I wrote this fic because rewatching the series at age 17 for some reason moved me greatly and spun some ideas that I find working out fantastically!
Teen Titans belongs to Warner Bros. Animation
I do not claim ownership and is only writing my own fictional spin-of based on the series and its characters.
(They can however use the original character in future series if they want to (: )
The . of this story has some traits in common with the character Zer0 from (Borderlands 2)
Titans Tower West, a large monolith sticking out of the water like a sore thumb. Home to the Teen Titans and its legendary members of super heroes and good doers. Inheritors to some of the greatest men and women to ever walk the earth and respected through all continents. Their leaders and founders resides in this tower on the west coast of the USA.
One would think that such a place would be completely impenetrable, unreachable even? Maybe that was why so many absolutely had to try to break in there? Perhaps that was why one cold, windy autumn night Beast Boy made a rather peculiar run in with someone at the Titans kitchen?
Beast Boy was extremely sleepy, for a guy that could sit through a seventy-two hour sci-fi marathon without even blinking it didn't seem right that he should complain about something as "small" as four hours of sleep, but right now he was in a mood that even Raven would have described as grumpy. But there was a cure and it was one Beast Boy was most certain to try out, NIGHT SNACKS! With a smooth *woosh* the reinforced steel doors guarding the living room opened,
- Recognised... Beast Boy... time 02:37... activate fridge and dining facilities 2-5.
Beast Boy smirked for himself, the beauties of technology. Taking some soggy steps towards the fridge while wild food fantasies flew through his mind,
Can I actually eat two boxes of cookies and three packs of bacon tofu in one go?
Should he hunt down Cyborgs secret muffins?
He had reached halfway through the room before he actually noticed that something was amiss. First of all the doors hadn't asked for a password meaning that someone with clearance already was in the room, secondly, fridges 1 through 3 was slightly ajar. Streams of light crossed the room, forming shining borderlines across the entire floor.
- What the..? Beast Boy took a couple of steps closer to the sterile white doors, something felt really wrong about the situation. None of the other team members would ever leave the fridges like this and it would be strange if any of them actually was walking around at this time of day.
- Cyborg? Robin or Star? Raven? Beast boy whispered, not exactly sure why, but one of the animalistic instincts that sometimes just came along from the other side of his DNA seemed to be playing some eerie banjo in the back of his brain and he didn't like it.
He took another gaze around the room. Hoping he wouldn't see anything, this felt almost like that time when Raven lost control over her fears and if there was something off he wasn't sure he could outrun it or outfight it, last time he couldn't.
There! On the table he saw where the food (and Cyborgs emergency storage of sweets) had taken the way. Opened boxes and plastic packing, crumbles and drops of what seemed like soda or orange juice was scattered all over the notoriously polished tabletop. Beast boy looked at it for a second and blinked, someone had been eating here, that was for certain, the question was if they were still around here somewhere?
- Ah! Who am I kidding? he suddenly yelled out,
- Who could get into the tower without activating the security?! Probably just Cy or Star! he said, plastering a giant grin across his face by the thought that they would have to take his turn with the dishes tomorrow.
Suddenly a short, breathing sound drifted over from the couch area and made him jump nearly a meter. Someone, sleeping here?!
Ok BB, calm down, maybe its Robin overworking again? Or Cy is on a nightraid like myself? but Robin did rarely do his research in the living room, and Cy was way to grown up to let this rubbish fly...
Sneaking like the Batman himself, Beast Boy snuck up behind the reinforced couch, breathing heavily and listening intensely he heard the soft breathing coming from the other side. Slowly trying to watch over the edge he crept up.
There was definitely someone lying there, but it wasn't one of Titanst West. It wasn't even a Titan. Beast Boy wasn't even sure if... it, was he or she. A black cape covered it from neck and down to the feet and a black mask covered its whole head. He gulped, should he wake it? Should he try to capture it? In that case how? Should he call the others? In the end he chose the last one,
But only Robin, he decided while he crept out of the room, no reason to deprive other ones of their sleep and Raven would probably murder him if he woke the whole tower for one intruder. And anyways, if he knew Robin right he was probably up studying some evidence or something.
The metallic sound of his knuckles meeting the door of Robins room gave a hollow echo down the hall that Beast Boy would have loved to be without. A few seconds later the door swooshed up and Robins gloomy sleepy eyes tried to get him in focus,
- BB, you know what time it is..? Robin yawned and stretched.
- Sorry Robin! Beast Boy said, hoping Robin would catch some of his desperation. Apparently he did because immediately he shrugged his head and focused.
- What's the matter BB?
- There are someone in the Tower, Beast Boy whispered. For a moment he saw pure shock written across all of Robins face, then it was gone.
- But that is impossible, he said.
- Our security has been upgraded ten times since we came back from Japan!
- I swear Robin! I saw whoever it was sleeping on our couch! Beast Boy said, still somewhat desperate.
- Ok BB, I'll co... sleeping! on our couch!? this time there was no mistaking it. Robin was in pure shock.
- Yes, now come! Robin followed and together they walked into the living room. Immediately Beast Boy saw the change in Robins exterior.
- You hear it? he asked,
- Yeah, I hear her, Robin said, they were both crouching now.
- Her? Beast Boy said.
- 90 percent certain, Robin nodded. Together they sneaked over to the couch,
- How can you be certain? Robin blushed slightly,
- It sounds like Star when she's sleeping... Beast Boy grin grew extremely wide at that notion.
- So, Robin flipped subject,
- What now?
- What? Beast Boy didn't follow.
- Well what do we do now?
Ok, they had reached a dilemma and since Beast Boy had scarce experience with coming in on a potential enemy sleeping.
- Wake it up I suppose? Just be sure that it doesn't get a chance to attack us first.
- I'm certain it is a she, Robin grumbled as they went to the front of the sofa.
Beast Boy was the first to actually get a good look at the intruder, as he had the thought, everything beneath the head was covered by the cape, the head itself was completely covered by a black metal mask and the face was shapeless and flat. Also, in the time they had been gone it had rolled itself together.
- Well, how do we wake her then? Robin asked,
- We just poke it, Beast Boy grinned, grabbed Robins fighting staff and started poking on the intruders head.
At first there was no reaction, the intruders head just rocked back and forth while Beast Boy continued poking it. Suddenly there was a change. A white stripe appeared at the flat face,
- Deactivate sequence 43 - open eyelids, a mechanical voice stated whereas two white spots appeared over the eyes. Both Beast Boy and Robin jumped backwards, the white spots blinked for a second.
- Is it morning already? the voice was unreadable, neither female or male, something was mixing them it seemed like. The spots kept blinking a little before it seemed like they got Robin and Beast Boy in focus.
- Hmm, not morning then?
- Ok, Robin stared at the intruder,
- We have a couple of questions for you, and you do best answering them honestly, cold crime fighter eyes met artificially crafted ones. The artificial ones tilted slightly and gave Robin an obviously curious look,
- 'Course, the intruders voice answered happily matching the new form its eyes(1) had taken.
- First of all... Robin said calmly, before he reached forward, grabbing the intruders cape and yanking it up in sitting position,
- ...have you hurt any of my friends while in this tower!? For if you have I will personally throw you from the top!
- Haven't hurt anyone! I promise! the intruder was shaking back and forth, eyes rapidly changing between one large cross and two atsigns.
- Well, we'll soon see about that, Robin said,
- Tower, activate protocol 4 to 52! it took a second and then the whole room turned red.
- INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! CALLING ALL TITANS! ASSEMBLE IN LIVING ROOM!
- You know Robin! Beast Boy shouted over the booming voice that right now was doing its best on yanking every inhabitant of the tower out of their sleep. And a scraped minute later the doors to the living room busted open and Starfire, Raven and Cyborg toppled into the room.
- What's wrong man? Cyborg took a quick look at Robin and then he saw the intruder, immediately taking aim for its head,
- So you already caught him? Raven asked,
- Not exactly, Robin said, still focusing intensely on the intruder,
- First of all, she was found by Beast Boy a quarter or so ago, the others seemed shocked,
- A quarter? Cyborg gasped, - But why didn't the alarms go of sooner?!
- Beast Boy found him? Raven said, halfway impressed and halfway laughing,
- And what is that supposed to mean? Beast Boy said, sending her an indignant glance,
- I'm just saying that stealth isn't what usually floats your boat.
- Uhm, excuse me? Starfire asked, - But who is this intruder anyways?
It became quiet for a second,
- Not one of our average criminals at least, Robin said,
- Uhm, this time it was the intruders turn to get a saying, - Who said anything about me being a criminal?
- You break into our home, Raven started,
- Breaching our security systems like childsplay, Cyborg continued,
- Steal our food! Beast Boy said angrily,
- And then starts sleeping on our sofa..? Starfire asked.
- Maybe she is re-enacting "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", Robin said sarcastically,
- Another question before Goldilocks however! Starfire said with a curious tone,
- Who are you?
It became quiet and everyone turned back to the intruder, but this time with a more curious look. A question mark formed over the intruders flat face,
- What do you mean?
- Who are you? Starfire said, in a mix of curiosity and exited happiness.
- Ehm... the intruder seemed obviously confused, - ...like, persona? Name, gender and so on?
- And if you like to volley the ball or foot it! And if you prefer the ketchup or the mustard! And... Raven, foreseeing that Starfires questioning might not get them anywhere soon cut her of.
- Before you answer that however you can start with answering for name and gender.
- Uhm... again the intruder seemed confused, - Mind if I just answer for name?
Now it was the Titans turn to look confused,
- Why? Beast Boy asked, his eyes showed clear confusion,
- Because having a gender would mean I am something more than my name, the intruder said in a happy tone.
- And what is your name? Cyborg asked with a small bend on his forehead,
- Nihilis, the intruder said, a happy face formed on its metallic face and a whistle tone formed over its mouth. Robin stared at it with a surprised look on his face, Raven blinked and gave the intruder an even more intense look and Cyborgs bend grew even deeper, Starfire and Beast Boy just looked at each other, none of them understood what it was supposed to mean.
Robin released his grip around Nihilis cape and let it fall back in the sofa.
- One more question, Robin said, - Then I'll have to talk with the others about something,
Nihilis only answer was a short nod and a smiley face,
- Why are you here? Nihilis eyes blinked for a second, then the unknown answered,
- I don't know, all I know is that there was light some, three days ago I suppose. I didn't know where to go and I was hungry and cold, but something told me that I should come here and that I would be able to enter so here I am, Robin nodded, then turned and waved at the others to follow him.
As soon as the others were assembled around the table the debate was on,
- Ok Robin, Beast Boy started,
- Why haven't we thrown him/her/it out yet? Robins answered,
- Uhm, yeah, I mean, its an intruder, it breaks into our home, steals our food and proceeds with starting to sleep in our sofa! Beast Boy answered, flailing his arms confused,
- Well you heard her, she doesn't seem to know anything about herself, and I don't think she's lying.
- Listen, "she" don't even know what gender "she" is, or "she" is lying, you can't even hear "her" real voice! What if she is a spy sent by who knows who to grab info on us! Beast Boy said in something mid-between desperation and anger,
- There aren't any cameras or long range communication devices on...uhm, "it", at all as far as I can see, Cyborg said, his robotic eye flashed a couple of times, - Nope, no external frequencies outside of Nihilis speaking devices, he said and his eye stopped flashing.
- But if you can sense the frequency of which Nihilis speak, Starfire said and Cyborg turned to her, - Can't you then see what "her" gender is? Cyborg immediately shook his head.
- No, Nihilis armour is made out of some tech I don't think I've ever seen before. It could have withstood radiation ten times that of even nuclear fallout so my scans can only scratch the outer surface, and! he said for Beast Boy had opened his mouth and seemed like he was about to say something, - No form of long range or short range communication could, ever!, pass through that armour, Beast Boys mouth clapped together like a bear-trap.
Starfire whom still seemed curious now turned to Raven whom had closed her eyes,
- But Raven can't you sense who this Nihilis is?
- No, she answered, her eyes were still closed, - As Cyborg says there is something in Nihilis armour, all I can pick up are some slight memories that seems to be floating around "him" or whatever.
- And what do they show? Robin asked. Raven opened her eyes slowly,
- There is a room, it's blurry, but there is lots of light and its bright white. And someone... or something is speaking, but I can't hear them clearly, although... he/she can. I think they are trying to teach him/her something, Robin looked thoughtful at the notion.
After what seemed like a minute or two Robin looked up again,
- Regardless, he said, - What do we do with her/him?
- Uhm, what are you talking about? Beast Boy asked,
- Nihilis is obviously not dangerous to us, all he/she has done is to seek shelter from the night.
Beast Boy looked back at the intruder of the night whom had fallen asleep again and started to breath in that manner that Robin meant belonged to a she.
- So we wait till tomorrow, then? And what after that? Cyborg asked,
- We'll see, Robin said, - Now if there is nothing else I'd say we all go get ourselves some sleep, tomorrow might get interesting...
- May I ask for something? Starfire said quickly,
- 'Course, but that is the last of the night, Robin smiled.
- When Nihilis spoke herhis name, you looked surprised like there was something wrong with it? Robin looked at her for a second, then started to look into the ground.
- Well... he said hesitantly,
- Nihilis sounds like it derives from the Latin word nihil, Raven interrupted. Starfire and Beast Boy both tilted their head slightly, obviously not understanding,
- And nihil... Robin said, but Cyborg finished it for him,
- It means worthless, it is basically the same word as tro'q in your language, he said, his voice had gone very low by the last words and his eyes were far more concentrated on his shoes than on her.
- But... but why would anyone go by such a name? she suddenly asked, a desperate tone had suddenly grown in her voice and the winds of the autumn night suddenly seemed colder and closer.
Robin looked at the others, then back at Starfire and Beast Boy that stood there, Beast Boy was confused and Starfire was scared,
- Because they believe it, he finally said. Then he turned and walked out of the living room.
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Any constructive critiscism will be taken to heart for upcoming chapters ;)