It had become a war.

We danced around the aliens, the still collapsing rubble, the starbolts from the guards and Blackfire. It was an odd team we four made. All agile, all quick on their feet. The more strength driven enemies we fought had a hard time pinning any one of us down. And when they did, Red-X or I could be there in an instant, giving us the advantage.

We were certainly a force to be reckoned with, but we weren't without our faults. One good hit from any of these aliens could put us out of the fight. It was also clear that Red-X was not used to fighting in a group, more than once we almost collided with one another after teleporting. The Titan seemed to be holding his own grudge with Jinx throughout the entire ordeal. Although I wasn't exactly happy to see her, I at least was aware of our situation enough not to let my personal feelings get in the way. The Titan...not so much.

He would glare at her any free second he had and, if I was not mistaken, one or two of those boomerang things seemed to aim right for her before conveniently hitting one of the Tamarans that were trying to strike her. Jinx, on the other hand, seemed to focus more on avoiding us, moving on to the next battle whenever Red-X or I appeared to give her back up. While I couldn't exactly complain, I was aware that this distance was putting her at risk more often than not.

None of us spoke to one another while we fought for our lives. Well, not counting the occasional one liner I'd sometimes overhear from Red-X whenever I happened to end up around him. This fact remained true for a good while until I happened to land right beside Robin after slamming one of the Tamaran's faces into the floor from behind. This was about the third time I had done this to this poor, particular individual so I was pretty confident he was out cold this time.

"Hey, can we talk for a second?" the Titan spoke up, breaking me from my observation of my defeated foe. I couldn't help but flinch at his voice. In the back of my mind, I had been preparing for him to try and attack me when I was least expecting it. In the middle of a battlefield would be as good a place as any.

I turned on him, cloak in hand, only to see him focusing his attention on his surroundings, apparently making sure that we weren't going to be attacked while we talked. I looked around us as well. Both Red-X and Jinx appeared to be fighting the two remaining purple guards while what remained of the rest of the aliens looked on, more than likely looking for an opening. Number 26 was in their midst in the air. Even her attention seemed to be focused on them for the moment.

"Look, I'll put this out plainly; I need your help with something," Robin went on. I turned my attention back to him, doing my best to hide the confused expression I wanted to express.

He wants my help? Is he just desperate? Or--?

"I don't know who you are, but I know for sure that those two can't be trusted," the Titan continued, his masked eyes flashing back to the battle scene that was taking place across the room. I glanced over as well. Apparently, a few of the aliens noticed our absence already. A few were making their way towards us.

Wait, did he just say he didn't know who I was?

"I'd introduce myself, but it doesn't look like we'll have the time. Do you see those two over there?"

The Titan pointed his finger to the two Titans that were still chained up on the altar. I looked back to Robin and nodded slowly. How could he not recognize me? I knew we never really fought face to face before, but Raven knew me...and after that whole deal with the Brotherhood of Evil, wouldn't they have files on everyone who was there...?

Oh.

I thought this as I touched my face. Right. My cowl was destroyed. Robin was looking at some kid with white hair and red eyes right now. I quickly ran my hand through the hair to make the gesture more casual looking.

"Do you think you can bring us to them? Their friends of mine, strong friends. They should be able to help us if we can free them."

I looked from him to the two chained up people again. Would Raven still recognize me without my cowl? Would she try and attack me regardless?

I still had those images of her rage beating me mercilessly. It felt like I had been in that hell for months, even though it was only a few hours at most. That thing made my claw look like a child's play toy. If it came out...there'd be no hope for us.

"C'mon!" Robin yelled impatiently, snapping me from my thoughts. "They're getting closer. If we're going to do this, it has to be now!"

Risk or no risk, I had to try. This was Fixit's plan from the start. If I could not even do this much, then what was the point of even saying I would help?

I nodded without bothering to look at how close we were from getting attacked. I could feel my claw moving as I stepped up right in front of Robin. I was a good few inches taller than him. 

It would have been so easy to kill him right then as he looked up at me full of expectation. The battle had really made him desperate, to trust a stranger this much. I should really make him pay for being so relaxed, for not seeing me as a threat. He doesn't know anything. He doesn't know what he did to my life. He doesn't know how bad I want to-.

I reached out with my good hand and gripped Robin on the shoulder. He flinched in surprise, but didn't do anything further. Still looking right into my eyes with that calm controlled gaze of his. 

My claw twitched again.

I could gut him right there. Just ram my claw into his stomach and drink my fill. It would be so easy.

The Titan whirled his head to the side. "Look out!" he cried, moving to grip my shoulder as well. 

I didn't give him time to do anything further. I took my claw and reached out...

I could not feel the fabric as I gripped the cloak, but I knew with a quick glance that it was in my claw. Without another moment's pause, I pulled the cape over us just as I felt multiple presences descend upon us.

I felt the Titan tense for a moment as we vanished into the cold blackness. I wondered if it scared him. The thought vanished as we left the darkness and reappeared right in front of the two Titan's chained up against the pillars.

"Beastboy! Raven!" Robin called, rushing up to them. I hung back and looked out into the room. The multiple Tamarans that tried to ambush us were already looking around frantically to where I could have reappeared.

 It was long past time for any of them to be confused by my powers. We had to be fast, or we would be attacked again. I turned back around to see Robin examining the green one. He had passed out at some point. I also couldn't help but notice the familiar looking metallic collars that were around his and Raven's neck. Though, even if I could warn Robin about them, there really was no point.

"Beastboy! Beastboy can you hear me?!" Robin called as he gripped his fellow Titan by the exposed part of his shoulders. His voice was a little loud for my liking. Sure enough, when I glanced back, several more of the aliens had realized where we were.

I walked over and quickly tapped the Titan's shoulder.

"What?" he snapped, turning to face me. I did not need to explain as his gaze appeared to have already looked on what was going on behind me. "Damnit!"

He turned back to Beastboy. "Beastboy, you gotta wake up now! Beastboy!"

The green Titan didn't budge or respond. He was out like a light.

"Damnit!" Robin cursed again. Reaching down into his belt, the Titan produced a small, gun-like object from one of the pouches. "I promised I wouldn't use this unless our lives were in danger. So you're going to have to forgive me."

Robin muttered to himself as he tore away a part of the green one's sleeve before pressing the 'gun' against the exposed flesh. I watched, fascinated, as the Titan pulled the trigger.  As soon as he did, the green Titan's chest suddenly expanded and green eyes flew open in shock.

The Titan jolted forwards, but was restrained by the chains of light. His body began twitching violently as he fought against his bindings, his breathing wild and erratic. Robin took a few steps back, letting his gun fall to the floor. I quickly followed his lead as the green Titan began to let out strange, guttural noises.

"I'm sorry. Beastboy," Robin muttered, instantly catching the green Titan's attention as his head suddenly shot up to face him. His face was coated in sweat; his eyes open as wide as they could go.

"R-Robin?" The Titan spoke in a voice that sounded much different than when I heard him speak before. It was deeper, darker. More like a growl than an actual voice.

"I'll explain later," Robin answered, his own gaze never breaking from the other Titan's. "Right now, we need the Beast."

"N-No! Robin, you can't--!"

The Titan cut himself off as he let out a terrible cry of pain. But, it was more of some animal howl than an actual cry. I found myself backing off further as his body convulsed even more violently. I couldn't tear my eyes away as his body started to change. It wasn't that almost instantaneous change I saw him perform on top of the Titan's Tower. It was slow and painful looking.

His entire body seemed to expand outwards. His chest, arms, and legs all grew in size and began to grow a thick coat of green hair. While I was transfixed by the entire scene, my focus locked on the Titan's face as the boyish looks melted away, teeth formed into long fangs filling a widening mouth, and the color in his eyes faded to complete whiteness. As the Titan roared in pain, the animal fury became even more apparent. The chains of light tightened around the teen's ever growing body. It didn't look like it would hold if he got any bigger.

The sound of rushing wind suddenly broke through my transfixed concentration. One of the aliens had finally reached Robin, the Titan still distracted as he watched his friend's change. I reached out to them, unable to call out. I began to run, knowing full well that I would not make it in time, but,  before I could even take more than a few steps, a sudden howl, louder than any previous, tore through the air. A mass of green fur then flew through the air—hitting the attacking Tamaran mid air and sending them both into the ground below the altar.

Robin spun around in surprise, both of us turning our attention to the green beast that was busy beating the unsuspecting alien into the ground mercilessly. The Titan slowly turned his gaze to me before his masked eyes grew wide.

"Look out!" he shouted. I turned, but it was only in time to see another Tamaran fixing to slam his fist into my face. Before he had the chance to, a large, clawed hand gripped him at the ankle, pulling him away from me before being slammed face first into the floor. The beast that gripped him only released his hold after making sure he threw him clear across the room.

Number 26 and the other Tamarans quickly took notice. The two guards were still relentlessly attacking Red-X and Jinx, so it was easy for the Tamaran princess and her people to switch their attention to us. I looked over to see that the green beast hadn't moved since throwing the other alien. 

I took a step backwards when I realized he was looking directly at me. The collar was still around his neck-- I could only guess the device had the ability to expand no matter what Beastboy turned into. So, if Number 26 wanted to...

I kept my gaze on those two white eyes, afraid that if I even looked away he would be on me. But as he stared back, I didn't get the sense that he was preparing to attack me. Call it some sort of intuition, but the thing seemed to understand that I was an ally...Or at least that I wasn't worth its attention. With a growl, it broke its gaze with me and turned its attention to the small group of advancing aliens. With another savage roar, it kicked off from the ground and into the air where they flew.

"I know it looks bad, but Beastboy is still on our side. In that form, he should be able to buy us a little time," Robin said from somewhere behind me, his voice guarded. I turned to see him bending down beside Raven, a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Raven's cloak was missing from her body. She looked so small and frail without it, dressed in black, skin-tight clothing underneath. Her bangs were still effectively covering her face as her head remained downcast, even when Robin had made his presence known beside her. Was she unconscious too?

"Raven? Hey, Raven, are you alright?" Robin whispered, gently shaking her shoulder. Raven didn't reply, though her head did rise slightly. Still not enough so I could see her eyes. Were they normal, or red?

"Robin." Raven spoke so softly I wouldn't have heard it from my distance if it wasn't for my abnormal ears.

"Yeah, it's me. Are you okay, Raven? Did they hurt you?" the Titan's leader pressed, hand still on her shoulder.

"Hurt...me...?" she replied, just as quietly. I remembered this Raven. Listening to her speaking so quietly, so helplessly. It was the same Raven I met in her head, the one that called itself Sadness.

I relaxed slightly and approached a little closer. As long as she wasn't Rage...

Raven appeared to hear my footsteps and her face turned to my direction. I could see her eyes then, big and purple with dark circles. There was redness in them, but not from demonic influence. More like she had been--

"Hello, Kyd Wykkyd, long time no see," Raven greeted, smiling slightly. I froze at that, dumb-founded that she could recognize me so quickly.

"Kyd Wykkyd...?" Robin questioned, instantly pulling my attention to him. His brows furrowed in thought before he turned his masked gaze back to me. I knew the unseen eyes were going over my unfamiliar face and down to the, more than likely, much more familiar remains of costume I still wore. Realization quickly spread over his face. "You...!"

"Robin, you need to leave," Raven continued, oblivious to the newfound attention between Robin and me. 

The Titan leader glared at me for several moments before turning his eyes back to her. "I plan on leaving as soon as I get you out of these chains," he replied, gripping the chains in question. 

Raven turned away from me to face her leader, shaking her head sadly. "Do not waste any effort on me, Robin. You must take Beastboy if you can and leave. There is no hope left here. I..."

She fell silent then, her words catching both of our notice as her gaze drifted to something beside us. Both our heads turned until we were staring at some object--it looked like a coffin, only it was made completely out of some kind of shiny black rock, like obsidian, and the coffin itself was at least five times larger than normal.

"What are you talking about?!" Robin shot, tugging on the chains now as he turned his attention back to his fellow Titan. "I'm...not...leaving...without...everyone!"

"I killed Starfire's guardian," Raven announced in that dead voice that reminded me of Fixit. 

Robin froze in his struggles, his mask wide with shock. I looked from Raven back to the coffin.

"You...what?" he whispered, but if Raven had planned on answering, she was cut off with a terrible scream as red electricity suddenly burst from the collar around her neck. Robin cried out in more surprise than pain as he was forced to release his grip on the chains as the electricity burst outwards from her body.

"Raven!" Robin cried out in horror. We then heard another, more animalistic cry of pain, forcing both of our eyes on the green beast, hunched over on the ground as electricity assaulted his body. The electricity continued for several moments before finally stopping after Raven had stopped screaming. Her entire body sunk against her restraints, and it didn't look like she would be rising again. Even the beast seemed to struggle to remain standing, the aliens moving in to surround him.

"I believe you have interfered enough, little bird," a voice rang out. The Titan and I turned to see Number 26 floating in the air above us, her finger just recently removed from some button on the device at her wrist.

"Blackfire!" Robin hissed, the hands at his sides gripping into fists.

I quickly glanced around at our surroundings. Red-X and Jinx seemed to have begun working together against their purple armored opponents, but with the two guards working together now as well, it still looked like a very tough struggle for them. The green beast was standing again, but even he could see that he was outmatched by the ten or so remaining Tameranians that surrounded him now. That left Number 26 alone with us.

"Let her go, Blackfire!" the Titan demanded. Reaching into his, belt he pulled out a small cylindrical object. With a wave of his arm, it extended to a very long, staff-looking weapon. 

Number 26 glared down at him, not a trace of an amused smile or fear on her face. "I have grown tired of your arrogance," she spat in a voice void of anything but disgust and hatred. Her frown deepened as she raised both hands, one pointed at the Titan and the other at myself. "And I am tired of both of your defiance's. I shall kill you two here..."

Her eyes then suddenly flickered to the unmoving See-More on the ground across the room. Her eyes then turned to me as I had looked over and back to her as well. A smile than grew on her face, though that killer intent was still in her eyes.

"...and then I shall squash the insect that dared challenge me and reclaim my destiny as Queen of Tamaran!"

I gritted my teeth, clenching one hand and allowing the claw to extend its fingers as it wished.

"Wait!" Robin called. "I'll handle Blackfire, you help Red-X and Jinx!"

I turned to him, making sure defiance was written all over my face. The Titan glared back at me in kind. "You can handle those guards better than I can. We need the others if we're going to free Raven and-!"

"ENOUGH!" Number 26 roared, hands glowing purple now. But before she could fire, Robin reached into his belt and, pulling out some small metallic balls, threw them at her. Number 26 tried to raise her hands to blast them away, but before they could even touch her, the balls exploded on their own, instantly blinding me as a bright light erupted from them. I quickly covered my face with my cape to shield my eyes.

"Go now!" Robin ordered from somewhere that I could no longer see.

I gritted my teeth again.

Damn.

With no time to think to form some kind of plan where I could attack 26 myself, I pulled the cape around me. I reopened my eyes, barely catching the view of the infinite darkness before reappearing back on solid ground.

"Kyd?"

"Hey there, Kyddo. Welcome back to the party."

Jinx and Red-X greeted me almost as soon as I reappeared. I quickly looked around and realized that I was right in the middle of the four of them. Red-X and Jinx on one side, the two guards on the other. The one without the helmet glared at me, though his eyes glanced momentarily at my claw. I quickly remembered the guard who had pulled out the spear from his dead comrade and challenged me before being hit by See-More. Guess he didn't forget grudges that quickly.

I turned to face the guards fully, clenched fist and claw at my sides. The guard with no helmet spoke something unintelligible to the helmed guard. The helmed guard looked down at my claw after he had finished speaking. I forced the claw to go behind my back, the motion causing the two guards to flinch instantly, spears held at the ready.

"Yo, Kyd, you do something to spook those guys?" Red-X asked. I turned my head slightly to see him and Jinx looking down at my claw as well. Jinx was looking at it with a slightly agape mouth, clearly shocked. Red-X, on the other hand, merely folded his arms and chuckled.

"New appendage, right? Well, if it's enough to scare those guys I can't say I'll complain about it. But remember, I'm allergic to demon, so no high-fives after we pummel these two, alright?"

I nodded slowly, forcing my gaze away from Jinx. The fire inside me was telling me I had to find a way to say a few choice things to my old leader, but that had to wait. I turned my attention fully on the two guards, the aliens tensing instantly.

"We'll follow your lead, Kyd. Right. Pinky?"

There was a silence at that before a slightly aggravated voice replied: "Don't call me tha-"

"That's a yes! After you!" Red-X assured, cutting Jinx off. I looked back one last time to see him giving me a thumbs up. Jinx's pink eyes stared back at me, hesitantly, but, just as I looked away, I could swear I saw a small smile appear on her face. While I was still confused and angry with her for being here, I couldn't ignore the fact that we'd be in a much tighter spot without her.

Alright...

I hunched slightly, pulling the hem of my cape out in front of me. The guards reacted instantly, pointing both tips of their spears in my direction.

Round 2.