9
Chapter 4
"Why?" Raven suddenly floats out of the shadows.
"Aaaaah! Forgot you could do that." I say.
"Sorry." Raven says.
"No sweat. You mean you can't see that?" I ask.
She looks to where I had pointed. "No. I don't. What do you see?" Raven asks.
"Dunno. Light. Dim light, but its there. Hey Cyborg, over here!" I say and point.
"K, just a sec." He turns and begins to make his scan. "Whoa! Yeah! I'm picking up a whole lotta temporal… well… everything. Temporal wavelengths, temporal shockwaves, ambient temporal energy, I'm even picking up a temporal sphere in between those two semis. But there's something off about these reading. There's something else to 'em"
"Later let's just get Slade!" Robin says.
"How did you see all when we could not?" Starfire asks me.
"Don't know, let's just get you all home." I say as I start to fly over to where I see the light coming from.
"Wait! It's not like Slade to do this". Raven says.
"Raven's right. Even with his new power level. It looks as quiet as a tomb in here but we still need to be extremely careful." Robin says.
"Huh? New power level? If Slade's got powers why'd he need a motorcycle?" I ask. Slade with powers, this kinda tells me where in the overall Teen Titan story these guys are coming from.
"We'll figure that out later. For now everyone be careful." Robin replies.
"Goes without sayin Robin." Cyborg says as we all make our way to the semis. Which we do in no time.
"Huh, no traps." Says BB.
"Not yet at least." Robin says.
"Cyborg, you recording all this temporal stuff?" I ask.
"Every bit of it. But where's Slade's doohickey?" Cyborg asks.
I can't help but stare at what I see between the semis.
"What do you mean its right here!" I bellow in amazement. "You mean you can't see that!" I've landed now and I'm standing in front of the two semis looking in between them. Looks like something big landed in between them and the force of impact nearly tore the trailers in two.
"Calm down Andrew. I don't know why we can't see it. But we'll figure something out." Robin says.
Another wave of dizziness hits me. When it passes I look up, and I see it. The device, or whatever it is, looks like nothing I've ever seen. There are five hook-like structures coming out of the ground. Four of these structures are arranged in a narrow rectangle. The four hooks that make up the rectangle each have a large crystal attached right bellow they're points. These crystals seem to be generating a sphere of energy that lies within the rectangle. The fifth hook is much shorter then the rest and has no point. It has three crystals stuck in it which form a triangle, the top of the triangle is pointing towards the energy sphere. The whole thing looks like it is made out of a thick, grey web and was grown straight out of the ground it sits on.
"Soooo, I'm the only one that can see this thing. Wonderful!" I say.
"Andrew, don't touch anything!" Robin yells.
"Why? You think it might be booby trapped? Slade probably wasn't counting on someone that could see this weird little science project of his. This may mean, whether it was his original plan or not, all of you were just duped. Big time." I tell them all.
"Say what?" Cyborg says.
"Eeeep!" Starfire squeals.
"No!" Ravin says.
"Man, this guy is so getting a beating when I get to 'im" BB says.
"Slaaaade!" Robin growls.
"This talking together at the same time is getting on my nerves." I say under my breath. "Anyway! I'm gonna try somethin!"
"Andrew, NO!" Robin yells.
I ignore him. I know more about what's going on then he does anyway, I mean, kinda. I float toward the smaller of the hooks to take a closer look at the crystals. I get this weird feeling as soon as I get within six feet of this thing.
"Andrew! We can't see you. Andrew, don't touch anything!" Robin yells.
Yeah, all my comics, all my TV watching, it all really prepared me for this! How hard can it be? Pick one or the other. And what happens on those cop shows when they pick the wrong one? If I pick the one that isn't the cloaking crystal who knows what could happen? Do I all ways whine this much out loud? I yank a crystal. The weird feeling goes away.
I look behind me "Can you see me now?" I ask with a grin.
"Andrew, what did you do?" Robin asks.
"Pft, I dunno! Grabbed the one that pulsed the most." I say.
"Uh, guys you might want to look at this." Raven says.
They all look. Ya know, you think super heroes wouldn't ever look quite this surprised over just a portal generator, even teenage super heroes. Kind of amusing really, if in the back of my mind I wasn't thinking this is all some kind of massive delusion.
"Um… so… I guess you guys'll be going home now." I say to no one in particular.
"YAY! We are victorious! Now we may be returning home! Oh, thank you! Thank you, cat copier Andrew!" Starfire squeals as gives me a hug no bear could mach on its best day.
"Will you come with us and be my new friend?" Starfire continues after she releases me.
"Um… I don't…-" I start.
"Oh you must, you must!" she squeals.
"Robin, we could use the help with taking car of the H.I.V.E. now that they've resurfaced." Raven says.
"What those losers-" BB starts. But he quickly shuts up when Raven glares at him and growls. I don't think I was meant to see that.
"Uh… yeah, we could use a hand." I think Robin saw Raven's glare as well. "And you seam to know this inter-dimensional stuff pretty well."
"Problem, this is my home. I can't just leave; I have family here, responsibilities. I… I… I… need to think." I say.
"We don't have time for you to think, we need all the help we can get to finally bring down Slade for good." Robin says sternly pounding his fist into his palm.
"Besides, there's another portal on the other side. You just step through, help us, and come right back. So simple even a brain dead monkey could do it." Cyborg says.
"Come on what's the worst that could happen? And once we get to Titans Tower I'll show you some way cool moves now that you have MY powers." BB says.
"Ok, ok, man, you guys oughta be salesmen or somethin. Yeah, I'll help ya out." I say.
I get super powers, meet super heroes, get in a super fight with super villains, and get invited to a dimension filled with super… stuff. Why am I arguing with myself over this? Why? Oh, yeah! It's the fact that anytime something like this happens in the comics something, something, always happens to come along to screw it up. And now good ole Beast Boy has gone and jinxed it by sayin 'what's the worst that could happen'. But… when is something like this ever going happen again? I'll just pop over, help 'em, and pop back. Yeah we'll see.
"We got the H.I.V.E.?" I ask.
"Yup still snozzin like the losers they are!" BB says.
"Ok, let's go." Robin says.
We all start walking up to the portal generator. Cyborg goes in first, next is Beast Boy, and third is Starfire.
"I shall see you shortly my new friend and then we shall begin initiation and then you and I shall have more fun than a jar full of gorillas!" she says before flying through the portal.
"WOW! Just a tad enthusiastic! More then I expected. And just think, I was holding her captive not to long ago." I say.
"Yeah, that's Starfire for you. Are you sure about this Andrew?" Robin asks.
"No, but if I don't I'll regret not going and at least trying. I mean, I just got super powers, now I have a chance to another dimension! Big fat hairy woohoo! I really have wanted this for a long time!" I tell him.
Is that concern on Raven's face?
"Riiiiight, I understand. See you on the other side." Robin grins. He turns, walks up to the portal and turns back. "Come on you two we still have work to do."
"We'll be right there Robin." Raven says. Robin nods and walks through.
Raven turns to me. "Why are you really coming and why did you hesitate in answering Robin's question?"
"I… I can't tell you right now. I know this doesn't look good to you but… I… I just can't. More like… I shouldn't, ya know? Especially now that I'm coming with, even if it's for a short while." Why am I so nervous around her? I haven't been like this since I was in grade school.
I had other reasons for wanting to go of course. But I keep thinking about two things: one, not wanting to go because I knew something bad would happen if I did, and two, wanting to go because I knew something bad would happen if I didn't. Choosing between the two was not easy and I didn't have time. Whining again!
"If you endanger my friends-" she starts
Sigh "Yeah, I know, believe me, I know. Let's just do this OK! I promise you I'll think about it." I say. That seams to satisfy her for the moment, though from the glare she gives me she looks like she'll be keeping an extremely close eye on me for a while. We turn, walk up to the portal and step through.
Have you ever seen the movie where archeologists dig up this huge stone circle that actually allows them to travel across the universe? Yeah, me neither,the previews looked cool though but that's what I thought this would be. Instead of that it was like I was walking across a long tube-like bridge. The bridge was surrounded by different colored lights. Kinda looked like one of those things where you put multi-colored sand into a little jar and make some sort of design.
"Whoa! Now this just keeps getting cooler and cooler! I'll bet you see stuff like this a lot, right Raven. Raven?" I turn look to my left where Raven should be.
"Wait, what the-" Hold on a sec. Are those other bridges? The lights I see around me, some of them look like they could be bridges like the one I'm on. But they appear quite far away.
"Way weird! This'd be the best comic book if I weren't living it!" I look around. I see Raven a little ways behind me, she looks like someone hit the pause button on the remote. She's also floating around as if swimming. Interesting, weird but very interesting. This all implies some very intriguing things about my new power discovery. I look ahead, there's a bright light on the other end.
"Light at the end of the tunnel, BIIIIIG, surprise!
I floated (heh, I float) back to raven and touch her shoulder. Dim black light quickly flows over her entire body and outfit. She isn't paused anymore.
"Wha-? What happened?" She says dazed.
"Um… I'm beginning to think that I have more then just the copied power of lots a people." I reply.
"This… this… needs looking into." Raven says. I can already see the cogs in her head working something out.
"Well, in either case, let's go." I say. Raven nods.
We both fly as quickly as possible towards the light. The light gets more intense warmer as we get closer, especially my right forearm. We keep moving, but what else can we do?
"Uh, as if I didn't have enough problems seeing!" I mutter to no one.
We fly through the light just as its intensity gets almost too much to bear and then it all goes dark, matter of fact it goes pitch black. As soon as everything goes pitch black my foot hits something hard and sharp. I pitch forward, tumbling end over end slamming into and cutting myself on the rocks at the entrance of the portal. I can hear Raven as I'm falling, she must have had the same luck I did.
"Oooh! Uuuuhn!" I stumble trying to get up. "Think I mighta broke my arm." I mutter.
"Guys coulda told me to watch my step!" I bellow, my mind clearing.
"Shhhh, be quiet! He's out there somewhere. And what took you so long?" Robin says walking over to me. It looks like his guard is up, way up, more then I've ever seen!
Now that my head and vision are clearing up I look at my new surroundings.
"Whoa!" I say under my breath.
I'm in a cave, but that word pails in comparison to what I'm in. This cave is enormous, if someone wanted to they could fit a football stadium in here. And this isn't all; I see dozens of tunnel entrances in all directions. To make matters worse the whole 'cave' appears too made of razor sharp edges, I see no smooth rocks. This can't be natural, not even magmatic activity could make something this… nightmarish! I also see a dim greenish light coming from my right, must be Starfire.
"Who are we so on guard for?" I ask as I go over to where Raven landed just a few feet away.
Raven is as cut up as I am. This must have been done while we were in the tunnel, seeing as Robin isn't as cut up as we are.
"Who do you think?" Robin says irritably.
"Just checking." I say. The other Titans have shown up now.
WHOOOSSH. THUMP. We all whirl around to the Portal Generator.
"Ah, Titans. Now I see how you scampered out of my little trap! Tsk. Tsk." It's Slade and he's on the generator shaking his finger at us. "Didn't anyone ever teach you not to poke your nose into other peoples business? Manners, young man, manners!" He says looking at me. "Sigh. No matter I shall be your teacher for the time being."
Slade is standing on the Portal Generator, one foot on two of its hooks. Slade crouches down on his haunches and grabs one of the crystals that power the portal and yanks it out. The portal flickers and shuts down. Slade stands back up and examines the crystals.
"First lesson and this will cost you nothing, well, almost nothing. Don't anger teacher!" Slade closes his fist around the crystal, it crumbles like it were nothing.
We all just stand there in shock. I knew something like this'd happen!
