Robin or Red-X? (Teen Titans/Young Justice)

Chap. 25 (Fireworks Part 3)

"Ti– Team! Go!" X-more shouted reflexively before launching himself towards Desmond. He shot off an Adhesive X at the man's eyes while Kid Flash ran behind the blinded monster. Aqualad and Superboy launched two powerful punches into Desmond's face as Kid Flash bent down behind the mutated man, causing him to crash into the ground. X launched a handful of X Shuriken at Desmond, joining up with Robin's Birdarangs, which were easily deflected by the no longer blinded giant. As Desmond recovered, he spotted Superboy and charged at the clone, slamming him into a pillar.

Together, X-mite and Aqualad came up from behind Desmond and pulled out their respective weapons. Desmond was able to grab Aqualad before he his attack could connect and slammed the Atlantian into the ground while X smashed his Bo Staff into the hand still holding a dizzy looking Superboy. Desmond cried out in pain as he released Superboy and aimed an oversized fist at X-mite, who teleported to dodge at the last possible second. Undeterred, Desmond chased after the teen, while Kid Flash charged at him, only to be caught and thrown at a recovering Aqualad.

X-mite suddenly found himself trapped in Desmond's grasp as he was slammed down into the floor. The sudden pain his ribs felt was terrible and it took all his willpower not to scream. Placing his hands onto Desmond's gigantic one, he sent out a surge of electricity that raced through the scientist's massive frame. It wasn't enough to knock the monster out, but it was enough to get him to let go. Using his teleportation, X-mite dropped down beside Robin as he gingerly rubbed his aching ribs. Aqualad was slammed against another pillar, causing parts of the ceiling to rocks cascade downwards, inspiring the hero with a crazy idea.

"Robin, we need to attack the pillars." X-mite said to his older teenage counterpart. Robin sent him a puzzled look before gazing up at the ceiling, his masked eyes widening in understanding.

"Of course!" Robin breathed, giving X-mite a nod while bringing up a holo-map of the building, determining which pillars to hit. "KF, get over here!" He shouted from across the room, while X started heading towards one of the pillars that needed to be taken down. "X, aim here!" Robin called as he gestured at an area on the floor. He nodded as he shot a giant Adhesive X that attached itself to the floor where his counterpoint had pointed out.

"X marks the spot, team!" X-mite shouted as he moved out of the way. Aqualad sent a wave of water out over the Adhesive X as Kid Flash baited Desmond into the area for Superboy to knock down. Desmond struggled to pull himself free of the Adhesive X. Together, X-mite and Aqualad each shot a powerful surge of electricity through the water, paralyzing Desmond even further. "Move!" Robin yelled just before his delayed bombs went off. As they ran for the exit, the building came down onto them too fast.

"Get down!" X-mite yelled and Aqualad went to shield Robin from the rubble while Superboy did the same for Kid Flash. X-mite brought his palms upward creating two large Constrictive X's, making a protective dome around them, hoping it would be enough to shield him and the others. Once the rocks had stopped pounding into the X's, Superboy and Aqualad used their combined strength to break the already damaged barrier. Looking at the others, he was pleased to see that besides a couple of torn costumes and some bruises, everyone seemed to be okay.

"We... did... it." Aqualad panted in-between his words. Like Robin and Kid Flash, they all seemed a little out of breath.

"Was... there ever... any doubt?" Robin asked before he high-fived Kid Flash and X-mite.

"See, the moon." The speedster pointed above.

X-mite plump down leaning against one of the pieces of rubble from exhaustion, his arms crossed over his chest. His uniform was in much better shape than the others', though his torn cape seemed a little more frayed than usual.

"Whoa and Superman, do we keep our promises or what?" Kid Flash boasted as Superman flew down to them.

'And now the League shows up to give us a talking too, conveniently arriving after all the fighting is done.' X thought bitterly as the members of the Justice League fell into place, surrounding him and the others.

As X-mite watched Superboy approach Superman, agitation clenched up his stomach at the hopeful gaze on the clone's face. The kid hero was sure there had been many times where he'd seen his other counterpart Robin, now known as Red-X, given a similar expression to Batman, hoping he'd finally pleased his mentor. The older Dick Grayson had never received that air of approval and now, more than anything, he wanted to at least see someone else get that look. The shocked expression that Superman was displaying finally shifted, but not into a welcoming one, or even a considering one. No, he simply looked mad, indignant, and X-mite felt something inside of himself shatter at that look. He knew his Uncle Clark and Red-X's Clark would've accepted Superboy in a heartbeat, but it seemed that this Superman was different, just like this Batman.

"Is that what I think it is?" Batman questioned and X was only slightly surprised that Superboy hadn't bristled at the man's words. Then again, being rejected by the closest thing you had to a father was a harsh blow to recover from.

"He doesn't like being called an it." Kid Flash said in a sing-song tone.

"I'm Superman's clone!" Superboy announced with a yell.

'Ah, they're going to have to do something about that temper.' X thought, silently admiring the stunned expressions that varied throughout the League members.

"Start talking." Batman ordered and the sidekicks were quick to obey. X-mite listened to the others explain their side of the story, when it was his turn to explain a roar of a motorcycle engine could be heard, heading their way.

The sound of the motor engine got closer, a silhouette of a person riding a motorcycle came into view. The closer the Rider came, the easier it was to identify who it is. The biker pulls over in front of the teen heroes. The biker, dressed in black with the iconic red X on his chest and helmet/mask, was no other than Red-X. With a mechanically distorted voice in a teasing tone he questions. "Am I late to the party?"

X-mite smiles happily behind his mask, glancing back to his teammates receiving identical smiles. They all looks back at the hero who just arrived, the X-mite enthusiastically. "NOPE!" The kid hero and his older counterpart laughs.