Conversing
"Dude, are you alright?" A voice, high-pitched and somewhat annoying, pierced the aching haze that swirled around the young man's throbbing head. He knelt on the sidewalk and winced in pain, eyes closed tight and a hand gently to his temple, "Not so loud, please. I've got one helluva migraine..."
"Oh, uh... sorry, dude." the voice replied. Another voice spoke up, a voice filled with authority and confidence. "Better let him recover, Beast Boy."
"Aw, come on! The guy just ran around and punched out ole Lightbulb, over there! How hard could that have been?" the voice belonging to this "Beast Boy", replied. Yet another voice interjected, a voice obviously belonging to a female, and a stolid-sounding one at that.
"He just exerted his mind far harder than you ever have, Beast Boy. And, I can tell he's suffering from a severe bout of aftersickness." the voice paused, and the young man felt someone kneel beside him. "Here, let me help..." A cool, soft hand alighted on his forehead and slowly the pain began to lessen. The haze that obstructed his sight and the terrible pain, all of it melted away. The hand left him and the person who it belonged to moved away. "There, does that feel better?"
Taking a deep breathe, the young man slowly opened his eyes. Everything was blurry and swimming before him for a moment, as if he was viewing everything from underwater. Then, the image refocused, and his eyes returned to normal. He blinked a few times, looking first from one person to the next. Then, with a groan, he closed his eyes and covered them with his hands.
Another voice, this time denoting someone of large build and jovial nature, spoke up. "Yo, dawg, is something still the matter with your head?"
"Ugh, it must be... I-I'm hallucinating!" the young man replied, sounding very troubled, "I saw a green ELF, an orange skinned girl with all GREEN eyes, a gray skinned girl with PURPLE hair! Oh man, I wish this aftersickness or whatever it is would just stop!"
There was a weighted silence from the people around him. A sound like someone suppressing laughter, then a sound like someone just got hit in the ribs. Someone sighed in exasperation. Clearing her throat, the third voice responded, "Your not hallucinating, and I took away the worst of the aftersickness."
"Then, that means..." the young man replied, opening his eyes again, "That means, that what I'm seeing is really real, right?" He points to the short, green skinned and green haired elf standing not too far away, "That's you, really you?
"Uh, yeah... Hello! I'm Beast Boy, and everyone knows I look this way!" the elf replied, looking a bit perturbed. Indignant, actually.
"Yes! And, I am really real, as well. Everyone from Tamaran has my tone of the skin." the orange skinned, red haired girl replied, smiling so wide that the young man thought perhaps she'd split her face in two. She went over and hugged the grey girl with the robes, "Friend Raven is real as well, in all her pale pigment and lavender follicle glory!"
"Starfire, hug me again..." she grated, teeth bared, "And, it will be a gross understatement to say that there will be HELL to pay!"
"Eeep!" the Starfire girl released Raven in a heartbeat, hands clasped before her as she added, "Many apologies, friend Raven. I did not mean to intrude on your space of personal."
"Um... I've got one question, in light of all of this..." the young man said, scratching the back of his head in puzzlement. "Just who the hell are you guys?"
They all exchanged puzzled glances with one another. "Your kidding, right?" the one named Raven deadpanned.
"Uh... no, I'm not..." the young man replied, "Obviously, I'm missing something here. Mind filling me in?"
Another shared glance, this time more concerned than puzzled. Mystified, perhaps. Finally, the apparent leader, the one whose voice had spoken second and who appeared to be dressed in some sort of uniform or costume, said, "We're the Teen Titans, a team of crime fighters based here in Jump City. I'm Robin..."
The tall, half-mechanized one pushed him aside, a large metallic hand offered, "Cyborg's the name, and kickin' ass is the game!"
"Yes, and I am Koriandr, of Tamaran." the orange skinned girl said, smiling fit to strain a muscle. "However, my friends call me Starfire. Do you wish to be my friend also?"
The young man simpered, and grinned uneasily, not sure what to say. "Um... Sure?" No sooner than he had said that then he was swept up in a bone crushing hug as Starfire whirled around in the air, giggling with girlish glee.
"Starfire, perhaps you had but him down? He's beginning to turn a very interesting shade of nauseated green and air-deprived blue." Raven suggested in a monotone. Starfire abruptly released the young man, who staggered a few steps from the sheer agony of oxygen deprivation. "Many apologies, new friend! I oftentimes must remember my innate strength is significantly greater than the average Terran."
"Q-quite... alright! No, d-damage done..." the young man said. He blinked, "I think..." "That's Raven." Robin said, and motioned to the green elf, "And, of course, this is Beast Boy."
"So, you're the Teen Titans, huh? Crime fighters?" the young man said, "So, where were you guys when that light-obsessed freak was running amok?"
If that question hit a mark inside the Titan's leader, he didn't let it show. "Rest assured, we were on the way to deal with the matter." Robin replied, "However, since you were here and seemingly able to handle Dr. Light, there was little else for us to do."
"Yeah, man, you've got some pretty sweet moves." Cyborg added, "I mean, Dr. Light is pretty much an amateur and everything, but still, you've got talent."
"Uh, thanks, I guess..." the young man replied. "But, talent for what?" Robin smirked enigmatically, "Have you ever considered becoming a Teen Titan?"
"Well, not exactly... having heard of you guys just recently, and all..." the young man replied. At this, Beast Boy and Cyborg chortled. Raven sighed in aggravation and Starfire wondered what was so funny as Robin frowned. When he got over the foolishness of his last question, he cleared his throat and said, "Good point, there. In that case, how about we show you around? Give you a tour of the city, perhaps show you the Titan's Tower."
"That would be cool, sure." the young man replied. Robin smiled. "Great. Then, let's get started." They started to walk towards a very advanced looking car parked nearby. "By the way, you haven't told us your name yet." Raven remarked.. At that, the young man replied, "I can't give you that which I don't know, I'm afraid."
They all froze and turned to look at him, puzzled expressions gracing their facial features. Beast Boy spoke, saying, "Dude, are you telling us you don't know your own name?"
"Please, how can you not know your own name?" Starfire added, both concerned and mystified at the same time.
The young man replied, "Well, that's a long and convoluted story, really..."
Hours later, after having driven around the city for a while, the Teen Titans and their strange guest sat in the main room of the Titans Tower. The young man had been doing his best to explain to them all that he knew about himself from the time he had woke up in the abandoned research facility to when he had saved those innocent people from the collapsing rumble. The glass center table sitting before the large, wrap-around couch was covered with the research papers and documents taken from his briefcase, which sat on the floor nearby.
"So, let me get this straight." Robin said at length, "You woke up in a strange underground installation built for God-knows-what, found out that you were being experimented on, and then realized you couldn't remember your name or anything about your past?"
"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up nicely." the young man replied from where he stood, leaning against the wall.
"Is it just me, or does that sound really cliched?" Beast Boy abruptly blurted out, a silly grin on his face. The young man stared at him, "Excuse me?"
"Well, BB does have a point." Cyborg said, arms folded in front of him, "That's a story most meta humans will give."
"Nevermind the apparent cliched-ness of it all. Make no mistake, he has been very seriously wronged." Robin replied seriously.
"Yes, it is very unfortunate and cruel how you were used." Starfire added, looking very sad.
"Hey, cheer up! I don't really dwell on that. Sure, someone messed with me, but that's how I got these powers, right?" the stranger said, smiling somewhat. "All I want now are answers. My identity, my past, and a reason for it all."
"I understand your concerns, and I can't say I don't blame you. Getting those answers won't be easy, but it will bring closure to all of this. The Teen Titans will help you as much as they possibly can in this matter."
"Well, thanks... I appreciate that very much." the stranger replied, "But, I'm afraid I wouldn't know how to repay you."
"About that, can you give us one moment to speak together, as a team?" Robin asked. The young man nodded, and started for the main corridor, "Sure, speak away. I'll... just wait down the hallway, or something."
When they were sure he was out of earshot, Cyborg began, "So, Robin, your serious about getting this guy to join the Titans?"
"Why not? You saw the way he moved in battle against Doctor Light. You saw how he dealt with the falling building facade. He's got some potential." Robin relied.
"But, don't we already have a person with mind powers on the team already?" Beast Boy inquired.
"Yes, but my mental abilities are more along the lines of defense. I have to balance them with my magic. He may be entirely devoted to developing his power and becoming more versatile on levels I can only imagine." Raven replied.
"Let me be honest, I always intended on expanding our ranks." Robin said, "Maybe not all at once, but over time. With recruits who stand to add the most new capabilities to our options when dealing with villains. I think we should start with him."
"I for one thing it is a glorious idea, Robin!" Starfire exclaimed, smiling all the more. "He must desperately seek companionship, alone in this world without knowing truly who he is or what do to. I feel that it would be exceedingly cruel of us to not have him join our team for the fighting of the crime."
Robin smiled too, and looked over at the others. "Alright, that's one vote for. What about you Cyborg? Beast Boy?"
"I've got nothing against it." Cyborg replied, and elbowed Beast Boy, who sat nearly asleep next to him, "How about you, BB?"
"Huh! What! What's happening!"
"Beast Boy, we're voting to see whether or not to add him to the team." Robin told him, trying not to get angry with him for falling asleep during an important team meeting.
"Oh, uh... Sure, why not?" Beast Boy replied, smiling sheepishly. Robin turned his gaze next to Raven. "As long as we're careful, than yes... I see nothing wrong with making him an addition to the Team. But, I must warn you, I was getting strange feelings from him when he was giving his story. There's something about him, something I can't put my finger on, that doesn't feel right."
"Then it's settled, he'll join the team." Robin replied. "Starfire, would you please bring him back in here?"
"Certainly, Robin." Starfire left and returned a few moments later with the stranger in tow. "So, what's up?"
"We've made a decision." Robin told him. "I already asked you whether or not you ever thought of joining the Teen Titans. I'd like to extend that proposal to you again, in exchange for the information on your past that we'll certainly help you acquire."
"Really? Wow, I guess I'm honored. Or, I guess I should be..." the stranger replied. "Now, all there is left to do is give you a proper alias. Or, at least a name we can refer to you by." Robin explained.
"Yeah, that would be nice." the stranger said, "But, I don't have the foggiest idea what you guys should call me. I don't know what to call MYSELF."
"How about 'Nemo'?" Raven suggests. At that, Beast Boy and Cyborg start cracking up. Starfire looks completely baffled. "But, is that not also the name of the little fish in that movie we watched no so long ago?"
"Raven wants to name him after little fish! That's hilarious!" Beast Boy manages to say through bouts of laughter.
Raven grits her teeth, fists clenching, "No, you morons! Nemo is a reference to classic Greek Mythology. It's what Odysseus said to the cyclops, Polythemus, when he asked who had blinded him. It means literally "No one"."
"Ah, I see! A name for the nameless." Starfire remarked, "Friend Raven, you are most clever."
"Nemo, huh?" the stranger said, "Nemo... I guess that's okay. And, my alias can be Mindsurge."
"Mindsurge, that's badass, dawg!" Cyborg replied, giving him a thumb's up. "How fitting..." Raven murmured. Beast Boy and Starfire voiced their approval as well. 'Mindsurge' smiled, beginning to feel that his decision to come to Jump City had perhaps been an excellent one. When the meeting as all but over, Robin stood and held out a hand to him.
"Well, Mindsurge, welcome to the team."