Our Time in Reverse- What it Takes-

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Chapter 30: Foul Tricks and Raining Cinders

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The grumbling teens were finally shifting their necks as tossed into the woods stop of a California pine, Slade waited. His hanfu style fashion made him reliable. Relatable, as the younger brother Thunder gasped and poured his words unto the world. "Brother…where are we…why do I feel so arrange?"

"You've exhausted your strength and I came to relieve you before the Titans won." Slade in his false face and with the staff he'd stolen from Jackie confidently radiated his lessons onto the young teens. No more than Cyborg's age, even as demi gods of the sky and storm.

"We cannot thank you enough, if that is the truth you've spoken all alon –

"Wait! Brother, you fool. This human wishes us to desist our fin and listen. We cannot, for we are better. Sir, you will free us now or f –

Slade twirled the staff as his lips breathlessly spoke an incantation.

Of fire.

The tips lit as candelabra as his lips blew on the bright flame, forcing the flares away from any trees. The sight was as if he could devour the sun, so Thunder was entranced as child, while Lightning refused to boe before anything else on two legs. "We have no need of your kind of silly tricks. Ours are meant bot to stay hidden. You command the fire, yet the staff allows it."

"True, I am but a humble traveler that saw you both in need. Gods as you say, should not walk the path as I describe… yet you may be gifted. You may have such things to decide for yourselves. Though, what of when the fun runs dry. You'll long to start other mischief as you coined it. I can show you, despite what I am, what true power is while in this world. If you should trust me, I see potential fun for you both. For those to respect your wishes, including those whom you fought earlier."

"We never finished our battle." Thunder told Lightening. "Should we not do our best to best those who will not understand why we intent to remain here, brother?"

"I do not know how a mere wizard has such abilities…" Lightening looked over the sorcerer. "Can you show us more? Tell us before we profess of your actions as being noble, traveling fire – weilder?"

"I can, and I'd very much hope that you'll follow me to see for yoourselves what it is that I have discovered of this weapon I weild so highly."

If these were gods of a of a foreign time and land, Slade had to be at his best to see to their fits kept to a minimum. He still had to entertain Robin; knowing the boy was still questioning the conditions and wished to apologize for forcing his words out too quickly. His mask had almost slipped, Slade had not told the boy. He had to stay with in on only a while longer. He'd do anything for that approval even if it was in his nature to just be as he'd been taught. It would be an absolute pleasure to erase Robin eventually while Renegade took the stand proudly at his, ehem, master's side. That was the plan, as it always was.

Slade bowed to the two figures as the brought themselves to walk quickly in a straight line behind the old man. In a clearing atop the same hill, the trees here were bare. He'd made sure that if these children wanted to have all the fun they could, it would be in multiple locations. "I'll however ask, that only one of you participate. The fun cannot be had in only one place away from an audience. This will be the first place to practice. Lightening? You are the oldest, I think you should be the first to try out this game I'm about to show you, and only you. While your brother will get to bring the heroes to play along. It will be like a game a tag, but with a much larger space to tackle." The man smirked and in the split of his time, the bots were stomping in single file down the mountain, their backs carried what looked to be rush grass laden scare figures on wooden stakes in the center of each as they were taken and staked to the soft earth, were characters of the one in the book Slade had taken. Even if they were Japanese while the brothers were not, this was still a cultural journey to each that took on many forms. (I'm making sure Slade is doing this based on what it does not how it is done, so he doesn't care if the kids have to scratch their heads, so long as the effect is great. Like a real business mogul and a prejudicial ass. We know he is.)

The staked wooden and hay dolls were an oddity to the proud brother of Lightening as he groaned and stomped his feet. "Is this a joke, old man?? These are but sticks and leaves! They are not fun at all –

"Are you certain, young master? If you try and use what your gift may inhibit, the results may surprise even a god such as yourself. Try, and then we shall think of a new game if you are not satisfied."

The brother flicked his pinky and shot a bolt at the hay – figure, watching smoke rise before it burst into a hot sea of flames and sparks. "Wonderous! I must try again!"

He did so to the second one, the other making more of a racket than the first. "I did it! This is such fun~! Brother? May he not try his hands here?"

"Maybe, but it will not be as fun. There is a new game in the city, just below." Slade pointed his staff to the houses and freight trains as the brothers oohed away in absolute delight. "Take us to that city you say is best for me! We shall trust you, only then."

"Your brother is still not through with making his fun on this hill." Slade directed his chin to the wooden hay dolls as Lightening cracked his neck and grinned cockily to Thunder. "Do not worry, Brother. You and I will be here to make as much fun as we wish once I am through…. what do you call this game?"

"Raising fire."

"What an odd title for a game…" Thunder wondered as Slade knew he'd have to be careful around the younger brother the most. "Come, I will show you to the place where there is much to do, much to see for a god such as the future lord of thunder."

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~ Reports of a fire in the California woodlands were reported as a category one; nothing that can't be put out –

Jason clicked his tongue as he put away the stolen comm he'd taken from B's cave. "If I catch sucker who's going all arsonist… god…I'm not sure I can handle it alone after al…"

Turning his head, he saw the T – car and a rather anxious face in a mask like his own.

"Dick, is…."

Jason put a hand to his temple. "Gotta see where they're headed. The business district? Oh." He watched the location jump as the boy's toys were Wayne funded. "Bruce can play doctor with Black. I've got a birdie to pin to the wall." He swung off on his grappler, the one tool that might make him feel like a bat or a bird too.

"I'm coming, big bro. If that is you behind the mask."

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They decided on it before the ride, back at the tower while reports had been pooling in. "Bb, Robin and Raven have the forest, while me and Star will be careful by the business section. There is a big fault breaking up the ground it says, and fire was spotted – contained though."

"It will not be for very much longer." Starfire added in to the discussion through her unit. She flew overhead as the group took their time to find the building where the quakes had started. "We'll meet up once everything is safe. Any civilians are priority numero uno, ya got that?"

The team let Raven, Robin and Bb off as Raven helped Robin to get to the pine forest just outside of the city. Raven looked up to see Bb panting and bleeding sweat drops until he landed beside the other two teens. "Glad you could drop in." She deadpanned in a half smirk.

"Heh…. you try flapping…over a darn mountain…."

"Are we ready to reach the location? Cy sent exactly where; Beastboy?" Robin looked to the green teen as he raised a finger to speak –

A rumble and crackle had the heroes look to the pines as those rattled around like jars in open water.

"Up there!" Raven floated ahead, Robin using his training to climb a bit further. Bb trotted as a donkey, feeling very weak in the knees by the time they found the scene of the crime. "Ashes…. but no trees were burned up? Is this…" Bb rubbed his eyes and gasped. "I so think we had better –

"I bid you greetings, to my arena, heroes."

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