For the sake of the children

[lexcorp-media.livejournal.com]

The cameraman aims at the cheerful blonde reporter, and the red light is on. "Charles," says the reporter on cue, "I'm here at the Moscone Convention Center, once again the site of the annual Tomorrow's Heroes auction. This year the children's charity theme is San Francisco's resident heroes of today, the Titans."

The camera pans around to show the busy arena, crowded with people wandering around several tables piled high with Titans merchandise. "Titans and collectors from the Bay Area have donated items for this year's auction. The proceeds will be benefitting area charities assisting children in need, including this year's victims of Degeneration Y." The camera returns to the blonde reporter, now joined by a balding, gray-haired Hispanic man in a tux. "Here with me now is Rick Cantu, of Bay Area Memorabilia, whose auction house is running this year's charity. Mr. Cantu, what can you tell us about this year's items?"

Mr. Cantu, obviously at ease in front of the camera, smiles. "Cynthia, we have an astonishing array of Titans-related merchandise available. If your viewers are unable to join us at the Moscone Center, they are welcome to visit our website at w-w-w-dot-bayareamemorabilia-dot-com to review tonight's catalog. And of course your station is being kind enough to provide live coverage of the bidding, and we expect many bidders will be calling the 1-800 number on our website." The URL and phone number appear on the screen. "Starfire has generously provided us with autographed copies of her famous bikini poster--originals, I might add, not reprints. Superboy has donated autographed videogames. Naturally we have a number of action figures both in and out of the box, vintage issues of Hero Beat, lunch boxes from just about every team line-up available, and for those of you looking for holiday gifts, we have some rare Christmas ornaments for sale."

"That's amazing, Mr. Cantu. And I understand there's a very special item to be unveiled during the auction?"

"Oh, yes." Mr. Cantu beams with pride. "Very rare, very collectible. We're most fortunate to have such an item donated, and we expect it to bring in a fine price for the charity." He taps the side of his nose, looking rather like a clean-shaven Santa. "But that's a surprise we're saving for the right time." He nods at the stage at the far end of the room. The curtains have been drawn, but they shift and billow every once in a while, hinting at the busy movements of auction staffers making last-minute preparations.

"We'll be here when those curtains go up," Cynthia promises. She turns back to the camera. "Live from the Moscone Convention Center, I'm Cynthia McAllister. Back to you, Charles."

"And ... we're off air." The cameraman lowers his camera, but Cynthia waves at him. "Keep that in place," she says, looking around at the crowd. "I want some Titans footage, when they get here."

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bird_of_flame_/]

Flamebird is here!

Not that she knows where she's going or where she's supposed to be. This place is huge! And strangely enough, she's totally lost track of where Starfire is. How is that possible? It isn't like she isn't seventy feet tall with hair down to her nakles or anything!

Peeking her head around a corner, she calls, "Starfire? Where am I supposed to be?" Some detective she makes.

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

Multiple flash bulbs begin going off all around Flamebird.

Soon, scraps of paper and writing implements are offered as a growing crowd begins calling out for her autograph.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bird_of_flame_/]

Ummmm. Okay.

It has been awhile since this has happened to her. And she can't really recall it happening much in costume - ever. She isn't the world's most well known hero, after all.

Waving a hand, she finishes stepping out around the corner. "Hi!" Taking the paper offered her, she starts signing things.

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

"I'm so scoring that Raven action figure man! No way am I not getting that."
says a young man with perhaps a bit too much black eyeliner to his similarly made up friends.

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

"I have the 'Queen of the Damned' limited edition Raven figure." claims another.

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

"That is such a fake. She never did a 'Queen of the Damned' figure."

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

"Momma? Can I have a Wonder Girl lunchbox? Pleeaaaaaassseeee...?"

[starfire-kory.livejournal.com]

The ceiling is easily high enough for Starfire to take a quick flight around the cavernous space. Many of the children (and even some of the adults) cry out happily, cheering the alien Titan as she circles above.

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

Eight boys ranging from 8 to 10 years of age, each one dressed up as Robin, pour out of a minivan and go running into the crowd.

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

"Don't go far!", cries out a woman from the driver's seat. She shakes her head in frustration as the kids completely ignore her.

"Harold? Can you look after the boys? I want to go see if there's an autographed copy of Wonder Woman's book here.."

[jessequick.livejournal.com]

Jesse Chambers has no problem dealing with the public, as CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

Jesse Quick? Sort of terrified of them.

Standing out of the way, she watches her teammates interact with a faint smile lighting her features. As one of the more fiscally successful of the Titans, she has donated much to the charity auction and willl donate still more.

Best thing about being successful: giving things away.

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

On a table nearby Jesse Quick can see a display dedicated to the Titans speedsters. Action figures of the latest Kid Flash are prominent, but the real treasures are on a separate table, roped off from the public and further honored by the presence of a nearby security guard. Under his watchful eye rests an unopened box, a yellowing cellophane window reveal an action figure of the first Kid Flash. Next to the vintage box is an early issue of Hero Beat with Kid Flash prominently featured on the cover. There is a long rectangular frame holding a series of eisenstadt photos of Keystone's favorite son when he still wore gold and red.

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

"ummm..." comes the timid voice of a small girl in a wheelchair nearby. She's wearing a t-shirt bearing the Titan's "T" logo and her eyes grow huge as she looks up at the lady speedster.

[santana-slade.livejournal.com]

What is it with her and conventions as of late?

The e-mail went out for any Titans who wished to attend to come to this. Thing is, the general public didn't even know she *WAS* a Titan yet.

And her bubblebutt, though more toned than normal, still wasn't ready for spandex.

So she's here, although there's a higher chance they'll recognize her as a kids TV star than as a Titan, although she's there for both.

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

Her relative anonymity affords her a 'fly on the wall' perspective to some of the fan chat going on around her. Only six steps away is a gaggle of twelve year old girls, each with a "Teen Titan Fan Club Autograph Book" in hand.

Their 'leader' a strawberry blond girl dressed in pre-teen chic is giving them their marching orders...

"..and remember, photographs count as separate club points from autographs. Duplicates are only worth half points and Shelly, drawings of Superboy don't count as photographs..."

[lexcorp-media.livejournal.com]

"Santana!" A flashbulb goes off to her right.

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

"Dude! Did you see that? Starfire is freakin HOT!"

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but Wondergirl is the shiznit man!"

[jla-extras.livejournal.com]

At the appointed hour, Mr. Cantu ascends the stage and takes his place behind the auctioneer's podium. "If I could have everyone's attention? Thank you." The crowd hushes quickly, though some of the children take a little while longer to calm down. "I would like to once again welcome everyone to this year's auction for Tomorrow's Heroes. The bidding will begin soon, but first, as promised--" At his signal, the curtains are pulled back, revealing a glass display case on a wooden pedestal. The stage area is still dark, and the audience eagerly surges forward, trying to see. "We have the honor of presenting a very rare and special artifact for auction tonight. Its provenance will be made available to interested bidders before it is officially put on the block ... our telephone staffers are standing by to field your queries...."

A spotlight hits the display case, revealing a small action figure dressed in red and white and wearing a purple mask. The serious fans and collectors in the audience gasp in recognition. "Yes, this is an example of the earliest known action figure of Beast Boy. If you're watching at home, please call our toll-free number on your screen. Bidders here at the convention center may speak with one of our staffers to the left of the stage ... in the meantime, our first lot up for bid is a Teen Titans lunchbox featuring Argent...."

[alt-minds2.livejournal.com]

THAT name gets her attention. One advantage is that she can shift her eyes to an eagle's vision without attracting much attention.

Normally, girls get to leaf through an album or two of their boyfriend's baby pictures. Falling in love with Garfield Mark Logan pretty much meant "normal" became just a dryer setting.

The figure itself is...fascinating. She doesn't know if she should laugh, be vaguely sick about it, smile with pride, or coo about how cute the real thing must have been at that age. He couldn't have been much older than ten, judging by the face. He's still got the smile that could light up Broadway.

He's talked a lot about this time - Doom Patrol giving him a sense of family and belonging after his parents were killed. He really talk a lot about Rita Farr, and he's made sure she's seen all of Rita's movies, too. Rita was also the one who helped get him into show business.

"Oh, gosh. He was adorable even then."

[speedy-mia.livejournal.com]

Speedy walks in just as things start to get rolling with Damage right behind her. She's trying not to look as nervous as she feels but this is her first outing with the Titans doing the other part of their work, the non-fighting kind, her smile is tentative and her shoulders a bit tense.

[damage-granted.livejournal.com]

It took Damage a while to get the hang of the public relations stuff, too, but he got in a lot of practice during his first stint with the team. Since the debacle with the League, the Titans have been engaged in serious image rehabilitation; thus far, their efforts seem to have paid off. If the number of people in attendance today are any indication, they've regained the trust of the good people of San Francisco.

"Don't sweat it, Speedy," Damage says, walking alongside the hooded teen heroine, showing her a smile. The visit to the hospital with Flamebird had gone very well and it had also been a very gratifying experience.

[alt-minds2.livejournal.com]

She's VERY wierded out by all this. Action figures were something she never saw up close until she got to the Titans. Seeing replicas of her friends in cast plastic and seeing people drool over the figures is just...mind-blowing.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bird_of_flame_/]

It took Flamebird some time in order to extricate herself from the questioning of the newswoman with the camera. Now that she has, however, she's wandering about signing things when asked but the asking seems to be a lot less now that the auction has started. People are paying attention up there, which seems entirely fitting.

[-nightwing-.livejournal.com]

Nightwing is conspicuous by absence. Despite his leadership role with the Titans, publicity like this isn't his scene. But there will be a few things in the auction - being secretive and distant creates demand for anything bearing his hallmark - and two framed 8 x 10 photos - taken by one Donna Troy - sit among the items, signed and accompanied by a bat logo in gold marker.