Chapter 21. Everything I left out in the last story will be revealed in this chapter. Enjoy! AND DON'T FORGET WHERE THEY ARE!
Chapter 21
"The Real Person"
Raven watched as Ella explained with the help of her not-supposed-to-exist-yet teammates. The whole of the Titan group kept their faces disapproving, even Kid Flash and Starfire as the tale continued with Ella refusing to take her medicine all the way to where they were careless in sticking together (from their rush) and during the walk-through lost hand contact, sending Ella into the cave. And they got slightly more irritated as it was explained that also in their hurry, they'd forgotten to cover their tracks, and so Blackstar was so easily able to follow them afterwords. Lucy and Hex had come back sometimes during the middle of the explanation and Lucy filled in the details after that. She'd sensed her father's presence, having the ability on her planet to scent family (Me: Which, for you slow people, would explain why he sniffed the wall), but kept it to herself. She'd known he'd wanted her home for some time now and felt it was no one elses business but hers (Hex had scowled at this, but said nothing). Then finally, the explanation was over.
"Oh, one more thing," Mason began digging around in his multiple pockets of the black, cargo pants before pulling out a glass vial, similar to the ones Raven had discovered in the basement. He handed it to Ella. "Drink it," He ordered, stern. Without objection she downed the bottle and shivered a little, but was fine. "Better?"
She nodded, wiping the back of her wrist over her mouth. "Yeah, thanks."
"Sure," He answered, holding out his hand for her. With that assistance, she was able to stand and did, brushing off the dirt from the floor.
She turned to her parents and their friends, smiling weakly. "So, exactly how much trouble am I in now?"
"Well let's see-," Raven began, acid on each word she spoke. Every one of the futuristic teenagers, although the words were directed at Ella, flinched. Raven would have continued when a rustling in the bushes were heard, making Ella (and only Ella) pale all the more.
She shoved her face into her hands, falling back to the floor. "We are so dead now."
Whitefire looked alarmed, her head snapping from Ella to the rapidly approaching sound. "What!?"
The Titans tensed, preparing for another fight as they misinterpreted Ella's words. It was then the bushes parted, and a woman came out, looking a little flustered until she saw Ella and her friends, having not yet noticed the rest of the Titans. She then looked relieved. "Oh there you are. They're over here guys!" She shouted over her shoulder. She then noticed Ella's state of dismay. "Ella? What's-?" Then she noticed the Titans. But the Titans already knew that blond haired and blue eyed woman. They'd seen her before. One year ago.
Except the last time they'd seen her, she was trying to kill Ella.
"Tetra!?" They all shouted in unison.
Tetra was in shock, staring at all of them before she started screaming directly at the teens cowering in fear of what was to come. "What did you do?"
"Oh god. Oh god. Oh god." Hex was panicking.
"Kill me now," Whitefire groaned, plopping onto the floor next to Ella. Mason just looked like he wanted to run very far from here, curl up into a ball, and die.
"What the hell is Tetra doing here?" Jinx demanded of Hex, glaring at him. "I thought she was a bad guy!"
"Sh!" Hex hissed. "Alternate dimension, remember? She was under the control of Trigon's spell, remember? Ella ran away before we could help her, remember?"
His hints of their version of the story caught on rather then the one the Titans remembered. With a groan though, Kid Flash rubbed his head. "Stupid time-travel future-changing crap . . ."
Tetra's brow rose at Jinx's statement. "A bad guy? And why do you keep calling me Tetra? That was my bad guy name, I'm Terra."
All of their jaw's dropped. How could they not have seen that earlier!? It was then Beast Boy hissed into Raven's ear, unheard by anyone else. "Holy crap, you're telling me my almost-ex tried to kill our daughter?"
Raven hissed back, "Wow, you really know how to pick em."
"Oh shut up." He muttered, still in shock.
"R-Right . . . we weren't informed of that." Robin said, shooting a glare at their successors.
"We didn't think they'd show up!" Mason defended. Lucy even looked rather nervous, now just standing awkwardly with her hands folded in her lap and biting her lip. It was then a thought occurred to him and Ella groaned louder. "Wait, who else was looking for us, exactly?"
It dawned on all of the teenagers. Both sets of Titans.
"Aw shit," Hex muttered, slumping with dismay and awaiting the catastrophe to come.
Terra looked disapproving. "Your parents are going to murder you, you know that right?" She then set her glare onto Mason. "And you-!"
The Titans from the past looked at each other, panicked. Weren't they their-?
"Ella, where in the world have you-?" A familiar but more learned voice demanded, coming from the bushes along with a large group of people behind them. Everyone besides Terra was in too much shock to really count. It was then she saw their disheveled state and her eyes trailed up to the Titans, along with everyone else. They stared and the other group stared back before-.
"WHAT THE HELL!?" A male voice, also familiar and a bit scratchy, shrieked. He looked directly at Whitefire. "What did you-!?
"Already asked, Nightwing, already asked." Terra said, waving a hand at the furious leader. "Didn't get an answer, just them begging God to kill them now and more yelling from over on that side," She pointed to the Titans, who were still staring. "And then now they're frozen like that, I think. They also called me Tetra."
"Good God, what in the world is going on here?" Aqualad said, exasperate as he began rubbing his hair. It was then the Titans noticed he had his arm loosely slung around Terra's waist and their heads clicked. Terra . . . was with Aqualad in the future . . . EW!
The disgust and disturbed expressions were all shared as they looked at one another before Raven saw the third set of violet orbs in the area, besides Ella (whose eyes were still hidden as her head was now very far into her lap as she tried to pretend this was not happening). The two stared at one another, Raven thankful her hood was up. It was then she noticed that her counterparts hood was up as well. The Older Raven placed her hands on her hips, frowning. Raven noticed the outfit had changed into something less . . . revealing, for her legs. She wore pants like the ones she wore when they had to go to cold places. That seemed to be the only thing that had changed except for the cape color. White. Interesting, she noted, and the shock left her. Instead her brow rose and she walked over to Ella, hoisting the unprepared girl to her feet with a grab of her forearm. With a squeal, the child was forced upwards and came face to face with her the teenage version of her mom. So much worse then her real mom. Oh damn.
"You have absolutely no idea how furious with you I am now," Everyone watched the display without moving. Raven couldn't care less. She was livid and felt her powers curling out behind her. With a ragged breath and another squeal from Ella, they drew back inwards. But Raven was hardly done yet. "I put up with your crap for months the last time you 'visited'." She growled. "And now, you send me and my friends into your time line because you all were dumbasses, and decided not to be careful! Not to mention how much time you made us waste because we had to track you down! And you injured Beast Boy, dragged Jinx and Kid Flash into this, traumatized Starfire when she'd been forced to switch sides, made Robin watch, and Cyborg worry about his best friend!"
"But-!" Ella began, fearfully.
"Shut up! I'm not finished yet!" Ella obliged. Raven continued her scolding. "So on top of all that, you nearly get yourself and your friends killed. Now do you realize this all could have easily been avoided had you just taken the goddamn medicine!?" She shrieked the last two parts, making Ella wince and fold up a little bit. After she'd nodded at least twenty times within two seconds (which would have been quite comical in an other situation), Raven's fury ceased. "Alright, I'm done."
With that she walked back to the stunned group that was her friends. Beast Boy couldn't resist cracking a comment.
"Wow Rae," he said, wryly. "Way to be bipolar there."
"Oh shut up, Beast Boy." She snapped, not in the mood. It was then she felt the quick, sharp pain in her side and let out a harsh gasp, leaning forward and pressing her hands against her ribs. She let out a hiss to follow the gasp and stumbled backwards a little. Beast Boy was quick and grabbed her arms. Her display of pain sent people further into stunned silence and confusion.
"Rae?" He demanded, eyes wide. She let out a shaking hand to show the small amount of red against her pale skin. "Raven, what-!?"
"Sh!" She snapped, replacing her hand. "Ella must have . . . done worse . . . then I noticed." The girl currently looked absolutely consumed with guilt rather then fear, switching emotions quickly, just like her mother had moments ago. But she said nothing, instead receiving a swat over the head from Whitefire. "Just . . . give me a second."
Raven's hands glowed a blue color before she finally felt the relief from her side. Moving to see if the blood was gone from her clothes and that her side no longer hurt, she finally deemed herself properly healed. Then, to let out her irritation on something, she glared daggers at Ella again. "And that's another thing-!"
"Enough." Robin interrupted, now able to compose himself after the initial surprise. He walked over to Raven with the other closely behind. Raven looked reluctant and seemed to want to continue despite Robin's orders, but did not. Rather she huffed before Beast Boy let go of her, allowing her to cross her arms in annoyance. Starfire looked rather sick, holding her head as she looked from Whitefire to herself.
"Friends, am I believed to now have to scream at my offspring as well?" She asked them, woozy. "I do not wish to. I have already done the meeting of my future Earth-child but I must now also meet the me of the future?" Starfire leaned onto Robin, needing the support. "I am thoroughly confused."
"Ditto." Jinx agreed, frowning at the group of adults. "One Kid Flash is enough, not to mention Hex. I don't need three kids to deal with."
"Hey!" Kid Flash and Hex shouted in unison. It was then there was a shuffling in the crowd and another figure stepped out, putting it's arm on Raven's shoulder.
"Hey, sorry I'm late-." He began but then noticed the situation. Rather then repeat the process everyone else had done his face simply dropped. "Alright what did they do?"
Lucy sighed, "Well, since I am the only one without parent, not on the team, and not traumatized by having been screamed at by two of the same person, I'll explain. Long story short, we screwed up on retrieving the objects from Earth and my planet, we were sent to the future again because the thief went there, Ella went psycho, stole more things from my planet, we met you guys, you tried to help us, Ella beat the crap out of Raven and Beast Boy, as you can see, although, Beast Boy, you did kick the crap out of her a little back there before I did. Just saying, although I really don't blame you, the dude her turned her evil turned out to be my father who was looking for me and then Ella sent us here in her little fit, snapped out of it, and I killed my dad. Happy?" She looked around, her expression just daring someone to say otherwise. When they didn't she appeared satisfied. "Good."
The newcomer with his arm around Older Raven now gave a look of indecision. "So . . ." he pointed to Beast Boy. "That's me? Seriously?"
"Yup," Beast Boy replied. And then he grinned. "Nice to meet me, dude."
Raven gave him a look. "I'm surprised that didn't confuse you."
"Honestly? Me too." He said, frowning but shrugged it off.
"Wait, question!" Cyborg shouted, finally speaking up. "How do we go . . . you know, back to our time line?"
"Ella will take care of that," Nightwing replied with a look to Ella, telling her it was an order, not a suggestion, and she would have no choice in the matter. "Won't you, Ella?"
She sighed, standing. "Sure, no problem. Anything to get rid of her." She said, with a playful look towards Raven.
Raven scowled, not really angry but just a tad irritated now. "Oh please, you try spending a day with you and then you tell me how that goes for you."
"You barfed the first time you met her, am I correct?" Mason said, asking Raven. She nodded, he grinned. Turning back to Ella, he began taunting her. "Geez Ella I know people don't like you but hurling at the sight of you? That's a new one!"
"Somehow it doesn't surprise me that no one likes you," Raven commented, smirking at Ella. Beast Boy began laughing, as did others. Older Raven remained quiet, simply looking at everyone with a studying expression, even though some of the adults were laughing as well.
"Ha, I remember when you were like that," Older Beast Boy said, nudging her with his elbow.
Then, to the younger team's surprise, Older Raven gave a genuine smile. It was no Starfire smile, just one normal smile. Raven almost never smiled! Let alone doing so in front of a crowd of people.
"What do you mean when she was like that?" The Older Cyborg commented, grinning at the two females of a different age. More people, from both sides, were giggling.
"Very funny," Older Raven commented before flicking her hand towards Ella and the other children who were her team. They were encased in the black aura that belonged to both Raven's before each was handed off to their parents.
"Well, it was nice seeing . . . younger us, but, unfortunately, it's time we had a talk with these ones here," Terra explained, Aqualad gripping Mason's arm in his hand.
"Ella?" Older Raven said expectantly. The girl flicked her palm out, as did Lucy, Whitefire, and Hex. First a violet ball appeared before a lime light penetrated it's core, creating a multicolored power-intersection. Afterwords a red ball appeared inside the lime color that was inside the violet and Mason hit a button on his wrist. The red ball exploded and was replaced by a white oval that the Titans got to see the last time Ella and Terra (at the time Tetra) had left, holding hands as they went. That explained why Terra wasn't so surprised. She'd already met them before, really.
"It's all set, you can go now." Ella said, all of the teens dropping their hands. She looked at the Older Raven and Beast Boy's disapproving expressions before sighing and walking over to where they stood, now in front of the portal. Before Raven could react she threw her arms around Raven's shoulders, hugging her. Raven would have shoved her off of her had Ella not murmured into her shoulder. "I am so sorry I hurt you."
Raven was stunned and did not move as Ella released her. Ella then moved to hug Cyborg, standing on her toes to do so. The robot leaned down to help her. "I'm sorry that I made you fear for the one thing you had left." (Me: His friends/team). Releasing him, she moved onto the leader, hugging his surprised body as well. "I'm sorry that I made you think you weren't going to see Starfire again, and that I used that against you." The girl then moved to Starfire, hugging her as well. The alien seemed too surprised to react as well. "I'm sorry that I made you turn bad and that I used something so pure as love against you."
Starfire then smiled softly and hugged the girl back. Not a choke-hold, like normally, but a nice, comfortable hug. "All is forgiven, friend."
After releasing her, she moved on to the final person. The twos simply faced each other for a moment before Ella broke down crying, throwing her arms around the green teenager that would become her father. Nobody but Raven noticed him flinch, and she was reminded that she hadn't yet healed all the bruises on his body.
"I almost killed you," Ella began, loud enough for only him and his counterpart to hear (upgraded hearing and all). "I had them chain you and drug you and do all these horrible things to you. I will never be able to really forgive myself but I am sorry. I am so, so sorry. I made you worry for mom and-," she cut off, into her crying. Beast Boy noticed her slip-up in words; how she used 'mom' rather then 'Raven' but he couldn't really feel enough to care at the moment. Instead he simply patted the girl on the back, comforting her. With a sniffle and a wipe of her eyes with her wrist she hung her head and pointed to the portal. "You should go." She looked up at them, their friendly and happy-go-lucky* Ella replaced by one racked with guilt and sorrow. She smiled falsely. The Titans did not move.
"I promise, we'll take care of her," Older Raven assured them.
"All of them," Terra added with a glare at her now nervously smiling son.
Robin, shaking his head to ward of the confusion, motioned for his team to move forward.
"I promise not to come back this time!" Ella shouted after them, trying to lighten the mood. Raven paused, turning halfway with a question.
"Will we remember you this time?" Raven asked. All of them stopped at this, curious.
Mason, slipping out of Aqualad's grasp as well as the rest of their successors so that they could join Ella, nodded. "You seven and only you seven, so no telling anyone. Sorry."
Jinx looked disgusted. "I don't think I would have wanted to, thanks." She nodded to the adults. "Goodbye." And with that she turned and entered the white.
Kid Flash, looking after her before grinning at his son, saluted. "See ya!" He himself then followed after the enchantress, walking into it confidently.
Starfire looked hesitant to follow the two but bowed, hands folded in her lap. "Warm wishes to you from our parting." She said before grasping Robin's hand, who simply received a smirk from Nightwing and Older Starfire, as Robin waved once before they left.
"Uh, well, you have fun getting your butt-whooping," Cyborg commented to the teens who groaned. He smirked at them before addressing everyone. "Bye!" He too then rushed into the white, oval smear.
"Well," Raven said, facing Ella. "This is really our final goodbye, huh?"
Ella nodded, rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah, I won't mess with my past anymore. Too confusing, ya know? Now I've got two sets of memories!" She laughed weakly.
Raven smirked, like Beast Boy. "Yeah, same here."
"Sorry, again." Ella said, sighing. She brightened. "Well, best of luck anyhow."
"Don't worry," Beast Boy shouted, shoving Raven towards the portal. He winked at Ella, but everyone was snickering as Raven looked astonished. "I'll take good care of her!"
"Pervert!" Ella shouted, laughing.
Beast Boy winked, smirking and laughing as well. "How else are you gonna get born?"
"What!?" Raven whipped around, shocked. People were absolutely roaring now, except for their older counterparts (Me: Beast Boy's and Raven's, I mean), who were simply snickering at the display.
Beast Boy simply waved once again before shoving her into the portal and then frowning. "What are the chances of me not getting my ass whooped?" He asked Older Raven.
She smiled. "About twenty-eighty, twenty being the escaping without injury."
"You know how she doesn't like being embarrassed in front of people," His older self added. "Don't worry though, she'll lighten up."
He grinned. "Ah well, it was so worth it. Might as well die happy. Later!" He called before walking in backwards, waving the whole time. The portal shut behind them. When it did, Ella's enthusiasm disappeared from the look on her mother's face.
"Grounded?" She asked, expectantly.
"More like imprisoned." Nightwing replied.
The children looked at each of the faces, searching for any signs of mercy in those scolding eyes, disapproving expressions and sea of crossed arms.
They found none. It took months to get their punishment over and done with. And by that time they were worn to the bone, Lucy included, since she'd decided she really had nowhere else to go (stolen technology returned to Tamaran) and nothing better to do, she joined Ella's team. Besides, part of the blame was her fault anyways.
"Man, if I ever have to clean Plasmas again, I'm gonna vomit!"
"Or go exploring in that Control Freaks dudes old lair. Something seriously growled at me in there!"
"What about what we found in his 'top secret' files-?"
"DON'T SAY IT!" They'd all shouted in unison, traumatized at that event. They'd all literally ran out of their screaming, save Lucy, who simply choked a little, eye twitching as she walked out of the room in shock.
So many pictures . . .
"You think they've had enough?" Raven asked Starfire, sitting in the lounge.
Starfire thought about this, thoughtfully. "I do believe we have thoroughly broken them."
Raven smiled. Starfire had lost her accent for the most part, but it still existed, poking into her sentences most of the time.
Beast Boy, who had his arm draped, around Raven's waist, smirked. "I gotta hand it to you Rae, that Control Freak thing was pretty sweet."
"And I must credit you, Cyborg, for implanting that fake file," Starfire agreed.
Jinx snickered. "Oh yeah, their reactions-."
"Priceless." Kid Flash's older self finished for her. Nightwing nodded his agreement.
Cyborg, pretending to be modest, folded his arms behind his head and leaned back, smiling. "I try, I try." Bumblebee, next to him, nudged him, smiling as well.
It was then they heard in the other room-.
"AAHH!" The ear-piercing screams made them jump to their feet before their next words.
"It's back!"
"Shut it off, Mason!"
"IT WON'T WORK!"
"THEN SHOOT THE DAMN THING!"
There was a loud crash before it got quiet again.
Raven looked at Cyborg. "You put the file into their weekly update from the police, didn't you?"
Cyborg simply grinned.
All done with that chapter. Wow, this is going to end sooner then I expected. Interesting. Well, Jinx/Kid Flash's story is still unplanned so yet another, much shorter Raven/Beast Boy will once again replace it! Yay!
MORE IMPORTANTLY, I DIDN'T CHANGE THE NAMES BECAUSE I'M TOO LAZY. DEAL WITH IT.
Wait . . . Oh wow, am I stupid. Tell you later. And speaking of which. I think that 'file' thing was my favorite part of this chapter to write.
Later!