Teen Titans – ReBeL Yell: If I Had Stayed A Renegade
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Blow for Blow
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Fighting term to clear that up! Hard to explain; look it up!
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It had been a long, lousy break up with the Bat back in Gotham.
Waking up.
Being dead for months after being blown to bits in a nuclear waste pit.
Jason Todd had needed a change of scenery.
Without his last savior to back him, he was on his own.
There was a paper he'd read about some cool kid; Red X. Yeah, and for some reason he wanted to find out a ton more.
So, he snuck out of the fortress of snobbery and just, left.
In the night, to a city called Jump on the West coast.
It was a long trip, but once ay had himself on the ground with both feet, he fell right back into…
Some tough, rough patches.
He went to find the dang suit, the one that Red X stood for. It fit him like a glove, so he took it.
There were heroes like he'd been guarding it, quietly whispering about their leader being amiss.
X was Jay now, and A to Z meant nothing as the new masked "thief" went to go gather some info on this new stomping ground he'd be borrowing from.
Federal reserves and all.
He was slick, yet not enough.
The city had a bit rat problem. A criminally insane one.
And strategic as his steps did seem, the new X was short a few feet in distance to make that required leap of faith.
He got his butt handed to him, cut lip, broken arm.
By a kid, a year or so older than him.
He wore a mask, but he was no hero.
Jay was burned out, until he had no choice but to talk.
A few nights after the brawl in the backstreets of this cursed city, a visitor brought guests to his flat uptown.
The door wasn't their entrance, but the terrace was.
"What are you doing in my pent? Hey!"
If only Jay had shut his mouth. The figure was tall, armor covered him from head to foot, and there beside him in the dim afternoon light stood the kid who'd clocked Jay that evening.
"You! I'm not gonna waste my time; what are you here for? I'm –
"Innocent, is a long shot for you." The kid was quieted with a palm from his employer. He turned his body towards the wall, in time out it looked.
"My apprentice is eager to put a stop to this feud as well. I'm only here to say that your capabilities….the way you set those Wayne Tech guards on end the other night. You treated us both to quite a show."
The apprentice; with his floppy dark hair and identically black and orange attire as the older male at the side, growled at the thief from by the wall where he'd been sent.
"I though that you'd accept a job from me. You see, Todd….I run this city. There is only order with the Titans because I've allowed them to live, to exist. But the crime, the technology this city uses to evolve? That's because of my involvement overall. You'll live from paycheck to paycheck at this rate if you stay on the losing end of the spectrum." He countered, "It might even be worth your while for some, added improvement. I can supply you your gadgets . Codes to multiple safe houses that will give you an upper edge with staying on the winning team. As long as you won' defect, this would be a simple task for you." The man leaned forward with one eye – just one, looking keenly through the darkness and directly through Jay's very –
"I'm not interested."
"Are you really, Bat brat?"
Jay bit his lip, seeing the boy in the corner dropping his gaze to the floor.
"How do you know who I am?"
"A bit silly to ask that question, especially when you went back to Wayne's tower…and that made it too easy to fill in the blanks. You used my apprentice's old invention…" He stated. "That's his suit, yet funny how it fits you like a dream come true." The man smirked, expecting a retort to come in only moments.
"I took it." Jay admitted with a tensioned shrug. "It was getting all dusty. What's the big deal? I don't do charity cases and if I am a kid of Wayne's, then why am I doin' this dirty work instead of being the Prince of Gotham - number Two?"
The boy in the corner looked up, his eyes wider and almost, worn. Afraid for something or someone as he soon turned quickly to see Slade's eye on his new target.
"Sir…" The servant boy rasped. "He isn't –
"Quiet." The male in power here, was very clear on his orders. The boy by the wall just hung his head, hair hanging limply over his ears. "Yes, master –
" MASTER ??" Jay spouted. "As in." Jay gawked. "Ah - uh…. oh no. I'm nobody's puppet! Get out now, or I'll –
"You won't do a thing." Slade let up an arm as the boy by the wall walked from his space to be led towards another. He didn't look as concerned now. There was no time to pity the fickle – minded.
The two were not evenly matched enough as Jay was forced to work with what he had. The robots that entered through the other door came out of hiding, holding onto his suit and the case that kept his gloves, boots and belt as well as skull mask.
"You can't do this!" The teen ex -wonder shouted, finding that the unkind eye of the man at his dinning room table was more villain than hit man. The protégé had his weapons up and ready to do as before.
Beating Jason within an inch of his very life!
He was a menace, and X had gotten his master's attention.
"Apprentice; apprehend our target."
The boy took out what look to be a stun device, one to drag Jay's butt –
" RAAH !" Jay tossed a nearby coffee table the kid's way, but it got smashed. The robots leaning in closer, until…
It got harder and harder…
With a jolt through his spine, gas in his lungs, Jay's eyes fell shut.
To breathe.
He'd been free of his last keeper of the Demon's head.
He was so close to figuring out how to get back at Joker.
He wasn't though prepared as the voice of the man saying the name of that boy…
"Well done. Richard."
"Thank you, sir…"
~ Dick…as in…the first?...~
~There is no sign of Robin anywhere…is he…~
~He's not coming back, Star. ~
~We should keep an eye out, though…in case….~
~C'mon, Rae! Robin is no push over. If Cy says he's done then we can't go after…cause…~
They were right.
Jay groaned, sinking to his knees as the light caught the boy in the corner's face only a tinge.
~My ward went missing. ~
~How come? ~
~He, wanted to prove that he could make himself a better hero. Without my help, he's going to run into trouble. ~
~I'd never do somethin' like that to you, B!~
~I hope not, Jason. You and Alfred are still here, but so is Dick. One day, he might be alright…if we ever bring his kidnapper to justice. ~
And Jason had also left, died. All to become a better hero?
Well, if a hero died in battle, what was left but to wallow like Dick had done. Finding a way to hold onto his old hope before it sputtered out like the morning light before the blinds…
Gone, and he had never come to Jump with a bigger mission than today.
Winning his freedom from a madman, and freeing his older brother from that life of servitude he didn't deserve.
X wasn't a hero. He didn't play one anymore in real life.
But that didn't mean he didn't know how…
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