Here's Chapter 3. I own Teen Titans! (one big lawsuit later) Fine, I don't own Teen Titans! Just ZYX.

The day dawned bright and early, like most days do. And, like most days, only a select few were awake to see it. Robin was one of them. As he watched the sun peep over the horizon, then lazily rise into the sky, he contemplated ZYX's progress in the week since he'd joined the team. ZYX had displayed remarkable non-challance at everything they'd thrown at him.

When presented with the classic pink miniskirt he was supposed to wear, he'd asked who was going to laugh at him, since the idea was humiliation. Then he'd pointed out that posting it on YouTube was a bad idea, since a totally new hero with unknown powers appearing out of nowhere in their next fight would be a nasty surprise for their enemies, and initiation videos would tip off everyone that they were training someone new. He still wore it, but a good portion of the hilarity was gone.

When they'd jellied and feathered him (similar to tarring and feathering), he'd laughed at himself along with everyone else. And he ate Starfire's cooking with a smile (although no one could tell if that was because he liked it.)

As for his training, he'd improved a good deal. He could now shimmy up and down the rope 3 times without stopping, hit the 30 pushup mark, and almost keep pace with Robin. In Robin's classes, he did an unusually good job of staying awake, while he understood almost everything Cyborg taught him. He made a valiant effort in Starfire's classes but was having trouble memorizing all those alien races. He made good progress in Beast Boy's mapping class, despite the fact that the two seemed to clash on everything, and spent almost as much time arguing as they did studying.

Raven's magic class was the most perplexing to Robin, though, mainly because when he'd checked in on them, ZYX seemed to be spending as much lecturing as Raven did, although on what he never found out, since they stopped whenever he got within hearing range. When questioned, Raven rolled her eyes and walked away, and ZYX just said, "I've read about a lot of different types of magic: she's just telling me which parts actually work, and which don't." Robin was pretty they were hiding something.

Well, Robin thought, the sunrise is over. It's time to go wake him up. I think a bucket of water in the face sounds good for today.

ZYX opened his eyes at exactly 6:00 A.M. He considered lying in bed for a few minutes, listening his half-remembered dreams murmur soothingly, but he heard someone walking down the hall outside his room. He could tell it was Robin by the slow, steady, light pace, and the sound of his metal soles hitting the floor. He paused in front of ZYX's room, before a faint hiss indicated he had opened the door. Deciding to surprise him ZYX pretended to be sleep. By opening his right eye the faintest sliver, he could see Robin was carefully caring a bucket as he tip-toed over to his bed. Robin reached him and prepared to dump the contents of the bucket on ZYX.

ZYX (sitting up): "Good morning, Robin. Nice try sneaking up on me."

Robin: "Your breathing pattern was off; I knew you were awake."

ZYX: "So, are you going to splash me or not?"

Robin dumped the contents of the bucket on him. ZYX sat there for a moment, then got up and started to pull the blankets off his bed.

ZYX: "I'll come up to breakfast as soon as I get changed and hang these up."

Robin: "Fine."

After he left, ZYX carried his stuff across his room and hung it up over the back of a chair. As he changed into dry clothes, he let his eyes wander. In the week since he'd arrived, his status had gone up steadily, and his room showed the change. The floor was filled in now, and he'd recently finished installing the walls. He now had a computer terminal with limited access, a dresser, the chair holding his sopping blankets, and a black couch in addition to his bed.

He'd done pretty well getting to know the team, except for Beast Boy: the two seemed to clash on everything, and could barely stand to talk to each other. It was like everything one of them said rubbed the other the wrong way.

On day 3, he'd tried using two swords instead of a sword and shield. Robin had beaten him up even more thoroughly than usual, but ZYX had taken a liking to style, and been using them ever since.

In his magic class, he and Raven had reached an equilibrium: he would ask a question about magic, then she'd ask a question about his dimension. She seemed to be most interested in the politics, although exactly why was a mystery to him.

Fortunately, the alarm hadn't gone off that week, allowing the titans to get fully adjusted to him without distractions. Of course, this also meant that Robin had plenty of time to analyze him. He'd never been poked with so many needles before!

So after changing into a pair of jeans and a Faces of Vader t-shirt, he headed upstairs. After the first few days, food hazing seemed to have lost its humor, so he got to have a normal breakfast with everyone else.

When he stepped into the common room, Beast Boy was passed out in front of the TV, Cyborg was shoveling mass quantities of bacon and eggs down his gullet, and Robin was sipping a cup of coffee while reading The Daily Jump (the local newspaper) on the couch. Raven and Starfire were nowhere to be seen.

ZYX: "Morning, Cyborg, how's the bacon?"

Cyborg: "Munch, munch, munch, fantastic!"

ZYX: "Great. You have any extras?"

Cyborg: "Sure, man. In the pan on the stove."

ZYX: "Thanks."

While he'd at least tried Beast Boy's tofu, he sided with Cyborg in the meat vs. tofu wars. During their first class, he and Cyborg clicked pretty naturally. ZYX thought in much the same way as him, loved meat and food almost as much, and understood a goodly portion of the technical mumbo-jumbo Cyborg spouted.

ZYX: "So, Robin, you found anything interesting in that paper of yours?"

Robin: "Just some criminal texting his victim while robbing their house. The worst part is he got clean away. Pathetic. No wonder we have so much trouble with this city."

ZYX: "You said it. At least we got a break this week."

Cyborg: "I don't know, man. I'm starting to go stir crazy."

ZYX: "We'll probably get an alert before you explode. Just hang in there."

Cyborg: 'I'll try."

ZYX: "So, where's Raven?"

Robin: "She was in here earlier, so she's probably up on the roof."

Robin leaned over and smacked Beast Boy over the head with his newspaper.

Beast Boy: " Snort, grunt. Terra. Huh,wah?"

Robin: "Hey, Beast Boy, up and at 'em."

Beast Boy mumbled something unintelligible, then shifted into a cat, stretched, shifted back and woozily wandered over to the fridge. He pulled out a case of tofu bacon before he realized exactly what Cyborg was eating.

Beast Boy: "Dude! How many pigs died to make that bacon!"

Cyborg: "I don't know, but it's delicious!"

Beast Boy: "I've been a pig, Cy! They're really smart."

Cyborg: "They also taste really good, BB so quit yapping."

Beast Boy: "Grr."

ZYX: "So, Robin, what's on training menu for today?"

Robin: "Long distance running. Basically, you run until you drop."

ZYX (drawl): "Super."

Robin: "It won't be that bad. Everyone's going to do it."

Beast Boy and Cyborg: "Do we have to?"

Robin: "Yes, you do. I'll make you run even farther if you complain."

Raven: "I'm not going."

Everyone jumped, since she'd appeared behind them.

Robin: "Everyone's going, Raven. Even you. And you know you'll do really well."

Raven: "I'm. Not. Going."

Robin: "Yes. You. Are."

Raven: "Or what?"

Robin: "Or I'll take the anti-Beast Boy security off your room."

Raven: "(sigh) Fine."

Starfire: "A most glorious morning to all my friends! We shall all have a most wonderful time on this run!"

Robin: "That's the spirit, Star. All right, everyone: when you're done eating, head down to the track."

The Titans (in unison): "Okay."

Robin left, with Starfire floating behind.

ZYX: "Is he always this full of himself?"

Raven: "No, actually. He's been extra jumpy since Slade came back."

ZYX: "Came back how?"

Raven: "Back from the dead, more or less. It's why we didn't notice you earlier when you showed up on the couch."

ZYX: "Ah, thanks."

Raven: "…"

ZYX: "Well, I'm done. See you guys down there."

The distance run was actually more complicated than you'd think. Instead of running around a course, Robin had mapped out a route around the Tower that was exactly one mile long. You had to scramble up and down rocks and duck through trees while running along the barest excuse of a path, and dodging the occasional laser blast and pop-up wall. That was all right on the obstacle course, but on a distance run? Pure torture.

Beast Boy: "C'mon Robin, can't it be easy for once?"

Robin: "Our battles are never easy. We don't train the easy way, we train the hard way. Now get going!"

Beast Boy: "Whimper."

ZYX: "We're all here Robin, are you ready?"

Robin: "On your mark, get set, GO!"

They took off, with Robin, Cyborg, and Starfire barreling down the course. Cyborg legs could keep up a steady pace that a human could never match, with Starfire using her flight just a little when she needed a break. Robin's training allowed him to keep up with them for a while, but after two laps he slowed down to a more manageable speed. Beast Boy ran at an erratic pace, rushing ahead for about a quarter mile, then almost-walking for another quarter, and flying over any obstacles (though Robin yelled at him if he got caught). Raven ran at a steady speed just below a sprint, and phased through whatever walls got in her way. ZYX plopped comfortably into a ground-eating jog, only slowing to a walk on the steep inclines.

The funny thing was he'd taken his shoes off before hand. It was something he did every time he ran, and that made no sense to the Titans. They had asked him about it, but he'd said he would have to give an entire lecture about it for it to make sense. Of course, the Titans made themselves scarce. They hadn't asked since. Raven gave him a curious look, but said nothing, quickly leaving him in the dust.

They ran like this for about half an hour, before Beast Boy tripped over his own feet, collapsed, and started snoring in the middle of the track. Robin called a 5 minute break while Cyborg carried him to bed. After another half-hour, ZYX got so tried he couldn't see straight, and ran smack into one the pop-up walls. He got sent to Medbay to recover. Another hour later, Raven and Robin dropped out more or less simultamusly. Yeah, it shocked them too.

Raven and Robin: "What do you mean, you're finished?"

After another 3 hours or so, Starfire dropped out, leaving Cyborg as the winner. Just as they got back inside, the alarm went off. From Medbay, they could hear ironic laughter and sardonic comments.

ZYX: "What perfect timing! Now that we're all exhausted, now of all times, the alarm goes off. Oh, hahahaha…"

Robin: "(pant) It's the Hive Five: Titans GO!"

Cyborg: "You stay here, Beast Boy. You haven't recovered."

Beast Boy: "Awww, man."

They rushed off to save the day, with ZYX's laughter echoing after them.

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