A. Note: This is where things start to get weird, but just bear with it. And sorry for the delayed updates, but I had to make sure things were good. Also, I won't be having much notes in the next couple of chapters, so cherish this one. I like donuts, there.
Standard disclaimer of ownership and properties apply readily.
--TT
Chapter 4
--
The ride in the T-car was silent. Neither of the pair had said anything since they got into the vehicle.
But although neither of the two spoke, there was a lot of thinking and ponderings.
For Raven, it would be rebuking herself for her own behavior earlier that was totally out of character.
For Cyborg, it would be the frustration that involved the absolutely complex species that was women, and some concern for the aggravating danger with a name attached: Loki.
Cyborg felt both unnerved by the recent relay of bad events, and the thick tension before between Jinx, Raven, and himself. All of the happenings in the tower seemed to have led up to this unsound circumstance.
Try as he might, he couldn't really decrypt the situation Jinx had described. If the mess was something that the H.I.V.E. was eager to bail out of, just what could it involve? Heck, the H.I.V.E. was even willing to fulfill their contract with Slade to the best of their skills, though they all failed in the end.
By logical standards, if the job/mission was so big, then the payment would also be a sight to behold. Brother Blood and whoever else led to academy definitely would have liked the money. From what Cyborg remembered, those nice operators and equipments most likely didn't come from charity donations.
Thinking about the possibilities of an organization that could threaten the entire city AND the H.I.V.E. was scary, and unfruitful, he believed. Well, thinking about being destroyed is always a kick in the nuts, but the point was that negative thinking definitely cannot help.
Deciding to consult with the other Titans about this matter later, Cyborg then focused his mind and processing skills on the girl with violet hair, and the girl with pink hair.
Now, Raven was creepy, somber, even more creepy, mysterious, and at some times more homicidal than Jeffrey Dahmer. The girl was in some people's definition, a witch, or a wiccan, whichever made the most fitting profile for her.
But she was special, odd, and unnatural. And as Cyborg said before, that was the most natural part of being unnatural. She was witty, sarcastic, but caring in her own sadistic and aggravating way.
But what he soon realized, though, was that he didn't know much about her, probably no more than he knew Robin. Not even after being teleported into her mind, getting freaked out, seeing all her different personalities in individual forms, and fighting a large demon that is supposedly her father.
He shuddered.
The experience certainly made issues regarding Raven's emotions much more understandable at some times, but the fact remained that the girl only became more of a mystery, to him at least.
It is even much more the same with Jinx. During the time he spent undercover in the H.I.V.E., Jinx had been amiable, though very impish and.......well, creepy, but the two almost had a genuine friendship.
Cyborg almost felt guilty, he had in sense felt he had betrayed Jinx, however ridiculous that sounded. But he was a hero, on the side of good, and she was a villain, on the side of evil. That was the only way he could fathom the frustrating situation, and feel confident to his own resolve.
The two couldn't be friends. There was no room for the black to be mixed with the white.
"Son of a....." Cyborg muttered, just voicing his irksome state through randomly cussing.
-----
Raven hated a lot of things, that in itself is no surprise, but she had a center focus for that abominable feeling right now.
Jinx was on pretty much on the top of Raven's 'to kill list'. First, the girl attacked her and her friends in an ambush. Second, she had the gale to say she fought like a boy. Third, she had entered her room, one of the most sacrilegious sins of mankind. And now, she was the bearer of bad news.
Raven was also mad at herself. She had almost lost control again. Threatening to kill everyone in the area wasn't too out of character, but getting mad because of Jinx's suspicious banter with Cyborg was.
She irked at the thought of what Cyborg could have done during his undercover mission in the H.I.V.E., after all, he had only told them about the more comical parts of it, which is why they had reenacted an initiation.
She wanted to chuckle when she remembered how Cyborg was forced to put the pink dress on, and pose for a whole minute, getting pictures taken of him even after he told them to stop. The Titans didn't have as much fun since then.
But that amusement was instantly erased when she thought about how Jinx probably had assumed a major part in Cyborg's initiation in the H.I.V.E. She really despised contesting to emotions. They were confusing, pointless, annoying, aggravating, and difficult, plus it was dangerous for her.
Thinking about the despicable Barbie doll made Raven even more irate, and she had to consciously subdue that urge. But she couldn't prevent the word that needed to escape from her mouth.
-----
"......bitch."
Coincidentally, she had finished Cyborg's sentence.
The two looked at each other.
"..........................."
Cyborg fidgeted a bit.
Raven raised an eyebrow.
Cyborg stole small glances.
".....................what?" Raven finally asked.
Cyborg didn't think it was a bright idea, but spoke anyways.
"Just thinking about how ridiculously and shitty this whole week's going."
Raven pulled her hood down. "You mean this intricate headache with the possibility of future total chaos and mayhem? Or about wiggy?"
Now, Cyborg didn't think she'd keep on trying to kill him, and decided that the previous silence was much more enjoyable. He also made a mental note to keep his mouth shut whenever Raven appears vexed.
"I'm thinking about this 'Loki', of course. Would you just drop it? What's the deal, Rae? You need to chill, girl." He answered, obviously annoyed.
"And I think you need to reevaluate your taste in women."
"Wha-wha-what!?" Cyborg exclaimed, and swirled to avoid a fire hydrant. He turned to the girl.
"Raven, did you just say what I think you just said?! You don't seriously think-"
"That you got a school girl crush on a Barbie doll? Of course not, she's not even a car."
Cyborg usually liked her sarcasms, but right now, he wished to kill whoever invented the theme of 'sarcasm'.
"I don't know how you came to such a stupid hypothesis, Rae, but I don't have a crush on Jinx."
Raven glared at him. "Well, fancy that."
Cyborg sighed. "Look, I don't know what you're thinking-"
"You're right." Raven interrupted. Cyborg grunted.
"ing, ing, ing." He repeated, trying to keep his sentence in place. "But Jinx and I have nothing going on. Besides, what's it to you?"
Raven folded her arms. "Just the fact that even being emotionally involved with someone is ludicrous, and being involved with a villain is preposterous."
"I AM NOT going to be involved with Jinx, and if you haven't realized, we have a more serious crisis to be contend with."
Raven knew she couldn't argue with that. Cyborg's little dilemma with the village witch would have to wait.
Both teens suddenly remembered what they should have done.
"Ahhhh, dammit." Cyborg grumbled as he dialed to Robin's communicator, only to receive static and a signal on a map.
"Huh? Oh, man. Not good." Raven looked at the image of the city map and the locator signal. Knowing what it might mean, she immediately used her communicator to contact Beast Boy.
"Beast Boy, come in."
Psssssssssss. "Raven!!! Right on time!!! Oh! Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you!!" Beast Boy's panicked face appeared from the communicator.
"...........what happened to you?"
"That lousy jerk sprayed me with some kind of glue! He messed up my beautiful hair!"
".....right, where's the said jerk?"
Beast Boy looked worried. "He's ummmm, let's just say he's not really magical anymore."
"Huh? What happened, BB? What happened?" Cyborg asked, stretching his neck to look at the communicator.
"We're......having some major bongos here, guys. Robin just got his ass kicked."
"What!?" Cyborg cried.
Raven touched her forehead. "No......" she mumbled.
"How in the hells did Mumbo beat Robin!? There's just no way, man!!!" Cyborg yelled.
"Dude! It's not Mumbo, 'cause he's lying half dead on the streets! And I'm looking right at him now!! And I think that's his teeth!!"
"Huh!?" Raven and Cyborg both exclaimed.
"Yeah! Somebody really messed up Robin, Mumbo Jumbo too! The entire block's like after Mardi Gra! There's like pieces of concretes and what's left of the new burger restaurant! Good riddance to that!!"
Cyborg couldn't believe what he was hearing. There just wasn't any good news at all lately, and he suddenly felt like a sergeant in the army being told that his platoon just got wiped out.
"Calm down, Beast Boy. Take a few breaths." Raven counseled, noticing the pained look on Cyborg's face.
Beast Boy followed her advice and willed himself to simmer down.
"Now, where's Starfire?"
"She's taking care of Robin right now. She got here before me, since I had to scrub all the nasty crap off me first. And it wasn't easy!!"
"How badly is Robin hurt, Beast Boy? Do we need to get Fixit?" Raven asked this time.
"Ummmmm he actually seems fine......but ......" Beast Boy's image showed him turning his head to look at something.
"Can you get Fixit to come over, anyways?"
"Why?" Cyborg asked, now slightly relieved that the Boy Wonder was possibly all right.
"......I think it would be safer, w-with more people around, you know..."
Raven thought Beast Boy was just concerned about the fact that someone actually defeated Robin, well, she was concerned too, but it wasn't the end of the world.
Raven spoke. "We can't allow other people to be involved in danger easily, Beast Boy, especially if we can help ourselves. We'll handle this new menace ourselves."
"...yeah, this menace, right...ummm......I guess..."
"We have the coordinates, we'll be right there." Cyborg concentrated on driving.
Raven decided to close the communication for now.
"Help Starfire take care of Robin, Beast Boy. And see if you can help Mumbo if it's convenient. I'll notify the police and ambulance. Over and out."
Psssssss!
Cyborg's gritted his teeth. "Arrrrrggghhh!!! Great! Just freaking great!!!" He shifted the vehicle into high gear, and sped off.
-------------------
When Starfire had arrived at Robin's location, Robin had already gotten to a sitting position in the middle of the road.
She immediately flew to his side, frantically, and upon inquiring upon his condition, received only mumbles and coughs. When she asked him what had happened, Robin's eyes suddenly became murderous, and she almost backed away.
Those eyes were the same ones he viciously displayed to her when he grabbed her arm in the rain.
But he immediately winced and simmered when his arms began to feel throbbing pain. Dismissing any other thoughts, Starfire tried to help the boy. But there really wasn't much she could do, so she just helped him get into a safer place and position on the sidewalk.
Beast Boy arrived later, and basically panicked the same way Starfire did, when he saw Robin in his tattered condition with a worried Starfire by his side.
He noted that the area of the street was rather roughed up, by explosions and iron fists by the first look of it. Also, there was a large patch of ice that pretty much ruined three cars. Nice ones too.
Beast Boy then talked, or screamed, to Starfire and Robin, asking them what had happened and received no definite answer anyways. Starfire was a little too overwhelmed by the previous encounter with a rather demonic presence and the situation to be coherent. Robin was not in the condition or the mood to be explaining or chatting about what probably kicked his ass.
Definitely not in the mood for chatting, Beast Boy had thought.
When he saw Robin, he felt his animal instincts pick up and tuned to danger. It was like a catfish sensing an earthquake; a mouse facing a rabid snake fiend; flocks of birds flying off to avoid a tornado. He suddenly didn't like the notion of going near his friend and leader.
It was then he saw Mumbo's limb form on the other side of the street.
Apparently, the old man was fortunate enough to be unharmed from the fight between Robin and Kahn. But he was still beaten and battered, and Beast Boy found that perplexing, as well as a few teeth lying about.
Beast Boy had surmised from the appearance of the situation that some evil fighting machine like Bizzaro showed up, beat the living hell out of Mumbo, and trashed the entire street when fighting Robin.
He was at least half right.
Very uncertain and panic-stricken, Beast Boy wanted to rip his hair out, which got his hand tangled in his hair. That was when Raven's most merciful call came.
After talking to his two friends, Beast Boy quickly ran over to Starfire, and replayed whatever information he discussed with Cyborg and Raven.
Delighted that some help would arrive, Starfire's face showed immense relief and hope. Her attention went straight back to Robin when he grunted something incoherent.
Disregarding the two for the moment, Beast Boy ran over to Mumbo and checked him over, seeing if he was alive.
The old man was definitely alive, but blood and bruises covered him. His white polo shirt and overalls had small amounts of drool on it too. Beast Boy felt a little sick, and waited for either the police or Cyborg with Raven to arrive.
-----
"Robin........." Starfire cooed, kneeling besides the boy, holding his shoulder.
Not again, she thought. Robin had finally regained some sense of the humanity and sanctity he once possessed, and now there was a great chance that he would revert back into the obsessive, boorish boy who had hurt her, intentionally or not.
His eyes showed the determination of a provoked spirit, one who was on the brink of rage. Starfire had seen the same eyes on some of the warriors on Tamaran, and those warriors did not end up having a good life. Although Robin could barely move, she knew his senses were conscious and acute, just not his mind, for he had yet to respond to either her or Beast Boy.
Starfire knew she needed to qualm that fury, that drive that might eventually destroy him. Robin was her best friend, and she refused to watch him be destroyed, not by anyone, especially not by himself.
Robin suddenly looked at Starfire, with an expression as if he just noticed her existence.
"Robin!? Are you unwell?! Please hold on! Cyborg and Raven shall be here shortly!!" Starfire reacted, mistakenly thinking that the boy was gasping from pain.
"......I'm fine, Star." He said with his voice hoarse, and coughed. Starfire was further concerned, as is her nature. She rubbed his back, which he did whenever she coughed from being uncomfortable.
Robin exhaled and inhaled some more, and finally felt comfortable. Turning to look at the Tamaranian girl, he blinked.
"You're a godsend, do you know that?"
Starfire beamed.
She felt as if huge boulders of worry were alleviated from her shoulders when Robin had lost the perilous gleam in his eyes, and spoke with the familiar friendly voice she was accustomed to.
"Oh, Robin...... I am elated to see that you are well." She knew she wanted to hug the boy right then and there, but refrained herself as killing him wasn't her priority.
"......yeah. Me too."
Robin closed his eyes slightly, feeling the lack of energy surge through his body ever since his fight with Kahn. He could still hear the voices of his subconscious, the words of Slade, and the new infiltration of Kahn's cryptic jives.
But right now, rest sounded like the plan of the millennium. He didn't have much of any feeling in his body anymore, and decided that maybe the same should go for his head as well.
Robin dozed off, and Starfire held his body closer to her.
This wasn't exactly usual, as Robin almost never got beaten, at least not like how he was now. Also, the two usually didn't have to wait in a certain place like stranded tourists. So the feeling of holding her best friend while he was almost unconscious felt foreign to her. But it was nice, extremely nice.
She didn't know what kind of emotion she was experiencing, but it was warm, cozy. Each time Robin breathed, she found herself watching, gazing, and adoring. Robin's head rolled slightly and rested on her shoulder, which caused her to blush slightly.
When Beast Boy finally decided to move Mumbo, Cyborg driving the T-car like a maniac also showed up.
When Cyborg and Raven came running and shouting to them, Starfire felt like a child caught red handed with her hand in the cookie jar, and accidentally allowed Robin to fall to the ground.
"Eeeepp!" Starfire squealed as she saw Robin lying on the ground, and moaning.
"......owww..... what the?" Starfire held him up again.
"I apologize! I did not mean to-are you injured?" She frantically tried to form an apology.
Raven knelt by the two while Cyborg gave a quick but thorough scan of Robin's injuries.
"Robin, can you hear me?" Raven questioned.
"Ahhh....Raven? How'd the mission with the H.I.V.E. go?"
Raven allowed a small smile. "Typical. Even in this condition you still think about missions."
Robin grunted, and fell back into his passive state. Beast Boy came running by, after dropping Mumbo on the side of the street.
"Scanner says the man's just fine. He's just got some bruises and in need of a lot of lying down." Cyborg reported.
"Which I can fix." Raven began to concentrate her powers for empathetic healing.
A siren blared from far away.
"Looks like the authorities are here." Beast Boy observed, and looked at the group questioningly, hoping for a quick decision.
"Friends, let us return Robin back to the tower. I do not wish for the police to upset his condition further." Starfire exclaimed.
Cyborg nodded. "Right. We'll explain and tell each other sailor tales after we get back to the tower. Don't want anyone to see our leader in tatters now, do we?" He said that in a slightly joking manner.
Robin thought he flinched, which he did, just not physically.
"What about old overalls back there?" Beast Boy asked, though he didn't really care. The man did make a mess of his hair.
"The police will take care of Mumbo, let's just go. We'll tell them what might've happened after Robin heals. That's our priority." Raven said as she hastily walked back towards the T-car.
It was not exactly a smart move, Cyborg knew, but they couldn't delay too long.
"I call shotgun!!" Beast Boy yelled as he ran over.
"Easy there, man." Cyborg said as he and Starfire both aided Robin's entry into the backseat of the vehicle.
Raven had, as usual, sat in the passenger's seat, buckling up as Beast Boy turned into a feline and sat near her lap, so there would be more room for Robin and Starfire in the back.
Starfire supported Robin's body as he was laid down, and placed his head, after much deliberation, on her lap.
Putting pedal to the metal, Cyborg drove off, back to their home.
-------------------
-------------------
Dark and gloomy was this place, though if one had the eyes of a feline, one could plainly see that the interior decorations were sensible and professional. The house, if it was indeed one, apparently honed on the theme of melancholy and sadness. Walls and curtains reflected the colors of baby blues and pale violets, along with floors and ceilings of painted grey. A chandelier hung in the middle of a large room, making the appearance of a large, white, empty ballroom.
The dinning room was dingy and smirched, as if no one had lived there for a period of time, which would also explain the lack of electric power in the residence. Cobwebs and insects crawled freely, and one could feel the chills spread across the sight.
The point of creepiness came when the screen shows the paintings and portraits on the wall. They were of skeletons wearing tuxedos or fashionable dresses, ordained by appealing jewelries such as necklaces and earrings. In all respect, the images fitted the saying 'wasted on the dead'. None of the canvases had the names of the artist or of the topic. No, it was there once, but are all smeared out now.
All of these qualities accumulated into a dreadful unnerving feeling.
No, no. The most unnerving aspect was the fact that silence was the loudest characteristic, an oxymoron that makes people chaff within their very skin.
A staircase leads to the second floor.
Immediately to the hallway on the right, there is a library, filled with the various books and structured like what people might find in clichéd palaces such as Beauty and the Beast.
The hallway that led to the library also becomes a corridor and leads to the master bedroom, which has one of the most overly adorned doors most people have ever seen or will ever see. Sculpted lions, tigers, gargoyles, and dragons were scattered on that door, each animal and mystical creature were in the motion of roaring or shrieking.
Beyond the door, inside the commodious bedroom, a woman sits on a chair near the edge of a window, her elbow rested on the ledge and her palm supported her head as she gazed outside that window.
The woman would have been called beautiful easily. Her features were delicate and eye-catching, and she projected a feeling of mystics. She wore a seemingly oversized nightgown that at some point, seemed to have moved on its own accord. Her hair was pale blonde, and her eyes were a pristine blue, which were now half closed, as if she was day dreaming.
Her eyes began moving around, and rested on a flower in a small vase next to her on the ledge. She eyed it several moments before picking it up, and smelled it.
No sniffing noise was produced.
She sniffed the flower twice, before she closed her eyes completely, and held the flower close to her mouth.
She bit off the pedals, and smiled as she chewed them.
------------------
------------------
WOOOOOON.....!
Raven was in the process of her empathic healing on Robin, who sat still with his eyes closed, basking in the assuaging feeling of restoration.
Starfire was floating nearby and watched the boy closely, unwilling the leave the immediate area until she was certain that the Boy Wonder was in good health.
Beast Boy and Cyborg had grabbed some chow and were chewing and slurping noisily, causing slight annoyance to the healer at the moment.
Nearing a finish, and getting tired, Raven began to stop.
"There, that should make you feel homely."
Robin opened his eyes and tried to raise his right hand. Finding that he could, Robin stretched it a bit, and stared at his palm for a few moments.
Raven watched her leader during his silent brooding. The dangerous sensation she felt from him during the previous days was gone, and she was more than glad for it. Still, she felt the need to watch him carefully.
"You're welcome." She suddenly said.
Robin looked up, alert. "Oh, yeah. Sorry, I mean, thanks."
Raven crossed her arms, observing him as he went about brooding and thinking. She was extremely curious to what his thoughts were about.
Starfire floated over. "You have recovered, Robin?"
"Yeah, I think I'm all right now." Robin answered, still not looking at anyone.
Starfire frowned, noticing the serpentine passiveness the teen was exerting.
"Sho, fwat nmoew?" Beast Boy asked, through a mouth full of tofu treats, and spraying it everywhere.
Raven could feel a vein throbbing on her forehead.
"BB said: So what now?" Cyborg translated, and munched on his hotdog, which earned a dirty look from Beast Boy.
"Nmferurer." He muttered under his breath, still chewing irksomely.
Raven knew what was on everyone's mind: who or what the hell handed Robin's ass on a silver platter? Well, that was probably Cyborg's version of the question.
Cyborg and Beast Boy just chomped on their food, trying to be patient, though Beast Boy shifted his feet constantly.
Starfire certainly was concerned and curious of the Boy Wonder's defeat, again. She wondered how he was taking the defeat. He never took defeat easily, it was just in his nature.
She, on the other hand, knew how to take defeat and failure in stride. Once living with Blackfire certainly made the feeling of inferiority a daily routine.
The Tamaranian girl watched as Robin was staring off into whatever world he barred from his friends from, and once again felt that abhorred hapless intensity whenever Robin was overly obsessed with beating the bad guy, namely Slade.
Robin finally spoke, still staring at his hand. "What do you have to report for the encounter with the H.I.V.E.?"
"Dude! You should've seen me! I was like dishing out sonic blasts everywhere! Those H.I.V.E. newbies didn't stand a chance!" He spewed hotdog pieces as he talked.
"I was like the lord of whoop ass! Oh, yeah Raven helped a bit."
Raven huffed and blew a strand of hair away from her face, and stared at the android accusingly.
".....I mean, she managed to be a good distraction for me to take out the pansies......"
Raven never lost the incriminating expression.
"...........yeah, well she took care of one or two....."
She folded her arms.
"..........she kicked ass! Okay!? C'mon, give me some glory here!!!" Raven shook her head, as if disappointed.
"Fwhahahwhajaba!!! Ghu fghot jizsed!!!" Beast Boy laughed, tofu chunks flying.
"Eeeek! Beast Boy, please chew responsibly and close your mouth!!!" Starfire dodged the said tofu chunks.
"Funny, this coming from a person who eats like the Vikings." Raven commented.
"Pardon me?"
Robin remained calm, though he usually would be trying to tame the team by now, or at least scold them like a coach would. In actuality, that's what the rest of the team wished for him to do, to stop the quarreling, to be the fearless leader, to be the serious and responsible one.
Robin continued to stare into his palm, while clenching it and unclenching it.
"..ha...haha.......aahhh......." Beast Boy stopped laughing, and also stopped chewing.
".................."
Cyborg looked at Raven, who didn't seem inclined to speak. Actually, she wanted him to tell his version of it.
Cyborg sighed, and then took a breath.
"Robin, Jinx showed up."
He didn't know whether to cheer or frown when the Boy Wonder put his hand down and raised an eye.
"She didn't caught you off guard, did she?" He asked, wondering if there was indeed an ambush.
Cyborg shook his head. "She kinda came for a different reason."
".............which is?"
"She gave us some really bad warnings. Apparently, the H.I.V.E. was there at the SCR Grand Central Station for some information retrieval. On a mission for some freaky employer, who probably isn't looking for some insider info on the stock market."
--------------------
--------------------
She dropped the remaining parts of the flower, the corolla, out the window, and watched as it fell to the ground below. A dark, and murky ground.
The woman felt the presence of another, and turned her head to inspect the room.
She saw a man, kneeling on one knee on the floor behind her, with his head down. The man's arm was placed in a line position and in front of his head, palm up. The typical position to assume when greeting a monarch royalty.
The woman stared at the man, and the man waited in his kneeling position, patiently. The man got in through the door, naturally, but the woman didn't hear, simply because the house did not allow any sounds to be produced.
She finally opened her mouth, and astoundingly spoke. "You may stand, Albert."
She spoke in a soft voice, but it sounded as if Godzilla was there, because her voice was the only vibration in the air in the entire house. But it was melodic, like the harmonious tone of a sweet young lady.
'Albert' didn't seem affected by the woman's voice, and now spoke as well. "I thank you, mistress." His voice was deep and soothing, like an amiable grandfather.
The man stood, with his hands now crossed behind his back. He had the appearance of a British butler, with a monocle, a dark vest over a white dress shirt and matching pants, a blood red tie, Mephisto brand shoes, and a pair of silky white gloves.
His hair was black with some strands of white and grey mixed, indicating an estimated age of over fifty.
The woman got off the chair and walked to her king sized bed, which was entirely pink. Pillows, sheets, laces, everything, all pink, a great contrast with the rest of the house.
After she settled herself on the pink bed, she directed her attention to the butler again.
"What is it that you wish to inform me?"
"Mistress, there has been some manners of delay and difficulties. The organization known as the H.I.V.E., has gone against the contract they have signed with your grace."
She didn't look surprised. "Oh? And in what manner have they gone against the contract?"
"They have aborted the proceedings of the missions, and most of them have now disappeared. Whereabouts are as of yet unknown."
She placed a finger on her chin, and sighed. "It seems this Brother Blood has lost his relish for good escapades. What a shame."
Albert placed his monocle in his shirt pocket.
"What are your orders, my mistress?"
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--------------------
"Whatever the deal was, Jinx said the entire H.I.V.E. bailed. They've gone against the contract and took the coward's way out. She was there to tell the rookie agents to abort."
"She could be lying, you know." Beast Boy interjected.
Raven stepped in. "I was there, remember? Jinx wasn't mind controlled, or lying, about anything." She directed the last word at Cyborg.
Cyborg wanted to ignore it, but he couldn't help but groan a bit.
Starfire and Beast Boy blinked.
"You're telling me that the H.I.V.E. actually aborted a mission?" Robin asked.
"Not just any mission," Cyborg explained, "Jinx said it was huge, colossal. She even told us to clear out of the city. Said it was too dangerous if we get dragged in."
Robin's look told Cyborg that he also thought that was crazy.
"Yep, pretty much the same thought."
"Why would the criminal organization H.I.V.E. wish to relinquish a chance for a mission of such proportions? Perhaps the reward was not substantially satisfying." Starfire asked and suggested, floating closer to the discussion.
"The more important question is: what kind of plan is it that it can make Brother Blood feel weak in the stomach." Robin placed a hand under his chin, in the typical thinker position.
"Thought about it too, but we don't have enough information to make a hunch. Except for one thing, Jinx gave us a name."
"What is it?"
"Loki."
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--------------------
The woman pondered a bit, thinking while playing with her blonde, long hair.
"What suggestions do you have, Albert?"
Albert bowed slightly. "I am but your humble servant, my mistress, I have none to give."
The woman giggled. "Oh, Albert. You do not have to be so modest. I remember your outstanding performances in the old days, as you like to call it. Simply marvelous, full of strategic machinations and the debonair of a warrior. Please, tell me of your ideas."
"Your grace have given this old fool too much credit, I am without any other complaint." He stood tall again.
"As I see it, the H.I.V.E.'s cowardly disposition has actually saved your grace a notable amount of nuisances, for they would surely defy you if they were to know the full capacity of your glorious intentions."
"Ah, this is true. Speak on, Albert."
"Your grace merely needs to employ the most basic of your troops. They will, of course, extend your influence in the proceedings. Eventually, your grace will have the jewels and data in your possession."
"Ahhhhh.....perhaps this is how it should be, Albert. Proceed with the plans. Hopefully, there will be satisfying fruition."
Albert bowed. "It shall be as you ordered, Mistress Hel."
"Oh, and one more thing, Albert."
"Yes, my mistress?"
"Tell my cohort, that sinister crumb to stay his ground. I have felt his prowling of the city today, and I do not wish for him to be interfering with my plans."
Albert bowed. "I shall inform him, your grace."
The butler left the room properly, each step echoing within the room, bowing before he was entirely out of sight.
Hel smiled.
The entire house became silent again.
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--------------------
"Loki?" Robin repeated.
"I have heard of such a name," Strafire exclaimed, "it is the name of a deity in the Norse pantheon. A shape shifter, much liken to Beast Boy's abilities, though it is said that he has only assumed the forms of horses, falcons, and the insects known as flies."
Cyborg and Beast Boy blinked.
"How'd you know that, Star? And I thought you were the alien!"
The girl grinned proudly. "Raven has many interesting and rare books!"
"And apparently, Starfire has taken upon herself to read all of them, because I haven't read anything on Norse pantheon." Raven said, slightly annoyed from the memory of Starfire constantly pestering her for more literature.
"This is important, this could be our lead." Robin suddenly said. "Go on, Starfire, is there anything else?"
"Allow me to process my memories." Starfire thought for a bit. "Ah! The deity Loki was said to be the murderer of the deity of light, Balder. And the name of his spouse was Angrboda, who has bore him three children."
"Ane-ger-bo-da? That's a screwy name." Beast Boy complained.
"So..... we're dealing with Swedish gods or something? 'Cause that'd make sense about what Jinx said about the H.I.V.E. bailing."
Raven walked over. "It could mean anything: a name, a term, a code, or even an abbreviation. We can't jump to conclusions, we need more information."
Robin had by this time already began typing and searching on the internet.
"Nothing." He declared. "There's only websites about Norse mythology and some junk projects about programs and rockets. And the information on Loki is more or less covered by Starfire already."
Not that he actually thought he could find anything.
Cyborg scratched his head. "So.....what? We're going to give up?"
Robin glared at the computer, since he wasn't facing them. "Never, I'll never give up."
Beast Boy frowned. "Dude, don't you mean, 'we'll' never give up?"
Robin turned to look at him. "Right, what'd I say?"
"...........ummm nothing."
Starfire was now itching to go back to her room and retrieve something.
Raven stared at the Boy Wonder, whose face frowned incredibly and fists clenched.
"Robin, who attacked you? It could be a lead." Raven asked, and everyone flinched, almost certain there would be an outburst. Especially Beast Boy, who had in the last few hours, remained conscious to the feeling of disaster.
Robin didn't seem to be affected. "He said his name was Kahn."
"Uuuhhh......" Cyborg and Beast Boy exclaimed, surprised that the fearless leader was being rather casual about the whole thing.
"Kahn? Not a very uncommon name." Raven commented.
"Robin, can you tell us what has happened, after you pursued the Mumbo? What was this evil man's appearance?" Starfire asked, hands at her side.
Robin sat back down.
"You're interesting kid, you're vicious and impulsive."
"What are you afraid of, huh?"
"But you seem to have forgotten something......something important."
"I don't like confused people, they're hard to deal with, and weaker."
He clenched his fist.
"Robin...." Starfire called to him.
The boy looked at the girl, and calmed down.
"He looked about over twenty, long hair, tanned skin. Wore some nut job outfit, looked like bandages, and some boots and gloves."
He had described Kahn's more uninteresting features all at once, simply because he didn't care for those.
"But that's not what was peculiar. His left eye, it was red."
Raven suddenly flinched, no one noticed.
"I'm thinking it might be mechanical, though I'm not entirely sure right now."
Cyborg nodded. "Could be, I'm betting that I'm not the only part-machine entity in the world, Fixit proves that."
"So.....this dude might be like the evil henchman of this creepy new group of evil regime?" Beast Boy suggested.
"Not entirely impossible. He did show up to clobber Mumbo on the same day the H.I.V.E. started their missions."
Robin gasped. No one missed it.
"...............Robin." Starfire stated.
Robin ignored her and spoke.
"We'll search and ask for police assistance on this case. If this Kahn was a criminal in any other area of the world, the police should have access to such files and information. Otherwise, we can see if there are any other types of disturbances that could relate to this 'Loki' business, whatever it could mean."
"Right, let's get on it!" Beast Boy shouted, invigorated.
Raven sighed. "At 10:30 p.m.?" She was feeling edgy, anxious to get into her room.
Beast Boy saw the black sky and shrouding clouds.
"Whoa.... time flies even when you're not having fun."
"We'll do this tomorrow. Let's gets some rest." Robin finalized.
Cyborg crossed his arms and looked at him suspiciously. "You're not going to be all workaholic about this after we go take snoozes are you?"
Everyone else seemed to be thinking the same question.
Robin sighed. "No, I won't, Cyborg, I promise."
The others seemed to be fine with it, though Cyborg looked skeptical, and they all went about preparing whatever they wished to do before bedtime, which would usually involve Cyborg and Beast Boy tackling each other in another game of 'Cyber Gladiators' or something. But right now, they were all too wary and concerned to be doing something that must include the elements of joy.
Robin sat on the couch for a few moments, waiting for everyone to exit the room.
Once the room was empty, he began staggering to the bathroom, feeling the need to wash his face and escape from the sense of stability.
Starfire flew back into the room, holding some sort of fabric made item.
"Robin," she called, smiling, and whirled in front of the boy, "before you endow yourself with the freshly feeling of cleansing, I wish to bestow you this Sil'nar."
Robin observed the item in her arms and said the first thing that came to his mind.
"Is that a poncho?"
The cloak-like Sil'nar certainly had the characteristics of a poncho. There was a hole in the middle of the blanket form, and it was probably worn the same way.
She looked at the cloth before she replied. "It is called the Sil'nar, it is a symbol on my home planet." She held the cloth out more for the boy to see.
The cloth was striped with the colors of blue, violet, cyan, and some emerald. There was no specific pattern to be followed, instead, there were patched and sewed designs of stars, planets, and nebulas. It had appeared to be an outline of an entire galaxy.
"On Tamaran, these are worn by warriors during peacetime. It represents their probity and unity of the mind. A cleansing of the soul, to be rid of unneeded battle aggressions, when it is not required. It is usually fabricated mostly with Carlof'il hor'glob silks, but I have discovered there are similar fabrics harvested from silkworms on Earth."
Robin didn't know what to make of it. "It's great Star, but.....I'm not exactly a Tamaranian warrior."
Starfire's eyes showed sadness. "I understand......but Robin, I wish to present this Sil'nar to you, because you are one who needs of such an ornament."
Robin gazed at the girl.
"I am distressed, to see you in such a state of anxiety........Robin, you are my best friend," She said, in the exact same tone when Robin was in Slade's apprenticeship, "and I do not desire to watch you fall into turmoil."
Robin still said nothing. Starfire began getting nervous, but she would not falter.
Reaching out slightly, the Boy Wonder took hold of the Sil'nar, and for the first time since the day began, he smiled.
"I would feel honored."
Starfire beamed, just like she did before. "Hehehehehe, I am filled with the feeling of giddiness!" She gasped a bit, and got closer to the boy, which caused him to get a little aware.
"Huh, uh, Star?"
She just smiled, and placed her forehead on his.
Robin blinked, looking straight into the beautiful emerald eyes of the Tamaranian girl.
"Ye'gurl ef hisa ef co'mr yun postr'url glealanja pyo funra." She whispered.
Robin blinked more rapidly, and mumbled a 'huh?'
Starfire removed her forehead from his and smiled. "It is by the ritual to whisper the words of X'hal before a Re'nar is bestowed, and to connect the tranquility of the mind during such a ritual."
"I...ah...see. Um, what did it mean?" Robin asked, holding the Re'nar in his arms.
Starfire held her hands in prayer. "In earthen language, it means: Serenity is the key to seeing the galaxy through the eyes of truth."
Robin felt the Sil'nar, and indeed it was soft like silk, perhaps a reason it soothed people.
"Makes sense, though a bit clichéd." Starfire just smiled.
".....thanks a lot, Star." The Bow Wonder finally said, as he was unsure what else to say, and his desire to wash his face getting a little prominent.
"I welcome you." Starfire replied, and flew towards the entrance that led to the rooftop.
"I believe I will partake in the joyous serenity of the night before I return to my chambers," She explained, "please, Robin, rest well in this night."
"I will, Star. And, good night."
She cast the boy another glance and smirked before she flew onto to the rooftop, and soared through the sky.
Robin watched her fly out for a few moments before he entered the bathroom, and locked the automatic door.
------------------
Raven was in her room, searching through the many texts and books that filled her shelves. She must have gotten to muttering and grunted from the frustration because Cyborg knocked on her door.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Yo! Rae, you okay in there? Is there something wrong? Open up!"
Raven didn't know whether to tell him to go away or tell him what was on her mind. Trust wasn't something she wanted to give the teen right now, especially since she just remembered about Jinx.
But the situation was important, and since she couldn't exactly tell Robin, in his state of mind, she had to talk to Cyborg. She would usually tell Starfire about things like this, but the Tamaranian was too concerned over the Boy Wonder to pay attention. Beast Boy was just too hard for her to deal with.
SWOOOOOOOSH!!!
So, she opened the door, and saw Cyborg with a towel around his neck.
"Been working out a little in the gym, came down here to go to my room, and heard some hag-like grunts." He smirked a little, "What's up, girl!?"
Raven hesitated, but contemplated that it would be better to tell him.
"Robin said he was defeated by a man named Kahn, with a red left eye."
She stated, as if it were obvious, which was exactly not to Cyborg.
"Ummmm, and so upon hearing this, you decided that the books in your room are to blame?"
Raven noticed the scattered books and pages around the floor of her room.
"I was looking up on something, about that red eye."
"What about it? Like Robin said, it could be a mechanical replacement, integrated to his brain structures. It's not exactly the top scientific achievement."
Raven brooded. "I doubt it."
She walked into her room, and picked up a book. Cyborg appeared hesitant to follow her. Raven waved a hand to say it was all right, at least, this time.
"During my time in Azarath, I was educated in the teachings of the archives of Azarath. The priestesses there told me about an abominable relic that lies in the world of humans-"
"Ummm, Raven, I'm not sure if you know this, but I'm not exactly well versed in your background history. Hell, I don't even know about your family." Cyborg said, a little curiously. "But, from what you said, this Azarath place is like your home, right?"
"...........in sorts, though I'm never returning there."
"Huh? Why not, Raven? Don't you go back to see your family once in awhile?"
"I don't have a family. My mother died when I was young, and I was taken into the care of the granddaughter of Azar, until she passed away as well."
Cyborg looked a bit surprised. "Oh, man....I'm sorry, Raven-I, well, didn't know.......Rae...."
"It's nothing you should feel sorry about, it was just a phase in my life, as I'm sure is your life before you became Cyborg."
She wondered if she believed in her own words.
Cyborg watched the girl with sadness and uncertainty. "I suppose...."
Raven placed a few books back on the shelf.
"We're getting off the topic here. The relic, which lies in the corrupt human world, is said to be a powerful accumulation of magic, more or less dark magic. No one knows where it originated or where it is. The archives were also ambivalent and incomplete on the subject, and it's been a long time, so I don't even know what it's called."
"So, why are you thinking that this so-called relic is that red eye?" Cyborg asked, hoping the girl would admit a mistake.
"......when I was healing Robin with my empathic powers, I had trouble getting started."
"Getting started?"
"My healing abilities stem from purer magic, more or less the opposite of dark magic. I couldn't immediately begin the healing, which means there was some other force countering my powers."
"And so you think that this relic, or red eye thingy could be the source."
"More or less."
"..............I'm really starting to hate all this supernatural stuff."
Raven didn't agree or disagree, and resumed placing the books back on her shelves. Cyborg began helping.
"So, were you going to tell us any of this soon?" Cyborg asked, momentarily wondering if she had a specific order for these books.
"I didn't want Robin to hear about it yet, especially since I don't have evidence."
"...since we're talking about this red eye thing, do you think Rob will go nuts over this? I was kinda expecting it. Of course, I don't want him to..."
"I know." She cut him off, and sighed.
"To be honest, I don't know. He seemed calm and collective enough, though, perhaps that defeat did him some good."
Cyborg scratched his head. "Doesn't sound like how Robin would react after getting his ass handed to him."
"Remember, he didn't tell us anything beyond the man's appearance." Cyborg paused when Raven said this, and she continued.
"Robin seemed hesitant to speak about the entire encounter with Kahn, and simply diverted our attention to discussing the eye and his possible connection to our new menace."
Cyborg absorbed this and knew it to be true.
"I think that's how Robin handles things, his defense mechanism. He gets upset, he harbors it all inside him, and tries to overcome it by getting stronger. But during the process, he neglects everything else."
".......man, you really should get a job as a psychologist, we can use the extra cash."
"Whatever."
The android snickered. "Hehehehehe."
Silence.
Cyborg took a breath. "......about earlier today, I-"
"We're going to be busy tomorrow, go get some rest."
Cyborg sucked his words back in. "Oh, right. Okay, I'll, uh, see you in the morning."
"Good night."
"G'night, Rae."
SWOOOOOOOSH!!
Raven sat down on her bed. "Me too."
No one heard.
------------------
Beast hadn't felt like he needed to be in here for a long time, in Terra's room.
The Titans had kept her room the way it was, before her betrayal, as if it served as a memento of their dear departed friend.
Unbeknownst to the other Titans, Beast Boy would occasionally sneak in and just sit on the floor, thinking. It was sort of a sanctuary that the changeling forged, amongst all the joking and goofing around, he needed some quiet time alone as well.
Memories of their date on the night she betrayed them always came flooding back. He didn't know whether or not he liked those memories, but those were the best of what he remembered of the geomancer.
Beast Boy didn't know why he suddenly felt the urge to come into this room, but he didn't care right now. It was all right, like everything else was going to be, right?
He picked up the heart-shaped mirror box, and gazed at it longingly. But he couldn't bring himself to open it.
Beast Boy decided to visit the statue of Terra tomorrow, if there was any spare time.
------------------
Placing the Sil'nar on a towel rack, Robin turned the faucet water on to a warm temperature, then began desperately splashed and scrubbing off the filth, as if he was scrubbing off the sins he felt accumulating in him.
Hair and face dripping with water, he looked at himself in the mirror, and the haunting voices came back again.
Excellent display of viciousness today, I knew you had it in you. His reflection seemed to say.
"Arrrrghhh...." The teen growled, then his eyes drooped.
Robin had realized that when Cyborg spoke of Kahn, his friends had assumed the person who violently beaten Mumbo was the man with the red eye. In truth, Robin had forgotten about Mumbo Jumbo altogether. His entire focus was on Kahn and the arising apoplexy he felt for this new enemy.
He didn't understand why he couldn't tell them the truth, perhaps he WAS afraid. Afraid of the many things that tainted his actions and his life. The haunting voices from long ago seemed to have resurfaced, and he could not bear to see his in the mirror.
Grabbing the Sil'var, he exited the bathroom and darted into his room.
His room was how it always was, dark, obscure, incommodious, and funereal. Blue prints and parts of gadgets scattered about the table and on the floor.
The newspaper clippings haven't changed a bit, all of them were of the same old news. Robin felt like he couldn't pull them off, it served as reminders.
He saw Kahn's image as he sat on his bed. And he snarled.
You seem to have forgotten something....something important......
"What did he mean......"
......weaker...
He held his head, and winced.
We can become much stronger......
He knew what the haunting voices meant. The belt from the Red X suit was still quietly stored away, waiting to be powered up.
"Why can't I...!"
From this day forward, you shall be called Robin......
"What am I forgetting......!?"
Robin, you are hurting me......
"I didn't want to, what am I......!"
Brings back memories, doesn't it?.......
".................."
Robin got up shakily, and found the same anger he felt days ago pout back into him. Somewhere in the back of his subconscious, he grinned.
He moved towards the door, to retrieve something he swore off as a mistake. His eyes caught the sight of the Sil'nar, lying on the table innocently.
His eyes immediately softened, and he stumbled. The voices were gone, and his reflection on a small metal showed the frightened image of a teenage boy.
Ye'gurl ef hisa ef co'mr yun postr'url glealanja pyo funra.
"......I promised them. I promised her." He said simply and took the Sil'nar in his hands, and held it to him.
Robin slept holding the poncho-like gift that night, and it seemed to have driven the demons from him. Though, in the back of his head, he could still hear the residue of an old saying.
Promises are meant to be broken.
------------------
Flying was her favorite pastime, besides hanging out with her friends, of course. Flying for fun during nighttime, though, was something she had never done frequently. Absorbing energy from the sunlight was her daily routine, so wasting energy when she could not replenish it easily wasn't a good idea.
But at the moment, Starfire was feeling happy, joyous. And when she is happy, she flies, it was as simple was that.
The girl felt that all the concentrated time and effort in making the Sil'nar had produced the results and benefits she desired. Robin had liked it, and Starfire could feel herself liking it too.
The Sil'nar was something most Tamaranians wore during poem readings. It served to be a beacon for the mind to focus. Starfire had one of her own when she was a child, but lost it before she came to Earth.
Flying closer to the waters, Starfire allowed her right hand to submerge under the surface, and giggled at the clean, cool feeling of the ocean.
Starfire couldn't help but repeat to herself, the words of X'hal.
"Ye'gurl ef hisa ef co'mr yun postr'url glealanja pyo funra."
She was sure that if they followed the words of X'hal, they would see the truth. If the Titans would not allow the raw emotions of anger and anxiousness bind them. This was also the teachings of Raven, which extended to Azarath. Starfire had learned much from the gothic girl.
She wouldn't fool herself to think that Robin was now entirely free of the demons of his past and present. He still seemed to have a hard time accepting reality, and the fact that Slade was gone and someone else has taken his place. But that was the reason for the Sil'nar, as a beacon of light that can hopefully guide the boy back to them.
The Tamaranian girl had yet to forget the demonic voice earlier today. One could not forget something like that so easily. But with Robin's situation, she had thought best not to bring forth such another complication. Of course, she also acknowledged that withholding such information may bite them in the future.
She decided to speak to and to seek guidance from Raven later, if she could find it in her to seek for the answers.
Starfire flew to the clouds, and in pleasant surprise, saw a full moon. She hovered in the air, and watched the moon. Unbeknownst to her, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven were also gazing at the moon the same time.
Robin saw the moon, and also saw Gotham. He saw the shadows of the memories he didn't remember, and yet desperately wanted to.
He disregarded his need for a cup of water, and went back into the dark den of his room.
--
Closing notes: Just to clarify, Batman won't make an appearance, and probably not even his name will be mentioned.