::: Season 6 :::
:: Episode 7 :: The Gem Of Life ::
A boy and his mother are playing in what looks to be some type of hut, made out of hard clay. The boy looks to be around 6, with long, black, scruffy hair going down just past his neck. The mother has long black hair as well, but her hair is smooth as silk and seems to be well maintained. They both were wearing robes that matched the civilians of ancient Rome. The boy's father walked him, looking sweaty and tired from his training with the neighbors. He was standing, well built, and not wearing any clothes covering his torso. His hair was scruffy as well and went all the down to the lower of his back.
He walks in on his son and wife playing. He gets angry at the fact that she's not helping him train. Before he begins to yell at her, someone calls him form outside. It sounded like mocking at him and his family. He walks outside to confront whoever it was doing the mocking. The boy, a little frightened, is now being held close by his mother. A few minutes go by, and he comes back inside:
-Father:We have to go, NOW!
-Mother:Where?!
-Father:I'll explain later! But we have to move, NOW!
-Mother:*Lets out a huge gasp* No…we don't have time!
She pulls out some type of 'security bubble' and places the boy inside. "Here, my son, take these!" She hands him a few things, than quickly writes something on some paper than gives it to him. "I love you, my son! Take care and be safe!" She blasts a hole through the roof of the house and send him through it, and up toward the sky. "Mommy!" he cries, as he is being sent upward and away from the house. About 5 seconds after being sent away, a huge 'pitch black' explosion quickly covers the land. The last thing the boy sees is his mother reaching out to him just before being covered in the 'black explosion.' "No, MOMMY!
Matthaios wakes up, "Uh…NOO!" he screams out. He's breathing heavily and covered in sweat. He slowly gets up and tries to regain his breath. Robin kicks down his door, with the other 4 Titans behind him. He sees Matthaios sitting on the side of the bed, panting, with a look of shock and disbelief. He thinks to himself, "3rd night in a row that's happened. Why am I seeing this again? Why now?!"
-Robin:Matthaios, you ok? We heard you yelling!
-Matthaios:*Still panting, slightly* Yea I'm fine, thanks. Just had a bad dream, that's all.
-Robin:Alright, if you need anything you know where to find us. Cyborg is making breakfast if you're interested.
-Matthaios:Thanks. Just, give me a minute. I'll be out than.
He pulls out the letter and Red Gem, no larger than the size of the palm of his hand, out of the inside pocket of his vest. Raven sees it, than closes the door the instant Matthaios spots her. About 20miutes later, Matthaios walks in looking better and refreshed after taking his morning shower:
-Cyborg:Hey, you hungry? Still some 'French Toast-waffles' left!
-Matthaios:Yea, I guess I could eat. Thanks…
-Robin:Soo, do you have a minute?
-Matthaios:Other than some weight lifting, I didn't have any plans. Why…?
-Robin:Well, still being 'skeptical' about having you around, Raven pointed out that you were looking at something from you pockets? Like, something was glowing almost.
-Matthaios:*Glaring at Raven*Yea, it's nothing. Just some things my mother gave me before Razbionic Lupsoldato exploded. Nothing more. Nothing BAD if that's what you're concerned with.
Robin goes with it, and the day moves on as normal. Immediately after Starfire, Matthaios, Beast Boy, and Cyborg are done working out at the gym, a crime alert comes up and over the tower. Back in the living room, Robin debriefs with the team:
-Robin:Looks like Plasmus and Cinderblock are terrorizing the town again!
-Raven:Fighting those 2 are starting to become annoying and repetitive.
-Beast Boy:Yea, it's like all we do is fight them over and over again. *Raven face palms herself*
-Robin:They are down at the Nuclear Plant! Titans, GO!
The Titans spring into action, and head toward the Nuclear Plant in Jump City. When they arrive, they only find Plasmus stealing the waste for himself. Cyborg opens his scanners and says, "Cinderblock isn't here." Robin replies, "We'll have to split up. Cyborg, Beast Boy and I will go after Cinderblock. Raven, Starfire, and Matthaios will stay here and take down Plasmus!" Everyone agrees as Cyborg, Robin, and Beast Boy split off from the group to go find Cinderblock.
Matthaios gets cocky, "Alright ladies, stand back and watch how we did things back home." Starfire and Raven move out of the way and into the front corner by the entrance where they came into the Plant. Matthaios cracks his knuckles, turns toward Plasmus, than is blindsided by a hard punch from him. This sends him slamming back against the front wall of the building. "Good job, we've learned so much now. Thank you!" Raven said so sarcastically. Raven and Starfire jumps in. Starfire starts by unleashing a barrage of Starbolts toward Plasmus. Raven grabs all the containers near Plasmus, and moves them far away from him. Then she grabs a rusted pipe off the wall and tries to use it against him, but he just absorbs it, than shoots it back toward Raven and Starfire. They are hit, and are knocked to the ground.
Meanwhile, the other 3 are out looking for Cinderblock, when they hear screaming and an explosion:
-Beast Boy:That can't be good!
-Robin:It sounds like it's near the Jump City Bank!
-Cyborg:Again? Didn't they just get finished renovating from Mumbo's attack?!
-Robin:Let's GO!
Cyborg, Robin, and Beast Boy head over to the bank. They spot Cinderblock trying to flee out the back, but he's stopped by the 3 Titans in the back lot. Robin slows him down with a few of his Explosion Discs. Beast Boy comes in from the side as a rhino and head-butts Cinderblock though a dumpster. After a few seconds, he gets up a little disoriented and extremely angry. Beast Boy changes into a raptor and charges in, again. This time, Cinderblock stops him. He grabs Beast Boy by the neck, spins him around a few times, before throwing him into another building on the other side of the lot. Cyborg comes in and tries to throw a huge punch, but its blocked, and he's thrown into one of the side buildings. Robin pulls out his staff and begins to chop at the legs of Cinderblock. Than Robin jumps on his back and tries to hold him in place. Cyborg gets up and pulls out his Sonic Blaster. "Robin!" he calls out. "Cyborg, NOW!" Robin replies. Cyborg blasts Cinderblock with a Sonic Boom. While he's down and disoriented, they tie him up as the Police appear.
Back at the Nuclear Plant, Matthaios gets up, jumps on to the front wall where he landed, and with a full head of steam, fires himself like a bullet toward Plasmus. When Matthaios reaches him, he ends up going right through him. When he appears behind Plasmus, he ends up covered in nuclear waste. "Wow, gross!" he tells himself, as he falls to the ground. Starfire continues her onslaught of Starbolts with a mix of her Laser-eye Beams toward Plasmus. Raven blasts away as well with her magical energy. Matthaios jumps up, powers up to his Galben form, as he begins to blast away at Plasmus. Eventually, the power is too much for Plasmus to endure and the combining powers of the 3, end in him exploding. This sends waste flying everywhere, covering the place from top to bottom. It evens ends up covering Raven's cloak and Starfire as well. Plasmus returns to his human form, as he is lying on the ground asleep. They tie him up and take him to jail.
The team meets back at the tower as they inform each other about the event that occurred. After everyone is cleaned up, the progress through the day as normal. Cyborg and Beast boy are chilling out on the couch, as Robin and Starfire or just chatting in the kitchen. Raven and Matthaios are in their respected rooms tending to themselves. Raven is spending time reading and meditating.
Matthaios is spending time alone. He's still awe struck about the delusions he saw during the events with Mumbo a few days ago. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he stares down at the floor. He begins to contemplate how the 'black' wave or explosion happened. Trying to remember it again, so he may be able to pin point what caused it.
Many times when he's alone during his life, he would become haunted by the events that happened. Confused on why it happened, whose fault it was, or what caused it to happen. Sometimes, he even asked himself, "who" may have done this. He seems to keep it buried deep inside of him, by staying active and keeping his mind off of it. He was always 'looking over his soldier' incase it happened again, swallowing the current planet he was on, like it did to his original home.
He reaches inside of his shirt, pulls out and takes off a thin golden colored necklace. At the end of it is the Red Gem he was looking at earlier. It's incased with a golden frame, and covered by a crystalized glass. He leans over the edge of his bed, with the Gem cupped in the center of his hands, and just stares at it. The gem emulates a light that is slowly fading in and out at a slow and constant pace.
Matthaios hears a voice coming from behind him:
-Raven:Not that I should care, or even ask, but how are you doing? You know, since…
-Matthaios:For someone who loves their privacy, you sure do like to invade other people's personal business…
-Raven:Well, I've never thanked you for what happened a few days ago. I thought I owed you that, at least.
-Matthaios:There are other ways to communicate. Invading someone's room is not one of them, especially when that 'someone' just wants to be alone. I thought you, of anyone, would understand that!
-Raven:I was just- … *Smirks* Hmm, you're right. I'm sorry. That was uncalled for on my part. I just wanted to help. Maybe as some type of payback for helping me. I've been to some 'dark' places. I've seen things that no one should have to see, or experience. Although some advice might not be on the same scale as saving someone's life, but I just thought I could lend you my expertise. Just know that, whatever you saw, whatever you may have experienced in the past, it's over. You survived a mass extinction. How many people, or species, can say that? I don't know what you saw, and I'm sure I don't know everything about you or your past, or what's going on in your head over these past few days, but just know, all of us had a 'dark' past…and we're all better people for it. Your strong, I can tell, and not just physically either. You'll get through this. Robin and the others will be here if you need them. One last thing, it's not your room. It's a 'guest room' with your stuff in it … *Matthaios grins slightly, finding her last remark amusing*
Raven fades into the floor and reappears in the kitchen with the others. A few minutes later comes out into the kitchen. Not acknowledging the conversation he had with Raven at all, he proceeds forward:
-Matthaios:Soo, I've been doing some thinking. And after weeks of consideration, heavy thought, and the knowledge that I may regret it…or that my ancestors would pummel me if they found out, I've decided … … … *Takes a deep breathe* I've decided to get my hair cut!
* The 5 Titans jump stunned, and let out a huge 'gasp' *
-Beast Boy:Umm, isn't that against your 'rules' or something?!
-Cyborg:Have you even HAD a haircut before?
-Matthaios:Have you?!
-Cyborg:Oh, now that's just cold…
-Robin:What made you decide you wanted this?
-Matthaios:On my planet, everyone had long hair. If you got it cut, you were considered weak, or a coward. After seeing your 5 fight, your maneuverability, how fast you are, I began to think, "How much faster would I be if my hair wasn't holding me back? How much stronger, and faster would my people have been if they didn't worry about how long their hair was?" Now that I don't have to worry about being judged or disciplined because the length of my hair, I've decided to take a gamble to see how it would work out. Starfire might be a little faster too if she did the same thing.
-Starfire:*Over exaggerated gasp* How dare you speak the Blas-Phemy![2] You should be banned from this tower…No, this city…NO, this Planet, for uttering such 'Dargelmemph!'
Her eyes and hands are glowing, face covered in anger. She gets really close to him and glares into his eyes ready to attack. Robin grabs her arm, and tries to pull her away:
-Robin:Calm down, Star! I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it.
-Matthaios:Apparently, I struck a nerve … My bad!
-Beast Boy:*Chuckles*See, everything's all better now … right?!
* Starfire pouts and shrugs as she heads to her room *
-Robin:Starfire, wait! *Runs after her*
-Matthaios:Sooo, does anyone know where I can get my haircut around here?!
-Raven:I'll do it…!
* Beast Boy and Cyborg jump back out of shock *
-Cyborg:Wait! You, Raven … Are gonna help, HIM?!
-Beast Boy:Yea, I thought you hated him or something like that.
-Raven:I never said that. I said I don't trust him…but this is the least I can do.
-Matthaios:Uhhh …
-Raven:Trust me!
-Matthaios:How about THAT for some irony.
-Raven:Well, Starfire is usually the one who does it for everyone, and I trim my own hair.
-Matthaios:… Fine, but I better not see my head rolling around on the floor 'cuz you wanted to 'get closer!'
-Cyborg/Beast Boy:*Dazed and confused* ? ? ? ?
-Raven:Here, sit. *Pulls up a chair from then table*
-Matthaios:Ok? *sits down* Wait … will this hurt at all?
-Raven:Unless you have nerves located in your hair, you'll be fine. Why, afraid of a little pain?
-Matthaios:Actually, yes!
-Raven:Oh … soo, how do you want me to do this?
-Matthaios:I don't know. The hairstyles of my people are all in the same to one another. I don't know how many hairstyles there are, or what choices I have. I'm just in need of getting rid of it. I guess, just chop it off at the top of the neck and then we can shape it from there…The HAIR! Chop the HAIR off at the top of the neck…
-Raven:Ok…
Raven grabs a pair of scissors, then begins to cut from one side. She goes to cut it, but the scissors break easily:
-Raven:Uhh…
-Matthaios:'Uhh,' what?!
-Raven:The scissors broke.
-Beast Boy:How?!
-Raven:I guess his hair is tougher than normal hair.
* She goes to grab a hand full of his hair *
-Raven:Well, it feels normal. It's just a lot thicker. Like, REALLY thick!
-Matthaios:Do you have something sharper?
-Raven:*Pulls out a butcher knife* Let's try this…
-Cyborg:No, not 'Stacey!'
-Raven: *Stops, looks at Cyborg confused* 'Stacey?'
-Beast Boy:Dude, you name your utensils?
-Cyborg:NOO!? …Just my cutting knives. See, here's 'Lucy.' She's for beef. This one's called 'Nellie.' She's used for dicing Veggie's. 'Vicky' is used for pork. And finally, my baby…'Big Bertha!' Ain't nothing too tough for her! Whoop, hold on! *Dashes away quickly, than comes back just as quick* There, better. She just needed a little sharpening. I've forgotten how long it's been. *Starts talking 'baby talk'* Who just needed a touch up? You did! Yes. You. Did…! *Quickly gathers himself back up and clears his throat* So yea, my point is their not for- *Raven grabs 'Big Bartha'* …Hey!
* Raven begins to slice through Matthaios' hair like a saw, using Cyborgs knife she took from him *
-Matthaios:Alright, so now-
-Raven:Quiet, I've got this … just hold still!
She spends the next 20 minutes slicing and dicing his hair, turning years of 'hair treatment denial,' into something better. Once she is done, she spins him around a few times[3] and hands him a mirror. His hair is much shorter now, with little to nothing left in the back. The top of his head has some hair left, but nothing compared to what it was before. "Thoughts?" She asked. Matthaios replied, "Well, I don't know anything about 'good looks' based on hairstyles, but let's see how well I can move around now." He shakes his head, to get any loose hair off him, than he proceeds to stand up. When he does, he's immediately thrown forward and off balance. He's able to catch himself on the kitchen table:
-Matthaios:WOW!
-Beast Boy:Dude, are you ok?
-Cyborg:What's wrong?!
-Matthaios:Oh man! I have to get used to this. I might have to teach myself how to walk and stand, again…!
-Beast Boy:Ya need help, or-?
-Matthaios:Hold on…! … No, I…I think I'm good. Just give me a minute to adjust.
-Cyborg:Raven, do you know what's going on?
-Raven:It's his hair, or lack of. The reason I wasn't able to cut it with scissors was not that it was thick, but that it wasn't hair. Well…it was hair, just not like us. Yes, it's thicker, but it's also made of some type of material that makes it stronger and heavier. Everything that was cut off weighs close to 150 pounds. He spent his whole life with all of that hair that he had to adjust himself to deal with the extra weight. Now that it's gone, he has to readjust himself and get use to not having it. That's why it seemed like he tripped, just by standing up.
-Matthaios:Alright…I think I got it…! Hold on, I'll be back!
Matthaios begins, slowly, lifting himself off the ground, trying to regain his balance and seeing how it will affect his flying. Floating a foot or so above the floor, he stretches his neck, arms, and legs, as he gets ready to take off. He slowly begins to move around the room. After a few laps, he lands right behind the couch. He drops to one knee, and gets into the 'runner'[4] stance. He closes his eyes, and begins to focus and concentrate. "Please stay quiet while I do this. I'm trying to see if I can do something with the need to 'Power Up.'" He slowly begins to harness his energy and the energy around him. His clothes, and what's left of his hair, begin to flow and flutter like he's surrounded by fans or small windmills. After a few minutes of utter silence, he quickly opens his eyes than disappears. In the hallway, you can see him for a split second as it looks like he lands on the wall before disappearing again. Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven slowly begin to walk toward the hallway, when they hear a knocking from behind them. They turn and see Matthaios outside. Once they spot him, Matthaios flies around before taking off heading out past Jump City and toward the mountains. He quietly returns, later that night, without alerting the others.
Raven is in her room and she just finished another one of her books. She gets in position in front of her window to begin her final meditation session if the night. She clears her mind and begins to chant, "Azarath. Mmet-" She hears a knock at her door, "Go away Beast Boy! I told you the 'Stank Ball' game was a onetime thing! I had to burn that cloak because I couldn't get the 'stank' smell out!" The door opens. Raven looks over her soldier and sees Matthaios:
-Raven:Oh…it's you. You need something. Can't it wait until tomorrow? You know, sometime between breakfast and when you DON'T barge into someone's room uninvited?!
-Matthaios:Hmm… Sucks, doesn't it?
-Raven:I … What do you want? And make it quick, I'm busy.
* Matthaios closes the door behind him *
-Matthaios:"Someone cannot trust you, until you put your trust into them."
-Raven:What?
Matthaios pulls out a necklace from inside his shirt and takes it off. He shows Raven the red 'gem,' which is incased in a golden case with a crystalized glass cover in the front:
-Matthaios:This is called the "Gemma Ta'Lepide Vietta." It means the "Gem of life." This is what I was looking at when you interrupted me, as I just did to you just now. If it means anything, I am sorry for that…BUT for the record, I did knock 1st.
-Raven:*Sits on the bed next to Matthaios* Why are you showing me this?
-Matthaios:*Hands Raven the gem*When I told everyone, everything about me… I may have left out a 'small' detail. We call if the "Gem of Life," because that's exactly what it is. This little thing controlled the life force of my people. Friends. Family. Everyone… Anyway, this Gem is mine. It contains MY life force.
-Raven:Wait, Life force?! What do you mean?
-Matthaios:We never figured out how or why, but then again we never really looked too far into it, but somehow this is almost like our 'heart.' Meaning, just like our actual hearts, if this thing 'dies' or gets destroyed, our lives calm to a halt.
-Raven:So what your saying is if I were to destroy this, you would die?
-Matthaios:Correct. The brightness of it is determined by a mixture of our 'energy levels' and 'emotional state.' If this thing became dark red, it would mean I'd would be 'barley clinging' to my life.
-Raven:How would we know if your-
-Matthaios:It would be pure black. After that, over time it begins to crack and break apart, before it eventually turns into nothing but the 'dust in the wind.' That normally takes about 40-50 years or so to do that from the time it turns black.
-Raven:Why are you telling me this? Why are you showing me this?
-Matthaios:Around the 'System,' a myth, an urban legend, began to float around from planet-to-planet, that the race, species, people of "Razbionic Lupsoldato" known as "Bellator's," had some type of weakness that we wouldn't admit to. We heard them all. My mother used to tell me stories about what she has heard over her life. Some say that our stomach was our weakness, and that one punch from even the weakest of warriors could take one of us down without effort. Some say we could be stopped by some magical powder we kept locked away deep inside the planets core. Others say we were nothing but brutes who 'talked a big game' but was never seen to be strong as we said we were. But the biggest myth that floated around, was that we had some sacred 'jewl,' or something similar, that each one of us had and kept with us. Destroying that would take us down as a whole. Nobody was able to confirm this, until now. That last myth was true. This Gem is the proof. As far as I know, you are the only one, not from my home planet, who can confirm this.
-Raven:Why me? Have you told the others?
-Matthaios:No! You can't tell anyone. If this gets out, anyone who MAY have survived the mass extinction of my home would be exposed, including me… The reason I'm telling you all of this is, because…I'm giving it to you.
-Raven:What? No…! Why?!
-Matthaios:I don't expect you to like me, or even see me as a friend, or even an acquaintance and I may never earn your full trust. But if I were going to, I thought I would try a little harder than I have been.
-Raven:*Jumps off the side of the bed and throws the gem at Matthaios* No! …No,I can't take this! You can't 'buy' my trust…or bribe me for my 'friendship!'
-Matthaios:It's not a bribe, although I can see why you would think that. Honestly, to me, it doesn't matter what you do with it. You can keep it, sell it, lock it up, throw it under your bed, or just give it to Silky to play with…or eat. It's up to you what you do with it, because I'm not taking it back. Just remember, it can't be more than 5 lightyears away from me, or else the connection is lost and both the Gem and I 'die out.' *Stands up* In order to earn your trust, I have to let you know I trust you. *Picks up the Gem and gently hands it to Raven* …So, I am literally placing my life in your hands. You may do with it as you please. *He turns around and begins to walk toward the door*
-Raven:Hey. What happened to you when you fell from the sky?
-Matthaios:Hmm…*Smirks* I knew this would come up eventually. All right, how much time do you have…?
*** NOTE ***
1. I think he is anyway, with the mask it's hard to tell WHAT he's looking at.
2. Starfire's way of saying 'Blasphemy'
3. Its typically what barbers do so you can see yourself in the mirror. Raven doing was pointless since they were in the living room area, and there is no mirror around.
4. Stance every uses in running/sprinting sports, mainly in the Olympics. Link to general pic: .