Chapter Seven

Cyborg-

"How did you do this?" Cyborg asked, pressing his mechanical hands against the smooth glass. He examined the floating replica of his human body with awe.

"Simply cloned the genes in your body to make a new form. As simple as that. Does it suit you?" The gray-man asked, looking somewhat distracted.

Cyborg didn't answer. Thoughts raced through his mind over and over. Was this a chance to become all-human again? To finally be accepted? What could the man want in return?

"My scientists here have been given okay to transpose you into your new likeness. It would be as simple as switching a plant into a new pot." The gray-man said. He still held a distracted face, as though he were not happy with the way things were going.

"You'd just do this? Not ask for anything in return?" Cyborg said, turning from the tank to face the man.

"Well, not exactly. You see, that's the catch. In order to obtain you new body, you must do something." The man said, walking again to the control panel. He pulled a second toggle, which lowered a large tank from the ceiling. A second tank lowered to reveal a small child. The boy looked frighteningly around him and began to cry. "You see; a sacrifice is to be made. If I were to give you this gift, you must allow this human to die."

Raven-

"Allow this child to die?" Raven asked, making sure she had understood the statement.

"Yes. Do nothing, just allow him to die." The gray-man replied.

Robin-

"I can't do that." Robin said, still staring wishfully at his family.

"Robin, think about it. The chance to have a home and the family that was so brutally torn from you. All I want in exchange is for you to let this one small child die."

Beastboy-

"I can't do that." Beastboy said finally. He stared fixedly at the gray-man.

"You will give up this perfect life for the life of another then?" The gray-man said, losing the distracted face and smiling oddly.

All-

"Yes." And as each one of them did so, they again fell backwards and found themselves in the dirt pit.

The four of them pulled themselves off the ground and were silent for several minutes.

"I don't understand any of this!" Robin yelled angrily punching his fist to the ground.

"I don't think were are meant to just yet." Raven said.

"This sent me to a place were everyone was green. Just like me." Beastboy said, staring at his hands.

"He offered me my human body. A chance to be like everyone else." Cyborg said, turning towards a wall and leaning one arm against it.

"I know the man behind this. A graying man, blue eyes?" Raven asked. The others nodded. "He offered me a chance to be able to feel." Then she pulled her hood up and turned away.

"He brought my parents back. I-I saw them." Robin said. There were several seconds of silence before anyone realized that something was wrong.

"Where's Starfire?" Robin demanded, standing up and turning in every which way. They all got up, worried about their lost friend.

All of a sudden, the floor of the cave began to descend. They found themselves in an underground cave, stalagmites and stalactites hanging from the ceiling. There in the center of the cavern was a round rock pedestal and the gray-man standing there patiently.

"Congratulations, you passed." He said as the stage carrying the four Titans hit the ground gently.

"Where's Starfire?" Raven demanded. Each one of them had pulled into their fighting stances and stood facing the man.

"Allow me to explain," The man said. He lifted and hand and levited the rock they were on farther away from him. Now at roughly a 40-foot spacing, the man continued.

"You see, I have put you to a test, which you have almost passed-"

"What was the test for?" Robin demanded.

"I needed to find the right group of heroes. Ones that were brave enough to face their fears and selfless enough to give up their hearts greatest desire. You have passed these tests with flying colors, I commend you." The man said, clapping his hands airily. "I have been searching for over 50 years for a group of marvelous young champions such as yourself. Others have been put to the test but none yet have won so brilliantly as you."

The man allowed the Titans time to absorb this information before continuing. "However, there is one more test before I can reveal to you all that is about to come." He raised one thin hand to the top of the cave that lowered a small being. Then he used his other hand to point to the space between him and the Titans, which opened up a tunnel full of fire. The body being lowered from the ceiling was now clear enough to make out a purple shirt with white pants and flaming red hair…

"You must watch this teammate die." He said letting the hand supporting Starfire fall to his side.