Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, nor do I own any associated intellectual property.
Review Responses:
Snowy: This chapter is more actiony than emotional, so probably no tears this time. I'm always glad when people enjoy my writing.
Christina: I enjoy writing, so there's no need to beg! Glad you like the story, hope you continue to like it as it goes on.
Ravenn03: She does have a lot to cry about. Poor girl. Glad you like the fic, here's more.
Jakked-Up: Here's another update!
The Big Fisch: Yes, given her character's differences from the comic and the animated series, you can hardly use her comic character at all. This leaves lots of room for my own development. Glad you like the way I portray her.
CloudedDragon: Another person that I've envoked emotion from. I'm updating now, so don't cry!
WordBearer: The way I like to think of Raven's emotions is that they only really have one way to react. Happy can only be happy, etc. Regardless, I'm glad you are enjoying the fic. Beastboy isn't a bad person, he's just indecisive.
On with the next chapter!
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A Woman Scorned
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"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." - The Mourning Bride, William Congreve.
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Robin opened the door to Raven's room without knocking. He knew there was little she would be doing besides meditation. He was correct. She was hovering gently above her bed, chanting quietly. She opened her eyes, and looked at the people in her doorway.
Robin stood in front, with Beastboy and Cyborg behind him. Starfire was standing uncertainly at the rear. Terra was nowhere to be seen. Robin stepped forward.
"Raven, they've agreed to help. Are you still ready to face this?"
Raven took a deep breath, as she landed gently on her feet, in front of her bed. "Yes. It must be done." Her eyes stared coldly at the group. "No matter what it is, you all must do what must be done."
Beastboy swallowed hard. Cyborg nodded grimly, and Starfire closed her eyes, sadness covering her features. Robin grimaced. "It won't come to that, Raven. Let's go."
Raven took the mirror in her hand, and then sighed deeply. "I can't tell you where you will end up. I can't control it anymore. You need to find whichever of my emotions is near you, and tell them to point you towards Trigon. They'll do it. I'll be battling him as soon as I enter the mirror. You must hurry. Now go."
Raven held the mirror up towards the group, and activated it with her mind. They all disappeared. She looked towards the mirror, and soon disappeared herself.
A few seconds passed. A thin, frail, and still unrecovered girl stepped into the room, seeing the mirror on the floor. She sighed, seemingly unsure as to what she should do.
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Robin landed hard, on a surface that felt like concrete. He stood shakily, looking around him. He was alone, in some kind of training ground. There were Slade Robots standing in different places in the room, all staring blankly forward. They were in many different conditions. Some were still in perfect working order, many were damaged here and there, and some were merely waiting for the scrapyard. Robin walked cautiously towards the closest robot.
It didn't respond as he approached. It was in bad shape, a simple punch would easily destroy it. As he examined it, a flash of motion caught his eye. He turned towards it, coming face to face with a green-cloaked version of Raven.
"Haven't seen you here before. I admire you. Wanna spar?" She seemed upbeat, fairly brazen, actually. Robin shook his head, however.
"I need to find Trigon. Raven is fighting him right now."
The viridian girl didn't flinch. "One round. You pin me, I'll show you to Trigon. If I win, then Raven doesn't need your help."
Robin growled. "I don't have time for this! She could be dying!"
The girl didn't respond. Instead, she ran towards Robin, jumping and delivering a taunting kick, that he easily dodged.
Robin jumped quickly back, then forward again, going on the offensive and striking the emotion in the jaw. She backflipped, gaining some distance between them, then quickly sidestepped his birdarang. She reached a hand forawrd, firing a blade of dark power at Robin.
He dodged quickly behind a robot, then jumped directly at her. She dodged, as he'd expected, and he rebounded off a standing robot, using the moment of surprise to deliver a strong kick to her temple.
The green cloaked girl was stunned for a moment, which was all that Robin needed. Moving close behind her, he grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back, while knocking her to the floor. She struggled slightly, and he twisted the arm further, nearly breaking it.
"Great! Good job. That's the Robin I've wanted to fight." Robin let the girl up. Raven wasn't a martial artist, and this had proven it. Robin made a mental note to recommend more training, if they survived this.
The girl dusted herself off, then turned sharply, walking towards the large garage door that led to out of the training area. She beckoned for Robin to follow her. She smiled. "Thanks for the quick warm-up Robin. I'll see you in the battle to come."
Robin grinned at her, then stepped through the doorway.
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Beastboy found himself on a small stone pathway. He looked back, and saw the pathway running off into the distance, miles before any change occured. He looked forward, and saw an ornate, oaken door, on a frame, in the middle of the trail. He shrugged, knowing that thinking about it wouldn't get him any closer to Trigon. He walked forward, and opened the door.
He walked through to find himself in a dark, damp room. The walls were made of roughly cut stone blocks, and there was a strange, medieval feel to the room. The door that he'd walked through was gone, and he had no option but to move forward. His foot hit something, and he heard the sound of metal on stone. He looked down, a rusted chain lay by his feet. Following the chain with his eyes, he saw a cloaked figure on the floor, a few feet away.
Her hair was long and matted, her cloak black and filthy. The rusted, jagged manacles on her arms and feet were cutting into her skin, and were still connected to the long, heavy chain. Her face was dark with the dirt from the floor, with lines from her eyes to her chin, where tears had washed some of the grime away. She looked up at Beastboy with fear in her eyes.
Beastboy took a step forward, and she moved her legs along the floor, pushing her body backwards. She whimpered slightly, but said nothing. He felt like he should help her, but inside he knew that she wasn't even real. "Hey... C'mon... I'm not going to hurt you."
The girl had flinched at his voice, covering her face with her hands. He winced as he saw the blood dried along her arms and hands, obviously from the cuts that the rusted manacles had made. He kneeled where he stood, careful to not make any sudden movements.
"Raven needs my help. She's fighting. You need to show me the way to Trigon."
The girl lowered her hands slightly, still staring at him, afraid. "He's... He's too strong. We have to run. Get as far away as we can."
Beastboy shook his head. "You can run. Just tell me where he is. I'll hold him off long enough so that you can run."
The girl looked down at her manacles, then back at him. "He's... he's through there." She carefully pointed towards a door that appeared against the far wall. Beastboy looked at the door, then back at her. His face was a mixture of concern and pity.
"Do you want me to help you out of those? It would only take a minute."
She shook her head, her long matted hair barely moving. Tears flowed out of her eyes. "This is just how I live. Raven denies me. She prefers that I don't show myself. I'm used to it. Just go."
Beastboy turned, and walked towards the door. As he stood facing it, he looked back. "I'll tell her to undo this. I promise."
The girl allowed a small smile, but it quickly faded. "You have to go. She needs you."
Beastboy nodded, then walked through the portal.
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Starfire floated down the long, winding path. This was not what she had expected Raven's mind to be like. The air was scented with Earth fruits, and the ground was covered in pink grasses. There were strange pink and yellow trees around her, and had she not been in such a serious mood, the place would have thrilled her.
A movement in the grass ahead made her curious, and she floated towards it. "Raven? Is that you?"
Starfire was puzzled as two legs stood up from the grass, feet in the air. She moved closer, and saw a pink-cloaked version of Raven, standing on her hands and smiling. Starfire couldn't help but smile back at the strange spectacle.
"Tell me, who are you? Robin spoke of emotions in Raven's mind. Are you one?"
The girl just grinned. "Hey! Can you do this? Took me forever to get the balance right."
Starfire smiled, flying upside down and holding her hands out, touching the ground beneath her. The emotion giggled.
"Hey! No cheating!"
Starfire righted herself, still smiling, but remembering why she was here. "I need to find to person named Trigon. He is here?"
The emotion tumbled to her feet, still grinning. "He's through that archway over there. But you really shouldn't go see him. You should stay here with me."
Starfire shook her head. "I must go help my friend, even if she is dangerous."
The smiling Raven turned her head at an angle, looking at Starfire strangely. "How is Raven dangerous to you? She's never hurt you."
Starfire frowned. "She tried to kill Terra. Terra is our friend, and she did not deserve it."
Happiness shrugged. "Terra made her angry. But that's not my department. Anyway, Trigon is through there. His defeat would make Raven happy, and they need you quickly. Come see me again sometime? We can play."
Starfire nodded, smiling. She flew off towards the archway, hoping that she would get there in time.
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Cyborg looked around, trying to figure out where he was. This wasn't how he remembered Raven's mind. He was standing in a well-appointed bedroom. The walls were covered in a crimson wallpaper, the ceiling speckled with red and pink, the floor a lush and soft red carpeting. There were curtains and viels hanging from the cieling everywhere, obscuring his view of the rest of the room.
He walked forward, knowing that the only way to get to Trigon was to keep moving. Moving a red, translucent viel of fabric out of the way, he saw a painting on the wall. It was a painting of Beastboy, embracing and kissing Raven. Cyborg stared at the image, unsure of what it meant. He was thus occupied when he heard the soft weeping behind him.
Cyborg turned, seeing a girl sitting on a bed, through another thin veil of fabric. He pushed the curtain aside, stepping into the clear area. The girl was Raven, which came as no surprise to Cyborg. She was wearing a very pastel pink cloak, and hand her head in her hands, crying whilst sitting on a large bed. The bed itself looked unslept in, with red satin sheets pulled down halfway. It lookd like a honeymoon suite.
Cyborg approached the emotion carefully. "Rae? Are you allright?"
She looked up at him with tear-reddened eyes. She slowly nodded, as if unsure. "I'll be ok. He left me."
Cyborg raised his eyebrow. "He left you? Who left you?"
She looked at the floor. "Beastboy. He left me to be with Terra."
Cyborg walked over to the girl, kneeling so that he could look into her eyes. "What do you mean, 'left you'? You were dating BB?"
She nodded. "It was a secret. Terra didn't know. Still, I loved him. Raven loved him. But he's gone now."
Cyborg took the emotion's hand in his. "Hey, you'll find someone else. I'm going to have to talk to Beastboy about doing that to ya, but I promise... there are still people out there for you, Rae."
The girl smiled at him, though tears still ran down her face. "Thank you. Are you here for the same thing as the others? For Trigon?"
He nodded. He helped her up from the bed, holding on to her hand, hoping to reassure her. He followed as she walked through the room, lifting curtains and veils as she went. They passed more pictures of Beastboy, some were of the couple kissing, some were loving embraces, and somewere just images of Beastboy smiling.
Finally, they came to a door. Raven looked at Cyborg, and then at her hand. Cyborg let go, suddenly embarassed. The emotion looked up at him. "Please don't take this as Raven's action. She wouldn't do this. I can't help but feel the way I do, however."
Before he could stop her, the emotion reached up and pulled him into a short kiss. It lasted only a few seconds, and then she pulled away. She looked at the floor. "Thank you, for helping me. Raven won't say it, but she thanks you too. He's through there." The girl turned quickly, walking behind a curtain, back towards the bed.
Cyborg stood there for a second, stunned at the strange events. He shook his head, vowing to reprimand Beastboy for hurting her like this. He then opened the door, and stepped through.
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Robin looked around at the landscape he'd just stepped into. He was back on a stone island, though this one was much larger than the others. There was an ornately decorated stone archway in the cliff face near him, sculpted to look like a winged helmet. Suddenly, he became aware of combat sounds nearby. He looked over the small outcropping he was behind, and saw Trigon the Terrible standing on the ground, his body easily ten stories tall.
Raven was held in his right hand, and wasn't struggling. Robin didn't have much time. He leapt out from behind the large stone, and threw out three explosive discs, two of which hit Trigon. The demon faltered, taking a step back in surprise. Raven dropped from his hand, falling through the air and landing in Robin's arms. He set her down to the ground quickly, but carefully. She seemed to be unconscious.
Suddenly he was knocked to the side by a red bolt of energy, fired by the demon. "You are not wanted here. She has failed, and I will take control."
Robing gritted his teeth. "No one deserves to be controlled. I won't quit fighting you until one of us lays dead."
The demon's smile was dark and evil, his feral teeth showing. "Then I shall end the battle quickly." He quickly fired another bolt of energy at Robin.
Robin dodged easily, having seen this one coming. He flung another disc at the demon, grinning as it hit, spreading ice and frost across it's right leg. The enormous demon howled, then shattered the ice with his fist. He advanced towards the boy wonder, four eyes blazing with hatred. Robin readied another explosive disc.
"You will no longer hurt my friends!" The demon flinched as dozens of green bolts came from the sky. Robin looked up, happy to see another ally in this battle. Starfire's eyes glowed with righteous fury as she wildly threw starbolts at the monster. Robin threw the disc at the stunned demon.
The demon arched his back, howling with pain as the disc embedded itself in his upper left eye. His torment increased hundredfold as the device exploded, blinding that eye and stunning him as he tried to recover. Starfire quickly flew down to Raven.
"Friend! You must wake! We are in need of assistance!" Starfire stopped talking as she was suddenly knocked powerfully to the ground by a large red hand. She struggled against his strength as he leaned towards her, his three remaining eyes glowing.
"Be thankful that your death will come quickly." The demon raised his other fist, preparing to snuff out her life. A blue beam of sound tore across the battlefield, knocking the large demon off balance.
"Booyah." Cyborg sounded calm and confident, as Starfire wrestled herself free of the surprised demon. The large humanoid scowled, then defended himself against the hail of explosives hitting him from behind, Robin having flanked him undetected.
Robin felt the wind leave him as Trigon smashed him against the ground. He coughed, trying to breathe as Trigon turned back towards Cyborg. Cyborg backed up, firing his sonic cannon at the beast, trying to stun him. Starfire streaked towards Trigon, releasing a hail of starbolts. He deflected them with his bracer, then caught her, immediately throwing her towards Cyborg. She was unable to regain control before smashing into her friend, throwing them both to the ground.
Trigon's evil grin spread as he stepped towards them. "Anger shall conquer!"
Suddenly, the demon gasped, as he felt the teeth of the large green dinosaur tearing into his left leg. He reached down, tearing his own flesh as he ripped the dinosaur from his leg, smashing the now-human boy hard into the stone ground. Beastboy coughed painfully, nearly losing consciousness from the blow.
Raven's eyes opened slowly, as Robin helped her to stand. "We need your help, Raven. We can't defeat him."
Raven nodded weakly. "No, you can't. I need... I need to gather my emotions together. You need to keep his attention away from me for a few seconds."
Robin nodded, moving quickly to rejoin the fray. What he saw made his normal confident bravery falter. Beastboy lay on the ground, unconscious. Starfire was being held in the demon's hand, while Cyborg was pinned under his foot.
"Yo! Robin, we need some help here!" Cyborg's motors and engines strained hard, trying to lift the enormous monster from him. Trigon applied more pressure, relishing the feeling of collapsing metal, as Cyborg screamed out.
Robin's electirc discharge disc latched on to Trigon's shoulder, sending him reeling as the powerful jolt tore through his arm. Cyborg's mechanics groaned as they fired up, failing to provide the strength to stand. Cyborg slammed his fist into the ground, cursing his inhuman body.
Trigon stood once more, still holding Starfire. She was struggling hard, trying to free herself from his grip. Stars and flashes filled her vision as he began to crush her body. Robin let out a shout of fury as he reached Trigon's injured leg, slamming a larger-scale explosive charge into it.
The blast threw Robin back hard against a stone boulder. Trigon threw the dazed Starfire to the ground, gripping his blasted leg in pain. He dropped to one knee, unable to stand. Starfire fell unconscious as she hit the stone island. Robin stood, the firey pain of his broken shoulder screaming at him to stop.
"Raven, whatever you are planning, you have to do it now!"
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Terra walked through the silent library. "Hello? Beastboy? Robin? Starfire?"
She looked at the shelves, crammed full of neatly kept books. The titles were so uninteresting. If she was in Raven's mind, what was this place? Where was the emotion that was supposed to help her find Trigon?
A book on a nearby table caught her eye. 'Teen Titans: Terra'. "It's about me? Why is there a book about me, in Raven's mind?"
Terra opened the book, reading the first page.
Terra. A.K.A. Tara Markov. The Titans met her as an outcast, fighting a giant scorpion in a canyon just outside of town. (See 'Teen Titans: History, Volume 2', Page 148) Robin and I both had suspicions on her abilities from the start. ('Teen Titans: Weaknesses', page 80, also 'Teen Titans: Strengths' pg 30) She's made herself at home in our tower, though her aura suggests that she is unsure of us.
Terra frowned. What was this? She flipped pages from back of the book, looking for the latest entry. She found it roughly halfway back. She began reading, curious as to what was going on.
Terra entered my room today, wanting to talk to me. (See 'Common Irritations' Pages 33-42) Things went acceptably, at the beginning. She was nervous. I found that she had come of her own accord. We spoke for a short time, she was concerned about Beastboy's reaction to my condition. (See 'Teen Titans: Robin', pg 380). I told her that I would be fine, that she had no need to worry. Everything seemed to be going fine, until she mentioned her date with Beastboy. (See 'Losses of Control', Pg. 15). I know she didn't know about my former relationship with him, about how he cheated on me. Still, she got angry at my reaction. He got loose, I nearly killed her. (See 'Trigon the Terrible', Page 244)
Terra's eyes filled with tears. It had been her fault that Raven had lost control. She'd asked Beastboy out, she'd kissed him, she'd brought it up to Raven. She wiped a fallen tear away from the page, not wanting to smudge Raven's memories. She closed the book, laying her head down on the table, staring forward. She tried to think about what she could do to make things right.
She loved Beastboy, and she couldn't change that. Beastboy loved her too... at least, he seemed like he did. Raven and Beastboy had been a couple, however. Terra was the 'other woman'. She shuddered, feeling foolish for trusting Beastboy at all. Suddenly, the libraray shook, bits of the plaster from the ceiling falling on her. She looked around, at the books falling from the shelves and the chaos. Raven must be fighting!
Terra stood, looking around desperately for a way out. A voice resonated inside her mind.
(Left. Hurry.)
Raven! Terra flinched a little at the voice, still frightened by the sound. She looked left, seeing a large door, set into the wall. She dodged the falling books as another earthquake struck. She ran to the door, throwing it open and stepping through.
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Robin watched as the demon turned towards Raven, furious. Raven was surrounded by copies of herself, all of them concentrating and speaking in low tones. She wouldn't have time. He was going to win. Trigon raised his fists, ready to bring them down on the defenseless girl.
"You can't hurt her any more!" The demon was thrown off balance as a stone island was torn from the sky and smashed into his ribcage. Robin looked up to see Terra flying down from the sky, standing on a large stone. As the demon recovered his stance, he was suddenly knocked flat by a hail of large boulders.
Raven's doubles began to swirl around her, the colors of their robes blending. Robin's eyes grew wide, then squeezed shut as a bright light filled his vision. When he opened his eyes once more, Raven was standing in a bright, white robe, facing the demon eye to eye. She stood at his height, and Terra flew away quickly, triying to dodge out of the way.
"You cannot defeat us all, Trigon. You will be contained once more, and I will never let you free again." Raven's eyes glowed white, as her power leapt forward, smashing hard against Trigon.
The demon reeled, then regained his stance, firing his own beam into the stream of power. His demonic laughter chilled Robin to the bone. "You cannot win. I am far too strong for you now, unified emotions or not. You will become my slave."
Robin watched as the red beam of power strained against Raven's own black power. Raven was losing. Trigon had grown too strong. Suddenly, he felt the island vibrate. He looked up to see Terra, still hovering on a stone, glowing yellow as her power was activated.
Trigon didn't take notice of the movement, all his energy and focus was towards Raven. Raven struggled to keep the demon occupied. The red beam inched closer to her, she could feel her body and mind failing her. Suddenly, Trigon's power disappeared. She pressed powerfully on her own power, feeling it strike the demon mercilessly.
Terra grinned the floor beneath the demon crumbled, disrupting his concentration and giving Raven just the chance she needed to subdue him. Terra landed next to Beastboy, helping him to his feet as he slowly regained consciousness.
Trigon's body broken, and his coup failed, he reverted once more to the emotion of Rage. He looked upwards towards the white Raven, his three good eyes ablaze with fury.
(You will never control me. I will always be here, you will never be free)
Raven didn't speak aloud, responding to the demon's telepathic taunt in kind.
(I will never be controlled either. As long as I have the Titans by my side.)
The demon lowered it's head, then disintegrated into red energy, entering Raven's body once more. She shrank, collapsing to the stone ground.
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A/N: Big battle sequence ended. Terra had a use in the end, although now she knows that Beastboy betrayed Raven to begin with. The next chapter deals with their relationship, and Raven's views on it. Oh, and just as a side note, there is no Cy/Rae in this. Love can't help but love anyone who talks to her. Comes from being an emotion. Anyhow, see you again tomorrow, in the next chapter!
Review Responses:
Snowy: This chapter is more actiony than emotional, so probably no tears this time. I'm always glad when people enjoy my writing.
Christina: I enjoy writing, so there's no need to beg! Glad you like the story, hope you continue to like it as it goes on.
Ravenn03: She does have a lot to cry about. Poor girl. Glad you like the fic, here's more.
Jakked-Up: Here's another update!
The Big Fisch: Yes, given her character's differences from the comic and the animated series, you can hardly use her comic character at all. This leaves lots of room for my own development. Glad you like the way I portray her.
CloudedDragon: Another person that I've envoked emotion from. I'm updating now, so don't cry!
WordBearer: The way I like to think of Raven's emotions is that they only really have one way to react. Happy can only be happy, etc. Regardless, I'm glad you are enjoying the fic. Beastboy isn't a bad person, he's just indecisive.
On with the next chapter!
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A Woman Scorned
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"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." - The Mourning Bride, William Congreve.
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Robin opened the door to Raven's room without knocking. He knew there was little she would be doing besides meditation. He was correct. She was hovering gently above her bed, chanting quietly. She opened her eyes, and looked at the people in her doorway.
Robin stood in front, with Beastboy and Cyborg behind him. Starfire was standing uncertainly at the rear. Terra was nowhere to be seen. Robin stepped forward.
"Raven, they've agreed to help. Are you still ready to face this?"
Raven took a deep breath, as she landed gently on her feet, in front of her bed. "Yes. It must be done." Her eyes stared coldly at the group. "No matter what it is, you all must do what must be done."
Beastboy swallowed hard. Cyborg nodded grimly, and Starfire closed her eyes, sadness covering her features. Robin grimaced. "It won't come to that, Raven. Let's go."
Raven took the mirror in her hand, and then sighed deeply. "I can't tell you where you will end up. I can't control it anymore. You need to find whichever of my emotions is near you, and tell them to point you towards Trigon. They'll do it. I'll be battling him as soon as I enter the mirror. You must hurry. Now go."
Raven held the mirror up towards the group, and activated it with her mind. They all disappeared. She looked towards the mirror, and soon disappeared herself.
A few seconds passed. A thin, frail, and still unrecovered girl stepped into the room, seeing the mirror on the floor. She sighed, seemingly unsure as to what she should do.
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Robin landed hard, on a surface that felt like concrete. He stood shakily, looking around him. He was alone, in some kind of training ground. There were Slade Robots standing in different places in the room, all staring blankly forward. They were in many different conditions. Some were still in perfect working order, many were damaged here and there, and some were merely waiting for the scrapyard. Robin walked cautiously towards the closest robot.
It didn't respond as he approached. It was in bad shape, a simple punch would easily destroy it. As he examined it, a flash of motion caught his eye. He turned towards it, coming face to face with a green-cloaked version of Raven.
"Haven't seen you here before. I admire you. Wanna spar?" She seemed upbeat, fairly brazen, actually. Robin shook his head, however.
"I need to find Trigon. Raven is fighting him right now."
The viridian girl didn't flinch. "One round. You pin me, I'll show you to Trigon. If I win, then Raven doesn't need your help."
Robin growled. "I don't have time for this! She could be dying!"
The girl didn't respond. Instead, she ran towards Robin, jumping and delivering a taunting kick, that he easily dodged.
Robin jumped quickly back, then forward again, going on the offensive and striking the emotion in the jaw. She backflipped, gaining some distance between them, then quickly sidestepped his birdarang. She reached a hand forawrd, firing a blade of dark power at Robin.
He dodged quickly behind a robot, then jumped directly at her. She dodged, as he'd expected, and he rebounded off a standing robot, using the moment of surprise to deliver a strong kick to her temple.
The green cloaked girl was stunned for a moment, which was all that Robin needed. Moving close behind her, he grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back, while knocking her to the floor. She struggled slightly, and he twisted the arm further, nearly breaking it.
"Great! Good job. That's the Robin I've wanted to fight." Robin let the girl up. Raven wasn't a martial artist, and this had proven it. Robin made a mental note to recommend more training, if they survived this.
The girl dusted herself off, then turned sharply, walking towards the large garage door that led to out of the training area. She beckoned for Robin to follow her. She smiled. "Thanks for the quick warm-up Robin. I'll see you in the battle to come."
Robin grinned at her, then stepped through the doorway.
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Beastboy found himself on a small stone pathway. He looked back, and saw the pathway running off into the distance, miles before any change occured. He looked forward, and saw an ornate, oaken door, on a frame, in the middle of the trail. He shrugged, knowing that thinking about it wouldn't get him any closer to Trigon. He walked forward, and opened the door.
He walked through to find himself in a dark, damp room. The walls were made of roughly cut stone blocks, and there was a strange, medieval feel to the room. The door that he'd walked through was gone, and he had no option but to move forward. His foot hit something, and he heard the sound of metal on stone. He looked down, a rusted chain lay by his feet. Following the chain with his eyes, he saw a cloaked figure on the floor, a few feet away.
Her hair was long and matted, her cloak black and filthy. The rusted, jagged manacles on her arms and feet were cutting into her skin, and were still connected to the long, heavy chain. Her face was dark with the dirt from the floor, with lines from her eyes to her chin, where tears had washed some of the grime away. She looked up at Beastboy with fear in her eyes.
Beastboy took a step forward, and she moved her legs along the floor, pushing her body backwards. She whimpered slightly, but said nothing. He felt like he should help her, but inside he knew that she wasn't even real. "Hey... C'mon... I'm not going to hurt you."
The girl had flinched at his voice, covering her face with her hands. He winced as he saw the blood dried along her arms and hands, obviously from the cuts that the rusted manacles had made. He kneeled where he stood, careful to not make any sudden movements.
"Raven needs my help. She's fighting. You need to show me the way to Trigon."
The girl lowered her hands slightly, still staring at him, afraid. "He's... He's too strong. We have to run. Get as far away as we can."
Beastboy shook his head. "You can run. Just tell me where he is. I'll hold him off long enough so that you can run."
The girl looked down at her manacles, then back at him. "He's... he's through there." She carefully pointed towards a door that appeared against the far wall. Beastboy looked at the door, then back at her. His face was a mixture of concern and pity.
"Do you want me to help you out of those? It would only take a minute."
She shook her head, her long matted hair barely moving. Tears flowed out of her eyes. "This is just how I live. Raven denies me. She prefers that I don't show myself. I'm used to it. Just go."
Beastboy turned, and walked towards the door. As he stood facing it, he looked back. "I'll tell her to undo this. I promise."
The girl allowed a small smile, but it quickly faded. "You have to go. She needs you."
Beastboy nodded, then walked through the portal.
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Starfire floated down the long, winding path. This was not what she had expected Raven's mind to be like. The air was scented with Earth fruits, and the ground was covered in pink grasses. There were strange pink and yellow trees around her, and had she not been in such a serious mood, the place would have thrilled her.
A movement in the grass ahead made her curious, and she floated towards it. "Raven? Is that you?"
Starfire was puzzled as two legs stood up from the grass, feet in the air. She moved closer, and saw a pink-cloaked version of Raven, standing on her hands and smiling. Starfire couldn't help but smile back at the strange spectacle.
"Tell me, who are you? Robin spoke of emotions in Raven's mind. Are you one?"
The girl just grinned. "Hey! Can you do this? Took me forever to get the balance right."
Starfire smiled, flying upside down and holding her hands out, touching the ground beneath her. The emotion giggled.
"Hey! No cheating!"
Starfire righted herself, still smiling, but remembering why she was here. "I need to find to person named Trigon. He is here?"
The emotion tumbled to her feet, still grinning. "He's through that archway over there. But you really shouldn't go see him. You should stay here with me."
Starfire shook her head. "I must go help my friend, even if she is dangerous."
The smiling Raven turned her head at an angle, looking at Starfire strangely. "How is Raven dangerous to you? She's never hurt you."
Starfire frowned. "She tried to kill Terra. Terra is our friend, and she did not deserve it."
Happiness shrugged. "Terra made her angry. But that's not my department. Anyway, Trigon is through there. His defeat would make Raven happy, and they need you quickly. Come see me again sometime? We can play."
Starfire nodded, smiling. She flew off towards the archway, hoping that she would get there in time.
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Cyborg looked around, trying to figure out where he was. This wasn't how he remembered Raven's mind. He was standing in a well-appointed bedroom. The walls were covered in a crimson wallpaper, the ceiling speckled with red and pink, the floor a lush and soft red carpeting. There were curtains and viels hanging from the cieling everywhere, obscuring his view of the rest of the room.
He walked forward, knowing that the only way to get to Trigon was to keep moving. Moving a red, translucent viel of fabric out of the way, he saw a painting on the wall. It was a painting of Beastboy, embracing and kissing Raven. Cyborg stared at the image, unsure of what it meant. He was thus occupied when he heard the soft weeping behind him.
Cyborg turned, seeing a girl sitting on a bed, through another thin veil of fabric. He pushed the curtain aside, stepping into the clear area. The girl was Raven, which came as no surprise to Cyborg. She was wearing a very pastel pink cloak, and hand her head in her hands, crying whilst sitting on a large bed. The bed itself looked unslept in, with red satin sheets pulled down halfway. It lookd like a honeymoon suite.
Cyborg approached the emotion carefully. "Rae? Are you allright?"
She looked up at him with tear-reddened eyes. She slowly nodded, as if unsure. "I'll be ok. He left me."
Cyborg raised his eyebrow. "He left you? Who left you?"
She looked at the floor. "Beastboy. He left me to be with Terra."
Cyborg walked over to the girl, kneeling so that he could look into her eyes. "What do you mean, 'left you'? You were dating BB?"
She nodded. "It was a secret. Terra didn't know. Still, I loved him. Raven loved him. But he's gone now."
Cyborg took the emotion's hand in his. "Hey, you'll find someone else. I'm going to have to talk to Beastboy about doing that to ya, but I promise... there are still people out there for you, Rae."
The girl smiled at him, though tears still ran down her face. "Thank you. Are you here for the same thing as the others? For Trigon?"
He nodded. He helped her up from the bed, holding on to her hand, hoping to reassure her. He followed as she walked through the room, lifting curtains and veils as she went. They passed more pictures of Beastboy, some were of the couple kissing, some were loving embraces, and somewere just images of Beastboy smiling.
Finally, they came to a door. Raven looked at Cyborg, and then at her hand. Cyborg let go, suddenly embarassed. The emotion looked up at him. "Please don't take this as Raven's action. She wouldn't do this. I can't help but feel the way I do, however."
Before he could stop her, the emotion reached up and pulled him into a short kiss. It lasted only a few seconds, and then she pulled away. She looked at the floor. "Thank you, for helping me. Raven won't say it, but she thanks you too. He's through there." The girl turned quickly, walking behind a curtain, back towards the bed.
Cyborg stood there for a second, stunned at the strange events. He shook his head, vowing to reprimand Beastboy for hurting her like this. He then opened the door, and stepped through.
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Robin looked around at the landscape he'd just stepped into. He was back on a stone island, though this one was much larger than the others. There was an ornately decorated stone archway in the cliff face near him, sculpted to look like a winged helmet. Suddenly, he became aware of combat sounds nearby. He looked over the small outcropping he was behind, and saw Trigon the Terrible standing on the ground, his body easily ten stories tall.
Raven was held in his right hand, and wasn't struggling. Robin didn't have much time. He leapt out from behind the large stone, and threw out three explosive discs, two of which hit Trigon. The demon faltered, taking a step back in surprise. Raven dropped from his hand, falling through the air and landing in Robin's arms. He set her down to the ground quickly, but carefully. She seemed to be unconscious.
Suddenly he was knocked to the side by a red bolt of energy, fired by the demon. "You are not wanted here. She has failed, and I will take control."
Robing gritted his teeth. "No one deserves to be controlled. I won't quit fighting you until one of us lays dead."
The demon's smile was dark and evil, his feral teeth showing. "Then I shall end the battle quickly." He quickly fired another bolt of energy at Robin.
Robin dodged easily, having seen this one coming. He flung another disc at the demon, grinning as it hit, spreading ice and frost across it's right leg. The enormous demon howled, then shattered the ice with his fist. He advanced towards the boy wonder, four eyes blazing with hatred. Robin readied another explosive disc.
"You will no longer hurt my friends!" The demon flinched as dozens of green bolts came from the sky. Robin looked up, happy to see another ally in this battle. Starfire's eyes glowed with righteous fury as she wildly threw starbolts at the monster. Robin threw the disc at the stunned demon.
The demon arched his back, howling with pain as the disc embedded itself in his upper left eye. His torment increased hundredfold as the device exploded, blinding that eye and stunning him as he tried to recover. Starfire quickly flew down to Raven.
"Friend! You must wake! We are in need of assistance!" Starfire stopped talking as she was suddenly knocked powerfully to the ground by a large red hand. She struggled against his strength as he leaned towards her, his three remaining eyes glowing.
"Be thankful that your death will come quickly." The demon raised his other fist, preparing to snuff out her life. A blue beam of sound tore across the battlefield, knocking the large demon off balance.
"Booyah." Cyborg sounded calm and confident, as Starfire wrestled herself free of the surprised demon. The large humanoid scowled, then defended himself against the hail of explosives hitting him from behind, Robin having flanked him undetected.
Robin felt the wind leave him as Trigon smashed him against the ground. He coughed, trying to breathe as Trigon turned back towards Cyborg. Cyborg backed up, firing his sonic cannon at the beast, trying to stun him. Starfire streaked towards Trigon, releasing a hail of starbolts. He deflected them with his bracer, then caught her, immediately throwing her towards Cyborg. She was unable to regain control before smashing into her friend, throwing them both to the ground.
Trigon's evil grin spread as he stepped towards them. "Anger shall conquer!"
Suddenly, the demon gasped, as he felt the teeth of the large green dinosaur tearing into his left leg. He reached down, tearing his own flesh as he ripped the dinosaur from his leg, smashing the now-human boy hard into the stone ground. Beastboy coughed painfully, nearly losing consciousness from the blow.
Raven's eyes opened slowly, as Robin helped her to stand. "We need your help, Raven. We can't defeat him."
Raven nodded weakly. "No, you can't. I need... I need to gather my emotions together. You need to keep his attention away from me for a few seconds."
Robin nodded, moving quickly to rejoin the fray. What he saw made his normal confident bravery falter. Beastboy lay on the ground, unconscious. Starfire was being held in the demon's hand, while Cyborg was pinned under his foot.
"Yo! Robin, we need some help here!" Cyborg's motors and engines strained hard, trying to lift the enormous monster from him. Trigon applied more pressure, relishing the feeling of collapsing metal, as Cyborg screamed out.
Robin's electirc discharge disc latched on to Trigon's shoulder, sending him reeling as the powerful jolt tore through his arm. Cyborg's mechanics groaned as they fired up, failing to provide the strength to stand. Cyborg slammed his fist into the ground, cursing his inhuman body.
Trigon stood once more, still holding Starfire. She was struggling hard, trying to free herself from his grip. Stars and flashes filled her vision as he began to crush her body. Robin let out a shout of fury as he reached Trigon's injured leg, slamming a larger-scale explosive charge into it.
The blast threw Robin back hard against a stone boulder. Trigon threw the dazed Starfire to the ground, gripping his blasted leg in pain. He dropped to one knee, unable to stand. Starfire fell unconscious as she hit the stone island. Robin stood, the firey pain of his broken shoulder screaming at him to stop.
"Raven, whatever you are planning, you have to do it now!"
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Terra walked through the silent library. "Hello? Beastboy? Robin? Starfire?"
She looked at the shelves, crammed full of neatly kept books. The titles were so uninteresting. If she was in Raven's mind, what was this place? Where was the emotion that was supposed to help her find Trigon?
A book on a nearby table caught her eye. 'Teen Titans: Terra'. "It's about me? Why is there a book about me, in Raven's mind?"
Terra opened the book, reading the first page.
Terra. A.K.A. Tara Markov. The Titans met her as an outcast, fighting a giant scorpion in a canyon just outside of town. (See 'Teen Titans: History, Volume 2', Page 148) Robin and I both had suspicions on her abilities from the start. ('Teen Titans: Weaknesses', page 80, also 'Teen Titans: Strengths' pg 30) She's made herself at home in our tower, though her aura suggests that she is unsure of us.
Terra frowned. What was this? She flipped pages from back of the book, looking for the latest entry. She found it roughly halfway back. She began reading, curious as to what was going on.
Terra entered my room today, wanting to talk to me. (See 'Common Irritations' Pages 33-42) Things went acceptably, at the beginning. She was nervous. I found that she had come of her own accord. We spoke for a short time, she was concerned about Beastboy's reaction to my condition. (See 'Teen Titans: Robin', pg 380). I told her that I would be fine, that she had no need to worry. Everything seemed to be going fine, until she mentioned her date with Beastboy. (See 'Losses of Control', Pg. 15). I know she didn't know about my former relationship with him, about how he cheated on me. Still, she got angry at my reaction. He got loose, I nearly killed her. (See 'Trigon the Terrible', Page 244)
Terra's eyes filled with tears. It had been her fault that Raven had lost control. She'd asked Beastboy out, she'd kissed him, she'd brought it up to Raven. She wiped a fallen tear away from the page, not wanting to smudge Raven's memories. She closed the book, laying her head down on the table, staring forward. She tried to think about what she could do to make things right.
She loved Beastboy, and she couldn't change that. Beastboy loved her too... at least, he seemed like he did. Raven and Beastboy had been a couple, however. Terra was the 'other woman'. She shuddered, feeling foolish for trusting Beastboy at all. Suddenly, the libraray shook, bits of the plaster from the ceiling falling on her. She looked around, at the books falling from the shelves and the chaos. Raven must be fighting!
Terra stood, looking around desperately for a way out. A voice resonated inside her mind.
(Left. Hurry.)
Raven! Terra flinched a little at the voice, still frightened by the sound. She looked left, seeing a large door, set into the wall. She dodged the falling books as another earthquake struck. She ran to the door, throwing it open and stepping through.
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Robin watched as the demon turned towards Raven, furious. Raven was surrounded by copies of herself, all of them concentrating and speaking in low tones. She wouldn't have time. He was going to win. Trigon raised his fists, ready to bring them down on the defenseless girl.
"You can't hurt her any more!" The demon was thrown off balance as a stone island was torn from the sky and smashed into his ribcage. Robin looked up to see Terra flying down from the sky, standing on a large stone. As the demon recovered his stance, he was suddenly knocked flat by a hail of large boulders.
Raven's doubles began to swirl around her, the colors of their robes blending. Robin's eyes grew wide, then squeezed shut as a bright light filled his vision. When he opened his eyes once more, Raven was standing in a bright, white robe, facing the demon eye to eye. She stood at his height, and Terra flew away quickly, triying to dodge out of the way.
"You cannot defeat us all, Trigon. You will be contained once more, and I will never let you free again." Raven's eyes glowed white, as her power leapt forward, smashing hard against Trigon.
The demon reeled, then regained his stance, firing his own beam into the stream of power. His demonic laughter chilled Robin to the bone. "You cannot win. I am far too strong for you now, unified emotions or not. You will become my slave."
Robin watched as the red beam of power strained against Raven's own black power. Raven was losing. Trigon had grown too strong. Suddenly, he felt the island vibrate. He looked up to see Terra, still hovering on a stone, glowing yellow as her power was activated.
Trigon didn't take notice of the movement, all his energy and focus was towards Raven. Raven struggled to keep the demon occupied. The red beam inched closer to her, she could feel her body and mind failing her. Suddenly, Trigon's power disappeared. She pressed powerfully on her own power, feeling it strike the demon mercilessly.
Terra grinned the floor beneath the demon crumbled, disrupting his concentration and giving Raven just the chance she needed to subdue him. Terra landed next to Beastboy, helping him to his feet as he slowly regained consciousness.
Trigon's body broken, and his coup failed, he reverted once more to the emotion of Rage. He looked upwards towards the white Raven, his three good eyes ablaze with fury.
(You will never control me. I will always be here, you will never be free)
Raven didn't speak aloud, responding to the demon's telepathic taunt in kind.
(I will never be controlled either. As long as I have the Titans by my side.)
The demon lowered it's head, then disintegrated into red energy, entering Raven's body once more. She shrank, collapsing to the stone ground.
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A/N: Big battle sequence ended. Terra had a use in the end, although now she knows that Beastboy betrayed Raven to begin with. The next chapter deals with their relationship, and Raven's views on it. Oh, and just as a side note, there is no Cy/Rae in this. Love can't help but love anyone who talks to her. Comes from being an emotion. Anyhow, see you again tomorrow, in the next chapter!