Phantom Titans

A Solution to the Problem

Lyle's POV: I immediately called the Titans after the graduation party, and told them to hurry. "Congratulations on graduation, sweetie. Your father would be so proud." Mom said. "You've told me that 5 times, and I know. He would, but he's not here and--"

Erin shushed me. "I won't have you blaming yourself again, you hear me? You're a good person, you have to and will accept that or I'll show you what it means to have brainfreeze!" she exclaimed. A girl after my own heart. I tucked a stray curl of hair behind her ear.

A knock on the door interrupted our staring contest. I opened the door "Hey, we got here as soon as we could, but we had car trouble. Just a flat--

"No disrespect Robin, but shut up and get in here. And the others. Let's see, one, two, three... wait, where's Raven? The idea I had won't work without her."

"She's meditating, and I learned the hard way not to interrupt her. I still have scars." Beast Boy replied. Just then a portal opened and Raven stepped out. "It's a lot easier to meditate when you don't have constant babbling breaking the silence, so I was in the woods." she said, walking towards the couch. "Summer, you know the Titans." I told her. The redhead shook her head. "Actually I don't. I don't follow anything that doesn't have to do with my friends and their misfortunes." she said. "Well then allow me to introduce you to Cyborg, Beast Boy, Starfire, Raven, and their leader Robin."

"You're superheroes, huh? You don't act like it." she replied. "And you don't act like a regular teen, but that's never stopped you." I said. "I just finished the analysis on the metal shard. It's really complex. A lot of elements that don't make sense together. Almost as if it's synthetic. A very complex one. My system can't fully analyze it."

"I think I know what to do. Raven, can you find some sort of spell that can reconfigure synthetics?"

"It's dark magic, not chemistry, so no." Raven replied.

"Damn it!" I angrily blasted the wall in my rage. "Hey! I just finished wallpapering!" my mom exclaimed. "Sorry, I just can't right now. If Morty, well, you know, I don't think I'd ever forgive myself."

Erin squeezed my hand. "You're worried about "ifs". Morty needs you now. Ifs are possible situations. The ones you're thinking of are unlikely. You can do this. Think of the people that need you right now. Think of now. Be a hero. It's what we need." Erin finished with a kiss. "You always know what to say." I said. That's when I heard a moan. "Morty! You're awake! Sorry about going overboard with the convincing thing. Wolves are--"

"I heard something before I passed out. Something about a tech nut. I think."

"Technus. He's one of the most annoying villains we've faced. In fact they're all some degree of annoying. Anyway we don't know where he is." I said matter-of-factly. "While I can't fully analyze the fabric, I can triangulate its source." Cyborg said, doing just that. "I know where that is! It's a shipyard, but it's been abandoned for decades. What could he possibly be doing there? Morty, get Rick on the phone and firmly tell him to meet us there. I don't want any half assed bullshit from him. I've had a day." I said as we prepared to head out. Morty nodded, dialing Rick's number. "Hey, Rick, it's me. I know you're busy, but it's important. Yes, I reverse engineered it. Oh, it's not that hard. I'm in Amity Park. Yes that one. There's only one as far as I know, infinity or not. Just meet us at the shipyard."

The abandoned shipyard, you know someone is up to something when there's decades of history on a place that you just are now finding out exists. We were searching around, the green light of my photokinesis cutting through the almost pitch black. "It's weird that we're not hearing anything. Is that normal?" Robin asked. "I'm just as curious as you, Robin. Where's Morty? He was behind you, right?" I asked. "I'm over here. You might want to come see this." he said, pointing at something. We all walked over and saw... "Some sort of schematic diagram of, a robot?" he asked.

"Actually the proper term for these specific machines are not robots, but rather mechs.." I trailed off. Suddenly someone appeared from the shadows. "You just gonna stand there like idiots, or come in?" Rick asked. "Where are we exactly?" Morty asked. "If you need to ask, then you're obviously blind to--"

Erin punched him square in the jaw. "Cut the cryptic Indiana Jones bullshit and tell us!" she exclaimed. Rick staggered for a moment, then turned. "OW! You stupid bi--" I cut him off and got in a few good swings myself, along with a swift kick in the crotch. "DON'T test me, you pompous windbag! Apologize before I crack your skull open!" I yelled, my arm still raised in a fist. "I'm sorry. I truly am. If you must know, I came here a while ago, bout 2 days in fact. I've been building this: The Rickmobile!" he exclaimed, pulling down a white sheet. Blade Runner this was not. Instead of chrome, interlocking steel plates made up the frame and body of this massive mech designed by and obviously for Rick, having been outfitted as we saw him now, lab coat and all. "How in the name of the Lord Jesus fucking H. Christ did you build this in two days? Is this where you've been when you're "running errands"? In another dimension building this? Why wasn't I asked to help?" Morty asked that last question with a frown. "The answers are in order: I have my ways, yes, yes, and I don't need you for every little thing." Rick said. Suddenly we all heard laughter. We all turned to see Raven and Starfire giggling with glee. Raven regained her composure. Starfire, not so much. "His reaction was amusing." Raven said in her usual dower tone. "Very much the peak of your Earth comedy!! I can't breathe!" Starfire wailed. It took 15 minutes and a lot of breathing space to calm her down.

"And it's all mine!" a voice cried out. A very annoying, nails-on-a-chalkboard voice. "Oh good, the plan worked." Rick said. "Plan? What plan?!" I asked as I grabbed Technus's head and shoved it towards the waiting Fenton Thermos. I crossed my arms as I reverted back to human and tossed the device to Danny. "I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but the weird green creep was my target. I can rebuild this." Rick said, taking out a remote control and blowing up his two days' worth of work. I was going to lose my cool. "Portal. Now." Morty said, escorting us all through. "Hold up, I'm allergic to swirling green portals." Beast Boy said. "Get in." Morty mouthed.