Disclaimer: I don't own the rock statue named Terra, The boy wonder Robin, The jokester Beast boy, or any of the other Titans. In fact, I don't even own the show; except for the idea of an illicit relationship between birdbrain and the earthmover.
Summery: After their midnight rendezvous upon the rocks, we know now that Robin has had some change within him, which has been impressed upon him by the rock mover. Her influence, and Slade's constant interaction has made him a bit more calculated that usual. In this chapter, we see his exchanges with Raven, the dark telepath of the Titans. Hopefully, his black mail is not too horrible…. One never knows what will arise from within the inner workings of the human mind….
((Chapter 2))
"Mendacious Lips"
"Dare to be true;
Nothing can need a lie.
The fault that needs one most
Grows two near by."
-George Herbert-
Above the fair Jump City that the Teen Titans so cautiously guarded and watched over, a massive storm brewed. Darkened gray clouds mixed with their gloomy pitch-black counterparts, intertwining, and merging, to form a steady and overwhelming line of billowing haze. Again and again, earsplitting thunderclaps sounded, announcing the storms arrival.
Yet this colossal climate change from such a bright and sunny day did nothing to disrupt the dark blue-clad sorceress Raven, who continued to read, despite the deafening noise erupting from the clouds outside. Sitting upon the fiesta red circular couch, the girl simply ignored the overcast skies outside, and instead concentrated on the book she currently was involved in.
Not even a piercing crash coming from the Tower's kitchen could tear the girl away from her novel, her brow furrowed and her violet eyes strained in focus. No- she merely disregarded the confused cries of the alien across the room, who had- due to the explosion mentioned earlier- spilled some type of purple substance all over the walls. The empath wiped purple goop from off of her leather bound book, and continued to read.
Blackened and musty, the book she held was aged with time, yet another novel she had picked from her expansive selves. Through the water damage, ripped pages, bent spine, and tattered edges, the faint color of maroon could be seen. Once, long ago, the book must have been this bright color, yet it had faded from the years of use.
Swish. Here another page was turned; as yet another crash erupted from the kitchen. Raven continued on, despite the disturbances around her.
"Yo- Rae- what'cha doin'?" A cheerful voice inquired, belonging to a tall dark-skinned cybernetic titan. He entered from the far end of the living room, just as the doors to the elevator pinged, and then closed. Once more, the dark titan refused to answer, her mind busy deciphering the Azarath language into Latin, and from there, into English. Nothing could deter her from her task. And as the tall Titan realized this- he walked over towards the sticky purple goo- mess that the alien StarFire had made.
Chaos ensued, but Raven ignored it. Silence enveloped her mind, as she blocked out the voices of her fellow teammates. Swish. She turned another page, and continued to translate.
"What's up Raven?" A green boy, about half the height of the cybernetic man asked, as he walked into the room, or rather, flied. His body quickly changed into a green-feathered raven, which landed next to the girl. "What's with the funny picture book?" he questioned, as he changed back into a human once more.
The mute lips of the ice-queen Raven ceased to move. Sadly, the changeling named Beast Boy hadn't the slightest idea he insulted not just Raven's "funny picture book", but her native language and writing as well. Nevertheless, the sorceress continued to contemplate not on the idiot seated next to her, but on her reading.
"Have you seen Terra?" the green-boy demanded finally, exasperated at being ignored by the girl. Outside, a thunderous bang was heard, followed by a slight shake of the ground. Heavy drops of rain pelted the huge clear glass windows that adorned the side of the Titans Tower. And as two mauve eyes raised themselves from the faded pages of print and gradually rose, lighting flashed before yet another onslaught of thunder.
Slowly, the faded maroon book was lowered, as the hooded teenager turned her body towards the changeling. Her eyes after that single question darkened to a state at which they too, looked as though they were harboring massive storm clouds. Perhaps it was Beast Boy's imagination, but he could have sworn days later, that lighting flashed within those lilac orbs. To describe Raven as angry at that very moment would have been quite an understatement.
Acid seemed to escape her lips as she said in a not-so-subtle tone, "WHY DON'T YOU GO AND ASK WONDER BOY?" As fast as his shaking legs could carry him, the frightened boy leapt from the scarlet couch, and ran away from the livid Raven.
"Why doesn't he ask me what?" an authoritive voice stipulated, as the traffic-light costumed leader of the Titans grabbed Beast Boy's shoulder and dragged him back into the living room area.
"N-n-n-n-n-nothing…" the green boy managed to sputter, as he turned into a fly and flew away, as fast as his poor insect wings could carry him. Steam seemed to escape the ears of the fuming Raven, who simply picked up her book and tried to walk away. But of course, leave it to Robin to forcefully block her path.
"Move wonder bread." She said, almost spitting the words out through her teeth. But her clearly deaf leader refused to budge, folding his arms across his chest.
"We need to talk Raven," he plainly stated, even as his counterpart narrowed her eyes. Crossly, she tried to side step him, but was blocked. "Get out of my way Robin," she spat out.
"Not until we talk."
"I'm sorry- I don't make it a habit of talking to scum bags," the dark sorceress retorted, as she forcefully pushed the boy out of her way. But before she could make her exit, Robin grabbed her book out of her hands, and ripped a page from its carefully glued spine.
Riiiipppp…The book groaned in pain, as its missing page, like precious blood, fell to the floor, crinkled and torn. "No…" a broken voice moaned, belonging to the suddenly subjugated Raven. "That book was …"
"I'll burn it Raven…" Robin threatened, as he held it high in the air, a sudden bargaining tool, and hostage in his hands. Outside of the Tower, the rain continued to fall, forming puddles in the dark brown mud. "I need to see you in my workroom in ten minutes," he finally decreed, after a loud clap of thunder. "If I don't see you there, I will burn this," he finished as he walked away, gesturing to the maroon novel.
"May I ask as to why?" she managed to say, before the boy was out of earshot.
"No." was his straightforward and painful answer. That one word came out, sounding almost like a train, grinding to a halt. Raven slowly bent over, and picked up the faded page on the carpeted floor, ignoring the tears she knew were welding beneath her closed eyes. Azar would have scolded her for being so sentimental about such a trivial object- but would Arella be angry with her as well? The dark girl brought the small piece of paper close to her chest, hugging it almost as if it were a long-lost relative.
Against her better judgment Raven knew- she had to have that book...
Never had the eyes of anyone but Robin himself beheld the darkness of his workroom, a masterpiece of newspaper clippings tacked onto his walls and high-tech computers that began where the paper ended and the charts commenced. State-of-the-art machines graced the far east wall, covered with complicated modules and control devices. Next to them, a large black safe sat, covered in a thin layer of dust. Inside, a belt and other tools lay, a reminder of the boy wonders past mistakes.
Cautiously, Raven stepped into this world-bordering obsession, where pictures of Slade littered even the ceiling, and covered the work desk at the center of the room. An orange and black mask hung on the wall to the right of the empath, broken and sliced into two. On it's forehead, the calligraphy "S" smoldered still- screaming disdainful remarks at the girl as she walked by. Shamefully, Raven drew her cape over her bare legs, which once would have flashed with red inscriptions.
"Do you want it Raven?" a voice asked, from across the dark room, as Robin stepped out from the far right corner. The small minuscule light bulb that hung from the ceiling did little to illuminate the room, but provided lighting over the caped boy's face. In his green-gloved hand, he held the painful keepsake that Raven had so vigilantly kept close to her, and away from the others.
"Give it back Robin…" she managed to finally command, as she stepped forward towards him. The maroon cover disappeared into the darkness, a fleeting tease in the violet eyes of the girl. Somehow, the situation modeled that of a school-yard bully in elementary school, taunting a younger child with his own possession, perhaps his lunch. Again and again, the bully would pull the lunch just beyond the poor boys reach, laughing at the others embarrassment. Again and again, Robin pulled the last remaining reminder Raven had of her days upon Azarath away from her, seemingly laughing in her wake.
"Robin…I swear….by all the gods of Azarath…I'll..." Raven threatened, her voice rising.
"You'll what? Blow up and kill us all with your uncontrollable powers, which have grown since your little confrontation with daddy?" Robin mocked, smiling. Sheer horror blanketed the face of the once seething Raven, whose lips parted in shock.
"H-h-h-how…Do you know?" she answered, as the boy walked over to his desk and sat in his chair.
"Recently, it has come to my attention- that you've threatened a dear friend of mine," Robin continued, ignoring entirely Raven's question. He absent-mindedly shuffled some of his papers, moving them from the right side of the steel desk, to the left. "They have told me that you might indeed put their relationships in jeopardy, all because of their "nightly activities"…."
"You little piece of shi-"
"I can't have that Raven- you know this. Terra is a close friend of mine…"
"More like your whore!" Raven screamed, as she stepped forward, her anger boiling over. However, before she could take a single step more, Robin held a lighter close to the precious Azarath book, silently staring at the dark sorceress.
"A single word more, or even a movement towards me- and the book burns Raven," he explained, as he continued. "I would really like to keep my dear friend happy, but it seems that the source that threatened her informed her she would tell Beast Boy about her "nightly activities". We can't have that now can we?" Raven didn't know if Robin was expecting a response, but kept her mouth shut just in case. Unknowingly, she brought her cape closer to her already chilled body.
"So here's the deal Raven-" Robin at last recounted, "You shut up about the our little night time serenades, and fail to mention it to either Beast Boy or Star fire, and we won't 'shoot the messenger', so to speak."
"You are one sick bastard…" Raven observed, her tart response to Robin's speech piercing. "Burn the fucking book, I don't care- I'm going to tell them all what an evil and immorally driven person she's made you- and you can't fucking stop me…." With that the dark enchantress turned, making her way to the dark steel door she knew lead out to the Tower's hallway.
"You think they'll believe you? Please. I'm sure that after you tell them that the whole system and structure we have is corrupt, that their beloved leader is malevolent and evil and sleeping with the new recruit, and that all they know and cherish is a lie, they'll be glad to reprimand me. Right after they put you in an insane asylum." Robin countered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. The sorceress's hand had barely grazed the cold metal handle of the door when it fell to her side in defeat.
A thick manila folder fell from Robin's hands onto his desk in front of him. Red ink labeled the folder officially in a blotted stamp, as "CLASSIFIED". Inwardly, Raven cringed as she turned and laid eyes upon the object, so plainly directed towards her.
"Face it Raven- I have enough in this folder to get you thrown out of this tower, and arrested by the inter-galactic police. I'm sure they'd like to know the real cause for the destruction of Azarath, and I'm sure they'd pay a hefty price to who-ever turned in one of the most powerful and out-of control half-demons in the universe." Again- Ravens heart sank, as she realized her leader had used his power to control her once more. Her past had caught up with her, and running away wouldn't help her this time.
With great unease, she took the book from Robin's hands, nodded twice, and with reluctance managed to inform him that her lips would not utter another word of the matter. "Nightly private Activities are meant to be kept private." She assured him, shame present on her face as she walked out of that demoralizing and oppressive room.
With her hood pulled fully over her head, she warily concealed her face, strewn unknowingly with wet, salty tears. Lines of wet pain drained from her violet eyes, forgotten sins rediscovered. Robin- that once caring individual she had trusted- held the scalpel, carving into her old wounds, and ripping through the weak stitches. An old ache- and an old sting- ripped open.
Images of the poor souls of Azarath haunted the dark Raven, screaming and screeching violently, blaming her for their eternal misery and suffering. SHE had caused it all- she had destroyed their world. In their final hours, they had tried desperately to perform one last binding spell upon the half-demon child, but their chants proved to be inadequate. Her birth was a sinful mistake- a plague brought on by Trigon and carried out by her. The circle of tall white candles, incantations written on the floor in blood, and even the head priest Azar could not stop the surge of power that erupted from the girl.
Raven had killed them all- and demolished their planet as well.
Looking up from her huddled spot on the cold granite floor, the young child of Azarath beheld the last blistered and burned remains of the priests. The smell of rotting flesh reached her nostrils, reminding her of just what she had done.
RED. The color of blood. It covered the engraved floor.
BLACK. The color of death. The high priest Azar's face resembled not humanity, but the bleak image of demise. His skull was almost eaten through entirely, revealing to the girl his wet and dripping brain matter, which spilled out of his burnt head.
GRAY. The color of ash. It swirled in the gust of wind that passed through the demolished temple- carrying the last remnants of the Azarath monks.
BLUE. The color of Arella's robe, draped over her scorched carcass. Tentatively, Raven stepped from her spot on the floor, and over to her mothers body. "Mother?" she called over and over…but received no answer.
MAROON. The color of the Azarathian spell book, which the young half-demon took from her dead mother's burnt hands. Tears ran down the pale cheeks of the girl, as she ran away…far away…
'Arella…' Raven wondered…. 'Did you mean for such pain when you let me live beyond my birth?'
'Dear mother…did you mean for your own demise?'
'Forgive me…please…'
Author's Note: Ummm…. Heh…. Happy huh? Maybe this is a little late- but this chapter is kind of sad. Perhaps I should have warned you. Heh…ANYWAY! Lets get onto more important issues. Like…the fact I haven't updated in an extremely long time. I'm sorry about that guys- I've been pretty busy with school. Hell- Kat hasn't gotten a reply to her e-mail she sent me from APRIL. (Sorry Kat- I'll write a reply! I swear!) Also- I'm really sorry to everyone who has been waiting for an update on my other stories- I've had a lot to do!
Special Note: Considering the fact that now I've just decided to use my own idea for the blackmail, (not hinting that your ideas weren't good or anything. They would probably make this story FAR more complicated than I'm willing to make it.) I now need to ask how you would blackmail Cyborg as well. (NO- I'M NOT GIVING ANY SPIOLERS FOR NEXT CHAPTER.) It'll fit in! I swear it will. You'll just have to wait and see how the next chapter works, and how the blackmail all fits in.
AND….(drumroll)….I have a hint for you! Next chapter Terra's master plan and involvement with Slade will be revealed! Da-da-dum!
CLICK THE PURPLE BUTTON.
Ultra Special Note: Do any of you happen to know why water has more surface tension that other liquids? I'm trying to do my Chem. right now- and I have like three more pages to finish…Anyone? Anyone at all:holds up jar of cookies: You'll get a cookie….
Bah- REVIEW.
-See you in the Ninth Circle of Hell,
BitterSweetArtist14