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 29 is complete! Slade's next phase of his master plan is swiftly set into motion, meanwhile, Cyborg and his new friend race for the only way out, as Elizabeth ponders her actions. "Persistence is the key." -Unknown-
Chapter 29 - A Fury Unleashed
A hidden door within a totally darkened room opens, causing a captivating glow of white light to illuminate the pitch blackness. The muscular figure walked in, and the door behind him gradually slid shut.
Things within the building were very old and covered in cobwebs, the glow of the sunlight outside cascaded through the large glass windows, giving a blue hue to the atmosphere. A few crows flapped their wings in the belfry, cawing to one another as they rested upon the wooden structures that housed the ancient bell.
This structure was conceived well over a century to be more specific, while the constant sound of a rustic melody, of gears turning and cogs locking into place, of ropes swaying and tightening, all of this was being caused by the rhythmic and soothing vibrations of both large and small mechanisms working in tandem.
Clicking and creaking from the turbines moaned, the steady eerie noise within the Tower made anybody who entered feel like this building had a life of its own, even when nobody was inside of it. From the cold steel of metal being pulled by the thick oak wood, of swaging belts spinning and churning, spinning and churning.
It was the old Clocktower, the hidden sanctum for the Criminal Mastermind's fortress. As he took one step, and then another, gradually lights turned on from his movements where he tilted his head to observe the guts and apparatus about the ceiling.
The long beams and spinning parts came into focus through a dark blue fog, for a moment he felt like he was walking along the Moors of Scotland, and the thick mist enshrouded him, hugging him like a blanket and enveloping him into obscurity. Slowly, each of the lights turned on one by one, and the mist faded out.
Slade had returned back to his secret hideaway, and he was going to formulate his next plan of attack.
The tall figure approached a balcony that overlooked the magnificent chair with the monitors and computer screens, down on the floor below. A bit of steam hissed from the ancient devices still in operation, and a thin smoke spread about him.
The sturdy mechanisms upon the outside of the uppermost level of the large glass windows, all of this revealed the hands of the clock. At the very back of the four corners of the room, the shadows continued to slowly move.
The Clocktower was still functioning as it was originally designed to, where the resident desired above all else to maintain the appearance of normalcy on the outside. Things within the ancient landmark however, revealed a large and comforting lair, that he himself had expanded upon.
It was totally conspicuous, where the reclusive resident had no desire to make his base of operations known. Formulating his plans right under the noses of his most despised enemies, this fact made him feel even more proud.
In stark contrast, Titans Tower was directly across the bay and he could observe it easily. The Tower was nestled safely on its small plot of land out in the ocean, where the mighty Clocktower faced it from the very center of Jump City. Everybody from all walks of life, from the average citizen to the criminal deviant knew who lived on the most famous island.
While it was a very prominent structure like The Statue Of Liberty in New York, or Mount Rushmore in the mid-west, Titans Tower was not entirely feasible or wise to have such an obvious place as ones home, so well known to everybody.
The Teen Titans did not seem to care about this, where it was almost as though they were welcoming any challenger to try and fight them.
In the past there had been numerous attacks that were brought to their very doorstep. Some were so severe, that the island which Titans Tower was built upon had almost been sunk beneath the water of the bay, from the giant worms Slade had unleashed.
The Justice League called the most iconic Hall Of Justice their home. For certain it was a very historical place that was shown to the general public in Washington D.C. This was just a museum for tourists, and Slade deduced that the real base for the superhero squad was somewhere far away.
The footsteps of Slade's metal boots ricocheted across the upper level's long grate built platform. He had taken the elevator and once inside he paused by the railing, to study the wonders of his home.
There was something innately beautiful about the simplicity of The Clocktower, and for a man with plain tastes and nothing flashy to show off, there was no better place to call his own sanctuary. It preformed the function for Jump City, and there was no better place to carry out his operations, than right in the very center of everything.
He slowly and methodically descended his way down the long rusted steps to the main floor. He was in deep thought about the recent events.
The villain was entirely secure, there was a variety of ways to enter and leave his base which the birds and even some bats came and went freely, where all other entrances were locked down and secured. Nothing was overlooked, and every part of The Clocktower had defensive elements at the ready should the need arise.
The faithfully and well dressed white haired majordomo had emerged from behind the massive throne, where he silently watched his master take his seat in the revolving chair. He was carrying a silver serving tray, and an assortment of beverages had been prepared for his masters return.
A chessboard with the familiar white and black figures were staggered upon a nearby table. These thirty-two tokens each represented the overall strategy and map of his long drawn-out war, where each piece carried an important function. Chess was a game that was based on swift attacks, of plotting one move or two ahead of ones opponent.
Slade was several moves ahead, and still he was caught off-guard by the unexpected arrival of reinforcements, particularly at this early stage of his efforts. He had been plotting for months since his last appearance to the heroes, when he joined forces with them to take on Trigon.
The Teen Titans, The Titan Squadron, and The Titan's East were sixteen white pieces all on one side. Eight of the variety black pieces were lined up, none of his pawns were taken out of the box.
It was an eloquent and very fitting way he plotted his moves. In any game, all of the soldiers would be placed first but Slade had given his opponents a far bigger advantage, by starting the match with half of his army unaccounted for.
After tapping the base of his helmet and reaching over to adjust the pieces in their proper rows, Slade glanced to the checkered pattern board, and he rested his right hand below his chin.
He had yet to say a single word, and the loud churning and clicking of the great clock was the only noise.
Wintergreen the dutiful servant bowed his head, and he retrieved a remote that controlled the monitors and numerous screens. He understood what was going to be asked, and without speaking he pressed play and every television revealed the footage of what had been recorded.
"So, they have finally started to prepare for war . . . amusing." Slade's rasping voice slightly echoed. "They have called in reinforcements, but no matter, the more allies they add into the field, this will only disrupt their movements. This was known, and it has played out exactly as I predicted."
While he moved the first white pawn forwards, the close up images of the newest teenagers, from Delphi entering the hospital with Kimiko, to Press glancing both left and right before ducking into a sewer cover, and a brunette red caped girl piloting their ship to a secluded location before turning on the cloaking device, these strangers were spotted across the middle flat screens.
These were four white pawn pieces, and The Titan's East members represented the other identical foot soldier set.
"Sir?" The butler asked.
"They have accomplished nothing." Slade leaned back in his comfortable throne, with his single eye staring at the lone white pawn. "The only thing they are aware of; is that this struggle is far from finished."
The Mastermind picked up his little stationary soldiers being his pawns, his black ones were representing the villains in Gotham that he had yet to see in action. Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, Cheshire, Penguin, Two-Face, Killer Frost, Victor Zsasz, and The Mad Hatter.
The much older man frowned. "But won't our enemies double in their efforts? What will they risk for the victory they seek?"
"The Titans are going to put everything they have into hunting me down, which I have been looking forwards to for a very long time."
Slade moved a black knight too far forwards, exposing it to the opposing white king. This horse represented the famous Xenothium Bandit.
"Red X had outlived his usefulness." he knocked over the little horse, and he glanced to his own queen. "Blackfire has proven that she was willing to serve, where my offer should have been the enticing motivator for the army we require."
Wintergreen nodded in silence, where all of the eight black pawns were now lined in their single row, and it blocked any movements that the white pieces could make.
"As for the Titans current state of affairs however;" Slade resumed his attention to one of the white castle pieces. "They have no choice but to return back to Titans Tower. At least some of them will."
He held an index finger over the farthest right enemy rook, and then he pointed to his own castle token that was on the exact opposite side. This represented The Clocktower.
"They will return to their home to lick their wounds, and I have come here to formulate the next stage of attack."
Slade shifted his left eye from a screen that revealed Robin clashing with The White Monster deep in the sewer of Jump City, and he refocused his gaze onto the enemy's king.
He moved two white pawns on the board to be blocked by his own, as these tokens around it had left an opening for the white king to flee before being taken.
"You see." Slade continued speaking; "The others will not stop Robin from going off on his own, he is too committed to the safety and future of his teammates to ensure his own well being. He leaves himself vulnerable to counter attacks, and it inevitably drags the rest of his allies to go in after him."
Wintergreen tilted his head as he observed the tactics happening, both on the board and in the recordings.
The footage on the monitors revealed Robin leaping over a long bridge, with Raven not far behind him, and another of him charging directly into a group of sladebots, bashing them to bits using his bo-staff.
The most valuable figure that stood for The Titan's Leader being the white king, this critical piece was set onto a square to the farthest left spot on the board, leaving itself open with nothing around to protect it. Slade then moved one of his black castle pieces forwards and he was lined up to take it, this dark rook represented The White Monster.
The Criminal Mastermind chuckled quietly before saying; "To win this game, he must be cornered and slowly all of his allies must be stripped away from him. They will follow him, but they first must be separated."
A white knight of his enemy's team was swiftly moved forwards in the (L) pattern to shield its king, it represented The Necromancer.
"Falcon has already been sacrificed." He tipped over the white horse, and he maneuvered his black knight piece that played the part for Cinderblock closer to the white queen.
"Ah yes, but be ever mindful;" Wintergreen spoke up. "The cunning of the enemy is to strike back, when one of theirs is stripped from them."
Slade squinted his eye, as the image on another monitor revealed Kimiko and Starfire cornering the most loyal bodyguard of his troops, and these two men watched as the massive destructor charged head-long into a turned over electric generator, knocking himself out.
The masked criminal sighed, exhaling through the slits of his helmet. He tipped over his only remaining knight piece and he removed it from the board.
So far three knights were lost, the biggest casualties were against Slade losing both of his, where the first horse could still have had a role to play.
"Hmmm." Wintergreen chimed in. "Perhaps the sacrifice of Red X was not a proper opening move on your part sir?"
"It was the only way to see if she could handle it." Slade looked to his queen. "He had outlived his desired purpose, and by given up him, I created a new opening."
"I understand. But they still have a knight on the field."
"Cyborg is already at ends with his commander." Slade moved the last remaining white horse to a different corner. "He has proven his usefulness like the dedicated soldier he is for The Titans, but he is tired."
"You are correct sir, from the latest reports he is in dire need of a deep rest, and repairs." Wintergreen replied. "Where he has already weakened himself a great deal. Indeed you did plan this when you confronted him alone in the tunnel."
The one-eyed mastermind moved another of his pawn pieces.
"What of the changeling?" Wintergreen questioned, as the image of Beast Boy being shot in the generator room within the dam was replayed on a side flatscreen.
The Criminal Mastermind reached over and in a long straight line, he moved the second white rook to the back, where it was lined up perfectly to the black king representing himself.
"While he has come the closest from the others, to being the deeper issue and an unpredictable force that his abilities may prove, his impertinence and brash action at the dam has cost him the ability to continue in the long fight. He is of no concern to me."
With a gleam in his only eye, Slade knocked down the castle; causing it to roll back and forth like Falcon's piece had done.
The Grand Tactician then moved the white queen representing The Tamaranean Princess diagonally in front of its own king, before he continued with his explanation. "Starfire however is back in the fight. She will look to any way of defending her brave and dashing leader, without a care or thought of her own life."
Wintergreen tapped his chin. "Hmmmm."
"Commitment and desire are powerful motivators." Slade's left eye curled in a sinister fashion, as he shifted his queen piece representing Blackfire, to constrict any movements of the white queen. He then moved the white king back a square. "Her sister will distract the girl quiet well."
"And what of the blue cloaked one?"
"Raven is going to be a bit harder." Slade moved a white bishop diagonally across the board, and it had a clear opening to the opposing rook. "But with Terra back in their fold, things will become too complicated for her to sort through."
Wintergreen watched as the dark castle was adjusted to avoid being taken, and then a second white bishop that stood for The Geomancer was placed into the square representing where the green shapeshifter had last been.
"Things are proceeding exactly as you have planned sir." Wintergreen remarked as he poured a cup of hot steaming tea, and he set it down onto the plate.
"Not entirely." Slade clasped his fingers in front of him. "To be blunt, I was merely testing them. They have gone all over the field, while the real game has only just begun. Pieces for both sides have been sacrificed, and many more will be . . . before this contest is decided."
The proud butler bowed in respect, and he quietly departed. Slade removed a shining disk that contained the location of Wildfire from his belt, and he examined it with close inspection.
After glancing from the chess pieces on the board, he leaned back and studied the countless screens. His queen piece was standing in front of all of his pawns, and the reflective surface of the disk was almost hypnotic. With the enemy having moved the last round, now it was his turn.
"So Blackfire." Slade started speaking above a whisper, as his long shadow covered the board where the one remaining rook of the white army was standing, and it represented Titans Tower. "What lengths will you go to, to see your thought-to-be lost brother?"
(~)
Cyborg along with Press who had been standing upon the narrow bridge battling the terrible threat, the fight had suddenly come to an abrupt halt. They were on one end, and the White Monster was at the other side.
It was so difficult to process the very next thought for both young men, as the new problem was very unsettling. The rumbling 'whooshing' echo caused the handrail to tremble, and both young men looked around their surroundings. It reverberated across the curved brick walls, and all other issues were suddenly lost.
Looks like Robin and Raven managed to accomplish their end of the mission. Cyborg thought.
"Um Cyborg . . . what exactly did your friends head out to do?"
"He did it." Cyborg smirked while holding onto the bar. "Now comes the hard part."
"What would that be?"
The sword fighter who called himself Press, he looked down the tunnel where The White Monster did the same. A pending doom was heading directly for them, where Press continued with; "And here I thought today couldn't get any worse!"
Cyborg rolled his eyes before saying, "Oh you just had to say it."
The rushing water was building and gaining speed, transforming into a torrent of a violent and unstoppable power. Everything was swallowed up into the maw of the rapidly moving water, and it continued to rise as it traveled closer and closer to them.
All the valves and pipes that held back the storage of the other tunnels and grates within the massive maze of the sewer-system, the very bowels of Jump City were unleashed, as all other pathways had being sealed.
Great. Cyborg said to himself. Now I need to move or it's all over!
The White Monster did not pay any more attention to its two enemies, its red sensors were entirely fixated down the long dark of the tunnel, the force of nature getting dangerously close with every passing second.
Cyborg and Press glanced to each other and silently they backed away without being noticed. They could not linger for it would prove fatal.
This was their chance, the moment the gear-head had been expecting to come, and now that it was finally about to arrive, he was partially shocked at the execution of his leader's plan.
It worked! thought Cyborg.
"Come on!" Press grabbed him by the arm, and he pulled his newfound ally up the narrow walkway. "We've got to move!"
Four sladebots began to pour back onto the bridge. With nobody shooting at them, the drones began to unleash a murderous rate of fire using their own blasters, aimed at the two escaping targets.
Through this act and the sound of gunfire, The White Monster had been drawn back to its prey. Its primary objective was to destroy the Teen Titans, allowing them to escape was against its primary setting. The sladebots quickly met up with it, and they calculated their next attack.
"We've got to keep moving, the ladder to the surface is just over there!" Press pointed to the exit.
Cyborg stopped and turned to look at the much bigger enemy. He was exhausted, he had to recharge his main battery, there was nothing more he could do in a fight that only weakened him further.
He could not defeat The White Monster alone, and his latest masked comrade was no match for it on his own either. Together they had barely slowed it down, yet it was relentless.
A stern and frustrated scowl formed on his face. Cyborg had grown tired of running, he wanted to prove his strength through combat. Then the images of Robin and Raven flashed through his memory.
"No!" Cyborg gasped. "My friends are still down there, we can't leave without them!"
"It's too late!" Press tried to pull him but he would not budge. "Your friends won't be able to make back here it in time!"
Cyborg violently spun around to rid himself of the other teenager's hand.
"No!"
Just then, a large and terrifying noise echoed down the opposite end of the channel, it was of a mighty door slamming shut, and it was sealing the only way that the water could travel. It was going to buy them a few minutes perhaps.
It was an emergency door that automatically became closed when there was a malfunction. The water was not yet at the bridge, but other sensors had triggered a problem, and it was trying to correct the man-made error.
"They will find another way." Press started to climb the ladder as his new friend stood near a pillar. "My teammate is with them. Now, we can stay here and we will surely drown, or we move out and live to fight another day."
Cyborg paused, and he glanced back. The world around him felt to be slowing down, as his adrenaline was in overdrive. He did not even hear what was spoken this time.
"I cannot." Cyborg stayed with his answer. "My friends decided to keep that thing down here, and if we both go to the surface, who knows how much destruction it will cause? I have to stay."
"You are in no condition to fight that thing!"
"You're right about that. But everything has a weakness, and I just need to-"
"Need to what?"
The look upon Cyborg's face suddenly changed, like a lightbulb had gone off. The numerous instances of the White Monster shapeshifting and morphing by whatever it touched, this power had been near impossible to deduce the trump-card during the battle. Yet something went off in the Titans head, and he had a course of action that statistically faired better than anything else up his sleeves.
There was something about its strength and greatest attribute, that allowed an idea to form.
Cyborg peered around the corner real quick, and then he held up his index finger. "If that thing can morph its body by absorbing what-ever it touches, shouldn't that also be the same about weaker objects?"
"I'm not sure I follow. We need to go!"
The memory of when Cyborg had been infected with a virus, caused by Beast Boy was inspiring at this moment. Beast Boy, I have got to hand it to you. Your antics sure find peculiar uses in times such as these.
"What is it?" asked Press.
"I've got an idea."
Blaster fire ricocheted around the pillar, and they both ducked behind it.
"You can't be serious right now!" Press reiterated. "What plan could you possibly have that will work against that?"
"I do have limitations, but when I stand for heroics in my worst moments, that is what makes me a Teen Titan."
The Titan's mechanic smirked to calm both of their nerves, and he walked out from their cover to stand against the onslaught of enemies and The White Monster.
"Cyborg!" Press cried after him. Dammit, I was given a specific order to acquire him and to get us out of here. I can't go back without him!
"Get back to the others." Cyborg said while partially glancing over his shoulder. "I'm going to finish this!"
"What? Are you insane?"
"Trust me." Cyborg cracked the joints between his neck. "I appreciate your help, but I have to do this. I'll be alright."
I wish you would tell me what the heck your plan is. Press thought to himself, and he waited by the rungs of the ladder.
The Teen Titan gracefully dodged the heavy blaster fire, and the four sladebots that charged forwards were defeated through his hand-to-hand combat prowess. Now only the White Monster stood in front of him.
"Well, what are you waiting for big guy?" Cyborg goaded his fierce enemy. "I'm ready to end this when you are."
The Teen Titan tapped on his wrist, his Sonic Cannon was not working at the moment, and his other gadgets were not helping him, but there was one thing that he could use. To fight the far larger foe without his allies, or his abilities was a severe problem.
What are you doing? Press questioned the action to himself.
The White Monster trotted forwards with both arms extended, the sharp claws it had used in the engagement previously had reemerged. The creature seemed like it wanted to dissect the half human half robotic teenager.
This was it, the final moment of their long exhausting struggle.
Come on. Cyborg rasped in his mind. I have one shot at this, I can't afford to miss!
The sound of a tsunami was getting steadily more intense, sloshing into the last barrier and without wasting any more time, Slade's ultimate weapon bolted for the Teen Titans gear-head.
With a grin on his face, Cyborg side-stepped to the left and he pulled out a cord from his left arm, where he jammed it into the White Monster's back! After a bit of typing on his built-in keyboard, a surge of electrical energy sparked and went from his inner system through the connector cable, and right through the White Monster!
It's red sensors for eyes bulged in bewilderment, it suddenly realized what was happening but it was unable to morph itself in time. The electric current that came from the Titan's remaining power supply, it destabilized any movement it could make. The plan worked!
Unfortunately, both fighters were being zapped, and they were in tremendous agony. Electricity popped and was noticed in bright sparks, where the horrific transference of power caused a frightful spectacle.
After a short span of time, the dueling factions collapsed upon the bridge. Smoke swiftly rose from their worn out bodies, as the abhorrent scent of burning wires into rubber traveled through the air.
The crafty ploy had ended the fight, but the damage to Cyborg's own system had knocked him out in the process.
"CYBORG!" Press shouted as he ran over and he could barely support the Teen Titan's massive body weight. After a brief struggle and huffing deeply for energy, the masked teenager was relieved to notice the red light for his eye turn back on. Cyborg was able to sit upright with guidance.
The Titan's gear-head was beaten, he was unresponsive as he had utilized his body's own limitations against their enemy. The White Monster lay across the bridge face down, not moving.
"I thought for sure I was the crazy one?" Press heaved Cyborg's arm over his neck. "Are you well . . . beyond the point of the obvious and probably hurt, I figured for the sake of things that I'll ask it anyway."
"Ugh." Cyborg moaned while rubbing his forehead. "And I thought I was hurting before I heard your jokes."
"I'll take it that you'll survive." Press chuckled.
"Another bout of your dry wit, and it just might finish the job."
After being hoisted up from the floor, he quickly took a knee and was panting heavily. Sweat began to cascade across Cyborg's face where the warning systems within his suit were telling him he was in very rough shape.
"Can you walk?" Press asked.
Cyborg rubbed his knees, and then felt his legs begin to move before he said; "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
Press shook his head. "Why do I always get the crazy ones on my missions?"
"Huh?"
"You are one tough cookie." Press struggled again, trying to get his balance only he was forced to take a knee again, with all of The Jump City hero's weight leaning into him. "We need to get topside."
The servos and whining from the joints and brackets, within Cyborg's suit sounded just awful. He would require new parts, and the low dim from his typically bright blue glow that was generated by the aura of his circuits, his armor was now a murky grey.
The gear-head finally stood up, yet he had a bad limp in his right leg. He paused while looking at the shapeshifting creature, still unresponsive and totally knocked out. His eyes scanned the floor, and he found the strewn body parts of the sladebots.
"Think that did it?" Press asked.
"One can only hope."
"Funny. I came down here to save your butt, and instead you manage to save mine."
The shaking along the handrails picked up again, and this time it did not stop. The sound of metal bending and bolts shooting out, from the large circular door caused them both to look at the destruction that was about to hit.
"Save it for when we get out of here." Cyborg scolded. "We don't have much time."
"Right."
The two heroes made the long trek back to the pillar they were standing behind from earlier, where it felt even more excruciating as though the narrow bridge had suddenly become extended.
"The ladder is just ahead of us!" Press gasped. "We have a little further to go."
The way out was just in front of them, they both reached out to grasp the first rung where in the middle of the bridge, the creature opened its eyes! It reached out to grab the handrail at the same time to pull itself up, and it was steadily getting back to its feet.
"Oh come-on!" Cyborg groaned.
"Forget about that, look!" Press then pointed down the tunnel.
The monstrous wave was now pouring through the gaps and seals, eventually bending the massive barrier and then forcing the door dow! The water had reached the full height and width of the path. It was tumbling and smashing everything into oblivion, as a long drawn out sound like a freight train having been derailed, was absolutely deafening as it poured in.
"CLIMB!" Cyborg barked out an order.
The two superheroes staggered a bit, trying to claw their way up the rungs of the decrepit contraption. The African American was on the lower portion, having a rather difficult time just pulling himself up one bar at a time.
The light from the sun crept through the manhole cover, and it formed a cone shape around the tight space that the two crimefighters were in.
A cool breeze caught Cyborg's attention, where the mighty wave was approaching well beyond an alarming rate, and it would leave no survivors! Even the rats that scurried ahead from earlier were nowhere to be seen.
Both he and his companion clung to the metal brackets that protruded out from the wall tightly with one hand, and they used the other reaching for the next rung up. It was very arduous, and Cyborg's depleted battery power caused him to momentarily shut-down.
Fear was gripping them, and the race to reach the surface was all they could think about. Even the reemerging White Monster was of little concern, it was the realization of drowning that consumed all other priorities.
The large circular flat disk was reached, and Press extended his hand up to push it out of the way.
"CYBORG!" Press shouted.
There was a lingering pause, and the famous superhero jolted himself awake. "Quit your worrying about me, just open the hatch!"
"I've got it!"
Press had opened the manhole, causing the bright afternoon sun to become wide and blind them both as they looked up to the city. The Titans Squadron Member heaved himself up and he was safe, where he quickly reached down and leaned in for his companion.
Cyborg took one last glance back behind him, the water was already at the bridge with the crest of the wave slamming and curling over the railing. Just as the White Monster had stood up fully, reaching an arm out to brace itself, the terrifying maw swallowed it whole!
Water splashed across The older Titan, his feet swayed and slipped while the powerful force crashed against his back and hips, he could barely hold on where his fingers felt like they would slip.
It was at this perilous moment, that the servo within his right shoulder had given out! Backwards he fell, the water was enveloping him as it had for the creature and he was reaching upwards, trying to pull himself to the city streets in a last desperate attempt to live.
The entire time, a red sensor was going off in his skull, telling him of a system failure. This was not good.
"Gotcha!" A familiar voice called down, as the hand wrapped in white bandages lunged in, and clasped his outstretched metallic fingers.
Using all of his strength, Press squeezed onto the cold grip of his new comrade, then he reached in with his other hand and he hoisted the much larger and heavier hero, out of danger.
The two teenagers lay on the sidewalk, gasping for breath where down just below them, the raging torrent slammed into one of the sealed doors that was barely holding it back again.
They were lucky that the path they were on was not directly under a highway with Jump City traffic, rather it was an outlet that had been built into the sidewalk. The bright afternoon sun felt good, as did the unfiltered city air compared to that of the stench of filth within a sewer that they had spent countless hours within.
"You sure like to cut it close, don't you?" Press questioned him while he rolled to his hip.
"That's the only way I know how." Cyborg had a brief laugh, and then he rolled to his hip where his arm still felt limp. "Thanks for that."
"It wasn't anything."
"No, I'm serious." Cyborg reached out and he shook his hand. "You saved me back there."
"We helped each other." Press accepted the handshake, and he smiled.
Cyborg breathed in a very deep and emotional amount of air into his lungs. His body trembled, then the terror of his teammates being trapped in the underground maze leapt to his next most important thoughts.
"Dang it!" The Teen Titan gasped. "My friends are still down there!"
"Not to worry." Press replied cooly. "One of my teammates linked up with them, I'm sure they found an alternate route."
Cyborg was transfixed while looking into the pit. He had been through so much, and so had his compassion who risked everything to save him from his dilemma at the Bank Vault, now the layers of guilt began to creep up on his conscience.
Press got back to his feet where a crowd of onlookers began to slowly congregate near them. After brushing himself off, he straightened his nifty fedora and looked behind the faceless Rorschach inkblots of his mask.
The Teen Titan was totally unable to view any face or identity markings, all Cyborg was able to go off from had been his words.
"That was the plan from the beginning." Press spoke up. "Your friends couldn't have gone back that way anyway, it was sealed off."
"How did you know where me and my teammates were?" Cyborg asked while he got back to his feet.
Press pulled out his team communicator. "Well now, your team isn't the only one with a built in tracking system. Our communicators became synced to yours, the moment we touched down in Jump City. After Robin contacted us, we immediately exchanged frequencies and once we arrived . . . we followed you guys from your transponders, as you talked in the sewer system. It was only a matter of heading down ourselves."
"Huh. I think I'm going to have to have a word with Robin once we get back home."
*Starfire calling Titans . . .*
The communicator built into Cyborg's left arm chimed in.
"Starfire?" The gear-head felt his head pounding with a severe migraine.
After a brief pause with only static on the receiving end, the African American raised his arm to look at the feed, where it was still static and the Tamaranean's voice cut-in again.
*My fellow Titans, please report in.*
(~)
Elizabeth Saffire Spears was sitting in a very small classroom, her head was drooping low while her eyes were shut. She understood that nothing more could be done, everything was explained from her point of view and nobody appeared to listen or even care.
The truth of the matter was, for her part in giving one of her ruthless attackers a bloody nose and having fought to defend herself, she could not leave the school without first dealing with some consequences for what took place.
Bureaucracy at its finest. she thought to herself.
While it was baffling to comprehend any reasoning when an innocent person who is the victim, only wishes to defend themselves and stands their ground, that they are punished along with the instigators. She had no other valuable option to seek out, there was nobody to leap in and stand with her, to pull the other side away and act as a barrier between the waring parties.
In the end, it was inevitable that a brawl would erupt for her first class of the day when 'the three stooges' as she liked to call them, these bullies had no restraint and went right after her.
The young fourteen-year-old knew what could happen when defending oneself, especially at this prestigious school and it was better in her mind, to stand up for yourself and to not take the insults like a coward. True to her nature of being calm and collected, things only turned sour after the repeated offerings of peace from her to them were flat-out rejected. When it came to bullies, words tended to fall on deaf ears.
The blue haired youth had been in detention all day, and most of the student body was already gone. Those doing extracurricular activities such as sports and clubs were roaming about the halls in the late afternoon, while their voices and feet echoed in the halls.
Dealing with this punishment was an experience Elizabeth was steadily more accustomed with, and from the three females that picked on her, she was not at all terrified about the final result when it came time to explain her side of the story.
What she may have been uncertain about at earlier times in life, when it came to how her guardian and step-father would handle the matter, when he would be forced to pick her up from school things were surprisingly calm. Today's incident was on her permanent record, and demerits for future prospects would cause a headache to anybody.
For so long she had been dealing with this threat, it all boiled over where she only sought to defend herself and not throw the first punch. She was not a little girl, she was a fourteen-year-old rebellious teenager who was making her own stake in life, and she desperately desired to avoid the brawl.
If all else failed, she was determined to stick to her guns and let her abilities be the deciding factor.
Her mind was being pulled back to the Train Station, and the stranger she had saved. For some reason she could not shake the images out of her memory, and she felt her hands tremble.
It was the early forms of Post Traumatic Stress, where she had read that anybody working in the medical field could have a breaking-point. It was strange for this moment in particular, of the young man in the ruins to be wearing her down, she was a teenager after all and she still had much to learn. There were still countless other traumatic things, stories nurses and doctors had told her about which she was only a novice at.
Elizabeth was not alone in the cramped room, two of her classmates were seated in desks at the far end. They were separated by a few chairs between them and they did not look at her.
Five upperclassmen were focused on their own assignments. What caused them to be sent here after hours, she did not know.
Kimberly Nox the brunette who had her nose busted, had been sent to the nurse's office, where she then got a free pass to go home for the day. Sasha Bee and Amber Rey however were in the room, serving out their sentences but they kept to themselves.
The clock upon the wall revealed the time was almost 3:45 in the afternoon, and with nothing much to do, everything felt to be dragging a lot longer than it typically would.
These unfortunate students had been forced to take their lunch here, they were taken out of the rest of their classes while their cellphones, electronic gadgets and music playing devices were confiscated. It was a zero tolerance policy to chat with ones peers when in detention.
Spending time here after most people left as their punishment was not fun, it was entirely dull and for anybody hoping to be anywhere else, the scolding from the parents would become the next sure thing to cause stress.
The Murakami High School was very strict when it came to dealing out judgments, and for the more severe cases the harsher matters would be handled in a justifiable way.
What justice is this, for me being innocent and still having to deal as though I'm the one who caused this? Elizabeth thought. This is wrong, and I know that Mark is not going to be happy.
The blue haired girl leaned back in her chair, it creaked loudly and she stared up at the ceiling while stretching her arms. There was nothing else that she could do, and her homework had been collected and finished.
She had gone through her pack and she was missing something, and it gnawed at her.
My journal . . . I can't believe I lost it! Elizabeth felt her eyes becoming wide. Where the heck did I leave it?
The first-year underclassman was waiting along with everybody else, for when their parents would arrive. She was certain that she had grabbed everything but the memory of her books flying across the room, the fear that somebody else picked it up was sending shockwaves through her.
I just want this day to end.
As she arched her backside, Amber Rey partially glanced over her shoulder to scowl at Elizabeth, then in noticing her target was looking directly back at her, she quickly looked away.
"Do you have something you wanted to ask me?" Elizabeth questioned. "What is it?"
"You really are a freak." Amber retorted with a sneer. "You are nothing but trouble causing headaches for everybody."
The students observed this verbal quarrel, where the monitor had stepped into the hall for a short break. The teenagers were under no supervision yet any faculty member could walk right back in at any time.
"What is your deal?" Elizabeth sat up straight and she peered her blue eyes at the blonde.
"You shouldn't be at this school." Sasha Bee chimed in.
"I'm sorry." Elizabeth quipped back. "I didn't see any sign over the front door, saying I was not allowed."
The two bullies rolled their eyes in response.
"Yeah, and if the mark over your locker wasn't clear enough, you must really be dense."
Elizabeth squinted in anger. There was smeared graffiti that was sprayed onto her locker, and she had an idea as to the culprit, but now it was openly stated and she was not amused.
"You know, I mind my own business, I take care of what I need to and I don't want to ruffle any feathers here." Elizabeth deadpanned. "But you two keep on with this whole annoying routine, and I'm telling you right now . . . that I'm done."
Amber gradually rose from her desk, turning around and tilting her head to the side before saying; "You know, we still have our business from earlier to settle."
Sasha Bee rose from her seat. "You are going to get it Lizzy."
"I told you before." Elizabeth replied without flinching or changing her pitch. "Don't. Call. Me. That."
"Hear that Sasha." Amber jabbed her elbow into her friend. "I think she needs to learn another lesson."
"What are you going on about?" The fourteen-year-old fired right back. "You still haven't seemed to learn yours."
Now, what few students that were in the classroom, everyone was paying very close attention to this. Another fight was already in the works, and nobody had an idea as to who would unleash the first hit, but the two cheerleaders were out of their seats, and approaching the blue haired and emotionally distant girl.
The younger teenager felt more annoyed than simply furious about how this was playing out. She wanted to be picked up by her father, and the detention was almost ending.
However, if she got into yet another fight here and now, the next punishment would surely be a suspension for the next few days. Being that it was still Wednesday, a two-day absence from the school-grounds at Murakami High would lead her right into the weekend.
Maybe it won't be so bad? Elizabeth smirked after thinking this.
"What's so funny?" The African American crossed her arms over her chest.
Amber Rey the blonde was standing beside her, and almost the same manner as it was in their History Class, they had approached the sapphire eyed fellow student. They were well aware of their crimes, but it did not matter to these two for what else could happen to them should a teacher arrive?
They had a hierarchy ladder to climb, and by keeping others down it only boosted their self-confidence. They were not willing to let this spat between them just go, not when one of their own had been taken to the nurse.
In the twisted logic of these aggressors, the upstart had to be reminded of who they were, and why they were not to be mocked.
Elizabeth exhaled in frustration before responding with; "You two just never learn."
Amber leaned onto the girl's table. "What was that?"
The medical trainee was very astute of her surroundings. The clock continued to tick in the background, an annoying fly was knocking itself against the long windows unable to escape, while she could hear the thudding of her own heart pumping its continued rhythm in her eardrums.
Similar to the unfortunate situation that transpired in the morning, it felt like deja-vu. The teacher was nowhere to be seen, the other students were waiting in anticipation to watch the conflict erupt, like the smoke rising from a volcano's dome and the lava would burst out from its hibernation, deep below the crust.
Nobody seemed to care, the bullies were at it again only this time there were two antagonizes instead of three.
Amber and Sasha were going well past the normal limit of what could be tolerant behavior. It was one thing to start a fight, but to swiftly create another one without seeming to have learned anything at all, it revealed that some people never changed.
The adopted girl felt her fingers curl into fists. She was hemmed in once again between a rock and a hard place, it was all so familiar and nothing she would say could alter the outcome, only force would be the ultimate equalizer.
"Don't do this." Elizabeth said while looking up. "It isn't wise to start another fight, especially where we are now."
Amber leaned in with a demonic smirk. "You need to learn your place."
"You are not going to get out of this one." Sasha said next.
Elizabeth blinked her eyes, she glanced from one girl to the other and lightly chuckled.
"What's so funny, freak?" asked Amber.
"I told you before." Elizabeth squeezed her fists. "To just leave me be, and it doesn't have to go down like this."
Sasha reached over and began to twiddle with a strand of the fourteen-year-old's blue hair. She obviously enjoyed picking on her, and she was more than happy to get round two underway.
"Oh yeah?" The blonde mocked.
Without wasting this golden opportunity, the blue haired teenager unleashed a heavy upper-cut to Ambers face! This immediately caught her and the second antagonizer by complete bewilderment.
Elizabeth used the same form of defense as before, where she kicked the desk out while leaping to the side, and it landed square in the abdomen of the second bully!
"When you got to make a move, don't squabble about it." Elizabeth goaded them now, harkening back to the famous Spaghetti Western 'The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly', where she modified the famous bathtub line for this moment.
"Get her!" Amber roared.
The two cheerleaders were not concerned about their prey's defensive stance, and how they were caught off balance while they prattled on in front of the younger teenager, for her to unload the first hit.
Sasha Bee along with Amber Rey lunged in with punches, and they were swiftly blocked by Elizabeth's fast hands. Her abilities in martial arts appeared to be a blur of moments, where unknown to these bullies, she had been going to a dojo to practice self-defensive techniques a couple times a month.
The lessons were easily recalled by her memory, while the training she went to was for meditation benefits and finding a zen mentality with her spirit, to find inner peace from the constant conflict of her past hampering her in the present. The instructors taught that self-defense was always applicable when all other avenues of peaceful resolution had failed.
This counts as one of those times. Elizabeth rasped in her head, while thinking about the many lessons from her sensei.
The room had erupted into a steady chant of; "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Sasha Bee had managed to hurl her book bag into Elizabeth, who blocked the heavy object with her right wrist. Amber used this to her advantage, she snuck around and landed a right-hook against the blue-haired girl's head.
Elizabeth spun and partially blocked the hit, but her left ear caught a portion of the blow that came from the lead bully, and she heard a sudden ringing in her eardrums while her facial expression changed from anger into pain.
The smaller teenager's martial arts training, while extremely limited and of a low level student; she had remembered to push through the pain, and to keep fighting as it was only temporary.
It's just weakness leaving the body.
The fourteen-year-old pressed on with her counter-measures against these two fifteen-year-olds. Their gymnastic and flexible agility was helping them to backflip and avoid attacks. She on the other hand had endurance from pushing herself to go above and beyond, even when her much smaller physique was running out of energy.
The year-younger female had handled herself admirably against two much more aggressive and larger enemies at the same time, her back was to the door and she held her hands up to block the incoming swipes and elbows.
The social outcast managed to kick into the African American in her stomach, knocking her down yet she herself was hit in the lip from Amber, and a bit of blood trickled down from the cut in her flesh.
Elizabeth licked her lips, tasting the scarlet liquid on her tongue and while this would cause the anger to rise in most people, she was still calm and cool about receiving another blow.
"You're going to wish you hadn't done that."
Amber laughed. "Bring it on freak."
Just then the door swung open, and the old plump librarian lady with grey hair stepped in, slapping her famous ruler into the palm of her hand. Her eyes behind the large round glasses burned with ire at the three teenager who were fighting, and everything suddenly came to a halt.
Elizabeth's heart skipped a beat, as she realized how things looked this time, and Amber was assisting Sasha back up from the floor. These two would continue to play the victim card, despite having started the rambunctious outburst.
It was no longer a concern with having fought back for these three quarreling girls. They did not like each other yet decided to put a breaks in their conflict, for now.
"You're lucky." Amber Rey said over the now silence that hung in the room.
Elizabeth walked to her seat without breaking eye-contact with the lead bully. She was being directed to go back to the principle's office, and she went to collect her things.
The outcast slung her black bag over her shoulder, and she replied while pausing in her tracks; "No, you got it backwards. But then with your continued insults and mindless attacks against me, that luck is going to run out."
"Loser." Amber fired back.
"Loud Mouth."
The librarian slapped her ruler a bit harsher this time, breaking up the squabble without stepping into the middle of their lingering brawl. The sapphire haired girl walked out of the room, swiping away a trickle of blood from her cut lip.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm going." Elizabeth said in her typically cool style.
She was certain that a two day suspension was going to be enforced, where it would lead straight into the weekend. It made the frustrating matter somewhat pleasing, as she would get away from the hostilities, and have the chance to be someplace that she actually wanted to be at; the hospital.
(~)
"Avatar was it?" The grey Empath asked the newest face, while the superheroes stood on the pavement. "My name is Raven."
The three crime fighters had managed to escape the horrors of the sewer, and they were back up on the streets of Jump City.
"Pleasure to meet you." Avatar the brunette shook the female Titan's hand.
"You sure cut it close." Robin interrupted them while he crossed his arms over his chest. "I honestly had no idea when you would show up."
The red caped heroine nodded her head. "Yeah well, getting a lock on your location wasn't the easiest thing. Lucky for me however, that you're not the only one with the latest toys to play with."
"How are the others?"
"Fine. Well, I never thought I would hear from you." Avatar walked over with the sun beating down on them. "This suits you. I honestly had no idea you would pull off being out here for this long, and look at you now!"
"Look who's talking." Robin smirked. "It's been some time. How is she?"
"Who?" Raven interrupted.
"Oh, she was more or less thrilled when you called. I think I was giving her a migraine, by constantly wanting to head off on my own." Avatar waved a hand through he air, and she leaned closer to Raven. "What with bird-boy over here, not wanting anybody from back home helping him in his mission of leading his own team."
"I see you haven't changed much." The Titans Leader stepped closer, their capes were blowing in the breeze.
"Um . . . I hate to be a third wheel-" Raven raised a hand. "But I want to say thanks for getting down there when you did."
Avatar turned and her domino mask rose slightly higher from her eyebrows beneath it. "Just doing my part and helping when I can. Which reminds me, if this is being considered a favor, that makes number . . . three I reckon."
"No, on no. Those last two don't count! If you remember while Batman and me were in a tricky situation at the Hat Factory, we ended up saving your hides from that hiccup from Riddler. That whole Poison Ivy business was a draw on both of us, after the botanical garden incident went up in flames."
"Fine, fine!" The attractive brunette held up her hands in defense. "But this still counts as one."
"Um Robin, care to elaborate?" questioned The Empath.
"Sure." Avatar walked back in front of Raven. "So, me and my teammates are from Gotham. I was trained by Batwoman, who is still my mentor unlike Blunder Boy over yonder."
"Boy Wonder!" Robin snapped.
"Right. Anyway, while my partner and me are still close, he and his mentor had a . . . . um how should I put it? A falling out years back, and well . . . should I be the one to delve into this?"
There was a long drawn-out silence from all sides, where Robin looked to the street and slowly he walked closer to the two girls.
"We can discuss this back at The Tower. It doesn't make sense in trying to elaborate about the past multiple times. When everybody is going to want to know once we meet up again."
Avatar shrugged her shoulders. "Alright." Then she leaned in and cupped her hand by her mouth while whispering to Raven; "he's still pretty sensitive about it."
"It's in the past." Robin rebuked the statement, yet his tone wavered with some anger. "I've moved on."
"Uh . . . huh." Avatar nodded. "Well, anyway. You are probably wondering about the rest of your teammates and-"
Just then the communicators from both Robin and Raven chirped interrupting the conversation. The two bird-named heroes reached onto their belts and retrieved their iconic devices, as they hurried to reconnect to the rest of their team.
*Starfire calling Titans . . .*
The trio that had fled the labyrinth below the city together were suddenly stupefied by hearing The Tamaranean Warrior's soothing voice. They had a lot to discuss, where the next most important thing was to return back home.
It had been a very long and intense morning. With the threat being concluded, they were all very eager to commence with Beast Boy's birthday celebration.
{{End Of Scene}}
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There were none. Come on guys, this story is almost at the twenty-thousand reader mark, where writing a review shouldn't be that difficult. For what it is worth, I do enjoy this community, and I would like to hear from you, the readers and fans. In other news, college classes will be starting back up for me in the coming month, as winter break is going to be ending. It is a balancing act to juggle so many things, from a full-time-job, to lots of school assignments, and everything in-between. I do enjoy writing this story, where if there are more reviews posted for each chapter, then it will help to embolden me, to get the updates posted sooner. Have a Happy New Year everybody!
~~T.M.O~~