Inside Titans Tower, the common room vibrated with a blend of focused energy and playful banter, each Titan immersed in their own pre-mission routine.
Robin, ever the picture of disciplined intensity, sat cross-legged on a worn rug, the blade of his katana gleaming under the soft light. The rhythmic shinkshink of steel against whetstone filled the air, a testament to his unwavering commitment to perfection. His brow was furrowed in concentration, his dark eyes laser-focused on the task at hand, oblivious to the chaos brewing around him.
Starfire, perched upside down on the couch like some exotic, orange-skinned bat, clutched a comic book, her radiant hair cascading towards the floor. A bemused expression danced across her features.
"Friends," she announced, her voice ringing with innocent enthusiasm, "I am experiencing a sensation of… 'itchy feet'? Is this an Earth idiom signifying a desire for… adventure?"
Raven, levitating serenely in a shadowy corner of the room, her violet eyes closed in meditation, sighed softly. "It means you want to travel, Starfire. And perhaps you should try reading the comic book right-side up. It might make more sense."
Beast Boy, sprawled on the floor amidst a pile of discarded video game controllers, let out a triumphant whoop. "Oh yeah! I finally beat you, Vic! Three rounds in a row! Looks like the master of video games has returned!" He paused, his green skin shifting to a triumphant shade of lime.
Cyborg, his metallic frame gleaming under the neon lights, countered with a playful jab. "Nuh uh! Green Bean! You just got lucky! Besides, I was letting you win. Gotta keep your morale up, you know?" He grinned, his cybernetic eye glinting mischievously. "Next round, I'm bringing out the big guns. Prepare to be digitized, dude!"
A large screen on the wall flickered to life, displaying Orion's HeroTube video of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy's Pokémon battle.
"Check it, dudes!" Cyborg exclaimed, gesturing towards the screen. "That Pokémon Home video is still blowing up! Everyone's talking about it!"
"It is most fascinating," Starfire mused, her attention glued to the screen. "These 'Pokémon' possess remarkable abilities. I wonder if they are similar to my Silkie."
She paused, a thoughtful expression on her face. Silkie, her beloved Tamaranian larva, wriggled happily in her lap, its pink, squishy body vibrating with contentment.
"Perhaps," she continued, her voice laced with a hint of longing, "Silkie would enjoy having a… friend. A companion of his own species. A fellow larva with whom he could share his… fondness for chewing on electrical cables."
Beast Boy's eyes widened, his mind already racing with possibilities. "Dude, imagine if I could transform into a Pokémon!"
Raven opened one eye, a flicker of curiosity betraying her stoic façade. "Their magical potential is… intriguing. If these creatures truly hail from another dimension, their energy signatures could be unlike anything we've encountered before."
Robin, however, remained unmoved by the excitement. He swiveled his chair, the screen on his own console showing a complex web of data points, facial recognition scans, and background checks on Orion Oak and Pokémon Home.
"I remain unconvinced," he stated flatly, his voice devoid of emotion. "The origins of these 'Pokémon' are unknown. Their capabilities are untested. And this 'Orion Oak' has appeared seemingly out of nowhere. I am not prepared to blindly accept this situation."
"Oh, come on, Robin!" Cyborg protested. "Don't be such a spoilsport! This could be a chance to learn about a whole new world! Plus, those Pokémon look pretty awesome. Just think about it, if we have our own Pokémon."
"Exactly!" Beast Boy chimed in. "We could have a Pokémon battle! It'll be epic!"
"Robin," Starfire pleaded, her eyes wide with sincerity, "surely you can see the potential for friendship and understanding. These creatures, they may be different, but they also seem capable of great kindness. Silkie has a deep connection to me. But he is a alien that is strange to the people on Earth. Perhaps he needs a companion."
Robin, however, remained steadfast in his skepticism. "Kindness does not negate the need for caution, Starfire. We are responsible for the safety of this city. We cannot afford to be reckless."
"But Robin," Starfire insists, "shouldn't we make sure? Silkie will love it."
"If we are going, then I am as well." Raven states with her normal dry tone, ending the protests before they even begin. "Their otherworldly nature may require a sensitive touch."
Robin paused, his gaze sweeping over his teammates. He knew that he could not dissuade them. Their curiosity, their sense of adventure, and their unwavering belief in the goodness of others were simply too strong.
"Very well," he conceded, his voice tinged with reluctance. "We will visit this 'Pokémon Home.' But we will proceed with extreme caution. This is not a social call. It is a reconnaissance mission. We must gather information, assess the risks, and determine whether these 'Pokémon' pose a threat to our world."
A chorus of cheers erupted from Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy, their faces beaming with excitement. Raven merely offered a barely perceptible nod, her expression as unreadable as ever.
…
Deep beneath the surface world, in a realm of eternal darkness and subterranean secrets, a different kind of plan was brewing.
Torches cast long, dancing shadows across the cavern walls, illuminating the hunched figure of Harvey Rupert Elder, better known as the Mole Man. Dust coated his patched green tunic, clinging to his oversized goggles as he adjusted the lens.
He paced before a crude map of the surface world, a twisted grin contorting his face.
"Fools! Idiots! Imbeciles!" he shrieked, his voice echoing through the cavern. "They laugh at me! They scorn my genius! They refuse to acknowledge my rightful place as ruler of this world!"
He stopped abruptly, his goggled eyes blazing with resentment. "But they shall learn! They shall tremble before the might of the Mole Man! They will acknowledge my genius, even if I must bury their pathetic civilization beneath tons of rock and Moloid might!"
A chorus of guttural cheers erupted from the Moloids, his loyal but dim-witted followers. A motley crew of subterranean humanoids with pale skin, misshapen features, and a fondness for shiny objects. They clawed at the dirt in excitement.
"Yes, yes! Crush surface!" one of them shrieked, his voice a high-pitched squeal.
"Make boom-boom!" another added, his eyes wide with childlike glee.
"Shiny rocks for us!" a third piped up, his grubby hands reaching for a pile of glittering pebbles.
Mole Man raised his staff, channeling subterranean energy, causing the cavern floor to rumble. The ground trembles as the Megabeasts emerge from the tunnels, their eyes glowing with malevolent intent.
"Rise, my children of the depths!" he bellowed, his voice booming through the cavern. "Rise and wreak havoc upon the surface world! Let us show those arrogant humans the true meaning of fear!"
***
Give power stones to support this book.
Advance chapters in P@T0n Najicablitz.