Author: Chapter 10, woot. I've come so far since this story was created. At first it was going to be something simple, a bit of fun, but yet it developed into this intriguing story full of wonder, feelings and fights. The ending, I'm afraid, is going to be a real shocker. ;) One more thing. This chapter and 11 will be shorter. I'll make up for that with the later chapters. xD Anyway. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I would totally love to own DC Comics, but I don't, so I only own the stuff I create and design. This includes the energy users (present and not).
All she recalled at first was watching the intense battle above on a screen with Wintergreen at her side. It had been so awesome, so fast paced that it was hard to follow. Robots all over the place, the Titans fending them off, Sari and Robin tackling on Slade alone..
The next part was like a dream, vivid, but hazy, like trying to see through a misty mirror.
Two forms appeared in the room they were in, the living area space, and had confronted them. She recognized them, but couldn't pick out who they were.. until they let loose their powers; colored energy that floated around them like smoke.
It was the Sonica and Silvetica users. White and grey.. so that meant, by Sari's horrid nicknames, this was San and Silvy.
Wintergreen had rose, turning to address the teens with a cheerful smile on his face. "Do you know it's rude to enter without knocking, much less intrude without permission?" He crouched and lifted tightened hands into an offensive stance as he continued, "I'll have to teach you manners."
Silvy smirked briefly. "Try to, old man."
"O-o-old m-man?! You little-!" He flickered forward, hands snatching Silvy's out of the air and he pushed the boy to the wall behind, pinning his arms up. The pair struggled and San focused on her, brown orbs glinting lightly.
"Ruba.. please come home with us." The girl tried to plead, but she stood, allowing red energy to appear on her fists, anger boiling deep within her constricting chest.
"No." She offered her defiance.
"Then I will bring you down." San said almost happily as she ran at Ruba, fists flying in a display of combative movements. She blocked each one and grabbed the last, spinning and bending to toss the girl over her shoulder, but San was like a cat. She corrected herself in the air and landed in a crouch, white energy sizzling wildly around her.
The two commenced a heavy battle of bolts and beams, but the other was quick, sending in their own to counter. It was ferocious, a crazy fight that left the room getting damaged from missed shots.
Silvy had recovered his strength, lifted his feet and kicked Wintergreen off with a sharp push to the chest.
He was released and the second his feet hit the floor he tackled the older man and the two rolled, fighting for dominance.
"This.. is for Sari!" A sharp punch connected with Ruba's jaw and the girl fell to her knee, tired from the brutal exchange between her and the white user. "This.. is for Silvy!" A punch was delivered to the stomach and Ruba bent over, gasping for air, winded. "And this.. is for me!" An elbow struck her back, dropping her to the floor.
She was out cold. San turned to study Silvy and realized he was still fighting the older man. The two had separated and hopped to their feet, then had a boxing match. She shot a white bolt toward the suited man's back, smiling as he collapsed with a sharp hiss. A low tactic considering it was unfair but San didn't play by the rules.
Silvy took out his communicator as San retrieved the unconscious Ruba.
"Yeah?" It was Sari's voice that answered.
"Silvy here. We got her. Making our exit."
He aimed his free hand upward, shooting a powerful beam up toward the ceiling. The debris rained down and the pair jumped, Ruba tossed onto San's shoulder like a rag doll.
"Alright. Meet at tower." Sari ordered. He put away the device and the pair ran toward a wall, blasting their way outside and onto the street. Raven appeared and teleported them back to the tower.
It wasn't long before the group were once more at the tower, crowding the living room and studying their prize; a tied Ruba seated on the couch, deep in the dream world from San's attacks.
They celebrated as softly as they could, but it was like bad music: it always seemed to have the opposite and unwanted effect. Just a bit after Sari said something about bringing her back she began to stir and so they gathered around the sofa, expecting to be greeted with hostility and as such prepared themselves for a verbal fight if necessary.
Pain. It consumed her as she began to gain awareness. At first it was faint, like the ticking from a clock, a distant ringing of a bell, but as seconds went by the feeling grew.
Sounds started to sprout. Incoherent murmurs bloomed at first, things she couldn't make out, but they shifted into voices that didn't make any sense. Then smell. People, all around. She tasted blood in her mouth and pain radiated from all over, specifically her back, stomach and jaw areas. As her awareness came around slowly so too did her memory clear itself, revealing the prior events.
She remembered waking up, speaking with Slade.. a commotion.. the Titans, Sari.. being told to wait downstairs and watching the fight play out on a monitor.. San and Silvy attacking Wintergreen and her then-... being knocked out.
She tried to rub her head, but found herself unable to. Something rough and scratchy pinned her arms into place at her back, locking them from use. She groaned, eyes fluttering to try and get a visual of the environment.
What she saw startled her once it became fully visible. Many shapes, dark at first from the setting sun beyond, entered her line of sight. As her eyes adjusted she picked out colors; red, purple, black, green, blue, white, tan, brown.. orange, so many vibrant shades. It enhanced and she found herself looking at the waiting heroes. The Titans, Sari, San and Silvy.
"Glad to see you're awake.." Sari seemed genuinely happy at this comment and Ruba snorted.
"Of course." Sarcasm oozed from her sent words.
San peered at Robin from the corner of Ruba's gaze and said, "Your team should rest, recover. We can handle this personal issue." She directed her brown eyes to the red user.
"But-" Beast Boy tried to say, but a dangerous look from Silvy shut him up.
Robin nodded, looking at his fellow Titans. "Let's go get cleaned up, our injuries tended to."
Star, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven and Robin all departed, leaving the four energy users alone.
Silence blanketed the room before Silvy stood, walking forth to crouch before her, staring at her with his deep, dark and empty eyes. "So. How was life with Slade, hm? Was it worth becoming a traitor?"
"Silvy, heel boy." He ignored San's words.
She glared at him bitterly. "I didn't become a traitor." Her gaze landed on Sari and burned intensely. "Slade offered me something I couldn't refuse. Trust. Belief. Honesty. Training. Things that the Titans didn't seem to share."
Sari pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing deeply. "It's not like that, I told you. I didn't want you getting hurt or injuring others. You were unstable, still are. The risk was too great-"
A smirk crossed her features, silencing him. "Slade has taught me control. I know how to access my powers and stabilize them now. I've become far stronger in the small amount of time I was with him, I gained much."
"So you swallowed all the lies he fed you like a good little girl?" Silvy scowled and she narrowed her cloudy emeralds at him.
"Silvy-" San tried to reign him in, but he lifted a hand in her direction and she sighed.
"Honesty. Slade never once lied." Ruba said proudly.
San said nothing further, merely sat cross-legged on the floor as she observed the exchange.
"He's a manipulator, Ruba, you shouldn't trust him, not one single bit." Sari said softly.
"Like you aren't either. You act like you're an angel and he the devil." She countered smoothly. "How naive."
"I protect people. He hurts them. That's the difference. That's what sets us apart. He is a villain, Ruba, why can't you see that?" Sari insisted, leaning forward with his arms resting on his knees.
"Each time you two crossed paths the Titans attacked first. Who is to say they aren't the bad people?" Her eyes shifted to thin slits before she relaxed, settling into her tied state coyly. She smiled. "Why don't I just reduce this city to ashes?" She laughed just as she said this.
The trio stiffened. San and Silvy glanced to each other before the male growled, "I'm willing to bet Sari and you didn't come to Jump City to destroy it at the whim of a madman. You left a maniac behind to start a life anew, unhindered by the strings of a puppet master."
Sari cringed at that reference and the action didn't go unnoticed.
"Look.." San finally spoke up, her voice softened. "We're here to help you, Cecilia. We didn't come to fight. We only have your best interest at heart."
"So, what, my best interest is being locked in a room, scolded for leaving, isolated like some Rapunzel in a tall tower?" She smirked at that visual since this was a tower, after all.
"You were never alone. You have the Titans and Sari who care for you. Star was worried about you." San continued, smiling gently. "They know how hard it is to be alone and they don't want that for you. They're your friends, please treat them like that."
Ruba's face suddenly melted into a lighter one and when she spoke her voice was a whisper of air. "Really? You guys care? Then why don't you trust me?"
Sari laughed, but it was dry and forced. "Of course we do. You're my best friend, Cecilia. I care. Like I told you before you're like a sister to me. You assumed we never trusted you but I trust you with my life. How many people do you know off the top of your head I can say that about?"
"None." She giggled. "I'm sorry, Sari."
"It's alright. Besides, if you have control now we have nothing to worry about." He returned the warm smile but unexpectedly her head jerked to the side toward the main monitor of the Titan's tower as it turned on and flashed with gray flickering static.
An image appeared and then cleared, revealing Slade's upper body. "Greetings, heroes." The smooth voice drawled.
Silvy and San rushed over to the screen while Sari stood protectively by Ruba, who had turned to see her master.
"Slade." Silvy hissed, clenching a fist. "You cannot have Ruba."
"On the contrary, my dear boy, she isn't yours to claim. She is my apprentice." Slade's arrogant tone was quite smug and Ruba winced from it.
Sari peered at her with a questioning gaze. "Apprentice?"
She nodded. "I agreed to be his apprentice if he'd teach me to control my powers and become stronger." She filled in hesitantly.
"Indeed.. the girl belongs to me."
"Hardly. Ruba is my friend and I will not allow you to use and hurt her-" Sari was cut off.
"Use her? My foolish boy, you are mistaken. I have not used her. I've offered her wisdom, strength, control. And hurt her? You managed to do that when you invaded my home and whisked her away like some helpless maiden." Slade's smooth voice easily justified himself. He was clever with his words.
Sari stepped over to the screen, standing between his friends and the masked villain, hands on his hips. "You are messing with the wrong guy, Slade. If you even attempt to try to take her away again I will tell you this-" He composed himself, blue energy snapping like fire-crackers around his hands. "-I will make you regret ever breathing."
"That a threat or a promise?" Slade mocked with a rich chuckle. "Because either so you are but a child and I am a full grown man. You cannot hope to match me, let alone prove a challenge."
Sari gave a dangerous smile as his powers melted away. "Oh, don't worry Slade. It's not just me you'll be dealing with."
San lifted a hand to wave tauntingly just before Sari cut the connection.
Sari turned to level his gaze at Ruba, but he froze and a shiver ran through his body.
She was gone.