The dream spun into Rose’s mind that night left her in the void between reality and fiction. He eyes brought her to a large meadow full of sweet buttercups and waves of thick green grass. There was a beautiful woman sitting on a white picket fence, swinging her tanned leg back and forth. The wind playfully tugged at her skirt, causing it to ripple in the breeze.

Adeline Kane.

Just then, a young blonde haired man appeared by her side . . the knight in shining armor. With his deep blue eyes and tanned skin, he was certainly a sight to see.

The young man clamped his hands around her waist, and pulled Adeline down to the ground right next to his chest. Rose did a double take because his attractive face and ripping body were stealing her breath away, and she knew that this man was her father in a much much younger stage in life.

Adeline was tall but Slade was far taller than her. Rose watched him push that reddish hair off her brow as he gazed into Adeline’s face deeply and solemnly. Somehow, two adorable blonde haired boys appeared out of now where and were standing next to them.

It’s a beautiful life and I want to be part of it. I want to be loved, to be needed, to be appreciated.

Rose wanted to come towards the perfect family. She took a step towards them but hot thick steamy heat blew into her face. Vines sprang out of the ground and thick trees held her back. “They are not for you, little Snowflower,” her mother’s thick accented voice drawled behind her.

Rose ignored the voice and strained a hand out to the perfect family. She saw her father’s hands rested on Adeline’s hips yet he lifted his head up to Rose. Those blue eyes were half closed in calmness as they gazed at her, yet she knew he was smiling at her. It was a teasing smile and Rose hated it. Her fists drove forward but were halted by a smooth clear surface.

Stop laughing at me, Daddy. I’m fighting as hard as I can, but you don’t care at all. I’m just your silly little girl no matter much I wish it wasn’t so. You won’t come and take me away.

Rose found a sheet of glass placed between herself and the family: they were trapped within a picture. She began to shout and bang at the clear barrier angrily, attempting to get inside. The girl continued to punch until she could fight no more. She fell to her knees in exhaustion, wanting to cry out of desperation.

“Look to the sun,” she heard a young male voice whisper behind her. A gloved hand touched her shoulder. “Look to the sun and you’ll find what you’re looking for,” the voice repeated. Rose turned around to face the messenger but the blinding rays of the sun were cast into her eyes.

She squinted and held a hand to her forehead, attempting to make out the message. But all she could see was that glowing pink and crimson sun setting into the bay. Yet she knew where it was leading her.

The sun sets in the west.

Go west, look towards the sun.

Somewhere in the bay where the waters were sparkling a deep blue, a large tower stretched upwards, its plates glittering silver in the late afternoon sky.

California, where they all head west. Towards Jump City.

Titans Tower

A-A-A

Somewhere in the absence of light, there is a domain where darkness dwells in solitary confinement. It was within the stone cold walls of the cell where the prisoner now kept sanctuary from the rest of the world.

His body was once composed of the ordinary flesh and blood, yet now, had been twisted into a shrapnel bomb of metal and wires. Without the basic support necessary for movement, he lay immobilized in his black chamber for hours on end.

Time had stood still for the person. Withdrawn from the sun’s rotation and the moon’s waxing and waning, he no longer lived in the world of men. He now dwelled only in his mind where the body was of little use to him. The mind had become his visual projection to recollect what had once happened to him.

Failure will NOT be tolerated!

Inwardly, his first remorse came in the form of infliction upon himself. Failure? No doubt. He had been riding high at one point in his career; the feared and respected leader of thousands of eager young juveniles. They had come to drink in his words, obey his commands, and chant to the rhythm of the war drum like sheep to the shepherd.

But he had overlooked the stubbornness of some of the others. A mere handful of those brats dared to defy him and face the consequences. Had he not been a patient man, so eloquent in his smooth speeches to them? Did he not offer them salvation from the problems that once plagued their souls.

Fail me again, and I shall send you to your doom!

Slowly, the pity for himself began to transform into rage at those that had disobeyed him. As the wrath began to seep into his body, it began to alter it as well. He watched the severed limbs begin to flow with animation. Instead of blood, tiny dark red circuits began to flicker in the dark room. A soft clicking sound was heard from his abdomen. Gently prodding himself, he managed to use the mere mental control that he had within him to draw the cybernetic organs back into places. He hissed softly when the implants began to shift uncomfortably within him, but he forced down the prickly pain. After all, it was a small price to pay for what he wanted.

One of his eyes, a smooth plate of ruby laser crystal, began to gleam like the very enlightenment of redemption itself. His lungs: one real, one composed of metallic tissue, inhaled and exhaled quickly. The rough voice of a particular adolescent was now fueling him with intense rage and vigorous strength.

“You cannot defeat me. When are you going to learn?”

He confessed, it was foolish to think a mere child would appreciate the admiration he had in mind. After all, altering his own body merely to understand the “handicapped” yet brilliant student should have worked. He and the others should have bowed in gratitude for his deep interest in them. . . but of course, they did not.

“Never. Guess that makes you a lousy teacher.”

The audible rumbling of a motor was sufficient to express his wounded growl. He had no need for food these days as much as he required sun and light. Such physical items were petty and unnecessary to him. But he wanted something else, something far more valuable than any other material possession could offer.

Revenge.

A-A-A-A

One of the guards heard the alarms going off in the level eight sectors. He signaled to his partner and they approached the elevators. With a nod of his helmeted head, he adjusted the stun gun in his hand.

“Isn’t that in the quarantine level?” his partner asked. Even with their slightly altered voices coming from the speakers in the helmets, there was a trace of doubt in his voice.

“Nobody’s been locked up there for over a year,” he added.

The first one shrugged. “One old fogey missing a few limbs. We can handle it.”

“Oh really?” came a cool masculine voice from just down the corridor. Metallic fingers gently curled around the doorway from where a figure still lingered into eh shadows. “And just how well do you think you can handle me?”

The two gauds saw a tiny red dot flickering from his face. Immediately, they raised their guns to their faces to take aim. With merely the stretch of his hand, the guns flew out of their hands. He flicked his palm downward at once. Each guard was encompassed in a fiery ring of red power and began to cringe from the agonizing pain. They groaned and collapsed to their knees, completely immobilized.

“Thank you, gentlemen,” he drawled as he stepped out from the shadows. He glanced down at the two writhing guards, a sadistic smile of satisfaction on his face.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some overdue assignments to carry out. After all,” he said softly as he spun on his heels.

“ . . . school is never out of session.”

-A-A

At around three o’clock in the morning, the alarm in Titans Tower went off. The Titans went scampering out of their rooms, all pumped up with adrenaline from the shock of alarm, or just plain anger.

Beast Boy was still rubbing sleep out of his eyes and giving off excessively giant yawns.

“This is like what, the third time in three weeks?” Robin grumbled. He ran down to the garage and shoved on his red helmet.

“Fourth”, Raven answered him.

The Titans hadn’t expected Slade’s daughter to be charming exactly in their house, but her attitude and manners were becoming downright impossible. For the past few weeks, she had been living in their home without much change in her personality.

Rose was usually just stay in her room without even bothering to make conversation with them. When she did show up for a meal, the girl would roll her eyes often or shrug and make comments like “Yeah” and “Whatever”. It was awkward enough having someone around without being reminded of a certain black and orange clad psychopath.

She watched them at training and would sometimes start hitting at a punching bag, but lose interest very soon. She didn’t want to play games or hang out with them. Rose was in her own little world that they couldn’t pull her out of.

Robin found out that one night Rose had left the Tower, gone into town, and picked up a fight with a couple of street boys.

Fearing for her safety, the Titans had torn into the alleyway to rescue Rose. They found some teenagers writhing on the ground moaning and crying over fractured limbs. Rose was preoccupied in dislocating the shoulder socket of her last victim when the team showed up.

Robin’s teeth had clenched so many times that they were going to shatter.

He didn’t have to protect Rose from anyone.

He had to protect everyone from Rose.

He had Cyborg install an extra security code for the main door. Rose just shut down the entire electrical system by cutting the wires. Then he asked Beast Boy to guard the door in his werewolf form. The poor little changeling received a bloody nose before she broke out. Robin finally locked her door at night, only to find out that Rose had gone through the window.

What on earth was wrong with this girl?

The Titans pulled into downtown Jump City which was quiet for the night. The silence was shattered by a high pitched familiar voice.

“Hey, come back here!” Rose hollered, chasing a fast black figure. “I’m not done kicking your butt.” The Titans got to Sylvester “Screams” Alley to see that white hair blowing all over her head and sneakered feet chasing a particular criminal.

“Red X?” Robin blurted out. Sure enough, the jet black skull headed burglar was leaping over rooftops with Rose right behind him.

Raven folded her arms and shook her head. Rose was chasing the person like a silly little puppy chasing its own tail. She’d never catch him.

Red X thrust out his palms. The sticky crimson goo smacked to the soles of Rose’s shoes, causing her to fall flat on her face. The criminal chuckled softly and walked over to her. He bent down and looked at her slightly bruised face covered in gravel.

“Better luck next time, sweetheart.” There was a distinct twinge of amusement in his voice.

Rose’s face flushed like a bright red rose and she snapped her head up. “Oh, you are going to pay for that,” she snarled at him. Ripping her shoes off the sticky puddle, she charged for him. Red X just moved from side to side, blocking her fists. She elbowed him hard in the chest, causing the vigilant to stumble for a moment.

Rose took the chance to deliver an uppercut across his jaw. Red X took a fall but landed on his open palms just before springing back onto his feet.

“Not bad, Doll Face,” he complimented her. Rose swore her hair was going to catch fire after her face. Doll Face! That was the last straw.

“Ok, now you’re gonna get it,” she threatened him. Rose slammed a fist into Red X’s stomach this time. He slumped forward, and then looked up at her.

“You’re playing with the big boys now,” he warned her. Razor sharp metal blades protruded from him wrist guards. Rose ignored the fact that she had forgotten her sword and took a fighting stance.

“Rose, Red X, STOP!” a familiar teenaged voice hollered. Rose groaned loudly and closed her eyes. Red X glanced over his shoulder to see the Titans approaching.

“Looks like your babysitters are here,” Red X teased her. He jerked his head to Robin and cocked it slightly, perhaps out of amusement.

“She belongs to you, kid?” he asked Robin. The Titan’s leader kept a straight face as he walked up to Red X.

“We’re just here to taking Rose back,” he said to Red X. Robin walked over to Rose and grabbed her shoulder firmly. “This time, you get off lucky, Red X.”

“Thanks. Didn’t know you cared,” the electronic voice managed to say with uncanny sarcasm from Red X’s speakers. Red X jerked a thumb over at Rose. “Keep an eye on Doll Face. This cutie’s quite a handful.”

A low growl came from Rose’s throat. She struggled a little but Robin held onto her. They watched Red X dash across the rooftop, leap into the sky, and vanish into nothing.

“How could you just let him escape?” Rose argued to Robin. She continued to try to shake his grip on her shoulder. Robin merely pull Rose in his direction.

“Just get in the car,” he ordered her. Rose was thrown into the T-Car and landed squished in the middle between Robin and Cyborg. Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy quietly got into the back. Cyborg turned on the ignition and started up the car. Once they were safely on the highway, Robin began to lecture Rose.

“What you just did was dangerous, foolish, and downright crazy,” he chastised her. “We won’t tolerate your immaturity, Rose.”

“Sure you can: just let me go,” she muttered with her arms folded tightly over her chest.

Robin shook his head. “We’re not going to do that. I made a promise to your father, and I’m going to keep it. You’re staying at Titans Tower and you’re going to follow our rules.”

“Make me,” Rose shot at him. To Cyborg’s irritation, she leaned for the radio dial and cranked it up high so the car was full of noisy rock music. Then she reached over to Robin’s side and punched the button that let down the windows. Billowing wind smacked into the Titans faces. Ignoring the looks of the other passengers, Rose just propped her feet up on the dashboard and put her hands behind her head.

Robin could feel his temples throbbing madly. He was about to explode with anger when he saw Raven’s reflection in the mirror. For a moment, her eyes caught his own that were thinly veiled through his mask. Raven shook her head ever so slightly. He felt something deep in his stomach, curbing his temper slightly. Robin closed his eyes and breathed for a few moments before speaking.

“Rose,” Robin said, simmering in his anger. “I’m going to ask you just once to stop pulling this act.”

“Then drop your own,” she replied to him quickly, putting her feet down from the dashboard.

“What are you talking about, girl?” Cyborg glared at her.

“I know you guys don’t want me here. So why don’t we just call off this stupid ‘deal’ and let me go,” she said. The T-Car had stopped at a red light. Rose checked the view mirror and saw green, purple, and olive colored eyes all looking at her.

None of the Titans answered her. The silence was uncomfortably long to Rose and she fidgeted in her seat.

“You are wrong, Rose,” Starfire said gently. “We do want you here.”

“We just don’t want your snappy attitude,” Raven added. “Do you think you could just drop it for a few hours a day? It wouldn’t kill you.” The dry sarcasm in her voice had a sharp cutting edge that strongly reminded Rose of her father.

Rose shrugged and looked out the window. “Maybe.”

When they got to the Tower, Rose marched straight up to the bedroom and shut the door. She could hear the Titans still talking downstairs in the kitchen. Not wishing to show her curiosity, she slid her door open just a crack and stuck her ear in to eavesdrop on the conversation.

“Why does she have to act like such a jerk all the time?” Beast Boy complained. He slammed the refrigerator door before taking a seat at the counter.

“Perhaps if we merely allow Rose a bit more time to settle in,” Starfire suggested.

“More time?” Cyborg interrupted. “I don’t know if I can take much more of her attitude myself. She lives here, sleeps here, eats here,” he counted off with his fingers. “And just wipes her feet on the rest of us.”

“Robin?”

They all looked at their leader who had his hands placed carefully on the counter, palms down. He seemed hesitant to speak.

“I think Rose is purposely doing this. She’s being rude and cold not to get on our nerves, but to make us kick her out.”

“Kick her out?” Starfire asked. She blinked her large green eyes. “You mean, she still wishes to go back to Slade?”

“Right. And she hopes that if she keeps acting rude and obnoxious, we’ll make Rose leave the Tower. But as long as Rose wants that, we have to keep her away from Slade. I know she doesn’t like it, but it’s the only way.”

“I’d like to shed up her room,” Beast Boy mumbled. He squeezed the chocolate syrup bottle as hard as he could, allowing a thick stream of oozing brown chocolate to fall into his glass of soy milk.

“We’ve got to remember what happened with Terra,” Robin reminded his team. He punched a fist into his palm. “We can help Rose, if we try to act differently when she’s around. Bring her in, make her feel more at him. Let her feel needed.”

“Well, she certainly needs something,” Raven spoke at last. “And if you asked me, it’s a good clear spanking.”

Rose shook her head and softly shut the door. She sighed and looked around the room. It was just “the room”: not her room. It was just a plain room with a bed and dresser and cream colored walls. Rose had gotten a peek at the other Titans’ room before and noticed how different and interesting they had altered their private domestic spaces. Robin had offered to her on the first day she came that she could decorate her own room, but Rose had no interest whatsoever.

They were right: she wanted to leave. Badly.

What’s the point of painting a room if I plan to leave? The bitter thought was at the front of her mind. Rose reluctantly kicked off her sneakers and lay flat on her back in her bed. She slipped her hands under her head and looked up the ceiling.

Suddenly, she could fell a deep aching starting up inside of her. Rose felt tears brimming under her eyelids. She shut her eyes tightly but already, a teardrop had crept out of her eye, run down her cheek, and disappeared into her silky white hair.

Joseph, I’m awfully tired of this, she thought. I’m sick of being pushed around and pushed away by Father. I want to be needed, I want to belong. What am I supposed to do?

Rose sat up quickly. “Joseph is dead,” she said aloud, repeating Slade’s words. But she refused to believe that. The HIVE records had been correct about Grant, but Joseph’s whereabouts were still enigmatic. The gentler of the two brothers, she felt she had a strong liking to Joseph. Was it truly possible to feel a bond with someone that you never met?

Rose closed her eyes again and concentrated very hard. She did her best to recreate a picture of that adorable face with its blonde curls and green eyes. He looked so serene yet so wise in that picture.

Joseph, I’ve tried everything to get away from these teens, but I can’t. I want those Titans to show their true colors, admit they hate me, and kick me out. Nothing’s worked. I’ve tried everything.

Almost everything.

A slight quiver shook through Rose’s frame as she discovered something. She felt as if Joseph had just tapped her on the shoulder and whispered something into her ear.

“Yeah, right. Be a stuck up goody two shoes like them? Like that’ll work,” a conflicting thought argued back.

She sighed wearily to herself. The girl had really run out of options. Was there really any other choice other than being chained to the floor? Rose looked out at the moon that was glowing stark white against the black sky. If she was stuck in this place, she might as well make the best of it.

Rose slipped under the covers and pulled the blankets up to her chin. She yawned out loud and stretched her arms up. Ok, Joey. You win. I’ll give it a shot.

Besides, what do I have to lose? That was the last thought Rose had before she drifted into a dreamless sleep.

A-A-A

She found Robin alone in the training room next morning. At first Rose thought it was funny how he wore that bright uniform all day, but now she had gotten use to it. The girl herself was dressed in her gray racing outfit with a green shirt, which seemed to have become her uniform.

Robin stopped hitting the punching bag long enough to look at her. “’Morning,” he nodded to her politely. “Did you sleep well?” There was not a trace of last night’s annoyance in his voice. If he was acting, it was a pretty good show.

“Yeah, I guess,” she said. Rose paused and added, “Thanks for asking”, without even thinking about it.

“No problem.” Robin walked up to her. “I’m actually glad that you’re here, Rose. I wanted to show you something.”

He motioned for her to follow him to the center of the room. Robin took out his staff and began to practice maneuvers with it while he talked. Rose casually shifted her weight onto her right foot.

“I’ve been thinking, and I’ve come to a conclusion. Do you know why you lost to us that night when we first fought?”

Her chest started to get tight but she forced down the hot blood. That was one night she wanted to forget.” Because .. There were five of you and one of me?” she asked.

“There’s more than that,” Robin said. “It’s a matter of strategic planning when you fight.”

“I fight just fine,” she protested with a hint of anger in her voice.

“I didn’t say there was anything wrong with your movements,” Robin seemed to defend her calmly. “I just wanted to point out some defensive options.” Her shoulders hunched up but she listened to him talk.

“When you fight, you see the opponents coming one by one onto you. They could easily take you down that way,” Robin explained. “The enemy does not give you a second chance or another try. One false move and it’s over.”

He had a point. One that was worth listening to. “So?” She sounded more interested than annoyed.

“So instead, think about your enemies encompassing you from all sides. Don’t think linear, but circular,” he suggested.

“Circular, not linear,” she repeated aloud.

“Like this,” Robin explained. He pushed a button and Rose saw several targets pop up from the ground all around them. She nearly jumped at the shock.

“See? They would’ve always taken you down,” Robin explained. “You can’t be off guard.” He pulled out two handfuls of birdarangs. “But try like this . .”

Robin leaped up into the air and gave a shout.

“HI-YA!” he shouted. Rose was astonished to see him release the birdarangs. The small red metal weapons soared through the air.

THUNK!
THUNK!
THUNK!
THUNK!

Each birdarang had hit a target in the bull’s eye. Robin landed smoothly on his feet and looked at his guest.

Rose was surprised. True, she was a good fighter, but quantity did not mean the same thing as quality. You had to hone your skills until they were refined and clever enough to disable your opponents. Robin seemed to under stand that, having an appreciation for combat training.

Robin saw Rose carefully run her tongue over her teeth while her right eyebrow was twitching madly. It was clear that she was impressed, but not trying to betray too much e excitement.

“Interesting,” Rose said trying to be casual. “You know, if you don’t mind getting creamed, you could show me some of those moves.” And then she added quickly, “Maybe”.

Robin knew he hit gold. “So you’d like to learn?”

“Mmmm,” she shrugged a little. “Yeah, if that’s all right with you.”

“All right? I’ve been waiting for a face off for a long time,” he grinned at her.

“Robin! Rose!” Starfire chirped. She flew into the gym and landed in front of them. “How glorious to see you this morning.”

“Hey, Star,” Rose said. The alien noticed their guest had dropped her dark demeaur so she beamed in Rose’s direction. Then she turned to Robin.

“Robin, you promise us a run through the obstacle course,” she said, jumping up and down on her toes. Robin resisted a laugh as he was tugged by the cape into the next room. “All right, Star. I’m coming.”

Rose followed him cautiously down a corridor towards a metal staircase.” What obstacle course?”

“Cyborg’s been designing training fields outside and in the Titans’ interior control center,” he said. Robin started going down the long steps while Starfire hovered over him. Rose held onto the railing tightly. Just how many floors were hiding in this place?

The three of them came to a door at the bottom of the steps. Robin pressed a large green button. The doors parted with a WHOOSH of air. Rose noticed Cyborg was standing at a large computer at the side, putting in calculations. Raven was hovering in mid-air in the center of the room and by the concentration she had on projecting barrels at a large laser beam, it looked like she was working through the course.

“Go Raven, shoot the lasers, no lasers, no bad guys, go Raven,” Beast Boy was chanting on the side like a rabid cheerleader.

One laser beam hit the ceiling causing the tile crack off. It landed on top of Raven’s head with a loud BANG! She rubbed her sore scalp, glaring menacingly at Beast Boy.

He blushed and grinned his pearly whites. “Heh . . sorry about that,” he apologized while rubbing the back of his neck.

“Cyborg, stop,” Robin called to him. “Got it,” the half metal teen said with thumbs up. Cyborg shut down the course and Rose watched all the machines and color lights die out. Raven floated carefully to the ground, her cape billowing behind her.

The other Titans ran up to her. “Raven, you are not overly damaged, I hope,” Starfire asked in a voice of great concern. Raven shook her head but continued to rub her scalp.

“I’ll be fine, Starfire. I’m just a little dizzy, that’s all.”

“You’d better sit the rest of this out until you feel better,” Robin offered her. Rose was watching the Titans lead their friend to a bench so she could sit down. Beast Boy even ran up to the kitchen and got a cup of hot tea, Raven’s traditional remedy.

That’s weird. Why are they so . . . concerned?

Robin noticed Rose was still leaning in the doorway. “How’d you like to try our course?” he offered to her. Not wanting to back out on the challenge, Rose stepped forward.

“Ok, but try not to get jealous,” she warned him. Robin told her to stand inside of a small red rectangle and wait for his signal. He and Cyborg stood by the computer, ready to calculate time and speed.

Starfire, Beast Boy, and Raven all sat on the bench to watch.

“Twenty seconds and counting,” Cyborg called out.

Rose flexed her muscles, stretched her arms, and breathed in deeply as she had been taught to do. She reached for her utility belt but her fingers only touched the fabric of her pants, not her cherished possession.

She looked at the Titans on the side. By the looks on their faces, she knew something was going on. “Where’s my sword?” Rose demanded.

“Ten seconds,” Cyborg said.

“We’ve put it into the obstacle course. You’ll find it along the way,” Robin said.

“What?” Rose fumed. Well, forget the Ms. Nice plan.

“Seven seconds.”

“Rose, relax. It’s a test of your stamina first,” Robin said from the sidelines. “If it gets too hard without your weapon, we’ll slow the course down.”

“Five seconds.”

Rose’s eyes started to get slim and keen. She felt that old gut feeling of energy running through her muscles. Slow down? Hah. There was no way Robin was going to soften this up for her.

“Bring it on, Bird Boy,” she said to him. Oh, she’d show him.

The red digits on the clock had gone from 00:01 to 00:00

“NOW!”

Rose heard a sound like a siren wailing. She watched the mechanical contraptions begin to glow and rise. Slowly, the course began to take life. She stepped off the metal platform and walked forward.

ZAP!

A laser ray blasted at her feet. Rose jumped forward. “What the hell are you trying to do, barbeque me?” she fumed at Robin.

“Just watch out for the sonar pulses, they can sting you in the butt,” Beast Boy shouted with cupped hands over his mouth.

“Gee, thanks for the tip,” Rose huffed. She saw the next laser aimed at her, but this time she was ready. Rose locked herself into focus, tightened her muscles, and took off like a running bullet.

“Look at her, man!” Cyborg exclaimed. Rose was sprinting like someone in the 500 yard dash. She saw the laser beams zapping red lights from right, left, and above. The girl jumped over two beams. She tucked her knees into her chest and rolled over. Rose quickly leapt to her feet but kept running.

Rose heard a grinding sound and looked up. A giant wooden hand was going to punch her into the ground like a hammer on a nail. Rose looked like she was going to slip on the floor, but she didn’t. Instead, Rose shoved her heels forward and arched her back. In a limbo-like maneuver, she slid under the hand. It smashed into the tiles behind her, missing her by a hairbreadth.

“Dude, what’s in her blood? Espresso?”

Rose took the chance to summersault three times in a row and land straight up, like Olympic competitors. “Woah!” Rose felt a sweet rush of adrenaline run through her body. This was way more exciting than back alley fighting or lessons.

“You got anymore?” she yelled to Robin over her shoulder. Robin dared to move the lever up a few notches from Basic to Moderate.

Rose continued to run until the ground started to shake. She noticed that the tiles on the floor had been built to teeter back and forth as to put a person off balance. She found herself see sawing a few steps until her nerves got the rhythm down pat. It was almost like a dance, and while this wasn’t exactly the tango, it had a beat to it.

Snap back, forward a little, jump jump. Step right a bit, jump, skid before a leap.

The Titans hadn’t seen anything like this before. Rose got through the dancing tiles and was heading towards the center of the course. By this time, the lasers were moving faster than before. Sweat was running down her face and her white hair was billowing madly. There was a wild animation in her eyes that blazed blue-ish flames of determination as she continued the crusade.

Just then, Rose saw something long lying on a pedestal among all the laser beams: her samurai sword.

“Easy,” Robin was heard saying by his teammates. They couldn’t tell if he was saying this to himself, to them, or to Rose very softly. “Not so clear as it seems,” he murmured.

Rose didn’t just go for her weapon. Instead of leaning forward, she jumped sideways, propelled her feet off the wall, and grabbed the handle. The girl landed on the other side with knees bended sharply and a hand on the ground.

“Wow!” Beast Boy may have been annoyed, but now he was floored. “The dudette’s really known what’s coming, huh?”

With the metal in hand, Rose was more than double charged. She twirled the sword around her body a few times and leapt into action. The Titans watched the blade dance from her wrist with some kind of Asian choreography. She sliced through a droid coming towards her. Another managed to clamp a hand on her wrist, but she seemed unfazed. The girl drove her shoulder into the droid before slicing its knee off.

Robin felt himself get clammy inside. There was just one more part to do. His fingers quickly tapped in the coordinates to the computer.

Rose felt the ground shudder beneath her feet. She glanced around for some new threat to appear. Instead, the floor suddenly split into two, each side residing into the wall. Rose felt her stomach jump up into her chest and she screamed for a minute. But it was a scream of excitement because she knew what to do in a moment of thrill like this.

Immediately, Rose had stuck her sword into the cracks between the tiles, just before plummeting thirty or so feet into the pit. Her sword began to bend with her added weight sagging downward. Just a little bit more . . a little bit more . .

ZANG!

Rose pushed off the sides of the wall again and the buildup of energy caused her to capult out of the pit and into the air. She shot up like a bullet and landed in a crouching position, one hand on the sword sticking out. Slowly, the girl stood up and slid the sword back into its sheath.

She expected the Titans to show tightly drawn faces or make critical comments like her sensei had done. Then she’d roll her eyes and have to spin away on her heels to avoid making a nasty comment.

What Rose didn’t expect was to hear the applause and cheer coming from them.

“Glorious!” Starfire gushed, floating from the operations control down to Rose. “Your style is most exquisite.”

“I think that’s a little overstated,” Rose shrugged. Then reminding herself of attempting good behavior, she looked into Starfire’s face and said, “But thanks for the compliment.”

Starfire just shook her head. “I most certainly am not exaggerating. You have a tremendous gift, Rose.”

“Yeah! You’re like some cool ninja chick from Senshi 2000,” Beast Boy beamed. “Only you don’t have a plasma eyeball to suck out your enemies guts,” he added thoughtfully.

“Did Sl-I mean, your father teach you how to fight like that?” Raven asked her.

Rose felt a little grateful at this point for the honesty and she shook her head. “No, my mother sent for private tutors for me. I was home schooled a lot for these tricks.”

“That last maneuver wasn’t a ‘trick’ though,” Robin noticed as he held his chin in thought. “Phoenix wing?”

Rose turned around to face him. Not many people could memorize particular moves like that. “Chi-hui sensei was one of my best teachers, though her methods weren’t so traditional.”

Robin’s mouth fell open. “You trained under the True Master too?”

Four heads riveted from Robin to Rose. She gazed at Robin in astonistment, then suddenly felt an urge to do something bizarre. The girl squinted her eyes tightly and bent over slightly. “You will never learn the measure of a great distance unless you try,” she said in a low scraggly voice. “And you must get to the top of the mountain . .”

Robin couldn’t resist a laugh at the irony or the way Rose tried to imitate the old lady’s voice. “But I also had to be tested by her as well. Don’t tell me you tried to make it all the way up the mountain past those obstacles of hers.”

“Yes,” Rose said quite defiantly as she adjusted the belt around her waist. “I hate snakes,” she added with a shudder. Robin laughed again and she realized how pleasant it was to hear him that way.

“Snakes, shmakes,” Beast Boy said. He had suddenly grabbed Rose by the wrist and was dragging her out. “I’ve got something way cooler to show you.”

“Huh?”

Cyborg and Starfire followed the two of them back into the Titans main control room. Rose was plunked onto the couch next to Beast Boy and some kind of plastic controller was thrust into her palms.

“You may have defied certain bad guys,” Beast Boy announced with a wave of his finger. “But Rose, prepare to be destroyed, disintegrated, decapitated, and . .and . .”

“Devastated?” Starfire suggested.

“Yeah! Prepare to be devastated by the most awesome animal packed adventure ever,” he warned Rose, nearly putting his face up to hers.

“Uh-huh,” she nodded, now wondered what the heck this changeling wanted from her in front of a giant 360 inch plasma television screen.

“I give you . .” he began as he slipped a CD into the slot under the screen. “Mega Monkeys Four!” Rose nearly jumped out of her seat when the mechanical music began to blare from the speakers and the bright image of four monkeys on a green background appeared.

“Some kind of a video game?” she asked.

“Not just any video game. It’s the video game of a lifetime. 28 levels of cross jungle training, crocodile eating, Tarzan screaming, and banana banzai,” Beast Boy beamed with delight. “You have played video games before, right?”

“No.”

From behind her, she swore she could hear Cyborg’s jaw drop and Starfire’s dainty gasp.

“Horrendous! You are missing out on a virtual reality experience of a lifetime,” Starfire bemoaned.

“I’m really not into games,” Rose began. She started to push the controller back into Beast Boy’s hands. “So no offense, but I think I’ll sit this-“

He just gave her a hard stare in the face. “Starfire,” he said in a suddenly serious voice. “Get the glue gun.” Rose was mortified to see her fly off and return with a particular arts and crafts weapon in hand.

It was now her jaw’s turn to hit the floor.

Great! My dad’s put me in the nut house!

“Ok, ok, I’ll give it a try,” she said, taking back the controller. “How do you start this thing?”

“In the first level, you guide Mega Monkey Tako across the Amazon jungle,” Beast Boy explained. “Move the red buttons to go up and down, the yellow to go right and left. The blue one lets you jump up so you get bonus points for finding the Gold Orb treasure.”

Rose watched the image of a monkey flicker across the screen. She quickly pressed the yellow button and the monkey jumped over a log. “What happens when you get the treasure?” Rose asked.

“You get an extra life. You lose lives if you get eaten by a crocodile or blasted by Kong King.”

“Don’t you mean, King Kong?” she asked, with only half the amount of concentration listening to him. The girl was trying to get Mega Monkey Tako out of the crocodile’s path and into a waiting river boat. There was something oddly satisfying about playing the game and she wanted to continue it a little bit longer.

“No. Kong King is the arch nemesis of the Mega Monkeys Four,” Starfire explained. “You must fight him in the forms of Tako, Rinku, Bayami, and Hiko, all four brothers.”

BING!

A crocodile jumped out of the water and snapped up the monkey on the screen. Rose was startled by the monkey’s body which went right into rigor mortis and a white ghost flew out of the body. It was graphic, but slightly appealing at the same time.

“Oooooh,” three voices groaned behind her.

“Well, at least you got to the end of the level with 2,000 points,” Beast Boy pointed out. “That’s good for a beginner.”

Rose’s fingers were itching to try again, much to her astonishment. “How do I start this thing again?” she asked, looking at the controller.

“Boo-yeah!” Cyborg said. He grabbed the second controller and pressed the START button. “We have a new addition to the Mega Monkey’s Four Fan Club!”

“I’m not a fan,” Rose insisted. “I just wanted to try again.”

“Sure. That’s what they all say,” Beast Boy warned her.

“Quiet, Broccoli Breath,” she ordered him. “I’m trying not to become Crocodile de la Crème.” With that order, Beast Boy remained quiet until two minutes later, he and Starfire broke out into cheers and calls with the staggering number of points.

A-A-A

“Titans, move out!” Robin yelled. He ran into the control room and jerked a thumb behind his back. “Billy Numerous has been spotted on the East Side.”

Rose blinked slightly blurry eyes from the screen. She had gotten Tako through the maze and Rinku to collect the gems in Kong King’s treasure house. Cyborg had been an equally difficult opponent on the screen, if not slightly more. Her eyes shifted from the video game to the clock on the wall. How long had they been playing the game?

“Forty five minutes?” she blurted out.

Cyborg dropped the controller like a hot poker. “Time flies when you’re having fun. Come on, we got a criminal to catch.”

Robin’s teammates all ran or flew out of the doors, but Rose stayed behind just starring at them.

“Are you sure you want me to come along?” she asked him.

“Positive,” he answered her. Rose grabbed her sword, strapped the belt around her waist, and sprinted after Robin down the corridor. Lights were glowing and a blaring sound filled the Tower, making her think of a fire drill or some other insane adventure of chaos.

She climbed into the T-Car while he got onto his bright red motorcycle.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts,” Cyborg announced. Not wanting to hold them up, Rose did as she was told. And it was a good thing she did because the T-Car shot out of the garage so fast that her head smacked into the back of car seat.

“Sorry,” he said. The T-Car roared out over the water until it reached the highway.

Rose just rubbed the back of her head. “Who’s Billy Numerous?” she asked.

“He’s a former HIVE student that can multiply his body into many different numbers,” Robin explained through the speaker transmitter. “We have to be careful because sometimes he likes to multiply himself whenever you hit him, so it gets more difficult with every fight.”

“Titans, listen up,” Robin went on. They all quieted down to pay attention to their leader’s command, much to Rose’s impressments. It looked like Robin really had the hands on this operation.

“Cyborg and I have devised a quantum whirlpool that will deflect Billy’s powers. But we need everyone to distract him so we can activate it in time. If everything goes well, all the copycats will be sucked back into his original self.”

“And if not?” Raven asked.

“Then we’ve got a lot of cowboy jokes to grin and bear,” Robin replied. “I need Starfire at the front in case he’s done any damage to the sidewalks. You know how he likes to take apart community property.”

“Of course,” Starfire bobbed her head.

“Raven will keep any civilians out of harm’s way,” Robin went on.

“Rose?”

She felt a rush of blood enter her cheeks from his direct voice towards her. “Yes?”

“Will you help Beast Boy distract Billy Numerous so Cyborg and I can activate the whirlpool?”

Not like I have much of a choice in this.

“All right,” Rose said. “I’ll do what I can.”

“Good. Robin out,” he said. There was a crackle of static and the transmission was gone.

The T-Car pulled into a courtyard that had once been lined with lush trees and tiny boutique stores. Now broken benches, busted windows and tree bark lay scattered around. She saw a generous pile of furniture and jewelry heaped outside while something red was running back and forth.

The tires had barely stopped when every unbuckled their seatbelts and clambered out.

“That’s Billy Numerous?” Rose asked, pointing a finger at the culprit. Or rather, the culprits. Two young men were standing on top of the booty doing a victory dance while six identical people had come out carrying an assortment of what looked like massage chairs. Each one was wearing a skin tight red uniform complete with a black visor and bearing a black and white division symbol on the chest.

“That’s Billy Numerous,” Raven nodded.

“Titans, GO!” Robin shouted. Everyone heard the cry and charged into battle.

Robin twirled his bo staff and knocked a chair out of one of the dude’s hands. He smiled lazily and put his hands on his hips, completely unfazed.

“Well, shut my mouth and paint me red,” he said in a twang southern drawl. “If it aint them tootin’ Titans in the heap of junk.”

“What are you callin’ my baby a heap of junk?” Cyborg demanded. Rose thought it was amusing to see him get so defensive on the car.

“Yer better off driving a wagon full o’ hay,” Billy Numerous laughed. Another one slapped him on the back and said, “Good one Billy.”

“Hey Billy, lets get us some of them wall to wall mirrors,” another one yelled out.

Robin nodded to his teammates. Rose watched Raven float into the air and her eyes begin to glow white. “Azareth, Metreon, Zinthos,” she commanded. Several broken trees were encompassed with black power, allowing Raven to move them into the air and out of harm’s way.

Starfire began to hurl bright green starbolts down at two of Billy Numerous who were attempting to use jackhammers to break up the sidewalk.

“Come on, lets rustle up this cowboy,” Beast Boy called to Rose. She saw him morph quickly into a green kangaroo, punching and hitting some of the red clad teens.

“Well looky here, cross my stars and my heart,” came a cheerful drawl from right behind her. Rose crouched to see four Billy Numerous standing around her. “Them Titans got themselves a bigger team? Too bad its no match for Billy Numerous.”

“Nice to meet you,” she said dryly. “Who gave you the red tights, your Mama or Santa Clause?”

Billy Numerous puffed up at once. “Don’t you go on about my Mama!” he ordered her. One came running head on but before Rose could get a chance to move, two others had rammed her into the side. Rose went smack into the brick wall of a store.

“Now now, we don’t like to hit a little lady, do we Billy?” asked one.

“Yeah, Billy. Give the gal a fair chance,” another one snickered.

Rose growled madly. She jumped to her feet and charged towards the closest Billy Numerous. But just as her fist was about to collide with his forehead, his body flickered for a moment. Her hand touched only air.

“Huh?”

ZHOOM!

Now there was two instead of one. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Rose exclaimed, slapping a hand to her forehead.

“No we aint,” he teased her. A Billy Numerous grabbed onto her long white hair and yanked hard. Another kicked her in the shins. A third grabbed her wrist, bended her arm down, and forced Rose to do a backwards summersault of harms way. She landed on her knees with a hand to the ground.

All the Billy Numerous were now surrounding her with laughing, jeering, and cat calls. Rose watched the many red teens rotated in her every direction. If she counted right, there really sixteen of them. Blood was rushing into her head madly.

How the hell do you fight these guys, Robin?

The answer came as quickly as the question. Rose slowly got to her feet and drew a hand to her waist. She shut her eyes and breathed deeply to calm her pounding heart.

Circular

In her mind, Rose imagined all sixteen of them heading for her at once. She used her mind to replay Robin’s strategy and program it into her head, over and over again. The girl began to analyze every fist, every foot that would collide with her own.

“Hey, lady! Come on, we don’t got all day,” Billy Numerous teased her. “Whadya say jus surrender and we’ll go square dancing-“

WHAM!

POW!

BANG!

SLAP!

“HI-YAH!” Rose shouted, launching herself into a wild attack. Arms and legs flying, she managed to combat each opponent before he knew what hit him. Within the blink of an eye, sixteen injured Billy Numerous lay on the ground in a heap.

Rose felt her boots land on the soft grass. She blinked back the dizziness from the sudden attack. The girl looked down at her gloved hands then back at the pile of criminals. Had she really done that?

“Cover!” she heard Robin shout. She ducked behind some crates just in time to see Cyborg put a small metal box in the center of the courtyard and activate a button. There was a rush of wind much like a small cyclone. Rose covered her ears to block out the wailing madness. All the Billy Numerous were sucked up into the wind and went flying to towards the box.

The sight was certainly wondrous for Rose, but something else caught her eye. She noticed the trap door located in front of a small shop, much like the ones used for unloading goods into the basement stores. Her ears pricked up to hear footsteps coming from the door.

Another Billy Numerous?

Rose edged towards the trap doors. She gingerly turned over the metal top and glanced down. It was jet black inside where the stairs vanished into nothing.

From behind her, Rose could see each red clad villain wailing just before being sucked up into that small compartment. All of the Titans were watching with great interest and none of them seemed to be watching her.

Following her instincts, Rose allowed her feet to carry her to the trap door and down the steps. She walked further down until she was in the basement of the store.

CLANK! The shuddering sound of the trap doors closing came on at once. Rose was plunged into total darkness.

“Who’s there? Show yourself,” Rose ordered.

The movement of another body dawned upon her senses before he even spoke.

“Hello, my Rose,” the audible purr echoed in the room. His deep voice sent a vibration into her chest and that familiar shiver down her spine.

“What do you want, Daddy?” Rose demanded, turning her head to the left.

Two strong hands swiftly came to her shoulders and firmly pushed her up against the wall. She tried to struggle a bit, but his grasp tightened on her arms.

“Now, what could be wrong with a father merely coming to see how his own precious daughter is doing?” Slade asked her, his voice lightly laced with a tease.

“I’m fine,” Rose said coldly. “Unlike you, the Titans aren’t bent on expelling me just yet.”

“Yes, they seem to be patient enough,” he drawled carelessly. Slade was still put off by the Titans general naivety and their acceptance of others. He knew that if Robin had actually learned a lesson from their last member’s betrayal, he would never have allowed Rose to live with them.

Knowing at this point that struggling was futile, Rose stopped resisting against her father’s grasp. If he applied just enough pressure, her shoulder bones could shatter from the impact. She wasn’t particularly interested in having the Titans mend any more father-based injuries.

Slade must have acknowledged her temporary defeat, because he relaxed his grip on her. He was silently pleased with her change in attitude.

“That’s my girl,” he said in a surprisingly warm and charismatic voice. The mellow sound of his profound voice caused Rose close her eyes and sigh softly. A dull ache began to start in her rib cage.

How does he do it? How does he manage to make my mind just melt from his voice? What’s this power that my father has over other people . . over me?

“What do you want?” she asked in a less hostile and calmer tone.

“Merely to know that you are behaving yourself, which I can see you are,” he replied. “Patience, my sweet Rose. Patience. You won’t have to stay with them for long.”

The girl felt a prickle of energy start up. “What are you planning?’

“Shhh.” A gloved index finger was gently laid against her lips. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about that for now. Just know this: if you follow my orders and play nicely with Robin and his little friends, I will come back for you. I promise.”

His last two words were stated with tremendous distinction. Rose swallowed and nodded her head, wondering if he could see her agreement even in the darkness.

He must have, because a gloved hand gently cupped her cheek. Rose could felt the heat of his skin even through the leather of his uniform. She felt a large thumb carefully brush itself down her temple, making her shiver again from the pleasure of his approval.

“I’m pleased.”

There was a soft clinking sound, perhaps the removal of something metal. Rose was astonished when both hands took her face and a pair of lips were pressed against the center of her forehead. This was certainly something new: she had learned that the Titans had never seen her father without his mask, and now he was baring part of himself to her.

“My Rose,” he breathed out possessively. “My daughter.” Slade could feel her skin trembling slightly from his touch. He caught the scent of lilacs in her hair and smiled inwardly. Lillian had actually provided him with something worthwhile in the end. If she could just contain herself long enough, Rose would be assisting his aspirations tremendously.

He heard the footsteps coming from outside. Slade swiftly released his grip on Rose and replaced the mask on his head. He silently slipped into the shadows and vanished with the speed of a phantom.

The traps doors flew open and flooded sunlight into the basement. Rose looked up to see the Titans standing at the top of the stairs.

“What were you doing down there?” Robin asked her.

“The door was stuck,” Rose explained quickly. Cyborg offered her a hand and she climbed out. She noticed that he had a small box tucked under one arm where a small squished Billy Numerous was thrashing with much irritancy.

“So it worked?” Rose asked him,

“Like a charm,” Cyborg grinned.

“I saw you take on quite a few of them,” Robin said to Rose. He reached out and rested a green-gloved hand on her shoulder. “That was really impressive, Rose. I shouldn’t have doubted you.”

The girl could not return his compliment and was lost for words. Rose just looked blankly at the grass. She felt something tugging inside going from her father’s coaxing words to Robin’s eager satisfaction. Between both men’s approvals wasn’t a position that she found herself liking.

“Everything ok?” Robin asked her, leaning in a little closer to see her face. Rose forced herself to nod a bit. “Yeah, just fine. I’m ready when you are.”

After they returned to the Tower, Rose was turning around the bend heading towards her room when Raven cornered her.

“Slade was down there, wasn’t he?” she demanded.

Rose whipped her head around to face the dark eyed witch.

“I could smell his stench on you,” Raven said as a matter of fact. Her amethyst tinted orbs flickered carefully from under her dark hood.

Rose felt her lips begin to tremble with rage, but she had no words to speak.

She grabbed a towel, tore into the bathroom, and shed all of her clothes. Rose got into the shower and turned on the water as hot as it could go until she was surrounded with boiling water and thick clouds steam.

A-A-A

“Holo-vision,” Slade ordered to the screen. He took a seat in his chair to watch the massive glass glow with animation. The gray static fuzzed a few times before the picture came into focus. The vision of a bizarre looking person was displayed in the screen.

The face before him may have once been of a human being. It was a human being that once had tuffs of white hair around his long pale face, but were now replaced with metal implants that stuck out like horns. Metal plates infused with red tinted electronics now ran down one side of his face and jaw line until his mouth. One eye was cold and blue, the other was a glaring red laser eye.

Slade made a sound between a growl and a huff of impatience in the back of his throat. “What do you want?” he demanded.

“Merely to know how you have survived the grueling experience of serving Scathe the Red,” the man drawled out. “Most people would be cremated on the spot by his wrath.”

“If you’ve come to flaunt yourself in front of me, Headmaster,” Slade warned him. “You have little to boast of. Your own faults seem to increase in magnitude compared to mine.”

“I am not afraid of you, Terminator,” the man warned him. “Unlike others that have failed to destroy the Titans, I do not dance in the hopes of a returning victory.”

“Perhaps if the HIVE was to be reformed again,” he added as he held his chin in thought. But Slade whirled around towards the screen with a piercing glare.

“I am not giving as much as a cent to your so-called ‘spiritual institution for juveniles’”, he snarled at the Headmaster.

“Really,” the cybernetic man said dryly. “Dare I ask when my school is such a perilous rival to Deathstroke the Terminator?”

“Rival, no. Enemy, yes,” Slade said as he descended the steps from his chair and walked towards the screen. “You are responsible for the death of one of my offspring, Brother Blood.”

“Well, I can see sugarcoating doesn’t befit you,” Blood muttered. “If I may be so bold as to point out that I was not in charge of the HIVE at the time of your offspring’s departure, so I cannot imagine why you wish to bring this up-“

“You are wasting my time. State your business before I send my droids to tear you apart bolt by bolt.” Slade said coldly.

“I have . . . been quite busy with this new fangled body of mine,” Blood explained. He held up one of his metallic hands to demonstrate. “My time in hibernation has been painful and time consuming. Yet it has allowed me to construct various mechanical contraptions, one of which resembles the electric shock therapy used on victims.”

Slade said nothing, so he went on.

“Amplified by Lexcorp technology, one of my latest projects had been analyzed to destroy all form of life within each and every Titan: the alien’s solar energy sucked out, the demon’s spiritual barriers dispelled, a mutant cancer in the changeling’s body, and of course,” here he grinned wickedly, “a virus that will shut down my ex-top student’s systems for good.”

Slade listened without a word. “And the leader?”

“Equivalent of the electric chair to any normal human being,” Blood pronounced. He watched Slade touch the side of his mask, perhaps as a reflection of his deep thought.

Inside the criminal mastermind, Slade was imagining something remarkable that very moment. He was picturing Robin’s capture and defeat. The leader of the Titans lay within his very clutches, dying a slow and painful death. The thought of heartfelt shrieks and sobs coming from that boy’s throat was oddly satisfying to Slade. From behind his mask, a cruel smile curled on his lips.

“Impressive,” Slade said at last. You will be running up some heavy debts from these projects.”

“That is why you must understand why I have contacted you now,” Blood whispered as if revealing a secret. “Give me the means and I will give you the ends.” He held up a cupped hand in the air.

Again, Slade was silent. Past experiences had taught him the precautions before going into bargains with others of a particular supernatural nature. The man was swiftly calculating the benefits of such an alliance. He weighed the pros and cons back and forth until he had come to a conclusion.

“I want this in writing,” Slade warned him. “And your assurance that all of them will be brought under the HIVE’s domain to be exterminated.”

“Of course, of course,” Blood nodded eagerly. He started to rub his hands together with animation. “Just one thing, of course. I understand that you were able to get a Markovian child to worm her way through the Tower. Perhaps you have some of those teenagers’ weaknesses on hand for our convenience? They must be stalled so as not to suspect anything.”

“Nothing to worry about,” Slade reassured him. “The Titans are far too preoccupied right now to be suspicious.”

“Now about this document,” Blood began. Green stats in the forms of words now flickered across the screen. Slade’s eye glittered as he quickly read the forms and orders.

“Do we have a deal then, Terminator?”

“I believe we do, Headmaster,” Slade said contently. He pressed a gloved hand to the control pad and it began to glow green.

“From this moment on, the contract is valid.”

A-A-A

Raven’s words have left her feeling slightly sick inside, Rose realized. She contemplated this while stepping out of the shower and drying herself off.

Rose despised the concept of secret attacks. True, others were skillful at deception and disguise, but she preferred the head-on face-to-face technique. This concept of “masquerading”, by her father’s standards, did not suit her. Maybe Terra could have been a Judas, but Rose couldn’t. It wasn’t just a matter of right or wrong; it wasn’t her style. It went against the codes of honor that Rose had been taught by exceedingly superior martial artists and mentors.

She sighed as she tried her hair with the towel. She didn’t want to be a snake, a spy, or a liar. The Titans must know that her visit here was going to be a temporary one. Raven had proven that they were not so easily fooled as Rose had thought them to be. (Perhaps they had become less skeptical since that ‘Terra-girl’ had nearly annihilated them off the face of the earth). At least now she had the inkling that they were being genuine in their feelings towards her.

But why show any respect for someone that could potentially become an enemy? Rose began to fret this philosophy while she whisked her hair behind her back and began to plait it.

“Rose?” Beast Boy peeked his head into her room as she was puling her hair into a tight braid. He noticed the strained look on her face at once.

“What’s the matter?” he asked her. Rose just tugged on her hair tightly.

“It gives me a headache, that’s all,” she said.

Beast Boy leaned slightly in the doorway. “Why not just leave it down then? Your hair looks way better that way,” he said with a carefree gesture of his hand.

Rose hesitated for a moment. She reached for the back of her head and slowly pulled out the ponytail band. The girl shook her white mane free and ran her fingers through her hair. Already the pounding in her head began to cease. She felt the muscles in her face starting to relax. Rose breathed out with relief, much to Beast Boy’s pleasure.

“Great. We’ve got dinner out, whenever you’re ready,” he said with thumbs up.

A-A-A

Dinner was on the roof. Rose thought she wouldn’t be hungry but perhaps the intense workout and hot shower was making her stomach rumble with anticipation.

She watched Starfire cheerfully roll paper napkins into flowers before putting them into plastic cups on the picnic table. Cyborg was grilling something on the play court and Raven was moving chairs towards the table.

Rose put a hand to her forehead and tried to gaze into the sun’s rays. It was far too dazzling a light to boldly put yourself in direct contact, but she wanted to be able to make out the glowing colors of the sky.

It really was a beautiful place. The sun was now low and red in the sky and was turning all the clouds lavender and pink. It looked especially attractive against the glistening crystal blue waters surrounding Jump City.

Go west, look towards the sun.

“Aright, its diggin’ time!” Cyborg announced. Rose slid into her seat along with the other Titans. They all began to pass around a basket of buns and various condiments.

“Would you care for some lemonade?” Starfire offered her kindly. She took a paper cup and filled Rose’s glass with a bright yellow liquid.

Splat! Something bright red and slightly watery landed on a bun on Rose’s plate, making her jump a little. “What do you, er, call this?” she asked Cyborg.

“Sloppy Joes Supreme,” he said proudly. Rose looked a little horrified. The bright red sauce was soaking the bun wet and the brown chunks of meat were sliding off onto the plate. People actually ate this kind of stuff?

“Please, this is called because it is made from cows called Joe?” Starfire asked curiously.

“Yes. Its barbaric,” Beast Boy said seriously. He squeezed ribbons of mustard onto what looked like a rubber “mock” dog made out of some shiny meat substitute. Beast Boy began to chow down on his tofu hot dog while the other Titans sank their teeth into Sloppy Joes.

Rose debated what to do. If she didn’t open her mouth to eat, she’d go to bed hungry. And if she did open her mouth, the Sloppy Joe could kill her and she could blame it on the Titans cooking.

Headline Jump City News: Daughter of Deathstroke the Terminator dies of Titans Bad Cooking.

Rose picked up the bun with two hands and promptly half of the contents fell out. “How do you eat this thing?” she asked them.

“Just stick it in and the rest’ll follow,” Cyborg reassured her. He had such a hearty pleased look on her face that she just smiled weakly.

Here goes nothing.

Rose cupped the Sloppy Joe and leaned forward. She smelled the hamburger and closed her eyes. Her teeth bit into the Sloppy Joe and . . it was unbelievable.

The spices of meat tickled her tongue and the twinge of sauce slightly burned her lips in a pleasant way. It was hearty, filling, and very meaty. It didn’t occur to her how hungry she really was. The Sloppy Joe was so much more satisfying than the fancy ambrosia or dainty appetizers from her mother’s parties.

This was good. Very good.

Rose crammed a little more into her mouth to avoid spilling all over the place. The next bite was bigger and she had trouble swallowing it down. She gulped down some tangy lemonade to quench her thirst.

“You’ve got a ‘tomato face’,” Beast Boy warned her. She grabbed a napkin to wipe all the sauce off her face.

“Do I have anything else on my face?” she asked him.

“Yeah: a nose, two eyes, ears,” he said.

Rose couldn’t resist chuckling softly to herself. Beast Boy heard it and his eyes popped wide open.

“Did you just laugh at my joke?” he asked her breathlessly.

Rose relaxed enough to take another bite. “No, I was laughing at your mock dog,” she said.

He burst out laughing and covered his stomach with his hands. “Nice one!”

Rose even ate another Sloppy Joe. She helped the Titans polish of all the lemonade, two mountains of French Fries, and a bowl full of salsa. Everyone was in good moods and cheer while the sun lingered in the sky, and then slowly cast itself into the horizon beyond the waters of the city.

“Dessert time,” Starfire sang aloud. She had gone back down to the kitchen and was now carrying a large watermelon in her arms. The alien floated gracefully a few inches off the ground easily holding the giant fruit as if it weighed no more than a newborn baby.

She set the massive green monster on top of the table. Raven used her powers to envelope the watermelon in a black aura, then she flicked a hand upward. Rose was startled but amazed to see the watermelon split lengthwise, then into cross sections.

“Aright, dig in,” Robin cheered. She thought she’d be stuffed after dinner, but Rose found herself taking a slice of watermelon and biting into it like her colleagues were doing. Watermelon, she found out, was crisp and fleshy with an attractive bright pink color. And had a lot of seeds.

“P-too!” Beast Boy spit a few seeds into the air.

One stuck to Raven’s cheek so she spit a few back. Cyborg spit at Starfire who spit at Robin.

Rose rolled a seed on her tongue and spit. But it made a sad plop onto the table.

“No no, you have to build it up,” Cyborg explained to her. Rose puffed out her cheeks this time and got the seed to spit into an empty cup. She was satisfied.

Something bright and white streaked across the sky. “DUDES!” Beast Boy hollered. He jumped onto the table and pointed to the white thing. “A shooting star! Make a wish!” With the flash of shimmering light, it was gone. He quickly fell to his knees, clasped his hands together, and bowed them in solemn prayer.

“Star bright, Star light. First star I see tonight. I wish I may, I mish I wish . .” he paused and scratched is head. “I mean, I wish for fish. No, I may I wish for . . ugh, whatever. I hope I get my wish,” he threw up his hands at last.

“What did you wish for?” Starfire asked him.

“I wished to become an awesome rock star in a famous band,” Beast Boy beamed. “Either that or become a wicked cool movie star and make a lot of action movies about a handsome green heart throb.”

“Raven, what do you wish for?”

“For you all to be quiet,” she said dryly, a small smile curling on her lips.

They still laughed at that one.

“That’s a toughie,” Cyborg said as he rubbed his chin in through. “Well, I guess I wish to get the T-Car running in the Indy 500 Speedway race. My baby and me’ll pull into first place!”

“I wish to have a beautiful wedding on earth!” Starfire exclaimed. Rose noticed Robin’s face begin to turn red. His head ducked down a little.

“I have seen pictures in the Mall of Shopping of such lovely wedding gowns,” Starfire raved. “Ones full of satin and silk and with tiny crystals and pearls on them. I would so much love to have a gown like that and invite all of my friends to a wedding. We would have a giant cake that looked like snow and lots and lots of flowers.”

Starfire merely looked at Robin for his approval. He coughed to clear his throat a bit and fiddled with a napkin. “Well, uh, that’s a nice wish, Starfire. I hope you get it some day.”

“What do you want, Rob?” Cyborg asked him.

To be fair, Rose watched Robin’s face scrunch up a bit behind his mask. He seemed to be in deep thought for a moment. “I don’t really think I need to wish for anything,” he said at last. “I’ve got a great team, good friends, and a happy home-what more could a guy ask for?”

“Oh, Robin!” Starfire gasped. Her arms flew around his neck and she hugged him warmly. Rose watched his own arms automatically clasp her waist in a secure embrace. How touching. She leaned forward on her elbows to watch the charming couple.

“What do you want, Rose?” She looked up to see the Titans now starring at her.

The girl hesitated and looked up to the star.

What DO I want? What do most people want? Love? Family? Acceptance? To actually understand my father? I can’t have any of those.

A million dollars? A private jet and space shuttle?

Come on, girl. Just find one silly tiny insignificant thing that’ll really make you happy . .

“A pink dress,” Raven spoke up at once. Everyone stopped eating watermelon. They looked at Raven, then starred at Rose. Rose just glanced at the floor and felt awkward. Almost embarrassed. She hadn’t been embarrassed or scared of people starring at her before.

“Um . .” she said, fiddling with her napkin.

“Really? That’s it?” Robin asked. “You want a pink dress?”

Rose shrugged. “Yes,” she confessed. “I saw one in the mall when I first came to the city and it caught my eye. A really stylish dress and I thought it’d look good.”

“I’m sure it did,” Cyborg said. Something in his voice told her that he really meant it.

A-A-A

Back in her room, Rose sat on the bed brushing her hair. She was surprised at how exhausted she was. Perhaps it was true that being part of a team took up more energy than doing everything on her own. She really had no interest in going out tonight looking for an opponent.

Content? Is that what she was?

She stopped pulling the brush through her hair and put it down.

If content meant a feeling of satisfaction and calmness, then yes, perhaps that’s what it was. But at the same time, she knew that this feeling wouldn’t last forever.

Then you’d better hold onto it for now.

There had been strange things going on that day, but not altogether unpleasant things. Rose had to confess to herself that she was looking forward to tomorrow, wondering what new challenges would await them in the Tower.

The girl wanted some fresh air in her room. She walked over to the window and opened it a crack. A cool delicious breeze wafted though the room and playfully teased her hair.

“ . . never wanted to say of all the terrible things that I have inside,” Starfire was saying in a fretful voice.

“But you’re a good person, Star,” Robin was defending her. “There’s nothing ‘terrible’ about you at all.”

Rose put an ear to the window. Robin and Starfire must be talking on the roof.

“No, Robin. I am truly a selfish person: selfish and cruel,” Starfire said with a slight hiccup in her voice. “I discovered this when we face Trigon while you went to rescue Raven.” She sounded like she was trying very hard not to cry.

This conversation was so interesting that Rose could not resist eavesdropping. She slid the window open a little more to hear what they were saying.

“Beast Boy told me that you had to fight yourselves,” Robin said slowly.

“Yes, and I am glad you were spared of that horrible experience,” Starfire shuddered. There was a pause, then Robin said, “I know where my darkness lies. Its closer to me than I think.”

“Yes, but I was horrified at what was within me,” Starfire began. “I had to fight what resembled me, but she was so spiteful, like my sister. And what she told me makes me ashamed to be a Titan . . to be your friend . .” her voice had gotten very soft.

“Star?” Robin asked softly.

“I was in combat with my darker self. When I mentioned how she reminded me of Blackfire, she said it was a compliment. Then she said-and I shall never forget it-‘Realize, with you gone, Robin will be all mine’”.

Starfire's voice ended in defeat.

Robin was silent before he spoke again. “I guess I should be kind of flattered.”

“But that is dreadful of me to think that way,” Starfire inflicted upon herself. “Am I truly that wicked, to think I could claim you, my best friend, like a possession?”

“Do you?” Robin questioned her. Rose held her breath and leaned her head out of the window.

“I . . I . .” Starfire shuddered for a moment. She seemed hesitant to speak. “I must confess that sometimes, I wish . . . Robin . . I wish I could take you back to Tameran with me,” Starfire said meekly.

“I know that it would not be real love or real freedom, but I still have those thoughts. Robin, please do not despise me,” she begged.

“Star, of course I don’t hate you,” he said gently. “That’s only one part of who you are.”

“Then what am I, exactly?” Starfire questioned her friend. “Not Starfire or princess or Koriand’r, but what am I to you, Robin?”

Rose tried hard not to laugh. It was now Robin’s turn to stutter. “W-well,” he mumbled. “You’re brave, and kind, and one of-I mean, the most beautiful girl I’ve ever known.” Rose started biting her lip to keep herself from bursting out with laughter. She could swear she felt Robin’s ears turning bright red.

“Robin, that is the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to me.”

“You’re welcome.” He sounded like he had just released his breath of relief after holding it back for an eternity of anxiety.

Cute. Very cute. Rose pressed her back to the wall with deep concentration.

There’s more to that. They don’t just play, “I love you, I love you not.” They listen to each other. They respect each other. Sometimes those two are so serious together, you’d think they’ve been married a long time.

Starfire, I do believe I am jealous of you.

Jealous? No, not jealous of that chick because she had Robin. It was more of a jealousy that Starfire could open up to people. She felt at ease to communicate with others. To Rose, that was a bit of a challenge.

“And what about Rose?”

Oh, great. Are they talking about? I’ve got to hear this.

“She kind of reminds me of myself. I used to argue with my mentor all the time,” Robin said. “But I think she’s starting to chill out. Reminds me of how you always had faith in me.”

“Then you believe Rose will be all right?” Starfire asked hopefully.

“I hope so. I don’t Rose is a bad person,” Robin said carefully. “She may just want to do bad things. But there’s a lot of good inside of her as well, and she may not want to accept it.”

Rose quickly slid the window shut. Something soft and warm began to swirl inside of her. It startled her, but made her feel oddly relaxed and pleased all at the same time.

There was so much to think about, but Rose felt her eyelids getting droopy. She yawned deeply and stretched her hands over her head. A labyrinth, video game tournament, crime fighting spree, and barbeque all in one day. No wonder she was beat. The girl would definitely have to call it a day.

Rose climbed into bed and shut out the light. She put her hands behind her head for support and starred up at the ceiling.

Stars. Maybe she could get some stars to put up there to look at. Or paint a mural . . Joseph liked to paint.

And what about father?

What about the Titans?

Tomorrow, she chastised herself, yawning again. Rose felt sleep tumble over her in a wave of silent stillness, putting all of her questions aside for the night. You’ll plan again tomorrow.

Thank you, Joseph.