Two hours later, the titans stood in front of the circus, which was on the outskirts of Jump City. Beastboy and Cyborg decided against holo-rings thanks to the insistance of Robin, who assured them they wouldn't stand out too much. Not at Haley's. Beastboy did decide to change out of his uniform, prefering an annoying purple tee and shorts. Raven and Starfire both wore casual clothes, Starfire in kapri's and a flowery tank top, and Raven in bermuda shorts and a black tee. Robin to the amusement of everyone, squirmed around uncomfortably in his red t-shirt and jeans, being in civilian clothing IN BROAD DAYLIGHT for the first time in five years.
His squirming couldn't be blamed solely on the clothes, though. He was anxious to see his old friends, yet worried of how they'd react. After all, ever since he left the circus as a child, he had been raised by a Gaje, a non-rom. If the circus had been a gypsy community, he would've been shunned from them, being marime. Unpure. Lucky for him, Haly's was a mix of Roms, runnaways, and pure carnies and circus folk. He still worried though.
He took a deep breath, and asked his friends, "You all ready?"
"I think the better question, Rob, is whether or not you're ready?" asked Cyborg. Before Robin could answer though, he was suddenly tackled in a hug.
"Oof!" The titans were starting to get into a defensive stance, when they realized that Robin and his 'attacker' weren't fighting, but laughing. Robin, the boy wonder, worlds second greatest detective and worlds greatest acrobat... was in a tickle fight. "Come on, Mandy, cut it out!" He eventually pushed off his persuer, still laughing. She was too.
"I thought I told you not to call me that! When will you cut it out, Dickie?"
"When you stop calling me that Mandy," he said, smirking.
"Um... Robin? Dude?" Beastboy stood with the others, confused by the exchange. That's when Robin realized- his friends had no clue who this was. He barely did either, now. He hadn't seen her since he was around nine years old.
"You've... grown, Miranda." She smirked.
"So have you, Dickie. See? You're almost taller than me now!" Sure enough...
"Wait a sec, are you saying I wasn't taller than you before? 'Cause I totally was."
"Sure you were, gypsy boy. Sure you were."
"Hey! You know we prefer Rom to gypsy, thank you very much! Of course, it's not like you're one to talk, you stinking Gaje."
"Hey! Watch it, gyp!" They fell into another tirade of laughter. The titans suddenly felt like they were intruding on this moment. Robin seemed to sense this, and immediately felt bad.
"Oh, uh, guys? This is Miranda Kane. Just call her Mandy." She stuck her tounge out at him. "Mandy? This is Cyborg, Beastboy, Starfire and Raven."
"Good to meet you all!"
"Likewise," Raven acknowledged with a nod. Miranda looked them all over, as if just now realizing how different they were in comparison to the normal townies she'd meet.
"Nice to see there are some townies that aren't total oddballs," she acknowledged, nodding.
"How are we not oddballs?" Beastboy asked, confused. Robin just laughed.
"Trust me Beastboy, to a carnie, you're normal. To us, townies are the weird ones."
"Please, a 'townie' and a 'carnie' is...?" Starfire trailed off, confused.
"Oh. Carnies are all the circus folk, and townies are everyone that live in the cities and towns and all." Miranda made it sound like it was the most apparent thing in the world. To her, it was. Like Robin, she had been born in Haley's Circus. She knew nothing but. Robin on the other hand... "So, Dickie, are you going to help me give your friends a tour or what? Don't play stranger. Everyone's been dying to see you!" she regretted her choice of words, seeing Robin wince for a second. Remembering what that day was. "Er... well, you know what I mean. Pop hasn't stopped talking about meeting your friends and catching up with you ever since he sent those tickets!"
"So he sent them? I figured," Robin said, nodding.
"Robin, you did not tell us that you knew who sent the tickets. You said it might be-"
"Might be what? Poisoned? Part of a giant conspiracy?" asked Miranda with a laugh. "It'd be just like you to think up an excuse like that, you chicken! Good to see some things haven't changed." She looked him over, and noticed the strip of fabric covering his eyes. "I also see you've got used to wearing a mask? I thought you hated those things! What are you doing wearing one of those anyway?"
"Secret ID and all that," he said, only half joking. "Batman insisted. It wasn't like I had much room to argue, seeing as I'd already won the color battle."
"Oh, right. You still honoring your parents colors?" a softer tone came to her voice. He nodded.
"The new kid is too, though this one actually knows the story behind it unlike the last one."
The 'new kid' Raven and Beastboy inferred, was the new Robin they had met. Tim. The 'last one' though? Huh. That was a question they'd have to ask later...
"Come on, you don't wanna keep Pop waiting, do ya?"
"'Course not!" He started to follow her over to Pop Haley's trailer, when he hezitated, biting his lip. "Um... is he still here?"
"He who-oh." Her face was suddenly a mirror immage of his, pale and a bit scared. She shook her head. "No. That creep is gone, thank god. He's not allowed anywhere near Haley's without the threat of Bruno or Pete or even Connie kicking him to Jupider. And he was put on an offenders list after serving a couple months in Blackgate."
"Good," he replied, equally serious.
The following silence was broken by the jolly voice of Pop Haley himself, calling, "Why the long faces, everyone? The circus is supposed to put a smile on your face! Well, until Jack comes around..."
"I heard that!" shouted a clown passing by, a goofy smile on his face.
Robin couldn't help it. A grin rivaling the Joker's broke out on his face, as he looked up at the man he thought of as a Grandfather. A father even. "Mr. Haley!"
Seeming very out of character to the titans, Robin ran up to the man, ripped off his mask, and gave him a hug rivaling only that of Starfire. Pop Haley laughed, and just asked, "How many times do I have to tell you, boy? Just call me Pop! No formality in a family!" Again, Robin just laughed.
"You know my mom! She would have my head if I ever called you by anything less than formal!"
"Oh, Mary..." he shook his head a little, and a bittersweet grin came to his face. "Your mother sure was something! Going from college girl to flyer in a matter of days! Falling for John, of all people!"
"Yea..." the nostalgic moment was cut short when he remembered his friends were standing about two feet away, patiently waiting for intros and explinations. "Oh! Mr. Haley, meet the titans!" the introductions were made, the pleasentries were exchanged, and the tour began.
"Well, get a move on, Miranda! You and Dick must show his friends around! Go on! Meet your friend's family!" And with that, the tour of Haley's began.
*Soooo, wada ya think? do you love it? do you hate it? do you wish to go back in time and warn yourself not to read it? let me know!