I don't own Teen Titans or anything else mentioned in this chapter.
"This"means that they're speaking in Tamaran and is used for whispering and for TV; you'll know the difference, and this is when they're thinking.
You guys are awesome! Thanks for the reviews. :) I love reading them! So let's find out who rescued Mariand'r, shall we… ;) Enjoy your nice long chapter :D There's some language.
Your Reason Why
Chapter 4 – Close Enough
…
Mariand'r lay on a one-person size bed, her clothes still wet, and she was more asleep than unconscious. A small boyish red t-shirt and blue shorts were folded towards the end of the bed. A small kitchen was found against the wall and a small bathroom was located towards the back of the room. Besides the small bed, a black couch sat in front a coffee table; a close laptop lay on top of it as well as her things, and a computer-screen TV was turned on to Channel 17 Midnight News.
A twenty seven year old woman was sat on the middle of the studio with papers in her hand. She had her light brown hair up into a bun and she was wearing a white, long sleeve, button up shirt with a black skirt and black high heels. A picture of the yellow letter 'M' with a red background, titled 'Clown Madness' was been shown besides her.
"…the hostages beat up the wannabe clown and escaped safely from McDonalds. Oh, that silly clown." said the anchor woman in a peppy voice and then chuckled. The picture of the yellow letter 'M' with a red background changed to one with a gun and handcuffs, and her expression changed to a serious one.
"In other news, earlier tonight, about 11:30 P.M., four criminals were apprehended by The Police Department of Gotham City. The four criminals were found tied up next to an alley, where the police officers found a hidden apartment with several weapons and illegal substances inside. These four criminals go by the names of Jackson, Rick, Jagger, and their leader, Drakes. The last names of the four aggressors were not revealed. One of the criminals, Rick, is being charged with murder against a Mr. Jack, last name unknown, who happens to be his own cousin. However, all four members are charged with attempting to kidnap a six year old girl, identity unknown." The woman lifted her hand to a small receiver in her ear.
"Our team is not sure about all the details of this incident, as to where the girl is now and who gave the notice to the police. We're trying to get all the details from Police Officer Jones who knows everything that happened earlier tonight, such as the whereabouts of the child and more.
We'll have all the information on this case after these messages. This is Channel 17 Midnight News; your host Rhonda Reese." The screen changed to a commercial about car insurance.
"Mommy…" Mariand'r started to stir on her bed and opened her eyes to her new surroundings. "Where am I?" She asked herself getting off the bed and trying not to lose her balance. "It…it hurts…" She reached for her head where a bandage was tied around her head. Mariand'r started to get sleepy again. She looked down at herself and she notice her clothes were all wet. Then she notice clean, dry clothes on the bed. She changed clothes and went back to sleep…
oOo
"Who lives on a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob…" The TV was still on but now it was cartoons that were playing. The TV clock read 5:30 P.M.
Mariand'r woke up again. Her dress was on the couch instead of the floor and some food was placed on the coffee table. She turned over and fell off the bed in the process but got up like nothing happened.
"These new clothes feel…weird." She walked over to the couch and took her dress. Her dress was dry and it smelled clean. Then she saw the bear sitting down on the couch next to her stuff, which was also dry and clean. "Robin Gotham!" She ran up to the bear and gave him a big hug that almost his masked eyes popped out. "You are well!" She then let go off the bear and ran to the bathroom to change back into her princess dress. Once she was dressed, and after an attempt to fix her curls, she walked over the coffee table and stared at the food before her.
"What is that?" She asked poking at the crunchy brown circles with dots and the white liquid in front of her. "I am so hungry!" Without thinking about it she ate a 'brown circle' and took a big gulp out of the white liquid. "Yummy!" The rest of the circles as well as the liquid were gone in seconds.
And for the first time she noticed that the TV was on. "Who is that?" Her full attention was on the screen now.
"From your pickles to your buns it ain't even funny…"
Mariand'r laughed, "I never thought a square little creature could be so funny." She had not seen cartoons on Earth before, she actually understood almosteverything! They were so different from Tamaran cartoons, where she hardly understood what they were saying…but it was still home. Her smile faded, she hugged the bear and started to cry… "I want my mommy."
The door to the room opened, she quickly stood up and turned around. A mask man stood before her, she backed away.
"I see that you're awake." Mariand'r nodded but kept her distance. "Do you remember what happened the night before?" he asked. Mariand'r remembered everything now, which also
explained why her head was wrapped in white bandages; she became scared and nodded in response.
"I'm not going to hurt you…"
oOo
"…so he informed the authorities about the infamous gang you've been trying to catch for a few months now, no surprise in that; So tell us, Officer Jones, is there any explanation as to why Rick's cousin, Jack, was found dead?" asked a young blonde woman with light blue eyes, who was in her mid twenties. She was wearing a grey dress-skirt with a white blouse; in her hand she held a Channel 21 News microphone.
"Jack had been caught stealing a pharmacy; he ran away thinking it was a group of people who were trying to kill him, but it was actually him. It was a good thing that Jack ran to his cousin for help because who knows what might of happened to the child." Officer Jones was wearing his police uniform; he had dark brown hair, light blue eyes, and appeared to be in his mid thirties.
"Do you have any idea as to why Rick killed Jack?"
"I can't say anything on that because it's confidential, but they thought it was somebody else chasing Jack; a dangerous group of people, which we've been trying to catch for years."
"Do you know the whereabouts of the child or who she is for that matter? Her parents are surely worried."
"Yes, actually, he took her under his medical care, for she suffered a mild blow to the head by one of the gang members, but it was enough to get her semi-unconscious. But she will be returned to her parents as soon as she recovers. So, they need not worry."
"Do you at least have name?"
"Like we said, she was unconscious when we found her and we have no information on the girl. But what we do know is that she appears to be between the ages of 5 and 7, she has dark black hair, green eyes, and is around 3 ft tall, but her origin is unknown."
"Now, why didn't he take her to a hospital instead?"
"Well, the girl was slightly bleeding from the head, being a six year old, it can be serious, and the closes hospital wasn't exactly that close to that area. Taking her with him was the most reasonable thing to do."
"I hope the parents reunite with the child. Thank you for this interview Officer Jones. This is Laura Parker, Channel 21News. Back to you John..."
"I can't believe Bruce got some action and I didn't…" murmured Richard as he changed the channel.
oOo
"…My name is Batman." He said putting his black-gloved hand out for Mariand'r to shake. She looked at his hand and then at him, she didn't move. "Everything is fine now. I'm going to find your parents; all I need is some information."
"I want to go home." She said coyly.
"Do you know where you live?" asked Batman. Mariand'r pointed up at the ceiling. "Ok…uh, what's your name?" he asked again. Batman wasn't so good with children.
"Mariand'r." she whispered.
"Maryann–" he took a step closer.
"It's Mariand'r." she corrected him and took a step back.
"Right. Mariand'r… What's your last name?" Batman asked. He was getting impatient.
"Mariand'r." She simply stated. Clearly Mr. Batman wasn't getting it. On Tamaran people would immediately give her the 'royal treatment' once they found out who she was: Princess Mariand'r; and men would ask if her mother Koriand'r was single, but that was different. She wasn't spoil but it was weird that this person didn't know who she was, it felt…nice, and he didn't even try to ask out her mom.
He did say he was going to help me find daddy. Mariand'r smiled.
"Do you want my Earth name?" she asked in an innocent and friendly voice.
Batman gave her a strange look behind his mask. "Uh…Sure."
"My name is Mari Grayson. You are going to help me find my daddy, correct?"
"Correct. What are your parents' names?"
"My mommy is a princess, and her name is–"
"Uh…Mari, there are no princesses in Gotham." He crouched down to meet her height, distance still between them. Mariand'r didn't say anything. "Ok, what's your father's name?"
Mariand'r answered automatically. "Richard Grayson."
"Richard…Grayson?" He asked to confirm what he had heard. He stood up.
"Mr. Batman, you know him. Yes?" She asked excited.
"I don't think it's the Richard I know…" Batman said to himself. Mariand'r caught this and her hopes went down, she stared at the floor.
"Oh."
"How old are you?" Batman asked just to clear his doubt.
"I am six years old!" She answered holding up six fingers. She stood quite. "Perhaps, you know my real grandpa, then! His name is Bruce!" she said breaking the silence.
"Bruce!?" He looked at her, really looked at her. Her clothes were different, her English was different, her green emerald eyes were…all green, her eyebrows were abnormal, she had black hair, and she even had a Robin teddy bear. Batman hadn't notice how…different she looked.
She stared back studying him. He had a neat cape, pointy ears, wore mostly black…yep, Mariand'r was convinced that Mr. Batman was an Earth vampire. Now, where were his fangs…?
"Is Kori your mother?" Batman was almost afraid to ask. Mariand'r nodded snapping out of her vampire theory. "Where is she?"
"Tamaran…" She responded looking up at the ceiling.
"I need to talk to Richard…" Batman whispered to himself but Mariand'r caught it once more.
"You know where my daddy is?" She slowly flew up to Batman. "You are going to take me with him, yes?" Batman wasn't surprised that Mariand'r could fly but he was surprised that she might be Richard's daughter.
"I'm not saying that he is your father, I'm saying he might be. And I'm taking you with Mr. Bruce Wayne first." Mariand'r landed in front of him.
"Grandpa Bruce was disapproving of my mommy." Mariand'r stated with a giggle as if that was the most absurdum thing she ever heard. "But he likes her now, yes?" Batman looked away. "Mr. Batman?" she looked up at him.
"Yes?"
"Are you a vampire?" She asked with hopeful eyes.
"No." Batman walked out of the room motioning Mariand'r to follow.
"Oh." Mariand'r giggled, went for her things, and followed Batman the vampire out the door.
oOo
Mariand'r stared at the man besides her. She smiled. Her grandpa Bruce was going to take her to her dad. He didn't say much except for a small hello after Batman had dropped her off at the mansion. She was a little disappointed that Batman was in fact not a real vampire; he had gone out into the sunlight and did not melt.
Bruce and Mariand'r were walking down one of the many hall ways of Wayne Manor. She was carrying her bear Robin, who was no longer 'Robin Gotham' as Batman had explained, and her backpack was taken by a man named Alfred at the door. Bruce stopped in front of a brown door that Mari almost ran into, if it wasn't for Bruce who stopped her by her shoulder.
"Stay here." Bruce instructed her. Mariand'r nodded with anticipation. Bruce knocked on the door twice and went inside.
oOo
Richard's room was clean this time, except for the messy food tray that lay on top of a table next to him. He had loose jeans and a black shirt on, no shoes. He was resting on his bed and was still watching his big screen TV that was in front of him. He had already trained all morning and was just waiting for the clock to hit six so he can go meet with his friends. He heard a knock at his door and saw that Bruce came in. He looked serious.
"We need to talk." Bruce stated.
He knows?
"I didn't go out with your secretary! That's just a rumor!" Richard said it as he quickly stood up from his bed knocking down his TV controller.
"What? No, it's not about that. It's about the girl from last night–"
"I didn't sleep with anyone last night. You can even ask Raven and the guys." said Richard getting defensive.
"Richard, would you just let me talk! I'm talking about the child."
"Oh." Richard felt relieved and he sat back down. "What about her?"
"Did you sleep with Kori beforeyou dumped her?" He asked him without choosing his words and getting right to the point. Richard once again stood up.
"What does that have to do with–?"
"Yes or no?" His voice was stern and annoyed.
"Yeah, two days before, but I don't see–"
"Dick …" Bruce gave out an irritated sigh. "…that girl, is Kori's daughter–"
"What?" interrupted Richard, "Are you sure? Is Kori here?"
"No, but…her daughter says that you're her father." Like Richard hadn't disappointed him before. He knew this was bound to happen at some point.
"What! She can't be mine!" said Richard raising his voice, which was now harsh and serious.
"Dick, she has black hair, she's six years old, and she even has a bear." Richard gave him a look at the bear comment.
"That doesn't mean she's mine! For all I know, she could've gotten pregnant right after she went back to Tamaran." said an aggravated Richard. He was not ready to be a father and if he was it definitely wasn't going to be with Kori.
"I know that, that's why I want you figure out if she's your daughter or not. Take a paternity test. Don't let the press get involved…incase she's not yours."
"She's not." Richard said with certainty. Bruce shot him a you-better-be-right look.
"She's waiting for you outside…"
oOo
Richard stepped outside. The girl was nowhere in sight.
"What girl? There's no one outside…" he whispered to himself. He was about to go back inside his room when something on the floor caught his eye. It was the girl. She was asleep on the carpet and she was hugging a Robin teddy bear. Kori's teddy bear…
Ha ha Cliffhanger! Well…sort of. xD So, they didn't officially meet but at least he knows and saw her ;) Well, what do you guys think? Can anybody guess the SpongeBob episode that Mariand'r was watching? xD REVIEW!
