Disclaimer: The Teen Titans and associated characters are the property of DC Comics and AOL Time Warner. This story is being written for entertainment purposes only. No profit is being sought and no Copyright infringement is intended.
Acknowledgments:
At long last, my computer functions again! Joy! Once again, I'll be able to communicate fully with you, gentle readers. And my gratitude, as always, to all who read and reviewed the previous chapter.
For this chapter, I have a trio of lovely ladies to thank:
CalliopeMused, ever the faithful friend, who was always there, even throughout the period in which I had only limited contact, providing her thoughts and support. She always kept me going, even when things got real tough. I'm in her debt, as always.
Vixxelinn once again provided her pre-reading services and suggestions, and also managed to lighten the mood, when I was feeling the crunch. Thanks, kiddo, and it's great to be back.
And, last but not least, I wish to dedicate this chapter to my friend and fellow author Kayasuri-n, who was always there by my side, ready with a kind word, and the threat of sudden violence.
Be warned... darkness ahead.
CHAPTER 8: SYMMETRY
The day was dawning bright and clear over Jump City as Raven made her way to the roof of Titan's Tower, one of her customary retreats for meditation. The roof was one of the few places she could usually be assured of a modicum of privacy while trying to quiet her mind. And while her room certainly did provide solitude, there was something about being out of doors that seemed to be calm her. Ascending the short flight of stars that led to the top of the Tower, the dark empath opened the door and walked out onto the sunny rooftop. Despite the bright sun, it was still early enough to be cool outside, which was to Raven's liking. It was difficult to clear one's head when one was bathed in perspiration.
As she walked to her favorite place, facing away from the city, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax. As she felt herself begin to float up into the air slightly, she folded her legs beneath her and took deep, cleansing breaths. Eyes still closed, she began the process of 'disconnecting' herself from the world around her. All of the stresses, care, and concerns of the last few days were allowed to slip away as she entered her meditative trance.
I needed this, badly, she thought to herself as her mind continued to relax. Especially after yet another sleepless night. As tired as I was, you'd think I wouldn't have tossed and turned the way I did. I'm starting to think that Cyborg will become a vegan before I ever see a good night's sleep again...
"Raven?"
Her musings were interrupted by Beastboy's voice. She cracked open her eyes and turned to glare in the direction of her teammate, standing behind her. The irritation she felt at being disturbed was stifled by the waves of nervousness she felt coming from the changeling. She had promised to help him, after all. "What's the matter?"
"Something… happened last night," he said, "While I was sleeping. I had a strange dream. Well, actually, I've been having strange dreams for a little while now, but this was… I don't know how to explain it." Raven could feel his anxiety rising as he spoke. Something had him pretty spooked.
"Well, try. I can't help you very much unless you tell me something," Raven lowered herself to the ground and stood to face him.
Beastboy shifted nervously. "Ummm… okay, ya see, in the dreams I've been having, I've had this odd sort of feeling like… " he paused, seeming to grope for the proper words, ".. Like I wasn't me, if that makes any sense."
"…Okay…"
"It's hard to explain. I was in some sort of unfamiliar place, and the person I was wasn't Beastboy. Like I was living another person's life, or something."
"Alright, I get the idea." Raven thought a moment. "These dreams, were they frightening, like nightmares?"
"Not really," he replied, "They could get kind of intense, but not exactly scary. But that's not exactly the issue here."
"Then what?" She was puzzled. "Who was this person you were, in your dreams?"
The green boy stood staring at her, biting his lower lip worriedly.
"Beastboy?" she said in concern.
He took a deep breath, as if gathering his courage. "A-After last night's dream, I realized what was going on. They weren't dreams, at all. They were memories.
"Your memories, Raven."
She felt as if her heart had tuned to stone. "What?" she gasped.
"I was you… and you were so young, like, just a kid. You were still on Azarath, I guess. There were a bunch of adults around, and they all seemed to be upset with you, about something you did." He paused and closed his eyes. "And I saw your mother."
Raven could only stare at him, mouth slightly agape.
Beastboy continued, "She said something about you needing to learn control, or something. And she gave you that creepy portal-mirror-thing."
Raven lowered her eyes. "Mother…" Her mind hadn't been in such turmoil since her father had tried to use her to destroy the world.
Beastboy looked at her with concern clear on his face. "Raven? Are you all right?"
She could feel her chest tightening as she attempted to choke down all the feelings within her that were threatening to burst forth. She knew that this wasn't his fault, but that didn't make things any easier.
"Raven, talk to me, please!" Beastboy implored. "I want to help you find out what's going on here…" She felt his hand touch her shoulder as he spoke.
She flinched at the contact, and a tendril of black energy leapt forth from her, striking the ground with a loud bang several yards away and leaving a small crater in the concrete surface of the roof. Shocked at her momentary lapse of control, Raven backed away from the changeling slowly.
"Rae, it's alright!" Beastboy's voice held a frantic note as she continued to retreat. "We can help each other, can't we?"
Raven felt her mouth working, but the words wouldn't come. She knew she was acting irrationally, but reason had left her. Finally, she was able to speak.
"I-I can't deal with this, not now…" She had drawn her cloak around her, as if she could somehow hide within.
But it's too late to hide, a voice within seemed to say to her. He's seen into your very mind.
Beastboy continued to advance on her. "Raven… please just calm down and let me help you with this!"
Gaining control of her long enough to harness a small portion of her power, Raven spoke to him, as she phased her body through the rooftop.
"You can't help me. I'm sorry…"
His sad face was the last thing she saw as she escaped into the Tower below.
Raven slid though the ceiling of her room and descended to the floor, barely aware of her surroundings. Feeling numb to her very core, she staggered over to her bed, and sat down, eyes staring at nothing in particular.
How did this happen? How did he see? I don't even want to remember growing up, myself, and now Beastboy gets front-row seats. How am I going to deal with this?
Raven rested her head in her hands as she considered the problem, finding comfort in trying to think her way through her difficulties. Sometimes, it was just easier to think, than to feel. Feelings could be quite dangerous for her, not to mention those around her.
Oh, Beastboy…
She couldn't help but remember the crestfallen look on her teammate's face as she fled his presence.
If I know him half as well as I think I do, he's probably looking for a way to blame himself right now. And none of this is his fault.
As she continued to consider the situation, a glint of light from an object on her dresser caught her eye.
No, this is my problem, and I'm going to deal with it. Right now...
Raven rose to her feet, walked to her dresser, and took up the magical mirror, preparing herself for the journey into her inner realm.
Wisdom sat in her customary place, beneath the enormous tree within Raven's mind, not meditating for once, but simply thinking. Indeed, the calmness needed for meditation would be difficult for the brown-cloaked mental aspect to achieve, given the recent turmoil within the psyche of the half-demon girl. Since Wisdom was the nexus of all of Raven's emotional aspects, it fell to her to act as a mediator between them whenever a crisis erupted. And after the events of that morning, she had been most busy.
Were I a human, I'd need about three aspirin and a nice long nap, right now. They're so much like children, sometimes, not that I can exclude myself from that description. Of course, Raven herself is scarcely more than a child.
Almost as soon as she thought of the empathic girl, a huge wave of black energy, in the shape of a bird, swooped down from the starry skies above, landing on the ground nearby. The dark form collapsed upon itself and vanished, leaving Raven standing before her, a scowl upon her face.
Indeed, not much more than a child…
Wisdom sighed. "How disappointing. Just because you're upset doesn't mean you must resort to vulgar displays of power to try to intimidate me."
Raven continued to glare at her. "What's going on in here?"
"Ah, yes, things have been a bit chaotic, lately. Just this morning, I had to diffuse a situation with Rage and Happy. You're wound tight as a guitar string, dear." She thought for a moment. "I've heard that there are decaffeinated teas that taste almost as good as the real thing… perhaps you should look into that," she said nonchalantly.
Wisdom could almost hear Raven's teeth gritting. "I need answers, Wisdom. Beastboy's been seeing into my memories, and I know this must have something to do with me. So, start talking."
Wisdom stood and met her glare with an even gaze. "Not until you take a deep breath and calm down. Really, you should know better that to behave this way. You're just making things harder on everyone in here. I can help you get to the bottom of this, but I need to be sure you won't go off like a bomb first."
Raven frowned even deeper momentarily, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Very well. What's been happening in here? I need to know how Beastboy was able to see into my mind."
"It's all pretty logical, if you think about it. You know how you've been looking into Beastboy's mind, while he sleeps? It seems that he's been simply looking back though this 'window' you've established with him, and seeing your memories in a manner similar to how you've been looking at his. Knowledge told me that this is called Unity, by the mystics of some cultures." Wisdom smiled. "She's evidentially been researching this for some time. Give her a conundrum, and she's like a girl with a new doll."
Raven shook her head. "That doesn't make sense. I've studied Unity links. He shouldn't be able to look back through that sort on link, unless he had psychic abilities of his own. And he doesn't; if he were a latent telepath, I'd have sensed it by now. The onset of those powers is puberty, at the latest."
"True," Wisdom agreed, "A normal person couldn't look back through the link, unless their mind was being drawn in by the psychic that established the link in the first place."
"Wait a minute… you're saying I'm inviting him into my head?"
"Pretty much, yes."
"You've got to be kidding," Raven stated flatly. "Why on earth would I do something like that? You know how I don't like people involving themselves in my life. You're me, after all."
"You're doing it because you want to, dear. Remember what I said to you when you last came here, about how your mind desired to bring you closer to your friends, especially Beastboy? This is part of that, I'd conjecture. After all, it would hardly be fair for you to simply take things from his mind, and not give in return, now would it? It's like in alchemy: Equivalent Exchange. Nothing can be taken, without something equal being given in return. At least, that's how many of us in here look at it."
Raven's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Is that how you look at it?"
Wisdom looked at her, slightly amused. "You should hardly need to ask that question. I am you, after all."
The empath sat down at the foot of the tree with a sigh, lowering her hood as she pressed a hand to her forehead wearily. "Whatever. So, now the question is, how do I stop this?"
Wisdom sat next to her, looking at her very intently. "Do you really want to? Do you really want to stop sharing yourself with him? Think about this – all your life, you've wanted someone to understand, someone to listen, and someone to stand by you. You may have that now."
"With Beastboy? You're making it sound like I'm in love with him, or something."
"You're not?" Wisdom asked directly. Raven opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Wisdom before she could utter a word.
"Think before you answer, dear. You know you can't lie to me."
Raven's mouth hung open a second, then she bowed her head. "I don't know. Possibly. He can be annoying, but he can be nice, as well. It's just… I've never been in that sort of… condition, before. I mean, there was Malchior, but that was-"
"That was infatuation, Raven," Wisdom said firmly. "That's nothing like love. Malchior seemed perfect, because he was lying to you. Beastboy has his faults, but, sometimes, I think we love people in spite of their faults, or in an odd way, maybe even because of them."
Raven spent several moments staring off into the distance, as if lost in thought. Finally she spoke in a quiet voice, almost a whisper.
"I… want to know what that's like. Feeling that way about someone, I mean. And Beastboy… I guess… I like him," she said.
Wisdom smiled warmly. "There. That's what I've been telling you about. Admitting you have feelings is the first step to coming to terms with them. You've been observing life for so long, Raven. It's time for you to live, too."
Wisdom thought for a moment. "I have an idea that might help you. I'll go talk to the other parts of your psyche, and see if maybe we can put an end to the whole 'dream-vision' business that's been going on. This might be easier if you take steps to deal with things on your end."
"Meaning?"
"Talk to him, Raven. If you start sharing things with him of your own accord, then the sharing through Unity may very well cease. It simply won't be necessary any more. Fulfill you desires consciously, and you won't try to do so, unconsciously."
Raven rose to her feet. "I'll try."
Wisdom rose next to her. "That's all that's really necessary. And you'd better get going. No doubt he's off moping right now, and he's had it rough enough lately."
"Alright. Thank you" Raven pulled her hood up and walked away, towards the Forbidden Door.
Wisdom watched her leave then turned back to the tree. "You can come out, now," she said.
"Is she gone?" called a tiny voice from behind the tree.
"Yes, dear. It's okay, now."
Slowly, a gray-cloaked figure crept out from behind the huge trunk, shyly peeking out with huge eyes from beneath her hood. "She's angry, isn't she?" Her voice quavered with fear.
Wisdom put an arm around her sister-aspect. "Raven isn't angry. She was just a little upset, that's all. She doesn't deal with surprises very well.
Timid seemed to calm somewhat, "Alright... so, she's not going to hurt you, for letting Beastboy see into her mind?"
Wisdom smiled. "No, little sister. And even if she was mad, sometimes, the risks are justified by the rewards. Trust me, this will all work out, and she'll thank me later, in any case."
Night had fallen, and Beastboy paced on the roof of the Tower, unable to shake his unease. Raven hadn't shown for dinner. Which in itself, was not terribly unusual; Raven sometimes would barely make an appearance for days on end. The Titans had learned early on that the empath was profoundly private, and had come to respect that need for solitude. Even Beastboy had, after some blood-curdling threats to his person. They always had dinner around the same time. If she wanted to join them, she would. If not, they didn't take offense.
This time was different, however. Beastboy had figured she needed space after he had told her of his nocturnal visions, that wasn't surprising. Still, her distress, and her flight from him that morning had alarmed him.
I thought we were past all that, Raven. All the secrets...
He had knocked on her door, several hours later, hoping she was calm enough for talk. There was no response, which meant either she was ignoring him, or she had fled somewhere. And if she didn't want to be found, she wouldn't be.
As he paced back and forth on the roof, lost in his musings, a soft voice spoke.
"Beastboy?"
He turned, and saw Raven standing outlined against the lights of the city across the water. Uncharacteristically, her hood was down, showing a nervous look on her delicate features.
"Raven! Are you okay? I-I was so worried about you! Listen, I'm so sorry about this morning I-"
"It's alright, Beastboy," she cut off the babbling young man. "Actually, I need to apologize to you. I shouldn't have ducked you, the way I did. You didn't do anything wrong. Actually, it's kinda my own fault that you... saw what you saw."
"Hey... that's alright. I was just worried that you'd run away, or something," Beastboy said to her, concerned.
"No, I just had to sort out what had happened. So, I spent some time in my mind, getting answers. When I got back, I kind of needed to get out of the tower for a while. I wandered about town, and ended up at the old Library."
"The one with where Trigon-?" Beastboy thought better of finishing the question.
"That's the one. Anyway I.. uh..." she suddenly seemed tentative. "I... found this." She stepped closer, and held out her hand. On her palm, a familiar copper coin glinted in the moonlight.
Beastboy stared at it, surprised. "Is that the penny that I gave you 'for luck'?"
She nodded. "Mmm hmm, and I guess it worked. Here, you should take it, for now. For luck." She held it out to him, and he took it from her hand, which he was surprised to note trembled ever so slightly. "It's a little battered, but it went through a lot." She laughed softly. "Kinda like us."
He chuckled as well, as he idly turned the penny over in his hand. "Sentimental, Raven?"
Her lips curled into a near imperceptible smirk, as she came to stand next to him. "Just keep that to yourself. So... a penny for your thoughts?"
"Huh?" Beastboy was somewhat confused by his teammate's behavior. She was nervous, that was plain; her demeanor reflected tumultuous thoughts, yet she also seemed strangely bold.
"I want to know what you're doing up here," Raven stated with exaggerated patience.
"Oh, I uh... tried to find you earlier. I was worried that I'd done something wrong, telling you that stuff about the dreams. I never meant to hurt ya, Raven..."
"I know. And like I said before, it's all right. I did kinda freak out on you, but it's not your fault, at all." She sat down near the edge of the Tower, looking out into the night. "It's only fair... I did see your past, too. I've got no right to be upset about this."
Beastboy sat down by her side. "So, anyway, do you want to talk about it? What's happened, I mean."
Raven frowned a little. "It actually is sort of logical. I shouldn't have been so surprised by it. Quite simply, the same thing that allows me to see into your mind, while it's resting, allows you to see into mine. You've been seeing my past, as I have seen yours."
Beastboy nodded. "It does make sense, doesn't it? But what I'm really interested in, is what happened, back when you were a kid... If you want to tell me, that is. If not, it's okay..."
Raven chewed her lower lip, and she seemed to consider her response. After a moment, she spoke. "My childhood, it wasn't... normal. I mean, I wasn't a normal girl, and the other kids, they were less than understanding about my circumstances. Children can be the cruelest people, sometimes. I'm sure you can relate to that."
Beastboy nodded sadly, remembering his own hardships. "Yep."
Raven continued, "Long story short, I was being teased, about the way I looked, by a bunch of kids, and, I just lost it."
"Good. They deserved it."
She smiled a little. "Your lust for vengeance is oddly touching, but, I managed not to hurt anyone. My powers did go haywire, though, and there was... some property damage."
"I take it we're talking about something pretty big here..." Beastboy guessed.
"Actually, I blew the roof off of a small nearby building. Fortunately, the pieces were too small to cause injuries."
"Yeah, that sounds like the Raven I know, " he said, "But, what was with that woman... your mother, right?"
Raven nodded, her expression grave. "That was Arella, yes."
"Wait a minute," Beastboy interjected, "I thought your mom's name was Angela?"
"Yes, that was her name, but when she went to Azarath, the people who dwelt there gave her a new name, Arella. It means 'Messenger Angel.' Perhaps the new name was supposed to be symbolic of her beginning a new life, or whatever."
Beastboy frowned. "'Angel,' huh? Sure didn't seem like she was very nice to you."
"She never was, Beastboy. She wasn't allowed to be. From the moment of my birth, Azar sensed the nature of my powers, how they were tied to my emotions. She knew that there would problems if I was allowed to experience too much, or feel too much, so, it was forbidden for anyone to show any emotion towards me."
"Raven, you're telling me that no one was allowed to be your friend? That you weren't given any love, not even from your own mother?"
"...Basically."
Beastboy was aghast. "That's terrible! How could they do that to a child! How could your mother allow them to make her do that!"
"She didn't have much choice," Raven replied in her usual monotone. "If it wasn't for the Monks of Azarath, things would've been much worse. And as it turns out, Azar was right about me; if those kids had just left me alone, like everyone else did, I never would have had my 'accident,' and gotten in trouble in the first place."
"That doesn't make it right, Raven. Did your mother ever make the attempt to get to know you?"
"No, I think I brought back too many bad memories for her. After the 'incident,' I was sent off to be personally tutored by Azar, at the temple. So, that's pretty much how I became the person I am today."
Beastboy turned to look directly at her, and saw the conflicting feelings within her, just beneath the surface. He now understood: All the icy reserve and dry wit of the girl he knew, they were defenses, armor against the things that would hurt her, and by extension, cause her to hurt others. But, they were only a tiny fraction of the true person underneath. But as they sat there, he could see a ghost of that person, and found himself captivated by that shy, vulnerable girl.
"Raven, no matter what happened, it's all in the past. And no matter what people told you then, you are a wonderful person. We all care about you, and we will always be there for you. You're a terrific, brave girl, and the best friend anyone could have."
Raven took her gaze from the water far below them, and looked at him searchingly, not saying a word. When she spoke at last her words were whisper soft.
"Thank you, Beastboy."
He smiled broadly in return. "Anytime, Raven."
Their eyes remained locked for a long moment, then she looked back out over the bay, with a slight smile on her face. "We do seem to be having an awful lot of these... moments lately, don't we?"
"Yeah, but I don't mind it, do you?"
She said nothing, and continued to look away. Beastboy turned his eyes back out over the dark waters, sitting next to his teammate quietly. As he sat, he felt a soft, tentative touch on the back of his hand, which rested on the hard concrete between them. He looked down, and saw Raven's hand, lightly touching his. The gesture was halting, as if she were unsure how it would be received. He looked up at her face, and, even though she still looked away, he could see the trepidation on her features.
He turned his hand over, and gently cradled hers, amazed at how delicate and soft it felt. She seemed tense at first, but hecould feelher relax as he enfolded her hand in his.
As they sat, hand in hand, she spoke quietly.
"No, I don't think I mind the moments at all. Thank you... Garfield."
Beastboy felt his heart skip a beat, at hearing her use his proper name, so affectionately. He'd need to have surgery to have his smile removed, at this rate.
"Anytime, Raven."
Both wanting the moment to last, they continued to sit together quietly, holding each other's hand, not feeling the need for any more words.
Far below, on the shore of the rocky isle, a pair of figures stood, hiding behind a large boulder, to avoid detection by the heroes in the tower. The larger of the two figures peered up at the Tower, and spoke to his companion in his gutteral voice.
"Are we really gonna do this, Gizmo? Attack the Tower?"
Gizmo shook his head. "Nah, you pit-sniffer, we're here to have a picnic. Of course we are! That's the plan."
"Uh... I'm not so sure about this, though. Last time we took over the Tower, the Titans stomped us."
A tall figure emerged from the shadows behind them. "Then you'll have to do better this time, won't you?" The voice was dangerously quiet.
Both of the former H.I.V.E. teenagers froze at the words from 'Gilgamesh,' their mysterious patron, who had elected to lead this operation personally, much to their discomfort. Gizmo, despite his small stature, could never be accused of being a coward; he had faced the Titans and many other heroes many times, and was unafraid to go toe-to-toe with any of therm. However, he would freely admit being scared to death of their superior. And finding out his identity had done nothing to relieve his fears; in fact, it only made them worse. Clearly, failure was not an option, this time.
"Are the preparations complete?" the shadowy figure addressed Gizmo now.
"Umm, yessir. I've slipped the Trojan horse programs into the Titans computers, and I've set up the jammers around the perimeter of the island. As soon as we're ready, I'll start 'em up, and those crud-munchers will be completely in the dark, and unable to call each other for assistance."
"And the security protocols?"
"I've already put the overides in; stupid Cyborg needs to update his firewalls more often. All the door codes will be turned off. We'll be able to move freely."
Their leader nodded his approval. "Has your surveillance been able to determine the locations of the Titans?"
"Yeah, Cyborg's in his room, recharging. Bird-boy and the redhead are in the living area. The Elf and the Goth are on the roof."
"Very well. Upon entry, head to the basement, and disable the Tower's backup power generator, then initiate the blackout. Cyborg will be your priority, Gizmo. Mammoth, the Alien is your primary target. If Robin is still with her, he is your responsibility as well. Take them alive, if possible. I have a purpose for them. Once they are subdued, bring them to me."
Mammoth spoke up. "Then Beastboy and Raven-"
"Are mine."
Raven had to admit to herself, it felt good.
Over the years, she had conditioned herself to believe that her emotions were dangerous to herself, and others. She had dedicated large portions of her time and energy into stifling her feelings. But, at this moment, as she sat next to Beastboy, their hands still intertwined, she couldn't deny the feelings inside of her.
And she was alright, surprisingly. No loss of control, no powers causing random destruction. Just a comforting warmth inside of her.
She glanced over at her companion, and saw a similar contentment on his face. None of his usual nervous energy, just a small, placid smile. It made her feel good to know that she was the reason for that.
She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Hey."
He looked at her and his smile grew "Hey yourself. What's up?"
"Well, it's not that I'm not enjoying this or anything, but, maybe it's time to head inside. It's starting to get chilly, and this outfit's not the warmest thing to wear." She looked down at her bare legs, noting the goosebumps on her pale skin.
He chuckled. "Point taken. I was starting to get hungry, anyway."
"Starting to? When are you not hungry?"
"When I'm sleeping."
Raven shook her head, still smiling, "Okay. So... you mind if I join you?" She was proud that her nervousness didn't seem to show in her voice, as she asked.
He was positively beaming now "Sure! I'll... uh, try to tone down on the tofu for y-" He paused suddenly, and one of his pointed ears seeming to perk up a bit, and his face became intent.
Raven was curious. "What?"
"It's nothing... I just thought I heard something." He turned to peer back over his shoulder. Suddenly his eyes widened.
"Raven! Look ou-"
There was a soft hissing sound, then his words were cut off in a strangled gasp. Raven felt his hand tighten briefly around hers, then go limp as he slumped over onto the hard concrete.
"Beastboy!" Raven cried out to him in alarm, still holding his hand as he fell. She leaned over to look at him, feeling panic beginning to claw at her heart.
In the faint illumination provided by the full moon above, the empath could see a shiny glint of medal, projecting form the changeling's neck. It was a dart, its needle tip cruelly lodged in the boy's throat. He was still breathing, albeit shallowly, and his opened eyes seemed to be glazing over. He still seemed to be aware of her, and his mouth worked, as if to speak, but, no words issued from him.
In her worry over her teammate's condition, Raven didn't notice the footsteps that approached them.
"Hello, dear child. So nice to see you again." The voice was velvet soft, yet filled with malevolence.
Raven shot to her feet, embracing her dark powers. She knew that voice all to well.
"Slade!" She could feel rage beginning to boil within her, despite her efforts at control.
The villain was revealed as he stepped forward, the dim ambient light gleaming on his metallic armor. From the depths of his mask, his single eye peered at her in undisguised disdain. In his hand was a strange looking pistol, a noise suppressor affixed to its muzzle. He holstered the weapon as he spoke.
"Don't worry about your friend, Raven. The toxin is a fast-acting muscle relaxant, completely temporary. I want him alive, after all." His voice was matter-of-fact. "I'd ask you to surrender and come quietly, but we know each other too well for that, don't we?"
Raven replied to his words with a blast of dark energy, which Slade dodged easily with his superhuman reflexes. Her anger increased, as she continued to send wave after wave of her magic at him, none of which made contact. Raven could've used her flight abilities to give her a better angle of attack on her agile adversary, but, this would mean abandoning her position between Beastboy and Slade, and she dared not expose him. Protecting him was all that mattered.
"Leave him alone Slade!" Her voice was a harsh growl.
"Temper, temper, child," Slade's voice taunted her, "What would your father think?"
"Shut up!" Raven knew that the villain was deliberately goading her, causing her to lash out without control, but, she couldn't contain her anger, despite her best efforts. Her eyes glowed red with demonic fury.
She slashed out with a knife-like motion of her right hand, and a blade of black light burst forth, catching Slade on his left forearm. He registered no pain, however, as he spun away from the brunt of her attack, and with asmooth motion, drew small cylindrical object from his belt. With a click, the object extended to a 6 foot metal Bo staff, similar to Robin's weapon of choice.
"It's time to finish this, Raven." With shocking speed, he dashed forward. Raven countered his advance with a beam of dark magic, that missed as Slade suddenly changed his path of advance. Leaping high into the air,he launched a huge overhand staff strike at her head, which Raven ducked easily. However, the attack was merely a feint. As soon as he landed, he twisted his body gracefully, and continued the momentum of his missed head-strike, but altered the point of aim lower, and his staff caught Raven on the unprotected side of her right knee with a sharp crack.
Crying out, Raven fell to the ground, the tremendous pain keeping her from focusing her mind enough to use her powers. She was helpless. She had gotten angry, and careless. And as a consequence, she was beaten.
As she lay on the ground, clutching her injured leg, her eyes still glowed with crimson light as Slade approached her. He looked down at her, still holding his staff in one hand.
"Pity, child. I expected more from you." The end of his staff flicked towards her head, lightning-fast, and all was blackness for her.
Slowly, light returned to Cyborg's sight. Dim, red light.
Emergency lighting...What? What happened, where am I?
He looked about, and found that he was in the Common room of the tower, lying on the floor in front of the couch. His limbs were bound tightly with titanium cable.
"What's going on?" he said aloud, as he vainly attempted to struggle to his feet, finding the cables too secure. He tried to activate his sonic canon, and found it nonfunctional.
"We were attacked, Cyborg." Robin's voice was grim.
"Rob!" Cyborg managed to struggle to his knees, and saw that their leader was in a similar situation to his, bound, and with his utility belt missing. Next to him, Starfire lay, also bound, and apparently unconscious. Raven was also nearby, bound, gagged, and with a nasty bruise on her forehead, right beside her red chakra gem.
"Robin, is Star alright?"
Robin's voice was sad. "She's been drugged, Cy. After Mammoth jumped us, they gave her something to keep her under. She never even got a chance to fight. They must have took you out while you were recharging."
"Mammoth? You mean the H.I.V.E. dorks did this? Took us down like punks?"
Robin's eyes narrowed behind his mask. "They had help."
"Who?"
Just then, the door to the room hissed open, and Slade strode in, flanked by Mammoth and Gizmo. Mammoth carried Beastboy's limp form in his massive arms.
"Hello, Titans." Slade's voice was almost genial.
"Slade!" Cyborg once again struggled ineffectively against his bonds.
"Save your strength, Cyborg." Slade looked over at Mammoth. "Place him on the couch. Gizmo, the collar..."
Gizmo snapped to attention. "Yessir!" The diminutive villain reached into his backpack and removed a device that resembled an animal collar with an electronic device affixed to one side. Along the inside, Cyborg could see numerous small needles projecting from the surface. Gizmo handed the device to Slade.
As Mammoth set Beastboy down upon the couch, Slade bent over him and attached the collar, which hung loosely about his slender neck.
"What do you want with him, Slade?" Robin's voice shook with rage. Beside him. Raven looked on, with fear in her eyes. She looked as if she wished to call out, but the gag prevented her saying anything, or using her magic words.
"I don't want this insignificant boy for anything, Robin," Slade's voice dripped with contempt. "It is what resides within him that intrigues me." He turned back to Gizmo. "Give me the nanomachine injection." Gizmo handed him a large hypodermic needle, filled with a clear solution. Slade then looked at Mammoth "Restrain him."
Mammoth put his huge hands on the changeling's arms, pinning them to the couch. Slade leaned forward, and inserted the large needle into the side of Beastboy's neck.
When the injection was completed, Slade and Mammoth drew back, and regarded the boy. "He seems to be relatively unharmed. We can begin." Slade then touched a button on a device mounted on one of his wristbands, and the collar about the boy's neck constricted about his throat tightly, driving the tiny needles into his flesh.
With a startled shout, the boy sprang to wakefulness, thrashing about in pain. "Aaaagh!" He clawed momentarily at the collar, but then, painful muscular spasms seemed to overtake him, and he fell to the ground, convulsing in agony. In time, his paroxysms seemed to tire him out, and he fell to his knees.
"The nanomachines are working, Slade?" Even the small criminal seemed disturbed by what he was seeing.
"Yes, Gizmo. I now have direct control over his nervous system. He cannot shapeshift, except at my bidding. You two may go search the tower... take any items you wish." The two teenage villains left the room.
Beastboy seemed to come to his senses, and looked about the room. He saw his fellow Titans. "R-Raven! Guys! What's going on here?" He tried to get to his feet anddash to his friends, but another series of convulsions seemed to overtake him.
Cyborg felt his heart fall at the sight of his friend's struggles. "BB! Calm down, man... we're ok." This wasn't exactly true, but, the last thing the shapeshifter needed was something else to worry about.
"This will be less painful if you co-operate, Beastboy." Slade's voice was like ice, as he regarded the scene dispassionately. He turned to face his captive audience. "Recently, you Titans stopped an operation that the H.I.V.E. Children were carrying out on my behalf. At first, I was annoyed at this setback, but then, I happened to see something that intrigued me. Your small comrade, here. Or rather, what he's capable of becoming."
He turned to look at Cyborg. "I must thank you for entering such detailed notes into your databases, Cyborg. I never would have been able devise this plan without them."
Cyborg felt his blood boiling with anger, both at Slade, and himself.
"What I plan to do is simple," Slade continued, "I'm going to use the nanomachine neural interface that Gizmo procured from S.T.A.R. Labs to control the Beast that dwells within this boy. He could make quite a useful tool, don't you think? Powerful, yet, obedient. And, I do admit, I will enjoy watching the Titans be destroyed by one of their own."
Beastboy's lips drew back from his teeth in a animalistic snarl. "Slade...!" The rest of the Titans stared on, numb with shock.
"But there is one thing missing from the equation, no?" Slade mused to himself. He walked over to a canvas sack that laid unnoticed nearby and picked it up. "Raven conjectured that there was an emotional component to the appearances of the beast, something to drive him into a state of profound emotional distress. Needless to say, his current situation doesn't seem to be enough. But, not to worry... I've prepared for just such an eventuality."
The criminal mastermind reached into the bag, and withdrew a fairly large, heavy object. "I want you to have something, Beastboy," he said in a deceptively mild voice. "And believe me, giving you this gift is my pleasure, entirely."
He tossed the object to the floor in front of Beastboy, where it landed with a heavy thud. As the young Titan looked down at it, Cyborg could see his eyes widen, and his face contort with pain. He visibly paled, and a scream of pure pain erupted from the boy.
"NO! NO!"
"It begins," Slade noted in satisfaction, as he activated his neural interface again.
Cyborg and the other Titans looked down at the object on the floor, recognizing theform of it in the dim red lighting that suffused the Tower.
There lay the still-petrified head of their former fellow Titan and friend, Terra.
"TERRA!" Beastboy's screams became more and more incoherent, and gradually became bestial roars, as the horrifying change took hold of him.
TO BE CONTINUED...
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
First off, I have to say this. I am not a Terra-hater.
Doing this actually was a little distressing for me, and writing it a little hard to do. But, This all made too much sense to me: a way to cause BB the necessary pain to initiate the change, and it also makes sense, as a way for Slade to wreak his vengeance upon his wayward former apprentice.
Anyway, this was all very dark, I admit, but, sometimes it ain't all roses, kids. The next two chapters, which will be posted simultaneously, will be the final ones of this tale. But, just because it will be an ending, that doesn't mean that it is THE end...
You'll see what I mean, hopefully, sooner than later...
Regards,
The Doctor,
29 January 2006