OK, so to top it all of I'll explain the situation to those who aren't able to clarify for themselves;
One: Slade shows up, but it's him in the body of a child him about 12 years old or over, haven't a clue . Roko was an evil side to the prince Richard/ Roku, his mother called his true self Richard and his counterpart evil dad's been calling him either. He was supposed to be one; a bad influence on the kids. Rob still still, does not know who Roku's lackey; the kid is!
And lastly: Becoming a helper of Lord Roku as an evil catalyst, he was a light catalyst to help his friends he met on his journey. That was how he met the guardians and was turned. Easier said than done right? Uh uh.
Arianna, Ravenna and the guardians, Alice and her old counterpart Arisu were all once allied or against the king or his son and family. Ok, so enjoy the story some more!
Oh! And... will we discover who Alice's boy's mom is? Is she...-
We've discovered that after turning to the god king for answers instead of the guardians, the trust between teens might now be severed and will take a while to rebuild. Until then the teen makes a surprise announcement; he...is leaving the team forever? Or is it only temporary? Shifter of the imps is still at large in the spirit world, and where will our main character go if he's no longer in command of the Teen Titans! Find out right now!
/A
Chapter 15: Devil On Your Shoulder, Angel In Your Heart. Princess In Your Keep, Prince At The Crossroads...
Raven put her foot down. "Robin, you're hurt, I can heal you only if you'll...tell us the truth. What happened? What flame? When our bond severed, I thought he...was to blame...you did this didn't you? To save us? To protect-
"Yes and I don't know how it was done.. I have something to say to you all." The beats of all hearts stopped for one moment to listen, to wait for the announcement.
"I'm quitting the Teen Titans."
/
Shuffling across the room the green teen clung to the older leader's leg like a child to it's parent. He was going back home? Where? A city? Town? "Just where does he get off not telling us where he's going?" Cy argued with Raven and Verra outside of the room down the hallway.
"I mean, he never told us anything about his mentor's call or transmission to the tower...how would that explain his whole story of the recent response that he'd be seeing someone of high status on earth?" Verra wondered to the boy as they thought of the book of secret writings in ancient spellings, and the gasps they'd let out during the time trying to find the missing Robin...
So, he did of course know thanks to top secret info that Bruce Wayne was the ahem- mentor of the bird kid. The Bat Man. He was quiet, he to realized the importance of how this would throw the world into a tilt.
"I'll...have a talk with him.." he said softly while they walked. Takahara showed up in a cloud of airy smoke. Cy was used to that so it just got him a little annoyed.
"This isn't funny! Ever since you and your crew showed up, things haven't been alright around here." Cy huffed and continued to stomped to Raven's door.
(Banging) as softly as he could Raven opened it weary and yawning. A hand fell over her mouth to cover it and the others gave one another looks that went away as soon as she eyed them.
"Are you ready? We have only a few hours before the call." her voice was calm yet her eyes shone in a way that made the two almost afraid to ask if she were ready herself, for she probably was.
Again most unpleasant looks of intrigue. "What...um...call-
She opened the door all the way as it slid with a click. "The Titans East? Don't you remember last night? They said that they would sent us a temporary replacement for Robin."
"Uh...oh!" Verra pulled a small communications device from his coat. "Watch me work, soon. This will be the newest and greatest success- leave it ALL TO ME...Hello? Hi! This is Takahara Shoji of-
You do? I am quite famous after all."
Verra chuckled. The device was like the Slade-bot's units of communication. This was weird, how did Verra know how to fix a problem in the middle of a leader of the team being awol? Before he could continue Raven opened her mouth to speak.
She was too late. "Plans have been made to bring a secret weapon to this base-
"Say what!" Cy scrambled his skull by tossing it this way and that. None of his effort seemed to get rid of the splitting confusing mess up there.
"You're interrupting important business, no one else needs to know about the Teen Titans' leader being out of commission.
"Well, I have to make it up to you some how...bring the teen over from Titan's East in Steel City." Raven looked at him as he passed her to the next hall. "Then we'll see who can be the replacement best."
/
Alice didn't know that every waking day was just the beginning. Her life seemed to do back flips at all the wrong times. As she got out of bed the powerful messages had come to her even more violently than before, Written on walls in a language that only she could see and read. In her class...Arisu got out. Freed by her own will to over take the goody goody Alicia and to go back to serving her father Roku.
At the end of the day it was sunny and bright, but it rained very hard and pressured poor Alice to stop and walk slowly. As much as she wanted to catch up to her classmates it was hopeless as long as she was still a sorceress in training...
"My powers aren't even responding to me any more..."she mused to herself one day after school on a walk home. The gods will surely...
Sighing she wanting to go deep into her soul and hide from the human world instead of becoming one. It was to much. Why did Aaron lie about liking her? And who was she going to befriend in this strange world now? If she told them that she was snot human would they laugh or be mean and ignore her completely? Maybe even cause want to leave Verra and the guardians forever- But she hated the castle! And the gods would not take her in as long as she remained weak and cursed by being born to...to...
Why not find he whom you wish to share eternity?
"Oh yes..Richard, the boy bird. Wasn't he with the Titans? Last I saw him he was in and out of danger by the lord dragon Roku's hand..." Alice told herself. She stopped to sit as a bench came into view.
"Rest, finally." she let her skirt sit flat as she at on the park bench and began to wonder if Verra was even coming home for dinner that night...
Find...find...find him!
Bolting out of her resting position Alice brought her arm up to her eyes, her watch had stopped working, but as it did it went from when she had begun to doze off to when she'd been warned...
Then, time no longer stood still. Click. Tick. Tick. The watch on her wrist went as the sun began to set in to the evening.
"What..."she rubbed her eyes and sat up. "What happened...who was there?" someone's signature power had been felt just before the clocks had stopped moving.
"Verra needs to know this...I fear for the human world..." her words dipped back into silence.
Even though they do not like you? Who was that voice? Why was it so very fearsome and raspy at the same time? It...it was fear in the girl's eyes that made her pick up her bag of school supplies and run.
While the voices cleared from her head one by one, and the footsteps as well as gasps of breath seemed to fall silent; Alice closed up the front gates and locked the door with a small click.
She heaved a small sigh of thank you to her forgotten parents she hoped to locate in the real world and spirit world now that her memory was returning to her piece by piece. They would watch over her for the time being, and her gods in the mountain town and the lost people that worshiped her would as well.
"I thought the cat would catch the rat, was I mistaken..."
"Ugh!" Alice dropped her books to the floor. There stood Aaron, in a robe with the talismans of power before him in his hand. They dangled by many metal rings that attached themselves to a very tall staff like Greg Wiz's.
"You're an apprentice sorcerer...like me-
"Had been." Corrected a chocked up Alice, her words were thrown back against her. She could not speak. Only stumble. Using his golden magical power the energy he cast around one talisman made it drop from its rest.
This is for you, we don't have to be enemies like this..." He bent over to pick up the glimmering golden object. It was old and shone in the dim light of the dying sun.
"You...How can I know that you won't betray us?" She corrected as he stood away to leave her with the piece at her feet, just mumbling there like a fool!
~ I am not a fool! He's up to something...but when the demon saw his face last time we fought...~
"Alice!"
"Huh!" Looking up he was about to break the laws of physics in two. She reached out a hand to stop him but to no avail.
"Wait! The prophecy! What does it mean?"
Looking over his shoulder the boy held up his arm to halt the process for one moment's time (as if he could).
"You're brother Roku's vessel left to the human world of the west, if he can find the spirit world's west you must make sure Dragon Earth receives him at his domain. There you he and the others shall be given a task. One of the utmost-
He disappeared at that single moment. And as soon as he did, Verra gave a holler across from over seas. Her cell rung and she picked up the call, telling him that she'd just gotten home from after school activities- (which she lied about) and went to get a bite to eat after. Another big fib.
"Oh? Ok, then I guess you'll be alright while I'm away after all..." for a girl from a different time and space time she must have been secretly able to take care of her own self on her own!
"Yes..and as far as the Teen Ti-
Raven took over before she could finish. Grabbing the device from the business man's hands she cried;
"Robin AND Starfire are on Vacation!" She exclaimed with a huff. Sighing, the others had given her in the background a thumbs up. She sadly attempted a fake smile. To her surprise her cheeks became sore and would not move to the way they had been before. She handed the phone over to Cyborg.
"Hello?" Her almost gobbled down his nails which were coated in metal and five times stronger than titanium. Until she told him so!
"That's alright I may not be a family member of Veravakumu's or anything...and I certainly don't act the part...but, oh! And also...I think I might know where Robin went off to! There was a lot you maybe might not know about my past. I'll be sure to make things clear! Don't wait up." The phone beeped as she hung up while the others one the second line were probably going berserk from the comments.
Finding him would possibly drain her or worse, leave her as an open target for the bad men. And Roku she guessed had known all along thanks to Arisu;the nosy little spy...
~But what did he mean by this earth? Where on this earth?~ "Will the Titans need to be involved in this?" She whispered directly to herself, knowing not that something could have been listening.
Shifter had shifted into the form of an ant on the wall to cling by it and wait, as he carried out the information to Veronica his mistress; that had freed him from his icy prison, he thought that maybe he could call the shots if she were only human again...would that be possible to strip her powers away and leave her as an earth mongrel? "To say the least it might be so..." said the shifter imp as he became a fly and flew the coop out an opened window. "But the girl could be my ticket up a rank! She was a sorceress, no? And Aaron will play games with us till he is in dark dungeon with her spirit sister Arisu to see as she wishes done with child traitor!"
He chuckled till his eyes bulged from their sockets. When they were back in better places he became a bat and flew even farther and faster and higher than that ninny fly guy.
Roku would let him feast on the gems he deserved that night, and rest...there was little need for the soul stealer...
/
"Tsuyume!"
"Tsuyume!" Beautiful moon and land spirit Tsuyume of good dreams for travelers awoke. Her bed was unmade as she crept from it to go to the next room from her own in the way unsuitable of a generations' old lady of the east. She whispered with her breathe unable to pierce the night air. The times were hard for her people in the small town, the men and women knew that the heroes had betrayed them and that the princess that was Tsani had been destroyed while saving the main hero of the group. They all went to find reason to why this had happened. Was it the fault of the newcomers? Or did they do something wrong within their own clan that even they could not figure out...She tried again to call out to the excited voice.
"Princess...Tsani...Tsani, Dear. Is that you-
"How could you lie about mother?" She cried aloud. It shook the skies and soon the shrine spirit was afraid that her people would awaken to discover this bout between unlikely sisters of a goddess in the heavens!
"I..."
"Mother...you..you knew I was going to be born! Why did you run away and lie to the power sourced ones?" Tsani fidgeted with her gown while having only eyes on her sister that should never have run away from home...but why did she in the first place? Her long silver pale-blue hair fell into her face. But Tsuyume didn't bother to touch it to fix the strands.
"I...You..." She began but Tsani was still upset with her. Fire lit up her every being. She began throwing a small fit, stomping her feet all around.
"Why? WHYWHYWHYWHY-
BEACAUSE!" Poor Tsuyume screamed.
BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT A SISTER!" She began to cry now. "See? Look what you made me do!" Grabbing a free fistful of her pretty hair she bawled out on to her knees in the grassy field.
Now Sad Tsani was in tears and began to cry too, her tears came slowly like raindrops.
"I-i-uh-i-h-su-soorrry!"
Sniffling away the rainy teardrops the older spirit sighed and threw her arm around her younger sis as her weight collapsed around her in a heap.
"Oh! Wh-sni-sniff...are you..doing!"
Was her bigger double smiling? Wow! And...the sun was coming up!
"You don't realize this but...when I first held back all of those emotions when you first were going to be brought out into this world my mind was unsure of how everything would be. Back then anyway!"
She had given her sister another hug just for luck.
"I'm...actually the one who told the titans to bring you back to us Tsani! You and Mother and I!"
"Really? Sis? Sniff...then...then you were only angry back then and you're glad now that I'm here?" Tsani wiped away a few tears with the back of her long sleeve.
She was only fifteen hundred when Tsani had been ready to arrive soon, and she'd left as soon as a year later. But now at seventeen hundred she had her whole life the best chances to be the best big sister and teacher she could ever hope to become in living this life.
She just hoped that the same was true for her chosen few whom had brought back her beloved sister to her...what a day this would turn out to be. The thought of yelling at her sister was a mistake. She just hoped that all would be forgiven up in the clouds...somewhere.
/
It was gray, slippery, raining and moody outside as the thunder pounded overhead the city of Gotham U.S.A. Even if you tried to pinpoint it on a map it would be a useless observation to see to. It's made up, just like all the rest of superhero life.
Or so we thought...
The train would stop to drop him off at the station in the afternoon close to midday. All the way from California he was carefully watching the clouds and counting the hours. Robin had been able now to appoint himself his original name; Richard Grayson. He'd returned home to Gotham to settle some things with Bruce; A.k.a...well, we'll get back to you on that later though you might have guessed a bit further.
Word on the street was the Big city Playboy bachelor had a fiance and Richard could probably guess who it might be this time, though...
~Selina, hmm can't be her. She's gotten lucky before and failed at it several times when it came to the Wayne family fortune...maybe someone else...a...~
A- buzzer – alerted him that the next stop would be arriving soon. The bags he'd prepared were light and his supplies like computers and communicators were safe and sound some place else. A pocket that was common but unsightly for most to use during trips into the city. Though no one will steal from a shirt pocket! Ha! Go geek powers go!
He wore a collared shirt with a closed pocket on the breast. The tee was dark but he didn't want to be noticed either so he wore fake glasses. Sunglasses were too easy a guess and the non prescription were easier to wear in the rain a bit. They barely had lens you could use, he had to stay in the now anyway...
He looked like a kid hipster... god! It was too easy to dress and mistake the the piece for something-
"Wha?" He shook his head and groaned with a hand to his face.
Why am I worried about my clothes?" He pulled at his precious material and sighed.
"Roku must be doing this..."chuckling he let out a new sigh and let the last - bzz- of the ride commence.
"Last stop" :
The conductor finished and Dick picked up his baggage and waited for the ride to end on the signal...
/B
Waiting in the parking lot was a black old forties designed automobile. Inside was a man with a receding hairline and a mustache. He wore a black coat that came to his knees. Her had a straight face always but today...
Bruce's faithful caretaker, friend, and butler Alfred was afraid. Yes. Afraid that his young master's ward would not be the same as he had been the last time they'd had him visit.
He wasn't well on the intercom when the funny character that was as rich and powerful as the Batman and Bruce combined went missing. After the enterprises in Jump's newest part of the city that belonged to Bruce had been overtaken, the word had been that it was someone working for an entirely different person. Batman knew better. Getting information all over in data bases nation wide he did a search for the foe. But, he did find a match...to his dismay...
Deathstroke The Terminator was a mercenary for hire but now...it didn't make any sense! And Rob- Richard would not tell him a thing about the Titans coming into contact with the villain in the past...
Now. Now it all lead up to this...coming home when he kept it all secret as always. Could he not trust the man as a figure any longer after a traumatic experience of some sort? ~What went on while within Jump city?~
"He should be arriving here at any moment." Said the Brit to himself as he glanced at his wristwatch carefully. "I wonder what it is that must be taking up his time-
"Oh!"
There he was, but that style! Certainly he could do much better than that...
"Welcome back, Master Richard. I am sure you and I will have much to discuss on the drive to the manor. Oh my, it's started to downpour. Get into the car, quickly!" Indeed it had. Dick took a small hand umbrella from Alfred as he had gotten in .
"Take my coat. You are soaked to the bone!" Alfred chuckled as he closed the door and head over to the driver's side.
"Alright then?" He looked back one more time. Poor Dick was covered head to toe in water and a bit of mud. He looked just like an innocent child sitting on a sofa waiting to hear what they needed to do next. So funny!
Smiling, Al started the ignition and set out of the parking lot towards the rest of the City of Gotham.
/Cy/Rae/Bb/St/V/NEW
"Well? You keep talking about a weapon...ahh, wait- what?" Bb's jaw dropped as Verra started pressing buttons by their computer.
"I have to contact Maya first, then she can send the android over, she practically human in heart body and mind, it's not alchemy!"
He quivered and held his hands up defensively. "Ooh noo, we don't use monster magic, no waayyy!"
"IT, BETTER NOT BE.." Raven said with her fists to both sides angrily. "That's against the rules of sorcery law, Verra!"
"I..I'm a good witch not a bad witch!" Verra pleaded as he tried to reason with her. This might be their own answer to all answers, not science fiction!
"Doesn't matter. You heard the lady." Cy crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently.
"So? When's it coming! The..um, 'arms' I mean..." Nearby BeastBoy was trying to kid around, but it was hard to on an empty stomach...
Hey!" verra lowered his tone of voice. Were they mocking him? This...it was real power brand justice!
"She has two you know! And ears and a face with eyes, blue-green ones."
"Wha-
"SHEEE!" Cy yelped and hugged his buddy Bb sniffed and walked over to Verra after his shock had ended.
"Is...is she cloned from...alien technology-
"NO! And don't read and believe that garbage all the time OK?"
"Oh." He scoot back over to his pal and then darted out the shifting doors.
/
Raven brought a palm up to Verra, he seemed a bit uneasy at this time, her powers soothed his spirits' self well."Was that a joke?" she asked as soon as he was calm and as soon as Cy gave into defeat to make breakfast for the gang.
"Didn't sound like one, did it?" He closed his eyes and gave a weary sigh. Seating himself on the sofa he became truly sorry for everything he felt then and there. She could listen, right? "My cool doesn't stay well as a half human. As Verra I can get energy from spirit all around me-
"You...use their-
She stopped herself from having much more to say. Soul stealing wasn't the same, the way spirit worked was by using the forces of nature and the unknown powers around them, but one an others powers? That didn't seem the least bit upsetting at all in her book...
"Energy, manna, spiritual essence...yes. I bring myself to do it. I'm cursed! What can I say!"
Raven felt faint and her face grew beat red. ~It's happening again! Crap.~
"b-but...won't they, Isis and the other spirits find out? Who cursed you? Was it a witch- wait! That's silly. I'm, one anyway..."
"Rae-
"Am I?...Going into emotional overdrive here?..." She croaked as she looked down at the ground then up to Verra. Boy, was he-
Beat red! CODE. RED.
"I...i have to go meditate now!" she faked a grin and left the scene very quickly.
Catching her breath she sighed. "Why did I think he looked any different then before? Was he using his power to toy with my emotions? Hmph.." she thought quietly to herself as she walked down to her room to study a meditation spell once more.
~He's not human, not spirit either...what is Veravakumu? A ghost? An alien? Or maybe from a new world we haven't seen or heard of ever before.~
Kayu and Starfire stood in her way at the end of the hall. The alien ex princess stood with a curious expression on her face. She smiled back and got a small smile in return.
"Who are you thinking about, Raven? Is it Friend Malchior? Or perhaps-
"No Starfire...I'm trying to find out more about..."
"My cousin's bugging you again? Is he not?" Raven raised her head to Kayu now. "How did you know? Were you in my mind just now?" She growled at him. Impressed but at the same time disappointed that he'd done wrong with his magic power on purpose.
"Don't do that again, got it?"
"Sure thing! But before you go...here's what's up with Vee in these hard times..."
/
Veravakumu came from many branches of wealthy spirit family kingdoms alike. When he journeyed out to find his teacher in magic, the arts, and different self defense he met up with many other achieving young persons of his era. Also like he there was a great rebellious ruler that took part in stealing the hearts, souls, memories, and desires of the spirit and people. Turning them into drones that would work for him for the rest of their lives to come.
Wiz Gregory, Kayumon, and Veravakumu were the traveling few whom survived the lord's trials. He fought against the few, especially when they interfered in his corrupting the last of his remaining sons of the lord dragon Rokuro. When they fought tooth and nail to free the boy and his remaining honor they realized that someone had forgotten to hide all secrets from the soul stealers that Roku had in his keep.
When the battle was nearly through the boy through himself to the lord's feet pleading with him and asking to let the others be spared and work with each a curse. That way until the war of the golden dawn had awoken in the sandy dunes they could act as guard dogs for the time being for the...prince to be.
He spared the few at the request of the now powerless prince, Rokuro.
/
"That, is the end? Wondered Starfire. As serious as she had been about Robin returning to her before. "Why did he not finish-off his father Roku? He betrayed his friends a-
"It's not the end of the story."
"The Forgotten Prophecy was passed down over thousands of years ago." Kayu answered. "Knowing that book it's in some dusty tomb by now or worse!"
"That book." Raven said as she started to use her power to calm down Starfire.
"What was the last page in that book-
Kay looked at her and frowned then looked and Starfire whom smiled with an anxious grin that made his face drop. Her expression puzzled him and that made him worry. ~She wants to know where Robin's gone to...~
"Never read the thing in my life...Wiz might know even..."
Flashing back to the desert kingdom the library leading to the books of Roku's choice made Kay cringe. Robin had opened a book- a golden seal, gemstones, and red markings...didn't sound very enjoyable. But, that book was key very key because it was in a time of beginning in the sand and past where Roku did not try to fight yet...yet...
He toppled a ruler, badly and without hesitation using a brawny muscled pawn. Slade. Why not come out, that-
"Wait!"
He fought to grasp her shoulder a bit less tightly. Raven winced and brought herself to ask him to 'stop doing that.' Apologizing he looked them back in the face and spoke.
"We must use the gods' space time again. But first we need to find Robin. You guys need him more than we know."
/B
The doors slammed open. Verra walked in rushing while walking and jabbering away on the other line.
"Thank you. No. Thank you."
Beep.
"You are not going to guess what just happened-
"Cyborg burned our waffles!" Starfire exclaimed as if this were life or death on the line.
"Hey!" He came in the door and took everyone over to the kitchen wearing an apron. Cy was done. He had brought everyone one to taste. And the food was scrumptious, indeed.
"Ookay, so...what's the big surprise Verra? Your science project win at the fair today?" Mal had entered with a bag and a stack of floating books that he laid on the coffee table.
"They had little to offer in teas and ingredients...tsk tsk.." he remarked as he scooted in next to Bb whom gave him the 'look of detest.' "How was your night out, Mr. Wizard?" he asked while handing out plates to his friends for their feast.
"I mean! Here I was looking for the right mix and only one place in your city's...China had what I wanted...or rather needed."
"Whoa! You drove, no...walked all that way? And you're not tired?" That was on the other side of Jump! How had he done this as the sun began to rise so early and while many citizens were still fast asleep in their beds? Raven had been given a mug and was about to receive a tea bag but it was Mal's turn to show off.
"No,no. Verra allow me..."
He dazzled his audience as he brewed a finer pot than anyone would have guess he was capable of concocting. He'd even gotten his own pot and strainer as well. At first Raven was stunned. She had not the words to use in this sort of situation. She'd been up early with her team now it was close to eight and nine.
Well, Verra finally was ready to tell them but in popped a bigger surprise to boot!
/C
"Rini's here! Ohayo everyone!"
They dropped their forks, spoons and butter knives all at once. And after she came to enter in her girl's school girl pink outfit, another person and one more entered behind the child.
A woman with tan skin, brown braided hair and glasses and a white lab coat entered the room. Behind her was a girl about Bb's age. Maybe even Alice's, with shorter light pink hair, an army camouflage tee, dark long-capri pants. She had tan skin too, though not as much. She was holding onto something by her waist like a belt. It had compartments like Slade and Robin's own.
"Maya! Oh my gosh! I didn't even recognize you for a moment there!" Verra brushed by Starfire and Malchior at the table. He got over to the strange lady and grasped her hand, shaking it with all his might. He knew her alright...
"Goodness Shoji, we have been together for so long." she had some sort of accent from a deep root of peoples. Raven guessed Someplace in the Central Americas. Though the route of the name was far from it.
"I am an old partner of Takahara Shoji's foundation. We used to work together." She replied as Raven got up to clean her dishes. Keeping a straight face she managed to get over to the sink in time for Bb and Cy to help bring more dishes. Mal went over to the sink, but Kay stopped him. Go clean up over there." The wizard man gave his foe a look but took up the request as his own. Kay decided to take perfect blame for failing to help Raven this time...
"I'll get the rest, worry not my dear-
"It's fine..."Raven brushed off the offer and continued to wash them clean.
/
It...is slowly turning itself into a cliff hanger...oh well! We know where Alice is heading off to, to find her far off brother in Gotham to warn him about the other danger...And the newbie? Is she the real deal or is she going to flunk on her first day of classes at Titan's Academy For Heroes in Training? Where is Robin in all of this? Why is Starfire not talking to them about the replacement...you'll see, i'm only just getting started. Try to stay focused bcause the plot thickens with every twist and turn..review!