A/N: I kept my promise this time, everyone! I got another chapter finished before the end of May! Am I on a roll, or what? XD
I thoroughly enjoyed writing this chapter. This is the chapter that everyone has been waiting for, so I think that all of you will like it. I tried to make it humorous, dramatic, and action-packed all in one. Not to mention foreboding... Personally, I absolutely love the way it turned out! Thanks for the favorites and follows, everyone, and I hope you enjoy the thirtieth chapter of "Firelight"! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.
Part III: Secrets: Chapter Thirty
"Just a few more hours, and we will finally be in Metropolis! That arrogant little pervert will never see me coming! I can't wait to see the look on his face when I freeze him in a block of ice! By the time I'm finished, he will never be able to lay a hand on Firelight again!"
Starfire sits curled into a ball in the backseat of the rental car. In the passenger seat, Robin's posture is rigid as he stares out the window in attempt to remain tranquil. Of course, with as much effort as duo of Titans are giving, keeping their outer calm is proving difficult. Saeran is driving more than ten miles over the speed limit, multiple coffee cups from McDonalds littering the portion of the backseat beside Starfire. Within the past hour alone, Saeran has been pulled over by police twice. By the time they reach Metropolis, there is no doubt that the man will owe a large amount of money in speeding tickets. Saeran, of course, couldn't care less about the police or his speeding tickets. He has a goal in mind, not a single obstacle intimidating enough to stop him.
Meanwhile, Robin responds to the man's mutterings in a monotone voice. As emotionless as the Boy Wonder sounds, anxiety is barely contained.
"Uh… Frostbite? Could you slow down? Or better yet, maybe you should pull over. I think you should take some time to calm down. Think about what you're doing. Is murdering Speedy really best for our mission?"
Saeran weaves around two cars, passing them so quickly that the only thing seen of them are colored blurs. Upon returning to the proper lane, he takes a tense, lengthy, sip of caffeine. When he answers Robin's question, his tone is livid to the point of boiling.
"I don't care what is best for this mission, and I am not slowing down! The only thing I care about is reaching Metropolis so I can tear a certain fornicator limb from limb! He has chosen the wrong quiver for his arrow!"
Saeran doesn't notice, but in the seat behind him, Starfire's eyes are wide with horror. Beneath his dark glasses, Robin's are as well.
"Do you actually plan to proceed with the murder of friend Speedy? If he were to die at the hands of an ally, it would be most disheartening…"
He replies while passing another vehicle. "Don't worry too much, Starfire. Speedy won't die. Not if he can run fast enough."
Neither Robin nor Starfire grants Saeran a response. The two of them fall silent, feeling more than intimidated. During their silence, Saeran makes one final remark.
"I swear, no one will ever put that kid in more danger than me!"
Meanwhile…
For a moment, it seems as if they're frozen in time. Damiana and Cyborg stand on one side of the monster, Adriel and Speedy stand on the other side, and the three-headed dragon adjusts its heads so that it stares at each of them. They stay like this for a period of ten seconds, trapped in a deadlock. Then, out of nowhere, the dragon releases a horrific shriek. So piercing is the sound that it causes several more rocks from the wall to crash to the ground. Speedy steps back momentarily, caught off guard by the echoing noise. Luckily, it only takes a second for the archer to gain his bearings. He rapidly pulls arrows from his civilian backpack, barraging the creature relentlessly. It releases a pained roar as a result, feeling the sting of the weapons.
Meanwhile, Cyborg shouts orders from his place on the other side of the rock pile.
"Speedy, keep it up! Aim for the heads! I'll aim my cannon at the heads, too! Firelight, try holding it down with your whips!"
Speedy complies without responding, launching arrows at twice the original pace. Using a pair of lengthy, flaming, whips, he sees in his peripheral vision as Leila tugs the dragon to the ground by its torso. It struggles against her grip while shrieking viciously, causing the girl to readjust one of the whips so that it's fore-claws are entangled as well. Cyborg launches a bombardment of quick, powerful, cannon blasts at the monster, setting his corner of the combined exhibits in a blue glow. The dragon's shadowy exterior is spotted by multiple gaps, letting the group of Titans know that their attacks are gleaning results. However, as quickly as the gaping holes appear, they repair themselves. Thus, making their task more difficult than initially assumed.
"Cyborg, I don't know if you're aware of this, but I can help!" shouts Adriel from the sidelines. "I can assist in your attack, or I can help Leila hold it down. Just say the word, and I'm on board!"
An instant after the pony-tailed belly dancer speaks, the dragon moves sharply against Leila's grasp. The girl slides across the floor, though manages to keep her footing. She strengthens her fire whips and tugs down on the creature with intensity. Unfortunately, this only causes it to roar angrily. It moves once more, far rougher than before. Leila doesn't keep her footing this time. She is flung through the air forcefully, as if no heavier than a doll. When a groan is heard along with the shattering of a glass display case, the distance Leila is thrown becomes apparent. Based on what Speedy has seen, the nearest display case to her and Cyborg is ten feet away.
So focused is Speedy on shooting at the creature that he is unable to look at her. Even so, he vocalizes his concern.
"Are you okay, Leila?!"
"I'm fine!" she yells in response. "Just focus on destroying that thing!"
Speedy doesn't say anything more. He continues in his relentless attack, doing his best to reduce the creature to shadows. As he does this, Cyborg replies to Adriel's prior inquiry.
"Don't worry about us, Adriel. You've already helped us plenty. Let the Titans focus on fighting Black Shadow's monster."
Leila has returned by this point, hair tousled and scowling lividly. No longer does she attempt holding the dragon down. Instead she leaps boldly in its direction while shooting rapid streams of fire at its necks. She extinguishes her fire approximately thirty seconds later, igniting her fire blades in the streams' place. Rather than keeping the flaming shafts in her grasp, she launches each of them toward the exact places that she'd been bombarding with her fire. To Speedy's astonishment as much as Cyborg's, her blades expand and cut clean through two of the dragon's necks. The creature unleashes an ear-shattering, banshee-like, screech, forcing Speedy to pause in his attacks to cover his ears. Five feet behind him, Adriel does the same.
Once the dragon's heads are severed, before they have a chance to hit the ground, they dissolve into inky shadows and vanish into thin air. Under normal circumstances, one of the Titans would use this opportunity to sever the single head that remains. At this moment, however, each of them covers their ears and grimaces painfully. Leila, who stands directly beside Cyborg, keels over as she throws palms over her ears in agony. More than anything Speedy would like to launch more arrows, but he is in the same state as Leila. If he removes his hands for as little as a second, it is certain that he will go deaf.
A never-ending fifteen seconds passes as the dragon shrieks. Yet, the sound eventually ceases. When the noise ends, however, the unthinkable happens. The dragon rears back on its hind legs, fore-legs and single head pointed toward the ceiling. The group doesn't have so much as a second to process what the creature is doing, let alone to stop it. Putting as much strength into its hind legs as possible, it leaps high into the air. The space between the floor and the ceiling is well over thirty feet. Yet, in a scene shocking to all, it crashes through the ceiling with minimal effort. Boulder sized rocks crash to the ground like meteors as a result, forcing the four of them to dodge in panic.
As they avoid being crushed, the Titans' focus is hardly on the rocks or on Black Shadow's creature. The only thing grasping their attention are the echoing screams of civilians. Complete and utter terror is the only thing heard in their shouts. When the dragon roars again, the reality of the situation sinks in. The shadow creature is no longer contained. It is on the main level of the museum where the giftshops are located, terrorizing civilians.
The first to give a verbal response to this unfortunate turn of events is Speedy.
"Well, this sucks. So much for the Titans staying undercover."
Cyborg, who now stands beside him, sighs heavily.
"Staying undercover doesn't matter anymore. If we get discovered, then we get discovered. Our job now is to stop that thing of Black Shadow's and to protect these people. We'll explain the details to Robin later and find a way to stop Black Shadow then. I'm sure the guy's long gone by now anyway."
No one says anything more once Cyborg is through speaking. Speedy gives a firm nod of understanding, Leila granting the metal man a small nod of her own. Using the debris of numerous fallen boulders, Speedy leaps upward toward the gap in the ceiling with his bow tight in his grasp. A few feet away from him, Cyborg does the same. Leila and Adriel, on the other hand, use other methods.
Bringing a particularly lengthy fire whip to life, Leila extends it thirty feet above and grabs hold of the hole's edge. As soon as it is secure, the girl pulls herself upward the same way she would if it were a grappling hook. She zips swiftly through the air, gripping the ledge with her arms and pulling herself fully onto the floor above. Meanwhile, Adriel uses his abilities to move a flat slab of stone onto a rounded boulder. Once in place, he sprints atop it and uses his gift to catapult himself toward the ceiling. Adriel misses the hole's ledge by several inches, jutting out a last-minute platform from the wall and leaping up to the main level from there.
Speedy inwardly thanks Adriel at the sight of the platform. Reaching the main level will now be much easier.
Meanwhile, Cyborg shouts surprised exclamations from behind. Based on his tone, the metal man wonders if he is hallucinating.
"What the heck did Adriel just do?! Did I really see him do all that?!"
Speedy answers while making long leaps up a tall rock pile. "Yeah, you saw it. Adriel has powers like Leila's. The only difference is that he controls rocks instead of fire."
"If he has powers, then why didn't he tell us?!"
The archer makes a particularly wide jump, landing flawlessly atop an uneven chunk of marble. Not wanting to lose his footing, he keeps his eyes on the next boulder.
"Does it matter if he didn't tell us? He has powers, and we have a dragon to destroy!"
Cyborg responds, but Roy doesn't hear it. He continues leaping from one piece of debris to another, nearing the gap in the ceiling. The archer launches his body from the top of a rough, granite, boulder to Adriel's platform ten feet above. Catching the edge of it with his free hand, he pulls himself up with a single, effortless, tug. It takes a mere second to jump through the gaping hole to the first floor from here. Roy lands firmly on his feet, Cyborg close behind. He hardly catches the grunt his teammate gives when emerging, neither does he notice metallic footsteps. Every ounce of focus is on their current surroundings, masked eyes growing wide.
Black Shadow's dragon rears back on its hind legs, roaring loudly as Leila launches streams of fire at its single remaining head. Adriel removes rocks from the floor around the creature, using them to trap its hind legs and scaled tail. Unfortunately, the Dabnodians' efforts glean few results. Harsh thrashing is all it takes for it to break free, the creature knocking Adriel over and leaping away from Leila. Multiple holes are seen polka dotting scaled flesh, but like earlier, the dragon repairs itself quickly. Another moment passes, and a shadow-colored neck stub where a lost head used to be begins bulging. It throbs and bubbles gruesomely, like hot tar. Three seconds is what it takes for a new head to sprout up from the stub, screeching angrily along with the first.
Roy pulls multiple explosive arrows from the makeshift quiver at the sight, loading all four of them into his bow. As it shrieks, a pair of red eyes spots he and Cyborg. The dragon whips its tail as a result, uprooting the museum's marble fountain and sending it flying. Cyborg and Roy leap swiftly out of the hulking object's path, narrowly escaping being crushed. Meanwhile, the civilians who had been quivering in fear scatter. Some run toward the double doors leading outside while others take cover inside various giftshops. One duo of individuals, however, is not fast enough.
A middle-aged man and a teenage girl dash toward the closest giftshop in their reach. Before they can make it inside, however, part of the three-tiered fountain whooshes toward them. The duo freezes as they catch sight of the large, hurdling, stone. Afraid that they won't move out of the way in time, Roy dashes in their direction with his bowstring drawn. A second is all it takes for the archer to leap in front of the father and daughter protectively. He launches a single explosive arrow, this being all it takes to blow the chunk of marble apart. It explodes into golf ball-sized pieces, crashing into the glass windows of the giftshop without breaking anything.
The instant the two are out of danger, the archer turns to face them.
"Take cover behind the checkout counter in the giftshop, and don't come out until the dragon's gone. The last thing I want is someone getting hurt."
Roy glances at the shrieking, two-headed, shadow monster. Cyborg and Leila are blasting it heavily in each head while Adriel launches rocks at its torso. Even with all three of them working, Black Shadow's dragon is still standing.
Before the redhead can rush over to help, however, the teenage girl makes an ecstatic exclamation. Wide, blue, eyes sparkle.
"Oh…my…gosh! The arrows…the mask…. You're one of the Teen Titans! You're Speedy! And fighting that giant monster is Cyborg from Titans West! Ooh, and that fire girl who joined Titans East a week ago! I'm actually getting to watch the Teen Titans fight a monster? This is amazing!"
For once, Roy does something that he has never done in the presence of a fangirl. He doesn't smile, neither does he soak up the attention. Instead, he scowls in irritation.
"Yes. This is a dream come true. Now get out here! Unless you want to get killed, you need to duck and cover!"
All of a sudden, Leila is heard shouting. Her voice is frustrated as much as panicked. When he turns to see her lassoing both the dragon's heads with her fire whips, the girl struggling to keep the creature contained, he immediately understands these emotions.
"We need your help, Speedy! This is pretty hard to handle without backup!"
Roy says nothing more to the blue-eyed teen. He leaves her behind, rushing forward, leaping high into the air, and unleashing an onslaught of arrows on the beast. Not a single Titan notices, but the girl and her father hide just inside the doors of the giftshop. Both of them have their phones out and are avidly recording. Many others are filming the battle as well, the windows of giftshops brimming with individuals holding their smartphones high.
Meanwhile, as Leila keeps each head lassoed, Roy is given a clear shot. The first barrage of explosive arrows hits scaled necks and charcoal faces, causing the dragon to release an ear-shattering screech. Multiple windows fracture as a result, eliciting frightened gasps from onlookers. The group fighting the dragon, however, doesn't perceive this. Leila lengthens her whips and makes them thicker, keeping the dragon in her grip. The holes peppering shadow-colored skin don't have time to repair themselves. Speedy releases another onslaught of arrows, this specific batch of projectiles containing mace along with explosives. They make direct contact with crimson eyes, the dragon releasing a shriek that shatters giftshop windows completely. Civilians scream rather than gasp at the occurrence, though nevertheless, they continue recording.
Much to their luck, the explosives do more than disorient the creature. Wide, crevice-like, gaps are splattered across charcoal-colored flesh, the dragon stumbling around due to blindness. Extinguishing her whips, Leila unleashes a flurry of auburn flames from her mouth. Cyborg aims at the creature as well, blue cannon-fire setting the area aglow. With the fire-user and the metal man's ceaseless attacks, it doesn't take long for the dragon's entire upper torso to dissolve into shadows. However, even with part of the creature gone, shadow-colored remnants thrash wildly. Scaled legs cause part of the floor to gain deep cracks due to frantic stomping, and a charcoal tail manages to destroy an entire row of escalators. The Titans and Adriel dodge rapidly, trying to remain standing.
Leaping out of the path of the dragon's swinging tail, Adriel tosses a large boulder toward its legs and stomach with vigor. The massive rock pushes the creature back by many yards, forcing it into the museum's front desk. Due to the harsh blow, it is far more disoriented than before. Holes polka-dot scaled flesh in a manner similar to Swiss cheese, the legs and lower torso more shadows than scales. Roy doesn't waste a single moment at the sight. He pulls five arrows from his makeshift quiver and launches himself toward the dragon with a powerful jump, loading all of them onto his bow at once. Two arrows are explosive while three are charged with electricity. When Roy pulls back the bowstring and releases it, there is no denying their impact.
All five arrows strike the dragon in the center torso, connecting with shadowy flesh in an echoing zap. The buzzing of electrical currents can be heard from every corner of the museum's main level, Black Shadow's creature thoroughly fried by bolts of yellow. A thunderous bang is also heard, orange blasts shaking the section of the floor surrounding the desk. The remaining portions of the charcoal beast vanish as a result, scales devolving into wispy shadows and disappearing completely. Roy, who'd taken cover behind the granite desk, smiles as the creature dissolves. True, he can see part of the missing floor in his peripheral vision. Not to mention the shattered glass of giftshop windows. Yet, despite this, the fight went rather easily.
Bow in hand and mask in place, Roy climbs out from behind the barrier. He leaps over Adriel's haphazard boulders and avoids crevices in the floor with ease. Cyborg, Leila, and Adriel do the same, the four of them walking to a common place in the massive room's center. They meet at an intersecting location between the downed escalators and a gap in the floor where the three-tiered fountain used to be. For a moment the Titans and the pony-tailed man do not make eye contact. They take a lengthy minute to absorb their surroundings. It is not the wreckage of glass and stone that they focus on, neither is it the stunned museum workers that gape at Adriel. Instead, every ounce of their attention is on the mass of people emerging from various hiding spots.
People peek their heads out from inside of giftshops and behind benches. Once they see that all signs of danger are gone, nearly three-hundred people rush toward them in a wave. Most of the individuals are young, wear excited expressions, and have their phones out and recording. Roy's concealed emerald eyes are wide to say the least, as are Leila's. The difference between the two of them is that Leila is startled. Never having been swarmed by a massive crowd before, she appears very uncertain of how to handle this. As for Roy, his eyes are wide with concern. Robin, Starfire, and Frostbite haven't even arrived in Metropolis, and already the Titans' cover is blown.
Upon glancing at Cyborg, it is seen that he is equally concerned. The metal man frowns deeply, as if feeling the Justice League's wrath already…
"Oh my gosh! I can't believe I just got to watch the Teen Titans fight a monster! That was awesome! Best fight ever!"
"Since Cyborg is here, does that mean the rest of the Titans West are in Metropolis? I totally want to meet Beast Boy!"
"Cyborg, Speedy, and Firelight all in one place! All we need is Robin, and this will be a dream!"
The three Titans move closer together, Leila staying in a secure spot between the archer and the metal man. Meanwhile, Adriel stands behind them while sporting a fearful expression. Most likely, the pony-tailed man hides from the eyes of his coworkers.
As the teens record the young heroes with their phones, they flood them with questions.
"What are the Titans doing in Metropolis?! Are you on vacation?"
"Speedy, how do you get your arrows to explode like that? That was so cool!"
"Ooh, Firelight, how do you breathe fire?! Are you a dragon slayer like Natsu, or were you infused with dragon DNA?!"
"Cyborg, is the rest of your team here? It's too bad that they didn't get to help you fight!"
None of the Titans respond. They gape nervously, wondering what the next step of their mission will be. With their location revealed to the entire world, this is a definite setback…
Leaning in, Roy whispers to Cyborg. While his comment comes off as jesting, the boy is entirely serious in reality.
"I hope Canary, Batman, and Superman aren't on the internet. If they get on YouTube or check Facebook, we're screwed."
Five Hours Later
It wasn't highway signs that let the trio know when they entered Metropolis, neither was it the police car with the words "Metropolis City Police" painted in white on the side. When Robin, Starfire, and Saeran finally reached the gargantuan city, it was the increase in traffic that told them. They are surrounded, not by ten or twenty other vehicles, but are stranded in a massive traffic jam. When first departing from Steel City, the two Titans did not think that their pony-tailed companion could get more uptight. At this particular moment, however, they've learned that this assumption was false. If anything, Saeran is angrier now than during their entire twelve-hour journey.
"I mean it! Put that finger away, or I'll break it!"
Saeran's dyed blonde head leans out the driver's side window, the man shouting at the driver in the car beside them. They've been stuck in traffic for close to an hour, making him incredibly testy. As he takes his anger out on a middle-aged man with five o'clock shadow, this couldn't be plainer.
Neither Robin nor Starfire hears what the middle-ager says in response. All they know is that Saeran is not happy with him.
"No, buddy! You listen to me! I'm on a mission; a mission to protect a young woman's chastity! You, you're getting in the way of that mission! All I want is to tear a horny teenage boy limb from limb, and now I can't do that because you're in my way! If you had been driving cautiously instead of cutting everybody off in traffic, I could be strangling this kid now instead of later!"
Apparently, the man's words do not get any kinder. Saeran's jaw locks and his false blue eyes fill with fury. By this point, Saeran has freed one of his hands from the steering wheel to wave a fist.
"Jerk! Do you talk to your mother with that mouth?! I hope that the fates punish you!"
The pony-tailed man pulls his head back into the car, rolling up the window and grumbling to himself.
"So many aggravating people in this city! I've been here for less than an hour, and I hate it already! How people tolerate living here is beyond me."
The lane they are in inches forward, their car moving several feet prior to stopping once more. Starfire gazes out the window from her place in the backseat, nibbling her lower lip and trying her best to ignore Saeran's orneriness. Meanwhile, Robin looks directly at the man through dark glasses and frowns.
"I still think that you should shove your problem with Speedy aside. The Titans have a mission here. Our mission is too important for you to be so focused on killing one of our teammates."
Shutting his eyes tightly, the Dabnodian man releases a sigh. More than anything, Saeran wants to tell Robin to be quiet and stay out of his business. For their entire journey, the only thing the bird boy has been is a busybody. What business is it of his if he wants to kill Speedy? Honestly, Saeran misses the days a short time ago when he wasn't so involved with the Titans. As a solo hero, as well as a loner in general, spending so much time around other people is taxing on his nerves…
Before Saeran can utter a word, however, loud beeping echoes through the rental car. The sound is so sudden that it causes Saeran to jump. Even so, he recognizes what it is the moment he hears it. It is the familiar beeping of a Titan communicator. More specifically, Robin's communicator. The Boy Wonder doesn't waste any time at the sound. He digs through the pockets of his black, zip-up-the-front, sweatshirt, pulling the black and yellow device into the open. He answers it without pause. Cyborg's voice fills the vehicle a moment later. He sounds unhappy to say the least, causing Saeran to furrow his brow as he inches forward through Metropolis' heavy traffic.
"Hey, Rob. I know you left Steel City this morning with Frostbite and Star. How's the drive? Please tell me that you've at least made it to the halfway point. I don't like springing bad news on you, but you need to get here fast. Things have taken a turn for the worse, and we need back up."
Saeran sees in the rearview mirror that Starfire is no longer looking out the window. She is sitting with her knees on the seat, leaning over Robin's chair in order to look at Cyborg. Her Tamaranean eyes are filled with fear that she doesn't give the slightest effort to conceal. Based on Robin's surprised and anxious frown, he is in a similar state to Starfire.
"Cyborg, what's going on? I just talked to you this morning, and everything was fine. What happened?!"
"The Black Shadow did not attack the museum, take the artifact for which he was searching, and harm our friends, did he?! Please tell me that you are unharmed!"
It is in this moment that Saeran's rage is replaces by worry. A turn for the worse? Hopefully Damiana is alright…
Luckily, when Cyborg answers, the Dabnodian's anxiety diminishes.
"Don't worry, Starfire. Everyone came out okay. None of our teammates were injured, and neither were any civilians." The metal man sighs sadly as he continues. "I can't say that nothing bad happened, though. Black Shadow attacked us at the museum. It ends out that he already took what he was looking for; he probably got his hands on it days ago! The only reason he attacked us at all was to mess with us. He doesn't think the Titans can beat him. Heck, he didn't even fight us himself! He put together some crazy, three-headed, dragon and got away with Zenotrum while we were fighting the thing."
Robin's mouth is agape, the Boy Wonder nothing short of horrified.
"Zenotrum? That's what Black Shadow's after? He can't get his hands on that! If he uses Zenotrum to stabilize his rift machines, the Titans will never be able to shut them down!"
Though Saeran can't see him, he is certain that Cyborg's single hazel eye must deathly serious. Going off his tone of voice, he can't imagine his facial expression being anything different.
"Why do you think I'm telling you to get here as fast as you can? Black Shadow did get ahold of Zenotrum, but it isn't enough to power one of his machines. All he has right now is a sample. He and his henchmen are looking for more, and lucky for us, they haven't found any yet. The Titans' cover got blown while we were fighting Black Shadow's monster, so we'll have that working against us, but I still think we can do this. We just have to figure out where Black Shadow plans on looking so we can beat him to it." A hint of anxiety entering his voice, Cyborg adds, "And while we're doing that, the Titans have to lay low. Like I said, our cover was blown. The Justice League will probably be on our tail in a matter of hours…"
This time it is Starfire who replies, her voice as fearful as Robin's.
"I understand that we must complete our mission. If we do not, Black Shadow will use his machine for much terror. Though I must admit that I also feel worry. Once Black Shadow has been defeated, I do not wish to face the League of Justice with the truth of our lies and deceit. Tell me, Robin, will our defeat of an evil criminal soften the heart of Batman, or will he inflict punishment?"
The Boy Wonder brushes off Starfire's inquiry, more concerned with the information that Cyborg has bestowed upon them regarding their villain.
"Don't think about the Justice League right now, Starfire. All of our focus should be on Black Shadow." Returning his attention to the metal man, he continues. "Send me the address of the place you, Speedy, and Firelight are staying at, Cyborg. We're already in Metropolis, so it shouldn't take us too long to get to you. We can start planning right away, and have our course of action set by tomorrow morning. Nothing is going to stop us from defeating Black Shadow; not even the Justice League."
Again Saeran isn't certain, but he imagines that Cyborg nods in response.
"Okay, Rob. Here it is. Don't ask questions, because this is the right address."
A ping sounds off from the communicator a second later, hinting that his baby sister's location has been sent. When Robin speaks out in puzzlement, Saeran's assumption that he received their address is confirmed.
"Are you sure this is right? The address you sent me belongs to a belly dancing studio."
Cyborg no longer sounds serious. Rather, his tone is uncomfortable.
"Don't question it, Rob. It's the right address."
During the two days of driving it took for them to reach Metropolis, all Damiana felt was dread. During the Titans' first few days of searching, all she felt was dread. Now that they've run into Black Shadow, have learned what he is after, and have been revealed to the world as fighting crime in Metropolis, dread is no longer the dominant emotion. The only thing Damiana feels after today is anxiety. As she lays on the crimson sofa with her head resting against Adriel's shoulder, heaviness sits in her chest like a rock. The girl snuggles close to Adriel, wrapping both arms around his torso. The entire time she speaks to him frantically in Dabnodian.
"Today couldn't have gone worse, Adriel. Black Shadow got away again, and this time with Zenotrum! Even with all four of us working together, we could hardly defeat one of his shadow creatures. How are we supposed to take down Black Shadow himself?! Not to mention his henchmen and whatever other creatures he throws our way! After Robin, Starfire, and Frostbite get here, I doubt it will get easier. We're in way over our heads; especially if he gets ahold of enough Zenotrum to stabilize his machines. Sweet fates! What are we going to do?!"
Damiana couldn't be more relieved to have this brief moment alone with Adriel. Cyborg returned to the hotel as Victor to collect the remainder of their belongings. Meanwhile, Roy is on the dance studio's ground level messing around in the kitchen. He has been there for several minutes, potentially in the process of cooking something. With both of her teammates gone, Damiana decided to take the opportunity to cuddle up to Adriel like a frightened child.
Adriel has both arms wrapped around Damiana protectively, his face resting atop her head. As always, the man's embrace is warm, kind, and his smell overwhelms her. After her unpleasant experiences this evening, Adriel's kind warmth is exactly what she needs. He pulls her closer in a comforting fashion, tightening the hug. Damiana shifts positions as a result, entwining her small fingers into his lengthy ponytail. Eventually, after a long time of soothing silence, Adriel replies.
"Of course fighting your villain isn't going to get easier. No matter what villain you face, I doubt it will ever get easier. You joined the Teen Titans. Was easy what you were expecting?"
Damiana sighs, feeling the weight of her friend's advice. "No. I wasn't expecting things to be easy. I've never expected anything to be easy. Just…I didn't think it would be this difficult…"
Though she isn't looking at him, she can tell that he nods his head. Damiana feels stubble brush against her forehead as he nods. This surprises her. Adriel never used to have stubble...
"Yes, but it doesn't matter what you were expecting, does it? Whether you were expecting it or not, the Teen Titans have gotten in over their heads." Pausing, he adds, "If it makes it any better, at least I'm in this with you. Helping you search the museum, helping you fight the three-headed dragon, letting you hide out here now that the Justice League knows the Titans' whereabouts, I did all of that of my own accord. True, I might not be there to help you face every battle, but know that I care about you no matter what. Even if I'm not present, even if I seem like the enemy, I care about you."
The girl doesn't respond immediately. For one reason or another, Adriel's words strike her oddly. Specifically, that last statement about him seeming like the enemy…
Yet, she manages to shove the bizarreness of it aside. A small smile crossing her face, the girl replies to him sweetly.
"Of course I know that you care about me. You've given up your peaceful life to help a group of teenagers catch a villain, and have even risked your job." Smile vanishing, she adds, "With everything else you've done, you don't have to let us stay here. We'll be fine at the hotel. Speedy, Cyborg, and I…we'll just be careful. So will Starfire, Robin, and Frostbite…"
Adriel chuckles softly at the remark. "Don't be so stubborn, Dami. The Justice League would recognize an out-of-costume Titan in a Metropolis minute. Then there's you, who looks the same whether you're in costume or out of costume. The Teen Titans would never be able to plan the rest of this mission. You'd be too busy hiding from fans and the 'big heroes'." Smiling softly into her thick curls, he adds, "Besides. There's plenty of room here for all of you. No harm done."
Damiana nods with much hesitation. Adriel makes a fair point. Even so, she can't help feeling bad about the intrusion of his home. Along with his home, they're intruding on his life. True, Damiana is very thankful for Adriel's assistance, and in this moment, his comfort. Yet, she feels incredibly sorry for him. The man is too giving for his own good. He'd sacrifice everything if it came down to it.
Exhaling softly, she says, "I take it you're helping the Titans with the rest of this mission? Considering how you're doing this much, it looks like you're going all the way with this."
"I am," replies Adriel as he shoves a thick curl behind her ear. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'll do what's necessary to help you defeat Black Shadow. If I wasn't willing to take risks, I would have backed out long before now."
She does not have a response. All the girl can do is continue snuggling tightly against the man, feeling anxious over the battles to come, dread over the battles that have happened, and sadness over Adriel's many sacrifices. Of course, despite these negative thoughts, Adriel's embrace manages to comfort her like always. Now that she thinks about it, Adriel's hugs have always been more comforting than Saeran's. His touch takes the fear away.
Before Damiana can filter her thoughts, she speaks them aloud.
"Thank you, Adriel. Not just for everything you've done recently, but for the way you used to comfort me on Dabnod. You always have a way of making me feel safe."
Damiana doesn't see it due to their current position, but an expression of surprise crosses Adriel's face. However, less than a second is what it takes for surprise to morph into caring. Along with this, his eyes shift from cherry red to rose-colored pink. The only time Damiana experiences the same surprise as Adriel is when he answers. He speaks to her in an emotional tone that she hasn't quite heard before; at least not from Adriel.
"Don't thank me, Dami. That's what I'm here for."
Meanwhile…
Roy still isn't certain about Adriel. Yet, he can't help appreciating him. Shortly after destroying Black Shadow's monster, the four of them were surrounded by a mob of people. Had it only been the three Titans, there is more than a decent chance that they would have been there for hours. Not only that, but the crowd might have trapped them there long enough for Superman to fly from his mission in the UK to Metropolis to deal with them. The single reason they are at the belly dancing studio and not in the clutches of Superman is because Adriel used his rock-moving abilities to create a trapped door in the ground.
Once the trapped door was created, they were able to sneak out an emergency exit on the basement level and take a maze of alleyways back to the studio. Upon returning, they took a lengthy half-hour to discuss their next move now that the Titans' whereabouts had been revealed. It was during this time that Adriel agreed to let them stay at his place. After all, why would anyone from the Justice League expect them to be staying with a male belly dancer with a ponytail? Not even Roy would expect that, and this is reality for him…
Despite feeling grateful for Adriel's hospitality, the redhead cringes. Between their strange conversation at the museum, the dancing, and his chipper personality, Roy doesn't think that he will ever get used to Adriel. "Leila is going to be shaken to the core". "Leila will need a pillar to hold her up, and I need you to be that pillar". "A person never knows what is at their core until their entire reality comes unraveled". What was all that about? These are all things that Adriel told him. Roy has done nothing but mull these words over, trying to figure out what is supposed to happen to Leila to make her come unraveled. Unfortunately, he has nothing. All he has is confusion.
He leans against the kitchen counter while groaning quietly to himself. There are only thirty seconds left on the microwave's timer, the mountain of cheese almost melted atop his nachos. More than anything, Roy wishes that the thirty seconds would last forever. The last thing he wants is to go upstairs and be near Adriel. Roy thinks that he has a couple of screws loose. No amount of hospitality or skill with throwing rocks can change his mind about that. Either Adriel is right about what is going to happen to Leila because he can see into the future, or the man is crazy. Personally, the redhead would like to bet his money on the latter.
Eventually the microwave goes off, far too soon for Roy's taste. The boy saunters toward it with a disgruntled sigh. As he opens the microwave door and removes his late-night snack, he grumbles.
"An evil villain gets away with the sample of a long-lasting power supply, the Titans get busted for being in Justice League territory, and I get told about my teammate's future by a crazy alien with a ponytail. This day can't get any worse, can it?"
Returning to his previous spot by the kitchen counter, Roy pops one of the cheese-covered tortilla chips into his mouth. Once this one is gone, he eats another. His chewing is a bit rougher than usual, making his mood apparent. Before he can eat a third one, however, an echoing noise penetrates the entire lower level of the dance studio. It isn't a car horn or the shouting of neighbors like would normally be expected in a city, but rather, the sound resembles knocking. The knocking isn't polite. Neither is it chipper and neighborly. Surprisingly, it almost sounds like an angry police officer, or a livid older brother the morning after his sister's prom. Because of this, Roy can't refrain from raising a brow.
For a long moment, Roy is hesitant to answer the door. He is afraid that it might be Superman or Black Canary. If not one of them, it might be an angry customer of Adriel's. Not all men would like their girlfriends hanging around a guy like him, after all…
It takes much consideration, but eventually the redhead sets his nachos aside and saunters out of the kitchen. He exits into the dark room containing wooden floors and large mirrors, night having fallen within the past couple hours. The boy turns on the lights impulsively, continuing his journey to the door. As he crosses polished wood and makes his way past the mirrors, he sees a man standing outside. The man is young, in his very early twenties. He is medium height and has an average build, a short blonde ponytail tied into a knot at the nape of his neck. The man's clothes aren't anything impressive; a pair of blue jeans, a sweatshirt, and oddly, two sets of dual canteens.
More than anything else, however, Roy notices that he looks angry. The man doesn't appear mildly irritated. No. His anger is far beyond that. His face is red and steam nearly pours out of his ears. With his jaw locked and a scowl on his face that could kill, the man appears ready to destroy anything in his path. Once a pair of bright blue eyes lock onto Roy's physique, the anger in his gaze triples. He could melt the glass that separates the two of them with such a lethal stare.
Of course, Roy pays this no attention. Assuming that his prior guess was right, that this is one of Adriel's unhappy customers, he walks closer to the door. While doing so, he mutters under his breath.
"Geesh, what is this? Ponytail Friday? With Adriel and this guy both, they'll be the envy of every woman in Metropolis."
Roy places a hand on the door, speaking to the guy nonchalantly through the glass. He notices a pair of intense daggers that pierce through his heart directly to his soul. As a result, Roy is momentarily puzzled. Nevertheless, he shrugs it off while unlocking the deadbolt along with the primary lock.
"A complaint about the teacher? Fine by me. Feel free to complain. Just don't destroy anything."
With that said, Roy throws the door wide open. He expects the man to walk inside, shouting peevishly about Adriel. If not Adriel, then about Monique or another instructor. It is because of this that what actually happens frightens Roy to the depths of his being. Never has he experience anything quite like this…
"I am going to KILL YOU!"
The man leaps inside the studio, drawing two lengthy streams of water out of his canteens as his shoes hit the wood. An instant is what it takes for him to transform them into spear-like icicles. He launches five out of ten of them at Roy like a hunter after prey, eliciting a horrified scream from the redhead. By some miracle the redhead manages to dodge, only to have the other five launched at him a second afterward.
"Have you decided what you plan on saying to the fates in the afterlife?! Because you're going to meet them tonight!"
Roy manages to dodge the second onslaught of icicles, only to be hounded by fifteen more. Wood splinters and the glass of one of the mirrors shatters, but due to magnificent evasive skills, the boy manages to stay in one piece. He sprints around the room frantically, horrified of being skewered. When the icicles stop and when the man chases after him using watery tentacles, emerald eyes widen in terror. The entire time he shouts, the redhead angry as much as frightened.
"What the heck is wrong with you, you insane freak?!"
One of two tentacles brushes Roy's legs, missing him by mere centimeters. As he continues scrambling for escape, the man shouts a response.
"Insane? I'm not insane! Just overprotective!"
It is at this point that the man brings the tentacles closer to himself. He reconjures the shattered icicles as well, transforming them into water and forcing them to rejoin him. Once the full water supply is gathered in one place, the man begins launching large orbs of liquid. Roy manages to dodge these as well, and he is glad that he does. One of the orbs hits the ground, freezing into something solid on contact. A new type of adrenaline flowing through the redhead's veins, the boy moves twice as fast as before.
In the meantime, the man continues ranting.
"Last night you shared a bed with Firelight. Who was it the week before her? Some fangirl you seduced?! Then there's the motorcycle ride, your date at the dock, and you were alone in the Titans' workout room together! What else have you done to her?! Are you trying to seduce her like you do the fangirls?! In every picture and every video I've seen of you, all you do is flirt! Why wouldn't you do the same with Firelight?! You're playing her like a fiddle, aren't you, you perverted little playboy?!"
Roy, who had previously been dodging water-based projectiles for his life, finds himself slowing down. Upon hearing the man's rant, realization strikes. The blonde ponytail, the canteens, he should have noticed the instant he saw the man! Of course, even with his identity revealed, this doesn't help ebb Roy's confusion.
Jumping out of the path of another watery orb, the redhead gawks with astonished green eyes.
"Frostbite? Is that you? What the heck?! Why are you attacking me?! I never did anything with Firelight, and even if I did, why would you care?! We're supposed to be on a mission!" Pausing momentarily, Roy asks, "And where are Robin and Starfire? Did you go crazy and attack them, too?!"
Roy doesn't pause only in his speech, but also in his steps. That short strand of dialogue is all Frostbite needs to take advantage. He launches three liquid spheres at him in place of one, each of them making bodily contact. Two hit his legs and the other contacts his right arm, his limbs freezing instantly. The liquid spreads vastly as it freezes, trapping Roy's feet and lower torso as well. When Frostbite launches two more orbs, encasing the redhead's left arm and upper torso in ice along with the rest of him, Roy practically sees his life flash before his eyes.
"Why would I care? That is a horrible question, Speedy! 'Why would I care?'! I'm trying to protect a young woman from the wiles of a horny, teenage, playboy!"
Despite the direness of the situation, Roy arches a skeptical brow. "A horny teenage playboy? I don't know what Speedy you're thinking of, but that isn't me. I'm a flirt and a tease, but never a playboy. There's a HUGE difference!"
Scowling spitefully, Frostbite forms another water orb. Before launching it, however, he responds to the boy's statement.
"Is there really? Because it looks to me like you've touched Firelight one too many times! If you touch my sister, then you pay the price!"
It is here that Frostbite prepares to launch the orb, nothing but anger in his eyes. All Roy can do, however, is gape in shock.
"Hold on a second. Did you say sister?!"
Before Frostbite can answer, launch his weapon, and before Roy has a chance to ask the question again, terrified shouts are heard from the studio's entranceway.
"Frostbite, stop!"
"Please do not harm our friend!"
Roy doesn't hear feet cross the floor, nor does he see them coming. An instant is what it takes for Robin and Starfire to enter the enclosure, the two of them leaping protectively in front of their frozen teammate. Starfire hovers a foot above the ground with arms outstretched, doing her best to shield him. Robin does the same, the only difference that he is holding a bow staff firmly in his grasp. As they do their best to put a barrier of protection between the redhead and the water-user, Starfire speaks loudly in panic.
"Do not hurt Speedy, friend Frostbite! If you are angry at him, use your words. Do the talking out or perhaps the shouting. Please do not resort to violence!"
"If I would've known that you were serious about killing Speedy, I never would have brought you with us!" shouts Robin.
Roy's emerald eyes widen to the size of saucers at the Boy Wonder's exclamation. "Frostbite has been talking about killing me ever since you guys left Jump City, and you let him come? Why would you assume that he wasn't serious?! Some detective you are!"
What Frostbite is about to do next, Roy isn't sure. Neither is he certain on Starfire and Robin's plans to protect him. The only thing Roy is positive about is that he isn't going anywhere. Aside from his neck and head, his body is fully encased in ice.
However, Roy doesn't find out what will happen next. An angry voice comes from the stairwell that leads from the kitchen to the dance studio's upper level. It is a voice that the redhead would recognize anywhere.
"What the heck is with all the noise? Speedy, please tell me that you're not destroying the kitchen! How hard can it be to cook something?!"
It is easy to tell when she makes it from the stairwell to the kitchen, because her footsteps grow louder. A heavier set of footsteps follows, along with a jesting voice.
"Ooh, nachos! If someone broke in, then maybe we can bribe them to leave with these!"
Upon seeing that the kitchen is empty, Leila's voice is heard once more. Instead of angry, her voice has transformed into amusement.
"You're in the studio part of the building? Sweet fates. Please tell me that you're not practicing your dance moves!"
Starfire and Robin don't notice, but Roy does. At the sound of Leila's voice, Frostbite's posture turns rigid. All traces of his previous anger drain away into something that resembles a mixture of happiness and longing. So distracted is he by Leila's voice that the liquid sphere he was crafting drops to the ground in the form of a puddle.
When Leila enters the room, he looks exactly as he expects her to. Brown curls hanging around her shoulders and down her back. Twiggy frame adorned by a green tank top and dark-colored jeans. False green eyes wide with surprise and her mouth hanging agape. What he doesn't expect, however, is for her surprise to be directed at Frostbite. He'd expected her surprise to turn to rage at the sight of him frozen in a block of ice. He is her teammate, after all… Yet, this never happens. All the girl's focus is on the unmasked face of Frostbite, his face unobscured for the first time.
The girl's shock intensifies to the point where it looks like both of her hearts are about to give out. Her face is pale, like she is looking at a ghost.
Suddenly, that's when Frostbite's previous words hit Roy like a bolt. "If you touch my sister, then you pay the price!" Eyes widening once more, the realization strikes him. When he glances back at Frostbite only to see tears forming in his eyes, the realization strikes harder.
"No way," says Roy internally. "This isn't real."
A moment later, however, Frostbite's tears vanish. It happens the instant the door to the kitchen swings open a second time, revealing a chipper Adriel snacking on Roy's nachos. Much like Damiana, however, all happiness vanishes the instant he lays eyes on Frostbite. The belly dancer's eyes are bright green, his posture stiffening and jaw meeting the floor. Adriel's skin is paler than Leila's as he stares at the unmasked water-user. As a result, the plate of nachos he was holding crashes to the ground in a mess of broken glass and melted cheese.
Though he is the last to enter the room, Adriel is also the first to speak. He does so in a stutter, almost as if he is ready to pass out from disbelief.
"S-S- Sae…ran?!"
Leila is the next to speak. It is easy to see that she doesn't notice Starfire and Robin.
"Nar naxdath… Na raenathan… S-Saeran?!"
Roy doesn't see it due to his focus on Leila and Adriel, but Frostbite's tears have returned full-force. He is crying openly, salty droplets streaming down his face. This happens much to the surprise of Starfire and Robin. They gawk widely, having no clue about the scene that is unfolding before them.
Meanwhile, Frostbite also speaks. Like Leila, it is as if he forgets that anyone else exists. He dashes across the expanse with a stained face.
"Miarnat nan! Nak lalithikan, Damiana! Raenathan, Adriel!"
Frostbite engulfs Leila in a massive hug, the girl staring into space for a moment. However, it doesn't take long for the girl to return the embrace. Tears are trailing down her own face by this point, nothing painting her face besides disbelief. When she speaks again, this time it is in English. Not because she notices that there are others present, but more than anything, because of habit.
"Saeran? Oh my gosh! Saeran! Sweet fates! Sweet fates! Adriel's still alive, and now you, and now… Oh, sweet fates! I can't believe this!"
Without looking at him, Leila grabs Adriel by the sleeve and pulls him toward them. This time when she speaks, it is in her native language once more.
"Adriel, nan Saeran! Nar laedenten! Saeran nar nan laedenten, Adriel!"
Adriel joins the embrace, but only due to Leila's incessant tugging. Saeran pulls on him as well, nearly smothering he and Leila. Much to Roy's confusion, however, Adriel does not appear happy. The belly dancer is paler than a phantom and his eyes are wide with shock, clearly lacking the joy of his two companions. If anything, Roy might say that he appears fearful… Perhaps saddened? As Adriel's eyes shift from bright green to stormy gray, his negative emotions couldn't be more apparent…
Meanwhile, Robin's voice is heard. He doesn't address the embracing trio, and he doesn't speak loudly. Rather, the Boy Wonder whispers softly in what sounds like concern. His words are to Starfire.
"Are you okay? I know this is confusing; I don't understand any of this either. But you don't look confused. You look scared."
Arching a brow, Roy turns his head the best he can so that he is looking at Starfire. By now, the redhead doesn't care that he is trapped within ice. What is happening around him is far too intriguing.
The Tamaranean princess replies to Robin, and much like he'd stated, Starfire does look scared. Her features are wrought with horror, as if she's stared death in the face. If not death, then something akin to a person's worst nightmare.
"Do not be concerned, boyfriend Robin. Everything is fine. I am merely nervous about our ensuing battle against the Black Shadow."
Starfire smiles reassuringly. As happy as it looks, however, it is plain to Roy that the smile isn't real. Never has he seen a grin more fake.
A/N: That's it for now, folks. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it; both the humorous moments as well as the more serious ones. I've been waiting forever to write out the scene where Saeran attacks Roy XD ! Not to mention Adriel and Damiana reuniting with Saeran. I would have written all of this during the first few chapters of Part III, but there has been far too much for me to set up.
I know that everyone was hoping for a simple, fun, Teen Titans story with no deeper meaning, but that isn't what I want to provide everyone with. I still want to make this story fun, as I love adding humor to my stories, but I want to write more than that. Put simply, I want to mess with everyone's heads and make you question all of the information that I have presented so far; especially when Part IV rolls around.
In case everyone is curious, when we finally reach Part IV, I'm titling it "Unraveled".
Also, as a quick question, what are everyone's theories on Adriel? I'm sure all of you have noticed that something is going on with him. What are you guys thinking? Good guy? Bad guy? Psychopath? I would love to hear from all of you! :)
Thanks for reading, everyone, and thanks for your favorites and follows! Until next chapter!
Forever and Always,
OCQ