103. Dear Diana, Revisited

A shower faucet was running.

Then stopped…

The bathroom door leading into a darkly lit room opened.

As the steam settled, Raven stepped out in a bathrobe. She had a towel wrapped around her head.

She walked to her closet and pulled out some casual day clothes…and paused.

She blinked in thought.

Instead, she reached a hand out and grabbed one of her trademark black leotards on a hanger.

She walked over in front of a mirror and posed with the leotard held in front of her bathrobe and over her figure.

She turned her head from side….to side…..

Looking at her reflection.

Silence.

"'Cute'…..," she uttered.

A beat.

She grumbled, shook her head, and tossed the leotard away before proceeding to hook up the blow drier.

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

Dear Diana,

It's been a busy week. The prison saw a simultaneous escape of both Fang and Plasmus…for reasons we are still unsure of. And to top it off, there was this nasty group of miscreants from overseas called the Buzzard Gang. Somehow in a span of three days, all of such crooks have been disbanded. I say this NOT in an attempt to brag, but merely to point out to you as much as to myself that there's every reason to feel utterly exhausted.

I often wonder how you Justice League people do it……fight huge hoards of evil on a regular basis, that is. I hear that you and Superman and Green Lantern and the bunch go after innumerable aliens and mutants and giant robotic creeps and such. I cannot imagine what level of expertise empowers you and your partners to take on such monumental foes. But the more you prevail, the happier the world is. Trust me…sometimes even I can take on the 'perspective of the world' and stuff.

A Titan's life is an exhausting thing too, Diana. And when it comes to my team, everyone has different ways of dealing with the time we have and don't have off in between combat. And as a part of this correspondence, I'm sure you're dying to know about who does what and what has an effect on who. Or something.

Anyways, Robin's been a busy bee lately. If he wasn't doing detective work or sniffing the trail of Plasmus (eww) he was training in the gym. I was more or less a tired little ghost in trying to keep up with him, but now I feel pretty rejuvenated and I think it's about time I pay him some……combative respect.

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

"And in this corner!!!" Beast Boy spoke dramatically into one end of a tiny dumbbell while gesturing across the mat inside the gym. "The Bodacious Bird!! The Ass-Kicking Athlete!! The Boy Wonder of Wickedness!! Robin!!"

"Oh please, Beast Boy…," Robin grumbled as he adjusted his white gi. He jogged in place and flexed his fighting arms…striking the chest of an invisible opponent and clenching his fingers. His eyemask thinned in focus. "This isn't some sort of competition. We're only sparri—"

"Shhh! You ruin the moment," Beast Boy winked. He spun and gestured towards me. "And over here!! The Malicious Mute himself!! That Smiter of Smoke!! Noir!!"

I smirked. I wore a black gi and had on a black bandanna around my bangs to match. I wore lighter, more aerodynamic shades for the spar.

I flexed my arms around like two windmills and then craned myself into a meditative pose with the tips of my fingers aimed at Robin.

"Showoff…," Cyborg smirked from the sidelines. He glanced over at Robin. "You think you two are gonna keep it simple this time?"

"Why, Cyborg, whatever do you mean?" Robin smirked.

"Well…the last time y'all sparred one on one, we spent nearly a week trying to clean up the gym. And it didn't help that Control Freak distracted us and half the Titans got sick with bronchitis."

"We'll try not to get sick this time,' Robin smirked.

"Ugh……I swear……I'm gonna blast y'all with a sonic cannon if you're not careful."

"Yeah…," Robin flexed his arms and spun them into a fighting pose. "You do that."

I cracked my knuckles and stood still…facing directly across from Robin on the map.

My eyes narrowed under my shades.

His eyemask was thin.

Beast Boy gulped and stepped backwards off the map. "Allrighty then. Eheheh…you dudes got the rules down in your head, right?"

"Mmmmhmmm," Robin nodded, staring at me. "Get the other person down on the mat. First person down three times loses. Best out of five. You got that, Noir?"

I merely smiled.

"Somebody's gonna get hurt," Cyborg muttered.

Beast Boy giggled. "Yeah…ain't it cool??"

"Start us off, B.B."

"Ahem….r-right. Fighters!! Ready…..set….fight!"

And……………nothing happened.

That is to say, neither Robin or I charged. Instead, we slowly paced ourselves around the mat…keeping the same distance between each other. Eyeing each other's limbs. Not taking any chances…

"Well, allright," Cyborg smirked. "Looks like this is gonna be an intelligent, strategic spar."

"Don't count on it," Robin smirked. "I'm just waiting for Noir's impatient face to fly into my fist."

I smiled mockingly back at him.

"I don't mean to be a party pooper dudes," Beast Boy uttered, "…but you're not seriously gonna hurt each other, right?"

"Depends….," Robin uttered.

"Depends on what?"

"On how strong Noir's skull is."

"Ugh."

"Come on, Noir," Robin smirked and bounced in place with a fighting stance. "You scared? I know you're not scared."

I paced around, facing him. I had all day.

"Cyborg…lemme know if he hand signs anything," Robin spoke without looking back.

"Um…okay. Like what?"

"Like crying for his Momma!" Robin dove at me.

I braced myself.

"Waaaaa-WaCHA!" Robin dove in with a karate chop to my side, but swiftly brought it up towards my face at the last second.

I held my breath and tilted my head to the left. I barely dodged the slicing hand as it beat away at my hairs.

And somehow…this was exactly what Robin wanted. For my body's weight had shifted in such a fashion from the dodge so as to give him easy access to my center of gravity, which he struck with a spinning kick.

THWAP!!!

I toppled over.

At the last second, I flipped and landed on crouching feet with a slide across the mat.

Robin came at me with two rapid punches. "WaCHA!! HAA!!"

I deflected both and pushed him back with a shoving foot to his chest.

He repositioned himself with fists raised and legs flexing….as he panted.

Cyborg whistled. "Close, man."

"Almost got him, Robin," Beast Boy said.

"Hardly," the Boy Wonder smiled. "I was just playing."

I smirked.

Two can 'play'.

SWOOOOSH!!!

I was in back of him from a forward flip.

I reached behind, gripped his neck, clenched my teeth, and flipped the Boy Wonder forward over my shoulder. But in the middle of my toss, he somehow spun his upside body around and flipped down with a kick to my gut.

WHUMP!!!

I stumbled back.

Robin landed in a crouch, leapt up, spun in the air, and slapped me aside the face with his foot with a growl. "RAUGH!!"

SMACK!!!

I teetered.

He dove into me.

PLAP!!!!

He planted me back-first into the mat hard and vaulted off with his hands, flipping and landing on his feet in a fancy pose.

"One point, Robin!" Beast Boy grinned.

"Was there ever a question of it?" Robin twirled about and bowed.

I stood up, chuckling breathily….sarcastically.

"You know, Robin…," Cyborg raised a finger, "…I thought this was training. Not some tournament."

"You have any problems with this sparring session, Noir?" Robin asked me.

I smirked. I rushed at him fist first.

"Guess not…."

SWOOOOOSH-WHUMP!!

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

Cyborg used to be a very depressed person. That is to say, during the first month or two that I was here…I saw a somber individual in him. And I suppose it's only fitting concerning the things he has been through this year. What…with his Uncle turning out to be a deconstructed android once under the control of an aging madman.

Yeah……

But I'm convinced that things have taken a turn for the better in Cyborg's case. He's got his Uncle back…sort of. Simon Stone's construct now occupies the computer databanks of Phaser Labs. Using their energy transfer buffer thingies…he can literally distribute himself molecularly into a limited space supplied by a special grid. Cyborg can shake his once-dead Uncle's hand again. It's quite the miracle, and everyone—Titans included—can benefit from Simon Stone's scientific prowess. We treat him like a member of Phaser Labs itself…always ready and willing to assist the fight against crime and evil.

But beyond that, Cyborg has found his family in us, I do believe. We're his brothers and sisters…even if Robin comes across as a mother hen at times. Heh. Anyways, it's great to be there for Cyborg. Lord knows he's always there for us.

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

"How long's this gonna take, old man?? I can get done with half as much time as you're taking!"

Simon Stone's hologram rested on a pedestal nearby while robotic arms snaked about and treated the joints and titanium exoskeleton of a seated Cyborg in the corner of Phaser Labs.

"What you're getting is lazy, Vic! Self-diagnostics are an important thing for sparkers like us! They're not short little run throughs that we can accomplish in thirty seconds! They take time and effort and diligent observation!"

Cyborg smirked. "I kinda sorta thought that the days of checking myself for mysterious lumps and growths ended when…..uh….I lost 80% of my fleshly body mass."

"Pfft! Despicably sarcastic. Just like your mother at times. Forget cancer, Vic! There's always the risk of a virus implanted in you by some terrible, criminal hacker! Or signs of rust and acid burns! Fractures within the metallic framework of your exoskeleton!"

"Aren't you being a little paranoid, old man?"

The metal arms retracted and the little hologram shrugged.

"I was a goner for a while there, kid. I can't imagine how terrible it was for you to have lost me. So I don't want to lose you any time soon."

"I assure you, I'm fine," Cyborg stood up. He faced the hologram and smiled. "You've been cooped up in these labs way too long. Everything's ones and zeroes to you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You've given into technical paranoia! HA! Don't you remember what it means to have a hunch or an educated guess?!"

The hologram planted hands on his hips.

"I'll have you know…I'm still as human as they get! I miss sleep…food…and I still have longing thoughts for……well……ya know……"

The hologram's eyes followed a blonde lab assistant in her early twenties walking by.

"Hey there, Cecilia. Do you double as a nurse? Rowwr!"

She rolled her blue eyes. "Get a body first, Mr. Stone…then we'll see about getting you sick."

"Heh heh heh…she's a feisty one, ain't she??"

Cyborg shook his head. "She's too young for you, Simon."

"And what about you? Who're you seeing lately?"

"Huh? Oh….pfft….I thought we were done with that topic long ago."

"Somebody's gotta pass on the Stone name, kid!! What're you doing sitting around on your butt?! Fixing up the T-Car and playing Xcube?!"

"Xbox. And I don't sit around on my but all day. I fight crime and crap, ya know?"

"Oh, I know. Beating up crime and being beaten up. All the reason to have a little missus at home to patch your wounds. Eh, Vic?"

"Okay, Simon…I give up," Cyborg chuckled and waved his hands. "You find me a girl at least eighteen years old who wouldn't mind pairing up with a pumped up steroid freak with more metal than heartstrings and a few key pieces missing throughout the years….then you let me know."

"Don't be so bitter about it, Vic."

"I'm not being bitter! I think it's funny that you're still on my ass about this stuff! Metaphorically speaking, that is."

"Be honest with me. If you have an eye on some lucky girl…who is it? Huh?"

Cyborg scratched his chin and smiled slightly. "Hmmmmmmm."

Simon's hologram winked. "It's true, ain't it?"

Cyborg walked away. "I'll get back to you on that."

"Hey! Don't think you can walk away like that!"

"I can too! You're stuck in this building!"

Simon's hologram folded his arms. "Pfft……if I had a body right now, it'd be turning in my grave."

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

"WAAA-CHA!! HuWAAAI!!"

Robin dashed at me with more karate chops.

I blocked and blocked.

I bird-kicked him in the chest.

He stumbled back.

I gritted my teeth and performed a spinning, karate kick that pushed him towards the edge of the mat.

He teetered.

I rushed towards him.

I slid on two feet with my elbow jutting outwards.

GRIP!!!

He grabbed it with one hand and shoved his hand into my face with the other.

I ducked.

I reversed his grip so that I was grabbing him. I let out a gasp and spun him around like a slingshot and let go….successfully tossing him out of the mat.

WHAP!!

"Ooof!!" Robin tumbled to a stop. He growled and punched the floor.

"Ha ha ha!!" Cyborg laughed.

Beast Boy raised his arms. "Noir…one! Robin…one! Even match!"

Cyborg helped Robin up. "I think you're trying too hard, man. And what's with the Bruce Lee knockoff shouts?"

"Hadn't you ever notice before?" Robin brushed himself off, panted, and smiled. "Helps me concentrate."

"Suit yourself, man. You sound downright goofy."

"It's a good distraction, then," Robin sauntered back onto the mat and raised his fists again. "Okay then…round three…."

"Say, I wonder…," Beast Boy scratched his head. "Noir can't make those sorts of sounds. I wonder what he does to concentrate."

Cyborg smirked. "What else? He thinks of Supergirl."

I frowned at him.

SWOOOOSH!!

Robin flew at me.

I gasped and blocked at the last second.

"WAAAA-HAI!!"

WHUMP!!!

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

Kara……Kara……Kara……

I suppose I should thank you, Diana. You did manage to…er…hook us both up over the phone. And don't feel bad when I say this, but…it's downright silly. I mean…Kara can talk all she likes, but the best I can do is listen and perform some really wyrdass morse code 'tapping' thing that we made up.

But hey…I'm not about to complain. Hearing her voice is………………really nice.

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

"……so Jimmy and I walked into the abandoned arcade and—FLASH!!—there was Granny Goodness and a bunch of hired hands. Teenagers from the street. She was sent from Apokolips to educate young earthlings into becoming the new form of Intergang. Basically, imagine a bunch of sixteen to eighteen year olds with laser cannons and flying platforms menacing Metropolis. Not a good thing. Right?"

'Yes.'

"Well, naturally I was ready to kick butt and stuff. Jimmy freaked out when I started talking Granny Goodness down. But that's because he thought I was still human at the time. There was no Supergirl at the time. Ha. Poor, cute sap."

'………'

"Anyways. As soon as I revealed myself and started wailing on Granny Goodness' ass, she gets the boom tube and calls in three Female Furies from Apokolips. They kick me out into the middle of the street and poor Clark---er, I mean Superman has to rush in and calm everything down. Of course he doesn't succeed. You know what happens next?"

'No.'

"Hehehe…just seeing if you were paying attention. Ahem……Supermans gets knocked silly by the three amazons. Naturally, they carry him off to Apokolips and NATURALLY I have to go and save him. Isn't it funny how things work out? I never meant to be a sidekick and all……but……my first adventure as Supergirl involved saving Superman's butt. I wonder if Robin saved the Batman before he could so much as swing through Gotham City."

A beat.

"Jordan?"

'Yes.'

"You think that sometime…you could tell me about your first adventure?"

'………'

"………"

'………'

"………Jordan?"

'Yes.'

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

It's a little hard to give Supergirl my e-mail address when the only way we can communicate right now is over the phone. I suppose she could send me snail mail. But, honestly, we get so many fan letters in the mail that hardly anything ever spills through of great importance. We're hotwired to the police department and a few other key facilities of the City, but that's about it. I suppose when the Tower was set up, nobody expected the Titans to truly have a social life.

But oh well. I am—in the very least—not someone to complain. Life with the Titans—aside from its stressful job description—is a merry thing. Or at least, I'm inclined to believe so. There is a change going about. A change that has been going underway for quite some time, but only as of late have I been witness to it. Robin is still his badass self as always. But some of his stiff borders around his character are fading. Whether that's a good or bad thing, I dunno. But it sure seems good. Cyborg—like I said—is extra cheerful nowadays with his focus on his 'new family' or whatnot. Starfire's had her ups and downs (especially the ups), and it's fair to say she keeps going up, up, up. Beast Boy is………Beast Boy. And Raven……

Raven……

She's not quite so alone anymore……

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

"………….."

"………….."

"………….."

"……………your move, Rae."

"I know. Don't hurry me."

"Just letting you know I moved is all," Cyborg smiled.

She nodded, leaning her chin on her hand and staring at the chess table. "I know. I'm strategizing."

"Strategizing?"

The two sat in a corner of the Main Room. The chess game was fifteen minutes into the making. The two lines of pawns were almost equally dispersed, and a bishop or a knight was missing on either side of the players' board.

"Yes, Cyborg, strategizing," Raven droned as she eyed the playing grid. "You're actually someone I have to think in order to beat."

"My my…I am so flattered."

"If anyone's gonna flatter you, it's not me," Raven said. "I'm just trying to play."

"Play to win."

"Yes, and you're distracting me."

"Heheh…sorry, Rae."

Silence.

Silence.

Silence…..

Raven gently moved a rook forward and blocked the incoming path of a bishop.

"Wooo…gonna take a rook to stop Cyborg, huh?" the android Titan remarked.

Raven shrugged. "Just counter it any way you wish."

"Sounds like a challenge."

"Whatever….."

Silence.

Cyborg scratched his chin. Thinking. Planning.

And then Raven spoke: "I'm not, by the way."

"Not what?"

"Cute."

"Ah…..suit yourself."

A beat.

"Well I'm not……."

"You are smart though. This game's giving me a headache."

"Do you normally talk your head off when having a headache?"

"You're talking your cute head off too, Missy."

"……"

Silence.

Cyborg moved a knight over to counteract the rook.

"Your turn."

Silence.

Raven fingered her queen. She paused. She looked up at Cyborg.

Cyborg smirked.

She stared.

"…….."

She took her finger off, and instead took a pawn out with her rook.

Cyborg said: "You know…that was a waste of rook. My pawn right there's gonna take him out."

"Sacrifices are sacrifices."

"Why didn't you use your queen—"

"I'm not cute."

"Okay….okay….whatever."

Cyborg quickly…..moved his knight over across the board.

Raven blinked. She raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't you take out my rook?"

"Just like you said. You're not cute," Cyborg smirked. "Oh, and besides. Check."

Raven looked at the board. Indeed, with the rook repositioned, Cyborg's knight was able to take out the king in the next move. But Raven had one option and one option only left.

She groaned and took out Cyborg's knight with the queen.

And immediately after—as she predicted—Cyborg took out her queen with one of his bishops.

"To those who are given," Cyborg winked his human eye. "Much is required."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means…someone your age doesn't stay 'cute' forever."

She was about to grumble--

"In other words. Use it or lose it."

"………," Raven stared at the chess board.

"You know what I'm saying, girl?"

"Go to Hell."

"Ha ha ha ha!!"

Raven moved one of her own knights into position.

"Checkmate."

"Ha ha ha—what?! Awww shit."

Raven smirked.

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

SW-SWOOSH!!!

Robin's feet jabbed upwards at my chin.

I dodged, sidestepped, and caught his next kick with two hands.

CLAMP!!!

I twisted.

He spun horizontally over the map, landed in a crouch, and dove at me.

I caught his weight and lifted up with all my strength.

Robin spiraled upwards, flipped, and came down with a massive kick. "RRRRGH!!!"

I jumped out of the way.

WHUMP!!!

He landed hard where I was.

I spun and blindly kicked at where he was kneeling.

He raised a forearm and blocked. WHAP!! Then he charged at me with his other fist.

I deflected his blow upwards and slammed my palm into his chest.

He teetered backwards, grunting.

I stepped forward with a hard, metal left hook.

He ducked and grabbed my forearm from below.

I struggled to get loose.

Robin grinned. He pulled at my upper body over his shoulder and added his foot in propelling me towards the edge of the mat.

I flipped, landed upright, and teetered on the sparring field's edge.

Robin came at me, spun in mid sprint, and flung a merciless kick at me. "Waaaa-HYA!!!"

SWOOSH-CLAMP!!

I swung my left hand back and gripped his foot before it could strike me square in the back of the neck.

Robin hobbled on one foot and tried to shake his leg loose from my grip.

I took a deep breath, twirled under my grip of his ankle, and lifted up as I was facing him.

SWOOSH!!

Robin upended.

I gritted my teeth and knelt in a forward step, bringing my elbow down against his flailing side.

WHAP!!!

He was down on the mat. Shaking his head dizzily.

I smirked…sweating.

"Woohoo!!" Beast Boy jumped with a cheer. Heh. "People should PAY to see this, dude!"

Cyborg stood up with folded arms and smirked. "Guess that makes it Robin….one. Noir…two. One more fall, Rob, and Noir will ruin your record."

Robin swiftly vaulted himself to his feet and shook his hair back to his preferred messiness. "Ain't gonna happen. Sorry, Noir. But the gloves are off."

I smirked. I hand-signed.

Robin looked Cyborg's way. "Well?"

Cyborg was already chuckling. "Heheheh….'By the time I'm finished with you, Robin, you'll wish that gi was off'."

Beast Boy snorted.

"Ew," Robin made a face and stepped back from me to form a sparring's distance. "You sure you didn't switch bodies with Speedy while I wasn't watching?"

I saluted.

"Whatever," he cracked his neck on both sides and hopped into a fighting position. "Sorry for whatever aneurisms this might cause."

I stuck my tongue out.

Beast Boy held his hands up. "Round four….FIGHT!"

We charged at each other.

"Waaa-taaaaaa!"

"!!!!"

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

There's something that worries me deeply, Diana. As long as I've known Starfire—as long as any of us have known Starfire—she's informed us that her stay on Earth is merely that of a temporary field mission. I suppose that—for Tamaranians—field trips to other solar systems is all part of community service for college credit………or something.

But if that be the case, the Starfire's more than earned her volunteer hours. Heck, she should honestly have gone back to her home planet long ago. From what I gather, she still has a family. Her mom and dad are still around. And even though her sister is an evil criminal in Centauri prison, at least she still has a little brother at home to look forward to meeting again.

As much as it would be good for her to go back to Tamaran, it frightens me. Because I fear that we all may never see her again. And a life without Starfire is……well…less hidden in its dismal ways.

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

"Thank you for assisting me in attending the 'mall of shopping', Noir," Starfire smiled as she and I walked down the aisle in the department store. We were dressed casually. I in my denim. She in a cardigan sweater from our trip to North Carolina. She seemed happy…as always. I wondered if this foreign stigma of femininity was some exotic element for her to relax in. "For you and your masculine nature to not be bored during my seeking of new garments, shall I continue my narration from the walk here?"

I smiled pleasantly and nodded.

She perused a wrack of silk blouses as she spoke: "Like I was saying, departing from the crashed Gordanian spaceship in the Plain of Flight, all I could think about was my sister. I have always, truly loved Blackfire—even in spite of her evil ways as of late. And at the time of the Second Gordanian War of the Reformed Cosmos, the two of us were nearly inseparable. You can imagine how torturous it had to have been to be split from her while I was captive aboard that crashing ship…"

I nodded.

She pulled out a blouse and examined it closely while speaking: "When I found Blackfire at the Capital, I was more concerned with hugging her than I was in getting the communication signal frequencies to the military authorities of Tamaran. Thankfully---hehehe—I was not in charge of the flight to the Capital, and others were able to take care of the task at hand. I know I may seem brave presently in my life as a Titan, but at the time of the battle on my planet I was only thirteen years old and quite easily was I shaken up by the tides of war!"

I nodded with a soft smile. My eyes trailed a rack of hats by a mirror. I scratched my chin and wandered over, trying on a baseball cap and looking at my reflection.

She went on as she perused a couple of skirts hung on another nearby rack. "I am so very fortunate that my family and I survived the battle. It was one thing for myself to have been stranded on that dreadful prison ship…but to be separated from my loved ones all the same! But…no matter, it is over with now."

I tried on another cap. I looked at myself. Tilting my head from side to side. I reversed the cap. A beat. I took it off and tried another before the mirror.

"I have those who were with me during the flight to thank," Starfire paused to reminisce with a gentle smile. "Those who helped me escape from the crashed ship and escape into the Capital. Many gave their lives for young ones like me to continue existing peacefully…"

I tried on the next article…which was a black cowboy hat. With a double-take of horror in the mirror, I swiftly tore it off my head and tossed it back on the rack.

Starfire turned and smiled at me. "Can I ask you something, Noir?"

I looked at her curiously.

She smiled bashfully. "Would you mind embarking on a task that Robin has declined as of late?"

I scratched my chin. I shrugged with a smile.

"I told him I needed to get another sling, and he seems most hesitant to assist me…."

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

"Nnngh!!!"

Robin's fist flew.

I gripped it with both hands while it was a centimeter away from my shades.

I gritted my teeth and twisted.

"Augh!" Robin lurched towards me.

I elbowed him in the chest and shoved him back with a kick.

I then prepared a roundhouse punch.

He twirled into a side step, dodged me, and kicked at the back of my legs.

I stumbled…..almost fell.

Robin pounced.

I met his leap in reverse and tossed him over my shoulder.

He landed near the edge of the mat, spun around, and brought his kicking foot near my face. I ducked and jumped back in time to avoid a downward punch, and then braced myself as he came at me with both fists flying.

He punched and punched.

I blocked and blocked.

Our spar gradually trailed across the width of the mat.

Cyborg and Beast Boy sat on a bench beside the mat. They watched…mesmerized.

Just then, Starfire floated into the gym.

"Friends, have you seen—?!"

"Shhhh!" Cyborg insisted.

"Spar time!" Beast Boy drooled.

"Huh??" Starfire blinked her green eyes. She glanced over at us. "Oooh! How exciting!" she cupped her hands together. "Have they talked into microphones and taken the brawl into rooms with urinals, yet?"

"This is martial arts, Star. Not professional wrestling."

"Oh…my the bad."

"Woo! Go Robin!" Beast Boy cheered. "Give him the old one-two……..three!"

"Man, I thought you were rooting for Noir!"

"I'm a hypocrite."

"Yeah….and?"

"WAA-TAA!!" Robin blurred a hand into my chest.

WHUMP!!!

I stumbled back, wincing.

His backhand went across my forehead.

WHACK!!!

I tilted back…teetering.

He twirled his hands around like a dancer and brought them both towards my sternum.

WOOOOSH!!

GRIP!!!

I hooked my entire arm around his joint hands and pinned them in place like the Club in a steering wheel.

I cracked my neck…then lifted.

"Yaaah!" Robin's petite body rose with my grip.

I brought him down hard.

WHAP!!!!

His legs buckled with shockwaves running up his femurs.

He winced.

WHAM!!!!

I unhooked my elbow, clipping him across the jaw.

He twirled away.

I gripped him from behind with an elbow lock.

He grunted and struggled in my grasp.

I held on tighter, my chest to his back.

"Dude…..heheheheheheh," Beast Boy smirked and blocked his face with his hand. "That does NOT look good."

Cyborg called out: "Get a room!!!"

"Not…..," Robin hissed through clenched teeth, "…..funny….!!!"

Starfire gasped. "Oh! Now I remember the reason for my travailing upon this location! Noir! Would you mind going back to the Mall with me later? I must return the sling. The one we got is too big for me."

I glanced at her, blushing.

"HA!!" Robin reached down between his parted legs, grabbed my ankle, and lifted.

"!!!!" I teetered back at a forty-five degree angle…letting go of Robin.

"RAUGH!!" Robin leapt straight up and reversed kicked my falling figure in the chest.

WHUMP!!! WHUMP-WHUMP-WHUMP-WHUMP-WHUMP!!! I tumbled across the length of the mat like a log. I rolled to a stop, moaning and shaking my dark head.

"Eep!" Starfire blushed. "I am fearful that my sling interfered."

"Your sling can interfere anytime," Robin chuckled, cracking his knuckles victoriously before walking over and helping me up.

"What the hell are you people talking about?" Beast Boy

Cyborg patted his shoulder, smirking. "Nothing for you to be concerned about, kid."

"Hey…just because I'm Beast Boy doesn't mean I'm naieve!"

"Then what's your excuse?"

"Um…well…I…..HEY!!"

"HA HA HA!"

Starfire giggled.

I was just about finished shaking out the cobwebs.

"That was getting pretty hardcore, Noir," Robin smirked. "I liked it."

I gave him a sly smirk and spun into a fighting pose.

"Ohhhhh…so raring to go, are we?"

I motioned him to come at me.

"This is the last bout…ain't it?" Robin got into a fighting pose. "Isn't that right, Beast Boy?"

"……"

"Beast Boy?!"

"Huh?? Oh….ahem….right. Robin…two. Noir…two. Final Round."

"…….."

"…….."

"AND?!?!"

"Er….FIGHT!!!"

Robin charged.

I charged.

Starfire covered her eyes.

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

Did you know that Beast Boy used to be an actor? For all I know, he still is one. As a child—predating his Titan years—the green changeling wandered from t.v. studio to t.v. studio, doing all sorts of bit jobs. Granted, some of his most common jobs were animalistic cameos. After all, the kid can do things a normal pet actor can't do. The only problem is, neither Lassie or Mr. Ed were green. So apart from reptiles and invertebrates (which Beast Boy hates doing), the poor guy was useless as an animal performer.

It's safe to say he had better luck in…er…elf form. We call it 'elf' form because there's nothing better to call it. I mean, Beast Boy has pointy ears and it's technically not a human identity. In fact, if ever Beast Boy was to revert back into a human state…he'd die. Plain and simple. The reason he's able to change in the manner that he does was the result of a miraculous chemical formula that his parents injected him with so that he couldn't succumb to the human-specific ailment he had picked up as a kid in Africa. I think a monkey bit him….or a tourist guide. Something like that.

Anyway…the fact that I even know this about Beast Boy's past proves something. The Titans are opening up to each other. Granted, Beast Boy's much more social a person than the rest of us…but he wasn't the only person to prompt such communion. Starfire and Cyborg are in on it. And even Raven's shown signs of social camaraderie. Cyborg tells me that she's been opening up to him to some extent. He won't go further into details…which I take as a sign of true friendship. And that's really admirable.

The Titans are already a 'family'. It's important to be 'friends' as well. A balance of distance and intimacy seems to be at play here. And—honestly—I wonder with some regret and fear exactly what my role in this inevitable revolution is going to be.

I may no longer be a rookie in the presence of the Titans…but I sure am still a ghost.

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

"Where is it…where is it…where is it…AH!!! Here we go!!" Beast Boy beamed. He slipped a cruddy old vhs tape into the VCR of the Main Room and hopped back onto the couch besides the rest of us. "You're gonna love this!"

"What is this and why are you showing it to us?" Raven droned.

"Just you wait and see!" Beast Boy danced his eyebrows and played the tape. The tracking was screwed up, but he fast forwarded through it and sped past a barrage of commercials.

"Television is such a peculiar phenomenon…," Starfire uttered. She blinked and glanced at Robin. "Why do Earthlings insist on sitting for hours on end in front of an electrically charged box?"

Robin smirked: "Because this electrically charged box has ESPN 1 and 2."

I chuckled breathily.

"B.B….," Cyborg gestured towards the screen. "Just what are you trying to show us?! You've sped through two commercial breaks already—"

"HERE!!!"

Beast Boy jammed his finger down over the pause button of the remote.

"Look! Look!" the changeling pointed at the screen.

Starfire squinted her eyes. "It looks like a crew of some fictionalized spacecraft's operating room standing for a photograph."

"Yup! Can you see the people on it?"

"Hey…I recognize that," Robin pointed. "'Space Trek, 2022'! It was a show they were trying out on NBC!"

"Yup! Heheheh!"

"………wasn't it canceled before the first season was over, though?"

Beast Boy's forehead throbbed with an artery. "Look…closely….to…the…far…right…."

"No way…," Cyborg was already walking up to the huge screen. He pointed at a fuzzy image of a small, green 'alien' person to the far right. "That pointy eared science officer guy…that was you, B.B.?!"

Beast Boy had on a proud smile. "My character could scan for lifeforms in thirty seconds flat!"

"What's a science fiction t.v. show doing with a green elf?" Raven asked boredly.

"I wasn't just a green elf! I was a shape-shifting science officer! I was scheduled to die and come back to life in Season Two."

"Someone zapped you with a laser pistol?"

"Close…Alien Acid Concubine from Ceti Five."

"………….."

"It was gonna be TV14 at least."

"I can see that."

Starfire remarked: "There are no caustic wenches from Ceti Five. However, one can fine male prostitutes around the Deblarkan Nebula with venomous fingernails…."

"……."

"……."

"……."

"……."

Starfire blushed and hugged herself. "Or….O-Or so I've read in galactic history books…"

The rest of us chuckled merrily.

Robin patted her shoulder. "We believe you, Star. We believe you."

"Eh heheheh…"

I hand-signed something.

Cyborg smirked: "Noir says 'You can find them in Los Angeles too'."

More laughter.

"And just how does HE know that?" Beast Boy looked at me.

I showed him my fingernails.

He drew a blank…staring at them. He looked at me.

I winked.

"Ohhhh…you were pulling my leg again!! You son of a---"

He pounced on me.

I chuckled and wrestled him to the couch and gave him a dutch rub while Cyborg laughed.

Raven rolled her eyes.

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

SWOOOSH!!! SWISSSSH!!!

I flung my fists at Robin.

He backflipped both swings, landed, and sprung at me.

I took his weight and spun him off me.

He slid across the mat.

I charged, swinging.

He blocked and pushed up.

I teetered past him.

He karate chopped at my side: "WAAA-HA!!"

I barely twirled out of the way and ended my spin with a wide kick at his head. SWOOOSH!!!

He ducked and sauntered back as I came at him, fists flying.

He blocked and blocked and blocked and then deflected me harshly to the side, leaving my ribcage vulnerable to his knee.

WHUMP!!!

I winced.

Robin attempted to finish me with an elbow to the head.

I ducked it and hopped back.

He panted.

I panted.

A twitch…and…

We dove at each other and grasped our grappling hands together. Struggling. Forcing against one another.

"Someone finish this thing already…," Cyborg groaned.

"As long as they're both still alive, it's all fine by me, dude," Beast Boy uttered.

Raven walked in. "There you all are. I've been looking all over---oh great."

"Heheheheh."

"Come join the show, Rae!"

The dark girl folded her arms and watched the two combatants with a bored glare. "I always thought training was a cooperative effort."

Robin grunted while wrestling me. "This is no longer training….this….is….war!!"

"How original."

"What're you here for, Rae?" Cyborg smirked. "Thought the gym wasn't cute enough already—"

FLASH!!!

She knocked him back ten feet off the bench with a flick of telekinetic power.

WHUMP!!!

"OOF!!"

"……..right," she uttered. She walked over and gestured, "I just came here to alert Robin that I saw something strange on the Tower's sensors."

"Strange??" Robin grunted. I started to overpower him. His limbs wobbled amidst their strain. "Do tell…."

"There was an electromagnetic disturbance around the Tower. Localized. Rotating around us counterclockwise. If I didn't know better, I'd say there was some……presence circling our home."

"How fascinating…," Starfire remarked.

"We can't have another ghost, Raven," Beast smiled and pointed. "Our first one is battling Robin as we speak."

I gritted my teeth, and shoved hard against Robin.

"Ooh! Ooh! Here we go!" Beast Boy hopped.

"What?! What?!" Cyborg hobbled up to his feet. "What'd I miss?"

I shoved Robin towards the edge of the mat.

He growled and grabbed tight to my limbs.

"!!!!!" I realized he was pulling me with the same weight that I was pushing him.

So I pushed harder.

And he pulled harder.

And…

SWOOOSH!!

We both toppled in mid-air and--

THWOP!!!!!

Landed hard outside the mat.

Cyborg's and Beast Boy's jaws were agape.

"It's….it's….a tie?!"

"After all that?!"

"Congratulations…," Raven droned.

"Augh…no way!" Robin disentangled himself from me. "That wasn't fair!"

I hand-signed something that even everyone besides Cyborg knew meant the equivalent of Robin's outburst.

"Rules are rules, man," Cyborg smirked with his arms folded. "You both won, you both lost….it's a tie."

"Hehehe," Starfire jumped giddily. "They're equallllll."

"We are NOT equal! I'm the Boy Wonder for crying out loud!!" Robin exclaimed. A beat. He simpered nervously at me. "Er…no offence, Noir."

I wheezed and shrugged exhaustedly.

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

Of course, even though I may not be a rookie anymore, I know that I can't carry all the weight of superheroism on my shoulders. I have the others to look up to and lean on as much as they have me to…er…do the same. The Justice League has always struck me as a bunch of independent masters coming together. With the Titans, however, the team itself creates the heroes. I don't know what we'd all be without each other. Socially, physically, mentally, spiritually……

Our lives are one big test of each other's endurance. It's amazing that—in spite of all of our differences—we manage to survive. Beast Boy's still alive, Raven hasn't gone insane, Starfire's still on this planet, Cyborg's still ticking, Robin's still kicking butt, and I………

Well, I don't feel quite so evil anymore.

Other than that, Diana, there hasn't been too eventful of a time since the Buzzards were done away with. Unless—of course—you count that really wyrd-ass thing that happened in the evening after our training session…

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

"So…dude…what do we do?"

"Rematch?"

"No way…that'll take all night!"

"Besides….Robin and I are pooped. Right, Noir?"

I nodded and wiped my brow.

"Who in X'Hal's name would defecate on you?!" Starfire exclaimed.

"No, Star, that was just a figure of sp---" Robin was in the middle of explaining when a bright light—like a halo—was cast over him.

In fact, it was cast over us in the gym.

I immediately squinted my black eyes and made a face.

"Uhhh…..dudes??" Beast Boy gulped.

FLASH!!!!!!!!!

The light pulsed brilliantly and every single one of us collapsed to the floor…….