The Sixth Titan | Teen Titans

Chapter Sixty-Six - Things Change

    The sun shines bright; a vast contrast to the darkness of the Brotherhood of Evil's base. For the first time in a while, the six of us are walking through the city with no intentions whatsoever. There's no villain we're obligated to stop—we're just enjoying Jump City and the company that comes with it.

    "Our city is the greatest city ever."

    I turn to Beast Boy and quirk an eyebrow playfully. "I'm glad you think so."

    "Paris was pretty great, don't you think?" Cyborg points out from behind.

    Raven frowns. "Paris?"

    "Once we made those Brotherhood of Evil freeze-sicles."

    "I've got to agree with Beast Boy," Robin states. His voice has a unique calmness that I've not heard from him in a long time, but I definitely like it. "It sure is good to finally be back home."

    "I, too, have missed our glorious city." Starfire shoots us all a giddy smile as she takes to the skies, twirling in the air as we walk up to the video store. "I cannot wait to rent the videos and feast on the worms of sour gumminess."

    I grin from behind. "Sounds good."

    Suddenly, she stops in her tracks with a silent gasp. "The worms are gone!" she states sadly.

    Beast Boy smiles, sensing a moment where he can be a hero. "Come on, Star, Marlene's Candy Store is just around the corner. It's got the best peanut butter squares in town."

    He grabs the alien princess by the hand, not giving her a chance to react before leading her around the corner and out of my sight. I traipse towards the now-closed store, where planks of wood barricade the doors and windows for anyone who can't read the sign on the door. Its usual neon blue lights have been switched off, confirming the store is shut for good.

     "My peanut butter squares are gone!"

    Beast Boy's desperate whines prompt the other Titans to round the corner with me, and I look up at the giant building—or building to-be—in front of me. Standing before the shapeshifter and his companion is a large construction site that stretches the entire block and doesn't look close to completion. At all.

    "The whole block is gone." Cyborg states the obvious, glancing to the nearest Titan—Robin. "They're building a new office complex."

    "Things sure have changed. Guess we've been away longer than we thought."

    "Where am I gonna buy my books?"

    The shapeshifter shoots Raven a sideways glance. "I don't remember any bookstore." 

    "That's because you never bought a book."

    "And the auto parts shop that was next to the bookstore is gone, too," Cyborg adds. 

    "I remember there used to be a toy shop, or was it a barbershop?" Beast Boy taps his chin. "I distinctly remember it was some kind of shop."

    "That narrows it down."

    I think back to the last time I was in this part of the city. Raven, Starfire and I had a girls' night of sorts, and near the end, we broke apart and went into different stores. Raven chose the book store, Starfire the video store, and I walked into—

    "The Music Store!"

    At my abrupt exclamation, everyone turns to me with confused looks plastered on all their faces. I furrow my eyebrows, narrow my eyes ever so slightly, and gesture to the construction site in front of us.