Chapter Three: Introduction to Pizza!
Blaze had never tried pizza. As she stared at the greasy triangle of cheese and tomato laying on the counter before her, she couldn't help but feel a little sick. "Trust me, it's delicious." Beast Boy beamed as he leaned over he shoulder and waited for her to take a bite.
"Nothin' better than the ultimate cheese pizza." Cyborg leaned over the other shoulder.
"I also must say that it is quite delightful." Starfire was across from her.
Blaze winced as she picked up the food and watched most of the cheese slide off. Slowly, she put the tip to her mouth and took the smallest bite possible. They were right, it wasn't bad. Actually, it was really good. She hurriedly ate the rest and watched the joy on the others faces as she savored it.
"Blaze, can you come here?" Robin was standing in the threshold of the hallway, "I'd like to show you something."
She got up and followed him. He led her into a room where the walls were covered in the pictures of the different villains the storied had been about. There were gadgets and articles of clothing scattered across the floor on random pedestals. "What is this place?"
"It's the evidence room. I spend most of my time here." Robin smirked, watching her expression. He was amused at her amusement. "So, . . . he got away? Wouldn't be the first time."
"I guess, but I just don't understand. I'm pretty new here, but I haven't seen any mortal walk through fire without a trace."
"Well that's why I come in here. To figure that stuff out."
"And does that usually work?"
"Not always. But you have to look deeper at the situation. Red X was robbing a jewelry store, why?" Robin began to pace.
"I thought he wasn't really a villain? I thought you said he was just an un-common thief?" Robin didn't answer. She knew that answer he would give because it's something he tells her every now and then.
"Robin, Cyborg says it's your night to wash dishes." Raven appeared after the 'swish' of the air-locked door signaled her arrival. Robin nodded and walked past her. "I don't admit this much and if you tell anyone I did I'll deny it, but you did pretty well for your first time."
"Thanks." Blaze was a bit shocked that Raven had stayed to talk to her. Normally Raven was always locked away in her room. What she did in there, Blaze wasn't sure of.
"You have power."
"Thanks." She wasn't sure what to say other than that. Raven saw her discomfort and turned to leave but Blaze put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. Realizing that this may have been a mistake, she quickly withdrew her hand. Raven turned around, looking a little annoyed. "Sorry, but I wanted to tell you that I was watching you at practice yesterday. I mean, not watching, but paying attention. I admire your skill and talent. And, well, I was just wondering, . . . is it hard to learn magic like that?"
Raven's face softened. Actually if you looked really close she almost, kind of, sort of, in a way, smiled. "At first, but then you get the hang of it. Maybe one day I'll teach you something. How to levitate a pencil or whatever." she was about to leave and walk back down the hall, but Raven turned around once again. "You want some more pizza? Cyborg always orders to much."
Blaze smiled and nodded. "Sure, although it didn't seem to healthy."
"It's not. But it's alright."
Starfire appeared behind them. She was hovering in the air with a grin on her face as far as her mouth would curve. "Oh Blaze, you must come quickly. Your picture is to be on the television!"
"Me?"
"Probably for today. It was pretty cool what you did." Cyborg and the rest walked behind her. "We're all goin' to watch it. Come on."
Starfire wasn't lying. Once they all got situated on the couch and decided who was going to get the remote (Raven ended up using her magic to levitate it in the air so no one could get it. That way they wouldn't fire over it.), they turned on the television and watched as Blaze's picture filled the screen. Raven turned the volume up and a news announcer's voice filled the room.
"And people watched in amazement as this obviously new member of the Titans caught the burglar using her amazing powers. She created a fire wall in the form of a circle around him that reached incredible heights. A mathematician who witnessed this event, estimated that the flame reached about twenty stories high!"
The t.v. showed people watching from their apartment buildings in awe as fire rose from nowhere. Then disappointed when they saw it go down. Next it showed Blaze's frustration as Red X was nowhere in sight.
"Everyone's asking the same questions, though. Who is this new heron, where did she come from, and what other amazing powers can she show us"
Raven clicked off the t.v. as the news anchor disappeared and a different show came on. She set the remote on the table. Cyborg jumped up and ran to give Blaze a slap on the back, "Pretty cool, huh!" he celebrated.
She looked at Robin, who was still staring at the television screen. The rest moved their celebration over to the rest of the pizza, but Blaze stayed. She moved closer to him on the couch and sighed. "You see it, too?"
"Yeah. He didn't walk through the fire. He disappeared in thin air."