Teen Titans; These New Years; New Generations; Chapter 8: The Beast's Sillouhette; Half Alive On The Inside; Fuzzy Blue Lights-Salvaging A Father's Truth.
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The last chapter made me wonder where this will be turning- Already covered and onto number eight! The clock continues to remain passive, yet will this peace of mind last long? Read on to see!
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Aiden stood still between Kaien, Verra, and even a blistering gaze from Ronald of the Celestial born realm. He had stepped in on three landmines. Those were entities of violent storms, roaring volcanoes, and the voidless shadows that the middle schooler had not finished facing ealier.
Richard was afraid. The three officials had to keep their nails capped and teeth hidden. His son wasn't a mediator for these. other worldly , Immortal hounds!
~Kid..." The dog turned into a burning spectre as the teen saw his volcanic mentor's true face . It was one of many. A beast with the fires of Vesuvius amid it's interpretation. However, these were to deter. Those, internal, lapping fires brushed by to meet Ronald's scowl. He had changed back to the form of his Celestial official's cover. The embodiment looked as Shoji's Veravakumu that particular night. "Ronnie. You haven't given the reason ya' be intruding. Vee let ya loose. I sure as Lady Hel won't let yer mug mess with the kiddo's progress! I am in charge! Not you one still marked a eh' traitor!" With a shove back into the window pane, the blonde boy had to gasp by how unruly this deity self's manner..was at all! The teen clenched his pride to realize how attatched these beasts were to the kid's powers!
Dick brought his own palms to shake in frustration. Not him! That snake...he had not been real with the son of a crime fighter and super sleuth! That was it!
"Kai!" The boy shout to the defiant beast trying to ransack the bleach blonde deity. "That's enough! I've decided...If you are only going to act like the opposite of a good guy, then you are no better than Shoji or your nephew! Leave my family out of your fight! Get out!"
Rage. The kid's pure agony swept across his face to leave the fourteen year old out of breath. "Don't..don't EVER claim that you're on our side! You three are the worst! None of what you do is worth this! Just leave and don't try to talk to my parents, my sister...none of you are welcome here!"
The boy's ember sights were there, yet not fully ready to explode. Kaien did not want his beast form to startle...he looked into those hideous palms and growled in frustration. "Ron...you heard the lad.." The gruff bearded male had returned to his near- mortal guise. He ushered his two reckless kin to leave, just as the boy had instructed. He still felt a danger might arise, yet the kid had to cool off. Orders were absolute not by the child's lips, though by the guardian's superiors who had foreseen the first aggressive acts of the chosen. This would pass...it had to ..as long as there were still those to trust the spirit, they would not disappear.
Aiden watched the group as an angered lion. His eyes still amber and ready to inherit the rites of a flaming candidate, never leaving the sights of those three homewreckers . They had to disappear. The teen's mother was still nearest to Ava's model on the large monitor. The power had returned, just as Jackie Stone had promised. Amy was dumbstricken by her brother's temper. He would not act the hero if anger consumed his very resolve! Ava still needed justice! Her whole self...would only exist inside a blue box..she would have the ability at times to find another monitor...yet...
The shaken Anna had nothing to say. Aiden had been just as unbridled with his hurtful words as both Ava and Hana had before the eldest's Grayon child's , previous abduction. He had crossed the line, just as the twin's mirror sister had by acting the rebellious child. Acting as if she could fight her fate alone!
"Mom, dad." The red headed warrior child looked to both her parents with an expressionless gaze . "I have something I need to tell you. Aide,you can-
The teen blonde shoved his way back in to the seclusion of that dark abode. His room was a promise if solitude. No one could touch the brooding teen if he didn't care to hear more news. .She had been off without telling her twin. His own sister did an amazing stunt by bringing Ava partly home...though...was he worthy to be her hero now?
Ava remained behind the screens , her face masked her true emotions while she shook her head to regret so much.. . ~I was not wrong. Ami, there is something you should know...I'm sorry everyone...this is my-
"Stop that." Her father walked up to the screen. He was so tall...she was..a speck of data within -
"Ava Marie." The male leaned to seat himsef in Jackie's throne. She chewed her lip as if there would be waterworks involved. "Ava. You were not responsible for what happened. You all are just...this goes a ways back. Aiden hates both myself and my companions from overseas due to this topic.." Sighing into his hands the once all mighty Nightwing ; currently maskless, was readying to drag on with the story . The story as to what was actually going to happen to them all.
Shoji could not and would not accept someone other than Isis's or Catherine's request! It was not a part of his code to leave his charges stranded, even in possible danger!
The male slunk off again as Verra to keep hidden in the dark of the walkway. The streets had their lamps dimming as the midnight hour approached the Grayson household. The sneak attempt was dire. Aiden had shown signs before of behaving oddly. Even Kaien was not giving in as he had gone to report in Takahara's place. A monster should do desk work to even out it's temper...Ron felt the same as his admiration for the boy's act felt, irreplaceable. He had done a kind deed for the one cursed long ago...something Ron had then and there clung to as a hopeless pup prince of a royal timeline.
Vee slipped in between the elevator shaft ; though not inside. He wanted to find the walls, inside them he could scout out the odd aura which had spooked Ami and Ann. The cat had seen it. He had no intention of letting either descendant fall into darkness if that were the task ahead.
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Jackie pleaded with her mom and dad to stay at least until morning. The Stones had been able to approve the demand, only if the grounding meant no more 'interdimensional openings of unidentifiable rifts.' School actually had one last day until summer break. Too bad the guardians hadn't been too ahead in their positions to remember their charge's day to day lives! Forgetting a target's schedule was rather unprofessional in the kid's eyes as lights out left the family to welcome a new day.
The eleven year old obliged to her punishment ; or else had to follow her parent's law, seeing as she had broken a number of them while trying to salvage Ava from that dark place...why had it looked almost cloaked inside of another time? Was her lense's prescription in need of another tweak? No. Jackie had seen all mostly shadows and nothing more. How had Ava ever survived such a terrible world? Was her dad going to ask questions? Would Ava want to remember?
Dick tried to be the one who wouldn't startle old wounds for his daughter. Her time taken away had been heartbreaking for Kori as well. Anna finally wanted to talk sibling to sibling with her senior. To say thank you with a straight face, if only it had seemed that easy..
Ava only wrung her uncovereded arms as if the 'box' were a model made to house an igloo. "Ava...there have been more changes. Aiden, Ami..even Anna have become ...they gained powers like yours having to do with a bird ..called a Phoenix. " He tried to make his words sound .. reasonably , truthful. Ann was glaring while Kori simply remained neutral next to Jackie. She was equally curious, though held no true emotions as Grayson's two girls.
"A phoenix...they don't exist . Why is yer old man saying that without even blinkin'?" Jacklyn asked with a frown and crossed arms. Her parents would have to pry the details from the hacker's , cold , dead hands. Her best friend had a real dilemma!
"Because I won't lie to you. It's the honest truth. Your sister Amelia, Aiden, and Anna are all supposed to become strong, strong enough to face a challenge...I'm so afraid to tell...Ava!" Dick breathed as sweat fell from his cheek. She almost had mistaken the anxiety for tears across his face. Her father could not cry yet! There was still no telling what her dopple was after!
~Dad...I want to help my family. I may..not be all me, but that is a test. One I want to deal with while trying to learn who I am! So..don't be hard on Aiden..we all are facing what ...the one who kidnapped me was fighting in that alley...She actually was able to see me in my dreams!~ Ava exclaimed this with a strained crackle of her nearly perfected voice bank.
The light haired, paling teen gulped to recall those nights. ~She waited. As if knowing something about another me, in a time ..a world I've never even seen! She thought I'd trust her openly, but she wasn't able to turn me against you as myself.~Ava clutched her chest anxiously to add to the memory. ~She took over my body wih a false m..me..a monster that wanted to work for ..what was her name...that woman Reia told me...cr..Ah!~ The girl's eyes widened with a gasp. ~She had the wings of an owl, she was haughty...angry towards someone...She wanted ...to...~ The program had drained the teen immensely as she started to feel dizzy. "Ava!" Kori looked to the screen as her husband then to Jackie Stone who spoke clearly of the ...extra misfire..
"It's kind of limited. She needs juice, otherwise she'll vanish till she gets a charge. I have no idea if it is that glitch from the trip or...Really! I'll look into it Annie! Don't stare at me like I'm gonna run out on the project! Ave's your sis and my girl Amy's family. That means we Stone -walls got yer back!" The grade age child grinned with her curls bobbing around her foggy specs . "Then time to settle this. Ava...we won't let you leave us, not before we make your kidnapper pay the price " The cop clenched a determined fist to reassure his dear company that the best outcome possible had to come alive!
~To save Ava , I'd never stop...thank you everyone...~
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While in his room, the teen blonde felt his confidence shatter by a thousand pieces into the abyssmal darkness. Territorial as ever, the boy refused visitors even by the next morning. He left to grab breakfast by a corner store on the way to the bus instead of being surrounded by...those unrealistic people.
Last day of class meant no order in the classrooms. Everyone's stomaches would be growling with impatience! Hope didn't fall onto someone's shoulders. No one could tell what was going to happen yet. Those dope dogs were not any help. They had gone and ruined what might have meant a breakthrough ..just three dead weights Aiden and his household did not need. Kaien, Solario if that was his real name, had been wrong. Violence had been only out of their dispute. It was not right at all!
~Why didn't they just cool their heads if they did care about us? Meat heads! You stupid!~
The boy blinked as a certain surge had felt hot against his neck. The dot..Marble! Aiden froze, realising his actions woud gather suspicious folk...or leave the rest for taunting in!-
~Yo!~The speck had been less than normal. A bead shaped as an egg..then a star! It had the child so startled that he could no longer keep the relic close! With a snap of the power laced cord, the teen had successfully rripped* off the manic stone , relieving the extra biting into his shirt from such abilties as hot as cinders! "Ow! OOWWW!" The teen howled out once the piece of painful promises with his ex-mentor had been tugged off of his singed chest. "That...you...wah!?" The egg ...an egg meant a living. ..breathing...-
~Heey! You wanna be my! -
The teen whomped* the object to the pavement with a vicious stomp. Over and over , yet the parcel did not break. He was dancing in the open street with the bus coming from a turn away. "Gah! This is really not ok! I...I'm leaving you righ-
The speck had the formed into a differently shaped radiator; within the light surrounding it , it began to glow as delicately as a glow fly. Yet soon after, it shuddered to burn blue. The rest could be seen as a small cluster of blue flames on the bus stop ground, whisper pouring upwards as if smoke were soon to appear.. "No! No! Turn it out ! I'm not!-
The bus had turned to come back around. Good. He could ditch this little-
~W..why?I wanna protect you! You are protected by me! I wanna' help you! So please?~ The noisy relic had gotten louder. That made the boy want to run away though the crying , young voice made his heart ache. The boy had felt that same neediness from Ami..and Anna. Yet was he even able to fix his mistake?
~We can! I am a light ! A light born to protect you! Please, do not worry! I am on -
The boy had heard those darn phrases day in and out. They were half promised lies from special beings who only cared about their own needs! "Don't...No one is going to use me! I won't let you change anything! Just...die out! I don't need you or. ..." The boy had been so tired of arguing that he had not seen a leeching lady with an aura of darkness by the closest alleyway. A monster..she was pretty, yet that was the point. Blonde with green eyes and a gaudy black dress entertwined with a lace headpiece and cloak. She had a shawl in summer. A real undead from the other side had come here! ~No time! We'll find a way and figh-
"No..the...they'll just be worse than before...she...she's here..." The boy's adversary chuckled as the devilish Black widow. Yet her true name had awoken to the illusion to free a partial amount of Cecila Daia's consciousness. Her true reason was to warn the child of later dangers, yet Aiden could already see the enchantress's extra weight of the dark destroyer figure in the shadows. ..this might prove trying if he did run-
The child turned from the bus stop to swerve into another lot. His feet were still able to bear a coward's resolve! It was fine! He didn't want to be a monster like Kai! It wasn't him!
~Heey! You were after her, remember! She's not evil now! She is still a good-
The speck was quieted as the cord swung about without stretching further. Aiden was too sympathetic - all out of pity for the creature talking from inside the orb, to have it be destroyed by an unlucky toss into the vehicle - streaked road. She might find the ...he had to ...-
~Face your fears! You have to win!-
The stupid bug was still talking? Aiden grit his wrasps of breath and dashed further into the ...Where was he going?!
Lost. Lost and cornered as a rat..yet the rat had two sides. Cici emerged from the walls around this dead end. Her light coloured strands still refused to be as Alicia's . The idol had no intention of recalling her sister's face as her own...
"You flee from one whom was once your father's comrade?" Cici tried to act her noble self even while his aura was positively stunning. The child had a matted scalp of a flaming elemental. His eyes were hazel by the widened pupils he had shown by that scattered stance. Getting the boy to steady his emotions by she herself losening her own hold over powerful energies, the child finally reacted civily enough to have a chat with the possessor's, now freed host.
"I have come to warn you. There is a devious witch still hoping to have your trust. By no means must you fight as one single entity. " The boy raised a brow then snort to the princess. "Hah! You are one of them! Ava is hurt thanks to your associates. I'm not that naiive. You think I don't see what's-
"Limiting your real emotions could have an impact on those young bones in the long term, much later down theroad.." Cici sniffed with a hand to her hip. "Son of my old ally, you must return to the safe haven you've known since before the transformation. " Aiden was about to protest before the lady had interject rudely. "You will lose more than you know by this mindless struggle. I do mean the ones close to that haven, whom will not have been warned, as I have an old friend's descendant just to-day.." The flustered expression was just a perfect example of breaking his walls. He had to know; as a freed sister of the order , once night had fallen overhead , the child would know the widow once more.
"So ." The lady blonde left her wavy strands of a short cut to almost float beside her cheeks. "What will you do? It is not so much to protect you, as it is for them. As always, a hero should never falter in being capable of protecting their loved ones...Without them, you are as normal as those without -
"Stop!" Aiden shout across the dead end alley towards this offensive..she was way off!
"You claim to be a friend of my dad's." Aiden wondered in an expressionless stance. She stood a few steps apart, in fear that the triggered response had indeed backfired. "Your father fought these same enemies! You know nothing of their strengths! Please heed my words and find them! A hero is what you have yet to find! Do not look back unto the past. Face the present!"
With a smog growing too close to the streets, the mystery woman had disappeared as soon as the fog had risen. Her form was a solemn, uncertain figure in the mists as they collapsed into nothing. Aiden was left in that alley, taking himself out of...Rotten witch! How was he going to make the last day?!
When he had been able to trek through the maze of corridor sized walkways, the school grounds suddenly came directly into view. The teen had been swept back towards a familiar setting. His breathing was rash, yet he was going to make the bell as if no time had passed between that chat and his run from-
~Eeyy! You left me ! I am well! You should go study!~ The dot was still chatting. Great...Aiden decided to lay ground rules before the ...fire fly and teen had a chance of being spotted. "Look..." The teen groaned with a soft sigh. "You..cannot talk while I go here, and no flames!" He explained sternly. "It's not a place you can light a desk on fire and not get tossed into a lot more trouble for!-
~Ookay? I was tring to tell you! That was why I had the power to! Please! ...I'll be very quiet for my contracted! So no fire magic! Yay!~The giggling thing reminded Aiden of a young child. One that was abnormal by it's ability to draw magical mumbo, 'whatever' fire , from thin air!
Aiden walked up to the school yard with the sun blazing down . Today it was muggy. He had not checked the weather as Anna did consciously every second. Her paranoia had only gotten worse while getting into her twin's face just as Ava might have. With a small yawn, the boy then saw from the corner of his hazel eyes, another waiting by the front entrance. It was Christopher . Beside his right was Lisa with her toe tapping impatiently. They had known to watch for the blonde. One of the guardian's memos had been sent for both teens to read. Yet how had the address been anonymous? Was the dog squad asking more, or was it an impersonator on their end?
"Aide! Hey! You never got the note? Check your phone out! There is something your sister left for all three of us."Lisa spoke this with a tone in her voice that sounded similar to a not as warm and fuzzy Annie. Chris scratched his cheek nervously before speaking as well. "We have an idea with what happened. You will have to excuse us both..we..are just helping from the side lines...I have to expla-
"So meet you after , by lunch. Then we can show you what we know. " So cryptic..Aiden almost didn't want to know their secret agendas!
"Bye...I hope you'll check the messsage , so.,.well-
"Chris! Move along! The bell is gonna ring without you! See ya , and don't forget! " The two were only a year and one grade in difference at the most. Yet they had connections through Ava...why was it that Aiden had to get involved then!
The flickering dot by his chest no longer gave off the impression that Aiden's classmates might spot it. Nothing more than a fleck of sun spots for his peers to second guess. The fourteen year old knew that in time he'd be in the tenth grade months later from the current . Ava would be sixteen by December. He had to wait until August for his party. Then an over the top graduation bash would occur later in that time frame. The students were lax. Less of them had shown due to the fact that it wasn't required, though a courtesy. Aiden had shown up to clear his head and fill it with extra work missed back in May. He had to pull his act together. Why was he being such a spoiled brat?
The homeroom teacher had an expression looking very much to her staff as plain, boredom. The students just left their stress behind a tad today. Aiden sat by his own seat and talked to Toby a bit . By the next class, Toby had had to run to another session with his supposed girl ...who happened to be a real mystery to the blonde. She was a grade ahead, yet that was all. Toby's uncle would not approve of an age gap under his roof. Though he was technically the punk kid's guardian, his parents were still around. His mom at least had an extra hand when the boy's father had walked out when Aiden's bud had been very small. ~I bet he still has less trouble with abnormalities than me...What am I saying? Toby's been through just as much..his mom is not given any help by his deserter father, and his uncle pulls a lot of weight for the entire family. Give him a break Aide! -
~You arrre chatty!~ The young voice had returned in a telepathic way. Aiden flung himself from his seat to catch the sound and where it had come from. The kids in his area of the room snickered loudly while one teacher by the front had her fingers gripping a text book firmly. Last day and then a break..or more homework than his teachers!...
Aiden lowered his head to try speaking without words to the odd spot against his chest. ~You are! I could have gotten detention on my last day before summer break! Be quiet!~
"Aiden Grayson!" The snippy teacher frowned with that tight lipped 'why am I here?' against her cheeks. "You will see me after class. Though it's the last day, remember to act as if you still have hours to remain studious and to not act , out of habit..sit down Lisa. You will also join Mr. Grayson if you are going to take his punishment. Now, let's continue onto page-
The classroom had an off feeling of desperation. The kids had no desire to be lumped in with any trouble makers on their last day inside the 'greater halls of learning!' Aiden crumbled into his seat as he slouched low, as to not be seen by Lisa most of all...She was crazy if she believed were through with the middle school delinquent duo! His head felt an ache growing, suddenly wondering how his mom was doing with clearing up Jackie's perfect record. With her parents!
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Kori was still unsure, over if Aiden's outburst had been by hormones alone. The cats had said to let her son chill, yet the dutiful mother felt that her husband and she had to 'have a few words' with the norflic. Or in (made up from Tameranean terms. Adding my own.) Or unruly child. She wondered also about the glitch Ami and Jacklyn had spoken of by the..new Ava's programming. It was only temporary. Her child was half alive. Wandering alone inside a lonely box without a friend to see her tearing up. Yet the night of the fight, Aiden had stayed inside his bedroom. He had not wanted his own mother or father's kind advice..
~Richard spoke of the 'cooling off '. I must not believe anything less. We will be able to overcome this aweful obstacle...please do not do as you sister..she can no longer hold me as you refuse to.. my darling..baby bumgorf ...~ Kori quietly tried to make sense of her see everything before having a chance to shut out her allies a moment, to come back strongest of all from her 'reflective methods' while cooling her head. Cyborg had been well however...to an extent. His attitude had been a bit...brusk with his own child, yet Jackie's brother was a few years older. She was more as Anna or Aiden, than the overly- eccentri, Ami. They had such a sweet relationship as chat session buddies from behind their parents' backs. The puzzled mother wondered exactly however..had Ami found that Kori's old comrade's, child was of a Titan's child? Her brain buzzed until she'd had to shake it free. ~Victor is still my old friend...I am greatful his partner Karen is responsive. Otherwise, wherever would I find myself? I must not fret. Richard has not broken his promise. The old enemy cannot do as much harm as before.~
"Starry eyes? Heya! Been a long while and hoped you'd have been over some time sooner!" Vic came to her side as an old member of the true Titans, all grown. He had even altered a certain area to not expose his lens towards his kid- it turned out that Jackie had been a donor's helped birth. Cy really did not have the way to truely ..well! Jackie nevertheless was a bit witty. Though her demenor was a touch of 'real as they came'. She had a great personality. Kori had never been more relieved to have seen Ami so happy..and Ava was at least as real as she could be...
"Star?" Vic waved a hand to alert Kori of her dazed expression. The folks wanted to see if the miss had wished to stay for supper . The red headed beauty shook her head politely with a small smile "My husband may work late, my children are not safe even despite their 'human law ' stating that act! I am their Gnorfka. It is just...what I do. Dick has-
"Robbie's gotta be pullin' out on you for a good reason an' all princess." Karen Beecher had just come back from the other room with a little lemonade for their guest. "He's a dad , I get it. But he's a workaholic. You remember he has the Bat to follow if anything comes up. Though he's off the hook for now, you gotta lay it down. He's not even once taken you out with all of our tax dollars in mind! You should let him show that off a little! An' the kids. Honey, that girl Amy's pretty quick. She's so smart she could beat the pants off of a real college level student with her hands tied! You two..used stolen tech-
"It wasn't stolen. " The brunette eleven year old shook her head to reply. "It was given to us to tamper with by that fat cat Shoji. He told me that it wasn't exactly a test run..but I was excited! We ended up with something impossible by modern science and I don't regret my actions." Cy looked to his younger child, her snickering brother on the sofa, then the c.o.m.m. unit in his sights. "I'm callin' that dog out. He set you two up! That wasn't only low for that sneak, but highly dangerous to just 'tamper with! something so complex . It basically was rocket science!" Vic had been ready to sue the cat hybrid's host black and blue, when Kori, stuttered to then cry out for the recollection of a different 'pro vs con'. "I..for one think it was terribly risky! Yet thanks to all of the managing and sneaking of our friend...our daughter Ava has come home in spirit! I do not think punishing for a mere experiment that had many benefits such a reuniting our child..he had the same lab! Could it not have been-
"The lazy guy stole the thing and talked to my kid about it." Vic wanted to spit flames as his fingers circled the unit harshly. "He even told me he'd not done that. It was Star Labs tech . Shoji only had one foot in the door to claim it . Was supposed to go to the space monkeys at NASA . Hope at least Jackie'll still wanna take a course. Those guys are no marines, but close enough. Though Takahara wasn't a bidder yet. No one made plans to just hand it over like that! He could end up in the slammer without a cent if this goes public..but...argh!" Cy relented and slammed the device back onto the coffee table of the Stone's household den. "He did it...flawlessly!.. An' my kid could win a real lesson from it. Part of me says to send the cat in...but...he's a good guy even with a crooked way of showin' it! Likehe's part dog or fox after all!" Jackie was able to sigh before responding to this mini epiphany. "Well! Congrats on figurin' out my innocence! I'm gonna see ya for the meal later mama. Call me in so we can mix it up..marinara an' all." With a shrug the eleven year old sounded mature about her predicament! The mama Stone blinked back in surprise. Cy had his head hung to chill with a few deep breathes. "Kid's gonna get far, but not with her air of indifference. Couldn't be better though.." Karen chuckled off this mess to pat her baldy hubbie on the scalp. Instantly he perked up, while even Kori had to gasp about Beecher's attitude of 'man handling!' (Hah! When handling men is what she meant. Too cute for the parents . I think keeping the older Tt in perfect sync with the new arc is best. Plan of attack! Getting far away from this section. Back to the chapter!)
Koriand'r was left with a small emotion..maybe her own family needed to have some 'time to be free?' Just as Karen had spoken of about..her partner..
With a wave out the door, the ex- Titan had her reassurance that Ami was in safe hands. Though talking over matters with Shoji would be last off of Cyborg's list. Star's head had been refilled with memories of her days as a full fledged Teen Titan. Those were some of the best the wide eyed princess would never, ever let go of. All while she had been given such happiness, despite ever changing years, many amid ever growing trials. "Dick...I know you too have not forgotten..." Setting for the car lot, the model's minute had been a payed vacation for her timeless work on camera. The last time she had been allowed a good week to relax properly...it was truly summer by now!*
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Dick's office hours piled on as thick as cement, his feet engraved until all reports had been filed , then sent staight to the top's head office desk. A curly haired cop who was a K9 unit associate from the same building knocked enough for Grayson to know he had a call in from that...very impatient boss. "Marco, I'm knee deep in this mess. Could you toss a word out to -
"Not later Dick. He's heading home so you have to catch up before then. I will warn you though.." The other male listened closely from insie thge dingy office. "You'd better not get him all wriled up like the last time. Heard that something got the boss's brass ..to move fowards . So pick up that junk and hurry before he goes off the clock! An' tell your family I said hey. Jimmy's been askin' for Aiden. Says he never looks like he talks to anyone anymore. " That had Richard stand up to walk towards the dusty doorframe. "Tell Mel so I can tell Kori she asked. " The cop smiled cockily before heading off to the big man's private office. ~Aiden has been keeping away from his peers.~ It was no wonder Lisa had spoken out to gain his parent's support...To think that Lisa was of an organization created and run by Aria as a rock artist...that was a truly shocking tale for the folks to have to keep up with. With a head muddled over concerning thoughts of the officer's promise...Dick had a feeling deep in his heart that this would not go on. Aiden had to become a fighter..for a magical cause that had never been laid to rest in the past.
As the hero during his nightly shift came face to face with reality in the here and now, his boss's room lay entirely darkened- save for a man locking up for the night - just in the nick by his lonesome. Dick's superior had no better luck than Grayson had the art of surprise. "Sir, you should have my full report before heading out. You could step -
"Nope...Kid.." The gruff sigh of his hefty, male supervisor made the younger officer hear fatigue under that strained, breathing pattern. "You can hand it in when you get up to my office Monday morning...Head home Grayson. No one is on tonight, so you had better do that or you'll be wish'n ya had gone to see yer kids sooner." The old timer smirked from beneath his weary cowl to click the knob shut for the last hours of that night. "Sir..thank you! Don't worry. That folder and tens more will be on time a day before if I have to! Rest up sir, have a good night and get home safetly. " The male left his hands by his sides as the elder walked by to nod the same silently. Then, he did reply in a wrasp."Don't be too focused kid. Don't wanna end up walkin' out yerself, not on the ones' all ya hold dear. Night Dick, you take care an' Monday works when I'll wanna see yer smug grin then. " The cop had to grin a bit by the attitude. Always the kidder. Yet..what would he lose? That might happen for anyone, though Dick had promised Kori properly. No one was replaying that past. He had to swear that the company he kept had no ill intent to hide what was bound to ...
Before Grayson had known his chances, the cop had found himself outside the main room. His head ached slightly..as if..being taken ...away from...-
Dick swung around to see his enemy up close- rather, in shadow by s dimming street lamp. "Come out! " The officer only had his taser handy. The gun wasn't with his uniform...what had happened?
"I know you're there..don't make me act. Don't hide from the law! Last-
~Pity pity..you are just as before...soo nice...to see a familiar face...Dick? Well, Nightwing is not as you are at my mercy...how about I speak my name...anything you recall? Perhaps jamming my mesages away with those, hopeless years alongside the empath helped you to forget?..?...~
Richard's hairs bristled . His palms sweat violently by that tone..the voice of a monster! He was never getting out!
~I am half of what I was...so I had given some though towards a personal vessel...Not as my belated child of lore...just as your mercenary ..you will do this time...Any last requests before I make well of my word?...After all..you did not become me as foretold..that in itself, will not be tolerated until you bow to your... dragon!~
Richard heard the snake within the pitch, black darkness. Wondering why he had frozen in place, the male's arms worked long enough to tug out his only useful weapon. A tazer by his belt by far had the night light up, with enough time to glimpse towards the raging red entity. Yet light did not stop the overshadowing demon from overtaking the cop by storm. He was being over..thrown! Had to...The burning sensation of eyes prying open wide had the officer's lungs as hoarse as they could be. He clawed at the pavement as the screams echoed into a muddy oblivion created by the last entity he had not rid from the time line. The shackle serpent had belonged to Lothos..why was the dr..his name! Dick recalled it while clenching his jaw painfully. ~No..get out! Leave this body! Not our deal!-
~New era! New pacts! What can I say? This time is ripe for the talking! I gave you this happiness,I can easily rip it all away with your chosen..Speaking of chosen ..you do have it ? The fragments meant to destroy all that we create? ~ The hero was losing consciousness too soon. If Dick fell off the deep end, the dragon ...Roku...Would over shadow the hero to ...no! He had promised K..Ko..Ri...NO!~
The dragon chuckled darkly as the last of Richard's conscious mind had fallen away. ~Your promise to your lover was never as sacred as your pact with I...bygones I doubt, yet this...will be worth searching the world over for ! The golden dawn will be ablaze within the ashes! Now sleep...~
After that single word had been cast, a serious eyed officer from the same division had woken up- his underling was going through hell! What was he doing!?The boss of Grayson's called out, forgetting about the smog in his way . An odd smoke- screen that had stricken the cop brass as something very serious...
"Shit! Dick! Get outta there! What's happenin'?! Who-
The maniacal laughter of Roku through Grayson's own vocal chords left the police man stunned. "Who are ya? What is..happening? You bozo! Talk ta me when-
"Call it ..a change of heart...!" Richard laughed to the skies as his entire body now belonged..to a fragment of an old foe he had cheat for life or death.
~Promised ...Kori...she had never left her trust deep enough anyhow! Cowards!~
"You look pale! I'm just lil' ole' me! Get used to it !" The kiddish grin of a monster had the superior officer less than fooled. "You..you aren't the kid ! What are ya' gonna!-
"Lacking on the questions. Am I going to be? Hmmm..I guess tearing your world to bits would be a start! How about this ..you go and have your last meal, I'll reap your spirit last? At least it's a compliment from your w9rld's new ruler ! You should be overwhelmed with gratitude...now...freeze!" The demon's magic had the officer encased inside a dark obsidian cell of crystal. It's walls unbreakable by brute strength of unsuspecting mortals, while magic was slipping from this world's basic philosophy , not enough to free those trapped inside! At least, not until the morning light had broken the prison's hold over it's spying bystander.
"Sleep tight! Oh! And be sure to tell the Mrs, of her husband's departure. I bid you adieu my very favorite fool of the eveing! Tata , simpleton! ~ With a flash out of sight, the cop's commander had gone flat into shock. Richie...had been keepin' things too private! Then what was that snake doing whispering into his ear!?
/
Aiden's night had been to go upstairs after a nice meal. His mother had been waiting for the children's father to walk through those doors...yet no one else sat down to eat except for the three kids in her sights. Including four was nice however , though tonight not possible..of one more.
With an interesting adjustment to Ava's projection levels, the device; carefully placed beside the ten year old's cell phone had been another shelf to try out- inside Ami's home screen of her Android touchscreen! As that came about, Ava could see her family again instead of dozing alone on Ami's desktop. Aiden refused to say too much. He had not even told his sisters about the dumb dot talking non- stop inside his skull!
The last day had not been..just as terrible. Lisa had called out the blonde to warn him of another matter. It was to be on watch for more goons . The cats had been in the shadows while the teen had been busy with down time and no target practice. Solario was a lier. Shoji was a con, and Ron..he had no presence at all for the teen to call him out by name.
The dot suddenly lit up to cross across the boy's now amber orbs. He was in bed at ten - thirty! Did heroes have curfews?
"Bro!" It was Ann with Amy by her left . The door was wide open. Aiden wondered if he had forgotten to lock the thing..
"Get up and ready yourself. Shoji is about -
"No..." The teen muffled his head into his pillow and huffed. Anna's personality had changed after receiving those powers. Ami had become a super -super genius! He did not want to be like them! They were supposed to all be human!
"Don't you quit on us ! This is urgent and you should care! It's about our father!"
Aiden flipped up his covers with a snap. "What happened? Is...he...-
The lady in dark's words started to make sense. If Aiden refused to face this threat, his love ones would pay the price!
"Downstairs, hurry!" Ami pointed towards the hall anxiously. As the red head gripped the knob while her brother had been part way outsided it, hissed words burned away the child's courage, yet he kept walking to meet the greedy mutt.
"Glad to know you still care." Her words were harsh. Different from the weakling she had been. As badly as the hounds pushing everyone to participate in the future outcome. Humanity's outcome was no longer on just one pair of shouders. It had to be many as one instead.
/
Inside the world still turning, Lil's senses had gone haywire. Lothos had not even stopped her as she refused to have anyone to join her trek to earth. As the character whom had left a trail of discord in it's wake upon claiming a body, originally that had been Lilith's task. She took her jobs seriously if they were stolen under her nose by sly foxes..or dreadful, red serpents this time...
The queen had blocked the possessed fool from escaping into the world. His clothing however was untouched , even by grime or dirt from shuffling through the underground areas of Jump's sewage system. His stealth was not the lone reason. The creep had not let her down gently...he had stolen her task! Unbelievable!
"I believe .." Lil kept her voice low as her toes stayed above water to hover towards the body snatcher. "That locating a form of yours...was my given then..tell me.. who is it you...have dared to subd!-
Her whole body went stiff as the fool's arm had risen to freeze the harpy's movements. "I was not aware...though you took too long finding me. Dear lovely Lil! Do you not think you have gotten soft since our time apart!"The dragon mocked with his tone, his face being an old foe's from amid this entire mess!
She had not the strength as this invisible power constricted her into mid air over the murky waters. "The...my!-
The queen cried out as the tight squeeze had her in agony. "I..I WAS TRYING TO FREE!-
GGGAAH!*" Her beauty was more lovely as a 'corpse' to the dragon, as her mind fell to plummet along with those looks into the raw sewage. Her moans were of her pained body, her truth unbound. Her king had never been far! Oh!..Yet he would not crawl before the queen here!
"You are not well enough to serve me, perhaps as a dull maiden you claim...alone." Roku's growl was of his lust for power while he stood over her tangled mass. Lilith blinked up, bewildered by the damage her darling ...student had wrought upon his waking hours! "Why?...You did as I had promised! There was time!-
Another shot to her knees as the succubus had less power on this world. The dirty waters toppled and sloshed to leave her drinking in the coughed up sewage. "Garbage, trash, you are nothing. Yet you believed I had any feelings for a wretched thing such as my captor? Disolve to your damned fate, devil! I will never have to search those eyes just to bide my time...Oh, though I do thank you for one thing?" Her eyes dulled over. Clouded by a torrent of woes while her world's rotting garbage nearly choked away all life in her sights. He had time to bury her beneath the waves with a final bow.
"You let me decide which world I'M going to ruin. Not...YOU!"
The crashing tidal shower had the battered witch into finally lose her footing. As soon as that had come about-
"Damn harpy...good ridence. " The darkly clad imposter walked off down towards the next tunnel. Jump's very height of reason was not far from reach. With a dark chuckle, the damned dragon inside of Grayson decided to have a guilty conscience flourish on the surface.
"My! This trip was neither a bore nor without rewards paved along the way! I will enjoy tormenting this vessel's mind...A Tower I recall ..does stand as the pinnicle of our expose. So..why not first visit your last stronghold...I far worse than most, pity you Richard..." The dragon chuckled with a shake of his skull. "You will never please anyone's expectations but mine. Remember that. No one will care if you end up a saint by my powers! As my returning creed hath state..your life..belongs to your king...we must have this down into written works! How ever will the noble Nightwing face his..demons!...?" With a hideous laugh, the tunnel echoed loudly with fire in it's soul. Roku had yet to make his appearance before those impersonator heroes. Where, oh where..had the lost souls all left him? The true heroes were safe in their beds, or out on routined patrols after crafty villains...one villain still had been so cold..The dragon's lips uptured by a thought of Slade's entire world falling by the king's ended truce. "A promise it was, yet you had chosen the fair woodland mage...the elf has no power here in an evergrowing metropolis...we will have to talk about defecting..while still a war rages!"
This was going to send the heroes into a spiral. A race to save their precious senior member!
How he would reap the benfits before long...the Titans had young to tend to...yet in what image would they seem anything better from their betters?
The possibilities rolled on as the last portion of the tunnel gave way towards a man hole cover. Freedom was a deep gasp for city air! A way above the bay...or before it.
As the cover was shot off without much effort, the lights amid Jump's only sanction, had no time to direct that there was danger afoot by their shores. The pier served a blind spot for such a threat. "I know of Ravenna..or her counter self, not being present..too easy...this will be as painless as I'll have my army! Ametuers should not defend a city, they will learn of my demands..no matter the cost. " A threat to the new arrivals. To Damian who had only just arrived to play the leader's role! The dragon's power was unnerving as it grew to see more inside the hero's thoughts. Walls fell one by one, as secrets were no longer worthy of the washed up Nightwing. "At least your vitality was not wasted my puppet! You readied it for this night. ..so..be prepared for the blow on your city! Your haven of solitude!"
/
The heroes inside the tower had been woken up . A breach was noted, yet faint. The new Robin; Damian Wayne, had his hands full. While Wally West , or Kid Flash, had to scan for the bay's surrounding security layout..on foot! Running in the sand wasn't a joke! Zatana pinched her eyes shut as the empath's pupil to see just where this line of a dangerous..yet familiar aura was coming from...~What do you see Kid? Is it safe enough or are we going to need extra precautionary shields?~ She asked via a link while using it a person at a time instead of as a whole group. "Cyborg was not clear on that part about the tower's, 'adequate' security mea-
"You dolt!" Damian shout through another mic into the bratty, red head's ear. "We had a briefing with him last week! You purposely dozed off throughout his important speech! Ok, then let me handle protocol. You just watch and see if there are active intruders as planned. " The brush off of the brat with his iron fist pounding the speedster's eardrums had end abruptly with a crackling, stuttering, *bizzt*. The link was shot. "Interference. They don't want me talking." Kid snort under his breath,then swiftly turned to see a figure pop out from behind. The one villain was no criminal at all!...Yet Wally had mixed feelings about whether his senior...
The cop's clothing had been swept to reform as a military uniform of the dragon's rise. The mask was oddest of all..still in place with Nightwing's hair left to blow in the wind. It had grown back to the miserable length after the fall- out in Bludhaven. Wally simply stared, wondering if Dick had any clue about how something seemed amiss. Richard, he could sense his own ounce of caution was needed, but something was wrong with the picture! Dick..looked like he'd gone to 'dominate the city 'on his own allies! Where were the Titans now?
~Kid! Kid Flash! Do you read me! What is happening? Your link was severed through ...answer! -
Zatana was nervous. Yet so was the new Teen Titan at the old senior Titan's mercy...
"Wha- Wait!" A sputter of static finished the sentence for Damian to act ."He's in trouble. One of us has to back upthe fool until our mentors get the signal. Zatana, Wonder Girl, don't let the Tower have any areas of weakness. Being breached before father.. I'll be back with Wally.." The youngest member swung off to slip away down the corridor after his teammate. Zatana sighed, then gasp* as a painful grip to her skull alert of a sensitive matter. ~Zan? Are you ok? Changeling was a senior member,though he had just been able to take the call. ~What's going on? Why are you guys callin'? How's the tow-
~Gar..~ Zatana groaned as if her magic had been drained to a terrible loss of physical energy. ~It's an intruder..on the island...we are..under attack...~ She could not keep herself together from seeing that decimating magic far from hermind's eye! The attacker was not truly human! Her eyes shut as the power of her father's fell flat. Caught inside a stupor by ...
Her heart beat quickly as a mental image by her power's reaction came alive! The girl fell face first onto the carpet with a cry. "Ahh!..I saw! Gar! Warn the Titans! It is one of their own!" With the pieces back together, the image of an age old promise had fallen through the cracks. Garfield's expression darkened. ~I'll keep you posted, Changeling out. ~
He was in hero - mode already. Four in the morning was not far away! Though Rachel had not spoken to the heroes while still inside her cell within the Eternal keep, worlds away in another time another plot had just gotten off the ground. Gar only wished Rae would be ack soon to barrel her comrades with morelectures..just like old times..
/
The dark empath's nightmares had her shuddering in terror. The real events of the past had been playing at mach speed in her mind,yet for some reason she believed it to be false memories..With a start, the Titan awoke covered in a layer of cold sweat. By her door; where Greg and she had been taken for many nights to stay out of the council's matters, an oddly cloaked figure had the empath believe the cowled reaper had come to finish the heroes off. "Gah! " Her partner Greggory jolted up and towards the figure with a finger pointing, and also a drooping set of eyes from the shock. "How just did you discover our whereabouts!" Greg spat to the ghoul in the doorway...yet...
"And...why are you four feet tall?" Raven saw the wizard blush by such an awkward question to the intruder-
"As you would have figured later. "The hood rose to reveal Aluehainyu with a frown on her face and eyes staring back in annoyance as usual. "Al!?" Greg was comepletely stumped by the disguise, then later recalled her sect as a leader of the sister-coven to the underworld orderlies. The Night Watchers or something grim she supposed. "I, at night pose as a guide to those finding their way. I do not have such rites as the Netherworld beasts of origin. I simply watch over to open a passage. "She sounded quite refined in her way of putting 'finding their way.' Dying was a very taboo aspect to others such as those of Spirit, Celestial or Earthen branches. It was a delicate subject to talk about openly if there was too much, basic logic attached.
"Then let us not tarry." The girl spoke boldly despite her guard being partly to blame. "The Black Widow covenant was to blame; half of both Celestial and Earthen branches had been infected by the controlling methods of a spy , right from under our noses. I do not approve of their laws to ween the culprits out of hiding. Yet we have one chance. You found a way to border the restriction. Via our tongue secondarily, is that not true?" Her magenta sights hit the Titan fairly quickly as Raven's head slowly nod a reply. "Mind speak or the Ancient . Those were ways to bypass the current law in effect." She replied with an honest glance back to her old frenemy. "As before, you must quickly take a vortex back to your earth. " Alue spoke again before heading for the door, her hood back in place as to not arouse suspiscion from her elders. "Make haste. I know a traverse in which might be closest to the destination-
"Wait, Al." Raven breathed out to try and calm herself from this harried Eternal princess. "Why are you choosing a destination..do we know about it? Tell both Greg and I exactly what you -
The standing priestess and loyal official to law and order was afraid to talk. To say more than she had already issued!
"You must trust my word. If they find us tonight, then your friends will never pull through! Do you understand? The crisis was spoken by the one to encrypt the prophetic code! 'Foremost a beast shall rise to turn the tides!' You must go to your earth. No more chit- chat. Do what you must to face this page!-
The armored footwork of many ex- ordelies and soldiers had the queen Eternal send her wrist up towards the sky. As she did just that, a vortex formed by her magic alone. "Take this passage, good luck and godspeed to the rest! Let me protect what I am sworn as you have sworn to your comrade!" Those last words before Greg and Raven had been pulled into the twisting portal made the empath's nightmare seem as a late vision. "Roku...why? We banished him? Was that their plan all along!? Alueee!" With a racket of thunder the void had shut to save it's travellers from further trials inside the foreign keep.
/
Al fell to her knees as a blank few faces were half lit beneath the dim torch light. One of those faces was Lothos himself. "Hello again little Princess! I did say you were not to go against our plans? She shall be sent to our dungeon..I also have someone you must see while visiting.." The girl panted and swat away the dangerous criminals' arms from her own two sleeves. "You..you infiltrated the faction! That partly belonged to my Lord Dreamwake! He would have sensed your movements. ..so...why? You..are not a false spirit..." She seemed baffled by how whole he had remained. Even after being ripped in two by the last guardians and chosen! The grinning creature of the night decided to let the priestess know just once how he had survived the blow by his enemies before. "Vampire. I am half of one by my rites? You had not scratched me down as...deceased..now did you? Highness?" One staff, then another held back Al's powers from knocking the clown from his high horse!
"You...survived by biting throats of course! Or did you just reanimate yourself as an undead minion to please another!-
A whack to the girl's side had her crumple as heavily as a dying flower's last fall. "My dear..you should have kept your enemies..very close...and soon, you will become a real ruler of those dead you yourself mock! Say farewell to your grand hour..it was so short in the end..." The girl's senses had her lay still. Powerful hypnosis was partly to blame..she could not reveal to these traitors her secret weapon. Not until the cavelry came to break her free of that hideous , cell block!
/
The only other group seeing the mess amid their waking hour was none of 'heroes' at all.
Roko had not been keen on the doctor's sessions any longer. She loathed both Aaron and Slade for treating her so cruelly. In the end, the disasterous daemon had snapped. Taken along by the promise that stupid snake had whispered into her ear, rage had been unleashed inside the doc's workplace.
Slade had nearly been spat back out with a tattered Brocton hiding in a closet within the ruined laboratory, while both males had been unable to use a sedative on the rioting daemoness. Wilson felt as if he were bringing down a bull elephant! She had no weaknesses from the substance any longer in her system...the snake had lived long enough to promise Roko her freedom, her partner's servitude, or even his death. Even being rammed in the gut with those blades- for - fingers, she had not been playing the crook like this before. Ferocious as a wild animal, terrifying the staff as they lay in wait for the building's destruction. She instead set off a few fires to then 'fling' herself out the highest hall's story window.
Deathstroke knew what she had taken when the lab rats had failed to notice any missing props out of place. The viles and gun for the sedative had been taken from the premises. Slade grunt as the bulky assassin tried to stand tall. She was already playing this act , and way out of character from that devious laughter she had muffled for years. That Roko, as far as the mercenry had known, was bound to return as a lap dog to the dragon any day...that might have left a chill to surround the crime lord. Her target had been gathered by internal whispers he could still read by her blood red grin. Her next target was not a Titan, yet a teenager. Who? The man's eyes popped off over to a comm link section of the large developement's main computer. The call was from a dog, not just a meddling mutt, yet one had Slade answered to while the staff still saw stars from the brawling aspect..
~You are not the doctor.~ It had been Kay trying to reach the medical genius..he himself sounded too familiar since those days as the fox's enemy. "Not Takahara, an aquaintance?" Slade asked cooly as Kay's fur bristled over. ~Talk. Are you up to those old tricks? Then you shall not-
"I believe the one called Roko just destroyed half the equiptment in Brocton's med treatment bay. She is not acting as a bystander. You should contact-
Slade stopped himself or was about to, though Kay had an equally bitter attitude towards the villain .
~Why are you trying to act as if you are on our side? Dearheart warned my relatives and I to monitor your movements...yet Roko..was..she was not stable. All this time you refused to hand her over! She's more than dangerous with her memories possibly returning! You shou-
"I bothered to bring up anything about the issue, didn't I? Cal, you are as much a sly dog as your fat cat subordinate. Don't be the one to have missed a chance to-
~I was gathering you'd say something...~ The white haired guardian cleared his throat while hoping the crime boss would try to see reason around the..found body..(Recap? Slade was spooked by Lilith after Roku's treatment of Will.(The kid self reconstructed by the dragon after using the killer's body to make his own). He; in his waking days as an accomplice to the red lord, vowed to destroy Roku as well to reclaim..a way to die so that he's lose his meta- human ability and strife as an assassin . Lilith invaded the keep and promised the wish would be granted if the throne was toppled so that she could honor Slade's request. He refused and ended up almost going soul- less by a massive amount of dark taint inside his false body. ( In arc; An Eternal Tommorow . Roku has his son revitalized inside a form similar to Roko's man- made vessel. The prince was trapped inside his father's realm when Slade had fought back- only for Wilson to lose while ending up later in Priscilla DearHeart's care. With an old elixer, he had beaten the rotten taint . Yet, the witch Lil he hated for using the mercenary to see to her win. He had failed to free the incomplete Rokuro as well, to then aid Grayson from falling by the taint's effects, by Priscilla's act of protection in arc ; To The Future. Now back to our exciting war against the odds!)
~Lil is no more...~ Slade blinked to this. "She can't be. Demons don't just disappear into thin air. Who killed her off?" He seemed unnerved by the incident. Kay continued to play along as messenger. ~She was a husk when her body had washed up by the costal area a few hours ago...as if a massive storm had drunken her dry...or..-
~She was absorbed out. Reaped of essence and her mortality even! Like a...mummy..a real corpse!~ The thought left the all - mighty Deathstroke to sigh. Once out of thanks, the other...he could not understand...had he wanted her head for so long? She had died in order to resist being caught? Who had burned her out?
"Was there any trace of what might have leeched her powers? " Slade bothered to wonder if the harpy even had an ounce of vitality that was still her's alone. The crooked demoness had lived until her dying day..when another had destroyed the wraith to send her floating off shore, face up and bone dry..
~Not yet...Though you were about to tell me about Roko's next move. ~ Damn dog had his eyes peeled even during the sit- down chat. Slade relented before continuing over what he had found years earlier. "She's not only unstable, a voice has been telling her to commit another oath...we had a deal that she could not contact the voice's owner if I played along to her every whim's, desire. All that time she was just ' showy.' Not a villain at heart, not even a killer unless the voice had her act out her frustrations. I was there to act as an enforcer. I did promise Dearheart then, yet...things became hectic. She's not nearly as close to the dragon as his son was. " The crime boss recalled the teenage Rokou with his devil's smile. Roko was in all honesty , still in favor of the king's mindset - even after saying she had sworn away from her murderous past. "Old habits...she was never a villain enough. Now..no one can stop her from unleashing chaos if she decides to put on the mask again .."
Kay stayed silent ; all accept the clicking of keys, pressing of phone numbers ,and blipping* of a desktop hard at work. ~Let me use my ability to ward off the daemon's wrath. ~ How Kay had put the villain's bunk mate in the category of a ghoul , was mostly a bit too eccentric for the older merc. "To where then?" Slade sat up to see if his own tech had any way -
~Looks like you did put a bell around her neck.~The assassin saw it to, as a red line poured onto the screen to reveal an entire map. "She's heading west. " Slade had tapped her after all..he really had forgotten about the damn chip.
"To Jump..yet she's.. stopping. " The screen had Roko's speck of existance centered around one focal point amid the bay of a certain hero's out look spot. ~Titans Tower...She's planning to overtake the tower!~
Inside of the Grayson household, the Tamaranean princess had been littered with calls from Dick's office. One officer had saved his superior enough time; on the man's way out the door, to explain how he'd been trapped inside a glass, obsidian prison. Kori had immediately contacted both Cyborg and Gar. She had advised Gar to be on alert with the young recruits- only to find herself too late..
Kaien's line had been a dial tone, Shoji had finally been able to pick up after a second set of clicks. His uncle had stayed the night ,while the dog had then explained the plans, activities , even worries the three had kept among their own. "You do protect those you care for, yet not well enough if your comrades as the ones protected, are not treated as equals themselves!" She reprimanded to the con- cat with a firm tongue. "I am putting my children to bed, yet I must leave someone to look after them- Dick was found nearest our old , Titans' Tower! It was not as you had told us might ever occur! Why did you lie? " She was unhappy. Her supposed guardian had lied in order to leave his charges in the dark . The cat was no longer a trustworthy ally enough to speak to them with an eminance of smugness as before. His carefree attitude had to be that of an able official's. ~Your husband was not strong enough..to deflect the controlling power of the one we are currently searching for.~ The cat had to say it. Keeping his jaw firm was a coward's way after all! His charges were his allies! Worlds apart made no difference..only Vee had remembered his manners as a guardian. Shoji had to let free the truth!
~Dick is being used by the dragon..that was why the Tower is his new location..mind control..he's not doing this to hurt you. It's Roku's possessive nature ! We are checking in with Rinkasu still a guest in your Tower. At least protecting it without having been spotted yet..I wonder if we should call the big cat out on that.. Also, Gar just realized it. Cy got on my case, and Astarte is setting up her team to keep an eye open for ...~Shoji bit his cheek, then continued.
~Lil was washed up on the shore a couple miles from Jump!~The dog felt like howling his frustrations yet had no right to start. "The..witch..harpy?Why was she not defeated originally? A..Ava had been kidnapped by Lilith? " The Tameranean mother had her eyes blazing- minus the laser - tasers. Shoji nod with a bob of his dark scalp. ~Ava was broken in two by Lil's use of the dark shard from the 'Festa' back in London...when Rokuro had been forced to fight for both dragon and devil. ~ The princess waited . Waited patiently for her cell to tell that Dick had been found..recover...ing..the dragon was a loathsome monster!(To the Future arc . Cecilia Daia was originally an idol with Lilith's backing since her betrayal in the past. Aria was blackmailed in order to save the reincarnated Lorelai Ainsley. (Sakurano Ayane of Takahara Corp.) She was impersonated as a dopple with the siren lady's powers. Her original self was kept locked away in an alternate world- later, an incomplete Rokuro had joined her inside the voidless prison. The dark shard had been gifted to Lil as a tool to make the child bend as her catalyst. Roku honestly wanted the witch to fail, so he made the whole gift of the crystal seem innocent. She was rejected by her own tool, later forced to send herself deep into the vastness of time - Lilith to return and free her pupil Ronnie from the age old pact, Bethel had expired as her life had come to a final stop. Veronica had actually lived during an outbreak in the past. She is seemingly more human than most of my characters. She had sold herself in while her own family had been spared. Yet Lilith had brought about the miserable sickness to drag out her protege's power. The ability to contain ancient knowledge of the witch's rival. Later, after training amid the dark realms, Baphomet had entrusted the turned child with his sacred law to preserve order where darnkness might overtake it. Lil had planned his demise as well, yet Veronica never was truly full- fledged due to that deity's impression upon her mind. Back to the story!)
"I shall leave as we have no option. Ava will be my only 'sitter' until I have contacted-
"No luck there! You are such a weakling..!" The mom's head spun to nearly catch a streak of shadow watching..cloaked in her living room! ~That's Ava's double ! You have to-
*SWQWMASH!* The phone line was rripped* out painfully from the wall, all of the damage seemed to shake the floor around the princess. Shoji cried out one last time, of all the tricks! He had to leave..to search for his kin! They had a family to protect!
/
Upstairs, a racket had alert the twins of a serious set of ground rules being broken. Ami clung to her Pizza Mia Mochi plush without looking up from it's squishy comforts. Aiden had tried to race towards the door before halting where he stood. Anna had Ava inside her cell's lit screen to steer the blonde well away from the battle ground. "Mom is looking for dad, but we are in charge of you since fact rules out. " Ava did not speak, though she did nod away from her sister's protest to remain neutral. Aiden did not trust those words to remain on his side. His mom was in trouble because they could not...
"What about our powers?" The boy looked up to ask quickly. Ann shook her skull to reply in her more relaxed mind set. "We were targetted before. Bringing attention, we would either end up like Ava, or worse . You can't get involved. Call Shoji while I grab an extra ...hand..-
"Wait!" The boy watched his sister slip away out the window. Was she crazy?
"She can't fly?! Who was she talking about!" Aiden saw the touch screen Ami had now in her palm flash on by Ava's presence taking over the electronic device.. ~She had..told me after my recovery..that she's been studying her powers with two women..My old caretaker Isa..whom you remember as Isis..And Sara Santiago..She has been learning how to fight a little from dad too. Though..I guess if you had stayed that night-
"So..she kept it to herself? Thought we wouldn't worry? I'm not staying put! Mom is going to!-
The youngest gripped her brother's arm to cool his temper. "No! Call Uncle Shoj! He can help us!" She whined for his mind to not concoct more 'fight or flight' sequences without planning out those strategies first. "Why? So that the lazy, house cat can leave mom to fight while we...He's not helping us! He's been trying to leave us -
~Grown up, little brother.~ Ava stood with a manner of superiority against the kawaii background on the gadget's homescreen. Her boots were aligned against one another , her dress was now a vest outfit and frayed black skirt, her hair rippled against her side as a powerful force inside her refused to stay silent any longer. With a stern enough tone, she'd taken back over what Hana had tirelessly stepped up to the plate for. Her arms crossed over her chest as an older sister again. As an ametuer teacher over common sense needing to act over emotional boundaries, she had one shot before this all came to crash down around her.. ~You are going to lose them because of those actions! I did exactly what you wanted to do, just to save Ann..I ran after her and ended up half ..functional! I can't even slap you for being such a kid! You want to protect anyone, then act like you have that right! Getting yourself captured or killed won't solve the problem if you're the one doing the saving! Then there would be no one left to act! Play fair or just sit there. Think, you run into danger, mom might end up unable to stay strong enough to fight back! An enemy would use it's opponent's weakness to turn the favor. You should just, know that!~
The teen blonde slipped into that feeling of helplessness...all until he'd let out a weak yip* from that bug on his chest!
~Lemme help! I have power for the Phoenix children too! Let me! I will help! Just do not keep me away! I promise!-
Ami gasped by the speck finally becoming a strength that Aiden had not foreseen. A baby dragon. It popped open from the neck piece within a beam of light. On two legs and big , golden eyes to boot, the ten felt his jaw drop. It was..a kid lizard! Ami squealed by so much excitement that her shifting hands immediately snatched the cutie from it's magic bubble. "Ami!" Aiden cried out . If she got burnt ...he'd do as Anna without-
"Your sister is a solar goddess's priestess! You are very warm! I am sooo happy to have a friend such as you all are to me! Are you my new contracted? Will he be my friend too?" The youngest hugged the scale covered mound of cuteness with both arms never letting go. "So cuuute!" She was flipping out in 'adoration' mode . Aiden still had questions about this...contracted..
"Why are you...a..dragon? You were a firefly before! So what are you? " The spiky haired teen frowned down to the fella with crossed arms. Ava gasped by the creature's appearance...it was the one! She had to explain to Aiden. He might have the power to fight after all!
~Aiden, that dragon - ling is a power...that I was supposed to protect since it's a part of you. ~ Aiden's jaw dropped a second time that night. "What? The pipsqueak is...I don't like this..."The boy groaned as the little guy on Ami's lap tried to flutter off to stand beside it's new charge. ~I was born to help you! Kaien was only giuding me! You are the last voice of the Golden dragon! I'm it's last fragment,which means you have your sword as another piece to the dragon's recreation! You must use it to face an evil whom once tried to use force just to summon my original self in spirit! I was a Universal being of that world, the one in which your sister had been trapped. ~ Ami was swooning* over how well the plush sized mush told stories. Especially as if the intro to a dramatic play! It was quite a lot for the tubby tot to add to his whining. She was glad just to be involved at all...so..much...cute!*
~You see? That is why you cannot run from the truth. This little spirit is proof!~ Ava spoke as her old tone , which made the blonde remember losing her...if only he had been less conceited...She was here..he could apologize later.
The walls shook as the storm below the children's feet continued to rage on. Kori had shot off a bolt, then knocking the dopple into a hard wall of concrete. In the meanwhile, while her 'fly zone' had become an obstacle course for the ex- Titan , Kori prayed under her breath that she would not bang her head into the low ceiling.
Ava paid less mind to the demolition derby downstairs,by speaking up to gain her brother's attention once more. Hishands had started toshake by the last rattle that had knocked him back into the computer desk. "We..have to fight her?...Then who is this..enemy? Why are you guys...don't..." No more protests, Aiden felt himself swallow lump of stale pride with an inhale lastly to reply.
"Then..I have to use the sword." He wondered to his two siblings..still a bit fearful of what the emtional response would be, should they not act as a team..Or quickly enough..
"You can do it bro! But..juust to be on the safe side!" Ami winked as her miko power activated by it's solar bound nature, the mandala behind her transformation was just for show.*
"My powers are also light...like a light house! So if you do run into danger, come and call me up! I'll be steering the enemy . Ava can control the power grid again! Let's show em! One for all!" The ten year old was mistaken if she believed this were some sort of game! Life or death, the Grayson family would overcome it all!
/
Anya had Kori struggling to stand , her starbolts still activated to face the dopple on ground level. Grounded, she could no longer hover as a Tameranean rite. That ability had been stunted by the devil's assassin to work after the child had cleaned the mummy's clock. "Are you through playing? Where are they!? My orders were final! You stole a sacrifice and believed you wouldn't have to face the consequences!" A flung dagger nearly had Kori up in the air again by the cry she'd let out. Was she to face the mirror monster alone? Why was no one contacting them to save her children?
"I warned you..." The deadly eyed hunter crept up from behind to lay her knives forth, all before a flicker..then, the lights simply went!
"What the hell!? Wah!" The girl's arm had been off it's mark in the shadows. A surprising trick from her foes,yetnot enough!
"I..reak of dark energies..you think a little black- out will end our game? Well?!" She swung her fists as fiercely as the alien princess. Her fury had not returned..she needed to have the sun! Anything to-
"Let her go creep!" The voice that Kori had dread most of all to break a promise..now stood by the hall. The glistenning magic of her son had been accompanied by a shining, narrow blade. Raven's reprimand for Aiden not to hold a katana felt a pang against the wary mother's chest. "Aiden! Why are you here! I do not-
"No! I'm tired of running if I can't fight! I'm not like the dogs...I...have the power to face Ava's doppleganger and...I'll win her back!" His flare encrusted sword let out as a roaring fire pit amid the afterlife.
"You asked for this! I will fight you, and if you lose, you return in your sister's place!" The girl grinned evilly as the teen's trickery meant another catch...
"Then if I defeat you, you'll let Ava have the rest of her body AND powers back!" The demoness's bratty assistant could not laugh to that threatening demand! She..she would disappear! Was the child...what was he? A king?!
"Very well, you are nothing more than a novice. Your sister's ice energies encircle my being, long enough to crush your resolve! Say goodnight, sunshine!" With a rapid movement of her entire form , the eyes of the amber scalped teen had a blind space betwen the attacker and her blade. The dragon which had fused with the boy's blade squeeled out a warning to jump away from her knives. ~Slide! Dodge ! Your right! The other left! Good! I will help you bend to...~
The boy blinked to this reply by the invisible, golden, mini dragon. What did it mean by?-
The lights flickered for moments in an incredibly blinding sputter. The teen's arms had the chance of illuminesence. He could really bend the light as she did by -
By passing and side stepping towards the frantic teen inside his daydream, the dopple swept in to shove her knives forth. Yelping, Aiden had a chance to deflect the blow with a bat of his broad blade. It expanded to form the width of a surfboard, yet was still as sharp as the fourteen year old dragged it by the dragon's aid. With a cry he sent the middair items spinning by a powerful shot towards the fleeing dart that was Anya. It nearly had a chance, yet was not enough as it missed it mark by a few centimeters.
Ami shouted with a bang onto the floor! Had he been any more careful with his aim!? The floor had a forked mercenary weapon sticking through it! Kori could only try to fly off towards the stairs, bearly able to lift her feet from the ground...Renovations...she and Dick..had wanted to...Shoji did say to think on it...
Her body fell before even reaching the well, with such stamina rung dry from the earlier face off with the Grorfnein!
~She..is quick..Aiden..be careful while I gain back my strength. ..~ With a faint hiss*, the mother forced herself to crawl towards her daughter's room.
Aiden had to see the felon up close now. Her darkened pupils resembled Ava..he wasn't facing her! Her body was there physically, but her mind wasn't even close to being like the killer's!
With a shove back, the darkly clad assassin scrambled to move from the kid's blade. It swung down with an axe's strength. Aiden believed himself too easily able to lift the heavy weapon - before, he hadn't even gotten it to do as he wanted. He was still unable to work underhand blows, yet this was too good to last. The girl's icy powers borrowed by Ava's captor reformed into a large icicle which then, turned into a dark- sharded blade. It was the rest of her existance inside of the crystal however. If it shattered, the boy was bound to free her captive and destroy the girl's evil spirit for good. Ava had chosen to bring the 'chosen' to light..just to see his powers destroy the enemy on the inside..a true daemoness lady of the forbidden void. Reia's last -born.
The two clashed as if a real sword fight, only her swings were more violent than the warm- up tosses to have the boy lose ground. "Face ! This! Desti! Ny! You..are not..Winning over me! I will bring ...it all to crumble! Die!" Was she even right? Was she acting out of instinct or ...had the puppet gone rogue...
"Stop this !" Aiden flared up as his eyes burned gold over red flames. "You aren't...Stand down!" He saw insanity in her gaze. Ava...Ava was still with them! She was counting on everyone's support!
"Free my sister!" With a last effect of his sword, it turned from broad to katana thin. The frightening cries of the blood- soaked fake had Aiden wonder if Raven had...No! He kept poking her, the stupid fake wouldn't stop grinning!
"GIVE AVA BAACK! GIVE BACK MY SISTEEERRR!" The rest was a blank as the one to force the child still had been the projection of Ava in her ancient form as Reia's heir. Her eyes were wet a little, though saw fear from both Anya as she withered away...and in her charge's pained , pale expression . Had it only been a few steps back...
"Aiden..." Ami tugged her chest to have the aching end. "You are too reckless after all! You...almost killed our sister..." Kori ran back, despite the cry being a call out to the demon lady's associates. On the floor, he was alive and..Ava's body twitched a bit before rising from across from where her brother had harmed Anya, whom no longer held her mortal body hostage.
This one was partly of magic power.. Her old title had been used as the mirror monster's, mask. A way to tear the seams of Ava's old world and to decimate her relationship with her brother...Geting up from her reanimated daze, Kori almost fell over from what had occured. A small golden dragon ; that looked a lot as young Aaron had been..though not this time, was flapping anxiously around the collapsed blonde who had been crying...or was she just thinking his pain seemed similar to that..
"A..ava..."Starfire helped up the child without thinking that it could all be a ruse. "Mom...I'm back! But Aiden..please ! Help him to get through this! He thinks I'm dead, but..we have to call for Isis. It's the only-
A jolt of pressure made the scene reform by Ami's magic...Yet it had been given an enormous boost! Who else was inside the home!?
/
With a final blink, Lothos knew that the assassin self had failed. Roko had been returned as the deadly monstrosity to aid Grayson- who was currently, completely overshadowed by Roku."The child.." Lothos thought into his chin as the Lady Aluehainyu banged against her cell of magic and forbidden sciences. "He was supposed to be important..yet you see? He will shame, and also blame the counci if-
~Low as you'll ever get!" The queen of her castle still had a chance to retake the Eternal realm's stronghold. Lothos was just wasting his time!
The Lady sneered before trying her powers again, only to feel the cell grow cold by an immense waft of energy. "We will not have your back - lashing right now Malady..you have...a speech to carry out on the balcony..."
A fog drove the miss to blink dozens of times. Hypnosis..how had he learned it without needing to nip someone? Had he studied at abnormal speeds as a false earthen dweller? Then why had that...What of the rest of her supporters! A speech...no...it...
~My afterworlders...~She said in a hollow voice, her eyes feeling to widen by those words. ~Yes..they need me...I..will go to my people...~ As if an automaton ; bolts and weak , metal joints, Al walked by the other prison cell blocks to follow after Lothos.
His method to banish the support of her sister worlds would leave other worlds to have the Eternal one , up- for grabs. The dear had not been attent long enough , nor her teachers who had senility to fend off. ~Go..I will...speak...my people...~
In a drained whisper and wide eyed shock she continued to belive she could save her folk...they had to surrender..to fall back...Yet in her mind this was in shambles by Lothos's hypnotic suggestion. She could not make head nor tails of the rest had to come into play soon enough from the ones above the Eternal's distinct law..Lothos would go down kicking and screaming with the rest..the age old era had been ready to crack any day. Al just played the drone until this time arrived. Her fists still clenched to never forget what her rites had been to her old Lord Destiny. As a high orderly, she would have died long ago for that cause.
/
Raven's fling into another world amid their time and space, left Greggory to hold the two steady by his prolonged recovery back into a powerful sorcerer. The sunlight hit his cloak while Raven had to shield herself from the shining rays his garb and energies emit.
Sorcerer Greg peered out into the distance. Just as Jin Mae's troupe, Greg had rescognised this scene before. The original Titans Tower. Raven saw as well; the closed doors had been her team's fortress, both in past and present eras...
She saw not what Greg had tensed by. There was someone watching. He held her back to prevent anyone else to be taken prisoner. "What? Was this where Al wanted to send us? But why here?-
Raven's words had been cut off by a scuffle ; one on the beach bayside of the Titan's fortress. Then Rae was certain Greg had waited. Dick..was fighting Robin! The new Robin who had just taken charge of the Teen Titans!
"Wah! Why is he going loco! " Kid Flash toppled into the sand to find another villain above his trampled form. Raven's eyes lit full of her powers. "Roko !" She growled this as the Queen of Aces to her lord took a few steps. "Oh! You didn't lose my trail!- Though it would have been best if you had stayed behind! My accomplice isn't ready to finish the rest..let me slice all of you to pieces in the meanwhile!" With a terrible looking grin, those leering red eyes, the little aspect took towards the empath with teeth bared . Her dark hair followed as a cape,rather long behind it's lady's trail of a bloody wake! Her old self..Raven dodged as the daemon never grew tired...why was she fighting...
"Greg!" Raven shot off towards the daemon to force her away, as Greg stopped Grayson from making a break towards the opposite side of the bay, away from view of the tower . He could not leave them high and dry just yet. ~Peneace!~With an old casting still possible, the hero gone rogue felt his legs turn to the sand as it as it swallowed his knees to -
"Hahahaa! Old friend! Good of you to drop in! Were those traps enough to make you hate me now, oh noble saint!" That voice...Greg was sweating...How would Dick be able to say those things!
"Incoming!" The heroes looked up to see Anna on her way over with Ron, riding his back as his Celestial hound form. More lion by the roar he bellowed towards the blazing skies, to shower water droplets into buckets over the enemies. There were also projections such as the demons Shadow Von Hert had used. The drones burrowed to escape the cleansing Elemental's wrath within seconds, before the lightening strike connected with the dry earth. Only Roko and Dick remained unharmed by the tactic. "Even the odds! No one making is my friends fight each other! The one causing this mess...Come OUT, AND FIGHT!" Anna felt her abilities fester, all in need of the reason of just why her dad's aura was just as Aiden's room ..when darkness had seeped into every corner!
The cold, deep , spine tingling laugh of the dragon finally had no where else to run. Let them see..that Richard had sold over his promise to aid in a conquest! "Ahh...You truly are as your papa...though..he won't admit...all of the heroes are to fall. The last fragment will gather as..." The dragon had a red shard tinted black from over powering Richard! Raven sizzled helplessly as her feet could not move. Roko hit the battered Robin and Kid Flash to trip over one another. With a cackle she held them still by knocking both out in single blow. Skull against skull as she knelt to konk* both out cold.
Greg saw this, yet also saw the youngest's, new Titan's ear. A mic piece was still hidden. His team would be in the same boat...the dragon was gathering the shards to return and cover the worlds into despair once again. The light sorcerer and Celestial's agent fidgited with a portion of his staff. One that held a weapon inside of it for times such as these.
"You...you were that energy..."The girl realized as the lightening beast kept Anna from the fight, that it had been the presence...of 'who' had stolen her dad's body!
"My, my...our time is wasted here- Roko..be a dear and send these...heroes off. Oh..yet do not harm our...sacrifices. That would be unwise. I hope you shall join..for their final moments of life among their own kind...farewell...!" With a swift sandstorm kicking up from his growing abilities, the Titans flew a ways away from their home. Zatana had gotten an energy boost from Raven,who immediately went after as her projected being to save Robin and...He was gone!
"Dad!" Anna nearly felt her fire flicker before burning out. Ron gripped the girl's arm before she could fall to her demise. He shielded her as a diving shock bomb into the bay. Kid Flash had recooperated in a few , enough to know those two would not survive the crash. Ronald was an Elemental of primarily lightening. Storms did not always coincide with large bodies of water, at least not on his planet! Kaien was the same. His hair reformed to encircle the two as the plummet came. "Ann!" Raven shot off to aid Kid and the Titan's old leader's child. "Heey! This way!" The trajectory was curved a bit to toss Anna into the air, enough time for Kid Flash to come to the rescue. Ann coughed, then gasped by what had become of Ron, who was flapping helplessly as his fox- hybrid to stay afloat. Out of power!
"No! Someone get him help! He's gonna drown!" She could only call to her mother's friend Rachel Roth as the witch dove hard into the swashing waves. Havoc on the beach had passed; being a distraction by the enemy, yet Ron was still underneath the shoreline. Rae had to save them both from the riptide! "Anna,I'm bringing you back to dry land. " Kid said quickly before having already gotten to the bank. "So stay here! Go inside the Tower and-
Roko..Roku had left her behind..!
"Not on my watch You not going..you're to follow. Just like dear daddy! So..what's it going to be?..Let the kitty drown, or lose your buddy in this storm?" The sands were back as the speedster gripped Ann again to ripple past the whirlpool motion of the spins. "Aagh! Stone and pelleting flecks of sand hit the two as the Kid...had lost his juice box...too...
"She..doesn't stop..." Kid forced himself to keep going. Yet to overheat...he'd need to get the girl somewhere out of the line of fire! The crazy chick was unreal! "Playtime's over when I say so!..So..keep dancing monkey ! We can go all night ! No one's stopping ..not until..you ...fly higher!" With a fling of what looked like transparent thread, the speedster was shot apart from the teen red headed child with both crying out for dear life.
"Win on my part, you are the one who started it, now. ...hah!" With a click of the hero's wrist, it pulled back. These things were embedded! Wire! He was a marionette! She laughed with teeth glimmering dangerously towards Greg.
"I thought we were all told..to hold still!" The cords shot from a third; a projecte arm of the daemon's newest abilities from so many a live her lord had swiped. Greg dodged the first, yet the other bound his wrist,then throat as he clawed for release. "Grrahh! Rokooo!" The grit teeth of the Digitalis official were left to still as his entire body flew high up by those wires. Kid panicked. His powers wouldn't be back for another few...
"I take it back. You really ARE NUTS!" The devil lady saw him scream this insult. It was a natural response. Was he too young to understand a truly despicable being when he saw one?
"Why, thank you for the compliment.." Roko bowed sweetly , knowing her king loved this aspect's true nature. What she had failed to implant into his son's psyche . She held more her creator's thanks than the brat's!..And speaking of brat...
"Think your cute, lil brother is safe with mommy.?..? Aww..don't worry..I wanted to thank you for making him hate who you expected ! The agony...my lord told me all about it..." The puupy dog eyes and pouting lips of the false pityby the damned daemon brought Ann to struggle hardest against the trap. "You think ..maybe if you had stayed a..loser.? Just to let him have the glory? You acted out of line, we know. He hates you...deep down, you are nothing more than an enemy! Oohhh...But don't worry! The dragon ya see, was all your daddy's fault! He did what you did! He stopped trusting his comrades, allies..you just act as if you could have mathced his expressin then! Priceless!" The grinning daemon cruelly covered her lips with a free, gloved set of fingers. Anna looked as if she had lost something important..what luck!
"Then...you...you...-
The child tried not to tear as she would have without her elemental abilities. The creepy, rude monser was after the heroes...to destroy the world! How..had she no been afraid like her brother..he was right...this was-
"Hope ya' weren't thinking...cough! That fighting the flames ..might as well be all or nothing!" Ron came with Raven clasping his Celestial cloud runner form , to support the liudmouth from tipping over! "You..forget entirely, we came by your call. So, you have to have known that it wasn't impossible from the..cough!*..Start..." Ron smiled while bearing his pearly whites as the joker he had made amends with for Anna's, family's sake. "You have the way , so pave it further. -
"His can you..be so dim?" The daemon was not amused. Roko was having more time lost because of the babble from these simple minded -
"So Roko." Greg had his masked weapon all ready to send the devil into another dimension. "What was it you wished for? You speak of the..lord was it? Then no need to explain. You stayed to win OR lose. Roku just left you to take the plunge. " The long haired villainous scoffed with her dainty fingers shaking slightly. "No! I'll win and you'll become!-
"Was not what you had expected ." Ron nod to Raven,who in turn nod to Greg to attack on that signal. The three had her plowed back into the dust as ray, hit, magic projectile..and flames...Roku had..left her to be a sacrifice...no!
With a shuuder,a portal was let to open for the daemon's peace of mind. Her lord..he ..he had remembered..what low lives for playing truth breaker! It was useless!
"Sayonara ! You are in for it now!" Her rediculous amount if stamina returned with a leap through the darkened void. Flash did not make it in time since his strands took the longest to turn to ash. "She's wrong!" Anna saw past this with a wary heart. "He's going to use his allies too! All the stories say sacrifice is in numbers! This..it has t be the same! She's going..no!" The girl tossed herself towards the dying realm in the wake of the isle, amid moments until day break broke the long silence surrounding the Titans and guardian. "You...you think she's right? Like Brother Blood, it could be just as menacing and..." Raven shushed Wally from fretting around the youngest ally. "I'm goig back to her home. Therefore is something I must convince ...to her mother. I'll have to explain.." her lip with a worisome expression , her brows knit slightly. "That your father, Dick..isn't coming home. " Hana nod tothis as if in a daze of shock- she was just thast after having played mind games with a creature oif evil...
"Roko is..that was her name,right? " Robin had awoken earlier to see to the security breach. As if there had not been a hair out of place, the area's radar specialist..picked up not a single trace. It baffled him, though magic left no trail in which science could always clearly overpower that option. It had to mean an illusion was not the reason, however...they remembered every detail.
Raven looked over to Greg who had not needed to whip out the spell charm inside his sorcerer' staff. "Oh, It would have been an alright chance to test out the prototype."He smiled back nervously to the group before Zatana had to call back her fellow team mates. Gar had been able to reconnect through the comm link as well as Cyborg...and one more. Astarte. It was, apparently for her young trainee, Anna was stunned. That was...a ridged and difficult program to attend! Yet had Isis pulled some strings even then?
~ Long time no see. We have very positive news. Nina has been found. A trail into this mess was left and one of our specialists located her position. She is...oh...sorry. Raven, lookin' alright yourself! How was the-
"Anna's not cut out to be a soldier! What were you all thinking?" Her protective auntie mode had kicked in to high gear against the Goddess Astarte's human proposal.
Cooly, the deity in her naval attire sat back to ponder the witch's confusion. ~First off, she came to see us. After her family situation had become problematic , our youngest, star pupil here.~ Sara Santiago motioned her gaze back towards the fourteen year old's own hazel. ~Our rising star decided to do something to learn a proper technique. It's mainly Isis who pushed me ...though she wanted to fight-
"I...don't..." Rachel shook her head to clear the air of that last sentence. "I still think that it was wrong to let someone's child...you didn' t get any permission fro-
Sara groaned to hold her temples with a huuf* before releasing the built - up pressure surrounding her skull. ~We did. You think it was easy fending the folksoff? Or at least letting them allow her to work as a trainee bearly , at least until her next year? This was what I had Isis NOT blow me over for..and yet...Richard was only able to add that he wanted her to still do her usual work and ...also to not worry so much..~Astarte shrugged as if Dick being stolen had not occurd to the chariot huntress."That..was ..."Raven looked back over her side towards a rather reluctant Ann. Her faced gearing down towards the floor; possibly found out by...how the deity had been active all along!
"You..signed up for cadets? Or did it just mean protection? Why? What are you, fourteen? " Wally could not believe that his senior Grayson would condone this! She was a pipsqueak; and for their info, NOT a fighting type by her emotional standpoint. She had not had enough of that odd power to whack the crazy chick demon back into the underworld or whatever...So why did a Navy officer give an ok? Raven was not wrong. Yet Ann's gu had told her to become strong at any cost.
"So...then we are-
~Nina has an interesting location mapped. Seems she was still actively in Europe ; rather, despite my orders to return to base, she went to London by someone's tug in that direction..~ Ron coughed a bit as Anna winced each time. "It sounds as if she had gotten seperated from Solario or Kai to take that trip back." Sara nod to the empath before looking over her quarry. ~Then if you need any extra leads, I have top notch intel where our agreement stands. Take off today and one more extra rest period , Anne. Rest up before reporting. Santiago now signing off, so good luck.~The large screen had gone blank, along with the faces of many concerned heroes and two guardian warriors from another world. Raven tuned into a new link - while Damian's skepticism bore into her skull from behind. "The girl, you have been learning mixed areas of combat, miss..." He tried to remember her correct title to go by. Hana just sniffed and mumbled a reply softly with her head somewhat lowered from his masked gaze. Somehow..her dad had been involved in all of this confusion. The red head's face crinkled in frustration as she stood to respond to the new Titan's curiosity. "My dad is Grandpa Wayne's adoptive child. Just like my sister Ava whom you'll never even be close enough to meet. " With a turn of her head rudely from the taken aback Robin's own, Cyborg had suddenly reappeared as a link connection via the main computer. ~Rae!~Who was the other voice-
"Gar...field?" She tried to see the connection. He had found Cy's addrss despite being in a tight spot with his second in command. "So you got the call? Did Vict-
Gar shook his head as the Cybernetic dad reappeared through a third screen's connection. ~We had lost focus on Star labs- the tech Shoji used is gone again! The cat had it transferred on a big truck, day it came...the cat's device had only gotten as far as the glass doors of the entrance to Star Lab corp. ~ Raven blinked , still trying to understan-
"Who is suspected to havestolen it from the guardian...while knowing where it was headed from?" Cy sighed as his temples had become sore from other matters. About seeing the dog as Shoji. He had separated from the hybrid self to go stealth elsewhere. At the least, Raven had to guess something! She had been travrsing diensions with...a guardian warlock!
"She should not ...Anna, we have to get you back home for now." The empath redirected her attention towards the exit with a solid swish* of her white cloak behind her. "Don't hesitate to contact Starfire and explain..that this fight-
~Which is why I had said someone knew! That had to have been one of the same crooks that stole our tech! I think we have similar leads . Lemme at least have Ann stay with her sis an' bro in our cozy settin'. ~Cy wanted them safe? Was he acting more human by forgetting the dangerous daemon after it's targets!?
"The one , Roko, she might have something to do with this...where was the last place you had been contacted of it' s arrival?" Ron fought to be of some aid while Zatana was patched up by Greg over in the med bay . Her skull had been hurting since the odd presence of another...one that had stunned her magic to collapse. "Tell me. " Greg asked the dark haired stage hand performer. "Who did you sense?" She had to dig even further to recall..a face...it..was very ...rah!
"My dear, the clue is close. Yet you must try to remember it's energies, something that will fill in the missing pieces! Please..the world is at it's knees. Itknows not the danger which closes in day by day! " He squeezed her hands reassuringly. Those big eyes enough to melt away ; just as Greg had been nick - named. A saint by the real enemy carrying ties to the heroes' win. "Red..itv was not red energy...it was a murder! A mass extinction...I..refuse..yet no! There is another...he...he is a child!" She blinked back to gasp out with sweat trickling down the magical Titan's brow. "You...yoiu think?.." As if trading secrets by the speak, Greg had seen the vision not far along down that path.
~Aiden...will sacrifice to the dragon...~ Greg turned as pale as who had just heard their conversation. "Wally...you..didn't need to-
"Heck yeah I'm gonna ask!" The red head startled his teammate with a frown and shout. "Don't act like you're that friendly with us. " He grunt towards the odd ball wizard with a sideways glance through the door. "Am I causing tension where as I should not?" Greg inncently asked the speedster with a small smile, more edging off as a cunning smirk. Wally didn't think the truth was evident on the guest's face, so he spoke.
"You're not from our neck of the woods, that's not the issue though. You look like you know more about what's going on for our city than we do! I'm serious. That device in your hand during our show- down gone awry with that...guh..Roko...you looked like a seriously sneaky escape artist waiting to mess her up! So..then why...-
Finding the decent words to apologize to Zatana, then standing to face the suspicious hero in the butt of the entrance, Greg cleared his voice to ease the mess it might..have seemed. Wallace was..just as quick to trip despite his whip - of - a tongue for insults.
"I was here to iron out an old enemy's last ,unfinished plot..yoiu are mistaken friend of my staff havinv been for the daemon's sake. It was to halt the one holding Grayson's body hostage. " He said all of this without a blink, which annoyed the Kid even more. "Then, our senior Titan...he's actually!?.."
The wizard in his sorcerer's guise of a moonlit silver nod sadly. "That is why my guardians - which as you've noticed ..Shoji's name has popped up, more than once around this city..?..Ronald is a guardian within a royal family, as well as the black, cat.." Zatana's drooling over this stuff..but...wow..so you guys..really aren't from this world..." Greg chuckled to this silliness. Yet it was important to keep allies on every world, such as another sort of 'conquer' to the supposed 'beneficial ' of that other, world. "Then I think you can be trusted..but first!" Zatana looked as inncent as an impressive fan girl of the extra- ordinry!
Wally almost turned to give the warlock his space, yet Greg had spoken only once more before letting the kid go. "Our world is not as glorious wityhoutmortal minds to bring us into being. I , would only remain a various figment had it not been for the day and age of to- day, believing in this poor soul's existance. ..we come about from the age of mindful dreamers...as well as not outspoken nightmare scapes. The ones' created for a purpose almost as human as ye earthen dwellers..are fallen such as you have seen...though of another era - Oh! Please , mind my expression! " With a laugh , nervously the speech to Zan had also been for Wally. The speedster understood with a nod. Omnipotent in numbers. Incredible odds were against them...as it had been for the Titans of another time!
/
Aiden had been picking up the mess left by the demon dopple. Not all of it could be salvaged. Such as Ami's console station in the den which had been covered with sheet after sheet of plaster! Her eyes welled up as easily as the Marshmallow mochi mania patient..who was still in recoveryfrom multiple burns . "Wah! Why does this keep happening!" Her fan girl nature had come pouring out as she tried to remember where that landscape she had been saved to was on her latest edition. ~Hmmm...Oh..Astragoth! In Lumineer-
It was enough to make Ava smile, even as her make - shift splint only helped until her power to heal fully had done the rest. Isis had been lucky to have been warned by Kai; who had been told by Anna and Verra before they had part ways, of danger errupting within the household of her you charges. The girl was currently with the Stones for the extra trip it would take to get back. Ami enjoyed her extra chat with Jackie over the line. Her questions on a way back from a game- long lost, destiny still as fresh in her mind as the loss of Mochi Pan-Cakie number...forty...How could she miss one if she had nearly thirty nine more? Shoji must have been sneaky enough to have paid for her the whole series!
~Victor..I really do appreciate all you have done. Kaien..I do not believe that Anna had so much time when I had learned of-
Karen took the unit from her hubby's hand to smile back. "She's the sweetest thing, once you get her talkin'. Even she an' Julian have been inseperable since. Our son's only a year apart..an' how come Ami's never brought up that much? She knew us better than you an' Rich'd remember Titans' East! It's cool. Baby! You're on, I'm gonna head up to check on how Annie's doin, so don't hang up yet. " With a switch over to Beecher's second half, Cy had to hand it to his own fate..
~That was actually the most mild I've seen her as all week...~ Vic whispered to Kori who cutely gasped by how cooled down Karen had been since the mishap while saving Ava. Kori then let him ask. ~You sure Ann's not puttin' some sort of spell on us?~ He joked this in a positive fashion. If it had been a spell, it was filled with more good intent every secindshe remained.."Hana...has been trying her hardest to come out..of her shell-
~Kor! You didn't say a scattered phrase! I wasn't wrong then. So then if any of the kids wanna hang for their summer break off- homework won't go unchecked, then let Karen an' I know. Star..as...as far as Rob...we aren't stoppin.~
The ex- Titan mom nod with a thanks and sniffle. "I will . You have those words..of mine!" She joked that she had not known the wordplay. ~You have my word on that. Anytime sounds wonderful...~ With a wave and sigh in relief, Ami had gone up to see to Aiden, while Ava stayed by her mom..to give a great big hug - despite the not - yet healed arm she had to bite back against.
"Ava Marie...We have all missed you...And Isa...You...were not far behind." Looking up, Isis had revert back to her form as Isa Rothschild without fail. "I know my role is sometimes interrupted by the council..yet with the way that my brothers had been..I could not trust my own judgement, so ..I did leave a portion of my powers behind, in exchange to save my dearest Ava's family.." She smiled warmly to her old allies. They had not heard from her lips however how she had bypassed the scare, while inside the spirit sanctions. She had not lost her memories, nor her face of existence. ~There is a rat amid the sects..I must report such findings..yet later.~
The power she had left behind, was her position as a delagate for her old world rites. Immortal was no more without a solid reason to exist. She had places to turn to. In the meanwhile, two stray characters had also made contact during the shift. One was the voiced presence of a solar mother deity..the other, a lynx deity totem that had the rites of the great Sphinx of legend ..
Rinkasu. Who was this being whom had even recognised Lady Bao Shi Lan? The had the goddess ponder further.
Although, oddly enough, the creature resembled a lion, not a big cat alone in that massive form. Could Rinkasu actually have actually lied about her presence? That her real self was as the Phoenix...perhaps Isis's old friend could clear up the confusion! Later..there was no time left to dally.
"How is...your son?" Isa remained passive though had some lines of worry forming across her brow. Her son's energies ..any sign would have been a great blessing. Even if..he should never be reborn as her Horus...
"Aiden is..."Kori felt the young Ava step away to reply for her old caregiver, for her stunned mother's sake. "He ended up in shock. No one has told my brother..about my real reason for being so close. He wanted to protect us..but...it wasn't right!" She also broke down a little with a palm clasping over her lavender eyes. "He..he thinks I'm dead!..He thought that my body was hurt..by his sword's new power!...I..I couldn't wake him up...he..doesn't want to se..-
Ava felt a tear trickle past. After acting the bold, brave , older sister, she had ultimately made a fool of her own selfish role...He was not strong enough to see that right this second..how she felt by those eyes still in awe of her return..he..didn't wish her to be close...he was afraid to use that magic...so much that-
A scream emit from the top floor as Ami let her voice be heard . There was something happening. Amelia was not able to watch over her sleeping sibling as before!
/
"Yaah!*" The girl was unable to see past the waves of dark energies spinning in from the window cill as a mini, frightening tornado in her room. It ended up leaving the child inside of a shielded, bright, magic bubble, before trapping her from escaping. Then carrying the orb up higher from the carpet...It quickly flung the miko- in - training from the cill, outside into the morning air. It's cold grip still remained firm as Amy cried helplessly off into the rising daylight. Ava had only just seen the room; with a kick the door was down, yet Ami was gone...
The bubble burst from the rooftop of a nearby building. As the tornado reformed to bring the changed Richard's body into being, Roku's features took hold to age the adult mortal a slight. It was a lot more than a reaction as the dazed priestess bit back to blink up and see- her dad was as he had never been before!
"Wah! You're ok!" She did not seem to gasp long enough, as the wrist of demon kept male had his captive topple over in a fit. "Yow! Dad! Why are you acting-...You're not you! That same red cloud! It's you! You hurt my brother! Now..you hurt my dad too-
The dragon's voice boomed as a low chuckle to shake the child's nerves up violently. "You my dear..are no threat. Yet your power...I must know...Which Immortal gave such an energy..to such a lively...child ? " The girl frowned, zzipped her lips as if by a spell, then snobbishly turned her head to look away. "I don't know what you are talking about . Bet my real dad knows...guess you are just wasting -
"Yaah!" Another hard yank into the air left the girl stuck , unable to fight as hard as with her feet planted on the solid ground. "That mouth, is not the one that your father gave to you ..Pity.. No matter, the rest is set. None of those insults you dare utter will be of any use. You..will simply become raw energy ...Unless! ...Your beloved siblings seeto my plans. You would not want to say..die young? Would you little genius? "Ami blinked back, realizing what her allies and parents had been afraid of...
"Our powers...what do you want with my family!?" She spat back a bit shakily with rage towards the smug lipped dragon. He only had her dip in that same mid- air position with a shrug of his overshadowed host's, thick shoulders . "Use your imagination- yet will you? Can you? That power was not given for you to govern alone...a law you must abide. Did Ava not make that per-
"You...you were spying!? Where were you? My dad wasn't..then you!-
The dark lord drank in the sight of this purely distraught maiden of light. "I was always a shadow...never forgotten. Always waiting...you did see ? Your siblings by the way, let me inside of their lives by doubt alone! Then think! If brother or sister, hero or ally loses it's confidence...my power will be unstoppable!"
Ami growled back angrily with her fists shivering dangerously. "That's...you should know when!-
"I..will not. You? You are a prisoner until my demands have been met. " With a sly smirk the dragon had sealed her fate. Amelia's magic turned to stardyst as it drained her dry. The bube hoiwever reformed into a vile black crystal orb. Ami smashed her fists down upon it ..though..this wasn't her end..die?Her?..She..she had to escape! Warn the
"No." The dragon tutted her eye color changing to see past the fog he had placed inside her cage. "I call the shots. Energy has no voice. You are without a way home. When your dear brother finds me ...then you shall see just how dangerous those powers truly will become..you think he wishes them gone with all of his strength? " Ami dared notweep in front of this..monster over taking her father! He would be sorry for that too .
"What if I were to tell you all, that those abilities need no longer become a burden...that your magic might be stripped away,to return that everyday peace you endure so much of...? Would Aiden come to wonder? Would he wish it all away?You are bait my child. Once your sibling sees the flaw of being filled to the brim with that doubt,it will be too late!" A harsh whisper of that steely tongue had the girl with millions of goosebumps . He..was a monster alright! Her dad was in there! She had to hold out for her family! That...was her only mantra for now as Ami was lifted up- to gaze back into a rift beyond their time! Was it just as Ava!? It had tobe! Thisis what those creeps wanted! To hurt the teens into exposing those powers ,to then make use..to use an opponent's weakness! Ava had been right!
"Ok..." Ami sat inside of her crystal celland lowered her head. A play..to dispell the dragon's ...curiosity..he did soundmore like a snake. Bringing him slithering from that host mught prove dangerous. Yet Amelia was a girl genius! Her heartbeat quickened by that glare through her poor papa's pupils. "You agree to these demands?" SThe dragon asked hurriedly to the young , blue eyed miko. Her clothing evaporated to return to Ami's old play clothes. "Yes. I won't run away. " All she could do was stall. It was the only way to save her father, and to keep Aiden safe from another ambush.
"Very brave of you ." Roku congratulated the youth with a side smirk , with a swish of his cloak, the rest had been into the clouds. Ami still remained alert. Even as the world below turned toa speck left of hope, her undying faith in her family stayed grounded. ~I'll be saved in time...don't lose sight! Amaterasu, I'm counting on that beacon of light for everyone to follow!~ Bracing to breach the cloud cover, Amelia held back her heart from shattering along withan invisible field. Her mind started to dwain, all of the wifi,d..started to feel..blue...why was she not afr..afraid!?
/
So plot twist! Lil is eaten out by her boss. Slade has lost control of a rather corrupt Roko . The red snake from part one of these new years arc has revealed itself as the remainder of Roku's spirit. Richard Grayson has ended up a punching bag and host for the dragon - his entire being has been smothered by the dark king's old presence. Ava's body has been relinquished- only after a winning duel had gone awry. Aiden's sword then decimated Anya soon after, causing the blonde to pass out and regret hurting his sister's mortal form. Little doeshe know that she will soon show offthe wings of Reia's lost clan. The Raven Winged saw even the netherworld from their perch. Just as Aluehainyu explained of her secondary role to Raven and Gregory. Both have now seen Dick in his new garb. Will his own life turn topsy if the dragon is beaten? Will Aiden end up despising his abilities without truly discovering that Avais fully alive? Ami has been captured to lure out the dragon's newest muse. Who is Rinkasu actually weorkingfor if not a true big cat of the east? Is the Phoenix going to answer Isis's questions ?
Find out in chapter nine if the heroes will face the fight of their lives once more or will they fall as one instead? The guardians had better hurry! Time is ticking closer to the end game as the story continues...Look foward! Read on for more.
