CHAPTER NINE

"It's big." Soda said, staring at her new school.

Indeed. Quite large.

"I'll get lost in there."

Then I'll laugh at you.

"Shut up."

"Talking to yourself again?" Raven had snuck up behind Soda. Soda spun around and slapped on a grin.

"You betcha!"

"So when are you going to tell me who you're really talking to?"

Soda suddenly became very serious. She put her hand on Raven's shoulder. Raven flinched, as she didn't like being touched. But she tolerated it seeing as how Soda looked like she was about to confess something.

"My dear, sweet Raven," Soda began, "It all began one hundred years ago. In a small city in Florida. A fox was searching for food. He couldn't find any, because the whole area was in a horrible drought that season. With his last breath, he put a curse on all girls named Soda. I am forever doomed to be haunted by spirits with whom I can communicate with." She sighed, and stared off into the distance.

"You have GOT to be kidding me." Raven said, narrowing her eyes.

"YUP! I SURE AM!" Soda laughed, and slapped Raven on the back. Then she ran inside the school. Raven gritted her teeth.

"Obnoxious girl. I WILL discover what you are hiding."


The Titans waltzed up to the registration desk, Soda standing next to them. The P.T.A. volunteer squealed at the sight of them, then asked for an autograph. Robin gave her a grimace that was convincing enough to be a smile, then signed a piece of paper for her. Cyborg registered Soda while the P.T.A. moms flocked around the rest of the team.

"Is this what it's always like when you guys go out in public?" Soda said, looking bewildered.

"Why do you think we stay in the tower all the time?" Cyborg said grumpily.

"It is highly recommended that the students visit their new teachers and become familiar with where there classes are today, so that they don't become lost during school." The woman behind the desk said, giving Cyborg a packet of information.

"Okay, Soda," Cyborg looked at the list, "First teacher to visit, the homeroom teacher."

The homeroom teacher was jolly Porto Rican woman, who also served as the Spanish teacher. She was very kind and funny. Soda liked her a lot. The other teachers Soda didn't like, for various reasons that won't be mentioned here because it would be incredibly boring.

"Now, the last thing we have to do is get you a uniform." Beast Boy said, looking at the checklist that was included in the packet.

"A UNIFORM?" Soda shrieked. A few people around them stopped and stared. Cyborg clamped a hand over Soda's mouth. Robin and Beast Boy smiled and grimaced at the people. Raven just rolled her eyes.

"This school requires its students to wear uniforms, Soda. We need to buy you one at the school store." Robin explained.

"I don't want to make you pay for that!" Soda said indignantly. "School uniforms are expensive!"

"Meh. You can make me some tofu pudding and we'll call it even." Beast Boy said casually.

"Well…okay…Hey, they might even be cool. Like those Japanese school girl uniforms on TV. Only, you know, less skimpy."

But the uniforms were not cool. The uniforms couldn't be any further from cool. They were hideous.

"A ladies' suit with shoulder pads? Are they out of their minds!" Soda screamed. The suit was navy blue. It came with a golden pin and a white shirt to go under the jacket. The skirt reached to the mid-knee. The sleeves had lace at the openings. The collar had ruffles on it. "What is this, the early nineteenth century? Pft, even the eighties had a better fashion than this! Look at this lace. Do you see that? Who in their right mind would make that a uniform?"

"I must admit, it is not flattering." Starfire held the suit in her arms. "Perhaps you can alter it to make it look better. The shoes look nice, though."

The shoes were jet black with silver buckles. "Yeah, the shoes are pretty cool." Soda admitted.

"Will you two ladies quit complaining so we can go already?" Raven snarled. She hated being in crowds of people. It made her very irritable.

"Yeah, let's just go. I can obsess later." Soda said. "Come on, Beast Boy! Get a move on!" She kicked him in the butt.

"Ow! You'll pay for that!" He chased her out of the school. Soda ran ahead, giggling.

Run faster! He's going to catch us!

I'm going as fast as I can. What do I look like, a super hero?



Laying hidden on the high rooftop of Metro City High School was a familiar figure. Cloaked in black, so as not to be discovered, Slade sat. Waiting. Watching.

"Yes. She's the one. Her energy changes dramatically back and forth. It has no pattern. It is unpredictable." His eyes narrowed, "So, I've finally found you two."

END CHAPTER NINE

A/N: Ooooh! SpOoOoOky! Suspense! BLEAH!