Otherself Chapter 18, a Teen Titans + Black★Rock Shooter Crossover fanfic

Chapter 18

"You'll gain my power when you learn to hate me."

"What does that even mean?" asked Yomi.

"No idea," admitted Yuu, "Saya-chan? Any clue?"

"Actually yes," she replied, "but it'd be useless if I told you, so nyeh!"

"I never thought I'd see a teacher stick her tongue out at a student," said Yomi's perplexed mother.

"Hah! You haven't met my sister in law!" snorted Mrs. Kuroi, "she's a history teacher and a hardcore gamer in her late twenties. She's pretty close to her old students too."

All in all, the group had recovered well enough. Raven had eventually managed to use hypnosis to let Kagari and Mato regain control of her bodies and let them sleep off the ensuing headache, Saya had promptly found that she could control her transformation and made a note to teach Kagari how to do the same, Beast Boy was fully healed and resting, Cyborg was in his room doing repairs, and the parents were unharmed, although they were also fearful of what Raven would do once she found out they'd tried to lock Kagari in her room.

"Who. Was in. My room?" Speak of the devil, or at least his daughter.

"Um, Kagari actually," admitted her mother, "I am truly sorry, but we tried to contain her and… well…"

"You couldn't have stuck her in the panic room!?"

"There's a panic room?"

Raven simply growled and went to get some tea.

"Here," said the current bar tender in her usual cheerful voice.

"Thanks Ying," she sighed, "I'll have to see who I bunk with later."

"Glorious! You may have the sleepover wi-!"

"Oh no," gasped the dark mage, "no Star, NO! You kept me up all night the last time I slept over with you! I didn't get a wink of sleep and you messed up my sleep schedule for a week!"

"What sleep schedule?" asked Cyborg as he came in, "I don't think any of us have slept at the same time every night for a week straight."

"Um, should I really be here?" asked Tara from her position on the couch.

"Considering that your powers are coming back and you have even less control over them than before, I'd say so," said Robin without looking up from his console.

"Welp, everyone's tired, so I say-."

"I say you start talking," Raven cut off Saya and grabbed her by the horns with her magic before she could weasel off again, "you have a lot of explaining to do."

"What do you mean?" asked Saya.

"Raven and I have been discussing the situation with Green Lantern and I think we're onto something," said Robin as he displayed Saya's sketches on the monitor, "We compared the Lantern Corps' Emotional Color Spectrum with Raven's books on Otherselves, and we noticed some striking similarities, as well as a few discrepancies with what you've been telling us."

"Discrepancies? Like what?" she asked as she scuffed her talons.

"You said you're Life," pointed outthe sorceress, "yet you wear the color of Death."

"I live in the White Ruins for a reason," she pointed out, "I'm a Black that needed to act like a White to keep the ONE person I care about most safe."

"I bet you're not happy about that," proposed Robin.

"No, as a matter of fact I was pretty pissed off about it."

"Why does this matter?" asked Mrs. Takanashi.

"We've concluded that the Otherselves run on the same principle at the Lantern Rings," said Robin, "although it's not as versatile, their ability to build constructs was what first tipped me off."

"We then talked it over with Green Lantern and found that otherselves are perfectly aligned with the Emotional Color Spectrum," continued Raven, returning to the original subject and turning back to the sketches on the monitor, "Saya is Red because she hates the duty she was shackled with. A Black with the duties of a White."

"Yuu is Orange because her Otherself was fueled by Greed," continued Robin, "a Desire for a way out of her situation. Any way out."

"Kagari is Yellow due to her Fear of solitude and Yomi created Death Master with her Will to be free from Kagari."

"What does the color Blue mean?" asked Mrs. Kuroi.

"Hope," stated Saya, "in this case, her ability to inspire it. She was Hope for Yuu."

"You already knew all this," noticed Robin with a raised eyebrow.

"I figured it out," she scoffed, "two years dealing with Otherselves? You tend to catch on to the semiology of it."

"What about Violet?" asked Mrs. Kuroi, noticing the last sketch on the screen, "who is that by the way?"

"That is Insane Black Rock Shooter," said Saya as she picked some dirt from her joints with one of her needles, "and I don't know what violet means. I never saw one before her."

"Violet means Love," said Raven, "you mentioned that Rock lost her mind after Mato saw her kill Death Master, right?"

"I actually think she saw Yomi more than Death Master," Pointed out Yuu, "that would explain it. She thought her Little Bird was dead, and went cuckoo."

"Why do you keep calling me Little Bird?" asked Yomi, unaware that her mother had just face-palmed behind her.

"I gave birth to a lead brick," she grumbled, "she just had to take after Sojiro."

"How'd that go?" asked Haha, "I know my husband was dense when we were dating, but this sounds worse."

"I literally had to tackle him to bed in lingerie during our honeymoon."

"MOM!"

"Oh hush up Yomi, I was young once too."

"Can we please get back to the subject?" snapped Robin.

"Erm right, sorry."

"As I was saying, there's a color for each emotion," continued Raven, "but on top of that, there's White and Black, the colors of Life and Death."

"Which means that Black Gold Saw should be Death, like Black Rock Shooter," concluded Robin as he turned back to Saya, who had put the needle back into her metal wrist, "yet you've stated multiple times that you're Life."

"Look, I get that I haven't explained things properly," admitted the teacher, "mostly on purpose."

"Why?" asked Robin coldly.

"Because it'd mean admitting to my own wrongdoings," she replied, "Black Rock Shooter was hunting Yuu, I needed to protect her. I needed to distract her for as long as possible, but there's only one thing that can distract Death."

"New Otherselves." stated Raven as the pieces fell together.

"I had ONE person I cared about, ONE person I needed to protect," she continued, "as Death, I don't like to see people in pain, but I had no choice. I couldn't change myself enough to make a White Gold Saw, but I could turn my Coliseum Island into the White Ruins. A breeding ground for Hooded Children to sprout and flower into Masters of the Fields."

"Wait, you said an Otherself is made of pain," remembered Cyborg, "doesn't that mean that-."

"I tortured children for two years to keep my best friend from being hunted down by Black Rock Shooter," she stated coldly, "it's actually not that difficult. Children are easy to break."

"Why-why would you become a teacher!?" snapped Mr. Izuriha.

"To get closer to them," answered Robin, "she needed access to emotionally unstable children to keep Black Rock Shooter distracted."

"My entire life was built around that," affirmed Saya, "my major, my profession, the school I work at, and even the apartment I live in, every aspect of my life was built with Yuu's safety as a cornerstone."

"Yomi began acting oddly after starting middle school," noticed Mrs. Takanashi, "she was perfectly normal before that."

"Normal is relative," scoffed the younger woman, "if you think that being emotionally bound to a hypochondriac cripple is normal, then I'm not the one that needs to have their head examined."

"A hypo- how dare you!?" yelled Mrs. Izuriha.

"Don't yell at Saya!" snapped Yuu, "it's not her fault, it's mine! I'm the one that wanted to run away. I'm the one that forced her to break Yomi, Kagari, and all those other kids! Hell, I'm the reason White-!"

"Yuu!" Saya cut her off.

"Speak." Snapped Robin.

"Look Tweety-."

"NOW!"

Yuu hesitated, trading a glance with Saya before the older of the duo sighed and began to speak.

"Death is the altruist, a person that helps by opening up to the One and kills the Other," she stated before pointing to her barely concealed chest, "an open person that lays herself bare to help those she loves. A person that helps you deal with your pain, even if she needs to kill your Otherself to do it."

"A kind person," said Yuu, "a person that doesn't mind getting hurt, that will take on any pain to keep it away from others."

Saya smiled in gratitude before continuing.

"Life is the sadist, a person that tortures the One to create the Other, and then tortures the Other until the One breaks. She will cause pain purposely and happily, some Whites will feel certain… pleasure in their victim's grief."

"Like you did." Stated Raven.

Saya scowled.

"Let's get something straight Miss Gloom and Doom," she snapped, "I hated everything I had to do! Hated it!" she took a deep breath before continuing, "I tried to enjoy it, to make it easier on myself by laughing about it but I-I couldn't stand it."

She flared back into her human form, hugging herself.

"I did what I had to do, Yuu's worth that much."

Yuu stood and walked over to hug her around the neck, whispering apologies into her ear.

"Have you ever met a White?" asked Robin.

"Once," she confirmed, "I could tell you, but I think I should show you."

She went to the breakfast table where the remains of multiple weapons laid, picking out the remains of the Black Blade and her own watering can.

"Otherselves can't usually kill each other," she stated as she walked to the sink, "they can fight and injure each other, but it'd be too conspicuous if someone lost their memory every time they fought with their best friend. The only exceptions are Blacks," she sprinkled water on the metal, "and Whites."

Black bled off the blade like soot on tin, revealing pearl white steel underneath.

"Mato has been Yuu's friend for years, right?"

"Since kindergarder." Confirmed the mother, who was staring at the white metal.

"If Yuu was bullied, then Mato should've found out. So why didn't she?"

She unceremoniously dropped the remains of the White Blade on the coffee table.

"She did," she stated grimly, "and she was not happy about it."

"What happened?" asked Raven.

"Yuu was Mato's best friend back then," she reminded them as she pulled out her sketch pad and began to draw, "I hadn't noticed her color coding before you brought up this Spectrum, but now I know that her Love for Yuu combined with the Rage she felt towards the bullies, creating a monster unlike any other."

She placed the sketch pad on the table to reveal the rough sketch of a pigtailed girl with mechanical wings and a scythe. A magenta flame bursting out of her undetailed face where the right eye should be.

"White Rock Shooter sought out and tortured the bullies' Otherselves mercilessly," she explained, "but of course, the One and the Other are intrinsically linked. The actions of One will affect the Other, and vice versa."

"What did she do?" asked Haha, horrified at what she was hearing.

"I honestly don't know," admitted Saya, "but after Mato and White Rock Shooter were done, all three girls transferred out and were promptly forgotten by the school when their Otherseves finally died. I haven't heard from them since."

"What? No, Mato's a good girl" protested Haha Kuroi in defense of her daugther, "She wouldn't do such a thing!"

"Nice guys turn into the scariest beasts you'll ever come across when you push them too far," pointed out Saya, "and for Mato, that was too far."

"This went too far," growled Robin as slammed his hands on the coffee table, "you should've told someone, anyone about what was happening!"

"Do I need to quote an earlier conversation? Who the hell would've believed me!?"

"The world has changed!" he reminded her, "There are currently seven different alien species on the planet on top of mutants, inhumans, and metas! I've seen magic, telepathy, weather manipulation, ghosts, demons, and even the occasional ninja turtle. Did you honestly think this is the oddest thing we've come across!?"

"Japan is different," pointed out Yuu, "it's not as friendly towards superheroes as the US is. We haven't had a superhero team since the Mew Mews ten years ago, and even then, they never tried to become official because they knew that we don't have special groups made up of special people assembled to take down special criminals."

"We had the Sailor Scouts when we were young," pointed out Mr. Izuriha, "but they were the exception. After Brushogun was taken down in the 70's, all superheroes went off the radar."

"Mutants are ridiculously common in Japan," pointed out Mrs. Takanashi, "I believe we have the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs to thank for that, but powers aren't. Most mutations take the form of odd hair and eye colors like Yomi's hair, so we never experienced the prejudice Mutants in the US did."

"We are used to the occasional fox spirit or Oni sighting in the rural areas," admitted Mrs. Kuroi, "but Japan is not as used to this level of strangeness. You had the Watchmen, the Incredibles, the Justice Society, the Doom Patrol, the Justice League, the Avengers, the X-Men, and now the Teen Titans to get used to this. We cast aside our superheroes when Commander Daizo vanquished Brushogun and let him ban them from further activities."

"If I'd gone to anyone about this, I'd have been locked away," stated Saya, "who would've kept Yuu safe then?"

"If you're trying to justify-."

"I did what I had to do!" snapped Saya, flaring back into her otherself as she shot to her feet, "To keep Yuu safe! To keep her alive! I thought you heroes would understand such a sentiment."

No one dared to move as Robin and Black Gold Saw glared daggers at each other, each daring the other to make a move, to make the first strike. The remaining Titans tensed to restrain the two, should the need arise. Robin's hand was half an inch away from his utility belt whilst rivulets molten metal danced between the joints of Black Gold Saw's claws, itching to turn into her signature weapon.

Just when it seemed that a fight was inevitable, the door to the men's wing opened to reveal Beast Boy, causing Tara to immediately flinch.

"I'm getting tired of waking up with a headache," he whined, before stiffening once he noticed the tension between his leader and Black Gold Saw, "did I miss something?"

Robin and BGS sighed simultaneously before dropping the tension off their shoulders.

"Everything Beast Boy," droned Raven, "you missed just about everything."

"I guess we're all a little stressed out," admitted Saya as she shifted back to her human form, "we should get some rest."

"Wait, you can control your Saw thingy?" asked BB, "Cool! No more busted shampoo bottles!"

He then noticed Tara, making her flinch again.

"Look here-!" She started.

"Hey there, I'm Beast Boy," he said, holding his hand out in greeting, "Nice to meet you!"

Saya's eye twitched as Tara's eyes darted from the Beast Boy's hand to his goofy grin.

"Welp, at least it can't get any worse." Commented Yuu.

"Don't jinx it," groaned Saya as she glared warily at the White Blade, "I get the feeling it's about to get much worse."

Mato was awake. A memory had awoken her and left her staring up at the ceiling.

"What's your name?" the sorceress had asked.

"What kind of stupid question is that?"

"Answer." Robin had snapped.

"It's Black-," she stopped just as her eye flared to life, "It's Mato! Kuroi Mato! I'm Kuroi Mato!"

"I am Mato of the Kuroi family." She told the ceiling in her native tongue.

She sat up and rolled out of bed.

"I am Mato of the Kuroi family." She told the floor her face was pressed against.

She stood.

"I am Mato of the Kuroi family." She told the wall.

She grasped her head.

"I am Mato of the Kuroi family." She told the door.

Her hair came off in locks as she stumbled towards the bathroom she shared with the guest room next door.

"I am Mato of the Kuroi family." She told the bathroom.

She turned on the faucet and gulped down as much water as she could.

"I am Mato of the Kuroi family." She told the mirror.

She wiped steam off the glass surface.

"I am Mato of the Kuroi family." She told herself.

She glared at the reflection.

"I am Kuroi Mato," she repeated, "I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato."

She pressed her hand against the mirror.

"I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato, I am Kuroi Mato."

Her hand touched something soft.

Fingers intertwined.

Magenta eyes gazed back.

She blinked.

"I am Kuro-(black)," she gasped, "Kuro-(black)."

Arms wrapped around her neck and soft lips met hers, snapping her out of her mantra. She saw her reflection's hair.

"Shiro (White.)" she whispered.

"Shiro?" she asked before smiling, "Shiiiro. I am Shiro. I am Shiroi Mato."

They stumbled onto the floor.

Author's Notes: Well that was faster that any of us expected I'm sure. I've been planning WRS' introduction for a while, so this one came out faster than I expected.

Who here guessed the Lantern Rings? I was surprised when I noticed it too. I was wondering whether the colors meant anything, and was originally going to go with the classic "opposites on the wheel" when it hit me that Kagari was terrified of being alone. After that, everything fell into place, though I kinda had to stretch it for Yuu and Yomi and then I had to improvise on Saya being Life when her Black otherself implies otherwise.

Also, anyone else heartbroken over Penny from RWBY? She's a robot, so she'll probably be back, but still. She was the most innocent character in the series.