A Valentine's Titan
Chapter 2: Something To Hold Onto
It was the next morning when Raven awoke from a fitful slumber. She had fallen asleep on the couch after many hours of thinking, and it had only been a few hours that she had caught. Sighing and yawning, she rubbed a hand through her eye, glancing out the main window of the tower. The sun was barely beginning to rise over East Jump City, and already, she could tell that the day would be beautiful.
"Great..." Standing, she went to the kitchen, using her powers to float a bag of tea down from the top cupboard and turn the dial for the water on the stove. Sitting on a stool, she yawned yet again, placing her head in her hands and waiting for the water to heat.
"Good morning, my friend! What a glorious day!" Raven sighed once more, looking to the left as Starfire swooped in, landing lightly on the stool next to her.
"Is it? I hadn't noticed." The teapot began to whistle slightly, so she moved it away, pouring a cup of water and placing the teabag in it. This she floated over to her position on the bar, landing it in front of her and taking a sip. The burning liquid scalded slightly, but it woke her up all the same.
"Have you not been thinking of our new friend, Analyze? You seemed well taken with him," Starfire said, as if in thought. The sudden thought made Raven choke slightly, and she coughed, setting the cup on the bar and glaring over.
"I haven't been thinking of anything. I've been wondering what Slade is up to. He seemed to appear too suddenly for my taste."
"Yes, the Slade does seem to enjoy appearing at odd intervals and doing things of this sort. But, do not worry. I am sure with our new friend Analyze that we will be victorious when next we meet him!" She smiled, swooping up and landing next to the fridge. "Hmm...I wonder if we have anything to eat." She began rummaging in the fridge, pulling out this and that. In the end, she pulled out a large stack of uneaten pancakes from the previous night, setting them on the table and applying a generous portion of syrup. "Do you not want any of these wonderous pastries, friend Raven?" She blinked as Raven shook her head.
"No. Please, enjoy them. I...have to think about some stuff." Getting up with her tea, she hovered to the door of the tower, opening it and going outside. Closing the door with a thought, she made her way to the shore, to watch the sunrise and contemplate her future. However, she wasn't alone. Analyze stood on the shoreline, watching the waves as they crashed against the rocks. She immediately reddened before realizing what was happening. Calming herself down, she took a breath, and then another. Floating softly down to the shore, she opened her mouth to talk.
"Beautiful, aren't they?" Raven blinked. She hadn't said anything, nor made her presence known.
"What's that?"
"The waves. The waves, Raven." She blinked once more, then turned her attention to the waves. They lapped against the walls of the island, then were pushed back, to be replaced by more.
"They are waves. They are nothing special." Analyze thought about it, than shook his head.
"No. They are more than that. They are...unlike anything on this planet." He turned his head slightly, to talk to her more easily. "Unlike any thing living, they are...unpredictable. Plants grow in the same fashion. They need sunlight, so they will grow towards it. If you cut them, they will grow a certain way. Animals will act how they are created to. They will do what you want by a force of will. You can teach a dog to sit. You can teach a parrot to talk. You can teach a child to spell. You can teach an adult to work. But..." and then he turned back to the waves. "You can't teach a wave to break a certain way. No matter how hard you try, you can't stop the tide from coming in and going out. No force on Earth can stop a tsunami, besides another tsunami. Waves are...non-readable. They are the only thing that I cannot predict." He smiled, releasing a small amount of air in an effort to understand his own words. "I guess...that the waves are somewhat like you, Raven." She inhaled, turning back to him.
"Me? Why me? I'm just like everyone else...predictable." He smiled, turning to face her fully.
"Perhaps...but I am unable to predict your movements. I can predict everyone else's here. Robin uses his strength and force of will to fight. Starfire uses her feelings. Cyborg has his technology, and Beast Boy...well, Beast Boy has..."
"Video games?" Analyze laughed slightly at Raven's joke, nodding.
"In a certain way, yes. He is strong, in his own way, though he may not show it all the time. But you. I haven't figured you out, yet." She blushed, turning her head slightly.
"Why would anyone want to figure me out. I'm...nothing."
"No one is nothing. Especially you." Reaching out, the boy pushed the girl's hair aside, uncovering her face. She made a conscious effort at restraining herself from pushing into his hand, to feel his palm against her flesh. "Never think of yourself as nothing. You are more of a something than anyone has ever known."
"Maybe. But no one would ever want to know..." she began. Analyze smiled once again, turning from her to look at the sunrise once more.
"Perhaps...I do..." She held her breath, staring at the back of his head. What was that supposed to mean?
Suddenly, the outside alarm began to wail. Both teens turned to the tower as Robin's voice came over the intercom. "Titans, trouble downtown! Let's go!" Raven sighed. Another long day. Analyze just smiled, taking her hand.
"Come on, Raven. Let's do what the Titan's do best." She glanced at his hand holding hers, but made no effort to take it off. She allowed him to take her into the tower.
"Come on, y'all! Let's get out of here! Analyze, man! You can come with me, since you can't fly or nothin'!" Analyze nodded at Cyborg, hopping into the car.
"Do you...mind if I come along?" Raven asked, stepping to the door. Cyborg glanced at her, and then scratched his head.
"Yeah...but...don't you wanna fly there?" Raven smiled, shaking her head.
"It'd be nice to have a ride." Cyborg shrugged, popping the lock to the back door.
"Alright then. Get in. But no backseat driving!" Raven smiled, nodding in compliance as she got into the back. "Alrighty then! Let's go kick some butt!" The T-Car sped from the hangar as Robin's cycle followed, pursued by an orange flash in the sky and a large, green bird of prey winging downtown.
"Hrrnnn! Me crash! Me smash! Me destroy you all!" Cinderblock yelled, picking up yet another truck and hurling it through a glass window of a small barber shop. The occupants ran in fear, scattering like ants from a flame as Cinderblock smiled on. "This fun! Me like to smash!"
"Hey! Stonehead!" Cinderblock blinked, turning slightly at the sound. Robin hopped from his bike, landing lightly, his pole already spinning. "It's time to chip you down to size. Titan's, go!"
"Me crush you!" The beast ran forward, slamming its hands down in an attempt to crush his smaller foe. Robin merely hopped backwards, avoiding the attack. A blast of blue energy shot in, hitting Cinderblock full on the face.
"Booyah! Take that, you creep!" Another bolt of energy zipped in, followed closely by two orange streaks of light.
"That is as far as you shall go!" Starfire yelled out, twirling in the air as she released more and more attacks. Cinderblock stepped back, trying to ward off the attacks at the same time as move forward. Robin smiled, a bat-a-rang out of his pouch and ready. Cinderblock was now quite a distance away, still backing up under the relentless attacks.
"It's been a blast, blockhead," Robin said, more under his breath that anything. He let fly with the weapons, watching them swoop towards his target. Cinderblock saw them coming through the hail of fire, and turned, grabbing another vehicle and holding it in front of himself. The weapons slammed down into the fragile metal of the vehicles hull, and it exploded beautifully as it was engulfed in a blaze of fire and smoke. Robin grit his teeth, searching for more weapons and coming up with another pair. "Watch it, you guys!" A guttural roar burst from the smoke, and a rocky figure slammed through the debris, on a crash course with him. Robin's eyes widened as he let loose his two weapons, watching them fly forward. Suddenly, Cinderblock rammed both hands down into the pavement, ripping them back up and making the asphalt buckle under him. It came up in a wave, and Robin's twin attacks smashed into them, exploding uselessly. "What..."
"Me crush you!" A hand, large and grey, shot through the mess, snatching him at the neck and raising him up. Robin vainly struggled, thwacking out with his staff as Cinderblock burst through the mess, standing in full sight. His small, black eyes tightened in glee, watching the struggling Titan in his hands.
"Let...him...GO!" Three bolts of orange light blasted the stone monster from feet to head, and he staggered slightly. However, it didn't make him release his hold.
"Arg...gak..." A beam of blue shot in as well, hitting the beast square in the chest. Cyborg whooped, jumping in and grabbing the large thumb in an attempt to pry the hand apart from his friend. Cinderblock merely laughed.
"You dumb. He dead, no more struggle. Then, I finish you!" Cyborg's teeth gritted as he continued to pull. Starfire zipped in, pulling on the opposite end. By now, Robin was almost out of breath. Every gasp was coming with extreme pain, and he could feel himself blacking out.
"Azerath Metrione ZINTHOS!" Cinderblock's hand was covered in a black aura as Raven desperately strained her mental capacities in an effort to loosen Cinderblock's grip on her friend.
"Hahaha! You little insects. Cinderblock crush his head, then he crush rest of Titans. You all be crushed!" Raven grunted with her effort. However, not even she could stave off the attack of the brutish beast.
"Hn. Alright, got it!" The battle seemed to stop as Analyze walked forward, almost nonchalantly. Cyborg grimaced, his face lighting up.
"Got it? What's that supposed to mean, got it?" Analyze shrugged, walking up to Cinderblock and taking a look at him.
"Just what it means. I got it." He poked a place on Cinderblock's chest, noticing that the beast hardly even flinched as his hand met stone.
"Hahaha! You think you tiny man can beat Cinderblock? You are foolish me thinks. Hahaha!" The monster laughed, roaring out its hilarity as Analyze continued to work his way around.
"Good. Beast Boy, come over here a moment." Beast Boy, who had, by that time, not actually attacked at all, poked a finger to his chest.
"Er...me?" Analyze nodded, so Beast Boy walked forward, scratching his head.
"Hahaha! You no hurt Cinderblock! Cinderblock un-hurtable!" Analyze smiled up at him.
"Whatever you say, big boy!" Turning back to Beast Boy, he nodded at him. "I need you to take the form of something...let's see. Big and strong..."
"Big and strong? How about this?" With that, Beast Boy folded in on himself, turning into a large, male silverback gorilla. Analyze sighed, and then nodded.
"Yeah, that'll do. Hit here, please." Marking a small spot under the beast's right arm, he stepped back. Though the green Titan was unaware that the attack would do any good, he decided to go ahead with it. Rearing back, he threw his hand forward with a roar. The large fist slammed into the stone giant, and he smiled as a loud crunch echoed throughout.
"Hahaha! You think that does anything to the great Cinderblock? Hahaha!" Beast Boy howled in rage and pain, transforming back to himself and wringing out his hand.
"Oh ow...ow ow ow...ouch..." Analyze winced, feeling the blow in his own hand.
"Yeah, sorry. I should have warned you about that..." he said, apologetically.
"Uh...yeah, duh..." Beast Boy replied, his hand still throbbing.
"Hahaha! You pathetic little ants. No man can stand against Cinder..." the beast began, than stopped. His face fell, and he stood, blinking slightly and beginning to waver. His hand suddenly loosed, Robin dropping with a grunt to the ground. As Cinderblock swayed, he toppled backward, releasing a groan from his mouth as he hit the ground with a thud. The Titans stood around the fallen enemy, his groans reaching their ears.
"He has fallen, and cannot get back up," Starfire said. She smiled over at the brown-haired boy, grabbing his hands and swinging him around. "Most excellent work, friend Analyze! You have succeeded in vanquishing our foe!" Analyze smiled at her, and then released her grip from him, standing with a coy look on his face.
"No no. I didn't do anything, really. It was all Beast Boy. He was the one who beat Cinderblock. I just...helped..."
"I did what now?" Beast Boy asked, glancing dumbly at the boy. Before he could get a reply, he was picked up and placed on a set of metallic shoulders.
"Ah yeah! My man BB saves the day. Hoooowwweee!" Cyborg smiled up at his small friend, who blinked stupidly, then smiled.
"Well...I guess I did, huh?"
"Oh, you did so wonderfully, Beast Boy. Robin would be a pile of glarshnak if you hadn't saved him. Well done, indeed!" Starfire smiled, grabbing the green boy and twirling him around. Analyze watched, glad that she wasn't doing so with him.
"Hey Star...I'm glad I helped and all...but could you possibly let me down?" Starfire grunted, setting Beast Boy back down.
"A million pardons, friend Beast Boy. I am just overjoyed with our success. I believe that another feast of pancakes is needed here."
"Ah no, Star. It's time for...pizza madness!" Cyborg yelled. Beast Boy smiled, nodding.
"Yeah! With onions, and olives, and green peppers, and..."
"And meat!" Beast Boy's face fell, looking over at his friend.
"Meat? Blech! We need some good old veggies!"
"No pizza is good without meat!"
"Every pizza is good...especially without meat!"
"No way!"
"Yes way!"
"No way!"
"Friends, let us not argue. Let us get two pizzas, then we will all be happy." Starfire smiled wide, and it seemed to appease the Titans quarreling.
"Fine...but we'll need more than just two. We'll need at least...ten or so."
"Yeah! At least!" Soon, Cyborg and Beast Boy were lost in their pizza dreams. Robin shook his head, his brain still reeling from oxygen deprivation at the hands of Cinderblock.
"Good work, Analyze. You came in real handy in this battle." Analyze smiled over at him.
"Thanks. He was really easy to read. When you were fighting him, I noticed he was keeping that spot well protected. He lost because he thought he was invincible." Robin smiled, nodding.
"Well, good work anyways. I was too busy being choked to notice." Turning to the beast on the ground, he grimaced. "I'll wait for the police to come and take this scum bag away. The rest of you can go back to the tower and..."
"I'll stay here." The sentence caused the three still listening to him to turn.
"No, really. You don't have to. I'll stay. I didn't really do much in that fight anyways."
"No, please Robin. I'll stay. You were in that monster's grip. You need to rest."
"Yes, please come back to the tower, Robin. You may be injured," Starfire said. Suddenly, her hand flew to his temple. "You may be sicker than last night. Perhaps you need bed rest. I will care for you, Robin." Robin blinked, feeling his face turn red.
"Star, I'm not sick."
"They why's your face so red, huh?" Robin's face fell as he turned to confront the other two, who had given up on their pizza quest long enough to make fun of him.
"Haha...very funny." Turning back to Analyze, he sighed. "Well, if you think you can manage him, then..."
"Of course. I've read him. He's pretty much through." Raven nodded in agreement.
"Alright then. Titans, let's go home."
"Booyah! Pizza time!" Cyborg yelled out, grabbing Beast Boy and throwing him into the T-Car. Raven watched them wrestle for a moment before turning to Analyze.
"Are you sure you'll be alright here? I...I can stay if you like?" Analyze smiled at her crookedly.
"No, it's alright. I'll be there in a few. The police here are rather fast, what with all the criminals and such." Raven sighed, nodding as she replaced her hood.
"Ok. I'll wait for you at the tower." Analyze nodded. Turning her head slightly to see if anyone was watching, she steeled herself, going up to the boy quickly and giving him a peck on the cheek. "Hurry back, alright?" The boy smiled at her.
"You can bet on it." She smiled back, and then turned, floating off into the distance. Starfire joined her as the T-Car and Robin's cycle sped away below them. Starfire glanced at her friend, and then blinked.
"Friend Raven...why is your face so red? Are you...'sick'? Must you lie down?"
"It's nothing, Star. Forget it," said Raven, with a smug smile that couldn't be seen from under her cloak.
As Analyze watched the Titan's flit away, his eyes flickered, a ray of light shooting through them. "Hn." Walking over to Cinderblock, the boy grimaced down at him. With a kick to the monster's face, he huffed. "Stupid idiot. Slade thought you were stronger than this." Soon, the sound of sirens caught the boy's attentions. Turning his head to the right to pick up the sound, he smiled. "Well, here they come, right on schedule." Kneeling to the beast's head, he put his mouth up to its ear. "You know what to do. Remember, Slade and I are counting on you. Tomorrow, this city is ours. Do not fail us." Cinderblock blinked once. Three squad cars and a special vehicle for transport arrived, and five heavily clad officers hopped out, leveling weapons at Cinderblock. A pair of laser shackles clamped down on his hands, and he was roughly hauled up. Prodded into the transport, he turned, eying Analyze as the boy watched. A flash of light shot through his eyes as the door slammed shut and the police and vehicle left. All was quiet on the street as Analyze glanced up at the darkening sky. It had been morning just hours ago, or so he thought. Perhaps the battle had lasted much longer than just an hour or two.
"Have you succeeded?" Analyze blinked, glancing down at his wrist. A small light blinked.
"Yes. I have."
"Good work...my young apprentice. Return to the tower. Do not allow them to suspect anything." Analyze smiled, nodding as another light ray flew through his white pupils.
"Right. We'll have our city. I'll remain here, doing what I do best. Analyzing the situation and coming up with the best theories."
"Excellent...Keep in contact..."
"Right. Goodbye...Slade..." His wrist beeped slightly, and he closed the connection. Looking up into the darkness of the sky, he smiled. "Tomorrow's Valentine's Day. I should give Raven a present...one she'll never forget...ha ha...ha ha ha...HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"
A/N: As I've said, I've tried to make this cannon. Oh! Sorry to everyone that this chapter didn't come out on Monday. Class and computer problems.
As an added bonus, I've decided that the last chapter will not be humongous! Therefore, instead of this being three chapters, it will be four! One will be added on Wendesday, the 13th, and the last on the 14th, which is Valentine's Day.
