Part 5- Stranded

(It is now early sunset. Robin awakens in the middle of a palm tree grove. He gets up and looks around. Right behind him, Echo awakens and stands. Somehow, his patch is back on his face. The two move backwards while taking in their surroundings and bump into each other, back-to-back. They jump and spin around.)

Robin: (growling) You!

Echo: Neptune's beard, boy; how many times do I have to kill ye!?

(Echo tries to fire a sound blast; nothing happens. Echo's hand reaches down and slaps against his belt.)

Echo: What!? Me sword!

(Robin reaches for a Throwing Bird and discovers that every compartment of his utility belt is empty. He and Echo look at each other, than jump at one another to fight it out hand-to-hand. Since Echo is primarily a sword-user, his hand-to-hand skills are mediocre at best. Robin bests him in seconds and pins him down.)

Robin: Now you'll pay for what you did to those people!

Echo: Not before ye suffer fer what ye did to Miss Gemini!

Robin: What are you talking about!? I spent the last few days just searching for your ship! How could I have gone anywhere near the guard to a ship I couldn't find?

Echo: ……

Robin: Now then, why did you hurt those people?

Echo: What d'ya mean!? I been out 'o' commission fer the past few days cause of me Eye.

Robin: What?

Echo: Yeah, the Eye saps me energy an'…an'… (At that moment, Echo loses consciousness as the Eye's price is activated.)

Robin: He never attacked anyone… and he was after me for similar reasons… and my communicator, our weapons; all missing. Someone else is behind all this! But who? And where are we? I hope the others are okay…

(The scene zooms out and it is revealed that Robin and Echo are on a jungle island in the middle of the ocean. The scene zooms back down to another part of the island, close to the shoreline, where Raven is slowly opening her eyes. Upon awakening, she realizes two things at once; first, she is soaking wet. Second, her blue robe is missing.)

Raven: Huh!? What-? Where-?

Photon: (currently sitting next to a campfire) It's right there; calm down.

(Photon points to a section of vine that is strung between two trees. Raven sees her robe hung on the vine, dripping water.)

Raven: Oh… thanks… (Suddenly looks right at Photon) Huh!? What're you doing here? Where are we? Why am I all wet?

Photon: Geez… so many questions… I think I liked you better unconscious.

Raven: (Vein pops in forehead) Thank you. Now how about actually telling me something useful?

Photon: Why on Earth would I do that?

Raven: Fine. I'm leaving.

Photon: By all means, try.

Raven: Azarath Metrion Zinthos!!

(Nothing happens)

Raven: What!?

Photon: Do you really think I'd still be here if I had a choice? Something about this place is suppressing my power and, likely, yours too. Even my eyes seem to have lost their gift of penetrating spells. And… (points off in the distance) …our ship is too far to swim from here.

Raven: Great. So what you mean is, I'm stuck here. With you.

Photon: I'm not exactly overjoyed myself. But that's our situation. We just have to make the most of it. By the way, I recommend you not put that robe on until it dries; it can get awfully cold on these islands at night.

Raven: Why is it even wet in the first place?

Photon: That tends to happen when you're in the middle of the ocean.

Raven: I don't remember being in the water.

Photon: You wouldn't; the explosion knocked you unconscious.

Raven: Now how could you know a thing like th-?

(Raven suddenly notices that Photon is dripping wet himself)

Raven: Y-you…saved me!?

Photon: Hmph! Don't read anything into it. If we ended up here, there's a good chance your friends did too. Powerless and stuck with your water-logged corpse is not a position I want to be in if they find us.

(Apparently accepting this answer, Raven walks over and sits by the fire. She raises a quizzical eyebrow at her fellow castaway)

Raven: Aren't you going to get cold wearing that wet jacket? Shouldn't you hang it up?

Photon: Just back off, shadow-witch! What I do is my own business! And just because I'm stuck here with you doesn't make me any less your enemy! Remember that if you're fond of breathing!

Raven: Hmph! Fine then, bright-eyes…

Photon: What'd you call me!?

(Elsewhere, Gemini is getting to her feet in a small clearing. She hears a noise nearby and reaches to her boot-holsters to find them empty.)

Gemini: My tonfa!

(She peeks around a section of bushes to find Starfire just waking up. She jumps back and tries to multiply herself, only to find that impossible too.)

Gemini: What is going on!?

(Starfire stands and looks around then notices Gemini. She tries to rise into the air and finds that she can't. She raises a fist, but cannot fire a single Star Bolt.)

Gemini: So, your powers are gone too.

Starfire: No! I must have my power back now, please! I must find Robin before he is hurt!

Gemini: Robin? Oh, right, I remember- Hey! That creep attacked me!

Starfire: Attacked you? I do not understand.

Gemini: Assaulted me, beat me up, do you get it yet?

Starfire: No. Robin had not even been able to find your ship. So how could he have done this?

Gemini: Hmmm… Y'know… now that I think of it… there was a moment while I was trying to fight this guy where I could have sworn that, just for a second, he changed. His body got all big and jagged. After that, he knocked me out, so I didn't get a good look.

Starfire: Then perhaps it was not the Echo who has hurt innocent people either…

Gemini: What!? How dare you!? Aidan… I mean, Echo would never do that! Yeah, he's sorta… overdone things in the past, but he's not some kind of monster! He's… he's a good person. He really is. It's just that… that Eye changes him. Trying to handle it makes him something he's not. But he'd never attack anyone in cold blood! I can't… I won't believe it!

Starfire: The way you speak of the Echo, it sounds as though you think of him as more than just your leader.

Gemini: (blushing) Um… well… I…

Starfire: Do not be embarrassed. I… I know the feeling.

(The two smile at one another and are then interrupted by a new voice)

Déjà: Ho ho ho ho ho! Ahhh, a tropical paradise, a beautiful sunset, and les amore is in the air! Share some with me, perhaps, Mademoiselle Gemini? You, maybe, cherie?

(Gemini stares at the young Frenchman, then her hand balls into a fist)

Gemini: Déjà, you little frog! You've been listening in this whole time!? (She now has Déjà by the throat and is shaking him violently) Don't you dare tell the Captain or I'll make you sorry you ever drew your first breath, you slimy little-!

Déjà: (gasping) Mademoiselle, you are crushing me!

Starfire: Please stop! (Pushes the two apart) Fighting and mean talking will not help. We must find out where we are and where our friends are. For that, I suggest that we work together for now.

Gemini: Well… If it means finding Echo… count me in!

Déjà: Never fear, for Déjà Vu is 'ere!

Gemini: We've got more to fear from you than anything else here, you girl-crazy slimeball!

(Cyborg is walking around in a rocky section of island. He has only been walking for a couple of minutes when he hears a noise. The Blind Shotman is standing in front of him. Cyborg opens the Sonic Cannon on his arm, but thanks to the fall into the rocks after the explosion, the Cannon will not fire. It simply crackles with electricity and shuts itself off.)

Shotman: Who's there? I can still hear, you know, so don't take me lightly!

Cyborg: Say what?

Shotman: Oh, it is you, my shiny friend! Forgive me, but I am not in the mood for fighting right now. For some reason, my Inner Eye has gone dark, so I am very limited at the moment. My pistols and cannon are missing, but without my sight, that is just as well.

Cyborg: So in other words, you're helpless.

Shotman: What!?

Cyborg: Relax. I just meant that you clearly ain't a threat right now, so I have no reason to try and fight you. My Cannon's busted, so I'm not exactly in top-condition myself.

Shotman: Ah. Very well then. Have you seen my captain?

Cyborg: No, not since he went all "Death-to-everybody" back there.

Shotman: Don't think too badly of Captain Echo. He really is a good man, he just has a…interesting way of doing things.

Cyborg: Uh-huh.

Shotman: Okay, so maybe he is missing one or two marbles, but that is not his fault. That peculiar object stuck in his head is the cause. In any case, would you mind helping me to find him? He may be able to help with my sudden loss of sight.

Cyborg: I guess it can't hurt.

(Cyborg types something into a panel in his left arm. Ten reddish dots appear on the screen.)

Cyborg: Looks like we're definitely not alone. Including me, this makes eleven people here and judging from the readout of the area, we're on an island. Hm… This one is you… there's two more over there, two there, three that way, and another two in that direction. But… they're all a good distance from us. It'll take awhile to reach anyone.

Shotman: Even so, I must try.

(Shotman starts to walk off and stops only when his shin becomes familiar with a particularly hard rock, causing him to fall on his face.)

Cyborg: Uh… how about I guide you there?

(In another area with heavy foliage, Beast Boy gets up, rubbing his head.)

Beast Boy: Owwww… That guy really needs to look into some anger-management. Wah!

(Beast Boy gives a surprised yell as he is tackled from behind by Medic.)

Medic: What have you done with the Captain!? Speak!

Beast Boy: Why you-!

(Beast Boy throws the ninja off and tries to change shape only to find that he cannot. Medic uses his moment of confusion to reach for his shuriken and finds them all missing.)

Medic: How-?

(At that point, Beast Boy feels a twinge of pain in his leg and falls to the ground.)

Medic: Hm? You are hurt!

(Medic rushes over and places a hand on Beast Boy's leg. He becomes worried when his healing power refuses to activate.)

Medic: Oh no… I had not expected this… Well, no matter. I will make do. As for you, lie still for a moment. You have a mild fracture in your ankle. Just give me a minute to gather some supplies…

(Medic rushes around to the different plants and comes back holding several big leaves, some thick slabs of bark, and a handful of small vines. He wraps the leaves around the ankle to pad it. He then uses the vines to tie the bark around Beast Boy's leg like a splint.)

Medic: There. You should be able to walk on it.

Beast Boy: Uh… Thanks… But, aren't we supposed to be enemies?

Medic: Even so, I am a healer first and foremost. Besides, striking at an opponent who is too injured for a fair fight is dishonorable.

Beast Boy: If you say so. So… I don't suppose you have any idea where we are?

Medic: None. And without my healing power I would like to avoid any conflicts, if possible. So, what do you think about teaming up until we can find our friends?

Beast Boy: Sounds good to me. If I can't change, I wouldn't be up for a tough fight anyway.

(So, the Titans and the pirates all agree to help one another until they are safely back with their friends. This is one time that they are all wishing they had just stayed in bed.)