This Year's Love
Chapter 6: Demons and Memories…
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Special thanks to…..
vinnie the geek
JesfriendMagnet
dragoon-bane
ThunderDragon
Swizz
The Last
CalliopeMused
TDG3RD
Woo thank u for all the support!
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Disclaimer: I do not...or will
ever...own Dc comics...teen titans...or a good car...(have u seen the
gas prices?) maybe a nice bicycle...but no...not a car. O and none of
the other stuff too, lol.
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So here we are, Chapter 6 of This Year's Love. I hope you guys like it, the chapter kicks off the Demon's arrival…. That's all I can say for now….Enjoy!
Fernnu
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Demons and Memories
"Run! Ill hold them off! Get to the library!"
Pushing Timid's blood stained shoulders in front of him, seeing that she was on her way, if stumbling and slow, he quickly turned to the current danger…
"Demons…Why is it always demons with Raven….?"
This day, Beastboy, Garfield Logan, was almost sure he was going to die. In front of him, he quickly scanned and estimated about twenty five hell hounds; teeth barred and eyes glowing.
But that wasn't all.
"As if becoming Demon kibble isn't enough." He muttered darkly to himself, "Now this…"
Floating above, there were, perhaps only about twelve….no, thirteen of them. But what they were, he didn't have a clue. Although they were floating above the hounds, his keen eyes told him that they were at least six feet tall. Blood red, both male and female, they all had large, ragged wings that kept them above ground. Black, jagged armor binding their legs, arms and torsos, it was their faces and weapons that scared Beastboy the most. These demonic crosses; angels of hell, glared evily.
Horns, long, curved and wicked, stuck out from their foreheads. Their expressions, whether male of female, held a twisted mask of blood lust; eyes black with crimson red pupils and irises. Mouths opened in a constant sneer, their fangs showed their demonic nature.
If their faces did not betray their dangerous nature; the cruel objects they held in each hand did. Each held to wickedly curved swords. Black hilts with sparkling silver blades, one side of each was impossibly smooth and sharp; curved in a half-crescent form. The opposite side ending in uneven curves: giving the effect of flames in steel. Floating above, they eyed the lone green figure menacingly.
The long green figure, Beastboy, stood silent. Indignant. Wiry frame clad in ripped purple and black jumpsuit, his breathing came out slow, despite his inner turmoil. The silence stood thick, broken by the soft flaps of the Demonic warrior's wings and the occasional grunts and growls of the hounds. His steady breath wavered slightly as fear crept through his resolve. He closed his eyes, knowing that the demons did not fear him. It was much the same as in the wild; the primal jungle: the larger predator has nothing to fear from the smaller being, and will pause for a moment, before attacking, to instill terror and work the other's nerves. It was all primal. Unfortunately for the demons, Garfield Logan was a being created from instinct and animalistic abilities; primal was his way of life. Striving to calm himself; preparing for the oncoming battle, he recalled a moment shared with Raven. He seemed to do that a lot these days. He kept his eyes closed. Losing himself in the swirls of animal instinct, his mind recalled the things of the past.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤Flash Back¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ Long Flashback¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
It was snowing out. Frost crept upon the corners of the window glass of the titan's tower. Below, the ocean was calm and the sky clouded. In the heart of Jump City, store window lights glowed as after hours came and went. The stores had all closed; it was Christmas Eve, a year ago. The night was calm and peaceful, Midnight had come and gone and so too, the Titans had retreated to serene slumber. Mere hours before, the decorated tower had been filled with festivities and cheer. All in the common room, Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Beastboy and even Raven sat on the floor around the large Christmas tree glowing pure white; as was suggested by the Tameranian princess, it glittered beautifully. Having decided that they just couldn't wait to open the gifts (mostly by the constant nagging by Beastboy) they had decided to open their gifts early.
Robin, having given his obvious crush, Starfire, a beautiful necklace of a shooting star, he had received a book on detective work from the green changeling, a new R-Cycle upgrade from Cyborg and half a dozen new music CDs from Raven. All that was left was the gift Starfire hesitated in giving him. Blushingly, she held the package behind her back nervously.
"Friend Robin.
I am….afraid you will not like my gift." A frown forming on her
face, her orange
skin paled.
Smiling encouragingly at her, Robin took her by the hand and sat her down on the large wrap-around couch.
"Don't worry Star. Whatever you got me will be great and I will like it. I know it."
Still looking doubtful, he clinched and killed her worry with just three simple words.
"Just trust me." (Sorry RxS shippers….did ya think it was I LOVE YOU? Sorry no such luck….yet…or not…ha….ha….ok ill stop.)
Smiling brightly, she took out a poorly wrapped package she obviously had tried to wrap herself. Handing it over to him, he delicately opened the box after tearing the paper off. Lifting the cover, he gasped in surprise at what was there. Gently, he lifted out a brightly polished, silver bo-staff from the box. Staring in awe, he couldn't find words.
"Star…How? But…this…is…"
"Friend, do you like it?"
"Of course!" the still speechless titan exclaimed. "Star this is a Hoffman-Ming Rod. They're supposed to be the most advanced staff in the world. How—what…how did you get it?" (Yea…I just made that all up…)
Smiling proudly she explained simply.
"I am still a Tameranian Princess."
At her smug and joyful answer, he couldn't help but smile goofily up at her. "Wow Star. I…thanks so much, it means so much to me." He grabbed her hands in his. "It's the best present ever and more so because you gave it to me…"
Beastboy, watching with the rest of the Titans in silence, unable to take the sappiness any longer, grinned evilly from behind the couch as an evil plan quickly formed. As the rest of the Titans turned to open their own gifts, giving the two unpronounced, unofficial lovebirds their space, he transformed. Taking shape as a sparrow, he flew to the illuminated tree where bits of mistletoe were hung on branches. Nipping a piece off, he flew back, with the leaves in his beak. Fluttering above the unsuspecting couple, he squawked loudly and transformed.
"Hey guys! Mistletoe! You know what that means!" Landing gracefully to his feat over the two sitting teens he held out the festive leaves above their heads; Robin, looking horrified and enraged glared at Beastboy. He was, though, pleasantly surprised at Starfire's reaction.
"Oh wondrous! I have read of this Earthly custom! Now we kiss!"
In one fluid motion, she grabbed Robin's head and mess of spiky, super gelled up hair, and met his lips with her own, crushing them against each other. Eyes wide, Robin gasped. As quickly as it started, it ended with Starfire looking flushed but pleased with herself, Robin still dumb-struck, and Beastboy and Cyborg wildly laughing at the display. After fifteen minutes of continued harassment over what had happened, the two joking titans decided they had laughed enough and stopped: allowing their leader's pride and ego to begin to heal.
Calming down, the festivities continued late into the night. But now, the tower was empty and silent. All was quiet. All were sleeping.
Or so it seemed.
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Beastboy awoke at he always did at 3:45 AM. Every night he had the same dream. His dream always turned to a nightmare and scared him to death, and to awaken. He knew it was strange, but he dare not describe it or tell anyone. But basically the dream consisted of one thing.
Raven. Every night, she died in his arms.
Every single night….
He shivered, thinking of her lifeless eyes and shook the dream from his mind. Ever since the 'Beast and Malchior" incident, he had surprised himself when his true feelings for Raven surfaced. Such a revelation showed him that Terra had only been his first real crush; puppy love.
Walking into the dark kitchen, needing a few shots of soy milk to calm his nerves, his animal instincts picked up a faint ruffling of a cape…or…no, more precisely, a cloak. By the window, illuminated by the moon light breaking through the clouds, floated Raven. Meditating silently, her pale skin radiating beauty in the pale moonlight she seemed to draw the light towards her; a precious crystallized bit of perfection in the night. Quietly gliding over to her he sat beside her, watching the illuminated snow flakes dance in the moon-lit sky.
"Couldn't sleep?"
Her silky voice startled him, lingering in the silence, sending shivers down his spine. He glanced at her, seeing one eye peek at him before the other opened as well.
"No, I…" deciding that it was better to be…mostly…truthful he began. "I have nightmares that wake me up at night. Every night at this time. Always the same dream."
Feeling very foolish in confessing to the girl of his dreams, she surprised him.
"I'm…sorry. I'm always awake at this time. Meditation you know." He mentally sighed in relief in her respecting his choice in not saying any more of the dream.
"I never see you."
"Roof or My room."
"Oh…too cold for the roof?"
"I like the snow, better view here, and easier meditation when your lips aren't chattering and blue."
Chuckling at her comment, he scooted a little closer. Opening his mouth to speak, she beat him to it.
"I just wanted to—well; I just wanted to thank you…again for your gift. Most people, the others, they buy me….well, I know they mean well but…and I'm not really used to getting gifts anyway but…" the dark haired titan was surprised in having such problems in conveying her thoughts when eloquence usually came easy. Sighing she tried again. "What I mean is, the gifts they give are so…generic. Because they don't understand me. Robin gave me that book on spells and Starfire bought me the Raven necklace. Those are just so…I don't know….expected."
Stealing another quick glance at Raven, Beastboy couldn't help but ask.
"Cyborg?"
She sighed again. "Cyborg's was a little better."
Beastboy scratched his head, remembering. "The dream catcher and room sound muffler?"
"Yes. The dream catcher was thoughtful. The muffler was….needed." for a moment Beastboy thought she would smile….and she did….almost. The green titan didn't mean to blurt out his next question, but as always, his mouth opened before his brain had a chance to turn on.
"And…what about me?" he winced slightly at how…childish it sounded.
"Yours was the best it was…is… beautiful."
His heart leapt in his chest, trying to keep a helpless grin from spreading on his face.
"I've never even heard of a memory finder before. I still don't understand where you found it." She scooted ever so closer to Beastboy, leaning in forward, waiting.
"Do you remember that week we each got to ourselves on vacation. Titans East covered for us so we could actually take a break?" He said, recalling the event that had happened six months before. She nodded.
"Well I was looking for a gift for you for the longest time, and I was trying to find something different…original and—"
"Wait you were looking for a gift six months before?" she interrupted, amazed.
He nodded silently before continuing. "Yea, well anyways, I researched it on the internet and found one in Australia."
"So you ordered it?"
He smiled. "Nope, heck I barely had enough money for it." His sheepish smile growing. "I could handle the tax but not the shipping charges."
"So how?"
"Well… I flew there and picked it up, checked it out to make sure it wasn't a scam and flew back."
She raised an eyebrow in suspicion as she folded her arms over her chest. "You had enough money for a plane ticket but not for shipping?"
He chuckled "No, you don't get it, I flew." Seeing she still did not understand, he began to make flapping motions with his arms to emphasize his point. "You know, green lovable teen titan shape shifter…any animal I want…fly?"
Meeting his eyes, hers betrayed a stunned expression.
"You flew all the way to Australia, an impossibly hard journey, to pick up a present for me, six months before Christmas…just…for me?"
Embarrassed, he nodded as silence took over the conversation.
"How much?" She asked suddenly.
Her question startled him. "How much what?"
"Did it cost?"
"I cant…I'm not telling; its your gift."
"Beastboy need I remind you that not only am I an empath but a physic as well? Only my moral code is keeping me from reading your mind and finding it out for myself…along with any other secrets you may have…and it's wearing very thin at the moment…"
Sensing the validity of her statement and the crystal clear threat, he gulped.
"...$350…" He said meekly, as she exploded.
"What! You wasted three-hundred and fifty dollars on me? Are you crazy? And where did you get that kind of money? You're insane! How could—"
He silenced her uncharacteristic outburst with the placing of his two first fingers gently over her lips.
"My money. I saved it up for a while here and there. It was worth it, because the look of happiness that I saw played on your face for that one moment was enough. Just the fact that it brightened your night for just a moment made it worth everything and more. I would do it again in a heartbeat just to see that look again." Removing his fingers from her lips, the feeling of their soft texture lingered, tingling slightly. Breaking the stunned silence and trying to engage the speechless Raven, he managed to stammer out his demand.
"So…did you…have you gotten it to work yet?"
Blinking she shook her head, returning to normal with a sad look on her face. "I didn't want to tell you but…it won't work for me."
He stared, perplexed. "Why not, I tried it and it worked for me? The man I bought it from guaranteed that all you have to do is hold it in your palm, outstretched and focus on what you want to remember the most and you'll see it clea—"
She lowered her head. "You need …love to use it…I…have none." She turned away, her voice breaking out of its monotone prison for the briefest of moments.
"But…but the thought is what matters. That you would—well that you would go through such h-hardships to get m-me something is just…" she opened her mouth but the words just wouldn't form. "I'm still, I am just…"she sighed. "Grateful. Thank you."
Feeling his heart sink, he nodded absent mindedly as her tries at boosting his morale failed.
"I'm sorry Raven. I didn't mean to do another stupid thing. I cant believe I wasted a gift that wasn't even worth it, I mean I just wanted to do something right for a change, and I had a whole six months to get it right and yet I still couldn't get the thing rig—"
This time, she silenced his ever moving lips with her own two fingers."
"Beastboy. It was worth it. To me. I…It showed me something. That…no matter what I thought, you…you…really do…you really….care. You spent energy, time, money and….everything else to get me something. More than the others, you thought of something I could use…something different, meaningful. You are…" she hesitated, as if afraid of the next words she would whisper could bring about the destruction of the world.
"My best friend."
Removing her fingers from his lips, his eyes wide, she looked away. Regaining his composure he grabbed her hand.
"Thanks Rae…I…" Oh how he wished to confess right there, in the moon-lit glow of the cold, December night, bathed in pale moonlight and soft flakes of ever falling crystals, that he loved her. Loved her with all his heart and soul…but, alas, she had just told him that such a love was beyond her reach. Such a union was….doomed. Doomed before it could even breathe air and try to thrive. His heart sank, her last statement's affect dying within him. He would always care for her…this she now knew. But…expected nothing more.
"…I'm sorry. I disturbed your meditation…again. Id better go…" he got up solemnly, letting go of her hand.
As if sensing the sadness that had filled him, she looked up and met his eyes. "It's alright…really." Her sincerity caught him off guard. Almost as if…maybe…there was…compassion. "You could…stay?"
Her request-turned-offer-turned-question surprised him even more.
"You wouldn't mind?" he asked incredulously.
"…No. I could…teach…you how to meditate. If you want…besides, it could help with the beast inside of you." She hastily added.
Brightening visibly, he sat down in front of her, a grin tracing its way along his face.
"Sweet! Let's go."
Taking a breath, she nodded. "Right. First mimic my position." She closed her eyes and got in position. Fluttering her eyes open she was surprised to see him in a perfect lotus position.
"Close your eyes and repeat after me. Both in your mind and out loud. Let the chant go through you, comfort you…entrance you."
"Ok, right…" he nodded, somewhat nervously.
"Find your center…
Find your calm…
Calm the torment deep inside.
Allow your worries to subside…"
Once he had listened a few times, he hesitantly chanted along. Repeating it together a few times, she changed the chant once he seemed comfortable to something much mor familiar.
"Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos…Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos…"
He was a perfect student, she noticed, as his chants were even, quiet and calm. She was once again surprised by his nature. She peeked open an eye and watched his as she floated above the ground. The moonlight paled him, illuminating his green complexion. She smiled ever so slightly, as something flickered within her. Unable to help herself she couldn't help but think.
"If only I could love…I know he could be the one…"
Quickly banishing the never helpful, wistful thoughts, she focused back to her meditation, enjoying her newest student. Both teens lost themselves in their peace bringing chants, well into the night.
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Beastboy would never…could never remember or recall, a moment when he was happier than that snowy night. The memory was a treasured and cherished one. One of Raven finally opening up a bit more to him; unexpectedly, but oh so beautifully. The memory finder, a small box, perhaps slightly larger than an engagement ring's case, would always be his claim to fame. The small clear, prism-like crystal that glittered and sparkled even at night was a thing of rare magic. He had never told Raven how much trouble he had had to go through, persuading the last magic man in the tribal village he had visited to part with it. Only starving and harsh conditions along with Beastboy's constant pleas and bribes, did the old mage part with the treasure for the money offered. Living had larger value than the box to the man. Such an item, Beastboy had learned, needed only to be held in one's palm and have the thought of someone or something cross their mind. The box then would glitter and glow a magnificent white color and show, for all who were present, a projected vision above the finder: all the memories stored away, all the happenings of the person or thing in perfect image. A magical VCR of memories, so to speak. It had become, along with the book of Azar, her mirror, and few other priceless items, the most precious and valued of her possessions. She never once was able to use it, for love was not yet alive within her….
Of course the green titan knew nothing of this choosing or her feelings; as did the dark titan know nothing of the full extent of his hardships in finding her a perfect gift.
The memory, to that day, to that moment, where the Demon hounds and warriors eagerly waited to strike down Raven's last line of defense, flittered through his mind in an instance, as his animalistic instincts swept him away in the primal need to save Raven.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤End Flashback¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ Present¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Shooting his eyes open, only a moment having passed as he lost himself in thought. Sensing the battle would start in seconds, he raised his voice and spoke clearly after glancing back at Timid scurrying away towards the large yellow library
She would be, soon….safe. At least, if nothing else, that.
Turning back to the threat, his voice echoed over the bleak landscape; speaking clear words, though he did not know the reason. Something within him urged him forward.
"Find your center…." The demons tensed as his breathing slowed.
"Find your calm…" The hounds glared.
"Calm the torment deep inside…" The warriors sharpened their blades, running them along each other, menacingly.
"Allow your worries to subside…"
The front line of the demonic hell hounds took a step forward, mussels rippling.
"Azarath…" Growls filled the air.
"Metrion…" Barks and howls soon followed; blood lust and rage shared between all the demonic minions was heavy in the air. Both sides were coiled and ready to strike. The time had come.
In the calm of his mind, as the battle stood on the brink of starting, a spark of power ignited within him. He noticed it. Almost recognizing it, it shared a certain similar quality of the white glow that had helped to heal Timid. But this entity, this powerful surge of force was all together different—Black. Cradling it, he had no time to think.
Coiling up his wiry frame, he took a sharp intake of breath, and lunged forward to meet the Demons of hell. One word escaped his lips, as if a battle cry; a signal for both sides to attack. As the word resounded over the landscape, only one thing surfaced in his mind, merging with the black force within him.
"ZINTHOS!" The demonic minions of Trigon the Terrible pounced; unleashing their brutal onslaught against the green titan.
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The last thought before his body took shape and transformed, echoed in his mind.
Raven.
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End Chapter 6
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A/N
Wooo! 17/18 whole pages! Sweeeeeeetness! I hope you guys all liked that chapter. It was actually fun to write. I tried to give any RxS shippers their little moment, while staying true to the fluff of Christmas and a late night between Raven and BB. I hope you guys aren't disappointed. The next chapter, BLACK, is the climactic second fight with the demons. It's currently being typed up, and is already written. Hopefully you will enjoy that one too. Please, at least another 10 reviews, I wanted to await till I got more, but I couldn't keep a typed up chapter away for long. More reviews, and I promise the action starts!
As always
Fernnu