A/N: This thing is updated so late what I did was evil. Sorry everyone! But good news is that this story is winding down, and will be completed sooner than later. Peace! - JB
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( - The H.I.V.E. Headquarters - )
"Ugh… owie… meh…"
The sounds of pathetic groaning for you curious ones out there were coming from an 'I was totally out cold for only God knows how long' Spider-Man. The masked crusader slowly blinked in monotonous repetition as he awoke laid out flat on his back, staring up at that bright light in the sky.
Uh oh… Peter Parker's eyes twitched worryingly. Waking up to a bright white light after fighting Carnage and Venom, that's so not good…
"Glorious!" A cheery voice none other than Starfire's made Spider-Man's worries null, the boy yelping to an awkward sit, gingerly rubbing his head. "Finally you have awoken friend. We were quite worried."
Apparently that white light was just a really impressive lighting fixture.
"Heh s-sorry," Spidey rolled his peeping eyes up to the taller alien. "I needed the beauty sleep." A light chuckle followed.
"Tell me friend, what is the difference between a sleep of the norm and the sleep of beauty?" As always our clueless Tamaranean cutie was firing on all cylinders.
"Riiiight," Spider-Man petted her head, Starfire just blinking in reply, "I'll tell you some other time Star. Now if you all don't mind me askin'. Um, where the heck are we?"
"Your guess is about as good as ours." Robin replied calmly, kneeling across from them, inspecting what looked like a force field of an orange tint. This wasn't some half-assed jail cell those Jump City police officers deployed as he could tell.
"For some reason I doubt that." Spider-Man leapt up to his feet stretching, groaning instantly from the bruises and bumps he'd sustained. "Urgh those three little goons did a number on me." He complained, now rubbing his rear. "That pink haired one kicked my hiney good… literally."
"Dude," An angry growl came from an exhausted Beast Boy, the changeling glaring at Spidey in a bit of anger, tending his wounds. "Who were those freaks that knew who you were?"
"Those freaks are total trouble." Spidey explained, "Be thankful you're alive." A curious touch of the force field and his curiosity was thanked by an energy shock that Electro would've been proud of. "Y-yikes!"
"Man oh man," Cyborg walked over, scratching his chin as he glared at the field. "That 'thing' messed up my car." He began to steam like an overheated engine. "When I get my hands on him-"
"You'll give him a butt kicking. We know," Robin interrupted glaring at Cyborg. "But right now we need to concentrate on getting out of here. Since Raven's magic can't help us and Starfire can't break through, you and I have to figure out a way out of here."
"I'm already on it Robin." Cyborg's hand suddenly morphed into some sort of hi-tech field reader, scanning the energy cell.
"Y-yea, not being helpful… typical…" Raven suddenly muttered, Spidey hearing it all be it barely, the sorceress floating over to the far side of the room looking away from her teammates.
"Uh, what's wrong with her?" Spider-Man whispered over to Starfire.
"I am unsure friend. Raven has been quite angered after we had gotten the 'butt kicking." Starfire informed with a frown.
"Yea dude, I've never really seen her this grumpy before." Beast Boy blinked. "And that's saying something."
"No kidding." Spider-Man stared, "So why don't we go talk to her again?"
"You make it sound so easy." BB's eyes went over too. "She won't say a thing."
"Oh?"
"Please friend can you try to speak to her?" Starfire pleaded.
"B-but wait," Spidey sweat-dropped, "You're her best friend and-"
"And she has the crush on you." Starfire retorted in a whisper, that large smile manifesting and shutting up Spider-Man quite expertly.
"Hold up. A-and how would you know this?" Spidey blushed behind his mask.
Starfire sighed. "Just please… speak to her." A gentle or rather 'gentle' nudge was given to good ol' Peter, sending the super-boy soaring in Raven's direction in a clutzy tumble.
Gulp. He made his reluctant approach. Stay calm Pete, this is totally-
"Don't even bother," Raven's reply came with no emotion at all, the sorceress floating in her meditating state, eyes closed and concentrating.
Dang, Spidey tasted failure. I struck out without getting a single pitch! Never was a baseball guy...
"Bother huh?" He took his delayed 'swing' "Um bother what?"
"Bother me," came the scowl. "Now just leave me alone."
"Huh…" This apparently was a bit more serious than at first thought. Spider-Man assumed he'd gotten pass this barrier of total coldness after showing off his skills at doing the whole 'I'm a goober and totally feel sorry for me' routine. Didn't that "date" mean anything to her at all? Then again her best buds the Titans were getting the same treatment. It was time to bust out the cuteness!
"Hey Raven, come on." Spidey leapt up cheerily and sat next to her. "What's wrong?"
"I would think you of all people could take a hint." Raven muttered not even giving him eye contact.
"Yea, but you should also think that I'm one that never listens to those hints." He countered.
Raven didn't even reply, Spider-Man deflating like a balloon that had been popped and then tossed into a blender set on the highest speed. He knew facing Carnage was a total buzz kill but Raven seemed like a girl who could rebound quite quickly. Apparently he was wrong.
Or was he?
"W-wait hold on," Spider-Man muttered, trying to play that fight in his mind again, quickly snapping his fingers. "Carnage," He pointed. "H-he did something… he had you in his… and then you said… you said…"
"Stop," Raven instantly turned eyes glaring white. "Don't even-"
"What did he-GAH!" Spider-Man's neck was suddenly in a gentle yet firm grasp of a tendril, the kid gagging a bit.
"Just drop it… got it?"
"Okay… but c-can you please… drop me first?"
Raven let go of him indifferently; turning away, staring out into the walled room they were stuck in, seeming even more troubled than before. Spider-Man looked over to the rest of the Titans breathing heavily, the group seing that little explosion, making wide faces as Spidey turned back to attempt another shot. Peter wasn't one of the greatest heroes of his time by not being persistent after all.
"Okay Raven before you choke me again. Whatever that's bothering you," He said almost in a whisper, "You can talk to me. I mean I've dealt with Carnage and Venom before. They can really mess with your mind. I know you haven't known me long but-"
"He didn't mess with my mind." Raven's voice chimed in his head telepathically, turning to him that emotionless face no more. "He… just showed me… or… reminded me… of…"
"Of… what?" Spider-Man thought back, staring at Raven's face which leaked out even more emotion. "R-raven…"
"I'm supposed to do something bad." She continued reluctantly, "I'm supposed to do something really really bad."
"I…" Spider-Man just sighed, suddenly putting a hand on her shoulder. "Y-you can talk to me… or er… think to me anyway."
"I-I… don't want to say anything to them." She made a gesture over to her four Titan friends. "I can't… they trust me too much."
"Raven," Spider-Man shook her. "What did Carnage do?"
A long silence came until Raven just seemed to have an urge to let this burden off her back.
"He saw my… destiny."
"W-what destiny? Y-you mean like your future? "
"… A lack of a future," Raven corrected.
Spider-Man gulped. "T-that doesn't sound… very nice…"
"It isn't." Raven just closed her eyes tightly, the worst feeling of failure and helplessness overwhelming her. "I thought I could change things. I really did."
Spider-Man blinked a few times yet again, just reactively patting Raven on the shoulder. He was going to fix this. It was going to take a little more than a few web-lines but it was going to be done.
"Raven I know it's hard for you to elaborate on this-"
"It's too horrible to speak of."
"I understand." He nudged closer to her. "But you said you were supposed to do something bad. I honestly don't see how such a nice girl like you would even-"
"I have no choice."
"Everyone has a choice."
"N-no you don't understand."
"No, I think I do." He put an arm around her all buddy like Raven not really making a reaction to it. Sadly even a telepathic body slam would've been a good reaction in Spidey's opinion.
"I appreciate your concern, but this isn't-"
"Look, I may not know the details but everyone has a choice. Everyone controls their own destiny."
"…"
"Okay that does it missy," Spidey pointed. "You've forced me to do something I really didn't want to do."
Raven blinks confused.
"It's now officially story time!"
"Oh no…"
"Sorry but you give me no choice." He chuckled, slowly getting more serious as he sat relaxed. "You see Raven when I was a wee lad and first received my powers," Spider-Man sighed a bit looking to the ground. "I was the most selfish person in the world."
Raven suddenly glanced over with a questionable glare. "Y-you selfish?" She shook her head, knowing that a word like that was the last thing that came to mind when thinking of him. "Nerd" was a much better choice.
"All I could think about was money, impressing girls, becoming famous." He told, "The fact that I didn't care about anyone but myself took away one of the most important things in my life."
"Y-your uncle..." Raven gagged as quickly as that reply came out, turning with concerned eyes. "I-I am sorr-"
"You've read my mind."
"S-sorry it's just hard to do this telepathic connection without-"
"It's okay." Spider-Man nodded making a friendly nudge. "I trust you."
Blush.
"But I'm sort of glad you did read my mind anyway." Spidey reassured. "Then now you know how bad I could have turned out going in that same direction."
"Y-yes but-"
"I could've been the worst bastard in the world no joke." Spidey thought. "It took a loss of something totally dear to me to make me realize that I had the power to do good things." He smiled. "Raven no matter what you're 'supposed' to do. I know that a girl with a heart like yours will find a way around it. It's common sense."
"… It is?"
"Look, you're an always cool magician with a kick ass costume and I'm the biggest dork in the world. And if everything turned out fine for me... just think… well… mostly fine anyway." He sighed. "I don't think being in red and blue tights counts as 'fine' to most people."
"Y-yea usually people would recommend therapy?" Raven suddenly did something that guaranteed Spider-Man his victory.
She giggled a bit.
"Yea, yea, yea. Bash on the nerd boy." His self-degradation made her chuckle a bit some more. "Heh, now can we feel better yet?"
"Just a little..."
"A little goes a long way… I hope."
There was a brief moment of silence, and then Raven let out a sigh – a sigh of the utmost relief. She turned as if she was going to get up and walk away, only to lunge forward and grasp around Spidey's neck like a vice. A clumsy trip later, and Spider-Man's mask eyes instantly bulged out, sweatdropping as he was just totally surprised by this expose of 'Starfire' like hugging.
With his arse on the floor, he couldn't even speak as his neck was being cranked. A few seconds of recovery and he just hugged back feeling like he was going to melt. And just as he was about to totally faint…
"Aw how cute!" Cyborg's voice instantly made both of them let go, Raven's crimson cheeks matching Spidey's costume as they hastily stood up in unison.
"It was only a bet!" Spider-Man retorted in their defense. "I bet her five bucks she couldn't hug harder than Starfire!"
"Riiiiiiight." Beast Boy and Cyborg replied teasingly, Raven about to bonk those two over the head with an astral created hammer.
RUMBLE…
"EEEK!" Beast Boy leapt up into Starfire's arms, changing into a kitty cat as the floor shook, a rectangular shaped hole forming in the middle of the room.
"Chill out will ya?" Cyborg inspected the crevasse only to suddenly see a platform rise up, a large plasma television making quite the grand entrance.
"Um, a television set," Spider-Man blinked. "What are they gonna do, T.V. us into submission?"
"If they force us to watch Sesame Street it's a possibility." Raven replied.
"Friends, it is just the T.V." Starfire giggled. "Maybe the 'World of Fungus' can be seen!"
"It is… but why would they…" Robin was about say, only to be interrupted by static on the screen.
"Why do I get a bad feeling about this?" Spider-Man groaned.
"Because you have women's intuition? Hah!" Carnage's face was never really a pleasant thing to look at.
"Har-dee-har-har," Spidey stewed in his anger.
"Aw lookie who's finally woken up!" The maniacal red symbiote grinned ugly, pointing. "It's da widdle iddy biddy Titans!"
"Cassidy you better let us out or I'll-"
"You'll what Parker? Nerd me to death?"
"Um… er… Maybe!"
"Oh quiet down," The camera pans out to show Venom sitting from behind tossing a yo-yo expertly while Jinx was clinging onto him. "Besides, why so grumpy? You all could be dead ya know."
" … "
"Although, who said you all wouldn't be?" Carnage added, snickering all the while.
"Dammit you two, why can't you leave these guys out of it and come deal with me?" Spider-Man growled at the box.
"Because that's no fun," Venom's tongue lashed out. "Besides, your friends are our enemies."
"And the fact that they're pit sniffin' losers doesn't hurt." Gizmo snickered from off camera while Mammoth's voice could be heard laughing.
"What do you want with us?" Robin's masked eyes thinned.
"Oh right now we want you to sit tight bird boy." Venom chuckled. "We're taking this thing world-wide."
"Oh yea," Carnage laughed. "The Fearsome Five just totally took you Titans all to school and we want the whole world to know about it!"
"Don't take it personally kids." Venom sighed, rolling his eyes at Jinx as she caressed his head. "We're just going to parade you around the H.I.V.E. party tonight as trophies, broadcast it to the whole world and then-"
"We're gonna kill you!" Carnage laughed, always seeming a bit too anxious when it came to the word 'kill'.
"R-right, what he said." Venom blinked.
"Well," Carnage placed his finger on his chin in thought, "Except for Spider-Dork's girlfriend of course. She has some unfinished business doesn't she?"
"Is this just a big joke to you?" Raven scowled, her fist clenched as her eyes began to glow.
"No sunshine, Gizmo trying to pick up chicks is a joke." The whole group started to laugh out loud, Gizmo grumbling in the background. "But take it as a compliment that I'm letting you live. I don't do that for many people. Before you, that'd be a zero!"
"Don't I feel special," Raven rolled her eyes.
"As you flippin' should!" Carnage pouted angrily. "Ms. 'Gets to have total fun before the world bites the big one' you!"
"Oh someone needs to shut you up!" Raven only turned a shade of angry red, as the others began to really wonder what exactly he was talking about. Carnage and Venom just shared a good laugh, totally entertained by what exactly they knew.
"Look you two ugly as heck jerks." Cyborg scowled. "If you don't let us out-"
"Weeeeell as fun as this has been hearing you all bitch and moan," Venom suddenly formed a Rolex on his wrist. "Damn would you look at the time?"
"Oh shnap!" Carnage leapt up, "We got a party to get ready for!"
"Ack! I need to get dressed!" Jinx blurted out turning to Venom and squeezing his head, those white eyes bulging. "I'm going to look extra special for you tonight Eddie."
"God damn girl… wait a sec… EDDIE?" Venom grumbled, suddenly dropping his yo-yo. "W-who told you our…" His head slowly creaked towards his ominous offspring. "Carnage…"
"Oh boy," Carnage took a deceptive lead. "See ya on the flip side!"
In seconds the symbiote chase was on and the T.V. feed was cutoff, the Titans just tapping their fingers being totally irritated beyond belief. Being pissed off was quite the understatement. As always Spidey tried to be Mr. Sunshine.
"Hey guys! You know what cheers me up at a time like this?" Spider-Man smirked, putting his arm around Raven and Robin. "A nice good ol' time of sing-along with-"
"Not… now…" Raven growled with clenched teeth along with the rest of the Titans.
"Y-yea…" Spidey slowly melted away, moping as he did. "Good call…"
( - Elsewhere at H.I.V.E HQ - )
A year of being one of the worst villains on the planet and this is what we have to show for it. Venom thought dismally as he stared at the mirror in front of him. Whooptie freakin' doo.
Now all dismay aside folks, Eddie was quite nicely attired with his symbiote imitation Giorgio Armani tux. The reluctant feelings, while totally ill advised, were confirmed by a coil of his snake tongue in disgust.
"Yo dad!" Venom always cringed when he heard that voice, Carnage appearing from behind the darkened corridor. Usually that kid symbiote of his always kept Venom on his toes. But even after months of suffering through Cassidy's brand of craziness even he just wasn't ready for this.
"Am I lookin' pimpin' or what?"
"Um, we'd say," Venom mocked in thought, "Or what?"
"Oh shut up! You're just jealous." Carnage adjusted his crimson hat with a feather on it, those clawed hands straightening out his fur robe, not to mention a couple of H.I.V.E. hooded girls swooning on him from both sides.
"Oh God Carnage what are you-"
"Shhhhh!" The red symbiote pointed angrily. "The name's not Carnage anymore."
"Say what?"
"You can now call me the symbiote formerly known as Carnage." One of the H.I.V.E. girls turn cheerleader handed Venom a pamphlet. "That's my symbol V-dawg. What do you think?"
The symbol represented something that looked like a Tic-Tac Toe doodle. For Venom sweatdropping really didn't feel satisfying enough at this point.
"Um okay you Prince ripoff," Venom strolled over, staring that crimson crazy kid down. "We know we say this a lot to ya." He suddenly grew twice as big as normal. "BUT WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU?"
"Gah!" Carnage and his apparent escorts to the party shrank a few sizes, scowling after. "Yo pops, take a chill pill would ya? You're killin' my game!"
"What freaking game?"
"Oh shut up," Carnage turned to his escorts apparently annoyed. "Okay ladies, I'll see you two later tonight. And if all goes well I'll see ya tomorrow morning too!"
"Okay Mr. Cassidy!"
The girls giggled while running off, Carnage sighing pleasingly. "That game…"
"Well we'd rather play Halo," Venom could only still shake his head. "And besides you're going to kill them aren't you?"
"Me? Kill?" Carnage smirked. "Hmmm… yea probably so…"
"How typical of you,"
"Oh typical shmipical I don't give a crap!" Carnage shrugged, beginning to do a little dance. "I'm having so much fun on this vacation from our cruddy universe! Oh yeah!" he tipped his pimp hat, forming a cane in his hand and twirling it.
"Y-yea," Venom shrugged, "It has been interesting for sure."
"Seriously! I mean getting younger, new scenery, shit I even got friends now. I feel like a total new person!" Carnage pranced.
"Heh, you do seem to have lost a bit of that edge you used to have." Venom pointed out, beginning to walk off to Blood's office.
"Oh yea and wait-wha!" Carnage gulped. "Lost my edge? What do you mean by that?"
"You've become softer, wimpier." Venom told it to him nonchalantly. "Having friends apparently changed Mr. Serial Killer into Mr. Cereal Eater."
"H-hey! Come on! Be fair dude! I'm still crazy! I'm still totally evil." Carnage growled angrily.
"Whatever you say Mr. Rogers… whatever you say…"
"Mr. Rogers! Oh why I oughta stab-"
"Oops, we're here!"
Carnage's temper slowly fluttered into nothingness the two symbiotes barging into the doorway of Blood's office, as always doing so with total disregard of respect. Carnage waltzes over to the seat sitting down, feet plopped up on the desk, Brother Blood rolling his eyes behind his bifocals.
"So what's on the agenda Brotha Bloodeh?"
"Mr. Carnage-"
"His name isn't Carnage anymore." Venom mocked, slipping over and standing behind the desk. "It's this sign." He handed it to Brother Blood who just as always grew irritated, burning the paper with a magic spell.
"Enough of the shenanigans," Blood commanded, sitting back in his chair. "You two have a lot to be proud of."
"Meh…" Venom corrected.
"Well, this is unprecedented Venom, what you two have accomplished in so little time." The Headmaster stood, looking down upon his students. "You two have led our school to new heights. Ever since word got out of your victory and capture of the Teen Titans our prestige is off the charts!"
"Huh," Venom crossed his arms indifferently. "Glad you're getting exposure. Blah…blah… blah… happy for your victories… blah blah blah… can we go now?"
"Your amusement could use a boost. But bottom line is you two are destined for great things." Blood smirked, doing his signature stroll. "Who knows, maybe soon the Society will be asking for your assistance?"
"Oh yea, 'The Society'. Hmmm, that anti Justice League group right?" Venom made a half-assed attempt at trying to be excited. "Such an original eh Carnage?"
"Zzzzzzz… Zzzzz…" Snore… Snore…
Obviously no answer was given.
The expose of boredom from Carnage only brought out another depressed sigh from Blood, he and Venom just staring at the napping symbiote.
"Don't worry we got this." Venom suddenly went down to his ear. "Oh God an all you can eat brain buffet!"
"W-WHAT!" Carnage leapt up, looking around frantically. "Where?"
"Dip shit…"
"Ugh." Blood just turned away, his tone sounding as irritated as ever. "Well students, I only brought you to encourage the good work. Tonight we have Jump City, tomorrow the world."
"Yea-yea-yea." Carnage walked out, "World Domination is alright brotha, but we're going to partay tonight baby! Let's go pops! Jinx is waitin' for ya!"
"Ugh, how the hell are we related again?" Venom grumbled, following his partner, the door slamming shut.
"I swear those two are as big of headaches as they are assets." Blood mumbled under his breath, going back to correcting some paperwork. His eyes were in total concentration although a bit of movement instantly caught his eye. The Headmaster turns his head around, scanning his room.
"Who's here?" He yelled out. "Show yourself!"
There was no reply.
The older man got up from his desk, eyes glaring red, energy erupting from his hands. "If you're a student I suggest you show your…self…"
What Brother Blood was looking at was something he only thought he could see in the previously hit T.V. show 'The X-files'. It was a puddle. But it was not of water. It was too thick, too red, and too… alive.
"What in the-"
Suddenly the puddle lashed out in a violent rage, coiling itself around the Headmaster. Soon his entire head was covered the H.I.V.E. leader gagging, almost feeling as if he was about to bite the big one. Blood groaned as he fell onto his knees, the worst pain coming from his head and his back. He soon fell to the floor, feeling a total change.
"T-the… pain…" His voice began to become more high-pitched yet warped, the man beginning to slowly decrease in stature and mass. The reddish black puddle was slowly taking over him, blanketing the now seemingly… younger Blood in a cover of crimson goop.
"W-what's happening?" The young boy whispered weakly.
Calm down Sebastian. He heard a voice in his head, the tone of it the most sadistic he's ever heard. I'm not here to hurt you.
"W-what are you?"
Heh heh heh… I'm here to unlock the you… that should have been… the name is Toxin… glad to be of service…
"T-Toxin…"
Yes... but as for our name… hmmm… Blood huh? I like it… don't you?
"Heh-heh-heh, of course," Blood began to chuckle soon too, the pain giving way to an extreme euphoria of energy. "That'll make a great name for us. It's a classic."
I couldn't agree more partnah…
"Hmm, I feel like… I"
Wanna kill something?
"N-no…"
Then what?
"I want to kill everything…"
Oh? Hehehehe… now we're talkin'…
( - Where the Party At? - )
"You gotta fight!"
DUN! DUN!
"For your right!"
DUN!
"TO PAAAARTAY!"
The hip-hop music raged through two large cabinets being run through a DJ system that only one man… no… one boy could put together. And our disc jockey at the moment folks was of course DJ Baldy himself – the always foulmouthed Gizmo. If you'd ask anyone at the moment the party was definitely off the hook and the flashing lights, the loud music, and of course the high-strung teens of the H.I.V.E. were all there to be a proof of that fact.
"May I have this dance?" Venom suddenly awoke from his slobbering nap, shaking his head as he stared up at a sight that made his tongue roll out like a Hollywood red carpet.
"We… we… wowzers…" Venom blinked, apparently Jinx's 'prettying up' impressing even this cold bastard of a villain stupid.
Jinx had officially primped herself up. Her face was shadowed with dark highlights under her eyes. Her hair was no longer tied in that horn fashion, letting the pink hair flow loose from behind. She was in a pink silk dress that hugged her body with a mini-skirt that would make Jessica Alba jealous. One could only imagine what Venom was thinking as she sat on his lap.
"So, wanna dance my Oreo cookie?"
"Um," Venom gulped. "Blargh?"
"Hehe," Jinx nuzzled the black area between his eyes, "I'll take that as a yes?"
"We… well… we don't really dance-GAH!" Venom was yanked out by his arms, the tuxedoed villain moping, his tongue drooping out as Jinx held him close. According to Venom's total lack of an effort to actually strut his stuff, Jinx was literally doing the dancing for both of them and still obviously having fun. Soon by looking at Venom's cheeks Carnage soon wasn't the only red symbiote in the house.
"Heh, look at dad and Jinx." Carnage sighed teasingly, patting Gizmo and Mammoth on their heads harshly. "Ain't that the cutest thing ya ever seen?"
"S-sure…" The dynamic duo of the H.I.V.E replied together, shaking their heads at one another.
"Yea, oh well, I'm over it now." Carnage turned to Gizmo, "Time for the highlight of this awesome party. Let's unveil our spoils!"
"Finally," Gizmo scowled. "What were ya waiting for? Hell to freeze over?"
"Dude it already has." Carnage replied snugly, flipping his cane around as he made it to the large stage and cleared his throat into the mic. "Hey cut the music!"
Soon everything abruptly came to a stop, the lights all turning to the stage, all H.I.V.E. students totally attentive for once in their schooling lives. Carnage hit the microphone a few times and glared at all his fellow classmates, scratching his chin.
"You know the first day I came here," He sounded way too overdramatic, "I saw a lot of potential in this place."
"Oh brother…" Venom grumbled, rolling his eyes.
"And when our favorite brotha of all time," Carnage pointed to the crowd. "Brother Blood! Asked me and my pops to join you guys and become the most bad ass organization to ever walk the planet… We were honored…"
"Ugh, no we weren't."
"Aw what's the matter Venny poo?" Jinx giggled. "I think Carnage is so charismatic."
"And he's also a lunatic." Venom shot back.
"B-but aren't you the same?"
"Uh… we… huh… point taken…"
"And now when I look out at each and every freakin' one of you fellow baddies, I see the potential for the most terrible villain within all of you crazy cats!"
"YEAH!" The H.I.V.E. students roared back.
"Who says the good guys always win?" Carnage scowled. "For those who don't agree give me a 'Word up Carnage'!"
"WORD UP CARNAGE!"
"I'm glad you all agree because some people don't." The crimson symbiote smiled sickeningly, turning to the curtain behind him. "As you all know a certain "super" group named the Teen Titans don't agree with us at all."
"BOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"I know, I know. You all hate their guts just like I do. And honestly they probably kicked all of your asses at one time or another."
"BOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"But on a bright note… they've messed with you all for the last time!"
"WOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"And here as a gift to this school that has given me and my Fearsome Five gang so much." Carnage yanked back the curtains, turning to the crowd. "I give you the biggest band of losers on the planet the Teen-"
GASPS!
Carnage blinked a bit, that reaction not exactly what he had in mind. The symbiote scratched his head turning to Venom who in turn blinked as well, making gestures for Carnage to turn and be ready for something not good. Cassidy snapped his head back, instantly scowling as he did.
"W-what the?"
"Looking for someone Carnage?" A voice called out from above Carnage turning only to receive a glob of webbing to the face.
"Crap they got out!" Mammoth yelled.
"No shit Sherlock." Gizmo replied angrily, preparing to attack only to feel his whole DJ booth rumble.
"Azarath… Metrion… Zinthos!" The machinery at an instant was being torn apart by obsidian energies, apparently the whole room being cleared out by the same magic spell, a certain sorceress letting her anger flow out freely. Soon the other H.I.V.E members scampered out leaving only the Five in the room.
"Aw Jinx… and I actually thought we had something going on." Jinx and Venom heard the voice turning, being greeted with a barrage of Starbolts and Sonic Cannon blasts the two 'lovebirds' fleeing back for their lives. Carnage finally tore the webbing off his face only to see Spider-Man and Robin smirking at him.
"Miss us?" Spidey chuckled as suddenly a fist covered in red and one in green smacked him right in the face.
"OW!" Carnage fell back off the stage to be caught by Venom and shoved to his feet.
"We thought you said that shield was impenetrable!" The black and white symbiote scowled towards Gizmo.
"It was supposed to be ya jackass."
"Ya'll are right. But apparently your hi-tech whiz over there forgot to check his batteries." Cyborg informed.
"Ah slag it." Gizmo crossed his arms. "I knew I should've used Energizer!"
"Well duh!" Carnage smacked him across the head. "That frickin' bunny keeps going and going remember?"
"Seriously you bad guys need to quit this monologueing your plans stuff." Spider-Man was hanging upside down chuckling. "You had us as good as dead."
"Dammit we swear we promised ourselves not to do that anymore." Venom pouted slamming his fist into his palm.
"Dudes I am so ready for a little payback." Beast Boy smirked, shifting into a T-Rex as the Titans were totally ready to even the score.
"Hah, what makes you think this time is going to be any different?" Venom hissed, his tongue slurping out like a snake. "We're still going to wipe the floor with you."
"We'll see about that now won't we?" Raven sent a wave of inanimate objects that clanked and bopped that H.I.V.E. back a few notches.
"Ow! Y-you bitch!" Jinx whined as she was hit in the head with a glowing chair.
"Alright no more Mr. Nice Symbiote!" Venom growled as he just demolished an oncoming table with his claws.
The Fearsome Five backed into a corner regrouping, Carnage laughing as he and Venom coiled their suits into fighting mode, their work clothes forming in a brilliant flurry of pseudopodia. Jinx's eyes flared up pink, while her two best buds got themselves ready as well, attack pattern 'We're going to kick your ass' was going well and strong. The Titans from across the room were all together, Robin at the helm holding his staff as Spidey dropped in from up top.
"You may have caught us by surprise the first time." The Boy Wonder pointed in a challenge. "But this time we're ready."
"Yea, ready to die," Carnage formed axes in his hands in a chuckle as round two apparently was coming quickly.
Just as the two super groups were about to go at it the strangest thing occurred. There were loud claps coming from above them… okay fine that isn't too strange but it's still pretty trippy no?
Well at least these kids did…
All of the young gifted teens glared up, blinking at a teenage boy sitting in Brother Blood's balcony looking down at them chuckling. The boy was shrouded in clothes that looked like ones of a druid, a costume of brilliant reds and blues along with a long cape that magically fluttered in the motionless air. His gray skin rivaled the shade of the two sorceresses below and his eyes were a piercing red… blood red.
"And who the freak is this?" Carnage scowled. "Titan number seven?"
"Um, no," The Titans all replied together stupidly.
"Wait a sec," Venom's pseudo-eyes thinned.
"Brother… Blood?" Jinx whispered to complete Venom's thought, glaring up at apparently her reborn master.
"You were always the most perceptive Jinx dear." The boy laughed, levitating into the air.
"Um…" Spider-Man scratched his head looking around. "Is this a good thing for us?"
"No," Raven answered quietly, her empathic nature picking up the most troubling energies she had ever experienced. "Definitely no…"
"Um, I don't think this is a good thing for us either." Jinx retorted, the group as silenced as they had ever been. Taking into account that Spider-Man, Beast Boy, and Carnage were part of the group this was a miracle in itself.
"Aw why so quiet you all?" Blood continued to laugh it up, staring down with his toothy smile. "I'm here to kick start this little shin dig, not totally kill it… well not at first anyway."
"That's brotha?" Carnage gasped pointing. "You didn't tell us you could pull a de-aging you sly dog!"
"It's funny you say that because I couldn't," Blood smiled, this boy of his teenage years even more cryptic then his older counterpart. "That is until I got some help from you… daddy-o."
"Say… what?" Carnage twitched, Venom instantly doing the same while the others just kind of stared on stupidly.
"Hehehe, so this is Venom and Carnage." Blood lowered himself gliding next to them. "The Mary Kate and Ashley of the symbiote world!"
"MARY KATE AND ASHLEY?" Carnage and Venom growled, steaming in anger soon afterwards.
"Hah! Mary Kate and Ashley!" Spider-Man began to laugh uncontrollably, two scowls from his worst enemies quickly shutting him up. "Um… t-that wasn't funny…"
"I'm really kinda ticked off," Blood's voice seemed so without care, "Y-you've been holding out on me since you've gotten here. You never told me how two pathetic little kids like yourselves become such evil little power houses. Come on pops… grandpa… what's up with that?"
"Um Carnage," Venom looked over a bit worryingly, "Have you been um having strange cravings lately?"
"What kind of stupid question is that?" Gizmo chimed in only, to have a black tendril wrap his mouth up.
"Um well I kind of had the strangest urge to eat a salami and peanut butter sandwich with pickle and anchovies last night." Carnage shrugged.
"Oh cripes," Venom scowled. "We think we all got a BIG problem here."
"Good call grandpa." Blood laughed his voice warping as suddenly a sea of red ooze began to leak out from his body.
Everyone just kind of jaw dropped and went wide eyed at this start of a hideous transformation. Those gloved hands suddenly formed sharp claws, that druid costume slowly coming alive as tendrils lashed out. A mask that rivaled either Venom or Carnage in ze ugliness formed with teeth just as sharp and large white pseudo eyes just as beady. A warped roar signaled that this creature had shifted to its darkest form, its saliva seeming to be a dark crimson red liquid… it was more like blood. Cancel that… it was blood!
"I feel… so complete…" Blood hissed, chilling laughs erupting from this ugly being as energies of red crackled from his entire body.
"Well this is unexpected and totally bad." Spider-Man sighed. "My life in a nutshell…"
"Um yo pops…" Carnage gulped.
"Y-yea?" Venom blinked.
"Don't tell me I just-"
"Gave birth?"
"HE DID WHAT!" Everyone yelled in unison, Venom and Carnage shrinking on the spot.
"Now there's another one of you?" Spider-Man turned to his two symbiotic enemies.
"Cool I have a kid," Carnage twitched as he suddenly cleared his head, turning to Venom angrily. "Dammit pops why didn't you warn me about this? I thought I should've had birth pains or something!"
"Hah, we tried to warn you about this!" Venom retorted angrily, "You didn't want to listen remember?"
"Well… well… that's cause you suck as a predecessor!"
"Um," Cyborg blinked at this more than unusual conversation as he turned to Spidey. "Man what kind of universe do you come from?"
"I don't even know anymore." Spider-Man answered.
"Shut up. T-this… isn't good…" Raven scowled looking at anyone, "We have to go… and we have to go now."
"That's a nice thought but no one's going anywhere cutie." Blood bellowed, his tendrils coiling as his pseudo eyes began to glow red. The room suddenly began to get hazy an essence of crimson energy that seemed like dust began to fume out of Blood like spores.
"W-what's happening…?" Spider-Man suddenly held his head, an aching pain just shooting up his spine. Soon the rest of the group began to experience the same thing, Cyborg, Venom, and Carnage the only exceptions.
"Yo guys what's happening?" Cyborg ran over to Spider-Man shaking him, seeing his teammates and the H.I.V.E. kids clutching their heads. "Spidey you alright?"
"Y-yea man," Spider-Man began to laugh looking up and smirking behind his mask. "Sorry I can't say the same for you …"
"W-wha? BLAH!" Cyborg was suddenly driven through a wall by a drop kick of the worst kind, Spider-Man laughing as he leapt straight back up, his eyes from under the mask began to glow red.
"That was a cheap shot," Robin growled from behind, his eyes mimicking Spider-Man's as he took out a few bird-a-rangs.
"Hah, cheaper than that suit you call a costume?" The arachnoid countered. "You seriously need a makeover Robin… let's start by giving you the beat down of your life shall we?"
"Bring it on bug boy," Robin growled, launching himself into battle with his fellow teammate, these two heroes suddenly having a mean streak that rivaled the X-men's Wolverine.
"Do not start the fun without me boys!" Starfire growled her eyes as red as her sister's. "The people of my race thirst for battle!"
"Oh shut up you cheery little ditz." Beast Boy chuckled as he pointed, glowing eyes not escaping him. "Dude I'm so going to enjoy kicking your alien ass!"
"Hah! At least your confidence humors me more than your so-called jokes you Xabelwaaf!" Starfire replied, sending a hefty amount of Starbolts in Beast Boy's direction, the imp snickering as he shifted into an eagle. The alien quickly gave chase.
"Friends…" Raven looked at her teammates, fighting this urge to kill everything in sight with her own empathic blanket.
The source of this hatred was obvious to Raven and as Blood began to spew out more of this evil essence, soon the blanket of aggression was surging throughout the H.I.V.E complex like a cancer. The empathic powers of the symbiote and Blood's telepathic abilities weren't a good combination and Raven knew that this was only going to get worse.
Blood and Carnage's child were now a team. A team Hell bent to make mankind destroy one another.
"You two forgot what it means to have this bond." Blood pointed to Venom and Carnage who just sweatdropped. "It's time to remind you what we symbiotes are all about."
Venom and Carnage just gulped. The fun and games were officially over…