Teen Titans © DC Comics

70. Bitter Silence

Jericho closed his eyes and sighed silently. The clouds moved slowly overhead like gentle waves in the sky. The wind blew past coolly, and he shifted his position to his side, blocking the wind as he nearly drifted off into slumber. Everything was calm to him, a feeling he experienced everyday. His guitar remained next to him, and Jericho previously made beautiful music for a group of homeless children and their parents in the nearby town. He gave them all of his money, and as they thanked him, Jericho had played a parting tune as he traveled up the mountain.

He dreamed, a rare occasion for him. The blonde youth imagined his past life with his older brother Grant, his mother Adeline and father Slade when they were happy. He was a child of five while Grant was a few years older, and he recalled his father teaching Grant how to shoot and hunted small birds. Jericho, than known as Joseph, played on his mother's piano, singing along to an old classic he could barely remember now. Adeline sat next to him, smiling and urged the child to continue.

Then his voice constricted, ending in a squawk. Why? Why couldn't he sing? Joseph glanced up to his mother, waiting for an answer, pleading with emerald orbs. She sighed, shaking her head.

"Oh, Joey, I forgot you lost your voice," she piteously cooed, glancing away.

Jericho woke up with a start, eyes widening in horror. Shooting up, he grasped his chest before gingerly massaging his throat. Underneath his tunic was a scar, hardly visible anymore, but if one looked hard enough, they could see a faint clear line right on his vocal chords. Biting his lip, he snatched his guitar and started to play a simple tune.

The music instantly soothed him, and a gentle smile graced his childish face. Jericho sighed through his nose, allowing his fingers to pluck at the strings like an expert. His mother always said he was a master of music, that he would be a Broadway star. His father couldn't agree more when they were together.

Jericho distinctively remembered his parents' divorce, and Adeline shot Slade in his eye six hours after his throat was slit. He recalled the assassin that attempted to kill him because of his father's "bond" or whatever. When his throat was gashed open, he thought he was drowned in a red pool, sinking into cool lava. Jericho wondered if death would have been less cruel.

Shaking his head of memory, Jericho realized that his guitar was slightly out of tune. At least he could still make his music, he believed as he adjusted one of strings. Deciding not to think anymore, Jericho returned to his guitar. Its soft sound was like waves rolling in against the shore, gently bringing in their own inspiring beauty and attraction to anyone who would hear.

Then he could have sworn a green imp was coming up the mountain.

Jericho stared at the panting green person in front of him. Needless to say, he was completely surprised as Beast Boy thrust the communicator into his face. "I told Robin we shouldn't separate, but he sent me up here and I just climbed up to this big mountain and so here's your stupid communicator! If bad guys come, you know what to do!" It was at that moment that Beast Boy flopped to the ground and pulled out his, asking Robin if he could go home.

Jericho stared at the communicator, noticing the insignia: The Teen Titans. His mouth formed an "o", and he smiled graciously, petting Beast Boy. The green Titan glanced up at him, gave him a lackadaisical thumbs-up and began his way down the mountain.

As Beast Boy left, Jericho listened to Robin's voice, hearing that it was a test of communications. First was his voice, than others named Kole and Gnarrk, followed Pantha than two sets of Spanish words. Jericho had heard of the Brotherhood of Evil as they previously attempted to kill him by sending Madame Rouge, but Jericho prevailed, catching sight with her and caught her. He left her unconscious in a dumpster somewhere in France, feeling she might be more at home there.

He was attacked by Fang and Private Hive. Being more of a pacifist than a fighter, he ran, sliding down the mountain as they pursued him. Jericho whirled around, locking eyes with Private Hive as he was unsure of where Fang's eyes were.

Contact.

In Private Hive's body, he socked Fang across the face. Surprised at Jericho's possession powers, Fang cursed loudly and charged, spitting his venom, but Jericho's used the shield his carrier always donned, blocking it.

Suddenly, a kick was issued to the back of Fang's head, knocking him out. Herald approached tentatively from a portal he opened. He raised his horn, but Jericho quickly emerged from Private Hive just as the blast struck him off the mountain. Exposing his communicator, he quickly noticed that behind Herald was back in his own portal, and he quickly stepped back through, finishing off Warp and See-More before they could jump him.

It was at that moment that Robin's voice split through, shouting that their communications systems had been breached. Their communicators imploded and dropped to the ground as useless pieces of metal. Jericho's look of confused shock gained attention as Herald stepped out of his portal and towards him.

"Guess we're alone, huh?" Herald asked.

Jericho nodded, smiling a bit.

"I'm called the Herald. What's yours?" the trumpeter questioned kindly.

Instantly, Jericho drew back, his smile dying several molars. He grimaced, staring down towards his feet. It always happened. He could never respond with words which always left others believing he was an outcast. Jericho was a social boy, loving to make friends, but it was hard to maintain those friendships without verbal communication. Slowly, he drew his finger across his throat.

"Oh, you…you can't speak, can you?" Herald mused, regretting the question. He stared down to his hands and smiled slightly. "Well, I do know a little bit of sign language. Do you know that?"

Jericho's head shot up, surprised that Herald was still speaking to him. A grin split across his face, and he signed, My name is Jericho.

"Your name's…Jericho?" Herald asked, receiving a nod as his reply. "Well, good to meet ya, Jericho. What can you do? I open portals with my trumpet, and I'm pretty good with hand-to-hand fighting."

Jericho's eyes snatched up Herald's, instantly taking over his body. He quickly released him, making Herald gasp and fall over. Shaking his head rapidly, the musician's eyes couldn't have been any wider behind his mask. Jericho merely offered his hand, bringing his fingers to cover his silent chuckles. Grasping his hand, Herald blinked.

"You can possess people through eye contact? Man, that's got to be an awesome power. I even have my mask on, too, and you got me. That's a cool power, Jericho," Herald jeered. "I'm just guessing now that because of our communications getting razzled, there must be chaos around for all the Titans. I'm guessing that a lot of us must've been defeated."

Jericho nodded gravely, signing, Before he left, Beast Boy told me of a special hideout in the Pacific in case something like this happened.

Herald sheepishly scratched his head, looking down to his head. "Uh, did he say anywhere specific?"

It was on an island if that helps.

Taking his horn, Herald took a breath and blew. Jericho's mouth gaped slightly, staring at the strange dimension that Herald resided in. It was like swirls dancing around, and black shadows moved in what appeared to be a silent wind. Jericho's lips came together in what he presumed was a whistle.

"If we go through here, I can find that island Beast Boy was talking about," Herald explained, dropping his horn to his side. "You coming?"

Jericho hesitated, cocking his head in what seemed confusion. He had been alone for so long, away from people like him with powers. The blonde youth looked over, grasping his guitar and looked down sadly. Ever since his mother left and mother died, Jericho had been alone. His older brother, Grant, went to jail after some botched missionary mission gone terrible wrong. Being gentle-hearted, Jericho couldn't stand his father's evil ways and ran away, never looking back. He wandered for so long that he almost alienated himself from people. Due to his muteness, it prevented the social boy from creating long relationships, usually lasting a few days at the most. Most people could not understand sign language, making communication difficult. Jericho looked down to his boots, realizing that he was lonely.

Herald placed a hand on his shoulder, coaxing the younger boy to look up. "Yo, Jericho, just because you've been alone for so long doesn't mean you gotta stay that way. I mean, growin' up without a voice stinks, but…" Herald pointed behind him, and Jericho looked back to find his guitar. "…that's your's?"

Jericho nodded, retrieving it.

Herald brought back his trumpet, smirking. "Even though I can talk, my real voice is in this, and your voice is in your guitar. Music can make you talk even if you're mute. You just gotta listen to what others play to understand."

His emerald eyes couldn't have dilated anymore. Jericho gazed at his guitar and smiled warmly, nodding. His nimble fingers flicked through a few chords expertly, and Herald nodded to the smooth beat, smirking. Jericho's voice was in his guitar as it always was.

"When we're done with this whole Brotherhood business, let's play together. Sound cool?" Herald offered as Jericho eagerly accepted. Hopping into the portal, he smiled as Jericho followed, and they traveled off to victory and to their new friendship.

…

Yay, not depressing! Please, review.