-- Howdy! By lucky chance, I have just enough net access today to update! Happy One-Year-Closer-to-Armageddon! I am ever grateful for all the reviews, but really, I need specifics! Why do you like the story, people? What about it pleases you!? Give me specifics so I can write a better story! Sorry to be directing this only at you, Silver, but nobody else has reviewed yet... Where are you, x-CORE!? Anyway, time for the fun. Now, the reason for Photon having to be a collosal jerk in the last chapter is that he and Raven are each a supremely tough nut to crack; I can't match them up that easy. Besides, the effects of an aphrodisiac, even permanent, are no basis for a relationship. Romance must stand on its own. Now, that said, let's get it on its feet. - The Cap'n --
Part 13- The Only Way
(It is now the next day at Titans Tower, and they have agreed that in light of all the new couples and their recent big victory, there is only one honorable recourse; Party Time! Cyborg and Déjà Vu are working together to cook as much as possible, Medic is winning in a huge way over Mas and Menos in some video racing game, and Beast Boy is making Terra laugh with some jokes of his. The problem is, the same jokes are making everyone else groan.)
Beast Boy: …So the giraffe says, that was no walrus, that was my fish!
(Terra giggles and Gemini groans. Echo raises a hand and makes a quick horizontal motion across the air, like he is zipping a zipper. When Beast Boy tries to say more, no sound comes out; Echo has muted him.)
Cyborg: Ha ha! Finally someone has a good way to shut him up!
(Beast Boy puts on an angry face and begins yelling silently at Cyborg. It is lucky that he is muted; some of the words he is using would probably result in Starfire requesting definitions, and that could become awkward. Terra, now having nothing to laugh at, walks over to talk to Robin.)
Terra: Robin, I want to thank you and the others for all you've done for me…
Robin: Hey, come on. What are friends for?
Terra: And…I need to ask you… if it's okay with you…can I rejoin the Teen Titans?
(Robin stands expressionless for a second, then gets a grim look.)
Robin: Well…you betrayed us once before…and now that we've helped you out, you really have no reason to stay with us…
(Terra starts to back away, looking scared.)
Robin: (smiles) Except, of course, for Beast Boy. Just kidding, Terra. You're accepted. Here…you'll need this.
(Robin digs into his utility belt and pulls out a Titan's communicator, handing it to Terra.)
Terra: Thank you! I promise I'll-!
Gemini: Oh, that's what's in that part of the belt, huh? What's in here?
(Robin turns and his mouth falls open. Gemini is currently dressed in one of his uniforms, including the mask and cape. She is digging through the different compartments of the belt, examining all of the tools and weapons. Behind her, Aqualad, Starfire, and Mas and Menos are dressed similarly and giggling madly. (Speedy took the twin's place at the GameStation; Medic was crushing them anyway.) Cyborg looks over and chuckles.)
Gemini: Star, you were right about this!
Aqualad: Yeah, wearing a cape is fun!
-- I loved that episode just because of that joke. Make some time to go Robining. It's good for you! – The Cap'n --
(Robin smacks his forehead.)
Robin: I thought we agreed never to do this again?
Mas: Oh, come on, amigo!
Menos: You get to wear all this cool stuff all the time! Don't be selfish!
Robin: I can't see how you can find this that amusing…
Gemini: Well, six people can't be wrong, can they?
Starfire: Six?
Gemini: Yeah, Speedy's doing it too, right?
Speedy: I am not!!
Echo: But…yer outfit looks just-
Speedy: I've heard it before! It does not!
Echo: Fine, fine…hm? Sigh (sadly) Well, most of us can enjoy ourselves, it looks like…
Robin: I know…We just don't know what to do for her…
(These two are glancing at Raven, who is sitting off by herself with her nose in a book. However, there are some obvious signs that her thoughts are elsewhere. For one thing, she is holding the book upside down. For another, while her expression is calm, the skin directly beneath her eyes is red and somewhat swollen, as if she has been crying for a fairly long time.)
Bumblebee: I can understand him being angry over that virus thing, but this is just mean! Where is that jerk!?
Speedy: Next room over. He's doing something weird in there. He started pretty early this morning, and I think he's still at it.
(Echo, Robin, Bumblebee, Beast Boy, and Shotman go into the next room, and find Photon. He is hovering cross-legged in the air in his natural form. His eyes are shut, and a thin curtain of pale violet light surrounds his form. Bumblebee steps up and screams right in his ear.)
Bumblebee: Hey! Wake up you! I got somethin' to tell you!
(Photon does not give any indication that he has noticed.)
Bumblebee: So…what is he doing? Can he hear me or what?
Shotman: Deep meditation. He is currently within his own mind. He can't hear a thing in the real world.
Beast Boy: Inside his own mind? So, where's his mirror?
Echo: Mirror?
(Beast Boy explains about Raven's meditation mirror.)
Shotman: Oh! No, my green friend, Photon doesn't use anything like that. He doesn't need to. He can visit the inside of his mind anytime he chooses.
Bumblebee: Well, snap him out of it! This guy needs a lesson taught to him!
Echo: Okay, okay, I'll talk to him!
Robin: How?
Echo: Only one way… I've gotta go in there an' find him.
Robin: You can go inside his mind?
Echo: Once I'm in a dream state. Anyone can, really. But, he'll listen to me. Now, to get into a dream state, there's a fast way and a slow way. Since we want this done quick…Shotman, some assistance…
Shotman: Yes, Captain.
(Shotman raises a ham-sized fist and brings it down on Echo's head. The pirate captain collapses like a sack of potatoes.)
Echo: (dazed) Thank ye, lad…that'll do…(passes out.)
Robin: Now what?
Shotman: We wait. Pray that the Captain can talk some sense into him…That's all we can do for now.
(The Russian steps back out into the other room and takes a quick peek into Raven's thoughts. His brow furrows in sympathy.)
Shotman: (thinking) Photon, you great fool. You may have the magical eyesight…But you are more blind than I could ever be…
(Meanwhile, Echo is getting to his feet in what seems to be a grassy clearing in the middle of some woods. He glances around, and sees that this forest is on the top of a cliffside, overlooking a vast ocean.)
Echo: Looks like a countryside in here…Eh? I don't recognize those waters… An imaginary ocean inside his mind? (chuckles) A "fanta-sea" of sorts…
(Echo walks into the woods and comes to a four-way path. As he is wondering which path is right, he sees something sparkling. It is a tall golden statue on a gold pedestal. The statue is of a teenager with an eye patch, holding up a sword. Carved into the pedestal are some words: "Aidan "Echo" McQuain; A great captain, a better friend.")
Echo: Well! That's nice of him! Hm… I wonder… Say, could ye tell me how to find the beach?
(The statue shifts it's sword to point down the south path.)
Echo: Thanks, lad!
(Echo follows the path down to the beach, then wonders where he should go next. He then glances up and sees that while most of the sky is a light blue, much like the real world, there is one circular patch out above the ocean that is like a starry night. The stars in that section form the constellation Draco. Directly under this patch of sky is a small island that holds a round, stone building.)
Echo: Worth a try…
(Echo walks out into the water, preparing to swim, then notices that he is actually walking on the water.)
Echo: I've heard of hard water, but this is just-! Oh… Of course… this is inside his mind…the laws of reality don't always apply…
(As Echo begins moving towards the island, the scene shifts to inside of the building. It has no ceiling and looks something like an amphitheater, with a giant statue in the place of a stage. Photon is within, apparently in his holographic state, staring up at this. The statue shows a teenaged boy, the lower half of whose face is covered by a mask. The boy is holding open a book in one hand, and raising the other hand as if to call down a spell. Facing the magician is a giant stone dragon, mouth open as if ready to blast out a torrent of searing flame. The statue of the boy is roughly three times bigger than Photon. He seems to be having a one-sided conversation with it.)
Photon: I am lost, great ancestor. I don't know what to do anymore. I mean, it seems like I did the right thing, because it felt right at the time. But now…I'm just not sure anymore… Help me, great Rorek! Send me your wisdom! What would you do!?
(His prayer is interrupted by a green ball of light that flies into the room at that moment. It floats up next to Photon and makes some chittering squeaks. This must be a product of his mind, because Photon seems to understand the thing.)
Photon: You're late, Affection. I summoned you and all of the others here hours ago! Why have you been showing one at a time!?
(The ball, now known as "Affection" makes some more squeaks.)
Photon: Oh…so that's how it is, huh? Well, I didn't ask for you guys to do the thinking!
(Affection squeaks angrily.)
Photon: In a few more minutes, you won't be around to complain anyway! Now come here!
(Photon leaps on the ball and seizes it. He begins pressing it against his chest, apparently trying to force it inside. Affection squeals and tries to break away. However, Photon is too strong for it, and eventually forces the ball of light inside himself.)
Photon: And that's all of them! Now that I've got you all in one place…let's begin the ceremony…
(Photon materializes a box out of nowhere, and opens it. Inside is a silver dagger with a gleaming black handle. He pulls this out, and begins concentrating.)
Photon: Luminos Necrodin Xendrenel…
(The blade begins to glow with white light. Photon brings it up higher, then points it right at his chest. At that moment, some creepy organ music starts playing. Photon stands, holding the glowing blade for thirty more seconds as the spooky tones continue. Finally, he lowers the knife and casts an angry glare at the shadows behind him.)
Photon: Come out, Captain! I know that's you!
(The organ sounds abruptly stop, and Echo steps into the light, chuckling.)
Echo: Couldn't resist, mate. Don't let me interrupt. Continue what yer doin'!
Photon: Thank you…
(Photon raises the knife again, preparing to plunge it into himself. Echo leans against the wall, watching. However, after holding it for a long time, Photon finally shakes his head and drops the dagger. The glow fades.)
Photon: It's no use! I just…I just can't do it!
Echo: Maybe ye oughta drop yer hologram to give yerself more focus?
Photon: I'm not using my hologram; inside my mind, I always look this way. In any event, that isn't what's stopping me from pulling this off…
Echo: Um…what, exactly? An', what was that glow-bug ye were arguin' with when I got here?
Photon: That would be Affection, the last of my emotions left since I spent all day gathering them into my mental body.
Echo: Looks like he put up a real fight.
Photon: He was stronger than usual. Ever since last night, some of my emotions have been wreaking havoc in here… But if you wanted to see a real battle, you should have been here when I was busy with Affection's elder brother! He's become the hardest to restrain lately…
Echo: So, what are ye doin'?
Photon: I have had it with my troublesome emotions, so I am casting a spell from within myself to remove them permanently. This dagger will kill them all once I stick it into my mental body.
Echo: But…yer powers…!
Photon: My magic will become more powerful than ever! Without emotion to depend on, I can be as powerful as I can imagine myself! I won't even have to worry about my body being hurt… But…these cursed emotions keep killing my nerve to go through with it!
Echo: Well, before ye do that, I came here to discuss somethin' very serious with ye.
Photon: I thought this might come up, so I'll save you the long discussion; I don't have any feelings for her, I don't care what she's going through right now, and I'm not going to change my mind. Does that about cover it?
Echo: Actually, I was goin' to ask what ye wanted on yer pizza; we're orderin' back in the real world…
(Photon falls over in shock, but quickly collects himself.)
Photon: Mushrooms and pepperoni for me. Now excuse me while I gather my focus…
Echo: Ye know, lad…maybe yer emotions are fightin' this so hard because ye don't really want to do this anymore than they do. I think ye care a good deal more than ye been lettin' on.
Photon: Yeah? What makes you say that?
Echo: Ye may as well drop the pretense, lad. Ye can fool all the rest, but ye can't trick the Cap'n. I know ye, lad. Yer hurtin' inside just as much as Raven is. Yer just better at hidin' it…
Photon: Don't be ridiculous. It's not like that at all…
Echo: Forgive me fer sayin' so lad, but if it were any more obvious, it'd be stamped on yer forehead; ye've got it worse fer Raven than Colleen ever did fer me.
(Photon is silent for a second, then turns around.)
Photon: Are you out of your mind!?
Echo: Technically, we're both in yers, at the moment.
(Photon mentally kicks himself for setting that one up.)
Photon: Okay…even if what you said was true…and I'm not saying it is, because it isn't! ...what am I supposed to do now? It's a bit late to try and make amends, and I'd look like a real fool if I tried anyway! Besides, I've got a renowned reputation as a female-hater. If I suddenly stopped that, what would happen? I'd be swamped with idiotic giggling girls every single day. Who needs that? Anyway, there's no way she wants anything to do with me… Now that she knows I become that monster, she'll probably just run away. Just like all the others…
Echo: Well, I don't know lad. I don't have all the answers. But…I've got a question of me own.
Photon: Ask, Captain. You know I cannot give you a dishonest answer.
Echo: Okay…(grins) I was watchin' yesterday, an' I know yer memory of it hasn't faded in one night… Ye experienced yer first kiss yesterday, Mister Female-Hater, so I'm curious; how was it?
(Photon turns bright red, and does not respond right away, then looks at the ground and mumbles something unintelligible.)
Echo: Sorry?
Photon: (very quiet whisper) It wasn't the worst thing in the world…
Echo: How's that now, lad?
(Photon looks up.)
Photon: It was not entirely displeasing.
Echo: Sorry, mate, but ye'll have to speak up or-
(Photon steps up and leans right into Echo's face before shouting at the top of his lungs.)
Photon: I liked it, okay!? It was probably the single most fulfilling moment of my life, and I would have given anything right then to keep that moment going for an eternity, are you happy now!?
(Photon is now blushing so hard that anyone who hadn't heard him would think he had a fever. He is breathing heavily and glaring daggers at Echo, who simply has on an amused grin. However, his brain finally seems to catch up with what he has just said, and he backs away, going pale.)
Photon: Um…er…I mean…
Echo: Don't bother, lad. It's pretty obvious where yer mind is. Now that we know that, why don't we just put this behind us an'-
Photon: No. As I've already said, I will not be the one who looks like a fool and comes crawling back begging to be forgiven! (picks up the dagger) This is the only way… I have to get rid of these emotions before they consume me!
Echo: (thinking) This boy is sure stubborn… How am I to get through to him…?
(Suddenly, a smiling skull and crossbones pops up over Echo's head, and the skull lights up; his version of a bright idea.)
Echo: Well, when ye put it that way… ye know, I've been considerin' breakin' it off with Colleen fer a while now…
Photon: Hm? Why's that? You care about her don't you?
Echo: Aye, that I do lad, but…well, I got me a dream to adhere to. Me dream, as I recall, was to become the most feared pirate there is. What kind of a frightenin' pirate has a girl followin' him around? I just might have to try this spell of yers, mate. I don't know… What's yer advice? As a friend? Ye always were the smart one. This might be one more thing I should follow ye on.
(Photon is silent for a moment, then sighs.)
Photon: Captain, don't think like that. You just said you cared about her. I'm not the best advice on matters like this, but in your case, that isn't the right thing to do. If you really care about her, then you have to consider how a decision like that could affect Gemini too. Even if she is a girl, you can't just break her heart like that because of a few personal concerns. If your emotions tell you that you want to be with her, then you should trust your feelings; they know best, after all.
(Echo's trademark grin stretches across his face.)
Echo: Glad to hear we understand each other, at long last! I'll be waitin' fer ye outside, lad! Farewell!
(Echo sprints out the exit, howling with triumphant laughter. Photon blinks once, then twice, then his mouth drops open as he realizes that his captain, who has never been able to beat him in eight hundred and ninety-four consecutive games of chess, has just completely outmaneuvered him.)
Photon: Grrr…that roguish-! I can't believe him! He tricked me! Sigh …Even worse, he's right… What am I supposed to do!? There's no getting over this deep-rooted hatred of mine…but the alternative is no good either!
(His eyes fall on the dagger.)
Photon: Yes…that's it…that's the way out of this…the only way!
(Halfway out the exit hallway, Echo is still grinning, when he hears a sound that he knows very well as a sword-wielder; the sound of a blade piercing flesh. He rushes back to the inside, just in time to see Photon pulling the dagger back out of his chest.)
Echo: That fool…
(Echo's eyes shut, and his mental self fades. Back in the real world, Echo wakes up. Everyone is now surrounding him, and the Robin costume-players are back in their own clothes. Echo gets to his feet.)
Robin: Well, how'd it go?
(Echo shakes his head and points to Photon. Everyone looks, then sees some kind of black cloud rise out of the sorcerer's body. It takes the form of a winged dragon, then screeches loudly and fades.)
Starfire: What was that?
Echo: I'm sorry, Robin…I tried.
Robin: What? What happened!?
(At that moment, Photon awakens and stands. He looks around at everybody once, then turns and walks away.)
-- Geez! This guy is impossible! Well, final chapter is coming with the next update, my loyal mates. Let's hope all turns out well in the end... In the next chapter, Photon's real name is finally revealed. Now, just for some fun, everyone who sends reviews give me your guesses on what his name is. Then, we can see if you're right! In other news, I don't normally go with more than three works in the same storyline, but Kenshin-Sama thinks it would be a good idea if after Beneath the Ice is finished, I take it one step further and do a Next Generation story. I may wright it anyhow, just because Kenshin-Sama frightens me, but I will only post it if the fans want it. So, all of you out there, even you who have never sent me reviews, do so now and tell me what you think. Seriously, I want your input! Til next time! - The Cap'n --