"Love"
is like a bird, soaring high and proud forever, never stopping until it is broken.
I write this in honor of "The Teen Titans", of which they should have made more episodes of, so I shall create my own, to satisfy my longings, and possibly yours.
Chapter 1
Raven lay in bed, so very tired, yet she could not gain any sleep. There was one thing that was sincerely bothering her, but she could not specifically place her finger on it. It confused her much, she didn't know if she should be worried about it, or dismiss it as anxiety about Slade. Although, she did not want to interrupt her sleep, she urged herself to try and relax. Surprisingly, she felt comfortable and safe, which was a lie, as she has never felt safe in her life, just, more safe at some times rather than others. From this, she felt as though no one would understand her unusual feelings, and therefore could not comfort or make her feel safe in any way. She now noticed that she was wide awake, her body tingling form the eagerness to get out of bed and get the day over with.
'Who knows, it may be fun.' She thought, trying to think positively.
She glanced at her Titan alarm clock, flashing 4:50 am in red pix-elated numbers. Having the sense that something bad was to happen, she soon arose form bed. All was quiet, it was peaceful, pleasant even. Raven threw on her cloak, which gave her a sense of security. The cloak fluttered in small silk ripples with Raven's every slight movement. She took one look at herself in the mirror, her hair was much longer, at the bottom of her shoulder blades in fact. The Titans really hadn't much time for such unimportant things, as they were all too busy conquering ever-growing evil. She did not want to bother with her hair at all, it looks nice enough.
A wicked voice inside her growled. "You? Nice?" A pause, then a chuckle. "You Raven, are a monster. A DEMON!" The voice grew louder, more violent. "You are not nice, pretty, or loved! YOU ARE NOT ANYTHING!"
Raven knew someone like her could not be any of those things. She pulled her hood over her head in shame. 'I need some Tea.' She internally grumbled.
Out in the living room Robin had already awaken, they were always both the early birds, where he was reading peacefully, Raven did her best not to intrude on his relaxation time. Everyone knew he deserved it, by far, dealing with Slade was enough, but Trigon? And then the Brotherhood? Very few could handle such stress.
Raven silently made her way to the kitchen and continued to boil water in a kettle, the warmth was extremely pleasant in contrast to her cold state of mind.
Robin had heard Raven fumbling around in the kitchen, and with the bond they shared, he knew some thing was not exactly right. He placed his book down slowly, he was deep in thought, quick actions were not manageable. Robin settled himself down onto the soft couch cushion, leaning his back against the couch. His mind was racing, trying to find what was upsetting Raven, and even further, searching for a way to help her. His brow furrowed as he sat contemplating, he too now, felt concern. "What is going on?'
Meanwhile, Raven had just finished preparing her tea and she floated gracefully towards the Titans' living room, her cloak waved, creating a motion similar to the waves of the sea. The hot tea cup left a trail of steam as she moved, with a mere flick of her finger, Raven took a book from the near kitchen counter and she rested it upon the couch next to her with her mysterious dark energy. She sat down in one swift, fluent motion.
Robin was still wallowing deep thought, that is, until he noticed Raven staring at him with a raised eyebrow.
"What?" She asked in her trademark monotone, with a hint of worry in her voice.
Robin came back to reality with a blink. "Huh?" He asked, in utter confusion.
Raven's stare turned to a soft gaze. "Robin, whats the matter?" Concerned filled her voice, she took Robin seriously, as he did her.
"Raven, I've got this bad feeling, is everything okay?" He clearly had sensed her worrisome state of mind.
'So much for not wanting to stress out Robin,' She pondered sarcastically. 'He desperately needs some slack.'
She then looked away from Robin's anxious glare, she felt very bad for him, for what he has gone through, 'and a lot just for me.' She thought guiltily, and remembered all of what he had done for her when her prophecy of her life unraveled before her eyes. 'He is the only one who had hope, for me.'
"Robin, I know everything these past months have been extraordinarily difficult for you, the stress must be," Raven paused, feeling his pain through their inseparable bond, she almost winced. "unbearable." She finished, and then again looked at his masked face, which was seeking a full answer.
Raven resumed. " I do not know what is coming, or what is going to happen but," She paused yet again, her emotions were consuming her alive, if too strong emotions or too much emotion were expressed, her powers go out of control. The living room light bulbs burst with a great pops and bright sparks leaving them both in semi-darkness. Raven looked out the large windows, the sky was a beautiful mix of a light yellow in a purple and aqua hue. She took in a large breath and finally continued, " but it is definitely not good."
Robin saw how much she cared about him and the other Titans, how she understands how he feels. He felt his face soften, he now did not look so harsh or demanding.
He started. "Raven, I-, we, will do the best we c-"
Beast boy and Cyborg flew into the living room shouting dares and bets as to who can beat each other on the new video game they bought, "Space Race 2.0". They forcefully squeezed between Robin and Raven ending their heart-felt talk in an instant.
"I bet I can beat you in a minute flat, Cy!" Beast boy confidently shouted.
"I dare you, BB!" Cyborg hissed threateningly.
They then both asked, "Hey, what's wrong with the lights?" But they were ignored, there were bigger problems at hand.
It was now 8:30 and the sun was well up. It shone through the windows creating a warming and welcoming shade of yellow.
'Had it really been that long?' Robin mentally asked himself.
Disgust grew upon Raven's face as the gamers flailed around in their seats as if it made the game any easier.
She picked her book up with her dark magic and left to her room, where it was calm and peaceful.
'I really should meditate.' She thought back to the day where she was so intent on destroying a villain, she could not see she was putting a small girls' life in danger, even when she noticed, she could not stop from the rage welling up inside her. You must control your emotion to control your power.
Raven carefully set down her book neatly upon her bed and made her way to the towers' roof.
Chapter 2
The Sun beamed down on Raven, it enveloped her in its infatuating warmth. The light made her pale skin seem just a little more radiant. With her hood down, the rays made her hair luxurious, the way it rested upon her shoulders, it looked like a wavy sea of amethysts.
She murmured her phrase of mysterious words, their meaning's not truly known by many.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos." She said quite timidly, her voice even sounded majestic.
She lifted one eyelid, as she sensed another presence. Both of her eyes were now open, looking and searching rapidly around. From the right to the left her eyes scanned the area, she had a bad feeling. It was a hostile and eager presence, she did not now who or where it was, but she definitively new it was evil and coming near.
"Hnng!" Raven's whole body was pushed ferociously backwards and pinned to a wall by two impenetrable criss-crossed, red bands. Pain rippled within her aggressively. She knew who this was!
"Red X!" She half gasped and half shouted. With her almighty dark powers she rapidly shifted a large crate to hover near her. She now just waited for the enemy, Red X.
"Hello Sunshine." A low intimidating voice came from behind her.
Meanwhile with Robin...
Once Robin had evaded the two rowdy gamers he made his way down the dark hallway. He now noticed that Raven had vanished as well. He was determined to help her through these tough times. But the true reason he went looking was that Raven helped him. Robin did not want to leave her alone, Slade is still on the loose, and Robin still wanted to talk with Rae (Raven's nickname).
He thinks back to when they were speaking, just a quick few minutes ago, he remembered seeing Raven's deep purple eyes full of concern, for him. He treasured that, emotions from Raven were indescribably rare. Everyone knew why too, he replayed the living room lights exploding fiercely in his mind, thats why, it makes her powers go out of control. Robin realized how hard it must be, not hating, not loving, not being even sad. He saw the good in her.
'She does that to protect people, not because she doesn't care! He thought sympathetically.
Robin wanted to see Raven now, badly! He felt-
"UGH!" Robin dropped to his knees. It was Raven, something is wrong.
His eyes were shut tight, he broke into a sweat, panting. He forcibly got up, staggering his way to Raven. He new where she was, on the roof. He felt Raven almost mentally calling him for desperate help. Robins pain subsided as the determination to save Raven whelmed up inside of him, she really needs help.
Meanwhile with Raven ...
Raven swung the sizable crate which she was harnessing with her magic near the intruder. He dodged it easily.
"Whoa!" He said, not surprised. "Calm down, beautiful." He stepped near her and stroked the side of her cheek mischievously.
Raven lifted a few bulky storage boxes into the air and shot them easily towards her opponent.
"Stop this!" She said furiously, her cheeks were reddened with rage and embarrassment.
He again eluded them easily.
"Don't put up this fight, my little dove." He said, trying to sound sweet and convincing.
Red X inched near Raven slowly. He put his index finger under her chin, lifting it slightly up to face him. She was squirming, trying to free her arms, Raven's eyes were now glowing white, she was ready to blast to oblivion.
"Azarath-" She started to say faintly under her breath.
Red X quickly interrupted. "I need a little favor from you Raven." His voice soft and serious now.
He lifted his hand up, which was holding a round object that fit the size of his palm. It was slowly counting downwards in red flashing numbers. 5:03, 5:02, 5:01.
"You do want your friends to be safe... Right?" Red X chuckled. 4:45, 4:44, 4:43, 4:42 4:41.
'A bomb?!' Raven thought. Her eyes widened as if she could not believe what she was seeing. It was no question, she would always do anything to save her friends. 4:10, 4:09, 4:08.
Ravens eyes faded from glowing, returning to her normal state. "Yes." She said quietly.
"Then come with me." Red X said seeming satisfied. The bands immediately released their grip upon her.
Raven dropped to the ground with a small thud. Red X put out his hand, offering to help her get on her feet.
Raven absolutely ignored that random act of kindness and got up, by her lonesome. That was a sly message of saying, I don't need you, and I don't like you.
"BAM!" The door leading to the roof burst violently wide open.
Robin stood in disbelief, looking questioningly at Raven and at Red X angrily.
"Red X..." Robin mumbled in a low hoarse tone, his masked eyes narrowed. Robin got into his fighting stance. He was prepared for anything, he wouldn't let Raven get hurt like she had ever again, she is still the target.
A Black hawk helicopter over head broke the stifled silence and Red X shuffled his feet.
Red X took a glance at the bomb, time was ticking by, and fast. 0:30, 0:29, 0:28! "Gotta go!" he said hurriedly.
Raven, who was standing near his side, was pulled close to him vigorously. Red X held her firmly around the waist. Raven gasped in shock and surprise.
Robin sprinted towards Red X in complete and utter fury, his gazed was fixed on Red X and him alone, and his mind was fixed on destroying him. With the other hand, Red X quickly launched his grapple hook high into the air and caught on to the Black hawk helicopter that was darting by. Red X and Raven were hastily soaring through the air to an unknown destination.
In total bewilderment, Raven shouted. "Robin!" Her innocent amethyst eyes huge and pleading.
Robin in a last attempt to rescue Raven shot his grapple hook at the helicopter as well, but it was much too far away now. All he could do now was tell her that she would be okay.
"Raven, I'll find you, I'll get you, I promise!" He must have shouted much louder than he ever has before.
Raven nodded in response, though she was not sure he could see it. A few moments later he nodded back, looking very determined. Raven sighed in partial relief.
0:05, 0:04, 0:03, 0:02. Raven and "X" were well over the sea now, as the tower is on the coast. Red X immediately threw the time bomb into the water, a magnificently large explosion erupted making a grand splash. The rope Red X was grasping continued a few inches below them both, and at the bottom was a small metal orb. The iridescent orb instantly flattened into a metal plate, about 3 feet in diameter, they could both easily stand on it. Red X rubbed his arm which was holding on to the rope, it ached badly.
Robin looked at the two, soaring away into the horizon, but to where? Many a feelings were welling up in Robin. He was shaking with frustration and anxiety. He threw his fists upon the ground in absolute hatred.
Confusion, hate, and fear. Concern, despair, and anger. Remorse, shame, and rage... but surprisingly most of all, jealousy of Red X!
Chapter 3
Raven and Red X were far out of sight, just thinking about it infuriated Robin. It made him feel entirely helpless, it made him feel as though he couldn't do anything, he felt for once hopeless, as if the hope had been torn away from him. He then realized it had, his one and only hope was Raven. Robin sluggishly made his way down the stair case continuing down the hall. He passed Star-fire's room, then Beast-boy's, and Cyborg's, bathing in anguish until he halted right beside Raven's room. He leaned his head against it, trying greatly to form some sort of plan in his head, who would he be to just stand by and give no care to his friend, who was by now, certainly needing his help. He would be like any other person in Raven's life, she grew up with no one to care for her, she was hardly ever loved, if at all. Her past is a secret to the other Titans, no one knew what had happened to her, but even from the little they had heard and seen, it was already tormenting and insufferable.
Robin leaned on the door further, he was now almost unable to support his weight, thinking about Raven's situation had already left him disoriented. The door creaked open surprisingly and Robin nearly plummeted to the ground, though he stumbled weakly towards Raven's bed. The door was usually locked, so Robin found this considerably odd, it was ever so rarely unlocked. He plumped down onto the bed, all his energy drained from him, not only was Raven his hope, Raven also was his power.
Robin laid lazily on the bed, frozen at great depths of depressing thoughts. The room's shadowy and dim appearance did not help whatsoever. One thought immediately occurred to him, which was that he was never really ever in Ravens room. Now he was in here, he noticed how dark and borderline creepy the room was, it seemed to reflect her tragic past. Every thought of her hurt Robin down to his soul with a stabbing sharp pain, Robin knew he could not do much of anything, for, he knows so little of what Red X's plans are for Raven. He did not even know where she was or... 'if she is even alive.' Robin thought like a fatalist.
'No! If there was anything Raven had taught me, it was to have hope, to persevere through the hard times and thrive through the easy.' Robin was thinking, though he had no idea at all of what to do, he knew it's what Raven would want, for him to hope. After all, Raven was counting on him, maybe even with her own life. This made Robin spring out of the enticing bed abruptly.
'Raven is in danger, and here I am moping around?!' Slap! Robin slapped himself painfully for being so utterly blind. 'Dumb, stupid! I need a Plan!' Now Robin was thinking like a hero, instead of an absolute basket-case!
Meanwhile with Raven...
Raven looked sorrowfully at the Titan's tower, feeling the pure anguish that Robin was experiencing, she then shot a raging glare at Red X, who seemed to be very much enjoying himself, which angered her more. It took a long while for him to notice the grim death stares being sent his way, but when he did he cocked his head and raised an eyebrow, seeming innocent and perplexed. Which made Raven stare at him even more so hatefully.
"Do you mind telling me what the hell all that was about?!" She roared blatantly.
Red X's eyes maintained his soft gaze, little did she know, he cherished every moment when Raven bore her stare deep into his eyes, it tickled his soul and made him feel warm and fuzzy far inside. He straightened his head, though his eyes were masked, they still held each other's gazes.
'It is quite a pity,' Red X thought. 'that someone like her gets such little affection.' They both stilled stared one another down in silence, the only sound was the sea breeze which encompassed them. He could tell Raven was growing tremendously irritable.
'What in the world does he think he is doing?!' Raven pondered impatiently. ' What is this peculiar feat?'
"Drop this act!" Raven said, ending the intolerable silence. "What do you want? What exactly are you planning?" She exclaimed with massive annoyance, she was now well over fed up.
Red X then snapped out of his swooned trance and answered her rather calmly. "I think you know, sweet heart."
"What?!" Raven yelled clenching her teeth, so desperately trying to fight the powerful urge to chuck him into the speeding helicopter blades.
"Slade, he's out to get you." He said, while smugly inspecting his fingers, sounding rather unamused. "But I can help, you know."
Raven's cold glare diminished, a look of gratefulness almost seemed to be plastered on her pale face, which enticed Red X greatly. But it quickly faded away, as she realized exactly what he had done.
'Robin, you are missing OUT!' Red X thought as he pictured Robin and Star-fire together in contrast to Raven and Red X.' He almost giggled out loud.
"Then why?" Raven begun, enormously puzzled. "Why in the world would you make it seem like a cruel kidnap?!" She spat inches away from Red X's face.
"It doesn't hurt to have a little drama." Red X said smugly, while at the same time, avoiding Ravens deathly glare. He couldn't take it, every time he looked at it he grinned widely under his mask, not that she could see.
Raven scoffed out of disbelief. "If you haven't caused such commotion we would be well on our way by now completely unnoticed!" She gave him a harsh look of repulsiveness. "They wouldn't be coming after me, it's your fault you have now got them into this-" there was a pause as she tried to relax herself. "MESS!" She finished, there was clear worry in her voice for her friends, this maddened Red X as he thought intensely.
'Why does she care for them so much? Can't she see that all they have done is use her and give her misery?'
Red X started feeling uncertain. "I'm doing you... a favor." He mumbled, nearly inaudible under his breath. He was half hoping Raven would not hear him, that hope was shattered to pieces, he soon badly regretted what he had said. 'But it was true.' Red X presumed, the other Titans, just didn't realize how marvelous she really is.
"WHAT?!" She eyed him with seething resentment and disbelief. "And what exactly do you mean by that?" She asked, actually quite curious to find out precisely what he had meant.
"W-We're close." Red X reluctantly said, trying hard to change the topic.
Raven gave him a questioning glance, but she disregarded his irregular reply as there were more crucial things to be dealt with, and yet another thought entered her mind.
"Where is close?" Raven inquired uneasily, looking for land any size or shape.
Red X clutched Ravens arms and gently turned her around. "There." He said quietly into her ear, she flinched but had no care once she saw where and what 'close' was. Her invaluable amethyst eyes widened vastly. There was an island, shaped rather uniquely, exactly the shape of...!
"Th-The Mark of S-Scath!" Raven dropped to her knees, they hit the metal plate they still were standing on hard, she stared into space, her eyes blank, not acknowledging anything, she was in terrifying shock. "Slade!" She added in a small gasp. Her eyes were full with fear, and she tried to hide it under her hood, though her whole body was trembling. It seemed as if all her bodily functions have just shut down just as if she accepted death itself, given up all hope, just as she thought it was over with, it returned, bigger than ever.
'Man, what happened to this girl?' Red X thought with sympathy and pity. 'What does this mean to her?' And the even more horrifying thing was... 'How could anything ever scare one like Raven.. this much?!' Now, Red X was just plain confused, he knew that the return of Slade was bad, 'But This?!' Red X couldn't help but try to comfort her, he knelt down and awkwardly patted her on the back, she gave no attention to it whatsoever.
Meanwhile with Robin...
Robin sprinted to the living room and as he planned to alert the two Titans of the situation, they were most oddly enough still gaming, they must have not even noticed all the pandemonium which had just occurred. Robin glanced at the clock. '11:10 am... They have been playing well over two hours now.' He took in the surroundings, now so very peaceful, so oblivious to the crimes that have just been preformed. Robin drew in a long, deep, and needed breath as he prepared to tell them of what had just happened, it almost made him feel guilty to interrupt their obliviousness and ignorance of the matter. He stood bluntly in their way of the large TV screen, with an expression of undeniable fear glued to his face.
The two in a flash protested saying, "Hey, Move, Move it, Get out of the way!" or, " What's your prob' man?!" This continued until their eyes, that were finally ripped away from the engrossing video game, rested upon Robin, with his tense and panicky look.
They right away stopped shooting scornful language his direction, and a jittery Beast-boy nervously asked, "W-What's wrong Robin?" Beastie's voice cracked with dread, Cyborg was also listening to Robin closely, waiting for an answer as well.
'It's now or never!' Robin thought, and he revealed to them the brutal truth right before their ears, not missing any detail. Their countenance's grew more and more terrified with every sentence, hope had seemed to be ripped from them too, as the ruthless reality was unraveled right in front of them. Raven was everyone's hope. Both their expressions became worse and even more until it seemed that they were on the brink of fainting. 'How could this team survive without Raven? H-How could I ?! Robin contemplated.
A complete nerve ravaging story later...
'How in the World could I let this happen?' Robin half shamefully thought, half sadly muttered under his breath. Unfortunately, one certain Titan heard him quite well enough.
A storming and infuriated Titan replied to him hurtfully. "Yeah! You think Robin?! How could you let this happen...AGAIN?!" Beast-boy's rage made his old cheery, shy, and corny joke-y self seem like a thing from the far and distant past. It was clear just how much everyone does care for Raven.
'Ouch...' Robin thought to himself, still taking the many insults thrown at him, but he didn't reply or argue with them because... 'They are all so very correct.'
Cyborg, after having his own moment of shock and mania, took it upon himself to stop this futile and needless fighting. "GUYS! Just... stop!" He hollered noisily, and then reluctantly continued. "Raven was.. like a lil' sis' to me...Ya' know?" The great look of unimaginable pain surmounted his 'eye'. "But, we ain't doin' any thing productive just quarreling 'round like this.
Beast-boy stopped being verbally abusive and Robin looked up, both were nearly seeming optimistic and were expectant at Cyborg's sudden remark. Cyborg, now finding that he had the other's undivided attention unfolded his meager but reputable scheme, which he was devising throughout listening to Robin's account of the crisis. A flicker of hope dashed through his half human and half cybernetic body as he found that his plan would save a special life. He took a second and inhaled, repeating his plan before his mind.
"So, you said they were taken away by a Black hawk, right?" Cyborg asked Robin while crossing his arms, the question was mostly rhetorical but he wanted to make sure he was right on spot.
"Yes." Robin replied, eager to hear more. "What are you thinking?" Beast-boy nodded with excitement.
Cyborg's smile developed into an enormous grin. "The naval base, just outta town." He said, feeling very grateful to be alive and very convinced his plot would work "I say, all we have to do is check up on all them flight records and then we could find the one record whose path was meant to cross ways with the Titan tower today at... say, what time was it when you were out on the roof with Red X?"
"Umm.." Robin glanced at his watch. "Around 8:50." He said, feeling positive.
"Great, perfect!" Cyborg almost leapt with joy. "We will see which helicopter fits that flight course and find where it's heading, I'm sure their destination would be somewhere along the way!" Cyborg spoke cheerfully.
"Great work, Cy! Robin asserted, confident in his teammates and the thought-out, strategic plan.
"Operation Save Raven is a – go!" Beast-boy blurted proudly. They all got to work on the computer, searching through the many flight path records. Another little Titan walked groggily into the living room, and became very shocked. She rubbed the lingering drowsiness away until...Her emerald eyes became wide with confusion and distress, all traces of sleepiness were gone.
"Friend Raven?" She started innocently. "Is she the okay?"
Chapter 4
Meanwhile with Raven...
'Control... Control it... Control!' Raven dwelled over the fact that she felt her self slipping... 'Slipping...away...' Her teeth were clamped together securely, her eyes now shut tight in a pointless attempt to hold back many inevitable tears. Dark energy crackled around her. 'Control!' She repeated. The dark power consumed the Helicopter. 'Control!' She inferred. The Helicopter's metal moaned and creaked with crushing stress. 'Control it!' The pilot screamed bloody murder. 'Contr-'
"Mayday!" The pilot's scream of distress broke Raven's desperate attempt at maintaining her powers.
Raven, still balled up in a fetal position and eyes shut firmly, felt herself swooped up.
"Creeeaaak!" The helicopter was now spiraling into oblivion. With Raven's robust powers that were loosing vital command the Black hawk helicopter caved in upon itself with a ghastly metal groan followed by a final crash, Red X had dove off the platform in the nick of time with Raven clutched adamantly in his embrace.
Red X looked back at the pulverized helicopter in disbelief. 'Her talents, her gifts, they are, so extravagant. Its quite unbelievable that someone as petite as her could harness that kind of immense strength and power.' He thought until he noticed they were plummeting to the ground of the strange island below. Red X peered downwards at the small beauty that lay caressed in his arms, the elegant girl who was still apprehensive to open her eyes. Yet she did, to examine her salvager.
Everything was chaotic, the helicopter falling down wildly, flame, sparks, and metal scraps whizzing by inches away from Raven and Red X. Raven's hood has fallen off her all-knowing head, and her soft, silk, violet-lilac hair waved in the air around them from its beautiful long length. Raven, still in shock, had her crystal amethyst eye's focus fixed on Red X's masked eyes, worry and trouble shone brightly through his mask, and yet he still held her, close, as if in a gigantic bear hug that was shared between friends in the last moments. Red X grew alarmed at their very rapid acceleration towards the Earth as he searched for a means of escape, but to no avail as he realized he could not teleport because his suit was lacking Xenothium. He again bore his eyes at Raven's, which suddenly had strangely enough made him feel placid, entirely calm. Her eyes were a dazzling shade of purple, one lighter than her hair, around a more lavender or mauve tint. Her bindi, the small black stone delicately placed on her forehead, came off shiny and beauteous. Her lips were full and luscious, so soft and intricate, so lovely. 'Help me.' Both their expressions mutely told each other.
'Whoa...' Red X thought, unaware of their impending deaths now. Raven's eyes were full of fear, regret, sorrow, but most of all loneliness, she felt that no one was close to her or even understood her, Red X effortlessly deducted.
'I have to accept Slade is back... I can't keep on wrecking stuff like this!' Raven also was thinking vehemently. To her, everything felt as though it was in a wicked slow motion, elongating her moments of misery and agony. She now realized that they both were speedily slipping down to enlarging trees and plant ridden ground. Raven now looked up at Red X mumbling her famous three words. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." She said, Red X barely heard as the wind whistled in their ears.
A black portal-like oval appeared almost ten meters underneath them, the anarchy and turmoil had not ceased to exist, Raven and 'X' were inordinately lucky to even be alive at that time. This flew past them here, that shot by them at 200 miles per hour over there, and everything rushed at dangerously close proximities everywhere. Too much sensory input was thrown at Red X and Raven greedily, you felt the heat of the explosions and the coolness of the thin air, the wind then ripped at your skin painfully, your ears were also sternly pummeled by the whistling breeze and the fast change of pressure, and lastly, every single object was an undefined, fuzzy blur.
All at once, the two tumbled into the dark portal, and all disarray simply vanished, just like that. They then, all of the sudden, appeared on the dreaded island, with no bruises, cuts, or even scratches, except each of their mental states were not fairing so entirely well.
Red X plainly collapsed to the leaf covered ground panting heavily, Raven stumbled weakly over to him, noticing that he was in need of some sort or form of comfort and care, but it was not all entirely for Red X's sake, Raven needed care as well. She arrived to him, as he was a short five feet away, then she unexpectedly dropped to her knees.
"Not so tough-looking am I now, Dear?" Red X said cockily but ever so admittedly, with tire in his voice.
"You weren't ever in the first place." Raven replied slyly, giving him a feeble smile, then laid beside him by cause of being devoured alive by stress and fatigue.
They both chuckled lightly and set themselves down not ready to face the dire distress from the wonders and secrets of the mysterious land just yet.
With Robin...
"So, thats what happened, Star." Cyborg finished, rather uneasily, its not his type of job to retell how his Lil'-Sis' got essentially kidnapped, he rubbed the back of his head biting back outcries directed at no one in truth.
"I believe I do not understand." Star-fire said cautiously. "What ever would Red X want with Raven?" She requested, confused and bothered by the fact that 'X' had returned.
"Well Star-" Cyborg started his explanation, but his speech was then promptly obstructed by Robin's argument, showing that he was exceptionally troubled by the fact that Raven was still aimed for her colossal powers, and might always be. Cyborg frowned, being very saddened and frustrated at the interruption.
"She's needed for her boundless powers!" Robin said sharply. "Everyone wants her for that, of course, for her powerful capabilities." Robin was on a rampage now. "They can't just leave her alone!" He was involuntarily screaming and shouting at once, throwing his arms in the air. "Do they not see, how much she already suffers?!" The 'Boy Wonder' was at this moment, panting laboriously.
"Whoa, man chill!" Beast-boy said, not any less angrily or annoyed. "We will all get through this together, we cannot afford to freak out-" Beast-boy paused shooting his glare deep into Robin's mask concealed eyes, they were both centimeters away from each others face. Beast-boy continued, feeling hot-headed. "Like this!" He waved his arms around the room towards Robin's direction.
Star-fire was dumb-struck at the sight of all this aggressive arguing, she felt like she did not know how to react to all this tumult. "Friends, can we not initiate 'The Plan'." Star-fire said quite timidly.
"Yeah guys." Cyborg chimed in again, wanting to do the best he could to make both the team and Raven secure. "Why can't we just all get along?" He said in one pretty desperate and disheartened voice, while Beast-boy turned away from the rest of the team, particularly away from Robin, and let out a big "Hmph!", making him seem immature and childish. Cyborg's and Robin's face grew furious and livid simultaneously. "FOR RAVEN! CAN YOU JUST MANAGE ONE SECOND FOR RAVEN!" Both of their loud, profound, and serious voices echoed throughout the tower and shook sense into a stuck-up Beast-boy.
Beast-boy turned around and his face appeared enormously defeated and strikingly hurt. "O-Okay." He whispered shakily. There was a solemn moment of silence, but the remaining team soon got to work as they found there is not any time to be used up for procrastination.
With Raven...
Raven bolted up from hard, cracked, and oddly heated ground. The surrounding air was thick with choking smoke and fumes, which stung her eyes and burned her throat painfully. There was the sound of crackling fire and faint footsteps. She tried to adjust her vision to the cloudy area squinting her eyes while she attempted to figure out where just precisely she was.
"Where in the world am I?" Raven uttered, sounding almost scared and dreadful of what may come.
Raven stood up, her vision now more clear , a smoldering, dry, and abandoned landscape lay before her, it appeared like it could count as the definition of hell. Her legs were undeniably weak, no, scratch that, more near her entire body was, so she wobbled in attempt to gain balance. Incredibly dilapidated buildings and other man-made objects lay before her, though severely worn and broken down they were still recognizable, they were the remains of Jump City, and likely the world, if she could see any further, just as it has it looked when her prophecy had come into play those many months ago. Raven needed help, she longed for her friends comfort, for Robin's closeness.
She feared that this was Slade related and of course, like always, she must be right.
"Hello Raven, a pleasure meeting you here." A vile and corrupt voice rumbled deeply around her.
Raven kicked herself for suspecting that Slade was behind this all. Why couldn't, just for once, she be wrong? Where the voice originated, was a mystery to her, what it wanted was even more so a conundrum. Raven was currently well alert, ready to expeditiously onslaught any attacker that was to foolishly mess with her. Raven's eyes dashed from side to side, surveying every detail of the barren landscape that was retained before her.
"Slade..." Raven swore under her rapid breath, still looking around frantically from the left to the right.
"Bingo." The voice sarcastically growled, sounding eager yet somewhat hesitant to get to the point. In one small step, he came into view from the forlorn dark shadows.
Raven mentally scowled at his arrogant remark. 'Who does he think he is meddling with?!' She thought indignantly.
"I am meddling with the daughter of Trigon." Slade declared undoubtedly, Raven could see the cocky grin virtually reflect off his grim eyes. Raven stood wallowing in complete and utter shock, in tremendously deep thought, her mind was nearing light speed, her breath came in short bursts, Raven needed, wanted, help.
"H-How did you, hear that?" Raven said precariously, wanting badly to know how he read her own thoughts.
"Lets just say..." He paused, then gave a hoarse chuckle. "I got a little help." He cocked his head to the side in a derisive way. "Magic help." Slade's smirk widened as he saw 'little Raven' struggle to figure out who had helped him, and more importantly, what powers he was now capable of, mind-reading being one of them.
'Wait..' Raven again went into excessive thought. 'How did I get here?' Everything was very puzzling to Raven, things are changing much too fast, and are forming a great confusing, cruel, and melancholy heap of events and feelings. She narrowed her eyes and glared at the ground, as if it would answer all her sadistic enigmas.
"You haven't gone any where, little bird." Slade revealed, in a teasing manner, waiting for the moment when she would finally figure it out. To most villains, being the 'bad guy' was fun and exciting, thrilling and exhilarating even, but to Slade, it was a mere requirement, a necessity of exterminating all life, obliterating each and every heart and soul, he found this to be the way it was meant to be, just him and the universe...and Raven...Alone.
Raven's eye twitched, out of frustration, out of fear, out of holding back her many waiting tears. 'He couldn't...No..." Was all she thought before she was pulled into a time of fear, that transpired not long ago.
-Flashback-
"It's Slade, he's here!" Robin yelled, fighting an invisible nothing, pouncing back and forth, dodging an invisible nothing, punching and kicking an invisible nothing.
Raven watched in angst, so terrified, very really confused, her stare looked around the Titan tower, eying every nook and cranny...nothing.
"Robin! Nothing is here! Slade is dead! He is not real!" Raven shouted, in despair, literally watching her leader perish, and even worse, she had no control over it whatsoever. Though not real, it still seemed to hurt him, to inflict pain upon him, and delirious this made Raven, it made her frantic that for once, she had no rule at all.
In a quick instant she entered Robin's frenzied and hectic mind, to see what he was seeing,experiencing, feeling, and sure enough, Slade was real, very much so, to Robin at the least. It was all...in...his...mind...
-End of Flashback-
Raven's optics widened, she was speechless, she was thinking. 'He- He can't be..." She was basking in bane.
"Thats right Raven!" Slade laughed, taking in the pleasure of chaos and total destruction that was ahead of him, taking in the satisfaction of the helpless, hopeless, and hurt half-demon half-human spirit before him.
'It's not real, it's not real, it's not REAL!' Raven repeated inwardly, trying, trying so hard just to 'make.. it .. go .. away!' But to no use as a malicious voice informed, "Oh, but Raven, IT IS... it is very REAL."
"Raven! Uh-Raven! RAVEN!" Raven felt herself being shaken violently as a familiar voice called out to her.
Chapter 5
Red X's Point Of View...
There was a faint hint of a soothing blue gleam signaling the end of the day, the moonlight gave a relaxing glow making Red X's surroundings just barely visible and offering them a softened and leisurely look. He looked over to Raven who indicated being terrifically stressed and pressured, Raven was sweating profusely and squirming around as if trying to escape something she could not, something so foul even she was afraid.
'What the heck?!' Red X thought, expecting the worse, ever since he has been with Raven, catastrophes happened frequently. Being with her was thrilling, was it bad that he prized every moment in her presence?
Being eminently confused and relatively wary, Red X sat up analyzing Raven's helpless movements. Watching her made Red X feel uncomfortable to certain degree, it made him feel perturbed, for Raven, for the future to come, for himself even. But, he couldn't leave her to struggle, even for himself being a villain, it felt wrong, immoral.
Raven twitched and whimpered slightly, her face was nearly scrunched in pique and fright and her hands were drawn into fists as if awaiting to strike someone in a second flat. She was nevertheless concealed in her cloak and still squirming radically, making the untouched island dirt fly up in smokey dust clouds. Red X put a hand on her arm, which was vigorously thrashing around, in an effort to calm her down or even relieve her of her woe. Upon the touch she writhed more so frantically if even near possible, apparently it was. Random stick and stones began to rise steadily from the dead grass of which they had been settled, they were swallowed by an evil dark energy. The floating objects lead each other around the struggling two, commencing to circle Red X and Raven at lavish speeds, high enough to create forceful and potent winds that tugged each of them from this way to that. Red X flung himself upon Raven to give her cover from the stray debris that sliced at their skin and to calm her in her frenzied state.
Red X felt himself being ripped away from the one that so seriously needed aid, the winds were so strong they felt like the strenuous ripping and pulling of the ocean on an unduly stormy day. Red X clasped Raven's shoulders and started to shake her zealously to see if it could, or would, wake her. "Raven! Uh-Raven! Raven! And sure enough it did, just at the last moment, right before Red X swore he was going to die, it all stopped, all sticks and stones, all dirt and grass, all leaves and branches immediately stopped slicing at them and creating horrid tornado-like wind motions.
Raven then opened her eyes and mumbled something unintelligible to Red X.
Raven's P.O.V
"Robin?" Raven mumbled half hopefully and half frightfully, being already much shaken up, both mentally and physically. But her hopes dropped as she realized it was the one and only Red X. He seemed to take no notice of what she had said, as if he did not hear anything at all, but Raven decided to leave it at that, wanting to cause no further ataxia. Oh, how she hoped she could just be back with the Titans at this time.
Red X sighed a great sigh, showing a burden had been taken off his shoulders and practically tumbled backwards, he noticed Raven was now alright. They were both pretty scratched up, their clothes had been torn and their skin gashed. She was confused about her surroundings and both of theirs physical states, but what had happened was a question for later.
'Thank god!' They both synchronously thought, both being unimaginably happy their own hell was over. Raven sat up, not willing to either face another nightmare in sleep or find Slade on this ludicrous land. But she must find Slade, it was the Titan's duty, their one and only purpose, to rid the world of their foes.
With Robin...
"Titans! To the Titan Copter!" Robin yelled with a fierce undefined emotion radiating off of his physique. He dashed with his entire might, he was fixed on one and only one thing, finding Raven. What made this so urgent to Robin was not determined, for, she could easily defeat anything that were to harm her in any way, he had little to worry about. But there was this nagging suspicion that the problem was not anything so effortlessly dealt with, that it was a danger to Raven with its very being, their bond revealed to Robin just how very serious this could be. Why Robin was this enraged and fretful at Raven being taken away by a complete stranger and maniac was even more baffling, even to Robin himself.
The Titans were racing swiftly up to the the roof, where their Helicopter was safely stored. The Chopper was only used for grievous emergencies, and this was it, this was their calamitous crisis.
"Robin..." An all too innocent voice came from behind Robin as they were climbing the stairs to the top of the tower. They were panting from such demanding labor, as their tower was many stories high. Robin gave no response.
'What could possible be more important than saving Raven's life?' Robin thought, annoyed at Star-fire's interruption of the mission.
The seemingly guiltless alien persisted. "I doubt that Raven is in danger, after all, she is very powerful." She said in an aggravated voice. Why she was so irritated and exasperated was not clear. What is the cause of this sudden strange behavior?
Robin began wondering, 'Raven is powerful, but there are things to her that, like any one else, just becomes too much. Can no one see that? Then why is Star acting so...Could it be...Jealousy?! No! No...It could not...Right?' Robin became quite incensed at Star's lack of care towards Raven's possible demise, and how the rest of the team did not care to tell her righteously otherwise only inflamed more disgust with his squad.
"There are things that become too much even for the most mighty beings!" Robin bursted. "Even me!" He screeched at his group scrambling up the last of the stair flight, while Robin was now at the roof waiting for his so-called team, with his arms crossed. "And its pathetic that you guys don't give a damn!" His masked glare shot daggers at the profusely sweating and panting troop still clambering up the steps, as he bit his lip.
"I am sorry..." Star-fire not-so regretfully mumbled as she bolted by the vexed leader to the copter.
The others bounded by not saying a word, and they soon took their positions in the Helicopter. Robin as Pilot, Cyborg as Co-Pilot, and Beast-boy as well as Star-fire played the role as passengers.
Robin brushed the last few moments from his memory because other things were more imperative at the time, it was no use to patronize his team for their inadequate sympathy, they needed to get up and going as soon as possible. From the looks of the flight path they were to follow, finding any suspicious single thing along the way would take ages. The twinkling sea spread out before them, revealing nothing but more and much more of the monotonous flat, uniform, and deep blue liquid landscape ahead.
Robin and Cyborg readied themselves for lift off, flipping switches, adjusting their helmets, securing seat belts, this was serious business, nothing can go wrong, not when a Titan is in disastrous peril. Robin started, his voice deliberate and somber. "Titans. Ready for take off in 3...2...1." And just like that the titans were gone.
On Raven's behalf...
'This is gonna be a long day...' Raven gloomily thought while staring aimlessly at the approaching dawn sky, brightening every moment as the sun rose and the moon slipped below the horizon slowly, inch by inch. The night was cold even with her cloak's warming wherewithal, she pondered how Red X dealt with it in that thin suit. She then realized with appalling shock how he did manage not to get frostbite.
Before...
Red X lay awake for most of the night from two main causes, this place did not whatsoever make you feel safe, and he was freezing, literally, frost grew upon his cape, and the shivers arrived relentlessly. After a few hours of unsuccessfully battling hypothermia he draped his arms around Raven and snuggled her closely to his chest, she was unnaturally warm, every inch of her had this fire hidden deeply inside of her.
'Wow...' He soon drifted to sleep, taking in the warmth of Raven, his dreams filled with a certain hero, who had specific powers to win over hearts. A particular do-good-er who made even the worst of thiefs want to become the best of the warriors. 'Raven...' The demoness, the Titan, the soon to be love of – who?
Present...
"I'm not a cuddle toy you imbecile!" Raven exclaimed outraged. Her eyes glowed a faint red tint, ready to conjure up some spell to send some very unlucky person to another dimension. She rushed away from Red X as she dusted her cloak from the leaves that covered the ground and from his touch.
"Whoa calm down Princess..." Red X lazily said while sitting up groggily, a grin hidden underneath the skull mask of his. "I happened to enjoy it." He sheepishly looked at Ravens eyes, but soon regretted to see a glare that could melt souls. "Okay...Okay, Okay...I'm sorry." He quickly apologized in fear of being ripped to shreds.
Red X sat up, rubbing his neck which throbbed with discomfort, no doubt caused by the rock hard ground. "Wow, we were out for a while." Noticing it was early dawn, the next day. His stomach growled in hunger, making it feel as if he were bubbling with soda inside. "I'm starving! What about you?" He looked curiously at Raven, only to see that she had agreed. She was rushing from tree to tree, looking between branches and leaves to find the most common breakfast food, eggs. After a few minutes of watching her gracefully sweep from tree to tree, she returned with a handful of miniature blue spotted eggs.
"Start a fire, will you?" She gave Red X a demanding glare, he got to work immediately. After five minutes of failing completely Raven came over and took charge, got two rocks, crashed them together and made a spark, igniting the pile of dry pine needles. Internally, she questioned why he had been so mellow lately, not like when she usually had seen him when battling. 'Not at all... He is almost, friendly.'
"Where'd you learn a trick like that?" He asked, thoroughly acknowledging his failure. He wasn't usually out done by girls, but was constantly with Raven. Did he like that? Or was it humiliating?
"It doesn't matter." Was her simple reply. But she knew, and it did matter. She had traveled to Earth and survived in the woods for years after being banished from Azarath for what she had done, she had learned many things a normal person wouldn't. She thought back to that time, where she killed them, killed them all... She was cursed with her past, her future, definitively her present, it was hard to go on, nay, impossible. But, she did, she did live with what she had done, she felt that she at least owed it to the people whom lives she had cursed, or killed. She owed it to them that she suffered every second of her life for what she had done, she deserved it.
'Many mysteries with this girl.' In a way that bothered Red X but he seemed to rather like it. He wants to find her out, it nags on his existence every moment he is with her, to find out why she acts so -
"Give me that rock." Raven pointed to Red X's left to a rock that was unbelievably flat. 'I sense him thinking, wondering about me. Why?' She barked out the demand in hopes to stop him staring deeply at her while preparing the fire. It was uncomfortable, it was obnoxious, it was rude, she hated it, hated him, what he had done. 'How could I hate him while I've done worse myself?' A voice nagged at her accusingly. 'At least I do not steal or flirt left and right!' She pondered, self definitively, and left it at that, knowing it was not true, not at all in the least bit, she had done far, far worse. His innocence was as pure as rain water when compared to Raven. She was relieved to see he had actually listened. She grasped the rock from his hands and placed it upon the smoldering ashes, cracked the eggs upon it and they started to sizzle, a satisfying sizzle and gave a mouth watering smell.
"Robin eggs, huh?" He said mischievously eying the eggshell's particular characteristics. He wanted to push this girl, see how far she would go. He felt that she was confused as to why he had not been so, Red X-y these last few hours, so he decided to keep his reputation.
"What about it?" She said seemingly undisturbed, when really, she saw his attempts to aggravate her. 'Now back to the usual... Everybody give it up forrrrrrr! Redddddd Xxxxxx!' She sarcastically thought, and scoffed mentally at her peculiar joke.
"Well... it's that you miss him. Don't you?" This oddly hurt him to admit. He wasn't pushing Raven now, he was pushing himself. This made him very spiteful, on how one can make his own thoughts and emotions backfire to injure himself.
Ravens eyes met Red X's mask, trying to figure him out. 'What is he playing at?' She wondered about the current conundrum, but what made her even more befuddled her was the sense of undeniable anger and 'Pain?!' Raven was now, without a doubt, at a loss of what to say. She couldn't tell if he was trying to talk to her honestly or push her buttons. 'Most likely the latter.' Raven concluded, because she couldn't accept the fact that the 'Red X' was opening up to be her friend, and a weird one at that.
She found herself somehow able to speak and was pleased with how she sounded, so calm, so cool, so opposite of what was going on in her head. "I miss them all, not just Robin you know." But an indescribable feeling picked at her, like to tell her otherwise, like to tell her that she missed Robin the most of all.
Red X grew furious at her timidity, how she was so good at control, how calm she always was. "Well, You most likely won't see them again." What he had said shocked himself even, it sounded so cruel, and very fatalistic. He could tell he surprised Raven with his sudden coldness because her flawless purple jewel eyes widened with hurt, despair, and understanding, but he didn't really care, he felt that she deserved it. Why though?
"We'll see about that." Raven said, like she had taken what he said as a joke. She stood, finished with her breakfast, she gathered herself and headed off, leaving Red X by himself to the cold morning.
"I'm off to find Slade." Raven demanded as walking away, not once looking back, those words shocked Red X more than what he had said.
'She going by herself to hunt down Slade?!' Red X scoffed internally, what a ludicrous idea! Though, how bad her decision was, he couldn't help but feel guilty. After all, he told her she could not make it, she must have gone off to show him otherwise, that she could.
'Lets see how he makes it.' Raven chuckled maliciously in her head. 'He needed me to make him escape frostbite, he needed me to find food, he needed me to start a fire, and needed me to make the food!' Raven listed the times she helped Red X survive in the last 24 hours only. 'Stupid imbecile!' She cursed his attitude. 'Dumb douche bag!" She swore about his personality. 'Retarded ass of a man!' She hated his general being.
'I-I can't let her go!' Red X scolded himself inside. 'This is too much for her to handle.' It was decided. "I'll just have to follow her then." He said indifferently, denying himself of the real reason he wanted to follow her, to make sure shes safe.
Back with Robin...
"Man! We've been searching for hours!" A familiar voice interrupted Robin's train of thought. "It-its time to give it up! C'mon Robin..." The half robot said more gently, noticing the harshness and the coldness of his own voice. "We're all tired here... and the looks of finding Raven-" He paused knowing this last sentence would hurt Robin deeply, but it was the truth, and Robin needed to know that, so he resumed yet again. "The chance that we find Raven is proving itself to be slim."
Robin's fury was silent but deadly, his hands gripped the steering apparatus so very tightly that he swore he heard the moan metal made when bending. After a long awkward pause Robin finally replied with a voice teetering with bottled rage. "We will find her!"
'Who do they think they are?!' Robin cursed in his mind. And at that moment something caught the Titans' eye that could be the key to recover the Titans', no, Robin's, lost precious gem.
'What in the fucking world is that?!' Robin gaped wide-eyed and jaw dropping to the floor. But, he knew what it was, so did the other Titans, an island the shape of the Mark of Scath. Boy, did that damned symbol mean trouble!
"Hey! Looks like thats the place!' Cyborg half cheerfully chirped and half groaned with dread.
"You think?" Robin remarked with lethal sarcasm. 'Here we come Raven. Here I come.'
A nervous Beast-boy started to talk with a voice breaking with fear. :Any one think that the island could be Slade related?" He just got stares that said 'no shit' in exchange.
"Oh, must we friends?" Star-fire whined, glaring at the atypical island as if she thought it would start firing bullets at them, it may as well. "That place does look primarily savage." She stated, clearly not wanting to be in the depths of those menacing forests. You could not really blame her, then you could. How could one not want to save their own friend, when this close?
A contumelious scoff was heard from the pilot. "Yes we must Star-fire!" Robin howled, copying her language. "We are so close to finding Raven! And you wish to give up?!" His anger could not barely be defined in words. He continued to mumble on and on about all of what Raven has done for the Titans and how contemptible his companions are.
"Beast-boy, please tell me. Why is Robin acting the 'grumpy'?" Star-fires impeachable voice arose a little more loudly than needed, as if to get her desired attention.
Beast-boy gave no awareness and replied timidly. "Its Raven, Star." He sighed miserably, now conscious of the glowers that Star-fire shot towards Robin. "Uh... Robin is upset about Raven." Her eyes opened astronomically. In anger? In pain? In envy? Perhaps all, perhaps none, but it was something.
Yet she surprisingly kept quiet and all snide comments remained at bay, a relief to all the Titans that was. The Titan Helicopter was gradually sinking to the accursed land just beneath their feet, many faces showed angst, except one which showed perseverance, undoubtedly Robin's. Regardless of their disputes, the Titans would venture into a land with treacherous thick tropical forests that emitted an eerie feeling saying if you fell in their grasp, you wouldn't come back out, they would wander into a place which had vicious beasts that would gobble you down unsparingly, they would journey into a land, for their friend, together.
"Prepare for touch-down!" Robin blurted, an indication of excitement in his voice. Small tremors rattled the aircraft from the bottom up, they were on the island, they were one step closer to finding Raven, they were one step closer to being a full team again. And just for the sake of it all, Robin was one step closer to never letting Raven go.
"Man this place is huge!" Beast-boy bawled, with more than a hint of indignation. "It will take forever to find Rae!" He even further complained, if that was possible.
A masked stare was projected the changeling's way, followed by a faint smile. Man, was he happy now, to be so near to the priceless gem he very much entailed. "We'll find a way." Was his only vague comeback.
"Ugh! I know what that mea-" Beast-boy protested, but his speech was diligently intercepted by Robins. "Split up everyone!"
Meanwhile, Robin's only reason for this was to be the one to recover her first, to be the Saviour of her in a way, at least he hoped. 'Don't worry Raven, I'm coming...' And as he was off, the search had begun.
Later...
It has been an exhausting day of searching and failing for Robin, it was just nearing night fall and he began to pack up for the evening.
'Where are you Rave?' He thought, at a lost of ideas on what to do. At that exact time a rustle was then heard located just behind Robin in the thick patch of trees.
"Hey Boy Wonder." A far too cocky voice sounded from above. Robin knew who this was...
"Red X..." Robin snarled, his face scrunched up as if in disgust or bitter anger.
"Yep." Red said acting bored. "And I need a small favor from you." He said, an even more roguish tone came from this low class villain, he wasn't really a villain, just a teenager creating trouble around every corner.
"Where is Raven?" Robin urged, disregarding his unclear request.
"Well, thats just the thing." Red X stated, fearing that Raven was much too far from him now.
"And what would that thing be?" Robin replied, matching the sickening and troublesome sound of X's voice.
Red X just flat out said it. "Help me find Raven."
Robin laughed loudly. "Help you? Wow..." He paused to catch his breath. "One: I already am finding her by myself." Another chuckle came. "And Two: I don't work with people like you.'"
'This guy is stubborn as hell...' Red X thought aggressively. "Oh, I guess I will just have to find her myself!"He spun around and almost mockingly pranced away.
"Weren't you with her?" Robin called after the masked antagonist, irritated that if Red X could do anything right, if Red X just could've kept track of Raven, he would have found Raven already.
"Let's just say she's a fast runner." Red further implied, the only thing Red X could keep is his reputation of bad deeds and vagueness.
"Thanks for the help!" Robin retaliated sarcastically. 'I've had enough of him anyways!' Robin declared internally and began walking away from the annoying villain. He wouldn't waste his time on this guy. 'Its bad enough that Raven is gone, but now I have to deal with him?' Robin thought grumpily.
Robin was heading off in particularly no single direction, but anything was worth a shot. 'If I am close to...' He gave a disgusted shiver. "Ugh..." 'Red X, then I am close to Raven.' He managed to get out, he was becoming more hungry, thirsty, and tired with each step. Rain forest terrain is not the easiest to navigate through.
With Star-fire...
"Ugh!"Star screeched as a tree branch got a good smacking of her face. "I have had enough!" She shot eye beams in her path, to prevent anymore spiders, snakes, or branches to give her a beating as they have already done. She was not so grateful of Raven making her do this, of Raven putting her in this position. Raven was making her suffer.
Star-fire plopped herself down upon a branch of a tree, she was past exhausted. For a moment she gazed upon the stars wondering where Robin was and if he was alright, but her eyelids grew heavy and she fell into a deep sleep full of pretty wicked dreams that rose some certain suspicion.
…
Star-fire arose in her bed feeling it was a great day, she was well rested and it would be hard to change her good spirit. She gladly pranced to the kitchen for the morning meal but stopped as she heard shushed voices. Being curious, she peeped an emerald eye from around the hallway corner peering at the kitchen, giving an inquisitive look.
Robin was behind Raven as she slowly poured scorching water into her tea cup, while Robin had his arms lazily draped over Ravens shoulders in a playful fashion. He then rested his hands upon her shoulders and put his head onto her right shoulder as if her making tea was such a fascinating thing.
A blush formed instantly upon Raven's face, and she lifted her hood over her head in one fluent motion. Her powers leashed out, making her cup crack spilling scalding water over the two. Raven cringed and gritted her teeth and let out a simple "Owww..." while the boy wonder jumped and yelped a big "Yeowch!". Getting over the pain he rubbed the back of his head. He hurriedly crouched down and helped Raven pick up the shards of ceramic from the cup and tossed them into the trash.
"Nice move Boy Blunder." Raven called out half amused yet also agitated. She looked into his eyes challengingly with a small cheeky grin plastered on her face.
He replied honestly feeling not only embarrassed but sad. "I know." He let out a half hearted chuckled and sighed. "Rae, I just can't help it though." His eyes bore into hers, with a serious and lonesome look hidden under his mask.
She questioned his sudden change of mood. "What?" Her voice was soothing and gentle, letting him know she was there for him, and that she cared.
He reluctantly resumed. "I- uh... that I..." He stammered and quickly mumbled that last sentence, as if not really wanting her to hear. "I care... for you." He became very interested with the ground tiles in that moment.
She barely caught a word he had said, and placed a hand on his shoulder, showing him it was alright. "C'mon, speak up Boy Wonder."
"I just want to express my feelings to you and show you how I feel." He sighed dejectedly. "But, I know, your powers, they..."
She fully understood and blushed. "Act out." At that moment a vase crack near by realasing a gush of mucky water and roses to sprawl out on the floor. They both shared a light chuckle as she said "Like that.". Raven looked down, trying to contain her emotions yet again.
Robin looked up to her face and felt a temptation like he never had before. Her hair slightly longer floated gracefully in the breeze from open windows, a light blush was trying to be hidden under her hood along with a shy smile which bore soft lips, and her eyes, Oh the eyes! Her eyes sparkled like precious amethyst gems and they glanced around sheepishly.
Robin leaped up and pulled her into a great big hug, yet gentle, it felt like soooo much. "R-Raven?"
Still shocked she managed to squeak a small "Y-Yeah?". Star-fire's eyes widened at the sudden unexpected hug.
Robin began timidly but he was determined, it had to be said.
"Raven, I think I lo-" Robin started but before he even finished Star-fire let out an enraged shriek of terror and despair.
"NOOOOOO! IT CANNOT BE TRUE! IT IS NOT TRUE!"
…
And she woke up panting, her eyes shone brightly with livid anger, her hands glowed while in fists and her teeth were tightly clamped, she would not let this happen.
Raven...
'Slade...' The mere thought of him gave Raven continual chills. 'What he did, its unforgivable.' She cringes, and her hands are balled up into fists. 'He- He...' Her memory shoots back to that time where Slade, he … She couldn't even recall the time, it was too... painful.
Raven was hovering over a broad tree limb, her face weakly held in her hands. 'And now I must face him again.' What she felt now was so much more than dread, she knew she would face this alone, like she almost always has, but she still wished upon a wish that some one would be there for her, with her.
"Hey, Cutie." A voice called out, sounding much too triumphant and prideful. Raven spun around to the origin of the voice, no one was there.
'Great, now I'm going crazy.' Raven melodramatically conjured her thoughts. Her eyes still dashed about the darkness, trying to find a trace of any people.
"Over here!" The shadow teased. 'Although.' Raven found. 'He sounds awfully a lot like Red X.'
She responded coolly. "Hey Red." Her normal emotionless tone very distinct. The shadow then plopped next to her on the branch, she swore she could see the huge snide smirk under his mask, but he turned serious as if something was really bothering him.
"I can't let you face this," He paused, not exactly sure whoever this 'Slade' dude was, or what to call him, but he recommenced. "Slade guy alone."
"Wow... Red X being serious, never saw that coming..." Raven muttered under her breath, yet he seemed to catch it and playfully cocked his head at her, still waiting for an answer. "Hey, I know you are trying to look out for me, X, but," Raven started politely. "I don't need saving, or help, and I don't need you."
"Ouchhh..." He said jokingly but then rather said it with this difficultly that showed a hint of hidden stining suffering. "At least let me come with you." He managed pleadingly. "You never know, plus," He stopped as if the next part of sentence was an uncomfortable topic. "I don't think I can make it out here without you."
"Oh-Okay, I guess." Raven replied, shocked by his openhearted-ness. "And yes," She started truthfully. "You couldn't survive." Raven smirked, as he chuckled self-consciously.
"You know what really confuses me though." Raven began, and Red X look over and sat as a quiet listener which urged her to continue, anyhthing but the awkward silence. "You took us here, and you act like it is so unexpected." Raven gazed upon the rising moon, holding her chin with her thumb and index finger as if thinking. "Wasn't this your plan?" Raven turned until her gaze fell upon Red's as he stuttered and his masked eyes grew wider.
"Er... I think I can make it by my self actually! Bye!" He tried to leap off the branch only to feel his cape being help by a black energy. "Damn! Damn this cape to Hell!" He exclaimed, anything else would be better than mentioning his actual reason for this, all while Raven snickered. He was heaved on the branch yet again, her face turned earnest once more.
"Tell me." It was clear she didn't really want to know the answer but had too.
"A-All I know is that..." He trailed off as he remembered that morning.
-Flashback-
It was like any morning, that sounded cliché but it was true.
He arose from his bed jumbled up in the sheets, untangling himself was always a way to wake himself up in the morning. After the ordeal with his bed he usually went into the shower to calm his tight muscles that raged with achingness from the night before which included the regualar stealing valuable items and fighting the Titans.
Soon after that he stumbled through his clutter of random mess, clothes and gadets, to dress in his normal attire. Believe it or not, he didn't always wear his costume, unlike his fellow Teen Titan friends which had to always be prepared for the frequent crime like petty boy scouts, where Red X had no trouble in the world as he fends for himself and no others. He quickly slipped on his red T-shirt and blue faded jeans along with his white black Vans.
He was fixing himself a normal scrambled egg, toast, and pouring himself some orange juice when his phone's ringtone sounded. That made him jump, nearly flinging the carton of juice high into the air from such astonishment. 'No one ever calls me!' Was his only thought, more like complain.
He promptly sped off to his phone on the table, tripping on the many piles of plain mess and snatched the cell phone just in time, he calmed himself and held back his gasps.
Putting on his business voice he demanded feeling rather annoyed. "What?" An exasperated sigh followed.
"I hear much from you, Red X." A very sinister voice came and stressed his name, as though revealing secrets he knew that no one should really know.
Aside from being shocked that this guy knew who he was, or how he even contacted him, he kept his cool. "I'm flattered." Making a faked flabbergasted voice, but soon turned dour. "Now what do you want?"
A deep chuckle came hiding malicious intent. 'O.K. Creepy. This guy, definitely creepy.' Red X figured. "Raven." Came the voice again, yet now it was pensive, very sincere.
"Stealing people isn't really on my agenda." Red X deadpanned. 'Man, what could he want with this girl?!'
"Well it soon will be." He stated indifferently, as he seemed completely positive. "Name your price."
This came as a surprise to Red X. 'Bidding on a Titan?' He thought of that girl Raven, he hadn't seen her that much as she was hidden by her cloak, but she didn't seem so important, not pretty, not very useful either. So he went to what he thought was high. "One Million!"
"Oh really?" The voice said in a amazed way. "You must not realize the extent of her powers, and her beauty. But okay." The voice seemed to tease him.
"No wait!" Red called, wanting as much he could get. 'Was she really this beautiful, or even that powerful?' "Five million." He said, trying to hide the excitement in his voice, his success was minimal.
"Better." The voice acted as if money was no problem, as if he had all the money in the world. "I wouldn't want you to be so radically underpaid." It informed. 'I gotta look into this girl.' Red X decided.
"What do you want with her?" Red X asked feeling a little bad for her and defensive.
"Just a little help..." It seems as though Red X wasn't the only one with the reputation of vagueness and bad deeds.
Catching on to the wicked tone in his voice his curiousity begged to know more of the man and his business with the Teen Titans, more importantly, Raven. "Who are you?"
His requested was ignored and the guy started again. "Here are the coordinates of where to bring her, and please do so as soon as you can."
"O-Okay." Red X replied, feeling that if he didn't do it in time, there would be a consequence. "And who are you again exactly?"
He was met with silence as the caller had hung up.
Red X grew more uneasy and even more so unsure. 'Should I really do this?' He thought tensely. 'The money is worth it.' Another side of him responded certainly. 'What if she gets hurt? Is money really worth it then?' An all too honest and caring shy voice inside of him stepped up, just to get shunned away. 'Since when does the Theif, the evil-doer, the Big Bad Red X, feel concern for any other?' The confident corrupt voice sounded yet again. The pure innocent voice gave up as there was no reply.
Red X still could not help that feeling of... Of... Guilt...
-End of Flashback-
Raven gazed at him disbelieved, her eyes showed clear hurt, great pain, even more rage. Raven grew more near, her eyes now glowing a reddish tint, they seemed almost glossy from unshed tears. Red X backed away slowly and gave a sheepish chuckle and tried to make amends.
"I'm seriously starting to doubt doing it though." He couldn't make eye contact, he couldn't bear to see those broken hurt wide eyes once more. "Seeing as..." He looked for words, any words to make her feel better. "I do care about what happens to you." He risked looking at her eyes which shone with shock and confusment, and he realized what he had just said. 'Oops...' Red X thought, as he felt his world would soon end, it was sure to. He held his breath, he shut his eyes tight. 'Here it comes...'
Raven's voice came from unexpectedly above and even more unexpected was that it sounded serene, calm.
"Let's just get some shut eye." Emotionless as ever.
He opened his eyes reluctantly, fully prepared to see his limbs and guts scattered among the branches, yet he was met with nothing. He gazed up at Raven, now on the branch among him laying down on her stomach facing him with closed eyes. He stared a few moments longer in complete disbelief, but Raven shot back with her eyes still closed.
'Man, this guy is lucky his body parts aren't litering to forest floor by now.' She knew he was looking for an answer. "Look lets talk about this in the morning." She still felt his unsure glare upon herself. 'He doesn't just give it up!' She opened her eyes, sick of his relentless gaze "So, STOP staring at me and sleep for the love of Azar!"
He speedily twisted unto his side and shut his eyes like a small child being threatened and immediately did what he was told. This made Raven inwardly chuckle while making Red X Nearly tremble with fear... Nearly...
'O.K. maybe not so nearly.' He admitted as he felt his hands shake slightly. 'But isn't she cute when she's mad.' He truthfully internalized. 'Even when she is about to kill you.' He half chuckled to himself. 'I will make it up to her though.' He smiled, his fear now gone. 'I'm not as heartless as she percives I am.'