Chapter 17
A young teenage girl silently roamed the halls of the hive academy. She was dressed in black leather capris, and a black halter top. Her heavy eye liner gave her a creepy gothic look. Everyone who saw her in the hallway moved out of her way, to give her a clear path.
As the goth girl entered the lunchroom, one unfortunate student shot a spitwad at the back of her neck.
"Ha ha, gotcha, ya creepy little-!" The laughing boy fell quiet, as she turned around silently to stare at him.
Her eyes began to glow an eerie green. Suddenly, the boy grabbed grabbed his head, and began to shriek in terror. "Ahhh! The Worms! Get the worms out of my head! THE WOORRRMMMSSS!"
He dropped to the floor, still clutching his head, and screaming.
The girl simply walked on as if nothing had happened.
"Woah! Who was that?" One student sitting at a table asked another.
"That's Phobia." His friend replied "Stay away from her. She's bad news!"
"What'd she do to that guy?" The first one asked.
"She can make people experience their worst fears." The other replied. "I heard Brother Blood found her in France, after she made another girl pass out in terror!"
The first boy shuddered. "Remind me to never piss her off!"
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"How could you do this to me?" Bryon asked Raven in anger. "Why didn't you even ask me first?"
They were in the Tower together. The prince was pacing the floor angrily, while Raven sat sullenly in a chair with her head down.
"Let me get this straight." He growled. "You cast a spell, to bind our souls together for all eternity?"
"-Yes-" she said, speaking directly into his mind. "-I am sorry, Bryon-."
"Did you ever think to check with me?" Geo asked in anger. "To see if it's what I wanted?"
Raven looked up at him, annoyed. "-The spell will not work.-" She told him telepathically. "-Unless both parties are subconsciously willing. This IS what you wanted!-"
The prince stared back at her "Can the spell be reversed?"
She shook her head. "-We have the same soul now, Bryon.-" Raven told him. "-No force in existence can tear us apart!-"
"Look, I need some time alone now, okay?" Geo replied,shaking his head in frustration. "This is a lot to absorb, on top of everything with my sister's return."
Walking over to the window, he flew out into the open sky.
Raven just sat here, letting him go. In the silence that followed his departure, tears began to stream down her face.
She felt more alone than ever.
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"Where could he have gone, man?" Cyborg asked.
"He's got to be around here somewhere!" Robin Replied. "Let's keep looking!"
The two teen heroes were looking for Beast Boy, who had disappeared from the tower after Geo's return. Normally, he would have been at one of his usual hangouts. But they were all gone now, having been torn down to make way for the new shopping complex.
"Maybe he's over at that new vegetarian restaurant." Cy offered. "It's about five blocks from here."
"Okay." Robin Replied. "Let's try there."
As they walked, Cyborg commented. "Hey, you hear about the membership changes in Titans east?"
"Yeah." Robin responded. "I heard Mas and Menos went home to Guatemala."
"Who's replacing them on the team?" Cy asked curiously.
"I heard it's Kid Flash," Rob answered "And some girl named Donna Troy."
"Who is Donna Troy?" Cyborg asked.
Robin just shrugged. "I heard she's Wonder Woman's sidekick, so I guess we could call her Wonder Girl!"
Both Titans laughed at that.
Just then, they came to "Veggie lover's", the new Vegan place. Beast Boy was inside, drowning his troubles in a Tofu shake. The two of them walked in the door, and sat down beside him.
"Hey BB, you ok?" Robin asked him, concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine." The shape shifter replied sullenly.
Cyborg put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Hey, man. We know you're upset about Terra."
"It's not that." BB replied. "It's just..."
"Just what?" Robin urged him. "Beast Boy, we're you friends. Tell us what's bothering you."
"It just... seems so unfair." BB answered finally. "You and Star are Together." Robin blushed at that. "And Geo and Raven have each other." He closed his eyes. "Why does Terra want to pretend she never knew me?"
"She wants a normal life now, BB." Robin shook his head. " She wants to put the past behind her. Things change, people change..."
Beast Boy's fist slammed down on the Table. "I know people and things change!" He yelled. "But she can't run away from her past, she can't run away FROM HER LIFE!"
The three of them sat in silence after that.
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"I heard you wanted to see me."
A voice spoke from the shadows in Brother Blood's office.
"Yes, I've been expecting you." Blood replied, turning toward the voice. "Please, sit down."
"I'd rather stand, thanks." Red X stepped from the shadows. "What do you want of me?"
Brother Blood smiled. "I have a little job I'd like you to do..."
"Does it involve the little project you got Jayce working on in the basement?" Red asked.
Blood looked shocked. "How did you know about-"
"I make it my business to know." Red X said, chuckling. "I want 100 million dollars for whatever your little job is!"
"fifty million." Blood replied sternly
"eighty!" Red shot back.
Blood looked at him darkly. "seventy million! my final offer!"
"Deal." Red X shook with him on it. "Very well, brother Blood. You got yourself a hired lackey."
