Anniversary
Chapter One
By
SomeBrother
The sun is shining down on Jump City, not a cloud in the sky to block its powerful light.
The city itself looks resplendid in the sunlight. Even the most remote alleys are clean. Police officers peacefully stroll alongside the denizens of the city as they go to and from work.
New buildings appear alongside the old ones, though even the latter appear just as new.
Life is peaceful and serene in Jump City.
And overlooking it all from an island offshore is the one landmark most associated with this city. So much so that one cannot mention the name "Jump City" without said landmark coming to mind.
A place whose appearance intimately connects with the current renaissance occurring within the city limits.
Titans Tower.
A giant building in the shape of a T which serves as the headquarters for the guardians of this city, the Teen Titans.
Located high above within the tower is the living area where the Titans spend much of their free time. The room consists of a kitchen, a large couch, and an even larger viewscreen in front of it.
On the opposite side of the viewscreen at the far end of the room is a large door, and to the right of the view screen are a smaller set of doors.
The current occupants of the room are Raven, reading another of her books, Robin, who is scanning through a number of reports on his computer, Cyborg and Beast Boy, both of whom are fighting a battle of the ages on their favorite multiplayer first person shooter game "Call of Honor."
"You ready to go 0 for 10, veggie man?" Cyborg mocks.
"Not so fast, meat eater!" Beast Boy shoots back.
There's the sound of a gun shot, then the main viewscreen switches to the scoreboard showing that Beast Boy has won this round.
Cyborg's jaw and controller drop to the ground.
"Haha! BOO-YAH THAT!" Beast Boy jumps up onto the couch points his finger straight at Cyborg.
"No way man, you cheated!" Cyborg accuses.
"What? How?!"
"I don't know how, but there's no way you could have made that kind of shot from that far away!"
"You did the same thing to me last week!"
"Yeah, well…that doesn't mean anything. You cheated!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too! Robin," Cyborg turns to their leader, who is still scanning through reports, "you saw right? Back me up here!"
Robin lifts his head from the computer. "Huh? Oh, sorry Cyborg. I wasn't really paying attention."
Beast Boy breaks into a song and dance around Cyborg. "I won, I won, I won." .
"One more round, grass stain! All restrictions off, no rules!"
"You're on!"
Raven sighs heavily as she shakes her head.
Beast Boy turns toward her and shoots her a "you stay out of this" look. Raven stares right back at him.
Before the next round of gaming can begin, Starfire bursts through the side door beaming with joy.
"Dear friends, I have the news most wonderful!" she says. Everyone in the room turns toward her, the mood and focus of all changing with the entrance of their beloved friend and teammate.
"What's up, Star?" Robin asks.
"Better not be a new recipe she's learned." Cyborg whispers to Beast Boy, who feels his stomach begin to turn.
Starfire floats to a position between her friends and the main viewscreen. "It has been five years since the end of the war on my home planet. To celebrate the years of peace, my k'norfka Galfore has called for the greatest of parties to be thrown. I as Princess must attend, and I want all of you, my dear friends, to join me.
"A party?!" Beast Boy asks.
"On Tameran!?" Cyborg continues.
"Yeah! Count us in!" They both shout in unison.
"But we are so bringing our own food." Beast Boy whispers to Cyborg.
"Right on." He whispers back, fist bumping the green changeling.
Robin ponders for a moment. "Hmm…a prisoner transport carrying Mad Mod will pass through here in a few days. I wanted to make sure no one would try breaking him out…"
Cyborg and Beast Boy stare at their leader while Starfire clasps her hands in earnest.
Robin smirks back at them, assuring them he wasn't that serious. "But I'm sure Kid Flash can handle it on his own. Besides, how can I refuse a Princess?"
Starfire smiles brightly at Robin.
"Alright!" Cyborg shouts while pumping his fist in the air.
"Tameran, get ready for this party animal!" Beast Boy strikes a few dancing poses.
"Oh, joy. A party." Raven mumbles.
Beast Boy turns to Raven, a look of severe irritation covering his face. "'Oh, joy? Oh, joy!?' We're going to, like, the biggest party in the galaxy and all you can do is sit there and whine?"
"Unlike you, I don't think of life as one big party."
"And unlike you, I don't think of life as one big bore!" Beast Boy eyes her down.
"Look, guys, we don't have to get all…" Cyborg meekly interrupts.
"Only someone with an IQ less than dirt would consider what I do boring." Raven shot back.
Beast Boy approaches even closer. "At least dirt is warm. Your heart is so cold, not even the sun can warm it!"
Starfire puts out her hands in an effort to quell the argument. "Dear friends, please do not fight."
"I'm surprised you even know what the sun is. In fact, I'm surprised an idiot like you has enough brainpower to regulate breathing!" Raven shouts back at her green teammate.
"I'll give you something to regu…regul…regula…."
"REGULATE! R-E-G-U-L-A-T-E, tofu for brains!"
"Brain this!"
"Enough! Both of you!" Robin shouts at the two quarreling Titans.
They both look at Robin, taking note of the grim look on his face.
"Hey, she's the one all down on the party." Beast Boy objects.
"Wrong doesn't justify wrong." Robin points out.
Cyborg steps behind both Raven and Beast Boy, picks them up with his huge cybernetic arms, and holds them close together in a giant hug, and in such a way where the two quarrelers are facing each other. "Don't you worry Star, on this trip these two will be the biggest, bestest friends!" he says with a huge grin.
Raven frowns. "I'll behave if he does."
"What she said." Beast Boy responds. A tool probes out from Cyborg's shoulder and wraps the green Titan on his head. "Ow! Fine, I'll be nice."
"Good." Robin then places his hand on Starfire's shoulder, turning her attention back towards him. "So, when do we leave?" he asks with a smile.
