I do NOT own Teen Titans
Time: Immediately after chapter one.
Wanderer,... Reminisce,... A Trip to a Dark Place,...
One moment he was sitting, looking out through the window, the next he was outside, wings grasping the air. The green Peregrine Falcon circled, found a thermal, and rose with it. Wings beating to aid his ascent, he soon soared two miles above the island. This, he knew, was what it meant to be free. The form of the wanderer, as the name of this bird of prey implied, was freedom incarnated. Matched in hunting prowess only by the Golden Eagle, it was often his form of choice. Once, within Africa, he'd traveled with his parents, paying no heed to boundaries, possessing only what they could carry. A simple time filled with happiness. Then he'd been a true wanderer.
Eyes peering downward, he searched, seeking prey. His wings reached out, altering his direction, and then closed around him. He plummeted towards the ground, reaching over two hundred miles per hour. He flashed past the seagull that had been his target, briefly swiping at it with his talons. If he'd truly been hunting, it would now be dead. As it was, he was merely letting the form's natural instincts run free. He'd no interest in killing the poor gull, nor any desire to eat it.
Wings beating, he regained his two mile high position above the island. Letting the thermals do most of the work, he circled. The bright noon sun beat down, warming him. The sky was endless, without a single cloud in sight. Peering out over the water he could see almost forever. Beating his wings a few more times, he rose even higher, pushing his limits. Below him stood the tower, a mass of shades that would have bewildered any human who saw it as he did. It was silver, yet glowed red with infrared radiation. Flashes of light sparkled around it. Some came from the reflection of the sun. The more bluish ones were magnetic fields that were being created within the building; some steady, some flashing. It was an amazing sight, and the focus of his thoughts.
To stay, or to leave? He turned the question over in his mind, occasionally peering over the horizon. In reality, other than companionship, he had no need for anything human. The whole of the world, from the ocean bottom to the reaches of the sky, was his to roam in. He would need a place to sleep, but that was it. Or he could choose a form that needed no nightly rest. With a slight tilt of his wings he caught another thermal, and maintained his altitude.
Leaving meant loneliness again. There were few people in the world who would tolerate a small, green, mutant. He was different, and would always be treated as such. Within the tower he'd found refuge from that. A place to call home, or so he'd thought. Of late, it hadn't seemed very home-like at all. The jokes with Cyborg had ceased to be mindless banter, with the taunts now cutting deep. Robin no longer appeared to be the wise leader he'd once seemed to be; a harsh tyrannical dictator had taken his place. Raven? Well, he didn't want to go there. That hurt too much. Starfire alone had remained someone he saw as a true friend. She greeted him cheerfully, and often tried to get him to eat her cooking. That was suicidal, but still she treated as she did the others. With kindness and respect.
The others had stared at her in shock over those simple words, 'I think it might be too late.' A simple sentence, with only simple words. Yet it might change their lives forever. As the violet-haired girl walked through the tower, searching for the shape shifter, she hoped she was wrong. This was a duty she'd tried to avoid. Robin, she'd pointed out, was the leader. Let him bear the news. Or Cyborg, who'd once been his best friend. Perhaps still was. Who really knew yet? Or the kindhearted Starfire, the only one who'd stood up for him. Yet both Cyborg and Starfire had thought her the best choice. Why? She had no idea.
Walking through the building she passed the commons room. Beast Boy wasn't there, but a controller left on the floor, with a screen asking for the name of the player with the new highest score was. It seemed he'd broken the rule against playing games. Looking back on it, she realized if someone had tried to create a rule against her meditating, she would've blasted them. The team wasn't a dictatorship where such rules could even be suggested, let alone enforced. How could they've ever thought it was? Because we weren't the ones targeted. Came the simple answer. We eat meat, so we just assumed it was no big deal without thinking. And a game is just a game. She sighed, and continued searching.
Eventually she came to his door. With her senses she reached out, and found no trace of him in his room. She was tempted to entered and see if any of his stuff was gone; if he'd already left. But given how she hated people to trespass within her territory, she doubted that was wise. Better to wait. She would mediate, expanding her senses to let her know if he returned, and think on what to say; consider just why she'd let a person she considered a friend become, as Starfire called it, an unfriend. Turning, she headed to her own room.
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned, seeking peace and tranquility. Images of when the Titans were first formed came to her mind. Beast Boy had accepted her without question, noting only that she was creepy. But he'd stood beside her without hesitation when Trigon had possessed Rage. Had risked his life to protect her, and hadn't once flinched, even knowing such a beast roamed inside her. What she'd felt back then flowed through her again. The gratitude, the sheer relief of knowing she was accepted.
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned once again. Malchior came to mind. The dreaded dragon that'd had stolen her heart for his own treacherous reasons. Beast Boy had been there too, offering her comfort. And she'd accepted it. Had allowed him to see the human side of her. That there was someone she could trust to such a degree had healed the wounds the thousand year old beast had ripped in her heart. That gratitude should've never died.
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." The words came from her mouth once more. The prophecy. It'd been Robin who'd sought her out. But if anything that'd been the easy task. The other four, including Beast Boy, had faced Trigon himself. They'd thrown themselves at the very manifestation of evil, not flinching.
"So?" She asked herself, speaking aloud as she stared at the ceiling. "Just why did he become an unfriend?" For that she had no answer. Sighing she expanded her senses through the walls to his room. What would she say when he returned? Be direct and just say sorry? Somehow it seemed inadequate. And time was up, he was back. Relief and dread filled her as she rose.
He gave one last look at the wide open sky. The shades that filled it were beyond human comprehension. No artist had ever painted such a scene; no poet had ever written of it. Tilting his wings, he slowly drifted lower. If he'd been a quitter, he would have died long ago in the jungles of Africa, or within the Doom Patrol. He would return, but Robin wasn't his lord and master. Rules on training would be followed to the letter. They had to be so each member of the team knew they could count on each other. But outside of that he would just ignore any unreasonable commands. If they told him to leave, he would. One didn't just abandon family when trouble arose; at least not without trying to fix it first.
The tower grew closer, and he swooped in through his room window. For a short while he stood, staring out across the ocean. Turning, he left his room, having decided to talk the matter over with Raven. Despite all the sarcasm and biting words she'd thrown his way, he figured she was the best one to discuss it with. It wasn't as if he didn't still have the one final option of leaving. Not even she could take that away from him. He would just ask her if she wanted him off the team. A simple question with a simple yes or no. She would tell the truth; she always did.
Raven stood at her open door, wondering why she felt so unsure. Because the place where you feel accepted might soon vanished. She pointed out to herself. If one of the other four left, then that meant the others could too. That she would be alone. Fear and worry battled with the guilt inside her, and she was unused to such intense emotions. If she'd had the time she would be running off to meditate.
She'd spent all her life controlling her emotions, but now they made her hesitant. Not only was she opening up more to the other Titans, she'd gone as far as developing a crush on one of them. As insane as it was, it'd still happened. That's it. She decided, walking over to her wardrobe. Opening the door there was a life-sized picture of Robin. If anyone saw it she would die. But given her room was off-limits, she thought that unlikely. Robin was so kind, and strong. He evoked confident within anyone who saw him, and he'd been there for her through so much; almost as much as Beast Boy had. Only with his black, spiked, hair he was cute; slim and muscular. When he smiled ... The violet-haired girl shook her head, realizing she'd been drooling and drifting off into fantasy land. She closed her eyes, seeking to regain control of her emotions. After this she would mediate; a lot
Knowing it was silly, but with her heart pounding, she raised her fingers to her lips and then gently laid them onto the cheek of the picture, hoping it would give her the confidence he seemed to always possess.. If she ever got up the courage, she'd decided it would one day be on the lips; the lips of the poster that is, as she would never be able to kiss the real Robin. Blushing, despite her self-control, she pulled away from the picture and turned towards her door, closing the wardrobe. She froze, panic gripping her. There in the doorway stood Beast Boy, staring at her with his eyes wide, mouth open. Whether it was in shock, or if he'd been about to say something, she didn't know.
It was over in an instant. Her embarrassment destroyed any ability to suppress her emotions, and she felt an overwhelmingly rage at the shape shifter. That he'd done nothing wrong didn't matter. He would tell, and she couldn't blame him given the way they'd treated him. Everyone would know and ... Her mind was overwhelmed at the thought and it let loose the most dreaded emoticlone. Her rage empowered the red-cloaked Raven, and it took possession of her. She grew to double her height and her eyes turned to a glowing red. The smile of a psychotic circus clown crossed her face. And then ...
She blinked, looking around. Rage had withdrawn within her, and Beast Boy was gone. But she hadn't seen him flee. So where'd he disappeared to? She swallowed, dread filling her heart, attempting to recall the last few seconds. Shadows had reached out from her, rippling with darkness, and ... She sank to the floor as the memory overwhelmed her.. The shadows had encompassed the boy, and he'd disappeared at the same time as the red-clad emoticlone had.
Doctor Light had once nearly seen that place. It'd been enough to leave him shaken, needing months of psychiatric care. And now Beast Boy was there, within Rage's domain. Not just nearly within it, but actually in there; with Her. She tried to stand, but collapsed back on the floor. Against her will the feel of him in her arms after Malchior had shattered her came to her mind. When he'd seen her whole after Trigon's defeat, the way his eyes had lit up, and he'd embraced her. Trembling, she shook her head to clear it of the memories. She had to get her friend out of there. But ... How?
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned, needing the calmness the mantra brought her. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." Came the words, again and again, spoken as though nothing was wrong. Legs now steady, she stood and reached for her mirror. Soon as this was over she would really meditate.
The mirror deposited her next to Knowledge who was sitting, reading from her book. The emoticlone closed it, and stared at her.
"Beast Boy is with Rage in her domain." Raven spoke, abandoning the facade of emotionlessness.
"I know." Knowledge said. "We all do."
"Well? What can I do?" The girl demanded.
"First of all calm down?" The yellow-clad emoticlone replied.
"Calm down? He's with her! Who knows what she ..." Her voice rose.
"Anger will only empower her." Knowledge spoke sharply, interrupting.
Raven stared. The emoticlone had never spoken in such a tone before.
"Given the situation." The emoticlone said, her voice now normal. "Empowering her is the last thing we want to do."
She nodded, and sat down across from Knowledge. "So what do I do?" She asked, trying to focus on being calm.
"Can you enter her domain?"
"No." Raven replied. "It's a prison I made especially for her, but she's also capable of sealing it from the inside. I can't enter it. At least not right now."
"Poor BB." Knowledge said with a small frown.
"So what do I do?" She asked again.
"I don't know. But you've got to remain calm. Get angry, and she gets more powerful." Knowledge tilted her head to one side, looking thoughtful. "And no obsessing over the obsessor." She added.
"Obsessor?" Raven asked, confused.
"The boy you think about so much when you should be meditating." The yellow-clad emoticlone said.
"You mean Robin? Why call him that. She felt ... mad." Gulping, she focused on being calm.
"There's not exactly much to do in here." Knowledge pointed out. "Thinking of nicknames for people is one of the ways we pass the time." She shrugged. "At least since Happy came up with the game. You got admit at times it fits him."
"Maybe." Raven admitted. "But why shouldn't I think about him?"
"Jealousy. There's a hint of anger in you towards Starfire when you do." The yellow-clad emoticlone simply said.
"Oh."
Her door had been open, and he'd simply planned to knock on the side and sing out to her. Seeing her plant a kiss on a poster of boy wonder, even via her fingers, had come as a shock to him. He'd felt equal parts amusement and jealousy. Then Rage had started to take control, and he hadn't had a clue on what to do. Or, for that matter, what had caused the reaction.
He'd wondered if she really hated him so much that that was the way she was reacting to him just for being there. The idea of that being the case had hurt. But if true then he should've fled, and not stayed. On the other hand, if she was going to run amok, someone had to try and snap her out of it, or at the very least give warning to the other Titans.
Then those demonic eyes had focused on him, and darkness had reached out to grab him. It'd been like falling into her mirror, only there'd been no light. Turning into a bat he'd slowed his fall, all the while trying to detect the ground below. It'd been a long way down. And now he stood in the darkness, sending out pulses of sound to paint a map of what was around him.
"Not like the last guy, huh?" Came a demonic voice. "He was so afraid of the dark he snapped before he even got in here. Well, as he would say, let's shed a little light on the subject"
She's talking about Doctor Light. The shape shifter realized. He looked up as a blood-red moon appeared in the sky. It wasn't much, but the world around him came into view. He switched back to his human form, and looked at the embodiment of Raven's Rage. Does she really hate me that much? He wondered, and anger of his own erupted within him. He'd done nothing to deserve this. And he'd been wrong. It seemed she could take away his ability to just leave. The anger built, driven by months of resentment, and overflowed inside of him.
The emoticlone frowned, sensing something wrong. Those who were draw into this little prison Raven had cooked up for her always felt fear. But now, from him, there came ... anger? It washed over her, and her own rage flared in response. It was always burning inside her, but now ... She tried to maintain control, but thought and reason left her. She snarled, and felt the rage she projected become focused within the one she'd drawn in here. He should have cowered, instead his own fury burned brighter as did her own.
She stood, and placed her mirror safely in a drawer. She would have to face the others; would have to tell them what'd happened. Walking slowly, she headed for the commons room. They were all gathered there, pondering the situation. Whether the team would remain whole, or break up. Each analyzing their own actions and condemning themselves. Looking up at her they all frowned. Obviously her facade of emotionlessness was severely cracked, if not altogether gone. Her face must've already told them the news was bad.
"He left?" Cyborg asked, disbelievingly.
"Not exactly." She replied, looking around. "Actually, he's sort of in this room right now?"
"That's a relief." Robin said, looking around. "He opened his mouth to speak.
"Just sort of." She added, interrupting him. "See, he sort of ... well ..." She closed her eyes and focused on being calm. "Recall what nearly happened to Doctor Light?" She asked.
They all nodded.
"Well, it happened again. Only instead of being drawn halfway into Rage's domain, Beast Boy was pulled all the way there. And that's where he's at now." She closed her mouth.
"Rage? Domain?" Robin asked. He'd never been told about her emoticlones.
"You mean he's in Nevermore?" Cyborg asked. "You've got to go and get him. Who knows what Rage will do with him?" His face was pale.
"I can't." She simply replied. "It's not Nevermore exactly where she took him. It's a pocket of space even lower than that. I made it as a prison. But I made it a bit too good. I can seal her within it. Usually. But the problem is that its too easy too seal. She can keep me out of it."
"Someone explain." Robin ordered, looking between Raven and Cyborg.
She opened her mouth to speak, but her head started to feel strange. A sense of insane fury filled her mind, overwhelming her. it came with a blinding bolt of pain, and she collapsed to the floor.
Inside her, Rage clashed with Beast Boy; both committed to a battle to the death.
End of Chapter.
Raven's obsession, at least for now, Robin. Given she developed such strong feelings for Malchior, I can see her falling for the boy wonder. As their leader he would be charismatic; someone strong and confident.
And it seems Beast Boy is taking a break from the team, in another dimension.
Two chapters without a fight scene. A first for me. But given Beast Boy's location I'm sure there will be plenty of that in the next chapter.
Thanks to those who read and review.