Gotham
"Sure you know where this leads?" says Bruce, following behind the waddling Penguin.
"Like the back of my hand Mr. Wayne." he puffs. They had knocked out three guards and carefully secured them. "The escape pods are just ahead."
The Penguin suddenly feels a large knock on his head and he blacks out…
…
Robin started cursing himself for losing it back on the surface. The factory was pretty clear, saved a few frightened box shifters who ran off and a clown who couldn't shoot straight if his life depended on it. After some persuasion, he had gotten the badly beaten thug to tell him his next route on rescue. He knew he was close to the main hideout, and he knew that the venom was turning him into a maniac.
He hoped that the man's leg bones knitted back properly and his arms and his nose and his teeth…
…
TwoFace got behind some crates, signalling the men to do likewise. A dozen armed men, not including TwoFace, started assembling into place in the lower levels of the factory. Two got behind some barrels with shotgun and machine gun aimed at the door of the elevator. Another three kept an eye on the ventilator shafts and one got his mounted machine gun set up at the foot of the stairs. TwoFace kept two beside him for added protection and firepower.
A gas bomb smashes through the window, fogging up the whole place. The guard there points his gun out to try and catch who threw it. At the stairwell the man got the machine gun ready as he heard something coming down. Barrels came toppling and knocked the shocked guy and his gun over, smashing in fire. The man quickly scrambles away.
TwoFace hears the elevator stop on the level and shouts orders to unleash hell. The two guys at the elevator open fire on three barrels that appear in the elevator, blowing them up and sending them back in the force of the blast. The smoke continues to billow and the guards at the ventilators open the grates up to get more air in, each one falling to one of Robin's freeze disks as they fall out.
"Blasted bird!" snarls the twisted boss. "WHERE IS HE?"
If he had looked behind him and is there wasn't so much smoke, he would have noticed a barrel with legs make its way down to the next level…
…
"What… What is this?" says the Penguin, awakening from his abrupt 'rest'. He finds himself squished in a closet. "Waugh! Betrayed again!" he yells fuming, knocking on the locked door. Like a Wombat with rabies he tries to break down the door with little success. He gives one last punch before giving up in a sweat and wheeze and just leaning on it. Bruce opens the door and he falls out.
"Okay Oswald." says Bruce. "Time to make a deal."
"Eh? What on earth are you talking about?" he answers, rolling back on his feet. "What actually happened between those two falls then?"
"The documents you made to TwoFace, Riddler and the Joker." smiles Bruce.
The Penguin checks his pockets… he didn't have them. "You! Y… You rich, billionaire, low rate thief!"
"Yes, I took them. I admit it. But I seemed to have forgotten where I hid them. And if you want it to stay that way, I suggest you listen to what I have to say."
The Penguin lunges at Bruce but gets tripped over back into the closet.
"This is no time to start haggling Penguin." says Bruce calmly as he traps the short man in the door. "Any time now some thugs may come back and take us in, and where would that get you?"
"Considering your affiliation against me." says The Penguin. "I might just prefer being caught again then making any blackmail 'deal' with the likes of you."
"There are many lives at stake here Penguin, so I won't ask twice. I don't really need you anymore now that I'm actually out of our confinement. I would actually like seeing you throw a tantrum while being a victim of your own deceit and greed! But on the whole I'd rather be up there informing Batman of what is happening. But there is still something I need from you that might help the current 'situation' that I may never get the chance to get again. Just take time to at least listen to my terms and let's see what you think after that…"
…
(Jump City)
Sad Raven sniffles with eyes watering as she holds the door open for the three 'guests'. The blonde woman looks to the other two, the skinny, blue frail man and the fat orange haired man with some confusion.
"Err… hello." she says. Sad lets out a wail.
"What was that? Eh?" says the verily aged Mumbo with a megaphone to his ear.
"What's up with her?" says the old CtrlF, scratching his itchy beard.
"Just let me handle this okay?" glares the middle aged Kitten. She turns to Sad. "Now just pull yourself together you freak!"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAHAAAaaa!" says Sad.
"Didn't quite get that either!" says Mumbo.
"Are you sure you don't want to let us have a try?" says CtrlF.
"Oh come on! I've called people a lot worse!" reasons Kitten shrugging. "But you have to admit she is a pretty freaky girl!"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAH!" says Sad.
"One more time and I'll get it!" says Mumbo.
"Now look what you've done you shrew!" says CtrlF, pushing her out of the way. "This is how you reason with a Titan… Ahem (Drops down on knees) … HELP US PLEEEAAASSSE!"
"Yes, I would like some cheese now you mention it."
"Shut up you!" says Kitten.
"Hey guys!" says CtrlF. "I think I got a reaction here!" and they all look towards the inanimate Sad.
"WAAAAAAAH!" says Sad and she slams the door.
"Cheddar thanks little Miss." says Mumbo.
…
The metal tapping sound of Echelon's footsteps are heard in the multiplying effect of many insects heading towards them. They could not see Echelon save by the red light of Evil Raven who was riding it; even then it was practically invisible to all else. On the other side of the blue fire, Fight observes the red glow of Trigon far off and waiting.
"Action stations!" shouts Fight, and the others lower into the trench they had dug out. "Don't fire until you see the abyss of its eyes!"
"I think it will be far too late by then." says Grumpy.
Fight doesn't reply. She just helps Shy by fashioning more light weapons as quickly as they may. Vain fixes and fits the end of her long hair and Happy maintains the centre fire.
It would not be long…
…
"Okay, just stay calm." says Beastboy, flailing his branches. "Three super villains are about to break in. Cyborg's communicator's engaged, Starfire is missing, Raven has lost it and I'm still a tree… oh well, I wanted to panic anyway… AAAAAAAAARGH!"
"This is really scary!" cries sad, back against the large pile of furniture backed to the door.
"Alright! On the count of ten, I'll huff and puff and blow this door in!" yells Kitten.
"Just get behind me Rae!" says BB. "I'll show them just how much bite this bark has… tree this bite has… bark this bark that… oh… whatever!"
"You mean you're not still angry about me being so… emotional?" sniffles Sad.
"Hey! Why would I still be angry about something as little as that? You're my friend. I'd be a real jerk if I kept hating you. I may not like the way you act, but I can forgive you. I guess I WAS a real jerk when I yelled…"
Sad smiles. "Friends again then?"
"We were always friends!" winks Beastboy, trying to do a thumbs up with his sticks, but failing miserably. "Just pull yourself together."
"Ready or NOT!" yells Kitten and Sad runs behind Beastboy, just as the blockade is blown in with an explosion. "Here we come…" says Kitten, blowing smoke from her Moth pistol. The three figures emerge from the slowly dissipating smoke.
…
Gotham
…
The room is almost pitch black. Using his night vision screen, Robin makes his way across the tunnel.
"It's quiet…" thinks Robin. "Too quiet…" he was right.
"Hello, hello." says Two Face. The lights come on and he stands there, blocking his way with a few baton armed men.
"You want me alive?" muses Robin. "Bad choice."
"We could always have an accident." says Twoface. "GET HIM!"
…
Alfred watches as Robin starts to lose control of his emotive rage again. Adrenaline and toxins mixing in him to create a practical monster of a fighter. But there was still some control left in Robin that was helping to keep it in check…
"I really do deserve a raise…" mutters Alfred, fusing some wires he transforms the communicator on Robin's utility belt into a shock belt to make up for the broken shock wrist.
…
Just in time, Robin feels the static shock and he snaps himself out of the blood lust. He lets the man fall gasping for breath. Twelve men lie badly beaten and needing medical attention with broken limbs and ribs.
"Why do you fight it?" says Twoface, shaking his head. He draws out his machine gun. "Why fight against yourself. Give in to that part that wants justice!"
"That isn't justice." pants Robin, too exhausted from his fury to effectively dodge the weapon at such a close range. "It's hate." He foolishly kept his hands on his pole weapon, so any false move to his belt would mean being riddled with bullets.
"They can be the same."
"Hate corrupts justice."
"Without hate their can be no justice. No hate to cause crime, no hate to enforce law."
"Justice is enforced not by hate, but by the want to protect."
"Law has long forgotten that." says Twoface, almost gravely. "Now face the ultimate justice."
"What about the choice then?" says Robin. "Let's see which side of that coin smiles."
"I am not so easily fooled. My mind is already set. There is no need for the coin."
"But what of fate? Your code? Your way?"
"Necessity speaks over compulsion here bird boy." he snarls. "I will not fall for this trick!"
"Fate isn't all that important then?"
"Fate puts you here…"
"Fate can save me…"
"Shut your trap!"
"You left your coin behind did you?"
"NO! Shut up! JUST SHUT UP OR…"
"You'll shoot? Wasn't that what you were going to do anyway? Just flip the coin and be done with it!"
"Ha! I'm above your games!" (Twoface is in tatters.) "I WON'T! NO! I will NOT chance this! I COULD LOSE!"
"Then allow me…" smiles Robin, and he holds up a coin which he had already in his hand, as often he did when Twoface was around.
"NO!" screams Twoface paranoid. His eyes bulging and sweat pouring off his brow, finally snapping to the impulse. "NOT YOU! YOU CAN'T! IT IS NOT YOURS! IT'S MINE! IT IS MY CHOICE!" and he quickly takes out and flips his own coin.
The shiny disk flips, reflecting the light of the tunnel…
…
Jump City
…
"Hello!" says Evil almost hissing.
"OPEN FIRE!" screams Fight, and bolts of blue and white fly out in all directions from the circular trench. Many fly off into the void, becoming mere specks getting further away, but a few hit their mark.
Already Echelon had coiled it's huge mass around them so he may subdue the light under his weight, but the explosions of light smash and injure him, forcing the monster back to heal. But Evil had perfected her art. This was stronger armour, a thicker shell to house her creation. But the light only did damage as much as one would damage a car with their fist, and there was enough shadow to feed this creature to nurse these bruises and cuts anew.
It feared the large fire, and dared not dive it's head in just yet. The trench was also well protected for so few defenders. Echelon's eyes being the most sensitive to light, it did not like the look of the sharp weapons being wielded. It stuck to slowly squeezing it's mass closer around the flame, it's many multi tasking arms doing the work.
Evil flings a great black and crimson whip towards Fight, which coils around her arm. Pulling it taught, Fight lines her fist with it and lets fly a white punch of energy that smacks into Evil.
Black bolts hurtle at the fire, but sizzle out, quenched by the efforts of Happy, using her heart to keep the flame glowing bright. She shivers as she begins to feel cold, her energy wasting and the scream of Echelon weakening her will. But by her friends she held on.
The scalpel claw of Echelon lunges to the trench but is foiled by Grumpy and Vain with long javelins of light, skewering the insectoid leg which falls in a shriek, dissipating in the fire. But victory was short lived, and five more arms and tentacles reach to hold them.
Grumpy dives away and the two tentacles fly into the fire and burn up. Vain punctures a claw and her javelin is pulled away, the light consumed. A tentacle wraps around and begins to crush her, while a claw reaches for her head. She twirls her head around and her long hair hits the claw, and it is revealed that there is a light knife at the tip, giving great pain to the creature as it whips around it's poor limbs. Vain is released, but thrown hard to the ground.
Sad gives a shout and throws the others some more light bombs she had finished. Once again Echelon has to retreat.
"You cannot win!" laughs Evil. "It is ordained that I should be victorious over all character! I do not need you to control our body! And I do not need power from Trigon; for I AM POWER! I AM SUPREME!"
She strikes the ground with a black wave, ripping the earth apart and making a path into the trench. The great head of Echelon rears up, it's horrible figure displayed in the light of the fire, it dives down into this ditch and flows like water, towards the fire and its defenders…
…
"MOD IS GOING TO DO WHAT?" says Beastboy, swaying his branches and trunk in disbelief.
"Yep! He's going to fry the world." says CtrlF. "As if taking my youthful beauty was not enough!"
"I'd laugh mockingly, but this is too serious!" says BB, pacing up and down. (Which was Sad pulling his trolley back and forth)
"Well so much for plan B!" says Mumbo looking at some portraits and taking a few nick knacks. "Guess we're all doomed then." He turns around and everything he took falls out of his ears.
"Eww." says CtrlF.
"For someone who is about to die, you really know how to spend the rest of your time!" says BB a bit frustrated.
"WAAAHAAA!" cries out Kitten. "I'M TOO YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL AND NICE TO DIE! WAAH! TAKE THEM INSTEAD!" and even Sad frowns at her.
"Was I really like that?" she asks BB.
"At least you had a lot more truth in your words." says BB.
"Look! I can't just sit here and wait around moaning and weeping just doing nothing, just waiting for the inevitable!" says CtrlF defiantly. "Get me a good DVD and some nachos!"
"Hey! We're some of the greatest minds in all super hero and villain history!" says BB. Awkward silence. Mumbo runs into the fridge. "Hey! I'm rating us by our success here!"
"I don't deserve this!" says Kitten. "What did I ever do to deserve this?"
"Do you want me to write a book on that?"
"Oh shut up twiggy!"
"Spoiled brat!"
"Termite chow!"
"Kitten!"
"You're too much of a child even to argue with!" says Kitten, twirling around.
"Well… er. And you're too tall!" says BB, two feet shorter than the adult Kitten.
"Apple cider!"
"Spider kisser!"
"Just get a grip you two!" says a voice with authority and power.
Kitten and the tree look dumbfounded at Sad. She seemed to transform before their eyes, as if what weak traits and emotions faded away to something more resolute and strong in heart.
"What was that eh?" says Mumbo, holding the trumpet to his ear.
"Other way round old man." says CtrlF.
"A… Are you okay Rae?" stutters BB.
Kitten sneers "Well of course there's definitely something wrong. Look at her clothes! Soooo yesterday!"
"I just want… want to do something." says Sad. "I can't go on crying when I could actually be doing something to help it, and everyone else. Are you lot just going to stand here, eating, watching TV, stealing and moaning for yourselves when you could be doing something about it?"
The villains stare at their toes (Or at least, CtrlF tries to).
"Look at you!" she continues. "Look what you've become! When Mod took your youth, I didn't expect your spirit and soul to disappear as well. You were some of the most energetic and lively people I have ever met. Even if you went down the wrong path, you didn't let the world control you, nor yourselves taken into being idle while time passes by. You never gave up without a fight. You were DOERS, not WATCHERS. But look at you now!"
"Everyone dies. Not everyone truly lives."
"Cut the Scottish accent BB. We have a fight on our hands!" she turns to the others. "But we need your help." Slight pause as the moral seeps in. CtrlF scratches his large belly and contemplates, hiding his nacho. Kitten folds her arms, but can't look directly at Sad. But BB looks to her and is glad, for there is still some of the old Rae left, even in this little part of her.
"What? Kelp? Eh?" says Mumbo. "I don't see any kelp?"
Kitten scowls, but at last sighs. Uncomfortably she admits defeat in words (Which is rare). She holds out her hand in agreement (Which is almost mathematically impossible) shaking hands with Sad, a new alliance was made… A NEW TEAM OF TITANS! (Emotional dramatic music)
"We have real team issues here!" observes BB. "And I mean gurgalurge!"
…
Gotham
…
"I'm glad to see you master Bruce." says Alfred, pulling a clothes rack along with the bat suit. "I shall see that the escape pod is dropped back into the harbour after the issue is sorted."
"Thanks Alfred. Where's Robin now?" says Bruce, running briskly up the stairs from the underground jetty.
"Currently apprehending Twoface I believe." says Alfred, putting up the overhead screen. Indeed, Robin was tying up the rogue along with the thugs. "The venom is taking it's toll I'm afraid. His nerves will soon be completely exhausted from the amount of energy he is using. Most unfortunate."
"It's a dilute dose of Rah-jaija juice, poison of madness, mixed with venom, the toxin Bane uses." says Batman, going back down to the bat sub. "Found out from the papers Penguin had. Guess he wanted to make an antidote too in case the Joker turned on him. I have an antidote in the sub."
"Don't forget your seatbelt sir." waves Alfred, and the sub is already out of sight.
…
…
…
…
Sneak peek
The Lancer
Shekra Kaizer
Height: 6"
Eye colour: N/A (?)
Age: N/A
Occupation: Librarian of the great Library of Atlantis (Just a gimmick name, not real Atlantis)
Old friend of Raven in their upbringing, who looks after many books in the most secure (And secret) library in the world. Many books she keeps an eye on are extremely dangerous in more ways than one. She was entrusted with the book of Malchior when the Titan's disbanded and Raven wanted little to do with the dark pages again.
Though never showing more than her lower face, she is incredibly beautiful and smart to boot. But like Raven is not one to show off, shrouding herself in a great dull coloured robe with hood. She doesn't use any transport, but rather blends in with shadows on airplanes, trains, boats and cars to get where she wants. Very few see her. Even when she is caught on surveillance equipment; it is only a vague shape.
She is trained in many forms of defensive and offensive arts. A long sword and sonic wrist her trademark weapons, though she has more besides, she is also able to use many others due to her vast knowledge and experience, to which even Raven knows little of the history. This training is needed to stop the many evils that want to take hold of the many powerful, secret and lethal words in her storage. She also keeps an orange stone with her, a stone with the power to inflict incredible pain to those she touches and wishes to harm, as well as providing herself with immunity to all forms of torture.
Despite these great attributes, it is not enough to stop a resourceful, determined and hypnotically powerful villain…