Disclaimer: I own nothing but the storyline and any original characters. Everything else belongs to DC Comics. Most of this chapter is directly from the episode "Masks".
Chapter Thirteen
She's the one on duty. For the last week Robin's been getting tips nightly about a thief stealing computer chips. This is the next supposed target, and Raven drew the short straw. She's not particularly worried about the night. Each tip they've gotten so far has been false.
Even so, Raven stands in the corner of the room analyzing the scenarios. If the thief is any of the usual ones, Raven knows exactly how this will go. If it isn't, things could get bad quickly. Contrary to what may be popular belief, the sorceress does not think well on her feet. She's a planner, a realist, a strategist. She doesn't like not being able to have a plan and follow it strictly.
The thief appears and Raven draws in a startled breath. She immediately presses the alert button that will set off the alarms in the Tower. Her magic appears in a wall around the red microchip. It will only last until she's distracted.
The thief stares at the wall of dark magic, trying to figure out how to get around. This stalls for time while the rest of the Titans arrive. During this lapse in fighting, Raven takes in the criminal. He's dressed in black; the suit is obviously made of black armor. The armor will be bullet proof, with other protections she doesn't care to acknowledge. None of them will stop her magic.
"Tell Slade if he wants this, he can come get it himself," Robin yells, dropping from a platform elsewhere in the room. Suddenly all of the lights are on in the room and Raven's shield drops. A laser beam falls across the room, forcing Robin to move out of its path. The Titans anxiously acknowledge the cyber bots in the room. They watch Robin do acrobatic tricks to avoid lasers slicing through him.
An enemy attacks Starfire. One of the cyber bots takes a shot at her, forcing her to fall back. She stumbles, falling to the ground out of the air. She's caught by Robin. Raven gives a silent, thankful prayer to Azar that Starfire didn't actually hit the ground.
"It's amazing what you can do with computers these days," Cyborg says- acknowledging that they're being attacked by high-tech androids. Cyborg runs into the battle. Raven floats around, staying ahead of the beam but as another is fired, and she has to create a shield around herself. The shield is destroyed when the lasers collide together into it.
All of a sudden Raven is competing with hand to hand combat. She's horrible at this. Malchior tutored her in magic, not combat. He never saw the need- didn't believe Raven would ever be in a hostile situation without either Rorek or himself. He was wrong, and Raven is screwed.
Surprisingly, it's Beast Boy that rescues her from the situation. Usually in times like these, she expects Robin to come out of nowhere and save her sorry butt. Unless the opponent is magical, of course, because then Raven is the only one who knows what they're doing. Technology, gadgets and otherworldly powers only get you as far as your knowledge.
"You owe me big time, you owe me big-"Beast Boy's taunts are cut off. His would-be assassin is destroyed when Raven slams a computer into either side of the assailant. Beast Boy's yelp of fear gives her the urge to laugh, something she can't risk doing in a hostile situation. The changeling throws his arms up to protect himself, but neither the hardware nor the villain is a danger to him anymore. As her magic dissipates, Raven just pins Beast Boy with a look of annoyance.
He blushes, and chuckles. "Can we call it even?"
Meanwhile the team is faced with the actual villain of the night. , the one that steals the chip and gets away, leaving the Titans to chase a cold path all that night.
"Any luck?" Beast Boy asks, desolately eating his breakfast. Starfire shakes her head as she enters the common area. Raven and Malchior also sit at the breakfast table, scouring a book on curses and counter-curses. "Did you expect her to have any? This guy has connections to Slade. Robin isn't going to come out until he finds out what's going on," Cyborg announces. Jinx stands next to him, leaning against the counter, and nodding in agreement.
"What are you working on?" Jinx asks the mages, peering over their shoulders. "We're trying to find a way to enhance Raven's magic against technology," Malchior responds. "There is something that clashes between her powers and electricity. We're trying to fix that. Until we do, it isn't safe for her to be in situations like the one the team was in last night."
Raven squares her shoulders. "They're hostile fights, Mal. None of them are safe."
Malchior pins a hard stare. "I trust you in a hostile situation to keep yourself safe when your magic is stable. Your magic is not currently stable. If we have to lock you up to send Jinx in your place, we will."
"What's wrong with Raven's magic?" Beast Boy demands. "It's not important." Raven's eyes flash as she shoves away from the table. She's going to storm off until Malchior grabs her wrist, standing up and towering over her. It is a display of dominance, one that everyone in the room understands.
"Sit back down," he orders.
She slowly shakes her head, deliberately defying him.
He glares.
She smirks.
"You're not going to win," she taunts.
"Want to bet?"
"You're trying to unsettle me."
"Is it working?"
"Of course not."
He kisses her.
"Is it now?"
The team stares at them.
"Yes."
The alarm goes off.
Malchior, Raven, Cyborg, Starfire, Jinx and Beast Boy stand around a computer map of Jump City. There are two spots marked.
"Okay, that's where Red X has been. Now we just have to figure out where he's gonna strike next."
Raven nods, typing something into the keyboard. All of a sudden many little spots light up on the map. Beast Boy sighs wearily. "Great."
"Robin!" Starfire exclaims. Their elusive captain moves into view. He's holding a box. Raven raises a questioning eyebrow at him. "Wonderful! Our efforts to catch the Red X will be much quicker with you."
Robin shakes his head. "It'll have to wait. I'm close to a break through."
"More wonderful! We could be of assistance…"
She trails off as Robin leaves the room while completely ignoring her.
"You."
"Let him go, not like he's been much of a help lately anyway." Raven and Malchior both take note of the bitterness in Beast Boy's voice. Obviously the changeling doesn't like not getting any attention from their leader. Raven can't say she enjoys the situation either, not when she's close to figuring out what's going on.
He's being too obvious. How could someone have figured out all of their weakness? How many people can get a hold of Zinothium, because that's obviously what the suit is powered by? How many people fight with that exact style? Raven may be bad at it herself, but she's analytical enough to recognize Robin's fighting style. He should've tried to hide it better. Now she would have to give him an ultimatum. She can't risk losing the trust of her friends, even if that means their leader loses the trust.
She quietly excuses herself from the area, following Robin. Naturally he's in the evidence room, pouring himself into news clippings and other clues. She shuts his computer off, not caring about what he was doing. She ignores his cry of outrage and threats of suspension from the team to create silencing barriers on the walls.
"You're Red X," she says calmly. Raven crosses her arms and watches as Robin vehemently denies her statements. "Well, then, if you aren't, I'm sure you wouldn't mind my rifling through your memories. Would you?"
He pales. "How did you figure it out?"
She repeats the reasons that had been running through her head.
"Now, either you tell the team, or I do. Either way, you've established yourself as a criminal, Robin."
"Espionage doesn't make me a criminal."
"The way you're going about it does. You're lucky I'm forgiving when it comes to you. What's it going to be, Captain?"
Robin sighs, "I'll tell them."
But he doesn't. The team goes through another fight with the villain. Another fight Robin doesn't participate in. When the team gathers in the common area to give their report, Raven cocks her head to the side. "Something to tell the team, Robin?" She asks.
She's giving him an out, one last chance to tell the truth.
"No idea what you're talking about."
"Don't make me do this."
"No one is making you do anything."
"Robin is Red X."
The outbursts are immediate. Everyone is outraged, everyone but the ones who had already figured it out. Malchior and Jinx had also figured it out, but they'd recognized his signature on the weapons.
Robin pleads his case with the team, trying to get them to understand. Malchior just stands behind Raven, his Raven; the girl who has already forgiven her leader. Why should she not? Someone has to stand by him on the team, and outing him is going to alienate him. Raven knows that, unfortunately she also knows that she had to do this.
There was no other option. Someone had to tell, and she preferred the team finding out here, in the safety of the Tower, rather than in a fight. Someone could've gotten dangerously hurt. The guilt would've smothered all of them.
The guilt was already going to smother her.
AN: I am extremely sorry for the wait! I was at Cedar Point all weekend (so maybe I'm not as sorry as I should've been), so I couldn't get anything done. As noticed, Asteriel isn't in this chapter, but she will be coming back. And before it gets commented on, yes, I do know that it is Starfire that figures it out in the original episode, and yes, I did change it for a reason.