Paying Debt to Karma; Like a Wandering Sin; It Lives Without; It Lives Within…
Raven:
Three months after the titans broke up some thing strange and quiet happened. Not that the titans had spoken since Beast Boys death, but Raven felt she might be the only one who could feel it.
She woke up from a dream that had been haunting her for near four years. It was the image of her and Robin right before she left. She could remember clearly how he stood in her doorway as she prepared the spell that would take her from earth. He had the look of deepest defeat and sadness on his face as he leaned on the doorway. She tried not to look at him but he had entered her room and was looking at her. She could see his white mask was damp from crying. She had looked at him with a sign of regret and said, 'nothing gold is forever. I wish I could have lasted but this is not how things are meant to be. But before I go I don't want there to have been anything that we hid from each other. Was there anything that you want to tell me? I have told you everything I know.' He had shaken his head. She had exhaled sharply almost laughing and starting to cry but she sniffled and said weakly, 'One last thing…' Her powers grasped his mask which he had never before taken off and tossed it away. He shut his eyes but opened them slowly. He looked at her eyes red and swollen. He had lost everything he had ever worked for. His eyes were deep green and slightly golden. She approached him slowly and put a hand on his chest comfortingly. He picked up her hand like he would a queen and held it to his lips. She wanted to pull away but something told her not to. He stepped his slightly taller body closer to her and bent his head over hers just a little dropping her hand to her side. She was not resisting because he looked so sad. He told her, 'I might have one more thing. Starfire has never really matched me in my personality. I... uhh… I want to tell you I love you. Not just as a friend though. You have always managed to shed some light on my problems and I wanted to thank you. But somehow words don't suit me and they never have you.' He kissed her and she did not hold back. She wasn't sure is she was doing it for him or if she had been hoping for it. Before it ended she woke up never getting to the end of it.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed and grabbed her cloak not turning on the light. Even though her father had been killed years before she never gave up her sense of darkness, she thought it suited her. She stepped outside for a moment to get a breath of fresh air.
The balcony that overlooked the courtyard was some kind of ivory. Down in the courtyard was a small trickling fountain and more to the center was a tombstone entrance to a sacred labyrinth that held the bodies of Azerath's previous rulers. A god of rumor had claimed Raven's mother's life previously and, Raven, Azerath's princess, took up ruler ship.
A flock of Doves whisked past her inches from her face blowing her hair back. She did not move until the birds were gone, then with a swift motion, the 19 year old girl threw herself of the balcony and flew herself down to the yard below. She raised a finger for a dove to land on. The doves here were extremely tame and used to the monks that inhabited Azerath. No doves came to her. It was not important but she felt awkward. One of her hands gave off a dull light as she looked around. There were no doves anywhere to be seen, only ravens. They were not like the ones that had haunted her mind, nevermore, years before. They were a symbol in Azerath. They had a tendency to show up when something wrong was about to happen. They were the kind of omen that would only appear to those in the highest place of importance concerning the matter. Raven breathed deeply. They had been here for a while. This was not the first time Raven had seen them, she just hoped they were gone day after day.
Nightwing:
Nightwing sat perched on a frail flag pole that jutted out of the tenth story building in the theater district. The dark colors of his suit meshed in perfectly with the dark night air. Only if you looked carefully could you see his blue emblem of a hawk on his chest.
The nights were getting colder; he wasn't to sure if it was just him or if it actually was colder. It was nearing spring but her couldn't quite place was he felt wrong. He swung down to the street below cracking the pavement a little with a light a landing as he could manage from ten stories up. Last year a tamarainian had taught him their art of power. It wasn't a lot he didn't already know but how to jump like he now did helped him greatly.
The streets were empty at this time of night, only a few potheads and junkies stayed out this late in Gotham. That was if you didn't count the gangs. Nightwing didn't bother though. He helped those in need when they were in need. He didn't have the same obsession to rid crime from Gotham like poor ol' Bats did. He almost succeeded too, but he let his guard down when he needed it most. He paid dearly for it. Poor ol' Bats.
Starfire:
Starfire swiftly landed on the ground near the house where she was being expected. The mafia was waiting for her in there. She had set up a phony deal with them, she hated undercover work- it was so much easier to be direct.
'Oh well, more vermin,' she sighed snapping a black glove around her wrist.
She had definitely started to stop sticking out. Her slang had improved, her tamarainian behavior was all but noticeable, and she was not constantly thinking about mustard anymore. In fact most of the time she was pretty dark and kept to herself. Long ago she had vowed to keep a stiff upper lip at things like friends. She had known she would lose them one day so when she did she left and never heard from them again. With her happiness she had also ditched the outfit which reminded her to much of the old simple days. She had taken to leather, more of the thug look. Once her smile disappeared long ago so did her brightness. All that was left was her darker edges.
She curled her lip and rapped on the door. Someone opened a slit looked out and shut the slit. After the sound of a few heavy bolts being unlocked the door swung open and she stepped in. The place was dark and unforgiving. Nails stuck out of the walls and men with small guns stood in the shadowy corner, she could hear them despite how well hidden they were. They wouldn't be a problem. A fat Italian man at the top of the stairs greeted her and lit a cigar.
"Come in why don't you? Eh?"
She did not refuse. She followed him up some dank stairs until they reached a room with a poker table that was lit by one single light. It spread light over the table and that was it. Some goons smoking sat around the table and the fat man sat down to his hand of cards. He did not welcome her to sit. She folded her arms and leaned against the wall.
"I got the kid," she said trying on an Italian accent, she would pick a fight later, "where's my money."
"I know you got the kid, you wouldn't come here without him, I got the money sweetheart, first I need the boy," He said without looking up from his hand.
He held it out to the others, "I fold."
She needed them to show her the stolen euros that had disappeared weeks ago. If they gave her three million euros the authorities had given her permission to attack them.
Starfire glanced around, "I wanna see the money now I got the kid outside."
The fat man gestured for his goons to verify and they left leaving them alone. The fat man waddled over to a set of drawers and pulled out a briefcase. He flipped it open and she flipped the money around a bit her eyes darting. Three million, she had the ok to make a move and it was now or never.
"Three million I see…"
"What about it sweetheart?" He said shrugging.
"The German national bank is missing about that much."
"So?" he said nervously adjusting his collar.
"They want it back, she said quietly looking at him eyes glowing a crisp green…"
Cyborg:
Cyborg sat on the cot and plugged himself into the outlet on the wall to let himself recharge. The barracks were cold and heartless. He was lost for a reason of what he was trying to do. The army he had joined was meant to fight evil. He was at the heart of their operations as a special ops expert. He had been commended for his ability to hack systems and locate information. But there was no evil threat now and there hadn't been for months. The last war they fought Cyborg had help to win inside a week. He needed to feel useful again. Hotspot knocked Cyborg's head and listen to it resonate. Cyborg felt it and opened his eye maliciously. He stared at the red flaming head of the hero, Hotspot laughed, Cyborg smiled. Hotspot had become his best friend in the army. They didn't have a lot in common but they knew each other from their younger lives. Hotspot had really kept Cyborg going, especially considering Cyborg felt guilty for the end of the titans. When Beast Boy was killed Starfire had run away and he had refused to talk to Raven or Robin. He remembered locking his door even when both the birds came to say goodbye. They said they were going their separate ways. When he finally left his room the place had long since been deserted. He didn't know where they had gone and he never once thought he would see any of them again.
Aqualad, who insisted being called Aquaman, barged in, shaking from the cold.
"Considering this is Russia I'll be ok this time. But I if I ever need to swim in water that cold; I'm going to kill the sarge'."
"Cool your engines," Hotspot smiled.
"No thanks I'm cooled off enough," shivered Aquaman.
"You're one to talk spot," laughed Cyborg, "Next time you do any cooling down call me."
They all laughed innocently. It had been a while since Cyborg had felt that way.
Raven:
She had been pacing outside for hours when it swept over her. Daybreak came and the monks left their homes chanting as they did daily. For some reason a few minuets after the monks began to pour out of their houses Raven felt the temperature drop significantly. None of the monks reacted so Raven began her meditation to try and concentrate on something else…
Nightwing:
It was near the middle of the night when Nightwing felt it suddenly. He whipped around thinking something was behind him but there was nothing. He shook himself out but he began to feel colder and colder. No one else on the street seemed to react. He felt his muscles tense up…
Raven:
She couldn't concentrate. It was to cold and she fell on her hands and knees gasping for each painful breath. She blacked out.
Nightwing:
He shivered painfully and inhaled the cold burning his lungs. What the hell was going on? He stumbled up to a wall and collapsed.
Raven:
Raven shook her head and stood up. It wasn't cold anymore but she could barely see anything. The room was pitch black. She lit her hand to a dull light so she could see but the light did not radiate it only surrounded her hand and nothing else. 'Damn it…'
Nightwing:
Nightwing stood up and shook himself off, stretching his arms back. His normally amazing night vision wasn't helping him here, there was no light anywhere. As if on queue, a little light flickered on somewhere next to him. He backed away unsure of what it was …
Raven:
Next to her she heard a noise of shuffling feet step away from her. She called out…
Nightwing:
A woman's voice was beckoning him from near the light. He knew that voice from somewhere.
"Who are you?"
Raven:
She had met him before she was sure of that.
"I am from Azerath—"
Both:
"Raven?" Nightwing called out stepping closer.
"Yeah, who are you?" She answered dully.
"Raven! I can't believe this. I have to be dreaming. Raven, it's me, Nightwing"
"Am I supposed to know you?" She said looking around.
"Oh right, I haven't seen you since I was called Robin."
Astounded would have been and understatement. She didn't gape but she thought she had died. He was talking but she didn't hear a word he said. She flung her arms around him tightly and sniffled. He almost fell over but he caught himself and embraced her warmly. They are silent for a few moments then Raven pulls back and looks at him through the dark.
"Any idea where we are?" Nightwing asked rubbing his arm.
"I don't know. All of a sudden I felt really cold."
Raven heard something click. Nightwing had taken something off his belt and was examining it.
"My GPS isn't telling me anything. Not that I expected it to. So how do we get out?"
"If we can't tell where we are it's kinda hopeless…"
In the distance a sudden burst of light accelerated towards them and envelops them so it is no longer black but really bright. Nightwing is seeing stars. He rubs his eyes along the bridge of his nose and groans. Raven had covered her eyes in black magic to dull the lights effect.
In front of them, as if on the worlds largest movie screen, it shows a moving picture of what both the previous titans remember as the day they fought Dr. Millennium. The T-sub is sinking and Aqualad and the teen they met after the event, Skyton Elengo, pull the sub up to the surface. The movie cuts to see Robin talking to Skyton in the medical room. The other titans are on the cots healing after the beating they took. Skyton is telling Robin about how his planet was destroyed by Trigon and how he needed Ravens help. The scene cuts to Terra who turned evil from Trigon's torture, attempts to destroy the Titans for the second time. This time though the titans are lucky to escape with their lives. It cuts again to where Trigon has Raven in his hand and drains the power out of her. Skyton on the ground near titans tower is looking devastated at the head of his dead sister, a gift from Trigon. Ravens powers drained, she falls from the ten story high fall to the ground. Skyton jumps from the ground soaring around Trigon and delivering raven to the ground. He looks at her for a second and takes off the black mask that covered his entire face. Raven sees his eyes for the first time. They are like a cat's except constantly changing colors from neon green to blue to violet to red. But his one eye is never the same color as the other. Skyton does not stare at Raven for long because he leaps up from the ground and hovers at eye level with Trigon. The last thing seen is Trigon's body being blown away like a sand dune. Next, Raven having left without telling anyone where she is, goes in search of her powers. Ravens mother tells Skyton in a dream that Raven is in danger. He wakes Robin up and, using what Ravens mother told them to do, they find Raven somewhere in the netherworld. Terra is beating Raven when Skyton shows up with Robin.
"I don't want to see this," said Raven covering her eyes and remembering that at the end of this scene Skyton is killed.
After a frenzied fight Skyton is fallen on the ground and is stabbed through the heart by two flame blade conjured by Terra. Skyton manages to kill Terra with one swift move but he dies shortly afterwards using his last breath to let Raven know why he came looking for her. Raven had been saved multiple times before by Skyton but each time she wanted to know why he did it at a risk of his own life. He told her so that she had something to live for and that his world and life had been destroyed. Raven had accused him of having to be a hero but she was crying. Long before that moment she had fallen in love with him and he was dieing. She hadn't spoken to anyone long after that and then after she did start talking to her friends again Beast Boy was killed.
The vision ended and Raven looked up. Nightwing was solemn. It had been a horrific experience for him to, to see Skyton die like that. They stood silent for a moment and held their breath. Nightwing wanted to know what Raven was thinking and she wanted to know the same, neither asked.
In the distance another light flashed and a tall man stepped out. He was about Nightwing's height but a little wider, not by much but it was visible. He was intimidating from the distance, not that it bothered either Raven or Nightwing but he was imposing. Long dark hair came up in a pony tail and he carried a sword on his back. He had a gruff beard, blondish, and he bared scars and his costume, a loose tunic and baggy black pants, were covered in blood. Most off it was fresh. At the distance the previous titans couldn't see his face which looked black and shadowed.
But as soon as it became apparent that he was wearing a mask, They knew who he was. Raven was horrified and, Nightwing, unsure of what to do flipped out his staff and twirled it but did not attack. The man continued to advance on them. He stopped a good five feet away and turned his head to face Raven.
"Sorry this must be a bit of a shock…"
Raven just stepped away and shook her head.
"It can't actually be you," she said determinedly, "It's been four years."
"Sorry It took me," he said looking over to Nightwing, "Who are you? Only people who have seen my eyes were supposed to arrive here."
"It's been a while," Nightwing said extending his hand, "It's me Robin, but my alias is now Nightwing."
"Good to see you. Umm… Were inside my mind right now so you guys are going to need to hold on to me."
Raven was to disturbed to touch him so she used her powers to grab onto his shoulder. Nightwing held onto the other one and Skyton chanted:
"Never a soul that did bind me, I have been detained for too long; When sword sought death, it took it's last breath."
Raven and Nightwing felt disoriented as they were hurtled through the air landing at the foot of the Titans tower. It was in shambles due to years of neglect and weathering. Skyton, unaware of the fact the titans were no more, looked at the tower. Raven could not see his eyes but she could sense the pain they had in them. When, for years ago, he had met the titans they had become his only friends. To him it must have seemed like they were all dead. Nightwing looked at him;
"It's been a while since we broke up. Almost right after you left we went our separate ways. We haven't been in contact ever since."
"Are they ok at least? When they left were they ok?" Skyton asked miserably.
"Yeah most of us…" Raven answered sullen.
Skyton did not move but remained silent waiting for Raven to finish.
Nightwing leaned up against the tower and finished Raven's thought, "Beast Boy was killed."
"God…" He paused, "It wasn't because of me in anyway was it?"
"No," the titans both answered.
"Mind if I ask ho—"
"Yes I do," Raven snapped.
"I'm sorry. Raven what have I done?"
"You were such a hero! Just had to go and kill yourself for me! What the hell?"
"Raven, I told you before! You think I died on my own accord! I went there to save you so you could live the rest of your life happily! What did I have left, huh? Nothing, so I saved you! One guy dies one girl lives, fair trade!"
The shouting match was over. Raven had to add one last thing.
"Some happy life I've had…"
…Once I thought I was loved; Much was truth was there in that; For when I had lost it; My world turned upside-down and felt to become flat…
Nightwing pushed himself up from his leaning position and cleared his throat.
"I've got a question for you, why and how are you back?"
"I didn't expect this warm a welcome! Please don't be so courteous…"
"Well god fuckin' damn it! How many people have to come back from the dead until I die! Terra, Trigon, You!"
"Well look bud," he said defensively sticking s finger in Nightwing's chest, "I didn't come here to ask for your hand in holy matrimony! I don't even need to be your friend. I just came to warn you. It seems like every time I show up at your door I've got bad news. Well add this to the bill: The brotherhood of Evil has forged an alliance with most if not all of your remaining enemies! But apparently your to gung ho an might to need my help so I'll just fuck off!"
"Get your finger off my or I'll break it," Nightwing said darkly his eyes narrowing.
"I'd like to see you try big guy," Skyton said quietly and menacingly.
Nightwing stood there for second and then quickly lunged a punch in Skyton's stomach. Using his ninjutsu, Skyton jumped and span over Nightwing's head and landing a 'spine kick of despair' right on his opponents back. Nightwing fell forward and used his momentum to spring onto his feet with one hand and pull out his staff with the other. Skyton shot forward in a literal blur and stuck his foot behind Nightwing Shoving him backward but Nightwing catches his balance with his staff and springs up and wraps his staff around Skyton's neck. Skyton places his arms behind the staff and brings them forward breaking the staff in two. Nightwing uses this to his advantage and swings at Skyton's feet but Skyton jumps dodging the blow. Nightwing twirls and lands a hit on Skyton's side who is sent flying into titans tower. Skyton slides down the wall a few feet and lands on the ground. Nightwing has advanced relentlessly and swings again but Skyton grabs the piece of the staff and relieves Nightwing of it. Nightwing jumps up onto Skyton's chest and pushes off of it grabbing his staff piece in one swift move. He lands five feet away and brings his staff parts down on Skyton who blocks with his arm which audibly shatters. He clenches his teeth. Nightwing swings again at Skyton's head but misses because Skyton ducked.
The battle takes them into the tower and onto the roof where Skyton is inches from the edge. Nightwing swing at Skyton's feet who jumps but is kicked over the edge by Nightwing. Skyton falls uncontrollably from ten stories up. Nightwing looks over the edge as Skyton falls. He turns around and says to him self:
"Checkmate."
As Skyton falls Raven casts a bubble of black energy to catck his fall but when she catches him she leaves him in there.
"What are you going to prove by killing each other?"
Nightwing hears this and heads back over to look over the edge.
Skyton is trapped in a bubble of dark energy. Raven, knowing of Skyton's great power, is concentrating on sustaining the spherical prison. Skyton is Standing in it, his chest heaving with anger. This was not how Raven remembered him. He had always been so quiet and wistful. She couldn't help but ask herself if he was acting this way because he had lost all his friends. She might have acted the same.
With one swift motion Skyton pulled out the blade that was on his back and slashed at the prison with such a force it physically knocked Raven back.
"Do not get involved Raven," Skyton said warningly.
"I just saved your life!"
"You shouldn't have," he said running into the tower to find Nightwing.
On the roof Nightwing hid behind the roof's entrance that led to the stairs. It was a door that stuck out from the floor and it was just barely tall enough to hid Nightwing. Nightwing close the door so he would have some forewarning when Skyton arrived.
Skyton checked the roof first it was up many flights of stairs and he knew Nightwing would be there. When he reached it the door was closed. Skyton stepped back and ran full speed for it obliterating the door on impact. As he came through two sticks made their way for his face. They were blocked by Skyton's Sword. Nightwing had trouble seeing due to the door's explosion and flying fragments. Skyton however could see just fine, ironically, even though he was wearing a mask. He said he could see what he needed to see and vision confused sight. When the carnage ended and the two had fought sword to staff for a full fifteen minuets, they were locked on a push and pull match, both too exhausted to do anything else, each fearing the others next move.
Raven floated up to the roof and pushed them apart fearing for their lives at this point. She had not expected this to go to the extreme as it did. But when they went at each other again she disarmed them and threw their weapons over the edge of the tower using her powers.
"Stop it you idiots, killing yourselves wont help any one of us."
Still they fought fist to fist. Each was bruised and bloodied. Raven had nothing to use her powers on so she grabbed Skyton by the shirt with a futile attempt to drag him back. Skyton looked around at Raven and Nightwing took his moment landing a punch on Skyton's face that would have sent him into tomorrow, if Raven hadn't taken. She had stepped around Skyton and seeing as either of them were to tired for accuracy she had taken it. She did not take it as well as Skyton might have seeing as she fought from a distance usually and was not so much shorter but not as built up she collapsed into Skyton who caught her and stumbled back furious at himself for letting her do that.
Nightwing needless to say stopped presently and jumped over to her at the risk of Skyton relieving him of his face. Skyton tried after checking Raven for any real damage. He placed her gently down cursing at Nightwing:
"Fucking klutz! Where'd you learn that one!"
Nightwing had no remorse. Not that he wasn't feeling awful, but he didn't give much of a shit what Skyton said. As they fought to the edge Nightwing flipped and sent himself and Skyton sprawling over. Nightwing shot his grappling hook to the edge but as it caught Skyton grabbed Nightwing's leg and tore his grip from the hook. They plummeted towards the ground until about five feet from doom Skyton, using his ninjutsu, change their direction so they were flying for a rock. Nightwing hit it first but Skyton swerved and landed on the adjacent part of the stone. Needless to say they were both knocked out.
Starfire:
She had taken care of the goons in the house but being shot multiple times was no fun. She loosened and tightened he glove nervously. It was an awful way to kill a man, to shoot off his balls.
Starfire held the briefcase in one arm. She crouched down and jumped up thirty feet and took off flying to Germany. Inside the house body fell off the wall it had been nailed to…
Cyborg:
Inspection day- another excuse for the chief to assign four-hundred push-ups, not that Cyborg cared. Just another day on the job, every day like the last. H needed to get out of here and do some hero work. He wasn't much of a solo-hero but maybe he could coax Aquaman and Hotspot into coming with him. That night he tried them…
Aqualad and Hotspot looked at him with sheepish grin.
"We've been waiting for you to ask!" they egged.
"We didn't want you to feel awkward but since the war has been over we have definitely wanted to ditch this joint." Aquaman said leaning back lazily in the hard metal chair.
"Maybe we could join the JLA!" Hotspot answered enthusiastically.
"Don't you read the news? The JLA ended when Batman died, four years ago. Right about the time the war started. The Brotherhood took his life when the war started."
"Well, we could make our own team. We'll look up Speedy and Bumble Bee and maybe some of the old titans like Bea-"
Hotspot shut up. Aqualad tried to change the subject.
"How are we gonna get out of here? We have a contract and they don't just let soldiers go like that…"
"We could tell them we're leaving to make a team of our own."
"No it's a dictatorship here and they don't want any other forces besides their own."
"Then let's bust out!"
"You think we'll make it?"
"Better to die trying."
Starfire:
It was becoming stupid and aggravating. Every time she saved one guy the next was in mortal peril. She just returned the money to Germany when, low and behold, some military base in Russia was having problems. Some goddamn soldiers were making a nuisance of themselves. She was almost there; something was in flames in the distance, which had to be it. As she neared she heard the soldiers screaming for back up and more ammunition. It looked as though one half on the division was fighting the other. This wasn't a gang fight this was a riot. She swooped in looking for the man in charge. Bullets flew everywhere. She flung a few star bolts at a soldier who aimed at her. He died on the spot. Starfire flew on but flew backward melting bullets that flew her way. Seconds later she rammed into a burning surface.
"Damnit," she said standing up and shaking her head. She turned around her bolts blazing.
Hotspot turned his burning head to Starfire who had just knocked him twenty feet back.
"Starefire!"
She nodded to him darkly, "Hotspot. What are you doing here?"
"Helping Cyborg bust outta' here!"
"Cyborg's here?"
"Yeah! Help me get through this wall. That's the exterior wall of the base."
She helped him burn his way out and he called to his comrades. The base was done emptying of it's traitors in less than a minuet. It took Starfire a long time to find Cyborg but she did. He was hiding behind a tree with Hotspot and Aqualad. He looked up unbelievingly.
"I told you some of them would come back and help us!" Hotspot said.
"I can't believe you guys just broke out of a military base…"
"The war's over Star they were keeping us there. So we left anyway," Cyborg explained.
"What do you plan on doing now?"
"Starting another team."
"Count me in," She said.
"Have you heard from either Robin or Raven?"
"We're not starting the titans again. And no, I haven't. No one has had any contact with each other."
"Well, Robin probably went to Gotham," Hotspot chimed in.
"But he probably returned to Jump city after Batman died."
"So is that where we should check?"
"Yeah," Starfire nodded.
With Starfire and Hotspot's ability to fly, it would take them two hours to reach Jump city.
Nightwing, Skyton, and Raven:
Raven was the first to wake up. She shook her head and saw stars for a minute before she regained control. She had been hit hard, but more importantly, where were the guys. She stood up and looked over the edge of the building hoping the idiots hadn't met their doom to something so pointless.
They weren't over the edge but they were sprawled around a rock, bleeding, unconscious, and in fairly bad all-round shape. She swooped down and landed gently next to them.
"God damn it," she said exasperated, "This is really such a waste of time."
She slipped a disk of black energy and lifted them up on. She carried the over to the Tower and laid them down away from the water. Nightwing opened his eyes and blinked. He tried to sit up but screamed in agony as he did so.
"Don't move, you're back is completely screwed. Try to fall asleep because when I realign it it's gonna hurt like hell," Raven ordered.
Nightwing didn't argue. He fell asleep fast and she loosened her wrists. Her hands became black. She concentrated on his spine and with a flick of her wrist it was realigned. There was an excruciating crack and Nightwing squirmed violently in pain. When the pain had subsided he stood up sorely and shook his head.
"I'm going into town for a bit… Don't kill him in his sleep, huh?"
Nightwing grunted but agreed.
"You sure the streets are safe?"
"The war is over right…"
"I guess you're right. It's just that you know… Beast Boy and the doom patrol were out there when they were killed…"
She sighed and shook her head.
"I'll be fine."
She flew up and headed toward town. Nightwing called to her:
"Hey Raven," he threw he something, she caught it, "It's a tracking device. Don't go where I can't find you."
She had been gone for hours when Starfire and the others arrived by Nightwing. He looked up and Starfire recognized him from the time warp that took her to the future. He stood up and looked at them all.
"Long time, no see," piped up Hotspot.
"Definitely," he answered laughing, "You know Raven found me earlier today also. The gangs all here… well…"
"Raven's here too? Where?"
"She went into town," he said pointing at his GPS tracker. A little red dot blinked.
Starfire pointed to Skyton, "Who's that?"
Nightwing sighed, "Skyton's back"
Cyborg, Aqualad, and Starfire, having previously known Skyton, looked in awe. Nightwing explained it to Hotpot. Skyton roused and looked around seeing stars. Nightwing's GPS started to scream. He looked at it.
"Raven's signal is fading!"
"Is she within range?" Cyborg asked.
"Yeah, I think her tracking device is damaged."
Starfire responded, "Let's go get her."
They split up and headed for the city. They left Skyton there. He stood up feeling his broken arm. It hurt like hell. He grabbed his sword and headed for the city, he was still in love with Raven despite what she though of him anymore. He wasn't going to let something unnecessary happen to her. He had a thing for valuing her life above his.
Raven:
She was backing down an alley being approached by a gang of guys three times her size each. There were no object around to hurl at them and apparently they had some energy deflectors on. They were objects that protected normal citizens from ethereal powers. Raven couldn't do anything. She was up against a wall and there was a ceiling overhead. She was screwed. She fired up her hands in dark energy and judo-chopped at one of them. He curled over and fell down. The others lunged for her. She put up a good fight to but she was outnumbered to greatly. Deep, deep shit. One of them grabbed her wrist and another groped at her tearing away a shred of her cloak.
"Fucking pervert!"
" 'On't be so naughty little lady. Yer' in gewrd company eer'."
She nailed him in the eye causing him to lose it. She sneered, but emptied her lunch after a particularly fearsome blow to the stomach. The thug to her left suddenly dropped dead spurting blood from his chest. When his body fell she saw Skyton holding his bloody sword in his hand. One man stayed back to hold Raven up against the wall and the remaining four turned their attention to Skyton who changed positions with his sword so it was behind his back. One of them met his fate by stupidly charging Skyton head on. Skyton flipped the sword over his head into the air, leaped onto the man's head, and grabbed the sword bringing it down through the gang member's neck. Skyton landed his back to the other men. He remained still. The rest came around him in a circle and laughed at him. He did not move and they became nervous. Skyton faked a jump and they all stepped into it thinking they were ready for his every move. He wanted them to do that. He dropped the sword with a clatter and shook his arms out. They came for him. He leaped onto ones shoulder and without using his broken arm cracked one's neck with his feet and at the same time breaking another's with his good arm. The remaining two, including one who dropped Raven, flew at him with punches. He dodged backwards and let their fists collide they tried again using their legs. They were obviously the best trained, and they worked in perfect synch with each other, but Skyton was quicker. As their legs came up he hopped onto the, one foot to each of their legs and twirled his legs splitting and knocking them in the heads so they fell back. They instantly got up again and Skyton ran to the wall and jumped off it as they neared him. He rammed strait into them and they flipped over. They stood up yet again and punched him again. He loved it when they were stupid. He grabbed ones belt and tied the goon's fists together and then span them around tying it around their necks. They fell over choking on their backs. Skyton grabbed his sword and slit their throats. He spat a bit of blood out of his mouth.
Raven stared in awe. He looked at her.
"I don't care what you say I still love you," Skyton said almost pleadingly.
"You're not going to start acting stupid again just to save my life right?"
"Old habits die hard."
She picked up the shred of her cloak, "Let' go."
He accompanied her back to the desolate remains of the tower. One by one the heroes came back finding nothing. They move inside after Raven signals that she is back here. The interior of the tower is in fairly good shape. Many of the appliances still work.
Nightwing is pissed he didn't find Raven first. It was just a thing between him and Skyton. He felt bad that he wasn't more worried about Raven than his contest with the necromanced man. Cyborg mentions something about Skyton and Nightwing answers.
"He's not that quick, just luck anyway. He only did it to compete with me though," He said believing himself, "We were fighting earlier, he just wanted to prove something to me."
Raven was pissed at his remark. She stepped next to him not saying anything. She goes inside her mind searching for her memories and when she finds the one where Skyton fight the gang's members she uses her powers to project it onto the ancient t.v. screen. She makes the effect of the screen staticing out and then it begins. After some confusion the others start to watch. After the bloody scene Skyton is looking at Raven and says;
"I don't care what you think of me, I still love you."
When it is over Cyborg is staring, Nightwing is sneering, Starfire, despite her usually smile less face, is smirking, impressed. Hotspot and Aquaman high-five each other and whoop. Nightwing says nothing but grunts. Most of them simultaneously whistle.
"That was unpleasantly bloody," Starfire said almost sounding like her old self.
"The only thing that was, was fake. Skyton just projected that onto the screen I'm sure," Nightwing said surely.
Raven stared at him with disgust. He did not notice. As he turned his head she sent out a black swirl of energy that slapped him across the face.
"You cynical bastard! I showed you that. He hasn't changed at all since last time! You picked the fight with him earlier! Not the other way around! What you just saw actually happened!"
Nightwing expected her to storm off and hide like she usually did. She didn't. She had changed. She was waiting for an answer.
"Uhh… Raven do you trust him?"
"Yes!" she blurted out quickly, "why wouldn't I?"
"Because he just came back from the dead..."
"When Trigon came back I didn't see him changed! Can you just drop it! He won you lost and that's karma! Because he didn't want to compete, he wanted to help me…" She looked at the floor for a second.
Nightwing sighed, "Alright Raven I'm sorry. But now I have something to ask Skyton. What did he mean about the brotherhood collecting our enemies into one force?"
'That's obvious; He didn't know there had been a war so he thought that it was news. But what's going on is that instead of the villains waging the war free for all they are joining up. The war isn't over."
The door to the room opened up and Skyton walked in quietly and sighed.
"I've got to tell you something. There's another, of my kind. As far as I can tell she is behind the war effort for the brotherhood."
"How do you know her?" Aquaman asked.
"She was a prodigy in the school where I learned my art. Her name was Feawen. Of course I wasn't much of a competitor in the school so I never really managed to rank myself against her. I've gotten good at my art by seeing the real world," He looked mournful, "When I fought her for my final test it was bloody and violent. It destroyed half the school and took us far from it. When it was over I didn't come out to well and they thought I was dead… I don't know what happened to her after Trigon took over my planet but I doubt it was pretty."
"So what do we do?"
Skyton didn't move. He didn't speak. The only sound in the room was of Skyton breathing. Apparently he was distraught.
"You gather the other heroes, I'll go after Feawen."
"Alone!" Nightwing asked incredulously.
"Yeah, It's not that I'm to good for help it's just that my art form and hers are the same so I have a better chance of taking her out."
"But with help it would be easier."
"No, her ninjutsu would kill any of you."
Raven leaned back against the counter, "Stinks for you because, whether you like it or not, I'm coming."
Skyton didn't answer. The empathy could sense his thoughts. He knew she was listening in. He told her that he didn't want her to get hurt. She didn't care. He sighed and looked at her for a long time. The others unaware of their trans-mental conversation were left to awkwardly stare into space.
Hotspot, like the fool he seemed to be, had to say something, "Why do you wear that mask?"
Skyton visibly jerked his head to face Hotspot and shut Raven out.
"You have to stop asking questions, you're going to get hurt."
"Sorry," Hotspot said still unsure of what he had done wrong, "I just wanted to know."
"I'll tell you if you stop asking into what is not your business from now on, ok?"
Hotspot nodded timidly not still sure if he wanted to know.
"When I fought Feawen she caught my every move and countered it. Once I had her on the ground she flipped up knocking me off balance. She let loose a stream of horrific images that burned my eyes into a horrible demonic power. So whenever I open my eyes I see the most horrific thing you could possibly imagine… times ten. Have I answered your question?"
Hotspot was silent and felt more like a jackass that an enlightened soul.
Nightwing saved the day again, "How do we find the Brotherhood?"
"The only way we can, by finding the man who knows."
Nightwing cringed, "Slade."
…Perhaps, said the lady clad in red; Not one more chance shall they get; For the instant that they find us; Shall be the one that they regret…
Finding Slade was not hard. He had been locked up for life in Arcame Asylum in Gotham. He had been placed in a high security cell. The one they used for Joker up until his death. Slade had been deprived of his armor and dignity. His long white hair hung loosely down his back and his piercing blue eyes remained concentrated on Nightwing. Nightwing gestured to the guard and he and Skyton stepped in. Slade did not move. Nightwing and Skyton sat down and crossed their legs quietly.
"They are moving," Slade said mysteriously.
"Where too?"
"I cannot tell, but it would be an offensive position. Hold your borders."
"Thank you."
"How can you tell that I'm helping you Robin?" He said adding the slimy malicious tone he used to torment Nightwing with.
"Why wouldn't you?"
"Why would I?"
"Because with the brotherhood out of the way the city may be yours, them gone, us weakened."
"Good reasoning Robin. Yes, I am helping you. I've always been trying to help you."
They stood up, Skyton remained seated.
"You're pretty conceited and stuck up for a guy who's been stuck in jail for a while."
"You've gotten soft without me, Robin."
"Robin died a long time ago."
"Did I kill him?"
"Robin died when Batman died."
"Then I did kill him."
Nightwing started, "Huh, What?"
Skyton stood up, this was going to get real ugly, real fast.
"Follow the scent Robin and what does it tell you?"
Nightwing cringed and nailed Slade in the stomach.
"Now, now, Robin what is punching me going to solve? Your enemies are on the move, your friends are weak and you know I fear neither pain nor death."
"You're a fuckin' asshole. You'll kill anything you find to be in you're way. You didn't even give Bats' a chance. You didn't tell him you wanted to fight; you just stabbed him in the back. He woulda' kicked your ass."
Nightwing took off his gloves and looked at Slade.
"The gloves are off Slade. I'll give you the first punch."
"Those aren't you're gloves," said Slade quietly and pointing to his mask he said, "Those are."
Nightwing was silent for a long time. Then he took off his mask and stared at Slade. Blue eyes met green. Slade gave the first punch. Nightwing returned it and swung behind Slade. Skyton stepped in and stood between them.
"This is over," Skyton ended coldly.
Slade retreated and sized up Skyton.
"Ahh... Skyton is it?"
"Yes, and you may not ask anymore."
Nightwing turned on his heel and left with Skyton behind him. When the heroes entered the city Skyton brought up an interesting point. He radioed it to Cyborg and the others who were in the T-car. Nightwing, who was driving the Vitesses, a French super car, listened into Skyton.
"When Slade said secure our borders, which ones was he referring to?" Asked Skyton.
Raven called back over the radio, "The city borders, I think. The brotherhood would most likely surround the area with the greatest hero population, and then try to wipe it off the map."
When they got to the tower they retired to their rooms. It was about midnight when Skyton sat up with a start. The half of the wall in the spare room, where Skyton had been sleeping, had been blown off. Aquaman and he scrambled from the floor and stood up avoiding the flying debris. At first they tried to avoid it but when the second explosion hit they ran for their lives from the room.
"We gotta get the others!" Aquaman yelled over the shaking and exploding sounds of the tower.
Skyton took off while Aqualad took the opposite direction. Skyton rounded the corner and took a blast from an exploding wall. He was hurled against the other wall and landed in a heap. He stood up quickly and the blood left his head leaving him disoriented. When he managed to get down the hall way he found Starfire banging on her door from the inside.
"Back away from the door!" Skyton yelled.
He stepped back and heaved his shoulder into the door, breaking it down and only then remembering his arm was broken, fuck that. Starfire flew out and headed for the end of the hallway. Cyborg was pulling Nightwing from the rubble. He reached the entrance hall with the other titans and turned back.
"Where are you going? The place is coming down!"
"Raven!" he called back and ran off.
It was then they realized Raven was not among them. As Skyton neared the door to Ravens room he saw that it was broken down and that she was sprawled across the floor apparently from a blow to the head from a piece of the wall. He got in to her room and grabbed her by the waist in a cradling position and began to walk out of the room when the tower gave way.
The titans outside watched as it came down around Skyton. They heard him scream.
Skyton's broken arm had been sliced off by a falling beam. He had almost dropped Raven but he used his left arm to hold her around his neck. As he rode the floor to the ground he found himself by an exterior wall. He hurled himself out of it.
The titans saw in a flash of blood and metal, Skyton jump from eight stories up with Raven right behind him on his back. Starfire caught them. The garage to the vehicles was now exposed to outside. Because it was not directly under the tower the vehicles were not damaged. They made their way to it when Raven woke up. Her tunic was covered it Skyton's blood and she stumbled into the car with Nightwing. As the group departed they saw what had caused all the destruction. Front lines of grenede launching henchmen were pummeling the tower. As they cleared the front line they saw a caravan of trucks each holding their enemies in them.
Overload gave the car a jolt and it stopped short sending Nightwing into the steering wheel and disabling him.
"Grab the wheel!" Raven urged Skyton.
"There are two problems with that idea! One, I don't know how to drive this thing, and two' I don't have my right arm!" He said holding his stub up stupidly.
"Figure it out!"
Skyton tossed Nightwing aside and sat in the driver's seat. He stepped on the gas and the car shot forward. He used his left arm to steer it around the obstacles on the road. He did not stop until he had reached some rural city. The T-car pulled in behind them. Skyton stepped out and leaned against the car. It was nearly dawn. Raven stepped out and rubbed her eyes. The cars were hot and everyone was exhausted. Nightwing sat up and surveyed his surroundings. Skyton got back in the car in the back seat and felt nauseas. He had lost too much blood already. He lay himself down and Nightwing sat in the front of the car rubbing the bridge of his nose. Starfire was sitting in a tree looking to the west where there was a furious smoke rising over the would-be city. Cyborg got in the T-car and tried to fall asleep. Hotspot flew up to Starfire and watched with her. Aqualad found a lake and dived into it. Raven opened the back door to Nightwing's car but Skyton was already there laid out across the seats. Skyton sat up slowly and shifted his body to the floor behind the front seats and the back. He weakly patted the back seats and fell asleep. Raven crawled onto the backseat and closed her eyes. During the rest of the night Raven's hand met Skyton's.
Raven dreamt that she was in her room right before she left titans tower four years ago except Skyton was next to her. She didn't want him to see this scene. Right about when Robin was about to kiss her the scene changed in that a woman came passing through the wall slowly. Skyton, next to her, cringed. The mood changed when the tower felt like it was coming down around them. Raven and Skyton saw in third person how Skyton had gone back in to get Raven. But instead of the beam coming down on Skyton's arm it was the woman chopping it off. When he hurled himself out the window it seemed like she pushed him out. Instead of an army of villains it was her standing in the middle of the city destroying everything. The dream went on to when both for them fell asleep. Raven woke up with a start. She was on top of Skyton on the floor. Realizing her rather compromising position she got up and realized that Skyton, still asleep, was holding her hand tightly. She nudged him until he woke up. He was sweating a cold sweat. His wound, which had a mediocre bandage on it, was still bleeding. His temperature was burning. Raven took a hand engulfed in blue light and held it over his arm. The wound closed up and stopped bleeding. She told him to lie down again. He did but did not fall asleep. He waved a hand over his wound and pulled on the air around it. A black smoking substance extended from the arm and formed a hand of some sort. When he was done he fell asleep with his new ethereal arm. Raven had stepped out of the car. It would have been daybreak but the smoke covered the sky. Nightwing started the car and Raven got in on the other side. The T- car took after them. Nightwing was able to track the caravan after it left the city to a secluded storage barracks. Nightwing pulled closer to it after the caravan was inside. Skyton looked inside of the area and saw artillery for a countries army, tanks helicopters and a big red Ferrari. Near the car was the woman from his and Raven's dream. He whispered to Raven;
"That's Feawen."
She nodded and he got out. He disappeared and reappeared behind Feawen. She swung around; her eyes were red like her lips. She had angular features that were rounded in all the right places. Skyton couldn't care less.
"Apparently it takes more than me or my army to kill you doesn't it? Come back for revenge?"
"I hold no hate for you for beating me at graduation. I do however seek answers to why you joined the brotherhood."
"I don't need to be patronized by you. Guards, dispose of him."
The guards circled but Skyton waved his arms and knocked them back without touching them.
"No! This is between you and me!" Skyton ordered.
"Fine," she said, "Brace yourself."
She struck at him but he dodged and hurled her using her own momentum. She caught him with her and she threw him into the wall.
In the car Raven started to get out but Nightwing stopped her.
Skyton stood up and cracked his neck. She jumped up in a flash and came down where Skyton had been moments before he dodged. Skyton swung his legs around and knocked her off balance. He swung again causing her to fall. He sprang up and came down hard on her stomach. She coughed and span up from the ground. He twirled his feet so that he landed one kick to her side and aimed for to the head but she grabbed his foot. She launched him spinning into a tank. With his mind she grabbed his mask and tore it off. He shut his eyes and she sent a beam of the energy that she had launched at him during their first battle. He held up his ethereal hand and the beam hit it. The powers souped up together and Feawen was knocked back unconscious. His arm was swirling colors; he could see horrific images in it. When he reached for his sword the sword started to swirl colors and it became like a silver shell that surrounded his chest and arms. The substance stuck to him becoming a very thin layer of silver around his skin. It did not touch his clothes. Surprising enough it did not feel heavy. Feawen was still out cold and Skyton decided to get out of there. He grabbed his mask and ran back to the car. The skin on his arms and chest had almost become exactly like the material the sword had been made of. His hair was silver. Raven looked at him in awe but did not say anything. Nightwing took off.
"It doesn't feel unnatural at all," Skyton said absentmindedly, "But I need to cover my arm he said gesturing to it. Raven tore off a piece of her cloak and wrapped it around his arm.
"Thanks," He sighed deeply.
"Alright knock it off love birds," Nightwing said playfully, "We need to come back with reinforcements."
"And a new sword," Skyton added.
They slept in the car again for lack of any where to be accepted. Everyone was afraid that they would attract too much trouble. In the middle of the night someone banged on the car door, Skyton let them in. It was a woman of about 18. She had pink hair and blue eyes. She said her name was Kole and she wanted to help. For lack of room she would have slept outside but it was pouring. Skyton crawled up to where Raven was trying not to wake her. Kole fell asleep on the floor where Skyton was. Raven sleepily shifted over a bit and they fell asleep.
Raven and Skyton had the same dream again but it seamed much more real this time. Skyton and Raven woke up with a start and a cold sweat when the tower came down around them. Skyton looked at Raven and hugged her closely.
"We need to stop these shared dreams," She said breathlessly.
"Yeah…"
"How come Nightwing isn't feeling them?"
"He didn't see my eyes for as long, and I wasn't touching him," he said scratching the back of his head.
Raven turned red. She noticed Kole for the first time.
"What is she doing here?"
"She arrived here last night. She said she wants to help us."
"How is she gonna help us? Her powers turn her to ice but she can't move when she does that, much less fight."
"Whatever she does it doesn't much matter. Any help is good help," he said yawning and cracking his bad shoulder.
"Umm... about those dreams, do you think we can try to shut each other out? I mean, you can block your mind and I can too so…"
"It's worth trying, the dreams are becoming more and more real."
'If we're forming a bond it should be stopped."
"Yeah but I really don't think it's going to escalate into anything…"
Kole woke up and it became crowded so they stepped out. The air was damp and cold. Raven asked Kole how she was going to help and Kole showed Raven how she had learned to move even when she was ice.
Not long after the demonstration though a grenade landed right next to Skyton. Raven reacted quickly and tried to cup it but it exploded too soon. The last thing he saw was Feawen, who through it, run away.
…And so the hero almost met his doom; Was it for what he had done?; His blood spilled across the ground; till he was left with next to none…
Skyton was left blown across the hood of the car bleeding. Kole had turned to ice and tried to grab Skyton but failed. Raven had just managed to shield herself in time but she felt a searing pain across her chest and collapsed. Nightwing, needless to say, was awakened to find Skyton bleeding on the hood of his car. The others in the T-car were awake by now also and rushed out to catch the grenadier.
In pain, Skyton was still conscious. He touched the blood on his chest and let his head loll back. He jerked it up again and spat a mouthful of blood out onto the street. His chest was slashed open and most of his shirt was obliterated. Kole and Raven were standing around Skyton who was laughing weakly.
"That hurt like hell," he said wheezing and passed out promptly. Nightwing was out of the car when the second grenade came flying. It missed but was too close to wait for another. The other heroes were searching for the criminals; Nightwing thought they could take care of themselves. He grabbed Skyton and put him in the front seat while the girls clambered in the back. Nightwing started the car and took off. A red Ferrari burst around the corner after them. Feawen had not lost hope so soon and apparently she knew she had not killed him. Damn.
They were off road and Nightwing frantically searched for a button on the dashboard. He found a red one with wings and pressed it. Two jets sprouted from the back of the car and the car literally flew off. The Ferrari could not follow.
Nightwing found out how to land it and did on an island somewhere. He got out and dragged Skyton out and laid him down on the earthy ground. Skyton looked truly pale and he groaned and move but couldn't.
Kole gestured to Raven, "I don't know… He looks pretty pathetic."
Raven ran/walked over to Skyton and crouched down next to him with a worried look on her face. Her hair fell down passed her ear and she kept brushing it back. She held up a hand engulfed in blue light and touched his chest. The light spread along every cut and they began to heal. For a second she almost thought she saw a smile on his face, but it disappeared quickly. It was hours before he woke up again. He shook himself out and rubbed his chest. He was in the car. Raven who had been healing him had fallen asleep, her head on his lap. Cyborg and the others were stumbling back to the car looking beaten up and bruised. Skyton moved Raven away and stepped out.
"I guess you found her…"
"Her? No, no, no it was a guy."
"No it wasn't it was Feawen."
"I didn't see her…" Hotspot responded.
Skyton brushed it off, "Whatever."
"What does she look like?"
"Well she's… Wait you saw her. Yeah you did! When I fought her just a day ago!"
"Well actually you were a bit far away to see so I didn't really get to see much."
Skyton brushed his silver hair back and sighed. He shook his head and went back into the car. He fell asleep quickly and dreamt.
There was a multi sided shape that had different faces everywhere and they kept changing.
"Who are you?"
"I am known by many names but you know me as Karma."
"While I'm here care to tell me why my life has been such freaking hell?"
"You know why. Because you were the one who was born to die! And so far I have not been able to kill you! Remember the teachings they gave you. Every thousand years karma would deal with the gods to own one life. That way I could keep my existence and not disappear. That would cause the end of all living things everywhere. So I chose you to kill. It is your death that will keep others from dieing."
"So how many ways have you tried to kill me?"
"Well of course there was standard fights where every time you come within an inch of death and that Raven girl saves you."
"And about that. What about the bond that's forming between us?"
"No, that's not me… That's Raven making that bond. She is doing it on purpose. She wants you to stop saving her life at the risk of yours. She makes it so that if you get hurt she will to and that way you won't do anything stupid to save her. The funny thing is she was the other to defy me. The prophecy of her birth was fulfilled but she lived. So hence you can see this bond is good for me. One dies and the other too. Then there is Feawen."
"How come I see her every time something happens to me?"
"Because she is not real. She has nothing to you in fact you created her. I broke the contract with the gods and tried to kill you directly. You couldn't comprehend with what was going on so your brain created an excuse for what was going on. Careful though, she is just as deadly to you anyway even though she is not real. It is the source behind her that is real, ME! I will start to use my full ability to kill you now that you know this because you are truly starting to bore me. Watch Raven, you have kept my attention off her long enough."
Skyton started to fear what Karma would do to Raven and there was nothing he could do but warn her.
He woke up with a jolt of pain on his bad shoulder. Cyborg was leaning over him with a small, finger-sized taser.
"All right! It took us forever to get you up."
Raven saw the motion of his hands and left so that he might follow. When he had broken free of their questions he found Raven who was sitting in a tree. He jumped some twelve feet up to the branch and landed there sitting. She asked questions and he answered them not mentioning that he knew about the bond. He would tell her when he needed to.
Journal Entry: Raven
It's been along time since Skyton talked to me that day. Nothing has happened since and I can't tell whether this Karma thing exists or it's waiting for the right moment. Whatever it is life in titans east is pleasant as always.
The war has seemed to stop. No attacks have been made and no one has discovered the whereabouts of the army. Skyton hasn't seen Feawen for a while and the bond I created is keeping him from doing something major. Not that there's anything to be doing anyway…
Mas Y Menos are losing their potential to be annoying by the day. Cyborg has become more like his old self and less like his depressed state. Lately I can't say much about anything because it's all mill of the run…
end entry
She went into the common room where the boys were arm wrestling each other.
'This was ridiculous,' she thought.
Apparently Hotspot had just lost to Aquaman who was furiously entangled with Nightwing. It ended with them becoming too tiered to fight anymore. Cyborg was about to go against Aquaman and Nightwing together when Skyton walked in. Cyborg lost to them and Nightwing went on to fight Speedy. Nightwing won. Cyborg boomed:
"And the standings are:
Cyborg-Nightwing & Aquaman-Speedy-Hotspot"
Mas Y Menos dashed in and took seats next to Hotspot who beat them with one shot.
Cyborg added Mas Y Menos to the list. Skyton came and leaned against the couch folding his arms.
"Hey come join us!" Cyborg jeered to Skyton.
"Wouldn't my metal arms make it unfair?"
"I have metal arms! Booyah!" He said beating Nightwing again.
Skyton sat down next to Cyborg and put his arm on the table. They locked arms and Nightwing yelled go. Skyton did not show any expression through his mask while Cyborg pressed harder and harder. Cyborg had almost won when Skyton began to laugh.
"Yo! What's up!" Cyborg said his eyebrows twitching.
Skyton lifted Cyborg's arm back up and smashed it into the table. Cyborg's eye twitched. Nightwing stared with envy. Starfire came over and jumped over the couch.
"Alright Skyton don't get a big head," She smirked.
She beat him within the second.
Skyton shook his head playfully, "Figures."
Raven left eventually to her room and took a seat on the bed rubbing her eyes gently. That evening the group was going to go out for a night on the town. After she took a shower she managed to scramble some street clothes together. It looked like Shirley Temple meets the thing but it had its own unique qualities. The top was a fleece sweat shirt and the bottom was a pair of baggy cargo pants. When she left the room to meet the others she saw them in interesting clothes. Nightwing had a black sweatshirt on and some jeans. Hotspot, Aquaman, Speedy, and Mas Y Menos were similarly dressed. Starfire had not changed her outfit because it was already casual and Cyborg had a bandana wrapped around his head with a pair of red pants. Skyton hadn't taken off his mask but his shirt was now tight black spandex. His pants were carpenter jeans.
The group took off to the other side of town. It was a quiet night and the club was nice. It was almost one in the morning when a slow dance started playing. Kole found Mas Y Menos. The guys all huddled around Starfire except Nightwing, who asked Raven for a dance. She stood up and floated over the floor with him. Skyton stayed where his was sipping a beer. He would have preferred to stay home but they forced him out of the house. Raven drifted away from Nightwing and sat down next to Skyton.
"Not dancing?"
"I don't know how."
"Neither do I."
He stood up with out skipping a beat and said, "Then I shall fake it," and they danced a bit.
Near the middle of the dance floor they leaned a bit closer to each other and she kissed him. It wasn't a passionate awe inspiring thing but she wouldn't soon forget it. The bond she had created was complete. They were linked. As if on queue, and it was, Feawen stepped into the room. She quietly made her way to the unsuspecting victims. Skyton and Raven were walking back to their seats when they Skyton sensed it. Raven felt him tense up and knew what was happening.
"Skyton remember your brain is only inventing an excuse for what is happening."
"But it's still real, and fighting a vision of your worst nightmare is no walk in the park either. And she's after you to so you might make up an excuse for it also. If you see something unnatural attack you its Karma except in a hallucination form."
They left the room hoping not to cause to much destruction. They left and Skyton saw Feawen follow. Raven saw nothing yet.
"Where is it?" She asked.
"When you take your first hit you will see her."
Skyton leaped up and kicked downward breaking the pavement. Feawen dodged and kicked to Skyton's head but Skyton flashed his head back and narrowly missed the hit as he swung another foot to her feet. She jumped and faked a kick but hit Skyton with the follow through. Skyton stumbled backwards. Raven felt his pain and went dizzy for a bit. He punched at her and she grabbed his arm and crossed over his second punch. She leaped up and kicked him with both legs to the stomach but he grabbed her feet span her around and showed her what the floor looked like close up. She managed to turn around and grab Skyton's neck. She stood up still choking him and added a black aura to her arms. The more Skyton struggled to less of a chance he had. He looked her in the eye and she collapsed. Raven was behind her with a glowing fist.
"We gotta get out of here before she wakes up!"
He didn't argue. They got the others and made their way back to the tower.
Raven revealed some information:
"I was reading Karma's mind and I think I can tell where the heaquarters of the brotherhood are."
"Well lets get going then," clapped Cyborg.
"Hold on. The problem is the base is guarded by ethereal field generators. That means that all powers revolving around releases of energy won't work. That means me, Starfire, Mas Y Menos, Hotspot, Kole, and some of Skyton's powers. Speedy and Aquaman had disappeared. When they came back they had a solution.
"Speedy and I have been working on a new type of portable weapon. The lightsaber."
Skyton had never seen Star Wars and knew nothing of them, "A what!"
Starfire turned hers on and it buzzed to life. Skyton nodded, "Oh."
"We've got tons of them so just choose how many ya want," Hotspot chimed.
Skyton wanted two. He twirled them around for a bit and put them on his belt.
Cyborg wanted to know how this was going to be a recon missing if the stuck out like sore thumbs. Skyton had a solution for that, so did Raven. They came back with black robes and leather cuffs. They all left to put them on. When Skyton came out he looked like Darth Vader before he had the suit put on. Nightwing had the same look going except he had black hair. The girls had dark gowns with a leather torso provided by Starfire.
Aquaman explained, "They can be set on different settings, one is stun and we should use that for training. No time to lose, let's get to it."
They sparred each other in a free for all battle in the training room. Skyton disarmed at least three people and stunned another four. When the carnage ended it was just Nightwing and Skyton. Skyton brought his down quickly and it was blocked by Nightwing's double sided sword. There was a flash of swords and Skyton flipped over Nightwing's head using his saber for leverage and crossed his sabers around Nightwing's neck from behind. They were ready to go. They got in the car and Raven drove them to where she had saw it in Karma's mind.
Nightwing couldn't help but notice, "Raven do you even have a license?"
She didn't answer; he didn't want to know anymore. Skyton leaned forward and asked her to stop the car. She did and Skyton got out.
"Scouts," he whispered, "we can't drive any closer we need to walk it. Hide the car."
Raven did so and they got out and walked. It wasn't hard to find a scout and follow it back to the base. It was a small inconspicuous hole but it opened up to a mountain sized barracks room. The soldiers were unlimited and the artillery was heavy.
Skyton crawled in and told the others, "We need to be taken prisoner. They will take us to the brotherhood, I hope. Hide your weapons." They ere taken not to the brotherhood but to the prison cell. Inside there were a few people that were presumed dead. Arella, Raven's mother, and Batman.
Nightwing asked Batman what had happened.
"I was found by Slade on a mission and was caught. They brought me here with that Beast Boy kid and Arella."
"Beast Boy's alive!" shot Cyborg.
"No," Batman said quietly, "Two years ago they took him to the torture chamber and he never came out again."
"Well let's get out of here," Skyton said hurriedly, "Before one of us is next."
He flipped out his saber and cut through the door. They were out. The door led to the barracks. Some of the soldiers spotted them and called for backup. Skyton and Nightwing dispatched them quickly. One bullet hit Skyton in his metal shoulder and bounced off. The soldier ran screaming. They fought their way through bullet fire and nightstick. Starfire took up the rear and Skyton and Nightwing, the front. Eventually they reached an elevator and Nightwing called it. The soldiers were keeping their distance now and they piled into the elevator. Skyton stood by the door as they closed behind them. Nightwing spoke.
"We need to split up," Nightwing said, "It will be easier to find the brotherhood."
Skyton shook his head wistfully, "We should go in groups of three, Kole and Mas Y Menos, Cyborg, Speedy, and Aquaman, And Me Nightwing and Raven. Starfire can go with any group she chooses."
The elevator stopped and the lights went out. Skyton screamed, "Move!"
He whipped out his light saber and jumped up through the ceiling of the elevator car. Nightwing followed and Starfire burst through the door. In seconds a grenade had landed on the elevator car that Nightwing, Skyton, and Raven were on. It fired and a burst of flame shot through the hole Skyton had made in the ceiling. It hit Skyton head on and he stood ridged in the fire, his hair blown upward in the continuing blast. Raven collapsed and Nightwing grabbed Skyton and yanked him from it. Skyton tumbled out screaming in agony. Raven cringed in pain. Nightwing slung Skyton over his shoulder and shook Raven out of it. They took off up the shaft and reached another level. Nightwing burned the door open to find a large room full of computers and monitors. It was empty. Nightwing crawled into the room and looked about. Noone was there but it was the top floor. He was expecting the brotherhood.
Skyton groaned and Nightwing put him down. Raven sat down at a chair and twirled her saber. Feawen walked into the room and no one saw her. No one could see her. She walked over to Skyton and pulled out a little dagger. Raven wouldn't have heard it if it weren't for her bond. She heard it through Skyton and stepped behind the enemy she couldn't see. She kicked the air in front of her and sent something flying. Skyton had heard it to and he struggled to get up uselessly. Raven was hit from behind and now she could see Karma. It was not what she expected, it was Skyton. When Skyton managed to get up and punch her, it hurt Raven to picture Skyton being her nightmare. She stiffened up and swung her lightsaber at her image. The image of her knocked Skyton aside into a wall. Raven felt him hit it. Nightwing was confused. Skyton watched as Raven fought Feawen. He wondered what she was seeing. Raven didn't seem to be hitting Feawen much. Raven was holding back.
"It's not real Raven!" he called to her.
She was not doing anything. He had to help her. He pried himself from the wall leaving a trail of blood behind himself. Feawen was moving across the floor in a rhythmis dance with Raven. It seemed very well planed. Skyton watch a while before he snapped out of. Raven took a kick to the side that sent her into a computer screen that was destroyed. Skyton ran to her and held her. He was stabbed in the back of the shoulder but the knife was destroyed against his metal. Feawen knocked him in the temple and he was out cold. Nightwing was in awe. He stepped back cautiously but nothing happened. Raven woke up and threw Skyton off of her. She dropped the saber and kicked for her vision. Skyton woke up and saw Raven fighting Karma. He ran forward and took off the torn fabric that was covering his cursed arm. He plunged two sets of fingers into Feawens eyes. She screamed and blood spurted over Skyton. The vision of Feawen and Skyton, one and the same, vanished.
All at once the others watched the soldiers and weapons vanish. Skyton punched the floor in relieved anger and frustration. It left a dent.
…Karma was broken; into many; Skyton was freed; Raven could laugh a plenty.
Back at the tower there was a celebration not to be believed. Neither Skyton nor Raven were there.
Skyton was in his room with Raven just sitting there looking out the window.
"Time for a normal life then?"
Raven nodded, "Yeah I think it's about time."
She pushed him onto the bed playfully and they laughed.