Teen Titans; These New Years; Part One; Chapter 15: Time On Our Side; Rally Against The Sands Of Time- Grayson's Destination. A Lasting Dedication To The King's Muse.
Ok, so the heroes were last backed into a corner by the hunter and executioner Sayumon of the Celestial council. Till the very last of the chaper, the vixen had use for the Titans in order to ween out the dragon for her. Hakuro still detests the deity, howewver...Tsani has learned the truth over the tyrannical mother's transfomation. Raven no longer has any last words from Malchior...he used up his last hours fighting and defeating Kyrios in the illusion world created by Roku. His form now is that of a storybook- just like the episode in which Raven undid his seal. He was already unwell, but did not want her to remember after his leave for good. She has not some to terms since Slade is still under her radar . He has need for her though, in order to get back to Jump's present day and reality. Verra was on his way to the realm but ended up captured , weak, and weaponless against the squad under Sayumon's jurisdiction. Kayu is still onboard a sky villa rail car in the Eternal realm. His only mission is to end his mother's rampage once and for all, before her true nature is revealed...
Bao Shi is actually not the one still conscious. The vision Hakuro had seen was false. The tween Tsani is tending to her elder while gathering powerful allies to tail the dragon back in his domain. She has no real clue that Hakuro did not make it in time to guide and aid the rebels of the spirit world. The dragon attempted to capture and brainwash Starfire, Robin, and Beastboy. The teen morpher has not only grsped astral travel , but also has Raven to thank overly for the brilliant idea of meditation. Since that also gave him passage into the realm housing Hecate's sect, the teen changeling is feeling pretty confident in his abilities- even if only termporarily earned by way of his location. Robin as Richard fought the self that was not Rokou, but a mix of the dark self ; mentioned in my To the Future arc, and the real Rokuro still clinging towards freeing the chosen by his ultimate sacfice. He does not want the dragon tyo lay a finger on his charge. The realm the arc by the way, was a predicted outcome if Roku had any power left to corrupt the Titans' leader. The dragon's hair is as long as Nightwing's from (How long is forever) . He is seen as a shadow in form for that reason, even though Starfire was the only one tohaveseen the true Nightwing. Yet the dragon knows and is trying to tempt the heroic leader with that anxiety- also boardering around the prophecy and golden dragon. If he gets this far in changig the Titan to think that he will become just as the vision interprets in in his own mind( thanks to the dragon's tampering..), then he will end up the heroes problem for a long time . Hakuro has a theory that may defeat of drive away the king's terrible ploy- yet it risks time dimensional shifting like no other. He does not want to risk the chosen in case it is dangerous enough to have them...well, let's just say omnipotent isn't too keen on time travel, especially since Isis refuses to leave the heroes that option. Ava is still with there goddess as her charge . Astarte is guarding the seas from the craft she is stationed on back in Gotham. Bruce will not be mentioned until later into the years ...Now ! On with These new years finally!
Shoved squarely inside of a cavern up top the rocky cliffs of Jump's outer borders, the Titans sat round a fire in the center of their hiding place. The teens' sullen face returned on occasion until Shoji had returned as a battered , suit wearing con, to flame and joke with...yet.. Hakuro still remained distant. He clung a little to the leader of the Titans even with his older form now recnstructed as his teenage one. The eyes he kept were still blind, yet he had no trouble doing the basics as he had been trained . "Bb cocked his head as a piglet and smiled with his tiny eyes of that form. "Why don't you join us here instead of clingin' to Rob all the time?" He asked , hopeful the teen would not decide to run off in embarressment by the question. "I...would rather it be given more thought...-
Richard pulled away from the still short spirit who gaped up once he had realized what it was, what his charge was expecting. "You said we have to trust one another." The Titan grinned and held out a palm for the youngest to grab hold. "You don't have to be so afraid. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you." The smile was meak, worrisome , and enough to bind the spirit Ethereal to the hero's fair enough tactic. "Alright..." He mumbled and tried to walk fowards on tip toe. Hakuro's eyes were not the only guide right now. Grayson was trying to gather the young seer as an ally for their cause..even when that teen himself doubted the resolve of others at times as well..
"Welcome to the party lil man!" Cy laughed and had the sorcerer Greg dig out marshmallows and soup ingrediants from his magical ruck sack. The guardian couldn't help but hide a chuckle as the rest was covered- leaving Bb and Raven to wonder just where the supplies were from and which world he had looted from this time...Such with equivilancy in general. Hakuro looked down into his lap then reached out to what he had thought had been the hero-
"You look much ...um...taller, Haku..he!.." Starfire nervously had been the spirit's target!
He letg go of her arm immediately when the flashback of Arianna's attempt had rattled his senses. If the dragon had been correct...then she was still to be questioned as truly loyal enough! If not to his old friend ro-
"Sorry ! I am most worried that you are still not wishing to trust us." The older girl frowned while the teen in white tried to find his favorite -
"Haku! This is important. Look, we all know you are still worried about the prince," Raven managed to stand and redircet her attention away from the 'dog ' in her care. Verra grunted a response with his eyes still shut. He had changed while the group's meal was being cooked on top of the sizzling , sparking, campfire. Sleeping off the headache..certainly felt wise...The cat snored right beside the empath's foot too soon , even so. Raven's own eyes clenched shut to rid her own migraine while on sight... Verra sniffed less than content and pretended to sleep with a soft whistle during each exhaled breath . Rae cleared her throat and ignored the trouble making royal. "You have to not hold back. If you do, the dragon will take advantage like he did our leader." She stared deep into his features ; reading every line and press of his frown, furrow, and private concerns for and against the heroes. "If we are protected by both you and the guardians." Richard said in Raven's place. "Then doesn't that mean secrets will not work ? We cannot know if the dragon is reading into our fears. But I do know he hates those that stand together to fight his tricks. Especially when he's hoping we'll fail. A challege for the monster is a big damper on his plans." The teen seer shrugged and returned to seat himself onto his knees beside the charge he had known far longer than the extra, Titans.. "Easy enough to dictate, yet the dragon has thoughts, words, actions in which he uses against those conflicted by his powers. He is a soul stealer leaning towards corrupting-
"Which is why the more we talk about his powers, ours will grow weaker. " The teen looked up to see who had spoken. It was no one he felt had a presence here. "Was that you just now Rae?" Cyborg wondered with a hard stance towards the exit. "No...It sounded...fem..maybe high pitched? Was it , Beastboy ?" Her finger pointed to the green teen unsure of who that extra voice had been, and from whom..the goth's skin prickled uncomfortably beneath her cloaked form. She shivered then glared to the piglet for an explanation. Beastboy pulled back his ears and grunted, very insulted by how Raven was acting..He raised his voice a bit to state this concern. "Dude! I am not even human right now! I look like old Mc's cutest farmyard friend! You think I sound...how bout Star!? Her voice is super-
"Excuse me?" The red headed princess stood with a hand to her chest and her eyes slightly lit. "I am not the 'bad news bearer!' Verra snickered loudly as his head swam over that terrible migraine this time. "Guys!" Richard coughed from tiny, odourous whisps filtering all around the cave. "There isn't time! We have to move! Sayu's men found our location." Cy threw up his arm to see if that was accurate; to his shock, the room was a toxic pit -
"Through ..cough!* ..Through the exit in which we entered?" Starfire gripped Beastboy who had not turned back yet into his meta - human self. "Rae!" Verra groggily stood against the pains and waves of torment in mid air around them. "My head ...it was the smoke...a plant...to get...teleport!" He let out with a bark* to echo throughout the entire chamber. Greg got up and did what he had been instructed,while his second guardian comrade lay in horror over the poison having the worst effects next to Beastboy! "Join round!" He commanded with a staff from his sack of tricks fired up. "We now leave this rodent trap! Take us yet again away from death's door!" The idea was to create a way out by words,yet the powerful magic infecting it's core had been activated by Verra's bark earlier. The teens saw from a distance later the cave's collapse while the scouts and hounds scoured over for survivors ..
Verra coughed one last time before leading them out into the desert. "We will not survive at this rate!" Starfire gripped Beastboy until his sniffed around in her arms, transformed into himself, then flailed to hit the red earth on his back side. "We..were being tricked!" He rubbed his neck painfully with a slight wince. "Sayu doesn't want us to come to court again, that's for sure." Cy said under his breath, though knew he could be heard too well by their leader. "Is young Hakuro alright?" The frightened spirit still clutched his chosen's leg as if leeching on without reprieve. He still had his eyes glued shut. "He...trusts you a whole lot more." Cy blinked down and tried to coax the youth to leave their leader a few moments. His arm was still in need of new dressings after that scratch had made the remaining guardians take extra precaution. "I..don't want to leave his side...or something terrible will!-
"Then you are putting our friend in further danger by having him fend for both of you." Raven crossed her arms in annoyance. "You have to let him go Hakuro. Richard needs his arm looked at and if you want, I can try to heal that scrape on your face..?" She seemed too forceful to the youngest as the blind sighted Etheral shook his head shaking even more . "You will put him in more danger if we cannot leave this area. " Greg reprimanded with the painful truth in mind. His eyes somewhat narrowed underneath his tall , wide brimmed wizard's hat. Raven bit her lip by how she had made the child, partly afraid. She just did not want her team to lose sight of their real mission The boy with his white hair and clothing, was more alert now. Greg was truly together when it came to mediations and settling debates. The azarathian teen wondered if his methods were real, or just stage tricks of the mind at play. " If I let go..." The youngster gulped with shaking fists. He was still unsure as to why the older Hakuro had still no way of letting go. "Will I disappear?" The heroic Titan's leader pat the child's moppish white hair and tried to seem helpful with his stance. "We won't let you leave us again. Just as long as you still want to save your friend, my team is willing to do the same. You, just have to talk to us..." The child self nod and instantly revert back into the longer hair and slightly taller Ethereal they had met moments before the escape from Sayumon's forces. "That, is better. " The seer cracked an unnatural smile with his cheeks red from trying too hard. "You..don't have to pretent that much!" Bb chuckled a bit and clapped the kid's shoulder. Hakuro still was nervous as they walked on, yet felt confident enough to trust..if not uncertainly , the rest of the chosen. Richard prided the youth for the attempt as the light eyed spirit beamed back only to him; as if a parent and child..which made both the guardians wonder if Aaron wasn't the only fragment of the Titans' future descendants. "I am most relieved that you now wish to know your friends better Hakuro!" Starfire chirped in his direction, though he still avoided complete eye contact - even blind as he was- for what Arianna had done to his friend the prince...
"That's great an' all." Cy pointed with his arm to a few meter stretch into the sands. "But should we still set up camp here though? None of us have the stamina to go on all night. We could try, but Sayu might wear us thin if we even think of tryin' that harsh a terrain. We have an imaginary desert...and I don't see enough stars out either to light a thing up ! No electricity for the whole night. Gonna be livin' out here till we go after the creep lizard by sun up." Cy yawned the last part while gathering drifting reeds from an old oasis palm grove by an abandoned, burried town of these illusionary sands.
Greg nod and crossed his arms in thought with a halt. He was lucky to have found supplies to pump water from a spickot that still functioned. He motioned over with the heavy pail , heaving it without magic towards the tiny campsite. "Verra. We shall not have long, yet rest is a neccessity either way for a warrior ." The cat self cocked it's ears to see if their location was safe enough. "Go on?" He sniffed the air while Greg continued...to not seem it a distraction on his part. It was a dignified code phrase to throw off enemies. As if a metaphore unclear enough to answer. Wit was easier to digest than convoluted, old riddles these days! "We..have the night to watch and stand guard, until our charges the Titans might continue in the direction - I think it the right time if any...for the theory to be decided over as we wait for our..ehem..party to arrive.." Raven raised a brow then came up to see the nervous nance's true expectations come to light. "You...acted out of...then who is your extra team?" Her voice dripped a bit of impatience. They were sweating bullets in an illusionist's desert, trying to avoid both dragon and Celestial hunters...was Greg the one they couldn't trust?
"The guardians are not working with Sayumon in the least, I only give my pledge to the council leaders against both she and the dragon himself!" Greg breathed with a hard sigh. "Same here." Vee lifted up a paw then dropped to all fours again as to not gain any stares from Bb and Kori...last time stung a little of the dog's pride. That he hoped to never happen again! It was a meaningless guess if they caught on to the duo's act too soon..
"Then you guys had 'back - up' on the way here, even if we didn't approve of more of your buddies pokin' around in our business." Cy spoke in response of his friend's false sense of security. Not vouching for the guardian's attack plans alone. "We were gonna' get their go- ahead before you guys had to fend off the witch and serpent. We had to find her as far off as possible so they could...wait! You know what ? That's so dumb I forgot all about it!" The dog grinned with a snicker again and made Bb's hairs stand up. "What is that supposed to-
"You know the guys I'm talking about! Greg, the secret's out. The ones on their way, are allies you guys already know!" The teens had raised brows,fists and frowns to add to the cat's explanation. "The whole big shebang! We have them ready to -
"You aren't!" Hakuro forced his yes shut of that fight. "Why? That would mean a war! I refuse to take part in this obnoxious -
"You have a better idea kid?" Raven was about to gasp by how easily the guardians had pulled their dirty stunt- to have the Ethereal open his mouth so that the theory within his own plan was no longer hidden! How devious of those-
"Time! Time travel to alter the dragon's take over! I know how it..has to be done..when Rokuro deemed it unneccessary in the ..hospital..." The leader of the teens stood wide eyed in front of the spirit with his long head of hair lowered in flushed shame. "I..knew how risky that might end for you...I also did not trust...what Arianna had...she tried to kill Rokuro! I did not want the future to repeat itself if the prophecy stood!" He wailed to the dirty ground with his eyes still flawed as before. "Then we might have a shot...Hakuro...we don't want the same outcome as the spirit world did." Richard brought out a palm and helped the yet again reluctant Ethereal up. "Why did they..lie?" The teen stared directly after the guardians. They had felt guilty enough, due to the fact that it wasn't an entire lie at all!
"You were protected by the fabled Time's daughter for much longer than those days." Greg sighed and brought his hat to lower off of his carrot red skull, now clutched inbetween his gloved fingers. Wringing the fabric was just a ruse, yet Hakuro would have a white lie as his only, closest answer. "You knew about a lot since the abduction, so we had to pry a bit. After all, if the chosen are your charges too, then you cannot just have them to yourself to make up for your mistakes. " The cat made the white haired teen's face redden further. "I..Rokuro was dying then...I had no other choice! They wanted him to destroy and ruin my realm of the queen's in the process! I still promised him we'd get-
"You forgot though." Richard stood down on his knee to explain to the youth. "Rokuro was protecting his friends,by hurting them it was more or less blackmail if he didn't listen to his king." The hero frowned and pushed back a mop of locks from his own face. "He couldn't stand hurting you or anyone else..but he did, thinking it would free you . It only made him more corrupt in the end." The empath had no idea that Robin knew the story...even after being manipulated by the lizard and Slade-
Her eyes whizzed around. "Where did Slade go?" Richard looked up briefly,then excused himself from the talk to look away across the horizon, now gone towards nightfall. "Man! He's worse than-
Bb was interrupted by the slash of a blade in the distance , clashing on as the Titans found themselves..suddenly out of luck for the moment.
Slade had tried to dive clear of the blonde Aaron and his 'self chat' in the dark. While his own party had slept a few meters south, the assassin had heard more than enough to wake the sorcerer from his daydreams.
"You are a spy? Funny! I always thought you as a the last to show after a kill..." He'd meant those words as Aaron dove to strike Slade in the gut with his own weapon. Hidden lowerr was a dagger that his enemy had no idea existed till-
"You are no honorary example yourself!" The tween flung a ring from his belt to act as a temporary flash bomb. Slade saw it though and drove himself to dance through the sands, kicking up enough dust to blind the attacker with a firm grip , he tugged the object away. Though it had however been activated before he had a chance to ring toss the weapon sky high!
A powerful blast sounded into the air, where the Titans luckily could guess Slade's presence. He didn't want a rescure, just to stop the ratty spy from sending his intel over to the huntress's side was why he'd not run off. Raven would indefinitely question his work later... Cecila unfortunately was a capable witch enough to have bumped through her portal to 'head - knock' Raven into a fit upon entry. Though nearly matched, the teens still had throbbing aches from the stifling accident. When the two magicians had finally calmed their...bruised craniums, Slade had finished the tween of the 'golden dawn' by pinning him down, without his bombs to toss- unless he wanted to end their game against the vixen's orders over and done. He didn't bother to gloat as his grip never loosened once for the troublesome kid. He squirmed angrily with his teeth knashing and nails more than happy to tear off the metal lug's jarhead mask! "This is mad! Let me go! You are more unbelievable than the cat-
"Me? That seems a compliment compared to the dog over there. He must have gotten the call. " Wilson smirked to the brat who was indefinitely in a fit of rants,while still 'hog tied and annoyed from the pressure in his lower back' by now. "Slady, you've got a lot of nerve acting my part so easily! What the heck were you even doing ten feet apart from..." Slade waved over and gladly tossed the brat to scurry by the spirit world prince's feet. The dog sighed and revert to his Veravakumu self of the past. "Tell me though." He tightened his fist to lift up young Aaron who spat into the prince's face. "Guess you are ; A- Either brainwashed by the enemy." Ver's grip was unbelievbly wreckless as the teen soon sputtered his words of protest. He..was still able to remember!
"B; you bargained for our sake to save something you won't dare share to a single , spineless lout such as yourself!" The brat grit his teeth and clawed to get free. "Or, C...the list is too long to name this one. You lied. Plain and simple; you had gotten onto our case all through another source to have the kids here gather your trust- then! Then you went after Allie and tried to give her your fullest response, no...respect! You are not of this fight but another! Tell us! You are not the real golden dragon's messenger!-
"I am!" Aaron gasped with his face losing more color. Slade stood a few feet off to not see this up close. Was the kid even answering the question? Was the cat holding back?
"Oh! Fine! I have no way of going back anyhow! Now let me loose enough to explain!" The growling brat sniffed and saw the dog's expression still as cold as one in particular, heavy hitting glacier. "Don't lie. You know something, then spill. Otherwise, Alicia is not going to be in your care for this journey. I had you watch her because you trusted me with those words, too well . Now talk, or I'll have to get Aria to make you-
Aria was a siren that could make him do just that if she wished. Raven covered her lips with a gasp while Cecila knew he deserved it..after having used poor Alicia with no respect for her feelings! Shameless ! She crossed her arms with a huff and waited.
"The truth is, that this form had a former before it's reconstruction. I lost my memories in that time. All of the rest of that while I tailed in secret the underground societies of the dragon for answers. Awhile after that..some of those fragments made sense again!" He rubbed both arms and wrists with another sniff. "The dragon, Slade even ; now it's useless to ask as his memory was erased after the death of...hem..Will.." Slade shut his eye and listened with his back partly away from the few and...that snotty brat who dared bring up the mercenary's humiliating defeat...!
"Anyway, I had to find out more." He started to question into that past involvement, into infinity if he kept on with the topic!
"Why I only remembered the vows of ancient societies and not logical sense. It had less and less logic behind as to why I had arrived. When my last resort was shot down for returning , the lizard's monsters decided to help me forget for a while. Memories were more or less scattered, implanted so that I could not run from this new vow." A small pause only just carried the silence to linger. It was a very good relief that Alicia was still sleeping feet away. Aaron scratchily cleared his throat to continue. " When I had broken my pacts against the king's rank holding spectators, the spectre Angra had cornered my form of this child..." He groaned a bit by the memory. "I was able to bargain myself to be left as an astral self . The ghoul agreed miraculously and I continued to seek out the rest of my past. That was when I had learned of Priscilla and her reassurance that I might have hopes of ..being restored. In the end, I lost my form and memories again to revert into a dragon-ling.." He rubbed his neck with a nervous laugh and looked up to the guardian Vee. "You must thank your doctor for giving this poor fellow a chance at all. If it had not been for his generous nature, I would have ended up without a purpose, the dragon might have won me over ...Alicia discovered my powers when I had made contact as an astral entity. She might have forgotten, yet she was not unaware and will recall that time. The way in the past that I had rediscovered of myself,was as a council head and high priest within the Star Capital of Eternal rites...the same sect as Orion of Arianna's past." Starfire held back a gasp while the yougster finished his tale. "The character I was of that past had connections to both the Crescendo and Daia lineages. Ages before the princesses had been conceived." Veravakumu coughed nervously as an awkward parent by that description. "You are a former follower, no, you have more to say of that time." The dog in man's guise of a god assumed with a stern look into the golden eyed boy's orbs. He had a whole lot to stop bottling up. The cat would have to contact Dearheart when this was all over..
"The line of Crescendo was overlooked by as you might have guessed- lunar pact holders. In other words,right before Ladies Dark and Light had come into being. Daia..was in a tern to 'dawn' or day. Crescent was -
"Got that part." Raven stopped him this time as Cecilia looked on. "Then why was that important; as yourself in the present, and why the past ...seer is connected." She tried to speak out. Aaron nod once her words had become clear as a passage over the waters of eternity. Another home he had known to have existed in the underworld...
"The two lines were not indfifferent, yet it was a strong possibility that ...the Daia line had used an ancient art to bring about an..heir...Thus, the product Alice wa-
He stared over the group. "Too far ahead, then let me try this with a new approach." His staff came from behind and swiveled as a wheel, causing the air to tighten round the hero and guardians' lungs. "That past,will become a beacon into the future of this fight!" He proclaimed as the vision of a ...Richard and Starfire saw the rest as if living the dream!
The leaders of the main branches of spirit were about to hold a ceramony with the two daughters of Catalina as proven heirs to their cause. The girls were no more than tots ; eyes wide and thoughts of there last playmate, (cousin Richard of their auntie's line) , while Cecilia was more awake to the trials with her fingers clenching her mother's skirts. "This is ..a bit of a powerful method Madame." The sect's leader of Catherine's kingdom to the south was wait ing patiently enough; especially since the mother was protecting her children from their world's laws. "They are to take their roles now? Even whilst we are still facing the defeat of the dragon and his spies?" She raised her brow with hands to her noble hips. "My daughters are not to lose who they are , not when they have less of a clue over the entire truth! That will be the exact fear I keep from my nephew...Lady Lorelai was lost to us due to that -
"All the more why they shall know , in order to protect their worlds and family." The hooded folk had all assembled around the queen and her troupe, while the daughters of her own bloodline hid; Cici would not let the clowns lay a finger on her only, youngest sibling. Richard was waiting to see his dear cousins in the keep . Even Arianna of the Star Capital had visited when passing through just last week! She had seen his heart more than happy to have known after all of the more fun times, instead of painful reminders...Cecilia had learnt earliest of the death and loss of the Ainsley era to the north. Her heart roughly beat in tandem with poor Alicia's , who hid further from the bickering priests and their whims of imperial justice...
"Then have no shame that my line will - even should the outcome flourish, the one last era that you have not cursed yet again will breath easier away from this crude cycle of spirit kind!" The girls were brought away from the underground chamber as if none of it were too happen, at least...until something had into their tenth year as a family.
The halls were a flame as the mention of the kidnapping by the safe haven known as the sky kingdom castle came into sickeningly , almost daily rumors within the southern queen's kingdom walls. The two daughters of Catalina were of separate ages by a few years apart. The teens had always believed Allie to have been twice those years more apart from the haughty, professional sorceress, Cecilia. It was not an entire fault to have believed their ages were what developed both girls' personalities. Rokuro had been taken when the southern isles queen had gone in search of a cure for a poisonous snake bite. Had they only known the dragon's ploy to set the castle of the sky deity in the air ablaze, then perhaps the prince in hiding might have remained ...beside the royal mother's children now..
Cecilia frustratingly stomped off ahead of her younger sibling, her eyes never watered. Instead a rage grew below her regal exterior. Alicia whimpered and flung herself to grip her elder sister's wrist. "Where are you going?" She innocently knew however why the girl was so determined. "I have no need to tell you. I want strength enough to face the one to have harmed our family!" She ripped away her arm and flew down the stone corridor to the lower level,lower still as the stairwell had grown steep. "Cici! No! We promised to stay together! You don't have to go! Take me with you! Cici!" The girl had evaporated into the dark passage below the castle. When she had wished to be given the honor of seeing the sect's high orderlies, what met her was a sorry sight instead.
The dark lady Lil had taken every last inch of the cavern; souls wailed and bloody prints lay scattered as the dead no longer pried away. She..had murdered the council of the southern line?!
The child wondered in her mind if this was to be reported. Should she run? Would the fabled strix devour her before there was a choice? Her own voice fell to as gasp as the demon mistress was just finishing a goblet of her finest life wine. ( Yikes! Ok, life wine is the essence derived from reaped souls made into a frothy beverage. Before an Eternal tommorow arc, Roku was said to have gathered more souls by allowing it to a selective few classes, and those he wanted full dominion over. When Verra was fighting in the Life after death arc, he recalled being treated when the prince had bargained the guardians' safety- even though the cat and his posse stayed partly behind to keep an eye on Rokuro . Lilith was discovered in the To the future arc to have known Cecilia from Roku's deceit; pretending to be Queen Catherine's husband , just like how Malchior's dad was corrupted and later devoured by the dragon. Cici is literally going to end up under contract as a pupil of Lil's - as To the future arc strongly was mentioned. Now back to the brutal flashback!) ~You are a royal! How in the world my lady, did you ever find this awful place?~ The demoness cooed as the girl cowered enough to hold close to the wall where she had left her own keep from the higher level.
The devilish grin was no comfort as the heels of that heretic were covered in shadow. ~To hide her features of the infamous owl woman I suppose..~ The red stains of the council's last remaining drop of life had been drunken whole by the destroyer aspect/ black widow... should she see the princess as a threat...
~You say nothing child? Even as i have deduced..you were just on your way to see your realm's wish ...for your own benefit?..~The green eyed princess realized that the longer she remained in the strix's presence,that more of her thoughts would be left out in the open. "You killed...the council! My home's record keepers...why should I answer to you?" The princess shifted her leg in an attempt to skip off towards the exit. Illusion or not, this demon was not going to take her homeland's last hope away! ~They, were in the way.~ The motherless madame stepped down from her seat of corpses with a clack* of the lead order's high priest's own skull under her heel...The sickening crunch was the last straw as the princess dove back up towards the steps, her heart racing as quickly as that day when Alicia had hidden her eyes from this...yet her sister was still not respecting her wishes! The girl sweat fear if the demoness Lilth were able to pillage and plunder the upper keep! ~ I must drive her away..to the temple of our mother archetype! I know where that is!~ Her head swum with the location's layout. The swift flapping of a scout owl or some large vulture of prey scared the royal blonde into running in the opposite direction. Before she could guess over her poor judgement, the tunnel had taken the little lady underneath the kingdom to the outskirts of their own isle. Up top the highest mound was a door that would..lead to the temple grounds! The girl breathed a sigh then saw with a gasp that the night hour was growing nearer! She hurried along the path that was almost too convieniantly laid out...where had the sound of those wings gone off towards?
Ignoring the peddler, fish monger, priestesses from a farther off pilgrimage-
There! In the distance Cecilia could see the glowing lights of a brilliant awakening ; the orderlies..some were still alive!
She crept off to see for herself if these last sages were to be held at equal lengths. To her sheer terror and disappointment, the one other priest of the sect that had tried to coerce the queen, was still talking and laughing by way of a...?!
Her eyes widened while as the heroic teens saw from a distance between the envisionment, the owl lady peering from her brush towards the moment that would mark Lilith as the winner of this tryst...The cowled ones had best not make a peep, or the dark sorceress would be forced to remind those burly beasts of their promise...her claws ached for more lives to snatch from the earth. The earth still not yet wise to see that she was an imperial. Letting the girl edge closer to listen in on the sect's remaining orderlies' victory, the child's area was..in a sense perfect. The nightly daemoness shut her large wings to hit the dirt without making a sound. She had the stealth of an owl as well. "We have done justice my covenant brothers and sisters!" It was a celebratory toast to the death of those that sided with staying...in the dark era. "The daughters of the two suns shall be forced to aid our conquest! Once the alignment is centered for the thirteenth date, we shall see our glorious ruler from the dead again!" A few of the leaders had no sense of this line of morals and shouted out their disgust by the head's infuriating decision. "How is that even to protect the Solaris throne!" One member had not wished to create a rift of tension with the revolt of her chosen brothers. The capital back then was divided to house the elementals of all realms. However, after the loss of both the Immortal and Ethereal, the many factions had scattered into tinier niches. These groups were considered far more influencial than the high realm branches.
"It will be an ultimate outcome! I promise this to my many -
~Then the rest was to your liking my sire?~ The level headed and firey strix mother passed the hidden princess to bring a hand to her hip. ~ You?~The orderlies gasped and shouted louder after seeing the cretin in broad moonlight!
~I...I do not know this terror! She must have been summoned by!-
~By my dear Saint Claymore! Why else would I have come to greet thee as if my ..own brother?~ The sultry voice from the infamous devil woman led to shaking heads, disbelief and, Cecila was unable to contain herself any longer.
She jumped from the shadows and screamed to the daemon lady something that left her to regret the rst of those days. "You ..killed your own? Then you were nothing but a drone to follow! Tell me now! My brother Alabaster was not our enemy!" She pointed to the awkward elder without a prayer left to save him . "Lilith was to gain you the firm grip over my mother's ...my home's entire future! You are hereby to be disposed of not by she - Though by her eldest child of the Crescendo faction!" The whispering few that believed the princess were unable to act. The girl had not realized the strix and her powers of motivation...
~There was a royal here? Did you know any of this Clay? She seems far superior to you...low life simpletons of the old age! Why not give her majesty a round of-
"Not so fast!" The young princess stood up boldly to the strix mother with her eyes flaming a glittering sunlit gold. "The child has...this is not as WE of the -
"The owl lady is no better than you lot!" The prissy miss furiously made a burst of power create tension inside her own mind. She gasped and fell back from that outburst...why had it happened at all? Why was...
The mistress above the royal youngster smirked and bore her teeth in the process for the coven's keepers to see well. "Mistress!" One middle aged priestess shouted off to the dazed spirit ruler to be, her eyes still wide and afraid of what she had seen. "Get far away from that monster! Malady! Save your self!" Her powerful allies of that same row of traitors forced themselves to stand against the evil soul reaper. The girl looked around to just see what it was they were trying to curse her back into the void with!
~Hahahaaa! You have witnessed this chance far too soon my young one! If ye do not wish to suffer once again as I have been scorned by YOUR actions!...Then do the will and make the child into an untouchable prophet! For she shall be unlike you all! I grant upon this child the sight of your exquisite millenia! Take word to your great spirits of my coming! I will wait in my sacred grove for you to stun us once again! Goodbye my nightengale...until you shall understand this law as my chosen sacrifice!~
The nights turned to wake into dawn and morning within the keep was, ushered in silence. An abduction, a mass killing of high priests and priestesses of the southern isles! Catherine had no choice but to see to that wish. She passed along her child to stand as an onlooker from high up the steep cliffs where the demon lay watching patiently.
As the youthful Alicia had remembered, that had been a few months before she had been sent off into the safe haven stronghold of the far northern border. The boy who had been abducted was returned only after Alicia..had already been left in the care of the winter palace. She remembered no one during this time before then. Her own sister had lost her freedom ...she had no one to spend the days with any longer...During a trip to the second home of the Daia Queen, the youngest had become lost on her way too far from the town surrounding the country side. Her eyes dart this way and that ,her dress in tatters as she ran from invisible monsters in the dark. Yet during her fearful encounter, she had also come across some rather helpful spirit. One was a wise old crone; her hut the only spot for hours by the crossroads. Back then, Alicia had not known that Hecate had protected the royal from those other creatures outside of the deity's domain. She had been watching intently for the child's powers to awaken, so that the ruler Catalina could rest easy knowing that her last child had the ability of a true goddess archetype. The Daia line at least might still have a chance to survive...if the future of the Crescendo branch could not lean away from the mother's own. Yet, she sent the girl to her home once the sky had broken . The madame of the moon's sacred ruling had not her own method of going alongside the girl. She had, something of a plan for now. When the blonde princess had awoken with the sun in her eyes, she had been able to see someone staring back . A boy? A blonde tod whom had no real tangible form! Hakuro saw the memory yet thought over how much time must have passed inside the golden seer's barrier.
When the youg Lady Daia had relocated to the alpen lands to remain safe from the dragon's threat still lingering, her sister had lost her last bit of hope for any one soul breaking her curse. Allie had not seen her in danger yet, though it was rumored that the prince of Lorelai's last line had returned...yet without any memories of his life as a servant of the king. The rest was of the boy called Aaron as far as this vision could muster. The last shred of his message from the time before leaving the accompaniment of Hecate, had been the largest clue of all. ~Madame!~ The child had lost young Alicia to the massacre by the dark dragon's battalion far into the north. He was all alone while he had no where else to run, but back to the lizard's kingdom, where hopefully A ron's charge was sure to remember... In that last moment snow began to fall,long enough to whisk away the pained spectre of his former glory...
Lights emit from every corner. Three deity had assembled beside many more as he lay only waking slowly to this realization. The netherworld courts !
~You were given the rights to see to the dragon never leaving a mark up top those peaks.~ The lady Hecate was there; her eyes cool yet knew how the battle had turned the child to doubt his own strength . ~As a guardian figure, you must know that your sole journey is neither through, nor to end until thee task given is seen to it's bitter end.~ The boy looked up iwith a wrasp of astonishment to his overwhelmed expression. The haughty expression of the queen Isis, Astarte was also there as her elder self. (The new Astarte had been reborn in her longest time, contemplating the dragon's escape from the 'pit of ends.) These new years arc*
She held her head in her hands and a leopard by her sandled feet. Her eyes mirrored the big cat's quite well as the seer of his timeline recalled - she still had not lost that ability. ~The only way now , is to gather the strength of he whom you had been reincarnated of.~ The darkly cast deity of ancient lore wait for a response from her contracted. ~What..or who had I been before? Will that power you claim to think I carry save my charge Alicia? ~ He begged to know as the mother figures looked into his weathered gaze. ~She can,and must. The child of the Daia line you must be told, is the next to rise as the Elemental holder of Light . You will give her your fullest concentration whilst we of the Eternal, Immortal, and Underworld realms see to the dark king's imprisonment. You must stop him from forming any link to her powers. If the dragon finds the very source of either Alicia Daia's or her relative Richard Ainsley's , then none of this will end in anything but bloodshed. Do you understand?Your form before this one was a keeper of the sacred law of the Phoenix.~The goddess Hathor with her head held high pointed to the air above the spirit blonde , still taking in the information with a purpose. ~The boy then...you tell me the relative is also in connection to a far greater plan...then might he-
The ladies shook their heads, all but Isis who held her's low with remorse. ~He is to be left for certain reasons my comrades and I cannot speak yet of. ~ The tween frowned; however nodding , he understood that the captive prince was still rather unpredictable. At least he could bargain that Alicia would remain fine of heart and spirit. If only she had...
Before long the two royal cousins were aiding their lord left and right by securing the king's infestation of ideals by their new abilities... The perfect soldiers were kin of his own influenced bloodline. Even Cecila and Veronica had not been spared as mercenaries to the Lady strix. Who had been the real enough reason for the dragon turning from his demi - djinn nature as Lord Destiny's pupil. The golden dragon remained a guarded secret only Isis, Aleiah, Destiny, Hekate, and the many more immortals knew away from the war time era. The storms of a great plot to awaken were the best cue for a take down of the dark one's fortress. During those awful few hours of sacrifice , the tides had risen to their highest level. The drowned efforts of the guardian sorcerer's rites was to very well spell out his last story...
Aaron dug through the underworld for her ; any single mention if Lady Alicia had lived! In his mind she was priceless. The sacred lessons of that time had been passed along, with the princess thee late, sole surviving, relic! There was an experimentational trigger innacted by the king. done to bring the elementals from the two children's moments of required cooperation. ; just as the goddesses had prophesized . The dragon had found only just where the child's long lost shard had been burried with his darker side of alchemy. By countless tactics of hypnotism, invasion of her mind and later Rokuro's, every forced whim had been freed for the king's own promising rise of his d3sired future -scape...Aaron had never seen his young charge until that time. When he had lost his way among both daemon and deity. The girl had the power to seal away the shadow of the soul stealer- he had to press onwards! The rest depended on that decision! On Alice's reawakening!
The teens blonked back into their desert reality with wide faces stricken by surprise. "Aaron...you are a protector, yet you have no true form to return to..is that why you must wander as another ?" Cecilia looked into his eyes as her own held withdrawn tears . Shimmering, the lady of the olden day lineage squinted past the glaring light. Richard gasped when he'd noticed the sun's position..the moon..it had vanished!
"The dragon...he said around this time.." The teen grunt and readied his stance nearest Hakuro .The young Ethereal sprang back when a draft of wind pressed against his light robes. He yelped from the thought that the king had been closer by, by that promised duel!..
"Don't move." Raven brought her magic to errect a small but powerful forcefield before her friends. "Is that?" Bb pointed while his arms hadn't decided where to swat frantically; Slade, Vee, or this fishy kid Aaron! Slade shifted out of the morpher's range less than gracefully while Cyborg's wrist lit up to display patterns of interference. Right on cue.
The dust refused to settle as a whirlwind prying across the spot, it's arms ( the dragon's embodiment) , made entirely of sand and silt, while the teen hero knew to keep the child of time's safe. He was the last remainder why the boy had any reason to stay. Rokuro was his responsibility since that fated departure..now, the hero of earth was chosen to break the cycle. The kid seer snapped his head up to see even by his lost sight, the massive swirling of the furious dragon. The sands were his tidal wave to call, all while Raven's perfect blockage was chipped away slowly. Her hands and clothing turned to light and then, miraculously the color of the dunes! Without words she spelled the creeping terror from moving any closer- until the dragon's form of a red beast decided to act. Her cry had the empath's second to none equal Cecilia call back Aaron amid the torrent of sand and anticipated bloodshed. He carried the staff with rings round it's tip. The light emit from those same rings while sounding beautifully enough to give the three their fullest strength. Greg whooshed off to gather the teen heroic leader of the Titans and his ' still far from recovered ' Ethereal partner. His gloved hands were dusted and the sandy whirlagig grew to the narrowness of a corkscrew. Round the three it threatened to make the same exit as Beastboy had been lucky to have survived from previosly ! As a burrowing rodent, the teen changeling fought to grip tightly to Greg's boot. The winds furthered their attack; the only last thing to do, was to divide and separate the guardian from the real target! Starfire dove acoss to grip hero leader's collar- by Arianna's protection not yet nothing to laugh off, she found him to hold her team mate steady- simply that, u til Hakuro had forced his powers to pull the friends apart!
"No...that is not ...no! I will not be reborn! You are going to ruin everything!" The child shoved the returned believer of Princess Arianna into the earth. He gripped the Titans leader until, he'd realized how right they had all been...the dragon had made it certain that he COULD not trust those posing a threat between...
~Then your answer is written clear across that spectacle!~ The draconic cloud boomed loudly and chuckled under his breath. ~ Might have done you a better hour if you had not repeat those exact mistakes...after all! The chosen of this timeline is why you will not let go. That would undoubtably make poor, poor , Rokuro hate you even more? If you offer him to me , I will gladly give that back to you...which you yourself lost in our earlier battle. If you face me here? Will that account for the centuries of hiding? Of lost strength due to you? A cowardly cub without a true face...~
Raven heard those echoes of threats briefly enough to know it more or so boardering a...commitment...Slade dove out of sight by holding tight to Veravakumu who had forced himself to not step back. "Mercenary! You are notneeded! Go back t!-
Slade frustratingly smacked away the cat from his crew to use the dog's levitation as a way to brave the deadly, catastrophic , dust storm without the guardians' whining that the qssassin release their companion. Slade looked the scientist/ prince outcast/ killer of his own agenda, in the eye, and snapped. "Do me a favor and shut up. I have him in my sights, and this time!"
The cat wasn't flung fowards into the shadow's remains, Slade had been. Richard tugged away both himself and Hakuro who was still glued to the spot. "Don't listen!" He forced out, begging his parched vocals to work for his efforts . After all the shouting it would have gone bone dry. His voice called out then to the child in white. "Fight back! Don't let him make you change! Haakuuroo!"
The assassin out to drag the dragon into submission had no care at all that the hero wasn't supposed to be the 'big baddie' ; the same criminal who had started all this mess- he shot out towards the whirlwind monster in his dampening shroud of madness. The cat had gadgets under that guise to wreck an entire continent! Who knew the scientist had even known what T.N.T. stood for? It was obvious a background check was in order- for now...Slade savoured the dragon's surprised scowl as he -
~Ready to take back that promise Will? I am not about to give you any ounce of good forture! Start begging while you're wired enough to have my head! Hahaaa!~ The stupid beast was reading his rage now? Were all telepaths this dangerous ? His lower abdomen felt a hit as the rest came sharply . In many different spots to stun - magic! Hah! Pressure points were no spell for the cold blooded warrior ! His body twitched by a single press where Slade immediately felt the life being drained from his own bloody -
"You imbecile! Raah!" The wolven form of Verra sprang out of the cloud with missle strikes on his mind. "Fight me corrupt daemon! I will face you this time!-
The dragon swished through the sands to let Wilson grind under his boot. The mastermind king had been plenty busy updating his wardrobe. His sleek, battallion's armor stiftened by his strengthened form beneath it. Slade coughed an ugly sight as dark, red fluids stuck to his nose and mouth. The grates thankfully popped off thanks to the dragon's soft spot for the mercenary under his steely gaze. Richard saw this display and froze. Slade had ..he was at the mercy of the enemy...was he going to help? He had ended up doing more than letting his arch nemesis live after Trigon had been defeated by Raven; knowing the monster king , he had a plan always to manipulate the good and tolerant nature of those weakened by his immortal powers. Richard fumed and wanted that to happen. He wanted Roku to be jailed up after what he'd altered! By what he expected Slade to perform as a prop of his next return..a future without a shadow..!-
"Time. " Richard gasped breathlessly so that the Ethereal son was out of focus again by that lone figure. "Time isn't what's going to stop this!" The younger wanted to force back away the subject- Roku was a lurking figment - a fly on the wall if he caught wind-
"Shaaah!" The cat had revert back to Verra's form , as he hit again and again with billions of curses. His eyes red as rubies , the hybrid guardian clawed his way to free the objective. He was about to lose by his temper to hot to see past the burning ground! Roku sent the cat flying with a sneak attack. Robin's head spun by all of that blood..Takahara wouldn't stand a chance at this rate!
The teen knew the answer. The dragon wanted a shell, he wouldn't have one. Not unless it pushed him back into that pit!...
"Roku!" Richard screamed out so that the demonic bruiser was grinning by such an honoured call forth. ~Shit! No! You are going to!-
The cat had his body snatched up and swung into the dirt . After all that he had sworn..Roku was much closer..he had never been so humiliated...as a guardian, a fighter for justice among his own..among the powersource even as Rokuro..he had...he had broken his wishes as well..this was it.
"Come down from there so we can talk!" His breathing wasn't filled to the brim with fear,rage maybe. But those footsteps sped up the teen's heart rate. He was used to Slade doing the same. As a soldier, yet Roku...was a fearless reaper of heart and minds alike. He was undead to his own party. His body was covered over in the cloth of a reaper as well. Though he could see plenty of armor. Not to die without a purpose...what was that for any longer!
~Well! You have decided an apropriate site for your final wish...however..~ The god turned his head partly to the sands where Slade had fallen . ~You have a contract in place. I can always warp it to suit? Maybe he would rather leave you to hunt another day..hmm?~ The Titan winced to that reaction. Mocking him, treating him as if he were hopelessly drawn into an irreversible web. The dragon was in for a wide wake up.
Richard started to walk, the run. The dragon had no idea why it was sudden. Embracing the enemy? He roared tohalt the child, yet Hakuro's own eyes let up from hiding away. He teleported suddenly to where Alicia had been resting. Her eyes held the same shade as the youth in white. Her own form the height of Tsani; dressed in a gown of a princess of her olden days. The elder princess Cecilia only caught a side glance yet had no way of fighting the blistering heat. ~It is time.~The girl with her features mirroring the gaze of even Aleiah , bright silvery strands touched with gold, wings almost transparent on her back, used the ancient speak as her response to the travesty. She looked as if her life had been lost long ago. Hakuro saw the young Aaron's reaction as his staff lit up to blind his party last. ~Find him..find him and bury the shadow!~
The rest was nightmarish twist into space time . Having to face the spectral red monster as a true monster was far different than what the Titan had imagined . The rise and rest of the uninhabited void was a staggeringly desolate journey. The teen swam once he'd seen a rift. A void other than the pit he had conjured up long enough to barrel out of unharmed. This was...
Outside of the world of the present, or even of the dragon's creation, the teen felt rain fall- pour and litter his scalp as if-
Time no longer stood still. A bus was able to blare loudly and startle the drenched hero as he walked into a coffee shop . The rest was mysterious by it's full nature, almost too daunting when he'd seen who was seated by the counter . "Havin' the usual Grayson?" The teen's form of a soggy , bewildered brat, made the boy duck from the male- his future self! This was too dangerous a situation to see shatter! Dick watched his older , adult self lean in to take a peek over off to one out - of - reach, local paper. The customer flipped the cuurent arcticle shut, raised a brow, then relented when he'd paid his own tab to go. The cop Grayson waved a thanks and started to scan the contents of his prize. Eyes sped across the pages as if they were of some greater importance. It wasn't a required skill as a policeman, Dick had never tire as a trained detective and crime fighter ; the thought of unlisted agendas and current events melded into a...Project of sorts. The hero Nightwing was stationed by a city close to his new stomping ground. Though..Richard rubbed his chin and thought. ~Bludhaven sounds promising..might count as a lead towards finding- The counter's other occupant looked just as if he could have been the owner as he cleared his throat to grab the cop's attention. Present era 'Richard's' hunch was too for certain as the older male in his cook's attire and apon started up small talk upon handing over a tall , luncheon menu to the boy's future identity .
"Yeah Mike. Done over easy. Just thought I'd drop by for a while before my lunch ended too soon. Put a few pastries on the tab. Ave' would send me packing if I had nothing to bring for after supper. " The male behind the counter sighed with a sorry smirk to the younger man in his dark trench. "Your kid should be giving you less to worry bout' . You get home practically mid- night after a big bad incident - more than a single night! I even feel sorry for her! Dick clutched the paper and flushed full of embarressment. He nervously rubbed his neck to crane up towards the shop's owner. " Sugar is definitely out huh?" The teen rolled his eyes in the background. The future made him a double push- over! He frowned, yet continued to watch and listen in. Mike ; the owner, sighed a gruff way and put his elbow to the counter. ~at least he's a good guy in this future. I bribe my ...with snacks..and gah! Get it together Grayson! You have to keep out of sight. ~ The teen nod away his anxieties again to view the outcome from afar. Mike crossed his arms and didn't have long to hold an opinion from an aquaintence- since the kid was a regular of his busines, he had to play fair too. "Well, then for both this 'Mr. Mike's' sake an' your kid's you had better plan a vacation, without my outta this world sweets as insurance. Besides, she doesn't sound like a five year old anymore to forget being away from her pops - even on holidays!. What about yer eldest? He's goin' into high school soon. You shoud celebrate that ! And the third sounds like she has you tied like her mama." He chuckled over getting to push the cop's buttons. The man was more or less without fault for the opinions turning into harmless advice..not only an opinion from Mikey. Dick sighed and felt his cover was never a mystery for this ole' shop keep.. He had to try and meet his family for at least one meal..not just a kiss and make up deal. Kori might throw in the towel if the officer did no more than plan, without any actions taken behind his prolonged excuses. He was trying to forget the run - in with an old foe. A bad influnce on Nightwing, and his old self ...The boy wonder had been on top of in the past. He sipped a glass of water to keep his throat moist. Yelling for back-up and being prepared meant no diet sweet tea- he might lose his voice by thinking about carbonated soda pop even!...Another sacrifice that growing up had dragged from those days as care free Titan becane who Grayson was today. Things could eventually look u with that promotion. He had to wait until his family was ready to hear the good news..-
"You got anything else planned fer the holiday comin' up? " It was a quick question enough to make the police officer on the opposite side of the kitchen grumble under his breath. His head shot up when the memory had returned. Anniversary! Both he and Kori...and his parents...he had both to attend! Dick had been so bogged down with his investigations and late night joe, that he had nearly skipped talk over...Kori wasn't going to just toss him, she was going to blast the miserable cop out of their story window! Aiden was also endowed with the power of a Tamaranean fighter, though weakest compared to Ava. She had the same form of the girl from his past as a hero to that other world. Richard of the past saw the expression, then a cool waft drove him to duck further from the room.~ Too much...I have to find my answer! A future! Kori wanted that! What was I so afraid of?...~
He'd stopped running, yet it had not stopped pouring into a torrent of puddles and muddy prints along the walk. "Why was this my destination?" He wondered with his face to the rainy skies. "What did I have to find here! What am I looking for!?" He kept running. The timeline swerved with uncertainty. A fog passed over to swallow the even greys of the afternoon. "Gah! Tell me! Why am I running from this!" His words became thunder as the walk turned to a slip and slide disaster right up to..where was he now?
The dragon had been the very thunder to drive the child into that sort of, awareness. Sadly, he had seen this future countless only way to have the boy realize his place, was to follow. To see how far this vision would fester and grow back into an illusion.
The shroud of dark matter pressed forth while the rain rippled by, leaving the king to flick the droplets from his shoulders; the trickle controlled beyond his own time by younger generations of ..elemental spectators?. In this time, he would bring the current to weather. In time his influence would only enhance that guilt among those touched by his presence. ~Ah..such is the destiny of a deplorable soul- less being...well! I have yet to recruit my sucessor!~ He hummed away an old tune from that time long ago, when fear was never present on the king's mind. When his answer had been vivid as crystalline gems untouched by the elements. ~Rough it may be..yet there is always to remain that smoldering grey...I will fill it wholly with the shadow you lack..~
The teen drove his memories to stand strong against the coward of his ..he was still running! With a smack to the ground the hero hit the pavement with a soaked fist. His rampant thoughts were undone by this prophecy. Why was there a flaw? What was the danger threatening to tear him up in this time and place right here! The teen thought about calling out. He refrained, waiting for the spook reaper to find the Titan lying in wait. He would stop the king's last plot to exist without restraint, without any conscious thought as to what he had done!
~I bare myself to you.~ The dark cloud poisoned the air with it's shift back into existance. ~Will you let this future thrive?~ The teen thought about a family predetermined by this madness; about his career and ..his love for a greater good. He wanted this to be his, only his to protect. The Titan closed his eyes no more, staring up into the red gleaming orbs, and nod. The king did not frown, grin, not even heave a bout of laughter as before. He could not be read at all as he remained to absorb the last of the teen's response. ~Very well. I see there also, you want me to behave as..your guide or so this is ..As a shadow that will only watch. All shadows are capable of stepping down a tad! You needn't fret, if this is all there is to command; As a djinn I will leave you to have your fate untouched, that is, until you grow strong enough to face this reality..~ He motioned around the park where they had landed, pointing with that gaze to the rainy skies.. The world there had opened up to reveal night fall after the downpour. The dragon dipped his eyes to stare into the Titan's. ~So very bold hero..~ Richard would not have heard that remark, he was too focused on the king's truce...
~I want, to continue this path.~Richard paused while the king waited for his final word. ~Until I can break your hold over those that suffered, until I can stand as their hero. The you will be nothing more than a ...dormant shadow!~
The raving beast of red and spectral energies noticed this curse. It was to control his actions until he...the brat had then broken his own taboo. This was a rare technique of a different setting...still labeled till his dying day, as Absorbtion. The dragon had lost his freedom, however, he had gained a mind to watch and guide through this lifetime. To flounder in dire search of his real future! What ever it could have been without the prophecy, that time lost was not coming back to seek the child out. The king dipped his head low as the red gaze dispersed slowly to be sealed within the hero's own mind. ~We shall never part, for I gave you this future. Payment has been obtained- I hear your allies in the distant-
The snivelling cries and shouts of the Tamaran princess were met by a gasp into her-
Chest?
Robin shook her off slowly to not startle the crying girl. "S-Star?" He was awake! He had stopped the war and ...was this ...-
Astarte had given her vow to find the chosen if she had need to fly far- yet it was not that. It was in fact Sayumon had arrive- with her words useless now! Her only power was as an armed general to take in the traitor bunch. Though, the fox mother's skull ached terribly from something she..had done.. Her presence was sinders to the wind as the troops had surrounded the teens to accompany their lady ixen back into the stratosphere.
Kayu's bunch had been mysteriously guided back by their trip to the Celestial passage. Once there, the fox saw his old ally Dreamwake through a lone line outside of the keep's own network. It had simply said to head for the court's ruling NOW!
The fox sprint off while the rebels had gotten wind of some better news. The dragon's forces..had incredibly, most undoubtably...vanished overnight! The cause was only after a rift had been opened by two powerful seers of the realm labeled Ethereal. The daughter of Time's child had arrived as well to stand up to the queen vixen with a lust for further ends. ~In order to subdue-
The villa of Eternal saw this once Alue had been dropped off inside of her own bedroom within the powerful keep of her council folk. ~Malady Aluehain! ~ Through the same link as the fox son, the child of Destiny's reign had also received the exact notice from Lord Dreamwake!
Aria had been able to pester her way in ; even though bringing Ayane as Lori's reincarnate was murder in itself to convince the elders ahead of time. Tsukiyume and she had bonded much further, than in their pasts as full fledged royals. Tsukiyume was over the moon when she'd seen both Bao Shi and Tsani in good hands. Lady light had been able to see into the conversion of powers within Alicia Daia. Alice might have used up her last bit of presence to win. A winner however, was not as the lady felt in her bones..
Darkness had left amid the squabbling elite to have a discussion with Hecate in private. To her own miscalculation, the goddess was beside Isis and two more. Arianna and Ravenna had been called even during the confusion their vessel selves had to go through. ~We have less time now that our objective has been lost to a loophole. ~ Isis grunted beside her sisterly ally and sat with her head lowered. Her eyes gazed off into another place and space. The ladies ; Arianna in spirit, Ravenna as an entity of spectral unrest, and Darkness with her promise to not breathe a word to Lady Light, all sat to discuss the involvement of the dragon of golden light - and the fire bird's presence in one more.
~Three children...as well as Anya Wulfsmund.~ Isis spoke while the mistresses were well attentive. ~The great..the phoenix is the embodied power right beside it's chosen golden dawn! ...The sun...this boy of the future will bare that mark?~ The dark lady Hecate softly urged her creation of soulful moon rites to quiet her fears. ~Yes, however, he has an equal reason as to why the fire bird shall be of his same mother.~ She spoke of the youngest. The girl would carry the blinding powers of the sun- with the archaic energies of a ruse- the Lady Amaterasu. The last was of Ava's second sister-
~Hana...will he have the abilty as a later guardian?~ The princess Arianna knew only so much. She wondered off towards towards the Sorceress Ravenna's unclear gaze. ~The girl is to add to this sort of assurance that the dragon's influence will not reach the son. ~ Isis stood, her proud eyes full of frustration by the task they were yet to bestow upon these unborn youths. ~He will not become the cretin's next way out! It was as my child Horus! A blade able to fight the demon will be within his coming of age...just as my child...Horus battled far mightier creatures than my lord Osiris! However..never to go up against monsters with their own tactics - all without a summoner or contract holder! ~ I had been the one lastly to seal that power away. ~ The mother figure managed to say . Arianna shook her head softly . Her amber and emerald touched sights glanced over towards the sorceress and left a lasting impression onto the troubled queen's heart. ~ Those children are of my own rites of reality. As the guardian to the chosen's desired, this agreement will also be for another reason...~ Isis's eyes widened along with Ravenna's to glare slightly towards their elder Hecate. ~This will be to protect the Titan called -
~Hush you now, my darling ladies . We are just beginning to see the degree in which this will traverse. ~ The Lady Darkness was further stunned by this...conspiracy! Yet it was to save the hero from his shadow's influence...if the mercenary ever returned to change the hero's perspective ...or...
~Then. ~ The princess Arianna stood to face the crone deity. ~Miss Kori will bare this mark? Truly a blemish if the children must fight their father's battles...~The spirit shook her skull and sighed . Darkness gawked by the expression- was this to protect or test the heroes by...
~What may we learn from the boy's experience with his daemons?~
The sorceress Ravenna huffed and threatened to leave the room, yet Isis would not release her firm grip that easily. ~It shows our daemon is that which might better our understanding of our very-
~Yet Roku controls this domain!~ Darkness shout back frantically to her cruel mother...her hopeless alchemist of a long dead philosophy!
~Yet he shall not be here to cause trouble, nor if the Titan lives without fear. He has gained an ally by the control HE carries round his heart.~ The elemental lady shook her head and swept away from..no mother had or should, have the reasoning to sacrifice what they had promised to spare!
~After all this ...~The sister of the lunar cycle grit her jaw and clenched two blanched fists to her sides. ~He is carrying a monster till his last end! When you cannot rip away the monster!?-
~He has reached an impossible stage as a soul stealer...~Hecate sniffed and draped her cloak round her powerful shoulders. ~A parasite that would kill for it's host, never kill the host it encountered. An obsession formed that you may prefer to never hear from my lips.~The mother turned away to level a portal back to her home in Hades. An old friend was visiting from such a long journey. Souls came to rest by her feet, it was a duty she had sworn into without complaint.
~Then..Roku was a true evil. The boy is going to lose his just lifestyle if the king siezes that ...~Arianna kept her lips from uttering a thing over the perturbed Lady Darkness's rants. Questions with easy to read answers...The princess wished that her love had never sold off his being in those horrible years. So many scars across his back and wrists...his training had been learning to submit to his cruel king. Darkness was better off forgetting. She had no more time as Hecate waved off the four. Isis was second to go back- the netherworld still had Anubis, Maat,.and her last memories of a different home. Osiris was gone, Horus, Thoth as well...then could her dear sister and brother be next? The lady shuddered and left three to part ways. Darkness was left inside the keep without her sister nearby to see the elder elemental's tears. ~Used as a vessel...he won.~ Roku was granted his loophole trick without the hero's knowing. Truly had he glimpsed closly enough , could the boy have realized the error. The danger of giving your mind to errect a second container - a prison. Raven of the Titans had done that as well to her demon father Trigon. Yet he was an ogre in which did not have the power to exist as Roku...she prayed the dragon keep his pact; to never strike, not until the leader of the Titans of earth could bring the cycle to shatter.
The teens had gone home. Their idea next was to confront the guardans who were searching for any last shards, fragments, or links over the prince's self or his father's dark energies. Sorcerer Greg had praised Cecilia for keeping her word that the harpy was no longer there to judge. The lady had still wished to hold the title Daia - even while her sister Alicia had been given a seat beside her mother as a protege for a time. The two were close enough in Milan during a call for a family holiday, just for three...
Hakuro had lived out his promise for Richard; who sadly, had not kept his full end of their beliefs. The teen had striven towards the realm caring for a close minded and lost Kuro. The Ethereal had only gone that first time to see just how quickly the prince's last aspect was...Although it right there his heart was immediately smashed to smitherins by his old ally...no longer anything more than a listless doll. The dragon had ruined that body and in exchange,it had revert to the false one made of bolts and machinery of the ancient arts Roku had studied. (An eternal tommorow. Roku still had mention as an alchemist and time space magician of sorts. His don's young aspect self was ripped away from Robin ; under the Titan's noses, then places inside a false replication so that his spirit would not drift out. To phase out. ) The doll self was to perish . The teen held the elder's hand as if seeing that day clear in his mind's eye. The lady Isis had come to show her wpects and had given the children time to,cope with the loss. Hecate was still far from able to confirm if there wasn't still Roko to overlook. It was as insurance that Roko ; with Red X's body, would stall the dragon, even by the expense of his own life. Rokou had vanished, having not felt attatched to his reality within Roko's own views. He still lived up to his king's oath,so the send off was quick and painless. The only soul to debate his passing was Aaron; who had indicated earlier a swap of realizations. His feet had left the earth to meet beside the Princess Alicia's window frame by the sea. ~You will have never to fret this fool's 'nefarious plot!' ~ The wavy strands of Allie's stray tail waved in front of her disappointing glance. ~ "The he who sees what others chance to miss." Hee blue eye sight returned, a sight left behind by her new helping hand Alice. The Ethereal spirit self was unable to form spoken word, just as Tsani could never break that law . Allie looked up to her shining knight ; knowing fairytale lovers always expected payment towards the end of their happy end. She leaned in to grasp the teen's shoulder. Her eyes shut as he had less of a shot to shove away her-
A kiss! This was planted onto his cheek. It would have been disgraceful of the madama ; since his reincarnated self would be the eldest child to the Titan's leader. "Tell me if you ever wish another ally to your ranks, even though my body will have grown to that of a mortal woman's-
Aaron gasped and fell fowards. ~You gave up your...is it sealed until another disaster! Please tell this to your generation. ~The brave seer stood down onto a knee in mid flight. He had less to ask of her position, was she giving into her mother's line? Where was her real future? Was he to know her again? ~Then a small promise!" Alicia smiled down - rather up- to the sorcerer of golden light. He blinked as she took to one of his symbols; a relic she'd been handed before parting with his astral self ( Shadows and creatures arc. After Allie tried to forgive the Aaron in human guise for siding with the enemy out of fear, the teen returned as his real self, a spectral beamthat dropped off a small token to his ally. She had kept the item for that long. In hopes he would acknowledge it still rang true. Back to the finishing chapters!)
~My...it is...-
The red faced child stood still. She had never forgotten...Why was he such ..a friend...
"You will see me." The princess snickered cutely as she said this. "If I do not become fit to live out my mortal body, I will return as another to aid the new heroes. As a dear friend to ...the golden dragon?-
~You shall not lose here!~ Aaron frantically believed her life was still strong! She had to face this new time as...long as any other living creature! ~Do not take your life lightly...~He sniffed by what this implied. ~Do not leave before I see you again! My dear Alice!~
The teenage council woman in her earlier stages of transformation before that adulthood hugged the teen blonde until he knew his time was short. "I refuse to forget...go home now, my guardian. You have always watched my growth, you must know that this queen in waiting will not fall to her knees by a single sadness...so please!" She cried her eyes out turning to waves of sapphire and spinel. "Do not forget me ! I will come home to you! Now drift back! Before..."
The room was left with nightfallen sorrow, yet a hope had been born from it's reflection. "Aaron will be my family...and I...will know him ...until my time..passes.." Alicia's eyes shut from the weary trip twice over, to the side of the world she truly belonged. "I will sleep by your dreams to guide them...back to our future...my hero..." Her heart was now as stone, her pulse stopped as the shell ...had let loose her spirit to be given another destination.
Cecilia had wept bitterly when the Underworld court's record holders had given a list of those passed during the prince's sacrifice ..her head spun when she'd seen that written remark upon the scroll's 'as followed:
Alicia Seranato Sola Crescendo/Daia ; Cause of Deceased; Found Inside chamber of castle , no pulse. When raided under suspicious activity by infiltration of unknown tactics, the body was found missing from it's original storage . We have reason to see that by date shown**** girl was spotted within the spirit factions , aiding a non- magical intruder. Case suspect was a male ; White hair, One eye carefully concealed by a patch to it's right; armored as we believed to have had an involvement with culprit's world military . Detected the aura pattern, by our scouts of a red dormancy - a scale of very high readings , all by another . We will look further into the case to give our closest estimate of the possible familiarity to the deceased daughter of the currently stable Catalina Daia-
Cecilia squinted down to the letter, then up to her queen. Her eyes turned pained as the child's lips moved before ever planning the sentence - weighing heavily on to the eldest's silver heart.
"You refused...to tell the chosen? And now that your eldest child is aware...this was witheld from your family as well?" The letter was tossed to litter the floor in many different directions. It had a whole , full file..an entire history!
"She was left for dead , by the dragon! You knew! She was no better than the son! They were all unliving ...then..am I also-
"No..." Catherine shook her head and caught her rebellious child's wrist reluctantly. "I had not seen the evidence until, after Alicia had gone into Takahara's care. Yet you must believe me! You still exist! By Lilith's dark arts, it was not how you were granted a chance for this life!" She staggered by her shaking arms and toes, forcing herself as a head of the safety of her faction, to not wallow as her ancestors were reluctant towards. "You lived by her alteration of the Strix's curse...how you are here, it is to...continue as ...as if I were not to have my children inside this crone's shadow..!" Catherine fell slightly to seat her weary heart onto the largest lounge chair within the massive study. Cecilia grit her frown and tried to reply stiffly. Th..then.I..I will take your role!-
"NO!" The mother figure of Cecilia's lost and broken past rallied forth to prevent another loss. "Do not follow in my accursed footsteps. These age old laws were handed down to those severely branded, without freedom to this day...For what is the prince you should make to gain any such ounce of that lost faith? It means servitude and I refuse to allow my child to suffer for her 'long and gone' continent! Do not let the words of the orderlies drive you to despair! If ever a danger arrives , you are my daughter for always! Not to continue as a congressional lamb to the ones' that wish no such...the realms spin, but there is never an eternity. It will one day divide. And that day, when the sun no longer sets, I want you to aid the last of our creators; our mortal dreamers brought forth our realities to exist. That is why we guide. Why we always lose our way as a part of their pains, joys, aspirations! You must flourish...your songs before, they held promise!" The short bobbed blonde teen had lost her voice yet..her mother had been watching!..Eyes by both ladies prickled as the two blood- bound spirit embraced at long last. "Mama! My songs were supposed to change and they have!" The terribly mournful child wept over her faults, her sister's sacrifice. .she would sing. A harpy could be just as brilliant as a song bird of paradise!
"Allie...my dear sister under..stood...! I wish she had not left us! I never was able...to say go..good...bbyeee!" The starlet sniveled as easily as her youth had been adament that she never shed a single tear. She was a royal, with dreams she had long forgotten! Even as an enemy, Lilith had known of caged songbirds. She had gone through trials to dictate loss as -
Yet, the owl was far wiser than she had seen. Mad yet knowing all of this terrible reality with those eyes...
"By the way ." The queen had tidied up the spot of strewn documents moments later with her eldest still clinging a bit . She had made the mess after all!
"The child..I believe..Ava, Rothschild?" The idol off her glorious stage for now raised a brow, then a smile formed by a brand new request. "She wished to ask, if in her fated return, might she join her idol up on stage? A pupil of your own? Might have to run that by Mrs. Isa before a contract? Yet this is what might also, keep the memory alive." The girl peered down to her overwoked mum with shimmering tears, yet to find herself with a thank you soon after- and a bear hug!
The Titans didn't want to forget the threat of it did still have them under it's claw, yet Raven refused for her team to altogether remember featured glipses into the anticipated future. By a trip with the guardians and Aluehain in an arm sling, the empath took she and Cyborg to finally talk to Lord Destiny. The past teacher of the dragon half blood called Raku by his birth family. ~The Eternal plane, humph..so then before you get to dyin' you come here to review the records on how you did while you were still breathin' ?~Cyborg looked around and saw Skylar with his books over his shoulder, a medieval mixture of ...this was an incredible step from the heavens theory !...
~Skylar?~ Raven..had not refused Beastboy the honor while Dreamwake could also cure his morphing glitch to join hands into another world.~Tommy! It's Gaar! Heey!~ The tween's green eyes saw the old pal and rushed...in the form of a -
~Yow!~Cyborg had to flap his arms by this new...interesting changeling ability !
Skylar Thompson turned back from a flying sugar glider and beamed up to his old teach. His red hair was as flushed as summer sunlight over the dying twighlight of the city. ~I knew you'd remember! And wouldn't you guess? I am far stronger and in Piper's ranking class as of last semester! I can even teleport! My mind always races, all by your open heart and patience...oh! Sorry sorry! Heh!~Skylar wanted to see where Aluehain had gone to bring the post- chosen to meet. When the student had been told of their visit into Destiny's rooms, the tween even shrieked beside Bb. His hawk eyes now transformed by a barn owl's curiosity. ~Piper should still be with Lord Dreamwake!~He pointed out when they'd finally stepped closer to the building's grounds , housing an array of symbolic floral designs. A few in the shape of crests, others to show that between worlds it was still a stronghold against daemon from outer areas. Forcing a giggle to subside, the tweenage student was given favor so that the heroes might not have to sit tight over the long waiting list. It was nice to have friends in the underground...a border between earth and sky...Raven questioned if the Sky kingdom had not been the 'not yet brought into form Celestial realm mentioned in the forgotten myth. ' Yet this could have been the Eternal's older stronghold..or one no longer seen as a pillar to their day and age .
In moments the large doors had opened for Piper to bring the Titans to their guide Alue's teacher. After the trip down memory lane had come half way past the corridor of sciences, the scribe and sorceress in training part ways with her classmate and old rival to head east with the chosen three. The teens head further down into the labrynith towards where Destiny had nearly recovered his clearer thoughts; now fresh as a daisy to answer the real question..Raku now had some place quiet to reflect as well, although forced by a mere influenced mortal...he had to come to terms with this sentence as his 'answer' to what he was - what he craved had devoured demon deity whole, almost as a mortal searching into another realm of unearthen consequence.
The five guests were led up to the great leader's room housing a composium of ancient texts. A room similar to both library and personal study were seen by wall lighting to prevent poor eye strain and a space of calm to pull even Skylar's wide eyes forth. He drooled hopelessly over the many written worlds and works of his time line's heroes!- all not as great as Mister Gar however..Thompson shook his head to concentrate for the sake of his companions. The lord behind the the darkest corner of the librarium was lost in thought as the teens moved closer to their occupant's study desk. Marble flooring and mahogany wood of the furnished pieces in which he sat gleamed to dispell sunlight from the dying day outside.
Raven waited for the airy blaze of the deity to step from behind the desk and curtains hiding his full shadow. ~Welcome.~ Sire Destiny's echo brushed as swiftly as the wind passing through large pine amid an ancient world- for power to beseech power, Raven was sure he could become a great asset...unless his moto was to lead; not follow the common folk. ~This may be only your first journey to my keep.~He grabbed the teen's attention with a word of warning . ~Yet this time alone will happen only today. We Eternal are sacred keepers of lost time. Time and space intermingle within your realm's delicate balance. In this way, this is how spirit come to be born.~The cybernetic hero understood very well what this all entailed. To an extent of Raven's next question. ~Might I ask you, Lord team was altered by your enemy's effects over our minds . Our future now has that same block to prevent the one who has held...to his word, that he cannot leave. ~ Her words grew fearsome as the ruler to the twighlight plane readied for her response. ~A cell, a prison that no one may enter or break into to free the one convicted. Right inside our friend's mind, are dormant memories. He will not need a picture of his future and of what happened in that trip to the time he...trapped the enemy Roku inside of . I also...-
~I know a great deal of your concern will forever lay in the decision of your comrade's. However, child of thee mother Azar of Azarath; You too faced this daunting a challenge. Your defeated demon lord will never harm earth again due to your actions. ~ He sounded all knowing, yet Raven knew the cell door would not stop the monster from his trial. It would give him time to wait. Waiting and..waiting for her leader to face a shadow he could never separate from. Destiny was glad to be rid of his old student, yet he refused to force the demonic dragon to do as Trigon! Apparently, only a human male could face a demon?...one such demon; that knew every fiberous desire, fear, ounce of pain that festered below the surface! What omni - potent leader sacrificed innocent mortals for personal uses?!
~You do not see your Titan hero as farther educated over the matter.~ Destiny boomed with a starry sky behind those curtains starting to let off refractions of light .~The Titans are to believe in our ideals as we have to salvage the standing of your tommorow.~He seemed unfinished as Raven seemed with this ...he was experimenting with...
~Will we have to...if the dragon is gonna!~ Cy was just as upset as Bb, yet could not let this powerful and steadily growing plane dictate the heroes' peaceful coexistance. ~We will be keeping in touch.~Raven gave a swift nod to the powerful elemental djinn of the Phoenix's flames, then head for the exit to leave for earth via sky villa railways .
Her team had known nothing as to what damage the dragon's dragged on obsession would end up costing if they had won. No win, no loss. Richard was still being tested on into adulthood. He would go about life as a Titan, fall apart or away, then start a new life, as the council and Starfire's predicted Nightwing. Yet the empath refused to believe Slade had forgotten as the Eternals had not granted information regarding what the assassin did remember. Dreamwake was still Loyal to that pompous flame thrower no matter if he'd set himselfon fire! For lord and his very life. Sayumon's position was lowered to that of a certain faction the lady had once let become abandoned; her Kitsune branch was still able to reach the council's rejected member to offer some assistance, and advice where her relatives could . Sayu's speech of a higher good had uttered the lady into a solidified state of somber quiet. She was without the full command of a deity, her ownly lasting skill stood as a healer among her forgotten family. According to the ruling, her children could take the stage, or step away. Ron nursed his troubles away as a desguised mortal for a tourist spot in Fiji. The sun did him well to forget in less than a month - what he had done to Dearheart..he could never forgive his actions. She herself had gone home to Miss Melu and their ally Koko ; the wolf clan's priestess, who healed what she could of the wood elf's rough stay up on high in the Celestial stronghold.
Under the impression that Kayu had no intention to see another power trip , the relative of the fox maiden passed on the baton to Vee, who stepped away to drop the sacred relic into Aria's hands. He mentioned that Ayane still needed the extra boost as a secretary on earth within the cat's firm. "The kid's minds are really trying to push out the ashes from the last wood pile. I have to lend my reach as long as it takes ." He was just as troubled by the leader's decision to house Roku's presence as a prisoner inside his own mind. Raven had done that with Trigon's influence, Rob was not going to face the fires as if the 'no good pup' had left his allies high and dry!
So, Aria may not have questioned the reason as to why Kayu had gone on a journey while she had a region to bring away from Sayu's influencial war path, though thankfully for the siren, she had truly, very capable help from Tsukiyume and Bao Shi Lan without her half brother's abilities over the royal space. Bao Shi even offered to address Princess Tsani's training to eventually progress into the next 'high arc' category if she gave her all under the strict grandmother figure. Tsani was still allowed to speak with Hakuro who had left to stand by the dying Kuro that was..his last reminder of the boy he had not been powerful enough to rescue from his fate. The teen of airy skies had sympathized from a distance ; wondering why her mother Aleiah did not show herself to calm the waterfall of tears..her poor half brother had to mop from his eyes now and again. Time's child was left to calm the one who had met her eye far eartlier; The fate to befall the Titans were as heroes had faced from the very source of their however, fret over the changes within the tower housing the mortal ...chosen.
Richard finally had a moment to lay in his own bed after wiping the sweat, dust,and sand from his hair and form. Kori had been unhappy with the damage the sun had brought to her strands, saying 'treatment' might benefit the hair folicles if the precedure were done professionally . The teen leader wanted his cut a bit as well, so they made it..a double trim date of sorts. Richard pushed the thought from his mind yet found a stray lock by the brush of his fingertips. It was straight as before, though the length...had ended up shorter than his original plan. Instead of wanting it to grow, he had decided to give it a resting period after that one cut. The idea that the fuedal era length hair must have labeled poor Prince Rokuro as very close to his father's looks..-
Dick swirved around to raise his head, craning it towards the window of his room. The night time breeze was still not truly humid enough into mid spring as far as he saw for Jump's climate this year. Though a rapping sound had alert the teen of a visitor despite the high winds masking the tap- tap of his newest obsession. By that irritation alone he had trouble distancing himself from to gather any rest! He tugged a pillow to cover his ears...not even close to silent! The sound grew even louder until finally, the hero had gotten off of his mattress to check..-
"Not the window? Then where...!" His head swung back towards the monitor of his personal computer. Not a rapping, a whirring. A sound of electro magnetic...currents...
It might have been close to his thoughts, though not exactly within that type of degree of scientific logic. Richard shrugged and walked over to the keys to press the sleep to...
It was active?... The hero grunted and sat into a large computer chair adjacent to the glowing screen, just to see if this was all as secure as Cy's best ...it was entered by a stray source. There was; a confounded, inferior link left on his home screen as a big, bold, print document folder. The hero saw just what it had been labeled by the notorious hacking fiend. BREAK LINK. The detective frowned and rubbed his chin, still eyeing the odd title . "Break...link? Is it a game? Am I being pank hacked by!...No..wait a sec.." His thoughts buzzed over if it was someone the teenknew. Was it an enemy that knew...his identity! Nothing should have existed on his entire frame that would have that info! Nothing was ever left on a digital...the email! Darn! The Titan groaned and slid his palm to slap his forehead - Stupid!
Bruce was in there...he had thought that was safe...why was it not under ...
The hero blinked up to the bright screen in the dim lighting of his abode. "I'll have to play the game-
It was a game, not a real easy one . It looked as if his solitaire program had gone cartomancy in 3-D! Dick recognised some symbols from his time as a Flying Grayson on the road, yet there was one thing that irked him specifically...
"How do you play cards with a fortune telling deck?... Was that the same as the card's symbolism to the method of 52? Was an adder even a part of...-
Astrology was added? Dick moaned out frustration with a growl . "Yah! This is going to require some study I'm rusty in, but first..." His hand fell onto his unit. "Batman might have already forgotten, but Bruce is losing his cool. I bet Al is still holding his hand while ..." The teen realized that the rest was a weak arguement. Should make a trip nto Gotham. X still has me concerned , Selina better not have chewed him out too soon.." The boy wonder huffed and leaned back into the chair uncomfortably. "Should even the odds with his...changes and all...he'll call me out sooner or later." Richard sighed and then ended up eye balling the clock's current time. "Wah! It's that late? I had better call it a day or Raven will put me into a coma..for another month..heh...* " The small laugh was truly out of concern for her involvement as well. Raven was knee deep in written works borrowed by Shoji and Greggory's cooperation with her case- she wanted to know about the rest of what her magics could do to not allow Roku any powers over the leader of her team. Yet Robin felt fine enough to beat Control Freak in a single day! Also, Jinx had sped through to give the Titans a heads up about the sister Titans East and it's recovery of the archer and Atlantean's memories. Her words were only towards the older members , as she still had an off feeling when standing near Robin for too long. That in itself was an insult to the Tamaranean teen , who proclaimed that her leader was very much better against the possessive monster the teens had battled. Yet Jinx ; like Raven, saw what many could not understand by eye and thought alone. He snort to that comment and thought about, something more pleasent than his own circumstances.
Bb for one, had gone to see if Tara was still on her vacation with the family Slade had left to take the near - graduate of Murakami High . She had even had time to see her brother as his alias Geoforce back in her original homeland . Beastboy had been sent snap shots of her by the country side , which made him feel included enough to show her a video of his new Griffon transformation. Things couldn't have seemed any better than a lasting friendship even across the sea..
Cyborg still kept in touch with Nina as another string of great news; who had her eyes on one day being..the one to cling to his arm. All instead of an imaginary Sarasim lightyears off! Her crush was just beginning as the android teen turned her 18th birthday a month later. She aged so quickly that Cy started to think he was out of luck- if she ever gave way to Astarte's height, he had to..make sure a crash and burn wasn't in the cards...Astarte was bold, pretty, but a fierce competitor that could leave the strongest in a full body cast and off her turf for good with one glance into her victim's very heart and soul.. a bit steep unless you had a height taller than the chariot queen and warrior archetype!
Robin hadn't heard Cyborg sneeze as he also shuddered by the thought of the mother deity's glare, and tried to recall the progress coming along for ..the cat and crew via the C.O.M. ..!
Ayane had her boss hog tied to start from a good distance in apologising for his unfair leave from the premises on such short notice. Though she still had Lori's memories in tact to guide her as a long distance guardian on call as well!..Shoji had gotten to chat about their aliases later upon than return to his squeaky clean office. Ayane had even had the renovators do a few fix ups to better the building's insulation for Tokyo's summer on the way.
The dog's stunt had been pardoned,. almost like magic overnight! It was too bizzarre to ask how he was always more spoiled by the great factions, than even Kayu or Greg combined by their titles! The con only said his secret was a mask over his life's work. Without his enemy to guide his initiative , the scientist would never have been born to help mankind from the shadows. Had his developements ever been understood earlier on, would the life of human knowledge in general...have been a step ahead? Magic was his philosophy towards progress with science as it's child. There was no way the two could part in a single lifetime.
Slade had not shown up except to contract with a killer breed of hounds in London, just to put bread on the table as he stayed away from the Titan's Interpol buddies - who had connections with , Catherine Daia on her golden throne . He scoffed countless times over the scorn she must have felt by his every involvement with her demon brother in not blood related sisters at all by the history, Wilson had dug up in the myth's extra pages much later that the sisterhood was by teor roles as high priestesses for their planes.. "Fiction novels carry fantasy fit for hopeless readers wanting to escape their realities. Full of too much , should have stayed short and sweet in my opinion." He tossed the remaining copy to a blazing fireplace to watch the pages collect into piles over piles of ash. Later into the mercenary's downtime, his eyes suddenly heard a low wail of a howling branch right before his private hideaway into the chilly night air outside of rural Yorkshire. He prefered his hunting grounds to not shoot back for a while until his fingers itched for a new risk. For now however..
The assassin thought nothing of the feeling and passed out,until the room filled with flapping pages of that...burned away relic? He had seen it crumble hours ago!Slade swat after the razor edged sheets as they ...collected to bind back into that hell of a tragic drama! He forced the gust to subside by seeking refuge behind the tall chair he'd dozed off into moments ago. The pages swam through the air with the fire place lapping in reverse, spitting back out the cinders until they had become whole again. Slade sweat, not by the sight before him, yet by the flames creating a warming atmosphere inside the single room. A quilt was shoved over his head until..the light had died , the wind was calm outside his window. The mercenary peeked out from under his protective layer to find...the fire had been put out. Yet at the same time, the book of the last volume to the Forgotten myth, sat opened by it's first page, completely blank of ink or ware! Slade rubbed his eye with his glass one still pounded by fog and smoot. He cleaned it carefully before walking up hesitantly towards the text resting on the faded rug. His eye saw something that would have threatened the hitman for hire in hiding to set the piece of trash to a rubble along with the hide out he'd painstakingly just come to recover . The words made his fists blood pressure skyrocket for a first time...
~To a brilliant chapter; dedicated to the muses of our tale. Our story is only beginning, may you find solice before your memories run dry. With a special thanks, to those that would strive upon breaking...R.N~
Roku Noburo existed as a figment of pure delusion, Slade realized. He was always looking for a thrilling way to end his dead weight series...
Even at the cost of the sanity of his readers, and those of his delilusions whom helped inspire that madness into a reality!...
The sweat reoccured after all, yet not by the chill of an evident fever, yet by the answer being so demented..that the crime lord had to retire, and sleep with a relic for the first time in many months since his encounter with the leach king of nightmares. A boogeyman of one's primordial fears brought to light. Slade shivered again and shut his eyes with the false one plucked out to rest inside it's case . "No one can watch their back from a shadow. Like a dog it exists to watch us until we ...yawn*...have no hours left..." He had never slept this sound even with the fears of a new take over still running clockwork as the first time the dragon had gazed through that iron mask.
The Titans had given their all for several months after the disposal of the shadow- which had kept true to not interfering once in any battles against Jump's crime rate. Beastboy vouched to fly up top a global tech industry's towering spire, when the notorious Red X had come from hiding, just to face the heroes . Just to ruffle Robin's feathers mostly as Raven had assumed they'd see the thief's old tricks back in action. "The coast is clear guys!" The teen had turned seventeen while holding the position as an official 'attendee' to the brand new heroes round the world. Each direction housed more super powered teens and occasionally adults as the crime fighters had discovered. Teen Rini had not stayed any other place after a short visit, accept to see to her mom's fighting style back in Japan for years to come. Her real line was as a princess that would have her own dimension to rule apparently. The sailor scouts were her truest teachers, so the California Titans had no need to forge with the heroine a new agreement. Evil was still left to fight , whether in Tokyo or in outer space..( Character was borrowed is a more grounded version of Chibi Usa from Sailor moon ; in Shadows and creatures , (Rini) had been tricked by Slade ( as his alias Will about the tween's age) by the dragon's use of the assassin's skills still considered of use for the master plan. Even after, Slade's adult form was contained as a young teen for two arcs! Yikes..Bad day for our cay villain! Now back up to the present! )
Cyborg shifted from his lookout post as well. Raven had set a trap for the boy wonder, Starfire was ready and on fire. If the plan fell short, either Bb or Cy would drop by without a moment too soon. The going was very good..yet, according to the transmission from the firm's security monitors, the thief ..had been practicing something that struck both empath and detective as...violelently, aggressive behavior.
He was fighting deadly, dirty as...
The last streak had given Raven her fill over the mission's sudden switch. Thankfully on top of her good fortune, Robin had left the briefing room during the alert , just when the message had turned into the guard's puddle of blood . Between the lines the mess made had formed...a language in written text! Her only issue was that it had not been a permanent tattoo once she and Cyborg had seen the dead man's body turn to ash. Ash...her eyes looked even when not from behind...
"Miissed!..Aand...Made you look!" The teen gawked and let out a shout with her dangerous energies out for the clown's repentence! The flashback had come too soon. She tossed up her fingers to spell. She ended up warning her leader inside the building far too late instead. "He's!-
The sky let out several wails from a shot being fired, no! An explosion!
"Head back to the roof, I'll meet you guys up there..!" The teen leader stood his stance as he talked in a low growl through the unit.
The item in his grip went dark as the teen turned to see that X was still playing baddie. This , however on his trail was not the same enemy . Yet thee arch nemesis of the teen inching from the shadowed over rooftop of his own accord. To scan the ground? No..the air was thick with tension here! Slade was still as silent as an undeniable hunter. Hsari could be his match...an equal by stealth alone...
The hero gulped back his frustration as the unit had been clamped to stay that way also. No response came to call as a lightening bolt flashed overhead. The teen was close to the skyline where sound hade trouble reaching his ears.
Far away from the noise except for the wheeling sirens of cop vehicles, the mercenary had no choice but to give away the last passage. "You didn't leave any links, any clues. Why are you here Slade?" Robin seemed desperate, maybe annoyed by that furious impatience; he really wanted to let go of...An enemy..Deathstroke was no more an obsession...
"I am not here by choice, at least, it was supposed to stay quiet all the way from Milan.." The teen was confused. "You look perplexed. A vacation was all I needed to finally forget. Looks as if our old friend X doesn't see things as 'water under the bridge.." Slade droned off lazily as his hand fell to his hip in defense. All but hidden he could send the boy straight to the pavement. The Titan gripped his unit with a huff to this male's superiority complex. Yet he knew it was pointless. He had to fight here, on the rooftops during a stake out. "Suit yourself." Slade was in his Deathstroke the Terminator garb from Batman's files in the cave. He had to hack the watchtower just to upload the data into his own laptop via link. Sattelite transfer was sloppy . The teen picked out his escrima sticks as they were now halved to suit his current fighting style. The shadow cast villain gone awol chuckled, Robin could hear that laugh..he had really not forgotten.
"I'll be generous and let you have the first hit." The man was..was he crazy? Did being possessed by a demon and not once but twice fry his brain cells ? Was he really telling...it was too easy to not remain reluctant,yet the hero was a fighter of just this sacrifice . He had to cast out this shroud of doubt...to take his enemies down.
"Raaahhh!*" The boy sprinted forth to barrel into the killer who'd steeled himself for the Titan's-
Wam!* His staff in his left hand was shot up into the air to bounce freely off towards the skytop' ledge. The teen ground his fist to lessen the serious rug burn it had endured by a single...he had been an animal! Why was-
"Haah!" The hero bounded away once his turn had been up. "Dazed and confused Robin?" Deathstroke taunted with his head cocked to the side, his arms behind his back. "Leave those useless things for missions, against weak criminals. Like the ones your friends are still hoping to lock up forever. .!" Another shock as Slade dove in to force the hero to release his grip on the other staff. "Escrima...sti!Aack!*" His correction was not needed. Slade's boot dug to leave the hero flat towards the roof's concrete. His face raged by that expression; the position of being sat on not only his worst memory to date!
The villain left the hero to move while the stick, was roughly bent with two hands, and crushed by less effort than...Cy could muster...Rain began to drip hard and steady over the skyline while the teen's bangs still felt long enough to halt his progress, even after another salon visit...
Slade laughed again, his own head teetering,.losing control of his thoughts and words of solitude...why had he not forced the brat to end his pact! Why was it pointless to explain without a shadow to guide them?
The teen struggled to stand with his back facing the drowning tears of another era on. His stomach lurched by a peculiar feeling he refused to give in to. Slade wasn't down yet, and neither was the Titan..
"You see? I always win Robin. So , if you ever wish to beat your enemy ...maybe you shoul-
"Azarath Metrion Mortix Zinthos!" The heroine was actually a tag team from below the skyscraper the mercenary had cornered their friend against. Starfire rushed over to help her - now steady Titan - though only off duty to retain their privacy, who had been slammed rock solid into the structure. Her death sentence worn eyes slowly entered Slade's line of sight from the assassin's run in with the dark Azarathian . The goth's higher magics had become even more powerful; it was no wonder her restrain no longer held up in this fight. They were somewhat matched in speed,stamina...Slade knew her weakest link was losing that control. If she could just come closer, the criminal might be able to exploit those weaknesses, to gain another incentive down the road. His eye calmly gleamed behind the night cover as his duel, had been rudely interrupted. "Another day Robin." Death's words lead Raven to glare back, his intentions would drive the Titan to-
~Bingo.~ Slade's lone view shut away while the empath had to regain her composure..from giving the male a run for his money. Her thought had been taking his life-...
No! Acqquiring an army just as Trigon had done...That. Was not Slade. Her eyes shut out the voice tightly that askewed very reason! Her doubts were correct.
"Find the time to rest easy Titan. Yet know that I will never let your leader's progress slip in my absense for long.." He was smirking! That wasn't right! "You promised to give up that goal!" Raven edged her emotions to stow back away as a forcefield lit the space for her friend's protection instead. "Why are you ...trying to bring back the!-
The wave of an immense surge of pressure below the heroes' feet shot off to sound as a whirring motion. "Try to hide CRIMINAL!" Starfire spat and swished round to locate...nothing more than a ghost of his presense. "He jumped. It was stronger than X's tech though." Cyborg coughed as his face lit up inside the princess's unit by her belt. Her immediate reaction was as she float with the device, to see to her leader's condition. As well as their third in chief. "Did you follow Red X?" Robin exclaimed despite his painful arch from the head lock and brawl into the sky scraper's cement by his nemesis back in town. "Dude!" Bb popped up from behind to carry one object in his beak...
"Sorry, had my mouth full." The teen switched back to his normal self and spat out the ...paper?
"I think -
"You slobbered all over the evidence?Grass stain! You had better not let anything else happen to that scrap until we get back to-
"The scroll!" Robin gasped with eyes wide and...his head buzzed until memories replaced the chaos of his aching skull with his eyes! "Gah...Rae. ! What's..go..ing!" The empath knew what had to be done, at least for now as she left her leader in a deep calm with her magics. "Is he spazzing out? I thought he was...why are you...-
The scroll ; passed the unit's location on the other side , burst into light and ash. Ash as she could confirm now what was to be done. "In a few years, Robin isn't going to leave us for another reason." She whispered into the unit less and less into a grim murmmur. "He's going to join Slade. As his partner." The heroine Kori was nearly used to this already, yet the last battle, had not been for this long in any such way...
"Wait Raven!" Her friend's eyes were hidden beneath the robes of her desolate home world. "We will still have the time to-
"Who says...?..."Bb grunted and left to retire into Cy's T- Car with an air of frustration. "Why is it gonna happen anyway when we went through all of that crazy time trekking' to save...was it that lady who keeps wanting you to join!-
"No!" Raven shot up to growl into the mic towards the second Titans' commander. "It was..what I found that they missed! " Her unit was thrown into to the heroine goth's robes with a definite click of the link. "Starfire, bring Robin and let's ..." The rain was starting to return in far more a number than the brawl amid roof top shadows. "Yet..you are wrong! Our hero is STILL Robin!" Her eyes forced a chance to join the rain with it's weeping. Her own heart was fragile enough to become engulfed into an aching despair. "Just .." The empathetic teen grit her teeth and then, let it go. "We won't not fight before Slade gets his wish. " Her words felt foreign , unlike her own powerful tone that was deep as dead space.. Equally in meaning this new voice was...awkward. Her hopes were that it was not with a physical face or would wish to harm a living ally. Sleep would practically draw the lady into a seclusion long past dawn's light! Her eyes of violet answers were opened. Slade had the power himself to see her predictions. Her first real fight; yet it was to salvage the baffled leader of her team. She, Kori with Richard cradled in her soggy arms, and the heroes on the ground level, head home with X's message still crystal. The Titans would never stop begging for order to release their friend. To have his history to say it nothing more than a bad dream! If ever again Raven saw the crime lord offering a passage of his damned peace as a truce, her home would rally from the true powers of Azar in person.
The tag team runner flung by with her dying worth over the ledge of the twenty story. "Roko." The villain that had asked for an willing copy cat to steal from the thief's wardrobe, was even more unaware of these emotional urges - for the girl daemon in structure to topple through the air onto the flat's terrace . On a night sky dive into Hades - the space in time she could never hope to enter was evident against the teen daemon self's reddened cheeks. The breeze felt amazing up so high from the hustle and buzz of Earth's city life! She tugged off the mask with a soft snort and sneered unpleasantly with a pout, towards the compadre she'd given a helping hand out- only to be scourned by his criticism!.."Damn." The girl swished her dark head of hair with her unaged body beneath Masquerade's own uniform as the evenly lengthed strands her face. The night's city lighting gave thast red glow more power to improve herself- far more in control than the harpy Lil! She was still floating into dead space for all the brat cared! (To the future! Tried to drive away the harpy as Slade's assassin companion, yer had a lot oif back story stil lingering from her days as Roku's personal servant and demon merc.. Was then, Rokou's female double and counterself - once absolutely loyal as Roku's faithful asassin, as well as the prince's trainer. Or keeper with Rokou as her blood competition! )
"You wanted to make an entrance." Slade looked down to note the damaged ; roadways, street signs, two to three cop cars toppled in moments before the eldest Titan had blasted the officers and bystanders' vehicles to escape the blaze , bringing the crew to a safe location. Perfect timing though, it had only been thed empath and Tamaranean fighter after Deathstroke's reason. "Can you not stare as if I failed on the mark?" Her hands fell to her slender hips covered by that white duplication of X's suit, mirroring a traitor of X's mind by the negative vibe of ancient law. Such as yin/ yang to her ruling. Rokou was that Yang. She, the Yin of his very spirit... "Whenever I have make a few coppers scream 'mommy!' ! you seem to want to always blast my efforts out of the water! For a scientist's experiment gone right, you owe this chika a real thank you !" The bratty , prudent assassin crossed her arms to seem unfaze by his attempt of a studder. "What are my recomendations then? If you wouldn't mind claning up this crime scene before I finish a quick shower, then maybe you might earn some pointers by a proffesional . Sloppy landing by the way." She snarled under her breath and dove to the first floor to 'fix her mistake' ! He was wearing her to madness and Roko reeeally didn't care what monstrosity heard her bellow a groan- too loud to keep anyone around long as the dangerous teen cloaked her body to work privately without any distractions. Slade minded her manners and shut the sliding doors while the daemon gawked up, thinking this criminal's treatment was dully in need of a reworking as well!
The streets shone beautifully after eleven that night. Too ..many...hours! ...Roko had by far never felt this exhausted, embarressed , or humiliated by a brain and body altered, meta - mortal! Her fists pinched those pale cheeks with sweat dripping as if she...Well, without the prince's extra aura to manifest as her energy stream , the girl was anything but mortal herself. X was free. She had done a good deed by letting her body find an atomaton or android within a facility she'd recognised by the enemy's ensignia . Takahara...and Wayne enerprises still had a mountain of material to add along with proper alterations, yet these were by far close to perfection already. The teen propelled up by her cape's tail coat ;a bit flashy compared to Jay's daunting horror scene replica! Roko sped up to skyrocket to the killer's suite. Really ! Were any of these requests necessary? For shame!
The door was bolted shut by a ...key card slot? Was she?...A bit heavy on the angle, Roko brought her fist to pierce the glass. This was certainly just a temporary and 'stolen' post from a client of Wilson's .She sniffed by the thought. "Key cards and glass? What next ? Iron and plastic? I am not done with -
The male had peeved the girl yet again as the shower door right ahead cracked open slowly. Her head shot away to hide with her whole self behind a book case. Thankfully the man had two towels. Thankfully he could keep her far from a fist fight...damned luck! "Wait till I'm dressed-
"I'd only face you then anyway! Tell me when you're decent!" The girl shouted back and fled off to a workspace a bit further from the bathroom.
The male had taken his word into account well around the lady after the brief shock . "You did clear out the debris?" He followed in night ware; a large tee and his ...well, shorts. "I'm getting something to devour out in this city before...before coming back! I'll sleep with the rock doves if it'll erase wh-
"Silly girl." Slade shook his head with a towel drying some of his white hair from the shower water. "You didn't bother to knock. Though, that mess you made earlier looks much better than what the whole section of JUMP would have woken up to find." The prissy assassin frowned and head further off towards the ledge out through the damaged exit. Roko had to use sleep as an exscuse for wanting to eat her fill...it was after all still the only poor habit the dragon had left as her fate.
Armored boots pressed on to touch the railing of the terrace , the breeze was dying now. Her hair still fluttered around as if it clung to this side of the world...
"I..basically have you on speed dial." The girl salute her soldier , then hopped of the balcony falling into the sky again below. After all, the dead still walked as Roko had known for ages, that they could not bring her home to sleep in the arms of corpses, for she no longer had that world to return to. Otherwise, the time trap might have dragged her into the dragon's cell with the originally, convicted aspects. None were his alone, and Rokuro had desired his selves be freed at the price of the prince's servitude.. She smiled between the falling drift , then warped away by X's same Jumping tech manually, to make the whole night wash away in that single time to blink. After time,.after time, again and again, Roko remembered that she was built to fly. And down she toppled to land within a new area. Where her next meal stood unknowingly against the fangs of a wolf in the land of her crying kind. Hunt to kill, live and yet, to feed again!
The heroes leader had been up most of the night until late morning , this time trying to figure out what the mysterious digitalized card game meant. If Slade had not just been a figure lurking nearby...he had not shown himself in so close to a full year! Less than last time after Raven's birthday madness by her father's influence...
Robbin shut his eyes and smiled a little as the desk chair dipped back . "We made it this far.." He sighed and realized that it was true. R aven, Kori, Bb , Cy, and newly added Terra ; off the clock today in her college dorm somewhere eastward bound, as well..as some unexpected allies that had not forgotten the Titans' over all contributions in their homeworld. Far , far into the stratosphere the spirit world was possibly still into gossip- Though it had to have passed . The dragon was away for a very , very long sleep. Robin saw the clock ; even when a loud yawwn* was let to bellow from the young man's throat, he still had to decipher the clues before Cy came to drag the seventeen year old to breakfast / tuned to brunch by a tardy hero.
In a few months , the Teen Titan had found a lot of other techniques to design along with his current fighting skill. Batman had comein on the unit the week before after the leak online had found it's way to the cave's computer. Simply by a click Bruce had seen X, Beastboy, and Cyborg fist off on the streets of down town Jump- the business district where Wayne Tech was also located. A feeble yet valuable source had posted the fight tol a massive media website, location , date, even hours! The video had gotten a lot of 'likes' by the viewers. Yet Bruce wondered if it wasn't Red.
"If it wasn't the real Red X like Batman said.." The detective son grabbed his mouse and started up the buffering upload . "Then...-
Hair stuck out from the neck of where X's mask should have hidden the rest..."Wait.." Robin squinted into the blue screen and saw that...was not impossible!
"Roko.." He fell back into his seat. "Roko, is still...then Slade! " His heart raced as all of those nights in the tower. "She's still alive, then is Red...no." Rob shook his head and saw what was not the exact replica. It was...camoflauged over , it had another look? "Mask...She's just flaunting herself. She must have impersonated him pretty badly!"
The teen started to chuckle by how the girl even had heels to match the long locks to her wind strewn appearance. The hero wanted to think this another side to his false state, that this was impossible..That nothing would..
A knock on the door turned to an anxious smack in the face (comparatively speaking), turning the hero to answer the noisy visitor before his eyes shut from newly added fat circles, reducing his patience to wear thin while the noise became a gong in both ears up close!
"Oh..woah..." Bb saw the panda rings and tried not to speak before Raven or Kori hadn't the opportunity to break up an argument. "Robin." Raven was standing with both Starfire and her changeling team mate right beside each arm. "We have to talk." He searched their gazes and blinked before rubbing his sore lids. "Sure..I just have to finish up-
"Don't make us wait. This is of utter importance and it includes all of the Titans-
"But Tara's in her college out of-
"She can be told in person later. This is something we have to take into effect. Robin, finish up, or wash up. Cyborg has us all meeting up in the briefing room." She swished her cloak to startle poor Bb into a jaguar. A fairly scared kitty instead became that of a warrior panther when the goth's eyes had turned steely . Her pale form moved quickly to attend to Cy's evidence on the next floor with the big cat plodding each foot ahea to join the empath.. Starfire was unable to leave before her heroic leader was given a reminder. A peck sent the teen to dress and ready away from his forboding area of obsession and memories over poor judgement. Against his friends and team mates. Against the fact that he wanted them to hold any part in playing detective.
The room was dark ; only a small amount of light helped bring the heroes to order , while Bb had gone from big catto vampire bat in seconds to manuevor in such a small cell underneath the original meeting spot. . "Cyborg." Robin came down into the threshold with Starfire floating close to her love also frowning. It was for an entirely separate reaon from what Dick had no clue over. She simply watched him confront the older Titan with unclouded eyes, still very puffy from not resting normally upon waking from..- "What is this all about? Raven just said to come to the briefing room, but you aren't there! So instead we are ...in the investgations-
"It was safe." Cy saw Raven faze through a wall and jumped before she'd let him speak up. "There was something Beastboy saw - what you won't remember from that rooftop fight." She saw the hero raise a brow and knew he didn't have-
"Yes..Slade came back to fight ..but.. there was another reason we ended up -
"You..." Her eyes were worrisome- he remembered, even when his mind was blocked? What had the dragon altered...?
"Robin.." Starfire spoke softly with a hand to the teen's shoulder. Her warm fingers tried to be coaxing, understandibly true to what she was about to tell her hero. "Your mind was erased by Raven about ever having seen Slade." His eyes widened a bit to face Star's saddened glance, then a swift stare back his older teammates. "Is it true?" He tried to stand tall to this invisible curse. "Is it true that I was supposed to forget? Then why do I remember the fight?" Robin was stricken with a vague enough deja vu to have slunk back into his dark dwellings without a second notice. Yet he stayed put. "It's true." Cyborg saw Raven gulp as she came clean .. "We, were told you'd no longer have to worry about any hidden agendas from Roku." She hated to even breathe his name, let alone remember his history...
"We fought somebody else too." Cy thought back to the brawl turned into a deadly game of tag on the streets of Jump's tech sector. "B and oy got as close to see, that it wasn't like X from the last few runs we fought."The teen leader felt his heart pump. They knew as well...that the criminal!-
"No way! It was a copy cat, I saw her hair and X doesn't wear crazy heels! That's gotta be an imposter!" Bb turned back to adjust quick enough to the lighting to speak his part. "I think it was someone we know. The one who impersonated Red was...Roko-
"That must be wrong!" Starfire exclaimed with a mid gasp. "The selfish aspect no longer can thrive without-
"But then ...why was it a fake suit?" Raven passed her eyes towards the loose lipped Titan lead. "Then he'd being bamboozled like the Titans!" Gar cried out with a shrill mention of how the real Red would take a clipping..
"Then should we not..we cannot report this yet." Starfire still had doubts as to whether X and Roko were still entertwined as host and contract holder. "He might not even recognise , that he is being bodily possessed.." Raven thought in her least anxious voice. "Then he has no conscious reasoning over his actions?" The Tamaran princess quesioned frantically while Robin was still sound of heart and mind for that moment. She could rest knowing he was safe. "We should see if Batman can contact Catwoman." Cyborg said finally to his leader still pacing the small space. "I will, he'll be glad to check in on the stray..." Raven frowned by this voluntary 'sure thing' and had lost the topic at hand...Why did Robin not have a clean slate of their battle with Slade on the skyscraper's roof that rainy night? Why was he so calm..no , he was back into his 'mode'. She deepened her concerned gaze and saw that the forgetful mention of the ...it had been lost. She knew Roku had his eye on her hero's future . As if leading him to bring up a point in his years where he could finally-
"Rae?" Bb waved his gloved palm in front of the dazed sorceress's violet eyes. She blinked with a small huff from that trigger. "Sorry. " It was all her shock would allow the heroine to muster. The green teen frowned and watched her from another angle, his head cocked uncomfortably to the side to see if she were alright. "Are you ok, Raven?" He seemed naiive as ever. She had nothing his efforts could affect onto her emotions for right now. "Then let's try to see if the thief can tell -
"Sorry you guys." Bb's ears perked up to listen to the empath's pardon, which was none of what he had expected her words to ever sound like. Apologetic. Somewhat fragile, a caution in her voice caught the heros ear most of all. "We have one more topic to switch from.."Gar relaxed his tense pause; as if holding his breath the whole few secinds flat. Raven was still a kill joy and voice of reason to the Titans. An immediate sigh of relief was unheard in the background as the witch began by redirecting towards, a touchier subject. Her eyes fell over to the rest while Robin remained unknowing of the one puzzle piece .
"There was something you would have known,even if you hadn't been in the fight.." Her lip would puff from all of the grumbling, biting and interogations without warning...
She raised her head to Robin this time. His face held a rememberance, as if reading her thoughts- as if interconnected through the bond..
"He had not left it, but there was a relic that more so , burned to cinders . Then if you recall after the fight, when you had...gone into -
"I...that was not .." The teen remembered the shock as a true trauma; selectively muffled by the dragon as well as Robin's battered mind no doubt. "The scroll...you said-
"That was the item that burst into ash." The empath explained with her features now showing between both frustration and a nervous breakdown she would never be granted . Thge last thought was pointless...The heroine Starfire was still trying to drag her leader and boy friend away from the accusations. He had to forget the dangerous fears that..
"Star?" Raven saw very clearly as the teen red head pulled her wordless team mate from the discussion, that she was not satisfied by the Titans' efforts. There was going to be a massive hell fire...or even a meltdown!
"These promises were again broken, yet why must those fingers point to our friend? We are not fighting that monster as before, however ...Robin has done a magnificent job in keeping the lizard creature-
"No ." Cyborg was sure the fearless boyh wonder had more to explain, yet his mouth ran dry around the princess . Cy attempted to ask to speed things along, and to quiet Raven's knashing jaw from merging into a large enough frown to ruin the day!..
"We have gotta tell you somethin' , Star knows enough. More than you get Rob. " He surely looked his leader in the eye. "Kori...? Don't you want, this is crazy ! " He spat with wide eyes forever masked by his shame. "We know you didn't give Slade a second thought." The tech wizard teen raised a brow witb arms crossed. "That is what you shouldn't be doin again. But Rae said it's not all you." The empath hung her head earlier, yet knew that secret was not safe! He coud hear it only once and still not understand how real this game was being played outside their knowing! Roku was plotting. Only he had a host. A host to bring him home at last, to give the dragon a chance to change the teen's path. It was not all smoke and mirrors. The prediction was because of Roku's control over Robin's will power.
"You..kinda aren't acting like you." Bb was unable to speak after he'd seen his leader Titan's reaction. Split between a series of doubt, defeat...a lingering disaster...wait..what?-
The green hero shook his head messily. ~What was that feeling? It was like being a chihuahua in the woods with wolves in the bushes...as if!-
"You have no idea what I'm even doing over...you think this is easy? Beastboy! Star, Cy! Raven..I can handle his
"Then don't let subliminal thoughts manifest into real world dangers!" The witch drove her friend to wake up from his hapless thinking. "We know what the ashes and those harmed by thast occurence symbolize." Robin was not able o hide his shame as his head lowered. "I won't let you guys get hurt! I promised!-
"And you promised the dragon you'd keep him from us. Congrats! This is the exact reason you should have wished him banished or...he's going to haunt only you! You won't be able to understand if I tell you how nightmares of Trigon's making or the hellish attempts to break free came to exactly the same type of influencng as the dragon!" She swat away the oldest Titan in the room's hand as her ranting grew to sower the room in the whole reality. "He was right. You ended up with the same philosophy as Rokuro ." The hero grit his fists and held back that anxiety - she was angry he ha-
"You sold off yourself to save us. The prince didtht,and in turn, his allies became cursed and imprisoned within the kingdom. You know better than anyone; I am telling you with a very , hard to hold tongue- do not try to act out . As a hero , you had reason to see Slade's actions as crossing the line,.ut made those sacrifices blow up in all of our faces! So then,don't go into that study and crowd yourself. I'm warning you to gather the control to on day punch that lizard had for using you and the Titans for entertainment purposes!" The Tamaran, Changeling, Cy, even Raven grew silent. "That's the truth. We were only supposed to finish the forbidden myth , with benefits befitting a soul stealer's return ." Her arms fell back down beneath the teen's cloak. "I'm...sorry..you have no magic, you cannot learn any since you are not a mortal trained to handle the spirit world's code of law.. This is just too dangerous. But with your consent, I can gather my allies in magic to free the cursed king. You don't want to live in that shadow." She pleaded this with somber eyes . "Just say that -
"I promised...No..." The hero then looked up to his team through a clouded vision. The sight was still full of fog. Was this how Rokuro had lived ? By order without a will? But Grayson still had his! He was stronger...this was to bury the issue . The prophecy still carried into the present as the Titan had no choice but to answer . If not insincere of Raven's demands!
"I have to face that shadow. "The leader shook his head softly. Gar shivered from an odd chill in his big bro Rob''s features. The younger Titan blinked upwards before rubbing his eyes. Once; it was just as he saw today; twice his eyes re opened ,the great ugly from the shackles still seemed to float- just as Bb shut them a third time. As if waking up from a nightmare in miliseconds!
He had forgotten however by his grumbling stomach and that entity's interest in erasing the ordeal. "Just let me check up on the -
"From time to time, I won't stop you." Robin had spoken clearly for the dark sorceress to calm her emotions. A little sighing helped though not entirely for the Titan's thoughts ; thoughts of a largely overlooked topic. He couldn't hide forever- the bratty detective had to stand his ground, or else the dragon would decide their future..as a parasite running the show! That, certainly had not calmed the witch down! "Will that be all he must do to prevent any, changes in the future as well?" Starfire asked a bit worriedly as the goth started to head out the door, with her team following behind out from from the invstigation's room. "That will be until an enchantment is found to unbind Robin from the influence. It's weak, so weak an invasion, that the kind now is more terrifying to me..than seeing the dragon walking among earth as a phantom in broad daylight.." The morpher gulped back and watched the teens part, In his mind,things would most definitely become rocky. With time, would they even out ; smooth as marble to slide across to their next destination?
"Wait up Cy! This place gives me the -
"Wah! Holy spider monkies that was nuts! Don't freak me!-
"Sorry Garfield." The one to tug the Titan from the tower's safe walls into the void of space time, was Aluehainyu of the Eternal realm council. At first, the yougest hero was startled. Floating inside a realm of ghostly objects and beings, was not fun enough to call lucky an experience . Yet Al looked sternly towards the image of his friends on the other side. Especially with an unoticed smirk to the empath of Azar. ~She has seen the symptoms.~ The child's mysterious self expression left Gar annoyed. He knew this wasn't a game just as she had. Why was everyone getting onto the Titans' case? ~Can I ask you something ? Did you know things were going to change like..well, how they are for us? Were you really ok with helping ? Ah! And..how's that cure for the 'prick' ? ~ He tried not to hide any thing before this child of another world order could find fault by by the quip. She had the power to shorten his lifespan by harrassment charges alone. The rank was going to worsen once Lady Aluhainyu took over for her Lord Destiny. She would never come down from her rooms again..what a lonely life. Bb's ears drooped a bit it as she nod . Her smile less troubling than the side glance towards the Teen Titan Raven earlier. ~I was given a new ability by the dog's..tampering. It is to see to this curse as a lost cause. It can no longer harm this Eternal madame, yet...there is one flawed example of cave- sciences of your world's degree.~ She frowned ~That has yet to improve your comrade's state. I will be monitoring the effects of this bargain; many of we of the spirit sanctions were wary, just as your sorceress companion.~ Raven was more powerful by this degree, of knowing that Robin was sufferingb while..they could only watch his damaged psyche worsen into...the future!
~Your leader will fight the madness as any other demon on his right arm. That would account for any immortal or mortal mindset. That is what most doctrs would say? I presume this lesson is to finish right-
"wh!-
The teen morpher blinked to find Cyborg still standingby the security screens. "Then..Rae is gonna be crazy balistic ..oh! Man, Bb! You just fell on the ground when I came back to...are you ok dude? You look leafy - green! Are you ok ?" He checked the weary Titan's pulse with a few presses to the boy's right wrist. "I'm..not sure...but Cy!" He woke up just in time; yet the words o her form, her embodiment of a living deity..it was all too fuzzy to recall. "Neve...er mind.." The hero shook his head wit a tiredgroan and sat up to head for the exit. "Was in the in interrogation's room...I think...? Why did I wake up in the main ?" Gar scratched his head pondering over gneiss memory that would not reappear. No matter how much of his consciousness was still the changeling's , it was never as he had felt. "Memory..was erased...dangitt!" B looked off towards the next room. The sun was drifting by as the water by the city bay lay placid. The shore was of a hushed sort of calm, his favorite kind since Terra had been by that same shore ...
With a sigh, he transformed into a greyhound. The quickest way was to sleep this mess away..yet the day would carry on. The Titans could always remain in the realm's loop. That must have had an effect on Raven. She was a nervous nelly and everything...
Bb then remembered one siuation his mind could connect the dots to. The serpentine critter holding firm to Robin? Was it a trick as the teens had discussed? Was..it watching...scanning and standing guard for it's keeper?!
"I have gotta see if Rob'll be ok.." He mumbled into his chest by a trot up to the elevator. "This is gonna be on my mind for way too many years! Better to talk it out now." Nodding as his sleek coated canine self , the greyhound Bb swiftly pressed on to at least drag Robin from his mindless obsession- if the guys were right..then he had to come out of that hole before the past swallowed the changeling's leader into it!
The heroes had taken the liberty of discussing, less pressing matters; such as chores and meal preparation , as wellas getting back on track with crimefighting from the main watch over Jump City. Starfir was much better with her cooking skill, ywt..lacked the earthling advantage when it cameto food and tools - not from the galactic 'Amazin'' of the alien teen's homelife. She was used to so many customs from their travels, yet so far from home..it felt lacking in a certain vibrancy and was a struggle for many who could not know the joys of a life with pleanty...she was one of the fortunate. All where the Titans had gone; the populace of each nation had a different view of 'being happy.'
A small sigh escapedc as the princess tugged out a classic cookbook from an earlier time. With a grit of her fists , the alien beauty decided. "If my future will be to nurture a bumgorf of my very own, I shall 'scratchily start ' without holding back my determination!" With a vigor of the lady's prominent race of a warrior class, Starfire did not regret learning and readjusting her old skills with something far better!
Her wrists could grip a cleaver as if a seu chef incarnate! Her eyes never left the time as the meal bubbled away in both sauce pan and pot.
"Next; the recipe says to bake at ...that is not very difficult at all! Most wonderful! " Her eyes brightened by the dish's attractive scents and color. Her eyes sparkle as son as the iron was hot- and oven heated to perfection for the meal to cook away! "This is more than my ability with...Tamaranean qurgg eggs, yet I believe in the recipe, as much as I must my creation!" She nod and watched timer, while the clock ticke away from the other side of the island . Kori's mind was full of those memories of her friends sitting together to this banquet; in which would paint a brilliant design across the times..her ownto cherish asx a part of the Teen Titans..
~This new technique is more than enough..I will on day cook for those I truly cherish..just as I have this evening..~Another sigh made the Titan suddenlylift up her head. "My wonderful , positively, amazing feeast!" Her nose sniffed to make for certain that the meat wasx only slightly overdone. By her quick sniffer, she had saved it from burning further by te cook time. Starfire did wonder though; was the book in need of an edit-
"Why? Why do I smell somethin-
Cyborg had popped his head in through the dfoor,with her dear leader Robin waltzing in from behind ; while Cy had spot the largest feast laid out...after all that crazy chaos! Star wasn't to be ilenced with her creativity. The smell ws immaculte! A good cook such as the soul food wiz. knew that she had a masterpiece of a setting...it was a kindness in every sense. With a cocky smile the two males helped lay out the table. They were late to start the stove, so this as really the last step. Kori blushed when Robin's arm had bumped her's . It had not led to any debates, just a smile of nervous apology...yet she wished he'd drag himself closer..They had been 'match made' by powerful fate carrying ...gods! It was to be in her mind as the bells would not stop ringing day and day out!
When Raven,Gar, and an in for the time Tara Markov had see her expression, a few snickers passed around. Too bluntly for the lrader of the well from full Titans. He snapped up his head and saw that these..smiles..it was not unkind at all?
"Em...Robin..?" Starfire drew far too easily intothis, her eyes half awake yet knowing. The sheen of her locks as a midsummers dream...was this a tra-
"We shall always be your best friends. " She assert dictated with a laugh. It was calming. This atmosphere he had missed horribly since the event led up to follow...what he could never truly understand...if greate things meant to hide away from those expectations, would he forget something as...nurturing as her heart? As their suport all this time?
"We pulled you out of mean deal with a crazed demon." The eldest hero smirked back. Wise as ever to point out. "So, did you finally feel at home? Star worked over a hot stove; she wanted to cheer us up with a real meal! Then you, boy blunder , had better tell her thanks - and don't run from her's!" He quicklg add with a finger in defense of Kori's iron will. Yet iron was only strong for a time before it weathered away. She had chosen Rob's spectators' propsal. He had to givve his consent and just come with the blows when the time came. "Star..you did this? Why didn't you ask for anyone to?-
Raven was cut off by the alien teen's nod . "I was very glad to have done so much for my friends..though, if the time..comes to return for instance..as my home planet's rule-
That had Richard up in a panic. He immediately flung towards the brave princess with his mask removed! "Rob! What are you doin'! She's no-
"is..that ..is that why you did this?" He scrambled through the question. "Is it because you are going back to Tamaran!?" A panic washed over his features as her's revealed a sorry sight of regret. "It was most unexpected. Galfore...was adament that I become the next Queen before my eighteen year on earth..I have spoken with my royal council folk, yet they are pressing matters due to Galfore's inability to go to war, or surround us with allies from other galaxies. They say he is unfit to rule. Yet I will not be swayed! I promised my dear gnorfka a fair treatment, that I would reprimand my very rude country men. They o not do in 'shooting calls' I am still royalty by lineage. Blackfire willnever rule due to her blood over ur family's line being..impure." She sounded troubled by the story. Her sister would never rule, yet Kori; according to her file, only had one missing sibling besides the notorious Komand'r ; a.k.a. Blackfire. Her younger brother was still not old enough, nor capable as his sisters. He after all had a weakness that Kori had not been inflicted with since a young age. Her parents were gone by their death alone, yet the famil still held respect from the citizens! It had been after all, her older sister's involvement with the enemy - just as Malchior's story of his destructive brother's jeolousy, she had a feeling it was quite similar.
"The Titans will follow." Richard stood and tried to bring her from the farewell setting . Bb clung to Robin's cape as he soon found the leader's desination..to have been somewhere, by the rooftop! "Star, why didn'tyou tell us about any of this? Don't you like it on earth..is it something, anything we can-
She shook her head and float towards the ledge. Yet her midflight made the princess deide to draw closer from the drop .she did not want her powers to dwain by an accidental goodbye..too soon..
"It was nothing to ..." She shook her skull to rephrase. "I did not want to make you all, my friends worry about me..It was rather sudden, yet he is in need of my assistance." Her eyes forced bc salty pools of an everflowing. waterfall. "Galfore was my caretaker when my parents had still been alive!...I did not want to leave my friends..we are ..sniff..always fighting 'as the onee'!" She then remembered that Arianna had given that mention. If her Robin were in there,hemightstill understand not so blindly that she -
"Then let us go too." It was a command. More so a way to keep the princess grounded, yet not her leader who might drift away! He would have to be patient! "They will not know my 'story's side' if I do not go to liberate Galfore.." She explained softly. "He needs to see that there is hope. I do not wish to dwell in my capital for more than a year,until the council knows the last line's demands." Her small smile returned to pull in the Titan still grounded. "What about the p..promise?!" The hero suddenly gasped. His heart starting to beat rapidly for her . "We promised that...Ava would be a family to us! Of course I haven't forgotten! I want you with me! Kori!...And if you go, we won't let it mean forever. You'll come home, so that I can tell you , how I truly...I love you Starfire!" Hw shoutedwith tears to his cheeks now. Her eyes stung as thatnght on the roof had , a year since this transformative journey. Her arms were held out as soon as that promise had been born anew. His eyes shone back without the mask- they were Robin's real feelings! He wntedher by his side,.as more than just a Titan!..
Bb slunk away as a beetle from Rob's cape tail. His eyes were rather moist as well. ~Star..is leaving for space!~ He sobbed even so then dripped off his nose into a tissue, thankfully not Raven's cloak as he had accidentally done in the past. To avoid any broken bones..
"Dudes!" Bb wrasped to seem quiet before his cover was blown, a whispering sound escaped those canine troubled jaws. "The love birds are at it again, but Kori...she's gotta go back to Tamaran!" He started to rush over to Raven, hereyes wide but a bit bothered by the message. "Has she ..then this fifty's..she was saying goodbye...When did you hear she'll be-
"Dunno yet..snniiiiff!* But..Rob practically is on his hands and knees saying mushy stuff! It's really kinda desperate..but I get the picture...Still Star is!-
"Then when she tells us on her own,we'll play the dummies till then,kay bud?" Cy coaxed the youngest as Tara knww goodbyes far too up. to talk some sense into her, well...unbecoming boy ..friend?..
"Beastboy!" She calle off to join the teens. Harpists was emtied by that mountain sized apetite. The alien princess might ask if they all wanted thirds. "Beastboy, you know goodbye isn't goin' to be forever? Robin still likes Kori, we all tgink she's a good friend. I want to tell her, evenifshegoes home that everything she did will never by forgotten. We have to stickthis out as a team!" She brought her handsto her hips and smiled, independant of her actions. Yet just as close to a true hero's belief. "We have to hope she'll make out ok. You knew I'd never forget. And look! I'm sitting with my friendseting an amazing feast! She's trying to show us that she cares more than you think. So don't clingto the past,she's only lightyears, not years off. She won't forget the Titans. I can swear to that anytime." Her thumbs up was a great motivator. for the green -age Titan. His ears and smile lifted. "Yeah..Tara, you are so right! Kori's gonna see us! We can all support her! She's a 'vet Titan' for life! Thanks!.." He grinned his goofy nervousness away with that emotion. "No prob. Just wait until the lovers come to call. I don't wanna know myself, but it's been obvious from the start." She smirked again and Raven couldn't help but roll her eyes . In a playful way. She knew this was temporary. Starfire would just iron out her country's quarrel and then the rest would, be history . Being an empath had it's perks. Emotions were oozing from her teammates. She always had reason to duck , intervene,or assert herself in this fashion when it came to monstertruck sized teen drama - moody demeanors were common after a fight, whether for better or..not so lucky...
"We should clear the table until they come back." She added from the side where the water of the bayline shore shone through glassy panels. "I'm cool with that. Bb, until the leader of this team gets it together, we can do a little spot cleaning. And don't worry about Starfire." She put in lastly. "Let us talk to straighten things out. She does care, I know it's just hard to say goodbye from experience.." The college age teen wandered off to where twighlight over Jump was just edging over the waterways. "My parents moved from Cali to Oregon. I am not too far by trip. But..come visit sometime this summer!" She said quickly as her eyes dart back towards the wide window panes overlooking the night life of the low area , by the pier included in those memories..before the Titans' day had even start. (The apprentice part one tt season one . Also when Will in this mini arc - Shadows and creatures- palled up with Rini through an accidental leap into the present of another time! I brought up her costume in vague detail, yet it's a short haired/ bob, pink hi- fang dress , with raiment and staff reconstruction. Old image from starting first arc . Think Elsie from; Animation/ manga- comic, The World God Only Knows and it'll make a vivid picture . I'm ending with this chapter to add...a big shocker! Keep reading on!)
"Yeah!" Gar perked up in seconds by her offer. "You won't think it'll a bad time?..Are you sure Te-
He had not expected a kiss to cool his jets from magma to lava rocks in a sauna. B's head spun as he gaped up to the equally overwhelmed, yet Tara composed herself just fine! With a switch,the teen was more bold- just as she had been when..
"Tara, Garfield! Remember it." He beamed back and miraculously Cy looked up to see his comm unit had alert of a private caller. "Would you
"Go ahead.." Raven was able to mutter as she too had seen more love &peace than he could bare..
He reched out but she had fade instantly through the wall. Stone had almost forgotten Malchior's pining, her annoyance..they had cared..and now.
"Sorry Cyborg.." Tara apologized when she'd seen and remembered the loss of their good friend and ally. "You guys told me about Malchior and all the terrible things that happened...I wasn't thinking.. " Cy shook his head and explained that Mal had been on the clock, as if an hourglass had only enough time for him to face his foe...he had defeated Kyrios, his older brother. In the way of Kyr's curse and commitment over the revenge of his own issues in the past, he had turned intoa monster. Malchior had become a dragon outside of Rorek's reach at long last as he had transformed intol a powerful dragon of light and mystique. Roku had won over a dead man as soon as Mal's curse had been lifted, yet it was the last shred of hope he had in order to remain by the Titans' side. He had saved them countless times over...and all she could do then..was watch the wizard of Knoll die into mist within a broken realm of illusion. Raven had been able to recover the old text of his summon. Malchior's tale ended. It no longer went into infinity, only oblivion... Inside the empath's domain, she cried for a fairytale brother in arms; a soldier and healer all in one. Someone she had never wished to trust by any means. After Rorek had been sealed the first time, the exiled had announced that his connection to dark plots within the kingdom of fae Knoll, was of the past. He had still shown signs of Rorek's influence throughout that trial. The Teen Titans had lost Richard ; though Roku had never explained why he'd lied about the wizard's real birth father..All along the heroes had believed that Roku the red lord was Malchior's parent. It was untrue and the hatred he must have felt tumbled inside the goth's mind. ~He fought..we still wouldn't trust him..I..always remained the one putting him down...I wasn't even able to say...goodbye..~ She remainedc curled up onto the maytress of herdwellings with the tower. The book of Malchior of Knoll's exploits,heroisms.. it was in her arms at long last...
~Was prince Rokuro always this way for princess Arianna..was Mal..like this for Ravenna...?.. Was I really who he cared for..~ Her eyes hurt. Her chest ached a little at the thought of a stand in..that wasn't how he had changed! He loved her...and now..he was gone forever..
A knock sounded from her door. It washer friends, but she had time to dry her eyes right now. Meditation came last as soon as those flowing torrents of tears had eased. Her heart returned to how the world would keep among this balance. If not chaos; whether by human or far more a threat was going to turn it's head towards earth, she would not let her home drown in flames as Azarath had long ago...Yet Raven recalled something odd within the spirit realms..
"Roku was more a ruler than a destroyer..he called his men in by force, coersion, even killing them or torture...why would all of those stories not sound like how we saw him..? The spirit saw the dragon as a monster..he...was almost human..-
Her eyes opened wide. "He was half mortal ...the ancient sumeria...he was half mortal by a cursed birth!..a real Demi god...!" Her eyes fell to the text of Malchior's farewell. "You were really in need of assistance..you fought a deity!.." She slapped her hand to her skull and sighed, letting air out slowly as she leaned back. "We were fighting a...oh...wow..." Somewhere Isis had to be chuckling deeply. Her in wait of a pupil was growing more aware of the presence among many creatures. Whether they existed to help or harm, she had yet to realize how very fantsasy - ridden human culture had become. They once invisioned monsters and deity- to give them a world outside of this one!..Her head throbbed over the debate as to how supernatural entertwined with the everyday and mundane. Sleep claimed the Titan's thoughts much earlier as her lids had started to droop. "I hope one day..they'll let me see you..even if the future in no closer ...yaawn..*..Than a dream.. ..a..dream..zz.."
Her heart was more than content with that agreement, that pact unto her own kind. Raven was always going to protect her friends; just as far as she knew, the fight for her team, was just about to spiral..into a brand new present..
The day came for Starfire to make the line connection to Galfore on Tamaran. He was sent early that morning for a decision to be made. Koriand'ar was also there with her friends via link. She had her seat beside the council as the head of her capital spoke loudly in the princess's native tongue. ~We are here to justify the honor, that Koriand'ar of our home planet Tamaran will be accepted as the last standing approval for the country's future.~ He read aloud from the podium of the highest place where no spying Gordanian could touch the Princess as well. ~The princess has only one remaining sibling in which she believes would be best decided to rule over the kingdom. Prince...Wild fire! Yet according to these records, your brother is missing or currently hiding from enemies of the royal line.~ The male Tamaran scholar read on further after his mention had been dismissed briefly. Galfore was betting on Wildfire's safety, yet he was clkind natured and weak ,unlike his sisters who had hearts yet heads planted as their first tools to rule many nations over. Why was she saying that Wildfire was fit to be it's central amount for protection? In hiding fear; fear to the warrior kin of Tamaran meant Rutha. Galfore however, did not object to Kori's idea just yet. He wanted to see as her friends from afar stood in awe. Would they allow this mystery prince to take charge of an entire planet?
~The last that I must ask of my brothers and sisters of Tamaran's thriving today, is will you allow me to make this decision. My brother is no longer away from our home. He has been watching Blackfire's movements until the day she had taken over our armies and capital by force . My sister will never harm our planet of Tamaran if Wildfire is given his chance to show all of us! ~ Galfore gasped when he'd heard of the prince having been found alive! ~Wildfire cannot fight-
~That is untrue old friend.~ Kori looked up as soon as the kingdom's wide doors had allowed in the guest of honor. The red headed knight flew overhead;while Tamaran's female majority swooned below, male Tamaranians' pointed and jumped up to see who had come in totrick their eyes from the widely going debate . ~My citizens! And my beloved Tamaran! By Xa'll we shall not succeed without working as a single might. I have been far from home.~ Wild fire started his speach with great details of hard training, his heart breaking almost over his eldest sister's engagement against her will, even the terrors faced during the aftermath of the kingdom's loss of their king and queen. He was strong by his build now. Even if Kori and he were only two years apart, she had no choice but to give him a round of applause for such a well written and planned address. The council even wept and explained that Prince Wildfire's trial period would still kept in place if the prince himself were not true to his word- then the crown would go over to Princess Starfire ; who had passed thast mark before with flying colors, and would take his title as the planet's queen to be. Hands down, it would be a long year for the Titans back on earth. Kori had gone more than once back to check on her brother's last moments concerning the official release of the coronation dates. It had taken months at a time to allow the ole' softie Galfore to let Starfire's friends attend the ceramony. Her heart lept higher than the moon and stars when he had approved the entry by a single signature to the guest list. Wildfire was proudly accepted as the newly instated, guiding force of planet Tamaran's long line.
Yet the fleeting emotions stilll were strong over those months. When all of the teens had thought Kori was going to leave them stranded, it had worked out in the end perfectly. Starfire still kept in touch with her brother to see about any issues with the exiled princess Blackfire. Though Glrglesckletchh was keeping her busy for the mean while a they talked of her treatment as the blob alien prince's bride!
The days turned from hours, into seasons,into years, into finally a day to expect the rest to fall gently into place. ...
The great thing about running the scene for the heroes, was stronger foes, better tactics, even new members from time to time! As the summers turned to wintery drifts of a quiant yester -year, the teens grew well over their mentor's limits,and from the protection of their own to form teenage bunches of the new generation in seperate cities. Cyborg took that role to heart with Beast boy- now Changeling, and Tara had gone off as a ...well, it was a bittersweet romance till the end!..
Starfire had taken on her own pair of wings from city to as a model for a very large agency. Dick still knew Gotham's busy drills from time and again. However, his heart was not set just yet on settling in as a family man..just yet..
Kori's proposal had come later in that year, going into May of the Titans' anniversary. He of course had only just had the same conclusion; ring in hand as his knees swept from seat to floor with an honesty she adored. Richard said he'd make his career; which had gone from valedictorian in college, to a place in somewhere between an undercover force member through Shoji's handyman skills with recruitment, into a stay at home, then possibly as a local policeman. So at least supper would be waiting while he had plenty of referrals on speed dial. She had believed it a fantastic thought and gave one week her trial to just think over the plan. Richard immediately transferred out. Yet before a single mission as Nightwing on the side was concerned, he still had those..run ins with deadly assassins. Especially one that refused to kill him there on the spot. He knew just what that entailed for a long while. Kori was in danger when the attacks from the Titans' fights grew ten times as ugly as a trip to the showers from beating Plasmus. It was death against a fate he wished never to occur. That wedding had happened barely under the radar for the couple's protection alone. The fact Koriand'r still held royal blood in her veins could indeed cause a stir if her life were lost under the Earth's security squad's aid. However, due to the presence of this old foe, Takahara did commit to supplying the swat overnight. He watched the hero in case the prophecy took hold without warning. He was twenty five while she was a year ahead by a few months. Height as far as the guests could see made Starfire look as an Amazonian warrior compared to the average adult build of Grayson beside the intergalactic beauty.
After a few calming weeks into their wedding ceramony, the couple met finally to the guardians' sure dismay- Ava Marie.
/Epilogue; Introduction To ; These New Years; Part Two!
In this timeline she had only her heritige as a three year old , instead of a thirteen /age pre - teen of the old Ava's self within Isis's throws. Isis had adjusted when Ava had successfully returned to drink in all the world from..nearly scratch. She only knew her new Mummy and Dad by her caretaker Isa Rothschild alone!
It took more out of Richard than that ,ever so once a son and daughter were added to the big, happy, heroic Titan's family setting. He revelled in the prideful feeling altogether however. Aiden and Anna were both to the alien princess's surprise, red headed with green eyes! Though Aiden had a gene with his that turned them to..more of an easy going hazel. Both tots lived with their big sister in a greater family than it had to take. Shoji and Bruce compete for the title several times a yer. Little Ava was more than over the moon once a last addition was was left to come a knocking. The two had been the first to see a new sister in that time. Dick was more or less thriving with Wayne Enterprises on the side without the rest guessing he had a new Robin to train out of breath.
The youngest was a different event. It had happened on one of Kori's trips for her work. It was supposed to be a side vacation as well to the spot were the Obon festval had taken place to the young miss's relief. There, in that city she was grounded by a new error... It had been pains by..something other than a lover's rendevue. It had been a feeling of fire in her heart and chest. In to see about the odd spell of an affliction was Shoji at the end of the hospital bed. Kori had not shown signs in that month, nor had she wanted in anyway to jepordize the rest to arrive. The children had joined to stay overseas. The last location was provided by the cat to keep tensions low, especially when Isis revealed her guise as Isa in that very room. "The child is blessed by a great deity. The phoenix has already to watch over your son Aiden; as Ava recalls only just." That had made the hero Nightwing act . He pestered the deity and guardians in numerous ways, until it all came flooding back one night up in bed from a dream unlike his everyday...
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"So.." The guardian Takahara sat opposite to the hero off the clock. Their food lay more so untouched as the afternoon turned into a final evening before poor Kori had, well, any assistance with the toddler crew back in the house. He had to hurry back so that Ava wouldn't use any tricks to worry his ...well..she was in this by her own commitment. He never wished to force onto his lover a series of struggles and misery. Like a trial, time would heal this atmosphere . Dick had to be certain that all of hos straining for a structured lifestyle would work out. Even after having lived previously with more trtoubles...especially as he was about to tell the cat unchanging - that Slade had recovered the oath's proper background. Something new brought the teen to meet the joe'd up fox hybrid in a restaurant outside of the area. It was a simple setting enough . Even if Japan had been alright, Dick missed being stationed in the heavier,crime ridden, urban areas of Gotham or ...even a largely dicrepid place such as Bludhaven. Shoji had warned the hero in case the dragon was still prying away the walls piece by piece. If that had not been the reason, Dick believed he had a job otherwise. The spy-guy antics could wait in until a call came through to bite down on DeathStroke the Terminator's trail. He savoured the day when he could pay the killer back for feeding his living life's ideals to a monster such as Roku. Thankfully over time the hero had learned how to deal with the 'shadow' of that king's mention . Robin had furthered away from his involvement by placing barrier sized blocks to mimic for his mind's safety and well being. Raven still had her doubts as Shoji did over the 'Bludhaven' recollection. Her words were plenty in time and rhyme with the cat's . 'Say no and stay away from that city.' It had been a mantra kept all of these years that had Grayson on his sturdy path, leading to Kori and their bundles of joy ...
"The last check on the deity Isis was unreal..but we only thought Aiden was going to become the one with powers...it turns out even Anna is touched by 'phoenix's magic' as well as Isa put it...Also, Ava is showing signs that she remembers her ability over ice. I don't want to let her feel as if we can't trust her powers, but she and Aiden are growing older. He might even shoot beams from his eyes like Starfire someday!" Takahara was not true to his past. It was in fact Ronnie he had once upon a time been head over heels for as an earthen mortal in guise. She had reaped his chance away yet they had had but one daughter to support the rumor alone. Her name was Alexia back then..He had told the heroes nothing further of that relationship in fear that it might cause unease. In a word, he'd wished thast it had not been withheld . His child was a big name elsewhere without a clue she had been severed from her broken parents' lives. Veronica had taken her due to vanish soon after.. The great owl mother's claws still latched to her shoulders to never let go until her demise by the by the blazing courtyards in Munich..
"She isn't ready yet to be told. You remember the prophecy in a sense , am I wrong?" Richard was careful to ask the dog his side first. He knew Verra still held a code in his world, even with his freetime granted by Lady Isis. "Yes, and she will in due time." Shoji lifted his fork to give in to a slightly repressed urge to wolf down his meal. It looked..cold and ready to be devoured while the vet Titan made the guardian incog wait..however long it took to have his reply.
"You are thinking of going Vee on that steak, don't lie!" The hero gulped back a chuckle by the sight in front; low and behold,the guardian was a genuine beastly glutton till the end of time !
The cat grinned back and rubbed his neck,a bit ashamed of the poor lack of manners for a handsome devil such as he!..
"Heh..sorry,.missed my fill back in the office. Ayane is back on her feet and no better than my superior from this point! She can dash across to the -..Sorry, wrong topic!" The cat was..seemingly unwell of his words. Dick gave a compassionate glance in thanks, then saw his time was losing reason to dawdle further from his original task. He had to say goodbye to Shoji who knew the dish of Mr. Grayson's could wait until another day. His last signal of caution was to report if either Ava, Aiden, or Anna's energies emerged from a young age. He warned also against leaving the tots without protection in public. As any parent to their children, Dick swore he'd keep his family safe .
After a smooth parting onto a train leaving the back roads of Takahara's stomping ground, Richard had arrived in time to sit and reflect; Kori and he had to discuss their longer than believed , past overdue, return to the states. The rail carried over into another town, then another as Dick felt the rattling sooth him into a dull cat - nap before long. All that meanwhile Grayson dreamed of seeing Star smile again. Even while they still had more trials along the road. He hoped that her patience would not leave broken hearts in their wake.
Into the city that afternoon, Kori had just put that newest addition from out of Japan's e.r Amy down for her nap; while Aiden was attended to by his big sister Ava. Anna was left lastly to entertain before her coos*had alert of a visitor by the door. The heroine in her day clothing rushed to see if her love had returned from his trip by railways. She had no idea that Shoji was still all ears over the prophecy soon coming to pass. For a few more years at least Star had taken a rest from both heroisms and her ideal career , to see to the rascals in her care. Richard ; even after all of the levels of maturing, he still kept secrets from her eyes, ears and ...yearning heart for her love to remain true. His work schedule's nights went as far until daybreak some days. How much clock punching would he carry on with to prove a point to his ..missed equal?
She sighed a bit over the fact. Now Ava had cried up at night over flashbacks returning as nightmares of her past self. Both her parents wanted the child to grow up with her head in the cloudss a little, not under the covers to cower at her age! Three was a big number. Ava knew this as her forth year was nearing within months . She had even harbored the maturity of her other aged self ..it was difficult to fit in thanks to the dillusions of imaginary monsters in the closet. She had come to them at only three years old by Isis's intervention, her eyes had been shut to the reality well before understanding fully who she was to be reborn as. Why it had not been an earlier age, Kori was actually greatful. The Titan revelled in her child as a nurturing, strong minded individual who asked for protection only when her odds were stacked entirely. She was tough, stubborn as her daddy, but cute in her patterns, especially when trying to play the 'grown up.' The three youngsters had nearly fallen into blissful dreams, just until the doorbell rung out once more to wake the caretaker from her daydreams. As if that lady goddess knew there was need of a helper or...just companion..Dick was late. Ava had to rest up as well. They wou,d have to move back to the U.s eventually after the mess of paperwork was cleaned and prepped away. She shuffled off over to the sound by the door. Something wasn't right though. It had gone silent after the first few rings - which could count as normal. Yet it had start up again after a pause. More than one figure was present... when the heroine decided with a snap of her wrist towards the sound she did not hesitate with investigating the cause. To her dismay, a figure had appeared to startle the mother from her instinctual doubt. "Who is there?!" She forced back panic that was not supposed to boil over in such a way..This figure ..-
"Kori! Kori it's Dick!I just got drenched from the ride back. Taxi was in traffic the whole time. The train ride..is everything alright Kor? " His voice..her eyes prickled. The door swung open to leave the heroine falsely wronged. Roko.
"Ah!" Her wrist went to slam the door hard. The demoness's foot stopped the powerful shock as Aiden started to bawl in the next room. "Mama?" Her eyes never left the drenched character from the entrance, to their hall...those eyes could eliminate, but Ava would see...
"Don't worry sweetie! Please do not leave your room yet. I will let you know , just do not leave . I will tell you when it is alright to join me!" Her heated glare set itself over the daemon's smirk. She was listening with a interest that Starfire abhored by the intruder's devious nature altogether! "Yes mama, if you need me-
"I will tell you exactly when . See how long you can stay very quiet, now go back to bed alright my dear?..." She smiled off the devil's taunting snicker as the child decided what her mother knew was correct . Little Ava Marie let out a yawn in reply and walked back to her bedroom door. "Night..." Her eyes hung heavily as her feet shuffled and the door clicked freely to close. Roko cou,d not help but tease the poor child. She sniffed and tried to mimic the girl's cutest gestures. The red head became a walking torch with her growl still lethal as before.
~See you in the morning!~" The dark lidded monster sniveled as if further aggrevating the Tamaranean powerhouse to her knees. "We will take this out side ." Starfiee demanded with a snarl in her most intimidating tone of voice. "Let the babies nap. I will only have words as my weapons this evening." The heroic Titan understood with a nod. "Let us then, this way."
She pointed to the exit then set a button on the wall ; a cute device Takahara industries had collaborated with to protect children in tough situations. If the parent left to even brush their teeth,the monitor was to alert a contact even outside of the home- such as a neighbor with a matching reciever with the exact device, then they could rush right over by any stray time limits or by a mobile addition from Kori's wrist watch. If only it were as easy when holding conversations with a demon..
"Your neighbors are all ...mortal. no matter. I too have questions." The demon perched as a cat against the apartment balcony drop. "You are not welcome here, ever!" Kori shot by her eyes tyo deflect that sneer by her enemy's dismay. "It will not upset this relatively...might I speak please with Arianna?" The devilish self tried to seem amicable . The alien beauty shuddered off the red , piercing , monster's gaze . It gave too well to melt her resolve, just as soon as another gave the cue to arrive- Arianna flung her head forth to eye the enigmatic Masquerade from up close. "This is not your trade of trickery I feel, demon?" Ari asked cautiously of her offender. "Nope. I have something to say to you, about your hubb Grayson..So I do hope you'll let me pay the price later. Now, I must bring my fair share of warnings.." She dismissed the smile with a somber gaze to the floor. "Have you brought ill tidings? Whilst my charge be out of reach if you so neglect-
The daemon started to laugh with her fangs gleaming as brightly as her red orbs. The sheen resembled unshed tears as the princss almost pittied the trapped self before her fists, now lit well with a vengence. "Tell'st I " She said once more. "What warning have you come to bare?" The selfish aspect still walking by her android shell snidely replied. "Tiding..hmm..That may it be! Yet I bring you lessons to be well learnt of these actions..Your husband is untrue to the will you have born by his becoming. He is Nightwing as a newly bred vigilante , correct?" She raised her brow slightly as the princess nod in a studder . "You..are a spying sort?.." She had known their location by Takahra after her third..no! Second! It was in no shape or form a retirement from the hero business! "He is as of...twelve noon in Shinjuku with your estranged benefactor. My old client made a simple pass, if you had not forgotten?" The self eyed the tired and anxious mum from her true feelings. "He was..that is not so!" Kori emerged with a shut and wide open of her lids. "Slade ..no..you are most incorrect! Nor now should you ever haunt him! Why must your intentions remain! If you are not free, then become-
Another arrogant chuckle errupted into a bout of cackles from the daemon's lips. "Ha! You gloomy child! He has those still blood bound tainted here! Why else would the curse continue to wear away that oh so 'mighty armor' until it seeps? The children..! Those brats have a connection in time to Rokur-
"Flee this dwelling monster!" Arianna returned to block the shocking temptation this creature drew bye every damnable breath. "Leave. If you turn back to never return, my wrath shall evade shattering your husk into pieces! Never lay a hand into that veil! Begone!" With a reddened face and flaring , amber and emerald gaze , the princess did not hold her self from removing the pest from it's location- none the less, Slade was still coerced by the red , demonic, lizard tyrant!
The sniffle of the damned aspect of the king's and son's in feminine form by appearance looked more and more a grin. It later haunt the Titan's dreams as soon as nightfall had bridged over the sun. "Never come back.."The cretin was long gone by X's oldtrick from a replicated suit. It was true..the self had not aged from height or built in those many , dreadful years, since. Her eyes blurred then opened fully when she'd seen young Aiden crawlng from his crib. "Wah! My darling ! You must not do such things!" She rushed over by her flight accidentally, which shocked an irritable Ava who needed the toilet badly. "Ma..ma? You're flying!" She had never seen the parent by her given name and home lift off the ground before!..
"I must tell you about my heritage in the morning." The mother Tamaranean coddled her young son as she spoke those words. The first response from Anna had been to avoid her brother's squirming. Her toes and fingers culred up to avoid touching the baby blanket. She had been disturbed by the bout as well..
"Hush my bumgorf..Mommy has you..no one is going to have you..I am here..shh...shh..." Her time was up as soon as the home phone rang from the hall line. The Titan's reaction was to bring Ava to her lap. They sat together a while when the call had only been a ragged 'daddy dearest' from out of town. The inquisitive and groggy glint of her daughter's skepticism made the alien mother talk quickly. "Oh! All is very much ok in the home. I have no problem at all arranging for us to..you ..you talked to Shoji...he is well?" The line paused as the other spoke to answer from among crowded , busy intersections.
~ next train will be a while longer. Can you hold tight for me and hold down the fort too Ava?~ He chuckled when she'd noticed how observant her dad was! "Wow! How did you know I was...are you gonna come home soon papa?" She switched topics from moving at the speed of light like in the movies. Her eyes lit upwith a smile that he could feel from miles away. ~I will sweet heart. You will have all the sweet shop's best mochi annd? I was in Shinjuku! Did you have a request if I stay one more night? ~ He didn't want her hopes blown to bits by bargaining, yet Ava was a tough cookie. Thast meant kawaii central in the heart of!
"Ohh...Well...There was this reeally cute ribbon that my fwend had in pre kay! She said it was...It was white with daisies! I want one with snofwakes! That way in the summer I will be nice and cold! Nori taught me that spell in school! Wiil you find it in Tokyo?" The girl's papa smiled over his cell still a doting , idiot parent. It was impossible to run away now! A small smile and a wink to her heart , he then replied. ~I will have them show me the 'coolest ' ribbon for class. In the spring we ..well, we can discuss the rest before lunchtime tommorow, ok?~ He heard Ava giggle and jump from her mama's lap. Those silver locks of Reia's complexion still held true with the length in need of a trim. Her usual style was up in spiky pig tails. The two parents marveled by how a fear had grown into a promise . Richard whispered back into the speaker for Kori to keep a secret from their children. ~Tell me about the encounter later...Shoji was afraid for us. He's trying to arrange a flight back to California. Wait till then. We'll be alright.~ She sniffed and then ended the call with a goodnight to her lover.
Dick settled on finding out about the reciever of Shoji's 'kiddie life alert ' device and it's response. He had not been pleased when she'd told him later that night of his midday return of Roko's impersonation. The crooked self had an eye for this nonsense as if her last day were crawling nearer! After all, she was a damned cronie for her savior 'Deathstroke' in the shadows. Nothing but a demented criminal as of her new time on earth..
"It'll be ok Kori..Just, let me find out what Isis can say. We are going back to California in a few months at the latest. I already made the new block and complex our own. It's in the city but it's really close to a lot of hot spots. I 'll be stationed on weekends in the places they call me to. Some sundays I have off entirely! Isnt that great? Oh, the rest of those days is nearby in town. You can rest easy. We have friends in high places.." She hugged him tightly as her shoulders slouched in defeat. "I am most unwell over if we must add security measures..what will we do? There is so much to arrange for our bumgorf Ava! Her fourth birthday is a month away! We will be prepared to move , yet her schooling will no longer be here in Japan..I do not want her to feel lost..she is still very easy to-
"She's got a lot on her plate, but we won't let her down, not without a fight. Starfire...I love you and will not let anyone touch what we've built. All we've worked so hard to accomplish...I still had no idea Amy...they said her birthmark resembled a relic from an old myth. Amaterasu...the mirror in that story! That was interesting though.." Isis had also taken note over the small talk. Her eyes had never left the jet black hair and baby blue eyes of the newborn's. It terrified Richard when Kori had more courage than she let on . He was running off , and the criminal Roko had his voice down pat to imitate if he so dcided to their happy ending!... Starfire's eyes held the passion of his dear companion, and yet his friend was always to be Koriand'r of planet Tamaran.
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More to come! New arc since this isss part one anyhow! Cannot believe the building up of this...I did enjoy the epilogue insert to the fullest! If you don't enjoy your work, enjoying the works of what you have are...less than enjoyment at all?...All ready -set for part two! A big shocker hits the heroes as their adult years, kids, and...strange abilities come into play! May become T or M...I have to make sure this is a safe cross -over fic! Till part two! The story continues! See ya then!
