Teen Titans New Gen Presents – Tokyo Knights

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Chapter 18: Mindscape and Scapegoats

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She saw him enter their domain as his eyes did not remain shut for long.

~How was your trip? Did the magi gather your condition, my little weevil? ~

Her hookah must have blown too much smoke as Raku gave out a serious, snarl and leaped at his keeper before the pain came back. ~ On your knees, little sapling. You are so willing to die when our one true Lady Jorogumo hath summoned you of all her favorite courtiers?? ~

With a ring to his face, the smog made the boy weak all over again. ~ She….cannot do this…I….am not that demon –

~You were, and you are well on your way to having that face, that tone of a dragon. Beside an innocent lovely as our queen of the orb weavers. Maybe she'll change your title. ~ Ageha smiled and puffed her good essence, while Raku coughed it out. That smog reminded him of his days in the slums with tyrants and outlaws.

How he'd fought to never receive something so foul to his voice and ears and eyes. ~Gods….you are not!! Let me out ! –

~Oh, hush. ~ The butterfly demon put a finger to her red lips as her dark bob hid her complexion from the world. ~ You are just restless, my dear hatchling. In time, your chrysalis with my lady will –

~I'll never have you bring her here…I'll never hand over my power to a monster like that!! She chose to live as a demon, I chose my own life on earth and I …...want it back…. now! ~

Raku's hair slipped by and ran scissor cuts through the threads and woven cords of magic that bound him to his cell. ~ About time, my lord! My gods…you have not lost your energy…. ~ She purred, a sign that this was a bad reaction for a boy in face so young. He was seventeen on earth, yet here…he still felt so small.

~I can give to you what you've refused to want…~ She said in a sultry dominance of her captive, a hand under his chin as his teeth shown back under a dappled light.

~ The…...queen, she's not going to understand it now. I am not as she believed, I stole that late form and….my real one is half mortal bound –

~You can always reject that half, if you desire it. ~ Ageha pulled away her slender touch as Raku's eyes lost their heat a bit. He couldn't give in. even for a gamble, in the last fight with the end of time….he had almost hurt his family…his new one. The boy in him scrunched up his eyes and seethed through them at the maiden so willing to do anything to recover his time . ~I…am only young because I know, that if I ever age I will have no choice. If my power is corrupted as a former power source that you crave, just as Iyori is to this world one and the same, and Ami…I won't let it happen. I'll be her child bride for all you want, only until there is a time to strip her power from her and banish –

~ Lady Jorogumo chose…. YOU!! ~ Ageha's wings whipped out as her worm – faced followers all skittered and cowered at the other side of their lady's chambers. ~I could have expected no less from a former royal. A demi – God which thinks it owns the world? Owns fate itself!? You are a disgrace to the gods…Jorogumo is better off doing as the wretch Lilu did… biting that firm neck of yours…until it snaps. ~

Raku did not rise as his tears remained hotly coursing down his face. ~ One day, those clear eyes will be the color of a demon's miasma, my dear saint. You were a hero to her, at least. Now, you must trust that your powers might recover in time to slay the beast. YOU . ~

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Aiden paced, while John did his best to find another with the ability to drink into the world of dreams. His venture was to a plane that included being on his own while his little party stayed at the house of mystery. Lisa reported what she could, fudging a detail or two…about Raku going rouge. Or…that fact that the people at that concert were not spell bound at the stroke of midnight to give their life force to their one true ruler. This spider was dangerous as Zee showed up in her hat and with Chas. Both looked exhausted. "We did our best to find out if those crowd goers are on their way out of London. A cluster have tickets to New York –

"Then, we can go there. Stop them. Cybele is there. We can –

"Lisa?" Aiden stopped pacing to see her more inspired by this than the last time. "You're on Aria's team.

John was on the run through the astral plane at this point. If any, he knew a dream lord or two just between realms to come after the spider's puppeteer.

~ There might be a trouble to that theory, bullocks.~ John was already at his door as the scape changed to a garden with stone walls and a home of glass and clockwork. ~ He owes me to the it like it is. ~ John walked on through; suspecting that this was preordained already by how the gates never barred him entry.

From the steps of the great mansion, a male with pale flesh and dark eyes, a dark outfit to not a God but a daemon, he lived in the waking existence of another. His hair and body looked as smoke, never together but always there. Like a dream, a waking turn if events.

~ Lord San….ehem. Morpheus.~ J ohn might have tilted his hat had he carried one. ~ We have not spoken for a time, mate. Seems I'm in need of your expertise on dream – drifting about. To the traversed of a demi – God's mind.~

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"He should be back." Chas tapped his foot and Zee sent to make a spot on the stove of tea. The man needed a hobby, badly. Even half alive at that. Aiden tried to stay the same, but the wait was all but –

A spiral of light above Lisa had her spooked as Hakuro turned to them. His eyes light abd unhappy, an omen for bad meetings to come.

~ The magi. Where is he.~

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~ I cannot help you.~

The character in front of John sipped his tea and swallowed. ~ What I mean, is that I personally cannot do a thing fir your predicament. The characters who have your ally are not from this plane. They come from the far east of Japan and China from what I've gathered…and by these rules alone, my powers will not have any effect. You have noticed it, why the boy's magic did not do as it could?~

~ You're still as sly as I'd like to recall. Mostly I believed it by his emotional state, it wasn't only that. Raku isn't Roku…~ He cleared his throat. ~ The red lord, anymore~ John grumbled and took a sip and pulled back his lips. Floral. Peculiar…

~ Roses, you're not a fan I thought –

~ I have recently acquired a special cultivar through the knowing of an old friend. Instant gratification of the senses while it helps with the realm of calm for those suffering of insomnia...~ Morpheus said almost dryly. Gods, what wit they had over mere mortals…

~ Aha…. ~ John brought down his cup and wondered, ~ So, if your magic is useless on Japan's soil in the waking world, what might then do the trick? And don't say a –

~ Baku . A dream eater that can live and strives to find loopholes in the world of dreams. Confine one to a deal, it may assist you easily. If not, I could search for another option. Nyx-

~ No, no. It's fine. She's had a lot out a' me, really. ~

Goddess of the night, or mares so frightening. A real Titan…he would choose the former.

~ A Baku it is. Is it in its universe, or should I give it a ring? A whistle, maybe? ~

~ You'll have to decide that when you reach the sun maiden's plane. For now, you cannot cast without being on land, surrounded by the deity you wish to convene…it was lovely see you again. Please, take some of these fresh hips along. Their scent can banish nightmares.~ Smiled the daemon god. John nodded and took the parcel of tea and petals to the gates of the immortals world.

~ Oh, and if you do see Dreamweaver any time after, tell him to stop by. His new form is welcome to my mansion as he wishes it; after helping with that terrible fiasco in the filing department, it was the least I could do. ~

~I'll be sure to tell him plenty of that, mate. See you in a few more centuries.~ John saved, knowing it could be sooner than that. Dream's class of "immortals" was a clique. One that wasn't a fan to his cause unless it was for something in return. They never told you, as that was expected. John thankfully had won the very thing of theirs that one immortal bit him fir a lot less each season; the house of mystery, in a card game. Petty, but it made his life simpler. Thankfully, Dream here was a bit less willing on to revenge, more on order and balance to his plane.

~Visit again. You and the house of mystery are welcome to park in my drive as it is. That was the price of a single gamble, Constantine…~

Mostly, as John found his way back, with a gasp into the waking world through a cyclone of revelations. Untouched.

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"Japan."

"CHAS." John held his chest and popped out of the library while everyone else jumped up in surprise. Chas was used to it. Savanna never felt like she could be. "Do you know about the stomping ground of a dream eater? A tapir? Get the cab ready. We're leaving this instant!"

"John? Where –

"Where the bloody hell did you rush off to, mate? You look pale as death-

"I saw the sand man and he told me to locate a Baku; a demon god that devours dreams and the spaces between it can go. To make an honest deal to get my student back." John was already on his way out, until Aiden pushed to do the same. "Then, you have a partner or three, for now." He told the miserable adult. "Raku is my family, and Lisa has connections."

"She…might not be safe. If that demon can ensnare chosen and power – whatever…." John put a hand to his temples. "My advice, magic. You have to bring it along. I know how much you try to hold it back, Aiden. But this isn't that kind of fight. We might be going inside your friend's mind at the rate I see it. The spider will be waiting to catch us at every chance she has."

"Then, ok. If it takes that much and …then let me come out if retirement. Lisa? Are you sure you can get to Ami in time to warn them? I think it's better if we keep both feet in two places at once."

"I'll stay too." Zee told the four Chas was already on his way to the vehicle to get their trip started. "We have to go through an airport for this? You could always teleport. Make it there before tea."

"Chas. We could…but I have a feeling we won't get that chance."

They all looked out the door and saw a mysterious webbing over the entire sky line. "She's keeping us in if we use a craft to take chances by. Being unnoticed is easy. Is it for you, lad?"

Aiden puffed out his chest and exhaled. "I have no other options. Magic, will be cast in Tokyo, only."

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