Ch. 7 Ephialtes
The Titans sans Beast Boy had got back to the tower just as the sun was starting to lower in the sky. The four of them entered the tower in relative silence, due to combination of the injuries sustained and thinking about Beast Boy. Cyborg was convinced that the changeling's behaviour today was still a by-product of how he had been acting since they returned to the Tower. Robin had been impressed by how calm the Beast had acted when Raven approached. Maybe Beast Boy had finally started to master the form, and if the Titans were able to reliable call upon the Beast in battle, they'd have a new ace up their sleeve. Starfire was focused on how he'd been during the battle when she froze up. She'd never seen him so focused…that intense. At the time, she'd been impressed, but seeing him as the Beast, even if he did seem to have it under control…something about the creature unnerved her.
Raven couldn't get her mind off of why Beast Boy had lied to Robin…had lied to them all...and she didn't even know what he had lied about. All the Titans were there for each other, no matter what they were going through. Maybe he had some reservations about talking about the Beast to the others from the first time he had undergone the transformation.
Raven had been livid with the others. Robin had made the conscious decision to take on the role of Red-X in the past, and while their was certainly a lack of trust for a while, that was the only major ramification. And yet, when Beast Boy was in the line of fire, for something that was clearly out of his control, Robin had threatened jail, and neither of the other Titans had stepped in for a second. Raven could appreciate that it was a decision that three of them made in the heat of the moment…but it was the wrong one.
The four of them arrived at the Med Bay, where Cyborg began conducting some routine checks. Starfire and Robin were both relatively unharmed. Robin had a few bruised ribs and needed a few stitches, but nothing he hadn't dealt with before while the Tamaranean would just need to ice down her leg. Raven had taken the worst of it, with a confirmed concussion, multiple gashes that needed stitching and her throat had been irritated from the inhaled smoke. Cyborg just needed a good recharge.
"Alright, I'm gonna give everyone the all clear for now. Raven, you can attempt to heal yourself, once that concussion has been given some time to fix itself up and I'm happy with it. If you're going to your room to sleep later, I may need to pop in every so often, to make sure you can wake up properly if that's okay?"
Raven nodded, "Just don't touch anything this time…last thing I need in my mind right now is an unexpected visitor."
"…BB getting me in trouble, even when he's not here, goddamn. Robin, your stiches can come out in a couple days. No heavy training for you for the next forty eight hours and you'll be set. Star just keep some ice on your leg for fifteen minutes on, forty minutes off for the rest of the night. I can assess it again in the morning."
Starfire and Robin nodded at Cyborg's assessment before Robin voiced the elephant in the room. "What about Beast Boy? He's still gonna need a medical check when he comes in".
Cyborg nodded. "I'm happy to stay up waiting for him if everyone else wants to do their own thing tonight. We all deserve a rest, and I can take some time to charge now for when he comes in".
"I'll be staying up until he arrives as well".
Starfire, Robin and Cyborg turned to Raven, who stared straight back at them, almost daring them to question her decision.
"…I just want to talk to him about today…I could sense his emotional state after he transformed back and it was a little worrisome…I want to give him a chance to speak his mind...if he wants too."
Robin and Cyborg seemed to take her at her word, but Starfire couldn't help but let the faintest smile come across her face. As the team started to clear out, Starfire decided that maybe a few words with Raven were in order. She had had a little chat with Beast Boy today already, it simply wouldn't be fair to not talk to the empath.
Cyborg headed for his room for a quick charge, while Robin headed for his office, to write up a report on the day's events. Raven was planning on heading to her room for some peace and quiet, but she could feel Starfire's emotions from behind her…she was feeling…mischievous?...oh no. Raven turned around to find the Tamaranean floating down the hallway afterwards with a small smile on her face.
Raven sighed. "...what do you want Starfire?"
"Oh, I am just heading for the common area. I plan to treat myself to some zorkaberries and play with the Silkie."
Raven looked at Starfire sceptically, but nodded and turned back around to head for her room, Starfire now floating alongside her.
"Friend Raven, I must say, you're calmness in the face of the Beast today was most impressive. I have never seen the creature so responsive to one of us".
Raven looked over at Starfire, trying to figure out her game. "Thanks…I guess I know that the Beast just isn't mindless…Beast Boy is still in there when he's like that… I just had faith that he could be drawn out".
"Yes, that much seems clear now. I must ask though Raven, why do you think he only becomes that beast when you are entwined with events? Perhaps you are a trigger for it somehow?"
If Raven hadn't just arrived at her door, she would have frozen in place anyway. She slowly turned towards the Tamaranean. "…what are you getting at Starfire?".
"Oh nothing…just pointing out an observation…the beast seems to only come out when you are involved…and you seem to have a lot of faith in the creature…or in Beast Boy…"
Starfire floated down the hallway, past Raven and towards the kitchen. Just before she rounded the corner at the end, she turned back with a playful smile. "Just something for you to do the thinking about of".
Raven watched Starfire disappear around the corner, her mind still reeling from Starfire's words. She knew exactly what the unspoken message Starfire had tried to deliver was…and what scared her was that it wasn't an idea that she could immediately dismiss. Shaking her head, she entered her room, found the book she was reading and curled up on her bed with it. She was too tired to be dealing with thoughts like that right now. But that didn't change the fact that she still needed to have a conversation with Beast Boy tonight…one she now felt bizarrely nervous for.
Cyborg had powered himself down, setting a wake time of eight o'clock so he could get up to check on Beast Boy. Not only did he want to give the little guy the all clear, but he actually wanted to talk to him as well. Cyborg regretted how he had acted the first time the Beast had appeared. He should have backed up his friend. He wouldn't be capable of attacking Raven, and when they met in the sewers, they had attacked him first. He should have noticed how gently the creature had lowered Raven to the ground, or checked if there had been any other break-ins that night. He needed to let Beast Boy know he was there for him.
So when Cyborg awoke woke up early and found himself in the pitch dark in his room, he was pretty confused. He had no idea what time it was, but he should been woken with a notification, and a quick scan of his room showed that there was no electricity running whatsoever. "A power cut? I'll need to go get the back-up generator up and running from the basement…I'm only on 20%, will need to be pretty….".
Cyborg's thoughts trailed off as he listened closely. He could sworn he heard something move in front of him. He activated his flashlight from his shoulder and aimed outwards. There was nothing there…nothing out of the ordinary. Then, he heard the noise again from behind him…a low rumble…almost like a growl. Cyborg rose from his table and wheeled around, sonic cannon raised to once again find…nothing? Cyborg lowered his arm and put away his flashlight.
"Easy man, it's just been a long day, and you've got stuff on your mind, better off to ju-".
Directly in front of Cyborg, he could make out a shape emerging from the darkness. He rubbed his eyes and squinted to make sure he wasn't seeing things but then…realization hit him. "How?...he was so calm earlier…he had beat it…when did he ev-". Cyborg stopped thinking and got into a battle stance as the hulking figure of the Beast became clear to him. He was nearly frothing at the mouth, and emitting a low growl that could only be aimed at Cyborg.
"Come on man, I know you're in there! Please! Don't make me do something I don't wanna do!."
But this version of the Beast showed no signs of comprehension. Without warning, it rushed forward shoulder charging Cyborg into the wall and pinning him there. Cyborg tried to punch back at the Beast, but with lightning speed, the Beast manoeuvred backwards, avoiding the blow, and pulling Cyborg with him, throwing him through his bedroom door. Cyborg slowly got too his feet, shaking his head. He needed back-up and badly. Throwing caution to the wind, Cyborg ran down the hallway towards the common room, praying that someone was there, the guttural sounds of the Beast not far behind.
Raven had been just short of the finale of her novel when the power went out in her room. "Of course…it's just one of the days". She waited a few seconds, assuming that the power would come back by itself, or Cyborg would quickly remedy the situation, but after a short time and nothing happening, she decided she'd have to do something herself. She was just about head to Cyborg's room herself, when a loud crash emanated from somewhere in the tower. Shooting out of bed, and immediately regretting it as she clutched her hear, she listened again, only to be jarred by a second loud crash from somewhere out in the hallway.
Raven donned her cloak, preparing to go out to find out just what in God's name going on when she froze. It was quiet at first, but the sound was unmistakeable…after all, she had heard it loud and clear only a couple of hours ago. Raven scanned her room, and took step back when her eyes locked with those of the Beast. His imposing figure seemed to fill up one side of her room entirely. Raven immediately felt like something was different from earlier though. There was no life behind the eyes she was looking into…no humanity.
"Beast Boy…Garfield…what happened…please?"
The Beast strode forward until Raven had to crane her neck upwards to look at it. She steeled herself and prepared to reach out like she did earlier. But she never got a chance as the Beast wrapped one of it's mighty hands around her neck. Raven gasped and tried to grasp at her throat before the Beast flung her across her room, into her bedroom door. Raven clutched her throat, coughing desperately, before looking back at the Beast to see he was already advancing again.
"I'm sorry Gar…Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"
Raven used her powers to send a bookcase flying in the direction of the Beast, not waiting to see the result before teleporting out of the room. She needed to find the others Titans…to warn them. Something was wrong with Beast Boy and if she couldn't get through to him…she pushed that thought away. Raven reappeared in the common room and almost felt her heart stop at what she saw. The other Titans were already there. Cyborg was covered in scratches and was missing one of his arms outright. Starfire was on the floor, struggling to get to her feet, her normally straight hair was a mess, and her ankle was bent in sickening way. Robin was desperately trying to hold his own against the Beast, but he was in a losing battle.
"How did it get there so quickly?! I literally just left it in my room!"
The Beast itself looked completely unharmed. Raven had been told by her teammates how difficult it had been to subdue the Beast the first time, but this seemed to be on another level. It was almost like they couldn't lay a finger on him. Robin finally noticed Raven for the first time. "Raven, get out of here! He's out of control, we ca-". Robins distraction by Raven was all the Beast needed to find an opportunity to strike, landing a ferocious backhand, sending Robin flying into the wall. Raven stood frozen, as the creature rounded on her.
As it started to approach her, Raven knew there was no reasoning with the it. She would have to protect her friends…at this stage, she would have to protect herself. "You'll thank me for this later Garfield…I promise".
Just as Raven summoned her powers, Cyborg used his still functioning arm cannon and haphazardly fired a shot at the creature. Raven briefly lost the Beast in the resultant flash of blue light, but the sound of metal grinding on the floor brought her attention to the sliding doors of the main ops room. The Beast stood there, surveying the room, roaring incoherently. Raven summoned her powers and looked to her left. Cyborg had come to stand alongside her, and Starfire had managed to float to her feet and was staring the Beast, eyes glowing green.
"We'll pull you back Garfield…whatever it takes".
Beast Boy got back to the tower just after eight o'clock. He knew Robin was going to chew him out for it, but maybe the distraction of the power cut would be enough for him to sneak in. Rather than go up to the front door, Beast Boy flew up to the roof. He always preferred going in via the roof staircase. He'd get a brief moment to see the most beautiful view of Jump City and the bay. When he arrived on the roof, he sniffed the air. Beast Boy had always been incredibly sensitive to smell. It's why he used unscented shampoo and deodorant. So when there was a chemical smell, he always wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"What, did Cyborg choose now off all times to clean up here or something?"
Beast Boy ripped off a piece of his still tattered uniform and wrapped it around his mouth and nose. That would at least block out the harshest parts of whatever was giving off that awful smell. Beast Boy headed down the staircase, with the intention of making a beeline for main ops. There was no point heading to the medical bay with no power, so he figured that he might as well find out what the situation was first.
His thoughts went out the window when he rounded the corner to the hallway with Cyborg's room, only to see the door blasted off its bearings, surrounded a pile of rubble. Beast Boy sprinted forward, ignoring his aching body and climbed over the wreckage into the room. "Cyborg! Buddy! You in here?!" He received no reply and slowly moved backwards out of the room. Something bah had happened…and he hadn't been here. Focusing on his hearing, he listened out for any sign of life in the door, his eyes snapping open when heard Robin's scream from the direction of the kitchen.
Beast Boy changed into a leopard, and sprinted down the tower hallways, morphing back into a himself just as he came through the kitchen door, his jaw practically hitting the floor at the scene before him. Cyborg looked like he'd been hit by a bus. Starfire and Raven didn't look much better, and Robin was slumped against the kitchen wall. Beast Boy scanned the room for an enemy…but saw no one?
"Guys, what's going on!? What happened!?".
Raven's eyes darted from a spot in front of her to Beast Boy. A split second later, with a look of regret on her face, Raven summoned her powers and Beast Boy's heart sank.
"…Raven?...what are you doing?"
His eyes drifted to the right at the sign of movement. Cyborg and Starfire had both come to stand alongside Raven, Cyborg with his sonic cannon aimed at Beast Boy and Starfire eyes glowing green with righteous fury.
"…Guys...it's me...what happened…?"
Cyborg, was the first to step forward, his cannon whirring to life. "I'm sorry Beast Boy...but you'll thank us later."
Beast Boy was so confused and scared by the scene before him that he didn't even react when Cyborg's cannon went off, connecting firmly with his chest and blasting him backwards against the metal doors he came through. He slid down them and hit the ground with a sickening thud.
"Finally landed a hit, come on guys, let's knock him back to his senses while we have the chance!"
Beast staggered to his feet, and just managed to dodge a volley of starbolts, taking the form of a leopard to quickly bound behind the kitchen counter.
"Finally landed a hit?...What? I just got here, and I certainly haven't been fighting them this whole time…it's like they can't see me…like they're seeing something el-."
Beast Boy had never been struck by a single moment of clarity so profoundly in his life. His friends fighting an enemy that wasn't there…a chemical smell in the air…a power cut…a good haunting could only happen in the dark.
Beast Boy emerged from behind the counter, hands in the air. "Guys, it's me! This is Slade's work, your seeing the Beast but he's not he-"
Beast Boy didn't get to finish his sentence, instead giving a yelp of pain, as a birdarang firmly lodged itself in his shoulder. Beast Boy raised his eyes to find a now awake Robin, beaten, but very much still breathing. He didn't even have time to remove the foreign object before Starfire had flown into him, slamming him into the kitchen cupboards. Ignoring the pain, he transformed into a rabbit to escape her grasp and moved to the centre of the room. Spotting Raven, he returned to his normal self.
"Raven please! It's the chemicals! You know this beast isn't me! Think about-".
Robin shouted from behind him. "Raven! Get your head in the game and take him down! He's too dangerous!".
Beast Boy turned back to Raven, a pleading look in his eyes. She had to be able to put it together…she just had too…
Raven closed her eyes and massaged her neck. Beast Boy realised she was blinking away tears.
"…I'm sorry Gar…it's for your own good."
It took three words to break Beast Boy. He didn't even hear the end of her sentence. Her first three words echoed around his head. She'd spoken those words with so much sorrow…regret…and with that Beast Boy lost hope for convincing his friends of the situation. Beast Boy turned into an falcon, with the intention of flying out and escaping into the night, but he never got a chance. He felt Raven's power wrap around him, and he was pulled from the air and slammed into the floor. He lost control of his transformation and returned to his human form.
He tried to rise to his feet, but Cyborg had rushed him while he was down, delivering a brutal punch to Beast Boy's sternum. Beast Boy felt bones crack and he could only whimper as he collided with the massive glass window.
"Like we did in the sewers Titans, all at once!"
Beast Boy tiredly lifted his head. Everything moved in slow motion. Cyborg's sonic cannon was mid-firing, Starfire's eyes showed her starbolts were nearly ready and Robin held three bombs in his right hand. Finally his gaze turned to Raven, her hands glowing with her magic, but rather than aim at Beast Boy, he watched her lower them, the glow dissipating. "…I can't…this isn't right…GUYS WAIT!"
But it was far too late for that. Cyborg, Robin and Starfire all unleashed their full fire power at a battered and bruised Beast Boy. The impact of the attack blasted a hole in the floor where Beast Boy had been, and sent both debris and the changeling crashing through the main ops window. The changeling could feel himself falling… could sense debris falling around him. Beast Boy closed his eyes, knowing he didn't have the energy for a transformation. He could have sworn that he felt the feeling of falling stop, but either way, he didn't remember hitting the ground before everything went black.
The titans stared at the now shattered window that they had just sent the Beast through. Robin was about to move forward to see if he could see where the Beast had landed, when the sound of a low growl behind them caused them all to freeze. The Beast stood at the main entrance to Ops once again, looking like it hadn't taken any damage.
Cyborg threw his one arm in the air. "Oh man! How is that even possible!? We just sent him flying?"
Raven looked at the creature in confusion. They had just sent him flying…for all the Beast's incredible powers, teleportation was not one of them. Also, the Beast that had been evicted looked like it had been in a war. This creature looked like he hadn't been touched…Like before it had come through the main ops door.
"Like it hadn't been touched…or couldn't be touched…"
Raven's heart plummeted as a horrible theory came into her mind. "No…it couldn't be…it…can't be…"
Raven turned to Cyborg. "Cyborg, where is the back-up generator?".
Cyborg looked at Raven incredulously. "Seriously Raven! You're worried about the power now! We've got bigg-"
"GODDAMMIT CYBORG, WHERE IS THE BACK-UP GENERATOR!"
Cyborg flinched at the forcefulness of Raven's words, but never took his eyes off the now approaching beast.
"…basement, at the base of the steps, turn the main dial one hundred and eighty degrees and flick the two red switches to the left of it".
Raven vanished through the floor, reappearing in the basement, right in front of her target. She turned the dial like Cyborg instructed and flipped the first switch but before she could flip the second switch, her attention was caught by a growl. She looked past her target, to see the beast once again approaching out of the darkness. Raven's blood ran cold. If she only had a theory before, she had a lot more evidence to back-up her idea now. She almost didn't want to flick the second switch…to be proven right… and to have to face everything that that meant.
She closed her eyes, and counted down from three. She could hear the beast getting closer and closer. Just as it broke out into an all-out sprint, Raven flicked the second switch. The lights in the basement flicked back on, and from outside the Tower, the whole building could be seen to have regained it's customary glow. Raven hesitantly opened her eyes. The beast was nowhere to be seen…almost like it had never been there at all.
Raven teleported back up to the main ops, where a confused Robin, Cyborg and Starfire were standing with their backs together in the centre of the room.
"Where did it go! It was right in front of me!", screamed Robin.
"…it was never here".
The three Titans turned to Raven, confusion evident on their face. Cyborg was thew first to respond. "Raven, what are you talking about!? Look at the room! Go look at my bedroom! The Beast has torn this place apart!"
"…the Beast appeared in the basement with me, while you were still fighting it up here…it vanished when the lights came back on didn't it?"
Starfire and Robin continued to look at Raven confused, but Robin's face had shifted to one of horror. He'd been here before.
"…No…Raven…but that would mean…Slade…"
Robin was lost for words momentarily before he asked the question that Raven didn't want to find the answer too.
"But if this was the same chemical reagent Slade used on me, modified for us to see the Beast, how were we able to hit it at one point…I mean we sent it flying out of here."
"…Robin what time is it?"
Robin looked at his watch, confused at to why that mattered right now. "Nearly nine, but why does that-"
Raven looked like she was about to have a break down, "…Beast Boy was supposed to be home for eight…which would line up with…"
Robin realized the point that Raven was trying to make and he suddenly felt his mouth go dry.
"…Oh my god no".
Raven flew out of the broken window while Robin used his grappling hook to descend the side of the tower. Beneath them, embedded into the ground was debris from the kitchen floor and broken glass. Starfire turned to Cyborg, the pair of them both still in main ops.
"…friend Cyborg…I don't understand…what was Raven trying to say?"
Cyborg felt like he couldn't breathe. It had taken him a little longer than Robin to put it together, but now that he had, he wished he'd never figured it out.
"Raven thinks that beast was never really here…and that we've all taken in the same chemical that made Robin see Slade…except we saw the beast…and when we were able to actually hit him…that was…was…".
Starfire looked completely destroyed, it seems like Cyborg didn't need to finish his sentence, as Starfire picked up Cyborg and flew the pair of them out of the window down to the debris below. Raven had already moved most of it out of the way and there was not much to be seen. Robin had taken a seat on the ground, for lack of anything else to do…or lack of will to do anything else. Raven was simply staring into the distance, her back to the group. Starfire could see she was holding something in her hands.
"…friend Raven…did you find something?"
It took a minute, but Raven eventually turned around. None of the Titans had ever actually seen Raven cry before, so to see tears dripping down her face as she turned around was quite the shock, but when there eyes fell on the item in her hand, understanding passed through them. In Raven's pale hands sat one of Beast Boy's silver gloves, frayed, burned and covered in blood. Cyborg actually fell to his knees, while Starfire's hand shot to her mouth, tears beginning to gather at the corners of her eyes.
"Ah now here's a sight I've missed…the Titans…on their knees…because of me".
Robin raised his head at the voice. A voice he knew so well…a voice that had haunted him before. Before the Titans hovered a single Slade bot, the face replaced with a digital screen, displaying the visage of Slade.
"I must say Robin…you really must tighten up security on your little tower…wandering in and out of my own accord while you leave it empty is far too simple. Obtaining your personal histories was far too easy. Also, getting to witness the effects of my chemical on you the first time…oh what a treat".
Robin couldn't even bring himself to respond. While Slade hadn't defeated the Titans tonight, he may as well have delivered a fatal blow. Cyborg and Starfire were also simply staring at the bot, with nothing to say. Raven was still staring at the glove in her hand.
"Who knew a simple modification to ensure you saw your little changeling instead of me and that you could only see him as the monster he truly is…was all that was needed to turn the four of you…into murderers."
Robin flinched at that remark, a movement not unnoticed by Slade. "You heard me Robin…do you think Beast Boy survived that fall? I would think not…maybe there is simply nothing left…"
Starfire had now fallen to her knees, and was openly wailing into her hands and Cyborg had reached to put an arm around her, while struggling to hide his own tears as well. Robin looked away from the bot. His greatest enemy had just managed to make him possibly kill one of his best friends. But then again…Slade was always about mind games…and if one of his bots was already here…he must have seen the whole thing…he would know if Beast Boy had died.
"He's not dead."
Robin looked up at the screen to gauge Slade's reaction. He had tried to say it with as much conviction as he could muster and was rewarded by the slightest furrow in Slade's eye. He was right.
"If you are here to gloat already, that means you witnessed what just happened. You'd know if Beast Boy had been killed. Instead you say "maybe"? We know each other quite well Slade, and you've never been one for half-truths."
Slade laughed at Robin's insight. "Impressive skills of deduction…but you'll receive nothing else from me. Maybe I know…maybe I don't…you're not dealing with Slade anymore. That version of me ceased to exist when we parted in the pits of Trigon' hellscape. I am Deathstroke now, and trust me Robin, I am not the same…and I am here to stay".
The bot rotated in the air so that it was now facing Raven, who was now simply staring out onto the bay.
"The rest of my message is for you Raven. I have been biding my time and I will continue to do so, but I have retained some of your father's precious powers and one day, you will help me unlock my full potential. I hope this little message reminds you, and all your pitiful friends that I will always haunt your every move. Until next time Raven…I'll be in tou-".
The bot never got to finish it's sentence, Raven slicing it clean in half with her powers, silencing it forever. There was silence for a few seconds, before Starfire, cleared her throat.
"Robin…do you really think Garfield is still alive?"
"Yea…I do…the opportunity to gloat about killing a titan would be too much for Sla… Deathstroke to resist."
Robin rose to his feet and walked over to Raven, who was turning the glove over in her hands, dried tears sitting on her cheeks. Robin silently enveloped her in a hug. Raven didn't raise her arms, but Robin hadn't expected her to do.
"Can you feel him Raven?"
Raven raised her head at that, to look at Robin, and he almost flinched. Her eyes looked so lifeless…like there was nothing left for her to lose.
"…what do you mean Robin?"
"I mean, can you feel him?…his emotional state?…anything?"
Raven gently nodded, and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, Raven's forehead scrunched up, and her eyes fluttered open again.
"…Nothing".
Robin nodded and put both his hands on Raven's shoulders. "When Beast Boy gets knocked out, he always turns back to normal. You found his glove, but look around…there may be blood on the glove, but there's no blood on the ground".
"He's right". Robin and Raven both turned to Cyborg who had just finished scanning the ground with his cybernetic eye. "Plenty of debris and glass, but no traces of blood…or anything Beast Boy…except for that glove".
Robin nodded and turned back to Raven. "See…there's nothing here to suggest Beast Boy's didn't make it…I don't know how but he's out there…we'll find him…and we'll make it right."
Cyborg spoke up quietly from behind. "We should probably head to the med bay…I'll make sure the chemical is out of our systems…we can clean this in the morning."
Despite the logic in Cyborg's words, none of the Titans could bring themselves to move. Raven nodded numbly. She didn't even know if that was aimed at Cyborg or Robin or if Robin was trying to make her feel better or whether he was in denial himself. At some point over the next few days, she'd be able to come to the conclusion of that.
But for now, there was nothing to do, but come to terms with what just happened. She couldn't help but wonder what she would have said to Beast Boy tonight had things gone as planned. The four Titans fell into a silence, the only noise being the lapping water of the Bay, the occasional spark from the sliced Slade bot, and the occasional noise from one of the teenagers outside the tower, displaying their sorrow in different ways. There was a Titan down…and it had been by their own hands.