Yay! its over!
what were your thoughts? was it boring? what more did you want to see? what do you want to see in the future? im still open to suggestions as to what else should be seen in the series.
Anyways, more to come at the end. See ya then.
on with the show.
Chapter 12: Hell to Raise.
He had been dead for at least a couple of years, but he still remembered plainly the looks he'd get from people. Everything between Fascination to outright fear. Sure the people of Jump City were used to oddities, but that didn't stop them from looking him up and down as if he was the devil himself. They didn't have to worry, He wasn't the devil, he worked for him.
Eddie did his best to ignore the looks from the hospital staff and instead kept his attention on Rose.
His heart broke all over again seeing her out cold on the hospital bed, the left side of her face bandaged and scarred from what he had done. As much as he tried to spin it by placing the blame on someone else, the fact of the matter was that it was his fault, and his alone.
He sighed all of the air out of his body before flopping into nearby chair.
"I'm, uh, not sure if you can hear me," he began, "I guess I have a lot of explaining to do." He suddenly found his tongue going dry, at a complete loss for words. Unable to properly think of what to say he simply blurted out, "I'm sorry for… just disappearing on you. If it means anything it wasn't my choice… we'll it kinda was, I mean I was the one that sold my soul after all. Just never thought about the day when he'd collect. I was a kid after all, we're all stupid around that time." He paused. "I'm kinda rambling huh?"
A strange burning sensation began to tickle the back of his neck causing him to rub the irritated spot with exhaustion. "Sorry, but I have to go. His majesty calls." He stood up and made his way to her side, rubbing the back of his finger against the scarred skin of her arm. "I have no idea when or if I'll see you again, but…" tears stung the back of his eyes, "... just know that I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry…"
He contemplated putting a kiss on her forehead, or maybe her red lips, but the sensation in the back of his neck was getting worse, even for him, so he decided against it. Instead opting to kiss the tips of his fingers and place them on her head before finally vanishing from her room.
—:0:—
"Ugh… uh… oh yeah… that's right… boo-yah…"
"Dude, are you done yet?"
Cyborg ignored his best friend, opting to continue flexing his new mechanical parts in the mirror of his room. "You just jealous cuz I make this look oh so good."
Beast Boy shook his head, laughing to himself as he leaned back on Cyborg charging table with his hands behind his head. "Alright, it is pretty slick, still you have to do this with me here?"
"Ain't no one askin' you to stay green bean."
"Actually, Both Robin and your dad want me to keep an eye on you to make sure your, uh, not metal stuff, uh…"
"—make sure my organic material merge well with the metal grafted to my skin?"
"... yeah… that." He got quiet, just watching Cyborg continue to examine himself. "All jokes aside dude, you scared the hell out of us. Especially me."
Cyborg slowed to a stop, looking passed himself in the mirror down at Beast Boy. "I know man. It was scary for me too, but also," He turned around, thinking about his next words, "enlightening."
Beast Boy snorted. "Like a 'near death experience' or Seeing a 'bright light' or something?"
Cyborg smiled. "Something like that. I still don't get it all myself, but once I figure it all out I'll probably share with ya." He kicked at the ground awkwardly. "Didn't you experience—?"
Beast Boy was already shaking his head. "I don't remember much about what happened when I, erm, you know. Anyways I don't like to talk about anyways. I'm just glad you're back in action."
"We all are." Both Titans looked at the bedroom door just as Raven and Robin stepped to the room.
"Some of us more than others." Without waiting for permission, not like she ever needed it, Raven closed the distance between herself and Cyborg and threw her arms around his neck. "Don't ever do that again, or I'll travel to heaven myself and throw you into another dimension."
He barked with laughter. "Deal."
Robin nodded approvingly before turning to Beast Boy. "I need you and Raven to head down to the hospital and get Rose."
Beast Boy tilted his head. "How did she end up there?"
He shrugged. "Not sure. Make sure to ask her." He turned to Raven. "Do you have all the Titan insurance cards and all that?"
She patted one of the orbs on her belt. "Of course. You just make sure to contact Constantine to negotiate my sentence."
Cyborg looked away from himself looking down at his surrogate sister with a wide hopeful eye. "Wait? Are you—"
She was already shaking her head. "I'm not free yet, but certain considerations need to be taken."
Cyborg held out a hand. "That's all I needed to hear. Even if there's a chance of you coming home early, we need to take it."
"Don't worry Raven," Robin continued, "I'll make sure Constantine knows." Raven gave an appreciative nod before grabbing onto Beast Boy and heading off to the hospital.
With just Robin and Cyborg, the Boy Wonder folded his arms before moving side to side on the calls of his feet.
"Look, Cy—"
"I know Rob," the half metal man approached his team leader, "It's good to be back my man." The two shook hands before bracing each other in a classic "bro hug".
Breaking apart, Robin kept his gaze averted so he didn't see the tears of joy. "Alright so, erm, get back to work on the tower. That's an order."
Cyborg gave a mock salute. "You got it boss man. By the way, I was wondering if it was cool that my dad and Sarah help out rebuilding the tower."
Robin pinched his brows in confusion. "Rebuild?"
"Yeah, well, there are some modifications I wanna make. Our Titan family is growing after all."
Robin looked down at the ground suddenly deep in thought. "Yeah, I guess it is huh?"
Cyborg looked at him oddly when he noticed how strange Robin seemed to get. Ignoring it he changed the subject. "How's Ryand'r and Star."
"Good," he responded quickly, "he's still in some pain, but Raven will be able to help him out. She'll also help clear his mind of anything involving the Marker so no one else can come looking for it."
"Can she even do that?"
Robin shrugged before exiting the room. "We'll see."
Cyborg watched his team leader vanish before returning to his reflection. He smiled, not because of how much he liked the look of himself, but because for the first time in a long time he felt… complete.
—:0:—
Drake scribbled a few words onto a piece of paper before pinning it onto the wall of his room. He connected a long piece of red thread from the paper to another before taking a step back to admire his handy work.
"Nope. Not weird at all."
Drake didn't need to turn around to know that Jacqueline was the one that interrupted him. She had a distinct scent that reminded him of her mother Elsa, springtime if you could believe it, and a hint of brimstone.
"It helps to get my thoughts out." He mumbled.
He could hear her footsteps come closer to him looking over his shoulder at the papers on the wall. "Whatcha thinkin'?"
Drake pointed to a paper that read "Landon" and underneath his name read, "dastardly plan?". "Landon said he had a 'dastardly plan' involving this," he traced the red thread to another piece of paper that said "Marker". "The thing is, Landon once told me that he doesn't do dastardly, or nefarious schemes."
"What does that mean?"
"You know," Drake shrugged, "taking over the world, Rubbing his hands together while laughing menacingly kinda thing."
Jacqueline nodded. "And that one?" She pointed to the other piece of paper. This one with a red thread connecting to Landon's paper with the word "Jacob" scribbled above the words "punishing Landon's contacts".
He lost himself in thought again. "Just something Kole said that stuck with me.."
It was silent for a minute or so. "You and this, Kole, huh?"
Snapping away from his thoughts he looked down at her: "What are you talking about?"
She rolled her eyes. "Come on, I saw the way you threw yourself at her in the subway car. I'm young, not dumb."
Drake went back to staring at the wall. "A while ago, but not anymore."
She rolled her eyes again with a shake of her head and spun towards the door. "Yeah right."
"Why are you here?" He called after her.
Without turning to face him she responded, "Robin told me to find one of the vacant room to crash in. I just … wondered in here. Sorry."
Drake could hear her walking away, but didn't bother going after her to try and "figure" her out. Looking over his wall again he reached for his communicator and sent a text message.
"Did you get back okay?"
A few minutes later came a response. "Yeah. Jacob wasn't to happy about me leaving without telling him."
"How are you feeling?"
"Better. Half angels can't really go into either heaven or hell."
He waited a moment, trying to think of his next wordings carefully. "I'm not sure what's going on, but keep an eye on Jacob. I'm not sure if I trust him right now."
A few minutes later she responded. "I think your right."
"Kole, please be careful."
" :D. It's cute that you care. But you know how well I can take care of myself. ;)."
He looked at the text message oddly. "Not to change the subject, but what does a colon and a capital D mean?"
A pause. "LOL! Ask your bff Beast Boy."
—:0:—
Robin lingered outside the doors to the common room watching the tender scene before him. Starfire and her brother were sitting peacefully on the large, albeit wet, couch with her brothers head resting on her shoulder. His heart warmed as a lump formed in his throat. How he wished that he would someday stumble upon someone whom he loved and lost, but unfortunately not everyone was as lucky as her.
He'd just have to settle for the family he had in the present. And he found absolutely nothing wrong with that.
He moved quietly through the common room until he had made it to the Tameranean siblings. Starfire offered a tired, but warm smile to her boyfriend.
"How you guys doing?"
She nodded, "I am well."
"As am I," Ryand'r mumbled from her shoulder, "if not extremely exhausted."
Robin looked him over, noticing the dried blood that his sister worked tirelessly to clean him of. He still had small holes in his head, but surprisingly he didn't seem to bothered by them. Must be something supernatural that he wasn't aware of.
"As soon as Raven gets back, she'll be able to help heal you." Ryand'r responded with a weak nod just as Jacqueline entered the common room with a certain "huff" to her step.
"Jacqueline? You alright? Did you find a room?"
At first she glared at him, but took a few breaths. "Yeah, I did. A small one on the mid level."
He tilted his head. "But there are larger ones on the lower levels." The look on her face told him what he needed to know. "Oh. Does this mean you won't be sticking around?"
She looked around the common room, taking in all the details that she could before shrugging a shoulder. "Well. It's not THAT bad being here."
He chuckled, easily seeing through her "tough girl" act. "I think you'd be a great addition to the Titans."
She shrugged again. "I guess so. Do I need, like, a superhero name or suit or something? Cuz I already have a name." His eyes widened a bit. "Don't get excited, I already had the name when I trained with monster hunters back in the day. They used to call me Jack Frost."
"Hmm, I like it." Turning around, Drake stepped towards them. "It's very fitting for you."
She tilted her head in a shrugging manner, but Robin caught the tiny tilt to her lip. He gave her some more instructions to help set her up in her new room and after a few more minutes were joined by Raven and Beast Boy, home from the hospital.
"Where's Rose?" He asked.
Beast Boy threw up his hand in dismissal. "She said she needed to get something from her room."
"The doctors did what they could," Raven continued, "but she refused treatment, even from me."
"Did she manage to tell you what happened?"
Raven shook her head. "She feels very… defeated and hopeless. You might want to give her time before you talk to her."
Defeated and hopeless? The words rang in his head. What did they mean? Was it his fault?
Seeing that her words were resonating with him she made her way to the Tameraneans, but focused especially on Ryand'r.
They sat up when she stepped in front of them. "Ryand'r my name is Raven. I'm going to help to heal the wounds on your body and mind, but also I'm going to wipe your mind of anything involving, this Marker thing. Is that alright… Ryand'r?"
Ryand'r seemed to be lost in his own thoughts as his large green eyes became fixated on the young woman before him.
"Apologies, but i've never known darkness to be so… beautiful."
Ravens cheeks began to burn as the rest of the common room gaped waiting for her reaction. She tilted her head with a small smile. "Your sweet, and i'll be taking that as a yes?"
"O-oh Yes, yes please. I don't want anyone else having what's in my head."
She motioned for Ryand'r to lay down on the couch as she glanced at her still slack jawed boyfriend. "Take notes Gar, you could learn a few things."
Beast Boy shook his head scoffing. "What are you talking about?! I've still got game. Ya know what, have your fun, cuz I've still got my bro Drake here."
He threw his shoulder over the glaring knight. "No you don't."
"Awe Drake," he closed the space between them with a hug, "i've missed us."
"Get your arms off before I beat you within an inch of your life."
"No."
Raven shook her head and put her hands against the sides of Ryand'r's head. "This shouldn't hurt, but may take some time."
"Just take care of my baby brother, Raven." Starfire held her brothers hand, her thumb gently moving affectionately over his skin. Her returned her gesture with a squeeze of his hand.
Robin stood back looking down at his family arguing, comforting, and accepting one another.
"Yup, my family."
—:0:—
Pain.
Physical, emotional and everything in between, weighed down on her like elephants sitting on her shoulders. Her dad was gone, her brother Grant was gone, Joey was an angel of the lord, and her first love was alive and serving the lord of hell.
She popped a few pain pills before examining the scarring on the left side of her face, rendering her blind. She made her way to her bed, digging out a box she had hid underneath. Sifting through her possessions she removed one item in particular and went back to the mirror.
Her fingers traced the black leather of the eyepatch, regarding it like an old friend, probably the only one she had, Tucked the strap under her hair and fastened the eyepatch over her left eye.
"See daddy," she spoke with a new sense of pride, "I'm just like you now."
—:0:—
Their orders were simple.
Wait.
So majority of his minions decided to meet him at his favorite hotel located in Manchester, England. They were warned however that his encounter with the Titans may have left him a bit irritated. After all it was obvious to all of his underlings that Landon didn't care much for hell, and having been sent there against his Will was surely to make him grumpy.
On edge, they anxiously awaited his return, each one to terrified to speak, or even move. The Landon they had previously thought to have been the soft, push over type, had slowly vanished. What was responsible for this change, no one knew, or dared to even ask.
The doors to the suite flung open, each of them getting to attention as the demon lord stomped towards the bar. Silently, but with an air of fury and anger, he began to prepare himself a drink, Never once did he acknowledge those around him.
It was only a few minutes into the silence that one demon, in the body of a local construction worker, stepped forward. His other compatriots shook their heads, silently pleading for him not to bother their lord, but he ignored them.
"E-Excuse me, m-m-my lord, but we were wondering, what it is you want of us?"
Without looking up to acknowledge his presence, Landon spoke in a low, aggravated tone. "Get out."
His minions exchanged glances. "S-s-sir it was my understanding that you would have—"
"I said OUUUUUUUUUUT!" His voice echoed throughout the corners of his domain, sending his minions back into its depths until they faded from this world and into nothingness.
With his breathing ragged he ran his hands through his hair attempting to calm himself down. "I need a bloody drink." The scrapping of the glass on the table grabbed his attention. As did the one who moved it towards him.
"It's so hard to find good help these days isn't it." Carnus leaned back in his chair, a smug look on his wrinkled, aged face.
Landon snatched the glass of scotch. "Understatement." He drank the burning liquid in one gulp before slamming the glass back onto the table. "Now that it's just us girls," he leaned closer to Carnus, "mind telling me why you've been bothering me?"
Carnus looked at him oddly. "You mean you don't already know?" Landon was about to respond, but Carnus cut him off, "don't worry. If I had busted out of prison, you would have known it."
"Splendid," Landon closed his eyes and began rubbing his temples, "so your in my blasted head." Carnus tapped his nose, indicating that Landon was right. "Still doesn't answer my question."
Carnus snorted. "All looks and no brains, as per usual." He stood up, getting nose to nose with the demon lord. "I represent what your slowly becoming. What you keep fighting against. Your more, ugly side."
The pieces clicked for Landon and he moved away. "Nice try, but That won't happen."
Carnus rolled his head, letting out a loud groan. "What world are you living in? It ALWAYS happens!" Carnus appeared in front of Landon as he tried to walk away. "Do you think your the only one who ever remembered what it was like to be human? Many have come before you, many after, and each one, in the end, ends up just like me." Carnus sneered. "After all, it's already happening."
Landon shook his head. "I did what I had to do."
"You think they'll see it that way?"
"Michael is killing everyone I've ever said 'hello' to, and if he thinks the Titans are my enemies he's likely to spare them."
Carnus laughed. "Well nothing says 'true friend' like attempted murder, kidnapping, torture of a child while his big sister is forced to listen. Yeah, your a real pal."
Landon stalked away from him, talking to the floor as he struggled to reassure himself. "In the end, they'll understand."
"Assuming Drake is able to piece together the bread crumbs you left?"
Landon threw up his hands. "Everything is going according to plan, and I don't need you in my head right now!" He moved to a nearby mirror to compose himself. Straightening his suit, running and hand through his hair and checking his teeth. "Now if you excuse me, I have a weapon to build."
Carnus shrugged, "Go ahead. Make your weapon, exact revenge for Michael using the soul of your 'little bird' against you." He plopped down onto a nearby chair, leaned back and put his hands behind his head. "But I'm not going anywhere."
Landon eyed him, but chose to ignore him. He didn't have time for self reflection and demons in his mind.
He had some hell to raise.
Im excited for next time, cuz ill be introducing a new OC Who has been developed for as long as Drake has. Finally hell get some screen time. Are you looking forward to it? i am.
Review and well see ya next time.
