Teen Titans: I Need Her
Chapter Eight: Slade went too far this time and he must pay
Slade walked closer to the suspended hero and began to sneer at him; he gripped Raven's pendant in one hand, and wiped the blood off of his mask. Her blood. Robin was so outraged and anguished that he could do nothing but scream for the loss of his only true love. She was right there in front of him all along and he failed to see her, failed to help her, and now there was nothing more he could do. She was dead and there was no bringing her back this time. No more lies and deceptions, no more ingenious chemicals and plans, Raven was really gone. Forever.
"SLADE!" Robin yelled, struggling to get down from the metal claw imprisoning him. "Let me down from here so I can tear you limb from limb! You have messed with my life for the last time!"
Slade just chuckled and looked at the hanging superhero. "You want down little bird? Fine then, I'll let you down to fight me. It'll give me a chance to try out my new powers."
With that, he closed his eyes briefly and the claw holding Robin up was covered in the all too familiar dark energy and was lifted away, tossed across the room as if it were a stuffed animal. Robin's eyes widened as he saw the ease with which Slade could manipulate Raven's life force as he fell to the ground, landing in a crouch and whipping out his trusty bo-staff.
"It ends here Slade," he growled, shifting into an attack position.
"Yes it does," Slade agreed. "For you anyway."
Robin charged at Slade, ready to crack his skull with his staff; Slade anticipated it though and blocked the attack with an energy shield, throwing Robin back a few feet. Robin regrouped and attacked again, this time aiming for his shoulder, but at the last second he slipped down to trip the evil man. Slade merely laughed as he dodged his leg and levitated a few feet into the air and brought his steel boots down right into Robin's abdomen. He grunted with the pain and swung at Slade again, this time actually hitting him in the side and knocking him off balance.
Slade quickly recovered and levitated some crates behind him and began to throw them at Robin. He dodged them with ease and used his bo to smash the remaining few flying at his face. But Slade was there waiting for him and punched him in the face with a force even he didn't know he had. Robin flew back about ten feet and slid on the floor, his jaw bleeding and his back sore. Slade used the shadows to teleport next to him and was about to jam his boot right into his face.
"Say goodbye Robin," he warned, bringing his foot up. "This is the last time you'll see your precious friends alive."
Slade rammed his boot down but Robin turned over and knocked the villain down, pinning him beneath his foot as he jammed his staff into his stomach. Slade let out a piercing yell as Robin drove the staff through his organs, blood was everywhere and he didn't care. This was the end for his arch-nemesis.
"Say goodbye Slade," Robin said.
Robin removed his staff from him and began to walk away, content that he had destroyed his greatest enemy. As he was walking away to find out where Raven's body had gone he stopped suddenly as he heard a strange sound. He turned around to see Slade laughing as he lay on the ground, covered in his own blood mixed with the dried blood of Robin and Raven. Robin gasped as Slade stood back up and glared at him.
"Did you really think it would be that easy?" he questioned as his body glowed a bright blue. "Especially when I have Raven's powers? I am not the mere mortal you knew before Robin. As long as I have your little Raven's essence, I am invincible."
Within seconds he was healed and Robin couldn't believe his eyes; he was so caught up in disbelief he was slow to react when Slade teleported behind him and slammed him into the ground with the dark magic. His staff slid across the ground away from him into the darkness to join Raven's body as Slade came back with a vengeance and slammed his fist into Robin's back. He cried out with the pain as Slade kicked him again, using Raven's powers to throw whatever he could at him.
Soon Robin was on the floor again, blood all around him, as Slade came even closer, his hands encased in the same power that had ironically saved Robin countless times. Slade grabbed Robin's hair and bent him back to whisper in his ear as he lifted the other hand high up, ready to drive it into his former apprentice.
"It would have been so much easier if you had just stayed with me," he crooned. "You would be on the winning side right now. It's too bad Robin, I should have liked to have you take my place one day. Hmph, oh well, hindsight and all that."
Robin just closed his eyes as Slade wound his arm up, ready to accept his fate, hoping it was swift and painless. He had already lost what meant the most to him and he had nothing left to live for anymore. He gritted his teeth and waited to join his love on the other side.
"ARGH!"
Slade screamed as suddenly a blue beam shot out of the darkness and hit his hand, making him drop Robin back down. The pendant was shot from his hand and it flew across the warehouse along with Slade, with his body landing a few feet from Robin and the pendant skittering across the floor to join Raven and Robin's staff. Robin pulled himself up to see Cyborg coming out of the shadows, his cannon still aimed at Slade. Slowly all the other Titans came up from behind him, determined looks on their faces.
Cy and Star came over to make sure Robin was okay, helping him up and carrying him over to their little group. Now that he had a chance to recuperate, Robin was ready to fight again and looked around to find Slade, only to find another behind Terra.
"You," he growled, moving to go after the out of place member. "I should kill you for what you did to her!"
"I don't think so," Cy said, stepping in front of him and keeping the angry hero at bay. "She is on our side. She helped us escape."
"Besides," Jinx said, stepping into the light and over by Robin. "I'm all for killing Slade just as much as you are."
"But how can we trust you?" he questioned, easing up just a bit. "You've always been on the bad side; you knew all along what he was doing with Raven. Why are you suddenly all good now?"
Jinx looked down and he could have sworn there were tears in her eyes. "Because, even though I'm sure you wouldn't understand, I have never had anyone in my life but me. But then Slade created Raina and I felt like I had a friend, someone who understood me. I know that she wasn't even real, but that doesn't matter. She was real to me and I can only hope the Real Raven, or Raina, or whoever, can forgive me. Slade went too far this time and he must pay."
"It is pleasantness that you have finally decided to change your evil ways New Friend Jinx," Starfire said, coming over to place a hand on her shoulder. "If Friend Raven had still been....alive... then I am almost positive that she would have given the forgiveness to you. You are doing the right thing and we cannot condemn you for that, no matter what your past transgressions may be."
"Thank you," Jinx said, looking up at Cyborg. "I knew we would fight side by side again someday."
Cy merely smiled at her and patted her on the back and looked to Robin. "I think it's time to finish this for good. Whaddya say Rob?"
Robin smiled grimly and looked over to where Slade was attempting to get back up. "I agree with Cy; Slade's going down!"
Robin turned from his friends and using his anger to fuel him, he walked a few feet away from Slade and fixated on him. Slade was still in pain but he hid it well and smirked at Robin.
"It doesn't matter if I have that little witch's power on my side or not," he taunted. "Because I can defeat you with my bare hands. I've done it before and now is no different. Jinx!" He called over Robin's shoulder to look at his crony hidden behind the Titans. "Take out who you can and call the other idiots to help you with whoever is left. These do-gooders need to be taught a lesson."
Jinx stepped forward and looked at Slade. "No Slade. I think it's time you were taught a lesson. I'm not your lackey anymore. I quit."
Slade's eyes narrowed at the pink witch as she charged up her hexes and flung one at him, knocking him back onto the ground. Slade started coughing up blood and glared intensely at the superheroes before him. Jinx merely stood there, defiant in her stature, already knowing Gizmo and Mammoth had fled once they saw her letting the Titans go. Apparently, they weren't as big of morons as she thought they were.
Behind her and Robin all of the other Titans got into a fighting position, all wanting a piece of the incomparable Slade, and, for once, actually making Slade fear for his outcome. When an animal is cornered and facing certain death, they do whatever they can to disable their opponents and sometimes make drastic decisions. Standing up as fast as he could muster, Slade was on his feet and aiming a gun right in Robin's face.
"Back off Titans," he spat out, blood dribbling down from beneath his mask, which was now cracked in half. "If you don't step down then you'll lose both birds today. I can see when it's time to cut my losses. So if you'll just step aside and let me go, I'll spare your lives today and live to fight another."
Everyone but Robin and Jinx slightly shifted their stances and looked to their leader for what to do.
"I don't think so Slade," Robin grunted. "You're not getting out of here alive. Today is the day Slade finally dies. For good."
"Fools!" Slade shouted, cocking the gun and pulling out another one to aim it at Jinx as well. "If you won't listen to me then you shall lose two more lives today."
"It doesn't matter if you kill me," Jinx grinned. "I know I was right in the end. And it sure as hell doesn't matter to me if you kill Robin over there, either. The rest of the Titans will destroy you so quick you won't know what happened."
"They can kill me all they want," he sneered, the panic in his voice rising. "Their precious leader will still be dead. They won't know what to do with themselves, they'll be lost. So just let me be and I'll kill you another day."
"Forget it Slade," Robin said, narrowing his eyes at him. "You're not leaving. You might as well just give up because there is no way you're leaving this warehouse alive."
"Fine then," he smirked. "Have it your way Robin. Enjoy the afterlife."
Without a moment's hesitation he fired the guns at both Robin and Jinx and neither one had enough time to react. For them, everything seemed to be going in slow motion as they practically watched the bullets slowly fly towards them, waiting for them to be embedded in their skin and take their life. Robin's eyes squeezed shut, counting down the seconds until he would join his beloved in the sweet release of death.
For the first time in her life, Jinx said a little prayer that she would come out of this alive in the end; she finally had done something she had always dreamed of and she had so much left to do. She still had to tell him how she felt, she still had so much to live for and she wasn't ready for it to be over.
The Titans watched in horror as the guns were fired and their friends on the brink of life and death as the bullets sped towards them. They knew there was no way they could stop what was about to happen and so they all watched, wide-eyed, as their leader and new teammate waited for their fate. Suddenly a small noise reverberated about the warehouse and everyone looked to see what it was.
"Oh!" Starfire cried as her hands flew to her mouth and she stared at this new occurrence.
Robin opened his eyes at the small cry of Star and saw the strangest sight he had ever seen; merely centimeters from his face the bullet hovered, the glowing black shell of it still intact and just floating in the air. He looked over and saw the same sight by Jinx, her looking just as perplexed as he was. He watched in wonder as the blackness faded from them and the bullets simply dropped onto the ground, clattering over to the side.
Slade looked extremely fearful as the bullets never hit their intended target and rolled away, leaving him completely exposed and his plan foiled. He knew he would surely not win now with this new interference, which he still did not know where it came from.
"Dammit!" he screamed as he threw his guns down and glared at the Titans. "I don't know how you managed to pull that off, but if I can't get out of here alive today, then neither will any of you."
His eyes seemed erratic and crazy as he went into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small grenade that he had apparently been planning to use as a last resort. The Titans wanted to attack him and knock it out, but they knew one wrong move and the entire place would blow. Slade knew he had them there and he suddenly thought his luck was changing, maybe he could make it through this one alive.
"That's right Titans," he laughed, waving the grenade in their face. "If you shoot me, we all die. So now you have no choice but to let me go. So just go away and let me leave this infernal place. I can be content to fight and kill you all some other time. Obviously, it doesn't end here for me this time."
All the Titans stood down as Slade gathered his weapons, pointed it at them, and stood there gloating at them, thinking he was still the superior fighter. The Titans surely thought they had finally gotten rid of this madman, and yet, here he was, getting ready to leave and they would have to defeat him another day.
"Goodbye Titans," he sneered, slightly bowing to mock them. "You really all are foo— "
Everyone watched as a glowing black pole rammed its way through Slade's heart, coming from behind out of the darkness; Robin quickly realized the pole was, in fact, his own staff that he had lost to the dark recesses earlier. Slade's blood was spilled everywhere as he fell down onto the concrete, the grenade fallen from his hand and safely enclosed in a small black orb as it floated slowly down to the ground next to him. They all looked up into the shadows to see their mysterious savior and gasped as they stepped forward.
Robin didn't know whether to laugh or cry; here standing shakily in front of him were those beautiful, exotic eyes he thought he would never see again. Raven, in all her glory, stood before her friends, her new uniform tattered and ripped with blood and dirt everywhere. Her long violet hair was knotty and tangled about her face, but her eyes were still as bright as the day she was born. She simply stood there, swaying slightly, looking weary as the Titans all gaped at her.
"Raven..." Robin said, his voice choking in his throat as he began to get closer. "H-how are you here? I, w-we saw you die.... Are you really here, are you really alive?"
Raven struggled to lift the corners of her mouth into a tiny smile as she let her head bob up and down in a small gesture of 'yes.'
"B-but how?" Robin asked, the tears falling yet again as he smiled at her and he could feel his heart fluttering rapidly.
She didn't say anything but just ever-so-slightly moved her hand and opened up her closed fist. Lying in the middle of her palm and shining ever so brightly was the very pendant Slade had stored her powers inside; it even had little dried spots of blood on it and Robin could see her magic flickering deep inside the magic stone. Raven started to open her mouth to say something but as she felt her strength leaving her she could do nothing as her eyes fluttered and she fell into a sweet oblivion.
Robin ran as fast he could to her side and caught her pale, limp frame before she hit the ground. He lowered her to the ground as he kneeled down beside her and hugged her close to him; he sobbed openly as he cradled her in his strong arms as her labored breathing let him know she was still alive, but just barely.
Robin was never so thankful for the Gods then at this moment and he was content just to sit there all day, scratched and bloody and hurt, as long as he had Raven with him. His Raven. The other Titans worked slowly to move Slade's body and clean up the mess while Jinx went over by Robin to see how Raven was doing.
"She's going to be okay Robin," Jinx said, placing a hand on his back and calming him. "Everything is over now; Slade is gone and Raven will get through this, I promise. But we need to work fast to get her chakra back so she can have her powers inside her once more. Once we finish here, I'll take a few Titans back to the lair and we'll get whatever we can for Raven while you take her back to the Tower and get her hooked up to a monitor or something." She paused for a second and bit her lip and looked worriedly at Raven. "She is going to be okay, isn't she?"
Robin just nodded as he kissed her forehead and held one of her hands in his own. "Yeah Jinx. She's going to be just fine. We're all going to be just fine. We're going to make sure everything turns out for the best, no matter what."
"It already has," she said, standing back up and giving her longtime enemy a warm look. "All she ever wanted, whether she was Raina or Raven, was you.... and she has that now. Whenever she wakes up, she's going to think she's in her own private fairytale........ Just promise me that you'll love her no matter what. Forever."
"Forever's too short," he replied as she walked away.
A/N: Wow, I did it. I updated when I wanted to! Ha ha! Anyhoo, I know this was kinda short and I apologize for the fight scenes; I'm not very good with them. Well, hit that little button down there and let me know what you think. Next chap will be the last, so be prepared!