The Captain: Alrighty! One more chapter left! I'm gonna bring this fic to a close, so get ready for a knock down, drag out, free for all in this next chapter to come Whoo whoo! It's been a lovely ride so far, so let's not let it snowball now. Let's all welcome Mystic-Fox to our little fan club and thank her for her lovely review! Well, just so you all know, Monday at 2pm, I'm getting my wisdom teeth removed. Yeah, it ought to be a fun experience....except that I need to be fully awake for the procedure. Well, whatever...I'll have plenty of time off from work and school, so expect to see the big finale by this wednesday!

Legal Tander: Well, I'm out of witty responses. I don't own the Titans, plain and simple. Don't sue me, I don't have any money to give.

Shadow Requiem: To the Rescue, part 1

The Titans walked through the city as the sun began to slowly sink down into the horizon. Cyborg led the pack as they traced a signal sent off by Robin's communicator, in an attempt to find Slade. Raven and Starfire flew overhead, scouring ahead for any possible traps set, while Beastboy and Terra followed behind Cyborg. As Raven and Starfire flew overhead, they talked lightly between each other.

Starfire: " Raven, I have a question..."

Raven: " Yes Starfire?"

Starfire: " What shall happen to Clive's sister?"

Raven: " What do you mean Starfire?"

Starfire: " Well, without anyone to take care of her...what will happen?"

Raven: " She'll be placed in a foster home."

Starfire: " That sounds aweful."

Raven: " It's not that bad Star. The foster home is a safe place where she can feel accepted. Much like a new family."

Starfire: " But she has lost all of her family."

Raven: " You are right. It will be something hard to deal with."

Starfire continued to fly on silently. Raven looked over at her, allowing her powers to wander over and give Starfire a brief check on her feelings and thoughts. Raven only did this when she felt that it was important. While scanning her mind, he noticed that her thoughts fell on Clive quite a bit. Though Raven had personally not gotten to know Clive, she could tell that he hadn't been a bad guy. She saw everything though...from when they had dinner at his apartment, to the fun they had eating at the Pizza shop. She felt that Starfire had grown somewhat attached to the young man. Starfire looked over at Raven, whom which seemed to be predisposed.

Starfire: " Raven? Raven, are you alright?"

Raven snapped out of it and responded to Starfire.

Raven: " I'm alright Starfire. I'm just a little worried about Robin and the girl. I can't detect Robin either. Slade must be using something to interfere with my powers."

Starfire: " That is truely troubling."

Raven: " Come on Star, what else is on your mind?"

Starfire: "..."

Raven: " I could always just read your mind."

It wasn't like she hadn't, but Raven knew how to get Starfire to cope with her problems much better than she usually did. Starfire turned a little red at the tought of her knowing everything she had felt and such.

Starfire: " I...I just wish Clive did not have to die like that."

Raven: " It's quite unfortunate. You seemed to be rather close to him."

Starfire: " I...I guess. He was really nice to me. Even though..."

Raven: " You're not going to go dribbling on about how stupid you think you are..."

Starfire: " I know I'm not...but many people do not like me just because I do not know the ways of this world very well. Though I've been here for almost 2 years now..."

Raven: " What does that have to do with him?"

Starfire: " Well...he is my friend. He is all our friend. He sacrificed himself so that we could get out of there...I just feel that all this time has been a big waste of effort."

Starfire continued to blither on about things, even getting slightly philosophical by quoting some old Tameranian poets and anthropologists. Whatever the case, Raven had to put a stop to this, as Starfire began to slowly drift towards the ground. The unhappy thoughts she was having were causing her powers to slip. Raven grabbed Star and held her up.

Raven: " Look Starfire, if you want to make yourself feel better, then you must make sure that he didn't die in vain."

Starfire: " I don't understand Raven."

Raven: " What was Clive going to do?"

Starfire: " Save his sister..."

Raven: " Then save his sister and put his soul at ease."

Starfire looked to the ground, taking Ravens words to heart. She was right. With a renewed resolve, Starfire continued her viewing of the city from above, still on the lookout for traps while the others continued to trace Robin. The sun had finally set and the sky was dark and moonless, making everything much harder to see. Raven and Starfire landed and began traveling with the group on foot. Finally, Cyborg stopped, looking down at the ground.

Beastboy: " What is it big guy?"

Cyborg: " Well...we're here."

Terra: " What do you mean?"

Cyborg: " I've tracked Robin's communicator. It's right here underneath us."

Raven: " Then Robin must lie below."

Cyborg: " Seems that way."

Starfire: " Then we must go below and rescue both of them!"

Cyborg: " I know...I know. But we don't know of an enterance yet."

Raven: " Then we should just head into the sewers and investigate an enterance."

The Titans wandered over to a nearby manhole and popped the cover off. Setting it aside, the 5 climbed down the hole and into the sewers. Cyborg and Starfire created lights for everyone to see with, and they began following through the system of underground tunnels, going deeper and deeper into the earth. Finally, they came to a deadend after hours of searching.

Cyborg: " Man! That's it! I can't take this anymore. We're still right on top of it, and we've been going through this place for the last 3 hours! I'm sick of this! I just want to get Robin and get out of here!"

Starfire: " Do not forget Sherri. She is also with him."

Cyborg: " I know Star...I'm just a little stressed out."

Raven: " Calm down...let's just take a moment and think up a plan..."

Terra: " Hey...why don't I just make us a tunnel and go straight there..."

Beastboy: " Yeah! That's a great idea!"

Raven: " I'll help."

Raven and Terra found a nice solid wall and started to dig into it, making a path as Cyborg directed them. They bore deep into the ground, and after a half an hour of digging, they came to a sudden opening. Cyborg was the first one to take a look and see what was going on. He dropped out of the newly made hole and landed on a steel platform below, being followed by the other 4. He readied his sonic blaster and pointed it outwards in defense of himself and the others. He and Starfire shined their lights around, seeing all sorts of hightech equipment and computers.

Cyborg: " Well...atleast we're here."

Beastboy: " Where is here?"

A voice came over the loudspeaker.

Slade: " Ahhh...good to see you could make it. I was afraid that without your fearless leader...you wouldn't have found a way in. Though, you could have used the front door. But you're here none the less."

Beastboy: " Come on out Slade! Show yourself!"

Slade: " Oh, but I'll be out soon enough. I just need to finish up..."

Raven: " Whatever you're planning...it won't work."

Slade: " On the contrary Raven...I've already succeeded."

Starfire: " Give back Robin and Sherri!"

Slade: " Oh, Starfire...don't worry, you'll get to see them shortly. But...where is my errand boy Clive? I half expected to see him here. Did that building fall on him?"

Starfire: " What?"

Slade: " Well...such a shame. He almost had what it took to be my apprentice...but that's alright, because I have my old one back."

Cyborg: " Give up Slade, else we're gonna..."

Slade: " You're going to what? Fight me? Kick my butt as you might say? Well...I don't know that. Take a look..."

A moniter fell over the 5 Titans showing all sorts of views of the city. All of a sudden, they were filled with criminals, each armed with all sorts of weapons. They began to pillage through the city, smashing open stores and stealing, turning over cars, and bringing general chaos to a whole new level.

Slade: " Now then...what to do. You've got an army of criminals outside, with the orders to rape, pillage and murder, and then you've got me in here with Robin and Sherri...so where do your priorities lie?"

Cyborg: " You...you!"

A large panel opened up in the ceiling, revealing Robin and Sherri hanging over a large pit by some chains.

Slade: " Save your friends, or save the city. Those men there are armed with high powered explosive rifles. Within a few hours, they could reduce the city to ashes."

Starfire: " That is not fair!"

Slade: " Nothing in life is ever fair."

Raven: " We need a plan!"

Cyborg: " Raven...you and Beastboy head back and worry about the criminals. The rest of us will deal with Slade."

Raven: " Are you sure?"

Cyborg: " It's just him...I'm sure the 3 of us can do it."

Slade: " Well...not quite."

Beastboy: " What?"

A ball of fire rocketed forth from an unknown location. It exploded once it contacted the ground infront of the Titans. It wasn't ment to hit them though, but merely as a show of power. From behind it, a man stepped out, wearing a grey overcoat, a red shirt with black jeans, a long red scarf over his neck and mouth, a grey tuboggan, and a pair of sunglasses. He was quite strange in appearance, but he gave off a fairly intimidating aura. Raven tensed up greatly, feeling a deep swelling in his power.

Slade: " Meet my new errand boy, Smoke."

Smoke, stood up fully. He was of a lean build, and about 6'3" inches tall. He took a strange fighting stance, holding up both his hands as they caught on fire. Cyborg stepped up.

Cyborg: " I'll handle this. BB...Raven...get going. Terra, Star, start searching for Slade."

Slade: " I wouldn't bother. I'm not even here Cyborg. But give Smoke a shot at you. I promise that you won't be disappointed."

Cyborg: " Fine then. Come on, let's see what you've got!"

Smoke didn't say anything, running right for Cyborg, who charged right back at him. When they met, Cyborg took a swing at Smoke, who parried his large arm away, then jumped up on Cyborgs back and stomped on his head, jumping off afterwards. As Cyborg went to turn around, Smoke had him beat to the punch, throwing an enormous ball of fire at Cyborg. Cyborg ducked down, allowing it to hit his large metallic back, exploding into flames and spreading fire everywhere. Smoke stood there, motionless afterwards, allowing Cyborg to gain back his composure once he extinguished the fire.

Cyborg: " Well...you're definitely better than I thought you would be."

Smoke: " Thanks."

Cyborg: " So...you talk huh."

Smoke: " Yeah."

Cyborg: " Well, that's nice. You control fire?"

Smoke: " Yeah."

Cyborg: " How do you like high decible blasts?"

Smoke: " Love'm."

Cyborg: " Then come get your fill!"

Cyborg fired off a couple of shots from his cannon. They missed Smoke though. Infact, they passed right through him! After the second shot passed through, Cyborg realized that he wasn't even there.

Cyborg: " Man! Come on out!"

He heard Smokes voice from all around. He had gotten on the loud speaker.

Smoke: " Can't find me? You'd think a guy like me would be easy to pick out in the dark..."

In the meantime, Starfire and Terra made their way to Robin and Sherri. Starfire attended to Sherri, pulling her off of the chain, while Terra helped Robin. The pair were unconscious, so they could help themselves down. However, a quick slip in Starfire's grasp caused Sherri to fall towards the large pit. She flew down to catch her, but she just wasn't fast enough. Before Sherri fell in however, Smoke jumed across, catching her in mid-air, landing on the other side with her cradled in his arms.

Starfire: " Let her go!"

Smoke: " Now now...seems she's safer in my hands than yours. Had I not saved her, she'd have fallen to her death..."

Starfire: " ..."

Smoke: " So your Starfire?"

Starfire: " Yes, I am."

Smoke: " I see."

Smoke set Sherri down, then jumped onto a couple of crates and into the air, tackling Starfire. The pair landed on the ground with Smoke on top of her. He held her face in his left hand and pulled his right hand close, making a fire light in it. The room was dark, so this let Smoke see her face. He smiled under his scarf.

Smoke: " Well...that would explain it."

Starfire thrashed around a moment, then threw Smoke off of her. He flipped in mid-air, landing on his feet easily, as the other 2 Titans came up behind Starfire, giving her support.

Starfire: " What did you mean?"

Smoke: " My my. You're quite a pretty girl. I guess I have to give the poor guy some credit for taste."

Starfire: " Poor guy?"

Smoke: " Clive...poor guy."

Starfire: " You knew him?"

Smoke: " Yes and no."

Cyborg: " Enough guys! Come on, let's get Robin and Sherri out of here."

Smoke: " Hang on...I can't just let you go...I still have to get in your way a little bit longer..."

Cyborg: " I don't think..."

Suddenly, before Cyborg could finish, everything became dark. All the machines in the large structure shut off and everything became quiet.

Cyborg: " Is this one of your tricks?"

Smoke: " Well...that would be useless. I control fire, moron. It would only make me a dead give away..."

Starfire held her hand up to shine a light. Though she was using her power, she still couldn't see anything. Infact, she couldn't even see her palm glowing. She gave out a shriek, realizing the problem.

Cyborg: " Star? What's wrong?"

Cyborg flashed his light around to where he heard Star. The light turned on, but nothing came out. He knew the light was good. It was his body after all. But something was blocking out the light.

Cyborg: " Something is blocking out the light."

Terra: " Hey! Where's Smoke?"

Smoke: " I'm still here..."

Starfire: " What is going on?"

Smoke: " Hey, I thought this was your guy's ide...!"

A loud thwack was heard. It sounded like someone was just hit over the head. Then, an explosion was heard. Numerous yells from Smoke and someone else were heard, and then, all went silent. The darkness passed over, and the Titans, along side with Robin and Sherri were the only ones there.

Cyborg: " What just happened?"

Terra: " Beats me. Are the other 2 ok?"

Starfire: " Yes, they are with me."

Cyborg: " Then let's get up there and stop those prisoners!"

With that, the 3 titans carried their friends up through the tunnels, heading up to give Raven and Beastboy some assistance.