Ach! I reveal to you who the Master was! Now what's Lucy gonna do? Hell, what's Beast Boy gonna to do Ella if she doesn't keep her hands off of Raven!?

READ TO KNOW!

Chapter 20
"We Don't Play Fair"

"Let. Him. Go." Lucy growled, shaking with the fury she tried to keep under control. That control was wavering. "NOW!"

Her outburst sent magic that matched her eye color shooting up around her, sending people skidding backwards from the small explosion. It even managed to knock the Master, or, rather, Lucy's father's hood off of his head, revealing the appearance.

It was easy to see where Lucy got her looks now. This man was white in appearance, like Lucy. She was practically the spitting image of him. But, Lucy's hair was much paler then this man's darker gold, disheveled hair. But his vibrant blue eyes were exact replicas of Lucy. It was a wonder that she was Blackfire's child at all.

But his hand slackened from her outburst, although not looking scared in the least. Struggling weaker now, for lack of oxygen, Hex and her father began slowly making a descent towards the ground. Hex finally found a hold to stand on the head of the throne, for they were still hovering, and stood on it at once, gasping for much needed air.

"Ah, my little girl is growing up, now is she?" He taunted her, turning his attention to Hex before becoming angry. He said his words coldly. "Is this what you wanted that I could not give you? Is this the reason why you left? Your hormones?"

Lucy looked disgusted. "What? Of course not! I'm hardly friends with the human!" She snapped. "I left because of you! My hormones hardly effect my judgment at all. I left because when I killed you, Mother would be blamed. Not me. And she'd be killed, not me." She pulled her hands together before ripping them apart, making a large ball of electricity. "I'd prefer to get rid of you, not her!"

"Hardly effect?" Her father continued, picking up on that before smiling evilly. "So you do want him?"

While Lucy was having this conversation with her father, Beast Boy was looking at Ella, whose grip had considerably slacked on Raven. He was waiting for the opportune moment of distraction to try and wrench her away from Ella and the sharp object near Raven's throat.

Lucy shrieked in irritation. "You're stalling. I'm what you wanted, aren't I?" She questioned, the ball disappearing as she let her hands push out to her sides, showing her figure to the man, who was looking at his daughter in a longing way that was creeping everyone in the room out severely. "You can have me! I don't care anymore!" She was shouting in frustration at him. Then, a small weak voice croaked out it's protest.

"Luce . . . don't . . ." Hex's voice was cracking, still recovering. His words were drowned out as he began coughing from the Master's now tightened grip.

"You stay out of this!" He snapped.

Lucy looked shocked before becoming enraged. "I said let him go, Blackstar!" She shouted louder, revealing his name to everyone.

Then Ella began in the conversation, speaking defiantly but not shrieking, like Lucy was. "How dare you-!"

"Hush, Number One," The Master said calmly.

After a short stare down with his daughter, Hex dropped to the floor, his body convulsing as he coughed up and wheezed the air around him.

"There," Blackstar said, pointing at the boy. "You're friend is free. Now come, daughter."

Lucy glared at him while Whitefire and Mason ran over to their comrade. Whitefire helped him sit up while Mason checked his pulse with his watch as it scanned his body.

"He's fine," Mason announced, although no one was really sure if they cared or not at the moment.

"I said come!" The Master shouted again, for Lucy had not moved.

Beast Boy was beginning to gain full strength when Lucy turned to look directly at him.

"Now." She growled. He didn't move. "Do it now!"

And he did.

Beast Boy lunged at Ella, to the girl's surprise. Managing not to hurt her, he grabbed Raven and kicked the knife out of hand, sending it somewhere into the crowd and its point digging into some spot on the floor. He managed to pull Raven's still weak form to safety. And before Ella could react to that, Lucy attacked Ella with a quick bolt of energy from her hands, knocking the girl backwards and into the wall.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Her father demanded.

Lucy grinned at him from over her shoulder. "I'm the jealous type. Which would you like, daddy dearest? Me, or her?"

"What?" Ella said dizzily, trying to stand and failing.

"Me or her, which do you want?" Lucy hissed, pulling her hand back to make a sword of lightning. She smirked at Blackstar's stunned expression, gloating in her momentary triumph. "Because I-!" She screamed before hitting the floor. Behind her back smoke was coming out of a now lowering hand. Ella, standing now and allowing her hand to flicker off as she placed a hand on her hip, frowning at the girl on the floor.

"She's a nuisance, it seems." Ella commented, stretching a little. "Although she can pack quite a punch."

"So it would seem," The Master replied, looking relieved. He flinched suddenly, shivering violently. He turned around to see Jinx, next to Hex with her hand on his head. Her eyes were pink and she had one hand out. "What do you think you're doing!?"

Jinx snorted. "As much as I dislike the fact that I now have my future planned out, I don't appreciate someone besides me trying to screw up any part of it."

With a grunt, she swung herself around and flung her powers everywhere, exploding many things in the room. She smiled at the display. "Hope you can run fast," she turned to look back at him. "Because your building isn't exactly going to hold up much longer."

"NO!" Ella shrieked.

Beast Boy felt Raven stir. His hands were draped around her waist and back and her own hands were on his chest, half asleep. She pushed herself away a little to look up at him, eyes squinting a little.

"Beast Boy?" She grunted, blinking rapidly.

He grinned down at her. "This is the second time you've had to wake up to this lovely face, right Raven?"

She rolled her eyes, but looked confused at their surroundings. The building was exploding all around. It seemed like the perfect ending to a villainy so strange. Then something unexpected occurred.

"No . . ." Ella was gasping, hyperventilating at the sight. "No . . . this can't happen! I WON'T LET IT!"

Her violet aura shot into the air as she threw her head back, her arms bent at her sides. It surrounded them all inside of it and together, all the superheroes and villains appeared somewhere entirely different and away from the collapsing building. It took everyone a moment to realize where they all were. And really only about half of them should have recognized it.

"What the-?" Beast Boy began, holding Raven closer to him.

Ella was laughing hysterically at the sight of confusion on the teenagers from the future and even her Master. All everyone really thought of her at the moment as they watched her was 'Oh boy, she's lost it'.

"What?" Raven demanded, confused and disoriented. "What is it? Where-?"

"We're home . . . I think." He replied. Raven managed to sit up against his chest and look around. She now understood the 'I think'. It looked like their home but somehow it just wasn't. It was . . . like a different version of their home. Cleaner. Newer.

More futuristic.

"You took us here!?" Whitefire shrieked. "You took us home!?"

Ella fell onto her knees, clutching her head. "Everybody just shut up! Shut up right now!"

"Wait, this isn't home." Hex continued, ignoring her as Jinx helped him to his feet. He leaned a little on her for support but was able to stand up well enough on his own. "This looks like-."

There was a giggling sound. A lot of giggling. Ella stood and turned, staring. An odd sort of peace fell over the area.

"It looks like it did before everything was taken," Mason finished, next to Lucy. "Whoa . . ."

The Master shot his hand into the air, making everyone squeal and hit the ground at the large noise it created. "Apprentice, I demand you take my daughter and come with me!"

"Don't do it Ella!" Mason shouted. The girl turned to him, making no protests at the name whatsoever.

"Who-?" Ella began, quietly.

"I know you don't remember me . . . but I'm sorry!" Mason said, eyes brimming with tears. "I'm sorry that this happened to you. I'm sorry that the first time I met you I didn't like you and that I was mean to you. I'm sorry that your mother gave you my father for most of your life and that you had to deal with him alone. But please Ella, just listen to me. Don't go with him. You know you're not like this!"

Ella was silent.

"Apprentice!" The Master shouted. "Do as I say! Come!"

"No, Ella don't!" Whitefire begged. "Come home!"

"That was an order, apprentice!"

"Ella-!"

"Listen to what you think Ella," Mason said quietly, and Ella heard him through all the jumble of shouts and begging. "What do you think is right?"

Ella shook her head furiously. "I can't deal with this noise!"

"What are we going to do?" Beast Boy whispered to Raven, who was still being held against him. "She's going to do something she'll regret if we don't act soon."

"She needs to think clearer," Raven replied, trying to think. What made her strong last time. What-? Her eyes widened.

Oh god no.

Gritting her teeth, she looked up at Beast Boy. "Beast Boy?" He looked down at her again. "Do you remember what made her stronger last time?"

Beast Boy took a moment before his brow rose and he blushed. "U-Uh, yeah. You and I having . . . eh, physical contact." He then tightened his grip around her, trying to hide the blush as he frowned. "But, well, we're kind of already, um, pretty close Rae. How much more can we-?"

Not allowing him to finish the question, which would force him to answer, she shouted over him.

"Ella!"

The girl turned to look just as Raven turned away and grabbed Beast Boy's face a little roughly. He'd already been looking at her confused and now his eyes were absolutely huge, matching everyone's reaction seconds later.

Raven, having a feeling that their contact at the moment wasn't enough (despite the fact that Ella was already having her doubts and responding to her real name), now had her mouth pressed firmly against Beast Boy's own, who had one hand on her back and one still on her waist from their previous position of him holding her up. Now it looked very . . . compromising. Everyone's reaction was priceless.

Robin's eyes from under his mask were huge, his mouth open slightly. Starfire, although she was inwardly ecstatic at her friends finally showing their affection to each other, also had rather large pupils. Her hand was up close to her mouth, worried that Beast Boy was actually in shock from how unmoving he was. Cyborg was leaning away from the scene a little, his irises mimicking the others. His mouth could have caught flies. Jinx seemed a little interested rather then disturbed. She hadn't been friends with them all long enough to really be surprised by this action. Kid Flash looked a little disturbed though. The others were a little more curious.

"Ew . . ." Whitefire and Hex chorused quietly, wrinkling their noses in disgust. Mason elbowed them, silencing the two. But that didn't mean he looked a little creeped out by their 'aunt and uncle' kissing in front of them. Lucy and her father's brow rose, but that was about it. Lucy didn't seem to really care but was the only one to tear her gaze away to look at Ella. She jerked back at Ella's reaction.

The girl was shaking all over, like the ground underneath her feet was having an earthquake. Her fingers were arched and she didn't seem to know whether or not be be infuriated, creeped out, or shocked by their actions. She shook her head a few times, violet trails of her powers coursing all along her body. It was then she fell to the floor, twitching violently. Mason was the first to notice and turned to her, beginning to head towards the girl convulsing on the floor. But Hex grabbed him and shook his head. Reluctantly, Mason watched with a pained expression on his face as Ella continued having her spasms inside of her.

Meanwhile, Beast Boy was so consumed with thoughts of Raven and his shock that he hardly noticed there was anyone else even there, let alone their reactions. After a moment or two though, he actually began to feel the kiss. Raven actually had . . . really soft lips. They were also very comfortable around his, like they'd specifically been fitted for his mouth and his alone. He tightened his grip on her waist automatically and the hand on her back did the same, pressing her closer against him. Raven's momentarily tense body relaxed rather then stiffened further at this. After what seemed like only a few moments of peaceful bliss, a piercing scream interrupted them. They pulled apart at once, turning to look at their writhing child on the ground.

With a last heave, her chest rose in the air before her body slammed back into the ground, unmoving as she stared up at the sky in some sort of daze.

". . . Ella?" Mason asked after a few moments of unresponsive movement.

After taking a few steps toward her, despite Hex's warning hand on his arm which he shoved off, he knelt down next to her. Ella's eyes slowly turned from violet to normal, the pupils slowly looking over towards her.

"Ella?" He repeated.

She blinked a few times, not responding. And then, ". . . Ma. . . son?"

He beamed and Raven gripped Beast Boy shoulders in relief. Mason helped Ella to her feet, the girl looking a little wary. He then nearly tackled her back to the floor with her hug, which Beast Boy wasn't sure if he should like or not. A bit of his way-too-early parental instincts kicked in and his brow rose, a lot like Raven's expression when he or someone else had done something unexpected.

"Ella!" Mason shouted, still hugging her. "You're back!"

She cleared her throat and you could once again tell from the reaction she was both her parents child. Raven's because her eyes were affectionate but uncomfortable. And because she was remaining calm enough to handle the weird situation she'd found herself in. She also lightly placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed him at arms length, reminding Beast Boy and Raven of the situation where Beast Boy had pulled away after Raven hugged him for the first time. She looked at him, confused.

"I went somewhere?" She asked him.

And there was the Beast Boy.

Whitefire smacked her hand onto her head. "Damn, you're dense!"

Ella shot her a glare before rubbing a sore head. "Ow, what happ-?" Her eyes then darted over to the Titans, all of them now having their arms crossed and narrowed eyes except for Raven and Beast Boy (he was still holding onto her). They were all happy Ella was okay now, of course but that didn't means she was off the hook. Far from that actually. After examining the situation her face dropped. "I did something bad, didn't I?"

"You have no idea."

Everyone turned.

"Lucy!" Hex shrieked.

Ella looked over the man, boredly as he held a struggling Lucy, whose legs were kicking a bit. "Who the hell is he?"

"Formerly," Raven replied, coming up to stand next to her daughter with a glare, watching the Master with her peripheral vision the whole time. "I am happy to inform you that he was your master and you his puppet."

"Why are you happy about this?" Ella demanded, confused.

Raven smirked. "Because now, you're in a whole lot of trouble."

Ella squeaked. "Oh, joy."

"Hello!?" Lucy snapped, still struggling. "A little assistance please?"

"Oh," Ella said, her eyes glowing again. "Sure, no problem." She smiled sweetly at the man whom she'd once trusted so completely. "For the moment I have no idea who you are or what you did to me, but since Lucy doesn't like you," Her face turned serious. "Neither do we. My lovely Teen Titans, and I do mean all of you," She said, eying Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg's outfits. "However oddly you are dressed." She turned back to Lucy, cracking her knuckles. "I do believe we have some business to attend to."

"Titans!" Robin and Ella said in unison. "Go!"

They all attacked, both leaders pointing fingers still in the air. Raven held back, not completely trusting herself but still used her powers to fling a black aura in between Lucy and the Master. Hex, stomping his heels into the Master's fingers, allowed his grip to loosen enough for Lucy to pry herself away. Jinx then gripped Lucy's arm and pulled her away smoothly, without any risk of attack. It was a villainous' job to know where the heroes were going to hit. They were in no danger.

Within seconds though, Lucy gave Jinx a look. Jinx gave her one in return.

"You aren't angry?" Lucy questioned.

"Nope," Jinx replied. Then she smiled smugly. "Just don't get my, ugh," she made a disgusted face, "son's little boxers tied in a knot too much by you putting yourself in danger. You got that?" Lucy nodded. Jinx smiled her approval. "Good, now go help your little boyfriend."

"He's not-!" Lucy began to protest but Jinx gave her a look that said she didn't want to hear it. With a sigh, Lucy turned and jumped into the battle in front of the mob. "Oh, daddy!"

People stopped, two restraining Blackstar as he struggled. But at the request of his daughters sweet voice he froze, all too willing to give up freedom for his psychotic need of fulfillment. She kissed her fathers head one last time.

"Goodbye, Blackstar," She said calmly. Then her hand shot out from behind her back and towards his chest.

There was a slicing sound, but Blackstar did not scream. He only looked at his daughter, feeling the triumphant emotion and everything else within him drain out with the blood. He determinedly watched her expressionless face as he fell, refusing to see anything but that beauty as he died. It was his wish and it was granted. By the time he hit the floor he was already dead and Lucy's shoes were beginning to stain with his blood. The red did odd things to her white outfit.

"There, all done." She said simply, as if this was no more then a chore around the house. Everyone was staring at her. She said nothing else before pulling her hair back into a ponytail, holding it in place with one hand and bending over. She removed her electricity-made knife and stood back up before taking a deep breath and plunging it back into a new wound. She gave it a jolt of energy and then the body turned to ash, disappearing into the ground. That finished she turned and left.

Hex looked anxious but did not move. Mason sighed.

"Go," Robin ordered before Mason could. The leader may have only known the boy for a little over a few hours but the love interests within the group were already painfully obvious. Geez, had Starfire and him been that bad? (Me/Everyone Else in Existence: YES!)

"Thanks," Hex muttered before heading in the direction Lucy had gone, shouting after her.

Ella, with a sigh, fell down to the grass around them, her legs crossed as she looked over the odd outfit she was wearing. "This dude may have watched me change," she stated, shivering. "Ew!" She then glanced over at the three other Titans. "At least I'm not the only one."

"What?" Cyborg said, looking down. "Oh, right."

They all then gripped the pendants and ripped them off their chest, flinging them to the ground like the trash they were. They disintegrated upon impact with the floor and their normal outfit reverted onto their bodies. Starfire grinned happily, stretching her arms and feeling comfortably free from the binding outfit. Robin and Cyborg did the same. At their actions, Ella soon located her own hologram and ripped it off her belt. It then reverted into an outfit Raven did not recognize. It wasn't the same as her old one.

"New duds?" Beast Boy commented, coming to stand next to her.

Ella looked down, smiling at her old self. "Yup."

Her outfit was a dark blue, shirt connected to a dark blue skirt. Halfway around the skirt was a white belt and a half-skirt behind it. There were also two straps going across her chest, which were a paler blue. Halfway down her legs were black tights and on her feet were, like before, shoes closer to Raven's, but matching the color of her straps.

Ella looked up and grinned, her hands on her knees as she moved her hips around (which looked like she was digging her but into the ground, considering she was still on the floor). "Like it?" She asked, coyly, trying to lighten the mood.

"You look like slut, as always," Raven replied, not buying it as she and Beast Boy crossed her arms. Ella's hope dropped and she gave them another weak smile like before. "We want answers Ella. Now."

"Oh dear . . ." She began, biting her nails as she began her tale. She turned desperately to her friends. "Uh, guys?"

With a sigh, Mason and Whitefire agreed to help tell the very long tale.

"You need to take it!" Whitefire shouted, shoving the bottle out at her.

Ella merely glanced down coolly before meeting her friends gaze with an even colder one. Her voice was calm but the anger and hysteria were still evident. "No, I don't. You need it more then I do."

"But-." Mason began to cut in.

"No." She responded, turning her gaze on them both. "This is a repeated action. I'll be fine."

"But what if you're not!?" Whitefire screamed, finally letting her anger get the best of her. "You're the most powerful of the five of us! Do you think just me and him can stop you? The whole team isn't even here to help! The only way to stop someone like you is to . . ." She paused before continuing with a stronger volume. "We couldn't do that sweetie. Not to you, or any other of our friends."

"And the only one whose been through enough to be able to do that to anyone at all is the person we'd be up against." Mason murmured, being quieter now.

After a pause, Ella turned away from her two friends, crossing her arms. "Doesn't matter. I'm not taking it. End of discussion!" She snapped before walking away from her two stunned comrades.

"She's just like her parents." Hex muttered, a small regretful smile gracing his lips.

Lucinda smiled as well. "Yeah. Stubborn and deadly."

-

"Shut up!" Whitefire hissed as she smacked her hand over her friends mouth. The people walked past without noticing them, after they were gone she removed her hand. "Do you want to get us caught?" She hissed, flipping her red-ish hair behind he ear.

"No." Lucy responded, "Where is he?"

"Right here."

Both turned around and found their other companion, Hex. "Took you long enough." Lucy hissed. "What happened?"

"Well Miss Albino-."

"If you call me that one more time-!" Lucinda growled, getting very close to his face and giving him a glare lions would cower away from.

Whitefire stood in between both of them, possibly saving Hex's life. "Alright knock it off you two. This isn't helping." She turned back to Hex. "Did you get a signal on her?"

"No, she's just disappeared."

-

Hex snorted, "I feel bad for whatever bastard becomes your Bitch."

Lucy glared at him. "What a classy way of putting it. Quite honestly I think I'd find you in the same predicament. In the same category as, how do you people put it? Whipped?"

And that was it for Whitefire, she threw her head back and laughed at the two bickering people. "Oh god, you guys are gonna make me hyperventilate from how many fights you guys have. It's just too hilarious."

Lucy crossed her arms and looked away from the two. "Very well, you find it humorous. Nonetheless, I'm here for one reason and one reason only-."

"To get a Bitch?" Hex mocked.

Lucy gave him a cold look before responding. "No, to get what was taken from my kind." She stood up, "And you know just as well as I do I find no interest in such contact with the opposite gender."

Hex smirked. "Thank god for that."

Lucy simply rolled her eyes before leaving the room.

Hex was feeling quite defiant before Whitefire's small giggle filled his ears. He glanced at her curiously, "What?"

Whitefire's giggles ceased before she too stood. "Face it babe, you're whipped for that girl." And with that she continued her cackle and began to leave the room, and before he could respond she added her parting words. "And what you see in her, I will never know."

Hex sighed and shook his head before turning back to face the computer in front of him. "Whatever dude, just ignore her." The sound of his fingers hitting the keys filled the room repeatedly. Mason had taught him how to use it minimally, while he was away, and Lucy would be leaving soon as well to assist him. After a few minutes he sighed again as the message popped up again on the screen. After a few more moments, he got up and left for bed. Leaving the message plastered across the screen.

SUBJECT NOT FOUND. COMMUNICATIONS DISABLED.

-

Whitefire's slightly tanned, delicate finger traced the pattern on the tile for the desk, waiting for the machine to load. "Ugh! This is taking forever!"

"Will you shut up? Hex snapped at Whitefire as he continued to drum his fingers across the keyboard, continuing to type in the code. "Some of us are trying to work here!"

"Since when do you work?" Lucinda retorted cruelly, her fingers moving in the air as she used her powers to do something she refused to let either of them see. All they knew was she was building or fixing something from what they had guessed.

"Since I became a member of whatever the hell you're doing that you won't tell us about." Hex shot back, fighting down the irritation she normally got out of him.

Lucy seemed to have ignored him, but after a few minutes a slight ringing sound was heard, like a machine restarting. "You're about to find out 'whatever the hell I'm doing'." She answered as she hooked up the strange device to the screen, despite his protests.

Whitefire's jaw dropped slightly as she gazed in wonder. "What are you-?"

"Ssh." Lucy soothed gently, not turning to face them.

"LOADING . . . LOADING . . . PLEASE STATE YOUR DESTINATION OR SUBJECT."

Lucy smiled at her accomplishment as the device's voice rang out clearly in the silence. "Subject: Codenamed, Silent Evil." Both behind her cringed as she spoke of their friend so harshly, yet unfortunately, truthfully.

"PLEASE STATE YOUR USAGE."

"Whereabouts please." Lucy answered the machine. Her hands were folded behind her back as if she was addressing someone in her class (as in rank, like noble to noble instead of noble to peasant).

"SEARCHING . . . SEARCHING . . . SEARCHING . . . SUBJECT-."

"Oh-." Hex began

"-My-." Whitefire added.

"-God." They finished together while Lucy watched the machine in triumph.

"-FOUND."

-

"Where are we?" Ella asked, looking around the underground area.

"Home," Blackstar, or her Master answered. "At least, it's your old home."

The teenager scraped her finger one of the rusted bolts and a large amount of grease came off of it. "This is where I used to live?"

The Master didn't have an expression, he never did, she remembered. "You never used to complain." He said, ending her speech all together for a moment.

" . . . So," Ella began. "What did I used to do?"

"You really don't remember?" He asked, sounding surprised. Ella felt, for some reason, very stupid at the moment, shaking her head slowly like she was unsure of her definite answer. "Well, you used to be my apprentice. You've been training for a while now."

"Since I was . . . nine. Right?" Ella asked.

He stiffened, somehow that was visible through the clothing. "Yes. . . you remember that?"

"Isn't that a good thing?"

All was quiet for a moment before he dismissed whatever he was thinking and nodded. "Yes, that is good. It means that your natural responses should be coming back soon."

Ella eyed him carefully before gesturing to the dark areas around them. "May I?"

"Of course."

And with that she curtsied (for a reason unknown to her) and left to explore the place that seemed both familiar and alien to her. He watched her with interest 'She's well mannered, strong, logical, and strange,' He thought. 'Too bad she's too trustful.'

-

Ella had the radio on, sitting cross legged in front of the side table on the floor rather then on the couch. He said it was nothing out of the ordinary for her to sit in a strange place, so she continued with her actions very casually. The Master wouldn't let her until she was comfortable with her actions again, so she had asked permission to listen to the radio. He of course, had yet to leave her completely alone, so he sat on the other side of the room, doing something on a computer.

"I like this song." Ella said, smiling as she brushed a strand of black hair behind her ear.

"You were into this kind of music," He responded. Not even bothering to turn around as he continued typing something onto his computer.

Finally she shut it off and turned back around to face him, still sitting down. "What was I like? Before I lost my memory, what was I like?"

He placed his hand on his chin, thinking and finally turning around, looking up at the ceiling. "You were a good apprentice. Very loyal, you were good at planning, and practically devoted yourself to everything you did almost to the point where perfection was your obsession."

Ella fought back a smug expression and kept her merely curious demeanor, his explanation sounded like someone who she'd look up to, and someone that was her. "Oh, really?"

"Yes."

She smiled, then slowly, it evaporated off her face. "Oh . . ."

"What?" He asked.

She looked up, "Master . . . do you know who my parents are? Did you . . . ever get to meet them?"

Blackstar seemed to deliberate what he said next before answering. "My dear apprentice, you know what side you are on, correct?"

She was stunned, what did he mean by that? "S-side?"

He shook his head. "My dear apprentice, you aren't exactly on the best side of the people in this world."

"Are you telling me I'm . . . evil?"

Blackstar nodded his head and then opened a drawer next to him and held something in his hand that he couldn't see. "Both of us used to very feared, my apprentice." He began. "But when you disappeared, our reputation was lost, we have been forgotten, it seems."

"But . . . how come I only just woke up? How long have I been gone?" Ella demanded, standing up immediately.

Her Master looked up from the object and turned his palm so that she could now see the slightly rusted and dirty sign. "You have been missing for three years."

She shook her head and then began walking over to where he stood, holding her hands out for the crest. He handed it to her and she examined the two colors on it, it was hard to see in the dark, but it was evident that this object was old. "Why? What happened to me?" She gasped, stunned.

He took the crest from her, "Our enemies."

She nodded, seeming to understand as she looked down at the ground, ashamed. After a few seconds, her hands tightened into fists, realizing she should be angry rather then shameful. She looked at him with renewed determination. "What do I have to do to get my dignity back?"

He placed the crest on the neck of her black outfit, almost out of view. "Get revenge, child." He beg an, pulling his hands away,

She touched the rusted object, rubbing her finger across it as she used her powers to make it look new again. "How do I do that?"

"Restart your training, become my apprentice once more." He stood up, demonstrating his enthusiasm.

She continued to stare at the crest before nodding her head. "I'll do it."

Without her seeing, he smiled cruelly. "Very good, we shall start your training immediately."

"Yes, Master. Thank you."

"Believe me, my dear. You training once more will be pleasure enough for me."

It wasn't until later she found out that it was Lucy's old badge for her royal rank rather then one he'd specifically made for her.

HOLY SHIT! 6,100 words! DANG!

Wait for the next chapter to see how ticked the Titans are!