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Main Room, Titan's Tower. 2223 Hours, 27 AUGUST 2014
Candles chased away the usual shroud of darkness of the usually pristine room and Raven sat cross-legged upon her bed, a book open before her and surrounded by a strange collection of knickknacks. The worn photo of a small family consisting of a brunette woman and her blond husband and child, giant stuffed chicken that had been collecting dust in her closet, the barely recognizable silver box that had once resembled the shape of a heart, and, finally, an unassuming penny that had safely resided on the underside of her belt for over a year were scattered before her. She grasped the penny for a moment, running her thumb over it as she hoped that its supposed fortune held true for her. With a sigh, she set it to the side and pulled a chalkboard residing upon the edge of her bed onto her knees.
The worn piece of chalk found its way into her hand and she glanced between the ancient tome at her side and the board as she carefully copied the pentagram detailed within. Along its outer edge, she transcribed runes for divination, each carefully positioned until the symbol resembled an exact, in all but size, replica of the design in the book. Placing the board on the bed again, she began to collect up the odds and ends, setting each one at a point of the star, leaving the top unoccupied. After everything was firmly in place and she had finally gotten the chicken balanced, she opened one of the jewels on her belt, revealing a compartment that held a single glass slide, a smeared drop of blood preserved within it. Towards its side, GL#137 was scrawled in marker and precise handwriting.
She placed the slide upon the final point of the star and stared down at it for a moment, capturing its image in her mind before she drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her legs were crossed beneath her and she rested her hands upon her knees as she focused, hovering several inches off the bed. Suddenly, her eyes flashed open, clouded by a flickering black aura that manifested on the point of the star, igniting along the pattern. As the aura linked her foci, she began her mantra, drawing forth her mastery of arcana.
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos . . . Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos . . ."
The magic, like black fire, caught upon the objects she had collected and as it did so, she focused on the image of the green face that stirred up feelings she would rather not confront. She visualized the broad smile interrupted only by a fang larger than its twin, the bright eyes glowing with mirth and at least a hint of mischief. Pointed ears twitching at the slightest sound as his hair rose up in constant rebellion at any attempt of taming it. His body followed, the lean but deceptively muscular frame and the coat of scars that filled its canvas. Her cheeks threatened to color as she lingered on the image, but she reminded herself of the task at hand and her concern silenced her embarrassment.
Magic filled the symbol and the objects, shaped by its construct and the steady repetition of her chant and the foci of the spell began to lift into the air, spinning in wobbly circles. As they did so, her mind suddenly hurtled forward and her consciousness left her room behind as it zoomed across the bay. She was pulled through the city, passing relentlessly through shadowy buildings and all other obstacles. Too fast to track her path, she found herself coming to a sudden halt in a large room.
Muted dance music floated through the room, flickering shades moving along to the rhythm but one of the figures was clear to her vision. Beast Boy, dressed in unfamiliar clothes, held a shadowy figure as he twirled about the floor, a muted smile spread across his face. Raven watched him before her distant gaze fell to his dance partner, a cloudy, swirling vision that whispers, too low for her to hear, spread from. A hand brushed against the changeling's face, the voices growing louder for a second but no clearer and, within her room, Raven frowned. Forcing her projection to slide forward, Raven reached out to touch Beast Boy, hand brushing against her shoulder.
She found herself peering at his mind, bound beneath a gossamer sheet that she frowned at before anger ripped through her. The soft murmuring converted into harsh howling and she winced as the shadow with him turned away, somehow focusing upon her.
[MINE.]
The word resounded through her mind as she suddenly snapped back towards her own body, dropping onto her bed as the objects she had gathered clattered to the board, the eldritch energy from about them disappearing. However, she paid little heed to them as she leapt from her bed, throwing her cloak on as she rushed from the room, lifting into the air as she entered the hallway. Hurtling along it, she stopped at Robin's door and pounded upon it mercilessly as she yelled through the barrier.
"Robin! Wake up! We need to talk now!"
A voice groaned from within but when it did not move with the same haste that possessed her, she scowled and phased through the door, entering the room lit only by a bedside lamp. Robin, clad only in navy blue lounge pants, gave a jump at the sight of her while Starfire squeaked at her presence. Dealing with matters of greater urgency than just how far her friends were taking their relationship, she shoved past the awkward situation and Robin's sputtered indignation.
"R-raven! This isn't - you can't just - we weren't -!"
"I found him." Her remark was even, belying the impatience that ran through her, but it stopped the faltering start of her leader's tirade. "I found Beast Boy."
"You did? Where?" Starfire flashed from the bed, dressed in a pink tanktop and shorts, hovering at Raven's side, relieved eyes looking to her.
"In the city. I can't show you the exact location, but I can take you there." She spoke without hesitation but checked upon the aftereffects of the spell, making certain that she could pinpoint his location when called upon.
Any traces of Robin's embarrassment had vanished and his face was business-like, accentuated by the mask he donned, which had been left on his nightstand like a pair of glasses. He issued orders with full authority as he quickly crossed to his closet, "Raven, wake up Cyborg. Star, suit up. Meet up in the main room in five minutes. I've got some calls to make."
Main Room, Titans Tower. 2246 Hours, 27 AUGUST 2014
The Titans had assembled in the main room, drowsy and weary but with their faces set and grim, forcing themselves awake for Raven's discovery. She stood before them now, annoyance crossing her face as she forced herself to stop and explain to them instead of hurtling to her lost friend as her instincts demanded.
"Using a spell, I was able to forge a connection between myself and Garfield and located him," she explained tersely. "He's . . . he's being held captive. I'm not sure by who, but she's controlling him, somehow. And she . . . she sensed me. She knows I know where Beast Boy is."
"Does she know who you are?"
"I don't . . . I don't think so." She shook her head in answer to Robin's question and he frowned, folding his arms over his chest. Frustration bubbled within her but she reined it in as the couch begin to shake, startling the other members of the team. "I am done with waiting! Whether you come with me or not, I'm going to save my Be - to save Beast Boy!"
"Raven, we're coming with you. But we need a plan. All we know is that whoever has Beast Boy has some sort of mind control," Robin reasoned. "We can't just go crashing in there and hoping for the best. If we do that, somebody could get hurt."
"Somebody will," she noted darkly as she drew her cloak about her. "I can promise you that."
"Hold up, Rae." Cyborg jumped at the sharp glare as it snapped towards him at his interjection. He held up a placating hand and continued, "Look, the grass stain's my best friend, but Rob's got a point. For all we know, this is the whole Brotherhood of Evil again. We need a lil' somethin' more before we go chargin' in there."
"I've already contacted some of the other Titans. They're on the way." The dark-haired boy unfolded his arms and strode towards the door of the elevator. "But, we can at least scope out the area. Raven, you got enough juice to teleport us?"
"I . . ." She glanced down at her hands, reaching into her well of arcana, still drained from her latest spell. "No. I need to save what I have."
"All right. Raven, Star, you two take the air. Cy and I will be on the street. Follow Raven and when she finds the building, we'll each post on a corner until the reinforcements arrive." The masked boy issued his orders with the conviction of a military commander and each nodded in response to the commands. "Titans, go!"
Seconds later, a time that had been whittled down by endless practice, the sorceress zoomed from the roof of the Tower, moving at speeds she had rarely attained before, and was followed almost immediately by Starfire. The sky glistened in the water, filled with brilliant colors in a celestial display of unequaled beauty, but none had any interest in the glory of the reflected sky, their gazes set towards the horizon. The spell still resonated within Raven, driving her unerringly towards her destination and she took what comfort she could in that it did not shift and that as long as it persisted, it was a sign that her friend was alive.
Below her, Cyborg and Robin tracing below her in their respective vehicles, as she swooped through the tall spires, which mirrored the night sky as clouds drifted across its display, seeking to hide it from the violence that roared within Raven. Rage surged victoriously through her, finally free of the shackles that had long held her. Her teeth sharpened into fangs and she could feel the burgeoning itch that signified the growth of her second set of eyes. Fingernails grew into talons and her reflection showed a visage twisted into a fearsome countenance with glowing eyes and a vicious snarl. However, while anger still bucked and contested her control, she firmly held the reins and turned the intensity of her wrath on whoever dared to steal her friend from her.
The urban towers disappeared, replaced with long buildings that still rose stories over the ground, brick walls covered with colorful scrawl. Smog and other filth coated the windows, those that were not replaced by planks of wood with peeling paint or sheets of translucent plastic, and most doors were secured with rusted padlocks or held shut by nails. It was a disreputable part of the city, but one where the Titans were rarely summoned as it lacked anything of value that caused the more typical sort of crimes they responded to. Raven stopped above one of the buildings, one that advertised a joint martial arts and dance studio beneath, which numerous tags that had been painted over it in swooping lettering.
Cyborg diverted down a side street while Starfire took up position on the opposite corner of the building, eyes gaining a dangerous glow as she hovered in the air. Swooping down the street, Robin executed a sharp turn and set a foot upon the ground, watching the building from behind the visor of his helmet. While the team settled into position, Raven extended her empathic senses and was rewarded with the unique signature of Beast Boy's emotions. There was a crackle from her ear bud and she lifted a hand to it as Cyborg's voice echoed from it.
"Green genes in there?"
She gave a terse nod before remembering that nobody could see it and answered, "Yeah. He's here. It's like . . . it's like he's sleeping though."
"Your spell is able to determine our friend's wellbeing?"
The innocent question gave her pause and she halted a sigh by biting her lip before she answered, "Y-yeah. He's here, but his presence is muted. Robin, how much more time are we going to waste waiting for these reinforcements you were talking about?"
"Relax, Rae. Beast Boy's here and they're not getting away. They should be -"
The sentence went unfinished as the wall of the studio suddenly exploded outward, a burly shape hiding amongst the bricks. Robin barely had time to throw himself to the side before great claws swiped through the air where his head had been mere seconds before. A thunderous roar echoed through the street, shaking Raven to the bone as windows rattled and set off car alarms along the block. Rough, green fur covered the monster that clawed after the scrambling vigilante who rapidly backpedaled to avoid the claws that gouged the street. Finding her voice, the half-demon floated forward, reaching a hand out as she called to the savage creature.
"Beast Boy!"
The Beast turned, blank eyes flitting to her and there was a brief second of recognition she could find in them before it was wiped away. His maw twisted into a toothy snarl and a tree trunk thick arm snapped out, grabbing Robin's cycle and launching it at the grey girl. She brought her arms up, manifesting a shield that cracked under the impact of the sleek bike. Before she could reinforce her barrier, the Beast barreled through it, the powerful jump propelling him beyond it, tackling her to the ground. Her breath rushed from her lungs as she impacted against the ground, the heavy claws on her shoulders pinning her there.
"Beast Boy! I - it's me!" Raven struggled under the creature that huffed and sniffed at her. "Garfield, it's Raven. Your friend."
[Garfield, huh? I've been wondering what his real name is - but I'm sure you know how hard it is to get inside that adorable little head, huh?]
The unfamiliar voice gave her pause and she tried to put a wayward emotion to it before a suggestion slid inside her head, directing her gaze between the Beast's limbs to the gaping wound in the side of the building. Doused in the moonlight as though it was a stage light was a short-haired girl, hands in the pocket of her hoodie and feet in worn cowboy boots. A smirk unfurled across his face as men and women began to emerge from the shadows behind her, lurching and shambling forward. They posted and crouched alongside her before she flung her hands outwards in perfect synchronization with Cyborg and Starfire's arrival on the street.
"Play time, boys and girls!"
As the more athletic members of her entourage bounded to the street, others clambered down before charging at the heroes, blocking them from Raven. Starfire zoomed over their heads only for a member of the mob to boost a companion up, tackling her out of the air. Raven reached for her powers only to find nothing and she stared up at the Beast with pleading eyes, emotions mixing together in her voice as his claw drew back.
"Garfield. Come back to me."
He gave pause and something flashed behind his eyes, trying to pierce their pearly sheen, as his lips pulled back in a growl. His ears twitched and he swung his gaze upwards, towards the lone girl who frowned and folded her arms across her chest. A plaintive whine escaped his lips and his ears pressed back against his skull as he pleaded with her, hoping to stay her hand. The grip of the claw still on her shoulder tightened and he finally relented against whatever force drove him and turned back to the downed girl, his face set. His claw drew back again and flashed forward as Raven, still unable to summon her powers, flinched away from the inevitable blow.
It never landed as a deep note, the echoing blast of a trumpet, rang through her ears and light flashed against her eyelids. Opening her gaze, she found herself shielded by a large girl who had caught the claw and was struggling to hold back the immense arm, her boots grinding against the street. Her voluptuous frame was thick with muscle and clothed in a dark suit while her head was covered in a yellow and black-striped mask that a thick mass of dark, curly hair escaped from the back of.
"Need a lift?"
Raven looked up at the voice to the pale eyes and gently smiling face of Herald, leaning from one of his portals, and accepted the hand that he offered.
"Sooner - uhnn - would be better than later," Pantha grunted as her feet began to slide and the Beast growled threateningly.
"We're gone," he promised and tugged the cloaked girl into his portal. There was a flash of white within, but he was already blowing his horn and pulling her out another before she could adjust to it. She stumbled onto the roof and straightened before looking to him in surprise.
"How did you-"
"Robin's kept us up-to-date on the Beast Boy situation," he explained. "When he told us you'd found him, I figured that it was about time that we got the band back together."
He gestured downward and Raven saw the red and white blurs that signified the presence of Mas y Menos, clearing away the crowd that mobbed the others though they seemed more concerned with Starfire. Jericho stood upon the street before catching eye contact with one of the large men hanging onto Robin and immediately put him to use clearing away the others. Her attention shifted to a large shape hurtling through the air and she pushed Herald out of the way and managed to summon talons to catch Pantha. The force of it pushed her back several feet and she forced away the distractions that danced through her mind to lower her safely to the ground as the muscular girl shook her head.
"Gracias," she muttered as she stood, placing a hand against her skull and wincing slightly. "Our friend seems rather unappreciative of our rescue."
"That's because he's being controlled," Raven said as she fixed her shadowed gaze upon the other hooded girl. She radiated arrogance and a nauseating sense of self-satisfaction that refused to diminish even with the arrival or reinforcements. Catching her gaze, the strange girl smiled, and Raven suddenly stumbled backwards, wincing as her hands flew to her head. The others moved to support her but she pushed them away, clenching her eyes for a moment.
"She calls herself Sway," she reported as she straightened. "She's a telepath."
"Great," Herald grumbled. "I hate telepaths. Martian Manhunter mostly excl-"
"RRRRrrraargghhhhh!"
He was interrupted by the savage roar of the Beast that barreled forward, claws digging into the ground as he charged at them. Moving with a speed that belied the bulk of the creature, he swung a claw that scattered the heroes and bit into the ground. Supporting himself upon it, he lashed out with his hind legs and caught Pantha in the abdomen, launching her into a car that crunched at the impact. Snarling, he advanced menacingly upon Herald and Raven, swiping at them and missing as the latter opened a portal beneath their feet. Snarling in frustration, the Beast looked back down the seat as the mind controlled civilians attacking the heroes suddenly broke into a mass of confusion.
The confusion gave way to terror as the heroes continued struggling against those they believed to be foes. Cries of surrender and ruder remarks ran amongst them as the youths realized that their adversaries no longer sought to contest them. Raven and Herald emerged in time to see the Beast taking advantage of the disarray, bounding to the broken floor where he crouched as Sway pulled herself atop his back. Glancing down to the street, she grinned at the heroes before her mount leapt upwards, catching in the wall and jumping to the roof. Raven's scowl deepened as she watched the burly shape sprint across the urban sprawl and lifted into the air.
"Help placate the civilians," she directed. "Come help once you're finished."
"You are not going alone," Starfire flitted to her side.
"Titans together and all that jazz." Herald pumped his fist in accompaniment of his motivational remark.
"Star, Raven, go! Take Pantha and Herald with you and make sure Beast Boy doesn't get away. Everybody else, you're here with me," Robin shouted his directives over the clamor of the crowds as Jericho hastily tried to explain, in sign language, the situation to the man he had previously been possessing. "We'll meet up as soon as we can. Go!"
They took off, Pantha clasping hands with Starfire as she lifted into the air while Herald blew his horn, ducking into a portal. They chased after the shaggy creature that moved with astounding speed, seeming to simply flow around obstacles.
Raven had never fully witnessed the Beast in action, largely unconscious or otherwise absent during the times Beast Boy had managed to coax it into existence. Its - his, she reminded herself - seemingly cumbersome form did nothing to deter its agility as it jumped over air conditioning units, ducked clotheslines, and climbed water towers. Limbs as thick as her torso were corded with muscles that moved smoothly beneath the sleek pelt. He moved on all fours at a natural gait, large claws lifted to avoid leaving any obvious tracks, and Sway maintained her position without any sign of struggle.
[You know, you really should learn to let things go.]
The voice that sounded in her head caused her to hesitate, clearly not one of her divided emotions, but she realized its source as she caught the smirk over Sway's shoulder. Glaring at her, she continued in her chase while she sent her own thought back through the line of communication that had been opened.
[And somebody should teach you not to take things that aren't yours.]
[What, Garfield? Please. Somebody had to stake a claim. And since you're never going to make a move, I figured that I might as well fill that big, gaping hole that Terra left. Oh, by the way, thanks for the name. Beasty Boy here is locked down tighter than Fort Knox - usually.]
[Let him go!] she demanded, accelerating to catch up with the escaping duo.
[You first, Rae-Rae.]
The Beast's claws snapped out to catch the beam of a water tower and he swung about it, his feet catching Raven as she tried to stop. As she sailed through the air, Sway grinned before leaning down, running a hand along the Beast's immense chest as she whispered into his ear.
"Thank you, Garfield. You saved me. But we have to hurry. Others are coming. They want to hurt me."
He snorted in agreement and jumped to the adjacent building, a taller apartment structure. His jagged claws bit into the wall and he scaled up it with preternatural ease, intent upon protecting his love from the shadowy villains that pursued them, agents of Raven's father.
The sorceress, not the illusory one that rode upon the Beast's back, braced herself for impact as she tried to draw a barrier about her body, but was saved by strong hands that curled about her arms and whisked her into the air. Soaring high above the roofs, she was finally released and she partially turned to nod her appreciation to Starfire, who had left Pantha on a roof to continue her chase of the Beast.
"We're losing him - them. We need to -"
"Raven."
Starfire did not shout her name or place undue stress upon it. She spoke it resolutely, with the voice of one who was the queen of an entire planet, and it was enough to give the grey girl pause. Slender fingers upon her shoulder turned her back towards the redhead, who, floating on level with her, rose several inches taller than her. Worry and friendly affection colored her but there was a touch of sternness and frustration that only revealed itself during times of duress.
"Starfire, we don't have time -"
"Then we shall make the time," she said, cutting her off again. She lowered her head to meet Raven's gaze directly. "You and Beast Boy are my friends. For some time, I have thought that the potential for something more than friendship lay between you, and now I see that I was right."
"Right about what? You can't mean -"
"I would appreciate it if you would allow me to finish. Herald shall do the waylaying of friend Beast Boy and his mistress."
Scowling, Raven prepared to turn but stopped as Starfire's eyes flashed, warning her to stay and she resigned herself to her place in the air. Nodding in satisfaction, the golden girl continued, "You feel something for Beast Boy, something along the lines of what I feel for boyfriend Robin. However, because you refuse to admit or acknowledge these feelings, your powers are in conflict. If you wish to be of any help in this situation, you must come to term with whatever it is that you feel for him."
"I don't -"
Raven stopped herself this time and she bobbed in the air as she averted her gaze. Starfire's hands squeezed her shoulder in support before she backed away and zoomed towards the scene where the Beast pounded its fist against the roof. The speedster twins had caught up with the Beast and they zoomed about him, dodging his claws to keep him distracted while Pantha slid in to deliver powerful blows that still failed to faze the creature. Herald remained upon the fringe of the fight, unleashing sonic blasts from his trumpet that staggered the Beast but did nothing more against him. Occasionally, whenever somebody drew to close, Sway would lash out with a kick or swift punch against the adversaries but otherwise seemed content to keep her perch.
Smashing a club-like limb against the roof, he left a crater in the cement as Mas y Menos raced over it, the former catching and slamming into the ground as his brother was carried further by his momentum, losing contact with his twin. The small boy slid in front of the Beast who snarled at him, which he responded to with a chuckle and a wave. Menos sprinted forward to pull his brother to safety but as they reached for each other, Sway dropped behind them, leaning over their shoulders as she whispered into their ears.
"Well, aren't you two little munchkins just adorable? Un centavo para tus pensamientos?"
She smirked as they stiffened and fell under her dominion, lifting her hands as they scooped her up and clasped hands, carrying her away as Pantha came crashing down upon where she had been. The wrestler turned quickly, hooking her hands in the Beast's knees and driving her shoulders into his gut, throwing him to the ground. Rumbling with surprise, the Beast responded promptly and pushed with his legs against her as he rolled onto his back, throwing her into the air. He turned and prepared to launch himself after her only to be bombarded with crushing waves of sound that drove him to the ground once again. Howls tore from his throat, filling the windows of nearby buildings with light as their occupants were shocked into wakefulness.
An engine roared below before falling silent and, seconds later, a grapnel hook caught on the ledge, whirring as it hauled up its passengers, Cyborg pulling himself onto the roof as the hook retracted into his limb. He gave a short shout and threw himself against the roof, dodging an air conditioning unit launched at him, shattering against the wall of the opposite building. As he stood up, he was struck by a dizzying blow followed almost immediately by another and another, the strikes blurring together before he managed to jump out of the way, evading Mas y Menos. Pausing briefly, they realigned themselves to renew their attack as he held out his arm, a canister dropping into it before he tossed it at the ground.
It exploded on contact, covering the roof in a patch of green slime that the pair trampled across. It brought them to a halt, their fists mere inches away from Cyborg as the goo latched to their boots stretching as they struggled against it but refusing to give. Hiding behind the Beast, Sway sighed and dropped her control over the pair, reaffirming her hold upon the creature as she sought new prey and found it as a emerald starbolt smashed against the ground at her feet, throwing her off of them.
"Release my friend!" Starfire stared down at her with blazing eyes, another bolt at the ready as the Beast contended with the other three still in the fight.
Sway smiled, cruel intents apparent in her expression, up at her and wagged a finger as she tutted. "Uh-uh-uh. I've got a better idea - and now, so do you."
The alien's gaze followed the swinging finger, the energy fading from her eyes and hand as the former turned glassy before hardening. She turned suddenly and rained down a barrage of starbolts upon her allies-turned-enemies and Sway smirked as she stood up, eyes lighting at the prospect before her.
As her friends had engaged the one they were trying to rescue, Raven floated, fighting Rage's demands to join in the battle at the clamor far behind her. Turbulent emotions whirled from her allies behind her and the civilians below her. Regret, anger, and fear swirled together, threatening to overwhelm her but she forced them out, focusing, for now, on her own turmoil. She called upon her mantra for support, focusing on its steady, reassuring rhythm to form an island of calm in the sea of conflict about her. Slowly, the worry and greater concerns bled away and as her lids pressed shut, a new vision opened before them.
A broken sky stretched overhead, red gashes tearing through it, and the land was grey and barren, studded with rocks and breaking away, leaving a jagged pathway. She followed along it, slowed by her doubts as she approached a stone arch that opened to a different domain. Drawing a fortifying breath, despite knowing her mind was devoid of such worries, she pressed forward and found herself in a courtyard filled with Azarathian architecture. It reminded her of where, in her childhood, she had been permitted breaks from her studies for short visitations with her mother. On the short stone wall that encircled a tree with lilac blooms, a version of her sat, clothed in a matching cloak. As Raven approached, one of the flowers drifted from the branches and settled into the simulacrum's palm who hummed a song that had been sung during her childhood to chase away the frequent nightmares.
"He loves me . . ." she said, interrupting her humming as she plucked a soft petal from the bloom. She pulled another as Raven approached. "He loves me not . . ."
"At least I can say that my emotions never resort to juvenile superstitions," Raven commented as she stopped short, unable to stop the biting comment.
"I don't know if anybody's pointed this out recently, dear, but you are a juvenile. He loves me . . ." she returned evenly, her gaze still fixed upon the flower as she slowly stripped it of petals. "And as one tied so deeply to magic, you should know better than to snark at superstitions. He loves me not . . ."
Raven rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest as she glanced about and then demanded, "What do I need to do to get out of here?"
"Have you tried the door?" she grinned and pulled another of the velvety blooms free. "He loves me . . ."
"You're interfering with my powers. I can't save Beast Boy if you don't work with me," she said and her eyes focused on the hesitation that stalled her duplicate's hand.
She hesitated pulling the petal as she acknowledged, "He loves me not . . . Why do you like him? He certainly stirs up Rage frequently enough. He loves me . . ."
"You're starting to stir up Rage right now," said the girl in the blue cloak, her eyes narrowing. "And shouldn't you know?"
"I am merely what you feel," she countered. "Your reasons behind it are your own."
"That sounds like an evasion to me," she accused. Her counterpart merely continued with her mutilation of the flower and after a moment, Raven sighed and sagged onto the stone barrier beside her. After a moment, she began, "I don't . . . He . . . He's there for me."
"So are the rest of your friends," she pointed out as a petal drifted to the ground. "He loves me not . . ."
She hesitated again, licking her lips that seemed to have spontaneously gone dry, and forged onward, "It's not the same. Robin and Cyborg, they care about me and worry about me, but it's more familial. They don't bother me when they don't think I need to be bothered. Garfield . . . Garfield's always there. Always invading my space."
A small smile had grown upon her duplicate's face as she pulled loose another bloom and mumbled to herself as a more analytical part of Raven's mind wondered on exactly how many petals were on the flower. Studying her, Raven continued, "He wants me to be happy. He wants everybody to be happy. He's shown that he's willing to change what he does but not who he is for others. He makes me smile."
"Not that you'll ever let him know that," she smirked. "He loves me . . ."
"It's nice to have a goal. I wouldn't want to take that from him," she returned evenly.
"He loves me not . . . Of course not," she nodded knowingly, her visage mockingly solemn. "He's grown, too. He's rather easy on the eyes."
She smiled at the sharpening of Raven's glare and noted, "The rumors of my blindness are greatly exaggerated. He loves me . . ."
"But not your nuisance," she countered before her gaze swung back towards the ground where the scattering of petals had fallen. "He's frustrating. He swings wildly between immaturity and surprising wisdom. He hides any maturity behind his smile."
"But . . ." she urged and Raven glowered before sighing and nodding.
"But, he has a good heart. And I . . . I like him."
Her cheeks were dusted with pink as she admitted it and the words seemed to echo about her as her duplicate smiled.
"Then I think we're done here," she said. "So, get out there and save our boy."
The girl in the soft violet girl pressed a hand forward and the vision about Raven dissolved away, leaving nothing but darkness, her mantra still tumbling through her lips. She stopped as she opened her eyes to find much the same scene that she had closed them to. Unfolding her legs from the meditative position they had naturally settled in, she hurtled towards her friends.
"C'mon, BB," Cyborg pleaded upon the roof as pulses rippled from his sonic cannon, coupled with Herald's horn to slam into the Beast. "Don't make me do this, man."
Snarling and snapping his teeth angrily, the Beast dropped to the roof before firing forward. He landed on a wall across the alley and bounded off of it, catching a roof access to throw himself at the pair, shouldering into them and throwing them through the air. Herald managed to twist about and draw in another breath to blow upon his horn, opening a portal before they slammed into a wall. Instead, they tumbled, largely unharmed, onto a roof and the slighter boy winced as he stood.
"I am definitely starting to regret having a wind instrument as a weapon," he grumbled.
"Breathe later," Cyborg suggested as he charged back into the fray.
"We can't all have cybernetic lungs!" he shouted before noting the other figure upon the roof. Turning to him, he tried to offer a reassuring smile and advised, "You're probably gonna wanna clear out, sir. We've got a kinda big superhero sorta battle going on here."
"Plenteous gramercy, bairn," the massive figure nodded, tugging at the edge of his wool cap in gratitude. The hooded boy faltered at the unfamiliar words before shaking his head and returning to the battle. The broad man remained rooted in his spot for another second, studying the battle with too-blue eyes, then he released a blunt chuckle, stuffed his hands into the pockets of his canvas jacket, and slouched away. As he sank into the shadows, he caught sight of the approaching sorceress and cocked a grin as she fell under the other methods of his observation.
Sway had positioned herself atop the Beast once again, protected from the heroes by her ardent servant, even if Starfire had slipped from her grasp. Long claws wrapped about Cyborg's ankles and he suddenly found himself swinging through the air, doing an impression of a club, forcing the others back before he was flung at Starfire. The redhead managed to catch her friend but the momentum sent her sailing backwards with an undignified squeak as the Beast rounded on Pantha who ducked under the swipe of his claws and barreled into his side, throwing him off-balance. As he staggered to the side, Sway leapt from his shoulder and managed to catch the burly woman with a clumsy kick. Little more than surprised by the blow, she turned to take down the short-haired girl who held up a finger.
"Hup. Hold up there, pussy cat," she grinned as her penny dangled and danced from her neck. "I'm kinda digging the whole luchador chic you've got going on and can't get a hold on mecha-man's mind over there. So, I'm putting yours under new management."
"I think not."
The telepath turned to find a pillar of shadows rising behind her, following the blue cloak up to crimson eyes set in a dark hood. She narrowed her gaze and prepared to summon her mind-controlled minion only to feel the link suddenly sever, leaving her mind to grasp at nothing. On the other side of the roof, the Beast whined and looked around curiously, confused by his environment, relaxing only slightly at the sight and smell of the blue-cloaked female. Sway faltered before looking up to the sorceress who towered over her, and she steeled herself, fingers curling into fists as her nails bit into her palms.
"You wanna go, sad-sack? Fine. Bring it. I know your secrets. You've been playing with these fancy little mind powers for maybe two years. And you've only had to deal with emotions! I've been stuck listening to all the sick shit that goes on in everybody else's head for my whole. Damn. Life!" she shouted up at her and threw out her arms. "So, show me what you got!"
"Your whole life, and this is all you've managed to do?" Raven sneered, her teeth an ominous wall of razors. At the edge of her cape, dark tendrils lashed upon the ground, creeping towards the scuffed cowboy boots. "How pathetic."
"Funny, I was thinking the exact same thing. Here, why don't you let me open your mind a little?" Sway offered.
It hit her like a wave, slamming into her and pulling her under as Raven was suddenly bombarded with not only the emotions of her friends and the roused civilians, but their thoughts. Every inane idea, wondering, and remembrances that floated through their heads as they were stirred awake by the sounds of battle washed over her, threatening to drown her. She cringed, trying to shut them as dark energy cracked the roof she stood upon, evaporating Sway's smirk and prompting her to take a step backward. The other Titans kept their distance, unsure of how to help Raven, but the Beast was free of such thoughts and grunted at her struggling, surging forward until Starfire landed in front of him, shushing him as she gently laid her hand upon his arm. While clearly upset at the intrusion, he relented and whined as he looked to Raven.
Fighting against the tide of minds, the purple-haired girl broke surface, finding a moment of peace before they swallowed her again. The dark secrets of people she had never even met were suddenly her own. She was privy to their every depravity, every sin, and every cruelty, but there shone lights in the murky depths that sought to claim her - she saw every selfless deed, every unprovoked act of kindness, and every aspect of pure and unconditional love. A second wind suddenly surged within her and she emerged from the currents once again and called to mind her training as she began to shut out the invading minds. As she claimed silence once again within her own mind, her gaze snapped and turned it upon Sway who took another unsteady step backwards, surprised by her control.
"I - wha-what did you just do?! How're you -"
"I have spent my entire life mastering self-control. Discipline.," she intoned, eyes flashing dangerously. "Meanwhile, all you've ever done is indulge your whims and fail to see how people fight against their darker natures. Now, leave. My friends. Alone."
Raven's cloak suddenly flew open, like doors nearly torn from their hinges by a dreadful wind, and tentacles shot out, wrapping about the criminal's mouth and binding her wrists and ankles before dragging her within. The grey-skinned girl winced, feeling astral energy cascading wildly from her captive, but its force slowly ebbed and finally ceased, and, after a moment she deposited the unconscious girl upon the roof.
She sagged as her daunting height vanished and she stumbling, diving into for the ground before she was caught by mechanical limbs. She looked up into Cyborg's smiling face and he gave her a congratulatory nod before his gaze turned towards the other side of the roof. Following his stare, she saw the Beast crouching in the corner, still held at bay by Starfire who had begun to pet the top of his head, cooing to him. Pantha and Herald puzzled over Mas y Menos, who still struggled against the goo before the luchadora attempted to pull them free, to no avail.
"Where's Robin and Jericho?" Raven asked wearily, concern lacing her tone.
"They're talkin' down the crowd. It looked like they had it all handled, so I came after you guys."
"You left the mute and the protege of a man specifically not renowned for his talkative nature to talk to a crowd of people we nearly beat up?"
". . . Jericho's got a pretty calming influence."
She gave a chuckle that ended up coming out as a grunt before she pushed herself upright, and strode across the roof. Stopping next to Starfire, she nodded to the redhead and stepped away from the Beast who towered over her, regarding her solemnly. He lowered his immense head and she shivered as she felt the gusts of his breath rush over her as he inspected her, searching for injuries before nodding contentedly. With only the slightest hesitation, she reached up and when he did not flinch away, laid her palm along his cheek. Sway's mental manipulations still lingered within his mind, weaker now but no less confusing to the primitive thought processes of the creature. Closing her eyes, Raven drew a breath to ready herself before pulling them away, shredding the illusions that he had been fed.
As the manipulations were pulled away, the Beast grunted and shuddered, closing his eyes. They snapped open suddenly, verdant pupils filling them once again, and the massive bulk began to dwindle away until only Beast Boy remain. He groaned, pressing a hand to his head as he wobbled unsteadily, Raven pulling him away from the edge.
"Wha- Where? Where am I?" He blinked his eyes, clearing away the visions that still haunted them. They focused upon the girl in front of him, one hand still on his cheek as the other held his arm, and he gave a warm smile, relief washing over his features. "Raven. Thank God. You're okay."
Before she could answer, he fell into her and planted a kiss upon her lips, eliciting a delighted squeal from Starfire and a stunned silence from the others. The sorceress herself blazed with embarrassment as any nearby lightbulbs suddenly flared and shattered.
Meanwhile, within her mind, a lilac-cloaked emotion smiled as she finally plucked the last petal from her flower, watching as it toppled from her hand.
"He loves me."
Premiani Penthouse. 0247 Hours, 28 AUGUST 2014
Alondra Arnetti turned fitfully in her sleep, giving soft grunts and small whines as she twisted beneath her golden sheets that were starting to slip from her comely form. A black, sleeveless shirt rode up on her belly, revealing the slowly fading scar there, and pink boxer shorts clung about her broad hips. She grabbed one of her multitude of pillows and clutched it close to her body, squeezing it tightly as though to strangle the life from it. Troubled expressions contorted across her face and her nails dug into her pillowcase, threatening to tear it until a large hand settled upon her shoulder. Her eyes snapped open as she drew in a breath and a knife seemed to leap into her hand, pressing against Cash's neck before she realized who had awoken her.
"Under my protectorate, you still react with such violence," he mused as she relaxed back into her sweat-stained bed, flopping onto her back and spreading her arms. "I appreciate the vote of confidence."
"Scusi," she mumbled, her throat dry. Closing her eyes briefly, she rolled a hand in the air, "Both for the knife and doubt in your abilities."
"And enacting reverse peristalsis upon me the other crepuscule." Settling back into the sturdy chair he kept by her bed, he shrugged, "Fortunately, in some aspect, I am accustomed. What disconcerts your dormancy and drives you to such desperate inebriation, boss babe?"
"Cash . . ." she groaned, laying a forearm across her eyes. "It's stupid late o'clock. I'm sorry for throwing up on you, but I'm not in the mood to try to figure out what you're saying."
"Apol - sorry," he grunted. "You appea- seemed troubled."
"Dreams," she answered, rolling her arm back to meet the vibrantly blue gaze. "Of falling."
"I believe those are referred to as nightmares," he pointed out. "What else?"
"What do you mean 'what else?' That's it. I was falling and you woke me up. The end."
Cash did not speak for several moments, staying silent as her arms, which had waved through the air in time to her protests, folded across her chest. She had kicked her way out of her sheets and she stared at the canopy of her bed, waiting for him to reply or sleep to claim her. The former came first as he wondered, "So, do you desire my acceptance of your prevarication, or are you going to divulge the veracious terrors that haunt you? That drive you to such flagrant endangerment as the recent eventide?"
"I thought we agreed you were going to stop using big words until I was awake."
"Deception nettles me."
She winced and sat up, pulling her legs to her chest and circling her arms about them as she sighed, "For what it's worth, I wasn't planning on going out. But, I started drinking here, and it . . . it started sounding like a really good idea."
"What transpired to drive you to such crapulence?"
". . ."
"It does not mean what your initial thought thinks it means," he assured.
She nodded, still somewhat distrustfully, before she haltingly answered him. "Sometimes, I . . . I wonder if it's all worth it."
"Would you clarify?"
"The stuff I've done. All the lives I've ruined. The hurting, the killing. Is it all going to be worth it? You . . . you know how I was raised. Lapsed as I am - information that does not leave this room -"
"Secured."
"- I still believe in all of it. God, Heaven, the whole afterlife affair. I can go to confession and everything, but I feel like . . . like it's not enough. Come non farà per tutto quello che ho fatto."
"There persist more abominable personages," he reasoned. "At least you perpetrate your actions for profit, not out of some perverse enjoyment. Well, primarily for profit."
"Cabrón," she said, throwing a pillow at his face at which he chuckled good-naturedly. She returned a small smile before her expression sobered and she continued, "I-I'm worried about what's waiting for me when I finally reach the end. What's waiting for me on the other side?"
She gave a derisive laugh as she pressed the heels of her palms against her eyes, shaking her head slightly. "God. Listen to me. I sound like a bambina. Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic."
Silence reigned in the room once again as Alondra allowed her body to flop back against the bed, closing her eyes and silently praying for untroubled sleep to take her. Her bodyguard studied her, bright eyes narrowing as he considered her form sprawled across the expansive bed before he placed his hands upon his knees and pushed himself up. A pair of heavy footsteps carried him to the bed, and he dropped onto it, surprising his mistress as she yelped and slid towards the sudden depression upon the mattress. His arms were open and she rolled into his embrace, coming to a halt against his broad chest before his tree-trunk thick limbs folded about her.
"I am your guardian, boss babe, from all comers," he declared. "Rest with certainty that when the Grim Reaper comes for you, he shall only do so over my quiescent cadaver."
Her lips curled into a small smile and she slid from his grasp to kneel beside him on the bed, one of her hands laying over his own as it rested reassuringly upon her thigh. Leaning forward, she rewarded his valiant proclamation with a kiss to his harsh cheek and he beamed proudly up at her as she straightened.
"Gracias, Cashy," she said. "But Death's a chick."
He scoffed disbelievingly and she shifted to retaliate against his doubt with a swift kick that sent him toppling over the edge of the bed to crash upon the floor. His regular vocabulary was replaced with violent swearing as he rolled about and shoved himself to his feet while she slid from the bed. Halting a vicious comment, he looked up at her with a conspicuously appreciative gaze as she stretched her long limbs. The overly bright gaze swept up her form, clad in a flimsy, short nightgown, and she smiled at the attentive looks she could garner even minutes after waking. Brushing sleep tousled hair from her eyes, she set a hand upon her hip and looked down at the partially raised man.
"Ven," she instructed, a finger beckoning him as she turned and sashayed from the room with a exaggerated swing to her hips that gauzy material swirled about. Eyes never wavering from their arc, he pushed off the floor, scrambling to his feet and obediently following after her. Emerging into the living room, he watched as she made a show of bending over to peruse the array of movies that they had collected and he waited there for a moment before he dared to speak.
"Forgive my intrusion, but what are we doing?"
"Well, I'm not getting anymore sleep tonight, soooo . . ." she said, drawing out the word as she pulled several of the DVD's off the rack and then turned to face him. "We're indulging in some good ol' cinematic masterpieces."
"I would hesitate to refer to your congeries of torture porn as cinematic masterpieces," he argued, folding his arms over his chest, marginally disappointed.
As she fed a disc into the television, she rolled her eyes and commanded, "Shut up and sit down."
With a deep chuckle, he slid slowly over the back of the couch, propping his feet upon one armrest and lacing his fingers beneath his head. Turning towards him as the previews began to play, she set the remaining cases upon the table and then crawled atop him. His gaze flickered down towards her and he waggled his brows as he said, "Hey there."
"Hey yourself, stranger," she purred, reaching behind his head. His grin grew before she pulled out the pillow and held it over his face, smothering him. Holding the pillow in place with one hand, she reached up with her other to pull the thick blanket across the back of her couch about herself. Cocooning herself within it, she laid down as Cash yanked the pillow down, resettling it on his chest for her to snuggle into. She smiled to herself as he grumbled, too quiet for her to catch, but still laid a hand upon the swell of her hip as the movie began.
"The verdant metamorph has been reunited with his comrades." Cash spoke over the opening credits and she flickered a glance up towards him before focusing back upon the movie.
"Really? That's nice."
He grunted. "The reunion resulted in a development, of amorous intent, between him and the thaumaturge."
"The who?"
"Thaumaturge. Noun. A worker of wonders or miracles; a magician. The Raven chick."
"Well, good for them."
Neither of them spoke as the opening music faded away and the movie began in earnest though it did nothing to dissuade Cash from interrupting the inevitably brief idyllic scene.
"You require a moratorium, boss babe. You're overexerting yourself."
She sighed, closing her eyes as she laid against him, but ultimately nodded. "All right. You and me, we'll take a day off. Soon. But, if you interrupt my movie one more time, I swear that I will carve you up and mail a piece of you to every country on the planet. So, please, shut up."
With a final grunt, he obeyed the command and dropped his head back as he waited for the gore to begin.
We managed to get this out before the end of the weekend! Whoo!
So, in the original writing of this, the Titans didn't get Beast Boy back for at least another chapter and Robin was unable to come along to rescue. However, we decided that they had been separated long enough, so there you go! Now Ira can really have fun with the next chapter.
Also, it's been a while, so we'll be checking in on Arson and the inmates soon!
Hope you enjoyed! Please review!