Static sat with his back against the cave wall of quartz. Starfire sat beside him, hugging her knees to her chest.
"I wonder where she is going..."
"Fraust?" Static said. "I dunno. But she looks like the type that's not comfortable around people. She just needs some alone time, I bet."
"Perhaps." Starfire did not sound convinced. "I am afraid she may injure herself."
"We're right here, Star. What could she possibly do?"
Starfire nodded slowly.
"Still...Fraust carries an enormous amount of pain. I worry about her."
"What about Flaar?"
"I worry for him, too, of course. That...that is why we are here. I saw so much anguish and hatred in his eyes. It pains me to see a fellow Tamaranian distorted into such a person."
"Gosh, Star! You're worrying about everybody. Next thing ya know you'll be worrying about me."
"..."
"Star! C'mon! You can't shoulder everyone's problems."
"But...I wish to help them, Virgil."
Static's face grew soft.
"The best way you can help them...is by being your usual cheery self. There's nothing better than that."
Starfire looked at him.
"T-That would help them more, I mean! Hehehe!" He nervously rubbed his neck.
Starfire smiled.
Fraust rejoined them.
"Are we ready to c-continue?" She asked.
"Of course."
"Let's make it happen!"
TTTTTTTTTT
We headed back through the forest to the small dirt road where Robin and I had left our bikes. Noir was lucky. His best form of transportation...his legs...were always with him. Speaking of Noir-
"Hey, man. You all right?"
Noir looked at me. He nodded.
"Huh. Just saying. You look a little jumpy."
He just smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
I chuckled.
"All you city slickers are the same. Get you away from civilization for just a little while and you get all antsy." I slapped him on the shoulder. "This is nature, Noir! The earth at it's finest and most perfect level! Anything man's done or made can't touch it with a ten foot pole, ya know?"
Noir looked at me.
"Well...okay. Maybe Final Fantasy VII."
Noir signed.
"The Delorean? You kidding? Only folks who like Blondie like that car. Give me a Dodge Charger any day! Them Duke boys are at it again! Heheheh!"
Noir couldn't help it. He giggled breathily.
We followed Robin through the foliage.
TTTTTTTTTT
The T-Car hummed down the road towards the outskirts of the city.
"Dude...this is gonna be our greatest assignment of all time. Guarding beauty pageant contestants. Soooo gooodd."
"Hey!" Terra objected. "You're spoken for, green guy!"
"I know, I know!" Beast Boy buffed his fingernails over his chest. "But...ya know...if one of these girls tries to steal me...what can I do?"
Terra folded her arms across her chest.
"Hmph. If they'd just bring you back."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Cyborg cleared his throat from behind the wheel.
Terra and Beast Boy looked up at him from the backseat.
"Ahem. Neither one of ya have anything to worry about it. We are guarding the contestans, Beast Boy...from outside."
Beast Boy did a double take.
"Say what?"
"You heard me, dawg. If we went in there, we'd be blowing Terra's cover. We'll be camping out outside."
Beast Boy made a face.
"That sucks."
"It'll probably keep you out of trouble." Cyborg corrected him. "Think about...these girls have been locked in a house with nothing but other girls for quite a while now. If two guys were suddenly introduced...especially them being famous...it might...cause...probl...ems."
"..."
"..."
Beast Boy and Cyborg looked at each other.
"You heard Robin's orders!" Terra appeared between them like a strike of lightening. "YOU STAY OUTSIDE!"
"Awwwwww!"
"Awwwwww!"
Terra settled back into her seat.
"I am kinda nervous th-though..."
Beast Boy forgot about his hormones...for the moment.
"Huh? Why?"
"Well...all of these girls are gonna be really pretty and-"
"You're pretty, too, Terra."
Terra blushes. She pushed the hair out of her face.
"Well...maybe. But these girls have been training for this for a long time..."
"Chill out, Terra!" Cyborg threw over his shoulder. "You're thinking to much, girl. All ya gotta do is be yourself, smile a lot and...um...be yourself!"
"Yup." Beast Boy nodded. "You're gonna be great!"
"Heh...t-thanks, guys."
"Besides." Cyborg added. "She's cute as a brunette."
"Psssh!" Beast Boy hissed. "Speak for yourself, dude! I love Terra's hair!"
Cyborg shook his head.
"You and your blonde fetish."
Beast Boy rubbed the back of his neck.
"Heheheh..."
Not long later, Cyborg turned the T-Car into a long, winding driveway with immaculately trimmed bushes on both sides.
"We're here..."
Cyborg stopped the car in front of a large house with an antique design. A brick and wood sign read 'Cartwright's School of Etiquette'.
"Well...this is the place."
Beast Boy gave Terra a thumbs up.
"Go break a leg!"
Terra smiled, hugged him and stepped out of the car. She hesitantly climbed the steps and pushed open the front door. The contestants, over a dozen of them, stood in the lobby of the house. Their eyes turned to Terra standing in the doorway. Judging. Assessing.
Terra fidgeted under the scrutiny.
"Um...h-hi..?"
A girl stepped forward, different in attitude and appearance from all the rest. Her eyes was covered with a patch.
"I'll show you around." She offered.
Terra opened her mouth, but closed it again when she saw the girl's wink. She didn't resist as the girl led her away.
TTTTTTTTTT
"Noir!" I called behind me. "You're falling behind again. We can come back and sight-see later. The squirrels ain't going anywhere, ya know."
But then, something made me look around as well. A streak of random paranoia. But as a scanned the landscape with my eyes, I saw nothing. Just as before. Your mind plays tricks on you sometimes in the forest.
"C'mon, soldier! I know you don't want to disappointed General Robin!"
Noir looked over his shoulder one last time before falling in step beside me.
