A/N: Well, I couldn't wait any longer for the second season finale of TT's, so a few nights ago I thought I'd look at a few spoilers and I "accidentally" found out how second season ends. I also got a sneak peak at the third season, and I am very excited about a particular Ro/SF episode.
Anywho, my story takes place in between second and third season, and don't worry, this fanfic doesn't contain spoilers for the second season finale or third season (for those of you who haven't already found out what happens!)... so because this story is "spoil-free", I'm re-writing my own ending to the second season to fit this story...
... After all, it is my fanfic...
... I hope ya'll like it...
Behind the Mask
Episode 1. (Continued)
"They're planning something," Jinx murmured to her teammates and she continued to meditate. Gizmo and Mammoth glanced at each other. The three teens were about fifteen feet away from the carousel in the bushes. "I think they're trying to escape." She concluded. "Let's go, Gizmo!" Mammoth called.
Minutes away from where the three H.I.V.E. members were taking refuge was a two story haunted house with the Teen Titans trapped inside. The house was dark, and candles were their only source of light. The five heroes and a carnival employee were in the hallway of the house, plotting their escape.
"So how are we gonna do this?" Robin asked.
"You'll move at my signal!" Raven commanded. "I can sense when Jinx's energy weakens, so you go quickly when I say. There's no telling how thick the wall may be!" She turned to her fellow teammates. "We'll be in groups of two. Starfire and Robin, Cyborg and..."
"Ali," the girl replied. "And I am not going with robo-man! Why can't I go with alien girl or leotard boy?"
Silence.
"Okay..." Replied Raven. "And Beast Boy and I will go last."
"Fine!" Robin said. "Let's see if we can move the table and vase." And they could. Now the only thing that stood in their way was a wall. "Starfire, you ready?" Robin asked. She nodded and stood beside him.
"At my signal!" Raven said. Cyborg and Ali waited anxiously for Raven to instruct Robin and Starfire to go. Beast Boy was still recording. "Yea! This rocks!" He whispered. Robin and Starfire held hands and waited.
"NOW!"
The two Titans glanced at each other, took a step through the wall, and found half of their legs visible. Reassured, the two Titans quickly walked through the wall."The door is ahead!" Starfire announced. Robin opened the door and they both quickly exited the house.
"RAVEN! WE GOT THROUGH! WE'RE OUT!" Robin called inside the house to the telekinetic girl.
"They made it out. And good thing, too." Raven sighed. "The barrier just closed."
"Wonderful!" Starfire exclaimed.
"Or is it?" A voice said from behind them. Robin and Starfire turned around. Mammoth and Gizmo stood prepared to fight. "Where's Jinx?" Robin asked fiercely.
"You really think we'd tell you that you snot-nosed freaks?" Gizmo laughed. Mammoth hit his fists on the ground, causing the ground beneath the two Titans to crumble. Robin flipped and Starfire flew before the ground collapsed beneath them. Gizmo shot rockets at them, and both Titans easily dodged, but the rockets swerved and were coming towards the Titans again.
"My rockets detect body heat, so they won't hit anything accept you twerps!" Gizmo explained viciously. Robin back-flipped and landed in front of Mammoth and Starfire, following Robin's lead, flew in front of Gizmo.
"Don't forget, Gizmo," Robin began. "We're not the only ones that give off heat!" He turned to Starfire. "NOW!" And they jumped out of the way of Gizmo and Mammoth. Instead of the rockets going after the two Titans, it hit the two H.I.V.E. members. "Starfire, fly overhead. Find Jinx! I'll take care of Mammoth and Gizmo." Robin instructed, and Starfire did as she was told.
"What's the matter?" Mammoth smirked. "Did we scare her away?"
"She won't go too far! My rockets will find her!" And Gizmo sent two rockets towards her. Robin watched as they flew in Starfire's direction.
Meanwhile, Cyborg and Ali were waiting for Raven's signal. "Almost..." Raven said. Suddenly, a moan came from behind them. Beast Boy turned and... "Eww! Dude, what are those things?" The zombies from the basement had made their way to the first floor.
"NOW!" Said Raven.
"But Raven..." Cyborg began.
"Beast Boy and I will fight them off! Just get yourself and Ali out of here!" Raven barked. Cyborg took Ali's hand...
"Don't touch me!" Ali snapped.
"What's your problem??" Cyborg asked. "Don't you know who we are??"
"I don't know, nor do I care!! And I am not walking through a wall!!"
"Do it or else the zombies back there'll come and eat your face off!!" Cyborg smirked.
"GO NOW! There isn't much time!" A zombie grabbed Raven's neck from behind. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!!" Raven chanted as she threw the table at three zombies with her powers. "I'm not doing it!" Ali snapped. Cyborg had no choice but to push Ali through the barrier. They both landed outside on the ground. "Okay robo-man! What's your damage?"
"If we hadn't have gone out now... whoa!" Cyborg's attention went from Ali to Robin, Mammoth, and Gizmo, who were engaged in combat. He got up off the ground and grabbed Ali's arm. "C'mon, we gotta get outta here!"
"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Ali said, pulling away from the humanoid. "I'm calling daddy!"
"You know what, fine!" Cyborg growled. "Call daddy, but if you get hurt in the process, then it's not my problem!"
"Unless I file a lawsuit!!" Ali retorted.
"Say what??" Cyborg began.
"Hey Tin-man!" Gizmo called to Cyborg.
Ali glanced at Cyborg. "Tin-man... I like that!"
Gizmo climbed on Cyborg's back. "Let's see if you have a heart!!" And he opened up his metallic back and began messing with the wires. "Hey! You little smurf... Do not mess with my system!" And he grabbed Gizmo and threw him to the ground. Cyborg walked towards Gizmo. "What's the matter, short-stuff? You mad 'cause you're too small to get on the big rides?"
BAM!!
Mammoth punched Cyborg in the gut and sent him flying. Robin and Cyborg both got up and noticed people were stopping to watch them fight. "Let's finish this before the people get hurt!" The Boy Wonder said as he threw two explosive disks, aiming both at Mammoth and Gizmo. Cyborg's right arm turned into a cannon that shot out a blast of energy at each disk. The disks and blast combined sent both Mammoth and Gizmo flying. There was sudden applause from the spectators.
"What's taking Beast Boy and Raven so long?" Robin asked.
"They were fighting off zombies last time I saw them." Cyborg began. Before he could continue, a gasp was heard from the audience of people that had gathered round. The Titans heard a piercing scream, and they turned to see what had happened. Gizmo's claw had grabbed hold of Ali, and he and Mammoth took off running.
"Cyborg! They've got Ali!" Robin declared.
"They can have her for all I care!" Cyborg muttered, crossing his mechanical arms. Robin raised a brow. The humanoid rolled his eyes. "Oh, all right!! Let's go!!" The two Titans followed after them. "Where's Star?" Cyborg asked Robin as they sprinted down the dirt path. "We need her!"
"She went looking for Jinx!" Robin replied. "And Gizmo's rockets are probably still after her!"
"I cannot locate Jinx anywhere!" Starfire told herself. Suddenly, a rocket zoomed past her, barely missing her. "It is Gizmo's device!" Another rocket shot past her. She saw both rockets turn around and head straight for her. Starfire's eyes glowed as her hands formed green orbs of energy. She began shooting at the rockets, but it wouldn't be destroyed. When they got closer, she dodged them both and flew quickly in the opposite direction. Starfire looped around trees, trying to escape them, and it seemed as though she had lost them. She stopped trying to catch her breath.
Starfire saw something move out of the corner of her left eye. One of the rockets was heading straight for her. She was about to fly in the opposite direction, but the second rocket was about to hit her from the right. Starfire timed it right, and she flew high above the trees, and instead of the rockets following her, they impacted and exploded. "Success! Now I must trace Jinx!"
She flew overhead, searching carefully. She spotted a pink-haired girl behind a bush meditating. Starfire got within range and attacked her with her green orbs. Jinx suddenly lost concentration, and she looked up and found Starfire. "Surrender, Jinx!" The alien called to the witch.
"Surrender this!!" Jinx retorted as she blasted a pink orb at the Tamaranian. Starfire dodged it with ease. "Starfire, your luck just ran out!" Jinx jumped in the air and blasted her pink orbs everywhere, but Starfire dodged every one of them and snapped, "Do not jinx yourself!" Starfire flew head on into Jinx and tackled her and both of them tumbled on the ground. Jinx pushed Starfire off her, and Starfire flipped and levitated in the air. Jinx tried shooting her beams, but it seemed she used up all her power trapping the Titans in the house; she had none left to defend herself. Starfire continued to shoot her beams at Jinx until she was knocked out.
"They just keep coming!" Beast Boy said, after destroying another corpse. Raven looked at him. "We have to get out of..." Suddenly, the wall between them and the front door vanished, and the zombies turned into dust. "... Here." Raven finished. She and Beast Boy walked out the front door and found the place deserted.
"Uh, did we miss something?" Beast Boy asked Raven, still video-taping.
"Well, someone defeated Jinx!" Raven declared.
Starfire flew I at that moment, carrying the unconscious Jinx over her back. "I have located Jinx and justice prevailed!" She looked around, noticing two of her teammates were missing. "Where are Robin and Cyborg?"
"We thought you knew!" Beast Boy replied.
Suddenly, four black cars rolled up beside them. The three cars had about four agents come out with guns, and in the other, a thin African American man with graying hair wearing a business suit stepped out. "What's going on?" The man asked.
"Um," Raven began. "Who are you?"
"I am Mayor Thomas Moore." He replied.
"We are the Teen Titans." Starfire beamed.
"So what brings you to the area?" Beast Boy asked recording. "If you're here to check out some of the rides, I recommend the roller coasters." Raven nudged Beast Boy's side.
"My daughter Natalie called me during an important meeting. She works here. I think she's in some sort of danger!" Mayor Moore exclaimed.
"And this Natalie girl," Beast Boy began. "She wouldn't have long, curly hair, about five-foot three, and goes by Ali, would she?"
"She does!" Mayor Moore said desperately. "Have you seen her?"
"Nope, sorry." Beast Boy shrugged, still recording. Raven smacked the back of his head and replied truthfully. "Yes, we've seen her! We saved her from that haunted house!"
"Saved her from a haunted house?" Mayor Moore raised a brow.
"You see," Starfire began. "My fellow teammates and I were to go inside the house of horrors that is not and be frightened..."
"...but the H.I.V.E. bewitched the house, making the haunted house a real haunted house!" Beast Boy continued, then added. "Of course I wasn't scared!"
Raven rolled her eyes and continued. "Your daughter was trapped in the attic, and we got her out. But now, she and two of our teammates have gone missing along with two H.I.V.E. members!"
"The pink haired girl is one of the three members of the H.I.V.E., and we think the other two members may have your daughter!" Beast Boy added. Three of the men took Jinx from Starfire. "We'll be taking her into custody!" The mayor explained. Suddenly, everyone was running and screaming. "C'mon!" Raven ordered.
The sun was now setting over Jump City. Raven and Starfire flew ahead while Beast Boy led Mayor Moore and the agents on foot. They soon found themselves in front of the roller coaster. Robin and Cyborg were engaged in combat with Mammoth and Gizmo while the ride was in motion, and it seems the employees couldn't turn off the ride.
The agents loaded their guns and Raven and Starfire flew to help their teammates. Beast Boy gave the camera to Mayor Moore. "Here! Get a shot of all of us crime-fighting!" He was about to leave when he ran back and added, "And get my good sides!" And he transformed into a pterodactyl and joined Raven and Starfire.
Gizmo was still holding on to Ali with his mechanical claw while Mammoth fought off Robin and Cyborg. Robin took out his staff and swung at Mammoth's head. It hit the giant the first time but the second time Robin swung, Mammoth grabbed the staff and threw Robin off the ride.
"Bye-bye, birdie!" Mammoth laughed.
"AHHHHH!" Robin tried grabbing onto the metal bars that held up the ride, but his gloves couldn't hold. Slowly, he could feel his mask peel off his skin. Unexpectedly, he stopped falling and found himself in a black force field. Raven had saved him. He quickly put his mask back on and thanked the telekinetic girl.
"Let's go, metal-man!" Mammoth growled. Cyborg threw punches, and the giant blocked them with ease. Cyborg and Mammoth grabbed each other's hands and began pushing one another. "I've been on this ride, big boy, and you know what comes next?" Cyborg asked. Mammoth looked over Cyborg's shoulder and saw huge drop. Cyborg seized the opportunity to punch Mammoth in the gut and transform his arm into a cannon. "There's a hundred-fifty-five-foot drop with your name on it!" He blasted Mammoth, sending him up into the air and off the ride.
Suddenly, the roller coaster was going down a seventy-mile-an-hour drop. Cyborg jumped and grabbed Ali out of Gizmo's claws. Starfire blasted Gizmo from behind, causing him to fall off the ride and destroy the power source to his technology. Cyborg and Ali were now free-falling. "I'm gonna die!!" Ali cried. "We're gonna die!!" A green pterodactyl flew underneath them and caught them in midair.
The prehistoric animal landed on the ground, and Ali and Cyborg got off it's back. Then the pterodactyl morphed into Beast Boy. Starfire, Robin, and Raven joined them. Behind Raven was a large black sphere with Gizmo and Mammoth trapped inside. "You bunch of terds! Let us go!!" Gizmo said, pounding on the forcefield. A large crowd of people applauded and cheered for the Titans. Four black cars appeared behind the Mayor. Three agents got out of one and took the other two H.I.V.E. members into custody along with Jinx.
"Natalie!" Mayor Moore called for his daughter. Ali ran towards her dad and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Daddy!"
"Her father's the mayor??" Robin whispered to Cyborg.
"Explains the snobby attitude." Cyborg shrugged.
She let go of him and turned angrily to the Titans. "Arrest them! Especially him!" She pointed at Cyborg.
"Me??"
Ali stomped in front of him and replied. "Yes you! You almost had me killed!"
"If memory serves, I saved your life!!" Cyborg snapped.
"Yea, throwing me off a roller coaster!! Last I checked, that's a way to end a life!! Daddy!!" Ali turned and faced her father. "Why aren't you taking them into custody?"
"Uh, Ali, you have no clue as to who we are?" Robin asked.
"Do I care?" Ali snapped.
"You should!" Mayor Moore replied sternly. "They are the defenders of Jump City, the Teen Titans, and they were only doing their job!" Mayor Moore explained to his daughter. Ali went red with embarrassment. He then addressed the Teen Titans. "And because you have brought down three of many Jump City's most wanted criminals and saved my daughter in the process, there will be a celebration tomorrow evening! I hope you can attend in your finest attire!" He returned the video camera to Beast Boy then placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Come on, Ali. Let's go home." They got inside the black car and sped out of the carnival.
"You jerks are gonna pay!" Gizmo snapped from inside the car. "Boss-man's not gonna like this!" Robin heard this and grabbed Gizmo by the collar. "Who sent you?" Robin asked. "WHO??" Gizmo grinned evilly. "Who do you think, Boy Wonder? The person who sent us the first time!" Robin set him down. "Slade?" He murmured.
"Let's go!" One of the agents said, pushing Gizmo back in the car. The three remaining black cars drove away. "Oh yeah!" Beast Boy jumped up in the air. "We've got the hook up for tomorrow evening!"
"Well, Titans, let's head on home." Cyborg sighed. All except Starfire began walking towards the exit, and Robin noticed. He looked back. "Starfire, what is it?" Starfire looked up at the sky, watching the sun set and the stars form. "I think I would like to ride the giant wheel now!" She replied.
The Titans got on the ferris wheel. Robin and Starfire were seated, then Beast Boy and Raven. Cyborg was up next, but he had no partner. The ride operator shouted. "Single guy! Anyone?"
"Must you shout it that loud?" Cyborg said, turning red.
"I'll go!" An African American girl with curly hair smiled, giving the operator a ticket. She sat next to him. "Hi!"
"Princess?" Cyborg asked. "I thought you went home!"
"I was half-way when I realized I didn't tell my boss I was leaving. And on my way to the office, I see Tin-man sitting here all alone!" Ali explained as the ride started. "And now it's my turn to save you... from embarrassment!" Cyborg chuckled a little, and looked out to the city. Ali looked down and cleared her throat, "About the things I said earlier..."
"If you're gonna apologize, I don't accept!" Cyborg crossed his arms, not looking at her.
"Say what??"
"I'm saying I'm not accepting you're apology!" Cyborg continued.
"Why not!" Ali inquired.
Cyborg looked at her seriously. "You said, 'what are you?'... remember? I'm a robot, okay... but a human, first!"
Ali nodded and said sincerely, "I'm especially sorry for that."
"Don't worry about it. I get that a lot." Cyborg mumbled.
Beast Boy and Raven were sitting in silence, except for Raven's little sighs every now and then. Beast Boy looked over at her. "Are you still mad at me?"
"Excuse me?" Raven snapped. "You're the one mad at me!"
"I'm only mad because you're mad at me for no reason at all!!"
Raven rolled her eyes. "I have my reasons!!!"
"And they are...?"
Silence.
"Look, today was a rough day." Raven explained.
Beast Boy replied. "It was a rough day for all of us. And I've gotta admit, we wouldn't have had a chance if it wasn't for you. I'm glad you decided to come and save our butts instead of sitting at home meditating."
Raven raised a brow. "Is that a tone of sincerity I hear in your voice?"
"You're hearing things!" Beast Boy mocked. Raven smiled a little. "Is that a smile I see on your face?" Beast Boy teased.
Raven shook her head, still slightly smiling. "You're seeing things." Beast Boy chuckled. "Where's a camera when you need it?"
Silence.
"Oh, and by the way," Beast Boy reminded the goth. "I won that bet we made before we got inside that house of horrors!"
"Dream on!" Raven smile faded. "I won that bet!"
"Robin, what is the matter?" Starfire asked her fellow Titan. Robin couldn't keep his mind off of what Gizmo said earlier, but knowing Starfire would be disappointed in him if he told her what was really wrong, he shook his head and sighed. "It's nothing."
"Robin, I have known you for quite some time now, and I am not fooled." Starfire said concerned. "We are best friends. You can confide in me! Now what is really the matter?"
Robin shook his head then looked out to the city as he spoke. He couldn't tell her everything, but thought he could if he left Slade out of it. "I dunno Star, but it seems as though everything that happened today is my fault!"
"That is not true!" Starfire protested.
Robin shrugged. "In a way, it is. I wanted to go to the carnival today. I wanted to go inside that haunted house."
"You are wrong!" Starfire put her hand over his shoulder and smiled. "We all wanted to go, and I believe even if we had not come here, the H.I.V.E. would have still come after us!" The tone in her voice softened. "Now I do not want to hear you wrongfully blame yourself anymore!" Robin nodded, now putting his hand over hers. Starfire blushed and looked out towards the city and smiled. "Oh! You are right, Robin! The view of the city is beautiful at night!"
Robin looked away from their hands and watched the Tamaranian girl stare at the city in wonder. Her hair was blowing in the light breeze, the city lights reflecting off of her emerald eyes, he couldn't help but smile and forget the nightmare that was Slade. 'She's so beautiful...'
A/N: Wow, that was a very long chapter! A little Robin/Starfire action! And don't worry! Things will definitely heat up in the future for Beast Boy and Raven. Sorry, I suck at fight scenes... I did the best I could at describing it, but okay... anyway, this is the end of episode one. Episode two will come out shortly. In the meantime, please review!
-kiki