"Titans! Go!" The spiky hair leader yelled as the group of superheroes moved in to attack their enemy of the day. The street their distress signal brought them to was in total chaos, the perpetrator standing with his back to the Titans in the middle of the wreckage. The five titans came to a halt, cautious to make any sudden movements until they decided the safest and most effective method to catch their villain.
"Robin, it's been far too long. So nice of you to finally show up." The shadowed figure's smooth voice came as he slowly turned around. As the villain made his way closer to the titans, the single flickering street light gave off just enough light to reveal the half black and half brown mask of Slade.
"Slade! I should have known you would be back! What do you want this time?" Robin questioned in a stern voice, positioning himself to be able to lunge into action at any moment. The other Titans sensed the tension and also posed to attack on command.
Slade laughed to himself as he watched the facial expressions on the team get more and more serious with every passing moment. "Oh Robin, I thought you knew what I was doing?" He said as he raised his hand, a red glow began to appear, "I came for the portal."
"You know we will never let you take Raven from us!" Beast Boy exclaimed as he moved to stand in front of Raven, the others following his move.
Slade laughed to himself once more as the glow of gifted powers from Trigon emanated from his hands, "It's funny that you all think that I still need her…" Slade began as a limp figure was pulled with force from the darkness behind him. He levitated the figured to the dim light before him revealing a teen girl, no older than the titans themselves, who was beat up and passed out. The Titans looked on, now in a state of curiosity as they tried to make out who this girl was. The dim light did not give off enough visibility to be able to clearly see any facial details, but gave off enough to show that this figure was, in fact, female, and was wearing a very tattered looking outfit. Torn- up sweatpants and a very large, beat- up black hoodie was all the girl had on. The over-sized hood was pulled over the girl's face, the only thing visible from the Titans' standpoint was the tips of silky, blood red and black hair that fell over her chin.
"Oh come now, you can not tell me you don't know who this is dear Raven." Slade broke the silence after studying the confused titans, letting them all sit their confusion while he sat amused. "Surely your Daddy has told you that she was near and with how you try so hard to escape your destiny I figured you were trying to hide her, but alas it seems you were not doing a very good job. Oh how Trigon will be happy I have succeeded in bringing him a portal." The five heroes continued to keep looking on in growing confusion.
"I am becoming bored Titans." I figured there would be more of a fight by now. "Or maybe you just don't recognize this girl because of her attire." Slade began to levitate the girl again, using his powers granted to him by Trigon himself to shock her. Her body convulsed for a second before she gasped for air, awoken by the violent shock. Her body fell back to the pavement, a grunt of pain was released as she hit the ground hard. On shaky arms she tried to prop herself up to look around to try to focus on her surroundings, her breathing hard and fast. The hood concealing her face had fallen while she was struggling to look up, giving the group a chance to study her appearance closer. The greasy blood red and black streaked hair fell limply in her face, her hazel-grey eyes growing wide with fear as she caught sight of the Titans. He gaze focusing on the sight of the blue cloaked Titan floating slightly above the ground in the back of the group.
Her eyes widened even further and she tried to call out, "R...Rae…" Was the most that she could manage before intense pain silenced her.
"No! That…. That's not possible!" A shock- stricken Raven exclaimed, flying to the front of the group. "That… That can't be her!" Raven met the pleading, pain- filled eyes of the girl, her look lingering longer than she planned before she turned her attention to Slade. Her shocked look turned into one of fury as her eyes turned white and her hands began to glow with her dark magic.
"It's all part of destiny dear girl," Slade said as calm as ever as he approached the girl and caressed one of her cheek before he gave her one more shock, sending her back to unconsciousness before levitating her again, "Now, if you will excuse me, I must return the portal to Trigon now. I must not keep him waiting," Slade's hands began to glow red again and his body began to phase through the ground, taking the girl with him.
"You will not take her!" Raven yelled, her voice getting deeper and deeper with each word as her half- demon side began to be released from her fury. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" The black glow from her hands lashed out as the words to her spell left her lips. She let her rage take over, allowing her two demonic eyes to open, all four of her eyes now a glowing red as she formed a clawed hand and grabbed Slade before he was able to completely phase through the ground. The other Titans lunged into action to help, but were quickly cut off by a wall of black shadows.
"He's mine right now!" Raven's voice rang loud through the trashed, deserted street. Even with his powers granted to him, Slade was not able to escape the grasp that the half- demon had on him. She ripped him back up to the surface of the road, levitating him in the air before her. The jerk from being pulled into the air caused Slade to lose his concentration, the unconscious body of the girl fell to the ground, hitting it hard.
"Beast Boy! Cyborg! Get the girl! Take her to the tower!" Raven commanded as she turned her attention back to Slade.
"On it!" Beast Boy and Cyborg yelled as they rushed over to the girl's body. Beast Boy transformed into a Pterodactyl as Cyborg lifted the girl up onto his back. Beast Boy grabbed Cyborg by his shoulders and flew off into the direction of the tower, being cautious knowing that he had to ensure the girl did not fall of his back. Robin and Starfire looked on as Raven lifted up Slade higher and higher into the air.
"You will never get me and you will never get her either Slade!" Raven looked to Robin and Starfire, "Starfire, blast him!"
The alien princess looked to Robin who gave a slight nod as she flew to be beside Raven before shooting her starbolts at him. Robin threw a stunning birdarang at Slade, who even with the power of Trigon on his side, jolted from the shock.
"Well, now it's interesting…" Slade managed to get out as he began to laugh slightly, "Daddy would be so proud of your power Raven, you really should reconsider your choice."
"Never!" Raven exclaimed, using the grip she had on Slade to smash him into the ground with as much force as she could muster. "And you can tell my dad that he will never get what he wants from me or Malice." Slade staggered for a second before standing up. He looked at Raven with hatred seeping from the glare of his one visible eye. He gave a loud yell as his body began to glow red and he phased quickly down through the road, retreating to the realm of Trigon himself to report the encounter that just went down. The street grew eerily quiet, the only sound being the flickering of the one street light that was still working. The two girl superheroes lowered to the ground, their leader on his communicator when they landed beside him.
"Beast Boy, Cyborg, we are on our way back. Slade escaped but he had to leave empty- handed at least." Robin spoke into the communicator, Beast Boy's voice was just barely audible from the other end. "I don't know yet, she hasn't said..." he replied to an inaudible question from the changeling. "..We will be there soon."
Robin hung up the communicator and turned to look at the chaotic street and the two girls. Starfire had a look on her face that was asking the same question that all the Titans must be wanting to ask Raven, Who is that girl?
"Shall we return to the tower to see friend Beast Boy and friend Cyborg now?" Starfire asked quietly as she put a hand on Raven's shoulder.
"Yeah Star, we are going home now." Robin answered before Raven could say anything. The three Titans turned and headed towards their tower in quiet, each having so much on their mind, but the biggest question being what this girl had to do with Raven.