Sapphire Bullets 11

DC – Well, here we go…The second to last chapter! How did we get so far, eh? Well, I don't think we're going to break the 200 review barrier (But please, try to help prove me wrong by all means) but what the heck, it's been a real blast so far. Anyway, here we go!

Disclaimer : I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, you can be sure there'd be more sophisticated discussions on the state of the world economy, that's for sure! Smokes pipe

Sapphire Bullets 11 – (Always Look On) The Bright Side of Life

There was the sound of breaking bone. Cupid grinned at Miss…Jones disarmingly. She frowned and rubbed her knuckles. Cupid watched with mild interest as the bones reconnected and mended beneath her skin, and looked at her quizzically.

"Perhaps I got carried away in the moment." She said grudgingly. "Mr…Smith, perhaps in future you should perform the violence against our immortal friend here."

"Suits me fine." Mr…Smith said, grinning strangely, the glow around his skin growing more pronounced until he was covered in a coppery nimbus. He raised his palm towards Cupid, and an intense agony tore through the God. To the ancient personification of love, the concentrated blast of madness and hate was indescribable.

He staggered, sagging against the wall, and wiped his brow, sweating.

"Not bad, pappy sunshine. Now, how about you tell me who you are and what this is all about, hmm?" he croaked. Miss…Jones shrugged.

"Why not? It's not as if it will matter, soon. We belong to a group called The Talons of Trigon. We were the executors of his will on this plane of existence. He gave us powers, and prestige, and other such benefits, an exchange in which we quite happily gave up our souls. What's a soul, really? It's a small price for what we'd have gained. But it didn't last, because that child in there, against all the odds, was somehow able to banish Our Lord from this plane of reality. She lost nothing, and we lost almost everything. Don't get any fancy ideas, please." She said politely, the last part addressed to Cupid, who had been staggering to his feet. Mr…Smith raised his palm again, and Cupid was thrown back to the floor

"But isn't it interesting? Raven kept all of her powers after he was banished, after her function as the portal was over with, after she renounced him utterly. Trigon still lives on here through us, and through her. He wants a sacrifice, Eros, and we intend to give him one. We couldn't get her normally though, which is why we got you involved. Without her powers, we could get her easily since none of the other Titans stand a chance. But it didn't all go to plan, did it? You had to make a moral objection to being paid to do you job…Really, it was most displeasing. But I'm sure we can recover our losses right here, right now. And have some good old-fashioned revenge while we're at it, too." She finished, smiling elegantly. She frowned. "You know, all the talking made my throat quite dry. Mind if I have a drink?"

"Help yourself. Everyone gets a last request."

"My my, you certainly are spirited, aren't you? But I'm afraid all your bravado is quite, quite empty. Mr…Jones?"

The apartment wasn't big, and Garfield's senses were good, very good. He heard every word, and he couldn't stay here. He glanced over at Raven, more frantic than he'd ever seen her before. He dug into his pocket and took her hand, pressing his communicator into her palm.

"Rae, get the others. And…uh, stay safe, OK?" He said quietly, soothing her, rubbing her arms. The call of the pack was strong within him now, at the verge of a fight. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck tingling and shifting. He was a physical person, and now, the baying of the wolves was strong in his ears. It was only a wonder he wasn't nuzzling her and whining. He wondered if he'd see her again. If this would be it, the one he didn't walk back from. There was always a possibility, but somehow this time it seemed more real. He kissed her forehead gently, then rose, turning for the bathroom door.

"Gar? What's going on? Where are you going?" She asked in a small voice on the edge of hearing. He paused, considering what he wanted to say to her in case he never saw her again.

"Stay safe, Raven." He said, then tried to remember what that explorer guy said when they did that arctic thing and he sacrificed himself to help his friends stay alive or something, it was a cool movie, but…ah, that was the line.

"I'm going outside. I may be some time." He said, a sad little smile playing around his face. The click of the door closing behind him was the loudest, saddest, most hollow sound she had ever heard, punctuated moments later by an animalistic roar, and the swift padding of heavy feet. Shaking, she thumbed on the communicator, and after a second or so, Starfire's face crackled into view.

"Friend Raven! It feels like it has been so long! How are you this most joyous of joyous days that are joyous?" The alien princess asked cheerily

"Starfire, help us!"

"Friend Raven, what is wrong? Where are you?"

"Bryter Bay, somewhere! Come quickly, please, we need help, Gar is…" She said shakily, and Starfire saw her flinch visibly as she heard a terrible crunch and the whimper of a creature she knew all too well in pain.

"We will be there as soon as we can, Raven! We will fly there with great haste and fastness!" Starfire promised.

"Then maybe you could make a start instead of standing there talking to me about it?" She asked acidly, cutting off the conversation. She paused, and looked confused. It wasn't like her to say such things, was it? She was feeling funny…

Beast Boy lunged at the lady, hoping that the strength of a silverback gorilla should put her down for the count. She didn't even duck, and he overbalanced as his arm somehow drifted straight through her.

"Maybe my powers won't affect a God like Lover-Boy over there, but I'm sure they'll work on you!" She lashed out, and Garfield was almost thrown forwards with the force her fist in the small of his back. He collided with the fridge, staggering back and rubbing his pounding head.

"What was that?" He asked quietly. Mrs…Jones grabbed his shoulder, slipping her sunglasses back on, and leaned close to his ear.

"That is the sound of inevitability." She said mockingly. Beast Boy shot her a dirty look.

"OK, that's just cheesy." He said critically. She shrugged.

"Like I care what you think." She pointed out, before spinning him around into the wall. Plaster crumbled around him with the force of his impact, and he wasn't sure if he'd cried out or not. He forced himself up and pounced at her, shifting into a poisonous snake on the way. She phased through him again and caught his tail as he passed, bringing his head down onto the floor with a resounding smack. He reverted to his human form without meaning to, only to find she still held him by the foot. He felt himself dragged upwards by his leg, looking into her malicious face through a bruised eye.

"Here's the deal, kid. We're going to kill you, we're going to do our best to kill him, and then we're going to take her and kill her. And there's not a thing you can do about it."

Change. He had to change, try again and again. Maybe the guy would be more vulnerable? He wriggled out of her grip, and pounced the man as a panther. Soon, there was an iron grip around his throat, hotter than anything he'd ever felt before. He whimpered, and squirmed, smoke rising from between the man's fingers as he burned.

Mr…Jones looked over to the bathroom door, seeing Raven standing there.

"We're coming for you, Portal." He taunted, hoisting Beast Boy up by his neck. "Just as soon as we finish playing with your friends, that is."

Leave him alone.

Mr…Jones looked around. The voice had come from nowhere. Raven was trembling., her eyes scrunched up. Tiny flickers of black sparked and fizzed around her.

"What can you do to stop me?" He asked, making an educated guess and increasing the pressure on Beast Boy's throat. "You can't even use your powers."

Garfield's legs kicked hopelessly in the air as he fought for breath, and Cupid lay slumped against the wall. Miss…Smith came to stand by his side.

"Face it, Portal, we've won. Mr…Smith, put the pet out of his misery and let's get what we came for."

Smoke almost seemed to be pouring from the throat of the green teen, and there was an ominous popping sound as the man squeezed slowly.
"No." Someone said quietly, the small word cutting through the air like a sword. Miss…Jones gasped in bewildered amazement as the shadow moved across the room like a wall, etching the scene in black and white.

"What's going on? Her powers should be blocked!" She protested, turning to look at Raven.

Her hair moved around her head in a breeze no-one else could feel. Her mouth was set in a thin line, grim and determined. Her shoulders were set, and her eyes glowed a deep and sinister red like a promise of terrible things to come. All four of them.

"Put him down." She growled in a voice that echoed with malice and hatred. She was the hammer of the Gods. She was Righteous Fury, she was Confrontation, she was Vengeance. She was Rage.

TO BE CONTINUED

.DC…After Christmas. I was really hoping to get the story finished before I went home to spend some time with my folks, but there we go, can't be helped. Tune in next time for the conclusion to Sapphire Bullets, and thank you once again for your support...Please Review, it gives me a lovely warm glow inside.

Peace Out, See You Space Cowboy, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and general Season's Greetings to you all!

Yours Festively, DC