I do not own the Teen Titans.
Chapter one: Illegal Gambling.
"Nah come on Rachel, ya gotta see that boy 'resting 'em gators. He is sure building up sum reputation for him." Kori said in her most southern folk dialog she had. The fiery head young woman was from high class but unlike her sister she just wanted to be ordinary.
"Slow down Kori. Your Father said you should not speak like this. And where are you running off to? Is that not the way to down town?" The dark haired lass said as she tried to pry her hand from Kori. "Oh Rachel, if we do always like our daddies tell us to do, then I would have never had any fun and you would have then been married off to that snobbish boy Adonis, now wouldn't ya?" Kori asked as she came to an abrupt stop looking at her friend.
"Yes. You are right but still... We both still have a family name to up hold. Can't have the Roth's and Anders' be seen at an absurd gambling affair like alligator wrestling. My father will have my hide tanned." Rachel said as she sighed deeply looking at her friend's big green emeralds. Kori stared at her emotionless for a while she studied Rachel.
Rachel wore her polished black shoes and a medium length checkered grey dress and white stockings, and her hair was tied up in a bun. Kori sighed and looked around them for a certain store. Kori's eyes light up and she yanked Rachel into a small shop.
Once again in the streets the girls looked more like the crowd. Kori had a short tear up jeans with a tight, too tight, checkered shirt with a knot in the middle showing off her flat toned stomach. Kori whipped her long loose hair back and winked at her friend. Rachel smacked her own face hopelessly and groaned.
Rachel HAD to wear tight jeans and she had a red blouse shirt on with her medium length hair loose as well. "My father is so, going to have my behind for this." Rachel whispered from behind her hand. "Oh and one other thing, Miss Roth. None of your fancy dialog now eh. You gotta fit in nicely." Kori said as she un-tucked Rachel's shirt. Rachel pushed her hands away trying to keep some of her dignity.
"Fine, I'll tone down. Now who is this boy?" Rachel asked the red head. Kori gasp and grabbed her hand again. "Oh my we're gonna be late! I completely forgot." Kori shouted as they ran to the swamp lake, far out from the down town. As the class ranks would put it, the lowest class.
The crowd was cheering and beer was flowing form one person to another. "Place your bets people as the Beastboy is 'bout to wrestle this here ugly gator." An overweight and bold man shouted above the crowd. People shouted and placed their bets. Kori dragged Rachel with her to the front of the crowd till against the wooden railings.
"Whow there feisty lady, you gotta place your bet if you wanna have a front row seat." The man said as sweat was dripping from his red face. By the smell of it he had a fair amount of beer. "Okay then, I'll place five dollar that the Beastboy will win." Kori said and looked for her money. Rachel grab hold on her hand. "Kori, no." She whispered. Kori just smiled and winked at her as she gave the man her bet.
"Alright then. Bets close going once." A few more people shouted their bets. "Going twice." The crowd calmed down. "Going… Going… Gone. Scoundrels and scumbags I give you Beastboy!" The man shouted on the top of his lungs. And once again the crowd cheered. A short guy jumped over the fence between Kori and Rachel. He wore a green suit of something. Rachel curled her upper lip in disgust. But he seemed somewhat familiar she just isn't sure from where.
Beastboy gave a roar that actually did sounded like an animal and it gave Rachel a slight fright. "This here gator is going down!" He shouted with a gruff voice. Beastboy was circling around the alligator pestering it.
Large teeth was snapping at him and he jerked back a little. Then the alligator darted to the boy and then the boy jumped on his back. With blessed agility Beastboy placed an arm under the jaws of death and hooked it with his other arm. The alligator hissed and then started to tumble and twist.
The was a few gasps, 'oh's' and 'ah's' then it became very quiet and the water stilled. The crowd gotten silent too. The alligator wiggled his body with Beastboy still underwater. Rachel grabbed Kori's hand out of fear for the guy. Blond hair dipped with the green slime of the swamp-like water reappeared and he let go of the alligator's snout with a splash in the water. Once released the alligator hissed and swim back into the deeper swamp. Beastboy howled in triumph.
People cheered and everyone had to either pay up or had the joy of getting three times more than they betted. "Wasn't that fantastic?" Kori asked as she took her money from the big man. "It is complete idiocy but the boy does have some skill." Rachel said as they walked away from the crowd. "He looks somewhat familiar to me." Kori said with a finger to her chin
The sirens went off and the whole crowd started to scram in many directions. The law always knew when to interrupt an illegal gambling spot. Kori and Rachel hastily ran between the fenceless houses on their way home.
The next morning at breakfast Rachel's mind was with Beastboy. Who is he? And why does he look so familiar. "Rachel?" Trigon's angry voice shocked her out of her thoughts. "Sorry, Father. Please say that again." Rachel said quickly. Trigon growled and took a deep breath in.
"Rachel. I wonder sometimes about you. I asked if you will be alright for the next two weeks. Mynhardt Anders and I will be out of town to do some things for business and so forth. I need to get some of the new race horses and he is going to pick up his daughter Commander." Trigon ponder on the name for a while. "What an odd name for a child, a woman?" He asked out loud.
"Yes Father, I will be good on my own. Besides I will visit Kori from time to time as well." Rachel said and she continued with her meal. Trigon nodded sharply and took the paper in his hands and started to read.
After her breakfast Rachel decided to go to the stables and maybe go for a ride on Jessie. One of the benefits of being the daughter of the racetrack owner, always have the best horses in the stable. That wasn't all her father owned, he also planned on having a game and wildlife reserve. He already had one of the biggest cattle farms on his land.
Which is why he and the owner of Stone's butcher were such great friends, and with his sheep herds made him the biggest wool supplier (and occasionally leather) of the Anders' tailors. Not to mention having a lot of money makes you good friends with the banker, Bruce Wayne. Yes, they were wealthy and highly respected.
The stable floor was wet and covered in water and soap. Rachel sighed. Which meant that she was going to have to wait a while because the stable guys had to clean it today and the horses would be still wet by now. She walked around to the training ground. In the middle of the ring was Jessie. Her Indian beauty and the blond boy washing her.
Rachel climb on the fence and took a seat as she watched the boy. The boy was a half-breed of one of the native woman and the town's late sheriff. And now he lives on her father's land with some of the other people who also work for Trigon Roth. Rachel smiled at the thought she just had. This boy worked here for two years now and all she knows about him is his name and his job.
"No! No! No! Jessie." He playfully shouted as Jessie dried her mane leaving the boy soaked wet. "Ahw come on! I have a whole day's of work ahead of me in these clothes." He said to the horse. Jessie just neighs in response and prance around with arrogance.
"Then why start with the outfit when you know you would be washing the horses." Rachel asked him from where she sat. He looked at her surprise only noticing her now. "Miss Roth. How is milady on 'tis fine morning?" He asked as he bowed for her. Rachel rolled her eyes, she forgot the third thing, and he was quite a charmer.
"Morning Logan, I am quiet well this morning just disappointed that I will not be riding Jessie for this morning." Rachel greeted him. Gar ruffled his hair dry and tried to rake it better. It didn't help.
"Miss Roth. I was wondering if you would like to go out sometime with me. Maybe this Saturday?" Gar asked her waggling his eyebrows at her. She just raised her on brow up and a small hopeless but polite smile. Gar's shoulders dropped and dramatically sighed and turned to Jessie. "How 'bout you?" Jessie snorted at him and shook her head. "Nope, just like your owner." Gar said and he picked up the bucket of water.
"And exactly what do you mean by that?" Rachel asked him. This was their longest chat they ever had and she found it pleasant in a strange way. Usually she just got her horse and ride with her for a while or she would just go and practice her ballet or piano.
Garfield dumped the water out and took off his shirt. Rachel caught herself in the act and focused on Jessie quickly. He wringed out the water and hanged it over the fence. "Well Miss Roth-" "Call me Rachel." She interrupted. Why she told him it was alright that he could call her by her first name was beyond her.
"-Miss Rachel. Call me Gar." He smiled a debonair smile at her. "Jessie is one of a kind. She is beautiful, elegant and a hint of rebel in her, she knows she deserve the best but don't know that she actually deserves more. Shy and hidden at first but once she let you to get closer she can be real arrogant but she has this special-ness in her that makes everything she does – fine." He explained as he looked at Jessie.
Rachel wasn't sure if he was still comparing the horse to her owner or just describing Jessie's personality. So she just nodded her head. "Well, Miss Rachel I best be off now. Have a nice morning." Garfield said and let Jessie join with the other horses.
A distant squeal of delight could have been heard from where Rachel sat. Kori came up from behind and she rested her arms next to Rachel. "Oh. My. God!" The redhead said as stared in front of her far in fresh memory. Rachel's corner of her lips twitched slightly at her friend's admiration.
"Morning to you too Kori." The Goth greeted looking down to her friend. "I didn't know the Logan boy had 'that' hidden under all that musky sweat, hardworking torn up old clothes. Really makes me missing my Richard." Kori sighed.
"Speaking of which, when is he coming back from the army?" Rachel asked as she elegantly climbs down from the fence standing next Kori. "Oh, I don't know. I got a letter of him last week. He says that he might be here by winter." Kori replied and they walked off to where she left her horse.
After a few days Rachel grew found of her occasion banter with the young man working with the animals. Raven was sitting on the circular table outside the coffee table when she saw her father's cars and animal trailers driving past and he waved at her and Kori.
Trailing behind was Mynhard and Commander on their way. Commander waved smugly at them. "Argh." Kori groaned as she rolled her eyes and looked at Rachel hopelessly. "You seem delighted that your sister is back." Rachel said with hint of amusement looking at her friend's reaction. "Spare me the sarcasm, Rachel. She drives me insane. You know she is after Adonis?" Kori grumbled as stared at her tea.
"By all means she can have him." Rachel said stood up from the table. Kori followed her outside. Garfield saw the ladies exiting from the café and bid Victor goodbye and rushed to the chariot waiting for the girls. "On your way back then miss Rachel and miss Kori?" he asked as they approach. "Why yes Gar. You weren't in the middle of something were you?" Kori asked as she pointed to Victor and waved to him. "Good Day! Oh Miss Rachel." Victor came out with a paper bag in his hand. "Happy birthday girl." The tall African American handed the bag over to her. "Victor I am no longer a girl." She answered him in a flat tone but had a smile on her face.
"Oh yes I have forgotten in that case then, watch out for becoming a Spencer." He said grinning at his wit while Kori laughed. Rachel could feel her embarrassment. "What do find so amusing Kori, last time I checked you too are still unwed." Rachel scowled at her friend. 'Richard and I will be engaged by the time he comes back so I will be saved. You on the other hand might end the feisty old maid of the town." Kori giggled.
Gar looked at her concerned once Rachel caught his sympathetic gaze she snapped herself back up and proud. "Well do pardon me for wanting better than most of the southern farming boys who aren't even well educated enough to know the difference of 'm-e-e-t' and 'm-e-a-t'" Victor ceased with his laughter and looked at his notice board. To his unfortunate luck the word was indeed wrong.
Rachel smiled proudly as Kori doubled her laughter. "Oh don't worry Victor. You culinary skills are for to great for us to worry about your notice board." Rachel said and Victor smiled embarrassed but kind. "I'm still learning but I guess this is what you get when you want to go up against the Queen of literature and cunning sarcasm." With that Victor handed her the bag and she thanked him.
While in the chariot Rachel shared some of her chilly jerky which she accepted with gratitude. "So…" The fire head started with a mischievous tone. Rachel arched a brow to warn her friend to think wisely. Kori was quite for a while and then whispered. "Did you do something shamefully already?" Smiling at her friend's deep blush. "Kori Anders!" Rachel hissed.
Gar heard the whispering, hissing and Kori's bright laughter and tried to strain his ears to listen what they were talking about. "I'm not going to share the jerky anymore." Rachel said withholding the bag form her friend. "O that's not fair! Now you only made me want it more." Kori whined.
"Maybe if you behave…" Rachel caved in. They sat there in silence and Rachel's cheeks cooled down and she enjoyed the sight. Kori leaned closer with a wide smiling spreading across her face. "Did you?" "No!" Rachel shouted and blood rushed to her face again huffing and turned her face away from Kori. "But you want to?" Kori asked with pure excitement. "No." Rachel growled still facing away.
Kori waited patiently because she knows it is not true. She sat back in her right position. Rachel glanced back and saw Kori raising her eyebrows expectantly. "No." Rachel replied but even with all her might she could stop her blush and little smile from growing. Kori humph proudly and let the subject rest.
Gar couldn't hear anything much only something about shamefully and Rachel's objections and Kori's disbelieving voice. And he started thinking that this might involve something of pure scandal for someone with Rachel's stature. Maybe illegal gambling bets…
…...
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