32 Productions Presents…
A HIVE Team StoryThe HIVE Team In…
"Trigon's Arrival"
Chapter Three
HIVE Island
Changeling shifted into a twisted looking humming bird and flew down. He flew into Trigon's ear and once he was in a decent position, changed into a whale beast and started howling. That part was just too cool in the cartoon to leave out. Red X launched explosive X's at Trigon as Robin flung some freeze discs. Back over on the other side, Raven slammed Shade against the wall of a building. Shade staggered to his feet and Raven backhanded him.
Raven: You were my best friend! I opened up to you and you stab me in the back!
Shade: You don't realize what you're doing. This isn't what you want.
Raven flung a series of bricks at him, each one hitting their mark.
Raven: Don't tell me what I want! You don't know anything!
Shade: You wanted to rule over humanity…you wanted to be a dark and terrible queen. Instead you've become a lackey.
Raven's eyes flared with rage. She grabbed him and wrapped her hands around his throat.
Raven: I AM NOT A LACKEY!
Finally Shade turned into a shadow and her fingers passed through him. He slid back a ways, just out of her reach.
Shade: Then what are you?
Raven: I'm his daughter!
Shade: …yes, you are. But what does it matter if you lose everything you care about?
Raven faltered for a moment before flinging a chunk of concrete at him. It hit his head and he nearly fell over. Blood flowed from the point of impact, obscuring his vision.
Shade: Are…are you having fun? Are you enjoying this?
Raven: …no…I…
Shade: And you never will again. You're damning yourself to an eternity of servitude and depression.
Trigon stood from the tower, clutching his ears in pain. Cyborg fired his sonic cannon, hitting him in the chest. Trigon took a deep breath and blew flames down on them. They dove for cover. Starfire and Blackfire swooped past, using their eye beams on him. He swatted Blackfire and fired his own eye beams at Starfire. Terra created a hole in the ground, causing him to trip. Changeling came tumbling out of Trigon's ear, dazed from the fall.
Jinx: This isn't working! We're not doing any real damage!
Robin: Do you have a better idea?
Jinx just scowled and cast a jinx at Trigon.
Jinx: No.
Krystal blew another lava creature away.
Krystal: (panting) Five hundred seventy two…
Another.
Krystal: Five hundred seventy three.
Shade's body could take no more. He slumped over, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Blood splattered to the ground from his nose, his mouth, and the gash on his forehead. Raven grabbed him by his coat.
Raven: …you're dying.
Shade: Am I? I can't see.
Raven: Why? Why couldn't you just go along with it?
Shade: Why are you so blinded that you can't see what's wrong with what you're doing? Think back to all the good times you've had with the Titans…with me. Now think of what your life will be like when we've been killed.
Raven felt tears running down her face. She couldn't stop them anymore then she could stop the words from flowing from her mouth.
Raven: I…I just wanted to be loved. That's all I ever wanted. But Mother and those fing elders wouldn't do it! Father is all I have left!
Shade: …no. You've got us. …and…I've always…loved you.
Raven shook her head.
Raven: You're…you're just an animal. I…I could never…
Shade: You could. I know…I was there.
Shade slumped in her grasp. She shook him, but got no response.
Raven: Shade…wake up. Shade, please. Shade, I'm ORDERING you to wake up!
Raven laid him down and pressed her head to his chest. She pulled away, realizing that his chest was slick with blood. How had he kept going for so long? She tried again…nothing. No heart beat. Raven lowered her hood.
Raven: I…I'm sorry. Shade, you…you were right. I was a fool.
Raven's hair started gaining color, turning purple.
Raven: I was surrounded by people who cared about me, but I never noticed.
Her skin went from red to white.
Raven: And you…you who gave so much for almost nothing at all. Just a little acceptance. You…you even gave your life for it.
Raven closed her eyes. When she opened them she had but one pair. The irises were still red, but other then that they were normal. She pulled her hood back up.
Raven: Time to end this.
She kissed his cheek and stood up. With a snap of her fingers, the lava creatures disappeared. Krystal fell over, exhausted. Raven turned her attention back to Trigon. She arrived just as her friends were about to give up. Trigon was struck speechless by the change.
Raven: You know, Dad…I've decided. Maybe the demon princess thing isn't working out.
She fired a blast of dark energy from her hand. To everyone's shock, Trigon howled in pain as it crackled all over him.
Raven: Surprised? You shouldn't be. A good demon ALWAYS plans to overthrow their ruler sooner or later. I did a little reading. Amazing what you can find in a book these days.
She fired again.
Trigon: YOU FOOL! YOU'RE THROWING EVERYTHING AWAY!
Raven: No. I had everything I wanted already. I just couldn't see it. Good bye, Father.
Raven summoned her full power, releasing a giant bird of dark energy. It enveloped Trigon and he disappeared with a scream. In a blinding flash, all that had changed as a result of Trigon's coming was set to right. Raven landed next to her friends, panting hard.
Cyborg: Alright, Raven!
Terra: Way to kick some giant red ass!
Raven: How can you be so happy? I caused all this…
Starfire: True, but you also fixed it. It is as if nothing had ever happened, yes?
Raven was silent. She gathered her strength and floated away. Robin turned to Jinx.
Robin: So what now?
Jinx: …I guess we go home.
Robin: That's it? No big fight to the finish?
Jinx: Could you even fight right now?
Robin: Maybe. Could you?
Jinx: …maybe.
Robin: …let's just go home.
Raven landed back on the main land. Krystal was kneeling next to Shade. Raven knelt next to her.
Krystal: …
Raven: While I hardly care for your feelings, I want you to know I will always regret having done…
Krystal: …he's not dead yet.
Raven: What! But I felt his…
Krystal took her hand and placed it on the OTHER side of Shade's chest. Raven felt a faint heartbeat.
Krystal: Our hearts are on the left. He needs medical help, NOW.
Raven: Move.
Raven closed her eyes and began to heal him. His eyes fluttered open.
Raven: …hey. I thought about what you said…and you were right. So I killed him.
Krystal wiped a tear from her eye.
Krystal: That's the most romantic thing I've ever heard.
HIVE Tower: Main Room
Mammoth, Sonic, and Gizmo were reasonably stiff from being statues. Krystal cleared her throat and stood in front of them all.
Krystal: Okay guys…Blackfire, come over here.
Blackfire sighed and did what she said.
Krystal: I've been thinking…and…after what happened today, I don't think keeping secrets from each other is such a good idea. We have to trust each other completely. …so…Blackie and I have a confession to make.
Sonic: You ate all the brownies, didn't you?
Mammoth: No, that was me.
Sonic: …you're a butt.
Krystal: We're in love.
Gizmo: Blackfire's gay too?
Blackfire nodded, rubbing her arm nervously. Jinx pinched the bridge of her nose.
Jinx: Great…JUST great.
Krystal and Blackfire looked upset until Jinx smiled.
Jinx: Just fill Sonic's head with all sorts of ideas, why don't you?
Sonic: Huh? Hey, I wasn't thinking of anything!
Krystal: So…you don't mind? We're cool?
Red X: It's your business.
Mammoth: 'sides it's hot.
Jinx elbowed him, a look of disgust and shock on her face.
Mammoth: What? It is.
Titan H.Q.: Raven's Room
Raven looked at herself in the mirror. She was getting used to her new look. She had caught Robin and Changeling staring at her. Cyborg still didn't seem to notice, which to her told her she was right to think he was gay. Shade was laid out on the bed, heavily bandaged. Raven turned to him and flung her cloak back so that it didn't cover any of her leather clad body.
Raven: What do you think?
Shade let out a weak grunt. His chest hurt and making any sort of noise was painful. Raven smiled wickedly.
Raven: You really think so? Well, when you're all better, we can take it for a spin.
Shade looked surprised and made another noise. Raven sighed and took off her cloak.
Raven: Shade, you're not an animal. I was wrong. Animals don't feel the way you do. Animals wouldn't perform the sacrifices you did. Shade…I love you too.
Raven climbed onto the bed with him and kissed him gently. She pulled back and grinned the same wicked grin from before.
Raven: Don't get used to that though…I usually won't be so gentle. Now…get some sleep.
Raven laid next to him, brushing his hair with the back of her hand. Shade nuzzled her hand and closed his eyes.
Main Room
Terra sat on the floor, staring at the ceiling. The door opened and Cyborg came in.
Cyborg: You still up? It's getting late.
Terra: Couldn't sleep.
Cyborg sat down on the couch behind her.
Cyborg: Something buggin' you?
Terra: …we saved a lot of people today.
Cyborg shrugged.
Cyborg: Guess we did.
Terra: …it makes me confused. It makes me remember why I wanted to be a super hero.
Cyborg: You having doubts?
Terra: …yeah. I love Gar. And the thrill of killing still makes me want to do it some more but…what if I'm wrong? What if I AM just mentally ill?
Cyborg: What do you mean?
Terra was silent for a moment.
Terra: When I was a kid, I was diagnosed with a personality disorder. The doctors said that it would cause me to become vindictive and jump to irrational conclusions. If not treated it would become a serious psychosis.
Cyborg: …so what if you are? Guess that means we're all crazy.
Terra shook her head.
Terra: You don't understand. You don't see what my doubts ARE. I think…I might need mental help. I think I might need to be committed. What if I get WORSE? Sure I just kill normal people now, but how soon before meta-humans are in danger? How soon before you guys are in danger?
Cyborg: You wouldn't do that.
Terra sighed.
Terra: I didn't think I'd ever be killing people either.
THE END
