Here we are. In the dome of epicosity. Prepared to witness the New Titans battle one of their own. DUPERBRO, your host, is proud to present...

A chapter.

Owen: RRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR! (DUPERBRO DOESN'T OWN TEEN TITANS! YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT ALREADY!)

Chapter 9: Don't Do This

Where we left off...

The giant titans all smiled-except Owen. He, for some reason, was still mauling the scattered parts on the robots. Robin turned to look at the cat/boy/monster and said, "Owen, calm down. We won. The fight's-"

"GGGRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRR!" was Owen's interruptive reply. MM frowned. "Robin, it's no good. This form of himself-he can't control it. A moment ago he may have fought with us..."

Owen crouched, ready to pounce. "...but he can't stop. Now he's going to fight against us," MM finished, sadness in his voice. Owen snarled, his teeth bared and claws out. Robin sighed uneasily. "I see," was the boy wonder's reply. He nodded to Solor and Muscle-Man, and they all got into offensive positions. Owen, sensing a fight, snarled. Robin sighed seriously but sadly.

"Owen, don't make us do this," was all Robin got out before Owen charged.

"Titans, go!" Robin shouted. They were all reluctant to attack, but Owen had to be contained.

"Sorry, Owen," MM said before blasting a muscle-aura at his friend. However, Owen dodged, and rammed into MM's aura avatar with his shoulder. Then, as the masked might recovered from the blow, Owen's eyes flashed grey.

Robin and Solor were stunned to see Owen blast grey starbolts at MM, sadly making a direct hit. Muscle-Man's screams were radiant. The giant aura avatar faded, and MM barely caught himself in the air, thanks to his flight.

MM watched on helplessly from the air as Robin and Solor combated his friend. He and Owen had become good friends, both knowing they could relate to each other's tragic past. Muscle-Man had never heard anything about Owen's grey starbolts, though. Must have been a beast form exclusive.

The masked might racked his brains for a solution to the situation. Robin's robot was being shredded by Owen's claws and Solor's flame breath was held at bay by the grey starbolts. Suddenly his mind flew to a conversation he'd had with Owen a few days before. (from Chapter 4)

Owen got their attention. "I just want to tell you guys something. My kind's greatest weakness is... magic."

MM brightened. That was it! Magic! They needed someone who could use magic!

The masked might whipped around and blasted toward downtown Jump. His communicator buzzed; Robin was calling him from the cockpit of the Titan robot. He answered to see Robin's stressed face. "Muscle-Man, where are you GOING!? HELP US!"

"I am!" MM shouted back. "Owen is weak against magic, remember? I've got to get to Thalia! I'll be back in a flash!" With that, MM cut off the call before Robin could speak again.

Talia was watching TV in her living room, trying to ignore another fight between Mike and Lucah set up by Miriam and Esther who watched gleefully, one she had tried to break up, but was unsuccessful. Joshua was next to her, playing Return Man 3 on his laptop. Naomi, Ruth and Hannah were all in their rooms, doing their own things, and baby Arielle had just been laid down for a nap. Their dad, Andrew, was off at work, so they were home alone, with nothing special happening.

That is, until she felt the front door be knocked open quite forcefully. Joshua leapt up and raced over to the door, and Talia followed, hand around her butterfly pendant, ready to cast a spell on the intruder, but stopped when she saw a teenager dressed in purple and red. She laid a hand on Joshua's shoulder, signaling to her brother to calm down. "Muscle-Man?" she asked. "What are you-"

"I'll-explain-on-the-way-to-the-tower-hey-dude-can -I-borrow-your-sister-real-quick-thanks!" The masked might was literally talking a mile a minute before addressing Joshua, scooping up Talia, and blasting off. Joshua was just left staring at the trail of dust MM had left behind.

Muscle-Man filled in the flustered witch. "Owen's gone nuts, and he can't control his beast form. We're trying to contain him, but having no luck. His greatest weakness is magic, so I had come get you." Talia nodded in understanding just as the horrific battle scene played over the horizon.

The titan robot was down, having lost its legs to a tail swipe from Owen, and Robin was just throwing redundant discs at Owen while Solor struggled to keep up a front against Owen, although mostly defensive. MM landed next to Robin.

"Talia! Good, you're here! See if you can subdue Owen with your magic!" Robin shouted. Talia nodded and shot a blast of magic at Owen.

Owen screeched in agony as the magic wave hit him like several tons of bricks, but he countered the wave with grey starbolts. It looked like Talia was going to get it now too, until Yang suddenly burst out from inside the tower. James chased her, trying to get her to stop before she got herself hurt, but she didn't listen. Instead she flew right up in front of Owen's eyes and let loose a blinding light flare.

Owen was stunned, and that gave Talia the opportunity she needed. She pounded a negating magic spell on Owen's head, sending the giant Titan over. As he went over, he transformed back to his regular self again, falling unconscious on the ground. Talia hung her head in shame; she hadn't wanted to harm her fellow titan, bhut MM placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered, "You did good."

A while later the Tower was back in ship-shape and the Titans were enjoying a roast dinner (Talia had gone home). Owen was still on sedatives in the med bay until his body healed from his physical wounds and the toll beast mode had taken on him. MM just sat outside, though, staring at the sky that peppered the earth with snow. He sighed, taking in the silent wonder.

"You like snow, huh?"

A sudden voice startled the masked might as he turned to look at who was talking. He saw a girl in a heavy dark green coat, black jeans, black sunglasses, a green knitted hat, and green high tops. He smiled, happy to have some company as she sat down next to him.

"Yeah. It's really peaceful and it helps clear my head after a stressful situation."

"Like what?" she asked, curious, tilting her head. He chuckled, his breath showing in the frosty December air. "Well, for starters, if your friend becomes a giant cat version of the Hulk and whales out on you and your friends."

She laughed at his sarcasm. "I like you, what's your name?"

"Muscle-Man."

She extended her hand in a gesture to shake it. "Amelia."

He shook. There was an awkward silence between the two of them until Amelia spoke. "So... Muscle-Man, huh?"

He chuckled again. "Yeah. Watch this," he said, then proceeded to lift the entire tower with one hand. From the upper window, Robin called down, "Muscle-Man! Put the tower down!"

"Fine, fine! No need to get your traffic suit panties in a twist, geez," MM replied, gently setting the tower back down to see his new friend golf-clapping.

He sat back down next to her. He suddenly felt a sort of tug in his mind, something that he only felt when he sensed other metahumans in a 50 foot radius. He knew what this meant, turning to look at Amelia.

"So, what's your power?" he asked politely. She seemed surprised at the question.

"Wha... but... how... I didn't..." she tripped over her words. He laughed. "I sensed something different about you. I'm like that."

She faintly blushed under the hood of her jacket, showing MM he was right.

"So, Amelia. Ever heard of the Teen Titans?"

Oh boy, looks like we've got a new Titan on her way into the story! And she sure seems fond of MM. What could this mean...? There's only one way to find out...

Wait for the next chapter. Stay delicious!