Next Chapter. Enjoy. –Heolstor
Tomorrow Comes Today
Chapter 2: Remembering it all.
Victor stared at the earthen floor, leaning his back against the wall. When they had built this place, they had effectively soundproofed the room for occasions like this. So Victor couldn't find out what was happening in the room with Dick and the two captured pilots, but he was sure Dick was okay.
I just hope he finds something out. Victor thought, leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes.
"10 years…" He muttered.
10 years had gone by since the Asing had decided to ravage the earth.
20 years had gone by since the first Asing had arrived.
25 years had gone by since the meteor.
The Asing meteor.
The meteor that started it all.
Flashback ---
Knock Knock Knock
35-year-old Victor Stone stood in front of the apartment door. Dressed in a t-shirt and blue jeans with a work jacket unzipped, Victor, disguised by a hologram, appeared to be an average guy just getting off work.
But this was not his apartment.
This was the apartment of old friends.
The door swung open.
"Hello Victor." The smooth voice droned out.
32-year-old Raven smiled lightly, brushing a strand of her long hair behind her ear. A purple t-shirt and blue jeans greeted the older Titan.
"A t-shirt and blue jeans…things have changed..." Victor chuckled, moving forward, embracing the girl in a warm hug.
Raven chuckled. "And I never imagine I'd see you looking so…" Mrs. Logan paused.
"Real looking?"
"I was going to say fake looking…but yeah…we'll go with that." Raven moved so Victor could come in.
"Yeah…I don't like the hologram much ei-" A pair of strong arms wrapped around his torso, cutting off his breath.
"Victor, tis glorious to see you again." Starfire, a.k.a. Kori Grayson, age 31, said, releasing the large man from a strong hug. But Victor quickly hugged her back.
"You too Star."
"I wish to see the real you though…" Kori said, almost sadly.
Victor smiled and reached through the collar of his shirt. He pulled out a charm tied to a necklace. A charm with a small black button on it.
With a soft press and a brief glow, the old Cyborg was there. Blue glowing parts and black skin meshed into the big brother of the Titans.
Kori and Raven both smiled genuinely.
"I see the hologram works well." A pair of strong arms encircled Kori from behind and a strong chin rested on her shoulder.
"Never thought I'd see the day that Dick Grayson was openly affectionate." 31-year-old Dick smiled as Kori leaned into the hug and ran a hand through his ponytail captured hair.
"Yeah…well 10 years will change you."
"As well as Bludhaven."
Dick smiled warmly. "Yes…Bludhaven has become much safer thanks to Nightwing. It's not out of the woods yet…but in a few years…Nightwing should be able to retire and start a family."
"X'hal knows you owe me children as it is." Kori smiled.
"Where is BB?" Victor asked, moving slightly to scan the apartment from the dining room area they stood in.
"Here." 30-year-old Garfield Logan strolled into the room, with a white t-shirt, blue jeans and a matching blue jean jacket with a white plastic bag dangling off his arm. His hair was carefully kept into a growing ponytail, giving the impression that Garfield was an aging hippy.
'Not far off in my book' Victor thought.
But on his back was a giggling girl of 10 years, her green hair stopping at her shoulders and her sharp silver eyes filled with laughter.
"Daddy, you're funny."
"Wouldja look at that. Someone finds BB funny." Victor joked.
Raven, Dick and Kori smiled.
"My daddy is hilarious." The little girl said, clutching her father's neck protectively.
"Daddy can't breathe dear." Raven lightly warned, the smile growing slightly. Raven helped the girl off Garfield's back and pecked Garfield on the cheek. Garfield smiled and handed bag to his daughter.
"Sorry If I am late, it was my turn to pick up Arella and she wanted to go to the bookstore."
Arella giggled happily and ran off with her bag.
Victor forlornly watched the child run, but he did not let himself dwell on it.
"I am glad you all came." Raven said, calmly closing the door.
"Titans 10 year reunion!" Garfield said happily, showing signs of his younger self.
The others smiled.
"But…I called you here for another reason."
"What is it Rae?" Victor carefully questioned.
Raven hugged herself like she was cold. "I don't know…I just knew we should all be together today." Garfield put an arm around Raven's shoulders, bringing her in for a hug.
"Raven has been having weird visions…and each one seemed to involve all of us."
"Can you describe some of these visions?" Dick's detective side asked.
"Well-"
"MOMMY! DADDY! COME QUICK!" Arella shouted from the living room.
Garfield and Raven dashed into the living room, followed by Victor, Kori and Dick.
"Look." Arella said, pointing at the TV.
All five former Titans watched with interest as the Asian woman continued her report.
'…Unfortunately, our sources are at a loss as to where the object came from. The object crashed on the southern tip of India. Scientists believe that it was fortunate a repeat of the 2005 Tsunami didn't occur since the object was hurtling at great speeds.'
They all watched intently. Arella gripped Raven's leg tightly while the reporter shuffled his papers.
'The object struck a deserted resort and casualties were few.'
The man touched his earpiece, pausing for a second.
'We now have some exclusive video of one of the survivors that had an up close view of the object before water filled the crater.'
The video faded in.
The room was darkened with yellow light trying to filter through the dirty white curtains. But a white light was set up, shining brightly on the person.
An elderly Indonesian woman was sitting in a wheel chair, staring blankly at the floor. The white light cast shadows onto the white blanket draped over her shoulders and covered most of her body.
' "What did you see?" ' A rough German voice tried to be kind to the old woman.
Silence
…
…
'Well it appears that…´ the woman muttered something and the reporter shut up.
' "…Say that again…please." ' The rough German voice said.
She looked up into what might be the face of the voice.
"Asing…" And the elderly woman passed out.
And the video feed was cut abruptly. But the Anchor played well.
'Sadly, that is all the footage we have. Our translators indicate that the term 'Asing' is Indonesian for alien, foreign, or strange. We will keep you updated on this late breaking story. In other new-'
Raven turned off the TV with her telekinesis.
Everyone shared a look.
"…Mommy…is everything going to be alright?" Raven bent down and hugged her daughter.
"If not, we'll make it so…"
End Flashback. ---
"Victor" A familiar voice snapped him out of his revere.
He opened his eyes to look into the light glare of a familiar female.
"Hey Rae. What's up?" His voice sounded tired.
She sat down beside him.
"I was going to ask if you've seen Ezekiel…what's on your mind."
"Reminiscing." Raven brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled.
"Yeah…I find myself doing that a lot…"
"It doesn't feel like we are as old as we are…does it?"
"All 5 of us are very special…I…am a half demon, you are a cybernetic human…Garfield is…" Raven blushed lightly. "Garfield…"
Victor smiled.
"Dick is a dedicated martial artist and Kori is an alien…long life was meant for us."
"I suppose your right girl."
"Of course I am." Raven snorted, then smiled at the ground. She looked over Victor.
Victor smiled back…
"Smiles are all we really have…aren't they?"
"That…and love…"
"When did you get so optimistic?"
"When did you get so pessimistic?" Raven countered.
"Touché"
Raven leaned back against the wall.
…
…
"So…why were you looking-"
"He caught us…"
"…"
"…Again."
"Oh."
The door Victor was sitting by slid open. Victor and Raven looked up to see Dick Grayson smiling wide.
"Got something."
I had retreated to the gym. The images of my grandparents still wafted in my mind. So I had decided to take my aggression out on a homemade Mook Jong, or wooden dummy. Two wooden arms protruded parallel to each other while a third stuck out below them, forming a triangle of sorts.
"Gah... I swear...can't they keep their shirts on...ever?"
Strike, block, block, Strike. I blocked the arm again, causing the dummy to spin around.
"Worse than mom and…." I blocked the arm as it spun back. I angrily struck the arm, causing it to spin back around.
In silence I continued.
Block.
Strike
Block Block.
Elbow.
Block.
Spin...
I ducked under the upper arms and barely avoid the lower.
The motions became automatic as my mind wandered.
I think back to when father died.
I think back to how I felt.
I think back to the first time I met Rena…
Rena…
The dummy spun and blasted me in the face, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"I have to get Rena a present…" I said to the dummy.
"…But how…" I moved away from the dummy, my hand on my chin in thought.
…
"I got it!"
I'll go find Tobias.
I walked over to the wall and gently palmed it.
"Terra…could you give me a pathway to the outside please?"
A brief pause.
The wall opened up, showing me a short route to the outside.
I dashed along the path, determined to find a present for Rena.
Rena held the small black box firmly in both hands. Rena had a small yet satisfied smile and floated slightly off of her bed. Sighing happily, she held the box out at arms length and optically adored the wooden box.
Inside rested the precious gift she had found for her boyfriend.
She giggled and hugged the box to her chest, barrel rolling in place with excitement.
"There you are." Rena paused with her back to the air. She swiveled her head to the door.
Sam stood statuesque in the doorway, arms folded under her chest. Rena lightly 'eeped', hiding the black box behind her body.
"Sister, I did know you were here."
Sam raised a brow slightly. "Apparently not…you realize everyone knows right?"
Rena blinked innocently.
"…About the relationship…" Sam continued, her voice droning.
"Hehehe…of course."
Sam blinked in response, slightly stunned.
"Then why…"
"Why pretend?" Rena turned in the air and sat cross-legged, similar to Zeke's grandmother. She placed the box in her lap. "Because it is fun I suppose."
"It's childish." Sam snorted.
"Pretending about your feelings for Tobias…also childish no?"
Sam sighed. "Touché" Sam entered in the room, floating slightly.
"And Silias makes it a triangle…no?" Sam blushed faintly, wishing for the hood of her teacher.
"Tis true…my feelings are complicated. But they are pointless." Sam floated over to her bed, next to Rena's. "In this world of death and destruction, harboring feelings for someone when they can die in an instant will only lead to more destructive feelings."
"I see what you mean and as you know…I understand. But in this world, since everything can disappear in an instant, we must treasure happiness the most since it is the most fleeting of emotions and also the most powerful next to love."
"I see mother has had many mother/daughter talks with you." Sam smiled every so slightly.
"In truth she has. But that was something Zeke taught me." Rena replied back with a wide smile.
"Really now…you have my interest."
"Truly Ezekiel can be quite the philosopher. His mother and grandmother, as you know, are very intelligent and his father…well…you know." Rena looked down slightly.
Sam looked down as well. "Yeah."
Rena fiddled with the box.
Sam sighed.
"Sam…"
"Yes Rena."
Sam gasped slightly, finding herself wrapped in a hug from her sister.
"Rena…"
"Please don't let your feelings consume you like Zeke's…he struggles so hard to remain in control that I could not bear to see my love and my sibling both in such pain."
Sam loosely wrapped her arms around her sister
"I'll try sister…I'll try."
"Ahem…" Both girls looked over at the doorway to see Silias standing there, a serious look painted on his face. "As much as I hate to interrupted…your dad has something to tell us."
Sam and Rena quickly got up and Rena placed the box on her bed.
And they followed Silias
The tunnel opened before me, revealing the remnants of an old car garage. Old cars lie without tires, rusted equipment hung from the rafters like Middle-Ages criminals. Equipment lay in a confused pile in the far corner behind me and the only prominent window was broken and lay straight ahead of me. Glass littered the floor and the sunset reflected it's light onto the ceiling.
I dashed forward, leaping over the class and perching myself on windowsill as an owl. I turned my head from side to side; making sure no one was out, that no one would spot me. I spread out my wings and flapped, allowing myself to head into the sky.
"Now let's find Tobias…"
My predatory gaze easily pierced the darkening sky.
I flapped and rose higher, allowing myself a complete aerial view of the city.
"Hmm…"
Silias, Sam and Rena lightly jogged into the large earthen room. Everyone looked back to see the three teens enter.
"Wow…" Rena wondered "Everyone is here…and in costume"
It was true. Kori, Raven and Garfield were dawning their old costumes. Victor was always in costume. Arella sat at the end of the dirty couch they all sat on. All except Arty, Terra and Dick, or Nightwing as he preferred while in costume.
Now for those of you who don't know, Arty is an android. He was actually one of Slade's Sladebots that we found and reprogrammed. He faithfully guards Terra.
Speaking of Terra, she is had also undergone some changes. She still looked as she did 50 years ago. Only she floated in a strange, thick, yellow liquid inside a giant techno tube straight out of the Sci-Fi channel. She floated in the dead man's position, arms and legs dangling. Her golden hair waved all around her. And she was completely nude.
The reason being is when the Titans were finally able to revive her, her body was so atrophied that she could no longer move under her own power, barely being able to breathe on her own. And as for her nudity…
It was the harsh conclusion that clothes should not be wasted on those who don't need them.
As for Nightwing, he stood proudly in front of the large tube with his hands at his hips.
"Glad you three could join us…"
"Sorry dad…" Rena replied sheepishly.
Kori and Garfield chuckled lightly.
"Where is Ezekiel?" Dick asked quickly.
Everyone was quiet.
Dick raised an eyebrow. "Terra…would you mind searching for Ezekiel?"
"Ezekiel left the compound only moments ago. He left in search for a gift for Rena I believe." Terra's voice echoed into everyone's mind. Rena blushed.
"Raven?"
"Sorry Nightwing…I doubt I could find him…his natural mental barriers would make it almost impossible for him to be found if he doesn't want to be."
Nightwing growled lowly.
"Why did you gather us all dear?"
"I got one of the pilots to talk. We are here to formulate a plan."
"A plan for what?" Silias questioned.
"To attack the Asing."
End Chapter
Unfortunately, this is as far as I have written. I am still working on this project of course, and since my summer vacation is upon me, I can write more. I hope you are enjoying it so far. Stick with me, the young Teen Titans will be seen in a few chapters, maybe 3 or 4. Danke.