32 Productions Presents…
A HIVE Team StoryThe HIVE Team In…
"Sins of the Pseudo Fathers"
Chapter Two
This one's a little short.
Main Room
Raven wiped the tears from her eyes with a tissue then blew her nose.
Raven: Oh Jason…you poor misunderstood boy. You just wanted to avenge the death of your mother. I feel your pain.
Raven was watching "Friday the 13th Part IX: Jason Goes to Hell". Sure, it wasn't the BEST movie (in fact, to many it's downright crappy), but she had a penchant for needless death and mayhem. She always cried when the monster died. She watched as Jason's mask was clawed at by a small dog.
Raven: Go away you accursed mongrel!
Freddy's hand burst from the ground and grabbed the mask, pulling it under. Raven just stared.
Raven: …what the hell was that? What kind of ass kissing suck up was that?
The door opened and Raven clenched the remote harder.
Raven: I thought we had discussed the matter of my private time…
Starfire: I just wished to introduce you to Jason.
Raven sighed. Starfire's memory was going already.
Raven: You did that yesterday.
Jason approached the couch and tugged on her cloak. She turned and stared, her jaw hanging open.
Raven: What the f…?
Raven could almost hear Starfire's eyes glowing.
Raven: ...udge?
Starfire: I do not know myself. I woke up with him like this.
Raven: I see. …well…hello, child.
Jason: Hello, Aunt Raven.
Raven stared at the boy then lowered her hood. Starfire was surprised. She had never seen Raven without her hood before. Her hair was as white as snow, even more then Shade's hair and it just barely reached mid-way on her upper back. Shade's was more of a silver in comparison. When Raven spoke the creepy rasping echo was absent.
Raven: …aren't you afraid of me?
Jason: (shrug) If you wanted to hurt me you'd have done it yesterday.
Raven: How can you even remember that? You were a baby.
Jason: I just do.
Raven tilted her head slightly. She reached up and patted the boy on the head. Starfire was ready to stop her, thinking she was going to hurt the boy to prove him wrong.
Raven: You're a clever child. Now go away. The movies I watch today aren't for young eyes.
Raven brushed her hair back and put her hood up.
Raven: Starfire, take the boy away. I can't tolerate his cuteness any longer.
Starfire took the boy by his hand and led him away.
Jason: Bye, Aunt Raven.
Raven said nothing until after he was gone.
Raven: (whisper) He called me "aunt". I feel so old.
Surface
It was a warm, but cloudy day. On days like these, Shade liked to go up to the surface and hang around the cliffs. Few people ever came up there and if they did, he would just kill them. He lay out on the rocks, his eyes closed. They snapped open when he heard the faint sound of footsteps behind him. A quick sniff of the air told him who it was. He never allowed anyone to be downwind of him unless they stood right in front of him. He yawned, his tongue folding and sat up. His eyes widened at the sight of the young boy. His nose told him it was the same baby from yesterday…even though his eyes said otherwise.
Starfire: Shade, you know Robin does not approve of you coming up here.
Shade snorted. He could care less what Robin approved of. It was Raven's approval he sought. Not even he understood why.
Starfire: You remember Jason…
Jason walked up to him. Shade tensed. He didn't want his ears grabbed again. Instead the boy patted his head.
Jason: You're nice. Sorry about your ear.
Shade just stared. Jason turned to his "mother".
Jason: Why doesn't he talk?
Starfire: He lacks the ability.
Jason: Oh…why doesn't he wear shoes?
Starfire: I have no idea.
Jason seemed to have a healthy curiosity. That was good.
Jason: ...Mom?
Starfire: Yes, Jason?
Jason: At the rate I'm aging I'll be older then you in two days.
Starfire stared at him, her eyes wide.
Starfire: How…how did you…?
Jason shrugged.
Jason: I went from an infant to roughly six years old in a day. If the rate of aging continues, I'll be twelve tomorrow. After that I'll be eighteen.
Starfire clenched her fists. This was ruining everything. He couldn't be her heir if he was older then her, even if they did stop the aging shortly there after. Once he was eighteen it would be useless. Jason seemed frightened by this display. He was oddly observant for someone his age. She calmed down. No use scaring the poor boy.
Starfire: Come, there is still Changeling and Cyborg for you to see.
Jason: Bye Shade!
Shade snorted and followed them. Starfire would probably rat him out to Robin if he didn't. She was mean like that.
Cyborg's Room: That Night
Robin leaned against the wall impatiently as Cyborg studied the data.
Robin: Well?
Cyborg: Well, you're right. He's aging rapidly. It seems to shoot up every twenty four hours or so.
Robin: I knew that! How do we fix it!
Cyborg: I don't know!
Starfire entered.
Starfire: I just put Jason to bed. Have you found the cure?
Cyborg: No.
Starfire swore in Tamaranian.
Starfire: …if he is not better by nightfall tomorrow…we'll have to get rid of him.
Robin and Cyborg looked stunned.
Cyborg: You want to whack him!
Starfire: No, I do not WISH to! …but if he cannot be cured then I feel there is no choice.
Robin: We could let him live…?
Starfire shook her head. Robin sighed.
Robin: If you say so. He is yours.
A tear ran down her cheek.
Starfire: Do not remind me.
Just Outside Main Room: The Next Night
The now twelve year old Jason played video games with Changeling as Raven spoke with Robin in the hall.
Raven: …she wants to kill him?
Robin: Yeah. Apparently she thinks he's a failure.
Raven: What do you think? He's your clone.
Robin shrugged.
Robin: I never wanted him. I'm sixteen.
Raven: Yet you screw Starfire nearly every night. Oh, the shame of it all.
Robin just scowled. Raven sighed.
Raven: …even I don't feel right about this. …what do you want me to do?
Robin told her and she nodded. She walked out to them leaned over the couch.
Raven: …Jason. I just want you to know, I've never liked children until I met you. You're a very special little boy.
Jason: …just get it over with, Aunt Raven. I overheard them last night. …they want to kill me.
Raven sighed and lowered her hood. She walked around and knelt in front of him.
Raven: …I really am sorry.
Jason: Save it. If you really cared, you wouldn't do it at all.
Raven shrugged then pecked him on the forehead. Black energy shot out from her mouth, rendering him asleep.
Changeling: What the hell?
Raven: We're going on a trip. Grab him for me.
Raven put her hood back up and walked out of the room. Changeling stared down at the poor kid and sighed. He wasn't sure what was going on but he had the feeling he wouldn't be seeing little Jason anymore.
Toxic Waste Dump
Jason came back into consciousness, his nose burning from a terrible smell.
Cyborg: Aw, shit he's awake again.
Raven: I'll knock him back out. There's no reason he should have to feel this.
Starfire: No.
Raven looked stunned.
Raven: But he…
Starfire: …is a disappointment.
Jason: …this isn't over.
Robin: Yes it is.
Robin shoved him and he fell into the toxic sludge below. Jason's skin burned like hell and his world went black. Back above, the Titans lowered their heads for a moment.
Changeling: …I'm depressed now. Let's go kill some people.
That sounded good to them.
Three Months Later…
Jinx: HIVE, together!
The Titans groaned and turned to face their enemies. All they were doing was trashing a movie theater. What was the big deal? Gizmo fired a small device that latched onto Cyborg's back. It tore a panel open and started hacking inside.
Gizmo: Well how about that? It works.
Cyborg started running around in circles, swearing at the top of his lungs. Gizmo snickered then yelped as Changeling charged him in the form of a rhino-beast. Sonic blasted him into a wall then leapt back as Shade clawed at him. Sonic moved too fast for Shade to catch with his hands alone so he created grasping hands around him. Mammoth startled him by grabbing the back of his neck and throwing him aside. The Titans were beaten and subdued. The police arrived and threw them into trucks.
Krystal: Jeez, that was fast. How'd you move so quick?
The police didn't respond. Krystal huffed.
Krystal: Ruuuude.
The police drove off…and then the police showed up. The HIVE looked confused.
Officer: Where are they?
Jinx: What do you mean? You guys just picked them up.
And there was much arguing.
END CHAPTER TWO
