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Main Room, Titan's Tower. 0427 Hours, 24 AUGUST 2014
Raven blinked heavy eyelids, trying to rid them of the weariness that possessed them as she tried to focus on the ancient script of the heavy tome before her. More books lay scattered about her, filling the couch until they spilled onto the floor, thrown about more haphazardly than any of her books ever had been. She blazed through them, searching for any spell that could help in finding her friend, but hadn't discovered anything useful. The search through the forest had borne no fruit and she had returned, reluctantly, only at Starfire's insistence when the night grown too deep.
Time not spent scouring the city was spent researching, reaching out to others within the hero community, but she struggled to find any that were not already preoccupied with their own affairs. Other members of the Titans had volunteered their assistance, what they could spare of it, but they were moving too slowly for the sorceress's tastes. While the other Titans had surrendered to sleep, she maintained her almost desperate search that was only broken at the sudden blaring of the siren.
Blasted into wakefulness, she leapt to her feet, accidentally throwing her book off her lap and on to the ground as she stumbled over the others, wincing as she tread across the sturdy old covers with their metal corners. Stumbling into the large screen, she tapped in the keys to summon the display of the city, a red dot blinking as it moved swiftly through the streets. A report of the situation appeared in the center of the screen and she tried to focus on it as Cyborg burst into the room, pausing only briefly to regard Raven with surprise.
"Rae, wha - never mind. What's goin' on?" he asked as long, heavy strides carried him across the room. He came to a brief halt again at the array of scattered books but kept his mouth shut as he approached the screen and Raven shuffled out of the way. "Robbery and a runner, huh? And they couldn't just wait 'til a decent hour?"
"Do they ever?" she responded flatly.
"Well, the good news is that I've got the baby all patched up because it looks like whoever this is speeding through everything."
"What's happening?" Robin burst into the room, fitting his mask into place, and Starfire trailed almost immediately afterward. She hovered at his side as he scanned over the display on the screen and Cyborg gestured towards the rapidly moving dot.
"Somebody hit a jewelry store and is runnin' circles around the cops."
"All right. Raven, Star, you're in the sky. Cy, take the car. I'll take the cycle and we'll try to box whoever this is in," directed the black-haired boy, looking until he received a nod from each of them though he hesitated at the weariness in Raven's motion. Pushing aside the brief tingling of worry, he opted instead for the usual rally cry.
"Titans, go!"
Jones Street, Jump City. 0436 Hours, 24 AUGUST 2014
The sun had not even crested the horizon when the middle-aged man stumbled from the stoop of his house to the beaten but not yet broken car squatting beside the curb. He stared at it uncomprehendingly for a moment, swaying back and forth as he struggled to keep his eyes open, before dragging his heavy feet forward. Coffee cup in one hand and briefcase in the other, he looked between them for a moment before grunting and setting the coffee on top of the car as he dug through his pocket for his keys. Managing to hook his finger in a ring, he withdrew the heavy set of keys and a smile, his first of the day, broke across his face at the blonde girl who beamed at him from the small picture. Enheartened by the simple image, he hummed to himself as he searched the keys for the one to his door.
He was interrupted by a sudden gust of wind that nearly tore the keys from his hands before he clutched them harder. His hair, which he had spent several minutes attempting to tame, was returned to an unruly mess and he sighed at his reflection in the window as he unlocked his door. Tossing his briefcase into the passenger seat, he reached for his coffee only to blink at its absence. Searching for it, he eventually gave up with a small sigh and slid into his car.
Several blocks down, a lithe figure in a padded, crimson jumpsuit shifted a laden knapsack onto her back as she possessively clutched the coffee mug. Her face was covered in a sleek, pink motorcycle helmet, which prevented her from partaking of the deep inhale of the fumes, and was decorated with white streaks. She slid up the dark visor, marginally so, to reveal a sharp chin and thin lips curved into a small smile. Buildings flitted past her at a blurred rate but her movements were languid as she skated down the street, glowing blades emerging from heavy, skate-like boots.
"Don't mind if I do," she mused to herself before taking a deep draught from the mug. She coughed abruptly, turning her head and spitting out the dark liquid and then held it back, regarding it with disgust. "This is black! That asshole!"
Sliding to the side of the street as metal casing deployed about the blades of her skates, she dumped the contents of the mug into a drain and deposited the cup on a nearby stoop. Nodding to herself, she dashed away, glowing blades emerging against as she swung her bag from her shoulder to admire the jewels within, dispelling her disappointment.
"Ice, ice, baby." She grinned gleefully, bounding into the air to conduct a graceful spin before landing easily and speeding on her way. Sirens rang out in the distance, tracing a trail that had already gone cold and she giggled to herself as she carried on her way, ceasing her pushing and sliding along the sidewalk without slowing.
There was an almost silent rumble of an engine and she ducked down as a red motorcycle burst from the alley, landing in the street and catching her in its headlight that she quickly passed from. Closing the backpack, she tightened its straps upon her back and zoomed away, glancing over her shoulder to ensure that the motorcycle was giving chase. She gave a whooping cry of delight as it rumbled after her before swinging about, looping back towards it. Sliding by it, she performed another sharp turn and caught up to it, grinning beneath her helmet at the caped rider.
"Hey, neat bike," she noted, raising her voice slightly. "Didja just get the training wheels off?"
She chortled and suddenly darted down an alley, a tire screeching behind her as the Titan tried to follow after her. As he pushed the motorcycle towards the cluttered alley, there was the bellow of a car as a unique blue and white vehicle pulled in, blocking the thief's exit. Without slowing, she slid towards the corner and then pushed off of it, landing and skating upon the opposite wall to sail over Cyborg as he emerged from the car. Landing in the street, she twirled several times and gave him a wave before darting away.
"Catch ya later, big boy!" She turned her face forward as she hurtled away from him. "Since you obviously won't be doing so to m-whoa!"
The street beside her suddenly exploded in a brief hale of asphalt, upsetting her balance though she quickly righted herself. She glared towards the rapidly advancing boy, a soft light growing stronger in the barrel of his sonic cannon. Snarling to herself, she glanced at her surroundings before streaking towards a tall apartment building of brick. Leaping upwards, she twisted a dial upon one of her boots before she landed on the worn stone and her skates blazed brighter, carving into the dull red as she began her ascent.
Cyborg faltered, staring up in surprise after her and quickly deciding that the sonic cannon was not the right tool for the job. He glanced back as Robin rolled his motorcycle up beside him and activated his built-in Communicator.
"She's headed up."
As he spoke, the thief broke the edge of the roof, sailing through the air momentarily before landing in a crouch upon the roof. She shifted the dial again before standing and freezing at the sight of the young women floating before her.
"Most glorious of mornings to you! I am Starfire of the Teen Titans. Would you please do the surrendering?" The redhead smiled brightly at the criminal, hands clasped in front of her and fully sincere in her greeting and offer.
"I suggest surrendering. I have far more important things to take care of then arrest some two-bit thief." Raven's eyes were red, not from any mystical source, as they fixed a pointed glare on the woman who froze at her words.
"Two-bit?" She drew herself up to her full, willowy height, still failing to surpass the floating girls, and placed a fist upon a hip as she glowered at her from behind her helm. "Two-bit?! I'm not any sorta 'two-bit!' Total first-rate, right here!"
"I'm sure." The sorceress rolled her eyes and lifted a hand, ready to direct her power through it. "Now why don't - umphh!"
She was cut off as the slender woman blurred forward and gave a jump to slam into her, knocking her to the roof. Wincing, she recovered in time to evade the blade that sliced into the concrete as the woman grumbled at her.
"Two-bit, my butt. Listen up, Goth Girl, or whatever you call yourself. The name's Skid." She pulled a small, stiff board of paper from a pocket of the belt cocked about her hips and tossed it to her. "Check out my site, and then try calling me 'two-bit' again."
She spun out of the way of a starbolt and gave a salute to the girls as she shot towards the edge of the roof. "Later, skaters!"
Firing from the ledge, she slid easily through the air to continue onto the next and sped away as Starfire helped her friend to her feet. Below, they could hear the rumble of engines as the T-Car followed in pursuit and Raven gave a small snarl in annoyance before flying after the thief, leaving behind the card. Starfire picked it up curiously and studied it, perplexed by the stylized drawing of the thief, emblazoned with her name and a website. Tucking it into her belt, she trailed after the fleeing woman who was outpacing the young heroes, gliding gracefully between buildings.
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" Skid urged as she lowered her body before springing upward, managing to land upon the line for a traffic light. "Hah! Who's awesome? That's right; me! Hope you all caught that totally sweet move."
Leaping again, she landed upon the side of a building and rode to the ground as the motorcycle zoomed towards her. She chuckled to herself before speeding away as Robin's eyes studied her form for a moment before activating the Communicator in his helmet.
"She doesn't have super-speed."
"Rob, hate to break it to you, man, but she's outpacin' the Baby. She's definitely -"
"No, it's not her. She's fast, but her movements aren't superhuman, by any shot. It's the boots, probably. We stop those, we stop her."
"I'm on it," Raven said, her voice hissing over the line as dark energy crackled from her eyes. She stopped her flight, concentrating as she lifted her hands and groaned as the street began to crack and suddenly curved upwards. Skid tried to slow down but fired from the edge into the air, arms windmilling desperately before she was caught in a black bubble. Raven returned the street to its usual position as she floated down to stand upon it, her captive throwing her shoulder in an attempt to break her confines. The mask fixed on her and she could feel the annoyance pouring from her, but paid it no mind as the other Titans rolled to a stop or landed beside her.
"Nice job, Raven." Robin removed his helmet and set his motorcycle to idle to smile at her, which she accepted with a weary nod.
"Police are on their way," Cyborg announced as he emerged from the car, shutting the door behind him and striding towards the orb, his organic eye shining with curiosity. Skid sat glumly, arms folded over her chest, and angled her head towards him at his approach. His gaze focused on her skates, the gleaming blades sheathed and he resisted the urge to ask Raven to drop the shield to let him study them. "Probably some sort of frictionless field . . . maybe there's -"
Skid suddenly bolted to her feet, the sheaths retracting into her boots to reveal the blades. Posting her arms on either side of the sphere, she began to swing her legs back and forth until she suddenly rotated, completing the circle as she picked up speed. She soon became a blur within the bubble and Raven grunted as she struggled to maintain it. It shuddered and Cyborg's arm transformed into the sonic cannon as starbolts glowed about the golden girl's hands.
"Raven, keep it together!" Robin drew a birdarang from his belt, eyes flickering towards the purple-haired girl who was wilting under the pressure.
"I, uhnn, I-I'm trying." Sweat beaded on her forehead and she clenched her eyes shut, devoting her dwindling focus to contain the criminal who continued to whirl about the prison. "She's moving too -"
She received no chance to finish her sentence as her body suddenly went lax and she pitched forward as the shield dissipated. Skid landed gracefully upon the ground before immediately shooting towards them, leaping into Cyborg to throw him off-balance before bouncing into Starfire. Circling an arm about her neck, she twirled herself about, forcing Robin back before she jumped to the ground, placing her palms against the street. Kicking out her legs, she lashed out and sliced cleanly through the tire of the motorcycle before she rotated herself about and did the same to the tire of theT-Car. Planting her feet upon the ground once again, she jetted forward and gave a call over her shoulder.
"Later, skaters! It's been a blast and a half!"
She chuckled as she raced away and Robin's face twisted into a scowl as he stepped towards the fallen Raven, issuing his orders to the others. "Take her down. I'll make sure Raven is all right."
"Oh, you bet she's getting taken down," Cyborg agreed grimly, racing after the woman as his both of his fists reconfigured into sonic cannons. "Nobody messes with my Baby like that and just gets away with it!"
Starfire hesitated, looking towards her boyfriend who crouched beside Raven, checking her pulse and relaxing only slightly when he found it, strong but subdued in her unconsciousness. He looked to the redhead who hovered over him, discontent crossing her face.
"Keep safe. Both of you."
He nodded in answer, "We will be. Go."
An emerald blaze erupted from behind her as she rocketed after the rapidly distancing blur. Slowing as she approached Cyborg, she picked him up before accelerating, which the bulky man accepted with only the smallest of wounds to his pride. Choosing not to dwell upon it, he streamlined his body, cutting down on wind resistance as focused his aim on Skid.
"Bet'cha ain't faster than sound," he grumbled as he launched a pulse. His target pushed to the side by the impact was enough to throw her off balance and she windmilled for several precious seconds in which the heroes caught up to her. Tossing Cyborg who crashed heavily onto the street, Starfire settled on the other side as Skid righted herself and looked between the pair who approached her cautiously. Giving a soft growl inside her helmet, she whirled and slung the bag of jewels off her shoulder into Cyborg before planting her hands upon the ground and swinging her legs at Starfire who brought up her arms to defend herself.
She hissed at the pain that flashed through her forearms and she took a second to regard the cleanly cut scars before her glowing eyes fixed on the retreating figure. Charging after her, she dodged a lamppost that Skid sliced through and launched a blast of eye beams at the second that toppled towards her. A corona of energy burned around her as she powered forward and tackled Skid to the ground, pushing the air from her lungs.
"Ouch, ouch! All right, all right!" She wormed in her grip as Starfire pulled her hands behind her back but quickly turned docile upon realizing that she could not escape the steely grip. "Settle, Xena! I'm a lover, not a fighter!"
"You are very fast. I believe that I shall keep my grip," she decided before looking to Cyborg as he approached, inspecting the contents of the bag.
"After all that runnin', yah really just toss your haul like that?"
"Hey, it's not about the score, big boy. It's about the chase," she grunted, attempting to angle her head towards him. "Though the score's a nice bonus."
"Not that this is much of one," he muttered, picking out one of the precious stones as his robotic eye focused upon it. "Most of this stuff is pretty low rate."
"Hey, do I look like I spend a lot of time studying gems? Got waaaaaay better things to do, big boy. Now, uh, any chance I could get'cha to get Brawn-hilde here to hop off?"
"Hold that thought." He glanced away, dropping the stone back into the bag as he activated his Communicator. "Hey, Rob, we got the chick. Is Rae doin' all right?"
"She's fine," he answered. "Still out, but I can't find anything wrong with her."
"Want me to take a look when we get back to the Tower?"
"Yeah. I got the spare tire from the T-Car and I'm headed back there now. Meet me there when you and Star are done."
"Yeah, sure, we'll . . . Rob."
"Yes?"
"What, 'xactly, are yah headin' back to the Tower in?"
". . ."
"Rob . . ."
"Well, I mean, it's not like I could carry her on the bike, right? Even with the spare on it. She's unconscious and she could slip off, so I needed -"
"So, yah just took off with my Baby?!"
"And I thought I was touchy about my mode of locomotion," Skid noted as Starfire nodded solemnly.
"Yes. Males, regardless of species, that I have encountered are strangely sensitive in regard to their vehicles."
"It's 'cause it's safer for them to put their affections in an inanimate object. It won't betray their expectations," she explained as Cyborg ranted over the Communicator.
"I do not do the betraying of boyfriend Robin's expectations."
"Sweetie, no girls live up to their boyfriend's dreams. I mean, the vice versa's true too, but that's a different point entirely. Anyhoo, trust me, there's something about you that your man wishes was different. It's just a fact of life." She wiggled beneath her, searching for a spot to light comfortably against the street rather than making any attempt at escape though Starfire still frowned.
"Robin loves me. He would -"
"Loves you? You guys, you're still the Teen Titans, right? Teens don't know what love is. It's all either this idealized sorta romance or just something carnal. Nothing against you, or anything, but you're just kids. Your heads haven't finished setting themselves right."
"For a self-proclaimed 'lover,' you're pretty cynical." Finished with his tirade and the promises of pain he would rain upon the gel-haired boy if he found so much as a single new scratch upon his Baby, Cyborg had returned to the pair, arms folded over his chest.
"Yeah, well, my dad was a guidance counselor and he used to talk about how you can't even really give kids psych tests and stuff because their morals and all that are still developing. They read like sociopaths or something. Anyhoo, these cops, right - total slowpokes. And it's kinda stupid early. So, any chance we could find some little donut shop somewhere that serves coffee? Maybe fill our bellies? My treat."
Infirmary, Titans Tower. 0658 Hours, 22 AUGUST 2014
Raven wandered through the darkness, searching for something to pierce the veil that had fallen about her. She could see her form clearly as though it was lit by beam confined solely to her without breaking the inky blackness. Maintaining a stately pace and squashing even the slightest hints of panic whenever they began to rise within her, she explored the shadowed realm in the hopes of finding some end to it.
Suddenly, a soft light came into view, a bobbing verdant orb that flickered and danced in the distance. It wavered, menaced by the darkness that threatened to snuff out the intruder upon their bleak domain, but it held out as though ignorant of the efforts made against it. There was an almost cheery quality to the way it shimmered and Raven shook her head as the faintest sounds of laughter echoed through her ears only to almost fade immediately. It was replaced with a low rumble, the darkness expressing its discontent with the light that continued to ignore the overwhelming force.
Unable to find her voice or summon the will to fly, the half-demon sprinted forward to protect the light. Her cloak billowed behind her as she dashed towards the beacon, but she did not seem to grow any closer. Pain seared through her lungs and she gasped for her breath as her legs grew heavy, almost impossible to move even as she failed to draw any closer. Panting raggedly, she forced herself onward, powering herself with desperation to save a light she didn't know from the encroaching darkness. For the first time in a long time, she was powerless and instead of the relief she'd imagine she would feel, there was only dread as the dark began to swallow the light.
Something caught her foot and she crashed heavily to the ground, momentarily stunning her though she forced herself up. Rising to her feet, despite the screaming protest of her legs, she fixed her gaze upon the light in time to watch it be engulfed by the darkness, snuffed out. She dropped again, falling to her knees as hopelessness bit into her, burying its fangs deep as she stared meaninglessly at where it had hovered moments before, struggling to remember the comforting glow it had provided. The bite of despair pumped its venom into her veins, making them heavy with misery and weighing them down, shackling her to the ground.
Somewhere, a faint sound rang through the shadows that muffled the cry that was repeated, slowly growing louder until it finally rang through her ears.
". . . ven. Raven! FRIEND RAVEN!"
Her eyes snapped open at the shout, meeting the emerald gaze that shifted from worry to relief as they made contact. Supple limbs wrapped about her and pulled her into a hug that cut off her breath as a relieved sigh brushed pass her ear.
"Thank X'hal. I was worried."
"Wha - unghh - what happened?" She patted Starfire's arm consolingly before she pulled out of her grip, sucking in a deep breath once free of her hold. Inspecting her surroundings, she noticed that she was in the infirmary at the Tower, unoccupied aside from her, Starfire, and the shadows that she eyed distrustfully.
"You fell unconscious." She retracted her arms, folding them in her lap and Raven frowned at the bandages wrapped about her forearms. "Don't you remember?"
"Vaguely." Reaching out, she pulled the taller girl's arms towards her, inspecting them and touching them gingerly, picking up on the residual pain that lingered within them. "How did -?"
"Skid's skates were rather sharp. But she apologized for it."
"She - I'm sorry. What?"
"She treated Cyborg and I to donuts while we waited for the police. Who she also bought donuts for while doing the laughing at the stereotype. She was quite personable. Mostly. However, we are more concerned about you."
"I'm fine." Throwing off the blankets, she pulled herself up before a golden hand fell upon her chest, gently but resolutely pushing her back down.
"That may be, but Robin wishes to have a conversation with you and make sure that nothing is wrong. I will return momentarily."
Lifting from the bed, she flitted out of the room and Raven stared after her for a moment before sliding her feet on to the floor. Grabbing her cloak from the hook, she pulled it on and fastened its clasp before checking the time and groaning. She had no desire to dwell upon the dream that needed no analysis to be deciphered and instead turned her mind to finding her missing teammate, marking the places that had checked on her mental map of the city. The opening of the door interrupted her thought processes and she turned as Robin stormed in, his face betraying the anger pouring from his usually firm mental bulwarks.
"Robin, I -"
"Don't. I don't need excuses. You're shut down for the rest of the day."
"You can't -!"
"I'm not going to let yourself run ragged like this. We will find Beast Boy. But I'm not going to sacrifice any of you to do so. Today, you're going to rest. Regain the hours that you've been losing. Is that clear?"
He had stopped several inches in front of her, and while he was only several inches taller than her, he seemed to tower over her. His visage was stern and while Rage nettled at the command in his voice and gaze, Knowledge gently chided her on the logic behind the directive. After a moment, she sighed and dropped her head, fingers clenched into fists as she stared down at her feet. A hand landed upon her shoulder, startling her, but she did not lift her gaze as he spoke.
"We'll keep looking for him. We haven't stopped. Trust us. Trust me."
Her arguments were deflated by the concern and fear that she could feel, flowing strong beneath the thin current of anger and she reluctantly nodded.
"Very well. But, if anything comes up, I'm coming along."
"Wouldn't have it any other way," he smiled as he clapped her upon the shoulder again. "Now, go get some sleep."
Jump City Art and Natural History Museum. 2203 Hours, 24 AUGUST 2014
A dark-haired man in a crimson shirt labored under the early sun, the plough pulled by the horse as he sought to finish the task and begin planting. Below him on the hills, a blonde man in a blue tunic leaned against the staff planted firmly in the grasp, distant gaze turned upon the clouds as he neglected the flock of sheep he had brought out to graze. His dog, a burly creature with dark fur that paled about its face and paws, perched loyally beside him, gaze fixed straight ahead. Upon a ledge, a fisherman cast his line into the green waters, a hawk watching over him from a gnarled branch. Birds circled lazily overhead, one heading towards the distant city with its red roofs, and boats of varying sizes occupied the harbor. None took any notice of the curiously winged humanoid who had crashed into the water, far too focused on their mundane tasks.
Standing before the famous painting, still as any of the museum's statues, was a powerfully built figure encased in dark armor that seemed to mix with the shadows. Modifications had been made for his oar-like tail, but his broad skull and elongated snout had proved too aberrant for the helmet designed for humans. Heavy gauntlets differed from the rest of the outfit, composed of a dull grey metal with several ports that glowed a soft crimson. Armored cables fed from them into a pack that was part of the suit's back, and his hands were clasped beneath it as T. Icarus Toch pensively studied the masterpiece before him.
There was a fluttering of wings and Bella, similarly garbed but lacking any covering upon her wings, landed upon his shoulders though he did not stir. She wound about his form, nuzzling against his head and he finally gave an affectionate growl as he indulgently tilted his head towards her.
"What's up, Icky? Why aren't you stealing all sorts of sweet spoils and swag?" she wondered.
"I'm doin' sum thinkin'," he said, drawing his gaze along the painting. "A world n' a species apart, n' it's still th'same. Same brush strokes, same detail, same precision. Same beauty. Fas'natin'."
She tilted her head and studied the image before looking back to him and snickering, "Practicing poetry and philosophy, sweet scales?"
"Mebbe. I e'er tell y'bout my da'?"
"Hmm. No, I don't think you've ever told me about my fortunate, future father-in-law."
He grunted, "Simple fella. He worked secur'ty, whate'er shifts he could git. Did some museum work, n' at night he'd go n' stroll 'round th'xhibits. Lookit th'art n' read e'erything they had. That's how I got m'middle name. He reddit somewhere n' liked it. Rest'o th'clutch got similar names. Thor, Kali, Tutankhamen. Amatsaeru. Got a whole theme goin' on."
"Aww. How sugary sweet," she cooed.
A rumbling laugh shook his shoulders, "Somethin' like that. Y'know, I was th'first hatched. Da' tol' me I was a rambunctious tot. Not with that word, but . . . anyway, he gave me m'name cause he knew I was gonna reach for th'sun. Course, by th'time he found out the rest'o story, it was too late t'change m'name."
"The whole falling thing that happens?"
"That whole fallin' thin'," he confirmed.
"Yikes."
He chuckled as he slid her from his shoulder, pressing her against her chest, and lowering his head to butt against her own, which she returned wholeheartedly, rubbing against his skull. As he lifted his snout, she peppered it with kisses before twisting around and snuggling into his grasp as she stared at the painting.
"So, we parting this painting from this place?"
"Nah. It can stay," he shrugged as he released her and she dropped softly upon the floor. "Howsa rest'o th'haul?"
"Piled and pretty," she chirped happily.
"And e'erybody's set?"
"Well, Holly's about to have a panic attack, but she'll get through it."
"If y'say so," he rumbled. "Guards outta th'way?"
"Safe and secure. I watched Sonia tie the naughty knots. And, actually, it got me thinking about a few things," she said, giving him a grin that he was intimately familiar with.
"Y'really startin' to git that bored?"
"Oho, no. Nononononono. Absolutely not," she assured him with fervent sincerity, sliding onto his back and circling about him again. She peered over his shoulder, arms reaching to loop about his neck. "But . . . don't you think it'd be fun to maybe experiment? Just a wee, little bit?"
"'M not lettin' y'tie me up."
"It doesn't have to be you. I'm adaptable. And fascinatingly flexible," she purred, seeming to slither about him in testament of her claim.
"Trust me, sweetheart, I know. Y'prolly got a waxin' frog somewhere in yer lin'age."
"What'cha guys talking about?"
Kay jolted at the intensity of the glares he received for his question, nearly slipping from the visitor's desk he was seated upon, but quickly recovered as he chuckled mischievously. He was attired in the same dark body armor as the others and outfitted with handguns fitted into numerous holsters arranged about his suit. A pair of bulky goggles were strapped atop his head though he periodically adjusted them whenever they slipped downwards. As he pushed them back into place, he slid from the abandoned desk and approached them with a wide smirk.
"I just fell into the type of conversations that Sonia loves interrupting, didn't I?"
"Unless you want to fall into something sharp and spikey, no. You definitely didn't," Bella warned ominously as she lifted into the air, her tone darkening suddenly.
"In that case, I didn't see-slash-hear nothing," he grinned, snickering softly before a new voice echoed through the hall.
"Holly, dearie, as much as I love you, if you point that monstrosity at me one more time, I will light you on fire," Sonia snapped from the shadows.
"Sorry. That's - I'm not trying to or anything. It just won't - I can't-"
Holly and Sonia approached the trio, clad in the dark body armor, and the former struggled to readjust the cannon she carried, becoming tangled in its strap in the process. With a shout, Kay ducked as it swung towards him and Toch growled before storming forward and forcibly adjusting the weapon. She whimpered and cowered under his glare until he turned it upon Sonia who stood with a bemused expression upon her face. Clawed gauntlets rested upon her broad hips, and she looked up to the reptilian figure with a smile.
"You said that she needed a weapon. She got scared and grabbed the biggest one she could," she explained off-handedly.
"Shoulda figured," he grumbled before looking to Kay. "Trade'er for somuvva yer clips."
"What? But I need them!"
"Y'got more clips than y'can count. Trade."
Protesting under his breath, the golden-haired man complied, slipping a quartet of the clips arranged about his figure and presenting them to her. She slid from the strap of the heavy weapon, assisted by Bella, and hastily passed it to Kay who easily slung it over his shoulder, carrying it with a professional sort of ease. The winged women slid the extra rounds into the slots of the suits and Toch watched them severely.
"Y'can use those, right?" he asked inclining his head towards the pistols at her hips.
"I can't - well, I mean, I can, but I'm just, you know, not very good at-at using them," she confessed.
"I don't need y't'be good. Just don't shoot any'o us, n' we're golden," he growled and she nodded frantically in compliance.
"Hold up. Kay's got way more weapons than any of us now," Sonia whined. "I'm not trying to start trouble or anything, but sorry if I'm a bit apprehensive about giving the violent psycho all our hardware."
"The 'violent psycho' gets them cause he knows how to use them." The walking armory folded his arms over his chest, glaring at the woman who returned his glower.
"N' there's yer answer," Toch grunted. "Are y'all set?"
"Everything's good on our end," the curvaceous woman assured him.
"Even through that less than flattering suit," Kay smirked easily, eyeing her backside unashamedly and waggling his heavy brow at her glare as it snapped towards him.
"Focus. Git t' th'loot. Then, Holly's goin' t'turn th'larms back on."
"See, this is the part of the plan that I'm not too sure on," Sonia grumbled.
"Just make sure that it's ready t'go," he snapped and she scowled before strutting away, followed by the others. Instead of accompanying them, Toch reached into a pouch upon his armor and drew out a small, dingy pocket watch that his abnormally large gauntlets fumbled with before he managed to flip it open. It ticked softly in his grasp before he nodded and closed it again, slipping it back into his pocket as he strode forward. As he passed by a display case containing daggers from a variety of different ages, the radio clipped to his chest crackled and squawked.
"Hey, my sociopathic sweetheart. Holly's got all the annoying alarms back up," Bella reported.
He pressed the button on its side and angled his head downward to answer, "M' not a soc'o. But good. I'll meet up wit'cha inna minute."
"Sounds super. See'ya, sweet scales. Mmmwah!"
The line fell silent and he stared at it for a moment, a smile tugging at his maw before a chuckle escaped it and he shook his head. Dropping his hand, he turned suddenly and smashed his fist into the display case with a savage bellow that was soon overwhelmed by a whooping shriek that filled the building. Another chuckle, darker this time, emerged from between his fangs and he flexed his fingers, testing the gauntlets as he strode deeper into the museum.
Above Downtown Jump City. 2224 Hours, 24 AUGUST 2014
The day passed quickly, Raven spending most of it in slumber though she occasionally awoke to stumble to the kitchen for a cup of tea or a small meal. She would try to see the progress of her friends in finding Bast Boy, but they merely assured her that there were no changes before ushering her back to her room. Her sleep was blessedly dreamless, her body too tired to conjure any further nightmares for her, only for a sudden screeching to sunder her rest. Bolting upright, she took a moment to recover before throwing on her cloak and stepping through a portal that opened into the main room. Starfire was at the computer and looked over her shoulder as she felt the shorter girl approach.
"You are well?" she asked worriedly and Raven gave her a nod.
"As much as I can be. What's happening?"
"The alarm has gone off at the Museum of the Arts and Bones."
"Natural history."
"Yes. Cyborg and Robin are headed there now. They were both searching for friend Beast Boy."
"The police?"
"In a shift change. There is also no news on the circumstances of the invasion."
"Then I guess we should find out," Raven muttered, turning and heading for the roof, Starfire following after her.
Moments later, they were zooming over the bay and sweeping into the bright city. They passed quickly between the buildings and over the nightly traffic, followed by several whooping cheers that they could not let slow them. The sprawling architecture of the museum soon came into view, Robin's bike and the T-Car parked on the street in front of it as their owners examined the doors. Slowing their flight, they landed easily alongside their friends. A cord extended from Cyborg's arm, plugged into the keypad beside the door as his tongue poked from his mouth, fingers tapping across an open panel on his forearm. Robin turned at their arrival, giving them a grim nod as they regarded the closed door curiously.
"The museum's in lockdown but the alarm's been shut off," he explained.
"Then our presence here is no longer required?" Starfire wondered before Raven could give voice to the same inquiry.
"There hasn't been any word from the guards," Robin pointed out. "And when I tried calling, the line had been disconnected. We need to get in there and find out what's going on."
"Step ahead of you, fearless leader. Pluggin' in the entry codes . . . now."
There was a click and Cyborg reached out to pull the doors open, bowing the others in before following after them. As the door closed behind them, it latched close with a solid thunk that the heroes paid no mind to as they immediately scanned the shadows of the lobby.
"Raven, Cyborg. Search the east wing. Star and I will take the west," Robin directed. "Stick together and contact us at any signs of trouble."
They nodded in unison and Raven lifted into the air as they departed while the couple turned towards the other hall. Firing his grapnel gun, the masked boy shot into the eaves, which he navigated through with gymnastic graces and his girlfriend followed after, scanning the exhibits of ancient mammals. Each section took them further back in time, progressing towards the era when the dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Early crafts of Cro-Magnons were on display and a number of scenes depicted them hunting, their supposed homes, and engaging in other behavior. It seemed unlikely for a criminal to take such an interest in natural history, but after the bevy of strange foes he had faced in Gotham and Jump City alike, Robin had come to accept that criminals were not always thinking straight.
His memories of the odd fascinations of the criminals he had faced was interrupted by his Communicator and he flipped through the air to perch on a beam before drawing it from his belt, Starfire stopping alongside him.
"Rob, it's Cy. We found some stuff over here."
"What?"
"Looks like the guards. They've all been knocked out and tied up, but we're not seein' any major injuries or anything."
"No sign of who caused them?"
"Besides the missin' paintin's and vases and stuff? Nope."
"All right. Keep your eyes peeled. If we don't find something soon, we'll swing back towards you."
"Sounds good. Cyborg, out."
The line went dark and Robin returned the gadget to his belt as he looked up towards his girlfriend.
"Whoever's here took out all the guards. Be careful," he warned.
"Are you suggesting that I am usually otherwise?" she asked and he faltered before catching the hint of her smile.
"Well, given the lack of scars on that beautiful face, I'd have to say 'no,'" he evaded smoothly as he leapt to his next perch. She giggled and pressed a kiss to his cheek as she swooped past him and he chased after her, alighting upon the trunk of a mastodon. He sprang from it only to be blinded by an emerald flash that he slammed into, a wall formed of translucent bricks that floated in the air. It batted him to the floor, but he drew his grapnel gun, firing at the dark ceiling before impact.
"Robin!"
He turned at the cry and was met by a wrecking ball, formed of the same glowing green material, that smashed into him with enough force to send him crashing into the far wall. With a pained groan, he fell into an exhibit for the wooly rhinoceros, knocking over a fake tree. Starfire raced towards him only for a figure to barrel into her, throwing her off course. Before she could recover, she was subjected to a screech that made the world spin, dropping her to the floor as she clutched at her ears. Finally, the screaming ceased, but it still echoed within her skull, like hammers battering against her head and ringing in her ears. Dark boots that she could not hear the approach of appeared at the edge of her vision and she glanced up to the massive figure in dark armor, a winged companion perched upon his shoulder.
A strange device was fitted about the alligator man's broad skull while the lower half of the bat woman's face was hidden behind a mask fixed with speakers. They seemed to share in a conversation, which she could not hear over the shriek still echoing through her ears, and then the scaled man lifted his gauntlet towards her. Before he could activate the weaponry, a bladed disk bit into its side and exploded, throwing his arm aside. He snarled as he turned, bringing up his other hand to create a wall as the winged woman lifted into the air. Robin slammed his staff into the barrier with a shout that Starfire could finally hear and she stood as the world ceased its wild careening.
Her eyes narrowed and she shot into the air, driving toward the armored figure circling through the air. She drew back a fist, a starbolt glowing about it, and shouted as she cast it forward, nearly striking her target who neatly banked and glided towards her. Starfire ducked under the claws upon her feet and turned in the air to launch a volley that her target nimbly dodged, alternating between flying and crawling upon the ceiling.
"You're pretty good at this," she admired, her voice light and piping. "Starfire, right?"
"Thank you. And, yes."
"Oh, good. I'm Bella Free. The big bruiser battling your ballsy boy down there's my Toch. We're robbing your museum," she chirped happily.
"I do not suppose I could convince you otherwise?"
"Mmm. 'Fraid not, my absolutely adorable alien," she hissed regretfully, performing spirals through the air as she conducted another fly-by against her foe. "We may - well, I may not be a total tool, but we're still crooks. And we're praying to be presented with a pretty profit after this."
"Then I am afraid that I must take you down," she declared, her eyes glowing.
"Oh, sweetie," she cooed as red beams cut through the air and smashed into Starfire, sending her crashing into an exhibit. "You might want to check your numbers."
The lenses of the bulky goggles blazed with crimson energy as Kay cackled with devious glee and dropped from the shadowy eaves that he had been lingering in. Catching the trunk of the mastodon below him, he dangled from one arm as he searched for his next victim. A hand remained upon the switches on the side of the goggles and his legs reached back, his opposable toes drawing a pair of handguns from behind his back.
"I'm keeping these goggles forEVAHHH!" he hollered before breaking into laughter again. "Seriously, we need to get some superheroes and villains and stuff over in our world so that our government will try to make weapons based off of them."
"They're bad for business," Toch grunted as he shouldered the blow from the staff and then turned quickly, his broad tail smashing into Robin and sending him sailing down an alley between exhibits. He flipped through the air and landed upon his feet, a series of birdarangs seeming to materialize in his hand, which he then launched towards the reptilian man. Forming a sturdy wall that trembled as the weapons detonated against it, Toch glanced down as a device upon his belt beeped. Drawing the slim handle from the loop it was contained it, he flipped open the cap and pressed down on the red button.
A second later, the hall leading into the exhibit was filled with a resounding boom, fire rolling from the mouth of it as debris and a pair of heroes tumbled across the floor. Toch regarded them and then shouted, "Keep yer eyes peeled! The shape shifter's missin'!"
"Along with some of my teeth," Cyborg mumbled as he rubbed his jaw and stood. He watched Starfire hurtle from a mass of fake vegetation, bullets bouncing off her skin as she dodged a red beam and then smashed into what appeared to be a baboon in body armor. She spun in the air and launched him into a glass display case containing ancient spears. Before she could pursue him, a terrible wailing split the air, and she cried out as she clutched at her ears and the winged thief slammed into her, sending her spinning to the floor. Robin tried to break from his fight with the crocodile man to help his fallen comrades, but a green bulldozer suddenly manifested and plowed him into and through the wall.
"Let me guess. The cutie dressed as a traffic light over there gave you a call when he got knocked around earlier, huh?" said a voice that seemed permanently stuck on its 'seduce' setting. Cyborg looked towards a woman in full body armor and helmet, carrying a pair of unusual firearms. "Well, I guess it saves me the trouble of hunting you down, big boy."
He noticed the dark tail that whipped about behind her before she raised her weapons and fired at him. Grabbing Raven, who was still shaken from the blast, he slid under the beam that left ice in its wake and was nearly caught by the stream of fire. The air shimmered from the heat and he ground his teeth together as he pushed away from it, bounding to his feet as he cradled the sorceress. Slinging her over a shoulder, he charged over the roaring flame and grabbed the tusk of the mastodon, swinging out of the way. A stream of fire set the ancient beast ablaze and a green crane pulled it down upon him just before he managed to cover Raven with his body.
Toch's moment of distraction afforded him a kick to his chest that pushed him back and he growled as he glared at the masked boy.
"Y'just don' stay down, do ya?"
"Afraid not. You're welcome to, though," he shrugged as he dashed forward again. He glided under Toch's swipe and rammed his elbow into his ribcage before spinning and leaping over the his tail. Ducking to the ground, he swept out a leg and caught his broad ankle, pulling him off balance before he sprang upward, driving his staff right under the beast man's jawline. Toch roared as he stumbled about, but calmed himself enough to produce the emerald facsimile of a mansion hovering over the youth.
"Hate to dis'point, but I got bizness to handle. Maybe this'll help persuade yah,," he suggested as he dropped the scaled down house upon the youth.
In the air once again, Starfire kept ahead of the sonic screech that chased after, shattering glass and wall alike before she twisted about to fire starbolts at her pursuer. Bella's scream cut off as she tightened her wings about her body, dropping out of their way before opening her wings again and delivering another cry that tore apart the faux foliage. Darting out of the way, the redhead pulled up as a blue beam crackled before her and tore erratically up the wall.
"Whoahoahoa!" Kay grumbled as he tried to aim the large cannon with his feet. He balanced upon one arm, the other reaching towards his goggles before he extended it to steady himself. "All right, maybe this thing might kinda sorta need a slightly more stable stance. Hup!"
Tossing the weapon into the air, he pushed himself after it and flipped about to land upon his feet as the cannon dropped into his waiting hands. His lips curled back to expose his fangs as he smiled, "Now, let's really open 'er up - the gun and the chick! Ahahahaha!"
He hooted with laughter as he chased after the golden girl with the crackling beam, tearing through the walls and ceiling. As he kept the hero preoccupied, Bella glided over to perch upon Toch who was watching the mansion with a suspicious gaze.
"That's ours, isn't it? The mansion that you, me, and our freaky mutant babies are going to live in, right? Well, I mean bigger, and obviously made out of real stuff, but-gah!"
She cried out as he hurled her back into the air while a group of birdarang spun towards him, imbedding themselves in his armor and glancing off his scales. He growled as Robin leapt out from behind the base of a large exhibit and the mansion dissipated as he charged at him. Catching the staff in his maw, he turned violently and whipped the youth through the air, spinning him about before launching him into an adjoining room.
The shaggy fur of the mammoth had largely burnt away as Sonia approached cautiously, keeping her distance from the flames as she held the cold gun at the ready. When it shifted, she jumped back and raised both weapons as it was suddenly pushed away, crashing against the floor before Raven and Cyborg, contained in a black bubble rose into the air. Ice encased the sphere, but shattered as the shield pulsed and then dispersed, launching the shards at the villainess who dodged behind a podium. She peered over its edge, but quickly ducked back down as a sonic blast ripped overhead.
"You may have the hot and the cold," Cyborg yelled as Raven levitated debris into the air. "But we're bringin' the sound and the fury!"
"Bella!" Sonia screamed as the bombardment of her cover continued. "If you're done admiring the redhead's ass, I could use a hand over here!"
"You just insinuated I'm a failure of a flyer, didn't you?" The winged woman narrowed her gaze at her as she seemed to materialize from the shadows next to her, causing her to jump.
"Nothing that severe," she assured her before gesturing over her shoulder as pieces of mastodon hurtled overhead. "Now, if you wouldn't mind."
"Hmm. Five percent of your take."
"WHAT?!"
"Seven?"
"Are you really bargaining right now?"
"Ten."
"All right, all right. Stop. It's yours. Just . . . handle them."
"Sure thing, nervous newt," she nodded as she leapt into the air. Her screech ripped towards the heroes and they cried out as they dropped to their knees, Raven's arsenal clattering to the floor about her.
Several feet away, Kay was split between laughing and yelping as he dodged the rain of starbolts, his tail already lightly singed. The cannon was slung across his back and he returned fire with a pair of heavy pistols, firing with impressive accuracy even as he ran and jumped out of the way. He zigzagged across the floor, leaping over the skeleton of a saber-toothed tiger and stealing away its skull with his feet that he hurled at Starfire before he landed. She dodged out of the way and prepared another starbolt, but Kay grinned and blasted at the supports of a banner overhead that covered the heroine, darkening her world as she became tangled within it.
He chuckled before he a large hand closed about the back of his neck and hurled him towards the entrance to the next room.
"Robin's hidin' out!" Toch shouted. "Git in there n' find'im. I'll handle this'un."
"Yessah!" he snapped a salute and then broke into giggles.
"Kay! No killin'!" he shouted after him before turning to the girl as she ripped through the banner with an infuriated shout. He flexed his gauntlets and the backpack they were connected to hummed as her burning gaze fell upon him and she summoned a pair of starbolts about her hands. "Course, mebbe she could use the same advice."
Struggling under the sonic screech, Cyborg forced his hand to his cannon, adjusting a knob and awaiting a small beep before raising his arm and unleashing his own blast. With the frequency changed to the opposite of the current barrage, the area fell into a sudden silence and Bella blinked in surprise as she cut off her shriek, opening her to his sonic cannon that launched her into the wall. Sonia, rolling her eyes, emerged from behind her cover and a quickshot from one of her weapons encased his arm in ice, silencing it as he was suddenly pulled off-balance by the additional weight.
Shaking her head to clear the ringing within it, Raven looked up as Sonia raised her weapon at her and she hastily summoned portal that she pulled her friend into as fire roared towards them. They emerged in the opposite corner of the room and as Starfire unleashed battle cry and starbolts at the crocodile man who shielded himself with a disintegrating wall of brick, the sorceress pulled her friend down.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
He glanced at the block of ice upon his cannon as a small whine began until the ice cracked. He smashed it against the floor, shaking the remainder off as his limb converted back into a hand and he tested his fingers. Smirking at her, he nodded, "I'm cool."
"Can you keep the bat woman occupied?"
"As long as you're plannin' on takin' care of the bipolar chick."
"That was the idea," she confirmed. "I'm going to drop us behind them."
"Sounds like a blast," he nodded as his hand transformed back into a cannon.
Pressed into the shadows with an aptitude that belied his garish garb, Robin listened to the cheery whistle enter the room and begin to meander through it. The microfibers in the hero's mask caused the shadows to melt away and as he saw Kay, one hand to his goggles and another upon the cannon hanging from his shoulder, searching the ceiling, he bit back a curse. Drawing a birdarang, he tossed it into a display case, shattering the glass and drawing his foe's attention. As the baboon crept forward, the youth drew several more members of his dwindling arsenal and eyed the fake pterodactyl dangling from the ceiling.
When his target stepped into position, he launched the birdarangs and held back the urge to shout as they cleanly sliced through the cables. The snapping sound drew the attention of the furred man upward and he yelped as he dodged out of the way. Rolling to his feet, he stood straight into the path of Robin's kick as he glided from his perch, sending him skidding across the floor. Dashing forward, Robin kicked away the cannon but then felt strong fingers wrap about his ankle and smash him against the floor. Kay's weight rolled onto his chest and he struggled to breathe as long fingers wrapped about his neck in a fierce grip.
"Toch said - heh - I can't kill - heheh - kill anybody," he huffed as he pressed down on the youth's throat. He broke into delirious giggles as Robin's hands tried to peel away his own. "But that doesn't mean we can't get close, right? Just - eheh - tiptoe by Death's door, yeah? Maybe ding-dong ditch it?"
In the other room, Toch bounded upon floating steps of green that maneuvered out of the way of the starbolts before he could give a sudden leap and tackle Starfire from the air. They slammed into the ground, but he was launched through the air again and the headless skeleton of a saber-toothed tiger as she kicked him away. He grunted as he crashed to the floor and she charged after him, eyes glowing until she impacted with the wall he projected. As it dissipated, his tail threw her into the ground before she was run over by a verdant steamroller that was followed by a similarly hued dump truck depositing its load of rubble atop her.
Toch drew in ragged breaths as he watched the pile and urged, "C'mon. C'mon. Stay down. No need t'go n' git-"
He was interrupted by the sudden shattering of his construct as the redhead emerged from it, fists and eyes ablaze as he sighed tiredly and created a dome against the barrage. As it trembled beneath the force of the blows, he turned his reptilian gaze towards Bella who swooped about Cyborg, the two exchanging sonic blasts. Sonia battled Raven, armed with only the cold gun as she dodged the shadowy binds of the heroine while shooting beams that sapped the temperature of the shields that Raven created. The baboon and Boy Wonder had disappeared into the other room, and the crocodilian surveyed the scene before growling at his adversary.
"By m'count, yer short a member. Somebody have a spat?"
"I fail how to see how that is any of your business," she snapped.
"Curiosity mostly," he shrugged. "This pack's gonna run outta juice 'fore y'do, so I might as well talk 'til then. Name's Toch, by th'way."
"So Bella said."
He chuckled fondly, "She's a chatty lil' thin'. Love'o m'life, though."
Stunned and slightly touched by the admittance, Starfire paused her attack and asked, "You . . . and her?"
Instead of an answer, the wall he had created suddenly launched forward and wrapped about her. It tossed her down a hallway as Toch drew another trigger from his belt and pressed its button, creating an explosion that spat out an unmoving Starfire. He stomped forward as the flames died down and knelt beside her, awaiting signs of life before nodding and standing, drawing out the fob watch from its pouch and checking the time. Snapping it closed, he returned it to its pocket and pulled out a third trigger attached to his belt.
Explosions rocked the museum, sending glass flying from windows and forcing the police officers that were running up the steps to leap out of the way, diving into nearby bushes for cover. Within the structure, heroes and villains alike were thrown about by the fiery blasts that rippled from the strategically planted explosives.
Raven winced and gingerly touched the back of her head, drawing her hand away to find blood upon it. She probed the injured area as she sat up in the unrecognizable bones that she had been thrown into by the blast and glanced around. Cyborg was partially imbedded in the wall, but her panic was quelled at the steady pulse of life and pain she felt within him. Rising further, she glanced to her side and found Starfire there and she brushed the debris from her as she checked her breath. It whispered across her cheek, warm and strong, but before she could investigate the scene further, she was distracted by an irate voice.
"Have I ever mentioned that I really hate it when you do that?"
"E'ery now n' then, yeah. I checked yer p'sitions 'fore I did it. Yer fine."
"And Kay?"
"Y'almost sounded like y'care. He's breathin'. Y'doin' good, Bella?"
"Deliriously dizzy, but doing darn-near divine!"
". . . I think you broke her."
"Nah. She's jus' weird."
"Aww. That's super sweet of you to say. Now, carry me."
There was an exasperated sigh and a hushed mumbling before the voices started disappearing, and Raven rose, watching the group depart down the ravaged hall that was being claimed by fires born from the bombs. Flying forward, she helped Cyborg from the wall and called his name, receiving no response though she found no serious injuries. Standing, she staggered as her world suddenly spun and she held out her arms to balance herself before it stopped. Waiting another moment, she raced into the adjacent room and searched the darkness.
"Robin? Robin, where are you?" she called. "Richard?"
A faint groan reached her ears and she charged towards it, finding the dark-haired boy pinned beneath a display case that he feebly struggled to lift on his own. Her eyes glowed as she shifted off of him and then knelt at his side, preventing him from turning out of fear for injury to his back. He muttered something that she couldn't make out and decided to ignore as she searched him for injuries and fortunately found only minor bruises and abrasions. As he rolled over onto his back, he released a long groan and looked up to the hooded girl.
"Star . . . is she . . .?"
"She's fine."
"You're . . . bleeding . . ."
She grimaced and brushed her hand through her hair, finding the source and feeling along it. It was small and she hissed as she tested it, finding the cut to be rather shallow before she nodded, "I shall be fine as well."
"That's . . ."
His word hung in the air as he passed out and she watched him for a moment, ensuring his safety before she stood, her eyes narrowing as all her worry and compassion were burnt away by rage. Her nails dug into her palms and the panes of nearby glass that were not already cracked spontaneously did so within her presence. Darkness gathered about her as she stood and the fresh wave of emotion surged through, charging her tired reservoirs. Rage grinned within her realm of Nevermore, encouraging her to indulge and use the untapped well of energy she could offer. Accepting it, Raven scoured the museum for emotional signatures and quickly found the group, a mix of anger, affection, and avarice that had been joined by a bolt of fear.
Ripping open a portal in the air, she stepped through it and emerged in a largely untouched part of the museum, a hallway outside the gift shop. A circle had been traced on the floor with chalk and treasures were piled up high within it, guarded by a bird woman who regarded her approaching companions with panic.
"I - there wasn't - what hap-what happened?!" she stumbled over her words.
"Toch blew the place up again," Sonia answered.
"And it was glorious," Kay snickered, slung over the large man's shoulder.
"Step back from th'loot," he instructed, his voice steady, and Holly jumped out of the way as she spotted the final trigger in his large hand. He pressed it and there was a series of small explosions followed by crumbling when the floor suddenly gave way. Holly yelped and leapt forward but stopped as she watched their treasures fall several stories into a waiting subway car that's top had been removed.
"What the - Is that-?"
"Ol' subway track. Quake cut off summav its tunnels years back. Been outta use since. Still runnin' and can take us where we need to go," he answered with a certain amount of smugness as the others admired their escape route.
Kay unleashed a whooping holler and vaulted off of Toch's shoulder, leaping to the lower level and grabbing an exposed pipe. Swinging downwards, he jumped between ledges until he landed in the transport and slid into the driver's compartment. Shaking her head, Sonia looked to Holly who nodded and jumped forward, catching the collar of her suit in her talons and spiraling down the hole. They glided, clumsily, to the bottom rather than flew, and Bella pressed a kiss to Toch's powerful jaw before following after them. He chuckled and approached the edge before pausing, his body going still as he sniffed the air.
Bella glanced up in confusion at the sudden chill in the air as she nestled amongst their acquisitions and her gaze widened as it landed upon Toch, standing upon the distant ledge. The cold gun he had taken from Sonia was in his hand and a barrier of ice was quickly separating them. With a screech, she lifted her wings and prepared to bolt towards him but feathered limbs wrapped about her and armored fingers grabbed her ankles, weighing her down as Kay brought the ancient vehicle to life. It lurched upon the tracks, slowly picking up speed as it screeched along its path, but it could not block out Bella's agonized shriek.
Far above ground, separated by several stories of solid ice, Toch pulled on the trigger of the weapon that clicked uselessly, its ammo or fuel expended. He tossed it aside as he turned to face the living pillar of darkness that gazed at him with of eyes of fire. Lashes of shadow crept across the floor, growing threateningly close to the unmoving reptilian.
"One of my friends is already missing. If you have hurt anymore of them, I shall introduce you to nightmares beyond your imagination," she intoned, her voice coupled with a guttural growling.
"Sorry t'hear that," he nodded as he pulled out his watch and opened it. "Fire response in this city takes 'bout 'leven minutes. Distance we're at, yer prolly lookin' at another five or so. How much do y'think's gonna burn down in that time?"
Raven's eyes narrowed as Rage's aggression was intruded upon by Knowledge's calculations, and she managed to growl, "You're not getting away with this."
He spread his arms, "I'm right here, police should be walkin' through the door any minnit, n' m'all outta bombs. The gun's jus' some metal, n' the pack's nearly dead. Take yer shot, kid."
Within his mind, he admitted that he had been expecting some sort of blow. A psionically enhanced attack that would have left him in a crater or maybe a volley of attacks that made him wonder which way was up. Instead, the inky tendrils suddenly constricted about his body, one wrapping about his snout and he crashed heavily to the floor before he was dragged, with an intentional slowness for the sense of dread to sink in, towards the edge of the cloak. For a moment, his stoic visage cracked and his last image before the darkness descended upon him was of glowing red eyes and a fanged smile.
Phew! Long one, huh? And the crew managed to make an escape! Uh-oh.
We do have plans for more of their backgrounds to be revealed, but we're just going to mention that before Toch was running a group of thieves, he was an architect. He also worked construction and demolition to help pay for his college.
Anyway, please leave a review! We'll even accept mean ones (as long as they're constructive)!
Guest: Well, thanks for taking the time to type that out. Any chance you want to elaborate, maybe give us some pointers to redeem our writing from being 'Complete garbage?' Thanks for the review!
patattack: Glad you thought so! Yeah, we're considering making that detective a recurring character. But it's still up in the air. Thanks for the review!