Señor Senior Junior had his comb out, and was looking at his hair in his handheld mirror. “Oh, yes - not a single wave. Beautiful!” he exclaimed to nobody but himself.
“Whoahwhoahwhoahwhoahwhoah! Hold on just a second!” Shego couldn’t believe it. “Señor…Senior…Junior?”
“That is my name, yes?” he replied, already starting to get annoyed.
“We just got busted out of most freakin’ advanced jail cell in the entirety of the world - by Señor Senior Jr.?”
“Are you trying to get me to say something dirty or inappropriate? Because it's not working.”
“No,” Shego replied, “It's just I'm trying to figure out how we could've been rescued by - oh, I don't know - the most vapidly vainglorious person in the universe?”
“Did you have to use two words that start with “V” twice in a row?” Junior shot back. “Because for some reason, I find that insulting.”
Beast Boy looked at Shego. “You know Red X?”
Kim had puked enough, and was feeling a little better as she came over to the group. “I'm confused. When we first met you guys, Robin said he made Red X up.”
“Yeah! What's the deal?” asked Ron, crossing his arms. Rufus echoed his actions, chittering the equivalent of “Yeah!”
“Um, well, see, uh, we kinda…never really had the time then to tell you the suit got stolen about a year ago,” Beast Boy explained, scratching an itch on his back that had for some reason suddenly appeared.
“Oh.” Ron was satisfied. “Well, that explains a lot.”
“Junior? You actually stole something?” Shego asked, stunned.
“Yes.” Junior was looking at his fingernails, not really paying attention.
“And you got away with it?”
Junior sighed. “Well, not so much.”
“He got away-” Robin raised one eyebrow in suspicion. “-but I had the belt that supplied all the power to the suit when he did.”
“Oh, that - well, I'd stolen the blueprints for the suit earlier, so I just followed them and made another one,” Junior responded offhand as he stood there filing his fingernails.
“What?” Cyborg was in disbelief. He just wanted to know who the hell this guy was.
“Ok, Junior,” said Shego. “Considering I tried to tutor you in the ways of villainy and you didn't seem to learn a damn thing - spill. Spill how all of this happened.”
Junior sighed. “Ugh. If you insist…After that whole fiasco with the cooking recipe, I pupped up the Internet and searched for “master thief” on a whim - and came across an article about this “Red X.” I liked the suit, for some odd reason, so I asked father if he would steal it for me - but he refused, on the grounds of our previous failure. So I got a gym membership and slimmed myself down, practiced stealing in secret - then a year ago, told father I was going to a concert in Gotham City, but instead came in and stole the Red X suit.”
“Uh…huh.” Shego was still not entirely convinced.
Starfire felt the need to add her own words of wisdom. “It is quite odd, how a deep want can fuel a person into their own action.”
Then Ron noticed Junior had indeed lost much of the muscular build he had always had in their past encounters. “Hey yeah, Junior really slimmed down…”
“So where'd you find the Xinothium?” Cyborg asked Junior.
“Xinothium?” Kim asked, stunned.
“Xinothium?” Shego was also stunned.
“Xinothium?” Ron, though, was clueless. He looked at Rufus for help – and got only the naked mole rat shrugging his shoulders, sharing his non-knowledge.
Robin spoke up. “Xinothium powers the suit. He was going after some Xinothium ore in our city when another villain trapped everyone but me and stole the ore for their Xinothium cannon - and he helped me stop the madman and save my friends.”
“Oh, that –” Junior was the master of the “I’m-so-much-better-than-you” snob attitude – “apparently Father owned five Xinothium mines and didn't even know it.”
Kim and Shego still had their stunned eyes on Robin. Avoiding them, Robin turned around, and walked back over to the car. “Like I've said before:” Robin said, looking over his shoulder at Kim and Shego, “Red X was a mistake.” He punched the hood of the car – actually leaving quite a dent. He sighed, shaking his head. “I can't believe this. The greatest mistake ever in the history of my life…and it's saved my life twice.”
“Would that be Karma, or just coincidence?” asked Ron. Rufus smacked his head.
“Ok, hold on, wait - I'm confused:” Kim cut in. “Where the hell'd you learn to move like that?” she asked Junior.
“What did you think I was learning every day I was at the gym - Yoga? Please…” Junior was now getting very annoyed. He went back to studying his hair.
“He's got a point,” Raven pointed out.
“And the machismo attitude of Red X?” Kim asked. “You’d never ever call me “honey,” Junior.”
“I don’t know, really,” Junior answered. “I guess it would have to be something about the suit.”
“It’s like that one movie with that comedian dude!” said Beast Boy. “He puts on a mask, and becomes a completely different person. I – can’t remember the title of it at the moment,” he said, seeing the look Cyborg was giving him.
“Ok, ok, alright –” Shego flung her hands out to her sides in frustration. “-that's enough. I'm accepting it. He saved our lives. Now, can we concentrate on the matter at hand here: Taking down Slade and Co.?”
“Uh, news flash, Shego – how exactly do we stop them? I mean, you heard Wade. He’s got the whole word – in his hands!” Ron countered.
“Yes, why don't we get down to business?” A deep voice asked. Everybody spun around – to the sight of Señor Senior Senior, Junior’s father, walking down the long, curving rock staircase that led to the platform everyone was on. He walked right over to Junior, patting his son on the shoulder, smiling. “When Junior told me what he had done, I can't tell you how proud of him I was.” His smile turned to a beam.
“Oh, Father, please.” Junior waved his hand, blushing.
“So, Junior,” asked Shego, “Why'd you hide that all from him, when you knew what he'd say?”
“Junior was just in his…normal teenage rebellion mode, like every adolescent,” Senior answered for him.
“So why'd he finally tell you?” Ron asked.
Senior put his head down, tsking. “Much has changed since you all disappeared, Mister Stoppable.”
“You're not cooperating with them – why?” asked Kim.
Senior sighed. “They are not following the traditions of supervillainy. I simply cannot cooperate with those who do not show any honour. It is - what did you always say to your Wade friend - ah! - a most unacceptable sitch, Miss Possible.”
“And they killed the Oh Boyz!” Junior pounded his fist into his palm. “Something had to be done.”
Raven looked around. “…Anyone else feel out of the loop here?”
Night. The clouds parted over the window of Kim’s room.
Kim finished her physics homework as moonlight rolled over the window.
After putting her books away, Kim bounded into the TV room. As she came in, Mrs. Possible, Tim, Mr. Possible, and Jim were heading out the door. Mr. Possible leaned back in at the last second. “Off to the Night Parade, Kimmie-Cub!”
“Right. See ya.” Kim wasn’t really paying attention. Mr. Possible hmmphed. He shut the door, leaving. Kim flipped on the TV and flipped through channels while the sound of car doors opening and closing dripped through the walls of the house, followed by the sound of a car backing out the driveway.
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH! KEE-RASH!
Kim woke up with a start. Shego looked over. Kim looked around. “What-”
“Think all that stress from the fight overtook ya, sweetie,” Shego explained as she came over to her. “You passed out, Kimmie.”
“I did?”
“Yeah. Now-” Shego helped Kim to her feet. “-c’mon, let's get you over to the table and help us plan some strategy.” She guided Kim over to the table - which turned out to be the hood of the car, with everyone gathered around a map that had been placed on it.
“Now, what we should do…” muttered Senior. “Go here,” he said, pointing at a position on the map, “Take out this corridor, and-”
“No.” Robin was unfazed by the look Senior gave him. “That's a main entrance. It'll be way too heavily guarded, especially now.”
Senior looked back down at the map. “Hmm…Ah yes, you are indeed right. Thank you for pointing that out to me.”
“May I make a suggestion?” Kim raised her hand.
“Uh - yes, Miss Possible. Go on,” Senior answered.
“Ok,” said Kim, “Aviarius took all of Shego and her brothers’ superpowers. I'd say the first thing we need to do is get those powers back. She deserves the gift that was given to her family - not Aviarius.”
“Oh, Kimmie!” Shego enveloped Kim in a bear hug as Kim smiled at her lovingly.
“So how do we get to Aviarius?” Senior asked.
Kim grinned. “Follow the birds.”
END ACT ONE