Titans: Elemental

Chapter 7: Forces of Nature

We see a night sky filled with dark thunderhead clouds. Flashes of lightning illuminate their contours. A bulky silhouette stands up among them and begins to swing a pair of sticks against the clouds; every time it brings them down, there is another strike and accompanying thunderclap. In another patch of the sky, where even more lightning crackles back and forth, a second silhouette, this one much thinner and with spiky upswept hair, stands up and directs its hands here and there. There is a new flare-up every time it does so. When the last one clears, there is a huge lightning strike!

…

We once again see Titans Tower.

Inside, in the hall, BB has become a buffalo and is straining mightily at a rubber band looped over his horns, trying to catch it on a nearby hook. He succeeds and ducks away, coming up in human form with a mischievous smile on his face. Now he produces a large, filled water balloon that sloshes a bit in his hands, and he lets off a wicked little chuckle.

BB said to himself, "this is gonna be so sweet!"

Raven asked, "what are you doing?"

Surprised by her words, the balloon slips out of his hands and he completely freaks out as he tries desperately to make a safe catch. Finally, he gets hold of it and turns around to see Raven and Blackfire behind him.

Raven said, "please tell me this isn't another ridiculous prank."

Blackfire asked, "and that it'll backfire on you?"

BB said, "okay. It's not a ridiculous prank. It's a brilliant one!"

He laughs as Raven rolls her eyes and Blackfire says, "and here we go…."

BB said, "all right, check it out. 'Member how Vic put red dye in my shampoo and I turned brown for two days? Well, sisters, it's payback time! I give you…. the BB Insta-Lube 9000!"

Blackfire snickers at the name.

BB reveals his device. The rubber band, which is part of a floor-mounted slingshot, held back by the hook and with the balloon loaded in. A tripwire in front of the rig runs through overhead pulleys and is tied to a lever that is in turn connected to the hook.

BB said, "see, when Chrome-Dome steps around the corner, his foot tugs the string. The string trips the lever…. The lever releases the mother of all rubber bands…. Which sends a balloon, load of motor oil flying right at him, and BOOSH! Pretty clever, huh?"

Raven said, "you're a genius."

Blackfire said, "obvious sarcasm is obvious."

BB said, "it's just a little good clean dirty fun."

A door opens, and BB perks up his ears to listen.

BB said, "here he comes."

He ducks away, then back to whisk the girls off.

Raven said, "whoa!"

They hide around a corner.

Blackfire said, "I don't think-"

BB hissed, "shhh!

Raven asked, "but what if-?

BB hissed, "shhh!"

A long silence follows.

Vic asked, "why are we hiding?"

BB hissed, "Shhh!"

His eyes instantly go as wide as saucers upon realizing that his target is nowhere near ground zero, and he flips out for a moment.

Vic is hunched down behind the three of them.

BB asked, "Victor?! You can't be Victor!"

Vic asked, "I can't?"

BB starts pointing at him, then into the hall, "if you're you, then who's…?"

Footsteps echo out there as all four look out. A violet boot steps into view and catches the string, it is pulled taut, the lever moves, and the hook starts to pull away from the rubber band. The balloon is released as BB jumps out in a frantic attempt to stop it.

BB yelled in terror, "NOOOOOOOO!"

The balloon was headed towards Starfire!

She is so taken by surprise that she literally cannot see straight.

Starfire squeaked out, "eek!"

The balloon collides with her face, splattering her with the viscous contents, and knocks her onto her back. BB runs up, Blackfire quickly going to her sister's side to help her up.

BB exclaimed, "Starfire!"

She has propped herself up on her hands, but cannot see him due to all the oil covering her eyes. Vic, Blackfire and Raven come over.

Vic asked, "you okay?"

Starfire gets her eyes open.

Starfire asked, "this is punishment? I did something wrong?"

Raven said, "you didn't. He did."

Blackfire growls at BB as he gives a sheepish grin-accompanied by a sheep's bleating.

BB said, "Star! It was…. You weren't supposed to…."

He starts to say something else, but Vic and Raven's disapproving stares stop him in his tracks for a moment. Blackfire is glaring at BB like he just burned her rug.

BB said, "I didn't…. Heh…. Just remember to change that oil every three thousand miles."

He tries to laugh again, but it dies on his lips. Starfire stands up and leans over him.

Starfire yelled in pure rage, "on my planet, we have a name for those who do such terrible things. You are a…. A…. CLORBAG VARBLERNELK!"

Blackfire actually gasps at Starfires words. Starfire yelled so hard the oil flew off of her face.

BB asked, "I'm a what-bag?"

Vic said, "you heard the lady."

Raven said, "you are such a clorbag."

Blackfire asked, "do you even know what it means?"

Raven said, "nope, but he is a clorbag."

Blackfire said, "that he is."

BB said, "come on, you guys. Can't anybody take a joke?"

A flash of lightning interrupts the standoff.

Dick said, "Titans! Trouble!"

Jack said, "big trouble!"

The next strike illuminates them fully.

….

We go to the bridge across Jump City Bay. Lighting flashes among the storm clouds and finally strikes the roadway. The driver of a big rig yells in surprise and cuts his wheels sharply to the right, braking as he does so; the truck stops just short of the smoking, flaming strike point. Many cars slam on their brakes to avoid a collision, creating an instant traffic jam.

As the smoke starts to clear, the two silhouettes seen among the clouds become visible within it. The last wisps evaporate to give a fully detailed view of both; they wear outfits that look like something like samurai armor, but without the upper body protection. The bulky one has blue skin and black clothing trimmed with blue, and he also wears a samurai-style helmet. A thundercloud is emblazoned on his chest, and he has long black sideburns. His thin cohort, on the other hand, has light yellow skin and hair, and his outfit is red and yellow, with a lightning bolt on the chest. A headband keeps his hair out of the way and has a guard plate stretching down on either side to cover his cheeks. Both wear armbands and wrist/shin guards. These are the brothers; Thunder and Lightning.

The two new arrivals look at each other and smile.

Thunder asked, "may we have fun here, brother?"

Lightning said, "of course", he created a bolt between his hands, "we are Thunder and Lightning. We may do whatever we please!"

He throws the bolt upward past the bridge's columns, where the suspension cables are connected, seen from roadway level. It is struck, and sparks fly everywhere!

Lightning said, "look, brother! I command the sparks to dance!"

He laughs as the strike dies out; the flickering remains fall all around in a shower.

Thunder said, "amusing. Now listen as I make music!"

He claps his hands, creating an intense shock wave that radiates outwards. The bridge cables are jarred loose and begin to whipsaw back and forth. The semi gets a smoking lightning bolt traced into its side.

Lightning exclaimed, "let all who pass this way know Lightning was here!"

Thunder said, "and Thunder, too!"

He bangs his fists together, knuckle to knuckle, and creates an earthquake that sets the stopped cars and their drivers trembling; all the alarm systems are set off in the process. The brothers laugh, and Thunder pats Lightning's shoulder.

Lightning said, "most amusing."

"Hate to break it to you…"

Surprised, they look toward the traffic snarl, where the Titans are standing on the trailer of the truck.

Dick said, "… but you guys have a lousy sense of humor! This ends now!"

Lightning growled, "no one gives orders to Thunder and Lightning! Taste my power!"

He throws a bolt at the truck and just misses the Titans, who scramble in several different directions. The trailer gets a big hole blown through it, wiping out his graffiti.

Lightning tries blasting at Jack, who creates a wall of ice, allowing him to run to the others. Starfire does a U-turn and swoops down on Lightning with star bolts blazing; he jumps onto a line of stopped cars, she does likewise, and they run on these parallel tracks and trade shots. The firefight continues for several dozen yards until he gets in a lucky hit that knocks her down.

Blackfire sees this and growls in rage, blasting at Lightning before dashing to her sister.

His brother, meanwhile, is mixing it up with Vic. They block or dodge a few of each other's punches and start to grapple. Thunder pulls back his left fist and readies for a powerful strike, then Vic reconfigures his right into the sonic cannon. The fists swing and connect with each other, and the resulting shock wave throws them far down the bridge in opposite directions. Vic lands on his back, but Thunder brings a small cloud to himself and hops onto it to float upward.

Dick finds the big blue hooligan bearing down on him and has to dodge a thunderclap. He leaps onto a guardrail, but another blast destroys that section and he has to move down a bit. The next attack breaks a support cable; he grabs the swinging free end and is carried away an instant before Thunder obliterates that section of the rail. Dick is carried high into the air before the cable starts to descend. He times his next move carefully and hurls himself over Thunder, avoiding a punch and grabbing the foe's shoulders to throw him across the pavement.

Lightning is seen throwing a bolt as he laughed!

Raven dodges the shot in midair and launches herself downward for a flying kick. The yellow brother throws up his arms to block and is driven backward by her flurry of attacks. Finally, he gets clear and shocks her with a bolt that sends her flying.

Jack sees this and is filled with anger, shooting balls of fire and ice at Lightning.

He laughs and says, "you can make amusing magic as well!"

Jack said, "yeah, but I ain't using it for fun!"

No sooner as he finishes saying this though, then BB, as a giant panda, lumbers up behind and catches Lightning in a bear hug.

Lightning struggles for a moment, then electrifies his entire body and gives the shape-shifting Titan a few hundred thousand volts. The shock forces him back into human form and causes him to let go.

Lightning laughed, "hahaha! Your powers are strong, but mine are stronger!"

BB, lying against a chunk of debris, groans and rubs his head for several seconds. He then gasps as Thunder's shadow falls over him; a flash of lightning strikes behind him.

Thunder said, "your power of the animals is impressive, green one. Rise, so we may do battle."

BB stands up and says, "why are you doing this?"

Thunder said, "because it is not sporting to attack an unready opponent."

BB clarified, "no. Why are you wrecking everything?"

Thunder said in confusion, "uh…. Because it is amusing?"

BB asked, "do they look amused?"

BB gestures to the scared motorists huddling behind their damaged and overturned cars. The answer to that question is obvious.

Thunder tried to say, "I-"

BB growled, "this isn't funny! It's wrong!"

Jack sees the exchange as he sneaks closer, and smiles. He admires BB's words about what was going on.

An attack of conscience makes Thunder relax his power. Before BB can say anything more, though, a lightning bolt blasts him away and the shooter jumps down next to his brother.

Lightning said, "ah, the thrill of victory", he put his arm around Thunder's shoulders, "come, Thunder. We shall seek more amusement."

They take to the air.

Among the rubble, BB sits up, dazed, smoking, disheveled, drooling a bit. He shakes his head to clear it and finds Starfire floating into view behind him. She is clutching her forearm.

BB said, "well, that was a shock."

She turns up her nose and floats on.

Starfire said, "hmph!"

BB said, "so…. I'm guessing you're still mad?"

Blackfire floated by and said, "gosh, I wonder why?"

Vic and Jack help Raven to her feet.

Dick said, "okay, team. We have to find those guys before they do any more damage. Cyborg and Zivel, search the west side. Raven and Blackfire, the east. I'll take downtown. Beast Boy, you and Starfire scan from the skies."

BB looks uneasily up at the partner who has just been assigned to him. She turned her back and crossed her arms.

BB said, "um…. Maybe Cyborg should come with me instead?"

Dick said, "Cyborg can't fly."

Vic said, "although I am trying to develop the tech for that."

BB said, "oh. Yeah."

Vic pinches BB's cheek and says, "have a nice flight, my little clorbag."

Jack snickers as he and Vic race off.

Raven and Blackfire fly off for their own search.

….

We see the open courtyard in front of the museum. On either side of a central open area is a row of vertical concrete slabs; a large metal globe is mounted at the end nearest the building. A couple of fellows make their way across on foot and bicycle before there is a mighty blast of lightning. The troublemaking brothers appear, scaring the men away.

Lightning exclaimed, "magnificent! We can make much mischief here!"

He strikes the globe, which rolls away from its post toward one row of slabs. It bangs into the end one, which topples over into the next, and so on like a row of falling dominoes. Thunder's expression changes to one of trepidation as the last slab comes down.

Lightning exclaimed, "Brother! Did you see what I…. Something troubles you?"

Thunder said, "the green one's words. He says our fun is…. Wrong."

Lightning said, "wrong", he put his arm across Thunder's shoulders, "he speaks nonsense, brother! How could such amusement be wrong? The fun is only beginning."

He leads his brother away.

….

Meanwhile, with Blackfire and Raven.

Blackfire asked, "so, about Jack?"

Raven asked, "what about him?"

Blackfire asked, "do you think he has a crush on anyone?"

Raven blushes, "I…. I wouldn't know."

Blackfire notices the blush, "wait, do you…?"

Raven said, "no!"

Blackfire exclaimed, "you do! You totally like him!"

Raven said, "w-why would I like such a sarcastic, troublesome, funny, cute, strong- er, I mean-!"

Blackfire said, "Raven, you should just tell him how you feel."

Raven said, "he…. He wouldn't like what I truly am."

Blackfire asked, "and what's that?"

Raven goes further, ending the conversation as she whispers, "a monster."

….

We see Jack and Vic walking along, searching for the brothers.

Jack got off of his phone saying, "okay, thanks Jinx."

Vic asked, "well?"

Jack said, "Jinx says they haven't shown up near H.I.V.E. Hopefully they're still in the city."

As the two walked, Vic asked, "so you and Rae…."

Jack asked, "what about me and Raven?"

Vic said, "I've been noticing the looks you've given one another."

Jack sighed, "it's that obvious, huh?"

Vic said, "dude, she's been blushing ever since you arrived. The same goes for you too. You gotta tell her."

Jack said, "I know I should. I'm just waiting for the right moment."

Vic asked, "when's that gonna be?"

Jack shrugged and said, "hopefully soon."

Vic simply shrugged, and the two continued their search.

….

We sew Starfire in flight, looking intently down towards Jump City.

BB, as a falcon, glides next to her. They pass the damaged courtyard of the museum, and then they land. BB returns to human form, and they begin to inspect the smashed slabs.

BB said, "well, either they were just here, or this is the ugliest modern art I've ever seen."

Starfire said, "you are not funny. You are a clorbag varblernelk."

BB follows after her as she walks away.

BB said, "come on, Star. You can't stay mad forever. What? Do I have to do the face? You know you can't resist the face."

Except for a glance out of the corner of her eye, she has not looked his way throughout all his talking. In no time flat, he has transformed into a small kitten with huge, shining eyes. He meows as endearingly as he can; she looks down at him for a long moment.

Starfire said, "hmph!"

She turns her nose and walks away and he returns to human form with a surprised meow.

BB said, "she resisted the face!"

She has now reached the point where the globe was anchored.

Smoke rises from the stump. BB runs up again.

BB said, "just talk to me, Star", he kneels, "come on, this is no fun!"

Lightning growled, "wrong again, green one!"

In the stormy sky, laughing is heard. Thunder floats into view on his cloud and throws a beam downward. He is joined by an equally jubilant Lightning, also firing away. The two Titans are caught off-guard as the brothers' onslaught connects in several places. Starfire runs down one side and manages to keep just ahead of Thunder, also on foot; when she reaches the end, she goes straight up the wall and does a long, high backflip to come down behind him. She throws a starbolt, but misses him.

Lightning gets a bolt ready.

Lightning laughed, "ha!"

He flings it at BB, who changes into a rabbit and hops away.

Lightning chases him toward the ruins of those slabs and fires again.

The startled green bunny runs and quickly becomes a crane. More lightning comes his way and is just barely dodged; now he drops to the ground as a mouse and runs toward Lightning. The projectiles are very easy for him to evade now.

Lightning exclaimed, "your animal forms cannot protect you forever!"

BB, as a bighorn sheep, barrels into him and sends him flying.

Starfire flips and leaps her way to the end of the courtyard as Thunder closes in. He then projects a beam toward her, she counters with a mighty starbolt, and the two attacks meet between them and cancel out. Her energy starts to overwhelm his!

Thunder said, "huh?"

The starbolt reaches him and knocks him across the open expanse to land squarely on the spot where the globe had stood. BB, now a giant bear, moves in on him, and Lightning takes his fallen brother's place against Starfire. The green Titan gets to his hind legs and plows into Thunder, driving him to the courtyard wall, then runs up in human form and grabs his collar.

BB said, "I don't want to hurt you. And I don't think you want to hurt me."

Thunder said, "pain does not amuse us."

BB said, "could've fooled me. Keep playing rough, and innocent people will get hurt."

This makes Thunder think a bit. A fence then separates the concrete of the courtyard from the museum lawn. There is a sudden puff of smoke, which solidifies into a tall figure wearing long red traveling robes and a broad, flat-crowned hat. An arm is lowered from the face, revealing long white hair blowing about an old but strong male face. The overall impression is vaguely Oriental, and is reinforced by the thin mustache and beard. Only one eye, the left, can be seen. Under the red robes, the man wears black ones and has hidden an old wooden box on a tripod. This has a hand crank on its side, much like an old-style movie camera.

The sorcerer smiles evilly and begins to turn the crank. The front cover falls away to expose a camera lens, which glows red and then white. BB and Thunder are caught off guard as the ground trembles.

BB and Thunder both said, "huh?"

A broad energy beam shoots past them from the camera and smashes cleanly through the intact row of concrete slabs. It just misses Starfire and Lightning, who have broken off their duel; he sidesteps, but she gasps as a shower of ruined stonework comes straight down toward her!

BB yelled in shock and fear, "Star!"

The two brothers begin backing up in fear and awe at what this newcomer has just brought about.

The Sorcerer said, "your gifts are your own. Who are they to tell you how to use them?"

Lightning exclaimed, "and who are you that commands such power? Show yourself!"

The dust from the destruction of the concrete slabs starts to clear.

The Sorcerer said, "as you wish", the haze parts to reveal him standing within, "I am but a humble old man", the man's camera, abandoned, shuts down, "whose power is drawn from nature, like your own. Come with me, and sow as much destruction as you please."

He turns away.

Lightning turned to Thunder and said, "yes! More fun!"

Thunder restrains him with a hand on his shoulder.

Thunder asked, "will we harm anyone?"

Lightning growled, "what? The green one has poisoned your mind."

Thunder asked, "this destruction, will we harm the innocent?"

The Sorcerer asked, "would it matter if you did? You are unique. Gifted. Better. Why should anything interfere with your enjoyment? I am going. Follow, if you wish."

He walks out of the courtyard; Lightning follows.

Lightning said, "come, brother, and leave your foolish thoughts behind."

Thunder takes a few steps after them, but stops and looks back at the pile of crumbled stone for a moment. He then turns to catch up with the other two.

A small green spider, BB, scuttles out of a hole in the pile and climbs up the side a bit; he then returns to human form.

BB said in fear, "Star? Starfire? Where are you?"

He climbs down.

BB said in fear, "come on! Gimme a sign here", he starts to dig, "you have to be alright, okay? 'Cause I-it was just a joke, you know? Back at the Tower, and…. I'm sorry. I never said it, but I'm really, really sorry. It was supposed to be funny. And you could've been hurt, and…."

He strains to lift a good-sized fragment and manages to get it clear of the pile.

BB muttered, "… I'm a total clorbag."

A few tears went down his face at not being able to apologize to his friend when he had the chance.

Suddenly, a tall shadow is thrown across him from. BB turns to see Starfire, with not so much as a scratch on her.

She gives him a warm, forgiving smile that instantly perks him up.

BB exclaimed in joy, "Starfire!"

Taking kitten form again, he jumps into her outstretched hands and she cuddles him to her chest. He looks up at her and meows happily.

Starfire giggled, "hehehe. I am glad you are unharmed as well."

BB jumps out of her arms, takes human form and kneels before her.

BB said, "I am so sorry. You gotta forgive me."

Starfire said, "I already have", she helps him up, "now those evil brothers must be made to apologize."

BB said, "I don't think they are evil. I think they're just like me…"

….

We go to a clearing in the mountains outside Jump City. A few scarecrow-like dummies have been set up, consisting of two crossed tree limbs with a blanket wrapped around them. Some characters have been painted on the cloth. The sorcerer stands among them.

Lightning asked, "sticks and leaves? Is this a joke? There is no fun in blasting such frail targets!"

The Sorcerer asked, "are you certain, young master? Try. You may like what you see."

The young master in question groans and throws a bolt at one of the dummies; it instantly catches fire and makes him rethink his opinion of the whole exercise.

Lightning laughed, "dancing lights! Pleasing."

Thunder said, "let Thunder try his hand."

He steps toward a target and throws a blast, causing the thing to disappear in a small explosion and a great clap of sound.

Thunder said, "wondrous noise!"

Lightning said, "see, brother? There is no harm in our fun."

The Sorcerer said, "and there is so much fun to be had."

The two thrill-seekers grin at each other. Lightning flies across the clearing, blasting one target after another, and Thunder leaps high and slams a fist against the ground to open a furrow. A target at the end of it lights up, followed by several others when he redirects his efforts. Now both brothers work in tandem and turn one target after another into blazing torches. They finally stop their assault and back up to the sorcerer.

Lightning said, "more targets, old one!"

Thunder said, "yes, please, give us more."

The Sorcerer said, "that won't be necessary. You've done quite enough."

He produces a metal disc from underneath his robes. It bears a character, Chinese in appearance, that looks something like a stylized letter S. He scales the object over the clearing as Thunder and Lightning watch, totally baffled. It stops high in the sky and spins in place; electricity crackles around it as it picks up speed, culminating in a mighty orange flash. It is then suspended over the burning target as rays of light shoot down to strike every last one. Beams of orange light start to play between them and just miss the two puzzled brothers. These have traced out a large, rough humanoid shape on the ground, with a final wide beam from above touching the heart area. When the light show stops, the outline starts to burn intensely; the sorcerer holds up a staff topped with the same character that was on the disc he threw.

The Sorcerer said, "rise."

The apparition does so with an unearthly screeching noise. It has that character engraved on its forehead.

The Sorcerer said, "burn, Fire! Burn it all!"

It starts down the mountainside toward the city proper, but stops upon finding the Titans some distance away.

Dick asked, "didn't anyone ever tell you? Play with fire, you're going to get burned."

Jack said, "I should know", and he formed a ball of fire as an example.

The beast swings a flaming forearm at the team, forcing them to scatter. Dick looks up from the duck-and-cover position he has assumed and sees Fire pushing trees aside and making its way toward Jump City. Smoke and flames billow in its wake as the camera pans slightly to put the entire metro area in view, and right in its path. The sorcerer waves the fumes aside with his staff.

The Sorcerer said, "good. Very good."

Thunder and Lightning cannot believe what they have just had a hand in unleashing.

Thunder asked, "Brother, what have we done?"

The fire continues down the mountain.

A group of houses built downhill of the newly kindled forest. The fire stalks on toward the city. The Titans chase it.

Dick yelled, "Titans! Go!"

He pulls even with the creature on foot while Raven and Blackfire do so likewise in the air. Pulling a couple of grenades from his belt, he throws them at its feet; they throw up a wall of smoke when they blow. Raven and Blackfire fly through it all.

Raven said, "Flames can't spread if there's nothing to burn. Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

Her spell uprooted several trees.

Dick said, "good idea, Raven. BB! Starfire! Jack! Blackfire! Help her out!"

The group puts on a burst of speed, and BB turns into a buffalo to deliver a crushing headbutt against the base of a tree. It topples into a row of others and brings them all down. Meanwhile, Starfire and Blackfire take up positions high above the boughs; they throw star bolts that blow another clump of old growth to matchwood.

Jack begins freezing the trees and the area around the fire as fast as he can!

His cannon at the ready, Vic leaps toward Fire and lets go with a terrific blast when he lands. It skims the ground and throws up a wall of dirt in the beast's face; a large-scale equivalent of dumping sand on a campfire to put it out.

It takes some time for the view to begin to clear. Fire is nowhere in sight among the dust clouds. BB is in human form again.

BB asked, "is he out?"

In answer to his question, Fire stands up, still blazing and now roaring mad.

Raven said, "you had to ask."

As it screeches some more, Dick runs up for a closer look. Up the slope to one side, standing on a stone outcropping, is the sorcerer.

He grins maliciously. Back to Dick, who is starting to put it all together, then to the old man. Thunder and Lightning are behind him.

The Sorcerer said, "go, young masters. Fire is your creation. They have no right to destroy your fun."

Lightning exclaimed, "yes! We must fight!"

Thunder tried to say, "but, brother-"

Lightning exclaimed, "do not annoy me with your foolish concerns! Come!"

The blue brother thinks it over for a moment, and both of them disappear in a flash of light. The sorcerer turns away from the spot where they stood and spreads his arms; he starts to laugh in triumph, but it dies on his lips as Dick's yell is heard. The Titans' leader sails across the clearing and lands a flying kick that sends the staff spiraling through the air. It sticks in the ground, walking end down, and Dick lands next to it. However, the thing pulls loose and sails back into the old man's hand.

The tense seconds pass as the two face off; finally the sorcerer breaks the silence, his voice starting to take on a darker tone.

The Sorcerer said, "Nightwing. We meet, at last."

Dick growled, "who are you?"

There is no answer, except for a charge with staff raised for a swing.

Dick meets it by hurling himself at the enemy as Fire moves closer to the city.

...

We see Raven in flight.

Raven yelled, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

This time, she has targeted the creature itself. The stream of black energy pouring from her hands breaks against the giant's form and stops it in its tracks. When she relents, its flames have gone out, leaving the body black and smoking. The surface begins to crack all over; finally, the creature lights up again and Raven gasps in shock.

It slams its fists together and creates a pyrotechnic shock wave that blasts away all the trees within several dozen yards. She is thrown back by the overpressure, as is Vic.

Jack manages to stab his staff into the ground, keeping him steady.

Vic slams down, and Starfire, Blackfire and Raven land and start to help him up. Before they can get him upright, though, a lightning bolt flashes down and knocks all four even farther away. The brothers descend to the clearing; Lightning warms up his hands and advances, while Thunder stays put and gets ready to attack. Before he can throw that curveball, though, BB, as a tiger, steps into view before him.

Thunder ordered, "stand aside, green one!"

BB just roars. They charge at one another, but before any blows can land-

….

- Violet smoke boils up and covers the entire area around them. When it clears, we are in the middle of a bank of clouds in this color.

Thunder is among them, but his body is largely in shadow. BB is in a similar manner. The entire view shimmers and wavers somewhat, and the two voices echo slightly.

Thunder said, "I do not wish to harm you."

BB asked, "but you want to destroy homes and innocent lives?"

Thunder said, "no."

BB asked, "then what are you fighting for?"

Thunder said, "my brother and I…. The old one says we are unique, gifted, better."

BB said, "gifts don't make you better, just different. It's how you use them that counts."

Thunder turns this over in his mind a bit.

….

Lightning said, "it seems your power has its limit", he holds up a sparking hand, "but mine has none."

He is standing over the unconscious Starfire and getting ready to light her up like a Christmas tree, but before he can do so, a blast from Thunder plows him away. She comes to and looks in the direction of the shot. Blackfire runs to Starfire in worry.

Thunder pushes over a charred tree as he steps up, and Lightning gets to his feet.

Lightning growled, "you betray me?"

Thunder said, "we have done wrong, my brother. Our fun must stop."

Lightning growled, "no one commands Lightning…. Not even Thunder!"

He throws a wide beam; the impact sends Thunder tumbling among the trees.

….

Dick and the sorcerer, meanwhile, continue their melee as the mountain burns all around them. Slowly but steadily, the Titan retreats downhill before his attacker's swings. Soon, though, he holds his ground and blocks one strike after another, then sidesteps when the upper end of the staff is jabbed at him. It hits a tree and sends up a wisp of smoke as if it were a red-hot branding iron. The sorcerer grimaces down at him.

….

Fire continues its inexorable advance toward the lower houses as the other six Titans gather to watch. BB is back in human form.

Vic said, "those houses go, the whole city could go. We gotta stop the fire!"

Raven asked, "how?"

Jack said, "yeah, even the ice I make can't stop it!"

Vic said, "we'll just have to use any way we can."

They run down the slope.

….

We see Lightning in flight; he throws a bolt out ahead, and Thunder's face suddenly goes slack-realizing he is the target. The electricity washes over him and hurls him back against a wall of rock. He slides down to a sitting position and groans wearily. Looking up, he finds his brother standing over him and ready to unload a king-size shock at point-blank range.

Thunder asked rhetorically, "tell me, brother, are we still having fun?"

Lightning's conscience gets to him.

Lightning said, "no."

Thunder points, "observe."

They look to behind Fire as it descends the mountain, then to in front of it and tilt down to the houses. It is hit in the face with a sudden torrent of water, accompanied by an elephant trumpeting. Raven is casting a spell to hold the flames back, BB, as the pachyderm, is spraying water from his trunk, and Vic has opened a fire hydrant.

Jack is standing at a riverbank and starts shooting as much water as he could at fire, freezing it as cold as it could go. Starfire and Blackfire descend among them.

Thunder said, "they also have gifts, but they use them for good, while we waste ours on dangerous fun", he puts a hand on Lightning's

shoulder, "if we are so special, brother, let us act special. We must help."

Lightning asked, "but how? Our gifts can only destroy."

Thunder said, "true. But together we have another gift."

They are gone in a flash of light, ascending into the cloud cover.

When they have vanished from sight, a blast of lightning is seen from within. The six Titans find themselves staring at a mountain in flames and a walking inferno that has not let up one bit despite their best efforts. It towers over them and roars.

….

In the clouds, Thunder strikes them with his sticks and Lightning directs his hands here and there, producing the same effects as before. A driving rain begins; the result of combining their talents. At ground level, Fire looks up in alarm at the downpour, then screams in agony as its flames go out in a thick wall of brown smoke. When the view clears, there is nothing left but a few piles of ashes. BB, Jack, Blackfire, Vic, Raven, and Starfire all look up. All but Raven cheer wildly; BB is in human form.

….

Up on the mountain, the sorcerer has caught the front of Dick's outfit and has hoisted him up. The former's tone of voice is now unmistakable.

The Sorcerer said, "Nightwing. Is that the best you can do?"

There is a tremendous flash of lightning that whites out the entire area. When it subsides, the view is at ground level; Dick drops into a crouch, free of the man's grasp. The robed figure throws up an arm to guard his face; he brings it down after a moment, revealing it to have been only a mask that was damaged in the strike. Most of the left side has fallen away, and underneath is a smooth expanse of red-orange metal with a narrow slit for the eye. The last remaining pieces come loose to fully expose that half of their still-concealed face; the first time we see it.

Dick gasps in shock and stares, frozen in place, and after a long moment, the mastermind disappears in a blast of smoke that fills the area. The view clears to show the metal disc he threw into the air to bring Fire to life. Dick regards it thoughtfully, then picks it up for a very close look.

Dick growled, "Slade."

….

We see the celebration still going on. BB has his tongue out to catch the raindrops.

BB said, "ah, yeah! Ha ha!"

Vic exclaimed, "that's what I mean! Very nice!"

Jack said, "never have I been so happy for rain!"

BB turns away from the street and sees Thunder and Lightning coming down from the mountain. He walks up to them. Lightning looks away, showing very clearly that he would rather be doing anything else right now.

Thunder bows, "I am sorry for the trouble we have made."

He nudges Lightning, who faces forward.

Lightning said, "I am….", he also bows, "… Also sorry."

Thunder and BB shake hands.

Thunder said, "you have taught us much, green one. Thank you."

BB said, "don't thank me", he gestures at Starfire; she steps forward, "thank the person who taught me."

She and the brothers bow to each other.

Starfire said, "and thank you for helping to defeat the flame monster."

….

We go to sunrise the next day, the clouds have broken, and a rainbow stretches up from the horizon behind the Tower. We see the entire team, on a ridge overlooking Jump City. Dick hands Slade's talisman to Vic so he can give it a look over.

Vic said, "so Slade wants to destroy the city. Question is, why?"

Dick said, "I don't know, but I will find out, and he won't get away with it."

BB comes up behind Starfire.

BB asked, "so…. Am I, you know…. Still a clorbag?"

Starfire said, "mmm, no. I believe you are more of a…. Milnip wusserloop."

Blackfire grins at her sister's words.

Not being too fluent in Tamaranean, he does not know what to make of this label for a moment. Bewilderment quickly gives way to a big grin, though.

BB cheered, "SWEET! Go, BB! I'm a milnip! Who's your wusserloop? Huh?"

He stops dancing; for a moment his eyes have stars in them.

BB asked, "that is a good thing…. Right, Star?"

She just giggles and goes airborne to head home. Raven follows her, while Dick, Jack and Vic start running. The green Titan is left standing by himself.

BB asked, "Star?"

Blackfire clarified, "for the record Beast Boy, it is."

BB hot-foots it after the others with Blackfire close behind.

….

Later at the tower, we see the team approaching the front doors.

But before they can open them, they hear a voice, "wait!"

They all turn to see the girl with white hair standing there. The hair covers most of her face.

Dick asked, "who are you?"

The girl said, "my name is Rose Wilson."

Jack asked, "and why are you here?"

Rose said, "I have information on the man NightWing fought."

The others all looked at one another before Dick asked, "how do you know of him?"

Rose said, "because…. I am his daughter."

Everyone was shocked by her words. They clearly had much to discuss….

….

Reviews:

Bailey Radcliff: glad you loved it. Hopefully I'll be able to keep more stories up. Thanks.

Canadude2029: indeed. Super bad insults. Glad you're enjoying things.

SuperSentai199: same here. Glad you liked it so much.

….