroying it years ago. And the reason behind it. "Cause it CAN'T be destroyed. It's fuelled by...Xenothium."
"Xenothium?! You powered that suit with XENOTHIUM?! Are you crazy man? That stuff is dangerous AND unstable! Tell me you weren't stupid enough to go messing with it!" Victor snapped, chewing Dick out. He was ranting, beating down Dick for his utterly STUPID choices
"Um, for anyone who DOESN'T have a degree in science or technology; please?" Jason asked, raising his hand, followed by Argent
"It's a highly dangerous and unstable compound, it's power output is crazy high, but it's not radioactive. A blessing actually, but that stuff is EXTREMELY hazardous." Bart answered
"How do YOU know about it?" Rachel asked
"Barry told me about it when he was working on a case once...the result for the guy abusing his suit with it...not pretty." Bart winced
"What happened?" Cass asked
"Too much power in the suit...cooked him alive and turned him into sludge and ash." Bart answered. "But Dick seems to have been smart with it."
"Yeah. 'Smart'." Victor frowned with his robotic red eye glowing a bit in anger
"Look, there's a weakness in the suit." Dick spoke up. "It can't run forever, ESPECIALLY the way THAT guy was using it."
"How he's using it?" Jason asked
"I saw that the smoke was thinner than normal. If it was running at max capacity, it would've been impossible to see. He's been running on fumes, he'll need a fresh supply." Dick answered.
"But how did he get access to the suit? It was securely locked up, right?" Duela asked in concern
Dick frowned and looked at his hands. "I THOUGHT I did. It might've been stolen when we were all separated those two years."
"But the Tower was in lock down. It was literally impossible to get in." Victor countered
Dick ran his hand through his hair, trying to stimulate any memory. But nothing came to mind. "I don't know. But we've got to stop him and get the suit off him."
"... Where did Cass go?" Bart asked suddenly making the Titans looked around and tried to look for her.
"CASS?" Dick and Duela called out, running after them.
"You don't think she went off to find the guy by herself, do you?" Argent asked in concern
"I wouldn't put it past her. We've got to GO!" Blackfire answered
*elsewhere*
Cass was leaping through the rooftops of Jump City, she was going to find 'Red X' and get back her father's costume. She didn't understand the situation fully. She just knew this bad guy stole her father's thing and could hurt people and that it needed this 'special fuel', and where there's fuel...there's a supplier.
Now, where is this supplier?
From what Victor and her dad said, it's a scientific compound. Meaning someone smart made it. She frowned, coming to a stop atop a building where she stood as intimidating as any bat should 'Where. Red X?' She thought to herself. as she realized she hadn't thought this through She sighed in a huff and sat down on the roof. 'What do I do now?'
BOOM!
There was an explosion at a laboratory just outside of town
'There.' She thought and leapt that way, using the grappling hook to speed her way over there. She rushed, moving fast and elegantly. Going through the most efficient route. She followed the explosion smoke plume before she landed right above the exploded building, no bodies were seen from above, but she needed to get closer. She landed and slipped inside
Inside the destroyed lab, the scientist was knocked out, and whatever he was working on, was gone but she did notice several sets of foot prints all over the floor
She tilted her head gently, examining the prints. There was a struggle. Someone was after something. And the prints on the floor showed someone with a 'X' mark on the sole of the boot but they're weren't the only set of prints
'Scientist? Who?' She thought, scanning them. Her fingers brushed the floor, frowning 'Need more clues.' She thought and scoured the room.
*With the Titans*
The team was split up, all looking for Cass and in one small group, Dick was leading with Duela. "Are you sure this is the right way?" Duela asked as they ran
"Yeah. Red X is going to be looking for a supplier. And I know where the supplier is." Dick responded. The WingCycle roared against traffic, zooming through the streets
"Who IS this supplier?" Duela asked as Dick drove up to the Observatory by the outskirts of the city, looking past into the night sky.
"Profesor Chang. A scientist who can get it." Nightwing answered, driving off and stopped in place. "Stay-"
"No way. I'm coming with you." Duela answered, taking off her helmet. "If this guy can hep, YOU need backup."
Dick was silent for a second and grinned "Holy, do I love you."
"Of course you do." Duela teased and slapped his firm butt. "Let's go."
"Why always the butt?" he grumbled before the two got to work
They entered and saw the telescope under a large tarp, scientific equipment and scanners, seats all manner of things you'd find in an observatory. Several figures where walking around the room carrying boxes. And an overweight man. They seemed to be wearing white bio-hazard suits with red goggles protecting their eyes. "Ah, customers. I hope I can-" The overweight man spoke with a smile but was stopped by Nightwing.
"Save it, Professor Chang. I'm not looking to buy, but for information." Nightwing glared
"...Ah, the young man who bought from me before. How can I forget?" Professor Chang realised "I have not seen you for years. You must have been smart with your purchase."
Nightwing grabbed Professor Chang by the front of his bio-hazard suit and lifted him. "Xenothium. Who have you been selling it too?"
"Now now! Customer confidentiality and all that!"
"GRR!" Nightwing growled as he glared at him
"Nightwing. Let me try." Duela offered as she gently pulled him back "Professor Chang, we just need a lead about recent robbings about Red X. Do you think that could help?" Duela asked as she pulled out her hammer and leaned against it
Professor Chang gulped as he saw the hammer, and rumours of how deadly she was with it...made him quiver in fear. "Okay, okay. I'll tell you." Professor Chang answered, raising his hands in defense and worry only for darts to hit the two in the neck, knocking them out "Then again. No, I won't." Professor Chang laughed
*with Cass*
Cass was running through her clues, going to finding Red X. She wouldn't let her parents down. She had followed the footprints, arriving at a rundown looking apartment 'Found you.' Cass thought as she squinted at the windows, leaping towards them and hung by the sill; she pulled herself up and let herself in, like a shadow. She saw him, looking down at a table 'There.' She thought, sneaking as she didn't want to attract his attention...maybe even see his face.. She carefully pulled out some Batarang's, griping the weapon tightly
"Damn it, need more Xenothium, gotta check in on Chang." He whispered "Those dumbasses had a wasted stash."
Cass squinted, trying to understand what he meant by 'wasted stash'. Was it that the Xenothium he had was too little? Too impure? What did that mean? She debated if she should attack or not
Red X sighed and pulled his mask on and reached for his belt and she sprung out from the shadows "Huh? You?" Red X blinked in shock seeing Cass take him by surprise as he jumped back, dodging the attack
Cass frowned under her mask and began to fight, continuing her attempts to stop him. The guy was jumping around, moving fast and dodging every shot like a trained gymnast 'Who ARE you?' Cass thought as she thought about how much this was familiar. She charged, Batarang's out and throwing several powerful slashes which he dodged and shifted 'How?' Cass thought as her eyes widened
"Nice try, little girl. But I'm a LITTLE bit better than those toys." Red X responded as he pulled out his razor X's out of his belt
Cass backflipped out of the way as Red X threw them at her, sticking into the ground where she stood.
"Impressive." he smirked
Cass gave a simple nod, keeping her eyes on her target.
"But not good enough." Red X answered, leaping out of the window and onto the wall of the building, heading for the rooftops.
Cass glared, a grapple hook grabbing his Cape
"GCK!" He jerked and fell to the ground.
CRASH!
"Argh! You could've killed me!" He snapped up at her, groaning as he landed on his back and into a dumpster.
"No capes." Cass responded, saying a famous quote.
"YOU'RE WEARING A CAPE!" he argued back, pointing accusingly. Cass just shrugged, leaping down and on top of him "Omph!" he grunted "Get off me! Your not my type!"
"Give it back." Cass stated, trying to grab the belt and she was electrocuted. She didn't let out any scream but immediately released and fell to her back in pain. She shook her hand, her suit stealing lightly
"Nice try. But baby girls like you, DON'T belong in this place." He answered, leaving her there and used a grapple hook of his own.
She glared, chasing after her 'I am not! Baby girl!'
*Elsewhere*
"Nightwing? Harlequin? Are you there? Come in." James spoke through his communicator, trying to call them "This isn't good." he frowned "James to Team. I've lost contact with Nightwing and Harlequin."
"Oh. Crap." Changing commented "What're you gonna do?"
"I'm gonna go check for them." James answered.
"But Cass is still out there." Changeling responded
"I'll find her!" Jason called
"Good work, Robin." James answered. "I'm heading to Nightwing's and Harlequin's last location."
"I'm going with James." Changing commented
"Plan to." James responded
"I'll keep an eye on him." Changeling added
*with Dick and Duela*
Dick and Duela were holed up, contained in something...cold. Reflective. Their movements were restricted and they seemed to have no way out "Owie." Duela commented playfully, groaning in slight pain
"H-Harlequin. Are you okay?" Nightwing shuddered in the cold.
"Yes honey." she nodded
"I KNEW I should've-" Nightwing frowned, beginning to berate himself.
"DON'T start. This isn't your fault. One thing though." Duela responded, stopping him.
"What?" He asked
"We know who gave Red X the Xenothium." She pointed to Professor Chang.
"Right."
"Ah, you two are awake. Good." Professor Chang smiled, turning to them. "You can witness my latest project."
"What project?" Nightwing glared
"Now THAT would be telling, but it DOES require my Xenothium." Professor Chang answered
"You said you wanted us to see." Harleyquinn frowned
"I...Snarky one, aren't you?" Professor Chang deadpanned. "Fine." He answered and revealed the project. A modified telescope.
"Laser beam?" Dick asked
"More like a-" Professor Chang began to speak
"It's a glorified laser beam." Duela interrupted
"When was the last time we saw this? Mr Freeze? Do giant ice lasers count?" Dick asked
"I don't know. I think so." Duela answered
"SHUT UP!" the doctor roared
"...Temper, temper." Duela teased
"Grrr!" The doctor snarled and kicked her
"OW!" Duela fell to the floor as she was kicked in the tube.
"You better hope I don't get out of these." Dick hissed
"I wouldn't worry. That glass tube can take almost any hit you can dish out." Professor Chang laughed
CRASH!
"What the devil?" Chang shouted
"Knock, knock." Changeling joked as he crashed through in the form of a rhino.
SMASH!
And then Red X and Cass came crashing through one of the windows
"Hey Prof, I-"Red X Began to speak, only to see Changeling there "Oh."
"Got you!" Cass called as she leapt at Red X
"Cass!" Changeling gasped and transformed into a squid and wrapped his tentacle around Red X.
"What the hell?!" Red X hissed
"Not getting away this time!" Changeling answered as the others arrived
CRASH!
"Hang on guys!" James spoke, flying down and froze the floor. He landed, looking around "...Wow, what did I miss?" James joked slightly.
"JUST HELP!" Nightwing called out.
"Shoot them!" Chang ordered his men to attack the Titans.
James frowned and saved the two, phasing through their bonds and shattering them "Thanks for the assist." Harlequin responded.
"Thank me later when you're actually OUT." James answered, breaking the glass and got them out.
"ARGH!" Changeling shouted and threw Red X at the wall.
Jason dove down, giving a drop kick to Red X. Red X grunted and had a small crater behind him and indented into the wall.
"D-Damn it." Professor Chang grunted, trying to get up while his men shot at the Titans. He ran over, trying to start up his laser beam
"Oh hell no, Doctor! That stuff is mine!" Red X yelled
"Shut it! This is MY-ARGH!" Chang shouted, only to have a birdarang in his hand, stopping it from pressing a button.
"Gotcha." Robin glared. Red X, Jason and Dick all glared before the three took off, racing to the death machine
"Stop them!" Chang ordered as... In come the robot drones
"Drones? Really?" Duela asked as she grabbed her hammer as they let the three boys race, the others dealing with the robots
"Less gripe, more smash!" James answered, transforming into his Tetramand form. He roared, the metal formed four armed warrior standing tall
"Whoa. That's kinda scary lookin'." Changeling quipped, transforming into a leopard and pounced on the drone.
*With Nightwing, Robin and Red X*
Running on fumes, Red X tried to conserve his suit's energy, using his own skills to get away from Jason and Dick. showing the three to be very similarly skilled
'This guy. These skills. Who taught him?' Dick thought. as he jumped... As he and the kid did a quadruple back flip, Dick so blown away by the skill he tripped as he landed "OOF!"
"Nightwing! What happ-ARGH!" Robin asked before he banged his knees on a roof fence. "Ow! The fuck?!"
"Well well. Looks like I won." Red X commented, turning to the two and grinning. Showing the valuable substance
"Maybe." Dick commented as he pulled himself up "But it'll be hard to use that thing without this." he added, raising his arm to show he was holding Red X's belt
Red X double blinked and looked at his waist. The belt WAS gone! "Damn it!" he hissed before he laughed, walking backwards
"Wait, STOP!" Jason threw the belt behind him and ran at him, only for Red X to jump off the roof. He jumped, preforming a quadruple backflip
"NO!" Dick yelled in shock, racing to the edge...and disappear.
"Where'd he go?"
Nightwing grabbed the belt and got up, looking at Jason. "Robin."
"Yeah?" He turned and looked at his adoptive brother.
"...Good work." As he held up the belt in his hand
*time skip*
The Titans had stopped Professor Chang, managing to get him in jail as well as return with the Red X belt. Dick sighed, putting it back into the vault and this time, he put it in a more secure lock and safe. 'A quadruple backflip? I... am one of the few people in the world who can do that... who is this kid?' Dick thought, remembering his long years of training
"Well, at least we've stopped him." Blackfire spoke, putting an icepack on James' eye.
"Owowowow." James mumbled
"I'm sorry." Kom apologised.
"Nah, no. It's just sore." James reassured her.
"Thanks for taking that punch, dude." Garfield added, his cheek having a bandage on.
Cass frowned, looking down. Duela looked at her step-daughter and sighed gently "Duela, Cass and I need to talk." Dick spoke as he came back from putting the belt away.
Duela nodded, kissing both of them before walking off
"Failed." she muttered in self loathing, a tone that Dick remembered from his own training. That his mentor used when he doubted himself
'She is a lot like Bruce.' he thought in slight amusement "You didn't. Well, not entirely. You brought Red X TO us." Dick answered "You did great."
Cass smiled weakly at that, even if she was clearly unhappy with herself. Dick knelt down and opened his arms to her, wanting to give her a hug. Cass gulped and nodded, hugging him back
"You're still grounded for running off by yourself." Dick added playfully yet seriously
"Oh..." Cass frowned as she heard that.
Over by the door, Duela smiled gently at that, slightly spying at the pair. 'You're a good dad, Dick.' She thought gently.
*? ? ?*
We arrive once again in the destroyed, fire filled Jump City.
The whole place looked like an apocalyptic waste, though buildings were still standing, it could barely be called 'structurally sound'.
We find Cass running through the rubble, her suit ripped. She was carrying a small bag, ripped and torn like her costume, she was trying to carry supplies, running from whatever was chasing her. She came to a stop near where Titans Tower once stood. Where a giant red corps lay. She gulped as she saw it, seeing the wasted corpse rot before her and headed inside, her 'sanctuary' only to see three dead bodies, her mother crying over one of them
"Mother?" Cass whispered as she went over to her. She ran over... And saw the broken and bloody body of Nightwing
Her father, dead. With her mother crying over his corps
"No!" Cass gasped and cried, falling to her knees "No! Daddy no!"
"Cass, what's wrong?" a wounded Bart asked as he appeared, his eyes widening at the sight "... Oh... Oh Cass, I'm so sorry."
"Bart..." Cass sniffed as she turned to him before she jumped into his arms, crying "Bart!"
"There there. It'll be okay. One day." Bart whispered, rubbing her back as the fire raged around them