"I need some rest..."
"Don't you three worry" Private Hive said and then asked "I can drive the T-Car to Raven's location while you rest."
"You wish!"
"Look. You haven't slept for longer than a whole day. You need some rest. But I don't, for I snoozed of at the Tower while you discussed stuff about Chang, Red X and all that."
'Besides, I don't want to sleep again, not for as long as I can avoid. He's stronger in the realm of dreams.'
"Fine" Cyborg said and gave him the keys "but if there's a dent in my baby when we get there, you're a dead man!"
He gave Cyborg a sad and comprehensive smile, agreeing.
"I'm just joking, man... come on, don't take it so seriously."
"It's not that... hah... I am a dead man."
"Dude?"
"Let us just say there actually is a crypt with my name out there and leave it be. Come on, we gotta go fast!"

"Where is he?"
"I have taken him far away... sister."
"Sister...?"
"What? You thought you were daddy's only daughter?" he said and laughed "I admit you were the only one with the power to bring him to Earth - a priviledge you wasted - and you'll pay for that!"
"I defeated Trigon" she said "you really think a demon spawn has a chance against me?"
"I have a few tricks" he said and threw a red beam at her that threw her back. When she got up, Red Raven was looking at her with an evil smile. Raven merely focused and absorbed her back in without any effort.
"I can deal with my inner demons very well. You'll have to do better than that."
"Then I shall!" he said and rose his hands, doing an effort that made him sweat... and two dozens of Trigon's flame soldiers came from the ground.
"Seems I have the best powers that daddy had to offer, sis."
"You really think that, don't you?"
"This boys defeated your friend. You think they can't stop you. DESTROY HER!"
But they did not move.
"The gem commands you to rest" Raven said and they went back to the ground as if nothing had ever happened "you think you can stop me with that? You are not even an amusing foe, brother." the last word was so filled with sarcasm that it was actually poisonous.
"Then I'll have to use a more direct approach!" he said and his hands caught on fire. He grew two eyes above his normal ones and the four became red.
'This could be trouble' she thought as she saw how much more similar to Trigon he was now.

"Don't you need to sleep, Starfire?"
"Oh, no, I ate a Jukter Berry. It's an energetic from Tamaran. It'll keep me filled with energy for about half a day."
"Cool, can I have one?"
"Oh, sorry... I don't think they are good for humans."
"That's cool" he said and took another sip from his cup "I've got my coffee to help."
"So... what did you mean when you said there is a grave with your name?"
"Nothing. Let's not talk about it."
"You should. Maybe talking it out will help and since the boys there have entered hibernation mode, it will be our secret."
"Fine" he said, thinking about that day at the Hive Academy when he felt like a jerk for being rude to Jinx. He had a soft spot for the ladies, it seemed "you can only imagine how crappy it is growing up with the perfect guy as your brother. And let us just say I was not the best guy I could be either. I was curious, boltzy, had little sense of consequences and had quite a knack of meddling where I should not. So, after yet another one of my misfortunate adventures, my dad once again scolded me. I said some stuff I shouldn't, he said some stuff he shouldn't and I left the house never to come back. I was twelve by then. My brother was a hero. I could never be better than that, so I decided that if I could not be a better man, I'd be the worst. So I spent years training with numerous masters, reading books about computers and all sorts of stuff so I'd become the ultimate villain. Hive Academy... well, when I got there, it was like I had a home again, with friends and I could relax. Then came you and broke it down."
"We..."
"I know now that you had great reasons and that most of the time, I was brainwashed by Brother Blood, but back then I hated you. First my adopted brother takes my birth family away from me and then the Titans take away the only other place I ever had as a home. So I hated you as much as I did my brother Purge. The Hive Five were fun for a little while, but I left because they never had a shot of actually taking you down. Then I joined the Brotherhood because there was a real chance they'd destroy the new generation of heroes - yours. And time and again, I failed. I guess now I am glad I did... then it came the Lanista and the arena, you know... using my talents for the sake of battle only! I almost let go that anger, until you took that down. Then it came back and I joined General Immortus. And he betrayed me. Robin told me to stop being a follower and become a leader then, if you can remember. I created the Army Brats from outcasts like me. It was a good idea that I turned to the wrong direction, I regret to say. I don't know if it was my brother that told my family I was dead or if they found out I had become a villain and buried that coffin as a feeble try to forget the shame, but... now, I don't care. They compared me to perfection and scolded me because I could not get there. Hypocrits. I do not wish them harm, but... if I don't ever see them again, that is okay with me."
"Wow, I never thought there was so much behind that laughing army style of yours."
"I know, right? I don't regret the path I took that much, though. It got me places, even if by the wrong ways... I don't know if I'll really keep going as a hero after this, but I can't think of myself as a villain back again - something about you helping me when I needed even after everything... it touched something in here. I know you hesitated, but... its the decision that matters in the end, right?"
"Right. I was lost like you once, when I arrived at this Earth. And then I met my friends... we did not get along very well at first, but... they helped me fight the aliens that had me under custody even though it had nothing to do with them. I had never seem such kindness in Tamaran... that was why I decided to stay here. That was why I became a Titan."
He smiled. He'd never think a year ago that he would be riding the T-Car as a driver and talking to Starfire so casually.
"You seem happier. What is it?"
"It is just so funny, y'know? You can't really see your life changing until you look back. Less than a year ago, I considered you and Purge my archenemies and now... I've made my peace with all of you."
"You have done more than that... you're a friend."
He blushed.
"Now, it is not that much! I don't deserve your friendship!"
"You do. You are a hero and yet you do not know it. Back in Kerveria... you saved Mammoth and you never took an easy way out."
"I doubted myself so much..."
"Shade said that the decision is what matters."
"Shade... Mad Mod said Shade knew who was really behind this all, so I think that Brother Blood was just another pawn..."
"You don't think Shade is the chief, do you?"
"I do not. The way Mad Mod talked... he said Shade 'knew'. So he either is another of the pawns and he is a traitor or he's a traitor for he's hiding something from us."
"Hm... he is a most mysterious person."
"He is. Wake the boys" he said as he saw smoke from afar "we're getting there."

He started throwing fireballs against her and she chanted her mantra when she threw a huge trashcan against him... except he stopped it and threw it back so quickly she was unable to dodge.
"That's right, sis! I can nulify your powers! Try and stop me!"
And he ferociously roared when he jumped to get her, but she threw the trashcan upwards with a blast and dodged at the last second, so that he'd get hit by the falling object.
But it melted and he got out fuming with anger.
"YES! STRUGGLE! TRY AND DEFEAT ME! YOU CAN'T! NO ONE CAN DEFEAT ME!"
"Try me" she said and dodged another set of his fireballs while throwing boxes that he destroyed with them. Then he started to use a jet of flames and she used a jolt of her magic and they struggled with it, no side able to overcome the other.
But then his eyes threw a laser that knocked her down. He then landed next to her and prepared a last flame.
"I was hoping this could be more entertaining, sis. Goodbye."
"HELLO!" Private Hive yelled and hit him with the T-Car, throwing him against a bunch of trashbags.
"Are we here in a bad time?"
"Nope, you arrived when I needed. But what took you so long?"
"We had to face a fake Terra. Top that up."
And back he came charging in flames, angrier.
"Guys, that's my half-brother. A son of Trigon."
And they were speechless. But just for a monet because the next one was when the villain threw a fireblast that hit Private Hive on the leg.
"Aaaugh! Take it off me, take it off!"
"It's hellfire, idiot. You can't douse it off! It looks like your friend will die, sis!"
He thought of Purge, his family, his friends... and focused on the burning, trying to make it stop somehow... and it did. The flames were still there, but it did not burn anymore.
"Well, looks like Raven's not the only precious one here!" he said and laughed right before Trigon's son tried to punch him and instead was hit by Cyborg's sonic boom and trapped in one of Raven's force fields.
"Who is he? Who leads the big charge?"
"I have no idea of what you're talking about, filthy human!"
And he exploded, breaking the force field and disappearing, leaving only a strong smell of sulfur behind.
"It doesn't seem like he was part of the operation."
"He was" a voice said "though not directly. All I gave him was Raven's location."
And they saw Brother Blood. Not really him because when Beast Boy tried to punch, he just passed right through the man.
"I have your precious leader, Robin. Come see me if you want him back."
"Where are you?"
He smiled and then said in a cryptical tone:
"Follow the crow. It'll bring you to me."
And as if it was called, the creature cawed from a nearby lightpole, waiting for them.
"The flames died. Guess making that guy vanish was enough."
"You did something that stopped the flames, somehow."
"Hey, you slowed that antenna, didn't you?"
"I-I don't know what you are talking about!"
And thought, confused about that. Could it be that he was developing... powers?
"So? We followin' that crow or what?"
"We have to. We defeated many of the villains he sent after us and yet we know nothing of his intentions. Guess it's time to meet the boss face to fist."