The afternoon sun cast long shadows across Jump City High's front steps as Hikaru and Raven emerged from the building. Students streamed past them in clusters, voices raised about weekend plans and homework assignments. Hikaru adjusted his bag on his shoulder, turning to the dark-haired empath beside him.
"Hey, Roth," he said casually. "You willing to help me move the rest of my stuff from my apartment to the Tower?"
Raven's violet eyes slid toward him, expression flat. "No."
"Come on." Hikaru grinned. "I'll owe you one. Besides, you can just open a portal and it'll be over before you know it."
She stopped walking, facing him fully. "You want me to use my powers so you don't have to take multiple trips?"
"Well, yeah." He spread his hands. "That's what powers are for—helping people out. A wise man once said, with great power there must also come great responsibility."
"And it's my responsibility to make your move more convenient?"
"Well, no, but I'll be grateful if you did and I'll owe you one." Hikaru's smile didn't waver. "Besides, what's the use of powers if you don't use them to make life a little more convenient?"
Raven stared at him for several long seconds, her expression suggesting she was reconsidering every decision that led to this moment. Finally, she exhaled through her nose.
"Fine."
Twenty minutes later, Hikaru pushed open the door to his apartment—a modest studio with boxes still scattered across the floor. Raven drifted in behind him, her critical gaze sweeping the space.
"This is it?" she asked.
"Told you there wasn't much." Hikaru gestured at the remaining boxes. "Just clothes, books, some personal stuff."
Raven raised her hand. Dark energy rippled outward from her fingertips, her familiar mantra echoing softly through the room. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos."
A portal tore open in the center of the apartment, the familiar sight of Titans Tower visible through the swirling darkness. The boxes lifted into the air, enveloped in black energy, and floated smoothly through the dimensional gateway. Within seconds, the apartment stood empty except for the basic furniture.
Hikaru whistled low. "That's convenient."
"Don't forget," Raven said as the portal collapsed, "you owe me one."
"Wouldn't dream of it." He flashed her a genuine smile. "Thanks, Roth."
She turned away, not even bothering to respond as she exited the room.
The common room buzzed with post-dinner energy. Cyborg had outdone himself again—chicken parmesan that had everyone going back for seconds—and now the team had scattered into their usual evening routines.
Hikaru sat wedged between Cyborg and Kid Flash on the couch, controller in hand. Beast Boy perched on the armrest, bouncing excitedly as the racing game loaded on screen.
"Dude, pick the green car!" Beast Boy insisted.
"Why would I pick based on color?" Hikaru laughed, selecting a sleek red vehicle instead.
"Betrayal!" Beast Boy clutched his chest dramatically.
Kid Flash leaned forward, thumbs already working the controller. "Just so you know, Hikaru, I go easy on nobody in racing games."
"Noted." Hikaru glanced at him. "Though I did beat you twice yesterday."
"Flukes. Both times."
"Keep telling yourself that, West."
Across the room, Robin stood by the window with Donna, discussing something about patrol routes. Raven sat cross-legged on the floor, a book open in her lap, somehow managing to read despite the chaos around her.
The countdown timer hit zero. Engines roared. Kid Flash immediately pulled ahead, fingers moving in a blur that definitely constituted cheating.
"Yo, that's not fair!" Cyborg protested. "You're using superspeed!"
"Prove it!"
The race devolved into friendly chaos—Beast Boy shouting contradictory advice, Cyborg laughing as he overtook Hikaru on a tight corner, Kid Flash denying all accusations of speed-assisted gaming.
Then the alarm blared.
The sound cut through the room like a knife—urgent, harsh, accompanied by flashing red lights. Every controller hit the floor. The team moved as one unit, years of training kicking in instantly.
Cyborg vaulted over the couch, sprinting to the main computer. His fingers flew across the interface, pulling up feeds and data streams. "Waste management plant, industrial district. Break in reported, warnings going off."
Everyone immediately rushed to get battle ready. By the time Hikaru returned in his costume Robin was already halfway to the door.
"Titans, GO!"
Hikaru's wings burst free as he stood, around him, the others began to move out—Donna airborne in seconds, Raven floating upward after her, Beast Boy shifting mid-run into a falcon.
They poured out of the Tower like a wave.
The industrial district looked like something from a nightmare.
Emergency lights flashed across cracked pavement and twisted metal. Fire trucks formed a perimeter around the waste management plant, their hoses trained on small fires that dotte d the facility. Police had established a barricade, keeping back panicked workers in hazmat suits.
Hikaru landed beside Robin, his wings folding against his back. The smell hit him immediately—chemicals, smoke, something acrid that made his eyes water.
An officer jogged toward them, relief evident on his face. "Titans, thank God! Something's in there—some kind of big sludge monster. We can't get close."
Robin's expression hardened behind his mask. "Evacuate the area. We'll handle it."
Must be Plasmus, Hikaru thought, his mind flashing through comic panels and animated episodes. Guess canon's still holding in some places.
They advanced through the broken walls, moving deeper into the plant. Emergency lighting cast everything in shades of red. Somewhere ahead, something roared—a wet, garbled sound that shouldn't come from anything human.
Then they saw it.
Plasmus filled the chamber ahead, a massive purple sludge monster easily fifteen feet tall. Its form constantly shifted, dripping toxic waste as it absorbed more from the damaged containers around it. Where a face might be, only two glowing green eyes and dark void of a mouth opened with with mindless hunger remained.
The creature noticed them immediately. Its roar shook the walls, echoing off the metal and concrete.
"Spread out!" Robin commanded. "Don't let it reach the civilian area!"
The Titans didn't hesitate as each one leaped into action.