Now (A Teen Titans Fanfiction)

Chapter 1: [Then] The Birthday Bird

THEN

The only way to get passed that electric fence, was to become electric.

And I already had that covered.

I stood silently, checked to see if anyone was around, then closed my eyes, and focused. Pulsing out energy, I let my power surround me, gaining more and more strength. My hair shimmered with electricity.

I loved this feeling. The feeling of energy soaring through me, the feeling of being able to do anything. I was electric. I was more powerful than I myself--or anyone--knew. I was an actual, living heroine.

Only, no one seemed to notice yet...

My hands and fingertips tingled, a ball of electric light within them. If anyone came near me.. Well, let's just say they were in for a shock.

I found a spot in the fence and became a ball of lightning so I could slide through, then shifted back to my original body once I reached the other side. This happened all in a blink of an eye.

In the process, I dropped the present I needed to deliver, so I bent down to grab it. Rising from the ground, I brushed the dirt off my jeans and the present and hoped the bright blue wrapping wasn't ruined. There were still a few mud stains, but I was sure the birthday boy wouldn't notice. I finally came to realize that I was in an alley, and looked up above the two tall buildings that surrounded me towards the bright orange sky. A breeze flew by, and I zipped up my favorite red jacket. The sun was setting already, I was late.

Sprinting down the dark alleyway, I was forced to a stop.

"What's in the box, lady?" A shadow of a man asked.

I groaned, "Just get out of my way." I didn't have time for this.

"Ooo," he snickered with a scruffy voice, "snobby one aren't we?"

"Who even-" I couldn't finish my sentence before the man pushed me against one of the buildings and grabbed the box out of my hands. He then darted away, almost ramming into the side of a trashcan. I let a ball of electricity form in my hand and shot it at his feet, making him fall without warning.

Ugh, I thought, the idiotic smugglers of Gotham. They never learn.

Casually walking over to the squirming street smuggler, I picked up the fallen present. "Don't you dare even think about stealing my things." I said sternly. "Maybe I should hit you again, just to make sure you learn your lesson.."

He was lying on his back now, his face filled with fear, but he wasn't looking at me. He was looking straight above us and I followed his gaze. Something was coming down with a grappler from the building above. I didn't have time to react fast enough.

The figure grabbed me, letting the wire his grappler was attached to pull us up to the top of the building, leaving the smuggler to lie there in shock.

Once we reached the top, I screamed like a real idiot, knocking us both to the tough, dirty ground.

The person just sat there laughed at me.

"What- who..?"

"Why do you always do this?" He asked, retracting the small grappling hook and shoving it in his pocket.

"Richard!" I exclaimed, finally recognizing who it was. I knew that laugh sounded familiar. His blue eyes were twinkling with laughter as I scooted over and hugged him. As usual, I couldn't help but sniff his spiky black hair.

"You got new hair gel.." I said, inhaling his sweet, boyish scent. He laughed.

"Quit sniffing me!" He pushed me away playfully. "What were you doing down there?" Richard asked.

"What? Oh, that dude took something from me and I made him fall so I could take it back. Then I threatened to zap him again... Is that so wrong?" I fake pouted.

"Aw, Brooklyyynn," he said with a matching fake pout, "yes it is." He nodded.

"I only blasted his feet! And what if I told you that the object he stole was something special?" I perked up.

"Like what?" He asked, confused.

I reached behind my back, pulled out the small wrapped box, and smiled. "Happy birthday!"

He stared at the small present and smiled. "Brooklyn, you didn't have to.."

"But I did." I patted the yellow bow placed on top of the gift. "Go ahead, open it!"

Without a word, he un-tied the bow and lifted the lid. There, carefully placed inside, was a bobble-headed bird.

"It's.. It's a Robin.." He said.

"Yeah," I smiled with a little laugh, "you like it? I thought it was kinda cute." I watched him play with the delicate bird in his hands and noticed his frown.

"Are you ok?" I asked, frowning back, "I thought, you know, Bruce sometimes calls you Robin and-"

"I love it, Brooke." He pulled me into a side-hug. "I'm alright, trust me."

I looked out at the city. The sky was bright orange and pink, not one cloud in the sky. The sun was finally beginning to set over the horizon, and cars still zoomed by far below us.

"Did you know my mother used to call me Robin?" Richard said finally.

"No," I replied, letting go of him and looking his way, "I didn't."

"Well, before... the incident.. She used to call me her little Robin, because of the way I seemed to fly through the air when we were doing that flying trapeze routine. That was my favorite thing ever, performing trapeze tricks for people..."

"Oh yeah," I whispered softly, "the Flying Graysons... Haly's Circus.."

I looked over at Richard, who was looking down at the bobble-head-bird. Tears glistened in his eyes.

"Hey," I put my hand on his shoulder, trying to change the subject, "why don't we take a trip to your favorite restaurant?"

He nodded and smiled a tiny smile, still staring at the Robin, "Yeah," he nodded and looked back at me, "I'd like that."

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AUTHOR'S NOTE THINGY:

Hello! Thanks for reading the first chapter of my fanfiction. It would mean a lot to me if you tell your friends about it if you liked it so far and all that stuff. More importantly, tell me how you feel! Maybe there are some things I could fix or take out? I dunno. But anyway, thanks for reading, and I'll update as soon as I can. Thanks guys!

~ Lainey

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