Robin jerked back as something came flying out of the part of the convention center that held the ATM. He did a back flip and landed gently next to whatever it was that was headed in his direction. Starfire floated down towards him and looked at the steaming object. "Um, may I ask what it is?" she asked.
Robin pulled out his staff and glared at the object. "I'm not sure yet, it may be a trap so be careful," he warned and took a few more steps backwards as it hissed.
Suddenly several metal tendrils came out of the object and tried to impale the boy. He glared at it and neatly dodged each attack, parrying a few strikes with his staff and jumping to a safe distance away from the object as Starfire threw her starbolts at the thing.
"What is that thing?" Cyborg asked as a pterodactyl Beast Boy set him down on his feet and resumed his human form.
"That's what I'd like to find out," Robin said darkly as he looked behind the object at the half destroyed convention center.
Raven appeared next to the rest of them in time to hear Control Freak laugh maniacally behind them. They all turned around to see the chubby teen looking rather smug as he held a backpack with some bills falling out of the pockets. "Hello Teen Titans," he sneered. "Sorry, I don't really feel like playing today. I just needed to pick up some cash."
Cyborg leveled his laser canon at Control Freak's head and narrowed his eyes. "Too bad it's not yours," he shot back. "Besides, you don't really have to worry about money in prison."
Control Freak rolled his eyes and sighed exasperatedly. "Please, I'm a super villain, not a petty thief. This isn't for the sake of stealing."
"Then why are you committing this horrible act?" Starfire asked imploringly. "Surely there is a better way to solve your problems."
"Problems?" Control Freak laughed. "No, you misunderstand me. I stole the money to get something else. Duh."
"So much for not being a petty thief," Raven muttered.
"What'cha do it for?" Beast Boy asked tentatively.
Control Freak clasped his hands together and sighed happily. "The director of the cult classic 'The Night before the Last Dawn' is selling his own private copy of the movie, signed and dedicated to whoever buys it. It was one of the best horror movies ever created and I must have it," he said with a wicked grin.
Beast Boy's eyes widened. "Dude! That's the movie where the zombies get that giant radioactive thing and…"
Control Freak nodded excitedly. "Yes, I know. And the part where Jet punches right through the zombie's head," he sighed wistfully. "Amazing."
Beast Boy's eyes sparkled. "The director is selling a signed copy? I thought that guy like… dropped of the face of the earth. Is he really selling here?" he asked, looking around as if the guy would magically appear.
"Of course he is. This is only the biggest comic-con on the east coast," Control Freak said haughtily. "And I will own the movie."
Cyborg rubbed his forehead. "Okay, BB, stop fanboying with the enemy. We need to kick his tail. He robbed a bank, remember?"
Beast Boy frowned and looked a little upset. "Oh yeah," he sighed. He shrugged and shifted into the form of a tiger and growled dangerously at Control Freak.
Control Freak snorted. "No one is keeping me from getting that movie," he said and held up a small, silver remote. "So, say sayonara Teen Titans," he jeered and pressed a button.
Behind the Titans the mechanical device whirred to life and came out of the crater that it had created when it crashed in front of Robin. It stood on eight legs and was made out of a malleable metal that shifted as it reached full height. It towered about ten feet above Cyborg and had no other features aside from a spherical shaped body.
"Titans, GO," Robin yelled and dived aside just in time to keep himself from getting crushed by one of the thing's tendrils.
Raven flew up into the air and took in a deep breath to steady her nerves. "Azarath, metrion, zinthos," she hissed and immobilized two of the arms. Starfire flew up behind her and threw as many starbolts as she could at the two frozen arms.
Behind them Control Freak laughed and shook his head. "You gotta try harder then that."
When the smoke from their combined attacks cleared, the robot was left standing, as fine as it had ever been and still attacking Robin. Starfire growled and flew down to scoop up Robin and get him away from the legs of the robot.
Beast Boy landed a few feet away from Control Freak and turned into a snake. He slithered over to the boy and hissed loudly, showing off his fangs. Control Freak jumped and dropped the remote he was carrying. Beast Boy quickly wound around it and resumed his human form. He laughed and waved the remote in front of Control Freak. "Looks like I got it, huh?" he asked.
Control Freak smiled. "Octobot doesn't like it when anyone other then me gives it commands."
Beast Boy raised an eyebrow. "Octobot? What kind of lameo name is octobo…" Beast Boy was cut off as one of the tendrils snaked around his waist and pulled him into the air. "Hey, leggo," he grunted and tried to shape shift. He turned into a gorilla but the robot held on fast because Beast Boy refused to let go of the remote.
"Hey, BB," Cyborg yelled at his struggling friend. "Toss it here." Beast Boy turned his head and saw Cyborg waving his hands. He struggled and resumed his human form, managing to get his arm free for a second before he was caught again. "It's coming your way, Cy," he yelled and threw it as hard as he could at Cyborg.
The robot followed the remote and promptly let go of Beast Boy. Starfire flew down and caught Beast Boy before he hit the ground and set him gently down. "Are you unharmed?" she asked softly while patting Beast Boy's back as he took in deep breaths.
"I'll live," he sighed and turned into a bird and flew off to help Cyborg.
Cyborg pressed a few buttons and then crushed the remote in his hand. Raven landed gently next to Cyborg and frowned. "Are you sure that's okay?" Raven asked.
Cyborg snorted. "Of course I'm sure. I typed in a small virus and then destroyed it's way of getting communication. Programming or not it should collapse right about…" Cyborg looked up and watched as a large electric shock went through the robot. "Now," he finished and watched it collapse.
"Show off," Beast Boy muttered. "I got the remote you know."
Cyborg pulled Beast Boy into a noogie and grinned wickedly. "I know, and I stopped the giant robot."
"That is fine," Starfire said as she landed next to them. "But where is the villain?"
"Over there," Raven pointed.
As the Titans were occupied with the robot Control Freak decided it would be a good idea to get away from the crime scene. He grinned wickedly and turned around to hightail it out of there when he ran into something. He looked up and saw Robin glaring down at him. "I believe you have something that doesn't belong to you," he said darkly.
Control Freak backed up and pulled out a gadget. "Stand back, I know how to get you, boy wonder."
In one smooth motion, Robin kicked the thing out of Control Freak's hand. Control Freak's eyes widened and he turned around and ran away from Robin in a desperate attempt to get away. Robin pulled out his grappling hook and fired it at Control Freak's feet. He pulled back a little bit and watched as the rope wound neatly around his ankles, making the boy stumble. Then he tugged back towards himself and watched with a small, satisfied grin as Control Freak face planted into the ground.
Control Freak groaned as Robin walked over to him and pulled the knapsack with money out of his hands. The other Titans walked over to see what was going on. Robin grinned as he held up the bag. "Didn't anyone ever tell you crime doesn't pay?" he asked.
Beast Boy groaned quietly and Cyborg hid a laugh behind his hand. "He's gotta have the last line," he said to Beast Boy quietly.
Beast Boy shrugged. "Always with the one liners," he sighed. "They never end."
Back at the Titan's Tower Tak eyed the television with interest. On the screen a reporter was motion behind her at the now completely wrecked convention center. "And once again you have witnessed the Teen Titans take down another dangerous villain. You have seen it all first on Take 5, action news. We now go back to the studio. Dan?"
Tak turned off the television before the human anchorman could appear to gush over the Titans some more. "Very interesting," she said silently.
"What is?" Dib asked calmly, sipping on a soda and leaning on the back of the couch that Tak was sitting in.
Tak hissed and jumped up, deploying her weapons from her pak and aiming them at Dib's throat. Dib jumped up and backed away from the glowing devices. "Woah, woah, chill Tak. I just asked a question," he said while holding up his hands.
Tak held his gaze for a few more seconds before taking her weapons back into her pak. "Don't sneak up on me, human."
"I wasn't sneaking," Dib snapped back, obviously scandalized.
Tak snorted and then motioned at the TV. "Them," she answered.
"Huh?" Dib asked stupidly.
"The answer to your question, nitwit," Tak hissed. "The kids that you fraternize with. The Teen Titans are interesting. They have obviously worked together for awhile, for they are well trained in team work and their powers are strong. I was merely thinking if there was a possibility to win against the Vertians."
"Well?" Dib asked while taking another slow sip of his soda.
Tak smiled and tugged on her curled antennae. "You're all suicidal," she said finally. "But your confidence isn't unfounded. Even if the rest of this planet is inhabited by morons I'll give you this much, you humans certainly know how to pull miracles out of thin air."
Dib finished off his soda. "You really want to finish off Zim so bad that you'll go along with a bunch of teens on a suicide mission?" he asked.
Tak shrugged. "What else is there for me to do?" she asked. Then she looked Dib straight in the eye. "And yes, Zim's life will be taken by my own hands. You can bet on that."
Dib left the room shaking his head. "I wonder," he said softly.
Heh, well it's been awhile but then again school and SAT's kinda took their toll. I come back with more fic for ya though! Enjoy the Titans filler as I set up for the uber battle climax. Wheee Hugs and cookies to my reviewers as always.