Blitz: Hi! We are seriously sorry for taking so long, but there's been an extremely long stream of sickness, which is still going on... I'm in such a fluffy mood! We just watched the Christmas episode of Bones. Even though it's way past Christmas...
*future author* update chapter 11... sup?
Darkflame: We do not own Teen Titans! Stop asking stupid annoying lawyers!
"RAE! YOU'RE BACK!" Happy yelled loudly, launching over and giving the dark sorceress a tight hug, easily rivaling Starfire's death-grip.
"Happy... can't... ... b-breathe... " Raven struggled out, making her joyous emotion realize how tightly she was holding on, at which point she released the realm's owner and creator. Raven took a few seconds to get her breath before standing and turning to her emotion, who was running in circles and making airplane noises. "Alright, c'mon happy. This time Knlowledge isn't gathering the others."
"How do ya know, Rae?" the pink-cloaked girl asked, arms still spread like wings.
"Last time I spoke to her before coming. She won't know this time." Raven said. Of course, it would have been much easier to just have knowledge gather the others up, but she kind of wanted to check the bindings on Rage while she was here.
"Alrighty then~!" Raven's happy side said again, moving ahead towards the entrance to her realm acting as a bird. The half-demon sighed and followed, floating to conserve time and energy.
"And you're telling me Raven's going to be out of duty for a few days?"
"Yes, that would be correct."
"You know we have to get a temporary replacement now, right, and nobody's free at the moment?"
"Do not fear! I will find a temporary replacement for friend Raven!"
"Fine. She can be out if you can do that. If not, I'm afraid you'll have to wake her up from whatever trance she's in. We can't be short-handed for as long as this will take."
"Understood, boyfriend Robin!"
"See ya, Star."
"I'm bored, Cy."
"Yeah, I know. Seems kinda empty without Rae around."
"She's only been in her room for a few more hours than usual and we're moping about her not being around.
"Yeah... what does that say about us, exactly?"
"We need lives, bro."
"Agreed."
"Pizza?"
"Fine. We'll even go half-vegetarian, since I'm feelin' nice."
"Alright! Let's go, Cy!
"Right behind ya, Greenbean!"
Raven once again stole one of the strawberries that floated by her while Happy wasn't looking, glad that the tops faded away after the rest had been eaten. The fields of green and purple flowers had apparently grown larger. There was also the odd rose bush here and there, including some odd black roses, which attracted the interest of the half-demoness.
"Happy, what are these doing here? Wouldn't black roses be more of Timid's specialty?" she asked, perplexed. Happy smiled and shook her head.
"They're for the guy who gave you the necklace so we could be shown! I don't know if you noticed, but he was carrying a black rose with him." the emotion told her, bringing Raven's suspicion back down to content. That was definitely something Happy would do, having gifts for somebody who helped her be released.
"Alright, I guess." Raven said, the portal marking the end of the realm entering her sight. "Let's go, then. I don't necessarily want to be gone for too long. I don't even want to think about what Beastboy'll get up to while I'm gone."
Happy giggled at the truth Raven didn't realize.
Starfire didn't even know what she was looking for as she entered the Jump City Mall.
'I must find somebody to temporarily take friend Raven's spot in our fight against the villains...' she reminded herself, checking off the list of people in her mind.
All of the Titans East were out of he question, along with the North and South.
Most of the honorary Titans were on specific missions at the moment and couldn't be contacted.
She didn't have time to recruit a soldier from Tameran.
"Ughh, is there no one who is available to provide assistance?" she nearly screamed to herself, shocking the mall visitors around her. A shady-looking man suddenly walked from the pitch black shadows nearby, though the Tameranian princess was sure he hadn't been there before. The civilians around noticed his arrival and gave the area space, none daring to go near the frightening man.
"I couldn't help but overhear you shouting about your little problem there..." he began, his deep and sinister voice bringing chills to Starfire. (And not the good kind, either!)
"Y-Yes sir. Do you have experience fighting enemies of great power and evil?"
"Sure. You need somebody dealt with or somethin'?"
"Nothing like that. We are in need of a temporary replacement for one of our members, who will be out for a bit."
He smiled under the dark hood, shown by his bright teeth shining out of the inky darkness.
"I think I could help you then..."
Raven and Happy watched as the happy scenery faded around them, bringing back the inky void that was Raven's mind. They continued forward, the only path available to them at the moment. Soon enough, slate grey walls rose and towered over them, bathing the path in shadows, trapping them in a maze. Timid seemed to appear out of nowhere as she rose from the ground.
"H-Hello..." she choked out, attempting to recede into her cloak as much as possible. The dark sorceress' hard eyes softened at the sight of her timid side. She spoke, voice soft and caring.
"Hello, Timid. We need to have a meeting. Would you mind coming with?"
The emoticlone nodded slightly, and began to follow Happy and Raven through the maze.
Cyborg and Beastboy, after having stuffed themselves with two pizzas each, left the Pizza Corner full and happy.
"Ready to go home, Greenbean?" Cyborg asked as they neared the T-car. Beastboy shook his head in a negatory manner. He pointed down Peacock Avenue, down which was the changeling's favorite comic book store, as well as a few other shops he frequented.
"Nah, think I'm gonna stop and hit up the Comic Comet first. Want anything while I'm there?" the green teen replied, already walking in the direction of his beloved store. Cyborg shouted back that he was good before speeding off, presumably to tinker on something at the tower while he had the time. Beastboy continued down the street, but was soon dragged into an alley by a gloved hand. He stumbled, falling to the ground in surprise. His mysterious assailant took the opportunity to kick the hero farther into the alley, until he was all the way at the end.
"That wasn't quite as hard as I thought it'd be." the voice growled out, sounding rather pleased. It had an odd, layered feeling to it, however, as if two people were speaking at once. "And here I thought the great Beastboy would put up a fight." Said changeling flinched as he was kicked - hard - in the stomach by what was presumably a steel-toed boot. The blow knocked him flat on the ground, in a manner in which he could finally catch a glance at his opponent.
"Kevin...?"
"Hmm... yes and no." Kevin sneered out. He gave Beastboy another swift kick, this time in his head. The blow knocked him into a dizzy state. His vision went blurry, and he felt as if he was about to black out from the blow to his temple. "Don't fall asleep yet, we're just getting started..."
'Kevin' was slipping on some gloves, which seemed to be made of some tough composite material at the knuckles. They were likely made for workplace safety, but would do the job of brass knuckles just fine. He stood Beastboy up before wailing into him, blows coming at his stomach, face, head, arms... anything within reach. Where that failed, the boy was kicked, the blunt force bringing cracking noises, the snapping of bones, and opening gashes along the hero's uniform and body. It was a good twenty minutes before the beating stopped, and by then Beastboy was a bloody mess, with more than a few broken bones. He had been dropping in and out of consciousness since the latter half of the ordeal, and could be considered lucky to be awake at this point. His assailant, finally seeming satisfied, pulled a hypodermic needle filled with an odd green liquid out of his pocket. He swiftly injected it into Beastboy's neck, the shock finally leaving him completely asleep.
"Even if you don't die from your wounds... that should finish the job." Kevin cackled, walking away, stepping without remorse through the flowing puddles of crimson forming in the cracks and bumps of the alley floor.
The end of the maze came quick, for Raven could navigate it just as easily as Timid, for it was a part of her own mind. The statues waiting at the end gave no movement at her presence, and she walked by without fear. Happy went by as well, making funny faces at them, while Timid darted across their field of vision as quick as she could.
The maze quickly faded into nothingness behind them, as the walls of a gym took the place of the black void that encompassed Raven's mind. Brave was there, beating into a punching bag. There was a picture of Slade superimposed onto the face of the bag, so she could focus on targeting certain points if she wished. Her green-gloved hands moved in a flurry of jabs and hooks, with the occasional kick for good measure. This would be normal if it weren't for the green. Sure, Brave wore a green cloak, but there was a distinct excess of green today. From her gloves, to the weights, jumpropes, and even equipment. Raven decided not to question it, preferring to move on.
"Brave." she called, stopping the emoticlone from her assault. She was slightly sweaty, having been mid-workout, and was wearing a tank top and tight-fitting shorts. She smiled coming over to greet the three.
"Meeting time again? Right-o boss... just lemme get my cloak and we'll go." Brave winked and sauntered off to grab her normal attire. Once she was dressed and ready, Raven and her emotions headed for the exit. Happy zoomed ahead, singing a happy tune as she went.
"We're off to see the Knowledge~ Oh the wonderful Knowledge of Rae!"
The gym behind them, the girls walked through the fog that encompassed the other half of Brave's area.