This chapter is and should be very surprising and out of character because it's not their character, it's someone else.

I'd also like to inform you how mean I'm being. I have chapters, eh, at the moment, 15-18 all planned out, just collecting dust, and yet I'm not posting them. Hm.

Enjoy!

Chapter 15

"Heroes Turned Traitor"

Number One, confused as to how many people were going to call her by that odd name "Ella", was in front of her Master now as he watched the computer, interested in whatever was on the screen. Her eyes wandered undisciplined around the room, unlike her normal form. Then, his finger hardly had twitched when her eyes were already focused in respect on the floor with her head bowed and her hands folded in her lap.

"You bring new information, I presume?" Her Master turned in the chair, watching her skeptically.

"Yes Master," She curtsied before standing straight and facing him. "Do you wish me to explain now?"

"Oh please do."

She brushed her hand against her throat, clearing it before she spoke. She spoke almost like a computer. "What information do you require?"

He tapped his chin for a moment before looking at her again, "What are their characteristics?"

Blinking a few times, she listed the options. "All of them?"

"Yes."

"How should I list them, Master?"

Another pause. "I want the alien and their machine, who will they follow?"

"The alien will follow her mate-," She changed her phrase, unsure of where the word 'mate' had come from. Her Master had told her she'd never been fond of animals or anything to do with them besides set them on people and watch how they destroyed things. She hadn't even known 'mate' was in her vocabulary. "She will follow her sidekick-reject and therefor if he was to," a small, conniving smile appeared on her face, "join us, or she believe he had, then she would soon follow. I doubt she can stand facing him again, in battle, I mean, of course."

"And the scrap metal?" He further pressed, feeling he already had an idea of Starfire's position.

She smiled a bit more. "He, too, will follow if a majority of his teammates have. His best friend, though, is the green shape-shifter," she made a disgusted face, as if he was an insult to their kind. In her mind, he was. "But his leader is also close to him, and since he has no significant other, he will follow him easily, especially if the alien is with him. He just wants them to be together. Like a disturbingly twisted family."

This time the pause was much longer. ". . . And what about the witch and her partner, what would become of them if their friends turned?"

Number One was about to respond when a voice, very clearly yet softly behind her began speaking, and she could do nothing but repeat what was said to her.

"They would not turn," She knew that much was true. "They wouldn't, so long as the other remained loyal. And somehow they'd probably know if we lied. They just do know things like that, it seems." But the next part, she was unsure of why she was saying it. "But, I do think that if they discussed the situation together, they would find themselves trapped and succumb to our will sooner and at the same time."

She felt that was a lie. A total lie. But the voice had said it. And her Master wasn't that stupid to believe every word she said without at least considering-!

"Very well," His words interrupted her thoughts. "You're instructions are as followed," He printed out a paper, handing it to her. "Recruit the three, and put the two in the same room once your done."

She froze. "But Master-!"

"Are you going against your word?" He demanded at once, almost glaring at her. He was warning her, really.

She paused before bowing, sighing quietly and then saying, "No Master. As you wish." And leaving the room, seeming to forget about the voice completely and then deciding she was right and this would work as she'd said so. Because she was always right (Me: Remember?).

She was almost out the door when, "Oh, child?"

She turned, "Yes Master?"

"Break them, please."

"Physically or mentally, Master?"

"Mentally, but if it's absolutely necessary-."

"Understood."

And then she left for Cell Block 41A.

Robin, having been chained only at his wrists, had managed to fall into a restless sleep when the door slammed open. He jumped to his feet at once, unsure of what to do with his hands incapacitated if an assailant came through the door.

But it was no assailant.

"Robin!" The familiar voice shouted, relieved and joyous.

He could not hide his grin. "Starfire!"

He ran towards her and hugged her very close to him, unable to hide his happiness. "Starfire, I'm so glad you're-!" He froze, pulling away from her. "How did you get out?" He asked cautiously.

Her expression was confused before a laugh, more like Blackfire's then Starfire's, began coming from her mouth. "Oh Robin," The voice changed, and he jumped away from her. "You're not one to miss anything, are you?"

His heart shattered, his happiness ruined for the day. "Ella . . ."

Starfire's eyes narrowed, morphing back into said character. "Stop calling me that!"

Robin, knowing he could do nothing to harm her, walked back towards the wall and slumped against it, sitting down. "What do you want, Ella?" He asked gruffly, ignoring her shouting.

Ella's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing of his comment. "I came to offer you a proposition, Robin." She answered, holding out her hand sweetly with a smile on her face. "Join myself and my Master, and I guarantee you to see your precious Starfire again." Ella was careful not to mention Raven, Cyborg, or Beast Boy. Robin's objective, as much as he disapproved of such favoritism in teams, was Starfire. Not his team. He'd do nearly anything for her, even if it were to compromise his morals.

And they both knew that.

Robin's eyes narrowed at her, saying nothing.

Ella smiled, and once again Starfire was looking at Robin, her face turning innocent. "Am I no longer important to you, Robin?" Starfire's voice asked him, even in the same accent.

Robin looked away from her. "Stop it."

"But Robin," She continued anyway, feeling as if she were on a roll. "Please, I do not understand why you do not wish to see me. Will you not explain this to me-?"

"I said stop it!" He shouted, jumping to his feet, only inches away from Ella's face, which mocked perfectly Starfire's shocked and innocent face. "I'd do anything for her! And you know it! So leave me alone!"

They stayed frozen for a moment, before Starfire once again looked more like Blackfire then her. "Anything, Robin?"

Ella, knowing she was pushing it, reverted back to her normal form. "My offer stands, Robin." She said quietly, almost sympathetically. She held her hand out. "Do we have a deal?"

Robin continuously looked at her hand, not noticing Ella slowly using her magic upon him, 'convincing him' that this was the best way for things. He, almost entirely against his will since most of it was Ella's magic, clasped her hand in a 'deal' manner.

"I'll . . . I'll see her, right?" He asked, unable to think of anything else.

Ella nodded, pulling her hand away and placing a crescent with a familiar symbol (although he didn't notice) on his chest, also not noticing his clothes change, spreading from the disk out, and covering his body in two colors. The mask stayed, and nothing from the neck up was touched.

"Oh, but of course, Robin," She said sweetly. "I would never go back on my word."

Starfire's head rose as the door opened. "Hello? Who is there?"

" . . . Starfire?" A hesitant and nervous voice asked.

Starfire's head snapped up. "Robin!"

This time, Robin had no doubt it was really her, and ran to her, his arms wrapping tightly around her body. Starfire, who had been chained to the wall from her frightful outbursts towards the guardsmen, had been forced into restraints. So all she could do was stand and partially wrap her hands around him. Robin noticed and turned back to the door, leaving one arm around her waist.

Starfire, although happy to see him, did not understand. "Robin, why are you-?"

"Starfire, I had to see you." Robin interrupted sadly. Ashamed, it seemed. Starfire noticed his clothing. "Robin-!"

"Ella!" Robin barked at the door. Starfire looked on in horror as the girl practically danced through the door, looking at Robin expectantly. "Take these off her."

Ella growled at him, "I'm not Ella, my name is Number One and you shall refer to me as such." She eyed Starfire. "And I cannot remove those unless she agrees to the same conditions as you have."

Robin turned back to Starfire desperately, his hands on her arms, stroking them up and down. "Starfire . . . "

Starfire had many thoughts race through her head. But only one series of slow, painful images filled her head. Robin, wearing an orange and black outfit better left forgotten, as Slade's apprentice. She saw it as if by a third party, watching from an angle near them. Starfire had her eyes narrowed, one green hand raised in warning. Robin face opposite her, pointing a lazor on his arm at her that had a red light coming from the edge of it, forming a small glowing ball. The scene faded into Starfire's eyes widening, and then faded into her putting her arm down, closing her eyes and preparing for the worst. She remembered her body glowing and falling into Robin's arms before feeling being set down and him breath his apologies before the red haze flashed and-.

She snapped out of it as Robin suddenly became very quiet. Starfire then touched her wet cheek, wiping away the tears that had sprouted fresh in her eyes. With a quick swipe of her wrist gauntlet, it was gone, and the sorrow mostly stuffed down.

"I . . . I do not believe . . . I wish to . . . I wish to stay on the same side as you, Robin." Her voice became quiet as she looked at the ground. Her hand intertwined with his as she looked up at him. "I cannot fight you again Robin," she said, quiet enough for only him to hear. Or so she thought.

Robin's eyes widened from under his mask. "Starfire-."

"Then it's settled," Ella interrupted. She pulled out another disk from her pouch, pushing Robin aside as she removed the black gem on Starfire's upper outfit and placing it in place of where the gem was. Starfire watched the metal jut out in calming shock, feeling almost suffocated as any type of surprise she tried to feel was stifled by something more soothing. More comforting, to an affect. She didn't like it, but it didn't necessarily feel like a bad thing. The metal surrounded her thin frame, closing up almost all of skin on her body. The little clothing she wore was altered, changing her skirt and shirt to a black dress that ended and started in the same places. Her metal covered the neck down.

Ella smiled warmly, seeming to approve. Starfire felt another rush of calming feelings replace any doubt she had. It occurred to her that it shouldn't but it did, and therefor her body ignored it, and therefore her mind.

Robin pat Starfire's hand comfortingly, looking just as worried as her, but also stifled by something. Ella walked over, removing the chains from Starfire's wrists, elbows, and ankles They walked hand in hand out of the room, both feeling dread and serenity at the same time.

Ella looked at the three members of the Teen Titans, watching in interest and triumphant pride as she led them down the dark corridors and to their new living quarters. It was not home yet, she knew, and therefore they would not call it that. She wouldn't even think it.

"Ella?"

She stopped, turning to look at Cyborg.

"Yes?" She questioned, shocked at the doubt it his voice. They shouldn't be able to feel anything but happiness and reassurance right now . . .

"What . . . what about Raven and Beast Boy?" He asked after a moment, looking concerned.

Ella blinked. "I-." She cut off, looking up at the roof and pressing a finger to her ear as if she was listening to something. After a moment she turned back to them, and they expected her to explain herself. She did not. "Please do not worry about them, just concern yourself with what is happening now."

They could do nothing but nod as her voice was so convincing they felt, once again, no worry at all, but that intoxicating feeling from before that they could not escape. Their faces turned blank, any feeling at all vanishing before the small quarter-demons eyes. Her face lit up and then the voice from her hidden earpiece spoke again.

"Well done apprentice, now take them to their quarters."

"Yes, Master." She breathed, then motioned for the three of them to follow her. "Now come along, no time to lose."

"Yes Master," They replied in unison.

She flinched horribly, as if it was sin to call her Master. The voice on the earpiece said nothing, though, and it probably was watching her. But her smile remained and she forced it into obedience to stay on her face.

"Please, do not refer to me as such," She sounded very strained, but the layers upon her voice were still intact and therefore they did not notice. "My name is Number One."

"Yes, Number One," They said in unison once more. Ella smiled and led them away, towards their room.

From above, towards the roof area where Ella had glanced after, they knew, she'd gotten orders from her supposed 'Master', the four of them waited in the shadows, watching as they left. Once they were easily well out of earshot, or even across the extremely large building rather, they dropped down to the floor, 'someone' having already placed a fake scene of the area over all of the camera withing twelve feet, which was to the end of both hallways.

"Good job, how long do we have Mason?" The blond dropped down, careful to make no sound. They followed her actions, landing just as quietly.

Mason checked his the modified watch, clicking the button to show the digital numbers counting down. "Uh-."

"I see," She interrupted, scrutinizing the numbers as if they would change, revealing a small glitch. But she knew Mason was far too good for that, and he would never make such an unnecessary mistake as a glitch. She turned to their guests. "What do you believe we should do next?"

Jinx touched her chin, thinking. Then smiled slyly. "Does it have to be-?"

"Try and keep things legal, Jinx." Kid Flash interrupted, holding back a laugh.

She pouted.

"Ah, here we are!" Ella, or, Number One shouted in false excitement and fondness. In truth she'd like nothing more then to kill them all and torture them to death in the most slow and painful way she could think of (Me: Which shall not be mentioned upon traumatizing small readers). But that would be blatantly against direct orders not to harm them unless completely necessary.

"This is the place in which we are to further inhabit upon?" Starfire questioned, looking at the brown doors with mild fear. It was stifled, once again, by some unknown force of unwanted comfort.

"Yes, actually," Ella responded, pushing the doors open with her powers as she led them inside their new home that she adored so much. She sighed at what she thought was one of the most beautiful things she'd seen. She sighed in pleasure. "Isn't it perfect?"

She didn't get an immediate response.

"Well, allow me to show you around-." She began. Then someone came pounding towards them from down the hall, cutting her off.

She glared at the stranger that approached. Starfire, her hold of serene-feelings breaking for a moment, watched as the person placed their hands upon their knees, bending over slightly as they panted for air. She mimicked their position.

"Please, are you well?" She questioned the stranger. She was, after all, one of them now . . . she might as well be civilized.

Ella then grabbed the alien's arm and hoisted her to her upright position.

"There's no need to level yourself with the human help. We're much better then them." The apprentice hissed at the alien, reluctantly releasing her before turning back to the now upright man. "What is it?"

"I-I . . . the prisoner, the one in number 38A," The man stuttered. "H-He's being difficult. He won't stop screaming about-!"

"Ssh," She calmed him, placing fingers on her temples as she tried to calm herself. "Is he calling for that stupid girl?"

"Girl?" Robin whispered to Cyborg. "You think he wants . . .?"

Cyborg grinned, "I always figured grass stain had a thing for her, but screaming for her . . ."

"Eh, well, a little, but it's mostly about his demands to let him out or he'll keep running into the walls and things, but every once in a while he demands to know where these ones," he jerked his head towards the three, "are. But mainly it's about the girl."

"Ugh! How did he even get out of his restraints?" She demanded.

The man cowered. "He didn't! But they are connected to a wall and he moves too much to be restrained-."

"Never mind. Shut up. I'll go move them." She muttered, clearly unhappy. Then, turning back to the former-Titans with a suddenly platonic smile, she said, "I guess you'll have to explore the room on your own. My apologies. Please make yourselves comfortable whilst I'm away. I shall return shortly."

With that, Ella took her leave and began heading down the hallway.

Beast Boy had now been banging on the walls for what seemed like hours now, and probably was. "Let!" Bang. "Me!" Slam. "OUT!" Smash.

Overwhelming feelings of panic was beginning to envelope his body and mine. But one thing rose above all.

"WHERE IS SHE?" He shrieked, at the top of his lungs, resting his body for a moment before taking his arms, being careful to only hit the chains and handcuffs against the walls or floor rather then risk breaking his wrist, and using all his force to bash them against the wall. He sank to his knees a moment before an image appeared in his mind. The image itself seemed to last forever, although he was only on the floor for a moment or two.

It was like a mute scene. Yet he knew everything that was said.

"You read a lot."

"And?"

"So, obviously you have to like the story to read it. So what's this story about?" He asked, sitting down next to her by under the tree with a hopeful and curious expression on her face.

Raven hesitated a moment before smiling slightly, her hood down. She began pointing to the dull but few detailed pictures in the book. She was talking a while before noticing Beast Boy was having a hard time seeing from such a far distance. She laughed slight, and his eyes widened. Raven patted the space next to her. "You can't see very well over there, now can you?"

The memory of her smile and laughter forced him to his feet. That happened almost two months ago. He wasn't letting that go anytime soon though.

His shrieks of rage seemed to grow louder know as the crowd outside the door cowered away from it.

Ella stumbled down the hallway, feeling oddly tired. She absentmindedly rubbed her wrist with her hand until she reached the door, a large amount of men pressed as far away from the door as the thin hallway allowed.

She growled, but it was not hear over the loud shrieks and bangs coming from inside the wall. Then, since there was a crescent-shaped line of people around the door, blocking any view of the door for her, she flicked her hands up.

The men were all thrown backwards with a shout. When they got their senses back, they saw their employers second-in-command standing over them. "Anyone have a syringe for the thing in there?" She said, not so kindly.

Hesitantly, a man in a coat, one of their doctors, she remembered, pulled out a white box from underneath him and opened it, revealing a large needle with a clear liquid inside. She picked it out of the box and tapped a finger against the glass. The ruckus inside the room continued, but it was momentarily ignored. "Will it work?"

"Absolutely," The doctor replied, slowly getting to his feet as the other men. "We've taken into account his human and mammal abilities. It should be far more then enough."

"How long will he be out?"

"A couple hours, at least."

"Good," She said with a satisfactory grin. She then turned, flinging open the door with her powers, needle in hand, and grinned smugly at the creature that turned on her inside. "Here kitty kitty kitty, that's right. Come here," She taunted, entering the room with her index finger extending and retracting, daring it to come closer. (Me: Mm, anyone else remember her doing that before? Eh? EH?) Shortly upon disappearing within the darkness, the men outside heard the screaming abruptly stop.

She exited, syringe empty. "Alright," She tossed it behind her, someone caught it, as it almost went inside of them. She couldn't care less. "Where's his mate being kept again?" Once again she cursed at using such an animalistic term.

The room was dark. It was dimply lit, and only by the fireplace across the room that had a TV above it. Their were three couches, and a archway that seemed to lead somewhere else, but it was too dark to see properly. They assumed it was a kitchen. Next to the archway was a hallway, and in the hallway (from what they could see) were six doors.

As soon as the door closed, any comfort they felt left them. It was relieving to have the clogged feeling leave them, but it left great pain inside of them all.

It hit Starfire a lot more obviously then the others. She collapsed onto the couch, sobbing into her lap. Cyborg was leaning against a wall, looking just way too out of it and far more distant then he'd ever been. Robin noticed this only for a moment before turning his attention to Starfire. Kneeling beside her girlfriend, he stroked her shoulder.

"Star . . ." He didn't know what to say. Any words of comfort he'd say would be a lie. He couldn't lie to her. No matter what.

She began sobbing harder, her body shaking with pain and fear and guilt and every emotion of sadness that existed as such. "We have . . . done something . . . terrible! And n-now . . . friend Raven . . . Beast Boy . . . we have betrayed . . . I do not . . . oh, Robin!"

The alien continued crying into her hands, and Robin wrapped his arms tightly around her back in the only form of comfort he could give. Starfire seemed to know that, and it only upset her more. They were bad guys now. No better then Blackfire. That was worse then death for Starfire.

"It's okay, Star. You're okay." He whispered. That much was true. They were all healthy. A horrible form of relief but at least it was true.

"Robin . . . what are we to do?" Starfire cried, raising her head to look at him with eyes so sad it was absolutely heartbreaking.

"I don't know Star," Robin replied, pulling her back into the embrace. "I really don't know."

For a while, the only sound was the cracking and popping sounds the fire made. Then-.

"We can help with that."

Cyborg, already near the switch, jumped at the voice and turned the lights on.

"It's you," Robin breathed.

Oh, who is it in their room you want to know? Ah ah ah, be patient. I, for some twisted reason, am enjoying this whole 'mate' idea. It's very primal, and a good idea for me. I like it very much, so there shall be such things in the future about this.

And do you like how I made Beast Boy remember the scene from the picture? I wanted to elaborate, but Beast Boy was only supposed to relax for a few seconds so . . .

Okay, so, I've been putting this off for a while, and I felt that I should explain the concept of Ella. Here it is:

Ella is the character who has no real bondage for anything. I can do whatever I want with her. I can change anything about her. That's why most of you probably are just like, 'What the hell? Why isn't she like _Enter_Name/Emotion_Here_?' and that's again, because she doesn't actually exist in the episodes, so I have nothing to base it off of. Just the small amount of time I used to piece the first one together. So don't hate her just because you don't get her. Hate her because she's a bitch who made the majority of OUR FAVORITE TEAM turn into villains who work for _Enter_Master's_Real_Name_Here. And, well, maybe you just don't like her personality and how crazy she's been so far.

But yeah, for some reason, I just felt like you Ella-Haters should know more about why you don't like her.

Later! (Apologies for long update).