Part 48: Illusion

My eyes shot open and I woke up with a start.

"The Titans! They're in trouble!" I yelled as I sat up in bed. However, I wasn't in the Tower at all but in my room back in the mansion in England. I was back home!

"How in the world did I get here?" I asked myself. "The last thing I remembered was fighting a giant green monster and trying to save the other Titans. But now I'm right back at home." I looked at my clothes. I was clad in my black pajamas. I quickly removed my clothes, took a shower, and got myself dressed. I went down the stairs to see my parents in the dining room, eating breakfast.

"Nice of you to come and join us, son," my father greeted me, smiling.

"It's nice to be awake on such a pleasant morning, right honey," My mother smiled at me

"Yes, I guess," I said uncertainly as I sat down at the table. I ate my breakfast, comprised of French toast, sausages, bacon and eggs as well as a glass of blood. It tasted good. I turned to my parents.

"Mother, father, did I ever leave on a trip?" I asked.

My parents stared at me and laughed.

"What in heaven's name are you talking about, Ichijyo?" Father chuckled, "You've been in bed since last night."

Last night? That couldn't be right.

"It was after that girl, what was her name again? Ah yes, Misha came over and returned your wallet," Mother added.

I choked on my food. "Mi-Misha?" But Misha was dead, right?

My mother smiled again, "She's a very cute girl, you know," she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, "Maybe you should ask her out."

I blushed crimson, "But mother!" Something was wrong with this picture. Haven't I done this before? And what of the Titans? Then again, who were the Titans? Who was I thinking about? Ra…Rav…Argh! My head hurts.

"Something wrong, son?" My father asked, concerned.

I smiled, "Of course not, father."

My father smiled, "Good, then you should call up that girl, Misha, as soon as possible."

I protested, "But I barely know her, father!"

"Now, listen here, boy. You should go out one of these days. A date with a girl might do you some good. You have to have some friends."

I got up, "Fine. I guess she might have left her number." I went to the phone and called up Misha. "Hello? Misha there? It's me, Ichijyo. Yes, I know. By the way, are you free anytime today? Because I want to ask you if you'd like to go watch a film with me. Really? You do? What time? I'll be there!"

I quickly got myself ready and ran towards my motorcycle. Although, I had a piercing feeling that something was wrong.

I met her near the fountain. She smiled at me. Her beautiful shoulder blade length hair blew in the soft spring breeze. Her brown eyes were the most beautiful I've ever seen and her fair skin was flawless. She was dressed in a red turtleneck sweater with a plaid skirt and black leather shoes.

We went to watch the movie together. It was a movie called "Wicked Scary". Now where have I heard that name before? A flash came into my mind and I saw the face of a girl with purple hair, eyes, pale skin and a red gem on her forehead. I shook my head. Ouch! Those headaches hurt.

"Ichijyo? Are you okay?' Misha asked, worriedly.

"I'm fine, Misha," I told her.

We got out of the cinema and headed for the park. When we arrived, Misha stood in front of me.

Misha smiled, "Well." She tilted her head in a cute manner, "Don't I get a kiss?" she asked.

I flushed crimson. "A what?"

"A kiss," she repeated as she closed her eyes and puckered her lips. I couldn't help myself, she was so beautiful. I leaned over and as I was about to kiss her, I saw an image of the same purple haired girl superimpose over Misha.

Wake up, Shadow! Wake up! The mysterious girl said. I held my head and screamed, startling Misha.

"Ichijyo! What's wrong?" she asked, alarmed.

Suddenly, the surroundings changed and swirled unnaturally. What was going on? I looked at Misha and then saw her form flicker between herself and the purple haired girl. No, wait! The girl had a name.

"Raven…" I whispered. Then new flashes of images followed. The Titans, Draco, Pluto, Shadowcobra! All of it was coming back to me. This was all an illusion, a dream.

I heard the Titans voices and I knew what I had to do.

"This isn't real," I said. "This isn't real," I repeated.

The background and Misha disappeared.

I woke up and found myself still in the monster's grasp. I roared and black energy exploded from my body. It let me go and stared at me with nonexistent eyes.

"How dare you?" I growled as tears ran down my face. Seeing Misha again sent a pain through my heart. I knew she was dead, but did I still have to be reminded that I could never have her back.

"HOW DARE YOU?" I roared. My monsters; Genosnaker, Metalceros and Stingdiver appeared behind me, ready to attack.

"Time to pay, monster," I threatened menacingly as I drew my card and inserted it into my scepter. "FUSION VENT!"

Genosnaker, Metalceros and Stingdiver glowed brightly as their bodies transmuted into energy. The energy swirled into each other and started reforming itself. I could see

A bulky body with a long neck connected to a head where its horn rested on the snout. Great wings stretched from the back and a tail grew under it.

The glow died down and a new creature stood by my side. It had Metalceros' body but had Genosnaker's head, neck and tail. The top half of Metalceros's head combined with Genosnaker's. Stingdiver formed the wings on the back.

"GENOCIDE!" I announced and my monster roared in affirmative.

The monster watched this with awe and then cackled as it formed a ball of black energy in its palms. I anticipated this and drew a card from my belt before inserting it into my scepter.

"Defense Vent!" A barrier formed around us and dispelled the ball.

"My turn," I hissed as I drew a new card from my belt. It was a Sword Vent card. I inserted it into my scepter. "Sword Vent-Rayblades!" a pair of short, curved and broad blades attached themselves to my forearms.

I rushed forward and slashed at any incoming tentacle with the blades of my new weapons. When I got close enough, I drove the blade into the monster's chest and fired, sending it staggering back. The monster healed itself and then formed a weapon similar to Robin's Bo staff. It swung the weapon wildly, but it was sliced in by my weapons

"This is for Robin!" I hissed as I slashed off one of its arms. "For Terra!" I slashed off the other arm. "For Beast Boy!" I slashed a tentacle that came too close. "For Cyborg! For Jinx! For Starfire! For Draco! For Pluto!" I slashed off all of its limbs violently until only its body and head were left. I held the blade close to its throat. "And this is for Misha and Raven!" as I was about to drive the blade into the monster's head, its face shifted into Raven's. I froze and the creature re-shifted to its normal self and sent a cloud of darkness at me that engulfed me. I couldn't see anything and was trapped.

I felt like the life was drained out of me and my spirit was gone. However, that was when I heard a familiar voice.

"I didn't raise a quitter, did I?" That was my father's voice!

"Father?" I asked

"Yes, it is, Ichijyo," said another voice. My mother!

"You can't give up on them now," added a final voice. "Don't lose them like you lost me."

"Misha?" I asked, tears poured down my face.

The owners of the three voices stood before me and held out their hands. I took their hands and they smiled at me.

"For the Titans," they said together.

"For the Titans," I repeated. They disappeared. I closed my eyes and concentrated. Under my helmet, the inverted red triangle mark on my forehead was glowing. My helmet shattered and the mark glowed more and more brighter. My hair, which was blue, had turned black with silver streaks and spiky and my armor had turned as black as night with the silver trimmings turning gold. A pair of wings burst out of my back. The left wing was black and demonic while the right wing was white and angelic. My eyes glowed with a mixture of black and white and two extra pairs appeared above my brow. The red mark spread over my face, stopping only to above my lower face. My seventh eye opened up on my forehead and was glowing blood red. I let loose a powerful wave of crimson, black and silver energy that completely destroyed the cloud and freed me. The monster saw this and roared as Genocide stood behind it. I drew my card and inserted it into my scepter.

"FINAL VENT!" Black, silver and crimson energy surrounded me. Behind the creature, Genocide stood and formed a black energy vortex in the center of its body. It was a black hole! The monster lunged at me.

"DARH HOLE CRASH!" I leapt up and went into a flying drill kick that sent the monster flying back towards the black hole. The hole sucked it in and destroyed it. I thought I had lost my friends, but nine white balls of energy flew out of the black hole and transformed into my friends. They floated to the ground, unconscious, but well.

I smiled. It was over. My armor shattered and I fell facedown onto the hard and cold floor, allowing the darkness to engulf me once more.

To be continued…