Raven leapt into the air, bringing her foot up to attack, searching out Robin as her first victim. The other Titans evaded, Robin readying himself to block Raven's foot as it speed towards him. He brought his staff up to do so, only to have Raven strike it, shattering it into two halves, and forcing him backwards on his feet several feet. Robin tossed the broken halves of his staff to his sides, while Raven had landed and continued her attack. Before Robin could go on the offensive, Raven struck again, landing a combination of hits on Robin that sent him to the ground. Raven focused her attention from Robin over to Cyborg, who was attempting to take her down with his Sonic Cannon. Just as he fired, she ducked, sliding up to him as she ran, and delivered a devastating uppercut, sending Cyborg several feet up into the air before landing on his back, creating a crater in the roof. Raven flinched as she felt the burning sensation of being struck with one of Starfire's weaker Starbolt blasts, turning to see the source. Starfire hovered in the air, charged up and ready to continue her attack, but hesitated.
"Friend Raven," she pleaded, "we do not wish to fight you, and we only wish to help you."
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" was Raven's only reply, summoning concrete tiles on the roof to her command to attack with.
Starfire's face filled with surprise as she dodged Raven's attack, the concrete soaring by her, often missing only by inches. Starfire finally fell to the ground after being struck by one, the tile exploding into a cloud of dust from the impact upon her torso. No sooner than she began to rise to her feet, another tile found itself to her face, sending her skidding across the roof. Raven had a content look upon her face, only to change to one of surprise as B.B. struck her from behind in the form of a gorilla, the blow impacting upon the very same area of her ribs that Slade had inflicted massive damage to. She lay on the ground, holding her side, breathing heavy; her face grimaced with pain. Beast Boy morphed back into his human form and ran up to Raven, fearing he had seriously hurt her.
"Raven!" he exclaimed, leaning down to her, "are you okay!"
She reacht up quickly, grabbing his collar by surprise, lifting him up off the ground as she rose to her feet. Raven only stared at him with a psychotic smile upon her face. She made her other hand into a fist, drawing back.
"Raven...don't" B.B. pleaded, struggling to get free from her grasp.
Raven swung her fist forward, knocking Beast Boy out of her other hand, causing him to fly several feet through the air before sliding to a halt, blood beginning to flow from his nose. He slowly rose to his feet, his determination still in his eyes, wanting to help Raven, no matter what the cost. Robin managed to attack in this dwindling timeframe of Raven's distraction, landing a kick to Raven's face, sending her straight to the ground. Raven shot up from her downed position, staring Robin down with intense hatred, turning her head to the side to spit out a mouthful of blood while she continued to stare at him, sending chills down his spine.
"We don't want to fight Raven," Robin warned, backing up as she continued to advance towards him, "we want to help."
Raven made a short dash, then going into a handspring, and vaulted over Robin, landing behind him. Robin couldn't turn fast enough, only to have Raven sweep his feet out from underneath of him. She drew her fist back to strike Robin as he lay on his back. Her fist drove forward, but Robin rolled out of the way, causing her fist to embed into the roof, leaving a small hole in the concrete. Robin knew the strength she possessed, but also knew that the Raven they knew was still there, they just needed to reach her somehow, and soon, before it was too late. Robin picked himself up next to B.B. and Cyborg, who had finally recovered from the uppercut Raven had delivered upon him. Starfire managed to walk to the remaining group of Titans as well, wiping blood from her face.
"We need to figure out something, fast," Robin whispered, Raven just casually strolling in their direction, as if she didn't have an intention of attacking at all.
"Like what, man?" Cyborg managed, rubbing his chin, "the girl is brainwashed and packs a punch, literally, we can't get through to her and she is gonna take us down if we don't."
"We must," Starfire chimed in, the fresh wounds on her face still bleeding, "Raven is our friend, and as we have said, nothing will ever change something like that."
"I know, Star," Robin added, "but we have thrown everything we got at her to attempt to stop her, if we try anything else, we will seriously hurt her."
"And we aren't?" Cyborg replied hastily, "Robin, look at us, she is whipping our asses, I hate to say it, but we must do whatever it takes, I know she's our friend, but if she isn't going to listen to reason, she must be stopped, then we may have a chance at sorting things out later on."
"No," Beast Boy finally spoke up, wiping the blood dripping from his nose with the sleeve of his outfit, "like Star said, she's our friend. We didn't go full force on you Robin, because we knew you were truly our friend, that didn't change then, it doesn't change now. We just need a plan."
"I'm all ears, Beast Boy," Robin replied, a small hint of sarcasm about his voice.
"There has gotta be something that we can say or do that will snap her out of it, but I don't know what, and she seems to be pretty dead-set on taking us down," B.B. informed Robin, ignoring his sarcastic comment.
"Better than nothing," Cyborg added, "we can do this, we just need to ke-" only to be cut short by Raven, as she had summoned her powers and attacked Cyborg with random pieces of debris, sending him crashing to a halt dangerously close to the building's edge. They all turned their attention to Raven, whose hands were engulfed with dark energy, the kind that they were used to being their ally and used to help them, not fighting it. Robin finally made the decision, clenching his fist tightly.
"This is your last and final chance, Raven," he warned, giving time for Cyborg to rise again, "give it up or we will be forced to take you down."
Raven stopped, her smile seeming to curl that much more.
"Do you really think you and your pathetic excuse for a team stands a chance at defeating me?" she questioned, her voice becoming more of a hiss, nearly mimicking that of Slade's.
"How can you sa-" Robin started.
"Spare me, Robin," she interrupted, "I have already said it, I have no friends, so it may do you some good to not hold back, it shall make your downfall that much more interesting and enjoyable."
"Raven," Beast Boy managed, his voice breaking, ready to break down right then and there.
She began her attack once more, charging a weary Robin. Her body cried out in pain, but her mind told her to keep going, and not stop until the Titans, her enemies, were annihilated. Raven leapt into action, her target was Cyborg this time around. Cyborg went to block in hopes of countering her attack. Her foot drove straight into his crossed arms, but the force was so great that it damaged his arms to a degree, even causing him to drop his guard. Raven seized the opportunity that presented itself, taking hold of Cyborg's right arm, twisting it to where he dropped to his knees in pain. She drove her open palm forward right at Cyborg's joint, shattering it. His forearm fell to the ground as he scrambled to his feet, assessing the damage that had just been inflicted.
"I'm not done with you yet," Raven informed with her hiss, readying herself to attack once more. Before Cyborg could do anything to protect himself, she pounced, landing hit after hit upon him, every blow inflicting more and more damage upon his synthetic body. Cyborg struggled against Raven, using his remaining arm to cover himself, grunting in pain with each blow delivered. Raven became frustrated with his futile attempt to cover himself, so she ripped his other arm off with ease, leaving him wide open for attack. The other Titans scrambled to save Cyborg, but they all knew it was too late, no matter what they did. Raven thrusted her fist into his chest cavity, shattering the armor plating around it on his chest. Cyborg's eyes filled with fright, staring at Raven as he knew what she was doing.
"You know Cyborg," Raven taunted, "your abilities are your own downfall, you and I both know this, besides, I'll be doing the world a favor, seeing how all obsolete equipment must be shut down."
"Raven…" he managed, gritting his teeth in the pain from his human half, "don't."
She ignored him, gripping the very thing that kept him going, his Power Core. With all her might, Raven ripped the device from its position within the confines of his chest, pulling various wires and circuitry with it. Cyborg's fluorescent blue paneling upon his armor dimmed to a dark gray and black in places, showing he had no electricity to power his mechanical parts. Cyborg's human eye slowly closed, his cybernetic one merely dimmed to a dark red. Raven studied the cyndrilical device that she held in her hand. She rapidly closed her hand in on it, shattering it, allowing the electric-infused device to shatter and fall from her hand, the power within it fizzled out in the open air. The Titans stood there, frozen with horror, seeing what Raven had just done to Cyborg, her friend.
"One down," Raven commented with an evil smirk, "three to go."
She sprinted in their direction, leaping, vaulting off of Robin's head all in a flash. Robin whipped around in surprise to see her real target; Starfire. Raven drew her leg back, seeking out a different place to attack, since striking her in the face was like hitting reinforced steel. She brought her foot around with blinding speed, finding its way to Starfire's midsection, knocking the wind out of her as she fell to the ground. Starfire winced as she attempted to rise, only to feel Raven's foot come down on her upper back, pressing her body further into the roof, making the fresh crater that much larger. Raven took hold of Starfire's long red hair, pulling her battered body up from its current state. Robin charged, his emotions running wild, causing his rage to take over his judgment. No sooner than he was within a distance to attack, Raven had drawn her staff with her free hand and took Robin's feet out from under him. She quickly holstered the staff once more, pulling Starfire's weakened body up closer to her, closer to eye level.
"I really hope you enjoyed the time in my absence, Star," Raven whispered in her ear, "because it will be your last." She turned her head to a downed Robin. "Say goodbye to Robin, he won't be joining you ever again."
"Raven…no," Starfire weakly managed, her wounds to great for her to continue as she watched Raven draw her fist back once more.
"Starfire!" Robin yelled, finally rising to his feet, watching Raven deliver her final blow to Starfire, letting her limp body fall to the roof they stood on.
"You'll get your turn, Robin," Raven added with a calm, eerie voice.
Robin gritted his teeth, clenching his fists with all his might.
"That is it!" he yelled, tears starting to form in his eyes, "you've had your chance to come back, its over, you're just like him, you will go down the same."
"What's the matter, Robin?" she taunted, unfazed by Robin's warning, "Am I playing too rough with you and your friends?"
Robin didn't say another word, only charging Raven, brandishing two Birdarangs. He unfolded then and fused the two of them together, a yellow blade extending from the top of the combined objects' red handle, forming a sword. Raven's eyes widened, remembering when he used it to attempt to defeat Malchior and again to save her life when Trigon came to rule. Raven readied her staff to block, but Robin came down with the sword in both hands, easily cleaving the staff in two, following with an upward thrust, slicing away the fabric on Raven's forearm, a thin trail of blood forming from the fresh cut. Raven only distanced herself from him, a smirk upon her face.
"You know what they say, don't you Robin?" she questioned, reaching for the handle behind her back, above her shoulder, grasping it, "fight fire with fire."
She lifted violently upon the handle, drawing a katana, one similar to that of the type carried by various warriors of feudal Japan, the razor-sharp blade glistening in the moonlight. Robin's eyes snapped to attention, seeing that if he makes a mistake now, it could cost him his life. He noticed the handle of the sword was also old-fashioned, except he clearly saw the "S" insignia engraved and embossed into the brass-colored endcap upon the handle. The two circled one another.
"Robin, don't!" Beast Boy yelled out, jogging up after checking on Cyborg, seeing that he wasn't dead, but deactivated for the time being.
"Stay out of this!" he yelled back, keeping his eyes trained on Raven.
"You really should listen to him, Robin," Raven taunted with a grin, "if you know what is good for you, that is."
"Raven!" B.B. screamed, dropping to his knees, "stop, just please, stop."
Raven didn't reply, only stared at Robin, waiting to see who was going to make the first move. Raven's guess was correct, Robin thrusted the point of his blade in Raven's direction, but she dodged it nimbly, countering with a lateral slice of her katana, barely missing Robin's neck by mere inches. He continued with his attack, strike after strike, Raven simply blocking each attempt with ease. Robin managed to do a back flip, landing several feet away, but Raven already knew what he was going to try. He charged forward, bringing his blade down from over top of his head, connecting with Raven's with the usual sound of metal against metal. The two of them remained locked up, causing small amounts of sparks to shower the ground around them from the blade-to-blade contact.
"Give it up, Robin," Raven hissed in his face, "you do not stand a chance against me, your end is near."
"You know something Raven," Robin gritted against her might, "whenever you did have the chance, you always did run your mouth too much."
Before Raven could reply, Robin managed to slip out from underneath of her dominating push, causing her to fall forward. Before she could regain her footing, Robin struck her in the back of the neck with the handle of his blade, sending her to the ground. He pushed his foot down on her back, holding her there before she could get up and continue her attack, but she managed to wiggle free, throwing him off of her. Her sword was behind Robin, but the larger part of his staff from earlier was on the ground, so she decided to use it to her advantage. She ran at Robin with all her possible speed that she possesed, grabbing the broken staff up off the ground as she ran by it. Robin readied himself for Raven's attack, watching her come closer and closer with every passing moment. Raven's eyes focused on Robin's, her stare enough to frighten any normal person, as she continued sprinting, nearing Robin for her attack. Robin raised his blade to strike and hopefully stop Raven, but to his surprise, instead of her attacking, she dropped to the ground and slid in between Robin's spread apart legs, going right underneath of him and behind him. Raven skidded to a stop and was on her feet, staff in hand before Robin could react. She violently swung the staff, delivering a blow to the back of Robin's head, sending him straight to the ground, holding his head in pain, his sword made of combined Birdarangs stuck blade first not far from him. Raven twirled the staff, snapping it into position to deliver another blow.
"Seems our game has come to an end, Robin, just like your career as a protector of Jump City," Raven maliciously informed, raising the staff.
"Raven, NO!" Beast Boy yelled out, sprinting in hope of saving Robin.
She came down with all the remaining strength her body possessed, breaking the remaining part of the staff across Robin's lower back, the sickening sound of bone breaking was distinctly hear over the sound of the alloy staff shattering into more pieces. Robin wailed out in pain, tears beginning to flow from his eyes, unable to contain it no longer. He laid there, unable to move, gritting his teeth, moaning against the ending blow Raven had delivered. B.B. stopped dead in his tracks, he too, knew what Raven had done. Raven tossed the remaining small piece of the staff aside, looking up at the fear-stricken Beast Boy, his flesh seeming to go a paler green than normal, making the blood from his wounds upon his face show up that much more vibrantly.
"It appears as if it is only you and I now, Garfield," Raven mocked, stepping on Robin's back, causing him to cry out once more, as she made her way slowly towards B.B.
"I-I-I don't want to fight, Raven," Beast Boy replied, "you are my friend and nothing will ever change that."
"When are you and these excuses for heroes going to realize that I am not your friend, the Raven that you knew died a long time ago, because it was I that killed her, I rose from her ashes, so get used to it, this is what I became, this is what I am, and this," she motioned with her hands over her battle-beaten body, "is what I will always remain."
"That isn't true and you know it!" he exclaimed out of desperation, "Raven, I will go to Hell and back if that is what it takes to save you, because I know that deep down inside that you do not want to be this, no matter what you actually think, there is a small part of you, the same part that is our friend, that wants to come back. Please Raven, that is all I want, I beg you."
"Your pathetic groveling isn't going to get you anywhere," Raven snapped back, continuing to walk in B.B.'s direction, "as soon as I finish you off, Slade and I will rule the city, maybe even more after that. Because, Garfield, unlike Terra, I will see to it personally that all of you will never return."
Beast Boy's eyes closed for a moment, allowing the tears in them to flow down his green cheeks. It almost pained him to just here Raven utter her name, remembering the time that they had together, even after what Slade had done to her. Raven stopped at this spectacle. She felt a sudden surge of pain rush through her body, knowing that her adrenaline was wearing off, but also allowing her to think clearly again. She looked around as if she had no idea as to what had happened, as if she had just appeared there.
"What have I done!" she thought, horror taking hold of her as she looked at all her fallen friends, the damage she had reeked upon them. She looked at her hands, seeing the blood that stained them, causing her already ashen gray skin to turn that much paler, almost ghost white. She fell to her knees, holding her head.
Beast Boy took notice, surprised that she hadn't attacked yet, but she appeared to be confused. He readied himself, preparing for some kind of trick.
"What are you doing?" a demonic voice questioned her within her mind, "get up and finish what you have started, you and I both know you want to."
"No," Raven replied in her mind, battling with her emotions, finally, as if they had been locked up for quite some time.
"Finish him, just like you did the others Raven," the voice ordered, "Rage shall consume you."
"No it will not, I am in control, not you," Raven managed, looking through her mind, finding the red-cloaked version of her that bore 4 red eyes, just like Trigon.
"Whatever you want to believe," Rage taunted, "even if you were to stop, your "friends" will have nothing to do with you any further, besides your capture or, well, you know what else."
"That is a lie," Raven retorted, "I may have made a grave mistake, but I can still stop it, not you, not Slade, not anybody, is going to stop me."
"Dear Raven, don't be so naive," Rage continued, floating up to Raven's face, "Slade is your father, or you let us on to believe that, so we are going to have a say in whatever his plans are, so all of what you done and committed in his name is your fault, not his. You may not have agreed to this life, but after awhile, you gladly accepted, allowing yourself to explore a side of your person that isn't that well known, and look at the results. It will only be a matter of moments before you end their pathetic lives, so shall we?"
Raven pushed her emotion form away from her.
"You may have a say in what I do," Raven warned, "but I have the final, and my decision is the only one that matters. If you know what is good for you Rage, you will crawl back into the hole that you have been dwelling in my subconscious before I-"
"Before you what, Raven?" Rage interrupted, "I am a part of you, just like your other emotions, without us, well, you wouldn't be alive, so let's just do as we are told and be a good, little girl."
"Go to hell," Raven snapped, ready to end the conversation soon.
"Sorry," Rage retorted, "been there, done that, by the way, your real father says hello."
"Get away from me," Raven growled, clenching her fists.
Rage began to disperse, as if she began to disappear.
"We'll keep in touch Raven, you seem to have taken a liking to my side of you quite recently, only a little more and we will be united as one, and, well, be just like father."
Raven said nothing more, ready to go back to the real world, knowing that Beast Boy still remained.
"Raven, Raven!" B.B. yelled, not wanting to approach her and risk being attacked, but concerned for her safety, "what's the matter with you?"
Raven's eyes snapped open, adjusting to the low light conditions of the night, allowing her to focus on her remaining target. B.B. could tell that something had happened, but didn't quite know what it was, her expression within her eyes had changed drastically.
"Raven?" He continued, stepping closer, holding out his hand for reassurance.
"...B-B-Beast Boy?" she managed weakly, tears in her eyes, taking his hand.
She pulled him in close to her, embracing him in a hug, her eyes flowing. Beast Boy wrapped his arms around her as well, his tears acting all the same as hers. She quickly retracted, grabbing hold of his collar, holding him up in the air, drawing her fist back, but her tears continued to flow.
"Raven...what are you...doing?" he managed, struggling against her grip, seeing that she was going to finish him.
"Things have changed, Beast Boy," Raven replied, her voice quivering, "this is how things must be now."
Raven prepared to deliver a blow that Beast Boy didn't know if he would recover from or not, so he decided that now was the time to tell her, while he still had the chance to do so.
"Raven...wait," he said, her holding her fist back to let him speak, "there's something...I...must tell you...first."
Raven's stare lessened a little, as if it were an inaudible sign for "go on".
"All I want is for you to know that...that..." he continued, "is that I love you."
She was devastated. How could someone, especially someone like him, still manage to say something like that and mean it after what she has done? Raven dropped him, every muscle in her body loosened up, her stance lessening to one of that of being completely shocked. He managed to rise to his knees after being dropped.
"What did you say?" Raven asked out of disbelief, almost as if she was her normal self.
"I said I love you Raven, and I mean it," he clearly said, holding his throat, "I never have been able to express my true feelings towards you Raven, but I swear to you that I mean it, with every fiber of my being. What we share together, a bond on a different level, is something that was even grander that that of what I shared with Terra. Terra was more physical love, as in we had to show each other, Raven, you and I are emotional, and we know what is there. As I said, no matter what, I will always be your friend, and I will always love you." He finished, rising to his feet awkwardly.
"Y-You really do mean that?" Raven quivered, her tears still coming forth.
"I wouldn't lie about something like this, especially if it involved you," B.B. added, seriousness in his voice for once.
Raven took hold of him once more, except it was in a hugging nature, pulling his face to hers. She engaged him in a kiss, letting him know that she too, cared deeply for him, but was never able to express it. After several moments, Raven released him, but grabbed his collar again.
"I'm sorry," she cried, "I must do this, Beast Boy, in order for you to survive, I must do this, in hopes that you can convince the others as to what has transpired in hope of saving me."
"What are you talking about Raven?" struggled Beast Boy, not liking the fact that Raven had him in her clutches again.
"Slade has an entire army of those things you found in the forest, I know about that already because he hacked into the Tower's surveillance system. It is going to take more than just you and the others to succeed. I did this because he threatened to kill you with a Xenothium nerve gas in the Tower, as well as many citizens of the city, they are located all around. Please, remember this and tell the others, as my life, as well as you and the entire city's existence hangs in the balance."
"O-Ok," mustered B.B., not knowing what she was going to do to him.
"Take care," she whispered, her voice quivering again, as she cocked her arm back, and threw him.
B.B. skidded across the roof, bouncing over the wall, and began falling to the streets below. He morphed into a falcon just in time, but landing hard on the pavement, crashing to a halt. He laid there for a moment, looking up, catching a glimpse of Raven flying off, headed for Slade's lair. He felt numbness taking over his body, then his vision faded into darkness.
Slade sat in his chair, watching the footage of the fight that had just taken place. He paused it as he saw Raven and B.B. engage in their kiss, his eye narrowing.
"He is trying to corrupt her," Slade commented, drumming his fingers together, "but no matter, she is loyal to me, I am assured of it." He thought for a moment though. "But why did Raven remove her communicator? I do think she said something she didn't want me to hear, only a guess though, but I know how she is, she is just as sneaky and under-handed as I, but I will get to the bottom of it."
No sooner than he finished his thought, the doors opened, revealing his apprentice, but she staggered in, barely able to walk. He saw her uniform was ripped and tattered, bloodstained from battle, both hers as well as the Titans'. Her wounds were still fresh enough for blood to flow from them, multiple lacerations and bruises about her body. Slade knew she was weary from battle, as well as blood loss.
"What's the matter, Apprentice?" he maliciously questioned, standing up, "the Titans too much of a match for you?"
Raven didn't say anything, only falling forward onto her stomach, unconscious.
"I do believe that is a "yes"," Slade quietly commented to himself, "Robots, take Raven to the medial bay, Wintergreen is waiting, I knew it was going to come to this."
001 and 157 took hold of Raven's arms and legs, carrying her gently across the large expanse of a room, going into one of the adjacent hallways that led to the medical bay, a place that she has visited far too often, mainly thanks to his brutal training. Slade followed, actually concerned for her condition.
His eyes phased in and out of consciousness, blurred and attempting to refocus. He saw many blue and red flashing lights bathing the area around him. He attempted to look up, only to see the unknown faces of men in what appeared to be scrubs similar to those crews of an ambulance would wear.
"He's coming to," one of them commented, sounding as if it were way off in the distance to him.
"Keep him stable," another replied, "alright on 3. One, two, three."
Beast Boy felt himself being lifted up, assuming he was being placed on a stretcher, ready to take a trip to Jump City Memorial Hospital. None of them were in any condition to attempt to help one another, so it was required.
"W-where am I?" he weakly questioned, getting the attention of one of the paramedics.
"Conserve your strength," the paramedic replied back, helping the others rush him on the stretcher to the ambulance.
B.B. turned his head as they rushed past the police barricade, all the citizens on the other side staring, shock and horror in their eyes. Through all of the scrambled voices, he could make out distinct parts, such as:
"Is that Beast Boy?"
"Someone defeated the Titans?"
"Who did this to them?"
"Where's Raven?"
Comments such as those were heard, making him feel that much worse about the situation at hand. B.B. felt the sudden jump on the stretcher as the legs collapsed and rolled up into the ambulance, the paramedics piling in as well. A police officer tapped the door twice as it was closed, signaling for the ambulance to begin its race to the hospital. The vehicle came to life, taking off and the siren sounding as it sped away from the scene.
"Wh-where's my friends?" he managed again, the paramedics trying to do their job.
"On their way to the hospital as well, we need you to relax," another paramedic replied, checking his blood pressure.
He attempted to do so, but instead lost consciousness again.
"Seems as if you proved my wrong this time around, Raven," Rage's demonic voice taunted Raven within her mind.
Raven opened her eyes, seeing that she was in the landscape of her subconscious, knowing that she hadn't awakened yet.
"Why am I here?" she questioned out loud, hoping that one of her emotions besides Rage would here her out.
"You lost consciousness yet again," Rage informed, appearing in front of her, "likely do to blood loss, as well as overwhelming pain, my, my, Raven, you really do know how to throw me a party."
"Shut it," Raven snapped, hating her evil half, "you may be like me, but I am nothing like you."
"Will you drop the act already, you aren't fooling anyone," Rage mocked, "you enjoy your new life, but your friends do not, so what's it going to be? What you have become or what you once were?"
Raven actually thought for a moment, remembering all the fond memories of her time together with the Titans, but also at the same time, recollecting all the warming events that her and Slade shared after he took her under his wing, trained her, and provided her with everything that she ever wanted.
"I must follow my heart on this one," Raven finally said, "you want to party, eh? Well, I'm going to treat you to the grandest of all, because you are going to help me."
"Help you? Raven, I do as I please, you and I both know that," Rage finished, narrowing all four of her eyes.
"You do as I say because you are only a small part of me, when combined with other parts, you lose your hold over me."
Rage's eyes opened with surprise within them, knowing that she was right and had managed to figure it out.
"Bravery is going to give me the courage to do this, Intelligence is going to help me think through this, and Love is going to guide my heart back to the correct path, so Rage, you will either work with them, or, well, split back up into all the emotions that are needed to create you, and those parts will help me, so, what's it going to be?"
"You do not command Rage! Rage commands you! Rage shall consume you!" she exclaimed, her hellfire red eyes glowing.
"Don't kid yourself," she mocked her emotion, "you and I both know it to be the truth, so get over it. You are acting like my father now."
Rage gritted her sharpened teeth, growling.
"Now," Raven said, turning away, "I will be going now, I hope to see you real soon."
Raven began walking away, headed down the path leading to another part of her mind.
"You will fail, Raven!" Rage yelled, Raven continuing to walk, "no matter what you attempt, it will be futile!"
She ignored her, continuing down her path. Raven looked down, noticing that she wasn't wearing the outfit that Slade had give her as his apprentice, but her formal clothing of Azarath, the very same she wore when she was a Titan, and she hoped to return as one soon.
"Where do you think you're going?" a voice questioned her, causing her to stop dead in her tracks.
A figure cloaked in a lavender-light purple cape landed softly in front of her.
"I was just...uhh...just," Raven stumbled, knowing whom she was talking to.
"You were coming to visit me, weren't you?" the figure questioned in Raven's voice, cocking an eyebrow.
"Yes," Raven replied, "I know that you and I aren't exactly the best in-tuned, but this is a matter of great importance."
"It involves Beast Boy, does it not?" she continued to question.
"Yes, as well as the others," Raven quickly answered, slightly embarrassed.
"I already know what you are going to ask, the answer is yes, Raven," she interrupted, placing her hand on Raven's shoulder. "I have always known that through all of this that you still retained your true feelings for your friends, especially Beast Boy, you can deny it no longer. We will be there for you Raven, whenever you decide to make your move, all of us will be there to help you."
"I really should have gotten to know you a long time ago," Raven said jokingly, actually cracking a smirk.
"It would have paid off for you to do so," her lavender colored cohort replied.
Raven nodded, continuing along her way to kill time until she was back in the real world. She stopped, turning her head as if she forgot to inform her aquaintence of something.
"One more thing Love," Raven stated, "watch out for Rage, I do believe she is totally irate after that little stunt you and I pulled on her."
"Nothing to worry about, Raven, nothing I can't handle," Love reassured with the wave of her hand, "she just has a bad attitude, that's all."
"I do believe that is her purpose, but seriously, please be careful," Raven said with seriousness and sincerity in her voice.
Love nodded, knowing what Raven truly meant.
Blinding white light penetrated his eyes as he opened them, his vision attempting to focus on what was going on around him. After several blurred moments, his vision finally cleared, revealing a white hospital room, everything was white, white floors, white walls, enough to make one sick of seeing the color. B.B. looked over his body where he had injuries, seeing that they were all bandaged up, a very small amount of crimson soaking through in some places, but nothing drastic. He looked over at the mirror to his right that hung upon the wall, seeing his face, one that was as beaten and battered as his body. The gashes upon his face were stitched back shut, smaller cuts merely bandaged and tapped up. He rubbed his head as if he were sleepy, but he noticed something didn't feel right, finding out that he had swelling from a concussion, probably sustained when Raven threw him off of the building, his abilities the only thing saving him. As soon as he took in what was around him and what had happened, he quickly pushed the large, red button at the side of his bed, calling a nurse. After several moments later, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed nurse walked in, clipboard in hand, as if she were doing work of some kind.
"How can I help you?" she politely questioned, looking into his emerald eyes.
"My friends, where are they?" he systematically said, not worrying about anything else.
The nurse picked up the clipboard that hung at the foot of his bed, seeing who he actually was, besides noticing his green skin as well.
"They are all in the ICU, but they are stable, you are welcome to go over there, but you need an assistant to push you in a wheelchair, you are far too injured to be walking on your own yet," she gladly informed, seeing his name on the clipboard.
"Ok, but get her in here quick," Beast Boy replied, her nodding on her way out.
He sat up, wincing in pain, nothing serious, but that of being sore.
"I can't just walk in there and tell them, especially after what happened," he thought, staring at his sheets still over his legs, "There has to be a way I can though, if not, they will make a grave mistake when we decide to go after Raven again. Raven wouldn't lie about that, I know her, it has to be the truth, I just need to get them to believe me."
Another nurse with dark brown hair walked in, pushing one of the many collapsible wheelchairs the hospital possessed for instances just as this. She locked the wheels in place as set it close to the bed.
"Allow me to help you, Mr. Logan," she gestured, ready to take hold of his arm.
He waved her away without a word as he slowly swung his legs over to the side of the bed.
"I'm fine," he informed, knowing that he truly wasn't, but didn't want to show his weakness by allowing her to help.
He made his way to his feet, feeling the cold, tile floor, carefully turning around to sit in the wheelchair. He sat down, the chair bowing inwards as it took his weight, distributing it.
"Are you set and ready to go, Mr. Logan?" the nurse asked politely, unlocking the wheels so the chair could move freely.
He nodded, giving her the motion to turn him around and begin to push him out the door. They entered the white, bleak hallway, causing Beast Boy to hate the color that much more, so bright that it made his eye hurt.
"You know," he managed, getting her attention as the passed through a set of doors that led to the ICU, "you people really should redecorate, white is way overdone, and besides, it is after Labor Day, and that is a big no-no."
The nurse ignored him, seeing how he was just trying to cause trouble, but he really wished that she would have said something, something to at least take his mind off of what laid ahead of him.
"Raven..." was heard far off, faint, and with an echo, "Raven...Raven."
She slowly opened her eyes, focusing on the figure in front of her face from her laying down position. Slade's masked face came into clear view after a moment, hovering over her.
"Good," he said in a soothed manner, as if he cared for once, "glad to see that you are conscious, child."
Raven looked around the room to the best of her abilities from her current position, taking in the darkness of the medical bay that she has frequented quite often over the past few months, mainly due to Slade's near suicidal training regime and pace. She also noticed Wintergreen was looking over X-Rays, studying them with the utmost scrutiny.
"I'm...sorry," Raven managed weakly, attempting to lift her head up.
"For what, Raven?" Slade questioned, lifting his head up so she could rise up somewhat.
"Failing you," she reluctantly informed, remembering that she didn't acquire the final and remaining part that he required.
He pulled out a dark blue crystal from one of his pouches, showing it to her.
"Not a problem, I knew that you were going to have your hands full with the Titans, so I saw to the task myself," he informed, easing her mind somewhat.
The table that she laid on slowly rose up to an angle so she could merely step off of it, something similar to what Cyborg had in his room, or the last time that she had been home anyways, things have changed, and she knew that they had, but there had to be some way, some how, to attempt to please both sides that she was torn between.
"There is one thing I would like to know though, Raven," Slade began, looking over her injured body.
"What's that?" Raven replied, looking at her bandaged forearms, her left had blood soaking through, the right was wrapped tightly around her wrist.
"Why did you remove your earpiece and dispose of it?" he questioned, narrowing his single-eyed stare at her.
Raven froze for a moment, attempting to come up with a good excuse to do so.
"I was getting really bad feedback and static, it was affecting my concentration," she lied, "so I removed it and thus, removed the problem."
"Do you really think for me to believe that, Raven?" Slade asked, leaning closer, his hot breath bathing her face every time he expelled air. "Now, are you going to tell me why you really did it or are you going to continue to lie to me, and Raven, I don't like being lied to."
Raven looked away from his stare, attempting to escape his pressing questions.
"Look at me," he ordered, "answer me, answer me truthfully."
"I-I-I told Beast Boy...," she began, fearing what he was going to do to her if she revealed the truth.
"What did you tell him, child?" he asked in her silence.
"I told him...everything," Raven informed, her voice breaking out of fear and desperation.
Slade kept the same tone of expression, beginning to walk around to the other side of the table, hands behind his back."Everything?" he coolly asked, shifting his eye in her direction.
She only nodded slowly, waiting for the worst.
A moment of silence enveloped between them, as if he were thinking of what to say, and her preparing for it.
Slade only chuckled slightly, shaking his head somewhat, surprising Raven.
"Everything is working out as planned," he commented, "I knew you were going to eventually do this, but no matter, I have what I need, and besides, they will be solving the problem of hunting them down by coming here."
"How so?" Raven asked, "I didn't tell them where this place is at."
He pulled out Raven's Titan communicator from one of his other pouches, flipping it open.
"All I need to do is set the bait for a trap, child," Slade informed, "you see, you told him what has happened, so I will guarantee you that they will give you your second chance, but I am not entirely sure if they will grant it. Anyways, if they do, they will come here in a futile attempt to rescue you, in which, will fall right into my hands and I will have them right where I want them."
Raven thought for a moment, seeing how in her attempt to help them, she may have sealed their fates.
"I ask you one thing then, Slade," Raven stated after a short time.
"What's that child?" he asked, turning to face her.
"Please don't make me fight them," she begged, feeling ashamed for requesting such a thing, but proud at the same time in an attempt to show her dedication to her friends.
He rested his hand on her good shoulder.
"As I said Raven, I will not force you to do what you do not want to do, but if you do something on your own or start something, I expect you to finish it," he informed, answering her plea.
She nodded, for some reason, knowing that he was going to say something like that.
"You must rest," he ordered, "I'll have Wintergreen keep a close eye on you for awhile, making sure that nothing develops. Raven, whether you realize it or not, but you took a malicious beating, and I don't believe even Robin could have survived the punishment that has been dealt upon you."
She slightly winced at the mentioning of his name, but knew it to be the truth. Raven knew that Slade's training had hardened her, made her stronger, much stronger. Her stamina also increased, but it didn't end there, her enhanced body seemed to amplify her own powers when she used them. Slade released her shoulder, turned about, and walked out of the bay. Wintergreen walked over, X-Rays in hand.
"Like Mr. Wilson said child, you did take quite a trouncing this time around," he informed, holding up the first set of X-Rays for her to view. "Your right wrist is fractured in two different places, but nothing too serious, something time will heal." Wintergreen shuffled through them, finding another one he thought she might want to see. "Ah, here it is," he commented, holding it up for her, "your ribs that have been previously broken were fractured as well, two of them in multiple places. These may pose as a problem since they never healed correctly to begin with, so again, only time will tell, child."
"About how long will it be for recovery?" she questioned, knowing that he was going to take her abilities into affect as well.
"A week, maybe 9 or 10 days tops for you, child," he informed, putting the X-Rays back into their envelope, "in the meantime, you need to rest, otherwise it will take that much longer."
"I understand," Raven replied, then turning to one of the robots standing guard. "001."
"Yes, Raven?" the robot replied, stepping out of the shadows.
"I need your assistance, help me get to my quarters," she stated, lifting herself up.
001 nodded, readying to help her.
All eyes diverted their attention to Beast Boy as he entered hall to the ICU. He attempted to somewhat hide his face from their pressing stares, the stares of the citizens that he has spent the last few years of his life protecting, but now none of that means anything, because the Titans have filled them with what they have tried to prevent: doubt. The newspapers, news on the television, everybody and everywhere across the city is the same questions:
Are the Titans done?
Have the Titans finally met their match?
B.B. shook his head to get rid of the idea that Titans may finally be washed-up, even if it was against one of their own. They may have lost, but it wasn't the first time, but this time, this time was different. He looked up, managing to see Cyborg standing in the doorway of one of the adjacent rooms a little ways down.
"That room with the giant tin man standing there, nurse," Beast Boy pointed.
"Yes, Mr. Logan," she obeyed.
He grew closer and closer to Cyborg, seeing that he was somewhat repaired, but not 100. He still had visible damage, and the gaping hole in his chest cavity with a metal plate riveted to his chest.
"How you holding up?" Beast Boy questioned Cyborg after waving away his nurse assistant.
"I've been better," Cyborg replied, kneeling down to speak with him easier, he motioned over to the bed, "those two could definitely be doing a lot better."
B.B. looked over, seeing Robin laid out upon the bed, laying flat on his chest, some kind of equipment around his back area was attached to the bed as well. His vital signs were all steady, but he was still unconscious. Starfire was sitting in a chair at his head, her head laid down with his, crying softly. Her body was just as battered and bruised as Cyborg's or B.B.'s but her alien resilience somewhat helped her heal a little faster, but she was still pained.
"How's he doing?" Beast Boy questioned softly, attempting to keep Starfire from hearing him.
"Not good," Cyborg reluctantly informed, "doctors said he has at least 3 lower vertebrae that are shattered, even with surgery, his chances of...walking again are...slim to none. It will be a miracle if he does."
Beast Boy was devastated, feeling as if this, all of this, was his fault. He felt as if there was something that he could have done to stop what happened to Robin, but there was nothing he could do about it now.
"So now what?" he finally managed after the news set in.
Cyborg fidgeted for a moment, attempted to summon the words he needed to say.
"As soon as we are good to go again, we will find her, and we will take care of business," Cyborg whispered.
"We can't Cyborg," Beast Boy said in a somewhat pleading manner.
"What do you mean we can't? I think she knocked what sense you did have out of you, man, we have to do this, it is the only way," he informed, glancing over in Starfire and Robin's direction.
"Raven told me what's going on, Cyborg, she told me everything, we need to give her a second chance," B.B. said narrowing his eyes, trying to prove that he was serious.
He rolled his eyes angrily.
"If we give her a second chance, she'll only finish what she started, she has crossed the line-"
"No," B.B. interrupted, "Raven get's a second chance, I don't care what you, Star, or Robin have to say about it, if you won't help me, fine, I'll go it alone, but Raven isn't what you think she is, she's doing this to save us, as well as the city, even if it doesn't seem like it right now."
"What do you mean saving us?" Cyborg said, managing to catch that part from his last ranting protest, "if you haven't noticed, she nearly killed us, and crippled Robin."
"Her judgement was clouded, but Raven is still Raven," Beast Boy continued, "she said that Slade has an army of those things we found in the woods."
"Exactly how many?" Cyborg asked, surprised the Slade was able to construct them to begin with.
"I don't know, but she said we couldn't do it alone, it would be suicide to fight them by ourselves, we need help," Beast Boy continued revealing information from the rooftop incident.
"What else did she tell you?" Cyborg continued questioning, starting to believe Beast Boy, knowing that he wouldn't lie about something like this.
"Slade has his finger on a button that could kill us along with thousands, maybe more, citizens of the city," B.B. revealed, looking into Cyborg's eyes, continuing to prove how serious he was about the matter at hand.
"How, I mean, a weapon or device of that degree would be pretty hard to hide," the cybernetic stated.
"Gaseous Xenothium," B.B. stumbled, not used to using such large words, especially those dealing with finer aspects of science.
Cyborg's eyes widened with horror, knowing what Xenothium could do in that state.
"You're talking about some of the most lethal nerve gas in existence, that's like, almost instant death," Cyborg managed.
"Raven said there are devices located all around the city, there's one even in the Tower," Beast Boy added, seeing how he was on a roll with his information.
"What!" Cyborg exclaimed, knowing that he was going to draw Starfire into the conversation eventually anyways, "I run checks on the Tower all the time, how can there be one?"
"Remember when..." he started, recalling the painful memory," ...remember when Terra was living with us? Well, she wasn't just spying, she put one in the Tower, so when we get home, we need to look in all the most unlikely places."
"I had a feeling that you were going to say something like that, but how did Slade know that he would have Raven in his hands eventually, I mean, she is the most unlikely person to do something like this," Cyborg stated, "so we have been in his crosshairs for the past...4 years?"
Beast Boy nodded, noticing that Starfire had drifted over.
"I don't know," he started, "but we will overcome this, Raven is a Titan, she always has been, she always will be, no matter what."
Cyborg nodded, turning his attention to Starfire.
"How you holding up, Star?" Cyborg asked, patting her on the shoulder lightly.
"I have been quite the better," she managed, wiping away the remnants of tears from her face, "what about you and friend Beast Boy?"
"I'm doing all right, but as you said, I've been better," Cyborg replied, "from what I just found out, I don't know about him though."
She turned to Beast Boy, kneeling down.
"What is the matter?" she questioned, "What is it that you have information of?"
Beast Boy readied himself to go through his information a second time, because they all will need to be prepared for what is to lie ahead of them.
Raven stared blankly in her dank, dark room, the light shattered from an expelling of her enhanced energy. The silence consumed as Raven thought, thought about what was going to happen now, and what is to come in the future.
"I've done all I can do, it is only a matter of time, and a matter of heart before the endgame begins. I know I have committed heinous acts in his name, I nearly killed and completely destroyed what I held dear to me in life, all because I allowed myself to become clouded in judgement, but no more. My mind is clear, and it is clear that I have an ultimatum, shall I continue what I am doing and cause the untimely downfall of the Titans, or shall I return to what I once was, what I want to be, and what I should be? Decisions, decisions, I must choose though, even though I have seen the true side of Slade, and no matter what I do, I can never forget that. My friends took me in when I needed it most, cared for me, helped me, and without them, I would have given up a long time ago. Yet, Slade has given me something that they cannot, a caring father figure in my life. Even though it was brutal at first, I have emerged as something that even he respects now. I pray that my emotions guide me to the correct path, as I fear that it is my logic that is clouded. The answer should be clear and present, but it isn't, so I must take a high risk but making the choice, possibly the final choice: Return to the Titans and hope for forgiveness or continue to be the apprentice and daughter of Slade, controlling and ruling the city by his side as his equal, and his successor. I must choose of the two extremes, should I return to the light, or should I remain in the darkness. Only time will tell."
Tears started rolling from her eyes, her sobs could be barely heard in the darkness.
"I cannot take this much longer, I must convince myself to make this choice, I can, I must, I shall, I will, and nothing, not Slade, not my friends, and most definitely not my emotions or logic will get in the way of this, not now, not ever."
