Boys, girls, all of you of many ages, wouldn't you all like to see something strange? Then come, allow me to tell you a story about Halloween. It's not a tale of blood and gore, more of circumstance and awkward humor. But perhaps that's what you wanted? If not, then why did you come?
Never the less, this is rather choppy for the first part, but I plan it to be a three parter to be completed a bit before Thanksgiving. That way I can just roll into the Thanksgiving story. The next to parts are to be funny, light hearted, and even a little mischievous.
The grand clock stationed above the Pizza Corner of Jump City ticked away in the crisp, chilling air of this dreary October's drawing dusk. The partly grayed sky still retained a small hue of fading orange that the sun once gave. The small rustling of the un-raked leaves crinkled against the crisp air and sounded off to the silent city. Though the grand clocked chimed a deep, bellowing gong as its short hand met with the massive seven and its long arm touching twelve, the people of the city paid it no mind. For on this day, who had time to attend to the winding or drawing night? It was tomorrow night that interested them… Who ever said Hallows Eve was just for kids?
Titans' Tower, despite the stray leaves that still littered the city streets, was surprisingly vacant of the many autumn colored leaves on its grassy knolls. But that wasn't to say the island face was clean. Instead of dead leaves, the grassy land and indeed the rocks were decorated to the brim with tomb stones, carved pumpkins for each Titan, and a massive 'spider web' tenting over the roof of the tower and down to the ground below in cascades of white clumped threads sported from a water resistant fabric Cyborg made just for this occasion. Along with the 'spooky' decorations that oriented the Titan's island were the many parked crafts of honorary Titans bobbing in the softly ebbing bay while their owners had taken refuge within the very Tower on the island, much like every year.
All the Titans had gathered within the warmth of the main room in the Titans West's Tower like any other year, each garbed in their fall attire. Most remained in their traditional super hero attire, but a few were not so accustomed to the more crisp chill of autumn. The light chatter of titans talking to other titans filled the main room of the Tower as their hosts prepared for their announcement to the lot of them.
Robin cleared his throat audibly as he stood before the main entrance of the main room; his own team standing by behind him. "Welcome everyone to our Tower," their guests hushed down slowly and turned their collective attention to the leader of the host Tower. "As you're all aware, it's—"
"Halloween Eve!" Beast Boy cackled in an attempted spooky tone, with his gloved finger flicking the main light switch of the room on and off for effect.
All eyes in the room set to him, not one person having even a twinge of fear. Slowly, Beast Boy stopped flicking the light and returned to his team with a flushed face. "Anyway… Like Beast Boy said, it's the day before Halloween. And we at Titans West came up with an idea to do this year," Robin carried on with his explanation.
In no time at all a hand flew up from the cluster of other Titans. Robin couldn't tell from first glance who it was since he was used to people always wearing their costumes, so he pointed over at the individual. "Yes? You have a question?"
A split second later, the hand went down and a quick gust of wind rushed past Robin, instantly telling him who it was. "Alright, yeah, so um… What exactly are we doing?"
"Kid Flash, good to see you… tomorrow being Halloween and all, my team and I –mostly Cyborg and Beast Boy- spent the good part of the past week working on costume ideas for everyone as well as a fair way to hand them out."
"Hold up… You have costumes for everyone?" Kid Flash asked.
"Well, no. We thought it would be fun to give everyone a random costume idea to put together for the party here tomorrow."
Kid Flash rubbed his chin in thought for a second before snapping a finger and nodding with an excited glint in his eyes. "Smart! Very smart for you Robin," Robin scowled but let Kid Flash continue. "Now, don't let me get in the way. Carry on." Dashing back to place, Kid Flash retook his seat next to Jinx.
"Right… So anyway, Beast Boy and Cyborg wrote up costume ideas on these scraps of paper," pulling a small bag up from beside him, Robin displayed a surplus of shredded papers. "Each of us will take a piece at random. Come dressed in that costume for the party tomorrow. No contest or anything else to it, it's only for fun."
A few mutters arose from the Teen Titans over what possible ideas the two Titans drummed up for them all to wear. Suddenly, once more, Kid Flash shot his hand up only for Robin to point him out to speak up. "Do you have some way for us to pick them out? Like a hat?" Kid Flash questioned.
In that moment, everyone became fear filled as they saw a smile sneak across Robin's face. "A hat huh? Well, that would be festive wouldn't it?" Just as sure, Robin flicked out a small, black communicator from his belt.
The Titans watched as Robin clicked down on a few buttons on the communicator before putting it to his ear. A few Titans quirked their brows up watching Robin mutter into the black communicator quietly. "What are you up to Dick?" Kid Flash mentally mused.
Suddenly, Robin flicked his communicator closed after muttering into it, flashing another smile to his fellow Titans. "Tell me guys: what goes hand in hand with Halloween?"
"Tricks!" Rose sprang up with.
"Demons?" Red Devil asked hopefully.
"Pie!" Kid Flash added before getting a sharp handed slap to the back of the head by Jinx.
"Sorcery?" Jinx submitted.
With that one last guess, a whirl of dust and cloth-like blue energy took form beside Robin. Many of the Titans looked in awe as they saw the sudden whirl bring forth a girl inside it while Kid Flash and few others felt a sinking feeling in their stomachs as their eyes shifted between it, Robin, and the members of Robin's team. As if exploding from within, the dust and energy plumed outward to reveal the black haired girl giving a bow to the 'audience' with her top hat clad head and white and black attire. "Right Jinx. Sorcery," Robin admitted while the girl beside him adjusted her bow and gave the Titans a wave.
The girl then flipped her hat off with a quick flick of her hand to the rim and took it to a clench of her hand. "Hey everyone," she greeted cheerfully.
The Titans gave a collective applause to the sudden show they were just given, all except Kid Flash who grew pale. "Ah crap…" he mentally cursed.
"Zatanna will be lending us her magic hat for distributing the costumes. This way we can be sure no one cheats," Robin explained as Zatanna forfeited her hat to Robin.
Once more, the Titans gave a quick mutter amongst themselves as Robin's team behind him started to grow curious. "Robin," Starfire started with a slow drift over to the boy wonder. "Who is this…" Starfire's full emerald eyes scoped out the magician for a second before faining a quick smile and chuckle, "…guest?"
"Zatanna? Oh, she's just a friend of the family." Robin replied casually.
Zatanna snickered before looping an arm around Robin's shoulder and leaning ever so slightly on him. "You bet. His mentor and my dad have always been cool with each other. So basically, the two of us have been friends since we started heroing. Friends forever you might say."
A gasp passed by Starfire's lips before she retreated next to Raven, who remained to a face of uninterested care. In the audience, Kid Flash simply shook his head and sat back deeper into his seat. "And so it begins…"
"Now then," Robin called for everyone's attention once more. "We'll be going alphabetical by hero name. When your name is called, come up and take a piece of paper out of the hat," empting the bag of paper into Zatanna's top hat, Robin soon produced his own paper from his belt and cleared his throat. "First up… Aqualad."
Aqualad quickly rose from the audience and bounded up to Robin, excitedly sticking his hand into the hat. Pulling his hand out as he clenched his paper, he unfolded it and quickly became pale. Zatanna beside him peaked around to see what it said, smiling as she read off the sheet. "Bunny."
The living room erupted with laughter as Aqualad returned to his seat humiliated. "Let's keep it moving; Argent's turn."
Argent came up to Zatanna and Robin and reached her own hand into the hat, pulling and unfolding the paper as she took it out to read. "…Jinx? Who put Jinx down as ah costume?"
"We thought it would be funny to put some team mates down," Beast Boy laughed with Cyborg following suit.
Argent gave a stomp of her foot before returning to her seat in a huff. "Awe, so they do think of me… gives me the warm fuzzies," Jinx snickered inwardly.
"Sorry for the next one, I just wanted her to be included… next is Batgirl," Robin introduced, bringing everyone to look off to the left entrance of the living room at a heavily black clothed girl leaning against the door frame.
Despite her eyes being un-seeable by the black cover of her full face mask, her head turned to look towards Robin. "Do not dress up…"
"Come on Cassandra, its Halloween." Robin urged her on. Once more, Batgirl looked away with a shake of her head. "Well… I'll pick one out for you anyway. Incase you change your mind."
"Suit your own self…"
Robin fished out a piece and handed it over to Zatanna to read. "…Kitty cat…" she partially gulped before handing the paper back to Robin.
"Uh, moving on," Robin quickly said, in fear of lingering on the subject. "Next up…Beast Boy." Not waiting a moment after his name was called; Beast Boy shot out from behind Robin and threw his hand into the hat.
Fishing around for a bit, he finally took his hand out and undid the fold of his piece. "Yes! Swordsman! Ho-yah!" Beast Boy cheered as he went back to Cyborg's side.
"Glad you're happy. Now then, Blue Beetle."
"Couldn't make it… Something about a scarab turning on him or something like that," Rose said from the audience.
"Oh, alright. Hope he recovers. Well then, moving on. Bumblebee."
Fluttering up to Robin and the hat, Bumblebee snatched a piece of paper out and undid it. "Archer… Cool."
"Bushido's up—"
"He stayed home. Said he had to watch the temple incase of egg throwers."
"Thanks again, Rose. Then I guess it's Cyborg's turn." Cyborg reached over Robin and pulled his own piece out excited to hear what it was.
Robin scanned his eyes over the word on the paper before bursting out in a fit of laughter. Zatanna peaked at the paper as well and following in the laughter. Cyborg furrowed his brow before looking at the paper himself. "OH come on! Robot!"
Soon, the living room filled with the chuckles of the other Titans as Cyborg gave a pout and returned to his spot next to Beast Boy.
"Alright, let's pick up the pace here everyone," Robin instructed, wiping a tear of joy from his eye. "Geo-Force, you're up."
Taking and unfolding the paper, Geo-Force frowned a moment before shrugging. "Kid Flash… I can work with that. He is kinda scrawny, but I'll see what I can do."
"Hey! I'm not scrawny!" Kid Flash protested.
"Moving on Kid Flash. It's Gnarrk's turn."
"Sorry. He wasn't too thrilled about all the 'scary' lights and 'monsters' walking about tonight… He just stayed home," Kole explained.
"That's a shame… Well, I guess we'll move on to Herald."
Herald came up and took a piece out before unfolding it and reading it. "Artist. Interesting."
"Hot Spot's up."
"Couldn't make it," Rose spoke up again. "His village had a lot of jack o' lanterns to light… And he works cheap."
"Good for him then. That means its Jericho's turn."
Jericho walked up to the two of them and reached down into the hat. Taking a single piece out, he unfolded it and handed it to Zatanna to read. Zatanna looked over the piece before contorting her face with both worry and humor. "Uh… Care Bear."
Once again, the Titans chuckled out as Jericho flushed with humiliation. Despite so, a few of the girls gave a soft coo and awe over the idea. "Tough break Jericho…" Robin consoled Jericho as he returned to his seat. "Jesse Quick's turn."
"Jesse got lost in the Arctic," Kid Flash spoke up.
"Lost in the Arctic? How?"
"Must've got bad directions…" Kid Flash shrugged. "No one Jew's me out of a race!"
"Well, she's smart enough to figure her way out of it. So, moving onto Jinx."
Jinx moved her way up to Robin and quickly snatched a paper out from the hat and opened it. Her expression became flat as she sighed and handed it to Robin. "Pokemon… I wonder which nerd came up with that one…" Jinx groaned with an accusing glair at Beast Boy and Cyborg.
"Next is Lightning."
"Thunder and Lightning went to go bring their mischief to whatever city they could find," Rose excused.
"That sounds like them. Alright, let's keep it going. Kid Devil, you're up." Kid Devil quickly sprang to his feet and moved in towards Zatanna and Robin, ready to reach in before Zatanna snatched the hat away.
"Umm. Let me get it for you… I kinda don't want my hat to start on fire. No offence."
"Naa, none taken."
Zatanna picked a paper out for Kid Devil and looked over the piece with a snicker. "It's you Robin."
"I have to dress as Robin? Could be worse I guess… I could've gotten a girl instead."
"Thanks…" Robin mumbled as he snatched Zatanna's hat back. "Next up is Kid Flash."
In a red blur, Kid Flash zipped up to Robin and Zatanna, smiling at the both of them. "Good to see you Zatanna… Really good," Zatanna gave a light giggle as Robin frowned and offered the hat to Kid Flash.
"Just pick one…"
Kid Flash shrugged and reached down into the hat, grasping one and pulling it out. Reading off of it, he smirked. "Pirate. Well yo ho yo ho, yargh!" Kid Flash laughed as he returned to his seat.
"Anway. Kilowat is up."
"He's running the power grid for a town that got a power outage. He said he couldn't let them have the holiday without power," Rose explained again.
"It's not even Christmas and some people are already in the giving mood. So that means its Kole's turn."
Kole cheerfully picked a piece out from the hat and looked over it, smiling as she read the word. "Princess. That's so lucky!"
"Mas y Menos, I thought it would be easier if both of you wear the same costume. Is that alright by you two?"
The two zoomed up to Robin with their hands linked together. "Si. Bien por nosotros," they replied as the both reached into the hat and took out a single paper together. "Asesino."
Robin took the paper from them as they went back to their seat. "Assassin huh? Alright, Pantha you're up."
Pantha reached down into the hat and pinched a single piece of paper, unfolded it, and read it to herself. "Gorilla. That will be an easy find for me."
"To start off our long list of R's, we have Ravager."
Rose got up from her chair and gave a quick stretch of her limbs as she walked up to Robin. "Been awhile since any of you called me that. So let's see what costume I get," instantly snapping a paper from out of the hat, she ran her eye over the word and laughed. "Look's like I'm trading this mask for another mask. I got Cheshire." Shrugging it off, she returned to her seat.
"Raven, it's your turn now," Robin offered the hat to Raven with a friendly smile.
Raven's eyes dipped down to look at the hat and its contents, then back up at Robin's friendly smile. Grudgingly she sighed and reached into the hat. Her fingers laced around one of the pieces of paper and she brought it to her eyes. A moment passed before she gave the paper to Robin. "…Elf."
"Thank you for being a good sport Raven. That brings us to Red Star."
"Let us see what I'll be getting," Red Star chuckled as he took a paper from the container. "Ninja. That is new to me. I have never tried that before…"
"Alright, next up is… well, me actually," Robin plucked a paper out of the hat and handed it over to Zatanna for reading.
"Wizard. Well I guess we'll both be magic users for a little while," Zatanna joked.
"Yeah, I guess so. So that being over with, it's now Speedy's turn."
"Let's make this quick, I know I'm just gonna get stuck with a stupid one." Speedy grumbled as he got up and took a paper from the hat. "Here," handing it to Zatanna he frowned. "What's it say?"
Zatanna looked it over then glanced back at Speedy before smirking at Robin. "It says Batman."
Suddenly, the room was filled with 'oh's' and snickers at Robin's expense. "What? Speedy, switch with me." Robin ordered.
"No way Robin. I'm going as your mentor," Speedy mocked with a new found joy as he returned to his seat.
"Whatever, doesn't matter to me… Starfire, it's your turn to get a paper."
Starfire sprung to life at the call of her name and floated over to Robin with a bright smile. "Here I go," she started as she reached down into the hat and fished out a single piece of paper. She unfolded it and looked over the word. For a second, her smile faded and she became confused. She turned the paper on its side from one to the other, utterly confused by it. "Robin?"
"Yeah Star?"
"…What's a 'Dragonwolf'?"
Robin blinked in reply before looking back at Cyborg and Beast Boy who were just smiling. "…Thought it sounded cool." Cyborg explained.
"Alright? Dragonwolf for Starfire… Have fun with that one," Robin told Starfire as she went back to the group. "Next is Super Boy."
Just like all those that proceeded him, he reached into the hat and removed a piece of paper. "…Hippy? Man, I hate hippies…"
"So does Batman; then again it's hard to find anything Batman likes… Moving on. It's Terra's turn."
"Alright, it's go time!" Terra pumped herself as she moved out in front of Robin. "Let's see what lady luck has in store for me today, let's hope it's nothing stup—And it's singer…"
"Could be worse."
"Really?"
"Yeah," Zatanna interrupted Robin and Terra. "You could be a cyborg with the costume robot."
"Hey!"
"You're right, that would suck." Terra agreed before returning to her seat.
"Alright, this brings us to the Ws—"
"Both Wonder Girls are with Wonder Woman this Halloween… And Wildebeest got the chicken pox so Pantha left him at home," Rose interrupted.
"Alright then. That only leaves Zatanna. If you'd please?" Offering the hat to her, Zatanna reached into the hat and took out a piece.
"Hmm… Fairy. I don't know if that's a upgrade or downgrade from sorceress."
"And that wraps everything up. I'll see you all tomorrow on Halloween. I hope you all take careful time in picking out your costumes." Robin explained to everyone as they all got up and started out the doors for their ships.
All the Titans were in a buzz about how they would show their costume in their own way before tomorrow. Robin returned Zatanna's hat to her before she disappeared in a whirl of her magic. Smiling to himself once, Robin started for the door as well, ready to look for his own costume with his team not far behind.
Fun fact, the costumes were actually random. None of this was planned and my partner and I really did laugh at most of these. The two of us used a drawing hat to decide who got what. Anyway, hope you enjoyed and have a happy Halloween. RE-READ and REVIEW at your own enjoyment. And remember, the other two parts will be coming out soon much like I said I would be picking up my speed in my last story.