Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans. Or my computer. See, that's where it all starts...
Warnings: Death, destruction and pain in the following writing. Avoid if you hate watching people go 'bye bye'. ...but we'll rise... is a line break.
Thank you so much for reading this. It means a lot to me, and I hope that you liked it. I feel really good, having finished my second chapter story, and wish you good readings!
Chapter Seven: To All Ends
In the warehouse that was Slade's current lair, Refraction stood in the darkness, shivering imperceptibly. Slade was pacing in front of several camera screens, eye as inhuman as the rage that filled it.
"They think they're so good. They think they can know what I've been through, or decipher what I think. Fools. They'll die. All of them! I'll take them down with my own hands." His apprentice tried to focus her eyes, knowing too well the difference between this insane creature and the calm, unshakable person Slade was normally. The cold of the place seemed to seep into her very flesh and she couldn't hide the latest tremor that shook her. At the movement the crime master whirled, crazed eye scouring her.
"What's wrong with you?" His sentence ended in a threatening hiss, and Refraction stiffened, reluctant to speak.
"Say it, apprentice." The order was cold hearted, and she struggled to swallow. Why was she this weak? Even when she had been ill, Slade had pushed her on, and nothing like this had ever happened. Frustrated and strangely afraid, the girl replied in her soft voice.
"Sir, I believe that during the fire Mirror tampered with my chakra, sir." His eye grew larger, which, had she been more than half conscious, she would have sworn could not happen.
"WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME SOONER?" And in the pinpoint pupil, Refraction saw fear. Slade advanced and she stumbled backwards, blue eyes flaring in her own fear as her master came closer. He stretched out his hand and Refraction twisted away, falling onto her side. One hand, which she had thrown out to balance herself, landed on the stain of Raven's blood. As if a fog had been swept from her mind, she knew that her real name was Hailey, that Raven was her mother, Mirror her sister, and that she truly belonged with those she had opposed.
But when the teen started to react, it was too late. Slade's hand wrapped around the stone embedded in her forehead, pulling. Time seemed to slow, and everything sharpened. Powers held back by the block Slade had implanted in the false chakra became a vortex that exploded into reality, as an incredible pain rose in her body.
Her world erupted into fire.
...but we'll rise...
In the Tower, Raven's body lay on a bed next to the window. The heart monitor next to it beeped once, and then flat lined.
...but we'll rise...
Outside of the warehouse in which Raven had confronted Slade, the Titans waited. After Mirror had changed the part of Refraction's chakra they suspected was controlling her, she had warned them that it might take a few days for Refraction to be free of the block. However, after the confrontation on the roof, they had figured today was the best time to remove her from Slade's grasp.
"And that's where I'll want you, Starfire, in that alleyway, in case she manages-" Sel thought he heard a soft exclamation from beside him, and was about to turn when Mirror screamed. Silver and green power collected around her, lifting her up into the air as her hands clutched her head.
"Mother! Hailey! HAILEY!" Before the last scream had left her mouth, she disappeared. A mere second later, the warehouse burst into flames.
The scorching heat blasted outward, propelled by an unnatural force that sought to devour everything in it's path. Flames ate the very air, burning hotter than nature would ever allow, and lifted towards the sky in a fiery parody of a bird. The Titans leapt backwards, away from the searing heat, with two exceptions. Cyborg, who stared at the message flashing on his arm, and Changeling, who knew in his heart that something had happened to the two dearest to him.
"No," the cybernetic man whispered, a tear rolling down his face. "Raven…" And as the strange flames receded, making way for the natural ones that had been spawned by the intense heat, Changeling's cry of utter grief echoed in the brilliant darkness.
...but we'll rise...
In the Tower, Raven sat up, a gasp bringing air to lungs that had been deprived of it for a long moment. She stared at her hands, feeling once again Emily throwing herself into the endless black vortex Refraction had created to save her. Her daughter holding her close, arms crossed over her chest, Raven's soul-self having been pulled out by the force Refraction had created. Emily's silver eyes as she looked towards the closing opening, and her sudden release of the black and white raven. The teen's body twisting to face the rushing blackness as her mother was flung out of the vortex and into her own body. Unashamed, the tears dripped down her face as the half demon reached out fruitlessly for her children.
"They're gone." The whisper stirred the silent night, and a black aura enveloped the weeping Titan, bringing her into the folds of shadows and away from the Infirmary.
Zeek and Tyk, whose job it had been to check on Raven every hour or so, looked at each other as the clock on Zeek's arm chimed softly. "Oops," they breathed in unison, racing upstairs to the Infirmary door. It slid open, and they frowned in confusion. The bed on which the heroine's body had rested was empty.
...but we'll rise...
Sel and Starfire each seized one of Changeling's arms, dragging him back from the inferno. The shape shifter pulled towards the fire, pain and denial in his eyes. A dark shape rose from the ground and the two restraining him let go on impulse. Changeling let out a ragged sob as Raven threw her arms around him, tears mingling as both cried out their sorrow. What should have been a joyful reunion was now a meeting of two who had lost their children.
...but we'll rise...
After nine hours, the fire had finally died. The valiant firefighters had tried to quench the flames, but the fueled fire resisted their efforts. Aquaman, the longtime friend and ally of the Titans, had shown up to lend his powers, but even then it had not affected the state of the building. Frustrated, exhausted and sorrowful, he had left to take the news back to Titans East. After the first hour, Nightwing and Starfire had gone back to the Tower to take care of the two little ones, and take care of loose ends. Cyborg and Bumblebee had remained with Raven and Changeling, and Sel, who refused to leave the tragic site. The city and its protectors grieved for the loss of a girl who had saved countless people, and a girl who had never had a choice. Slade was dead, but somehow, that no longer mattered, paling in front of the devestating emptyness in all who knew the price that had been paid to achieve that goal.
Near the end of the seventh hour, still awake, Sel finally couldn't hold his emotions in any longer.
"I don't understand how she could be dead. How could she die? Why did she have to go to Refraction; couldn't she have saved herself somehow? It just doesn't seem that she would die like that… I don't feel like she's dead; my mind tells my heart that she is, but I can't believe it. I feel that I would know if she was really dead. Shemeant as much to me asmy sister, and I knew when my sister died. So why don't I think Mirror is gone?"
Next to him, cradled in Changeling's arms like a fragile piece of china, Raven opened her eyes. In the light cast upon the Titan and her loved one, who was in the sleep of one who can't bear the real world any longer, her dulled violet eyes were flame red.
"Do you think I would not know if Emily or Hailey were still alive?" Sel looked over, slightly guilty at being caught doubting Raven's senses.
"It's not like that, Raven. It's just… I can't accept that she's gone."
"I never feared Death. It always lurked around my world, taunting me with it's promise that it would one day claim my life. I almost died several times this night, and before. False death and the seeming end of a life doesn't fool me, and I grow sick of it. I don't fear death; it doesn't trouble me. But when you lose the child you've raised for her entire life, and one who you thought you could save… what does Death become then?"
There was no answer to that, and Sel lowered his head. Raven closed her eyes slowly, and silence reigned once again.
The embers were cooling as the sun looked down upon Jump City. Bumblebee and Nightwing threw half charred timbers out of the way, clearing the area of the rubble. It was hard not to think of what they were doing, and the sight of Raven and Changeling sitting together as the space opened up made it harder. Suddenly 'Bee paused, frowning.
"What's this?" A dome the color of ash rested in the remains of the warehouse, strangely out of place. Bee was about to rap on it with a fist when she stopped, eyes widening. The strange object flickered- and then disappeared. Raven rose to her feet, eyes that were drained of tears suddenly hopeful.
From where the dome had been a figure stumbled out, supporting another who had one arm slung over the first's neck. Emily looked up, soot stained face breaking into a smile as Refraction coughed weakly.
For a moment, no one moved. Then Changeling stood impossibly fast and opened his arms as Emily ran into them; Raven placed her hands on Refraction's shoulder as her lost daughter straightened, looking into the violet eyes she had seen once before.
"Mother?" Raven touched Refraction's face gently, searching her eyes. Then she nodded, embracing the girl she had thought she had lost.
"Hailey." The whisper triggered the tears that had been threatening to fall, and Hailey buried her head into Raven's shoulder.
"How?" Changeling looked at Emily with an amazed smile. She grinned back, blinking furiously.
"It's pretty strange. After Hailey lost control, we ended in some black place; a kind of limbo, is what I'm guessing. Time didn't seem to exist there, and Hailey was about to lose control again, so we had to come up with a solution." Emily tapped her forehead with a free hand. In the middle of her forehead, where a black diamond chakra had once been, there was a perfect half. Refraction lifted her head up, and the others caught sight of the missing piece where her false one had been.
"But why couldn't I sense you?" Raven asked, having gained control of her emotions once more. Hailey smiled weakly, glancing at Emily, who nodded and spoke again.
"That was her idea. In order to safely remove her chakra, we had to lock our powers away. Here." She placed a hand over her heart. "Can you feel us now?" Raven reached out with her mind, holding her breath as she felt emptiness… and then the burning flame of Mirror and the cool mist Refraction was without Slade's block. She let her breath out, nodding as Emily's smile grew larger and Refraction rubbed her eyes with a hand, blue eyes happy.
Mirror turned away from her father, biting her lip as she stepped hesitantly towards Raven.
"Raven, I'm sorry. While you were gone, I realized what an idiot I was, and I'm so incredibly sorry." She inhaled. "Can we start over?" The violet eyed woman released Refraction and held out her hand, which Emily took. Her daughter's selfless act replayed in her mind at the contact.
"Of course." Their fingertips touched and mother and daughter exchanged silent looks, knowing that life had given them a final chance and that they would use it to the best they could.
Changeling, meanwhile, looked at Refraction, who stood a bit uneasily under his scrutiny but hid it well.
"So you're the one that almost killed Raven. Her other daughter." The former apprentice slid her eyes away from him, guilt and regret showing only in her eyes.
"Slade had manipulated me enough that he could keep my 'darts alive on my backup power without my knowing. I would have stopped it if I could." She didn't expect the man to forgive her, and was already bracing for scathing words.
"I know. After all, you've got Raven's blood in you." She looked up, startled by the understanding tone in his voice. Calm green eyes met hers, and Changeling gripped her hand gently. "I guess that makes you another one of my daughters. Welcome home." The girl blinked, and then squeezed his hand once before pulling away and letting the cloak cover her again. He watched her with a secret smile; she was much more like the old, 'emotionless' Raven than she knew.
...but we'll rise...
Sel watched with incredulous eyes as Mirror and Refraction emerged, unharmed. After she had hugged Changeling, he had met her gaze for a moment and she had nodded, a smile wreathing her already joyful face. He felt as if his sister had reached out through the other teen, touching him gently with a consoling smile, and grinned back. Then the amber eyed boy looked at Refraction, who was standing off by herself again after Changeling's greeting. Hesitantly Sel moved forward, stopping in front of her.
"I'm Sel." The cool girl didn't even look at him, but kept her gaze on the ground.
"Refraction. Though we've met before." He nodded slightly. There was a pause, as Refraction didn't feel like talking, and Sel couldn't find anything to say. She was trying desperately to cope with the sudden changes in her world; though no one else might ever know it, she felt like she was floundering in a sea with no land in sight. Her entire life had been focused on one thing: doing what Slade told her to do. When they had come to Jump City, everything had changed. Her master had become more and more unraveled, insane in his quest to finish off the Titans. With that, his control over her had lessened bit by bit until finally feelings of resistance had managed to revive. Though she now knew the truth, adapting to it was hard, and the girl fought not to let her emotions loose.
"It's gotta be hard." Sel mused thoughtfully. "I mean, one moment you're under some bad guy's thumb, and the next you're welcome like a hero." He didn't look at her, but studied the air currents with a mild interest. Immediately Refraction had to stop the words from pouring out; she was surprised at the other teen's effect on her. He was open, unassuming… and she felt that she could trust him.
"… You have no idea." They were quiet in the companionable silence.
Finally the tears and welcomes were over; Raven stood in between both her daughters, so alike and yet so different. One, born and raised a heroine, who had a veritable zoo in her hands. The other, taught to be cold and merciless, able to summon any form of weapon, reborn from the ashes of her captivity. The dark bird looked up and around at the other Titans who had gathered there, and then to Nightwing.
"Nightwing?" The black haired man knew what she was asking, and maintained his unreadable expression for a long moment.
"No. I will not allow Refraction to join the Titans." Immediately there was a start of protest. "However, Hailey is another thing entirely." A moment of silence, as Nightwing held out his hand and Refr- Hailey looked stunned. "Welcome…?" She realized that he was waiting for her to give them a new name, to finally cleanse herself of the last tainted bits of her past.
"Armory." Robin's older self saw the determination in her eyes and smiled, clasping her hand.
"Welcome, Armory." Mirror was smiling about as widely as Changeling, and Raven even had a hint of one on her lips. Zeek and Tyk cheered as Bee and Cy high-fived, and Starfire tore Nightwing away from Amory for a kiss.
"Thank you," the alien said once she was satisfied. Nightwing put his arms around her, smiling.
"Well, if that's the reward, we might have to recruit some more Titans…" Starfire blushed and gave a huff, but didn't pull away as they watched Sel congratulate Ref- Armory.
"It looks like we're going to be in for a whole lot more trouble," groaned her husband as the T-communicator vibrated. Flipping it open, he sighed theatrically.
"H.I.V.E. Don't they ever stop?" Starfire looked with interest at the screen.
"Mammoth and Gizmo?"
"No. New guys. Luckily…" Zeek and Tyk enveloped the startled blond/violet haired teen in hugs, talking and then abruptly shutting up as the entire group reached for their communicators. Nightwing finished as they started to talk amongst themselves, waiting for his signal. "We've got some too." And they did. Mirror, Armory, Blazefire and Zeek had already split off, admittedly Armory rather confused. Raven and Changeling watched with amusement and pride on the respective faces. Life was good.
"Titans, GO!"
on some stormy clouds
there are no silver linings
nothing to look up to
but with clouds comes rain
the tears of Heaven falling
like we do so many times
but we'll rise
and the sun will shine.
And so this story ends, and another begins... The legacy of the Titans, carried on in the very blood and hearts of the ones who will emerge, promises for another tumultous adventure in the third story, Tempest. Expect the first chapter out in a month or so; until then, In The End is going to be updated, I swear. Thanks to all who read/will read/have read this; I hope you enjoyed the ride!
Reviews
Swizz: Yeah, I thought everyone was gonig to kill me for that. When the Titans were interrogating Slade, I tried to find a line of logic or fault that they struggled with/portrayed in the series. I'm glad that you liked it! Your idea is actually worked into the past of the next story, so there might be flashbacks and whatnot to various moments in their struggle to, well... I'll let you stew on that. Thank you SO MUCH for reviewing!
animeobsessed3191: WHERE'D YOU GO? -looks desperately for missing person- I can't find you ANYWHERE! -Cries- I need you back to check my ideas and make sure they're sane! I'm so alone...
cd lover: EEP! -hides from flaming wrath- There is a third story, I swear! Honestly! The compliment made my day, and you're not a loser! I mean, you've stuck with me since this deal opened, and that means a lot to someone who writes as bad as I do. The sequel will be up sometime; The End is going to get updated now. Don't worry though! It willbe up!