130. Autumnal
"SNIFFFFFFFFFFFFF.....ahhh...isn't
this weather lovely, Craig?"
"What?? Zach, for crikey's sake!!"
"Huh? Oh r-right." SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The thug swerved hard on the wheel. The getaway convertible veered around an intersection, nearly clipped two innocent motorists, and burned rubber down Main Street in the Central District of the City. The sky was a cloudless, crystal clear manifestation of the first true-blue day of autumn's coolness. Everything felt light and crisp...except for the exhaust fumes and scent of gun powder as the careening criminals continued their blaze of destruction.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!!!!!!!
The criminal in the small backseat fired like mad with his machine gun. Bullets streamed down the road at a red-haired Tamaranian pursuing them at high velocity. Every bullet the alien Titan merely dodged and skirted around. Her eyes glowed a bright green and she seemed to snarl as she gradually crossed the distance between her and the crooks.
"Shit...," the gunman reloaded his weapon. "She's closing in..."
The convertible throttled over a manhole.
The bag of stolen goods jostled.
"Dammit, Zach!! Keep it smooth! It took us three months to set up this heist! I'm not letting you lose the loot in a fart-span!!"
"Well excuse me," the driver huffed as he gripped tightly to the wheel, jerking left and right every now and then. "Smooth becomes a transitory term at one hundred and ten miles per hour."
"Just shut up and drive!!" The man aimed his gun at Starfire. RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!!!! "LEAVE US ALONE, ALIEN BITCH!!"
"Now that's just plain mean....
"I said CAN IT!!!"
"Come on, Craig...relax!" the driver glanced in the rear view mirror. "We can outrun that lady! Besides...not all of luck is on the Titan's side. The sky doesn't fall for human beings, ya know—"
THWUMP!!! Robin landed on the hood via grappling hook.
The driver's eyes widened. "Oh snikeys!"
"End of the road!!!" the Boy Wonder growled.
The rear crook took one look and—"RAAAAAAAAAWR!!!!!!!"—he spun and aimed his gun directly through the windshield.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!!!!!
The front driver ducked his head and Robin flipped off the hood as glass shattered everywhere.
CRAAAASH!!!
"Craig!! Stand down!! I swear, you're positively stressing me out!!"
The rear thug hyperventilated, his eyes wide. "They're everywhere!! Everywhere, I tell you!!"
The driver glanced back. "Get a hold of yourself! We're almost on the highway onramp!" He glanced forward. Two explosive batarangs were stuck in the hood. "Hmmm...."
Beep-Beep-Beep-BOOM!!!!
The engine exploded.
The car lost all momentum....then it lost its front wheels and axle. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEECH-CRUNCH!!!! The convertible slid and crashed into a streetlamp at an empty intersection.
"Nnnnnnghh....," the rear crook shook his head and dizzily stumbled out of the steaming vehicle. "Remind me to punch you good when this is all over."
"How about now?" grunted a response.
"Shut up and help me with the goods!!" he grabbed at the bag.
The driver hopped out and rushed to help him.
They both strained.
"Rmmmmmm....it's stuck behind the seat!!"
"I can see that, dumbass!! Help me pry it out with something!!"
A voice uttered from behind them: "How about flushing it out?"
"????" both men glanced at each other, then behind their shoulders--
SMACK!!!
An agile foot flew across the driver's face.
WHUMP!!!
A quick fist shoved the other back.
The man tumbled for a second before whipping out a shotgun from a satchel hung over his shoulder. He cocked it, gritted his teeth, and fired at a blue figure. BLAM!!!!
SWOOOOSH!! The figure leapt over the blast of shot, flipped, and landed behind the man's shoulders. He rear-kicked the man and spun to face the driver.
".............," the driver blinked. "H-Hello..."
Tempest smirked. "Hi." He whipped out his arm—stretched it—and unleashed a spray of high-pressure water.
SPLIIIIIIIISH!!!!!!!!
THWAP!!! The driver was tossed back hard onto the ground.
The other man lay on the ground, groaning. He saw his shotgun lying across the asphalt. He reached for it--
FLASH!!!! The weapon was encased in black energy.
The man gasped.
"Don't even think about it..."
The man looked up.
Raven floated overhead with glowing eyes, telekinetically levitating the gun and 'bending' it into an unusable shape.
The man gulped.
TH-WHACK!!!
"AUGH!!" the man tumbled as he was struck hard by a 'whip' of water.
Tempest flung his arms. Solidified streams of water gushing forth from his hoses struck hard like bullwhips, knocking the strength out of the man.
The driver stumbled up and made a run for it.
Starfire flew in. "A runner!! We have a runner in our midst!!" she pointed.
Tempest spun around. He aimed with one hose-sleeve and fired a high-pressured shot of water. SPLOOSH!!!!
The wet stream solidified into a hard sphere in mid-air and flew at the man's back.
The huff-puffing crook glanced back. He ducked.
SWOOOSH!!! The water sphere flew over him.
Tempest gritted his teeth. "Ahem....Raven?"
"Already on it...," the dark girl stretched a black-glowing hand out.
SWISH-SWISH!!! The blob of water turned around in mid-air, surrounded by a dark aura.
The man didn't see it coming...
SPLASH!!!! The water struck him hard in the chest.
"UGH!!" he spun—WHAM!!!—face first into the gloved fist of Robin, who had just descended to the street via grappling cord.
"Duaaaaah....." THWUMP!!!
Both men were grounded.
Robin glared through his eyemask. He looked Tempest's way.
Tempest sealed his hoses....and gave a thumb's up.
".............," Robin smiled and returned the gesture.
Starfire giggled.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"We interrupt this broadcast for a special bulletin. From JCN News, this is Marilyn Chen. At around two o'clock Eastern Standard Time, the Teen Titans foiled an armed robbery on a jewlery store in the Central District of the City. Howbeit—according to official and amateur eyewitness testimony—this was not the usual crime sting compared to many of the other Titans' interceptions of the month. Of the four Titans present at the scene, three were identified: Robin, Starfire, and Raven. Howbeit, a fourth and critical figure in nabbing the suspects was also spotted, and his descriptions do not match that of any of the crime fighting teens made famous in our region. At first glance, the stranger appears to be male with a body build and hairstyle identical to composite sketches and footages taken of Noir—the former Wyldecarde. But the super powers reported at the sound—essentially an elemental control of water—has eye witnesses scratching their heads. When questioned as to the nature of this strange appearance, Commissioner Decker had this to say:"
'Honestly I cannot tell you who the new squirt is. I wasn't even aware that there was some sort of 'incident' worth worrying about today at all! We've gotten so used to them Titans spreading their vigilance and hormones all over the criminal underworld—and feeling safe about things to boot—that I barely send backup to scenes of petty theft when I know the crazy youngsters are rushing there ahead of time. If the punks have a new rugrat on their roster, then so be it. As long as they don't go crowding the streets with their costumes. I swear to Jes—'
"Ahem. No other City officials were available for questioning, but this pedestrian onlooker was across the street at the moment that the thieves were apprehended and here is what he had to say:"
'Yeah, he looked like the freakin' swordsman! Only...no sword! I could have sworn I saw him flipping around and beating people up with water. How do you figure that out? Also...this kid was wearing blue spandex. Or at least it looked like spandex. And since when did the sword guy wear spandex? I tell you what, that smoke-guy is real badass! But this one...heh....he looks like a total fruitca—'
"Anyways, as it would seem from evidence gathered at the site, the stranger in question is indeed a water elemental and thus—as much as can be assumed—lends proof to a possible new member to the Titans' roster. What good could this mean to the City? Join us at seven o'clock as we present to you "The Weekly Table", a round-table discussion hosted by Phil Garrison and featuring Frederick Smith, Allen Bringham, and—of course—Blake Glover. Tonight they shall discuss today's events in light of further developmens that JCN News shall bring you over the course of the next few hours. Until then, this is Marilyn Chen. Now back to the regular broadcast."
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"You're back!" Nova'm jumped up. He floated across the Main Room and gave Starfire a strong hug as the four returning heroes emerged from the elevator.
"Hehehehe," Starfire ruffled his hair. "You seem too eager to see me these days. You were worried, perchance?"
"He was watching the news," Beast Boy said from the kitchen unit where he was making tofu....somethings. "He kept bouncing around and shouting his head off saying 'she kicks butt! She kicks butt!' whenever you showed on the camera."
"I supposed I should be flattened!" Starfire said.
Nova'm cleared his throat. "'Flattered'."
"Who is the older one, again?"
Nova'm giggled.
Raven drifted by. "Beats me," she droned. She made a bee-line for some herbal tea.
In the meantime, Robin immediately led Tempest over to the Main Computer. He typed a green-gloved-flurry on the keyboard and soon a list of text splashed across the screen.
"And here is where we have fresh police reports to cross-reference our accounts with. Once a testimony of the attempted crime and vigilante interception is formulated, we write it down and put it under my archives for both secret storage and general Titan access in the future."
"Whew....and you gotta do this every time we foil a crime or capture a bad guy?" Tempest asked, making a face.
"Two corrections," Robin held his fingers up. "One. We 'gotta do this'. Not just me." He gave a knowing glare. "I'm not gonna be pulling the slack for everyone in this Tower. Every Titan involved in crime-fighting—at some point or another—has to do this."
"Okay....what's number two?"
"Number two...we do this after every attempt to stop a crime. Even when we're not successful."
Tempest's dark eyes contorted. "You mean....you accept failure?"
Robin winced. "We accept the chance of success in the future, even if it means sacrificing meager accomplishments of the present."
"That's a bloated attempt at optimism if ever I hear one."
"For your information, the Titans have a ninety-five percent success rate in battling evil."
"Quantitatively or qualitatively?"
"Both."
"How does that work?"
"It works," Robin grunted. He switched the program off and swiveled to face Tempest. "Believe it or not, we have an order to the things we do here."
"Oh, I believe it," Tempest winked.
A beat.
Robin smiled. He held a hand out.
Tempest shook it.
"You're doing nicely, Garth," Robin said. "Great first week."
"Better not love on the newby too much, dude!" Beast Boy cackled from where he was cooking. "Noir might get jealous! You weren't so soft on him!"
"You're using your imagination," Robin turned to face him. "Noir was very hard-edged from the beginning, so I had to be hard back. Isn't that right, Noir?"
Silence.
Robin blinked under his mask. He glanced around. "Noir?"
"He isn't here, evidently...," Raven poured herself some tea.
"I think I saw Mr. Noir at the beachside," Nova'm said. "By himself."
"He is meditating at this hour??" Starfire asked.
"Does he usually meditate in denim on denim?" Nova'm made a face. "That's soooo 80s."
"Oh that's right," Beast Boy snapped a finger. "He said he was going out."
"Out where?" Robin asked.
"Ya know him...," Beast Boy shrugged. "'Out'."
"Ah."
"Only figures," Beast Boy nonchalantly gestured as he cooked. "It's downright wyrd for some of us to stay here in the Tower during a crime, dude."
"Indeed," Starfire nodded. She smiled and leaned her head to the side. "But now we can afford such lax tactics."
"Excuse me?"
Robin pointed. "I've always planned on the Teen Titans being a fairly large club of superheroes," he explained. He smirked and folded his arms. "Not until now has it started to more or less resemble my original concept. Now I'm trying to have us experiment with dividing our efforts. Since there are seven of us now, we don't need everyone out of the Tower on a mission at once.....especially if it's just for a jewelry store robbery or single, runaway suspect."
"Heh...," Tempest simpered with a shoulder-shrug. "G-Glad to be of help?"
"However, if something of dire necessity was to arise---"Starfire began.
"---then we'd need all the Titans in on it." Robin finished.
"You two sound like two halves of the same mouth," Beast Boy said.
"....................." Starfire and Robin blinked.
Tempest cleared his throat. "So....what? Do we rotate or something?"
"Rotate what?"
"...........crime duty."
"Oh, that," Robin shook his head. "Sorry, phased out for a second."
Beast Boy chuckled.
Robin glared his way, then pleasantly faced the Atlantean. "Yeah, I suppose we could do that. The day looks pretty safe from hereon out...but if there's a robbery or something, you can sit it out if you want.....unless it was a drug run on a speedboat or something by the docks—"
"Hey, my specialty," Tempest smiled. He flexed his sleeved hands, sighed, and said: "That decided...excuse me while I go get wet."
"Man...," Beast Boy shook his head and smiled at his tofu preparations. "...I have a full list of jokes for that already."
"Excuse me?" Tempest's eyes narrowed.
"Ahem....go ahead. Get wet on my part. By all means."
Nova'm snickered.
"...................whatever," Tempest walked to the elevator.
"Which reminds me...," Robin turned back to the computer and sat down. "I gotta finish my report on the Atlantean adventure."
"Slacker!!" Beast Boy barked.
"How does the idea of cleaning the North Side of the Tower sound to you?"
"Back to tofu," Beast Boy muttered.
"You're welcome," Robin said...before silently typing away the latest of his technical magnum opuses.
Nova'm and Starfire drifted towards the far side of the Main Room.
Raven sipped from her tea....uninterrupted...until--
"Oh yeah, that reminds me!" Beast Boy glanced Raven's way. "Say Rae—"
"Speak your peace."
"Uh huh.....mind delivering something to Cyborg pdq?"
"Do I work for Dominoes Pizza all of the sudden?"
"I don't think they hire vampires. Look....," he held up a plate of freshly grilled, tofu-cheese sandwiches. "I told Cyborg I'd make these for him. He's down in his lab at the moment. Mind just taking them there?"
"I've known Cyborg for nearly two years now," Raven muttered over her teacup. "During that time I've earned his respect and trust. It would be of great detriment to our friendship if I was to spontaneously end his life with such poisonous lunch as that which you hold before me now." A sip. A pursing of the lips. A raised eyebrow. "Besides...why can't you take it to him yourself?"
"I still got one last meal to make," Beast Boy winked. "Nova'm says he loves my scrambled tofu eggs."
"There's a tragedy if I ever heard one."
"So you're not gonna be a good Samaritan?"
"I contend that the priest and the Levite had some good sense."
"Fine. You can help me with the tofu ham and bacon," Beast Boy scrambled for utensils.
Raven set down her cup, stood up, adjusted her robe, and took the plate of grilled sandwiches. "I'm going."
"Heheheh."
She walked away. "But be mindful...there will be a reckoning......"
The elevator doors closed behind her.
Beast Boy blinked. "'Reckoning'....why do all half-demons say that?" He sighed and went on with his obsessive preparations.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
I took a deep breath.
I sighed happily, sitting cross-legged on a rock bluff overlooking the waters of the Bay from the Titan's island.
I could have stepped out and started my walk into the City an hour ago...but I was too swept up in the cool crisp air of Autumn mingling with the moist comfort of the Bay Waters lapping up against the sand just a few feet away.
This was a different sort of meditating...a happy meditating. I felt like I was in between incomprehensible debacles of adventurous scale...something which had become the chaotic pattern of my life ever since I joined the Titans.
And yet...I had gotten used to it. And I was glad. For sitting there by the Bay........I felt that there was nothing better. Nothing calmer. Nothing more....serene.
And Fall...the descent of cool weather as death and winter were invited lovingly......
Blah......I'm not poetic. What am I doing?
I closed my black eyes under my shades. The cool air kicked at my long black hair. It soothed the 'x' of my neck's scar.
I took a deep breath.
Ocean and falling leaves......a queer combination. I can't believe that I'm trying to feel it...but I am......
My eyes tensed a bit.
I bit my lip for a second or two.
Then....
Relaxed.
I embraced it.
Rushing up my being like blood on the freeway.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"I gotta admit," I chuckled. "My tongue's tied."
Ana looked my way. "About what?"
"Ya know...," I shrugged. I leaned back on my hands. "......the first girl I ever liked."
"Oh, that. Hehehe."
The two of us were squatting atop rock bluffs on the edge of Port Angeles, overlooking the waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It was barely Fall, and yet the air was near freezing. The moisture clung to our exposed skin and made us shiver. But we withstood it. We were trained to withstand it. At the moment—however—we were resting comfortably. Myrkblade and Choral rested beside us in their sheathes.
"It can't be that hard to remember," Ana winked.
"Oh, it's not that I can't remember," I smirked. "I have a wonderful memory. I never forget anything."
"Then......--"
"I merely said I was tongue-tied," I uttered. "So...mum's the word."
"Awww...that's unfair!"
"Why's it unfair?" I chuckled. "You haven't said anything!"
"I know...," her eyes trailed.
Silence.
"Why'd you ask?"
"Huh?"
I looked at her. "I said, why'd you ask me?"
"Just wanted to know is all."
"Mere curiosity?"
"Sure."
"'Sure'?"
"Absolutely! Pfft...what answer do you want from me, Jordan?" Ana stuck her tongue out. "You're so evasive, I swear."
"I'm not evasive," I leaned back with my arms rested behind my short head of hair. "I'm just looking after myself."
"Well, you can trust me. Who'm I gonna tell anyways?"
"What about the other students?"
"Even if I told them, I don't see how'd it matter," Ana said. "None of us ever knew each other before we started training!"
"Which supports the need for ambiguity."
"Ah...well, Mr. Reclusive...sorry I ever tried to break the social barrier," she rolled her blue eyes. "Gawd...I hope that if I'm chosen as one of the Three, it won't be with you."
"Am I that frustrating?"
"You're just......you're just you, that's all!" she pouted, her arms folded. "You talk a lot and yet you don't talk enough. I mean......remind me, which spectrum are you being trained for anyways?"
"Duh...Construction," I chuckled.
"Really......"
"Yup. I think the best world is an ordered one."
"Well, I know for sure that I'm a Construction Trainee," Ana pointed at herself. "And I can tell you right now that it isn't your expertise."
"Then what am I geared towards?"
"Balance."
I raised an eyebrow.
"'Balance'??"
"In that Balance is a pure limbo!" she giggled.
I groaned. "All right......all right......so—like—to be more similar to Construction student I have to be Constructive?"
"Absolutely." Her sapphire eyes thinned, humored. "Not your usual 'go-nowhere' tactics."
"Well, lemme see if I can alter my spectrum...," I dramatically brought my hands to my temples as if to concentrate. "Mmmmmmm.........the first girl.........I ever had a crush on........."
"Yeah??"
"In my life........."
"Yeah???"
"That I can remember......"
"You can do it! Just talk!"
I took a deep breath and uttered out: "She had ovaries!!"
THWAP! Ana shoved me so hard that I nearly fell off the bluffs.
"You sure it's not Destruction?" she folded her arms.
I chuckled. "I seriously doubt the master grades us on our past infatuations."
"I just wanted to see if I was alone, is that such a big deal?" Ana said.
I cleared my throat. "Uhm......how do you mean?"
"You know......," she shrugged. She hung her legs out over the edge of the bluff and dangled her feet. "......our families......our homes......our schools......we had to leave it all behind to start training."
"Yup. Everyone did."
"I-I.........I know we haven't been too long into it or anything.........but it still gets to me."
I looked at her sideways.
"How can life be constructive or destructive if life is so restricted?"
"Training requires great meditation and concentration to—"
"—summon the spectrum of life that's hidden beneath us," Ana nodded. "I know. Jeez......you must have written notes down or something."
I smiled proudly.
"But life is something......that needs to be enjoyed. That needs to be experienced to its fullest......," the angel smiled. She hugged herself and sighed. A beat. "I hope that—if I'm one of the three—I'll get a chance to do just that. And maybe someday—I dunno—become a mom or something."
A beat.
She bit her lip. "I think I'm radically Constructive, don't you think?" She laughed nervously. "All I can think about is life."
"Better than the death freaks that live behind the green dojo," I said.
She laughed. She sighed.
Silence.
My brown eyes were trailing towards the waters. I gradually uttered: "She's like that."
Ana looked at me. "Who?"
"The one with the ovaries."
She raised an eyebrow. "Your first crush?"
I nodded. "She's always so full of life. She positively glows. Like she was baptized in gold after birth. Everytime I think of her, I realize that—no matter what I've left behind to come to where I am now—it's all worth it. Because no matter how gifted or no matter how wanting or no matter how chaotic.........life is inherently precious. There is nothing so powerful or so great that it would minimize that absolute. Life is a sacred thing......and whether she's meaning to or not, she's teaching me that. I guess......I guess the reason I think I'm so Constructive is because I want to be more like her. I want to enjoy life like she does........."
A beat. Ana leaned her head to the side. Looking at me, she ran a hand through her short blonde hair. "Has she ever met you?"
"........." I kept my eyes off her. I swallowed and managed a smile: "I'll be sure to let you know about that some day."
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"....................."
I took a deep breath. The wind blew gently at me. Cold.....
"........................you look so calm right now."
My eyes opened and I saw......black eyes.
Black eyes with white specks.
Tempest blinked. He was bending over and peering at me through my shades. "Whoops...," he jumped back. "I'm sorry.......I just I......"
I leaned my head to the side.
".............wow.......you make a habit out of that?"
I looked out onto the waves. I saw the City and the suspension bridge.
The Tower's island.........
I shrugged.
"Beast Boy says you and Raven do that stuff a lot," Tempest said. He turned around and walked into the surf nonchalantly as he spoke. "He says your powers are linked to meditation. It must be frustrating to maintain." Sploosh!!! He bobbed in the water....relaxed. "But who am I to judge?" he sighed, then smiled. "We all have our necessities.....right?"
I smiled gently and nodded.
He ducked under water once...twice...thrice....
He came back up, took a breath, and said: "I gotta admit...this is the most relaxed I can ever get." He splashed some water around with his arms. "Which is both good and bad. Robin—bless his heart—he gave me a guest room to use until I can have a place to sleep of my own. Problem is........it's freakin' dry!! I mean....how do people ever sleep dry?!?! Robin has to understand...I don't grasp 'pillows' and 'covers' and 'bedsheets'. It's all dry to me!"
I nodded. In the corner of my mouth, I bit my lip and glanced aside.
Guess this beachside won't be so private anymore......
"Hey, you going somewhere?"
I snapped out of it and looked his way.
Tempest pointed from the waters. "Or so that's what Nova'm and Beast Boy said. You go on walks and stuff."
I nodded.
Thanks for reminding me......
I stood up, brushed some excess sand off my jeans, and sauntered towards the distant land ridge.
"Well, lonesome stranger...," Tempest smirked. "Hope you enjoy yourself. Must be cool having the City memorized in your head."
I froze in step.
A beat.
I scratched my chin.
I looked at Tempest....I looked at the City...I looked at Tempest again.
"................"
I smiled. I motioned for him.
He blinked. "You......y-you want me to come along with you?"
I pleasantly nodded.
"But......that's cool! But...erm......," he blinked again. "You sure? You seem like quite the reclusive type and—"
I laughed suddenly.
Tempest recoiled....perhaps it was the first time he ever witness someone project humor without vocal cords.
I coughed, waved him off, and motioned him along.
"O-Okay.........," he stood up—dripping.
I bit my lip.
"???" he looked down at his wetsuit....then back at me. "Er.....I'm not very presentable, am I?"
I scratched my chin. A beat. I snapped my finger and motioned him towards the Tower.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
Knock Knock Knock
"Come in."
SCHLUMP!!
The doors to Cyborg's laboratory opened.
Raven drifted in with the plate of sandwiches. She looked over with blasé eyes towards the workbench where Cyborg sat, hunched over. There was a board with a half-finished blueprint on it. Scraps of paper and technical manuals were spread around him like a literary campfire.
"Beast Boy send me some grub??" the android Titan remarked without looking up from his business.
"If you can call his stuff edible...," Raven droned. She stood behind him with the plate. "You must be either very preoccupied or very disturbed to ask for some of his cooking to keep you going."
"Yeah, Rae. Very preoccupied," Cyborg rambled thoughtlessly. He waved a titanium hand above him. "Just...uhm....set the stuff down on the stool over there, please. Thanks. I'll eat in a minute."
Raven drifted over to a stool and paused when she saw three other plates full of uneaten sandwiches lying on it.
"............"
She sighed. She placed the useless meal down and stood in the middle of the laboratory.
"See ya later, Rae."
"....................................."
"......."
"......................................"
"......Rae??"
"What are you doing?" she asked, her eyes narrow.
"Huh??" Cyborg swiveled around. His human eye blinked—excited. "Oh....um....eheheh...," he rubbed the flesh part of his head and sweatdropped. "I've been.....drafting."
"Drafting what?"
"Plans."
"What plans??"
Cyborg dramatically cackled in multiple increasing degrees of human grinning capacity: "The coolest—most spectacular—absolute fantabulous—kick assiest Titans' transport ever!!"
"Lemme guess...the T-Chariot?"
"The T-Ship!"
Raven blinked. "Don't you mean T-Boat?"
"Uh uh. This ain't gonna be what Robin and Beast Boy keep begging me to make," Cyborg motioned. He grinned mischevously. "It's gonna be cooler."
"Do tell...."
SWOOOSH!! Cyborg held up a rough illustration done by titanium hand. "It's following the old model of the—sniff—now deceased T-Sub. But instead of making another submarine that could double haphazardly as a spacecraft, I decided to kill two...three....er...a hell of a lotta birds with one stone! And you're looking at that Stone now!" He smiled with a sparkling grin.
"..........."
"Ahem. Anyway. The T-Ship will be bigger than the T-Sub. Fit with more life support systems, engine capacity, energy storage, and weaponry. It'll be good for water submersion, air transport, and outer space maneuvering. Imagine a boat, a plane, and a rocketship rolled into one!!"
"You're on a roll all right," Raven doned. "Just hope none of us trips on that roll."
"Awwwww...come on, Rae!" Cyborg smirked. "Have a little faith in me for once!"
She sighed and brushed a loose strand of blue hair away. "Well...it certainly would be........applicable."
"You're damn right it's applicable!" Cyborg beamed. "And not only that, it—" A beat. He raised an eyebrow. "Applicable???"
"Something wrong with that?"
"That the best you can do??"
"I'm a Titan," she muttered. "Not a cheerleader."
"Yeah...too bad."
She gritted her teeth, and an artery throbbed in her temple.
He chuckled. "Only a joke."
"Only one life...."
"I just thought of this last night and....been at work on it all afternoon," Cyborg said. He gazed at his scribblings with a romantic sigh. "It can work out. With the right time and resources...I can have this thing constructed in under two months!"
"And between now and then.....?"
"We let Flipper handle the water assignments," Cyborg winked.
Raven rolled her eyes. "I bet Tempest would love that."
"Yeah....heheh...he'd jump to the occasion."
"He did well today, though."
"Which reminds me...," Cyborg leaned forward. He rested his hands together. "How'd the mission go?"
"Some mission...," Raven droned. "Two crooks and a runaway convertible. We stopped them in a heartbeat."
"Nobody got hurt or anything?"
"Robin took a tumble or two—"
"But that's normal."
"Yeah...."
"......."
"......."
".....well I'm glad," Cyborg turned to face the desk.
Raven raised an eyebrow. "You're glad that Robin got a little scraped?"
"No," he shook the back of his Titanium head. "I'm glad that it wasn't anything big."
"So?"
"Because I wasn't there...."
"Uh huh."
"....with you."
"Uh hu—huh??" Raven's eyes contorted. "What are you saying?"
"Oh.....ya know....," Cyborg shrugged. "You were there.....and I was here....."
"And?"
"And I'm a little skeptical about this 'only a few Titans at a time sort of deal' that Robin's experimenting with."
"If you're thinking what I'm thinking....don't worry about it," Raven said.
Cyborg glanced back at her. "Say what?"
"I don't need you to 'protect me'," she glared.
Cyborg swiveled to face her, his hands held up innocently. "Oh no no no no no, Rae. That's not what I meant."
"Then what?"
".........," he bit his lips.
"Just what I thought," she turned to leave.
"No, wait...," he stood up. A beat. He shly rubbed his human head. "What I meant was....was that....well....."
"...........," she looked impatient.
He appeared defeated. He sighed and sat down. "Never mind."
"What?"
He turned to face the bench again. "Go on and do what you had to do. Sorry Beast Boy had to drag you down here."
"What were you going to say?"
"It's that....," he gestured in the air for a few seconds and spat it out: "...I know you can protect yourself. But for some reason, I'd feel bad if something ugly happened to you and...and I wasn't there."
"What's the point?" Raven remarked. "If I were to suffer damage in combat, that is what fate has allocated me," the dark girl droned. She gestured with a graceful hand. "Your presence or absence at the scene of such an unfolding would make no difference."
"Well, it would to me," he said.
Raven raised an eyebrow.
"Told you to forget about it," he grumbled. He went back to work with his scribblings.
Silence......
"............I won't forget about it, Cyborg," Raven said.
He slumped and shut his eyes. "Sorry...."
"Why be sorry?"
Cyborg's eyes popped open.
He swiveled around.
SCHWISSH!! The laboratory doors closed.
He was alone.
"...............," Cyborg smirked. "Pfft........cutie......"
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"I.....I-I like it, Noir. They're just.....well................loose....." Tempest had on a helpless expression...a helpless expression which he pointed at me.
I scratched my head, shrugged, and smiled.
The Atlantean sighed. He shifted uncomfortably from where he stood in front of the bathroom mirror of my cellar dwelling. He was clad from head to toe in a spare black dress shirt and dark slacks of mine (I was once really into black, I guess). We were of approximately the same height and build, so it was of little difficulty that he tried on what I had to offer. At least...it seemed like little difficulty at first. But....
"How could I possibly ever go diving in this thing??" he asked.
I stared at him through my shades.
In the lanternlight, he blushed. "Oh...r-right. Ahem...this is surface stuff."
I smiled.
"Well...um....guess I'm ready for an adventure," he studied his clothed arms and legs as he spoke. I had tried to get him something covering the most skin as possible—assuming that he was used to that with his trademark wetsuit and all. "Um...you do know your way around the City, right?" he asked.
I rolled my black eyes under my shades and motioned him along towards my door.
"Allright then. Follow the leader, I suppose—AUGH!!" BUMP!!! "Jeez...it's dark in here!"
I snickered breathily.
"Home sweet home for you, I bet. Did it take a lot of sweet talking to Robin to get a room fit to your liking?"
I waved my hand from side to side.
"Eh."
I paused. I held a hand up. I walked over to my bedside table and pulled out a notepad. I produced a pen and wrote on it. I held the paper up to the lanternlight for Tempest to see.
His white on black eyes narrowed. "'Can you read American English?'"
I mouthed 'D'oh!' and smacked my head with a breathy laugh.
Tempest gave me a sarcastic look. "Yeah...I'm not that much of a foreigner, man."
I nodded. I tucked the notepad into a nearby pocket and away we went.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"Are you sure about this, Kory?"
"Unfortunately so, Nova'm," Starfire spoke as she floated around and cleaned her....already spotless room. "I do so greatly desire your furthered presence here, but your parents must surely miss you back at home. It is not my desire to worry them—especially when the deadline for your return from your 'vacation' at the Tower comes to a close. Already I am vexed as to how I must explain to them the reason for your harrowing role played in the Atlantean ordeal!"
"Oh...that...," Nova'm simpered. He sat on the edge of her round, pink bed and dangled his legs. "Um....you could tell them that we went out fishing?"
Starfire giggled and shook her head. "Hardly valid."
"Why not? Didn't we get a big enough catch??"
"Tempest is hardly the organism I would let Cyborg or Robin gut and scale for the sake of oral consumption."
"Hehehehe!" Nova'm giggled.
Starfire paused in the middle of dusting and gave him a wyrd look. "What amuses you, so?"
"I just....I just wonder....," he hugged himself, humored.
"Hmmm?"
"Do all Tamaranians speak like you do?"
"What is wrong with my vernacular??"
"N-Nothing, Kory! It's just......hehe....funny, that's all," Nova'm smiled. "You're cool and all...but sometimes I think the things you say could go well on advertisements of Japanese food products."
"I fail to see the connection between my verbalization and Oriental mercantalism, but I shall keep your statement in mind...," Starfire said, her face twisted. She shrugged it off. "Regardless, I will conclude one thing in regards to your visitation here."
"Yeah??" Nova'm leaned his head to the side.
She finished with her present task, brushed her hands off, and planted them on her chest. "You have excelled in warrior prowess far greater than ever I have given you credit before," she smiled his way sisterly. "When I first assisted in your deliverance from the miscreants' hands in North Carolina, I thought you would be too consumed by anger or sadness to ever smile—much less act in the vehement jocularity of which you possess now—but you have surprised me, Nova'm. You are as remarkable in spirit as you were royally begotten to be. Your unbridled joy and passion shines at the surface. You are a true Tamaranian indeed."
Nova'm smiled, a little red. "I-I guess I should be kinda sorta proud...huh?"
Starfire floated over and landed by his side. She sat and draped a gentle hand around his shoulder. "Down in the murky depths of this planet's oceans, you laid your life down for the safety of beings as strange to you as they were to me. I imagine now that we are...'on the same pagination' as it were. Do you understand what I refer to? In the world of Atlantis and the Hidden Valley, you were liken unto me...a Tamaranian soul far away from home. And yet—in spite of your alienation—you gave all that you could so that others whom you didn't know could prosper. It took me years and months to arrive at such a point of heroism. And for you...it took a span of weeks from the time you first started growing your hair long. Hehehehe...I am very, very proud of you Nova'm. And if it takes whatever admonishment I may receive for letting you get into danger just to share with your guardians the pride I now possess for you...then so be it. Someday the world—nay—the galaxy shall sing of your glory. I am certain of it. And I am certain that you desire to only grow more..."
"Uhm....," he bit his lip and looked up at her. "As long as I can still....ya know...."
"Hmmm?"
"Hang out with you and your friends from time to time?" A beat. "B-But mostly you...."
"Hehehe...," she hugged him to her. "Absolutely, Nova'm. If you should allow me, prince."
He smiled and leaned his head into her side as he hugged her back. He sighed and said: "I'm gonna miss this place."
"Alas, do not be too sorrowful. You have a day or two yet before departing back to your home. It is quite common of Tamaranians—fully knowledgeable of their limited span of time—to do things they greatly desire to mark the occasion."
Nova'm blinked. "To do things we g-greatly desire?"
"Mmmmhmmm," she nodded.
He looked off, his green eyes narrow. "Hmmmm......"
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
I took a deep breath of crisp and cool air as—once again outside—I walked out onto the land ridge leading towards the main land of the City.
Tempest was beside me.
An early autumn stroll....
"I wonder if you would be the right person for me to ask questions to....?"
"????" I glanced at him.
He cleared his throat and dug his hands subconsciously into his pockets.
Funny......he's wearing Terran slacks for the first time ever and finally he's found the nervous use of pockets......
"I gotta admit; I feel like a total moron in front of Beast Boy and Cyborg. Heck....Robin too."
I raised an eyebrow above my shades.
"Cuz this whole place is alien to me," he gestured. "Everything about the surface world is just.....so wyrd. I mean, the amount of oxygen is crazy. I'm surprised everything here isn't all catching fire at once. And then the 'ground' here...it's all so grainy...." He kicked at a few pebbles on the asphalt of the land ridge. "Is the planet falling apart and the undersea world just doesn't know it?"
I chuckled breathily.
"Seriously! The only reason dry land exists—in my book—is because of earthquakes and volcanoes! It's like everything above the waters is nothing but a huge accident!"
I looked at him blankly.
"Ack....m-my bad," he winced. "I....uh....I must sound like all I can do is complain and yap on about the oceans..."
I nodded slowly.
"Eheheh...," he scratched his neck and looked off shyly. "It's not like....l-like I'm totally creeped out by this place. Stuck with it as I am...I realize there are plenty things I'm looking forward to. Like my first 'thunderstorm' for once. Is it true that actual bolts of electricity dance between the sky and earth?"
I nodded with a humored smirk.
"How do you people cope with that?"
I shrugged.
"And....then there're stars...," he stared up at the—then—clear blue sky. "I know you can only see them at night....but just to see them...."
I gazed at him as we walked along.
For a moment there, Tempest looked at peace. He seemed tranquil.
He looked like me.
"If I have to deal with this infernal 'ground', it's really the sky that's going to make it all worth it," he said.
I smirked.
"I know I can have neither the seas or the sky," he said. "But right now...I'd rather wish for something that actually has...hope for me in the future. And at the moment, the seas aren't that..."
I saw that serenity fading.
I had to get him distracted.
We reached the mainland. I tapped him on the shoulder and motioned for him to follow me. I took us eastward—leisurely—towards the Bayside Plaza.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"Okay....okay....," Nova'm wrung his hands as he stood on the very top of the stairwell. "Just....make it quick. Make it quick and get out of there..."
He took a shuddering breath, clenched his fists, summoned some residual, Tamaranian strength, and marched firmly out the door.
Bright light cascaded over his figure.
Her narrowed his green eyes and managed to make out the figure of a petite, blue-robed Titan floating cross-legged across the rooftop of the Tower.
Nova'm inhaled.
He marched over.
Raven had his back to him.
He came within four feet of her and stopped. He bit his lip. He shook. He managed to open his mouth—
"I will warn you....," Raven spoke without looking.
Nova'm jumped.
She said: ".....even though you're a twelve year old Tamaranian with princely qualities in Starfire's eyes, I shall and will respond in whatever way I so desire if what you have to say is over the top."
He blinked.
"So make it quick...."
"Uhm....," he blushed and twiddled his thumbs. "Has anyone ever.....t-told you that....like....uhm....y-you're really pretty and stuff?"
"Approximately fifty-three fans have written me since the establishment of the Teen Titans. From those fans I have received five letters with hair and toenail clippings and three letters written in blood as various signs of obsessive affection."
Nova'm winced.
"In this world of heroes and villains, infatuation is merely a distraction and incitement towards dangerous, mental fixations. It would do you well—especially in an alien element to you such as Terra Firma—to not center yourself too much on another being."
A pause.
"Especially when that being is older than you are, constantly busy, and quite-vehemently not interested....."
Silence.
But Nova'm smiled.... "Still....I think you're pretty."
"..............," Raven floated around. She stared boredly at him.
He stood nervously.
She settled gently to her feet.
He blinked.
She walked over towards him and looked down upon his brow.
He blushed.
A beat.
She held a hand out...pointed it towards his nose....and--
FLASH!!!
"ACKIES!!" Nova'm was blown off the rooftop and into the open air where he haphazardly flew and straightened his flailing body.
"I swear...," Raven grumbled and marched towards the stairwell door. "There's no rest as long as adolescents walk this world." She grumbled, hoisted her hood over her blue head, and was gone.
"..............," Nova'm floated alone. He hugged himself and sighed with a warm smile. "She's perfect......."
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
I held a hand down from a buildingtop.
Tempest gripped my palm.
I pulled my muscles tightly and lifted him up onto the building.
"Whew...," he caught his balance and stood beside me. "Thanks. I'm used to descents being strenuous. Not ascents."
I smiled. I motioned and walked towards the edge of the roof.
"Where are we, exactly?" he followed me.
I came to a stop and pointed over the side.
Tempest came to a stop and narrowed his eyes.
The Bayside Plaza stretched beneath us, a simple, multi-tiered shopping square nestled in between a croissant string of restaurants on the first floor and a movie theatre at the end. At least a hundred citizens mingled in various clusters of social gaiety. High school students chattered and laughed around eating tables. Families gathered on sidewalks. Loners sat with a book or CD player on benches. Citizens walked to and fro...some jogging...others just on a stroll during this fine, autumn day. It was just the usual, merry snapshot of our lovely City in action.
Usual—that is—unless it was the first time you ever saw it.
"Wow....," Tempest blinked. "....people...."
I chuckled breathily and nodded.
He scratched his dark head of hair. "An awful lot of them, too."
I shrugged.
"H-How many people live here anyways?"
I held a finger up. I took out my notepad. I scribbled on it. I handed it to him.
He read it.
"Four million people??"
I waved my hand from side to side.
"Approximately....I s-see....," Tempest handed the pad back to me and stared down at the plaza. "Four million people and seven heroes..."
I smiled proudly.
He looked at me. "That's one big job we have....and yet Robin said we have a success rate of ninety-something percent?"
I nodded slowly.
A beat.
"Mmmmm...," Tempest sighed and folded his arms. "Guess they can add an additional three hundred thousand on my account."
I chuckled breathily.
He laughed a bit too.
Then...
"Not that I want to be egotistical or anything....but....," Tempest rubbed his temples and spoke quietly: "I hope I get a lot of saved people under my name and stuff."
I looked at him curiously.
"Not that anyone's keeping score of who saves who, of course," he shrugged. "But....maybe if I actually get some acclaim....word could spread undersea? Who knows..."
I was silent....still....
"But....the curse pretty much takes care of that," he muttered. A pause. A sigh. His arms hung at his side. "I know my place now. I'm here to do good...the most good I can possibly bring to the world. Then someday if worse comes to worse and I cannot control the darker side of my powers....," he looked at me, "...I will have built myself a good enough name to die with before I can do anything bad."
I nodded.
I understood...
"So....um....what's next on the 'tour'?" Tempest asked with a pleasant grin.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"Now most places won't accept this sort of hardware because of the warranty seal being broken. Whoever had this before you must have opened it up to do some inner repairs or something—which is all good and fine, only it voids the manufacture warranty and most retail stores aren't kosher with that," Daniel explained to the customer. "But here, we make some exceptions. I think I can give you......mmmhmmm....thirty-five for it."
"No kidding?" the customer pawning the electronic equipment asked.
"I'm quite sure!"
"Wow, you're a life-saver. I really need gas money for this trip. You sure this thing will sell?"
"Man...I've been needing to sell something that plays DVDs ever since summer began," Daniel smiled. "You're helping me more than anything."
"That's great! What do I need to do?"
"Just fill this stuff out to prove consent of handing the stuff over to us for payment and—"
"Ah, I know the drill. Good stuff, dude."
Renee glanced over from where she was filling out the shop's monthly report.
The man finished filling out the material, the money was handed over, and a handshake of finality.
"You have a safe trip, sir."
"Hey man...when I'm back in Town, I'm telling everyone about this place!"
"Yeah," Daniel winked. "You do that."
"Peace out, man!" the guy left the store, the door's bell ringing as he exited.
Daniel set the DVD player aside, stickered it, and put the money through a slot in a behind-the-counter register.
"Why'd you do that?" Renee asked.
"Do what? Customer service? It's part of owning a pawn shop."
She rolled her eyes. "That unit would barely have gotten twenty dollars...where'd you get the idea to give him thirty-five?"
"We've helped him out before, and I could tell he was really needing a break and—"
"Daniel, you can't just run around 'giving people breaks'," Renee moaned. "Nothing is ever certain with these people. We've only started catching up to speed with business this past month, we shouldn't let it get to our heads! We're here to exchange good products...not hand money out!"
"I wasn't handing money out!" Daniel chuckled. "I was just..."
Renee gave him a look.
He bit his lip. "Come on, Renee. It's a good machine. I've handled these before a lot, remember? The warehouse? I wouldn't have given him a penny if I immediately saw this thing as crap. Besides...people are desperate for a used player lately. We may have a foot over our competition."
Renee sighed. "I just.....I just think that sometimes you get a little too carried away. You get too nice and—sometimes—in this world we can't be one hundred percent angelic all the time. Especially when we need to save money aside...not just for us, but for 'next' of us..."
"Awww...honey...," Daniel smiled. He drifted over and embraced her. "Every minute of every day...I never stop thinking." He placed a gentle hand over her abdomen. "Never..."
She closed her eyes. "I know. I know."
Daniel leaned his head to the side. "How're you feeling?"
"Much better these weeks...already told you that, I thought," she said. "But the Dr. Vern says that it's always unpredictable the first time."
"What? The nausea?"
"Nnnghh," Renee winced. "Don't say the 'n' word...."
Daniel bit his lip. "S-Sorry..."
The bell over the door rang.
Daniel spun around. "Ah! Someone to save me from myself—oh hello."
Renee glanced over her husband's shoulder. She smiled wide. "Noir! It's been a while!!"
I waved. I stepped in with Tempest beside me.
"............," the couple blinked. "........and he has a clone!"
"Huh?" Tempest raised an eyebrow.
"A clone that speaks!"
"What are these people talking about?" the Atlantean made a face. He looked at me strange. "Do you know them?"
I grinned wide. As I walked over, the two came out from around the counter. Daniel and I shook hands while Renee gave me a hug.
"You've been taking good care of yourself?" she asked.
I nodded. I couldn't help but look at her tummy.
"Huh? Oh...," Renee blushed and instinctively hugged herself. "Y-You really can't notice anything yet. But....she's there."
"He," Daniel spat.
"She!!"
I cleared my throat.
Both looked at me.
I waved.
Renee giggled. "Hi, Noir." She smiled. "We've missed seeing you around here."
"Though the news did have some interesting things to say," Daniel remarked. "Something about a seventh..........Titan....................." His eyes trailed obviously on Tempest's figure.
The Atlantean gave in. "All right...guess there's no fooling you guys." He walked over and offered his hand. "My name is Garth."
"............."
"P-Prince Garth......of the Hidden Valley."
"..............."
"..........it's an Atlantean thing."
"Ohhhhhh."
"A sea-dweller!"
"Fancy that!"
"Wow!"
Daniel shook Tempest's hand. "If you're anything like that 'Aquaman' character, then you must be pretty tough!" Daniel winked.
Tempest tried to keep a straight face. "Yes....K-King Orin."
"Who?"
Renee butted in. "You look so alike!!"
"Pardon me?"
She pointed at him, then me. "You and Noir! Even down to the eyes....well, almost."
"Oh yeah...that....," he scratched his neck nervously and glanced at me.
I glanced at him.
A beat.
We both glanced at the pawn shop owners.
"Pure coincidence, we assure you," Tempest said.
"Hehehe...," Renee looked at Daniel. "It's like they speak for each other."
Daniel smiled. "What brings you here?"
I held up a finger. I pulled out my notepad.
"Ah! Coming prepared, I see."
"Hehehehe."
I smirked. I scribbled. I held up the paper.
"Just going for a stroll, eh?" Daniel asked. "Showing the new kid the ropes?"
"Ropes?" Tempest blinked. He glanced around. "Is there a sailing vessel nearby?"
"...................." the couple looked at me.
I simpered.
"Well......I see culture shock is ever-rampant these days."
"How could a sailing vessel fit in here?"
I cleared my throat.
Tempest looked my way.
I waved my hand.
"Er.....yeah....ya know what? I'm really hot and....dry. Is there any place where I could possibly acquire water?"
"We have a cooler here," Renee said.
"Or if you'd want something to eat, there's Carman's Diner across the street."
"Ya know...that sounds good," Tempest smirked. He pointed at me. "I'll be across the way...okay? In the Diner of the Carman."
I held a hand over my face.
Renee suppressed a chuckle.
Tempest stumbled out the door—nearly fell at the startling sound of the bell—but continued.
"Well, he's certainly............interesting," Daniel said.
"............."
"I bet it's a real treat teaching him to adapt and stuff..."
"............!!!!!!" I suddenly dashed out of the pawn shop door.
Daniel and Renee jumped, startled.
A beat.
I walked back in, panting. I scribbled on my notepad and held it up for them to read: 'He doesn't understand crosswalks'
"Ah...."
"Well, that was a close call."
I simpered, relaxed, then scribbled: 'So...chosen any names yet??'
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"Nnngh....Neptune, I swear..." Autumn weather or not, the Atlantean was sweating. Tempest wiped his brow and walked stiffly across the sidewalk in his Terran clothes. "...the seas only exist because the surface world is melting." He paused at the entrance to a thin, trailer-shaped establishment built into the nearest building side. "Carman's Diner......I hope they're civilized."
He stepped inside.
It was just after lunchtime, and a mid-afternoon lull was in effect. A few patrons sat at about four or five booths. Three cooks and two waitresses were working within the thin confines of what was most-likely a bustling place for mealtimes. Tempest found a stool at the counter and sat down.
"So....uhm....," he muttered to himself, looking all around nervously with his white on black eyes. "Where does the water come from?"
A young waitress wandered over towards him. She was a teenage thing with stringy blonde hair and leftover freckles. "Good afternoon. Welcome to Carman's Diner. How can I help you tod---"she paused. She blinked.
"????" he stared back at her.
She leaned her head to the side.
He leaned her head to the side.
A beat.
"Say....aren't you that Teen Titan?? Noir??"
"Uhm....n-no...," Tempest shifted in his seat. "I'm not Noir."
She jumped. "Y-You talked! Uhm...ahem. I-I'm sorry, sir. I know that was out of place...just....the resemblance is uncanny—"
"I need water."
"Huh?"
"Water. I need—"
"Oh! Yes...but of course," she tried to compose herself. She handed him a menu and nervously produced a pad of paper to write orders on. "What would you like today, sir?"
"Water."
"Just water, sir?"
Tempest's eyes narrowed. "You speak as if water is a trivial thing."
"I....I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"
"Water is the medium through which life on this planet flourishes! Certainly you are capable of understanding and—thus—servicing voluminous quantities of such a liquid—"
"I'd be more than happy to get you a glass, sir."
"Great. Now...hang on a sec...," Aqualad fumbled through his borrowed clothes'. "Poseidon...I swear...whoever the Terran was that invented pockets must have been a paranoid schizophre—Ah!" He pulled out a crisp green bill and handed it to her. "I knew Robin gave me some currency!! I hope this monetary unit is enough to pay for some water."
"Uhm...," the waitress glanced at the image of Benjamin Franklin on the bill. She smiled pleasantly and gently pushed his hand back. "Water is on the house here."
"..........," Tempest blinked. "There are houses here built underwater?"
"Wh-What I mean to say is—"
Tempest leaned forward in earnest. "Do you know where I can pursue purchasing such a submerged house?"
"Carl???"
"Yeah, Lindsay??"
"Glass of water. Make it tall!"
"Yeah, okay."
"Will that be all?"
"You can never have enough water," Tempest said. His eyes narrowed, "Ms.........."
"Call me Lindsay," the waitress pointed at her nametag and winked. "It's a pleasure to serve you, sir."
Tempest blinked. "Well, if you say so."
She walked towards the kitchen area just as a cook slid her a glass of water. She picked it up and carried it over to the counter in front of new Titan. As she placed the cup down, a bracelet of tiny, metal dolphin figures rattled.
Tempest's eyes zeroed in on them. He beamed. "Hey! My king was raised by those!"
The waitress froze. "Um...bracelets?"
"Is that what you call them? I thought it was 'dolphins'."
"Oh...is that what you meant?"
"Well, if it helps you to know," Tempest fingered the glass of water. "King Orin of Atlantis was raised by bracelets....or dolphins if you prefer."
"......................yeah."
"Thanks for the water," Tempest picked up the glass.
"No problem," the waitress smiled. "If you need anything else just—"
Sploosh!!
Tempest dumped the water over his forehead so that it cascaded down his shoulders, soaked his shirt, and dribbled down his limbs. He shook his head into the curtain, sighed pleasantly, and relaxed....dripping.
"............"
One or two patrons glanced over.
"Ah yes...cleans out the gills." A beat. He looked up.
The waitress was staring.
"Is something wrong?"
"You're not from around here, are you?"
"Is that a crime?"
"No...no....just...," the waitress glanced nervously at the soaked Titan.
Tempest looked at her....then at himself...then at her again. He smirked. "Sorry..." He placed the glass down and flexed his wrists. "I forget how you surface dwellers hate wetness being so....wet. Hang on."
"Sir, what are you—"
The Atlantean's eyes fluctuated a brief purple. The water magically lifted up from the floor in a reverse trickle. Gasps from far corners of the diner sounded out as he flicked his wrist and converged all of the spilled liquid into a floating, translucent sphere.
"How.....h-how...," the waitress murmured.
"Honestly, I don't know why you even handed me a glass," Tempest spoke as he floated in the last few droplets. "If you were to just direct me to your nearest reservoir, I'd gladly dive in and be out of your hair. But, I'm still new here. Who am I to dictate? Ah...." He curled his fingers. The sphere flattened out and gradually cascaded over his face in a thin sheen. The rest was soaked into his long black hair. In such a manner, his body thoroughly absorbed the remaining liquid without looking too ridiculous. "Refreshment has no words...," he chuckled.
Suddenly, two high schoolers had drifted over by his side. "Dude...you're him, aren't you?"
Tempest's eyes thinned. He glanced over. "And you are???"
"We watched the news!" the teen beamed. "You're that new Titan at the crime scene, aren't you??"
"How does word get out so easily here??" Tempest made a face. "I thought sound traveled farther through water."
Yet another teenager drifted over from...somewhere. "At first, we thought you were Noir...and just a moment ago we heard you talk about 'Robin'. You're the new Titan aren't you? You just...look a lot like Noir!"
"Look...," Tempest raised his hands. "I can see I'm gathering a crowd for some infernal reason. I don't want to ruin this business establishment..."
A greasy cook stepped up. "Whoah, he's for real, Lindsay!"
"Yeah," the waitress smiled up at him and motioned towards Tempest. "You should have seen what he did to the water! Just like on the news!"
"Um...who're you, sir?" Tempest asked.
The cook folded his meaty arms. "I'm Carman. Now tell me," he smiled. "Just how do you get water to do all that floaty-jazz?"
"......," Tempest blinked. He bit his lip. "I think I'll be going...."
"Like—OMYGAWD—it's him!!" shrieked an estrogen-thing from the diner's entrance.
Another uttered: "Hey, that's not Noir!!"
"Who is that??"
"The new Titan on the news!"
"He's hot!!"
"Hey! Mr. Titan!!"
"Cool!! What powers do you have??"
Tempest nervously stood up—but soon found himself utterly surrounded by curious citizens young and old alike....but mainly young. A throng of curious commotion erupted around him.
"Yeah...uhm....I can't stay and chat. I gotta go...um...be somewhere. Somewhere far away from here."
"Where to, the Tower?"
"Is that where you're from?"
"Where's your home??"
"Nnnghh," Tempest grumbled. "If you must know, I'm from Atlantis!"
Silence.
Then....
"Whoah!!"
"Cool!!"
"An ocean dweller!!"
"Hey, Steve! Greg!! Come on over here!!"
"Bring the others! It's the new Titan! An Aqua-person!!"
"Tempest!!!" the boy growled.
"Nice!!"
"Kickass name!!"
"Tell us more!"
Tempest ran a hand over his face.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"And so I thought 'Joan'....ya know...like Joan of Arc? Cuz she was always my hero....or heroine...," Renee smiled. "And in a City of heroes like this one—hehe—what would be more appropriate?" she winked.
I smiled.
"If it's a guy, I still vote for 'Duke'," Daniel said.
Renee grumbled. "Oh gawd...not with that awful name."
Daniel shrugged. "My cousin married someone named Duke!!"
"That's because your cousin married into a family of rednecks, and her husband's parents happened to be John Wayne fans. Ugh...," Renee shook her head. "The last thing I'll EVER do is name our child after a Hollywood figurehead."
"I was almost named Ryan," Daniel said. "After 'Ryan O'Neal'."
"Pfft...thank gawd your mother didn't pick that name."
"What's wrong with Ry—"
"Plenty!!"
I folded my arms and smiled, listening to the two.
They glanced my way....and seemed embarrassed.
"Erhm...."
"Bet you feel left out, Noir."
I shrugged.
"Tell us...," Renee asked sweetly. "What's a good girl's name?"
In under four seconds, I had a suggestion scribbled.
"'Ana'??"
I smiled widely.
"As in 'Anastasia'?"
I smiled even wider.
"I dunno. I wouldn't want her classmates thinking we were Czars."
I pouted.
"Girl names starting with 'A' are pretty, I'll admit," Daniel nodded. He pointed with a smile: "How about 'Amy'?"
I bit my lip.
"Something wrong, Noir?"
I snapped out of it and pleasantly shook my head.
"What about a guy's name?"
I scribbled. I proudly held up the notepad.
"Heh...," Daniel smirked. "'Robin'."
I nodded.
"I thought I asked for a guy's name."
My black eyes bulged. I about doubled over in the explosive urge to laugh my head off. My face showed it.
"Watch it, Danny! You almost hurt him!!"
"Hahahaha...sorry, man. I couldn't resist," Renee said. "Though I will admit...'Robin' could be a nice last resort if we don't do an ultra sound test."
"I dunno...," Renee simpered. "I can't imagine how many hundreds of babies are born named Robin in this Town."
"Good point...."
I tapped my chin. A beat. I smirked evilly and scribbled. I held the notepad up.
"'Victor'?"
I simpered.
"Not bad...if we're giving birth to a gothic scientist or vampire."
I chuckled again.
Renee playfully shoved Daniel.
"Well...maybe we're stressing a little too early," the husband said.
"It's only natural for the first time," Renee smiled.
Daniel blinked. "F-First?"
I cleared my throat.
They both looked at me. A beat. They smirked curiously.
I raised an eyebrow.
"How'd you ever get your name, Noir?"
I shrugged....smiling. My black eyes trailed the edges of my shades. I thought of the Norman Apartments. Janice....
"I-I mean your real name."
I blinked.
I......never told them that, did I?
"You don't have to share it if it's a secret or anything," Renee hesitantly said. "Just..."
"We're curious, ya know?" Daniel shrugged. "Friendly inquiry..."
I smiled at them.
Friendly indeed......
So I told them.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"I was only doing what I was supposed to do...," Tempest grumbled, the center of an ever-increasing crowd of spectators. "The Titans wanted me to stop some crooks, so I helped out. Heck...I didn't want them to get away with the stuff they were stealing anyways. What was it? A bag of diamonds? I dunno..."
"But it was so cool!"
"Do all Atlanteans have the ability to shape water like you??"
"When are we gonna see you kicking butt some more??"
"Hey...give him some breathing room," Lindsay the waitress smiled. "He's a sea-dweller, after all."
Tempest sighed. "Well....I was."
"Huh?"
"Hmm?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Only....Only that....." Tempest paused. He put on a brave smile. "Only that you're gonna see me in the surface world 'kicking butt' from now on. And not quite...erm....under the sea."
"Hey, cool!"
"Glad to have you, man!"
"Way awesome!"
"Heh heh heh...looks like we got a celebrity finally!" Carman slapped a greasy hand on Tempest's shoulder.
The Atlantean blinked. It was strangely quiet as he looked around and uttered: "Everyone here is so......so........I dunno...."
"We love the Titans!"
"Woo hooo! Titans rock on!!"
"Friendly is the word for it...," Tempest uttered. "never imagined...."
"What'd you expect from the surface world?" Lindsay asked.
".......," Tempest looked at her. He glanced at the dolphins on her bracelet. He took a deep breath and managed to smile. "I surely didn't expect...something as warm and welcome as the home I left....."
"Hey, as long as you're a hero, dude....we're with you all the way," said another citizen.
"Yeah.
"All the way!"
Claps. Cheers.
Tempest felt strangely warm.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"Not a lot of customers today," Daniel glanced out the front of the store, then back at me. "It's too bad. You could be quite the endorser."
I snickered.
"Yeah...carve him out of wood and plant an Indian headdress on his crown," Renee rolled her eyes.
Daniel laughed. "We'd s-set you up outside the store! But then we'd have to sell cigars or something."
I made a face.
"Yeah, my thoughts exactly."
I suddenly had a sharp chill run through my body.
Augh! Dammit......I hate that......
I tried to hide the sensation. I hung my metal hand behind my back and gripped the disc where it connected to my flesh with my right wrist. I fought to keep my legs from shivering.
It'll pass......It'll pass......
"But it's nice to spend this sort of time together. You'll always be a great friend of ours, Noir," Renee said.
"Yeah. If we had our way, we'd meet somewhere a little cooler than a dusty pawn shop or a busy Steak N Shake."
As if by magic, the chill seemed to stop. My heart skipped a beat upon the crest of a wave of epiphany. My lips parted...melting into a warm grin. Inspired by the refreshing coolness of autumn and life in general....I had an idea.
"You okay, Noir?" Renee asked.
"Yeah, man. You look like someone struck a match in your trachea."
I smiled at them. I held a finger up, waved, and dashed out the door with a bell noise.
".........."
"........."
".........okay...."
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
I dashed out into the middle of the sidewalk of the breezy City.
With the best possible reception, I switched on the communicator device in my metal arm and started clicking two fingers together.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"And....there. Damn...best report ever," Robin sat back from his computer station, folded his arms, and sighed happily. A beat. "Now if only I had an excuse to read it..."
A program on the computer lit up on the desktop.
"Hmmm?" Robin's eyemask contorted. He dragged the mouse cursor over and highlighted the program.
It was a system that read incoming morse code signals on the Titan Tower's receiver and transformed them into readable text.
And that text in particular was displaying:
'Hey Robin. Noir here. When is the soonest we can get a dinner together.'
"..........," Robin blinked. "Uhm...." He leaned forward and pulled out a computer mic. He clicked on an icon in the computer program with the mouse while simultaneously flipping a switch on the mic. A little red light burned on. "What kind of a dinner, Noir?"
A pause.
Then, the text:
'A special dinner at the Tower for two guests.'
"Guests? People you know?"
'Very much so.'
Robin had a humored look on his face. He slyly added: "Think we can trust them?"
A pause.
Then....
'Think you can pee standing up?'
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"And so there we were...stuck in a cave with over a thousand of Trident clones," Tempest energetically narrated. "And Beast Boy got the great idea to play on their ego and make them all attack each other. Cuz—after all—an underwater mutant freak is naturally egocentric and powermongering!"
Chuckles.
Laughter.
"Anywho...we got these clones to pretty much beat the crap out of each other. But they were still really mad and wanting to end our lives. So, we made a run for it---er, swim for it...and dashed out of the cave. And just when it looked like they would chase us down, Cyborg's T-Sub full of the other Titans dove in and blasted the mouth of the cave shut. Beast Boy and I got out of there alive...and Trident has never been heard from again!"
Cheers.
Whistles.
Overall fanfare.
"Wow...that's so cool!!"
"So you've fought with the Titans before!"
"Well...," Tempest shyly scratched the back of his neck. "On the same side, of course."
"Of course!"
"Hehehe."
"So I guess we've had the experience to team together. Now we'll have plenty of chances to...er...further the process along, I guess."
"Niiice."
"This Town feels safer already!"
"Right on!"
I walked up to the back of the crowd. Nobody recognized me in my casual wear...but that's probably because all eyes were trained on the 'other Noir', Tempest, inside the diner. I had caught the tail-end of his narrative by the time I got there.
I smiled proudly...
Tempest caught sight of me. He didn't say my name out loud, but by his body language he knew that I knew that it was time for us to skedaddle for some reason or another. But it was seemingly impossible with all the people in the way.
But someone else in there had a magic, intuitive eye. With a rattling of a dolphin bracelet, she motioned to Carman.
The boss leaned in.
"Umm....I think he needs help getting out of here..."
"Hmmm...yeah. I love this crowd, but it's getting in the way of things," Carman silently nodded. "Let's execute our 'C Plan'."
"Hehe...got it," Lindsay winked.
Carman glanced over the counter of the kitchen area. He quietly nodded.
The two other cooks—having watched the proceedings from the back groom—nodded back without saying a word. They walked over to the circuit breakers.
Carman whistled. "Well...while you're here, Mister...."
"Tempest."
"While you're here, Mister Aqua-person...why don't you regale us with some Atlantean poetry?"
"..............Huh?"
"Now!" Carman shouted.
Chtung!!!
The lights blacked out.
Loud commotion and confusion.
Everyone was blind...except for the spare worker who had the placed memorized.
Tempest suddenly felt a gentle hand grasp his wrist. He was hurriedly led out of the crowd, behind the counter, through the kitchen and out---
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
---the back door into the dark alleyway behind the establishment.
Tempest took a deep breath as if he had previously been suffocating inside the diner.
"Whew!! Wow.....that was worst than the kelp forests of Poseidonis," he looked over at his savior. "Thank you kindly—Oh, it's you."
"You okay?" Lindsay asked.
"Yeah...I mean....very much so," he smiled gently. "I never really realized that so many people....so many people...."
"The Titans are loved in this City," the waitress pleasantly explained. "If you're gonna be part of their team, expect plenty more where that came from."
"I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing."
"Well...," Lindsay straightened her hair with her braceletted hand. "It's certainly a good thing what you and the Titans are doing."
"What's that?"
"Duh....protecting our City, of course!"
"Oh, right...of course."
"Hehehehe."
"Heh heh heh..."
Silence.
Tempest looked off down the alleyway at the road beyond. After the wave of jubilance passed, things of old once again crossed his mind. He exhaled depressingly.
Lindsay looked at him from an angle. She said: "You know, Mister....all I can ever ask of you is to continue."
"Saving the City?"
"It is what you do best...I'm sure of it."
"Heh...as long as somebody is sure of it," Tempest nervously smiled.
She looked serious. "There are thousands of people who believe in the Titans. They shall believe in you too. If anything helps...think of that."
Tempest glanced at her. A pause. "I must....really sound pathetic, don't I?"
"I'm not one to judge," she smiled.
"I mean...I'm so much out of my element....I keep complaining about water and stuff and......," Tempest rubbed his hands together. His eyes drifted. "I suppose I should just be thankful."
"Thankful for what?"
"Everything," Tempest smiled. "Absolutely everything." A beat. "And I should learn to stop talking my mouth off."
She giggled. "You're not that bad, sir."
He looked her way. "I'm not?"
Suddenly, a dark column of smoke materialized into a fleshly being between them.
"Yeek!!!" Lindsay hopped back, frightened.
Tempest raised his fists.
"...............," I stared.
"Ah jeez, Noir...," Tempest exhaled. "Don't tell me you can turn invisible too?"
I looked at him. I scribbled on the pad of paper. I held it up for him to see.
'I can turn invisible too.'
He smirked. "Smartass."
I grinned. I motioned him to come along towards the alleyway.
"Time to go?"
I nodded.
"Allright then...," Tempest turned and faced the waitress. "So...um....Lindsay of the Diner of the Carman. Thank you very much for your hospitality."
"Yeah, okay...," the girl smiled. Her eyes trailed the corners of her lids and her cheeks turned red for some reason. "M-Maybe we'll meet again s-someday?"
"........," Tempest leaned his head to the side. "Yeah....perhaps so—WHOAH!!"
I yanked him by the arm and dragged him towards the Tower.
The girl waved...........and smiled again.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"I had no idea you people were so popular here...," Tempest said. "And what's with surface-dwelling girls fanning themselves? You know, a lot of them thought I was you—Noir, what's the big hurry????"
I scribbled on a pad and tossed it to him.
"We're getting ready for a dinner?" Tempest had on a face. He looked at the back of my head strangely. "What's the occasion?"
I merely smiled into the autumn air.
We hurried on home.