Ridiculously Romantic
Two teenagers around the age of 16 and 17 are captivating up in one of the largest rooms of the Titan Tower. What a delight they are, playing peacefully with the each other, trying to silently beat one another at a harmful little game called Cinderblock Bash.
Peaceful, silent and delightful? Those three words used in one sentence describing two very loud, very competitive and very hostile teenage boys? It must be another lie, or a rumor still yet unsolved.
"Not gonna get me, your not gonna get me, Ha! I won!" A green dude hopped up and down on his position on the couch in front of the LARGE screen t.v.
A buff robotic boy grinned and shook his head. He put an arm around his buddy. "Beast boy, beast boy, beast boy. You might have won the race, but I won the game."
"What!" Beast boy yelped. "How, I won the race, that's the whole point of the game you said!"
"Why yes it is, but you know those cute little cinderblocks that are annoyingly in your way? Well you have to ram them and you will get your 100 points. You need points B.B, points, so therefore, I won fair and square, and there is no way you can make my square into an unhappy circle."
Beast boy pulled a confused look. "Sometimes Cyborg, your choice of words are as crazy as you are. But that's not fair, you made the game, and you never told me anything about points!"
"Ah, and that's the beauty of Stupidity. You should have asked, instead of me just saying one main part. Get used to it little buddy, I will always beat you, any day, any time, and any where." Cyborg grinned from ear to ear.
"Well don't I feel sheepish." At that moment, Beast boy turned into a small green sheep.
The doors leading from the rooms to the living room slid open. A tall skinny girl walked sulkily in. Not saying a word, she put a black tea kettle on the burning stove, poured water inside and put a moody day tea bag in.
Cyborg and Beast boy looked at each other. "Go-good morning R-raven." Beast boy stuttered, she was capable of exploding any minute.
Slowly, she turned around and faced them from the kitchen. Eyeing the game station, she snapped. "Boys it is 7:00 am and you are playing Cinderblock Bash again, don't you ever get to sleep?"
"Yes, but really Ray, we aren't playing right now, we have been done for almost 5 minutes." Beast boy cracked, smiling a cheeky smile.
Raven glared and poured her tea in a cup. "Whatever." She said icily, before exiting the living room and kitchen. Beast boy leaned in to Cyborg and whispered, "Must be that time of month."
A heavy book flew across the room and smacked him on the back of his head. He fell to the floor all swirly-eyed. "I heard that." Came her toneless voice. "Ouch." Beast boy managed to mutter.
Sleeping peacefully in her large purple room, Starfire dreamt about her old life on her old planet Tamaran. She missed her deceased parents, her friends and her evil sister. She awoke suddenly after she heard a crash in the gym room.
"Robin?" She rose and scrunched up her hair in a morning sloppy bun. "Robin is that you?" A boy's voice was heard, cursing like a mad man. "Shit, oh shit, now I need to buy another one."
Starfire stopped at the entrance to the gym room and found Robin sprawled on the floor, picking up small beans that had scattered on the ground. "Robin, are you unharmed?"
Robin glanced up. "Oh hi Star, just picking up what I had dropped." Starfire raised an eyebrow. "Surely you need help, I will assist you if you wish it?"
"Thanks." Starfire nodded to Robin's response and got down on her knees. "What caused you to make such a mess?" Robin sighed. "Well, just doing training when I accidentally hit the bean bag to hard. Hey Star could you be a doll and go grab the trash can?"
"Of course!" She chirped. Running down two corridors and into the kitchen, she happily picked up the can. "Morning boys!" She called to Beast boy and Cyborg.
"Robin, would you mind having a "hang out" session with me after we are done picking up the beans?" Robin smiled kindly. "Sure Starfire, just you and me okay?" Nodding fervently, she picked up the last bean and handed it to Robin before leaving to the bathroom to take a shower.
'She's getting better at her words, sort of.' Boy wonder thought. He smiled and threw the beans in the trash and walked to the kitchen.
"ALERT, MESSAGE ALERT!" The sounds went off, the t.v went blank and a small blue light shone on three of the titans in front of the screen. "What's going on? This hasn't happened in a long time!" Beast boy panicked.
"Beast boy, I would advise you to calm down, we won't know until we open the message." Raven called, she was walking slowly towards them. Beast boy blushed. "Sorry."
The sliding doors slid open fast and Starfire came skidding out. "What is it, what's the problem?" Robin blushed at the sight of her. She was in her pink bathrobe, 'only'.
"Message opened." Came a woman's robotic voice. "Well, well, well. So we meet again Titans." The cold voice of Slade rang through their ears.
Slade's masked face appeared on the large screen, he had many robots in the background in a defense mode. "It's been a long time since I saw you, what, 2 years? You are all now, wait don't tell me, 16 years old?"
Cyborg huffed. "I'm 17 for your 411." Slade smiled. "But your attitude is merely 10."
"What do you want Slade?" Robin growled, he held his fists in tight balls. "Why Robin, same thing I've wanted when you were younger. You."
"Well you can't have him you idiotic sleezeball." Beast boy snarled. "Watch your tongue boy, I can assassinate you in a matter of seconds if I wish."
Beast boy faltered back a bit. Raven put a hand on his shoulder. "Slade, why have you come back, we had killed you, and we were sure it was for real that time." She glared.
"Well you see, "we" is not the right word for your sentence, She almost killed me." Slade pointed in Starfire's direction. "If it wasn't for the river down below where her energy ball had thrown me, I would have never survived, but all is well, since I did."
"Slade, you do not belong in this world, and we will make sure of it, your evil presence sickens us deeply, good bye." Starfire made her way towards the delete button, but before she could delete it, Slade scared her with his words.
"I'll get revenge Starfire, and if I do die, I will make sure you die first." Slade's face turned off from the screen. Robin's finger had pressed the Delete button. Starfire stared down in fear.
"Star, don't worry, I won't, we won't let him get you, I promise." Robin's soothing words echoed in her ears. "You promise?" They all nodded.
A smile plastered upon her face. "Thank you." Robin grabbed her arm. "C'mon Star, let's go, I think the ice cream truck is opened today at the park!"
Robin and her raced down to the earth's floor and walked peacefully towards the enchanted park. On their way, they had small talk here and there.
"So Star, um, how have you been doing?" Robin searched for words.
"Fine thank you, and you?" Starfire smiled, taking no notice of his lack of words.
"Eh, can't complain. You know that now since Slade is back, we have to keep ourselves on guard all the time right?" Robin became fiercer when Slade crossed his mind. He tried keeping his cool, for Star's sake.
Starfire looked down and muttered barely audible for Robin's ears. "Sorry what was that Star?"
"I said, I know that he's back, and I hope you don't get all crazy like you did the last he threatened us."
Offended, Robin stopped in his tracks. "Starfire, I was young back then, not sure of what I was doing, you needn't worry about how I act, because I am not the same kid I used to be." He growled.
Starfire looked at him with pleading eyes. "I know that Robin! I just, I don't know." She looked down, not wanting him to see her watered eyes.
"As far as I'm concerned, Slade is nothing more than an enemy we still have to destroy." He placed a gentle hand on her chin and lifted it, staring contently into her emerald pools. "Starfire, you are my best friend, I will not let him get to me, and I will not let him get to you."
Starfire nodded and hugged him warmly. Across the park and in a clearing near the dump house, a large glowing red hole appeared out of nowhere. A tall boy rose from the hole and landed gracefully on the earth as hell's hole vanished.
He shivered as a warm breeze hit him. "Not as hot as hell, but it will do for a while." The boy had dark black hair, a pearly complexion and dark red, almost brown eyes. His long black eyelashes fluttered up and down as he blinked.
Walking away from where he came from, he stopped at a large park where little kids were swinging merrily and running around.
Eyes scanning across the field, he noticed a really beautiful girl, and she seamed to be crying. She was near a boy, who looked angry and offended. "Has he hurt her?" He muttered to himself. A tug came at his pant leg.
Looking down, he saw a small little boy. "Hey Mr. you shouldn't talk to yourself, people might start to wonder." The tall one leapt towards him, scaring him off. "Stupid brat, I hate little kids."
Walking over towards the couple, he stopped inches away and listened. "Starfire, you are my best friend, I will not let him get to me, and I will not let him get to you." The boy had said.
Watching intently, he saw the young teenager hug the boy who had made her cry. Coming in closer he made conversation. "I'm sorry to bug you miss, but is he bugging you?"
Robin faced the stranger who had just insulted him. Him bugging her? Starfire wiped her tears and shook her head. "No, no we just had a slight argument."
"I am deeply sorry for troubling you. My name is Devion, I have traveled far and wide, and where I come from, when a girl is crying, it means she is trouble."
"Well, she's not. Besides she can take of herself." Robin snarled. He didn't like the boy in front of him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, fair maiden." Devion said. Starfire blushed. "Oh sorry, this is Robin and I am Starfire." Completely forgetting about Robin, he grabbed her hands in his own.
"What a lovely name, perfect for a lovely young woman." Devion smiled warmly. Robin gave him a disgusted look. He shook their hands away. "Okay that's enough." Starfire was looking at the boy strangely but in a warm sort of way.
"Thank you." She responded. Devion nodded. Robin looked from his friend to the stupid boy. 'What a prick.' He thought.
"Well, I must be on my way, I hope to see you again Starfire." He said with a gleam in his eye. Starfire watched him walk away with happiness. "What a kind boy, very kind." She grabbed Robin's arm and led him to the ice cream truck.
'Too nice for my taste.' He thought wickedly.
Devion smiled evilly as he departed from the lovely Starfire. 'I think I like her, she would be a good earthling wife, father will be pleased.'
"She seamed very taken with that idiot boy, I need a plan to dispose of him." He said aloud, figuring no one was near. A man in a mask stepped out, he was wearing a uniform of some sort with a letter 'S' on it.
"My good lad, did I hear you say you needed to get rid of a boy?" He asked kindly. Devion looked at him. "Who are you?"
"The question is, who are you?" The unidentified man asked. "Devion the Demon, Lucifer's, hell himself, son." He stated proudly.
"The name is Slade, and I am willing to get rid of the boy I think you are talking about, for a favor." He continued. "Was the boy wearing a black mask, and with a beautiful girl by the name of Starfire?"
Devion nodded. "Yes, I believe the maiden said his name was, uh the name of a bird, um Wood Pecker?"
"Robin?" He helped. Devion nodded again. "Yeah, Robin was his name."
Smiling wickedly, Slade rubbed his hands together. "Good." He said dangerously. "Now this is what I was planning Devion, if you would come to my layer, I would happily tell you my plan. You can have Starfire, and I will have Robin." Devion grinned. "Sure."
"Hey Star!" Robin called after he had got his ice cream. Turning around, Starfire felt ice cold ice cream touch her nose. Robin had put some on his finger and colored her nose in chocolate.
"Robin!" She giggled. She smashed her strawberry ice cream cone on his head and took of running. The strawberry leaked down and he licked it. "Ohh, you're in for it now!" He laughed.
After running around for a while and playing childishly in the play area, they started home after it started to get dark.
Exhaling cloudy orbs of wind, Starfire shivered as a luke warm breeze brushed against her. "Are you cold?" Robin asked. He took of his cloak and draped it around her. "Thank you Robin."
"The sky is so clear, and the stars are so readable. Look there is Tamaran." Starfire sighed. Robin, gazing up at the stars, asked solemnly. "You miss your old home Star?"
"I did, but I'm glad I'm here with my friends, and of course you." She smiled and they walked home in a slow pace, observing the mystical beauties that nightfall brings.
"Where in the hell were you?" Beast boy shrill cry echoed. He tapped his foot at the teens in front of him. Robin and Starfire looked at him oddly. "Since when do you care?"
Beast boy cracked. "I don't haha!" He chuckled. "Scared ya though, didn't I?"
Robin smiled. "Whatever you say B.B, whatever you say." Starfire walked past both of them. "You are so funny Beast Boy." She patted him on the head.
"Where is Cyborg?" Robin asked. Raven looked up from her mystery book. "He went out to get the pizza the boys ordered."
Humming indolently to himself, he swung his arms in a bored motion as Cyborg walked to Pizza Palace. The ally he walked in was surrounded in isolation, but not for long.
Loud footsteps could be heard coming his way, in a running motion. Something smaller than him collided into his chest and fell to the ground. Cyborg, surprised, looked down and found a young woman around his age, covering her face in fear.
"Hey little lady, you alright there?" He crouched down to the girl's level. Suddenly she showed her face and Cyborg looked taken aback. The woman's shoulder and arm was in robot form, her left leg was robotic and her right foot was too.
"You're half robot?" He whispered. She looked up at him. "Yeah, and so are you." Two thugs appeared from around the corner. "Look Jester, there's too of them."
"Two of what?" Cyborg asked the thugs. "Freaks!" Jester called back. "Boy, don't make me use this?" Cy shifted his arm into his sonic cannon. "Ah, let's get out of here!" Jester grabbed his chubby friend and fled.
"Are you alright?" Cyborg asked again, helping her up. Dusting herself off, she nodded. "Thanks, you saved me." She smiled. "My name is Ayrasia, (I-ray- sha) what's yours?"
"Cyborg, I'm one of the teen members of the Teen Titans." He stated self- satisfied. Ayrasia's eyes got round with excitement. "Ooh, are you really?"
"Yep!"
"That is so cool! So sorry to cut into your business, but where were you heading to?" She asked rocking back and forth, hands behind her back, an innocent smile formed.
"To Pizza Palace, wanna come?"
"Are you kidding? That would be great!"
"Okay then, let's go!" Cyborg and Ayrasia walked two blocks to Pizza palace and got their half meat half veggie special.
"So do you really kick the baddie's asses?" She said, punching the air as if she were beating someone up.
"Yup, almost every day pretty lady!" He winked, causing her to blush slightly.
Ayrasia was a tall, 17-year-old half robot girl. Her shoulder length black hair swayed in the wind and her dark complexion was swallowed in the night. Her silver mechanic body was touched lightly by the moonlight, making the beam sparkle her eyes ever so gently.
"Did I tell you that you are really pretty?" Cyborg asked, holding on to the pizza with one hand. Ayrasia looked at him kindly then touched his nose. "Almost 3 times now." Smiling they continued their journey back to the Titan Tower.
"Oh come on Raven, just this once, I won't ever ask you to do it again!" Beast boy begged. An irritated Raven growled. "I said no Beast Boy, I will not play that childish game of yours, get it through your puny little brain."
Beast boy watched as Raven walked away. 'Why is she in such a bad mood?' He thought. 'Am I doing something that is annoying her even more than before?'
"Honey, I'm home!" Cyborg called. Beast boy turned, not expecting to see another. "Who's this?"
"Oh this is Ayrasia, I saved her earlier, and asked if she wanted to come along, her company was quite enjoyable." Cy grinned. Ayrasia giggled. "Your Beast Boy right? Cyborg was telling me about you."
Eyeing Cyborg suspiciously, Beast boy walked over to Ayrasia, smoothing back his hair. "Oh really, and what did his over grown tin man say to you about me? That I was devilishly handsome perhaps?"
Cyborg rolled his eyes. "Boy, you need to get a life. Your ego is so big, that you weigh more than a hippolotomus." Ayrasia giggled. "Hippolotomus?"
"Inside joke." Beast boy and him muttered in unison. She bit down on her lower lip and nodded in 'OOOKAY'.
The sliding doors slid open, Starfire and Robin walked in. "Like I was saying Starfire, usually when you feed the fish, you give them only a little."
"But Robin, your fat, greedy fish kept eating all the food, so I felt bad for the rest." Robin chuckled. "Oh was he?"
"Hey y'all, I want you to meet a new friend of mine." Cyborg said. Looking up, Robin and Starfire came face to face with the half robot girl.
"Cyborg, you do know that you aren't supposed to bring anyone up-" Starfire nudged Robin in the ribs. "Let it go." She said through a smile.
"Hello friend, my name is Starfire, and this here is Robin." She said smiling warmly. "And what is your name?"
"Ayrasia, nice to meet you Starfire and Robin." Robin and Star shook her robotic arm. 'Has Cyborg finally met his dream girl?' Star asked herself in thought.
"I can't believe I am meeting all of you, what a pleasure. Robin, you're so handsome! Just like everyone says, and Starfire, you are more beautiful than I imagined." She turned to Beast boy. "Green dude, you are so funny, you are a prized friend."
Turning around to Cyborg, she smiled. "And Cyborg, never in all my life, would I have thought I would fall head over heels for you, or even meet you for that matter. I am thankful that you saved me, it must be destiny."
Cyborg blushed and scratched his head. "Oh it was, um, well nothing, to be worried, er, what was the question?" He stuttered.
"Ha, Cy is stuttering." Beast Boy nudged Ayrasia. "He must really have the hots for you."
"Hello." Came a monotone voice. "My name is Raven, and what might yours be?"
Ayrasia turned around. "Your Raven?"
Raven nodded, she had her hood down and her gem in the middle of her eyes was lightly glowing.
"You seem so different in person than in the pictures in the headlines." She said amazed.
"They must catch my good side." She said, not smiling one bit.
"Oh, I am so sorry." Ayrasia bowed. "My name is Ayrasia Onigumi, I am a new friend of Cyborg's and now hoping to be all yours."
Everyone smiled, except the grumpy one, and nodded. "Come friends, and new friend, let's all have a feast of Merry Pudding and let's 'Hang out'." Star smiled.
Everyone, except for Ayrasia, sweat dropped. "Um, Star, why don't we have slushies instead?" Robin asked.
Pondering it, She raised her finger. "Sure, let's have slushies, but Robin, this time, I will have lime. The strawberry hurt my head last time."
"Sure thing Star." Robin went to the kitchen and started slushing up ice and adding flavored liquid to all the cups.
After everyone had had his or her slushies, Cyborg offered to take Ayrasia home. The clock had hit 1:00 am and everyone was exhausted.
"Goodnight Star, Night Raven and Beast Boy, Don't let the bed bugs bite Ayrasia, and see ya in the morning Cy, I'm hitting the sack." Robin yawned.
Robin walked to his room in a slow pace, so none would suspect him. After he shut his door and locked it, he turned on the light and hit a small red button, carefully hidden underneath his picture of him and Star.
Silently, things started to turn over in his room. His bed flipped into a long table, his drawers turned into straight liners that held books and important papers, and his walls, that had once been covered in trophies and pictures were now plans and headline clips.
The name 'Slade' was all over his wall. Three little words, "Who is Slade." Was what started the whole mess. Him betraying his friends, almost killing Starfire, a big deal about trust, and serving with Slade as his apprentice.
Memories came washing back into his mind, vicarious to his incidents.
~*FlashBack*~
Robin had leaned up against his wall, as Starfire walked in. "Robin." She had said faintly. Her hurt voice haunted him.
"You wanna to yell at me too, everyone else has" Robin had looked down. "And I don't blame them."
Starfire shook her head, her eyes were glossy. "I do not wish to yell, merely to understand. Robin, why didn't you tell us the truth?"
Robin stared into her eyes. "I needed to fool Slade, If you guys knew it was me under that mask, you would've held back." He had looked down again and said ashamed, "It doesn't matter anyway, Slade figured it out, and I still haven't figured out anything about him."
Starfire shook her head again. "That is not true, who ever Slade is, you and he are similar. Slade did not trust you," She had held back, but said softly. "And you did not trust us."
Robin watched as Starfire walked slowly away from him, the farther she got, the more he got back to reality.
~*End of Flashback*~
Those choices of words hit him deep, especially coming from her mouth. "Slade, who ever you are, I will figure out your secret, even if I do it alone." He growled. With that he started observing the headlines and notes he had written awhile back.
Two teenagers around the age of 16 and 17 are captivating up in one of the largest rooms of the Titan Tower. What a delight they are, playing peacefully with the each other, trying to silently beat one another at a harmful little game called Cinderblock Bash.
Peaceful, silent and delightful? Those three words used in one sentence describing two very loud, very competitive and very hostile teenage boys? It must be another lie, or a rumor still yet unsolved.
"Not gonna get me, your not gonna get me, Ha! I won!" A green dude hopped up and down on his position on the couch in front of the LARGE screen t.v.
A buff robotic boy grinned and shook his head. He put an arm around his buddy. "Beast boy, beast boy, beast boy. You might have won the race, but I won the game."
"What!" Beast boy yelped. "How, I won the race, that's the whole point of the game you said!"
"Why yes it is, but you know those cute little cinderblocks that are annoyingly in your way? Well you have to ram them and you will get your 100 points. You need points B.B, points, so therefore, I won fair and square, and there is no way you can make my square into an unhappy circle."
Beast boy pulled a confused look. "Sometimes Cyborg, your choice of words are as crazy as you are. But that's not fair, you made the game, and you never told me anything about points!"
"Ah, and that's the beauty of Stupidity. You should have asked, instead of me just saying one main part. Get used to it little buddy, I will always beat you, any day, any time, and any where." Cyborg grinned from ear to ear.
"Well don't I feel sheepish." At that moment, Beast boy turned into a small green sheep.
The doors leading from the rooms to the living room slid open. A tall skinny girl walked sulkily in. Not saying a word, she put a black tea kettle on the burning stove, poured water inside and put a moody day tea bag in.
Cyborg and Beast boy looked at each other. "Go-good morning R-raven." Beast boy stuttered, she was capable of exploding any minute.
Slowly, she turned around and faced them from the kitchen. Eyeing the game station, she snapped. "Boys it is 7:00 am and you are playing Cinderblock Bash again, don't you ever get to sleep?"
"Yes, but really Ray, we aren't playing right now, we have been done for almost 5 minutes." Beast boy cracked, smiling a cheeky smile.
Raven glared and poured her tea in a cup. "Whatever." She said icily, before exiting the living room and kitchen. Beast boy leaned in to Cyborg and whispered, "Must be that time of month."
A heavy book flew across the room and smacked him on the back of his head. He fell to the floor all swirly-eyed. "I heard that." Came her toneless voice. "Ouch." Beast boy managed to mutter.
Sleeping peacefully in her large purple room, Starfire dreamt about her old life on her old planet Tamaran. She missed her deceased parents, her friends and her evil sister. She awoke suddenly after she heard a crash in the gym room.
"Robin?" She rose and scrunched up her hair in a morning sloppy bun. "Robin is that you?" A boy's voice was heard, cursing like a mad man. "Shit, oh shit, now I need to buy another one."
Starfire stopped at the entrance to the gym room and found Robin sprawled on the floor, picking up small beans that had scattered on the ground. "Robin, are you unharmed?"
Robin glanced up. "Oh hi Star, just picking up what I had dropped." Starfire raised an eyebrow. "Surely you need help, I will assist you if you wish it?"
"Thanks." Starfire nodded to Robin's response and got down on her knees. "What caused you to make such a mess?" Robin sighed. "Well, just doing training when I accidentally hit the bean bag to hard. Hey Star could you be a doll and go grab the trash can?"
"Of course!" She chirped. Running down two corridors and into the kitchen, she happily picked up the can. "Morning boys!" She called to Beast boy and Cyborg.
"Robin, would you mind having a "hang out" session with me after we are done picking up the beans?" Robin smiled kindly. "Sure Starfire, just you and me okay?" Nodding fervently, she picked up the last bean and handed it to Robin before leaving to the bathroom to take a shower.
'She's getting better at her words, sort of.' Boy wonder thought. He smiled and threw the beans in the trash and walked to the kitchen.
"ALERT, MESSAGE ALERT!" The sounds went off, the t.v went blank and a small blue light shone on three of the titans in front of the screen. "What's going on? This hasn't happened in a long time!" Beast boy panicked.
"Beast boy, I would advise you to calm down, we won't know until we open the message." Raven called, she was walking slowly towards them. Beast boy blushed. "Sorry."
The sliding doors slid open fast and Starfire came skidding out. "What is it, what's the problem?" Robin blushed at the sight of her. She was in her pink bathrobe, 'only'.
"Message opened." Came a woman's robotic voice. "Well, well, well. So we meet again Titans." The cold voice of Slade rang through their ears.
Slade's masked face appeared on the large screen, he had many robots in the background in a defense mode. "It's been a long time since I saw you, what, 2 years? You are all now, wait don't tell me, 16 years old?"
Cyborg huffed. "I'm 17 for your 411." Slade smiled. "But your attitude is merely 10."
"What do you want Slade?" Robin growled, he held his fists in tight balls. "Why Robin, same thing I've wanted when you were younger. You."
"Well you can't have him you idiotic sleezeball." Beast boy snarled. "Watch your tongue boy, I can assassinate you in a matter of seconds if I wish."
Beast boy faltered back a bit. Raven put a hand on his shoulder. "Slade, why have you come back, we had killed you, and we were sure it was for real that time." She glared.
"Well you see, "we" is not the right word for your sentence, She almost killed me." Slade pointed in Starfire's direction. "If it wasn't for the river down below where her energy ball had thrown me, I would have never survived, but all is well, since I did."
"Slade, you do not belong in this world, and we will make sure of it, your evil presence sickens us deeply, good bye." Starfire made her way towards the delete button, but before she could delete it, Slade scared her with his words.
"I'll get revenge Starfire, and if I do die, I will make sure you die first." Slade's face turned off from the screen. Robin's finger had pressed the Delete button. Starfire stared down in fear.
"Star, don't worry, I won't, we won't let him get you, I promise." Robin's soothing words echoed in her ears. "You promise?" They all nodded.
A smile plastered upon her face. "Thank you." Robin grabbed her arm. "C'mon Star, let's go, I think the ice cream truck is opened today at the park!"
Robin and her raced down to the earth's floor and walked peacefully towards the enchanted park. On their way, they had small talk here and there.
"So Star, um, how have you been doing?" Robin searched for words.
"Fine thank you, and you?" Starfire smiled, taking no notice of his lack of words.
"Eh, can't complain. You know that now since Slade is back, we have to keep ourselves on guard all the time right?" Robin became fiercer when Slade crossed his mind. He tried keeping his cool, for Star's sake.
Starfire looked down and muttered barely audible for Robin's ears. "Sorry what was that Star?"
"I said, I know that he's back, and I hope you don't get all crazy like you did the last he threatened us."
Offended, Robin stopped in his tracks. "Starfire, I was young back then, not sure of what I was doing, you needn't worry about how I act, because I am not the same kid I used to be." He growled.
Starfire looked at him with pleading eyes. "I know that Robin! I just, I don't know." She looked down, not wanting him to see her watered eyes.
"As far as I'm concerned, Slade is nothing more than an enemy we still have to destroy." He placed a gentle hand on her chin and lifted it, staring contently into her emerald pools. "Starfire, you are my best friend, I will not let him get to me, and I will not let him get to you."
Starfire nodded and hugged him warmly. Across the park and in a clearing near the dump house, a large glowing red hole appeared out of nowhere. A tall boy rose from the hole and landed gracefully on the earth as hell's hole vanished.
He shivered as a warm breeze hit him. "Not as hot as hell, but it will do for a while." The boy had dark black hair, a pearly complexion and dark red, almost brown eyes. His long black eyelashes fluttered up and down as he blinked.
Walking away from where he came from, he stopped at a large park where little kids were swinging merrily and running around.
Eyes scanning across the field, he noticed a really beautiful girl, and she seamed to be crying. She was near a boy, who looked angry and offended. "Has he hurt her?" He muttered to himself. A tug came at his pant leg.
Looking down, he saw a small little boy. "Hey Mr. you shouldn't talk to yourself, people might start to wonder." The tall one leapt towards him, scaring him off. "Stupid brat, I hate little kids."
Walking over towards the couple, he stopped inches away and listened. "Starfire, you are my best friend, I will not let him get to me, and I will not let him get to you." The boy had said.
Watching intently, he saw the young teenager hug the boy who had made her cry. Coming in closer he made conversation. "I'm sorry to bug you miss, but is he bugging you?"
Robin faced the stranger who had just insulted him. Him bugging her? Starfire wiped her tears and shook her head. "No, no we just had a slight argument."
"I am deeply sorry for troubling you. My name is Devion, I have traveled far and wide, and where I come from, when a girl is crying, it means she is trouble."
"Well, she's not. Besides she can take of herself." Robin snarled. He didn't like the boy in front of him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, fair maiden." Devion said. Starfire blushed. "Oh sorry, this is Robin and I am Starfire." Completely forgetting about Robin, he grabbed her hands in his own.
"What a lovely name, perfect for a lovely young woman." Devion smiled warmly. Robin gave him a disgusted look. He shook their hands away. "Okay that's enough." Starfire was looking at the boy strangely but in a warm sort of way.
"Thank you." She responded. Devion nodded. Robin looked from his friend to the stupid boy. 'What a prick.' He thought.
"Well, I must be on my way, I hope to see you again Starfire." He said with a gleam in his eye. Starfire watched him walk away with happiness. "What a kind boy, very kind." She grabbed Robin's arm and led him to the ice cream truck.
'Too nice for my taste.' He thought wickedly.
Devion smiled evilly as he departed from the lovely Starfire. 'I think I like her, she would be a good earthling wife, father will be pleased.'
"She seamed very taken with that idiot boy, I need a plan to dispose of him." He said aloud, figuring no one was near. A man in a mask stepped out, he was wearing a uniform of some sort with a letter 'S' on it.
"My good lad, did I hear you say you needed to get rid of a boy?" He asked kindly. Devion looked at him. "Who are you?"
"The question is, who are you?" The unidentified man asked. "Devion the Demon, Lucifer's, hell himself, son." He stated proudly.
"The name is Slade, and I am willing to get rid of the boy I think you are talking about, for a favor." He continued. "Was the boy wearing a black mask, and with a beautiful girl by the name of Starfire?"
Devion nodded. "Yes, I believe the maiden said his name was, uh the name of a bird, um Wood Pecker?"
"Robin?" He helped. Devion nodded again. "Yeah, Robin was his name."
Smiling wickedly, Slade rubbed his hands together. "Good." He said dangerously. "Now this is what I was planning Devion, if you would come to my layer, I would happily tell you my plan. You can have Starfire, and I will have Robin." Devion grinned. "Sure."
"Hey Star!" Robin called after he had got his ice cream. Turning around, Starfire felt ice cold ice cream touch her nose. Robin had put some on his finger and colored her nose in chocolate.
"Robin!" She giggled. She smashed her strawberry ice cream cone on his head and took of running. The strawberry leaked down and he licked it. "Ohh, you're in for it now!" He laughed.
After running around for a while and playing childishly in the play area, they started home after it started to get dark.
Exhaling cloudy orbs of wind, Starfire shivered as a luke warm breeze brushed against her. "Are you cold?" Robin asked. He took of his cloak and draped it around her. "Thank you Robin."
"The sky is so clear, and the stars are so readable. Look there is Tamaran." Starfire sighed. Robin, gazing up at the stars, asked solemnly. "You miss your old home Star?"
"I did, but I'm glad I'm here with my friends, and of course you." She smiled and they walked home in a slow pace, observing the mystical beauties that nightfall brings.
"Where in the hell were you?" Beast boy shrill cry echoed. He tapped his foot at the teens in front of him. Robin and Starfire looked at him oddly. "Since when do you care?"
Beast boy cracked. "I don't haha!" He chuckled. "Scared ya though, didn't I?"
Robin smiled. "Whatever you say B.B, whatever you say." Starfire walked past both of them. "You are so funny Beast Boy." She patted him on the head.
"Where is Cyborg?" Robin asked. Raven looked up from her mystery book. "He went out to get the pizza the boys ordered."
Humming indolently to himself, he swung his arms in a bored motion as Cyborg walked to Pizza Palace. The ally he walked in was surrounded in isolation, but not for long.
Loud footsteps could be heard coming his way, in a running motion. Something smaller than him collided into his chest and fell to the ground. Cyborg, surprised, looked down and found a young woman around his age, covering her face in fear.
"Hey little lady, you alright there?" He crouched down to the girl's level. Suddenly she showed her face and Cyborg looked taken aback. The woman's shoulder and arm was in robot form, her left leg was robotic and her right foot was too.
"You're half robot?" He whispered. She looked up at him. "Yeah, and so are you." Two thugs appeared from around the corner. "Look Jester, there's too of them."
"Two of what?" Cyborg asked the thugs. "Freaks!" Jester called back. "Boy, don't make me use this?" Cy shifted his arm into his sonic cannon. "Ah, let's get out of here!" Jester grabbed his chubby friend and fled.
"Are you alright?" Cyborg asked again, helping her up. Dusting herself off, she nodded. "Thanks, you saved me." She smiled. "My name is Ayrasia, (I-ray- sha) what's yours?"
"Cyborg, I'm one of the teen members of the Teen Titans." He stated self- satisfied. Ayrasia's eyes got round with excitement. "Ooh, are you really?"
"Yep!"
"That is so cool! So sorry to cut into your business, but where were you heading to?" She asked rocking back and forth, hands behind her back, an innocent smile formed.
"To Pizza Palace, wanna come?"
"Are you kidding? That would be great!"
"Okay then, let's go!" Cyborg and Ayrasia walked two blocks to Pizza palace and got their half meat half veggie special.
"So do you really kick the baddie's asses?" She said, punching the air as if she were beating someone up.
"Yup, almost every day pretty lady!" He winked, causing her to blush slightly.
Ayrasia was a tall, 17-year-old half robot girl. Her shoulder length black hair swayed in the wind and her dark complexion was swallowed in the night. Her silver mechanic body was touched lightly by the moonlight, making the beam sparkle her eyes ever so gently.
"Did I tell you that you are really pretty?" Cyborg asked, holding on to the pizza with one hand. Ayrasia looked at him kindly then touched his nose. "Almost 3 times now." Smiling they continued their journey back to the Titan Tower.
"Oh come on Raven, just this once, I won't ever ask you to do it again!" Beast boy begged. An irritated Raven growled. "I said no Beast Boy, I will not play that childish game of yours, get it through your puny little brain."
Beast boy watched as Raven walked away. 'Why is she in such a bad mood?' He thought. 'Am I doing something that is annoying her even more than before?'
"Honey, I'm home!" Cyborg called. Beast boy turned, not expecting to see another. "Who's this?"
"Oh this is Ayrasia, I saved her earlier, and asked if she wanted to come along, her company was quite enjoyable." Cy grinned. Ayrasia giggled. "Your Beast Boy right? Cyborg was telling me about you."
Eyeing Cyborg suspiciously, Beast boy walked over to Ayrasia, smoothing back his hair. "Oh really, and what did his over grown tin man say to you about me? That I was devilishly handsome perhaps?"
Cyborg rolled his eyes. "Boy, you need to get a life. Your ego is so big, that you weigh more than a hippolotomus." Ayrasia giggled. "Hippolotomus?"
"Inside joke." Beast boy and him muttered in unison. She bit down on her lower lip and nodded in 'OOOKAY'.
The sliding doors slid open, Starfire and Robin walked in. "Like I was saying Starfire, usually when you feed the fish, you give them only a little."
"But Robin, your fat, greedy fish kept eating all the food, so I felt bad for the rest." Robin chuckled. "Oh was he?"
"Hey y'all, I want you to meet a new friend of mine." Cyborg said. Looking up, Robin and Starfire came face to face with the half robot girl.
"Cyborg, you do know that you aren't supposed to bring anyone up-" Starfire nudged Robin in the ribs. "Let it go." She said through a smile.
"Hello friend, my name is Starfire, and this here is Robin." She said smiling warmly. "And what is your name?"
"Ayrasia, nice to meet you Starfire and Robin." Robin and Star shook her robotic arm. 'Has Cyborg finally met his dream girl?' Star asked herself in thought.
"I can't believe I am meeting all of you, what a pleasure. Robin, you're so handsome! Just like everyone says, and Starfire, you are more beautiful than I imagined." She turned to Beast boy. "Green dude, you are so funny, you are a prized friend."
Turning around to Cyborg, she smiled. "And Cyborg, never in all my life, would I have thought I would fall head over heels for you, or even meet you for that matter. I am thankful that you saved me, it must be destiny."
Cyborg blushed and scratched his head. "Oh it was, um, well nothing, to be worried, er, what was the question?" He stuttered.
"Ha, Cy is stuttering." Beast Boy nudged Ayrasia. "He must really have the hots for you."
"Hello." Came a monotone voice. "My name is Raven, and what might yours be?"
Ayrasia turned around. "Your Raven?"
Raven nodded, she had her hood down and her gem in the middle of her eyes was lightly glowing.
"You seem so different in person than in the pictures in the headlines." She said amazed.
"They must catch my good side." She said, not smiling one bit.
"Oh, I am so sorry." Ayrasia bowed. "My name is Ayrasia Onigumi, I am a new friend of Cyborg's and now hoping to be all yours."
Everyone smiled, except the grumpy one, and nodded. "Come friends, and new friend, let's all have a feast of Merry Pudding and let's 'Hang out'." Star smiled.
Everyone, except for Ayrasia, sweat dropped. "Um, Star, why don't we have slushies instead?" Robin asked.
Pondering it, She raised her finger. "Sure, let's have slushies, but Robin, this time, I will have lime. The strawberry hurt my head last time."
"Sure thing Star." Robin went to the kitchen and started slushing up ice and adding flavored liquid to all the cups.
After everyone had had his or her slushies, Cyborg offered to take Ayrasia home. The clock had hit 1:00 am and everyone was exhausted.
"Goodnight Star, Night Raven and Beast Boy, Don't let the bed bugs bite Ayrasia, and see ya in the morning Cy, I'm hitting the sack." Robin yawned.
Robin walked to his room in a slow pace, so none would suspect him. After he shut his door and locked it, he turned on the light and hit a small red button, carefully hidden underneath his picture of him and Star.
Silently, things started to turn over in his room. His bed flipped into a long table, his drawers turned into straight liners that held books and important papers, and his walls, that had once been covered in trophies and pictures were now plans and headline clips.
The name 'Slade' was all over his wall. Three little words, "Who is Slade." Was what started the whole mess. Him betraying his friends, almost killing Starfire, a big deal about trust, and serving with Slade as his apprentice.
Memories came washing back into his mind, vicarious to his incidents.
~*FlashBack*~
Robin had leaned up against his wall, as Starfire walked in. "Robin." She had said faintly. Her hurt voice haunted him.
"You wanna to yell at me too, everyone else has" Robin had looked down. "And I don't blame them."
Starfire shook her head, her eyes were glossy. "I do not wish to yell, merely to understand. Robin, why didn't you tell us the truth?"
Robin stared into her eyes. "I needed to fool Slade, If you guys knew it was me under that mask, you would've held back." He had looked down again and said ashamed, "It doesn't matter anyway, Slade figured it out, and I still haven't figured out anything about him."
Starfire shook her head again. "That is not true, who ever Slade is, you and he are similar. Slade did not trust you," She had held back, but said softly. "And you did not trust us."
Robin watched as Starfire walked slowly away from him, the farther she got, the more he got back to reality.
~*End of Flashback*~
Those choices of words hit him deep, especially coming from her mouth. "Slade, who ever you are, I will figure out your secret, even if I do it alone." He growled. With that he started observing the headlines and notes he had written awhile back.