I'm sorry everyone.

I know, I'm terrible!

A lot of things have actually happened this week and they kind of took me away from writing.

The moment I would try to start, I'd fall asleep on my keyboard haha

So, I hope you can forgive me and I hope this chapter can make up for the lateness.

-Anii


Chapter 28: "Pretty will swallow you forever."

- Celebrity Status by Marianas Trench

-Ivy-

She stared at the inanimate object sitting before her. It looked like an old stone carving; it didn't look at all special in any way. It was pretty but she'd seen more beautiful work. However, it exuded a terrifying aura that sent chills up her spine.

It was only a pair of fish, their bodys tangled up in a graceful dance immortalized forever. And yet, every time the thing was near her, she was filled with disgusting human emotions like guilt and fear.

"I didn't think our dear Overlord daydreamed." Goth's voice boomed in the cavern.

Ivy jolted and her body groaned, having been in one position for too long. The demon's eyes gleamed and his lips pulled back to reveal his shockingly white teeth. "Did I scare you?"

Ivy stretched her arms high above her head and arched her back, attempting to shake the stiffness from her body. "Have you done as I asked?"

"That's all I ever hear from you." Goth bemoaned, his handsome face twisting with ire. "Why don't you try something new?"

Ivy calmly straightened her back and placed her hands neatly in her lap. She plastered on her best smile and cocked her head to the side. "Excuse me?" She asked politely. "Could you repeat that?"

The demonic rock star stomped his way over to her, bending down so he could growl, "You heard me. You better start being nicer, V. I bite when I get angry."

He moved as if he were going to nip at her neck. A muscle ticked in Ivy's jaw. The release of anger was seamless. Before the bastard could blink, thick tendrils of plant life burst from the Earth and coiled around Goth's limbs. His eyes widened a smidge just before the roots snapped back his body at a painful angle.

Ivy rose from her captured throne, her tongue brushing across her bottom lip seductively as a drop of venomous spit dribbled from the corner of her mouth. "You're an annoying bastard, do you know that?"

Her prisoner tried to speak but the fat root wrapped around his throat prevented it. Ivy stepped closer to him, mindful of her friends underfoot. Her fingers tangled themselves in his thick black hair. "Do you remember our deal, demon?"

His eyes, blank and lacking fear, met hers.

The red-haired beauty answered her own question. "I let you have every human you desire and you help me take back this planet for Mother Earth. Such a simple and perfect agreement; there are no cons. But you keep pissing me off. Every day your mouth gets you in more and more trouble."

A light of realization sparked in Goth's radiant eyes. He squirmed the slightest, more to let her know he was displeased than to actually free himself.

She didn't care.

Ivy wet her lips, coating them in her venom. "I'm going to silence that mouth for good."

He tried to assume his demonic form but the foolish beast hadn't even noticed when she'd released her paralyzing spores; no one ever did. Fire burst out of his mouth as a bead of sweat disappeared into his hairline. Oh, he wasn't pleased about this one bit. His eye color rapidly switched back and forth as he tried and failed to take on his true form, like a car puttering and dying repeatedly.

The hybrid gently cupped the trapped man's cheek in her palm and lowered her face to his. A sensual exhale left her mouth just before closing her lips over his; cutting off his grunts of rage. Minutes ticked by silently before Ivy pulled back, panting softly.

She thought nothing of the lengthy kiss; kisses were nothing to her now. She watched as thin cracks of green spread out beneath Goth's skin, beginning at his ghostly pale lips. She loved to see her toxins at work.

He gasped like a dying fish and squeezed his eyes shut as the pain took hold.

Ivy felt eyes on her and tore her focus away from the anguished demon. She found herself staring at the statue as if it had a pair of eyes that judged her. Her face crunched up with displeasure and she stormed over to the idol. She reached out to touch it but every instinct in her body flared to life with warning.

Not one to ignore her instincts, Ivy pulled her hand back immediately and pressed it to her heart. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She whispered vehemently, unsure of whether she was speaking to the statue of herself.

-Ivy End-

••••••••

A monitor beeped, signaling every beat of Robin's heart. Cyborg assured Raven that the badly beaten Titan wasn't in any danger. The Titan leader slept peacefully on his bed, the light from the TV casting an eerie glow over the broken man's body.

Starfire hadn't slept since he'd gone missing and she refused to leave his side until Cyborg took charge and forced her to go to bed. She only agreed to go when Raven promised to stay by his side.

And that's exactly where she was, curled up on a chair beside Robin's bed, watching him obediently. Beast Boy's book lay on the floor, resting on top of Goth's book- the book that Raven was sure had, somehow, sparked hatred in the hearts of humans for superheroes. Maybe I just want to believe that. Raven thought glumly.

The man on the TV droned on about a new movie that was coming out that Raven had no interest to go see. She felt a heaviness in her head and she wondered how it got there. A moment ago, she'd been fine, but now she could feel Sleep's incessant tug and badly wanted to drop into its arms.

The Tamaranean's terrified face flashed across Raven's mind and her eyelids snapped open wide, momentarily chasing Sleep into a corner.

Mist formed along the clear plastic covering Robin's mouth every view seconds, bringing a slight comfort to the worried Titaness. A cold breeze wandered in the room from the balcony doors in Robin's room. Raven calmly flicked her wrist and the door closed without a sound. She bent down and picked up Beast Boy's book, needing to something to distract her mind. She carefully open the book as if it were the most precious thing in the world to her- in a way, it was.

Her fingers brushed across the surface of the first page, tracing each of the handwritten letters.

He went through all this trouble. Timid whispered her voice quivering with sadness.

What is it? An adventure book? That's awesome! Brave cried gleefully, barely stopping to take a breath between sentences.

Raven ignored the chattering voices inside of her mind and shifted with discomfort.

You should thank him. Lust offered, her tone implying that there was an underlying meaning to her words.

Without volition, Raven's cheeks warmed, causing Lust to chuckle. Also against her wishes, the empathy's mind conjured up embarrassing images of he green-skinned Titan.

"Lust." Raven hissed in a dangerously low tone.

Wasn't me. The emotion insisted, still laughing.

Raven snapped the book closed, pinching the bridge of her nose, willing her fiery blush away. The thoughts continued to swirl in her mind- sultry images and startling sensations. The embarrassed girl curled up in the chair, hugging the book to her chest. She didn't even understand why she wanted to know how it felt to feel the texture of his skin or the firmness of his muscles.

She placed her forehead against her knees, squeezing her eyes shut.

••••••••

A light rap on the door roused Raven from her slumber. She gasped, disgusted by the fact that she'd fallen asleep. She relaxed considerably, however, when she heard the steady beep of Robin's heart and the hum of the TV. Everything was alright. Nothing had fallen apart as she slept.

"Come in." She called groggily, wiping the sleep from her eyes.

Jericho walks in and brings her breakfast. Cyborg blows a fuse by busting a computer.

The door creaked open and Raven's silent partner emerged, a tray of food in his hands. Involuntarily, the sleepy empathy's stomach roared to life as the scents from the hot food wafted over to her. "You didn't have to."

Jericho placed the food on a table and handed her a tiny slip of white paper. Raven stared down at the paper curiously and read the handwritten message from Starfire: Good morning, friend. I hope you slept well. Please eat and enjoy! :D

Raven let out a soft chuckle before placing the note back on the tray, her eyes lingering a little longer on the food than she had intended. There was a mound of warm eggs in the center of the plate with strips of bacon and sausage around it. Two pieces of toast sat off to the side by a sweating glass of orange juice.

Jericho nudged her shoulder, urging her to dig in, before moving off to the other side of Robin's bed and sitting on the couch residing there.

The suddenly starving Azarathian didn't need further prodding. She picked up the fork and stabbed a sausage, biting into it with gusto. An innocent vision of Beast Boy suddenly made her stomach turned and she lowered the fork from her mouth. Jericho's head tilted to the side, his eyes relaying his message clearly: Why did you stop?

She turned her eyes away from the delicious plate of food that made her mouth water. The medical equipment and blabbering news reporter filled the silent void stretching between the Titans until an explosion rattled the room. The TV flicked off immediately. Raven jolted from the shock and her fork clattered to the floor. Both her and Jericho were instantly on their feet, ready to protect the still fast asleep Titan leader.

Cyborg's muffled cry reached out to them from a far off room. "Sorry! My bad!"

"What'd you do!?" Beast Boy shouted back, his voice closer than Cyborg's.

"Nothing!" Lie. "Look, just don't worry about it! I'll have it fixed in no time!"

Raven fell back in her seat, suddenly feeling exhausted. She puffed out a sigh and caught Jericho watching her with concern. She waved her hand lazily in front of her face to convey that she was fine. The usually quiet girl loved speaking to the golden-haired Jericho with nothing but body language. He was more difficult to read but he understood every little move she made with ease. The thought of his watchful green eyes brought the slightest smile to her lips.

••••••••

-Terra-

Terra fidgeted nervously with her hair, fixing it and re-fixing it every five seconds. She tried to stop her fidgeting but clasping her hands in her lap but then she just ended up squirming in her chair. Her heart was hammering away in her chest and sweat made her shirt cling to the back of her shirt uncomfortably. Exhaling shakily, Terra bowed her head and closed her eyes, attempting to chase off her anxiety.

"You're up next." One of the back-stage managers hissed gruffly.

All attempts to push away the nerves failed and Terra could feel herself shaking uncontrollably in her metal chair.

The talk show host strolled off the stage and a flurry of attendants rushed to her aid, offering makeup, food, water, and mints to the famous woman. Gretchen Strong was a tall woman with silvery blonde hair that was always placed up neatly in a bun. She wore an immaculate gray pant suit with a beautiful teal shirt that complimented her light complexion. Her stormy blue eyes wandered aimlessly over the back-stage area without a hint of emotion until they landed on the quivering blonde-haired girl. Gretchen's lips pulled back in a snarl and she stormed off, lifting her chin high in the air as she passed Terra.

"You better be ready." Gretchen hissed in a low tone.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea... Terra considered as she hooked a strand of hair behind her ear.

None of the people had been very welcoming when she'd asked for a moment on the popular TV talk show, Gretchen Speaks. In fact, all of them looked like they wanted to rip her throat out. She was surprised they'd accepted her offer at all. The other titans had constantly beat down her idea of coming on national TV to give the superhero side of the story. Robin had insisted that nothing would work because of how far the hatred went into people's hearts, but Terra wasn't so willing to accept it.

She had to try something.

The crowd on set burst into applause as Gretchen slid into her usual seat and faced the camera. The camera people scrambled to assume their positions, counting down from three. Gretchen's face broke out into a fake grin and Terra's stomach churned. I have a really bad feeling about this...

"Today we have a very special guest." Gretchen began. "Terra."

A hush fell over the crowd as they whispered amongst each other. One of the stage hands shoved Terra out into the light roughly. The nervous girls tumbled on stage, blinking away the tears in her eyes from the harsh lighting. No one made a sound as Terra walked over to the chair awaiting her. She gingerly sat down, offering a little wave towards the audience. They accepted it with silence.

"For those of you who may not know, Terra is a member of the terrorist organization called the Teen Titans." Gretchen stated with her sickly sweet smile.

The crowd went into an uproar. People stood up, hollering swear words her way, clearly displeased with her appearance. Terra swallowed painfully, turning helplessly to Gretchen, who only grinned back at the terrified girl. Terra saw several people get up, moving towards her, and stared into the camera as if there were someone in there who would help her.

-End Terra-

••••••••

The bed sheets hissed softly as Robin stirred. Raven held her breath as her friend sat up in bed, his eyes glazed over with fatigue. "What the hell?" He murmured, tearing the mask from his face.

Raven ignored the urge to throw her arms around him. "Do you remember anything?"

Robin nodded with obvious pain. "Yeah, sadly."

"What do you mean?" Raven asked as she stopped Robin from ripping the IV out of his arm. "You need that."

He complied but Raven knew it was only because he had no energy to defy her. The Boy Wonder fell back against his pillows, letting out a long sigh. "Aqualad killed a team of Titans in front of me."

Raven hid her shock and pressed her lips into a firm line. "Who?"

Robin's voice broke with each name he rattled off, as if he were seeing each of them slaughtered in front of him all over again, and when he finished, he just closed his eyes and sat in silence.

Neither of his fellow Titans disturbed him.

The black-haired leader reopened his eyes and his fist clenched around his bed sheet. He looked as if he were going to say something important but then his eyes widened and he said, "Terra?"

Raven blinked and glanced at Jericho, who returned her confusion. "What do you mean? What happened to Terra?"

Robin pointed to the TV. "She's on TV. Why is she on TV?!" He shouted, suddenly filled with angry confusion and fear.

The startled Azarathian swung around to watch the TV she hadn't even realized turned back on; Cyborg must have fixed it like he said he would. Terra's face filled the screen, her blue eyes wide and terrified. Her face was deathly pale as shouts trickled out from the TV's speakers. "What the hell is she doing!?" Raven screeched. The fear now swarming through her own body reflected the fear in Terra's eyes and Raven was throwing open the doors to Robin's balcony before she even realized it.

Sailing off of the balcony, Raven recalled her failing powers and had a miniature heart attack. Thankfully, however, she seemed to fly steadily through the air. Frigid wind tore at her cropped hair and clothing but did nothing to calm the angry and fearful fire burning in her chest.

••••••••

-Terra-

"Now everyone," Gretchen held up her hands, speaking as if she were talking to rambunctious children, "This is my show and on my show we talk. So, let's hear what she has to say."

"That bitch is part of the Teen Titans!" One man shouted.

A woman bolted out of her chair. "Those bastards burnt down my house and kidnapped my daughter!"

Other outraged people joined in.

"I lost my job because of them!"

"They've caused nothing but trouble!"

"Hey!" Terra cried indignantly. "We aren't trouble. We save lives!"

"They still think they're good guys!" One audience member scoffed.

This was going no where fast. "If you aren't going to listen to me then I'm leaving." Terra moved to storm off stage.

Gretchen caught hold of the girl's slim wrist and dragged her closer, throwing her down and pinning her onto the top of her desk. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm leaving!" Terra shouted weakly, struggling against her ridiculously strong captor.

"I don't think so. Is it true that Titans steal newborns from their cribs? Or do you guys just prefer to destroy towns and cities?"

"Neither!" The squirming girl replied.

Gretcehn rolled her eyes."Oh come now, we've all seen the work you self-righteous bastards do."

Bam!

Terra turned her head towards the sounds of the explosion to see a panting empath leaning against a gaping hole in the wall. Slowly, Raven lifted her head and Terra flinched once she met her semi-friend's gaze. She's pissed.

Gretchen smirked. "Oh, look who it is. Say, isn't it true, Raven, that you killed a man in cold blood while he was out for a jog?"

Black energy shot out of the empathy's hand, coiling around Gretchen and throwing her against the wall.

"Raven, stop!" Terra cried frantically, thinking the girl had gone into a murderous rage. "They're still human-"

"That hurt, Raven."

Terra blanched as she watched the beautiful, slim figure of Gretchen Strong fill out into the hard, well-muscled figure of a man. Well, "man" wasn't the right word. The bat-like wings, red skin, and sharp teeth implied that the person was anything but human.

"Shut the hell up, Goth." Raven snarled, clearly swimming in anger.

"You are so hot when you're angry." Goth chuckled, a dark and demonic tone echoing underneath. "But not as hot as my love."

One blonde eyebrow twitched upward but Terra shook off her confusion and rushed towards Raven, who was slowly being surrounded. Apparently the crew had decided to join in with the audience members. As she slid up beside her, Raven hissed, "What the hell were you thinking?"

Terra hunched her shoulders. "Can we worry about that later?"

The red-skinned creature picked himself up off of the floor, shaking out his wings and swiping the back of his hand across his mouth. "I still can't get the taste of your lips out of my mouth." He growled with disdain.

"You kissed him?!" Terra whispered furiously.

"Not the time!" The violet-haired Azarathian shouted as she dodged a crew member swinging a microphone stand.

Terra wrenched the stand from the man's hands. "What are you doing!? You call us the demons and yet you're the one using violence!"

"Watch how you use the term 'demon', little girl." Goth said, clearly offended.

Without even creating a blur, Goth rushed forward and landed a solid blow straight into Raven's gut. The girl doubled over, coughing harshly. Terra hefted a chunk of the flood and tossed it at the demon. "Get away from her!"

He lifted his fist and smashed the rock to pieces, scattering the pieces outward and striking several nearby people. He blew on his knuckles, clearing the dust from them, and smirked confidently. Raven lifted her hands, sending a blast of black energy into Goth's chest. He was sent flying backwards but landed on his easily on his feet.

Gray fingers curled around Terra's wrist. "We have to go. Now." Raven insisted before being knocked off her feet by a decently sized fireball.

Before Raven could move, the demon was on her, his hand grabbing a fistful of her shirt and hauling her off of the floor. "My lips belong to one person and you aren't her."

"Like I give a crap!" The empathy howled, her eyes turning black as a wave of energy struck Goth, forcing him to release her.

She dropped to her feet smoothly but Goth raked his long nails down her back, slicing through clothing and flesh.

The earth-wielding girl cried out for her companion but was dealt a blow to the back of her head. Terra collapsed to the ground on her hands and knees, stars filling her vision. A disgruntled cry from one of the men made Terra's head snap up. Her vision cleared in just enough time for Terra to see a man come up behind Raven and stab a jagged metal pipe through her back. The metal pierced through the other side of Raven's torso, a spray of fresh crimson blood bursting from the wound.

Raven's head flew back, her mouth open in a silent scream of agony. Terra hurled herself at the man, knocking him to the floor. She caught her injured companion before Raven's legs gave out. The gray-skinned girl's hand shot out, sending up a sheen of black energy to block another attack from a mob member. Her other hand was clutching her bleeding stomach, the metal rod protruding sickeningly from her abdomen.

Oh god, what have I done? Terra thought with horror as Goth parted the crowd, stomping over to them.

A ravenous growl made every one in the room pause and look around with confusion. Terra seized the opportunity to move back- closer to freedom. Fresh blood oozed profusely from Raven's wound and the blonde-haired girl panicked, holding her injured companion awkwardly. Several twisting lines of blood had trickled down Raven's trembling legs and her clothing was shredded almost to the point of indecency.

Another animalistic growl made the humans stand still momentarily and a green figure landed gracefully before the Titans. A tiger's tail twitched back and forth as it snarled a warning at the closing in humans.

"Beast Boy!" Terra cried, feeling that little skip in her chest.

The green creature turned its massive head around so it could look at the two girls.

"N-not Beast Boy." Raven rasped.

"What?" Panic flooded Terra's system. Oh god, is she delusional from the blood loss?

Strangely, however, the creature seemed to smile at Raven's words before turning its attention back to the angry mob of people. The injured Titan spun around, hooking an arm around Terra's torso. Raven took off, hauling the earth-wielding girl into the air with her.

"We can't leave him there alone!" The blonde shrieked, staring down at the building complex below her.

The empathy ignored her, grinding her teeth against the pain she no doubt felt with increasing intensity. Terra barely noted the red-skinned figure stepping out into the night. "Raven!"

It was too late.

-Terra-

••••••••

-Ivy-

The hybrid woman bolted upright, a sheen of cold sweat along her skin. Her heart thundered in her ears as her chest heaved from her labored breathing. She lightly patted the soft petal of the large flower she slept in every night and it opened elegantly, allowing her to step outside.

Pale moonlight beamed down on her bare skin and an ocean breeze caused goosebumps to form along her arms and legs. She hugged herself, rubbing her upper arms in a weak attempt to warm herself.

The sounds of crashing waves filled the silence as she stared up at the full moon. She'd had the dream for five nights now- a terrifying dream that woke her in the middle of the night with a pounding heart and sweaty body.

It's not a dream. Ivy corrected. It's a nightmare.

A nightmare that ended in her death every single time without variation. She would be flying- soaring through the air- when something would suddenly halt her flight and she would plummet mercilessly to the ground. However, instead of meeting solid Earth, she crashed into the cold embrace of the churning ocean, who swallowed her up greedily and filled her mouth with its salty liquid. Her lungs would burn and her body would thrash but she only sunk deeper into the chilling waters.

Ivy shuddered and turned away from the ocean, curling back up in her flower-bed and pushing away the dreadful nightmare into the farthest corners of her mind.

-Ivy End-


So, we got to see a little more of Ivy than we usually do and I did not make any of her powers up. I feel like she's really underrated. I mean, she doesn't just talk to plants. She has some nasty toxins in her body that can kill people, control them, paralyze them, etc. She's a badass. . .and sexy

Cliffhanger again, sorry xD The chapter was getting a little too long. If you have questions, I suggest waiting until next week to ask them because the next chapter might solve them all for you :) -Anii