AN* Alrighty folks, I neither own Teen Titans or Cirque Du Freak, so please enjoy this story and read and review. flamez are welcome.

A Night Out

It all started as a simple day for the heroes of Jump City, Robin sitting on the couch playing video games with Cyborg, while Starfire was clinging to his arm watching her boyfriend play the electronic game. Raven was sitting next to Cyborg reading a book, while on occasion she would steal a glance of Robin. She had long ago backed off, letting Starfire take the position of his girlfriend, but it didn't mean that she didn't like the Boy Wonder, in fact because he was unobtainable that she kept watching. Cyborg looked at her while she was stealing the glance and patted her shoulder. He was the only Titan that understood what she was going through and was helping however he could, whether it was buying ice cream when it all became too much, or just providing an ear to listen to her thoughts. It was at this time that Beast Boy and Terra burst into the common room.

"Dudes! You've got to see this!" Beast Boy shouted as Terra caught her breath. Terra no longer had any memories or powers but she still liked hanging out with the Titans and they all treated her fairly and helped her out with her school work or just took her out for pizza with them.

"We saw this out in the city." Terra explained as they all got up to look at the flyer in Beast Boys hand.

"Cirque Du Freak?" Robin read.

"It's this traveling circus, and they are only in town this weekend. The name is French for …"

"Circus of Freaks." Raven answered.

"Yeah…" Beast Boy sighed.

"Sounds interesting." Starfire said.

"Sounds awful." Robin muttered.

"Why?" Cyborg asked.

"The old freak shows were awful for the attractions. They treated them like they were monsters when all they were just people with birth defects." Robin explained "Alfred told me about a few of them back when he was a kid."

"Ohh." Terra said.

"I'm not saying that you can't go." Robin said hurriedly.

"Well, we can go buy tickets, and while there you can speak with the owner and clear the air about this." Beast Boy suggested.

"How much are the tickets?" Raven asked.

"Forty dollars apiece." Beast Boy sighed.

"That makes two hundred and forty dollars for all of us." Cyborg pointed out "I only have ten at the moment."

"I've got fifteen." Terra said.

"I have twenty." BB sighed.

"I have two of the fives and a twenty." Starfire said.

"I've got forty five." Robin replied.

"Which means between five of us we have only one hundred and twenty." BB sighed.

"I can put in the rest." Raven remarked "I still have over two hundred dollars of spending money." With that final statement BB and Robin headed for the old theater where the Cirque was performing. While BB went to go buy tickets Robin walked around until he saw a cage and his face turned into a scowl. As he approached a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"I'd stay away from there if I were you." A man said.

"Why?" Robin asked as he turned to see a very tall man with white gloves and a top hat.

"The Wolf-man lives in there and he is not a pleasant one." The man said "What are you doing back here anyway?"

"Investigating. I've heard about the old freak shows, and I wanted to make sure that the people here were treated fairly." Robin growled.

"Ahhh. You must be Robin, one of the local heroes. My name is Hibernus Tall, the owner of Cirque Du Freak. I can assure you that each one of our performers are perfectly content and are free to come and go as they please." Hibernus said.

"If you don't mind I'd like to take a look around." Robin replied.

"Of course, however most of the performers are asleep, if you want to talk to them you'd have to wait until after the show tonight." The owner nodded as Robin entered the theater and walked around, noticing the small people in the blue robes with the full face hoods. As he walked he looked into different rooms to see some performers asleep in hammocks or on the floor. In the last room he saw a cage with a spider in it and a coffin.

"What on earth…" Robin muttered as he walked away. Once he was outside he saw Beast Boy looking angry.

"What's wrong?"

"They only allowed me to buy two tickets. They say that is all they can sell to one group." He growled.

"Well rules are rules. We'll just have to decide from here." Robin sighed as they headed back to the tower. Once inside they told the others and they decided what to do.

"Well, Raven should get one since she was about to pay for most of us." Cyborg pointed out as they all nodded.

"So who gets the last one?" Raven asked.

"Simple." Terra grinned as she took out a brown paper bag and took out several pieces of paper and cut them to match the size of the ticket, putting them into the bag "Now let's go on the roof and Raven will open the bag in the air and then the rest of us will grab the slips of paper and whoever gets the ticket will go to the show." With that brilliant idea they all headed to the roof where Raven flew up high and then created a barrier to make sure that none of them would fly into the bay. Once the bag was opened and the slips began to drift down. All of the other Titans were leaping up trying to catch the slips but Robin simply watched and waited until he felt the moment was right. Leaping into the air he grabbed two of them. Once all of the slips were gone through by the others they all realized that no one had the ticket.

"What about you Robin?" Raven asked, her hopes rising. Opening his hands he saw that in one was a slip of paper but in the other was the ticket.

"I've got it…" Robin whispered.

"ROBIN HAS IT!" Raven yelled to the others. With many groans of defeat they all headed back inside, Robin happy that he could go to the show and talk to the performers after wards while Raven was giddy that she and Robin would have the night all to themselves.

That night the two made their way through the town, Raven hanging onto Robin as he rode his motorcycle to the theater. Raven was absolutely thrilled that she had her arms around the rugged teen hero. The two pulled up to see that the last of the crowd was heading in. Grabbing her by the hand Robin ran to catch up with the back of the line, while Raven was thankful that her hood was up to hide her blush. Once they handed their ticket to Mr. Tall they took their seats near the front row. It was a few more minutes before the lights dimmed and the show started. Once the lights were dimmed enough a spot light shone into the center of the stage Mr. Tall stood there.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Cirque Du Freak, home of the world's most remarkable human beings." Mr. Tall began "We are an ancient circus. We have toured for five hundred years, bringing the grotesque to generation after generation. Our lineup has changed many times, but never our aim, which is to astound and terrify you! We present acts both frightening and bizarre, acts you can find nowhere else in the world.

"Those who are easily scared should leave now." He warned the audience "I'm sure there are people who came tonight thinking this was a joke. Maybe they thought our freaks would be people in masks, or harmless misfits. THIS IS NOT SO! Every act you see tonight is real. Each performer is unique. And none are harmless." With that final statement a few people left the theater but the rest remained as they brought out the first freak, the Wolfman. The hairy creature stood on two legs while it howled and shook the cage while the two women in shiny suits rolled him into position. Once he grew tired of shaking the bars he sat back on his legs like a dog, which allowed the women to take out some prop that was used to hypnotize the beast. They then took him out of the cage and took him up and down the aisles allowing people to pet him, but to remain quiet. Once it passed Raven she reached out and touched it, motioning for Robin to do the same. Quickly removing one of his gloves he ran a hand gently over the fur to find that it was spiky, like a hedgehog, and reeked of burning rubber.

Once the Wolfman was safely locked back in his cage they carted him off the stage the next one walked onto the stage, named Alexander Ribs. Alexander was a very skinny man, skinny enough where Robin was amazed that the man was walking at all. Plastered on his face was this large goofy grin that seemed to go along with his ballet clothes. Soon ridiculous music started to play and he began dancing around, causing the whole theater to start laughing, even Raven who was chuckling at the sight of the man. Once he stopped dancing he started stretching while explaining his ability.

"I was born a contortionist, which allows me to bend my body in all different shapes and sizes." He explained as he stretched his neck back to look like he had lost his head. He then proceeded to do amazing stretches that to any other human being it would be impossible. For his final act though he took out two furry ended drumsticks and started hitting his ribs, producing musical sounds, and once he was warm upped he started playing different music, from "London Bridge Is Falling Down" to themes from popular T.V. shows. With that Alexander left the stage and the next performer came on.

Next was Rhamus Twobellies, who was the fattest man that either of the two heroes had ever seen. He made a show of standing near the edge of the stage and pretending he was about to fall which gave Robin some worries but he looked at Raven who seemed to be enjoying herself with the fat mans antics so he tried to calm down. Once he was done he stood in the center of the stage and explained his name as the two ladies who had hypnotized the Wolfman came out with a cart loaded with chips, cakes, burgers, candy, pancakes, and several whole heads of cabbage.

"Yum yum." Rhamus chuckled as a giant clock was lowered from the lighting stage "How long do you think it will take me to eat this? There will be a prize for whoever gets the closest." Several people called out times, ranging from two hours, to Ravens prediction of six minutes.

"Why six?" Robin whispered.

"Just a guess, besides, I doubt he will take too long to eat all of that, look at the size of him." She whispered back as Rhamus began eating. His arms moving so fast you would of thought he might have been related to Kid Flash, and his mouth was open never closing as he shoveled the food in. The clock stopped at five minutes on the dot.

"Delicious." Rhamus laughed. Then another cart was brought out, this one was loaded with forks and spoons, nuts and bolts, giant glass statues, bits of sheet metal, and a long metal chain.

"Before I begin, I must warn you not to try this at home! I can eat things that would choke and kill normal people. Do not try to copy me! If you do, you may die." The fat man said as he began eating. Rhamus started with the nuts and bolts, just popping them into his mouth and down his throat as though they were breath mints, once he stopped he shook his bulging stomach and you could actually hear the metal bouncing inside. His stomach heaved as he spat back out the nuts and bolts, shocking everyone. Next he started in on the glass statues. He crunched the glass into small pieces before he swallowed it using a drink of water to help it along. After that he began eating the forks and spoons, bending them into circles and swallowing them, pausing long enough to say that his teeth couldn't bite through metal. Once he finished with the silverware he started swallowing the chain, pausing to catch his breath once finished. His stomach then began rumbling and shaking and Robin was worried that the man was about to die. Finally he gave a heave and the end of the chain was visible in the back of his mouth. Reaching in he grabbed it and pulled it out the crowd saw that the forks and spoons were in the links of the chain.

"Impressive." Robin noted as the fat man left the stage.

"Yeah, this is definitely worth the money." Raven grinned as she looked at the boy, him smiling at her. They then had a small intermission where the blue hooded people were going about selling souvenirs. They had clippings of the Wolfmans fur, candy and chocolate versions of the normally inedible items in Rhamus's performance, and rubber dolls of Alexander Ribs. Raven bought a clipping of fur while Robin held on to his money, just in case there was something better later on. Once the first round of novelties were finished the next performer came on stage, with Mr. Tall standing there as well.

"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce a most impressive act, Truska our bearded lady." Mr. Tall explained which got many people to start muttering about why she didn't have a beard, along with how beautiful she looked, with her flowing red robes with the slashes and the gaps, causing most men to shift uncomfortably in their seats. Truska then stepped to the end of the stage where she could be seen better, and then said something in her native tongue that sounded like a seal barking. She then held her nose shut and started tickling her chin with two fingers on the other hand. At first Robin was puzzled by the strange performance until he saw a beard growing in long and blonde, just like her hair. Once it was about five inches long she walked into the crowd allowing people to touch it. As she walked around the crowd the beard kept growing until it was trailing on the ground, as she returned to the stage the beard started rising up as if there was a wind and tickling people's faces as Truska passed. Once she was back on stage Mr. Tall asked if anyone had any scissors with them, which plenty of women did, and Mr. Tall had them come up to try and cut the beard, and if anyone was able to they would receive a solid gold bar, Mr. Tall holding up the bar when he made the announcement. All of the people up on stage each tried their luck but no one could cut the beard, even with the garden shears that Mr. Tall provided for several people. Once everyone left the stage Truska repeated her actions from earlier but this time the beard went back into her face until there was not a sign of it left. She left to a huge round of applause as they brought out the next performer.

His name was Hans Hands, who told the story about how his father had been born without his legs and how he had learned to walk around on his hands, and teaching his children to do the same. He then sat down and wrapped his legs around his neck and walked up and down the stage and then hopped off and picked three men, and Robin to challenge him to a race.

"If you can manage to beat me, you will be given a solid bar of gold." Hans said as the five prepared to race, with some people in the crowd shouting for Robin to win. With a start they took off but the three other men couldn't keep up with the two as they ran, eventually ending with Hans just barely beating Robin.

"Well that was an impressive race." Hans panted.

"Yeah. Next time you are in town let's do it again." Robin laughed as he returned to his seat with Raven patting his shoulder.

"It was a good try." She whispered.

"Thanks." He grinned as he looked at her, giving her an instant blush. Hans then finished up his act with gymnastic tricks, which while impressive were not like most of the other acts that they had seen that night. Once Hans had left the stage Mr. Tall came out again.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our next act is another unique and perplexing one. It can also be quite dangerous, so I ask that you make no noise and do not clap until you are told it is safe." Mr. Tall warned, once the theater was silent enough he continued "Mr. Crepsley, Madam Octa, and his assistant Darren Shan!" With that two people walked on stage, one older and the other younger, with the younger carrying a small wooden cage. The old man was tall and thin and deathly pale, as if he hadn't seen sunlight in years. He had a small crop of orange hair and a large scar on his left cheek that started at his lips and extended up, giving his face a creepy look to it. He wore dark red and had an air of command about him. The boy wore a suit, as if he were about to go to a funeral, or be the one buried. He couldn't have been more then sixteen, and had black hair that looked like it needed to be trimmed soon. He stayed in the back occasionally helping Mr. Crepsley where needed but mostly during the performance he was in the back. Most of the tricks that they had Madam Octa, the spider, perform were showing how poisonous she was by killing a goat in two bites, then by using a tin whistle, that they called a flute, they had her do tricks that astounded them, like walking on Mr. Crepsley, dangling from a thread attached to his chin, and when Darren was assisting she made a web over the older man's open mouth which he ate afterwards, then they had her performing gymnastic tricks and lifting miniaturized weights. Once the act was over they had her return to the cage and then bowed to a loud applause. Once the pair had left Robin looked at Raven with a smile on his face.

"This is pretty amazing. Though it's a good thing Beast Boy isn't here. He'd have had a heart attack from that." Robin laughed.

"Yeah no kidding." Raven agreed as the blue robed people came back selling more items. Robin bought a few more things as did Raven, making sure to buy things for the others who couldn't be there. Once that was finished the next actor came out, her name was Gertha Teeth. She was a big woman with thick arms, legs, neck, and head.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am Gertha Teeth!" She barked, sounding like a drill sergeant "I have the strongest teeth in the world! When I was a baby, my father put his fingers in my mouth, playing with me, and I bit two of them off!" This shocked the audience who had seen lots of bloodshed due to the numerous villain attacks "Dentists all over the world have been astounded by my teeth! I have been examined in every major dental center, but nobody has been able to figure out why they are so tough! I have been offered huge amounts of money to become a guinea pig, but I like traveling and so I have refused!" She then picked up four steel bars, each one about ten inches long but each one with different widths. Asking for volunteers, four men went on stage. Once each one was on stage she gave each one a bar and asked them to try bending it. They failed, and once they had Gertha took the smallest one and proceeded to bite it half. Handing the two sides back to the man, she asked the man to bite it as well to see if it was real. Listening to the wholes of pain from the man she moved on to the next bar and the next one, each one getting thicker and thicker. Once she was done with the bars two of the blue robed people brought out a generator and she proceed to chew holes through it, followed by a bike, which she crunched into a ball and ate, tires and all. She then called three new volunteers onto the stage and gave one a hammer and a large chisel, one another hammer and a small chisel and the last one an electric saw. Each one tried to damage the teeth but each one failed to their own disappointment. Once she was finished Mr. Tall came back on stage, saying that the show was over, and that he wished each one a safe travel home.

"Kind of a week ending." Raven muttered.

"Agreed." Robin said as they stood up, but Robin tensed instantly and turned to the empty balcony near the back to see a massive snake slithering down, and the people screaming. The people started running back when just before the snake reached the floor when a spot light was fixed onto the snakes head. The snake looked into the light and didn't even blink, when suddenly there was a noise coming from the stage. Turning they saw a boy, maybe a little older then Darren, was standing on stage, wrapped in a white robe, his eyes were slanted like a snakes. The boy made a hissing noise and then tossed off the robe to everyone's surprise at what was underneath. From head to toe the boy was covered with green, gold, blue, and yellow scales, and other then a pair of shorts wore nothing else. He then did a small turn to show that it was all over his body, not just the front, though the back was slightly darker. Turning and facing the crowd again he laid down on his stomach and slithered off the stage like a snake. Once on the floor he stood and walked towards the back of the theater. He stopped a few yards from the pillar and crouched down, the light that had been on the snake was shut off and it began moving again, finishing its descent down the poll. The snake boy made another hissing sound causing the snake to pause for a second while the boy shuffled first to the left and then to the right, the snake never taking its eyes off of the boy as he slowly moved closer. Once he was close enough he reached under the snakes chin and tickled it, followed by him kissing its nose. The snake the n wrapped itself around the boys' neck several times with its tail hanging like a scarf. Once it was wrapped he walked away from the exit of the theater and set the snake down once again. Once the snake was on the ground it opened its mouth as wide as it could and the snake boy laid on the floor and slithered into the open mouth. After being inside for a few seconds he wiggled gently out and then letting the snake wrap around his entire body, and then hoping up to his feet.

"And that ladies and gentlemen really is the end." Mr. Tall said from the stage. Then in a puff of smoke he vanished and reappeared at the exit curtains, with the two ladies and the blue robed people selling more items. Robin waited until the theater had cleared out to approach Mr. Tall.

"Well my young heroes, how was it?" he asked with a grin.

"It was great." Raven said removing the hood, and getting an odd look out of Mr. Tall.

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to talk to the performers, to make sure everything is as you said it is." Robin replied.

"Of course. Some might not want to talk right now, but I believe that Mr. Crepsley hasn't retired yet, or Darren and Evra." Mr. Tall replied.

"Thank you." Robin nodded as they made their way backstage. Once backstage Robin was led to one of the rooms, the one with the coffin to see that it belonged to Mr. Crepsley.

"Hibernus." He nodded "And who are they?"

"Two of the local vigilantes. They wanted to speak with some of the performers." He replied "Just let me know when you are done." With that he walked out of the room and left the two with mysterious man.

"What is it you want to ask?" he asked as he pulled up a stool.

"We just wanted to make sure that this circus isn't like the ones back in the old days." Robin replied.

"An understandable concern. I have heard the stories about those places, and some still exist, why young Evra used to be from one of those before Mr. Tall rescued him." He explained.

"That is a most interesting spider you have." Raven said, changing the topic.

"Thank you. I received her from a monk some time back. She is the most intelligent animal that I have ever worked with."

"Well, it is late, and we do not want to disturb you." Robin said.

"Of course. Feel free to speak with my apprentice and Evra." He said as they shook hands. As Raven shook his hands her look changed when she saw his fingertips.

"You go on ahead Robin; I'll catch up to you in a bit." Raven said as she looked at the masked boy.

"Alright Raven." He nodded, looking concerned but trusting his lieutenant enough to know what she was doing. Once he was out of the room she looked at him.

"You are a creature of the night. A vampire." Raven remarked.

"Correct. I am surprised one as young as you recognized the signs." Mr. Crepsley grinned.

"I'm a half demon. Very little escapes us." She grinned "The boy is a half isn't he?"

"Correct again."

"I remember the name, Shan. During our time all over the world I read in a local paper that a young boy had fallen from his bedroom and died, with the last name Shan."

"And you pieced it all together. So why the secrecy?"

"I think you are being followed. I sense something truly evil nearby. Something that feed on the life blood of many."

"A Vampaneze. Our blood cousins. I had the feeling that one was following us. If it attacks I will deal with it."

"If it feeds, we will." Raven replied.

"Can you?" he asked.

"We have me, a half man half machine, a changeling, an alien princess with destructive powers, and the martial arts master himself. I think we can handle one Vampaneze." Raven grinned, but suddenly cringed as she felt pain coming through her mental connection with Robin.

"What happened?!" he asked alarmed.

"Something has happened to Robin, his thoughts are in a jumble but he knows that it is fast, strong, and using a knife." She explained as she flew off towards Robin.

Once Robin had left the backstage he had headed for the tent that was supposed to belong to the two young men when he felt eyes on him. Keeping alert he approached the tent when a knife just missed his head. Turning quickly he sent a bird-a-rang at the foe who dodged it and moved so fast that Robin had no idea what had happened. Suddenly the foe was in front of his face. The creature was a mauve color and reeked of blood. In its hand was another knife that he was about to stab him with. Rolling with the stab he dodged the thrust and kicked the knee out of the hideous creature. Before he could land another strike he was punched in the stomach and sent flying across the small yard. Standing up he could feel his ribs were broken and that he wouldn't be standing for much longer if he didn't do something fast. Taking out his bo staff he took a defensive stance, despite the pain and carefully watched the foe. Moving in the blink of an eye again, it closed the distance between the two of them like lightning, but Robin had learned from last time and struck right as he knew it was fading from his line of sight, managing to catch the creature in the head with the metal staff. Robin continued the defensive strategy for several minutes but he couldn't stop the creature if things continued the way they were. No sooner had the thought crossed his mind then he felt himself getting stabbed, right near the heart.

"Tasty meal, I getsssss." The creature laughed as suddenly a knife was protruding through its head.

"No you don't." Mr. Crepsley growled. Raven then ran over to see Robin laying in a growing pool of his own blood.

"PLEASE HELP HIM!" she begged.

"There is not much I can do." He said his head bowed.

"Anything. Just don't let him die." She begged.

"Mr. Crepsley." Darren said as he ran over "What happened?"

"A Vampaneze, another mad one." He sighed "And now this youth is going to die."

"Can't we save him?" Darren asked.

"There is one way, he will have to become like you." He sighed.

"A half-vampire?" Raven asked.

"Yes. With your help we could revive him. I will pump my own blood into him while you heal his wounds. If this works he will survive but become a creature of the night eventually." He explained.

"Do it." Raven demanded "I do not care what he becomes. Just don't let him die."

"Very well. I will leave it to you to explain to his friends what has happened." He nodded as he dug his fingernails into the opposite hand and once Robin's gloves were removed did the same to Robin, injecting his blood into him while Ravens magic slowly healed the wound in his chest. After hours of work Robin had survived.

"We have done all we can for him. Take him home, let him rest. Bring him here tomorrow and we will talk." Mr. Crepsley sighed as he returned to the theater.

"Thank you." Raven sobbed as she held him close.

"You really love him don't you?" Darren asked as he looked at the two "You going out?"

"That's a little rude." She muttered "But no. He is with another."

"Too bad. I wonder if she could have made the same decision as you?" he asked himself as he returned to his tent. Picking up the boy wonder she flew back to the tower phasing into his room, and setting him upon his bed.

"I'm sorry Robin." She whispered "Hopefully you can forgive me." Returning to her own room Raven fell asleep, straight into nightmares.