My creative process decided it's going to be ADHD. One day it goes, "I think I want to do this," then the next, it's "No, I want to do this instead." It's extremely frustrating! Anyways, I started this story out as a drabble shot on my collection "Of Mustard and Three Foot Purple Tongues" and from there, it kind of settled in the back of my mind and grew until it wanted to come out. Lately, I've just not been feeling like working on my Disney pieces. Those are more for mushy happy love moments...and I haven't been feeling like that. So I decided to work on something a little darker, and treat my Teen Titan readers. Also, this character may be my favorite to write. Thanks for all the support guys!

-This is a line thingy-

Robin had been missing for three months. One day he went out on patrol, and never came back. There was no evidence or clues to his whereabouts. Just a message on the communicators. "I have a lead. I'll be home later." His picture appeared on the news for weeks, the population frightened that the leader of the team was gone.

They had looked everywhere for the teen, even going so far to reach out to Batman in Gotham city, but to no avail. The powerless hero was gone, perhaps for good, and the town seemed like such a darker place.

Outside the tower, the titans did their best to pretend that they could still handle themselves without him. But back at home, things were different. They missed him.

"Sure he was a jerk sometimes, and he was obsessive, and he put hero work before us, and was a brutal trainer..."

"Get on with it Beast Boy."

"Oh, well, it doesn't feel the same without him. Besides all that other stuff, he still tried to make us all work together as a team. He acted like we were his family. He looked out for all of us..."

"Beast Boy, I honestly didn't think you'd ever miss him."

"Sure we never really saw eye to eye, but we were friends...besides, he liked my cooking."

"He just said that to be nice." Raven snarked.

Beast Boy wilted.

"Man, we all miss him." Cyborg put his hand on his shoulder.

One thing was for sure, even Raven was out more often then Starfire was. The young princess was hurt the most by his disappearance. He was her counselor, her guide to this world that she didn't understand. He was her best friend, and she loved him very much.

It was Cyborg's turn for patrol duty. Normally, he'd drive the T-car around and ask some questions to people, check in on businesses, but tonight, he just wanted some fresh air. He parked downtown, in a safer place for his precious car, and then walked to a less then friendly part of town.

The streets were not so crowded. Especially of late. Something had changed in Jump city, and basic run of the mill criminals were afraid to get caught by something. Maybe they thought Robin was still out there.

He heard a struggle in an alleyway. He turned to see a smaller, much younger kid deck a thug in the face. Impressed, Cyborg stayed hidden for a moment as the kid riffled through the thug's pockets, and took some money.

"Hey kid, that's stealing." He announced, coming into view.

The kid turned to look at him. He was wearing all black. Black jeans with large holes, black boots that came up to his knees, a black zip up over a black v-neck tee. His hands had fingerless gloves. The kid shook his shaggy locks from his face and stared at the teen with wild blue eyes and an eerie smile.

"Do you need this?" He held out the bills in a fist.

"No. Put it back."

"It's drug money!" The kid shouted, suddenly becoming defensive. He clutched the money to his chest. "When he comes to, he'll just use it to get high or buy a prostitute! I need it to eat!"

"Okay, calm down...but did you have to take him out?"

"That's what heroes do." The kid said, his smile widening.

Cyborg shivered. Something about this boy freaked him out. "What's your name kid?"

"My name is Black, but you can call me Black. I really don't remember my name, or much of anything, but that's what they call me."

"Well, I can see why..." He surveyed the kid's duds. "Listen...you can't just go around and beat people up. Even if they are selling drugs. That's what we're for. Are you an orphan?"

"I don't know."

"How do you not know?"

Black chuckled and pointed to his head. "I gots some screws loose." Then he did a couple of flips before landing right in front of Cyborg, his foot in the air. "Nice to meet you."

Cyborg shook his foot. "Um yeah, just...watch yourself kid."

Black flipped backward. "Who are you supposed to be?" He cocked his head.

"You don't know?" The robotic teen asked, perplexed.

The homeless boy shook his head.

"I'm Cyborg, current leader of the Teen Titans."

"Teen Titans? What? Is that a gang or something?"

Cyborg laughed. "No, we're a band of superheroes. You know, protecting the city from evil villains?"

"Oh." Black crouched. "Well, that's what I do! Am I a super hero?"

"I wouldn't say that…" he scratched his head. "What you do…you're like a vigilante, not exactly legal…since you don't have permission from the city…"

The boy looked mortified. "You have to have permission to do good around here?!"

Cyborg grimaced, "no…just…" he sighed. "You can't go around beating people up. Okay?"

Black pouted. "I don't understand. I'm only hurting the bad people."

"And who are you to judge whether their good or not? That's not your job."

"And so what's going to happen if I stop taking out the pimps and drug dealers? Are you going to? Are the police?"

Cyborg felt hurt. "Well, the police can't do anything without solid evidence, and we…are busy with emergencies."

Black stuck out his tongue. "So, therefore, I believe I should be able to tell with these punks. After all…" he kicked the ground. "Got nothin' else better to do."

Cyborg rubbed the back of his head. "Look kid, ever heard of Batman? The Dark Knight in Gotham city?"

"Nope."

"Well, he started out just like you. And now he's one of the greats! If you don't tell anyone we're allowing this, we won't stop you. Okay?"

Black jumped and punched the air. "Home skillet! I'm going to be like Ratman!"

"Batman." he corrected.

"I will protect this city! Agent Black! Over and out!" He stuck his fists out in front of him and ran away, making 'whoosh' noises.

"What a weird kid."

Beast Boy had patrol the next night. He was working the east side, the ghetto. He was looking in windows, in the form of a cat, for suspicious activities.

Suddenly, a hand nabbed him and lifted him off the ground. "A green cat. A blue rat. A polka dotted purple bat!"

Beast Boy shifted back into a human and fell out of his capture's grasp. "Dude!" He came face to face with a boy, maybe a year older then him, hanging upside down from a fire escape. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Hanging out!" He cleaned his ear with his pinky. "I'm on patrol."

"Riiiigghhhhhttt..."

"Why are you green? Did someone add green die to your soap? Are you an artist? I bet your favorite color is green. What are you doing here?"

Beast Boy blinked. "Are you high?"

"I'm higher then you are...I'm probably taller then you, too."

Beast Boy face palmed. "Have you had any drugs or alcohol this evening?" He tried to say politely.

"Nope...I had a cheeseburger and a Dr. Pepper at six o'clock. But that..." He rolled up his sleeves and looked at the various watches on his arms. "...Was a very long time ago."

Beast Boy was a little creeped out. "Um...what's your name?"

"My name is Black, but you can call me Black. But I don't like black, I like red. And green. And sometimes yellow, when I feel like it. Black's not a bad color, it just is dark. Scary things hide in the dark. Like clowns." He blanched.

"Well, I'm Beast Boy, of the Teen Titans. Nice to meet you."

"Are you friends with that really tall metal-y guy?"

"Yeah, he's my best friend. Did you see him?"

"Yep, I saved him from a mugger, last night," Black said proudly, his face turning red from hanging upside down.

"You saved him?"

"Naawwww, I took down the mugger though. The robot man was just there. He tried to tell me to be stop fighting crime, psh. I'm the hero!"

Beast Boy sighed. It was always sad to see someone trapped in a hero fantasy. "Hey Black, um...feeling like...letting me join you on your 'patrol'?"

Black put a finger to his chin. "I don't know. You kinda cramp my style. If you were yellow instead of green, then we could be like that Wiz Khalifa song, you know?" He did a very bad rendition of a beat box and sang with a very uncharacteristic bass. "Black an' yellow, black an' yellow, black an' yellow…the kids these days like to futterwacken to."

"Futter-what?"

"Dance, you fool! Dance!"

Beast Boy shook his head, "Just for tonight, let me join you. I'm patrolling anyways."

"Well…Sure. But let's spilt up. You scream like a girl when you get attacked, and I'll come save you. TA-TA!" He flipped up on the ladder he dangled from and effortlessly twisted himself into the air and up to the roof.

"Weird kid."

Then Raven was up. She never minded patrol. Sure, there are lots of things she would have rather been doing, but it was usually peaceful and quiet.

Usually.

She hovered over a rooftop of a church. "Hello," said a deep voice. "So glad you could make it. I've been expecting you."

Raven turned to see a young man perched on a gargoyle, smiling wickedly at her. Suddenly, he fell off and kicked his legs in the air, laughing jovially.

"Your face!" He shouted. "You should have seen it."

"Kid, you're messing with the wrong girl."

"Je suis désolé, mademoiselle, je ne voulais pas vous vexer!" He hopped up and bowed cordially.

"I don't speak French."

"Is that your natural hair color?" He asked, tilting his head.

"Yes..." She exasperated.

"Purple's a nice color. Usually purple and blue clash, but you pull it off."

"Uh thanks? What are you doing up here?"

"Chatting with some friends. Right Hugo?" He patted the gargoyle. Then he laughed. "He's such a card!"

"Right, have you seen anything...bad happening around here?"

"Oh, like the guy that almost raped that little girl in the alley?" He pulled out a candy bar that was already opened. "Took care of it. Did you know that Duct tape is the greatest invention ever? Anyways, the little girl, Annie, is in the church with the Padre, along with half of my candy bar." He looked at the wrapper dismally.

Raven looked at him in shock. "What's your name?"

"My name is Black, but you can call me Black. Despite my name, I'm white. And this," he held up the candy bar. "This is milk chocolate. Not that I don't like dark chocolate...actually, I don't like dark chocolate. White chocolate is okay, but yes. What was I saying?"

Raven shook her head, this kid was giving her a headache, and yet, he was extremely interesting. "Where do you get the money?"

"Money?"

"Yeah, to buy the candy?"

"Oh! I don't know."

"...you don't know..." She droned.

"Well duh! If I knew where I got it, why would I be spending it on candy?" He bit into the chocolate. "You ask some strange questions."

That was it, she closed her eyes and prepared to enter his mind. "Azarath...metrion...zinth-"

"Ohh! Are you casting a spell? On a church? Are you a bad guy? Do I need to beat you up?"

"No. I'm going to read your mind."

"Okay! What am I thinking about?!"

Raven shook her head to rid the images of pink fluffy bunnies. "Look! Knock it off! Who are you, really?!"

"I told you, I'm Black, hero of Jump city! And if you don't mind, you've been extremely rude." He curled his lips and scrunched his nose. "Who. ARE. YOU?" He spoke with a english accent and excessively rolled his 'R's.

"They call me Raven." She pulled the hood of her cloak over her face.

"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore…"

"Oh no…" She covered her face.

"While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, as of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. 'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door - Only this, and nothing more.'"

"Stop."

"Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, and each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow from my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore - For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore -Nameless here for evermore."

"Seriously, do you think I don't know this whole thing!?"

"And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain, thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating, 'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door - Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -This it is, and nothing more,'"

"One more word, and you will speak-.."

"Quoth the Raven- 'Nevermore'"

She just pinched the bridge of her nose. "Clever."

He shined his knuckles. "Now, if you will excuse me, I need to beat up a janitor!" He jumped off the roof. Raven stared back in shock. "Oh, by the way, he's not really a janitor, that's just his cover. Agent Black! Protecting the peace! Away ho!"

"Weirdo."

Back at the tower, Raven came into the common room where the boys were watching a movie. Starfire looked dismally out the window. Raven sighed and made some tea.

Cyborg paused the movie. "Hey Raven, how did it go?"

"It was fine until I ran into some weird kid. Called himself Black. He didn't give me any trouble, just a headache."

"Wait, teenage boy? Dressed in all black? Did he say he was a hero?"

"Dude! I totally saw that kid!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "Totally nuts!"

"You saw him too?" Raven asked, eyebrows raised.

Starfire looked in interest.

"Yeah, he beat up some punk in the narrows." Cyborg explained.

"I saw him in an alleyway."

"I met him at a church."

"What an odd coincidence that you would all run into the same person." Starfire mused as she came over.

"Strange thing is, I could have sworn I've met him before." Cyborg scratched his head. "He seemed so familiar."

Raven and Beast Boy nodded. "Very familiar. Who knows? You might get to meet him next, Star."

It happened at the docks. Starfire had just finished staking out the pier, where deals often happened. There were none tonight.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're pretty?" A familiar voice spoke. Starfire, in her excitement, turned around, expecting her best friend, but instead a young man at the same age was lying like a board. "They should take a picture of you and put it in an art museum." He stated, staring at the sky.

"Oh, thank you." She blushed.

"What? Oh no, I was talking about the moon."

Starfire frowned.

"You're picture would go in the Louvre. And they would have to take down the Mona Lisa."

She blushed again. "Thank you."

"You don't thank someone for a compliment like that." She opened her mouth to question him, but shut it instead. "Although, I don't think you ever cut me off or made it like it never happened and that we were nothing. Maybe I needed your love, and understandably you treat me like a stranger but that just feels so rough. No, I don't think you would stoop so low to have your friends collect your records and then change your number. Guess that I don't need that though. You just remind me of somebody that I used to know."

"Oh?" She asked, hovering next to him. "What was she like?"

"I don't know! I used to know her! I'm pretty sure she was beautiful though, and I think I might have loved her. Maybe I still love her."

Starfire examined the boy's clothes. "Are you...Black?"

"That is extremely racist of you."

"I meant your name."

"Oh...Yep, but you can call me Black. I was taking a break from my patrol. Being a hero is hard business."

"You are a hero?" She asked incredulously.

"I'm undercover."

"You seem...odd."

"Only to normal people. Tell me, are you normal?"

"I don't think so...I am not of Earth after all."

"An alien! Gadzooks! Can you fly? Do you have super strength? Can you shoot lasers from your eyes? What's your favorite color? Where do you reside? Are you allergic to carrots? Will you be my friend? Can I kiss you?" He sat up.

"Yes, yes, yes, orange, titans tower, no, of course, and no."

He leaned closer.

"I believe I said you could not kiss me."

"I'm not gonna kiss you."

"What do you call this then?"

"Really close talking."

She pulled away. "Um, will you please tell me your name?"

"I don't know it."

"But-"

"I'm a psychopath." He smiled.

Starfire was unnerved. "Um, are you going to kill me?"

"Psh, no." He slapped himself. "Quiet! You'll scare her away!" He batted his eyes at her and smiled.

"I will be doing the leaving now..." She got up to fly off, but Black grab her arm.

"Please don't go, I promise I won't hurt you. I was only kidding." He pouted like a kicked puppy. "I don't have any real friends. Except this really tall robot guy, a green kid that can shape shift, and a very grumpy mind reader with purple hair."

"Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven!"

"You know them?"

"Yes, they are my best friends."

"No! They're my best friends!"

"Black, we can share friends."

"That sounds like a reasonable deal. Your eyes remind me of grass."

Starfire giggled. This kid was bizarre.

"Do you have a name?" He puzzled.

"Yes, my name is Starfire."

"Geez, I didn't ask what your name was, just if you had one!"

"Oh, my apologies?"

"Your welcome." He did a hand stand and walked around. "It's a nice name though. Reminds me of...toothpaste."

"The paste for teeth?"

"I'm allergic to carrots. They make my tummy feel icky. But sometimes I can eat them when they're in soup. Just kidding, I've never had carrots in soup."

"Do you have a home?"

"I live in a hat. I'm not a rabbit though, my ears are too short and I can't eat carrots, as stated previously."

"What do you mean you live in a hat?"

"There's an old hat warehouse on the south side of town, I live in the big ol' hat on top with my pet pigeon. I named him Frankie 'cause he doesn't like chocolate."

"I have a pet worm named Silkie." Starfire smiled.

"Oh! Cause he can paint?"

"Uh..." Starfire was definitely lost in this kid's logic.

"Welp, I best be leaving. Gots to find me a criminal." He did a triple backflip and landed on his feet. "Boobies, weenies, and underwear! Sometimes I'm naked but I don't care! Agent Black, over and out!" And he took off running.

"What a bizarre young man..."