*Hopefully this amazing number of updates somewhat makes up for my long delays. Sorry if it's all a little mellow-dramatic. In one of those moods:P However, I still enjoyed writing it, so hope you enjoy it as well:]

Cobra watched Raven solemnly as she stared at the ground, thinking everything through. Soon she would come up with a plan. He could only wait, and hope she made the best decision.

She finally looked up. "I'm going back to earth."

"No!" Cobra grabbed her wrist. "That's what they want."

"So that's what they'll get! I can't let them torture Beast Boy any longer."

"And what about Vixen and Bear?"

"You and Bear can save Vixen. Cobra, earth is not a strong planet, if I let them torture the Titans any longer they will die!"

"But you won't be able to make it out of there alive! Raven, listen to me." Cobra took her by the shoulders and forced her to meet his eyes. "If we can save Vixen, and heal her, the four of us can fight off the Hunters on earth. With all of us together, with you leading, there is no way they can stand up to us! We will be sure to save them!"

"I thought you were convinced we would die..."

"That was when it was me and you alone. I still think they're pretty grim odds, but the four of us together at least stand a chance. We're strongest together, you know that."

"Why are they doing this?" Raven asked, feeling weak. "Why are they torturing them? I thought they were supposed to 'protect' the universe?"

"Demon Hunters live much longer than we do," Cobra answered, releasing her. "They look at what they would call 'the big picture'. In their eyes, losing one or two or a hundred lives to save generations upon generations from demons is worth it. To them, we are monsters. And mortals are nothing, so they treat them like nothing. They look at themselves as gods."

"How do you know so much about them?" Raven asked, looking at him sidelong.

"When I was fighting them, one of them zapped my brain. Read all of my memories. All of them. It was like the Hunter was trying to gain all the knowledge I had stored. But I fought back. It felt like a mental struggle. I'm not sure how to describe it. But, in the process, I read all of her memories too. They really do think they're doing the right thing. And they do have a sad history."

Raven looked off into the sky. It had grown dark swiftly. "You can tell me later...what if we don't make it in time?"

"We don't have any other choice. I know you would readily give your life for him, Raven. But if we lose you, we'll lose Vixen, and possibly some of your friends in the process. You know they won't release her just because they've captured you. She's still a demon. This is the only way."

Raven looked back at her brother. "Alright," she said finally. "Let's go see Bear."

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Beast Boy lost consciousness for a brief moment, but then awoke. He hung by his chained wrists, too weak to care about the aching pain there.

"Be careful," Vince was saying from another room. "They're fragile. You don't want to kill them."

"I was just giving the Dark One a greeting present. You should have seen those eyes, terrified for her friends. She'll be here soon. Have the troops reported?"

"Ten are on their way. The war against Gorin still rages, so many had to come from the prison. But the only demon there of any consequence is her sister. But from what you said about her relationship with the Dark One I don't think we have much to worry about there. She is broken."

Beast Boy glanced around. Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg were all chained in a similar manner, but none of them looked to be in any pain. In fact, they were all looking at him worried. He tried once again to shift into a smaller animal to escape the chains, but he was unable to do so. These Demon Hunters thought of everything.

Vince walked back into the training room. "Don't worry," he announced to the Titans. "This will all be over soon. With the Dark One out of the way, you will be able to continue your little lives with no demon worries."

"You call yourself protectors!" Robin yelled. "Look at what you've done to him!"

"You all had a chance to cooperate," Vince replied evenly. "You could have done the right thing."

"Raven is good," Beast Boy mumbled, barely able to force the words out. "She would...would never...hurt us..."

"Her human half may be good," Vince admitted, looking genuinely sad. "And if it is, then I am sorry that we will have to destroy her. But we have no choice. If the Dark One reaches her full power, she will conquer and enslave the universe."

"She wouldn't..."

"It's not a chance we are willing to take. That kind of power should not exist."

"You are a Zolwog Tubeck Plixing Zarbmarker!" Starfire cried. "And, what they call, a bully!"

Giselle leaned against the door frame and scoffed. "That's gratitude for you. We've been saving this galaxy's pathetic little butt since before you were born. We have more power than you could imagine. Why should we be offended by your insults?"

"Power corrupts," Robin said. "And absolute power corrupts absolutely. You have all been corrupted."

"We are saving the universe!" Vince yelled, truly angry for the first time.

"Are you?" Robin asked. "Or are you just making sure you are the only ones with that much power?"

"We have been merciful, Wonderboy," Giselle said in a menacing tone. "As soon as we defeat the Dark One, we will heal your friend, and you may all return to your peaceful lives." She looked sympathetically for once over at Beast Boy. She spoke calmly. "I'm sorry that you care for her so much. But you should have known better to fall in love with a demon."

"I fell in love with Raven's soul," Beast Boy said, feeling his strength returning. "And her soul is much purer than yours. She would never torture someone just to lure them into a trap. She's better than you."

"Silence!" Vince called. "You are obviously too weak to understand. But, luckily your opinions are of no consequence. Believe what you will. We know that we are protecting everyone."

Both Demon Hunters stalked out of the room, obviously ruffled by the Titans words.

"Do you think they will reconsider their ways?" Starfire asked.

Robin spoke, "I doubt it, Star. But it doesn't hurt to put a little doubt in their minds."

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Raven and Cobra landed on the Glinton moon, a dreary landscape with little vegetation. The few trees and bushes scattered across the cracked ground were dark and seeping green pus. "Charming," Raven commented.

Cobra nodded and began walking. Raven followed close behind.

"These plants emit some kind of radiation energy that feels close to demonic energy. After you left, I used to hide here when I got bored following Father's orders. Bear would have to come find me. He knew the Demon Hunters couldn't track him here." They walked a short ways before Cobra pulled back a small bush covering the entrance to a cave. Crystals in the walls illuminated the darkness. In the farthest reach, Raven could sense the pain emanating from her oldest brother.

They rushed to Bear's side. He was still healing himself, floating unconsciously, unaware of their presence.

'Bear,' Raven called out with her mind. 'Please, come back to us.'

'Raven...' he responded, though still sounding weak. His anger that Cobra had revealed his secret and disappointment that they could see him in such a weakened state flooded them. 'I am not healed yet.'

'Please Bear. We need you now.'

A moment passed. Then, Bear's eye lids slowly slipped open, revealing his scarlet red eyes. He glanced over at them. "We would have a better chance if I was fully healed," he said strictly. He landed on his feet and stood up straight, towering above both of them.

"My friends are in trouble," Raven said.

"Your friends don't concern me," he answered, turning away from her.

"No, but Vixen does," Cobra cut in. "And we're going to save her first."

"And then the four of us will go save the day?" Bear asked, scowling at them. "I don't imagine you really thought Vixen or I would help you play good guy. We don't care for such things."

"No," Cobra said. "But you do care about the four of us fighting together. You know what it could do. And you know it's worth it."

Raven looked back and forth questioningly. What it could do? she thought. What is he talking about?

Bear studied his brother for a moment, and then turned his gaze to his little sister. She glared back at him evenly. So much anger flowed off of him. Because she had not met her potential. Because she had chosen a mortal life over becoming a full demon, when she could have controlled it. Because she insisted on being good. "Fine," he said eventually. "Saving Vixen won't be easy. We may not survive to help your friends."

"A chance I'm willing to take," she answered.

"We need a plan," Cobra said, sticking his hands in his pockets. "You wouldn't happen to have been meditating on a break out heist while you were healing yourself, would you?"

Bear smiled militarily.

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Beast Boy tried again and again to shift into an animal. A mouse to fit through the chains. An elephant to break them. But no matter what he tried, something within the chains withstood his power. The others watched him strain in vain.

"We have to get out of here," Beast Boy said through clenched teeth.

"How do you get out of something someone ten times as smart as you created?" Cyborg asked. "She read our minds! She knows how all of us operate. She knew exactly how to trap us."

"She's not any smarter," Robin said. "Just has more power. But we've dealt with power-mad villains before. We just have to outthink them."

"But how, Robin?" Starfire asked.

"I'm not sure..."

Beast Boy suddenly felt lightheaded. He rested his neck for a moment, allowing his head to fall forward.

'Beast Boy' a voice said in his head.

Beast Boy cried out suddenly. Then he waited, listening. Wondering if it was Raven.

'Beast Boy. It's Raven. I don't have much time.'

'Raven?' he thought. 'Raven! Where are you? Are you ok? You can't come here! They're trying to pull you in, but it's a trap! They've brought all kinds of other Demon Hunters here!'

'Other Demon Hunters? Where did they come from?'

'They said something about coming from a prison. That they didn't have much to worry about your sister. I think they meant Vixen.'

'They did,' Raven responded. 'Listen, Beast Boy, I don't have much time. Did the woman who was torturing you read everything in your mind?'

'Yes, everything.'

'...did she hurt you bad?'

'I'm fine, Raven. As fine as a guy can be chained against his will...are you ok?'

'I've been better. Listen, we've got a plan. It's risky, but it just might work. I'm going to send it to you telepathically. Then you have to call out my name. Do you understand?'

'Yes.'

Images flashed into his mind, along with long thought processes of a strategy to both break into a demonic prison and then to save the Titans, a plan he had a part in.

'Call out my name,' Raven said.

'But, won't they-'

'Now!'

"Raven!" Beast Boy cried out.

Vince and Giselle rushed into the room, each armed with a strange weapon. They searched the room with their gaze, then walked toward the changeling.

"Why did you call for the Dark One?" Vince asked.

Beast Boy stared up at him. "Bad dream."

The Hunter stared at him a moment. "Giselle."

She smiled. "Of course." She grabbed Beast Boy's head once again and sent the shocking pain through him.

"No!" Beast Boy cried out, trying to fight her, but to no avail.

After just a few seconds she released him. "She's made telepathic contact. Told him their plan to break into the prison and then to come here. Quite a good plan, actually, starring the changeling here. However, their prison break plan is weak at best. It involves her other demonic siblings, the brothers that escaped. Should we send some troops back to the prison to stop them?"

"No," Vince answered. "If we know their plan, and it is as bad as you say, we can prevent the break out and hopefully take out the brothers as well. Then the troops will bring the Dark Once here. Make contact with them and tell them their plan so that they can be ready."

Giselle nodded and left the room.

"You've been of valiant help," Vince commented.

"No...no," Beast Boy murmured.