Fan Fiction ❯ Anything, Anytime, Anywhere, For You ❯ The Dark Ones ( Chapter 41 )

Anything, Anytime, Anywhere, For You

 

Chapter Forty-One

“The Dark Ones”

 

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Jam. Jam is a old, dear friend of mine from way back when. Actually, I owe a lot to Jam. You see, it was in a RP created by Jam that I first played Robin; back before I ever watched Teen Titans. That RP is what inspired me to watch Teen Titans, and ever since . . . well, I think you know the rest. ^_- So a big thanks to Jam, for reading this, and I'll dedicate this chapter to you.

 

http:// s12.invisio nfree.com/sonicth ehedgehog/ind ex.php?show topic=162

 

Remove the spaces and go to that topic; you'll find the entire summary for all the new episodes of our favorite superhero show. Summaries include all the episodes: Homecoming Part 1, Homecoming Part 2, Trust, For Real, Snowblind, Kole, Hide & Seek, Lightspeed, Revved Up, Go (an episode about how the team was formed! YAY!), Calling All Titans, Titans Together and the season finale, Things Change.

Listen, the reason for the delay is this: I had to go to St. Louis for surgery. X_X I was so stressed about it, that I just could not think straight to write. However, the doctors changed their mind, and no surgery for me; so now, I am back. ^^

I may need surgery in 3-4 weeks, but I have to wait for the test results.

Also I'd like to offer my prayers and support to the victims of the hurricanes, and my hopes that Wilma isn't as bad as Katrina or Rita. If you or a loved one was effected by the hurricanes, know that I am praying for you, and wishing you the best.

 

---- ---- ---- ---- ----

 

The Tamaranian spaceship that the Titans had taken to Tamaran was now landing on the surface of the barren, warrior planet. Several Tamaranian guards were outside the square shaped castle to welcome the princess and her friends, and King Myand'r and Queen Luand'r, as well as Galfore, were also present and waiting at the end of a red carpet.

However, inside the ship things were not so good. Jinx was still causing quite a fuss, and she had already vowed to tear Cyborg's tongue out and feed it to the first alien creature she found on Tamaran. Bumblebee was equally upset with Cyborg, and refused to even look at him. The half-man, half-machine Titan was depressed and he knew he needed a way to calm the women down before he lost everything good in his life.

 

Though no one would believe him, Cyborg was not just a heartless player. He truly did have feelings for both Bumblebee and Jinx, and while he knew it was wrong to date both of them at once, he could not choose just one. On the one hand, he seriously did like Jinx, and added to that, if he dumped her she may resume her villain ways. However, on the other hand, he had feelings for Bumblebee, and if he broke it off with her, it could mean strife between the Titans and the Titans East. Robin, needless to say, was not happy, and he was pressuring his friend to do something fast.

 

Jinx herself was angry tremendously. She could not escape the closet, thanks to Raven's powers. While both Raven and Jinx had incredible powers, Raven was much stronger. Jinx was helpless, left alone in the closet to scream, curse, and threaten them all with death if she was not let out. Bumblebee, meanwhile, was fuming angry and if Cyborg even went near her she'd shout and curse at him.

 

Robin was not amused, but right now he had a bigger problem.

 

“I wish you had not come.” Was the first thing King Myand'r said as his daughter and her friends exited the ship.

 

“Wow, warm welcoming.” Terra said sarcastically, beating Raven to the chance to make a smart-ass comment.

 

“Father?” Starfire blinked. She had been flying towards him with a smile on her face to hug him, but now she stopped dead in mid-air and her face fell.

 

“As of late, the planet has been in a fierce war. It is not safe here.” Myand'r told them sadly, and Robin groaned. Tamaran was in the middle of a war, Slade was back, and Jinx wanted them all dead. This was shaping up to be a series of misfortunes that would soon only get worse.

 

“Sir.” Robin spoke up, he kept the same respect in his voice he always had when addressing Starfire's father, but there was a harsh, icy tone as well. “If you're in the middle of a war, isn't this a bad time for the ceremony?”

 

Myand'r froze in place, his face twisted into confusion and surprise. He lifted a great red eyebrow rose. “Ceremony? What ceremony?”

 

It was Robin's turn to freeze; and Starfire did the same. All of the titans seemed confused and Starfire quickly went to her father, her eyes full of bewilderment and shock.

 

“Father, what do you mean?” Starfire asked him at once. “You sent me a message . . .”

 

Myand'r tilted his head to the side. “I did no such thing. Koriand'r, my love, you are mistaken.”

 

Starfire shook her head. “No! It had the royal crest on it!”

 

“Wait a second.” Robin's detective mind, ace in all places, was clicking into action and a cold feeling washed over him like ice. “Starfire, didn't the message . . . didn't you see your father on it?”

 

Starfire shook her head. “No, it was not a hologram. However it did have the family crest on it, and only a member of the royal family could have sealed it with that crest!”

 

And all at once, Robin realized what was going on. It was not a far jump. If neither the King or Queen had sent it, nor Starfire had obviously not done it herself, which left only one royal Tamaranian left who could have sent that message. Robin was about to announced his shocking discovery, when there was an explosion from somewhere behind him. Robin jolted around, but a second later he felt a fist hit his face, and then he passed out, unconscious to the world . . .

 

----

 

When Robin woke up, he was in a dark, small space. He could feel moisture on his feet and all over his body. When his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he realized he was inside a narrow wooden room, with no windows, and a pool of water up to his ankles on the floor. At the far side of the room was a lit torch on the wall, and a door next to it. Robin stood up and started walking towards the door, but as he approached the stone steps at the bottom of the door, it opened and a hooded figure stepped inside.

 

“Hello Richard Grayson.” The figure said in a low, deep voice. Robin could not see its face, but he saw its hands. They were like leather scales, and the fingers appeared black with long yellow nails. He knew right away that whatever this thing was, it was not a normal Tamaranian.

 

“Where am I? Where are my friends?!” Robin demanded.

 

“You need not concern yourself with them.” The creature replied. “You will never see them again.”

Robin was not going to accept that. He reached down for his belt, to grab his bo-staff and but the creature spoke just as Robin's fingers clasped around the hilt of his staff.

“That is a bad idea.” The creature said, and from beneath its hooded cloak, it took out a long, thin rod. Robin recognized it as a stick taser. He was also quick enough to realize that, being-soaking wet and standing in ankle-deep water, if that creature stunned him with the electrical stick taser it would knock him unconscious in a heartbeat, maybe even kill him.

 

“What do you want from me?” Robin asked the creature. “Who are you?”

 

“I am one of the Dark Ones.” The creature replied. “And I want you to die.”

 

Robin's eyes widened in horror; the creature jumped forward and slammed the electrical stick taser into the water. Robin jumped up and withdrew a rappelling hook from his belt, shooting it into the ceiling and then tying it to his belt. He put his feet on the wall, and stood on the wall. The Dark One laughed.

 

“Most excellent.” Then the creature jumped up and reached one of its black hands out. It slashed the rope holding Robin above the water, and he fell towards the pool. The Dark One also fell towards the water, still holding the taser. Robin jumped and kicked off of the Dark One's back and landed on the stone steps near the door. The Dark One hit the water, and suddenly electricity blasted through it and the water lit up a bright blue color. The Dark One, however, stood up in the middle of the electrically charged pool and laughed.

 

“I am Rai the bolt; the electrical currents do not harm me.” It hissed. Robin gulped as he took out his bo-staff and held it in front of him. He knew this was a bad situation. The electric stick taser was at the bottom of the pool, supercharging the water with massive electricity. If Robin touched it, he would die for sure - and his enemy seemed immune to the deadly voltage seeping through its skin. Robin had to stay on the steps, or he was dead.

 

“You will suffer!” Rai the Bolt screamed, running up the steps; but as he approached Robin heard the door behind him open, and he saw a starbolt of green color fly right beside his head and watched it hit Rai right in the face. Rai's hood fell off, and Robin saw a horrible creature that looked half-man, half-dinosaur.

 

Robin turned around to see Starfire standing at the open door. He grinned at her, and then turned back to Rai.

 

“Good timing Star.” Robin whispered.

 

“Thanks.” Starfire replied, a strange, foreign smile on her face. She jumped forward, over Robin, and landed on Rai's pointed face with both of her feet. Her boots smashed his face down and Rai fell against the wall. Starfire, floating above the deadly water, fired her eyebeams at Rai and he screamed and sank to the bottom of the pool. That's when Robin realized something. The pool of water had only been to his ankles before, but now it seemed much deeper and much darker.

 

“What is this place?” Robin muttered.

 

“A world of illusion.” Starfire replied, floating to his side. “The Dark Ones are led by one of Trigon's children. He is manipulating our minds. None of us are awake, right now, Robin. We're in a horrible dream world that the Dark One's leader created for us. His fellow Dark Ones are here too, trying to kill us. He controls everything here.”

 

Robin blinked. “Star . . . how do you -”

 

“Know all of this?” She answered for him. “Because the Dark One who had me imprisoned liked to talk, and told me everything before she tried to kill me. Listen, Robin, if we can find Raven, she can break this spell on us. We need to find her, pronto.”

 

“Right.” Robin said, then he turned towards the door, and then he paused. “Wait . . . what did you say?”

 

Starfire blinked. “I said we gotta go, are you deaf?”

 

Robin closed his eyes, and kept his back turned to Starfire. He understood now. He reached down to his belt slowly and grabbed a freezing disc; then he whipped around and threw it at Starfire - but she destroyed it with her eyebeams in mid air.

Robin jumped towards the door; but it closed on him and he smacked into it. A second later, he felt Starfire grab him by his hair and lift him up. When he opened his eyes, it was not Starfire, but Blackfire who held him.

 

“So you figured it out, eh?” Blackfire grinned.

 

“You mimicked Star's looks, but you suck at copying her personality.” Robin informed her.

 

“Well, doesn't matter. I don't need to mimic her personality anymore - because you're about to die.” Blackfire grinned at him.

 

“How did you get involved in this?” Robin demanded.

 

“Eh, the Dark Ones hired me to help them take over Tamaran. I hatched this scheme to lure you Titans here so I could have some revenge while I was at it.”

 

Robin was right. He had known earlier, on the landing platform that Blackfire was the only royal family member who could have sent the message to Starfire. Unfortunately, he was now at her mercy.

 

“You sold out your entire race just to get revenge on your sister?” Robin asked, horrified.

 

“Pretty much.” Blackfire punched him in the gut, using her alien strength, and he fell to his knees. “Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go visit Koriand'r. Don't worry, I'll say hello for you . . . just before I kill her.” Blackfire grinned, kicked Robin in the face, and then walked out of the door.

Robin rolled down the steps and fell into the electrified water. He closed his eyes, expecting death to surround him; but a moment later, he opened his eyes and found he was not dead. He was in the middle of a dense, green jungle, and Jinx was sitting a few feet away from him.

 

“Hmph. It's you.” Jinx said, looking down at him.

 

“What happened?”

 

Jinx shrugged. “I don't know. I've been going over ever spell I know, trying to open it.”

 

“Open what?”

“The hatch.”

Robin looked out in front of him and found a large metal hatch in the ground, in the middle of the jungle. The handle was rusted and the sides covered in scars and carbon scoring. Robin thought it looked like the hatch had not been opened in several decades.

“What is it?” He asked.

 

“No clue. Some freak called Rai the Bolt was here before. He told me `if you want to survive, you will open the hatch before sundown.” Jinx informed him. Robin noticed that the sun was going down, which did not sound good. He also remembered the encounter he had with Rai the Bolt only moments ago, and he remembered Blackfire, and her vow to kill her sister. Robin grabbed the hatch handle and tried to force it open, but all he managed to do was strain himself.

 

“Damn.” Robin cursed and kicked it.

 

“Whoa, never seen you lose your cool like that before.” Jinx informed him.

 

“This whole thing was a trap set by Blackfire!” Robin said as he kicked at the hatch again, trying to get it open. “She's going to kill Star if we don't stop her first.”

 

“Well you won't open it by kicking it.” Jinx said. “If my magic can't -”

 

“You're right.” Robin said as he stopped and looked around. “We need something bigger. My bombs are all wet from the room I was in before, I can't detonate them.”

 

Robin sat on top of the hatch and buried his face in his hands. “This day just keeps getting worse.”

 

“No kidding.” Jinx agreed as she leaned against a nearby tree. “I guess it can't be as easy as the movies, where all you have to do is say `Open Sesame' and -”

 

The hatch suddenly sprung open, sending Robin tumbling to the ground. Jinx began to laugh, apparently she found this hysterically funny. However, before Robin could reprimand her, Jinx's laughter was stopped when a loud roar filled the entire jungle they were in. Robin quickly climbed up to his feet and looked around, and Jinx stopped laughing and did the same.

 

“What was that?” She asked.

 

“I don't know.” Robin told her.

 

A second roar - this one had come from inside the hatch. Robin and Jinx looked down at the hatch, and saw four red eyes staring back up at them. Jinx took a step backwards, and Robin put up his arms in a karate stance.

 

“What is it?” Jinx asked.

 

“I am Saru the Rock.” A voice as loud and ominous as thunder shook the ground. From out of the hatch, a gigantic gorilla climbed up. It had four red eyes, and long brown fur and black skin beneath. It certainly was not like the gorillas on Earth. This one was enormous, and had claws on its hands and feet; and deep crocodile teeth in its mouth.

 

“You are needing an explanation, no?” Saru asked them.

 

“Explanation about what?” Jinx asked suspiciously.

 

“Where you are. What we will do.” Saru replied. “This ship belongs to Dark Ones. Dark Ones strongest in universe, we are. Many of us, there are. Rai the Bolt, Saru the Rock, Kaze the Cloud, Hono the Flame, Umi the Wave, Baku the Shadow and Zutto the Gorgon are our names. We serve master, who is strongest of all. I am Saru, I will smash your bodies, break your bones, and use your skin to make clothing for my children.”

 

“That's just wrong.” Jinx said.

 

“Wrong, say you? Fun, say I!” Saru grinned. Then without warning, he jumped forward and grabbed Jinx, squeezing her chest tightly; so tightly, she could not breath. His hand was so enormous it fit around her entire body, and Jinx gasped for air. Robin's bombs were useless, and he had lost his bo-staff, but he wasn't out yet. As Saru's second hand came towards him, Robin threw a bird-a-rang into his outstretched fingers and Saru only laughed.

 

“Fool! Saru the Rock am I! Strong as a rock is my skin!”

 

Robin gulped and took two more bird-a-rangs; his last two. He slammed them together and they linked up to form a long-sword. Robin jumped onto Saru's hand, then backflipped up till he landed on Saru's head. Robin slammed the sword down onto Saru's head - and the sword shattered into pieces.

 

“Warned you, did I not? Rock hard am I!” Saru gloated.

 

Robin jumped off of his head, and he saw Jinx was losing consciousness. She would be dead soon, if he did not find a way to force Saru to loosen his grip. Robin decided to try the only thing he could think of.

 

“Take me instead!” He shouted. “Let her go!”

Even if Jinx was an enemy, it went against everything in Robin's nature to let someone die. Batman had taught him better than that. Only two men had ever caused Robin enough for him to want them dead - the man who had murdered his parents, and Slade.

 

“After crushed is she, you die too!” Saru laughed menacingly. Robin cursed.

 

“Saru! He is my prey!”

Robin spun around and found Rai the Bolt, the half-dinosaur, half-man standing. No longer did his clothing cloak him, now he wore only a thin coat of armor. He had long brass knuckles with spikes on the end of them, and those spikes hummed with electricity.

 

“You prey he was, stumbled to me did he.” Saru insisted.

 

“Stupid monkey, speak right!” Rai snapped. “I will slaughter the boy, you may crush the girl!”

With that having been said, Rai charged at Robin, his electrical knuckles buzzing. Of course Robin was two steps ahead of him, and ran towards Rai. He jumped down onto the ground and slid right into Rai's ankle with his own metal-tipped shoes. Robin's shoe snapped Rai's thin, dinosaur leg and Rai fell with a scream. Robin jumped on his back, smashed him in the top of the head with his elbow, and then grabbed the brass knuckles off of one of his hands. Robin put the knuckles on his own hand, and then charged at Saru.

 

“Hahahahah, work it will not.” Saru warned him.

 

“This will!” Robin grabbed his cape and whipped it off his neck, and then he threw his cape on Saru's feet. Before Saru could move, Robin punched his feet with the electrical knuckles. Of course, Robin's cape was still damp, and instantly electricity surged through Saru. The alien gorilla screamed and died, falling backwards onto the ground. He let go of Jinx, who fell to her knees and began gasping for air.

 

The knuckles on Robin's hand exploded, and Robin gasped out in pain; but it was a small price to pay to defeat their enemy and save Jinx . . . even if she was Jinx.

 

“You okay?” Robin asked as he rubbed his now-bloody hand. His glove had been burnt clear off.

 

“Yeah.” Jinx whispered.

 

Robin stood up and looked at the hatch. “Well, it's open, and it's also our way out of here. I just hope it leads to the others.”

 

“Did you mean it?” Jinx asked him, suddenly.

 

“Mean what?”

“When you told him to kill you instead of me.” Jinx indicated. “Did you mean that?”

 

“I did.” Robin shrugged it off, and climbed down into the hatch without another word, slowly descending the ladder.

 

Jinx was confused, and followed him while deep in thought. Here one of her enemies had risked his life for her, and she knew perfectly well none of the other HIVE children would have done that. Maybe Cyborg was right; maybe the Titans were not so bad.

 

Not that she would admit it.

 

As they descended deeper down the ladder, Robin could hear the sound of the beach below them. This triggered two separate emotions - anxiety and memory. He was anxious because he remembered Saru naming the other Dark Ones - and one of them was called `the wave'. Clearly, an ocean would be the home of `the wave', and so he was already expecting another battle. It also triggered memory.

Memories of the last time he and Starfire had been on the beach back at home. They had lain together in the sun, on the beach by the tower. It had been one of his happiest memories of Starfire, the two of them just relaxing by the beach. He had a feeling this beach would not be quite as relaxing.

 

When Robin reached the bottom of the hatch, he found himself opening another hatch below him, and then dropping down onto a small cliff overlooking a beach. Jinx dropped down next to him a moment later, and then they both gasped.

 

Bumblebee and Terra were on the beach, and they were not alone. What looked like a shark was standing on the beach; it had human-like arms and legs, but the rest of its body was shark-like. It wore silver clothes and carried a trident in its right hand.

 

“What the hell?” Jinx whispered.

 

“I don't know. Let's listen in.” Robin handed Jinx a small device that she placed in her earlobe, he put a matching device in his earlobe, and then he threw a third small machine down to the beach. The third thing, the one he had thrown, began transmitting sound back to them.

 

“They call me Umi the Wave.” The shark said to Terra and Bumblebee. “I am the Master of the Oceanic Domain.”

 

“Where the hell are we?” Terra demanded angrily.

 

“This is a spaceship.” Umi said. “Our spaceship has many rooms, each room is an illusion. It makes you think you are somewhere you are not. We are not really on a beach right now; but you see it as one. This beach, illusion or no, is the beach of death - and your final resting place.”

 

“Doesn't look to restful.” Bee sarcastically replied. “I'd rather stay at Holiday Inn.”

 

“Sarcastic to the last.” Umi replied. She stepped forward, holding the Trident, and suddenly the ocean behind her became violent. A storm began to brew and rage and a wall of water rose up high in the sky. Terra gulped.

 

“Great. A tidal wave; well I never did like getting my hair wet.” Terra muttered.

 

“Be crushed by my waves!” Umi called dramatically, but Robin had seen enough on the cliff.

 

“We need a way to -”

 

“Leave it to me.” Jinx interrupted him. “I'm only doing this because you helped me before.” She added, obviously not thrilled about saving Bumblebee, who she regarded with the utmost loathing. Jinx spread her fingers and waves of pinkish-purple energy bar extended out at Umi. Suddenly, as Umi stepped forward to attack, she tripped and fell into the sand, dropping her trident. The wave that had been towering over them fell - and came crashing down on Umi.

 

Terra and Bee spun around to see Robin and Jinx on the cliff top. Robin and Jinx hurried down, running as fast as their legs would carry them to reach the other two.

 

“You girls alright?” Robin asked.

 

“Yeah, pretty much.” Terra replied. “You?” She noticed his hand, which was missing its glove and covered in blood. He was also missing his cape, which was unusual.

 

“Fine.” He replied. Bumblebee and Jinx stared at each other for a moment, but neither of them spoke. For a minute. Then Jinx opened her mouth.

“You're welcome.” She said bitterly.

 

“We could have got out of it ourselves.” Bee snapped.

 

“Enough.” Robin stepped in between them before either of them could speak again. “We're all going to have to work together to get out of this, so knock it off right now.”

 

“How can you work with her Robin?” Bee asked, aghast. “She's our enemy.”

 

“If I can work with Slade.” Robin replied, just as bitter. “You can work with Jinx. Now deal with it. You want to be a good leader, Bee, you have to know when to shut up and bite the bullet.”

 

Bee became quiet then, but not because she wanted too. Umi jumped back up out of the water and grabbed Bee, pressing a knife against her neck. The three others around her all stopped and watched in horror as Umi started walking backwards towards the ocean.

 

“I'm taking this one with me!” Umi screamed. “Then I'm coming back for all of you!”

Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck the beach with a huge explosion. Robin, Jinx and Terra all turned and looked up at the sea cliff where Jinx and Robin had come from. Rai the Bolt was standing at the top of the cliff, holding some kind of rifle in his hands. The rifle, apparently, shot bolts of lightning.

 

“Damn.” Robin cursed.

 

“Rai!? What are you doing here?” Umi screamed up.

 

“I WANT HIM!” Rai yelled back, pointing a scaly finger at Robin. “I WANT HIS BLOOD! I WANT HIS BONES! I WANT TO PEEL HIS SKIN FROM HIS BODY AND WEAR IT AS MY HAT!”

 

Umi shook her head. “Rai, you idiot! Don't fire your electro-rifle in here! You'll hit my water and -“”

 

“Hit the water?” Rai's eyes lit up with pleasure. “YES! THEN HE WOULD FRY!” Rai's lizard-like mouth opened in delight, and he licked his lips in sick pleasure.

 

“YOU IDIOT! I WOULD DIE TOO!” Umi screamed back at him.

 

“Eh, you're a bitch.” Rai replied simply, and he took aim at the waters behind them. Robin had to move fast. He threw a kick at Umi, who was busy looking at Rai, and kicked the hand holding the knife. She dropped it, and instantly Bee kicked her own feet backwards into Umi's shins. Once Bee was clear, Robin kicked Umi again with his foot, knocking her out into the water.

 

“Quick! Get onto those rocks!” Robin yelled, and the others obeyed. They all jumped onto some nearby large stones, and just in time. Rai's rifle was fully charged, and he fired a bolt of lightning into the water.

 

The water lit up with a bright blue, and Umi screamed as she was fried a deep black, burnt to a crisp. Umi fell into the waters, dead, and the Titans were trapped on the top of a gigantic beach boulder, surrounded by highly electrified ocean water.

 

“I've had enough of him.” Robin said, indicating Rai.

 

“I'll do it.” Terra whispered. A moment later, her eyes turned yellow and the beach cliff that Rai stood on suddenly began to shake and crumble. Rai screamed and jumped off - right into the electrified water. Of course, the electricity didn't harm him - but the cliff came tumbling down a moment later from Terra's earthquake, and the rocks and stones buried Rai and crushed him, finally ending his terror. Which, unknown to the titans, had been spreading for hundreds of years across the galaxy.

 

The rock they were on lifted up into the sky, by Terra's will, and began to fly out over the illusionary ocean. They were looking for some sign of their still missing friends.

 

“Well,” Jinx said. “That monkey said there were seven of them. The Bolt, The Rock, The Cloud, The Flame, The Shadow, The Wave and The Gorgon.”

 

“Seven?” Terra groaned. “Just wonderful.”

 

“Eight.” Robin corrected her. “Saru also mentioned their leader.”

 

“Indeed.” A beautiful, female voice spoke. All of them looked ahead to see a beautiful woman with gigantic angelic wings behind her. She wore a white gown that covered her entire body, and her hair was fair and blonde.

 

“Whoa.” Terra said, blinking. “Who're you?”

 

“You have killed three of the Dark Ones.” The Angelic woman said, ignoring Terra's question or the girl's gawking. “Still five remain, however, unchallenged. I am Kaze the Cloud, also called Kaze the Merciful. If you want, I will let you go with your lives.”

 

“You will?” A suspicious Jinx asked.

 

“Yes. There is but one condition.” Kaze replied.

 

“What is that?” Bee asked, putting a hand on her hip.

 

“You may leave with your lives . . . but only if I may have a kiss.” Kaze informed them.

 

The four of them all blinked. This angelic woman was not their idea of one of the almighty evil `dark ones'. Bumblebee was suspicious, and Jinx distrusting. Terra turned to Robin.

 

“You think it's a trick?”

 

“Undoubtedly.” Robin replied without hesitation.

 

“It's better than another fight, though.” Jinx whispered to Robin. “After all, we're flying over the ocean. Blondie has no rocks to throw but the one we're sitting on, I can't use my powers without risking breaking our ride, and all your bombs are wet, and bird-a-rangs used up, remember?”

 

“I do hate to say it, but Jinx has a point.” Bee whispered.

 

“Fine.” Robin growled, not thrilled with this idea at all.

 

“So? What say you?” Kaze asked them.

 

“Fine. I'll kiss you.” Robin mumbled. Kaze, however, laughed and shook her head. Apparently, something was amusing to her, but Robin got a terribly cold feeling as he heard her laugh. Beyond the sweet laughter in her voice, he heard something far more sinister.

 

“I want a kiss from each of you.” Kaze informed him.

 

“Say WHAT!?” Bee spat.

 

“Yeah . . . I don't do that.” Terra shook her head.

 

“It's a good thing too, since Kaze here sucks your soul out if she kisses you.” A new voice spoke. The Titans looked behind Kaze, and Kaze herself turned around to find Raven floating in mid-air. Raven did not look so good. Her cape was tattered and torn, and blood was falling from beneath her dark hair.

 

“You survived?” Kaze asked, disappointed.

 

“Well growing up my daddy always told me I was hard to kill.” Raven replied sarcastically. “And trust me, he tried.”

 

“Raven!” Robin called.

 

“Nice to see you all made it.” Raven replied as she floated, hovering in her spot. “I met Kaze here earlier. Only she was in her true form before, weren't you?” Raven asked.

 

“Irritating demon child.” Kaze growled, and her voice was no longer sweet like honey - it had become sour, and horribly shrill, like nails on a chalkboard. Suddenly Kaze's angelic wings became bat wings, and her long blonde hair turned into a wild red mane. Her white dress fell away to reveal a long blood-colored skirt and matching shirt; and to finish the new look up, her eyes became like flaming crystals.

 

“I get that a lot.” Raven replied.

 

Kaze swiped her arm across the sky, and winds flew at Raven. The winds were razor sharp, and they cut her across the stomach. Raven cried out in pain and blood fell to the ocean below.

 

“Raven!” Terra shouted. “Hey Bee, break off a piece of our rock!” Terra ordered.

 

“Sure.” Bee fired one of her golden B's at the rock's edge, and a tiny piece broke off. It was jagged and sharp, and it suddenly began to glow with a golden aura. Terra fired the rock like a tiny knife right into Kaze's right wing. Kaze screamed.

 

“You!” She turned on Terra, but she had already begun to fall became of the hole in her wing. Blood filled the air as Kaze plummeted towards the waters, but she struggled to stay in the sky. Raven, however, had recovered from the attack.

“You ever pull wings off a butterfly? Personally I haven't, but there's a first time for everything.” Raven said with ice in her voice. “Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!”

Black light surrounded Kaze's wings, and suddenly they popped right out of their sockets. Kaze screamed and bled, and then she fell into the waters and disappeared below the surface. Raven floated over to the rock and then collapsed in Terra's outstretched arms, breathing heavy and bleeding badly.

 

“Are you alright, Raven?” Terra asked the tired girl in her arms.

 

“Not really.” Raven replied quietly. Then she paused for a long time, but finally added. “Have you seen the others?”

 

“No.” Robin replied quietly.

 

No one spoke after that. They just continued flying on the rock slowly, floating over the illusion of the ocean, heading towards God-only-knows-where. All of them were thinking the same thing. They had killed four of the Dark Ones, there were still three left; and they had not seen Cyborg, Beast Boy or Starfire since the attack on the platform - nor had they seen the Tamaranian Royals.

 

And they did not know that Slade and his daughter were still out there as well.

 

---- ---- ---- ---- ----

 

So sorry for the delay. We're back on schedual now. Also, don't forget to go to

 

(remove the spaces) http:// s12.invisio nfree.com/sonicth ehedgehog/ind ex.php?show topic=162

 

For info on Season Five of Teen Titans. Plus I'm a mod on that message board, and hang out there all the time, so if you ever want to chat - find me there.