Chapter One
Raven swung back her hood to her dark cloak and sat down on the curb of an alley. Slade was here again, Robin was fighting him. Why bother fighting if only Robin is involved? She sighed deeply as she pressed her chin into the palms of her hands.
She could sense danger again entering her. The same danger that had got her started in chakra, to keep it away from her. The same danger that had messed up her mind and made her so glum. He was coming again...it was he that had found away to enter her barrier.
He was talking to her now, in her head, tormenting her inside. She wanted to cry, tell it to go away, but she knew very well he wouldn't, even if she did know how to cry. She hadn't cried in years now, nevertheless wanted to. But now she wished she could, to let him know how much she feared him, hated him.
They're not your friends. Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, Cyborg...did you honestly think they let you hang out in the tower because they like you? They want to be your friend? Raven, you deserve better than them. They don't want you any more than you want them.
Raven looked at the ground, "They are my friends," she said in her slow, deepened voice, "And I want them to be..."
They think you're just a weird, depressed little girl who knows nothing useful.
"I helped them find Slade once."
That does not mean anything, Raven. They only let you in the Titan Tower because you are a good fighter and can see things more sharply than themselves. They are using you, Raven. Come with me.
"No! I will never join you. Please go away."
You may be denying it now but later on deep down you'll feel that way, you'll want to leave them. Save yourself the further depression and...
Raven pressed her palms into her ears, "I can't hear you! I can't hear you anymore," he went away and she sighed, taking her palms out of her ears. He was stronger, more annoying this time. She would have to build more chakra power to destroy him this time. Afterwards she would build a mental barrier to block out any other forces.
Slade was breathing hard now, Robin, yes, had gotten stronger than the last time they met. He saw Starfire, a green force forming around both hands. Beast Boy, turning into his gorilla form. Cyborg, his missiles ready to fire. And Robin, holding his fist out, not even bother to use a better defense. But where was the glum looking girl?
"We will surely met again, Titans," Slade said, sneering slightly, although the titans couldn't see it. He reached into his shirt and grabbed a small vile with red liquid inside it, "I can reassure you we'll met very soon."
"Not so fast, Slade," Robin screamed loudly. He ran towards Slade, his fist drawn. Slade thrust the vile in front of him, throwing it to the ground. A powerful red smoke burst out and covered the entire room. Robin covered his eyes, which was stinging from the impact of the smoke and coughing from the strong aroma entering his lungs.
The smoke cleared and everyone slowly opened their eyes, blinking a little to get used to the air again. Robin frantically looked all over the place for Slade. Cyborg shook his head, "Forget it Robin, he got away...again."
Robin slammed his fist into the wall, "No! Not again!" he knelt down on the ground in anger. Starfire walked over to him, putting her arm around his shoulders.
"Do not worry, Robin," she said, in her usual, sweet voice, "We shall catch Slade next time."
"You always say that, Star," Robin replied, "And it never happens."
"We will be stronger then," she said, smiling, "Do you not realize each time we go against Slade, we come closer to defeating him. He would have never gotten away without that smokey-thing he had."
"Yes, Star...but aren't you forgetting something? He always has a way to escape. Next time he'll come up with another. Yes, each time we'll be stronger. But also each time he'll be smarter, clever. We need to find out his plans prior to the fight. Otherwise we're defeated."
Cyborg crossed his arms in disgust, "He can't face a good fight. He's not like other villains. Everyone else we've defeated fought until they were done."
Beast Boy shrugged, "Let it go, Robin. We should have a good chance next time," Robin shrugged also, getting up from the floor along with Starfire. Beast Boy looked around, a little concerned, "Do any of you see Raven?"
The titans looked around as well, "She was here when Slade knocked a piece of my armor off me," Cyborg said, "After that I didn't see her at all."
"Where can she be?" asked Starfire in a worried voice, "Could she have ran off with Slade?"
"I'm right here," said a glum voice at the large doorway. It was Raven, her hood was draped and all you could see was her gleaming eyes, "I left because it seemed Robin had it under control."
Robin blushed, "The other titans were fighting too, you know."
"Not that way I saw it," Raven crossed her arms.
"She's right, Robin," said Beast Boy, "None of us had a chance to attack Slade even once."
"Yes, Robin," Starfire added in, "We had our attacks ready, but you had Slade under your own possession."
Robin shook his head, slowly, "Let's just go home."
Raven opened the door to her room and stepped inside. Her eyes immediately adjusted to darkness of the room. She walked over to her bed and laid her head onto the pillow. She closed her eyes and rested her hands to her sides.
"Azrac Metzion Zinthos..." she began, "Power of chakra, I invoke stronger power of you."
Her chakra jewel on her forehead flamed with bright red light.
"Power of chakra, I invoke stronger power of you...I invoke stronger power of you...I invoke...I invoke..."
You cannot rid me just by invoking stronger power.
Raven chanted louder, "Power of chakra, I invoke stronger power of you..."
You cannot hide the fact that you will need more than even all the power of the chakra. Nothing can get rid of me than your frilly little spells, Raven.
"I invoke stronger power of you."
You know what I think? I think that Beast Boy is the one using you the most.
"Power of you..." Raven suddenly became interested, "What?"
You may think he's just an innocent minded freak who changes into animals. But haven't you heard the power of chakra allows animals to become more fierce?
"What do you mean?"
I think that 'Beast Boy' is using you as a titan to get to the power of chakra and steal it from you.
"Fool, no one can steal it!"
That they can. And if you don't join me, you'll be very hurt in a couple of days.
"Power of chakra I invoke stronger power of you...Power of chakra, I invoke stronger power of you..."
Fool! Will you shut up! I'll kill you!
"Power of chakra I invo-" Raven felt a strong force lift her arms and press the palms of her hands into her throat, cutting off her airway. She made slight choking sounds.
Now as long as you're listening, hear this. I have become a part of you this time, I can control your body. I can do what I want. Now, if you choose to join me...
Raven's hands released her throat.
I can let you live, and show you how to rid the Teen Titans for their intentional work. But if you choose to reject me...I can pretty much strangle you or, if I want to be more entertained, I'll find a more blooded way to.
Raven tried to cry, but couldn't.
Oh, you want to cry? I can make you cry...
She felt hot water streaming from her eyes and then down her cheeks. She tried to wipe them away, they were so hot. She hadn't cried in so long, she had forgotten the feeling of such hotness touch her bare flesh. But her tears kept streaming down.
What? You can't handle it? You said you wanted to cry.
"I didn't say anything. You did it."
Feh! Don't get frilly with me, Raven. I would love to do much more, but I'll take it slow. I will no longer talk to you for the rest of the night. But I will continue to let those tears come down until you finally get used to them.
Raven wiped her eyes, her hands also stinging with hot now. She just had to wait, just had to wait until she got used to it...
Raven swung back her hood to her dark cloak and sat down on the curb of an alley. Slade was here again, Robin was fighting him. Why bother fighting if only Robin is involved? She sighed deeply as she pressed her chin into the palms of her hands.
She could sense danger again entering her. The same danger that had got her started in chakra, to keep it away from her. The same danger that had messed up her mind and made her so glum. He was coming again...it was he that had found away to enter her barrier.
He was talking to her now, in her head, tormenting her inside. She wanted to cry, tell it to go away, but she knew very well he wouldn't, even if she did know how to cry. She hadn't cried in years now, nevertheless wanted to. But now she wished she could, to let him know how much she feared him, hated him.
They're not your friends. Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, Cyborg...did you honestly think they let you hang out in the tower because they like you? They want to be your friend? Raven, you deserve better than them. They don't want you any more than you want them.
Raven looked at the ground, "They are my friends," she said in her slow, deepened voice, "And I want them to be..."
They think you're just a weird, depressed little girl who knows nothing useful.
"I helped them find Slade once."
That does not mean anything, Raven. They only let you in the Titan Tower because you are a good fighter and can see things more sharply than themselves. They are using you, Raven. Come with me.
"No! I will never join you. Please go away."
You may be denying it now but later on deep down you'll feel that way, you'll want to leave them. Save yourself the further depression and...
Raven pressed her palms into her ears, "I can't hear you! I can't hear you anymore," he went away and she sighed, taking her palms out of her ears. He was stronger, more annoying this time. She would have to build more chakra power to destroy him this time. Afterwards she would build a mental barrier to block out any other forces.
Slade was breathing hard now, Robin, yes, had gotten stronger than the last time they met. He saw Starfire, a green force forming around both hands. Beast Boy, turning into his gorilla form. Cyborg, his missiles ready to fire. And Robin, holding his fist out, not even bother to use a better defense. But where was the glum looking girl?
"We will surely met again, Titans," Slade said, sneering slightly, although the titans couldn't see it. He reached into his shirt and grabbed a small vile with red liquid inside it, "I can reassure you we'll met very soon."
"Not so fast, Slade," Robin screamed loudly. He ran towards Slade, his fist drawn. Slade thrust the vile in front of him, throwing it to the ground. A powerful red smoke burst out and covered the entire room. Robin covered his eyes, which was stinging from the impact of the smoke and coughing from the strong aroma entering his lungs.
The smoke cleared and everyone slowly opened their eyes, blinking a little to get used to the air again. Robin frantically looked all over the place for Slade. Cyborg shook his head, "Forget it Robin, he got away...again."
Robin slammed his fist into the wall, "No! Not again!" he knelt down on the ground in anger. Starfire walked over to him, putting her arm around his shoulders.
"Do not worry, Robin," she said, in her usual, sweet voice, "We shall catch Slade next time."
"You always say that, Star," Robin replied, "And it never happens."
"We will be stronger then," she said, smiling, "Do you not realize each time we go against Slade, we come closer to defeating him. He would have never gotten away without that smokey-thing he had."
"Yes, Star...but aren't you forgetting something? He always has a way to escape. Next time he'll come up with another. Yes, each time we'll be stronger. But also each time he'll be smarter, clever. We need to find out his plans prior to the fight. Otherwise we're defeated."
Cyborg crossed his arms in disgust, "He can't face a good fight. He's not like other villains. Everyone else we've defeated fought until they were done."
Beast Boy shrugged, "Let it go, Robin. We should have a good chance next time," Robin shrugged also, getting up from the floor along with Starfire. Beast Boy looked around, a little concerned, "Do any of you see Raven?"
The titans looked around as well, "She was here when Slade knocked a piece of my armor off me," Cyborg said, "After that I didn't see her at all."
"Where can she be?" asked Starfire in a worried voice, "Could she have ran off with Slade?"
"I'm right here," said a glum voice at the large doorway. It was Raven, her hood was draped and all you could see was her gleaming eyes, "I left because it seemed Robin had it under control."
Robin blushed, "The other titans were fighting too, you know."
"Not that way I saw it," Raven crossed her arms.
"She's right, Robin," said Beast Boy, "None of us had a chance to attack Slade even once."
"Yes, Robin," Starfire added in, "We had our attacks ready, but you had Slade under your own possession."
Robin shook his head, slowly, "Let's just go home."
Raven opened the door to her room and stepped inside. Her eyes immediately adjusted to darkness of the room. She walked over to her bed and laid her head onto the pillow. She closed her eyes and rested her hands to her sides.
"Azrac Metzion Zinthos..." she began, "Power of chakra, I invoke stronger power of you."
Her chakra jewel on her forehead flamed with bright red light.
"Power of chakra, I invoke stronger power of you...I invoke stronger power of you...I invoke...I invoke..."
You cannot rid me just by invoking stronger power.
Raven chanted louder, "Power of chakra, I invoke stronger power of you..."
You cannot hide the fact that you will need more than even all the power of the chakra. Nothing can get rid of me than your frilly little spells, Raven.
"I invoke stronger power of you."
You know what I think? I think that Beast Boy is the one using you the most.
"Power of you..." Raven suddenly became interested, "What?"
You may think he's just an innocent minded freak who changes into animals. But haven't you heard the power of chakra allows animals to become more fierce?
"What do you mean?"
I think that 'Beast Boy' is using you as a titan to get to the power of chakra and steal it from you.
"Fool, no one can steal it!"
That they can. And if you don't join me, you'll be very hurt in a couple of days.
"Power of chakra I invoke stronger power of you...Power of chakra, I invoke stronger power of you..."
Fool! Will you shut up! I'll kill you!
"Power of chakra I invo-" Raven felt a strong force lift her arms and press the palms of her hands into her throat, cutting off her airway. She made slight choking sounds.
Now as long as you're listening, hear this. I have become a part of you this time, I can control your body. I can do what I want. Now, if you choose to join me...
Raven's hands released her throat.
I can let you live, and show you how to rid the Teen Titans for their intentional work. But if you choose to reject me...I can pretty much strangle you or, if I want to be more entertained, I'll find a more blooded way to.
Raven tried to cry, but couldn't.
Oh, you want to cry? I can make you cry...
She felt hot water streaming from her eyes and then down her cheeks. She tried to wipe them away, they were so hot. She hadn't cried in so long, she had forgotten the feeling of such hotness touch her bare flesh. But her tears kept streaming down.
What? You can't handle it? You said you wanted to cry.
"I didn't say anything. You did it."
Feh! Don't get frilly with me, Raven. I would love to do much more, but I'll take it slow. I will no longer talk to you for the rest of the night. But I will continue to let those tears come down until you finally get used to them.
Raven wiped her eyes, her hands also stinging with hot now. She just had to wait, just had to wait until she got used to it...