Running while producing as little sound as possible is a lot harder than I thought, especially given that I'm more of a flyer than a sprinter.

But, flying is currently not an option. Whilst seeking a hiding spot I had considered forgoing my blue boots for speed, ultimately deciding to keep them as the padding inside and out allowed my footsteps to be quiet, and my run non-painful. Besides, should my powers come back, it'd be better that I'm not barefoot.

For my powers to come back, I need to stay alive first. I have to hide.

I dash around the corner of this white-walled corridor. At least, I think the walls are white. It's quite hard to tell when it's dark.

That move turned out to be a mistake, for I collided against a wall of lockers, hard enough to knock it down, starting a domino effect with the rows of lockers in front of the one I'd toppled over.

That inevitably caught the attention of who I'm running away from. An intimidating growl echoed down the corridor. He's close. I have no choice but to keep going. Panting, I run past the lockers, and sneak into the first classroom.

I duck under the farther desk, out of view from the door should anyone enter. It won't keep me hidden for long, though.

Head down on my knees, I pray to Azar that at least my telekinesis returns.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos... Azarath Metrion Zinthos..." I whisper.

Nothing.

"Azarath Metri-" The door was busted down with ease. There's that guttural growl again. I hold my breath.

Heavy footsteps - pawsteps - creep closer. He'd be able to sniff me out. At this rate, I'm dead meat.

It's taking everything in me to not flinch an inch as I feel his breath - and smell it, too. A need to gag nearly exposes me. How many times have I told him to brush, or to at least use breath mints?

I risk it by tilting my head right, and see his snout. Preparing myself for doom, the intensity is disturbed by static sounds coming from him.

"Beast Boy!" It's Robin over the T-communicator. "You don't want to do this! Cyborg's nearly finished with the destabilizing serum."

Beast Boy seemed to respond with grunts, and he discards his T-communicator, the device landing on the floor, inches away from me. I have to make my move. Eat or be eaten.

In his distraction, I push the desk hard against him. I grab the communicator before lunging myself through the open window nearest to me.

With a thud, I hit the mud. Cleanliness is not a priority right now, so I get up and make a run for it. I can hear Beast Boy howling in frustration. I reach the fence and just got to climbing it when I hear the loud sound of Beast Boy smashing the walls. I dare not look back, but I know he's chasing me down.

I hear him, on all fours, charging towards me. I make it to the top of the fence, and leap.

He catches my cloak, wringing me backwards. My face hits the fence, embedding the mesh on the right side of my face. His beastly claws try to grab a hold of me, scarring my cheek. His feral grunts beg for my blood.

Nearby, we hear the sirens of police cars approaching. Innocent people are coming, and I can't let anyone witness this hunt. So, I untie my cloak and drop to the ground. I make a mad dash into the narrow alleyway ahead. Behind me, I hear Beast Boy making a leap, landing, and running after me before the cops can find him.

"Beast Boy!" I hear Robin over the T-communicator. "Starfire's on the way. Report!"

I look up. Sure enough, I can see a shimmering green up in the distance, though with Beast Boy and me being in the dark alley, she couldn't pin us down yet.

I look down at the communicator, panting as I keep running. "Robin."

Robin looks startled as he sees my face. I hear the howl of Beast Boy behind me.

"Raven!"

I hurl the communicator straight far ahead, and turn right as the alley presents a detour.

As I expected, I look up and see Starfire following the direction of the communicator, away from the chase.

Bam! I crash against a dead end. Curse these confusing streets.

I try to gather my bearings. I'm still dizzy from impact, but I know he'll catch up to me if I just stand here.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" I cry out desperately as I jump and jump, trying to kickstart a flight. Why won't my normal incantations work?!

I hear his growl. I sigh. With nowhere else to run, I face Beast Boy in his monstrous form. It's just me and him now. It's been me and him. He huffs, baring his fangs at me, his glare fixated on me. My cloak drapes on his back; a sample of his prey.

As he nears me, it became apparent that he is limping, his right hind-leg dragging, nearly unnoticeable due to my cloak.

"Beast Boy..." My voice is shaky. "Please..."

Beast Boy stops a few feet away from me. He snarls.

"I don't understand what you're saying," I plea.

His snarls amplify. He pounds his right arm against the pavement, demanding a certain reaction from me.

The sirens faintly blare again, their increasing volume only matched by Beast Boy limping towards me.

His bestial muscles start to recede, his green fur transitioning to green locks of human hair.

Behind me, on the other side of the block, I hear a frenetic police officer on his intercom. He sounds afraid, feigning bravery.

"I've located the murder suspect! I need backup. It's a-a beast."

More sirens. Another set of tires coming to a halt behind me. That police car disrupts a few ravens as the conspiracy of them fly away and perch themselves on a few windowsills.

Murder, the thought crosses my mind, jogging my memory. I press my back harder against the brick wall as Beast Boy continues to approach, continues to shrink.

He's full human once again, his uniform tattered by his own transformation, only fully clothed by my dark cloak. However, his right leg, though tattered, is badly bruised, and not by himself.

"Raven..." His call was feeble. An ungloved, untrimmed hand reaches for me. "... You know it wasn't me..."

"Backup, stat!" I hear the cop repeat before hearing another officer's voice reporting to him.

"Stay back," I warn Beast Boy.

His injuries make it hard for him to walk as a human, but he persists. He lays his hand on my shoulder.

He looks at me. Exhausted, vindictive.

"I know you're in there, Rave... Fight it."

I shut my eyes, begging for my powers. "Azarath Metrion -"

Beast Boy grabs me by the collar of my leotard and pulls me to his face.

There is a green light in the sky, and a parade of running footsteps incoming on their intercoms.

Murder.

My eyes become shot black, and I see the terror in those naive green eyes. The curls of my lips flip to wicked curve as my grim irises glow darkness. Finally, my powers.

"Raven, no!"

I finish my curse.

"... Zinthos."

The conspiracy of ravens escape into the dark night as my ravenous wraith blankets him like a wave of darkness, concealing his shrieks of help and regret. He shouldn't have tried to help his teammate.

I see his other female teammate as well as the cops quickly coming, and I sink into the ground, evading capture.

"Shoot if he assaults!" shouts a cop.

"No!" Starfire's insistence is more of a command. "The beast is not the killer! Do not shoot him!"

As I make my next move, I hear the police officers in mumbles of confusion as they arrive on-scene, and I hear Starfire gasp in horror.

"Star?!" Robin's worried tone penetrates through her communicator. "Don't let Raven near Beast Boy! Something evil... someone evil, has consumed her. She's dangerous in her current state."

I hear Starfire in sharp breaths, as if choking.

"Robin," she whimpers. "He... Beast Boy is..."

And my soul finally escapes the crime scene.