"Firestorm"
Teen Titans/Batman: The Animated Series
By Amos Whirly

Chapter Seven: A Family Man

Beast Boy chattered incessantly. After the Titans had disbanded, he had wandered the Earth for a while, searching for his purpose. He had tried the superhero business, going it alone, but on his own, he had found himself to be ineffective as a crime deterrent. Eventually he had come to Africa, hearing about a game warden position in Benin. On seeing how the animals reacted to him, the government of Benin snatched him up and deposited him on wildlife preserve – in spite of his strange appearance. He had been there ever since.

"I thought I'd never see you guys again," he grinned and hugged Starfire around the waist again. "Either of you!"

"It is a most joyous occasion indeed," Starfire agreed, hugging him in return.

"So what's with the new threads, Robin?"

Nightwing glared over his shoulder at him.

"Nightwing," Beast Boy corrected nervously.

"Like I told Star," Nightwing turned back to the path. "I grew up."

"That's too bad," Beast Boy sighed. "Growing up sucks." As they approached the jet parked on the outskirts of Contonou, he glanced up at Nightwing, "Is that yours?"

Nightwing did not answer but climbed into the cockpit.

"Dude, you're, like, double parked," Beast Boy shouted. "Get it? Double parked?"

Nightwing did not answer. Starfire looked confused.

"Double parked?" Beast Boy threw his hands in the air. "We're on a savannah? You can't double park on a savannah?"

Nightwing did not answer. Starfire still looked confused.

"Forget it."

He smirked, and his wiry form suddenly transmuted into a giraffe. The four-legged, long necked creature with big dark brown blotches on its cream-colored skin peered into the cockpit, making sure to breathe hot breath down his Nightwing's neck.

"Do you mind?" Nightwing glared at his old friend.

The giraffe smiled impossibly and focused on the control panel, ignoring him.

Starfire flew up and hovered at the other side of the cockpit. "Has there been word from Mr. Batman?"

"Yeah," Nightwing answered, punching a few buttons on the control panel. "Looks like they tracked Cyborg down."

"Cyborg!" Beast Boy yelped, the giraffe form changing back into humanoid form. "They found him? We're going to go find him? He's coming with us?"

"Yes," Nightwing responded calmly.

"All right! When do we leave?"

"Beast Boy," Starfire floated down to stand beside him, "do you not have responsibilities here that you must attend to?"

"Naw. I left Nala in charge. She'll take care of everything."

"You left a lioness to manage a game preserve?" Nightwing sounded skeptical.

"She's smarter than she looks."

"I'll bet," Nightwing sighed. "We're leaving now."

"Do I get to ride in the plane?" Beast Boy fluttered his eyes pathetically.

"Of course, friend!" Starfire picked up him and deposited him in the back seat of the jet. "I shall fly alongside. Nightwing, to where are we going?"

"Florida."

"Flor-i-da?"

"Florida," Nightwing repeated. "The Kennedy Space Center."

He sat in the dark, muttering to himself, his gloved fingers drumming a steady beat on the arm of his wingchair. He stilled, however, when a pair of metallic footfalls approached.

"Don't you have work to be doing?" Blackfire's smooth voice echoed richly in the open chamber.

"Buzz off, sweet cakes."

She floated around to the front of his chair and leaned down to gaze into his whitened face.

"We had an agreement, Joker."

He steepled his fingers and smirked at her, his teeth yellow in the dim light. "Maybe I want to change our agreement."

"Maybe I should kill you."

"Maybe you need me."

"I need you?" Blackfire leered, backing off and laughing loudly. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! Why would I need you?"

"I know Batman."

"I'm not after Batman."

"But you're after one of his kiddies," the Joker propped his feet up on a table. "It's the same thing."

Blackfire perched on the edge of the table and shoved his feet to the floor. "This isn't a difficult plan, you stupid clown. All you have to do is what I tell you."

"I didn't sign up for this."

The side of his chair suddenly exploded in a rush of violet light, showering him with cotton stuffing and fabric shreds. Blackfire hovered in front of him, her right hand pulsing with violet energy.

The Joker ground his teeth together and stood. "Whatever you want."

"That's better," Blackfire sneered. She floated closer and draped her arms around his shoulders. "I know you're giving up a lot to prove yourself to me. So how about I let you do this hit the way you want to?"

He only glared at her.

"Trust me, Joker," she purred in his ear, "this will all be worth it."

"Um," Beast Boy cleared his throat, "what is Cy doing here?"

Before them stood the expansive Kennedy Space Center with huge rocket displays and memorials.

"According to the information that Batman found," Nightwing said as the three of them perched in a large tree, "he's working as a researcher on the new ship models. From what Batman can tell, Cyborg's been essential in creating a lot of the parts for the International Space Station."

"Wow."

"How shall we get to him?" Starfire asked. "It does not seem likely that the guards will allow us entrance."

"They won't let us in, Star," Nightwing offered a mischievous smirk, "but I've a mind to think they wouldn't stop a sparrow." He cast a meaningful glance at Beast Boy.

"What?" the short green man asked. "Is there something in my teeth?"

He popped his neck as he exited the educational facility of the Kennedy Space Center. Waving absently at a few friends as he passed, Cyborg shifted his white lab coat and threaded through the crowds toward the base housing at the other end of the compound.

A strange noise suddenly sounded above him. He stopped and turned, his gaze settling on a strange looking bird perched on a power line. Its brown feathers ruffled in the breeze, and its beak opened and closed uttering strange popping noises.

"A kookaburra?" he muttered. "What's that doing here?"

He eyed the strange bird for a moment before he proceeded toward his house. He eyed the white sided structure with a sigh and stepped onto the porch. His metallic hand lighted on the doorknob.

With a flutter of earth-colored feathers, the kookaburra appeared again, perching on the porch swing and emitting all manner of strange snapping, cracking, and ticking sounds.

Cyborg glared at it with his one organic eye. Suddenly, the door opened, revealing a small black woman with long black hair.

"Hi, hon," she greeted Cyborg with a beautiful smile, which quickly faded when she saw his expression. "What's that?" She nodded at the bird.

"It's a kookaburra."

"A kookaburra? I didn't think those birds left Australia."

"They don't."

"So either it escaped from a zoo, or—"

"Or I don't know what," Cyborg approached the animal cautiously.

The bird, however, was no longer paying any attention to him and was focused totally on the woman. If Cyborg had not known better, he would have sworn the bird's jaw had dropped three inches at the sight of her.

"Cy, be careful!"

The bird turned back to look at him, and he grabbed it. In a storm of feathers and a whirlwind of shrieks, the bird struggled as Cyborg brought it into the house.

"Call animal control, Téa," he said. "Good thing birds can't be rabid."

The kookaburra squawked and rattled as it tried to escape the mechanically altered man's grasp.

With a loud bang, however, three pairs of feet came crashing down the hallway and charged into the den where Cyborg and Téa were standing.

"Mom, Dad?" the eldest of the three, a stout boy of eleven, demanded. "What's all the noise?"

"It's a bird, Petey!" the middle child, a girl of eight, laughed, climbing onto the back of the couch. "Dad, where'd you get a cool bird like that?"

"Is it a bad bird, Daddy?" the youngest, a girl of five, latched onto Cyborg's leg and hugged it close.

"You kids calm down," Cyborg nodded and frowned, noticing how the bird had suddenly stopped moving.

"Cy," Téa gasped. "Did you kill it?"

"I don't think so," Cyborg held up the bird and looked into its face. "It's still breathing."

"What's wrong with it, Dad?"

"You didn't squish it, did you?"

"Can I put it in my room?"

"Pete, you cannot have a dead bird in your room," Téa sighed heavily, walking to find the phone.

"Why not? It would freak all my friends out."

"It's not dead," Cyborg said. "I think it's just in shock."

"Can birds do that?" the middle child asked.

"Jess, why don't you pick Violet up," Cyborg nodded to the little girl wrapped around his shin.

Jess obeyed immediately, prying her little sister off of her father's leg.

"Cy!"

Cyborg went rigid and turned around. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what, Dad?" Pete asked, turning to go back to his room.

"Cy!"

Cyborg stuck his head into the kitchen. "Téa, did you call me?"

"Cy, I'm calling animal control," she scowled. "No, I didn't."

"Cy, I'm right here!" the muted voice hissed.

Cyborg turned around once more and then examined the bird again. Suddenly, the bird turned and stared him in the eyes. Its beak opened in a strange smile, and it winked at him.

"Nuh-uh," Cyborg muttered.

"Hi, Cy," the bird croaked.

"BB?"

"Yup, it's me."

"BB!!" Cyborg shouted and crushed the bird in a bone crunching hug. "Holy cow! I can't believe it's you! Téa! Téa! Get in here!"

"Cyborg," Téa groaned as she came from the kitchen, "do you want me to call—animal control—or not?" Her voice trailed off as she saw her husband hugging the bird and dancing around the room. "What's gotten into you?"

"This isn't an animal!" Cyborg held the half-crushed kookaburra up by one wing. It uttered a faint cackling sound, seeming thoroughly squashed.

"Daddy, it's a bird," Jess pointed out.

"This is Beast Boy!" Cyborg insisted.

Instantly, the three children's faces lit up. "Beast Boy!?" they yelped together.

The bird revived quickly and looked at Cyborg.

"It's all right, man. They know everything."

"I've got fans?" the kookaburra asked.

"Yep," Cyborg grinned.

"All right!" Beast Boy shouted, the feathers falling away as he reassumed his human form.

Cyborg had not released him and still held his arm, his feet dangling off the carpeted floor.

"BB."

"Cy."

They embraced again.

"It's great to see you, man."

"You too."

Cyborg set him on the floor. "Are you here alone?"

"No," Beast Boy shook his head. "Starfire and Robin are here too."

"Robin? Robin's here?"

"He goes by Nightwing, now. Don't ask. I'm sure it's a long story."

"Where are they?"

"They're waiting outside."

"For what?" Cyborg cocked an eyebrow.

"For you," Beast Boy said. "We're getting the team back together."

"Cy," Téa started, and he held up his hand.

"BB, are you serious? The Titans are getting back together?"

"It's a one-time thing, Cy," Beast Boy shook his head. "At Star's request. Blackfire is back."

"Nightwing," Starfire's voice broke into his thoughts.

She stood up and gazed over the green plains outside the Kennedy Space Center. A tall, broad-shouldered man in a white lab coat was walking toward them with determined steps. A hat rested on his head, and a kookaburra perched on his hat.

Starfire covered her mouth with her hands and cried aloud in joy, "Cyborg!" She flew toward him and hugged him. "My heart is overjoyed to see you once more!"

"A kookaburra?" Nightwing grumbled. "Couldn't you come up with something less conspicuous?"

The bird jumped off Cyborg's hat and changed forms. "I'm ignoring you."

"Star!" Cyborg gasped, "I can't breathe!"

"Forgive me," Starfire pulled away. "I have missed you terribly."

Cyborg's gaze shifted from Starfire to Robin – to Nightwing. He held out his hand, and Nightwing shook it warmly.

"Nightwing, huh?"

Nightwing cast an amused glance at Cyborg's left hand where a golden band shone in the sunlight. "Married, huh?"

"Yeah, and with three kids!" Beast Boy exploded. "Who'd have ever pictured Cy as a family man?"

"Three offspring!" Starfire rejoiced. "Truly magnificent!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Cyborg gave Beast Boy a gentle shove. "What's our next move?"

"Can you leave so suddenly?" Nightwing asked.

"I've got a bunch of vacation stored up," Cyborg shrugged. "Téa's got the kids."

"Next, we find Raven," Nightwing started walking toward the jet.

"Oh, that'll be pleasant," Beast Boy complained. "But, hey, you never know. Robin turned into a major grouch. So maybe Raven will be, like, living on a tropical island in the Caribbean, subsisting on fresh fruits and sunshine!"

Nightwing, Cyborg, and Starfire looked at him dubiously.

"Hey!" Beast Boy snorted. "A guy can dream, can't he?"