32 Productions Presents…
A HIVE Team StoryThe HIVE Team In…
"Forming the Wedge"
Chapter One
Rave
Yes, it's a rave at an undisclosed location. Sonic had taken the other guys out for some fun. Surprisingly it seemed like Mammoth was the one who was getting the most attention. Apparently the girls here were into the buff (and extremely hirsute) look. Sonic was a little disappointed that he didn't get more offers. Sure, he was taken, but it was nice to know the girls gave it a shot. Gizmo and Red X stayed on the side lines. Gizmo was utterly humiliated. Here he was surrounded by potential dates and he couldn't get the courage to ask any of them out. Red X was actually a girl (not that the others were aware of that, thanks to the padding on the costume), of course, so he didn't care that the girls weren't talking to him.
Gizmo: This sucks. Why'd we agree to come here?
Red X: Because Krystal wouldn't stop badgering us to come out into the world and attempt to form a social life.
Gizmo: Oh yeah.
The pair continued to lean against the wall by themselves. Sonic came up, looking disappointed.
Sonic: Come on you two. I didn't bring you here to wallflower. If you don't go looking for somebody to dance with, I'll find somebody for you.
Red X: This is a waste of time. I'm not interested in dancing.
Sonic sighed and shook his head.
Sonic: That's no way to go through life, Red. A guy that can move like you is sure to be able to dance.
Red X: Just because I can dodge machine gun fire doesn't mean I can do the Charleston.
Gizmo looked up at his masked friend, confused. Sonic was a little surprised. That almost sounded like a joke.
Gizmo: The what?
Red X: Nothing. It's not important.
Sonic decided he'd find Gizmo somebody to dance with. Screw Red X. If he wanted to be anti-social then let him. He started looking around for a potential girl and noticed Mammoth. He grinned. The guy must have had the attention of three girls at that point. A blonde girl with sparkles in her hair and flashing lights around her neck and wrists was hanging onto his right arm for crying out loud.
Sonic: And I thought girls hated hairy men.
Familiar Voice: You'd be surprised.
Sonic gasped and turned. Raven waved her gloved hand at him, a soft smile on her face. She had traded her costume for clothes more suitable for her surroundings. She twirled a glow stick between her fingers casually. Sonic's nose picked up the very faint smell of lilac. She was pretty close to him. Her red eyes didn't seem very out of place given the lights around her. She chuckled.
Raven: Struck speechless, Sonic? How unlike you. I must look better then I thought.
:CUE THEME:
Rave
Sonic clenched his fists. Where were the other Titans? This was bad. Raven noticed his actions and held up her hand.
Raven: Whoa, calm down. I'm not here to fight. Besides…do you really want to starts something…with all these poor bystanders around?
She gestured around herself, a smug look on her face. Sonic sighed and relaxed his hands. Raven nodded.
Raven: Better. Care to dance?
Sonic frowned. Raven was acting so…normal. He was still unused to seeing her looking so human. Her red skin and pointed eared self still haunted his nightmares. Now she looked almost like the average person, if a bit (okay, very) pale.
Sonic: What are you up to?
Raven: Nothing. Come on. Just a little dance is all I ask.
Sonic sighed. The ball was in her court. It wouldn't take much effort on her part to start killing people. They started dancing.
Raven: You see Sonic…ever since I first met you, I've had…certain feelings for you. Always so suave and handsome.
Sonic: You don't expect me to believe that, do you?
Raven sighed, looking a little hurt.
Raven: I was afraid you'd say that, but I had to try. I know I'm evil, Sonic…but I can love. Don't you think I see the problem with this? I love a "superhero" and I'm a "supervillain".
Raven made quotation marks with her fingers on the appropriate words.
Sonic: You could always quit.
Raven laughed until she realized he wasn't joking.
Raven: Not that easy. You know what I am and what I've been through. Once you walk down that road, Sonic, it's very hard to turn back.
The song stopped. Raven sighed and flicked a stray strand of hair from her face.
Raven: And with that, we depart. I can't let the others know where I've been…but…why don't we meet somewhere again? Say…Bernie's Burger Joint? Maybe…seven o'clock tomorrow?
Raven grabbed the back of his head and brought him into an intense kiss. She let him go and backed into the crowd, waving.
Raven: Hope you'll be there.
Whoa. That was weird…yet…he had to admit there was something intensely alluring about the girl. Suddenly there was a sharp pain in his shin. He turned and saw Gizmo staring up at him, looking pissed and his arms folded in front of him.
Gizmo: Would you move it? We're done here, okay?
Sonic nodded, his mind moving too fast for him to argue. Mammoth said good bye to his many new lady friends, now carrying a list of digits in his pocket. It's always the ones you don't suspect, isn't it? They got into the H-car.
Sonic: Everybody have fun?
Mammoth: That a trick question?
Sonic chuckled.
Sonic: Besides you, Casanova.
Red X: …the music was interesting.
Gizmo: It sucked.
Sonic sighed and began to drive.
Sonic: Maybe if you talked to one of the girls you'd have had a better time.
Gizmo: Bite me.
Titan HQ: Raven's Room
Raven fastened her cloak around her neck, smirking to herself. Shade stared at her from his spot on her bed, his head on his arms like a kid with his head down on the desk in school. He grunted. Raven sighed and lifted her hood up.
Raven: Relax, Shade. It's all going according to plan.
Shade snorted and jumped off the bed. Raven frowned and crossed her arms.
Raven: Shade, I know you don't like the idea, but it's a good plan.
Raven floated over to him (she rarely walked) and knelt down next to him, scratching him behind his ear.
Raven: Besides…breaking that pervert's heart will be worth the trouble.
Raven snickered. Oh yes. It would be well worth the trouble indeed. Heartbreak was the chocolate of emotions. Raven liked its flavor the best. Shade looked at Raven's wide grin and sighed. She scared him when she did that.
HIVE Tower: Main Room
Sonic gulped. Sitting on the couch was Jinx. All he could see was the back of her head, but she radiated anger.
Gizmo: Heh. (sing song) Sonic's in trouble. Sonic's in trouble.
Sonic glared at the grinning dwarf.
Sonic: Get lost.
Jinx: Yes…all of you. Sonic and I need to talk.
Jinx still hadn't turned around, but her voice confirmed Sonic's belief. Oh yes…she was mad. The others left, much to Sonic's horror.
Sonic: Okay…it's obvious you're upset about something…I'm still not sure what it is. Could I go to my room until I figure out what it is?
Jinx: …do you know what time it is?
Sonic gulped. He knew he was forgetting something.
Sonic: Well…you know how it is…time flies when you're having fun. I'm really sorry, Jinxy, I just…
Jinx held up a hand to silence him. Oh she was really mad now. He cursed himself inwardly for being so stupid. Apology FIRST then joke. Idiot.
Jinx: You didn't even tell me where you were going.
Sonic: I told Krystal to tell you.
Jinx sighed.
Jinx: Krystal said you were going to a rave. Not where. Not when. Just that you were going to a rave. Is that all you told her?
Sonic winced. Mistake number two.
Sonic: …yes.
Jinx muttered something that sounded similar to "cupid truck", but Sonic was pretty sure that wasn't what she said.
Jinx: Go away. I'm so mad at you right now. It's three a.m., Sonic. I thought you had been hurt or something. Damn it. Why didn't you take you communicator?
Sonic: I…
Jinx: Just go!
Sonic sighed and left. Maybe Jinx would feel better in the morni…wait…it was morning, technically. Maybe she'd feel better in a few hours. Jinx waited a few minutes before getting up and going to bed. She kicked herself mentally for being so foolish as to think he was in danger. He could take care of himself.
Jinx: And now I'm exhausted. Oh well. After some sleep everything will be normal again.
Chemical Plant: 6:00 P.M.
Jinx: Watch the vats!
Gizmo put devices on the chemical vats. Force fields formed around them. That would protect them again Hotspot's flames. Hotspot was a destructive pyromaniac. He was determined to "cleanse humanity by fire". He had come to the chemical plant to gather a highly flammable chemical agent. Once he had enough, he would taint the cities water supply with it. It would remain odorless and be safe to drink…but once exposed to fire there would be explosive results. The instant a small fire breaks out and the fire department was called in…boom. Fortunately, the security cameras caught him in the act and the HIVE was called in.
Hotspot: You can't escape my purifying flames!
Hotspot sent twin jets of flames at the HIVE. Most of them jumped out of the way, but Krystal just covered her face. Seeing that he got one of them, Hotspot kept his focus on her. To his surprise, a fist suddenly launched out from the flames in front of him and caught him in the mouth. He was then blasted across the room with a flash of light. He slammed into the wall and his glowing body faded back to normal as he slipped into unconsciousness. The HIVE gathered around Krystal.
Blackfire: Krystal, are you okay!
Krystal coughed a little then smiled.
Krystal: Yeah. I'm pretty heat resistant. Got a little smoke in my lungs though.
They looked at her with strange expressions. Krystal frowned.
Krystal: What? Did my clothes burn off?
She looked herself over. A little singed, but otherwise alright. So what were they staring at?
Red X: …it's your hair, Krystal.
Krystal raised an eyebrow.
Krystal: My hair?
The vats were pretty reflective. Krystal looked at herself in one and gasped, covering her mouth.
Krystal: My hair! Son of a bitch, my HAIR!
Her hair was pretty much burnt to ruin. She'd have to cut most of it off which would leave her with hair that didn't reach the middle of her ear in length. Maybe not even the top of her ear. Her eyebrows were singed too. Krystal stared at herself for a minute before turning and shooting Hotspot. It cut through the short hair on his head, leaving a big bald stripe down the middle. She smirked.
Krystal: I may have to cut almost all my hair off, but at least mine will grow back.
Sonic checked his watched and frowned. It was almost time… Raven would be expecting him in a little under an hour. It would take time to get home and more to go back out to the diner. They arrived at the tower and he got ready to leave. Jinx stopped him.
Jinx: Hey, where are you going?
She sounded a little angry. He guessed she hadn't forgiven him for yesterday. Oh well. He'd take the chance to see Raven again…why was he so interested? Maybe he could get her to change her ways. Yeah, that would be worth it. She'd be their inside man…woman…whatever. That must be why he's so interested.
Sonic: There's something I have to do, Jinx. Trust me on this.
Jinx: …just be back before TOMORROW this time?
Sonic grinned and nodded before getting into the car and driving through the garage passageway. Jinx frowned as she watched him go.
Jinx: Twice he's let me behind here… Could he be…seeing somebody else? No, that's ridiculous…isn't it?
Jinx shook it off. It couldn't be true. Sonic was a good person. He wouldn't hurt her that way. …so why couldn't she stop thinking about it?
Bernie's Burger Joint
Raven was waiting for him at a table. She smiled pleasantly when he came in, waving him over. She was dressed causally…if a bit provocatively. She wore a tight fitting dark blue pants that stopped a little ways above her ankle, sandals showing off her crimson painted toenails that matched her fingernails, and a sleeveless black V-neck shirt. The shirt clung to her body as well. Simply put, she looked hot. She fingered a gold necklace that had a golden pentagram dangling from it as he sat down.
Raven: I'm glad you came.
Sonic: I know better then to upset you. I've seen you upset.
Raven sighed and shook her head.
Raven: Please don't bring that up. I want to forget that for just a little while.
Sonic: Sorry.
Raven: It's alright.
The waitress came over and took their orders. Raven simply had a salad (odd that they had salads at a place with the word "burger" in the name, isn't it?) and Sonic got a burger (which made more sense). They talked about movies they'd seen, people they knew, and other common things, steering clear of the fact they were on opposite sides. Sonic found himself growing fonder for the pale demon-girl. She was beautiful…smart…she had an interesting sense of humor. The only real problem…and it was a big one…was the fact she was homicidal. Yet the more he talked with her, the less it bothered him. Despite Raven's insistence otherwise, Sonic footed the bill.
Raven: That was fun…would you like to go for a walk? I don't feel like going home just yet.
Sonic: Sure, why not?
In truth, Sonic really didn't want to go home either. This wasn't right…was he actually falling for her? It was a warm summer evening. Crickets chirped as the walked down the sidewalk, still chatting. They didn't notice as they entered a less then hospitable looking area of town. It wasn't until the group of punks came out at them that they realized how far off course they had gotten, so to speak.
Sonic: (muttering) Not again.
Punk: Well ain't this sweet.
They drew weapons on the pair.
Punk: Fork over your cash or we'll mess up the girl's pretty face.
Raven snickered for a second before bursting out laughing. This only made the muggers angry. Sonic, however, was afraid she was going to do something he'd have to stop her from doing…with force.
Punk: What's so funny!
Raven managed to stop laughing after a moment.
Raven: You actually think you can hurt me.
Raven raised her arms and two of the five thugs were lifted up. They slammed their heads together, knocking them cold. Sonic turned and punched another one across his face before kicking the knife out of the only girl's hand. He knocked them both out easily. He looked back up to see Raven holding the last guy in the air with her mind. It was the one that threatened her. A maniacal grin was on her face. Her voice was like ice.
Raven: Mess up my face, hmm? Maybe I should mess up YOUR face. Break your nose…twist it around and around until it comes off, like the stem on an apple. Maybe I'll pull your ears until they tear. Or…
Sonic: Raven, don't!
Raven looked over at him with an angry expression. It softened and she sighed.
Raven: Alright. I'll be…merciful…for you.
She turned back to her captive.
Raven: I hope you realize how close you came to mutilation and death. Every night, you'd better thank whatever deity you believe in for giving this boy life, because without him, you'd be a memory. And if you don't have a religion, I suggest you get one…it makes living so much easier, believe me.
Raven slammed his head against the nearest wall, knocking him out. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
Raven: I…I've never done that before.
Sonic: …thank you.
Raven smiled softly.
Raven: No…thank you. That was the first time I've ever fought against my bloodlust. …it feels good.
Raven sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.
Raven: Do you have the time?
Sonic looked at his watch and swore.
Raven: What is it?
Sonic: It's late. Almost twelve.
Raven: Damnation. Where does the time go? They'll get suspicious if I stay out much longer.
Raven got a lot closer to him. Sonic felt sweat forming on his forehead.
Raven: Thanks for the wonderful time, Sonic.
Raven closed her eyes and moved in to kiss him. For a moment he accepted the kiss then he stopped her.
Raven: What? What's wrong?
Sonic: This…this is wrong. I have a girlfriend, Raven.
Raven: Oh…I see. I'm sorry. That was forward of me.
Sonic: I've got to go…bye.
Raven: Wait…do you want to do something else some other time? Go to the park or something?
Sonic sighed.
Sonic: …yeah, alright…but not tomorrow. Monday, maybe.
Raven: That's two days from now.
Sonic: I know. Meet you there at three?
Raven sighed and nodded, looking depressed. Sonic didn't mean to upset her, but he was obligated to Jinx. No matter what he felt toward Raven, Raven was the villain of the story. It would never work it. It was a pipe dream at best.
Raven: I'll be there…
Sonic turned and left. Raven flew home.
END PART ONE