Chapter 5: One For All

In a giant tower, in a small city outside Gotham called Jump City, an alarm goes off.

"Titans, there's trouble in the city," Robin says over the intercom.

Quickly nine teenagers group together in the briefing room. Four girls and five guys.

"Cinderblock, Plasmus, and Overload are attacking the city," Robin tells them. "We need to split up into three teams of three to take them on. Raven, Spectra, and Ice you go take on Plasmus. Wildcat, Beast Boy, and Cyborg you go get Overload. Starfire, Mood Swing...we'll go after Cinderblock. Titans...GO!"

Fade into song

When there's trouble you know who to call

TEEN TITANS

From their tower they can see it all

TEEN TITANS

When there's evil on the attack

You can rest knowing they've got your back

'Cuz when the world needs heroes on patrol

TEEN TITANS...GO!

With they're super-powers they unite

TEEN TITANS

Never met a villain that they liked

TEEN TITANS

They got the bad guys on the run

They'll never stop 'til the job gets done

And when the world is losing all control

TEEN TITANS...GO!

1...2...3...4...GO TEEN TITANS!

Fade out of song

Starfire, Robin, and Mood Swing square off against Cinderblock, in a triangular formation. Robin in front, with Starfire and Mood Swing on his left and right behind him.

"Cinderblock, you picked a bad day to mess with the Titans," Robin calls. "GO!"

Starfire soars up and starts hurling starbolts off, while the stripes on Mood Swing's costume glow red showing us his mood has changed from average to anger. His fists glow red with plasma energy, and he starts firing plasma bursts towards the rampaging Cinderblock. Robin moves in for a frontal assault, using his bo-staff to launch himself and plant a drop-kick in Cinderblock's face sending him reeling.

At an industrial plant across town Raven, Ice, and Spectra are in a heated battle against the amorphous blob known as Plasmus.

"Ice, freeze him!" Raven yells to her teammate. "Spectra, once he's frozen use one of your hypersonic screams. It should smash him to pieces."

Ice quickly calls on her powers over ice, and creates a freezing wind that blows right at Plasmus causing him to freeze instantly. Without skipping a beat Spectra unleashes a hypersonic scream that could level an entire city block upon Plasmus, in turn shattering him into millions of pieces. Raven prepares herself to use her soul-self to cause Plasmus to explode and revert to his human form as soon as he recovers from the last attack.

The power plant on the east side of Jump City is where the battle between Overload, Wildcat, Cyborg, and Beast Boy rages on.

"Okay guys, here's the game plan," Cyborg says taking charge. "Wildcat, I want you to run circles around him to confuse him while BB gives me a lift to blast him from above. Ready? Let's do it!"

Wildcat takes off as fast as he can and starts running frantic circles around Overload. Overload's attention is easily drawn to the speeding Wildcat around his feet. While his attention is drawn, Beast Boy morphs into a pterodactyl and picks Cyborg up by the shoulders directly above Overload. Cyborg aims and takes a massive shot strait down beneath him sending Overload stumbling backwards, causing him to trip over Wildcat and crash into the wall behind him.

"Why won't he give up?" Ice asks Spectra and Raven rhetorically.

"I'm not sure," Raven states. "But something is definetly odd about this."

Plasmus all of a sudden shoots a blast of goo right at Raven. Catching her off guard, she's thrown to the ground. Plasmus oozes forward quickly and knocks out Spectra and Ice. He then carries them off before Raven can recuperate.

"He is most persistent," Starfire says.

"Yeah, but what's he after? There's nothing here thats of any use," Mood Swing says.

"I don't know, but we have to keep fighting," Robin yells from across the battlefield.

A quick swing of an iron bar from Cinderblock sends the flying Starfire through a wall into the room next door. And on the back-swing he catches Robin which throws him through the opposite wall. He then rushes toward Mood Swing. But instead of attacking, Cinderblock grabs him and continues too run off.

"Umm...I know we're at a power plant, and that's what Overload needs to survive," Beast Boy says. "But am I the only one that noticed that he's not really trying to get to the electricity?"

"You're right B," Cyborg comments. "But if he isn't after the power...what is he after?"

A blast of electricity catches Cyborg in his chest and overloads his battery causing all his circuits to blow. Another blast aimed at Beast Boy almost catches him, but the agile changeling quickly transforms into a humming bird and flies around the plant. Wildcat then runs forward to punch Overload with his immense strength. Overload intercepts Wildcat's punch and uses him as a human weapon to attack Beast Boy who is then thrown across the room and lands on the floor unconscious. Overload then throws Wildcat over his shoulder and walks away from the power plant.

"Robin, you're not making sense! What happened?" I ask Robin frantically as he tries to explain to me what happened.

"We had to split up into groups to protect the city from Cinderblock, Overload, and Plasmus...but...I can't believe I was so stupid to let this happen," Robin says in his usual attitude.

"Robin you aren't helping," I say. "All you're doing is making things more confusing. What exactly are you trying to tell me?"

"Psy, you're brother and his team were captured in our attempts to take on Cinderblock, Plasmus, and Overload," Raven says finally answering my frantic questions.

All of a sudden everything goes silent as everyone awaits to see my reaction to the horrible news of my brother's kidnapping.

"Who?" I ask only this question. "Who's to blame for this?"

"I'm afraid it's Slade, man," Cyborg says trying to stay calm.

"I'm gonna kill him...," I say in a strangely calm voice. "I am going to kill him when I get my hands on him."

"Psy," Raven starts. "You have to control your emotions. It isn't healthy to let rage control you. I should know. Maybe you should come here for a while. Your team will be fine until you get back."

"You're probably right," I sigh. "I'll be there in a day or two."

So once again I leave for Jump City. I leave Gale in charge of the team while I'm away, I know she'll handle the team well. I pack the few items I'll need on this short trip in a backpack, don my uniform, and soar off towards Titans Tower. Once I arrive I'm greeted cheerfully by Beast Boy and Starfire, but I know that they feel sympathy towards me. As I head into the living room, closely followed by BB and Star, I meet up with Robin and Cyborg.

"Psy, I'm so sorry I let this happen," Robin says once again putting himself down. "It's all my fault I -"

"Robin," I reply. "It's not your fault. No one could've known that Slade was after my brother and his team. No one."

"But you knew," Starfire says. "You predicted months ago that you suspected Slade to be behind this. This was the reason you sent Mood Swing and his team to us."

"Yeah man," Cyborg adds. "You had a feeling from the start that things weren't right. You knew something was weird about how they all got their powers."

"Yeah, we blew it," Beast Boy joins in. "You trusted us with your brother and your friends...and we let you down."

"Would you all just stop it?" Raven says finally entering the room. "He already feels bad, you don't have to make him feel worse with this guilt trip. Psy, why don't you come to my room. We'll meditate, and I'll teach you how to better control your emotions."

"Thanks Rae," I say. "That sounds good. And guys? Don't worry. I don't blame you for what happened. Even though I had a feeling things might go wrong...you couldn't have known what was gonna happen."

"We'll find them Psy...I promise," Robin says.

Hours later Raven and I float in the middle of her room. We spent a few hours learning how to control emotions, and how to find our center and meditate, and these last few hours meditating and putting it to practice.

"Raven?"

"Yes."

"You know those words you always say?"

"Yeah, what about them?"

"What do they mean? Why are they so powerful?"

"Well, as you know Azarath is where I'm from. I draw power from my home to show knowledge. Azarath is a place full of monks who dedicate their lives to studying books and art. Metrion is the middle word in the spell, and it's the core to my power. It basically means power. And Zinthos embodies the courage I have within. It's what gives my power the dark appearance. Courage isn't clear, and opaque. It's dark, solid, and thick."

"So basically what you're saying is Knowledge, Power, Courage?"

"Yes. When I say that spell, I draw on all my knowledge, power and courage."

"That's amazing. Would it work for me?"

"This spell only works if you are an heir to the thrown of Azarath."

"You're a princess of Azarath?"

"Yes. There is only one known heir in Azarath, and that's me. There is a legend though that there was a prince, but he was taken right after birth to protect him."

"Who was he?"

"No one knows...and it is just a legend."

"I guess."

"So let's get back to meditating."

I give Raven a look of confusion, and understanding at the same time. Even though I feel like I know more about Raven than I did, I still feel like there is so much more.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos," we both chant. Only this isn't to use power, just to relax ourselves and focus.

"We found Slade," Robin says.

"Where? Where is he?" I ask.

"He's downtown."

"How do you know?"

"Because he sent us this," Robin says as he presses the play button on the remote. The screen lights up and starts to play a video.

"Greetings Titans," drones the monotonous voice of Slade. "I believe I have something you're all looking for...especially you...Psy." The camera zooms out to reveal Mood Swing, Spectra, Ice, and Wildcat chained up against the back wall, unconscious, and gagged. "If you want them, come find me. I'm at 723 Rosegaard Place." As we get ready to leave, the pre-recorded voice of Slade says one more thing, as if he was anticipating our every move. "And Psy? Come alone if you want to see your brother and your friends alive..." the transmission ends. I look at the others. They all have concerned looks on their faces.

I blast down the door on the abandoned warehouse. 723 Rosegaard Place. From the looks of it, it used to be some kind of costume shop at one time. It's full of all sorts of old masks.

"Just like Slade," I say to myself. "A creepy mask shop, for that creepy, two-faced maniac."

"Thank you for the compliment Psy," Slade's says as he makes his appearance out of the shadows. "But flattery isn't going to get your brother back."

"So what's your proposal Slade?" I ask in a menacing sort of way, preparing for battle. "Are you gonna give me my brother and my friends the easy way? Or am I gonna have to take them from you?"

"Not so fast Psy," Slade says calmly. "We can act like civilized people. I'm willing to make a trade. A sort of, one for all, all for one, deal."

"What is up with you? Why are you after my brother and my friends? Why did you give them those powers?"

"Don't you see Psy? It's not about them. It never has been. It's been about you."

"What?"

"I've been planning for months about how to get to you. I gave your friends these powers, kidnapped them, and everything so that I could get to you. So...what do you think? What's more important? Your life? Or your brother's?"

I stand there in complete shock for minutes...hours...I'm not sure. "You can have me," I say as I look at the floor with my fists clenched. "Just let them go."

"That's my good apprentice." Slade pulls out a communicator. "Release the prisoners, we don't need them anymore."

Mood Swing, Ice, Wildcat, and Spectra all walk by in a daze. Mood Swing looks at me concerned.

"Psy...what -" he starts.

"Quiet child or you'll be back in chains," Slade mocks. "Your generous brother has given up his freedom, for all of yours."

"Psy you didn't?" Spectra screams.

"I had no choice," I say as I look away with slight tears in my eyes. "Now go. You're free now. GO!"

Mood Swing, my brother, runs over and hugs me. "Thanks Psy. We can never thank you enough."

I hug him back and we cry together. "Just go Joel. Go home. Slade won't bother you guys anymore. Take Tara, Christine, and Sam home. Live a normal life. I don't want you to be superheroes anymore. It's too dangerous. Alright?"

"But Sam..."

"No Joel! Promise me you'll do it."

"I..."

"Promise me!"

Joel, also known as Mood Swing, looks to the ground. "I promise." We hug one more time and Slade throws them out the front door.

Weeks later, I've been put through strenuous training to become the perfect apprentice for Slade. I've done his dirty work only because I have to protect my brother, my friends, and my family. But enough is enough. I can't listen to this mad man anymore. I wont put up with this anymore. No more.

"Apprentice come."

"Yes?"

"Yes, what?"

"...Yes...master," I mumble this last word.

"That's better. Now, I have a job for you. I'm tired of just sending you to fight the Titans. I want it over with. I want you to use everything you've got...and finally bring an end to the Teen Titans."

"You know what Slade? You can take that job...and shove it up your-"

"Insolent child! I'm sick of your behavior, and your attitude and your lip!"

He throws a punch and it makes contact right into my face. I reel backwards.

"You're gonna wish you didn't do tha-" another punch lands right in my stomach knocking the wind out of me.

"I'm going to wish I didn't do what?"

I let out a frustrated growl and use my psychic powers to send a psi wave throwing him backwards into the wall. I fly up and pelt him furiously with psi balls. I soar over to him and power up my hands with psi energy and punch him continuously. I lift him up telekinetically and throw him around like a rag doll. He lands on the floor in front of me with a sickening thud. Thinking its over I start to walk away. But out of nowhere he jumps up and grabs me, and holds me by the scruff of my shirt.

"No one treats me like that. I'm done with you. This is the end for you right now. Any last words child?"

"Actually...I have three," I say in anger. "AZARATH...METRION...ZINTHOS!"

All of a sudden I feel an energy inside of me unleashed like never before. The dark form of a giant, black tiger soars out of me and straight through Slade. His eyes go wide and he screams. This tiger, my soul self, comes back and returns inside me. Slade crumples to the ground and continues to scream and convulse on the floor.

"MAKE IT STOP! I CAN'T TAKE THIS AGAIN! NOT AGAIN!"

I call the Titans on the communicator and Slade is taken to the mental hospital and unmasked. Who is he? A person. A normal person who was so twisted that he resorted to evil like this.

A few days later I float with Raven in her room. My uniform has changed, and is a lot more like a male version of Raven's, without the cloak.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos...Azarath Metrion Zinthos," Raven and I meditate in the middle of her room.

"Raven?"

"Yes Psy?"

"I thought you said that this spell would only work for a true heir of Azarath."

"Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it will work for anyone when they truly need it. When the knowledge, courage, and power inside that person is joined together in a time of need."

"Yeah...maybe that's it."

"Yeah...," But inside, Raven knows this isn't the truth. Inside the truth has been revealed to her. But he can't know. Not yet. He's not ready. "We should keep going. It'll help you get your strength back, and keep you calm. Slade won't bother us again."

"I know...you're right," I sigh.

"Find your center...and...,"

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos...Azarath Metrion Zinthos..."