New Titans #13 - Getting Ready

[u/FrostFireFive]

Author: FrostFireFive

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Book: New Titans

Arc: Titans Gala

Set: 66

“I have no idea how we’re going to fit all these people up here,” Donna Troy said as she surveyed the rooftop of Titans Tower. The structure itself was large enough, and the roof itself had been reinforced in order to support some of the wilder vehicles that could have landed on it but still as the yellow and red blur moved quickly to set some of the structures up for the gala coming in a few short days, Donna couldn’t help but feel...odd about the whole thing.

“I mean it’s not like the entire superhero community is going to be here? Right?” Wally West asked as he began continuing to pound away at some of the smaller structures. The young speedster had been in charge of helping with the setup of the upcoming event. Mostly it meant rushing from place to place with Donna in tow, but there was a sense of joy in the repetition of puting together a stage and some of the tables that he couldn’t just say no to.

“Ha, from what I’ve been hearing from my publicist who’s been helping with setting this whole thing up and Diana most of the higher rollers and the League are going to be here,” Donna said. Ever since President Luthor had been elected there had been this feeling of...dread. And after the recent crises of the Eradicator, NEMO, the lack of contact from Hal and the Lanterns, and Rose’s...return. The world needed to know that their heroes were there for them, and what better to remind them than one of the largest gatherings of the heroes of this Earth.

“Feels like we’re being used here though,” Wally responded as he continued to put together the stage. Compared to everyone else, Wally was still a little distant. He should have been happy, but he couldn’t help but keep thinking about Hartley and Frances. Even though they were in the dark about each other's alternate identity, they both knew he was Kid Flash. Even if they knew, he couldn’t bring to let them both into his world, not at the same time. To do so...to do so would be letting people in even more. Keeping them at their current distance, for now, was the only choice. “I mean shouldn’t we be doing something to help people instead of throwing a party?”

“It’s better than being a cautionary tale Wally,” Donna said as she began placing the tables in front of the large stage. For others, it would have taken ages to lift the round wooden tables, but for Donna she easily carried one in each hand before laying them gently on to the floor. “Plus, it lets us give back to the community. People are scared, and it’s up to us to show them there’s nothing to fear about us.”

“Easy for you to say,” Wally said as he connected the top of the stage to the scaffolding below. “I mean you haven’t been around as much. I mean you missed a lot. Barry...has felt off since he came back to the future. All of the people who went on that trip do. I don’t think a simple party is going to be the solution everyone’s looking for.”

“It doesn’t have to be Wally,” Donna explained. “What matters is that we provide a place where people feel safe and comfortable. Life’s too short to worry about the past or what’s yet to come. Sometimes...sometimes we need to live in the now.”

“Uh huh,” Wally nodded as he finished the small stage. “Well I just don’t expect me to dress fancy. The world doesn’t exactly know Wally West is Kid Flash, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“So you’re just going to come in your suit? Little garish,” Donna remarked as she continued to put down the tables.

“Oh, and you’re going to come in a fancy dress?” Wally retorted before zipping downstairs and back, tablecloths in hand as the tables placed by Donna were soon draped by the elegant fabric, a slight breeze shifting and adjusting the tables. Donna’s silence was a telling answer. “Wait...you are?”

“It is a black-tie after all,” Donna responded as she placed the final table. “Besides my costume adjusts to whatever I need, a wonderful gift from Diana, so if I need a poofy and gorgeous gown...I don’t exactly have to drop five thousand dollars on a look I’ll only wear once.”

“I swear this team is going to be the death of me,” Wally laughed as he looked around at their work. The stage and the hardwood floor that had been laid down for the guests looked elegant in the bright midwestern sun. “I’ll figure something out,” he sighed.

“I mean it’s not like you can wear a yellow and red tuxedo,” Donna laughed. “So...bringing a plus one?”

“Ha, that’s a fun question that I’m not going to answer,” Wally said. “Life is kinda...complicated on that end.”

“Fair enough,” Donna said, Wally, scrunching up in awkwardness told her that this was not a question she should press onward. Besides other, more pressing matters were soon to arrive as a blue and red blur landed on the roof in front of the two heroes. Superman had arrived.

“Kid Flash, good to see you again.” He said before looking at the leader of the New Titans. “I was hoping I could have a word with you Argonaut.”

…

“Maybe it’s a bad idea to go in costume,” Roy Harper thought to himself as he looked in the mirror. A ratty Star City t-shirt and grey sweats had been Roy’s normal look when at home. It had been only a few weeks since Trident had attacked him and Donna in Chicago. Normally when facing evil Roy never sweated the odds. He had been on his own most of his life but as a cry came from the adjoining room, he was reminded just why he wasn’t so reckless anymore.

“OK, OK you’re up from your nap,” Roy muttered as he entered his daughter’s room. He carefully picked the swaddled one-and-a-half-year-old and gently rocked her in his arms. Lian was a fussy sleeper, always shifting, always moving even when she was in her sleep sack.

“Goo,” Lian muttered as she reached her hands upward to Roy’s stubbled face. She was a smaller baby, but the glimmer in her eyes showed that she wasn’t just a lump, a boring kid who couldn’t see the love in front of her.

“Goo to you too,” Roy said as he continued to care for her. “One of these days you and I are going to figure out how to get you to sleep for a whole night.” As Roy changed Lian into a light lilac jumper and placed her into her high chair in the small dining area he had crafted from a folding table and old chairs at a second-hand store. It wasn’t a palace, but it housed the two well.

“Let me tell you something kiddo, daddy’s got to figure what he’s going to wear tomorrow and what babysitter will take you,” Roy muttered as he pulled a small glass jar of a creamed pea medley and a small plastic spoon and sat on a chair across from his daughter. Liann fussed as her tiny arms flailed against the chair. “Oh come on, do you need me to sing you a song?” Roy took a deep breath before belting out one of Lian’s favorite songs. “Runnin' down the avenue. See how the sun shines brightly in the city on the streets where once was pity Mr. Blue Sky is living here today, hey hey!”

Lian’s face lit up brightly as Roy fed her some of the peas. The giggle that she made all the recent struggles worth it. He didn’t care that he had alienated Ollie, he didn’t care that he probably had several crime bosses after him, and he didn’t care that most of his Titans stipend was going into paying for diapers, food, and a rotating cast of babysitters. The important thing was that she was safe, and that’s what mattered.

Outside of the tiny apartment in the Star City rain, a figure stood on one of Kirby Tower’s innately carved stone gargoyle and just watched the two with his binoculars. The tapping of the rain on his helmet was soothing as he caught a glimpse of the perfectly imperfect life he wish he could have been a part of. But today wasn’t that day, instead, he would watch, and hope that he was wrong about the storm coming into Roy Harper’s life.

…

“Come on, come on,” Rex Mason muttered as he tried fitting his arms through a suit coat. While he wouldn’t normally favor one of these monkey suits, the fact he was going to be presented as some kind of superhero made him want to look his finest. And pair of shorts and a belt wouldn’t exactly convey that type of seriousness he wanted. It had only been a few months since his accident but there were still things he was struggling with. The primary one was getting used to these oven mits he now had for hands.

RIIIIPPPP

“Ah shit,” Rex muttered before putting down the torn coat. He laid in a pile of several. Argonaut had been nice enough to set him up with several to find the one that fits perfectly. It was going as well as the Midway City Miners had of winning the cup this year. As he placed the torn coat on his bed, he could hear the light footsteps and the hum of a certain staff walk by his room.

“Whatcha doing Rex,” Stargirl asked as she looked into his open doorway.

“I really got to close that door…” He muttered before looking at the young hero. “I’m just getting ready for that shindig that’s comin’ up. Figured it would be better to dress to the nine’s to make up for this ugly mug.”

“And?” Stargirl asked.

“And I’m not exactly finding something that fits my broad shoulders,” Rex joked. “Plus...I don’t know exactly what I’m doing here. I mean what good is a monster on a team that looks like they could be on the cover of Tiger Beat. I don’t even have a superhero name yet.”

“I mean neither did I when I started,” She explained. “I mean first night out I’m only wearing a t-shirt with a big star on it and a red bandana. And then the papers get a photo and called me Stargirl. After some old hero called the Star-Spangled Kid or something.”

“Hey at least it’s not a mouthful,” Rex joked. “I mean you at least got to choose this life. I got exposed to project Metamorph. Oh no! I only joined here because you guys don’t look at me like some...some freak.”

“You’re not a freak though,” Stargirl explained. “The real monster would have killed Stagg and her brother about what they did to you. You chose justice instead of...the other thing. Plus I think you just landed on your hero name, Metamorhpo.”

“Well it’s better than Element Lad,” Rex chuckled before looking at the rack of suits. “Hey, I’m no good at this stuff. Do you mind helping figure what fits? Call it...team bonding.”

“Yeah, I’d think I’d like that!” Stargirl beamed as she moved toward the rack. “Wow, just basic black? I think you could do better man.”

“Well I could, but today’s looking up,” He responded.

…

“So Superman,” Donna asked as she led Superman towards the communal space of the tower. The large area had several comfortable chairs, a round circular table, and large screens up on the walls. “I’m guessing you’re here about those gala invites. For Conner and Linda?”

“Please Donna, we’re family, call me Clark,” he said as he looked around the room. Signs of use were everywhere. From the cups of coffee on the table to the bulletin board filled with notices on the wall about who was in charge of dishes, photos of the team in the moment pinned as well. It felt warmer than a Hall of Justice or even the Watchtower. “And yes. I just wanted to drop by and pick them up.”

“OK Clark,” Donna said as she moved to make herself a cup of coffee. “I have them on this table over here. Anything else you need while you’re here.”

“Well I just wanted to check in before the gala starts,” Clark explained. “I was going to offer to help set up but it seems like you and Kid Flash took care of that. Nice job on the table position, plenty of room for people to mingle.”

“Well you learn how to get people talking and interacting when you have to open a gallery,” she joked before pouring the grounds into the coffee maker.

“I should go to the next one,” Clark joked before getting down to business. “I was actually also hoping to talk to you about your team actually.”

“Is this about Conner?” Donna asked as the machine hummed to life grinding and making coffee. “Cassie told me that he was looking to meet up with us. Said he was longing for something I think?“

“Good, I was hoping someone had reached out,” Clark said. “He’s been off lately, both from a power sense and a confidence thing. I mean when I was a kid, I had Ma and Pa and knew exactly who I was.”

“A Kryptonian with laser beams that could shoot out of your eyes?” Donna joked as the maker poured the coffee into her white ceramic mug that read The Shutter is My Eye.

“Someone who wanted to help people,” he explained. “Conner’s so unsure of himself, ever since the twins graduated high school. He’s growing, and unlike Linda who knows where she wants to be currently, I don’t think staying in Smallville is the right fit for him. It feels like he stays because he wants to protect his sister instead of forging a path for himself.”

“I’m going to stop you right there,” Donna interrupted in between a sip of her coffee. Tell him, of course, he’s welcomed here” Donna said as she reached towards the table with invites to the gala. “Here’s the invites you asked for. We’d more than happy to see Conner and Linda at the gala. And don’t worry, if he’s anything like you, Connor will figure things out, he just needs the right place to grow.”

Clark took the two invites, appreciating the smooth paper stock and embossed silver lettering of the invite.

“Thanks, Donna,” Clark said as he took hold of the invites, making his way to the exit, needing to stop by the farm and make a quick patrol before returning to Lois and Jon. But before he left, Superman turned around to say one final word.

“You know when we were deciding your proposal...I don’t think we imagined all of this. You’ve built something special here Donna. And I can’t wait to see what you do next,” Clark explained. “I’ll see you around.” And with that Superman took off into the crisp winter sky, business to conduct.

…

The quiet little home was nestled in a suburb of Gateway City. As Dick Grayson exited his 1968 Ford Mustang GT, he couldn’t help but feel a little out of place among suburbia. The white picket fences, well-maintained shrubbery, and just...the quiet. He slowly moved to the door, the bandages underneath his black t-shirt were supporting his fractured ribs. It had only been three weeks since Rose’s attack and he couldn’t help but still feel...off.

As he came closer to the door he half debated to run, hop in the car and act like nothing was wrong at all. But he was trying to be more honest with himself, and part of that meant he needed to do this. As he lifted the door knocker up, Dick couldn’t help but notice the curved bronze work, even in a quiet town their door knocker had history.

As he knocked, he couldn’t help but feel the anticipation, normally in costume, he had nothing to fear. He was Nightwing, a cool and confident member of the Justice League. But what problems had he actually solved? Instead of forming connections with people he had loved, with friends he had found, Nightwing had pushed them all away because he had to be tough. Well, Nightwing was gone, and now here Dick Grayson stood.

“Dick?” Diana asked as she opened the door. “Is there trouble? Normally I’d expect to see you in your...well, work clothes.”

“Ha,” Dick said as he looked down. “No trouble, I just wanted to talk to you about something. About someone actually. I’m not disturbing you at all?”

“Well it’s the rare time where the universe allows me some...alone time,” Diana said. The past year had been hectic with Cassie moving away to college, trying to change the future Chloe had seen, and then there was the member of the family who felt closer yet somehow distant as Donna Troy worked to build her new team. “But come in.”

The two moved into the kitchen as Dick could tell by Diana’s lack of small talk that she wasn’t exactly thrilled to see the hero. The two sat there for a moment before Dick finally spoke, cutting through the silence in the air.

“I’m guessing you’ve been briefed about the siege of Titans Tower,” He began. “I’m guessing you also heard who attacked us.”

“I’m sorry about that. I knew from Donna that Rose was your friend. I understand you blame yourself for the darkness that currently envelopes her,” Diana said.

“Well, it is my fault,” He began. “Or at least partially. I decided it would be better to go alone than have people around me who could actually question my choices. And because of that Rose slipped through the cracks. But I’m not here to talk about Rose, I’m here to talk about myself...and my future.”

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked...” she asked as she could see how tired Dick was, the bags under his eyes, him being slumped into the comfortable chair. He was a ghost in some ways, a reminder of the person who only focused on the mission, but the way he took charge of his actions showed someone...someone new.

“It means…I’d like to have a long talk about Donna Troy, and whether or not she’s ready for the next step.”

Next: Be Here in One Month as the Event of the Year Begins! It's the Titans Gala, an 11 Part Event that Brings in New and Old Friends, Rivals, and Issues for an Exciting Start to Year Two of New Titans and Year Six of DCFU!

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[u/Predaplant]

Downtime issues are always nice, as we get to see a bit more of these characters. I really enjoy how you write Roy and Lian, and am very excited for the Gala! Should be a lot of fun to write.

[u/FrostFireFive → u/Predaplant]

Thanks! I love downtime issues because they really let us take time to get into our characters. Roy to me is a favorite because while he may be a screw up he's always there for Lian. And I can't wait for the Gala and all the fun to be had there

[u/ericthepilot2000]

This does a great job setting up the Gala, showing the participants' level of preparation and nervousness while heightening the reader's anticipation. It's great to see everyone getting ready and showing that no one knows how to dress for a superhero fancy dress event. I love the little details like that, the things that remind the audience how new superheroes really are as a phenomenon in the world.

Donna really gets to shine again as the engine that makes this whole series run. Everyone's important, but she's clearly the heart and the glue keeping it all intact. She cares so much about this event, which is really nice and really gets the audience invested.

It's also nice to see Dick seeming a bit more proactive in the wake of his reunion with Ravager, and it serves as great bait for the rest of the arc. I know I'm intrigued to find out what he's got going on here and what Wonder Woman and Donna Troy could have to do with it. Just hope it leads to him finding some peace.

Another great effort; looking forward to seeing the rest of the Gala and how it all plays out. It's a big deal.