Fan Fiction ❯ Power of Denial ❯ Admitting the Truth ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans, unfortunately. Any views or opinions expressed in this fan-fiction are strictly those of the author, me. The latter statement is probably just a formality, unless I somehow work my love of all things Canadian (GO CANADA) into this fan-fiction. This fic spawned from a post I made on a RaeBB message board I occasionally frequent. I want to start a fourth fic so badly now that I have this great idea, but I just wouldn't have the time. Now that I'm back from college orientation, I'll make time. I hope. For those of you who are waiting for an update on After the End, I missed the last one because of some computer problems I spent 3 days with tech support to fix. I was having an off day, so sorry if this chapter seems… bad.

 

Please Read and review. Constructive criticism wanted.

 

Chapter 7: Admitting the Truth

 

Tension was high within Raven's mind as the lines were drawn between the two feuding emotions glaring daggers at the other. With her four burning red eyes, Raged stared down the dark cloaked intruder into the mind that was rightfully hers to claim. A sinister smile spread across her lips as the images of Denial begging for her pathetic life right before she destroyed the false emotion flashed through her mind. Oh, how she would enjoy this since Denial had just slipped through her fingers and back into non existence the last time she appeared. Now, there was nowhere to run. She would have her fun, but for now, each of the two emotions just stared in silence waiting for the other to make the first move.

 

It was the calm before the storm in a sense. It is a scary thing if you ever take the time to think about it. Everything just seems to stop when it comes. All is quiet. All is serene. All of the chaos seems to voluntarily be on hold, waiting for that one moment when all hell breaks loose. It is ironic that the calm is directly linked to the madness afterward. There is no telling just what will come after the calm, or what its magnitude will be. However, something always comes to break the tranquility. It might even be something within the calm itself.

 

Rage's eyes lost their glare as she shot forward, running on pure hatred and spite towards the block cloaked Raven in front of her. She had grown tired of waiting, and with each passing second, the desire to forcefully rip the cocky smile off of Denial's face grew more and more irresistible. Even now, as Rage charged head on towards her, Denial bore that smile that Rage hated. Its purpose for Denial was to show how unafraid she was of Rage's threats, but it only served to fuel the anger within the red cloaked emotion even more. In retrospect, that was probably a bad thing for Denial.

 

As soon as she was in striking distance, Rage erupted with a flurry of punches aimed at Denial. Unfortunately, the dark cloaked emotion seemed to be just one step ahead of her the rage driven counterpart as she dodged each with ease while slowly backing away from an advancing Rage. Punch after punch Denial swiftly evaded by just shifting her upper body mere inched to her left or right, all the while with the same cocky smile she wore before the smile started. Deep down, she knew that she had already won this fight.

 

“What's the matter, Rage?” Denial mocked as she continued dodging everything that Rage threw at her. “Is this all you have? Because if it is, then this should be easier than I tho-”

 

Unexpectedly, Rage aimed one of her punches at the dark maniacal emotion's stomach. Since everything prior had been aimed at her head, Denial tried to dodge as if another punch like before was coming, but that only left her wide open for Rage's attack. The crimson emotion of hate landed her fist dead on with Denial's stomach with such force that she brought Denial's feet off of the ground and into the air before falling back down hunched forward. Not wasting any time, Rage roughly grabbed the sides of Denial's face and rammed it into her ascending knee, sending her falling backwards onto her back.

 

Denial clutched her abdomen in pain as she rolled from side to side, not yet fully able to control her body due to the massive amount of pain she was in. Somehow, she managed to force herself to her knees while still cradling her stomach. “Y-You toyed with me.” Denial stated in disbelief. “You let me evade so many of your attacks to get me thinking that those were all you had. Kudos Rage. You know, we could be unstoppable if we-”

 

“Don't you dare offer me a position where you are still the one in control of Raven,” Rage yelled back in fury as she gripped the hair on Denial's head tightly and forced her to look her in the eyes. “This is my body to rule, and I will not have you rotting it from the inside. First I will get rid of you and restore order to the chaos that you have wrought. Then, I will fuel the rage inside Raven's heart until she can do nothing to stop me from gaining control. But as I said, you come first.” Rage let go of the wad of purple hair from the top of Denial's head and took a step backwards to look at the pathetic excuse for an emotion at her feet. “So, get up, unless you want your death to be while you are on your knees .”

 

llllllllllllllllllll

 

“Azerath Metrion Zinthos. Azerath Metrion Zinthos. Azerath Metrion Zinth…” Raven sighed as she collapsed backwards onto her bed. It had been like this ever since she had retreated to her room after… that… forced lip lock with Beast Boy. No matter how many times she tried to meditate or how hard she tried to concentrate, her mind would always falter and send her right back to where she started. It was frustrating to say the least, and her frustration completely blocked out the fact that she had lost the ability to levitate during meditation.

 

Deep down, she again knew what was truly bothering her, but her denial was too strong at this point for her to admit what she was feeling in her heart. Yet, with every situation she and Beast Boy were thrown into together, that feeling swelling within her was getting harder and harder to deny. But she still managed to somehow, and it only gave Denial more power each time. But right now, she was only focused on the frustration she was feeling after her failed attempts to meditate. Raven knew something was wrong with her, but she could not concentrate hard enough to figure it out.

 

`What's wrong with me?' Raven sighed as she closed her eyes in a futile attempt to block out the world around her. `I've never had this much trouble meditating before. The only thing that usually breaks me out of it is noise, usually from Starfire or that anno… unintelli… or from Beast Boy. God, I can't even insult people anymore. My room is completely silent, which usually makes it easier for me to meditate. What's wrong?'

 

Laying there on her bed, the call of sleep eventually became too much for Raven to fight back. Slowly, her tense body relaxed after rolling to her side and clutching one of her pillows to her chest for comfort. She rarely did something like that out of her own free will, but every once in a while, something made it impossible to resist the comfort something to hold on to gave freely even if it was just a pillow. Slowly, Raven conscious mind grew weaker and weaker until she found herself fast asleep, but not before one final random thought passed through her mind.

 

`Beast Boy,' Raven thought groggily as she clutched the soft pillow tighter, `why do I wish this pillow was you?'

 

llllllllllllllllllll

 

Denial glared up at the infuriated Rage towering above her while she slowly, intimidating rose to her feet never allowing her eyes to leave Rage's four crimson ones. “I don't know what reason you have that would allow you to think that you are powerful enough to beat me, let alone kill me. But if you have not noticed yet, you have no powers at all.”

 

Not far off away from the dueling emotions, the yellow cloaked version of Raven went wide eyed in realization.

 

“All you can do is use the inferior techniques we were never meant to rely on,” Denial laughed. “Compared to what I have in my arsenal, you are no more of a threat than an a-” Denial gasped as she felt her powers weaken immensely. Panic erupted within her as the fact reached her conscious that something had happened with Raven while she had been distracted, something that she had absolutely no control over, and it obviously was something that she should have prevented.

 

`A part of her accepted it,' Denial screamed in her mind chaotically. `What have I allowed her to do? No! Not me. It was-'

 

“You,” Denial spat venomously as she raised a finger towards the confident Rage. “You distracted me, and in doing so you let her do this to me. I can feel it slipping away from my grasp, but I will not lie down and die like before. I was going to play with you a bit before I finished you off, but I no longer have time for games right now. Unfortunately for you, dear Rage,” with a simple mental command Denial's hands were encompassed by a dark aura as she prepared to strike, “this will hurt.”

 

“For you, maybe.” Rage smile that same cocky smile that she loathed on Denial, and prepared to counter whatever Denial planned to throw back at her. However, in her powerless state, she stood little chance but that knowledge did nothing to stop her from trying. She would win. She had to.

 

llllllllllllllllllll

 

“Hello there, mysterious flying tiny human looking thing,” Starfire spoke calmly as she tried to observe exactly what the chibi version of Speedy had been doing around them ever since he had quite abruptly appeared in the common room once again to continue his “torture” of the bound couple in the middle of the room.

 

The little cupid had been hard at work creating things out of thin air to place around Robin and Starfire ever since he had rejoined them, and much to Robin's chagrin, he had realized quickly that everything he created had a deeper, romantic meaning to it. This was all being done for a purpose, but the masked teen's mind was too preoccupied with his not so secret crush being forcefully pressed against his body. Under different circumstances, he might have allowed himself to enjoy the feeling of Starfire's slender body against him, but he could easily see that their situation was being forced. His priority was to find a way out of this, and hope that very few questions would be asked later. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he struggled against his bindings, they only seemed to pull him closer to the girl against him.

 

Starfire, however, had seemed more interested in figuring out just what their winged friend had been up to since his return than escaping the things that held her against the Titans' leader. In fact, she rather enjoyed the feeling of his muscular chest against hers, but she was far too scared of rejection to even mention that fact. Though it was quite clear to everyone else that the boy wonder harbored feelings far more than friendship for the young alien princess, Starfire somehow had always gone oblivious to that fact. With everything else, she was observant, but to the one she loved, she was ironically the opposite.

 

“Robin,” Starfire began as she looked on curiously at the winged transformed East Titan, “if I am correct, than this little creature resembles that winged child that consumes the city on the day of red hearts and tines of valens. Oh, what was his name? I fear that I cannot remember.”

 

“Its called Cupid, Star,” Robin tried to explain as he eyed the chibi Speedy as he conjured up dozens of red candles that gave off the scent of roses around the room and lighting them with a snap of a finger. “An, I definitely think you are right about that, but this guy's methods are too extreme for comfort. No offense to you, Starfire, but I don't like being tied up, even if it is to you. I'd love to spend time with you, but this is going too far, don't you think?”

 

Starfire hadn't heard a word Robin was saying. She was too busy watching as the little cupid replaced all the lights in the common room with deep red ones, giving the room a romantic crimson glow. “Robin, Starfire began, still watching as cupid worked his magic, “if I remember correctly, the cupid is supposed to bring two people together in the glorious bond of love here on Earth, correct?”

 

Robin's eyes widened. “Y-Yeah, Star, but -”

 

“Then,” the Tameranean continued, “if I take into account our being brought together in this most forceful manner, am I to assume that this cupid doppelganger has chosen us to use its abilities on?”

 

“I think so,” Robin glared at the chibi Speedy as it created a bed behind the two teens with red sheets and a headboard in the shape of a heart, “but this thing isn't cupid, Star. Cupid doesn't really exist. Were meant to make are own choices in lo… that matter. So, please don't start thinking that you're supposed to feel something I know you don't.”

 

“Robin,” Starfire said confused, “how is it that you believe that you know what I do and do not feel? You do not possess friend Raven's,” Robin's eyes went wide as the mention of Raven's name made him remember what he had figured out before, “powers, so you cannot truly know my feelings, the ones towards you especially.”

 

“Starfire,” Robin began urgently with new resolve burning in his heart, “we need to get out of these ropes now and find the others. I know why this is all happening. I need to figure out a way to get Raven -”

 

“Can it not wait, Robin?” Starfire pleaded. Something about where they were in the midst of all the candles, red lights, and now rose peddles spread across the newly formed bed behind them led her to make up her mind. Robin needed to know hoe she felt, and she as going to tell him.

 

“No! Starfire, listen.” Robin had to set things straight. “Raven is-”

 

“I need to tell you that I lo-”

 

Robin cut her off once again. “But Raven is-”

 

“Oh,” Starfire said softly as se lowered her head to hide the tears forming in her eyes. “I see. I will not speak more of this. You are in love with Raven, and have no desire to be with me. I am sorry.”

 

“Starfire,” Robin whispered in disbelief. The young girl's subtle confession had overshadowed anything that he thought that he had to do just a moment before. That was now the furthest thing from his mind. “I never said I loved Raven, and how could I not want to be with you. Honestly, I love being this close to you, but I was unsure if you liked me the same way I do you.”

 

Starfire's head rose with a vibrant gleam of hope shining in her eyes. She stared deeply into the… mask of Robin anxiously awaiting him to continue. The two teens were so engrossed in each other that neither noticed when two tiny hands roughly pushed them over and onto the bed just as the quiet sound of the common room doors sliding open filled the room. Two new figures entered he room only to witness Robin and Starfire hit the bed one on top of the other.

 

“Starfire,” Robin smiled as he inched his face closer to the girl above him. “I love you.” With that, Robin did not wait for an answer before closing the gap between them. However, just as his lips brushed the Tameranean's, a soft click and a bright flash broke the silence that lingered in the room and a celebratory cry soon followed.

 

“Booya!” Cyborg grinned as he held the small digital camera up in triumph. “Got it!”

 

“Dude!” Beast Boy laughed. “I'm just glad that it's not me this time. Wait! You didn't take any pictures of me when Raven and I were forced together did you?”

 

Robin and Starfire pulled away as far as their bindings would allow, and the boy wonder looked over the alien princess's shoulder to see his other two male teammates standing in the doorway… with the blackmail material of the century. “Cyborg,” Robin growled in anger. “Beast Boy. You're going to get us out of these ropes, and then you are going to give me that camera or I will spend the rest of my life making you two pay.”

 

“Dude,” Beast Boy scoffed, “just calm down. You have nothing to complain about, considering the overly comfy position you and Starfire are in. My uniform is pink, Dude. No complaining.”

 

The color of Beast Boy's uniform registered in Robin's brain for the first time since he looked. He lasted a second before he cracked up laughing.

 

llllllllllllllllllll

 

Rage hit a nearby boulder hard and fell roughly to the ground after being flung carelessly by Denial's powers. Her methods were perfect. Her reasons were almost pure. Her attacks were dead on. Yet, no matter what she did, Denial always got the advantage as soon as she used her powers, powers that Rage no longer had. Her back was bruised, her cloak and leotard were torn, her arms felt broken, her feet were tired, but she still forced herself off of the now comfortable feeling rocky pathway.

 

“Is something the matter, Rage?” Denial taunted as she slammed a large rock into the stomach of Rage with her powers, causing the crimson cloaked emotion to fall to her knees. “Having second thoughts about going up against me yet?”

 

Rage gathered enough strength to glare at the false emotion standing above her. “I'll kill you, Denial, if it's the last thing I do.”

 

“No second thought just yet, I see.” Denial laughed as she picked Rage up with her powers. “Well, we'll just have to fix that, now won't we.” With a quick mental command, Rage was sent flying back into the stone behind her.

 

Rage did something she had never done before. She screamed. The pain, the torture, being flung around like a little toy was just too much for her and she screamed in agony. But she would not give up. Once again, she did everything she could to get herself to her feet and glare at Denial. `This is it,' Rage thought to herself while desperately trying to catch her breath. `This is all I can do? This is how I am o be defeated? It took every one f the emotions with Raven herself to beat me and now this one does it like it is nothing. I am a disgrace, but I have not lost yet.'

 

“You can't have much left in you, Rage,” Denial laughed maniacally as she floated slowly away from her red counterpart while still keeping her eyes on her. “I suppose you are just too proud to just quit, aren't you? In that case, I'll make you a deal that I know you'll refuse. Just for the fun of it and just to see that oh so scary glare one more time, if you say that you quit, I'll leave you alone and you can go back to the solitude of your realm. What do you day?”

 

Rage's fury intensified ten fold at Denial's comment. She would never quit, no matter how badly she was beaten. With one final roar of anger, Rage charged on wobbly legs towards the grinning dark emotion. Fortunately for her, a pair of pale arms wrapped around her waist an began dragging her away from the fight.

 

“Stop this madness, Rage,” Wisdom spoke calmly as she overpowered the exhausted emotion in her arms. “There will be other days and other fights for you. This one is lost, and I won't allow you to be needlessly hurt.” Though Rage did not go quietly, she had little choice but to be almost carried away from Denial, who simply smiled and gathered up all of the emotions that were still loyal to her, though her numbers were now one shorter than before.