Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.
(Begin fic)
Jump City Prison
The prison cafeteria.
Packed with criminals of all types and kinds.
And some bizarre super villains.
"Bad day, daddy?"
"Tell me about it."
"Don't you have any biscuits?"
"Wanna see a trick?"
"Did you hear about the latest director's cut of…"
The guard, attired in futuristic uniform looked at the usual crows of thieves, miscreants, and supervillains, all waiting in line for the prison food.
'And they say cafeteria food is bad,' thought the guard, remembering the time he had actually tried some... it was not a pleasant experience.
He turned around and snuck a glance at the criminals eating. There was Johnny Rancid, annoying motorcycle punk. Here was Adam Smith, better known as Adonis, the skinny boy who built a rather large suit. And here was…
'Who is that guy?'
His hair was short, practically a crew cut.
From a distance, it looked brown.
RIIIINNNNNNGGGGG
The bell rang. Time for work in the fields for minor offenders. Lockup for worse crooks. The guards eyes were on the man, even as he blended in among a swarm of similarly dressed prisoners.
'His uniform is too big.'
Indeed, it was. The sleeves hung over his hands.
From behind his mask, the guard trained his eyes on the prisoner. As he followed the crowd, the prisoner, unnoticed, made a quick turn to the left.
That was enough for the guard. He took the same left following the prisoner.
He followed at a safe distance, the sounds of the convicts leaving fading behind him.
The man was walking along, almost as if he was in an alley, and not in a prison.
The guard decided to give a warning. "Hey, you!"
The prisoner turned around, the stubble on his chin and black eyes visible. He gave a scowl.
The guard looked him over. 'I've seen his face before…black eyes…brown hair…stubble on chin …'
It dawned on him suddenly. Under his mask the guards eyes widened.
"Prisoner 385901?"
The German miner muttered, "I prefer Otto von Furth."
He raised his hand behind him, and thrust it forward.
Except it wasn't a hand, it was a sludgy tentacle.
WHAM! The guard was knocked out.
The arm retracted and reshaped itself into a humanoid form.
The prisoner looked down on the guard blankly.
"Were we caught?"
The odd, mechanical voice came from inside of his shirt. Suddenly, what looked like a black computer chip with red markings popped up.
"The guard noticed me. But he won't remember anything for the next five minutes."
The computer chip's red lines seemed to swivel. A closer inspection would reveal it to be a single eye, with a somewhat concerned expression.
"Overload thinks that's when the guards find us gone."
"Agreed. It's high time we find Cinderblock and get out of here…where is Cinderblock anyway?"
"FREEZE!"
A platoon of guards stood across from them, guns drawn.
Von Furth scowled again.
WHAM! Out of nowhere, a swarm of gray rocks ran right into the backs of many of the guards.
Electricity generated around the computer chip.
ZAP! The blue electricity shocked the guards into unconsciousness.
"Pathetic human life-forms!"A pause as the eye looked up. "Overload means no offense."
"None taken," muttered the prisoner. "I lost my humanity a while ago." He looked down at the pile of rocks.
It suddenly swarmed upward, turning into a humanoid giant with a square head. A cement block stuck out of its chest, another one from a stone 'belt.' A single block was on one knee.
The stones solidified. On top of the jaw with jutting teeth, a pair of red eyes glowed.
Cinderblock gave a grunt of recognition, then proceeded to bash down the wall.
Neither von Furth nor the computer chip was affected by this. They were used to the silence of the stone giant unless he was in battle.
CRASH! The wall broke to pieces.
"RARRRRR!" Cinderblock charged out of the jail, like a bull.
Von Furth ran out behind him, throwing the computer chip. Before it hit the ground, blue-white electricity crackled from it, creating another humanoid mass with four protrusions that were arms and legs. What looked like a computerized bone structure glowed black from within.
Now fully formed, Overload began to shock the already firing guards with his electricity.
Von Furth stopped to look, then kept running.
"STOP!"
He stopped and looked at the guards behind him, their guns out.
"Now calm down…let's get you to your cell, prisoner…"
He cut them off, this time with a smile. "I prefer Otto von Furth...but…"
And he changed.
His form suddenly became a sludgy brown, then he grew.
His face vanished, replaced with what looked like a smattering of green sores. Similar spots broke out on his arms.
He opened his mouth, revealing rows of jagged teeth.
The guards were shocked as the human-turned monster roared in a sludgy voice.
"Plasmus will do just fine!"
Before the guards could fire, their guns were dissolved by the acid the monster spat…as well as a good deal of their suits.
As they ran, Otto Von Furth, better known as Plasmus, gave a toothy smile.
Later…
After storming through the prison defenses, Cinderblock, Overload, and Plasmus were out.
Even as he ran to the rendezvous point, Plasmus thought how everything worked so well.
How could a trio of mindless monsters pull off a successful escape from prison?
When the monsters weren't mindless.
The Titans didn't come. Plasmus knew they would not, as Overload managed to disable the various alarms in the prison before the breakout.
'Of course, the real credit goes to Cinderblock.'
Despite the fact that he never said a word, Cinderblock was the one who suggested and partially planned the escape.
He (Cinderblock considered himself a 'he,' though truly he was gender neutral) was also the first to discover the side effects from the time they spent "together."
Beneficial side effects. He was utterly shocked when he woke up and remained human.
Cinderblock learned some new tricks too. Breaking down into a pile of mobile rocks was certainly not something the statue could always do.
The rendezvous point was in site, at the middle of the forest. It was where Cinderblock literally pointed out the location where Slade would meet them.
Yes, Slade.
Von Furth could have just left. He could control his own powers; he could blend in with society. Few knew about him, and he could easily vanish among the crowds living a new life…
'What life?' How would it be any different from the life he had before the accident, before the experiments, tunneling under the radioactive mines where death almost claimed him? He didn't like that life, and he didn't see a new life as a human being better.
Slade was tyrannical. Slade was insane. But being in the service of a criminal mastermind was much more fulfilling than a lowly mine worker-slash-science project.
The three monsters reformed. Almost as a reflex, Plasmus put on his human appearance.
"When will he get here? Overload does not like to be kept waiting."
Cinderblock was silent, as always.
Von Furth muttered to his electrified companion. "He'll be here. Slade fulfills his promises…often too well." Von Furth did his research.
"Sadly, Slade did not make that promise."
The three monsters looked around, trying to find the source of the sinister voice. It was futile; the source was inside their heads.
Suddenly, out of the shadows stepped out a man in a large red, featureless robe, fingers together. His stretched out eyes were pure black, with small white dots in the center.
The most bizarre thing about this villain was the transparent glass dome replacing the scalp, making his elongated brain clearly visible.
Cinderblock growled at the newcomer, eyes red…redder than normal, at any rate. The man put one hand down and raised the other.
"My apologies, Cinderblock. It was indeed I who sent the message."
Cinderblock seemed taken aback. Overload's eye widened in shock. Von Furth pondered. 'Can he read...?'
"Yes, I can, Otto von Furth, alias Plasmus. Yes I can."
The man smiled.
"What do you need us for, organic?"
His smile grew even broader. "I require your assistance in an endeavor…"
Cinderblock grunted. It didn't take a mind-reader to guess that was a denial.
"Overload does not like being lied to…"
Von Furth thought for a second. Even though the opportunity was there…something about the man struck him as wrong…and it wasn't just the dome on his head. He shifted into his monstrous form, ready to attack. In his sludgy voice: "Sorry, not interested."
The man's expression became coolly neutral. "My apologies, but I cannot take 'no' for an answer." His eyes glowed pure red.
And then suddenly, Plasmus's mind felt squished, as if some force was acting on it. Clutching his head, he squealed in pain. He barely heard the screams of the others as the ground rose up to meet him and his world became black.
T-T-T-T-T-T
The monsters lay down on the ground. Fallen.
Then they began to rise up…but there was a faint reddish glow the in them.
The man's eyes returned to "normal". He smirked again. "I'm glad you see things my way. I really didn't want to take over your minds…then again, it was fairly easy to do."
The three just stared blankly at him, their bodies fully under the control of the psychic villain.
"We attack the Titans at dawn."
Titans Tower
"My little Robin…"
There they were, not a day older or younger than the day they left this world.
He ran up to her and gave her an embrace. "I miss you…both of you…"
The man came over and ruffled his hair. "We do too, son."
The boy looked up at his parent's smiling faces. "This is a dream…none of this is real."
Their faces both took a grave tone. The woman spoke in a worried voice. "We know it's not real…but something's going to happen that is very real…something bad…"
The father continued "It's only just begun son, and it's not going to end for quite some time…but still…"
Then a third voice, a cold human voice, interjected. "Robin, WAKE UP!"
The Boy Wonder awoke to alarm bells and the shaking tower…
T-T-T-T-T-T
"ROBIN!"
She shrieked as the figure flung the costumed boy into the floor.
Charging energy in her palms, she shrieked. "You will not hurt him!"
The figure spoke in a whispery voice. "Too late."
And she saw its face.
Those eyes…
Those eyes…
Suddenly, she heard a voice, a voice that seemed to come from inside her head…
"Koriand'r…"
The voice was female.
"Princess Koriand'r…"
The creature fell away, and all became black.
"To whom am I speaking?"
"Princess Koriand'r…" the voice continued, either not hearing or not heeding the question. "He is coming…he is coming…"
"Who?"
"You must keep your friends as close as you can…you must, lest he turns them against…" The voice trailed off.
"Who do you speak of? What do you speak of? In the name of X'hal, who are you?" She was exasperated at the voice's mystery.
"You have not only the powers of X'hal, but her courage. You must use them both..."
The voice took a breath.
"Now…awaken…"
Starfire woke up abruptly, hearing the roar of a trio of monsters.
T-T-T-T-T-T
"So, where to?"
It was just a typical day for the five atypical teens. Just sitting in the car, driving around.
"The mall of shopping?"
"Dude, the pizza place!"
"How about the amusement park?"
The girl sitting shotgun turned to the driver. "How about we just drive, and enjoy the day?" Her voice was almost monotonic.
"Are you being sarcastic?"
"No."
"Then I think that's what we're doing."
"Duuude! Come on!"
"Hmm…yes, perhaps we should view the scape of the land."
"Landscape, Starfire. Speaking of which, you need to turn down your radio Cyborg."
"My radio? Robin, it's not even…"
BEEEEEEEP BEEEEEEEP BEEEEEEP!
He was jolted out of his dream by the alarm system.
Being part robot, he didn't hear it in his ears, but in his head.
Even as he detached himself, he mused about how he could still dream…
T-T-T-T-T-T
"So how are things, your Highness?"
The masked redhead just glared at him, which said "Don't call me that" more than any words could.
"Heh heh…sorry Geo…"
His face then softened into a small smile. "So, who am I meeting?"
"Geo-Dude, your going to love this. Have you ever heard of Aqualad? I think you're going to get along great with him…ya know, water and earth…" Suddenly the speaker frowned. "I wish she could be here."
"She'd be the life of the party" muttered the masked boy.
There was silence.
Suddenly, a hand was on Beast Boy's back. "BB, WAKE…"
"UP!"
"Gahhh!" He was jolted awake by Cyborg's arm pulling him from the bed.
"Five minutes…"
"The Tower's under attack! C'mon!"
And Cyborg, as always, "escorted" Beast Boy out of the latter's room.
T-T-T-T-T-T
The woman put her arms around her, white cloak flapping as she moved.
"I can hug you…"
"Mother…"
She felt her mother's arms around her back, pushing her into a hug.
And she did not feel fear, or pain. She just felt warmth.
She hugged back, the warmth of the embrace calming her emotions.
And she felt loved.
No-one could ever hug her the way her mother did. No-one ever could…
Just the warmth and care in that embrace, not too tight but not too loose, applying pressure, but not pain.
It's what she always wanted the most…to be held by her mother again.
The only person she ever felt she could truly love…
She was startled awake from the sweetest of dreams.
She did not need to hear or to see to know that there was trouble. Within a few seconds, Raven was in her cloak and out the door.
T-T-T-T-T-T
"GRAHHH!"
By the time the Titans got down to the front door, Cinderblock, Overload, and Plasmus were already trashing the places like the monsters they were.
"Titans, Go!"
Robin took out his staff and swung it at Cinderblock, creating a definite CRACK of metal against stone.
His mind, however, was not utterly focused on the battle. Even as he dodged Cinderblock's punch, he was already wondering who was behind it.
After all, there was always someone behind it, right? And didn't that someone have a name that started with an "S" and ended with an "E" and had "LAD" in between?
Unfortunately, that obsessing—er, pondering left Robin unprepared for Cinderblock's new trick.
He swung his staff…and Cinderblock separated into pieces.
But the staff connected only with air.
Before he could react, the pieces rammed him.
POW!
Starfire and Beast Boy teamed up against the human experiment known as Plasmus.
As the slime monster spat a wave of sizzling acid, Beast Boy turned into a gazelle and leaped out of the way, still running forward. Starfire flew above the blast and fired energy from her eyes.
Plasmus opened up and the beams just passed right through.
Beast Boy, still charging, went directly into a rhinoceros and rammed the sludgy monstrosity.
He was immediately stuck in Plasmus's sticky goo. He attempted to turn into different forms in order to break out, a bird, an elephant. Finally, he turned into a giraffe.
Bad idea. Plasmus went down his long head and consumed his entire body. Beast Boy turned to normal, too late.
Starfire, moving as fast as she could, plunged into Plasmus and came out with a messy Beast Boy.
"Dude…I am such a mess…"
"I am also unclean, Beast Boy." Starfire had some of the purple gunk on her as well.
Cyborg and Raven teamed up on Overload. Really, all they did was use robotic strength and telekinesis to fire as much water as possible on the science experiment gone horribly wrong.
Overload, computer chip showing a face of anger, dodged all the waves and lashed out with twin bursts of electricity.
Dodging the attack, Cyborg muttered to Raven. "Shouldn't he be…I dunno, talking?"
Raven responded. "He was like that the last time I fought him."
They quickly hid behind a counter to avoid another of Overload's electrical pulsates.
"Wasn't he being controlled that time?" Cyborg queried.
Raven closed her eyes… "Yes…but something is different, all the same…I sense a presence…"
Suddenly, pure electricity coalesced around Raven's cloak.
ZAP!
"Aghhhhhh!"
"Raven!" Cyborg grabbed her and shoved her away from the counter as Overload's computer chip came out from it.
"Aren't you the peeping Tom?" Cyborg said sarcastically as he fired his sonic cannon toward a sink.
The blast, perfectly angled courtesy of a half-electronic brain, sent a torrent of water at Overload's "face."
"AUGHHHH!" The water struck and Overload pulled out.
Cyborg then turned around to find Raven standing up, brushing herself off.
"You okay there Raven?"
"I'm fine. But I don't think Overload will be."
Raven lifted off the ground, eyes glowing white. With a gesture and a phrase-
"Azarath, metrion, ZINTHOS!"
-the stream of water coming out of the sink turned pure black and arced over the table.
UNKNOWN
It looked like a computer screen. With images on it.
It was as if there were a bunch of cameras recording the battle from different angles and perspectives, and the screen was receiving the images.
But it wasn't a computer screen. It was a psionic projection, a mental construct.
The man in the red cloak, with the black eyes with only a tiny speck of white, with the brain in the glass dome on the skull, watched the screen in silence; standing, no expression, fingers and hands pressing against one another to form a triangle shape.
He watched all the screens, but he eyed one Titan in particular.
One Titan in particular.
Presently, another figure walked into the room.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"
The man in red was silent and did not move an inch.
The figure chuckled. "So, did Kallas and Talyn prove to be too much for you?"
The man in red didn't turn his eyes from the screens as he responded. "You know why I am here."
The figure smirked. "Yes, yes, of course. All in the service…" he trailed off as he looked at the screens, expression now serious. "So what do you make of them?"
The man in red replied, voice almost flat, "In a word, pathetic. I could brainwash three of them without much effort..."
"And you couldn't do a thing with the other two." The figure chuckled again. "You know, that's the one I ended up going after." He pointed out the Titan with his hand.
The man in red nodded. "I see…"
There was silence for a moment.
The figure broke it. "So, what's the plan, Doctor?"
The man in red face contorted into a glare. He still did not move. "I plan to pay a visit to the Titans…then I suggest we have a meeting."
The figures face turned solemn at the word meeting. "Yes…of course. I will make the preparations…" The figure turned around and left the room.
The man in red was left alone. He stared at the screens of the pssionic projection.
But he stared at one Titan in particular.
One Titan in particular…
Suddenly, the floor under him grew a red circle.
The man sank through it, his eyes glowing.
T-T-T-T-T-T
The monsters were fallen.
Cinderblock? A pile of granite.
Plasmus? Back as Otto von Furth.
Overload? Only a computer chip.
The other Titans stood, panting a bit. The battle was a bit intense…but it was over.
Beast Boy broke the silence. "Guess that's that…"
Robin breathed. "Wrong."
Cyborg looked at Robin. "Think it's Slade?"
Robin muttered to himself. "We know he's still alive."
Beast Boy looked down. Raven interjected. "It makes no sense. A direct assault is not something Slade would do."
Robin turned to her. "Unless he has an ulterior motive."
"Dude," Beast Boy muttered. "How do you know Slade sent them? For all we know, they could have just decided to break out of prison and go get us all by themselves."
Robin chuckled. "Overload, Cinderblock and Plasmus making an escape? By themselves?"
"They have more of a mind than you give them credit for, Robin."
The Titans immediately rounded as the saw the man in red, standing behind them. They were taken aback at his appearance.
"A pleasure to meet you all." The man smiled. "I am called Psimon."
Robin held his staff out in front of him. "You sent them?"
Psimon's grin grew broader. "Indeed, I did. They did however, organize an escape plan all by themselves…they have many new tricks, those three, as I'm sure they showed you. I just had to see what those tricks could do."
The man stepped forward. "But more importantly, I had to see what you could do."
Raven muttered. "Be careful. This guy is a telekinetic."
"Tele-what?"
The man's face went back to a passive state. "It means that I can do…THIS!"
And at that word, his eyes glowed red as objects went flying straight at the Titans.
Cyborg punched through them.
Starfire zapped them to nothing.
Beast Boy turned into a variety of forms to both dodge and break the debris.
Robin dodged them all, rolling and twisting every which way, like an acrobat.
With a gesture, Raven stopped the objects in front of her. She hurled the objects, colored black, at the opponent.
Psimon dodged by levitating into the air.
Cyborg fired his sonic cannon. Psimon raised up a table to block it.
Starfire flew in at him, starbolts firing.
CRACK! The floor itself rose into her flight path. WHUMP!
Starfire fell to the ground, dazed.
There was a swish as Robin fired his birdarangs, in a desperate gesture.
Of course, they paused for a moment, then came right back at him. Robin quickly dodged his own attack.
Beast Boy swooped down as a pterodactyl, aiming straight for the floating figure. Suddenly, he was forced down, into the ground.
"Azarath, metrion, ZINTHOS!" Raven encased the countertop in black as she hurled it at the telekinetic.
He whipped out a hand and the projectile stayed in place.
That did not mean it wasn't going forward. Still encased in black, Raven, arms held out in front of her, attempted to win the mental tug-of-war.
Psimon's eyes glowed more fiercely as the projectile was flung at Raven at a fast speed, knocking her against the floor.
'He's just toying with us…he's not using his full power.'
"Quite right. I am going easy on you."
Psimon smiled again. Raven was shocked.
Starfire growled as she got up. "You are 'moving simple' on us? Are we an experiment?"
Psimon's smile remained. "Like I said before, it is a test of your power. Then again, it makes no difference to you, does it Princess?"
Starfire's jaw opened. Cyborg and a now normal Beast Boy looked up in wonder.
And Robin…
'He can read minds! But then…'
Psimon spoke to everyone telepathically. "You minds are like books to me. Even the empath, even the robot cannot hide away their thoughts. It is almost too easy to read you. Indeed, I know what you are doing before you even do it!"
The Titans suddenly found themselves routed to the floor. Psimon then psychically spoke to each of them individually, in turn, in a private conversation. The rest of the team were oblivious to the others plights…until they got their turn.
"You know, Robin, I could tell everyone who you are, but that would serve no purpose. I am not interested in you…but of course, you will still obsess on me anyway. Like every other villain." Robin's face contorted as Psimon continued. "But then again, you won't blame me for your problems. No, Slade is the one with that dubious honor. To think, that over one mere man, you are willing to shut out…no, hurt your friends." Robin's mouth gritted in rage.
For Starfire. "My dear Princess Koriand'r."The pronunciation was flawless. "I do apologize for bringing up bad memories…but one way or another, you are still a Psion chenebah. And that doesn't even begin to cover your sister. She hates you, child. She—pardon my human expression—hates your guts. Her hatred is not entirely unfounded. After all, you did steal her birthrights." Starfire's eyes glistened with tears.
Then was Beast Boy's turn. "Garfield, Garfield. What am I to say about you? I don't think I need to say anything. You live with your problems each day." Beast Boy took on a feral appearance. "I can see through you mask, Mr. Logan. I can see through you. I see that the only thing that drives you is failure. Failure. How pathetic. You should simply give up. After all, your parents gave up on you, in a sense. Terra gave up on you." Beast Boy's anger, long hidden behind his humor, surged outward. "You…"
Cyborg was next. "Victor Stone, I am going to give you a piece of information you may find surprising. Your father built this tower." Cyborg's eyes—both his eyes—widened. "I do not lie, Victor. Look it up for yourself if you are so driven to know. Better yet, ask Robin. He at least was smart enough to do some detective work. But that's not the point. The point is this: your father controls your life, even now. And you still can't get away…not that you can get away from being a machine." Cyborg's face was still in shock, his mind in turmoil at Psimon's words.
Last and least. "Raven, I could give you a list of your flaws. I could make you mad, just like I'm doing to your 'friends'. But we both know of your need of…how should I put this?Anger management. So you will have to be content in this: I know everything."
At that, Psimon released his control. Four of the Titans lunged.
And, in a matter of seconds, Psimon opened a red portal under him and sank through it. The Titans only hit empty air.
Only Raven stood still, contemplating the telekenetic's words. "We both know of your need of…how should I put this? Anger management."
'He wasn't scared of my powers…he wasn't scared at all…it was something else…he knows something I don't know…'
"He doesn't know everything. He doesn't know about me…"
Ignoring the figure forming in her mind, she went over to her
('friends')
teammates. They looked up at her.
Robin was the quickest to regain his composure. He basically summed up everything that happened. "We have a new enemy…and he probably knows us better than we know ourselves."
Beast Boy sulked.
Cyborg was still in shock. 'No…he couldn't have…Could he?'
Starfire was crying.
And Raven just looked at them all.
Just looking…
And not feeling.
Prison Transport.
Von Furth groaned.
'Oooohhhh…'
He had a headache.
He remembered breaking out of jail…going to the rendezvous point…finding some strange man lacking a skull…the rest was a bit of a blur.
'I think I fought the Titans…'
He tried to turn into his monster form…but he couldn't concentrate.
'Hard to think…'
He then looked around him. There was a fog everywhere, but he still could see his situation.
He was in a containment tank. Kind of like the one he had in prison.
Near him was a rubber box. He guessed Overload's chip was in there.
Cinderblock's pieces were in separate transparent cases. The rocks were trying to break out…and failed in doing so…
'Guess we're being carted to jail…'
Then, things got confusing.
SKREEEEEECH! The transport skidded to a halt.
CRASH! Glass shattered. There were noises.
SWISH!
CRACK!
SWISH!
CRACK!
THUNK!
VROOOOOM!
The car began to move again…
Suddenly, some time later, von Furth heard the doors open.
Black, humanoid figures took him out of the vehicle…and out of the containment pod.
Almost as a reflex, von Furth grew some clothes. Prominent was a brown coat.
Shaking his head to relieve grogginess, he looked around.
He was in the forest.
Around him were…
'I know those things!'
He then looked and saw Cinderblock and Overload reforming among the groups of ninja-like mens.
Then the figure appeared out of the shadows.
In a bizarre gesture, Cinderblock stood erect and gave a salute.
In a rocky voice of stone: "Sir."
"At ease, Cinderblock." The masked form of Slade looked at the three figures.
"This better not be another trick."
"Do not worry, Overload. I come with an offer you can refuse…though I don't think you will…"
Slade then turned. "We meet again Plasmus. Or is it Otto von Furth now?"
Von Furth gulped and replied. "Either will do…look, there was this guy…"
Slade cut him off with a wave of his hand. "I know. I have been on top of these things. Psimon is indeed powerful, but there are ways he can be blocked."
Slade then turned around. "Come, if you wish. We have much to speak about…things are happening, and the way they look now, they will be happening fast."
Cinderblock trudged after him. Von Furth looked at Overload.
There was a brief pause, and they followed. The Slade bots vanished with them.
And so it begins…
(Fade to black)
Postscripts:
Another thing done. I am proud of myself.
Sorry if this is not as good as Blame…my sole purpose was to introduce Psimon as a villain. He's going to cause some trouble for the Titans later on in the story. And yes, he's a character from the comic books. Those who know of his background will probably understand where I am going with this fic. Please don't mention it in a review though. I'll mention it myself soon enough…it's not that big a secret. Oh by the way, Kallas and Talyn is also a comic-book reference: Psimon devastated those planets. And his introductory line to the Titans is pretty much taken from the comic books.
However, I do believe I have accomplished a first: Giving Overload, Cinderblock and Plasmus some actual development. (I have this bizarre obsession with making the monsters talk.) Plasmus's back story and real name is directly from the comic books, again. (His human appearance is based off his form in the show, which is based off writer David Slack, supposedly). Since Cinderblock and Overload were created for the animated series…I had to improvise a bit…although comic book fans might understand the salute.
You'll notice Psimon didn't refer to Robin by his real name. Don't worry, I'll tell you which Robin this is eventually...not that it really matters. I've also got into a bit of the characters backstories…two of which will have an impact of things to come. .
The next chapter will explain that voice in Raven's head…however, it is one of the chapters that may be altered substantially by the events in "Titans East", the Season 03 finale. This fic takes place after that pair of episodes. I expected nothing major to change when Season 03 finishes, but a view from the commercials suggests I'm going to have to retool a few chapters that are in my head.
And again special thanks to my beta-reader BlackShield. You rock!