Disclaimer: By this means, I rightfully claim ownership to this FanFiction story and my original character within it, by my trademark signature T.M.O at the conclusion of every update. Any other characters that may appear in this work and are new, these are the rightful properties by their creators as well and cannot be reproduced, or duplicated without their individual consent. I do not own anything within the DC Universe, from Warner Brothers, or on Cartoon Network. The only original character and the name that I created for him; that I accept half ownership on is Falcon from this telling. Scififanfreak222 owns the second half of him as well, for drawing him upon a collaboration of various new designs and sketches within the year of 2010; and cannot be knowingly placed into another literary document, writing community, comic book series, and or televised broadcast without either of our written or verbal consent in front of legal consultants. TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne, Scififanfreak222, xSaffire55x, Novus Ordo Seclorum, and RavenxIsxAxBlackxRose; each of these fellow writers have helped me to press onwards with this story, every-time I have come across writers block. Without their outstanding guidance, the updates would have taken me even longer to complete.
Chapter 26 is up! The bravery of The Teen Titans is tested on every front, while a looming darkness overtakes the sudden cheer. Starfire stands alone, the battle within the sewer unravels, as two old friends act upon a pivotal moment. "Out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks." -Chaucer (1343-1400)-
Chapter 26 - Spontaneous Choices
"Slade!"
Starfire was taken aback by this truly wicked and absolutely detestable man. Every bit of her mind and spirit were telling her to turn and run, to call for backup and to confront this criminal later on with her entire team.
Unfortunately her allies were spread far and wide, and she had only just recovered from the injury against Jinx. She was terrified of what could happen, but her anger gradually overtook any other emotions that clouded her concentration.
Robin, Raven and Cyborg had left to stop the heist happening at The Jump City Gold Depository, while Beast Boy was too gravely wounded and within the hospital. Falcon was gone, and the constant reminders of his parting from their close-knit group was all too unsettling.
It was so brief and unexpected for The Necromancer to have come into their lives once they returned from Tokyo, and then, to learn that he had given the ultimate sacrifice. Suddenly she locked up, as the crimson cloaked drifter's ever so stern expression from beneath his sharp cowl came to mind.
Falcon reminded her of Raven, and with the understanding that Slade had caused yet more heartache for her, that deep pain had become consumed with a hot anger that boiled over when her eyes met with his single one. The bitter hatred welled up within her, like a now active volcano that had smoke rising from the summit, and the palpable wait for what was to transpire next kept the destructive mastermind on his toes.
Her eyes burned with an emerald bright fury, and the glow of her green starbolts began to hum like an electric current around her fists. She was going to confront him alone, there was no other choice.
"Leaving so soon?" he goaded her from the door, with his arms crossed over his chest as he was blocking her path.
While the two opposing forces stared at one another, waiting for the other to make the daring first move, Starfire's blood that felt to be bubbling inside of her veins, the tension and anticipation only made her feel an even stronger distaste when she looked at the masked villain.
"Your treachery ends here!" Starfire shouted as she unleashed continued blasts of the starbolts at him.
The courage within the Tamaranean Warrior Princess had ignited the raw power of rage, from deep within her. It was like the fuse to a powder-keg, and the devastating attack had finally erupted.
Her hands burst with the emerald glow of starbolts, and she ascended to hover much higher than his height, and she flew directly towards him. She tossed her explosive ammo at him, and he immediately ducked and swerved to avoid the onslaught.
After missing him directly she flew high and waited for a new opening, then she went in for a second nosedive out of the sky and swooped in for a fresh strafing run.
It was like the dreaded Stuka-Dive Bombers on a raid of an enemy encampment, when watched from old news reels during the Second World War. Her starbolts crashed all around the intended target, and she could not see for a moment.
Smoke gradually ascended, and still the daunting foe did not appear to have been hit. There was not a scratch on him!
The deceptive and far older armored enemy, maneuvered his body left and right with the agility of a renowned athlete at his peek. He was making things seem too easy, and it only enraged Starfire further that she was missing her mark.
In response to the onslaught, Slade threw several smoke grenades around the rooftop, and the heavy fog expanded and shrouded everything from sight. Starfire squinted her eyes, trying to locate the deadly adversary, yet he had fully embraced the concealment of his nifty toys.
She coughed, as the new distraction was inhaled suddenly instead of air.
"Show yourself!" Starfire demanded with the seething anger clinging to her. "You shall not prevail, your attempts of escape have failed you!"
A menacing and goading-like diabolical chuckle, cut through the white smoke. Starfire twisted her head back and forth, only the green glow over her hands and eyes brought any light forwards.
"My dear child." Slade's rasping voice caused her heart-rate to beat much quicker. "What-ever gave you the impression that I wanted to leave?"
It was at this most critical juncture during the lull in their battle, that his bo-staff swiped down across her backside, and she just managed to grapple with the end of his deadly weapon with both of her hands!
"Impressive." he continued to badger her, throwing in a left kick to her already sore lower leg. "Most impressive."
She side-stepped out of harms way after being brought back to the rooftop, and her feet were planted firmly on the ground. The obstruction of her vision was not dissipating as quickly as she had hoped, and her head began to throb. The teenager shook her head quickly, to ease herself out of the confusion.
The use of her powers was being utilized against her, as it was giving away her position.
Starfire still had other abilities at her disposal. From super-strength, or her incredible power to breathe in the most inhospitable environment from the darkest depths of outer space, and her body could regulate her internal temperature through the bitter extremes of cold and hot in any climate.
The young woman pushed back against the attacker, and his dark shadow retreated into the mist. He reemerged again, swiping low this time, and it baffled the red-head as she was totally unsure of where the next strike could come from?
The metal staff skidded across the rooftop, and the Princess hopped up to avoid the incoming swipe. In response to this, she hurled a continuous barrage of the energy blasts into the new spot he apparently maneuvered into, and she revealed a scowl at the black shadow having vanished much too quickly.
"You cannot win this battle!" Starfire boasted with great confidence. "Surrender."
"You and I both know, that is not how I operate."
His bo-staff cut in again, high and then low was the typical pattern where the attractive female hero blocked the strikes, and utilizing her incredible super-strength she chopped the weapon clean in two! The two separate halves collapsed to the floor, where the metal echoed as it was released.
The rising fog that enveloped everything had finally started to recede. It would only be a matter of minutes before her ruthless opponent would be in full view once again.
"You do not frighten me!" Starfire said while raising a fist. "You are not going to escape. I shall put an end to your threats once and for all."
The frightful laughter picked up again. "I must say Starfire, I am very impressed. However I did not come here for a simple haunt on you only."
The purple skirted warrior continued to scan her surroundings, unable to find the location of the pestering voice.
Where are you? she asked herself.
Just then a concussion grenade had rolled near her feet, and then it exploded!
"EEP!" Starfire shrieked, as she cowered from the blast.
While shielding her eyes from the sharp white tint that cut through the smoke, she dropped her defenses. Her hands appeared to be moving in a rather strange manner, and the air seemed to have a very unnatural current.
This . . . strangeness . . . it must have been caused from the concussion grenade.
Slade did not hesitate any longer, as he pounced into her from the back and he pinned her to the ground. This forced her to the rooftop, and her dazed moment lingered even longer. She squirmed as she found herself unable to get back to her feet, he was impressively heavy.
The antagonizer squinted his single, terrifying eye down at her from behind the cold lifeless mask. It almost seemed to be on fire.
"I wondered for the longest time how this little reunion of ours would go?" He tilted his head after saying this. "Are you enjoying this, as much as me?"
"No!" Her green eyes burned with a righteous fury, and she unleashed the power of her green lasers that came from her eyes, directly into his chest!
"Aaaargh!" he moaned in pain.
This attack caught him off guard, he had been pressing the fight and he had even landed good counter measures to the other members of her team. Beast Boy was taken down from a safe distance with a powerful sniper rifle, Cyborg had been incapacitated from the magnetic ring within the tunnel system, and while the fierce and attractive teenage Tamaranean got back to her feet, the deadly mastermind was apparently going after her directly.
What purpose would he expose himself so openly to me? Starfire thought to herself as she rose back up, and she was standing directly across from him. Surely he knows that I am much to strong in a duel of strength alone.
It did not seem like a wise decision in any regard, even taking on Falcon who could create fire from his hands, and bend the shadows around his opponents was a stratagem almost unknown. But Starfire did piece together that it was a delaying tactic, that Slade had utilized a robot duplicate version of himself, to drag the newest addition of the Titans even further into a trap.
What purpose would taking her head on prove? Starfire was physically the strongest and most untested heroine of the Teen Titans.
"Surrender!" she demanded one final time.
Starfire towered over him, her shadow was stretching far across the surface of the roof which the battle was waged. She felt entirely confident in her prowess and adaptability with everything that this madman would throw at her and her teammates.
He was now defenseless, his weapon was destroyed and he was just standing there.
He glanced up at her while the smoke had fully lifted. She could clearly see him, and she slowly walked over with her starbolts at the ready.
Of everybody on my team, I had no idea that I would be the one to take down our most challenging, and evil enemies of all. Starfire thought to herself as a smirk formed.
His armor was protecting him, but it slowed him down. His mask may have concealed his identity, yet she realized long ago that she nor her allies required to see his actual face for the orange and black steel that covered his profile, that empty and blank slate was all he was to them. A mysterious enemy that had no other motives other than destruction, plain and simple.
It was all Starfire cared to learn of as well. That is how he would remain, at least as Robin described him. A faceless opponent that wanted to destroy them, where The Teen Titans were certain that they would bring him to justice.
"You honestly have no idea as to what I am capable of, do you?" his terrifying deadpan caused her to instantly stop thinking.
"Silence!" Starfire hissed while raising her hand. "There is no escape for you this time. Today, today your treachery is at its end." she had a tickle in her throat, and she briefly coughed.
The Criminal Mastermind propped himself up, and he cracked the joints in-between his neck and shoulders. The uncomfortably loud popping sound caused Starfire to cringe slightly.
She was confident that she had bested him, he was battered and his main weapon of the bo-staff was broken clean in half. Slade had allowed the smoke-screen to clear, he was in the open and there was no possible way for him to get back inside of the building, for the exit where she stood was blocked.
Starfire remained directly in front of the door, and her posture revealed that she was capable to bring about his ruin with one brutal strike. Yet something still seemed off, and his unnatural re-emergence into the conflict. It was almost like he was biding his time for something even more evil.
"What are you . . ." Starfire paused as she suddenly felt her head beginning to spin.
"What's wrong?" Slade asked while slowly standing up. "The toll of battle finally having an effect?"
"My . . . head . . ." she clutched at her skull, everything was beginning to change colors around her, and the air current appeared to become psychedelic.
Slade stepped forwards. "It was a bit of a challenge on my part, trying to decide on how exactly I could take down a Tamaranean Warrior. I know that your race can survive in the most inhospitable climates, and I also understand that someone of your species is one of very few weaknesses."
Starfire began to feel even more woozy, and now her insides were becoming twisted. She wanted to throw up.
"It was not hard." Slade continued speaking, and his words echoed in her eardrums. "You see, I learned that the best approach would be to get close enough to have you accept my challenge. Close enough to unleash a potent new weapon, that even someone of your race can become susceptible to."
"I do not . . . understand?"
Feeling strange was only the beginning, she looked to her hands and felt that her powers were deactivated.
"You see, through all of our little spats of conflict that we have engaged in through the past, I took all that I learned from you and your team, to formulate a new strategy. One set against your weaknesses." Slade monologued, and he clasped his hands behind himself. "One such weakness of Tamaranean's as I found, was that your race does in fact breathe air. While your immune system is not of this world, it does function in much the same way as mine, or any mammal's does."
Starfire's legs began to buckle. "The smoke! How are you not afflicted while I am?"
He chuckled. "My helmet is not just for a fashion statement, or to conceal my identity as its sole purpose. It has a third function my dear. It has a built-in air filter, to cancel out any airborne toxins and I can still breathe in clean, non-compromised oxygen."
Her balance finally gave out, and she collapsed to the ground unable to move.
"What . . . have . . . you . . . done?"
Slade walked a bit closer.
"You said it yourself. You see, my smoke grenades while appearing much like Robin's to conceal any movements, mine are slightly different. A bit more weaponized and unethical . . . but my goals are to win, not to play by the rules of my enemies."
Starfire moaned in pain, as she felt everything spiraling and growing very disorienting.
His forbidding shadow began to inch towards her. The clouds appeared to grow darker in her eyes, and the shadows of the building transformed into horrendous monsters.
"While the smoke was designed to cover my tracks, it was laced with a highly noxious and yet at first a very undetectable concoction of chemicals, that when breathed in through the lungs, it works its way through the bloodstream. The formula thus disrupts the motor functions of your body as it travels first to your brain, and it brings a euphoria that cannot be countered."
"Ugh . . ." Starfire muttered while everything whirled at a rapid pace around her. The concept of time was gone from her, the world appeared to slow down as her endorphins became mixed with the chemicals that attacked her immune system.
"The added bonus is, that the more you fight against this, the more potent and lingering the effects shall become."
His shadow twisted into a nightmarish image, similar to what a child might find on Halloween, along with the numerous buildings around them in her mind, everything began to grow violently dark.
"I realized that for this to work," he continued giving his explanation; "with the unknown factors added into my calculations, as every person is different, for my plan to work I would need time for the formula to take effect. It would immobilize your system. I simply required the right moment for you to breathe in a heavy enough dosage all at once. Once you had, you did the rest by working your heart faster and having your body fight itself."
Starfire blinked her eyes lazily, the unbridled fear at being incapable to move, to fly or to fight back was causing her heart-rate to beat even faster and louder against her rib-cage. The toxic vapor was flowing through her body, and she could do absolutely nothing to stop it!
He leaned over her, looking down seeming to be enjoying how everything had transpired. "No need to panic my dear, for it is non lethal. The effects are only . . . temporary."
"You aren't going to destroy me?"
His eye appeared to curl into a vile grin, and it caused a subtle new fear within her to tremble.
"While I could finish you off now, seeing you sprawled out as you are, helpless, beaten, unable to fight back or to even cry out for help . . . it almost takes the fun out of this. Almost."
Starfire's emerald eyes bulged wide, as this terror began really to grip her. The seventeen-year-old was incapable to do anything, and her thoughts dwelled back to Terra, and how she had been tortured at the ruthless hands of this repulsive enemy.
The bombshell princess realized that the potent drug effected her even worse, the more her heartbeat quickened, causing the chemicals to travel faster and further throughout her bloodstream. With no solid grasp on how long it would keep her in this utterly helpless state, she could only listen to her heart hammering loudly against her rib-cage.
The noise vibrated within her eardrums.
Slade was right on-top of her, his shadow devoured the light while his fierce eye was all that she could see behind his horrifying visage. What he was plotting only this madman knew, and the depths of torture, and gruesome games which he had longed concocted to deliver against Starfire in particular, it was growing increasingly apparent.
The face of her beloved Robin crept into her thoughts, only his handsome image quickly dissipated into darkness, as though ripples in a pond had carried outwards. Now it was Slade that was seen, when she reopened her eyes with tears traveling down her cheeks.
Starfire was entirely at Slade's mercy, and there was nothing she could to to stop him!
(~)
The intense battle within the sewer was a fierce and bitter struggle. Back and forth the control over the narrow bridge carried on, with no clear champion to claim victory.
Cyborg and Raven fought back the tide that continued to crash against them, where the relentless waves of Robot Commando's charged into the fight from the pathway they had just left from.
Robin during this time, dueled the White Monster alone. His staff was caught in the bone-crushing grip of the massive and much more menacing opponent.
The momentary glimpse of a way out for The Teen Titans had been blanketed by a new darkness. They would have to defeat the unending army that Slade had sent in to finish the job, and this shapeshifting monstrosity was not going to let the team leader find an easier path back to the surface.
It was from the impressive forbidding shadow, of his much larger opponent that obstructed the light that penetrated into the sewer.
The calculated and lifeless red eyes of the White Creature whirled and spun, where Robin's domino mask squinted back with anger. They were in no way evenly matched, where before it took the entire team a whole two days just to contain the large foe.
It was toying with him, like he was a child striving to strike an adult and being pushed aside with ease. His many gadgets and abundance of crafty tools from his utility belt, they were not having any effect. There was no easy way around any of this, the intense battle was going to bring them to the edge of so many things, but the brave Teen Titans were not going to quit.
They had overcome so much, and for the leader of the heroes everything felt like it was only part of a much larger strategy. So long as they had an ounce of strength left to move, to breathe the Titans would press on.
The White Monster swiped low with his right hand, and his attack was blocked by the metal bo-staff. Robin in retaliation grunted, sweat was copiously pouring down his forehead as he struggled to keep up with the more energetic enemy.
The android-like-creature was fully charged and ready to go. It had endured the unconquerable collapse at the quarry from their previous encounter. It was not human.
The boulders had crashed around the shapeshifting entity, and some had even smashed its limbs to dust as it could not utilize the material to its advantage. Everything had happened much to fast, and it had nowhere left to flee.
The five member team of teenage superheroes had left it, thinking the job was finished and they had no understanding as to why it had attacked them. Unbeknownst to them, someone had been watching from security cameras, giving it orders.
Through the dark of night, it was salvaged. The army of loyal robots donned in their mirroring attire of black and orange faceless masks had dug the secret weapon out. From here they carried the White Monster back to their master's hidden lair.
Once the shapeshifting entity was retrieved, and with the memory banks still intact, The Criminal Mastermind known as Slade went to work on restoring his pet-project within his hidden fortress.
A truly deadly and dauntless opponent, the White Creature not only remembered who these foes were, but it also stored deep within its processing center, the analysis of each of the Teen Titan's characteristics. It had been given recorded footage that its devious master had obtained through his years of battling and testing them. Everything about their superpowers, and their strengths was instantly brought up to a lightning quickness.
When Robin would lunge in to strike, the red eyes immediately understood what form from his martial arts the hero was using, and it would counter the attack with a style of its own.
It's memory banks held all of the necessary data on what to do when it would meet them on the battlefield again. That time had now come, and the quandary of the skirmish it had first unleashed, it was leading them on a simple hunt in order to learn more of how they tended to fight against any new enemies.
The White Monster had learned, and it was not going to let them trick it again. Instead of running and evading their attacks, The White Monster was totally driven through its primary tactic of originally evade and learn, to now seek and destroy.
Of its three foes who were standing their ground, with no sleep over the past couple of days, the shapeshifting behemoth was pushing into The Boy Wonder's strikes with swift blocks and counter measures with absolute ease. It knew about Robin's utility belt, and the arsenal of gadgets and toys that The Titan's Leader would utilize in any scuffle.
After a sudden hesitation in the fighting, a cramp forced Robin to wince as his strategy was having no effect.
The hostile entity unleashed the continuous barrage of slashing its extremely sharp claws down at the domino masked vigilante, without mercy or letting up. The shapeshifting secret weapon did not have them the first time The Teen Titans crossed its path. These sharp tools were like the talons of a bald eagle, or the edge of a samurai Katana.
A few of the slashes had left fresh marks into the cloak of Robin, and his arm dripped with blood as he staggered backwards in horror. He was being driven back into his friends, and The White Monster was putting their efforts against them this time.
The spiky haired teenager felt sluggish and out of breath, where his impressive training and stamina was beginning to falter. He needed to recharge but his enemy would not allow him a single chance.
Upon noticing yet another slash deep in his right leg, he felt something trickling down his inner thigh under his green pants. It was blood, where the caped hero retaliated with hard hitting jabs of his own, swinging his prized metallic weapon every which way and he was panting heavily.
This caught the fierce White Monster off its guard, and it paused to recalculate its options.
The forbidding android swerved and avoided many attempts, nothing that the seventeen-year-old tried was having any success, but he had to keep it on its toes. Robin may not have been able to destroy it, but it could inflict harm upon him or his friends.
Back and forth the fisticuffs between these two gladiators carried on, they traded hit for hit, then the other would find a new opening and press on, only to quickly lose the upper hand as the defending combatant would retaliate.
The sound of Cyborg's arm cannon whirled and he blasted four enemies off from the bridge. Raven had utilized her dark sorcery, and she pulled bricks out from the wall to hurl at the rushing Robot Commandos, smashing into their faces exposing their electrical circuits, knocking them out.
"I thought you said that we were going to take this fight back to the surface?" Cyborg bellowed as he steadied his free arm over the Sonic Cannon.
The clanking of metal ricocheted down the long dark of the tunnel, while the dauntless Titan's Captain desperately struggled to gain any advantage. The brawl encompassed every direction, and they were growing increasingly worried.
"Well I'm open to any ideas." Raven maneuvered herself out of a low flying kick, and she reached for the metal handrail along the edge.
"Raven, a little help!" Robin pleaded.
Their backs briefly touched, and they each looked at the other to study the circumstances.
"Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!"
The black energy enveloped the material, and similar to the red bricks from the walls for ammunition, the blue cloaked elementress lifted the hefty railing and wrapped it around the antagonizer, like it was a straight jacket from an asylum.
"Nice work!" Robin cheered as he slowly backed away.
"Think that will hold him?" Cyborg asked, while turning to glance over his shoulder.
The gear-head fired a few more blasts at four more of the Robot Commando's, ascending up the pathway.
The metal structure had only momentarily aggravated the deadly creature, where it expanded its biceps and the impressive constraints shattered in every other direction! It was unable to contain it.
"I guess not." deadpanned the Empath.
"Well this is just great. We keep pushing them down, and more take their place." Cyborg heaved a sladebot over his head, and he slammed him into the water below. "I don't know what else I can do here? We need a miracle."
"We cannot keep this up forever." Raven confirmed their fears, as her heavy breathing combined with theirs.
"You're both right." Robin panted, as he twirled the bo-staff high above his head, and his companions bumped into him again. "Perhaps we can flush them out though?"
Raven and Cyborg turned their heads at one another, then they both looked to their commander and noticed a new devilish smirk.
Oh great . . . it's that look. Raven rasped in her mind.
"Robin, I do like it when you improvise!" replied Cyborg.
"We just need to divert the water into this canal we are in." Robin ducked low, just as the creature extended its arm to scratch his face for a fifth time and missing.
"I think we can arrange that."
"Wait, if the water level rises, then we'll all get soaked in that filth!" Raven bemoaned the unfortunate consequences that would take place.
"I know you levitated over the water, while Rob and me had to swim waist deep in it already!"
"This is going to get messy."
"Well, nobody said the life of a superhero was going to be bright sunshine and rainbows all day."
Cyborg was pushed out of the way by Robin, as the White Monster lunged in to strike him from behind! This made the Tin Man resume his focus from his teammates, back to the more obvious problem that would not let them flee to the ladder.
The two bird-named heroes had joined forces, and they were dueling the unending army that had been sent by Slade, where Cyborg locked his hands in a fierce tug-of-war grip against the far more muscular opponent, that his commander had originally parried off with.
"If you have any better idea's Rae, I'm all ears. But I think Robin's plan is the best shot we got left!" The Second-In-Command scoffed at her.
Well, at least they finally can agree on something. "Fine, fine! If it will get us out of debacle, then so be it."
"Alright then." answered Robin. "This way!"
He slapped his bo-staff against the cranium of one of the countless attackers, and this caused the electrical circuits to fizzle from the now intricate wound. "Cyborg, think you can handle yourself while Raven and me open the flood-gates?"
The team mechanic grunted in pain as he was slashed across the shoulder, after being momentarily distracted at the quibble. Quickly returning his focus back onto the large threat pressing down on him, Cyborg squinted his eye and gritted his teeth.
"GO! Do what you guys need to do. Don't worry about me."
He unleashed a hard right-hook, and it was a clean punch directly under the chin! The illusive shapeshifting enemy fell backwards a few paces from such a wallop of a hit. Then it cracked the muscles in its neck, giving out a disturbing popping echo.
"Uh-oh."
He understood that his Sonic Cannon had not been able to do any damage to the creature in the previous engagement, it merely absorbed the blue beam he shot at it, and it transmitted the energy into something else.
Robin used his grapple gun to propel himself over the ledge. "Come on Raven, this way!"
As he swung out and back into the water, two of the sladebots dove in after him.
"Ugh. I know I'm going to regret this." Raven rasped, and she followed in pursuit.
She had no understanding of how this extensive underground facility operated, but the plan was something bold and if they could divert the water towards the bridge, it could flush away the enemies, out to the Pacific Ocean.
The Empath looked back, catching a glimpse at the fierce battle taking place on the bridge. Cyborg grunted in aggravation when his combat moves had been foiled. The shapeshifting monster had adjusted the attacking pattern against the African American, as its memory switched its sparring techniques as it had when faced against Robin.
They could not delay, Cyborg was acting as decoy to hold the bridge and with every passing second, his strength weakened.
"I know it looks bad now, but Cyborg can hold his own." Robin spoke up as they hurried down a side tunnel of a new path.
The Team Mechanic's booming and boisterous shouts traveled across the halls. Everything felt strange and uneasy for Raven as they left him behind. The Grey Empath returned her attention back to her fearless leader.
"Do you even know where we are going? What are we supposed to be doing?"
"Down this path there is a station that controls some of the valves and pipes, in case one of the pathways needs maintenance work."
"And you know this because . . .?"
"Because I dedicate most of my free time in going over blueprints and the structural integrity around Jump City. Cyborg helped to key me in on critical components, and on days that the others would relax and kickback—"
"Oh, I get it." Raven cut him off in the middle of his sentence. "So that's why you are always in your room then. Even when nothing is going on."
The spiky black haired teenager did not respond, while he held out his communicator and the image of a map was generated on his screen. It revealed the location that he wanted to go.
Raven shot another quick look behind her, the bridge was now even farther away in the distance, and the stifling sounds of the brawl that had been so intense and serious moments ago, the echos of the fight were becoming fainter.
"Don't worry, we're going to divert the flow of water back our way, and it should push them out to sea."
"True, but hopefully we don't get washed away in the process ourselves."
Raven's smirk had quickly evaporated, where she suddenly stopped in her tacks. This caused Robin to halt, as his eyes were glued to the screen.
"What is it?"
"I'm not so much worried about him, as I think we have some of our own problems to contend with at the moment." rasped Raven.
Five massive sladebots were already in front of the two bird-named Titans, and they caused the heroic pair to stare in absolute frustration at yet another obstacle being unleashed against them.
Now, the sound of sloshing water coming from behind them, it caused them both to turn where ten more Robot Commando's had cut-off their only way back to Cyborg and the bridge that led to the streets.
"Great!" They said at the same time.
Without waiting for the enemy soldiers to get any closer, Robin unleashed four explosive disks at the clunky droids that were obstructing the tunnel, that led to a control platform. Raven's amethyst eyes turned white, and she utilized the water to generate a massive tidal wave that pushed into the identical commandos under the surging surf.
"Come on!" Robin waved her to follow.
Her eye color returned to its normal state, while her blue cloak swayed around her like a proud battle flag snapping to attention in the breeze. She flew past the towering opponents, two were reaching out to grab her as the other three had been knocked down from the explosions having rippled through their hardware. The well timed attack had made a fresh opening in the tunnel.
They soon found themselves heading around another sharp bend. The entire time Raven ducked and felt the blasts of laser pistols hitting parts of the walls, debris and smoke filled the air, as the splashing of more foot soldiers were not going to stop their pursuit.
Robin and Raven were being hounded from so many attacking faceless enemies, that the task of getting to the control platform was taxing on its own.
"How much further?" questioned Raven.
"It should be just up ahead. Look! There it is!"
"Good. Because I really don't know how many more of Slade's bots I can take."
They claimed up a side walkway and out of the filthy sewer water. They approached with great speed the back of a wall, and there were dozens of wheels and levers, that operated mechanisms around various canals. Multiple signs were plastered about the brick wall, as diagrams and arrows above certain wheels revealed that each mechanism controlled a different gate.
"Um . . . what ones do we use?" Raven asked.
"I'm not sure."
"We need to do something and fast Robin, it won't be long before that army learns where we are at."
(~)
A variety of food within The Geomancer's room had been devoured. The snacks, cookies and towering plates of dessert had been eaten by the two voraciously starved teenagers, while their beverages of soda and apple juice had been refilled.
It was so unreal for Beast Boy. It was his birthday and not one of his close family friends were there with him to usher in the celebration, except for Terra Markov who had previously parted ways following their arrangement at the Murakami High-School.
Despite that uneasiness about their last meeting, she was still an old friend. She was back in his life, and what heartaches that may have been caused, the drama of the past was officially over and behind them. Or so they both hoped.
The old scars while uncomfortable to dwell over, they were not as unpleasant or bothersome as they first had been. Time seemed to have healed the languishing wounds, they were being looked into but the pain did not sting as it once had.
When Beast Boy looked at Terra she would blush a little, and his smirk and cordial acceptance of her, these gestures made her heart beat a little faster.
What is he thinking? Terra thought.
All during the previous weeks he had been pondering and mulling over the past. There it was again, that emptiness in his very heart had not been filled and he needed closure.
He hated how things fell apart in various pieces, with how bitterly upset he was at the actions he could have followed. What could have been, and the different choices he might have made after learning about her betrayal.
No. It was not her fault. Beast Boy said to himself.
It was still clinging to him, and no matter how much he tried and the issues that distracted him, everything continued to draw him into a depression. The distaste over how everything had forced them to split, it was in the past. That was where the two silently and without saying it, had somehow come to an agreement.
Beast Boy was determined to keep those unpleasant memories away, even the mystery at why she was at the dam. It was all too much to focus on, where the young lad was insisting with pressing forwards with what could be built today, and what happy memories they could make now.
So far, Terra was certain to do the same.
Everything between these old friends was feeling renewed and surprisingly encouraging. It was a bright time for them, a new beginning, and they were still rather excited with just being together after all this time.
As Terra continued to recite the famed and historic ballad, the green shapeshifter sat quietly and his fang-toothed grin was at last noticed by her.
"What's so funny?" Terra asked with a chuckle, as she felt hot under the collar all of a sudden.
"Oh, it's just that you haven't changed one bit."
A swift silence clung between them. The blonde skinny girl twitched in her bed, as a new feeling quickly overcame her cheerful mood.
"But I have Beast Boy. I mean, I'm not the girl I was before."
The changeling frowned. "Well, maybe things are different and that is true. But some stuff about you hasn't changed since we last spoke."
Terra glanced away. "Everything has been on my thoughts since . . . well you know. And while the past may be behind us, it still left a deep mark on me. I know that I can't go back and do anything differently."
"Nobody can and its okay. I'm just glad we can catch-up." He placed his hand onto hers, and she tilted her head to focus on his eyes.
"Beast Boy?"
"Yeah?"
Her lips trembled and she shifted her focus away. "What are we doing?"
"What do you mean?"
"It's nice, really all the stuff and the gesture of opening up a new start into, well I don't know what exactly. It is really special to feel so welcomed, when I for one don't feel that I deserve anything."
He leaned in a little closer, his right shoulder ached and his wounds were still very tender, but he blocked out the sudden discomfort. He was brought into the beauty of her ocean blue eyes, and the softness of her voice.
The now turned sixteen-year-old wanted to bring a clear understanding between them, and while the past memories did hurt, they would not always have to weigh either of them down in shame forever. This was a new day, a new beginning.
She was only doing what she felt was right at the time, where he may have overreacted in the Hall Of Mirrors when she told him the truth. He did not want to lose her. Not again.
"Terra. You are conflicted with how to deal with things, and I won't lie when I tell you, that I too am still trying to figure this out."
She nodded her head.
He breathed in to collect his thoughts. "You don't have to worry about how everything went down, of what happened at the dam. We found each other. And it may have been hard, I mean this is . . . but it doesn't have to be."
She slowly raised her head as her silk smooth bangs covered her face. Many more questions were starting to fizzle and pop across her brain, and the two were sensing something else that was difficult to describe.
"For one thing, I didn't know you liked to recite poems." he continued. "that's new but there is something about you that has been there since we first met. It is still here even now."
"What?"
He smirked. "You were always one to make me become speechless. And this is coming from a guy, who can go on and on about all sorts of things."
She brushed her hair away from her face, while she wished that she had a hair-clip or a scrunchy to keep it tied back. There was a part of her which was indeed glad, that he had to keep guessing with what she was really thinking, and her bangs acted like a veil.
Her long golden hair acted like a shield, to hide her emotions.
Terra was feeling an array of multiple things as he was. He still had the same sharp toothy grin he expressed, the laughter that was iconic to his character, even the way he sat so close to her when he should have been in his own bed, all of this was something that brought a deep affection that she felt she was totally unworthy of anybody.
Despite all of his many wounds and painful injuries, he was still caring for her. He was still smiling and keeping company with her in the hospital when he did not have to.
"You really know how to make a girl laugh." Terra giggled as the two welcomed the warm moment of compassion.
"They say that laughter is the best medicine." he wiggled his eyebrows.
"You are just full of surprises." she leaned in, and this time she clasped his open hand with hers.
"Surprises are my specialty."
". . ."
Her eyes flickered with a gleam of sunlight, and she seemed so much more beautiful than he had remembered long before they were able to embrace their affection in the Ferris Wheel.
"Terra-"
The blonde Geomancer silenced him from continuing, just by tilting her head up again.
It was almost as though she had cast a spell by keeping her captivating blue eyes locked into his green pair. Suddenly and without any reason as to why, Beast Boy was unable to talk.
No, he did not want to.
While they both looked at one another waiting to articulate the rest of this sentence, her fingers toyed around his. Without thinking of what to do or say, she saw an opportunity to make something carry strength with her own choices, and she leaned in.
She reached up and wrapped her arm around his neck pulling him in close. With no desire to talk, they kissed.
He blushed while his mind spun rapidly with what was going on, but he closed his eyes as he felt the sweet taste of her lips being pressed against his.
It felt so incredible, worrisome and shocking all at once that his tongue rolled around trying to find letters, only he felt another inside of his mouth.
Beast Boy at first had wanted to push her away, to fight it as something felt so very wrong, while at the same time he decided to kiss her passionately back. That he was afraid somebody would see what was transpiring, but soon all of this lifted into nothingness, as nobody else cared to even be with him.
When he could have said something, anything, instead he opted to hold onto this moment for as long as he could. Together, they had pushed aside all fears and for once in their lives they were embracing a spontaneous element of life.
It was something they each had secretly desired.
Everything came spinning back to her, as she felt his hand rub along her cheek. Terra had been withholding what she had longed for, something that she ached to do in the Ferris Wheel, on that cold breezy night when she had betrayed The Titans. That evening had haunted her as it did him, and it was so unexpected that Terra was the first to make a move.
While they leaned in, that sudden spark had jogged something deep within her, and the passion he reciprocated to her now proved he had been missing her. By embracing what they had longed hoped for, both of these teenagers realized that it was never too late.
Their heartbeats echoed in their heads, rhythmic and soothing where nothing else mattered as time felt to have come to a halt.
{{End Of Scene}}
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Author's Note:
Oh no! That's it? What will become of our brave heroes? What about Starfire? How could I, in good conscience and while I am fully aware of things be so willing to leave the story as it is? To leave this update on Terra and Beast Boy kissing? What is going to happen to everybody? What is unraveling back in Gotham City? (This is just cruel! Why are you doing this?) Well now, it looks like the cliffhangers I left you guys with on this one, they will be a bit on the painful side to wait for any resolution. Dang-it! I know, and just when the story is getting good. See, there have been no comments of late and I feel kind of low, I honestly would like to hear what you are feeling. It would be a big boost to my moral.
You see that little box at the bottom of the page, the one for comments, if there are a good amount reviews (how about ten?) then I will gladly upload sooner. {;-) It always comes down to you the fans. Or I might just have to take drastic measures on another beloved character. Who will it be next time?
~~T.M.O~~