Alena Stronghammer- I will most definitely write more! thanks for reviewing
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The more you see the less you know
The less you find out as you go
I knew much more then than I do now
-U2, "City of Blinding Lights"
Chapter 5
The Teen Titans were all piled into one cramped hospital room. Aqualad was miserable in his heavy cast, Cyborg was trying and failing to take up as little space as possible, and Robin and Starfire were talking to him, trying to ignore Speedy's bony elbows. They were waiting for the nurse to return and show them some X-rays.
Finally Beast Boy turned into a mouse, rode on Terra's shoulder, and Raven floated in a corner away from everyone. Bumblebee shrunk as well, and sat on a bland hospital side table. Breathing was easier after that.
It was still too noisy for Raven, though. She went into the hall and began her meditation once more. There was something different and new in her mind, and she wanted to find it. However, she didn't get very far before she was once again interuppted. This time it was pleasant.
"I heard your cast thumping," she said to her visiter.
Aqualad laughed. "It's awfully loud, isn't it?"
Raven nodded in reply, eyes closed once more.
"I hate this thing," Aqualad mumbled. He looked up and saw Raven floating above the ground. She looked pretty with her eyes shut like that. Not to mention that lavender smell. He edged closer and waved a hand lightly in front of her face. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"Meditating."
"Why?"
Raven opened her eyes and wondered at the curious person in front of her. "It keeps my powers in check, and its mostly relaxing."
"Only mostly?" the young teen in front of her asked.
"Sometimes I get visions, or read a person's mind. I see some unsettling things sometimes."
Aqualad gaped. "You can see the future AND read minds?" Then his face became serious. "Perhaps if you read my mind- or Speedy's- , we can find out more about the guy who did all this."
Raven stopped floating and stood on the ground on front of the Atlantian. She was now quite a bit shorter. "That's the best idea I've heard all day," she said. "Let me run it by Robin." She turned to go back into the room, but Aqualad grabbed her shoulder.
"You can just read my mind right now," he said. "After all, you need quiet to concentrate don't you?"
Raven gave another small smile and turned around. "Okay. It'll feel a bit weird at first, but just stay calm and think of what happened." She put her hands on either side of his face and concentrated.
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It was like an ocean in his mind, thoughts and memories constantly swimming all around in there. Raven immediately felt like an intruder, as with every mind she read, but she swallowed this feeling and walked through. She wasn't quite sure what she was looking for. Where would the memories be? She felt a rush of wind beside her, blowing her off her feet towards the sea of memories. Raven almost fell in, then felt a hand catch her. Aqualad.
"Why are you in here?" she asked.
"It's my mind. Or rather, his mind," the young man replied. "I am the little voice inside of him. He tends to talk to me alot. Or rather, I guess I tend to talk to myself."
"So you're his consience?" Raven asked. Aqualad's mind was so different from Robin's. Robin's mind was organized. Robin relied on facts, not gut instinct, so Raven never met a tiny Robin inside his mind. Aqualad's mindwas free, and wandered often, she supposed.
Aqualad's...'consience' nodded. "I assume that you're looking for his memory of what happened." He turned and waded into the memories. "Come."
Raven looked warily at the memories. "Will I end up seeing other memories as well when I walk through?"
"Only if you wade slowly," the Aqualad replied. "It's perfectly safe."
Raven was still unsure. "I can't swim."
Aqualad's eyes bulged. "You can't! He'll-I'll- have to change that..." He grabbed her hand and led her into the sea. "Just stay close; it's not that far out."
Raven followed him into the sea of memories and soon they arrived where they needed to be.
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"So you jumped into the pool while the building was collapsing? Wow," Speedy exclaimed. At Terra's urging, Robin had told of what happened after the others left.
Beast Boy squeaked, and Terra set him down so that he could turn back into a human.
Cyborg squirmed farther into the wall, as though he could make himself shrink to make room for the changeling. "Oh yeah," he said suddenly. "Robin, I found this disc in the wreckage. Hadn't been blown up of anything. It's at the tower, and I think we should get out of here to watch it. It's not like we need someone to confirm that we're pretty banged up here."
"I agree," Bumblebee yelled. "I want to be normal sized again! And that disc may have a hint as to our enemy!"
Robin nodded in agreement. "Are you okay now, Star?" Starfire smiled and nodded an affirmative. She flew off the bed.
"I would very much like to go home and pursue this new enemy," she said. "And get some headache medicine as well," she added with a giggle.
Robin smiled and then asked,"Where are Raven and Aqualad?"
Beast Boy screeched like a bird. "Dude, they're about to kiss!" He had gone into the hall and saw Raven reading Aqualad's mind.
The other Titans followed out quickly, eager to watch.
Raven's eyes shot open at Beast Boy's yell. The lamp in the corner blew up and she jumped away from Aqualad, blushing furiously. She put her hood low over her head, brooding on what she had seen before the rude interruption. Aqualad blinked a few times and looked around. He grinned sheepishly.
"She was only reading my mind," he told Robin. "To get a clearer picture of what happened." Robin nodded, a small smirk on his face.
"Well, we're leaving now," Terra piped up. "Those X-rays are taking way too long." The Teen Titans filed out of the hallway, and minutes after their departure a confused nurse walked in with the envelope.
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"Let's get some PIZZA!" Cyborg yelled enthusiastically.
"What about this disc?" Speedy asked.
"Dude," Beast Boy said. "Pizza." Terra smiled at him.
...Terra! You've won the last slice, and a rookie too! How does it feel?
Good, and kinda greasy...
Her smile widened then disappeared. It would have been better to remember everything.
Raven shook her head. "In Aqualad's mind, he was knocked out, but he caught a glimpse of the intruder throwing something onto the ground before the beam fell on his leg," she explained.
"He may have left it behind for us as a hint, or a calling card," Robin finished. "We're going home." They had now arrived in the parking lot, and the caped leader was putting on his helmet. "Can everyone fit in the T-Car?" he asked. Cyborg counted the group.
"I think Star will have to ride with you again...I'm driving, Speedy and Aqualad... Raven and Terra...Beast Boy and Bumblebee will need to shrink like in the hospital, but we'll manage," he finally finished.
"See you there then." Robin and Starfire took off toward the Tower.
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"Hello, Titans. The ones that survived, at least. I am Heringard. I assume that now the tower is gone, you have found his disc, and are wondering what to do. The answer is simple: there is nothing you can do-nothing you can do-noth-youcando-there is nothin-nothing-"
Robin stopped the disc when it started skipping. His face was dark behind the mask. Aqualad had left the room, and Raven was contemplating following him. The others were looking at the figure on the screen.
"This guy's got an ego," Bumblebee said to noone in particular
It was a man who looked to be very tall, and muscular. His hair was interestingly dark green, like Beast Boy's, but his skin was normal colored. His eyes glowed yellow and a scar ran across his face, from his left eye to the opposite side of his chin. His clothes were a deep blood red.
Starfire started shaking. "I-I know him. H-Heringard- he is from Tamaran."
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Raven found him on the roof, looking out at the water.
"If I could swim right now," he said, " it would really help me out." Aqualad turned back and started when he saw Raven.
"Talking to yourself?" she asked with a quiet smile.
He nodded. "Who is the guy on the screen, and why did he blow our home up?" he asked.
Raven walked up to stand beside him. "We don't know yet. I heard Starfire scream right before I went up here."
"Well...why'd you come up here?" Aqualad gave her a curious look that Raven chose not to return.
"I'm not sure. I could feel your frustration. After you read someone's mind, there's a new sort of...connection," she explained. "For instance, right now Robin is angry and worried, and you are..."
Aqualad looked down at her. "I am relieved to have a friend like you, Raven."
Raven felt the blush coming, and said quickly, "We should go inside and join the others. They'll wonder where we are." Please nothing blow up, she started saying to herself.
Aqualad grinned. "Don't want Beast Boy finding us again- that would be awkward."
"Well, a few teases about Terra and he'll leave us alone," Raven said sarcastically. She went to open the door, but Aqualad held it for her. They went back inside only to hear the alarm sound once again for the second time that day, though it seemed ages ago that the first one ever sounded.
"We're all leaving, even Aqualad and Speedy and Starfire," Robin said as they left. "We might need all the help we can get with this guy. Think you'll be okay?"
All three nodded and the Titans left the tower again.
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The villain studied the glass covering and carefully pointed a finger at it. A small beam of yellow sliced through the glass, and he reached in for his prize. The Clock of Azarath. Puny humans; they didn't know half of what the relic could do. They had just put it into a museum.
"So, you must be Heringard."
The giant turned around to see nine young teens, lead by a caped boy in bright colors. He was more interested in the redhead beside their leader, though. Heringard bowed mockingly.
"Hello, princess," he said smoothly and dangerously. "I have not seen you since...what day was it? Oh yes. The day I killed your-"
A bright green beam knocked the wind out of him, hitting him in the stomach. The little princess had gotten stronger.
Starfire's eyes glowed green with fury. "You are not supposed to be here!"
Heringard laughed. "Oh, but I am. You expected me to be in jail forever? Noone can predict the future, princess," he said with a chuckle. "Soon, though, I will be the Keeper of Times. I will control the way to the future and past."
Raven saw the clock in the case behind him and her eyes widened. She had to get it before he did, or else things would get messy to say the least. "Azarath, Metrion, Zin-Aah!" Heringard had thrown an axe at her, and it just missed her, connecting with a thunk against the wall.
"Beast Boy," Raven said," get that clock now." She telepathically lifted a beam behind their enemy to bring down on his head, but he was like a flash of lightning, moving out of the way just in time.
Beast Boy turned into a cheetah and went for the clock. The giant Tamaranian was quick and threw a punch into the changeling's side. Beast Boy went sprawling, and Terra ran over to him. He was knocked out.
Terra gritted her teeth and summoned a mass of rocks. She threw them down as Raven threw another beam, and Starfire shot bolts. All three attacks hit together with a puff of smoke. When it cleared, there was Heringard, with only some dust on his clothes. He laughed at them.
"Fools," he said. "You cannot defeat me. Didn't you get the memo?" Then he shot starbolts in all directions, hitting the three girls.
Aqualad watched as Speedy and Robin fruitlessly threw their high tech gear at the giant. His leg was broken and useless, he thought bitterly. At least Speedy could run quickly. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the water pipes, feeling the current in the walls. Then he reached his hand out above Heringard.
A spew of water gushed towards the villain, knocking him off his feet. Then Bumblebee went in with her weapons and sliced him across the chest. Then Robin shot a freezing disc at Heringard's wet face.
Heringard blocked the disc and ran, grabbing the clock. Raven stood up and reached out an arm. "He can't have that!" A black bird came out of her hand and followed, pecking at Heringard.
Beast Boy woke up with a groan and saw Heringard coming straight for him. He immediately turned into an elephant.
The Tamaranian turned at the last second so that the black bird hit Beast Boy. Heringard then jumped out of the window, into what was now the dead of night.
Terra was hot on his heels, now recovered from the powerful starblasts. She arrived at the window and looked out into the blackness below to see Heringard pause under a street light. Terra grinned and was about to jump out after him when she saw who Heringard was waiting for.
Her bones froze and she staggered back in shock and fear.
...Come, apprentice.
...Did you think you and your little boyfriend could just run away?...
...Dear child, you don't have any friends...
Slade.
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Muahahaha...we're bringing in the big villains now! Review, and I dunno when the next chapter will be up. Probably next weekend!
-Silver Miracles