Well, this may not be the best chapter out of the story… I'm trying to write it in about an hour, and I don't really have much planned for it. Second, I'm listening to Blue Collar Comedy, so it may not turn out exactly as I want.
Anyways, this song is (once again) a Jimmy Buffett song. And since I haven't said it in a while, I'll say it now.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the songs or characters (except Nate, Kyle, and the general) in this book, regardless of the chapter. Some of the plot twists come from Sosmo, and while he hasn't shown any intention of using them, I'd like to mention him here.
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Raven and the rest of the army had arrived early on December 23. She looked at Beast Boy calmly, and he felt a sudden anger boil up inside him. He didn't know why, but he was suddenly mad at everyone. He stormed into his cubicle-room, trying appear natural.
She knew he wasn't acting normally, but she had more important things on her mind. She spoke to Kyle, his 2nd in command, and they began to formulate a strategy to attack Slade's palace.
Several hours later, they had formulated a strategy. The general was to take a majority of the army inside, and assault the robots directly. Raven, Beast Boy, Kyle, and the commandos would sneak inside through the diversion. Once they were in, the commandos would look for any prisoners (and open the doors for the army), while Raven and Beast Boy went to find Terra and Slade. They were trying to do it stealthily if they could, but they weren't sure if it would be possible.
During this whole time, Beast Boy hadn't left his room. Finally Raven sent Kyle to tell them the plan. After 10 minutes he came back.
"He's not listening," Kyle said, "He's in a pissy mood for some reason. I don't know why."
Raven growled and stormed into his room, shouting, "What is wrong with you now?"
Beast Boy glared at her, then dropped a book into his bag. She recognized it as Starfire's photo book. She didn't bother to ask him why he had it.
"Well?" she demanded. After a moment he lowered his gaze.
"I'm sorry, Raven," he murmured, calming down, "For a while there, it was almost like last year. I felt mad, and I didn't know why."
Raven nodded, hearing the opening music of a song starting somewhere nearby, "The chemicals Slade used to modify your brain haven't completely been eliminated yet. I'm suriprised this is the first time its happened."
Beast Boy looked at her, hesitated, and then asked her what she had wanted, "Raven, could you ever forgive me? I mean… enough to love me?"
He asked her in a way that made her realize it was very important to him. She didn't know at the moment, though. They were about to go into battle with Terra and Slade. The memory of the last confrontation with Terra flashed through her mind.
Don't break my heart again.
Let it end.
You don't love me…
He had still loved Terra then, as much as he said he didn't. And she knew the he still loved her now. It had hurt her, because she thought, for a short time, that she did love him. Then Terra had come back, and all hell had broken lose. He had broken her heart, and she wouldn't let it happen again.
Don't make me start again,
This achin' in my heart.
Beast Boy looked at her, waiting for an answer. He could tell she was having some difficulty choosing what to say. Finally she spoke, saying, "I dunno, Beast Boy… I honestly don't know."
Don't make me hope again,
Knowin' when you've grown tired of me
That you'll just disappear
And leave me waiting here;
Playin' the loser again.
She could sense that he did love her, but he had loved her before. And she didn't want to hope. He had abandoned her when Terra came along. She had waited for hm, and he had returned to her for a brief time after Terra's "death". But then he had drifted away again.
Beast Boy shook his head. He had thought for a moment that she was going to say yes. He looked at her, knowing that they wouldn't survive the coming battle, and she would have to chose before the end.
Don't give me hope, then take it away.
Cause' I'll show my weakness and beg you to stay.
Don't give me something to build all around,
Then just for a thrill, you tear it all down.
"Raven," he muttered, "You have to chose now. There won't be a chance later. I have to know."
She looked at him. Her emotions began to build, and the pain they were both feeling spread to the other.
Don't make me dream again.
It's a sin to make love to me,
And then just disappear,
And leave me waiting here,
Playing the loser again.
"You're just going to forget before the end, BB," she said, trying to speak calmly and logically. She could almost feel the spirits of her friends watching and listening.
"No I won't!" Beast Boy shouted, his face flushing in anger.
"Beast Boy, you'll see Terra, and you'll forget all about me," she said, "And even if you don't, I'll have to kill you for what you did to the others. I can't do that if I love you."
He glared at her.
Don't give me hope, then take it away.
Cause' I'll show my weakness and beg you to stay.
Don't give me something to build all around,
Then just for a thrill, you tear it all down.
They sat facing each other. Objects became encased in blackness and began flying around the room. A light overhead exploded, raining thin shards of glass down upon them.
Don't make me hope again,
Knowin' when you've grown tired of me
That you'll just disappear
And leave me waiting here;
Playin' the loser again.
Beast Boy turned coldly and walked out. Raven sat on his bed, her head resting in her hands as she thought. She heard an explosion and the music stopped suddenly. In the next cubicle, Kyle shouted something, and some other people laughed.
Several minutes later, a once-more unfeeling Raven walked to the makeshift control room to continue giving orders for the battle.
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Somewhere in Hawaii, the two young men landed and looked around. They ate a quick meal, and then spoke briefly.
"We must hurry. The parents will die tomorrow if we don't get there. And then we'll fail."
"Yes," the other said. They looked to the east.
Neither knew who the "parents" were, or why they called them that. They had known their parents, and seen them die. However, they were told that they would learn from these two, as children would learn from their parents, so that is what they called them.
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Okay, sorry about this chapter being short, but I didn't really plan on it to be central to the plot. It all ends tomorrow, after all.
Actually, that's not completely true. Depending on whether I get bored or not, I may add a new chapter. It won't be a long one, but I think I should add something about what happens to all of them.