Sorry for taking SO FRIGGEN LONG TO UPDATE!!!! Remember this is the LAST CHAPTER PEOPLE!!!! I need EVERYONE to vote and tell me whether I should write a sequel or not. So far I only have one vote for a sequel and only one person has voted. I need at least 5 more votes for yes to write a sequel. I hope you have enjoyed The Phoenix and the Black Bird and if you would like to use Cri in any of your stories feel free too, but tell me first so I can read it and maybe help you with her personality. Samuristar and I are co-writing a story called Merlina vs. a Dark Light with Cri in it so check that out if you want too. It's going to be very slow updating though.
Chapter 13 : A Nest of Burning Cinnamon
Cri was dead; her heroism had cost her her life. Starfire was crying. Robin was trying to comfort her. Beastboy had turned himself into a cat and was curled up on Cri's lap, making a soft whimpering sound. Cybog just stood there, numb with shock and grief. And then there was Raven. She had her hood pulled up as far as it would go. Shadows hid her entire face from the eyes of the world. Cri's words kept echoing through her head: 'We are bound by our experiences, not by our heritage…' Her right arm pulsed blue as the Dragon Buster felt her pain. It...seemed to comfort her, and she smiled. A rare thing on any occasion, an almost impossible feat at the current time.
Raven bent over and picked up the bag Cri had dropped. It was knotted tightly, bound with a strip of leather. Sewn, or maybe burned, onto the 'front' of the bag was a small teardrop of decorative golden topaz. Its core was cold ice blue and its blue color seemed unaffected by the topaz covering it. The stone seemed to be only slightly larger than her chakra gem. Heat seeped through the thick leather as she searched for the knot to untie it. Her hand brushed up against the stone, deeply burning her skin. The empath quickly pulled her hand away and realized, in much dismay, that the knot was under the golden ornament. She gave up trying to open it manually. When she did try to use telekinesis, the leather string resisted and didn't open. It seemed that the bag was resistant to any type of non-mortal ability. She sighed and slipped the leather loop onto one of the thinner parts of her belt. She would figure it out when they got back to the tower.
Cyborg picked up Cri's limp body, letting Beastboy side to the floor, and started walking to the exit. He and Cri never really talked and got to know each other like he did his other teammates, but he felt a connection to her, like brother and sister. Even after he found out her dark secret and had it conflict with his own beliefs and religion.
Starfire's home planet, Tameran, had once had beings similar to vampires, but they were hunted to extinction long ago. She had been taught that it was wrong to drink the blood of another, therefore making the creatures evil. She knew Cri was a little strange and eccentric, maybe even a little crazy, but never evil.
Beastboy didn't even bother morphing back from his cat form. He was too depressed over not only Cri's death and the new 'not human' information about Raven. No, it went a lot deeper than that. He had had a bit of a crush on the dark sorceress ever since she joined the team, and he has always had a thing for blondes. Especially since Cri reminded him so very much of Terra, and how he had failed to save either of them.
Robin didn't know what to think. On one hand, a teammate gave her life and inspired another to win the fight. On the other, she was an assassin dhampir and the one who had stopped Slade, Raven, had ended up killing him. Another problem was that on one hand Raven was a demon, but should she be made to leave the Titans because of it or did her good deeds outweigh that fact? He just couldn't accept the depth of the new information and make a proper decision yet.
Raven followed them without a word, taking one last glance at where Slade should have been laying. The Dragon Buster had sent him to another dimension, but which of the infinite dimensions out there she did not know. He probably didn't survive the trip because of how much life force she had drained out of him, and even if he had survived, god knows what things were there, waiting to tear him to pieces.
The Titans stood outside the T-car, not really wanting to go in and have to sit still for the long drive back to the tower. Raven sighed, exhausted from the day and using her demon form. She had forgotten how taxing it was, for the only other time she had ever used it was against Terra. Now she had to teleport them all and the car back to the tower. She focused on her soul self and managed to teleport them all back to the tower's garage and then herself to the sanctuary of her own room.
Cyborg grimly began to climb the stairs to the living room and then rode the elevator to Cri's room, where he laid the young dhampir on the silk covers of her bed. He slowly got up and left the room, looking back only once at the girl he had come to be such good friends with.
Inside her room, Raven was trying to open the bag without burning all the skin off of her fingers. She had already tried cutting and breaking the leather strap and bag, but it didn't seem to do any good. She was nowhere near ready to give up though, and her perseverance did pay off. After almost 4 hours of working and covering her hands in first and second degree burns, she managed to remove the decorative stone and get to the knot.
She quickly untied the leather strap and turned the bag upsidedown. A large oval of gold topaz fell out into Raven's hand. She looked at it and felt her anger rising. 'This is it? A large topaz? These things can't even hold spells correctly and are only good for making jewelry!' She stared at the stone for a long moment and threw it onto the floor. She mumbled angrily to herself, "I can't believe that such a horrible stone like that could help me contact Xenon."
As soon as Raven spoke Xenon's name, the topaz began to glow, and a biting cold started creeping forward from the topaz and spreading throughout the entire tower. This was unfortunate for Beastboy, who had decided to take a hot bath and was suddenly frozen in the tub. Cyborg quickly tracked the temperature drop to Raven's room. He, Starfire, and Robin ran into the room and were immediately shocked by what they saw.
A man floated in the middle of the room. He looked to be in his mid twenties. His body was of medium build, and he was clothed in a white robe. His hair was short, and its color was that of sunshine mixed with white ash. His eyes were a cold, but not piercing, ice blue. He wore a warm smile that could melt even the coldest, hardest heart. His most distinctive feature should have been his eyes, but it was the fact that he seemed to be glowing and his body was transparent.
He landed on the ground right behind the still glowing topaz. Beastboy, who had finally freed himself, ran in and was stopped in his tracks by the sight of the apparition. "You must be Xenon." Raven breathed. The man's smile widened a bit and he nodded. "Please, Xenon, could you tell us about the Legend of the Phoenix?" He seemed thoughtful for a moment and then spoke. His voice was like bells ringing. "The Legend of the Phoenix," he said. "Was an ancient legend of magic and power that is often told as a bedtime story. The legend goes, that if one has the power of fire and the eye stone of a great phoenix, with a little help of one who is corrupted, it will let them revive after death at will. The phoenix stone must be placed on the chakra of the one with the power of fire. The stone's tapered sharp end must point to the fire one's hair. The corrupted one must prick their finger on the edge, and a drop of their blood be put in the middle of the stone. The one with the power of fire and the stone will then become one, and the corrupted one will be purified. That is the Legend of the Phoenix…But be warned: the phoenix stone must be on the fire one's head with the droplet on it before midnight of the first day of their death. If it isn't, then the ritual will fail, and the phoenix stone will turn to dust. The ritual will end once the clock strikes 12 times. And if anyone else other than the corrupted one is in the room at the time, they will be killed."
Raven looked back at the other Titans nervously. "Cyborg," she inquired. "What time is it?" Cyborg checked his internal clock. "Almost 11:56 Raven, and if your thinking this might revive Cri, then you're probably wrong. She never said anything about having the power of fire." Raven glared daggers at him. "We have to try! Xenon, where can we find a phoenix stone, and what do you mean by corrupted blood?" Xenon smiled. "The phoenix stone's holy and fire power will burn the flesh of one whose blood is corrupted enough for the ritual. And if you would like a clue to their whereabouts, they are both in this building." Then, without a word, Xenon faded from the room, and the topaz dimmed and stopped glowing altogether.
Robin began barking orders to the Titans where to start searching. Everyone ran out of the room to begin the search, everyone but Raven and Robin. Robin was telling Raven where to search but she didn't seem t respond at all. Even after he yelled at her she did not move. "I'm not searching," she said in a low voice. She lifted her burned hands out from under her cloak. "I already know where and who and what I must now do."
Raven picked up the bag and used it like a glove to pick up the phoenix stone. She ran out of the room before Robin could say anything else. She raced down the hall and into Cri's room, almost tripping over Beastboy on the way. She laid the stone on Cri's head and pricked her finger on the stone's sharp edge. Now it was time to see if Cri was the one with the power of fire. The demoness was unsure if Cri was really the one. She did have a phoenix soul self but never said anything about having power over fire, but Raven had to try.
She let a single drop of her blood fall on the stone. She held her breath and a few light bulbs exploded from her tension. The phoenix stone just sat there, the droplet of her blood sitting on the middle of the stone.
As the clock struck 12, Raven almost admitted defeat when she noticed the phoenix stone was glowing. She ran to the intercom and pressed the talk button. "Everyone stay out of Cri's room tonight…I have found all the necessary items and tried the ritual. We shall see in the morning if the Legend of the Phoenix is true." She turned around and watched as the phoenix stone grew brighter and brighter. Cri's body began to levitate off the bed, and the distinct smell of burning cinnamon and cedar wood filled the room. As the clock chimed for the 6th time, Raven felt an intense wave of pure heat hit her and blast her back against the wall. She hit her head on the metal intercom box, and knew no more.
The next morning the Titans dragged themselves out of bed and, out of habit, began walking to the kitchen. Suddenly Robin froze and started running to Cri's room. The others, who also just remembered because of the boy wonder's behavior, followed him.
When Robin was about halfway there, the other Titans in hot pursuit, he ran headlong into Raven who was peacefully reading Ann Rice's "Queen of the Damned" and was being followed by Spike. She and he were walking to the kitchen for some breakfast. She fell just as she was getting to the good part, dropped her book, and lost her page. She quickly pushed Robin off and glared daggers at him, but that wasn't what caught the teen wonder's attention. "Ummmm Raven?" he asked. "I know its not any of my business but how did you get that huge bump on your head, and why are you wearing white?" She bent down and picked up her book. "You may find out later today but for now lets have some breakfast." The empath walked off without another word, Spike close behind. The rest of the Titans gave Spike a wide birth.
After breakfast Raven explained how the ritual seemed to work and how she was knocked out from the wave of heat. She could not explain, however, how Cri still seemed dead when she woke up the next morning and how her cloak changed from black and blue to white. The Titans also discussed what to do about Raven and Cri, if she woke up. This went on for most of the day, only breaking for saving the city from Doctor Light, then resumed over dinner.
As the Titans were finishing a dinner of Chinese takeout Beastboy pricked up his ears. "Dudes, be quiet for a minute ok? I hear someone coming down the hall. Their footsteps kinda sound like your shoes Robin, only the metallic clang comes first as if the metal were on the heel not the toe. And whoever it is they are limping badly, probably using the wall for support."
All eyes, including Spike's, turned to the door. Cyborg readied his arm cannon and Robin pulled out an explosive disk. Starfire's eyes were wide with fright. Beastboy was biting his nails. Raven seemed very relaxed. "Calm down it's just our own little fire girl." Robin turned to her. "What do you mean Ra-" He was cut off as the door opened and Cri walked into the room, very pale and weak but alive. The only thing that seemed to be different about her was the strange yellow and blue charka gem and that her eyes seemed to, not shine but actually burn with the fires of life. "What's wrong you guys? Aren't you glad to see me?
Starfire was the first to break the silence. She squealed in delight and started running to Cri. "Friend Cri! You are unharmed!!!" Cri's eyes widened and she braced herself for the bone crushing hug she knew was coming. Luckily for her, Spike had gotten to her first and started licking her face, making the hyper alien skid to a halt. Raven quickly spoke up before Starfire remembered that Spike was Cri's pet and would not harm her. "Starfire, please don't hug Cri. She is very weak and still needs rest."
Cri stumbled into the room and grabbed a chair before she fell. "I'm ok," she said rather quickly when she saw the other Titans halfway out of their chairs. "I will feel better after I have had something to eat…" She scanned the table. "There isn't anything left, is there?" she asked chuckling softly. "Sorry Cri," Cyborg said sheepishly. "If I had known you were going to be…well…coming back from the dead, I would have ordered more." Cri looked up at him and shrugged. "It's okay I guess…I'm just gonna have to find something else to eat." Her eyes strayed to Robin's neck and she licked one of her fangs. 'No! Don't even think about it girl. You are NOT feeding off of Robin no matter how hungry you are.'
Cri shook her head as she sank into the chair and Cyborg walked up to her. "What can I get ya?" Cri smiled. It had been a long time since someone had served her. "Steak, rare to medium-rare and anything else you have…and Beastboy if you're going to make tofu at least use the recipe on the refrigerator. It's the only one I like."
30 minutes and 4 steaks, 5 eggs, and 2 blocks of tofu later Cri was looking a lot better. She was less pale and her eyes and chakra gem were shining brightly. She got up and stretched her muscles. "I feel sooooooo much better! Thanks you guys, although a large glass of O would have been nice with it." Cri eyed Beastboy and Robin's necks. Beastboy shrank back and Robin covered his neck. Cyborg rolled his eyes secretly thankful he didn't have much blood in his system. Starfire just sat there, wondering why her friends were acting so strange, and Raven just rolled her eyes and continued reading because she just didn't care. "Oh come on you guys," Cri said laughing. "I'm just messing with your heads. I would never really bite any of you. That's just plain mean. Now if you were willing on the other hand, that's a whole nuther story." Cri smiled at them, showing her fangs making them shrink back more.
Cri suddenly stopped picking on Robin and Beastboy and snapped her fingers. "I almost forgot!" She grabbed Raven and pulled her out of her chair. "Hold up your right hand." Raven, wondering why the whole time, did as she was told and Cri put her hand against Raven's. Raven felt an electric jolt and the Dragon Buster wove itself back around Cri's arm. It was with its master once again. Cri flexed her arm and the Dragon Buster shimmered and glowed brighter. She smiled as she watched the energy dance around her arm.
Robin cleared his thought. "Cri we are all happy that you are back and still alive but there is the matter of you being a dhampir we have to discuss. The smile on Cri's face faded and her ears sank a little, much like Beastboy's when he is sad. "Oh," she said, a sad hopelessness was creeping into her voice. "I understand I guess I will go get my stuff…" Cri walked off hunched over a little, distress written all over her face. Robin grabbed her shoulder to keep her from going. "I don't think you understand Cri. The Titans and I have been talking about it and we think you should stay." Cri was still for a moment then she suddenly whirled around and gave Robin a bone crushing hug that would make Starfire proud. "Thanks Robin! I know there are gonna be some rules, but I promise I won't let you down!"
Cri didn't realize Robin couldn't breathe until he started to turn blue, in which case she promptly let him go. "Sorry Robin, I guess I don't know my own strength." Robin got up gasping for breath. "It's ok Cri…Starfire does that all the time." Upon hearing this, Starfire seemed to blush a little. "Ok Robin what are the rules you have for me." Cri pulls a pencil and notebook out from behind her back, basically proving that nothing, even pulling things out of nowhere, is physically impossible.
Robin stared at Cri for a moment then started talking. "Ok rule one: no biting your teammates." Cri rolled her eyes. "I'm not that dumb Robin, I know right from wrong." Robin glared at her and continued. "Rule two: no bringing anything, including stories, inside the tower that would probably make us lose our lunch." Cri nodded telling him to go on. "Rule three: no leaving weapons on the sofa, we don't want any accidents." Cri giggled softly. "We don't?" she inquired. Robin shivered and went on. "Rule four: try to keep the fact that you're a dhampir low profile. We want people to trust the Titans. Same goes for you Raven." Raven rolled her eyes. "Oh yes I will tell everyone. Puh-lease Robin, it's not like I'm going to advertise it to the public." Robin ignored the comment and continued. "And finally rule five: do not bring any of your vampire, or whatever, friends over that would do any of the above. Is that clear Cri?" Cri nodded, smiling widely.
Beastboy suddenly ran up to the team. "You guys, we have been so occupied with crime fighting and Cri that we forgot all about Halloween!" Cri slapped her forehead and Spike walked over to her to see what was the matter with his owner. "I can't believe I forgot! Halloween is my favorite holiday!" Cyborg twiddled nervously, and Robin hit his head on the wall. "I can't believe I forgot to plan!" Cri thought for a moment and used telepathy to send a quick message to Raven, which she quickly sent back an approval reply to. "I have an idea everyone," she said grinning malevolently. "Lets turn Titans Tower into a haunted house! And, for 50 cents a person, let civilians tour the place and get a scare in every room!" Cyborg, Beastboy, and Starfire cheered but Robin opened his mouth to object. "We don't need to do our rooms Robin, we can keep that private. And yes I know about breaking rule #4, but I think this may prove to give me some positive points with the public." Robin mentally slapped himself. He hated it when his mind was read.
-------------------(For the Halloween story see 'Haunted Tower,' coming soon to a website near you)----------------------
After an exhausting Halloween the Titans are ready for some peace, quiet, and some serious R&R...And they had it. That is, until November 17th. "BEASTBOY!!!" Cri bolted out of bed ready for action when she realized it was just Cyborg yelling at Beastboy. She sighed and dropped her arms, knowing it was a pointless attempt to sleep with Cyborg's loud arguing vs. her sensitive hearing. She quickly (5.7 seconds) showered and got dressed, whistling for Spike on her way out.
Cri quickly walked down the hall. No matter how good of a friend Cyborg was, he needed a lesson in manners. She rounded a corner and was just about to give him a piece of her mind, and maybe even her fist, when she met a shocking sight. Cyborg stood there, fuming, covered in head to toe in tofu. Cri immediately forgot that she was supposed to be angry at him and ran to his side. "I will handle this ok Cy? Your yelling woke me up but I have found that it is more effective to treat the cause and not the effect of any problem." Cyborg looked at her, thoroughly confused. Cri sighed, "here is what I said made simple. I woke up cuz you yelled. You yelled because Beastboy dumped tofu on you. I'm gonna beat up Beastboy because it's technically his fault for you waking me up, is that clear?" Cyborg nods. "Sorry about waking ya'll up Cri. I'm gonna go clean up and will be down for breakfast in a bit." Cri started looking for Beastboy and softly whispered to herself. "I'm gonna KILL that little grass stain for not letting me sleep in, on my birthday of all days!" Little did Cri know that Cyborg's ultrasonic hearing had picked that up.
After beating the pulp out of Beastboy and a good breakfast, Cri was starting to feel a lot better. Raven had managed to get in contact with Morrigan and was planning on seeing what the Dark Realm was like. Cri was excited about going with Raven and seeing all her friends again, The Dark Stalkers.
Raven and Cri were standing in the living room getting ready to leave. The other Titans were standing a few paces back were saying goodbye. "We will be back before dinner but you guys are gonna have to make your own lunch ok?" Cri said with a smile. The boys nodded and Starfire piped up happily. "Yes, I will take your place and cook up many different types of earthly foo- mmmpphhhh" Starfire was cut off by Robin's hand. The thought of Starfire cooking lunch had put him into panic mode and it was the only thing he thought of doing. He quickly mouthed to Cri 'you better hurry back' and waved goodbye with his free hand. "Bye you guys, hope you can survive a few hours without us." Cri made an interdimensional portal and, after shoving Raven through, went through herself.
Raven and Cri arrived in a huge room. Its walls were made of a very hard, polished, dark wood giving the illusion that the room was much darker than it really was. Its floor was made of marble slabs. The marble's edges were put together so tightly and with so much precision that the slabs seemed not to be many but one. The patterns on the marble also added to this illusion, for the black lines that snaked across the stone like bolts of lightning were lined up perfectly which each other. The rafter beams in the astonishingly high ceiling were interlaced with dusty white cobwebs, giving the room an ancient look. All of the windows were made of beautifully stained glass depicting scenes of gory battles between humans and demons; cast a bloody light around the room. At one end of the room there was a stage made of a lighter wood. Hanging from the somewhat lower ceiling above the stage were deep crimson curtains made of a heavy, very strong, material that resembled silk. The bar, at the opposite end of the room, was made of, what appeared to be, solid black obsidian, polished to perfection. The many round tables that dotted the room were made of a lighter, more supple, polished wood and had a black lace table cloth. In the center of each table was a deep blue candle giving off a soft scent. This, save for the windows, was the only light. If not for the room's occupants being so strange, it would have been one heck of a 'stop and stare' statement.
The occupants of the room, who were filling about ¾ of the floor's surface area included a werewolf, a zombie, some form of cat creature, a mummy, a vampire and anything else you could probably think of. Morrigan and Lilith were there too, and they seemed to be talking to a little girl who resembled little red riding hood…with a basket full of deadly weapons.
Cri jogged up to 'Little Red Riding Hood', leaving Raven behind. Cri tapped the red cloaked girl on the shoulder to get her attention. "As soon as you're done talking to the Succubi sisters, I would like a word with them, ok?" The girl nodded and turned back to her conversation. Cri sat on the stage, watching the conversation. After about 2 minutes, the red cloaked girl skipped away, having traded a shotgun and 2 grenades for some hellfire MAC 10 ammo.
Cri whispered something in Morrigan's ear and she perked up slightly surprised. She shooed the guitar playing zombie off stage and grabbed the mic. "Listen up everyone!" The talking in the room slowly died down. "I would like you all to meet one of Cri's best friends, and the daughter of the demon Trigon, Metrion Roth!" The spotlight fell on Raven and she instinctively pulled up her hood, trying to hide her face from the light and the eyes of the spectators.
The entire room was silent for what seemed like an eternity. The room was suddenly filled with whispers and fleeting glances and the teenage half demon. Morrigan cleared her thought loudly and the whispers died down. "She and our dhampiric friend Cri our here to celebrate Cri's 17th birthday!" It was amazing, the room when from silent to a deafening roar in less than a second. Raven covered he ears and shrank into a corner trying to get away from the noise.
From her spot Raven could see what was happening on the stage. The cat creature pounced on Cri and proceeded to give her a knoogie and seriously mess up her hair. She was then pulled out of the cat creature's arms only to be given a crushing 'Starfire' hug by a Frankenstein like thing. After the Frankenstein thing let go and after suffering from a few broken ribs she got some rather hard pats on the back from a very large white furry thing that Raven could only describe as a yeti.
The succubi sisters and the vampire managed to keep most of the others at bay. As soon as everyone calmed down the vampire set down a goblet in front of the half crushed girl. She grabbed it and chugged it, feeling her ribs heal. "Thanks Demitri. I owe ya one." Demitri smiled showing his fangs. "I am just pleased that I could help." He walked away, his cape trailing behind him.
Cri smiled as she watched him. She had always looked at Demeiti like the older brother she never had. She was torn from her thoughts as she felt a small tug on the back of her shirt. She turned to see 'little red riding hood' standing behind her with a hastily wrapped gift. "Happy birthday Cri!" She exclaimed happily. "Thanks B.B.Hood." She took the gift from her and put it on the edge of the stage and sat next to it.
After B.B.Hood had given Cri a gift everyone started rushing to the corners to wrap theirs. Since the floor seemed temporarily clear Raven ran up to Cri. "Is this normal?" Cri nodded as a present was dropped into her lap. She looked up to see Morrigan and Lilith. "We were a few of the people who wrapped ours early." Cri smiled. "Thanks for remembering."
Cri felt a tap on her shoulder and turned. "Morrigan and Lilith weren't the only ones!" The cat like creature, a werewolf, and Demitri held their presents out. Cri took the presents, her smile getting bigger by the second. "Thanks guys I'm surprised so many people remembered." She put them next to Morrigan, Lilith, and B.B.Hood. A raspy voice sounded behind her. "Well you shouldn't be surprised; you did help us out quite a bit." Cri turned to see the guitar playing zombie, the Frankenstein, the yeti, and a fish man hold out their own presents. Cri took them and thanked them, putting them with the others.
Cri's pile of gifts slowly grew and soon it was at least as tall as her and twice as wide. "Thank you all so very much. And now that I have them all here I will start with this one at the top of the pile so the presents don't collapse on me like they did last year." Cri earned many snickers as memories of last year came up. Cri ripped into her gifts excitedly. Some of the gifts she received included; a book full of spells for warping opponent's minds from Demitri, the frankenstein, Victor, gave her an electrified sword that can call down lightning bolts. B.B.Hood gave her a Ingram MAC 10 with silver nitrate bullets, Morrigan and Lilith gave her a box of soul crystals from different elemental demons, and the cat creature, Felicia, actually gave her a pet hopping mouse named Tiny.
After lunch, and a few games that would have seemed suicidal back on earth, Cri was making a portal to go back to her own dimension. Cri waved goodbye to all of her friends and Raven acknowledged them with a friendly nod. "Bye guys, I promise to come back soon!" Cri grabbed Raven's cape and her bag of presents and walked through the portal, dragging the goth with her.
As soon as the emerged back in Titans Tower she was knocked over by the huge sound blast that hit her. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRI!!!!!" The entire tower was decorated beautifully in red and black. Blood red streamers hung from the ceiling and the counter was covered in ebony black lace. There was a huge 3 layer cake on the table. It was completely covered in non-glossy, double fudge, jet black frosting. A translucent cherry corn syrup, red as blood, had been dumped carelessly over the top, dripping down the sides before stopping and thickening. This same syrup was put in between each layer and was allowed to ooze out the sides. The actual cake was chocolate with cheesecake swirled in with it. All Cri could do was stare at the cake. To any normal person the cake would have looked great, but to a dhampir, it was a cake fit for the great council, unworthy for any common vampire.
"Ummmm guys?" Cri asked her voice shaking a little. "Could we have cake right now? That has to be the best cake I have ever seen…And who told you I liked cherry? On that note, who told you it was my birthday?" Cyborg smiled. "Y'all underestimate my hearing Cri." Cri mentally slapped herself. Of course Cyborg would have heard her. He has ultrasonic hearing. "Thanks so much. You really didn't have to do anything for me. I usually go to the Dark Realm for my birthday. That's why I went to that other dimension. I took Raven because I thought she would blend in." Cyborg laughed out loud and Starfire floated up to Cri and gave her a bone crushing hug. "Do not worry friend Cri! We would never not celebrate your day of birth! After all, it only comes once a year." Once Starfire let go Cri's ribs had been rebroken and she slumped to the floor gasping for air.
It took Cri roughly 5 minutes to heal with no blood to aid her. When she finally got up the Pizza had arrived. Cri later learned of the intense argument that had resulted over what pizza she would like. It had finally been decided to order 2 large pizzas with toppings on the side.
Cri had eaten her garlic, sausage, and mushroom pizza dinner with amazing speed and impatiently waited for everyone else to finish theirs. "Now can we please have cake?" She begged. Robin laughed out loud. "What?" she growled angrily. "Nothing Cri…I just have never seen you this impatient." There was a moment of silence before Cri chuckled softly. "I guess your right Robin…I'm sorry about that. I get my impatient side from my mother." As she said this Beastboy had started unconsciously rubbing his forearm where it had been broken by Cri's mother during the Halloween party a few weeks ago. "I can agree with that." He mumbled angrily.
After at least 3 large pieces of cake Cri jumped over the couch and sat down, picking up a game station controller. Come on guys, I'll play ya!" Cri quickly started to leaf through the games, silently wishing that someone would separate the multiplayer from the single player. She quickly picked a game, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and pulled it out glancing at the one behind it. She did a double take and picked up the other game. "Dark Stalkers…If only Morrigan and Lilith could see this." She quickly put Dark Stalkers back and tossed S.S.B.M. to Beastboy. "You're goin' down!" Cyborg grinned and sat next to Beastboy. "Not a chance." He said, his smile growing. "Whatever," Cri said, letting her eyes wander around the room. She suddenly jumped up and shouted, "I call shotgun!!! First controller is mine!" Beastboy and Cyborg groaned in disappointment and handed her the first controller. "Thank you." She smiled showing off her fangs and sat down next to them. The players were quickly chosen; Cri picked Sammus, Beastboy picked link, and Cyborg picked DK, and the games began.
After beating Cyborg and Beastboy at least 25 times in a row, Cri stretched and put her controller down. "Sorry guys, I need to go stretch out my muscles before I start getting cramps." Cyborg smiled weakly. "Fine then, chicken out. The 26th times a charm." Cri just rolled her eyes. "If you ever try and act like you were 'just going easy' on me again I will make sure that you're my next meal, understand?" All the color drained out of their faces and they quickly nodded back. "Good now if you will excuse me I'm gonna…" Cri suddenly stiffened and looked to the far wall. Raven looked up from her book, eyes wide. Apparently she felt it too. "No, no not now." Cri whispered under her breath. She cursed softly and sighed. "I'm gonna go to bed now. I'm gonna need my strength in the morning." Cri quickly walked into the elevator, ignoring the stares of the other Titans and Spike who had started to follow her, and rode up to her room.
The next morning when the Titans came down for breakfast, chatty as usual, a very odd site met them. Spike was pacing nervously around the room. Cri's Laptop, the one she told everyone not to touch under penalty of torture, the one that Cri wouldn't let out of her sight half the time, the one that she keeps locked closed with electrified defense systems, was sitting on the coffee table, unfolded, turned on, with folders open. On top of that there was no Cri around making breakfast or to yell at them to get away from her computer.
Raven walked up to the laptop, wary of its ability to electrocute someone to the point of needing life support. A small note was taped to the corner of the screen. Cri's italic like handwriting was easy to recognize. The note read "click 'ok' for an explanation." By this time all the Titans had gathered around the computer. Raven shrugged and moved the mouse, whose pointer looked like the scientific symbol for brimstone, over the small 'OK' button and clicked.
A video of Cri popped up on the screen. The image smiled weakly and began to talk. "Hello Titans. If you're watching this then you should know I am going to be gone for awhile. A small charge of dark energy was used to summon me to Brimstone's base and now I have been given a mission of dire importance. There is a world deep into a human/vampire war that threatens to destroy their very universe and, in turn, pull all the others down with it. I have to stop it at all costs. I do not know how long I will be away where you are because time is sometimes different between dimensions. All I do know is that the war has no end in sight. So I bid you fair thee well Titans. I will return if I'm not killed. And now that I don't need Raven's help to revive me I really don't think I'm going to stay dead." She smiled at the camera again and seemed to reach for the mouse. "Oh I almost forgot to tell you. I left Spike here to help you on your city saving missions and Beastboy, for my computers sake, please don't touch it. This is Agent BloodCri, first class supernatural assassin working for the brimstone society, signing off."
THEEND?
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