37. Field Day

"Remind me why we're doing this again?"

"Think of it…," Robin smiled, "…as community service. We've got to pay our respects to the public every now and then."

"Yes…but….in public?" Raven lifted an eyebrow.

The six Titans rode the T-Car towards the Western District of the City. The buildings swinging by the windows slowly turned into trees and residential suburbs. The path to the recreational Western Fairgrounds was a quaint one, considering.

"It'll be fine, Raven," Cyborg said from the driver's seat. He smirked as he cruised down the road. "We go there. We make a speech to the high schoolers. We sign a couple of autographs. We showcase our powers. Then we go home. It won't last more than two hours. I promise you."

"I for one am looking forward to this," Beast Boy cracked his knuckles and leaned back in the rear seat. He grinned from ear to ear. "I'm behind on catching up on all my lady fans."

"What lady fans?" Raven squinted at him.

"You wouldn't know."

"Well, duh, I'm not a lady fan of yours."

"Yeah….(sigh)…tis a shame."

"Excuse me?"

Robin cleared his throat. "I normally wouldn't be having us do this sort of thing at such a time as this. We really should be continuing our search of Anderson's weapon arsenal. But…to be frank…the citizens' needs are our top priority. Plus, I think the whole lot of us could do with a….break, ya know?"

"Amen to that!" Cyborg said.

"I must confess…," Starfire spoke from the front passenger's seat. "I have never happened upon the high school populace of your planet in person before. I hope they are a mostly inviting group of youngsters."

Robin winced. He tried to hide it. "They can be at times, Star. As long as you know how to deal with people, you'll be fine."

"Yeah…this is just a public event thingy," Beast Boy said. "I wouldn't stress over anything except keeping your hair straight."

"Same difference, sounds like," Raven mumbled.

"I have appeared before a group of elementary school students before….," Starfire said. "Is there any difference between the elementary schools and the high schools on your planet?"

"Hmmmmmmmm," Beast Boy thought aloud. "Pretty much the same, really. Only, high school has more dropouts."

"I see…."

"You know…," Cyborg said from the steering wheel, "….I just thought of something."

"What's that?" Robin asked.

"This will be Noir's first official appearance to the public," Cyborg said. "Outside of kicking butt, ya know."

Everyone looked at me.

I was busy looking out the window at passing trees. But at the sudden attention, I glanced back at them.

"That is remarkably true," Starfire said. "Is it not?"

"More or less…," Raven mumbled.

"Yeah," Robin nodded. "I suppose the whole ordeal with Blake Glover really…..um…..exposed………….er…"

I sighed.

"Oopsie," Beast Boy sweatdropped.

"You're no longer our wildcard, noobie!" Cyborg winked at me through the rear-view mirror. "Enjoy the spotlight!"

I let out a silent chuckle of sarcasm.

Raven smirked.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

It was high noon on a sunny day. Hardly a cloud was in the sky. The summer was a few degrees below sweltering. Hot….but bearable. The perfect weather for t-shirts, caps, and ice drinks.

At the Western Recreational Field, a huge gathering had occurred. A charity event for residential construction was the center of focus for the day. Four local high schools came together to organize the proceedings. There were plenty of arts and crafts on sale. Refreshments. Carnival amusement rides. And marching bands. There was also a charity walk-a-thon taking place around the stretch of the field itself. Both old and young were present. Families. Couples. But, most of all, the four high schools brought most of their student bodies—evolving from one grade to another over summer. And everyone was awaiting the most exciting element of the charity event; the guest appearance of the Teen Titans, the guardians of the City. They had agreed to arrive free of charge to make a public speech, show off their skills, and support the residential construction efforts the best they could.

With its windows glinting in the sunlight, the T-Car came down the long stretch of road leading to the field and approached the back entrance where they were scheduled to appear.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

"Are we there yet?" Raven hummed.

"NO!!" Cyborg barked. "You of all people…why would you care?!"

"We are here!!!" Starfire beamed.

Cyborg blinked at the back entrance coming into view. "Well, allright."

"What time is it??" Robin asked.

"Two minutes after Twelve—aw man!! We're late!"

"Not in my book!" Robin grinned. "Let's make our entrance!"

"Dude, we gotta park first!"

"That'll be part of it! You get what I'm saying?!" Robin leaned forward into the driver's compartment. "Swerve to a stop. I'll flip out since I'm closest to the door…."

"I get it!" Cyborg grinned. "Then I'll zoom out with my booster packs and skid to a stop beside you….like…in some kickass pose!"

"Then I shall fly overhead for some kicking of the donkey in the air!" Starfire smiled.

"Um…..I'll float too," Raven said.

"Then I"ll come sailing down in---like---dinosaur mode and roar my head off!!!!" Beast Boy cheered. "GROWWWWWWLLLLL-YEAH! TEEN TITANS!!! Hehehehehehehe!!"

"Wait…what about Noir?" Cyborg asked.

I nodded with a question mark over my head.

"Crap!" Robin mumbled. "I forgot!"

"He'd have to be before Raven," Beast Boy said. "Cuz he's closer to the door."

"Not if he turned into smoke form and she like….I dunno…flew through him. We want the girls making an early appearance too, ya know."

"We're almost there," Cyborg sweatdropped, steering towards the back entrance where some high school volunteers were waving him in. "Better clear this up, quick!"

"What if I flew out first, lifted the vehicle, and allowed you three an elevated platform from which to launch yourselves?" Starifre suggested.

"Uh uh! Nobody's lifting my baby!"

"She's got something going!" Beast Boy grinned. "I….like…turn into an elephant and shove the car up a ramp and it flips in mid-air and you five jump out!"

"NO!!!"

"Beast Boy…how're you going to get out the door ahead of me?"

"Simple, Robin, I turn into a snake and slither between your le---"

"Why don't we all go home?" Raven droned.

"Hush! We're doing this one way or another!"

I signed to Cyborg.

"NO! For the last time, she's my baby!!"

I shrugged.

"Okay….here's the plan!" Robin said.

"Make it speedy!!"

"Cyborg…you jump out first. It's your car."

"Pffft….yeah, allright."

"Then….um….Noir can do his blur thingy…"

I nodded.

"Then Raven flies out—"

"Why me?"

"Ahem…THEN RAVEN FLIES OUT….and I'll flip out. Then Starfire. Then Beast Boy….and do whatever animal you want. Just…like…not a goat. It's that part of the country, ya know."

"Huh?"

"WE'RE HERE!!"

"Okay….on the count of three…."

"Wait….what is the kick donkey plan again???"

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

Loud speakers on a skeleton stage boomed out towards the crowd of mostly high schoolers.

"You've all been waiting a long time. And here they are! In person! The saviors and ever vigilant protectors of our City! The! Teen! Titans!"

Citizens cheered, whooped, and whistled around an open patch of field.

The T-Car drove up. Its engine revving. Its tires kicking up grass and bits of dirt. As a throng of cheers lit out, the blue vehicle skid to a stop straight in the middle of the field. The doors flew open. The six glorious Teen Titans jumped out.

And…

"OOF!!"

"AUGH!!"

"WATCH IT—!!"

"!!!!!"

"D'OH!!"

Cyborg tripped and fell titanium skull first into the earth.

Robin and Starfire bumped into each other in mid flip, got tangled in the air, and fell down together in a pile.

I blurred out, only to be trampled by a green buffalo that promptly plowed into the grass.

Only Raven—emerging last in a dainty levitation—was unharmed. She floated over us with her robe hanging over her shoulders and her face a perfect deadpan.

"………," the crowd stared, wide-eyed.

"Um…..hey there," Raven nearly whispered.

Robin coughed. He hopped out from under Starfire, limped to his feet, and straightened his hair. "Ahem," he spun and struck a cool pose with his staff as if nothing happened. "Teen Titans! Go!!"

"YAAAAAAAAY!!!!!" the crowd cheered.

Starfire sat, rubbing her fair head. "Owie…charity is hazardous."

Robin hissed at her.

"Oh!" She floated up above him and blushed forth a cheshire cat smile with her hands behind her back.

Cyborg likewise composed himself. He posed like Fonzie by his car and waved at the crowd.

I got up, dusting myself off.

A green buffalo shook its head, transformed into a green elf, and—sweatdropping—did the 'peace' sign.

Robin looked over at the stage/scaffold.

The high school speaker smiled, waved him towards the platform, and threw him the microphone.

Robin caught it, smoothly spun it around, and then brought it towards his mouth:

"On behalf of the Titans, I want to say it is a pleasure to be here! We love this City from the bottom of our hearts, and would gladly give all our effort—and time—to its justice and happiness!"

Raven glanced at me.

I shrugged and smirked.

She sighed as she floated her way after Robin.

"If I may, I'd like to introduce us one by one!" the Boy Wonder said as he first took stage and pointed out to the closest lines of the crowd watching us under the noonday sun. "Of course, y'all know me. I'm Robin…formerly from Gotham City. But I've set my priorities straight. Every birdarang I throw, every staff I swing, every grappling hook I fire is for the sake of helping each and every one of you---the citizens of this city."

There was a soft cry and hard FLOP as three or four teenage girls collectively fainted amongst the crowd.

Robin smirked.

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow.

"Now I'll toss the mike to my good pal, Cyborg!"

I smiled to hear a few whoops and bouts of 'yeah!' from the crowd.

Robin threw the mike at Cyborg, who walked onto the stage and pointed at everyone. "Yo yo, what's happening?!"

Cheers.

"Okay, that's all I've got to say. When're you paying me?"

Laughter.

"Hey! No fair!" Beast Boy hissed privately to me as we went up the steps. "Only I can make them laugh!"

I sniffed forth a chuckle.

"I'm just gonna say that my Baby over there is much cooler than anything this Boy Wonder's got to spout out at y'all," Cyborg winked.

Robin glared at him.

The people didn't seem to mind. They laughed and clapped.

"But I'm here for only a short time. Alas, such is life. Here you go, Starfire," he tossed the mike.

A strong throng of girls' voices cheered.

There was also a wolf whistle. Robin glared out at the crowd.

Starfire beamed with her eyes closed and chanted into the wrong end of the microphone. "Greetings earthlings!"

Beast Boy and Cyborg cleared their throats.

"Huh? Oh…the bad that is mine," Starfire spun the microphone around and chanted again: "Greetings, earthlings! My name is Starfire!!! I bring you tidings of rapture and ecstasy from my home planet Tamaran! My family would certainly be smiling down at me in this wonderful expanse of half dead grass surrounded by randomly maintained asphalt to know that I was gracing you with such a social embrace of joy! So much so, I would desire to recite the Nine Epic Poems of Noogaroog's Revelation!"

The crowd was silent.

Cyborg rubbed his scalp. Robin pulled at the neck of his costume. Beast Boy sweatdropped. I bit my lip.

Starfire blinked at us all, concerned.

Raven shook her head.

Starfire blushed, "But…..I-I think you would rather hear some words from my fellow cohorts and then see….s-some explosions?"

The crowd cheered again.

Starfire simpered. "I shall hand Michael over to Raven!"

Raven took the microphone and stared—bored—out at the crowd. "Hello." She handed it to me.

I looked at the microphone funny, shrugged, and handed it to Beast Boy. I promptly wished I hadn't.

"WAZZZZZUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I swear….some members of the audience spontaneously suffered seizures.

"Gee…is it hot out today?" Beast Boy fanned himself, then pointed out with a handsome squint of the green eye. "Or is it all the chicks out there?!?!"

Cyborg palmed his hand over his face.

"But seriously folks! I would have driven in on my moped if I had one. I'm only a few allowances towards getting it, but I'm sure it'd be no trouble if I set up a kissing booth over there or something. Anyone want to volunteer to help me?! You'd get discounts!!"

Raven gritted her teeth and leapt to grab the mike from Beast Boy. I bravely held her at bay.

"I'm here all night!!" Beast Boy bowed. "And when I say all night, I mean two hours of bitter sweet brevity. Now back to the main dude himself, R to the O to the B to the—UGH!!"

Robin dove in with an elbow, knocked Beast Boy back, and caught the in-flight microphone from the impact. "Ahem. Now for the formalities!! Ladies and gentleman, you know that as great a City we live in; life is still a struggle for survival. Especially in the urban environment, people struggle every day to make ends meet. This is true in our lives, but it's even more real to people needing homes. People who eat, drink, and sleep out in the street waiting for the City organizations to assist them in shelter and labor programs. But those programs can't flourish without your support! And without the support of everyone! So pitch in, people! And spread the news! The Teen Titans and I can keep crime down to an all-time low—which you all know we have, heh. But in order to make this a happy place for everyone, we need assistance from the people themselves! Now what do you all say?!"

Cheers. Applause. All we could ask for.

"All right! Now, let's make up for that entrance, shall we?" he tossed the microphone back at the volunteer speaker and faced us. "Okay Titans," he grinned in a hushed voice. "Let's do Entrance Pattern Charlie!"

"Naw, man!" Cyborg shook his head. "Not Charlie!"

"…..Delta?"

Cyborg smiled. "I like Delta."

"Okay then, Delta it is."

"Right!" Starfire nodded.

"Whatever…," said you know who.

I scratched my head.

Beast Boy elbowed me. "Dude….ya know, Delta!"

I remembered. I mouthed a silent 'Oh'.

"Teen Titans! GO!"

Robin whipped out his staff and tossed it into mid-air.

Raven's eyes glowed and she raised her fingers. "Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!!!"

The staff turned obsidian in its fall and fell into Cyborg's grasp.

Cyborg loaded it into his laser rifle and shot it high into the air.

BLAM!!!

The rod shot up like a rocket.

Robin aimed at it with his grappling hook. POW!!

In the meantime, Beast Boy sailed up as a green pterodactyl and grabbed the flying rod with his talons.

CLANK!!

Robin's grappling hook impacted with the broadside of the rod.

Robin retracted and yanked himself up.

In the meantime, I dashed off the stage and towards a patch of earth. I blurred my feet and ran solid circles repeatedly. My moving feet dug into the earth, kicked up grass, and exposed the brown soil.

When I was done, Cyborg leapt off the stage and came sailing down with a growl.

SMASH!!!

He landed hard in the circle I had formed, making a miniature crater and echoing thunder across the field.

Meanwhile, Robin flew up to the rod on his grappling cord. He grabbed the metal object, spun up, and landed gently on the green pterodactyl's shoulders. Beast Boy glided downward in a spiraling arc.

Starfire flew overhead, spiraled gracefully, and flung two starbolts down at Cyborg's back.

Cyborg smiled, his hands folded.

The crowd watched.

Cyborg stood.

The starbolts flew down.

The crowd sweat.

Cyborg winked.

The starbolts almost struck him.

He raised his titanium hands up at the last second and palmed them. It looked as though he was casually holding two emerald torches in his grasp.

The pterodactyl sailed down to a spot directly overhead and morphed into an elephant. It sailed straight down like a green comet with Robin nonchalantly riding into the earth.

A sphere of obsidian energy encircled it as Raven floated up to meet its descent and slowly lowered it to the ground.

Starfire floated down as Cyborg stood with two green torches and Beast Boy and elephant form reared its front legs up behind the android, trumpeting. Robin leapt off the elephant's back, grabbed his rod, and landed in a pose in front of Cyborg. Raven floated down beside the group her robe billowing. Finally I blurred to a stop by the side and posed with Myrkblade.

Cha-Ching.

And…of course…the crowd applauded.

Beast Boy returned to elf form and beamed.

Starfire curtsied in mid-air.

Cyborg tossed the starbolts away and saluted.

Robin stood up, retracted his rod, and pocketed it away—smirking.

"Let's give them a standing ovation, shall we people?!" said the speaker on the stage into the microphone.

More cheers. More clapping.

"Oh! And good news! Our extra special guest has also arrived!"

Beast Boy did a double-take and looked at the others. "Um….extra special guest? Which one of us is that?"

"Not me," Raven muttered.

"I'm confused too…," Robin muttered and looked curiously towards the stage.

"Ladies and gentleman—appearing impromptu for the sake of charity itself—please give a hand for Green Arrow's sidekick, the one-boy-archer-batallion himself, Speedy!!!"

There was a glint of light.

Everyone tiled their heads up.

Atop the metal wireframe housing the megaspeakers, a red-headed superhero perched. He gave the crowd a salute with his short-sleeved hand. Then—bow outstretched—he flipped off the scaffold, sailed down, and landed nimbly on the stage. Speedy took the microphone and winked out at the crowd of high schoolers. "Well, hey there citizens! Hope you all did your homework, for lord-knows I'm doing mine right now!"

There was a fair set of laughter from the males in the crowd—which made Beast Boy glare.

There was also a fair set of fainting sounds from the females in the crowd—which made Robin do a double take and gasp: "Speedy?!"

"Hey, Robin!" the superhero pointed down from the stage—as if he had heard him. "Great to see you, man! Let's get some houses paid for!! Cuz when it comes to the needs of the homeless, there's no room for error! Every effort must make a bull's-eye!" He tossed the microphone back at the volunteer speaker. He reached into a pocket and produced an apple. He tossed it high into the air. He then whipped out an arrow with a golden metal tip. He aimed into the air opposite of the fruit and let loose.

PTWING!!!!

The arrow shot out, glowed, and magically swung back in the opposite direction from which it was launched. It homed in on the apple, skewered it, and fell neatly into Speedy's outstretched palm.

He winked through his eyemask.

The crowd stood up and applauded merrily.

So did I. Hey…I couldn't help it. That was friggin' cool.

I stopped—however—upon looking at Robin and noticing him practically melting into a pool of gritting teeth, clenched fists, and furrowed brow. "What's….he….doing…..here?"

"Charity," Raven hummed.

"Robin, do you know this mysterious yet….remarkably lean superhero," Starfire smiled. She looked somewhat flushed.

Robin did a double-take at her.

"Wuh-oh…," Cyborg sweatdropped. "This could get interesting."

"Hehehehehe….yeah!" Beast Boy chuckled. "Very much so! Hehehehe!"

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

"Okay! LET HER RIP!!!"

A couple of workers pulled hard at a metal lever.

A huge wall of titanium lifted into action from a device planted in the middle of the field.

Cyborg flexed his metal muscles and charged directly into it.

His feet dug into earth as he pushed back down on the metal wall that groaned and creaked against him.

"RRRRRRRRRRGHHHHH!!!!!!!"

It took a half-minute effort, but the android succeeded in snapping the wall in the opposite direction. The joints and bolts of the wall snapped and flew apart.

CRACK!!!!

SMASH!!!

The wall collapsed hard into the ground.

"Boo-ya!!!"

The crowd stood and cheered.

Cyborg smirked and saluted. He pointed to another pair of workers.

"Okay! Launch 'em! PULL!"

FPOW!!

FPOW!!

A pair of clay discs shot high into the air.

Cyborg ran the length of the field open to him and aimed up high with his laser rifle.

ZAAAAAAAP!!!!

Blue energy coursed upwards and blasted the discs to bits.

"PULL!!"

A fresh throng of discs flew into the air and Cyborg repeated his punishment.

As the citizens clapped and cheered, Beast Boy and I stood to the side.

We applauded a few times. Beast Boy leaned over and continued speaking to me:

"…and so after Robin defeated Speedy, he had to take on the Master of Games. Cuz the Master of Games planned all along to zap the losers into his power-stealing-gem-thingy and make off with our talents."

I nodded.

"Well, Robin didn't take to kindly to that. And for the sake of freeing his friends—and competitors alike—he challenged the Master of Games to a grand duel for all the winnings. Speedy ended up being freed and agreed to help Robin. Eventually—through teamwork—the Master was defeated and we all walked away happy. Even the losers."

I motioned at him with a curious look in my face.

Beast Boy scratched the back of his neck, "Yeah….well….you can't win all the time. And—umm—I guess that's true for me too."

I mouthed: 'Awwwwww'.

"Oh stuff it."

I smirked under my shades.

"Anywho…Robin and Speedy met for the first time in the Master of Games' dimension. And no sooner had they introduced themselves to each other that they fought a desperate battle for victory. Robin won their versus match, but Speedy contends that it doesn't count since the Master of Games was a crook. And Robin says it does count, cuz no matter how treacherous, the battle still had rules. Yadda yadda yadda," Beast Boy moaned. "Basically…the two are rivals. In the egotistical sense, of course. We're all good guys, right?"

I nodded.

Cyborg blew up another pair of discs and everyone cheered.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

Black energy enveloped an entire school bus.

Raven floated in mid air and concentrated as she lifted the huge transport vehicle with her mind and sent it 'cruising' through the center of a huge, metal loop erected in the center of the field.

People applauded her talent.

Besides me, Starfire cupped her hands together and beamed. "Hehehe! You go, Raven! You manipulate floating metal with the greatest skill!"

"Shhh! Don't distract her!" Beast Boy hissed.

"S-Sorry!"

I smiled. I glanced over.

Robin and Speedy were in conversation.

Curious, I walked over.

"…what do you mean 'what are you doing here'?! I volunteered to come! Same as you guys!"

"We were invited by the City to appear!" Robin retorted to the red-headed Speedy. "Our City! Why aren't you doing charity work in…in…Sherwood Forest or something? Say, where're you from anyways?"

"None of that matters, right?" Speedy smiled. "I was in the area. I cared for the charity going on. I thought I'd come, free of cost! Now is that so bad?"

"Ohhhhh, I get it now," Robin smirked. "You heard the Titans were appearing. Thus, you knew I'd be here. Perfect opportunity to show off and try to prove that you're better than me!"

"Huh?"

"Well, I meet your challenge, Speedy!" Robin folded his arms and smirked. "I'll charm the skin off these people long before you're drawing the first arrow!"

"Ah jeez….Robin! Give it a break!" Speedy moaned. "The duel we had was a long time ago. I'm not here for competition. Heck, there's no reason why we should be butting heads over anything!"

"Sure….play dumb," Robin said.

"Napoleon syndrome," Speedy muttered. "That's what you've got."

Robin blinked behind his eyemask. "Huh?"

Speedy laughed his head off.

I performed a silent chuckle.

That's when Robin noticed me. He glared. "You think he's funny?"

I shrugged.

"I'm afraid I haven't had the pleasure of meeting this one."

"This is Noir," Robin motioned. "The newest honorary member of the Titans. He can't speak…so don't try bribing him into making me look bad—"

"For the last time…I'M NOT CONSPIRING TO BLAST YOUR EGO!" Speedy moaned, shook his head, then smiled over at me. "Hey there, Noir. Pleased to meet you."

I extended a hand.

He shook it.

I smiled.

"Swordsman, huh?"

I nodded. I whipped out Myrkblade, spun it a few times, and held its hilt out to Speedy.

He took it and held it up…admiring it. He whistled.

"Wooden sword…don't see many of those these days," he exclaimed.

I nodded and took the blade back.

"Old fashioned weapons are a rarity," Speedy said. "Especially when they work." He showed off his bow and quiver. "I consider myself like you—a preserver of quality. You and I should fight crime together someday. I bet it'd look pretty kickass."

I smiled.

I like this guy--

Robin butted in: "It'd be wonderful for us all to chat and stuff, but we've got more important things to do."

Speedy raised an eyebrow. "Like…..?"

"Checking up on security."

"Security?!?!"

"You see the people they have overlooking this field?! Just high school volunteers! No security guards! You wouldn't know if some creep's slipping in a weapon of mass destruction or something! It's ludicrous!"

"You're just changing the subject! I was having a great conversation with your friend here when—"

"I'm serious! While my partners are showing off their stuff for the crowd, it'd be a great time to check up on security here!" Robin said. He then glared, "Unless you absolutely hate the idea of me making good suggestions for even you to follow!"

"What?!?! Now you're being a jerk! I agree that security is important but you could have done a less forceful way of broaching the topic—"

"There you go being boss of the 'conversation' again!"

"I'm just trying to be polite! You're the one being argumentative and accusatory!"

"Well maybe I have good reason to be!"

"Give me some!"

"Gladly! For one, you…."

Their argument dissipated in my head as I turned around and looked off at the field. I scanned the tents selling arts and crafts. The crowd watching Raven's performance. The high school marching bands practicing for the next run-through. The elderly couples in the walk-a-thon. The refreshment tables. The man with the mysterious briefcase. The---

I did a double take.

Man with the mysterious briefcase?!

I squinted through my shades and saw a lanky fellow with thin, brown hair walking towards the edge of the field towards a radio tower. He looked around anxiously and quickened his pace…tugging the briefcase along. He disappeared behind some shrubbery.

Hmmmmm…

I looked at the arguing two. I looked back at the radio tower. I smirked.

I blurred into invisibility and quietly rushed my way over.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

Behind the shrubbery, a middle-aged man rubbed his hands together nervously. He blew into his palms, shook all over in a psychotic manner, and took a deep breath. He paused…as if forgetting his next course of action. He then smiled.

"Of c-course…"

He nearly tripped over his own briefcase, cursed, then hobbled off towards the distant port-a-potties.

Then….silence.

"……"

I reappeared, the smoke wafting from my form and disappearing.

I looked after his figure with a raised eyebrow.

Okaaaaaay……

I looked down at the briefcase.

I scratched my chin.

What the heck……

I knelt down, gripped the latches, flipped them, and opened the briefcase.

"……," I stared into its interior. I looked the contents over quietly.

I glanced over in the direction of Robin and Speedy.

I smiled slightly.

I reached into the briefcase, took a few things out, pocketed them, and closed the item.

I returned the briefcase to the ground where the strange man had left it, whistled innocently, and walked back in the direction from which I had come.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

A green seal balanced a beach ball on its nose. It barked and tossed the beach ball up high. Soon, a green kangaroo was leaping up and kicking the beach ball away in mid-air. The kangaroo turned into a bird, flew across the field, and landed in the form of a rhino in time to impact the ball with its long horn.

POP!!!-HISSSSS!!

The people cheered.

The rhino turned into a T-Rex and roared.

A few shrieked…then laughed.

The T-Rex 'winked' and proceeded to turn into various forms of air-dancing fowl.

"Well….he's certainly eating it all up…," Raven muttered from the sidelines.

Cyborg nodded. "Can't blame him. He's got to have a chance to shine once in a while, right?"

"If you insist."

I finished walking up.

"Where were you?" Cyborg asked.

I honestly pointed back towards the radio tower and the shrubbery.

Instead, Cyborg saw the port-a-potties. "You should have done that before we left the Tower."

Starfire giggled.

I glared at him with a smirk and my hands on my hips.

"Where's Robin?" Raven asked.

"At Speedy's throat, no doubt," Cyborg said.

I nodded.

"Yup…at Speedy's throat!"

Again, Starfire giggled. "What is the earth saying? 'Boys won't be boys'?"

"Will."

"…..Boys will be Will?"

"No, Star, I meant—"

"Will will be Will?"

"Your turn."

"Huh?"

Beast Boy walked up.

"Your turn, Starfire."

"Oh! Glorious!!"

A rush of wind kicked at us as she flew into the center of the field and proceeded to woo the crowd with her starbolting of targets.

"Whew!!" Beast Boy wiped his brow and smiled—sweating—at Raven. "What an effort that took! Impressing a whole crowd! And I'm only one Beast Boy…heh heh heh!"

Raven rolled her eyes towards Heaven. "Lord. Rapture me now."

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

I squinted my eyes through my shades.

I gripped the hilt of Myrkblade.

My feet began to smoke.

On cue, the three aluminum cutouts of 'crooks' lifted up like levers from the floor.

I sprang into action, blurring across the field.

I slashed horizontally across one body—causing the top half to topple over.

I leapt and slashed straight down the middle of a second.

I then teleported on waves of smoke over to the third and performed a spiral cut.

Chunks of aluminum flew up into the air.

I slashed and slashed and slashed and slashed again until all the aluminum was practically dust at my feet.

I then spun Myrkblade a few times behind my back and sheathed it in some….er….'cool' pose.

It was enough to make the crowd go wild at least.

They applauded and cheered as I smiled and took a bow.

I had to admit…it did feel rather good.

"Noir! Noir!" Beast Boy ran out to me. "Good show! Now come on, let's get going!" He circled his elbow around mine and dragged me off the open field.

I gestured curiously.

"Don't look so perplexed! It's autograph signing time! Time for me to get in touch with my admiring fanssssss."

Oh……

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

A long, long table had been set up at the edge of the field. There, the six of us Titans sat—along with Speedy. Seven long lines of citizens—mostly high schoolers and people our age—formed hungrily at our 'stations', with books and the like for us to sign. We wrote our codenames down in our handwriting, of course. None of us—Robin especially—was so willing to give away our true identity to the random public. A few volunteers from the high schools flanked us, acting as 'security guards'. They smiled politely and were prepared to take any action necessary if a fan stepped out of place.

"My parents saw the Bat many times in Gotham!" said a guy at Robin's station as the Boy Wonder signed his name on a piece of paper. "This is my first time seeing his sidekick in person!"

"Heheheh…well….I may have been his sidekick once," Robin said, twirling his pen. "But I'm quite clearly in a different fix now."

"Yeah!" Beast Boy called out from his station. "He just won't admit that he's the only one of the Titans who didn't start out solo!!"

A couple bouts of laughter.

Robin sweatdropped and tried to grin. "I'm not a sidekick, sir. Sidekicks don't kill their teammates after a public appearance."

"What's that?!" Beast Boy's voice gulped.

"Then why still be 'Robin'?" the fan asked with a smile. "Why not choose a super-cool solo name like 'Crimson Feather' or 'Reaper of the Wings' or---"

"I've been thinking about it," Robin smirked, leaning his chin on his hand. "The original Robin took 'Nightwing' and went to Bloodhaven. I've always been envious of that move."

"So maybe when you're older, then? Like him?"

"Sure…that sounds good."

"Next in line, please," a volunteer smiled and politely urged the fan holding his autograph.

"Oh, alright. Robin, it's been awesome meeting you!"

"Keep it safe, man," Robin gave a thumb's up and winked under his mask.

As the next fan walked up to Robin's station, Speedy spoke up from his position adjacent to the Boy Wonder at the table.

"You know…," he spoke while signing his name for someone. "There's nothing wrong with being a sidekick. Heck, I see it as an underdog's role, ya know? You get to sneak up on the enemy cuz you're not their sole focus of attention. And at the same time you're learning from a valuable mentor all the secrets of good crime fighting."

"You're just jealous that I've moved out on my own and left my sidekick days behind," Robin slyly said from aside.

"No…..," Speedy glared, then grinned, "Why would I be jealous of an egotistical bird whose idea of a crimefighting team is living in a over-exaggerrated dorm? 'Friends, let's go out for some justice pizza!'"

Fans laughed and giggled. Beast Boy was among them.

Robin glared at the changeling. He smiled back in Speedy's direction, "True…the Titans and I get our off time. But it's no different from anyone else in the business." He signed an autograph as he continued, "Speaking of off-time, Speedy, what gave you the vacation to come all the way to our City and start poking fun at other caped crusaders."

A chorus of 'oooooooooh' filled the local scene.

"Not caped crusaders," Speedy said, signing his name. "Just one. You're the only person with a cape here, my friend. I must say, it matches your eyes most fashionably."

Chuckles and giggles.

Over at Cyborg's station.

"They're never going to stop," he uttered, shaking his head.

The next fan stepped up to him. "Cyborg! My man! How's it going!"

Cyborg smiled at the guy. "Well, hey there!" A pause. "Do I know you?"

"Only in writing, dude," the guy snapped a finger and pointed, "Caleb's and Son's auto parts!"

"Hey! Allright!" Cyborg stood up, leaned over, and vigorously shook the fan's hand. "I've always wanted to meet one of you in person!!"

"Surprised?"

"I expected someone taller."

The fan chuckled. "Yeah, me too!"

Starfire giggled.

Cyborg smirked and crossed his arms. "Really funny, man."

"How'd you handle the suspension we shipped you?"

Cyborg sat down and began autographing. "Perfect, man. Absolutely perfect. My Baby's made out of the best parts, and you're the one to provide them."

"Dude, that car is totally tricked out!" someone said from way back in the line. "How can you not drool all over yourself every day, knowing you own that thing?!"

"Yeah!" exclaimed another. "That thing is badass! How's the handling?"

"I'd say hell on wheels, but I shouldn't cuz I'm a superhero," Cyborg said. He paused. He thought a while. He then said: "It's like hell on wheels!"

"Yeah!"

"Allright!"

"Awesome!"

Raven shook her head slowly at her station. "Like….a sponge…."

"How so?" Starfire asked.

"Soaks it up."

"I see…..Cyborg would make a rather large sponge."

"There's an image for ya," Raven droned and finished signing a book lethargically. "Next…."

A petite teenager meekly stepped forward. "Um…M-Miss Raven? W-Would you like to….I-I mean….would you care to….er…i-is is alright if—"

"You bring the book, I provide the pen," Raven said stoically. "Simple as that."

"O-Okay…"

The girl timidly placed the book down and Raven signed it.

When Raven was finished, she handed the book back. "Here you go, next."

The girl hugged the book to her chest. "Actually….um….M-Miss Raven….I-I was wondering—"

"What is it…..?" Raven moaned.

"How do you meditate?"

"…..," Raven stared. "How do I meditate?"

The girl blushed and turned away. "I-I'm sorry. I know I should go now—"

"No, wait," Raven raised a hand.

The girl froze and looked at her forlornly.

Raven leaned forward. "Meditation…is about focusing oneself. Finding one's center and controlling it. Once the center is in check, all the outer points of emotional focus come under surveillance and control. One must realize that nothing is out of her or his grasp that can't be tamed or manipulated for the sake of goodness and prosperity. It's about finding the restrictions in one's psyche…and learning when to hold back….and when to let go."

"To…t-to let go?" the girl stuttered.

Raven nodded slowly. "Sometimes….for some people….letting go is the most important step. It's not my aim in life…but for others, it's necessary."

"I s-see…," the girl nodded. She looked over at Beast Boy's station. She took a deep breath. She walked over.

"And so I think that if all girls invested in miniskirts instead of jeans, they'd be saving the textile industry from suffering overstock---" he was caught off in mid speech to his fan when the petite girl walked up. "Why, hello there. Can I help you?"

The girl blushed, simpered, then leaned far across the table. She planted a big, wet kiss on Beast Boy's face.

Raven did a double-take.

"YAAAK!!" Beast Boy fell back in his chair. "What gives?!"

People laughed. Beast Boy's fan giggled.

Two volunteers ran up and gently dragged the girl away by her shoulders.

"Th-Thanks Raven!" the girl beamed. "It feels good to let go!"

Raven smirked, "Feels very good indeed."

"Pfft! Pffft!!!" Beast Boy rubbed his lips with a sleeve. "So that's what an obsessive fan is!! Jeez! I've never been so scared in my life! What if she's carrying germs or something!!"

"If she had the guts to kiss you…," Raven muttered, "I wouldn't doubt it."

"Oh shut up. You're enjoying this."

"Yes I am."

"…….ahem," he once again faced his fan. "Where was I?"

"Miniskirts."

"Enough about women. Wanna see me turn into a snake?"

Meanwhile, at Starfire's station.

"Would you prefer the form of writing indigenous of your people or that of Tamaranian font?"

"Oooh…alien writing?" the fan gasped. "Can I see it?"

"Most certainly!" Starfire smiled and wrote in circular discs on the piece of paper. "You see…the spherical shapes of our writing represent the Tamaranian solar system in multiple incarnations. My name is centered upon the third moon of Dresna, which is famous for its beautiful green lakes of chloroplankton."

"You must have been throughout the entire galaxy!"

Starfire thought aloud. "Hmmm…I have visited three on occasion."

"Three?!?!"

"Well, one of them is technically an alternate dimension to our continuum maintained by a single wormhole, but it is safe to call it another galaxy."

"I wish you could pay a visit to our astronomy class sometime," the fan said, dumbfounded.

"I assure you," Starfire finished the autograph, handed it to the fan, and smiled. "Nowhere else in this universe have I found a place more fascinating and more endearing in quality than the planet Earth. Undoubtedly—as times permits—I am bound to visit every place on this globe, including your astronomy class if need be."

"Truly?"

"I do not see why not. The peculiarities of this planet attract me."

The fan hugged the book to his chest and seemed about to faint. "You're like everything I've ever dreamed of…"

"……huh?" Starfire blinked.

He dizzily walked away.

Starfire watched. "……my case is rested." She looked at the next in line and smiled again, "Hello."

She blinked.

She looked down.

A little girl smiled up at her with some missing teeth. "Starfire!!"

"Hehehehehe! Well hello down there, little girl with absent bicuspids!"

A teenage girl stepped up and placed her hands on the little girl's shoulders. "I couldn't help it," she smiled. "My little sister had to come with me. You're practically her idol."

"Idol?"

"You know….the role model she worships…."

"Ohhhhh," Starfire nodded. "I have never had a religion centered upon me before, but I am indeed flattered!"

The teenage sister chuckled. "That's an interesting way to point it. Pretty true around my house, really."

"Starfire, someday I want to be like you!!" the little girl beamed.

"You are even better!" Starfire smiled and patted the girl's head. "You are yourself!"

"Can you sign yourself, pleeeeeease?"

"Myself?"

"She means her Starfire doll," the teenage sister blushed.

The little girl eagerly held out a slightly-larger-than-Barbie figurine. A flattering replica of Starfire.

"Oh! One of those!" Starfire curiously took it and looked it over in her grasp. "I have never seen one of these things in person. The people at Mattel told me it would be an exact likeness as to myself. I must say they did do a nice job." A pause. She raised an eyebrow at the teen sister. "Do I truly have that much hair?"

The sister shrugged. "Hey…I only buy them."

"Them?"

"Sign it! Sign it!" the girl hopped.

"Gladly, I shall do so," Starfire smiled and turned the doll of herself over while holding the pen. "Now, where to sign. Where to sign." A pause. "I am certainly thin, am I not? Ah! There we go." She signed on a 'part' of herself and handed it back to the little girl. "There you go, infantile earthling! Remember that good is good and bad is bad!!"

"Weeeee! Thanks Starfire!" she hugged the doll to her chest. "Sissy, can I get my name written like where hers is?"

The sister looked at the signature on the doll and blushed. "Um…..maybe when you're older." She looked up, smiling. "Thanks."

"I welcome you," Starfire smiled, her eyes closed.

The two walked away.

Meanwhile, at my station.

My ordeal was a rather quiet one. Just about everyone knew I couldn't talk. So all I had to do was sign, smile, nod my head, and they were off to be replaced by another one. It was all rather disheartening, and things started passing by in a blur. But gradually I became aware of some….interesting pattern.

I finished signing my name in a book and gave it to the fan. My name was so bitterly short, that it took no time at all.

"Thanks," the fan—a girl—said. She hugged the book to herself and walked away.

Another fan came. Also a girl. "Hey there. C-Can you autograph my paper, please?"

I smiled and politely nodded.

"I-I know you can't talk. It's o-okay…."

I shrugged and wrote my name—slowly this time. I handed it back to her.

"Th-Thank you," she blushed, hugged the book to her chest, and walked off.

The next fan…another girl. "Hey there. Like she said."

I raised my eyebrow. I looked at the other lines. Studied the heterogeneous mixtures of gender, then back at my fan.

I smiled, shrugged, and did so.

"Thank you…," she breathed and walked away.

The next fan….you guessed it.

"I'd be happy if you….um…signed your name," she said.

I nodded and opened the front page of her book.

"Inside the heart," she said.

I glanced curiously at a heart-shaped-design in pink pen. I looked up at her.

She blushed.

Okaaaaay.

I signed my name inside and handed it to her.

"Heeeee…thanks," she scampered off.

God, I wish a guy would come along or something. What's with this?

I looked over at Raven.

She half-glared at me. "Don't look so surprised," she droned.

"????"

"Never mind…," Raven said and paid attention to her autographing.

I shrugged and continued along the chain.

Meanwhile, at Beast Boy's station…

"You know….you remind me of someone in one of my dreams," Beast Boy winked at a female fan as he autographed her sheet of peper. "And it was a very…very good dream."

"Um…yeah," she remarked. "Aren't you the one that changes into animals?"

"That's my specialty. Yup."

"So….like….did you start out as a human?"

"Hmmm?"

"I mean…were you originally a dog or an orangutan or a ferret—"

"I was once a boy," Beast Boy smirked proudly. "Hence the name."

"Then where'd the 'Beast' come in?"

"I could show you if you paid a visit to the T-Car after the autographing."

"Nevermind. Cya," the girl grabbed her paper and fled.

"Did you do that on purpose?" Cyborg asked.

"I most certainly did!"

"You meant to make her run away?"

"Huh?"

Back at Starfire's station.

"Thank you!" a fan smiled and carried off the autograph.

"No, thanks be to you! Hehehe," the alien girl gestured. "Next!"

A short haired, teenage girl marched up.

"Hello, Starfire."

"Hello, stranger. How are you doing today?"

The girl blushed. "You're as nice in person as you are in news interviews."

"People keep saying I'm 'nice' and 'sweet'," Starfire remarked. She glanced aside at me. "I have always assumed they were exaggerations."

I gave her a mock look of horror, then winked from under my shades.

The fan shook her head. "And you're just about as humble too."

"Why thank you. You are most complimentary. Do you desire a penstroke in your book?"

"That'd be nice. C-Could you write 'To Mable'?"

"I do not see why not," Starfire said while autographing. "Is that your name?"

"Yup."

"Pleased to meet you, Mable," Starfire said.

Mable bit her lip. "You know, Starfire…you're more than just a hero in my eyes."

"Oh is that true?" Starfire looked up, smiling. "I hope I am not a villain."

The fan giggled. "It wouldn't really bother me if you were."

"How is that?"

"Well….let's just say……I find you most……um….," the girl blushed and looked away. "…..intriguing."

"I see," Starfire nodded. "Well, Mable, I find you most intriguing too!"

"Y-You do?"

"Yes!" Starfire beamed. "All earthlings are special."

"I'd beg to differ…," the fan said as she took her book back and hugged it. "Tamaranians seem….so much more gifted."

"Ah yes, well, if you have me as a role model, I'm afraid to say that is a limited perspective," Starfire said. "You should see a Tamaranian male sometime. Their strength is oftentimes twice that of a Tamaranian girl due to social expectations, and not often do you find Tamaranian males with dark hair and---"

The girl shook her head. "None of that matters to me."

"Oh….it does not?"

"I'm afraid not…," the girl grinned, blushed, and leaned forward. She whispered to Starfire, "Th-that is to say….boys aren't my bag."

Starfire blinked. She whispered. "But you do not seem to be carrying a satchel at all!"

"No no no…I mean…," the fan fumbled for the correct expression and again whispered. "I admire you more than just a superheroine. I am….er….of a different persuasion than you think."

Starfire giggled. "Well, whatever persuasion it is that makes you admire me is fine! Raven is often under persuasion herself when it comes to me."

The girl blinked. She blushed. "S-She is too?"

"Yes!" Starfire smiled. "She's persuaded that I am quite annoying during times of her meditation."

"No no no…that's not what I meant," the girl sighed. She then smiled and whispered something into Starfire's ear. "I'm not straight."

"……….," Starfire looked the fan over. "Well….I agree. You don't look straight."

"I'd knew you'd understand," the girl sighed, relieved.

"You are a girl. You have too many curves to be straight."

The fan placed a hand over her head, moaned, and tried again.

Meanwhile….

"Thank you, 'Noir'," a girl hugged a book to her chest and walked off.

I shook my head, sighed, and prepared for another fan---aw shucks…

"Front page, please," another girl blushed.

I exasperatingly wrote my name and handed the book back to her.

But she didn't leave immediately. Rather, she looked at me and simpered, "So…..like….i-is that all real hair?"

"?????" I looked at her. I said a slient 'oh' and reached back to my long, black hair. I smirked, shrugged, and gestured.

"He says it's natural, to the best of his knowledge!!" Cyborg chuckled from across the table.

I smirked and motioned 'thanks' to him.

"I s-see…," the girl said. She blinked. "Can I…..like…..touch it?"

I made a face.

"Okay…off we go," a volunteer said as she and another worker gently guided the girl away.

Another female fan walked up, smiled, and immediately said: "Can I touch it too?"

The volunteers immediately came back under a halo of chuckles and carted the second girl off.

I gradually became aware of a throng of girls—most of which were those holding books with my autographs—giggling at the two ostracized members joining their flock and gradually glancing at me.

I blushed and shivered with my shoulders. This was getting creepy……almost in a good way. Almost.

Another fan walked up and handed me a book.

I sighed and lackadaisically signed it.

I was surprised when—after a few deafening seconds—there was no speaking from the person for whom I was autographing.

I looked up…and found out it was a guy. Not only that, but he had a miniature microphone on his shirt's lapel with a wire that stretched up into his ear. He was a moderately tall high schooler—about my age, if not a little younger. There was a yellow ribbon on his shirt's collar. He smiled gently at me and performed a flurry of sign language while mouthing emphatically with his mouth.

He was near-deaf.

'On behalf of the sign language class of Lake Bear High School, we would like to thank you for the good you and your teammates are bringing to our city, and the example you are setting for all with speech disabilities.'

I watched, my mouth slightly agape. I noticed the entire lasting length of the line at my station gathering into a group directly behind the one fan and forming one body of people. All of them had the yellow ribbon. Most were smiling. Some were respectfully deadpan. They all matched the sync of the fan in front and hand signed:

'Welcome to the City, Noir.'

It was the entire hand signing class. Perhaps most of them could speak. But it was the message they had that drilled into me.

A warmth spread over my heart which I hadn't felt in a long time. It made the day worth getting up for. I took a deep breath, smiled, and stood up. I swear, my black eyes almost watered as I signed back to them:

'I feel welcomed already. And thank you.'

Cyborg was watching the whole thing. He started clapping.

Robin and Speedy joined in.

So did the rest of the Titans, and a couple clumps of fans at the stations.

I sat down, smiled, and gladly autographed their many books and papers.

Raven looked over. "Well…that was certainly honorable."

"Raven?" Starfire asked the dark girl.

"Yes, Star?"

"Do peaches taste good?"

Raven glanced at her. "I beg your pardon?"

"This one high schooler for whom I was autographing a few minutes ago…," Starfire spoke. "…the one who was confused about her own curves. She seemed most fond of the fruit. Or so she told me."

"Ummmmm."

"Do we have any peaches at the Tower? I am most curious now."

"I'm busy autographing, Star."

"Autographing for who?"

"People."

"Very well then." Starfire said. She was quiet for a while. Then. "Come to think of it…she did seem a little….straight."

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

"I am glad that was over," Raven droned as she stood by the T-Car.

Beast Boy was beside her. "Well, naturally. Me? I couldn't begin to peel the fans off me!"

"True," Raven nodded. "They were too busy running away to ever get stuck to you."

"Naw! Just that one!"

"She set a mighty fine example for the others."

"Why do you always insist on cutting me down?!" Beast Boy growled.

"Give me something to cut down, and I'll answer you."

Cyborg chuckled as he leaned against the T-Car's hood. "She's good. Real good."

"Pfft..then go ask her out on a date. I'm tired of it!" Beast Boy tossed his hands to the sky.

"Admit it, B.B. She gives you a challenge to face everyday."

"I prefer my challenges when they're not strung so high up on bitter sweet estrogen that they give themselves every reason to castrate me!!….er….in a metaphoric sense, of course."

"Riiiiight," Cyborg nodded.

"You're doing the job for me," Raven said.

"Can it!!"

Raven smirked.

"Where is Robin?" Starfire asked. "Is it not time for us to depart?"

"He's not ready yet, Star," Cyborg said. "Look over there. He's yet to show off the demonstration of his talents. We all had our chance. He saved his for last."

"What part does Speedy play in Robin's demonstration?" Starfire asked.

"Huh?" Cyborg looked over. His face fell. "Aww nuts…."

"They're at it again," Beast Boy moaned.

"Boys….," Raven muttered.

"????" I looked over.

Speedy and Robin were at the clearing in the field. Instead of a performance by the Boy Wonder, we were seeing the two cackling at each other from afar. Gradually, the audience of citizens took notice of the argument.

"Somebody should go and stop them before they set a bad example for us heroes," Cyborg said.

"Yeah….," Beast Boy nodded.

"Yeah….," Raven droned.

Starfire looked at us all. She smiled cheerfully, "I'll go!"

I held a hand out to her and shook my head. I pointed to myself, smiled, and walked off.

"But Noir!" Starfire said from behind me. "I would be most happy to—"

"He volunteered," Raven said. "Let him."

"But—"

"You've seen Robin ugly enough for one lifetime, Star," Cyborg winked up at her. "Trust us. It'll make you happier for someone else go go."

"Oh….a-allright," Starfire watched with forlorn eyes.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

"What do you mean 'We go together'?!" Robin frowned. "I'll have my chance, then you go!"

"Man, I already talked it over with the organizers of this event!!" Speedy retorted. "They thought it was a good idea! I mean…we both look similar enough as it is! And our talents—when combined—would make a spectacular show!"

"In a pig's eye!"

"Come on, Robin! It's for charity!"

"What's with you and your bright ideas all of the sudden?! Can't I just have my chance to shine and then you have yours?! Isn't that a happy enough alternative for each of us?!"

"I think this idea is better."

"Wait….," Robin smirked and pointed at Speedy's chest. "It's not that you want us to have a showcase of our talents at the same time. You want to somehow prove to the citizens watching that you're way more talented than me!"

"What?!?!"

"You'll show off with your blazing arrows while I'll be flipping around like a madman to try and steal the people's attention!"

"There you go again! Always accusatory!"

"Well, you should have talked to us and the other Titans first about this 'simultaneous' showcase thingy before giving the go-ahead to those in charge of this charity!"

"You're not going to let the people down, are you?!"

"No. You just did!"

"What?!"

"You heard me!!"

I walked up and tapped on Robin's shoulder.

"Not now, Noir," he brushed me aside and again faced Speedy. "Now you listen to me. Get off the field before I toss you off. I've got a demonstration to do. You can go last."

"Nuh uh, Captain Untrusting! After all this hubbub, I think I deserve to go first."

"Typical Speedy. Impatient to the end."

"I heard that!"

"I know you did!"

"Got a problem with it?!"

"Is the sky blue?!"

I sighed.

I looked over towards the radio tower. I saw a figure at the top of it. I glanced over at Robin and Speedy. As the two argued, they were ignorant of a tiny red dot of light suddenly hovering over their costumes.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

The thin, middle-aged man squinted his eye through the sight of a sniper rifle. He tried to steady his shaking hands. He used the laser guide of his long-ranged gun from his perch on the radio tower to zero in on the two targets.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

I yawned.

I put my hands on my hips.

"You're ruining this whole event for everyone here!"

"I am?! Look at you! You're raising a ruckus!!"

"Only because you're forcing me too!"

"I was only trying to make a good example—"

"By doing what?! Butting in on the Titans?!"

"For the last time, I wasn't butting in!!"

The laser pointer found a spot at Speedy's back and rested to a stop.

I glanced back at the tower, bored.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

"Gotcha….," the man psychotically chuckled.

He snaked a finger down….and pulled at the trigger.

…

Nothing.

His squinting eye widened. "Wh-What?!"

He pulled at the trigger again.

Nothing.

He pulled again. Again. Again. Again.

Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

"N-No!!! What gives?!?!"

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

"I'm going to count to ten," Robin glared, his gloved fists clenching. "If you're not out of my sight by then, there'll be hell to pay."

"Bring it on."

"Ten…."

"Coward!"

"Nine…"

"I'm not afraid of you—"

I cleared my throat.

Both heroes looked at me.

I smiled and held up a finger.

I knelt down and scooped up a hand ful of dirt in my bare hand.

I stood back up and tossed the dirt into the air.

The dust caused the red laser beam to materialize in mid air. Robin gasped as he saw the thing aiming square between his eyes.

"Sniper!!"

People gasped.

Speedy gritted his teeth, spun around, and drew an arrow. He fired in the exact direction from which the laser was coming.

PFTWIFFFT!!!!

SWOOOOOOOSH!!

The arrow sailed straight towards the radio tower.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

The man gasped.

CLANK!!!!

The sniper rifle was shot out from his grasp.

"OW!!!" he gripped his wrist.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

Robin whipped out a grappling hook in a flash, aimed, and shot at the tower. POW!!! CLANK!! He retracted, and his body zoomed over the distance of the field and towards the position of the sniper.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

SWOOOOSH!!

Robin sailed in and pivoted his feet up.

The man gasped at the last second.

SMACK!!

"OOOF!!" the man was kicked out from the radio tower. He fell all the way down and landed in a springy clump of shrubbery.

FWOOMP!!!

Robin slid down, leapt into the foliage, and hoisted the man out by the neck.

"Allright, creep!! Who're you working for?!?!"

"I…..I…"

"Who hired you?!"

"But…B-But…"

"TALK!!"

The assassin winced. "I….don't know what to say…"

Speedy and I walked up.

"I think he works alone…," Speedy said.

"I think so too…," Robin frowned from under his eyemask and dropped the man hard to the ground. "What were you just planning on doing??"

"With this toy, I might add," Speedy said, lifting the sniper rifle up from where it fell.

The other Titans and a few citizens rushed over, concerned.

The assassin gulped and stuttered, "I….I'm sick and tired…of hearing you punks on the news everyday. I had to stop you people when I had the opportunity! I had!! But the damn thing wouldn't fire!! No matter how many times I pulled the trigger! I don't understand it!! Why wouldn't it fire?!"

I whistled.

Everyone looked at me.

I smirked and held up the bullet clip that was in my pocket the whole time.

"Where'd you get that?!?!" the assassin gasped.

I pointed to the foliage.

"???" Beast Boy snuck in as a dog and pulled out a metal briefcase with his teeth.

"So…someone was in there….," the assassin wilted.

Beast Boy returned to elf form. "Dude…you were so jilted."

"Noir…," Robin commented breathlessly. "W-When did you take that thing out of there?"

I gestured.

Cyborg was there. He read: "Noir says it was while you and Speedy were too busy arguing your asses off about 'security'."

The two masked heroes winced. "Yeowch."

"Serves you punks right!!" the assassin cackled. "I would have finished you off! Just like the radio told me too!!"

"Radio??" Beast Boy raised an eyebrow.

"The radio speaks to me!! She's beautiful with her airwaves!! Even though she rapes me as a succubus at night, I still love her!! She whispers to me that the Titans are bad and must die. And I would have satisfied her!! I would have finally freakin' satisfied her, but you all had to sick dark boy here on my sniper rifle which I got from the radio succubus' friends and—rrrrraugh!! This is so much Kenneth Star's falt!!!"

"Oooookay," Cyborg hoisted the man up and carted him off. "I think you need to go somewhere."

"I'm not finished!!!" the middle aged man cackled. "If you don't believe me, you can talk to the succubus radio herself!! I left her in the port-a-potty with my Gatorade bottle! The one armed to explode with dust bunnies!! WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?!"

"Hmmmm," Raven smirked ever so slightly. "This day suddenly got interesting."

Robin scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah….well…heheh….looks like I nearly got us killed for being a jerk."

"No….," Speedy similarly sweatdropped. "I…nearly ended us with my attitude. I was so bent on proving to you my part of the argument, I distracted us both from the scene at hand."

"I think our competition is too intense for our own good," Robin said.

"Finally…you said something today which I can agree with."

"Friends?" Robin extended a hand.

Speedy shook it. "Of course."

I smiled and folded my arms.

"Noir…thanks," Robin blushed. "You're a life saver."

I shrugged.

Starfire dove in and nearly plowed Robin over with a huge hug.

"OOOF!"

"Robin!! You are unharmed!!" Starfire beamed, her eyes shut. "I was so concerned for a second there that your head would have turned into the Swiss of Cheese!:

Robin wheezed in her arms. "It's okay, Starfire. Nobody got to shoot this robin today."

"Heeeeee!"

"Dudes! Come take a look!" Beast Boy said, kneeling over the sniper rifle and metal briefcase.

We all shuffled over.

"What is it?" Raven asked.

"The weaponry…look peculiar enough to you?" Beast Boy held the rifle up.

Robin snaked his way out of Starfire's crushing arms and took the rifle. He squinted at it through his eyemask. "It's got the model number on it…just like the others."

Beast Boy grinned. "More of Anderson's stash."

"And a brand new unit to boot!" Robin beamed. "Awesome!"

"What's this?" Cyborg asked, walking back from where the assassin was safely restrained.

"Another one of Anderson's boomsticks!" Starfire exclaimed.

"The assassin must have bought it from some connection in the Underworld," Robin said. "Believe it or not…this thing might be a clue!"

"Well alright!" Cyborg smiled. "We got ahead with our quest without even trying! Now that's what I call an end to a near-perfect day!"

"Who's Anderson?" Speedy asked.

"A creep we just recently did in," Robin said. "He invested much of his life and embezzled money into wicked experiments. One such experiment was the creation of an arsenal of mysterious weaponry. This arsenal's been spreading throughout the criminal underworld of this City, and we're trying to catch up with it all before there's too much damage done."

"Looks like you've got a good lead now with this thing," Speedy said. "Got an idea where to go next?"

"I have a suspicion…," Robin said. "But we'd have to study this thing further."

Speedy raised an eyebrow. "We?"

"Freudian slip," Raven mused.

Robin scratched his neck. "Yeah…."

"Need help tracking these creeps down?" Speedy smirked.

"I don't see why not," the Boy Wonder shrugged.

"Glorious!" Starfire beamed. "Does this mean we will be having company at the Tower?"

"I didn't mean to intrude," Speedy simpered. "I was just offering my assistance—"

"Then let us offer you a place to crash for the night!" Beast Boy jumped. "I've got a bunkbed!"

"Um….the couch would do just fine," Speedy relented.

"Sounds good to me," Cyborg smirked.

"Whatever," Raven said.

Robin shook his head, "Speedy. You're along for the ride. Quite frankly, we need all the help this week that we can get."

"Glad to be of help," Speedy said. "Now..don't you and I have demonstrations to do?"

Robin winked. "Most certainly. You go first."

"Nah…you go first."

"Oh, but I insist!"

"No, I insist!"

"I do!"

"I do!!"

Cyborg whistled. "Why don't we just flip a coin?"

"Marvelous idea."

The Titans wandered off.

Just Raven, Beast Boy, and I stood there by the tower.

"Well…," Beast Boy shrugged. "It's not like I cleaned my bunkbed much anyways."

"I don't think that would have been a factor," Raven said. A beat. "He better not go anywhere near my room."

"I don't think you've pulled him in with your charm yet," Beast Boy winked.

I silently chuckled.

"Finally…," Raven droned. "You got me."

"And you know it," Beast Boy winked. He looked at me. "So…..is Romeo here gonna get us a ride back to the Tower from one of his many girl fans? Lord knows it's gonna be cramped in the T-Car if we're bringing Speedy along."

I frowned at him.

"Don't act like it's not true," Raven said. "They were practically crawling all over you."

"Yeah," Beast Boy sighed. "I'm leaving before I'm greener with envy," he carted the rifle and briefcase along and walked off.

I scratched my head and looked at Raven.

She looked up at me with her blue eyes. "It's because you're the quiet type, you know."

It is?

I shrugged. Pause. I smirked and pointed at my hair.

"No…," Raven shook her head. "Not because of the hair." A pause. "Okay, maybe a little."

I raised an eyebrow from behind my shades.

She cleared her throat, lifted the robe's hood over her head, and shuffled off. "I'm going to go see Robin and Speedy……er……sweat."

I shrugged and followed her across the field.