Teen Titans; Shadows And Creatures Of The Day
Chapter 23: On a Sunday Afternoon.
/A
He was silent, and to make matters worse, guilt washed over him in puddles, splashing in his face again and again. Like...breaking glass to the floor. Or a bell chiming rhythmically once and only once.
~The dragon won't feed off of my soul. I must not think. What is my name?-
"Are you ok? You don't seem too hot?" Rini greatly imprinted this feeling onto the others. As well as leaving his face warm from her breath. ~HE can NOT be serious...~
"Yes, who are you exactly." It was Star, away from the night's terrors and her room's empty lonesome other world feeling..Cyborg was sure that there were no more monsters hiding in her closet or, under the bed in that case.
~JUST WHO A- MUST BE..ME?~ he must be taking on this other body's true face and brain! It wasn't supposed to..to...
LATE!
"MY NAME IS WILL!" Rini and the others bounced back away from the echo.
"Well, hello!" Star's heart was on her sleeve. She could not let this dragon stop her from making new friends. She would break the curse by celebrating a new visitor! She threw on a smile that blew away even big ol Sladey. In a kid ex assassin's body!
"She is...always like that-
Raven stood before his mouth could spill his thoughts all over the room. "Wherever he goes, and whatever he does; he is all under your watch, Rini." With that she left by her own cloak as it swung over her. Billowing in the wave of angst and concern. She didn't find reason to believe that this kid was true to his word. Too hung up around the fact that he had Rini. In a situation he could use her to gain access to the tower whenever he wanted! Rini also said that her magic was the power she'd been born with on an alternate world.
It was so strong that even Raven could read that aura from head to foot and say; wow, about it to her friends...She was sure Rini was clean of impure energy...what about the kid...Will was it?
He did seem harmless now, but at some point later he'd be in a lot of trouble in-deedie.
/
"V?" Robin raced on foot to the clumsy little fox/dog guardian and called out. But the more it took him to run at this pace, the road only made him weak with thirst.
As he ran trapped in Shadow's web of deceit the demon boss was close. So close that he would bite down on that scrawny little neck and suck out the kid's essence.
Verra saw this and called with a gasp to Richard.
"BEHIND YOU!" he was scraped up quite a bit more than the youngster expected. But he did as he was directed and swung a fist out into a warrior's stance.
Turning now he could see a grumpy shadow rider in his wake. ~That was close.~ Vee was clearly sure the kid would have hand to hand combat as his only weapon.
"You, did this." He breathed roughly as he'd lost much of the stamina he possessed for a moment.
"Cat, dog was in my way." He explained with a clear head and a parched set of lips.
"Then again why must you suffer when you are not involved in battle? Mm?" he grew tired of waiting when the blood was right, ready and hot. He needed a king's -no! A dark prince's precious vein to break. Just a pinch. A small cut or incision would be enough to restore his powers. After all, Dracula was his cousin in a way.
"Hyah!" Richard swung and was back on his feet when he noticed something was off. His energy must have been drained by that illusion of he never having caught the attacker. But he had! He was standing right in front of him.
Verra fell through a void in the floor as Shifter struck a hand up to grasp his canine fur. He was also growing weak and had little fight left in his dog. He kicked the demon in the face but the spiritual snatcher only persisted as Dick fought on.
The guardian knew the two had a grudge like Red's and Robin's own. The boss Shadow only laughed harder as he became hysterical with tears. Blood loss? Vee thought then gasped and clawed harder at Shifter. He called out then to Rob.
"Get out of there hero! He's after you-
"Umph!" Being pulled into a void-less black hole Robin tried his best with all his might to back down. The demon shadow clan leader only grew hungrier and thirstier with every swat. He finally grabbed the teen's wrist, then shoulders shaking as he grounded the Ex leader of the Titans. He grinned one large grin. And snapped as Robin's head tried to turn away it was like a bad dream that would only end in silence and sweat.
Crunch!
"Wh...what have you done...?" Vee finally used his missile hairs of fur to send the shifting demon through back down to where he belonged.
He was too late. Blood tricked down the lips and neckline of the teen's and Shadow's.
"Master's orders." He left the kid in a blood losing slump before Verra plummeted into the guy responsible. The teen collapsed out of the clan leaders' grip. Onto the carpet in a heap his eyes were doubled in size and began to change in color.
Verra only snarled with a quick glance at the body.
"Why did you bite him if Roku's supposed to-
"Not up for the discussion-
Verra smashed him into a wall, pinning him to it with his missile fur.
"There won't BE a master to go back to if you don't tell me what you're after bub!" He clawed at the cloak that covered over Shadow's real form and garb.
"Make me mad..." Verra's muscle mass increased in size as well as his skeletal structure. His eyes glowing red as he'd become this great wolf form before. A curse in the name of Roku. The one to make him an angry fool of a prince and now guardian. The bristles of his fur covered body were as a thousand tiny needles. Filled to the brim with hatred.
"You get spiked!"
/B
"Again."
WHACK! The little spirit Pipette now cringed in the shadowy wake of the dragon lord and her new god. He'd been training her for what seemed like eons. To fight as a side stepper under his new rule was an honor indeed. She thought aloud.
"Why do you need the prince while you help so many?"
She dodged the blow and leaped high into the air. "Why do you wait for him! He has decided his fate...!"
Her voice now cascaded over time in the king's royal hall. She was truthful and innocent no longer, yet a part of her still questioned the light of her circumstance. The friends she had left far off in the other realm of powerful once allies.
He would create a part for her to play. Alice was not far off over hills in the valley for her feet had lead her to the castle; floating high above spirit Earth.
Her mage's boots and dark cloak were tied so they would hold her above all else. She had trained in the dragon's valley. Though this would only be partial to her true guise. Her hair was pleated into a loose braid. Long and slender she remained as well from eating food found within the woods. She'd grown powerful with her magic, made friends along the way and engaged in heaping helpings of knowledge of the Spirit Kingdom.
She'd even found dragon earth guarded by a band of marauders. Roku didn't want his old friends to find the barrier hiding earth's realm. The god's words only reached her slightly. She'd met with Thor and embraced her ancestor's spiritual essence after their return to the earth. She assumed that they had been cursed! But the long forgotten princess and lucky sorceress was befuddled when they asked her to join in the awakening of the sun. The once villagers she cared for left her the morning after to follow back to the gods and their judgment.
"I hope you missed me Aaron...Roku...my once and for all enemy..." She knew attraction spells far beyond a book's teachings. To levitate and to summon. Just as her friends, and has-been brother knew how.
He was not on vacation with her she had found; after all this time she knew of the mistress's plot to capture the bat and cage it till the end...the fowl of course would be captured, tormented and so on until he became a soul stealer aid...
A power source was drawn to the incredible. Yet danger awaited the others. To stall this part, she must.
She sent up a sigh to the wind. "Well...here goes nothing...!"
/B
Beastboy kicked a can leading out to the sidewalks of Jump City Avenue Park. This is where they all used to play and fool around while eating the food that they'd planned to cook on the grill. B always packed extra tofu dogs and veggie patties for him and Raven. Now there was an awkward man making awkward rules about what everyone should feel!Roku was a messed up kinda something. Terra was Tara and only B saw her the last time before she'd left town without a word. That or she'd been...
No,no,no! " groaned the green teen with a moan. "She's fine, there is no such thing as real baddies except for villains. Roku IS a villain. I am a Titan...only I don't feel like one..." he sighed with a sullen look about him. He sat on a wooden picnic bench and folded his hands over his face for the sake of solitude.
He sat up a moment later and ran his gloved hands through his spiky hair."It's gonna be ok...we won't get separated by...by..."
"Beastboy?"
"Gah-ah!" He fell off of the bench a bit out of shock. Someone with mid length blond hair and azure colored bright eyes with a hint of shadow had sneaked up behind him.
"Who?"
He sat up and squinted from the afternoon sun in his eyes. "Tara?...Is that you?" He grew distraught and frowned from a thought that it might be an afternoon glare from the rays.
"Beastboy? It's me. I've come home.." She was covered from head to foot in new gear. Her shoes had been replaced with mid ankle lace up boots. Her hair had light streaks of light lighter blond in a few to say the least. And her top was was a shirt with the logo of a T on it with the blackness of the shirt keeping it cool. Her pants were short with white stripes going up each leg. Also black.
But the one thing that remained were her goggles. The thing she treasured more than life-
"Oomf!" B was hugged into her arms as if she had changed more than ever this time.
"Where." He gave her a gesture to allow him some breathing space.
Where'd you go? I thought you forgot everything about us! This place..." he scratchily said.
"I'm going in to study for exams. My new parents...they want me to study to get into college-
She smiled though her eyes were directed at an old pal for life. Beastboy chuckled with a grin and explained his side to.
"That's awesome. The doom patrol always says that;Garfield Logan! You need to sit and listen so that you'll fight by our side again-
"I..also went to the Justice League...they needed to know so they got me inspired. I'm called Tara- Goddess of Earth. Seems like Slade was after her, not me...not that I care! He's the one though that brought me back. He even got me help. He...made up for his abusive nature,jerk."
Beast boy's jaw dropped slowly then he was in question mode.
"Tara! But that's who you are as a-
"I know." She rebuked as he silenced himself to leave her to explain. After the fight...i didn't know who I was anymore! I cried in any situation when I saw a hero in action. On or off the screens. It scared me that I'd lose control again. Then I wondered...who is Tara that Slade and his friends keep talking about? Then it hit me. I was the vessel of a woman in the past! Wiz even did a quick look for me too. He was super supportive. Even his earth power and power over earth made me jealous! He's cool when you get to know him." She beamed as her words grew stronger and her expression...better than the usual Terra?
"He told me to meditate daily. At first I was afraid that guy with the wolf costume would come after me. I'm still not happy about that." A leaf blew off of a nearby tree and she caught it. I was able to control the earth and the trees! Geo-kinetic was far from what I would end up as when I fully, blossomed!" The flowers on the tree became green buds and spring was upon them anyway.
Her smile was cheery and great for storytelling but, why Wiz... ?
"Why didn't you go to the league?" Asked the green boy. "Or us? What were you afraid of doing? You're our best friend- no, my best friend forever! We trust you T-Tara..."
"And I trust you too!" She smiled back. "But I didn't trust myself...or my heart so-
"Your powers?" He wondered as she was going to finish.
"Yeah. And it only got worse as I denied the incredible reality. Wiz was kind enough to teach me to trust in my own song...my own spirit..."
"So...you can join the team?" B asked.
She shook her head as he frowned with sad, confused eyes. "Why not? You're the very best there is-
She gave a convincing look of understanding. Reliable and sure she spoke in a poem of notes.
Song
It hunts for the heart
The spirit is silent
A fire
An open flame
Leads to truth
To the direction of Light...
"Wow...that was amazing! Did you write that?-
"No, it" ;she exclaimed.
"Is the song in my heart!"
/C
Broken glass...that sound was the shatter of breaking crystal...Raven was miles away, drained and returning to full power each day as the dying sun in the sky shone over her face. Its glow harbored a rich tapestry of color. The darkest hue of purple, red and orange shone deeper in her heart as she breathed in the sunlight and the coming night from the rooftops.
Her heart pounded nirvana until it was to be expected.
"Red didn't show? Guess I'll find a new pair of hands, once I dispose of the thief's..."
Veronica stood in the light as the sun finally breathed its last breath. The now raining sky, or what would be rain; Ronnie having left the other bother made Raven on edge. The picture of his pain now stopped. Paused from her view; walls up, she knew nothing more from his world.. Nothing but the man who was going to marry. His mentor that she'd gone to warn when Trigon collapsed all she loved around her. Cursing her down on the realm she now stood. She knew this Bat. He was still very worried for himself, no one else at the time. She had barely introduced herself to the league and that man...before meeting the Titans in California...what was to be their first accomplishment of that day.
"Come to spread more bad news?" Raven growled in a call out to the demon-ness.
Veronica spoke aloud over a thunder cloud's drumbeat.
She was laughing? Maniacally laughing hard! She reached in to a cloud. Fluffing it with her hands and shaping it into a figure. Her laughter stopped ringing in the younger teen's ears.
"What do you know!" Raven shouted over the thunder overhead. The waves in the bay grew in size to smash and bash into the tower sands.
"He loves me. He loves me not!" She continued with the game as the cloud turned into tiny imps that danced around the two. "Here!..." One of the imps took the call to bring a signed letter over to the Raven. Veronica was mocking her alright...
Raven used her seal breaking spell to open and read through the note. "A wedding...with the father of Dick Grayson...as the groom...?" her mouth went dry as she read it.
Ronnie laughed in a small chuckle and bounced slowly over to Rae. "Sweet? Chin up! You should believe this for the best! Here is the truth from my lips..."She whispered into Raven's ear.
"You lost him to a bat!-
"Wh- What's that supposed to mean...? Raven swat her away quick as a whip. "They had better stay away from that wedding...or else it's all over for the heroic Teen Titans!" Ronnie could not hold it in any more as she burst into fits of insane laughter.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" He is Mine! There-is-nothing-left-to-say...Humph!" Raven peered at the invite then shook her head, and the villain's minions disappeared. "WAIT!" The wind was picking up fast, where,what was happening!
"Time to, go? NOO! Get back here!" Raven flew after the beast with bat's wings and noticed that she'd left a bit of info behind. Rushing away she dodged the smoke blast from the lady's gust.
"WATER, WATER RISE!" The wave was going to crash and destroy Jump City! It was a Typhoon!
Oh no...-
"HEEEY!" Looking down with a gasp she saw someone, though she had lost her suspect..
It was Aqua Lad from Titans East! He was getting the water off of its rampage. But what power gave him-
"It's going to wreck the city!" She cried over the wind and rain.
He began to show his strength in a swift motion of his wrist. Kind of like...
~No no...not him...~ She thought to herself. Not the time. Her power made the waves die down a bit. They needed more power. Aqua Lad was as responsible for saving the city as she was as his ally.
"Not...enough...power...!" surely Raven guessed it were only a phase. Something that did not mean to defeat the rise and pull of the sea. She wanted to save and protect the one thing she treasured most. The dragon king found his way to her past the walls she'd carelessly been leaving on autopilot...not smart.
The plague of flame burst through her like tiny lights going out one by one. Her body was unconscious, something had left her as her cloak shouldered the color white. She'd lost her shadow as she fell into the sea.
/C
Ronnie is spreading word then to third in command. Robin got drained of his energy, vampire bite! Oh no. And Rini's going to be crushed when she find's out..hem, Will's secret. But what about Nina! Will she recover? Tara's new look? It was not too easy... Alice will get to the castle right?
So this is it...wedding bells...sigh...or soul stealing demon spirit? Read and review!