7.
The two heroes had been wondering down the dark tunnel under the island for over an hour. Starfire lead the way, lighting up the path with and energy ball. "Man this tunnel must go miles underground." Beast boy thought, not realizing he said it out loud. "I am uncertain why we have not discovered this cave in our present lives." Beast boy, who was now aware that he had been speaking out loud when he didn't mean to, tried very hard to play it over. "I wonder how much farther it is." He said looking around at the dark gloomy walls of the cave. "For some strange reason this place makes me think of Raven." He chuckled; Star on the other hand was not amused.
Pretty soon they reached a fork in the road. The path split into two separate ones, each as dank, and mysterious looking as the other. "This is very much like the tunnels of Veneria." Starfire said, trying to see if she could light each path up, hoping to find the correct way. "However, they are difficult to navigate through, only the toughest Venerians can complete the journey." Beast boy smiled. "Darn, and I left my venerian back home." Starfire looked at him with a puzzled expression. "It's a. oh never mind." Said Beast boy, smacking his forehead and wishing he had Cyborg with him. "At least he would get my jokes." He thought.
"We must find some way to determine which cave is the correct course." At Stars remark, Beast boy walked over to the nearest rock, and sat down in an attempt to think out a solution. "I got it!" he jumped up in excitement. "Wait here." he called as he ran towards the cave on the left. As soon as he reached the entrance, he transformed into a little green bat and flew into the darkness. Momentarily it emerged, and flew into the right cave. Beast boy emerged a few seconds later, having transformed into his normal self. "It's the left one, there are no vibrations from the end of the tunnel." He called to Starfire, and with that they both headed down the left cavern.
Before long they reached a large door, which was sealed from the inside. Starfire attempted to break it down with a green energy ball, but it just bounce off like a rubber band. "Maybe with a little teem-work?" Beast boy laughed. Star nodded and created a giant energy ball. At exactly the same time Starfire threw her attacks at the door, as Beast boy (now a giant green rhinoceros) charged the door. The force of both attacks was so strong that the door crumbled into little iron filings.
Both Beast boy and Starfire's eyes opened wide at the scene laid out before them. Directly across from the room, Robin hung shackled to the wall. His utility belt lay just a few feet away on a small wooden table, along with what looked like a large battery. In another corner, the lifeless Cyborg stood frozen in time, apparently shut down, or something similar to it. Directly across from him Raven lay strapped down to a table. On her head was a small helmet that was zinging and humming repetitively.
"Robin!" Beast boy shouted, as he ran across the room to his old friend. "Are you ok?" Beast boy fumbled through Robin's utility belt and took out an exploding disk. "Who are you?" Robin asked as he was released from the metal cuffs he was once bound to. "Ehm, umm.." Star looked at Beast boy hoping he would come up with something to say. "We are from the future." Beast boy blurted out finally. "We were once part of a teem with you in the future, but a whacked-out bad guy is trying to change that." Robin looked extremely confused. "A team?" He paused to listen to more as Beast boy did his best to explain.
Starfire was not walking around the room, as if in search of something. "Strange." She thought, she moved over to were Raven was resting. "Why are there no guards protecting this room?" She asked. "Guess again!" came a shrill voice, as Gizmo dropped from the ceiling onto Starfire. "You didn't really think it would be this easy did you?" He laughed as he got up from the floor. Beast boy tried to hold Robin back. "No, you can't fight him your not ready yet." But it was too late; Robin had leapt into the air, and was about to attack. Before he could land a punch, Gizmo pushed a button on his backpack, which sprouted wings, and flew up towards the ceiling. "Trying to be all macho, well take this!" Gizmo screamed and pushed another button. A large metal ring flew out of his backpack and slammed Robin into the wall where he couldn't move.
"Take this mars girl!" Gizmo snorted, pushing another button as Beast boy (now a green vulture) dive-bombed the villain. A gigantic rocket shot at Starfire, who was trying to free Robin. "Azarath..Metrion..Zinthos!" Shouted Raven, who had just been awakened by Beast boy. Black lights surrounded the rocket, causing it to change directions, headed straight for Gizmo. Raven waved her hands as the rocket attached itself to Gizmo's backpack. "5.4.3.2.1.Lift OFF!" Shouted Beast boy. Raven released her hold on it, and the rocket, along w/ Gizmo, was sent crashing through the cave ceiling, fifty miles up, out of the ground on the island, and hurtling through the air.
Starfire released Robin who tanked her. "Now please explain to me about how you're from the future." Raven asked, pulling her hood back over her head. But they never got the chance. As Raven talked the walls began to rumble. "The cave is going to collapse!" Starfire's eyes began to glow a bright green as she attempted to blast the huge boulders falling on top of the "future" team. "Get Cy's power cell!" Beast boy yelled to Robin and pointed to the table. Robin scurried over to the table where he quickly grabbed the large battery and shoved it in his utility belt.
"I.can not.restrain them.. much longer!" Starfire hollered to her companions behind her. "You!" Robin pointed at Raven, "Help her with your powers." Raven glared at the two boys attempting to lift Cyborg's lifeless body, and then turned to Starfire. "We got to find a way out." Beast boy screamed, as he collapsed under Cyborg's weight. "Azarath..Metrion.Zinthos!" Raven shouted, and blasted a hole in the wall. "There is your exit." She snorted.
While Star and Raven used their powers to hold off the continuous barrage of boulders, Beast boy and Robin struggled to the whole with Cyborg. "Team work!" shouted Beast boy as he transformed into a pterodactyl. He grabbed Cyborg with his talons and flapped his huge wings, sending him zooming through the tunnel. "Go!" Raven commanded, creating a shield with her black and white lights. Star sped over to the hole, picking up Robin on her way. As soon as she disappeared, Raven flew as fast as she could out the cave.
*****
Just before the cave entrance collapsed, Raven landed gently on the bridge apposing the island. "You have much to explain." She said, pulling her hood back over her head after it had blown off while flying. Robin and Raven both looked at the two strangers who had just rescued them. "Ummm." Beast boy tried to explain, but stopped realizing he had no idea what to say. "Why don't you just start from the beginning." Robin said compassionately, trying to ignore Raven's disgusted stair. "Well it all began with a group we once belonged to called the Teen Titans." Beast boy began. As the newly reconstituted team continued their conversation they had no idea that they were being watched. "Excellent." Slade whispered in a dark foreboding voice. "Excellent."