Yes, Vin still lives…barely. I vacationed in Colorado and Manhattan, and then I came home to work, where several minor disasters are in the process of trying to convince me to contemplate suicide (Brain: Or homicide, my preference.)

I will try to continue entertaining you, my very reason for existance, starting with:


The Props!


Lady of Faerie: 'Sorta differentiated them'? (Brain: He means-'What the hell does that mean'?) Thank you for the Squeez! (Brain: Little evil one: You may insult my vessel, but you tread thin ice by questioning Our sexual prowess.)

DarkSideOfBlue: Odd? That comment, coming from you? (Brain: Grrrrr…) Um, don't be insecure, we all are, to some extent. (Brain: Speak for yourself, worm.) I am just as uncaring about quantity and quality of reviews as you are. In other words—I die for them! Props on your (sniff) greater popularity than me…

DM: Are there no bounds to your simpering, patronizing praises? (Brain: That's good, Vinniot!) Thank goodness! Luv ya 2! (Brain: About that naughty language problem of yours…)

Change-of-Heart2: (Brain: Correct response, whitefood.) Thank you!

WickedWitchoftheSE: I pour my heart and soul into this, and all I get is 'yay'? (Brain: Hee hee-and not even capitalized.)

Oranfly: Thanks! (Brain: Have we neglected to insult you, meat-puppet?)

Warprince2000: Of course it is a cool story! Tell me what you really think…

Iuz the Old: Dude, I am the old one here! (Brain: Where did he specify three nights?) Should I be excited to get praises from you? (Brain: Ignore my moron.)

Pasha ToH: Thank you! More ego points! (Brain: I approve of the term 'amazing' used to describe our work-we shall reserve insults for another time…)

Visigoth: (Brain: I do not understand your pathetic plea. Do you wish me to kill Vin, or commit suicide? I do not-uh-recall any significant-er-insults hurled your way from Vin…)

Ass ta O me gal 1: (Brain: Go back and re-read your idiotic review, in which you misspelled cattleprod with two 'd's.) I am dispatching Brain now… (Brain: Answer your door at your own risk, pinhead.) Oh-and thanks for the kind remark. I will covey your compliment to 'Bin,' when I find out who that is. (Brain: He probably is giggling like a little schoolgirl, thinking himself clever to meld our names…) I wonder…if he does not care what you say, why does he feel compelled to insult you?

Nibbles: Yay! Someone actually checks the important information! (Brain: Someone fell for that?) Thank you.

Angel: We forgive your horrible spelling this one time, because you luv it. (Brain: But only Once…)

YumeTakato: Wah! You have confuzzled me! Do you hate me for a kissing scene? (Brain: Or is it an honest quest for my great wisdom? Vin and I both deplore the gratuitous sex which ruins many otherwise average movies, and a few otherwise decent ones…) I myself do not need to see close ups of fake screaming orgasms to understand that two people in a movie like each other. But seriously, are you slamming me, or just the Hollywood idiots?

The Mad shoe: Ahh-I like you. (Brain: What-did you miss the other great chapters?)

Dancingirl3: This is as asap as it gets, unfortunately… (Brain: It has been a few weeks of hell in my vessel's real life…sigh.) Sorry.

ShadeyMike: Thank you. And thank Julesfire (and read her stories,) she helped with the romantic-fluffiness! (Brain: Think I'm gonna barf…)

Pyrotechnic: I read some of this Alterguild's work, and it's not bad. (Brain: Careful, matchboy. Oh-and 'writer' is not spelled with a 'ght.' And you have a brain 'fryer'? Care to make that threat a bit more obvious?) I think Brain is pissed at you…

TerraTitan27: Another Terra! And this one seems not to be desparaging and insulting! (Brain: Too bad…) Thanks!


The pair flew north, looking rather odd; a dark girl in a cape accompanied by a green pterodactyl.

They had made a decision to hide in Buffalo, New York - a city that was sure to generate no attention from the rest of the nation, regardless what occurred there. There they would be able to disappear; blending in easily with the other inhabitants, yet still living in a city that bore some passing resemblance to civilization.

"Did they say anything about where they might go, Bruce?" Robin asked his old mentor.

"I'm afraid they never talked about specifics," replied Mr. Wayne. "I did get the feeling, though, that they were considering heading north, where they could go underground more easily."

"Thanks again, Bruce - for everything." Robin closed the channel. "Any ideas, team?" He turned to face the remaining members of Teen Titans.

"I am afraid I do not have enough knowledge of Earth geography to be of much help," Starfire volunteered. "But I wish to help with the search. If you could direct me where to start..."

"Already on it, guys," joined Cyborg, without looking up from the computer. "I'm laying out a grid over the most likely northern metro areas. We can split up and start searching as soon as I'm through."

Robin opened the comm. link on the big screen. "I'll call Titans East and see if they can cover for us."


Beastboy entered the tiny, decrepit apartment carrying an armload of groceries. "How was your day today, Raven?"

"Exciting, as always," the dark girl replied, putting aside her book. "Ooh - we had a fire drill at the library today." She rolled her eyes.

"Hey, it's not any worse than working at the zoo," Beastboy pointed out as he began putting away foodstuffs. "Try cleaning up after elephants."

Raven got up to help in the 'kitchen,' if one could call it that. The 12 by 20-foot room that served as living space was divided by a short counter, which delineated the food preparation area. There was barely enough room for the two of them. "I hope you bought something besides just tofu..." She shot a questioning look at the green one.

"Yeah. I got some junk food and soda - but no meat. Cool?"

"Whatever." She nodded in the direction of the Television. "I've been watching the news. It seems there are no supervillians in this town, just the usual human miscreants. You wanna take the first watch tonight?"

"I guess." Beastboy frowned. "It kind of bites, having to fight crime in secret. And not get paid for it..." He sighed.

"Well, we can't have our faces all over the papers, can we?" Raven gave Beastboy a short kiss. "But we have special abilities - we can't just let them go to waste."

"Errr...gulp...heh heh..." Beastboy momentarily blushed. "Oh-yeah. Hey! You were talking about our - our superpower 'special abilities.' Right." The tongue-tie changeling stepped in it a bit deeper. "Yeah-I didn't mean anything like-uh-like...oh crap." His skin changed color, and he began to blend in, Chameleon-like, with the kitchen colors.

Raven folded her arms in a comfortable and familiar skeptical pose. "Uh, yeah, I think that we end that train of thought right where it is. I'm trusting you to assure me that was a Freudian slip." Her violet gaze probed the depths of the changeling's soul.

"I don't know what you just said, but I didn't mean to say anything wrong." He worried the back of his neck. "My mind just kind of wandered where it shouldn't be going. It still does that when you kiss me..." Wilting under her gaze, he admitted, "I guess it did sort of slip out. Uh - sorry?"

The girl relaxed visibly at that admission, and flashed a small smile. "Sorry, BB. I don't mean to give you the third degree. A 'Freudian Slip' is a verbal miscue, which (according to Dr. Sigmund Freud,) results from unconscious wishes and can reveal hidden inner feelings. I'm still not sure just how much I can allow myself to express emotion, and I'm definitely not ready for..." She abruptly stopped, as a small flat of tomatoes bounced off the ceiling. Well, perhaps 'bounced' is not quite accurate...

Beastboy was quick to reassure the emotionally overwrought sorceress. "No, no! I know that. I'm not ready for anything like that either. I mean, we're both still young, and I'm - I just want you to know that I'm okay with waiting-." He struggled to find the right combination of words. "I love you Raven, and I'm happy with the way things are, and— I just want you to be happy, Raven." (Whew!)

"I think I understand." The dark girl hugged her partner. "Thanks. Oh, by the way, nice trick with the camouflage. When did you learn that?"

"Feeding time at the reptile exhibit."

After their embrace ended, the green teen grasped the cloaked one by her shoulders, and stared at her with concern. In his most serious voice, he asked, "So, do you want to take first shift, or do you want to cook?"

Raven snorted, trying not to chuckle out loud at the sight of Beastboy valiantly struggling to maintain a straight face. "You know, you really are becoming more mature each day. You're even starting to grasp some of the subtleties of humor."

He beamed, at what he correctly surmised to be a rather substantial compliment, coming from Raven. "Uhh...thanks...?"

She slugged him on the shoulder.


"What about this large city in the state of New York...Buf-fa-lo?" Starfire pointed to a large metropolis on the Canadian border.

"No way, Star." Robin laughed softly. "No one would ever go to Buffalo voluntarily."

"They do have an NFL team," offered Cyborg. "That means it's a big metro area. That's gotta count for something."

"Yeah-4 Superbowl losses in a row. Very special." Robin snorted his disdain for the hapless citizens of the city of failed dreams. "You've all got your assignments. Let's get going, team."


(Brain: Hee hee. Any readers out there from Buffalo?

No?

Thought so-not many there that can…)

Cut the crap, Brain! You wanna get me killed?

(Brain:….)

What?

(Brain: I'm thinking…)

Remember to send your sparkling, witty reviews!

And do not forget to check my Bio page for more information of not any particular value…

(Brain: You're such an idiot.)