Wow, this was the fastest update I've ever done. Of course this is probably some of the crappiest writing I've ever done. Give a little take a little, eh? I just couldn't wait to write this, even with all the high school shit to contend with. Oh well, I'm dealing with that. Thank everything holy for my English teacher, who kicks the counselor's asses at being honest.

Once again, sorry for a short chapter, and thanks to reviewers Unlikely-to-bear-it, Snow Werewolf, scathac's warrior, Jeryn, Golden-Sama, and Green Comedian.

I'm very honored by your four reviews in a row, Golden-Sama! bows ; 3

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The problem with control is that, with too much of it, pressure tends to build up. It's why you don't shake a closed soda bottle too much. When you open the cap, the soda doesn't stay put. It explodes. Raven had trained all her life to keep every last emotion she felt in check, no matter how shaken she got. The issue here? A small but distinctly important difference. Raven was no fizzy soda. She was an atom bomb.

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Even Slade was surprised at Beast Boy's proclamation. He hadn't expected such a bold move from this cowed little guttersnipe. Such a sudden change…What is he trying to do?

Beast Boy stood glaring cruelly at Raven. Inside, however, he was frantic.

She's not moving. She's not moving. Aw, crap, she's not gonna do it! She doesn't believe me and now she's not gonna-

Slade's eyes flickered from the silent, gaping Titans to the glowering Beast Boy to the utterly still form of Raven. He realized everything a second before it happened.

BOOM.

Where Raven had been, a huge, crackling mass of black energy writhed. Her silver prison, just seconds ago an impenetrable horror, had been totally disintegrated. Metallic dust rained down on the two figures in the center of the room.

Half shocked and half relieved, Beast Boy turned to Slade with a fierce, triumphant grin- only to find Slade laughing, just low enough for him to hear through the disturbing electric sounds coming from the gathering ball of inky light in the corner.

"You figured it out, didn't you." Beast Boy's eyes widened. "You won't say a thing."

Slade laughed again, a rough, strangely hushed sound. "Of course. You know, I honestly thought you were stupid enough to do nothing about this. But now… Oh, dear. You weren't counting on me to be angry with you when the cage broke, were you? To prove your innocence? Hmh." Slade stood, hands clasped behind his back, calm as though he had orchestrated the whole fiasco. "I would never deny myself the opportunity of watching your dearest friend kill you"

There wasn't even time for Beast Boy to respond. Raven gave an inhuman shriek, too crazed by anger and grief to know anything but kill anymore, and crashed forward in a tidal wave of deadly, shining magic. Trigon's double red eyes burned from inside the darkness.

In sudden impulse Beast Boy whirled and leapt at Slade with a roar, becoming a massive tiger in one fluid movement. Jaws clamped around an armored shoulder, claws screeched across the black and copper breastplate. Spikes suddenly protruded from Slade's fist and smashed into fur and flesh, but Beast Boy didn't give. Slade twisted his barbed knuckles deeper into the animal's ribs, but the teeth just crunched down harder on his shoulder. Something snapped in Beast Boy's side and spots started to swim through his vision, but his tiger's maw still managed a feral grin.

At least I can take you with me, bastard.

The black crashed down and swept them both away.

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Robin realized the same thing Slade had just moments ago. But he realized a second too late.

"Raven!" Robin and Starfire smashed out of their cages and raced forward across the surgically white floor, now sprinkled with silver dust.

"Raven, it was an act! He was trying to make you-" Robin stopped mid-sentence. Starfire landed next to him, nervously looking up at Raven.

"Why has she stopped like this?" Starfire bit her lip.

"She's… frozen, or something… Star!" Robin grabbed the girl's shoulder and pointed up to the top of the glowing, inky thing that spread its motionless tendrils throughout the arena. "Can you see her eyes?"

"Well… Not quite from here. I will fly up and look." Starfire swept her way through the air to hover in front of the darkness that was Raven's face. "She- Her eyes, they- Her eyes are not red anymore! Raven? Raven? Are you—"

"Don't…move." Raven's hoarse whisper was barely audible. "Now go… away."

Starfire's green eyes opened even larger than usual, and she raced back to Robin.

"Well, what did she say?"

"I am not sure what she truly meant, but I think it is best that for now… we wait."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Raven had never done anything this hard in her life. Letting all hell loose was one thing. Chaining all hell into suspended animation was quite another. She strained against the emotions that wanted to move the magic, to either retreat or destroy. Her soul screamed with the effort, but kept it all completely still.

Damned empathy abilities, her mind panted. Why do they only work when it's too late?

Raven could sense the lie now. The sham of a confession. He wanted me to break the globe. He knew I could take down Slade. You were just a little too believable. Too good, for once in your life.

Now what?

Raven could sense the two souls inside her ebony cloud. One misshapen and warped: Slade. The other less innocent, more pained, than when she had felt it last. And both dying.

Slowly, painstakingly, Raven began to peel back layers of magic, shaking with the effort of control. Layer by layer, the darkness was cast aside to swirl into insubstantial fog. Layer by layer, the light came in.

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HAHAHA, short chapters! Am I making you suffer? Good.