Teen Titans: Villainy Chapter 3: The New Members Cometh, a teen titans fanfic

Fists flew, sweat flew, bodies flew.

In the ring, thronged by hundreds of jeering and cheering faces, two bodies swayed around each other in the ring, ducking, parrying, jerking, punching.

This ring wasn't easy to be found. This wasn't play-wrestling, this wasn't official boxing. This fighting took place in the back alleys, and worked their way up to the crowds in the seedy warehouses.

This crowd wanted to actually see blood. And here he was, giving it.

Well, like mammy always used to say, better to give than to receive, huh?

He ducked under a roundhouse, letting the wind swoosh over his brown hair. He crouched even lower; letting his feet twirl under him, tripping the challenger out from under him. An axe kick down on the fallen foe, unbelievably letting the blow bounce the man off the mat, before a quick punt launched him even higher up. As the challenger fell, he unloaded all his strength through his right arm (He didn't want to bloody the fellow, Left was overkill), tossing the man over the ring.

A bell was rung.

"Guys! Once again, your reigning champion, give it up for DEVIL HAND!" Mikey's voice shouted in the distance.

"Come on guys! Let me feel the love!"

Devil Hand got an empty beer can to the face instead.

Devil Hand followed frantically after the fattish Mikey as the two of them made their way through the empty warehouse and into a shoddy office that was only meant for holding down business whenever a fight took place here.

"Come on, Mikey! You can't just tell me to do that!" 'Devil Hand' begged, following after. So he was a brawler at eighteen, yes, but that didn't mean he had to be rude when off-duty.

"D', it's as simple as that, okay? I honestly like you, right? I'm just trying to help out here!" Mikey retorted, annoyed, "And for freak's sake, change out of that already! You look like some super-villain wannabe, which you're not!"

Mieky sat down in the aged chair, while D' looked down at himself. Red leather jacket was fine, but the tight black shirt with the minimalist red cross on the front? Meh. Double meh for the same design printed on the sides of the pant legs, vertical bar stretching down, horizontal bar wrapping around the width. Brown boots rode up the shins and covered up the tacky pants there. But if the cowboy effect wasn't enough, he had to do it with the red cowboy hat and sunglasses. And brown hair that went down and framed the sides of his face. Curiously though, while his right hand bore fingerless gloves, his left was exposed, showing the ghoulish blue flame tattoos that inked up the near whole of the back of that hand.

"Hey, man! I like how I look!"

"With how you dress you look like a… man, I don't even want to know what you look like! And the only reason why you like it still is because anyone who don't, you just stick their heads through the wall. Now back on topic, D'!" Mikey hoarsely chided.

"Look, when I came here, you said 'fight', so I'm fighting! Is it a crime for me to win?"

"It is when you keep winning for months in a row, okay! People want to see shifts in the victories, and when some –pardon me- punk shows up and just keeps winning, it gets dull!"

"So what, you just want me to lose?"

"D' it's only a few times! Winning ain't everything!"

"But I can't compromise my standards! I'll lose because I wasn't good enough! Not because I'm unpopular enough with the crowds! That's like saying they get a poll on whether I should die or something! I'm not gonna let myself sell out like that! If they don't like me, I'll just quit… wait-"

"Sorry D' but that's the only other thing you can do at this point."

Devil Hand clutched his head in horror, "I can't quit! I gotta pay my rent! You know I just got a place for once? I can't just not make any money! And I just can't lose on purpose either! I'd be a sell out! Mikey, please tell me there's gotta be someplace I can find work just beating people up, right?"

"Well… no. Seriously, D'. I like you, and I don't even know your real name! Just that you're a punk with that crazy left arm…and I can't tell you this, it's just stupid-"

"Come on, Mikey! We're buds, like you say! Anything to help me out!"

"…You're sure about this?"

"Any work at all! Just a place where I can get my Z's without getting kicked out for rent!"

Mikey sighed, before reaching under the desk to pull out a slip of paper, "Okay, just the other day, some girl popped by in a bus. I'd figure she's some nut, but after looking at her real close, she's actually the sort of nut that's actually dangerous. She was handing out flyers to everyone, and giving them a real dare for trying anything stupid. Dangerous, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, dangerous nut girl, so what?"

"The paper says she was part of some… thing, organization or something. Looking for hired muscle, but only the best of the best. And she was asking for super-freak best, like the psychos that play sandcastle with the city every other week, got it?"

"You mean like… super villa-"

"Don't say that word, D'! That's just junk in the comics! But they are asking for hired muscle, and seeing that your so insistent for looking for a paying fight, I have no choice but to give this to ya'."

"Thanks, Mikey, you're a pal!"

"Shut up."

With that Devil Hand took up the paper, and read quietly to himself.

"Friece and Valentine Foundation for Extraordinarily Talented Persons?"

The New Members Cometh

Valentine crossed her arms defiantly, her arms changing the patterns of blood smears on her smock and apron, and glared the evilest glare she could make.

"No."

Mr. Freeze sat the statue down on the cold tiles and looked back.

"You demanded a female member. I have delivered her."

The two of them were standing in Valentine's "room", which also doubled as her factory. Around them, unmoving forms lay on cold metal tables and were covered in sheets. Above them, traveling like some sort of twisted slaughterhouse, stainless steel coffins were being carried through the air on mechanical hooks, deposited in little nooks built into the walls, or being reordered in whatever way Valentine's logic worked. In a corner of the massive factory was where the only semblance of human life resided. Books and Volumes were piled up in a little fortress around a wood desk littered with notes, stained and aged with time, little lamps lying here and there, contrasting warm orange with cold fluorescent blue. Lined up against the back of the wall, a large imposing statue of a lion-headed figure carrying an hourglass on its back stood. In a corner, a mess of monitors and TV screens were being set up for some reason.

And in the center of it all, a boy, a girl, and a statue were arguing.

"Not her! Anybody but her! I thought you read the files of Jump City! Do you know her?"

Freeze's sharp eyebrow rose, "You also read the history of Jump City?"

"The recent years, yes!"

"Curious. I was almost convinced that the only literary works that interested you were books of magic or surgical procedures-"

"Don't get off topic! I don't like her!" Valentine protested, pointing at the statue.

"You did not specify whether your female team member had to be some one of your predilection."

"So you just decided to pick the easiest person? Do you even know anything about her?"

"Name, Terra. Triple Agent. Former affiliations, local crime-fighting agency dubbed 'Teen Titans', and criminal known as Slade, as of this moment, deceased. Known for displaying high-level geokinesis, was instrumental for Slade's attempt to control the city, more than capable of handling each member of the crime-fighting agency, as was last recorded. Currently considered deceased, given her unusual bodily condition. That is the extent of my knowledge, Valentine."

"And do you know how Slade died?"

"Eyewitnesses claimed he was hurled into a magma flow outside of Jump City, when Terra had attempted to call a volcanic eruption to destroy the city."

"Oswald! For your all your emotional dead-ness, you sure are stupid!"

Mr. Freeze's eyes narrowed harshly at the name, "Oswald Friece is considered deceased. His body has never been recovered from the desert."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever! Point is, Terra here was with the Titans, then she went to Slade, then she went back to the Titans! I'm not trusting anyone who cheats out on other people because she was feeling Achey-Breaky Heart at the moment!"

"Your trust is at your discretion, not mine. Do what you want with her. I have to prepare for the interviews."

Freeze turned smartly on his heel and left the factory, leaving the two girls alone. Valentine glared at the statue.

"I know what you're thinking. Just because I can reanimate the dead, plus I have tons of books on magic, doesn't mean you deserve any of it! No, I'm not tempted to fix you!"

The statue only looked on blankly.

Maybe the idea of interviewing for potential members was lapse of judgment on Mr. Freeze's part. After all, having so many criminals in one location would be something similar to shooting objects inside a barrel for the local authorities.

But never mind, here they all were, great and small, crowded in the lower lobbies at the bottom of the mountain.

"May I have all your attention please."

Everyone turned to the fifteen-year-old pale boy in a winter jacket, sucking on a tube that gave off white mist.

"I am Mr. Freeze, co-founder for the… Friece and Valentine Foundation for Extraordinarily Talented Persons, I would like to thank you all for coming here today-"

"You're just a kid!" A particular man in a large mechanical suit complained.

"…Continuing, coming here today. Only people with prepared resumes are eligible for interview, and interviews will be conducted-"

"Adonis is not taking shots from little kids who look like they stay indoors all day!" The same man snorted.

Suddenly murmurs started to agree. Freeze took this all in stride. "I assure you, that I am more than capable of making decisions, despite my age-"

"Look at you! What's the matter? Mommy afraid you might get a cold in the middle of spring? Wanted you all bundled nice and tight? Next up you'll be wearing rain boots!"

There were snickers everywhere, curious to see how this was going to turn out.

"Mr. Adonis, if you continue to take this indignant tone with me, I shall have no choice but to disallow you from auditioning and expel you from this premises."

The robot armor shook with the man's laughter, as he stepped forward, cracking his steel knuckles. "And what's a little muscleless twerp like you going to do about it? I bet I can just kick you out myself and take the leader role for myself!"

People cheered around Adonis' proclamation. Mr. Freeze hummed. "So you wish for me to demonstrate my physical prowess over yours?"

"Like you can! Ha, ha, ha!"

The two closed in on each other, people starting to mutter, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

"Mr. Adonis, I hope you realize that the leadership role is not indicative of the level of physical ability-" Mr. Freeze began, before his head was suddenly found underneath the floor, Adonis' metal fist on top. Everyone around cheered, while the hand curled itself around Freeze's head and lifted his limp body in the air.

"Not so tough are you, little pen pusher? Interviews? Don't make me laugh!"

Freeze's arm suddenly moved on its own, lifting a lighter with a blue flame to Adonis' mechanical wrist. In a moment, a layer of ice hand collected on the underside, while Freeze's other hand smashed through the weakened steel, twisting around his hand to the delicate insides.

"Hey! Get your hand out of there!" Adonis roared, before dropping the body.

Mr. Freeze fell out of his grip, in his own hand he pulled out a fuel line from the open innards that fed the hand motions of Adonis. As he landed on his knees, Freeze brought the blue of the lighter to the fluid pouring out. Like a flame catching on gas, ice traveled up the feed lines, up and into Adonis' armor.

The armor promptly burst apart into a pile of red metal and white ice and snow, a shivering skinny man in a red suit buried up to the waist in it all.

Everyone was silent as Freeze spoke up again.

"And for those of you late comers, I repeat that I only accept those who have a prepared resume, and interviews will be done in last name alphabetical order. Please line up."

Valentine eyes narrowed.

The statue remained blissfully unaware.

Valentine's grip on the tome tightened.

"I am reading this out of my own enjoyment. I am not tempted."

Freeze sat behind the fold-up table, looking over the credentials.

"Name?"

"I am the master of monsters! I am your greatest nightmare come to life! I am- CONTROL FREAK!"

"I see. And which one of these titles would be your preferred alias?"

As Valentine turned a page, she found something that piqued her interest.

"I didn't know I had spells from Japan! Hmm… spells to animate the inanimate using ink…"

She looked up. The statue was still there.

"Don't even think about it. I am not going to de-rock you… even if I do have… all the ingredients… and spells… and… curiosity to see if it actually will work…"

"DON'T YOU DARE REJECT ME! I CAN MAKE MY DADDY DESTROY YOUR STUPID SECRET LAIR IF I WANTED HIM TO!"

"Ms. Kitten, please consider this from a logical point of view. This organization requires much training, experience, and a full time commitment. At this point of time, I cannot see how your being head cheerleader in your high school can possibly be considered-"

"BUT MY BOYFRIEND'S ROBBING STUPID JEWELERY STORES IS CONSIDERED USEFUL? HE GETS CAUGHT ALL THE TIME!"

"His experience in the field is far more applicable, Ms. Kitten. I'll put you in file, and refer back to you when you graduate from high school-"

"GRRRYAAAAAAAGGGGHHH!"

Sparks and electricity moved across the room, before suddenly stopping. As Valentine coughed and waved away magic fumes, she saw the handy work in the center of the circle.

Rock had converted back into a golden tuft of hair.

Picking it up, Valentine looked back at the unmoving statue.

"Okay! So I proved it worked after all! That doesn't mean I'm going to try it on once living people okay? No… NO!"

"But surely, everybody loves magicians!"

Mr. Freeze folded his arms, "Mr. Mumbo. I already have a practitioner of the magic arts in my group. Unless you can display useful skills that she cannot perform, then I have no need for additional sorcerers."

"Ah-ha! Can she do THIS?"

Cards and rabbits flew everywhere.

"…"

"Ah-ha! The Amazing Mumbo's magic is proven as unique and splendid as ever!"

"Just because it is unique, does not mean it is useful."

"Well… er…"

"Next."

Next. Next. Next. Next. I am sorry, Mr. Rancid, shooting up the city on a joy ride does not count for you very highly. Next. Next. Next. Curious. Thank you for your time, we'll call you if anything comes up. Next next next next next…

I have a suspicion that every villain in this city is inept to the point of… oh…what is the word Valentine uses? Want to be? No, wait… that is a phrase…must be one of those strange, ill grammar slang phrases Valentine uses to assert her positive influence on popular society. Pitiful. One only needs to speak correctly, and those with their weak emotions get played along in frenzy of it all. How illogical. In any regards… all of them seem to be lacking direction. All of them only seem to be concerned with destroying the city, yet I cannot even distinguish a purpose why…

A hand knocked against the metal side of the entrance, alerting Mr. Freeze to one more.

"Um… hello? Anyone here? I heard that a foundation here was hiring muscle… so… I came to apply!"

Across the empty lobby was some ruffian in a vaguely cowboy outfit. Mr. Freeze wondered if he should just give in and glower for once, but kept his face straight while talking, "You are extremely late. All other applicants have left already."

"Sorry! I mean… I was kinda lost for a while. Didn't know how to get up here."

"Irrelevant. You are the last; I shall make time for one more. Sit down."

"Thanks, boss." The cowboy humbly grinned and nodded his head before seating himself.

"Resume?"

"Oh yeah! Here!"

Silence.

"You know… you're kinda young for a super villain dude." The cowboy said, curiously.

Mr. Freeze didn't even look over the top of his paper as he retorted, "Only one other man said that to me during the interviews. He left rejected, nearly naked, and with a light case of hypothermia."

"Oh… sorry if I offended you-"

"Name?"

"Oh! Devil Hand."

"Preferred Alias?"

"…Devil Hand?"

"…Well, Mr. Hand-"

"Excuse me? But, er… you say the whole thing together. Like it's connected with that little word thing where you put the line thing in between."

"You mean a dash?"

"Uh… yeah."

"Very well, Mr. Devil Hand. I can see… but in your own words, I would like to hear your prior experience."

"Well, I went to high school in Texas for a while, but I left after I graduated, because my family sucked. So I drifted a bit, till I got to this city a couple'a'months ago. So I started making some money in the ring, ya know? Woosh, Woosh?"

"…"

"er… yeah, so I make my money, and I get real popular since I'm good a beating people up in the ring. So I get really popular, then everybody hates me, so I say to myself, 'D' if you your not getting anywhere fast with all this fighting, find some place where you can get fast fighting.' And then I land myself one of your ads, and I go, 'sweet! This is the life for me!' Got it?"

"…I see. In short, your prior experience consists mainly of committing Assault in controlled environments."

"Yeah, I guess that's what the fancy way of saying it is."

"Do you carry any form of expertise or skill that distinguishes you from others?"

"Well, I beat up people real good, if that helps. Maybe your team needs someone who's just good at being down and dirty at it. Oh, and I got this-"

Devil Hand reached for his left sleeve, and pulled back the crumpled red leather, revealing an arm nearly completely tattooed in a continuous design of ghoulish blue flames. In the center of the back of the hand, there was a clean circle of flesh, with another circle of ink, making the hand look suspiciously like an eye.

Mr. Freeze peered at the arm for a while, "I assume you mean this arm carries special properties?"

"Oh yeah, boss! This here makes me super! It's a God Hand!"

"God Hand? And you are the Devil Hand?"

"I'm Devil Hand, and this here's technically supposed to be called a God Hand, but my family sucks, so I call myself Devil Hand."

"And apart from this, your main expertise is in close quarters combat and martial arts?"

"Well… if that's the fancy way of saying beating people up good."

"Devil Hand, you also claim that you wish to join our organization due to your financial situation?"

"Yeah, like I say, I was needing money and a place to catch some Z's"

"Mr. Devil Hand, you must realize though that this organization is non-profit."

"Huh? But ain't you guys all…er…"

"That is to say, we do not have a affixed salary. All funds are based on donations and charities received from the city. Understood?"

"Yup! That means I just gotta work hard to make the city like us and give us greens!"

Just then, the entire tower shook violently, before suddenly stopping.

"Dude, boss. You got earthquakes?"

"No. It is most likely my associate performing an experiment. Ah, this is her right now."

Valentine's smoky form poured itself out of the elevator along with the smog behind her. If looks could kill, whatever the sorcerer used on Mr. Freeze simply fazed off his blank face, and murdered Devil Hand instead.

"Freeze… EASIEST FEMALE TEAMMATE TO GET MY BUTT!"

Red Klaxons blared.

"Cyborg, what's going on?"

"Dunno what it is, man, but an earthquake's moving from the outskirts of the city right into it. At the rate it's going, it might total the whole city!"

"Then we're not giving it that chance. Titans, move!"

The T-Car slid to a halt at an intersection; as the seismic anomaly was just about to round the corner. All five of them got out, ready for battle as Robin pointed at the intersection.

"Get ready guys. Remember, no matter who's behind it, we're stopping it now!"

A thunderous step came after another, announcing the presence had arrived. Soon enough the asphalt started to crack like something heavy and beyond imaginable size was stepping on it.

Then it rounded the corner. Its shape froze Robin's instinctive "Titans, go" halfway up his throat.

A lithe stony creature, yellow light veining its body at various point. It turned to look at the Titans with eyes of shining of nothing but yellow.

Beast Boy found his voice first, albeit it was shaky, "T-Terra?"

Whatever it was, it merely screamed hoarse yellow light from its mouth, before it picked up a street with amber energy and hurled it at them.

A bus flew through the air, before bouncing to the ground and continuing to drive full speed into the city. Behind the wheel was a snarling and frustrated Valentine. Pitching wildly between the seats and the handlebars were Mr. Freeze and Devil Hand.

"Valentine, deceiving people was never one of my strong points-"

"You tricked me! You so totally tricked me! You just left me there and I couldn't but see if it would work!"

"That is just your natural curiosity abounding out of hand again."

"Um… guys. What am I doing here?"

Valentine turned around with another of those death-glare things that only killed Devil Hand, "SHUT UP! YOU'RE HERE SO YOU HELP!"

"Yes'm!" Was the squeaked reply.

"Valentine, are you actually going to inform us as to what occurred in your factory, as well as why we are here?" Mr. Freeze duly asked next.

"Fine! Since you were so insistent about it, I decided to go and try and bring the stupid traitor back to life! I was going to get God of Time to pull a favor and put a paradox in the room so her existence moved backwards, while everything else still moved forward. Then I also tried on of those Japanese animation spells, and those took a lot of trouble to make candles out of hardened ink… plus the circle design so finicky… and I had to put an alchemic array on top of it all, and then-"

"Valentine. Layman, and to the point."

"The combination spell backfired before I could finish it, okay? Everything worked until she decided to become conscious as I was about to do the alchemy, then she went psycho and busted out, and now she's going into the city, and you two are going to help me get her, because VALENTINE LOSES TO NO ONE!"

"I would have assisted you in any situation, Valentine."

"Dude, Val', if you woke up her up, how come she's all psycho?"

"Because a rock is not a human brain. As far as I'm concerned, she's just a fancy-made golem with some residual impulses and emotions that she has from her old form! And don't call me Val' until I give you the right!"

"So, uh, bosses, one more thing. We're the bad guys right? And she's destroying the city, right? Ain't that what bad guys do? Unleash monsters and cause mayhem and all that?"

"We are a group that commits self-gratification by abusing our powers. Taxpayers' money is being wasted on repairs, when it could have sat in a bank vault to be robbed by us. Understand?"

"And I only unleash monsters which are sanctioned by the Valentine Foundation! Golems, pah! Next up they'll be wanting me to make robot armies!"

Devil Hand wondered when bad guys ever got so… commercial. But the thought was quickly quashed as the bus speed through the air and back onto the ground, catching sight of a battlefield up ahead, where a yellow rock form was hurling all earthen matter at something around the corner, which they could not see.

"Hey! Val', Boss! That the thing you were talking about?"

Mr. Freeze only looked at the battlefield for an instant before deciding, "Valentine. Reach the natural maximum speed of this vehicle, and collide with Terra."

"Huh!"

"What!"

"I said, reach maximum speed and collide with her."

"My BUS!"

"Dude! You're gonna kill her!"

"Yes, with your bus we are in, and no, I have judged that Terra will survive the impact. Do it. Now."

"Terra! You must remember us! It is your friend-"

Starfire was promptly cut off by another flying piece of pavement narrowly dodged. Beast Boy also closed the distance, pleading.

"C'mon Terra! Snap out of it! It's us! It's me!"

Beast Boy yelped and jumped away from a deep fissure that stretched towards him, created by a single stomp by the Terra-looking stone creature.

Raven sighed, "Seriously, Beast Boy. I don't think she's going to wake up just from the sound of your melodious voice."

"Well, what do you suggest then?"

"Simple. Prioritize the city over her."

"But-"

Robin cut in, "She's right Beast Boy, we have to get her out of the city before she does any more damage to it, we can deal with her directly after that."

Cyborg pointed in shock, "Well, fearless leader, better start moving her fast. Look!"

They did, and froze at the sight of the golem beginning to raise the entire street behind it, preparing to hurl it at its foes.

It was promptly interrupted by a bus that launched the creature several blocks down the street in another direction, though it cost the bus itself a fairly crumpled front from the impact.

As the side door squeaked open, a cowboy and a blue hood came out, inspecting the impact from outside the cracked windows.

"Dude! You hit it!"

"Yes, we did."

"With a bus!"

"Correct again."

"A bus! Hit a rock girl! A rock girl!"

"Yes."

"Come on! How often does that happen? A bus. Hit. A rock girl! Like, bamf! BAMF! Like… dude! You just hit her with a bus!"

Robin's voice suddenly cut in harshly, catching both their attention, "Freeze!"

Mr. Freeze nodded his head respectfully, "My esteemed adversaries. I commend you on your isolating Terra. The Friece and Valentine Foundation will take over from here."

"So you're the ones behind this!"

"Valentine was instrumental to the revitalization of the current incarnation of Terra, yes."

"Whatever you're planning to do to Terra, we're not going to let you get away with it! Titans!"

With that, the heroes reformed around their leader. Mr. Freeze hummed.

"Emotions, how they get one assured so conclusively, despite details… Devil Hand."

The cowboy turned to Mr. Freeze, "Yes, boss?"

"I will consider your application with greater care and scrutiny if you give me a live demonstration of your skill. Please delay the local crime-fighting agency while Valentine and I apprehend our wayward teammate."

Devil Hand's jaw dropped, before it started to explain itself to the boy that stepped up into the bus, "Woah, woah, woah! You mean… me… against, all of them? All five of them? Dude, boss, I only took on little punks in the past, but this is kinda a big leap and-"

Freeze turned around, ice-dead eyes under the hood stopping the pugilist in mid-speech, "I only expect your best effort. I'm placing my confidence in you, Devil Hand. Valentine, proceed."

With that, the bus drove of, leaving a Devil Hand with a strangled gasp and five Titans.

Okay, think positive, think positive, think positive-

Devil Hand swirled around, hysterically guffawing and slamming a palm into his fist, "Okay! You all dorks… with super powers! I'll beat up you all… real good, 'cause I'm Devil Hand… and I'm… really strong!"

"Back off, Devil Hand. You don't know what you're getting yourself into." Robin coldly stated.

"Hey! I may be a greenhorn'n'all, but boss wants me to keep you all here, so that's what I'll do!"

"Fine. Titans, go!"

Between all the laser beams and black clouds and green glowing stuff and animals and bo-staffs and flying blades, Devil Hand seriously wondered what he was getting himself into as he suddenly found himself doing a diving drop kick into the robot-guy's face, and spring boarding off him to one of the flying girls and making her eat asphalt.

"Freezie, you sure that D' can handle himself?"

"No… but there is a fair probability of his success."

"Meaning you trust him."

"Trust is only theorizing which percentage of a simulation applies more accurately real-life situation. On other matters, what must you do to remedy the matter of the rampant geokinetic?"

"She's pretty much unstoppable right now. I gotta put down the alchemy array I was gonna use, get her into it, and transmute the rest of the body to finish what I started."

"And in the meantime, I must somehow distract Terra while ensuring that none of us receives any fatal injury before or after your alchemy."

Valentine scoffed, "And D' thinks he's got a hard job?"

"Yes, I agree with that statement. Open the door, Valentine, I see her."

Approaching the berserk yellow energy, Freeze leapt out the side of the bus, his lighter painting a path frozen for his feet to skate upon. In the middle of its rampage, the golem noticed Mr. Freeze headed towards it. The golem reacted defensively, like anybody would if a hooded thug was bearing down on him or her.

Thrown pavement, torn away bricks. Anything around the boy in blue was hurled at him, while he narrowly ducked and slid out of the way of each, getting closer and closer, while Valentine's bus turned a corner and headed further and further.

The same trajectory of attack, and no attempt to move backwards to create defensive space. Perhaps this form, moving by only instinct, lacks an aptitude for strategy?

No time for that, though. Freeze decided to ponder on that later as he reached striking distance. Manipulating the flames, he proceeded to blast the Terra-creature point blank with his flames, letting himself ride up and over the forming ice, until he was skating over a mound of hard ice, and back to the ground. Sliding to a stop behind his handy work, Mr. Freeze kept ready.

The frozen prison didn't even last ten seconds. Fissures erupted around it, splitting the ice while earthen pillars jutted out from under it, freeing the screaming beast. It turned its golden gaze on the apathetic blue form, and raged. Moving like of a life of their own, the piles of solidified dirt rushed towards Freeze. Reacting, Freeze also shot out his small metal weapon while stepping forward heavily, letting the flames wash over the sections and come out as rock-solid ice. With a hand gesture, the two pillars changed trajectory in mid-flight, crashing to the ground on either side of him.

The golem was far less than pleased to see its own handy work moving in ways without its consent. Roaring, it felt around it, looking for something heavier.

Mr. Freeze looked on as more objects floated into the air, readying for attack.

"It is rather ludicrous. You are so angry, you wish to hit me more and more, yet your anger also mentally limits your attack options, lowering your probability of a successful hit."

Skating away from the progressively larger boulders, only Mr. Freeze could make a monotone statement sound like a sigh.

"Emotions…"

Devil Hand's bastardization of Jujitsu, Capoeira, Wushu, Judo, Tae Kwan Do, Boxing, Jeet Kun Do, Wrestling, Muay Thai, Savate, and… whatever else really, none of them simply wasn't stopping any of his five opponents. Considering that one of them had martial skills as good as him, two of them simply flew out of reach, one was made of steel you couldn't even dent, and one turned into a freakin' Grizzly Bear…

Look D', just shut up and- GO!

Devil Hand clenched his teeth in effort as he punched upwards into the green bear's downwards-swiping paw, knocking it away. A lunging elbow cracked into the Beast-Bear's forehead, making the gigantic animal stumble, but hardly topple from the blow. It took all of the latest villain-to-be's strength, dug in the ground, driving forth with his tattooed Left, to launch his enemy away from him and into a car.

Of course, just then, Starfire suddenly had to fly in out of nowhere and start blowing things up around Devil Hand.

Seriously D', you need superpowers. You can't lose. You never lost. Not once in your lives. You used to have them all those befores, you need them NOW!

Just need to know how to get them…

Devil Hand dashed towards a lamppost, ready to kick off it and leap towards the little princess, but there was that thing about the whole stalk of metal suddenly turning black and ripping out of the ground and batting the mid-leaping pugilist into the side of a building across the street. As he fell out onto his knees, D' looked up and rolled away in time for a charging Triceratops to smash into the wall beside him.

Cyborg then suddenly came in out of the corner of D's vision, charging with metal fists. Swiveling around to meet the threat, Devil Hand easily swayed and ducked under the first couple of wild swings, before Cyborg flew forward with his right fist heading towards the pugilist's gut. Devil Hand, with both hands, managed to catch the appendage by the wrist before it connected.

Of course, he realized his mistake as he watched his grip fumble when the arm began to split up into a familiar glowing barrel.

Carp.

The stream of blue sonic impacted into him with enough force to bend the young villain in two as it knocked every single particle of breath out of him. Picking Devil Hand off his feet, he flew backwards into a wall of green leathery flesh, and collapsed to the ground while the rest of the suddenly rhinoceros form lay on top of him, pinning him between cement below and a hard place above. Hissing from the heavy weight and the pain, Devil Hand tried to grasp anything to pull himself away with his free left hand. But no, Beast Boy's sheer weight on him wouldn't budge.

He found metal plated boots in front of his vision, "It's over, Devil Hand."

"Dude! It's so not over! I ain't losing to a buncha… kids!"

Cyborg snorted as he aimed his sonic cannon at the downed fighter, "How 'bout you spend some time with an older guy, then?" Turning back to the rest of the team, Cyborg turned a concerned eye, "Robin, I'll take care of him. You guys gotta get to Terra before Frosty and Ghoul Girl do whatever they're planning to do."

"Fine, Beast Boy, stay with Cyborg and keep… sitting on Devil Hand here."

The look in the rhino's blank eye obviously showed vehement dissatisfaction at the his task, whether it was because of the guard job, or maybe…

"Beast Boy, I know you want to help Terra, but you can help her best by making sure he," Robin explained, pointing at the villain, "doesn't come and interfere. Got it?"

Beast Boy seemed to, but it didn't get rid of all the look. As the remaining three Titans flew off towards the sounds of havoc deeper in the city, Devil Hand's frustration grew.

I can't lose! I get an actual cool gig, and the first job I lose? I can't do that! Boss counts on me! I can't lose… I'm not going to lose!

As the rage and frustration burned and swelled and washed over his head, Devil Hand failed to notice the tattoos on his left arm beginning to glow an ember orange, the smell of brimstone wafting into the air…

The golem rose up into the air, supported by the floating rubble under it as it dodged the torrent of frozen flames that passed underneath. Down below on the frozen wasteland, Mr. Freeze brought another white cylinder to his lighter nonchalantly before moving it to his mouth, smoking out white mists as he watched everything. Eventually, he decided to pull out his phone, dialing a familiar number.

"Valentine. Report your status."

"Freakin- Stop calling me! Alchemy is a very precise thing! I might screw it up, and then I'd have to start over! This thing takes time!"

"Valentine, Terra is currently levitating in the air beyond my range, while gathering another arsenal. I also… see three of the local crime prevention agency in the distance; meaning Devil Hand has been defeated. I cannot distract them any longer. I must direct Terra to your location now, regardless of the state of your spell."

"Fine! I'll get it done by then. Stupid achey-breaky heart can't wait for anything…Locium, Vindai, Mundo, Accel."

The sudden memory of Valentine's location invaded Mr. Freeze's brain. Without warning, he snapped his phone shut and lashed out with his lit weapon. The flames washed over more of the hurled rocks, turning them into brown slush that fell apart about the boy in blue.

Valentine was always more skilled in taunting. "You, up there. If you still retain any conception of the English language, I condemn your horrid use of battle strategy and wasted potential of your ability. The terms for you are asinine, ignoramus, and most of all, a discomfort to me due to your high weight."

Whatever Freeze said, one of the following seemed to touch off something nasty in the golem's nature, giving it another shrieking roar as it dived down towards Mr. Freeze, who was already skating down another street while the flying rock chariot and artillery continued to bear down on the cold youth.

Pillars of earth exploded from the ground, stones hailed from the sky, and it was all one could do to not get crushed under the onslaught. Leaping high into the air, the boy swiveled about and fired a wide blast of blue into the space immediately in front of him. Manipulating the flames, the rampaging force, yellow aura, rocks, and all, was suddenly separated from Freeze by a gigantic wall of ice that stretched from building to building. The dull thunder of stones smashing against the hardened ice proved its worth.

Freeze dropped to the ground, inspecting his work for a second. It should be enough to make another head start.

That was before the three Titans dropped out of the sky, Starfire carrying Robin with Raven alongside, landing in front of the villain as he just turned around.

"Looks like you're trapped between a rock and a hard place, Freeze." Robin couldn't help but snipe, as they all adjusted their stances with various extra powers and weapons.

"I hope you realize this is not the time to engage in dialogue or combat. Your alleged 'rocks' in this case, would have no qualm with destroying either party, which would critically this city's ability to defend itself from Terra, and make it much more difficult for Valentine to complete her task. Now if you will excuse me-"

"You're not going anywhere!" Robin shouted, cutting in with glare.

There was a groan that shuddered its way through the group. Freeze turned around with a deadpan; looking at the sight of deep cracks moving up the side of the ice wall, "That is not advisable for any of us."

That was when the gigantic river of mud and slush churned its way through the shattering ice, the torrent rushing towards the four of them. Before any of them could react reasonably, they were all washed under the flood. The golem, surfing with its bare feet over the mass of it all, gave what sounded like a cry of victory. It kept a semblance of concentration on the mudslide below her, willing it to always keep moving, never rest, never until everything underneath was drowned and bursting from the seams in mud-

"Hey! Clayface!" A sneering voice chirruped out of the way of the tide.

The golem whipped about.

Down a street, there stood Valentine, arms folded. Behind her was her bus, though strangely, the engine hood was open, two jumper cables twining its way from the machine and clipped to two stakes pounded into the ground ahead of her. Wooden panels with painted symbols on them also were scattered about the paved lane.

"Yeah that's right, you cheap, achey-breaky traitor! I'm talkin' to you! So what crawled up your rock butt and gave you a bad mood, huh? Yeah, and be sure to speak in advanced cave-man this time!"

The golem roared at the discordant slander.

"What's the matter? Got a problem? Why don't you come over here and say it to my face than hide up there like a coward! Come on!" Valentine mocked, taking a step back and waving towards herself with her arms.

The mudslide easily turned about in its coursed and hurtled down the street towards the sorcerer. It collapsed pathetically the moment it came within feet of the wooden panels that lay all over the street. The drowning prisoners within the mud fell out, unconscious.

"Yeah-ha! Valentine Foundation approved magic wards prove themselves again!" The owner of the aforementioned whooped, not caring a bit about the conditioned of the freed.

The yellow glowing creature got to its feet confused, and tried to raise the mud. But every time the mess attempted to rise again, it seemed to gravity suddenly heightened on the matter, and forced it uselessly back to the ground again.

The creature sputtered, screamed, raged. How dare her element become powerless! First the blue thing told her element things she did not command, and now this! This was Sacrilege! Blasphemy! Heresy! This was not so!

"Yo! Achey-breaky Clayface with something crawled up its butt traitor girl! You done whining yet? 'Cause, I like to get this done now."

And it was all her fault!

The golem roared and rushed down the street, no longer able to control any more of the earth around her, other than what she was made of. All that was left on its mind was the sheer desire to use anything to pummel that delighted, grinning face. With its fists, if that was all left. As it rushed down the street, Valentine pranced into her bus, and jumped into the driver's seat. Jamming the keys into the ignition, the sorcerer slammed her foot into the gas pedal.

The bus batteries shuddered to life, and as the vehicle tried to cough to life, the electric current moved into the jumper cables, and all the way into the stakes in the ground.

And from the stakes in the ground, the power sparked to life the large patterned circle Terra had just run onto. Blue power surged from the now glowing alchemic array, tendrils snaking like bolts of electricity, and savagely surging all over the shrieking creature in the center of the transmutation.

Valentine closed her eyes at the sound, and nodded, "Hmm-hmm… the sounds of the repentant. But you're not ready to go in peace yet. Let's kick this up a gear!"

Moving a deft gloved hand to the clutch beside her, she moved the stick shift from "D", all the way to "4", and jammed down on the pedal with all her might. Outside the bus roared with energy, the transmutation roared with reactions, and the girl inside roared with pain.

"Hmmm… better stop before I kill her. Project seems to turned into my little baby or something… hate to see me lose again…"

In a moment, the circle faded to a dim glow, letting the stony creature outside stumble and hunch with exhaustion. There were no more yellow veins running up and down the creature, the yellow glow of its eyes a bleak tired glow. The stone flesh no longer moved easily, and it crumbled with every movement. Above all, it hoarsely panted, grasping for air.

Valentine emerged from the bus again, tome in hand, "Like a warhead candy, huh? Sour on the outside, but more fun once you get past the first layers! Acetius, Chelm, Metos, Ufrium."

As the pages flipped, a sledge began to materialize and draw itself out of the leather book, until it was hefted one handed over Valentine's shoulder, "Time to close this horrid chapter of the story of our lives. How about it, achey-breaky?"

"Hah…hah…K…Ki…"

"What's that?"

"KILL YOU!" It screamed finally, rushing towards Valentine, crumbling arms outstretched towards the sorcerer's neck.

It met the solid steel of the sledge instead.

Surprisingly, the stone face was nearly as solid too, bravely taking the blow, though it shattered as it reeled away, leaving a blonde pale head poking awkwardly out of a stone body as it fell onto its back. The human head gasped before its blue eyes rolled into the back of its head and lolled backwards, unmoving.

Valentine exhaled, and wiped the sweat off her face, and noticed the sky turning red as the sun began to fall back under the earth.

"…Yo! Boss'm! D's here to save the day!"

Valentine harrumphed at the approaching cowboy, "You're late. You missed my excellent showing up of our little golem here."

"Dude! I got beat down by five dudes, before beating down two of them, and I had to run all the way here!"

"Subordinates do not complain with what they are given." A muddy mass noted as it staggered towards them. All it had to identify by was the frozen tube of mud it was breathing through, releasing white mists, "Be sure to remind yourself of this if you are ever inducted into our ranks."

"I guess I should, boss."

"Freezie! You sure look like you took a roll in the mud!"

"I was suffocating in the mudslide, if it should make any difference to you, Valentine. It was very warm, and very painful because of it."

"Ye-ouch."

"So, um… Bosses'n'all? We gonna take the little chicky on the ground with us to the secret lair 'n stuff?"

"Yeah, yeah. D' and I'll take an arm. Freezie, you take the legs."

They grunted with the effort as they hauled the stone and flesh form to the bus.

"Hey, D'?"

"Yes'm Val?"

"The heck happened to your jacket?"

Devil Hand looked his lack of a left sleeve, the edges nothing but burned and charred leather, while the bare tattooed left arm shone unaffected and proud.

"Er…I got superpowers?"

"Tch. Just make sure it isn't anything random and stupid like achey-breaky here."

The conversation continued like that all the way home, for the four of them.

Episode 4: "Beyond The Grave" – And she suddenly woke up one day, and found herself who knows where, who knows how, who knows why, who knows when, and who knows who she is?