Chapter 2: Living in the new city

I still do not own the Teen Titans. Sadly.

"Speaking"

"Thoughts"

"Speaking with effects"

A few months later

Mathew sat in his chair behind the counter of his now a few moths old shop. Reading some book about the art of rune magic while waiting for customers.

If one would step into the store the person would be greeted by towering wooden Bookcases wich reached in the dimm light all the way up to the ceiling. (you know to much light is bad for old books) The shop was held in dark red and brown colors with an occasional golden accent. Between the Bookcases where a few tables so you could read the books without damaging them and here and there were standing a few showcases wich were filled wit books and the occasional artifact. And in one of the edges was a small table which couch so you could sit there and drink some tea.

All in all the Bookstore looked like it was cut right out of Diagon Alley and was dropped here. (and Mathew really liked the irony behind that)

His idea worked better then he first thought. Right now his bookstore was probably the address if you were searching for rare and antique Books in Jump City and from time to time even an old artifact. And if you had the knowledge about things like magic, this shop would be only much more interesting, because of said Books and artifacts, but most of the really import and things were locked away behind bullet proof glass and some nasty little magical protections.

At frist he had though that it would be hard to find the right things and learn about magic, but he was pretty fast proven wrong. There existed so much about the occult and mystic arts in this world that he at first couldn't believe it. Yes there may be many fakes but also many ones wich were the real deal.

He also had to learn pretty fast how to distinguish real from fake if he dosen´t wanted to blow himself up... again. (but thats a story for another time)

But after he got behind the first problems and failures, and buying some really got books about old languages to help him to translate the often very confusing and difficult to understand texts, it came relatively good to him. Some kinds of magic came easier than others.

For example he had discovered that he had a knack for rune magic. The art of enchanting thighs with the help runes and rituals. Not the most practical form of magic but it could do nearly everything. But you had to be pretty accurate with the characters because it could be pretty bad if you did got it wrong. Like holes in the space-time-continuum bad. But it was a boon for the store. At the moment he was good enough to use it for security in his store and other pretty helpful applications like holding it clean and keep things from breaking.

But in other kinds of magic he was not doing to well.

Spell magic was difficult and he butchered the words with the wrong pronouncing wich caused the spells to blow up in his face more then one time.

But a few ones, especially easier ones, were pretty much manageable for him. Like creating lightning wich stunned people, creating a shield to protect himself and even the most cliche one, creating a fireball.

Telekinesis was one of the worst of his powers, he couldn't move anything bigger than a chair,what didn't stopped seeing it as an big achievement, and after using it he got a killer headache. Also electronics got the tendency to spontaneously combust while he was using it.

But there was one thing wich he counted as his greatest achievement so far. Teleportation. Even if it wasn't a feeling you could describe as pleasant and he felt like throwing up the first few times. Vanishing and reappearing with nothing more than a loud clapping sound was petty awesome.

But there was so much he simply didn´t get to work. He concluded at some point that it was simply to complex and advanced to understand without help and decided to concentrate on the things he could do.

Wich brings us back to Mathew siting behind the counter and reading his book and thinking about different subjects while reading.

"Hm, at the moment there isn´t really much happening here in jump. I haven't even seen or here'd of any of the villains... well exempt this twit Dr. Light failing to robb a bank because he run out of juice, damn that was really pitiful." He laughed. "And I think Mumbo and even Brother Blood were here at some point to buy something."

"But i can´t wait for something to happened. When will our favorite heroes finally come here? But what will i do once it happened. Will I help them or will i have my fun here. Man such a hard decision there are so many things someone could do. I could even team up wit Mumbo at some point, that would be real fun." Now he laughed a little bit sinister.

"But I think i have some time until something happens." But the second he though that he felt a little shiver run down his spine.

A few hours later

It was getting dark outside of the store and inside of it Mathew looked up from his book to look at the clock standing in the back of the room.

"Hm, only half an hour before I am going to close the store, today was not really busy." He said to himself wile closing his book.

He went in the dark depths between the bookshelf's to put his reading material away.

The moment he reached his destination the bell at the front rang signaling that a costumer had stepped in the store.

"One second please, I will be right there." he called from his spot between the shelfs.

He put the book he was still holding away and made his way back.

When he emerged from between all the books he stopped.

Right there before one of the showcases holding one of the nastier artifacts, was a girl, and he knew exactly who it was.

The pink haired, grey skinned girl wearing goth clothing turned around and looked with her pink catlike eyes straight at Mathew.

"Great and it was such a nice day until now, well I could mess a little bit with her now that she is here." So, he decided to treat her like an actual costumer.

"Welcome, how can I help you?" He said in a friendly voice with a smile on his face.

She looked at the leather mantle and dark clothing wearing teenager in front of her and got a cocky grin, lighted her hand in pink energy and held it up threatening.

"Why yes, you could give me all the money and this nice little pice of jewelry there" now pointing on the showcase.

He had to suppress a grin and continued in the same friendly voice.

"Well I am really sorry but that isn´t possible."

She faltered for a second.

"That wasn't a request."

"That dosen´t change that i cannot give this one to you"

"Don`t you now who I am?!"

"Yes, you are are the bad luck witch Jinx, top HIVE student who is right now trying to rob my store." The smile and voice nervier changing.

Jinx now locked very taken back and tried to get her bearings, while Mathew tried hard not to laugh because of the perplex face of the villain.

"How.. How did you know that? Wait, it dosen´t matters, if you don´t want to give it to me than i am taking it myself." She said pointing with her hand at the showcase charging a hexbolt.

"I would not do that if I was you." called Mathew out but it was to late.

The bolt shot at the showcase, only to ricochet right back to hit the shelf over Jinx head. It buckled and a especially thick and heavy edition of The Basics of Alchemie came down hitting her Heat and knocking her out.

The moment Jinx woke up she was not happy, her head hurt like hell and she would definitely be punished for failing such a simple robbery.

"Ah, what hit me?" she muttered.

"That would be The Basics of Alchemie" a cheerful voice said.

She jolted up and took her soundings in. She wash´t in the back of a police car and neither in prison.

Right now she was lying on a old leather couch in a dimm room full of old books and many different and weird things. In one edge stood a TV and on the other side of the room was a table full of loose papers and even more books. In front of her on an armchair sat the same teenager which also was in the store wen she tried to rob it.

"Good to see you are awake and dosen´t took brain damage."

"Where am I and why am i not on the way to prison?"

"Well to where you are? Right now you are in my living room right over my store. And to why you are not on the way to prison? I simply never called the police."

"Why? What do you want with me? And how did you know about the HIVE?!" Said a now irritated Jinx.

"Well first of all, I have my sources and I would like to talk to you. Its not every day that you come across another magic user."

"Wait another Magic user? You can use magic?" The witch asked surprised.

"Yes I can. Or how do you think a showcase in my shop could throw your curse back? It was protected against magic so that nobody could simply take that cursed, how did you called it?, "nice pice of jewelry"."

"Great of all stores i could try to raid, I chose the one wich is owned by a magician" She deadpanned.

"I prefer enchanter, magician sounds so degrading. Oh and before I forget. My name is Mathew but you can call me Mat." He offered his hand.

Jinx shook it and said "Nice to meet you, I think."

"Na, don´t worry I am not going to call the cops, but i would recommend not to try to rob my store again." Mathew said while standing up.

"Now, I know its pretty annoying to be knocked out sow hat duo you say we go down and get you some aspirin and some tea."

"Yeah, something against that headache would be nice." She answered while standing up herself and following him down back into the Bookstore.

He showed her the table with the couch. She sat down and Mathew disappeared behind the counter. When he came back dive minutes later he was holding two mugs and a bubbling glas of water.

"Here, that should help"

"So why are you helping me instead of calling the cops and getting me in prison?" Came the questing after the glass of water was emptied.

"As I said, its not very often that you meet another magic user and i would like to talk a little bit. Like what can you do?"

"And you have no problem that I am a villain who tried to take your money?"

"Not really. I don´t have a problem with villains as long as they don´t try to vaporize the city or worse, damage my store. You could see it as some kind of neutral zone. I sell to villains and heroes. Do you know Mumbo? He comes from time to time here to search for inspiration and even Brother blood has brought some books in this store."

That left Jinx slack jawed, and than she paled at the through of trashing the place where her headmaster went for shopping.

"O.. Okey" She answered pushing that thought aside. "Well I can cause all kind of bad luck. I can hurt people and destroy things directly with my hexbolts and iI can even curse people from affair if i really don´t like them."

"Well thats something it did not knew, you never stop learning." throughout Mathew when he heared the last part.

"So, you are using some kind go probability manipulation centered around negative events?"

"What?"

"Probability manipulation. The power to manipulate probabilities, to make unlikely things happen und likely things not happen. Its a subcategory of reality manipulation. A relatively powerful kind of magic." "Who would have thought that all the knowledge from the comics would be so helpful at some point. Ha take that school my comics were more helpful than you!" "And am I correct that the power is hard to control from time to time?"

"Yes, they are. Around me bad things tend to happen." Jinx confessed a bit reluctant and a bit amazed how fast he discovered the fact, while Mathew felt a bit like a cheater but why not use the knowledge if you have it. "I can't wait to mess with Robin. He is going to have grey hair when i am through wit him. mauhaha... ahem."

"Ok, most time the stronger the power the harder is it to control like trying to stop a firehose with your hands." He concluded.

"So... now that you know what I can do, why don't you tell me what you can do?" She asked leaning back in her chair now with her normal attitude back.

"No problem. I am relatively good at rune magic, can cast different spells like lightning bolts, fireballs and some protecting ones, a little bit telekinesis and i can teleport." Counting with his fingers while speaking.

"Thats... actually pretty cool. I would like to have so many powers." "Damn, even teleportation. That would make so many raids so much easier." She though a bit envious.

"Yeah, it is but as I said, the more power the harder to control. You don't want to know how often have to change lightbulbs here. Technic and magic don't mix well. And to have many powers does´t mean that you are powerful. Also i am still learning."

"You are probably right."

That was the moment he got a idea wich could possibly doom him, but when does he ever hears at the voice in the back go his head? Where would be the fun?

"Hey I have an idea! You want to control your powers better, right?"

"Yes i would like to."

"And I need also more training an a little hand to hand combat training would´t hurt, so why don't train together from time to time?" He said grinning.

Jinx thought a moment about the offer. "Well it sounds pretty good and I could lern one or two things."

"I am in"

"Perfect" Mathew answered while standing up and walking over to the counter picking up some paper and writing something down.

"Here, thats my number" After offering the paper, she took it. "Call me when you have time."

"Okey I will do that" came her answer.

"So, its getting late and I need to open up tomorrow. And i would think you need to get back to what you were doing."

Now remembering that she still had to do her "homework" she made her way to the door relatively fast. "Yeah you are right, bye"

"I will hear from you." He said while waving a lazy goodbye.

After that she stepped out of the door and disappeared in the night.

"Oh, that went batter than i thought. And now I can finally get some sleep!" He thought as he locked the door and went up the stairs after switching of the lights.

A few weeks later one could find Jinx and Mathew in the rocky landscape outside from Jump City.

And right now they where fighting pretty harsh. After the first time sparring with Jinx, Mathew pretty fast decided to add a little protection to his clothing in form of metal arm and shinguards. Because... well lets say that blue and black wasn't his natural skin color.

He also had started to use a staff, he thought that it was a pretty ingenious because he wasn't trained in hand to hand combat and with the staff it was possible to holt opponents on distance. Mathew also discovered that he could channel magic into it which made it much easier to cast spells.

"I could have come up with it much earlier. I mean that is the reason why so many magic users use staffs and wands." He thought while dodging a hexbolt aimed for his face.

After coming out of the roll he pointed his staff at her muttered a few spell words and unleashed a short burst of lightning, only for her to jump in an somersault over it and shooting a new wave of bad luck energy at him.

He twirled his magic loaded staff around and reflected the bolt right back to its sender. "I feel like an jedi when i do that, ha!"

She dodged again and jumped forward and aimed a kick right at his ribcage, only to be blocked by his armguard.

He than swiped with his staff for her legs but she jumped back and fired a crescent shaped wave of pink energy at him.

The next thing he tried was to ram his staff in the ground to steady himself and erect a shield against it, but it came to late and he was blown away into a boulder behind him.

"Ah, damn it, that hurt." he groaned.

"If you were faster than you would´t have that problem" Came her answer while she looked a little bit to happy about his pain.

"Yeah, yeah, but at least I can hod myself a little bit against you. That is still an achievement."

"Yes, just tell that yourself."

"Ugh, I think thats enough training for today, do you want to grab something to eat?"

"Uh, yes, I am kind of hungry."

"Okey" He sayed laying one hand on her shoulder. "The usual spot?"

"They usual spot." Jinx answered. "But do we have to..."

The next moment they were gone in an loud plop.

Only to reappear with said plop in an alley in the middle of jump city.

"...teleport?" came the question from the now even paler witch. "Uhh, thats the most uncomfortable experience i know. How can you do that all the time?"

"Well, its fast." He explained.

"Right, its fast" She muttered, while walking through the doors of the dark and a bit creepy cafe in which they ate since the second time training.

"You know, I still can´t believe that you regularly visit a cafe all in the open."

"Hey, I may be a villain but is still have a live!" She said and boxed him in the shoulder.

They reached a free table and sat down. A waiter came and they ordered some tea and cake.

"By the way, there is something which I nerved asked but it interests me, how did you even became a villain?" He asked rather interested.

"Thats rather simple. With bad luck powers you can´t do really any good and you get shunned pretty fast. And the career as a villain is then pretty much the only which you can take." Jinx said looking a little bit downcast, but she cheered up pretty fast and continued. "Also, I like it to cause mischief and mayhem." now laughing a bit.

"Now tell me, why aren't you using your powers for something... useful?" The pink haired witch asked with a smirk. "Why not join fore a raid or two?"

"Hm, could be fun but i don´t know. I wouldn't like to get to much trouble with the heroes. I have to think about it."

"Right, but you know there are things like masks? And what heroes? There aren't any heroes in this city."

"Not right now." Mathew said with a knowing smirk.

Jinx tilted her head. "You know that you are sometimes really weird?"

"Yes, I do." He answered bursting out laughing.

After that they continued to talk fore some time. When they finished eating, they left the cafe and went their ways.

When Mathew reached his store and was opening the door, he noticed a green streak shooting over the sky.

Smiling he went inside and looked the door while ignoring the loud crashing sound coming from the other side of the city.

"Hm, life here is definitely going to be much more interesting from now on."

And CUT!

Now people of all ages join closer for this is the awesome ending of awesomeness, awesome right?!

So, I brought Jinx into the story and let them get a friendly relationship to let all possibility´s open and cause much drama later in the story. MUHAHAHAHA!

Why does he know so much about powers? Well he reads comic books. If you want to understand some parts you have to know what the characters can do. and if you ever heard of the Scarlet witch than you should now what probability manipulation is.

And to why he dosen´t have a problem with villains? Well if you are raiding archeological sites for valuables to sell for money, you aren't such a law obeying person. The other reason is he simply does not cares as long as they don't mess with him.

And in the next chapter we are finally going to see the Titans! Or do we?

And wat is Slade doing? And where are all the other Villains? And why isn´t Mat makingmorefunnyreferencesthatnoneexemptthereaderswillunderstand!? *Heavy breathing*

That are things only I could tell! But i will not do this for I am the AUTOR! I have the power over my keyboard of DOOM and you will suffer in slight anticipation! BEWARE!