Beastboy immediately dove fast, heading deep into the water and down into it's murky depths. No sign of Raven could be seen, the Kraken had moved too fast to be noticed. Apparently while he'd wasted time getting back to shore and Aqualad had been napping. He gave a little growl, his form morphing subconsciously into that of a shark before he allowed himself to relax. He needed to stay focused to find Raven before she drowned.
Or worse, the Kraken killed her.
Beastboy dove still deeper, stretching out all of his senses in every direction. He didn't find anything. He couldn't even locate either of them on his dolphin sonar. For lack of a better term, they'd both simply up and vanished.
No, they had to be around here somewhere.
This way, Aqualad said, diving down before Beastboy and halting himself. I had a chat with some crabs due east, the Kraken went that way. Let's move. Aqualad wasted no time in speeding past Beastboy, kicking his powerful legs. Beastboy, however, kept pace... and nearly managed to surpass him as well. Slow down! You're going to wear yourself out before we find Raven! Save some of your strength for fighting! Aqualad called out after him.
If we wait Raven might not be alive! Was the terse response, as Beastboy shifted form into that of a barracuda and shot ahead like a bolt through the water.
Hold it! shouted Aqualad, and reluctantly Beastboy, recognizing the tone of his voice, stopped at let the dark-haired Atlantean catch-up. Truthfully, he was starting to get tired, but he wasn't about to stop now. Not while one of his teammates was in danger.
Now come on let's think about this for a moment, why would the Kraken take Raven? Why not just kill her up above? We both saw it could've done so easily.
Beastboy's barracuda face took on a look of confusion, his eyes open wide as realization set in. You're right, that doesn't make sense.
What could he want her for then?
I dunno.
Aqualad pondered that for a moment, hand curled into a fist resting on his chin. Then a thought came to him. Raven said this thing was like a Ravager. What's a Ravager? Maybe that'll offer a clue.
The Ravager was this muy-mega-big bad duded from this alternate dimension, explained Beastboy, morphing into an octopus and stretching out his tentacles wide to give Aqualad of just what sort of size the Ravager had. He wanted to free... uh... he paused, hesitating on exactly how much he could tell Aqualad about Raven's heritage. Or whether or not he wanted to, for that matter.
... this ultra bad demon dude from another dimension.
What does that have to do with Raven? asked Aqualad.
Raven showed up and helped us stop the Ravager.
Maybe this thing wants revenge.
Then like you said, why not kill her when it had the chance? Not that I'm complaining mind you. But it's almost like it needed her for someth-... oh no. Beastboy shifted and morphed into a dolphin and took off like a shot all in one fluid motion, and Aqualad took a moment to catch up, unprepared for the sudden movement.
Where the hell are you going?! he demanded.
I just figured out what's going on! I remembered what happened last time! Beastboy called out over his shoulder, pouring on more speed. If he was right, Raven was in serious trouble. Trouble with a capital T and a few exclamation points. The Kraken probably wanted Raven because of her connection to her father. And that was ALWAYS bad news.
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Raven groaned darkly as consciousness... reluctantly... returned to her, and forced her eyes open, though she immediately wished she hadn't. The bright light of the cavern assaulted both her lids and forced her to shut them, but it was far too late and her head throbbed like it'd been struck with a sledgehammer... repeatedly. Instinctively she tried to reach up to massage her temples but to her surprise she found she couldn't quite reach. And that snapped her to full consciousness in a mere few seconds.
The lavender-haired sorceress was currently hanging upside down by her ankles in a large, open-aired cave (which explained how she hadn't drowned so far) by some sort of odd kelp-like substance hanging from the ceiling. Kelp-like, but not kelp as far as he could tell. More of the stuff was wrapped around her wrists and a large piece was wrapped around her head, covering her mouth and preventing her from speaking. Her bathing suit had been torn by the barbed spikes on the Kraken's tentacles. Thankfully she was still decent, but a large piece of her midsection had been torn away, making her one-piece into a two-piece. The stench was unbearable, the whole place stank of rotting fish. And one didn't have to look far to tell why. The Kraken rested nearby, at an underwater pool a short distance away. This was an underwater cave then, like where Aqualad and Tramm had helped repaired the T-Sub.
The Kraken had stretched out all four of its tentacles and was using the tips to trace strange runes in the surface of the cave, tearing through the rock as easily as she might draw in the sand with a finger. The runes, when completed, started to glow with a sickly reddish, demonic aura. And then the tentacles would move to start another rune, until the surface of the cave started to become covered in them. Raven didn't recognize many of the runes, but those she did weren't pleasant.
Death. Evil. Rage. Hatred. Power. Transportation. Release.
And most especially, she recognized the rune for her father.
The Kraken paused briefly, all four tentacles stopping as he quirked two eyebrows on half of his face, glancing over and up at his suspended captive. Grinning, the great beast finished a rune and lifted up one of it's great tentacles towards Raven, who recoiled, her eyes narrowing in disgust. The other three tentacles continued to trace the dark runes of power.
"Welcome back to the waking world, little spawn... I was so hoping you'd join me in time for this all to be finished. I shouldn't be more than an hour," stated the Kraken. Any other who might've heard the great squid-like monster speaking in a cultured (if sinister) tone might have been somewhat surprised. Not Raven. The Ravager had been much like this. Powerful, but arrogant. She was starting to think it was a shared trait of all those from her father's dimension.
Herself, of course, being the exception.
The sickly, slimy tentacle of the Kraken caressed Raven's cheek in an almost affectionate gesture, but filled Raven with nothing but revulsion. If only she could harness her powers, she'd be free. And she'd slay this insufferable monster and teach it a thing or two...
... but she couldn't. Her powers were beyond her. The Kraken must've been blocking her mystical energy somehow. The gag was only a precaution.
Raven's power, of course, stemmed from the same source as the Kraken. Her father, the great and nearly all-powerful demon from the home dimension beyond earth. The world that could easily be mistaken with hell, by those few who'd glimpsed it and able to retain both their lives and sanity. Unlike the average demon from her father's dimension, however, Raven's power was growing with age. When she'd been younger, she'd needed the mystical words that the High Priestess had taught her to properly focus her powers without a strong emotional outburst... those tended to be less easily controlled. Now, only a short while later, her powers came to her with little need for magic words. They only serve to enhance her powers.
But it was all academic, of course. Here, it seemed, she had no powers. No communicator to contact the Titans. And she was hung upside down by kelp in a dripping wet bathing suit being held captive by an overgrown squid from her dad's dimension. And worst, she thought as she rolled her eyes, was that if she was trapped like this underwater, the only real hope she had lay in Beastboy and Aqualad.
Wonderful, she thought. Those two will kill one another before they save her. If the Kraken didn't finish them all off first.
Wonderful.
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As it turned out, Beastboy and Aqualad were still searching for Raven, a short distance away...
... and had yet to come to blows...
... but they were darn close.
I did everything I could to stop that thing! said-thought Beastboy angrily, glancing over to his side where Aqualad sped along him. I didn't see you lending a hand!
Probably because you kept charging forward like an idiot! replied Aqualad, his mental voice sounding much like his regular one, and tinged with enough anger to make Beastboy's brain hurt. And I thought you knew this thing?! If you knew it was tough why didn't you hang back and find a weakness first?!
Because Raven was in trouble you idiot!
You're no good to her if you can't take down that thing!
Not like you did any better!
I was unprepared! If we fight that thing underwater I'll win.
You don't know how tough these things are!
Shut up!
You shaddup!
YOU SHUT UP!
The blow came out of nowhere, and Aqualad went spinning through the water for a moment before a quick twist and turn righted himself. He rubbed his bruised cheek where Beastboy's snout had struck him. Dolphins noses were unusually tough. But then again, so was he. A lifetime of living at the very deepest, most crushing depths of the ocean had given him a body that was harder than stone and skin tough as a rhino. Or nearly so. Beastboy would've felt that attack just as badly as he had.
And you still haven't explained what this Kraken wants! said Aqualad, rubbing his bruised cheek lightly as Beastboy glared at him (somehow managing to make even the peaceful looking face of a dolphin look menacing). Aqualad decided to be the bigger fish and let the blow slide, something he'd normally never do. His pride forbade it. But right now Raven was in trouble.
It's complicated, huffed out Beastboy.
So's my family history, replied Aqualad tersely. Without waiting for a reply he dropped down onto the ocean floor, eyes open wide in his search for something. Beastboy, confused, made his way down to watch him.
What're you doing now?
Searching for Raven. She's nearby.
How can you tell? Asked Beastboy, genuinely surprised. He too stretched out with his senses, trying to find some way to locate Raven. A glimpse of her, the sound of her voice, her scent, anything that could lead them to saving her.
Because there's no fish nearby, replied Aqualad, his telepathic "voice" very quiet. Beastboy felt a shiver run down his spine. Both of them did. They hadn't noticed earlier, being too engrossed in arguing and passing around blame. But the temperature of the reef they'd entered was a good few degrees colder than the surrounding waters. Icy cold. And, as Aqualad had pointed out, there was indeed no fish. None would dare approach. And that meant something bigger had scared them away.
The Kraken.
Raven.
She has to be nearby, said Beastboy. Any ideas where?
I'm looking now, replied Aqualad, running a hand along the ground, trying to find some evidence of the Kraken's passing. It shouldn't have been hard, but so far nothing.
Good, just let me at that thing...! Beastboy said with something close to a mental growl.
Would you relax?! Aqualad shouted telepathically, glancing up at him in irritation. Last time we fought that thing you charged in headfirst and look where it got you! You got tossed aside like yesterday's trash!
Well what do you suggest then, oh mighty and powerful Aqualad?!
Stop that! This isn't the time to argue! Your friend is in danger!
Yeah like you care! You just wanna save the day and make yourself look like a hero and impress Ra-... Beastboy shut his mouth quickly, making an audible snap.
Aqualad quirked an eyebrow. Was -that- what was irking him so much? Frowning, he gave his telepathic power a little flex. Normally, it allowed him the ability to only communicate with fish with a mind-to-mind link. It was a light brushing of the minds, really. Nothing deep like a true telepath's power. Frankly he'd been as surprised as Beastboy had been when he'd found that he could communicate with a non-aquatic creature (well, whatever the heck category Beastboy fit in). Now, however, he narrowed his eyes, flexed his mental muscles, and tried to gently take a closer look...
... and his white on black eyes shot open in surprise.
You...!
What?! Hey!! What're you doing going through my head!! shouted Beastboy angrily, realizing that his Atlantean rival had just plucked something right out of his head. That son of a barracuda! Beastboy roared, shifting form into that of a great white (well, green really) shark and opening his wide, tooth-filled jaw. He was going to rip Aqualad to shreds for that! Nobody messed with his mind!
However, before the two boys could come to blows...
... again...
... a dark shadow overtook them both, and it seemed as if the day had turned into night in a matter of seconds. Glancing up, they both saw a great shadow had engulfed the sun, cutting them off from the surface. Some sort of black water had engulfed the dead reef. A malevolent force was at work here. Aqualad, able to see in the depths of the ocean, could still see, but his visual range had dropped considerably. It was like he was in close quarters, and he tensed up instinctively. Behind him, Beastboy shifted form into a lantern-fish, illuminating the area in a sickly green glow as he put his scaly back to Aqualad's. Both of them watched... and waited... for their foe to show themselves.
This would likely be the fight of their lives. And if they didn't work together now...
They might not make it. Any of them.
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Squirming valiantly against her bonds was hopeless, Raven soon discovered. Though resembling kelp they were stronger than steel, and despite all the power at her command normally available, physically she was as weak and helpless as any other fifteen-year-old girl. Perhaps stronger than the average one (being a Titan tended to put you in good shape with all the crime-fighting they did) but still useless in her current state. So she sighed, reluctantly gave up (for now) and tried to focus on her problem from every conceivable angle until she found a weak point in the Kraken's power.
A pity she couldn't meditate, but with the blood rushing to her head it kinda made things hard.
Suddenly, a flicker of light caught her attention, and near the watery entrance to the underwater cave. One of the runes near the Kraken was glowing a bright reddish, tinged with violet. It seemed to be... reacting... to something. Like an alarm system reacting to an intruder.
The Kraken's four tentacles paused in their work as he idly glanced over at the rune in question. Although his expression was not even remotely human, somehow to Raven he seemed... annoyed.
"Intruders. They triggered the dark water trap," he hissed aloud, confirming her thoughts. He glanced up at her. "Well sit tight, little spawn... I'll handle them and be back in a mere moment or two. Don't run off. Keh keh keh," it laughed wickedly as it sank into the water and slipped out of the underground cave, vanishing.
Raven instantly redoubled her efforts to escape. Intruders underwater so soon could only mean one thing. Aqualad and Beastboy. There's no way the T-Sub could've reached them by now. Cursing into her gag, she hoped... no, she prayed... they would be alright. She prayed they would win. Because she could tell now the Kraken's plan. At first she'd misread the runes, thinking he meant to summon another demon from his home-dimension. But now, without the monstrously thick-headed leviathan in her way, she could properly translate them. And a dimensional portal was being opened. Unfortunately, she'd misunderstood the direction.
The Kraken wasn't summoning a demon to Earth.
The Kraken was sending a half-demon to her father's dimension. Known by a variety of names, but one Raven had thought suited it perfectly.
Hell.
"I knew I shouldn't have accepted that bet with Beastboy," she muttered into her gag.
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Anything?
Nothing, you?
Nothing, replied Aqualad quietly, eyes wide as he searched for signs of their foe. So far, little had been found.
But all that changed as, without warning, the Kraken dropped down from above them and swatted them both aside with its great tentacles, knocking Beastboy into a stone outcropping and sending Aqualad flying through the water until he managed to bring his unexpected flight to a halt.
Titans! Go! called out Aqualad, the thoughts translating into telepathic speech before he could even think about what he was saying. Kicking his legs he shot forward and slammed his fist into the Kraken's forehead, right between all four of it's glowing red eyes. The water was dark and visibility was limited but he could still make out the shape of the four-armed squid.
"Insufferable pests," roared the Kraken, swatting it's tentacle at Aqualad, who nimbly dodged out of the way, ducking underneath the Kraken and slamming his fist into the back of it's head. He had been right, it seemed. Here, in the water... his element... he had the advantage. He was nearly as strong as the Kraken and had the advantage of being far smaller and faster in the water. The Kraken couldn't hit him, or so he believed.
His belief soon proved to be incorrect.
The Kraken spread out all four of it's tentacles and shot suddenly into the air, launching itself a short distance from Aqualad. The dark-haired Atlantean, thinking it was retreating, shot through the water and charged it, not giving it a chance to run. However, this proved a vast mistake as the Kraken turn to face Aqualad fully in the face, all four of it's reddish eyes glowing like the crimson suns.
Aqualad's eyes opened wide. Oh no...
Before Aqualad could dodge aside a bright crimson blast shot from the beast's eyes and slammed into him full in the chest, sending him flying through the water to slam against a nearby outcropping with a little less force than a battering ram. Water resistance had slowed the impact but it had still been powerful enough to leave an Aqualad-shaped mark in the stone. He'd been lucky to have survived. He'd need to avoid a similar blast. And speaking of such, the Kraken was powering a second-such blast, his eyes glowing crimson in a rather distinct manner. Aqualad pushed off from the stone and shot through the water and out of the way. And fortunately too, for the stone behind him had damn near been vaporized by the attack, the fragments of stone drifting down to the ocean floor.
Dodge, duck, dodge, duck. Weaving back and forth Aqualad avoided the blast as the Kraken's eyes followed his movements. Now their roles were reversed, it seemed, and the Kraken had the upper hand. Aqualad couldn't get close enough to land a punch.
Beastboy! he called out, dodging another blast. I could use some back-up here!
No reply came.
Beastboy?! Beastboy!!
The next blast shot across the water and damn near singed off his hair, but Aqualad dodged to one side and risked a glance over his shoulder at where Beastboy had last been seen. In the gloomy water he could only barely make out...
... oh no.
Beastboy had reverted to his humanoid form. He'd hit the rock very hard and, unlike Aqualad, he wasn't a very sturdy superhero. He looked badly bruised, and Aqualad didn't see the shallow movement of his chest. He might've drowned. Without gills, he was as vulnerable as any other human to drowning.
No...
Aqualad nearly didn't make it past that next blast. The impact had hit him too hard. He'd been friends with Beastboy, after all. Out of all the Titan's and, indeed, all the surface-dwellers he'd ever known he'd been the one closest to him. Even now that he'd joined the Titan's East it wasn't the same. He hadn't known them as long. He hadn't had a chance to connect with them. Beastboy had been his rival... but he'd also been his friend...
... and now he was gone.
NO!
Aqualad dipped down low, ducking under an overhanging arch of stone as the Kraken gave pursuit. First blasting away at the arch and then pursuing after Aqualad.
Fine, he thought to himself. Great. I'll take this thing out all by myself. For Raven -and- Beastboy!
Dodging aside the next blast that superheated the water and shot over his shoulder, Aqualad turned and kicked his legs, speeding towards the startled Kraken, fist upraised...
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Author's Notes:
Admittedly, I don't fully understand the extent of Raven's powers, and how they're related to the three magic words she speaks (Azerath Metrion Zinthos) but this seems as close an explanation as any. We know she can use her powers without speaking, she's done it before. I also admit I know close to jack about Aqualad or even Aquaman's powers, so I'm taking a few educated guesses concerning their limitations and origins based on what I've seen in the animated series. Hence Aqualad's comment about his family history being 'complicated.' Next time: Can Aqualad battle the Kraken alone? Or is Raven doomed to a very, very ugly family reunion? And what has become of Beastboy?
Seth Turtle: I am glad I could manage to explain it. I try not to make my stories coincide too much, at least not in the same way you do it, but I can't help but reference them like they really happened. And I'd been wanting to do more creatures like the Ravager. Hope you enjoy this story and 'Secret Origins.'
Todd fan: You poor foreigners, unable to see all the beautiful episodes we've seen for JLU and TT. Still, I know how you feel, Canada got a lot of new episodes before we did. Darn Canadians. Ah well, do hope you enjoy the new season.
Yomiori-Wolfdemon: Mass destruction. Pah. I got worse than that. I got Lobo and X23 on my payroll, and the two of them are far more dangerous than any weapons you got. Hehe. I am glad you're enjoying the appearance of the Kraken and yet more references to Raven's still unnamed (though we know darn well who he is) father.
Dragonblond: Human nature. So sue us. I am glad you're enjoying the characterization, however. I'm trying to downplay the silliness from 'Deep Six' with Star and Rae falling hopelessly in love with Aqualad, downplaying it more to just a silly crush. Hope you enjoy and keep reading, you know I'll keep reading your story. Eagerly anticipate your own take on BB and Rae.
x Black tears x: First of all, love the name. Second, fast as I can, promise.
ViciousAssassin: My fanbase must be growing. I feel so loved. Oh don't worry, the Kraken is meant to be plenty evil so I do hope your imagination runs plenty wild. As for predictions, well, let me just say it won't be quite what you expect. Heh. 'course, with me, you already know to expect the unexpected.
Elrohir: That's my thought, and I didn't go too deeply into that but Raven does enjoy nothing better, at least as I see her. She lives for subtle, ironic revenge. As for the rest, well, the ocean ain't big enough for the two of them. Or the Kraken.
Ninjamonkey: Aw come on death is a little extreme, don't you think? Plus Aqualad is cooler than a lot of other Titan-esque heroes we've seen. I rate him up there as the seventh Titan, just behind Terra. He just needs more screentime, really. He should quit East and join the main crew.
Regrem Erutaerc: I work with word, which doesn't always catch such things. I am rather glad you're enjoying the plot though. As for the outcome, well you'll see soon enough.
Dust-in: You're repeating yourself a lot. And this story doesn't have a couple, per se, it's a love-triangle. In that its overly complicated and involves more than just two people. As for the rest, you'll find out soon enough.
Mephisto2022: More fighting to come, believe you me. I am told I am best at action, so that is where I focus my stories generally. The Titans make it easy, since most of the show involves a great deal of combat. And a kid's show, no less. Tsk-tsk.
Staticsponge123: He can talk to Aqualad via telepathy, we know that, but I've also seen plenty of evidence that he can talk in other forms. He did so a lot as an amoeba, which technically doesn't even have a mouth. And yes I have a birthday but it's in September.
Ultimate R-Man: No guarantees, but for my own stories I do tend to use them a lot. They make great powerful, disposable villains, since they're demons and not people, and I can easily insert them into the Titan timeline with little trouble. Maybe another will show up. I am glad you're enjoying my characterization as well.
VeelaChic: He can get jealous rather easily, it seems. I am, in essence, simply expanding upon what happened in 'Deep Six,' but I'm glad you're enjoying it.
DarkKnight92: Well thank you very much for such high praise. I am most unworthy.
Greg867: Crampin' his style? You mean showing him up by being genuinely better? Hehe. Nah I kid. Go Beastboy indeed.