"We need a new member on the team," Robin says as Beast Boy and Cyborg are playing video games while eating pizza in the living room.
Star is flying over head, dusting the ceiling and straightening up the Tower as always. While Raven is in a corner, hovering with her legs crossed and reading a book. Trying her best to be "social" whilst not really socializing.
Robin himself has been acting quite antisocial lately. His thoughts keep running back to the person he met out at one of his patrols weeks ago. A new teenager in Jump City with the ability to manipulate the darkness. He's been trying to convince this teen to join them ever since their runin. But the problem was it seemed impossible.
"Ooh! A new team member to join our family! That sounds splendid!" Starfire was the only one to really hear what he just said. She immediately stopped her cleaning to focus her green eyes on the masked boy.
"A new member?" Raven also appeared to look up from her book as she hovered. Her being out here was merely a courtesy she did ever once in a while. To show the team she wasn't being antisocial or impolite. And to work on her "teamwork" skills. Because apparently the green gangly boy who was playing games with the robot seemed to think she pointedly isolated herself. Which wasn't really the case. It was more like she respectfully took space to herself due to her inability to control her powers and the immense amount of meditation and thought it took to even be able to do so.
"What's this about a new teammate?" Cyborg, although his eyes were still glued to the game, managed to overhear the team leader's directive as well.
It was now only Garfield, the teammember known as Beast Boy, who was totally engrossed in jiggling the joystick of his controller and trying to make his virtual car beat Cyborg's, that was left to give his acknowledgement.
"Beast Boy! Did you hear me?" Robin stated again in a more serious tone to signal it was time to talk team matters, "I'm thinking of adding a new member to the Titans"
Beast Boy continued to twiddle his thumbs on his controller, his eyes glued to the screen. His tongue stuck out and he was literally falling off the sofa as if it would help him steer the car on the screen in real life.
Robin, seeing that it would require more attention, grabbed the remote that sat on a table nearby, and flicked off the game.
"C'MON!!!!"
The shouts from both Cyborg and Beast Boy could be heard. But finally the attention was on Robin. Beast Boy's pointed ears flickered down when he saw the look on the masked boy's face.
"Oh, I mean. Right. Adding a new member to the team. You were saying, Robin? Heheheh," He said embarrassedly as he rubbed the back of his head.
Robin gave a knowing smile. Then proceeded to get serious again.
"Titans, I want to talk to you all about adding a new member to the team. A new superhero in our area called The Shadow," He began again.
"Ooooooo The Shadow!" Starfire awed as she flew and plopped down on the couch next to the other two boys to listen to their leader.
"The Shadow?" Beast Boy heckled, "What a lame name!"
"Not as lame as Beast Boy," Cyborg teased back.
"Hey! My name at least makes sense! What else would I call myself? Green Guy?" Beast Boy stated defensively.
Cyborg laughed at his joke getting to his green colored best friend.
"Or, the Booger," He continued to quip.
"Alright! Well, what if they called you Robot Man!" Beast Boy cried, not to be outdone.
"Robot Man? Is this not the same as Cyborg? And the irony of the joke is then lost? Because it defeats the purpose of the jest?" Starfire commented as she watched the two earthlings go back and forth with one another, her eyes seemingly soaking up the Earth inhabitants interaction and making notes in her head.
"The Shadow, huh? Sounds like a team member who I might have something in common with," Raven commented to herself out loud. She liked the name. Especially as she looked at her three other teammates, "Being the one in the team with a name like Raven by myself is pretty lonely considering." Especially as she looked at Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Starfire.
"Enough!" Robin interrupted the teams consistent chatter, "I'm adding a new member to the team. And yes, they go by the name The Shadow."
The other four looked at him in shock at the revelation.
"So, this just went from a suggestion to a reveal," Cyborg commented, but his voice was now just as serious as Robin's.
"WHO IS HE?! And why have I never heard of him until now?!" Was all Beast Boy could think to shout.
"Oh my goodness!" Starfire's eyes grew wide at the implication of Robin's new wording.
"Oh, boy," Raven said gravely. She knew what this meant, too.
"Yes," Robin answered all of their unspoken and spoken questions.
There was a pause for a moment as the team digested this statement.
"What are you saying Dick?" Cyborg was the only one bold enough to ask the question they all were starting to realize, "We have a new…"
"A new team member. Guys, welcome Paxton Jones," Robin stated simply.
Everyone's eyes turned as the front door to the tower opened and in walked a new teenage girl.
"HOLY CRAP!!" Beast Boy yelled, "YOU REALLY WENT OUT AND BROUGHT IN A NEW TEAM MEMBER?!?!"
He stood up and threw his hands in the air as he looked at the newcomer.
"AND SHE'S ANOTHER GIRL?!?!"
He cried. He looked at her and then at Robin as if he was a robber.
Robin just smirked.
Then he suddenly picked up the rest of his pizza box off the table.
"Fine!" He shouted, "BUT I'M NOT SHARING MY PIZZA!"
XxxxxxX
It took me awhile to realize what happened as the green boy stormed out of the living room with his pizza box in tow. The only people left were Robin, standing in the center, the robot guy, the green eyed girl with red hair, and the girl floating in the corner with a book in her hands.
I nervously held onto my bookbag a little tighter.
"Uhhhh…Hi," I stated.
"Hi, yourself," The robot guy was the first one to answer me.
My eyes flashed at Robin for a second and he looked back at me with a welcoming smile.
It was just for a second when I was feeling like I made a total mistake. This was like when I would enter a new group or foster home, right when the parents or house mother would introduce me. Just before the kids would start throwing fists or shoes or whatever because I was the newcomer who they had to share with and have even less of things to go around. But at least in this instance all I got was a kid taking his pizza box from me. Not as bad as in the past where I'd literally get a sock in the stomach when the adult's backs were turned and told I couldn't touch xyz or that I'd be sleeping on the floor because there was no way they'd be sharing their room or bed.
Not bad at all considering. I had changed my mind at the last minute. And ofcourse, the next time I was out fighting crime, I told Robin I'd do it. He'd been right that the crime fighting thing wasn't just a hobby. It was becoming more of something I was doing full time. Every day after school, actually. I was no longer rushing to the library, but to thwart bad guys instead.
So, I let Robin know I'd taken him up on his offer to join the Titans. And that's when I got the invitation to move in. All I did was grab my tooth brush, the measley clothes I do have, and my school supplies. I didn't leave a note for the group home. I didn't have to. A lot of the girls ran away or would stay away for months or years. Even if they lived there on paper. No one would come looking for me. Besides, I was one of the older kids. So, I would eventually age out of the system by the time I graduated High School. And since I only had two more years left, I was practically grown.
"OH MY GOODNESS! Welcome, new earthling! It is so very nice to meet you!!" I got the shock of my life when for the first time ever, a girl flew and hugged me as I was introduced into a new home.
It took me a moment to get my bearings. But then I realized which one of the girls it was. The green eyed one with the red hair. As she pulled away, she smiled and grabbed both of my hands.
"Let us be great housemates! Sisters! Friends! I welcome you into our lives, into our team, and into our home! I am Starfire! Your new teammember! I am so pleased to meet you, earthling called Shadow!"
I didn't know how to respond. I'd never been welcomed into a home before. Let alone hugged.
"U-U-Uh, T-t-thank you," I studdered in my bewilderment.
Then the robot guy got up and gave me a hefty pat on my shoulder, which almost knocked me down.
"Welcome to the team, kid! Nice to meet you, Shadow! I'm Cyborg," He said and stuck out his mechanical hand for me to shake. I took this also in bewilderment. In my group homes and foster homes, none of the kids ever took the time to introduce themselves to me.
I nearly jumped out my skin when I heard someone say, "And I'm Raven, nice to meet you" .
I turned to see the girl who'd been floating in the corner had quietly snuck up and come to greet me, as well. I had been weary about her of all people because she looked like the one who might dislike me the most due to her appearance. But as she held her book and gave me a little head nod, I got the vibe that she wasn't scary but rather just reserved.
I looked to Robin again in my bewildermeant at the whole team geeting me. And he just smiled at me again.
"Beast Boy! Come back out here and greet Shadow properly!" He suddenly called.
I saw the green boy stick his head back down the hallway to the living room. His reaction to me was the one I was most familiar with. The one that didn't surprise me like these other warm welcomes were doing.
He came back down the hallway into the living room, his pizza box safely hidden I suppose in his room. His face still read apprehension and distrust. Which honestly calmed me because I was used to these types of teenagers and kids. Not ones who took me walking into their lives in stride like his teammates seemed to.
He folded his arms and regarded me.
"Welcome to the team. I'm Beast Boy," He said tightly, "Hopefully you're not a buzzkill"
I didn't know how to respond to that. But again, it was on par with the types of reactions I was used to getting. So, I welcomed it for it's familiarity alone.
Robin put a hand on Beast Boy's shoulder, "Welcome to the team finally, Shadow," He said with a relaxed smile.
Then he looked at Beast Boy.
"Shadow's going to be staying in the empty room next to yours. Why don't you show her so she can put her stuff down?" He asked.
Beast Boy nearly jumped out of his skin.
"WHAAAAA?!" He cried
"Yipppeeeee! Your room will also be close to mine! Come, I will help Beast Boy show you to your station!" Starfire, the green eyed girl said cheerfully which drowned out the bitterness in my other new teammate's objection.
"Come! Let's get you settled!" Starfire cried as she once again took my hand, which was still very shocking to me that someone would be this excited that I was here.
Beast Boy trailed behind us begrudgingly.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's show the new SURPRISE teammate that NOBODY ASKED FOR to her room," He grumbled.
I caught the glance he gave at Robin. And as I was being led by two polar opposites of reactions to my arrival (Starfire and Beast Boy), I couldn't help but meet Robin's eyes again. He looked amused.
"Welcome to the team, Shadow," He said again as I was being led away down the hall. His face had on another amused smile.
What did I just agree to?
I was even starting to miss the group home.