The Second Curse: A TT Fanfic-CHAPTER 36
A/N: This is Chapter 36 of my OC Teen Titans Fanfic, The Second Curse. If you have not done so, please read the Prologue first, and then the chapters that precede this one. Note: there is no First Curse; this is not a sequel to anything. Hope you enjoy! : )
PS. Sorry about the long hiatus. A death in the family really hit me hard recently. I'm still not really myself, but other than writing that Kara chapter (which was honestly sort of therapeutic somehow), my creative juices have been all kinds of backed up. I'm trying to get back on track, but it'll be a slow process. I'm thankful for those of you who have stuck with me after all this time, and promise to reward you for your loyalty by not giving up! Also, this one's super long, for better or worse. I just wanted to get this all over with in one chapter so I could get to the best part (I've also got the next two or three chapters ready to roll!). So, buckle up amigos, here we go!
The day of the Homecoming Dance had finally arrived, and Sabbath's mood couldn't have been more sour. Even Cyborg's famous waffle breakfast couldn't cheer her, and before the Titans had even left for school that morning, she'd already started to voice her complaints.
"Why should I have to go?" she asked, petulantly. "Just because Beast Boy got a date, we all have to suffer?"
"Friend, do not despair! Robin and I have attended a similar celebration in the past, and its memory is something I shall always cherish."
*Ahem* "Besides," Robin added, after briefly clearing his throat. "We do have something worth celebrating. Cyborg's hologram disruptors are almost finished. Come Monday we'll be able to spot the HIVE agents undercover at the high school, and should have them taken care of and a report finalized for the Mayor by the end of the week."
"Plus Kara got us all in for free with those VIP tickets," Beast Boy chimed in. "It would be rude to not go…"
"Fine, but X-Ray goggles aside," Sabbath continued, ignoring the shapeshifter, "a high school dance is hardly the way to celebrate anything. It's just a bunch of people in fancy dresses and tuxes, playing loud music and making casual conversation over a table of stale chips and warm soda…"
"Girl you could suck the fun out of a carousel," Cyborg said. "Suit yourself, but I'll be glad to be done with this whole HIVE thing. I'm getting tired of them always popping up with my stolen tech and threatening to wreck the world with it. This time I'm gonna see to it personally that they get locked in the most secure cell this city's prison has to offer." Then, under his breath, he muttered, "I'd like to see them all transferred to Belle Rève, but Rob won't hear of it…"
'Carousels are stupid,' Sabbath thought, but kept it to herself. She decided to try a new tactic. "But Raven gets to miss out. Why can't I stay here with her?"
"Raven's sick," Robin said pointedly. "Between Brother Blood's interference, and the minds of the entire student body, this mission's really taken a toll on her. She needs to rest."
Sabbath couldn't deny that Raven had seemed a little worse for wear lately. She used to perk right back up after school got out for the day, but now her headaches followed her into the night. For the last couple days, she barely came out of her room at all except to brew a mug of tea in place of dinner. Even Sabbath, as frustrated as she was, had started to worry about the empath.
"Ok fine," Sabbath said, giving it one last try. "But what's the point in going to that school today if we can't do anything until Monday?"
"We have to keep up appearances, Jane," Robin said. His tone remained even, though Sabbath suspected she was starting to wear on his nerves. "It's important that we maintain the element of surprise. If the HIVE sees us coming, they could abort their whole mission and then we'd never find them. It's bad enough that we all sit together at lunch, but if we all took the day off, it might get peoples' attention. We can't risk exposure at this stage of the mission."
Sabbath thought the Boy Wonder was being a little bit over-dramatic, but she didn't say so. All she said was, "Whatever."
The Titans finished their breakfasts and rode to school in silence. Beast Boy's attempts to brighten the mood in the car had all been totally ignored. Eventually Robin turned on the radio to tune out the shapeshifter. Sabbath's foul mood had apparently spread to the majority of the team, but she couldn't bring herself to feel guilty about it.
Once at the school the Titans went their separate ways, each heading towards their respective first-period classes. Except for Beast Boy. Sabbath noticed he was following especially close to her. After a moment, she asked, "Isn't your first class the other way?"
"Yeah, but I wanted to make sure you were okay," he said, concern softening his voice.
"I'm fine," she said flatly. "What makes you think I'm not?"
"Well, you just passed by your first class without even looking at it," he said.
"We're a little early today, so I've got some time to kill," she replied. There was a bathroom on the far end of the school that Sabbath frequented when she was avoiding her classes. Aside from not being partially blown up, this bathroom also featured a window. Sabbath liked to gaze out across the parking lot and imagine what it would be like to sneak out through the narrow porthole and never see that school again. Another bonus was that that part of the school was usually deserted first thing in the morning. Most students clustered around their lockers or just outside the front doors to wait for the tardy bell to ring.
The shapeshifter seemed unsure how to respond to that, and for a moment an awkward silence grew between them. But after a moment, he said, "Bet I can make you smile."
Sabbath glanced over at him then, and suddenly realized how badly she wanted him to try. But she didn't say anything. Instead she arched an eyebrow, as if to say 'oh really'.
"Ok, ok, so…Why do ghosts love elevators?" he asked.
"I don't know, why?" Sabbath replied, returning her attention to the ground ahead of her as she continued down the hall. She didn't know exactly what she had expected him to do, but for some reason a knock-knock joke seemed flat and disappointing. She waited for the inevitably terrible punchline, but instead all she heard was silence. She was about to call out his name, when she felt arms wrap around her waist and lift her up off the ground. Sabbath dropped her messenger bag and cried out in surprise, and was about to throw a sharp elbow into the face of her attacker when she heard a familiar voice.
"Because they lift their spirits!" Beast Boy finally said, holding her up in the air a moment longer. "Get it?"
Putting two and two together, Sabbath let out a laugh. "Hahaha! Put me down, you animal, I almost hit you!" But there was no anger behind her words now. And even after her feet touched the ground and she turned to face the grinning shapeshifter, there was still a smile on her face no matter how hard she tried to fight it.
"There it is!" Beast Boy said, pointing at her face. "I knew I could make you smile!"
Sabbath didn't know how to respond to that, and it was taking all of her will power to keep a blush from flooding her face. Luckily, the bell rang through the halls just then, letting everyone know class would be starting soon and saving her from having to answer.
Beast Boy, seemingly oblivious to Sabbath's flustered state, said something she barely heard about not wanting to be too late for class before running back down the hall the way they'd come. He waved at her from half way down the hall before turning a corner, and she managed to wave back, but other than that she was frozen in place. It seemed she'd forgotten how to walk. Sabbath closed her eyes briefly and took some steadying breaths as she collected her thoughts. 'Get it together, Hellingsworth,' she told herself.
The second bell rang through the halls, announcing the official start of class, and Sabbath decided to abandon her plans of a mental time-out in the cafeteria bathroom. She could stare sullenly out the window another time, but right now she knew her chemistry teacher would not exactly have a warm welcome for late students. Repositioning her bag over her shoulder, Sabbath turned to head back towards the science labs. She forced herself to think about school and whether she'd had any homework due today, and definitely not about how tightly Beast Boy's arms had just been wrapped around her waist.
Sabbath approached the door to the Chemistry lab just as the third and final bell rang, officially making her tardy. Peering in through the wire mesh-laced window in the door, Sabbath immediately spotted Kara sitting in her usual seat at the front of the class, and her stomach knotted up. It was bad enough she'd have to watch the nasty brunette dance the night away with Beast Boy, but enduring her prattle and torment throughout the school day on top of it suddenly seemed like too much.
Instead of opening the door to the Chemistry lab, Sabbath cast her eyes down towards the floor and continued down the hall. 'It's not like I should care about who Beast Boy chooses to hang out with. We're just friends. Teammates. Just…if it was anyone else but her, then I'd be ok with it. Definitely. It's just that she's so awful. And somehow nobody else sees it…' Sabbath continued her string of rationalizations as she blindly pushed past the remaining tardy students rushing into the building. 'And I don't care what Robin said, my taking one day off is not going to ruin this stupid mission. Besides, it's the day of the dance; I'm sure half the female student body is taking the day off to get ready for tonight.'
Pausing only do drop off her bag in her locker, Sabbath hurriedly made her way towards the main entrance of the school and busted through the heavy double doors. The sun momentarily blinded her, and she paused at the bottom of the steps. As her eyes slowly adjusted, Sabbath started to realize a flaw in her plan. Sure, she'd escaped first period, but now where would she go? Raven was resting up back at the Tower, saving her strength for Monday, so that option was out. The mall and most of the other downtown shopping venues would likely be packed with all the girls getting their hair and nails done, or buying last-minute accessories. Restaurants and cafes would be safe, but it's not like she could hide in a diner booth all day.
Frustrated at her lack of options, Sabbath wandered the busy downtown streets without so much as a glance at any of the shops or windows she passed. She'd shrugged into her hoodie and pulled the hood up in an attempt to block out the world around her. The sun beat down, scorching the paved streets, yet an angry wind gusted through and sharp white clouds bubbled up on the horizon, promising a storm was on the way. Sabbath gripped the front of her hoodie shut against the heavy breeze and locked her eyes on the pale concrete in front of her. As she walked, she began to notice how smooth the sidewalk was; there were no cracks or holes, not even gum. She thought back to the streets of her hometown of Boston, and how they were constantly in a state of disrepair. She wondered how a city the size of Jump City could keep their streets so perfect when one comparably smaller such as Boston couldn't be bothered, but then she remembered where she was. 'That's right,' she thought glumly. 'This is a city of heroes and villains. If the bad guys aren't ripping up the city, we wind up doing it for them in the fight. The city has no choice but to clean up after us. Maybe Kara's right. Maybe the city would be better off without us…'
Sabbath's mood had turned sour, having evolved from anger and frustration to simple pessimistic angst. It took her a moment to realize she'd stopped walking. Pedestrians were filtering around her, and she felt the sudden need to retreat out of the crowds. Her hoodie wasn't enough isolation, and the heat was starting to get to her. She stepped into the shade of a nearby awning and turned her back to the street, removing her fake glasses and dropping her hood to welcome the wind that tugged at her loosely braided curls. It helped, but the breeze itself was still too hot to be comfortable. Sabbath then turned her attention to the large glass doorway of the shop she was standing in front of and realized it wasn't a shop at all; it was a movie theater. 'I'm sure it'll be fine to step in and cool off for a minute,' she told herself as she pushed open the tinted glass door, eager to escape the burning sun. Once inside she paused, enjoying the rush of air conditioning that hit her skin and taking in the somehow familiar sights. 'I haven't been to the movies since…the Collins. But I guess movie theaters are all she same. Lights framing the posters and showtimes, popcorn popping in the background, a random patch of arcade games, and flashy colors as far as the eye can see…' Sabbath tried to remember the last movie she'd seen, and suddenly found herself nostalgic for those better times. The buttery smell of fresh popcorn filled the air, and Sabbath found herself smiling. 'It even smells the same…'
There weren't many people in the lobby, maybe a dozen if you counted the staff. The few patrons there were either elderly couples or parents with very young children. The wall to her right displayed an array of movie posters, none of which looked familiar. She was starting to realize she'd been out of the loop on mainstream culture for quite some time. 'I wonder what's playing now?' Lost in thought, she dropped her hoodie off her shoulders and upper arms, letting the cool air soothe her skin as she wandered from poster to poster. Normally she wouldn't have dared, but her wings remained tightly bound under her shirt as part of her 'normal high school student' disguise. But even if they hadn't been, the patrons didn't seem to notice her, and the staff behind the concession stand were either busy with their phones or helping customers. Sabbath felt safely ignored in the dimly lit lobby; nearly invisible.
She followed the row of movie posters, and found herself standing in front of the box office. She looked up at the list of movies and showtimes, and tried to imagine what each movie was about based off its title.
"Hey there, are you looking for tickets?" a cheerful voice said from behind her. Startled out of her reverie, Sabbath turned to see a young man in a black three-piece suit jogging towards her. Keys jingled at his waist as he hurriedly opened the gate to the box office and positioned himself at the register. "Sorry about that, I didn't see you at first. What can I get you?"
"Oh, uh, I don't know, I was just looking at what's playing," Sabbath trailed off, making her statement sound like a question.
An awkward silence started to form, only to be interrupted by a steady beeping from the concession stand at the far end of the lobby. The man at the register flicked his gaze to the source of the beeping. Plucking a small radio from where it had been clipped behind his back, he raised it to his mouth and said, "Someone wanna get that?" No one replied.
Sabbath felt awkward, and brought her hoodie back up over her shoulders. She realized then that she didn't have money for a ticket. Her communicator never left her hoodie pocket, but she wasn't sure how she felt about using it to get free things, at least on her own. Having the other Titans with her made it seem like a perfectly normal thing to do, but alone she felt awkward, like an impersonator. Suddenly rethinking her choice to enter the theater, Sabbath took a small step back from the box office and began trying to think of an escape plan.
"How about Winding River?" the man offered, returning his attention to her in spite of the continued beeping. "It's still in previews for another five minutes. It's a romantic comedy about two friends that fall in love on a camping trip. It's one of our most popular films right now, and honestly, everything else is pretty terrible. There's nothing good coming out for a few more weeks. It's pretty popular with teenagers."
Sabbath looked at the man more closely then and realized he was maybe only five years older than her. A college student, most likely. The suit had made him look older at first since she assumed it indicated he was the manager, but his warm brown eyes looked young and happy, even hidden by his wide glasses, and the ridiculous purple bowtie around his neck definitely helped to counteract the suit. And yet, he used the word "teenagers" as if it denoted an entirely different species.
"And since it's only PG-13," he added, "you don't need to be seventeen to get in."
"I dunno, maybe another time…" Sabbath replied cautiously. Then, she noticed a sharp smell overpowering that of the popcorn. Her senses suddenly on high alert, she asked, "Is something burning?"
The young man's eyes flicked back across the lobby to the concession stand, and a look of panic crossed his face. Sabbath followed his gaze and saw dark smoke rising from one of the machines. The staff that had been there moments before were now nowhere to be seen. The man swore, rushed through the box office gate and started running towards the concession stand.
Sabbath's hands prickled, as did the marks hidden under her sleeves, as she realized, 'It's on fire!' She took off running, following closely behind the manager. He rushed behind the concession stand and immediately started flipping switches on the machine. Catching up, Sabbath saw now that it was a giant popcorn kettle. The beeping finally stopped, but the smoke continued to pour angrily from under the kettle's partially open flip-top lid. The manager reached for the lever to fully open the kettle, but doing so only let more air in to fuel the fire. Hungry yellow flames erupted from the kettle, and thick smoke was filling the stand.
"Watch out!" Sabbath yelled. Running behind the stand, she shoved the manager aside and turned to face the kettle. He yelled something to her she couldn't quite hear, but she ignored him. She raised a hand towards the flames, and out of the corner of her eye saw the manager reaching to pull her away. He stopped, however, when he saw the deep orange glow emanating from her skin.
Slowly, the fire crept up out of the kettle, winding its way through the air and towards her outstretched hand. The flames twisted and writhed, curling themselves around her hand before swirling into a ball. The fireball hovered above her palm, almost pulsing with eagerness to burn and consume, but Sabbath kept it under her control so that not even the sagging cuff of her sweatshirt could be singed. She took a final look in the kettle to be sure no embers remained. Then, satisfied that she had all of the fire contained, she brought her other hand to the ball of flame and cupped it briefly before crushing it between her palms, effectively extinguishing it.
The acrid smoke drifted up to the ceiling, and was slowly being filtered away through large vents, though Sabbath expected her hair and clothes would smell like burned popcorn for the rest of the day. She breathed a small sigh of relief and turned to face the manager. He now stood several feet away from her, his mouth hung open in surprise and his bowtie knocked askew.
"Uh, you ok?" Sabbath finally asked, when she realized she'd have to be the one to break the silence.
The man shut his mouth, then immediately opened it again to reply, "Yeah….thanks. Um, are you-?"
Before he could finish that sentence, a door at the far end of the stand labeled "Employees Only" creaked open, and a tall, thin redheaded man walked out. Sabbath guessed he was about the same age as the manager or maybe a year or two younger. He looked oblivious to all that had just happened, his cellphone seemingly the center of his attention.
"Hey…" the redhead mumbled. "Did you dump that batch of popcorn?"
The manager's dazed expression faded, replaced by incredulous frustration. "Patrick, what the hell, man?! Where were you?"
The redhead, Patrick, finally looked up from his phone. "Huh? Woah, what's up? Why're you so mad?"
"The freaking kettle caught fire because no one dumped the popcorn! Do you have any idea how long it would've taken to clean up the fire suppression system if it had been triggered? Three days, Patrick! Three days! Where were you, and why weren't you behind the stand doing your job?"
"Trevor, dude, chill! Sorry I had to take a piss, ok? Sarah was watching the stand."
"Sarah went on break ten minutes ago. I even said to you, 'Patrick, Sarah's going on break. Don't leave the stand.'"
"I said I was sorry, alright? Jeez. Besides, everything looks fine. I'll start a fresh batch of popcorn and the smell will be gone and everything will be fine, ok?"
"You are getting so many write-ups for this Patrick. You have no idea. And if it weren't for her this would have all gone so much worse," the manager, Trevor, said, gesturing to where Sabbath stood.
She pulled her hoodie more tightly across her chest and was trying to suppress the urge to put her hood up and fidget with the sleeve cuffs. She'd managed to inch her way back out of the stand away from the two arguing men, and was now standing awkwardly on the other side of the counter. Finally, the two seemed to remember her and they both turned to face her.
"I'm sorry," Trevor finally said, suddenly looking flustered. "I mean, thank you. I mean—" he was trailing off, and Sabbath knew he really didn't know what to say.
"It's fine. Um, you're welcome? But uh, I think I'm just gonna go now." Sabbath didn't know what else to say. She almost wished she'd stayed at school. If only at least one of the Titans was there with her. Anyone. She hated being the center of attention like this, and figured a quick exit would be the safest.
"No, wait, please," he said, pushing past Patrick to where she stood outside the concession stand. "You're Jane, right? The new Titan? Let us repay you somehow."
"It's fine, really you don't have to. Besides, I think I missed that movie you mentioned. It's probably past the start time by now. I'll just get going..."
"Even though it's our biggest movie, it's totally dead this early in the day. No one bought tickets to it, so I can just start it whenever. C'mon, please," he continued, seeing the uncertainty on her face. "Let me do this for you."
Sabbath studied the man's face more closely then. She couldn't figure out why he was trying so hard to make it up to her. His warm eyes looked genuine, and nothing about him seemed untrustworthy. She felt her resolve deteriorating. After all, she did have a few more hours to kill.
"And Patrick here," the man continued, sharply nudging the redhead as he said his name, "will get you whatever you want from the menu. On the house, of course."
"Except maybe popcorn," Patrick said in a dull, serious tone as he glanced at the blackened contents of the kettle. "Unless you want to wait, like, five minutes…"
The manager looked like he could've killed his co-worker just then, but Sabbath redirected his attention. "I guess it couldn't hurt…and if the movie's really as good as you say, how could I say no?"
"Cool!" the manager said, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "Five minutes 'till showtime!" he added gleefully as he headed towards the long hallway of auditoriums.
The lobby seemed so empty without the manager's presence, Sabbath thought. She turned to face the redhead, who still stood behind the concession stand, and offered a weak smile. He seemed unfazed, and nowhere near as enthusiastic as the other man. "Welcome to Jump City Cinema, where movie magic comes to life," he said flatly. "What can I get for you today?"
Sabbath cracked a smile at how relentlessly monotone he was. She suddenly realized how much he reminded her of Raven, despite their contrasting appearances. She decided to counter his flat tone with excessive cheer and enthusiasm, as she knew Starfire sometimes did with her gloomy teammate. And, like Starfire, Sabbath's happiness was genuine. It had been ages since she'd done something as normal as go to the movies, and even though she was alone she found herself regressing into that child-like giddiness that most people feel at the movies.
Suddenly, it seemed like just yesterday she and Dawn had been celebrating their twelfth birthday at a movie theater in the heart of Boston. The Collins had bought the girls tickets to their first PG-13 movie, some romantic comedy, and were letting them see it on their own while the Collins saw a far more boring film in an auditorium further down the hall. The twins had been buzzing with excitement all week. There was only one rule when they went to the movies, and as always Mr. Collins had reminded them of it once again before they parted ways at the concession stand. 'Remember girls,' he had said, handing each of them a five dollar bill. 'Soda or candy, not both. You'll rot your teeth.'
'We promise!' the girls had chimed in unison, their money clutched tightly in their excited fists.
'Alright then,' Mrs. Collins had replied. 'We'll see you after the movie. Have fun!'
The girls waited until their parents had disappeared into an auditorium before putting their usual plan into action. Dawn approached the counter first, ordering a soda large enough to share, and an even bigger popcorn. Next, Sabbath would order separately, purchasing whatever candies they had agreed on earlier, and a cup of water. Once in their auditorium they would divvy up their goods, feeling immensely proud of themselves for having outsmarted their parents.
The girls' excitement about the movie turned out to be well deserved. Romantic comedies were usually not something the Collins watched as a family, and the girls had never been allowed to watch a PG-13 movie before. As expected, scandalous amounts of kissing and hand-holding were portrayed on screen. The traditional meet-cute and overused clichés were, of course, adorable and perfect in the minds of the twelve-year-olds. Sabbath had become so entrenched in the lives of the characters, however, that she didn't notice what was happening until her sister elbowed her in the ribs.
'Sab! How are you doing that?' her sister had hissed in her ear.
Unable to ignore her sister for long, Sabbath eventually managed to tear her eyes away from the dramatic-proclamation-of-love scene long enough to say, "What are you talking about? I'm not doing anyth-!" but then she saw it. Following her sister's curious gaze to the water cup that was now clutched in her hands, Sabbath noticed small globules of water floating up out of its straw. They gave off a weak blue glow, and a similar light seemed to be emanating from her hands. Mesmerized, Sabbath reached out a tentative finger to touch one of the blobs, but as soon as she made contact it burst like a bubble. Suddenly, the others followed its lead, showering the girls in a spray of tiny water droplets. The blue light was gone as well, but Sabbath's gaze remained locked on the space above the cup.
'Ugh, you got water everywhere! How did you do that?' Dawn asked again.
'I dunno,' Sabbath whispered back, the cogs of her brain turning. 'Let me see if I can do it again! Maybe if I-'
'Maybe you shouldn't,' Dawn said, cutting her off. Her tone turned more serious when she continued, 'You're gonna get us in trouble! Sab. Sabby! Are you listening? Hello-!'
"HELLO," the rude redhead behind the concession stand called out. "Earth to the weird girl! I said. What. Can. I. Get. You?"
Sabbath flinched in surprise. She'd been so deep in thought that she'd forgotten she was still supposed to order something before going in to this complimentary movie she hadn't been able to talk her way out of. The redheaded boy, Patrick, looked less than amused at having to repeat himself.
"Oh, uh, sorry. Just gummy bears and a water," she said at last, her usual order springing right back to her as if no time had passed. Then, feeling the need to amend it she added, "Just one bag of bears, though."
"Yeah, I figured…" Patrick said, looking at her as if she were mentally slow before turning away to prepare her order.
'That's right,' Sabbath thought. 'It's just me now.'
Trying not to let her mood plummet too far with that realization, Sabbath hurriedly collected her purchase and made her way into the empty auditorium. Picking a spot near the back, she dropped down into a seat and stared at the screen. The opening credits were already starting to play, but still she found her mind wandering. She and Dawn had fought after that movie. Sabbath had been upset about missing the movie's ending, Dawn had been upset about her sister using her powers in public. It hadn't been the happiest of birthdays, but compared to the one that followed where their family had been ripped apart forever, it seemed trivial now. Sabbath tried to remember how they resolved that particular argument, but came up blank. 'I wonder if I ever even tried to apologize?'
It bothered Sabbath that she couldn't remember. Even though the only thing more insignificant than a petty argument is its resolution, looking back on it she realized that was their last opportunity to have a genuinely happy birthday. And there was a chance she had ruined it.
The movie was now underway, and as the theater manager had said, she was indeed the only person there to watch it. But her mood was sour and murky once again, and her mind a hundred miles away, so she paid no attention to it. She tried to focus on the screen instead of the scraps of memories playing out in her mind, but the movie's acting was terrible and the characters seemed annoying. Sabbath eventually fell asleep out of boredom, only to be rudely awoken by a familiar voice.
"HELLO. Hey! Just because you get free stuff from us doesn't mean you can sleep here."
Sabbath rubbed her eyes, which were now itchy and overly sensitive to light, and saw the surly concessionist Patrick standing over her.
"C'mon," he continued, gesturing with the broom in his hand towards the hallway. "The next movie starts in here in ten minutes, and there are actually people here this time. You have to go."
"Alright alright, jeez," Sabbath muttered, standing up and turning to exit the auditorium. She hurriedly picked up her water cup and gummy bears and ducked past the angry redhead. 'What's his problem?'
He didn't reply, but he released a heavy sigh as she passed him.
Sabbath wanted to let it go, to ignore his foul attitude, but she couldn't. She turned around in the auditorium doorway to face him and said, "I'm sorry I fell asleep during your crappy movie! And by the way, you're welcome for earlier! Or maybe I shouldn't have helped you out at all?"
For a moment, she thought he was going to ignore her. She watched his shoulders tense before he dropped his broom and whipped around to face her. "You're right, I should be thanking you for getting me in trouble at work; thank you so much! That's what you want, right? For everyone to bow down and say they owe you their lives for all you've done. But see that's just the problem with you people, you always do things without stopping to think if anyone actually wants you to. Plus how do I know you didn't start that fire by accident and then make a big show of putting it out just to save your own ass? Or maybe you did it on purpose for the attention? There's no way the popcorn would've caught fire that quickly on its own. But even if it did, we could've handled it. It's not like it hasn't happened before. You 'heroes' aren't as necessary as you think. So just…take it somewhere else."
Sabbath stood in silence, mouth slightly agape with shock. She hadn't expected him to let loose like that. Before she could come up with a response, a voice crackled over the walkie-talkie clipped to the man's waist, "Hey Patrick, is auditorium 5 clean yet?"
Plucking the device from his belt loop, he muttered a response into it. "Not yet," he said. He kept his eyes on Sabbath the whole time, as if he were daring her to make a move.
'He's not even close to worth it,' Sabbath eventually decided. She turned to leave once again, only pausing to hurl her mostly-empty water cup in the trash with as much force as she could muster. She'd never gotten to the gummy bears, but by now she couldn't bring herself to eat them. Instead, she tucked them into her hoodie pocket for later.
She had made it most of the way across the lobby and was almost to the front doors when the manager spotted her. He called out, waving cheerfully to get her attention from where he stood behind the concession stand. Sabbath gritted her teeth, but as much as she wanted to be free of the whole place, she couldn't bring herself to take out her frustrations on the one person who'd been nice to her. She mustered a smile in response and made her way over to where he stood. She noticed fresh popcorn was popping in the machine behind him, all signs of the earlier incident completely erased.
"Hey, how was the movie?" he asked with a smile.
"Uhm, it was ok…?" Sabbath replied, not wanting to offend him somehow. "I don't know, maybe it's not really my thing, or maybe I just didn't get it."
"That bad, huh?"
"I mean…it wasn't spectacular."
"Yeah, to be honest it's more popular with the younger teens who haven't seen too many romantic comedies yet. But it sounds like you've picked up on the fact that they're all pretty much the same."
"Yeah, I guess so..." Sabbath trailed off, not exactly sure where to take the conversation, but desperately wanting it to be over.
"Unfortunately we just haven't had anything good come out in a while. It's just not the right time of year for blockbusters, y'know? Anyway…I wanted to apologize for Patrick earlier. He probably came across as less-than-grateful, and I wouldn't be surprised if he gave you attitude when I wasn't around."
His words reminded her of Patrick's earlier accusations, and she felt the need to defend herself. "Well, I don't expect people to thank me for anything, and it's not like I feel people owe me something, but he did say-"
"It's just, he's going through a lot of stuff right now," the manager continued. He looked away from her then, and ran an agitated hand through his already tousled hair. "His little sister just started her first week as a firefighter. She graduated from the fire academy at the end of the summer, and now she's out there and he's worried about her. He won't talk about it much, but I've known him a long time, his family and mine go way back. He loves his sister, and I guess he feels like if she can't be a hero after all the training she's gone through, then who else possibly can? I know it's a lame excuse, but I just thought you should know." He turned back to face her then, and added, "People's emotions don't just come out of nowhere. There's a reason for the way they act. But if you can understand that reason, it makes it a lot easier to tolerate their behavior, y'know?"
Sabbath stared at the man standing in front of her. His speech had definitely taken her by surprise, and his message was surprisingly deep, and not at all what she had been expecting. She didn't know how to respond.
Luckily for the both of them, the radio clipped to the manager's waist crackled to life with an agitated Patrick saying, "Trevor, man, someone spilled like 3 large drinks in auditorium 12…"
A pained look flashed across the manager's face, but he covered it with what Sabbath was sure was a well-rehearsed smile. "Well, guess that's all the wisdom we have time for today. I hope your day hasn't totally sucked, and with that, I take my leave," he said, taking a dramatic, low-sweeping bow.
Sabbath didn't have time to respond before the man turned around and hurried off down the hall of auditoriums, but she was surprised to find herself almost laughing. The man's wisdom had surprised her, but then his over-the-top personality had made him seem more down to earth. He almost reminded her of a certain shapeshifter.
Sabbath pulled up her hood to block out the sun as she stepped out into the glaring afternoon light. She figured school had to be almost over by now. Soon the Titans would be getting ready to head out to the dance along with the rest of the students. Sabbath looked absently into the shop windows as she passed them by, and saw constant reminders of the night's coming festivities. A florist…a barber shop...a tailor. Everywhere she looked, Sabbath saw people getting ready for the dance; girls and their mothers were getting their nails done, boys and their fathers were picking up tuxedos and corsages. Window posters advertised specials on haircuts and fittings just for the event.
Sabbath began to realize how much of a communal event the homecoming dance was. Even if it was only held for the high school students, their parents were involved in the preparations, and the townsfolk did their part as well. She started to feel left out, as she had no family to share the momentous occasion with, and she didn't feel particularly connected to the town either. She wanted to be, though. She wanted to feel that sense of connection, that sense of belonging. Sabbath began to wonder if she should attend the dance, if only to help solidify her connection to the city and its people. 'Gotta start somewhere, I guess. And besides, even if it's not what I expect, at least the Titans will be there. I won't be alone, no matter what.'
Her heart full of conviction, Sabbath returned to the Tower as quickly as she could. She had hoped they would be there when she got there, maybe she and Starfire could go to the salon together? 'Or maybe you and Beast Boy could pick out a corsage together?' her cruel heart taunted. 'No, don't be stupid. We're just friends,' she scolded herself. She ordered herself to be realistic as she eagerly entered the Tower, only to find it empty.
Sabbath felt her heart deflating as she searched the usual hangout areas of the Tower. There was nobody in the main room, nobody in the garage, nobody on the roof or in the gym. In a last-ditch effort, Sabbath even tapped on a few bedroom doors, only to receive no response. Glancing at the time on her communicator, Sabbath figured they must all be out getting ready as they were always home well before now.
'Well…maybe I'll just have to meet up with them at the dance?' She was determined to not let such a normal rite of passage like the Homecoming Dance pass her by, but if she was being honest with herself, Sabbath was beginning to feel doubtful and discouraged. 'Maybe…they don't want me to go with them afterall? I haven't exactly had the best attitude about it,' she admitted to herself. 'Maybe they think I'd just bring them down.'
Sabbath walked down the hall towards her room, unsure of what her next move should be. She turned the final corner, and almost flew out of her skin when she bumped into a pale, shadowy figure.
"Raven!" she cried, jumping back out of the other girl's path. "Sheesh, make some noise or something next time. I forgot you were here!"
The pale girl said nothing, she merely pressed the back of her fingers to her forehead, grimacing in pain.
'That's right, Robin said she was sick,' she recalled. Sabbath looked more closely at her, and could clearly see the signs. Her cloak seemed to be swallowing her up, and her face looked thin and wan. Her hood sagged around her shoulders, and her short hair was mussed as if from a restless sleep. Down the hall behind her, the bathroom door slid closed with a whisper. After a moment of silence, Sabbath added, "You don't look so good. Um…do you need anything?"
Raven squinted her eyes open briefly, before dismissing the question with a weak wave of her hand. She then pushed off the wall she'd been leaning against and shuffled off down the hall. Sabbath felt the air stir slightly as the girl passed, and it somehow felt colder than the rest of the Tower.
Sabbath felt uneasy. She'd never seen Raven look so…fragile. Unsure what to do, she stood and watched her continue down the hall, thinking at least if the girl collapsed she'd be there to do something. Sabbath thought she was heading to the kitchen for her usual afternoon tea, but instead she passed by the main room entirely in favor of her bedroom.
The door slid shut behind her, and once again the hallway was silent. Sabbath worried for her teammate, but wasn't sure how she could be of any help. 'I don't even know what's wrong with her,' Sabbath thought, continuing towards her own room. 'Didn't Robin say it was a psychic thing? If that's the case, am I making it worse by being in the Tower? She didn't exactly look like she wanted company…'
Sabbath opened the door to her room, only to find another surprise waiting for her. Laid out on her bed was a long purple dress and matching heels. Next to that, on top of what looked like long, folded gloves and a sash, was a note that read:
'Hello Friend,
In case you have a changing of the mind about tonight, I would like for you to have this. I hope you will enjoy this garment well. It is something which I have worn to a previous, similar occasion. It was sent to me by my family on Tamaran as a gift long ago, and is most beautiful. I have shortened the length to accommodate for your smaller body, and it should fit quite comfortably, as long as you are not the allergic to xorr h'leck.
Please join us tonight. We all look very much forward to your joyous companionship.
Your Friend,
~Starfire~'
Sabbath smiled at the note. Aside from the bizarre allergy warning and the almost-jab at her height, it was very touching. Setting the note aside, she began to investigate the dress. The light purple fabric seemed to glitter when the light hit it just right, but it was somehow as soft as silk to the touch. Holding it up to her body, it fell almost to the floor. The matching shoes would just barely show beneath the hem, which did indeed look to have been altered. She imagined that, had it fit Starfire in a similar fashion, Sabbath would be swimming in its excessive length. Turning the dress over, she saw that the back dipped lower than she'd have preferred. She wasn't sure if this was how the dress originally came, or if this was another well-intended alteration the alien girl had made. As it was now, Sabbath's wings would be free, but so would the straps of her bra, and she wasn't sure which made her blush more. 'Maybe that's what the sash is for?'
Setting the dress back down, she picked up the long white gloves. They appeared to go almost up to her shoulders, but her primary concern was whether they would be able to hide the dark marks on her forearms. Curious, Sabbath shrugged off her hoodie, plucked a tissue from the box on her nightstand, and wiped away the heavy makeup from her arm. She studied the mark there for a moment, the massive handprint that wrapped around her forearm, looking like it had been burned into some sub-layer of her skin. It seemed to sting the more she looked at it. Shaking her head to clear any murky thoughts, she quickly pulled on the glove. The fingers were a bit long, but not enough to look noticeable. As expected, the silky fabric stretched almost entirely up her arm. However, in spite of its pristine white color, it managed to perfectly conceal the smudgy, black marks beneath. Sabbath smiled; whatever alien fabric this was all made out of, it was magical.
Outside her window the wind picked up, hurling fat, heavy raindrops against the glass; the first of many, from the sounds of things. Sabbath looked outside and saw that roiling, dark clouds were quickly moving in across the city, and the wind was beginning to agitate the tide. 'I should probably head out soon, before things get any worse.'
Pushing aside any and all doubt, Sabbath packed up the outfit Starfire had provided, thinking it best to change at the school. She twisted her long, dark hair up into a bun, leaving just a couple rebellious curls hanging down, and pulled on her hoodie. The idea of changing clothes at the school felt strange, but she felt that the storm currently brewing outside justified it. Besides, the idea of trying to fly in such a dress was out of the question.
Heading out of her room, Sabbath couldn't help but to glance down the dark hallway towards Raven's room. Sabbath hadn't heard the girl come back out after running into her, and once again she began to worry about the empath. She also felt a bit guilty about going out to a dance while the girl was left sick and alone in the Tower.
Suddenly, inspired by Starfire's thoughtfulness, she had an idea. Grabbing a couple things from her room, she headed into the kitchen. She retrieved the empath's usual mug from the cabinet, and filled it with water. Then, after a minute or two of rummaging, she found the box of herbal tea and placed one of the teabags in the mug of water. The tea itself had a strange, almost musty smell, with hints of floral scents. Sabbath didn't find it appealing, but she recognized the color and logo on the teabag's tab as the one Raven drank the most. Finally, she pulled a folded dinner tray from its hiding place between the fridge and the counter, and headed back out into the hall.
Once outside Raven's door, Sabbath unfolded the tray as quietly as possible, and set the mug down on it. Then, she pulled a small crystal out of her pocket. It was perfectly clear and had a point on one end, and was about half the size of her palm. She'd picked up a few in town earlier that week to replace the ones Raven had meant to give her, but that she'd accidentally blown up. Sabbath closed her fist around the crystal, and closed her eyes briefly in concentration. In a matter of seconds, the crystal was radiating a bright orange glow, and was fairly hot to the touch. Then, Sabbath dropped the crystal into the mug and watched it sink. Tiny bubbles clung to its glassy surface, and it hit the bottom of the mug with a barely audible 'clink'. After a moment the water began to steam, filing the hall with herbal scents and refracting the light from the crystal so that it cast strange shadows on the tray and walls. Sabbath didn't know when Raven would venture out of her room again, but she figured the crystal would keep the tea nice and hot until then. Lastly, she retrieved the untouched bag of movie theater gummy bears from her pocket and placed them on the tray beside the steaming mug. Then, she stuck a hasty note in front of the bag, reading:
'These always make me feel better.
–J'
Satisfied, Sabbath hurried out of the Tower, and headed back into town. The wind was really picking up, and the sky seemed to be darkening by the minute. Sabbath felt a chill in the air and found herself hugging her sweatshirt around her for warmth as she traversed the familiar route to the school. Raindrops dotted the concrete, but Sabbath didn't bother using her powers to deflect them since they were so few and far between, and deflecting the chilling gusts was useless since the wind somehow seemed to be coming from all directions. All she could do was just keep her head down and get to the school as fast as possible. She knew that, since she was on foot, the majority of the students would already be there by the time she arrived. And the dance would most likely already be well underway. The Titans would definitely be there, though, and the thought of them waiting for her propelled her through the growing storm.