Hello all! I apologize for the very late delay. Events (and my own procrastination :P) seemed to conspire against me finishing this chapter in time. Don't expect an update tomorrow, though there will be one come Saturday. I hope.
Also, I should warn you of a number of things: Firstly, this chapter doesn't have much in the way of Beast Boy/Raven scenes, though there is one with Trigon. Second, I will be treating the subject of Hell rather lightly in one instance. To those of you adamant about your religion, I mean no offense. Third, this is the third to last chapter of Mox Quest. Sorry, but I'm starting college in barely more than a fortnight (two weeks) and I can't have this story distracting me. With that in mind, enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Magic: the Gathering, Teen Titans, the Metroid video game franchise, the Parthenon, any and all intellectual properties referenced in the poker game scene, including the Rolling Stones, Ask a Ninja, or Richard Garfield. Phew!
FIGHTCHOREOGRAPHYISNOTMYSTRONGSUITFIGHTCHOREOGRAPHYISNOTMYSTRONGSUIT
You know, the Mox Emerald said in a chorus of voices ranging from the insectoid to the cetacean, I don't like being plucked like a ripe berry from my resting place. I don't like being swallowed. And I especially don't like being treated like just any piece of jewelry. I'm not happy. In fact, it began to glow ominously, I'm angry. And you won't like me when I'm angry.
After this proclamation, the green Mox erupted with inner light, and streamers of verdant energy streamed from the gargantuan tree, the lush field, and even the surrounding wall of wood into their source: The gem laying on the grass before Beast Boy.
Rising above the ground, the enraged Emerald spat, You want my power? Take it. Take all you can handle. The thin chain attached to it detached and lashed out like a madly accelerated vine, constricting itself around the changeling's throat. It didn't try to choke him, but reattached itself to the Emerald, resulting in the jewel hanging from Beast Boy's throat, giving it the perfect position and opportunity to pour energy into the hapless hero.
Fortunately, since the Emerald retracted its influence on the grove, Raven's intellect was no longer suppressed, and came rushing back at the considerably increased speed of thought. It came just in time for the empath to regain sentience as she was scratching herself indelicately. Quickly retracting her hand, Raven remembered the last thought she had before sinking into stupidity. "Beast Boy!"
Turning upon hearing his name, the shapeshifter cried to Raven, "Stay back, Rae! The Emerald…it's got me!"
Rushing to him, the telekinetic tried to comfort him. "Don't worry, Gar. Fight it, and I'll get it off." She tried to get hold of the chain, but it sprouted nasty thorns, keeping her from getting a grip on it. Trying her powers didn't work either, as a green mana current sent through the gold repelled the demonic influence. "This is decidedly not good," Raven said anxiously.
"Raven…" Beast Boy growled, his voice much deeper than usual, "I won't be able to fight it much longer. Run. Get the others. HURRY!" This final cry was more howl than shout.
"No," she said adamantly, despite the tears welling in her eyes. "You helped me when the Jet overwhelmed me." Raven rose, black aura enshrouding her hands as power glowed from her eyes. "I'm returning the favor."
It's your funeral, chorused the Emerald, as it finally broke Beast Boy. Screaming with pain and rage, he expanded, Spandex-rippingly changing into the Man-Beast.
'It's OK,' thought Raven, 'Even when he the Man-Beast, he never hurts me. He protects me.' Sadly, this line of thought was disproved after a savage blow to the midsection that sent the empath hurtling back.
You just don't get it, do you? the Emerald screamed, Your mate is not at the reins here. I am! And I have no qualms about smashing half-demon face.
"Then I don't have to feel bad about doing this!" said half-demon retorted, encasing the Man-Beast in her familiar shadowy aura and slamming it into the ground.
As she prepared for a second blow, a jade-hued energy emanated from the brute, disrupting Raven's hold on it. It would seem I have to kick this being's powers up a notch, mused the Emerald. With that, more green power poured out of the jewel and grounded itself in the changeling's body.
As the Man-Beast's body started to grow and mutate, Raven could only watch in rapt horror, and mutter to herself, "We're gonna need a bigger telekinetic."
THEPUNCHOUTATTHEPOOLTHEPUNCHOUTATTHEPOOLTHEPUNCHOUTATTHEPOOL
Cyborg and Starfire fought each other to an uneasy stalemate. Energy blasts from either side were negated with the same. Cyborg occasionally outmaneuvered Starfire, but the alien always retaliated with an even more relentless assault than usual. As of the current point in the narrative, Cyborg was on the ground, preferring motion in two dimensions while aiming in three. Starfire featured a few more streaks of red in her "Super Tamaranean" hairdo, as well as a smile that could only be displayed by those with near negative sanity. Each was somewhat out of breath, but magical energy allowed rapid regeneration on both fronts. Also, a rather unique Mexican Standoff was taking place. A fully charged Ice Beam shot and a barely restrained Super Starbolt took the place of the more mundane projectiles.
Cyborg broke this stalemate with a tried and true superhero tactic. Pointing behind the crazed alien with his left hand, he shouted, "Behind you!" As she retracted her blast and turned, he released the cryogenic energy. Unfortunately, since he was pointing, his body received the full force of the recoil, sending him spinning backwards.
After the exosuited teen righted himself, he was shocked to see no sign of Starfire, frozen or otherwise. "Where-?"
Radar, the Sapphire reminded him. His eyes flicked to the handy feature of the suit's HUD, which unfortunately showed another blip right…
"Behind you," mocked the faster-than-estimated girl, before sending a massive pulse of destructive energy through the Cyberia Suit. System after system succumbed to the strike, before the superstructure itself felt the effects of the shattering spree. Cyborg collapsed face first, most of his body wrecked with the armor. Grinning, Starfire turned and ascended anew.
Cyborg? Transmitted the Sapphire, you still with me?
"Barely," he groaned.
I have good news, better news, great news, and horrible news.
"If any of this is about car insurance," threatened the disabled do-gooder, "I'll use that sledgehammer I have in the garage."
Well I'm glad none of it is. The good news, I can rebuild you. I have the ability. Better news, since we're so close to water and a clear sky, I can repair everything rather quickly. Great news, I was able to adapt some of the red energy to create missiles and the Plasma Beam.
"And the horrible news?"
None of that is going to matter, since the Tamaranean girl is about to blast us into oblivion. Indeed, Starfire was concentrating much of her energy into a single sphere of chaotic destruction. She smirked with anticipation, pointed her hands, and-
OHHOWEVILIAMOHHOWEVILIAMOHHOWEVILIAMOHHOWEVILIAMOHHOWEVILIAM
Raven continued to watch helplessly as the Man-Beast's form mutated almost beyond recognition. Its form rose as it hypertrophied, bones creaking as they struggled to support the ever-enlarging muscles while expanding themselves. A tail erupted from its coccyx, a mere tuft of fur soon developing into a sinuous, prehensile appendage before that too gave way to an enormous rod of flesh, coated with massive keratinous growths that straddled the line between scale, stinger, and blade. (It's a very interestingly shaped line.) A second set of arms began as vestigial, tyrannosaurian extremities, but soon developed into near perfect copies of the Beast's original forelimbs. Those arms grew to near ridiculous proportions, sacrificing opposable thumbs for even greater crushing and goring power. The thing's face grew more lupine, face giving way to muzzle. Finally, the creature's form stabilized, supporting itself on legs the size of Parthenonic pillars. Now, my Omega Beast, crowed the Emerald from it's precarious position about the colossus' neck, go forth and show this world what happens when a gem of green magic is roused from its slumber!
You know, spoke a different telekinetic voice, exclusively to Raven, now would be an excellent time to use me. She turned to the source of the oleaginous offer, her cape pocket.
"You'll take over again," she said, though with little conviction.
At a time like this, wheedled the Mox Jet, does it really matter?
Raven thought hard, biting her lower lip as she debated the consequences of letting a monster that could practically eat monster trucks whole rampage freely versus unleashing her own terrible potential. "Fine," she said finally, slipping the eldritch stone over her neck.
As the familiar changes took place, Raven's last autonomous thought was, 'Beast Boy, please be alright after this.'
DISCAPITALCITYOFHELLDISCAPITALCITYOFHELLDISCAPITALCITYOFHELL
Trigon the Terrible, bane of mortals, and host of the latest "Post-Failed Attempt at World Conquest Sons of Satan Poker Game," sniffled.
"What's up, Triggy?" asked a refined looking gentlemen, his human leather briefcase safely stashed under his chair, "Something in your eye?"
"That joke never gets old, Junior," replied the Terrible one sarcastically. "I'm just proud of my little girl. She's turning into such a fine young demoness."
"Ahh, zzzweet little Raven," said a giant anthropomorphic fly fondly. "Why izzz it you allowed her to zzztop vizziting?"
"Oh you know, threatening suicide before the prophecy could be fulfilled," dismissed Trigon, "the usual childish excuses. But now that she's using the Mox Jet again, she may start visiting us more frequently."
"I certainly look forward to it," cooed an effeminate demon, cards held awkwardly in one lobster-like claw, "I do so love children." Reflecting for a moment, he muttered in a much harsher tone, "At least when they know their place."
"And once again, the day was saved," mocked a player who looked remarkably like Adam Sandler, "thanks to-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence," spat the vise-handed one.
"Hey," called a player who looked quite like Trigon, with two fewer eyes and more in the way of skulls and chains in his wardrobe, "am I the only one here who came to play some cards? You girls can break up the sewing circle any time now."
"Sewing," reflected a female "son" of Satan, "it's a good thing."
The others were about to tell her to shut up when a knock at the door was heard. "Hello?" called the knocker, "I got an order for, like, six hundred sixty six extra large pineapple and soul pizzas for a mister 'Trojan the Terrorist.'"
Trigon raised an eyebrow and said, "Winner eviscerates his living soul?"
There was a chorus of "Deal," a showing of cards, and a handful of disappointed groans. The dapper gentleman rose and opened the door.
"'Cha, so that'll be, like, three thousand seven hundred forty bucks and, like, seven cents," recited the acne-ravaged delivery boy, "plus tip."
The debonair man smiled most unpleasantly. "Please allow me to introduce myself," he began, "I'm a man of wealth and taste…"
THEBLINDETERNITIESTHEBLINDETERNITIESTHEBLINDETERNITIESTHEBLINDETERNITIES
Attempting to describe the space between dimensions to one who has never seen it is, to borrow from a wise ninja, like trying to describe Final Fantasy VIII to a lemon. The best approximation is the vacuum of intergalactic space, charged with more magical energy than Richard Garfield's imagination. The end result is pure chaos, totally hostile to non-planeswalking life. Fortunately, Pentagram did not fall under this category, and traveled through the Bastard Plane in the eleven-dimensional equivalent of a casual backstroke. He halted for a moment and espied a strange pentathaumic radiation coming from a universe he'd just visited.
"Huh," he said to himself, then turned to face a direction ninety degrees from everything else, a.k.a. the fourth wall. "Hey, Overactive Mind."
Yeah?
"You made them activate all five Moxen, didn't you?"
We're nearing the climax.
"I see. Guess I'll be paying Raven another visit soon, then?"
Sorry, I've got readers.
"I think they make an ointment for those now."
Ha. Ha. And also ha. Anyway, I can't divulge that information at this time. It'd ruin the ending.
"Understood. Have fun." With that, he paddled off to realms unknown.
Heh. "Have fun." Don't I always?
BACKATTHEPOOLBACKATTHEPOOLBACKATTHEPOOLBACKATTHEPOOL
Echoes of the earlier cry of "STARFIRE!" still rang through the city. At the pool-turned-battlefield, Cyborg suspected he was dead, since he saw an angel. It took him a moment to realize the plumed warrior was in fact Robin, and that said gender-bent hero(ine)'s angelically endowed shield had blocked what would've been a finishing blow.
Starfire growled furiously at being denied this strike, and began to thrash out at her new foe, hellbent on destruction. Robin parried with her sword or blocked outright with her shield, nervously glancing at Cyborg's condition from time to time.
So did Cyborg. The Cyberia Suit's visor had restored itself, and the energy meter was slowly refilling itself. As it did, he began to notice a gradual return of movement in most of his body. He'd already managed to turn himself over so he could see what was going on. As Robin blocked a particularly vicious blast, he noticed one of the visor icons come back. Sending a mental command to the Sapphire, Cyborg switched to Scan Mode, and began to analyze Starfire, hoping to find some sort of weakness. The results came back thusly:
Taxonomy: Berserk Tamaranean
Tamaranean female endowed with additional strength, speed, and firepower both from genetic experimentation and rufuthaumic enhancement, the latter at the cost of sanity and stamina. Mentally unstable and impulsive, bordering on psychopathic. Near invulnerable while magical augmentation persists. Exhaust before attempting to subdue. Hair pigmentation's returning to normal acts as accurate gauge for remaining magical energy. Exercise extreme caution while subject is still capable of aggression.
After processing this, Cyborg called out, "Robin! You gotta wear her down, she's got no staying power!"
"Could've fooled me," muttered the angel as she weathered yet another blow. 'Still,' she thought, 'he's the one with the scanner, what have I got to lose?'
I have a plan, the Pearl informed her, then expounded it.
"Better than anything I had," Robin said. The angel then released a massive blinding flash, sending Starfire recoiling in pain. As the light faded, Robin was nowhere to be found.
Her new prey gone, Starfire remembered the one she'd been about to destroy. Grinning in anticipation, she turned, but was shocked to see Cyborg standing erect, armor gleaming. The same light that had repulsed the Tamaranean had sped the mechanoman's repairs to completion.
"Don't know what Rob's thinkin'," said Cyborg, "but I like this part." With that, he began charging the Ice Beam anew, dodging the furious strafing his adversary threw at him. Once the charging was complete, he felt the irresistible superhero's urge for a clever pre-finisher one-liner. "Chill out, girl," he quipped, as he launched an Ice Spreader.
This was met halfway by a massive blast from Starfire. As the subzero missile met the white-hot plasma, there was another massive flash of light. This one, however, carried with it a much different effect.
ENDCHAPTERTWENTYEIGHTENDCHAPTERTWENTYEIGHTENDCHAPTERTWENTYEIGHT
I apologize for the low Beast Boy/Raven content in this chapter, but after she puts on the Jet, it basically consists of a demon and a giant hunk of muscle beating each other senseless. As fun as that is to watch in person, it's far more visual than can be effectively conveyed in writing.
Anyway, for this chapter's activity, see if you can guess who else attended Trigon's poker game (aside from the hapless pizza boy. He's just cannon fodder.) Or just tell me what you thought of the chapter. Either way, review! Opinionate! Tell me what you think!