[Disclaimer I don't own the Teen Titans... though I did make up the hunter for the last story...]
Author's note: for my fans (er.. people who seemed to like my first fic anyway, all two of you :) ) I'm sorry but I'm not going to add more to Mechanical Mayhem but I might make one where The Hunter returns later, however, this one has nothing to do with The Hunter or Terra)
"DO NOT MOVE!"
Starefire hovered before Robin above the Wayne building; one arm raised, ready to fire a starbolt at her former leader.
"Robin," she said quietly, "you are my best friend and I cannot live in a world where we must fight." She lowered her arm and looked at the rooftop below, where the other Titans lie beaten. "If you are truly evil, then do as you must."
Robin smiled and took aim with his new blaster. "Works for me." He fired.
-
"All right ducky, just stare into the pretty swirls." Beast Boy struggled against his restraints and tried to look away, but the hypnotic swirls encompassed the entire room. Through the PA system, Mad Mod's voice began to fade. "Too bad I could only find you all by your onezys. That shouldn't be a problem though... you will help me get the rest..."
-
"Cyborg... help!" Starfire crawled towards the half metal hero. He was down too, just like the other Titans, but at least he was in one piece. "Please Cyborg, get up! Help, Cyborg, please!" The wounded Tamaranian reached for Cyborg's hand but she couldn't get to it.
Cyborg couldn't help... he couldn't save the others... his power cell was out, the last power cell... Cyborg watched Starfire die, and he was powerless to stop it.
-
A green rabbit raced through the corridors of Titan's Tower. Something was after it, it loomed behind every turn. The small creature was forced into a dead end, where it slammed into a wall before turning back into its normal human form. The dark shadow crept up to it and moved into the light. It was fifteen feet tall, covered in a dark blue robe, and had four glowing red eyes.
"Raven! No!" the changeling pleaded helplessly.
"Beast Boy," she rumbled. "I've never liked you, I've always hated you and your stupid jokes, but don't feel too bad. You'll finally get me to laugh..." her dark power spread across the room, "this will be a hoot."
-
"Friends! How is 'the it' going?" beamed Starfire as she entered the main room of Titan's Tower. Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg where sitting around doing nothing. No one looked up to greet her. They all looked miserable. "Is something wrong?" asked Starfire. Raven gave Starfire an 'if looks could kill' stare before storming out of the room, the trash that normally collected around the room swirling and crashing behind her. Cyborg remained silent, staring into space. Beast Boy began to weep. Starfire moved over to her green friend and attempted to comfort him, though she still didn't know what would cause such grief. "What is the matter, Beast Boy?"
"What's the matter!?" Beast Boy shouted, now more angry then sad. "What's the matter? Starfire, Robin's dead, and it's all your fault!"
-
"Aiee, my brain!"
"Beast Boy!"
"No!"
"Robin!"
"Starfire!"
The Titans awoke from their nightmarish visions and collectively looked at their respective clocks. '6:23' time to get up anyway.
Outside the only bathroom in the tower Beast Boy stood uneasily next to Raven. He couldn't stop thinking about the word 'ducky' and the swirling black and white patterns he had seen in his dream, and the fact that he really had to go. Raven seemed calmer, but she was already meditating, while waiting to use the bathroom... that was a little odd, even for her.
"Azarath... Metrion... Zinthos... Azarath... Metrion... Zinthos..." the words were all too... hypnotic for the green changeling.
"Hey, Raven? Isn't a little early for you to be doing that?" Raven, sitting on the floor, opened one eye to look at Beast Boy. "I didn't sleep well last night, besides it helps me wait."
The bathroom door slid open and steam from the shower spilled out. Robin exited wearing a towel around his waist. Despite his shower he looked beat. "Um... all yours." He said a little surprised to see Raven on the floor. Raven got up and entered the bathroom.
"Wait Rae," pleaded Beast Boy standing on one foot, "you sure you couldn't meditate for a few minuets longer?" The bathroom door slid shut.
Raven's voice echoed through the door. "Why don't you just change into something with a larger bladder?"
The green boy considered it.
-
Later on at breakfast everyone looked tired. They stared at each other over cold cereal and tea.
"You did not sleep well too?" Starfire's hair was frizzy and she leaned to one side. "That's strange," put in Robin, "Starfire and I couldn't sleep either. We both had nightmares." Starfire and Robin had already talked about their nights, though they did not mention the subject of their dreams.
"No way." said Beast Boy, "I had one too!"
Cyborg and Raven confessed to having bad dreams as well. "Apparently," added Raven "Beast Boy told me one too many jokes."
Beast Boy cringed, most likely at Raven's statement but possibly because of the alarm that started to blare all throughout the tower.
Robin pulled out his communicator. "Titans, Trouble!"
-
The mountains to the east still obscured the morning sun, but things were already starting to heat up in Jump City.
"Ah HAHAHAHAHA!" Though his heavily insulated power suit, Infernus's muffled laughter was barely audible in the hailstorm of destruction that surrounded him. The heat from his flamethrowers was so intense the street glowed red and several street lights were melting.
Infernus turned to a retail shop that was, as of yet, unmarked. "All will suffer my fate!" Flame surged from his suit and soon melted through the display window before ruining the store's antiques and curiosities.
An explosion rocked Infernus forward. He turned to see who attacked him, his helmet's reflective glass cover facing the Titans. They stood above him on a nearby rooftop of a three story building.
"Hasn't anyone ever told you," called Robin, his teammates flanking him ready to move, "play with fire and you're gonna get burned."
"How dare you mock me?" Infernus's flamethrowers belched flame at the rooftop, "No one makes fun of Infernus!"
"Titans, GO!"
The Titans surrounded the dangerous pyromaniac, sticking to the top of buildings, the ground below to hot to tread on. Those that could fly swooped in to attack, dodging unending tongues of flame.
Beast Boy dived down and his talons struck uselessly against the armored villain and Cyborg's sonic cannon did nothing to snuff him out. Starfire pummeled the armored villain with starbolts. They seemed to be working, Infernus focused on her entirely. One of the jets of fire struck her on the side and she crashed into an ally, crying in shock.
"Such a pretty face," Infernus said, his voice soft, almost comforting. He approached the entrance to the ally where Starfire lay dazed. "Too bad it's going to get burned!"
Raven landed before Starfire and created a shield dome of dark energy around the two just in time to block the torrent of flame. "Starfire, get up!" commanded Raven, but Starfire was still in shock. "Come on, let's go!" Raven's energy cracked from the impact of the flame.
Infernus was jostled as Robin threw more explosive discs. "Get away from her!"
Infernus turned to blast at Robin long enough for Raven to pick up the wounded Starfire and fly her to a rooftop. On that roof there was a water tower. Robin spotted it too.
"Raven, do it!"
The telepath levitated again, under her dark hood her eyes blaze white and her hands glowed black.
The water tower shimmered with Raven's dark energy. "Azarath..." the tower broke from its supports "Metrion..." hovered past Raven "Zinthos!" and was flung at the armored match striker. Meanwhile Robin threw three special discs. The water tower smashed onto Infernus. Water gushed everywhere, covering his armor and putting out his flamethrowers. Then the discs hit, freezing the water, and putting an end to Infernus's morning of destruction.
The sun peaked over the mountains, casting long shadows. Starfire's eyes opened. She saw the frozen villain fall forward, his faceplate smashing as it hit the ground, and Infernus's mottled, melted face. Old scars from serious burns.
Later that day Starfire calmed down and decided to take a nap. It would do nothing to ease her mind.
-
"Such a pretty face." Infernus said as he entered the ally. This time he had hit Starfire in the face, and she covered it with her hands, weeping in pain "too bad it's going to get burned." Raven did not stop the flames, and they engulfed Star.
"Bastard!" Robin cried as he leapt to the ground and smashed at Infernus's faceplate with his fists.
Soon the plate shattered again and Infernus toppled backwards to the ground, but this time the scared face behind it was not that of a troubled man, but that of Starfire's.