Fan Fiction ❯ Teen Titans X ❯ Chapter 2: A Little Bad Luck Never Hurt Anyone Pt. 1 ( Chapter 2 )

I'm starting to get reviews! Wow! There are people out there who are crazy enough to like my work lol. Thank you all who reviewed. (Both of you.) My digimon fanfic was a bit more popular then I expected so this story has been a bit neglected in writing and brainstorming. Well I'm thinking of doing a quick reviewer response thingies from now on to help encourage reviews and opinions.

 

Plastic Spoons: Thank you. I'm glad you like my story so much and congrads for being my first reviewer. Props. Yes, I am aware of the possibility of Beast Boy being by himself. Chapter 3 will actually address that problem with I think rather funny results.

 

Now to the story!

 

Teen Titans X

Written by: Juggalomalice

Chapter 2: A Little Bad Luck Never Hurt Anyone Pt. 1

 

 

“Jinx, what the hell are you doing here?!” Red X asked in a near yell

 

“I thought I just finished saying I was here cause of the help aid.” The pink sorceress replied with not even a hint of fear for the Titan leader.

 

X was silent as his eyes narrowed and he stared down the young witch. Jinx stood there with an aura of her standard arrogant confidence. A smile on her face as if she knew exactly what she was doing and her cat like eyes giving her a strange appearance of innocence. She wore her standard gothic lolita style dress that she always wore and a black duffle bag lay on the ground resting against her leg. The internal computers in X's mask were busy scanning aspects of her body and bag searching for any evidence of hidden weapons or even biological toxins. He detected none.

 

“So?” Jinx asked after the minute long silence.

 

“So what?”

 

“So do you think you could let me… you know….?” She trailed off in a somewhat nervous manner motioning towards the door.

 

“Come inside?” X finished the sentence for her as he grew tired of her run around speech.

 

“Really? Thanks!” Jinx exclaimed as she picked up her bag, pushed past X and walked inside the tower. She quickly glanced around the tower as she made her way to the main room. “I haven't been here in ages and that time I was an unwanted guest.”

 

“Wait!” X shouted but it was too late for Jinx had already walked into the main commons room and had come face to face with the rest of the Titans. Jinx stood frozen as the four heroes stared at her. She managed to wave in a dumbfound manner at them and give a nervous hello before Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy leapt from where they were sitting and took up a battle stance in front of her. The smile on Jinx's face slowly melted at the sight.

 

Khalid was the only one who didn't leap into action. He looked over to see the pink haired girl give what seemed like nervous wave. He didn't know who she was and nor did he care. She didn't seem to be a threat so Khalid's first reaction to her presence was to ignore her. His newly formed teammates didn't seem to agree with his choice of action as each of them leapt into a battle stance. Not wanting to appear unconcerned for the team's worries he decided against ignoring the visitor. Though he did not leap in action like the rest he did stare at her with a somewhat newfound interest and ready to act should she prove to be a threat. Part of him doubted that she was a threat as he mentally anticipated how long it would take for the team to drop their Def Con 4 act so he could go back to his original plan of ignoring her.

 

“Jinx what are you doing in here?” Raven hissed

 

“Red X let me in, silly.”

 

“That's not entirely true.” X said as he walked past Jinx and took his place at the center of the team. He didn't seem as annoyed as he was when he first saw Jinx at the door.

 

“Still that doesn't explain why you're `here'.” Beast Boy stated giving an erratic motion around him which signified the tower.

 

“That's a good point.” X said as he shot a death glare at a Beast Boy. “Perhaps you can tell us why she's here Beast Boy.” He said as he shot a green wade of paper at Beast Boy's head scoring a direct hit to his nose.

 

Beast Boy let out a yelp similar to an injured dog as he held his nose with one hand and reached down and picked up the thrown paper with his other. He straightened the paper out only to come face to face with his recruitment flier. Beast Boy's face took on a lopsided grin as he saw the black armored chest of Red X appear before him. The skull like head looking down upon him in a manner that suggested intense fury. He closed his eyes expecting the worse shouting he would ever receive in his life.

 

“Do you have any idea what you just did when you posted these filers Beast Boy?” X asked in a rather cold but leveled voice.

 

Beast Boy opened his eyes in slight shock. He had forgotten that since Robin became Red X he never seemed to shout at the team, except when he was issuing orders on the field. He always seemed to speak in that cold voice of his now. A voice that always confused Beast Boy. Every time X got an argument or fight with one of the team members he would use this voice and Beast Boy could never tell if X was anger at that member for what they did or if he was anger at himself for letting them do what ever they did. Either way it had the effect of making whoever he spoke with riddled with guilt.

 

Even Raven was taking a toll from X's lectures. When out in public Raven kept her stoic face, but Beast Boy had seen the way she looked at X when she thought no one was looking. Ever time she looked at him her heavy and sad like she wanted to cry and over the past few months she had developed dark bags under her violet eyes like she had been crying herself to sleep. This was usually the case. On many nights Beast Boy had heard Raven and X yelling at each other late at night. He would often open his door a crack to try to hear better only to see Raven step out of X's room with her cold face, but shortly afterwards she would burst into tears and run towards her room. To say the least the Titans bill for light bulbs had tripled in the past few months.

 

Beast Boy stared back at the skull face unsure of what to say.

 

“This is a shout out to every criminal and psychopath that the Titans are in a weakened position. You practically compromised the whole team.” X answered for him.

 

Beast Boy looked down at his feet clearly ashamed. “I was only trying to help.” He said in a whisper.

 

“When did you post these?” X asked again his voice refusing to rise.

 

“About a week ago when you said you were running out of candidates.” Beast Boy answered meekly refusing to look at X.

 

“You're lucky someone like Slade hasn't seen this and acted on it.”

 

“I'm sorry man.” Beast Boy mumbled. X continued to stare down the green changeling.

 

“Dude, he said he was sorry.” Cyborg piped up defending his younger comrade.

 

X glared at the older member. His first instinct was to counter his defense, but he voted against that. The topic of Beast Boy was drawing him off topic of the real problem.

 

“Perhaps your right.” X admitted, “Besides he's not the real problem here.” He said as he slowly turned back towards Jinx. The young sorceress looked a bit paler then usual and her confidence seemed drained.

 

 

“Hi” Jinx said once again as she was unsure what else to say.

 

“Jinx, according to Titan regulations all members and/or candidates cannot have a standing criminal record and I sincerely doubt you could have served all your time in the 6 months since we last saw you.” X stated

 

“That's the thing!” Jinx nearly exclaimed. “I've been officially pardoned by the US government. I can't say too much, but if you don't believe me you can check yourself.”

 

X didn't need her to tell him to check it. He was already scanning the criminal database via the internal computers in his mask, but had no luck finding any evidence of Jinx's offenses. “Cyborg?” He asked implying the situation. He knew Cyborg had a more advanced search system then you did so if there was any chance of Jinx still having a criminal record he would find it for sure.

 

“Way ahead of you.” Cyborg answered as he himself scanned the files. A few moments of silence passed as Raven and Beast Boy watched Cyborg waiting for his analysis. X kept staring at Jinx as he assessed the situation as Khalid continued to stare from his seat on the couch, but his interest was slowly draining.

 

“She's right.” Cyborg finally said. “She really has been cleared of all charges.”

“See, so that means you can't cross me out based on a technicality right?” Jinx asked with a little hope in her eyes.

 

X eyed her. He had hoped that the criminal rule would weed out Jinx's desire to apply, but he hadn't counted on her being pardoned. “Just because it doesn't say you're a criminal on paper doesn't mean you're not one Jinx. No one here as forgotten what you did and frankly I think that is enough reason to deny your request.”

 

“Wait, just let me explain.” Jinx said in a slight panic. “You have to understand that wasn't my fault. Blood's mind control is more powerful than you think.”

 

“We're all aware of Blood's mind control abilities. That doesn't excuse your actions. You've had your fair share of chances to break free.”

 

“That's just my point damnit!” Jinx yelled stomping her foot. “I've tried on several occasions only to get caught again and every time he was presumed dead he came back. And his powers do more than just normal mind control.”

 

“Like?” X asked clearly finding anything she said hard to believe.

 

“The longer you're under his control the more influential his powers become on you. After awhile it's not just his thoughts he controls. He starts gaining control of your memories even your emotions.” Jinx answered her voice taking on a more desperate tone.

 

She looked at each Titan individually. They were steadily lowering their stances, but didn't let their guard drop completely except for the white haired young man on the sofa who seemed to be ignoring her now. There was a silence signaling her to continue her story which she did.

 

“With Blood having two near death experiences his control over us, mainly me, was weakened. In his absence I started remembering fragments of my past and even starting having some weird thoughts which I wasn't accustomed too. Yet as soon as Blood came back and reasserted his control over us I stopped remembering those things. Soon I began to notice I was forgetting those memories and feelings. The longer Blood stayed with us the more I forgot. I suspected each night he would scan our minds and slowly chisel away and repress any unwanted feelings and thoughts that would threaten his control.” Jinx's eyes took on a somewhat distressed look and it was obvious she didn't like the thought of someone probing her mind.

 

“It came to the point were I was struggling to remember the feeling of watching a pleasant sunrise. I stopped dreaming, well maybe not stopped, but I stopped dreaming about anything happy. It was getting to the point where I was evening starting to wonder who I was. If the memories were even mine to begin with and it was frustrating. Every morning I would wake up exhausted and there would be Blood, with that arrogant smile on his face. He would walk up to me and pat my head like I was some sort of pet and tell me things would get better. I hadn't told anyone I was having problems, but he knew. That's when I started to suspect him as the cause of my troubles. I thought about confronting him, but I knew he would take that as disobedience and well let's just say Blood takes pride in his obedience training.” A puzzled look flew over some of the Titans faces, but no one wanted to interrupt Jinx's story.

 

“When Brother Blood ordered the attack on you guys six months ago most of the remaining Hive jumped at it. I just kind of went along because I thought I didn't have a choice.”

 

X flinched in the slightest of manners at the mention of the attack of six months ago. His action was barely noticeable and almost blended in with his normal actions. It had become an unspoken rule that the talk of that unfaithful night was taboo when in X's presence. Many of the Titans were unaware of how that night had ended. All of them, except X had been incapacitate halfway through the battle and the security tapes had all been damaged or corrupted. The only one who knew was X and he wasn't telling any of the team for one reason or another. All the team knew was that they had won. They just didn't know how.

 

Jinx stopped her story. For a moment it seemed like X was going to say something, but he didn't. He just continued to stare at her. Taking in the fact that the group of teens were even listening to her as good sign she continued with her story with a bit more confidence.

 

“When Robin defeated Blood everyone kind of just ran for the hills. No one believed he was gone for real at first. We all expected him to walk in again and start running our lives, but he never did. Then suddenly after about a month or so I started have glimpse of memory return to me. I knew then that if Blood wasn't dead then this would be the last chance I had to escape. So I left the Hive. On bad terms mind you. They were pissed. So I left the place I've known as home for so much of my life and went on a trip to discover the past life that I still wasn't even sure I had.”

 

“It wasn't as easy as I thought. With no money or transportation I kind of drifted for awhile. Just describing the place in my memories to random people and hopping they knew where I was talking about. I had no such luck. After awhile of slumming it I met this guy who offered me a job. If I completed it I not only got my record clean, but I got a nice little parting gift of cash. I had nothing else to go on so I accepted. I nearly got myself killed, but I finished my mission and the guy kept his end of the bargain. Before I left him I described the place in my memories and he gave me the name of a place. So I went looking for it and with my new funds it wasn't that hard. I was so excited as the driver I hired to take me there got closer to the destination. I poured over my memories and I remembered a lot of people. People who apparently cared for me. People who loved me I guess. Man, it feels weird talking about this. As the driver came to a stop he told me that the place I was looking for was just over the hill. I practically jumped out and ran over it. I was expecting to see the beautiful home in my dreams and those warm loving faces. I expected to run over the hill and for an old lady to see me and rush up to me and bring me into a hug. Saying how she missed me and how she loved me. How everyone was worried about where I disappeared to. That's what I expected at least.”

 

“But it was nothing like that. I ran over the hill and just saw a barren valley. I couldn't believe it was the same place. Yet it was. Everything from my memories was there. The trees as saw in my dreams where in the exact same places except they weren't green and full of life but dead. The small pond I remembered playing in was just a dried up mud puddle. What was most disturbing was that there was no sign of the house that was suppose to be there. Not a single floor board or even a chip of paint. Like it never existed to begin with. There was no one to hug me. No one to tell me they loved me.” She said in a sniffed voice looking at her feet.

 

“The driver told me it had been like that since before he could remember. There was never a family living there. I was so confused. It was the same place, but it wasn't. Like my own mind was lying to me. I just didn't know what to do. The home I thought I had didn't exist and the home I formally had had turned it's back on me. I came back to Jump City shortly afterwards. For no real reason, but just because it was the only place I knew and as luck would have it a gust of wind carried that little green flier and smack me in the face. Almost like it's what fate had intended so I rushed over here. And that's how I came to be here right now.” She said with a slight laugh, but still refusing to lift her gaze from her feet.

 

“Why should I believe you?” X asked refused to be swayed by emotion.

 

“You have to?” Jinx practically yelled and she lifted her tear stained face and look at X dead in the eye. “I have no where else to go.” She said at last in a low pathetic voice. Her tears were smearing her make up making her even a sadder sight.

 

Raven was stunned at this sudden burst of emotion. She was receiving wave after wave of sadness emulating out of Jinx. So much that Raven herself almost considered bursting into tears. She didn't to say the least, but that didn't stop Beast Boy from crying. He was bellowing like baby as he blew his nose on a tissue. Cyborg looked shocked himself, but he still didn't want to drop his guard and did his best to maintain a serious expression. X's expression didn't seem to change on the outside, but behind his mask he himself was taken back by Jinx's display of emotion. Khalid was once again reading a book and was seemingly ignoring the whole affair behind him. (That cold insensitive bastard)

 

The room was silent as X stared at Jinx taking into account everything he knew about the girl and everything he had just learned. Time seemed to stop and Jinx had stopped breathing out of nervousness. Her fate as a possible Titan, indeed perhaps her whole future were in X's hands. Whatever he said next would determine what kind of life she would live. X sighed as if he didn't like the answer he was about to give. Jinx bit her lower lip, hard, in hopes that it would help calm her down as she prepared for the worst.

 

“I guess we could let you try out.” X said at last.

 

“Really!” Jinx nearly shouted as she jumped back to life.

 

“Yeah, that is if the rest of the team agrees.” X stated as he looked towards Khalid. “Khalid, what do you think?”

 

“She seems honest and sincere.” The apath said without even turning around to face X.

 

“I agree. I don't sense any deception from her and her sadness seems to be genuine.” Raven added.

 

“And we can't just throw her out in the street.” Beast Boy said through sobs, “Star would hate us for that.”

 

Everyone seemed to be in agreement, everyone except Cyborg who was looking at the whole team like they had lost their mind.

 

“Have you all lost your minds?!” Cyborg yelled as he rushed to Jinx's side and motioned his hands as if he was presenting her to them for the first time. “This is Jinx we're talking about. J-I-N-X! Jinx! The same girl who's tried to kill us on multiple occasions, the same girl who has performed numerous crimes, and the same Jinx who I happen to know first hand is an excellent liar. You can't tell me you guys believe her?”

 

“Well if she's lying I suggest she should win an Emily for that performance.” Khalid's monotone voice shot out from his book. Had the situation not been so serious his comment might have been taken as a joke.

 

“We're all well aware of her past Cyborg,” X stated, “And I'm not suggesting we let her wonder around unsupervised, but we are entitled to give her a chance to apply. Besides the rest of the team seems to be willing to accept the danger it implies.”

 

“Yeah and if the team was willing to sleep in a bed filled with poisonous scorpions that wouldn't mean it's a good idea.” Cyborg argued. “We've already gone through enough and we're barely gaining our strength back to let her ruin it now. It's to much of a risk too soon. I'll have to put my metal foot down here.”

 

“Cyborg I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” Raven spoke out, “But according to the Teen Titans Charter in team decisions majority rules.”

 

“True in most cases Raven, except when you turn to page 24 under Article VII, subsection 4, paragraph 3 in the New Recruits section: When casting votes on potential Titan candidates and/or new members both the primarily and secondary leader must be in agreement that the recruit is in the best interest of the team. Should both leaders disagree on the matter the recruit is denied application regardless of majority rule.”

 

“You're over riding my decision based on a technicality?” X asked clearly angry with Cyborg's actions. Since his transformation to Red X, X's patience for many matters had become significantly less. Especially regarding matters where his authority was challenged. Something Cyborg had been doing more and more often and to say the least it irritated X to no ends.

 

“You bet you I'm calling you out on a technicality. You're lucky I'm not a jerk otherwise I would of brought up a hearing to have you removed from your position as leader.” Cyborg stated hopping to add salt to wound.

 

This was to much for X. Not only had Cyborg questioned his order, vetoed his decision, but now he threatens his position of leadership and indirectly questioned his sanity. X was furious and his first thought was to yell the deepest and rudest of curses he could think of at Cyborg. X bit his tongue knowing full well that yelling at Cyborg would do no good, but he wasn't about to let this insult go unacknowledged. He thought for a few moments reviewing his knowledge of the Titan Charter. Wasn't to hard considering her wrote over half of it.

 

“So you want to play a game of technicalities? Well Cyborg, two can play that. On page 56, Article XXXVIII, subsection 7, paragraph 23 under the section of Emergency Procedures: Should a situation rise where the overall security of the team is compromised in a manner that is not covered in any other fashion the current team leader will be granted unlimited rule allowing he/she to make all team choices without the need to consult the team in question.” X quoted from the book.

 

“Nice try X, but there's no emergency that you can justify that rule on.” Cyborg smirked sure he would win.

 

“On the contrary. Beast Boy's careless act of hanging fliers up around the city announced classified information regarding the current strength of the team to the public. This action not only compromised the safety of the whole team, but did so in a manner that is not covered in the text. As such I'm hereby declaring marshal rule over the team granting myself unlimited rule. As such my first order of business is to fully initiate the two candidates known as Khalid and Jinx and make them both full fledge and official Teen Titans.”

 

“What! You can't do that! I won't let you!” Cyborg yelled.

 

“You, Cyborg, no longer have a say in the matter.” X stated with an evil hiss. “As per the agreement we made over a month ago, You, Cyborg, would remain a member of the Teen Titans until a fifth member was recruited to take your place. With Khalid and Jinx now both official Titans we have `five' official members as such Cyborg you are no longer a part of the Teen Titans and are to be reassigned to Titans East where you will take on the position of leader there.”

 

Cyborg was speechless. Death by the King of Technicalities. There was no real arguing now. He lost and badly at that. If anything it was a bitter victory for X, but a victory none the less. The room was dead silent now as everyone waited for Cyborg's reply.

“So that's all it's going to be huh?” Cyborg asked at last. “Alright so be it. I'll got pack my stuff. I'll be out of your hair in 2-3 days more or less.” He walked out of the room. His face sad and disappointed.

 

Beast Boy again looked like he was going to cry as he rushed out and followed his best friend. Raven seemed shocked as she stared at X almost as if she couldn't believe what he just did. Jinx looked sad herself. Thought she was happy she was now a member she felt bad about the huge schism she indirectly caused.

 

X said nothing. He simply stared at the space Cyborg had been standing as he replayed what he just did in his mind. He was willing to admit he act hastily and even out of anger. It was a reckless and stupid choice he made, but he had to make it. He looked over a Jinx. She looked at him with what seemed to be genuine sadness. He wasn't sure if she could be trusted, but he hopped his instincts about her weren't wrong. The commons room remained silent as the three remaining members stood in thought. Outside the sun had apparently set without anyone noticing. Almost like Sun itself didn't want to be around when with all the arguing that had just taken place. Silence continued to fill the room until a light snort came from where Khalid was sitting on the couch. X and the two magic casters reacted immediately to the sound that broke the room's silence. The white haired apath had his head lowered and was breathing softly with his eyes closed.

 

Khalid had fallen asleep.

 

End chapter 2.

 

How was that? I'm late again go figure. Anyway I liked this chapter. It really expands on the new personalities that the team is forced to adopt. It also gives a very good example of the types of fights Cyborg and Red X get in on a daily basis now. The first chapter didn't show the tension between them very well. Some things that I want to note and explain:

 

Raven crying? Yes, I know some of you may think it OC for her, but I think it makes sense. Remember that in this story Rave has fallen in love with Robin/X as she is rather upset with his distant personality now, especially since they were growing rather close after the Trigon incident.

 

What's with Jinx's past? I'm well aware of Jinx's origin in the comic. Honestly I don't like it and didn't think it would make sense in my story. So like any writer, I made shit up. Potential future plot? I don't know yet, maybe.

 

 

Red X is an asshole? I know. Remember that Robin adopted a very harsh and extreme personality with he decided to become Red X. He's well aware that many of his decisions hurt his friends but he believes it's the best thing to do for there own safety. Don't judge him to harshly. He has his reasons which reveal themselves in later chapters. He'll come around. (Yes this will be a RobxRae story)

 

Khalid is a bigger asshole? Yeah, I know. He has his reasons too. He doesn't do what he does to purposely be a jerk. His reasons will soon be revealed too. Just give him time.

 

Review please!