Well people, after many times of delaying this particular part of the story, I have finally picked my brain off the sizzling concrete, stuffed it back into my head, and produced the final battle… In the immortal words of Larry the Titan, "Yaaaaay!" But of course (imagine I said that with a French accent) we have to get through the reader response thingies before the actual reading may occur…
JBTHEMAN: First off, let me say that YOU RULE! I cannot thank you enough for helping me so much with this chapter :BOWS: Seriously, I couldn't have done this without your help, so massive bonus points go to you my friend… Mooyah, level up baby! I don't think I need to say anything else since we have discussed this so much already… But, just for kicks and giggles, BIKINI RAVEN! You people wanna know what that means, ask me or this genius here…
Absolutely Pointless: If you thought the last one was amazing just wait till ya read this one… Trust me, it will blow your freaking mind! Personally, this is my favorite, and you will see why ;)…
Soon to be world renown Gracie: Damn, your still not world renown yet? Wow, I'm surprised… Hehe… And I am sorry I had to stop the last chapter where I did… I was just tapped out… So hopefully, this super long chapter makes up for it… Oh, and I still ain't afraid of your idle threats… Come on, bring you 'A-Game'… I can take it (I hope)…
Dea Lunea: Glad ya like it… I was also glad I didn't have a lot of romance in this, until this chapter ;)… Oh well, I like it, and if that is true, then everyone should… And ya wanna see some ass kicked? Well here ya go, asses get kicked everywhere in this chapter, so enjoy…
ShadowCatOfTheNight: If ya think it was nice so far, then continue to read… It only gets better…
Ok, before we start (I know, I know… I am just too evil for delaying you even more…) I would like to give massive props to a good friend of mine on this site… JBTHEMAN, come on down and accept your award! This author right here is freaking amazing… When I was just completely burned out, I asked for his help on this chapter and he accepted… He wrote a very large portion of this chapter… But not to take away from this massive accomplishment, the ideas were mine… All the horrible things that are in this came out of my head (and even the good ones), so if you are going to hate someone for anything in this, hate me… Don't hate him, cause he had enough trouble with the things I came up with… Aren't I a great guy? Ya, I know…
Ok, now it is finally time to get to the story… I know, Yaaay! And if the size of the scroll bar over there to the right isn't warning enough, this is one HELL of a long chapter… So if you plan to read this in one sitting (which I hope you do) go put some popcorn in the microwave (if ya have any that is) and get a soda out of the fridge... And if ya have a spare seat cushion lying around, go get it and get comfy… Cause you, my faithful readers, are in for a treat... Got the goodies? . . . Good… Move over, I want some too… Mmm... Salty, just the way I like my popcorn... On to the story!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Titans or Spidey… And ya know what, I have run my witty remark bin dry… So ya know what? (Insert witty remark here) THERE YA GO!
Anger can be a deadly thing to any person. The malice towards another, the desire to cause bodily harm to someone. When one feels anger, he or she can have the strongest urge to let it out, and direct it to either one's own self, or another. It is self restraint and patience that is the remedy to the most dangerous of the seven deadly sins.
Anger is a very powerful thing in the hands of a normal person. But in the hands of a sorceress like Raven, it is much worse. Taking into account what had happened, one could not blame her for what she was feeling. Normal, law abiding, innocent citizens were murdered for no reason except for sustenance and fun. Her friends were beaten, battered, bruised and seeming to be barely clinging on to their lives. And the one person she had ever cared for, the one person who she could open up to the most, had been violently taken from her. It truly seemed that her anger was justified, but it never really is.
Yes, Raven's anger was boiling inside, and it was only a matter of time before it would be unleashed. And when that happened, all of it would be directed at the one man who was responsible for all of it. Everything Raven was feeling was a direct result from this man's actions. But, to better describe this person, 'man' would not be the correct word, not anymore. For the most accurate description, one would now use the word monster. Though 'demon' was not far off from the truth either.
And so, Raven stood staring into the bisected face of the hybrid monster Deathstroke. "You are sick you sadistic bastard. You don't even deserve to lowest pits of Hell. You are a monster, a cancer to this world and the next" Raven spat out with malice dripping from every spoken word.
"A monster you say? Well, that's one word to describe what I have become, but to each his own" Deathstroke replied. "I prefer to say, a higher being, a god as it were."
Raven scoffed at this. "A god? Devil is the word I would use. It suits you so much better."
"Ah yes, how is your father doing these days?" Deathstroke asked with a sick delight. Raven scowled at the mere mention of her father and her glare intensified. "I do so look forward to meeting him when I meet my own demise. But I don't plan on letting that happen anytime soon." His serrated mouth grew into a twisted smile as he said this.
"Deathstroke, you will meet your demise sooner than you think, after I have my way with you."
Deathstroke's only reaction to this threat was a slight shrug of indifference. "What ever you say my little black bird. But very good raven. You caught on quick to my little name change, much faster than your pitiful leader Robin. Took him a couple of tries before he got it right. You were always the smart one, weren't you?"
Raven's move was lightning quick, as she rushed forward with her signature black energy radiating from her hand. It seemed to be forming into a point at the end, like a sword, and Raven thrust it towards Deathstroke's chest, or at least, where it was a second before.
Deathstroke had seen the attack coming and side stepped it. He was now standing right behind Raven. "You know my little bird, you might want to try a little harder. You don't want to fail your little boy friend so early now, do you?"
Raven's anger rose at this comment, but she did not flinch from his action. But his words were another story. The words dug deep into her soul, which was exactly what the monster wanted. But instead of showing fear, her eyes gave off that oh so cool pure white glow and the black energy returned to her hands. Only this time, the energy seemed to be forming at her finger tips, extending out creating tendrils of her own. She whipped around in a back-handing motion, but her hand never struck a surface, for that was not Raven's intention. Instead, the obsidian energy tendrils lashed out and slashed against the symbiotic side of Deathstroke's bisected face.
Raven smirked and stared at her handy work. But her smirk soon faded when she saw something that only a very select few have ever seen. And those who saw this sight, never lived long afterwards to tell their tale. Her tendrils had ripped through the symbiote's skin to reveal the host's unexposed face beneath, but only a small portion. She couldn't see much except for the area where Slade's right eye was, or at least where it should have been. Instead of an eye glaring back at her like his left one was doing, there was an empty gap, nothing was there except emptiness.
With his singular eye fixated on Raven, Deathstroke slowly turned his head to face his assailant. "Ah, so it seems the little bird has some talons after all." As he spoke, the symbiotic suit closed in on itself at the gaps on his face, returning it to the horrific visage it once was. "Good. I was hoping for a half way decent fight, and it looks like you will not disappoint… too much anyway."
Raven just stared at his face. "What… what happened?"
"Oh, you mean this?" the symbiotic creature asked as he pointed to where his right eye was supposed to be under the blood red suit. "Marital problems. I guess you should never piss off your wife when she is holding a gun to your face. Hehe, oh well."
"You were married?" Raven asked, completely dumbfounded.
"Yes, I was. But that is in the past. And this is the present."
With that said, Deathstroke whipped around and thrust his gigantic clawed arm forward which plowed right into Raven, while simultaneously grabbing hold of her so she couldn't escape. The arm just kept extending away from Deathstroke's body and was traveling at a near break neck speed. Raven tried to struggle free, but the grasp upon her body and the speed at which she was traveling made it pretty much impossible. The arm kept going forward until it collided right into the far side wall, leaving Raven to take the full force of the blow. She let out a small gasp of pain as the wall around her exploded from the impact.
The claw did not let go however as it writhed and spasmed and soon Deathstroke came rushing forward as if he was being retracted by the arm itself. He stopped suddenly in front of the crater he created and craned his neck forward into the hole to come face to face with the violet haired sorceress. Her eyes were tightly closed shut in pain and her face was turned away from the monster's glare, and the hot breath that was breathing down her neck.
"Oh come now dear Raven. Don't tell me you're already giving up. I was so looking forward to a much better battle between us two superior beings. But alas, I guess you are just another disappointment, just like all the others" he said with a sickening snicker. "Oh well, it seems you will fail your boy friend much sooner than expected. Pity though. It really is a shame. He doesn't know what he's missing."
A huge grin came across Deathstroke's face as he slowly opened his fang and saliva filled mouth to let his serpentine tongue slowly creep out. It flickered forward, inch by agonizing inch, closer and closer to Raven's delicate gray-skinned face. It was dripping with the saliva that all symbiotes were famous for.
Right when the tip of the slimy tongue touched her face, Raven's eyes shot open, which were radiating with pure white energy. Her entire body started to morph and change to black. She became intangible and phased through the back of the crater into the wall.
Deathstroke tumbled forward, but quickly regained his balance. He knew where she had gone and figured she could come back out from one of two places. His prey could either come from the floor behind him, or the wall right in front of him. Unfortunately, he didn't know which one it would be, so he tried his best to be prepared as best he could for either.
And even though he had tried to prepare himself, he was still surprised when it happened. The symbiote apparently didn't have the 'spider-sense' as his ancestor's did, which would have been very useful right about now. Raven shot out from the wall right in front of him and kicked him as hard as she could right to the side of his neck. The blow caused him to lurch to the side as he gripped at the area where the kick connected.
Raven whipped around from the kick to grab hold of Deathstroke's face. "Don't EVER touch me with that vile thing ever again!" Raven raised up her hand, which was emitting her black energy, and placed it right in front of Deathstroke's face. His eyes widened in horror and reached up to try and force away her hands, but to no avail. "Azerath Metrion Zinthos!" The black energy surrounding Raven's hand exploded and sent forward a pure energy blast engulfing Deathstroke's face. He let out a loud shriek of pain as the blast ripped him free of Raven's grasp and sent him hurdling across the room.
He got a taste of his own medicine, to put it simply, because just as he had done to Raven, she had done the same to him. With extreme force and power, Deathstroke was hurled across the room until he came to an abrupt stop when his flailing body slammed into the opposite wall. But there was nothing to keep him going forward into the wall, so instead he fell straight to the floor. The debris from the crumbled area fell and landed on his body, burying it under the rubble.
Raven slowly walked to where Deathstroke's body lay. She knew that he must be in a serious amount of pain, but it wasn't enough. He had not endured through nearly enough pain and suffering to match what she had gone through. All the people he had hurt, whether they were very close to her or complete strangers. What he was going through now was not nearly enough in Raven's eyes, and she intended to change that.
"Come on Deathstroke, get up. I know you're not done yet." Raven stood there in the center of the room staring at the mound of rubble and debris. Strangely enough, it had not stirred and she hadn't gotten any response.
Silence.
'Could I have actually beaten him already? So soon? No, it must be a trick. Trying to lull me into a false sense of security and then striking when I least expect it. Well I'm not falling for it.' "Deathstroke?"
Nothing.
"Slade?"
Raven was starting to second guess herself, but she soon got a response, but it was not the one she had expected. What she heard sent shivers down her spine, for she did not hear groaning or roars of anger and rage. No, she heard none of these, which she would have so much preferred over what she heard. Instead of these, Raven heard laughter.
The laughter caught Raven off guard, which was exactly what the owner had intended it to do. The pile erupted with blood red, razor sharp tendrils shooting out straight for Raven. She put up an energy shield at the last second and the tendrils were hindered, but not stopped. They kept pushing forward, straining the durability of the shield and the concentration of trying to keep the shield intact of the violet haired girl.
"Ah, I do so much love the pain. Even when it is inflicted on me, I always get such a rush. It keeps me going, for a very long time" an all too familiar voice rang out. "My dear Raven, you should never have begun to question yourself." Raven looked up to the speaker and to no surprise, she found Deathstroke walking towards her. His arm was outstretched and was the source of the many tendrils bearing down on Raven's shield. "You should have known you couldn't ever hope to defeat me easily. My mistake, you could and can never defeat me… period" he said with a voice of superiority.
"Hehe, silly me. I guess I should have known better huh?" Raven replied in her usual sarcastic tone. But despite her calm demeanor, she was very nervous. Beads of sweat were trickling down her forehead as she strained to keep up the barrier between her and an onslaught of deadly tendrils. The shield was beginning to crack and Raven knew she could not keep this up much longer.
"Ah, lesson learned my dear little bird. But too little too late I'm afraid. Good-bye Raven."
Raven could feel the strength of the tendrils increase and the cracks in her barrier growing. She knew she could not keep this up anymore and began to slowly back off, giving her more room to move when she would let her shield fade away. But she was stopped dead in her tracks as she felt multiple sharp points poke into her spine as she back pedaled. Raven craned her neck ever so slightly to try and see what was poking her and her eyes widened in horror as she found out what it was. More of the blood red tendrils were jutting out from the ground, just sitting there as if they were waiting for her. Raven was in a pinch to say the least as she was being bared down on opposite ends. If she didn't act soon Raven knew that she would be impaled and skewered, even her healing powers wouldn't be able to save her if she was already dead.
The tendrils that were pressing against her back spasmed and retracted for a split second. Raven knew what was coming and acted upon it, hoping her plan of escape would work. The tendrils in front finally pierced through Raven's shield and were coming right at her. Likewise, the tendrils from behind shot forward simultaneously. Raven retracted what was left of her shield as soon as it was pierced, silently chanted her mantra the fastest she had ever done, and turned into a shadow which molded into the floor and disappeared.
The tendrils that had penetrated the energy shield shot forward and imbedded themselves into the ground. The tendrils sprouting from the ground tore through the air, and a few oncoming brethren, piercing into something else. When Raven returned to the surface in a tangible body, she saw what that something was.
The deadly spikes that were mere seconds ago threatening Raven's very life, had impaled their owner and creator, Deathstroke. They had shot forward and punctured through his eye, mouth, chest, and hand multiple times and had gone all the way through, piercing through the other side. Deathstroke was in a deadlock, a motionless position, as his body was slouched only being supported by the very weapons that skewered him.
Raven stared wide eyed at this sight. She couldn't believe what had happened. She had barely escaped the claws of death, and as a result, the very things that had almost killed her had turned on their master.
'Have… have I won?' The violet haired sorceress looked at the sight before her. 'There's no way anyone could have survived that… Its over.' Raven sighed in relief at what she had just thought. "Its over." Raven then turned to the tendril 'grave yard' where she had seen her friends with the intention of freeing them.
"Really, do you think its over? My dear, it is far from over. It has only just begun."
Raven went rigid with shock and fear at the sound of the voice. 'No, it couldn't be! No one could have survived that!' She slowly turned towards the voice, praying that she had been imagining things. But unfortunately, she wasn't.
Deathstroke was staring back at her, grinning ear to ear with his serrated mouth despite having a tendril driven straight through it. But never mind only his mouth! His entire body was filled with the tendril spears. And yet this man… no, creature kept on living. However the tendrils that were driven into him didn't seem as solid as before. For they were turning into some sort of liquid gel and were molding back into his body, healing the wounds that they themselves had created. Deathstroke was soon back to his normal and gruesome self. He snapped his head to the side, resulting in loud cracks of the neck and spine.
"Ah, much better. Now then, shall we proceed and resume this little escapade of ours?" the symbiotic hybrid asked with a sickening tone.
Raven stared at him in both shock and horror. No matter what she did to him, or what he did to himself for that matter, he would just not stay down. And with little fact buzzing around in her head, another feeling started to brew within the sorceress, and soon won out over the other two feelings that she had felt in her previous state. Anger was consuming her soul once again as she stared at the being that so enraged her. Her frightened stare transformed into a hard and bitter glare at the sight of him. Raven clenched her fists and a small flicker of red could be seen in her amethyst eyes. She may have been in her perfect unified form, but that did not mean that one emotion could begin to dominate the others.
Raven glared at Deathstroke, seemingly into his very core. She raised both of her hands in front of her, side by side. They were already pulsating with extreme energy and it only intensified as they were brought together. "Why wont you die!" Raven yelled out as the energy exploded from her hands in a constant beam of pure obsidian energy.
Deathstroke did not expect or anticipate this kind of power from the young sorceress, especially power that surpassed his own. He formed a massive shield of his own created by the symbiotic flesh he now wore. Right when the beam slammed into the shield, it immediately began to dissolve away. It put up some resistance, but not much. Deathstroke knew he was in trouble at this point. But when he looked over towards Raven something caught his eye. It was something he had never anticipated.
It was very faint, a flicker of a shadow you could say, but it was there. Forming out of a pillar of obsidian flames that originated out of Raven's being and towering over her like a guardian was the image of a raven. But this was not your typical peaceful looking bird. It was that of a demon, which only seemed to suit the darkness that radiated from its owner. Its wings were tattered and ripped and came to sharpened points at the ends. Its long and segmented tail flapped wildly in the non-existent wind and melded with the flames. Its eyes were a crimson red that matched his own suit. Its crimson red eyes that were fixated directly on the symbiote, pierced through his defenses to his very core. For the first time in a very long time, Deathstroke felt fear. Maybe making Raven so angry wasn't the best idea he had ever had. (And to that, we all give a resounding, DUH!)
Deathstroke tore his vision away from the horrific faded demonic raven about the mystic and looked back at the his shield, which was almost gone. He needed more time in order to think of some way to turn the tides of this battle. He summoned more of the symbiote suit to reform most of the shield to buy himself some time, no matter how little it was. Even if it is just precious seconds, every little bit helps after all.
"What's the matter 'Slade', afraid?" Raven asked in a mocking and frightening tone. Deathstroke didn't answer as he continued to think. Raven smirked. "What? Is it too dark even for you? You are only delaying the inevitable." As she walked forward, maintaining the beam with every step, the guardian raven moved with her, ready to strike at anything that threatened its lord and master.
Deathstroke looked around trying to find something, anything, that would change this fight in his favor. Then, an idea hit him and he began to laugh hysterically, raising a brow from an advancing Raven.
"Ah, careful my dear bird" Deathstroke spoke with an all too confident tone. "You wouldn't want to cause any kind of harm to your boyfriend now would you?" One of the giant tentacles on his shoulder shot out into the tendril grave yard that the Titans and Black Cat were being held. In a crimson blur, the tendril retracted to reveal its prize. Deathstroke trusted him right in front of him, so that when the beam broke through his shield, Raven would have a good look at him before his captive would take the full force of the blow.
"Spider-Man!" Everything that Raven had been feeling towards Deathstroke, all the anger, faded and disappeared at the sight of the one she cared most dearly for. The sight of him brought both feelings of relief and fear to Raven. Although she could tell that he was alive, he was in pretty bad shape. His breath was ragged and his costume was torn in many places, with hints of blood staining his suit.
The demonic raven above the sorceress spasmed as all the feelings of hatred and malice disappeared and new feelings flooded in at the mere sight of Spidey. Anger was losing its hold on the girl and the raven above her was showing signs of this. Holes started to appear in the shadow's form, and in a final shriek it shattered into a thousand glass-like pieces, which faded into nothingness before they could even reach the ground. The flames dissipated and returned to the girl from whence they came.
Deathstroke's serrated mouth grew into a crooked grin and he let out a slight sigh of relief, though Raven didn't notice this. She was occupied with other things at the moment. The anger was leaving Raven and the winds of change were blowing in his favor. He smiled to himself and at the success of his trump card. Raven's face softened from a hard and piercing glare to that of a worried expression and Deathstroke knew that round two had only just begun.
"You know, now that I think about this whole situation, this is a little bit of a déjà vu. All three of us all together in the same room. It has been quite some time I must say. Far too long for my liking. Though last time, you were the one who was unconscious and he was the one trying to save you. But I promise, it will not have the same results as last time. Where he succeeded, you shall fail. I will make sure of it" Deathstroke said with a sadistic laugh.
"Shut up!" Raven yelled out. The ground began to slightly rumble and the lose rocks began to shake. "Just shut up!"
"Ah, dear Raven. Could it be that the cold hearted Ice Queen could have warmed her heart and have formed feelings for the bug? The expression on your face is proof enough of that. You've gone soft my little bird" Deathstroke said with a grin. "Ironic though, for in nature it is the bird that eats the bug. The bird does not fall in love with its prey. It just doesn't work like that, just like you two" he said while cupping Spidey's chin.
"Keep your hands off of him!" Raven yelled out as she shot forward at an intense speed. Both of her hands were radiating and overflowing with black energy while her eyes were pouring out white energy. She had every intention of blasting this bastard straight to Hell.
But right when Raven was a few feet away from reaching her target, Deathstroke jerked his tendril holding his captive right in front of him. "Uh uh uh" he said while wagging his finger at the girl.
Raven stopped abruptly in hesitation as Deathstroke only snickered at the worried glare in her amethyst eyes. "Calm yourself Raven."
She reluctantly obliged.
"We don't want to hurt your little boy friend here now do we?"
Raven grimaced as she stood frozen as a statue, helpless to do anything. Deathstroke rubbed his chin and looked up to the air in a mocking motion. "Well actually, now that I think about it," his one eye glared upon her coldly. "Heh, well, how do you like that? I do want to hurt him."
Suddenly a blunt tendril shot out of Deathstroke's chest like a cannon and rammed into Raven's stomach. After a loud agonizing yell her knees instantly buckled from the pain causing her to collapse while clutching at her midsection. She gagged for air as she then pinched her eyes in a weak wince. Finally regaining some wind, she slowly looked up only to see Deathstroke's ugly grin waiting just for her.
"Ah don't you adore it when love is in the spring air?" He mused. "Especially when it involves a spider and a dark girl with purple hair?" He began to give it thought. "But when that girl's a demon that thinks she can truly care?" He gave a sickening tongue slither as he finished. "Then that relationship will only cause nothing but despair."
Symbiotic poetry at its finest…
Raven grimaced in anger, hopeless to do anything without Deathstroke threatening to hurt the boy she cared so much about. She was powerless. This mad man… no… this mad creature, had her right in his clawed hands.
"You like to read poetry Raven tell me… how was that? And be honest. It won't hurt my feelings."
Raven didn't reply and the symbiote bonded Slade quickly grabbed her by the throat. Pressing tightly against her gullet he literally began to choke the life out of her. Raven desperately grabbed at his clawed hand in attempt to pry off his grip but all she managed to do was force him to increase the pressure.
"Raven, Raven, Raven. Did you really think you could actually be the hero and save everyone?" Deathstroke asked rhetorically. Raven only grunted in reply trying to escape his relentless clutch.
"Don't be so delusional young one. It's not like your Titan friends expected you to save them anyway." Deathstroke mocked. "They wouldn't trust you with their own lively hoods! Think about it child. How can they trust someone who is unable to trust in the first place?"
Raven only scowled in response.
"Same goes with your little boy friend here." Deathstroke glared at Spider-Man and then back at her. "Do you truly believe that he can fall in love with someone as cold and dark as you?" His grin enlarged as Raven felt her heart sink into the recesses of depression. The symbiote could literally feel it and of course it was cherishing every minute of it.
"Naïve little girl, you can't fall in love. Demons don't fall in 'love'. Just because he makes you actually feel somewhat human doesn't mean that you 'love' him because you can't my dear!" Deathstroke, with a laugh, decided it was time for some physical pain. He sent another blunt tendril coiling that slammed Raven across the face. The wicked slap sent her sprawling to the floor as he released his throat clasp.
Raven landed face first into the unforgiving ground and she coughed in great ache. The pain really was an after thought though as she was flat out relieved, as she could at least finally draw air into her desperate lungs. She grew a bit cross eyed as she began to pick herself up with her chest heaving from her frantic breaths. Not letting up the slightest bit Deathstroke laughed as he sent a solid kick to her ribcage. Raven yelled at the sharp pain, rolling across the floor again, nullifying any upward progress she had attained. The sorceress turned on her back with her bruised cheeked face looking straight at her assailant, whose shadow towered over her with only sickening intentions.
"Heh heh heh, you know and I know that you are only using him Raven." He preached, "Just like the city he so 'valiantly' defends, you are using him for your own benefit! And once you're through with him? You'll disregard him just like trash." Deathstroke slowly crept over to Raven, stalking and letting his tendril wave Spider-Man around like a prize.
"Face it demon, you only need him because he makes you feel half human. You don't care about him! And the same goes with your so-called friends. You use all of them just as a shield… a shield to protect yourself from becoming what you truly are." His face came up to hers in a suggestive smile. "And I think we both know what that is."
"NO!" Raven tightened her eyes and screamed. "Those are lies!"
Deathstroke scoffed. "Sorry kid, but demons can't 'care'! You know in that dark heart of yours the words I speak are anything but lies. But you want to hear lies?" He smiled as he coiled a battered Spider-Man over to Raven. "Go ahead, tell him! Tell him how much you care for him! Feed him the lies! Let me hear a demon claim she can truly care for another being. Do it!"
Raven stared at the beaten and torn spider-mask that was worn loosely around his limp head. She imagined Peter's face behind it, the face of the handsome boy that she claimed inside her mind to love. She was overwhelmed with emotion as she tried to find the words to express the way she felt about him. Her gray lips parted but no words came out. The sorceress closed her eyes in anger as she suddenly went speechless.
Why couldn't she just tell him what she believed in her heart to be true? But then again was what she felt even 'true' in the first place? Was Deathstroke right? Was she unable to love? She was a demon after all. She was 'evil'. She couldn't… could she?
Raven shook her head in defiance of her thoughts. No! He wasn't right! She was determined to tell him. And she would!
"I…" Raven said weakly and then scowled as she forced herself to an unwanted stop. She focused and angrily tried again. "I…" But alas the words like the last time didn't come. She slowly grew wide eyed as she realized she had never actually told him that she 'loved him'. And for some reason as much as she wanted to, she couldn't. She just couldn't.
Raven let out a pitiful murmur in defeat and Deathstroke laughed.
"That's what I thought." The symbiote mocked as he had just shattered Raven's spirit like a brick sent through a glass window pane. This creature was obviously having the time of his life. To Slade, beating someone physically was like dirty work, more like a chore really. But destroying someone's spirit! Now that was an art form. But of course to symbiotes it was a bit more sadistic than that… both were just plain old fun to them.
Anyone with power could physically break someone down. But to break someone's spirit takes cunning, intelligence, and the blackest of hearts. And this combination of the symbiote's empathic abilities and Slade's genius had all of these elements covered and then some. A mastermind at mind games with the added ability of manipulating tangible emotions was a thing to be feared indeed.
Raven closed her eyes in shame as she began to feel sadness overwhelm her. Just as her anger and hatred began to control her, it seemed her timid self was coming to the forefront. Her eyes were growing watery and she clenched her fist trying to hold them back. Deathstroke slowly pulled Spider-Man away and brought his own one white eye glaring into Raven's view. He was literally breathing on her.
"Why you deny your demonic side I'll never understand. It is your humanity that is holding you back!" Deathstroke screamed. "And it is your humanity that is going to get you killed!"
He hissed as he violently grabbed Raven by the hood of her cloak and whipped her across the room into a nearby terminal. Raven's body slammed into the computer screen sending shattered glass scattering across the floor bringing out another pathetic yell from her. She stood dazed in a weak slump as her entire self was indented into the terminal.
"This is pitiful demon."
Raven slowly opened her eyes to the voice and was greeted with a vicious right cross that snapped her head to the side. A stream of blood spurt from Raven's mouth as she slowly craned her neck back into a weak face to face glare. The blood dripped from her lip and began to stain Raven's pure white leotard in crimson red. Deathstroke smiled at the pathetic sight and grabbed Raven by the head and pulled her close. He stared at her fearful eyes with a stern scowl.
"You know, even if you two were truly in love, did you really think it would work out?" Deathstroke teased as he gave Raven a sharp knee to the midsection. Raven squealed as her face grimaced an awful expression of pain. Her body went limp at the strike. She would have fallen flat on her face but it was Deathstroke's grip that prevented her from collapsing. Irony was apparently shining brightly at the moment.
"Come on Raven, I always took you as a 'straight shooter'. I mean you being so unfeeling and dreary and Spider-Man being so sickeningly upbeat and flamboyant, it just wouldn't work."
Raven slowly opened her tear watery eyes to see Deathstroke playfully pushing Spider-Man's masked face into hers. "Opposites only attract when it comes to magnets dear. Not humans…" He paused, "Or demons for that matter. Heh heh heh."
With that opening to an epiphany he gave his body a torque and heaved Raven across the room again, only this time by her head. Her beaten body was viciously slammed into a nearby pile of already broken clock gears. Raven bounced off of the metal like a rag doll and she fell in a motionless heap, kicking up dust as she landed hard. It was silent as Raven quietly groaned a pitiful murmur into the floor.
Her body was aching, her heart was distraught, and her mind was completely scrambled. With Spider-Man in that monster's grasp this was hopeless. She was slowly coming to the realization that Deathstroke was correct. She couldn't win. She just couldn't. And it truly started to look like that was something Raven was willing to accept.
… But that was far from the case.
Her strong heart and her unwillingness to believe that she only used her friends for her own benefit drove Raven to want to keep getting up. While she now had doubts in her mind about whether or not her demonic side prevented her from feeling for anyone, this wasn't about what 'she' felt. Her friends' lives were on the line and she wasn't going to lie down and give up on them. They needed her, just like she needed them.
She needed them… she truly did.
Raven began to wince in pain as she got on all fours summoning all the physical strength she had left in her body. Her grumbling didn't go unnoticed.
"So the bird still has some fight left in it." Deathstroke shrugged. "Oh well more fun for me." He glared on in semi-amazement as Raven slowly stood and shook wildly in her weak stance. She was breathing heavily being bruised, cut, and bleeding from multiple places yet she glared at him with great malice.
Behind the few loosen locks of purple hair that covered her face, one could tell by the look of her eyes that this girl had plenty of fight in her, even with a beat-up body and broken spirit. Apparently Raven, while only doubting herself just proved unknowingly how truly unselfish she really was. She truly cared for her friends.
"Well Raven, I must say, you have impressed me." Deathstroke muttered. "And as you know I am not that easily impressed." He then extended his clawed hand towards her in a threatening manner. Raven would have been worried sick but her vision was so hazy she couldn't even discern his hand from his head. The symbiote chuckled as he took aim with a point of a finger.
"Let's see you bleed some more shall we?"
Raven gasped at the sadistic allegorical question and braced herself for the worst. But as we all know, especially when it comes to Slade let alone symbiotes… even when expecting the 'worst' it was still never enough. What was he planning?
Suddenly a sharp stinging pain against her shoulder answered all of Raven's questions. She made a clutch at the stinging sensation with a pitiful cry. But just as quickly as she did so another throbbing feeling came from her torso, specifically her left hip area. Raven stumbled backwards as Deathstroke, still not letting up, gave her thigh a bit of pain as well.
It was clear what Deathstroke was doing. Symbiotes have the ability to change their pseudopodia skin into ammunition. They came in the form of sharp dart like objects that could pierce through the toughest of metals. One could only assume how easy it was to cut through human flesh and Raven didn't have to assume, because she was being nicked insistently by these symbiotic darts.
The scene was not for the faint of heart. Deathstroke was merely toying with her, hitting her in non lethal places so he could watch her cry out in agony. He wanted to watch her suffer and squirm. And sadly, squirming and suffering was all she was doing. It was like target practice, shooting fish in a barrel. Yes, it was all but a game to this symbiotic monster, and thankfully for Raven's sake, he seemed to be getting bored.
Deathstroke laughed as he sent one last dart that scratched her across her right cheek. Raven grabbed at her face as the symbiote only laughed at her anguish. He slowly walked over to the sorceress who was now looking as defeated as ever clutching at her wounds with a dazed look on her face.
Raven's once brilliantly white glowing leotard that covered her body was reduced to a shredded and tattered mess. The flawless white that hugged her skin was now a mixture of blood red from the multiple cuts across her body. She plainly looked as if she had been dragged across a rough road for miles and miles. But even then Deathstroke apparently was far from done.
"Still standing Raven?" Deathstroke mocked. He slowly made his way over to her. "Amazing child. Stupid? Yes, but amazing nonetheless."
Raven grimaced as she couldn't take it anymore she was on the verge of collapse but something kept her up, and she wasn't too thrilled about it. Raven weakly took a glance downward and found a symbiotic tendril coiled around her waist like a python. Deathstroke slowly lifted her off the ground with little resistance and let her dangle in the grip.
"I wonder where all the death threats have gone Raven. Hmm?" Deathstroke cackled. "Weren't you supposed to be standing over my cold and lifeless corpse right about now?"
The tendril pulled her closer to where Deathstroke and Raven were once again face to face. Raven cracked open one of her eyes and Deathstroke smiled at her. She suddenly gagged and coughed sending a bit of blood spraying into the symbiote's face.
Raven spoke weakly. "You won't win… you can't… I won't let you…"
Deathstroke only laughed in amusement as he just shrugged that heroic response off like a bad habit. In a plainly sickening action he let his symbiotic tongue lick up the blood around his face and took in the taste with great pleasure. "Tastes sweet," he muttered with a smile. "Just like we thought it would."
Raven turned away in utter disgust as the monster was laughing mockingly at her. "Raven, you never had a chance against me. This symbiotic bond is more powerful that I have ever imagined. Together the symbiote and I are unstoppable! Although," he grinned. "This craving for brains is a bit questionable… but I guess it's just an acquired taste."
Raven ignored the statement and took a glance over the mad man's shoulder still keeping a close eye on Spider-Man. If only she could get him free, if only. He didn't deserve this. And in some parts of Raven's mind, she didn't deserve him. For a noble heroic boy like him who was persecuted by the very people he defended, he deserved someone who could show him how great he was. Peter deserved a girl that could actually show him that affection he needed. Apparently Raven wasn't that girl, and that was a more torturing thought than any pain or throb was at this point.
Deathstroke took notice of the girl's off-glare and his sadistic mind began to roll like a freight train once again. He glanced at his captured prize and glared back at Raven. "Aw, what's the matter? Is your heart broken at the realization that I was correct?"
Raven broke her glare and turned to him with a scowl. Deathstroke smiled. "No need to beat your self over a broken relationship Raven."
Raven enlarged her eyes in worry at the sarcastic statement. The symbiote chuckled as he finished with the coldest of tones.
"I'll do it for you."
Suddenly from the corner of her eye Raven saw Spider-Man being sent right towards her. She gasped as she realized what was happening and braced for impact. The tendril whipped Spider-Man like a wrecking ball and sent his shoulder colliding into Raven's face. The sorceress let out a muffled yell as she was drilled to the floor yet again. Deathstroke didn't even let her catch a breath and quickly pulled her back up and whipped her forward.
Raven was too dazed to even notice as the tendril shoved her back and slammed her against the nearby wall. She only groaned as she didn't have enough energy to give a strong yell. Raven fought to open her eyes, but after seeing what was soaring right at her she really wished she didn't. It was Spider-Man again, but this time he was being used like a battering ram.
Spider-Man's limp body made a crunch noise as it collided with Raven squashing the sorceress. They were chest to chest and face to face as Raven just let her body hang. She let out a dismal puff of air as she dropped her head against Spider-Man's shoulder from pure exhaustion and pain. The relaxing was over too soon as it seemed, for Spider-Man was once again pulled away. Raven fell forward a bit with only the tendril keeping her suspended.
Again Spider-Man was sent soaring towards her and again he collided with her with just as much force as the last. Only this time, it was his back that slammed into Raven's chest crushing the demon into the steel wall behind her for the second time. This was repeated quite a bit more with Deathstroke laughing harder and harder as Raven groaned and grimaced repeatedly from the relentless collisions. The way Deathstroke was laughing, it would seem like this beating was some sort of joke.
Actually to Deathstroke, this all was a joke. And he was about to prove it. "Well, well, well isn't this a peculiar realization my little bird? I guess you could say Raven that this brings a whole knew meaning to the word 'crush' doesn't it?"
Raven would've been pushed to the breaking point by that statement but couldn't hear him. She was plainly out of it. Half conscious and beaten like an animal, Raven gasped lightly as Spider-Man was sent into her one last time crushing the girl like a pancake. The beating finally stopped as Deathstroke retracted Spider-Man away and the tendril that held Raven slowly loosened its grip letting her fall to the ground, motionless.
Raven trembled as she came to realize that her body wasn't replying to her need to continue to stand. She was done, she physically and mentally couldn't take anymore. All she could do was lie there and accept that she had plainly failed. All she wanted to do was to stay still and revel in the pain, trying to find some comfort in her completely dazed state of mind. But even then, Deathstroke wasn't going to let her off that easy.
"Hehe so has the bird finally had her wings clipped?" he teased. Raven only let out a murmur as she slowly backed off with the little strength she had left to let her back rest against the wall. Deathstroke knelt over the downed sorceress with a threatening gaze.
"You had a lot of fight in you. And you were most fun to break down Raven. I feel a bit spoiled really." He brought his clawed hand over to her and picked her chin up to where they were staring eye to eye.
"But play time is over. And since you did fail, and it seems you are finished playing the role of 'hero' I guess I can just give you one last gift before I kill you." Deathstroke unleashed another tendril, this one being razor sharp plainly resembling a knife. The symbiote brought the symbiotic blade across Spider-Man's neck in a threatening motion.
Raven shook her head with a passion at the horrific sight in front of her. "N… n… no… please. Don't." She stuttered breathlessly.
"What? Sorry, I can't hear you Raven. Could you chirp a little louder?" Deathstroke teased with a sickening smile as the blade crept so close it was actually making contact with Spider-Man's skin at this point. "Any last words to your 'boyfriend' before he dies in front of your very eyes?"
Raven growled angrily but had nothing to give. She gave into her anguish and sadness. She began to tear up. "Please… don't."
Deathstroke only titled his head at her plea. "Hmm, so you still want him alive? Come on Raven! What for? You've used him enough haven't you?" Raven didn't reply and he playfully nodded. "Well I'm a fair symbiote Raven. I'll tell ya what. Let's see you beg for his life."
Raven looked at him puzzlingly and he only chuckled. "I always wanted to see the dark 'All Mighty' Ice Queen herself reduced to nothing but a pathetic over emotional beggar."
Raven took the insult with a light grimace but she nodded and complied. Spider-Man wasn't going to die because of her. "Please… I beg of you… leave him alone…"
Deathstroke laughed. "No child, get on your knees." The symbiote grabbed Raven by her torn leotard and roughly forced her into a kneeling position. He then rose to his feet looking down on her with a look of inequity.
"Beg." He ordered. "Convince me that I should let this little feeble bug live."
Raven choked up a bit but did as she was told with tears. "I am begging you… let him go… please… just… please…" She stated with stutters as she knelt before him with her head looking to the floor in shame. Raven had been reduced to this. The once willed strong Titan that showed no emotion, was being forced to show her weakness to the most extreme extent. And this was truly the icing on the cake for Deathstroke.
After a pause the symbiote only laughed at her and she slowly peered up to see the results of her degrading moment.
"Wow, that deserves an Academy Award Raven. You almost got me to believe for a second that you actually cared for this," he shot a glare to the meat puppet in his tendril grasp. "'thing'. Heh consider me entertained."
Raven let out a gasp of relief as he slowly pulled the 'knife' away and retracted into the back of his symbiote suit. Deathstroke chuckled as she grabbed Raven by her leotard and lifted her off the ground so they were once again face to face, inches from contact. Raven felt his warm breath touch her face, through his clenched teeth.
His tongue came flickering out licking Raven's cheek wound. She quickly turned her face and scowled revoltingly.
"I never knew demon blood would taste this good. I just can't get enough." Deathstroke grinned with pleasure but ultimately came to an indifferent stare. "So… do you want him Raven?"
Raven didn't answer and Deathstroke quickly gave her a violent shake. "WELL DO YOU?"
With one eye slightly opened she slowly nodded. Deathstroke smiled. "Well okay then…"
He slowly brought Spider-Man beside her and he laughed. "All you had to do was ask." Raven grimaced as Deathstroke turned her body so that she was now facing Spider-Man. "Aw how precious."
Raven stared at Spider-Man confused at what Deathstroke was doing but the symbiote would soon reveal his exact plans. "Well Raven you wanted him didn't you? Here!" The tendril with Spider-Man coiled back with great speed.
"GO FETCH!"
It happened quickly, way too quickly.
Raven gasped as she saw Spider-Man coil back. The tendril that grasped onto the teen heaved Spider-Man recklessly to the air letting the sharp serrated teeth that plagued the tentacle to rip into the unconscious boy's skin. Raven panted in horror as she could see bits of Spidey's costume tear off from the extreme serration.
A loud crash later and Raven looked in disbelief as the boy she cared for dearly looked to have been completely decimated through a wall. She slowly curled her neck and took a glance at the tendril that had him. Blood could be seen drizzling from the teeth along the tentacle as Deathstroke slowly pulled it into Raven's view.
"As much as I loved how you tasted Raven, I always wondered what spider blood would taste like…" Deathstroke teased.
"You… bastard…" Raven muttered as she began to shake with fury. She let what Deathstroke just did settle into her mind, as well as what the awful things he had been doing to her for the entire fight. She clenched her fist as it was shaking violently. Raven was truly about to lose it and while physically beaten and exhausted, she wasn't going to let this bastard do this. He was going to pay!
Out of shear energy reserves from God knows where Raven's eyes gave a white glow and her fist was engulfed in a black magical essence. The aura quickly turned into the shape of a talon and she drove it forward with all she had left.
Deathstroke only shrugged at the strong yet unfocused attack and grabbed her wrist. In one graceful twist, Raven yelled out as she gave no resistance. He pulled her into a rear wrist lock so now his face was right up against the back of her head. Raven stood helpless as Deathstroke slowly brought his ugly visage to Raven's side and chuckled into her ear.
"Wow, where'd that fury come from?" Deathstroke asked clearly not expecting an answer. He sighed. "Oh give it up bird, you lost. And remember child… no one likes a sore loser." The symbiote laughed. "But now a flattened spider on the other hand…"
Raven scowled at his mocking as her anger was boiling over. But at this point she had no energy to release it. "Heh, now everyone loves the sight of that eh Raven?" Deathstroke only reveled in her weak squirming.
"Take a good look Raven. Truly take a good look!" Deathstroke said pushing her face to the large hole where Spider-Man was hammered into. "See that my dear? See the destruction? Well, that's exactly what's going to happen to each and every one of your so called 'friends.' They don't even deserve to become a part of me."
The symbiote forcibly turned Raven to the large mesh of tendrils that contained her friends. "All of them are going to die Raven. Each of them will receive a slow and agonizing death. Of course I'll be informing them of your failure and your false appreciation of them while the tormenting is taking place. They'll be dieing to know how you 'begged.'" Raven literally began to show signs of crying.
Deathstroke only continued to show signs of indifference. "I know, I know, I know. I just keep on giving don't I?"
Raven slumped her head forward and Deathstroke smiled. "If I remember correctly Raven you told me that 'Devil' would be a better title for me." He chuckled. "Well after much consideration, I must agree! Your father and I share a lot of similarities and please give him my best regards when you see him in Hell."
Deathstroke turned her around forcibly grabbing at her arms in a vice like grip. Raven didn't fight back. She couldn't fight back. Not anymore.
"So thanks for the quote Raven, I will remember it when I kill each and every one of your beloved Titans. But now? It's time for you to die and as that famous literary quote put it ever so eloquently," Deathstroke cracked a symbiote grin. "I guess we'll have to quote the Raven… nevermore…"
Raven glared weakly as Deathstroke's toothed tendril coiled back for a killing strike. A voice rang out that stopped all actions.
"I gotta quote for you…"
Deathstroke turned, but it was too late.
"BOOYAH!"
The symbiote's face was literally caved in as a crimson foot traveling at race car speeds slammed into it. Raven was dropped on her rear end as parts of Slade's metal mask shattered. The attack drove Deathstroke straight through the wall sending concrete and debris piling upon the symbiote, burying him once again.
Raven grimaced as she took a peak at the results of this surprise attack. And there 'he' stood. Hunched over and staring at the hole in the wall he created.
"And thank you Cyborg…"
"Spider-Man…" Raven muttered weakly but with relief. The crimson clad teen turned to her with his torn up costume hanging on by only certain portions. "Raven…" Spider-Man replied with joy in his voice. He took a glance at her white colored costume. "Hey nice look… white looks good on you."
He took a few steps forward but suddenly collapsed on all fours, out of pure exhaustion. Raven crawled as quickly as she could over to him. Reaching out she put a hand on his face bringing it up from its hung position.
"You're… alive…" Raven stated amazement as she looked at his mask with a light smile. Spider-Man shrugged only feeling the numbness in his entire body. "Whoa… I'm alive? Could've fooled me…"
Raven groaned. "Always the joker," she added with a false-tone of annoyance. Of course behind that 'mask' Raven felt a jolt of joy well up inside her. Actually getting the chance to be enveloped in his witty sense of humor again brought her spirits up. She honestly thought she wasn't going to get that chance. Raven continued to smile weakly as she truly couldn't believe it. He was alive.
He really was alive…
Spider-Man stared at Raven behind his two large white eyes, just as relieved as she was. They shared a warm stare down that made them both blush a bit, of course with Spider-Man's crimson glowing cheeks being hidden. Raven reacted to the warmth the only way she knew how.
She scowled.
Of course this was only her oh so cute way of saying 'I am totally uncomfortable'. Spider-Man knew it, and only smiled even larger behind his mask. The two finally and thankfully had a chance to forget their physical pain in this stare down, although only for a moment.
Raven spoke sternly to break the uncomfortable silence. "I hope you have a follow up plan."
"A… what? Hehe… heh… heh…" Spider-Man asked full of stutters. Raven sweat dropped. The question of whether or not this was one of his joking answers was clearly irrelevant, because he was telling the truth. Spider-Man really didn't expect his first surprise attack to even work, let alone immobilize Deathstroke. Besides that attack was all instinct, as his head was aching too much for thought. He pondered but quickly noticed Raven's beaten body.
"Wait… are you… okay?" he asked with concern.
Raven broke a small grin to hide her pain. "Just 'super'… but you," she took note of his large gashes across his chest, probably from Deathstroke's tendril. ", let me heal you."
Spider-Man shook his head. "No, save your energy. You're going to need it all just to beat him."
Raven groaned and Spider-Man paused. "Um, should I be worried about that 'ugh' you just made?"
"I can't beat him…" Raven replied not beating around the bush. Spider-Man sighed but quickly became his supportive self again. "Aw come on Raven, sure you can!"
She simply shook her head. Spider-Man let out of a pathetic puff of air and slowly nodded. "O-K, maybe you can't."
This teen trusted Raven to know her limits. In fact he trusted this girl more than anyone in his entire life. He kind of started to wonder if she knew this. Spider-Man slowly got up and sat beside her with all his aches and bruises taking a backseat. He looked at her wounds and then his. He began to chuckle out of no where making Raven look at him in a questioning manner.
"Well… at least we match eh?" Spider-Man asked weakly. Raven stared at him with a raise of her brow. She glared at his mask almost in amazement. This kid truly was always upbeat. Always! No matter how stark the situation was. Raven really wished she could be more like him. No… actually she wished she could be with him, and learn from him. Could this be love?
"Hold on a second," Spider-Man suddenly titled his head and Raven broke her thoughts. "You can't beat him? Raven you can beat him! I know you can rip a whole city block in half if you wanted to!"
Raven hesitated. "I could… but I would need to lose… control."
An awkward pause followed suit.
"So," Spider-Man tossed his hands in the air. "Cut loose and go kick his butt!"
Raven was still reluctant in answering, not wanting to bring his spirits down with hers. "I can't… I can't release my anger… I won't let 'him' control me… not again…"
Spider-Man began to wonder who exactly 'him' was but had enough sense in him to realize that Raven knew what she was talking about. Her anger was definitely a problem. That incident with Black Cat was enough of an omen. But Spider-Man was a thinker and he definitely had his thinking cap on.
"Wait, I'm not sure how your powers work exactly. But do you need to be angry to 'lose control'?"
Raven glanced at him.
"I mean can't you lose control of your other emotions and use it against him? Like if you were sad… or happy?"
Raven slowly pondered wondering what he was getting at. "Uh, yes… that could work… but I can't just force myself to feel. I've been holding it all in for so long… I don't think I can do it… anger comes easily because… well…"
Spider-Man interrupted with a finger to her lip. "Don't worry about it Raven, let's concentrate on what we 'can' do, because we need a plan before ole' ugly decides to wake up again" he said pointing to the pile of rubble 'ugly' was under.
The two sat in thought but Spider-Man quickly lit up again. "Well let's think here… what makes you really happy?"
Raven scowled. "Hitting Beast Boy."
Spider-Man paused. "Ummm, okay as fun as that sounds he's a little bit busy being knocked out… uh anything else?"
Raven stopped and took a glance at him. "Well the Titans… and you." She blushed, "Make me… happy."
It truly sounded like it took the 'Jaws of Life' itself to pry the answer out of her. Spider-Man grinned behind his mask. "Okay then… well," Spider-Man suddenly lit up with an idea but slowly pulled back in hesitation. Obviously this 'idea' had some strings attached.
'Oh jeeze Parker, I can't believe you're gonna even suggest this…' "Um Raven… when you, uh… kiss me… does that make you… well… you know." Nervous throat clear.
"Happy?"
Spider-Man nodded tensely. "Sure that's a good word."
There was a pause and Raven sighed.
"No."
"Oh…" Spider-Man deflated like an air-balloon. Raven slowly picked his chin up with her finger and gave him a light smile. "I feel ecstatic."
The crimson hero perked up like a child on his birthday. He smiled. "Really?"
She nodded.
"I'm that good huh?" Spider-Man winked.
Raven rolled her eyes. "Don't push it."
"Right…" Spider-Man laughed. He then did something that took Raven a bit by surprise. He slowly grabbed his torn up spider-mask and pulled it off his face. Raven gave him a questioning yet happy glare as she looked into the brown eyes of Peter Parker. He looked too 'cute' she thought. Peter took a deep breath as if he was about to sky dive off the Sears Tower.
'Okay Pete… just like in the movies… it won't be too hard… you've beaten the worst baddies in the world… you can do this…'
He suddenly leaned in and gave her a soft press on her gray lips. Raven's eyes doubled in size as she felt his mouth against hers. Peter backed away a bit and Raven questioned his intent but she didn't move. The two stared at one another inches away from contact and Peter broke a small grin. He slowly came back in and kissed her again only a bit deeper this time and Raven actually replied with her own press.
Peter let all his doubts slip away as his lips brushed against Raven's. The purple haired girl did the same as she cooed into his mouth. A dark aura manifested and started to surround the two, flaring up like a budding flame on a candle. Raven suddenly gasped and pulled away breathing a little heavier. Peter quickly held her close in a hug and spoke softly. "Just let it go Raven… let it go…"
Raven nodded. She slowly complied and gently cupped Peter's head with her hands and they once again kissed. Peter held her tightly as the two moaned deeply into one another. Their mouths were in sync as they rhythmically let their lips touch in an innocent dance of two teenagers in love. Not bad for a high school geek and a gothic introvert. Not bad at all.
The pain was gone. All of it! the physical, the mental, and the spiritual. There was only happiness in Raven at this point. The joy was overflowing in her as the boy she cared for was opening up to her and she was actually doing the same. She loved him. Raven couldn't help herself and she slowly slid a tongue into her kiss and caught Peter totally by surprise. The boy jumped a bit inside as apparently he still was Peter Parker.
The usually shy boy wouldn't falter this time as he replied with his own deepened flash of his tongue. They were now making out, and judging by the scene that was unfolding around them, Raven couldn't be happier. The black energy began to form again and was compressing itself around the two like a rose pedal around its core. The area surrounding them began to be filled with high winds and flashes of dark magic signifying Raven's outlet of release.
Suddenly tendrils from the rubble exploded outward revealing an irate Deathstroke. The symbiote screeched in anger as he quickly pulled himself up to a stand. Apparently this creature couldn't pick a timelier point to emerge. He stared in amazement at the energy flowing across the room.
"What is this…" The hybrid grumbled angrily as he stared at the black aura forming in front of him. The rose pedal that engulfed Raven and Spider-Man began to form wings. In seconds a full-fledged raven was formed with its wings covering the two teens like a mother guardian. It was Raven's soul-self, but this wasn't like the one she had unleashed earlier. While the previous one was demonic, this particular astral projection was elegant.
Its wings were lively and silhouettes of brilliant feathers flowed off it, fading away before they could touch something so dirty as the ground. Its black visage took the look of a noble bird and its eyes gave a beautiful white glow. The bird slowly opened its gigantic wingspan revealing the source of its great power.
"No…" Deathstroke grumbled as he launched a fleet of razor edged tendrils at the two kissing teenagers. The bird screeched and easily slammed the futile attack away with its large black wing.
Deathstroke clenched his clawed fist as he realized he couldn't get to Raven or Spider-Man. "NO! I CAN'T LOSE!"
Suddenly the raven opened its beak and a bright white light began to shine brilliantly. Along with it came a glass shattering screech that quickly brought Deathstroke to his knees. The symbiote was howling in pain as the separating process had begun. Across from him the glow became stronger and stronger to the point where it was blinding Deathstroke. The hybrid began to back away staggering as the soul-self was powering up for one destructive attack.
After a few seconds the light reached its pinnacle and Deathstroke scowled at the very sight of it. In one last screech the bird sent the beam on a straight course for the symbiote and Deathstroke was engulfed in its awesome energy. A warped scream began to fill the room as tendrils were shooting around at random, signaling its pain.
The screech slowly died out just as the angelic beam did the same. The raven closed its beak and looked at the results with its glowing eyes. Slade lay motionless on the floor with his armored body filled with cracks and dents. The symbiote that was attached to him was separated in semi-liquid pieces literally dieing from the extreme power of the attack that scorched it.
It truly looked like the impossible had happened. Raven had defeated Deathstroke. Along with a little help from a certain someone, she actually beat him. The raven gave a victorious scream as it slowly began to dissipate. The black energy faded away and the winds died down.
The fight was over.
Raven slowly opened her eyes and Peter did the same. They looked into each other's eyes and finally began to let what had just happened set into their minds. Their cheeks literally turned beet red. Raven broke the glare in embarrassment and looked at her tattered costume which had reverted back to her usual black and blue. Peter smiled as he motioned for Raven to look with a flick of his head to his left.
"You did it Raven." He cheered. Raven looked at Slade's beaten state and turned back to Peter who still unknowingly had his arms around her waist.
"No," she muttered as she slowly leaned in and gave him one last peck on the lip. "We did it."
Peter grinned as his cheeks turned even redder. Raven's did the same. Peter thanked God he had a mask and quickly put it back on. Raven wasn't as lucky.
"Did you realize what we just uh… did?" Spider-Man chuckled. Raven wrapped her arms around his neck and just stared at him. "Yes, and if you tell anyone… I'll…"
"Kill me," he finished with a laugh. "I know and I won't say a word." Raven smiled and gave him the hardest hug she had ever given anyone in her life. Spider-Man spoke softly in her embrace.
"Let's uh… get the others and head back to the Tower eh?"
She nodded and stared at him in amazement. "How do you always come up with these great ideas?"
"I'm a natural…"
Raven let out a light chuckle in his arms and spoke softly in agreement. "Yes… let's go home…"
With that the two lovebirds basked in the warmth of their new relationship. They began to slowly get up to free their friends and complete this journey. Apparently the Titans and Spider-Man have won yet again, and could place another victory under their belts. Although for Spider-Man and Raven… the largest victory obviously wasn't fought on the battlefield.
Wow… I am just gonna say this right now… I have just proved to myself and everyone reading this that I am a hypocrite… I know I have said that I don't like romance too much, and this fact is true… Romance as the main focus of a story I cannot stand… Now as a sub-plot, that's fine by me… And romance with Raven doesn't seem to work with me either… But I have made an exception to this… I have always been a big fan of Spidey/Raven pairings (like you couldn't guess you crazy monkey people) and it is the ONE pairing I totally support… So, uh… HA! I win… Yaaaay… Ok, this chapter is done… And, I must say that the next chapter will be the last… The conclusion is coming, and there is nothing we can do, to stop it… Ok then, I'm gonna go and gawk at a certain picture I drew for about a couple of days (JB, you know which one it is ;) Hehe…) Laterz…