Equilibrium
Author's Notes: Alright, before anyone starts it; this is not a Valentine's Day special! Or, at least, it didn't start out as one. I started writing this back in December, and I thought Valentine's Day would be a nicely romantic idea for the whole BB/Rae ship.
However, today I noticed that it was Valentine's so… well. I decided; what the hell? This is almost finished, and your readers might be expecting something for today, so give it to them.
Yes, before you ask; I am a hardcore BB/Rae. If you are looking for more Star/Rob in the Season Six Scripts, you're going to have to ask me personally.
Anyways… enjoy. (I stayed up until midnight writing this! You'd better enjoy it!)
P.S.: There was an entire fight scene and philosophical discussion I had to cut to make the script short enough to fit into the twenty or so minutes that every Teen Titans Go! episode has to fit; I hope you don't mind.
P.S.S.: In case you're wondering, Malchior is referring to Eragon (you'll see what I mean).
P.S.S.S.: The last scene of this script was inspired by my work with Dark S3cret. She'll know what I mean. (Rambling rocks, yo!)
(The night outside the Titans' tower is bright with the moon and stars; hardly any clouds pervade the luminescence. Raven watches from her window for a brief time before turning to go back into the recesses of her room. On the way to her bookshelf, she passes a calendar that is hanging from the wall. It is turned to the February page. There is the outline of a stylised heart in thick red pen on the fourteenth. Raven sighs, and continues on to the bookshelf. We hear her thoughts as she runs a finger along the back of the books, wondering which one to read.)
Raven: Note to self: do not allow Starfire to decorate the calendars next year. She may have a reason to celebrate that day; I, personally, have no need for a celebration where expressions of love are communicated.
(Raven selects a book and walks back to the bed to settle down with it. On the way back, her eyes fall on a certain chest. She sits upon the edge of her bed, and closes her eyes.)
Raven: It is all too easy to forget that there is a downside to an emotion so often cast in such a favourable light. Sometimes it is best just to leave things alone…
(Raven opens the book, and a familiar voice echoes through the room.)
Malchior: Good evening, Raven.
(Out of instinct, Raven snaps the book shut. However, it makes no difference; Malchior keeps talking.)
Malchior: It's been a while since our last encounter, hasn't it?
Raven: What are you doing in this book?
Malchior: Right now, speaking to you.
(Raven dashes the book to the floor in an altogether more violent manner than in 'Spellbound', prompting a short cry of pain from Malchior.)
Raven: Don't act all innocent, Malchior. Your chance for beguiling me is long gone. How are you in this book?
Malchior: Well, if you must know, I have discovered a way to travel between books. It's quite fascinating, really; there's an entire-
Raven: What did you come here for, serpent?
Malchior: Please, Raven; there is no need to be so aggressive-
Raven: Aggressive? You are the one who so uncaringly toyed with my emotions to achieve your goal. If you are looking to do the same again now, you are even more idiotic than you look.
Malchior: Once bitten, twice shy?
Raven: Stop hiding behind your words and tell me what you want; either that or remove yourself from my book before I tear you to shreds.
(Darkness flows over the book.)
Malchior: Now, Raven. Let's not be rash.
Raven: Oh? And manipulating someone for personal gain is not rash?
Malchior: Well, I-
Raven: (malicious) Return to whatever foul pit it is you crawled out of. I have better things to do than listen to your honey-coated words of poison.
(The book is torn to confetti as the darkness slices it in a million different directions. However, Malchior is not yet gone; his voice instead appears to be coming from the bookshelf.)
Malchior: Ooh, so tetchy. What's wrong Raven? Isn't life treating you well?
Raven: Ah. So you want to torment me, yes?
Malchior: It's good to talk about matters, especially if they could be going better. For instance: I notice that you are somewhat less than overjoyed.
Raven: And you are not helping.
Malchior: But I can. Make me real once more, and I swear on pain of death I can get you anything you want-
Raven: I don't need anything.
Malchior: Or anyone…?
(The question hangs in the air. Suddenly all of the bookshelf is covered in darkness.)
Raven: (cold, unemotional) You have five seconds.
Malchior: Fine, fine: I shall be on my way… for now. Oh, and good luck tomorrow Raven. There's a first time for everything…
(Malchior's voice fades away. Raven breathes out heavily and sets about collecting the shredded remains of her book, controlling her emotions.)
Raven: I don't need anything. I need nothing. And I especially don't need anyone.
(She throws the mangled ball of paper into the wastebasket. The screen moves up from it to rest on the gaudily decorated calendar once more…)
(Fade to black.)
(Opening sequence.)
(It is the next morning, bright and sunny, as it always seems to be in Jump. Robin, Starfire hanging onto his arm, is standing by the door to the main room; Beast Boy and Cyborg are gaming.)
Robin: Well, it seems that no criminal is going to try anything today, so Star and I are going out for a while, okay?
Starfire: Indeed! We have so much to do together.
Cyborg: (snickering) I'll bet you do. (noticing what's going on in the game) Hey! Get back here!
Beast Boy: No way Jose! I'm going to win… shoot! Score! And the crowd goes wild!
(Beast Boy goes through the obligatory motions of the victory dance to the background of an irate Cyborg.)
Beast Boy: I'm 1-nothing up, and you have only a few minutes to do something.
Cyborg: Oh, you can bet I'll do something. I can kick your butt in racing games and fighting games; I can do it in soccer games too.
(A few seconds of intense gaming, during which only the TV makes any noise.)
Cyborg: Say, where's Raven? Usually our gaming sessions are being constantly barraged by disparaging remarks.
Beast Boy: I think she's still in her room.
Cyborg: On a day like this?
(Shot of a toon-style Titans' tower with a huge smiley sun above it.)
Beast Boy: Dude, it's exactly because it's a day like this that she's not coming out.
Cyborg: Not even to annoy you?
Beast Boy: I guess not. (Beast Boy thinks about this) Do you think there's something wrong with her?
Cyborg: Well, we could go to Raven's room as soon as we've finished this game. It couldn't hurt to ask.
Beast Boy: (fearful) Yes it could.
(Beast Boy summons up a mental image of a fully enraged Raven, four red eyes black tentacles and all; this vision hangs above Beast Boy's head in a thought bubble. Cyborg looks at it, and winces; in fact it seems to freak him out so much he pops the thought bubble with a needle that extends from his finger.)
Cyborg: Yeah, I guess so. What if there really is something wrong with Rae though?
Beast Boy: (grudgingly) Fine, but remember; this was your idea. Wow!
Cyborg: Ha! Eat this! Score!
Beast Boy: Meh. So what? It's a draw.
(They drop the controllers and proceed to Raven's room.)
Cyborg: Only because I just managed to get the hang of the game: you've had loads of practice with it.
Beast Boy: Nope, sorry, the time for excuses was before the end of the game. I am not accepting any more of them.
Cyborg: Why not? You are an excuse: a bad one for a gamer.
Beast Boy: Oh, please. You only got that last goal 'cause I was feeling sorry for you.
Cyborg: That's weird. Normal people don't often feel sorry for people who are better than them.
Beast Boy: Well if I see any better gamers than me around here, I'll let you know.
Cyborg: In that case, I think you need glasses. And, was it just me, or were you wearing oven gloves while we were playing?
Beast Boy: Dude, I-
(Beast Boy pauses in mid-retort as he realises where they are. Raven's door is practically only a few steps away. After a delicate pause, he speaks.)
Beast Boy: Well?
Cyborg: Well what?
Beast Boy: It was your idea to check up on Raven, so you knock.
Cyborg: The last time I knocked, the door fell down. You do it.
(Cyborg grabs Beast Boy and forces him to the door.)
Beast Boy: (desperately shouting) But it's not my fault if you're too strong! Look, I don't want to do this; it was your… idea…
(The fade in Beast Boy's voice is apropos of Raven suddenly appearing in the doorway. After another pause, awkward this time, both the boys pull away from the door with surprising rapidity, and they both try to look as innocent as possible.)
Raven: And to what do I owe this pleasure?
Beast Boy: You owe it to Cyborg. He's all yours.
(Beast Boy turns the tables on Cyborg and pushes him forwards.)
Cyborg: Yeah, um… you haven't been out of your room all day and it's almost lunchtime. Are you okay Rae?
Raven: Physically, yes.
(Beast Boy somehow summons up the courage to speak.)
Beast Boy: So… is something else wrong? It's just that I haven't known you to be this recluse since that Malchior dude was last… (he sees something in her eyes) Raven?
Raven: If you must know, he's back. I don't know where he is right now, or even if there is a way of trapping him. All I know for certain is that he's found out a way to travel between books. He seems to delight in tormenting me.
Beast Boy: (grim) So it is him. How do we trap him back in the White Book?
Raven: I don't know, but for now he's harmless. If there is a way to stop him, I'll find it. Now, please; go.
Cyborg: Why? Come out into the main room, at least, if not all the way outside. It's a great day today. It's even Valentine's Day; I don't suppose you would happen to have a special someone, would you Rae?
(Raven adopts a dangerous expression.)
Beast Boy: (whispers to Cyborg) Get ready to run.
(Raven opens her mouth to speak. However, whatever it is she was planning to say will never be known; the 'Trouble' alarm is ringing.)
Cyborg: Trouble: come on guys.
(Cyborg runs off; Raven is about to follow when Beast Boy catches hold of her shoulder. She does not move to look at him.)
Beast Boy: Come on Raven; break out of your shell for just once in your life. I can understand why you can't allow yourself to get angry, but what's stopping you from being happy?
(Silence: the alarm has stopped ringing.)
Beast Boy: How much could it hurt to let your positive emotions out for once?
Raven: …you know the answer to that, just as I do.
Beast Boy: (confused) Huh?
Raven: Malchior. Terra.
(With that, she vanishes in a flash of darkness, leaving a forlorn Beast Boy. The arm that was upon Raven's shoulder slowly drops to his side.)
Beast Boy: (depressed) Oh… yeah.
(Cyborg appears down the corridor.)
Cyborg: Get your butt moving, man! We have a city to save!
Beast Boy: (distracted) Sure thing…
(Beast Boy gets himself together and runs to save the day.)
(Fade to black.)
(Cyborg is, as ever, driving the T-Car: Raven and Beast Boy are seated in the back on opposite sides, staring out of the opposite windows.)
Cyborg: What's wrong with you two? Usually you'd be bickering merrily away about how annoying Beast Boy is. I hope this doesn't mean that the depression thing Raven has isn't contagious.
Beast Boy: I guess you could sort of say that.
Raven: (reticent to begin) Look, I… I'm sorry that I reminded you about Terra. I know it wasn't a fair thing to do, but you need to understand that I just can't let my emotions do as they wish. I can't even let myself have fun. There are two sides two every coin. Terra is an example; I was hoping you'd understand.
Beast Boy: (nodding) I do. The same thing happened to you, didn't it? You loved Malchior, but the Malchior you loved turned out to be false, and you lost him. Love can lead to loss; loss leads to sadness, anger, regret… I understand. Don't let me tell you what to be, Raven. That's just the way you are; it's not my place to change you. You're perfect the way you are.
(During the explanation above, the two of them look each other firmly in the eyes and move away from the windows. When Beast Boy finishes talking, they both look down to see that Raven has accidentally placed her hand upon Beast Boy's; I guess the glove's material must have been just like the seat covers. Upon seeing this, they both whip back their respective limbs as though burned, and retreat once again to the extreme opposites of the seat.)
Cyborg: (jovially) Wow, what's that going on in the back there? Is Valentine's Day working its magic?
(Raven is about to speak, but Beast Boy beats her to it, mostly by virtue of being more of a loudmouth.)
Beast Boy: Whatever you're thinking isn't true! Just concentrate on the road, okay? What we do is none of your business!
Cyborg: (placating) Fine, there's no need to be so defensive. Just asking, that's all.
(They arrive at the scene, and disembark. Starfire and Robin are already there. Upon seeing Raven, Robin inexplicably talks to the air.)
Robin: Raven's here now. Show yourself.
(A voice speaks from everywhere around them at once, as Slade seems to be very good at doing.)
Duo: Very well.
Raven: What? This person wants to see me?
Starfire: Yes. She kidnapped a citizen and threatened to harm him if Raven did not come.
Cyborg: (arming the sonic cannon) So who is this she?
Duo: My name is Duo.
(The road splits asunder and, out of the tear, a globe of rock rises into the air. It opens up like the petals of a flower, revealing Duo and, lying at her feet, the unconscious hostage. Duo wears a white cloak that can only be seen to end at her right arm. It has a hood that covers her entire face in shadow; her eyes are neither seen or can see through the cloth. She talks in a perfectly neutral voice all the time, unless otherwise indicated.)
Raven: What do you want with me?
Duo: I will have your powers.
(The Titans exchange puzzled glances.)
Raven: Really? You may not have realized, but even if I wanted to give them to you I wouldn't be able to.
Duo: Don't worry about that; I am fully capable of taking them myself. I absorb your abilities along with your life essence.
Robin: You'll have to take down the rest of us too. I will not allow one of my friends to come to harm if I can possibly help it.
Duo: Of course you would. That's what friends are for. Or so I'm told, in any case.
Beast Boy: (whispers) There is something really creepy about this person.
Cyborg: You bet. Even Raven couldn't achieve anywhere near this level of creepiness. Have you noticed the way she speaks? It's completely blank.
Duo: As you can see, I have one of your city's inhabitants at my mercy and, if I understand your modus operandi correctly, you cannot allow harm to come to him at any cost. Your choice is simple. I give you my word that the hostage will not be harmed if you allow me to fight Raven alone.
Robin: At least tell us what powers you have. No doubt you already know what Raven's are, or why would you want them? Forewarned is forearmed, so you have an unfair advantage.
Duo: I suppose it is only fair… fine then.
(The darkness of Duo's hood glows faintly orange, and walls of rock spring up in a circle about her. Fire so hot that it melts the rock reveals the next colour in the hood to be red. A dark blue glow emanates from the hood, and water drops onto the molten rock, instantly evaporating into vapour. A light blue glow comes next, and the vapour is blown away by a sudden gale. Finally, all the light around the hood seems to get sucked into a black hole as the Titans are bathed in light that blinds them.)
Duo: That is a quick introduction to my repertoire of power. As you can see, I have all the elements… except one, which Raven is currently in possession of. I just need the ability to control darkness, and all the elements shall bend to my will.
Beast Boy: Dude! Aren't you powerful enough already? Why do you need just one more power?
Duo: I thought the same thing a while ago. However, new information has come to my attention that puts me in mortal danger. I will have your powers, Raven. I have no other choice.
Starfire: Did you have to destroy others to acquire these powers?
Duo: Yes.
Cyborg: (shocked) You took five lives?
Duo: As I said, yes, though why you find that so shocking I can hardly understand. Perhaps it is best that I do not. Emotions make you weak. Only through complete stilling of the soul can ultimate power be achieved. Why do I seem to be the only one who understands this? Do any of you know that?
Robin: No, we don't, for the very simple reason that it is not true. The very reason that we are such a powerful crime-fighting team is because of our friendship.
Duo: That's as maybe. I only want to fight Raven. Either I will win and take what is mine as detailed in the conditions of the agreement, or Raven will defeat me. If she does, then there is no shame in losing to a better person.
Beast Boy: (taunting) Are you afraid that if you fight all of us we'll beat you?
Duo: I cannot honestly answer that question, since I do not know what it is to be afraid. As I understand it, fear is derived from the apprehension of losing something you love, whether it is yourself, someone else or something else. Since I love nobody and nothing, not even my own life, I do not know fear. Now then: will you face me Raven, or must I take this citizen's life?
Robin: Just give us a few seconds to make a decision.
(Robin turns to the others; they go into a rough huddle.)
Robin: So, Raven; do you think you can beat her?
Raven: (clearly daunted) Duo is very powerful; the raw magical expenditure when she gave that demonstration was tremendous. I… I don't know if I can survive a one-on-one with her.
Beast Boy: Oh man… this can not be happening. She can't be allowed to kill Raven!
Cyborg: Who said Raven had to fight Duo at all? Let's just get the hostage out of here, and then all of us can help in the fight.
Starfire: Even so, with all five of us against Duo, I am not sure if we can defeat her.
Robin: (defiant) Starfire, of course we can beat Duo. We've defended this city, even this Earth, from some of the most powerful beings in the universe. I will not give up while there is still life within me. Okay then Raven; accept Duo's challenge and then, when you get close enough to the hostage, get him to safety; we'll cover you.
Beast Boy: And Raven… be careful out there.
Raven: (smiling ever so slightly) I will be.
(They turn back to Duo.)
Duo: So… is your decision made?
Raven: Yes. I'll fight you.
Duo: Very well. Let's begin.
(Fade to black.)
(Raven and Duo face each other on the road; the other Titans move to the sidewalk.)
Duo: (ALL of this line is unemotional, remember) Since you appear to be weaker, I shall give you the first move. Use it wisely, for it may be your last.
(A brief tic of annoyance crosses Raven's face, but it soon sets into an expression of fierce concentration. Then she disappears in a flash of darkness. Nothing appears to happen for a second or two.)
Beast Boy: (anxious) Where'd she go?
Cyborg: Ask me anything about biology, chemistry or physics, but please, nothing about magic.
(Duo's cloak whips open, and from the darkness within Raven comes flying out. The white material settles again within a millisecond, revealing nothing. Raven steadies her flight through the air and lands, recovering from the effort.)
Duo: That was… unexpected. You are shrewder than I'd thought you to be. However, as you have no doubt found, trying to penetrate my mind is a foolhardy task. Let me see what is inside yours…
Raven: (alarmed) No!
(Duo turns about on a heel, swinging the edge of her cloak up. Where the spin should have ended, Duo instead disappears. Almost instantly, Raven falls to her knees, crying out in anguish.)
Robin: Raven!
Raven: (with difficulty) Get the hostage and go!
(As they run towards the citizen, Raven gives another howl of distress that stops Beast Boy dead in his tracks.)
Beast Boy: Raven, will you be okay?
Raven: (her voice cracking) You have someone to save, remember? Go!
(Though it is obviously preying heavily on his mind, Beast Boy turns back to do Raven's bidding. However, just as Robin reaches the dormant citizen, being at the head of the Titans, Duo reappears and shoots a fireball. Robin dodges just in time. Behind Duo, Raven has collapsed fully to the ground, and is struggling to regain her feet.)
Duo: We agreed that the hostage would be taken after the fight has finished. As far as I can see, it has not yet happened; one of us must first destroy the other.
Robin: I don't care what deal we agreed to. As far as I can see, you are a murderer, and I do not make any deals with people like you.
(There is a tense silence.)
Duo: So it is.
(The darkness inside Duo's hood glows light blue. An immensely powerful gale whips up, and, though the Titans resist, it is even more effective than the monster in 'Stranded'.)
Duo: Now then, Raven; will you fight and force me to make you suffer even more, or will you just surrender now and give me what is mine?
Raven: (shaken) My life belongs to no one… least of all you.
Duo: Why do you insist on prolonging your pain? It is a simple matter; pain is unpleasant, surrendering will end the pain; the unpleasantness will end. What is so hard to understand about that?
(Raven is finally standing again. She is drained, but still defiant.)
Raven: It's you who has failed to understand here. I'm not giving up without a fight!
Duo: It all amounts to nothing.
(The darkened hood glows red and fire spouts forth, almost incinerating Raven as she teleports. Raven sends a storm of blade-edged darkness at Duo, but she easily deflects it by use of a light-shield. Quite suddenly a slab of rock slams into Raven from below, and it begins to close around her as Raven phases through just in time, only to meet a tornado of fire pursuing her. She summons a shield, but is still forced back at such a rate that she smashes through a window and is deposited in a room filled with bookshelves. Malchior's voice echoes through the room.)
Malchior: Ah, Raven. I see your situation is not improving.
Raven: (bitter) Why should you care?
Malchior: Because, whether I like it or not, you are the only one who can free me.
Raven: Oh really? Then perhaps you'd like to save me from Duo?
Malchior: (recognising the name) Duo?
Raven: You know her?
Malchior: I know of her.
Raven: Can you stop her?
Malchior: I might be able to… but first I need you to do something.
Raven: No you don't; I'm not freeing you.
Malchior: Who said anything about freeing me? I can keep you safe. Books are very useful like that.
(Five of the books soar out of the shelves and arrange the points of a pentagram around Raven.)
Malchior: It's your choice, Raven.
(The wall is disassembled, and Duo walks through it.)
Duo: Now, Raven… you will die.
Raven: (reluctant) Alright, Malchior. Do what you will.
Malchior: Ekreanis Zanthix Detremius Lokor; Mayvir Carferrus Emextris Levror!
(Duo sends a fireball straight at Raven, but several of the books fly into its path and are incinerated in her place. Meanwhile, the pentagram glows black, making the five books explode, and Raven disappears in a whirlwind of paper.)
Duo: (she is not annoyed) …she was talking to Malchior. This is… interesting… and possibly dangerous… I shall just have to hope their enmity has not diminished.
(Duo drifts off, away from the books.)
(Fade to black.)
(Raven opens her eyes, and sees the dragon Malchior looking down at her with interest, his tail coiled in a circle around her. The walls, ceiling and floor are all made out of printed paper.)
Malchior: Hello, sleeping beauty.
Raven: Please, Malchior; I get enough of that with Beast Boy. What did you bring me in here for; to trap me with you forever?
Malchior: Don't blame me. You're the one who said I could bring you in.
Raven: I didn't exactly have much of a choice. It was that or be killed and-
Malchior: -have your powers of darkness used for evil, yes, I know.
Raven: (surprised) How did you know? You told me before that you know about Duo.
Malchior: Raven, think. Duo has powers over light, yes? Who do you think she killed to get them?
Raven: (she considers this; her eyes open wide in realisation) No…
Malchior: Ah, the penny's dropped.
Raven: Rorek?
Malchior: Exactly. Rorek had been planning to seal me into another dimension once and for all, but then Duo showed up. (viciously) I must say, it was supremely satisfying watching that troublesome old wizard die at her hands. However, once I saw her powers, I realised what it was Duo was trying to do.
Raven: She was trying to collect control of all the elemental powers through magic.
Malchior: Indeed. I realised then that, if she could get me out of that book, she would kill me to control my darkness. (bitterly) The decision was hard to make, but I had to stay alive, even if I remained trapped. Fortunately, someone found me very soon; when a wizard dies there are always people standing by to take his power, possibly to sell it or use it for themselves. So it was that I whiled away the centuries, trying to find someone with the right kind of magic to free me.
Raven: 'The right kind of magic'?
Malchior: Come on, Raven; a curse made from white magic can only be broken by black magic. The main problem was that no black magicians wanted Rorek's White Book. Why would they? It contained white magic. But then…
Raven: …I came along.
Malchior: Yes, but, despite my relief, as we both know, my exploits turned awry. I hadn't banked on you being able to use Rorek's curse. You are obviously a lot more powerful than you appear.
Raven: Thank you, but I didn't come here for compliments. How do I defeat Duo?
Malchior: I think the question you should be asking is; how do we defeat Duo?
Raven: I told you already that I am not going to bring you back.
Malchior: Aren't you, Raven? Let me remind you that I am a dragon; the most powerful magical creature there is. If anyone can help you defeat Duo, it's me.
Raven: Oh yes? And how do I know you won't just turn on me once you're back in the real world?
Malchior: How am I supposed to turn on you? You have Rorek's curse.
Raven: Well… though I wouldn't trust your word under normal circumstances, I guess I don't have much of a choice. Take me back to the tower, and I'll free you.
Malchior: I'm so glad we have an accord.
(Malchior stands up, towering over Raven.)
Malchior: Kedrinos Illistra Trekavron Selene; Tethera Elemno Mataris Levine!
(Malchior rears his head back after reciting the words and spits black fire at Raven. She flinches, but is unharmed. Malchior looks up to where the words are written on the ceiling, and, after a few seconds, the words disappear, revealing Raven's face as might be seen from Rorek's White Book, which is opened before her.)
Malchior: We haven't much time. Duo is bound to find out you're back soon; move!
Raven: Does it look like I'm on vacation?
(Raven races to set up the necessary; she props the White Book on a stand and surrounds it with other books of power in a circle, like in 'Spellbound'.)
Raven: (in tones of blood) You'd better not cross me, Malchior.
Malchior: (deeply ironic) Of course, my sweet.
(Ignoring the irony, Raven goes through the motions of the chant.)
Raven: Hezberek Et Morinay Gost Wenthen Verbis Nex; Indobrium Bespendruay Paran Sicortis Rex!
(Again, as in 'Spellbound', the White Book creates a monumental blast which knocks Raven off her feet. The sphere of power establishes itself, and out come the massive talons and wings. He stretches them leisurely, knocking holes in the ceiling carelessly.)
Malchior: Ah… it feels so good to be back in reality.
Raven: Alright, serpent, let's get going. We've got a job to do.
Malchior: Indeed. It looks as though a job will also have to be done on your ceiling. Oh, and just in case you got any ideas from that abhorrent fiction you seem to like reading, dragons do not like being ridden, so you'll just have to fly there yourself. Do I make myself explicit?
Raven: Less talking, more flying.
(Malchior takes off through the ceiling, reducing the roof to brick-dust. Raven looks momentarily annoyed, but it's more to do with Malchior's lackadaisical manner than the wanton property destruction. She flies off after him, and soon catches up.)
Malchior: It's sort of ironic, really, that I'll be killing Duo.
Raven: Why?
Malchior: Well, she more or less saved me from being sealed into another dimension, right? She killed Rorek, and now it seems I must kill her.
Duo: Kill me?
(They pause in mid-flight, and turn on a dime to see Duo hanging in the air behind them.)
Duo: And how do you propose to do that, exactly? Indeed, Malchior is a dragon; a supremely powerful being, but we are surrounded by water. A dragon is no use in such circumstances.
Malchior: (angered) Do you want to bet your life on that?
Duo: (sadly shaking her head) So illogical…
(Malchior shoots flame at Duo. She brings up a wall of water from the sea below, and negates the fire instantly. However, it turns out that there is darkness inside the fire, which goes straight through the water and looks uncannily like Malchior's head, fangs poised to strike. However, Duo extends a blade of light and slices the dark dragon head in two.)
Duo: You'll have to try harder than that.
(Raven creates a portal in front of Malchior, the other side of it just behind Duo. He gets the idea and reaches through, grabbing Duo. However, the moment Duo reaches the other side of the portal her hood glows light blue, and a gust of wind from either hand catches Malchior square on the wings. He is buffeted away, and drops to the sea, Duo still in his grasp. However, she soon emerges from the water, perfectly unharmed, and a quick burst of flame dries off her cloak.)
Duo: No matter what ally you bring to fight me Raven, they shall all be defeated. Give up now. Surely you must see by now that your endeavours are pointless.
Raven: I don't care what ideas you have for making the Earth a better place. A world without emotion would be worse than Hell. I'll never give in to you.
Duo: Won't you, Raven? I have a little proposition to make; somewhat similar to the hostage situation as before, except on a much larger scale. (She turns to face out to sea.) Not too far away from this city is a submarine fault-line. It would take only the smallest adjustment to spell doom for all the inhabitants of your city. Tsunamis can be surprisingly devastating.
Raven: You wouldn't!
Duo: Denial is always the first response of the emotionally driven. And, yes, I would, unless you give me your life and powers. I need them now.
Raven: (confused) Why do you need them now?
Duo: You do not need to know that. All you need to know… is your response.
Starfire: Raven!
(She turns to see the rest of the Titans approaching: Starfire is carrying Cyborg, and a green pterodactyl is ferrying Robin.)
Duo: Why do you turn to your friends? They can do you no good now. None of them can stop a tsunami.
Cyborg: … a tsunami? She's threatening to flatten the city!
Robin: And let me guess; she won't if Raven gives in, right?
(They have reached Raven by now; she provides a platform for them to stand on.)
Raven: That's right.
Beast Boy: (shouting at Duo) Stop giving us choices we can't make!
Duo: But what's so hard to make about this choice? It's a simple one. Either you give me her one life, or I take several thousand.
Beast Boy: …it might be simple to you, Duo, but not to me. To me… Raven is worth more than several thousand lives.
Duo: Your answer is negative, then.
Raven: What? No-!
(Duo extends her hands towards the sea. There is a deep rumbling, and the earth shakes. Panic grips the city as the wave slowly forms, way out at sea.)
Duo: It is done.
Robin: If anyone has any ideas about stopping it, I'm all open.
Cyborg: We can try, but the most we can do is dissipate some of the tsunami's energy. We'll never be able to stop it completely.
Beast Boy: (grimly) We'll just have to do what we can.
(Raven moves off towards the wave, taking the platform with her.)
Duo: They know it is futile, yet they persevere. Apparently, to be illogical means never to surrender under any circumstances. Still, it is likely they shall perish in the effort, and should Raven do so too, then so much the better.
(Duo follows languidly.)
(Fade to black.)
(The Titans are all standing on a platform of darkness that remains poised a certain distance away from the tsunami, travelling backwards at the same speed as it. The wave is as yet still relatively small, but it keeps growing.)
Cyborg: Focus on the base of the wave! If we can take out its foundations, the rest of it will fall.
Beast Boy: You got it.
(Beast Boy hurls himself off the platform, and transforms into a massive green blue whale. Even though he slams square into the bottom of the wave, it only succeeds in reducing the wave by a tiny amount.)
Cyborg: Rae; take me to the bottom of the tsunami!
Raven: As you say.
(Continuously backing away, she separates Cyborg from the main platform and sends him to the base of the wave.)
Cyborg: This had better work…
(Both of his arms transform into sonic cannons. They power up to their maximum output, and, with a roar, Cyborg slams them into the water. Again, the splash is monumental, and Raven only just manages to pull Cyborg out before he's deluged, but the wave only diminishes slightly.)
Cyborg: Well, I'm out of ideas.
(Suddenly, the wave starts getting slowly smaller, and water vapour comes off it in huge amounts. Then Malchior slams through it, an orb of darkness protecting him from the water. He starts flying alongside them.)
Malchior: Hello there.
Robin: Malchior!
(Starfire readies two starbolts.)
Raven: Starfire, don't worry; he's on our side. How did you survive that, though? Duo threw you straight into water; you didn't come back up!
Malchior: Isn't it obvious? If you don't succeed with a full-frontal attack, make them think you're dead and attack from the rear. It was a simple matter of creating a sphere of darkness around myself to keep the water out. However, I don't know if even I can keep this particular wave of water out. That's why I brought help.
(They all look down and see Beast Boy nestled in Malchior's claws.)
Malchior: Do you think you can do this, Beast Boy?
Beast Boy: Of course I can! Now let me go so I can do it.
Malchior: No need to be so touchy.
Beast Boy: Just because we're allies doesn't mean we're friends!
(Malchior drops the protesting Beast Boy and, on the way down, he turns into a green copy of Malchior. He comes back up and tries to talk, but instead an incoherent roar emerges.)
Malchior: Don't forget that you're not a real dragon. You may have the fire, but you don't have the magic; you can't talk like I can. However, fortunately all we shall need is the fire.
Robin: Anytime soon would be nice, Malchior; the wave's nearly on top of the city!
Malchior: As you wish, little robin.
(Malchior nods at Raven and Beast Boy. Raven moves them out of the way, and Beast Boy and Malchior fly further ahead.)
Malchior: (to Beast Boy) When I say, turn and give that wave every last bit of dragonfire you've got. (after a few more wing-beats) Now!
(Both Beast Boy and Malchior wheel about and lance dragonfire at the base of the tsunami. It slowly falls, and when it reaches the tower and the city it is only a fraction of its size; barely enough to wash someone down the street. Beast Boy spots the others standing by the coast, and lands nearby; Malchior follows suit.)
Beast Boy: (jubilant) That was amazing! I should try being a dragon more often.
Malchior: Doubtless it is good, but we still have to deal with Duo.
(A massive slab of road surface soars towards them, which Malchior dismissively melts with complacent ease.)
Raven: Speak of the devil…
Duo: I must say; I am impressed. You actually managed to dissipate nearly all of that tsunami. But, it makes no difference, for now I shall claim what is mine.
Malchior: Raven; attack Duo with all the darkness you can muster. I shall do the same.
Raven: But she'll just negate it with light!
Malchior: Yes. That's what I'm betting on. Just surround her with darkness, and she won't be able to teleport her way out of this one.
(Raven is puzzled, but accepts the advice. Needles of darkness zoom in on Duo, which she easily blocks with a dome-shield of light. Malchior deluges Duo with darkness, but when it clears she's nowhere to be seen.)
Starfire: (priming starbolts) Show yourself!
Duo: As you wish.
(Duo-shaped fragments of light suddenly start appearing all around them.)
Beast Boy: You just had to say it, didn't you Star?
Malchior: (derisive) What's wrong, Duo? Are you afraid the big scary dragon will defeat you?
Duo: I do not know what it is to fear. Emotions are for those who do not control the true power that can only be got once the mind is in perfect harmony.
Robin: You call a mind that kills perfect?
Duo: I thought killing was a normal happenstance in this world. You even have a saying encapsulating that idea, don't you? The law of the jungle; kill or be killed. You seem happy enough to slaughter millions of animals everyday to feed yourselves; you kill millions of plants just to clear space. Why is that any different from killing a human?
Malchior: We are not here to discuss ethics. We are here to fight.
(The dragon folds its wings about the Titans, completely sheltering them, and unleashes a tornado of dragonfire which swallows all the Duo copies. When the dragonfire clears, there is just one Duo left inside a dome-shield of light.)
Malchior: And, inevitably… we are here to kill. Now, Raven!
(Malchior unfurls his wings and from them Raven bursts out, hands spread and already deluging Duo with darkness. The dragon joins in, breathing burning darkness all over the dome-shield.)
Duo: (struggling) Ah… so you have finally found my weakness. I suppose it was only a matter of time once Malchior had arrived…
Raven: I thought you said you were invincible?
Duo: No, I never said that. I just said you couldn't beat me… alone. And yet, had I been in your position, I would have given up, seeing that it was a futile struggle. I would never have persevered like you did until a Deus Ex Machina appeared.
Raven: So do you finally admit that emotions are worth something?
Duo: No. Nothing is worth anything to me. Emotions make you more attached to the physical plane, and thus make you less powerful. I am so powerful precisely because I need no emotions. I need nothing. I need no-one.
(Raven's eyes widen as she realises what Duo has just spoken mirrored her own words. With that, she sends a final surge of darkness at Duo. The dome-shield of light shatters, and, though Raven lessens her power, Malchior continues unrelenting, crushing Duo under the sheer weight of darkness. Then Duo's body explodes outwards, in one instant releasing all the elements inside her. The Titans recover from the explosion, and regroup.)
Malchior: I hate to say it, but… you did well, Raven.
Starfire: What exactly did Raven do?
Malchior: You need to understand, like Raven here is beginning to, that no human should be able to withstand such power. Because Duo had managed to completely scrub herself of emotion, she was therefore ideally suited to accept all those elemental forces into her mind, but there was one problem.
Raven: It was balance, wasn't it?
Malchior: Indeed. Like all things in this universe, if they are not balanced they will quickly spiral out of control until finally, the whole entity disintegrates. You may recall that Duo wanted to have your powers of darkness quite dearly, yes? Well, that's because, though all the rest of her powers were balanced - air, earth, water, fire – there was no darkness to balance the light. When we started making her overuse her light to combat our darkness, the imbalance caused Duo to overbalance. Raven and I didn't really defeat Duo; we simply found a way to let Duo defeat herself.
Robin: I guess we owe you one for saving us.
Malchior: Yes, you do… (Raven glares at him) …though my freedom is repayment enough.
Cyborg: (to Raven, alarmed) You're freeing him?
Raven: Don't worry. If I hear that Malchior's been making trouble, he'll be back in Rorek's Book in split seconds flat.
Malchior: I shall be taking my leave of you now. No doubt there will be a nice volcanic island somewhere I can call home. (he turns to leave) Oh, and Raven? Should you ever need help again… look somewhere else.
(With the hauteur that only Malchior can generate, the dragon lifts off and lazily wings his way across the sunlit sea.)
Beast Boy: It's about time he went. I don't know why we were working with him anyway. That guy's a villain!
Robin: Well… desperate circumstances call for desperate measures. Besides, you should never be too quick to label someone a villain. Does doing a single bad deed make him a bad guy? Or, for that matter, is he a hero now just because he helped us?
Starfire: Does it really matter? All we need to know is that we are good, and that, should anybody attempt to commit morally reprehensible acts, we shall be there to thwart their efforts, whether they are good or bad.
Beast Boy: Brilliantly summarised, Starfire. Now let's get to the pizza parlour! Phone ahead and get them to prepare a Titans Special, Cyborg!
Cyborg: You got it.
(The Titans move off, leaving Raven still looking out to sea where Malchior last disappeared. She has not moved since he did. Beast Boy notices, and goes to join her.)
Beast Boy: (to the others) You guys go on ahead; we'll see you there. (to Raven) You okay Raven?
Raven: I'm fine.
Beast Boy: I've heard you say that a hundred times when it is so blatantly obvious that you're not fine. If you were fine you'd be hovering along with us and making deadpan comments about how dumb you think I am. Tell me what's wrong. You can trust me; I'm a friend. (Beast Boy follows her gaze) Hey… you're not missing that Malchior creep? You don't… like him, do you?
Raven: If you say that again I'll make sure it's the last thing you ever say.
(The usual Raven threat, accompanied by as many portents of ill fortune as you wish to include. Beast Boy, however, does not cringe as per usual.)
Beast Boy: Hey! Now that's the Raven I've come to know and love!
(She starts to walk after the others.)
Raven: You don't mean that.
(Beast Boy remains stationary.)
Beast Boy: What, I'm not allowed to… oh. (Beast Boy suddenly goes awkward) Um, about that thing in the car earlier-
Raven: You're forgiven.
Beast Boy: I wasn't looking for forgiveness.
(Raven stops, still facing away.)
Beast Boy: I wanted to change what I said earlier. I don't want you to remain this way. After I've seen Duo… it made me change my mind. I don't want you to become an empty vessel like her, simply there for the purpose of collecting and dispensing power. I can't bring myself to imagine a Raven completely without emotion, even if that is what you want. I both can't and won't let it happen, for both our sakes.
Raven: Both… our sakes?
Beast Boy: Well… yes. You can't imagine how much it hurts me to see you like this everyday. You never have fun, and you always keep to yourself, reading your books in your dark room and never experiencing just what it is that life can be. You've never truly lived. Why can't you just give yourself that one small chance?
Raven: I have told you before. I cannot-
Beast Boy: Yes, I know. You cannot experience love without loss, or happiness without sadness. There are two sides to every coin, like you said, and the universe must balance, like Malchior said. But you've had enough sorrow. Your life has been filled with anger and depression, and I think it's time you got some of the payback due. Enjoy your life. You're the only one who can, after all. Don't become like Duo. That's all.
(Beast Boy morphs into a bird and flaps after the rest of the Titans, not looking back at Raven once. She watches him go silently, and, after a time, lowers her hood. The sunlight spreads across her face and she lets the foundations of a smile manifest themselves on her face. With this, she disappears, a flash of darkness against the sun. However, it is not yet over; Beast Boy comes back and turns into his human self. He looks about for Raven in vain.)
Beast Boy: What? Ah, she must have teleported… man. I don't know if I'll ever manage to get up the nerve again. And today is Valentine's Day, after all… ah well. I can just say it tomorrow and it'll still be special… I hope.
(After a brief look around in the hope that Raven might miraculously still be there, he flits off, leaving the sea to play with the shore as they please.)
(Fade to black.)