Two Halves

I don't own Teen Titans.

Chapter 9: Lambs to the slaughter

The open air shopping mall/plaza on the east side of Jump was up and running by 11:00 AM. People came and went as they carried large shopping bags full of purchase items or take-out bag. The conversations spread amongst the ever-growing crowd soon became a drone. It was next to impossible to understand which voice belonged to who without getting close enough. For instance, if one were to have to the food court of the mall, one could see and hear amongst a very interesting group of lookalikes sitting around one of the tables.

"I sure do love this slurpie!" Happy shouted out with one of her ear to ear grins on her face. She was still dressed in Starfire's uniform from the previous night and was holding a large drink cup in one hand. "Strawberry is sooooo good."

"Yeah, great for you. Just let me think," Intellect said as he put her hand to against her face and drummed her fingers against her forehead. Her clothing had also changed. She now wore a brown blouse, brown pants, and a pair of black flats. She also changed her glasses from the coke bottle style to a one's with smaller lenses.

"What's to think about? I mean, we have money, new clothing, and I have a slurpie! What's to think about?"

"Our next course of action. We need to plan ahead for what the future will come to for us."

"The future going to be happy and wonderful. And in no time, the Titans are going to accept us." Happy then took another big sip of her slurpie and put on another one of her huge smiles.

"Acceptance is going to be the hardest part of our plan. You think the Titans are going to enjoy having five more Ravens?" Intellect asked as she removed her hand from her face.

"Six is better then one!"

"I was talking hypothetically. On our last visit, we seemed to interact well with the Titans. However, they may still have second thoughts on this. And then that might lead to how we got the new clothes. And then that will lead to how we acquired the money."

"You mean how I got the money," Bravery stated as to correct Intellect. She now wore a green tank top, baggy camo pants, and a pair of reflector shades. Her feet were propped up on the table, revealing the black combat boots now on them. "I sneaked into the bank and scored us a good seven hundred to last us for a while." Bravery then patted the left pocket for her pants were a huge bulge was.

"You still knocked out three guards for no reason."

"Hey. I may have some sweet ninja skills, but what's the point if the ninja can't use some sweet combat maneuvers."

"But Bravery. We still stole the money. Its not right," Timid said. She now sported black jeans, black sneakers, and a grey shirt that was hidden under her black sweatshirt, which had the hood up over her head.

Bravery looked and her and asked, "So what? You still used the money to buy your clothes, just like the rest of us."

"Yeah but…the money…I mean…" Now feeling even worse, Timid let out a whimper and hung her head down.

"Hey! Don't be such a let down," Happy stated as she put her slurpie down.

"It's not my fault Timid is always a wimp."

"Stop it right now!" Intellect ordered. "We shouldn't be arguing amongst ourselves and instead focus on the problem at hand."

"We get it: the Titan might not let us in the group. Don't worry. I'll just us some of my negation skills," She then turned her left hand into a fist and slammed it into her open palm right hand.

"I don't want the Titans to hate us even more," Intellect said.

"They wouldn't as long as you, me, Bravery, Happy, and Love stay close." Intellect then looked around the group and asked," Speaking of which, where is Love?"

"Over there," Happy replied as she pointed off to her right.

Everyone looked to where she was pointing to see Love sitting three tables down from the group. She was still dressed in her pink cloak and leotard. Her head was in her hands and she had an expression of extreme depression.

"She's been like that ever since we regrouped last night. Hasn't eaten, drank, or talked since."

"What's eating her?" Bravery asked.

"I don't know, but it's ruining our day. I'm going to find out what it is," Happy stated as she got up from her chair.

"Happy, maybe you shouldn't-" Intellect was halted as Happy began to walk over to Love's table. "Why doesn't anyone listen to me?"

Upon getting to Love, Happy sat down in a chair next to Love and said, "Hi Love. What's the matter?"

Love didn't answer, just continued looking forward with that blank stare of hers.

"You want something to eat?"

No answer came from Love.

"Aren't you tried of wearing those old clothes? We can go shopping and get you some new clothes. You know, the really short skirts and midriff tees you always talk about."

Love then turned to her and replied," What's the point?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean why should we change how we look…" she was then overtaken by sobs, cutting her speech up," when…what you…want…doesn't…care about you?" she then started to sob more heavily and tears began to slowly drip form her eyes.

Happy put her arm around her and said," What is this all about? You're starting to sound like Timid."

"Last night, I tried to get Beast Boy to like me, as everyone else was trying to get everyone else to like him, but I realize its never…going to work." Another round of heavy sobbing came from her mouth for a few seconds util she continued on," But then I got the idea that it wouldn't work."

"But you're just like Raven. You just like BB more."

"Is that enough though? That's what came through my mind when I tried to carry it out. What if he found out I was a fake? I bet he loves the other Raven more. I just know it. I know even that the real Raven conflicts with her love, which I know of, but she just seems that she deserves him. I hate saying it, but it's the truth," Love finished as she wiped her eyes on her cloak.

"Don't worry about that. Who cares?"

"But I-"

"Listen up. We have a new life. We can get money, clothes, food, anything. The original Raven just plain forgot about us. She might get BB. But you can get any boy you want. We can set ourselves aside and have a great life. We are now humans and do whatever we want."

All of a sudden, a new voice said, "She's right you know."

The two looked up to see Rage looking down at them. She was dressed in her blood red leotard and cloak. Looking into her hood, the two could see her four red eyes and her grinning mouth, revealing many fanged teeth.

"Rage! You were saved too?" Happy asked eccentrically as she and Love got up from their tables.

"Yes, the demon saved me as well. I was just lying low for a while."

"Just like you," Intellect said. Looking to her left, she saw Intellect, Bravery, and Timid walk over. "What are you planning now?"

"Nothing. I see that most of you have taken full advantage of the real world's services."

"Stop getting to from the point. We aren't going to trust you. Not since that fiasco in Raven's mind a while ago."

"How about I beat the answers out of her?" Bravery asked as she raised a fist into the air.

"Calm yourselves. I just want to enjoy life."

"At the expense of human lives?" Intellect asked.

"Always the thinking type, aren't you? I have a new identity. I may look like the original as the rest of you, but I am different. I deserve a chance to be free. A change to begin life a new."

All of sudden, Happy ran over to her and gave her a bear hug. "That's awesome. Now we can all be sisters!"

"Yeah, sisters. About that," Rage said as she pulled Happy off of her, "it's just…what I said…I can't believe you took that bullshit as the truth."

Before anyone could act, Rage then formed black energy around her hand and swiped at Happy's neck in a karate chop like action. A huge cut appeared in the middle of her throat and blood began to squirt out of it in jets and land all over Rage's face and clothes. Struggling for breath, Happy's smile disappeared from her face and she fell backwards. She hit the table, only to snap her head to her chest and then hit the ground.

Timid let out a scream of horror and ducked under a table. It took a few seconds for the crowd to look towards the source of the scream and get the message. Upon seeing the bleeding girl and the other girl with blood on her face, they too screamed and started to run. This caused those in front of them to scream and run, not knowing of why they were doing it. In no time, the shopping center was empty of the crowds and sales attendees, leaving only six girls: four shocked, one smiling hideously, and another dying.

With everyone gone, Rage then licked her lips of the blood and stated, "Not bad. Could have used some seasoning though."

"You bitch!" Bravery yelled as she ran towards Rage, her fist ready to strike. Rage raised her hand and shot a black energy orb at her stomach. Upon making contact, Bravery was knocked backwards into a soda cart, which caved in under her weight as she hit it.

"Back to the meal," Rage stated. She then picked up the slowly dying body of Happy be the front of her leotard and brought her up to her face. She let out a smirk upon seeing Happy's eyes roll into the back of her head and her mouth struggling for breath. Rage then made a sucking motion with her mouth and suddenly a pink cloud emerged from Happy's mouth and went into Rage's. Finished with this, she threw the body behind her. It slid on the floor, leaving a bloody streak behind it, and finally the body of Happy lay still, no breath or movement whatsoever.

"You…You…"Intellect stuttered out as the scene ended.

"Finally you say something. I was beginning to think you died of shock," Rage remarked.

Collecting herself, Intellect said," You killed her. She refereed to you as a sister. You cretin!"

"A cretin you say? Looks like you're using big words yet again to hurt me. How sad."

"What was that?" Love asked.

"The essence of Happy. Or more precise, her soul."

"Her soul? You ate her soul?"

"It tasted pretty good. Just like all the others."

"That's why they aren't her. You devoured them!" Intellect stated,

"Well my secret's out. Yes, I did eat them. The demon that brought you here fed them to me. He wanted to me to become stronger, since I had more potential then all of you. But, to get even more power, he took the remaining five of you and turned you into humans. By letting you have some fun, you soul's could become been more filling. When I devour you, I will have enough power."

"The demon? What is he planning?"

"I'm not telling my dinner that!"

"Where you diner unless you fight us for it!" Bravery yelled out as she got up from the cart and her hands became charged in black energy. Lover and Intellect followed suit, charging their hand with black energy as well. Timid still remained under the chair.

"How cute. Even those non-violent are standing against me. Very well. You will get a fight. But just remember: when I finish with you, you'll be begging me to devour you."

Raven…Help us…

Raven was in the downtown section only a few miles from their location when this message entered her mind.

…Help us…

She froze right in the middle of the sidewalk she was son as people passed around her body.

…Help us…

Like she creepy broken record, its ghost like message popped into her mind continually. She would normally question who this was, but she was sure of the owner. The voice was of one of her loose emotions. Was it Timid? Intellect? Or maybe…

Help us!

This time, the voice was loud enough to send a ringing to her ears. She cringed as she felt it surge through her mind. It was the wake up call she needed. No time to think over the owner's voice. She had to find her emotions. And judging by how loud the message was, they were up to their necks in trouble. Most likely its Rage. She began to teleport to the source, but stopped herself. Doing so could be a risk and she could lose the signal.

Help…us…

"Damn it!" she said as she then rose into the air flew once again felt around for the source of the voice.

There, south of her. But it was getting weaker.

(Please be safe).

She then flew off towards the voice and whatever was happening.

Back at Titans Tower, the rest of the team was relaxing in the common room when the alert computer went off. Robin walked over to it and worked around on it, seeing what the problem was.

"What do we got?" Cyborg asked as he got up from the sofa where he had been playing a game with Beast Boy.

"Disturbance over at the shopping center. Possible causality. Titans, move!"

Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg headed off to the garage, while BB went off to Raven's room to get her.

He knocked on the door and said," Raven, trouble over in the city. W have to go."

He received no response.

"We have to leave now."

No answer still.

"You okay on there?"

When a third time had passed without an answer, he risked his neck and began to open the door. Surprisingly, it was unlocked and slid opened with ease. He looked into the room and saw that Raven was in there. Instead, he saw something that filled him with an unbelievable level of fear. Resting on the bed was her communicator.

"Damn it Raven!" he yelled as he ran off to tell the others. (Please don't be where I think you are.)

Will the emotions survive Rage's onslaught? What will Raven find when she reaches the shopping center? Chapter 10 is coming soon.