Long Road to Ruin

Trick Question

Crisious Prime was much like Earth, Strongheart said, it was a pretty blue planet with its surface mostly covered in water. However, when X and I were transported from Tameran to Crisious Prime (not bound and blinded thank Azar) I come to notice what Strongheart had failed to mention was that Crisious Prime was a pretty blue planet made up of 95 percent water. Unlike Earth's 70 percent, and trust, those numbers made a HUGE difference. For what little land that was visible from space were used as docking stations for incoming ships, meaning everything: the cities, communities, and homes were more than likely underwater.

Joy …

Anyway, as the ship X and I were on docked, the pilot (a local Crisinite unprejudiced and indiscriminant towards Tameranians and also a man who owed Strongheart a favor) got up from his seat to properly prep us for our mission. The mission that involved us to be transported as slaves being processed and sold in the local slave-trade, for what Strongheart has told us Crisious Prime was the capital for all illegal business transaction. The Crisinite, a man that bore human qualities – walks on two legs, two hands, two eyes, etc, etc … – had neon-green eyes and unhealthy-looking green tinge to his otherwise healthy brown skin. I had first thought he was sick, but now that I know what Crisious Prime looks like I realize that this Crisinite was actually quite healthy.

Probably even the average look for most that dwell on this watery planet.

He gestured for us to hand him our wrists, we did as gestured and he strapped the cuffs on, only this time X and I were roped together my right to his left with at least a four foot slack length between us. We then stood up and had him strap our ankles together then he went around and I flinched when he grabbed the tunic I was told to wear and lifted it up so my entire backside was revealed to him. I refrained from jumping to conclusions to turn around and smack him for his perversion, because then I felt him tape an adhesive to my back and attached to the adhesive was a blaster, a gun.

He then dropped my tunic and patted my shoulder as a gesture of apology for his rudeness.

I just blinked at him then looked at X who shrugged with a smirk on his lips, I rolled when eyes when I realized he was smirking because just like the Crisinite he too had the perfect view of my bare ass. Wonderful … I thought drily even when I noticed the Crisinite had done the same to X, only I wasn't as perverted (or immature) as he was and patiently waited for the set up to finish. Once it was done, the Crisinite nodded his head and gestured for us to follow him as he gripped the rope linking us together and began to drag us out of the ship. As it turned out I was first in line, then X followed me as we walked off the ship and onto the scorching island.

The sun was beating down on us relentlessly I felt my gray skin start to burn up.

Even X hissed, "Woo … that's hot …"

I scowled, "You don't say …" I tried to raise my hands to shield myself from the sun, but one of them was connected to X and the other was strapped tightly to the rope on my ankle, so I ended up bowing my head away from the sun, but it didn't seem to help much. The reflection of the beaming light bounced off the pure white grains of sand and blinded me. I gasped when the Crisinite tugged roughly and ordered us in his language to hurry it up. I was tempted to bend over and pick up sand to throw in his face, the bastard; he wasn't the one that had to suffer through this tied-bagged-and-gagged bullshit!

Okay so we weren't gagged, but I think I made my point!

In any case he lead us through the sand and into a humidly dense jungle with plants that looked like animals, and animals that looked like plants. I wasn't sure which was which, so I tried to avoid it all as the Crisinite dragged us through the nearly invisible trail. Until finally we reached what appeared to be a low waterfall spilling into an open cavern of water that was deep enough to drown in. The Crisinite crouched at the edge of the pool and seemed to play with the water, splash it around until finally he sighed and grabbed a hand full of dirt and sand.

He stood back up and with the hand full of terra he threw it into the water, but it didn't make a splash as X and I expected, no, the sand and dirt mingled with the water in a strange way that created a straight line that linked the ground we stood on to the waterfall. A perfect bridge of murky brown water that the Crisinite stood on without hesitation as he pulled X and I with him. My bare foot touched the water and I was shocked when I felt mud … like a really, really thick compound of mud that even made my feet mucky and yucky.

Is it magic …? I asked myself, but I didn't know … the device from Tameran was still on my neck preventing me from using my powers until I was finally in a cell.

At least, that was Strongheart's plan.

The suppressant was not to come off until X and I were once again in the processing-cells where the fun will really begin.

But that's in the near future, right now, as we walked across the pool over thick muddy waters I watched as the Crisinite stood directly under the waterfall, but an invisible umbrella created a large enough arch over him so X and I could pass through. He gestured for us to keep moving ahead of him, we did and as I passed under the umbrella I shuddered at the amount of energy that flooded my senses. My powers may be suppressed, but there is no possibly way to suppress it entirely, a part of me felt a pulse of life rush through me and nearly took my breath away.

It wasn't magic; it was the soul of the terra.

It was amazing.

This planet was actively participating in the lives of its creations.

I've never felt something like it, it was incredible!

However, I could no longer admire and absorb the power coursing through the planet for the Crisinite tugged on my rope and forced me to continue through a tunnel of sorts with torches of fire as the only means of illumination. That is, until five minutes into our nature walk when we stumbled onto a bright source of light that had to be artificial, we walked into it and I nearly shuddered when I felt the ground suddenly transition to cold-hard metal. From earthy and warm to cold and fake the Crisinite lead us onto a platform that brought us down … down … down … down … down till I began to feel the temperature drop dramatically.

The metal around us grew colder and colder till I shivered ever so slightly at the sudden change, beside me, X began to rub his arm as goose-bumps started to appear on his flesh and his teeth began to chatter. He glanced at me and I shrugged in response, I almost expected to start seeing my breath at how frozen the air had gotten. It was a stark contrast to the almost unbearable humidity on the surface; I gulped and pressed my thighs together in order to preserve what little heat I had left of my body. The fact that I was wearing nothing – and I do mean nothing – underneath this lousy tunic most certainly didn't help my shivers.

In any case, besides the freezing air, the platform came to a slow halt at an arched metal door that tore its jigsaw-like pieces apart to allow us entrance into another long tunnel. Yet, this time it wasn't through earth … it was a glass tubular-like tunnel that showed off everything under the surface of the ocean. It was beautiful, bright, and breathtaking, the way the turquoise colored water shimmered under the heat of the sun. To see it from down here was something else … no wonder Aqualad cherished his homeland Atlantis; I wouldn't want to give up a view like this for my life.

Not with such tranquility it brought about.

X whistled, and it echoed through the tunnel as we were hurriedly rushed through the winding maze, "Nice … I think I might just have to make a second home down here."

Before long, the sightseeing was over and we entered through another jigsaw-like door that brought us through another metal tunnel with no nice views and most certainly with no nice-people. As a matter of fact, this'll be the first time I've seen another living life-form on this planet and they looked like the Crisinite leading us through the dark metallic tunnels. X and I were given dirty looks, some curious, and some interested, either which it all unnerved me. At one point one of the locals stopped our Crisinite and exchanged a few words, shared a few laughs, and then we were on our way again.

However, as we passed by the local I gasped and jumped when he shamelessly grabbed a handful of my ass and squeezed hard enough for me to yelp. Without hesitation I spun around with a fist tightened and cocked back, I socked the pervert square in his jaw, quite actually surprised I was able to do so when that was the wrist which was attached to X. I momentarily spared him a glance to see that he had followed my arm to allow enough slack for such an attack. I mentally thanked him before I turned back around to face the pervert that was rubbing his jaw with a shocked look on his face.

All around us I heard murmurs and some snickers of amusement, but I didn't care, I braced for retaliation, but didn't get one. Instead the local I punched called to our Crisinite and said something in his language I didn't get, our Crisinite nodded with a sly grin and made some kind of gesture that the meaning totally eluded me of. Whatever it was I kept my eyes locked on the local who looked back down at me and chuckled before walking away while X and I's supposed captor tugged at our rope and we trekked on.

My face red as a beet, my ass tingling from the sensation of violation, I was more than happy when the Crisinite finally brought us to our holding cells and threw us in together after he undid our bindings. He looked at each of us before he dropped the metal door and left. Only when I heard the echo of his footsteps fade away did I attack the door in utter outrage, through gritted teeth I screamed, "Grrraahh!!" I kicked the door in frustration and while breathing hard I paced the tiny cell forcing X to sit on one of the rusting cots to stay out of my way.

He chuckled and said, "Remind me never to cop a feel."

I ignored his attempt at a joke as I tried to calm myself down when I finally noticed upon our cots were a change of clothes. I reached for mine to notice it was the same outfit I wore in the arena-match back on Tameran, only when I lifted it up to take a closer look a note fell to the ground. X reached for it first, opened it and said, "It's a map …"

I glanced at it over his shoulder and added, "It's a way out of here to the dock Strongheart told us about … and to where he last heard of Blackfire's capture."

"Figured that, but what's with the numbers on the bottom?"

I looked and quickly concluded, "Coordinates back to Tameran."

"He expects us to figure out how to fly a spaceship out of here?"

"I can pilot."

"Seriously?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

He sneered and threw the note back on his cot as he stood up and forced me to back off since the small space between our cots couldn't allow for two grown adults to stand face to face. He stared at me in slight irritation as he reached for his pile of clothes and asked sarcastically, "Is there anything you can't do?"

I honestly gave it some thought as I turned my back on him and slipped out of the itchy loose tunic, I reached around my back to pull out the tapped blaster and I tossed it on my cot then I grabbed my cloak and belted it on. Once it was strapped I paused and quietly said, "… Cook, I don't think I can cook."

Behind me I heard X shuffle his tunic off and then his breathable cotton black t-shirt on while I slipped into a fresh set of panties and finally the white shorts while X snickered, "Raven, comes with kick-ass karate-chop action and light up eyes, but some accessories required, batteries not included."

Laughing at his own joke I shot him a dark look at the same I was slipping on my boots and he was buttoning and zipping up his pants. He then took his blaster and tucked it into the front of his pants and hid it under his t-shirt, he crossed his arms over his chest, leaned on one leg and watched me with a smirk on his face. I rolled my eyes and after I finished tying up the last lace of my boot I grabbed my blaster and I too tucked it into my shorts, but in the back. Afterwards I pulled my hair over my shoulder and turned my back on X while I tilted my head forward so my chin touched my chest, "Hurry up and take this thing off my neck so we can get this over with."

X approached me and gently took a hold of the device and began to do as Strongheart instructed him to in picking the stupid little thing off of me. I felt his breath on my neck as he said slowly, the concentration thick in his voice, "You know … for one of the quiet Titans on the team, you sure don't have any patience."

I scoffed, "Common misconception, I say plenty, I just don't say the things people want to hear."

He paused in his picking to look over my shoulder down at me, I tilted my head to the side to look into his playful amber eyes that chastised me, "Be honest here Rae, you mean you shoot people down and push them away. Right?"

I narrowed my eyes, "Well if I shoot people down I guarantee you they won't do the same stupid thing around me again, and if I know that person is doing something stupid what kind of person would I be not to inform them of their stupidity. Since we can't kill the stupid people in the world I do my part by letting them know they're stupid … and I don't push people away, I make sure they know I don't want them near me."

"…" he arched a brow and stared at me with a long and hard look before he asked, "You honestly think that?"

I rolled my eyes and tipped my head back down so my chin was back against my chest, "This is not relevant to our situation X, ask questions when this is all over."

He scoffed, but continued to pick the device, "It may not be relevant, but after all this blows over I may not get a chance to talk to you again, so I might as well steal my time while I still have some."

Click!

The device fell off and clattered to the metal floor, I sucked in a deep breath when I felt all my power come rushing to the surface at once. Along with it I could finally feel the auras that surrounded the entire wing of this prison, but the strongest, of course, was X who still stood closely behind me, just staring at me. I closed my eyes when I felt his emotions and life-energy swirling all around me, encasing me, and centered solely on me. It felt good to finally be able to read people with so little effort. I collected myself and sighed in relief, curling my fingers into tight fists, clenching them, then slowly releasing and repeating I whispered mostly to myself, "Good to be back …"

I turned to look at X who smirked and winked, "Good to have ya back sunshine."

I stared at him for a few seconds before I blinked and levitated in my lotus position and prepared to go on a little spiritual trip, I informed X before my travel, "I'll be back …"

He plopped on his cot with his hands tucked behind his head and made himself comfortable, "Well, just don't forget about me alright."

With that I took deep breaths, slowly chanted my mantra and when I opened my eyes my soul-self fled my body and traveled through out the prison focused on Blackfire's signature aura, it also helped that I memorized the map Strongheart had drawn out for us. Before long I had found Blackfire in a secluded part of the holding-cells and when I saw her I had to mentally stop myself from screeching in shock. She was stripped bare-naked as the day she was born and sealed tightly in what looked to be a shatter-proof container at the center of a large room with wires upon wires and tubes upon tubes feeding into her liquid hell.

With nothing but a breathing mask strapped over her mouth and nose that may have also acted as her feeding tube, she floated peacefully in her jar, her eyes closed, head bowed, and her body curled into a fetal-position her pitch-black hair flowed all around her. If anything I would have thought she was a sleep if I didn't know she was prisoner on a planet that hated her kind. Why Crisinite's wanted her in a liquid-jar I didn't know and quite frankly I didn't want to know. All that mattered was getting her out and with that mentality in mind I searched the room and found a glass window over looking her cell.

No doubt an Observation Deck, I darted through the wall, but made sure to remain unseen as I peered into the small room that controlled Blackfire's environment. Two locals that appeared to be scientists conversed briefly with one another, I had no idea what they were talking about, but at least I knew now what we were up against. With that, I soared back into my body and startled X when I gasped and came back to life, he sat up and glared at me, "A little warning would help next time ya know."

I ignored his complaint and stood on my feet, "I don't know what they're doing to her, but she's being held in some kind of experimental chamber … we're going to have to distract the scientists before we can get her out of here."

X arched a brow at the mention of 'experimental', but he said nothing, however I felt his concern and pity towards the girl he barely knew. Back on his feet he nodded, "Alright then, let's do this."

"I'm going to drop you in with the scientists, take care of them while I set Blackfire free."

"Sounds like a plan."

I grabbed a hold of the edge of my cloak, whipped it up and encased the both of us in my darkness, however, instead of flying through the air like he had experienced back on Earth with me. I warped through wall after wall after wall so fast I knew he was losing his lunch, but I felt him try to focus all his attention on the mission and before long I arrived at the Observation Deck. I opened a black-hole and had the light flood into my dark world to allow X to jump out and deliver a smooth surprise attack.

I left him to do his bidding as I warped down to Blackfire's chamber, hesitantly (I had no idea what the liquid she was in was made out of) I phased my hand through the glass and flinched when I felt the green liquid was not as smooth as water. It was thicker, but not gelatin, more like egg yoke and it felt disgusting, but it didn't matter as I grabbed Blackfire's arm and yanked her out of her glass cage. She was still unconscious, so when she was outside she was dead weight I couldn't carry, I grunted as I tried to hold her up, Oh god she's heavier than she looks! Through gritted teeth I looped her arm around my shoulder and stilled when I heard an alarm go off, I cursed softly, "Shit …"

Phasing back into the Observation Deck where X was keeping an eye on the incapacitated scientists, I struggled to keep Blackfire on me while X draped on of the scientist's robes around her naked body. I helped to slip her arms through the hole while X tied it off and asked, "Got a plan to get us out of here sunshine?"

"Follow the map of course." I responded as X took Blackfire's weight off of me and propped her on his back. I made sure her arms were over his shoulder while he hooked his arms under her to keep her from sliding off his back and hunched over he glared dryly at me.

"Yeah, the map, like this isn't inconspicuous enough. Let's stop and ask for directions incase we get lost."

I sneered, "Oh you are just ever so funny."

He grunted when Blackfire started to slip, he bounced her back on his back and scowled, "She ain't gettin' any lighter here!"

"Whine, whine, whine," I mocked as I once again encased us all in my darkness and phased us through the walls, this time heading straight up focusing my direction solely on that one little island that the Crisinite docked and where I assumed the map pointed to. In no time at all the alarms died down as my raven-self darted out of the water with a splash and flew straight towards the island. I circled it once looking for a docking station, and found much to my great relief a lone ship that seemed to match the description Strongheart had written down on his handy-dandy notes.

Without further ado I landed on the hot sandy beach and released X and Blackfire from my hold. X nearly fell to the sand from being off balanced, but held his ground and again bounced Blackfire so she wouldn't fall off while I searched the ship for anyway of getting in and I found it when I spotted a pad under its belly. I pressed my hand on it and its cargo ramp dropped open, X rushed on board and disposed of Blackfire on one of the seats before he came back down to call me in when I wasn't following behind him, "Come on! What are you waiting for?!"

True … what was I waiting for?

The plan had gone smoothly and easily with the help of my powers, but … I don't know … something didn't feel right.

My gut was telling me something was wrong, and it wasn't my powers warning me, but my internal gut … I bit down on my lower lip and glanced around Crisious Prime for a second. Just for a second to see if I could sense anything out of the ordinary, if I could find … something that might have triggered this hesitation within me. I sighed heavily, closed my eyes and shook my head, maybe I was just being paranoid, I don't know.

X then appeared before me and snapped his fingers in my face to gain my attention, like he always does and he shrugged, "Houston, what's the problem?"

I blinked, came back into focus and shook my head again, "It's nothing, let's go."

I maneuvered around him towards the ship, but he grabbed my elbow and pulled me back to him, I looked back at him as he glared down at me and asked seriously, "You sure?"

I nodded and pulled my arm back, "Yes … now let's go."

With that I ushered us both into the ship and sat at the pilot's chair, X took the seat just behind me after he strapped the still unconscious Blackfire to her seat. I flipped a few switched, turned a couple of knobs, and got the ship online, thankfully all the labels were in English. Where Strongheart had gotten such a ship went beyond me, but once I closed the cargo-ramp and got the engines started I got us the hell out of there. Firmly grasping one of the handles, I reached for the thrusters to my right and pushed it up to give the engine a little boost as I hovered off the ground.

I punched in the coordinates X handed to me, set my course and maneuvered the ship so we can break through the planet's atmosphere at the right launch angle. It sounded technical, but for someone who knew a little about rocket-science (thank you Cyborg) it was cake. It was a steep ascent and I felt gravity push down on me as I pushed the little ship faster to break the barrier. Climbing rapidly in altitude, the ship rocking violently back and forth I frowned when I heard a steady beeping sound of warning.

X heard it too and asked, "What's that?"

I checked everything and found the radar to my right; I tapped on the screen and scowled, "Fighter ship, coming up at our five o'clock, if he gets lined up at our six we're done for. Hope you're strapped in X, executing evasive maneuvers."

With that I jerked the handles to my left and the ship tumbled in a downward spiral, I heard X cussing black and blue when I finally straightened out and pulled the wheel towards my body to pull the ship back up in another steep ascent. The fighter-jet behind me was no push over, it followed my every move flawlessly and finally had me locked on; the sensors of my ship went crazy. I ignored X's panic when the ship told me the fighter had launched two missiles, I diploid flares then pulled back on my wheel so hard the ship flipped up and over, then spiraled downward trying to stay out of the fighter's missile range.

X shouted, "Doesn't this thing have anything to fight back with?!"

"No! Now shut up!" I shouted back and gasped when the fighter-jet opened fire and nearly nicked my wing, I gritted my teeth and dove down even further towards the open waters bringing the fighter directly on my tail at my six o'clock. He locked on, and fired another missile, but a bit too late. I was close enough to the water that when he fired the missile exploded and sprayed his ship with so much water and smoke I messed up his sensor and he crashed into the ocean with a spectacular display of smoke, fire, water, and debris.

He probably wasn't coming out of that alive, X cheered me on, but I sullenly got us back on course when I noticed that even more fighter-jets were closing in on us. This time, once I got at the max altitude I activated the thrusters and with a burst of power we shot through the atmosphere and into space well on our way to Tameran. Making sure our course was set, and the stars were clear, I activated the autopilot and unbuckled myself from my chair to swing myself around to breathe.

With my head in my hands I smoothed back my hair and sat up when I heard X walk up to me, I expected him to be standing over me, but instead he crouched at my side and smirked up at me, "One of these days sunshine, you're gonna teach me how to fly a baby like this."

I scoffed, "Oh it's easy it's just rocket science."

He chuckled and stood back up, "Yeah … I'm sure it is …" he then looked back at Blackfire and I followed his gaze to stare at the incapacitated banished-princess. I frowned while X sighed, "Now what the hell are we going to do with her?"

"Don't know … but it seems like she's heavily medicated."

X snorted, "Ya think … wonder what they did to her, implant her with alien-babies maybe … isn't that what usually happens in all these alien abduction stories?"

"Never believe what you hear," I stood up and pushed him out of my way to get to Blackfire, I unstrapped her from her seat and picked her head up so I can get a better look at her. Her skin was still slick and slimy from the gunk that she was floating in so I took the edge of my cloak and started to clear her of it, but she still remained unmoving, I felt her neck for a pulse and found it to be exceptionally strong. Afterwards I carefully opened up the cloak that was the only article of clothing she had on and began to check her body for cuts, bruises or injuries of the like.

Nothing.

She was clean as a whistle.

I sighed and stood back up, X hovered over me as I said aloud, "Well, she's not going to come to any time soon I don't think … whatever she's on is doing the trick."

"Think she'll stay knocked-out for the remainder of the flight?"

"More than likely, and I'd prefer it too, I don't really feel like dealing with her right now." As I said this I walked around X to sit back down on the captain's chair, I swung it back around and began to check our course and the condition of the ship while I heard X's clanking footsteps (clanking because of the steel-toes and heels in his boots against the ships metal deck) approach.

He leaned on the back of my chair and watched me work while saying, "She must have really did a number on you to make you hate her so much."

I rolled my eyes, "Hate is a strong word, I don't hate Blackfire. I just don't like her; she's not a very pleasant individual. In my opinion when Starfire banished her, the punishment was much too lenient. Blackfire is a selfish, conniving, lying, cheating, scheming little weasel that deserves whatever she gets …"

And I meant every word of it … even though I took into consideration that Starfire was a nice girl (too nice) and still loved her sister dearly, a love that I wouldn't know of since I was an only child (thank Azar for that), but the more I thought of it. The more convinced I was that Blackfire should have been – for lack of a better term – put to death, because the way I saw it, if she bothered to come back twice for her sister's head than who's the say she'll ever stop? Better to put an end to the chaos and gut out the problem from the root.

It was at this point in thought did X suddenly spin my chair around from the control-panel so I was now facing him as he trapped me in my chair one hand on each armrest so his face was just inches from mine. I remained unfazed, even when faced with that malicious grin on his tempting lips and the smell of trouble on his breath as he breathed warm hot air on my face and down my neck. I pressed my thighs together when I was faintly reminded of Malchior's heavy breathing going down the back of my neck, I could visualize and feel him on me so vividly in my head I was almost too embarrassed to look X into his sly golden eyes.

Keyword being: almost.

X couldn't read my mind; ergo he didn't have to know what I was thinking about so long as I gave no hint of where my thoughts had fluttered. I blinked, took in a deep breath and leaned back in my chair comfortably as I heard X recite what I had just previously said about Blackfire, "Selfish, conniving, lying, cheating little weasel huh … funny, kind of sounds like someone I know."

At first I thought he was talking about me, since I knew I was selfish to still want to keep him as a friend, I was conniving in the sense I seemed to manipulate my friends into thinking I was such a good person, I was a liar because I never told Robin the truth about X, and I was cheating. Yet, as I put it all into context I realized that it wasn't me he was talking about, but himself, I narrowed my eyes and slowly shook my head in confusion, "Are you comparing yourself to Blackfire?"

He shrugged, "Not so much as myself to her in the real, but about how you view the both of us as one in the same …" his grin darkened, "you know I'm not a nice guy Rae … but you still gave me a shot, and now you just can't seem to get enough of me. So who's to say that Cutie-Number-Two over there can't get the same treatment?"

I blinked, glanced at Blackfire and with my eyes still narrowed I looked back up at X and asked, still a bit confused about where he was going with all of this, "Are you … defending her against my views?"

"No, I'm just using her as a stepping-stone to the point I am about to make."

"… Which would be …?"

"You know what I am, you know what I do, but you really like me, from day one when our little bonding started, you liked me."

He was being serious, despite his cocky grin and his devilish eyes, he felt like he had me all figured out, but as I gave his revelation some thought I licked my lower lip and sighed heavily in boredom. I knew he'd pull something like this somewhere down the line, but how convenient for him to do so when we were still standing on our stalemate … if anything he gave me the right incentive to initiate a close friendship with him, "So I like you, it's not a crime to be attracted to you."

X blinked and stood up, setting me free of his little cage to stare me down with a cocked brow and a bewildered look, "You'd admit to something like that?"

I recycled his words and spat it back in his face without remorse, "And you're surprised?" It took him a moment, but he remembered the phrase and scoffed in amusement as he smoothed back his hair and watched me cross my left leg over my right and my arms over my chest. Still sitting comfortably in my chair I shrugged my left shoulder, "This isn't high-school X, so let's be honest, are you not attracted to me?"

He chuckled and nodded, "Actually I'm very attracted to you, but now that we've come to this little conclusion, where do you think we should go from here?"

Malchior's face flashed in my head and with it came an idea that was so taboo, so sinfully wrong I should be ashamed to have even conjured up such a blatant thought to begin with. Then again … no one said I was a Saint anyway, I thought and with a slow gaze of my eyes I scanned X from the tip of his head to the very point of his toes before I blinked and looked back up at him. My empathetic powers automatically kicked in and I could feel his anticipation and excitement swirl within his vivid aura as he stared at me and curiously pondered about what I was pondering.

I didn't keep him in suspense for much longer as I uncrossed my arms and propped them at the edge of my seat, I leaned forward and said, "Well, think about it, we've been seeing each other for six months and our relationship has gone nowhere … don't lie to me, you've thought of sleeping with me, haven't you?"

The reaction to the blunt question was almost comical for a man like X, I almost expected him to flush beet-red as he shuffled from one foot to the next and again smoothed back his hair while he chuckled to hide his shock and discomfort as I stared him down without flinching, "Damn girl, was that a trick question?"

I shook my head, "No, and while we're being honest, I'll admit the thought of being with you has occurred, if not but faintly."

He blinked and his amber eyes suddenly narrowed on me suspiciously when he asked, "Where are you going with this?"

I felt that he already knew, but he was hesitant to think it, he'd rather hear me say it so I did as I pushed off my chair and sauntered up to him. "Put it this way X: you'll be the closest friend I know from now … on." Without so much as a shaky hand I grasp the hem of his pants and pulled him closer to me, he complied without question … what hot-blooded male wouldn't when Raven of the Titans was coming-on to them? The thought of just my name being associated with something as hollow as a sex-symbol aggravated me. So my uniform isn't exactly modest, but hell, compared to most women on Planet Earth and other places, I should be considered as dull as a librarian!

And that saying about the quiet one's being the freakiest in bed?

Who in the hell made that load of crap up?

So I choose not to bother with the stupidity that surrounds me I'm immediately considered a horny-rabbit that needs to be screwed on a daily basis? I don't think so, I may be half-demon, but sex wasn't high on my list, not even after I shared my bed with Malchior. The experience was mind-blowing, yes, but that was because I've never done that sort of thing with anyone. Of course I'd revisit the night every now and again in my head simply because it was a significant point in my life that ranked up there with sending my father back to Hell, Terra's betrayal, and reinitiating into the Titan fold.

If anyone were to walk in my shoes for one day they'd realize that even they would not be able to completely black out key events in my life that I considered of great significance.

So, yeah, go ahead and judge me for who I am and what I do, it's not my problem that other people find my sins interesting enough to take notice of.

Speaking of notice, I looked up at X when I felt one of his warm hands press against the side of my face before sliding it into my silky-hair to grasp the back of my head. He stared down at me with a long, hard look as if trying to find a reason to say no to me, trying to find out if I was just saying what I said to challenge him, and in a way I was. I waited patiently for him to say something, I honestly wanted to know what he'd do, if he was the kind of person to go for my offer, dive in head first, or turn me down based on moral or ethical dilemmas.

He bit down on his lower lip and then grasped my face with both hands and glared at me in frustration, I could feel it. He wanted so badly to say yes, to accept what I had brought to the table, but at the same time he had to know if this was real or not, he just had to ask, "Are you sure about this, what's the catch?"

I nodded, "I'm sure … and there's no catch, we'll simply have a non-coupling relationship if that makes sense. I'm sure there are far more dirtier terms for what I'm suggesting, but I'll keep it PG for now."

That devilish gleam returned to his amber eyes and his dark grin slowly, lazily touched his lips as he let one of his hands slide to my shoulder, while the other slithered back into my hair behind my head. My grip on his pants tightened and I pulled him impossibly closer as he whispered, "Oh you are just ever so adorable when you're trying to be funny sunshine."

I sneered, but he wiped it off my face with a kiss that was hollow and lacking of all other emotion other than excitement and lust. Oh, how he wanted me, wanted me so bad it felt like he needed me, I felt it in the pit of my gut and the pain of so much unreleased pleasure made me moan into his kiss when I felt him massage my mouth open to finally have a taste of me. His grip on me suddenly became possessive, no one else, that's what I was getting from him; no one else could have me but him. It struck me as odd that a person like him would be the possessive type, I would have never thought it so till now and speaking of now I hissed when he found a sweet-spot at the roof of my jaw just behind my front teeth.

He rubbed it slowly before he pulled away to suck on my lower lip and nibble on it. It made my toes curl for I had forgotten how good a kiss like this could feel like with someone else. X pressed his lips to mines in one last hard kiss before he pulled away entirely to observe my flustered cheeks and slightly breathless state and smirked, he licked his lips as if savoring every bit of me and it sent a shiver down my spine. Especially when he glanced over his shoulder to notice Blackfire hadn't moved an inch from her spot and then shot me an evil look as he gestured with a jerk of his head to the knocked-out alien, "She's practically dead ya know …"

I narrowed my eyes, "A little too eager aren't you?"

He shrugged and brought his lips down to my left ear, he whispered huskily into it, purposefully blowing into it to make me squirm, "Just cover your mouth if you need to scream."

I gritted my teeth when he kissed my ear and down my neck to my shoulder, I breathed deeply trying not to pant when I felt the heat rushing throughout my body from the pit of my gut, "She can wake up at any moment –!" I swallowed a yelp when he pulled me down on one of the seats and forced me to straddle his lap. I glared down him and smacked his chest; he only chuckled and took my hand into his.

I watched him kiss my palm but then the hinges of my jaw slackened when he licked the full length of my finger straight to the tip and then back down on the side to run the tip of his tongue in between the valley of my index and middle fingers. The sensation left me breathless, but watching him do it created an aching itch within me that begged to be scratched. He smirked and tilted his head so a cowlick fell to shield one of his golden pools and arrogantly he asked, "You were saying?"

I leaned down with my hands on his chest and I forced him back against his chair as I whispered just inches above his lips, "Cheater."

"Is that a yes?"

"…!" I didn't get the chance to say anything for a rather loud and invasive: BEEP echoed throughout the ship and made me sit up so fast I nearly fell back off of X's lap. Lucky me, his hand was behind my back so he held me up as I glared at the control-panel and said one word (or rather name) that completely killed the mood, "Strongheart …"

X scoffed and helped me back on my feet, I walked towards my chair, sat in it and swung it around, I searched for the radio link and pressed a button so the window looking out into the stars suddenly became a screen dominated by Strongheart's face. X stood behind me with his arms crossed, no doubt loathing the Tameranian for his intrusion, I ran my fingers through my hair and responded just after Strongheart said, "Ah, there you both are, good to see you're well on your way to Tameran … were you successful?"

I nodded, "Blackfire is as far as I can tell physically well, but she appears to be under some kind of narcotic that's preventing her from waking."

Strongheart frowned, "Well, that's too bad … I hope there's nothing seriously wrong with her."

"I don't think there is, but you'll know as soon as we arrive back on Tameran."

"Indeed. Have a safe flight, may Zalu be with you."

"Right."

Strongheart ended the transmission and I sat back in my chair with a small frown on my lips as my gut started to act up again. That unsure, hesitant, paranoid feeling was coming back and I didn't like it, I licked my lips and swung my chair around to stare at Blackfire for a moment while X moved to lean on the back of my chair and asked lazily, "Wasup?"

"… I don't know …" I said honestly with a shake of my head and whispered mostly to myself however X was still able to hear it, "… but whatever it is I don't like it …"

"… Meaning …?"

"Meaning … something's not right, but I just can't put my finger on it."

X snorted and as if it was the most obvious thing in the galaxy he said, "It's Strongheart."

I blinked and looked up at him, "Strongheart? What of him?"

He shrugged, "I dunno, I just don't like his face."

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, your dislike of someone's appearance is a logical reason to suspect they are up to no good."

"Hey, logic is overrated."

"Whatever …" I disregarded him on his views of logic, but contemplated the suggestion of Strongheart – minus his appearance – the story of the Embarrassments verses the Forsaken replayed in my mind. Something was wrong with it … something was missing, I just didn't know what it was and not knowing was bothering me.

X saw it and nudged me for my attention, I looked up at him thinking he had something significant to say, but instead he roughly kissed me and damn near yanked me off my chair to lean against him as he leaned on the control-panel. When he finally pulled away leaving my lips red and swollen he said, "Whatever it is, don't stress out over it, it's not your problem, what is your problem is getting us both out of here alive and in one piece."

I inwardly scoffed as I pulled away from him to sit back down on my seat to think, It's easy for him to say that when all he's cared about for most of his life was himself … my gaze trailed back to Blackfire and my frown deepened, Why do I feel like I have to protect you?

--

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I do own Crisius Prime and Strongheart … btw, Blackfire's real Tameranian name is Komand'r, NOT Toriand'r, just found this out recently, but I will continue using Toriand'r simply because I can. So I am letting all of you know right now, Toriand'r is MY name that I MADE UP!!

A/N: HOLD IT!! Before any of you go off on your 'WTF' rampages or flip the panic switch, I ask you to press the 'Relax' button and allow me to defend myself for the Rae/X moment. For starters just let the story roll it will all make sense later I promise! I've been wanting to push Raven's character to the limit and make her as risqué as can be while still maintaining her essence (hopefully I managed to do just that).

Writing this story just gave me the excuse and hell if she's already playing catch she might as well play ball and go pro. I always considered her to be a straight-forward kind of girl anyway and if you still have any disagreements about where this is going, I'm sorry, but I still thank you for taking the time to read it. Besides that, I hope this satisfies (for now anyway) those of you who keep encouraging me to write a lemon (you know who you guys are o.O).

Just let me know what you think, feedback is always appreciated, HAPPY NEW YEARS!! So until then …

L8er daez