This is now officially my first chapter-based story. Anyone who's happy at this change in my writing style, compliment Menamebephil. Anyone who's unhappy at it, I already clubbed most of the baby seals for other reasons. Sorry.
Grimaces became grimmer. Fighting stances yielded to uneasy glances and wary checks of surroundings. With a sickening crunch, a radio siappeared under a steel-reinforced boot.
Starfire was the first to speak. "Why would someone place the radio emitting the most terrible noise in front of our home?"
The pilot of the boat looked around. Everybody else in sight appeared to be going about their business as usual. They hadn't been spotted. The pilot pulled out a pair of binoculars and trained them on the tower's entrance, just in time to see the leader of the teenage team carry the remnants of the electronic device inside, and the door whoosh shut after him.
Once again, the main room was occupied by everyone in the tower - but this time, there was no friendly chatter, no golden rays on sun beckoning to the frivolous side of the young heroes to come yonder and play. The television was on, resolutely sifting through all known local criminals' whereabouts.
With a muted click and low whirring noise, the background lights in the room snapped on and the few open windows throughout the tower closed themselves. No occupants of the room budged from their places.
As she ended her meditative trance, Raven quickly summarized the day's events in her head. In the morning, each of the Titans has been cheerful and carefree - and even beast Boy restrained himself from his usual antics. Then, they had heard a gunshot, and when they left the tower to comb the city for trouble, hadn't come across anything abnormal. Worst, as they returned to the tower, tired and unhappy to have wasted the day, Robin had called them to the front entrance, where he had discovered the source of the gunshot noise. Now, the Titans were moodily sitting around the main room, pensive about the day and the near future.
Raven glanced around the room. Cyborg was sitting at the kitchinette, propping his head up with his hands, staring at the wall. Starfire was lying on the couch, her head on the armrest and her hair dangling over the side, staring at the ceiling. Beast Boy was sitting on the floor, his back against the couch and his arms around his legs, staring forward. Robin was sitting at one of the computer terminals, his hands also propping up his head, which was frowning at the computer screen.
Raven glanced at the clock, and without a word got up and left the room. She retired to her room, and several minutes later, felt her teammates do the same.
None of them slept well that night.
Also, a few public service announcements. First, did you know that gullible is the only word not defined in the dictionary? I'm serious; go look it up. Second, happy April Fool's day, everyone. If you feel like writing a review but not about this story or chapter, I wouldn't mind hearing about your April Fool's Day adventures. Heh.