Thanks for reading. It really does mean a lot to me that people are taking the time to read this.

Beta-ed by OMG Pterodactyls and Broconi. Thanks guys, this wouldn't have gotten off the ground without you.


There was a moment of complete silence as each of them took in what Kikao just said, no emotions. Raven opened her mouth but snapped it shut with enough force to bruise her jaw. Something had been off about his emotions, a younger girl had thought it was because he wasn't fully human, but now she could only be impressed-to have imitated emotions that well as to fool even Mento, herself, the Martian Manhunter and every other mind reader he had ever come across. Deadpool had known, he was far too aware of insanity for it to slip past him especially when it was as potent as the one his boss carried. Everyone else was far too shocked for their mind to process, Bee most of all, she had seen him as a happy-go-lucky joker. But he wasn't.

Punk Rocket sat down and crossed his legs behind him with his guitar a few feet in front of him. Mumbo snarled, an atrociously un-intimidating look on his long nosed blue face. The green man looked at Deadpool who nodded and snapped at Raven "Ravie, other side and pull. Now!" it wasn't a very nice voice but Raven complied with Wade's command and seconds later Kikao was nowhere to be seen.

He reappeared a few feet to the left of the group "Okay Mumbo, let's see who's faster on the draw"

"Fine then, Mumbo Ju-" and it was over. A clean slice right through the heart. But no blade.

Turning to see how Kikao had moved they noticed he didn't. But then again he wasn't a creature they had ever seen before. At a first glance it looked like a hyena, the front legs longer than the back but they were much to short for the creature that sat on them, being only three-and-a-half and three respectively there was no way for the eight foot long creature to run at any speed, being tear shaped with a belly nearly four feet around and with a head the size of a large watermelon. Though the creature did have a defense, from the tip of it's nose to the end of it's rump was long hair set in spikes making it a painful opponent to attack from any angle. The creature opened it's mouth again and pulsing vibrations rushed out of it's mouth to shred the hat that had caused the Titans so much trouble.

When Kikao shifted back the rope that had bound them was gone and Bee asked the question that was on everyone's mind "What was that?"

Twisting his neck painfully he answered "Single trait mutations. I choose a trait and let my powers direct it, that was for a compressed sound wave, faster than his chant." and he turned to see Deadpool glaring at Raven "Deadpool, I want you to take Punk Rocket to jail."

The black and red scowled "Why me?"

"Because you need time to cool down, I'd go with you but I'm hungry" and as if his body wanted to speak for itself a deep malicious growl echoed from his stomach and he opened his communicator "Heph , I need you to prep the Omega cell." and he grabbed the body of the magician before disappearing.

Wade tsked but did as he was asked and waited for the police while the others climbed in the humvee, Bee met Raven's eyes "We need to talk" the pale girl nodded and they soon had the car parked in the garage and were going about their own things.

Raven started by answering the question she knew Bee was going to ask at some point "Yes, he is eating Mumbo's body"

"B-But that's cannibalism!" Raven was rather glad that they were in the room Bee was staying in, the soundproofing was very good in this corner room.

"No, not really. Cannibalism is described as the eating of ones own species and seeing as Gar isn't human then it's not."

Bee grit her teeth and moved on "Okay. So forgetting all this eating a villain crap do you mind telling me about that little episode we were shown?"

Raven gritted her teeth "Wait for Deadpool, he's the only one probably more angry at me than you are."

"And why's that?" the irritation in the East's leader was palpable.

"Because unlike anything you know Gar gave him a home, a place where his insanity didn't ostracize him"

Bee left and an hour later Wade walked in and glared at Raven before growling "My room. Now" and soon all three were in his room. Reflecting on things for a moment Wade realized that his boss knew him too well, even with a few hours of cooling off he was still angry beyond belief and if they had tried this when he was riled up… "Tell me why you seemed to enjoy throwing him into that wall"

Raven sat on his desk and watched as the other two each took a side of the bed to sit on and stare at her "That…episode was taken only a few months before we-" she choked. She couldn't help it, even to her what lead to Beast Boy's banishment from the Titan's was unpleasant "I am and have been in love with Nightwing, or Robin as he was known then, I had locked the door during the night but there had been a power surge that had shorted the door…I was so preoccupied I didn't hear him until the door opened." she paused a moment, Bee seemed less angry but Wade…he was unreadable in that moment so she trudged on "during that time there was animosity towards him. He was more hated then any of the villains I can think of. There wasn't anyone who would have stood up for him. But I have to say…yes, at the time I did enjoy throwing him into that wall"

There were two deep and sudden cracks, the first was Deadpool slamming his fist down on his thigh hard enough to pull his femur down and rip the flesh from his fibula and tibia and shatter his patella. The second was him slapping Raven across the cheek. His eyes were so full of rage that it pushed his insanity to the side and Raven, her own admission of guilt, didn't even show the four eyes that would have appeared for any other reason. Suddenly it wasn't the usually friendly Deadpool talking to the second in command of the Order of the Fallen Graces. This was the Second Commander of the Nightmare Guard and one of the most feared mercenaries in the world commanding Raven Roth to speak "You have fifteen seconds to explain to me why I should allow you to stay alive. Go"

She didn't waste any time "When I found out what the influxes were I found Gar and saw what he was doing, I had thought that Trigon was the strongest thing in existence but seeing a few of those kids I realized I was wrong. I stayed because I knew those kids could use my help and I'll do anything I can for them."

She looked at Deadpool who only said "12:43. Get out now" they complied. Stepping out they saw the time and groaned. They had to face Kikao's training in the morning, quickly they rushed to sleep knowing the next day wouldn't leaved them unscathed.


When Bee found herself in the training room…it wasn't what she expected, before she fell asleep she managed to convince Raven to show her what the gods would look like, and there they were, each armed with their favorite weapons, the Nightmare Guard and herself. But at the moment they all surrounded the form of Kikao, kneeling with his arms chained behind his back, from shoulder to hand bound so tightly that his bones creaked, from the visuals room a story up Hephaestus' voice bounced around "The normal-20 minutes of just trying to hit him, no counters. Go" and that's what it was. Kikao dodging and slipping between all of them trying to avoid getting touched by anything.

And it was here where Bee got another taste of his insanity, how he moved, dodged wasn't human, she became aware of his body bending in ways that defied bones, if they snapped he didn't care, they healed quickly enough to counter any inconvenience, to evade a bear arm swiping over head, a tooth and bone club from behind and Raven's black bullet he had slid on his knees with his back centimeters from the floor with his arms between his spread knees before he leapt straight up from that position a good ten feet and somehow managing to land on his feet and keep running. As the bell rang nobody could complain, the 'attackers' fell to the floor and started panting while the 'target' drenched with sweat let the chains fall before walking around and handing each of them a bottle of water while taking only a small sip of his own.

The control woman gave them five minutes before it came time for 'sparing' them versus him, last man standing was the winner, he was chained again and couldn't shift. Everyone else was allowed all their powers. Raven and Bee remembered when this lesson was buried into his heart, a joint training between East and West many years ago when all was bright in the world, Robin made the remark that while Beast Boy was the most versatile he lacked what each of the others had- hand to hand experience, yes, he was skilled in martial arts but he needed more than that.

Now Bee only wanted to knock the mask off the boy. Apparently whatever else had been said to the boy had fueled the fire of the young man. Each fist that was blocked or kick that clipped them stung horribly, at one point she dodged a fist to the stomach only to have it connect with her shoulder and render the entire appendage ablaze in pain, quickly flexing the fingers she barely gripped her stingers before resuming the attack from a distance.

Even then it didn't improve their chances, having every ranged fighter being set apart only gave him more time to dodge, each projectile missing by a hairs breadth. Their only victory was minor, he was covered in sweat to the point where he had slipped once, but he was on his feet and dodged the attacks that came for in easily and only returned an attack when he was sure it could hit. And he didn't miss any opportunity to paint them black and blue, even those at a distance were marked by the end. The sudden end.

A speck of blood. In the entire world there was no more a foul coincidence, after his meal the taste of blood was at the forefront of his mind as the predators bayed for more, his anger also at a near peak, his adrenaline at a constant high. Then came a single speck of blood, after a nasty hit Ares had fallen to the floor and bit his lip, as the tiniest bit of blood roused more of the predator another hit found him and the blood went sailing. And as if deemed by the cosmic god of bad fate it landed in the panting mouth of Kikao who let loose a deep growling roar before leaping towards the Greek God of War.

Then it all turned white and before them was a picture perfect field with a small waterfall and a few trees. Kikao was asleep on a hammock some distance in front of them.

Only then did they hear the voice "My heart, why must you be so stubborn?" and she seemed to just appear behind them. Even Raven couldn't stop the gasp that escaped when they turned, this woman was beautiful, her hair was so perfect a gold it shamed the rings that the gods wore and her skin so perfectly tanned that it reflected the sun of the realm perfectly, her eyes so blue that one could fathom the depths of the sea in them. The gods bowed before disappearing their portals trembling with fear.

The lady brushed past them without looking, only a motioning of her hand told them that she was even aware of them and with no visible sign before the hammock where Gar lay seven chairs of earth formed and they each took a seat in a gentle curve that faced the final chair close to the shape shifter. Slowly their host brushed a thumb against his cheek with a sigh.

Artio, the one who had been with Kikao the longest spoke first "I've seen you before…"

The lady smiled with perfect teeth "You have, once in a dream. Though for everyone else this is our first meeting and I never introduced myself to you." she turned and suddenly an invisible breeze past by them "I'm Garfield's birth mother"

Raven gaped "That's impossible, his birth mother died when she went over the waterfall"

The lady gave a smile that didn't reach her eyes "I suppose you went through his dreams again, but how, pray tell, did you think he became the head of the Order when he was born to two humans?"

"I thought that the serum held a fragment of god DNA"

Their host put a finger to her chin "Well, you're not wrong. But the truth is a bit more then that so I'll leave it for later"

Bee looked at Gar "It seems we have time now, so why don't you start at the beginning?"

"Reasonable request" and they all turned to stare at where it came from. Deadpool, who was currently having a staring contest with a rubber chicken.

"Well if Wade tells me that's reasonable I guess it is…very well" the lady turned to face them but she always had a hand on their boss "Here is the super abbreviated version. I'm…a lady should never admit this…old. Very old. And during that time the only thing I had to keep me company was my sister and whatever I created. But even then boredom is quite the monster. After I saw humans I decided that it might be fun to just live as one for awhile. So I took on a body and sealed my memories of being me and lived a happy life. Got married to a man I loved and we journeyed around the world. Then came Garfield's first death." she was silent for awhile "My memories unsealed parts of themselves and I managed to create, with my husband, a serum that would activate the tiniest bit of the powers that lay inside him. That's why nobody could recreate it, the serum didn't cure anything. The next notable thing was my death. When we went over the falls we did indeed pass from this world. That's why my husband has passed into my sisters hands. I, however cannot pass through the veil under my own power. Thus here I am"

Deadpool responded with a blank face and possibly the most convincing tone that anyone had heard "That explains everything…and nothing." he scratched the top of his head "Okay, lets start with who exactly are you and how many eyes do you have?"

This was one of those moments where Raven was glad her father had four eyes, meaning she was stronger than most any other god in any pantheon. The number of eyes was a direct relation to how powerful a creature was. The lady gave a tiny smile "My name, in your language, is Gaia, as for eyes…I lost count"

But the group lost it at 'Gaia' Creator of All Worlds, Mother of Life, Mother Nature, God in any other word.

Artio chuckled as her hands shook "Well, that explains a lot…" suddenly she felt lightheaded and flopped to the ground before muttering to herself "raised by the son of the single most powerful being in existence with unlimited eyes and I didn't notice…seven whole years and I didn't notice" Calypso, Surt and Deadpool joined in on muttering under their breaths.

The girls and Deadpool were asleep at a wave of Gaia's hand and she leaned over to the two girls "Don't worry, they're just asleep because what I have to say next stays between the three of us and they were far too noisy"

Raven and Bee were scared. This woman's smile didn't meet her eyes and she looked ready to tear their throats out at the slightest provocation, they were spared the deathly silence when Gaia spoke again "When Garfield died the second time I brought him here and allowed him to ask the Fates two questions. Unlike what humans think the Fates don't weave or break the Threads of Fate, they judge the probability of things happening. Gar's first question is would he ever fall in love with somebody who returned it"

Her eyes were glued to Raven who shivered "They laughed. That's the first time they have ever laughed, the probability was so small as to appear to them as absolute zero." the woman threw the chair that she had been sitting on and a sudden crack confirmed that somewhere a dead planet was destroyed. She stood and continued with much pacing with her face a mask of fury "They gave him a free question since he made them laugh…"it was apparent to the two that he hadn't been happy when they laughed and neither was his mother but for a question from the Fates he endured it "He asked if he would ever have biological children…again the number was so near zero that to them it appeared to be so. His last question was would he ever be so far gone that he would destroy creation." here she stopped for a full minute as she tried to calm herself and close some of the multitude of eyes that opened up in her anger. "They told him that if he didn't have children or a relationship then he was 73% certain of going so far into his insanity that he wouldn't come back, of that there was a damn near 100% chance of him destroying everything."

Raven twisted her hands thoroughly "Why are you telling us this?"

She turned away "I'm telling you because those three asked that I tell you. And to be honest even if he destroys everything I'll be left and I don't want to start creation over from scratch, nor do I want to lose my only real child"

"What do you mean real child?" Bee mused, covering her mouth at the slip.

"Each child I've made until him as been molded exactly as I wanted. He comes from part of me and part of Mark. Beyond giving him life I haven't influenced him at all besides what memories he has from before the accident and what I've told him the times he's been here."

Raven glanced at her counterpart for a moment "Why even bring us into this conversation? We don't see him that way…and to be honest I already have feeling for someone-"

"And you're aiming for the time when he and Starfire are broken up, and there is an 80% chance he'd take you up. I'm telling you because you are the closest women to him. He sees you as people like himself. And if you'd listen" she growled more at Raven "you'd know the only reason he really even defends the city is because the demigods and metahumans, regular humans don't interest him at all, he doesn't care if they get sucked into the sun or if they die in the cold of being buried alive."

There was a deep silence for a long time before Gaia started again "Gar came here yesterday to ask me about guarding you while you're away"

"Away?" Raven looked catatonic "What do you mean away?"

"Gar's toll was originally a kiss and I wanted him to keep it but he didn't want to force you to do anything…"

Bee stuttered "Don't the girls love him?"

"No. they love the bond of their father but if it had been Nightwing they would have loved him just as much. He knows that so he tries as hard as he can from loving them and only the bond" with one final look of fury Gaia hissed and snapped her fingers. She had been on the brink of telling them something else but her own fury at it had ended that attempt instantly but by the time that they could have replied they were each in their own rooms and the tiredness of inter-dimensional travel slammed into them.


Breakfast was tense. There was no way around it, the entire Guard found themselves upturned in just two days. The tension reached a peak when Surt put down her fork and stood up to leave "Surt…everyone…we need to talk."

Quietly they finished the meal and returned to their seats "As of this moment the Nightmare Guard is on hiatus. Hephaestus, you and your husband can go see the Tower and the station, I've already cleared it up with Cyborg and Superman. Deadpool, I want you to go with Bee and help them, from what I've heard so powerful villains were heading that way and they could use the back up." he had been staring down at the table until that moment when he met eyes with each of those that would call themselves his daughters and Raven "Girls, you will go with Raven to be with the Titans, that will help broaden your horizons…think of it as studying abroad." each of them quietly left "Raven…stay a minute"

She sat again "What is it?" she was excited, if Nightwing wasn't with Starfire when she got there…

Staring at her face like it would be the last time he thought through everything he could say "When was the last time I was Beast Boy and you didn't ignore anything I asked you to do?" she tried to think but he continued "When, as Kikao did I give you and order you didn't want to follow and you did it?"

"Never"

"Then I'm giving you an option" he sighed, there was something painful in it "If you want I will not bar you from leaving the Nightmare Guard to rejoin the Titans"

Raven stopped breathing, the things Gaia said were coming true too fast for her to process "Wha-"

"Originally I was going to ask a final gift…a kiss. But I won't seeing as how every time we meet eyes you hold nothing but contempt for me. Have somebody send me a message if that is your wish"

Raven opened a portal to her room and just before it closed she heard his final parting "Good bye Raven. May G-Gaia protect you" he choked out past the emotions. But it didn't matter. Not to her.


Deadpool was surprisingly welcomed within Titans East, as Aqualad put it "I'd rather him be on our team then having to watch out for him" with a shrug he continued "And he's quite the gamer and he's insane so he fits in just right around here"

Batman stared at the limping woman with a rough voice and a demeanor that could sand down steel and her husband, a world renowned model. With their reversed relationship, she wore the pants while he was much more lovey-dovey, he couldn't help but ask "So a son of Aphrodite and the daughter of Hephaestus?"

Heph nodded as she limped to a chair and scowled while wrapping her arms around her husband's waist as he sat in her lap "Yeah, this dumbass somehow convinced me to marry him…" but being the detective he was he could see what Kikao did, she was rough and coarse but she did love him, and somehow she cared for the Guard.

Raven was happy to be back with the Titans even though she did catch Starfire and Nightwing on the upswing of being together, the girls seemed to like it but the kept their own, even Raven wasn't allowed in their circle of things.

Cyborg, who had been aware of the then-Beast-Boy's affections didn't say anything. In truth he was probably the one who the harsh break between the green man and the team had hit the hardest, he who should have stood next to his friend didn't. Now he felt like his insides were breaking, Raven only cared for Nightwing and the girls only cared about each other. Leaving Gar alone.

Silent. That's what the home rang with. He sat alone with nothing as his companion. Just as it had been those many years ago. Slowly setting down his cup he bathed in the red alarm light for a second before standing and starting the day.


Jinx walked into Cyborg's room to find the man sitting on a chair staring out the window "What's the matter?" she had never seen him like this, he gave only a weak shrug and continued to stare. "If you can't tell me what's wrong we can't fix it"

Cy turned to face her "Why did we do that to Beast Boy?" she paled "Why does Raven hate him? She says she doesn't but that doesn't match to what she says or does to him…"

The lighter sorceress nodded in understanding "Nobody understands her…she tried to keep people at a distance, but when she realized she was in love with Robin…I don't think she understood what it meant and tried to push all other boys away."

The red eye of her boyfriend seemed to peer through her "That doesn't explain the hate…and this" slowly he set up two videos, the first was the embarrassment curse and then her explanation.

Within in the man something changed. His body rebelled and he ran to empty his stomach, his mind only on what they had done to him. Jinx found him kneeling in the bathroom holding his head in his hands.

We tried to kill him…we hated him so much…for nothing…why?


The book across from him held the approval of the board and he emailed the manuscript to the publishing house. Dr. K would have another book by tomorrow. Very quietly he walked to the roof where the mild fall was ending and the winter was staring to turn harsh, ignoring the cold he stared at the air right before him. He concentrated and another eye opened…and another…and another until eight eyes stared into the space before cracks formed in the air only to fall away like glass revealing the Hell that so many people believed in, though uninhabited. His pace leisurely he meandered through the fire and brimstone while closing all but two of his eyes leaving him as human as he could be with green skin and elfin ears, ignoring the reeking stench of sulfur and iron he finally met the only being who inhabited this realm.

"Trigon the Terrible, Scath…so many names, but which do you prefer?"

The red demon snarled "HOW DID YOU GET HERE?!" he bellowed in rage, this…mortal just entered where he himself could not leave.

"Very simple, I walked in."

"I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF! YOU WERE THERE FOR HER WHEN I-"

"Yes, yes, have your little temper tantrum…are you done?"

Though he wouldn't show it the green one now interested him, being the God of Fear he should have felt it rolling off the creature in waves. But it wasn't. In a much calmer tone he growled "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you"

"Because my mother, your great-grandmother would be very upset…I am one of Gaia's children" he opened four more eyes as proof.

Suddenly aware that he had nearly sealed his fate he snarled quietly "Then why didn't you use that power against me?"

"I didn't know I had it then, as it is I'm barely 22"

Trigon's eyes blinked "You're just an infant…how are you this powerful?" to rip open a dimension required power or finesse. The latter was extremely lacking in the boy.

"Because I was not born of her but from her"

The demon clenched his hand on the arm of his unadorned black throne "…Why are you here? Unless it's revenge I don't know why…"

Almost ignoring the question the changeling tapped his chin "When I first heard of you they called you 'God of Fear' but that didn't make sense to me, why try to destroy the universe when you fed on fear?" he started pacing "I'm not the brightest and it took me until I moved on until I could finally see it. You lied"

Trigon knew where the mortal was going, surprised to say the least he was now curious of the boy "Why do you say I lied? I always did what I said I would do"

"Until it came to the Earth. You don't feed on destruction, why go through all the trouble. Because if you made one world an example the fear for you would skyrocket, those that feared you enough would worship you to keep the Earth's fate from happening again. You're sly Trigon…that's why I want to make a deal with you"

Now the demon was thoroughly confused "A deal? With me, boy? What do you have that I wan-" he was cut off by his own delirious moan. Panting he managed to speak "What was that?"

"That is the taste of the fear I create. If you do agree I'll feed you fear like you've never known."

Scath was now at his whim. He knew it and so did the demon, that fear was like bathing in ambrosia after feeding on filth his entire life…sweet and complex, there was no mortal pleasure or vice that could compare. And he had tried them all "What do you want…Master?"

"I don't want your subservience" he snapped surprising the demon who accepted surprise as the norm with this…creature "I want two things. First I want you to let Raven have the life she wants" the demon twitched but didn't say anything "Then I want you to quite trying to take over worlds. I will feed you enough fear to keep you sated and I'll have a dimension created for you. To your liking."

"Why? Why all of this? It makes no sense, you have willingly given me far more than you ask for"

"It's simple Trigon. I'm dying and any promise I make now will last forever. When I die all the fear those who I've trained will be yours."

Replaying every human emotion he had felt those many years ago he came to one conclusion "You love Raven. But she loves another" omnipresence didn't make for automatic knowing.

"I am…aware. This is the only thing I can do for her." the man stared at the demon "Teach her how to be whole again and we can move on with this agreement"

Without hesitation the great demon lord shrank to a human size and held out a hand. With the shake he rumbled "We have an accord…" the boy turned and left with another portal "…Master"


Gaia watched as Gar made a deal with the Devil…though she could debate his position as such. Her own portal appeared and she stood in front of the man sized demon "Trigon…I'd like to speak with you"

His voice lost it's demonic resonance as he realized to whom he was speaking "Lady Gaia…"

"Do you know what my son fed you?"

"Fear, Lady, which I've never tasted before" a trickle of drool sat on his mouth as he remembered the sweetness.

"I trust you'll not break your end of the bargain?"

"Of course not" he shuttered.

The lady before him waited a moment longer "Why did you swear subservience to him? He didn't ask it or want it"

Lifting a knuckled he gnawed on it, his hesitation to tell at odds with the punishment she might enact for his reluctance "Because if he's your son and can feed me like that then there is no reason not to. This is the first child born from your womb and I'd rather be on his side now with an annoyance of subservience then scrabble to show him loyalty later. And make no mistake I can feel the power oozing off him with eight eyes open…and the instability that gnaws at him"

Lady Earth's mind whirled, she could feel his power, the insanity that threatened him at every turn…but what could she do to stop it. Only cast the divination and pray it all turned well, the absolute future was never easy nor readable. It would show her only the barest and more often than not caused more worry. Remembering Oedipus she could only finish with "Trying to avoid your fate leads you right to it" glancing back at the demon "Trigon, your daughter is asleep, I'd go to her now and be gentle…if you wish I can go with you" he nodded.


Raven's dream was only mildly erotic with the man in the black mask, though all passion faded when she found herself once again on the grassy plains she remembered. The words left no doubt as to who brought her here, the sarcasm and slight twist in the knife "Charming, dream about him much?"

"Gaia! Why are yo-why am I here?"

Mother Nature stepped aside "I'm only here to prove the truthfulness of his claims"

"TRIGON!" immediately her eyes burned white with power but she couldn't reach her emotions.

"Calm yourself child" he said in human size as he lifted his hands placating "I'm here because of a deal with your former employer."

Still on guard the psychic snarled "What happened?"

Gaia raised three chairs, each several feet apart before Trigon started "This evening I was accosted by the Green One from the last time I trie-"

Raven immediately rounded on Gaia "YOU LET YOUR SON MAKE A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL?!"

The Mother of Nations blinked calmly "Why do you care? You hate him don't you? And for your information girl" the word was more condescending then anything else Raven had ever heard "the deal ended with both parties obeying your human laws of good and evil"

With a glance at the Red she gave him permission to carry on "We made a deal, he feeds me the most delicious fear in exchange for me not pressing my will on you. From here on out any interaction with me will be at your instance, except for now. I will teach you how to make yourself whole…" the demon let out a bolt of red energy that wrapped around the girl before darting away.

Raven felt her powers tingle at her fingertips and radiate down her spine. Control. Absolute control. About to lash out at her sire her hands were suddenly down by her side. Gaia's glare cut off anymore movements. "Now Raven, your emotional manifestations are still there. Now they are synchronized with you. They are still you in separate entities. Now their voices are balanced. Listen to them." then the speaker left. Now it was only Gaia and herself. Then an annoyed flick of the wrist and she jolted up from her sleep and glanced down at her uniform. Pure white.


Two month had passed and her new powers were marvelous, she could allow her emotions to be free without fear. She told the Titans the next morning after meditating. The only two emoticlones who weren't happy weren't even there, Rage and Timid, the former having nearly glued herself to the latter after her release. Rage hadn't done anything to Timid who had actually physically pulled the red facet into her maze with her.

The girls seemed to separate themselves from the group, even Raven whom the rest of the titans believed to be a mother figure for them.

Cyborg, though had sent message after message to the Nightmare Guard captain only to receive short, curt replies. His attempts to mend the gap between them were met at a harsh stalemate.

Until the call came in. The day had been peaceful with no criminal activity and Nightwing taking his girlfriend to the pier for a date. The annoying buzz came from every communicator from the utilitarian Justice League signal devices, to the yellow and black Titans communicator to the black and purple of the Nightmare Guard. Looking at the blank message for a moment they silenced their comms. before going back to their day, the trio playing Mario Cart, Raven meditating and Cyborg and Jinx eating a light lunch.

Raven turned and growled long, deep and low. Cyborg paled at the four burning red eyes and the voice he remembered so well "CHECK YOUR DAMNED COMMUNICATORS! IT'S MY MASTER!" this once breaking his oath would be worth it for the stream of fear that filled his belly.

The cybernetic teen was terrified at who could be the master of that beast but checked anyways. The screen flashed

Alpha, Alpha, Omega, 1,1,0

Dio's Cradle

Sent Five minutes ago

Raven, herself again, stared at the pale man "T-The all emergency, it's been sent to…everyone."

Raven looked up impassively "There's no way to get everyone on the T-ship, I'll stay"

Calypso stared at her with blank eyes "You'd leave him to rot after everything he's done for you?" the disbelief in her voice was painful.

Raven winced "I-I didn't ask him to do any of it. I just volunteered to stay so that-"

"Fuckin' Hell you are!" Artio screamed and she chanted something that Cy barely registered as Celtic before it descended into guttural roars and groans. The sun was blocked out and Raven looked at the eldest girl who became pale and swayed alarmingly as the chanting grew louder and louder. The final words she chanted were a remarkable "Ursa Minor" Raven grabbed the girls, Jinx and Cyborg with a tendril of black power before warping to the roof where a giant space of stars in the shape of a bear hovered. The constellation lowered a paw as wide as a planes wings before they leapt on. Somewhere in the space of five steps the colossal creature made the near 1000 mile journey.

Raven couldn't help but ask "How is Nightwing supposed to get here?"

Surt shrugged and brushed it off "He can take the T-ship" her focus only on helping the man that saved her from the fate of an assassin.


Titans East made no such folly. At the sound of the ringing each one of the members, including Deadpool stared at the screen for a long moment. When nothing came across they started to dismiss it. Except Wade. He stared at it much longer, his sense of dread growing with every passing second. Until it showed up.

Snapping the case closed he rushed to Bee "We gotta get to Dio's NOW!"

The Leader of the group led them to the experimental T-Wing, a much more angular ship than the one the Teen Titan's original. Within five minutes they were in the air. 23 later they were setting down in Dio's Cradle.


The great bear spirit slowly dissolved leaving the group next to the T-Wing as it touched down on the deserted streets of the city. Carefully they took in their silent surroundings. Speedy glanced around "Where is everybody?" his body as taunt as his bow in that moment.

A loud blast alerted them of where they needed to be. But when they got there it was a bit like Hell on Earth. Blood was the overwhelming component, the streets were drenched with it while the buildings lining the street were splattered with it. Bodies were the next component, and Mas y Menos checked them and bound their wrists as sonic speeds. Almost all of them were alive. Almost.

Looking around it was the who's who of villains, General Immortus lay to the side, his body sporting one wound that would never heal. His head had been bitten off and the wound cauterized. Gizmo, Mammoth, Fang, Killer Moth, Warp, all of them lay to the side with wounds that wouldn't kill them but this fight was beyond them.

Several feet down breathing harshly was the dying form of the dragon Malchior, his chest tore open from claws far to long to belong to any creature of Earth. His rasping breaths signaling the end of his suffering as he rolled onto his belly and opened one eye "Raven…"

Seeing her once hated enemy lain low she felt no fear "Malchior…what have you done?"

With a dry chuckle he grated "Those fools…once they heard that the city was guarded by a single hero they jumped at the chance to kill him…the Green One…his fights are more ruthless than any I've seen before...and there is no such creature on Earth…"

His gasping grew more and more labored until Surt stepped forward "Dragon, do you want to live?" she had been a killer in the past but now that she had the option…

Had it been anyone other than another Child of Fire, had it been anything but the monotone, had it been anything more pitying he would have crushed them between his teeth. Slowly his giant head nodded. Fire enveloped him as his body disappeared, no smoke nor ash, the only thing left was the blood that had pooled on the ground.

Aqualad blinked and lowered the wall of water that he had pulled as a precaution "Where is he?"

The Daughter of the Giant rolled her shoulders "I asked my…father to take him to Gaia. If he's half as powerful as I was told she'll want to keep him alive" her tone of finality challenged anyone to contradict her, the pale Artio nodded and they moved on.

So many that they had fought as a group now lay scattered before the wrath of the insane son of Earth. Adonis, See-More, Dr. Light, Chang. As they got closer to the sounds of fighting it became apparent that even Kikao wasn't able to handle so many. More and more blood held the distinct metallic green sheen that was the boy's.

But when they got to him they couldn't have expected the state he was in.

Both arms shredded beyond recognition by deflection of too many attacks, his uniform destroyed from to many attacks not deflected, his blood was spilled in lakes around him and his green skin was pale, far to pale to be anything but drained. Red lines covered his body, some thinner than a pencil line, others as thick as his forearm. But the most horrific thing was the greatest wound. The man standing to defend his city had the left part of his skull caved in. Though they couldn't see any signs of internal damage the two inch crater was indicator enough that far too much damage had been done.

But he stood, panting and swaying he tried to walk forward to deal with an enemy not his own. Killer Croc, the giant monster of a man leapt forward and flung Kikao into a building. The reptile snarled at the lack of red on his claws, with a raging snarl he screamed "What does it take to kill you?!"

Coughing harshly the Wanderer stood tall for what should be his final moment. Beaten, battered, bloodied, burned, and broken. He felt the ground shake as the creature drew closer and closer. Each heavy step heralding the end. Cyborg's sonic cannon, Surt's fire, Calypso's confusion, Jinx's hexes, Raven's bolts, Aqualad's tidal wave, Speedy's arrows, Bee's stingers, Mas y Menos's charge. None of it mattered. The giant's tough hide kept him from harm as he walked forward to end the one that had managed to hurt him. Beneath his left side two ribs were broken, a small wound but one inflicted on him none the less.

The giant was flung to the side as Kikao closed his eyes. The scream of the gun burned into the empty air for a long moment before Deadpool growled "The Harrison CLS. Pulse rifles, courtesy of Spier Pulsonic Weapons Est. 2143. Thank God for Cable" then loud enough for the enemy to hear he roared "HEY ASSHOLE! YOU TOUCH MY FRIEND AND I'LL KILL YOU!"

Shaking his large reptilian head Croc charged Wade again and again, drew the giant's attention as it was. Cyborg rushed over to the Nightmare Guard leader and ran scans before grabbing Raven's hand and dragging her over "Rae, we have ten minutes to heal some of his wounds before it kills him"

The sorceress stared down at him thinking it through "But-"

"Rae." his big brother tone now hard "This isn't something that we can wait for. I don't care if you hate him. He's dying. If you don't do it he's dead."

Her hands glowed darkly as she spoke "Cy…I don't ha-…it's not like I want him to die."

"Then why?" he ventured as the others helped the merc deal with their opponent.

"I…I pushed him away. I didn't want his affection. I don't want it now. But he kept doing things for me and I don't want to owe him."

Getting close to his breaking point the man turned her head to look at him "Rachel Raven Roth. We spent three years fighting together. If nothing else he wanted to be your friend and he worked his ass off for the past two years even after we tried to kill him to prove that he forgives you. He wanted your affections but needed to be your friend" a tense nod later she continued to pour power into the man who now lay more helpless than a newborn babe.


Between Life and Death sits a hall. Two open portals, one for this world and the other for the next. Some beings like Gaia cannot pass from one to the other under their power. They have to be Called, something from the other side pulls them across the gap. Here is where Garfield sat.

Not Beast Boy.

Not Kikao.

Garfield E. Logan. Son of Mark and Marie Logan.

The young man glanced at one shining bright light then the other. In the middle of the hall he could tell no difference. He stood by instinct and Death appeared before him "Hi Death, how'd the date with Wade go?"

She floated closer and rubbed her boney cheek "We went to a Mexican place…he's sweet when he wants to be. But this isn't about me. You have to choose one."

Looking to his right and left he could see no difference "Which one's which?"

Death countered "I can't tell you."

"Then I'm not moving. I don't do anything my instincts don't tell me." he said sitting down on the same bench the he had found himself on.

Death floated a bit higher "What ages were important to you?"

"Does it matter now?" the boney lady nodded "Okay…I was four when my parents died" he mused, eyes deeply in the past "only a few months later I was captured by the two thieves and I was…controlled for two years, then I spent two years alone in the jungle…I was eight when I went to the Doom Patrol and I stayed with them for four years before going to the Titans. Three years…I spent three years with them. At fifteen I was thrown out, two years later I started building the Order, three after that I started the Nightmare Guard and reunited with Raven…now at twenty-two I'm dead."

"It wouldn't be the first time" she pointed out.

"No it wouldn't…but I'd rather not make this a habit."

A lightness spread through his body "What's going on?"

Death stared at him "When you get better…get to Tameran by the Winter Solstice. It's their only chance"


Gaia sat with the dragon who's wounds were healing more quickly then any earthly magic or medicine could have. Looking into the pool that showed the body he blinked "If what you say is true then why not end everything now and save us the trouble?"

The mother gave the dragon a pained smile "I'm playing the odds. Even I can't see the absolute entirety of the future, my sister can only see the instant of passing from the hall of limbo into death. But she and I are aiming for that tiniest patch of 'what if'"

"If there is no woman that loves him now then there won't be."

Again he was met by a sad smile "I hope that you're wrong. I want so hard for you to be wrong and that he'll find love. But he was burned by it before."

The dragon was grasping at straws "And no child?"

She shook her head "He's not the type to spend a loveless night"

His only response was a very defeated "Can I bet on your odds?"

"Everyone else is"