Part 5- What The Hex Going On!?
(The chamber where everyone first separated is totally empty as the scene opens. Then, the central passage opens up and Bumblebee steps out, leading her team.)
Bumblebee: That wasn't so tough. Now we just gotta wait for Robin and the others, and we can plan the next move from there!
Starfire: I am having the bad feeling about this… I fear that something has happened to our friends…
Shotman: Do not be upset, little one. I sense the presence of the others- wait.
Bumblebee: What is it? Something wrong, big guy?
Shotman: I am not certain. Beast Boy's mind… He is in no danger, and he is not injured… but his mind…
Starfire: What!? What is wrong with my friend!?
Shotman: He's screaming… over and over…
Starfire: Why? For what purpose does he scream?
(As Shotman is about to answer, Mas and Menos cut into the conversation with their own screams.)
Mas: Senora Bumblebee!
Menos: Something is wrong!
Together: We can't touch!
(This news has an immediate effect. Bumblebee turns, and sure enough, the twins are desperately trying to touch hands, both pressing against an invisible barrier between them.)
Déjà: Oh-ho! Not so tough without your little trick, are you, you little-
Bumblebee: Shut up, this is a real problem, you moron! Big man, what's the word?
Shotman: Hmm…ah. The battle against that monster back there. When they soaked it, they got hit with an electrical charge. You, little one, (points to Mas) have had your magnetic field reversed by the charge, while your brother merely got a bad shock. Since your polarities are now the same, you cannot touch! Bad luck curse, indeed…
(At this moment, the right-hand passage opens.)
Bumblebee: Robin! Thank God you're here! We've got problems!
Gemini: You're telling me!? I'll have to shower for a week straight to get this smell out!
(Photon opens his mouth to comment, when his eyes fall on Bumblebee. In that second, there is the sound of a single loud heartbeat, and an image of himself pulses out from his body.)
Robin: What!? What do you mean, they can't touch!?
(Shotman explains the situation to Robin. As he is doing so, the left passage opens, and Echo steps in by himself.)
Echo: Robin! Lad, somethin' terrible's happened!
Robin: What is it!? Hey… where are the others?
Echo: They're a bit behind me. They're helpin' Beast Boy to get here.
Robin: What's wrong with Beast Boy?
Echo: That's just it! Somethin's wrong in his head, and we can't figure out how to help him!
Bumblebee: Not him too! That's two curses so far… All we need is for- Hm? What do you want?
(Photon has stepped up close to her, staring at her intently. He then speaks in tones that are lacking his usual sarcastic bite.)
Photon: Well… I'm not sure how to ask this, but… when we're done down here… you want to go out some time?
(Bumblebee takes a step back, blushing a bit, and trying to fight back a nervous smile.)
Bumblebee: Uh… well, I don't know, this is kinda sudden, and we don't really know each other, but, if you want to, I suppose…
(Echo is looking at Photon with a look of total incomprehension; his right eye is about as big around as his eye patch. Cyborg is looking intensely annoyed, although even he can't say what about at the moment. Next second, however, Photon has averted his gaze for a moment, and the usual coldness fills his eyes again.)
Photon: What…was I just doing!?
Starfire: I believe you requested for Bumblebee to "go out". Where is it she will be departing from?
(Photon glances over at her.)
Photon: Are you usually this clueless and…
(The heartbeat sound comes again, as does the pulsing image. Photon's eyes go back to being gentle.)
Photon: …and exceptionally lovely?
(Starfire's eyes widen, and she blushes even more than Bumblebee. Echo still looks completely baffled, while Robin is looking a tad miffed.)
Robin: Hey, what do think you're-?
Shotman: Hold on, Robin. I'm getting something… Ah-ha! There is a virus in his system! It is called "Spring Fever Lucky Seven"!
Speedy: Sounds like a perfume.
(Robin immediately figures out what has happened.)
Robin: Or some type of gas… now we know what he inhaled back there.
Echo: Alright, lad, let's have it: what does this virus do?
Shotman: The symptoms are visually activated, as you may have noticed. When he sees a girl, he will be filled with an infatuation for her. This will last until he looks away. If he looks back at the same girl, the symptoms return. If he sees a new one, the infatuation focuses on her. This is why it is called "Spring Fever"; it is an aphrodisiac, or "love potion".
Déjà: Ha ha ha! That's just perfect for him!
(Bumblebee smacks the back of his head.)
Bumblebee: Do you just think everything is funny!?
Speedy: How is that a curse?
Robin: Remember, it's the worst situation he can imagine being trapped in…
Shotman: With each new female he sees, the symptoms will strengthen and will even start to take hold whether he looks upon the girl or not, until…uh-oh.
Echo: What's the problem?
Shotman: The reason it is called "Lucky Seven"; when he sees the seventh girl, whoever it is, he will be locked onto her, and the symptoms will become permanent!
Photon: What!?
(He has succeeded in tearing his eyes off of Starfire, and is not happy at what he is hearing. A few light bulbs overhead explode.)
Shotman: On a happier note, it can only work if it has a base emotion to work with.
(Déjà Vu, Echo, Mas, and Menos all look extremely confused.)
Shotman: It means he has to feel something for the person on his own, even just a small affection, such as friendship. That tiny spark will then be amplified by the virus, and any inhibitions he might have will be removed.
Gemini: (thinking) What? But that can only mean… he doesn't hate us as much as we thought?
Robin: I can see how this could become a problem... Shotman, what's the quickest way to get rid of this disease?
Echo: (grinning) Well, I don't know, lad; it is kind of amusing…
(There is another heartbeat sound.)
Photon: Gemini, I never noticed how your hair seems to shine like that when the light hits it…
Echo: (suddenly totally serious) Alright, enough. Shotman, what's to be done?
(As he says this, he pulls Photon away from a flustered Gemini and makes him face one of the doors, away from everyone else.)
Photon: I was right after all… It was poison; the very worst kind!
Shotman: Unfortunately, it looks as though this type of virus is immune to Medic's powers…
Photon: (still facing the door) So just what am I supposed to do!?
Shotman: Hmm… There we are. The one who created the virus was Killer Moth. It is being kept alive in your system by an electrical current that is being sent to it wirelessly. This is made possible by a computer program that he is running in the enemy's central control room. If you can shut down that program, you will be cured!
Robin: Where is the central control room?
Shotman: That I cannot see; it is being shielded from my Inner Eye…
(In the central control room, Gizmo is observing a computer screen and scowling. It lights up and shows a human form on the screen with the lungs highlighted)
Gizmo: Your snot-brained virus has started up! (muttering) Stupid bug-man, coming up with worthless ideas…
Killer Moth: Who asked you, shorty? With this virus in Robin's system, he will soon be no threat to us at all.
Jinx: And how do you figure that?
Killer Moth: Think about it! Nothing distracts teenagers more than their hormones! With Robin obsessed with those girls on his team, he won't have time to think of a way to beat us! And when he's just about to the point of no return, I'll bust Kitten out of jail and have him look at her! She'll be so pleased…
Gizmo: Bit of a problem there, gunk-brain! This ain't Robin.
Killer Moth: What!?
Gizmo: Check the vitals, genius; wrong blood type, wrong DNA. You got someone else.
(That someone else is still keeping his gaze averted while the others decide what to do with him.)
Shotman: Unfortunately, if the virus enters it's permanent phase, it will be able to live in his system indefinitely without the electrical current.
Echo: How many girls has he looked at?
Robin: Three.
(There is the sound of a door sliding open out of the scene, followed by the tell-tale heartbeat sound.)
Echo: Then we just have to keep him from lookin' at any girls fer a while, an' keep the numbers out of the dangerous waters. That shouldn't be too hard.
Raven: What are you staring at?
(Robin, Shotman and Echo all flinch as if struck, and turn around. Sure enough, Raven has just walked through the door Photon was facing, and he looked before realizing what had happened. He now shakes his head as if waking from a trance in response to her question.)
Photon: Oh… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare, it's just… you have really beautiful eyes.
(Raven takes about three steps back with an expression that is torn between fright and confusion, and she flushes such a bright red, the outline of her face can be seen even with the hood on. It is hard to tell whether the unexpected apology or the comment on her eyes has had more impact.)
Raven: Wh-what!?
(Gemini sighs, then walks over to Shotman, motioning for him to lean down. He does, and she reaches up as if to pull off his headband. The white band multiplies and she pulls one away while another remains on the Russian's head. She takes the white band and places it on Photon's head from behind, cutting off his line of sight. He immediately backs away from Raven, by this point too appalled to even speak. Robin explains the situation to Raven, who is still slightly red.)
Raven: Uh… (suddenly becomes serious) Never mind! Robin, whatever's wrong with Beast Boy is serious! Medic can't fix it, and none of my spells can break it!
Robin: What exactly is the problem?
(His question is answered as Beast Boy is brought into the room by this point, being held by Aqualad and Medic. He is completely hysterical, with rivers of tears streaming from his eyes.)
Robin: Beast Boy, what is it!? What happened!?
Beast Boy: Terra! No! Terra!!
Echo: He's been goin' on like that ever since we took out that generator; we can't figure what's goin on!
Shotman: Let me see…
Photon: Wait. If Medic couldn't fix the problem, it could have a magical origin; let me look.
(All of the girls clear out of his vision range, and he lifts the headband just long enough for one look with his dragon-like eyes, then replaces it.)
Photon: It's magic all right; hypnotism. Vampiric style; that's not very common in this age. Not common, but it is powerful.
Cyborg: So what is this hypnotism doing to him?
Photon: Evidently, it's forcing him to see a certain point in his memory over and over; the death of someone he cared about…quite a lot, by the way he's acting…
Beast Boy: Terra!!
(The Titans give looks of deep sympathy to their friend, then turn back to Photon.)
Robin: What can we do? Can anything you know break this?
Photon: That's the bad news… Whoever did this was smart… he's set the hypnotism so it can only be broken if he sees that person he cared for alive and well. Even worse, if he isn't cured, after a couple hours of this, his mind will shatter.
Cyborg: How 'bout we just pop the little creep who did it to him?
Photon: Well that could work, in theory, but I got a glimpse of the caster through his spell; he's a dhampir. A strong one.
Robin: That being…?
Photon: A monster in human form. It has all the powers of a vampire, and immunity to sunlight. By what I'm sensing, this guy has a passion for killing. My advice to you is to
avoid fighting him if you can.
Echo: (thinking) A creature that even Photon fears… Not somethin' I'd want to meet…
Robin: We don't have a choice! If it means deciding between facing a monster and giving up on our friend, I don't even need to think about it!
Cyborg: Right on! Don't worry, BB, we'll take this thing down and get you back!
(Just then, a video screen pops up on the wall. Killer Moth is sneering down at them.)
Killer Moth: Congratulations on destroying our generators, Titans. However, we already had our satellite fully powered by the time you managed it! Our satellite will be ready to launch in just a few hours! Once it's in orbit, well… your cities will be much less crowded.
(The screen blinks off.)
Raven: Great. Now what do we do?
Echo: Shotman, can ye spot the enemy satellite?
Shotman: Hm? Grr…Curse them! They've moved it out of my range! I can't see it from here!
Bumblebee: So what, are we supposed to guess which way to go?
Cyborg: Well, we won't solve anything by standin' around here! Let's go!
Photon: Don't be a fool! You don't win by barreling in blindly! A show of brute force gets you nowhere without a plan, idiot!
(Cyborg steps right over to the blindfolded sorcerer, and presses his face so close, their noses are touching.)
Cyborg: Listen, pal, I've had just about enough out of you! Your attitude has been gettin' on my nerves all day! That and…and…
Déjà: Toying with the ladies affections!
Cyborg: Right! Wait, what?
Photon: "Toying with their affections"? As I recall, that's not entirely my fault. Furthermore, what's it to you, tin man? You afraid this viral condition of mine will lose you your girlfriend?
Cyborg: Say what!? She's not my girlfriend! Never in a million years!
Bumblebee: What he said! Not a chance! Not for someone like him!
Cyborg: Hey!
Echo: Now take it easy, lads! We won't get nowhere by standin' around an' killin each other!
Speedy: (mutters) You'd know a lot about that…
Echo: What!?
Starfire: Friends, please, we must not fight!
(Nobody listens as most of them have now taken sides and are now yelling at each other so loudly that nobody can hear a thing. Starfire turns to Robin with a desperate look.)
Starfire: Robin, what can we do? We cannot win if we fight among our ourselves!
Robin: All right, everyone knock it-!
(At that moment, either Mas or Menos, impossible to tell which since he is seen from behind, comes flying over after being thrown, and hits Starfire in the back. Starfire stumbles forward and collides lip-to-lip with Robin. The others immediately stop fighting and stare. Photon didn't see what happened, but heard everyone go silent. Starfire pulls back, blushing. While this isn't the first time this has happened, the only other time was in a very different context, and she understands a few more Earth customs by this point. Gemini smiles and shakes Starfire's hand.)
Gemini: Congratulations, Star! I knew you could do it!
Cyborg: Man, if you wanted privacy, you just had to ask.
(Robin is looking as if he'd love nothing better than to disappear right that moment. However, he collects himself and goes back into his "leader" mindset.)
Robin: We don't have time for this! We need to stop Killer Moth and the Hive, cure Photon's virus, and break Beast Boy's curse!
Mas: Hey!
Menos: What about us!?
Robin: Yours too.
Echo: Then… ye have a plan, mate?
Robin: As a matter of fact… I do.
Bumblebee: Kiss him again, Star; it seems to help!
Robin: I said enough. Now here's what we'll do: Raven, you take Photon, Speedy, and Aqualad and try to find that central computer to take out that virus.
Raven: Why do I have to take him!?
Robin: He's locked onto you at the moment; it'll be best if we keep him away from the other girls for now.
Raven: Why send me with him at all, then?
Robin: (whispering) Because he swore not to say anything against you; you'll all be better off without his attitude.
Raven: Fine…
Robin: Cyborg, you take Déjà, Gemini, Medic, Mas and Menos, and Beast Boy.
Cyborg: Where!?
Robin: Take him to see Terra. Maybe just the sight of her will be enough.
Photon: Don't count on it-
Robin: Save it!
Cyborg: All right.
Robin: The rest of you… We're going after that satellite.
Photon: Actually, I have a cure for my virus right now. Gemini, where are you?
Gemini: Over here. What's up?
(Photon draws his staff and appears behind her in a flash, raising the weapon.)
Photon: If I get rid of you all, I don't have to worry- oof!
(Photon is struck from the side by a blast of sound waves and knocked to the ground. Echo strides over and pulls him up by the front of his uniform.)
Echo: (coldly) I'll let ye off easy this time 'cause yer me best mate, lad. But if ye ever threaten Colleen like that again, I will not hold back.
Photon: Captain…
Robin: Enough! Titans, move out!
--Yay for situational humor and puns in chapter titles! Now give me some reviews, you ungrateful bilgerats! How long must I wait before I drill astronauts through your families!? Reveiw, or my crew will find you all! - The Cap'n --