Current Events > Teen Titans CYOA: Romance Resurrected Part 19

(+) Yeah! (+)

A

C

"Some burgers."

"You run a really nice restaurant and you want burgers?" she smirks.

"You know me," you say. "I'm not stuck up like that."

You head out on Shadowfax again, and find your way to a McDonald's. You order a Quarter Pounder for yourself and a standard cheeseburger for Raven, both as meals so you both have your own fries and drinks.

You return home with your meal and relax in the living room as you eat. You just watch a movie on television while you try to figure out how to bring up Rumiko now wanting to visit.

A) Tell Raven now
B) Tell Raven later

B

B.

B

You don't want to spoil Raven's mood or appetite, so you'll just find a time to tell her later.

You sit back and eat while watching the movie, and there's a massive explosion from a truck crashing.

"Wow," you say. "I spaced out, what movie is this?"

"Sudden Death," Raven says. "With that guy, Esteban Anglin, from Danger Reflex and Soldier of Blood."

"Uh-huh," you say before sipping your cola.

Esteban is getting up from having taken cover from the truck explosion, when Lou Zitkus, known for being the villain in Master of Honor and Double Blood, is there with a gun, and a woman as his hostage.

"Chantal!" Esteban shouts.

"Haze!" she shouts back before the villain squeezes his headlock tighter.

"Let her go, Konheim!" Esteban/Haze tells the villain.

"I would," Konheim says, "but I'm in a conundrum. See, I only have one more bullet in this gun. So, I could kill you and be done with this... Or I could kill your sweet lil' thing here and make you suffer even more."

"You do that," Haze says, "and there's nothing stopping me from killing you."

"Oh, you think so, hockey star?" Konheim says with a laugh. "We'll see about that."

Konheim is using a revolver so he has to cock the gun again. Haze rushes in, Konheim hesitates, and Chantal stomps Konheim's foot! Konheim lets her go and she gets away, and Haze body checks Konheim! Konheim falls over and Haze starts raining down fists! But then police rush in and Haze stops beating on Konheim.

Transition cut to later, Konheim is arrested while medics tend to Chantal and Haze. The detective apologizes to Haze, and thanks him for capturing Konheim.

"I'm just happy I won't be the one in the penalty box this time," Haze says.

They all chuckle at the hockey joke and then Konheim is taken away in a car. Haze and Chantal, the hero and his sweetheart, have their moment with a big kiss, and the camera zooms out to get the sunset in the shot before credits roll.

"Not bad," you say.

Raven shrugs.

A) Change the channel
B) Keep watching this channel

A.

A

A

You grab the remote control and bring up the guide. You scroll and find your way to the sports channels. Nothing too much right now with it being a Sunday. Morning and afternoon football are over, and primetime isn't for a couple more hours. The Star City Archers taking on the Kansas City Twisters. Not a bad game, you'll consider checking in later.

For now, you continue through and end up in more the general entertainment sections. Various channels with reruns of old shows, from sitcoms like Friends and Home Improvement to dramas like Castle and CSI: Gotham.

"I don't know if I wanna watch those," Raven asks.

"Which ones? Sitcoms or dramas?"

"Either," she says.

"What do you want to watch?" you ask.

"Is there another movie somewhere?" she asks.

"We can look around."

You keep scrolling and go to the next movie channels section.

"Scared of My School?" she says, reading one of the titles.

"Oh, that's one of those Lifetime Originals, I think," you say. "Hmm, Painting the Elements sounds a little like an artsy romance."

"Horror in the Antique Shop sounds like an old timey horror movie," Raven says with a slight chuckle. "Oh, how about Sounds From Next Door?"

"A scary movie?" you say.

"Yeah? Why not?"

A) Sure, go with the scary movie
B) Try a comedy
C) Try a sci-fi movie

A)

A]

A

"I guess that's fine," you say.

You select the channel playing Sounds From Next Door, and it's still in the first half of the movie.

There is an element of the main character going through gaslighting as they seem to hear the horrifying noises, but no one in the house with them acknowledges it. Is it true that the others can't hear what they're hearing? Are they imagining the sounds? Or are they being lied to?

To test things, the main character, Shay, sets up recording devices for when the sounds start again. But an entire day passes by, and Shay doesn't hear anything. Shay is even more confused now. Shay wonders if that means the noises are finally done. But then, after they put the equipment away, the noise returns!

Shay starts spying on their neighbor. This seems inspired by Rear Window and Disturbia. The neighbor is a young woman not much older than Shay and their housemates. The young woman seems to be gone most of the day, perhaps at her job. Then this particular night, she goes out after sunset. Is it a date? Or just general "going out?" Seems like a normal routine, which makes the noises even more inexplicable.

"Seems like this is more a psychological thriller," you say.

After a few days, one of Shay's housemates realizes Shay is watching the neighbor and confronts them for being creepy. Shay gets upset that no one believes them about the noises! The others try to calm Shay down but Shay is insistent they're hearing strange sounds from their neighbor's house, so the only solution is to talk to the neighbor.

Shay and the three others go from their house to the neighbor's while she's home. One of the others knocks on the door and a couple moments later, the young woman opens the door. She says hello and asks them what this is about. Shay impatiently brings up the "strange noises," upsetting the housemates, but one points out that is the point of the visit.

The young woman seems a little embarrassed. They must be hearing her pet. Shay asks what kind of pet, as she hasn't been walking a dog. The young woman defensively asks if Shay's been watching her, but one of the other housemates does point out it'd be obvious if the neighbor had a dog.

The neighbor says no, she doesn't have a dog, she has a "rather rambunctious ferret." Shay isn't so sure a ferret could make all those noises but his housemates try to have them move on. But of course, Shay isn't satisfied.

"What do you think it is?" Raven asks. "Is the neighbor girl a killer or is there something else?"

"What do you mean 'something else'?"

"Like, someone else is creeping around."

A) She's a killer
B) There's another creep
C) She's not a killer, but she has a captive

A

C

A

C

COIN TOSS

A

"It probably won't be a third party," you say. "Maybe she is the killer."

Shay is distracted throughout the day, thinking about the neighbor's story. It still doesn't add up, but there's no way of knowing without getting inside the house. That gets Shay thinking...

"Don't do it," you and Raven both say between French fires.

Shay waits until the neighbor as well as their housemates are all out for the day, and even has an excuse as to why Shay has to stay behind. Shay then goes from backyard to backyard to sneak up on the neighbor's house.

Shay's very nervous as they check the windows. The curtains are closed so there's no way to see in. The back door also has both a screen door and solid wood door. Shay easily pops the screen door open with a hammer's claw side, then sacrifices an old photo ID to get the wood door open; it's the same trick as if a credit card were used, but why damage a credit card?

Shay is very careful with closing each door and stepping into the house. The card is put in a pants pocket while the hammer is slipped into a belt loop. This back room is the kitchen and dining room, so nothing out of the ordinary here.

You take a big bite of your burger while Shay sees the living room, and of course nothing strange there, too. Actually, what is strange is there is no evidence of a pet ferret or any pet. No pictures, no toys just left around, and no food or water bowls.

Shay goes to the stairs, one leading up and one leading down.

"It's almost always the basement that's the place," you say.

A) Expect this to go as expected with the basement
B) Expect this to go against expectations

B

B

B.

B

"So maybe they go against the grain and make it the attic?"

"But basement would technically make more sense," Raven says.

"I suppose so," you say.

Shay starts to go to the stairs, and looks at the stairs leading down for the basement. They expect this to be just like the standard formula, and they reach for the railing. They start walking down, but then there's something upstairs. Shay goes back up and tentatively goes up the other staircase.

Shay is careful as they reach the top. This seems to be where the bedrooms are, so could one of these rooms have a captive?

Shay peeks in through doorways that are opened. One is the bathroom, nothing strange there. At least, nothing Shay can smell. Shay remembers crime dramas showing dead bodies dissolving in acid, but it doesn't seem to be happening in the tub.

Shay moves on to a bedroom. It'd be really creepy to have something dead in your bedroom, but maybe this lady is that kind of creepy? Shay looks around without touching too much, but finds nothing suspicious.

"Move on to the attic...!" Raven grumbles.

Shay makes it to the end of the hall, and sees a string dangling. Shay can see the outline of the collapsible stairway to the attic, so they pull the string. The steps to the attic come down, and Shay is careful as they go up.

Shay looks around but the attic has a very small, very dusty window so not much light comes in. Shay tries to find their way around in the dark. They bring out their phone and use the light to see better, and a young man is there! He's tied up with ropes and gagged with a big piece of duct tape.

"Whoa, okay," Raven says. "Didn't expect a hostage."

"So is she just a kidnapper, not a killer?" you say.

Shay tells this hostage it's okay, they'll help him. Shay helps the young man up to his feet, but then the phone's light shines on something on the floor next to the hostage. Shay looks closer and sees it's a big spot of blood! Shay freaks out and the hostage tries to calm them down.

Shay unties the hostage and he pulls the tape off, and they go to the attic stairs. They hurry down and end up in the hallway, and then hurry for the steps, but come to a screeching halt at the top. The camera pans around and the young woman is there, with a knife!

"Uh oh," you say.

"Well, isn't this awkward," the young woman says. "I can't go up to you, you'll knock me down. But you can't come down here, because I'll get you."

"But I have a phone!" Shay says as they hurry to dial 911.

But then the young woman throws the knife!

"Oh, bloody hell!" you say as the knife gets Shay in the hand!

A) Shay will survive, though
B) Shay and hostage will survive
C) They're both doomed

A.

B

bump

C

RANDOMIZER

C

"Oh, they're doomed now," you add, to which Raven laughs.

"And people say I'm morbid," she says. "But they should be able to stop her now, she threw the knife at them."

But then she pulls out something from her back pocket and has it flick the blade out to show it is a switchblade knife.

"Whoa," Raven says.

The hostage and Shay run away from the stairs, leaving the phone behind. They hide inside the master bedroom and with only three hands total, they manage to push a chest of drawers in front of the door. The knife-wielding woman slams against the door, Shay and the hostage try to figure out what to do next.

The hostage goes to the window and open it up in hopes of climbing out, but there's a screen in the way. Shay knows the knife stuck in their hand could cut that screen, but obviously Shay is reluctant to pull the knife out of their hand. But as the killer woman keeps going after the door, fear motivates Shay to get over the pain.

"Oh, they're showing it...!" you say with a grimace as Shay pulls the bloody knife out. "Good thing I wasn't having ketchup with my fries this time."

Shay, having a disabled right hand and not being left handed, passes the knife to the hostage, and he starts cutting into the screen. But then the rattling and ramming of the door stops.

"Why did she stop?" Raven asks at the same time Shay asks.

"Maybe she's going to get something to better bash the door open," the hostage says with fear in his voice.

He hurries to cut more of the screen up. He cuts three out of the four sides, and that's enough for the screen to become a flap. The hostage then crawls out the window and onto the top of the wood awning. He's able to go to the edge and climb down to the porch below. Shay crawls out the window now and peeks over the edge.

The hostage waves from the walkway, and Shay smiles, thinking they're both home free. But then THE SWITCHBLADE FLIES INTO THE HOSTAGE'S NECK!! Shay screams as the young man falls back and the killer woman storms up to stand over him. She glares up at Shay and Shay shouts for help! But then the killer starts to shout for help, as if she's being attacked! She's pointing at Shay like Shay's the attacker!!

"Oh that's so messed up!" Raven says, although somewhat smiling.

Shay is stuck on the awning for a moment, at a loss for what to do with the psychotic woman turning the tables on them. After all, they ended up obsessed with the neighbor, and now they and a dead person are on her property at the same time, with no proof of what was going on just moments before.

Shay retreats back into the master bedroom. What else can they do? Anything Shay says to defend what they were doing breaking into this house only makes them look worse. They wait as authorities are called.

A) The evidence will defend Shay
B) The killer will get away with this

B.

bump

A

A

"Well, the evidence has to save Shay," you say.

The movie moves though the next events quickly but smoothly. Shay is taken into custody under the obvious breaking and entering. Shay gives testimony on why they broke into the house, on finding the man in the attic and the bloodstain up there, and about the woman using the knives against them.

The investigation finds the fingerprints on the knives that match to the woman's prints. The bloodstain doesn't match the hostage Shay saved, adding suspicion to the woman. Speaking of that hostage, the man tragically died from the knife in the throat so he can't back Shay's story. At least, not with words. There's a lot of evidence on the young man's body that proves something concerning was going on.

The young woman defends her innocence by throwing the hostage under the boss as a masochist into bondage. She tied him up as part of the foreplay. But then the knife in his neck needs to be explained. She tries to say Shay threw that one, but Shay never touched that switchblade knife and was in the wrong location given where the young man was hit.

It seems the jury accepts all this evidence. They convict the woman for holding the man hostage and then killing the man and assaulting Shay. Shay does have to be punished for the breaking and entering, but the judge is merciful and only asks Shay pay a fine of $2000, which Shay is able to manage.

After that, Shay's housemates apologize as they take them back in. Shay accepts their apologies, and finally, after a long, long time, Shay sleeps soundly through the night.

"Alright, that was pretty good," Raven says. "I liked the twist where the killer acts like the victim, in broad daylight."

"That was definitely a surprise," you say.

You two finish your meals, and you take care of putting things in the trash.

A) Relax for the afternoon
B) Work on the gifts you have

B.

B

B]

B

"Alright, I'm going to get to work on one of the gifts," you tell Raven as you return to the living room. "It's completely up to you if you want to stay here or go."

"Which gift were you going to work on?" she asks.

"Well, Cyborg's would be the easier of the two, technically speaking," you say. "I simply need to Enchant it to heat up, without it overheating and starting to warp the item."

"Oh, that makes sense," she says. "Hmm... Well, I guess I could stick around. The others will call if I'm needed."

"Alright," you say. "I'll just be over in the kitchen."

You go to your room and fetch the drying rack and then bring out your Enchantment kit. You then go to the kitchen, as you said, and set to work.

"Udari Afari," you recite as you use mana to spark the powder.

You rub the powder on the rack to make it more durable than normal, to help it take the heat you're going to imbue it with. You test it with some Heat magic just from your hand, and it seems to hold up well. You bring out more powder and hold it in your hand while using Heat magic.

"Fubi Numari, Geilon."

The powder takes on the nature of the magic you're using, and you rub that on the rack now. This gives it the ability to use Heat magic, but it will need a trigger to activate it.

A) Go with a simple on-off switch
B) Go with a dial/knob

B.

B.

B)

B

You'll put some kind of dial or knob on it, so it can have incremental levels of heat. You scrounge around in your knapsack, you were sure you had something like that.

You grab onto something small and cone shaped and pull it out, but it's just a thimble. Actually, that will be good for when you knit and sew the sweaters for Starfire and Silkie. You put the thimble in your pocket for now and go back to rummaging.

You find another shape that feels about right, but it's already attached to something else. You grab the whole thing and pull it out to see it's an old radio of yours. This stopped working a long time ago, you probably should've and would've thrown it away, but you forgot about it until now. Oddly enough, that worked out in the end. This knob and even the wiring will work for what you need.

You rummage around and find your toolkit, and bring it out to get a screwdriver. You carefully take the radio apart, free the knob from the frame and its wiring from all sorts of parts of the radio's innards.

You look the knob's frame over and figure you can reuse this to gauge the temperature levels. You set that aside and will look for paint later. For now, you hook the knob and wiring up to the drying rack, using the combination of Enchantment and Alchemy you learned from Grandfather Sixth to integrate it as seamlessly as possible.

To keep track of the temperature, you'll need a thermometer. You rummage through your knapsack again but can't find any. You then remember your cooking utensils and bring out a meat thermometer. You touch it to the metal and turn the dial. The Heat magic activates and you get a reading from the thermometer. Of course, the thermometer is scaled for hundreds of degrees, so this isn't that good.

You put the meat thermometer back in the drawer and figure out where you can get a proper thermometer.

A) Go on a quick shopping trip
B) Ask Titans for help

A

A

A

"Raven," you say as you return to the living room. "I'm going to go back to the store and see if I can get a thermometer. I shouldn't be too long."

"Oh, okay," she says. "I'll still be here."

You go back to the garage and get on Shadowfax to drive to Jump Mart. You hurry in and look around for a section that would have thermometers. You spot them with the medicines and medical kits and head over.

There are classic glass thermometers with mercury inside, and there are digital thermometers, both that you touch directly to something and that you can scan with. For what you need right now, and honestly for any situation, you go with direct touch.

You go to the checkout counter, buy the thermometer and return home. Raven has since reclined on the couch to lie down sideways on it, but you keep yourself from staring to get back to working on the drying rack.

You pop the thermometer out of the packaging and get it working with some little cell batteries. You carefully touch the end of it to the innermost part of the rack as you turn the knob. The heat magic activates and the thermometer gets a reading. This is working out better than the meat thermometer, and you keep track of how far you're turning the knob. You don't want to go too far past 180 degrees.

As you approach 180 degrees, the temperature nears 80 degrees Fahrenheit. You will stop the knob from going past the half turn. You dial things down to just before it shuts off, and when the temperature settles, it stands at about 65. A decent temperature, especially with it being a chill Winter. You'll label the knob's increments with "off," "low," "medium," and "high" rather than the actual numbers.

You bring out your paints, go over the whole frame with some gray, and then carefully use some black paint to put on the words, as well as dashes between them all to create a scale. You let that dry, then stick it onto the rack, welding it in place with some highly concentrated Heat magic.

A) Take a break
B) Move right into Starfire's gift

B.

A we must stop... and stare

bump

B

500! just so @Cartridge88 can start a new topic