I do NOT own Teen Titans
Time: Immediately following the previous chapter.
The Second Fight,... A Talk,... Back to the Tower,...
She smiled and stood. "Let the fight begin." She simply said.
Beast Boy switched to a cheetah and raced along the ground, wanting to put some distance between them. Attacking her head-on given her firepower wasn't smart, even with his ability to dodge. Sneaking close, and making a surprise attack was the best bet. But how to do that? He wondered. In the last fight he'd only hurt her twice. Once from a smoke screen of dust, and once from the air. Both were times when she hadn't been looking. That was what he needed to repeat. A blast of dark energy struck the ground near him, and he dodged. It seemed she wasn't going to give him time to think. Not something he could blame her for. The massive cat grinned. He decided he liked the red-clad emoticlone.
Rage took to the air and blasted at the swiftly moving form with her magic. Not wanting the shape shifter to suddenly turn and leap at her in the form of a snake, she chose to stay rather high. That, along with all the rocky areas in her domain, meant she had a poor chance of hitting her target. She decided even if he didn't win, she would still tell him one of the two ways to enhance his ability to fight. It was strange, but she was feeling generous. And a bit overconfident. She though, recalling their first fight. Focus. She ordered herself.
How to get close? The shape shifter wondered, using the piles of rocks to his advantage. The way she was managing to track him suggested she was using more than just her eyes. Unlike the first time, she wasn't out of control. Wonder if empathy or her eyesight would take precedence in tracking me? He mused. It was an idle thought as he had no way of separating his emotions from his body, but still it rattled around in his mind. He turned around another pile of rocks and kept running. Looking at the sky, an idea came to him.
He'd been running for five minutes now, and she'd sent hundreds of energy bolts his way. How long will he keep this up? She mused, enjoying the chase. The shape shifter was, by no means, an easy target. It would have been more fun if he had some way to strike back. However she was in this to win, and didn't plan to give him the chance. Both her eyes and her more demonic senses were kept focused on him.
Still running in the form of a cheetah, he picked up a small rock in his mouth. The vague idea he had would've been easier if there'd been a breeze. Still, there was a chance. Wonder if there's ever any wind in this place? He thought, and doubted it. Turning, he made a loop around a particularly large pile of rocks, keeping out of visual sight. He used his head to toss the rock into the air, swatted it violently with his paw, and hitched a ride on it in the form of an amoeba.
If she'd been tracking him with just her eyesight, she would've been taken by surprise. As it was, she barely had time to reach out and enclose the shape shifter within a barrier. It seemed he'd made a dash at her, leaping and then transforming into some form of insect. However, she had him safely netted with her power. Unless he manages to break it. She mused. But the barrier he was in was much too small to allow him to change into anything large. She'd won; she could see something through the blackness of the barrier, and she could sense him there.
It'd been close. He'd detached himself from the pebble just before Rage had snared it. It was inside the barrier, while he was outside, resting on its surface, still in the form of an amoeba. If her empathy only gave direction, she would think he was safely trapped inside. Still, he was fifteen feet from her. How to get closer? If there'd been a breeze he could've hitched a ride with it. Unfortunately there wasn't.
Rage gave the barrier a little shake, wondering why he wasn't surrendering. Did he really think he could escape? Though the blackness of the barrier made it difficult to see, there was a small shape inside, and she could sense him with her empathy. Maybe that was it. Maybe he was hoping to fool her into thinking there was nothing inside. To his eyes the trap would appear to be pure black, and maybe he hadn't considered her other senses. Smiling, the red-clad emoticlone decided to wait and see how long he would play possum. Given what he knew, it was a good trick.
On top of the barrier, still in the form of an amoeba, he let go and extended appendages from his cell walls. Given his size and shape, it would take a long time to fall to the ground. With the appendages, he could glide quite a ways. But it would take time. If she moved, it would fail.
Frowning she peered at the sphere she'd trapped him in. It was strange, but she could have sworn she could feel him getting closer. But her eyes said he was still in the trap. Maybe frustration is just making his emotions stronger; hence making him appear closer. She mused. Looking at the ball of dark magic, she rattled it some more.
Slowly drifting, he landed on her nose and grabbed on.
A sense of danger made her release her hold on the trap, and she teleported away. Turning to look, she saw a small stone fall from the sky. A trap. She realized. But the sense of danger hadn't faded, and she could sense him. She gulped. He was something small, and either on her, or inside her. Still pondering the situation, she felt a jolt of electricity course through her.
For a second Beast Boy turned into an electric eel, and sent a considerable charge into his foe. He immediately switched back to an amoeba, and hung on once more. When she teleported, he repeated the process. Rage dropped to her knees.
Turning back to his human form he knelt beside her. "You okay?" He asked, holding her steady.
She nodded, looking at the hands on her shoulders. "Was that the best shock you could give?" She asked, not bothering to remove his hands.
"No, but I didn't want to hurt you."
"Guess you win then." Rage sat down, and rested her back against a boulder. Losing should have made her angry, but for some reason this time she didn't mind.
Beast Boy sat down close to her. "Was thinking snake, but didn't know how the venom would affect you. So went with an electric eel instead."
"The seal is broken." She said, her dark voice sounding sad. "Raven will be here soon, and she'll take you out. There's no gateway like in Nevermore, so you'll need her help to leave."
"Was fun." He told her. "The second fight anyway. I knew you were a lot stronger than I am, so I had to use a trick."
"That's the first hint." She replied. "You're a man, not a beast. No animal has that sort of cunning."
"Hrm." He mused, looking out over the flowers. Despite the two fights, they were still blooming. "So even if I turn into an ape, for example, I'm not limited to what an ape can do?"
"Right. Use its strength and instincts, but guide it with your human intellect."
He laughed. "According to Raven, I don't have an intellect of any sort."
"I'm sure you do." She smiled, and it didn't feel so wierd anymore. "Sometimes you just misplace it."
"What's the second way to learn a few new tricks?" He asked, looking amused.
"Tamaranian stew." She replied, feeling like giggling. She wondered if something was wrong with her.
"Tamaranian stew?" Beast Boy asked, sounding puzzled.
She grinned. "I'm sure you can figure it out. If not, I'm going to be mad."
The shape shifter stared at the red sun directly above them. "Why're you so different from the last time I saw you?" He asked.
She shrugged. "Anger issues maybe."
"Oh."
"I was possessed by Trigon then. It was more him than me you saw." She shrugged. "It was fun seeing him get taken down a few notches." Looking at the boy she wondered if any of the other emoticlones had yet given any thought as to what it meant for Raven to be half demon. She didn't think so. From what little she knew, even Knowledge hadn't realized it yet.
Taking a look up in her dark sky, the red-clad emoticlone made up her mind. Picking up a jagged rock, she slashed the palm of her hand.
"What are you doing?" Beast Boy yelled, shocked. He looked around for something to stop the bleeding with.
"Drink." She ordered in her dark voice, holding out her hand.
"What? Why?" He peered at her, confused and worried.
"Trust me. Now drink before she gets her."
"Why?" His tone held a hint of suspicion.
"This won't in any way hurt her. The time will come when it will help her. Now DRINK!" She commanded, sensing Raven getting closer.
He leaned forward and took the hand, still uncertain. Looking at her, he decided to trust her. For some reason, he liked her. He licked some of the blood from her hand.
"Good." She sighed in relief, pulling the hand back to hide it amidst her cloak. "Tell no one about that." She ordered, her dark tone serious. "Do not write it down, do not mutter it to yourself even when you're alone. For what matter, try not to even think about it."
"Why?" He asked, the taste of blood strange in his mouth, and not at all pleasant.
She looked up, knowing Raven would arrive in seconds. "Trigon sees all." She answered. "But this place is hidden even from him. It exists as a part of Raven, deep within her mind. And for all his power, he can't see what exists that far down within a person. Even Nevermore he can reach into, should he chose to, since Raven is still the portal." She looked down at her hidden hand. "He will not have seen what we just did, but if you say even a word about it outside of here he will know. Even if you mutter it to yourself, he will know."
He frowned, wondering what Trigon had to do with this. He'd been defeated.
"Yes. He's been weakened and defeated. But he still lives. I would prefer he not know about this." Rage's tone was serious.
"Okay. I just hope I don't talk in my sleep."
She smiled. "Me too." She admitted.
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." The violet-haired girl intoned time and time again, commanding tranquility within her mind and body. For a while she'd felt no violence coming from Rage; it had been unnaturally quiet. Then she'd felt another battle start. Less intense than the first, but still a fight, and it had worried her. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned, trying to banish the fear. But it also brought hope. If Beast Boy had been dead, then there would have been no one for the emoticlone to fight. So he had to be still alive. If she hadn't been so focused on her mantra, she would have wept for joy. As it was she just continued, and hoped. This battle wasn't as vicious as the first so perhaps ...
She screamed in pain, as what felt like an electric current passed through her.
"Friend Raven." Starfire was at her side, looking worried. Her face tired.
Another current coursed through her, and she nearly lost consciousness. What is going on? She wondered, starting to feel panicked. Struggling to her knees, she resumed her mantra. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned. And then she felt it; the seal on Rage's domain vanished. She ignored Starfire's questions, and vanished up through the ceiling, into her room. She grabbed the mirror that was her portal to Nevermore. Turning it over, she removed a small panel from the back. It revealed a flawless obsidian surface so pure and perfect one could see one's self in it. She looked, and was drawn into the gateway.
She used her powers of telekinesis to speed her passage through the darkness that led to Rage's domain. Mentally she prepared herself to fight. Emerging into the dark landscape with the red sun, she stopped. Reaching out she sensed the two of them nearby, and headed straight to them.
"Well look who decided to show up." Rage growled, looking at Raven.
Beast Boy stared at the emoticlone and wondered at the change in her. She turned towards him and winked with one of her four eyes, smiling a little.
"If you've hurt Beast Boy I will make sure you never get out again." Raven stated.
"Hrm. So how would that be different from what you're trying to do now?" The red-clad emoticlone asked, as if finding the suggestion amusing.
"I'm okay." Beast Boy spoke up.
She turned to look him over. Her face went white as she saw the scars on him. "No you're not." She claimed, voice weak. Black energy formed around her hands, and she took a step towards Rage.
"Now. Stop." He ordered, stepping between them.
"Can't talk to her at all." Rage claimed with a smile. "I think she has anger management problems."
He turned back towards her. "It might have been rough at first, but I'm glad I met you."
She blinked all four eyes. "Yeah. Sorry about that." She replied. "Didn't know that would happen."
"It's okay." He shrugged.
"Won't happen again." She promised. "And I'm pretty sure we'll meet again in the future."
"No you won't." Raven tried to interrupt them. Her hands still held black energy, but Beast Boy remained in the way.
"Good." The shape shifter replied, speaking to Rage and ignoring Raven.
The red-clad emoticlone blinked again as she realized he really meant it. Almost against her will, she stepped forward and hugged him.
The shape shifter stood there stunned, and then slowly raised his own hands to hug the lonely emoticlone back. "Til we meet again." He told her gently.
"Til then." She agreed, her voice dark.
He turned to see Raven staring, shocked. "You hugged her." She stated, voice void of emotion, eyes wide.
"Technically I returned her hug. But yeah, I guess you could say that." He stated matter of factly.
"Hey. Clueless." Rage spoke. "Did you come here to yak all day, or did you come to get him out of here." She smirked. "Cause you know, I don't mind if he stays a bit longer."
Raven stepped forward and grabbed the person she'd come for, and vanished, dragging him with her. When they reappeared they were in her room. "You hugged her." She stated again, staring at him.
"I thought we agreed that I did return her hug." He replied.
"But she's Rage. She's evil."
He shrugged. "Still, it was a nice hug. Not often I gets hugs from a cute girl."
"Cute..." She sat down on her bed, stunned. Shaking her head, she looked back up. "We need to talk." She said.
"Yeah. We do. But don't be too serious okay? It ruins your whole aura of being mysterious." He sat down beside her.
She blinked. He didn't seem too angry with her. Not over the way she'd treated him, or for getting cast into the prison she'd made for Rage. "The scars first." She said, and pulled him with her down through the floor, into the clinic.
"Friend Beast Boy." Starfire yelled, and practically jumped into his arms.
"Hey Starfire. Glad to see you too." He patted her on the shoulder. Returning her hugs might get boy wonder mad at him.
She stood back. "Are you okay?" She asked, looking him over, noting the scars. "Should I prepare a Tamaranian remedy of healing?"
"I'm fine." He reassured her. "But I am hungry. Some Tamaranian stew might be nice."
She beamed at him. No one ever asked her to cook for them. "I shall prepare some right away." She declared, and flew from the room.
"You're going to eat her cooking?" Raven asked, once again shocked.
"I'm curious about it." He replied, shrugging. From what Rage had said, it was something he should investigate. He rubbed his stomach, hungry. "How long was I gone?" He asked, looking at the clock. Surely it'd been more than two hours.
"Over a day." Raven replied. "Lie down on the cot." She ordered.
He did so. It hadn't just been a whole day without food, but a full night without sleep as well. The cot felt good.
She reached out, and started to heal him. There were no wounds from whatever had caused the scars, so she just concentrated on removing the disfiguring marks. When they were all gone she wondered what to say. "Sorry." She finally said.
He smiled. Like Rage, it was obvious she wasn't into saying that word very often. He recalled the question he'd went to her room to ask her. "Do you want me off the team?" He asked, becoming more serious.
"No." She replied, keeping her voice void of emotion.
"You sounded a lot more sure of yourself when you claimed it would serve me right." He studied the violet-haired girl closely. His own tone matched hers.
So he had heard. She thought to herself, wondering how to reply. "I would miss you." She replied sincerely, dropping the facade for a second.
"Should I leave? Cyborg obviously doesn't care to have me around, nor does Robin."
"No." Raven insisted. "Things got out of hand." She explained. "I'm not sure how. I guess Cyborg was so used to teasing you over tofu and meat, that he didn't know when to stop. He took it for granted it was just like it always was; good natured fun. He knows better now. He even stocked the fridge with all the tofu bacon and eggs you'll need for the next month." She stopped to think before continuing. "As for Robin. He saw the team bickering all the time and tried to stop it. Plus he was worried if tofu was enough to keep you healthy."
"It is." Beast Boy replied, tone still void of emotion. "In the Doom Patrol we had physicals. They did tests to make sure I was getting all the nutrients I needed. When I switch forms I get all the trace minerals and vitamins I need. I might not get something like vitamin B12 when I'm human. But even a few minutes a day in another shape fixes that. I'm the son of two geneticists; I know all about nutrition."
"Oh." If Robin had bothered to ask. She realized. But then all of them had come to think of him as the jokester of the group. Somehow they'd equated that with being not quite as smart as they were; as being less mature.
"Of course it was partly my fault." He admitted. "They tried to force me to do things I didn't care to. But I accepted it without trying to defend myself. I was so afraid of having to leave, that I thought I didn't have a choice. So I just tried to cram all the hate and disgust inside until I was ready to explode. That was pretty stupid of me. I know now I got a choice, and at worse I can just up and leave." He paused. "Unless you stick me in another dimension again." He added.
I should have sensed that something was wrong. She berated herself. If I hadn't been so obsessed over Robin... She suppressed a sigh. "None of us want you to leave." She said. "We're a team. For a while things were broken. But now we know it, and can fix it." She looked away. "I'm sorry I stuck you with Rage." She recalled the scars she'd removed from his body and guilt washed over her. A flicker of black energy leapt from her fingers, and destroyed the knob on a cabinet with a loud bang.
They both turned to look at the cabinet.
End of Chapter.
Wonder what Rage knows about Raven that even Knowledge has yet to realize. Or why she shared blood with him. For that matter, what will happen when he eats the Tamaranian stew Starfire is preparing for him.
Thanks to those who read and review.