Mute Chapter 12: With Every End, a teen titans fanfic

Two chapters left, First part of a two part ending. Explanations will come with last chapter.

MUTE
With Every End
MereImage

This is the beginning of an end. With every end, with every beginning, there most come understanding.

…

Sometimes I wish… I could become the wind. Invisible, molding the known, strong, affecting the life around us with a simple kiss of compassion and understanding.

……

Sometimes I wish it would just……………end. When the breeze turns to nothing but air. Still, forgotten. When it becomes so silent our own thoughts mask out the pain.

……

I could hear the screams. My footsteps would not drown out the noise.

My head was filled with them, doused into the drowning pits where no sane mind can ever survive. I could have sworn I was going insane, that the pleas were from inside my psyche. Only Continuing on in desperate attempts of appeal, suffocating the better half I had been trying so hard to preserve. I hated it more than anything in this world that could attribute to this life we live.

But no, the screams were everywhere around me, plaguing me. I watched citizens flee, cower behind barriers, shove everyone aside in desperate attempts to get out of the area as fast as they could.

As nameless faces jostled past, I avoided them, winding my body through the never ending traffic of a panic. I was almost tempted to stand my ground, to turn and run with everyone else where I belonged.

But then again, where did I belong?

I continued at a sprint.

I was the only soul pushing in the opposite direction…towards the heart of the city. Just where the heart was slowly being ripped into two and where the rest of my friends were currently-

BoooooooooOOOOOOOOOM!

Everyone toppled over, a foot wide crack breaking through the backbone of the town, ripping through the street. It tore beneath me, widening like the mouth of a fiend opening to eat its prey, causing my legs to give out. For a second I simply drifted in mid air, holding onto nothing, thinking nothing, until my arm clasped the edge, clutching onto the side as my body slipped into the dark depths. I dangled from my spot inside the miniature canyon. Sweat trickled down my neck as I hoisted myself from the gully, collapsing on my knees. Fires poured farther on, flames consumed part of the west side of the city. The ground shook, the people fell, the screams intensified.

It felt like the end of the world was happening again….the apocalypse of a second coming.

They told me to keep out of it; they told me to leave it to them. I caught their hints, their persistence of me to the safekeeping of our home. They treated me like a newborn, fresh to the horrors of this world, shielded from the fate I was meant to conquer.

They forget that I'm still a hero, as much inside as out. They forget that a hero lives in all of us, even when the best of us comes to die.

I was running again. Before I even realized it, the multitude was thinning out the closer I drew to the eye of the storm. I was heaving now, panting from my exertion of activity. Then I saw it.

A flash of green-

-A spurge of blue radioactivity-

-Voluptuous birdarangs tearing through the fabric of time-

-Starbolts kissing the thinly strung air-

-all convulsing upon one target, blinding the city for but a second before it faded…and smoke began to lazily drift. They had circled around an open square, cornering whatever lay in its mists. The color seemed to wash from the scene, leaving a dull gray to cover the thin traces of air. Tall buildings stretched up to touch the sky, almost acting like a defensive barrier for the troops. For the first time that day it grew an eerie quiet, no sounds, no movement. I blinked from my standpoint, one of the openings leading onto the open arena, and for the first time in weeks, I felt like I wasn't the only mute, I wasn't the only one who had grown pregnable to the very life we live.

Then time seemed to slow… as if it had almost stopped. I had simply held my hand out, desperate for this day to pause if but for a moment. My gaze fell on one first. Arm propped out like a gun, one of the weapons we had vowed never to use. A weapon inside us all.

Cyborg is fading. I can see it from the way he stands, the way his eyes locked heavily upon the scene without so much as a word or witty phrase. Just like the plastered brick walls eroding because of fowl time wearing on its limits. Cyborg is one of the men I will never truly come to understand completely. It confuses me, the thoughts he's had to endure, the torments of his dreams. I know he use to be in love, he use to have a family. In a sad way, Cyborg fell in love with death. I can never be certain, but I can tell when his head hangs that the hurt is still there. The girl he loved is dead, his mother: dead. And his father might as well be. Cyborg is fading just like his long forgotten past. In the process, he had grown stronger. We all do in darkened times, because if we don't, our very spirits will never survive. His appearance betrays him more than the others, because I know he is poisoned more inside than he's willing to show. And for that, he has grown. He has grown as a hero, he has grown as a brother, he has grown on the inside and out, and he has grown on us all.

Cyborg is my hero.

My neck turned.

To the right, floating but a head from Cyborg stood my…………friend. My best friend.

Starfire was no longer comprised of the excess innocence she once possessed. Her features have hardened with the times, just as we all had. Yet she still boldly sacrifices herself for others and acts as if this world has not a sin in it. She works to preserve the good in this world, not destroy the evil, and I truly believe those beliefs will follow her even past death. I was surprised when she explained to me of her past, of all the bereavement she's witnessed. Her planet has gone to war on more than one occasion. Her own people, her family has died in her arms. But somehow…by some miraculous proclamation, it never changed her. And still it made her who she was today. We go through trials and it's in those times that we come closer to each other, to ourselves. We find out who we truly are, who we were meant to be. When death comes among us, it's in those times we must gather and test the strength of our bonds. If it snaps, our world will fall to pieces. This is what I've gathered from Starfire, and no words are needed for such a thing. Starfire has seen more death than us all.

But she chooses not to live a life of regret. She chooses not to stray down the wrong path.

For that,

Starfire is my hero.

In the nearby distance, a green falcon touches down in between the Tamaranian and Cyborg. It flutters to a stop, perched on a crippled ledge. His eyes upturn towards the glowing part of the city, stopping for the time being only to intake all of his surroundings… he was the only one moving.

…just like us all, simply watching…

Wishing we could do so much more.

Beast boy has turned into the man I thought he could never become. Through all his absurdity and sarcasm, I never caught on to the deep meanings he was trying to share this whole while, the care he possessed, the childlike virtuousness that had captured the team as a whole. He has always been more than the eye is willing to show, hiding behind his insecurities. Beast Boy has matured. He has found love at an early age and watched it die right before his eyes. Terra meant more to him than anything and he means more to me than the face of this cursed earth. I don't think I will ever be able to love… and this saddens me. Over everyone, even Robin, I feel Beast Boy can truly understand my situation. Something in my stomach stirs whenever I look at him, whenever our eyes meet. He is the lost soul, searching for something that has already gone. It's something that was never meant to be, but has happened all the same. Beast Boy has been gifted with the capability of changing people. He changed Terra, he………..changed…………………….me.

Beast Boy is my hero.

At the end of my alley, across the way, stood Robin. His posture was so composed, he could have been mistaken as a statue, preserved for all to see and admire. Robin has never wished to be an icon in itself, I know this, and believe he always has been. What can I say; it's easy to admire him.

Robin is a man of many faces. He is a man who puts everyone before himself. Self sacrificing is one way to state it, but personally, I believe it's much more. Ever since I met Robin, I knew there was something deeper about him. Of all his decisions, it has been for the good of the city or the team. Even during the brief Red-x scheme, although I was angry at the time, I believe he did it out of fear for us. A fear that if something were to happen to us, the guilt and blame would be placed on his shoulders. Robin was afraid for us. Robin was afraid of loosing his friends. Under the layers of clothing, I know a boy still thrives on life. He's the only human on our team, and yet he manages to outshine everyone. I think this is one of the major reasons why everyone looks up to him. He's only human, and still he manages to be so much more. And like every human, he has come to show a side of him that lies under the enigma of his traits. With Robin, I had always assumed any relation with him would be one sided but it has been anything but that. He has walked the tightrope his whole life, the two sides of a mask, the life of normality on one side, the life of a hero on the other. Either side he chose, he fell. But luckily… there was always someone there to catch him, someone out of this world. Robin is molding to become the man he was born to be.

We have all gone through our own trials. We have lived lives where at some point or another we wished we were dead. This is what brought us together, and it is thus that shall keep it that way.

It was then time caught up to me quicker than a nosebleed.

"-AVEN!"

The breath roaming my lungs left me. I crashed onto the opposite side of the street as something tugged at the corner of my shoulder.

It would have been a lie to say I landed smoothly.

Starfire, panting, had her arms wrapped around my shoulders, hair smoking like it had been lit not a moment before. Her palms tightened in mix of surprise, sock and fear.

I remembered to breathe.

"Raven!" Star's head shot back almost too quickly to catch towards the scene behind the pair of us. We were shielded from harms way for the time, "What are you doing here friend? There are copious dangers that lie ahead of us! I barely had time to relocate you out of harms way!"

Her eyes were pleading, mine were the opposite.

I shook my head, pointing out towards the scene. Star bit her lip, head side lagging.

"….I understand your determination to help, Raven, I am a warrior myself but-"

She turned to face me.

She starred…

…I stared back.

The corner of her lip twitched upward with a curve, eyes shinning.

"…………we shall deliver the 'whoop to the behind of the donkey' yes?" she paused, hesitating, "…….together?"

I returned a genuine smile.

Yeah…

I did a double take, pointing out onto the scene once more. Star's head followed, squinting. She turned back to me.

"You are wondering where the others are positioned?"

I shook my head.

"……….who we are combating?"

I nodded.

Starfire rubbed her arm, twirling her boot into the ground as if musing how to answer. How hard was it to answer something so simple?

"It is him."

And suddenly I understood.

I did a double take, stumbling a step or two backwards. A cold chill seemed to sweep the air, to mock me for being so blind.

So………………… silent.

A pair of wings helped lift me from my feet, a pair of Raven wings, a pair of doves.

We looked at each other, truly, for the first time then and there. I could see my future drifting behind those pupils, intertwined between two words keeping the balance and unity we had somehow forgotten. It feels like looking at your past, watching you do things you wish you could change, holding back and staring. Somehow, we're stuck in-between and at the same time, stranded outside our boundaries.

Starfire took me by the hand with a smile.

"If it is fear you are afraid to face Raven, we shall stand beside you. We shall always stand beside you no matter what the circumstances."

At first, I did nothing. I took notice of the gentle breeze, the empty beer bottles, and the grime licking the corner of the alleyway. The sky stretched outward, broadening, breathing new life into something so simple. A glimmer danced across the valley of pavement never faltering in its movements.

I could feel…the power. Everywhere, inside me.

I did not conjure the black portal behind me that appeared not moments later, nor did I have a choice in the matter. I fell back into the swirling pit, swallowed and taken.

My father had captured me, only this time, I was defenseless. I fell back on my own accord, but it was not from my heart. My father had wrapped strings around my body and I was now his puppet, powerless or not.

I was not sure if Starfire screamed or not, because next thing I knew, I was surrounded by darkness. A darkness that ate at my core, that wore on the thin lining of my heart. I couldn't breathe; red fogged my vision, my world felt like it was being squeezed through a straw lined with holes.

I felt detached from the world, stuck in hell.

"RAVENNNNNNNN……………" whispered the shadows.

I frowned.

"Is that any way to greet your father?"

"………"

The air thinned, my anger tightened with my fists.

You are no DAD of mine…

The air constricted my lungs, flattening my chest, my cloak swinging around to act as a protective barrier. I had fallen, fallen to my knees, my hair dangling like wisps of memories. There were far too many to count, to remember. Darkness was all that remained; it was all that could survive in such a brutal environment, trapped between realities.

Which makes me believe my dark side truly isn't quiet as gone as we all thought. As I thought…

Stomping, red eyes barring, taunting…

He could read my very thoughts, he could watch over my emotions, but he could not control me… He can not control me… I refuse to believe it.

"Heh hehe heh, thought you could escape the unavoidable did youuuuu? Thought you could escape from yourself? Do not question dear girl, you presumeddd I was no more than deaddddd…."

I frowned.

"BUT HOW can you send the devil down to hell? How can you rid of the sickness when the body is still under the influence, "a crackling rushed through the air, " How can you purge of the angerrr when the source is still alive and flourishing?"

I am nothing like you!

"IS that sooooo! I part of you child, I am vital to your survival! I MAKE up half of your signature…"

My mother-

"DON'T GET ME STARTED ON HER! You think she can make the balance! You can not destroy me without ridding yourself from your very soul…It is not doneeeeeeee…"

Death shall bring my end, Father. I ranted.

"DEATH! I am death. I shall greetttttt you with open arms and crush youuuuuuuuu…" I could almost feel his breath on my shoulder, hovering, but when I turned there was nothing.

Without my body, you will have no connection through this world… I am your portal thorough blood.

"Sin brings me to this world girl, evil opens me to the minds of the weak." He chuckled, "your friends are such easy targets…humans are so easily manipulated and turned against each other. I onlyyyyyyy have to snap my fingers and their very lives will crumble. Just like I did to yours…"

My face paled, the color all but gone.

"Why haven't you spokennnnnnnn a word since my 'death' Raven? Was it because you watched your teammate die before your eyes, in your arms?" I shivered," Or was it because you believed it was your fault, that you could have saved her, that YOU killllllllllllllllled herrrr!"

I was beginning to sweat, backing up into a corner with no door for escape.

Terra died for us you scum.

"She dieddddd because you could nottt hold me back. You……..KNOW……THIS! Don't you!"

………

"You are responsible. Sheeeeeeeeeee should be alive, notttttttttt a demonnnnnnnnn girlllll. She died because of the sideee you could not control!" I could almost feel his smile against the backdropwaiting for insanity to come "Your voiceeeee is everythingggggg you are, and you did nottt feel worthyyyy. Youuuu cryyy every night because of it, every nightttt! You losttt part of yourselfffffff with herrr."

Sweat was rolling freely down my face, a pained look to my expression.

I will not give in…

And in a slow process I began to rise from my knees, from my squatted position, looking towards the heavens I could not reach.

Terra is still alive…fool.

My head was bowed.

Terra lives inside of all of us.

"How poeticccccccccccc. Heh heh hehe… but sadly childdddd, we do not live in fairy talesss."

I was on my feet, my cloak glowing…fading…glowing…intensifying.

I will not take this…. Any……………MORE!

I yelled.

I screamed.

I thrashed about.

I threw my hands out and open, inviting, pushing away from reality itself. My being flickered as I became dangerously close to disappearing.

My cloak turned not pink, not green, not blue, not black, not white, not silver, not gray, and not RED.

It was gold. Pure in it's own element, powerful.

MY eyes flashed a bright yellow, a shadowed outline appearing just behind me, guiding, whispering in my ear.

'I am here with you Raven. '

It was soft, angelic, understanding.

'I am with you, friend.'

The shadow mimicked my movements, giving support when my back was turned, when I was susceptible.

I gritted my teeth, a pounding in my ears and-

PHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!

Gold and black tendrils mixed together, becoming one, striking the world of hate. I could hear my father shrieking.

"Whatttttttttt! No, RAVEN STOPPPPPPPPP! This isn't possibleeeeeeeee!"

The power increased, causing me to slide back several feet, eyes clenched shut in forced control. The winds began to gather, twirling around me, whipping my hair, my cloak.

I was the center.

The sound was overwhelming, the power flooding from me, gathered from all the weeks of dormant waiting.

POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

It pulled on me, sucking all energy, threatening to ripe my body and soul in turn. It was enlightening and dangerous at the same time…

I was falling.

I was falling into the floor.

I was failing in mid air.

I could hear my father's screeches in the background…

And I was not afraid.

MY eyes shot open, turning to face the shadow.

I was facing a silhouette… with long blonde hair, a black tunic…

A Titan.

She held out a hand. My lip quivered, falling ever still, slowly reaching out. Our hands stretched inches apart, and yet we could not come any closer, we could not come in contact.

Terra smiled, faded.

And just like she had taken my voice, she gave me hers.

I open my mouth, tears threatening to fall.

"Terra……"

She disappeared when I hit the earth.

I hit solid ground, pavement.

I could hear the footsteps…

"…."

I slowly rubbed my throat, feeling oddly weary.

"….."

The silence, the hard rocks beneath me, felt welcome.

"…………………..Raven? RAVEN!"

Beastboy rushed to my side, grabbling my shoulders.

"Raven, stay awake, Robin's coming. Hold on!"

Why was he shouting?

I turned to look at him, lying motionless. Our eyes met.

His eyes widened, a knowing look settled between us, eyes widen with disbelief. He leaned closer on instinct, brushing a strand of hair from my face.

I felt so…………tired.

My body began to slump, to loosen, to dispatch from the strings of this ever controlling world.

His voice stammered, a lump settling in his throat. The tone lowered considerably as if he didn't want the outside world listening in on our secret. Uncertain…

"………………………………….T-Terra?"

I smiled.

And my eyes…

…

Slowly……

…

…………………….closed.

The breath escaped me.

…

"……………….."

In the distance, hugging her arms to her chest, a white haired girl watched with timid eyes.

She dared not step any closer from the building top, watching the scene below her as if in scrutiny of a past event.

Rose stayed silent for a minute, swaying to herself.

Then, without warning, her head darted back, startled, perturbed by some invisible force behind her. There was nothing. Starring with a pause, her head slowly revolved back to its original position. The frown increased, drooping eyelids taking rein. She shivered.

She couldn't see it, but she knew it was there.

The shadow of death had passed.

….

Help me Terra….

I……………I-I…………….

I think I'm going to die………

….I think I'm going to die…