Hello! I'm back! Wow.
(Please enter lame excuse hereOk, school has been really tough, and then I've been working with the greyhound rescue, and there was a school musical to think about (Go stage crew!), and my parents have been on the computer a lot.
One more chapter! Only one!
Disclaimer- I do not own Teen Titans. I do own Anya R. Hallow, who happens to live in Jump City at this time. I am NOT Anya! I do not know any Anyas either!
Fall (Chapter 6)
Anya R. Hallows' POV
The Teen Titans were once my heroes. I wanted to be like them. I wanted to help people. But how could I, plain Anya, help anyone? Besides I couldn't hate the Titans more now. I wish they would just go away.
Nothing's right anymore. The Titans are not the proud protectors of Jump City. They cannot stop villains and criminals from taking over the city. They cannot stop themselves from falling into deep depression. I guess it's kind of like sinking farther and farther down, and it's just too hard to get back up.
Raven's taken over the Titans. Robin couldn't handle the job and cracked. That's what my father says. My mother insists the Titans will make a huge comeback or something. My brother thinks that they should just leave us alone. If they're no good, why do they hang around? My sister, my gentle sister, tells me they are still good, deep down. I'm just plain sick of them.
They let a traitor onto their team. Her name was Terra. She betrayed the Titans and with Slade almost took over the city. Our whole street camped in the little suburbs outside of the city. We stayed there for about a week before running farther away from our home when Slade came to the suburbs.
It felt like years before we could go back home. Maybe it was only a couple of days, maybe weeks, maybe months. I don't know. No one bothered to count the days; everyone was so focused on surviving.
That time period in hiding was the worst in our lives. The older folk in the suburbs were nice, but had little room for big families and children. Our family consisted of a mother, a father, an older sister, an older brother, twin boys who were in their terrible twos, and me. No one was willing to take in such a big family with such little kids, so we had to live in the streets.
The streets were awful. Now whenever I see a ragged homeless person now, I make sure to show them the utmost kindness. We had to beg, and scavenge for even a bread roll. My brother, Jon, and my sister, Leigh, refused any food until the twins, Mom, Dad, and I had eaten. They lost a lot of weight, and are still recovering. I lost a lot too, but not as much. Our stomachs had shrunken so much when we came home that we could barely eat anything more than a few slices of bread.
I blame the Teen Titans for trusting Terra so easily. I saw her once; she had twinkling blue eyes and blond hair that any girl would envy. She was laughing and joking around with the others, normal as anything. So much for first appearances.
Slade's gone now. Melted in a pit of lava or something, though there's rumor that he has been seen at night. Terra's a statue. I think she deserves it. I guess I'm being harsh, but my family paid the price for her betrayal.
Walking down the street, I see scattered debris. There's been another fight. I wander closer out of curiosity, and realize that the trash is robot parts. There is something else staining the cement and robots. Blood. I feel a sickening feeling in my stomach, and the sudden need to vomit. Who was hurt? One of the Titans? Much as I hate to admit it, I'm still slightly obsessed with them. Slightly.
I run. Running helps a lot. You don't really think much when you run, just basic thoughts of survival, just keep going. It brings out basic human instinct. Running helps with everything. A lot of people say that running away from your problems is cowardice, but sometimes it's just plain, old good sense.
After a couple of blocks, I stop, panting slightly. I swear next year I am going to try out for the school's track team. With every battle things get worse and worse. What if someone was hurt again? Killed?
I suddenly remember my friend's solemn voice on the phone telling me that her aunt Jane Lee and her little cousin Danny were killed by the Titans. Poor Anne was in such shock I didn't recognize her voice at all. Jane and Danny were innocent; just walking out on the street one night, and unfortunately stumbled onto the wrong path.
I walk slowly home the long way, so I will pass Titans Tower on the way. I pass such devastation it's unbelievable. Unbelievable to think that our happy, normal city has turned into a depressed battlefield. Horrible to even imagine what turmoil everyone is facing. Just because five so-called heroes have fallen. Because one lost girl turned out to be a traitor.
I think I have been taking a rather morbid turn in my thoughts. I have taken a deeper, more philosophical view towards things. Everything looks new to me. Sunset is one such thing. A time when day begins to die and night is born. When light and dark are one in the sky. It is both beautiful and sad in one. Especially with the black silhouette of the Tower against an orange, pink, and purple painted sky.
"How ironic." Someone says quietly next to me. My attention snaps to the girl next to meRaven! What is she doing here? I am shocked, and suddenly somewhat self-conscious of my butterfly T-shirt that says, 'Fly High!'
"What is?" I ask carefully.
"The sunset. It makes everything seem alright and perfect when it is in absolute chaos," she replies almost sadly.
"Yeah. When day dies and night is born. When light and dark are one in the sky." I answer absently, voicing my earlier thoughts. Raven looks at me for the first time, as if surprised to find someone beside her who didn't think she was crazy or something. Or maybe she thought she was talking to herself. How do I know?
"Yes," Raven says slowly.
"So what are you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be saving or ruining someone's life? Or living in your cozy tower while there are so many homeless people because of you?" I snap bitterly, suddenly breaking the spell of the sunset. So much for the manners that Mom has drilled into me.
Raven is unfazed, however. "I have been out here all day, trying to get people to understand that they can't just ignore everything that's been going on. No one wants to move out of the city or even listen to what I have to say." She says angrily.
"Sure, can you blame them? I mean, most people here have lived here in peace and happiness all their lives, and suddenly you want them to move away from the only home they've ever known?" Whatever happened to shy Anya? I think I want her back right about now. You never want to get Raven mad.
Raven is looking at me funny again. "That's true enough." Raven agrees. I feel sorry for her. She is taking all the burden for what's been happening. I suddenly feel guilty because I, too, hated the Titans. Do I still hate them? Or have I forgotten my hatred?
"Why don't you try going on the TV or radio or something?" I suggest.
"About half the people don't have TV or radio and those who do would turn it off the moment I come on." Well, she has a point.
"Well…." I trail off. I suddenly realize I am giving advice and help to Raven. As in, Raven the Teen Titan, Raven who is of those responsible for our city's depression, Raven who is responsible for who-knows-how-many deaths.
"What happened to the Titans?" I suddenly burst out. Raven narrows her eyes, but will not look at me. If it is possible to die of shame and embarrassment, I would be dead right now.
"It happened…over time," the dark girl begins slowly. "I don't think anyone ever realized what was happening…after Terra. Beast Boy was depressed, but did his best to never show it. He got…quieter, and quieter. Robin….I don't know quite what happened to Robin. Maybe it was Slade. Maybe Red X. Who knows? Cyborg began to worry more and more about Beast Boy, Robin, and I. Though I hadn't changed, he was worried nevertheless." Raven pauses, and inhales deeply. I wonder if she has told anyone else this story.
"Starfire didn't change much until Robin and Beast Boy were both depressed and she couldn't cheer them up. Star…had trouble understanding the idea of depression. She became quiet, and distant…like her mind was somewhere else, and her spirit had left." Raven stops, and still refuses to look at me.
"Do ya think it's possible for them to like, you know, go back to how they used to be?" I ask. There must be something terribly wrong with me. I am calmly chatting with a girl I thought I hated, when I find it difficult to have a conversation with my family.
"Eventually." Raven replies, "I think all they need is some time to regain themselves, and not have to worry about saving the city. Or maybe a good kick out of the holes they have dug."
"Then why don't y'all just, like, take a vacation or something!" I explode. Is this really so hard? I mean, Mom always used to drive for hours in the countryside after a hard day or something she couldn't deal with.
"Who would protect the city?" Raven says in frustration. I snort softly. I think the city could use a break almost as much as the Titans.
Licking my lips, I slowly begin, "Talk to the police. They're actually paid and trained to protect the city. I'll bet they'll understand."
Raven's looking at me funny again. With…a respect? Or maybe understanding? Or is it my butterfly shirt? I don't know.
"If you'll excuse me….I have some things to take care of, and then I think we need to pack…." Raven says, before disappearing into the night. Sighing, I begin to walk home. When did the darkness sneak up on me? Mom is going to worry, then I'll get a pointless lecture about the danger at night. Like I haven't heard it before.
On the way home, I ponder my conversation with Raven. She seemed so depressed and lost, yet so determined. I'm beginning to feel my old admiration for the Titans returning and replacing my recent hatred. That conversation with Raven made a difference to me. Did it make a difference to Raven? Did I show her that someone in this crazy city has sense? Did it make a difference to the Titans?
Something Odd
There's
something odd about this
You
know, I used to hate you
I used
to despise everything you did
But now
I have a respect for what you do
It's
so weird; this whole picture
I'll
bet you don't even know my name
Yet I'm
watching your every move
And I
know you could never feel the same
It's
frightening me, this sudden change
Like a
storm residing from the sky
Revealing
a sunny blue blanket
The
lies slowly drifting, beginning to die
It's
scaring me, I never expected
That
there was something other than sadness
That
you really are more than what you appear
There's
something odd about all this
-Dark Kitsune of Ra (me! I'll edit it later)
A/N- Love it? Hate it? Tell me how I can improve please!
