Teen Titans New Generations These New Years: Part Two

by Inkblot24

The new arc is starting! Our heroes are all grown up in this one! Teen Titan heroics are still a touchy subject, especially since Nightwing and Starfire are finally together while raising a family on the west coast. The return of the prophecy of the golden relic described by the other world, (arc part one) is starting to come together around the Grayson family. Find out in new gen!

11. Chapter 11

Teen Titans; These New Years; Part Two- New Generations; Chapter Eleven: The Most Invaluable Chances; My Ideal Reality; Weaving Your Web Across My Eyes.

There would come a point in time where the riddles would seize. The questions would fall to bear a handful of thoughts over the future. A rewarding few answers would emerge from such ideals. Aiden dreaded if Kaien had chosen him It was only when the flame broiled softie had dismantled all current trust in himself , that the fourteen year old had known their line to have been dashed. A thread without a destination. A never ending sense of turmoil had dwelt deep within the teen's heart since the declartion.

Aiden wanted to trust in what he could do. He could fight...and yet...just as the churning cogs within his enemy's mind, the boy could not step forwards.

The cogs in his skull creaked. While twisting and screeching painfully, they had his progress halt. A spell from the one stopping his time? Was he really going to pull apart, ripping at the seams if either alliance backfired? Was a witch more trustworthy than a real body snatcher?

Fated moments held the cord round the teen's throat, now ever - more tightly wound.

A promise to a demon.

An enemy of his sister...no..She was a false human ; come only to aid the 'prophecy' that the boy's parents had admit to knowing of.

Ami had been brainwashed within these walls.

Ava had not gotten to fulfill her promise as a half - spirit , one born originally to save her siblings.

Ann had grown claws and a thorny disposition by the teen's newly gained insight. The dogs did by her only what she had wished. To grow stronger.

Aiden could feel his limbs reaching, though could not tell how far apart their worlds were.

~I shall return with a way back to the surface. ~

Lilith had spoken this..how had it come to trusting the ghostly enemy of his sister's kidnapping? Was he just as selfishly desperate as Ami was for deciding to stay? As his dad for letting the dragon...He had no choice.

~Go ahead. ~ Aiden spoke within his astral insecurities as the witch soon nod to turn to dusk , right before the boy's eyes.

Lilith had reason to wish him to remain. The walls outside might kill her too. She had only to grasp Roko's conscious mind long enough to open a rift. Or to free the beating heart of her late captive's family...Tooth decay was an anomaly for demons. Whenever they did well by meaty, harmless ingrates, something was usually bound to tear the damned ones limb from limb! Lil just wanted to revive for as long as THAT heart was still beating...

He . He had humiliated a fallen goddess...

~Inanna was not the cruelest...I was there that night...how could you have let down your guard..my idiot protege?..~

As a hand maiden to the Babylonian sect, Lilu had infiltrate the temple grounds to see her newest rival.

How had her foresight not activated in time then? He was the spiting image of a tyrant!..Well...Lothos was partly to blame in the area of intimidation. The red sire's own sand dragon / djinn father had been long lost after sending the brat (Roku) Raku to his Sir Destiny's side as a candidate vassal. How it had been a grave mistake...Raku; then dead to make room as the current Roku, had overturned realms, kingdoms, strongholds ! Civilization after another, he had left his mark on the minds and hearts of millions of powerless followers world - wide.

~How to get under the king's skin..it will be as if I'm defiling your rites a second coming! Well..then let the hunt..be of your last echo to freedom..~

With a swift waft of air currents to drag the weightless wraith up and beyond the shell, her magic had begun to replenish by the scent of numerous lost souls.

~ Thankfully, your taste is as atune to despair as your teacher's...Not minding Destiny's intent to keep you bound. I know the real reason you crave...~

Without being heard, seen , as before with the teen brat Will, she drifted towards the place where one soul had half an existence.

/

A false body to boot, Roko was only protected from the physical smashes* of her role as a lap dog. Not the extra mind games her lord loved to tease his victims with. What a pity she'd not been harvested as the texts had permit...oh well! One shot !

By this contract , even as a respectable lady of her caliber, the self had been sentenced to keeping guard over the chosen...what a waste of her talents! Yet if her lord did so decree..then it was to be followed without complaint.

~Roku...why?..Will you just forget?...I want to know...~ Her face flushed with an unbecoming rush of ...fah! It was as before with her lackey Wilson! This was no better! She fell head over heels for powerful fools! Yet...Roku...had never...-

With a jab to her side, the pain inflicted by a small knife had the aspect rest her thoughts. Roku was not anyone's property. This was to be a temporary hiding place until they had gained access to both the Universal and...?

Another knick to her wrist had the daemon regret far worse her desire to thrive a different way...it was wrong!

~I disagree...Half- wit? Did you think your hide wasn't meant to feel my wrath once I had finally followed your filthy scent?~ Lil interacted with the cut skin first. She was no blood virus, just a ghastly character searching for a temporary vessel!

~ Wraith! Wench! You have gone to DARE AND INVADE MY THOUGHTS? WHAT IS YOUR DEATH WISH WITCH OF -

~Petty words. Where did the glamourous Masquerade run off to? That degree of such a ratty wardrobe is enough to wish -

With a rush forth, silver coloured dust in the assassin's pouch compartment brought the succubus to light. With a hair raising grin, the daemon gained her confidence long enough to strike-

"Aha! A shadow? No! It had been real?!" Roko spun back around by a ringing laughter throughout her senses. Finally..

"Come back out and face me whor!-,

Before that old insult could leave the haunting witch to enact her wrath upon the idiot child's mind, the damned demoness had finally...recalled a dire way ...in..

~He loves nothing. Maybe you should beg him to make you a floor mat! He would respond greatly in bringing down your utterly disgustin-

"Yyyaah!" The self flung a blade made especially for fighting the king's own kin. However, Lil was an older sort of devil. This was not the way to have her scatter !

~Try harder you undeniable failure!-

With a shot once more, the ghost's hiss had been shut back. Her amethyst eyes scanned the deadly glare of the killler's intent. "Not...on my watch...you...will not ...have me keep you whole! Obliterate ! I will destroy you!"

Such intensity had Lil feel unwelcomed already..oh dear...Aiden still had the clock ticking. Was she already out of time?

/

The dragon's teeth grit uncomfortably. There was something off about the child's wave lengths. His 'warp - time- world - within a world- theoretic device' was of the humans' mess. A stolen sort with the power to rip open the abilities that child had yet to gain...The two little ladies..they were at odds.

Ava was still his prisoner. Verra again, was an utterly inferior sight. His bleeding coat was a simple sacrifice as the child half - Eternal fell apart before those sorry eyes.

Sorry? They would be.

"Cat?" Roku looked down to the mass of pooled blood on the ground. The doggie had not revert to his actual Elemental self. What a pity.

The pup lay barely twitching. Ava had left the world a moment to weight her choices while under heavy watch by the king. None of his simpleton crew could call an end to her rebellious stage.

Roku decided to see about his other options. Amelia dove in from behind the side hall. Her eyes stared down towards her toes as the night raged on in the real world. The dragon saw her confusion and left to see to this attention the child craved. He had indeed promised before her time was up, that he would play the role as her guardian..to a, T.

"My dearest..Are you feeling alright? There wasn't any sort of emergency just now I hope?" The con-man was her father no longer. Roku did not like to share the spotlight for more than a few moments at best.

"Tell me, is something else troubling your rest-

"Sire...I...I think I hurt him!" The surprised daemon let a small laugh past his lips. She was joking. Or had something been seriously overlooked?

"Harmed...Whom child? Do you mean-

"My...old brother who will not...He...I think I accidentally scratch-

With a smack against her cheek, the girl's eyes flared as hot as her poor tears. "Ma...My...-

The king towered over the brat without thinking about how many bruises Arianna's old vessel might grant upon seeing the mark ."You were quite careless. How are you going to explain this to me hmm? Will it all go away as easily as your passing marks on earth? Mistakes do not happen if you let them! I was rather keen on our contract..Should I do away with-

"Wait! Isn't there anything I...I want to fix !-

"Alas..the only way to undo the indecent hurt you've caused your dear lord, is to fight. And who do you think will want you back? The taint was far to early! Begone! Lest we hastily try our tactic-

"Wa..wait...You..want me..to use...Then I'll do it! I'll make him give you what you need to complete our bargain! Just not yet...I don't want them to know...sniff..*.." Amelia had promised .. by letting the darkness in her blonde brother's heart...

"You did say. No , you deemed it to be so. Now then, I would like you to get started with the spell. Right as we practiced...You do remember, now don't you Ami?"

She sniffled by how cruel it was to hear her old nick - name used by her keeper...He claimed to have the ability to alter her fate. So that...she'd make everyone see that there was still Amy Grayson after the prophecy had taken away her powers.

"Yes...Sir..Roku.." Her head lowered sullenly unlike his greedy eyes against the child's miserable state. He stood alert as his hair waved back to turn from her a moment. Something else had been allowed to occur...Was Ami's bargain her..own siblings?..They would not matter...Aiden had even given up despite the children's efforts to see him compete with the dogs...-

Her gawking was set aside as the youngest stood aback. Her lips quaking in a strained way with near, tear stricken sights . He...why was the main pup on the ground!?

"Oh, you should forget about him. He did not come for your sake...it was his job to. If he certainly cared, wouldn't that have hurt a lot less?" The dragon hissed* over his own cloaked shoulder with eyes gleaming. His teeth protruding made the girl believe the male more beast than ancient lizard.

"He...then why?" Her head hurt by looking down so quickly. Shoj...Her...The cat!...

"He...was...here to...no! You...why is he not!-

The girl flinched back by the king's grip onto her upper arm. "You would not see the vital points. I have a history with the animal. Now begin the spell, do as I command! Otherwise your sisters -

A trembling heart, she had no choice. Amelia grit her fists and nod to the king with a scraggily sigh. ".y..es..s..ir.."

He nod in turn, then let go only a slight to drag the child where the orb of fire was spinning. "First, do a warm up on your sister. She rejected her humanity and no longer wishes to return with you. Even if you ask, she is no more as reliable as your mutt surveyor. Now go on. I'll stand right beside here. Just as we've practiced."

Ami bit her lip then gulped back as his grip finally had her directed towards the globe in phoenix red.

"Ava...you don't care ..I freed...then I won't hol-

~Try.~

The girl blinked with her hands mid sight, wondering if Roku was still directing her turned abilities from light to dark.

She breathed in then out to calm her nerves. ~Here I go.~

The spot grew cold, even more so as the magic eminating from the ten year old's palms started to press against the other oppressor's walls. Ava's magic was that of a coward's. She was messing with the little sister. None of her wants could be met! Always so greedy!

~Benificium Septentrionalis cor tuum , oculi tui carere lumine...~(Note! This is latin ! The mother of many mystic 'lines' within it's area of use, derives from it's language within the 'esoteric , metaphysic, occult, supernatural genres in numerous cases. Showsdictate that in brief periods with fantasy genres a lot! Though..Not really a universal language as in the past. If you want to know, check on Copy then paste the meaning. It has multiple ways of being jot down. So word play is iffy. To the arc!)

Just a warm up..the surface was so cold...she had to bury it!

Another freezing premonition hit the child, a gust of the other witch's abilities..no sunlight...such a terrible power..

Unlike Raven's magic that could injure others physically, she rarely used the mental portion of control. Ava's clan could set apart illusion into the snow drifts. It was how the Snowy Barrens had never been found amid falling flakes. By outsiders originally.

Again the youngest pressed on. ~Te rogamus vos! ~ The dark haired princess beseeched nothing. Permission was already granted by a greater name!

Roku gripped the shard from the doctor's last folly. He would have to do the rest without the newt to add his end...such a sorry example...

~Custodite spiritum vestrum acceptatio minus liceat mihi!~ Ego, she was the selfish one..Ava was...

Her arms shook to raise with that set of jet black again encompassing her sight. Ami was unable to stop her new abilities...the last wall had fallen as the resting snow queen of those nightmarish fowl...she had planned it!

~Corvus autem tame...EGO teneo et tibi dominantur ...Surge! in glaciemque nivemque inimicorum nostrorum!~

Was he smiling? Was she successful? It...felt so cold...

To raise the raven as her king's soldier..it would have to -

"You are not through. " Roku's words bluntly struck out against the curse. Ami felt her fingertips burn with frostbite...

" Do not draw power from the one constricted by it's bearer." He came forth with the shard . Ava was supposed to have worn such a heavy accessory? Oh, one fleck was able to chip! As if the dragon had another in mind to share in the glory...

"How si-

"Agh..gaah!*" The ten year old felt the small prick of a sharp object against her brow. Without holding her eyes to return to her old blue, the dark energy overtook the grade schooler's already blazing , wrists. If this broke her...so be it.

"The last amount is for your sister...it should be. Yet I have found by my energy alone, it collects as many duplicates. What do you think about your brother? His affection Lisa? I have enough shards to set them straight! Now cast! Bury this witch away with the powers I have granted! Not as your lord...yet your keeper ...do it. Commence!"

Ava felt her eyes open wide from within her cell. Ami was...she was just unable to..let...her magic...it was...painful! As knife - made, jagged beds! Jagged cliff sides! Why? Where was Amelia's old magic? ~Ama..te-

~You will not disobey...I control the last of your line!~ Amy was possessed to do well for Roku's praise No! ..it was the other way around! If she failed, he would devour her as his soul stealer self! Ava screamed out towards the dark drain. Her eyes lit up with Reia backing where she could.

The shard soon enveloped Amy's forehead as a marking of her new abilities soon shone against the child's skull, beneath her ebony bangs .

~Do not...resist...I...win..~ Ami had won,yet at what cost left Ava Marie to fume.

The zombified, glazed over gaze had the eldest teen force out more of her arts of the forgotten sect to protect her tormented sister.. Ice crystals left the teen's space to come after the king behind the madness!

~No...! She's still going to fight! Ami won't let you in!~

The voice of the lavender eyed brat had Roku step forth.

"I never intended to break her will. She can have it back..once I finish with the remains..."

Ava flared up as drifting shards had her newest nemesis closed off.

A wall of crystal stood between his eerie witch servant and his long lost enemy's last child. Reia's only - born still was clinging to the life she had gained. A selfish whim..poor Amelia did not know of the elder girl's position among the other worlders. She was never to return as a mortal.

"I have only to secure that energy...I desire enough of it to fit into my plans perfectly...before you end up drunken dry, would you like to catch just what it is I have already done to your earth?" He was goading. Ava Marie was waivering slowly, she had to let down her guard soon enough...

"The Titans, are about to disappear, before your own time comes to pass...princess.." Those orbs of fire and blood scarlett ...they dragged in any living creature to decimate it's vital flow, a toxic substance which couild taint by one glance. ..Ava soon rubbed her eyes. The light..why was...she un..a..bl...-

A clunk onto the stone while Ava's glassy barrier had died, brought Amelia to fall to her knees as well. "Still needing a polish. This is only the first course..." Roku looked down onto the ten year old. Her clothing was bitten by frost and the raging eminance of a rocky glacier. She was shivering terribly. Had she caught ill by that silly spell casting? Not at all suited for the elements...the brat would be ready yet .

Aiden could only wait out his own time as his partner in crime had nearly held her end. Yet..he felt..so sleepy...with a spectral yawn* to ward off the true matters of the blonde's restless behaviours, the boy felt his body return.

~Too ...early! Where...am...-

He had felt this tug in reverse. The dragon must have dragged the story to tirelessly continue. This chapter had the groggy eyed boy sitting ..no! He was lying amid the markings upon the stone floor! The lair held no light, while his head hurt- yet Aiden again felt his sights pulse.

Then, then the most terrifying relity hit. "No...sis!" The boy's lips tore away old regrets. A fresh set of dripping tears let loose to allow his skull to radiate agonizing amounts of aching fire. Though this fire pulsed loudly, angrily as a massive super nova!

"No...the...Ami! Wh..why is...no!..nononnonoooo! P...please! I can't take this! Stop hurting us! Who are you!?"

The floor filtered a shining esoteric symbol, a large void that had teeth. "I'll save you! Ava! Someone! Let them go!..No!..."

Aiden rushed over to the ebony haired child. Her face white as pearls. Why..no..she...

His breathing left hiccups to accompany those fresh streams of salt and absolution. "Save..no...! Ami...don't..I'm sorry...you..you were hurt...I...hic!*...I...-

A low , hollow rattle and grave sounding rumble left the boy to grip his sister tightly against his own matted tee. "Stay back! I won't!-

The snake in which Aiden saw was not , one . Instead, it was a miror image of someone. You only knew one person better than family.

"Me?"

His instinct was to crouch away, to hide and run off from the eerie destination. With a start, the blonde felt his legs shoot off. Ami was ice cold in his grip. Across from her, he also saw Ava..then Ann, nex...-

"Raah! I'm not helping! Let me!-

A barrier of red. A wall to keep them inside. This wasn't a dream. It was the end of the line if the serpent ate them!

Sweat poured in buckets as the wall left a sinister shock overhead the crying child. He could not gasp aloud. There was no one...they had lost...

With a fall into a puddle...an endless column after column turned into barbed - wire fences. Was this it?

~Take it...take it...her life..yours to..feed!..-

Aiden cried out to a sight. It was a dream after all..he was still within the orb. Looking out, the blonde saw the king staring down the figure behind the glass. Aiden's reddened hatred lept up to glare back into the king's two rubies. Yet black surrounded the centers..how ...

"I do not think you clearly understand. " The dragon in his honorary robes of power shook his firm jaw with a sigh. "You could have it all! Just create it! A world without your enemies would be touch and go. I advise you to remember, your sibling's soul is on the line...your other..will not be joining us yet..."

Aiden forced his see - through self to glide closer. ~I...don't want you to hurt anyone..~A trembling voice crept up to startle the teen. It was his voice..he was deathly afraid.

Roku nod up to the boy , then found his words carefully.

"To grant this demand, I will have you deliver that energy per se. In your very core lies the answer. The one your dog con - artist allies refused to show to you. Your father was given to me long before this imbalance ever started. So, then you have a way to end it. Do that. Make them see! " Aiden remained lost in that lecture.

To see..see. himself? Happy? With a normal life?...Would...would he want to go to that place?..A world built out of his own wishes? Without Ami hating herself. Without Ava being incomplete.. Without Ann being aggressive and hurt..

Without the child...Hak..what was he doing? Throwing away ..an unwanted life...worth it ..so worth it to see..

"A trial, just as your beloved sibling. I shall grant it! Regain your control! I now release the dog's mark..you are free to bring new realities into being. Aiden." It was an invitation to get creative. Ami would not suffer if the blonde had the power as Roku claimed to rewrite their fate. It was a terrible trick of the mind. There was no turning away if the whole earth were at stake!

A rebellious light festered from inside the orb. Lit torches had the child's energy fester out. Ami was up from her dizzy spell beside the dragon . Her head felt empty as the magic of her old light, became her brother's own. He..he could feel her scared emotions tumble forth as the empathist and priestess chosen..her magic was his..in the shape of a burning sun's glare...was this wrong?

~I'll.. ..fix it..~ Aiden thought , hopefully all alone wihout the dragon prying inside his head. ~I'll save us...from falling apart...just wai...~

Roku, regardless of the teen's desire for privacy, took this as a go- ahead to set the curse into motion. ~A world...without a name...you shall have it..!~

The haunting purr of the king's words let the spell knock the poor child unconscious. Amy suddenly came to. Her eyes were wide and pained. Roku saw this and left his eyes to strike out towards the orb keeping her brother captive.

Ava. Aiden!?

"Wha..what are you doing to them!?" She flushed while holding her gaudy skirts into a crumpled mess. "We had ..I didn't want!-

"It was what your beloved brother desired..."Roku clutched his temper back with a serious gaze. "You had not been there to see. Your sibling was quite clear that he did not need YOU to decide his future." An insult so deep, so cruel had Amy near to tears. While her bubbling fire fueled up, as soon as her wrist had been ready to end his ranting-

"No! " Amelia forced her wrist with a clack to set the magic...it wasn't working!

"My...my powers!..W...Where did you!?"

The dragon stood to face the ten year - old , with her quivering fingertips pointed right in his direction.

"The deal was off when Aiden decided to take your role. He will be continuing where WE left off!" A blast of sizzling lightening was too much for Amy to dodge. Her eyes were tired. Her vision surrounded by a sea of stars.

"We..I was supposed to...cough..*...stop...-

Roku laughed softly over the child's fussing manner. He had no empathy for weaklings who were only fuel for his new tool's fire.

"So sorry, I..though you had a choice! You ultimately failed, and!..We had not even pushed the brat Eternal into oblivion yet! "

Ami gasped without her tears coming to a halt any time soon. She looked up with her shock so profound, that it felt vulnerable to flourish in others..

The dragon could not use her self- pity. He cleared his voice to irritate her further with a dark side. "Though...you did a decent favour by wearing that polish my dear! It is the one thing to finalize his turning for good! Poison on the mind! Right now, a festering mark is blossoming into a fine piece of art! Once it is complete, you will have fulfilled your role as my contracted, and I may do as I see. While you, by the way, held up less of our bargain than I !" He laughed with a cruel cackle to send Ami into a faint spell

Her..her actions..had ..they were all going to belong to the dragon?...

"N...no...A...va...Wh...yy!" The girl sniffled . Desperately she crawled onto the ground, Her skirts littered with dust and such as her hopes..being available to save them...yet she was a failure! Everyone on earth was doomed!

"Mama...I..I'm...So-

"Waah!" The child felt the king steer the ten year old by her arm, towards the orb where her poor siblings were disappearing! No! She was human! She was not a power - whatever and neither wa-

"Your magic will be backed as your sister's, by that pesky Amaterasu...Seems she believed me gone, well! None of my plans will move ahead if she decides to let you fight. Think of this as just what your father did. He promised to let me in, yet took all of that back in an instant! You've only repeat his tactic without making anyone proud...Your poor, poor mother! She has no one left to turn to!...What world would exist if you didn't even think to take those risks? Hmm? You weep and yet they knew that you'd be drunken dry if I ever came to bring the chosen to fall! In you go! I will not have a runny - nosed princess to tell me any new secrets...There are in fact ...-

As far as being flung inside the firey cage; without her extra resistance to it's burning central catalyst, Ami screamed out with her poor voice as pained as a crying songbird . Pandora could not open the box. There was no need to guess what a tyrant knew. One themselves could fall to madness by so much curiosity. Ami cried hardest of all when she saw Ava in pain. Her pain she had inflicted...

~No..sis! I..did...I'm...Sooryy! sorry! So...sorry...Please! Don't...don't leave...wuh...hauh!*...Mama!~

The sight bored the dragon to something of a migraine. He stood before the spectacle to wait paitiently . Aiden was dreaming of a different world. A world to govern the motion of his real home. Earth..was no longer the chosen's prority...Grandfather Roku would take care of the little prince...he would be as a shadow. Always watching, the boy's thoughts would break apart the order maintained. Dreams after all, were of a realm very close to that of Universal Origin.

/

Isis was wide awake as her body felt a shiver go across it,straight to the crest of her brow. Nina, Kayu, Sayumon, Yumi, as well as one other-

~I...do not wish to intrude. ~ It was by via the 'speak' as an old ally, Ronald from under the Cali sun. Actually, he was in the water with this one. The chosen had been captured! All that remained were the scouts, Greg, Kaien,Lisa , Chris, The Titans, JinMae , Isa, Bao Shi (who had a lot of cleaning to do in the Celestial outer realms, Aria, Cecilia , Ayane, and lastly, Tsani. There was a total of six immortals and one remaining child graced as equally by the Phoenix. The bird that held numerous secrets regarding the Golden Dragon that Roku had now as a tool...Were the heroic Titans going to find the entrance?

Kay slammed a fist to the wooden table and fell right out of his character as a noble . Sayu was startled though did not leap to her feet. Her mind was filled with blissful moments to come. As if her foresight had awoken, there was no place for her in this fight. Bao Shi, Lisa, Min or JinMae, as well as Catalina Daia could not be present. Old friends were hard to stay in touch with...With such prominant positions , the ladies had more filing to do until a visit could ever raise Sayumon's spirits.

"We have no way of discovering the whole ordeal to report, if we do not see to it for ourselves! None of us have decided to run to their sides! Why? We are no longer of 'ten years prior' in strength, yet I know only this due to the fact we have gone slack! Kayu was Kay on this plane- Then my cousin..comrades are I damger! Ron..I thank you for reporting Verra's status as the dog..-

"We mind the doorways! " Aria sniffed with a tuck lf her blouse after being annoyed to the point of ...tousling her mane!...

"Dear relative! Bao Shi was in charge of the entrance leading to Celestial grounds! She was left barren by the soulless cretins of the vampire Lothos! Still as we sit, they have taken control of Aluehainyu's position as overseer within the Eternal realm's capital city! Destiny can no longer guide us to the Netherworld entrance in order to breach!-

"Speak where ya will! " Kaien howled miserably with a wallowing sigh. "My prentice hates these ole' bones as much as I do! There be no way to vary by the outcome...it is a torrent of-

"Quit preaching! I thought you were after his trust!" Ron stood to debate with the fire fox, whom took on his fox form to nestle beside Sakurano Ayane. "You do realize my Shoji ..Shoji is trapped with the chosen of my other self's ...you should fight because there is worry! What else might there!-

"Ron, where did you send the kids?" Nina suddenly surprised the whole gang of godly entities with the voice of reason. Her tone was monotonous , deep on the edge while within her own thoughts.

"Well?" A real fire cracker would light if the lady didn't have her answer. Ron sat back down to grumble with a grit frown. "With...Astarte.." The android nod in thanks without changing her expression or challenging his.

"We have one kid in custody. So tell me, who's your best bet to keep her from going after the monster? Anyone else?" The room grew quiet. Ayane raised her hand slowly to add. "Then..if the guardians are not together...where should she be safest? I also wish to discuss when we shall attempt to traverse to the locked away illusion that demon created by borrowing ...stealing souls..."

Sweetly, coyly Tsani decided to add her part by telepathy. She could not speak the same way as her mother Aleiah of the Ethereal world .

~My heart goes forth to your lost friends...charges and comrades...I do not believe Bao Shi has the ability to breach into Alue's world all alone...She did tell me; that by allowing Hakuro his sentence as an overseer between the doorway of Ethereal and the center point before ..that the dragon...we must warn Hakuro!-

There was a new squabble by Tsani's protest as all started their requests into a single bubble of numerous sentences! The room grew far too heavy to breathe a single area of reason into the cloud of denial. Nina was about to speak with a roar, when another voice from the side lines ushered the song* of a siren to sooth the crowd.

Cecilia had the beauty and charisma of any songstress. She was only the widow in battle, yet their task had yet to see completion.

"A single note. " She quote with a clear of her air ways. "Was all it took to send those fears to slumber . I do not often negotiate trial and error. Catalina could not be present, so Aria, Ayane and myself were to redirect the conversation from losing ground. " The android maiden sighed with a plop back onto the hotel suite's, deluxe sofa sat. She could snooze through THIS war meeting any day! A bunch of rabbits and chitt - chattering rodents.. None of it seemed productive! Heart would not save the Titans..Cy was still facing the lunatic dragon right now! Lothos had them cornered!

"We should decide based on a vote, but before this, please write in pen onto a seperate notecard ."

She walked around with Ayane, though Aria redirected the violence into waves of her power to soothe, to hand out blank cards for each patron character. Kayu scratched his mane to think as to why calming one's nerves..had seemed as the past...when the Titans and guardian had been at odds..what had calmed the flow?

Yumi held his wrist and smiled back. Her warm palms made him realize that there was no turning away this time. It was the last fight if Roku didn't swallow their fears along with him first to the afterlife..

"Sorry.." The sorry after sorry was passed around with a better mindset of forgive and forget. Tsani bowed with Yumi and Ayane, while Cici planned her next move with an inhale. "We; of the sects of many different and diverse factions are not torn. Our pains grow to build us back, to become strong enough to face our worst tyrant to date! These cards have an interesting place where your categories are written. So, scribble off your requested want of the battle front before we turn each and every note piece over!"

Alicia was not here to see Cecilia as her new self. Something that she herself had sworn to be reborn as even after her comatose state before the widow mistress. One of the many 'fates' she would have yet to endure.

(Spiders were said to represent the fates in mythology. Interestingly, Cecilia holds high regards . Such as venom being to rebirth of waking up from an illusion. She has gone through a sort of initiation all by her own will power! Ya* But not all stories hold happy endings!This is purely fiction! Do not throw away that conclusion! = l )

A note card was jot onto by every comrade in the room. After the hourglass had fallen to the last grain, the witch in her black shawl set up her gloved fingers to count ten remaining seconds. "Aand, refrain! Now, the cards will be shown upright. No one shall mark extra onto their's. First...alphabetically-

"Aria?" The lady in her blue high heels blinked up without fault. "I must then? Oh alright...Your game is fit...my wish of the hour? I want most dearly to close the gate ways before the dragon pops his neck through a single one! What ever is so wrong with hoping him forever banished?" With a sniff,the card landed onto the table to reveal her wish's character.

"Two sided? Should it only be one world to describe?" Isa looked again over towards the lady blue's note piece. "It is set for two sides. The positive form to represent..just as a fortune?" (In contrary or upright usually applies for oracle , medicine, and the tarot.)

The goddess had no idea that Cecilia was an A class teller! This was similar to medicine or oracle works..it was to set the deity straight!

"It says...Impatience...Following ..non- action!? It is the opposite! You think I do not wish it don-

"You limit the ability of Bao Shi universally. Tsani did say it might be impossible for her faction to do as before. Thus another solution in turn must follow. The flow of events next shall display to us what might be done to avert the worst possie outcome."

Aria pout into her seat with a chuckle, rather nervously. "Ohh...you I have known..your mother was nearly as shrewd as your day! ...Did she teach you to trick a goddess?" The darkly clad sorceress shook her head to meet Ayane's defenseless stare.

"I am next?" She pointed towards herself which left the gawking Aria to whine to herself, in defeat...Her Aya..ne...The queen had never ruined the siren..it was always mutual..sigh...*

(Aria has a big admiration* (soft spot)for Ayane since she houses herself as the reincarnated soul of Lorelai Ainsley. Roku's last consort and Richard Ainsley the second's mother. All of the goddesses knew , since Aria had tried to make a bargain with Lilith to save Lori from being harmed by the dragon's ongoing the future arc! Rokuro sparked her hatred , yet she eternally feels sorry for his fate - as well as regrets his decision to be outdone by blackmail by Roku; the red lord himself. Now back to apples to-)

"Well...mainly to stop anymore harm from coming to..the chosen...and to Sh..-

"You are..smitten with my?-

"Shoji still has to drag the company and my damnable husband doesn't know when to lose his l-!

"Ayane?...Um..Lori?" Kayu looked over to the violet eyed princess. She was unhappy, frustrated and lumped in with..didn't that red lizard have an off switch!?

"Ohh! My princess !" Aria returned as starry eyed as in their past! Her beloved vassal...how the years had kept them apart!

"To the topic! No soaps here!" Nina scrunched her brow impatiently.

The group settled, while Lori Ainsley had finally appeared to overshadow Ayane. The game was no laughing matter. The void held answers that the widow sorceress's partner had in fact overseen. Or was about to drag out for as long as time stood.

"I do not carry a wish. The next to draw...Isa." The lady in her mourning colors stood back. Rather sat back with a look of disbelief that her turn might ever come. "I..suppose.."

The deity mother looked at her note card to then lick her lips.

"For the golden dragon to fulfill it's role. For Roku ...to never reach a conclusion. "

The card was placed back onto the wood face back. The next words appeared to mirror it's -

"Fear? Hope you have chosen-

"Cards do not bends by the will of mortal bonds. I only pass along their message. " Cici shook her head, then pointed for Isa to see what that entailed .

"I see..my fear was my son Horus..Aiden is only endowed by his golden art...so then Hope..to remember that there will be ...I do agree..yet..Aiden is-

Before Isis could keep her composure, the card's message HAD gotten past her walls. Tears of a mother's worried expression had the great deity bawling for her lost child..her lost replacement...oh ! Her heart was cursed to recall !..

"I..see..my mind was always..the past...I wish to bring light..as a force of ...protection..yet it overtook my mind far too easily...My Horus..."

Aiden was not why Isis had stayed. It was no better than the demon atttracted to a power source's potential!...

"Now, Kaien, your roll." Ron nod to Cici whom curtsied a silent 'thank you. '

The dripping dog in his wallowing self pity was unsure of how his card would be understood. The darn witch..

"Umm...I pissed off a few of the kiddies...so..not to lose their trust in we deity before the dragon wins em..over..-

"Pride? Arrogance? You !..oh, one more...Tolerance..." The fox frowned while wishing to figure out...what had that meant?

"Aiden did trust you. You didn't look to understanding his faults first. As your protege at all, you held an iron gavel. He was afraid to tell you or his own parents about his doubt. In both you and the powers..that made his mortal world difficult..."The sorceress smiled as Kaien..looked dumbly to the note. As if Aiden's smile was attatched firmly to his pride...there was only his arrogance as..a pup...

"I am no teacher...but I can be a hero to em! Sign me up lil' missy!"

The widow enchantress laughed to this under her wrist. "I think that might be the rest of your turn. Now! Kayumon! If you would be so kind?"

The white and silver eyed fox nod in appreciation as his turn-

"Ehem...My ideal ..well..I think that bringing Astarte to take it easy on the guardians and chosen...let's see...For Dick and the Titans to return together after Roku is dismantled from existance...I feel Aria's 'impatience' coming on...sorry..." The dog had less words to spout as a reserved member of high society. Cal had been more fun...so..where had the years taken him to?...

Turning over the card, the words left the regretful kitsune..baffl..no..relieved to know he was still himself...not a stoic official without any humor!

"So...I'm Self - assertion...versus the well - needed aggression to move ahead without blowing my top inapropriately...silly me...I did lose my fighting spirit..wish humor had been ..it meant I was afaid to move by takimg risks...what do you know.." With a smirk and shake of his head, the fox felt better. He was forgetting his connection to the Titans, so much that Vee fought his battles for the kit instead of the two as a team...

"I'm a coward...I want to help the Titans to free their world!" Nine tails spat out from behind the fox as he looked into the fate's two golden orbs. To everyone not searching them , Cici's were still a marvelous emerald.

"Well done. To shed the skin of old,you lost important feelings for the ones under your hand...now, a guardian is who will break the spell...Nina! You are ready ?"

Kay blinked with a gape towards the devilish empress's tone. Sitting back with those tails turned low, Sayu was in awe. He was indeed to succeed her line...those emotions were not forgotten..as the kitsune mama wiped back old tears long overdue. ~I still recall many things my son...thank you for protecting my heart from falling into the abyss..you were purest of all in my eyes...Kelihatan...~

"Oh...ok...Well..Cy is trying his hardest..so yeah. The Titans...and that kid Anna is the spitting image ! I want her to grow up to discover her own strength...On the world of, their earth. Otherwise...Maya would be lost...I'd forgotten my promise had been to her..." The flushed and embarrassed lady had cut her hair short, cropped up her clothing to appear tough as nails..yet...she was Nina . Maya's creation before giving up her body to...a stupid elf!..

"Next.." The groan of the droid had the newest face with eyes onto their card. Ron was spooked by all of those glances. He sweat profusely through his robe's collar. If only Vee had seen the brat now...

"I..was unhappy with how the council had...dedcided not to speak their mind on the matter of-

"Spit it out! C'mon! You wanna save the kids or dontcha!?" The red head had a point. Modesty would drag time to edge on into dis-repair...

"Ok! Then to have Aiden safe from harm like my cous...but also...-

"I've been doing this to act as goody- goody as I can..to regain my mama's trust in her Ronnie! Vee! You were an a-

"And the card holds to!"

As if spinning the wheel, the laid out misakes of the past had the fox...sizzle to a flicker.

"Aye..his is personal...Did ya really think we'd be toyin' with their lives?"

It was worse than Aria's and Kaien's cards combined!

"Progression...of self...Stagnation of spirit...I wanted work to go..along so that...I ended up still playing the grubby congress...man...I wanted things to work..without thinking -

"You did not falter. Yet if you do regret the good and the misfortune to come with your decisions, regardless of your position-

Cici heard her patron participant gulp back from those words...He was a wily fox...all for his company he kept..he had taken sides...crap!...

"Then you will not leave this earth as a saint of your kind. Just as you still pine for your mother's approaval, that is not up to your ways. Change will be humility for the chosen, the Titans. You know all too well. Shoji ..no..Veravakumu trusts all of us to pull through. " It was quite a speech as Ron apologized for his complaints. "Thank you. " The person to say this was next to pull. Sayu..had spoken! It was incredible odds that she would ever be granted such a desire!.

"Mother?" Ron was shocked ..he bawled as the lightening dog hybrid to bound up to her leg and nuzzle into her graces. "Malady! " Yumi and Kay were overjoyed to see their next player with an air about her so..redefined...as a Veda?..

"I do not intend to draw. This fight will not be up to I. As I hold fears into my life time...thus, this form is forever stricken. Tsani may follow my absence. " The youthful gaze of the short haired ,wavy dressed half- Ethereal had Yumi wonder what her turn might bring.

~Ahm...O...Alright...my thoughts are of my mentor...Shi is not able to find a way all alone...so to her it is similar to Aria..yet there is anoth..er...My dearest brother Hakuro...his spirit is connected to the new chosen's ! The fear if he should be used by the dragon..that is why I wish to see him flourish as his full fledged self- to alert the ones captured before...-

The card was meakly flipped while the teen age embodiment of Tsani quickly withdrew her tiny, gloved hand. ~Umm..I have...Loss...And ?...Strength by what ..is relinquished?~

She looked up to her comrades , confused as they were until Yumi reread the card. "Loss, versus a Gain ; by that single loss or letting go...I do see your point...Tsani...Hakuro is not going to run away. He wants to fight for as long as we all must, to keep more than just as the dragon from coming into being...lost souls turned into soul stealers by their nature.."

Tsani sniffled. He would be lost either way. Rokuro's promise was after all, more important than her brother had said..to his young sister...

"Now I must go , correct?" Tsani had to nod. She felt her emotions fester as dully as a spoiled human's..her brother...he was not her's..nor was he wrong to decide for himself...the door would not open if Roku did not have the Ethereal seer's ability...nothing would stop...time was still ticking away...

"Then..To find more over the one harboring this golden light. The child Aiden is still facing the dragon, all while his protectors- the children of the Phoenix and Reia's only born...we still must go. So face to me this card. I will take it's words to my end." She was serious as the note was lifted with her polished pride to continue.

"Lastly...it holds..Honor...why?-

"Aha!" The red haired uncle gruffly chuckled by the second portion. "Recklessness!" The light and moon laiden spirit could stomp her feet to this jest!

"Your cards were far more distinct! Was it due to my manners!?..."

The witch in black had to laugh to their inner most emotions. She finally stood alert and with a remaining note card, left her answer.

"To...Unite?"

The sorceress smiled back.

"I did say for the record that we had to see ' eye to eye.' That deity which bicker are as mortal as their creations!"

Isa saw it as well! The enchantress widow had gotten the unreliable bunch to suck in their pride and...get along?...

"Then what'r we all sitting for? The Titans are in the fight we refused to end! Move us outta this dump an' to the battle! The runt isn't gonna win without a cheer squad on the side! How bout it mates?"

Cici smiled back with her newly golden orbs able to see. Every fiber of this lots' being was screaming to face the dangerous rift . The one created by their older, lax abilities to act as a team!

"Then let us revive as one." Tsukiyume brought the reluctant Tsani to stand. Her moon being's form was more electric than Ron's super power. The kit Kayumon let his magic blister to rip open a divide with one band of claws. "To our charges,the chosen..Thank you Cecilia. Have your motherf thanked for her -

"I pushed her actually." The blue eyed siren gaped towards the mini mistress without ...she was cunning as a vixen saint!

"You..then thank you Cecilia. Your kind actions had us all believe in our own justice once agaain!~" Aria sang her thanks while transforming into the sea queen of her very nature.

Into the severed room's rift, she dove as the bird of paradise from her earlier trials.(To the future arc! Aria aids Rokuro and later Richard Grayson(along with Lori Ainsley's spirit via Sakurano Ayane) to head back to earth from the strix's interdimensional prison.)

"Then what about you Ronald? Nina? The portal will close of you do not trust your own -

"Alrigght!" Nina groaned while stomping he feet to stand tall. "I have reports to file. And..you seem like you need a guide Flea bag-

"Wow! I really have to wash your mouth out brat! So sure, sign me up! Not for offiicial service! I have a seat with my buddies up on high! " The teasing two had Kaien and Ayane in tears. It was funny to see from a distance as Lori returned as her self - though a more Joan of arc feel besides the new hair to nearly match Aria's waves!

"I must be putting my all forwards. Comrades! Let us not tarry! " Through the portal she left the red head to follow. Kaien was last to go ahead with ...then his ears perked up once Sakurano had flown the coop.

"Lori's card was never judged...? How bout it? You did have an ace after all?" The mutt grinned to this before bidding Cecilia farewell.

The laugh of another voice rung out as the black widow still aiding the prophetess and sorceress of the age old, Crescendo/ Daia line.

~You played the gods accordingly! Well done, then my time is nearing. When your few heroes have been let loose from the pains that binds their hearts, I shall also return you from this inflicted spell. Dragons are no more than ingrates of their abilities. Wise you shall be into your late years child...I give my very self to your cause..~ The arachnid mother had no full features except her pitch of a crone. A far older deity than the seas which were equally wide.

Cici gave a smile all by herself once her job had gone through. Now, it was time to report to the sanction of her Daia line. Where her beloved mother wouldbe waiting ...how she had missed home..even vile on tour it had brought back memories after Alicia's passing-

"Alice is alive..." She held a hand to her chest and sighed happily. "Alicia was real enough to not abandon her friends...and family..."

That made the enchantress know her path was not soured. The rest was not up to the cards..for as their wheel kept turning...

/ /

Aiden's eyes fluttered open with a jolt. He was not in the king's castle.

It was his room back on Earth!

With a rub of his two, groggy eyes, one foot to the cool carpet, the teen sat up to gaze around. He was on his mattress...in his room..With an annoying alarm clock!-

"Ava..you were kinda right about screamo - morning joe! I hate it!..." The teen stretched over towards his side desk to shut out the blaring emo- centric example of teen - hood ; an active lifestyles spent loitering around skate parks or, shopping malls...really was time to grow up...

"Why did I add that?" With a flip of the lock screen to his home , the alarm was silenced with as final tap*.

"I cannot remember for the life of me..why I used to be ...whatever..guess I'll see what's for breakfast-

Wait...had he intended to get up and eat with his fam..il..y...was this ok?..

With a shove from the bed to his dresser drawers, the fourteen year old got ready to set his day into motion. With a click onto his phone's screen, the calendar's exact date had popped up to startle the boy. Today was!-

"We were going to Ami's Amazon Cafe! Man! I totally forgot to check on that! It'll be kids doing activies..I think it's in..the mall. " That brought a smile to Aiden's face, despite the anarchy if Amy's friends joined in! Yet..he was proud she had won a place in that science fair. She had to be just as glad he wanted to be there too.

With a sigh, the boy's clothing was laid out while he went to rinse up in the bathroom. That ...was a quiet part of the hall. Everyone was still fast asleep! With a small , cocky grin , the blonde had made the bell before Ava or 'mirror hog Anna! Rather smug, he walked with his head held high, taking great pride in being an early bird for once in his life!

"No lines ! Things just got easier!" He sniffed to this excitement before barring the door . He had..beat the fastest..wow!

After brushing his matted part to tousle the last of his cowlicks back into place, the mirror, almost seemed welcoming. He was enjoying his time...no rush, no classes until the school year had begun again in fall of course. Aiden wanted to appreciate today . It was a time to shine ..wait? Wasn't that..

"Ami's goofy atmosphere must have rubbed off on me..gosh..her optimism is..infectious.." With a clap of his palms to have a unclear mind be at ease again, the boy smiled back to his wide- awake reflection. "I'm game, are you?" He made a pose to the mirror -image before laughing off his fun. That refraction of light- as Amy would say, could not talk back to you!

"Not magi-

The boy shook his head. His fists crumpled back with a decent look of denial about his stance. "Nope. Not gonna think about that today! Everyone is having fun, so should I!"

He beamed this remark before grabbing his wallet and headphones. ~I might not see anyone I know. Nothing but grade schoolers who love the rain forest. ~ Aiden shrugged to finally gather enough momentum. He had always wanted to...ride the railing all the way to the second part of the steps! It was too easy in this fantasy!

With a holler as loud as his excitement could hold, Aiden Grayson had no need to add that stunt to his bucket list. was a paranoid cop. He never let his son act out of line with daredevil antics on the brain! He had probably done that too at Grandpa Wayne's manor! The middle schooler's time well spent, Aiden's nose suddenly lifted by the bottom level to hint ..that someone had been busy with the needs of a house of hungry stomaches! Maybe!-

The blonde waltzed into the kitchen where his mom and Ava...Ava didn't cook! She wasn't fond of throwing food into a bowl for her lazy brother ...at least?..

"Sit over there. Ami is still getting ready. Dad said he'll be by at four . So don't forget to keep an eye out. " She smirked to this and pulled out a bag of flour. "You can wait for a few minutes? Want an orange or something to get the dust out of your eyes?"She was teasing. He had to have vitamin c for that?

"I heard you can get an upset stomach with too much oj. Or was I just trying too hard?"Aideen frowned with a brow raised. That was weird! Was..she still mocking him? It sounded more like one of-

"Do have a banana lil bro! Eat up! We are making pop overs too! You'll be unable to keep your mits off of my -

"The oven Ava! Do not forget to preheat it!" Kori was in her best attire of the end of summer with extra work as the two teens 'went at it'!

"Oven! On it! Aide, pretty please go wake up Ann! She's been up all night and even has a surprise for us when ...we get to the resta-

"The batter is ready! Ava Marie, you are my soux chef! Now is not the time for idle chatting. Ok?"

The lavender eyed teen smiled back to tend to her volunteer work in the cozy setting. "Ok. I will. " Aidensmiled with a perfect taunt to throw back! Pure gold!

"Mom, thanks for giving Ava something to keep her-

"Hah! Quit it and go up! She'll fall back asleep at this rate!" Ava was a kidder With a sense of...humor? Aiden turned with a wave, and deliciously ripe piece of potassium , to see to his snoozing fraternal twin . The day just kept moving along! He couldn't wait for the party at four o clock!

Ann was still Ann. All she did was sleep in! But...why was she so...-

"y...rail's...bra...?..You...up?..Yaawn!*" With a peek into her room, it was as if the twins had switched places? Was she this messy at all before?

Annie rolled onto her side with that flaming hair - do still as firey...yet not her as a person. The blanket still hid her restful self beneath it's sighed by how she'd really dozed off!

"Mom said you should wake up. Breakfast is on Ava today. She is making...pop overs? I had those once with you guys at Gramp's. So yeah, don't miss it. We also have good ole' pancakes to fight over!-

The red head put up a palm to halt the teen. "I...like that idea...you're gonna wish...you had more waffles though!" A grin and chuckle graced the room with the war drums of a futile advance to battle- she was calling him last to the meal..oh boy..how to add an exceptional pun...Aiden's jaw ached to set her back a knotch.

"Then don't hog all the syrup if you can! I'll have dibs! Slow pooke!..I'm two inches ahead of the starting line!-

"That's what you think! Hah!" She revealed her once draped over form to -

"I've been dressed since four! You don't stand a chance!" With a goad powerful enough to discern her win, and Aiden's being second-

"You! How'd you get..over there when I'm calling first batch! See ya !" The teen was still first. Out the door she tumbled after . A hangry monster who'd fallen asleep after prepping till dawn! She had even slept in her new outfit! Gah!* So sneaky!

The two were quick. Yet Ami had just gotten from the bathroom to the hall to grab a few-

"Yaahh! Road Raage!" She was already pretty fixed up. It was her outing after all! She called the shots! Three kids flying by the halls to crash land by the kitchen...such a mark...His record..nearly...broken!

"Yah!* We had ten seconds to break it! Two floors if Amelia didn't ruin my speed!" Anna boasted with a hearty fill into her lungs at the missed victory. Her brother..had been neck in neck! It was one close hall way racing -

"Ehem!" Ava stood to take a clean wooden spoon to their skulls. Playfully, she was after all the example of the household. "Yipe!* That was meean!" Ami whined that it had been a jump out of her skin by the eldest's extra measure.

"Soup's on! Who's ready to pig out!" The three younger siblings blushed by Ava's connotation between beasts and hungry grade schoolers.

"You just killed it! I..think I'll opt on secon-

"We won't be eating snacks! Ami's going to be busy! Mr and Mrs-

Kori ushered Ann from trying to spoil one of the surprises. "Please. All of you wash your hands then do dig in!"

Aiden gasped loudly by how nothing had been quote..as a possible saying! His mom was alright with phrases! How was that scientifically -

"Mom..you...can use ..your speach just now was!-

As his mother , Kori had no intention of explaining that which distracted from a good meal. "No more silly talking. Your share will be gone!" She winked with a point to the massive pile of starch, and sweet..

With a gulp, a fork, and a great big appetite. ...Breakfast was served!

Too many happy burps later...

"Waahh! I'm like a real mochi!" Ami smiled as brightly as the sun with a full tummy. "Stop..do..not...ask...ever agaiin! You meant to ..entice us! You pastry fiend!" Anna pointed a finger shakily by how amazing Ava Marie's skills had gotten. "All hail the cream puff!-

"You enjoyed it! Then dishes! Ami is excused since it's her day to hold off. You two munchkins head for that counter! I did a quarter to keep you from freaking out. It's just a couple of utensils...or parts-

Aiden glanced over the side of his elder sibling's shoulder. "Dang! Foiled again ! Ohh ok..Amy, you hang while big bro braves the blizzard here! She's too wild -

"Hahaha!" Ami grinned with a giddy laugh before heading to wash her hands again. So much powdered sugar would not do for her Mochi Mania collection ! They were...not machine washable..phoo..

"That was sweet of you Aide! " The ten year old planted a hug around her big bro. He was the bravest fool she had ever met. Off to her dance revolution to sweat off the sweet, the grade school had her day to stay clear of extra chores! No one enjoyed dishes. It was a learned tolerance unless you could sing - just like the movies?

Ava tapped her foot while Aiden was burning red from Ami's gesture- then stalk white by the tyrant sister's from behind him!

"Ok..then what was that about braving storms? Am I that fierce little bro?" The older teen pretended to motion her wooden spoon as a cattle prod. "Umm ..we had to find something to compare you to! It's my punch-

"Ow!" The kid's extra jab had been soo uncalled for! Ava was not a happy camper. "Make it up to me later. Order..to share...a volcano float! No questions asked!" The icy eyes had mellowed once she'd made a demand . He had to share...his dessert with..his big sis!? Was she really acting like Ava? That..that was kid stuff!

"Dish duty. You and Hanna can do it. I'll be making plans with mom so don't zone out ! See you guys in ...an hour!"

The door shut before Aiden's remark, could save his poor pride...

Ann put her arms to cross over her chest, then shaking her head with a sigh, she seemed to nosy for her own good. "She got you. Too bad, least we were lumped in together! Share the guilt with me brah!" Aiden felt her pile drive his butt over to the dirty dishes their superior sibling had left. What a gracious cream puff indeed.

Almost a mountain of kitchen supplies and utensils later, the teen's cell had gone off to alert the blonde into action again.

~Wow! You look relly sick! Was this a bad time? My buddies an' I were gonna try out for that audition. Said we could stick around Sunday if you're game! Or will you be safe ...with your family? It's a cool spot. My bro was there a week ago. Hey! How is everyone! I mean, you look like you just swallowed a mountain of-

With a rather painful swallow, the teen explained it would pass. Toby was back in this part of Cali! He had to bug the guy about starting their own ...

"Um, say Tobe, you still wanna try out for being in the band? I think my singing's gotten pretty rusty...-

Toby scratched his chin then shrugged.

~ You really wanted to live the life after seein' my hermano play in a live hall. We had back -stage cause of the connection. Hoped you'd try to think about it...but man. If you have a passion, I say nurture it. Like my uncle says to me; Tobias, you had better never forget that what you love to do is just like somethin' you treasure. Your mami was impossible with you. So that goes to say..~

The quote of his best friend's family member had Aiden sniffle for some reason. "How bout we start up before summer ends. My sis Ann is a mega star with the drums.. You should hear her play the chorus! Wow, and I trust her to let us back stage if we don't make the cut!" The snicker of the blonde had the mohawk sporting classmate laugh .

~Sounds fair. Practice those vocals while my bass is getting warmed up. See you before the new classes start! Have a great day ok? You really look green as a frog! Gp lay down with that last ribbit! Talk to ya man!~

Aiden did get to say adios ,thent the restroom was his last stop.

Ami saw a bullet from the den. She knew Aiden was an adult when it came to eating till you couldn't hold back. Did he remember that though?

After the wheezing atmosphere had downed, Ami had a proposal before they were to head for the city mall.

"Aiden! You are not leaving my side! You look aweful! Ava! You made everything waay too sweet for big bro!" The ten year old pouted while gripping poor Aide's arm with the strength of a warrior. "Next time, go low on the butter...dear ...heavens...I'm not gonna-

"Ohh! " Amelia's teary expression would not heal this internal struggle. Kori paced to think if a certain phone call would be best.

"Yes, hello? This is Mrs Kori Anders. Is Richard Grayson available?" The line was a two minute wait, thankfully the cop had given in to bringing Aiden to the mall at four. They would be in the central plaza by four thirty. Aiden apologized and laid his head onto the den sofa with something for his stomache pains.

Ava was a demon ..no kitchen could handle her dangerous ability..to turn...your guts...

The snickering lavender tinged teen had the boy on edge. She then said to him something as he bounded over in her new skirt and cardi - top outfit. "You should just wait...I did act a bit harsh. .We still on for that island float?" She smirked his way with a wink. Aiden strained his eye to meet her's. "I'm..not missing one bite. Save us a seat. .."

The fifteen year old had made amends with her rival to food gobbling. It was silly, chicldish, yet it was fun! He'd at least sit in. After all,the best was yet to arrive...

Somber eyes left to wonder off into the distance. As if Ava had something more to tell her family, her brother saw that gaze. So empty...was she looking for someone?

A nap was also not what Aiden had expected might save the day. His wakeful attitude had slowly turned sluggish by not being active as his sisters were. All while Aiden had been left to vegitate on the tv room sofa. A meal was the perfect back story if he wanted to pull away from Ami's shindig.

It would be one more hour until his dad came to change and then, grab Aiden . They had to be on time. Ami was strict with her timing to the point of exhaustion. None of the kids in her class who could understand thought she wasn't excessive on being the first to enter those doors every, single morning. Yet Amelia enjoyed the steady pace. In due time, she would be as atune to distractions as a librarian shushing* patrons. He chuckled by the comparison. Amy had a plan. Her dear parents had to make way for a second college grad wanting to study the earth's ecosystems in the near, future...

It was ok. Aiden Grayson had time unlike Ava Marie. She'd be a real major before Ann..to predetermine their fates..he felt a bit too stereotypical.

~Cause I don't have real plans for my future...guess this is just being on the same boat as my twin...~ Curling up with his legs tucked to hit his stomache, Aiden felt the need to shuffle. Just to work off the extra ounces that might never let him live down today.

At least he wanted to stay fit. Ami was a dance revolution machine. Maybe..he could try it? The arcade had not fixed their addition in months! Maybe it might be fun to try again on the prized flat screen right in front of him- it's mesmerizing depths were as vivid as a lake's surface. A mirror world?

"Then I can burn Amelia with Ava as her back up. That might make my day!"

The cell phone; also in the blonde's sights , started to buzz by a message. Someone was contacting his phone ? Who else? Even Toby had already dismissed their call for further preparations.

To his surprise, the number was a private one. However, the letters attached had Aiden's heart beating .

~Wake yourself up. ~ Was this a joke? The blonde shut the device to silent , then decided he would play the console until sweat poured out from his ears!

"I am wide awake! I don't respond to weird messages, goodbye." The flat screen lit up to it's start menu; flashing lights and dance music..did they have any punk themed steps? Or was it all pop!

"Maybe she has guitar hero? Or...crud...that was a rental!..." If Uncle Shoji had the dough, then he could send a birthday gift if Aiden wanted. But that was a cheap example of trust...he barely knew the white collar cat-

Aiden shook his head again. "I'll play this to the ground dangitt!" With a flip of the settings to begin his next turn, the screen suddenly went dark. His eyes opened again with that feeling of a floating, parallel world, as his toes never set foot to the tiles. Tiles?

~Ready! Aaand Let's go!" The d.j was not really talking to him..he was outside! A spectator! So why? The rest felt like a daydream. The few were many raised hands and a crowd waiting to soar over the top. The clothing he was wearing was of the latest street fashion in the world that year. The dancers were strong and hard to face off against. He had to be dreaming this! That text! It had to do with his swap!

~ Players? It's time! Anyone who loses this round is disqualified! No free seats! So get ready! ~

The music was hyper drive sonic. The roaring,, pounding waves of sound had Aiden act as his character might. That set of moves he used never missed unless he played off against Amy.

So close! Real sweat was unable to stop the teen. He even had a few hands held up to keep breaking as if he could !

The character was doing this. As if possessed to win!

When the lights had lowered to a stream of center stage winning participants, the teen blonde had been right by the edge of the platform. He had come in...fourth! Whoa! It was just a game, yet as soon as Aiden was back in his own world,his whole body had remembered the rush. A shower. He had virtually compete with the npcs!

After a quick dry down, the new outfit really did suit the middle school wiz kid from his last outing picking it out. What a day...maybe the note had been a coincidence? This whole time he had been relaxing after feeling the pressures of being himself- but this had to be the real Aiden! He was way better ..than the old one...

His extra hoodie dropped as the boy had been dragging out tops..without a care...Yet there had to have been something the boy had forgotten..he couldn't shake it.

Ava's odd glance.

His mom not telling hom about her speech patterns.

Ann's brimming confidence and flamboyant new nature.

"I hope dad is still ok. He will be coming to head over ...Ami wants me to ...stay by her side...-

Tears were unable to set back his current memory. The one that was so difficult to recall any events...

It was tough. He was growing up. He was..going to change...so ..no one was staying together...

The cell went off , even when the boy's ringer had been silenced to vibrate...

Aiden cautiously walked over to the piece to shut it off. His dad would call thehome phone. His cell was too annoying. "I think I should let it go. " He said in a way, that scared Aiden less and less . With a glassy eyed fixation onto the plastic model something had shut out all if his troubling thoughts. Denial worked best to only allow what he wished to remember..what he wished...

/

The cell's reception had been telepathically sent by Lisa and Chris back on Earth. The teen's partner had responded the same way to alert the group within Astarte's sights, that Ann needed double the supervision. Lisa had spoken cooly to an anxious Christopher,who assumed Ava was still not trying to blow their cover by contacting back. Aiden had answered, then he'd shut them out. By his own will.

Lisa asked Ron to find the Titans before something did tear the blonde apart from his real home. She had a really bad feeling in the pit of her stomache that would not go away.

Ann asked her partners and comrades why it was unwise to go after Jump City's finest. Sara Santiago had collected the squad from further leading themselves into a dangerous spot. Santiago's exact words were unclear to the red head as her superior's cold attitude in some moments of seclusion. Only a selct few had remained as eternal soldiers the most for the commander to trust wholly with top secret plans. Behind the scenes, Hanna wondered if the vice captain was just as shrewd.

The red headed teen bit her lip and waited out the reesponse from the heroes seas a far.

Waiting to know if her father and mother were both ok..If Ami had been safe and Ava sane as possible..If Aiden had not walked into danger due to their father's body snatcher. If only that fire were something the twin could control...she could swoop in and stop their family from breaking!

With a sigh,Annie stood to head towards the the place where her squad had gathered. There were plans she herself had been a key element of. Now..those trials from earlier had twisted that . The fourteen year old had to wait out the destruction without lifting a finger .

Her crew captain had been by earlier to speak with Miss Sara. Apparently, the lady was named Nina 'Santiago' and had her superior's maiden name . Santiago..was not married..So was it her child-

No wait...her captain had something about he that struck as odd.

With a quick look across the room, the crew's leading official had her cat's eyes on the dope across from those features. Ann slunk away before the sharp shooter could make out her findings via her ear mic.

The food was bland here. Taste wasn't great of course. Maybe in the next few years, Annie would have a job she could do besides being a fill- in operative. Her dad was Nightwing on the side of his private detective work..though, it was mostly parts paper and field work in his day to day.

Hanna had only to decide if her actions would stunt the process of right here and now. But..the official of their vesssel had warned everyone to stay onboard...Did that mean it was dangerous to go out? Was Jump City in that deep that things were happening to rip it away!..

~No panicking. You know that your dad's controlled by a spirit - psycho lizard...and that...he used to be a hero as a teen..~

With the Titans and Batman..that was impressive. The whole past was a code of secrecy. The dog Shoji would ruin her memory by erasing the details...Ann hugged her arms from a breeze by an open vent.

She dashed over to shut it in time, though found it jammed. Was she supposed to use brute force?

With a kick , then a wedge from another assault onto the sturdy metal, Annie had nearly-

A scurry. Rats...it was!-

The flurry of paws or blobby bodiless entities scattered to fill the vessel .The vent had been wide open for another reason! As if a flood, the crews had come to mop up the damages. Unlike the water outside the tank structure , the blobs were not made of fluid. They tried to overpower many workers until Nina had been able to flip alarms. The whole boat was under attack!

"Wha- We have a breach on the-

The red head kicked off the swarm with her fire still as easy to fuse as a lit match. "Get ooff! Out out ouut!" There were hundreds of floating vermin! These were just as on Titan Tower's shore! The bay fight where that creeper had stolen her dad away!

"Wwwhgaaaa!" With a swat into the flurry , the grl used a martial arts technique to shove off the creatures from her uniform ."I'm cutting you down to size! " The teen hacked away the monsters with a tool or two from her belt. She had made it up to end up on the squad- the one full of meta- human teens and other anamolies!

Astarte had planned to protect the city. She was no warrior! She was a huntress.

The chariot racing heroine left the other night walkers in a frenzy as she flipped out of their line of sight. The witless critters still were terribly plagued by astigmatism. This would be too easy to level thelr playing field to zero.

With a few shots by Nina to distract the monsters, the units onboard had already taken up their positions as protectors of Jump, as well as other coast lines uncharted. The many handfuls were super-human. Also, there were techno wizards on the field to use as much radar - scouting as possible. The weakness however, was purely of a supernatural sort as the creatures multiplied. They had orders to look for a face. One that would aid in their summoner's plans. Yet zombies of the unknown were what they were. To search ,capture , feed ,then blow the boat sky high if need be.

Ann flustered long enough to blow a few sparks , soon setting the enemy on her end to return to tar - turned ash. Her feet scrambled to make it to where her officers were. The whole ship was not staying up ! The demons had made a gaping hole when they'd breached the vents!

Annie held herself up to keep running for the tunnel. She did not want to be buried below into those dark waters! Her sisters and brother still needed!-

All went dark..they were acting to blind her into a cluster...and It was working!

/

Cy and Greg had not been so lucky when the teens inside the trapped void had not kept their link open. Something must had attacked the group.

His head reacted with a direct turn towards a mind 'spoken' signal from far off. An indirect link ...from an unknown soul eons into the past..no!

The link was Al! She was sending mental pictures through the speak to tell the guardian of her hostage situation as a captive official!

Greg's hat fell from his carrot shaded skull, while his grey, pointed ears drooped to feel her pains from the illusionary realm the sorcerer and his charges had fallen into.

The Eternal high - arc lady was a prisoner of her own home world. Meanwhile, Greg had yet to find Damian and the gang where he could.

Apparently; Gar or Changeling, had made the time, then had head after the wiz and his companion Cyborg- even when she ...That deity of a deceptive nature!..had promised to remain inside the tower with the morpher! Then that had fallen flat! They must have also overlooked something hidden in the shadows!

Greg massaged his poor scalp before Vic Stone as the veteran Titan had retuned to relay his end.

"We are stranded lil' man. I think civilization just...disappeared! " Gregory had to clean his ears from that rant. "What? Where did we land after my portal was closed? Are we where the Teen Titans should be, or are we well off course! " Greg was losing his cool as the dusty, red winds whipped harder against his cape and cowl.

"Curses! This must have been planned! We must try !-

"Wait! I...don't believe it Greggie, but I thought I just saw a boat!" The gaping team of two had their eyes off into the mirage. It was ten - feet under red sand and ruin! Why would a vessel be!-

"Might just be the setting, but I think I'm able to pick up some waves! We are not alone! It's..." The light sorcerer had no time to waste trudging through the dunes of desolate war fronts. With a wave of his staff up high, Greg had carried enough energies to lift Cy into the air. "Direct us to that mirage! I do not want to not believe it either! I will carry us safely across."

The magician's power increased to turbo boost the rest of their steps. A flurry of particles, debris and toxic scenery was left behind, as the two trekked further north. "We will not be lost in this desert forever! Read the signs and stay alert!"

The two held the power to keep the monster miasma mounds at bay. Greg was safe to go in -

"There is a scuffle! Look!" The sorcerer was speeding faster through the mess as his eyes did not decieve! The vessel was under sand, and the miasma had clustered around a surrounded Anna and her crew!

"Holy high seas! " The Titan onboard flight 'Celestial skies' peered inwards with a high - pitched quip. "Annie's in trouble! I saw Nina ! Over there! Push it Greg! We are not gonna lose ta' those creeps!"

His father figure mode had switched on again as Cy wondered what Jackie and his whole family of three were up to.

Did they evacuate in time? Was this a bubble like Trigon's coming? It was a big hoax if Roku was really gonna mess with his best friend this much to hurt all of his kids! That dang dragon was a goner once Kori had gotten her shot to have him hung out to dry. They had to step on it!

Greg lost his momentum and went sky high into the squad's direction. Nina , Sara , and Anna were facing the miasma - gone rat swarm . The ankle biters were trying to take her away from the group! This was not good!

Sorcerer Greg as his lightly - clothed self, doused the area to dispell the cluster. The rats had more influence from the dystopian world, so the wizard's rioting trick left them only to rush about in an even larger frenzy.

"Shi...! Forget about the x- files stuff! Grab Ann! They are gonna -

The biggest rat of the swarm went after her leg. One chomp had the pain swell into an enourmous mark by a demon . The proudest grin on that cretinous monster's face was what had set Cy into the fray.

"Lousy mooouse! Get outta my way!" The blue of the episode with Brother Blood surrounded Cy until his fury was enough to rouse the rat responsible. "You...stinkin!-

This was no duel of the mouse king and mysterious nutcracker. Sewer rats would never have been able to grow to the size of a human! This battle was purely science fiction at it's ugliest!

The brawl left the wizard who had returned to see to Santiago, half aware of the second swarm coming after the rat Cy had been taking on. They had Ann by her pant leg-

"Hyyaah! Have at thee!" The one to set the one closest to the girl's arm to cinders, was Ronald from the air. "Took you a millenium to act ! Lightening devil! Face these foes , just as your uncle did with I myself, unto yonder eras in the past!" Astarte returned to lock her squad of both human and metas from her line of sight. Inside a cast bubble of brilliant gold they float, out of harm's way of the largest feat to pass .

The form she'd woven to the presnlent was a warrior queen of old. Even Nina was amazed to see the guise before her as the same skeptic as on their many missions. Astarte. A queen of old. She was of many names, descents, and myths surrounding the great civilizations of the ancient world. Her leopard eyes were quite alluring as the hidden magic behind them from first meeting h the Teen Titans-

(At the end of To The Future,Astarte meets the teens to explain her role as a surveyor of the dragon's curse upon Dick Grayson's human spirit. She is very strong. Her embodiment of a beauty is why Nina competes with the deity for the right 'height.' She was almost Cy's age - yet felt the gap had a bit to be desired. Nina had a big crush on Victor even in her 'teenage developement model.' Maya left Nina with the reason to not fade away even after her task to watch over the heroes. Also, Priscilla is of a falling health while in her last days as an overseer of the forest . Still, Nina was angry before, due to the reincarnation's trickery of Dearheart's magical, form swap. That would be arc Shadows and Creatures as well as many later arcs to add to Nina's covered - over back story. Now back to our current!)

Both blazing dety were after the same goal now. Anna Grayson was the last flicker of light that the red dragon needed to win over their world. It had to halt where the mountains no longer stood to bow! Desert sands had become the wide bay line. The rest of Jump no longee burned brightly on the horizon. Also, the bite mark had Annie breaking out in a cold swe...

"Gregory! Treat your charge! We will bar off the beasts!" The lady in her shining, gory glorified atance had never seemed so noble in her ways as she had been when in human form. This goddess was a true heroine!

Sorcerer Greg met her eyes to teleport towards where the girl lay shattered into a swelter . Her body was grasping the warmth, to slowly feel it shift to a tremor or two. Rats..did not have venom...this was!

A sound of a cackling red monster ; the worm whom had sten two children, plus by his master's actions, the young one, had reappeared as the vermin army's leader. ~We pests of damned existancev must band together. Now I shall have the child's-

Hanna saw this furious display through her amber sights. She..was just going to fall apart here? It..was an awful way to break a promise!

Without the sun to shake away her tremblimg oul's unrest, Ann wanted one more reason to fsce her family's fate. Aiden wasn't the only one who could control the fires!

The girl's garb became that of a Phoenix warrior's. Her hair held up into an overly layerd, spiked ponytail. Her weapons were from another world and time. A staff lay in her gripwith a flaring blaze of light at it's tip. Almost as if his torch had been passed over to her. strength was Ann Grayson's alone. Aiden wasn't ready to use his!

"The fever!" Astarte gasped while in a heated dance with the wyvern. The red cretin saw his chance to fix her energies for his lord's discretion. Just as the deity woman had glanced behind them, the rars had rushed after the worm to attack Hana!

Cyborg saw the devil rat he had been fighting turn to smog and dissipate. " Then this was a trick!" He started under his breath to then twist towards Ann's direction as her newest role. A staff of power , flames at her beck and call. The light amber in her sights was of a futons being's intervention! The Phoenix had chosen it's position!

Rats had an eerie trust when it came to lit torches. Water ways did not faze them, however..live waves of a scorching end had the opposite effect .

"Aaaaaaagggghhhh!" The rioting princess rode upon their backs to decimate, erradicate, lessen the wafting stench of these creatures for the Teams to pass along-

~No! You are not as you shhhould! Do not disssobey! Chiiild!~

The snake was losing it's form as the last of it's energy had gone to spitting an acid formula from it's jaws. The shield was her staff, thus Ann had to leap away from the spray of more poison to fill her senses. Though the new gasses hung in the air as the smog overhead major cities! A cloud was forming to collect her!

Her energy waned by the powers of the dark serpent . It did not bide well with Astarte or Greg and Cyborg. She was not to be lost to a stone prophecy of the other world!

Cy rammed into the beast of red to drag it back, now that it's tangible self-

"Aaagh!" A spear from it's back had piecred the hero with his shoulder throbbing, sparking and damaged greatly . Ann's fire simmered to lower her guard.

"Mr. Stone! I'm not able to sgake them! Wwwaaah!" The left onto the red road was by those million marching rts of the demon's making. The red one hissed loudly by it's threat. The can heap would fall, while the monster's victory was concuded . It held magic as branded as any of Roku's creations. Only demons could locate others of their nature, the rats knew well andleft the heroic grounps in the dust with their licked wounds festering.

Astarte would not have it. The demns weremere distractions. Her bow and arrows had come in to being with just one shot...-

POW! The ravaging awe as the rats saw thgeir leader take the hit- it madethem act as ifthe sky would fall- yet in a way, it opened up!

"The creatures are turnin' ...tail!...NOO!" Cy had one chance to send bth his cannons after the creeps. Nina dart over to send a lazer proof tracker, as it spat the device far enough to attatch to Hanna's garb. The android wiped her brow, then rushed to limit the flow of damaging toxins from Cyborg'sinternal system. It had paralyzee his left! Was this any way to face the last fight!

The doorway had barely shut as the writhing cretinous blobs had returned- though Ron had his dog form tl hunt downtne head beasie in charge! His bolt self zzzapped off to also collect around An. All right before the portal had shut out the rest of the illusionary sufferers from entering.

The devils had taken Ann; yet the Titan and his comrades had finalized the one behind the scenes , with two spying decievers to foil the king's ploy. As long as his mind, still remained on something other than a visitor of his trap.

They had to open the rift. Greg forced his power to bear wide over the surface. It looked as if only Nina and Asarte then could fly by into the void. Cy was unable to break a vein as blackened sights increased to swallow the life he had. It was to use a temporary shutdown as a way , long nough after the chariot queenhad gone, for Greg to forge an antidote.

"We shall be his worst enemies till the end! Thank you sorcerer! Let us not last long!-

Greg blinked by her words. Santiago must have mis..spo..ken..was she sacrificing the humanity of she and Nina!?

His arm outstretched to stop the promise. Yet Astarte had broken so many already,her right to win was a slim chance they would make it home. Underworlders or not, the deity had a way with gathering her end peacefully.

Inside the shifting world, Nina smiled back to the bot in a heap . He was recooping in his resting spot...she could restart an existance as well...after all, in the androud's bones she had known of the lessening years of her creator Dearj eart. The wood elf was dying. Nina's life force would also disappear with that promise.

Astarte was ready tosee off the not with a near human heart. Right after a certain king had lost his crown!

Traversing westwords, the sandy dunes to surround them were no longer a threat. This world mirrored happiness. It trudged upon the humanity of many. It collected the ones unae to pass on! Thus,his power was growng by so many lost etities at once!A perpetual madness of souls floating made botn women sweat and grit their fists. Roku had lost his senses of familiarity with his own magic. It was unable to balance out. Chaotic, unwelcoming...deadly.

A trapm was laid in time for the deity and her squire, yet Astarte had no such weakness - she herself on,y fell to the masculine brute. Enough to bring her to go on the offense just to brush him away. Hum. Lothos had to be close. .he had rats let loose by that same chatic aura. Nina never stopped as she andher teacher held up their blades to the shadows. Demons were in nightmares. The self alone would be shattered in this demise of their sanity.

~Making it to you...was a fruitless effort..huh?..~ Nina thought this before flinging the duo into battle.

/

The Titans were having a serious cool down moment after dissipating blobs had let the team be. Slade had allowed the cat woman to grant the meta mortal divine powers. They would soon be dead to his needs anyway.

Damian had no clue why the mercenary tyrant had done ANY of a ...common or even decent act !..He had shoved the prince of Ra's vast empire from the fight. They had fled in time to see the false pier over Jump drift off into the ocean tides.

The new Robin had a difficult way to see into this mess. Rachel Roth was not telling them much in her state of mind. The kid was still just a by- stander. He was beating the bad guys as always! What gave?

"Tell us. " Wally suddenly spat back to the cat queen who had been grooming herself during the entire trial!

"You came here with Changeling, but you gave our enemy a new super power! He's not one of the-

"It will pass, speedster. " The devil in his bloody glory swung off more of the blob's remaining essence. His blade was dull now that the slime beasts had tainted it's edge.

"I will not be allowed to keep her magic. It was, just a super charge. When your heroes are successful in confronting the one behind this world's chaos, then my gift will disappear with the mess he's caused. "

Raven nod which made the teen leader gasp."You trust the crook! He's an enemy in many countries! He also is probably responsible with that calm an alibi!" The ebony boy sniffed his displeasure to cross his arms away from the group. "I refuse to trust his tactics ! Cat! Whatever you are, get rid of that new power! This man is a liar and cheat on our world. You also must be sure he doesn't stab you in the back!-

Min eyed the child from her stance. The robes round her made the deity seem older in appearance. Her cat's eyes peered directly into his centers with her long pipe brewing trouble.

~I believe you can trust that his transformation will dwindle if your heroes lose this fight. What is there to seal away ? You do not like the man. Truth be told, the dragon we face to- day was once in cahoots by blackmail with your enemy I have endowed. Did you not tell them that Priestess?~ The puff of a cloudy smoke lit up Raven's protective nature beside the Changeling's trust, in the deity Lynx.

"Look, Min, you...can't talk to us about Slade messin ' with the occult then!" Gar protested for the ladies not to face one another . "So let's figure out-

"There must be a reason you decided to turn Changeling into a delinquint, I want answers." Raven refused to pay mind when so many could end up devoured by those beast's jaws. Slade might even end up a drone to her powers!

The cat lady snickered in her stride. ~Well! You have some gall to ask if I'm just as your comrades depict! Would you like me to tell you of my innermost connection to the sorceress and Elemental of wind; Sage Bao Shi Lan?~Min had Raven's jaw wide with shock. "You..then you are !-

Somehow, the look on the dark witch's face had the entity of nine lives pull back. Time was wasted on the gossip of a soul diver such as the maiden Byakumu.

"We are gonna miss our chance to save the dang world! You two can chat later- right now, the Titans are mobile. " Garfield Logan exclaimed, to shut out in the confusion that the rancid smoke brought along with it's uncleanliness.

Zatanna blinked back to the deity to gasp with a jaw just as slack.

"Is that ..opiu-

"You are right." The sorceress and Titan senior strut past the big cat and her distractions. "We have tovfind a way to where the dragon is. "She had never felt that her entire prediction..with Aiden turning rebel, or the kids becoming pawns in Roku's game..it had all been extremely unclear from the beginning. Yet they all knew to watch for signs! Prohecies were just fevers on both body and mind; they had to pass in a sheer amount of time for a cure to be appointed by trial and error. Sometimes it took decades! Aiden could be stuck by the cursed lizard's promised 'aspect of the self...' or...

"Then..how do we know where to look?" Damian frowned with a skeptic glance the witch's way. Raven decided to enlighten them with only a short enough answer. They had to make it...Kori and Wonder girl were heavily drained from the fight, yet Starfire could still cry for her children..and Dick...he would take a miracle to drag home. The cursed fate Roku had inflicted, was something unbreakable by normal powers such as Raven of Azarath's own.

Raven as a returning Titan was not going to let either of her teams go without a fight.

"We do not look for a portal Damian. " Zatanna bravely explained as soon as Raven's cloak had again become a beacon of light. "We make one! Azarath ...Metrion..Zinthos..Asterion! !" The powerful rip in the very fabrics of their worlds was intense enough a measure to succeed. Indeed,the void cleared as ..if it had been planned from the start!

"Fall back! " Raven saw her body take on the pain as a mighty blizzard both froze her to a stalk white statue- to then twist along, long enough to drag in both deity and heroes!

The screaming teens had to collect into an arm link just to stay together. This was no taboo! It was a well formulated welcome towards the center of this new, mad world! There, Raven could only hope to unfreeze in time to aid Gar and Starfire. The younger generation was still unwell about new divides. It was up to Zatanna and Min to see their passage into the void's base as a smooth landing after her enemy tyrant Wilson.

Slade played along once JinMae's tail had bound him silly from running or flying off to face Roku all alone.

Damian had bearly enough light to see the world for what it had turned into. A realm of dark arts. Shadows, night scapes and daylight...would never come .

On and on the Titans tumbled towards their end game desination. Starfire soon found Arianna of the Star Kingdom's magic as a helpful tool in their quest. The heroes would be watched - even while Raven was a frozen statue beside the group.

Friction in patterns of shimmies did not help by the speedster's abilities. This place took all of your physical strength to turn you into a full - fledged lunatic! Raven would have to wait until that molded tile met with stomping teen's boots. No stop came as the group fell to the gravity laden hall with a thud *.

"Ohhhww!" The Kid Flash lessened a howl to a solid croak as the...deathly still void only would echo their voices to travel. Starfire attempted to fly up, yet the portal had not only shut away their exit. It had also lessened her ability to soar!

"I do not like this creepy place..." Wonder Girl gulped from the side, as Kid rubbed his tush to have it stop smarting . "Rob, you think we can investigate or..just want to do your thing?" The red head had tried to communicate with his leader- yet the teen had his head lowered. Was this fun house already messing with the prince!?

"I...won't have it...I was not supposed to follow! Hahahahaaa!"

Bingo. Right on the mark. A more livid version of the villain clich hung around the now possessed Damian of Ra's Al Gule inheritance. Talia would not be able to bear witness, where ever those two were...it was fairly ugly in creepsville at the moment!

/

"Who dun it!" Gar pointed towards the Titan forgetting himself a moment- If he even remembered?!

Slade decided to slip away by this rather well- orchetrated distraction.

Min did not both to stop him..had she not wanted the male o keep his word? Roku was stronger here! It had to be another trap the dragon had set to obliterate the heroes once and for all.

Damian was now able to use his own sword which had been long neglected in the fight with the night walkers. This new 'outer space' wasn't half bad! He, he was the leader! They had to do as HE wanted!

The involuntary twich of the boy's facial muscles had Wally exclaim back.

? Robin cocked his head to look out towards the speedster's request. Was..was he calling out? No!No!..He..had ...

"The leader you wanna be isn't a murderer dope! Snap out of it and come help us! You should never fold on a promise to sa-

The whipping torrent of Kid's voice had set off too many red flags. Wondergirl brought her hands to her hips and groaned openly. "Now you've done it! We have to get out of this place! Or do you want-

"You cowarrds! You are backing aaway!? I am your leader! Listen to!-

Kori had heard enough of such banter. With a whizz* over to the back of the boy ; his back to the Star kingdom official's host, the bolt made to knock the kid Titan unconscious from his spitting , foul mouthed and ill mannerisms towards his stunned friends.

"You should never show such lack of restraint Damian. Go to sleep now please!" The teen smirked while falling to his side. Sleep...sounded nice...

The Titans and Min were some what impressed. Kori was a master baby...sitter?...Wait!

"Haaagh!" You k.o'd him Star! We have to skidd or those guys of the lizard's fun house might come out to play!"

The Tamaran mother nod , then scooped up Robin from the cold tile. "I will keep him busy as we trekk these halls. Do not fret." Her smle was one in a million as always. Yet her own children could be here! Why was she..not more afraid?

Min rolled her arms into her sleeves as a wise seer and grinned . "I see , you shall take turns then. I of course, accompany you just as verified by my companion. The large one is also to meet us up ahead!"

The team looked the cat witch down with mad eyes. "W...you...you let Slade...whyy!?"

Gar could not stick around here. He would have to speak alone with the kitty later. Right now, the ominous howling* was growing! Even the warrior princess had limits to how far she could go on foot!

So softly as they could down the twisting hallway, the heroes travelled.

The howls had come to a silent whistle of winds , now, no longer would that mean speed was an issue. Kid accepted the offer to scout and was again right ahead , mach - speed in his blood . As well, as a worry for Damian on the brain.

"Why did Robin snap so easily?" Wonder Girl asked carefully, knowing the walls did in fact have ears.

Raven in her arms was light as a feather. Yet Damian's state weighed heavily on his friends' backs.

"When contact of the mind and spirit lose control...emotions follow to become corrupted. This plane is not one built to keep you grounded. It was created partly by one who breaths chaotic happenings daily. "

Amazement draped across the Titans' faces. Slade had been a scout after all! His locked gaze made the teens freeze where the road was blocked. He did not wish to be a bother. Raven was not his only problem if the assassin came too close to the new generation heroes. Tip toeing woul not be is way back into their circle. Slade had reason to hate the dragon far worse than the Tamaranean's old allies.

He was standing right in front of a suspicious looking doorway as well , With his back to the entrance ..as if he had intended to snoop a bit longer.

"What a cat burglar! You are so still not to be trusted !" Wally chuckled by how the atmosphere suddenly felt similar to one of Catwoman's outings.

The tall merc felt his presence was abit 'off ' in this realm. The spiny runt had collapsed when the conclusion of earlier battles in the hall had returned to drink his conscious sanity to near starvation. Damian had not ben strong willed enough to resist..why was Slade any less careful? The dragon had his last nerve strangled.

"You were gathering information?" Zatanna remaked as Min frowned with her sleeves still hidden, her stance calmer than the super - teen heroine's..

"Hard to believe, isn't it. " Deathstroke shrugged to shift from the door's titled plate upon it's metallic frame. With his arms crossed, the meeting bored him to lose track of...time was not irrelevant here Deathstroke guessed. Roku had a schedule to keep with. That itself was a given .

"That doorway is not historically accurate to this world. I tried to open it. Though,a key card,retina scanner and fingerprint scanner as well are actively protecting the contents inside. " The explaination was strained at best. Not as a child asking what their parents had been up to unlike their usual habits.

He was...trying to open it with their trust...seeing as the super senses of sound from Min and his heightened ones had doubled to bring about a bout of tinnitus. A great , big buzzing symphony to call himself sane by nature!

Richard was no fool. At least, if he had seen the villain trying to drown out the static eminating through his eardrums in the past, he'd have been correct on the old insult of a sociopath in the present. Slade was oh- so lucky for the pretty reminder of such ugliness. Heart had nothing to do with bear survivalist instincts. Even if Dick had no idea why, it was better to for get the old days.

Such a solemn victory for a long- gone Titan.

Zatanna cleared her throat to pry out more exscuses from the crook.

"You were able to discover something ..that shouid not be here in this world?" Her eyes blinked while the information processed at a steady pace. The humm in Slade's skull grew as she was expected to digress upon the matter. Flies were already starting to lay eggs. It was excrutiatingly painful where not a fleck of light could be drawn!

"Then you do us a fav and don't bust it. Go with us and save the world-

"That secret door might be the reason. I want a good look of this area before my head unvoluntarily 'self destructs' , if you would be so generous..." A hiss escaped from the angered killer's masked lips. "The site might give us a clue. If the dragon is depending on super- science and a collection neo - alchemaic formulae, then look no further. "

Starfire brushed by to stand the male down. Still as her height was; an adult of unearthly descent , a warrior by her birth, she was not able look down onto her enemy. He stood above her ideals. That would count for some pity of a simpleton's vote. Even Min had to shake her head before the group had decided to risk their necks- in search of a way into the next void's passage.

Doorways littered the halls just then. Looking for one was just as encouragible when looking for a portal into another dimension , as than as dragging yourself to find an exit to a reoccuring nightmare. Mad Mod's hell - hole had been just as daunting a ploy to trap the heroes, as the one the Teen Titans now faced presently.

Kori flung herself while on foot to open as many doors as she could.

Kid had to revert to racing by shortened sprints , to conserve energy he never truly carried in the best of times.

Wondergirl still had her powers, yet they ached at times with the war god Ares still spitting flames for her to fall. A mirror image of her demons. Not truly was the warrior princess afraid of the dark.

She was not Zatanna who had a lot to keep on her toes over besides their surviving vets.

Even as Raven was out commision, Zan never left her tracks visible to invite the demonic aura bearers in. Her lips were sealed of powerful curses for the moment to remove any traces of their ' crashing ' the dragon's underworld party.

Kori was not likely to uphold her truce with either Min , nor Deathstroke the Terminator in long term.

Batman had faced the man as an offender even by Interpol. It was not a comfort to know that Slade had her gratitude, yet held her silent from putting him away entirely on earth. A double treaty would not stop the dragon. Not even to release his hold over her beloved Richard...Slade had not gained a genuine ounce of empathy from the princess since he was the original cause. She would not trust the merc to keep them safe. It was not in his best interest to be..nice.

One door swung open to blind the speedster from entering. Another was barred shut from where Starfire could freely blast it's chains from the hindged surface of cool steel.

Iron bars fell to reveal a very dreary residence. It was not a door. A door with a room yet...

Stairs to an underground. Kori sweat as the memory of saving Richard from the cult of the red monster's...She had to cover her lips from a gasp long forgotten.

/

(The first first two arcs I ever did brought up how Roku was give his name and how the guardians met the Titans. The arc is messy later on. It hasn't a single file left and cannot be edited any longer. It is currently still on my page. Under; Teen Titans, A New Beginning. Second arc is Next Chapter of Our Lives. As it states, the chapters are not generally kept in order by name. Yet by the date in which they were uploaded. Enjoy the run for now! Here on out the Titans are still facing the worst to come!)

"We have to go down. " Gar became an amazonian panther to see through the darkness of the teetering well. It was a high fall. That very far below, Star and Changelig wondered if this illusion was to scare the heroes into repeating their past mistakes. It seemed unlikely to be the case as Gar just trudged on ahead without digressing further into the other matter.

As many times as it took, the Titans would not bend to this misery. It was an opportunity to leap into action as before!

Slade motioned first to allow the heroic bunch his well - ironed trust. Min still sniffed* the air with a glance holding disdain, to mentally push the merc as she saw fit. He hated her wit from the side lines. It was non more than a controlling personality built by subliminal messages and quick acting . More so sly as a vixen .Deity such as her were no better than someone like Veronica or Lil...

Cat eyes in the dark allowed Min and Gar to head from both front and rear of the group. Slade stood beside the annoying kitty at the head, while Changeling stood from behind to ward off any intruders.

The shattered door was shut tightly as soon as the group had gone feet below the winding stairwell.

Kori lit her bolt to aid with the scenery. It was wet. Must and webs from eight legged surveyors littered the polished stone. The walk was slick with a slime that was nothing as a dragon's jaws couild produce. A rather large creature...even-

Wondergirl shivered when the journey had had her ask in a trembling voice.

"A ...is..it from...be..low?...Or...!?-

Above them it rained. Big, terrifying webs much larger than the smaller stood to cover the dark ceiling of the keep. Basement ...An underground graveyard!...

Gar was powerless as the -

The spiders were...not attacking!

The teens just thanked that the crawlers must have eaten with so many bones kicked along their pathway...

On the gang travelled , until the door in plain sight was located. Kori watched with baited breath Slade clasped onto the knob slowly.

A real temple hide away. It was a lab and sect of the terror unseen's underground...it was...

"Ava!" Kori cried out without thinking of the dangers. Yet no one was present,she had to say something!

A floating orb of red blooded light had the room darken to a scarlett tinge. Ami was there..and...where was Aiden!

The warrior mother clutched her heart to slip past the merc and her friends. The children were still alive! Why were they held captive up so high! She could not fly without her abilities...

"My bolts!" The terrified mama gasped as her fists lit up quickly. A bright idea or a downer, Starfire had at least room to try and break the-

~Mom! Stop..!~

The Tamaranean miss blinked with a few words towards the flickering orb."A..Ava..Marie!?...You must not lose hope! Your gnorfka is right here! Now stand back or we shall never!-

~No!~ The lavender eyed and haired child's eyes lit up to aid in projecting an icy wall of crystal.~It's too dangeous! He'll hurt you! A...Aiden is!-

The teen fell silent as if her memory had been wiped bare. Her whole body fell away and went limp within the red fireball. Kori flung a starbolt towards the barrier angrily. It only bounced back to hit a wall on the Titans' end brutally. Slade saw this and squint by to see if there was anyone else watching the mom's lament.

"Roookuu! You will let my family go at once! This is most horrific and there is no reason we should fear a coward! Do not ignore me! Leave them all alone!" Starfire's bolts started to glow anamber orange just as Arianna's magic had allowed of it's abilities in the past. Star flew after all of the grounding this world had forced her to feel. Now..now she was a war goddess amid a dismantled utopia !

This was a resting place for her team's long time enemy. The dragon would not have the earth, or her children!The fight was now, even as grains of the hour clock limited the time left for the mysterious void to hold steady. If the heroes lost,then no one would see the light of day. Not while Roku, held more cards to their fates than ever before. And so, the next battle was yet to arise. So it did commence, just as the forbidden tale had yet to detemine for the present era..

/

I did not want to stop here..yet the page is a massive d.i.y on how to not have writer's cramp. I enjoy every second of this tale, so we will head on to the next chapter momentarily. Chapter twelve will feed the flames. Aiden is in a world created by his desire to return to the earth he once knew, as a mortal untouched by destined prophecies.

Ava is refusing her mom's assistance to escape from the dragon Roku's lair. Why? Slade has not abandoned the Titans due to Min's power up. If he runs, she'll drag him back to see reason.

Will Richard ever return if the king is tossed from his throne? The deity seem to think that won't be the case for the notorious Nightwing.

Is Cecilia Crescendo Daia's game enough to set aside old grudges of the gods? Will Verra recover in time to fix the youngest Grayson's views on his ability- as well as the trust she once had in her Uncle Takahara Shoji?

How will Lisa face the boy called Aaron Stellanova as Alicia Daia's current vessel? Is the dragon of golden light already finished? Find out in the next page of these new years! Chapter twelve is next . Read on and staay curious!