Hi, everyone! Welcome to another fic of mine! I hope to make a good, compelling fic, and I hope that everybody likes the character of Death as we go through the story. But the only way to find out is to plunge on! Let's begin!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Teen Titans.
Chapter 1: Sentence From The Afterlife.
A robed figure walked slowly through his surroundings. The black robe that covered his body, and had a hood that obscured his face from view ruffled slightly from the movement and slight breeze. Although his hand could not be seen out of the robe, he clutched a long staff, that he let touch the ground everytime he took a step. Of course, this event might not have been half as interesting if it wasn't for the fact that the robed figure's surrounding area was made up of clouds. Slight puffs of clouds rose each time he took a step on a cloud, as he walked towards a tall gold podium, and stood before if, looking up slightly.
At the top of the podium floated a ball of light. It emitted a golden glow that shined brightly, even from its current height. Not only that, but this orb was sentient, as demonstrated by the regal voice that it now issued towards the robed figure.
"Shall I summon your peers?" it asked solemnly. The robed figure shrugged in silence. "Very well." The orb shined a bit brighter, and silver tables rose from beneath the clouds, on either side of the podium, followed by chairs, where several figures began appearing, some robed, some with white wings from their back, some male, some female, all of varying size, stature, and age, however. Everyone had a solemn look on their face. "Are you ready for this meeting?" the orb asked. Once again, the robed figure merely shrugged.
"Insolent!" exclaimed one being to the left of the podium. A figure covered with sky blue armor, with holes for the wings from his back to sprout from, and a cross shaped hole in his helm, although there was no visible face behind it. "You stand at this meeting of utmost importance, and still treat it with the same flippant manner as you treat all things!" he cried out, pointing a finger in accusation at the robed figure.
"Calm yourself." the orb said, raising its majestic voice amidst the muttering of the other people, causing silence to fall once again.
The robed figured muttered a distinct "Windbag," although it went unheard by the others.
"Now then." came the orb's voice once again. "It has been repeatedly brought to our attention that you have denied the divine right to several of your assignments, almost all for the same reasons. Is this true?"
"Hit the nail on the head, I guess." the robed figure said nonchalantly.
"What do you have to say in your defense?"
"Simple. That reason doesn't exist, if you ask me." the robed one said simply, inciting mutterings from the audience of his peers, including the sad gaze of a young woman to the right.
"However, your peers insist that your logic is unreasonable, and have vehemently insisted that this is an unjust ruling on your part, and that something be done."
"Really? First I've heard of it."
"Whether it is or not, I have to agree that something must be done. The only issue is the deciding of a suitable sentence." the orb said seriously.
"Sentence, huh? Whatever." the robed figure said uncaringly.
"I insist that this unfeeling being be stripped of his title!" said the same outbursting being from before.
The robed figure banged his staff on the cloud beneath him, which thumped as it hit, and a curved silver edge emerged quickly from the tip, turning the staff into a scythe. "Watch it, pal, or I'll 'strip' you of more than your title." he said, pointing the scythe's edge menacingly.
"Insolent even in the face of punishment! Sir, I must insist!" the being said, addressing the orb.
"Without the vehemency, it is a consideration..." the orb said.
"Please, wait!" cried the young woman to the right of the podium. She appeared to be in her late teens, a very beautiful young woman, with a slender figure, almost shining skin, bright blue eyes, and flowing platinum hair. She wore a flowing white dress, and from her back were stunning angel wings, which only enhanced her beauty further. She was truly a sight to behold, and she now protested against the agreements from her peers. "Surely you must agree that the circumstances revolving around his appointment are probable cause for his outlook?" she pleaded.
At this, the figures muttered again, this time agreeing in defense of the robed figure. "While that may be so, something still must be done. However, what would you suggest, fair maiden of Life?" the orb asked.
"Perhaps...perhaps you could sent him down to the physical world? Perhaps being in contact with the people there from their standpoint will change his views..." the lady suggested.
"Hmm...an interesting proposal..." the orb said, considering the idea. "It has happened before, where one holds onto their views until proven otherwise...is there any opposition?" the orb asked. No one made any disagreements, even the armored being, although he refused to glance at the proceedings. "Very well. You will be sent to the physical world for an indefinite amount of time. Pending the decision of the limit set, when you return, if your ways have not changed, then there must be further punishment, most likely including the stripping of your title." the orb said, ending the meeting, as it resonated with a bright glow, vanishing, as well as the other beings vanishing in flashes of light, except for the young woman, and the robed figure himself.
"You didn't have to stand up for me." the robed figure said, cutting through the clouds with his scythe, and from the hole materialized a plush black chair, which the figure immediately plopped down on, still holding his scythe to the side. "Wouldn't really look right." he said.
"I don't care." the beauty said sincerely. She moved around to the side opposite his scythe, gazing at him with compassion. "They just don't understand..." she said, but was cut off by the figure.
"Felicia..." the robed figure said solemnly. "Let's face it. To them, I'm just an uncaring bastard, fit for position. And they're right, too."
"Don't say that!" Felicia said desperately. "They haven't seen the other side of you. But I have..." she said.
"And you're the only one, Felicia." the robed figure said, getting up. "Look, I better get going. I'm sure they want me down there as fast as possible." he said, walking away, taking his scythe with him, which retracted its blade and became a staff again.
Felicia looked after him, then clasped her hands together, silently hoping for her idea to succeed.
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In Jump City, it was another normal day. Everyone was going about their business as usual, whether it meant working, relaxing, or just hanging out. Or, in the case of a small group of teenage boys, trying to act cool was the usual business. Of course, in this day and age, the meaning of "cool" seems to have become a word for mean.
Of course, it's usually the ones that stand out that end up being the victim of such cruelty. And so, when these teens saw another, meeker looking teen dressed in a black robe with its hood down, walking while holding a stick almost as tall as him, it was obvious that he would be the next target. And so, as they passed behind him, the leader grabbed him by the shoulders roughly.
"Get a load of monk boy, here!" he said, to the laughter of his friends, as he pushed the teen forward, pulling his stick from him.
"Look at him! Is he trying to be an emo or somethin'?" another asked, laughing.
"And check out the stick. What, you think you some kinda wizard or something?" yet another said.
The leader of the group laughed and tossed the stick at the teen, who had been pushed to the ground by another, and they all left, laughing uproarously. As they walked, they saw a shop they decided to check out, and maybe pull a quick heist on, and crossed the road when they saw no cars coming. All the group crossed the road quickly, but the leader of the group didn't notice the crack in the ground quickly following him and opening wider, as if hunting him down. He suddenly found himself with his foot stuck in a gap, directly in the center of a lane, and to his horror, a huge truck, one of the kinds that deliver goods to big stores, was heading his way quickly. He struggled fruitlessly, gasping in panic as the truck quickly began growing in size as it beared down on him. He still struggled, sweating profusely. Finally, as it seemed the truck would surely crush him right there, the crack seemed to pull back, and he quickly fell forward onto the sidewalk as the truck zoomed past, breathing heavily from his fear.
Across the road, the teen that had previously been picked on by him and his group passively watched the teen recover from his frightening experience...
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"Titans, go!" Robin called out, as the group of teenage superheroes ran towards the latest menace to the city...Cinderblock, once again free from captivity, and enjoying his freedom all too much. Raven used her telekinetic powers to remove a streetlight from its position, and tossed it like a spear at Cinderblock, where it struck his head with a deafening clang, knocking the brute back a few inches. After this attack, Cyborg let out a battle yell as he launched his Sonic Cannon at Cinderblock, while Starfire pelted him with repeated starbolts, and Robin threw a few exploding discs. This combined assault knocked Cinderblock for a loop, making him slightly stunned. "BeastBoy, trip him now!" Robin called out. BeastBoy flashed Robin a thumbs up, and headed to Cinderblock's side, and transformed into an Ankylosaurus, using the creature's clubbed tail to smack Cinderblock in the legs, causing the hulking giant to begin to lose his balance, spinning and falling face first towards the ground.
It was at this moment, however, that a kid in his upper teens, dressed in a black robe, clutching a staff as tall as him, walked into the street at that moment, unwittingly walking directly into Cinderblock's path of falling.
"Oh, no!" Starfire gasped, as it appeared that Cinderblock was already too far on his designated descension for the Titans to get to the teenager in time.
"Look out!" BeastBoy called out to the kid, causing him to look up in time to see Cinderblock bearing down on him.
"Holy Hell!" the kid called out, gripping his staff tightly, which suddenly extended a curved silver edge emerged from the tip, turning into a scythe, as the teen leaped into the air, rotating his scythe so that it slashed upward. As soon as the blade made contact with Cinderblock, a glowing white light erupted as the scythe further sliced him from the teen's almost video game like rising slash, causing a huge line of bright light, the force of which pushed Cinderblock the other way, making him fall to the ground on his back, the glow dimming until it was gone. Once it was gone, Cinderblock stayed still. Once the kid landed back on the ground, the Titans got a better look at him. Short brown hair, slightly ruffled, and blueish green eyes. They couldn't make out much because of his robe, but the most striking bit about the kid was that the hand that clutched the scythe was completely skeletal, nothing but bone.
"Who is that kid?" Robin asked quietly.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
Well, who could he be? I do hope you all stick with this story as it may seem as if he's claimed victory of Cinderblock easily, but it's not so simple, really. Stay tuned to see what I mean!
Also, stick around, as there's going to be a little bit of character development for the kid as he meets the Titans. What could result from that? Find out soon!
Don't forget to R&R! See ya!