Chapter 3. ClAsh of the Titans
"Would you like to watch a movie?" Starfire asked, obviously bored.
"No."
"Would you perhaps like to go out for the pizza?"
"We're supposed to watch the tower while the others are gone." Raven replied dryly as she stared into the large monitor.
"When will our friends return from the tournament of heroes?"
"I have no idea." Raven turned and looked at her teammate. "Robin left us with the responsibility of keeping watch on everything and that's what we're going to do."
"If you say so." Starfire floated out of the room with her head hanging low. She made her way out into the T.V. room and hovered in front of the large window. She peered out into the horizon and then back to the beach of their little island, upon which the tower was build. She looked closer and noticed something moving toward the tower. It was a person.
"Raven!" she yelled. "Someone is approaching." Raven quickly came out and examined the situation. Starfire opened the window and the two flew down to the intruder. Raven used her telekinesis to steal Ash's weapons.
"What the Hell?" Ash said as he watched his chainsaw and shotgun float up into the air. He then laid his eyes on the two young heroines gliding down towards him.
"Sweet statutory." he muttered to himself when they were near.
"Who are you?" Raven asked threateningly while still holding Ash's weapons up high. Ash looked at Starfire, who's eyes were glowing green, as well as her clenched hands. Ash raised his arms.
"I'm not here to fight. I was dropped in the water by a book."
"A spell book?" Raven asked, her interest peaked.
"Sort of. More of an evil, end-of-the-world type of book."
"Let's get him inside." Raven said to her teammate.
"What is it?" Starfire asked as the three entered the tower.
"I have been sensing a dark magic at work for some time now. It must be the same power that brought him here."
"By the way, my name's Ash. What do they call you two lovely ladies?" Raven rolled her eyes.
"I am Starfire." the beautiful red head replied. "I am from the planet of Tameran. This is my teammate Raven."
"Charmed." Raven said dryly.
"Is it cold in here, or is it just you." Ash said as Starfire retrieved his weapons. "Thanks darlin'. Now, how about finding the book and getting me home."
"That would probably be a good place to start." Ash and Starfire turned to see Raven looking out of the window. They shifted their eyes in the direction of her's and saw that the sunny and pleasant horizon had just turned black with storm clouds. The thunderheads just lingered there, growing steadily larger, with random bolts of lightning striking the rooftops of buildings in the heart of the city.
"What gave you that idea?" Ash said as he strapped on his saw.
"Shall we investigate?" Starfire asked.
"Well, I'm not one to skip out on saving the day." Ash said as Raven rolled her eyes once more. Starfire grabbed Ash under his arms and the three flew off towards the gathering storm.
"So, this book you speak off is capable of possessing innocent people?" Starfire asked Ash as they neared the storm clouds. "That's terrible."
"Tell me about it." Ash replied. "I even lost my hand to the bastards."
"Maybe you can use one of Cyborg's hands when we return. He has lots of them."
"I bet he does." Ash said while smiling at Raven. "With girls like you around, I'd need all the hands I could get." Starfire giggled while Raven ignored him.
"Look sharp." Raven said. "We're almost there." They neared the center of the storm. Above they noticed the black clouds had begun to swirl as the lightning strikes increased in frequency and intensity. Below them they saw a dark figure standing directly beneath the vortex of storm clouds. In a flash of light, the figure was revealed.
"Slade!" Starfire and Raven yelled as Ash started his chainsaw.
"Ah, the Titans." Slade said in an emotionless, dark tone. "And, who is this? A Titan alumni, or a trainee?" Tucked under his arm, was the Necronomicon.
"The name's Ash, and you're screwin' with reality pal. On top of that, that's my book you have nestled in your bosom." Starfire and Raven landed on the roof and prepared for battle.
"I've taken somewhat of a fancy to this book. You're to late." Slade peered up. "It has begun." The swirling clouds opened into a dark tunnel, and out of it flew several glowing green spheres. Behind them, hundreds of flying deadites. Raven and Starfire gasped at the sight of the hideous beasts. Ash reacted a little different.
"Shit."
The deadites spread all over the city while the green spheres sought innocent people to make their vessels. Controlling it all, Slade.
"Alright buddy." Ash said after blasting a deadite. "Close that up or things are gonna get messy." Raven and Starfire began fighting off deadites while Slade handed the book to another flying demon, who then carried it into the portal. Ash took a step toward Slade.
"Ash!" Starfire yelled after blasting a deadite with a starbolt. She began to fly towards him.
"Leave him." Raven said. "We have to take care of these demons." Raven used her telepathy to pick up two cars and smash several deadites together. Starfire looked down to see that a mob of possessed people had gathered on the street below. On the roof, Ash was attacking Slade with his saw, but to no avail. Slade was way to fast. Ash whirled his saw around in a huge swing. Slade swiftly dodged and skillfully undid the clasp that connected the gas powered weapon to Ash's wrist. The saw fell to the ground, sputtered a bit and then died. Ash, out of breath, looked up at Slade. He was standing with his arms crossed, breathing normally.
"Your skills leave much to be desired." He said calmly. Ash took a deep breath.
"Desire this." Ash pointed his gun and fired twice. Slade took a hit in his upper left chest and one on the right side of his face, denting his armor and his mask. Blood trickled out of the slots in the mouth of Slade's mask.
"How'd ya like the taste of that?" Slade staggered back a step or two, but with almost inhuman speed, lunged forward, and tore Ash's gun out of his hand.
"I've had enough fooling around." Slade said as Ash made a fist with his only hand.
"Okay big guy. You wanna get tough, let's get tough." Above Starfire and Raven were powerless to help. They were destroying deadites as fast as they were appearing, but they just kept emerging from the portal. Back on the roof, Ash was struggling to stay on his feet. Slade was just to fast and skilled for Ash to fight hand-to-hands. Ash was swinging with all his might, but was unable to land a punch. Out of breath and fatigued, Slade was able to pick his adversary apart. He threw several consecutive punches to Ash's chiseled jaw. The hero staggered back and managed to block an attack, only to be kicked in the ribs. Ash clutched his aching side, giving Slade ample opportunity to swing with a left hook and catch Ash in the nose, shattering it. Blood poured down Ash's mouth and chin. Slade once again kicked hard at his ribs, this time snapping two and cracking three. Ash's knees buckled and he collapsed, looking up at Slade with two blackened eyes. He was then picked up by Slade's powerful arms.
"Goodbye, hero." Ash spit blood into Slade's face right before he was cast of the roof. He tumbled around and saw the mob of possessed people he was heading for. Their mouths drooling in anticipation of the feast that was headed for them. His ribs surged in pain as his descent was abruptly halted.
"I have you." Starfire said right before Ash blacked out.
Ash forced his eyes open. He could barely see through all the swelling. His body ached and he tasted blood. His agony was subsided by Raven.
"I put a healing spell on you." She said. "It won't heal you completely, but it will ease the pain and fix your bones." Ash's eyes began to focus on the heroines.
"Thanks darlin'." he said as he sat up. He noticed that both women were covered in blood, cuts and bruises.
"We were able to retrieve your weapons." Starfire said as cheerfully as she could.
"Well hoo-god-damn-ray." Ash said sarcastically. "apparently you were watching something else. I got my ass handed to me by some masked fruitcake."
"We thought you could use some good news." Raven said. "Starfire fitted one of Cyborg's hands to you." Ash glanced at his new right hand. He was quickly recharged at the sight and ready for another crack at Slade. He grabbed a steel bar on his bed frame and bent it effortlessly.
"Groovy." Ash said after testing his hand. "We need to take down Slade and get back my book. But first, what do you have to eat around here?"
Slade was staring up into the portal, the open Necronomicon in hand, watching it steadily grow bigger. He glanced down at his growing army of deadites, made of possessed people and flying demons from another dimension.
"My children," he said in satisfaction. "With you, I shall control everything."
"Hey tin man." Ash said as he landed on the roof behind Slade. "How's your face." Slade closed the book and touched his dented mask.
"Better than yours." Slade replied to Ash's still battered face. "Although, I admire your courage, the outcome will be the same as before."
"It'll take more than a horrendous beating to spoil these good looks." Ash revved up his saw. "Girls go!" Raven and Starfire accelerated toward Slade. Starbolts caused him to leap aside as Raven tore open the roof. Slade plummeted down and crashed through a solid oak desk. He sat up to see that he had dropped the Necronomicon and it had been buried under a pile of books that had fallen off of a shelf. Slade began to crawl toward the stack of literature until a shotgun blast stopped him. He looked down at the smoking hole in the carpet.
"I don't miss twice, baby." Slade stood up and dusted himself off. Ash turned to the Titans.
"You girls can handle yourselves. Mom and Dad gotta talk." Ash jumped into the room with Slade while Raven and Starfire flew toward the swarm of deadites.
"This time you won't be so fortunate to live." Slade said confidently.
"Come get some." Ash whirled his saw around madly only to have his attack dodged again. After several more failed attempts, Slade stepped back.
"Have you learned nothing?"
"Oh, I've learned plenty." Ash lunged forward and Slade once again disarmed him of his saw. As the gas powered weapon fell to the ground, Ash took a quick back swing and caught Slade in the jaw with his robotic hand. Ash threw several more punches, denting Slade's mask yet again. Slade staggered back into the wall as Ash swung with all his might. His punch was ducked under and Ash's hand went right through the wall. Slade turned to the pile of books, and as Ash struggled to free his hand, he found the Necronomicon. Slade leapt up through the hole in the ceiling and ran to the middle of the roof. Ash grabbed his saw and climbed up in pursuit. Outside, Slade looked on in disbelief as he saw his entire deadite "air force" wrapped up in chain link fence and sailing up into the air. Starfire concentrated all of her energy into a single massive starbolt that eradicated all of the unworldly beast. He then looked down on his "militia" and witnessed Raven cast a spell that expelled every deadite soul back into the vortex. The unbound people all collapsed in exhaustion as Slade glanced at Ash.
"Game over sparky." Ash wound up and smashed Slade with a hard right hand that sent him into the portal, disappearing forever. The book landed at Ash's feet.
"Well girls," he said as he bent down to pick up the book. "Time for me to go." As Ash touched the book, he was not swept away. Absolutely nothing happened.
"Bravo," Ash turned to see Slade standing on the far end of the roof. "Congratulations on defeating my substitute, but, did you think I would let you win so easily?"
"Easily?" Ash said silently to himself. Slade opened the real Necronomicon and looked up into the portal. Lightning struck it's pages and a dark, crawling fog emerged from within. It snaked it's way up Slade arms. Ash and the Titans watched as it was absorbed into his body. His muscles began to quiver as they started to grow at an alarming rate. In a matter of seconds, Slade's size had tripled and was still increasing. He looked down at the heroes.
"We may be in trouble." Ash said as Starfire and Raven looked on, shocked. Slade lumbered toward them with his hulking mass.
"He's not used to his size." Raven said. "If we're gonna take him, we have to do it now." Without hesitation, Starfire flew forward and lashed out with repeated starbolts. Slade was only knocked back two steps before he easily swung his arm around and knocked Starfire to the ground.
"This power is unbelievable." Slade said in triumph. Raven mentally picked up two giant air conditioners and sandwiched Slade between them. He simply tore the machines apart with his bare hands. He threw a large piece of metal in Raven's direction. Ash valiantly dove and tackled the Titan out of harms way. When he landed, something was ground into his hip. It was the bag of green eco. Ash got an idea.
"Girls!" he yelled. "Buy me some time. I have an idea." Raven and Starfire circled around Slade, bombarding him with starbolts and thrashing with telekinetic talons. Slade's size prevented him from being able to strike his assailants. On the other side of the roof, Ash opened the panel on the palm of his robotic hand.
"I hope this works." Ash said to himself as he poured the magical green mist into to hand and closed it up. The circuitry of his hand lit up as the magic raced through them and the once blue lights that adorned the knuckles flickered into an intense, bright green. Ash smiled as he rose to his feet.
"Starfire!" Ash yelled. The Titan quickly flew to his side. "Fire away." Starfire grabbed Ash under his arms, swung him around and propelled him at Slade like a bullet. Slade turned just in time to be struck in the face by a magically charged punch. A green cloud was emitted that soaked into Slade's flesh. Ash continued his assault, each strike releasing more magic into Slade's body. The two toppled over as Slade was racked with pain. The good magic and the bad magic were waging war inside of him.
"Lights out baby." Ash smashed his fist into Slade's head violently. His robotic hand exploded on impact and the last of the green eco entered Slade's body. The evil, black mist floated away from Slade and back into the portal, closing it. Slade's unconscious body immediately returned to normal size while Raven and Starfire grabbed Ash before he collapsed.
Back in front of Titan's Tower, the three triumphant heroes were standing on the beach.
"Well girls," Ash said. "It's been fun, and...uh, thanks for the hand. Pun intended." they had given him another robotic appendage.
"We will miss you friend." Starfire said as she gave Ash a hug.
"Yeah," Raven added. "Believe it or not." She presented the book to Ash.
"See ya 'round." Ash grabbed the book and was once again carried off to another world.
A short while later, Raven and Starfire were in the living room watching T.V. when Robin, Cyborg and Beast Boy returned.
"Anything happen while we were gone?" Robin asked. Raven and Starfire looked at each other before they told their story of the strange man that helped them save the city.
Ash sat up and looked around. He was in the middle of a dark street surrounded by homes that seemed uninhabited. Not surprisingly, the Necronomicon was missing again. Ash stood up and began to walk down the street.
"Not a friendly looking place." Ash said to himself as he noticed that there were no cars in the driveways and not a light on anywhere. After walking a bit, he finally came across a street sign and read the name out loud to himself.
"Huh, kind of a lack luster name. Elm Street."