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Disclaimer: I wish I did own Teen Titans, but I don't. I also wish I had a schedule for uploading works of malformed literary arts.
All Your Friends.
It was summer in Jump City, and to say the least, it was hot. The shining city, often plagued by villains was oddly quiet. It was too hot to do anything physically stressful, but it was still cool enough that one could go out and not be bothered, but only if you avoid everyone. The beaches were packed, you could virtually lie down on the people's heads and take a three hour nap. Off the shore of the city was a tiny island, but it held a massive tower, Titans Tower. It was home of five of the world's greatest heroes and heroines. Robin, the Boy Wonder, a one man army and a brilliant, if not obsessive, mind to boot. Starfire, an alien princess, a super-strong and fire blasting beauty from beyond the stars. Cyborg, half machine and half man, a combination of brain, brawn, and a sonic cannon. Raven, the dark sorceress, a mysterious lady who never shows her feeling in order to fight her literal inner demon. Finally, Beast Boy, the green changeling, every last animal rolled up into a semi-human teen jokester.
Inside of the common room sat Starfire and Robin on the sofa watching television, Raven in the corner with a dusty tomb, Cyborg at the kitchen devouring waffles, and Beast boy was reading a comic in the corner. It had been a quiet week for the young heroes, no new, or old, villains wanted to leave their caves and mess around in the boiling sunlight. It was nearly mid-day, and the whole tower had been silent, and for once, Raven was bothered by this. "It's nearly noon, and there hasn't been a single prank." She said in her usual monotone without looking from her book.
"Yeah, why do you ask?" Beast Boy said from the corner, no longer engrossed in his comics. "You can barely sit still for a minute without messing around with us." Cyborg stated between gulps. "It's too hot to do anything stressful, I don't want to melt." Beast boy whined, while Robin gently nodded, happy to avoid any trouble.
In the dark and in the filth far, far, far from the Titans, there was a small team of heroes fighting for their lives, and failing. The leader, a man in purple and black spandex and purple helmet, was blasting through a field of crimson robots. "Rita! I need help over here!" The man shouted, and although nothing would ever get him to admit it, he was terrified. "I can't. I need to help Cliff!" Shouted a gigantic woman stomping robots and guarding a fractured robot. In the meantime, a man of shadows was shooting around, destroying everything he touched. "We can't win, there's too many." The shadow man drooled out in a monotone voice. "WE WILL NOT FAIL! Doom Patrol, ATTACK!
Back in the common room. Raven and Starfire were discussing bread and its purpose while Cyborg and Robin were looking at a map of the world, a pin was stabbed through it every once in a while. "Robin, what's this for again?" Cyborg asked Robin with slight irritation. "We are attempting to locate the remaining brotherhood." Robin said calmly. "Exactly! So we should go as a team!" Cyborg angrily yelled at Robin, furious at the very idea that the team wouldn't be going. "Sorry Cy, but I think Beast Boy can do this alone. He's fought them longer than any of us, besides, we can't just leave Jump unprotected. I tried to talk Titans East here, but they have to stay in Steel" Robin said with a shrug. With the topic of whether you should eat bread be drowned out by this argument, Raven and Starfire came over to join in the battle. "Friends, please stop with the fighting. Would you tell me what is in the 'Going ons?" Starfire said unknowing to her mistake. Raven, while trying to remain out of the fight explained quickly. "Robin and Cyborg are debating whether Beast Boy will go and search for the brotherhood."
"Dude, that would be pointless. Knowing them, they're hiding in some hole. You won't be able to find them unless they want to fight you." The green child interrupted, "And with the brain gone, it could ages to even consider to blink. Relax man." Beast boy said coolly after finishing his comic. Robin considered this, he didn't exactly trust Beast Boy's word. Frankly, he didn't trust Beast Boy. He didn't like the fact that even a single criminal would get away, much less than fifty or so. Robin was pulled out of his thoughts when Cyborg spoke up. "Besides, the Doom Patrol is probably on it, right BB?" The youngest Titan nodded before continuing, "Yeah, doesn't matter though. They won't like us stealing their thunder; let them handle it."
Robin wasn't convinced, but the kid once was in the Doom Patrol himself. He should know better than any of them. "Fine, it's decided. We won't be hunting for the Brotherhood. Instead, we will have early training tomorrow morning!" Robin stated with only a hint of excitement. Beast boy simply shrugged, and left for his room, mumbling something about not hearing from Steve and Rita in a while. Starfire, after noticing the time, ran to do the 'time of feeding' and the 'caring of hairs' with Silki. Meanwhile, Cyborg was watching TV and Raven was meditating in the corner where Beast Boy sat.
Robin quickly grabbed each of his friends and dragged them into his room. Locking the door, he quickly pulled a newspaper from under his bed, and on its front page it read 'The Dead Doom Patrol'. "So, has anyone come up with how to tell B about this?" All but Raven shook their head. Slowly, Raven's monotone voice rang out, "Why don't we just sit him down and tell the truth?" Robin, Cyborg, and Starfire looked more and guiltier in that order, "We know he'll be mad if we don't tell him, but imagine if we procrastinate and never tell him. The sooner we do it, the better." Throughout the room there were guilty mumbles of agreement.
It had been three months since the doom Patrol died, and he didn't let a single tear flow, at least not in front of his friends. He had just finished talking to his friends like they were still alive. He couldn't bear to let his friends see his pain. He hated sympathy, it was his mortal enemy. Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone, right? He could hide hi pain from Raven, but for how long will that empath feel what he fakes feeling?
Beast Boy laid on the top bunk of his bed, staring at the ceiling with heavy eyes. His dark, dank, and musky room was filthy, perfectly normal for him. Piles of rubbish littered the floor, hiding everything he wanted to keep, but not see, safely. The stained curtains blocked out all light, leaving only a small lamp on the other side of the room to illuminate his thoughts. His desk, the cleanest thing in the room, was covered in junk, but it seemed that it was organized. Several picture frames, facing down, were scattered along the desk, hidden in plain sight.
What could he do? The funeral was soon, but he couldn't go. Not that Robin wouldn't let him, he couldn't let himself go. It killed him to know that they were dead, but it would annihilate him to see them… sleeping. He hated himself for this. How could he not go? They were his only friends, no family, when he was trapped in the darkest of times. They saved him from a horrible fate, and gave him a home, food, friends, and most of all, a family.