I do not own the Teen Titans or anything related to them, however I do own this story and all of the non-original characters except for Isis, who I have been given permission to use by a friend of mine and all are copywrited. This means you can not copy the story or any of the characters or use them without permission from their original owners. Check out the mini-fics by my friend, Starfire Fury, called Teen Titans: Alpha Humor, they're mini-fics about these characters and they're really good and absolutely hilarious, so go read them!
I'd also like to dedicate this chapter to Starfire Fury (yes you Angel-chan!) because she has such amazing drawing and writing skills and well, I just want to so :P Anyway, on with the next chapter!
Teen Titans: Alpha
Cold rooms, cold words, cold hearts
The next morning in Titan's Tower was as silent as the night before. Isis, Zeru and Li all sat mutely in the kitchen, quietly eating cereal. Barely a word was spoken, unless you call 'Pass the milk please' sparkling conversation. Un-aired thoughts about the 24 hours before filled the room like invisible smoke, choking the Titans so they couldn't speak. What they didn't realise, was that their missing team mates hadn't been so silent, they didn't know that Phoenix had been sobbing through her words, or that Taiyou had been the perfect image of hard-faced disappointment.
Phoenix hadn't gotten so much as a minutes sleep all night, she'd been staring quietly at the ceiling due to the lack of windows, in fact the only indication that it was now morning was the digital clock on the opposite wall. The eyes that were hidden behind her mask were still red and puffy from her crying the night before. Taiyou had left barely two hours ago, just before the other Titans awoke and he hadn't left in the best of circumstances.
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"Phoe, why can't we tell the others? They have a right to know and you know it!"
"Taiyou please! I trust you! Please, please don't tell them!"
"Phoe, it's not you're fault, they won't blame you."
"No but they'll judge me! Not that they haven't already"
"they won't and if they did could you blame them? You're the one that started this whole mess by not telling us."
"I was just keeping a promise!"
"A promise to who!"
"A promise to my parents! You'd know what that's like wouldn't you!" Taiyou's face fell and he became deadly silent, looking at the floor.
"-Taiyou, I'm sorry." However, Taiyou had gotten to his feet and his face was so stony and angry that Phoenix was taken aback.
"Don't speak to me." With that he left and Phoenix was left cold, empty and alone.
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Phoenix looked to the sheets quietly, as she tried to hug away the heavy, yet empty feeling in her heart.
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Taiyou was once again skipping stones into the waters surrounding Titan's Tower, only this time they seemed to be plunging into the deep blue depths with is anger and the odd few fizzed as the fire that surrounded them was extinguished. It as after a particularly angry throw and an equally loud splash that Taiyou sunk to his knees and stared at the water. He'd promised his parents he would do his best to protect everyone, he'd make the most of his powers and not let anyone feel the pain that they'd felt. Phoe wasn't the only one with a brother, or at least Taiyou had had a brother.
Taiyou and his little brother, Leo had been out playing when they'd been caught out in a storm. They'd been running home when a gang had stopped them. Taiyou had tried his best, but he wasn't allowed to use his powers to hurt people, or in public to that fact. They grabbed Leo and Taiyou had yelled and fought so much that they'd pushed him to the floor and he'd broken his arm. Leo fell with a quiet moan to the floor as the gang ran away, leaving Taiyou to try and cradle his little brother in his arms and frantically tell him not to close his eyes as help finally came upon them.
Leo had died later that night from his injuries. Taiyou had felt so guilty, but nothing compared to his parents, they had been the ones to tell him not to use his powers. Taiyou had promised them that everything would be alright and that he'd use his powers to help and protect others.
So he'd left for the Titan's Academy and he'd met Li, Zeru, Isis and Phoenix. '
"Phoenix… I wish I'd never even set eyes on her." Taiyou breathed with a deep rage burning inside him, but that soon burned itself out into an empty pain.
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"Do you think Phoe is going to be ok?" Zeru asked quietly, Li nodded.
"She should be, she's tough, she'll pull through."
"I don't think its Phoenix you should be worried about." Isis said with a deadly quite tone to her voice. Li and Zeru looked at her, then looked into their respective cereal bowls.
"Yeah, did you see Taiyou's face. I mean, he's always been the first once to agree with her hasn't he? His face, it was like, like stone."
"Ze's right. I've never seen him like that, it was even worse than when you two were arguing yesterday." Isis nodded. She had a theory, a theory she was keeping to herself, not only because she was Taiyou's friend, but also because she always liked to keep little secrets that she could 'use' if you like, which by that I mean use to tease.
"Someone's going to have to talk to him." Li said quietly, looking out of the window.
"You do it." Zeru said quickly, his tone nervous.
"You do it." Li said, just as quickly in reply and Isis sighed, which cased the boys to cease their squabble.
"We'll do what we always do." Isis said finally and they both nodded in agreement.
