RR76: Still can't answer reviews. DAMMIT! Well yeah. I still haven't started school. Yeay for me. I'm hungry. No I'm not.

So yeah. Start reading my crappy story, or I'll kill you.

The R-Cycle screeched to a halt, throwing sand into the air. Robin dismounted and removed his helmet, taking in the landscape. For a barren patch of sand and cacti, the Mojave desert was quite lovely. But he hadn't come to look at pretty flowers and bleached bones. He had found a page in Carson's journal that had a set of coordinents. Coordinents that led right into the middle of the Mojave desert. Either there was something of interest here, or Carson put that there as a prank to anyone who would steal his journal. Either way, Robin felt it called for an investigation. And we all know how much Robin loves to investigate things. Like Starfire's panty drawer. HA!

Ahem.

So Robin found himself in the center of the desert, staring out at the desert before him. And he saw...nothing. Not a single thing. Literally, not one skull, cactus, flower, nothing but endless sand. Robin walked around for a bit, searching for something out of place. He found it in the form of a soft metal clang as his foot connected with the ground. Robin stooped over and brushed away some sand, surprised at what he found.

It was a door.

Raven stared at Carson, her mouth wide open. "Pavayne...Pavayne hired you to kill me? And you ACCEPTED HIS OFFER?"

"Well...yeah," Carson said matter-of-factly. "You didn't notice the shotgun?"

Raven sighed in frustration. "Can I not trust you to not kill me for five seconds?"

"Hey, I didn't use the gun, did I?" Carson said in his defense.

"No...I guess you didn't," Raven said quietly.

"And you know, I've told you before that I could always--"

"Kill me before I can bat an eyelash, yeah." Raven looked at him. "What did Pavayne offer you?"

Carson smiled faintly. "He said that he could take control of your body once you were dead and give me my life back. Not just my life, but Titan's Tower. And the lives of your friends. It was tempting..."

Raven laughed bitterly. "Of course. You'd give anything to kill us." She paused. "But then why didn't you shoot?"

Carson's smile faded a bit. "I guess...I saw you sitteing there and you reminded me of someone. Someone I knew a long time ago..." he trailed off.

After a moment of silence, Carson stood up. "You'd better get out of here. Your friends are probably wondering where you are." He began to walk down the winding path.

"Carson!" Raven called after him. The assassin turned around. "...Thanks," she said. "For not killing me."

Carson smiled. "Don't read too much into it Raven," he joked. "You're just lucky I hate Pavayne slightly more than you." With that, the usual burning flames surrounded his body and he was gone.

Raven opened her eyes to find herself back in her own room on her bed, her mirror in her hands. A soft knock echoed throughout the room. Raven got up and opened the door slightly to see Beast Boy standing outside. "Um...hi Raven," he said nervously. "Mind if I come in?" Raven said nothing and Beast Boy sighed. "You're still mad then. Well, I'll...talk to you later." He turned to leave.

"Beast Boy," Raven called. She opened the door all the way and stepped to the side. Beast Boy walked in. He waited a few moments, then began to talk. "I don't know where to start."

Raven leaned against the wall, arms folded over her chest. "Let me guess, you came to say something else really hurtful, and you couldn't do it over your communicator, because the best part is the look on my face--"

"I came to apologize," Beast Boy said quietly.

"It's funny, I could have sworn I tried something like that not two hours ago, and if I recall you weren't too willing to listen then. So why should I?"

"Would you just shut up already?" Beast Boy snapped. Raven shut her mouth, surprised at the outburst. Beast Boy sighed again, running a hand through his messy green hair. "Look. We've been taking alot of cheap shots at each other lately."

"More so than usual," Raven muttered.

"And it's destroying our friendship, or whatever we have that passes for one. I want to put this behind us. I really am sorry for what I said about Malchior." Raven fidgeted a bit at the name, and Beast Boy continued. "So...I guess the only thing left is...will you forgive me?"

"Wow," Raven said dryly. "I've...never seen you this meek before. Except for that one time." She sat on her bed and looked down at her feet. "I...I accept your apology Beast Boy. And I'm sorry for what I said. I don't really want you to die."

Beast Boy laughed softly. "I kinda got that after you threatened to kill Terra if she hurt me." Raven smiled a bit at the memory (Aftershock part 2 for the uninformed) "Um...I'll go now." He made his way to the door.

"Stop." Beast Boy turned around in surprise. He hadn't expected Raven to invite him to stay. "Last night...when I was up late and you were worried about me...you were right. Something is wrong."

Beast Boy sat next to Raven on her bed. "Raven please, tell me."

"I..."

"Please Raven." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Robin isn't the only one you can trust around here."

Raven looked him in the eye. "I know. It's just...I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?" Beast Boy asked, subconciously edging his face closer to hers. "The boogyman?"

"Something damn close," Raven said with a short laugh.

"It's okay Raven," Beast Boy reassured her. "I'll protect you."

Her face edged closer to his. "Beast Boy..." she whispered. Their lips were a centimeter apart.

Inside Raven's mind, a bodiless voice chuckled merrily. "Showtime," it said in a singsong tone.
Raven stopped suddenly. "Leave," she hissed.

Beast Boy stared at her. "Raven, what's--"

"LEAVE!" she roared. The door opened wide and Beast Boy was flung outside. The door slammed shut and locked. The sounds of the shapeshifter's fists pounding on the door echoed throughout the room.

Raven ignored them and strode to the chest in the corner of the room. The lid flung open under the influence of her powers and a large white book sat. "What do you think you are doing?" the book asked in a bored tone.

"Shut up dragon," Raven muttered. "You'll owe me for this."

"What are you babbling about woman?" it growled.

"I said shut up!" Raven snapped, setting the book on the floor. Vases and containers flew off the shelves, forming a circle in the center of her room. Raven threw the book into the circle.

"That hurt, you know," Malchior said irritably.

Raven suddenly decided that the constant pounding and shouting from outside was annoying. "SHUT UP YOU MISERABLE GREEN BASTARD!" she roared, reaching out with her powers. Screams of pain could be heard outside, and finally, all was quiet.

Raven turned her attention back to the task at hand. "Why Raven," Malchior purred. "You're going to release me? I didn't know you cared."

"Shut up you babbling idiot," she growled. "There are bigger and more important things at stake here. You are going to see to it that my Ascension goes along as planned."

Malchior began to feel uneasy. "You aren't Raven, are you?" he asked suspiciously.

The thing that had posessed Raven smiled through her mouth. "Not exactly, no."

"...Pavayne..." Malchior spat. "Hell spawn, servant of the Ancient one."

"The Ancient one can kiss my pretty round girlish ass," Pavayne hissed. He paused. "Don't tell anyone I said that," he said quickly. If Malchior had eyes, he'd be rolling them.

"Now then," Pavayne contined. "On to business." He cleared his throat. "Hezberek Et Morine Gost Wenthen Verbis Nex,"

"Raven!" Another voice coming from outside. Starfire.

"Raven, open the door!" Cyborg.

"Raven, please..." A third voice, weaker. Pained. Beast Boy.

Pavayne ignored their pleas. "Ind Obrium Bis Pendrule Paran Sic Cortis Rex!"

A bright light filled the room. The book containing Malchior glowed white and burst open suddenly, light pouring from it's pages. Pavayne smiled one last time, then fainted, his control over Raven lost.

The door to Raven's room exploded and the three Titans rushed in, Cyborg leading the way. He quickly scanned the room. "Raven!" he called.

"There!" Starfire shouted, pointing. Raven lay unconcious at the edge of her bed.

Cyborg's gaze turned to the book in the center of the room. "The book!" he shouted. "Destroy the book!" A green wolf charged into the room, teeth bared, ready to shred Malchior's book to pulp. A blast shot from the book, striking him in the chest and knocking him into the wall.

A huge purple and black shape began to emerge from the light. Two massive wings spread, knocking holes in the celing, followed by claws...and a head. The light faded and the dragon Malchior stood in it's place, barely fitting in the tiny room. He stared down at the girl lying in front of them and smiled. "Pleasent dreams, my sweet Raven," he crowed, and lunged.

A blue blast struck him in the face and Malchior's head snapped back. He stared at Cyborg with contempt and roared. "Another time then," he said, and smashed through the wall, heading for the city.

Beast Boy rushed over to Raven. "Raven! Are you..."

Raven stirred a bit in his arms and her eyes opened slightly. "Beast Boy..." she whispered.

"What were you thinking?" he asked. "You just set Malchior loose on the city!"

"No...no, I would never..." Raven's eyes closed and she slumped back into unconciousness.

"Raven!" Beast Boy shouted, shaking the girl.

"Come on, the dragon's getting away!" Cyborg shouted. He and Starfire ran towards the massive hole in Raven's wall. The two turned to see their friend still clinging Raven to himself. "Beast Boy, come on!"

"But...Raven..." he said, unable to tear himself away.

"She'll be fine! We have to go after Malchior!"

"But..." A hand rested on his shoulder. He looked up to see Starfire with a smile on her face, despite what was happening.

"Raven will be fine," she said, reassuring him. "She has been in worse situations. Trust us."

Beast Boy looked at her, and a determined look crossed his face. He got to his feet and morphed into a hawk, flying out the hole with Cyborg and Starfire close behind.

A fireball smashed into a skyscraper. Malchior laughed and sprayed hot death across the city, relishing the dying screams coming from below. His merriment was cut short as a blue light struck him in the eye, blinding him. He roared in pain and looked up with his one good eye to see Starfire flying through the air, carrying Cyborg by his shoulders. She hurled the metal man at Malchior and he fired another shot, followed by a volley of starbolts from his alien companion. Malchior retaliated with a fireball, striking Starfire and sending her into the side of a building.

Cyborg landed roughly and activated his second sonic cannon, firing both in unison. Panels in his shoulders opened up and dozens of missiles launched themselves at Malchior, hitting him in various places. The sonic barrage continued, pushing Malchior backwards. Suddenly, the attack stopped and both sonic cannons powered down. Cyborg stared down at them to see a flashing light that indicated they had overheated. He cursed under his breath and activated his chainsaw, rushing at Malchior. The blade pierced the dragon's tough hide, cutting through one of his legs. Malchior screeched and snapped his tail forward, smashing into Cyborg's chest and hurling him down the street. Malchior smirked triumphantly, and stared down at his last bit of opposition.

The tiny green shapeshifter stood in the street, staring with unbridled hatred at the dragon. "Come now boy," Malchior taunted. "Do you truly believe you can defeat me when your friends couldn't? What are you going to do, throw a stankball at me?" He chuckled at his barb.

"You," Beast Boy growled. "You hurt Raven. You'll pay."

Malchior laughed. "Ah yes. Raven. Poor, stupid, gullible Raven. I do wonder what she was thinking when she freed me again. Surely she knew her fate was to be the same as the rest of yours. On second thought, perhaps I should keep her. She would make an excellent pet."

"You stay away from her!" Beast Boy cried.

"Ah, I struck a nerve," Malchior said. "Hmm, perhaps I will keep you alive longer than your friends, human. Keep you alive, and make you watch what I do to Raven. It has been quite some time since I had a virgin girl."

"I'm not gonna let you eat her!" Beast Boy shouted.

Malchior chuckled. "Dear child," he mocked, "who said anything about eating?"

That pushed him over the edge. Beast Boy felt the rage bubbling inside of him. The fury that threatened to swallow his heart. And Beast Boy let it. His muscles bulged and grew, his bones crunched and groaned as they rearranged themselves. His teeth sharpened into fangs. His suit tore to shreds. And, with Starfire and Cyborg looking on, the Beast that had once been their friend gave a roar of primal fury.

Carson stood on the proverbial sidelines inside Raven's mind, watching the action from afar. Well, he had gotten as far as Malchior being released and escaping, he missed what was going on. But Raven could sense the Beast's return, and so could he. "Malchior," he chuckled to himself, "you are so gonna get it."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Pavayne's voice called. Carson turned to see the demon summoner walking down the path to him. "That beast versus an ageless dragon? No contest."

"Great, ask me if I care," Carson replied. "I only hate Malchior because he's part of your plan, and I would so love to stick a pin in your plans. Again."

Pavayne laughed softly. "Why Carson, Malchior has nothing to do with my plan."

Carson's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"I was hoping to do this differently," Pavayne continued, ignoring Carson's question. "Usurping control of Raven would be much easier if she was already dead. But I took what I could get. I know that I can control the girl. For how long, I do not know, but still. It should suffice."

"Does this have a point?" Carson sighed impatiently.

"It was supposed to be so simple, have you kill Raven and the rest of the Titans, and then nothing would stand in the way of my Ascension. But things never do turn out as planned." Pavayne sighed. "Malchior is...a but crude, but he does get the job done. One way or another, the Titans will die, and I will reign supreme over this world." He looked at Carson. "You, on the other hand..."

He walked towards the boy. "I had high hopes for you. You were to rule at my side for all time. But you went back on our deal. You spared the girl. And so now, I have to kill you."

Carson laughed. "What're you gonna do, walk through me to death?"

Pavayne grinned. "Not quite." With that, he drew back his fist and punched Carson in the face. Carson stared at the demon summoner in shock.

"I do have one last ace up my sleeve."

RR76: I command you to review. Or I'll, like, kill you. Or something.