Benevolent Evil: The Chronicles of Stone
Requerdando
Remembering
Para The Raven's Wings
"No…"
His voice trailed off as he picked up the ruby studded ring and the paper it had been resting up, both having waited to shatter his heart, mind and soul. It did that in an instant and in that instant the marriage of Richard and Koriand'r Gray was officially over.
Robin or rather Richard Gray hadn't taken long to secure his place in the highest peak of the Wayne Enterprises hierarchy. Though he had some help Dick rose quickly and was able to provide Starfire or Kori, as she allowed him and only him to call her by her real name, a cozy home nestled in the suburbs of Gotham City. They were young, happily married, and now had more freedom financially then they ever did when they were Titans.
However Dick had been restless. Kori dotted on him all the time and truly was the perfect wife but he was restless at home and with his life. Office life at the top consisted of a lot of routine and even Kori grew tired of constantly having to dress up go to dinners, functions, charities or whatever event Dick had to show up at. That was what drove Dick to break one of most precious promises he had made to Kori…
He had made the promise during their real, small, quiet wedding that had taken place before the big flashy show one.
He had promised her, and likewise made her promise, to give up crime fighting because of the dangers involved but Dick found he couldn't keep that promise. Within a year of his marriage he had become Nightwing; a part time crime fighter in Gotham City. He never told anyone because it made him feel as if he was cheating on Kori everynight he would sneak out of bed to go into the welcoming night. The sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach was always present every time Kori would ask where the latest cut or broken rib had come from and Dick would lie about it.
Dick reasoned that Batman knew, what superhero wouldn't check out the scoop on the guy that moved on their block, that was why he was allowed his part time runs, and that Kori knew though she never said anything. However that knowledge just made Dick feel worse because he couldn't bring himself to admit that he had broken the one vow he had forced upon her at their wedding.
At first Dick told himself that he wanted to help people and that Batman was getting older, though there was another Robin and even a Batgirl now and if the rumors were true Wonder Woman was even making more frequent and lengthy visits to the city or more correctly to the mansion, and someone had to pick up the slack. That illusion didn't hold out for very long; Dick knew that the city now had five, FIVE protectors including himself and Batman had done a perfectly fine job on his own before he came along. Five was done right overkill.
Dick tried many other illusions to try and justify the behavior that made him feel like he was very nearly on top of the world and simultaneously made him feel like shit. Below shit. Shit was way to high up on the pecking order to be used to describe how he felt. Every time he caught a criminal he felt worse and vowed he would tell her that night but then he would get home, find a light on for him, and this made him fearful and halfway relieved to think that she knew, and his red haired angel sleeping soundly on their bed. He never had the heart to wake her nor did he ever have the courage to tell her in the morning, guilt having sealed his jaws shut.
So for 9 years, with barely a year of break between being Robin to being Nightwing, Dick would regularly sneak out of his home and come back feeling guilty to find he wife had left a light on for him.
The one night she did not leave a light on greatly worried the seasoned crime fighter. Cautiously he snuck into his own home via prying a window open. A quick search of the house found it empty and that worried him even more. The house was empty. Kori wasn't in bed and there was no sign of forced entry or a struggle of any kind. In his growing panic searched the house again and this time his eyes caught the glint of a three-o of rubies. The rubies were on a ring, Kori's wedding ring that rested on a single sheet of white paper that lay on the kitchen table. How he had missed it before, Dick did not know but he didn't care. Scenarios were racing through his mind ranging from a ransom note, which given the symbolic of the ring he hoped, prayed it was, to Kori's farewell to him.
Dick pick up the ring and looked tentatively down at the tear blotched paper. On it were two and a half words, seven letters in total that spelled out "I'm sorry."
"I'm so sorry but this is the only way. Just know that I'll always love you."
The words were softly spoken, tears running freely down her cheeks as she watched from the shadows the man clad in his black costume she loving called husband run from their own home in anguish, pain, and complete lack of understanding.
Koriand'r Gray, formerly Starfire of the Teen Titans, had settled into her married life with Richard Gray, formerly Robin of the Teen Titans. His new job as well fast coming climb up the ladder of power greatly helped the couple get on their feet and firmly ensured that they never had money woes like when they were Teen Titans. That was one thing Kori was grateful for. She would have just as gladly been poor as long as she had Dick there with her but she knew how he had always, in the back of his head, worried about how to stretch out what money the Teen Titans had. Kori was grateful that something as simple as the colored paper and strange round things called coins that were used as money on this planet, which had caused such stress in the past was no longer an issue.
They lived well though not flauntingly or extravagantly and after a few years there was more money then the young couple knew what to do with. Dick took time off and graduated from university having paid all expenses from their own money. He even finished a Masters in Business Management, though Kori had no idea what the significant a simple piece of rolled up paper had she was still proud of him because of all the work he did, all on their own funds as well.
That put a sizeable dent in their pocket, though the couple didn't have to sacrifice anything, and once Dick restarted his job again, put on hold for him by the big boss not that anyone really minded since Dick really worked hard, the money poured in and this fact drove Dick crazy for some reason that Kori couldn't understand.
Money when to charities, a retirement fund was set up and soon was over the million mark and climbing. Investments were made, not careless ones though, and by their seventh anniversary the Grays were millionaire through and through. Dick even went so far as to beg Bruce Wayne for a pay cut and Kori secretly made her own attempt at it later on.
To no avail and the money made Dick restless. It always made him restless and she had seen it very early in their marriage. She at first had attributed it to the possible fact that she was a bad wife, after all she learning an entirely new profession on a strange planet.
Those fears were quickly squashed by her loving husband and Kori blamed their overwhelming monetary situation for Dick's unrest. She even let him take his evening strolls at night to calm himself before he came to bed with her and Kori was always sure to leave a light on for him.
Partly because it would take his mind off of the money and mostly because herself wanted it Kori spoke to her husband about what he would think about having children now that they were much older, both of them 24 at the time, and very well established in the world. Despite the small nagging voice in the back of both their heads that wondered if they were even genetically compatible the pair agreed to try. Kori promptly stopped taking the pill she had dutifully taken once a month as a precaution in their earlier lovemaking days.
After 18 months and several miscarriages Kori quietly made her way to see a doctor about the couple dilemma. The doctor could find no reason that would make Kori unable to conceive, though the doctor was without the knowledge that Kori was Tamaranian, and dejected Kori returned home to the man who had thrown himself full heartedly into having a family. Unable to shatter his dream Kori never told him about the doctor's visit and the two kept trying.
However as time wore on Kori became worried. She had secrets that she had kept from Richard and she knew that those secrets would come back to haunt her. Kori knew that they would come soon; she had faithfully done her duty and they could swoop in at any time. She wasn't sure that she wanted to have children any more, not when she knew what was about to happen.
In the beginning she had wanted them to make Richard happy, to give him a son, and herself a daughter to dote over. Maybe if they were born early enough they could possibly understand and be safe but with each passing moon and its life giving cycle Kori's wish for children dwindled. She simply didn't want them to grow up in the world that she knew was going to change rapidly.
Her biggest worry was that Richard wouldn't understand her concerns and leave her if she told him she no longer wanted children and what she knew. She couldn't fathom hurting him, pure and simple, she loved him too much but in the end she knew she would have to hurt him to save him. She started on the pill once again in secret.
Finally the time she had at first longed to come but now dreaded arrived and Kori did the only thing she could to save her husband. While he was out on his evening walk Kori wept as she painstakingly took off her wedding ring and wrote two words, "I'm sorry," on a single sheet of paper. She left them both on the kitchen table for him to find and fled the place she had shared with her husband for the last ten years.
"Time, the fire in which burn." Tear said to himself. He was sitting on the balcony of his old fortress home. Telir's cruel rule, lack of an heir, and his final will of giving the Blood Throne "to the best" had made it easy for several ambitious Demon Lords to rise up and split the Hells up into numerous warring factions.
The world at large, and indeed the entire plane, didn't notice the internal strife that was weakening the Hellish State as a whole. Telir's death and Raven's disappearance had left no blood ties to the Blood Throne. The weakened and warring states were what Tear and his host came home to.
In the past 10 years much had happened. Tear had his home territory back under his control and his strongest ally was Stone; his powerhouse on and off the field of battle. Despite the ruggedness of Stone's allegiance to him, Tear had taken him under his wing and taught him the values of being part of evil itself. The kid took to it well and though Tear never told him he was proud of the ruthless power-hungry beast Stone had become. And that animal had been instrumental in helping him reclaim his home territory having done much of the fighting that Tear could no longer do. His still had his wits about him but the injury he had received from the Di'Candra had never healed properly and greatly reduced his physical prowess. That was something Maria never forgave the girl for doing even though it may have been purely accidental. Stone had stepped into that void and was the favored arm of House Tir'eir. Cinder Block, Stone's book loving prison friend, filled a similar role in Slade Wilson's notorious mob on the surface.
Both were the true muscle behind Tear's and Slade's decisions and were often in the company of each other whether up top or down below. Neither ever said much but it was a sure thing that if one was in sight the other had to be close by.
Other members of H.I.V.E. finished out Slade's superhuman forces. There was Mammoth; armed his superhuman strength, his girlfriend Jinx; capable of jinxing people and things around her, and Gizmo; the pint sized mechanical and technological genius. An army of lesser men filled the ranks on the surface half of the unholy alliance.
Apart from Stone Tear didn't have many other major assets of his own to add to the alliance. He had his cunning to match with Slade's and his own legions of Demonic troops to fill the ranks with the bonus of a popular base in his home region, something that assured him some security where Slade did not. On the flip side being one of the older Tanar'ri Lords and having some of the more productive lands in Hell made Tear's meager empire the target of many. Slade, ever since the disbandment of the Teen Titans, lacked any true resistance in Jump City and had it in his firm grip.
Tear did have the talents of his daughter at his disposal but he could never bring himself to using her like he was Stone despite Maria's willingness to help. Lacking any other children made Maria the heir of House Tir'eir should anything happen to him. Nor would Tear even fathom of sending old Jacob, his faithful butler, to do anything remotely dangerous. Even being a pair of millennia younger Jacob was already over the hill by Demonic terms. Stone was Tear's only true contribution to the alliance's fighting forces but it was enough.
Tear knew it was foolish to have to rely on Stone to do his conquering for him but what were the odds that Stone could conquer all of the Hells in his lifetime? Even after a solid decade later they were still far from their goal of complete and total domination with the Blood Throne in their control. After all there were 731 territories in all and only 15 of that belonged to them.
Tear sighed. Time had burned his body at long last and he was forced to have others do what he once was capable of doing for himself. Time was the fire in which everything burned and Tear wonder just how long it was before it would begin to burn Stone.
"I, Deux Machina of House Tir'eir, call you, Narratush of Tindran, challenge you to step into a circle of equals!" His voice echoed across the field of battle and was easy to hear over the sounds of combat. The fighting almost instantly stopped as the entire field waited for Narratush's reply. Give his position Narratush had no choice but to accept unless he wanted to less his troops moral and lose face. To lose face was to lose honor and in the Nine Hells honor was one of the few things that these "bad guys" knew more about then the "good guys" did simply because at the end of the day all an "evil" being really had was their honor.
On the surface he was Stone; called so for his icy manner and constant scowl on remainder of his human face. Beneath he was Deux Machina; God of the Machine for no other servant of the Hells or Celestial planes had been half machine before. However that name had been bestowed upon him and Stone didn't like it. He had wanted to known as the avatar of Death, Pluto, Hades, The Grim Reaper, or Thanatos, whatever name it had but instead he was hail, somewhat mockingly he though at times, as God of the Machine. Since his failed attempt to change his name Stone was stuck with a hated title that carried all of his unholy honor.
Stone recalled what his friend Cinder Block had told him about honor while waiting for the ceremony for the circle of equals to begin.
"You think honor is chivalry. Chivalry was nothing but a European excuse made up by the Church to give people an excuse to 'legitimize' the Crusades and murder. A poor hapless European experiment that got worse and worse as time went by, much like courtly love. Now the Niponese, came up with Bushido; the Way of the Warrior, and they knew about honor, as well as how to make arranged marriages work."
Bushido's honor is strict, much like the Hellish sense of it though only the educated elite ranks, namingly the Lords, were expected to follow it.
For him and other middle ranked personnel were expected to only follow the rules when in audience with equals or with those of higher rank. Mostly it applied to manners, a certain order of acknowledging people and how low you bowed and combat rules. No ranged weapons in single combat, only hand-to-hand weapons. The combat rules, though unofficially, had migrated down the ranks so that the vast armies of the Demonic lords mimicked it leaving the armies without ranged elements in them.
After all, just like Tear had told him long ago; "You must be able to look your opponent in the eyes."
Stone had looked into many opponents' eyes. He had killed many with his two Dark Metal or Shadowsteel blades that were built into his arms. After busting out he, Cinder Block, Gizmo, and Jacob had rebuilt him entirely from Shadowsteel, just as Tear had planned. What Tear didn't plan on was Cyborg's eagerness to change into Stone.
In his legs jump jets had been added. This gave Stone the gift of limited flight and quick bursts of speed on the ground. His colorless dark armor covered his entire body, much like is old silvery titanium plating did. His arms had been the most heavily modified. The sonic cannons were removed but on top of the arms hoplon shields (the rounded shields that the Greeks used) crafted of Shadowsteel provided protection. On the underside the two retractable 45cm (18 inches) blades rested in what would be his forearm; ready and waiting to be released at the push of an internal command.
Stone was good at what he did, so was Cinder Block. Their quiet natures and similar jobs, as well as prison time together, made them fast friends. Both were the undisputed champions in their line of work on their planes. Hitmen, generals, muscle; regardless the titles the job was the same; help the boss climb to power by making hits and fighting for him. The reason for it was simple, as the bosses became more powerful so did they.
Personally Stone had other reasons to ally himself with Tear. First off Tear was Tanar'ri and therefore very powerful despite his age and injury. There was the other fact that Tear was the only Demon Stone knew but that was irrelevant. Tear had had a vision of placing the Di'Candra on the Blood Throne. That vision had included him taking over as the Ruler of the Nine Hells and of course having children with the Di'ra or Queen to Tear's Di're or King.
There were several problems with that little plan of Tear's. First off Raven had disappeared after the Teen Titans broke up. Secondly the remainder of Cyborg really didn't like the idea of Tear and Raven together. He disliked the idea of Tear forcing himself on her even more so.
That alone was enough for Stone to plot for Tear's down fall once the Blood Throne was in his control. Maria also had a vested interest in remaining "daddy's little girl" and Jacob wholeheartedly supported Maria in her plans to keep her status as only child. His reason was that he was too old to be taking care of kids again. Whatever the reasons the three were in agreement; should Raven ever be found and placed on the Blood Throne the three would make sure that Tear never got up there himself.
Stone also didn't want Tear to control the forces of the Hells. Stone knew the potential might of an united Demonic front would simply overwhelm any defense the Heavenly hosts could muster. Would it be wise to let Tear be at the head of such power? More importantly would it be wise to invade the Heavens and knock out the "good" from the equation? Time would tell.
But of course that was he was doing right now as he stood on the battle field and watched the elaberate ritual of the circle of equals begin. He was giving Tear more power with each territory that he conquered under his banner, each foe he vanquished. Hells, he was even speeding the process up and vastly reducing the losses that Tear could suffer. Stone was a sound tactician and he received lots of practice as 11 of the 12 months of the year were spent marching. He sound military strategies and unbeaten record had allowed Tear to become one of, if not the, the most powerful houses. Stone had single handedly won all the territories that the crippled Tanar'ri held and he had won many just as he was going to do so now; in single combat against the enemies champion.
The reason for a circle of equals was simple. It saved countless lives of soldiers that could be used elsewhere. It prevented a meaningless campaign that would leave the territory battered, pillaged and raped making it rather worthless unless some serious money and manpower was placed into rebuilding the area. Those were the main reasons. For middle ranked officers, those not of the higher bloods, it was a chance to prove themselves, gain honor and prestige, and rise up in society. While it was simply impossible to become one with the Bloods, the equivalent of the royal lines, it did place them above just about everyone else, if they were successful. Stone was very successful and fought so many battles for things as simple as a mountain pass or hectare of land to entire regions that the ritual prior to the fight was done literally done mechanically.
All fighting stopped, as it was the point of the circle of equals. Then a 10-meter (30 foot) circle was made by both sides giving half the space. The challenger would withdraw from the circle and both of the faction leaders, or the next highest-ranking officials, were expected to meet in the middle of the circle to talk over what exactly was going to be fought over. Once the deal was concluded both leaders were expected to announce, in order of challenger then defender, to their men what the stakes were. Afterwards the leader would withdraw to safe locations to watch the fight. While they were in transit several men on both sides would step into the circle, declare who they were and their rank and promptly march to the other side, weapons still in hand, and turn their back to the enemy. This would be continued until the circle was equally lined with men on both sides, ranks matched, with their backs to their enemies.
The logic for this strange part of the ritual was well thought out. This portion of the ritual was to ensure the safety of the fighters and honor of both factions. Though the sense of honor was heavily battered into the higher Bloods it was less so among the lower bloodlines. Just to prevent cheating, creating interference rather, hostages were more or less exchanged. If on side interfered it would lose face and the lives of its men. The hostages on both sides kept each on their best behavior and as there was risk involved these men there were rewards for those willing to be hostages. It gave these men a chance to show their honor and thus gain a fraction more for their own families, which could lead to promotions, which lead to moving slightly higher up the social ladder.
Once the exchange of hostages had occurred the challenger would repeat his challenge only to include what they were fighting over. The challenged would then enter and accept the challenge by simply repeating who they were and that they would defend the said portion of land.
In this case Stone was once again going to fight for an entire territory, though it wasn't all the big; it rested at the northern most part of the Nine Hells and was smashed between a mountain range, that had a single pass that an army could march through though it was guarded the fearsome Hu Luo Gate, which was under House Tir'eir's control, and the River Styx. Just beyond the river was the Pillars of Hercules, the not so mythical physical gateway to the plane that the Earth was in. Once it was under House Tir'eir's control the faction would be the sole power in the northern reaches of the Nine Hells, controlling an impressive 110 territories of all sizes that made up 15 of the Hells total. And then Stone no longer had to worry about being surrounded completely as he would have only three fronts; the south, east, and west, to worry about.
However given the sheer size of the Hells and eerie bountifulness of resources it would take a long time to finally unite the Hells under one banner. There were several strong factions out there that they had not come into contact with and Stone wondered he would do when the battles and territories could not be one in circles of equals. He would have to dwell on that later, right now he had a poor fool to dismember.
"Andy, no." The voice was monotone as always, completely devoid of emotions. "It's just not going to happen." A pause ensued before the voice continued, "Both of them."
The owner of the monotone voice was one Miss Raven Roth who happened to be the owner of the very popular café, Raven's Wings, which the business man, one Mr. Andy Anderson, wished to purchase. He also wanted to sleep with Raven and he wasn't too subtle about it though determined on both fronts. Raven gave him that but that was is only good trait.
The newest thing in her life was her business, the café, and this annoying Andy character that would not take a hint and leave. It had been two years afterall.
Apart from those things not much had changed. After the appeared deaths of two teammates and marriage of two others to each other Raven had stayed the last place anyone would think to find her; right where she had always been. She still lived in the Teen Tower though that name was forgotten and now it was the Raven's Roust. She only used what sections served her purposes and she was careful not to disturb the other areas. She still actively fought crime, she had the time since running a café wasn't that hard when you had a good manager for it, and had thus earned the tower a new name. She had reverted back to her old habit of speaking in monotone and being generally devoid of emotions.
Ever since Cyborg's "died," whatever force that had prevented her emotions from blowing things up had gone away as well. The only thing that Raven could possibly think of to explain this unpleasant change in her life was that it had been love. Her feelings for Cyborg and the support he had given her, however short lived it was, had been enough, in her mind anyway, to somehow stop her destructive tendencies during spikes in her emotions.
Forced to be without emotions once again Raven had made a vow to herself. She had dared to love once and had been hurt badly. To avoid being in such pain again, to be within sight of true freedom only to have it snatched away so soon, Raven had vowed to never love anyone again.
That vow didn't prevent annoying suitors from pestering her now and again as no one else knew of the existence of the vow. Andy, though he really had wanted to buy her business, now wanted to more or less buy her or more correctly her body. That really pissed Raven off and a lamp exploded in the background. Sensing that he had upset her somehow Andy made a hasty retreat.
Raven made her own retreat to her haven. Of course when she had made that vow she did not expect to find a boy from her past to show up and start a chain of events that she didn't have any control over.
A/N: The LockDown LIVES! When I post this most of you are still in 04, so this is a gift from the future, of sorts. Well 8 pages for you that more or less puts everything up to speed. More or less a decade, 10 years, has passed since the last fic and some things have changed naturally. This prolog more or less should give you enough to think about until the next update. I expect some reviews from this. Of course this is a test to see both sides of the coin. Am I really such a great author to be worthy of the praise some of you give me? Are some of you out there really as loyal to the writing as you claim to be? We shall see, veremos, ¿no? Well don't expect the next update soon. I have to squeeze in scholarship applications and from the 2nd to the 6th I'm taking a trip to Bangkok, Thailand to finally lay to rest the issue of my right knee which already maybe FUBARed as it is. Depending on the news and my mood the update will vary in speed. I've just gotten into sync again but this trip will undoubtedly throw me out of it. But reviews should help, the longer the better.
Speaking of reviews, these are to answer those who posted a few in BE chapter 26.
The Raven's Wings: I must say I don't believe in scout's honor though I do believe in personal as well as family honor. I expect to see your callsign in every chapter as you said. I believe it would be a fair trade off for dedicating an entire fic to you. Before this is over I will make you at least accept that CyRae works. Though I am afraid that chapters that center around Robin and Star will have to go to Terra Basher. Perhaps a part three can happen should I feel like it and you, and others really want to see an afterwards. I start writing it in my head and see.
Voltor: Good to hear from you. I do wish that you would review more often, you seem to be of the same political leaning as myself and allies are always good to have. Plus it is always good to hear from a regular.
angelicdhampir2oo4: Ah yes, my pathetic last chapter to BE. Feh, I can admit it wasn't up to par though I only rushed the last page. Upon reading it again and again it came out as I meant it to in the end. The time jumps just require some thought, I'm not changing anything. I believe that the only one you can count on is yourself so you can't change yourself to fit other people's wants or even suggestions. I'm sticking by that chapter and the time jumps. I did them the way I wanted to and I'm not going to change them. I will give you the thing about jail, I know jack about the jail system in the US. I do know that it does cost $25,000 a year to keep a prisoner in there and that the US has the highest prisoner per capital in the world. GO USA! Keep arresting them people! It's one thing you're good at; breeding hate and crime Yes Beast Boy was killed off. I saw no use for him though his soul may make a guest appearance in Hell. Don't look at me funny, if you look back BB killed a Demon and killing is killing. He's burning for sure. I think you can see that Kori and Dick are going to be in this one as well. Hells bells, I wouldn't have a plot for this if they weren't in it!
LNM: Always a pleasure to see those three capital letters. I'm like you, I write and post ASAP. Then I take the reviews, depending on how they are, possibly tweak a thing or two and write a new chapter. How can your parents ground you from writing? It's an actual right to have privacy and to be able to express yourself. Two human rights you can bust your parents on. If you don't want to do that you can do what I do. Write in your head until you get to a computer. I have all sorts of scenarios being written in my head all the time. I take the best of each and piece together to what you have just read.
OoshatiElf: You are new. And you didn't even finish reading the whole thing. I wrote the last fic not to please people but purely because I could. I wasn't trying to capture the Teen Titans as you saw them; I was trying to paint them as I thought they should be. You must not see very well. Life very rarely is very plain, straightforward or simple. It is made up of many events at mesh together in waves, leaps, valleys and all sorts of other shit. So I don't have something that goes 1, 2, 3, fuck you, over and done. And the errors in it make me seem more amateur. I'm no damn professional writer doing this for money. I'm doing it to add to a system I use regularly. The Anti-American stuff isn't Anti-American, it's just Pro-the rest of the WORLD!
Alisa: Not everything ever ends happily. Actually most things don't even end, they just stop. But hey, I only killed off Beast Boy, I could have wiped the whole cast and there would be no sequel. Yes the Pro-World as I shall refer to it now as to not so overly offend those who are easily offended when I say ANTI-AMERICA! things. It's the truth. Wouldn't say stuff that isn't true. If you look you should be able to check all of the things I have said from book in your local libraries. You just don't like the truth. Take this for example; Why won't the US ever sign and join the International Criminal Court? Simple. Do you know how many politicians, Bushs, Cheneys, among others, would then be carted off for WAR CRIMES and CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY! Dear God, save us from the day that a white rich American is actually sees the inside of a dank cell. How about the shit in that prison in Iraq or in Guantanamo Bay? Direct violation of the Geneva Accord right there. And who's head rolled? Some scapegoat, a Sergeant and a Corporal I think. That is fucking weak. Something to think about for now. Well you don't have to match me a line for each page I write but longer is generally better. Rant, yell, talk, whisper, whatever longer is better.
Terra Basher: Ever faithful. I have great plans for your favorite couple. When I write the Robin/Star things I always have you in the back of my head, just thinking of how you would react to what I wrote. I'm sure you'll enjoy this.
JF-1986: Another new face. A short review but you will get off easy since you are new and said nice things about me. Thanks for adding to the total.
j: Such a simple letter. I like that letter. The semi-porn scenes as you put it were in there mainly because how often do you see it written just how Star and Robin are getting along physically? I feel I build up to them fine enough. And the Pro-World statements are entirely in context. If I bash anywhere it would be in context to what is going on. If the president was on the TV I would bash about the president and point out all the stupid things that SOB has ever said. This is one of my favorite quotes; "I believe that we should help the country of Africa by…" In front of the entire UN too. I must say I am glad to see that you are not jumping up and down trying to rip my head off. Acceptance and mistakes rarely go together and even less so when an entire country is at stake. Stiff characters eh? Most likely they are an offshoot of myself, stiff and cold. It can't be helped. They say that when you make something, anything, that you place a part of yourself into it. Hell I guess they will be stiff then. Heaven and Hell has always made me think. Good can not exist without evil and evil can not exist without good. Therefore how could there be a Heaven to start with? Don't answer that it will lead down another road that would lead to more enemies. Mostly I'm fascinated in how people don't see that there can be no such thing as "good" without there being "evil" in equal measures in the world. Heaven/Hell bit will more or less be used as my own thinking on the subject. Without evil there can be no good so it must be good to be evil sometimes. Yes Maria is an angel from the Celestial Plane. She was adopted and raised by Tear and knowing nothing else she is whole devoted to him. He is in effect her "father" after all. If that doesn't make sense this may; someone raised you from childhood on up without really having to. Wouldn't you be grateful and do anything to somehow repay them? Thanks for the information on Slade. You made me rethink and rework Slade's part in this. I like him even more now. "One more request: Ash. Deadites. Gotta have 'em." That I don't get. By all means ramble. I got to ramble back and that is just as fun as writing the chapters.
meditaion6: Nearly the 2nd here. I'm still waiting though no pressure. I'm not sure when I could possibly get to the fic and work on my own. Use writing to relieve stress, it is great for that. It calms the mind just as well as music revs it up.
deathknight sora: Please, complete sentences and no net speak. I know it but it drives me half crazy decoding it all.
N3ko: It's just plain crazy to me. Really, I turn 18 and can enlist and get shipped off to Iraq and get killed, more or less willingly. But I can have Mr. Bottle, a soldier's best friend, apart from hors, with me? Who thought that up? A bunch of politicians who wanted sober people that were young and gullible enough to be swayed to vote for them. Did I mention they drank at this meeting and sealed it with a toast? Plus this is my fic. My fic means my world. I say if you can drive a lethal weapon then why can't you at least drink too?
Dragonlass18: That was so out there and amazingly cute that I'm letting it slide. The review did nothing more then add to the numbers but it was amusing nonetheless. More will come in due time and hopefully more reviews from you. I could use the laughs.
Athena884: The lovely armor clad Goddess has decided to grace us. Tell me, is Nike really that small or are you really that big? Once again I will admit the wedding was not done as well as I wanted though I will not change it. I'm fixing it in this one. And jail is jail. America is America and I am what I am. I don't know jack about jail since I've never been in any jail except the jail of my own mind. Tear left because Cyborg was taking over temporarily. That temporarily just kind of stopped and Raven managed to fall off the radar. Hiding in plain sight is very smart really. Yes BB is dead. I found no use for him and found myself struggling to make him appear. I recap Tear's original plan for Raven in Stone's prolog section. The three men talking in the end of BE were Jacob, Tear and Cyborg. I am an American without a state. You can trace back 3 generations and I'm still without a state. I plan for my children to be the fourth generations without a state. It allows me to be American and bash my own country and people without being as attached as some other people. My home is the world. I look out for my home.
Fuzzy: So good to see you. I know CyRae isn't your fav but I hope you will keep reading. Perhaps RobinStar is more your way. If it's neither then I'm afraid I can't do much for you. I stick by those pairings and I'm not moving until I see evidence that says I should move and even then I may not move. I do hope that you keep reading. It may not be a fav pairing but it could be a fav fic, right?
BlackShield: You know your initials remind me of something. BS Fashion, Bull Shit Fashion, an actual story that sit proudly on the second floor of our one and only mall. Enough smiling and laughing though. I will say right now that when I first read your review you pissed me off so badly I nearly, so very nearly rewrote the whole damn chapter. But I stand by what I do; even if it is shit it is my shit that I spent time writing. I could have done a better job on some parts yes but I did what I did with some reasoning behind it. I was planning part II and I dropped some hints as to what happened to these guys. Like I said I stand by what I write. If it is bashing America then so be it. I won't change for just one person unless that person has managed to work up the ladder of my mind. Your standing in the entire Teen Titan/CyRae universe that I am trying to insert myself into is nearly enough. I shall consider it but given the way my plot is going you shouldn't have to worry overly much. From what I have planned I would be entirely out of context to bash the US. BlackShield I see your reasoning in how can I hate the US and not hate you. I counter with how can someone love a country and hate a person that is part of that country, ie me? Other side of the coin. That is me. I am aware the inserting politics may turn away an audience but it is such a small audience compared to those that agree with me. Half of America and the rest of the world all at the sacrifice of just the other pitiful half of America? I'm afraid you are thinking like an American, that only Americans would read this. America isn't the only place in the world with internet, BlackShield. In fact, some parts of the US are even less developed in some ways then the places I've lived and I have lived in backwater backwater places with nothing, literally. I'll forgive the negative review if you forgive the remark though I believe to be true. Yes my marriage scene was off. I'm sorry if I've never been to a western wedding and a clueless. I doubted that people knew about Khmer weddings so I took a shot with a western one.
Talon: I applaud you at your anger and outrage at me. I am rather happy to see quite frankly. Shows that there are people still willing to defend their country out there. However not having lived in the US is not really the issue here. I, having sources not controlled by the US, can shift through the world's most controlled media. I am not attacking you or BlackShield or either of your mothers. I'm attacking the state. The state is controlled by few. The few are elected by the many. Through that route the entire people are guilty. Democracy is flawed. Unfortunately, though you try and hide it, and I may be doing what some do by judging by the actions of a few, I am not being racist as you suggest. I've been careful about that point being of mixed blood myself. As I said the many elect the few and the few control the state. Those few represent, according to the democracy they were elected by, to represent the state. What they do should be the actions of the state, not of themselves. Therefore the state is at fault just as much as the people who elected them. Of course the people are very in direct in all of this and can be written off. I was bashing a few and a broad whole. You could have ducked but you decided to take the hit. If you really were concerned and cared for your country you would write too. But it's not worth your time is it? Not worth seeing the other side of the coin as I do, not worth doing against the grain as I do? It's funny you talk of being a patriot yourself and perhaps you are a patriot in your own eyes and the eyes of the American idea of it. Do you know what the British called the Patriots? Rebels, traitors. Hell, had the Patriots not won and written the history books they would be called the rebels that they were. In that sense we are both Patriots. It may ruin my soul but let me tell something about me. I believe that there is an equal balance of good and evil in this world. I believe that good can't exist without evil and vise versa. I chose to be evil, perhaps even wrong at times, but if I wasn't the how could you be the one that is good and dare I say it, right about a few things. I have chosen my path because I believe there must be bad and terrible people in the world. I am that evil bastard you can pour your spite and hate into just so that you or someone else can be that good person. To my story, as with BS, the plot doesn't have anything that can be seen as Pro-World in it as of yet. Maybe it will be clean, maybe I'll put things in just to spite you, I don't know. My dear Talon I did not suggest that EVERY marriage it the US ends in divorce. I said very specifically that every OTHER marriage in the US ends in divorce. Statistically correct you will find. In Asia the highest divorce rate is in China with 25. Well I've discussed the jail and wedding things already. I really don't care. It's my fic damn it, I'm Satan here. Yes I was thinking about lightening Cyborg for the second part. I was thinking down the road and was talking with my sister about it. Her comment "Poor Raven." All in all I rather enjoyed your lengthy review though I make no promises. I'm afraid for you though, I advise against ever going to Europe and trying to stick up for the US. They would be worse then me.
A/N: 2 Bloody hours to answer all of that. Good night!