Ok ladies and gentelmen this is my first publicated fanfiction so please don't be gentel on me! I want serious reviews! Please!
"It's broken into the Tower! It's broken into the Tower!" Starfire screamed as she flew into the den and tackled Raven out of the air. Raven had been levitating in her meditative state.
"Starfire, what is it?" Raven chocked under Starfire's constriction.
"A . . . a giant Varblernook has broken into the Tower!" She said clinging to Raven.
Cyborg and Beastboy, who had been raiding the kitchen once more heard the commotion. "A what?" Beastboy asked
"A GIANT VARBLERNOOK!!!" Star screamed again
"Someone get her off of me!" Raven hissed beneath Stare's vice like grip
"Yo, Star." Cyborg said trying to pry Starfire's arms away from Raven "let her go girl!"
It took the combined effort of Cyborg, Beastboy (as a gorilla) and Raven telekinetic abilities to force Star off of her. Though after Star had been pried away Cyborg found her clinging to his own arm.
"What is a Varblernook?" Raven said adjusting her cloak
"It's a small black creature with bony wings; a giant one is going to get Robin!" Star insisted
"Where is he?" Cyborg asked prompting Star to let go of his arm, she did but she cowered behind Beastboy
"The Entrance hall." She told him
Cyborg watched threw his ejector arm's finger camera monitor as the arm crept along the floor and into the entrance hall. There he saw Robin walking with a tall man dressed in black "Whoa!" Cyborg said as his hand crawled back into the Den where he reattached it.
"What is it?" Beastboy asked
"It's not a verblernookey," Cyborg said slowly "its Batman."
"Who?" Star asked
"Dude what is he doing here?" Beastboy said shocked
"Who?" Star repeated still cowering
"Batman, he's like Robin's mentor or something." Cyborg said
"Why is a giant Varblernook Robin's mentor?" Starfire asked
"He's not a Varblernook," Raven said "He's human, he dresses like a bat because he's Batman."
"A bat?" Star said curiously
"Sure Star, you've seen bats" Beastboy said "Raven has a few in her room and you've seen me turn into a bat before."
"Are bats the large black shiny birds?" Star asked
"Those are ravens" Cyborg said
"This is a bat." Beastboy said as he shape shifted and fluttered around the room
"Oh I see!" Star said "but Batman does not look like that."
Slightly exasperated by the turn in the conversation Raven said "It's the best he can do." As she picked up a book began to read.
"So why don't you like varblernooks?" Beastboy said and Starfire gave frightened quiver
"They are small pests that bite on my planet. They are venomous and are how do you say . . . creepy?"
"So it's like how Cyborg is afraid of spiders?"
"I am not!" Cyborg protested
"Dude you are so afraid of them!"
"I am not and let's change the subject."
"Are too!" Beastboy taunted but before Cyborg could object he asked "So anyone got an idea why Batbrain is here?"
"Don't know, Robin didn't mention anything about contacting him." Cyborg answered
"You don't think . . .?" Beastboy began but trailed off
"What? What don't we think?" Star said
"Nah, it's stupid." Beastboy said
"C'mon man what is it?" Cyborg prompted
"Well . . .don't think Batman is here to take over do you?" Beastboy said
"I never thought of that." Cyborg said "You don't think he would do you?"
"We've not been able to catch Slade," Beastboy said "Maybe he thinks he can do a better job."
Raven's dark voice suddenly broke into the conversation but her eyes never broke contact with her book "Batman is not like that," She said "He's given Robin a great deal of responsibility by letting him start the Titans on his own. I doubt he's the kind of individual who would take something like that away without a reason."
Beastboy, Starfire and Cyborg blinked . . . "How do you know that?" Cyborg asked
Raven seemed to not have noticed she had been speaking out loud "What?"
"Yeah," Beastboy said "how do you know so much about Batman?"
"I read more than poems." She said darkly
"Oooooo," Beastboy whistled "Raven's got a crush."
"I do not." She said
"B . . . don't" Cyborg warned
"Raven's got a crush! Raven's got a crush!" Beastboy sang
"B, stop dude." Cyborg repeated
By now Beastboy had begin to dance in a circle around Raven "Raven's got a crush, Raven's got a crush!"
"I DO NOT!" Raven roared as black flames erupted around her immediately Beastboy shrank into the form of a kitten and climbed into Starfire's hair.
"Told ya." Cyborg whispered "So if Batman isn't here to take over then why is he here?"
"How should I know?" Raven said as she stalked away "I can't read minds."
"But you can read emotions." Starfire said innocently
"She can what?" Beastboy asked
"Starfire no-" Raven tried but the red haired alien kept talking
"When The Puppet Master trapped Raven and I in each other's each other's bodies she told me that she is able to read emotions, maybe she can tell why Batman is here by his emotions."
"Hay that's a good idea!" Cyborg said
"No, I don't-" Raven protested
"Yeah, that is a good idea." Beastboy said
"But I don't-" Raven began again
"It will only take a moment." Starfire said
"But-"
"The den is this way," Robin said as he gave Batman a tour of Titan Tower "I think Cyborg, Starfire, Beastboy and Raven are there now. I'll introduce you to them. Suddenly Raven levitated quickly into the room, the den door crashing into the opposite wall; her back was turned to Batman and Robin. Beastboy (who had shape shifted into a ram to push Raven out of the den) scurried out of the way when he saw Batman and Robin behind Raven "Azurath Metrion Zin-" She began but realized that she was not alone in the Entrance hall and her incantation fell short. She landed and apologized.
"Ok . . . " Robin said slightly perplexed "Raven, this is Batman, Batman, this is Raven."
Batman nodded darkly
"Hello." She somberly replied and there was a long moment of uncomfortable silence. Raven's curiosity took control of her and she decided to read Batman and Robin's emotions. She felt that Robin was nervous, that was understandable. His mentor was touring his base of operations. From Batman she realized that he hid his emotions extremely well she could still tell that he was troubled . . . but that wasn't all. She felt something else, something she did not recognize and before she could stop herself she accidentally tapped into it. Shocked by the sudden emotions she could not explain she released a telekinetic surge. A streak of black aura sliced across Batman's face and he recoiled in pain. Realizing what she had done she could not stop her emotions before she accidentally released another surge that disrupted the electric feed from the generators that caused the lights to go out. A solemn "Sorry" was heard in the darkness but as the lights flickered back on Raven was gone.
As the lights came back on Batman removed his hand away from his face and his mask fell away, sliced in two. There was a very thin red line on his face that stretched over his left eye, across his nose and to his right cheek. "Are you ok?" Robin asked.
"I'm fine," Batman replied as he touched his face to make sure he wasn't bleeding "Just stings." He took a spare cowl from his utility belt and slipped it over his face. About an inch of Raven's accidental attack was visible below the edge of his cowl. "How did she do that?"
"Raven is . . ." Robin began "Well actually I don't know a lot about her but she's telekinetic, only I think her powers are governed by her emotions. If she can't control her emotions she can be pretty dangerous."
"Aren't you worried about her loosing control?" Batman asked
"Raven? No way, she's cool."
"How do you explain what just happened?"
"Probably just a fluke, Beastboy may have made her mad or something."
"Why do I listen to them?" Raven asked herself as she stepped out of the shadows of the corridor "I know better!" Just then she was tackled by her remaining friends and ushered into the evidence room.
A bombardment of questions met Raven's ears "Why is he here?", "What did you feel?", "Is he gonna take over?"
"Stop it!" Ravens said as she pushed pass the group. "It doesn't work like that."
"Well what did they feel?" They all said at once
"Nothing," Raven lied "I must have done it wrong." She said and a black aura enveloped her and she dropped threw the shadows and into the floor.
Back in her room she paused and sighed. In the corner, by the only window a drake raven croaked softly in his cage. Raven approached the drake and opened the cage. She stroked his feathers softly and he nipped her fingers playfully. "What was that emotion Zinthose?" She asked her bird. "It was so simple but powerful." Then Zinthose fluttered from her shoulder and landed by the bookshelf, he cawed twice and pecked at the books. Raven joined her bird and looked at the book titles. Edgar Allen Poe, Ann Rice, and a few textbooks lined the shelves. She picked one titled "You and Your Emotions" opened it to read and began levitating above her bed. Zinthose flew over to the window and tapped at the glass with his beak. Raven silently raised the glass with her telepathy and the ebony bird flew out into the sunlight.
Robin had finished introducing the rest of the Titans to Batman and now he was showing Batman the evidence room. "And this is what's left of The Puppet Master; he actually trapped Cyborg, Beast Boy and my souls in small puppets and-"
"You didn't call me here to show me around Robin." Batman said cutting Robin off in mid sentence. "Something's bothering you . . . Or someone."
Robin sighed; he led Batman into his quarters and turned on the light. The room was lined with maps with red lines drawn on them, a hologram of Robin under a net flickered in the corner, bits of a humanoid robot lay strewn about the work table "He calls himself Slade." Robin said darkly
"And you can't catch him." Batman replied picking up the mask of the robot.
"Everything I try he's one step ahead of me. I get a lead, he dodges it."
"Do you know what he wants yet?"
Robin sighed again "Yeah."
"You can use it against him then. Take the thing he craves and make it impossible for him to obtain." Batman said as if it was obvious.
"But the thing he wants is me." Robin said heavily
"You?"
"He wants an apprentice, someone he can corrupt, someone to call his son."
"I take it he captured you?"
"No, blackmailed me. He threatened the Titans lives and forced me to work with him. I outsmarted him though but he's still after me. I'm worried he'll find another way to harm the Titans before I can catch him."
"And that's why you called me."
"Believe me, I didn't want to."
"I know."
"Do you have any ideas?"
"What do you have so far?"
"This is it; he cleans up after himself. This robot was left behind after an attempted robbery. All of his patterns lead no where only that he uses small time villains to do his dirty work."
"He's leading you into traps with these small timers."
"Tell me about it, he'll use the clumsiest villains to try and ensnare us."
Just then the lights went red and the titan alarm went off. Cyborg's voice came over the intercom system "Yo guys; Cinderblock is causin' some major damage down town. He broke into a bank and stole the vault!"
All the titans had to do was follow the smoke. Cinderblock was demolishing everything in his sight. Squad cars where flying all over the place and people where running and screaming. Batman perched atop a building and watched the Titans in action. He noticed that Cinderblock seemed to be one of those clumsy villains Robin had mentioned. He wondered why a giant mindless block of stone would want with a bank vault when three strange words caught his attention.
A black aura whirled around a construction crane and flew towards cinderblock and smashed him against a building wall. The black aura was emanating from Raven's hands and the crane was pinning Cinderblock to the wall. This gave Cyborg enough time to charge his sonic blaster. Cyborg's blaster coupled with barrage of Starfire's star bolts and one of Robin's energy bombs (planted by Beast Boy in the form of a hawk) turned Cinderblock into a mass of rubble.
The police began cleaning up Cinderblock's blocks and housing them in separate titanium containers so Cinderblock could not reform his mass. The Titans talked in a nearby alley. "What would cinderblock want with a vault?" Starfire asked
"It's what's in the vault that he's after." Robin said
"But what would Cinderblock want with money?" Cyborg asked. "He is a big block of concrete, how could ha spend it?"
"The bank manager said the vault had a lot of safety deposit boxes." Robin said
"Then he's looking for something in a safety deposit box." Raven said
"So we need a list of everything in the vault." Beast Boy said
"That wont be easy to come by." Robin said
"Looking for this?" Batman said from the alley behind them, he stepped into the light and was holding a computer disk. "The bank required everyone with a box account to keep records of what was in their boxes in password protected user accounts in a complex computer program."
"You hacked the program?" Raven said "You know that's illegal."
"It doesn't matter." Robin said taking the disk from Batman "We need the information. We'll review it back at the Tower."
Back at the tower
"I don't like this." Raven said "He got that disk illegally."
"We'd have probably done the same thing Raven." Cyborg said in return
"Robin doesn't cut corners like that." Raven said
"Sure he does," Beastboy said "Robin does whatever it takes to solve a crime and that means cutting corners and breaking the law. So what Batman obtained the disk illegally? It has information we need and he's saved us valuable time."
"Beastboy is right. He saved us time and effort." Starfire said
"We do not need his help." Raven said
"Maybe we do." Robin said from the door, "I think this is bigger than Cinderblock. Last time we came up against him he was working for Slade. I think Slade might me trying to lure us into a trap."
"So you asked Batman to help us out?" Cyborg said
"Just for his advice." Robin said "We always hit a wall when it comes to Slade, some outside eyes might help. Batman's an adult he can get into places we can't."
"Do you mean under covers?" Starfire asked
"Undercover," Robin corrected her "He's reviewing the vault list on the computer right now. If this does prove to be Slade's work Batman can be useful. "
"Then why not call Hawk Girl?" Raven said "Or better yet Superman. While we're at it let's just call the rest of the Justice League. They can take care of Slade for us!" Just then the bowl behind Raven exploded in a black aura
"Raven are you ok?" Cyborg asked
"I'm fine!" She growled and stalked off
"Man what's wrong with her?" Beastboy said
"Yeah, I thought she liked Batman?" Cyborg replied
"It's not like her to act like this." Robin said
"Maybe we should talk to her?" Starfire asked
"NO!!" The three boys said in unison
"No what?" Batman's voice asked from the doorway
"Uhhh nothing." Robin said "Did you check the list for anything unusual?"
"Yes." Batman said "There is nothing unusual about the safety deposit boxes. But I did learn that at the same time Cinderblock broke into the bank a Museum was hit uptown."
"What was taken?" Robin asked
"It's called the Shard of Philosophy." Batman said as he brought the image up on the computer screen. Raven stopped rejoined them when she heard this. "It's a piece of a broken ruby and was once worshiped by the ancient druids. They believed it held the power to bring about the autumn solstice. If the stone were ever removed from its place the solstice would never take place."
"So Cinderblock was used as a diversion for the robbery. Any ideas on who did it?" Robin asked
"The police have already caught their suspect. A thief named Amanda Delco, she didn't have the shard on her when the police picked her up but she confessed."
"Confessed?" Beastboy said
"The police believe she was already under the control of a drug, sodium penethol."
"Truth serum." Robin replied "This reeks of Slade."
"I scanned for recent similar robberies in the United States. In Central City last week an amber stone was stolen from a private collector's home. It was called The Stone of Balance and was once worshiped by the Egyptians. I decide to search further and found than in Hong Kong two weeks ago Sapphire was stolen from the Museum of history. It was called the Rock of Space. All the robberies have been committed in the same way, with diversions at larger banks at the time. The shards emit a low-level radiation that's harmless to humans and when held up to the light of a full moon shows a black eye in the center of the shard. There has been a private collector trying to buy the stones for several years but the museums and collectors keep turning him down."
"That has to be Slade, but what would he want with three broken jewels?" Robin asked
"It seems that each stone is a part of a bigger gem." Batman said "I found this in a sight about ancient myths. Called the Stone of Trigon it once belonged to an ancient daemon. Those under his oppression finally learned that by breaking his charka they could defeat him. The jewel broke into four shards, a ruby, a sapphire, amber and an emerald one. The shards where scattered to the Four Corners of the earth and hidden. It's believed that if anyone rejoins the shards they will obtain Trigon's power for as long as they wear the charka."
"No," Raven's voice came from behind them. "It has to be done during midnight on the fall solstice when the planets align as one and the seed of Trigon must be present as a catalyst so his soul can be reborn." Everyone turned around and looked at her, again there was a long uncomfortable silence "I told you I read more than books." She said but there was dread in her eyes.
"Ok . . . " Beastboy said slowly "so we're ok then. We have until the solstice thingy to stop Slade."
"No we aren't." Robin said as his fingers flew across the keyboarded of the computer "The equinox is tonight, Halloween at exactly midnight."
"Never mind then." Beastboy said
"And Slade has the wrong information." Raven said "If he joins the shards he won't gain Trigon's power, he'll unleash Trigon."
"Unleashes him?" Starfire asked
"Trigon will return to power if the shards are reformed." Raven said
"Ok then we need to get the emerald before Slade does." Robin said
"We already have it." Batman said
"What?"
"Robin do you remember a few years ago Lex Luther hired The Joker to Kill Superman?"
"Actually that was the year you made me go to that martial arts summer camp." Robin said rigidly
"Dude, the Boy Wonder went to Summer camp?" Beastboy laughed
"It was a training facility in China led by Show-Lin monks." Robin growled
"That's beside the point," Batman interrupted "I'd broken into Luther's private art collection in search of Kryptonite just incase he decided to re-hatch his plan. I found a similar stone, it wasn't Kryptonite but it still emitted a similar low level radiation." Batman said "When I tested it I learned about the black eye."
"You think it's the fourth piece of the stone." Cyborg asked
"Positive." Batman replied
"Do you guys really think all this is true?" Beastboy asked "I mean an evil demon waiting to be released in four different rocks?"
"The Legend of Trigon is more than just a legend." Raven said "It's true. The people of my home have feared his return for many years."
"Raven, you never talk about your home what gives?" Beastboy said
"We have to destroy the emerald before Slade gets to it." She said
"If it's in the Bat cave. It's safe." Robin said securely
"You said yourself Slade is evil. Don't underestimate him, he'll get into the cave any way he can." Raven said
"If he can find it." Batman replied
"Oh he'll find it all right." Robin said and earned a quizzical look from his mentor.
"Well my sonic blaster should obliterate the stone to dust." Cyborg said
"And an acidic solvent can destroy the rest." Robin replied.
"Robin, can you start the chemical compound of the acidic?" Batman asked
"I'm on it." Robin said "Beast boy I'll need your help, this will take a while."
"While the solvent mix I'll retrieve the stone." Batman said and turned to leave
"No you won't" Raven said
"Excuse me?" Batman said as his eyes narrowed
"I'm going with you." She replied
"I'll be fine." Batman said
"It's not you I'm worried about." Raven said and whisked pass Batman, he looked at Robin
"I don't think this is an argument you can win." Robin said. Batman turned and followed Raven.
In the Bat-jet
"You seem to know a lot about this Trigon." Batman said as they neared Gotham City
"I told you, it's a legend where I come from." Raven said, she put her hood up
"And where is that?"
"You've never heard of it."
"Try me."
"It's an alternate dimension called Azurath." There was a long period of silence "I told you you'd never heard of it." Raven replied
"So how do you know Trigon?"
"What?" Raven asked
"Earlier you said that Trigon wasn't a legend, just now you said that he was." Batman replied "You know more than your letting on." By now they where touching down inside the bat-cave. They jumped out of the Bat-jet
"Nice place." Raven said as four bats swirled around her lifting the hem of her cloak up into the darkness of the cave.
"You didn't answer my question." Batman said
"Let's just get the stone." She said
"Stay here." Batman said and disappeared behind a thick steel door.
Raven looked around the gothic lair. She liked it but something troubled her. She couldn't admit her fear but the thought of Slade bringing back Trigon scared her to death. Just then a small glass case she was looking at shattered and glass flew everywhere. "Get a grip." She told herself "We have the stone, everything is fine." She knelt down to pick up the two bullet jackets that had fallen to the floor when the glass shattered.
Suddenly when her fingers touched the jackets flashes crossed her mind. They where images of a boy, a man and a woman, bats, two gunshots rang out, the man and the woman fell, more bats, then the boy standing alone on a moonlit hill top. The Images had just stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder and more flashes came. This time they where violent, caused her eyes to burn and a blinding pain shot threw her head. The Images where rapid but she could make out fire, screams and a demonic force. When she was finally slap away the hand she opened her eyes Batman was in front of her. "What are you doing?" He was angry and he grabbed her wrist causing her to drop the bullet jackets. When he grabbed her more images passed before her eyes and she stumbled back.
"Let go of me!" She screamed
"What's wrong? Why where you screaming?" He said and concerned touched her shoulder again, she recoiled as more flashes passed her eyes.
"I screamed? . . ." She was breathing hard; she'd not hear herself scream "We need to destroy the stone now." She said "We have to hurry." She quickly levitated to the jet "NOW!" She insisted and telekinetically opened the cockpit.
The plain was in the air and they where leaving Gotham City when Raven apologized for breaking the case. She knew who Batman was now, the she'd remembered reading about the murder of Bruce Wayne's family in one of her books but she kept quiet about it.
"What happened back there?" Batman said
Raven hesitated but said "I'm telepathic. I was getting a premonition."
"What did you see?"
"Slade is close to completing his plan, if we don't do something soon he'll win." Just as the words passed Raven's lips a red light flashed inside the cockpit "What's wrong?"
"We're being targeted!"
"What?"
"Someone is trying to shoot us down." Batman said
"Slade." Raven said darkly as a warning buzzer began to sound in the cockpit
"They've fired!" Batman said as he began evasive maneuvers to avoid the missile.
Batman successfully avoided the missile but seconds later another was fired that was not so easily escaped. The missile hit the right wing and they fell into a spiraling dive. "Hit eject!" Raven yelled
"It's not working," Batman said just then on the videophone Slade's face appeared
"See you soon." Shade said then the image fell away into static. Gotham Bay was nearing into sight and at the speed they where falling they would slam into the water like it was concrete. Suddenly the plane began to glow in a black aura and started to slow down. Batman looked at Raven whose eyes where completely white. The plane stopped just above the water of Gotham harbor. But just as they breathed a sigh of relief a third missile struck the plane. The cold wet darkness began to envelop them, but both of them fell unconscious.
Meanwhile, at Titan Tower
"They should be back by now." Robin said pacing
"Maybe Batman misplaced the stone?" Starfire said
"He doesn't loose things Star." Robin said "Something's wrong."
"Rob's right," Cyborg replied "Raven would have contacted us by now."
"You guys don't think . . ." Beastboy began "You guys don't think Slade found out that Batman had the stone?"
"I don't know how he could have." Robin said "But I don't like this."
"It's good that you're paranoid." A voice said from the television monitor behind them. As they all turned they saw Slade's face staring down upon them.
"Slade!" Robin said
"Your getting sloppy Robin," Slade said "I admit that I am surprised you so easily uncovered my plan but you failed to prevent me from completing it. You delivered what I need most right into my hands."
"What are you talking about?" Robin demanded and Slade stepped aside. The Titans now saw Batman and Raven held captive and unconscious in what appeared to be Slade's lair. "Let them go!"
"Now Robin first you deliver them into my hands then you demand their release. I had planned to capture Raven hoping she already had the stone but imagine my surprise when I learned Batman had it instead."
"What makes you think Raven had the stone?"
"Oh she didn't tell you?" Slade asked evilly "Our little bird is full of secrets isn't she?"
"What do you know Slade?"
"In order for my plan to work I have to have the Seed of Trigon . . . Raven, my dear Robin is the seed of Trigon. Now I have everything I need. . I dare you to come and stop me." Shade's image faced from the monitor and a riddle took its place. Scratched in glowing red letters where the words.
When the snow flies the flowers die
The moon is shadowed in her eyes
That is where the blue Raven cries
The transmission ended "RRRAAAAAAGGGGUUUUEEEEE!!!!!" Robin yelled as he threw the Game Station at the large monitor. As the game station hit it sent shards of glass falling to the floor "I should have known this was a trap!"
"Robin this was not your fault." Starfire said putting her hand on Robin's shoulder
"Star is right, Slade tricked us." Beastboy said
"How where we to know?" Cyborg said
"We have to find them." Robin replied "We have to destroy the stones."
"What about the riddle?" Starfire asked
"Slade's trying to tell us where they are." Robin said
"When the snow flies the Flowers die, the moon is shadowed in her eyes that is where the blue Raven cries." Beastboy said to himself
"Do you think you know what it means?" Cyborg asked
"Snow flies and flowers die . . . "Beastboy murmured "isn't there an old run down green house near the Observatory?"
"Beastboy you're a genius!" Robin said and rushed to the computer. "You're right! The Blue Raven Gardens, it's an abandoned greenhouse near the observatory. It would be the perfect place to view the equinox."
The observatory
Raven's head was pounding as she slowly opened her eyes, her vision was blurred but she could still smell salt water. "Batman?" She asked looking up her and vision began to clear and she could see properly. She was bound to a chair and could see the large telescope above her. She saw Batman, lashed in front of the telescope, the three stones placed on a pedestal between him and the telescope. His cowl had been removed and he was nude from the waist up. She was positioned directly behind Batman. There where symbols written in the floor with sand and artifacts that all tie to the legends. Slade had indeed studied the legend of Trigon. She tried to use her powers to escape but Slade had somehow found a way to tap it off. She turned and saw Slade watching her.
"I have placed a neural interface on your neck; it cordons off your powers by reacting with your nerves." He said
"Let me go. You don't know what you're doing." Raven said "You can't control him."
"Oh but I can," Slade said "I can control him just as I am controlling you now."
"What are you talking about?" She asked and just then a black aura enveloped one of the stones, it floated over to Slade
"The neural interface on your neck is sending your brain wave pattern into my helmet allowing me to use your powers."
"Why are you doing this? I thought it was Robin you wanted."
"Robin is as most teenagers are, self-absorbed. I led him to believe that all I wanted was him as my apprentice, but what I really wanted was-"
"Me."
"Clever girl! I know all about you my dear, how your mother was implanted with Trigon's seed, how she whisked you away to Azurath and went insane because your heart beat inside her. You never knew your mother did you Metrion?"
"Don't call me that!"
"What? It is, after all, your name, Metrion."
"Stop it!"
"Your very sensitive about your name aren't you?" Slade said "Why is it you don't like to be known as who you are?"
"It's not that." Raven said darkly
"Then what is it?" Slade asked "We have a long time before the equinox begins." Raven was silent. Slade used her powers and replaced the stone but began to use her powers and caused them to cut into Batman's arm
"Stop it!" She yelled
"Tell me."
"You've not earned the right to call me by name!" She spat and Slade stopped.
"And your friends have?" Slade responded "I've noticed they don't call you Metrion ether. Do you think they aren't worthy enough?"
"Shut up!" Raven barked "That's not it at all."
"Then what is it?" Slade asked threatening Batman again. Raven understood that she was going to be forced to play this game
"I don't want them to know what it means."
"And what does it mean?"
"Wrath."
"And Zinthose means?"
"Reborn."
"So in fact your incantation means 'The Wrath of Azurath Reborn.' . . . That's quite quaint." Slade moved away from Raven "It is almost time."
"You don't know what you're doing." She said "You can't control him!"
"We'll see Raven, we will see."
"Not if I can help it!" A voice said from behind them. Slade and Raven looked to see the remaining Titans poised at the entrance.
"It is about time." Slade said "But you're too late. The equinox has begun." Quickly he used Raven's power and encased the Titans in a black aura that caged each of them in Titan sized black bubbles. Beastboy was so cramped inside his bubble he could only change into an ocelot. He attempted to claw his way out but his claws had no effect. Starfire shot an optic bolt in her bubble but it ricochet back in her face and knocked her unconscious.
"Star!" Robin shouted and attempted to disrupt the telekinetic energy by using one of his electric disks. However he only succeeded in electrocuting himself and too fell unconscious. Seeing all this Cyborg wasn't about to use his sonic blaster, instead he used one of his arms saw blades, it worked about as well as Beastboy's claws.
"It's beginning!" Slade said and a large viewing monitor showed the nine planets beginning to align.
"NO!" Raven yelled "Stop this! You don't know what you're doing!"
"I know exactly what I'm doing child." Slade replied
Starfire and Robin awoke in time to watch the last of the planets slide into place. A red shaft of light suddenly burst from the sun and threw the nine planets. When the light reached Pluto it bounced back to Earth. As this happened the light shone threw Batman's body and threw the four stones. It hit Raven and ripped from her a blood-curdling scream. As her screams continued the four stones began to float. They revolved around each other and one by one joined together. When the third stone joined the rest the red light faded and the stones became a single black gem. Raven fell silent and unconscious, suddenly the bubbles surrounding the Titans faded away but they stood motionless, uncertain what to do. The stone hovered in front of Batman, emitting its ruby colored light. Slade watched with bated breath as the stone joined into Batman's chest. The light filled the room as Batman's skin turned blood red and he opened his eyes, which where now as black as the stone imbedded in his chest. Trigon broke free from the restraints and stood, examining his surroundings.
"It worked." Slade said quietly in disbelief "It worked! Now I shall remake the world in my image, and not even the Justice League can stop me!"
"In who's image?" The deep, ominous voice of Trigon asked. "You dare defy the might of Trigon?"
"Fool, I control you!" Slade said and attempted to use Trigon's powers just as he had Raven's.
"Infidel." Trigon said deeply and from his right had issued a red beam of light. The light hit Slade's mask, shattering it and sending him flying threw the room against the viewing monitor. He crashed to the ground in a hail of class.
"Titans GO!" Robin ordered
A soft voice spoke threw the darkness, "Metrion," She said "Metrion."
Raven slowly opened her eyes, the white light burned but she blinked against the momentary pain. She was lying in a peaceful place, she felt as if warm rippling water touched every inch of her body. As her vision cleared she saw above her the beautiful face of a woman. Her hair was the color of violets and seemed to flow like water. Her eyes where dark blue and dangling on a fine silver chain was a teardrop shaped violet chakra. Raven knew this face; she had kept a single photo hidden away, behind a small panel in her meditation mirror. "Mother?" Raven whispered, fearing as if the mere sound of her name would cause her to disappear. She slowly outstretched her hand and touched the milky smooth cheek beneath her fingers. "Am . . . am I dead?"
"My dear Metrion, you are not."
"Where am I?"
"You exist on a lymbonic plain. A plain between the land of the living and the land of the dead." Arella gestured between the two planes. The land of the dead was a dark shadow in the distance and the land of the living shown a silent image of Raven's fellow titans fighting against Trigon. They where loosing.
"Why?"
"You have been given a choice. You can come with me, take your place in the land of the dead and experience the resting-place of heroes without the hebetation of your powers or you can save your friends and live out the rest of your days inhibited by your powers."
Raven stood, she looked between the two planes. She had a chance to save her friends or be with the mother she'd never known. She wanted more than nothing to stay with her mother but she couldn't leave the Earth to the wrath of Trigon. "I must save my friends, but Slade is controlling my powers."
"Your father has broken Slade's hold over you."
"But still, my powers aren't strong enough to beat him." Raven said desperately. "He's too strong."
"There are other emotions that govern your powers."
"But I don't even have enough hate."
"Hate is not the only emotion that can be used against him." Arella said "Open your senses Metrion open them and experience."
"I can't the last time I did I almost hurt someone."
"You cannot hurt me."
Raven sighed and let go the sudden emotion flooded over her like a tidal wave and Raven gasped and stumbled as the warmth and power washed over her "What . . . what is it?" She took her mother's hand to steady herself but again felt it, much stronger than before but did not let go.
"It is love."
Raven looked at Arella "I've felt it only once before."
"It is the most powerful force imaginable." Arella smiled and took Raven's other hand, she buckled against the sensation.
"Mother . . . I cannot love him. . . . I don't, I WON'T LOVE HIM!"
"You must my dear."
"I can't." Raven said, she turned her back to hide the tears swelling in her eyes "I'm a demon, I'm evil, I can't express love."
"Metrion," Arella moved in front of Raven. "You are not, I am as much as a part of you as he is. You are not evil; I have so little time left my daughter. I can only offer one last expression of my love to help you." She took the stone from her hair and placed it in Raven's hand "Love is the only thing that will save your friends. You must hurry."
Arella began to fade away "Mother wait!" But it was too late, Arella fade from her sight "I'm not ready." She dropped to her knees and cried.
Beastboy had seized Raven's body and attempted to protect her as Robin, Cyborg and Starfire fought against Trigon. He tried to leave her but something; some animal instinct wouldn't allow him to depart form her side. He had laid her head upon his lap and shielded her from the smoke and debris that closed in around them. For the hundredth time he whispered "C'mon Raven wake up." Each previous time had been in vain but this time Raven's eyes opened, they shown with a violet glow and suddenly violet flames seemed to envelop Raven's form.
She looked at Beastboy and in an otherworldly voice, without moving her lips said "You should run." She rose from his lap like a vampire from its coffin. "Father!" She yelled. Trigon, who had Robin's head in his hands trying to crush him, let go and let Robin drop to the ground.
"Metrion." Trigon laughed "The bastard seed of my loins."
Raven's feet barely dragged the ground as she levitated towards him. "I have only one thing to say to you."
"And that is?"
Raven stretched out her hand and took hold of the stone in his chest. "I love you." The violet light enveloped the room, as did Trigon's screams. As Raven pulled against the stone a black light connected it to Trigon's chest. Raven stretched her arm away and the light broke. The screams stopped, all noise stopped, not a thing moved. Raven's hood had fallen away and Trigon looked on the face of his daughter. Terror came over his face and a sudden explosion burst threw the observatory. Raven withstood the force but everything else was thrown against the walls. The force was fast and only took a moment. Raven looked upon Trigon's crumpled form lying on the floor. She watched as the last of Trigon's characteristics faded from Batman's and he was left, whole and unconscious.
"Is it over?" Robin said staggering to his feet.
Cyborg lifted a large piece of the telescope off of him "Yeah, is it over?"
"Are we victorious?" Starfire asked as she helped Beastboy up from some rubble. But Raven had fallen unconscious and the stone had skipped out of her grip and onto the floor. Suddenly a whirlwind emanated from above it and soon the small tornado grew and at the base formed a black hole, it began to suck everything into it. The Titans tried to hold on to something to brace themselves.
"Destroy the stone!" Robin cried out and tried throwing a bomb into the black hole but it didn't work, nor did one of Starfire's optic blasts. Not even Cyborg sonic blaster helped. "THE BLITZ!" He yelled over the noise "Titan's go!"
Beast boy sprang into action, he turned into a peregrine falcon to fly quickly threw the force of the wind. He flew down and turned into an octopus, he wrapped his legs around a pipe that ran deep into the ground. He was able to reach for the stone and snatched it with his suckers. "What now?" He asked, but Raven took the stone from him telekinetically, she was kneeling on the floor where she'd collapsed. She moved the stone high above the group and Robin threw a bomb into the air, Raven caught it and placed it upon the stone. Just as the bomb exploded Cyborg shot his sonic blaster and Starfire shot her optic blast at the stone. The stone shattered into four pieces and the black hole disappeared and the wind stopped.
"Dude, is it over?" Beastboy asked
"Don't say that,' Cyborg said "Remember what happened last time someone said that?"
"No," Raven said "it's over." She picked up the stones "We should destroy these." She looked for Robin
"Where is Robin?" Starfire asked
"Dude?" Beastboy called out and spotted him. He had gone to Batman's side who seemed to be conscious. Robin helped him to his feet.
"Are you ok?" He asked
"I'll be fine." He replied groggily.
The titans joined Robin and Batman, none of them where sure what to do or say. Starfire had found Batman's cape and tied it around him.
"Thank you." Batman said "I'm not used to being rescued." The Titans still didn't say anything.
An awkward silence took over until Cyborg spoke "What about Slade?"
The teens rushed the place where Slade had fell; debris covered his motionless body. They uncovered him and Robin eagerly removed his mask.
"DUDE!" Beastboy said surprised "Slade is a WOMAN!!!" The teens looked upon the aged face of a woman in what appeared to be her 50's. She was pale and her formerly red hair was graying. A horrible scar stretched across her right eye and cheek.
"I don't understand." Robin said "Why disguise herself?"
"Her name is Talrice, she's a high priestess of the church of Trigon." Raven said
"How do you know?" Batman asked
"She tried to kidnap me when I was a child." Raven cast down her head "I gave her that scar.
"She was trying to get to you threw me." Robin said
"Yes." Raven said quietly "She was excommunicated from the Church of Azurath for preaching that he should be resurrected and controlled in order to take over the world."
"Uh, look super dudes and dudets." Beastboy spoke up "It would make me feel a whole lot better if we destroyed those stones pronto."
Back at the Tower
"That's it." Robin said as he emerged the last of the stones in the acidic cocktail he'd created. "No more Trigon."
"Good." Raven said darkly and left the room
"I'd be happy too." Cyborg said
"But he was her father." Starfire said
"He was an evil demon Star." Beastboy replied "Not the kinda guy you wanna spend father's day with."
"It looked that the suit she'd been wearing increased her strength and agility." Batman said as he entered and tossed the mask upon the table. He was now properly dressed in the bat-suit.
I'll study it further later." Robin said
"I've already packed it." Batman replied "I'd hoped to take a closer look." Robin didn't argue. Knowing that Slade would no longer bother them made it seem less important.
"That's fine." For a moment Robin turned back to the acidic to make sure the stone was dissolved "The last stone is destroyed." He said and raised his eyes but Batman was gone, Robin sighed "I hate it when he does that."
"Dude whoa!" Beastboy said "How cool was that?" He turned back to Robin who too had disappeared.
Raven sat in her room softly stroking Zinthose' feathers. There was a knock at her door and Raven raised her arm signaling to Zinthose to perch on his stand. She opened the door to reveal Robin. "Hey," He said
"I suppose you want to asked me about what happened?"
"Not really . . . " Robin said "I was actually wondering what happened earlier yesterday."
"What do you mean?"
"When you accidentally attacked Batman."
"Oh."
"If you don't want to tell me it's ok."
Raven felt form him an emotion of slight depression. She knew Batman had left and probably with little more than a goodbye. "No that's ok."
"Your always so in control, what happened?"
Raven sighed "I have the ability to since emotions in other people. I was trying to find out why you had Batman here and accidentally tapped into one of his emotions. It was so strong I couldn't handle it."
"What was it?"
"First you have to tell me why you asked him here."
"To see if he had any insight on finding Slade."
"That's only part of the truth." Raven said
"You're right." Robin said heavily "I think I wanted his approval . . ." He now began to pace "I've played second fiddle to him for years . . . I wanted to know that I'd done something right by leaving, that I'd not just been a selfish kid. I wanted him to tell me he was proud . . . ."
Robin was silent for a while and Raven could tell he'd not gotten what he wanted "that's a hard thing to admit Robin. But he is proud; the emotion I sensed was love." Robin looked at her "the only kind of love that a father can have for his son, or a mother for her daughter. He doesn't know how to express his feelings Robin. He's worried that if he gets too attached he'll loose you. He's lost so much already and that does something to a man. It makes him hard and cold and afraid of others. He wants to be your father but doesn't know how. You have a chance to reclaim part of what you've lost, don't let it slip away."
"How do you know all this?"
"Because," Raven said as she began to lose her door, "It happened to me once."