101. Those Black Eyes part 3 Final

We waited.

We listened.

Silently……

……………

………………

…………………

Cl-Clunk…

Hope gasped.

Tiffany shivered.

I bit my lip.

Janice narrowed her eyes.

Noir gripped his sword. Staring with firm black eyes. He wasn't moving or shaking the slightest. He sat like a slab of granite.

…………………

……………………

………………………

Cl-Clunk……CL-CLACK-CLACK-CLACK-CRASSSSSH!!!!

Tiffany and Hope practically fell into each other, white as ghosts.

My mouth went dry.

Janice blinked. She looked at me. "He's….crashing into the room above us!"

A shriek or two through the ceiling. A thunderous pitter-patter towards the far side of the invisible apartment, then--

CRASH!!!!!

More gasps and shrieks. But none of the utterances were being caught up. There was momentarily a split-second pause, then the pitter patter resumed (more distant now) and another loud: CRASH!!!!!

"Fang's searching the rooms one by one…," I muttered.

"Looking for Noir," Janice said.

Hope and Tiffany trembled.

"I don't suppose that if we toss him flies, he'll leave him and us alone??" Tiffany remarked.

Noir struggled to get up.

"What are you doing??" I asked above the sudden chaos emanating from upstairs.

He gritted his teeth. He fell down. He struggled and tried to get up again.

"You're in no condition to take on that creep!" I exclaimed. I rushed over and gripped him by his shoulders. "As long as he doesn't find you, he won't beat anyone up! I'm sure of it!!"

"But if he finds us with him…..," Hope murmured.

I looked over at her.

She gulped and looked at me. Her eyes said it all. So did Tiffany's. So did Janice's.

I frowned. "Fine."

I hoisted the boy up with his right arm around my neck. He hobbled by my side. If he stood up straight, he'd tower over me. But he was numb and weak with traces of Fang's shock still trying to leave his system. He dangled beside me, panting like a winded motor.

"I'm getting him out of here. Anyone want to join me?"

"Just where are you taking him, exactly??" Hope asked.

I thought on that. My good eye traced the ceiling. I took a deep breath. "Downstairs."

"Downstairs?"

"To the parking garage in the sub level," I said. "Somewhere in the storage spaces down there, I might find a good spot for him to hide."

Tiffany exclaimed: "Till when?"

"I don't know!!" I retorted loudly above the surmounting noise. "But staying in one place is not gonna help things!! We need to get him out of harm's—Fang's way!"

"Agreed," Hope nodded. "We gotta move fast!!"

I was already dragging him towards the front of the apartment.

"Um…," Janice pointed. "You dropped something."

I realized at the last second that Noir was desperately pointing at the same thing on the floor. I looked down…saw his metal hand…and blushed.

"Yeah….we might need that."

"'We'?"

Tiffany handed it to me with an icky expression on her face like it was diseased.

Noir seemed bitterly humored.

"Okay…," I held loosely onto the arm and supported him as we hobbled out the door. "Here we go."

"What about the rest of us?"

"What about the rest of you?!?!"

Most of them seemed nervous…hesitant…

Hope—bless her heart—she clenched her fists and rushed with me. "What the heck?! It's what Beast Girl would do!!" She rushed over and opened the front door to my apartment for us. "After the King and Queen!"

I tried to hide a smile. "Thanks and all for your bravery, Hope…but shut the Hell up."

"Hehehehehe!"

Janice and Tiffany exchanged glances…then ran after us.

"Hey!!"

"Wait for us!!"

"Operation Titan Loft Club Rescue in action!!"

"Yeah! What she said!"

I didn't know whether to feel grateful or stupid.

"Yeah……," I blinked my good eye. I looked over at Noir. "They're normally not this brave."

He seemed preoccupied with clinging to my weight.

When we stumbled out into the apartment building hallway, we all had a good wake up call. People were rushing through the hallways in their pajamas. Some shrieking. Others carrying guns and murmuring about a 'giant bug' to kill. Some even had cell phones and were squawking desperately to contact city authorities.

The four of us and Noir sweatdropped.

"Well….at least we don't have to worry about waking anyone."

"Come on!" I exclaimed, tugging Noir along with me down the hallway. "The stairwell is this way!!"

My friends scampered to keep up.

"How close is he to being badass again?"

"I have no clue," I uttered. I looked at the hobbling boy beside me. "How're you doing, Noir?"

He tripped—causing me to slump down. I gathered my balance and pulled him up. He gritted his teeth.

"Yeah……..," I murmured.

A shriek from behind.

We turned and looked. So did Noir.

A pudgy woman—a neighbor of mine—scurried down the hallway, waddling with each jogging step. I didn't know she could move so fast. "It's the end times! It's the end times!! Giant spider!! Body of a man!! It's the end tiiiiiiiiimes!!"

She ran past us.

Janice watched her. "Menopause?"

"We would be that lucky," I muttered. "Come on!! The door's just over here!"

I led us around a corner past a few fleeing citizens and then towards the metal door in question. It was obviously marked for 'stairs'.

Tiffany rushed forward and turned the knob. She froze. She looked back at us. "It's locked!"

I made a face. "Locked?!"

"That's not good….is it?" Hope murmured. She spun around and watched an even larger group of people dashing past us and down the hallway. "Definitely not good!"

"I don't get it…why's it---," I then groaned.

"What??" Janice looked my way.

I shook my head. "They close it on the top floors. Only from ground level or the rooftop can you access the stairwell."

"The Hell?!?!"

"What morons thought that was a good idea?!"

"The same ones who invented a FIRE ESCAPE for emergency exits!" I growled.

The others blushed.

Tiffany panicked: "But we can't take the elevator!! Everyone's rushing towards it and by the time we get to one, Fang will probably be—"

Suddenly, Noir gripped my hand.

I looked at him, startled.

He shared the holding of Myrkblade's hilt in his right fingers and mine. Together, we pointed the sword at the door and placed the tip in the crack.

The girls watched curiously from behind.

He closed his black eyes. Smoke trailed out through his clenched eyelids…trailed down his shoulders…down his and my arm both…and warbled into the sword. For a split second, it felt like the very bone of my forearm was vibrating….then--

FLASH!!!!

A pulse of…energy soared through the wooden blade and into the door, splitting it open and revealing the yawn of a cold stairwell leading downward.

I blinked. "Wow…."

"Need a cigarette, Lisa?"

"Can it, Janice. We gotta move."

"Right, girl. Shake it off."

Noir took a breath and opened his eyes. He looked at me and motioned down the stairwell.

"Right beside you," I returned.

We started to hobble down the stairwell. That's when I realized that the two of us were alone. I paused and turned around. Noir also looked—squinting his naked black eyes at the light coming in from the apartment hallway.

"Hey! Girls!! What's holding you?!"

The three seemed to be in an impromptu huddle. They looked down my way.

"Hope has a bright idea!" Tiffany smirked.

"We'll provide distraction!"

I gasped. "What?!?!"

"Go take him down to the basement!!" Janice pointed and exclaimed above the noise of panicked neighbors. "We'll make sure Fang doesn't take this stairwell down and follow you!!"

"Don't screw around!!! That freak's dangerous!!!"

CRASH!!!!

CL-CL-CLACK!!!!

Spider footsteps from the hallway.

Voices shrieked.

"Get your asses in gear!" Janice pointed. "Just save some of his for Hope and Tiffany later!!"

"Wha---you morons!!"

"Later, girl! He's almost here!" Hope exclaimed, shutting the door behind us.

CLANG!!!

We were alone in the dark, cold stairwell.


Noir took a deep breath. The gaze of his that lingered on the door seemed concerned…remorseful…

I hated him for it.

"Forget them," I grumbled. "Think they can play heroines without me being angry at their stupidity…" I yanked him with me as I hobbled down the stairs, supporting our weights clumsily. The noises of the chaos above us grew more and more distant. "This night's shot to shit. Perfect. Just perfect."

He numbly did his best to catch up with his scampering feet. He grunted and panted. I could care less if he was competent enough to assist in this escape….

"What's wrong, Hero?!" I found myself uttering. "Aren't you strong enough for this?! Do I have to carry you or something?! Do me a favor and get paralyzed on somebody else's rooftop next time!!"

Naturally, he had no response to that. Verbal……and I suppose not mental either. And I hated him for it. I hated him for his neutrality.

"You're something, you know that??" I grumbled. "But don't delude yourself! Not every hero can remain good forever. It just doesn't happen. Not in this frickin' world. Not in this—ACK!!"

I tripped.

One step on the stairwell had been partially worn away…or chipped…as if an elephant or something jumped on it. Noir and I fell forward. Somehow, I twisted my body just right so that I wouldn't damage any vital piece of myself upon impact. And in the same way, Noir escaped physical damage of his own too.

The loud clatter of his loose metal arm falling onto the ground echoed in my ear.

I winced.

I sat up and shook my head.

We were haphazardly collapsed on a slab of concrete platform beneath and above two sets of descending stairs.

There had to have been at least a dozen floors to go as of yet. A mutant spider-person was at our heels. And I suddenly had no strength to do anything anymore.

Why was I doing this? Why was I trying to protect him? What was the whole point of anything anymore?

Why did I ever get obsessed with him and the Titans to begin with? Why did I sketch everyday when I should have been paying attention to schoolwork or my future? Why the constant attempts to escape reality?

I sighed.

"You're right, Noir……," I quietly stated. "I've hated you. I've hated you a lot…"

He winced, sat up straight, and panted. It was still an effort for him to so much as move.

"But you're not alone in my silly hatred," I muttered. I stared off into space. A glazed look. The same glazed look. "All the Titans………the Justice League………even policemen………I hate them all. I hate them for being good."

He stared at me, panting. He swallowed and leaned his head to the side. As if curious.

I tried to avoid his gaze. I hugged my knees to my chest and took a deep breath.

"If you must know, you must know……," I weakly gave in. "My dad took it from me."

He blinked his black optics.

"My eye," I spat. "I was only five years old. He came home one night and like any little girl, I wanted to hug him or play or some shit. Of course, I didn't understand yet what 'piss drunk' meant. I was so stupid. I merely hugged his leg, and he lost it. And as if using the back of his hand to slap me silly wasn't enough, he grabs a screwdriver from a nearby table and goes to town. I've later been told that he claimed he only meant to hit me with the handle. But I remember. He stabbed me. Straight in the eye. You don't stab your kid with screwdriver handles. And furthermore…you don't twist them after your kid's already screaming and bleeding all over the place…"

Noir's eyes glanced down at the floor. For once, he was avoiding my gaze.

"So…I was marked at a young age. I had to get used to being laughed at in school for being the only girl not pretty because she wore an eyepatch to kindergarten. Even when middle school came and I settled into a foster home that had guardians sane enough to give me a god damn glass eye, I knew it was too late. Life had destined for me to be a freak. There's no escaping that. But that's okay. I've gotten used to that. There's just one damn thing I can't seem to get over. And it bugs the Hell out of me."

He looked back up at me. Silent. Patient.

My fingers were clenching into fists and shaking.

I gritted my teeth, fumed, and uttered: "My dad practically raped my mom for me to be here. Then he battered her up and scarred me for life…and I still loved him." I shook my head. I wanted to explode. Instead, I rambled: "I missed him each time he went away to cheat on his family and spend his life on beer and shit. I loved and longed for my daddy when the cops took him away after nearly killing my mom one night after a drunken rage. And I hated the cops. And when I went to school, I hated all the good kids and all the guidance counselors and everyone good. Because they took things away from me. All the terrible shit that I loved because it was all that I knew. And when I grew up and learned about Batman and Superman and Robin and Wonder Woman and all the other dicks in capes I learned to hate them too."

I wrung my hands together. I sighed again. My left eye socket felt more and more irritated. I missed being able to 'cry normally'.

"Into High School…I started to wake up," I shuddered. "I moved in with my sis and I learned it was okay to hate my dad. It was okay to feel bad about my missing eye, dead mom, and screwed up childhood. But still it was hard…ya know? To switch everything around in my head and…I guess…'conform' to what the world says is good and what the world says is bad. And this one day Janice comes to me and invites me to this club that worships heroes…and I gave in because—if anything—it'd at least be a way to punish myself. And on first glance, I looked through all the Titans and I saw you. And I saw how badass you were. And how dark. And how……how you seem to dance on the border of it all, Noir…"

I looked at him. Taking a deep breath. I bit my lip.

"I got obsessed with you because of the potential bad I saw in you, Noir. Not the good. And every time the girls yapped on and on about how much they wanted to sleep with Robin, or how much they wanted to shake Starfire's hand, or how sleek Cyborg's car is, or how much they'd give to fight alongside Beast Boy or Raven…all I could think about was you. You were the darkness I could fall back on. I could retreat to in my head. The safe haven of evil. And when there was nothing about you on the news to reflect on, I went to my one talent. Drawing. I sketched what I believe you to be. And those dark eyes…those black eyes that reflect nothing but the murk of the world…they drew me in. I fell into their rumored gaze in this screwed up head of mine and felt secure."

I swallowed. I looked away from him.

"And when you became Wyldecarde…naturally everyone in the City was glued to the News. But all I could think of was your eyes. And how they were always black…whether you were a traitor or not. And when you turned out to have been on the Titans' side all along and the City authorities vindicated you……I was totally and utterly shocked. You had saved the Titans…and yet…I felt that you had betrayed me. For that proved once and for all that you were a hero. That you were good. The very thing I hated since I was a five year old drama queen. And I looked at all the sketches I had made and all the obsession I had had and I hated myself. And I hated you. I never told anyone. And I believed that I was getting over it. But now here you are. Real. Black. Obscure. And I can't escape you, Noir. And I realize…I realize now…you're the lingering residue of my screwed up morality complex. You're the last thing that holds me to myself and I hate you for it. I hate you so much……"

Silence.

Noir stared at me. No emotions.

And that's just what I needed.

I exhaled and stretched my legs out. My throat was sore.

"I can never……ever……figure myself out." A beat. I shivered suddenly as if I was cold. "And who are you to bear the brunt of what I am?"

Silence.

I ran two gnarled hands through my hair and groaned. "In spite of all that I said…I don't know why I'm doing this, Noir. I don't know why I'm saving you. I wish you could frickin' talk. Then maybe you could tell me everything I've always needed…………wanted to know."

CL-CLICK!!! Hisssssssssss.

I glanced over.

Noir had his right metal hand reattached. He flexed his metal fingers a bit, getting reconfigured with his nerves (I guess). He looked at me.

I took a deep breath. I managed a small smile.

"I suppose we all have our own things that we lose……and must get over……"

He merely stared. His black eyes blinked.

I took a deep breath. "Think you're ever gonna tell me what happened to your eyes?"

He quickly charaded a 'spider' with his metal hand.

I sighed. "I know," I nodded. I stood up and walked over to him besides the stairs. "We have nearly a dozen flights of stairs to go and we're all out of Raid."

I helped him up to his limping feet. He held Myrkblade with his right hand and wrapped his metal one around my shoulder as I gave him something to lean on.

Quietly…we hobbled down the stairwell together. Gradually, we hurried ourselves. The apartment felt much taller than normal.

CLANG!!!

I kicked open the bottom door of the stairwell.

I looked around.

The parking garage stretched before us. Full of cars. Vans. Trucks. Black from the many layers of night piled up above us and the apartment building. Flickering lights of dying amber attempted to illuminate the underground concrete and aluminum forest where moonlight could not reach. Far beyond the lines of cars—where my one eye couldn't discern in the darkness—was certainly the line of storage compartments that I knew had to be there. But…again…I couldn't see worth shit.

Noir—on the other hand—seemed right at home. He gazed out with his black eyes and took a good scan of the place.

"We need to find the storage compartments," I panted as he leaned on me. "A-128 is my sis' and mine. I can get that thing opened and we can hide inside if need be. But I……er……kinda sorta forget where it is."

Noir's head tilted towards the right. He pointed past a brown van and an old Honda.

I shrugged. "Any place is better than here."

The two of us pressed on. We hobbled side by side like runaways from a chain gang. We swam past the walls of automobiles and made for the far wall which only half of us could see. Our pace was desperately quick.

"One thing's for certain," I huffed. "I'm gonna be scheduling myself for P.E. next instead of waiting for the Senior Year."

Noir smirked.

Then……

Clack-Clack-Clack-Clack-CLACK-CLACK-CLACK-CLACK-SWOOOOOSH-WHAM!!!!!!

Noir's breath left him, and soon so did his body. I gasped as the hero by my side was slapped by an arachnid leg and sent flying fifteen feet away into the side of a pickup truck…significantly denting it.

CLANK!!!!

Noir slumped to the ground with his blade…visibly shaken. He groaned and tried numbly to stand up.

WOOOSH—CLUMP!!!

A huge black shape that turned out to be Fang leapt over and perched himself in front of the Titan. He kicked his human foot up into Noir's gut.

WHUMP!!!

The breath left the Titan's lungs.

Fang then let out a shout and flung down two of his spider limbs. The sharp feet clamped around Noir's scarred neck…lifting his dangling body up into the air and strangling him.

"Looks like you've been caught…," Fang grumbled. He shook a human fist. "There are two things you're likely to find in a basement, punk. Ghosts…and cobwebs. I knew you'd come down here eventually, Titan. To the dark that makes you feel 'secure'. But you couldn't escape me. I'm going to make the Titans pay for all those months spent in the slammer. And if it takes sucking the guts out of their reckless rookie, then so be it. I'm in the mood for something dark anyways!!"

THWACK!!!

My foot kicked hard into one of his spider legs in the ground.

Unphased, Fang's arachnid head swiveled around and the six eyes glared at me.

I gulped, summoned strength, and raised my fists.

"Let go of him, you waste of 'freak'!"

His mutated eyes narrowed. "Or you'll do what, bitch?!"

I frowned. "Well, normally I'd threaten to kick your ass all the way up to your head, but in your case---"

WHUMP!!!!

He knocked me back with the simple flick of a spider foot.

"Right………"

He glanced at Noir.

"Of all the Titans…why is it that I have to capture the one heartthrob whom all the stupid girls swoon for??"

WHACK!!!!

A baseball bat slammed against his head.

Fang dropped Noir as the spider freak collapsed to the floor.

Tiffany walked into the light, palming the bat. "Correction! I'm a stupid girl who loves ROBIN! Pig!!"

"Grrrrrr," Fang tried to get up--

WHACK!!!

A tennis racquet struck him hard in the eyes.

"OW!!!"

Hope jumped up, holding the racquet. "And I'm a girl who respects Beast Boy!!!"

Fang's spider limbs pushed against the ground as he tried to scurry into a more open area--

SWACK!!!!!

A golf club batted him back towards the other two girls.

Janice stepped into the light, smirking. "And I play golf!!"

"RrrrrrrRRAUGH!!!" Fang sprang up and shook his human fists. "Pathetic whelps!! Back off or else I'll—"

WHACK!!!

SMACK!!!

WHAM!!!

"OW!!" Fang recoiled under the punishment of the three girls and their haphazard weaponry. "JEEZ!!! SHIT!!! DAMMIT!!! AUGH!!!"

"What's the matter, Fang?! Can't handle some fan MAUL?! HA!!"

SMACK!!!"

"Tiffany, that was some lame. Less joking and more hitting."

WHACK!!!

"Hey! Hey girls! Check this out! FORE!!!"

THWACK!!!!

Fang toppled over once…twice…and landed with his abdomen against a concrete pillar. He groaned and looked dizzy.

I gasped: "What're you three doing here?"

"The first plan didn't work," Hope blushed.

"And this is the second plan?"

"More like the fourth…eheheh…"

"It's best to say that we got bored and decided to join you, toots," Janice winked.

"Jeez, I'm flattered."

"Go check on Noir! We'll squash this punk!"

"RAAAAUGH!!!"

"Be bloody, bold, and resolute! But most of all, be all over HIS ASS!!!"

WHACK!! SMACK!! WHAM!!!

"Augh!!!" Fang got up and attempted deflecting each bludgeon's swing with his many legs.

In the meantime, I ran over to the truck where Noir was collapsed.

"Mr. Noir?! Mr. Noir!!" I shook him. "Speak to me—er…wriggle your fingers or something."

He wriggled them. He got up—an exasperated look on his face—and stood leaning against the truck.

I suddenly realized that he must have been used to the sensation of being tossed up against vehicles.

"Now's our chance to get you out of here," I said. "Come on!!"

I tugged on his arm. But he wouldn't budge.

He had a stiff look to his face. A set jaw and glaring eyes. He was staring right at Fang on the receiving end of the girls' punishment. He glanced at me and pointed at the scene with his sword.

I gulped. "You still don't have all your strength back!! Leave them be! I'm sure they're more than capable of handling—"

"RAAAAAAAUGH!!!!" Fang shouted suddenly and batted all three girls away. "I will not die at the hands of SCHOOLGIRLS!!!"

He lashed one hooked toe out, grabbed Hope by the collar, and tossed her—shrieking—across the parking garage. While she was still in mid-air, he let loose a stream of web silk from his mouth that encased Hope and stuck her to a pillar.

"Hope!!" Tiffany shouted.

She was next. Fang grabbed her, tossed her, covered her in web, and stuck her to a piece of the ceiling.

"Hmmmmm," Janice smirked. She held her golf club up like a samurai warrior and got ready to stupidly charge the beast. "Something tells me this is gonna get the blood rushing."

Fang snatched her, flung her across the garage, and stuck her in a web between two pillars.

All of my girl friends struggled and groaned in vain to get out of their sticky restraints.


The spider freak then turned at me. Six eyes glaring.

I gulped. "Noir…now's a good time to run………………Noir???"

I looked to my side.

Nothing.

I spun around, looking everywhere.

He was gone.

"Shit……," I breathed. I looked up. A shadow in amber light encased me. Fang had marched up and was now leering over me.

A beat.

I waved with a crooked smile. "Not so itsy bitsy…are ya?"

THWUMP!!!!

He pinned me to the pickup truck with two spider legs. His mandibles leered threateningly close to my face and he drooled as he uttered: "Where…is…he…?"

"Um…," I gulped. "Went on to vacation in Venezuela. He should be back—considering he doesn't die of malaria."

GRIP!!!!!

A spider foot clamped around my neck.

I gripped it with two weak hands and gasped for air.

His mandibles were practically brushing with my nose. I smelled something in his breath that was reminiscent of crushed maggots and rotten apples.

"Tell me where he'd be hiding in this parking garage of yours……or I will suck you of every bit of essence you have. And I don't mean in the good way!"

I frowned and wheezed: "I bet you say that to all the girls…"

"They don't last long. Believe me," he applied pressure on my neck. "And neither will you! WHERE IS HE?!?!"

I coughed…I sputtered. My glazed gaze lifted upward. I caught something with my one good eye. A pair of barely reflecting orbs on the ceiling.

My lips parted.

"WELL?!?!" Fang growled.

With a warble of smoke, Noir appeared. He was clinging magically upside down on the ceiling. He slowly snaked Myrkblade out and pointed it at Fang.

I grinned. "Oh Hell yeah…"

Fang's six eyes widened.

Before he could turn around--

SWOOSH!!!!

Noir pounce down, flipped, landed on Fang's spider head, and flung Myrkblade down so that he brought it up lengthwise under the freak's chin. He gripped the hilt and the tip of the blade with two hands and pulled hard. His teeth grit. Smoke coursed in waves through his arms and suddenly he was flipping Fang up and over his shoulder in a reverse throw.

SWOOOOOOOSH!!!!

"RAAAAAAUGH!!!!!"

CRUNCH!!!!!

Fang's impact sent a van toppling over. The spider fell to the ground, his four arachnid limbs twitching in the air.

Noir panted. He dizzily teetered back and forth, nearly falling down. He shook out of it, twirled Myrkblade into a badass pose, and charged Fang just as he was getting up.

"Go Noir!!" Hope shouted.

"Do what Robin would do!!"

"Kick that black widow in drag's ass!!"

I watched wearily…gathering my breath. If I had a mirror, I'd be only half surprised to see the smile on my face as--

SWOOOOOSH-SLASH!!!!

Noir ended his charge with an uppercut that sliced a scar across Fang's right, human arm.

SLIIIINK!!!

Mutated blood flew.

"AAAUGH!!" Fang shouted and flung all of his spider limbs at Noir simultaneously.

Noir swiftly blurred, slid down under the limbs' throw, came up the other side of Fang's human body, twirled Myrkblade, and spun with a bat-like swing of the weapon hard against the creep's back.

SMACK!!!!

Fang fell forward on the concrete.

Noir leapt up, jabbed Myrkblade down, and sailed towards Fang's back.

Four spider legs lifted, grabbed Noir, and flung him across the parking garage.

Noir smoked in mid-air, twirled himself about, and landed in a sliding crouch along the ground.

"Don't let him toss you around, Noir!!"

"Yeah!! Show him who's boss!!"

"Wow…this is like the Titans' Magazine……only in 3D!"

"Worthless little punk!!" Fang shouted as he got up and shook his human legs. "I can still devour you. I'll have a Noir pancake!!"

Noir stuck his tongue out.

Hope giggled.

Fang roared and picked up a Volkswagen Beetle with his spider limbs.

"Oh shit…," Janice exclaimed.

"RAAAUGH!!!" Fang tossed the car at Noir.

"Look out!!" I shouted.

Noir's black eyes widened. He dove to the side as the vehicle flew by.

CRUNCH!!!!! SNKKKKKKKTTTTTT-CRASH!!! It landed on its roof and slid fifteen feet into a minivan.

Fang then picked up a sports car and flung it like a missile at Noir. "RAAAUGH!!!"

SWOOOSH!!!

Noir rolled along the ground and flatted himself to the concrete the best he could. The body of the sports car barely grazed his face as it soared over him and slammed into a concrete pillar beyond.

Fang reached for another automobile.

Noir hopped to his feet…panting…and charged.

Fang lifted an entire van with all his strength.

Tiffany gasped. "Not good!!"

Fang twirled around.

Noir ran at him. His sprinting body was encased in smoke.

Fang shouted and launched the van at full force.

SWOOOOOOOSH!!!!

I gasped, a hand over my mouth.

Noir grit his teeth, blurred, and jumped---

SMASH!!!!

--through the careening vehicle with his sword swinging.

SMACK!!!!!!

He struck Fang hard across the mandibles with the blunt side of his blade. He then twirled, stabbed his weapon in reverse, got it entangled in the monster's twitching limbs, and swung Fang hard into a pillar.

SMACK!!!

Noir then twirled his blade and prepared to perform a knockout blow to the top of Fang's head when the monster gripped the pillar with his spider legs and kicked his human legs outward.

WHUMP!!!

Noir was forced back.

CL-CL-CL-CLACK!!!

Fang ascended onto the ceiling by his spider legs. He gripped Noir with human hands and raced across the parking garage. Noir's body dangled as the ceiling-scurrying monster zoomed over cars, forcibly knocking Noir's body into one and then another like a human pinball.

WHACK!!! WHAM!!! SMACK!! THWUMP!!!

Hope gasped.

"He's hurting him!!" Tiffany exclaimed.

"No shit, Sherlock!!"

I bit my lip. I looked over on the floor. I spotted Janice's golf club. I ran over, scooped it up, and dashed to intercept Noir's helpless gauntlet run. I held the bludgeon over my head like a spear, grunted, and tossed it at the scurrying spider legs.

CLANK!!!!

It's best to describe it as 'Fang tripping upside down'. The golf club got entangled in his two front legs. He lost his grip of the ceiling and teetered over like a half-unhinged chandelier with his screaming head flying right into my fist.

And…yes…I did punch the sonofabitch.

SMACK!!!!!

He twirled from the impact and fell hard onto the back of a truck. At the same time, he dropped Noir who rolled to a painful stop by a pillar.

I ran to his side. "Are you all right--?!"

SMACK!!!

A spider leg swept over and slapped me across the face.

"Nnngh!!" I fell back against a pillar.

SPLORTCH!!!!

Web silk encased my chest and pinned me against the concrete.

I struggled to get out. My body ached.

CL-CL-CLACK!!

I gasped. I looked up.

Fang limped towards me in the best manner that an eight-legged freak could 'limp'. His six eyes glared as his mandibles twitched hungrily. "I think I'll bite that smartass mouth of yours off first!!"

He lunged at me.

I flinched.

SWOOOOOSH!!!

Noir slid blurredly to a stop in front of me with Myrkblade held high.

CLACK!!!!

"Mmmmphhhh!!" Fang exclaimed, his mandibles clamped accidentally over the tip of Noir's sword in an obscene manner.

Noir meditated and launched a pulse of smoke up the length of the blade.

FLASH!!!!

"AAAAAUGH!!" Fang was launched back—head first—into the side of a van. CRUNCH!!!

Noir ran at him.


But Fang was ready. He slashed with two spider limbs.

Noir dodged both…but wasn't ready for Fang's human foot.

WHACK!!!!

Noir was kicked upside the face. His nose was bleeding explosively.

WHAM!!!

One of Fang's limbs smacked him across the cheek.

Noir spun.

"RAAAAUGH!!!!" Fang shouted and slashed two spider feet down at once.

SLIIIINK!!!! SLIIIIINK!!!

Noir howled silently in pain as blood flew from his skin. He stumbled forward and trembled in a weak stance. He looked up, his black eyes wide. And I could tell by my helpless, webbed reflection in his glazed black eyes that we were merely a foot or two away from each other.

And that's when it hit me…as a trickle or two of blood ran down the Titan's shoulders…he was scared. He was in pain. And he was human.

And I felt bad and relieved at the same time to know that everyone in this world goes through pointless shit. And all this time, it wasn't me. And there was no such thing as good and there was no such thing as bad. For enemies are ghosts that we dream up for ourselves when nothing goes our way.

And nothing ever……truly…goes our way.

Perhaps this is something Noir already knew. After all, he was a hero with his own fair share of shit. But whether or not he was new to this knowledge, he saw it in my eyes as much as I saw it in his just the same.

Black eyes and glass eyes.

There really is no difference.

But Noir saw something else in my glazed gaze. He saw the approaching figure of Fang behind him like I did. He saw the freak's arachnid limbs lift up to slide the hero apart. And he also saw the look of horror in my face.

And that's when the black eyes narrowed and danced with fiery smoke. And he let out a silent scream……and stabbed Myrkblade straight through his own heart.

I gasped.

But Noir was still standing…still breathing…still living.

Myrkblade was in smoke form, and it was presently teleporting through Noir's body and teleporting halfway into Fang's chest.

"What the Hell?!?!" the freakish villain cackled.

Noir exploded with smoke, turned into murk, teleported, and materialized so that his body was in reverse and stabbing Myrkblade all the way through Fang's heart. But the sword still wasn't solid. At any moment, it could materialize…and Fang would be a living pincushion.

And he knew it.

"Please……p-please……,"Fang's mandibles trembled. "Don't teleport it! I-I'll do anything!!"

Noir stared at him. He glanced at me.

A beat.

I smirked.


He smirked.

SWOOOSH!!!

In a flash, Noir yanked his smoking sword out, solidified it, spun around, and slapped Fang hard across the human body.

WHAM!!!!!!!

Fang went flying fifteen feet from the charged impact. No sooner had he landed on the concrete that Noir was dashing over to a motorcycle of all things. The Titan hopped onto the vehicle, gritted his teeth, and jammed his metal forefinger through the key ignition. CRUNCH!!!! Sparks flew up his metal arm and stopped at his prosthetic disc attachment. He flexed his metal fingers and bizarrely throttled the electricity back into the vehicle. I don't know how in the Hell he did it exactly, but he hotwired the motorbike and kicked it into gear.

SCREEEEEEECH!!!!! VROOOOOOOM!!!!

The parking garage warbled with the echo of his acceleration.

Fang was slowly getting up—and dizzily realizing that the Titan was zooming the bike straight into his chest.

"Awwwww f---"

SMACK!!!!!

Noir shoved Fang across the parking garage via the motorbike. He approached a line of cars on the far side. He stuck the acceleration the highest it could go, summoned smoke, and backflipped off the seat of the motorcycle.

VROOOOOOM!!!!

"AAAAAAUGH!!!!"

The bike pushed Fang deep into the body of a black van.

CRUNNCHH!!!!

The fuel tank bit it.

PHOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!

Noir landed in a crouch, his body a silhouette against a fireball in the far corner of the garage. Fang twitched and squirmed inside the flames before falling out into the open. His body was smoking. His mandibles were groaning. A freak like that could take an atomic bomb blast at point blanc and still manage to freakin' survive.

But he still knew what pain meant.

Fang was out cold.

Noir panted…his lungs heaving. He did just what he was deserving to do that entire fight in the garage. He collapsed to the floor and wheezed.

The fire sprinklers erupted. A spring rain was taking place in the parking garage. The water dissolved the webbing around us. Soon the three girls and I landed on our feet and brushed the last of the stickiness off of us as the rain soaked our bodies.

"Woooohooo!!" Tiffany cheered. "Definitely good with or without the popcorn!!"

"Did you see how he practically took Fang to school?! I wish Beast Boy was here!"

"Hey…there was blood," Janice shrugged. "I'm happy."

"Hey Lisa, you allright??" A beat. "Lisa?"

I had crossed the distance from where I was stuck to where Noir was collapsed. The flaming van was smoking as the sprinklers took good care of the fire. I knelt down and shook the exhausted boy's shoulder.

"You okay?"

He coughed, panted, and did a thumb's up with his metal hand.

I sighed with relief…then smiled playfully. "So……would now be a good time to ask for your autograph?"

Outside the front of the first floor of my apartment building, I sat on the steps with a mug of warm tea in my hands and a blanket over my soaked shoulders to warm me from the effect of the sprinklers.

Tiffany, Janice, and Hope hovered nearby…chattering crazily about the fight.

Noir—interestingly enough—was sitting beside me.

Police squad cars and fire crews and the like had gathered throughout the blockaded street. A team of special forces members were carting the beat-up body of Fang into a prison car to be taken to the prison…most likely with the infirmary being the first destination on his list.

City officials were doing their best to calm the panicked squabblings of my neighbors—a few of which had found their car kinda sorta crunched or blown up.

"I've always wondered about the issue of the Titans and collateral damage," I smirked. I looked at Noir. "You have absolutely no conscience, do you?"

He shrugged. He was squinting his black eyes and holding a metal hand up to shade himself from the pulsing police squad car lights and streetlamps.

I felt bad for him.

"It must be tough living like that…," I said. "Only being comfortable in the dark. Being forced to wear shades all the time."

He squinted at me. He pointed at my left eye.

"Yeah…well…," I smiled and sighed. I sipped from the tea and spoke, "I have an eyepatch for it. And I think I manage to draw well for not ever being able to grasp parallax ever again."

He smiled at that. Softly. There was a rosy touch of pride.

"You should request a commission someday," I said. "Lord knows I've sketched you in every manner possible as it is."

He raised an eyebrow and amusedly mouthed: 'every??'

I bit my lip. "Yeah…well…," I sipped from the tea. "I'd sketch something clean for you. After all, it'd be your commission. Not……like……Raven's……"

Noir then did the wyrdest thing I had ever witnessed. He laughed. The best that a mute person can laugh. With a shuddering breath that resembled a gattling gun attached to his lungs.

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

He shook his head.

"It's true, isn't it?" I asked. "Hope says she sees it on all the message boards. You and Raven. Hell, I think someone even put up a shrine about you two."

Again, he shook his head with a chuckling smile. But there was an edge of iciness to the smile…and he cleared his throat and pointed curiously at me.

"What?"

He stared.

"Oh…," I blushed. "Myself……well……" I hugged the blanket around me more. I smiled softly and stared off in my trademark glaze. "There's this……this boy."

He raised an eyebrow.

"His name's Alan and he………I………"

A beat.

"I don't know anything about it," I blinked. "I could know so much……start so much……but……"

Noir scratched his neck. He raised a finger.

I looked at him.

He pointed at his hand. Then at my left eye.

A beat.

"People lose things all the time," I muttered. "I suppose……we're always at a risk of losing more."

Noir nodded.

I looked at my feet. "I could……lose someone I never even had………with Alan. Just because I'm so stuck up on myself."

He shrugged.

I glanced at him funny. "You're disastrously modest, you know that?"

He smiled.

"And what does that make me?"

He motioned 'crazy' with his finger besides his temple.

I frowned and shoved him. "Jerk!!"

He chuckled.

I smirked and sighed. "You're not so dark after all, Mr. Noir. I think…I think I was all wrong about you."

He stared.

"I was……sketching the wrong eyes."

Noir smiled slightly.

Silence.

Suddenly, Hope gasped. "Look!!"

"Oh wow!!"

"Omigod! Robin!!"

"Starfire! Raven!!"

I looked over. Noir and I stood up at the same time.

On a raised highway two buildings down, the Titans had clearly gathered. The roof of the T-Car could clearly be seen. Beside it stood a strong and gigantic half teenager half robot. Beside him was a nimble athlete in tights, cape, and a mask. Hovering over them was an alien girl with fiery red hair and a figure robed in dark blue. Atop the T-Car perched a green elf. All five were staring our way…Noir's way.

I took a deep breath. I glanced over at my friends.

Janice and Hope were doing their best to hold up a swooning Tiffany.

And I smirked.

I looked over at Noir. "Well……I guess this is when you rejoin your flock."

He slowly nodded, facing the Titans. He turned and looked at me.

I looked up into his black eyes.

A beat.

He smiled. He extended a hand.

I blushed and eagerly shook it. "Guess you save the 'good-bye kisses' for girls with superpowers, huh?"

At the sound of 'kisses', he made a mock face of disgust.

I giggled for the second time that night and perhaps the third time in my life.

"Go spread your wings, hero. Lord knows I'm sick of your silent treatment."

He smirked at that, saluted, and blurred off like a dark comet towards the highway. A few surrounding people gasped as if they hadn't noticed the Titan amongst them before he suddenly used his superpowers.

I stared across the asphalt expanse.


Noir ran up and came to a blurred stop before the Titans on the raised interstate.

Robin said something to him.

Noir listened…then nodded…then performed sign language.

Then Cyborg looked at the others and spoke.

A few of them nodded.


Beast Boy said something, and a handful laugh.

The Tamaranian flew down and gave Noir a quick hug before taking off into the air.

She was joined by Raven and Beast Boy in falcon form.

Cyborg got into the T-Car, started the engine, and cruised away.

Then Robin whipped out a grappling hook, shot it, and swung forth.

They were all headed towards the Tower. Towards home.

So was Noir. But the swordsman paused. On the edge of the highway, he looked my way. I caught a glimpse of two coyote-like embers reflecting moonlight.

A blink…and he was gone. Blurring off the highway, across the Bay Waters, and towards obscurity beyond.

I was gloriously alone again.

I hugged the blanket tighter around myself and sighed happily.

Happily…

"Did you see Robin?! Oh gawwwwd! I swear, he blew a kiss at me!"

"He did not! Besides, he was over a hundred feet away!!"

"Did you see how Beast Boy just morphed like that?! I never knew he could do it so quickly! I swear…I'm updating Beast Girl as soon as I go home!!"

"That's nothing! I clearly saw Raven and Starfire flying off together!! If that isn't a sign of true love and commitment, I don't know what is!"

"Nuts to you, Janice! I didn't see any scars on their wrists!"

"They were wearing gloves and sleeves, dumbass! They hide it from the public! Nobody can know the true lengths of their passion!"

"Hehehe……you said 'lengths'."

"I did not!………oh wait, yes I did."

"Hehehehe!!!"

"Shut up!! This was a crazy night!! I'm not my usual self!!"

"You are flustered! You are flustered!"

"I am not!!!"

"Oh Robin!! You complete me!! Under silken sheets!!"


The door opened.

Alan looked up. "H-Hey……"

"Hey," I waved with a soft smile. "I didn't think you'd actually come."

I let him into the apartment that following afternoon.

"Yeah…well…when a girl asks me over it usually means I'm needed to cheat on some take-home quiz or I'm about to become America's next trademark punching bag."

"Ha ha. Very funny."

"Sarcasm…how could I have guessed," he sighed and looked up at me. "What'd you want, Lisa?"

"Come here," I motioned him along and walked into my bedroom. "I want to show you something."

"Whatever it is, I hope it's sterilized."

"Sarcasm…how surprising."

"Touche."

The window curtains were spread out and a bright white light filtered in. The usually dark room was bright and inviting. Especially since the walls were……bare.

"Hey……," Alan blinked. "They're gone."

"Hmmm?"

"All your crazy Noir sketches."

"Oh yeah…I filed them away."

"What for?"

I shrugged. I opened a drawer. "Felt I had gone through that phase enough to write a book about it."

"And the club? You still hanging out with those girls?"

"By all means. They're like sisters to me."

"Heh…didn't know you had a soft spot in you."

I murmured: "We all tend to surprise ourselves."

"…………Huh?"

I spun around, holding a piece of paper to my chest. "Sit down. Close your eyes."

"Um………why?"

"Does it matter to ask? Just do it!"

Alan sighed. "Fine…whatever."

He sat on the bed and closed his eyes.

"Just so you'll know……I'm not the legal age yet."

"Neither am I, numbnuts. Now be patient."

He was…sorta……

I placed the paper in his lap.

"Okay……now look."

Alan opened his eyes. He glanced down and held the paper for himself to see. His eyes squinted.

It was a sketch. Black and white. Of Alan. And Alan was crying. All the pain daily bottled up inside of him—as I had known and seen—was being released in a fantasy of pencil shading and shadows. And behind him, hugging his shoulders, was a mysterious figure. Feminine. With long, dark hair. And an eyepatch over the left eye.

Alan took a deep breath.

"I was inspired as of late…," he heard me say. "I sketched this thing this morning. Took me three frickin' hours. I tried to imagine what your face would look like sobbing. But it's hard. Cuz you're always so angry and deadpan all the time—"

"What the Hell is this, Lisa," he breathily asked. His face shook as he looked at the drawing. "I mean…it's a nice drawing and stuff as always. But…what the Hell? Is this some kind of joke—"

"No, Alan. There's no need to be angry. Heck, I'm one to talk. I'm always angry. Always mad. Always wanting to beat the world to a pulp. But I don't. I stay neutral. I sit back and I draw silly heroes all day. But there're more heroes out there then black-eyed ghosts. There're people just like me. They get mixed up about what 'good' and 'bad' is and they refuse to change. They refuse to find happiness because they're so angry or so afraid of everything around them."

"Can it," Alan grunted. His voice shuddered as all but crumpled the sheet of paper up and frowned. "I don't need a pity friend, Lisa." He looked up. "The next time you draw a piece of crap like this you can just—" He stopped in mid speech.

I bit my lip and looked down, blushing. I had removed my glass eye and put the eyepatch on. I was my true self.

Alan's mouth was agape.

"I……I'm still learning about life, Alan," I said. I swallowed a lump down my throat. My one good eye started tearing. "And……I realize that I've wasted so…so many years being angry. And I'm still young. I-I just can't let it go on any further." I struggled and finally managed to look at him. The tears flowed. "It's not you who needs a pity friend, Alan. If it's anyone, it's me. I'm tired of trying to hide it, Alan. I think about you all the time. I think about you…and wish I could be by your side. Feeling your pain with you. Being picked on as well. Because at least then I wouldn't be so damn alone anymore. And I'm sick and tired of being alone…and I'm sick and tired of seeing you alone, Alan."

I pointed a shaking finger at the sketch as I quivered.

"Th-That's not a drawing, Alan. It's a prophecy. A prophecy as long as……as you're willing to accept me. And in that…you're willing to accept yourself."

He stared at me in awe. Blinking. But slowly, those angry eyes of him started to glaze over. And I saw in them a glistening reflection of myself as he fought ancient tears.

"I…I'm not ready for anything like that, Lisa," he murmured. He shook his head and clenched his eyes shut. But we both knew that I had punched a hole through. "I'm not ready to……to give in……"

I shuffled over, sat behind him, and hugged him. We were a perfect mirror to the sketch in his grasp.

"I'm not ready either, Alan……but I think that's what makes us so perfect. If love is such a stupid thing…and we're nothing but a bunch of stupid people…then would you mind it if I say it right now? I love you, Alan. I love you and I want to love you."

That's when he shuddered and quaked into me. Two streaks ran down his cheek.

"I'm……I-I'm afraid, Lisa………I've never been one to…t-to have and share good things……"

I hugged him gently and managed a strong breath to utter into his ear: "You and I, Alan…we're a couple of broken halves. It's so easy to lose things…even as young and as confused as we are. But together, I-I would want to make sense of it all. Surely that in itself is a good thing……don't you agree?"

He sniffed and a voice squeaked from him in final admittance: "Yes……"

I held him close and stroked his back. "We…we don't have to be alone anymore, Alan…"

"I know……somehow, I've always known……I was just afraid," he said.

"Afraid?"

"Afraid you'd hate me like everyone else."

I took a deep breath. "Even heroes are afraid, Alan. Even heroes…"

We sat there on the threshold of something warm and painfully rapturous. Our tears mingled and pitter-pattered on the fresh drawing, smearing the graphite streaks and turning the eyes from black to gray.

Sometimes all that life needs is a clean slate.