32 Productions Presents…
A Teen Titan Fan Fiction The New Titans in…"Sibling Rivalry"
Chapter One
Titan Tower: Conjure's Room
Groaning softly, Conjure sent Appa out to turn off the alarm clock, her face still buried in the pillow she slept on. It was morning. She was neither annoyed or elated by the concept of a brand new day. As usual, Conjure couldn't be. That was her curse. Sitting up, she rubbed her green eyes to get the sleep out of them. After doing her stretches and minor aerobics to wake herself up the best she could (caffeine was a no-no, sadly), Conjure picked her costume from her closet and prepared to shower…when she took notice of the date.
Conjure: (whisper) St. Valentine's Day…
This was it! The day had come. She was going to drop a call to her father today and get advice on the matter. …if she kept this inside her anymore, Conjure was afraid she'd explode. Not physically, you understand, but still. Either way, it wouldn't end well for her friends.
Appa: Friends…feh. Like you care about them. There's only one that matters to you.
Conjure: …
Appa had begun hissing into her ear a few days ago, another reason she was beginning to think she was ready to explode. If this was to be corrected, Conjure would have to get these feelings out into the open where they could be…disposed of. Or whatever it is people do when they get their emotions out in the open. Unbeknownst to Conjure, however, someone had similar plans in mind.
::CUE THEME::
Conjure's Room
Conjure drummed her fingers on her desk as she waited, her communicator to her ear. Come on…come on…click.
Shade: Fire department, Derek Knight speaking.
Conjure: Um…hello, Father. I…I hope I'm not disturbing you.
Shade: Nah, it's a slow day, Deb. Besides, this line is mostly for the cats stuck in trees and that sort of crap. Something wrong?
Conjure: Well…no, not…wrong, per say…more like…well, I need advice from you, please.
Shade: You okay? You sound…unusually nervous.
Taking a deep breath, Conjure bit the bullet. This was important. It had to be said.
Conjure: There's…a boy I like and…I don't know what to do.
Silence on the other end. Then a long sigh and a mutter.
Shade: (mutter) Why me? (normal) Okay…why didn't you call your mother about this?
Conjure: Because she would tell me to forget about it. I don't want to forget about it, Father. Please, there has to be something I can do. It's eating away at me, making it hard to concentrate. I've considered quitting the team or ignoring it, but both seem to have dire consequences. …I know I wasn't your favorite daughter, but…
Shade: Hey, hey, hey…don't you try that with me. Your mother tries the guilt trip all the time.
Conjure felt a tug on her lips. She knew what to do next.
Conjure: I don't know what you mean, Father. Are you suggesting I would attempt to trick you? Do you think that low of me?
Shade: Oh, shut up. You are JUST like your mother. You know that works every time.
Conjure: Love you, Daddy.
Shade: Now you're pushing it. Alright, alright…I'll help. What's the problem?
Conjure: I told you…there's a boy I like…and I don't know what to do.
Shade: Uh huh…well, it's easy. Just get him something for today and tell him how you feel. That simple.
Conjure paused in her nervous drumming of the fingers. Get him something, eh…?
Conjure: Something like what?
Shade: Do I know this guy? No, you do. So, YOU decide what to get him.
Conjure: I see…
Shade: Deb, hon…you know that even if he says yes, you have to be careful, right? Take it easy, take it slow. If you get too worked up…well…you know.
It WAS a danger. A very real danger, to be sure. But so was holding it in.
Conjure: I know, Father. Thank you for your help.
Shade: Next time you need help along these lines, PLEASE call your mother. This is so awkward.
Conjure: Of course. Good bye, Father. I love you.
Shade: (mumble) Love you too, hon. (normal) …you guys shut up already, she's my freaking daughter!
Conjure could hear the laughter in the background. Shaking her head, she hung up.
Ebony's Room
Unbeknownst to her half sister, however, Ebony was going through a similar thing. She paced the room as the communicator rang the phone on the other end of the line. After a while a tired voice picked up.
Raven: 'llo?
Ebony: Hey Mom. Did I wake you?
Raven: It's eight in the morning. Why on Earth would I be sleeping?
Sarcasm at it's finest. Ebony rubbed the back of her head.
Ebony: Heh…sorry, Mom. I kind of have a question.
Raven: Uh huh. And why aren't you asking your dad?
It was true that Ebony was always closer to her father. Come to think of it, she couldn't remember the last time she asked her mother for help with something. …eh.
Ebony: It's about a guy.
Raven: Ah.
Raven understood instantly. If Ebony asked her father about a guy, he'd hunt the boy down and scare any affection he may have for her out of him. Kind of protective of his flesh and blood and all that.
Raven: Just show a little skin and he's all yours. Can I go to sleep now?
Ebony: Mom, you basically just told me to skank it up.
Raven: …yeah, I guess I'll regret that later. Okay…guys are easy once you understand the way they work. By the time I started dating your father, I knew how to play him like a drum.
Ebony: Is that why you always hit him on the head?
Raven: Yes…I mean no! It's a metaphor!
Ebony: So why do you hit him?
Raven: (ignoring question) So what do we know about this boy?
Ebony thought for a moment.
Ebony: Well…he's kind of weird…but funny. Um…he likes to cook…he's got a pretty good deal of pride…but he's always willing to help out…
Raven: Hmm…I see…so basically you know none of his weaknesses?
Ebony: Um…he can't touch the ground. Is that a weakness?
Raven: Yes…if you count that he can't enter stores with those doors that open when weight is put on the mat in front of it as a weakness.
Wow, her mother was in a bad mood.
Raven: No matter. If it's meant to happen, just be yourself and tell him the truth. You can learn how to wrap him around your finger in due time.
Ebony: You're evil, Mom.
Raven: No, I'm tired. Now, if that was everything…?
Ebony: Sorry. Go back to sleep, Mom.
Raven: Gladly…
CLICK. Ebony huffed and shook her head. Be herself? The hell kind of corny advice was that? What was this, an after school special? Feh! …still…maybe if she got him something for Valentine's Day, it would pave the way for success! Hmm…but what to get…AH HA! Of course! Her head all a bustle with ideas, Ebony dashed from her room.
Workshop
Helios sighed. Skeemat was really into this.
Helios: Where do you want it?
Without looking up from her project, Skeemat made a vague indication with her arm.
Skeemat: Drop them in reaching distance for me.
The items in question were pieces of scrap metal in a huge sack. He put it down and her hand shot out, grabbing the first piece it reached. Helios shook his head.
Helios: What are you building again?
Skeemat: I told you
already. It's my Valentine's Day present to the guy I like. It's
not all for it, obviously…don't need that much metal for this.
Helios: Yeah…but what is it?
Skeemat looked up at him. The serene face of her mask did little to hide the fact that she was extremely pissed at the constant questions.
Skeemat: It's a stinking surprise is what it is, okay? Jeez…
Helios: I don't know why I hang out with you…all you do is snap at me.
Skeemat: Must be my good looks.
Helios: You wear a mask.
Skeemat: Then you're just a fetishist, aren't you?
Before Helios could ask what she meant by that, Ebony appeared in the room, startling him. Skeemat didn't even flinch.
Skeemat: Hey, Ebbs.
Ebony: Hi, Skeemat. Helios, can I talk to you for a sec?
Helios: After my heart slows back down…
Snickering, Skeemat took a welder to the hunk of metal.
Skeemat: You're going to be here a while.
Helios: You're such a bitch…
Skeemat: Born and bred.
Helios: Don't you mean built and maintained?
The eyes of her mask flared as she pointed a shaking finger at the door.
Skeemat: You crossed the line, you fat prick. Out. Now.
The pair left. As soon as they did, Skeemat hurled a wrench across the room. The pair winced on the other side of the door at the sound of the crash.
Ebony: Never bring that up near her. She likes to pretend she's human and hates it when people shatter her self imposed illusion.
Helios: You think I like it when people make fun of my weight?
Ebony: …I'll talk to her about it, okay? Just…don't do that again. Anyway, about what I wanted to talk to you about…can you give me a list of all the crap M likes?
Well, that was an odd request. He shrugged.
Helios: I dunno. Why don't you ask him?
Ebony: That would ruin it, you twit. That's like asking someone what they want on their birthday while at the store.
Helios: …well, crap…um…well, he likes video games…anime…manga…
Ebony: (muttering)I like video games…some anime…I don't like manga… (normal) hmm…what kind of video games does he like?
Helios had a sneaking suspicion what this was about now. He grinned.
Helios: You got a crush on him.
Ebony: Well, duh. It's not like I'm trying to hide it.
…
Helios: You just took all the fun right out of the situation.
Ebony: Could you answer the question, please?
Helios: Mostly RPGs. I can't stand those things…always with the leveling up and crap.
Ebony thought for a moment. That was good enough to go on…but was it romantic enough? The present had to have real meaning behind it or it was just a bribery type gift. …wait…who cared?! Bribes worked just as well. Besides, she was sure that once she had her foot in the door, she'd be able to snag and bag him!
Helios: …do I even want to know what you're thinking about?
Blinking, Ebony realized she had been grinning widely and rubbing her hands together in a fashion that bordered on nefarious. She stood up straight and cleared her throat.
Ebony: Probably not. Thanks for your help, pal. I'll owe you one if this works. And if it fails I'll bring down horrible vengeance on your cranium.
Helios: What did I do?
Ebony: I'm kidding. Don't worry about it. Now, like I promised, I'll go talk to Skeemat. You go do…whatever it is you do on a normal basis.
Shrugging, Helios went off to go watch TV or something. Thankfully Nighwing was the instructor today…and he usually didn't show up until pretty damn late (if at all). …of course, if you liked to sleep, this was bad news because he'd keep you up for a good while. Since Helios was pretty much a solar battery, he didn't mind. Sighing, Ebony knocked on the metal door to the workshop. No reply.
Ebony: Skeemat…Ashley, come on, open up.
The door slid open. Skeemat held a screwdriver tightly in her hand. Oh, how reassuring!
Skeemat: …what do you want?
Ebony: Look…I know you're upset about what he said…but he didn't mean it.
Skeemat: You think I care what that fat bastard thinks?! He can lick the third rail in a subway tunnel for all I care.
Ebony sweatdropped. Skeemat thought of some weird…and rather painful sounding things some times. Most would suggest the offender jump off a bridge, but apparently that was too common place for Skeemat. Shaking it off, Ebony continued.
Ebony: You don't fool me. We've been friends for years. I know you.
Skeemat: You don't know anything. You didn't know I was a machine until the demon invasion.
Ebony: I know that tone in your voice. I know that you tend to be laid back until someone says something that sets you off. …I know you plenty, Ashley. He didn't mean anything, but you got to figure, he probably doesn't appreciate your weight comments.
It was working, Ebony could tell. Her friend's posture wasn't so determined now. She showed signs of hesitation.
Ebony: Come on…if he comes by and apologizes, will you at least consider it?
Grumbling, the inventor crossed her arms and huffed.
Skeemat: Fine. Whatever. Can you go away now? I'm working.
Ebony: What on?
Skeemat: …it's…for a guy.
Ebony: Oh ho ho! I see. Then I'll leave you to your work. I got something I need to take care of on those lines as well.
Skeemat: Yeah, yeah. Good luck with that.
Ebony disappeared. Looks like she was getting the hang of her father's teleportation…or was it her mother's? Whatever. Back to work.
Skeemat: He's going to flip over this! Hehehe…
Kitchen
Conjure turned the page of the cook book she was reading. Anyone could BUY a gift…but cooking was hard. …really hard. But no matter! She used to cook dinner for Damien and Arella back home. She could do this. …of course she was cooking microwave things of Spagettios…but never mind that! She was semi-confident she could do it and, for Conjure, that was just confident enough.
Conjure: Hmm…two tea spoon of sugar…
Slithering out, Appa fetched the sugar in the form of a chimp. …however it wouldn't let go when she tried to take it. Frowning, Conjure concentrated harder.
Appa: Say please.
Conjure: …please.
It let go. Shaken by the experience, Conjure continued to bake him the delicious treat of brownies. Mmm…brownies. …crap, I just drooled on my keyboard. No, I jest.
Appa: This is futile. Everything you do is futile. I gain strength with each passing day. Don't worry though. I won't let you get hurt, my little Debra. I still have need of my host…while you're still a host and not my new body.
Conjure: (thinking) Be silent…I will not lose to you. This is just a minor distraction, one I'm dealing with as we speak.
Appa: Denial is such a troublesome thing, isn't it? Listen well, my little Debra. I can't be pushed back. You can push against me, halt my progress for a time, but you can't push me back. Even if you mount a tremendous defense and push until the end of your life, I will always remain right here to whisper in your ear. In that, I earn a minor victory…but not one I'm satisfied with. Why settle for a slice when you can have the whole damn pie? …careful, you'll crack the egg.
Blinking, Conjure realized she had been squeezing an egg tightly in her hand. She took a deep breath. She was letting Appa get to her. She had to meditate, and soon…she'd do it while the brownies were cooking. Oh no…she lost her place.
Appa: You just added the two tea spoons of sugar. Now, you were at the eggs.
Conjure: …thank you.
Shaking her head, Conjure cracked the egg and dumped the yolk into the mixing bowl. NOTE! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BAKE BROWNIES! DON'T TELL ME THAT TWO TEA SPOONS OF SUGAR IS NOT ENOUGH OR IS TOO MUCH!
Hood: …what are you doing?
Conjure: Oh! …Hood, please. You startled me. That's ill advised.
Hood: Sorry…though usually you notice when someone you know enters a room.
Cracking another egg, Conjure shrugged.
Conjure: I was preoccupied. As to your question, I'm baking brownies.
Hood: …why?
Conjure: …er…for someone in particular.
Hood: Helios?
Conjure stared. In her head, Appa was roaring with laughter. Finally it dulled down so that she could actually hear again.
Hood: Hey…stop spacing out.
Conjure: My apologies. …I've been…troubled of late.
Hood: …something important?
Conjure: It's nothing that I can't handle. …though I thank you for your concern, Hood.
Hood: Hmph. I just don't want you going comatose during a battle.
Conjure: Then you're safe, I promise. I'll deal with this. Still, I'm grateful that you cared in any regard about my problems.
With a snort, Hood turned away. A faint smile passed over her lips. That was the first time he had expressed any real concern for a teammate. That was a good sign.
Hood: You didn't answer my question. Who are those brownies for?
Appa: Yes, my little Debra, who are they for? Tell him that they're for the guy who has only shown you pity since he met you, which you took as affection since you were so desperate to find it.
Conjure: Let's just say it's not for Helios or you and leave it at that, okay?
Hood: Whatever…
Helios: Did someone say brownies?!
Both: GAH!
Hood and Conjure ducked behind the counter as Helios burst through the door…literally.
Hood: Damn it, Helios! Couldn't you at least wait for the door to open?!
Helios: BROWNIES!
Conjure: They're not for you.
Helios: Oh come on!
Conjure: I'll buy you something else. I'm making these for someone. Okay, Helios?
Helios: …fine. (grumbling) Bet they taste like crap anyway…
Conjure: Pardon?
Helios: Nothing.
END PART ONE