Fan Fiction ❯ Shades of Grey ❯ One Long Night Indeed ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter Two - One Long Night Indeed

         The green robot was moving towards the blue robot's prone body to deliver a finishing blow when the screen suddenly fuzzed out.
         "Yo, what's going on?" shouted Cyborg, pulling off his new VR Headset to see that the holographic screen was also static.
         "That's so not cool, I was about to win," BB groaned just as the screen cleared and the image of a man lacking all of his hair and wearing a white lab coat appeared onscreen. Behind him was an extensive laboratory in which several other scientists were hard at work. The man adjusted his circular glasses and frowned - it was obvious that the he couldn't see them.
         "Titans? Can you hear me?"
         Robin would approach from behind the couch as Starfire peaked out of the kitchen.
         "Yes, professor, we can hear you just fine," replied the boy wonder.
         "Good - good," smiled the bald scientist, "I've got the report you wanted on these creatures, I'll send it directly to you. But we're having trouble with working out some of the finer details."
         Robin nodded, "Thanks Professor Desmon. Anything alien about them?"
         "No, I'm afraid not, they're made up of the same organs and Earthly matter as humans - with additional parts, obviously, that would explain their skeletal frame and reptile like qualities. Otherwise, just a regular terrestrial life form. Only like nothing we've ever seen."
         "I see. What about origins?''
         "I'm afraid that would be extremely difficult to obtain. However, if you were to try and capture one alive, we may be able to find out more than where it was right before it died. But what you've told me, I find that would be a rather difficult request."
         Robin would cross his arms and think for a moment, "I'll see what we can do, but for now just send what data you have. Thanks, Professor."
         "Your quite welcome. End transmission," and with that the picture returned to that of Cyborg and Beastboy's video game. Flashing letters ran across the screen blinking 'YOU WIN' above and below the blue robot which stood in a victory pose with a foot on the green 'bot.
         Beastboy blinked at the screen in confusion then cried out, "What the!?"
         Cyborg couldn't help but laugh and pat Beastboy's back - which would result in the smaller boy toppling over.
         "What's the matter BB? Sore loser?"
         "Dude, at least I don't have to cheat to win!"
         At Beastboy's last words, the two were face to face, growling. Moments before a fight broke out, however, there was a cry of distress nearby that was unmistakably Raven's. Following moments after that a loud roar would literally shake the floorboards.
         "Titans! Raven's in trouble, hurry!" shouted Robin, but as he turned Skyangel was already gone. No matter, Starfire, Beastboy and Cyborg would follow him.
         But Skyangel was already racing down the hall to stop at the corner. He had reacted by the scream, the roar only making him run faster. Now he wasn't sure which way to go - down towards the activity room or the dormitory - but that problem was solved quickly by the noise of battle to his left. Sprinting down the hall, Skyangel skidded to a halt before Raven's open door to see a very black Wardog throw a bookcase off of itself, the books themselves littered the floor. Wispy wings would flow into shape behind Sky as black tribal tattoo-work crawled down his arms to his fingers which grew into impressive talons. As the Wardog rose, it turned it's back to Sky - giving the new Titan an easy advantage. He would leap onto the monster's back and grab hold of it's lower jaw and lift up hard, snapping it's maw closed and exposing neck. With his free hand, Skyangel easily tore the beast's throat into bloody ribbons with those newly formed talons of his, dropping the creature hard.
         The rest of the Titans would rush in then to see Sky rise from his kill, blood splattered upon his right arm. They would be taken aback by how quickly their new teammate had proven his worth as Raven emerged from her bathroom, holding one of her dark blue cloaks about her frame, shaking lightly.
         "Are you alright?" asked Sky as the others stood outside the room (perhaps they had been easily trained to stay out of Raven's living space?)
         She nodded. It was apparent that this lone Wardog had interrupted her during a shower by the way the magus' cloak clung to her body and running water in the background.
         "Good," Sky would then turn to the others as he shifted back into regular form and pushed his red sunglasses high up on his forehead which resulted in a bloody streak across it, "somebody want to help me with this?" he would ask. Beastboy would morph into pack mule form as Cyborg nodded and heaved the dead beast up onto BB's transformed back. The three would then move off as Robin looked Raven over once more then moved off to follow. Starfire, though, was more concerned. She floated over to her shaken friend and watched with concern.
         "Is Raven sure she is alright? You seem.."
         "I'm fine, Star."
         The Tamaranian girl would only nod then float backwards out of the room and leave, the door sliding shut behind her. Raven tried to calm herself - in truth the attack had scared her half to death, she couldn't remember being so struck. In her own room (in the shower, no less) was the last place she ever expected to be attacked by anything. The fact that these Wardogs were nightmarish of appearance didn't help either. The mage would then turn to glance at the odd book laid open on her bed, Deus Imber he had called it , and thought of how quickly Sky had come to save her. Pushing it aside, she sought to forget about it all. Rest was what she needed before the long night ahead of them.


         Cyborg and Beastboy had dumped the lone Wardog into their hazardous material waste - a chute often reserved for Starfire's meals alone - then proceeded to join Robin, Starfire and Skyangel in the main room for dinner. They had all washed their hands rather profusely.
         "What bothers me is how different this one acted than all the rest of them," wondered Robin as he looked about the table covered in strange looking puddings, meats and a platter of massive bugs in what looked like green Jell-O.
         Starfire was absentmindedly piling a plate with food and dousing it in mustard. Cy and BB were leery of the food, but Sky felt at least inclined to try a feast that was prepared for his arrival. Picking what reminded him of barbeque ribs colored a vibrant orange, he would nibble off a bit of the flesh and chew it scientifically.
         "Well," asked Cyborg as Beastboy stole a bite from the tofu carton he had hidden under the table, "how's it taste?"
         "Like.. Carrot flavored chicken."
         Robin would blanch, but the mechanical giant just shrugged and reach for a plate, "Eh, I can deal with that."
         Everyone except Starfire would eat meagerly, though the Tamaranian was quite used to it by now and didn't really care as she wolfed down the mustard covered food.
         "It just proves what little you actually know about them," Sky would tell Robin, "this one seemed to be more like an assassin or something."
         Beastboy would grin and ask, "Does that mean it was a Ninjadog?"
         "It means we're going to have to be extra careful from here on out," ordered their leader, "the Tower's systems are on high alert - which means floor, wall and ceiling sensors and electrified floors if your not carrying your communicator so make sure to have it on you at all times. And if anything Titans, try to stay together as much as possible."
         "It also means they have a weak point," added Cyborg. When they looked at him questioningly, he shrugged and motioned to Sky, "unless I'm mistaken, he clawed through that thing's neck pretty clean."
         Robin nodded, "Your right, maybe their underside is soft? We've seen them move on two legs before, try to attack it then."
         "Someone remember to tell that to Raven," joked BB.
         "Tell me what?" the mage would ask as she seemed to appear behind Beastboy.
         "Friend Raven, you are just in time to join us in dinner and battle discussion," Starfire would giggle but before Raven could respond an alarm went off within the tower. Robin would move quickly to the holographic projector, simply vaulting the sofa, and activate the display which brought up a map of Jump City. It automatically zoomed up on a building outlined in red with letters written above it spelling out "unknown creature attack - numerous threats." Rather than the usual Titans - Go! , Robin would simply turn to his team of superheroes and sigh, "Alright, lets get this over with."
         Fourteen minutes later, the Titans were deep within Jump City's business district, gathered in a thirty story office building's ground floor. It was built into two sections: A security gate directly after the main entrance doors which had been sheared right off, and a carpeted common room decorated with chairs and TVs. It was all rather well lit, something to be expected from a financing company. Robin stood after checking a guard's pulse to find the man dead - which was probably because of the massive wound in his chest. The rest of the Titans were checking that floor for any Wardogs. Beastboy would slide over to Robin in cheetah form before morphing back.
         "Beastboy, did you find anything?" Robin would ask.
         "None of those Wardogs, but I did figure out where they went."
         "Where?"
         BB would simply point up then over to a staircase, "there is a bit of blood leading up."
         "Okay," Robin would nod then turn and activate his communicator, speaking quietly into it, "Titans - Regroup."
         Cyborg's head would pop up from behind the guard's desk and motion for Robin to come over. As the boy wonder did, Starfire and Raven would approach from the other end of the commons. Skyangel appeared from behind a doorway that lead into the garage. Gathering by Beastboy, they would wait for Robin and Cyborg who were watching security monitors.
         After a moment, their leader looked up to them and said, "They're swarming all over the third floor, but from what Cyborg has been able to pull up it looks like they can't go much further. The main stairs only go up that high and the emergency stairwells are behind doors those big beasts can't force through."
         Skyangel would readjust his red lensed glasses, "... So why don't we just go waste them all?"
         "Because I'm beginning to wonder what they're doing."
         They all looked to Robin curiously. He had been acting so different lately. Of course, so had the rest of the Titans. Cyborg would stand - instantly towering over Robin - then speak with a matter-of-fact tone.
         "What he means is that we've always known what a villain is going after. Usually something valuable and obvious, but at this point these Wardogs have been attacking completely random locations that seem to have no real tie to each other."
         "Does this mean we should not fight them? I do not understand," Starfire sighed.
         "It means," Robin said as he moved back around the guard's desk, avoiding the corpse he had checked earlier," we're not going to fight them now. We're going to wait and watch, see what they're after. We need to get to the fourth floor," the boy wonder just walked right by his gathered team, past the mangled front doors and out into Jump City's cool night. The rest would follow, confused, Cyborg vaulting the guard's desk to rejoin the Titans.
         Robin looked up at the building, "First, we need to get inside without alerting those damn monsters. Raven, I want you to fly up to the fourth level and quietly remove the glass then wait for us."
         She would nod to his commands and do just that. Floating smoothly up past the two occupied floors, she would stop where directed and extend a hand from within her cloak, her black leotard sleeves making it difficult to see the action from below. Raven's power would curl into a vibrant black orb about her hand before it writhed out to the window directly before the mage and consume it. What the Titans below could not see was each of the screws securing the pane of glass all turning simultaneously, ejecting from their slots and hovering into their summoner's hand. Moments after, the window itself would simply disconnect and turn enough to slide into the dark building - hardly with noise. The magus hovered into the building, released her powers and waved them up.
         "Follow me," ordered Robin as he removed a grapple-gun from his belt, aimed high and shot it directly into the newly created opening, missing Raven by inches. Connecting with a desk, the grapple would suddenly draw tight before launching the red and green clad boy wonder up and into the smaller office. Skyangel, Starfire and Beastboy all looked at Cyborg, who was staring up at Raven and Robin and scratching his head worriedly.
         "I got nothing that could heft your big steel can," grinned BB, shape-shifting into a hawk and taking to the air, leaving Star and Sky to do the hefting. Cyborg touched down a few moments later, held aloft by the struggling duo, Skyangel's purple and violet mystic wings an impressive blur before they all landed safely. The room was a waiting office before what was probably a meeting hall and held several couches along with a desk between two doors. Robin was already giving a forlorn Beastboy orders when they arrived.
         "I want you to transform into something nimble and find us a way into the ceiling one floor down. Air ducts if necessary. I want to know what these things are up to."
         "Aye aye, sir," BB groaned, saluting sarcastically. His body twisted into the shape of a small spider monkey and leaped into the elevator shaft Raven had simply opened with her telekinetic power.
         Pointing at Skyangel and Cyborg, then their self-made entry to the fourth floor, Robin simply said, "Guard the street entrance," then turned Starfire and Raven and told them to follow as he moved into the emergency stairwell. The girls would follow, leaving the two guards. After a period of time, Cyborg spoke first.
         "Hey Sky, I've been meaning to ask you something."
         "What's that?" Sky would reply.
         "Where do your abilities come from? All I've seen are those wings of yours and your.. claw things. But where do you get it from?"
         "I figured one of you would ask sooner or later," but Skyangel was cut off by the sound of BB's voice coming through the communicators in Cyborg's arm and Skyangel's belt. The changeling must have gotten into position and was updating the team with a whisper.
         "Hey, yo, if you guys can hear me, give me some kind of sign, over!"
         "How about this," came Robin's voice next, sounding peeved, "tell me what's going on or I swear I'll-"
         "Okay, dude, sheesh! Anyway... Its weird, they aren't doing anything," there was a pause before Beastboy's voice returned, much more quiet, "and there's a new one."
         Skyangel shifted nervously as Robin replied, "You're sure?"
         "Positive.. I can't tell, but it looks like-" he was cut off by a sharp cracking noise, after a moment Robin would ask, "Beastboy, are you still there?"
         "Oh man, I thought I had bought it when the - WAH!"
         What followed was a large amount of static followed by several loud roars. Robin's next words were rather hurried, "Beastboy!? Are you there? Beastboy? Titans, get in there!"
         Cyborg and Skyangel exchanged hesitant looks before Sky simply dove off into the night through their self made entry. As he leapt and fell, those wispy violet wings left a trail of light smoke behind him until they quickly took shape upon his back, seeming to catch Sky in mid air. He would make a wide turn and come about to aim directly into the third floor glass. He just hoped that some of those demons had gone downstairs, though at this point he knew they'd have to fight them all off.
         A heavy crash alerted the beasts that something had broken into their floor from the windows. When they turned, they caught sight of a man with ghostly wings standing amongst the shattered window, its broken glass shining like diamonds in the moonlight. The man raise his arms slightly, bringing the monstrous Wardogs' vision to his arms - tattooed from shoulders to fingers with a tribal design that seemed to simply extend past his digits into viscous talons. Glasses that could easily be mistaken for red eyes shined in the moonbeams as the fight began.


         In the few moments he had before the horde struck, Skyangel managed to see Beastboy struggling with several of the Wardogs in gorilla form, past him Robin, Starfire and Raven bursting through a small door along the far wall to engage in their own battle. Office cubicles dominated this floor, most of which had been thrashed around and even torn apart by the horde. Then, the 'Dogs before him roared battle cries and thundered towards the winged man. He nimbly leapt between the first two as they barreled towards him and right off the edge of the big structure the Wardogs had invaded. However Sky didn't stop to watch as another leapt to meet him in the air and dragging them both down to the ground with a heavy thud! as the foes grappled. Sky was forced to keep one hand clasped across the monster's neck and thusly it's jaws away, his other busy fending off his aggressor's own claws. With a quick movement, Skyangel drew his legs up under the Wardog and dug deep into it's neck before kicking up hard. The result was twofold: Not only was the beast off of Sky, it also seemed to have lost it's esophagus in the process (which wouldn't stay in Sky's claws for long).
         As the newest Titan rose, two more Wardogs converged on him quickly, coming in with a pincer movement. Rolling out of their way, he would come to his feet to turn and dive right back into his attackers, who in that short time had simply collided with each-other. Wispy smoke trailed behind Skyangel as he slammed fist first into one of the Beasts and swung about onto it's back. Drawing up the monster's head, he ripped apart it's throat as he had done before in Raven's room. However, as the beast fell its partner recovered and lifted up on it's hind legs to swipe at Sky. The Titan yelped and attempted to jump back and luckily missing the brunt of the attack, only suffering a raking of his left shoulder. Tumbling backwards, he rolled directly into a door and sending a long crack up its center upon collision. The Wardog would stalk forward as Skyangel rose carefully, noticing that a few were simply watching. The door's nameplate dropped from the door's broken frame to land at Sky's feet, gleaming "Utility Closet" as the Wardog's shadow moved over it. Sky grinned and put a hand to the doorknob and quickly backed into the room.
         Across the room, Robin, Raven and Starfire were cutting a swath through the horde of Wardogs towards Beastboy. Star's green energy roared overhead and crashed into several of the beasts, scorching them with plasma fire before Robin vaulted the mess to come down hard with his bo-staff, striking heads and breaking bones in a flurry of well placed blows. Behind him, Raven was doing her best to protect them by using her telekinetic power to literally beat down Wardog's with their own dead. Ahead, Beastboy thrashed in gorilla form, pounding the monsters about him with a metal stool he had found. He roared as several claws tore into the flesh of his back and spun, swinging the stool to crush the Wardog's skull.
         A beam of blue energy alerted them of Cyborg's arrival slightly behind Robin and the two girls. The cybernetic warrior would simply extend his transformed gun arm and turn as the azure Sonic Cannon unleashed a powerful wave, tearing through the horde like a fire hose. He could easily advance like this, only pausing the punch out any of the beasts that tried to pincer him. Past Beastboy, Cy spotted Skyangel emerge from a doorway and heartily crack a 'Dog's skull with what appeared to be - of all things - a shovel. Sky had armed himself with the hefty spade from the Utility Closet and proceeded to wreck havoc via claw and shovel. Six minutes later, the last two Wardog's were slammed together headfirst by the massive green gorilla then dropped like rag dolls. Looking about before shifting back to his human form, Beastboy set the stool down and sat on it, grinning weakly at the rest of the Titans.
         "Well that was some party."
         The heroes gathered about as Robin shot BB a look, "... Is everyone okay?"
         Skyangel wiped his shovel off on a dead Wardog's mane as the others nodded. They had all acquired small wounds but nothing they haven't suffered before. Though young, the Titans were a formidable little army.
         Cyborg glanced about then asked Beastboy, "You said something about a 'new one?'"
         "Yeah, you guys didn't see it? It was taller, moved more like a person. And it wasn't all black and stuff."
         Robin quirked a brow, "I didn't see one."
         "Perhaps this 'new one' fled before we arrived at Beastboy's aid," offered Starfire as she tended to her own wounds.
         Before anyone could respond, however, there was a growl from behind them. As the Titan's turned, their vision would fall to the main stairway to the second floor - climbing the stairs was exactly what Beastboy had described. It had the visage of a Wardog, but seemed much more evolved, standing upright on hind legs the creature could walk without concentrating on keeping balance. It's scales were a deep crimson rather than obsidian and had a clean shine to it. The beast even wore pieces of armor that gave it a rather authoritive aura - pauldrons and gauntlets, a snug chest piece and greaves that included a belted loincloth. When it reached the top of the steps, it was obvious to the Titans that the creature was much more different than anything they've encountered before amongst the Wardog army.
         Plus it could speak, which surprised the heroes when it's seething voice spoke, "Hello Teen Titans."
         They were all speechless before Beastboy again smiled weakly and replied, "Uh.. Hi?"
         Cyborg would blink down at BB then smack him upside the head as Robin stepped forward and gestured around them, "Why are you here? What do you want from this city?"
         The Wardog just shook it's head and extended both arms towards them, palms out and simply growled, "Be quiet," as red and black electricity surrounded the Titans, enveloping their bodies. They would struggle momentarily before unconsciousness washed over them, clouding minds and paralyzing muscles. They all dropped to the ground in a heap - all except one: Skyangel. He would glare at the Wardog and step over Robin's prone body to approach the beast. It lowered it's arms and nodded.
         "Skyangel."
         "Azodiel," returned Sky, "did you hurt them?"
         "Of course not."
         "I'm sorry it came to this."
         The beast - Azodiel - shook it's head, "if it is truely my time to die, then I would rather it be by your hand."
         "It will be an honor," Sky again nodded, tossed aside the shovel and removed his red shades to slide them into his vest's pocket, "no limits, right?"
         "No limits," Azodiel replied.
         Skyangel's smoky violet wings exploded into fire as the tattoo work on his arms crawled across his entire body, forming into tribal-like runes. His forearms stretched then contorted into fierce gauntlet like armor, the talons reforming on his fingers. Azodiel likewise changed as several thin tentacles erupted from the back of his serpentine head as those white eyes began to glow orange. From his back grew four mandible spines that bent like razor sharp spider legs.
         They stood before each other fully transformed for a moment before Azodiel released an incredible battlecry and they charged into mortal combat.