Sometimes it really surprises me about the positive feedback I get on this story. It really boosts my confidence and I'll probably write a sequel to this story revolving around the twins and their journey to becoming the Generation X Teen Titans. I'm also very thankful for the criticism; it helps a lot and I just want to thank everybody so without further delay here's the next chapter. Oh and by the way Raven is only called Raven by Changeling in the future. She changed her name to Black Nightingale
VV
Chapter Fourteen: 2028
Raven took in a deep breath as she lifted off the floor and into her meditative state. Her four friends and team members sat in a circle on the floor around her just as she instructed. She chanted under her breath and drowned out everything that surrounded her; making her mind completely blank and keeping her emotions in check as she tried to keep complete control and focus. Candles illuminated the room around the creating the proper setting for the magic Raven was trying to tap into.
Time travel was something she had always put off; thinking that learning it would be a waste of time because what would be the purpose of traveling forward and backwards in time. It only altered reality and balance. She believed things happened they way they did for a reason and she was not willing to tamper with the laws of life considering she was once the key to the destruction of life.
However, desperate times called for desperate measures. Although the twins had use time travel therefore altering a huge part of Beast Boy's and her life, she believed that this was an altercation for the better. She now believed all things were actually possible and you never had a way of knowing, because she would have never guess that she had twins in the future with Beast Boy and that those two girls brought to the past with them the love that she felt for Beast Boy.
Raven focused deeply in on the time line but so far all she saw was the past considering this time travel power had memories to feed off of. She needed to focus on something of the future to get there. She clenched her teeth and when her tension began to mess with her concentration she took a deep breath and relaxed. She needed to focus on the future…something from the future…
"Galiana and Ravenna…" She muttered under her breath. Her ruby red chakra began to faintly glow and the others watched as it intensified with each passing second. Raven began to see things from the future; the dark dismantled city she once called her home and the still standing tower that she had shared with her friends for as long as she could remember.
Her chakra glowed brighter and she opened her eyes to show that they were glowing white.
"Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos!" She said in a matter of seconds a black portal appeared before her floating form. She came out of her trance only to quickly fly into the portal, ordering the others to follow. Beast Boy didn't hesitate and Robin soon followed with Starfire close behind. Cyborg looked hesitant for a moment before shrugging and jumping into the portal cannonball style.
"Dad! I just went to see Uncle Tech, he said that sector G Titans and sector F Titans are prepare for defense of the tower if it comes down to it." A girl with flowing black hair said as she floated over to Nightwing. She had bright green eyes and was dressed in a red short sleeved version of Starfire's top with a yellow miniskirt and green boots. She wasn't going to go for the cape like her father had done.
"Thank you Starlight…" Nightwing said ruffling his daughter's hair. She smiled proudly and saluted to her father. She was a daddy's girl of course but she had the playful and sweet interest of her mother.
"Oh and Auntie Nightingale said that she needs to see you in the common room…she said something about sensing something moving through the time line towards us. She thinks it's the twins." Starlight said before quickly flying out of her father's office. Nightwing quickly followed her by foot. Starlight always taunted her father over the fact that he couldn't fly.
The common doors hissed open to show Cybotic, Starflame, Black Nightingale and Changeling standing in the center of the open area of the common room. Changeling had his arm wrapped around Nightingale who stared off blankly as she tried to focus on whatever was passing through time and trying to make it into the tower. Starlight quickly flew to her mother's side and Nightwing approached Nightingale.
"Nightingale what are getting?" He asked. Nightingale put up her index finger as she continued to keep her focus however something was blocking her. It was like she was focusing in on her own mind, however she was right there, how could she be traveling through time?
In an instant and time rip appeared as a portal materialized nearly sucking up Starflame, Starlight, and Cybotic. They managed to get out of the way as the portal stayed there for a moment before someone flew out of it like a bullet. Two other people were spat out and another person flew out before one last large form was added to the human pile on the floor.
"Nightingale, take care of that portal before it rips the tower apart!" Nightwing quickly ordered as some objected began to get pulled into the portal. Two Ravens one with long flowing hair and in white and one with short hair and in indigo both stepped up.
They stared at each other in a bit of surprise before chanting together to finish the task at hand.
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" They said in unison. The portal slowly shrunk before disappearing all together. The two of them stared at each other intently before two gasps filled the air.
"Friend Raven there is two of you!" Both Starfires said in unison. Changeling's brow furrowed as Robin, Beast Boy and Cyborg each picked themselves up off the floor. Starlight looked at the scene with confusion and the Cybotic's jaw dropped in shock.
"No…this is us…from the past." Nightingale said staring at her younger self. Raven stared back, looking up slightly due to the fact that she had gotten taller apparently in the future.
"So I'm him?" Cybotic questioned gesturing to the shorter and younger version of him.
"And he's me?" The younger Cyborg asked doing the exact same thing. It was interesting how things never seemed to change.
Nightwing carefully inspected his younger self and brought a hand to his chin. Robin stared back looking over the transformation he had to look forwards too.
"I really did look like a traffic light…" Nightwing muttered shaking his head. Robin narrowed his eyes into a glare; however you wouldn't be able to tell because of his mask.
"What are you doing here?" Nightingale asked her younger self. Changeling came up beside her and Beast Boy did the same with his Raven.
"Shouldn't you be with the Ravenna and Galiana?" Changeling inquired quirking an eyebrow. Raven lowered her head at the mentions of the twins and Beast Boy wrapped an arm around her shoulders in consolation unlike any other day, she didn't pull away. She was taking this hard by putting the blame upon herself. Nightingale stared at Raven for a moment before realization.
"Raven…d-did something happen to my daughters?" She asked hesitantly. Raven looked up at the woman she would soon become and released a small sigh. She had never acted in such a manner; anxious and worried, that wasn't the way Raven worked, but right now she had a valid reason to act the way she was.
"The twins…" Raven began. Beast Boy gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze. He knew that Nightingale wouldn't kill herself because that would be rather…illogical. However just so Raven wouldn't have to take the scolding her stepped in.
"The twins were kidnapped by Terra. We don't know how, but she managed to get to the past and since we didn't know what she would become in the future we didn't put the security system of the tower against her. She was able to slip through the two without setting off a signal alarm." Beast Boy explained solemnly. Nightingale clenched her fists and they glowed faintly with a black aura. The younger Titans were expecting something to explode but Nightingale had a hold on her powers to prevent that from happening.
"Rae…" Changeling said calmly although his eyes said otherwise. He was furious that the witch had the audacity to drag his children into this. It was battle between her and the other titans, not the children. For a moment raven thought that he was talking to her before she realized her was trying to comfort Nightingale.
"Is this why you came all the way to the future? To tell me that my daughters are in trouble?" Nightingale questioned through grit teeth. Raven narrowed her eyes. She was not going to take any attitude, even from herself.
"No, we came to help get them back." Raven said sternly.
"The twins mean as much to us as they do to you." Beast Boy added.
"Niece Galiana and niece Ravenna are in need of assistance and that is just what we will give." Starfire said with a determined look on her face. Starflame flew up to her and pointed a slender finger at her.
"It is us who will bring assistance to the twins. Your help is not required for you have failed at protecting them." Starflame accused. Starfire gasped in surprise, not only because her English had improved slightly but because her future self sounded just as stubborn as Robin. "My apologies…but this is a matter that causes the swing of the moods." Starflame said naively. Forget it she was still submissive.
"We came all this way to help and that is exactly what we'll do. We know about what you're dealing with and considering the stakes, help is what you will probably need considering you are trying to take down an evil empire and go through with a rescue mission." Robin said.
"Starflame is right. Your assistance is needed and we are perfectly capable of this minor setback." Nightwing retorted. It would be hard to get him or Robin to back down. They were the same person so they would both be rather ignorant.
"This is not minor setback. We are talking about two young girls who are still training to control their powers." Cybotic countered. His leader glanced at him to see that his face was completely solemn. Galiana and Ravenna were close to him so he would do anything for them.
"Those girls should be a main priority because whether they are old enough or have the skill or not, they are Teen Titans. We put the team first." Cyborg added with a nod.
"All we want to do is make atonement for our mistakes. The twins are in trouble because to me." Raven said taking full credit for the entire issue.
"We just want them back safe just like you guys. We will do anything to help." Beast Boy said. "And it wasn't just Raven's fault…it was mine too.
"But the invasion plan was for tonight…" Changeling said glancing at Nightwing. Nightingale also looked towards her leader.
"Dad…just let them help." Starlight said floating to her father's side and placing a hand on his shoulder. Being leader it was his decision to make, however they can never forget about Robin.
"Even if you deny our help we're still going to go with you." Robin stated. Nightwing furrowed his brow.
"The Invasion will go according to plan. Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Robin will go in for the rescue mission. Starlight, you'll go with them." Nightwing said. Starlight saluted her father.
"We don't have much time…" Cybotic said opening the small computer on his arm. "We have about an hour until we make our first move."
"Alright Titans…prepare for battle." Nightwing said.
Okay there might be some slight confusion with the names but I found it more confusing and annoying to keep saying "Younger Raven" or "Older Cyborg" so to clear everything up let me just make a guide.
Black Nightingale: Older Raven
Cybotic: Older Cyborg
Starflame: Older Starfire
Starlight: Robin and Starfire's daughter
And Nightwing and Changeling are pretty obvious. The younger version of the Titans will keep their normal names of course. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it so do what you gotta do and Pweez review.
BE kind OR vengeance WILL be MINE
V i V a V e N d E t T a . . .