32 Productions Presents…
A Teen Titan Fan Fiction The Teen Titans in…"Caught in the Crosshairs"
Chapter Two
Titan Tower: Main Room
Judging from the dejected (and somewhat beaten up) appearance of his friends, Robin could guess they couldn't find anything. Still…
Robin: Anything?
Raven glared at him before she started, her cheeks red.
Raven: I went to question Sonic. After being groped more times then I'd like to remember I lost my temper and beat him to a pulp. I asked him if he knew anything about what happened last night or about a girl in black with a scarf over her mouth. He said no. In his current state, I honestly doubt he was lying…or that I could do more to him without putting him in critical condition.
Robin winced. He knew how much Raven disliked Sonic's…attention. She liked losing her temper even less as it made her feel mentally weak.
Terra: I questioned Gremlin. He tried to crack me apart with a sonic jackhammer or something, so I bashed his head in. Then I started trashing his stuff and asking him questions. He didn't know anything.
As if Gremlin didn't hate Terra enough for being Slade's apprentice.
Cyborg: I went for Gizmo. He tried to use some giant cannon on me. I shoved him into the barrel. He said he didn't know anything.
Shade coughed. He had numerous burn marks on his body and his hair was singed.
Shade: Dr. Light. …I hate him good. He didn't know anything…and he's got a new suit. I think he'll be needing therapy again though.
Starfire was pretty banged up herself.
Starfire: As I stated before, Robin, I doubted that my sister knew anything of the sort. I was correct in my assumption.
Beast Boy: I got a goose egg.
He held up a large egg. The others stared at him.
Terra: …why'd you even bring it home?
Beast Boy: I dunno…felt wrong to leave it there.
Robin sighed in frustration. Shade snorted.
Shade: Hey, if it bugs you so much, go out and find her yourself! My skin is still sizzling!
So that's what that smell was. Robin sighed.
Robin: …alright. I guess there's nothing else we can do.
Robin left the room, depressed. Starfire watched him go, her hands in front of her chest in that worried fashion.
Starfire: Perhaps you were too harsh, Shade.
Raven: It's called tough love Starfire.
Terra: I thought that involved whips.
Raven stared at her, her expression one of disgust.
Raven: You've a sick mind, girl.
Terra: I'm kidding! Jeez.
Starfire: …how could a weapon such as whip express love in any fashion?
Everyone sweatdropped. Shade looked at his watch.
Shade: Well would you look at that. It's time for me to…uh…be somewhere other then here.
Cyborg: Heh…me too. Imagine that.
Beast Boy: Yep…real coincidence.
The boys ran from the room in a panic, leaving the girls to fend off Starfire's curiosity themselves.
Terra: …oh damn these three…
Raven: When I get my hands on them…
Starfire: A whip can only be used to inflict pain…or perform dazzling tricks. I recall in this one motion picture…
The two girls looked at each other and sighed in defeat. Standard procedure.
Raven: Hold on, I'll draw up a chart.
Terra: I think I have slides…
Hardware Store: Next Day
Cyborg had just barely managed to avoid Terra and Raven all day. Rather then keep playing a twisted game of hide and seek in the tower, Cyborg decided to get some spare parts. He didn't really need them, but it was a damn good excuse to get out of there. Robin had mentioned something about Terra punching through the punching bags all day, each one having a picture of one of the three "deserters" faces on it. Did I mention the bags contained hunks of metal? Her hand was cracked by the time it was over. Luckily breaking her bones was next to impossible.
Cyborg: Let's see…this…and this…ooo, I'm all out of those…
He reached out to grab…er…oh what the devil can you buy at these places? Er…heating coils. Yeah, that's it. He reached out to grab heating coils when another hand reached for it first. Their hands met and they both pulled back. A tall Asian girl stood next to him. She blinked at him, surprised. It was a reaction he was used to.
Girl: I'm sorry. I didn't even see you there. My mind was wandering.
That was a comment he wasn't used to. How could she MISS him? Did he blend in with the tools or something? The girl cleared her throat.
Cyborg: You take them.
Girl: Oh, no. I couldn't. You're Cyborg of the Teen Titans. I'm just Melissa Dratter, a girl who works out of her home and builds her own appliances as a hobby.
Well, that was interesting. Few girls he knew liked to tinker. Bumblebee did, seeing as how the wings and stuff were from the suit and not an actual power. Of course, she was many miles away on the east coast. This girl had to be taller then Starfire, if only by an inch or two. Not bad looking at all, but rather pale.
Cyborg: Yeah, well I wasn't going to do anything important. Maybe make a space heater.
The girl seemed amused at that, but didn't smile. Her lips twitched slightly. Maybe she had a nerve defect.
Melissa: So was I.
Cyborg STILL didn't want to go home…and this girl seemed nice enough. But…well, just look at him. Dare he take the chance? Eh, what the hell. You only live once, right?
Cyborg: Hey…this might seem a little…I dunno…sudden, but if you're not busy, you wanna hang out for a little while?
Melissa tilted her head in thought before managing a weak smile.
Melissa: I'd like that.
Titan Tower: Raven's Room
Raven sighed as she turned the page to her book.
Raven: Shade, I know you're still out there.
Shade groaned from outside her room. Raven smirked to herself. Oh, what better way to get back at Shade for abandoning her to an embarrassing half hour of explaining how a whip could be used in an erotic fashion to Starfire then by doing nothing at all? Raven knew Shade well enough to know he HATED knowing she was upset with him.
Shade: Fine! I see where this is going. I already apologized more then once. If you think I'm going to humiliate myself further, you've got another thing coming!
Raven returned his bold statement with silence, turning the page. He'd be back. He always came back. For a moment the arrogance of that thought struck her. What if he DID break up with her? What if one day he decided he…wait…this was his fault. Never mind.
Main Room
Beast Boy sighed as he played his video game. Shade came in, grumbling about Raven and her evil "make Shade feel bad" plans. He sat down next to Beast Boy on the couch, crossing his arms.
Beast Boy: (dully) She's pissed too, huh?
Shade: Yeah. What's Terra done to you?
Beast Boy: I'm not getting so much as a handshake out of her for a week.
Shade snorted.
Shade: Like she'll stick with that threat. Raven's just plain ignoring me. Oh, she TALKS to me, but she never answers I thing I say. All she ever says is, "Go away" or "I know you're still there" and that sort of crap.
Shade huffed.
Shade: Pisses me off.
Beast Boy: Dude, so what? You and Raven don't do much together. I mean, have you ever even slept in the same bed?
Shade glared at the green boy sitting next to him.
Shade: That's none of your business, jackass.
Beast Boy paused his game and put the controller down. He had just found something more entertaining.
Beast Boy: So that's a "no".
Shade: So what if we don't? Just because you two can't keep your hands to yourselves, doesn't mean other people have to act that way.
Beast Boy put his arms behind his head, looking smug.
Beast Boy: Do you two even make out or is she too much of a prude?
Shade was silent. He was talking about Raven in a not-so-nice fashion. That upset him…but he held it back. Beast Boy was a friend…one that he didn't get along with too well, but still a friend.
Beast Boy: Thought not. She's a total prude. Probably thinks she's too "in control" for that sort of…
Before Beast Boy could finish, Shade slammed his fist into his jaw.
Shade: Shut up! Don't talk about her that way! Damn it, you know I can't STAND it when people…
Beast Boy tackled him and a fight broke out. Incidentally, this was just what Beast Boy wanted. It was so much more entertaining to beat the crap out of Shade then to just beat some figure on the TV screen.
Park
Cyborg and Melissa chatted about this and that on a park bench. Mostly about mechanics since that seemed to be their common ground. Cyborg was quite surprised about this girl. She was very polite, never stared at his body once, and seemed to know almost as much as he did about mechanics. What she didn't know, she listened with genuine interest as he explained it. There were a few problems. She didn't laugh at all. Her smiles were weak. In fact, her facial expressions barely changed at all. He was really wondering if she had some sort of problem with the muscles in her face or something. Then again, her mouth formed words perfectly. Weird. They were talking about their last projects when her cell phone rang.
Melissa: Oh damn it. Excuse me, I really have to take this.
Melissa answered the phone.
Melissa: Yes? Now? No, not at all. Yes, I remember. I'll be there momentarily.
She hung up and sighed, turning back to Cyborg.
Melissa: I'm terribly sorry, but I have to go. Work and all that. I may work at home, but sometimes you have to meet people face to face, you understand.
She reached into her pocket and handed him a card. On it was a phone number.
Melissa: In case there's something else you wanted to talk about. Good bye, Cyborg.
Cyborg stared after her as she left, holding the card in his hand. He looked down at it.
Cyborg: ...oooookay. That was a little easier then I thought it would be. I always thought I'd have to ask first.
Melissa got into her and drove home to get her costume. Hit had work to do.
Melissa: …that was foolish. I got carried away with this "loosening up" idea. This could jeopardize my work.
Her head began to pound. Not now. Why did she let herself think that? She forced the thoughts away, in turn ridding herself of the headache.
Titan Tower: Main Room
Starfire sighed as she held the two boys apart. Seeing them fight was nothing new, but she still didn't like it. Holding Beast Boy back was becoming exceedingly difficult as he kept changing into larger animals.
Starfire: Please…please cease this…
They kept trying to reach each other. A vein began to bulge on Starfire's forehead, but she tried to remain calm.
Starfire: Please stop.
Still they struggled.
Starfire: STOP IT!
They both snapped to attention, as if realizing for the first time that Starfire was there. Starfire clenched her teeth, trying to calm herself.
Starfire: It distresses me greatly to see my friends quarrel. You are aware of this. Please stop.
The two boys sighed. They didn't want to upset Starfire…even if they both thought the other hadn't been hurt nearly enough yet. Shade wiped the blood from his mouth and Beast Boy rubbed his sore jaw.
Shade: Fine.
Beast Boy: He's not worth it anyway.
Starfire supposed that was the best she could hope to achieve with these two…or was it?
Starfire: Very good. Now, if you would both be so kind as to apologize to each other, I shall release you.
Beast Boy: WHAT!
Shade: No way!
Starfire gripped both of their shirts tightly.
Starfire: You are constantly fighting over things of little meaning. Yet not once have you ever apologized for your meanness toward the other. Though it is usually against my nature to force such things upon my friends, my patience wears thin.
She brought them closer, a disturbing smile on her face.
Starfire: Be grateful I simply do not force you to perform the "kiss and make up".
The pair gulped. That didn't sound too enticing. They both thought the other had terrible breath anyway.
Beast Boy: …I'm sorry for…whatever.
Shade: …yeah, me too.
Starfire rolled her eyes. Good enough. She dropped the pair, but kept a stern expression.
Starfire: Now be gone. I wish to watch a documentary on the wonders of bread mold in peace.
The pair sulked out of the room. Starfire sighed and turned the game off.
Starfire: Such a childish pair. Ooo! So that is how they discovered penicillin.
Underground Lair: Center Chamber
Hit followed the old man in white into the center chamber. There, sitting on a chair of stone was a very familiar one eyed masked man. Her mind ran through names until one clicked into place.
Hit: Slade. Criminal Mastermind. Went missing after an earthquake in the mountains. Presumed dead.
Slade: And you've done your homework. Then again, I'm rather…studious myself, Melissa Dratter. An orphan held in a program to create the perfect assassin. You vastly exceeded expectations. I have a job for you.
Hit simply nodded. Still, she was ready to blow the masked man's brains out if he tried anything.
Slade: At least I did…then I noticed you enjoying the company of one of the Titans. Hardly appropriate behavior for an assassin.
She tilted her head.
Hit: Sir, my personal feelings are irrelevant. Send me to kill Cyborg, and I'll deliver his parts to you one at a time if you wish.
Slade: An assuming thought, but no. Mine is a much more simple…much less…disturbing job.
Hit: Simply give me my instructions. I'll carry it out from there. One way or another…you will get what you want.
And beneath his mask, Slade smiled.
Titan Tower: Terra's Room
Raven leaned against the wall, looking at her shoes as Terra carefully smoothed her skin out with sandpaper. Sometimes it got too rough and she needed to adjust it.
Raven: …I'm starting to think we're being too hard on them, Terra.
Terra snorted and shook her head as she checked her knee to make sure it was done right.
Terra: Eh. You got to be strong, Raven. They threw us to the wolves, you know?
Raven: …think about it, Terra. If we had the chance, would we have bailed on them?
Terra was silent. The answer was, in a heartbeat. Still…
Terra: Of course not. They're our boyfriends. What are we, monsters?
Raven sighed and shook her head. Raven was beginning to feel bad. She sometimes hated having a sense of guilt. Why was it whenever she thought she was having fun, it started to make her feel like saying "sorry" to somebody?
Raven: My sense of fun must be flawed somehow. Bull, Terra. You know you'd have fled just like me. We're just mad at them.
Terra moved on to her feet as she chuckled at Raven's comment.
Terra: Yeah. That's why we punished them, remember?
Raven: …maybe you're right…besides, I can't tell Shade I was wrong.
Terra: You're a real control freak, you know that?
Raven: Am I? I guess I am. I don't know…after what happened with Malichor, maybe I'm just afraid I'll be hurt again. Maybe that's why I feel like I have to keep him on a leash, you know? …eh. Why am I telling you this anyway? I'm leaving.
Before Raven could do that, however, the alarm went off. They rushed to the main room.
Terra: This better be good, I'm like, only half sanded.
Robin: There's a sniper taking potshots at people downtown.
Terra: …that's good…well, not GOOD, but you know what I mean.
END PART TWO