Location: Unknown

A screen full of static is seen before it resolves into a school crest. The field is hexagonal, black-and-white checkered within a gold border. A large H is superimposed on it in gold script. Across the bottom is a white banner bearing the letters "H.A.E.Y.P." Behind the crest, a square corridor can be seen, with yellow walls, ceiling, and floor marked in a honeycomb pattern. A cool female voice begins to narrate.

"The H.I.V.E. Academy for Extraordinary Young People is proud to introduce..."

A platform rises into view in front of the crest, carrying three young individuals on it to block the crest. One is a very short, bald boy in a green jumpsuit. A pair of goggles is propped on his forehead, and assorted controls are mounted on his chest and waist level.

(Art by VVireak114. Not sure where since I found it on Pinterest, but credit to artist anyway)

Behind him is a very tall, beefy fellow with collar length brown hair and small heard. His sleeveless shirt and pants are black, and studded gold bands cross his chest and run around his shoulders, and studded gold wristbands.

(Art also by VVireak114. Credit to them)

Off to the right of these two is a slim girl in an off-the-shoulder black dress trimmed with blue ruffles, black-and-blue striped stocking, and black blatform boots with blue soles. Her lavender hair is bound unto two large horn-like tufts that stick up above her ears, her catlike eyes are the same color, and her skin is an odd shade of bluish-pink. A small pendant hangs from a black ribbon that encircles her throat.

(Art by lahfy on Reddit. Credit to them)

"... this year's top graduates."

They leap from the platform. The big one and the girl drop out of frame, and the camera zooms in on the runt.

"Gizmo, the boy genius whose intellect can conquer any problem with an inventive solution."

The boy called Gizmo presses a button on his chest control, and the camera pulls back as a pair of large metal wings sprouts from his back. He takes hold of the device at his waist, and the wings respond and carry him into the air. Lasers pop out from the wall panels and open fire against him, but he easily avoids all the shots and goes for another button. Now a small missile launcher comes up between the wings and unleashes a salvo that destroys all the guns with remarkable efficiency.

Gizmo lands on the platform he and his classmates originally stood on, then glides away as two large robots step in from portals that open up in the walls.

"Jinx, the enchanting sorceress whose powerful hexes mean bad luck for her enemies."

Said girl extends her arms to both sides and does a 360-degree twirl, throwing off a wave of energy that causes a couple of wall panels to fall away. She leaps high off the platform, and the panels crash down on the robots' heads. Two other have moved in during this sequence and meet the same fate. Jinx backflips down the corridor a short distance.

Three large laser cannons emerge from recessed panels in the floor, but the giant drops into view and bends the barrel of one of them as if it were a piece of taffy.

"And Mammoth, the genetic enhanced giant whose unstoppable strength speaks for itself."

As this is said, Mammoth tears the cannon from its moorings and does an Olympic-style hammer throw to sling it away. It skids across the floor and wrecks the other two. The giant looks very pleased with himself before a robot looms up behind him and catches him in its huge hands. Gizmo jumps onto its back and attaches a small unit. It screws itself down, sending up a small puff of smoke, and Gizmo jumps free as sparks start to fly from the robot's head.

"Well-organized, highly trained, and combat equipped..."

Mammoth throws off the robot, which collapses, and Gizmo lands in a crouch before running off again. Jinx then runs over to Mammoth and springs up just before reaching him. He catches one foot and boosts her into a series of flips that carries her down the corridor.

"... these new H.I.V.E. agents are the perfect fighting force."

Batteries of lasers emerge from behind the walls and cut loose against Jinx, who continues her gymnastic advance. Not one shot hits her, but the positioning of the turrets on opposite walls results in their blowing each other to bits by the time she has reached the end of the gauntlet. She lands with her back to the screen, surveying her triumph, then turns to face front. Gizmo and Mammoth slide up on either side of her.

"And for the right price, this ideal team can be yours."

The image gives way to static, which resolves into the H.I.V.E. Academy's crest against a dark field. A grey-haired woman steps into view, wearing a severe dark outfit with a hexagonal gold patch on one sleeve. It was the school's headmistress.

Headmistress: "Well, Mr. Slade?"

Just behind her, the shadowy form of the man called Slade stands behind a railing on a slightly elevated platform across the area. Wisps of steam rise from the floor.

Slade: "Impressive. Truly. However, robots and obstacle courses only prove so much."

(Art by umibito on DeviantArt. Credit to them)

The masked man leads the headmistress deeper into the machinery.

Slade: "My plans demand operatives who can function in the real world." *steps onto a catwalk* "If your students are going to serve me..."

The two reach a darkened area with two spotlights shining down from above. One pool of light is occupied by the three graduates. The headmistress steps into the other while Slade sits in the blackness.

Slade: "... they'll have to pass one final exam. Destroy the Teen Titans, bring me the Ronin, and then we'll talk."

The light on the H.I.V.E. trio goes out, and the headmistress bows before hers is extinguished as well. Only the outline of Slade's figure and his eye are visible now. Then the remaining light source is finally switched off.

Time: Morning
Location: Titans Tower

Cyborg: "Aw, man, come on!"

In the kitchen, the sink and counter are piled high with dirty dishes, and the floor is strewn with garbage.

Cyborg: "It's gotta be around here somewhere!"

Beast Boy, as a bloodhound, sniffs at some of the trash as a frustrated groan is heard from Cyborg's direction.

Cyborg: "I don't believe this!"

The entire operations center is seen it total disarray. Beast Boy keeps nosing around on the floor while Cyborg hoists hoists couch and shakes it in search whatever has been lost. Raven and Y/n are seen reading their own books at the kitchen table.

Cyborg: "How could you lose the remote?"

Beast Boy: *reverts to human form* "What makes you so sure I lost it?"

Cyborg: "Uh... 'cause you're you."

Beast Boy: "Hey! Just because I lost that video game--"

Cyborg: "--and the toothpaste, and my football, and the waffle iron--"

Y/n: *without looking up* "--and a handful of my concussive shurikens."

Beast Boy: "Okay, that one was on me. But things just disappear! How am I supposed to know where they go?"

Raven lowers her book at this. Her eyes hold a look of annoyance as a vein starts to throb at her temple.

Cyborg: "Well, how am I supposed to watch TV without a remote?"

Raven slams down her book and stands up.

Raven: *icily* "Simple. You just get up and change the channel."

Y/n: "Or you can go and do something more productive."

The two squabbling Titans give their teammates a very long and puzzled look.

Cyborg: "Don't even joke like that."

Raven and Y/n: "It wasn't a joke."

Cyborg: "Good, 'cause it wasn't funny! Now either help us look for the remote, or back to your stupid old books and--"

Y/n lowers his book as his eye twitches before he turns to face his fellow Titans. They suddenly freeze and whimper under his intense gaze, trembling in fear.

Raven: "This is a pointless argument over a useless device." *begins to walk away* "You are wasting your energy and disrupting my concentration."

She walks off as Y/n returns to his book. A side door opens to reveal Robin and Starfire while Beast Boy and Cyborg were still arguing over the remote.

Beast Boy: *to Cyborg* "I'm telling you, I didn't lose it! You were the one watching TV last!"

Starfire: *to Robin* "And that is the secret to traveling faster than light."

Beast Boy: *to Cyborg* "So if you want to blame someone, look in the mirror, buddy!"

Starfire gasps as Robin stares at the screen before the two. Then he walks forward.

Robin: "Whoa! Take it easy, Titans! Combat practice is this afternoon!"

Starfire: "We must mend your dispute by the sharing of unhealthy junk foods. I shall fetch them."

She walks off to the kitchen, passing by Y/n who was still focused on his book.

Cyborg: "I don't need food. What I need is a time machine. I didn't--"

Beast Boy: "Back me up here, Robin! Have I ever lost any--?"

Robin: "Y/n's concussive shurikens."

Beast Boy: "Oh, come on!"

As the bickering continues, Starfire opens the refrigerator and looks inside. There is a jumble of half-eaten leftovers, all covered with a thick layer of blue mold. The fridge hasn't been cleaned out in who knows how long.

The growth on a wheel of cheese starts to move and screech, making Starfire shriek in alarm and she throws a starbolt, blowing up everything inside the fridge and splattering blue crud throughout the operations center. The other Titans stand still, having the daylights scared out of them, not to mention a healthy dose of the mild dripped on their heads.

Robin: "Maybe we should just go out for pizza."

Y/n: "I completely agree."

Back with the Arab-American teen, the entire left side of his body was covered in blue mold, along with his book. He was beyond ticked off.

Location: Jump City Pizza

A pizza joint is seen at the intersection if two streets at an acute angle, with a second-story patio that takes advantage of this detail. The floors coloring and the placement of tables makes this entire affair look like a huge slice of pepperoni pizza.

On a table nearby, most of the Titans are arguing over pizza toppings. Beast Boy squats on his stool instead of sitting on it. When the dispute over toppings finally stops, Raven speaks up. She and Y/n were the only ones who did not partake in the argument.

Raven: "Can we please just order something?"

Beast Boy: "As long as it's vegetarian."

Cyborg: "Come on, man, how can you deny me the all-meat experience?"

Beast Boy: *offended* "Dude, I've been most of those animals!"

Y/n: "I think I'll just order my own pizza."

Starfire: "I suggest a large pizza with pickles, bananas, and mint frosting."

The Tamaranean beams at her suggestion, but Beast Boy is visibly repulsed by the combination, and Cyborg and Raven think just as little as it. Y/n was still looking at his menu without a reaction, and Robin leans over to the alien superhero.

Robin: "Uh, Starfire? Not everything on the menu is a pizza topping."

Starfire: *blushes* "Oh!"

Y/n was confused suddenly. There was toothpaste on the menu? Why was that of all things on the menu?

Cyborg; "Double pepperoni!"

Beast Boy: "I'm not eating meat!"

Cyborg: "There's no meat in pepperoni!"

Y/n: *agitated* "Yes, there is! Are you dumb or stupid?!"

The argument begins anew as crosshairs appear on each Titan's head. Meanwhile, however, Gizmo is spying on tbe group of six. He holds a small handheld device that flashed "INITIATE MISSION".

Gizmo: "Gizmo to Jinx."

Nearby, said H.I.V.E. member is standing next to a parked bus with a hand cup to her ear. She was receiving Gizmo's message via a hidden radio.

Gizmo: *over radio* "Begin Phase One."

Jinx nods and carelessly tosses a spell at the bus, causing it to start rolling downhill.

Back at the pizza joint, as the vehicle's horn blares from down the street, the Titans stand up from the table. The sound of a crying baby from ground level elicits a shocked gasp from Beast Boy. The source is in a carriage in the crosswalk, and the bus was on a collision course towards it.

Robin: "Titans! Go!"

Y/n immediately pulls on his hood and the six heroes immediately spring into action while the bus keeps bearung down on the crosswalk. Starfire pushes the carriage out of the way, and Cyborg and Raven plant themselves in the vehicle's path as the Ronin runs up the bionic teen's back and leaps off of him. He flips through the air and lands on the roof of the bus before running towards the back and flipping off the end, throwing some strong hooks attached to thin metal cords that lodge into the back of the bus. He lands on the road and pulls at the cords, digging his feet into the ground as Cyborg pushes back against the front fender to help slow the bus down. Raven then casts a spell, causing the bus' gearshift lever to slide into park.

The tires stop spinning and the bus goes into a tearing skid. With the help of Ronin, Cyborg has finally brought the bus to a stop with only a foot or two to spare between him and Raven. Ronin sighs in relief as he lets go of his cords and drops to his butt, and the doors open to reveal an empty driver's seat.

Cyborg: "Um... don't bases normally have drivers?"

Ronin has stood to his feet and looks through the windows next to the door. He was caught off-guard at what he found.

Ronin: "And passengers?"

Beast Boy and Starfire walk on while Robin is peering into the baby carriage. He straightens up.

Robin: "And don't baby carriages normally have babies?"

The two Titans near him look into the carriage as well. Robin was holding a teddy bear that has taken the place of the typical occupant. It's eyes are green, the same color as the lenses of Gizmo's goggles, and his voice is heard next.

Gizmo: *over hidden speaker* "Are you pit-sniffers normally this stupid?"

The bear's head swivels slightly toward Robin and they eyes suddenly glow before firing laser beams. Robin, Beast Boy, and Starfire are projected screaming through the air as a result of the hit, with smoke trailing behind them. Cyborg, Raven, and Ronin watch this happen before they notice the bus suddenly tilt back onto its real wheels of its own volition. They look up, completely flabbergasted as the shadow falls over them, and they look to see that Mammoth was the one that has seized the rear bumper and leveled the mode of mass transit into the air. He brings it down on the three, but Ronin rolls away to avoid getting crushed just in time. The Arab-American ninja looks at Mammoth who smirks as he dusts off his hand. A nasty laugh is heard and Gizmo, along with Jinx, step next to their giant teammate.

Gizmo: "Good job. You managed not to smash the ninja cludge-head. Now let's bag him and see if we can get some pizza."

Ronin: "So you're here to kidnap me? If you think it will be easy, you are badly mistaken."

He unsheaths his katana and dagger, spinning them a bit before getting into a stance. The three smirk as they step forward, only for the bus to be blasted aside without warning. Cyborg's sonic cannon, protruding from a hole in the ground, is revealed to be the driving force. He stands from the hole.

Cyborg: "You want him? You'll have to go through us!"

A bird-shaped shadow looms up behind him. It resolves into Raven as she brings her arms back in and wraps her cloak around herself. Beast Boy, Robin, and Starfire line up next to Ronin as well.

Beast Boy: "Who are these guys? And what's a cludge-head?"

Gizmo: "We are the H.I.V.E.!"

Mammoth: "Your worst nightmare!"

Jinx: "And this is Attack Pattern Alpha!"

Jinx and Mammoth scramble, and a jetpack on Gizmo's back carries him into the air. He fires a volley of laser shots at Robin, Starfire, and Beast Boy while Ronin rolls away to dodge the laser fire. Raven and Jinc engage in close-quarters spell-to-spell combat, and Cyborg grapples with Mammoth. Ronin runs forward to help him with a flying kick that sends the giant stumbling back.

Mammoth grunts before he swings down on the ninja, only to miss as he dodges and gets put on tbe receiving end of a right hook from Cyborg. Ronin then jumps on the buff H.I.V.E. member and spins around him before locking his legs around the giant's neck. He finishes off the move by twisting his body around once more, using the momentum he gained and his strength to send Mammoth crashing towards the ground. He goes to stand back up, but Cyborg tackles him and Mammoth slams his feet into the ground to wrestle with the bionic Titan again. Then Ronin jumps onto the colossus' back and puts him in a chokehold.

Mammoth: *grunting* "What... do you call... an idiot... with rocket... on his back?"

Gizmo zooms in and sticks a rocket in between Cyborg's shoulder blades.

Cyborg: "Huh?"

Gizmo: "Doomed!"

The dwarf genius gets clear and touches a control, igniting the rocket and sending Cyborg veering crazily over the buildings.

Ronin and Starfire: "Cyborg!"

As Starfire goes to get her bionic friend back, Mammoth grins before reaching behind his head and grabbing the Ronin, throwing him on the ground before him. He grunts but corrects himself as he stops in a roll and stands on a knee. He then feels a shift in the air and blackflips away just before a laser blasts could hit him. He lands on his feet as Mammoth rushes him while Gizmo goes to fight the others.

With Raven, Jinx comes at her with a jumping spin kick, but she ducks away ad gets behind the funny-haired sorceress. Dodging two more strikes, Raven counters with a backhand which Jinx blocks.

Jinx: "You fight like a boy."

Overhead, Gizmo is now balanced on four tall spider-like legs.

Gizmo: "And you're gonna croak like a frog!"

The contraption fires a blast that hurls her down the straight and squarely into the charging Robin. Beast Boy passes them both and turns into an elephant as he rushes at Jinx and Gizmo. He stops when Mammoth comes rushing in with Ronin in a tackle, crashing right into Beast Boy which caused him to be sent flying off his feet. Ronin was also sent flying back as he nearly gets squashed by his large green teammate.

Mammoth: *running towards Beast Boy* "Mammoth's gonna make you extinct!"

Robin stands to his feet as he charges forward.

Robin: "Beast Boy! Ronin! Hang on!"

Mammoth grabs the giant green elephant and throws him straight up into the air and hits the Titan with a jumping punch on the way down. Robin suddenly finds himself directly in the path of his teammate who changes back into a human just before slamming into his leader. They skid to a stop near Raven and Ronin gets thrown towards them as well.

Beast Boy: "Is it me, or are we getting our butts kicked?"

The others stand up, with Ronin rubbing his head.

Robin and Raven: "It's just you."

Ronin: "I... think I might have a plan."

Two of Gizmo's shots flash into view and send Raven and Beast Boy flying. Robin and Ronin manage to get out of the way as their teammates end up almost a block away.

Gizmo: "Gee, scrum-buffer. Sure hope your fancy plan includes getting fried!"

The weapon that fired the previous shots pokes over Gizmo's shoulder. It levels itself at Robin and Ronin who stand their ground.

Ronin: "You'll just have to find out the hard way."

The two acrobats take up their respective fighting stances, and Robin holds one hand out and flicks the fingers towards himself, basically saying "bring it on". Gizmo's shoulder-mounted laser zeroes in and fires a shot. A long crack opens up in the asphalt before the strike, and Jinx leaps backwards and throws a spell that breaks the fissure wider. Then Mammoth leaps in with a mighty yell and brings down all his weight on the fault line. The net effect of this three-way combo opens a very wide chasm which runs straight down the middle of the road towards Robin and Ronin. However, the Boy Wonder pushes the ninja out of the way which sends him away from the chasm, and the teen watches as his friend tumbles down into the darkness beneath Jump City.

Ronin: "RUBIN! LA! (ROBIN! NO!)"

As the Titan goes silent at what had just happened, Raven and Beast Boy arrive arrive the scene and look down into the mighty fissure, and at the murky tide that flows down there. Their leader is nowhere to be seen.

Time: Midafternoon
Location: Titans Tower

The main entrance opens and three figures enter in, silhouetted against the sunlight peering in through the windows. It was Ronin with his hood down to reveal a wound that was bloody, Raven, and a limping Beast Boy. The green shapeshifter leans against Raven while Y/n has remained silent the entire trip back to the Tower.

Beast Boy: "That didn't just happen..."

Raven helps him to a chair and the green Titan rubs his leg.

Beast Boy: "Tell me that didn't just happen."

Raven: "It did happen. We cannot change the truth, no matter how much we dislike it."

She kneels down in front of her teammate and holds her hands near his injured leg. A brief glow of healing energy envelops them.

Beast Boy: *smiling* "Who knew we had a doctor in the house? Thanks."

Raven: "No problem."

As this exchange goes on, Y/n stops by the window and looks over the bay. His hands clench into fists. Then the doors open again and the other two Titans trade nervous looks before Cyborg and Starfire walk in with ear-to-ear smiles. The bionic Titan no longer has Gizmo's rocket stuck to his back.

Cyborg: "Maybe y'all should call me Flyborg. I was halfway to Gotham City before Star zapped that thing off my back. So what'd I miss?"

Raven cannot meet his, and can Beast Boy.

Cyborg: "Tell me how we kicked their butts. Come on, I gotta have the play-by-play. Did Y/n paralyze one of them with his whole pressure point thing?"

Said Titan's fists clench even more, his knuckles turning white.

Starfire: "Where is Robin?"

Beast Boy: "Um, Star? We're not sure."

Starfire: "Not sure? Why are you not--?"

Y/n's dagger suddenly gets thrown forward into view and lodges into the floor. On the hilt of it was Robin's yellow utility belt. Starfire and Cyborg look up to see their Arab-American friend approaching with his head down.

Y/n: "He's gone. There was a large attack that should've got us both, yet he pushed me out of the way and took it. That was all that we found."

Starfire gasps in horror as Cyborg groans and claps both hands to his forehead.

Cyborg: "I shoulda been there. I let that kid sneak up on me and, what was I--? It was a trap and I-I shoulda known."

Starfire: "I do not understand. How could you not find him? People do not just vanish! He has to be someplace, so go there and look!"

Y/n: "I looked as hard as I could and there was nothing! I looked and--! And..." *tears up* "They were after me. Kanat ghlatati. Kan yanbaghi 'an yakun li (It was my fault. It should have been me)."

Starfire and Cyborg look on at their fellow Titan in shock as Beast Boy runs forward and gets in between them.

Beast Boy: "Easy, guys, easy. Come on, this is Robin we're talking about. I'm sure he's fine. He'll probably turn up any second."

The door mechanism suddenly kicks into gear once more, solidifying Beast Boy's statement.

Beast Boy: "Awesome timing."

Starfire: "Robin!"

She flies towards the door as Y/n rubs the tears from his eyes, smearing his face paint at the same time. She lands in front of the door before it opens and walks toward the threshold to see who has arrived. A moment later, the whole whole entrance disappears in a mighty crash that throws her backward. The dust clears to show the H.I.V.E. team walking in, with Gizmo back on his mechanical spider legs.

Beast Boy: "Oh, no."

Mammoth cracks his knuckles with a smirk.

Jinx: "Oh, yes!"

Y/n narrows his eyes at the H.I.V.E. team as he pulls his dagger out from the floor. He then unsheaths his katana, not caring to draw his hood over his face.

Cyborg: "You guys got lucky last time, but you're in our house now!"

Gizmo: "Yeah, nice place. We'll take it!"

Y/n: "You will take no more from us..Not on my watch. Jababiratu! Adhhab! (Titans! Go!)"

Raven immediately levitates chairs and sends them in the H.I.V.E.'s direction while Starfire tosses off some starbolts from overhead. Beast Boy tumbles into view and clambers away to make room for Cyborg and Y/n as the bionic teen fires his cannon and the ninja throws some shurikens.

Y/n: "Titans! Separate!"

He and his fellow Titans run off as Raven flies to a landing on the stairs and, after Starfire passes her, projects a couple of nearby fire extinguishers toward Mammoth at the bottom. He merely swats them away and charges.

In a hall, Beast Boy and Y/n run into view around a corner and dodge the collapse of several wall panels. They emerge from the dust and debris with the green Titan as a bobcat. When the view clears, Jinx steps unhurried after him. She was the one who caused the panels to fall.

Jinx: "Here, kitty. Here, pretty Boy. What's the matter? Afraid of a little bad luck?"

More panels blow out with the flick of her wrists.

Inside the gym, Raven and Starfire burst through the closed doors and slam them shut again. A starbolt is fired against the frame and traced along the doors' outer edges to weld them closed. The two girls then back up a bit and trade a very nervous look, wondering whether the barricade will hold or not. It probes to be a moot point when the wall behind them blows out, throwing them to the floor. They look back toward it and find Mammoth's head protruding from a fresh hole.

Mammoth: "Hello, ladies."

Back at some stairs, Cyborg retreats upward as one of Gizmo's long metal legs swings into view. In a hull, the runt's spidery shadow advances into view against the far wall, followed by the runt himself. He turns to a door and it opens to admit him. Cyborg peeks out from a corner across the hall, nips over, and peers in carefully after Gizmo. He steps boldy into the room that is mostly dark, the only light being seen is the light from the hallway. Then the darkness becomes total when the door slides shut without warning.

Cyborg: "Hey!"

A wall of TV screens come to life, every one showing a close-up of Gizmo's grinning visage.

Gizmo: *from all screans* "So, Tin Man, you got a heart under all that outdated crud-ware?"

The bionic Titan turns away, but a single giant screen, also showing Gizmo, comes on next to him.

Gizmo: *from all screens* "Not telling? Guess I'll have to take you apart and find out!"

Up on the ceiling, the whiz kid's spider legs carry him into the light from those screens and lower him steadily toward Cyborg, who can only stare in complete shock.

In another hallway, Beast Boy who was back in human form and Y/n race around the corner and into view. Seeing no one behind them, they stop and Beast Boy catches his breath.

Beast Boy: "Lost her."

Y/n: "Hopefully."

They spoke too soon. A couple of hexes pass just overhead and hit the ceiling. A panel swings loose and cracks Y/n dead in the face. His head rattles on his neck for a moment before he collapses and Beast Boy goes to check on him, only to find his teammate unconscious. Jinx walks up behind the two.

Jinx: "This just isn't your lucky day."

Beast Boy turns to Jinx with a glare and growls at her for a second before transforming into a tyrannosaurus rex and roaring with enough force to shake the entire building. Jinx does a few backfkips to get out of range, then stops and fixes a glowing stare on him. Around the green reptile, a rink of pink fire flares up briefly and floats toward his head before disappearing. There is a loud crackling from the floor, followed by the collapse of the section on which Beast Boy is standing on due to the hex. He and Y/n drop from sight, and Ninx smiles as she walks over to the hole.

In the storage area of the Tower, a large circular hatchway in the back wall is smashed off its hinges by Cyborg, who emerges into this place unscathed. He is not alone, however, as Gizmo comes out of the dust clouds and moves in on him. Cyborg steadily backs up before the advance, and one of Gizmo's metal legs swing at him, but the Titan catches the end in both hands.

Cyborg: "Gotcha!"

Gizmo just grins and swings another leg. Cyborg shifts his grip to free up one hand and catch this one as well. A good string wrenching motion throws the little jerk off balance and sends him to the floor. When he hits, sparks fly from the central unit on his back. He is quickly yanked free of the legs and held aloft by the chuckling Titan. The unit is still on his back, but it is soon pulled off.

Gizmo: "Let me go, you scuzz-munching zit!"

Cyborg drops the gremlin onto the floor and he runs away as the Titan crushes his device. The big guy tosses the remains aside like a candy wrapper. Gizmo runs off among the crates and boxes, and Cyborg now walks after him at a leisurely pace.

Cyborg: "How you gonna fight me without your tech?

A small, shadowy figure passes in front of the bionic teen and he goes after it. Gizmo peeks out from behind a panel, but gasps as the crate is suddenly lifted away. He looks up to see a very pleased looking Cyborg, who soon looks down with surprise as the sound of a crunch.

Cyborg: "Huh?"

He looks down at his foot to see that it has come down on a flashlight-like unit and damaged it somewhat. Looking up again, he sees Gizmo's holographic projection grin at him and then flicker out. Cyborg then backs cautiously away as, behind him, the real Gizmo is perched on a piece of equipment behind him. He jumps onto Cyborg's back and pulls out a tool, and sparks start to fly.

Cyborg: "Yo, what are you--?"

On the Titan's back, the gadget genius pops open a panel and goes to work on the circuitry.

Cyborg: *strained* "Get... out of... my systems! Nobody hacks... my systems!"

The bionic Titan starts to run back and forth, clearly against his will, due to the hotwiring, then stops as his limbs start to flail randomly. His right arm is raised.

Gizmo: "Ooh, ejector arm. Cool!"

He makes the hand, forearm, and half of the upper arm pop off and it rolls away uselessly across the floor.

Cyborg: "My arm!"

Outside, the Tower is seen shaking and bending as the fight inside continues. There were four sets of yells before Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Starfire and forcibly evicted from their own home and crash into the water below. Y/n was not with them, but is seen still unconscious and being held up in strong bonds by Mammoth as he and the other H.I.V.E. members can be seen looking out from the top-floor of the operations center.

Gizmo: "Have a nice afterlife, you snot-eating losers!"

Jinx then casts a hex on the water below which stirs up a huge tidal wave that leaves the foursome too scared to move as its shadow falls over them. Down comes the wall of water, and the H.I.V.E. operatives smile smugly and walk away. Jinx looks at the unconscious Y/n and smirks at him.

Jinx: "Now what are we gonna do with you until we hand you off to Slade, pretty boy~?"

Some time later, at a beach covered in some garbage, the four Titans walk forward. Then they sit down, defeated.

Beast Boy: "So, uh... who else never wants to go surfing again?"

Cyborg: *annoyed* "Not now, man."

Beast Boy: "Hey, I was just trying to--"

Raven puts a hand on the goofball's shoulder to cut him off. Cyborg extends a small acetylene torch from his left forefinger and a panel on his thigh opens, revealing a plethora of sparks and short circuits. Starfire approaches him as he bends down to the self-repair work.

Starfire: "Perhaps I could be of some assistance."

Cyborg: "I got it."

Starfire: "But you are so damaged and--"

Cyborg: "I got it!"

Starfire gasps as she takes a step back.

Beast Boy: *standing* "Hey! She only wanted to help! What is your problem?"

Cyborg: "What do you think?! We got kicked out of our house, Y/n has been taken hostage, a pint-size Poindexter took me for a joyride, and in case you haven't noticed, I just became left-handed!"

Raven: "Enough! We need to control our emotions."

Cyborg: "Or what?! Our bad vibes will keep you from meditating?!"

Starfire: "I wish Robin were here."

Cyborg: "Well, he's not! Both of the guys that we have that know how to lead a team are gone! Don't you guys get it?! They won, we lost! IT'S OVER!!"

After a moment of silence from Cyborg's outburst, the four heroes stand slumped in defeat.

Beast Boy: "Then... the Teen Titans are finished?"

"Not yet."

The voice draws four very surprised glances over four assorted pairs of shoulders. They all look over to see Robin standing innfront of some bushes with his arms crossed, a confident smile, and his cape waving in the breeze. Except for his missing belt, everything is in proper order. The Titan's leader was back.

Robin: "Not if I can help it."

Time: Evening
Location: Titans Tower

Back at the Tower, the new occupants have started extensive renovations of the place, as follows. One, the vertical bar of the T has been extended. Two, the lights in one half of the crossbar top floor have been put out. Three, a second vertical portion has been built to join with half that is still lit. It reaches the height as the central extension. The entire effect is to make the lighted Tower portions and new construction look like a giant H for H.I.V.E., and the honeycomb pattern has been applied to the add-ons.

Inside the Tower, Gizmo had his thumbs and forefinger extended in front of his face to make a box in which he is framing a patch of blank wall. Two small robots then whiz into view, carrying Cyborg's detached arm which was mounted like it were a stuffed fish, and they follow his instructions as they hang it up.

Gizmo: "Higher... A little to the left... A little more..." *takes hands down and gives thumbs-up* "Perfect!"

Finally satisfied with how the arm is mounted high on the wall, Gizmo walks away.

Gizmo: "Slade's gonna have kittens when he hears we whipped the Titans, took the Ronin captive, and took their stinking Tower!"

"Your victory shall not last long."

The pint-size genius stops and turns to who spoke up. It was Y/n, his head would bandaged above his right eye and he was strapped to a rolling chair to keep him in place.

Y/n: "My team will come for me. And when they do, you'll be sorry."

Gizmo: *laughs* "Yeah right! With them whooped so bad and their leader out of the picture, those scuff-butts will be too scared for a round three!"

With that, Gizmo walks off laughing, engaging the captive ninja even more than he previously was.

In the kitchen, Mammoth looks in the fridge while Jinx comes down the stairs. She has donned Robin's belt, which sits askew on her hips similar to the way Raven wears hers, has some sort of picture frame in one hand, and has one of the latter's spare cloaks over her other arm.

Jinx: "Not to mention Robin's favorite fashion statement." *eyes Raven's cloak and sighs* "But that's the only thing fashionable around here."

Mammoth: "Tell me about it." *pulls out moldy hamburger from fridge* "Hmph. All their food is way out of date."

However, this statement does not stop him from downing the burger in one gulp.

Gizmo: "You think that stuff's rotten? Wait 'til you see their music."

Over in the operations center, Gizmo stands in front of a long rack of CDs. He holds on CD case before tossing it aside.

Gizmo: "Crud."

He holds up another and tosses that one away, too.

Gizmo: "Snot."

As Gizmo tosses away all of Y/n's favorite music CDs, said Arab-American is approached by Jinx who had discarded Raven's cloak. However, she still wears Robin's utility belt around her waist. The cat-eyed villain stops in front of the (H/C)-haired Titan and smiles at him.

Jinx: "Hey, pretty boy~"

Y/n: "What do you want?"

Jinx: "Nothing much. Who are they?"

The lavender-haired girl pulls the picture frame out from under her arm and showed it to Y/n. His eyes go slightly wide from shock as he looks at it. In the frame was an old photo of himself and a girl with similar hair, eyes, skin, everything. They both wore a dark gi with their hoods down to show their identical faces. They both held confident smiles on their faces. Behind them stood a mature woman wearing a different outfit with dark hair and (E/C) eyes. She held a proud smile on her face as well as he had her hands placed on her children's shoulders. Their hoods were held in their hands with a slab of metal on it where the forehead would be. On it was the engraving of a symbol Y/n knew too well.

(Art by BATMAN339 on DeviantArt. Credit to them)

Y/n: "Where did you...?"

Jinx: "Found it while I was poking around in your room. Lots of cool toys you got in there, but this peeked my interest. Who are these two? I don't recognize them."

Y/n kept quiet as he tried to control his rage. But he no longer could. The lid he had on his temper had finally popped, and he lashed out as his eyes turned blood red.

Y/n: "Kulukum maytun (You are all dead)!"

Jinx: "What?!"

Using nothing but his strength, the ninja ripped his restraints from his body while breaking the chair he was strapped to at the same time. This action caused Jinx to stumble back in shock as she dropped the picture frame she was holding. Then the enraged Titan kicked the H.I.V.E. member in the abdomen, sending her flying back and crashing into some monitors.

Gizmo: "Mammoth! Restrain him!"

Said giant grunts in acknowledgement and charges towards Y/n. He raises his large fists to smash the Titan into the ground, only to miss when the hero sidesteps. Then he gets put on the receiving end of a swift kick to the jaw, getting about three or four of his teeth knocked out with some blood mixed in. Y/n then grabs the colossal man and swings him over his shoulder, bringing him down onto the ground with a mighty slam which sends him through the floor. The ninja then turns to give Gizmo a cold glare, making him freeze and tremble in place.

Gizmo: "Oh, crap-baskets..."

After a few short minutes, which felt like hours to the H.I.V.E. operatives, the five other Titans suddenly crash through a window. They all land, ready to fight as Robin gives the order.

Robin: "Titans! G--!"

He stops his signature call out, however, when Gizmo suddenly whizzes by them and slams into a wall. They all turn to him to see the evil genius slump down to the floor next to his teammates, who were all groaning in pain with bruises and other injuries littering their bodies.

Beast Boy: "Did we miss something?"

"Yes, you did."

The five all turn to see a now calmed ninja Titan walking towards them. He has Cyborg's ejected arm in hand before he tosses it to his bionic friend who catches it. Robin then catches his belt which his teammate tossed to him as well.

Cyborg: "Uh... thanks?"

Robin: "What happened here?"

Ronin: "You took too long." *to Robin* "Good to see you're okay."

Robin hesitantly nods, still puzzled about what had just transpired, which the other Titans were wondering about as well. However, Gizmo then groaned before shaking his head and taking out a transmitter.

Gizmo: "Cram it. I'm calling Slade."

However, as he turns on the transmissiter, the angry Ronin yanks him up to eye level.

Ronin: "Who is Slade?"

Gizmo: "Wouldn't you like to know, barf-brain?"

The ninja grits his teeth before reeling back a fist. Then it was lights out for Gizmo.

Location: Slade's Lair

At the edge of a platform, the H.I.V.E. Academy's headmistress stands as she speaks.

Headmistress: "I assure you, such failures are not tolerated within the H.I.V.E. Once the agents have been retrieved from the authorities, they will be disciplined." *socks fist into palm* "Strictly disciplined."

At another part of the platform, Slade steps our from among the popes. The light glinting off his figures shows grey on the right side of his head and red-orange on the left.

Slade: "Actually, your agents served my plans quite well. I never expected them to succeed, especially against an enraged Ronin. They were merely messengers. And the message has been received."

The masked man holds a transmitter in his raised left hand, a counterpart of the one Gizmo carried. He activates it, and on the monitor behind the headmistress, an image of Y/n's face appears.

Ronin: *as recording* "Who is Slade?"

Those three words repeats over and over again as more monitors turn on. The three-word question is repeated countless times by all of them. If Slade's intent was to bring his name to the Titans' attention, the H.I.V.E. crew did indeed meet his expectations.

Time: Morning
Location: Titans Tower

Back at the Tower, the original architecture has been restored to its previous glory. However...

Beast Boy: "NOOOO!! This is the worst thing that could ever happen!"

Inside the operations center, Beast Boy had his hands on his head and was ready to pull his green hair out.

Beast Boy: "The tunes! They've been..." *steps back* "... alphabetized."

He begins to toss CDs around the operations center as Cyborg looks high and low, much as he did the morning before. Robin stands behind the couch and watches the two.

Beast Boy: "How am I ever gonna find anything?"

Raven comes down the stairs, carrying the cloak Jinx borrowed.

Raven: *icily* "They went into my room. No one should ever go into my room."

From under the kitchen counter, Starfire gasps and pops up from underneath.

Starfire: "Someone had disposed of all our blue furry food!"

Cyborg: *lifting the couch* "You gotta be kidding me! The whole place gets cleaned and I still can't find the--"

A whistle stops him short and he looks to Robin who points at a coffee table. He looks to it, finding the missing remote lying on it in plain sight.

Cyborg: "Ha!"

He drops the couch and sits on it with Robin, who has started to flip through channels.

Cyborg: "I guess we really oughta be training for battles, tracking down clues, and trying to figure out who Slade is, huh?"

Raven, Beast Boy, and Starfire gather around the couch now.

Robin: "We will. But right now, I'm just happy to be part of the team."

Beast Boy: "Speaking of teams, where's Y/n? He just kinda shut down after the H.I.V.E. got picked up by the authorities."

Starfire: "He is in his room. He wishes not to he disturbed."

Raven: "Hmm. He's more reclusive than even me, that's for sure."

Robin: "Whatever the reason is, I'm sure it's a good one. We just have to give him some space for now."

As the team agrees on this, Starfire looks back towards the stairs that lead to the hallway that holds her teammate's room. Inside said room, Y/n is seen sitting at the edge of his bed as he held the picture that Jinx showed him earlier. It still held the picture of him, the girl with identical features, and a woman with similar but also very different looks. A long crack had formed in the glass, going across the mature woman but leaving Y/n and the girl alone. He gripped the frame tighter with emotionless eyes as memories of his past play in his head, and something dark in the corner watches him with an evil smirk.