Fan Fiction ❯ A Raven Like No Other ❯ Chapter Twenty-One: “Loyalties” ( Chapter 21 )

Chapter Twenty-One: “Loyalties”

 

(At Titan Tower)

Robin, Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy were already assembled by the time Cyborg and Jinx arrived.

“What's the trouble,” Cyborg asked.

“Mammoth and Gizmo are back and are attacking downtown Jump City,” Robin explained. Jinx gave no reply as she watched Gizmo and Mammoth wreak chaos where they were.

“They seem to be having a lot of fun,” Beast Boy said with a sarcastic tone.

“Their fun is about to come to end. TITANS, MOVE OUT!”

Robin and the others turned made their way to exit when Cyborg realized something.

“Hey,” Cyborg said, “Where's Jinx?”

“We'll worry about that later,” Raven replied. Robin added, “Our priority now is to stop Mammoth and Gizmo from doing further damage!”

Cyborg didn't argue further as the others stormed out of the tower, being momentarily left behind. With a sigh, Cyborg ran to catch up with the others. He still couldn't shake off the feeling about Jinx's whereabouts right after she took off without their knowledge.

 

(A While Later; In Downtown Jump City)

The citizens who were previous their in the area had already evacuated after Mammoth began wreaking havoc. While he was going about pounding the hell out of the trucks and cars there, Gizmo was doing what he did best: head to whatever computer stops were around and crash their systems and take whatever money he could get. Their activities however were cut short when green star bolts came crashing down upon them. The duo immediately stopped what they were doing to see an all too familiar group behind them.

“Well, look who showed up,” Mammoth said.

“The snot Titans,” Gizmo replied.

“Gizmo and Mammoth,” Beast Boy said, “It's been a while.”

“Not long enough for my liking,” Gizmo retorted, “I wonder, what happened to all those muscles and fur you had before? And why the hell are you back with the Titans?”

“Never mind that,” Beast Boy answered, “Let's focus on taking you guys out!”

“I agree,” Robin said, “We don't know where you both been after all this time, but you two should have stayed where you disappeared to.”

“Their next disappearing act will land them in jail this time,” Cyborg responded.

“Hmph,” Gizmo scoffed, “You're all talk but no actions. This time we came prepared for you guys!”

“We'll see about that,” Raven challenged.

“Hey what happened to Jinx,” Cyborg asked as if he had no knowledge of what became of her, “I thought she'd be with you two after our last encounter.”

The other Titans were wondering what Cyborg was doing seeing that he threw out that question from out of nowhere, especially since they, the Titans, already knew where Jinx was for the last two months.

“Truthfully we don't know where she is or what became of her,” Mammoth replied, “If you really want to know we haven't seen or heard from her for a little more than two months now.”

“And honestly we really could care less right now,” Gizmo replied with a cold voice, “She disappeared to who knows where. No point in wasting time searching for someone who takes a liking to a humanoid factory like you tin can.”

Cyborg readied his sonic beam cannon and fired it at Gizmo. Seeing the attack coming his way, Gizmo activated a gadget on his left arm, which in effect formed a shield in front on his and deflected Cyborg's beam attack into a wall of a nearby building. In retaliation, Gizmo threw a grenade at the Titans.

“TITANS, MOVE,” Robin yelled as everyone jump out of the way of the bomb, moment before it detonated, resulting in a large explosion. Starfire and Raven took on Mammoth while Cyborg, Beast Boy and Robin went after Gizmo.

“I won't fall to you Titan freaks that easily,” Gizmo said as he pressed a button on the gadget on his left arm. That was when the others saw a glow appear around Gizmo. Several moments later, the glow died out to reveal Gizmo inside a mech suit much like the one Adonis used when he fought against the Titans (A/N: episode: “The Beast Within”); except his was dark gray and black and his arsenal built into it. There was also an enforced glass dome around and shielding where Gizmo's head was.

“What do you think,” Gizmo asked, “It was personally designed to crush you freaks!”

“We'll see,” Beast Boy defied as she changed into a bull and stampeded at him. Gizmo, in his mech suit, easily step sided out of the way as Beast Boy rushed passed him.

“Ha,” Gizmo chaired, “You missed!”

That was with Gizmo was hit from behind but Cyborg's sonic beam cannon. Gizmo was pushed backwards but wasn't knocked down.

“You'll have to do better than that,” Gizmo retorted at a compartment opened out on the shoulders of the mech. Two laser cannons appeared from the compartments and back firing at Cyborg.

“Shit,” Cyborg cursed as he ran for cover, avoiding as many lasers fired at him as he could. Robin took out one of his diskettes and threw it at one of the cannon. Upon impact, the diskette burst on the cannon and froze it.

“What,” Gizmo exclaimed before Cyborg rose from where he took cover and fired his beam cannon at the frozen laser cannon. The weapon broke and exploded off the mech, leaving an angry Gizmo behind.

“You fucking Titans,” Gizmo cursed, “You're gonna pay for that!”

Meanwhile Raven and Starfire were dealing with Mammoth who was geared up in some new armor built for him by Gizmo (A/N: used your imagination). He activated this armor during the fight and it served to amplify his strength, thus given the girls a harder time in fighting him.

“How do you like my new toys,” Mammoth asked cockily, “They were made to increase my strength.”

“It's a pity that it wasn't made to increase your mental capacity,” Raven mocked.

“Damn you,” Mammoth yelled, “I'll bitch slap you straight to Hell for that remark!”

Mammoth charged at the gothic Titan who gave no facial expression. Raven flew out of the way right before Mammoth punched hard and deep into the ground. Pulling his fist out from the ground, Mammoth readied to chase after the gothic Titan when Starfire began hurling storms of star bolts at him. Turning to face her, Mammoth smacked his hands together hand and created a shock wave that went straight to the Tamaranian Titan. Starfire was thrown off course from the attack and before she could catch herself, Mammoth jumped and grabbed her. With a tightly clenched fist and punched her hard, having her collided into the wall of a nearby building.

“Starfire,” Raven yelled at she flew over to her. Before she reached her however, Mammoth speedily grabbed Raven by her left ankle and then placed her into a tight, bone-breaking bear hug. Raven struggled to break free but Mammoth kept applying pressure.

“I'm gonna crush the life right out your pale body,” Mammoth laughed while watching Raven scream from the pain she was feeling. Suddenly a roaring green gorilla came and clobbered him from behind, releasing Raven within mere seconds. The Gorilla slammed him into several vehicles before he threw him into a truck. Before Mammoth was able to get back up, the gorilla morphed into a rhino and rammed into him with harsh prejudice. While Mammoth was down Beast Boy morphed back and ran over to Raven. He knelt down and carried her up bridal style.

“Raven,” Beast Boy called out with worry, “Are you all right?”

“...Super...,” Raven coughed a bit weakly. Starfire had already regained her composure and hurried to aid Robin and Cyborg after seeing Beast Boy deal with Mammoth. A moment later, a screaming Cyborg came flying in and crashing into the ground with his sonic beam cannon being partially busted up.

“Cyborg,” Beast Boy said while said cradling Raven in his arms. Cyborg gradually rose off the ground and looked at his cannon.

“Damn it,” Cyborg swore as Beast Boy reached him. Before another word was said, Robin and Starfire came flying in and rolling on the ground to the group. Gizmo came out walking over to the Titans as Mammoth stood back up and went over to Gizmo.

“What I'd tell ya,” Gizmo said Mammoth, “I told you we'd have them on the run.”

“So you did.”

“Victory isn't yours yet,” Robin replied as he and Starfire rose back up, “You both still haven't taken us out yet!”

“Don't worry about that bird breath,” Gizmo retorted, “You five will be finish by the time I-”

Gizmo was cut off with a red glow came around the mech he was in.

“What the hell is this,” Gizmo asked with a confused expression. As if to answer his question, the mech was through into a building and then into another and finally into the street. The mech was now heavily damaged, with an unconscious Gizmo left inside.

“Who that fuck did that,” Mammoth yelled as a red glow now came around him and tossed him into a bus, head first. He was knocked unconscious from the impact as the glow faded away. The Titans were left with an expression of wonder as they wondered who mysteriously attacked Gizmo and Mammoth.

“Wow,” Beast Boy said after a moment of silence. Cyborg stated, “I'll shake the hands of the person who did us that favor.”

“Will you now,” replied a feminine voice. All five of them turned to see were the source of that voice came from. Out from the shadows of the alley came a familiar pink-haired sorceress.

“Jinx,” Cyborg said in surprised.

“None other,” Jinx answered back while tossing up and down a particular ruby that Raven locked away in her room, “I owe you one Raven. This red beauty came in handy?”

“That's the Jewel of Confinement that you took,” Raven corrected, “You went into my room, didn't you?”

“It wasn't the first you know,” Jinx retorted, “But don't play the judge on me. I know you've snuck into a certain someone's room before, more than once I might add from what the others told me.”

Raven quieted, knowing all too well where Jinx was coming from. Jinx tossed the jewel over to Raven who grabbed it easily with a black energy glow. She floated over to herself and took hold of it.

“You helped us again,” Robin said.

“Would you have it any other way,” Jinx replied, “After hearing what Gizmo and Mammoth said earlier about me, did you really I'd turn on you guys like some stupid girl? And besides, I've gotten used to being and living with you weirdoes.”

“Weirdoes,” Raven asked in a monotone, “Have you seen and examined your own choice of fashion?”

Jinx snorted and said nothing to Raven in response. But Jinx could say anything, Raven said, “Thanks for coming when you did.”

All the other Titans nodded their heads in agreement.

“You really came through Jinx for us,” Cyborg said.

“Hey,” Jinx retorted with sarcasm, “Don't think for a moment that I'll be going all mushy and soft on you guys now.”

“Not yet anyway,” Cyborg teased.

“Whatever,” Jinx replied.

Turning to his girlfriend, Beast Boy asked, “Are you better now Raven?”

“It's just my left ankle; Mammoth injured it earlier,” Raven answered as she shifted herself to a more comfortable position on Beast Boy as he cradled her with his remaining strength.

A while later, the police came and took Mammoth and Gizmo into custody after removing the gears off of them. The damaged mech suit Gizmo was using was also taken to be properly disposed of. When questioned about Jinx, the Titans explained that she practically brought about the defeat of her former partners. Although the police took the report into consideration, they still stated that Jinx has a criminal record worthy enough to send her to do her time in jail. The Titans however confirmed that Jinx is in their hands now and that they'll take responsibility of her actions. The police didn't argue further with the Titans but reminded them that if Jinx try anything criminally intended, they'll have a lot to answer for. After they argument, ended the Titans left the scene with Jinx and returned back to Titan Tower.

 

(At Titan Tower)

The Titans and Jinx were entering the common room and Beast Boy was still cradling Raven the entire time. After a moment of silence Jinx said, “Um...thanks for standing up for me earlier. I was certain that I was going to be taken by the cops and sent to prison for sure.”

“You knowingly helped us out at the risk being taken to prison if the cops were to get their hold on you,” Cyborg replied, “That we have to give you props on.”

“Why are we to give Jinx props seeing that we're not in a theatrical play,” Starfire asked quizzically. Robin shook his head and explained, “What Cyborg meant is that we completely respect and admire what Jinx did for us earlier.”

“Oh, I see,” Starfire said with a nervous giggle. Robin turned to Jinx and said, “Well Jinx, after everything that happened between us in the past up until now, we decided to give you a choice that could determine the outcome of what might happen next?”

Jinx was now feeling nervous, wondering what they Titans were planning on doing. Surely they weren't thinking of changing their mind and turning her over to the police, she thought.

Robin looked over at Cyborg and nodded to him. Cyborg nodded once to Robin and walked over to Jinx who turned and looked up at him as he extended and opened up right hand, revealing a Titan communicator.

“Will you join us,” Cyborg asked, “As a new member of the Teen Titans?”

Jinx was silent for a moment and looked around at the others to see if they were joking. From what she saw, it was clear that they were sincere in what they were offering to her. The ball was now in her court and now she had to give them the ultimate reply.

With a deep breath, she stepped forward and took the communicator and said with a smile, “Don't think for a moment that I'll start getting all mushy now. But yes, I'll join you guys!”

“Glorious,” Starfire cheered as she flew and grabbed Jinx into a tight bone-breaking hug and swung around with her, “We're so very happy!”

“I...I'm...very happy too,” Jinx choked while trying to grab whether breath she could get. Starfire then released and set her back down to the ground. Robin and the others came and congratulated Jinx, who, as much as she fought not to, blushed several times.

“Well that was nice,” Raven said in a monotone as she mindlessly got off of Beast Boy's arms and started walking off towards her room. Jinx caught sight of this as she asked, “Raven didn't you say that your left ankle was injured?”

Raven immediately realized the mistake she just made.

“O...Oh,” Raven blushed nervously as she stuttered, “...About that? I...Uh...Later.”

Raven sank and disappeared into the floor after opening a black portal underneath her. Beast Boy then caught on that Raven wasn't really serious injured at all in her left ankle. The others were laughing a little at how she was just using Beast Boy to carry her around off her feet. Although Beast Boy snorted at their actions however, he didn't complain about carrying Raven around; in fact, he probably enjoyed it more than she did, and he was doing most of the work.

I'll have to “get” Raven for that later today, Beast Boy thought to himself with a grin.

 

(Fifteen Minutes Later)

Raven, in her room after locking away the Jewel of Confinement in a different and more secret location in her room, was doing her ritual mediation while floating over her bed when a knock came from her door. She thought about ignoring it when it came again. Sighing, she landed down on her bed then got off it as she went over to the door. She opened it to only to see that no one was there. Looking out into the hallway, she found that none of the Titans were there.

“I must be really losing it now,” Raven said to no one in particular as she closed her door. Turning around back into her dark room however, she gasped and yelped slightly upon seeing the intruder who stealthily entered her room undetected.

“G.L.!”

“Who else were you expecting,” Beast Boy replied with a smirk as he grabbed and embraced Raven into his arms, kissing her before she could saying another word. She accepted and kissed him back in return. A moment later, she pulled their lips away and looked into each other's eyes.

“Was that really necessary,” Raven asked with a small smile.

“Of course it was. I have to keep my stealth and shape-shifting skills sharp you know. Besides, I missed you.”

“I've only been in my room for fifteen minutes.”

“All the more why I missed you.”

Beast Boy gave her a quick kiss on her lips and then asked, “Mammoth didn't hurt you seriously, did he?”

“No, not really,” Raven answered, “It was nothing serious. But I did enjoy you carry me around.”

“I figured that one out on my own. But if you wanted to be carried, all you had to do was asked.”

“Sure,” Raven replied in teasingly. Beast Boy continued, “Having Jinx as a new member of the Titans will definitely change things around here and for many.”

“I'm sure it will,” Raven retorted, “And speaking of having a new member...”

“Yeah?”

Beast Boy then looked at his gothic girlfriend and saw that she was contemplating something by the way she grinned.

“Rae what are you up to?”

 

(Two Hours Later)

Robin had the Titans assembled together in the common room after receiving a message from Raven a while ago. Several moments later, Raven, being the last one to make the scene, appeared in the common room froma black portal from the floor with her cloak covering over her and her hood concealing her face.

“You've finally showed up,” Jinx stated, “I thought you'd be too embarrassed to show your face so soon after what happened.”

“You shouldn't be talking so soon Jinx,” Raven replied with a monotone. Raven then sent a telepath message to the other Titans minus Jinx. Upon receiving the message all of them gave sinister smiles on their faces. Jinx looked at the others questionably as she wondered what was going on. She asked, “What is this? What's going on here?”

“Because you've been officially recruited as a new Teen Titan,” Robin explained, “You must now undergo an initiation test.”

Jinx didn't like where this was going, “What kind of initiation test?”

That was when Raven opened her cloak to reveal a pink dress that was all too familiar to Cyborg. Jinx saw where this was going as she gave an expression of fright.

“Oh no,” Jinx yelled with widened eyes, “Oh Hell NO!”

“Oh Hell YEAH Jinx,” Cyborg interjected, “They had me to do the same thing when I was reinitiated into the Titans! Now that you're officially one of us, you'll have to go through the same thing! But look at it this way, at least the dress will match your hair.”

“And speaking of hair,” Starfire said joyfully as she pulled out her hairstyling kit, “I've been asked by Raven to personally give your hair a makeover.”

“As if that's going to happen,” Jinx exclaimed as she backed away from the others.

“Grab her,” Raven yelled with a grin as Jinx turned and ran speedily from the Titans who were now in hot pursuit of her. Evidently, Raven was under the influence of Humor, Happy and Desire, which was why she was motivated to pull this stunt. Jinx was aware of the kind of hairstyles Starfire would somethings try out of her own hair and from what she saw during the passed two months, a number of those hairstyles weren't completely appealing for her taste or Raven's and many other girls' for that matter.

 

(Three Months Later)

Having Jinx, as an official member of the Titans was sheer shock to many, even to some on the Justice League who're familiar with the Titans. There were very few who were unfamiliar with Jinx and her past, and there were those who still questioned if it was a smart and wise decision of the Titans to recruit Jinx into their fold. Jinx saw that she was going to have a hard time earning everyone's trust and favor but the Titans were supportive of her. They believed and argued that everyone deserves a second chance and an opportunity to atone for his or her past.

Gizmo and Mammoth were truly pissed when they found this out, not that there was anything they could do about itnow, and of course those who were H.IV.E. agents labeled her as a traitor. Through it all, Jinx would go into battle with the Titans as a Titan, regardless of what others thought of her. In spite of the fact that the team had their ups and downs, still, they found ways of settling their differences and were more than willing to face new challenges and changes in their lives...