In the story, it was the next morning, and Srimaya soon woke up, confused and looked around, feeling a bit startled. "Huh?! Wh-Wh-Where am I? Who's there?" she then demanded.
"Hey!" Cherry called as she came in. "Relax, Srimaya..."
"You?" Srimaya asked.
"Yes, me," Cherry replied. "Just relax yourself a little. You're going to be just fine over here."
"Aye," Lionel agreed. "No need to worry, for you are among friends."
"Oh... Cool..." Srimaya said. "I'll try not to be too long. I should get back home to my mother and brother."
"Yes, you can," Mo allowed. "But probably after breakfast."
"...I guess I could eat a little bit of something." Srimaya said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, get comfortable," Cherry nodded. "Plus maybe you can meet some friends of ours if they're around. They tend to have a lot of work most of the time."
Srimaya smiled before she sat down to breakfast with The Toon Force before they would leave to take their newest friend back home.
"Okay, I'm taking requests!" Lionel called. "What's everybody want?"
"Fried eggs and toast with bacon if you have it!" Cherry called.
"Ham, bacon, and pork chop omelette!" Thor added.
"Steak and eggs!" Atticus piped up.
"Vegetarian omelette!" Mo added.
"Kanine Krunchies just like Thunderbolt on TV!" Patch beamed.
"Uh... Surprise me." Srimaya shrugged bashfully.
"Okay then!" Lionel declared as he got started on cooking.
The others smiled and waited for their breakfast.
"This is where the Teen Titans live?" Srimaya asked as she looked around. "I've heard about them."
"Well, when you're a member of the superhero team, you come to meet interesting characters," Cherry replied. "I even heard of one city that has superhero brothers that got powers from a rainbow comet. They had a sister once too, but the more they fought evil, the more she liked it: the evil and not the fighting."
"Figures; those who fight monsters had best be careful not to become said monsters." Lionel nodded.
"Sounds like pretty good advice," Srimaya said. "I just hope that this whole movie thing is worth it in the end."
"I'm sure it will be," Atticus replied. "You want us to walk you back home?" he then asked.
"Sure," Srimaya smiled. "It'll be good to be back home to take a little break."
"Yeah. I mean, it's not like you're gonna have to move away as soon as you go home or something." Atticus said.
"He really didn't say that, did he?" Mal asked.
"Atticus had a bad habit of speaking like that even if we tell him hundreds and hundreds of times to not to." Cherry rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, it's like smackin' his head didn't work!" Lionel added. "He ain't genre-savvy."
After breakfast, the group began to leave the Teen Titans' Tower.
"You'll probably meet these guys again in the future." Cherry advised Srimaya.
"If I even have a future." Srimaya muttered to herself.
And at that, they soon left, and Srimaya began to lead them back over to her house to meet her mother and brother who was named Umbra.
Darla was shown to be in the alley again with Danny and Sawyer as she smiled and pet them. She then saw the Toon Force and waved at them. The group looked back at her and soon waved back at her.
"Doesn't that kid have school?" Cherry asked herself.
"Maybe? We dunno." Lionel shrugged from her shoulder.
They soon continued before they came up to a peaceful-looking home. However, as soon as they came up, they found a sign that said "HOUSE FOR SALE". Srimaya then came over to the front door, taking her new friends with her.
"The two suspects brought to the precinct for interrogation where they were charged for robbery and aggravated assault," The reporter said on TV. "By all accounts, this means that the masked woman known as Valentine is back in action while the Teen Titans visit Tokyo against a force known as Brushogun. According to witnesses, Valentine was sighted chasing the criminals in this area."
Srimaya then decided to turn off the TV.
"Well, at least it's a good reputation." Atticus said to the others.
"Tokyo, eh?" Lionel replied. "Wish we could've gotten to see THAT!"
"Excuse me, I suddenly have to go somewhere." Srimaya told her friends before storming off suddenly.
The others looked concerned and soon followed after their new friend who was in distress. Srimaya's mother was shown to be collecting books off of the shelves in a different room.
"You're really planning to sell our house?" Srimaya demanded firmly.
Srimaya's mother looked over at her daughter, looking a bit soft. "Where have you been? Is Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe open all night now?" she then demanded in return.
"Easy, Mom. Let me talk to her." Umbra spoke up as he came into the room.
Srimaya then stormed off away from her mother and brother, looking very unhappy with her family right now.
"You just had to jinx it, didn't you?" Lionel hissed, whacking Atticus in the back of the head. "Every damn time!"
"Okay, I won't say that again." Atticus replied.
"You know what? Whatever, Atticus," Cherry sighed and rolled her eyes. "Do whatever you want."
"I don't mean to mess things up." Atticus said.
"Yeah, but you act like a real dumbo for someone who's supposed to be the smart guy detective of the group." Thor retorted, showing a rare sign of anger.
"Excuse me, I'm gonna go talk to my sister." Umbra said to the group around him.
"Well, okay." Mo replied, backing up.
Umbra nodded, then went after Srimaya.
The others looked together, though they decided to listen in, just to see what would be going on between the siblings.
"Sri," Umbra spoke as he approached his sister as she ran into the front yard, but then suddenly stopped where she was going once she heard her brother call for her. "You understand, there are a lot of bad memories in this house for all of us, right?" he then prompted.
Atticus then suddenly had his vision power which allowed him to see the siblings' flashbacks while the others just looked at him funny.
"Dad died here. I still have nightmares about it. Every night," Umbra then told Srimaya who looked like she was breathing heavily and trying very hard not to cry before he put his hand on his sister's shoulder. "Listen. Maybe by selling this house, we'll all get a chance to start over."
Srimaya then shifted and got off of his grip as she glared at him sadly. "If we really sell this house, we won't just lose the bad memories, we'll lose all of them!" she then retorted before storming off suddenly.
"Talk about harsh..." Patch shook his head sadly.
"Tension is beyond rising," Lionel added. "And the tempers are flaring."
"There has to be some way we can save Srimaya and her family and not have to make them move away from Riverdale." Atticus spoke up.
"I quite like Srimaya," Thor added. "Plus it's nice that we can help train her to become a better and more convincing hero for Bono and Mary's movie about Valentine."
Srimaya soon grunted and aggressively tore down the HOUSE FOR SALE sign on her home and got rid of it so that no one would want to stop by and try to buy her house.
"Maybe we should go and see Bono," Atticus said to Srimaya. "I can tell that you're having a hard time."
"Gee, you think?" Srimaya grumbled.
Atticus shrugged in response.
Soon, they did go to see Bono as there was more news spreading about Valentine.
"The true identity of the masked vigilante, known as Valentine, who has been single-handedly apprehending bands of notorious criminals all over Riverdale remains a mystery even to the Riverdale Police Department." The newswoman on TV began to say.
Bono began to smile tearfully as he took a soda from the fridge and Mary began to make a sandwich with some grapes and chips for her little sister. "I think we did it," he then said after seeing what was shown on the TV. "We have convinced them enough to believe in Valentine."
"Right." Wawan chuckled in response.
Srimaya was just sitting quietly with The Toon Force at the table until Mary set the plate down.
"So when are you gonna start the shoot?" Cherry asked Bono.
"It's... Only a matter of time," Bono replied slyly. "Speaking of which, um... Give me a second." he then said before suddenly walking away.
"That's weird. Why is he walking away?" Patch wondered to himself.
"It's a scam, I just know it." Cherry glared a bit as she crossed her arms.
"Well, let's at least see for ourselves before we immediately decide it's a scam, you know?" asked Lionel.
"Oh, all right," Cherry replied. "At least Bono isn't as scummy as I thought he would be when I first met him."
"Believe me, I know that story all too well." Mary remarked.
"You two are pretty close, huh?" Atticus asked.
"Oh, yes," Mary replied. "Bono has been very helpful for me and my sister for a very long time now."
"Well, that's good to know." Atticus then said.
"Just wait~" Wawan told them eagerly.
Bono soon rolled over with a crate. "Here we go," he then told Srimaya and the group, though mostly her. "I got you some new gadgets!" he then told the girl as he opened up the crate to show various and assorted black-colored items.
"Impressive," replied Mo. "Can't help but wonder what they do."
"That's what testing is for." Lionel nodded.
"Exactly!" Wawan nodded before he took the mask and tried it on. "Now thanks to technology, you'd just stick it to your face like this."
Srimaya just gave him a look.
"I'm telling you, girl, these gadgets will change your life." Wawan then added.
"These aren't gadgets. They're tools." Srimaya retorted.
"Are you on your period?" Wawan then asked.
"WHAT?!" Cherry and Mo snapped before looking like they were going to attack him only for Atticus and Thor to step in to stop them from rampaging.
"I thought it was time to celebrate because of how far you've come." Bono softly told Srimaya.
"I just wanna start shooting already," Srimaya defended. "Then we can celebrate."
"I think... I think I'm gonna rest." Bono said suddenly before he decided to walk off.
"...That could've gotten uglier than it was about to..." Lionel winced.
"Tell me about it." Mary agreed before the front door opened and closed.
Darla was soon wandering inside.
"Darla, did you go out again?" Mary asked her sister a bit firmly. "You can't go out on your own. You know that."
"I just wanted to go outside for a minute." Darla shrugged.
"Is she always on her own?" Atticus asked out of concern.
"She shouldn't be," Mary replied. "I'm supposed to keep an eye on her while I do work with Bono most of the day. It happens to take up a lot of my free time, especially in the deal we made."
"I guess she's trying to make her own fun since she's bored," Lionel shrugged. "I've done it before."
"Yeah, I was just having some fun." Darla added.
"It's dangerous in the city by yourself, Darla," Mary warned before sighing. "People could take you away and they could even hurt you if you aren't too careful."
"She's right," Thor replied. "Which is why we should keep an eye on you."
"But what about Srimaya?" asked Lionel. "She's gonna end up moving away!"
"One problem at a time." Atticus advised.
"It won't be easy," Cherry told him. "Srimaya's our friend and we should also look after Darla for Mary over here."
"Oh... You don't have to," Mary replied. "I've been looking after Darla her whole life."
"Which is exactly why we have to help you," Thor insisted. "You're a good sister though. Very grown-up."
"Growing up is hard to do," Mary sighed sharply before nodding. "I do my best though. Then again, sometimes I feel lucky because some people stay kids forever and I imagine that would feel pretty exhausting."
"Yeah," Lionel shrugged. "When you're a kid, nobody takes you seriously or listens to ya."
"Believe me, I felt that way a lot when I was very young," Mary replied. "Then once I became an older sister, I thought I'd seem more grown-up... Then it worked a little too well in looking after my little sister."
"Why don't you ask your parents for help?" Atticus suggested.
Mary looked soft and distant.
"I told ya," Darla piped up, oblivious to her sister's reaction. "Mom and Dad are gone, but they'll be back soon. I just know it. Then we can all have fun and be a family again, especially in time for Christmas."
"Sometimes, you are so dense," Lionel remarked, hitting Atticus in the head. "Don't you think if they would help, they'd have done it sooner, ya idjit?"
"I'm just trying to stay positive," Atticus firmly frowned. "I guess we should go now."
"That might be best," Mary replied. "We'll call you again if anything comes up."
"We'll keep in touch, Mary," Cherry told the older blonde girl. "You and Darla stay out of trouble."
"We'll definitely try." Mary remarked before waving at them as Darla began to wash her hands before she would eat the food left for her.
"Look at that boy," Wawan tutted Srimaya about Bono. "Did you see that? You hurt his feelings."
"I'm tired of waiting." Srimaya replied.
"Yeah, I am too about this movie biz." Cherry added, though she had a feeling that there was going to be no movie after all.
"And you think I'm not? Wawan retorted. "But waiting's our only option. You just have to be patient for a little bit longer," he then added. "Once you're a big movie star, you can complain all you want, but Bono has done nothing but tried to help you. That poor man.."
Srimaya began to look a bit thoughtful as Bono went off to bed while Darla ate up and Mary looked like she was trying very hard to pull herself together in front of her younger sister.
"Guys, maybe I should say something." Srimaya then said to her new friends.
"Yeah?" Mo asked. "Then go for it."
Srimaya nodded and soon decided to go and see Bono.
"We should probably head home ourselves," Atticus suggested. "We have school tomorrow."
"I wanna go to school." Darla smiled innocently.
"Enjoy it when you have the chance," Cherry rolled her eyes. "It'll eat you alive in later years if you aren't too careful."
"You just gotta stand tall and not let anyone get you down," Lionel replied. "After all, the punks who made fun of you at one point might be coming to you, begging for a job one day!"
"Hmph..." Darla narrowed her eyes and nodded as she squeezed her hands together. "I can do that. Or at least try."
"Love that spunk, kid," Cherry replied. "Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones."
"...Okay, let's go." Srimaya said as she came back, walking rather quickly, but not exactly running.
"You okay, Sri?" Atticus asked. "That was pretty quick."
"I'm not sure if I can talk about it," Srimaya replied. "We better go."
"Um, okay?" Atticus shrugged.
The group then suddenly decided to leave. Bliss watched the group before narrowing her violet eyes and soon came to see a certain someone.
"So, you're sure that that group of friends in your new school are up to something?" A male voice asked Bliss from the shadows.
"Yes... They're not falling for my irresistible charms," Bliss began to explain. "People eat my tragic backstory up of being unstable and unable to control myself due to my emotions and being sent away from 'my parents' for 10 years on a discrete location. Their reputation is just too great."
"I see..." The mysterious voice replied. "Well, just wait very soon. Soon, the reputation of this Dark Avenger Valentine and Toon Force's reputation will be ruined rather quickly. People tend to believe just about anything they see posted about celebrities on the internet like that big news story of the heiress named London of Tipton Hotels in Boston finding love in the heir to the Rich fortune born to Richard Rich Sr. and Madame Regina Rich."
"...Right." Bliss nodded.
"Just leave it to the internet, my dear Blisstina," The mysterious voice replied. "Soon The Toon Force will fall because of Silico, and Valentine will also fall prey into Shadow and they will all be swallowed by a dark harvest that not even The Justice League or those Punypuff Girls Z can help them out of this time." And now, Silico's plan was about to be put into action.
THE NEXT DAY...
Channel 11 news played in the background as Selina cleared the table after Cherry and Lionel finished breakfast and began to get ready for school.
"Many look down on Valentine's vigilante methods of crime-fighting, but her actions have succeeded in reducing public fears surrounding the infamous crime lord, Shadow and his subordinates," Selly began to report on TV. "Still, even to this day, police and civilians alike are left to wonder, who is this masked young heroine?"
Cherry and Lionel hid smirks at each other as they knew something that the other people in town didn't know.
"In other news from The Riverdale Muck Bucket: 'Penguin Pete's Started Global Warming To Sell More Ice Cream'," Selly then added. "Find out more after the break."
"Well, Valentine is totally taking the world by storm," Lionel smiled. "Too bad she's gonna be moving."
"Yeah," Cherry said. "I'm not sure how, Lionel, but maybe we should help out and maybe talk things out with her mother and brother, even if it's kind of none of our business."
"Well, she is our friend, so we ought to help her out." Lionel agreed.
"We can't meddle too much though," Cherry then reminded him. "Otherwise, we just might be seen as meddling busybodies."
"Don't need to tell me twice." Lionel agreed.
"Have a good day at school." Selina told the two.
"Thank you." Cherry and Lionel replied as they left the apartment, petting Isis on the way out, then came to get going to school.
"Ever since Valentine started her first one-woman war on crime, civilians all over town have reported feeling safer in Riverdale," Lois Lane said while being filmed. "Can you tell me how you feel about Valentine?"
"Well, the police certainly aren't going to protect us," A woman responded. "So, it's nice to know someone will with The Justice League."
"What about you, sir?" Lois then asked the man with the woman.
"I like how she doesn't play by the rules," The man replied. "She does what the cops won't."
"Well, there you have it, folks," Lois smiled after the interview. "Back to the studio."
"Hey, guys," Cherry said, seeing fellow students hooked on their tablets as she and Lionel came over to Atticus and Mo, though Thor didn't seem to be there. "Looks like Valentine's on the right track, huh?"
"Yeah, it's pretty good," Atticus smiled. "Maybe we should make her a member of the Teen Titans or The Toon Force if she's up for it."
"Yeah. After all, who doesn't love The Toon Force?" Mo added.
"DOWN WITH THE TOON FORCE!" A random voice called out.
"...And suddenly things turned ugly," Lionel winced. "Time to camouflage and take a look."
"Do what you must." Cherry replied.
Lionel nodded, then helped her out as well as Atticus and Mo as they came around their fellow students as they looked at their tablets, hooked onto the news that was their current focus aside from the new dark avenger known as Valentine.
"Guys, check this out," Archie said as he showed his tablet to Betty and Veronica. "The Muck Bucket says that Nature Girl put an innocent puppy dog in jail!"
The picture was shown to be Nature Girl with Angel who was in a dog carrier, but the picture was made to look bad.
"No, that's a dog carrier," Mo said to herself. "I just put her in that whenever we go on vacation with Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Chuck!"
"Also a certain someone doesn't wash his hands after using the bathroom!" Veronica then said as she showed her tablet to Archie, showing a picture of Saiyaman not washing his hands after using the bathroom.
"Also it looks like Batman's little friends Lady Gothika and Bat-Mite are actually afraid of the dark and need night lights," Betty scoffed. "Some creatures of the night!"
"You guys can't tell me people actually believed those stories." Mal scoffed as she crossed her arms.
"People tend to believe anything they read on the internet," Cherry replied. "Your generation probably knows that better than anyone else's like getting a bunch of likes on your selfies is super important next to changing your relationship status on social media."
"True," Lionel added. "People are kinda stupid like that, past and present. And sadly, this was no exception."
"Like when Scarlet posts juicy gossip in the school paper..." Mal rolled her eyes.
"She's friends with Audrey. What else would you expect?" Evie shrugged.
"So what happened in school?" Jay asked.
"Well, slander was painful and very hard to ignore, but we tried to stay strong, but we also wondered who could be behind this mess." Cherry replied.
"It was pretty hard to focus," Lionel nodded. "Especially with our names being dragged through the mud."