Titans Beyond Episode 9: Old Friends Author: Brruundin Warning, I do not own the Titans or any other DC characters I may use.
In the bottom of Titans' Tower, Robin is grilling Chang for answers with Slade's plan."So Chang what's the big plan? Why is Slade using the serum?" Robin asks grabbing Chang, trying to get anything out of him.
"Haha, why would I tell you Robin? There's no reason I would let any of you know about these plans".
"Chang you need to listen to me, and listen to me carefully. We need to learn as much as possible about Slade's plan. The city is going to be in some serious trouble, so if you don't agree with me and my demands, you're going to be in for a world of pain and suffering and it's not going to be pretty. I don't care how sick you are in the head, there's not gonna be a world for you to try and destroy if you don't tell me what's going on!" Robin exclaims, getting louder and more furious at Chang as he continues to speak.
"Well, I guess if you put it that way…" Chang looks directly at Robin for the first time since he brought him down here. "Slade is trying to find a way to stabilize the serum, so that he himself can use it, to become extremely powerful. However, it has been unsuccessful, so we are trying to find alternatives. He freed me because I know of a way to use it to his advantage, and before I was frozen, I was in the process of developing bombs that could destroy small areas, like neighborhoods, but wouldn't affect any of the surrounding areas around it, so Slade decided if we could merge these ideas together, we could get certain parts of the city like prisons juiced up on the drugs, and the wreckage would begin from there, Jump City would slowly burn, becoming a wreckage and wasteland, and there would be nothing you Titans could do to stop it". When he finishes Robin turns around, takes a deep breath and thinks before he says anything. Then when he gathers his thoughts, he turns around and looks back at Chang.
"But why destroy the city? Then there is no use for you all anymore, and I'm sure you wouldn't be able to survive the chaos anyway." Chang laughs once Robin finishes his comments.
"You foolish boy, we would be long before the chaos starts, moving from city to city until the whole world is in danger, then after it's all said and done, create a new world, a better world." Chang starts laughing hysterically now, causing Robin to become enraged
"No! Stop! Now!" Robin says, and throws a hard punch into Chang's face.
"Ugh!" Chang says, then reaches in pocket, takes out a small bottle with two blue pills. He opens it and puts the pills in his mouth.
"Well now that I've said all that I have needed to say, there is no use for me to be around anymore, goodbye Robin." Then Chang goes into a fit of rage, collapses, and falls to the floor. Robin, in shock, checks for a pulse, "None, looks like he took his life…" Robin then slams his fist against the wall. He heads up stairs to let the others know what is going on.
Insert English Intro Music.
The other Titans were just sitting around; waiting to see what was going on with Robin. They could hear the struggle downstairs, and it was starting to bother them. Beast Boy was the first to get Robin's attention when he entered the room.
"Everything okay down there dude?" Beast Boy asks, very confused on to why Chang was so important to all this.
"Yeah, Chang is dead. He told me what I believe is Slade's plan, but no word on when or why. It's all still kind of a weird mess. It's gonna be a real mess to stop guys, and when the time comes we need to be ready for it. That's all I have for now. You all are free for the rest of the night, enjoy it." Then Robin heads over to Starfire, "I'll be ready to go in like 5 minutes. I promise." Robin smiles and this really makes Starfire happy.
"Wonderful! Where shall we be off to this evening Robin?" Starfires asks, as she looks at Robin while he heads into his room.
"Umm I don't care where would you like to eat? Chinese? Seafood?"
"Oh consuming the food of the sea sounds delightful, I would be content with going somewhere that serves that." Starfire says, very pleased they were getting the opportunity to do this.
"Alright cool, I know a good place downtown, it won't take us long to get there" Robin says, then heads into his room to change into something more normal.
"Hmm I guess shall also change into something more casual" Starfire states, then heads into her room. When both of them finally get out and are ready to go Cyborg starts to tease the two of them.
"Oooh where are you two love birds heading off to tonight" Cyborg asks, while beginning to whistle and making kissing sounds. Robin sighs and shakes his head. Starfire begins to blush, and doesn't know what to say.
"Umm, we're going to go get something to eat. I guess we'll talk to you guys later…" Robin says, sort of awkwardly, usually the whole group heads out together, or a few. Robin can't recall a time when he and Starfire spent a lot of alone time together on purpose so it kind of made him nervous.
"Alright you two kids have fun then, kay?" Cyborg says, with a giant grin, making Robin even more uncomfortable with the situation.
"Sure Cyborg, you ready to go Starfire?" Robin asks, looking at Starfire.
"Oh of course Robin, I am ready to participate in tonight's activities so let them begin!" Starfire cheers, and the two of them leave.
So when they finally arrive at this place Robin was talking about, Stafire and Robin begin to make small conversation. "So umm Robin I have a question for you?"
"Umm sure Starfire what is it?" Robin asks, curious as to know what she could be asking.
"Well I have noticed that you seem to be very irritated with what has been going on lately and I would very much like to know if there is anything that I may be able to do to make you feel not that way anymore."
"Thanks Starfire, but I'm fine, there's really nothing you can do right now. This has just been stressful lately and we have to just get through it." Robin responds, as the hostess tells them there table is ready, the two of them head to the table and sit down.
"I'll have water" Robin says, when he is asked what he wants to drink.
"I shall also indulge in water" Starfire says, very cheerfully. The night was going very smoothly, so far, as she had expected. She just wished he would relax more. She could tell everything that was going on with Robin wasn't helping him at all.
"Robin, I am very confused as to what I am feeling right now" Starfire tells Robin after their orders are taken.
"What do you mean Starfire?" Robin asks.
"Well, it feels like what we call on my home planet, blorks are flying around in my chest, and making me feel what you on earth call nervous".
"Hmm what's causing this then Star?"
"I am not exactly sure why, but whenever we are together or you are nearby, I sometimes get this feeling, and I sort of like it but I'm not sure what it means".
Robin's face becomes very warm, and he starts to blush, it finally hit him. Starfire has a crush on him. He didn't know what to do, I mean she is a really sweet girl, and is really pretty, and is probably a really good fit for him. However, there was a lot on the stake right now, and he couldn't put himself in that state of emotional risk right now, he wasn't ready for it right now, and he didn't know what to tell Starfire, so he tried to make something up.
"Umm Starfire, I think it means you think of me as a really good, really close friend. That's good, because I think of you in a similar way."
"Oh, does this mean we are going to begin to commence the act of going out?" Starfire asks, still sort of confused as to what Robin meant. This caused Robin to really feel weird. He really didn't want to say the wrong thing at this moment.
"Umm I'm not sure Starfire, maybe we can see where it umm goes?" He sort of smiles to try to ease her mind.
"Oh wonderful then, I think I may know what you mean" Starfire says, and the two of them enjoy the rest of the night with each other's company.
Meanwhile, Jinx was sitting alone outside of the Tower, thinking about what was going on with her and the two she really cared about. "What am I going to do about this?" She sighs, and then tosses a pebble into the water.
"Do about what dork?" a voice calls out, from behind her. Jinx's eyes light up, and she turns around realizing what she is about to see before she sees it. Sure enough, it's Gizmo, Mammoth, See-More, and Kyd Wykkydd.
"Well, long time no see to you all too. What are you guys doing, I thought you were all frozen still?"
"Well we were, but Ravager fixed that, said she needed us for a special plan to help out Slade or something" Mammoth says, staring down at Jinx, confused as to why she was sitting out here alone.
"Yeah, and then we asked her what you were about to and she said you have went off and joined the Titans. What gives, we're gone and you decide to become a good guy, jeez!" See-More adds in, not very happy with Jinx right now.
"Yeah, what's it to you!? I decided to change my style, being bad wasn't working out. Maybe the reason is because I was meant to help others and not hurt them, plus it's kinda fun being good, people actually like and respect you. Not insult, and degrade when you fail," Jinx explains to them, telling them all about what happened while they were gone.
"Come on Jinx, you know this isn't you, come on you know what you have done, where you came from, and all that other stuff. Come help us,"Gizmo says, trying to get his old ally to come help his team.
"I… I, no… I can't sorry, I'm a Titan now and I can't, sorry. Maybe you could all become Titans? We could use all the help we can get," Jinx says, very conflicted right now as to what was going on.
"Really Jinx, really? You think we would consider becoming Titans? You got to be kidding me," See-More says, almost disgusted-like, very surprised Jinx would recommend such a thing. Kyd Wykkydd just sighs, and gives Jinx a look. He doesn't say much, and doesn't really need to get the point across, it was better that way.
"Well, then I guess this is goodbye then," Jinx says, the Hive Five just look at her, shake their heads, and leave. Jinx sighs, she was even more conflicted, she missed her friends, she did really want to be with them, but it would be so hard to just bail on the Titans. She couldn't do that now, not after all that they have done for her. She went back inside and sees Vibe sitting on one of the couches, sits down next to him, leaning her head on his shoulders.
"Hey what's up?" He says, glad she was inside now because the two haven't been on the best terms lately and had started to argue when the other Titans were not around.
"Hey can we talk on top of the Tower please?" Jinx asks him, he looks at her, smiles and says a simple, "Sure." The two of them head upstairs and begin to talk.
"So what's up Jinx?" Vibe asks, sitting down on one of the chairs they recently had installed up there.
"Well I was sitting outside thinking, and my old team… the Hive Five came back. They wanted me to come back and join them," Jinx pauses, waiting for a response from Vibe.
"Oh, well what did you tell them?" Vibe asks, very curious as to what she could have possibly said to them.
"I told them I was a Titan now, and couldn't leave, but it got me thinking. I do miss them, but it's hard because I've turned over a life of crime, but now I feel conflicted, and I just don't know what to do. This is just making things more painful and I want it to just go away," Jinx says, very emotional now, moves closer to Vibe, who also slides closer to Jinx, putting her into his chest and letting her tears flow down his shirt.
"Aw, I know it's hard but it's going to be fine. I promise. Just remember; do what you feel inside, what your heart wants, not what your brain thinks is right. If this doesn't make you happy then you shouldn't have to do it. I know you're really conflicted right now, but you don't have to go through this alone. I'm here and I'm always ready to listen and help you go through whatever is bothering you, and the others are too. I care about you Jinx, so very much and the others do too. Trust me. It will all be okay, I promise." He then kisses her on the forehead and wraps his arms around her, holding her tightly.
A/N. Done! Well we got more of the plan in store, and Starfire and Robin seem to be getting closer. What's Jinx going to choose? More coming soon, and as always, Reviews and Questions are awesome!
