The world was a blur. Beastboy lay on his hands and knees with his mind dazed and disoriented. His pointed ears held a high pitched ring as if someone had bashed a gong in his head. This made him nauseous and the taste of blood in his mouth didn't help. He struggled to look around to see if he could focus on Raven but the world was spinning as his gaze darted back and forth.
Just as everything started to finally settle in place, he could see Raven standing over him.
"I suppose I should thank you," she mocked. Her voice was low and dark as if a demonic beast were speaking for her, "if it weren't for our feelings for you, she may have never allowed me to take control."
"Our?" Beastboy asked softly not quite understanding what was going on, "what do you mean our? Raven... what's going on?" Beastboy said as the ringing and nausea started to fade.
Raven cracked a menacing grin and took joy in toying with Beastboy.
"You're so cute when your clueless," she laughed before explaining, "isn't it obvious? She was too weak to do anything so I asked my father for help."
Beastboy's eyes went wide when he realized who he was talking to, "Trigon?" He said softly fearing his name. Images of their battle in a world reduced to burning embers flashed through his mind, "no... No! Raven destroyed you!"
"I am Raven!" she respond instantly with anger behind her voice, "I'm the most powerful side of Raven! That weak excuse of a demonic daughter gave me control and in exchange I vowed to spare you... For now." She finished with a sinister smirk.
Her red eyes glowed brighter as she lifted her hands towards him. Dark energy came pouring from her hands striking him in the chest lifting him from the ground and sending him spiraling through the air before landing with a thud in a cloud of desert dust.
She hovered over to where he land and ginned with glee as she watched Beastboy struggle and groan as he again rose to his feet.
"You... You're not Raven. Raven is kind. Raven is good," Beastboy said clutching his stomach with his right hand, "you... you're just..."
"Evil?" Raven finished for him with a dark smile, "yeah... She wants to believe she is good but the truth is she was born of darkness. She never wanted to be a part of his armageddon... But I did." She turned her back to Beastboy to face the city glowing red in the far off distance. She took a few steps towards it as if trying to admire it, "I wanted to watch the world burn. I wanted to help my father in his never ending conquest of eternal domination!" She paused and her dark smile slowly disappeared from her face, "but you..." She turned slowly towards him, "You and the others she grew so close to gave her hope and happiness none of us ever imagined... and you ruined everything." She made eye contact with him and her blood red eyes pierced Beastboy like a dagger.
"So you're not Trigon, you're just the evil that he gave her," Beastboy said standing up straight trying to show no fear. But he knew she could tell he was trembling beneath the surface.
"Impressive! You're not as stupid as I thought!" Raven laughed, "I guess you could say I'm the daughter my father always wanted."
"Raven destroyed Trigon," Beastboy continued, "there's no way he could have taken over her. She's stronger than him!"
"Of course I'm stronger than my pathetic father!" Raven hissed as her voice flared with anger, "but you can't destroy evil just as you can't destroy good. One can not exist without the other. The same applies to us... She and I are the same. We are one. She could never kill me because I am just as much a part of her as her own beating heart. Our power is strongest when I am in control. When rage is in control," her anger faded and she smiled at Beastboy with a lustful expression, "speaking of rage... I've never seen anyone with anger like yours," she licked her lips and stepped closer to him. She got so close that their faces were nearly touching, "you're also at your strongest when you let the beast out of its cage. I mean... even Robin doesn't have the guts to mow down a group of kids to get what he wants. I love that kind of fire in man..." Raven bit her lower lip playfully.
She was intentionally trying to make Beastboy uncomfortable but there was still a hint of truth behind her evil words. It seemed even in this state, Raven's feelings for him still seemed to be strong and find their way to the surface. In the back of her mind this worried her but she paid no attention to it thinking she could easily get over it. "With that kind of beast at my side we could make worlds across the galaxy bend to our will," Raven sounded as if she were flirting with him, "together... we'd be unstoppable." She finished with a seductive smile like a siren tempting a sailor to abandon ship to satisfy the deepest and darkest of urges.
Beads of sweat began to roll down the back of Beastboy's neck. His mind flashed back to the incident at the school. One of the worst decisions he's ever made. But he didn't do it out of anger he did it out of love for Terra who was in extreme danger. He regret it... but at the same time, he was glad he saved her and he we do it again if it came down to it.
But Raven's offer was tempting to him... and that frightened him. When he thought about it he realized it was more the idea of being with Raven forever that enticed him. But if he was going to be with her he wanted to be with the real Raven. The one he fell for without even realizing it.
Beastboy took a step back to gain some space between them. He took a deep breath and then spoke softly as if caring for a delicate child, "you know that wasn't me, Raven..." He reached towards her and grabbed by the shoulders staring deep into her eyes, "and you know this isn't you either."
Raven's face softened as if something inside her was responding to his words. But her red eyes glared at him shortly after and she bat away his arms breaking his grip.
"I knew you were weak. Just like her," Raven said as she began levitating off the ground above him. Her power began to surge as a whirlwind started to spiral around her, "you'd rather be with some pitiful outcast wouldn't you?" Her voice grew darker and her power continued to grow, "you'd rather have a traitorous nobody with no real power wouldn't you?!"
Beastboy lift his arms over his face to block any dirt and dust swept up by the force of Raven's whirlwind that was quickly becoming a hurricane, "what are you talking about?!" He asked honestly not knowing what she was getting at.
Raven only grew more angry at his words, "DON'T EVEN START!" She screamed, "I saw Terra's memories with you. You love her don't you?!"
It dawned on Beastboy that Raven was the one who got Terra's memories back. That Raven was the reason she could use her powers once again... and why Terra was so adamant about helping save Raven.
"I'll always love Terra, Raven!" Beastboy said honestly, shouting over Raven's power but this made her fury grow steadily worse as the spiraling wind raged on, picking up speed, "but she has a new life! A good life! A life I can't be a part of!" Beastboy paused trying to let his words sink in before continuing, "if you love someone, you want what's best for them right?! You want them to be happy don't you?!"
Raven's face softened once more as she closed her eyes. She grit her teeth in her anger and raised her hands to her head as if some kind of battle was beginning to unfold within her.
"Stop... Fighting me..." Raven spoke as if addressing no one. It seemed like she was talking someone no one else could see, "we had a deal! I'M IN CONTROL NOW!"
Her eyes jolted open and she threw her fists to her sides with bent elbows. Dark flames explode around her, surrounding her aura in dark energy.
The sonic wave from the explosion knocked Beastboy back to the ground where he stared up at her in fear. Raven raised her hands above her head and a massive boulder lifted from the ground behind her and took its place, levitating above her raised hands.
Beastboy's fear turned to horror but what he saw on Raven's face surprised him to the point it almost made his fear vanish completely. Raven had tears flowing down her cheeks. She was crying. He could tell Raven, his Raven, was fighting back and trying to break free from her dark side's grip.
Raven hesitated for a moment before throwing her hands towards the helpless shapeshifter sitting in front of her letting out the most agonizing yell anyone has ever heard from her. She sounded like she was furious but at the same time she sounded like she didn't want to go through with her actions.
Beastboy gasped as he watched the massive boulder barreling towards him. It was too large to break and too close to dodge. All he could do was stare at it while it crushed him into nothing.
He closed his eyes and prepared for the end when a thundering crash in front of him forced his eyes open to witness an enormous rock wall springing out of the ground taking on the immense boulder and shattering them both into rubble.
Beastboy's head spun around to see Terra with a yellow aura around her. Her hair was floating as if defying gravity and her eyes glowed bright yellow along with her one good hand that was raised towards him.
Terra's face was fierce with a sense of rage and determination. She let out low groans as she struggled to continue using the complete extent of her power.
"Of course you would get in the way!" Raven screamed as the tears continued, "YOU'RE ALWAYS GETTING IN THE WAY!"
"Raven!" She said as she struggled, "please don't do this! You're my only friend who makes me feel like I'm not alone! Like someone else understands me! I would do anything to keep our friendship!"
Raven remembered Terra's past. How they both had such a terrible beginning. How they had so much in common. She finally had someone she could really relate to... In a way.
She placed her hands on her temples as if trying to erase the thoughts from her mind before lashing out with anger once more.
"What makes you so special?!" Raven spat looking down on Terra, "why does he care so much about you but NO ONE cares about me?!"
Raven lofted her head to the sky and let out a cry of pain as if something was eating her from the inside. It seemed the only way she could quarrel this strange pain was to increase her anger more and more. She screamed even louder as if expressing her hatred for the whole world and her power surged well beyond its limits. Debris and rocks of all shapes and sizes were now being swept up in the hurricane, now spiraling out of control around her. Her eyes shut tightly and she tucked her legs into her body as if levitating in the fetal position gripping her head like it was on fire.
As the bigger pieces of debris were being picked up and thrown into orbit around Raven, the weight of the rubble Slade was buried under lessened. Rouge had finally come-to and helped get the rest of the large pieces off of him.
"It vwould appear your ring is no longer vworking," Rouge said in an aggravated tone.
Slade groaned as he sat up. He looked down at his ring. It had cracks all over it and before he could react it crumbled and completely fell off his finger.
"It was meant for Raven's power," he said trying to make sense of it, "this... this isn't her power. This is something on an entirely different level."
They both looked up at the insane amount of power she was exerting and knew this was somewhere they really didn't want to be.
"It would be in out best interest to get as far away from her as possible," Slade said admitting defeat.
"Then this is vwhere we part ways," Rouge said having had enough, "I grow tried of vworking for someone else."
"I was never someone who works well with others anyways," Slade respond half jokingly.
As villains they both had a mutual respect for each others work but they knew this "partnership" was never going to last. With that they both took off in the same direction away from Raven before splitting up and heading off to make separate plans of their own.
Things were starting to get out of hand. The small building that once imprisoned Raven was being picked apart piece by piece and tossed around like a child playing with their toys. Her power was out of control and beyond anything anyone had ever seen from her.
"Beastboy run!" Terra shouted. She could see things were getting worse and worse. It seemed like they were all about lose their lives to Raven's power.
"No!" Beastboy instantly respond, "I'm not giving up on her!"
"Don't be stupid! If you stay you'll die!" Terra pleaded with him.
"NO! I WON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE TWICE!" He screamed at Terra.
Terra saw the fire in Beastboy's eyes. He was talking about her. When he let her sacrifice herself to save them.
He wasn't leaving here without Raven. He was going to save her or die trying. Terra sighed and looked up at Raven who was still clutching her temples as she levitate off the ground with a vortex of incredible power surrounding her.
"Fine!" Terra finally agreed, "what do we do?!"
"Just get me close to her!" Beastboy shouted back.
Terra raised a hand and her aura began to glow yellow displaying all her power once more. The earth beneath Beastboy began to crack in a circle around him and rise from the ground.
"Just so you know this might be your only chance to tell her!" Terra teased trying to lighten the tension.
"Tell her what?!" Beastboy yelled back.
"Seriously?!" Terra was to the point of screaming at Beastboy's idiocy, "have you been listening to anything she just said?! She needs you! Now more than ever! And you're the ONLY one who can help her!"
With a long and loud groan from Terra, the rock Beastboy was standing on lifted out of the ground and started moving towards Raven.
Inch by inch he slowly got closer to Raven but Terra was struggling to control the platform Beastboy was on through Raven's sheer power. She continuously let out long groans as she strained to complete her task. Beads of sweat began to roll down her cheeks as she clenched her jaw and her body grew tired and weak.
Beastboy was covering his face with his right arm to protect himself from flying debris. He had no idea what he was going to do but he had to try something. He just hoped something would could to mind when the moment came.
He was nearly half way there when a giant piece of rubble from the destroyed building headed straight for him and smashed the rock Terra was controlling.
Terra let out a yell of relief as her control over the rock Beastboy was on was broken. She dropped to her knees and looked up in fear for Beastboy's life and watched with nervous anticipation. All she could do now was hope.
Beastboy leapt off the rock before getting crushed and morphed into a bald eagle. He began flapping his wings wildly trying to fight the force of the hurricane.
He was diving left, right, up, down, and all directions in between, avoiding every piece of debris like the most agile and athletic bird the world has ever seen. As he inched closer and closer he finally got close enough to morph back to his human form and grab on to the shoulder of Raven's cloak from behind with one hand. His body was still feeling the force of the hurricane and legs flailed behind him like a flag waving on a windy day as he held on for dear life.
Raven didn't even seem to notice he was there. Her red eyes remained shut with hands still covering her temples. The battle inside her mind was turing into a war.
"Raven!" Beastboy yelled trying to get her attention but with no response. He stretched out with other hand and gripped her cloak's other shoulder and spun her around so she was facing him keeping a constant grip at all times, "RAVEN!"
Raven's eyes slowly opened to reveal soft, sad glowing red eyes with tears consistantly streaming down her cheeks.
It was as if the world went silent around them. As if time stood still amongst the chaos and destruction surrounding them. Her eyes told the entire story and Beastboy could read them as if they he had been reading the same story for years.
She needs you. Now more than ever.
Beastboy thought about what Terra said to him just before he went on this suicide mission. He started to think about what Raven had been saying earlier.
Why does NO ONE care about me?
"Why are you here, Beastboy?" Raven asked slowly lowering her hands from her temples while she remained in a slight fetal position. Her voice had returned to its normal tone but it sounded damaged like she was torn inside.
This one question took Beastboy by surprise. He thought it was obvious... But then he started thinking about everything Raven has been doing for him. It became obvious to him. Everything clicked and started making sense. It made sense now why everyone was calling him an idiot. And now he knew they were right. In that moment he even called himself an idiot.
"Why?" Raven asked again begging for an answer.
This might be you're only chance to tell her.
"You... asked why no one cares about you right?" Beastboy said softly. Raven closed her eyes and lowered her head away from his, "well I'm here to tell you that's not true."
Raven opened her eyes and paused for a moment before she looked back up at him and waited for him to continue.
"I mean... Robin, Cyborg, Starfire... even Terra! We all care about you!" Beastboy said trying his best to get his message across.
Raven lowered her head once more, "that's not what I meant..." She said in a grim tone.
The hurricane around them grew a little more in size as the devastation caused by rage was now joined by depression. This made Beastboy panic even more.
Looking in from the outside, Terra watched as the hurricane not only continued but grew worse. She started worry as she realized keeping her feet on the ground was getting more and more difficult as the strength Raven's power would soon sweep her up as well.
You're the ONLY one that can help her.
Beastboy swallowed his pride. He didn't know what was going to happen but he knew it was now or never.
"Well," he started again, "I... uh..." Raven looked back up at him through her red eyes with tears that seem to have no end, "I..." Beastboy stared into her eyes. He could see all the pain she was holding on to and it sparked something inside him, "I..." It didn't take long before that spark turned into a raging fire, "I...!"
Beastboy let go with his right hand and wrapped his fingers around the back of her neck pulling her up towards his flailing body and pressed his lips firmly and passionately against hers, refusing to let go or let the moment fade too quickly.
Raven was taken by complete surprise. Her dark red eye's opened wide for a moment before she gently shut them and surrender herself to the moment she was having with the only person she could imagine having this moment with. It seemed like a dream. Like it was too good to be true. Like at any moment she would wake up from it and find herself staring at the odd artifacts and objects she has collected in her room. But she didn't care. This feeling was a first for her. Whether it was a dream or not, it felt incredible. Something indescribable.
As if stopping on command the hurricane froze in place along with all the debris and rubble, acting like a circular curtain around them. Beastboy's body slowly float down from flailing in the wind and aligned itself with Raven's body. While they hung in the air at the center of her frozen vortex, he released his left hand from her other shoulder and wrapped it around the small of her back pulling her in tight his body to show her he meant what he was doing and there could be no doubt that this was real and genuine.
Raven knew now she wasn't dreaming. This was real. This was happening. She couldn't help but let the emotions she was feeling overwhelm her like she did on the roof of the Tower with Starfire. She felt a surge of power unlike anything she had ever felt before. It was so strong that it forced her to pull her lips away from Beastboy's and open her eyes towards the stars where she let out loud groan like something was about to explode out of her with intense force.
Beastboy wrapped both his hands around Raven's waist and held on tight to her, bracing for the worst. He didn't know what to expect. Her powers were always so unpredictable in moments like this. As her power began to manifest itself Beastboy was forced to lean back away from Raven. As he did he closed his eyes and braced for impact.
A massive white light, that could blind the sun itself, shot from her aura like a cannon into the night sky with the shape of bird's beak leading the charge. Her red eyes looked as if they were fighting against the bright white power that was slowly over taking them and before long her red eyes were swallowed by a purified white light. After a moment, the white light pulsing into the night sky took shape and the wings of a raven spread across stars as the bird let out a long, powerful, and triumphant screech that could be heard from miles away.
When its cry finally trailed off, the pure white bird pulled its wings into its body and performed a perfect nosedive straight down back to its origin where Raven was floating with Beastboy. When it re-merged with Raven it caused a powerful explosion of white energy like a nova, shattering the frozen curtain of the hurricane and sending the suspended debris in every direction, making it seem like it was raining dirt, rocks, and rubble.
When everything finally fade away Raven collapsed into Beastboy's chest. Which took Beastboy by surprise as he turned back to face her, only to catch her immediately in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.
The two of them slowly drift back down to the ground where Terra had rushed to meet them as the land. When they finally touched down to earth, Beastboy plant his feet firmly and held Raven up as she leaned into him for support.
She was exhausted. That was the most she had ever used her powers before and it was taxing on both her mind and body.
She weakly looked up at Beastboy. Her eyes glowed not red, but amethyst. The beauty of her natural eye color. Beastboy stared back gazing deeply into her soul with a vast sense of desire. A look that Raven had been longing for, for as long as she could remember. She finally had it now. She was so beyond happy that she gave a small but genuine smile.
Beastboy blushed. He had never seen someone as beautiful as her even in her darkest moments. He was still embarrassed that he only now started to realize just how gorgeous she really was. After she smiled at him, he snapped back to reality and cleared his throat to try to break the tension, "Ahem! So uh..." He chuckled, "yeah... um... I..." even now with her powers under control he still couldn't manage to say it.
Raven stood up straight and stood on her own too feet. She looked down at the ground while Beastboy's arms remained gently wrapped around her waist. "I think I know what you mean now," she looked back up at him and her small smile never left her face.
Beastboy was speechless. The words that could seem to find their way out didn't need to be said at the moment. Everything seemed to fall into place and the world seemed as if it had found peace around them... But the peace didn't last long when Beastboy's communicator began to ring.
Beastboy gasped in panic. He completely forgot about Robin and the others and what kind of trouble they might be in fighting all those things in the city.
He reached into his belt and pulled out the small device bearing the letter "T." Once he flipped it open he didn't even get a chance to talk before Robin began wailing frantically on the other end, filling the air around them with unease and plunging their peaceful world back into chaos.
"BEASTBOY! TELL ME YOU SAVED RAVEN! WE NEED YOU GUYS! CYBORG IS DYING!"