A/N: Part 4 of of the Holiday Marathon after Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Now, this chapter won't be a typical fixing or original style custom made, as it'll follow the actual episode plot, though the part of them being old and beating father time will be ignored. Instead, we're going to have segments where some of the titans will experience the (slightly fixed) episode from 1st perspective instead of the 3rd perspective done every episode up to now.
"Titans!" I call out to my team. "We have been waiting for this all year." I say as I snap my purple bow tie and put on a purple fedora. "Tonight, is New Year's Eve!" I blew into a party horn while everyone else cheered
"Alright, I can't wait to get my smoochy smoochy on." I saw Beast Boy flirt with Raven. Even after so much time it's amazing how after knowing Raven for the longest time as a dark and snarky lonester of the titans who was easily grated on by the shapeshifter's antics, the two would not only fall in love, but even come to freely express her emotions with no consequence. This has been a good year for her. Then I noticed my girlfriend go up to the Christmas tree.
"And I may finally release the Christmas tree back into the wild! Be free, be free!" She yelled as she threw the tree out through the window, smashing the pane. I cringed at the destruction, but hey, a window breaks all the time. It's just unusual when it's a Christmas tree but I merely shrugged it off.
"I just want to see the ball drop." Raven said with an enthusiastic smile.
"Aw yeah, tonight we're going to party like it's 1985! Booyah!" Cyborg cheered, only to be elbowed by Jinx, whom was smiling but had a sharp look in her eyes.
"Yeah, no. We're not partying in legwarmers, shoulder pads, obnoxiously bright colors and weird hairdos."
"Well, as much as fun as partying in 80s clothes would be, that's not what I'm talking about. I mean like partying to the greatest hits, break dancing with your CD's and Walkman's, and enjoy fun movie classics back then such as A.T, Illinois Smith and Nebula Battles!" Oh Cyborg, you and your 80s references. And Jinx. Once, she was part of our most frequent enemy team the Hive Five, but now she's part of the Titan family. As much as she tries to keep a tough persona she kept up for so long, it's been long enough we can see right through her by this point.
"Titans, have you come up with your New Year's resolutions even though nobody ever follows through?" I asked the lot.
"I guess something I could do is learn how to metidate, so that I can spend more time with my Rae Rae." Beast Boy slung an arm over the shoulders of a surprised Raven.
"Wow, that's sweet of you Beast Boy, and it's meditation. Though the thing is, I thought about having my resolution is to learn how to play video games so I could be with you more."
"Our resolutions are the same for each other?!" The changeling gasped with a smile. "That's perfect! We're the perfect power couple, mama!" The boy cheered as he hugged Raven, causing her to giggle. Heh, Star and I are the power couple, but I guess they do have the more interesting aspect of opposites attract, but I wonder if that's starting to have a serious grey area.
"I could go and volunteer." Jinx spoke up. "I tend to stay away from what the public thinks of me because of my prior occupation, but maybe I can contribute more to the city as more than a superheroine."
"That's great Jinx. For me, as much as it makes me gag, maybe I can try some of Grass Stain's vegetarian food." The cybernetic titan shrugged with a smile. Beast Boy smiled and was about to say something like he won or something, but Cyborg was quick to point out, "Don't let it get to your head String Bean. Just because it's vegetarian I still want it to be meat flavored, and no tofu."
"So long as it involves no animal killing, you gots a deal dude." Beast Boy agreed as they shook hands.
"I wish to learn more about the Earth culture so that I can fit in more." Starfire said. "Robin, perhaps you could accompany me to the library once a week?"
"Sure. I think my New Years Resolution would be to try and not get worked up so much about things. Maybe take up a new calming hobby or something."
"I'd recommend making a Zen garden. It's both calming and actively productive." Raven suggested.
"Alright, I think I can give that a shot. With that established, Raven, would you care to explain Jinx what our New Years tradition is?"
"The perfect New Year's Eve celebration involves four steps. The toast, the countdown, the kiss and the singing of that weird song no one knows the words to."
"It's called Auld Lang Syne, and of course no one knows the lyrics if you just sing it once a year." I corrected and clarified.
"Yo Robin, I've gots toast for days!" He held up pieces of toast, which made me chuckle a bit. I took them from him.
"Not that kind of toast. Let's go over some toasting tests. Cyborg, toast me." I requested of the metallic titan.
"Oh, uh...I like my friends...you're all great people, and cheers." He awkwardly said, leaving me confused.
"We'll need to work on that. Starfire, toast me."
"As we say on Tamaran, grong, grong, woobs en pebne." She sang in her native tongue, which I didn't understand whatsoever.
"Hmm, harmonious, but I won't understand what you mean. Maybe I should add learning Tamareanean into my reservoir of languages. You already taught Cyborg."
"Oh Boyfriend Robin, it would be the most wonderful to teach you." She hugged me tight, which unfortunately was too strong.
"Ah! Too strong!" I gasped. She let go looking concerned, and then sad.
"I apologize."
"It's okay Star. I'll live. Raven, toast me." I wheezed.
"Uh..." Beast Boy whispered into her ear, and they both silently giggled. "Uh...I hope we don't become like the too serious titans where you said-" My mind cracked slightly as I knew where she was going, and I got up in her face.
"Stop right there! We agreed we would never speak of that universe again! Not ever!" However, she and Beast Boy started laughing.
"Dude, we were just pulling your chain. No need to get your undies in a twist bro." He chuckled, but all I did was point two of my fingers towards my eyes, turned them to his eyes, and back into mine.
"Ugh, let's just move on." I grumbled. Jinx started to protest.
"Hey, I haven't even said my-
The fives of us sat down in desks while Robin had a blackboard that said 'New Year's Eve Traditions: The Countdown.
"Let us try the countdown." He said. I heards my Rave scoff.
"Who can't count backwards?" Wait, what?
"There's something called counting backwards?"
"You know Beastie." Cyborg said. "It's when you start at 10 and you go to 1."
"No dude, I don't know! I don't know at all! I can barely count forwards!"
"Come on Booger Brain, show your girlfriend there's at least something rattling in your skull." Jinx snarked at me before snickering. Ouch. I know I'm usually the butt of intelligence jokes, but that hurt more than usual. I noticed she stopped when Raven glared at her. "Oh uh, sorry. That was probably a bit much." She apologized awkwardly.
"So uh, let's see here. I got this!" I started to rapidly count on my fingers. "Ten! 12345678910. Nine! 123456789. Eight! 12345678 Seven! This ain't so hard." But then Robin grumbled, though he surprisingly didn't yell at me.
"Beast Boy, it took you ten seconds to get through four seconds."
"Awww." I groaned.
"Hey, don't worry." Raven tried to reassure me. "I can teach you basic math when we have the time."
"Really Rae Rae?! That'd be great." I told her, feeling much better that I'll be capable of math.
"Next up, perfecting the midnight kiss." Robin said. I rolled my eyes.
"Uh, what do we have colored markers for?" Raven asked in confusion. A mischievous joke entered my mind and I grinned.
"I bet it's because if he kissed Starfire we'll never get to the next steps. Same with Beast Boy kissing you." I snickered at my remark. Some of them chuckled while the others blushed as if to say I was right. Robin was the only one not smiling as he groaned while pinching his nose.
"Don-don't think you can just diss this for me. It's not because I have an obsession with kissing Star. It's just so we can make a face on our hands and practice our kisses. I know two-thirds of us has been in a relationship for a year but it never hurts to practice. After all Jinx, you and I both know that practice makes perfect." He got up close and pointed at me.
"Hmm, good choice of words. I can't exactly say otherwise and make fun of you for it." I replied, actually genuine in that.
"Alright. Now go ahead, don't be shy." The titan leader suggested, and we got started drawing on our hands. I heard Cy say something about loving a girl with a sense of humor. And he wasn't subtle with trying to hide his hand, resulting in me noticing his hand had a white face and pink hair. I blushed from his indirect compliment and focused on mine. I was just making a regular face, but hearing that, I started filling it out with brown color and blue in the top right corner, and a red dot for his eye. I couldn't help but hear what the others were saying, such as a marker mama, a dreamy face, a handsome animal followed by a sexy growl, and the obsessive mumblings of needing to draw her perfect. Sheesh, can't these guys keep their pervy thoughts to themselves...even though kissing does leave me positively tingling whenever I do so with Cy every now and then. Once we were all done, Robin began to speak again. "Now, these kisses should be tender and respectful, but with enough passion to kinder the flames of a long life together. Titans, KISS!" As we all kissed our hands, I felt odd in both my chest and head. My head was saying this is just plain silly and why am I doing this with all the others? But my chest...maybe my heart? Ugh, another cliché, but sarcasm aside, it feels like deep down that as silly as this team and their hijinks are, I've gotten used to it. I can neither deny it or disbelieve it any longer. No longer am I just Jinx, the Witch of the Teen Titans. I'm Jinx, the Titan Witch. And as corny as that sounds, it doesn't feel that way. Not anymore. That just made me kiss my hand with that much more passion, and anticipation for the future.
Auld Lang Syne. While I did call it the weird song no one knows the words to, most people at least know the beginning line of old acquaintances, and after a few practice sessions of everything after that, we were able to get it the handle of the bittersweet lyrics relatively easily.
"You know Rae, you gots a beautiful singing voice." Beast Boy told me. I blushed in response.
Oh yeah baby! 1 minute and 15 seconds till midnight! I can't wait for the start of a year maybe better than this one! We stood up on the roof of the tower, overlooking the city while he stood among our own New Years decorations.
"Alright titans, this is the moment we've all practiced all night for! Cyborg, the toast!" I coughed before saying my rehearsed toast while holding up a glass of fresh apple cider.
"As I look around this room, I see a shared past, a wonderful present, and a bright future. We are more than friends, we're family. To the Teen Titans. May our bonds grow stronger as we grow older."
"Nicely worded Cy." My best friend Beastie complimented, and we shared a high five.
"I have to admit, I never thought in a million years...I'd have a year like the one we experienced together." Jinx admitted as she stood to my left, gingerly sliding her tiny hand into my huge mechanical one. I smiled and chuckled as I gently gripped it.
"I think we all experienced something we thought would never happen this year." I replied. She looked up to me, smiling so warmly and pretty.
"Yo dudes, the countdown's starting!" Beast Boy yelled. "Now's my turn! 10! 9! 8! 7!" We all started counting down with him "6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1!" Fireworks shot into the sky as the disco ball dropped, brimming the atmosphere with light. Before I could stoop down, Jinx jumped up onto me and kissed me on the lips! I melted into it as I hugged her back. Once we got our year of kissing, we lined up and started singing the song.
"Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne? And surely you'll buy your pint cup! And surely I'll buy mine! And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang syne. We two have run about the hills, and picked the daisies fine; but we've wandered many a weary foot, since auld lang syne. We two have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine; but seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne. And there's a hand my trusty friend! And give me a hand o' thine! And we'll take a right good-will draught, for auld lang syne."
A/N: Well, it was interesting writing this from their perspective's instead of my writer's own of mine. Although I wonder if I wrote them correctly. Especially Jinx. I'm not exactly trying to make her a sappy character or someone who's lost her edge of snark and wit, but I'm trying to convey that in the right circumstances, someone like Jinx can act and feel this way given enough time. But what did you guys think? Did I make Jinx too sappy this chapter? How was the perspective shift? Let me know please. Excited for Valentines next. Also, WHOOO! We're over 200,000 words total on this story! I bet the majority of you outside of my 23 followers and 28 favoriters at the time of this writing would guess the story would reach so far. Do you know of any Teen Titan stories over 300,000? I bet I can beat it before I fix all the episodes I can in season 3. I have more to say, but only read on if you're Eris, Imagination(a shortened nickname) or TomoMoon1. Everyone else can stop here.
Eris, there's something I need to inquire you about. One of my fellow and best reviewers has an original idea for Cool School, and has an idea if you can make it work in your own style, but I have a problem with the premise. The reviewer's idea is this:
"When they were kids Robin and Rose were best friends but batman wasn't very fond of their friendship because he feared rose was a bad influence on him, she was, and then the two eventually became rivals, then one day while he and batman were battling her and deathstroke she and Robin fought one another and then Robin saved her from death during the fight and purposely let her get away showing her signs of her old friend and before she left she thanked Robin and said she owes him one. And the episode could be about how the titans need help tracking down a mysterious new bad guy (who it is can be up to you) and Robin calls in rose's favor to help them think like a criminal to catch them." And my response to that is,
"That's certainly not bad. Certainly a good plot. But there is a few things I think should be pointed out. One is that how would Batman and Deathstroke even allow their proteges to become best friends to begin with? I mean sure, maybe they could've been friends when Robin was still just Richard of the Flying Graysons, but as soon as he became Robin Batman would certainly shut that friendship down. Slade would also convince Rose to come to hate her friend because she was lead to believe he abandoned her for the frivolous life of Bruce Banner and to take her frustrations out on anybody, most of all Robin since if he can't beat him, he couldn't beat her either. And finally, we know that Robin hates Slade with a passion, and since Robin knows Ravager is Rose Wilson, his former friend, any goody feelings would be gone since even though she was lied to, she ultimately chose herself to be just like Slade by being Ravager. Though maybe not too much because gouging out your own eye without the crazy drugs she had seems too brutal for Teen Titans GO!, so maybe it was a lesson or training accident from her father. If there was any debt to be paid, it would be done so in the heat in the moment, not as a calling favor I'd imagine. I do apologize if I just basically shot your idea full of bleeding holes, but with all the history and referencing to the original show that I do, I can't ignore the sheer animosity between Robin and Slade, which would inadvertently involve Rose in between as well."
Personally, I would prefer to just stick with what the actual episode of Cool School actually is, and fix up whatever is in that. I'm not sure whether to fix the part of Rose telling Robin she's in prison outside of it. It's funny but not sure if Robin should fall for the logic like he does. But the point is, while I'd prefer to stick to the actual episode, if you can recreate Imagination's idea with my pointers than I think that would make everyone happy. Do what you can. Thank you, and I apologize for having you read such a long A/N when it's normally not this much.