Thank you to those who reviewed. I moved all the replies back to the bottom. (Do not scroll to the bottom. The finished summary has spoilers. I warned you.)
So, basically, here's the run-down of the story from Chapters 1-8
Terra, an ex-villainess, was chased away from her home going to the only safe haven that would welcome her – the Teen Titans. Coincidentally, Beast Boy had gone to find her only to be intercepted by Slade. Using Beast Boy's emotions to his advantage, Slade infected both Terra (when he resurrected her) and Beast Boy (when he was unconscious). Threatening to kill both of them if he did not consent, Slade sent Beast Boy on a mission having a full plan ready. What was the plan? Here's the explanatory chapter.
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Chapter IX : Betrayal Upon Betrayal Pt 1
Finally, in response, he spat the blood out onto my face retorting my previous blows. The blood and spit upon my face dripped down and stained his 'S' badge.
"I can't." replied Beast Boy.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Destroy what cannot be controlled, Robin. Those are the words I live by. I used to believe that everybody could be controlled somehow with the right circumstances. It is obvious now…that some people cannot be controlled. Some people, no matter how much they are threatened, will always fail to see your perspective. That is you, Robin, my ex-apprentice. Others will partially subject to me yet fail in their duty due to…certain…circumstances. That is Beast Boy. And only a pinch of people can switch from a paragon to a villain and back. That is Terra. And I will not hesitate to destroy what cannot be controlled."
Moving closer toward Robin with a syringe, the boy wonder's heart beat quicker and quicker. Unable to resist the inevitable, he shut his eyes tight. A blood-chilling shriek of agony reverberated among the chamber. It was a shriek of suffering, of pain, of agony to the highest intensity. And despite hearing the pinnacle of all blood-curdling screams, Slade proceeded to inject the syringe into his victim's bloodstream undaunted and unconcerned. Evidently, there was no place for remorse in his heart – no sympathy for another human life.
"I would have thought it have been better to defile your blood while you were unconscious. But then again, you probably wouldn't see my perspective anyways. I could never understand your way of logic. Needless to say, the syringe within you is lethal and it contaminates you, Beast Boy, and Terra. However, to truly use it to its full potential, I will need to be in Point Black Range. Think of this as… a parting gift…"
Throwing the empty syringe aside, Slade held a minute button in his palm dividing life and death itself in a thin line, and all that depended on its shift was a traitor who Slade patiently waited upon– a traitor whose name was Beast Boy.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Flying overhead, Beast Boy could not help but ponder the morality of his actions. He needed to balance Terra and Slade, not crossing the line with each. Perhaps spitting into Terra's face was too harsh but he needed to do it to redeem himself before Slade after the "kiss." Still, it was better to be harsher upon Terra than letting her wither away before Slade's microscopic invaders.
"Apprentice. There is work still to be done. It is a new assignment."
Please not Terra, not Terra, not Terra…
"Take the heat ray, apprentice. It is integrated with a…special substance…use and capture…"
Anything but Terra…she's had enough hurt for her lifetime…
"The last of the Titans."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Terra. Terra. It's Cyborg. Do you read me?"
A fuzz of static was the only thing that responded to him. Groaning, he threw his communicator down and with good reason. Subsequently, he turned to talk to his fellow comrades.
"I don't understand. The weather is clear now, she should be able to receive my message."
Sighing at the hopelessness of it all, Cyborg attempted to receive a message from Robin.
"Robin. Robin. It's me, Cyborg. Can you hear me?"
There was no response, nothing at all.
"Is there really nothing we can do to assist our friends? I do not wish to wait as my friends may be in danger." Starfire, who had seemed increasingly worried, glided around in the air probably contemplating the horrible things that could have happened to Robin. And yet, everybody's misgivings had changed their attitudes. Cyborg's normally carefree view upon things suddenly constricted into a tight, frustrated approach. Starfire's alien happiness changed into an irritable obsession and worry. Finally, Raven, who had seemed to change the least had to meditate once in a while to control her frustration as well.
"Sorry to say but there's nothing we can do. They could be anywhere by now. Who knows where Terra ran off to, you'd think she'd contact us by now wherever she went, but nope. And Robin could easily be anywhere looking for Slade. You'd also think that his obsession with Slade would have worn off by now after four years. I guess I just don't know everybody as well as I thought."
"Lately, it's like…the team's a mess. We haven't been able to stop one crime since Terra arrived. Beast Boy was kidnapped by Slade, Terra ran off to wherever, and Robin's hopped up on obsession. What do we do?"
"What can we do…?"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"You have the element of surprise, apprentice. Use it to its full extent. They are ignorant of the fact that you are my apprentice so take off the badge and approach them as you would a Titan."
The badge emblazoned with 'S'
"Stop it, Beast Boy."
Blood overflowed within my mouth from the spat with Terra. Using it as spit upon Terra's face, it dripped down staining upon my 'S' badge.
"I can't." replied Beast Boy.
"Show no mercy. Use the heat ray and capture them."
Was this all worth Terra and my life though… Was I causing more harm and hurt than preventing it? Did I make a horrible decision?
"Apprentice, complete your task for I have an assignment of my own…"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Another fuzz of static but a tint of Cyborg's voice could be heard through the communicator as I listened intently. Undeterred in the effort to contact the Titans, I continued to listen for a clear communication.
"Cyborg, I read you."
"I…can…Raven…Robin…find…where…are..read…Terra…Titans…Slade…where…Terra…Raven…Starfire…if…just…away…help…Terra…can't…anywhere…priority…find…Robin…or…Terra…try…again…do…read…me?"
As the static finally cleared, my hopes of regrouping lifted.
"Cyborg, I read you."
"Good. Where are you?...Nevermind I have your coordinates. Good thing you're not harmed but why'd you run away?"
"Cyborg, I didn't run away."
"Then why'd – "
"It's a long story."
"Alright, just come back over here. Robin went after Slade so we have to round him up also."
"Okay."
The rain had finally lifted so I could see the terrain clearly once more. Pulling up another rock transportation, I headed Cyborg's way.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Heat Ray…
I remembered it approximately four years ago when Robin, apparently, had been blackmailed by Slade as I was now…Difference was, Slade thought I was dispensable and my death would mean nothing to him…
Still minutes away from my destination, my wings began to tire. Yet, I persisted.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Still dizzy from the injection, Robin's head spun. Yet, he could not help but think of what Slade said.
"Destroy what cannot be controlled, Robin. Those are the words I live by. I used to believe that everybody could be controlled somehow with the right circumstances. It is obvious now…that some people cannot be controlled. Some people, no matter how much they are threatened, will always fail to see your perspective. That is you, Robin, my ex-apprentice. Others will partially subject to me yet fail in their duty due to…certain…circumstances. That is Beast Boy. And only a pinch of people can switch from a paragon to a villain and back. That is Terra. And I will not hesitate to destroy what cannot be controlled."
What did he mean about Beast Boy? Had Beast Boy become his apprentice?
Being binded around the wrists and ankles proved uncomfortable yet provided him so much time to ponder and regret – regret his hasty blunder of running after Slade. So caught up into the moment, he didn't stop to think, to analyze his situation.
If the rest of the team are in trouble, then it will be my fault.
"Robin, Robin, do you read me?"
That was when Robin noticed that he was all alone, alone in Slade's hideout. But, a distance away, a communicator was recklessly left behind. It wasn't his communicator, though. Nevertheless, Robin, still binded, tried to squirm his way toward the communicator.
"Cyborg. I read you."
"Dude, where are you. We've been trying to contact you for about half an hour already. Terra's coming back to us."
"Cyborg, Slade caught me by surprise and I'm stuck in his hideout. Can you locate my coordinates?"
"No, Robin, unfortunately I can't. Wait, where's Slade then? He doesn't seem like a guy who would just leave you there."
"Slade's not here, he must've gone somewhere important, but he was reckless enough to leave a communicator here. Listen, Beast Boy and Terra are in danger, Slade injected us all with a poison that needs to be activated when all three of us are in a close proximity. And also, about Beast Boy, Slade told me that he's his apprentice."
No response.
"Hello, Cyborg?"
No response.
"Cyborg?"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Who fired the shot and what is wrong with our friend Cyborg?" Starfire's voice seemed more worried than ever. "He is…not moving…at all."
"Cyborg's just knocked out…cold, and as for the shot, I'm not sure, it came from there…" Raven who held an equally terrified expression pointed to a nearby area littered with rubble and ruined buildings. As Cyborg was communicating with Robin, he was hit directly in the chest.
"Should we contact Robin?" the red-haired alien glanced toward the fallen communicator in Cyborg's hands.
"No, we need to be cautious. Whoever shot Cyborg is likely to be still around."
Nodding, Starfire's eyes glowed green as she charged another starbolt in preparation. And for that moment, everything lay quiet as if the predator heard his prey's advice of vigilance.
A sound of steps in the distance.
Gasping in an overly paranoid fashion, Starfire threw a starbolt in its proximity sending rubble from the buildings flying.
"Not overly cautious, Starfire." Raven's monotone voice still contained a tint of anxiety and suspense.
Acknowledging another piece of wise advice, Starfire flew high overhead examining the area. If there was a pursuer near, she would see it. However, although she acknowledged Raven's suggestion, she did not use it – for being high overhead placed her in a position where an open shot could be made.
"Aaaaaaaaaaahhhh" A shriek erupted from the now knocked-out Starfire that had fell from the sky in an instant.
"Starfire!" Running over in a frantic movement, Raven, herself, let her guard down and the pursuer knew it.
Firing another red beam from his hiding spot, Raven, at the last moment, realized her blunder and attempted to shield the blast. But too late, she only deflected half of the shot wounding but not knocking her out. Finally walking out from behind the debris and wreckage, Beast Boy emerged still holding the heat ray.
"You…" Raven's eyes widened in half fear and half surprise. Looking over at her unconscious comrades, she, too, knew the impending inevitable.
"Yes, me…" With that, Beast Boy held the heat ray up to Raven's head blasting at full power within point blank range. Instantly joining her companions in a state of coma and oblivion, she only saw black.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Closing in on my destination, I could not help but contemplate the possibilities of Robin's fate. If he had truly been taken by Slade, what would Slade do to him? I knew that previously Slade had forced him into apprenticeship but what about now?
Finally, I swiftly landed upon the coordinates that I received from Cyborg previously. However, nobody was there.
"Cyborg?"
"Raven?"
"Starfire?"
At each attempt, silence only returned to me, emanating another one of its frequent arrival. Where had they gone?
And, coincidentally at my rhetorical thought, a rock was overturned nearby and from it, walked a Beast Boy holding a weapon – the heat ray. However, in his hands carried the hood of an unconscious Raven, victim to the heat ray.
Oh my god, what had he done? How far did Slade push him to stretch to such an extent? Was this the fate of the rest of the Titans?
"Beast Boy, what, why, what did you do?" My words came out in stuttered form affected by my astonishment at the whole ordeal. "I-I don't believe this."
"I'm only doing my job." With that, he tossed Raven brutally down. Morphing into a gorilla, he mounted her body upon his body, evidently about to take the body elsewhere.
"Your, your job? Has Slade brainwashed you so much that you're killing off your own friends?"
"You can keep talking, Terra. Your opinion doesn't matter to me anymore."
"Th-this isn't the Beast Boy I knew and loved. You're just the apprentice of Slade's now." Nodding my head in disapproval and heartbreak, I lifted a stone and broke off the extraneous parts thus sharpening it into a spear. Held in midair, I stared hard at Beast Boy as if trying to look inside his dilemma – his motivation from Slade.
"Go ahead." His remark supposedly fueled an already burning rage within me – but this time there was none, only an overwhelming containment of sadness and heartbreak. Setting down the stone spear, I lifted my arms high up as if embracing something.
"Kill me, Beast Boy…"
"W-what?"
"Do your job and kill me too. I don't want to live anymore…"
"T-terra, what are you talking about." Setting down Raven, he remorphed into his human form and leapt toward me coming face-to-face with me.
"Kill me. Beast Boy. If you're going to kill all your previous friends, you might as well finish the job and kill me also. Isn't that what Slade wants you to do?"
"No, Terra."
"If you're not going to kill me, then I will." Motioning for the stone spear again, I lifted it at the elevation of where my heart would be preparing to pierce myself.
"Terra. No!"
Despite the outcry, it was too late, I had already motioned my hand backwards and the stone spear, once set in motion, could not be halted. I simply closed my eyes waiting for silence and darkness to return.
And somewhere in my mind, I knew it was the end – the end of all things that I knew and loved, the Tower, the Titans, Beast Boy.
But from my side, I felt a force – a force pushing me away from these thoughts, pushing me away from harm's way. Opening my eyes, I only saw a flurry of green then a splatter of blood. The interceptor, Beast Boy, substituted for my own death, pushing me away from my own suicide. And where the spear struck, it struck deep causing Slade's 'S' badge to fall uselessly upon the floor.
Despite coughing blood, for the first time in a long while, I witnessed Beast Boy's smile. "Running away doesn't solve anything…"
And at that moment, I saw the Beast Boy I knew, unbinded by Slade and his dealings.
"Beast Boy! You returned…" Embracing him in a hug, I felt the happiest that I'd ever felt.
"Terra, I was always here. I never meant to hurt you. S-Slade injected both of us with a kind of poison threatening me that the only way out was apprenticeship…" And throughout all of the sentence, he clutched his bleeding wound, attempting to hold up a smile despite all the blood loss.
"Beast Boy…" I looked down at the wounds and the flowing blood, then at the spear still within him. And as gently as I could, I used my powers to remove my own creation from him. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't be…" And with that he wiped the blood from his mouth and embraced me with a kiss – free from interruptions and Slade. And I kissed back. Because for that moment, I did all I could to savor it. I knew conditions weren't optimal – four of the titans were unconscious, Robin was locked away, Beast Boy was wounded and I? Inside, my heart had been wounded but now it had healed.
"Good work, apprentice." A voice echoed from beyond interrupting my moment with Beast Boy. And it was no one other than Slade who emerged facing the two of us.
"I'm-I'm not your apprentice." Coughing uncontrollably, Beast Boy took the fallen badge and threw it at Slade's feet.
Evidently triggering a nerve, Slade leaped toward the two of us, knocking me aside. Subsequently, he lifted his metal boot thrusting it down upon Beast Boy's wound causing him to scream in agony from the cheap shot.
Cocking his head, Slade, while keeping his foot on Beast Boy's wound, looked at me in pure hatred.
"This is what you cause Terra…You will trouble and suffering every place you inhabit. It is a curse, Terra." Staring down at his foot, Slade only pressed harder managing to earn a more painful scream from Beast Boy.
"Beast Boy!" Running toward him, Slade knocked me away once more.
"At least your boyfriend has done something helpful, though." Slade, lifting his wrist, displayed a button and hovered his finger over it. "Although Robin is not within range, it will not matter. Destroying the five members from his team in one press is enough motivation for him to retire. Beast Boy, you are worthless to me now. You cannot be controlled, thusly, you must be destroyed. I believe I will…betray you now."
Subsequently, Slade reached over with one finger to press the button but not before having the last laugh. For once he presses that button, the fine line between life and death would shift.
"Goodbye, apprentice. Goodbye Terra."
Phew! I'm done.
And as for finishing up the summary concerning Chapter 1-9…
Terra, an ex-villainess, was chased away from her home going to the only safe haven that would welcome her – the Teen Titans. Coincidentally, Beast Boy had gone to find her only to be intercepted by Slade. Using Beast Boy's emotions to his advantage, Slade infected both Terra (when he resurrected her) and Beast Boy (when he was unconscious). Threatening to kill both of them if he did not consent, Slade sent Beast Boy on a mission having a full plan ready. Beast Boy efficiently carried out the task infecting Cyborg, Raven, and Starfire with the same syringe. With all of the Titans effected, Slade only needed to round them out in a close range and annihilate them all. However, while carrying out his task, Beast Boy confronts Terra only to see that she is willing to kill herself. Defeating the purpose of Slade's blackmailing and triggering Beast Boy's emotion was enough for Beast Boy to renounce his apprenticeship. As Terra is about to resort to suicide, Beast Boy promptly pushes her out of the way taking the blow. And just on cue, Slade appears holding the trigger to the lethal syringe…
Tianimalz : Thanks.
Shougo Amakusa : Thanks, yes, I didn't really think through Robin's impulsive behavior. Thanks for pointing that out.
Rock n elemental : Yes, and Slade's going to be intending to finish them both off
ColdHeartedPhoenix : Thank you.
Terra106 : Thanks for consistently reviewing!
Tira's Host : Thanks for the review!
Mm, so I left a bit of a cliffhanger. Chapter 10 is on its way and I believe Chapter 12 will be the last
Chapter X : Betrayal Upon Betrayal Part 2
Chapter XI: For The End Part 1
Chapter XII: For The End Part 2
Chapter XIII: A Further Aftermath
It will probably change though. Just a rough outline.
So, please review, and tell me what you think about the story so far! Thanks!
