A/N: I don't own the Teen Titans. However, I do own Soda and Pepper. SO HANDS OFF!
Letters in Italics mean Soda's thoughts.
Letters in bold italics mean Pepper's.
"Wake up."
"Huh…?"
"We're almost there."
"Oh…thanks."
"You haven't been yourself lately, you know that?"
"I was just sleeping."
"Normally when we go to new places you're always sticking your head out the window like a dog. I'm just saying you haven't had much energy lately."
"Well, moving is very tiring."
The truth was that Soda was on the verge of tears. Just two and half months ago she had been a happy teenage girl. Now she had no parents, no friends, and was in a strange city with a different beat than her home.
"Why are you so damn quiet? You feeling ok? Want me to open a window?"
"No, I'm ok. I just don't have much to say is all.
Liar.
Quiet. I hate talking to myself. It makes me feel crazy.
Aw come on, it's perfectly normal. People do it all the time.
I guess so…
Anyways, I'm just saying you should open up a little. Share your feelings.
Why? Joey is going through the exact same thing. It would sound like I was being whiny and selfish.
Listen kid, if you never say what's on your mind, you never get what you want.
"Kid"? You're my age, Pepper.
As they sped toward their new city, Soda looked to the left out of her window.
"Hey."
"What?" Joey looked over at her with a cigarette hanging lazily out of his mouth.
"What's that T-shaped building? It's in the middle of the lake. See it?"
"That's the Teen Titan HQ. Jesus, even I know that."
"Hey, the only thing I know about the Titans is that they're a superhero team. That's it. I've never even seen their pictures!"
"Yeah you have. You probably just don't remember. They're all over the news."
"So what's our survival plan, anyway?" Soda wanted to change the subject.
"You're gonna' have to get a job. Good thing school is out for summer. You up to it?"
That was the great thing about Joey. Even if she needed to get a job for them to survive, he would always ask if it was okay with her first.
"That's not a problem. Not like I have any friends to hang out with here, right?"
"Hey, I left my friends behind too."
As they rode in the junky old black Honda toward their new apartment, Soda couldn't help clutching her chest. She was unbearably anxious.
I am SO nervous.
Why?
What if life is worse here? What if school starts and I don't make any friends?
Don't waste your energy with petty worrying. Right now, just think about getting yourself a job.
You're right.
"We're here." Joey said as he sped toward a parking spot in the apartment complex and slammed into the road bump.
"Nice one."
"Shut up."
Soda giggled as they got out of the car.
"Agh!" Raven shouted as she slammed her book shut. All she wanted was peace and quiet and everyone was bothering her. Cyborg and Beast Boy were playing a loud and obnoxious videogame, Starfire was singing a very high-pitched song and having trouble landing the notes, and Robin was trying to cook. A disastrous situation, I might add.
"I'm going out." Raven mumbled as she picked up her book and headed for the door. No one responded except for Robin, who gave a frustrated, "Okay." as he knocked over some batter.
Raven almost tripped on her way out. She looked down at the floor. It was covered in garbage. Had she not been able to fly, she might have cared. Instead she levitated over the mess and flew out the door.
"Bye Joey!"
"Where are you going?"
"To look for a job."
"Oh. Well, then good for you. Where are you going to try?"
"I saw a Pizzeria on the way over with a 'HELP WANTED' sign. I was going to check there first."
"Ok, watch yourself."
"I will."
Soda walked the few blocks to the Pizzeria. On the way she wished she had a camera. It seemed everywhere she looked there were beautiful photographs just waiting to be taken. If nothing else, this new city was at least photogenic.
We're too poor to own a good camera…
She stepped in front of the double doors at the Pizzeria. It was shaped like a slice of pizza, with the top being an area where you can eat outside. There were only a few people in the restaurant. Soda waited until the other customers had taken their food and then went up to the cashier, a disorganized, scrawny young man with a fuzzy black goatee and square brown glasses. There were grease stains on his apron. Hiding her disgust, she began to open her mouth to say something when he sneered,
"Great, another stupid ragamuffin asking for a free meal? Beat it, tomboy. We don't have time for free loaders."
Soda recoiled in shock. She was wearing Joey's old clothes. They hadn't been able to afford nice, new clothes like she and her mother used to shop for. How dare he? This man knew nothing about her! Yes, she was wearing boy's clothes. So what? They were a lot nicer than his greasy ones!
What the hell is a ragamuffin, anyway?
I dunno. Kick his zit-faced ass.
Soda's eyes narrowed, and again she opened her mouth to say something, but she was interrupted again.
"Carl! That is NOT the way we greet customers! I already gave you two warnings this week! You're FIRED!"
Soda looked in the direction of a muscled red haired man with a short haircut. Late twenties, maybe. A tag on his shirt said 'LARRY: MANAGER'.
Heheh, now he's in trouble!
I know. Isn't it great?
Carl glared at Soda. Then wrestled his apron off over his head and threw it at the guy with red hair. He ripped his nametag off his shirt and stormed out the door. Soda was glad that the people who had just ordered had gone outside to eat. She hated being stared at. The red haired man walked over to Soda.
"I'm so sorry young lady. Your order is on the house."
Soda smiled, and said,
"Actually sir, I didn't come here to eat. I came to inquire about the sign in your window."
"The one that says, 'Buy a large two topping pizza and get a box of cheese sticks free?"
"Um, no. The help wanted sign."
The man looked surprised.
"Is there someone you know who needs a job? With Carl gone now we need more help than ever."
"Actually, I was the one who needed the job."
"Oh. I'm sorry young lady, but you can't work here. You're under sixteen."
Soda had been ready for this. She hated manipulating people, but sometimes in life you just had to throw away your values to survive. Time to guilt-trip.
"Please, sir! I have to get a job! My brother and I just moved here and we have no relatives and I don't want to have to depend on him all the time!"
Yes, that was perfect. Rushing your sentences sounding desperate. Bingo.
"Look, you have my deepest sympathies. But you really cannot work here. You're too young. I could get in big trouble."
"But I…"
"I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do."
She was defeated. Soda would just have to try somewhere else.
"Now, if you'd like, I can give you a discount on pizza. I feel bad that Carl was so rude to you." Larry looked like he really meant it.
Not being in a position to refuse a discount, Soda took the coupons Larry offered her and walked out the door, head hanging low.
Raven was walking toward the beach, book under her arm. She was glad to be out of the noisy tower. At least there was no one at the beach at this time of day. She could get some reading done. She walked past the Pizzeria, which overlooked the shore. Raven smirked. Knowing Robin's cooking, they would probably end up having pizza for dinner…again.
Just as Raven was walking past, Soda came out the door. Raven's head snapped towards her. There was something very peculiar about the wavy haired red-head wearing boy's clothing. Something in her energy. It wasn't a threat. It wasn't some sort of untapped super power. It was more like something in her psyche. Something extra. Something that shouldn't be there…
But Raven's thoughts were cut short by an explosion inside the Pizzeria.
Just as Beast Boy and Cyborg had gotten to level five, Robin let out a muffled scream. The batter he had knocked over was attacking him. Starfire raced over and blasted the evil concoction with a star bolt.
"Robin, are you all right?" she said helping Robin up from the floor.
"Yeah, but can we go out to eat? I think I've proven that I suck at cooking."
Cyborg laughed, "Haha. Yeah, you sure do."
Beast Boy laughed so hard he snorted. "Dude! You have batter in your nose!"
"I suggest that we all go to the large triangular building where they dispense the greasy pizza." Starfire said, beaming.
"Star, it's called a Pizzeria," said Cyborg.
"Oh yes! I knew it had a name!"
Beast Boy looked around. "Hey, where's Raven?"
"She said she was going out," called Robin from the door.
"What did we do this time?" BB asked.
"Nothing, I think she was just trying to read…or something." Robin said as he tried to clean up the mess he made. On the way to the fridge to put the milk away he tripped on an empty Pringles can, causing him to roll into a pile of garbage bags. Beast Boy got up to get a soda, and since Robin was buried under a bunch of garbage, he didn't see Robin's foot sticking out from under the pile. He tripped and fell face first onto a squishy, smelly garbage bag.
"Dude, this place is disgusting! Who's turn was it to clean?"
"Beats me." answered Cyborg. "I can never keep up."
Robin stuck his head out from the pile. "Maybe it's time we considered getting a housekeeper," he said, working his way out of the mess and carefully stepping over an unidentified rotting object.
"Yeah, yeah, sure, sure. You are buying the pizza, right? Since it's your turn to cook dinner and all?" asked Cyborg.
Robin sighed, "Yes, Cyborg. I will buy the pizza. But tomorrow we should all sit down and talk about getting a housekeeper. Unless of course, you would like to clean this stuff up?"
"Don't even joke like that. It'll eat me or something."
"First we must locate Raven. It would be most unpleasant if she were to get hungry." said Starfire.
"Well let's hurry up and find her! My stomach is eating itself." BB said in an annoyed tone.
Just as they flew out the door, they saw a small eruption of fire come from the direction of the beach.
LOOK OUT!
Soda heard Pepper screaming in her mind, but she didn't have time enough time to react. She suddenly flew forward in the direction of a girl wearing a blue cloak.
WE'RE GOING TO HIT HER!
Raven felt the red-head's psyche absolutely explode. Soda was thrown forward towards Raven. Raven used her powers and stopped Soda as she was right next to her. Then she created a shield to keep the fire from roasting them in flames.
"Titans! GO!" Robin yelled. With Beast Boy as a pterodactyl carrying Cyborg, and Starfire carrying Robin, they flew towards the beach.
End Chapter 1
A/N: Left you guys off on a cliffhanger! That was so I can make sure you come back. Muhahahaha! I am SO evil. I know this is a strange format to write in, but I figured it would be easier to read. I'm not going to write a new chapter until I get 10 reviews. So you better start typing!