32 Productions Presents…
A HIVE Team StoryThe HIVE Team In…
"Descent into Madness"
Chapter Three
Cellblock: One hour later
Thankfully the inmates couldn't get out the door. The cell doors may have been released, but the gates barring the entrance to the lobby wouldn't move without power. It was a simply matter for the HIVE to restart the generators and recapture the inmates. Only a few orderlies survived the ordeal. The ones the Titans didn't kill, the inmates did in. Only seven non-inmates were found alive. Krystal leaned against the wall outside Shade's old cell, tears trickling down her face. The others were talking with the survivors, but she didn't care what they had to say.
Gizmo: You okay?
Krystal looked down at Gizmo. His eyes were filled with concern. She sniffled then dropped to her knees, hugging him and crying.
Krystal: Why! I wanted him to get better…I had hoped…I just wanted… Doesn't he WANT to get better? Doesn't he want us to be a family again? Gizmo…I want my brother back!
Krystal sobbed as Gizmo patted her on the back, blushing. Blackfire sighed. When it came to comforting her, sometimes only Gizmo's teddy bear-like qualities seemed to work…Krystal's words, not hers.
Mammoth: …jealous?
Blackfire: …no. Even if I thought Krystal was the cheating type, I know she's gay. Gizmo isn't attractive to her. …I just wish I had that ability…
Sonic: To reflect the light of the sun off your head?
Blackfire: No, you jerk! …to take her tears away so easily.
Mammoth and Sonic shrugged. How sentimental. Not their style, for they were manly men! …they turned away and wiped a tear from the eyes.
Both: That was beautiful.
Jinx finished talking with the last orderly and turned back to her team. Her jaw was healing nicely. She couldn't opened her mouth too wide but she didn't need the cloth around her head anymore.
Jinx: The Titans knocked the power out without damaging the generators. It's like they wanted it to be repaired.
Krystal stood up and wiped her eyes, a puzzled expression on her face.
Krystal: Why would they want that?
Gizmo: (shrugging) Maybe they didn't feel like fighting us today.
Sonic: So they used the inmates as a distraction?
Red X: Found something.
Red X had been in the session room. He came back with a tape player and a few sheets of printing paper.
Red X: Looks like the sessions were recorded. His responses to her questions were saved onto the computer. When the power cut out it left it in restoration mode.
Sonic looked at the papers.
Sonic: …his spelling and grammar sucks.
Krystal: Gimme that.
Krystal started going through the responses. So this was how her brother talked now a days. If he hadn't lost his voice, how would he sound? He hadn't gone through puberty yet when his vocal cords were damaged. Would his voice be deep?
Red X: This is the important part.
Red X played the tape recording.
Raven: (recording) Yes…I like this idea, Shade. I like it a lot. Congratulations, Doctor Steiner…or should I call you Denise? Either way, I'm going to let you live. You listened to Shade tell you about himself and believed them to be the manic ravings of a lunatic. You seem to not understand insanity as well as you should. Perhaps you should see what it's like for yourself.
There was some noise after that, then silence.
Red X: …Doctor Steiner was Shade's doctor, wasn't she?
Krystal: …yeah. What did she mean by that?
Jinx: It means that they have a prisoner.
Mammoth: Since when did they take prisoners?
Jinx shuddered a little. Bitter and recent memories came to mind.
Jinx: My guess is since they found out how much fun it is to torture people instead of flat out killing them.
Blackfire: Krystal, can you track them?
Krystal: No. They must have taken that stupid car.
…so how could they find her? They had no idea where the Titan base was.
Titan H.Q.: Raven's Room
Denise woke up with a start. A foul odor assaulted her nose and she could barely see anything. Her memory was a haze. Where was she? How'd she get there? She stood up and felt something along her neck. Reaching up, she felt a collar…and attached to that collar was a chain. What was going on here!
Denise: Hello? Is somebody there?
There was a yawn and grumbling. Candles lit by themselves, leading up to a bed. Raven lay against the backboard, rubbing her eyes. Shade was curled up on the end of the bed. Raven yawned again then smiled as she remembered her guest.
Raven: (whisper) Good evening, Denise. I trust you're a little confused…though that really is no excuse to interrupt my rest. I was a little concerned. You shouldn't have been asleep quite so lo…
Denise: What's going on! Where the hell have you taken me!
Raven frowned and stood up. She walked over and kicked her in the stomach. As Denise gasped for breath, Raven grabbed her suit sleeve and ripped it off. She bunched it up and shoved it into the doctor's mouth.
Raven: (whisper) Be quiet. You'll wake Shade.
Raven grabbed a handful of Denise's hair, destroying the bun it was in and brought her ear close to her mouth.
Raven: (whisper) This is his first time sleeping at home since he was taken to the asylum. I won't let anyone ruin his slumber, do you understand me? You will be quiet or I'll remove your tongue and you can drown in your own blood.
Raven turned toward Shade. He rolled over and continued sleeping. Raven let out a sigh of relief.
Raven: (whisper) Excellent…now keep it this way. We'll talk in the morning. …oh and if you need to use the bathroom…I laid out newspaper over there. I'll leave a candle so you can see. Go anywhere else and I'll rip your left eye out and make you eat it. I always preferred the right eye myself…couldn't say why…
Raven shoved her away and shrugged. She got back into bed and lay down. The candles went out, save for one near the newspaper. She bit back a sob. Denise couldn't afford to wake them up. They were insane…they'd kill her…
HIVE Tower: Red X's Room
Slade sighed over the communicator. Just as Rose thought, he wasn't happy.
Slade: Your bed sheets?
Rose: …I'm sorry, Daddy. There's no excuse.
Slade: Can you trust Krystal enough not to tell?
Rose thought for a moment. Krystal had a tendency to act…odd. One minute she was acting like a child. The next minute she was a manic depressant, bursting into tears for little reason. Yet whenever they needed her help, Krystal was there. Her mental problems (assuming she does, in fact have them, which Rose wonder if it was simply an act at times) never hampered her ability to fight. That was why she some times doubted they were real. Maybe in her own weird way, Krystal was just trying to get noticed. Of course it was all conjecture.
Rose: Yes. If anything she'll want to keep quiet about it because she likes having secrets.
Slade: …I see…either way, it can't be helped. With her nose, she was bound to stumble across it somehow. Keep looking for the Titans. There's no telling what they're doing to that woman.
Rose: Of course, Daddy. I'll report back later.
Rose hung up and pulled her mask back on.
Titan Tower: Raven's Room, Morning
Despite her terrifying situation and the sheer amount of sleeping she had done before, Denise couldn't stay awake all night. She woke up when a bucket of ice water was splashed onto her. She sputtered and sat up. Raven was dressed in her costume again, hood up and glaring down at her with those piercing red eyes.
Raven: Time for breakfast, Denise…Denise…that name sounds too…formal for your current position. What do you think?
Raven turned to Shade who was lounging on her bed as usual. All he did was stare at them. Raven rubbed her chin.
Raven: Hmm…Denni? I suppose. I was leaning more toward Fido or Fi-fi. Hmm. Whatever. She's your pet, Shade.
Denise: Pet! What the hell are they planning on doing to me?
Raven ignored Denise as she tried to speak with the chunk of cloth stuffed into her mouth. The other end of the chain unfastened itself from the ring in the wall…which was there for the sole purpose of chaining things to it…and floated over to Raven's hand. She turned back toward Shade and frowned.
Raven: Shade! Get up, NOW!
Shade bolted up and hopped off the bed. He yawned, his tongue curling in his mouth.
Raven: She's YOUR pet. Therefore she's YOUR responsibility. I'll help you with her, but you've got put some effort into it or we'll have to put her down, understand?
How could they talk about her like this! She was a human being! Then she realized…that was the point. In their own way, they were trying to show her how the world had once treated them...or at least Shade. She wasn't sure what the others had gone through. Like filth…like a burden...like an animal. Raven handed Shade the end of the chain.
Raven: Go get her fed. I'll be there in a minute.
Shade nodded and nuzzled her leg. Raven sighed and patted his head. He left, yanking sharply on the chain so that she had no choice but to follow him. There were no windows…where was this place? Was she even still within the city? She was taken to the main room. Couch…TV…Gamestation…not exactly what one expected of an evil liar…but exactly how a place belonging to a group of teenagers would look. In fact, they themselves were acting like ordinary teenagers. They were just hanging out, chatting about this and that. Of course Starfire was floating off the ground, her arms around Robin's neck like a balloon on a string…and Cyborg was doing work on his leg. Said leg was sitting on the table. She expected them to pay attention to her…torture her somehow. Instead they regarded her appearance as something that happened everyday.
Starfire: That is nothing. I once cooked someone alive over the period of an hour.
The stone girl Terra shrugged, chewing her pancake.
Terra: (mouth full) I still say slowly crushing somebody with a rock starting with their toes is worse.
Starfire's face scrunched up in disgust.
Starfire: Terra, please! Do not speak with your mouthful!
Terra rolled her eyes and swallowed.
Terra: You're one to talk. At least the food stays in my mouth when I eat.
Changeling: Hey, Rotmouth! Left cupboard under the sink.
Shade handed the chain to Robin. Robin sighed and held on to it.
Starfire: Robin, what do you believe? Which is the more painful method of execution? Burning or slowly rolling a boulder upon their bodies?
Denise shuddered. Disgusting! How could they talk about such things while eating? Robin felt the chain rattle as her body shook and he looked over toward Shade.
Robin: Hey, Shade! I think she's cold or something. When she's done eating, get her some dry clothes.
…that was oddly considerate of him. Shade hopped over the counter with a bowl in his hand. In it was…dog food? Shade yanked the hunk of cloth from her mouth and put the bowl in front of her. Robin gave him back the chain. There was no way she was eating dog food. Starfire released Robin and floated over so that her face was in front of Denise's. She held up her hand and it glowed as a starbolt formed.
Starfire: Eat. Now.
Bathroom
After forcing her to consume dog food, Shade dragged her to the bathroom. Raven floated in front of the door. Shade handed her the chain.
Raven: Clothing, hmm? I have just the thing. My room. It's under the skull collection. Yes, I know. I wouldn't want you to anyway.
Shade hopped off to find the clothing Raven mentioned. Denise was pulled into the bathroom. Raven undid the collar.
Raven: Wash. Try something stupid and you'll be missing a limb shortly.
Denise: Why are you doing this?
Raven: Why not?
Denise's head pounded. She should have an answer for this…but the logic of the question was overpowering. Why SHOULDN'T they do this to her?
Denise: Because it's not right!
Raven: And what is "right", Denni? Is it right for a child to grow up with surrounded by people but still utterly alone? Is it right to be judged solely on the nature of your birth? Is it right for a mother to deny their only daughter a simple HUG!
Raven backhanded Denise. She staggered back, holding her jaw.
Raven: There is no true right or wrong. It's a matter of opinion, majority rules. In here, WE are the majority, Denni. We say what's right and what's wrong. Now get in the Trigon damned bathtub and wash up!
Denise washed up, thinking about what Raven said. Obviously the "only daughter" she was referring to was Raven herself. Surrounded by people but utterly alone…she must have been an outcast. Something concerning her birth. Demon human hybrid…if that was true (and somehow it was getting easier to accept it as a possibility) then that must be what she means. She was judged because of the demon in her blood. Judgment her mother seemed to agree with. Was that it? Was she a murderer just because "Mommy" wouldn't give her a hug? It sounded laughable…yet… She also thought about Raven's statement about right and wrong. …in their own minds, they must be doing the right thing. If that's true, then she must be doing the wrong thing. No, that was ridiculous. They were simply delusional. …but that's what the "majority" states. It's because they aren't in the same frame of mind as everyone else that they are considered to be wrong. …her head hurt. Denise finished washing up and dried off. Apparently Shade came by because Raven had clothing ready for her. By clothing, I mean a bunch of rags stitched into the vague form of a shirt and pants. Raven threw them at her before taking her old clothes and tearing them to shreds.
Raven: You wear that or walk out naked. The choice is yours.
Denise put the "clothes" on and Raven snapped the collar back into place.
Raven's Room: Hours Later
Denise thought this day would never end. Her mind and body was a wreck. Doubt and confusion plagued her. Was she going mad so quickly? Did her training really mean so little? They kicked her around every time something went wrong. When Changeling missed a field goal playing on the Gamestation, she got kicked in the ribs. When Starfire's attempt at cooking a form of bread failed, she got the pan thrown at her head. She shuddered to think of what tomorrow would bring. Her thoughts were interrupted as Raven entered her room, dressed in her pajamas. It wasn't much different then her costume, only it was made of silk or something rather then leather. Must have been for comforts sake. Shade tackled her suddenly. Raven laughed as he started "attacking" her.
Raven: Shade, no! Not in front of…not in front of the pet…
Shade ignored her protests. She wasn't exactly struggling to throw him off either. They made out right in front of her. ...was it possible? Did she actually love him? The last thing she saw were the two in each others arms in bed. Then the candles went out, save for the one near the newspaper.
Raven: (tired) Oh and Denni…today you lived Shade's life. Tomorrow you live mine.
Her head pounding and her thoughts whirling, it was many hours later before sleep claimed her. When she woke up the collar was gone from her neck, lying at her feet. Raven and Shade were still asleep. Could it have fallen off somehow? It seemed too good to be true. Denise pinched her cheek to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Creeping out into the hallway, she searched for an exit. Turning the corner she stopped cold. Cyborg and Changeling were discussing the latest video game. She ducked back behind the corner. They didn't seem to see her. After they left, she continued her search. It ended when she came across a big metal door. Try as she might, she couldn't open it. They even put an "exit" sign over the door! Was that always there or did they put it up to mock her? She pounded her fist against the door, tears running down her face. She couldn't take anymore. Denise wanted to go home. Defeated, she wandered around the complex aimlessly. To her amazement, this time they never even looked at her. "Surrounded by people but still be utterly alone". She was totally lost in this huge place. No idea where the bathrooms were and what in that disgusting thing they called their refrigerator was actually edible. No matter what she did, she couldn't get their attention. Denise even got so bold as to strike on of them. …well, she got hit back, but their conversation didn't stop. How long did Raven endure this? In the back of her mind she realized that she was getting desperate way too soon. It hadn't even been a day yet of this ignoring her thing. Why was she falling apart so quickly?
HIVE Tower: Main Room , One Week Later
Krystal groaned and rubbed her eyes. She glanced at the clock on the computer screen with bleary eyes. Four in the morning… Another sleepless night spent searching for the Titans. Was it even possible for the doctor to still be alive after a week? Not likely. They should probably be searching for a corpse. Yet Krystal couldn't stop. Not if there was a remote chance of her still being alive. She jumped in her chair when she felt a hand on her shoulder…a big one.
Krystal: (groggy) Hey Mammoth. What'cho doin' up?
Mammoth: Uh…it's ten in the morning?
Krystal looked at the clock again.
Krystal: Welp…guess I passed out. Huh.
Mammoth: You stayed up all night again, didn't you?
Krystal: Hey, it's only my second night.
Mammoth: Third.
Krystal scratched her head. Had it been three nights? She couldn't tell anymore. Mammoth picked her up. She struggled for a minute before giving up.
Krystal: Am I going to my room to think about what I did now?
Mammoth rolled his eyes and starting carrying the exhausted girl to her room.
Krystal: …hey Big M…if…and I'm not trying to be disrespectful…but if Shimmer was evil or something…and it was on account of something you did…or maybe didn't do…would you do everything you could to help her? You know, fix her brains or whatever?
Mammoth: …well…yeah.
Krystal: …see, that's why I can't stop looking. It's all my fault. I could have saved him…it was in my power, but I was afraid of a few cuts and broken bones. If I had just…just…
Krystal fell asleep in mid-sentence. Mammoth sighed and opened her door. She placed Krystal on her bed and she grabbed the pillow in her sleep. He turned to leave when she started whimpering in her sleep.
Krystal: …no…no, Shade stop please…I'm sorry I wasn't a better sister…don't hurt them anymore…don't…
Mammoth shook his head. The poor girl really blamed herself for her brother's psychotic break. Krystal didn't talk much about how Shade went insane in the first place. She just said he had a crappy childhood and was heavily abused. She never mentioned anything about being responsible for it. Was it all in her head?
Titan H.Q.: Raven's Room
Raven sighed as she pushed the giggling doctor off the bed again. This wasn't what they had in mind when they decided to drive her mad. Instead of becoming a homicidal killer, she became a rather goofy lunatic that only responded to the name Denni. After the "ignoring you" plan, there was the "put you through all sorts of tests because you're more of a science project to us rather then a human being" plan, and the "everybody hates you because you can't control your powers" plan. For that plan they attached electrodes to her body that would cause her to leave static shocks everywhere she touched. When somebody got a shock, they chased her around the place, yelling and throwing things at her. Fun for the whole family. Then the cycle repeated itself. After pulling on her chain for a night straight, she snapped. Laughing and throwing things around…it was getting annoying. She somehow figured out how to take her collar off. It was supposed to be impossible. Now she was able to free herself whenever she wanted. She trashed Starfire's room and nearly got herself killed as a result. Now she was pissing Raven off. Raven clenched her fists as Denni poked her in the face again.
Raven: Stop it, damn you!
Denni: …you said a dirty word.
That was it. Raven had enough. She grinned slowly. A new idea brewed in her head.
Raven: Oh Denni…how would you like to play a little game?
Denni: Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah!
Raven: Good…here's what you do…
HIVE Tower: Main Room
Sonic answered the ringing telephone, grumbling. The sudden noise ruined his concentration on little…ball game thing. It's that thing...it's got small metal balls inside and you have to navigate them through a maze to the center hole by tilting the square around. There are other holes you have to avoid. You know that game.
Sonic: HIVE Tower.
Denise: Oh thank god! You have to help me! I'm Doctor Steiner! I managed to escape from them, but they'll find me for sure! Shade's nose is inescapable!
Sonic's eyes widened. She was alive! Was it possible?
Denise: I didn't bother with the police. You know they can't stop them! You have to hurry! I'm at the…oh god, they're coming! Ple…
The phone hung up. Sonic frowned and worked on tracing the last call. It came from a payphone near the docks…
Docks
The HIVE arrived in minutes. The dock was pretty close by after all.
Gizmo: This stinks…
Jinx: I know…but we can't just leave her. If she's al…
Red X: There.
There was a body lying on the pier. It was female…dressed in rags stitched into clothes. Beaten up pretty bad from what they could tell. They ran over to her and Mammoth flipped her over.
Denni: Yay! I win!
She giggled inanely as the Titans leapt down from the roofs of the nearby warehouses and attacked. Jinx dodged Starfire's starbolts and flung a hex at her. Starfire swooped under it and knocked Jinx over. Blackfire attacked her sister, preventing her from finishing Jinx off, but Cyborg shot her in the back with his sonic cannon. Red X prepared several X-arangs when he was attacked by Shade. Robin swung his staff, knocking Gizmo's spider legs off balance. He toppled over and Robin brought his staff down. He just barely avoided it before it hit him in the chest. It was a hard enough blow to kill him…or at least break his ribs, thereby insuring that the instant he sat up his broken bones would pierce either his heart or his lungs. Sonic blasted Robin away but was hit by the hairy fist of a gorilla-beast. Krystal ducked under Cyborg's sonic cannon then vanished in a flash of light. She reappeared behind him and sent him through the wall of a nearby warehouse with a light blast. Several pieces of the wall floated up and flew at her like spears. Raven scowled as Krystal put up a barrier and the hunks of wood burst into flames on impact. Mammoth punched Terra, sending her sprawling. It was hard enough to crack her stone skin. She laid there for a while and Mammoth approached cautiously. Suddenly spikes of sand from under the docks came bursting through the wood, almost skewering him. Denni's laughter faded. Something was wrong…wasn't she supposed to WANT the HIVE to win? No…wait…her head hurt. She whimpered and held it, rocking back and forth. The Titans…they were bad people…they hurt her…but she had so much fun! …no she didn't…but look at the game they were playing now! This was fun! Raven said it was! Voices began screaming in her head. Tears of frustration ran down her cheeks. Shade tackled Red X and started tearing into him, ripping at his chest with his teeth and claws. He pulled back, ripping out…padding? Red X swore and managed to kick him off. Under the padding was a clearly female chest, covered with a bra. Everybody noticed as she stood up, swearing. Great…her voice changer broke too. That explained the sparks from her belt…sparks from her belt! Red X removed her belt, ran to the edge of the pier and threw it as far and as high as she could. It exploded violently seconds after going into the water. Titans and HIVE members alike stared in shock, jaws open.
Changeling: Dude…she's not a dude…
Sonic: You can say that again…
Changeling: …nice rack…
Sonic: You can say that again.
Both Terra and Jinx looked in their directions with dirty looks on their faces.
Sonic: He said it!
Changeling: Well, you didn't have to agree!
Krystal took the lull in action as an opportunity to talk to her brother. She disappeared from near Raven over to him. He looked ready to attack. Raising her hands, she spoke in a pleading voice.
Krystal: Shade, wait…listen to me. Just this once, give me a chance to talk. Come back with us…the people at the asylum…they might be able to help you. You're not well, you know you're not. Don't you remember how kind you used to be? Remember how I used to come outside and play with you at night, when Mom and Dad were asleep? We used to chase insects around...remember? We would catch them then let them go again. You wouldn't even hurt a fly. Please…Shade…be my brother again.
Shade stared at her with confused eyes. His head whirled. Images of a young boy chained to a tree running after bugs in the grass with a smiling girl close behind flashed before his eyes (it was a long chain). He had forgotten that.
Krystal: You remember…I can tell. What about when you got sick and I got you medicine from the house by pretending to be sick myself? I threw up so much from taking that stuff when I didn't need it that you made me stop. You had a terrible fever and everything, but you would rather suffer then see me get sick. You…you were the nicest person I ever met. That's why I never gave up on you. Whenever I doubt you…I remember that smile…
Tears formed in Shade's eyes and he backed away, shaking his head slowly. What was she doing to him?
FLASHBACK
Little Sarah took the bottle outside with the measuring spoons. Little Derek watched her approach from the ground where he laid. Sweat trickled down his face despite the winter cold. As she got closer he noticed how pale she was…she doubled over and vomited on the ground violently. He sat up, concerned. She wiped her mouth and got over to him.
Sarah: (whisper) Here you go. This should help.
Derek noticed that some of it was gone. He spoke to her slowly, trying to convey his meaning with as few words as possible. It was embarrassing for him to try to use big words and fail.
Derek: …you…taken?
She nodded.
Derek: Make sick.
Sarah: Yeah, well…it's worth it. You could die out here.
Derek: …take back. Say you faked.
Sarah: But they'll take the bottle away…
Derek shrugged.
Derek: Too bad.
Sarah: …Derek…I'm fine. I'm…I'm…
She turned away and threw up again. Derek sighed. He took a single dose.
Derek: No more.
Sarah: …you won't take anymore, even if I come out here again?
He nodded. If that's what it took. Sarah's bottom lip quivered.
Sarah: …I love you, brother.
They hugged.
Derek: I love you, sister.
END FLASHBACK
Raven clenched her fists and teeth in rage. Blood dripped from where her fingernails dug into her palms.
Raven: Shade! What in the nine layers of Hell are you doing! Kill her!
Shade looked up at Raven then back at Krystal. He got ready to pounce again. Krystal wiped her eyes.
Krystal: Fine. I'm tired of fighting you, Shade. Go ahead…if it'll make you happy…take my life. If it will help ease your pain any, kill me. Just…don't forget the good times anymore, okay?
The good times…there WERE good times. He had focused so much on the suffering in his life that he had forgotten them all. He had promised never to give in to the temptation to use his powers for his own gain…what had he become? Raven was shaking with anger. She flew at Krystal, bowling her over. Before Krystal could get up, Raven landed on her chest. She wrapped both hands around her throat.
Raven: Shut up! Stop it now! You're ruining him! Warping and confusing his mind with your poison! He's mine! You can't have him!
Starfire held her sister down, preventing her from helping.
Starfire: Watch…watch as your beloved is taken from you.
Blackfire: Krystal! Let…me…go...!
Shade whimpered as he moved toward the struggling pair. He stopped, then started again. Raven turned her head slightly.
Raven: Stay back, Shade! This is for the best!
Krystal: (choking) D…Derek…he…help…
That was it. Shade leapt forward and tackled Raven. Raven let out a cry of surprise and anger as she hit the ground. Krystal's eyes were wide. Had that really happened? Had he…saved her?
Robin: Titans, we're done here. We got what we wanted. Raven, get us out.
Raven sat up and formed a giant bird with red eyes with her soul self, carrying the Titans away. Jinx swore and sat up slowly. Starfire had hit her like a battering ram. Red X was kneeling next to Denni, shaking her. Denni muttered to herself, shaking her head one moment, nodding the next.
Red X: Dr. Steiner…can you hear me?
Red X turned to the others.
Red X: It's no good. I don't think she can even hear me.
Mammoth: …you're a GIRL.
Red X sighed and nodded.
Red X: Yes, Mammoth, I'm a girl. Can we PLEASE focus here? This woman needs help.
Gizmo: …but you're a girl!
Red X: …Jinx, a little help please.
Jinx sighed and helped Red X stand the babbling doctor up and walk her to the car.
Asylum
The woman who no longer knew her name was not alone in her cell…at least not in her mind. Standing in front of her were two other people. One was vaguely familiar, while the other looked just like her.
Denise: You have to stop this. You don't belong in here!
Denni: That's right! You belong out there, having fun!
Denise: That's not what I meant.
No Name: …yin and yang.
Both "women" looked at the muttering figure sitting on the ground.
Denise: What?
Denni just giggled. Something funny was about to happen, she knew it.
No Name: …that's what you are…what I am. I understand now…you represent order…and you…you're mayhem and madness.
Denni: Yep!
Denise: I don't like where this is going…
No Name: Heh…hahahahahahahaha! Yes…! Yes, that's it! You're both me, aren't you?
Denise: Calm down…
Denni: Yeah, that's right! I'm you and this is…old you.
Denise: You can be me again if you try. You just need to focus and…
No Name: Why would I want to be you? I already know who I am. I'm Doctor Chaos…professor of all things random and senseless…for example…CORNDOGS!
Both hallucinations looked puzzled.
Denni: Er…sure. Whatever. As long as you have fun.
Denise: Don't…don't do this. You can fight what they did to you…Raven was in your head. That's why you went mad so quickly.
Denni: How do YOU know?
Denise: Shut up! This is you fault!
The woman on the floor cackled and muttered nonsense. The orderly outside shook his head. He knew that woman…nice doctor. The Titans must have put her through hell…
Titan H.Q.: Raven's Room
Shade flew across the room and into the wall. Raven lifted him up again, her eyes ablaze with fury.
Raven: How dare you? After all I've done for you! You attack ME! You disobey ME!
Shade was slammed against the floor. Raven picked him up by his hair.
Raven: You bastard! How could you do that to me! Don't you remember? She stood by while you lost your voice! She is responsible for your inability to speak! She made you what you are with her inaction! I took you in! Gave you a home! Friends! …love…
Raven lowered her hood. Tears filled her eyes but she refused to let them fall.
Raven: I gave you my love…and you repay me with betrayal. …yes, I know you were confused. …and in time I will forgive you. But…right now…I don't want you to even be in the same room with me. Get out. Sleep somewhere else. I don't care where. And don't be surprised if I hurt you some more tomorrow.
Shade limped out of the room. Raven threw herself onto her bed and cried into her pillow. Attacked by Shade…who would have thought it possible? That pain…the pain in her chest…could this be a broken heart?
HIVE Tower: Red X's Room
Red X finished her new mask. It was pretty much like the old one, but it allowed her hair to stick out. She already dyed her hair brown to hide her identity. She wasn't ready to reveal that much. Her friends didn't seem to know how to respond to this new information. Oh well. They'd get used to it. …now how was she going to explain to her father how she lost the belt?
THE END