Teen Titans: Generation Next.

By Erik Howlett.

Disclaimer: All elements of the DCAU are the sole property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. Entertainment, with elements of the Teen Titans sharing their ownership. The Phoenix Gate is the property of Greg Weisman and Walt Disney Entertainment, as well as Slave Labor Graphics. I do not claim any of the characters or elements of either show or comic-book as my own, and am only writing this story as a leisurely past time and because I am a humble fan of this genre simply telling a story.

NOTE! If you haven't read "Brave New Future", the prologue to this fic, you might not understand what's going on! Please, take the time to read through it and then start on this one. No worries, this isn't going anywhere.

Okay, now that we got that out of the way, let's get down to business, shall we? The Titans are all grown up now, far-cries from the fledgling team of teens they were when they banded together all those years ago. Having grown out of the shoes of simple "sidekicks," they've stayed out of the global spotlight that the Justice League had been in since day one, content to defend their home town of Jump City, California from whatever threat came its way, very rarely being offered the chance to prove themselves on a wider-scale. However, in the wake of the Justice League's triumphant defeat of Darkseid, lord of Apokalips, the world-spanning super-team found itself stretched far too thin, and began to take on new members to help maintain peace and protect the world, should another invasion of that one occur again. When they came to the Titans, the former teen-heroes found themselves thrust into a trial by fire against foes the League themselves had trouble defeating. Thankfully, they emerged victorious, and accepted the Justice League's offer to join up with them.

However, it was revealed that their new status as League members would take them from their duties in Jump City, moving to establish a new JLU Embassy in San Francisco. Conflicted by this, the enigmatic Dr. Fate, master of magic, revealed to both the Justice League and the Titans that a group of abstract entities, known only as "The Endless," had given him a prophesy that would both ease the Titans' fears for their city, and bring about a new "Heroic Age" for their world: Six young heroes from worlds unlike their own would be brought to fill the void left by the departing Titans, becoming a new team to protect Jump City. Encouraged by this news, the former Titans set to work preparing Titans Tower for their replacements' arrival, as well as their departure. While they did so, Dr. Fate was given the means to summon these new heroes, and tasked with mastering this new ability.

Now, the time has come to bring the New Teen Titans to this plane of reality, and to usher in a new Age of Heroes. What will happen next, you ask? Well, let's find out then, shall we?

Chapter 1: A Changing of the Guard.

Titans Tower, Jump City, California, 10:30 am.

The sun was already climbing into the sky when Dr. Fate teleported in.

The heralding of his arrival was sparing if nothing else, he rarely gave any warning before making an entrance, and it was part of his overall mystique as a sorcerer, as the Master of Magic. One moment, the Tower's living room/lounge-area was quiet, the cityscape stretched out as far as they eye could see beyond the room-width window, sunlight streaming through to illuminate all within with a warm brilliance, and then, the silence of the morning was abruptly cut short with a sudden flash of light and the momentous Fwash!, signaling the distortion of time and space as a gold-and-purple gateway suddenly appeared over the cocktail-table. Unlike a simple hole-shaped doorway, a design that the New Genesis people preferred that had been incorporated into their own teleportation systems (the Boom Tube); this one was personalized in a sense, making it unique to Fate as an acolyte of the Egyptian sorcerer, Nabu. A two-dimensional ankh, the door symbolized eternal life, the ever-flowing passage of time immemorial.

Without a moment's hesitation, Dr. Fate stepped through the portal and into what was only a month prior the home of the youngest superhero team on Earth, the Teen Titans. Through the eye-slots in the Helmet of Nabu, Kent Nelson saw that all the trappings of the heroes had long since been removed, no longer necessary to remain as the Titans where now leaving their old home for a new position in the Justice League, and a new headquarters nestled snugly in the San Francisco harbor up the coast. He sighed introspectively as he remembered the Titans' abrupt trial by fire that had taken place so many weeks ago, how they had faced some of the worst villains ever to oppose the Justice League, and came out on top. He remembered the looks on their faces and on the faces of his colleagues as he delivered the news that this event had been preordained by the Lords of Order, in attempts to steel their world for the evil to come, a force of darkness the likes of which his friends had never faced before and that they could never hope to defeat. He remembered the words of the beings who had given him the prophecy, the Endless, and how they told of six heroes from worlds unlike any he had seen would be the salvation of his, and the replacements of the Teen Titans as the guardians of Jump City.

Even know, as he held the means to which he would summon these young warriors to his world, the gold and blue talisman known as the Phoenix Gate, he couldn't help but feel a bizarre mix of excitement and unease churning about in the pit of his stomach. What he was about to do, was something impossible, something … fantastic. He had faced things in the past that no man could've even dreamt of, true, but this was something beyond him. Bending the whims of space and time, ripping six individuals from moments in time from six different universes, it was all so incredible, so frightful, he couldn't help but marvel at the world in which he lived, and the life at which he led. It was times like this that he could barely believe the things he was able to do were real.

Smiling knowingly as he brought himself out of his thoughts and back to the reality at hand, Kent turned his gaze to the seemingly vacant shadows of the far corner of the Tower lounge. "I know you are there, Richard Grayson."

Soundlessly, the ebony-garbed form of Nightwing seemingly materialized out of thin air as he slipped out of the all-concealing shadows and into view. As before, the young hero was dressed in his usual adventuring attire. A full-bodysuit, as black as midnight, characterized by a bright-blue raptor that spread its wings across his chest and draped their tips over his shoulders; a similarly shaded domino-mask concealed his eyes, obscuring his identity to his foes; a gunmetal utility belt secured tightly around his waist, glistening in unison with the bracers about his wrists and ankles in the sunlight. The young man had been trained by none other than the Dark Knight himself, though as time wore on, he had outgrown the mantle of Robin and moved out from under the Batman's wing, establishing himself in another city and on another team, founding the Teen Titans. He had been a driving force behind their success, the reason for their existence, their inspiration and leader. And as the team found themselves moving on to bigger and better things, he stayed there with them, guiding them along their journey. It now made sense that he be here to witness the coming of the next generation of heroes who would fill the void in their absence, even if it had initially been an unexpected occurrence for the Master of Magic.

"Hmph, guess I should've known better than to sneak up on a mystic like yourself," scoffed Nightwing with a grin as he joined Dr. Fate on the landing above the couch, just opposite the magician who stood behind the cocktail-table. His cool, calculating eyes coming to rest on the strange talisman clutched in Fate's left hand, Dick continued his approach, calmly striding down the steps as he spoke. "So, that's it, huh? The Phoenix Gate?"

"Yes," answered Kent in his usual, composed demeanor, regarding the Gate as well, still amazed that he was about to attempt something he would have never thought possible twenty years ago, before discovering the Helmet he now wore with pride and honor. "It's taken me some time, but I've finally managed to master the power of the Gate."

"Good thing we finished moving out yesterday then," Nightwing smiled, remembering all the memories they had uncovered as they sifted through their possessions and loaded them on the T-Ship, all the good-times they'd shared and all the bad-times they'd endured as a family. It had been a pretty emotional moment when they finally loaded the last bit of luggage into the Ship and bit a fond fair-well to the old Tower. That building had been more than just their headquarters. It was their home, their life, their sanctuary, and now… Nightwing steeled himself as a flood of emotions washed over him. He had to be strong; besides, they weren't leaving the old Tower for forever. It was more of an 'until we meet again' goodbye, as they knew they would return every once in a while to check up on the new team and make sure things were running smoothly. Still… "Hard to believe it's been eleven years since we moved in."

"Yes, amazing, isn't it, how time flies?" Fate smiled under his helmet, knowing all too well how Nightwing felt. It was hard to move on, to leave behind everything you knew and loved and to step into the unknown without an inkling of where you were going. He had been there once before, and now, in a different, yet familiar sense, he was about to do it again. "One minute you're leaving behind all you know for a new destination, thinking once you're there that this new place will always be your home, and then the next, you're moving on to something new, something exciting, something… Legendary."

"Don't start getting all speech-y on me, Fate," chuckled the vigilante good-naturedly, "We've already sat through Superman's 'Welcome to The Justice League' spiel last week. I'm not up for another one of those again." After a brief laugh between the two heroes, Dick wiped a tear from his eye and got back to being his usual, serious self. "So, are you ready to do this?"

"Of course, I've spent the past month studying the spells and techniques given to me by the Endless, and I believe I now know how to properly operate the Gate." As he spoke, Dr. Fate stared at the talisman in question, marveling at what he held in his hands. In his grasp was the means to change the world, to usher in a brave, bold new age of heroics for his generation and the next. "It will only take but a moment or two, but in those few fleeting seconds of time, I will have traversed the boundless, infinite realms of the multiverse, and will have gathered the chosen heroes from across reality." Sensing some flicker of emotion cross Nightwing's otherwise calm demeanor, Fate turned his attentions from the Gate to the young warrior before him. "What is it, Richard?"

"I'd like to go with you, Doctor." Unsurprising, Kent had expected something like this to happen; the boy was the student of the Batman, after all. "Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't trust you, but-"

"… You were curious to see what these young heroes are like for yourself before entrusting them with protecting the city?" finished Kent with an amused tone, startling Nightwing a bit. "It is perfectly fine, Nightwing, I understand your intentions and I do not mind sharing this journey with you." Beckoning him to his side with his free hand, Dr. Fate summoned every last ounce of focus within his mind, shutting out every other distraction as he thought only of the task at hand, barely hearing Dick's footsteps as he joined him. Slowly, the Phoenix Gate was raised high above the sorcerer's head in a dramatic fashion, the air around both him and Nightwing crackling and snapping with unbridled power as sparks of mystic energy appeared to spark across the surface of the talisman. "I would advise you of course, not to leave the boundaries of the Gate, lest you be lost to the endless void outside of existence itself."

"Note taken," quipped the former Robin, slightly unnerved at the thought. If Fate heard him, however, he showed no sign. In moments, the small sparks that had flitted briefly along the shimmering surface of the Phoenix Gate had transformed into full bursts of mystic power, roaring and snarling out of control like some great bonfire. Before his very eyes, the fiery magicks that dotted the talisman suddenly exploded into a full-on blaze, erupting from its confines with a powerful backdraft of hot air. The fire seemed to hover above them for a moment, then, astonishingly, it condensed, took shape, and then looked upon them with its newfound eyes. As if he hadn't seen his fair share of mystical phenomena in his lifetime, Nightwing now found himself staring face to face with a real, live Phoenix! Then, with a single phrase, Dr. Fate propelled them into the unknown, and the world disappeared before their very eyes in a blinding flash of flames as the majestic firebird folded her wings over the two of them.

"Deflagrate muri tempi et intervalia!"

And just like that, with a burst of fire and the swift whistling of volcanic wind, the two heroes vanished. The only remaining hint of their presence, the acrid scent of brimstone and sulfur that hung in the air and the ominous silence that echoed soundlessly in their wake. And once more, Titans Tower was silent. Eerily silent…

Next time: Recruitment Drive.

Author's Note: Heh, heh, heh, well gang, looks like we're in for one heck of a ride! To what worlds in vast reaches of the multiverse are Dr. Fate and Nightwing traveling? What heroes from these worlds are the chosen few from the Endless' prophesy? What qualities do they possess that make them worthy of taking up the mantle of the Teen Titans in the wake of the original team's departure from Jump City? What roles will they play in the future of the DCAU? Only one thing is for certain, this will be an undertaking unlike anything these young warriors have ever faced. Stay tuned to learn the answers to these questions as new ones arise in their place, for next time, we journey across the far reaches of reality to collect the New Teen Titans, and you won't believe who they are! Well, until then, thank you very much for the read, and I look forward to hearing from you in a review. Remember, flames will be doused, trolls will have bridges dropped on them, and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Stay awesome, True Believers, and until next time, EXCELSIOR!