-Passing Judgment: Playing by the Rules-

-Trials of a Hero-

Beast Boy groaned as Robin forced the rest of his team to look over the footage of the fight between Red X and all the Titans and so far the changeling had to admit, there was just something out Red X that seemed to intimidate everyone. Not so much like the intimidation of Slade kind of aura the thief gave off … but the belief that Red X … was very much the same age as them. He just gave off a different vibe than all the other teenaged villains their age … Red X … he made himself seem human.

Touchable … yet … untouchable with his cool attitude and laid back point of view.

Like … as if … the Titans could throw anything at him and he wouldn't get pissed off, he doesn't give long winded speeches – in fact he hardly even talks at all! Then to top it off … he was down to earth – well, as far as whenever he does talk he is down to earth. Yet the other times, he seemed almost inhuman … it just threw the changeling into a spin every time Red X came into the picture, because besides Slade, Red X was the one other villain Beast Boy was actually interesting in learning about. The thief – although he'll never say aloud to Robin for health issues – actually seemed like a nice guy to get along with.

However, no matter how long Beast Boy thought about the thief being a cool guy to kick it with, staring at pictures of him all day long wasn't going to get the Titans any closer to figuring out who he was. So that was when he decided to open his mouth to Robin, "Dude, I think I've seen enough of my butt getting smeared over the marbled floor of the Museum … think we can move on now?"

"Not until we figure out why Red X was after the Cat's Eye gemstone."

"Probably to locate this Lost treasure you have mentioned," Starfire voiced coyly, clasping her hands around his arm, Robin pulled away form the computer and shook his head.

"No," he challenged and gently shrugged Starfire off his arm in order to get back to work, "Red X is a city street-rat, he wouldn't know his way through a jungle if he was given a 3D map."

Beast Boy chuckled, "Dude, that's kind of harsh."

Raven took a sip of her tea and added to Beast Boy's defense of the thief, "You don't even know Red X's background Robin … you can't be so sure Red X doesn't do Tomb Raiding as a side job."

"I know his fighting style Raven," Robin argued, looking over his shoulder to make sure he had her attention, Raven shrugged him off and continued to read her book, hardly – not even trying – to pay any attention to the meeting, "it's made up of mostly street developed techniques. Break-dancing is one to mention. He's not disciplined."

Raven scoffed and got to her feet in order to refill her mug with tea, "And yet he still finds ways of overcoming you … how ironic the undisciplined should triumph over the trained."

Robin spun around to scowl darkly at Raven, pointing his green gloved finger accusingly at her, she never showed any signs of caring until he opened his mouth, "I wouldn't talk when it was you that the other's found tapped down to the Museum floor, at least I can hold my own with Red X when it comes to close quarter contact with him. What did you do?"

"Fuck you Robin, at least I was still conscious after my fight with him, and to add to that at least I wasn't taken down by the oldest trick in the book. He played you like the fool you are, so before you go around acting like you're the best of the best just remember you're still human. You better act right, before you smacked right, bitch." Without warning Raven stormed away from the Common Room without looking back, leaving the rest of her team – especially Robin – in shock. Not only because she actually called Robin out, but because of her choice of words.

Beast Boy gaped like a fish and shook his head, "What the hell … di-did Raven just cuss Robin out!"

Cyborg blinked … blinked again … and then blinked one last time to be sure he was still awake after Raven's little episode, turning back to Robin he found the masked hero gritting his teeth and holding down the strong urge to break something. He shrugged Starfire away when she tried to give him comfort and stormed in Raven's direction, already knowing where she was going. Cyborg jumped in front of him and held him back, "Calm down man, chill, she's just not herself today."

"She had no right to talk to me like that! Get off me!" Robin shoved Cyborg's heavy form away with ease and tried to make a quick dash to get to Raven, but Cyborg was faster and grabbed a hold of his cape. Yanking him back into the Common Room, the hybrid plopped him on the couch and made sure he stayed put.

"Robin, don't let it get to you. We already told you she tried to possess Red X's soul in order to put him to sleep … like what she did with you and plasmas," (1) Cyborg tried to reason with the stubborn mind of his leader, "she's probably just experiencing some side effects of the corrupted soul transfer and sharing part of Red X's personality. She just said it'll wear off within a couple of months. So don't get so worked up over it!"

"True it is not entirely friend Raven's fault for her sudden use of vulgar words," Starfire shrugged and placed a hand in her hip, "but can she not control it?"

Cyborg raised a brow at Starfire, "Maybe, but first she has to know when it's coming over her … and that's not very easy."

Starfire blinked innocently, "But I have switched souls with Raven and she –"

"That's different," Cyborg interrupted with a shake of his head, "just leave it alone Star."

The alien princess shrugged and with a turn her hair radiant fiery red hair flowed down her back and shimmered with ever angle of the daylight that hit while she made her way to the kitchen. Beast Boy in the back was still giggling to himself, "Dude … I still can't believe that was Raven …"

Robin growled and shot the changeling a deadly glare, "There's nothing funny about this Beast Boy, with Red X's personality mixing with Raven's … who knows what could go wrong."

Cyborg crossed his arms over his chest in a very defensive pose, "I hope you're not suggesting that Raven might be taking on criminal qualities, cause if so I'm here to tell you right now to get over Raven's choice of words and start thinking like a leader and less like a kid man."

"Excuse me?" Robin shot up from his seat to glare Cyborg down, "What did you just say?"

"I didn't stutter Robin," Cyborg sighed and walked away, "never mind man, let's just forget this whole thing ever happened."

Robin sneered, with narrowed eyes, "Where are you going?"

"To check on where the Cat's Eye gemstone might have gone with Red X … you're not the only one on the job."

Robin scoffed, Then why does it often times feel like that …

--

Raven took a deep breath and slowly exhaled … repeating this process for the next seven seconds she levitated onto of her bed and meditated the intruding information that was Red X. The severed connection with him back at the Museum … it had affected her more than she'd like to admit, after her snap at Robin in the Common Room Raven had to try and come to terms with the truth. She had a problem … Red X had a very strong personality, and her problem wasn't the fact that his personality was trying to mold with hers, the problem was how she was going to control it.

So far it's been going well … but handling a personality was like trying to kick a drug addiction.

It was going to be hard … she had a bad feeling about that … unlike Robin her connection with him wasn't that bad at least she knew he could be trusted, and a bit of his personality trusted her so he faded out of her life gradually. However, when it came to Red X … hostilities came natural, so before she could push him out she had to find him somewhere buried deep in her soul.

She just prayed he wasn't in a vital position within her.

Another deep breath, but when she was trying to exhale slowly she suddenly felt restless and never realizing it was the thief's personality till it was too late she dropped from her levitation and bounced on her bed. Concentration broken, Raven yelped when she came in contact with the pillows of her bed. Falling into her mattress, she gasped and jumped to her feet and backed away from her bed in a huff, Well … I guess meditating is … over? Frowning at herself, Raven sighed and ran her fingers through her violet locks, plopping down on her bed she stared at her room in exhaustion, What am I gonna do now … she thought with a sense of defeat in her dimming aura.

Slowly closing her eyes, Raven never expected it … but a sudden flash of white sliced through her vision and like that very light … she was suddenly out stone cold … or so she thought …

"… With such a name as 'Nevermore'

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,

That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.

Nothing further than he uttered – not a feather then he fluttered –

Till I scarcely more than muttered 'Other friends have flown before –

On the morrow will he leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'

Then the bird said –" (2)

"That's good enough for today Rico,"I looked up through eyes that weren't my own, tilted my head and raised a brow feeling slight confusion … or was it annoyance, which ever it was I nodded and closed the book that I had been reading from than walked to back to my chair. My class room of a prestigious elementary school where kids my age were reading what I had just recited in perfect literature form of speak. Judging by the uniforms I must have been in some kind of academy.

The small body I was in scoffed and sighed tiredly as I plopped down onto my seat in order to face the teacher that had told me to take my seat. She eyed me for a moment and in that moment I felt my eyes narrow and my hands reach into my desk. The body I was in captured an object that it knew must have been there for a while, because when I grasped it I gripped it tightly and held onto it as if my life depended on it.

Whatever it was, I knew it wasn't a pencil or any form of school tool.

How?

For one thing I felt it was round, perfectly so – like a marble – and it was small enough for me to twiddle within my fingers.

I wanted to see what it was, but the head did not bow to look down, instead "Rico" as I was called reached instinctively for his notebook and let go of the marble-like-toy. Instead reaching for a pencil I pulled it out and began to take notes on whatever the lecture was … but it didn't last or long, before I knew what hit me the classroom doors slid open and a nervous looking … – I searched Rico's memory bank and found him know this person as the principal of the school.

He cleared his throat and addressed the class politely, "Hello children, hope you're all learning and having fun! Um … Mrs. Applesauce can I see you out in the hall for a moment … it's about one of your students …"

Fake enthusiasm … how stupid … thoughts … from who? I figured it was Rico when the little boy once again scoffed and propped his chin on the palm of his hand. Eyes closed waiting for the interacting, I wanted him to look up so I can read their expressions, already the principal seemed nervous and I wanted to know about what! Yet silly little Rico was being stubborn.

When I heard the door close, the whispers and chatters stared up and one boy leaned in towards Rico and asked, "Hey … Rico … who do you thinks in trouble this time? You don't think they found the tape … do you?"

Rico cracked open on eye and sneered, suddenly feeling smug and proud he sat up and stretched, and smirked liked that Cheshire cat. Immediately I couldn't help to feel a sense of dejavu, "Well … unless they look in the trashcan, they'll never know we were the ones who switched all the clear paint in the art room with superglue."

Then another little boy from behind me spoke up nervously, obviously Rico was the ringleader of the circus troublemakers, "I don't know … I'm starting to feel guilty for doing that … maybe we should switch it back."

"Don't be such a pussycat," Rico scowled, "they'll never know."

With that the conversation ended and the guilt trip was put a stop when the teacher and the principal came back in and now both were looking rather uneasy and Rico raised a brow when they both eyed him worriedly. Mrs. Applesauce cleared her throat and bit down on her lip then beckoned for Rico to come forward, "Rico … could you please come here for a moment … there's something we must address with you and your … um … just come out for a moment child."

"Busted," one of the kids whispered.

The other one shuttered, "Rico, you're not going to rat us out … are you?"

Rico seemed to ignore them both as he got to his feet, but before he did he reached into his desk and pulled out the marble shaped treasure and stuffed it within his pocket. Walking up to the two adults, they both rushed me out the door and into the hall where I came face to face with another adult and she was beautiful. Yet her eyes … silver-gray read deadly and cunning … my very own eyes clashed with hers when she turned and her beautifully petit face smiled adoringly at me.

"Hey there Rico, I bet you don't remember me, but I remember you and my have you grown …" she chuckled and crouched down to meet me eye for eye and the emotions I was getting from Rico … confusion, challenge, and stubbornness … but mostly confusion. So I guess I was safe to assume that he didn't know the Hispanic woman before me, so she held out her hand for Rico to take and shake, "… names Siren Sanchez … and this may sound weird … but I'm your older sister …"

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Yo! Raven! You still alive in there? Hhhhheeeelllloooo! Raven! Yoo-woo, it's Beast Boy! Come on let's go! Robin's called an emergency meeting!"

Raven groaned and rolled onto her side, gripping the sides of her head as the pounding continued she growled and sat up abruptly – not doing anything to help with her headache that was for sure. Glaring at her door she levitated off the ground and straight up to the door, jerking it open, Beast Boy yelped and backed up when he saw Raven's eyes glowing a sheet of blazing white energy. Gritting her teeth and growling she strained, "I got … the message."

Beast Boy gulped and nodded, "Al-alright … jus-just letting ya know … Ro-Robin's calling for us …"

"So I've heard," she slammed the door shut and leaned against it, holding her head and trying to gain back what little of her mind she could after taking a trip down Red X's memory lane. Eye violet eyes slowly opened in realization … Siren … Sanchez … Red X has an older sister? Talk about trip, Raven honestly thought she was loosing her mind when the thought had accrued to her that she had witnessed a part of Red X's – er … or Rico's past when he was just a kid growing up in a prestigious elementary school. A prestigious school … so … what happened to turn him into a thief?

It just didn't make sense that a bratty prep school kid could turn street-rat … did it have something to do with his sister she wondered … or was that girl really his sister at all? Whatever the cause was Raven sighed and made her way down towards the Common Room, prepared for the awkward moment she'd have with her team. She flew up and landed gracefully next to Cyborg, making sure to have the hybrid and Beast Boy separate her from the power-couple, she looked at the bay window and was shocked to kind it already night-time.

Had she slept that late?

Robin eyed Raven suspiciously for a moment when he saw her gape at the window, only to pull up her hood and block their views from her expression, he snorted and turned to the computer, "We got a message and said it was urgent of us to be together to hear … you guys ready?"

"Who's the message from?" Beast Boy inquired.

Robin shrugged and pressed enter, "Anonymous … you're in contact with the rest of the Titans … go ahead."

No picture, just an amp and a distorted voice that really separated the fact of male or female when the deep voice produced it's message, "I am glad you are not taking this for granted … I see you've received my earlier message however failed to capture the thief. Most unlucky. I hope you find greater fortune this time around at the Weaponry Art Gallery just northeast of the pier at the corner of Alley and Maine. This time … I suggest you not fail in protecting the Wolf's Fang, in exactly 15 minutes from now Red X will make his move. Hop-to Hopsing."

When it was clear that this mystery man was about to hang down Beast Boy made his presents known, "Whoa, whoa, whoa … you're not going to at least tell us how you know all this stuff? I mean come on! This is Red X, the slickest thief in the world, what's your connection with him?"

For once Raven had to side with the changeling his questions were right on the mark … how did this … this "person" know what Red X was up to?

The distorted voice chuckled, "I know, what I know, what I know … and I only know what I know … you've just wasted 3 minutes 12 minutes remaining, tick-tock, tick-tock. Let's see if 5 heads are better than 1."

With that, the connection was ended, and once again, Beast Boy in all his wisdom voiced out what everyone else was thinking, "I don't know about you guys … but I'm starting to get the Slade-chills." (3)

Everyone felt it, everyone had a sick, dark, forbidding feeling that it might be … it could be … and it possibly even would be Sla – Robin turned and marched his way towards the garage, his thoughts to himself as he withdrew back into that dark state of mind. That one spot in his thoughts forever eclipsed to darkness … that one place where Starfire could never reach, never understand, and never comprehend just how sinister the human mind really could be. Raven raised a brow and without question, without worry flew after her leader, never once did she doubt his state of mind … just often times wished he wouldn't overshoot his evil thoughts.

In truth, Robin did have evil thoughts … every human being did … it was just some others – like Slade – had a high degree in thinking what often times many people would call insane/inhuman/or abnormal. Then once established that the particular human being was unstable, many a doctor would go on to question if that human was even fit to go on in functioning like a normal human being. The human mind … Raven studied … was never a realm to be put under speculation and imaginative thinking.

It was something that should be taken seriously.

Robin … he would sometimes overshoot his darker side of think and start to question his realm of reality … it was then that he not only questioned his place in the world, but if his purpose in life was worth it all. He wasn't the only hero that would do this; he's not that only human being that questioned their state of existence … everyone questioned their state of existence. Robin … like Red X had stated once before, took life way too seriously.

Seeing everything in black and white … never once considering that maybe the two would often times blend and the line between good and evil become crossed in the human psyche in what was temporarily known as the Red X. Subconsciously, it was in this state that Robin brought to life the character that didn't need to be on neither side of the gray blend … but actually lived in between. Red X … how ironic … she thought with a slight chuckle as Robin lead the way in his cycle towards the corner of Ally and Maine in order to meet up with the man that lived on the cross-line.

--

Disclaimer: Don't own the Teen Titans, but Rico and Siren Sanchez I do own, no touchy them.

Info Center:

1. If you were lost in the first chapter for what Raven was trying to do with Red X, there you have it … however I know, I know that she didn't want to knock Robin out in the "Haunted" episode, but it's practically the same concept.

2. Disclaimer: I don't own "The Raven" poem Edgar Allen Poe does, I just heard it recited in my literature class and I thought, eh, why the hell not, it was a nice poem and it fit the chapter.

3. Haven't noticed? I sort a grabbed quotes from what Slade had said … is it really Slade? You tell me … but not in the reviews! Please! People read that stuff, don't kill it for them.

A/N: Any questions? Any reviews? Come on don't be so shy, I don't bite … no too hard at least, I'll be gentle. Just kidding, but seriously reviews would be nice thank you.

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