32 Productions Presents…
A Teen Titan Fan Fiction The Teen Titans in…"Closer to Home"
Chapter Two
Under the Junkyard: Monitor Room
Gremlin trudged into the room, slouching. That plan went less then perfectly. G-9 appeared on one of the screens.
G-9: There you are. You didn't answer me when you were coming through the pool.
The pool was the entrance Gremlin designed so that he could escape (or in this case return to) his base through the water. It's also were the bubble is kept. Gremlin ignored her and sat in the little office chair he had in there.
Gremlin: …it didn't work.
G-9: If you had listened to me, you'd have known that. Nobody invites the pizza man inside.
Gremlin shrugged.
Gremlin: Yeah, but they're all weird.
G-9 sighed. Said the boy with the monster mask/respirator on his face.
G-9: Weird or not, nobody trusts the pizza man.
Gremlin: (mumbling) Starfire would.
G-9 turned off the speakers and monitor and retreated deep into the system. Gremlin looked vaguely surprised but went back to moping and planning his next method. G-9 was as angry as she could get. Why couldn't he see it? She was only causing him pain. Why did he persist in his obsession with Starfire? She wasn't good enough for him. G-9's thought process stalled and a new one began. She was feeling something new. Her emotional replication chip was in overdrive. What was it? It would only take a second to identi…
Gremlin: G-9, I'm talking to you. Get back here.
Gremlin's voice interrupted her, taking priority. She reactivated the screen and speakers.
G-9: Yes, sir?
Gremlin: …prepare the tunneling car.
G-9 sighed.
G-9: You didn't finish the tunneling car.
Gremlin: …oh. Where'd I leave off?
G-9 ran a scan.
G-9: You were calibrating the drills velocity.
Gremlin: Oh yeah…okay, I'll finish that up.
G-9: Sir, if I may, you really should think this through. Tunneling into the base of the tower isn't that gr…
Gremlin ignored her and wandered off. G-9 sighed.
G-9: He's going to be so upset when it fails…
Under the tower: Two Days Later
Gremlin: I don't believe this…
Gremlin climbed out of the drill car and leaned against the nearest wall. Why was there a cavern under the damn tower! Who put this elevator here! …"Titan Rising". Can't remember if that place collapsed or something. It's been too long since I've seen it. Gremlin swore and kicked the wall. A loose rock fell and hit him on his head. He sighed…then more rocks came down, burying him.
Gremlin: (pained) …ow.
He spent the next half hour digging himself out and climbing back into his car.
Under the Junkyard: Monitor Room
Gremlin slammed his fist down on the desk near the keyboard.
Gremlin: Why didn't you TELL me there was a cavern there!
G-9: I tried to, but you left before I could.
Gremlin groaned and pulled his mask off with a hiss. G-9 gasped.
G-9: What are you doing! You need that!
Gremlin: I can breathe for a few minutes. My head is sore and I need an aspirin.
G-9: Are you alright? Did they hurt you?
Gremlin sighed then coughed. The air was burning his lungs. He quickly got the aspirin from a small cabinet on the wall and took. He put his mask back on.
Gremlin: If by "they" you mean a bunch of rocks, yes.
G-9: If I may make a recommendation…
Gremlin snapped his metal clad fingers.
Gremlin: I've got it! This one will work for sure!
Gremlin set to work. G-9 groaned.
G-9: Why is he so stupid sometimes?
Outside Titan Tower: Three Days Later
Gremlin managed to circumvent the security rather easily. Technologically speaking, he WAS a genius after all…even if his recent endeavors suggested otherwise. But this time would be different, he was sure of it. All he had to do was scale the building and enter through the window…after he cut a hole in the glass of course. He activated the suction cups in his gloves and boots and started climbing. …wow, this building was taller then he thought. He finally found a dark room. Perfect for slipping in. No heat signatures inside…looked safe. He started to cut the glass and received an electrical shock. Sizzling, he climbed back down. It wasn't worth going in like that anyway…even if it DID barely affect him.
Under the Junkyard: Monitor Room
G-9 cleared her throat as Gremlin continued to throw pencils at the ceiling.
Gremlin: (grumbling) What now?
G-9: As I TRIED to say before you left, I have a suggestion.
Gremlin threw another pencil, swearing when it didn't stick.
Gremlin: Shoot.
G-9: Why not just use the front door?
Gremlin stopped in mid-throw. Gears started turning in his head.
Gremlin: …how many battle drones do we have available?
G-9 smiled. Now he was getting it.
G-9: Several hundred. Production has been underway for weeks.
Gremlin: Perfect. Okay…here's what we do.
Outside Titan Tower: Next Day
Gremlin waited patiently outside. His wrist communicator beeped.
G-9: They're in position.
Gremlin: Great. Send the presents over. At best I estimate that this will only occupy them for two hours.
G-9: Understood. Good luck.
Gremlin cracked his knuckles. He didn't need good luck. This one was in the bag. Cracking the lock on the door was simplistic. He stepped inside and walked into the main room. His body shook before he burst into peels of maniacal laughter. He had done it. Titan Tower was now his to reshape for the next two hours. By the time he was done, the tower would be a death trap. Gremlin was more then a genius, he was impossibly fast with his work…though it could be argued that that was the reason for his miscalculations.
Outside Titan Tower: Two and a half hours later
The Titans were confused. For the last two and a half hours they had been running from place to place destroying rampaging Gremlin-bots. Now it was over…but what was the point? They were just smashing things. None of them were even in the area of anything worth stealing. They walked up toward the entrance to the tower.
Beast Boy: Maybe they were just broken.
Cyborg: Or maybe Gremlin was hoping we'd get killed or something. His plans have been crap since the trap with power cells.
Raven shook her head slowly at first then with more determination.
Raven: Gremlin had the foresight to send that robot out to help defeat Trigon. His plans are anything but crap.
Robin: Raven's right. Those robots we fought on the beach were a sound principal, he just didn't execute it right.
Starfire: …the robots attacked in sequence, each one under two miles apart.
Robin: Let's check the computer. We can see what he was trying to keep us from.
Cyborg attempted to open the front door but received an electric shock for his trouble. The intercom switched on.
Gremlin: Hey kids! Nice digs you got here. I was almost hesitant to ruin them. …almost.
The Titans stared at the speaker with anger and shock as Gremlin's laughter came out all tinny. Robin slammed his fist against the wall in frustration.
Robin: You were leading us away from our own tower!
Gremlin: Correction Tiny Tim, MY new tower. Hey Raven, interesting hobby you have. I never pegged you for a fan girl.
Raven's cheeks went red as the others gave her puzzled looks.
Raven: …I have a few action figures, okay? Everyone needs a hobby and stamps didn't sound interesting enough.
Beast Boy: …can I see them?
Raven: No.
Gremlin: You wouldn't recognize them anyway. Oh, I've been a naughty boy, kids. You can try and come in here and put me in time-out if you want…but I wouldn't recommend it.
Robin was pissed. He should have seen this coming. Gremlin had invaded their home. Been in their rooms…and who knows what else? Oh, he was going to pay.
Robin: Listen to me, Gremlin. We ARE coming in there and we ARE taking you down.
Gremlin: Talk is cheap, Robin. Show me. Show us all what a big hero you are. Heh.
The intercom clicked off. Robin took a deep breath and started making with the orders.
Robin: Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, and Shade. You go in through the roof. Cyborg, Terra, and I will try the garage. Break the damn door if you have to. Work your way down, we'll work our way up. Got it?
The Titans nodded.
Robin: Good. Titans, GO!
Garage
The entrance to the garage was clear. Robin smelled a trap…but so far nothing happened.
Terra: (whisper) Maybe he doesn't know it's down here.
Two small red lights appeared in the darkness. The lights turned on above them, revealing that there was a large robot perched on top of the T-car (how do they get from place to place without it? They must be able to do it because they didn't always have a car.). Its face resembled Gremlin's mask. The eyes flashed, making an audible beeping noise.
Robot: Targets identified as Teen Titans. Beginning extermination.
It pointed a finger at them and a huge jet of flame sprayed out. Cyborg and Robin dove out of the way. Terra just stood in the flame.
Terra: Come on. I'm made of stone! A little fire can't hurt me! You're going to have to do better.
Robot: Suggestion noted.
Terra cried out as the spray of flames changed into acid. She rolled onto the ground. It didn't hurt…yet. Robin dosed her with a neutralizing chemical, saving her. Robin was grabbed by the cape and flung across the room. The robot's arm retracted back to normal length and it stepped down onto the hood of the car. The windshield cracked. Cyborg had seen enough. His fist connected with the robot's face, knocking it across the room. It bounced off the floor a few times before hitting the wall.
Cyborg: Bad enough you hurt my friends, but you gotta drag my baby into this!
Terra stood up, suddenly very glad that Robin had insisted her clothing be replaced with more durable threads. Same design…different fabrics. Even so they had been burned by the acid. It must have been pretty strong. She touched her shoulder, one of the places the acid had splashed and hissed as she felt pain. It must have ate through some of her skin. Her hand came back red.
Terra: Real nice of you, Cy. Now let me get a piece…
Sparks flew from some of the joints as the robot stood up.
Robot: Damage assessment. …tolerable.
Terra: Tolerate this!
Terra's eyes glowed and the stone on her hands hardened as she increased its density. She had never tried that before. The idea just hit her…almost as hard as she slammed both hands on its shoulder. The arm, already damaged from skidding along the floor, broke off, falling to the ground. While nowhere near Starfire or Cyborg's league, Terra had become stronger with her transformation…though in her opinion the loss of her sense of touch wasn't worth it. Before she could swing again, the robot dug the fingers on its remaining hand into one of the damaged spots on her body, this one on her face. Blood started flowing faster. Robin leapt up and brought his boot across its face. It released Terra and reached for him. Dodging its grasping hand, he leapt over it, then off the wall. He landed in front of it and brushed off his pants.
Robot: Exterminate Titans. Exterminate…
The bomb Robin had flung onto its back when he had jumped over it exploded, taking its head off as well as removing its back.
Robot head: (slowing) Exterminate…
Cyborg kicked it away. Terra scowled at Robin for a second then smirked.
Terra: You're such a show off.
Robin: I'm not showing off.
Terra: Dusting off your pants?
Robin: They had dirt on them.
Terra shook her head. Total show off.
Top Floor
Raven had to remove the door, but they got inside. Beast Boy's teeth chattered as they started their trek toward the main room where Gremlin was most likely hiding.
Beast Boy: Dude, is it just me or is our tower REALLY scary sometimes?
The others looked around. Darkness stretched through the halls. They couldn't turn on the lights for fear that Gremlin would notice. The computer contained a read out of the power supply. If they turned on the lights, it would spike, revealing their presence. It was so quiet…anything could be hiding just around the corner.
Starfire: …I did not think so before, but now that it is mentioned…yes. Yes it is.
Shade: Way to freak people out, Snot Boy.
Beast Boy chuckled nervously and gave a sheepish grin. The continued down the hall until the came across a sight that made Raven wince. Piled on the floor in the center of the hall was a bunch of action figures.
Starfire: Oh! Dolls!
Raven: They are NOT dolls, Starfire. Dolls don't have kung fu action.
Shade stared at Raven with a raised eyebrow.
Shade: …who ARE you?
Raven: Shut up. I don't make fun of you for drawing landscapes.
Beast Boy snickered.
Beast Boy: You draw landscapes? Do they have wittle fields with flowers and butterflies.
Shade huffed and crossed his arms.
Shade: I don't have to answer that.
Before Beast Boy could taunt him further, one of the figures, a Superman action figure stood up. The others followed suit.
Raven: …they couldn't do that when I bought them…
Shade: So what? They're just toys. What harm could they do?
The Batman figure fired a cable around Shade's neck and started choking him with impossible strength. Starfire pulled the cable. To her surprise, not only did the figure go into the air, it tore a section of the floor up as well. Shade gasped as precious air once again reached his lungs. The Superman action figure flew forward while the Plastic Man figure started stretching…well, actually it was supposed to do that, but not on its own. Raven sighed as her Hawkman figure flew up at her, sword at the ready. It looked like she was going to have to smash her collection.
Main Room
Gremlin sighed as he sat on the couch. All that was left was to wait, really. If everything went as planned, Robin would be dead at his feet within the next hour or so. He turned to his new…"associate".
Gremlin: You sure this thing will be able to help me kill Robin? It looks like a useless bobble.
Gremlin held up a shining orb. It was like a ball of mercury. He was talking to an open book on the table…a very familiar book.
Malichor: Absolutely. The arcane power in that sphere will be more then enough to eliminate a mere mortal being.
Gremlin tossed the ball up and down.
Gremlin: I see…and what's the consequence?
Malichor: I'm sorry?
Gremlin: The consequence. Nothing good comes without a price.
Malichor: You don't trust me?
Gremlin whistled. A floating drone with G-9's face on the screen came in. It released a burst of flame. The eyes on the page of the book widened.
Gremlin: Let me ask you something, Mally. What would happen to you if your prison got set on fire?
Malichor didn't know…and he didn't want to know. Ironic…a dragon being threatened with fire.
Malichor: The orb is connected with a demon. Baal, the Demon Lord of Destruction (yes I've played Diablo. Why do you ask?). The longer it's used the more power it grants but the more power it grants the more he takes control.
Gremlin: …so in using the orb, I'll be selling my soul?
Malichor: More or less.
Gremlin: I see. And what would this do for you?
Malichor: Revenge against those who imprisoned me.
Gremlin decided that he was telling the truth. He tossed the orb up one more time and caught.
Gremlin: Burn it.
Malichor: WHAT! But I told you everything!
Gremlin: Yeah…but I hate fantasy stories.
G-9 lit the book ablaze. Malichor screamed as the pages turned black and shriveled. The smoke looked vaguely like a dragon, but Gremlin dismissed it as his imagination.
G-9: …sir, what if that set him free?
Gremlin shrugged.
Gremlin: (nonchalant) Then oops. It should be just about time. Get going.
G-9: Of course, sir.
Of course WE know Malichor survived…because he's in season five and this occurs before Homecoming. So there. Somebody needed to explain how the damn dragon got out of the book.
Elevator
Robin, Cyborg, and Terra stood in the elevator as it went up, slowly heading for the main floor. Robin took the first aid kit off the wall and started cleaning and bandaging Terra's wounds. Terra sighed.
Terra: Thanks, Robin…but you're wasting your time. My body doesn't respond to treatment anymore, you know that.
Robin: It might stop the bleeding.
Terra: It's clotting already. I'm fine. Save that for somebody with skin.
Robin sighed and put the box back. Terra leaned against the wall, looking at the floor. Gremlin had reminded her how inhuman she was…she hated that. How did Cyborg put up with…wait…since when were there hinges on the floor?
Terra: It's a trap!
The floor dropped open. Robin quickly fired a grapple at the roof of the elevator. Terra and Cyborg weren't so well equipped. They quickly dropped out of sight.
Robin: TERRA! CYBORG!
From down in the darkness he got a reply.
Cyborg: Yeah! We're okay!
Terra: Okay! We're dangling from the elevator cable!
Cyborg: Well, we're not dead! Keep going!
Robin nodded to himself and retracted the grapple. He didn't want to risk the elevator floor closing and cutting his line. The elevator reached the main floor and he got out, determined to make Gremlin pay.
END PART TWO