A/N: Howdy y'all! Did you guys miss me? Wait, let me guess…you are all probably screaming about time as you read this note aren't you? Yes, and I can understand why…I'm two weeks late to when I said I would have this out, but at least I'm getting it out before April ends!
Seriously, I have really been pressed for time of late, and when my schedule finally started to clear free I got hit right in the face with a nasty case of bronchitis. I mean seriously bad…and it didn't really help that I still ran one of my meets with it either, but that's completely my own fault. Add that on top of constant work stuff, my AP exam in two weeks, and all my graduation planning I didn't really have a spare moment on me.
But, never fear! I'm almost over my sickyness, and decided to get my first chapter out before I start a new fic I'm going to be working on…so updates for this may take a bit longer than most of you are used to…but, we'll just have to cope yes?
For those of you who are new or just didn't pay attention to my notes before, this is a continuation of my last fic, Life's Rules: Trust, and second in my trilogy. This fic is broken into two different portions…one takes place two years after my events in LRT, and the other takes place an additional 4 years later. This fic is going to be quite a bit darker than my last fic, contrary to what the title leads you to believe, so be prepared readers.
Well, enough of me talking, onto the reading!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans or anything affiliated with them. People at cartoon network are the owners, and I'll never be able to buy the rights unless I suddenly have the power to make my own money.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Life's Rules: Love
Chapter One: Sins of the Past:
There is an old saying that one learns from the mistakes they've made throughout his or her life, and adapt to new situations with this newfound knowledge. It is further believed that people also can find redemption from past faults be merely believing that they are able to. Often, this foolish notion is what keeps certain people from learning the truth about the world, and about human nature as well, but it is also what saves select criminals from the darkness in their minds. Unfortunately for the masses of Jump City, these beliefs that were created by some idealist all those years ago never had counted on a woman by the name of Vanessa Bowman. For, history was about to surge forward, and a long forgotten struggle between the heroes who protected the people's fair city and the girl who had almost brought that team crashing down was about to recommence.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
It was turning out to be another dull, typical day for Vanessa Bowman as she reflected over her morning while eating her slop that the guards liked to call food. After she was awaken by a blaring alarm clock, she found herself mindlessly grabbing her necessities and heading toward the community shower in a herd of women ranging from the midteens to the middle-age in a slow, measured march. It hardly bothered her much anymore that she had to take a shower with nineteen other women, now ignoring the leers certain inmates cast her way, not concerned for her well being anymore. After this degrading ritual, she would dress herself in the drab apparel of the blue uniforms all inmates at Metropolis Penal complex had to wear, the long sleeves on the top half much to long for her petite frame so she was forced to roll them up every morning. Then, she would gather her long, brown hair and secure it away from her face in a single plait down her back; to then endure the annoyance of wisps forever plaguing her face, seeing as they were not allowed barrettes in the prison. To complete her most exciting morning, Vanessa was then driven into the Mess Hall where she and her fellow criminals were fed the same pale gruel everyday before they were sent to their varying work sites.
Yes, Vanessa Bowman lived an exciting life in this center.
However, some may wonder why the guards there didn't actually mix in with the throng of prisoners, instead opting to control them from the safety of balconies that overlooked every room in the prison. The answer had to do with the fact that these convicts were what was commonly referred to as 'Metas' and were not to be dealt with directly due to their unusual abilities. They had almost all been caught by the superheroes of varying cities, and the most dangerous ones were sent to this Metropolis prison because of its high security precautions. No tours were conducted here, and no government officials came to visit the legendary penitentiary, only the hardened jail guards and the members of the Justice League ever visited it, and the famous crime fighters only to make sure that no jail breaks could happen and the like. Anyone sent to this place had to be condemned by the Justice League itself, and then for crimes so heinous it was almost unthinkable to most regular people.
So, if all the inmates were so incredibly dangerous, why didn't Vanessa fear them? She didn't fear them because all the other captives knew of what her crimes were, and they all feared her more than anything else in the complex, Justice representatives included. When she first had arrived, some of older convicts thought it would be nice to have a little slave to fulfill all their wicked, and perverse desires, so they tried to ambush her for she was only sixteen. None of those women lived to see the next day, and the carnage wreaked upon them by the petite, animal-eyed girl was unforgotten by witnesses who had seen Vanessa flay the women alive with her long, cruel nails. Instantly, she gained a kind of respect from these women that was unheard of by the guards.
But then, the guards didn't really understand just to what extent her crimes went, and the Justice League members didn't fill them in on it either.
As she rose from her table at breakfast, she didn't notice the whispers of fears and rumors that surrounded her, the two years of captivity she had endured not stemming the mystery and intrigue she caused for nearly killing one of the most renowned heroes in the world. She merely continued to walk towards a holding room to wait to hear just what her work site would be for the next three months. She betrayed no emotion as other inmates in her block took seats around her, and stared ahead as a guard spoke to them of their working at a mining site from his balcony up high.
As her day passed by in mind-numbing tediousness, she hardly recognized the bell sound that signaled the end of their eight-hour workday, and lifelessly followed her fellow convicts back into the Mess Hall for another delicious supper of sloppy Joes. After that commenced, she followed her block into the holding area once more, for it was their turn for the weekly evaluation by the Justice League appointed psychologist. Vanessa waited patiently until her name was called, and she then walked into a small, oval room where she was ordered to sit down on a small, brown couch in the center of the room. A tall woman entered from a side door, accompanied by a man clad in a skin-tight red and blue outfit. Guards stood in every corner on the balcony, prepared to kill if the inmate attempted to attack the doctor or the famous hero beside her.
" I don't think it's a good idea that you position yourself so close to this girl Chase," the man known to the world as Superman said quietly to the red-haired woman on his left. " You know what she can do, what she almost did do."
" I'm perfectly aware Superman," Dr. Chase Meridian answered calmly. " Bruce also was quite upset at my decision to interrogate this girl, but I think it's needed. Besides, that's why the League sent you here as well isn't it? I don't think this girl will try anything to…villainous…while you are here."
Giving her a look of disbelief, the famous hero merely positioned himself behind the doctor as she took a seat across from the very dangerous girl in front of them.
" Hello Vanessa," Chase said amicably. " My name is Dr. Meridian, and I'm here to see just where your thinking as progressed this week. Can you answer any questions I have truthfully?"
Giving the woman a sharp glare, Vanessa replied, " I've always answered honestly, doctor. It's your stupid psychiatrists that can't handle what my answers are. But, you have my word, for whatever you think it's worth."
" The League has asked Superman to watch in on this session my dear," Chase said with a sad smile on her features. " I think you know why, so please just deal with it. Firstly, I want to know how you're doing in here. You almost never get these sessions, this one being your fourth as I understand, so I don't think we really know just how you think about your life here."
" What is it that you want me to say?" Vanessa said with a cruel smile on her beautiful face. " It's boring and dull as fuck. Nobody tries to fuck with me, because they all know what I can do to them, so I have no real entertainment. Food sucks ass, so try to work on that, and these little therapy sessions don't do a damn thing to any of the inmates here…just so you know."
Giving the girl in front of her an indifferent gaze, Chase said, " Well, you may not see it's potential, but others do get something out of this. You don't really seem to hate it here, so we must not be doing to terrible a job. Next, do you feel any remorse for what you have down?"
" Well," Vanessa answered as she shot Superman a gaze. " What exactly are you talking about? I've done a lot of things in my life you probably wouldn't approve of."
"I'm asking you about anything you've ever done," Chase said sharply, trying to divert the girl's attention away from her companion. " In the far past, or the recent."
Putting on a mock look of concentration, Vanessa replied, " You know what? There is something I always wished I had done, but never did. I wish I had looked for my father and ran his head through a spike for what he did to me. But, that's about it."
Unable to keep silent anymore, Superman barked out, " Is that all you can do you insolent brat! Think about killing!"
" Please Superman," Chase said, laying a hand on his arm to calm him down. " You know she's trying to provoke us don't you? Just leave this to me."
" Oh," Vanessa said with a cruel laugh as she decided to piss off her 'helpers' some more. " You want me to say I'm sorry I almost killed bird-boy two years ago don't you? You want me to say that I've learned the errors in my ways, that I no longer hate Batman with every inch of my being, and that I'm going to devote the rest of my life to doing good work! Well, guess what guys, if I ever get the chance to finish what I started, you sure as hell can bet on that I will. And, you know what? This time, I'll take my time with the little circus bastard, make sure his screams will be heard by all of you up there in space, not to mention his little alien whore. I'll make you all wish you had sentenced me to death, not taken the higher road and go for mercy, because you all didn't save the little song bird's life, you all just condemned to a hell of a death that will make villains to come shudder in thought of it! I'm going to kill him, if it's the last thing I do, I'll kill that kid and send his mangled remains up there to space so you all can see what your little punishment caused. And boy, will I enjoy it!"
Chase looked in horror at the girl in front of her before rising from her seat and leaving the room. Vanessa waved cheerily and then flashed a smile at Superman, who seemed to be on the verge of killing the girl in front of him.
" Come on Mr. Kent," Vanessa said provocatively as she fixed him with a wicked look. " Go ahead and pound the shit out of me. It's the only way to save Bruce's little boy. But you won't, will you? You'll walk right out of this room, head up to space, and tell your League exactly what I've said tonight. You don't want to tread the path because you're afraid it'll condemn you. That's why you'll always lose against villains like me Superman, you're to damn selfish concerning your own mental and public image. That's why I'll win in the end."
Fixing her with one last livid gaze, Superman turned away and headed out of the room, too unnerved of the words she had uttered concerning him and whether they were true.
Staring at him the whole way, Vanessa shouted out the last word right before he left the room. " Oh, and do be a dear and increase your protection over little Dick Grayson. I always do enjoy a challenge when I'm hunting my prey."
She was ushered out into the holding room after Superman had left, and calmly walked back to her seat as the next inmate walked into the room for assessment. As she sat down, Vanessa Bowman, also known as Viper, allowed herself to think about just what she had threatened to do should she get out, not noticing the fearful glances she received from the other female criminals as a malicious smile crossed her features, and a maniacal laugh issued from her throat every so often.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
The wind teased her hair across her shoulders and face, creating a tickling sensation that both annoyed and pleased her. She knew she asked for it, sitting on the roof with her hair down when it was so stormy outside. Jump City was not known for strong storms, but it wasn't unheard of for the city to get them. The waves of the sea were growing increasingly violent as they slammed into the shoreline, triggering the sand to fly up into the air to be carried by the wind. The swells were quite large, some reaching ten feet in height before they reached the land, and were a white, frothy color that only seemed to further enforce this tempest's arrogant attitude. The sky also seemed to be in an angry mood, the clouds a swirling mass of gray that bordered on pure blackness as they loomed overhead.
She wondered what she was doing exactly on the roof, for it was surely not the type of atmosphere that she would usually enjoy. However, there was something about the clean smell in the air that helped her clear her mind of the events that had occurred that day. She involuntary gave a shiver, and if called out for, she felt a warming presence wrap around her shoulders and then felt strong hands press over her arms.
" And why, may I ask, did you feel the need to come and sit on the roof of a two hundred foot tower and watch a thunderstorm brew?" an amused, familiar voice asked the beautiful red-head as he felt the alien lean into the his lithe frame.
Starfire turned around and looked straight into the masked face of her most trusted friend and boyfriend. " I am not so sure I suppose," she said with a shrug and then wrapped her arms around his neck. " I only wished to 'storm watch' yes? It is interesting how calming it is to watch something so fierce. Is that the weird characteristic Robin?"
" No Star," the youth said with a laugh at his girlfriend's innocence that had not seemed to abate, despite the fact she had lived on Earth for three years now. " There are lots of people who watch storms for pleasure, I guess it's relaxing to them. But, I can think of something a bit more intriguing to do up here right now other than watching this tempest."
Smiling, Starfire arched her head back to meet the raven-haired youth in a kiss, her hand unconsciously running through his locks as he ran a hand down her spine. After the couple finished, they settled on the ledge, Starfire sitting in front of Robin and leaning back into his frame, their hands interlocked in front of her stomach. She marveled for a moment at the changes that such a short period of two years had done to her most beloved friend. She was no longer his height, seeing to he had grown a considerable amount over the last years, and she now had to always crane her head up to see his face. His body, in the like, had only seemed to adapt most admirably to the changes, he still retaining his lithe build but now that build was rather muscled due to his constant training. His hair was still a spiky mess on his head, the spikes now a bit longer so that one or two locks would dangle in front of his face. His eyes were the same intense blue, and known still only to her, which secretly thrilled her even though she urged him to show the others.
She also knew that she no longer looked the same, her body developing curves that sent most of her male admirers wild with desire and longing, and her long, red hair no longer just a straight, boring do. Instead, she decided to get it cut by Jinx, who gave her a stylish layered look, while still retaining a length past her mid-back.
All in all, the pair was a rather attractive couple to the citizens of Jump City.
Starfire gave an audible sigh as she turned her gaze towards the city's center, where all the action had happened earlier. Feeling her anxiety, Robin turned her face to look up at him and asked, " Is anything wrong Star? You seem a little…erm…gloomy."
" Nothing is wrong Robin, I am most-"
Putting a finger to her lips, he interrupted, " Don't try to lie Star, you really are bad at it. Raven truly wasn't kidding."
As Star turned her attention back towards the city, Robin immediately grasped what was bothering her. " This has to do with today," he stated, not questioning her at all. " You're upset with what happened today at the center downtown today."
" Was there no other way Robin?" she asked sadly. " Was there truly no other means of which to defeat the Blob today?"
" No Star," Robin answered her quietly. " He refused to let go of the two kids, he was willing to sacrifice their lives in order to preserve his own skin. Cyborg had no choice but to hit him with the beam from behind…it was the only way Raven could think of in order to get the two little girls out of harms way. We didn't…I didn't mean for him to fall off the ledge…it just sort of happened…but, I'm sorry you had to see that happen."
" Is he dead Robin?"
" No," he replied with a sigh. " But, he damaged a good part of his brain, all but leaving his most basic motor functions intact. He, uh, he's what we call a vegetable now. He's alive, but has no thought whatsoever. He just exists."
"Oh!" Starfire breathed out as she felt herself start to cry. Robin let her bury her face in his shoulder, let her leak her pain out, as he himself was amazed at the amount of compassion the young woman he was holding held for others. He held her for a minute, and then loosened his hold as he felt her gain control again.
As she wiped her eyes with her hands, she asked, " I look horrific do I not?"
" You look beautiful Star," Robin said has he used his thumb to wipe away the rest of her tears. He then rested his hand on her neck, and brought her into another kiss, which she immediately responded to. Just as the two started to heat up, Robin's communicator started to beep incessantly, breaking up the two lovers. Starfire stifled a laugh as Robin glared at the piece of machinery, his eyes promising to shred the little device to pieces if they could.
Flipping it open, he saw Cyborg's large, happy face come into to view.
" Whatever it is, it better be good Cyborg."
" Just get down here man," Cyborg said happily back to the terse Robin. " We have a bit of a surprise down here waiting if you hurry."
With that, Cyborg cut off the transmission, leaving a fuzzy screen, and two baffled but curious young adults. Robin hoisted himself to his feet, and then took Starfire's hand and helped her up as well.
" I guess we should head down there uh?" Robin asked with a silly grin on his face.
" Yes," Starfire said as she smiled her slightly swollen lips. " I am most curious as to what this 'surprise' Cyborg as referenced to. I am hoping it is not like Beast Boy's surprise of pouring pudding on people's heads as they walked through the entry way."
" Me either," Robin said shortly as he remembered how hard it had been to get all the brown pudding out of his hair and uniform. " But, promise me we can finish, this, later on."
" It's a promise," Starfire said as she grabbed her boyfriend's hand and headed towards the stairwell back inside, neither noticing the violent turn the storm took as they both entered the tower.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
It was a stormy night in Metropolis as well, so stormy that Vanessa was finding it hard to sleep with her acute, animal hearing. She lay awake in bed, trying to focus on how she would go about escaping from this infernal hellhole. So far, she had not been able to produce a working plan as of yet, never testing them herself, she would always send another inmate to do it, and make a note of it when the inmate was put to death for attempting to get free. It didn't bother her that she lost these women's lives; they were merely a statistic that she needed to analyze.
As Viper, she had always been able to come up with brilliant plans to do whatever she needed to accomplish. But now, as Vanessa Bowman, she was finding that her plans didn't really end up being as brilliant as she would have thought before. She was by no means throwing in the towel just yet; she was merely becoming frustrated at her ineptitude with finding a way out of the infamous penitentiary she now resided in. So, she continued to plot in her head, losing herself in the logical reasoning that she barely noticed a rather loud boom from the opposite side of the complex. She did, however, notice when she heard the screaming of guards as they tried to fight off whatever force was entering their domain. Raising herself from her bunk, she found that it was already empty of her inmates, and decided to find out just what was causing such a commotion.
What she found brought her back to her senses in such acuity that she could barely all the wonderful sights around her. Chaos. Pure chaos was occurring everywhere she looked, from dead guards, to dead inmates, their organs and life blood rent all over the place in a gory mess that would have put Carrie to shame. She inhaled deeply the nauseating stench of spilled bowels of the ones who had been pierced through he abdomen, filling her up with such elation that she thought she would start giggling. She reached down, and bathed her hand in something's spilt blood, and brought the hand to her mouth to taste what had been denied to her for two, long years. A chuckle caused her to turn around sharply, and she narrowed her eyes in glee at who she found looking at her though the smoking flames and burning flesh.
" I heard you were bored my dear girl," a cold, heartless voice drawled as he addressed the petite girl in front of him. " So, I took the liberty of letting you loose onto the populace that imprisoned you. Are you ready to become my apprentice once more my child?"
Wiping her hand across her face to smear the blood as close to her as she could, Vanessa, now Viper once more, turned to regard her releaser with a bone-chilling smile. " Why yes Slade, I think I am."
The two walked out together, and let Slade's robots finish wrenching the once proud Metropolis Penal complex down in on itself. Viper turned her face to the sky and sent a mental message to anyone in the League who might hear her. ' I'm back you bastards, and I'm really pissed off."
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
A/N: Well, there you guys go! I hope it was interesting enough for the first chapter, and I hope it wasn't all that graphic, but that's why the rating is what it is.
I'll try to get the next one out pretty soon, but again, expect it to take awhile…I really will try to update soon though.
Oh, and if you guys like my writing, take a gander at my next attempt at a fic, it's not TT, but I think it'll be really good!
Until next time guys, I'm out!
Osco