Anything, Anytime, Anywhere 13

Anything, Anytime, Anywhere, For You

Chapter Thirteen
“The Tables Turn”

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The bodies of Bruce and Galfore lay still under the harsh winds of the desert. The winds were whipping over their already battered bodies, harshly blowing sand and rocks against them with an unrelenting severity. The two heroes had endured hardships before; but against the savage wilderness of Tamaran’s untamed wild neither stood a chance like this; and time was running short.

A sandstorm, the most vicious of natural disasters on the planet, was moving in. Sandstorms were common and everyone who ventured away from the cities and castles knew the odds of running into one were high; while the odds of surviving one were almost non-existent. If the storm reached the fallen heroes, they would have no chance of survival.

However, there was still hope; and it came in the form of a large black bird flying across the sky. Beast Boy and Raven had set out to save the fallen mentors and now they had arrived. The black lights smashed into the ground and dispersed; leaving only the gothic girl and the green teen behind. They had been through enough themselves; but now their minds and their eyes were focused on something else – the fallen friends.

Raven did not speak a word as she aimed her hands at the bodies. Muttering the usual mantra, she moved the bodies so that they lay side-by-side; close enough for her to reach them both. Afterwards she turned to Beast Boy: “Keep your eyes open.” Beast Boy nodded in response.

Raven hurried over to the bodies and dropped down to her knees. She did not like the looks of things. They had been through hell; that was obvious. Placing one hand on the chest of each man, Raven focused her mind and began the healing. Of course, as she had demonstrated numerous times before, her healing powers were a double-edged sword. She could take the pain and the injury from others – but she would have to suffer it herself.

“Raven, can you heal them?” Beast Boy asked, watching the strain on her face as actual healing began. “I mean, there’s two of them and –“”

“I can’t fully heal them, no.” Raven responded, cutting him off mid-sentence. “But I have to handle some of it or they might not survive.”

Beast Boy nodded without a word and then turned back to look around and resume his lookout duties. Although in truth he was too preoccupied to see approaching danger. They had found them, and it looked like they could save them. Things had worked out. Slade had failed.

“There.” Raven announced. “That’s all I can do. They should make it, as long as we get them back to the palace.”

Beast Boy was ecstatic. He and Raven still had some things to talk about, but they had managed to work through their issues once again and save Bruce and Galfore from the certain-death they had been doomed to suffer. He quickly ran to Raven’s side, more than ready for the flight home.

“Leaving so soon?”

Neither of them hesitated. The voice of Slade Wilson was too familiar by this point for hesitation. Beast Boy and Raven turned around; each ready for a fight. Slade seemed as unimpressed and unafraid as ever as he approached them, making his way from the shadowy spot he had hidden in and out to the two Titans ahead of him.

“You used me.” Beast Boy growled. He was madder than he had been in a long time. A vein was pounding in his head as he spat at the masked villain.

“Yes I did, and quite easily too.” Slade responded in his usual mocking manner. “Really, I’ve manipulated you Titans many times you’d think you’d have learned a lesson.”

“That’s funny.” Raven’s sarcasm cut in. “We’ve killed you so many times you’d think you’d have learn the lesson.”

Slade turned his eye on Raven. “On the contrary dear Raven; it is you who should have learned that lesson. I always come back; why not embrace death now and save us both the time?”

“Sorry, I’m not a big fan of embracing death.” Raven responded.

“Well, we can’t all have what we want, can we Raven?” Slade snapped back. That was the final word on the matter. They had all played this game too many times in the past to have any doubts on what would happen next.

Beast Boy and Raven moved like a well-oiled machine. They had not really formed a plan; but their mutual anger and the long-standing experience with Slade helped them work in sync. Raven’s eyes flashed with light and a moment later, everything she could throw at Slade had been thrown. Rocks, pebbles, sand, stone; anything on the ground within distance of her mental powers went soaring at Slade. Slade stood still as a thin red line traced itself around the outline of his body; the debris that had been tossed at him burnt into flames as they touched his skin and left the villain standing without a scratch.

Beast Boy, who was now a rhino, had been on his way to ram the villain. Luckily, he pulled out in time and became his usual self as he jumped backwards. He landed on his rump; but it was better than being roasted alive.

“Not good enough.” Slade smirked. Instantly his eye became the deadliest part of him as he mimicked his lightning blast from the long-forgotten kitchen fight and directed his fury at Raven. She did not waste time trying to block it, remembering all too well the horrifying power it possessed, and instead she melted herself down into the ground and reappeared beside Beast Boy in the same fashion a moment later.

“We can’t beat him.” She pointed out. Slade had turned around and this time he was using the flame-powers he had first shown on Raven’s birthday. Slade hurled two large jets of fire at the Titans, forcing them to take flight. Raven flew straight up, the flames licking at her heels as she did. Beast Boy, who was now a eagle, flew to the right and the searing inferno Slade had launched at him followed him by mere inches. The Teens lead the flames on a chase through the air until at last they ended up heading straight for one another. Raven went up; Beast Boy went down and the flames collided.

“I’ll distract him; you take Bruce and Galfore back to the palace.” Beast Boy informed Raven as the pair landed on the ground once again.

“No.” Raven responded instantly. “Slade will kill you.”

“No he won’t. I promise.” Beast Boy wanted to say more, so much more, but time would not allow it. Slade was not the type to stand by and allow sappy, sentimental farewells. Instead, he fired another blast of his eye and Beast Boy had to duck down to keep from being hit in the head.

Raven wanted to argue. Beast Boy could distract Slade; but in all honesty, he could not defeat him. The Titans had a hard time defeating Slade even with all five members present; how could Beast Boy do it alone? She had a nasty feeling that if she gave into Beast Boy’s plan, she would never see him again – but she did not have a choice.

“Damn you.” She hissed quietly. Beast Boy did not hear her. Slade was firing his lightning bolts again and the two were separated by the need to dodge them. Raven stopped watching Beast Boy then; and instead turned her eyes on the bodies of Bruce and Galfore. She knew what she had to do.

Beast Boy had assumed the form of a humming bird. He was now small, fast and he had an insane idea. Slade was standing still, following Beast Boy’s movements and firing his deadliest lightning bolts at him. As a small green humming bird, however, Beast Boy was able to swerve and swivel his way past the bolts. It was close, but he managed every time. Then he got his chance. He was so close to Slade, and once the final bolt had missed him he had to go for it. Beast Boy’s choice of fighting Slade as a humming bird may have seemed odd until now; but his plan paid off. Beast Boy rammed his small beak in Slade’s eye and then quickly turned back into his normal self, sending him falling on his rump at Slade’s feet.

The scream that followed was inhuman. Slade wound up on his knees, clutching his face as a trickle of red blood oozed down the side of his mask. Beast Boy could not see to find out if he had actually poked out the villain’s eye or if he had just damaged it; but either way it had the desired effect. Beast Boy quickly scampered up to his feet and began planning his next move.

“Beast Boy!”

It was Raven. Beast Boy turned in the direction of her voice and found that she had not left; she and the bodies of Bruce and Galfore were still lying in the same place. Neither Slade nor Beast Boy had noticed them at all during their brief confrontation. Beast Boy quickly ran to her and threw his arms around her in a quick hug.

“I though I was the distraction.”

“You were; but I didn’t feel like leaving you alone so I spent my time healing them a little more.” Beast Boy could see the pain beneath her eyes; he was not sure if it was from physical pain she had absorbed, or from seeing Beast Boy cut it so close. Either way he knew they did not have time to discuss this now.

“Get us outta here Rae.”

“Stay on guard, even when we’re back at the castle. We still don’t know where Trigon is and that makes me worry.” Raven advised him.

“Right!”

The next moment the four of them were gone, and the large black bird was heading towards the Tamaranian Palace. It appeared as if the Teen Titans had managed to steal another victory. Not even Slade could contest his defeat when he had lost not only the hostages he had planned to kill, but his eye as well. The Titans had won today.

Right?

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“How long are we to just sit and wait here?” King Myand’r asked his impatience and worry reaching its evening height.

Neither the King nor the Queen could be considered a fool. They knew that something – perhaps quite a few somethings – was going on. Robin and Starfire were taking a long time to select a keepsake; a giant bird made of black light had flown away from the palace, and it no one had bothered to fill the King and Queen in on the status of Galfore’s search team. They were being kept out of the loop – and that annoyed Myand’r greatly.

“My love, I too feel as if we are being left out.” Queen Luand’r replied gently. She rose from the golden throne upon which she had been sitting and crossed the room to her husband’s side. They were in their throne room in the underground bunker. She gently wrapped her arms around his back and pulled him close. “Yet there is naught we can do. As much as it saddens me to say it, this is none of our concern. We must have faith in our daughter and her friends.”

“None of our concern!?” Myand’r roared, he jerked away from his wife and shook his head. “Our planet is under attack! Full-scale war could result from this and we must lead our people!”

Luand’r shook her head, her long hair shimmering in the lights and falling across her shoulders. “It is too early to speak of war. We do not even known whom is behind this, or if there is more danger to come.”

The King was unconvinced. He knew there was something going on and he wanted answers. This had something to do with his daughter, and the Titans, and the Trials. It had to be connected to them; Myand’r’s mind was doubt free. He could not convince his wife, however, and he knew so little that his hands were tied. If he tried to act now, he would not know against whom – and it would make Luand’r furious. Myand’r had always thought of his wife as the sweetest woman in the world; but he knew much too well that if he made her mad she would make him miserable.

“Mother! Father!”

Myand’r’s eyes had just settled shut as he went about resting his bearded chin in his hand when Starfire’s voice filled the room. Myand’r opened his eyes and jumped up from the chair as Robin and Starfire came bounding in. Luand’r was still standing in front of the thrones and she was now staring at the Titans with expecting eyes.

“What brings you here, my child?” Luand’r asked sweetly.

“We found a keepsake.” Starfire squealed. She nudged Robin in the side with her elbow and he extended his hand, uncurled his fist, and revealed the tiny coral ball they had chosen to use. She also automatically launched into an explanation of what it was and the story behind it. Luand’r watched with a keen interest in her eyes, absorbing every word that came from her daughter’s mouth with an obvious craving for more. Myand’r, however, seemed uninterested in the keepsake.

Finally, he lost the ability to bite his tongue. Myand’r motioned Robin to join him off to the side of the women by his throne, and the boy wonder did so without hesitation. The King shot a final glance at the girls, but they were both so preoccupied in the keepsake that they had not noticed a thing. The King then returned his gaze to Robin, who was ready with a question.

“Is there something wrong with the keepsake, your highness?” Robin asked with a trace of worry in his voice.

“No, no, nothing like that Master Robin. My concerns are much graver. I have for sometime felt as if something was going on that I had not been informed of. I saw the lights when your friend Raven left; was she not the one who conjured the great black bird in the sky?”

Robin’s eye widened. Raven left? Robin had felt slightly suspicious of what was going on between Raven and Beast Boy when they had rushed out of the infirmary earlier; but he had not expected either of them to leave the castle. Something was going on; and the King and Queen were not the only ones being left out of the loop.

“Your highness, something is going on; but I’m not sure what.”

The King’s eye widened in understanding and he asked his next question quickly and quietly. “You were not aware of their departure?”

Robin shook his head. He knew something was going on with Raven and Beast Boy that he hadn’t heard about yet; but he had not expected them to leave the bunker; much less the entire palace. Could it be a trap set by Slade and Trigon? Robin would have estimated the odds high on that one; of course just about everything they had done so far had turned out to be manipulated by Slade or the demon.

Robin paused then. Everything they had done. Meeting Shady, the spaceship ride here, all of the chaos after they had arrived, the attack in the kitchen – the list went on and on. Robin realize that he had no proof one way or the other; but was it possible that everything that had happened was part of some grand, elaborate scheme? They had fallen into so many traps, only to escape by the skin of their teeth. Who is to say what was intention and what was not – and what could be next?

“No, I wasn’t.” Robin responded slowly, his mind still playing thousands of scenarios through; each one as unlikely as the last but somehow still believable. Expect the Unexpected. It was a cliché statement; but great wisdom.

Robin already had a great number of questions in need of answering, and his conversation with Starfire’s father had only caused that list to grow. It was like trying to put together a gigantic jigsaw puzzle without all the pieces; and every time he found a missing piece, it only made him rethink the pieces already placed down. Maybe he would never figure it all out – maybe he just had to wait until the end.

Robin stopped again. The end. When was that? Up until this moment, he had always assumed that things would end when he and Starfire had completed the Trials. That was their purpose for everything, wasn’t it? Shady had been a traitor, but his message was real. This had all begun because of the Trials, and until this moment, Robin had believed it would end with the Trials; but now . . .

How could that be the end? The Trials were merely a test to show how much committed Robin and Starfire were to one another. Their lives, providing they were still alive after the Trials, were far from over. They would have to return to Earth eventually – to their duty as Jump City’s defenders. And if Robin and Starfire really were as deeply in love as Robin believed they were, then one day . . .

Robin stopped there. He realized he was trying to plan his entire life; and no one could do that. He was not just jumping ahead of himself thinking about the Trials, he was going beyond that and it was time to stop. Whatever happened in the future would happen; he had no power to change it just as he had no power over the past. He merely had the here and the now; and that is what he had to focus on.

“Robin, father, why are you over there?” Starfire and the Queen had finally ended their discussion on the keepsake, and had noticed the disappearance of the men in their lives. Both the King and Robin were broken out of their thoughts and turned, equally embarrassed, trying to think of a suitable answer.

That was when the door opened. Cyborg came running into the room, ignoring the outraged guards outside and quickly making his way into the narrow space between Robin and Starfire before explaining. “The guards are saying something about a giant black bird heading towards the castle.”

“Raven.” Robin replied instantly. “Where is –”

“Main entrance buddy.” Cyborg responded between pants. “Titans Go, right?”

Robin and Starfire didn’t respond, instead they brushed past Cyborg leaving him to sigh and turn around following them feeling more like an messenger than an actual Titan today – of course he wasn’t going to complain. Cyborg knew he was getting off lucky; the real problems kept falling on everyone else, and while he’d always be there to lend a helping hand, he wasn’t too keen on bringing his own issues into the already full plate before the team.

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The black lights that flew in the form of a giant raven smashed into the ground at the castle’s main entrance. Raven, Beast Boy and the unconscious bodies of Bruce and Galfore appeared in the bird’s place. Beast Boy turned his attention on the bodies right away; expecting Raven to levitate them inside using her powers. Raven however took her time, apparently feeling safe for the moment, and instead placed a hand on Beast Boy’s shoulder.

“Can we talk?” She asked quietly, some hesitation in her voice.

“Of course, but shouldn’t we get them to the infirmary first –”

“Raven! Beast Boy!”

Any talk Raven had been hoping to have was put on pause. In a flash, Robin, Starfire, Cyborg and a handful of Tamaranian guards had all joined them at the front. Robin’s already lengthy list of questions only grew upon the sighting of the bodies. The guards quickly rushed into a defensive position and began shouting to others. Total chaos had broken out at the main entrance and if someone did not stop it quickly, it would consume the entire castle.

“We’re fine, so are they.” Raven shouted over the noise of the guards.

“And I think I poked out Slade’s eye.” Beast Boy added; although the mention of Slade only furthered the confusion and Robin’s need for a lengthy explanation; a need he would have to wait to satisfy.

Raven sighed. She had been hopeful that they could bring Bruce and Galfore to the infirmary and slip back into the company of their friends without too much commotion being caused. Instead, the entire castle was up-in-arms and it would undoubtedly be hours before all of the confusion was settled and peace returned. Normally this would have irritated her merely because of the noise; but this time she had reasons that are more personal as well. She did have to talk to Beast Boy, and soon; and she could not forget that her father’s current whereabouts were still unknown.

Raven caught a lucky break, however. She had been so caught up in her newfound worries and irritations that she had failed to notice where she was going. She had merely been following Beast Boy; determined not to let him slip out of her sight. Now that she began paying attention, however, she realized she, Beast Boy, and the rest of the Titans who lead the way had slipped out from the chaotic main gate and were now on their way to the Palace Throne Room – and presumably to the underground bunkers below it.

Raven was right. A few minutes later, she had climbed down the passageways and came out in the second throne room – the subterranean one. The King and Queen were huddled together near the thrones; a communication sphere like the one that had been on the spaceship now located between them. From the looks of the man on the other end of the sphere, they were talking to one of the guards. However, when the group arrived and the King and Queen realized whom it was they cut their conversation short and instead sat down in their thrones. It was obvious they were now waiting on an explanation.

The Titans had all gathered in the room and everyone realized quickly that it was time everyone spoke frankly. It was time for everyone to know everything; best to end the confusion early before it consumed them. Robin, as he usually did, took on a leader-like role and began the conversation.

“Where should we start?” He asked the group.

“I’ll start.” Beast Boy volunteered. Raven was not sure if she liked that idea or not, but she would let Beast Boy do what he wanted for now.

“Okay, then start.” Robin replied.

Beast Boy explained everything. Since he was not sure how much his friends knew that the King and Queen did not, and vice-a-versa, he backtracked all the way to when Slade first began manipulating him. He retold the story of Slade and Trigon’s lies, the tasks he’d be forced into doing and the choices he had made; as well as recalling the consequences for those choices and his confrontation with Raven. He finished by recalling their rescue attempt, the battle with Slade, and their flight back to freedom.

Being reminded of it caused Raven to realize that she hadn’t been paying attention during the confusion and she didn’t know what had happened to Bruce and Galfore’s bodies – although no one seemed too worried so she had a pretty good idea that the mentors were safe and sound, and probably in the infirmary.

“Then we landed and everyone sort of swarmed us, and that’s about it. Right Rae?”

“Right.” Raven responded. She turned her eyes on the others. She was a bit surprised by Beast Boy’s candor about his manipulation. She was not worried about the other Titans holding it against him – Slade had used them all at some point and they knew how easy it was to be used. She could tell from their faces that everyone had some questions left; but no one bothered to ask them. Instead, it was Robin’s turn.

Robin’s explanation was quite like Beast Boy’s. He backtracked as far as he could and then, sparing no detail, he recalled everything he had been present for. Most of his story was known to most of the people there, Starfire in particular, but they all waited patiently and eagerly and ate any new information like starving animals. When he had finished, he glanced around at the others, clearly looking to see if anyone else had anything to add. Cyborg pointed out a few details that had been missed, but afterwards it was finished.

“Any questions?” Robin asked when the storytelling was over.

“Yeah, what’s next?” Raven heard the question first, and only afterwards did she realize she had been the one to ask it.

“Good question.” King Myand’r replied. He sat back on his throne and began to stroke his curly beard.

“Slade and Trigon are up to something big.” Robin announced. “It’s not by chance that we fell into so many traps and always managed to escape from them.”

“You think this is all part of their plan?” Raven asked, skeptic. She could see how many things – even things that looked like victories in the past – could be part of some grand, elaborate scheme; but to think that everything that had happened had been planned out by their enemies? Impossible.

“Not all of it.” Robin responded. “Listen, we’re good; but so are they. Trying to predict what the other side will do is nothing new for either of us. It’s hard to be sure what’s been planned out and what hasn’t.”

“I don’t think Slade planned on me tearing his eyeball out.” Beast Boy smirked.

“Exactly.” Robin responded. “We turned the tables on this one; but as long as Slade and Trigon are alive they’re going to try to turn them back. Personally, I’d rather stop them before they can.”

“You have a plan?” Raven asked.

“As a matter of fact I do.” Robin responded with a sly grin. Then he explained his plan. Raven was impressed; it sounded like it could work. Of course, a large portion of their plan relied on how well they could predict Trigon’s next move; although she agreed with Robin’s guess, and she knew her father better than the others did.

“So we’re agreed?” Robin asked the room.

“Sounds good to me.” Cyborg yawned. “Especially since it looks like we get to wait till morning.”

“I’m in.” Raven responded.

“Then so am I.” Beast Boy echoed.

Starfire leaned against Robin’s shoulder. She was not going to waste words on answering Robin; everyone knew she would follow his lead. The King and Queen both nodded, giving their permission for the rather dangerous idea. Robin beamed in satisfaction – it was unanimous – which meant the Teen Titans were the ones setting the trap this time.

“Since we’ve agreed that this plan must wait until morning, and as the night is growing late, perhaps this is a good time to discuss your sleeping arrangement.” Myand’r suddenly announced, which caused a few raised eyebrow.

“I didn’t know we had a new arrangement.” Beast Boy muttered.

“Exactly my point.” Myand’r responded. “There is no need for you to sleep in the infirmary any longer. Perhaps you would prefer to stay here, in the bunker.”

“Actually.” Robin responded slowly; everyone could practically see the gears in his head turning as an idea struck him. “It would make the plan’s chances a lot better if we stayed here.”

“The same occurred to me, Master Robin.” King Myand’r admitted. “Luand’r and I will be safe enough in the main palace.”

“Anyone object?” Robin asked, casting another glance at the group. No one did.

“Then everything’s set.” Robin replied, his wily grin back in place.

Raven sank back into silence. She hated to be the depressing one, although she usually was anyway. The tables really had turned. Not just with what happened in the desert; but because of this plan as well. It really did have a good chance of working, and if it worked . . .

“Rae!”

Raven opened her eyes. She had been preoccupied again and failed to notice what was going on around her. It seemed the others had already retired to bed and she and Beast Boy were the only ones left inside the bunker’s throne room.

“Sorry.” Raven could feel her cheeks turning red, which only irritated her further. “I was –”

“Distracted? Yeah, I noticed.” Beast Boy was being the sarcastic one. “You wanted to talk to me . . .?”

Raven sighed and looked down. She had wanted to talk to him for a long time. “Yeah, I did. Beast Boy, before when I was questioning you . . . I’m sorry. You realize I only acted that way because we didn’t have time for –”

“Raven, don’t worry about it.” Beast Boy responded. “You don’t have to apologize. Let’s just go to bed Raven, we’ve gotta make sure the plan goes perfectly tomorrow.”

Raven’s face twisted into a smile. “No kidding.”

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