Fan Fiction ❯ Phoenix's Rise ❯ Settling In ( Chapter 4 )

Okay, I'm going to dedicate this chapter to InuGhost, for letting me kinda' use his story . . . you rock!

Chapter 4

Settling In

“Are you positive that's what Overload said? `Master' could be anyone who he's working for,” Robin told Beast Boy and Phoenix. “Then again, the word `apprentice' really points a finger at Slade. That could also explain why the other alarms were fake.”

“What did you say?” Beast Boy asked. “The attacks by Cinderblock and Plasmus were fakes?”

Robin nodded. “We checked, and there wasn't a monster in sight, and when we checked the security systems, we found evidence of a hacker. Something, or someone set off a false alarm to force us to split up.”

“But,” Phoenix began, "how would whoever it was know where I was going to be? I'm not trying to draw attention to myself, but the attack was obviously aimed at me. Overload undoubtedly expected BB and me.” Beast Boy nodded in agreement.

“Maybe all of the signals were fake, and when Slade or whoever knew where you were going, he or she sent the correct monster to try and capture you,” Cyborg inserted.

“That sounds like a lot of work,” Raven commented," if that's what happened, it would've needed to be set up by someone smart.” The entire tower became entirely quiet.

“Is everyone thinking about Slade as I am?” Starfire asked, breaking the stillness. Five heads bobbed slowly and solemnly.

“If Slade really is after you,” Robin said to Phoenix," he won't give up easily, I learned that. We'll all need to be careful.”

“If Slade is after me,” Phoenix sighed," maybe I should just leave town, and save everyone the trouble.”

“Easier said than done.” Cyborg replied “Once Slade sets his sights on somebody, he won't give up just because they skipped town. He'd follow you.”

“Yah,” Beast Boy agreed," and if he did come after you after you left, we wouldn't be able to help you at all, if you need it.”

“The best way to save trouble,” Raven concluded," is to stay here with us. As long as you can learn to ignore Beast Boy's dumb jokes . . . you'll be fine here.”

“Hey,” Beast Boy objected," you know that I'm funny, you just don't want to admit it. Here, I have a new joke.”

“Just shoot me now, and save me the pain,” Raven groaned.

“Ditto,” Robin and Cyborg agreed.

“All right,” Beast Boy began, ignoring the criticism. “Why did the chicken cross the road? To show the raccoons it could be done! Wasn't that funny?”

“Okay . . . well if I do stay here, here do I sleep?” Phoenix asked, changing the subject from the pathetic joke that had just been told.

“There is an extra room on the same floor as mine,” Raven volunteered," and after awhile, if you want . . . I'll help you decorate it.” The senior Titans stared at their friend. Most of the time Raven hated for anyone to get anywhere near her room.

“All right. Um . . . what do you guys do all day? It must really get boring sometimes,” Phoenix questioned.

“Video games,” Robin, Cyborg, and Beast Boy replied.

“I cook,” Starfire answered. At the mention of Star's native foods, everyone but Phoenix and Starfire herself began to look ill *Phoenix didn't know the dangers of Star's cooking*.

“I meditate or read,” Raven replied.

“We practice about an hour a day,” Robin added. “Speaking of practice, we should go do the obstacle course right now.” Beast Boy and Cyborg cheered, as the entire Titan team walked outside.

Starfire went first, mostly to show Phoenix how to do the course. She took 45 seconds. While Beast Boy ran and flew through the course, Raven explained what the course was for. “This is to help you with your speed, attacks, and most of all your powers. Okay, it's your turn.” Beast Boy had taken 30.4 seconds, replacing Starfire as the fastest.

Okay, Phoenix, this is just an obstacle course, don't worry. "Go!" everyone shouted. Phoenix ran forward, dodging lasers as she went, then put small orange force-fields around the laser blasters. Next were some robots. Phoenix made several small, round fire balls, and sent them flying at five of the six robots destroying all of the five. While doing this, the final robot snuck up on Phoenix and prepared to attack.

Phoenix turned just in time to see the robot prepare to strike, and then she vanished in a cloud of smoke, just like when the Titans had first seen her. As the Titans began to wonder where she went, the smoke moved behind the robot, then turned back into Phoenix. Unaware, the robot walked forward, then a stream of flame enveloped it. All of the robots were gone now.

Next was a forest of metallic vines that tried to grab and squeeze who or whatever they could find. Once again, all the Titans could see of their new friend was a cloud of smoke. No matter how hard the mechanical tentacles tried, they couldn't grasp her, and that allowed Phoenix to speed through to the finish line.

“Time!” Robin said, stopping the timer. “Forty-five seconds, not bad for your first time.”

“Congratulations,” Raven smiled," you're good. Glad to have you on the team.”

“Yes, if Slade wishes to force you to become his apprentice,” Starfire giggled “he will have a hard time catching you!”

”Yeah,” Cyborg chuckled," he won't see you for smoke!” With these comments, everyone but Beast Boy began to laugh.

“Come on,” Beast Boy groaned “That wasn't funny!” With that complaint, everyone began to laugh harder than they were before.

“Well,” Robin began “, now we'd better get everyone else through the course. Cyborg, you next, then I'll go. You don't mind being last . . . do you Raven?”

Raven shook her head. “It'll give me a chance to blow you out of the water.” Beast Boy and Cyborg snickered behind her, but Raven's glare shut them up right away.

Cyborg fought his way through the course, taking 30.5 seconds. Beast Boy crowed with delight. “Yah, nobody can beat the Green Master!”

Robin went through the course, and Beast Boy groaned. Robin had taken 30 seconds on the dot. “I guess someone can beat the `Green Master', and that someone is me,” Robin grinned.

“Don't count me out,” Raven reminded the boys. “I guarantee that I'll take less than twenty seconds.”

“Cough . . . Cocky . . . Cough,” Cyborg laughed.

“Do you require a cough suppressant, friend? I have a Tameranian recipe that will help you feel better in no time,” Starfire asked.

“Umm . . . don't worry Star, I'm fine . . . I just had a little something caught in my throat.”

“Can I go yet?” Raven asked. Robin nodded, and took her place at the starting line. When the Titans shouted for her to begin, Raven melted into the ground, then reappeared on the finish line. “I told you so.” Raven had held true to her word. She took only three seconds.

“Th-that's not fair! She can't do that . . . can she?” Beast Boy whined.

“Yah,” Cyborg complained “, it's not fair!”

“I know I'm really new and all,” Phoenix spoke up “, but Raven said that the reason you do this is to help increase your speed, attack, and POWERS. It seems to me that Raven didn't do anything wrong.”

“Phoenix has a point,” Starfire agreed.

“Yep,” Robin nodded “, it looks like we have a new all-time Titan record! Sorry you two, if you want, you could sue her. I'm sure that InuGhost would love to see you again.”

Cyborg became pale, and fell backwards, and Beast Boy turned into a very scrawny, scared looking cat yowled, and ran up the side of Titan's Tower in fear. “Naw,” Cyborg stuttered as he got up “, that won't be necessary. Congrats on the new record Rae. You earned it, heh-heh.” Little spiky-haired jerk, he shouldn't be talking. He must not remember what happened to him last time he set foot in that courtroom.

“Cyborg,” Raven threatened “, you'd better not let Robin find out what you just thought about him. I don't think he'd be very happy to know what I heard.”

“What was he thinking?” Robin asked Raven.

“I think I'll just hold this above his head for a while,” Raven replied “, it's always nice to be able to blackmail people.”