The New Teen Titans [Next Gen]

[Deleted]

Candy frowned at Beth as her fellow teammate entered the common room plopping down on the couch beside her. “Sorry,” she sheepishly muttered, rubbing the back of her neck. “I guess I just sort of overreacted. But, this is Robin we are talking about here. He is always moody. I’m sure he’ll be fine though. I have much faith everything will be okay and in case it isn’t we best get ready to have Mar’I’s back,” mused Candy thoughtfully.

From the couch she peered over towards the kitchen and watched as the speedy twins put up the groceries in record timing while Ben was busily making tea and baking. Seeing the tower’s butler more as a companion than a servant she called out to him in a casual manner, “say Ben, you need some help in there?”

This was about the time Dastro Dex strolled into the tower except he was soaking wet. His uniform consisted of: a black t-shirt, black jeans, a dark blue hooded cape, and a white wrap covering his eyes. He wore matching dark blue fingerless gloves and in his hands he held his bo staff; which he also uses to help him get around. He moodily headed towards the elevator presumably to shower and dry off.

Seeing him all wet, Candy tried her best not to laugh. She flew over to him, stifling her laughter. “Hey Dex, what happened to you? You look like something the cat dragged in,” Candy teased.

Recognizing the female voice as Candy’s, Dastro only sighed. Even though he knew she meant no harm in her joking, it still annoyed him. Really, can’t she see he was clearly in no mood for this? He glared at her through his eye wrap. “I don’t want to talk about it,” he said with a grumble.

But now curious, Candy pressed her childhood friend further. “Oh come on, don’t be such a grump like Damian. Tell me what happened and why you are all wet?” she further teased. She did realize that she was lucky to be such close friends with Dex otherwise he’d probably yell at her for prodding him.

At her pushing, Dastro, giving in only sighed. “Okay, fine, but I really am in a hurry to dry off. This all happened thanks to that infuriating she archer, Lian!” he revealed, voice rising towards the end.

At the revelation Candy gasped. “Lian? Why?”

“Because Candy, she totally ditched me! I don’t know why she left, but as soon as she did so I found myself surrounded by members of the HIVE. Normally, I can handle their kind just fine on my own. But, they tricked me. They were wearing heavy cologne and perfume and well at any case I ended up taking a swim just beneath Jump’s bridge. An unfortunate and rather embarrassing incident easily prevented had a certain somebody with sight had my back! But oh no Lian just had to leave me to my own devices. Candy, I may be capable, but I am…visionally impaired,” concluded Dastro. “Now, if you’ll excuse me I must go dry off and hopefully forget this ever happened. You must also forget, Candy, because I despise making mistakes even though it was mostly Lian’s fault! I swear this is the last time I go anywhere with that ditching she archer! Really, sometimes I wonder if I am the only one here who is visionally impaired,” announced Dastro wringing out his hooded cape. He then rushed onto the elevator leaving a stunned Candy behind.

Once he left, Candy flew over to the kitchen to check on Ben and the speedsters. “So, you guys need some help in here?” she offered with a smile on her face. Still, she felt sorry for Dastro. Poor Dex. She did wonder though of why their archer left him. After all, it was most irresponsible. She’d have to inform Mar’I of this negligence. That is if Dastro won’t. Boys, and their manly pride. Candy will never understand.


ooc: Dastro fell into the water because one of the HIVE sprayed him in the face making him all dizzy, so taking advantage of Dastro being stunned they kicked him into the ocean. And that was how he got wet. XD

[Silv]

Robin followed Nightstar into the well secured room stiffly and frowning as she moved to file away important paperwork. He didn't like the way their conversation was going. He didn't need to be reminded she was her own person. He just wanted to know she didn't have a thing for Jai. Because killing the speedster would have been unfortunate, if only because so many people would be angry over it, even though Damian was really of the opinion the West twins had it coming.

He scowled at her when she said she didn't have a boyfriend. Partly because he understood the implications. Partly because he had no idea how to go about rectifying the situation. Girls were so troublesome. “TT” clearly summed up his thoughts on the matter. As well as the little huff noise he made and the way he deflated slightly. When the last file had been put away she rounded on him. This time her accusations were a lot more serious. He hadn't meant to almost punch her in the face.

Restraining his emotions the boy's masked eyes narrowed in dislike of the subject matter. Damian didn't like to hear his faults. He knew better now when he accidentally crossed a line. He was better at controlling the rage he felt all the time. That didn't mean he was going to spill his soul to the youngest Grayson. “It has been too quiet lately.” he hadn't been taking out his anger on hapless criminals as much as he usually could. “It's not good.”

But, if his discomfort at not having enough criminals to destroy wasn't enough, she had to tell him to engage in more juvenile activities. While dancing with Mar'i was something he might consider, dancing with Mar'i in front of the others was not. “I will not,” he wasn't harsh when he said it, or he hadn't meant to be, though his tone came out as an abrupt negative. “Nor do I appreciate sharing adjectives with kittens.” he didn't like to be called cute. He'd made it abundantly clear in the past. But then the boy folded his hands in front of his torso, looking uncertain.

It was rare to see Damian Wayne looking anything other than confidently full of himself. Damian so rarely showed this softer side of himself. “But ahh...” his gaze tilted off to the side, his head moving minutely with it. “Mar'i?” she'd reacted positively to his jealousy and possessiveness. “You would consider-?” he trailed off and hardened his expression. No. He was being stupid. “TT. Nevermind.”

[Feathers]

The tower had never been short in entertainment or drama. Never leaving anyone bored as there is always something going on around the corner or right in front of you. Amber was thankful that Ben was there to rescue the day. Cleaning the mess cause by the speedy duo, who obviously forgotten there is an adult with them, watching-everything.

“Geez, really guys…”

Amber grumble and mumble as the speedster had their silly fight, and in between with the other drama going around the tower. Starting from Mari and Damien, to Candy and Dex (and several more that she had lost count on the way).

“Kids…”
She snorted, while trying to behave more mature, in front of her mentor.
“I’m so sorry about this Kim…” She apologizes to her ex-mentor for the so-immature behavior of her teammates.
“Oh no, it’s okay. I don’t mind it at all….”

Kimber didn’t mind and find it humorous. She couldn’t remember when the last time she laughed this much in years. When you grow up, you shoulder more responsibility as an adult, till the point you forget to kick back and laugh.

Amber turns her attention to Ben, the caretaker of the tower. Watching him move around the kitchen with ease, she swore he had some mad ninja skills. There was nothing he couldn’t do or handle; he could probably juggle 5 tasks in one hand and cooks at the same time.

If any girl would have married to him, they would have been the luckiest one girl around. They couldn’t agree more.

[Deleted]

Having polished off his sandwich with a swiftness that would portray his heritage to anyone who knew Wally West, Jai turned to Ben with a mischievous grin. "Is that a challenge, Ben?" he asked, already on his way to clearing his end of the counter.

The twins watched, both of them cramming victuals into their mouths like popcorn at a movie theater as they watched Candy enter the room and proceed to break their couch. Jai chuckled at his sister's comment, adding in a quip of his own. "And we're a prime example, aren't we Irey?" he teased, popping one of her Oreos into his mouth and scruffing up her hair good-naturedly. Though it was obvious that the West twins cared for each other, they were known for tearing through the Tower in the name of sibling rivalry and eating all the food every chance they got.

"C'mon, Candy! That was my favorite couch cushion," Jai pined, letting his torso flop onto the counter in mock forlornness. A nansecond later, he leaped back up and shouted, "OhhiBeth!" as one of the Titans' more levelheaded team members entered the room and sat down on a yet-unharmed section of the couch.

And then Ben mentioned baking and Jai forgot about everything else.

"Excellent plan, old bean! Though you'll have to make more than one batch, y'know," the speedster commented, taking this time to bop Irey in the back of her head as she chugged her milk. And that was when all hell broke loose.

Jai immediately succumbed into a gigantic laughing fit as he saw the mess his sister's nose had made. Clutching his sides and slapping the countertop, he was the picture of mischievous glee. "BAAAHAHAHAHA --"

And then Irey threatened to kill him.

"-- YOU'LLHAVETOCATCHMEFIRST!" Jai hollered at a volume that rivaled his sister's, immediately taking a quick lap around the kitchen. By the time he had gotten back to his previous position, Iris had taken one of Ben's gloves and, before he could react, he found himself getting bitch slapped with it.

The West twin stiffened in shock at the act, staring at his female counterpart with wide, disbelieving eyes. This continued for a whole second -- a whole second -- before he turned to Ben and said, "Sorry, old sport." He then proceeded to whip the other glove off of the butler's hand and gave Irey a slap to the face as well. She could take it.

"It is on like Donkey Kong, sista!" he whooped, tossing Ben his glove back before engaging in a stare-down that would have made any hot dog contestant proud. And then he proceeded to demolish whatever food was left on the counter.

The West twins were a tornado of destruction, clearing the countertop of food before anyone could so much as blink. Jai polished off at least half of the vittles displayed, kind enough to leave the other half to Irey. He may be incorrigible, but he still cared. "IT'SATIE!" he cheered, snatching his sister's hand and raising it up in victory. He could almost imagine the crowd cheering before them and their awesome power.

Jai dropped Iris' hand and zipped around the counter, probably disturbing an already miffed Amber and causing her cape to flail about again buahahaha~. Flinging an arm around Candy's shoulders, he purred, "I think we've got it covered, sweetheart,", motioning to the now-spotless countertop. It was all too tempting to make as many candy-related puns as possible in this Titan's presence.

Craning his neck around to look at Dastro, Jai teased, "Gone for a swim, Dastro? And here I thought cats didn't like water.~"

[Kenni]

Irey said nothing at first, swallowing the last morsels of wafers caught in her side of their combined whirlwind snack attack, wiping her nose daintily with her free hand clutching a dry napkin, then grunting in satisfaction at Jai's accurate conclusion to their little showdown.

Without making any more eyes at the accommodating sweet-hearted ol'bean of a butler, Ben, the she-twin let her sourface turn into a forgiving smile again, blossoming into a full on beam as she squeezed her brother's hand in the victory motion he had swept it up in, partially for leaving her so much food this time, and partially because she loved him.
"A tie? I can live with that."

She could care less that there was an adult in the room; snack-time was serious business!

"Puh-lease, Amber! Pleasantries are for press-conferences~!" winked the slightly-less-roguish West at Amber's mentor.

And apparently, Trix were for kids, she added at the end silently, popping a few stray spheres of the colourful cereal into her mouth, and flicking a few in the air for dearest Jai-Jai to catch.
That is, if he looked up in time from his flirtations long enough.

Otherwise, she'd swoop in and catch it herself; no use wasting good food!

"We're good to go, Sugar! Ben here could use a hand or two, perhaps. We're baking up a storm in here shortly!"
Iris zipped to her bedroom to change from her supersuit, and was back within the second well...second.

The girl arrived back in jean-shorts, purple tank-top and off-shoulder white crew-neck, with her usually dual-ponytailed hair held in a messy bun. She'd taken the liberty of picking out a fresh pair of the butler's gloves from the Laundry Room. Irey tucked it into the front pocket of Benedict's frilly, silly apron rather abashedly as her apology, then tied the strings to her own, and set about dusting around the counter, clearly showing an interest in helping him with the bakery proceedings from start to finish to try and make up for her shame and destruction.

"Say, I'm wondering if Wonder-Boy's bitten off the Boss Lady's head yet...you guys remember what her search-and-rescue clearance time-limit was again...? " wondered Irey aloud.

She sat criss-cross applesauce in front of the oven, thus missed Dastro's soggy entrance and swift exit, focusing on the baked goods. Irey sat drumming her fingers on her bare knees and wondering why conventional ovens hadn't more conventional means of baking yummy treats faster.

[Elenaphant]

The arrival of two assistance was much appreciated, and he smiled charmingly at them both. "Certainly, I do need to work with a lot of ingredients if we're going to feed Titan appetite." He pulled out a post-it note that hung as a magnet on the fridge, along with the little pen it came with, and started writing down the ingredients list. The standard eggs, butter, milk, sugar, oatmeal, chocolate chunks, etc, though the quantities were substantially larger than standard but nonetheless required considering the serving size. "Candy, if you could get out all the equipment we need. Our largest mixer, the cookie cutters, the measuring cups, whilst Irey grabs the the ingredients--here's the list, darling," he handed Irey what he had written, "--and I serve the tea before it gets cold."

The request given, he gathered tea on a tray and brought it out to those otherwise unoccupied to offer. Jai was in proximity first so he offered, not that he knew if the boy wanted it or not but he'd offer all the same. Then he moved to the ladies, serving their guest first before moving on. As he did, he told over his shoulder to his helpers, "I bought the cookie cutters with Master Robin in mind. I don't know why, but I always associate him with cats."

---

It was a lot quieter lately, and she knew how that affected him. They needed to work on some anger management techniques together. He needed to learn a better way of dealing with rage than violence. He was a lot better at dealing with it, yes, but they could do better... better for him; because he may deny it all he wanted, at his insistence not to be called cute, but he was certainly capable of it.

Like right there, when he folded his hands forward and gazed off to the side. Then, he said her name. Not 'Grayson', but Mar'i. It was probably her lovestruck teen brain confounding reality but she never thought her name sounded better than when he said it. "Hmm? Was he actually going to--

Nope, nevermind. Resisting the urge to sigh in disappointment she reasoned that it was probably for the best. She was young, they were heroes, and he might not be ready to add a relationship to the mix. Or maybe it would help him. After all, not addressing feelings and relationships was usually unnecessarily detrimental, but on the other hand it wasn't as if there's weren't issues should she pursue anything.

A smile was his only warning before she slowly floated up just enough to place a kiss on his cheek. "Already considering," she told him, though it was no definite answer it was enough for now. She pulled away with her hands behind her back and grinning like a girl all too pleased with herself. "Let's head back before the others consider coming to rescue me," she suggested, then paused to sniff the air. "I think Ben is baking cookies." That would be a good reason to return post-haste

She flew back down the hall toward the common room, where additional members were spotted and two lovely people were wearing aprons and the counters, clear of the groceries, were now occupied with industrial sized cooking supplies. Making enough to feed a small restaurant? That sounded about right.

Having an eye for detail, certain things did not escape her notice. The wet tracks on the floor, a ripped couch cushion, and Beth. Since the girl did not seem occupied with a mentor or Ben, Mar'i continued floating toward her with raised eyebrows, though she addressed Amber too when she said, "Mind filling me in as to what I missed?" with her thumb jerking in the direction of the puddles. More concerning was the couch, because that was just plain destructive.

[Deleted]

When Jai pretended to be sad over the couch cushion Candy had tore up out of spite she caught on and rolled her eyes at him. Really, in her mind boys could be such children sometimes. So, smirking at him she placed her hand on Jai’s shoulder. “Jai, you’ll live. Come on, there are several others here just like it,” she reminded in a half joking manner.

Then at the West Twins antics Candy could not help, but laugh as Irey chased her brother around the room. When their little run had ended Candy watched as the twins slapped one another’s face using one of Ben’s gloves causing her to laugh even more. “You guys are so silly,” she admitted in between giggles.

Next the twins quickly cleared off the counter of all the groceries and she watched as Jai held up his and Irey’s hands in victory prompting Candy to applaud. “Whoo! Yeah, you guys totally got rid of all the food…like usual,” she said with mock fascination. Really, after you see a pair of superspeedsters gobble up food after maybe the tenth time they do it, it gets pretty boring. So now after they did it at least a million times in front of her, it became old. Very old.

Then Jai ran over and placed his arm around her; which made her smile until Jai made the big mistake of making a pun and not just any pun either, a candy related one. In her mind, this just screamed of desperation on Jai’s part. She wondered if he was flirting with her. She raised an eyebrow at him. “Sweetheart? Seriously? What, is that supposed to be a joke? Like I’ve only heard that one a million times in my life, but okay, I got it; you don’t want my help that’s just fine with me. Now, if you’ll kindly excuse me I am going to go assist Ben,” she sneered excusing herself as one of her long strand of hairs removed his arm from around her shoulder.

Then Irey came in with her own candy related puns; which just annoyed the hummingbird girl to pieces. “Ugh, what is with you guys? Candy and sugar related puns in my presence are just not clever! If anything, they are lame and cheap,” she pointed out, exasperated.

At the female speedster’s inquiry, Candy struggled to remember. “Hmmm…like fifteen minutes or twenty,” she answered with all seriousness. After all, Damian is a dangerous, easily angered psychopath. Best not to get in his way.

At Ben’s request she nodded. “Sure,” she said. “Just stand back everybody things are about to get hairy,” she warned then mentally facepalmed for using a hair pun. That is so lame, she thought. Using her lengthy animated strands of hair, she opened up kitchen drawers and cupboards pulling out the necessary equipment. Before Ben mentioned anything she noticed the kitties on the cookie cutters; which she found interesting since cats were the last things she would even associate with their Robin. She giggled at Ben’s revelation. “Ben, no offense, but um are you certain you did not buy this with Dex in mind? After all, he’s the one who is…part cat,” she inquired as she set the equipment down on the now empty counter. “Personally, when I think of our Robin I think assassin tools,” she said with a shrug.

Then as though right on cue, Mar’i entered the room followed by Damian. Candy straightened up to greet them. “See you’re still alive,” she half teased, flying over to Mar’i. Her smile dropped when the half Tamaranean girl questioned Amber about what was going on. Candy caught her looking straight at the couch cushion. The hummingbird girl knew it was always for the best to take responsibility for one’s actions and to own up to them and so that is what she did. Ready to confess she cleared her throat. “It’s my fault Mar’i. I am afraid certain things were plaguing my mind causing stress and so I took it out on this…cushion. Sorry about that,” she confessed, careful not to look at Damian.

It was about this time Dastro re-entered the common room after his shower and drying off. His costume was still soaked, so he was in civvies; which was just another pair of black jeans and a dark blue t-shirt with the name of his favorite rock band on it, Bon Jovi. He put on shades to cover his eyes. From the bathroom he was able to catch the delicious smell of cookies being baked and couldn’t wait to have one. The scent just got stronger after he left the elevator.

Unfortunately, he did not forget about Lian and upon his return was shouting, “OKAY, WHERE IS SHE?”

Upon seeing Dastro still upset and yelling in front of their leader and Damian made Candy sigh. True, he was blind and did not know they were there, but really did he have to be so loud? “Dex, calm down,” she urged.

Dastro frowned. “I will not! Now where’s Lian? Where are you hiding her?” he demanded.

Candy cleared her throat once more. “Mar’i is here, five feet to your right, near the couch,” she pointed out as a hidden warning. She didn’t even need to mention Damian being there since wherever their fearless leader was he was close by.

At this Dastro straightened up. “Oh, I see…” he said then following Candy’s instruction he walked over by the couch using his bo staff to find his way to where Mar’i hovered. “So, hey there Mar’i. How’s it going? Look, I don’t mean to complain or question your judgment, but please do not pair me up with that infuriating she archer ever again! Me and her, we’re not working. I will happily go on patrol with anyone, but her. Now then, do you have any idea where Lian is? I bet she is hiding from me after what she did!” Dastro informed Mar’i.

Watching him, Candy facepalmed. She just hoped Dastro’s complaining won’t anger Damian.

[Emma]

[atrb=border,0,true][rs=3]When Beth had walked in, the male half of the speedster duo called out a hearty hello in between eating all the food with his sister and groaning at Candy for breaking his favorite cushion. Flashing him a smile of acknowledgment as she’d taken her seat, Beth’s attention had quickly been drawn to her hairy team mate. Apologetically Candy had cryptically tried to explain her reasons Nodding silently afterwards, Beth slowly put the pieces together. Obviously Robin had been on a mission of mass aggression ever since he re-entered the Tower with Beth earlier that day. Pissing off Candy in here, no doubt making a fabulous exit with a dashing sweep of his	[atrb=border,0,true]
[cs=2]cape, only to be followed by the resident Teen Captain Extraordinaire. That was when Beth had run into the pair, finding Damian scowling like a tantruming toddler being told off by the mother figure of the Team. But Beth doubted Candy’s claim that they’d best be ready to run to Mar’i’s rescue. The sexual tension between them was so obvious Beth wouldn’t be surprised if Candy, running out into the halls to save her fearless leader, found Mar’i and Damian in a passionate embrace of the not-so-violent kind. "Mar’i seemed to have it covered when I passed them in the hall." Beth shrugged, her gaze being drawn back to the antics of the twins and Ben in the kitchen. She would have offered to help, but between the speedsters, Candy, and a butler that was so skilled he might as well of had 10 pairs of hands, Beth figured she’d probably just get in the way. So, with a faint smile lifting her lips, Beth curled her legs up under herself, propping her chin in her cupped hand, her elbow making a dent in the cushioned couch armrest. Happily she laughed along as the cookie baking escapades kept growing more extravagant. Then came the moment she’d been waiting for. Ben walked over with a cup of blessed tea in hand. "You sir are amazing!" Beth grinned, almost glowing in anticipation of the brew. She took the offered cup like it was the holy grail, which in some respects, it was. The English are famous for their tea skills, and Ben had been trained by the best. As expected, Mar’i soon returned, alive and unharmed. Taking a sip from her cup whilst the hovering girl asked what had happened in her absence, Beth pondered her answer. But, in the silence that followed whilst she swallowed, Candy flew up and answered for her. Seeing no need to really expand on that, Beth gave a smile and a nod of agreement, her lips returning to her tea. That was the moment Dex re-entered the room, howling about Lian. Smirking, Beth’s eyes flicked over to Damian. He was no doubt still in a foul mood, and Dastro’s demands would soon draw out a sharp TT. She’d been a Titan long enough to know that Damian had trouble controlling his urge to do violent things, and mentally she started a countdown in her brain, trying to guess how long he could stay in this room before his anger got the better of him and he snapped.

[/color][/td][/tr][/table][/blockquote]

[Feathers]

Amber came back in the Common Room after sending off her mentor. Sadly, she had to leave to attend other matters. She didn't leave, not before she took a sip of Ben blew. She complimented him. It was so well done that, if he were even to open a tea store, she would be his first and loyal customer for live. She joke earlier.

Amber missed out half of the action when return to the Common Room. Surprise to see everyone was there. Big Crowd. She first thought. Her eyes scan the room and spotted Mari, unharmed.

“I see you survive…” She walks to Mari. Ignoring even if Damien was there, who would probably kill her after these. “Mari, tell us what it was like?” She pretended to be a reporter. Even holding out an invisible microphone in her hand to her (Mari). “What is was like to survive…?” She makes a dramatic pause. “Damien…” She teases.

[Silv]

Ooc:

Guys guys Damian's not even in the ro...nevermind. xD
I'mma roll with the punches.

Bic:

There was an alarm, much like the Tower's alert system, going off in Damian's head as Mar'i's face drew close to his. He had to fight the knee jerk reaction to pull away and destroy her. It would make actually asking her out so much more difficult later. Somehow the boy managed to stay entirely still as she kissed him, her lips light as butterfly wings, and there was a a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach that surged up like bad Chinese food and...brought a smile to his face? He didn't know what this feeling was, or maybe he did somewhere in his secret self and refused to acknowledge it, but it was the feeling he always had around Mar'i increased tenfold. It was the best feeling ever.

She was gone by the time he came back to his senses and he followed her at a walk though he felt like he was floating. Damian didn't care where he was going. He would have easily followed Mar'i to the end of the earth and killed anyone she asked him to without batting an eyelash. Such was young love, er, hormones. He followed her at a much slower clip into the common room. He still had that bizarre smile on his face. The kind that made you wonder whether he'd just killed someone or smoked something in the back room. But this time it didn't have anything to do with violence. An oddity indeed.

The smile lasted maybe a few feet into the common room. It was enough time for the particularly observant to notice that he'd been happy at all. And then Dastro was yelling and the smile faded to a more natural scowl. To the Boy Wonder it felt more like he'd just been punched down from cloud nine. Damian hated the majority of his team, and he had perfectly good reason to. He didn't care if both Dick and Bruce thought being part of a team was good for him. These teenagers were insufferable sometimes! The straw that broke the camel's back was probably Amethyst asking Mar'i what it was like to survive being around him. The Boy Wonder went still, for half a second, and then he exploded.

“What is that supposed to mean?”[/b] was his sharp demand to Amber. His arm was too close to his utility belt, too tense, and everyone knew he sometimes stored weapons in there he wasn't supposed to and would administer them with deadly force. Instead he turned to glare at Dastro. “Dastro, your whining sickens me.”[/b] Robin marched easily over to the blind boy, not caring that the other boy might not completely deserve his wrath. “If you continue to be useless you shouldn't even go on patrols,” [/b]but what Damian was really saying was that he didn't think the blind boy should be here. Even if he really didn't mean it. Even if he would regret saying it later when he was alone in his room with Titus. “Be thankful Mar'i pities you.”

“I won't.”[/b]

[Feathers]

Before Amber could casually reply, 'Can't you take it as a joke?' Her anger rose when Damien assaulted Dastro.

"HEY!"

Amber stepped between Damien and Dastro.

"Watch it, Damien. You have gone too far!"

She glares at him. She had enough bossy-pushy-hot temper-snapping Robin, who behave like a ticking bomb. Exploding at anytime and anyone who displeases him.

"I don't know what your deal is, but....WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?"

She then yells at him.

"I don't care if you have some anger management issue, or you have being train by Batman himself. You have no right to said that to Dastro, who is your teammates! So what if he whine, everyone does. So do you. I don't see anyone snapping at you for whining like a baby...."

She says to him

"Why don't you take your frustration out in the training room or on the villains, instead of your teammate...."

If that ever even cross his mind, he probably just consider them as human shield instead.

“Honestly, I should said this back to you instead. Be thankful Mar'i pities you.”

She shove back the very word Damien (had said earlier) back to him. For gods know, he probably joined the team, due to his reputation being Batman side-kick. She didn't care if he would snap her head in two. Or even fights her because of it. But, she wasn't gonna stand down when her friends gets hurts.

Then again, maybe.

She gotten carry away just a little bit.

OCC: No one of my best post. I did under a short time, but I believe I could have done it better.

[Deleted]

Candy couldn’t help, but giggle at Amber’s little joke in the form of Mar’I surviving Damian. Damian unsurprisingly was not the least bit amused and acted defensively. At his angry reply to Amber, Candy ceased her giggling and cleared her throat, all the while she made sure to stay out of the angry Robin’s way by hovering in an empty spot on the other side of the common room. But then things really started to heat up when he insulted her best friend, Dastro. And she would have interfered too were it not for Amber beating her to the punch. So, instead she stood back and watched to see how Dastro will react.

Right away, Dastro both heard and recognized the voice of the team’s second, Damian, the grumpy Robin. It was really distinct making it nearly impossible for him not to recognize it as Damian’s. And boy from Robin’s tone he was not happy. Not happy at all. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Damian apparently saw it fit to take out all his anger out on him. And to think, this whole farce started out thanks to Lian; which only caused Dastro’s blood to boil even further. Thankfully though unlike Damian and his father he had better self-control, ‘lucky for Damian,’ the blind Titan thought.

Insulted by Damian’s words, but too proud to show it, Dastro pretended not to be at all bothered by it by yawning and looking bored. “You finished, yet? I gotta find Lian and give her a piece of my mind unless; you know where I might find her. She needs to answer for ditching me on patrol! Thanks to that infuriating she archer I took a rather unexpected premature bath under Jump’s bridge,” he replied. Pausing he cleared his throat. “But, at any rate I will try to be more vigilant in the future. I will not fail you or this team again,” he quickly added as a way to reassure Damian that he can handle his job as a Titan. He hated coddling Damian’s ego like this, but he really just wanted the other to accept him and take him seriously.

And it would have worked too were it not for Amber coming to his ‘rescue.’ ‘Oh no,’ thought Dex, face turning red. The girl must have stepped in between him and Damian because she sounded so close. He reached out and touched her shoulder. Yep, there she was. Even though he knew she was only doing this to be nice, Dastro couldn’t help feeling embarrassed by the fact he had just been ‘rescued’ by a girl. Not that there was anything wrong with girls.

It’s just that he didn’t need rescuing and the last thing he wanted was for his teammates especially Damian and Mar’i to think it. Indeed, he could handle himself just fine. He may be blind, but he could still see the big picture.

“Amber,” he calmly began, “it’s okay. Really, I don’t care. This is Damian, after all. He’s…always like this. I'm not here to impress and entertain him. I just want to do my job as a Teen Titan right. I…really…” Taking a deep breath he continued, “just want to try one of those delicious cookies that I smell. Ben, if you hear me in there, you got a real talent going on there. You should maybe consider exploiting it someday.” Dastro did this purposely in an attempt to change the subject and calm everybody especially Damian down.

Watching this, Candy was impressed to say the least. She had thought Dastro was going to pop a gasket for sure. But, he really did handle that rather well. Smiling she gave the group a wave.

[Feathers]

Honestly. Amber wasn’t only doing it for his sake, but for everyone else’s. Who was Robin darn business going around, kicking everyone down because he was not happy? Everyone has their issues too. Can’t he deal with in a better way? She was pretty sure Batman did teach him to deal with his anger, right?

Again, honestly. She has a truckload of reason to tell him off. A truckload of everything she wanted to get off her chest. Staying with Damien can be sometimes unbearable. He likes a trigger-happy killer on the loose. Cross him and you could as good as dead.

But if Dastro just wanna let this slide, then that’s fine by her. It wasn’t because she gave up and lost the fight. She didn’t find any reason to waste her breath on Damien. Even if she did, that makes her no differences from Damien. One hot headed was already enough; they didn’t need two hot-headed under one roof.

Besides, he probably enjoys the kicks that he was getting on their nerves.

[Kenni]

Iris West & Lian Harper:

After darting out and braving the entire 15 minute grocery line for Ben’s additional ingredient needs, the she-West had listened quietly from the floor, the tapping of her knee only getting more irritated as time and tumult went on.

Couldn’t they just bake cookies in relative peace?

If not quiet, then friendly conversation?

It had looked like a promising prospect, peace had, only moments earlier when Damian had actually entered the room...smiling? For a brief second, Iris felt physically ill. Then, excited for Mar'i. Then, physically ill again because he was smiling and that was a big deal whether it was for a 'good' reason or not.

Before Iris could attempt to hold down her rather extensive lunch and comment/congratulate the two, newer members were making things noisy in a way that didn’t sit well with the loudmouth. By new members, she of course meant newcomers into the quoteunquote ‘cool kid’s club’ of 3rd generation heroes Titans Tower had going on here, such as the progeny of the Flash, Arrow, and Bat lines.

So while it was understandably difficult right now to defend Damian as a close friend should (under the circumstances of his particular harshness towards the undeserving blind guy), she had known him longer, and part of her really wanted to.

As soon as Amber turned his words against him however, she stiffened. Irey didn’t know a lot about dealing with boys, but she knew how to read the air enough to tell Mar’i less-than-pitied this boy, regardless of his behaviour, and vice-versa. West bristled about as evenly as when Lian’s loyalty had been brought into question earlier, and it all exploded to seem like it was about Damian.

She was in the mix within seconds, hands alternating between being on her hips and jabbing Amber in the shoulder, dashing in front of Damian less to HIS defense, but to that of her friends’ net character.

"Don’t go sounding off on what you don’t understand! You don’t know him nearly as well as you think, yet!"

It didn’t even matter that Amber had seemed to stand down due to Dex’s attempt to diffuse the situation; Iris just had to get her two cents in. She didn’t expect Damian to thank her, or even to care that someone else had tried to come to his defense, even if it had been in a roundabout way. Irey wasn’t sure he really considered the majority of them ‘friends’, but she knew despite his prickly exterior, he had been trying.

“Damian’s said some cruel stuff in the past, but this is nothing compared to earlier this year. He’s been trying all year, don’t you see that?” She and Jai would call him names, make silly jokes and taunt the guy with stuff about Mar’i to diffuse situations, sure, but to prey on his gasp! Damian had feelings? feelings for the team leader took things a step further.

“Look, I agree with you, we all know who we’re dealing with, here. While I agree with that, I don’t think a few sharp remarks from the guy should still be enough to work you all up!”

Hurting Wayne’s feelings (not that he’d admit it stung to supposedly have the object of his affection relate with him out of some kind of obligation) back was just sinking to his level.
A level he was trying to beat.

“Let’s give him some space to graduate, guys! You called him out, fine. But then, it just became re-poisoning!” finished Irey in a huff, crossing her arms and not budging from her spot in front of Damian. She frowned at Amber, but her eyes betrayed her weariness with the subject of conversation.

She chugged the tower butler’s offered teacup, then poured herself another from Ben’s mobile platter.

Back to Dex, he seemed more embarrassed than anything.

That would soon change as the object of his ire came in from wherever she'd been.

Chances were, she'd been in similar circumstances from the wet get-up.

The scarlet-caped figure sloshed into the Common Room, having heard enough of the yelling from the hallway. If one was observant, they would notice the way she bit her lip on and off, a nervous tick. It probably had something to do with her partnered mission at Jump Bridge. The 16-year-old removed her boots, socks and gloves, wringing them out into the sink as she approached the melee of voices.

"You guys’re really boss at pantomime!" spoke a perpetually laughing voice, entering the room with a slow-clap, then slapping each ear with her head tilted to the ground. She was trying to fake that her ears were water-logged, thus she couldn’t hear what they were saying yet, in order to avoid questioning concerning the recent events of her mission, but the natural brunette with the ginger dye-job had her whole soggified appearance to vouch for that ruse.

Harper froze when she saw Dex, even though she'd heard him loud and clear for the past half-hour through the door, the laughter in her voice shriveling up upon sight. Guilt flashed through her vibrant grey eyes through her red mask, as her gaze moved from each of her friends in turn, from Dex, whom she’d let down, to Mar’i, her closest, to Iris, her prank-buddy, to Damian, her…well. He didn’t really belong to anyone.

He was a ball as a stress-ball, though.

She shook out her head, then immediately got serious.

This was rare for the headstrong archer, but unlike her father, her vanity did know shame. She was ashamed of her conduct during the mission, and seemed curiously relieved to see Dex. As if she were seeing a ghost...

"Dex…you made it. Of course you made it! I’m really glad you made it...!" Lian sounded as though she were about to cry. She cleared her throat, getting rid of the waver in her voice. Her nerves were still clearly present in the further nervous tick of drawing out her words.

"Nooow...I take it you’re noooot too happy to see—hear me, buuut hear me out."

Apparently, they wouldn’t have to wait long to find out what had transpired…

"I need to talk to you, ouuur lovely leader, aaand the less-lovely Birdboy. I’ll meet you guys iiin the Wing of Conference, stat."

…well, a few of them wouldn’t, anyway.

With a sheepish smile at the others, she turned on her heel and waited for the others in the meeting room section of the Danger Room, where strategy was planned before Danger Room training sessions were implemented for team skills to improve. It was a wing created to look like the Hall of Justice at the Watchtower, only with seating arrangements that the kids equated with basically kiddy-chairs; teenaged meta-humans just weren't as tall and filled-out as their adult counterparts.

[Elenaphant]

What started out as a conversation between herself and Dastro became so much more and it was clear from the moment that Damian parachuted in she didn't appreciate all these opinions being thrown around. Her mouth opened to immediately shoot down the pity remarks, but then Amber spoke up and from there it went from a problem with Lian to Damian's attitude. However, Mar'i was more than a little annoyed because the former needed a lot more attention.

Fact one: Lian and Dastro were on patrol together. She was pretty sure she had put Damian with Lian, so there had been a mix in the assigned patrols because she wouldn't have put Beth to monitor two temperamental teammates. She really disliked it when people didn't take her orders seriously. She was young, but if she said something she usually made the logic behind it explicitly clear and the chosen alternative clearly didn't work out.

Fact two: Lian had supposedly abandoned her teammate in the middle of a fight. For anyone to leave a teammate behind was a serious matter, but that wasn't like the archer. She kept waiting for Dastro to mention some sort of reason or the status of the girl. Did he know where she went? What happened exactly? In the heated moment Mar'i's stomach tightened as she realized fact three.

Lian wasn't here. She wanted to snap at them all to shut up, especially when Dastro kept calling her infuriating, while Lian could be hurt. Dastro looked fine, and yes, he had every right to be upset--if Mar'i wasn't concerned she'd be angry at her best friend because she expected better. Right now though? She wanted to make sure she was okay. Her hand went to the communicator and she was about to call for her, when the door opened and Mar'i whipped around.

Speak of little miss Red. Mar'i was relieved to see her. Like Dastro, she was just a bit damp, and she looked sorry. Again, on impulse she wanted to fret over her. Are you okay?, much like she wanted to for Dastro the moment he explained he had been left alone. It was the mother hen in her.

So Lian wanted to talk to her and Damian? Fine. Red had some explaining to do, but now that Lian wasn't the centre of Mar'i's thoughts, their 'lovely leader' turned back to the group that was arguing.

"Not another word. I want everyone to be quiet and calm down right now," she commanded. She was calm, if a touch annoyed, and there was promise in her expression that if anyone dared to interrupt what she was about to say that calm mien would easily turn to something more fierce.

"Dastro was telling me about a situation regarding a potentially missing teammate--as we can see she's back safe and sound, but that was not the time to interrupt with our opinions of each other," Mar'i began as she looked between Amber, Damian and Iris.

"I resent the pity remarks. I don't pity anyone on this team; I can't afford to. In case you've forgotten, we're not just some kids sharing living space. We're a team of young heroes who go out there and face dangerous situations to keep the city safe. That requires every person on this team to be capable and held accountable for their actions," she explained firmly, addressing everyone in the room in case there was any misunderstanding.

"We need to respect and empathize with each other in order to function as a team. Clearly, we're having a problem with that." Problems needed to be fixed. She was the team leader but she couldn't hold their hands and walk them through every issue. Her job, as she saw it, was to make sure they were implementing the right skills to match the situation. Differences of opinion, arguments, and other issues were inevitable. Everyone had a point, in this case buried somewhere beneath a lack of tact. Everyone's feelings were valid. In their own way, everyone was right, but it was a matter of how they dealt with it.

As a leader she wanted to be there for all of them, and out of all of them she was the one most accountable. She knew that. So, while it was still relatively relaxed in terms of hero duty, she needed to build up those skills and work out all the bad kinks in their machine. That would mean more drills, and less time to herself. No more dancing in the livingroom. Clearly that leads to trouble.

"I want everyone to go to the danger room. I'm going to be testing self-restraint and co-operation. Finish your tea and cookies, take a breather, and talk things out if you need to. Remember, we all have our opinions and personal baggage. Before reacting, try and consider the other side. These are the people who are going to depend on you one way or another. Don't forget that."

Time to go see what Lian wanted, and curiously she had requested one other. "Robin, you're coming with me. Let's go."

She wasn't thrilled about separating again so shortly after everything went down, and with Damian again to boot (she wasn't playing favourites, really) but Lian required her attention now and maybe it was best to give everyone a moment while she dealt with the breach of comradeship. Best friend or not, she wasn't getting let off the hook easy.

On the way to the Wing, she didn't scold Damian anymore even if part of her wanted to. He got lectured with the rest of them already, and she already had a private talk with him just before. Then, with this test coming up she didn't want to keep ragging on him. He wasn't her focus at the moment, whether he could be grateful for that or not.

"Lian," She greeted curtly, raising her eyebrow at her. 'Well?'