32 Productions Presents…

A HIVE Story

The HIVE Team In…

"Failed Second Chance"

Chapter Three

Raven's Soul: Romance Center

Shade sniffed the air. There was a haunting scent of lilac. He sometimes noticed the smell around Raven too. He assumed it was her shampoo. He stopped when he came across a purple garbed Raven leaning heavily against the wall, breathing hard. She looked up at him and smiled weakly.

Purple: …Shade. You're…here.

She stepped forward and stumbled. He caught her and she sighed happily, nuzzling his hair.

Purple: Thank you. I'm…not very strong. Raven has little use for me. I used to lack the strength…to so much as talk. Thank Trigon people like you came along. Help me walk?

Shade nodded and she staggered to her feet, leaning on him. He had to walk normally for her, but that was fine. He kind of liked this one. She was…nice to him without being annoying, just like Green was. Pink irritated him, and Gray's constant apologies annoyed him.

Purple: You're…such a gentleman. Not like…the other men in Raven's…life. Bunch of cold hearted bastards. I…we…all…hated Azarath. Our home. Robin's nice, but too focused on Starfire. Changeling is…obsessed with Terra, though now that…she's back it should be better. Cyborg…too much machine, not enough man. But…but you. You're different. Kind…caring…if only she'd listen to me…

Purple smiled at him, making his heart flutter.

Purple: We'd all be a lot…happier. Here's the second to final door. Be…very careful. Rage lies on the other side, guarding the forbidden door and the soul-self entrance.

Purple slowly shuffled away from him and leaned against the door frame, panting.

Purple: She…knows that you're coming to…help…but she's irrational at times. She might attack anyway. I don't know. Good luck.

Shade started forward.

Purple: W…wait.

He stopped and looked at her.

Purple: Before you go…come here.

Shade approached, curiously. Purple bent down and kissed him. When she stood up, she was sturdier. She smiled and patted his head.

Purple: Consider that a reward for helping me. Good bye, Shade.

She walked off, no longer staggering. Shade tilted his head, confused…he had felt that kiss before. He couldn't remember wh… Suddenly it all came rushing back. Valentine's Day! She had kissed him, but gotten so upset about it. She told him to forget it and he did, after several days of concentration. Now he remembered again. Feeling better then he did before, he went into the next area. It was like the first, save for a giant figure standing on one of the floating rocks. It was a huge red skinned male. He had long white hair and four yellow eyes. He looked at Shade and sneered.

Rage: AH. YOU'RE HERE. HOW DO YOU LIKE MY DOMAIN? SHE IS MINE YOU KNOW. SHE GAVE IN TO ME YEARS AGO. IN ANY CASE, THE DOOR YOU WANT IS RIGHT HERE. IN ORDER TO SAVE HER, YOU MUST PIECE HER SOUL TOGETHER AGAIN. TO DO THAT…WELL…

He closed his eyes and shrank before Shade's startled eyes. When he was roughly Shade's size he turned into another Raven, this one in red.

Red: COME WITH ME AND I'LL SHOW YOU. I WARN YOU NOW…BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'LL DO IT ANYWAY…THIS WILL HURT. MORE THEN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE.

Shade gulped and nodded. Red smiled.

Red: I KNEW YOU'D AGREE. IN HERE.

They stepped inside the door and before them was a broken and battered giant bird.

Red: ARE YOU READY TO SAVE RAVEN'S LIFE?

Shade nodded. Red grinned again and placed her hand on Shade's chest.

Red: YOUR SHADOW FORM. CHANGE INTO IT, NOW.

He did, confused. Suddenly he was in incredible pain. Red extracted something from him, then did the same to the soul-self. He switched the two around. Shade shifted back to normal and rolled around in agony. Red laughed and picked him up with her power, taking him back outside. The soul-self slowly began to repair. Red took him to the forbidden door.

Red: HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR VISIT, SHADE. NEVER COME IN HERE AGAIN.

Red bit down on his forehead, leaving a mark, before tossing him through. Red turned and knelt down.

Red: FATHER. IT'S DONE. YOUR RIGHT HAND MAN AND RAVEN'S PROTECTOR HAS BEEN CHOSEN.

Trigon: Excellent. You've done well. His power is great and once I bestow him with a portion of my own, he will be invincible. No one will be able to stop him and thus, no one can prevent my coming into the world of mortals.

HIVE Tower: Training Room

Red X's breathe come in rasps from under his mask. Jinx was better then he expected. He had seen videos of her in combat, but he didn't take into consideration the fact that this time she didn't have to be watching her friends' backs as well as her own. She flicked her pony tail back, still smirking.

Jinx: Well, you've lasted, I'll give you that. Come on. Stop holding back. I can take it, trust me.

Red X: Hmm.

Red X pressed a button on his belt and disappeared. Jinx's smirk faded and she looked around, confused. Suddenly she was hit in the stomach. She buckled over for a moment then staggered to her feet.

Jinx: (gritted teeth) Cute.

Red X: You said to stop holding back.

Jinx wiped her mouth. She had spat a little when the wind was knocked out of her. She was hit again, this time across the face. She was prepared for this, however, and grabbed his arm.

Jinx: Gotcha.

With a flick of her finger, Red X was hit with a jinx that shorted his suit's cloaking ability. Her triumph was short lived as an X launched from the palm of his other hand, ensnaring Jinx. She fell to the ground, trying to break free.

Red X: I win.

Jinx: That so?

Jinx point both fingers at his feet. The floor turned to goo and he couldn't pull free.

Red X: I could still finish you.

Jinx trained her fingers up toward his face.

Jinx: So could I.

Gizmo: Okay, okay, that's enough.

Krystal: Aw…I knew I should have gotten the popcorn earlier.

Krystal huffed and handed the popcorn bowl in her hands to Mammoth who quickly downed the contents.

Red X: …how do I get loose?

Jinx: Like this.

Jinx snapped her finger and the floor returned to normal.

Jinx: I've been practicing that spell for a while and that's the first time I ever got it to work. Usually the floor becomes too soft and the object sinks in completely.

Red X sweatdropped.

Jinx: Well, you pass. Welcome to the team…now could you let me out of this thing?

Red X: …it'll dissolve eventually. There is no other way out besides simply tearing through it. I can't do that without risking injury to you. Sorry.

Sonic helped Jinx up.

Jinx: Thanks.

Sonic: Hey, this and getting coffee is what I'm here for, right?

Jinx: I'd smack you if my hands weren't bound.

Sonic: Hmm…

Jinx's eyes widened and she hopped back.

Jinx: I know that look. Perv.

Sonic: Aw, Jinx, I was only kidding!

Red X sighed and turned to leave. He nearly walked into Krystal, who was sticking her face right up to his.

Red X: …yes?
Krystal: Have we met before?

Red X: I don't think so.

Krystal: …hmm. If you say so.

Krystal stepped aside, accidentally backing into Blackfire.

Krystal: …sorry.

Blackfire sighed. Ever since…the big reveal on Valentine's Day, Krystal barely said a word to her. Blackfire thought she knew why. The whole thing had been on her mind ever since. She was starting to wonder why she couldn't just let it go.

Blackfire: (thinking) Maybe because you don't want to.

She frowned. Where'd that come from?

Blackfire: (thinking) Why haven't I ever looked at Sonic that way? The guy is a natural. When we go out in civvies, the girls swoon over him. I used to think it was because I'm not human, but even Starfire has commented on his looks, even if she did try to kill him afterward. I've never looked at ANY guy that way. Time to face the truth, Komand'r.

Blackfire put her hand on Krystal's shoulder.

Blackfire: …can we talk? In private?

Krystal: …sure. The roof sound good?

Blackfire: Perfect.

Titans HQ: Med-lab

Cyborg was stunned when Raven suddenly sat up, rubbing her head. She looked around, her eyes dull with the confusion suddenly regaining consciousness brings.

Raven: What happened? Where am I?

Cyborg: Jinx hit that weird black bird thing you let out with a curse.

Raven: No shit? And I'm still alive…

Raven's eyes widened. She was getting strange sensations from within. Her emotions…they were trying to tell her something. Something about…her room? Raven pulled the suction cup things off her body, smirking slightly as she pulled the one off her chest.

Raven: Naughty boy. …where's Shade? I'd have that he'd be waiting for me to regain consciousness.

Cyborg: He was here a while ago. He just suddenly left and never came back.

Cyborg stared in shock as Raven removed the gown she was wearing and put her leather outfit back on in front of him. She put her belt, shoes, and gloves back on, followed by her cloak. She raised the hood and sighed.

Raven: I feel like me again. …enjoy the show?

Cyborg: …

Raven: Don't feel flattered. On Azarath, nudity means little. Besides…I'm a demon. Tempting people is what I do.

Raven turned and left.

Cyborg: …I think I may be sick.

Apparently Raven wasn't attractive to someone who sees in different visual spectrums.

Raven's Room

Raven entered her room and gasped. On the floor curled into a ball was Shade. He whimpered softly and looked up at her. He was in terrible pain, she could feel it. Her mirror was on the floor. She picked it up.

Raven: What the hell where you doing with this! I told you…that…

Raven almost dropped her mirror.

Raven: What did you say?

Raven was puzzled. Shade's mouth hadn't moved, yet she could swear she heard his voice. Well, a voice. Somehow she knew it was his. Shade whimpered. Somehow her mind took that single noise as, "I used it to repair your soul-self".

Raven: I…can understand you. I can hear your thoughts…what happened in there?

Shade explained everything to her. What he saw, what her emotions told her (excluding a bit of what Purple, Brown, and Orange said as he was sure she would be offended), and what he had to do to save her. She was silent for a moment then frowned. She reached down and moved his hair from his face.

Raven: Did you hurt yourself? You're bleeding on your forehead.

Shade frowned and touched it. She was right. There was blood there. He shrugged.

Raven: Must have happened when you passed out. …you gave a piece of your soul to me. That has to be the single most personal…if a bit disturbing…gift I have ever received.

He grunted and she nodded.

Raven: True, it was more of a trade. …this feels so strange, conversing with you for once.

He made another noise then rubbed against her leg. She knelt down and hugged him.

Raven: …you mean a lot to me too. Shade, before I met you I never thought anyone could truly be selfless…but you…you're not like everyone else. To me, you're one of the kindest, most caring people I've ever known. Of course to anyone else, you're a bloodthirsty monster, which is a plus. …Shade…I know I told you this before, but you're my best friend. I feel…happy around you and not in the, "I just decapitated an old man" way. A more…pure happiness.

Shade smiled. That was the nicest thing anyone had ever said to him.

Raven: But if you ever go into my mind again, I'll break both your legs.

Shade licked her face. She laughed and scratched behind his ear. Neither noticed the flash of the Mark of Scath on Shade's forehead.

Terra's Room

Terra punched the wall again. She had tears streaming down her face. She kept hitting the wall, desperate to feel SOMETHING in her hand. Pain, a slight tingle, anything. Yet no sensation of any kind was forth coming. Like the rest of her, her hand was utterly numb. There was a knock on her door.

Terra: (weakly) …just go away.

The door opened despite her request and Changeling stepped in. He started at the dented walls in amazement.

Changeling: …what's going on, Terra?

Terra: Gar…kill me.

Changeling's eyes widened.

Changeling: What!

Terra: Kill me, please. I can't…I can't live like this. I…I can't feel anything. It's a nightmare. Think about it, Garfield. Imagine suddenly losing your sense of touch. Never being able to feel pain is great, but never being able to feel a warm breeze…or the gentle caress of your lover. This is Hell.

Terra wiped her eyes and looked back up to him.

Terra: Gar…help me. Please…just…make it stop. Make it go away…

Terra wasn't even making much sense anymore. Garfield held her. She sobbed harder when she couldn't feel that either.

Terra: Garfield…we'll make them pay for this, right?

Changeling: Oh yeah. We'll make them pay, Terra.

Terra grabbed his face and kissed him roughly. Her eyes widened when she realized she could feel his tongue in her mouth. She closed her eyes and kissed feverishly, reveling in the sensation. She would be doing this often, if only to keep her sanity.

HIVE Tower: Roof top

Blackfire shuffled from foot to foot nervously. Krystal leaned against the door, her eyebrow raised.

Krystal: Gotta go? You should have went before you came up here.

Blackfire: It's not that. I'm just nervous. I…Krystal, I have a confession to make.

Krystal sighed and put her hand on her hips.

Krystal: Don't tell me you're not a real purple head.

Blackfire: Krystal, I'm serious! It's been over a year since I came to Earth. I always felt something was odd about me. I figured I was just out of place, being the only alien around. Then you showed up. When I heard you were gay, it got me thinking. …Krystal…I…I think I'm a lesbian.

Krystal stared at her for a minute.

Krystal: (low) You think that's funny?

Blackfire: Wha…? No, Krystal, I…

Krystal: Because it's not! You want to know the truth! I do hang on to you because you're attractive! I think you're one of the most beautiful creatures I've ever laid eyes on!

Blackfire gasped. Krystal covered her mouth and tears began to form in her eyes.

Krystal: I…I didn't…

Blackfire put her finger over Krystal's lips.

Blackfire: Shh. It's okay.

Blackfire kissed her. Krystal felt weak in the knees and almost fell over.

Krystal: You were serious…

Blackfire: Very. Krystal…I think you're very beautiful too.

Krystal: …I…

Krystal squealed happily and jumped into Blackfire's arms, nuzzling her neck. Blackfire laughed.

Krystal: I love you.

Blackfire: And I love you…but…should we tell the others?

Krystal didn't climb out of her arms, but started thinking from where she was.

Krystal: …I don't know. Sonic will probably try to spy on us.

Blackfire: Or just ask to watch.

They both blushed when they realized what that meant. Krystal cleared her throat.

Krystal: And that would piss Jinx off.

Blackfire: …and Gizmo.

Krystal sighed. She was sure Gizmo was still bitter.

Krystal: …let's not worry about it now.

Blackfire smiled and held her close.

Blackfire: Good idea.

THE END