Part 4- Here There Be Monsters
(After leaving the other groups, Bumblebee leads those under her command down the central passageway. It is a bit dark, unlike the rest of the base, but Starfire solves this by forming a Star Bolt in her hand and bathing the surroundings in greenish light.)
Mas: Senora, have we told you that you look beautiful in green?
Menos: 'Cause you do!
Déjà: Why don't you two make like the egg and beat it? Eggs should be beaten together with milk, and fried with chives and onions. Season lightly with pepper. Anyway, you two children are far out of your league!
Mas: You're no older than we are!
Déjà: Non, but I have the height advantage!
(Mas and Menos join hands and each kick Déjà Vu all over his body in about one and a half seconds.)
Déjà: Zoot alores!
(Déjà begins trying his hardest to strike them back and all three dissolve into a dust cloud. Starfire steps out of it's reach, sweatdropping. Bumblebee has her backed turned to this but is shaking with supreme annoyance. She whirls around, her background transforming into flames and her head expanding about five sizes. She opens her mouth displaying jagged teeth.)
Bumblebee: KNOCK IT OFF!!
(The cloud settles down, revealing the green-clad Frenchman raising his axe over Mas, who is pinned by one of Déjà's feet. Menos is hanging onto Déjà Vu's back, struggling to stop him from swinging the blade. All are looking at Bumblebee with expressions of fear. She shrinks back to her usual form.)
Bumblebee: What is the matter with you!? We're supposed to be a team! If you guys can't do anything with Starfire around, then don't even look at her!
(Déjà zips over and leans on one arm against the wall in front of Bumblebee.)
Déjà: I'm not picky. I'll look at you then. May I call you "honey", mon cherie?
(Bumblebee gets the mother of all cross-marks on the back of her head and the scene shifts to Starfire, Shotman, and the twins. There is a resounding punching sound and the four flinch as the blow lands. The scene shifts back to Déjà, who is flat on his back with a black eye as an incensed Bumblebee walks away.)
Shotman: My little friend, when are you going to learn?
Déjà: I think she likes me…
(Shotman rolls his sightless eyes, then lifts Déjà to his feet with one hand.)
Bumblebee: Hey, you.
Shotman: Me?
Bumblebee: No, the seven-foot kid behind you. Yes, you! You see a lot of things, right? Have you noticed anything suspicious going on amongst your teammates?
Shotman: I can read your thoughts, you know. You are suspicious of our Captain.
(Starfire and Bumblebee exchange a glance and sigh, realizing it is pointless to try and hide things from this man.)
Starfire: Then you understand. Please tell us, friend; is Echo truly to blame? Is he returning to how he was before?
Déjà: Non, non, non! Mon Capitan is absolutely fine! There is nothing wrong! Nobody has ever tried to kill or anything!
(Shotman claps a huge hand over the chef's mouth before he says any more.)
Shotman: I can assure you that neither Captain Echo, nor any other member of our team ever gets excessively violent. What sort of heroes would that make us?
Bumblebee: Well…alright, if you say so…
(Down the right-hand passage, Robin and Photon lead the way. The overhanging lights are very dim, as is the case with the center passage, but Photon's holographic appearance provides more than ample illumination.)
Robin: These tunnels are pretty long… no telling how long it might take to get there.
Cyborg: It's still a good hike from here. How long have they been working on this?
Gemini: I think I know. Our Tower should have taken forever, but since I could make enough clones to do it fast…
Photon: That's right, flaunt that power of yours, as usual.
Gemini: I did nothing of the kind! I was just pointing out that since the enemies have a replicator, he probably helped them!
Speedy: What is your deal, man? Why are you like that? All that illumination heating up your brain or something?
(Photon wheels around and slams Speedy against the wall with one arm, then holds him there with his staff.)
Photon: Listen up, you wise-cracking scumbag, I'll extend you some patience since Captain Echo ordered it, but if you keep pushing me, you'll be in a world of pain! I won't warn you a third time!
Robin: Enough! Photon, stand down!
(Photon releases Speedy and returns to the front of the group. Robin remembers Echo's advice, and decides now might be a good time.)
Robin: So, do your parents know what you're doing? That you're a super hero?
Photon: Let me guess; the Captain told you to mention my family, right?
(Robin sweats a little, not liking the tone of Photon's voice.)
Photon: Well, even if that is the case, I don't really mind. My family is one thing I can take pride in. To answer you, I haven't seen either of my parents in five years. Not since that day…
Robin: Why is your family such a big source of pride?
Photon: Because… we're renowned sorcerers, known throughout thousands of years of history.
Robin: Really? That is kind of impressive… By the way, what's the story with your eyes? Why'd you want them to look that way?
Photon: That blind oaf on my team defined the rest of my physical appearance, and I believe he was not totally honest, but I did this part myself. In reality, this is how my eyes are meant to look. This leads back once again to my family. Everyone from my father's side of the family is born with these eyes. They allow us to see through all types of magic, learning weaknesses at a glance. These eyes were obtained five-thousand eight-hundred and twenty-three years ago by my first ancestor, Garrett of Nol.
Robin: Nol?
Photon: Where my family originates from. It's a world parallel to this one. I was not born there, nor have I ever visited, but I do know of it's existence. Anyway, Garrett obtained these eyes after slaying a dragon; he used his magics with the creature's blood to give his descendents the eyes of dragons, capable of looking through any magic that did not exceed that of a dragon. Used against many of those great lizards as time went on, these eyes were kenned the "Dragon's Bane". They were especially useful to the greatest of all my ancestors.
(Robin is beginning to get interested, but wonders why the name"Nol" seems to ring a bell.)
Robin: What happened?
Photon: My ancestor's village had been attacked by a dragon; a very powerful one, a lord among it's kind. The wards surrounding the village would have prevented it from breaking in, but it's intelligence was vastly underrated. It assumed the form of a young man, and convinced a village girl to open the gate. Once inside, it began destroying everything. After it left, my ancestor hunted it down, and after a long battle, he succeeded in doing something that gave him the title of "The Greatest Sorcerer of All Time"!
Robin: He slayed it?
Photon: No. Any fool with a magic blade can slay a dragon. My ancestor actually used his magic to seal the beast away. Since dragons are highly magical, this is no simple task. Even more amazing, my ancestor was no older than me when he accomplished this! Most interesting was his sealing medium; he trapped the dragon inside of his own spellbook!
(Something clicks in Robin's mind)
Robin: Wait…this sorcerer…your ancestor, I mean…what was his name?
Photon: He was given many names after this feat, but he was most widely known as the Great Wizard Rorek of Nol, Conqueror of the Dread Dragon Malchior!
(Robin is positive of it now, but decides to ask one more question.)
Robin: And this book…what happened to it?
Photon: Who knows? Malchior's prison was deemed too dangerous to keep around, in case anyone ever thought to release him. It was sent to the neighboring world of Azarath for safe-keeping. But that was a millennium ago. Where the book is now, I cannot say, but in order to free the Dread Dragon, one would have to be a magical genius, and a complete idiot. If something is trapped in a book, it's good sense to think that it was put there for a reason.
(Robin thinks it over, and decides not to tell him.)
Robin: That's very interesting…
(Meanwhile, down the left-hand passage…)
Echo: Shiver me timbers, but this passage is long… This may take a bit longer than I thought…
Raven: Is there some reason Photon still hates everybody? Is he not happy with his human form?
Echo: Some old habits never die, lass, regrettable as it may be…
Raven: Speaking of which… You haven't been indulging in some of your own former bad habits, have you?
Echo: Well, okay, I admit it, I been drinkin' the milk straight from the carton again…
Raven: That's gross. But not what I was talking about.
Echo: Oh?
Beast Boy: Yeah. Medic, you guys haven't been doing anything to the bad guys that might make it so they'd need your type of attention, have you?
Medic: What? Are you suggesting that I have been causing unnecessary pain?
Raven: Not you specifically, but…
Echo: Look, that was ages ago! I thought we had some type of trust between your team and ourselves! D'ye take us fer some type of monsters!?
Aqualad: Evidently, some of the people you've turned in do. We've seen the records, Echo. We know that some of the people who've fought your team have ended up very badly hurt. Now we want you to tell us what's going on!
(Echo has his back to Aqualad this whole time, but finally turns and responds while staring the Atlantean straight in the eye.)
Echo: I don't know anythin' about it. Neither meself, or any of me mates would ever do anythin' of the sort! Ye've got these so-called "records" on the wrong pirate, lad.
Raven: Okay. We believe you. Calm down.
Echo: Thank ye. Now let's get movin'. I hear somethin' up ahead. We might be gettin' close.
Beast Boy: Medic, you said earlier that you couldn't cure death. Are you sure? Have you ever tried?
Medic: My friend, I simply cannot exert my power over something without a life-force. It just could not work.
Beast Boy: Oh… Well, that's cool, I guess… It was a stupid idea anyway…
Medic: My friend, is something bothering you?
Beast Boy: No. I'm fine. Everything's great…
(In the central passage, Bumblebee's group has reached another door. This one is nowhere near as big as the entrance doors were, and does not appear as strong either.)
Bumblebee: So, anyone bring a key?
(Starfire thrusts a hand forward, and her fingers crash through the metal door as if it were butter. She tears a hole open and steps through.)
Bumblebee: That'll work.
(The others all step into the room, except for Shotman, who has to crouch and step in sideways in order to fit. Inside the room is a huge metal structure that is giving off sparks of electricity. Some thick cords just below it are seen leading into the floor.)
Shotman: This is our target. Take out this generator, and the satellite will have one less to obtain full power.
Bumblebee: Then let's pop this thing so we can-
Overload: You no touching. You all destroyed right here.
Déjà: Mon dieu! Who said that!?
Shotman: We are not alone. One of the three monsters I mentioned earlier is in this room. And… the other two are guarding the other generators! (opens his communicator) Captain! Be on your guard! The generators are being protected! Watch your back!
Echo: Read ye loud an' clear mate! We'll keep our eyes-
(At that moment, there is a loud roar on the Captain's end and he cuts out. Shotman puts away the communicator and focuses on his own party's problems.)
Shotman: Come out! We know you are here! Show yourself!
(A bolt of electricity sparks out of the generator, becoming larger and larger. It touches the ground and forms into the lower half of a semi-humanoid shape. As the rest of the body forms, a black, rectangular chip lined with red slides out and takes it's position in the center of the body.)
Starfire: Overload!
Overload: Boss say you all destroyed! Overload must destroy!
(The electrical being brings up it's hands and fires bolts of electricity. Shotman dodges to the side and unleashes a volley of energy bullets. The creature absorbs the energy into it's form and becomes a bit larger. Shotman keeps firing, then his guns suddenly click as if out of bullets.)
Shotman: No! They've overheated!
Déjà: I can handle it, my friend!
Shotman: Déjà, stop!
(The warning comes too late, and as Déjà Vu claps a hand onto the creature, his body lights up like a Christmas tree. He is thrown into a wall by the shock, his green unitard charred and smoking.)
Déjà: Sacre bleu!
Shotman: Even if you hadn't gotten shocked, that wouldn't work. This creature is completely inorganic; you could never copy it.
(Bumblebee and Starfire have tried blasting Overload, but are having no better luck than Shotman. The creature keeps absorbing the energy and increasing it's size. Shotman puts a hand to a button on his shoulder and presses it. The cannon balanced on his shoulders fires and a cannonball streaks towards Overload. However, this is no more effective than the energy bullets as it passes right through the creature and crashes into the opposite wall. Bumblebee shrinks down to her insect size to avoid a few bolts of electricity, then flies higher as she resumes her full size. At this altitude, she hears a sound coming from the dent in the wall made by Shotman's cannonball.)
Bumblebee: (thinking) That sounds like…
(A light bulb pops up over her head, and she calls to the others.)
Bumblebee: Hey! Star! Big man! Hit this spot again! Give it everything you got!
(Shotman reloads his cannon and fires as Starfire cuts loose with her Optic Blast. First the iron ball deepens the dent, then the thermal burst from the Tameranean blasts right through the metal. There is a popping sound from inside the wall, then comes exactly what Bumblebee was hoping for; water comes gushing from the hole, straight from the water supply pipe that Starfire just burst.)
Bumblebee: Alright! Mas, Menos, surround that stream! Direct it to him, and soak him down!
(The twins respond to the command in a flash, running circles around the water to create a wind-tunnel, then bringing it right down on top of their target. Just as the typhoon hits, Overload releases his biggest charge yet as a desperate strike against the water. The water is illuminated, but still crashes down on the creature. As the water begins to drain out of the room, Shotman and Starfire tear off the metal casing of the generator, and Bumblebee fills it with Stinger fire. The many gears and sprockets within all disconnect and the electrical generator collapses in a heap.)
Bumblebee: All right! Way to go, team!
Starfire: Small friends, are you undamaged?
(Mas and Menos are sprawled out on the floor about five feet from one another, twitching a bit as they climb to their feet. Evidently, the charge aimed at the water hit them as well. As they get up, however, a circle of pink light appears around them and expands outward before breaking up and fading.)
Mas: What was that!?
Menos: Another hex?
Shotman: No… that was the original one… it symbolizes that it has been fulfilled.
Mas: But I don't feel any different!
Menos: And we won the fight!
Bumblebee: Well, keep your eyes peeled anyway. For now…
(She bends down and picks up the black chip, all that is left of Overload.)
Bumblebee: Let's stick this guy somewhere where he'll stay outta trouble.
(Meanwhile, down the right-hand passage…)
Gemini: I already told Star; Aidan is just fine! He hasn't even made anyone go deaf! I'd appreciate it if you'd stop acting like he's going to go on a killing spree at any given moment!
Photon: For once, I agree with her. I have never noticed anyone on our team doing anything too excessive, unless you count Déjà's ridiculous girl-chasing. Furthermore, as Echo is my friend, I'll thank you not to make any unfounded accusations towards him.
Cyborg: All right, all right, calm down, we were just-
(His arm beeps.)
Cyborg: Chamber around the corner. That must be it.
(Everyone rounds the corner and glances at the steel door. Cyborg extends an instrument from his finger, hacks into the key-card slot, and disables the lock. Everyone steps inside, and spots the generator. Speedy readies an arrow to fire at it, when a huge form drops from the ceiling; Plasmus.)
Gemini: Ewww! What is that thing!? I think I preferred the smell of the sewers!
Cyborg: Oh no, not this guy…
Robin: We should have figured they'd have these things protected. No other choice. Titans, take him down!
(Cyborg fires a burst from his Sonic Cannon. Plasmus stretches out of the way, then sprays green slime from the pustules covering his head. Before it can touch anyone, Robin throws some discs from his belt, which collide with the slime, flare brightly, and transform the mess into glittering ice.)
Photon: Luminos Necrodin Xendrenel!!
(The ice sculpture is surrounded by a bubble of light, then lifted into the air and thrown at Plasmus. The entire upper body of the monster is scraped off and splatters against the wall.)
Gemini: Nice shot! You got him! Gross, but you still got him…
(This is unfortunately only minor discomfort for Plasmus, who promptly sprouts another head. Gemini looks intensely grossed out. Speedy fires five arrows in roughly two seconds, all of which hit their mark and explode. Plasmus is left with several gaping holes in his body which simply fill back in.)
Gemini: I've seen enough! He's going down now!
(Gemini multiplies herself by fifteen and they all rush the monster. Plasmus inhales, then belches out a river of purple ooze which completely swallows the group of girls. The real Gemini's head sticks up from the reeking gunk seconds after.)
Gemini: Gross, gross, gross, gross, gross! I'm going to be brushing this crud out of my hair for a month!
(She pulls free, great hunks of the stuff clinging to her clothes and hair. She does her best to wipe some of it off while the boys begin dodging balls of slime that Plasmus is hurling at them.)
Photon: Is there a way to stop this thing!?
Robin: Put him to sleep!
Photon: I don't know any sleep spells! Hmm… but those energy bursts seem to work for a second… Why not hit him with mass quantities of them?
Robin: Good thinking! Cyborg, Speedy! Give him everything you've got!
(Speedy fires ten arrows in succession while Robin hurls two volleys of energy discs. Gemini multiplies the projectiles as they go flying in. Cyborg fires his Cannon, and the blast strikes the projectiles, setting off a chain reaction. The slime being explodes with a deafening roar. When the smoke clears, the walls are spackled with the maroon muck, and the five Titans are safe under a dome-shape of white light. Photon dissolves the shield and the Titans look out into the room. The generator got caught in the blast and lies in ruins. Beside the wreckage lies a scrawny, pale man in a black Speedo, who is sound asleep, snoring softly. Robin signals to everyone to be quiet and they exit the room. They are halfway down the hall before anyone says anything.)
Cyborg: Boo-ya! Mission accomplished! Now we just have to meet up with the others!
Speedy: Ugh! What's that smell?
(He glances at Gemini, who is glaring daggers at him.)
Speedy: Oh…
(At that moment, the passage in front of them is cut off by a steel panel that falls from the ceiling. Another drops from behind, trapping them.)
Robin: What-!?
(A radio crackles on from somewhere, and Killer Moth's amused voice sounds inside the steel walls.)
Killer Moth: Well now; the great Robin, trapped like a rat! I think you'll enjoy this, Robin. I hope you do; it was made to be used on you, after all!
(A vent on each of the walls opens, and a purplish gas begins pouring in.)
Killer Moth: Breath deeply, Robin; those walls won't be out of your way until every trace of that gas has been inhaled!
Robin: Why you dirty-!
(Photon glances around.)
Photon: Poison, most likely. If we all breathe it, the mission will be harder for the others. If we don't, we'll be stuck here, and they'll be no better off. Sigh Sometimes, to win, you must sacrifice a pawn…or even a knight. Robin, be sure to tell Echo that I'm sorry, but it had to be done for the good of our mission.
Robin: What are you-?
(Photon waves a hand, and everyone but him is cut off from the gas by a wall of light.)
Robin: Hey! What are you doing!? Don't be a fool!
(Robin pounds on the barrier, to no avail. Photon forms a bubble around the purple mist, then brings the bubble over his head and takes a deep breath. Every wisp of the fog rushes down his throat, and the trap walls retract into the ceiling. Photon dissolves his light wall, then drops to his knees, sputtering and coughing.)
Robin: Photon!
Gemini: Photon, no! Don't give in to it!
(Photon waves them off as he struggles to talk.)
Photon: Re- cough Relax; I don't think it's poison after all. But it's really sweet; I can't stand it!
(At that moment, a ring of pink light surrounds him, then expands out and shatters.)
Photon: Uh-oh… That means my curse has been fulfilled… I have a feeling I'm going to regret doing that…
(In the left-hand passage, Echo's team has reached the door to the generator. Raven performs as before, phasing them through.)
Echo: Alright, let's figure out the best way to-
(His communicator suddenly beeps.)
Shotman: Captain! Be on your guard! The generators are being protected! Watch your back!
Echo: Read ye loud an' clear, mate! We'll keep our eyes-
(At that moment, Echo cuts off as Cinderblock comes charging at them with an angry roar. Echo stows the communicator in his jacket and draws his cutlass.)
Echo: Titans, attack!
(Medic rushes forward and throws five shuriken at once. Cinderblock deflects the projectiles with his stony forearm and shoulder-checks Medic into a wall. The ninja pulls himself out of the depression, and there is a crackling noise as his cracked ribcage repairs itself. Beast Boy becomes a rhinoceros and tackles the stone man right back. As Cinderblock starts to get up, Echo's sword glows blue and he swings it. The blade-shaped sound energy slams into the giant, but only gives him a shallow cut down his chest.)
Echo: This thing's got skin like a barnacle! An' the mug of one to match…
Aqualad: Then let's try wearing him down!
(The Atlantean gestures at the wall behind him, and some pipes burst through. The pipes spray Cinderblock backwards and press him against a wall.)
Medic: It is working! Keep the flow going!
(No sooner has he said this, then the pressure dies down.)
Aqualad: What!? Where could all that water be being used at a time like this!?
-- You all remember the fight with Overload, yes? – The Cap'n --
Raven: Never mind. Let's just wrap this up. Beast Boy!
(Beast Boy, seeing Raven's plan, runs straight at Cinderblock who is charging straight at him. Just as he is about to collide with the rock man, he shifts to mouse form and runs between his legs. Not being the brightest creature, Cinderblock watches the rodent scurry through his legs while he himself keeps barreling forward. He stops the second he collides with the wall.)
Raven: Azarath Metrion Zinthos!!
(The pipes Aqualad had pulled from the wall become shrouded in shadows, then slide over the walls like serpents and wrap around Cinderblock as he starts to turn around. He is bound there by the pipe with his back pressed to the wall. He begins to struggle as Raven releases her hold on the pipe.)
Echo: I think not. Time fer a nap, mate. Have a lullaby.
(Echo begins to whistle, and small waves of sound issue from his mouth and surround Cinderblock's head. The stone behemoth shakes his head, unable to block out the high-pitch whistle. The sound finally becomes too painful for his mind to bear. His eyeballs take the shape of tiny swirls, and he ceases struggling.)
Echo: I think that'll do. Now, let's take this hunk of hardware apart, and return to port.
Raven: I'm on it.
(Raven phases herself into the generator and proceeds to take it apart, piece by piece from the inside out. While the others are waiting, Beast Boy hears something off by the entrance. He steps over to investigate, and hears the sound again, deeper into the dark hallway. He walks in, glancing around, and turning to look behind him every so often. He starts to sweat a little.)
Beast Boy: Okay, so there's some creepy sound coming from over here… in the dark… but that's okay… I'm not scared…
(As he is glancing over his shoulder again, a humanoid shape hangs down from the ceiling in front of him, upside down.)
Beast Boy: After all, there's nothing to be scared of down he- ahhhh!
(He has just turned and come face to face with the shadow. Before he can back away, the shadow opens it's eyes. The only visible parts of the eyes are the irises, which are glowing red in the darkness. Beast Boy takes one look at the red eyes, and his own eyes glaze over. The shadow speaks, and it can be told from the voice that it is Damien.)
Damien: And now… let the nightmares begin…
(Damien chuckles darkly, then vanishes into the ceiling. Back in the generator room, Raven has just phased back out of the generator shell, assuring the others that the inside is totally disassembled.)
Echo: Excellent, lass. Now let's get-
Beast Boy: No!
(The others turn in surprise at the shout, then rush over. They find Beast Boy hunched over in the hallway, clutching his head and screaming.)
Medic: Beast Boy, what is it!?
Raven: What's wrong!?
(At that moment, the same ring of pink light that surrounded Photon and the twins appears around Beast Boy and shatters.)
Raven: The curse… it's taken hold!
Echo: What happened, lad!? Say somethin'!
Beast Boy: (agonized) No! Nooo!!!