27. Egoload
SCHLUNK!!!
The elevator doors opened.
Cyborg looked up from the computer.
Raven peered over her book.
I glanced away from my lonely game of solitaire.
Robin, Beast Boy, and Starfire sauntered into the Main Room.
"For the last time, Beast Boy, that's not how it happened! You were there! Same with Starfire! I dove in with a jump kick and gave Overload the final blow!"
"Nuh uh! Dude, I totally saved our butts! Once I shook those power plant workers off me, I was all over that scene!"
"Are you two forgetting the perils you face that I had to rescue you from?"
"You may have saved people, Starfire, but you didn't save the entire situation!"
"Beast Boy, your statement is entirely false!"
"Prove it! Where were you when I was kicking Overload's butt?!"
"I believe *I* did him in, like I said before…"
"Unacceptable! You must give me a chance to tell what really happened!"
"Oh, like we don't know the way things happ—"
A shrill whistle warbled through the room. The three newcomers looked over as Cyborg took his fingers out from his lips, leaned forward, and smirked. "Okay….welcome home. But before anything else….what in the world is going on?!"
"Beast Boy is—"
"Starfire is—"
"Robin is—"
"—lying!" they all pointed at each other, forming a triforce.
Raven lifted an eyebrow. "How interesting…"
I watched.
"Lying about what?" Cyborg asked.
"Everything!"
"The battle!"
"Overload!"
"The two chicks from the plant!"
"There were no 'chicks' at the plant!"
"And you didn't beat up Overload!"
"Yes I did!"
"No you—"
"Enough!" Raven growled.
Cyborg chuckled.
I rolled my black eyes.
The dark girl stood up and glared at the three. "Sit down. One at a time."
Silence.
The three Titans looked at each other. They crossed arms and gave each other indignant glares before marching over to a sofa in the center of the Main Room and launching their butts down into a 'sitting position'.
They continued their mutual staring contests until--
"Oh come on," Cyborg cackled. "Don't tell me we've got to pick who speaks first?!"
"I'm just waiting for the other two to embellish their account on the first turn…," Beast Boy.
"Pilfered psalms is not the way I desire to recount true events!" Starfire retorted.
"I think Robin should go first," Raven said. "He is the leader after all."
Robin smirked.
"What?!?!" Beast Boy exclaimed.
We all looked at him.
He cleared his throat, frowned, and sat back. "Sure thing. Robin, you go first. Embellish away."
Robin glared at his companion under his eyemask before clearing his throat and beginning:
"Ahem…We tracked a trail of clues Overload left behind. They led us to a Power Plant halfway between here and Bloodhaven. After days of being on this mission, we were finally ready to strike. I told everyone to meet near the west entrance of the Plant. We chose a covert operation. There was no need to risk Overload possibly being warned of our presence. So we had to sneak in the same fashion he did…"
------
Nighttime outside the power plant.
A tall, wire-framed fence surrounded the structure, laced with barbed wire. In the dark shroud of the evening, the spires of the building blinked with electric strobes of red and blue.
Suddenly, amidst the glow of the moonlight, a pair of wings formed. Silvery. Sleak.
Robin handglided down. With rippling muscles, he adjusted his descent till he came to a perfect landing just outside the fence. He shrugged his shoulders, and the winged 'backpack' popped off. He cracked his knuckles and billowed his cape back into place. Handsome as a picture.
"Robin! You arrived just seconds before I!" Starfire walked out of the forest, held two hands together, and beamed. "What a magnificent device! Wherever did you get it?"
"Made it myself," Robin smirked. "While you and Beast Boy were sleeping last night, I got some aluminum shingles and copper wire from a nearby landfill and spent the night working on it. I know I overdo things. But I can't help it. Love inventing……"
------
Starfire glared at Robin, her arms crossed. "I do not remember a 'wrist glider', much less your knack for creating one."
"It's called an 'R-Glider'!" Robin corrected.
"Oh…so it's not a 'hand glider' anymore?!" Beast Boy smirked. "What, that term not cool enough for you, leader?"
"Let him tell his story!" Cyborg said, leaning against his chair with a curious expression.
"Anyways…," Robin went on. "After I *landed*….there was still the fence to attend to. But, first of all, I couldn't help but notice—"
------
"Where is Beast Boy?" Robin inquired. "He was supposed to meet us here."
"I am afraid I have not heard from him since last time we were grouped together," she said. "He is probably sleeping or making jokes with taxi cab drivers like he always is!"
"Then we'll have to continue without him," Robin said.
He whipped out a pair of electric pliers. Blue sparks danced about as he knelt down in front of the wire and burnt himself a hole through which to crawl. He motioned with a grin for Starfire to follow. She was pensive. So he offered her a hand, and she crawled through-trembling-and sighed with relief on the other side.------
"Quite frightening. I was afraid of getting cut by the wire!"
"Not while I'm here," Robin winked through his eyemask. "Come on…let's go inside……"
Starfire glared again at Robin.
"What?!?!" the leader remarked.
"Nothing," she huffed. "Go ahead."
Beast Boy giggled.
Raven lifted an eyebrow.
Robin cleared his throat and went on.
"So…when we stepped inside the power plant…most of Overload's damage had been done. I thought it best that we—"
------
"Split up!" Robin said through gritted teeth. "We must find Overload or else this power plant is toast!"
"But Robin!" Starfire gripped her chest. "I am too afraid to go alone! I want you here to protect me!"
"Don't worry, Star," Robin smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We won't be apart for long."
She sighed against his hand.
He patted her head and walked off.
He took the main corridor while Starfire meandered down the hallways.
Overhead lights above the various power equipment flickered as Robin pressed onward. Cautiously. He furrowed his brow and scanned the area around him.
He clenched his fists.
"Show yourself!" Robin shouted.
His voice echoed.
And then…a rustling sound.
Robin spun around with a shout and raised his stick.
"Aaaack!!" Beast Boy shouted and cowered. "It's me, dude!"
"Beast Boy," Robin glared. "You should be more careful."
"I'm sorry," the green Titan rubbed his eyes and yawned. "I'm exhausted. Didn't get enough sleep."
------
"Oh go blow your nose!!" Beast Boy rolled his eyes. "That wasn't the reason I was so out of it!!"
"Then what was?" Robin asked.
"I already told you---"
"Oh, not with that again!"
"One at a time, B.B.," Cyborg said, a finger lifted.
Beast Boy mumbled.
Robin went on. "He was exhausted. So I said—"
------
"Pull yourself together," Robin grunted. "Our target is nearby."
Beast Boy blinked. "What makes you say that?"
"Eek!" Starfire flew in, shrieking: "It! It is here! Here, it is!!!"
Beast Boy gasped.
Robin spun about and held his staff ready.
With a flash of light and electrical current, Overload jumped into the corridor after Starfire. It growled, waving tendril limbs of electrical energy. Its computer chip core glared at the three—especially Robin—as it uttered: "Puny fleshlings…OUT OF MY WAY! I need JUICE!"
Starfire cowered behind Robin.
Beast Boy gulped and ducked his head.
Robin smirked with glaring eyes. He held his staff out with one hand and motioned for Overload to come with the other. "Come on and take it, then."
Overload charged up a bolt of electrical plasma and launched it at Robin with a shout.
Robin shoved Starfire safely out of the way and leapt backwards, dodging the blast barely over his chest. With just the edges of his costume singed, he jumped back up, growled, and charged full force at Overload.
The electrified monster fired spark after spark.
Robin dodged like a caped comet and sailed in, staff first.
SWOOOSH!!
The metal staff struck hard against the chest of the metaphysical beast. Though it sent him teetering back, the electric repulsion forced Robin to launch backwards.
He landed with a twirl, unleashing three birdarangs in midair.
All three sailed into Overload's electric field and exploded. They merely rocked him into an imbalanced state.
It bought enough time for Robin to charge up, growl, and swing his staff again---this time under Overload's legs.
The monstrosity fell down with a splash of electricity.
Robin stabbed his staff's end down—growling—to deliver the final blow.
But Overload traveled up the staff like a shape-shifting snake and emerged at the top with a splash of white light and an electric 'foot that smacked Robin away, head first. The Boy Wonder stepped back and got into a new, fighting stance.
Beast Boy and Starfire hugged each other, shivering. "Don't let him hurt us, Robin!"
Robin growled. "I'm not afraid."
"You should be!!" Overload shook and launched a stream of electrical energy at him like a humongous bullwhip.
Robin barely sidestepped it. He spun his body around, reached towards the ceiling, and shot a grappling hook.
POOF-CLANK!
It stuck into the ceiling. Robin retracted. His body soared upwards and over the swipe of Overload's electrical arm.
The Boy Wonder let go of the handle, flipped down to the ground, and scooped up his staff. He spun it into a fighting position and jumped forward with a cry, striking at Overload hard.
The blob of electricity stumbled back from the blow and towards the power generators.
"Be careful, Robin!" Starfire gasped.
Robin gave her a thumb's up. He then retracted his rod. Got into a ready position. And sprinted towards the villain.
The chip inside Overload winced. Expecting…
WOOOSH!!
Robin jump kicked his way towards the monstrous villain's center. "HYAAAAAA!"
As soon as his boot made contact, there was a clash of electricity and metal.had to.
The hero and the villain squared off. Athletic dexterity versus electrical brawn. Shocks and sparks riveted the Boy Wonder's body. But he persisted in applying pressure to his strike on Overload's center. He had to prevail. He
Starfire watched with wavering eyes of fear.
Beast Boy hid his head.
When the attack was finished, a wave of electrical release splashed throughout the corridor…knocking out everyone in the vicinity.
Robin fell down with a gasp. The last waking thing he saw was Overload's defeated, computer-chip-form.
"And stay down…," he grunted.
Lights out…
------
"And when I woke up…just like the two of you did…," Robin motioned to Beast Boy and Starfire, "…I saw Overload's chip lying on the floor and the workers returning to the plant. All we had to do was carry the evidence—and the crook—away to the authorities. And we were okay to go."
Silence.
"Well….that's how it happened," Robin said, crossing his arms. "Like it or not."
"I am most displeased with it," Starfire grumbled.
"Yeah…what a load of—"
Cyborg cleared his throat.
"….bologna." Beast Boy finished.
"Well, that certainly was….," Raven blinked. "….action packed."
Robin smirked and leaned back with hands behind his head. "Wasn't it, though?"
Crickets.
"Dude…," Beast Boy glared. "That tale was so self-indulgent."
"It doesn't have to be! It's the truth!"
I scratched my head and looked back and forth between the whole lot of them.
"Some truth! You totally embellished!"
Robin stared Beast Boy down and pointed at himself. "Do you think I would lie?! I'm the leader!"
"That's the truth, Robin?" Cyborg inquired.
"Yes!"
"That's exactly as you remember things?!"
"One hundred percent!"
Cyborg scratched his head. "Interesting…"
Robin made a face. "W-What?! You doubt me?"
"Now hold on," Cyborg raised a finger. "If this is all so important—how y'all beat Overload—we should look at this at every angle."
"Pfft…what good will that do?" Robin grunted.
"You're a detective, Robin…," Raven said. "Don't tell us you don't value the weighing of varied testimony."
Silence.
I smirked.
Robin folded his arms. "Fine. Do what you want. I just don't want to hear—"
"You tell us what you remember happening, Beast Boy," Cyborg said.
"D'oh!" Robin winced.
Beast Boy grinned wide. He leapfrogged to the table in the center of where we all sat and took the stage. "This is the way things really happened," he smoothly said. "And without all the high-flying John Woo fluff that Robin obsesses with."
"Hey I never--!!"
"Shhh!" Beast Boy cautioned. "You've already laid your egg, Robin. The yolk's on you."
Robin frowned.
"…..huh?" Starfire blinked.
"Just listen!"
"S-Sorry."
"Yes…I *was* running behind the others to the Power Plant. But believe me. It was for a good reason!"
------
"Here you go, little guys," Beast Boy smiled and gently opened his cupped hands. A guy and a girl bullfrog leapt into a pond before the boy and into their aquatic habitat. "You'll be safe here. But I better not be seeing you two trying to cross the highway again!"
The frogs ribbited at him. Their amphibious eyes sparkled.
Beast stood up, dusted himself off, and turned around to face the thick of forest. "Allrighty. I hope my little detour didn't hurt the mission at all. When I see my animalistic kind in need of assistance, who am I not benevolent enough to help them out? I'm sure Robin and Starfire won't mind. Now…off to the Power Plant. AWAY!!"
With that said, Beast Boy grew wings in the moonlight, spread into a huge bald eagle, and flapped his way mightily towards the Power Plant. He soared under the luminescent stars. His bird eyes twinkled as he scanned the forest floor below.
Finally, the forest parted beneath him, and there lay the fence surrounding the power plant. The eagle 'squinted'.
The forms of Robin and Starfire were evidently there before him. Robin knelt in front of the fence with a blue, sparking object. He seemed to be having a frustrating battle of cutting through the wire. Starfire walked over with a hand outreached to offer help. Robin barked something at her and inadvertently zapped himself. He grabbed his hand and hopped around in pain. Eventually, Starfire's figure sighed, grabbed Robin by the arm, and flew him over the top of the fence.
Beast Boy's beak smirked—if that was possible.
'I can sooooo beat them to the plant,' he thought to himself. 'But I think I'll take my time. And best not to join them now. They're sneaking around, and I might startle them. I am Beast Boy, after all!'
The eagle chuckled and dove down towards the plant. He entered through a window with a flap of feathers and landed on a third story room in elf form.
"All right," he cracked his knuckles. "Time to reboot the Overload!"
------
"Reboot the Overload?" Raven remarked.
Robin hid a smirk.
Starfire giggled.
Beast Boy glared. "May I continue?!"
"By all means…," Raven droned. "I'm on the edge of my seat…."
An artery in Beast Boy's temple throbbed momentarily. He cleared his throat.
"Anyways…I was obviously not in the spot where Overload would be. So, naturally. I looked around to find my way to the main corridor of the Plant…"
------
Beast Boy wandered around, scratching his head. "What a predicament. Surely there would be a door or something on this room that leads to a hallway…"
The changeling inadvertently walked backwards into an entrance to a vertical metal chute of sorts.
"Whoah!!"
His shouts echoed all the way down. He slid two floors towards the center of the earth before being launched out the bottom mouth of the chute and into a soft pile of packaging material in the center of an underground room of sorts.
"Oof!!" he rubbed his head. His eyes widened when he heard voices.
"And so, like, I told Janice, you shouldn't be going out with him! He's, like, a total creephead!"
"Way to go, girl. Honest and up front. That's what my Mother always to—omigosh! Are you okay?!"
Beast Boy blinked as two young blondes in hard hats and working jumpsuits rushed over from a breakroom table and leaned over him.
"Did you fall all the way down?!"
"You poor thing!"
"Oh…I've had worse," Beast Boy winked. He cleared his throat and mumbled: "But……I-I'm not really supposed to be here…"
"You're not?" one blonde pouted.
The other lifted a finger with a grin: "Saaaaaaaay! I know you!"
"Yeah! You're that Beast Man!"
"From the Teen Titans!"
"Yeah……well," the changeling cracked his knuckles. "That's not *exactly* my name. Though it does fit. You can just call me beast if you want." He snapped a pointing finger at them and wiggled his eyebrows. Grinning.
"Awwww."
"He's so cuuuuuute."
"Here, let's help him up!"
The two hoisted him up—one arm apiece.
He jumped to his feet between them and dusted himself off. "Thank youuuuuuuu, ladies." He said, suavely.
"Oooh! Are you on a mission?"
"What type!"
"Tell us!"
"I'm afraid it's a covert operation," Beast Boy said, leaning against a nearby wall where a dim light hung overhead. "I can't tell you much about it…except that it's dangerous."
"Oooh, but it must be important if YOU'RE taking part in it!"
"And I bet no evil could withstand your shapeshifting wonder!"
"'Shapeshifting wonder'…," Beast Boy thought aloud. "I like the sound of that. Don't you?"
"Hehehehehe……most definitely, Mr. Beast!"
"What're you going to do next?"
"Well…," Beast Boy looked at the door on the other side. "I'm going to have to find my way out of here. Sorry for dropping in on such short notice. But I have butt to kick."
"Awwwwww!"
"Please stay!"
"We have so many things we'd love to ask you!"
"Yeah! An actual Teen Titan!"
"Well……," Beast Boy squinted at them. "Lemme ask you one thing."
"Anything!"
"What're two hot pieces of sugar and spice doing in a grubby power plant like this?!"
"It's community service," one of the blondes sighed. "We have to do a certain number of hours for our major in college. So all the girls in our sorority branched out, and this was the best place that me and Bambi here could find."
"We'd do anything if it'd mean high marks for us."
"Hmmmm," Beast Boy thought aloud. Then smiled. "If you could come with me upstairs…and help me nab the person I'm after…I promise it'll be worth your while!"
The girls gasped and clasped their hands together.
"Really?!"
"You mean it?!"
"A Teen Titan helping us?!"
"Tit for tat!" Beast Boy smiled. He then looked at the camera and winked. "And I *do* mean tit for tat!"
"Hoooray!!"
"You're our hero!"
"We'd gladly help you!"
"But first…we must show you our thanks!"
"Oh, but you don't have to…seriously," Beast Boy shook his hand.
"Oh…"
"But we must!"
The two crept towards him, smiling.
"Ladies! Please! We must make haste if my mission is to be a success. Ladies…LADIES! Come onnnnnn! I'm only one Beast!"
Giggles and giggles and coos.
………
A few minutes later, Beast Boy emerged into the main corridor of the Power Plant, covered in lipstick marks. He grinned dizzily, shook his head, and found his bearing. "All in a day's work. I just hope they're both around when I asked them to be."
------
"……………," everyone stared at Beast Boy.
"Okay…," he glanced around, sweatdropping. "What's with all the googly eyes?"
"Can we move onto Starfire?" Raven asked Cyborg.
"Hey! I'm not finished yet!"
"You might as well be," Robin gestured. "This story's just about as true as Sasquatch."
"Those female laborers must have been irrationally compassionate," Starfire said.
"And since when did workers in a power plant wear lipstick?" Raven added.
"This is so unfair!" Beast Boy whined. "I'm a lady killer! Cy! Tell them I'm a lady killer!"
Cyborg looked at him. He looked at Robin. "Hey. Yo. Beast Boy's a lady killer."
Robin stared. He broke out laughing.
Cyborg laughed too.
I snickered.
"Knock it off!" Beast Boy pouted.
Starfire giggled. "By all means, Beast Boy. Finish."
"Pfft. Very well then. Someone's gotta be listening. You hear that, Noir?"
I raised a finger--
"Okay…and just as I was about to explore the place…"
------
"Beast Boy! There you are!" Robin's voice gasped.
Beast Boy sauntered over. "Missed me? What seems to be the problem?"
The Boy Wonder struggled on a metal gantry. "Nghh! I got my utility belt caught in a rail!"
Beast Boy rolled his eyes, walked over, and yanked Robin loose. "Must I get you out of these ruts ALL the time?!"
"Thanks Beast Boy. Where have you been?" Robin asked. He sniffed. "And why do you smell like jasmine perfume?"
Beast Boy shrugged handsomely.
"Eek!" Just then, Starfire flew in. "It! It is here!! Here it is!!!"
Robin gasped. "Overload?!"
Beast Boy cracked his knuckles. "About bloody time!"
The giant, sparking beast jumped into view, slamming on the ground. It roared at the three heroes with its arms dangling threateningly: "Puny fleshlings…OUT OF MY WAY! I need JUICE!"
"I can handle this…," Beast Boy said with a serious tone.
Robin impatiently whipped out his rod. "Teen Titans! Go!"
The Boy Wonder rushed forward.
Overload roared and slapped forth an arm of electricity.
It struck the leader across the chest and flew him twenty feet away into the side of a generator. CONG!! "UGH!" Robin slumped to the floor.
Starfire gasped.
Beast Boy rolled his eyes. "Typical…" He ran forward, morphed into a gorilla, and jumped mightily across the corridor. He landed hard in front of Overload and snarled through primate teeth.
Overload raised his arms to strike.
Just then, the green elf reappeared. Petite by all measures in contrast to the sparkling monstrosity, he cleared his throat and lifted a finger: "I think you need to calm down, dude. When was the last time you heard a joke?"
"EXCUSE ME?!?!?!" Overload shook.
"You know! A joke!" Beast Boy smirked. "Why did the asthmatic chicken cross the road?"
"………" Overload glared.
"Why did the asthmatic chicken cross the road?!" Beast Boy repeated.
"I dunno…why did he?"
"To get to the other sigh!"
Cymbal crash.
Overload winced…but a hidden part of its computer chip face let out a chuckle or two.
"What do you get when you cross a dog and a cat??"
Overload shrugged.
"A mother-in-law's makeover!!"
Cymbal crash.
Overload laughed. His electric body sparked all over.
Beast Boy grinned. He secretly glanced up at the catwalks above Overload. Two blonde workers covertly dashed along the series of walkways and over the enemy.
"How many times must an aardvark read 'Hamlet' to get college credit?"
"I don't know!!" Overload hopped. "How many?!"
"Never!" Beast Boy smirked. "An aardvark can't read!!"
Cymbal crash.
Overload just about fell over, howling in laughter. Its computer chip 'eye' closed tightly. Its arms pounded the ground helplessly.
Beast Boy looked up at the two girls on the catwalk.
They hoisted two huge water cooler bottles over their shoulders. They smiled down and blew kisses at Beast Boy. Awaiting his cue.
"Hey…I've got another one," Beast Boy winked. "What do you call a villain who doesn't know when to stop laughing?!"
Overload chuckled. "I give! What!"
Beast Boy struck a pose. "All…washed…up…" He saluted the two girls.
They saluted back, popped open the lids to the water cooler bottles, and dumped the liquid contents down and onto the electric enemy.
Sparks flew. Overload screamed. The corridor filled with an enormous, flashing strobe of bright blue.
Beast Boy backflipped out of the way of the dancing sparks.
The two blondes oohed and aahed.
Starfire gasped, flew over, and hugged the unconscious Robin fearfully.
When all was said and done, only Overload's computer chip remained. Smoking.
"Uggggggh," it moaned.
The two blondes ran down, giggled, and hugged Beast Boy. They clapped their hands and jumped up and down, dropping the water bottles.
"We did it!"
"Yaaaaay!"
"Way to go Mr. Beast!"
Beast Boy slyly picked up the bottles, looked at the camera, and winked. "Gotta love girls with big jugs."
Cymbal crash.
"Hehehehehehehe!"
"He's soooooo funny!!"
"Come here, you!!"
------
"…..," Robin stared.
"…..," Raven stared.
"…..," Cyborg stared.
"…..," Starfire stared.
"…..," I stared.
"………….OH YEAH!" Beast Boy jumped up. "And there's one more thing!"
"If it involves Hugh Hefner, I'm leaving."
"Shh, Raven! This is important…."
------
"Ladies! Ladies!" Beast Boy, humored, tried to fight them off. "What I tell you about—"
Overload's computer chip chuckled one last time. "Jugs. HA!"
A spark of electricity shot through the metal floor, shocking the two workers, Beast Boy, and Robin and Starfire.
They slumped to the ground.
Unconscious.
------
"And we all woke up later," Beast Boy said. He sighed and looked depressingly down to the floor. "And the girls were gone."
"Wow…," Raven blinked. "That's so surprising."
"I'm guessing that…ya know…hourglass figures make them less likely to conduct electricity. So when they woke up before the rest of us, they ran off to contact the authorities and—"
"That's allright, Beast Boy," Cyborg said. He looked at Robin. "Well….um…"
"That's funny," Robin mumbled aloud.
"I know!" Beast Boy grinned. "My jokes were so good, they knocked us all out!"
"No, not that," the Boy Wonder said. "As different as our memories are…they end with us being knocked out."
"Well, at least you were honest about one thing!" Beast Boy stuck his tongue out.
"Nuts to you, Mr. Casanova! What the crap is up with your whole 'stand up comedian' bit! 'To get to the other sigh'?!?! You scare me, big time, Beast Boy."
"Well, it's not like I was hopping all over the place and kicking butt with a stamina that only steroids could afford and—"
Cyborg whistled again.
Raven winced.
Robin and Beast Boy looked over.
Cyborg smirked. He pointed a finger over at Starfire.
"Me?" the Tamaranian pointed at herself. "Are you so sure you want to hear my side of the story?"
"Have at it, Star," Robin said. "You seemed so willing to argue with us earlier."
"Y-Yes…but…," the girl timidly gulped. "Yours and Beast Boy's tales were long and, unfortunate as it is to say, did cause me great trouble in maintaining my eyelids open and my lungs from yawning and—"
The Boy Wonder and the Changeling glared. Their pupils were on fire.
Starfire blushed. "Eheheheheheh," she scratched her neck. "I suppose I could indulge in my own, truest testimony of what really happened."
"Please do…," Raven droned.
I leaned forward.
"Well…the first thing I remember was being slightly delayed during my flight towards the Power Plant. Howbeit not a delay to the extent of Beast Boy's—which he claims to be caused by bullfrogs and blonde haired jug holders—it was no less vexing—"
------
"Dum de dum…dum de doo…," the Tamaranian girl hummed to herself as she flew mach 5 over the forest in a pink/violet streak of alien glory. She glanced upward at the starlit troposphere. She couldn't help but think of home and all the beautiful friends and family members who had to have been thinking about her in her moment of adventure just then. Suddenly, a jet flew into view from far away. Starfire thought of the people inside, happily transporting themselves to their loved ones.
She giggled, waved, and called forth through the night. "Hello there, wondrous Terran automaton of flight!!"
WHACK!!!!
"OOF!!" Starfire flew straight smack into a tree and fell to the earth on her rear.
WHUMP!!
"Owwwwww," Starfire rubbed her head and mumbled. "Hello there, wondrous Terran forest of oak…."
She shook out of it, got up, and walked the rest of the way towards the clearing in the distance.
"It is remarkably cold out tonight for a summer solstice in this hemisphere…," she spoke to herself. "I do hope Robin is not 'catching the frigid' again. It is most difficult hugging a human who leaks in various places—" She froze and her eyes widened as she reached the fence. "Robin! You have arrived just seconds before I!" She smiled wide. A pause. She cocked her head to the side. "What are you doing?"
"Trying…to get……this darn thing……to work!" Robin said, struggling with a set of electric pliers. Blue sparks illuminated their spot along the fence, risking the exposure of their cover.
"Ummm," Starfire looked around, smiled, and lifted a finger. "Why not allow me to levitate us over the fence and—"
"It's not worth that extra effort, Star," Robin grunted, fighting with the stubborn pliers.
"But surely you know as well as I do that there is no added effort required!" Starfire exclaimed. "As a part of being Tamaranian, I exceed the limits of your human strength by a factor of four hundred and fifty two point eight percent.! Even if it did mean putting in 'extra effort', such a factor would be infinitesimal compared to the stress you are encompassing in your present task of punishing the expensive wire cutters—"
"I can take care of it!!" the Boy Wonder gritted his teeth.
Starfire's eyes thinned.
Robin struggled.
Starfire sighed.
Robin struggled.
Starfire dug her foot into the earth.
Robin struggled.
Starfire leaned back and forth.
Robin struggled.
Starfire hummed.
Robin struggled.
Starfire stared.
Robin struggled.
"How about now If you allow me to—"
"GOT IT!" Robin grinned wide.
The pliers sparkled brightly for a second……smoked…and then died out.
His face fell. "Um……I—WHOAH!!"
Starfire lifted him over the fence by an arm and dropped the both of them down swiftly on the other side.
"Ta-daaa!! Hehehehehe! I rather enjoyed that, actually!"
Robin glared. "Yeah…super." He holstered the tool away into his belt and rushed forward. "Come on! We're behind schedule!"
"Where is Beast Boy?"
"He'll just have to catch up!"
"Oh………okay!" Starfire floated after him.
------
"Pfft…you're exaggerating, Star," Robin smirked with his arms crossed. "Sure, the pliers shorted out once or twice. But I didn't spend ten minutes trying to fix them!"
Starfire looked down timidly. "Well….actually…"
"What?" Cyborg leaned forward.
"It was more like fifteen minutes," she blushed.
Robin did a double-take.
She pointed, "And I also left out the fact that you accidentally let the electric pliers burn you on your elbow. I recall you yelping in pain. It was most unpleasant." A pause. "I hate unpleasant parts of stories."
"Awww…it's okay, Starfire," Robin said, a hand on her shoulder. "I soooo didn't get zapped by my own pliers. I'm not that clumsy."
"Are you sure?" the Tamaranian asked with green eyes of concern. "I am positively certain I saw and heard you—"
"Not in a lifetime!" Robin smirked.
"HEY!!"
Starfire and Robin looked over.
Beast Boy spat: "What's with the compassion?! You didn't show me such support when I told MY story!"
Robin pointed. "You're not Starfire."
"What's that supposed to mean?!?!?!?!"
I shook my head.
"Please continue…," said Raven
"Well…," Starfire thought aloud. "Beast Boy was not there. Robin insisted we make haste to find Overload. So we went into the Power Plant and…."
-----
"Split up!" Robin said through gritted teeth. "We must find Overload or else this power plant is toast!"
"But Robin!" Starfire stepped in front of him. "We still have not reunited with Beast Boy and—"
"Time is precious. And we're losing it! Don't worry. We'll all meet each other soon. Keep in contact through the communicator. We must split out and find Overload!"
With that, Robin obstinately ran off down a gantry that led into the Main Corridor.
Starfire sighed, turned around, and headed up a flight of metal stairs and into a dark hallway with checkerboard floors.
"I fail to see the plausible gain in this," she mumbled to herself as she drifted past the doorways. "Unless Overload is hiding inside a janitorial closet."
Just then, a babyish sound lit her ears. Starfire blinked. She craned her neck around a corner and gasped.
A cardboard box full of kittens lay on its side in the middle of the hallway. Tiny, baby cats stumbled out and wandered every which way. Mewing their heads off.
"Awwwwww!!" Starfire swooped down and scooped them all back in the box. "Most adorable little creatures!!" She stood up with the box of life in her arms and smiled down at them. "Whatever caused you to be discarded in such a paltry manner? You poor things!"
A kitten or two toyed with the locks of Starfire's hair, making the girl giggle.
A gasp emanated from the other side of the hall.
"Omigosh!! Thank you!!" a blonde woman in a hard hat ran over. "I about slapped my co-worker when she told me she just 'put them down' in the middle of the hallway! I was scared to death! Are they all in there?!"
"Um……," Starfire stammered, blushing at being sighted. "I-I think so."
The woman looked through the cats. "Rambo…Cocoa…Little Bit…Louie…Katey……whew…they're all here."
"May I ask you if you have seen anything peculiar as of late……," Starfire squinted her green eyes and read the employee's name tag: "…'Bambi'?"
"Only you, girlfriend," the woman said, taking the box from her. "Say……aren't you that 'S' chick?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Ya know…the 'S' chick. Wears a skimpy outfit. Punches stuff. Shoots laser out of her eyes."
"You must be confusing me with another alien female," Starfire said. She smiled, "My name is Starfire. From Tamaran!" She curtsied. "It is a pleasure to meet the guardian of such furried treasures!"
"Uh……yeah," the woman nodded. "I was working a full shift today and couldn't bear to leave them home alone, so I brought them here to be taken care of and fed and stuff." A beat. "What're you doing here?"
"I am pursuing a villain most treacherous," Starfire said. She held out a hand, "Please…do not panic. But I must ask you. Have you seen a glowing monstrosity comprised entirely of electricity?"
"Ummmm," Bambi gave her a suspicious look. "No. But I just came back from checking the west wing of the Plant. Rumor has it that some green-skinned wyrdo got stuck inside a packaging suit. Clumsiest thing I've ever heard of."
"Oh…"
STOMP!!!
Lights flickered in the hallway and under the doorway. The room shook. The kittens mewed fearfully and clamored around in the box that Bambi hugged tighter to her chest.
"What the Hell was that?!"
Starfire shook her head. "I don't in Hell know!"
STOMP!!
More lights flickered.
The room suddenly lit up from the side.
Overload stomped into view. Growling. "Where are they?!?!" It stomped again. "Where are the power generators!!"
"Wooooo boy!" Bambi droned with a slight touch of latent intoxication in her eyes. "I think it's about time I switched sororities."
"Stay back!" Starfire said to the worker. "This situation is most danger—EEP!!"
Overload swung a whip of electricity at the two. Starfire flew into a wall. Bambi fell down on her back. The box of scared kittens slid into the center of the hallway.
Starfire gasped. She flew at Overload.
It pulsed out a wall of electricity. Holding her back. She hid in a doorframe, wincing at the sparks.
Overload marched down the hallway. Blindly searching for juice. "Out of my way!! I must reenergize!!!"
Starfire glanced at the path the electrified golem was taking and gasped.
The box was in the firing line.
"MOVE IT!!!" Overload cackled.
"Nooooo!!" Bambi stretched a hand out.
Starfire's eyes glowed green. She growled. "You…shall not……harm……THE FURRIES!!!"
She yelled, kicked against the wall, and sailed her body like a green missile straight into the body of Overload.
"RAAAUGH!!" Overload shouted.
Starfire gritted her teeth, fought the pain of electrocution, and forced the monster with her momentum through two rooms—smashing walls into pieces. The two fell down a stairwell and collapsed through the doorway and into the Main Corridor.
The ends of the Tamaranian's hairs smoked for a second or two. She stumbled up on her knees, rubbed her head, and moaned.
"Ugggh…I feel like a Thlorian Eel in a Blabazork's fishing net."
"RAAAAGHHH!!" Overload 'stood up' and growled.
Sstarfire gasped. She spun around and looked for an avenue of escape. She saw Robin and Beast Boy down a ways. She flew into the air, but not without a spark or two being launched at her.
She spiraled her way into the boys' company.
"Eek!" she gasped and pointed: "It! It is here! Here, it is!!!"
Robin and Beast Boy got into fighting stances.
Overload leapt through the air and slammed into a landing. It waved its electrified arms about dramatically as it bellowed: "Puny fleshlings…OUT OF MY WAY! I need JUICE!"
"You need a time out…," Robin growled.
------
"Hehehehehe!"
Starfire giggled, cupping her hands to her chin.
"I thought it was so riveting when he said it like that!"
We all stared at her.
She cleared her throat. "Anyways. And then…."
------
"Titans! Go!" Robin shouted with his staff outstretched.
Beast Boy blinked at the huge, pulsating target. "Go what exactly?!"
"RAAAAGH!!" Overload slung an arm of electricity at them.
"AACK!" Beast Boy jumped to the side and covered his head.
Robin growled, sidestepped, and struck with his rod repeatedly.
Starfire circled overhead, flinging starbolts.
The monster flung electric fists and arms and feet at the three Titans over and over again. But they merely encircled it, attacking from long range, diving in for quick gorilla tactics, and overall distracting it from the power generators in the far side of the corridor it most desperately needed.
"I have no time for this!!!" the monster cackled. It leapt its whole body forward at the nearest target……Robin.
"WHOAH!!" Robin tried in vain to block. An electric current surged through his rod and blasted against him. He fell back, slammed hard into a metal generator, and fell down with a moan.
"Robin!!" Starfire gasped. She immediately flew down by his side while Beast Boy distracted the creature. She felt his pulse, panting. "Wake up! Wake up! This is no time to not be waking up!!"
STOMP!!
"Ha ha ha ha!!" Overload leered over her. "Looks like your little birdy took a fall!"
Starfire's eyes glowed with emerald fire. She grit her teeth. "The only thing worse than harming another person's innocent creatures……is lifting a finger against ONE OF MINE!!!" She soared at Overload. "HAAAAAAAA!!!"
The computer chip's eye widened.
SMACK!!!!!!!
However possible it was to uppercut a body of pure energy…the Tamaranian girl managed to do it. She then flew down with a sailing kick that sent the creature sprawling across the corridor, scraping burn trails of electricity against the metal grating of the floor.
That being done, she lifted a humongous ball of starbolt fury above her head, screamed, and let it loose on Overload's downed figure.
FLASH!!!!!!!
Beast Boy jumped into the side and hid himself in the form of a turtle as electricity, starbolt trails, and burning metal flew everywhere from the impact.
After a beat of silence, the turtle's head peered up and turned into a trembling green elf.
Starfire stood in a gallant pose at the far end of the corridor, her glowing hands stretched to her sides as she panted…panted…panted…and frowned.
Overload had been reduced to about half its normal size. Its computer chip eye dizzily spun around before shaking into a glare.
"You will pay for THAT!" it cackled.
Suddenly, a voice from behind. "Hey, Cyclops!!"
It looked over.
Beast Boy looked over.
Starfire looked over.
Bambi stood on a metal gantry with a huge bucket of water in her grasp. "Go find yourself another power plant!"
Beast Boy's eyes widened. His pupils sparkled in the shape of cartoonish hearts. "Wowwwwww…now that's what I call one fine piece of a—"
SMACK!!!
Overload swept Beast Boy aside as it stood up, growled, and bore down on the plant worker.
"You want some of this too?!"
"Plenty," Bambi frowned and tossed the bucket at them. "BE NICE TO CATS!!"
Overload's chip eye thinned. "Oh dear……"
SPLASH!!!!!
Starfire spoke: "Um……Miss Plant Worker? That offensive act is most ill advi-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ised!!" Starfire's comment was cut short as the contact of water to Overload sent waves of electricity through her Tamaranian body in mid sentence. The same wave of shocks struck a grounded Beast Boy and an already unconscious Robin. The three Titans fell down for the count. Overload's computer chip smoked by itself and was silent.
"……," Bambi blinked. "Crud."
------
"And when we woke up," Starfire grinned. "I had a splitting headache!"
Robin was silent.
Beast Boy was silent.
Starfire blushed and folded her arms. "Well I did…" she murmured.
"Most…..interesting," Raven commented.
"Very similar to what Beast Boy and I said," Robin nodded. A beat. "But incorrect!"
"But it's true!!" Starfire implored.
"No it's not. I told the truth!" Beast Boy jumped and winked. "And a darn good truth at that!"
"You're all forgetting what really happened…," Robin moaned. "I kicked Overload's butt! Simple as that!"
"No you didn't!"
"Yes I did!"
"No, nobody did anything! Miss Plant Worker, she—"
"You're all right," Cyborg smiled. "Each and every one of you."
The three Titans looked wide-eyed at the android. "WHAAAAAAT?!?!?!"
Cyborg swiveled around in his chair to the computer console. "Wouldn't you know it? We were just reading the police file of the event at the power plant when you three returned home."
"Cyborg read it out to Noir and I," Raven added. "We heard everything we needed to know.
I nodded, smiling.
The three other Titans blinked.
"But…B-But how can we *all* be right?!" Beast Boy stammered.
"Quite simple," Cyborg said. "You all had one thing in common. You were all three knocked out in the end of fighting Overload."
"The paramedics found you unconscious," Raven said. "They gave you checkups to be sure you were okay."
"Yes, we know that part," Robin nodded. "What's your point?"
"It turns out, all three of you suffered a concussion," Cyborg smirked.
"A concussion?" Starfire remarked.
"Earth term. It happens when too much force is applied suddenly to the brain," Cyborg said. "Like a nasty bump or even something as bad as a car crash or fall from a great height."
"Whatever it is that caused you all to receive such head trauma…," Raven explained, "…it affected your brain in such a way to mess with your memories."
"The truth is…," Cyborg gestured, "…none of you truly remembers what happened during Overload's defeat."
"But salvaging bits and pieces of information…," Raven said, "…you each came up with your own logical conclusions in your head."
"It was your brain's way of making sense of what all happened. Even though what all 'happened' remains a mystery."
"As far as you all know, what you remember is what you truly experienced."
"In a way, you are all right in your testimonies."
"Simply due to the fact that…you're all wrong," Raven finished with a smirk.
I clapped. Nobody responded. I cleared my throat and sat silently.
The three Titans blinked at that realization.
"Huh….," Robin remarked.
"Darn," Beast Boy uttered.
"Fascinating…," Starfire stared.
"I guess that's what happened," Robin scratched his neck. "And if so…"
"That means we have nothing to argue about!" Starfire beamed.
"None of us are right or wrong!" Beast Boy grinned.
"Now y'all make up!" Cyborg tossed his arms. "I'm tired of you guys bickering at each other!"
"*Really* tired…," Raven said, finally returning to her book as if none of this happened.
"Hehehehe!" Starfire giggled. "Friends, I am sorry for losing my temper with you so!"
"You, Star?!" Robin remarked. "Pfft. You're hardly ever mean."
"Well, maybe I should apologize to you, Robin," Beast Boy sweatdropped.
"Yeah, maybe you *should*."
The changeling stuck his tongue out. "Seriously…sorry I put you down for your tale."
"And I'm sorry for making fun of yours," the Boy Wonder patted his shoulder. "Well…I guess we can't tell you three more about what happened…since we have no clue." He shrugged.
"But what happened with you dudes?!" Beast Boy smiled.
"Yes! We were most looking forward to coming home and the inevitable communion with our companions!" Starfire added.
Cyborg scratched his head. He looked at Raven.
Raven looked at him.
"Not much," the android shrugged. "Oh. Noir got shot!"
The three looked at me.
I smiled and waved a bandaged hand.
"GASP!!!" Starfire reacted and blurred to my side. "Atrocity!! Whatever caused this to happen to you, friend?!"
She fingered my wound with gentle, sympathetic hands.
I blushed and gestured with one wrist.
"He says a bullet made love to him," Cyborg leaned back. "HA!"
Robin walked over. "No permanent harm done?"
I shook my head.
"Good," he turned around and walked towards the elevator. "Whatever happened, it had to have been serious. I want a full report. ASAP."
I rolled my eyes and saluted his fading figure.
Beast Boy hopped onto a table. "Did you get to keep the bullet?! Huh?"
I shook my head.
"Rats! That's good luck you're tossing to the wind right there, dude!"
"I am glad to see you're already recovering," Starfire smiled.
I smiled back.
"Hey! I'm starving!" Beast Boy dashed to the kitchen area. "You better not have thrown away all my tofu!"
"No, we ate it allllll down," Cyborg said sarcastically.
"WHAT?! YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!"
"That was a joke, greenback."
"It sure as heck better been!"
Starfire shook her head and looked at me. "You are okay, then?"
I nodded for the uptillionth time.
"Glorious," she smiled. "I thank you for being such a good sport and listening to our stories."
I shrugged.
"Remarkably ironic how all three of us had equally conflicting and inaccurate memories of the occasion! I am disappointed, for every fiber of my being says that what I saw and heard was true. But…Raven's and Cyborg's research is quite compelling. I suppose what I remember is all just a fabrication of my fragile, Temaranian mind."
I patted her hand and smiled up at her.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
Downstairs, in Robin's room, the Boy Wonder stripped out of the top of his uniform. He sighed tiredly as he peeled it off and padded towards his shower. Naturally, his eyemask stayed on.
He was about halfway past the bathroom mirror when something caught his eye.
"Huh?"
He brought his left elbow up and examined it in the reflection.
"Strange….where did that burn mark come from?"
After a few minutes of studying it, the boy shrugged.
"Oh well."
And went off to wash the week away.