Tomorrow Never Yesterday

by lankree

A Titans story focusing on the consequences of love, betrayal, redemption, identity and false prophecies.

55. Delta

Delta

A/N: Sorry about the long wait between updates. Between my birthday and losing internet, getting this baby out was a hard ride. This chapter is the longest chapter in the story (80 pages), take it in parts.

For being reviewer number two-hundred, this chapter is dedicated to Bunny Squirrel.

…

ºLeft kick. Right kick. Back elbow. Thrust palms. Stomp. Backhand. Spin left. Back flip. Spider crouch. Razor's edge. Stomp. Drop elbow. Double Back elbow. Front roll. Pivot. Serpent strike. Left kick. Right kick. Back elbow. Breathe.

Their bodies moved in nearly perfect syncopation. His moves were more fluid and faster, hers sharper and stronger. Their moves were executed swiftly; uppercuts, back kicks, spinning elbows and brutal chops beat into the air.

Her body turned and they played shadow games. His left monkey foot strike was mimicked with her right. Their legs slid closed, their fists balled as their elbows pushed past their backs. His head turned to the left, hers to the right. His left knee rose, her right, his right palm thrust ahead, her left. Every motion he made, she mimicked, right down to his breathing, his blinking. Until he attacked.

Their bodies made wind that pulled their midnight black hair, his backwards, hers forwards. His Dragon's Claw was caught in her Phoenix Wing. His Splitting Buddha dropped him under her Striking Cobra. Their tumbles moved them towards and away from each other. Wrists blocked ankles, his straight kick connected, her body shifted automatically to land a handspring rather than land on her back. He advanced, he tumbled to his hands and moved, his hands acting as spinning feet as his legs cycloned out in a rolling succession of swipes.¹ She held her guard as he twisted his hips to drop into a low crouch. He couldn't defend when a cool smirk lanced over her features: she moved, her body twisting in a controlled roundhouse tumble, her hands gripping his shoulders. As her body turned, her knees shot forward, slamming into his upper back. As his body crashed forward, she rolled with his momentum,² spinning onto her knee before standing and tumbling a few feet out of his range. She readied her fists and waited… and waited… and waited…

She sighed, brushing a lock of black hair from her face. She walked forward with her hands on her hips before squatting and looking down at her defeated foe. "That's it? That's all you've got?"

He looked up at her, one eyebrow raised. She smiled coolly, offering her hand to him. He took it and stood, rolling his shoulders to release some of the stress from his back. "That really hurt." He admitted.

"Of course it did, little brother." Sakura said, brushing off her shoulders. "I'm better than you."

Robin laughed. "Things aren't the same as they were years ago, Sakura."

"Time changes lots of things, but not the fact that I'm a superior fighter. You're a better gymnast, I'll give you that."

Robin laughed as he and his sister left the training room. "You can't give me that, it's unquestionable."

"Right. Just like my being a better fighter is undeniable."

The sibling pair moved through the corridor towards their respective rooms. According to Robin's internal calendar, it was date twenty three. That wasn't to say it was the twenty third day of the month or the twenty third week of the year. He didn't count time that way any longer. Not since twenty three dates ago, when he kissed Raven.

Things were, for a lack of a better word, good for him. He had great friends, great times and a great girl. He was entering a phase in his life which was different than any other he had experienced, with the exception of the very first years of his life, when everything was good. There was no conflict, there was no stress, and as of yet, there was no Slade. Starfire had seemingly accepted the conditions of their friendship, being that they were just friends. Cyborg had gotten over the initial shock of the budding relationship of the Titans' leader and the resident mystic and everyone else had their own lives to attend to.

Things were, for a lack of a better word, good for him.

"Neh, Robin." Sakura broke the Boy Wonder's concentration.

"What is it?"

"I was thinking, outside of training, we don't spend that much time together anymore."

Robin knitted his masked brow. "You don't think?"

"It's not a matter of think: it's know."

"I guess we've both been busy."

"Budding relationships…" Sakura said.

"Sort of worth it."

Sakura smiled. "Definitely."

"You're easy to read whenever you think about Speedy. You blush." Sakura's left hand brushed her pony tail back behind her shoulder. "You love him, don't you?"

Sakura nodded.

"How do you know? I mean, it's only been a short amount of time for you two."

"Time isn't a factor. The heart knows what it knows."

"How do you know… when the heart knows?"

"I have a sneaking suspicion that we're not talking about me anymore."

"Bruce would have kittens if he knew what a detective you've become." Robin replied, crossing his arms over his chest. Sakura gave him a sour look. She cracked her knuckles and Robin recognized that he was cruisin' for a bruisin'. He put his hands up defensively. "Look, I don't want to make a big scene out of this… its just that you and Speedy seem to have it all together."

"From what I've seen, you and Raven are pretty well put together too."

"For her part definitely, there's not doubt… but it's different for me. I---"

"Have the emotional capacity of a twelve year old?" Sakura finished.

She turned to the side and look away innocently as Robin shook a crossed fist at her. She wasn't the first person to say that about him, hardly the first one to say it to his face. It was actually unfair to say. In any case, Robin let the insult slide, simply because he didn't want to make a fuss about it, but also because no one took him seriously when he was angry anyway. They only took it seriously when he was really angry. He still ground out the words rather than spoke them. "I was going to say 'never felt anything like this before.' But thanks."

"Well, that's one of the ways, Dear Brother, to understanding how you feel."

"By not understanding?"

"Bing-o."

"That doesn't make sense." Robin replied.

"What in the world makes you think that this is supposed to be easy? I'm your big sister, your confusion sustains me." Sakura laughed then straightened up when she realized that her brother didn't think she was humorous in the slightest. "I can't explain to you how you'll know, Dear Brother. You just will."

"I know what I feel."

"How do you feel?"

"Strongly! She means the world to me."

"Then what is the fuss about?"

"What fuss?" Robin asked.

"Wait, what were we talking about?"

"We were talking about how we don't spend enough time together." Robin replied, suddenly aware that he was very well equipped to dodge embarrassing situations.

"Right. Well, we can fix that. How about we have lunch together? Speedy won't be back until later tonight, so I'm free mostly all day."

"I planned on having lunch with Raven, it's a date."

"See if she'll push it back to a dinner date. When Speedy gets back, I doubt I'll have any free time. Hey, we can double date later!"

"I'm not double dating with my sister. But I'll take lunch, I'm sure Raven won't mind."

"Alright then. How about I make some sushi?"

"That sounds good, haven't had any since I left Gotham. Lets hope Aqualad isn't anywhere near the kitchen." Robin replied.

Aqualad was in the common room, along with most of the other Titans. They were huddled mostly in a mass around the table, all of their collective attention focused on a magazine. Starfire lifted her head from the huddle. "Robin, Sakura, you must come! It has arrived!"

"What's arrived Starfire?"

"The issue of the week for the Young Heroes magazine!"

"Alright! I've been waiting all month for this one! It's the Young Hero spotlight." Robin sat down at an empty seat next to where Raven was standing, casually putting his arm around her waist and pulling her into his lap. She didn't protest. She never did. "Have they started making guesses yet?" Robin asked her.

Raven shook her head in the negative. "Not yet… but it's bound to start any---"

"Dude, I totally saved the day that time last month when Killer Moth was trying to---"

Aqualad cut off the young animorph, spinning the still wrapped issue to face himself. "I don't think so. I'm pretty sure it's Speedy for that thing he did in Steel City---"

Cyborg reached past Aqualad and pulled the magazine in front of him. "What about me?" Cyborg yelled. "I totally nailed Cinderblock single handedly."

Aqualad shrugged his shoulders. "The girl is definitely Blackfire." Said Tameranian princess raised an eyebrow, just as most of the other Titans did.

Cyborg rolled his eye. "You always say Blackfire no matter what happens."

Aqualad looked defensive but said nothing. Beast Boy took his opportunity to snatch the magazine. "The girl is Starfire for sure. She totally handled---"

Celine snatched the magazine from Beast Boy. "But she won last month. She can't go two in a row. It's never been done."

Celine nearly fell out of her seat when a bird-a-rang whizzed forward. The weapon wrapped around the bound magazine and yanked it from her hands. Robin caught it, ignoring Raven rolling her eyes at his right and Aqualad balking at his left. "Except by me: I have the all time record of times winning."

Beast Boy waved his arms wildly, clearly unimpressed. Bumble Bee shook her head at the display, but Beast Boy went on unaffected. "We know, we know! We've all seen your wall of accomplishments: most times spotlight, most gadgets used in a single fight, most likely to succeed. Whatever. Anyway, it's definitely my time to shine."

Sakura reached across the table and took possession of the magazine. "Who's won it so far on the team?" She asked.

"I have." Robin replied.

"Me too." Aqualad added.

"Only because it was a beauty contest." Cyborg replied, not so under his breath that the whole team couldn't hear him.

Aqualad balked and Blackfire knelt out of harm's way as Aqualad seemed to double in size, his mouth composed of jagged fangs rather than thin lips and mouth. "How can you say that? I'm a legitimate hero! I can't help it if I'm also extremely attractive!"

Raven nodded. "He has a point."

Robin balked before nonchalantly placing an electro-disk on Aqualad's chair. When the aquamorph took his seat, he was fiercely electrocuted. His black tress stood straight on end to match his stupefied look. The charge of electricity ran through his body and he made a mental note to throttle Robin, or at the very least hide his hair gel.

"Well we all know who it isn't going to be!" Beast Boy said, bringing everyone back to topic, taking the magazine from Sakura's hands.

"You?" Raven asked.

"That's right… wait! No! That's not right!" The team rolled their eyes at the youngest Titan. "I was going to say the other BB. Bumble Bee totally got handled by Plasmus last week and I had to bail her out."

A sharp metallic sound sliced through the air. Beast Boy turned to look at the offended Bumble Bee, who was targeting her stingers with dead accuracy at his person, and became increasingly aware of his own mortality.

Starfire grabbed the magazine from Beast Boy's terror rigid fingers. "Please, I am most anxious to see who has won the spotlight of this month." With that the pretty Tameranian pulled off the cover and flipped through the magazine to find what she was looking for. When she landed on the appropriate page her pretty, red brow furrowed.

"What is it Star?" Cyborg asked.

"I am confused. There are multiple winners."

"There's always a boy and a girl winner." Aqualad said, finally calming the electric current running through his body.

"Yes, however, this circumstance is different. There are multiple winners for each category. There are two female and two male."

"A tie?"

"Now there's something never done before." Robin said.

"So who won Star?" Celine asked.

"The male winners are Speedy and the Kid Flash. The females are Raven and the Batgirl."

"Alright, Raven: your first win!"

"And Speedy too!"

"Too bad you had to share it with Batgirl."

Sakura snorted gently. "Way to go Babs."

"You know the Batgirl?" Blackfire asked.

Sakura nodded. "She's a friend of the family." Sakura might have said more, but became aware of the nervous look on Robin's face.

"Who is this Kid Flash guy?" Beast Boy asked. "And how did he manage to out hero me?"

"Apparently he's new to the scene." Celine said, reading over Starfire's shoulder. "But he and Batgirl are partners, according to the article. They help govern Gotham together."

"Robin," Raven said. "Why do you get flustered when someone says Batgirl?"

"I… I'm not… flustered…"

"Robin, you are… sweating profusely. You are feverish?" Starfire asked.

"I'm thinking caught out." Cyborg replied. "Something tells me Robbie and Batgirl have some history."

Robin turned stark white. His bones squeaked like an unoiled hinge when Raven stood up from his lap and stared down at him. "Is that true?"

"No, I mean, yeah. I mean, she's a friend of mine and we do have history but it's totally history and she's not what you think she is and---"

The Titans had never heard anyone speak as fast as Robin and if they didn't get him to stop sweating the Titans would have a new indoor swimming pool.

"Robin, it's okay." Raven replied.

For a few seconds the babbling continued before the Titans' leader recognized her sentiment. "O-kay?" He asked.

"If she's your ex-girlfriend, so be it."

"You're not jealous?" Robin asked.

"Why would I be jealous? Besides, it's not like I ever have to meet her."

The moment the sentiment escaped her mouth, a flash of movement shifted the wind in the room. Raven's cloak and hair were tossed to the air as an incredibly fast moving body circled around her. She blinked rapidly as the other Titans did before the dashing yellow and red figure raced from their sights.

"What was that?" Sakura asked.

Raven went to raise her arms but found they were heavier than she remembered them a second ago. She looked down and found a dozen long stemmed white roses laid delicately in her arms.

"Where did those come from?" Robin asked.

"From me."

The Titans turned collectively to the new comer in their mist. He looked rather cool leaning against the flat panel computer display. His red and yellow outfit fit him like a glove. He walked forward with his hands behind his back, approaching Raven with a single-minded determination that if Raven admitted to herself, would have been rather cute.

His huge blue eyes were rather familiar. Indeed they had all looked at his picture not seconds ago.

"You're---"

"Kid Flash, fastest boy alive and you're the Teen Titans."

"Welcome to Titans' Tower, Kid Flash. But what brings you here?" Robin asked.

"You. Or, more specifically, her." Kid Flash replied, pointing non-threateningly to Raven.

"Me?" Raven asked.

Kid Flash nodded, holding up his own issue of Young Hero. "I read about you in this month's spotlight. I found you… interesting. So I thought I'd come to meet you."

"But why the flowers?"

"I like you."

Robin turned beet red and Raven blushed faintly.

"Like her? You don't even know her!" Robin shouted defensively.

"Not yet. I read about her in the spotlight, she seems like a nice girl. I'd like to get to know her better."

The peanut gallery snacked nosily on popcorn as they watched the drama unfold. Their curious eyes shifted from the long-haired Raven, as she looked down at her gift, to a seething Robin and an oh-so-cool Kid Flash.

The girls huddled. Beast Boy, Aqualad and Cyborg raised a collective eyebrow before Cyborg generated his satellite dish to amplify their hushed conversation.

"So the collective decision is that he's very cute." Bumble Bee whispered.

"And very bold." Starfire added.

Celine looked back over Sakura's shoulder. "And very close to being throttled if he doesn't exit Raven's personal space immediately."

The other girls took turns looking over Sakura's shoulder with the inconspicuousness of a green mongoose in the HIVE academy. "Raven does not seem to mind." Blackfire whispered.

"It's Robin that's going to bring the pain." Sakura replied.

Robin put himself between Raven and Kid Flash, his body blocking Raven's person. He stared defensively at the masked new comer. "You're right, she is a wonderful girl, but she's not interested in your moves, Lance Romance." Robin replied.

Kid Flash leaned to his right to make eye contact with Raven. "Is he always this lame or is he making a special effort just for me?"

Raven didn't want to laugh, she really didn't. She did her best to cover it up by giving a non-committing answer to Kid Flash's question. Robin heard her easy laughter. Kid Flash smiled.

"The article said you don't smile much, but I knew you'd loosen up if you met me. You were just waiting for the right guy to feel comfortable with." Kid Flash said, grinning gently at the blush on Raven's cheek.

The peanut gallery took a step back to avoid any splatter resulting from the volcano of Robin's fury. The Boy Wonder doubled in size as he yelled down at Kid Flash. "Raven smiles plenty! She's already found the right guy!"

Kid Flash raised an eyebrow. He ignored Robin and looked past Raven's shoulders to the other men of Titans' Tower. He dashed past Raven and Robin, leaving them both confused. Kid Flash ran circles around Cyborg, Beast Boy and Aqualad. The Titan males stood perfectly still until the master dasher stopped and looked them up and down.

"You're too short." Kid Flash pushed Beast Boy away. "I'm getting the big brother vibe from you." Kid Flash turned his back to Cyborg. "So I guess it's you." Kid Flash rubbed his jaw thoughtfully as he looked Aqualad up and down. The Atlantian demigod reeled and Blackfire put herself between Kid Flash and Aqualad. Kid Flash raised an eyebrow. Apparently he had guessed wrong. His eyes widened as Blackfire and Aqualad were pushed away from his vision, crashing into something nosily outside the range of his vision. He would have turned to see where they landed if currently the Boy Wonder wasn't standing in front of him seething.

"I'm her boyfriend! Not Aqualad!" Robin yelled.

Kid Flash frowned before shaking his head in the negative. "That can't be… you're Batgirl's boyfriend."

For a split second the room became so still, Kid Flash could hear the air moving and he didn't like it at all. A dust ball rolled across the floor as if Titans' Tower were a dude ranch and a duel was about to begin. The peanut gallery was stupefied, Robin was stupefied and two windows and a vase exploded. The flowers in her hands didn't stand a chance.

The rain of petals set Robin and his team into motion. The spectating Titans seven restrained Raven as Robin moved forward.

"No, I'm not." He told Kid Flash. He was sweating again, his voice cracked and he was constantly shifting his eyes towards his backside, painfully aware that the team didn't have the capacity to restrain Raven.

"Yes you are. She said so. She has tons of photographic evidence." Kid Flash replied.

Seven Titans were hurled across the room as Raven's fury won out over their restraint.

"Robin…"

Said Titan tried not to show his fear. He could feel Raven's shadow on his back and it was heavier than a lot of consequences of his own actions. She was glaring in the way that she did when she was preparing to smite something. It was the first time Robin had been the target of that particular fury and if he didn't get Raven to calm down, it would be his last.

The other Titans realized it too. Sakura righted herself. She and Beast Boy had landed similarly, thrown upside down against the couch. The black haired martial artist turned to Beast Boy as Celine pulled herself up from behind the couch. Her legs had been dangling over the edge, her boots kicking Beast Boy in his bum.

"We should stop her." The red haired engineer said, fixing her hair.

"And how do you suppose to do that?" Beast Boy asked, producing the Young Heroes magazine from behind his back. "You've read her profile," Beast Boy cleared his throat as he quoted the article. "Raven has a wealth of power and determination unmatched by any young hero to date." Beast Boy slammed the magazine shut and pointed to the furious Raven. "If she wants to crush the Boy Wonder, he's going to get crushed."

"Beast Boy, distract her!" Sakura demanded.

"Me? Why me?"

"Because you're expendable!"

"Hey!"

"Beast Boy, just go!" Celine yelled.

Beast Boy slunk close to Raven, who was only a few feet away from Robin. Kid Flash had done the smart thing and taken a hiding spot on the other side of the couch beside Celine. Beast Boy stepped in front of Raven and took the attention of the righteously angry Raven.

"Hey Raven." Beast Boy spat out nervously. "I… I thought you weren't jealous."

Robin groaned. Sakura and Celine slapped their foreheads. The other Titans sighed. They really needed to stop putting their fate in the hands of Beast Boy. He had all the right intentions, but had the execution skills of frozen yogurt.

"No, I refuse to believe… Beast Boy, there's no way you could be that dumb." Bumble Bee said.

"You'd be surprised." Cyborg replied.

"At this point nothing surprises me." Celine added, shaking her head in disbelief.

Beast Boy gawked. "Hey! I can hear you. I'm not a complete idiot."

Robin nodded in agreement. "Yeah, some parts are missing."

Raven's eyes flashed white. "Beast Boy… you should run… and pray you're faster than me."

Beast Boy laughed nervously. Robin looked forward to the green Titan who hadn't moved a muscle. "I think she means it." Robin said.

Beast Boy craned his neck back to look at him. "I keep trying to run, but my legs won't work."

Starfire gave a shout and rushed over to help Beast Boy after a bubble of dark magic hurled him across the room. With the last physical barrier removed between Robin and Raven, the purple haired mystic stalked forward and grabbed Robin by the collar of his uniform.

"Robin…"

"Raven, let me explain!"

"Explain to me how I'm supposed to be your girlfriend, when you're still seeing Batgirl."

"But I'm not still seeing Batgirl! I was never officially seeing Batgirl to begin with. It was puppy love. We were just kids, I swear!"

"That's not what Batgirl said." Kid Flash posited from behind the couch. A zap of black energy struck the lightening fast hero. A fazed Kid Flash opened his mouth to retort, but Sakura covered his mouth with both hands. "Not helping!" She hissed.

"Raven, trust me. Kid Flash and Batgirl are mistaken if they think I belong to anyone other than you. I swear Raven. I wouldn't lie to you. I care about you too much to mess up what we have." Robin pleaded.

Raven relaxed her grip. The Titans released a shuddering breath. Robin touched Raven's cheek and the long haired mage faced him with an apology clear in her eyes. Kid Flash dashed to their side.

"I'm sorry for causing confusion. I guess Batgirl had it wrong."

"No damage done, Kid Flash." Robin replied, wrapping one arm around Raven's waist and extending the other to shake the lightspeed runner's hand. Kid Flash gladly accepted.

"I'm not a home wrecker, so I'll leave you two in peace. But Raven, if things don't work out…"

"Kid Flash, don't push it." Robin said defensively, gripping Raven a little tighter.

"Right." Kid Flash turned and looked at the wealth of beautiful Titan females. "Well, while I'm here, I should take the opportunity to meet each and every one of the lovely Titans."

The boys sweat dropped. Cyborg stepped in front of Celine and Aqualad blocked off Blackfire. Raven watched the display with amusement as Kid Flash dashed to stand between Sakura and Starfire. Beast Boy immediately jumped into Kid Flash's range of attention, waving the Young Heroes magazine in front of the lightning fast do-gooder's face and spouting off instances of his superior super herory.

"So, I'm sorry. About not believing you at first." Raven said in nearly a whisper.

"Don't worry about it Raven. I can understand your being defensive. I am a great catch."

Raven pinched him. "It's just a good thing that Batgirl wasn't here in person… it could have been ugly."

Kid Flash dashed forward, dropping his arms onto Raven and Robin's shoulders. "Yeah… about that…"

With unbeatable timing, the door to the Titans' common room slid open. Robin didn't want to look, he also didn't like the fact that Raven was looking and that three kitchen appliances were shrouded in a familiar black energy. Robin sighed and turned his head.

Into the common room indeed had entered Batgirl.

It would be no stretch of the truth to say that Batgirl looked good in black leather. The lithe crime fighter walked forward in a short, black leather dress, her emblem embossed in brown leather in the dead center of her ample chest. Her boots stopped just below the asymmetrical cut of her dress. Her purple utility belt hung low on her slender hips and her fierce red hair was free beneath her bat ears and mask. Unlike Robin's mask, the team could clearly see her dark blue eyes… which were trained on the Boy Wonder.

"Robin!"

The Titans took cover as Batgirl ran forward and grabbed the Titans' leader.

"Uh, hi Babs… you look different." He said, it was the first thing he could stutter out. It was hard to think when a beautiful, powerful and angry half demon was glaring holes into his back.

Batgirl nodded and pulled back just enough to spin around. "When you left Gotham, I decided to upgrade my look. What do you think?" She asked, sidling back up to Robin and putting her hands on his shoulders. "Does it do something for you?"

Robin sweated nervously. He was frighteningly aware of Raven seething beside him. "Yes… it makes me uncomfortable." Robin replied.

Batgirl frowned and put some distance between the two of them. "That's not a nice thing to say Robin. I came a long way to see you. Kid Flash wanted to meet Raven and I figured I'd come with to see you."

"He met me, you saw him, now feel free to leave." Raven ground out between her teeth.

"Oh! You're that Raven girl. You and I tied for Heroine of the month. We must have something in common if they paired us together."

Beast Boy smirked. "You have no idea."

Aqualad nudged the animorph. "Be quiet. Raven might hear you."

"Babs, it's really good seeing you, but for your safety, I'd recommend taking one giant step back." Robin said.

"Why? You're not going to explode are you?" She asked, raising a slender red eyebrow.

"No, not me." Robin muttered under his breath.

"Come on Robin, why are you so fidgety? We've been apart for so long, I thought you'd be happy to see your girlfriend."

Three chairs, two windows, four computers, a lamp and a coffeepot exploded in rapid succession. Sakura put up a barrier and the Titans huddled behind it as their home became a battle ground. They never took Raven for the jealous type, but apparently Robin brought that out in people.

"You. Are. Not. His. Girlfriend." Raven spat out.

A stunned Batgirl turned to the clearly vexed Raven. "Is there a problem?" Batgirl asked.

"Babs, I think you're confused. I'm not your boyfriend."

"Yes, you are. I have tons of photographic evidence." Batgirl produced a wallet and opened it. Dozens upon dozens of photos fell out in a string nearly ten feet long. Raven watched the photos unroll. She picked up a handle and glared at a couple of the snapshots. Another computer at Celine's console exploded. Celine whimpered pitifully and Starfire patted the other redhead sympathetically.

Cyborg buffered his mouth as he leaned towards Bumble Bee. "Should I be recording this?"

Raven's eyebrow ticked. Her head spun on her shoulders as she looked back at the offending Titan. "That depends. Can you capture triumphant disdain on a camcorder?" Raven's head spun back to the correct orientation.

"Batgirl, you're not Robin's girlfriend. I'm Robin's girlfriend." Raven declared.

"No, you're not." Batgirl replied.

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"No." Batgirl declared.

"Yes." Raven retorted.

"Wow, their maturity has regressed to the level of me." Beast Boy said.

Raven turned to the morph. "Sakura, drop your barrier." Sakura did as told. A black energy found Beast Boy's boxers and gave him an atomic wedgie. Beast Boy whimpered in pain. Sakura put her barrier back up.

"Sakura? Is that you?"

"Uh, yeah. Hi Babs." Sakura replied. She waved nervously behind her Holy shield.

"Sakura, come out and talk to me. It's been ages." Batgirl requested.

"No thanks. If it's all the same to you, I'm just going to stay behind my barrier."

"Don't tell me the mighty Sakura Chloe is scared." Cyborg taunted.

"I don't see you leaving the barrier." Sakura retorted.

Batgirl raised an eyebrow. "Why are they afraid?"

"Uh, have you met Raven? She's… frightening."

Batgirl turned her attention to Raven, who indeed was seething were she stood. Batgirl looked between the nervous Titans and the equally nervous Robin. Her eyes fell back on Raven, the long haired girl crossed her arms over her chest as she stared down the redheaded Batgirl.

"We've got a situation on our hands it seems. It looks like our dear Boy Wonder has a problem with making decisions."

"There's no situation. I'm Robin's girlfriend." Raven retorted.

"Us throwing this back and forth isn't going to solve anything. So instead of fighting with our words, let's fight with our fists." Batgirl said, adjusting her gloves.

Robin fell over. The Titans fell over and Sakura's barrier fell. Starfire leapt forward and put a hand on Batgirl's shoulder. "I would not recommend you challenge Raven… she is most… defensive in her claims to Robin."

"I can take her." Batgirl said triumphantly.

The Titans females shook their heads in the negative. They couldn't beat Raven with super powers and a fair playing field. Batgirl didn't stand a chance with an enraged Raven.

"I guess it wasn't a happy home after all. Maybe I still have a chance with Raven." Kid Flash thought out loud.

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow. "Have you been brainwashed or something?"³

"Enough!" Robin shouted.

When the flock of Titans froze, they could distinctly hear the Titans alarm going off. Celine jumped to her console, working around her damaged computers, and began scanning the city.

"Looks like downtown Jump is being subject to major redecoration… of the invasive and destructive kind."

"Right, we're on it. Titans Go!"

Robin leapt to his R-cycle as Cyborg and Aqualad bounded into the T-car. Batgirl's attempt to ride behind Robin was thwarted by Raven zapping the redhead. Sakura leapt behind her brother and the sibling pair raced forward as the rivals for Robin's heart glared daggers at each other.

Kid Flash was the first on the scene, dashing ahead of a speeding Blackfire, green sparrow, and Star. He skidded to a stop in the middle of the wreckage, unsure about exactly what he was seeing. Jump had been transformed from a thriving metropolitan to a historical southern plantation community. Skyscrapers were replaced with mansions and theaters. The pavement was being eaten up by a procession of southern gentlemen up heaving it and replacing it with dirt. Behind the giant procession, riding in a carriage nearly twenty feet tall appeared to be the southern debutant responsible for Jump City's trip to the Deep South. Her brown locks were strung up in ringlets of curls, tied down by a pink and white bonnet. The brown haired woman fanned herself, her wide and multiple skirts were spread around her and everything was decorated in a peach or pink color. On the side of her coach were two overlapping Ps.

Robin spun out the back wheel of the R-cycle, lining his sister and himself up with Kid Flash. "Who is that?" Kid Flash asked.

"If ya'll want to know, the gentlemanly thing to do would be to ask the lady herself." The dainty southern drawl grated their ears as the southern belle glared down at them from her carriage.

"Just who are you?"

"My name is Princess Peach and I'm here on behalf of the glorious south to restore this vulgar city to a wonderful community that I can establish my vast wealth and power."

"You can't just tear up our city!"

"I can and I will. Princess Peach gets everything she desires."

"You're no peach." Robin replied. "You're the pits."

"So you're this lame all the time, then?" Kid Flash asked.

"No time for that now. We've got to stop that cracked southern belle from wrecking the city." Sakura said.

"That might be harder than it looks." Cyborg said.

A slew of southern gentlemen, marching forward with overlapping Ps, came in swarms and swarms.

"Right. We'll handle everything on the ground. Star, Bumble Bee, get in her face!"

Bumble Bee and Starfire did as they were told soaring up and engaging a miffed Princess Peach. Bumble Bee extracted her stingers. "You may be a princess, but I'm the Queen Bee."

"You need to learn a bit of etiquette. Firstly, when addressing a lady, you should never use such a tone. Secondly, no self respecting woman would bare her midriff. It's unlady like. You both require a make over and a lesson in manners!" With a wave of her fan, Princess Peach gave them new looks. The flying Titans found themselves trapped from neck to ankles in a giant peach. Before the pair could react, gravity pulled the massive fruit bodies to the ground. With a yelp Star and Bumble Bee crashed into the uncovered below.

Sakura's hiraikotsu cut through the air, striking down soldier after soldier. She caught her weapon across her shoulder just in time to see Raven gather dozens of soldiers with her magic and hurl them into the distance. A bird-a-rang and a bat-a-rang whorled forward in the same artistry; the grappling hooks catching around the edge of the carriage. The Batman trained pair climbed the monstrosity of a coach until Robin and Batgirl stood face to face with Princess Peach.

"This is your first and last warning. Stop your attack on the city." Robin demanded.

Princess Peach giggled behind her hand.

"This isn't a game lady!" Batgirl shouted.

"Oh, but it is. I have just been so bored at home, so I came to this city to have my fun. This is a wondrous game. I have not seen sport this wonderful in years!"

Princess Peach gasped when a dark matter spread along the roof of her carriage before pulling it off. The invading southern belle stared up in horror as Raven floated above her head. Raven's cloak was down, her long hair blowing in the wind.

"You think because you're life gives you dissatisfaction that you can treat other people like this? You're nothing but a spoiled brat!"

Princess Peach gasped and fanned herself. "I am no brat. I got this power all on my own."

The debutant waved her fan, a storm of peaches bombarded Raven, Robin and Batgirl, knocking Raven from the sky and Robin and Batgirl from the carriage. Blackfire and Beast Boy caught the falling pair midair and Kid Flash dashed in a furious circle, creating a tornado that slowed Raven's fall. When Kid Flash slowed, Raven dropped into his arms. He smiled sweetly, before a southern giggle caught their attention. Her dainty fan waved out. Peaches hammered down from the sky, some the size of cars. The Titans dove to safety.

Raven pushed an overhead barrier up, protecting both herself and Kid Flash. The blue eyed hero dashed from the cover to rescue Aqualad and bring him to the safety of Raven's shield.

"Princess Peach, please stop this!" Kid Flash yelled after watching a rolling peach nearly knock down Cyborg.

"Silence!"

The Titans ran and took cover behind the nearly erected Peach Pit Saloon. Bumble Bee picked the last piece of fruit from her afro-puff. "I'm officially never eating peaches again."

Starfire rubbed her stomach, obviously nauseated. "I am the one who did the eating, but I, too, share your sentiment!"

"We need to split up to take Princess Peach down. Beast Boy, Kid Flash create a distraction. Bumble Bee, Batgirl, Sakura, and Aqualad take care of as many of those soldiers as you can. Star, Blackfire and Cyborg destroy those peaches. Raven, you and I are gonna get this royal pain out of our city."

The Titans split up. Beast Boy morphed into a cheetah and raced behind Kid Flash to get Princess Peach's attention. The two skid to a stop as Princess Peach glared down at them. They both blew raspberries.

"Princess Peach, huh? Well we've got royalty on our side too! We've got the princesses of Tameran and the queen of darkness… and… I'm the King of Beasts… Cyborg's the… uh… Duke of Devices, Robin's the Prince of Precision and Kid Flash is er… the Master Dasher!"

Kid Flash turned to the green Titan beside him. "That's the best you could do?"

Beast Boy shrugged. "I think I did pretty well considering I went off the top of my head."

"It will be off with your heads in a moment! Soldiers remove these charlatans from my sight. Their presence is an affront to the very delicacy of my nature." Princess Peach declared before waving her fan. Another rain of peaches began. Beast Boy leapfrogged to Kid Flash's shoulders before morphing into a pterodactyl and pulling him to safety.

Starfire's eyebeams ripped through the falling peaches. Cyborg's sonic shots exploded the fruit left and right. Blackfire's hands sunk into the fruit, she established a grip and used her hold to hurl the peach like a bowling ball. The rolling fruit hammered across the ground straight at Sakura and Aqualad. At the last moment the two tumbled to the side and the soldiers they had been fighting were knocked over like bowling pins. Sakura gave Blackfire a 'thumbs up' and Aqualad held up a card declaring a perfect ten.

The platform held Robin steady as he and Raven made their way back to the top of Princess Peach's carriage. Robin somersaulted forward and landed silently on the carriage behind the Princess Peach. Raven floated directly in front of Princess Peach's face, staring the brown eyed belle in the eye.

"It would be in your best interest to leave the city now. You caught me on a bad day." Raven said, her black energy flowing from her finger tips.

"From your pale complexion and unpleasant voice, it would be fittin' to assume that every day for you is a bad one. You will catch more flies with honey than vinegar, girlie."

Robin aborted his plan and leaped off the stage coach. There was no way he was going to be anywhere near the reprimands for that comment. Starfire caught the fleeing Titan and the two watched the unfolding showdown.

Raven's eyebrow ticked. "Who are you and why are you so dumb?"

"Why I never! I am Princess Peach!"

"No, you're history. Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

The Princess Peach's fan was torn to shreds under the onslaught of Raven's magic, as was her stage coach. The southern soldiers disappeared into a puff of smoke, revealing that they were merely peaches. Beast Boy picked one up and stared it down.

"If we eat them, is that cannibalism?" He asked.

"How about we get rid of them and never find out?" Cyborg asked.

Raven floated to the ground, an enraged Princess Peach trapped in a spindle of Raven's power. Batgirl balked from her position beside Robin. "That's what I'm competing against?" She asked.

Robin shook his head in the negative. "It's no competition at all. That's my girl." He approached Raven just before she touched the ground and caught her by the hips. Her arms dropped around his shoulders as he hugged her to him. Starfire took Princess Peach to the authorities and the other Titans gathered around Robin and Raven.

"So, thanks for your help with handling Princess Peach." Cyborg said to Batgirl and Kid Flash.

"Glad to help. And sorry about the confusion: didn't mean to cause any turbulence." Kid Flash replied. The master dasher sighed and turned his attention away from Raven to Sakura. "Since my prospects are shot with Raven, how about I get to know you better?"

Before Sakura could turn him down, a knockout arrow knocked him down. Sakura turned excitedly and met Speedy's trained determination with a smile. "Speedy! You're back!" Sakura hugged and kissed her boyfriend.

"I'm a little late. Looks the party started and ended without me."

"You always show up for the important parts." Robin said.

Kid Flash pulled himself up and dashed to the side of his partner. Batgirl stood with her arms crossed. Robin kept one arm around Raven's waist as the other reached behind his back. Beast Boy slunk to stand between Batgirl and Kid Flash, dropping his arms over each of their shoulders. "This is the part where Robin makes you honorary Titans."

Ruined presentation aside, Robin was glad to present the pair with Titans' communicators. Kid Flash took his. Batgirl didn't.

"Thanks but no thanks. It might be best if we stay clear of each other for a while. Until you get things sorted out." With that she turned and walked and unleashed a grappling bat-a-rang. It latched onto a building and the teen fighter swung from their sights.

"Bye Babs." Sakura waved.

Robin watched her go before turning back to Raven. "There's nothing to sort out. You know that right?" He asked her.

Raven nodded. "I'm sorry about earlier. I was being emotional."

"No, you were being you. Honest, beautiful you."

Kid Flash rubbed his jaw thoughtfully before an idea struck him and he snapped his red glove clad fingers. "I get it now. You're a talker, that's how you get the girls. Your smooth side more than makes up for lame side."

"Kid Flash, beat it."

"Done." With that the master dasher took off in the same direction as Batgirl, back towards Gotham. Robin watched the teen flirt for a few seconds before he was out of range. "Well, that was an interesting day."

"The day isn't over." Raven replied.

"Is there anything else to even do today?"

"I can think of one thing." Raven stated. Robin raised an eyebrow and Raven took his hand. "You and I are going to prove to any non-believer that I'm yours and you're all mine."

Robin gulped. "That being?"

"You and I… are going to… go to the arcade and get photographic evidence."

Raven dragged Robin off and the rest of the Titans sighed. Aqualad turned to Blackfire and the rest of the group. "Man, I hope I never have to go through anything like that."º

…

Washu leered, pushing his own energy into the cave of Segii. The grey washed over the white, dissipating the amplification energy that had flooded the arena. The air cleared of all energy, Washu's energy retreating. In the air, Dischord floated, her eyes looked to the left, then to the right and saw what Slade saw.

Nothing.

The Titans had escaped.

The remaining dust cleared with Dischord's work. The gifted aeromorph, product of the same mad creation as Schala tu Akane, released the wind gently to lower herself to the floor. Terra checked over the girl, making sure the attack from the redheaded genius, the redheaded genius who should have been dead, hadn't hurt her daughter.

Slade rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "That Celine is turning out to be quite the challenge indeed. And to think, we almost destroyed her."

Terra snorted. "She's going to wish she was never born."

"The human girl is not what concerns me… whether or not she lives or dies now or after Trigon is free does not matter." Washu replied.

"You're only concerned with Raven and her daughter."

"Not entirely true. They do serve the most important roles... Their birth names, in the language of Azarath are Schala and Lethe. Those names are derivatives of Scalhala and Ethen which mean 'promise' and 'infinite'."

"As fascinating as that is, there's nothing infinite about either of them and the only promise I'm concerned with is the one I made to annihilate the Titans."

"The name Robin is derived from Roleinen⁴ which means 'power'. The combination of Robin and Raven would produce an 'infinite power'. Perhaps a Transient ceremony between the two could fuel the war games of Doomgaze indefinitely." Washu posited.

"Whatever they make would never be as strong as Dischord. And there won't be anything left of Raven or Nightwing when I'm done with them." Terra leered.

"You know the coordinates of the Yiken Stone. They will no doubt be headed to it in some fruitless attempt to reverse Schala's destiny. Have Dischord there to show them the error of their ways."

"And where will you be?" Slade asked.

"Contemplating the possibilities of 'infinite power'." Washu vanished.

Slade continued to rub his chin as he thought again about what he saw in the Titan genius that Terra had assured him was dead. Of course, with the Titans, death was never a guarantee. They proved unerringly resistant to destruction.

"Brother Blood had told me about his precious Celine and from the information you gathered, it appears that she's everything Blood raved about. To think, for years I missed the opportunity to exploit her genius."

Terra flickered hair out of her face. "Is that what you do? You make apprentices out of anyone who fascinates you?"

"No, many things fascinate me. However, my apprentices intrigue me. It's a very different sensation."

"How are you going to feel when I personally tear her apart? You know she has it coming. Especially after she tried to hurt my daughter."

Slade shifted his gaze from Terra, to Dischord, then towards the tunnel that the Titans had escaped through. "I don't doubt for a moment that under different circumstances you might prove to be a fit mother. However, in this particular case---"

The earth rose and shook in a fierce jagged formation. "Don't start with me."

Slade leapt from danger, landing in the one place that was safe: right next to Dischord. The earth calmed, but Terra did not. Her teeth were bared as she watched Slade place a hand under Dischord's chin and turn her into profile.

"You surprise me Terra. You really do. That is something that---"

"Even your precious 'Robin' couldn't do?"

Slade continued to stare into the brown and gold eyes of Dischord Nostra. "I never made a comparison between my first apprentice and my second, but if you wish… You two were nothing alike except that you both failed. 'Robin' failed because of his friends. You failed because of you. You haven't a loyal bone in your body. Not even to her."

"Don't you dare!"

"Dare what, fair geomancer? To acknowledge the truth? To remind you of the terrible things you've done?"

Terra stepped forward, pointing a righteous finger at Slade. "I have enough of the Titans' hypocrisy to deal with, Slade. I don't need yours."

Slade rubbed his chin, dropping his hold on Dischord's emotionless face. "Indeed we both have children with remarkable powers, but unlike you, I never used mine."

Terra was not impressed. "Are you telling me that somewhere in that mass of ugliness that you've developed a heart?"

Slade did his best not to laugh. "Hardly. If you or your daughter lives or dies, it won't matter to me."

Terra sneered before taking a swing at Slade. The cyclopic villain evaded easily.

"I would be careful if I were you Slade. I destroyed you once and I can do it again and I'm sure Washu wouldn't mind a bit." Terra's blue eyes hardened. "Maybe I should get rid of you. You don't serve a purpose anymore. Washu's gotten all he needs out of you. He probably doesn't have any use for you."

"He doesn't. But Trigon does… and technically so do you."

"What?"

"You need me alive Terra. You've always needed me. Before it was to train you, now it's to protect you. I'm the thing that stands between you and oblivion."

"Have you finally gone mad? I don't need you."

"I shudder to think how many times you'll have to eat those words, my dear girl. You desperately need me. I'm what keeps Washu from killing you. Do you believe yourself so valuable to be above the wicked whims of a demon henchman? You are sorely mistaken. Washu doesn't need you to control Dischord. Despite what you think, she already serves Washu."

"Shut up."

"Washu has already demonstrated the capacity to kill and replace both you and Dischord. He can replace Dischord with Raven and Nightwing's child: if he makes one."

"I'm not buying it."

"I'm also not selling anything. You never believe me Terra, though, between us, I have been nothing but honest."

"Why do you want me alive?" Terra asked.

"I must admit that your particular psychosis fascinates me: your insanity, your recklessness, your total disregard for consequence."

The flying boulder would have crushed him if he hadn't seen it coming a mile away. Slade purged his pyrotechnic abilities and smashed through the stone as if it were nothing. The charred flakes of earth scattered to the ground, some flickers of fire shifted through the air. He could see through the flashes of flames that Terra's anger was not calmed. Terra was infuriated with his hypocrisy.

Slade did the thing that Terra hated the most and turned his back to her as he walked away. She hated him; she hated him for everything he was. And she loved him and wanted to understand every bit of genius in his grasp. She had become like him and indeed she was everything that he accused her of being: insane, reckless and in disregard for the possible consequences for everything she had ever done.

What he was wrong about was the magnitude. She was only partially insane, she knew that for a fact. Her degree of recklessness fluctuated; when she was younger she could blame it on the perils of youth. But she was in her twenties and her recklessness was totally under her control. And she did not possess a total disregard for consequence. She was much more aware of consequence than she was of her psychosis. That was what drove her mind state: that was what made her create.

Terra had born Choris gently in a room by herself. She was not going to let her child be handled by monsters so early in life: not before she instilled in her all the wonderful elements of her birth: what it would mean to Robin, to Raven and to Terra. The last in that list frightened Terra the most. Even though she had been created from a dark part in her psychosis, Terra still loved Choris Nostra. If Washu thought he could replace Dischord, he had another thing coming.

Terra stared at the profile of the warrior she had created. Dischord stood perfectly still, in that way Robin always did. In Robin it irritated her, in Dischord it was strong. Dischord was strong and so was she. "I'll destroy everything that hurts my child." Terra knew immediately the first person who had to end.

Raven.

Terra smirked. It was a good thing that that was already at the top of the list.

…

ºThey were at the last battle and they were sweating, bruised and determined. They both needed to be the best and they both would do whatever it took to take the other down. Jinx had already eliminated Gizmo, Bumble Bee and Private Hive. Her opponent had taken care of Mammoth, Kid Wykkyd and See-more, easily. But what came next wouldn't be easy.

The spectators were mostly divided evenly. Those that had their butts handed to them by Jinx were cheering for Red Hawk. Red Hawk's victims laid loyalty to Jinx. Except for Bumble Bee and Gizmo, whose loyalty was unshakable. For a nasty boy, Gizmo was not a traitor. But Bumble Bee was: she was the best kind of traitor. Both Bumble Bee and Gizmo ran the battle arena, keeping score in the final fight that would determine the new Headmaster's next top pupil.

Jinx's shoulder was injured, her lip was cut and there was a good chance she was going to loose the tooth in the back of her mouth. Red Hawk's back throbbed, her right cheek was bruised to match her eye makeup and Jinx had proven to be immune to her poison powder. Jinx's martial arts had evened out Red Hawk's Ori-daga, but wasn't strong enough to best her runes. Red Hawk was fierce, but Jinx was infinitely more nimble. The two were even, as even as the fight could get. The next one to land a blow could win the attentions of Brother Blood.

An energy bolt lashed out. Red Hawk evaded with a back flip that positioned her feet against the wall. She reached under her leather guard and pulled free her exploding beads, her eyes trained on the mad dash of Jinx.

"You might as well give up." Jinx hissed. "You're never going to win."

"Yeah? And you run funny." Red Hawk threw her beads, the fierce brown eyed fighter smirked as the up kick of dirt blinded Jinx. Red Hawk set her feet and catapulted forward, her sword pulled back as her body cut through the smoke.

The academy would gasp in awe. They hadn't seen the hit, but their heard it. The sound of it cleared all the smoke from the arena. Red Hawk landed in a crouch. Jinx staggered forward by one step holding her arm. Jinx's mouth trembled. Behind her Red Hawk didn't make a sound. Jinx took one breath; two; the third one rocking her core. She collapsed to her side, but not before Red Hawk collapsed face first.

Bumble Bee bit her lip before pressing the match call button, the fight falling in Jinx's favor. "Told ya Jinx would kick Red Hawk's can."

"Congratulations. I owe you a soda. Now beat it." Bumble Bee replied. Bumble Bee stood by herself and watched as the Headmaster approached Jinx and Red Hawk as they pulled themselves off the floor. He clapped as they struggled to their feet.

"My, my, my, that was an excellent display of your skills. I must say, you two are worthy of being my top two students."

"Thank you, Brother Blood."

"No, don't thank me. It is I who should be thanking you. I never anticipated such marvelous specimens. Your abilities have inspired me."

"Glad to be able to serve you, Headmaster."

"Enough with the formalities. I'd like to converse with you both, eh, separately if you don't mind."

"As you wish, Headmaster."

"Oh, I do so wish. I will start with Red Hawk. Jinx return to your scheduled studies, I shall summon you later."

Jinx's eyes flashed red before the hex artist followed his command. Red Hawk followed behind Brother Blood. The headmaster's chambers were impressive. The volume of books at his disposal would have impressed Red Hawk if she was someone else, but the redheaded fighter remained impassive as they traveled into the furthest recesses of Brother Blood's abode.

"I must say I am very impressed with your progress Red Hawk. You have only been in my academy for a number of weeks and already you've climbed to second in your class."

Red Hawk nodded. "What's there to say? I'm the best."

"Not the best, not quite. I am worried about you my Red Hawk." Brother Blood stated. He paced cleanly around the teenage fighter. Red Hawk watching him only by pivoting her neck. Her dark red hair fell into her vision.

"What's there to be worried about? I can't promise not to embarrass the rest of your students. But I'll do my best to be sweet while I do it." Red Hawk's smiled tugged up the right side of her face. The gleam in her brown eyes was absolutely devilish.

"I'm not concerned for my other students I'm worried about, Celine."

Red Hawk balked, but recovered as quickly as she could. "What was that? I think you have me confused without someone else. My birth name is Precis Anderson. But I prefer you call me Red Hawk… It's so much cooler."

"Ah, yes. Precis Anderson, the fictitious, red-haired engineer from the Chronicles of Asoalris. That was a marvelous read wasn't it Celine? I'm sure it played to all your sensibilities."

Red Hawk drew her sword.

"No need to get testy, my dear Armed Guardsman. I'm not angry. At least, not very. I'm impressed first that you have the capacity to infiltrate my school, but from what I understand, you're very smart."

Red Hawk turned her body to watch every move from Brother Blood. Her makeup was waterproof, otherwise her sweat would have washed the powder into her eyes. The very last thing she needed was to be blinded, she was already caught out.

"You're smart, but not intelligent. There is a difference. You, Celine, are smart: you infiltrated my school, you rose through my ranks at an alarming speed and got as close to me as you had hoped. Very smart indeed, but not intelligent. My superior intellect allowed me to see through your scheme. I've seen the outline of your plan and I know every particular weakness designed into your suit, should your plan fire against you. But before you employ exploding beads, please satisfy my curiosity. Who is he?"

"He?"

"Yes, he. Your clever tricks have blocked some of your memories from me, but something resonates rather brilliantly in your memory sectors. He's a man and he's also a machine. He's absolutely beautiful. I must study him. You will help me won't you? To find this cybernetic marvel?"

"Never." She spit forward her poison powder. The surprised headmaster turned his head away and Celine fled for her life. She'd make communications with Bumble Bee to be careful. It was her last transmission from inside the HIVE academy. That left Bumble Bee to do all the work.º

…

The previous manifest of Arsenal had been the one to stitch up the open wound on Celine's forehead; he also set the broken bone in Bumble Bee's right foot. He had more experience in the requirements of body repair than most young doctors. He had been taught and learned quite a bit from empirical experience and it was more than enough for him help his friends. Once he had aspirations to being a medical practitioner, a surgeon, a doctor who helped those who were hurt; whether from accidents, their own negligence or the cruelty of others.

He could repair a body, but the mind, like the spirit, was much more challenging.

He had done well enough to cure the pain in his history and with Sakura, things had become easier. Things always became easier when those you love were near.

No, that wasn't true and it strung Arsenal to have to admit it. Almost every person that Arsenal loved was running with him right at that moment and what they were running to would be the most painful thing they'd ever encounter: no matter what happened, someone was going to be hurt.

Arsenal hoped that it wasn't one of their guys.

Akane and Raven kept the pace, running ahead of the team. Star, Bumble Bee, Blackfire, D'ucel and Beast King choose flight, the Tameranian energy lighting some of the dark corners they were traveling through. Nightwing and Jinx ran side by side with Raven and Akane. Sakura, Celine, Tempest and Arsenal followed loosely behind them and Cyborg brought up the rear. It was paranoia and it was unnecessary, Cyborg knew as well as the rest of them that the kind of backdoor attacks the Syndicate pulled weren't those that blinded sided them physically.

The infinite mark of Trigon was starting to burn her. It was the first time Akane had ever felt sensation in the symbols. She knew it had partly to do with her heritage and partly due to the Yiken Stone being so very close. Akane knew something of the truth and consequence of their going to the Yiken Stone, regardless of the order in which they did it. There was a chance that she would fail and that Trigon would not be sealed forever. There was a chance they were heading for a trap, there was a chance that Dischord would beat Akane and there was a chance that everything that Akane wanted to fight for would fall.

But Akane knew that chance wasn't going to stop her from trying. Just like her mother. Lethe tu Raven believed that she could be a good person despite everything written about her in those scrolls in Azar Sabrah's library. Schala tu Akane believed the same thing. She had a nearly unmatchable wealth of power and she would use it to do her best to protect everything that mattered to her.

Akane was right. She would encounter Dischord Nostra without the aid of Washu. What she didn't know was where.

The gust of wind was powerful, just strong enough to stop their forward motion. It wasn't as if the team had intended to travel much further. Behind the shoulders of Terra and Dischord Nostra was the Yiken Stone.

The green and silver stone resonated dark power. The magnitude of that power echoed in the air, repeating itself like ripples through water. The power was red and gross and it reacted with Raven's blood.

"We figured it would be easier to meet you cowards here so after we crush your pathetic hopes of victory we can get to the end of the world immediately."

Celine readied her Firefly, Cyborg's cannon was locked and ready. The righteous fury of three Tameranians and the electric charged stingers of Bumble Bee all pointed downward at Terra. The geomancer rolled her eyes. "You guys keep putting up a front like you're actually a threat. Don't worry, I'll get to you. Right now, I just want Raven's little girl."

Raven's fingers clenched at her side. Nightwing glared at Terra, his attention shifted back and forth between Terra and the girl who by rights should be beside him, fighting with him, with the rest of her family.

"I will go with you." Akane said.

The Titans froze in shock as Akane stepped forward out of their range. Before they could charge forward, a gold barrier erected around them, swinging from one cave wall to the other.

"Akane!"

"What are you doing?"

"Stop!"

Akane walked forward, holding her hands behind her back. Terra snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "That was easier than I thought. It must be all the cowardice in your blood."

"You are an awful person, that you are. But I will make a deal with a dishonorable woman, for the sake of an innocent girl's life."

"What are you babbling about?"

"I will make you a deal. As you wish, I will fight Dischord. If I am able to defeat her, you will release all claims to her and allow her to live peaceably with my family and you will never bother us again. If I cannot defeat Dischord, I will submit to your master's wish and be the portal for Trigon with no resistance, that I will."

"Akane!"

"No!"

"You can't!"

Terra rolled her eyes. "First of all, little girl, I don't have a master. That I don't." Terra mocked. Akane said nothing, shifting her purple eyes to the side. "Second of all, you never had a choice in becoming Trigon's portal. You can resist all you want, but it all ends up as the same thing. But if you want to suffer before you die, I'm more than glad to supply the services of my daughter."

"Then it is a deal?"

Terra extended a hand for a binding handshake. Akane was not stupid, she didn't take it. "You will not interfere. This match will be fair, with her powers versus mine."

"Whatever, but before you seal your fate, you should wave bye-bye to mommy and your worthless Titans."

Akane turned her head to look over her shoulders. She gazed at each one of them behind the flair of her powers. "There is no need to say goodbye." Akane waved her hand from left to right and another golden barrier was erected, trapping Terra Nostra away from Dischord.

"What do you think you're doing?" Terra yelled from behind the barrier.

"I am no fool, that I am not. You will not interfere, by my own power. Dischord, if you are ready, let us do battle."

Both girls moved to the center of the remaining cave layout. Behind Dischord's back, Terra banged furiously on the demon guard trapping her in. Behind Akane's back, the Titans were trying in vain to overcome Akane's energy. Jinx's ability to faze was retarded by the superiority of Akane's power. Sonic shots were absorbed, arrows and starbolts were reflected. Raven's power, Nightwing's fight, Beast King's rams, nothing could get through.

Sakura sat down where she was; her body in lotus position as she stared through the barrier to the two Transient daughters.

"Sakura! Why aren't you helping?"

"I am helping. I'm putting my faith in that girl. I don't know her from Eve, but if she's anything like her parents, she's someone to believe in. We all need to."

"Maybe you can be relaxed, but those are our children out there!" Raven shouted.

"I know that. I know and you should be scared, you have every right to be. She's as worried for you as you are for her. That's why we're behind this barrier and why she's out there. She's using some of the energy she's going to need to rescue Choris on us and banging on this guard isn't going to give her anymore strength."

Nightwing looked down at his hands. Blackfire stopped midstrike. Arsenal dropped his arrow and the charge of green ram ceased. All the pounding on the barrier stopped. "I've slept the last five years of my life and I want nothing more than to stand out there and rip Terra apart for what's she done… but this is Akane's fight first. You know that."

Raven covered her mouth to keep her sob silent. Nightwing grabbed her and held her tight. The other Titans accepted what was undeniable. Everything rested in the hands of a little girl whose written destiny was to end the world.

Arsenal sat down beside Sakura. Celine and Beast King knelt on the ground. Tempest hugged Blackfire gently and D'ucel gently lowered Starfire from the air to the ground to stand beside their friends. They stood together, standing behind Akane as she prepared to do what her prophecy proclaimed: end the world they knew.

…

º "It's only a little bit further. Come on." Beast Boy called.

The green Titan leapt and bounded through the forest litter. His body could have easily become a fox to bound through the obstacles with ease, but he wanted to experience every bit of this with everything that was truly his: his green eyes, his two hands, his ten toes.

"Wait! Wait! You're going too fast. Wait for me Beast Boy!" Terra yelled, springing behind him in her dark boots. If she had known she was going to be hiking through the woods near dusk, she wouldn't have worn spandex shorts and a long sleeved black shirt. Her boots crunched brittle leaves as she all but chased the animorph through the thicket.

She lost sight of him for a few minutes as she ducked under low branches and leapt over poison oak. She found his silhouette and ran towards it. She cleared the woods and skid to a stop as she saw what he saw.

On the outskirts of the city was a forest on the hill overlooking all of Jump. In the distance was Titans' Tower and even further was the water.

The blue eyed geomorph scanned the scene before her. "Everything looks so peaceful, so---"

"Beautiful?" Beast Boy finished.

"Yeah, it's all beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it."

"Beast Boy, why did you bring me out here?"

"I wanted you to see it… and I wanted to be alone with you for a little while."

"Alone? Do you think that's such a good idea?" Terra asked nervously.

"I don't see the harm, besides I just want to talk to you." The green Titan sat down on the beginning slope of the hill, his heels digging into the soft, wet grass. His fingers swept against the grass blades before he picked one out. Terra sat down beside him and watched him fold it over and put it to his lips. It made a sharp and noisy whistle but it fit in with what they were seeing.

"How did you do that?" Terra asked.

"You've never done this?"

Terra shook her head in the negative. Beast Boy shook his head before he pressed the leaf blade against his lips again and blew. "Robin showed me how to do this. You just take a blade of grass and fold it over and it becomes a whistle."

Terra looked around her seat and found a long blade, just like Beast Boy's, and folded it, just like Beast Boy's. When she put it to her lips it made a loud and nosy whistle.

"See, it wasn't so hard."

"I never said it was. I just never did it before."

"Right."

Terra looked over at the younger Titan. She had found out that Beast Boy was three months younger than her and apparently the prospects of an older woman inspired him; which meant that he tried to act as mature as he could around her. He wasn't fooling anyone.

"When did Robin teach you to do that?"

"It was a long time ago. It was something to do with getting to know everyone better. We had this powwow and Robin wanted us all to show each other something that we thought was unique. Robin made his grass whistle: Starfire shared a Tameranian poem that went on for hours: Raven drew this really weird sign in the dirt and when we touched it, we all felt this really calm feeling, like we were all some place safe and warm."

"Like your own beds at home?"

"Yeah, something like that. Cyborg showed us an old coin that he kept around for good luck."

"What did you show them Beast Boy?" Terra asked.

"I showed them that their faces and hands were exactly the same size."

"Really? They are?" Terra raised her spread palm to her face and when she was close, Beast Boy slapped the back of her hand, making her palm collide with her nose. Beast Boy laughed hysterically at Terra's miffed expression.

"Hahahahaha! You fell for it! That's like the oldest one in the book!"

"Beast Boy!" Terra fumed for a few more seconds as Beast Boy continued to laugh, before deciding that it actually was funny that she could fall for that.

"Wow, that was good. Thanks, Terra, I so needed that."

"Glad to be of help."

Beast Boy smiled and nodded. He pulled his knees to his chest as he turned his focus back to the setting sun.

"This is nice." Terra said, folding her legs beneath her. Beast Boy nodded in agreement. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" She asked.

"I didn't actually want to talk… I just wanted to tell you something."

"Then tell me." Terra replied.

"When you left… before, you did it because you thought I told Robin your secret. I just wanted to tell you that that wasn't what happened. I never told anyone."

"I know Beast Boy."

"You know? Then why did you run away?" Beast Boy asked.

Terra hesitated for a few seconds. "Because Robin was right. I did need practice. I needed to be better than what I was before."

"You could have become better with us."

"But I had to do it on my own… except… I had help."

"Help? From who?"

"From… from… Geoforce."

"Geoforce?"

"Yeah, Geoforce. They're these guys I used to run with, they can move the earth too. We had a falling out years ago, but I realized I needed to put those things in the past and do what it took to get control of my powers."

Beast Boy accepted her explanation. "Well, in any case, I'm just really glad you're back."

"Yeah and I think I'll be here for a good long time… but enough about me, let's talk about you."

"Alright, what do you want to know?" Beast Boy asked.

"Everything."º

…

For a fight of epic proportions, it started rather slowly. Dischord's feet moved in a winding side step, her hands rigid in the ready stance of her bone aikido style. Akane's purple eyes watched her opponent, totally unsure of the best course of action. When Dischord shot forward, her only course of action became defense. The first blow was struck and Akane was the receiver. Dischord's heel planted solidly into her chest, the black haired Transient daughter staggered backwards, but didn't fall over. Dischord's heel ground down on Akane's foot before backhanding her. The black haired fighter staggered and was left open for a double palm thrust that came at her from the side.

Akane pivoted on her hands and sprung forward, her drop kick slamming into Dischord's shoulder. Dischord ducked under Akane's spin kick. Her weight dropped to her elbow as the wind manipulator spun on the ground, her sweep kick taking out Akane's legs. When the purple eyed girl fell, Dischord wrenched her ankle, moving to grip her victim in an ankle lock that could shatter the important bone. Akane found a small opening and managed to thrust her palm into Dischord's forehead, knocking the girl away.

Akane leapt to her feet as the wind picked up to lift Dischord from an immediate attack. Akane shielded her eyes as she looked up to watch the aeromorph move. She had felt it, when her palm connected with the slave crown, her power responded to it. It stung through her blood the way Trigon's blood did. But this was different. It didn't burn, it didn't call her, the way Trigon's power called to the Yiken Stone. This power, the power locking away Choris' strength of will, was telling her to turn back, to run away.

That is the one thing I will not do, that I will not.

Akane took flight and ignored the heed in her blood.

…

º "She'll be talking soon." Arella said.

Raven continued to feed her daughter her cereal. The warm oatmeal was flavored just a bit with brown sugar and sweet milk, just the way Akane liked it. The purpled eyed infant grabbed the spoon impatiently and directed it to her mouth. Akane had enough motor skills to feed herself. She had for sometime, but something about feeding the small girl gave Raven some sense of womanhood. When she was in her body, Akane had depended on Raven totally for food; outside her body, Akane was beginning to have no such need. But that need to provide was still active in Raven, her body could compensate for the complications and speed of a Transient birth, but it could not calm the lingering maternal instincts to provide, nourish and defend.

"How soon do you think?" Raven asked.

"The way she's babbling, some time today."

"So soon?" Raven fed Akane another spoonful.

"Have you chosen a hope word?"

"Hope word?" Raven asked.

"The word you hope your child says first."

"No, I didn't know."

"It's a silly tradition, but mothers have been doing it for ages."

"What was your hope word?" Raven asked.

"Momma."

"Did I say it?"

"No. You actually cursed as your first word." Arella replied.

"I did not." Raven retorted, scrapping the bottom of Akane's bowl to get the last of the cereal for her baby girl.

"You did. You said Hell."

Raven laughed and bumped the spoon into Akane's nose. The girl looked up at her and Raven tried to look apologetic as she stifled laughter. Akane took the last bite and chewed it slowly, watching her mother move to get a new wash cloth to clean her hands and face.

"Are you sure I wasn't saying hello or help?" Raven asked.

"No, I was there and I remember it very well. You said Hell and you said it rather proudly."

Raven wiped Akane clean before taking her to lay down for her nap. Arella followed close behind her and watched her daughter lay her daughter down to sleep. Raven kissed Akane on her forehead. "Love you." She whispered before tucking her in.

"Pick one."

"A hope word?" Raven asked. "Alright, I want her first word to be mommy."

Akane burped before turning her head to sleep. Arella and Raven left the curly haired girl to rest, returning to the kitchen to clean up from lunch. Arella sat down and finished her sandwich as Raven cleared the table and cleaned out Akane's bowl.

"It doesn't get easier." Arella said from behind the table.

"What?"

"The uneasiness that you're feeling. It doesn't get any easier the older your children get. You're twenty years old and I feel the same way about you I did when you were twenty minutes old. That feeling, that all you want to do is protect them, never goes away."

"I don't want it to. It makes me uneasy to think about it, but what it means makes me happy. She makes me happy." Raven replied.

"And don't ever doubt for a moment that you make her happy."

Akane's first word was "love", followed by "mommy".º

…

The wind came so fast, Akane had a hard time moving. Dischord had catapulted herself into the air, her wind currents keeping her in the air and her wind gusts keeping Akane towards the ground.

Akane's body twisted, shifting between updrafts and down currents to sneak through Dischord's unique powers. Akane had heard of elementals before and read about the skills of morphs, but an aeromorph was something she had never conceived before. Dischord had the power of a very valuable body, one that controlled the life of uncountable entities. Creatures could survive without food for weeks, without water for days, but without air, only minutes. Fires could be guarded against, the earth could be stabilized, but the destruction of the wind could not be over come easily.

That power, the power that Dischord Nostra wielded, was a product of the same dark magic Akane herself was bred from. Her own powers were a combination of her mother's and Laseri tu Tetris', the father she could never meet. Her powers weren't a perfect union, just as she herself wasn't a carbon collage of the strengths of her parents. Akane was her own person and she would do all it would take to give Choris the opportunity to be her own as well. Dischord Nostra was no more Terra than Nightwing. She had their features, she had a combination of their powers: his will, her anger, but she was still the product of the evil that Akane was made from. And that meant she deserved a chance.

Dischord evaded Akane's punch, grabbing the extended arm and using it as a lever to deliver a spider knee into her opponent's stomach. Akane hunched over and put her in position for Dischord's headlock, the grip was the first of many in a string that would end with a broken neck. Akane elbowed Dischord sharply, the relaxed hold allowed Akane to swing free and twist around the aeromorph, planting both her boots into the small of her back. Dischord crashed straight down.

…

ºHis hand turned her palm over. His masked eyes examined her skin. His index finger pushed at the fabric of her glove. He had been doing this for nearly an hour, switching back and forth between both hands.

"Robin, this is an Earth custom? You exam the hand of a new friend as a welcome?" Starfire asked.

"Not exactly Starfire. I'm just curious."

"Curious? I am an oddity?" Starfire asked, nervous suddenly by Robin's scrutiny.

"Curious doesn't automatically imply odd, Star. I'm actually fascinated with your powers."

"On Tameran, my abilities are not uncommon. All people are born with the ability to express their energy and the joy of life allows the joy of flight."

"On Earth, only a select few can fly and even fewer have powers like yours." Robin replied.

Starfire generated her starbolt and held it above her fingers. "My powers come from the sun. My people harness solar energy to power our emotions."

Robin braved touching the starbolt and was stung accordingly. "It doesn't hurt you or take apart of your energy?"

"I have a vast reserve of energy. I absorb power simply by being in sunlight. It is why I rise so early, to collect energy. It provides boundless confidence and faith in my abilities."

"That's amazing."

"You have boundless confidence and faith as well." Starfire replied.

"It's different and it's hardly boundless. I'm the only one amongst us without powers. I don't have gifts the way you do… but you all trusted me to be your leader."

"It was no decision to make. Even before I joined the Titans, I could see your abilities and our friends' confidence in you."

"I've never been a leader before."

"And we have never been on a team such as this." Star replied gently.

"Beast Boy has."

"Are you worried about impressing Beast Boy?" Starfire's eyebrow twitched. There was something in this situation that she did not fully comprehend.

Robin let Starfire's hand go and turned to the sky. The sun was beginning to set over the water surrounding Titans' Tower. Months ago Robin's connections at the AGU-JL had helped build the prototype for the Titans' headquarters. When he, Raven and Cyborg moved in, Cyborg had a field day and Raven decided that the Titans simply needed more people. That's where Beast Boy had come in, but the dynamic still wasn't perfect. Then Starfire came and the team was, for the most part, complete.

But something was still off. The dynamics were still being established. Cyborg and Beast Boy had hit if off immediately. He and Raven had an understanding and there was something growing between himself and Starfire. His friendships, his team, his future, all of them were tied into their own gifts and abilities; and as their leader, it was his job, his responsibility, to make them the best team they could be.

It was hard (Raven), it was trying (Cyborg and Beast Boy), but it had to work.

"I'm not trying to impress anyone Starfire. I'm just trying to get this to work."

"You work very hard to do so."

"I need to work smarter, not harder. That's the difference between five teenagers and a team of heroes."

She did not fully understand, but she understood enough. She turned her hand to the night sky and shot starbolts to give light where there were no stars. º

…

Dischord slammed back first into the cave floor. Akane followed the attack with a drill kick, both feet planting into the aeromorph's breadbasket. The ground crackled around Dischord's body. Akane's knees bent as her feet drilled into Dischord's middle. To the three parents of the girls fighting, every blow was punishment. They could see in slow motion how the stones that were replaced with the force of the blow, rising as Akane's body lowered and moved forward. Akane's hand shot forward and grabbed the slave crown. Her fingers clenched around it. She was punished for the diversion of attention. The tunnel of wind hurled her from Dischord's body. She sailed through the air before she slammed into a wall, her body bouncing of it, her gift of flight keeping her from plummeting into the ground.

Akane's purple eyes opened wide when Dischord charged forward, her boot slamming straight into her body, knocking her back into the wall. The onslaught continued. Dischord back somersaulted, her heels clipping Akane's chin. Two backhand slaps followed a palm led uppercut. The aeromorph spun and caught Akane's neck with the firm grip of her right hand.

Terra crossed her arms over her chest. The fight was taking longer than she had expected it to, but Dischord was winning. Akane's just like Raven and Dischord's just like me… better than her.

Raven's fingers pinched the skin on Nightwing's arm through his uniform. Her huge purple eyes wavered with every shot, her heart jumped with every blow, whether landed by Akane or against her. When Akane groaned in pain, Raven could feel it. When Akane's body moved sharply to pivot against a slab of stone, every time she worried that somehow Terra would be able to do what Raven could not, and interfere with the fight. She wanted Akane to win, she desperately wanted her child to be victorious. This was her fight, but Raven was her mother and she wanted her daughter to not be harmed.

And in Nightwing, the same string of emotions acted on him. When Dischord twisted her body in Creeping Snakes or Emory Cutter attacks, he gasped. When Akane retaliated with flash kicks and roundhouses, his gaze wavered. When either of them hit the ground or the cave wall and especially the one instance where Dischord's body had rebounded off the barrier that kept him out of the fight, his heartbeat shook. It drummed in a rhythm that competed with the rhythm of the fight. He wanted Akane to win, but he didn't want Dischord hurt. Only a few hours ago he realized he was a father, a real father, and it hadn't taken more than a few seconds to feel the way about her that Raven felt about Akane, but the difference between them was time. Raven had every moment Akane had been alive, Nightwing had never heard his daughter's voice.

Akane gasped in pain as Dischord pushed harder, forcing her body into the wall. She struggled to open her left eye. Dischord's brown and gold eyes weren't hard, weren't angry, vengeful or furious. She didn't have any of the emotion of battle that Akane struggled against and she also didn't have demon blood pounding beneath her skin.

Akane released a battle cry as a flux of her golden energy erupted in a half circle shell that repelled Dischord from the air. The aeromorph dropped to the ground, bouncing slightly, her chest drumming against the earth. Akane dropped from the air and landed on her knees in an exhausted crouch. Her breathing was hard, but worse than that, she felt it. She felt Trigon acting on her. The Yiken Stone echoed her energy and absorbed some. It had stolen a part of her when Akane had defended herself from Dischord. If she put out more energy, it would keep stealing.

Akane struggled to her feet. Over the rising shoulder of her opponent she could see the Titans behind her guard. Her mother was scared, Otou-sama was worried, Aunt Astarte was vexed and everyone else was in varying stages of concern. Some could hold the others and be calm, some could be held and be at peace.

None of them could be safe if she didn't win this fight.

Akane dropped her body just in time to evade Dischord's high kick. She spun low to take out her feet, but Dischord evaded in a series of back flips. Akane rolled as well, her tumbles taking her backwards. Their feet stopped spread apart with a distance less than thirty feet separating them. Ten feet behind Dischord Nostra was Terra, another ten feet behind Akane were the Titans, and forty feet to Akane's left and Dischord's right was the Yiken Stone.

Every second the stone was thieving from Akane, taking from the two barriers she had erected. She shouldn't have done it, readily provided so much energy, because Trigon was nothing if he wasn't a thief. That energy was a part of Akane, a part of her that was tied to Trigon and Trigon wanted it back. He was flexing her power, forcing her hand and the fight with Dischord would be the difference between Trigon being locked away and Akane freeing him to do what he would.

Akane couldn't do this for much longer. She needed to end this.

…

º "So every girl you meet falls in love with you?"

"Pretty much. I'm like Aqualad, but smoother."

The tapping made a beat that competed with the music.

"Dude, teach me. Teach me to be a ladies' man."

Cyborg scratched his head. His fighter faltered and received a spin kick before he got back into his rhythm. "Uh, it's not something I can teach you BB. It's just something that's a part of me."

"But there's got to be a part of me that all the little chickies will swoon for. I mean, I should have animal magnetism on my side… I guess you have actual magnetism."

"I'm going to let that slide because you obviously have a girl you want to impress and you're obviously pathetic too."

Beast Boy's ears dropped. "I'm not pathetic. I just need to work on my smoothness."

"So who's the girl?" Cyborg asked. He continued to mash buttons on the game station, the rapid tapping keeping his player in combat.

"That's not important." Beast Boy replied.

"Actually it is. I can't tell you how to handle said chicky if I don't know anything about the girl."

"It's Raven."

Cyborg's virtual fighter fell over and died.

"What?"

"I have a crush on Raven."

"Right… so this is the part where I check you into a mental hospital or you tell me this is a really poorly thought out joke."

"I'm not joking."

Cyborg put down his controller, took Beast Boy's controller away, turned off the Game Station and stared down at the animorph.

"You can't be serious."

"I can't explain it. If I knew how to explain it, I would. I have a crush on Raven."

"BB, I'm going to suggest you reevaluate your choice. Raven's…"

"Serious, creepy, dark, mysterious, emotionless? Yeah I got it."

"Uh, I was going to say 'just not into you'. And from that list you just rattled off, I think you don't know much about her."

"She doesn't let us… but that doesn't mean I don't want to. There's something about her. Something amazing and I want to find out what it is."

"You're right, she is amazing. We've all seen it. But, I think you trying to discover what that is… is just a bad idea. She's like a sister to me and you're like a brother to me… my brother and my sister should never date. Besides, I don't think she's into you. I mean she's always staring at Aqualad." Cyborg declared.

"Even though that sentence is technically correct, you're wrong. Aqualad may have the looks, but I've got something more important. Her trust."

"I'm not sure that's true." Cyborg replied.

Beast Boy's shock pushed his ears off his head. "What?"

"Nothing, except you're pretty much her least favorite person."

"Dude, that cannot be true. I know for a fact she likes me ten times better than Jinx and at least fifty times more than Gizmo."

"Notice how you just said the names of villains? Name one good guy that she likes less than you." Cyborg challenged.

Beast Boy thought for a moment and came up with nothing.

"See?" Cyborg asked.

"If that's the case I'll just have to change that! You'll see!"

Beast Boy left the common room in a mad dash to find Raven. He found her, in the worst way he could have. Beast Boy ran around a corner without looking and collided solidly with Raven. Robin had been standing next to Raven, walking with her towards the common room and got a front row seat for what ensued. Beast Boy hadn't realized just how fast he was running until something made him stop. Robin's masked eyes widened; even he wasn't fast enough to stop it. Before he could yell 'look out' the collision, and the subsequent tripping that followed, occurred. He flinched when he watched them fall. He flinched again when he saw how they landed.

Raven was on her backside. Her hands fell above her head. Beast Boy landed on his front side, his face buried in her stomach, his hands clenched her chest.

Raven's fists clenched, her eyes became very dark, very quickly. "You will let go of those immediately."

Beast Boy's nervous laughter echoed against Raven's flat stomach. In order to keep his team as a quintet and not four Titans and shreds of Beast Boy, Robin forcibly removed Beast Boy from Raven's person. Raven leapt to her feet, her dark power erupting from her hands and eyes alike.

"I am so going to get it." Beast Boy cowered.

"Yes, you are. Azarath Metrion Zin---"

A green gloved hand saved Beast Boy from immediate destruction. Robin's right hand clapped gently over Raven's mouth. The miffed princess of darkness turned a furious glare to Robin. Robin's left hand reached behind his back. His communicator rang out, alerting them to trouble. "It will have to wait. Dr. Light is making an attack downtown. Let's handle him."

Raven pulled her hood up over her head. Robin took off, the second his back was turned, Raven gave into fury and zapped Beast Boy. The animorph yelped and fell to the floor, over his head he could hear Raven fly off to join the other Titans in battle.

"That was the worst and the best thing that's ever happened to me."⁵ º

…

When she fought, no matter where her opponent was, no matter what direction her mother stood behind waiting, Akane always turned her eye to the Yiken Stone. Every clash and blow fed it, every single strike from her remarkable energy or Dischord's pushed deeper into the cracks that Trigon's rage had splintered. When Akane's body crashed not feet from the stone summit, she could see the tiny lines becoming deeper, fiercer, becoming something even more dangerous.

It spilled into her concentration. It made her susceptible to Dischord's arm wrenches, why her back flips could only clear her from danger for seconds, why her feet and knees skid loosely against the floor, why her skirt was torn, why she was sweating, why her blood was screaming for her to accept defeat.

And all those things were why Akane got up and fought. Every stinging blow, every bruise, every painful gasp of breath she fought through, because she wasn't feeling them alone.

Her aunt felt them.

The Titans felt them.

Her parents felt them.

Her opponent felt them.

Akane stared at Dischord as the aeromorph saw straight ahead.

How could there be no target, no recognition? And if this power is made by a servant, what wealth must come from that monster's master?

Akane wanted to move, to do more than evade, but after purging her energy once, she knew she couldn't afford to do it again. The Yiken Stone was reacting to her power, she could feel it, it was trying to steal energy to feed Trigon. He was here, somehow he was here even though his physical manifest was somewhere else. His power was close and he wanted hers. Akane knew she had to be careful, between fighting Dischord, protecting her family and sustaining her own life, her powers were being tried in a way she had never been prepared for. The desperation in the fight pulled her, creating conditions that couldn't be reproduced in training with her mother or her aunt Astarte or even with the Azar Sabrah. This was what her life was coming to… and she had to end it fast.

…

ºSpeedy had done exactly what Robin had predicted. He was the first thing Sakura saw when her eyes opened after a five year sleep. It happened so quickly, but he felt relief immediately. She didn't gently wake up, she shot up with a flare of Holy energy erupting from her body. The blast knocked him from his seat, his head slammed into a monitor. The male Titan redhead grimaced at the pain, but turned his eyes to see through the glow of silver white energy and he saw her.

"Sakura!"

"Speedy? What? Where am I?"

The agile archer leapt to his feet and rushed to her, grabbing her and kissing her fiercely.

"You're in the tower. You're safe."

"I was in the stronghold. Washu, Slade, Terra! They have Raven! They're going to do something awful to her! We have to save her!" Sakura tried to leap from her bed, but Speedy grabbed her and kept her where she was.

"If you meant Raven becoming a mother, it already happened. It happened a year ago."

Sakura's heart pumped, a slow drum of her heartbeat echoed through her body, all the way to her head. "He put me asleep for a year?"

"No, Sakura, you've been sleeping for five."

"No, that's not…It can't be…"

"It is. Five years ago we fought the syndicate. Five years ago we lost you. Do you know what happened?"

"They got me… they tried to make me a slave to them. When it didn't work… Terra… she said that Celine and my brother were dead."

"No, neither of them, but it wasn't for a lack of trying."

Sakura sighed in relief. "Where are they? Is everyone safe?"

Speedy didn't commit an answer to her second question but made to answer the first. "The others left a few hours ago to meet Raven and her daughter to stop the Slade Syndicate."

"I need to go. Take me there!"

"Not yet. Let Celine run some tests first, to make sure everything's alright. Nightwing and the others will be fine."

"Nightwing?" Her dark brow furrowed, her brown eyes locked on Speedy's face.

"Your brother. A lot of us have changed. Five years you were asleep and the world changed around us."

"You stayed by my side the whole time?"

Speedy nodded. "You think I'd quit on the best thing that's ever happened to me? You know me better than that."

"It's one of the few things I know for sure… that and the fact that I'm going to destroy Terra."

"Terra tried to kill you. All the bruising has faded. It had to be a terrible fight." Speedy replied.

"It wasn't a fight, it was an ambush. Washu's power kept me from using mine, but Terra used hers and when she was done playing Washu told me everything that was going to happen. He told me I'd wake up to have a front row seat."

"They're all heading for something fierce. If we're going to fight, we've got to be ready." Speed replied, reaching beneath his jacket to reveal a new uniform.

"My weapon and my Arsenal, I've got all that I need."º

…

There wasn't so much as a grunt from Dischord when her thrusting palms slammed into Akane's blocking forearms. Her heels clicked when they met the ground or pushed from a wall to give an attack extra speed. When her uppercuts succeeded or when a parry made Akane's fail, she didn't make a sound. Not a gasp, not a groan, no sound at all to make Akane believe that she was aware of what she was doing.

The wind of her control pushed Dischord's hair up and to the left. The lingering coils of that power pushed Akane's locks behind her back. Akane's eyes were sad, Dischord's were empty.

Akane had to believe she was wearing her down. Even if she was under control, Dischord's body had to have limits… but that wasn't to say that the Syndicate cared enough about her life not to throw it away. Whether it was confidence or disregard, this fight would continue until Akane fell or Dischord did.

Akane had tried twice unsuccessfully to break Dischord's crown. Third time is the charm, that it is.

Dischord reacted when Akane dove forward. The Titans watched and Terra as well, as Akane unleashed a battle cry and dropped her hand back. Dischord moved her hand forward, her fingers in a formation that Jinx had seen and Cyborg had experienced once before.

Even behind the shield of Akane's power, the Titans had to block their eyes. Nightwing tried to focus his gaze, their power had clashed before, but it had never made the flurry of energy that it was now. What is happening?

Raven could see the barrier waver. The shimmering gold was rebounding against the energy that Akane had just put forward. Something had happened, something had happened to her daughter.

"Akane!"

…

º "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then there's nothing to be nervous about."

He held her hand tenderly and the black haired girl let herself be pulled gently towards the water. Her feet became wet immediately, the warm water soaking into her boots. They walked deeper still, until the water was up to her waist, her dark tress floating against the water. She looked to her companion nervously. His smile was gentle as he directed her a little deeper.

"This is as good spot as any." He put his hand behind her back, bracing the gentle swell with his open palm. "Just lie back, the same way we talked about." Her blue eyes showed her consent and she eased back, his hand a platform to guarantee she stayed afloat. The water moved to accommodate her immediately. It swept through her hair and just behind her ears. Her limbs became weightless, the water was buffering her, the same way Aqualad was.

"Blackfire, how do you feel?"

"Suspended… relaxed."

"I'm glad. I'm going to pull back my hand soon. Do you remember the signals and everything we talked about?"

Blackfire nodded. "I am ready."

"Remember, I'm right here with you." Aqualad added.

His hand pulled back and the same moment Blackfire sunk gently under the tide of the water. Her eyes closed reflexively. When they opened her blue eyes saw the expanse of sea around her. She wasn't so deep that the water was blue rather than the green it turned from the sunlight, but she could tell that if she went a little deeper, it would be the blue it looked from the very top of Titans' Tower.

She moved her body deeper through the water, pushing against the pull of the water to get where she wanted to go. Aqualad came into her vision, the aquamorph turn his head to smile at her as he sent her a message with his mind.

"Remember about breathing. When you need a breath, show a blackbolt."

Blackfire nodded. The two swam deeper and further into the water. The waves moved their dark tresses to float above them as a school of fish weaved around them. Blackfire watched them twist and turn before raising a blackbolt. The blue color glowed in contrast to the blue of the water. Aqualad swam forward and pressed his lips against hers, taking in air from the water and giving it to Blackfire through a kiss.

The pair moved, exploring the water together, feeling it move against them like a living, breathing thing. When Blackfire needed air, Aqualad gave it to her in his touch: his kiss sustaining her life, minutes at a time. Blackfire watching him move, he was so natural here. It was so obvious that he loved the water more than the land. This was his calm, it was where he was comfortable…

Blackfire didn't have such a place… except where Aqualad was.

She had grown up so quickly in the short time they had been together. She only regained her memory two weeks ago and already she felt different. What she felt for Aqualad had only intensified in the hours, minutes, days since every part of her had come back to her attention.

Blackfire could remember playing with Koriand'r; she could remember taking over Tameran; floating lost in the galaxy; looking for trouble anywhere she could find it, but not a single memory was stronger than the first time Aqualad had touched her hand. He had told her then, not to be afraid, that he wasn't going to hurt her. And he had spoken true. He never abandoned her, never gave up on her, never hurt her in any way, shape or form. He loved her and she knew that she loved him too.

She lifted a blackbolt and the aquamorph immediately moved to her side. His lips pressed against hers, but when he moved to pull back, she didn't let him. She held him tight, keeping her lips on his as the water moved around them.

The world could have stopped over their heads, the moon might have disappeared and ended all the waves, epochs could have pasted and she wouldn't have known, it wouldn't have mattered to her at all. Poets failed to grasp the beauty of a love like this. Writers could barely scratch the surface of such feelings with their pens, song masters never got it just right, the way a kiss could, the way a look could.

Aqualad's dark eyes were hazed when Blackfire pulled back. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back to the surface. They broke the surface tension, flipping back their black hair. He smiled at her and her blue eyes took in ever inch of his fair skin. The water floated them gracefully.

"Had enough?" Aqualad asked, shaking out his tress.

Blackfire shook her head in the negative. "Never."º

…

The pain in her chest was only bearable. She couldn't take her attention off of it for more than a few seconds, but she didn't need to concentrate for the next few moments. Her face was tight, her breathing was prorated: the air came in bursts and gasps. Dischord's attack had done exactly what it was supposed to. It struck a point in the circuit body of nerves flowing through her chest. The two fingers were lined up vertically, both the index finger and the middle pressing viciously into the nerve bodies. A fraction more force might have stopped her heart.

But Akane had stopped the attack.

Her right eye was pinched closed, but the left one could see it clear as day. That last wisp of her golden energy was fading into the air; underneath the sharp grasp of her hand was a severed fragment of Dischord's slave band. The looping ring split again behind Dischord's head, snapping the thieving crown into two more pieces and falling away to strike the ground. The sound of the metal echoed through the cave wall. Terra stared in disbelief as the two bangles rattled against the ground. Her wicked blue eyes lifted from the ground to the air where Akane floated and blocked her view of Dischord, until the aeromorph plummeted to the ground.

Akane gasped and, over the pain in her chest, dove forward and caught the Transient daughter. She groaned as she sat the blonde girl down to the cave floor. For the first time, Dischord Nostra made a noise. Her eyes blinked doeishly as she sat up under her own steam. She shook her head clear against the open palm of her left hand. She groaned.

Akane swallowed hard, trying to calm the rage beat in her blood. "You are alright now, that you are."

Choris turned her head and saw the battered girl who was propping her body. Her huge brown eyes were clear and shaking. She could feel pain in her own body, but what she saw also came from her body. "Did I hurt you?"

"Do not concern yourself. My name is Schala tu Akane."

"My birth name is Choris."

Nightwing looked forward in awe as he saw Choris' lips moving. He was too far away to hear what was said, but Akane had done it. She had done what she promised. He turned his shaking gaze to Raven who was standing beside herself in relief. Akane had done it. She had beaten and freed Choris.

The others rejoiced greatly as Akane and Choris helped each other to stand up. Sakura stood too and all the Titans lined the great wall of Akane's power. They leapt for joy, they cheered…

They all stayed locked behind Akane's barrier.

Akane's chest trembled as her heartbeat echoed over the cheers of her family and friends. She had used her energy again to help Choris and the Yiken Stone was acting, it was taking from her again. Akane turned her body to look at the green and silver stone and Choris turned as well. They could both see it. Its dark power was marking the air; the absolute darkness was fueled by Akane's demon blood and the pure strength of Choris' fight.

"It grows stronger." Choris said.

Akane nodded. The power was increasing and soon it would become something that she could not control. If she did not act, the future that she had been fighting for would never come. She closed her eyes and drew in a breath. Her battle instincts told her to heal herself, but her spirit knew that she couldn't afford to use any of the power she had left. As it was, she didn't have enough.

"When I was born, they saw this as my destiny. I'm not strong enough to stop it on my own. Choris, will you help me?"

Choris nodded. "We're the only ones who can stop it."⁶

The infinite mark of Trigon flared against the palm of Akane's hand. The pain it generated fit in amongst the scars and wounds her battle had done. As best she could she walked forward without letting her gaze shift to the left or right of her. There would be no damage done by seeing Choris' profile, but to hold all the fragile threads of her power she couldn't look at the Titans, at Nightwing, at Raven.

"What are they doing?" Cyborg asked.

"I think they're going to fight the Yiken Stone."

"Do they have enough strength left to do that?"

Jinx crossed her arms over her chest, her sharp eyes darting around the haze of Akane's power to the two girls moving forward. "One can only hope."

"How do they know what to do?" Starfire asked.

Jinx flicked her cat eyes back towards the team "It's in their blood… Raven's obligation and Nightwing's righteousness."

"Why is the barrier still up? Won't she have more strength if she lets it go?" Beast King asked.

"She won't take that risk." Raven replied, shaking her head.

"Aren't you worried?"

"Terrified."

Terra was beyond terrified, she was furious. The ground rumbled under her feet, but that gold barrier ran deep enough and strong enough to keep the earth splitting to her side of the shield. She kicked, she screamed, she pulled her hair. There's no way they're going to take my daughter from me!

"Choris! Choris!" Terra's hands banged against the barrier.

Choris walked side by side with Akane and blinked her beautiful brown eyes when a spark of Akane's energy repelled the raging geomancer. Their steps were steady, their rights dropping down at the same time. Each step closer of Akane's body sent a tremor through the Yiken Stone, every matching step from Choris produced a matching wave that added to the storm. The two had the power to crack that Yiken Stone and spill the power of Trigon into the world.

Choris and Akane stopped not inches away from the Yiken Stone readying their powers to instead seal Trigon away forever.

They didn't look at each other. They didn't look back.

Their hands found that the Yiken Stone burned to touch, but they braved it. Choris' right eye pinched closed as a torrent of energy raced through her. Akane pushed her feet firmly against the ground as every ounce of her blood trembled in the wake of one of her ultimate creators.

"Azarath Faeridos Rex!"

The reaction was immediate. As Akane's power wrapped around Choris' the volume of energy coiled against the demonic flare of the Yiken Stone. No sooner had the energy met the countering bodies did the might of Trigon make itself known.

The roar of Trigon's fury echoed through the Cave of Segii. It knocked Akane and Choris back with a blast of evil energy. Akane slid against the ground, her left arm reached over her right shoulder to stop her motion; Choris was quick enough to turn a back flip, landing in a low crouch beside the other Transient daughter.

The cave began to shake. The furrows of energy dashed through the air. The Titans gasped when dark power drummed against their barrier. The force of the crash shook their bones. Behind the shield they were safe from danger. Akane and Choris had no such defense.

The Transient daughters saw the claps of energy fire through the air like the jowls of Cerberus at the gates of Hell. It was taking form. The wealth of energy in the will of Trigon was acting as a living, evil creation with one goal, one target: the most power energies near it.

The energy of Choris Nostra and Schala tu Akane.

The Titans gasped as the Yiken Stone split and more and more power leaked from it. Jinx's eyes shot open at the outflow of Trigon's power. She had only heard about the depth of Trigon's energy sire, it was beyond what she could comprehend.

Raven pushed against the barrier as she too was horror struck by the dark matter pooling, almost freely from the fracturing trap. She gritted her teeth and banged against the barrier. "Akane! Take down the barrier! Let me help you!"

The Titans could see the way the symbols of Trigon were glimmering against Raven's moon pale skin. The flickers of energies flashed like fire as her hands drummed to try to break free.

"Raven, stop! You're only hurting Akane by resisting!" Sakura shouted. The Holy wielder grabbed Raven's arm and was pushed back by a single wave of Raven's hand.

"You don't understand! That power is too strong! Trigon was feeding off this fight! Why didn't I see it before? It was Washu's plan all along! Whether we fought or gave in, Washu made sure the Yiken Stone would get the power it needed! I shouldn't have let this happen!"

Nightwing grabbed Raven's arms and behind his head Akane and Choris took to the air. "Raven, listen to me! They can win this! We just have to believe in them! I know you're scared, but you have to have hope that they can do this!"

Raven's eyes shook pitifully as tears ran down her face. "Akane is all the hope I have left."

"Then believe in her. She rescued Choris and you know that she's the strongest of all of us. If anyone can stop Trigon, she can."

The wind funneled underneath Choris, drawing the energy pools attention to where it wanted to be. The wind whipped around them, tossing their long hairs up and behind them, out of their faces, out of their concentration.

Terra shielded her eyes as Choris and Akane waved their hands into a feminine X before waving out, completing a full circle, their hands moving past their foreheads where Akane's mark of Scath burned and where Choris' slave crown used to rest. The torrent of Trigon's power roared as it stormed forward as the Transient daughters expelled all their energy, their eyes squeezed tight, their fists clenched at their shoulders, their battle cries screaming through the air over Trigon's power.

From their bodies golden energy spiraled forward and crashed into Trigon's storm of power.

…

It was a nightmare; it was the nightmare… the only thing that ever kept her awake at night.

She could feel it. Every inch of her body was being taken over. From the ground, from that hard space under her feet, the earth rumbled and cracked, splitting and smashing together like waves crashing against the beach. Terra tried to calm it, but her powers weren't strong enough. She couldn't find the source of the tremors until the quaking finally stopped. The earth slid up, inch by inch, covering her boots, wrapping around her ankles. She tried to pull herself free, but couldn't. It wasn't the earth wrapping itself around her… it was her becoming the stone again. It was the petrifaction claiming her, the earth calling her back to what she was.

The cold, cold feeling was running up her veins, following the path as more and more of her body submitted to the will of the world. Terra's heart pounded, drumming in her ears the most terribly sound she knew. Her lungs trembled with the exertion of her breath until the final sweep of the land closed in to devour her.

This was the part where she would wake up and scream. When the seal was finally complete and she was lost again in the dark, unkind space between animation and the other side. But the seal didn't finish. Her eyes shot open instead.

…

Terra watched closely, forcing her eyes to stay open. Their palms were open, thrust down at their hips just before their powers crashed into Trigon's. She had never seen anything so dark. The golden spiral of energy was pushing back against Trigon's power and Terra could see that some of that gold color was coming from Choris. The two stood locked side by side as the atmosphere was drowned out by their powers.

The shimmer of gold color was trickling away as the Transient daughters struggled to trap Trigon. Raven's eyes wavered as the bond that was holding them back was being torn down. She isn't concentrating on it any more… she either doesn't think she needs to… or doesn't have the power to…

Beat, Beat Heartbeat.

But Raven knew her daughter, knew that between the two choices, only one of them was a possibility.

"Akane."

Beat, Beat Heartbeat.

The other Titans saw it too. The energy clash between the Transient daughters and Trigon's might was expanded and their shield from it was getting weaker. Choris gritted her teeth and Akane's left eye pinched closed as they pushed with every single bit of power they had…

Until they had nothing left.

Trigon's power was pushed back, forced back into the range of the Yiken Stone. Choris and Akane could see it. There was only thing left to be done. Choris pushed with everything she had as Akane took in one deep breath and gave all she had left to give.

"AZARATH FAERIDOS REX!"

The echo would pierce through the walls for seconds, minutes, millennia. The sound of it would ring in Raven's heart, in Nightwing's heart and Terra's heart forever. The Titans would remember where they stood when they heard it, when they saw it all…

The energy clasp blinded them and beneath the fading barrier they all turned away against the light. They felt the winds against their back, they would feel energy splitting against their ears, against their skin.

Sakura uncovered her eyes, pulling her arm back from her face just as Nightwing uncoiled his body from around Raven's and as Jinx emerged from Cyborg's protective embrace. Their eyes all saw it. The Yiken Stone was sealed. The energy that had been pouring out had stopped, the green and silver stone still showed the unrest in the energy within it. The stone shimmed, but did not escape. Every fault was sealed, every trace of weakness was repaired. They had done it.

Raven and Nightwing's eyes turned to the sky, excitement on their faces until they saw their daughters.

Their bodies were battered. Clothes ripped, skin bruised and their eyes… the shine that was distinctly theirs was gone. The wind beneath Choris stopped, the gold barrier around the Titans and Terra Nostra disappeared. Without a word, without a glance, the two Transient daughters dropped lifelessly out of the sky.

"No!"

Beat, Beat Heartbeat.

"Akane!"

"Choris!"

The three moved at the same time. Terra, Raven and Nightwing dashed forward. Raven ran distinctly and so did Terra, each of them storming forward to catch their daughters. Nightwing saw both girls falling helplessly, both girls in his heart the same way. And he was faster, so when his arms reached out he caught her first before her mother could make a grab.

Beat, Beat Heartbeat.

She was weightless in his arms. The color had run from her cheeks and those beautiful eyes were drawn closed. Nightwing's fingers trembled. No… this can't be! His fingers shifted against her armor, but he couldn't feel it. He could not feel any trace of it. There was no heartbeat. "Choris! Choris! Wake up!"

"Akane! Akane!"

"Choris!" Terra screamed. She touched the girl's slack face, touched her shoulder, touched her arms. Tears ran down her face as Nightwing shook Choris and couldn't get a response.

"AKANE! AKANE!"

Raven's screams turned his head around and as he did he realized the terror that Raven was experiencing. In Raven's arms, Akane's body was slowly fading away. In his own arms, Choris did the same.

"No! No! NO!"

Raven squeezed her daughter tightly until the only thing between her arms was air. Nightwing's body tremored in horror, the convulsions rocked his core. Terra stepped backwards, shaking her head in disbelief. Her chest lowered and fell so fast it was painful, but that pain she could not feel.

In the center of her body, in the warm place that gave life, her energy reacted. Her heartbeat became jagged as the rage, the pain, the heartache took control of every ability to destroy within her power. "LAAAA!" The anguished cry echoed through the cave walls, bouncing through all ears except Raven's, who's ears were drowned out in her own screams.

The ground began the split and break. Black lashes of power cut through the air, shiving free slabs of wall that were splintered and dropped to the ground. The Titans dodged the best they could. Jinx's back flips saved her life, a diving tackled by Celine kept Beast King from being crushed. Starfire grabbed boulders from the air and threw them aside, her sister's eye beams smashing stones until a lash of power struck them both and hurled them to the ground.

Nightwing's feet jumped on their own accord to keep him from falling through the faults in the land. He had been standing right between the Transient mothers when their children died and when their rage escaped, it had hurled him across the cave, sliding back towards his sister and the other Titans.

"They're going to tear the cave apart!"

"Worse!" Sakura yelled. "They're giving energy to the stone!"

They turned their heads collectively, bracing their arms to see that the Yiken stone was resonating, absorbing power.

"Only Akane could seal it, but it looks like those two together can break it!"

Sakura raised a slender hand and erected a barrier that swung around the Yiken Stone, cutting the cave in half between Terra and Raven.

"Brother, I can keep Terra out, but that means Raven stays in! You've got to calm her down! She'll destroy us all!"

Nightwing dashed to the side of Raven. A flash of energy struck him down, but the black haired Titans' leader got to his feet again. He could see that Raven's eyes were shifting from white to red. If they made that switch, there would be no stopping Raven until Raven wanted to stop. In his own heart he felt the same wound that Raven did, but he didn't have the power to undo the sacrifice of their children.

He had the power to make sure that Raven didn't.

"Raven! You've got to control your power! You'll unleash Trigon! Akane's sacrifice will be in vain!"

The red and the white disappeared from her eyes, replaced with wide purple irises. Raven gasped as her control returned to her. Her body responded without her and she fainted where she was. Nightwing scooped her up, his body running along Sakura's barrier to bring them back to the team.

Sakura's eyes followed her brother's run until something familiar struck her. Her eyes locked on the space, that terrible place where Akane and Choris had ceased to live. Her brown eyes narrowed, through the silver-white of her power, she could feel another power, just like it, stronger. She stared, she didn't know what she was seeing, she wasn't seeing anything, but she felt something, but didn't know what to name it.

"We should go!" Cyborg yelled

They all agreed and Sakura dropped her barrier. The earth was still shaking but the Yiken stone wasn't reacting.

The Titans made to flee. In waves they rushed out as they heard behind them the continuing screams of anguish from Terra Nostra. Beast King would be the only one to stop and stare and see Terra collapse into tears when the rage of her blood finally gave into grief. He looked back, looked hard than turned his back and ran away.

…

BEAT, BEAT HEARTBEAT…

BEAT, BEAT HEARTBEAT…

BEAT, BEAT HEARTBEAT…

BEAT, BEAT…

BEAT, BEAT…

BEAT, BEAT…

BEAT…

…

It was quiet.

It had never been this quiet before.

It should have been impossible, because there were eleven of them in the room and they were all breathing.

It was quiet.

It had never been this quiet before.

It should have been impossible, because there were eleven of them in the room and they were all crying.

It was quiet.

It had never been this quiet before.

It should have been impossible, because there were eleven of them in the room, but inside all of them, a piece of them was dying.

"She can't be gone." Bumble Bee whispered. "There are so many things she'll never get to see…"

Cyborg dropped his head. "I would have liked to show her Titans' Tower." He said.

Tempest ran a hand through his hair. "She could have explored the clear waters with me."

Starfire wiped a tear from her eye. "Or celebrated the festivals of friendship."

Blackfire touched the hand of her younger sister and the redhead grabbed her immediately. Blackfire petted the sobbing girl as gently as she could as she tried to calm her own tears. "She could have seen all the wonders of Earth."

"She was so little." Celine whispered, her knees pushed together, her head propped in her hands.

"She was so brave." Arsenal said.

"As was Choris." Foxfire trembled, his head dropping in a way that they had never seen from the champion of Tameran. But no one could think of that, no one could think of anything except two little girls.

"They were too young." Beast King bit his lower lip, rubbing a tear from his eye.

Sakura hugged her arms tightly. Her own tears running fire down her cheeks. "Far too young."

It had been five days. Five days ago they had met and lost the two youngest members of their family. Choris and Akane had done their part to seal the might of Trigon away, but in the spark of valiance, they had lost their lives.

Five days ago they had returned to Titans' Tower, their bones were worn, their spirits were tried and some part inside all of them was broken. Nightwing had never looked so lifeless. He didn't make a single sound as he carried Raven towards her bedroom. No one had seen him since.

They knew that Raven had woken up sometime on the second day because a blackout had swallowed the whole tower for a few seconds before it flickered out and the pools retracted.

"Can anyone fair to guess how they're holding up in all of this?" Cyborg asked.

"It is difficult to tell. It would be presumptuous of any of us to assume we can comprehend the pain they must feel." Starfire responded.

"My brother is with Raven and all I can do is believe that's enough to keep his heart strong."

"And Raven?"

Jinx tilted her head to the Titans, her voice weak but steady enough to force out the words. "Raven is meditating. She isn't in the mind state to face the world with anything but the destruction of her grief."

"I wish I had a better chance to get to know them, both of them." Celine said.

"We all do." Cyborg replied. "But we've got to be strong ya'll. We've never experienced a hurt like this before and I pray that we don't ever again. We're going to make the Syndicate pay for what they've done."

Arsenal nodded in agreement. "For Akane."

"And for Choris." Tempest added.

"For Raven and Nightwing." Sakura declared.

"For all of us."

"For everything." Beast King added.

…

Nightwing touched her face gently as the woman he loved was obviously troubled in her meditation. Raven had barely been able to sleep, he barely could get her to eat, and getting her to speak was out of the question.

She was floating a few inches off the bed, the way he had seen her do the night Beast Boy had started to become a man. By that night, things had already begun to change between him and Raven, she had been in his head, she was making her way into his heart.

Time had moved quickly, then stopped, then started again, then slowed down and sped up and down and up and up and down, but since that day, all those years ago when he and Raven had to split paths, the rhythm had never been right outside their bodies.

So Raven had locked herself in her mind.

…

The water didn't look like much to see, but he hadn't come out to appreciate its wonders. He came out here because he was thinking about her and whenever he thought about her, he looked for the water.

Another her, a her he had tried not to think about, found him sitting alone of the beach, looking at the empty body. She didn't sit down next to him, she stood and held her arms, the chill of the night air was coming. The sun had set cleanly, but the catch of late fall only came when the sky was black as coal. There was still a bit of light, from the tower, from the city. She could look down and see him, if he wanted to, he could look up and see her.

"Beast King," She said gently. "You missed dinner."

Beast King nodded. "I can afford to once in a while."

Maybe when they were younger he might have turned it into a joke. Maybe if the pain wasn't so near, they could return to a sense of normalcy. But there was no such thing as normal anymore.

Today was the one month anniversary of the day they had met and lost Choris and Akane. The Titan redhead knew why he was sitting on the beach the way he was, thinking the way he was. He was thinking about her.

"I'm sorry." He said simply.

"What?"

"I said, I'm sorry, Celine. For everything."

Celine knitted her brow. "What are you talking about?"

"A month ago, I heard you talking to Starfire about the way you feel." He pointed to his sharp ears. "It's a new ability I guess. My sight is better, my hearing is better and I can smell fear."

Celine crossed her arms over her chest as the first gust of night wind struck her. She raised a slender brown hand to catch her red hair, for the most part it stayed out of her face. "You shouldn't be apologizing. I shouldn't have said the things I said."

"Yes, you should have. You have every right to… and for that I'm sorry."

"Beast King---"

"Don't. Don't try to tell me that this isn't some part my fault. I wanted Terra back so much that I let myself forget everything that happened between us. I forgot that she had chosen to be Slade's apprentice, that she had chosen to hurt us… and then I let her do it again… what's the saying 'those that fail to learn from their mistakes are doomed to suffer to repeat them'?"

"That's a terrible thing to say! And it's not true! This isn't your fault!"

"Maybe when I was younger I could have believed that, Celine. I can't be responsible for all the things that she's done… but… two little girls lost their lives, Celine! They're gone and unlike Terra, there's no second chance for them!"

The water was the only sound to be heard over their breathing. Celine kept her eyes down to the side, Beast King looked forward over the water. This was different. This wasn't the same as the one noble act Terra Nostra had ever committed. Akane and Choris were gone, destroyed in the act that had saved their futures. There wasn't a trace left in the world for them to rescue. They had simply disappeared as if they had never existed. But they knew that wasn't true, even if for just a few hours or on the other side of the battle field, they had felt and experienced those two girls. They had made a small, delicate place in all their hearts and with them gone that place burned.

"I loved her, up until the minute I saw her collapse when we were running away. I stopped loving her that moment because I realized I knew nothing about her."

Celine closed her eyes before sinking weakly to her knees in the sand beside him. She didn't make a single noise, not even her body colliding with the sand made a spark of friction. All the light from behind their backs overcast that coming from ahead of them in the city. Their faces were dark, but they could see each other, but they both looked ahead.

"I tried, Celine. I really did. Anytime any of my friends were hurt, I tried to make them feel better. When Starfire was lonely or if Cyborg needed a pep talk… I wasn't the best, but I tried…"

"I know."

"But no matter what I did… somehow someone always gets hurt. Sometimes I rubbed Blackfire or Bumble Bee wrong. Sometimes I made a bigger mess than they started with. Sometimes, I did nothing at all… that's what happened with Terra. I let her get hurt. And when she got hurt, I couldn't take that pain away…" Beast King ran his gloved fingers through his hair, the dark grey color caught his attention. The grieving animorph raised the gloved appendage to his face and stared at it, noticed every stitch, the lines following the deep set veins in his palm. "I tried to become something else, to get better than what I was… all my life, all I wanted to do is help people… but I can't help those closest to me. My transformation is useless."

Each one of the self-hating words Beast King pushed forward had struck Celine deep into her heart. As he stared down at his hand, her hands twisted in her skirt as she did her damnedest not to cry. She had always known Garfield Logan was insecure. She had seen through him the first time they spoke: it was the way he responded to her, responded to everyone that gave it away. The very first day she had met him, he had reached out to her and tried to soothe her heart. He hadn't known her for more than ten minutes and in a single touch of his hand, he had made the effort to make her feel better. He was the first to help her understand Victor, and he was the one that made her realize that the reason she and Cyborg were no more was just as much to do with Cyborg pushing as her letting herself be pushed away.

She had let herself be pushed, because every single inch had led her closer to Beast King.

There was nothing but the truth in the matter. Celine was in love with Beast King.

Celine's doe eyes followed the curve of Beast King's face, over his cheeks were the last of a tear had run. Her hand bypassed his, missed his arm, over his shoulder, past the shell of his ear and landed on his cheek. He turned into the touch, his green eyes waving as they met her brown ones. When his face turned all the way, her other hand found his other cheek and she held his face gently in the cup of her palms.

And she did what she should have done years ago. Celine leaned forward and kissed him. It was a brief, simple touch. It was actually the second time she had kissed him, the very first occurring nearly six years ago when Beast Boy had inspired the connecting thread in her genius to utilize Reverse Engineering and return animation to Terra Nostra.

She could see that he was thinking about that same moment six years ago when she pulled back. She dropped her hands from his cheeks, pulling away all contact between them. There was such a sad look on his face. His eyes looked so heavy, his mouth set in a straight line. Beast King looked down. Celine looked away.

She had taken three breaths and forced back a wave of tears before she braved to open her mouth again. "What will it take to make you see that you're a good person?" She asked.

Beast King said nothing for a few moments. "Probably the same thing that it will take for you to see…"

Celine nodded. "Do your best… and I promise I'll work on it."

"Let's sit here for a while."

Celine nodded in acceptance. They stayed where they were. He didn't put his arm around her shoulder. She didn't lean against him. She pulled her knees to her chest and they watched the moon finally begin to pull itself from behind the clouds.

…

Her sobs were fierce and uncontrolled. They choked her, they made every breath difficult. She spoke, her words fast, her sentences were broken mostly and muffled from her position. Her head was tucked firmly into the lap of BravE as the strong character petted her head.

"My baby! My baby! How could? How could this happen to her? I never should have let her… she wasn't supposed to fight! Akane was a gentle child! She should have never! Why? Why did this happen?"

BravE rubbed her mistress's back and did her best not to collapse in herself. The loss of Schala had struck them all. It had ripped many of Lethe's sides in half. She and KnowledgE would spend eons trying to restore those broken things.

"She's gone! My little… Akane." Raven sobbed. "All I had to do as a woman was to protect her and I failed her! When she was just a baby… I mean when she was still small, she was only just a baby… in the night once… she stopped breathing. I was so scared, I , I , I didn't know what to do. All I could do was cry… my mother came in and and she saved her, when I heard her cry I… I couldn't protect her! I could never protect her…"

"Do not punish yourself Lethe. Schala would not want you to harm yourself. She is gone, but she is in a place where she can't be harmed."

"And somewhere she can't be helped… what if she's scared?"

BravE kept her hood drawn as she stared down at her mistress. "You loved that girl with every inch of your life. Schala knew nothing of fear, because she knew your love."

"BravE… don't ever leave me." She whispered.

Raven wrapped her fingers into the dress of BravE's body. The dark green dress draped nearly to her ankles, the fabric rough beneath her fingers. Her mind state had matured, it had to, Raven had matured and all parts of her had to grow as she did. All fragments of her identity wore dresses, but only BravE's and KnowledgE's were long. They all still wore cloaks around their bodies, but only BravE's and KnowledgE's were white. The faces and figures of her parts had matured, but only BravE and KnowledgE had hair that was long like hers, only they were truly like Raven.

"Lethe, stand up." KnowledgE demanded from behind her back.

Raven turned and did was she was told and BravE stood behind her as if to brace her if she fell. BravE was that most trusted part of herself.

"What we feared to become… it has happened. Despite our best effort, the will of Trigon has taken Schala."

BravE's hand squeezed Raven's shoulder. "But the prophecy isn't over, is it?"

KnowledgE shook her head in the negative. "There is no way of knowing, but it would be a fool's hope to think that Trigon is done with you."

It hurt her to accept that HOPE had been born, like RAGE, from Trigon's manifest. But the thing that made HOPE grow wasn't evil, it was all the good things that happened in her life: her friends, her happiness, her love and just a bit Akane. HOPE had told her once, when she was still very small, that she couldn't be Raven's daughter and Raven had agreed… but she didn't believe her.

BravE's hand squeezed tighter as the muscles in Raven's body tightened. "He may send more after me… or he could lie and wait until I think I'm safe… I can't risk it."

"What would you do?"

"I would be a fool to try and hide forever… but now I must have caution. If I'm to live the rest of my life, I can't have any more children. To experience the loss of a child… I couldn't bear it again to have another child from my body become a victim to Trigon's will."

KnowledgE listened to Lethe and waited for her to finish speaking before she let her calm voice run through the atmosphere between them. All there was that mattered in Nevermore were standing side by side and in front of each other. By some manner of luck, RAGE had failed to reappear and BravE and KnowledgE were that much closer to being bonded to Lethe forever.

It was the work of KnowledgE and BravE to make those final transition steps, but they could not be done without Lethe. KnowledgE took a step forward. "It is a sad state of the world… that in some situations the machinations of evil men prevail no matter how valiant the good are."

"I do not believe that." Raven replied.

KnowledgE agreed. "No, you don't."

BravE moved to stand side by side with KnowledgE. Raven could see them both as clear as day, in white robes and with hair down their backs. They were just like her, they were her, if she could grab them and keep them there. "The answer is not to give up hope… that will never be the answer Lethe. You must do your part in foreseeing that no other daughter from you or anyone else is a victim to such a plight."

"You know what it will take." KnowledgE said.

Raven nodded. "Destroy Washu."

KnowledgE nodded. "He is the destructive might and brain on this side of the Ring of Azarath. Without him, there is no manifest of evil to act upon the world. Both Doomgaze and Trigon need Washu to be free into this world now. He is the only creature of evil who can do these things and he will do whatever it takes to get his objective accomplished… you know this."

Raven closed her eyes.

"Leave here, Lethe. Let us finish this work. We can handle your head. You must govern your heart." BravE said simply.

Raven nodded. There was only one matter of her heart that she could repair on her own and he was waiting for her.

…

Koriand'r sat on her bed alone in her room. Her bumgorf was acquiring food, but she had no appetite. She had always considered herself a good person, if not a bit impatient, single-minded or prone to immaturity. Those things were a part of her that came and went and made her what she was as a child. But, she was twenty one Earth years old. Under no rule or governing was she a child and when she realized such, she put away all childish things and focused.

She was a warrior of Tameran. A princess of Tameran, who one day might become Grand Ruler. The crown was promised to her by birth, but Koriand'r would not take it until she was the woman who could stand and defend and protect her people.

On Tameran, her people were a unified force, there was no breaking the bond between her clansmen. When one died, funeral fires and banquets were held in their honor. When widows grieved, there was boundless kindness to mature their rebound. When children died, there were friends who helped lift the hearts of those who mourned that greatest loss. She was not an unkind person to wish that kind of pain to never strike her. She was a very kind person to pray and mourn for her friends' losses without adding more pain to their burdens.

She knew there was no way to reverse what had happened. She knew that the wound that was open in the hearts of Nightwing and Raven were not the kind that could be repaired with stitches or Tameranian healing rituals. That wound she could not fix, but Starfire knew there was another wound that she could seal: the wound that existed because, while two young girls had lost their lives, the evil of the Syndicate of Slade still had theirs.

Starfire stood, exited her room and entered another. She found the training room was empty. It had been a very long time sense she had exercised many of the fighting techniques of her ancient people. She had learned very young to express her battle fury through the brute strength inherent in her people, but as a princess she was given privilege to knowledge of older fighting styles of her ancient, proud people.

There were few people who knew the techniques of the broad staff arts. Galfor knew them, her sister knew them and possibly the Foxfire of Tameran knew them by heart. Starfire did not recall them all so readily, but what she did remember, she studied.

She found her weapon, a long staff like Nightwing's, heavier, sturdy and used from its condition. She gripped the weapon and swung forward. Then down. Her right knee bent forward, her left back, the forward grip was her right hand… that means I must turn to my left… Starfire shifted her weight and pivoted, swinging the weapon behind her back before striking out. Then it is a step forward, a spin in the clockwise direction… then it is… …

Another staff clashed with hers in her hesitance. Starfire raised her gaze and found D'ucel's weapon challenging hers. "It is shift in brace, your left hand becoming the dominant. Then you shift weight to the left side."

Starfire nodded and completed the rhythm as D'ucel instructed. Her spins moved her weapon into an aggressive stance. Foxfire acknowledged her challenge and took an opposing position. Their weapons clashed when D'ucel attacked and Starfire defended. His broad staff pushed back against hers, she used one hand to grip her weapon, the other pushed back. Foxfire shifted his weight and smoothly swept her from her feet. Starfire landed solidly, keeping the grasp of her weapon. Her right hand pushed against the ground and gave her the friction to up kick, her pointed toes colliding under Foxfire's chin. He did not stagger, but gave her space to reestablish position. A sharp turn of his head to the left side cracked his neck.

"Yar grod ut Koriand'r pradak?" (Something troubles you?)

"My heart." She replied.

Foxfire nodded and braced for the next blow.

…

"So you're really okay then?" Cyborg asked.

Jinx nodded. "I'm not the one who was hurt."

"From what you told me, you were hurt a lot too." Cyborg replied.

The cybernetic Titan sat down beside the hex artist.

"I'm alone as far as my family is concerned, but there are worst things in the world."

"I know the feeling. I lost my family in the accident that made me this way." Cyborg said before he dropped his hand onto hers. Jinx pulled her hand away.

"Nothing about me was an accident. It was all bad luck. I'm bad luck."

"Is that the line you've been hiding behind?" Cyborg asked. He turned his solid eyes to hers, seeing the way the feral black cleft cut through her pink eyes.

"I did everything I thought I could do in the only way I could think to do it. I'm not like you or your Titan friends. Good was never an option for me."

"But you're not a bad guy. I've seen it Jinx, from both sides of that line. Maybe I didn't notice before I was in the HIVE, but when I saw it, I couldn't forget it."

"When you're sappy like that, I don't like you… but that shouldn't suggest that I don't respect you. You're really nice to me. Why?"

"I… there's something about you Jinx… I always felt that you could do better."

"Better than what?"

"Than the HIVE, than Brother Blood: better than all of it, if you let yourself be."

"I didn't want this life." She replied defensively.

"Nobody wants the life they have. Everyone wants something better."

"How do you get better?" Jinx asked.

"Do better." Cyborg reached behind his back and presented a Titans communicator. He dropped it into her palm. The pink haired hex artist stared down at the yellow device and a few things became clear to her. She and Cyborg had a lot in common. She was tragic and he was understanding and neither of them were afforded much change from the time they first met to that moment just now. It wasn't as if time hadn't past for them or if they hadn't changed, but everything between them came back to the same part in time: he would always be the mechanical marvel and she would be the bad luck charm.

"What's better for us?" She asked.

"Us."

…

She looked into his eyes and saw every part of him. His mask was laying by his hips, where she had placed it after pulling it free from his face. His eyes were a brown she was familiar with, the deep color was swirled and impacted with a subtle gold highlight, just along the corners when the light shined just so… or if he was on the verge of tears.

The tears had stopped, but the pain was still there.

"I never got the chance to know Choris. Terra did something terrible to her. If I could have been stronger…"

Raven touched his arm. Nightwing turned his head to see her and saw how sad her eyes were. They hadn't left Raven's bedroom, the others just made sure there was food at the door, but the two hadn't stepped more than an inch away from the subtle darkness of Raven's room. The moon was just high enough to catch the floor of the bedroom and let Nightwing see every inch of her over the pale candle light.

That look in her eyes… He realized how insensitive he was being. He turned his body, wrapping his arms around her body tightly. "I'm sorry… your pain must be so much greater than mine."

Raven patted his shoulder. "You can't measure that pain, no one can."

"I'm just so sorry."

"When the Azar looked into Akane's life, she saw two things… one was her losing her life… the other was Akane experiencing great happiness. You helped give that to her. I don't regret giving life to her and you shouldn't regret that we didn't know about Choris. We loved our children and when the world turns over, that is the only thing that can't be shaken by prophecies, evil plots or monsters."

Nightwing squeezed her tighter. "I just feel like the sky will never look the same again after knowing those wonderful girls."

Raven was silent for a few moments and Nightwing felt her heartbeat against his own. "Maybe it won't. but… we're still here and we can fight for them and keep them in our hearts forever."

"In that one place where they are safe."

Raven nodded. He kissed her mouth, her fingers locked into his hair. They breathed each other in: the touch of her, the sound of him. Every inch became shared, every fragment became theirs.

"I love you."

"I love you."

He laid her down gently onto her bed. There he loved her the way he had always wanted to: the way he hadn't been able to for all those years… the way he wanted to for the rest of his life.

Downstairs a flare of dark power swam and darkened a training room and darkened the common room, darkened every room for a few seconds before sparking and flowing somewhere else. When the wave rolled over Sakura's room, she hadn't been awake to see it.

That night she and Arsenal had went to bed and Sakura woke up first. She didn't know where she was, but she knew how she got there.

The energy flowing around her reacted with the Holy storming through her body. She felt warm in her stomach, the closer she walked toward it. What it was, she didn't know. Sakura just moved and moved until the energy moved away and revealed to her what there was to see.

He stood perfectly still. His white robes shimmered in the silver-white, not a hint of shadow crossed his handsome face; the light was drawn to him. Years ago she had wondered how the light bent around him. But she knew now, it was the same thing that made her body absent of shadow. It was Holy and he was the source.

"Jericho."

The platinum blonde nodded, his handsome face bear of emotion, the way it had been nearly a decade ago the last time she saw him when he promised it would be the last time she ever saw him.

"Sakura, you are well."

Sakura nodded. It was no question. He knew. His energy, the energy around her was responding to her health.

"Jericho, why are you here? Actually, where is here?"

Jericho bowed his head as if she had stumbled upon a truth that needed to be known. Sakura looked around, trying to see what she was missing. But she saw everything. Holy was floating around her and Jericho was standing and so was she.

"Jericho? What is going on?"

"When the winds shift to tear the world apart, I alone will not be able to collapse the might of the Great Demon Kings. In my mind's eye, I see any attempts swallowing my life and the lives of thousands behind me."

"I remember that. You told me that before you gave me my Holy."

"And I say it to you again as I prepare to take it back."

Sakura's brown eyes widened. "Take it back?"

"I do not ask you to fight great battles. I do not wish for you to give your life for the good of many, only that you stand beside others who are strong and good. In years to come, lives will be made and twisted in the flow of the inevitable… in the inevitable future… Holy may fall, but in the moments most desperate, life will always triumph if there is something to shelter it… can you guard life if I give yours back to you?"

"You said that too before."

"That was the promise you made to me." Jericho said simply.

"I did."

"Are you prepared for me to call your debt?"

"But for who? How can I protect lives if I don't have Holy to do it? Who can I protect?"

"Them." Jericho whispered.

Without any conscious motion, Sakura turned her head to the side and saw them. They were on the ground. The one with purple hair was on her stomach, kicking her feet. The tiny girl with midnight black hair sat straight up, her huge eyes were wondering absently before they found her face. Her eyes were a brown she was familiar with, the deep color was swirled and impacted with a subtle gold highlight, just along the corners when the light shined just so… or if she was on the verge of tears.

"That's…"

"The ones called Akane and Choris."

They were babies. Actual babies. They looked the one year old they were by the calendar.

"You were there." Sakura whispered. "When I put up a barrier, I felt something in my stomach and I thought I saw something. It was you."

Jericho nodded. "Like the eyes of Torches, I, too, have foresight. But while Azars and demons fail to act, I did act. The crimes of Trigon and Doomgaze do not belong to those girls and I was able to capture a fragment of them both before they disappeared from the world."

"You saved their lives."

Jericho shook his head in the negative. "I have, as of yet, done no such thing. I have preserved their energy, but as they are, they cannot persist. To give them lives… I need pure heart and righteous need."

Sakura understood. "You said you were getting weaker. You may not have the strength left… but I do… My holy…"

"This sacrifice is why I gave you this power. If I could survive to see this day, you could survive to perform this sacrifice."

Sakura's breath was caught in her excitement. "That's not a sacrifice at all… it's doing what you asked of me when you gave me those powers. I can help Choris and Akane stand…"

"Sakura understand, this is no fairy tale. To do this... there is a risk… to give them life… you must sacrifice your ability to make it."

"What?" She wanted to keep staring at the two little girls on the floor not feet away from her, but Jericho's tone pulled her attention to his features. His stone blue eyes were piercing to match the fierce words that he had to dispense.

"Your holy is tied into your body… as a woman, it bonds deeply to the source of your nature… if I recall your Holy; I take with it your ability to bear a child."

She nearly fainted, but managed to step one foot solidly backwards to keep her head above her shoulders. What she could not do was stop the tear running down her face. Her brown eyes wavered, it was becoming harder to see, it was harder to breathe. To her right she could see those two little girls lying on the ground, waiting to have life… and in her mind she could see Arsenal, waiting to have a life with her.

Sakura touched her stomach and could feel the power of her Holy at her center, the same place that was the center for her womanhood. She had never dreamt vividly of motherhood as most women did, but that didn't mean she was anything less than for the prospect of having a child, a family, a home with such wonderful things as children.

And she knew that Raven had dreamt of those things and for hours Dear Brother had experienced fatherhood to two little girls. It was something they had and something they had lost in a stroke and span of one day. The future they wanted was torn apart and she had the power to repair it… by pulling a rip in her own fabric.

"Is it guaranteed… that if I do this, I will never have children?"

"As one gifted with foresight, I can tell you nothing is guaranteed."

Sakura clenched her eyes closed before drawing her holy to her hands. "It is the promise I made to you…For my brother… for Raven… I will take this risk…"

Jericho nodded. His hand touched hers and in that contact, Sakura felt all the warmth in her body disappear. Was my body this cold before? The energy sunk from Sakura's body into Jericho's and the platinum blonde nodded. For something so drastic, in Sakura's mind it felt anti-climatic. Her body was colder, her blood didn't feel the same, but eventually it eased and in a few seconds, everything felt the same.

"Some small trace of my power will remain… may it protect you."

Sakura nodded. "That's it? How long until you can give them back to Dear Brother and Raven? They're going to be so relieved to know they're alive."

"They cannot know."

"Nani? Why? Why can't they know? They're their children!"

"What I am going to do to restore their lives is a delicate process that will be the product of more energies than just this Holy. Removing the paternal influence from Akane and the removing the maternal power from Choris… it will take strength and I barely have left. The energy of the universe cannot be shifted by the anxiety of those with great wealths of power. If they were to know, their feelings for their daughters will manipulate the energy around the girls and possibly destroy any chance of giving them back life. This process is not instantaneous, Sakura. It will take years."

"Years?"

"I will raise them and protect them. Destroying some parts of them will make them no longer target to the actions of Doomgaze and Trigon forever."

"Then we'll destroy them both! Then! Then could they know?"

Jericho shook his head. "They cannot know until the process is complete, but when that will be done, even my abilities do not allow me to know."

"Just do your best and as fast as you can! We'll take down those demons and one day you'll return those little girls to their parents!"

Jericho nodded.

"I might not have Holy anymore, but I can still fight."

"Indeed, you are one of the four."

"One of the four?" Sakura asked.

"More than a score ago, four fighters challenged the Great Demon Kings: Trigon and Doomgaze to erase them from the world. We were not successful totally, but we managed to begin the motions to make sure that one day it did come to pass. We could not decide who was born and where and how, if they would have ties to each other and if they would be successful… we could only prepare and wait for you, for Raven, for Nightwing and for Jinx. Raven and Jinx were born with no choice, Nightwing and yourself were coincidentally related… or the product of much more than we intended."

"I don't understand."

"Grave, The Devine Master, Azar Metrion and myself fought once before and it seems in different independent bodies we fight again. Between the four of you will be the salvation of this world, just as it is for the life of those two small girls."

"How much of this was predestined? How much of this did you know when you came to give me this power?"

"When you were born, we did not know who you were. You were the forth, the unknown part, just as Grave was. The epicenter was Azar Metrion, just as Raven is. The guiding force, the knower of things that must be known, it is Jinx."

"And Dear Brother?"

"He plays the lasting role. He is the binding force between all of you. He is the connection loop that kept these girls alive, that keeps hope alive."

"Keeps them alive?"

"It was his influence that gave me the strength to find their lives when they were fading from the universe. Both of them have traces of Holy in their bodies and they are both due to him and who he is."

"I don't understand. How did either of them get Holy? And what does Dear Brother have to do with it?"

"Hope is a distinct energy, not unlike Holy. In truth, they are the same energy in different forms. Hope was born into Raven from the influence of Nightwing. Though Akane herself is the pure product of Raven, she could not bound and manipulate the power of Hope had it not been the will of Nightwing to help create it."

"I think I understand. But what about Choris?"

"She inherited it directly."

"What? From where?"

"From me."

"You're related to Choris? But… Terra doesn't have any Holy."

"No, she does not. Nightwing however does, he inherited it from me."

Sakura took a step back, her dark brow knit tight. "That can't be! You can't be his father! Otou-sama… he has to be Dear Brother's father!"

"And he is. Your brother is my grandson. Ueno is my son.⁷"

"I need to sit down." Sakura thought out loud. "Why didn't you tell me any of this before? What… how is that even possible? Otou-sama wasn't an angel! My brother is not an angel!"

"You are partially correct on both accounts. Before the War of Light and Dark occurred, Grave and I had a child together. He was part demon, part angel and part human. He was born with enough human blood and I had enough strength in my power to remove all traces of demoncy from his blood. But what I could not do was take away all his Holy."

"That's why you know what to do with Akane and Choris?"

Jericho nodded. "That lingering piece of Holy must be there in whatever form that is. Ueno took that piece of my power within him through his whole life in the form of Hope. With no demonic blood, he could not use it as a weapon. So it laid dormant in him and he passed that small trace to his son; to your Dear Brother."

"I… don't know what to say."

"It is a rather complex story I will admit. But you understand the important complications. The power of Hope is a spindle of my power and has passed to Akane and it has passed to Choris. The small heritage of angel found in my grandson cannot be used by him, just as it could not be used by my son."

"So my Holy is just like his… useless."

"The winds have not finished their howls, Sakura. Neither of your parts are completely finished. And neither your gift nor his strength of will is without use. There are still battles to be fought. I ask you still. Always Stand."

Sakura felt a wave of that familiar strength in her body, she hadn't felt that strong since she was eleven years old. She understood. To her side she could hear Akane and Choris making the meaningless sounds of childishness. Her brown eyes wavered as she looked down at those little lives and all the knowledge of what was and what would come to be hit her solidly. Jericho watched her watch them before she turned her eyes to see him again.

"Can I touch them?"

Jericho nodded. "For a few moments, I can see no harm."

Sakura found that her feet were light as she moved to kneel beside the two little girls. There was no recognition, the girls kept moving and burbling as if Sakura was one of them. They were different then they were when they had been in their adult forms. Choris' hair was curly and black. Akane's hair was purple, just like Raven's. Their eye color was the same… they were going to be Dear Brother's daughter and Raven's daughter and they weren't going to have to share them with anyone else… except each other… when the time came. Sakura touched Akane's face and felt Choris pat her arm. Sakura held the brown eyed girl and kissed her forehead. She lifted Akane and gave her a hug.

It was so cruel that their parents couldn't know about them and cruel still that these little girls would go years without knowing their parents. "Your parents love you very much." She whispered. Both little girls watched Sakura stand up and turn around, walking back to stand beside Jericho.

"How do I leave?" Sakura asked.

"Just wake up."

And she did.

She sat up suddenly as if awoken from a nightmare. Her chest rose and fell without any calm. Her hair fell down across her shoulders and slipped onto the body right next to her. She heard him roll over before she gained her night vision. When she pushed the hair behind her ears, she could make out the expanse of his face. He laid on his stomach, his face turned away from her, but she could see all of him.

He was so beautiful. He was the most beautiful thing she ever saw. His strong jaw, his thin lips, clean brow, straight nose… every part of him was a part of the best thing that had ever happened to her.

Her fingers traced his face, over his firm cheek, past his shell ears to brush his red hair back. He was so animated when he was awake and so calm when he slept. He had the energy, the personality, the drive that she responded to, had responded to immediately and indefinitely it seemed. She could give up a lot of things for a lot of reasons; this, this she could not give up. Sakura laid down, her head laying firmly on his left shoulder blade, her right hand rubbed his bare upper back. Her lips kissed his skin and behind her brown eyes she could see them when they were younger, running around like fools because they were young and because they could. He had a smile, that cool, beautiful smile that he would never lose. It was boundless, it was youthful.

Now she could see it. She could see that smile on a little redheaded boy with her brown eyes running in a park while his father chased him. She could see a little girl with eyes so green they could make the most glorious emeralds jealous. She could see a little family, her son, her daughter, her husband… now she could see it clearly when it was dangerous to reach for them.

"Roy… what have I done?"

He continued sleeping. She didn't want him to wake, because she was still weak enough to cry and she was weak enough to breakdown. Her confidence seemed a memory, all the times she was brave and bold felt like the influence of her lost Holy. She squeezed her eyes shut and rolled her thumb over the six scars on the inside slope of his shoulders.

"Please forgive me… I hope I did the right thing."

…

Celine didn't remember falling asleep, but she must have. She woke up slowly to find herself on a bed. She was on her stomach, one hand by her face on the pillow under her head. It didn't take her more than a few seconds to realize that she wasn't in her bed, she wasn't even in her room.

"Beast King?" Celine's eyes scanned the room for its owner, but found no sight of him. She raised her hand to rub her head thoughtfully to find a note stuck to her forehead. She blinked and pulled the folded paper from the perspiration on her brow. The girl genius looked at the envelope and frowned. It was addressed to Omicron, but it was distinctly in Beast King's handwriting. He never called her Omicron.

Maybe you're right. Maybe I am a good person. Maybe you're wrong and I'm right about not being one. Right now it doesn't matter what the truth is, what matters is how we feel… Because I know that you feel the most about me, you're the only one I'm saying goodbye to. You were a wonderful friend to me and I thank you for everything you are… but the only true way to thank you is to become the friend to you that you are to me.

You're a brilliant woman. I know you'll understand. I don't know where I'm going to go. But I know from watching a lot of television that you don't head anywhere for a vision quest, you go where you go and when you're in the right place, there you are. Hopefully I'll see it then, the remedy for my failure as a friend and with time I'll be able to get rid of it. Maybe in a few years I'll come back, maybe I won't. So if I don't, I want to tell you now that you mean the world to me. No matter what happens ever, never doubt that your place in my heart can't be taken over or broken by anything or anyone.

I'm just sorry that I'm not the man yet that you deserve.

Please tell the others that I'll be thinking of them always and that in the future they deserve only the best.

Gar.

And that was it. He had written it carefully and in pen and hadn't made a single mistake…

"Except that he wrote it at all…" Celine whispered.

Celine could see that his Titans' communicator was on the desk and his uniforms were bundled in a pile by the door. Beast King had left the Titans. He had left them with a broken heart and he left another behind.

The tears came with absolutely no restraint. The brown eyed engineer could feel the convulsions choking her through each trail of tears against her cheeks. She had to keep her eyes closed to keep the burn from blinding her. The well written noted was crushed and stained with tears when she dropped her head into her hands.

"This can't be happening… No, I can't… I can't let him do this… not alone… not while he holds my heart in his hands."

Celine wiped her cheek and knew before she could think it what she was going to do.

Only Cyborg and Jinx were in the common room when Celine stormed in holding two communicators in her palm, a pack on her back and a Fire Fly case strapped to her chest. Her eyes scanned the room, in some foolish hope that Beast King was still in the Tower and waiting for her to find him.

"Celine? What's going on?" Cyborg asked.

"Beast King's left the Titans."

"What? Why?"

Celine shook her head; she wasn't going to tell them. "He's gone and I'm going to find him."

"Omicron, you can't!" Cyborg said, coming to stand not inches away from her. The blue eyed crime fighter stared down at the slightly shorter redheaded engineer.

"Don't call me that… and yes I can… and I am. I'm not going to let go again so easily."

"But Celine, we need you."

"No, you don't. Any idiot can run my console and you're all strong enough to fight together without my strategies. You were a strong team before me, you'll be strong when I'm gone." Celine took his wrist and dropped the two communicators into his hand. The cybernetic Titan looked down at them both then looked into both of her brown eyes.

"What about Blood?"

"You don't need me… she can tell you more about him than I can." Jinx knew that she was the 'she' Celine had referred to. Whether her sentiments were true or not, she would not say. She wasn't going to say anything at all.

"Celine… I'm sorry." Cyborg said, knowing what Celine knew and knowing that there was no point explaining what she already understood.

"Yeah… but we haven't lost just yet… I think we just picked the wrong battle this time."

Cyborg nodded. Celine turned her head to see Jinx, eye to eye. "Give him the best of what you've got. I'm sure he deserves it."

And then she turned and she was gone before Cyborg could close his hand around her communicator.

"And there she goes… out of my life again… This time… maybe it really is for the best."

…

He woke up naked as the day he was born and probably more vulnerable. It was early morning, very early morning as far as he could tell. The window of her room faced east and when the sunlight came; it came through untinted windows and streamed across his face.

He raised an arm to shield his eyes; his mask had been discarded sometime in the middle of last night. He didn't think to look for it. There was no hiding his identity, not from her, not from anyone in the tower. So he leaned on one elbow, in her bed with the sun in his eyes until he could block it out.

He could see her silhouette, though he would have preferred waking up with her in his arms, like he had done yesterday and all the days before since they had returned to the tower two months ago.

"We're going to have to go soon." She said.

"What?"

"I saw it in my mind. We stopped Washu's plot, but we haven't stopped Washu and until we do---"

"Nothing is safe."

He climbed out of bed. He made his way to her, his arms wrapping around her shoulders, his chest rested against her back, his chin fell into the hollow of her shoulder.

"Richard…"

"Raven, has it happened? Have you felt it inside you at all?"

"What?" Raven asked.

"You told me about the parts of your mind, about losing HOPE… with everything that's happened, I just wanted to know if it could happen again for you?"

"I wish my mirror wasn't broken… I could show you."

"Just tell me." He replied.

"Parts of me are shifting, some identities are missing and some are becoming me… Brave and Knowledge are both a part of me…"

"What will it take to get hope and joy and happiness to be part of you?"

"Time. Patience. You. More time, I suppose."

"You have me, no matter what, and all that I can give you."

"I know, Richard. I know that all the way to my soul."

"Raven, when this is over, will you marry me?"

Raven nodded without hesitation. Nightwing sighed contently and closed his eyes. "I've had the ring ready for six years."

"Six years?"

"I brought it on Tameran, when we were just kids… I had brought it as a promise ring."

"There is no greater promise is there?"

"No. We're going to win this Raven and we're going to make sure that we never have to be afraid again, never have to be separated again, never hurt this way again."

Raven closed her eyes and nodded, her chest rising and falling in perfect rhythm with him. They stood there for a very long time watching the sun rise higher and higher into the air. The sunlight spilled over the water in just the way that made the reflection shimmer in a golden color that tugged at their heartstrings.

…

When Raven and Nightwing entered the common room, all the Titans were there: Cyborg, Bumble Bee, Tempest, Starfire, Jinx, Arsenal, Blackfire, Sakura and Foxfire.

"Raven. Nightwing. You are… okay?"

Raven nodded. "As we can be."

Sakura stood up from her seat and ran to the pair, not stopping until she could grabbed them both in a fierce hug.

"Sakura?" Nightwing patted his sister's back as he felt the smallest tremor run through her frame.

The black haired girl pulled back and saw the worry in Raven's eyes and the confusion in the features of her Dear Brother. "Itsumo tatsu." She said simply.

Raven knitted her brow. Nightwing understood.

"So what happens now?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

His voice could haunt their nightmares. His face could tear about their dreams. They all turned at that same moment and saw that same dark figure.

"Slade."

"Yes. I must commend you Titans for… modifying our plans. You are quite formidable opponents. But I would recommend against allowing a single victory to inspire any confidence… especially not if you knew what we were up to now."

"Now?"

"You think it's over? You think we're through? We're never through Raven… Nightwing… Sakura… It is never over. The Syndicate has plans and you will submit to them, no matter how many more have to die. I am waiting… Washu is waiting… Terra is waiting to tear you all apart. This time I think we'll let her. Come Raven, come Jinx, come Nightwing and Sakura. Leave the others behind or let them come to die, it doesn't matter. Just come."

"We're gonna come, Slade, and you're gonna get a fight!"

"I'd expect nothing less. And I've chosen… a most fitting arena." Slade tapped his forehead, right at the mark of Scath. "Tomorrow, Raven, let them lead the way." ⁸

Slade's image disappeared, the screen faded to black. Collectively their fists unfurled. Their bodies relaxed, their blood cooled down. They turned to Raven.

"Do you know where he meant?"

Raven nodded. "And tomorrow we're going go there."

"We're… we're behind you guys no matter where this goes." Cyborg said.

"It goes to the end…"

End of Chapter Fifteen.

A/N

¹Think Street Fighter 2: Chun-li's upside down spin kick, but Robin is on his hands rather than spinning midair. Or think of Hot Spot's upside down kick from Winner Take All. Robin is known for taking other people's moves.

²Julia Chang's outrigger. Such a ridiculously sweet move.

³Ah, Canon.

⁴ Roleinen is Celine plus Robin. This is what Jinx was trying to tell Celine in FarCry part Six.

⁵That flashback takes place right before Nevermore. A bit unnecessary, but fun nonetheless.

⁶Terra's line from Aftershock part two: sounds a lot better when one of the good guys says it.

⁷That was a lot to ingest but the major gist of it is that a very tiny fraction of Nightwing is angel. He's not going to sprout wings or develop super powers, his version of Holy (Hope) is unusable in him. He doesn't control it. It's a part of him and it's responsible for a lot of things. His life energy is gold, just like the color of Hope. It's also why it's very difficult to kill him, his strength of will (hope) protects his life. His strength of will gives life to others. Hope and Holy are different even though they're the same power; the difference is what is different between Sakura and Nightwing. Raven's energy isn't a countering force to Hope, only to Holy. It's why Akane could exist, because technically she's a product of Robin's Hope (but she's not biologically related to him.)

⁸ Can you guess where they're going?