Manipulation

Fireworks- Terra

Terra was walking through Jump City, not really doing anything. Suddenly, she saw something out of the corner of her eye and lept onto a rock. Chasing it across the city, she kept pelting and bombarding it with rocks but it was immune. Then it darted down and she followed swiftly in pursuit but it was gone.
"Again! I don't know what I'll do if I never get the bad guys. I seem to be so useless sometimes."
She gets off the rock and walks back dejectedly through the city.
A man in a dark alleyway grabs her wrist.
"Hey, let go of me!"
She yanked her wrist away but he had an iron grip.
"What do you want from me?"
"I believe I can help you..."

Terra looks suspiciously at the man but his face is clouded in darkness.
"What makes you think you can help me?"
"I know secrets, tips, I can train you to be better than ever..."
"Alright...what do I have to do?"

After many days of hard training, Terra had finally accomplished the impossible. She was covered in dirt, grime and sweat from her head to her toes. But it was worth it. She was able to create the rock fireworks at last. Technically they were earthen fireworks but she used rocks to make it happen.
"Aren't you proud of me tutor? I've finally managed to do it. I've created the ro-earthen fireworks. "
"Yes but now we must put your skills to the test."
"Test? But I know that I'm good and that's good enough for me."
"But it's not good enough for me."
Terra sighed. These days of tutoring were hard work and her mentor seemed nothing but troubling. She was always slaving away and once she finally managed to achieve what she once thought was impossible, he wanted to force her to prove herself.
"What must I do?"
"There is a criminal in hiding but I know where they live. You must go and seek them out. Fight them. To the death if necessary."
"But I don't want to kill anyone!"
"Then make sure you defeat them quickly. Or I may have to kill both of you."
A look of infinite terror crossed Terra's face and froze. Without a second thought, she ran out the door into the cold, dark, stormy night.

Terra wandered about in the rainy night, going no where in particular and looking around at everything. And thinking.
"He wants me to kill someone. But if they're a criminal and I have no other choice....he probably doesn't really want me to kill anybody, just catch the bad guy, he was just saying it to.....but what if he did mean it? Could I kill someone?....No, I couldn't. But I'm sure he didn't mean it, I'm sure."
She sighed and shivered in the cold rain. She had walked all the way up to the top of the mountain overlooking the city. She could see everything from here, every street, house, person,
It was so peaceful, that Terra fell asleep ontop of the hill and didn't awake till the next morning. But as she dreamt, her mentor snuck up behind her and quietly whispered words in her ear. Words of anger, hate and death.
He was long gone by the time she woke up. But by then she had come to a desicion- she would do whatever it takes to catch the bad guy, even if it meant killing them. She then walked off to find her master.

Cobwebs- Raven

Way, deep out in the galaxy, Raven is fighting a galazian horde monster, one of the toughest monsters in the known universe. She throws everything she has at it, but it's still not enough.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"
The monster goes to attack her but then a ring of fire gets in it's way and traps it inside. From the fire, a dark man emerges.
"Your little spells will never work. You need real power to cope with a beast like that."
"And who are you to know real power?"
"I am many things. I could be your mentor if you would allow me."
Raven is suspicous but goes ahead anyway just to check it out and see.
"Show me your spells."

"Our next spell is Pintax Morsniff Olberon. It eliminates any and all enemies in the vicinity."
"Eliminate? You mean as in kill?"
"Precisely my dear girl."
"Show me how to do it."
Something in Raven's brain was telling her "No! Wait! Stop!" But the power of the spells had wrapped itself into her mind. She was hooked, and no one could do anything about it. To break it would mean risking her life. And she loved the feel of the ultimate, infinite, complex power, all hers. All hers.

“My dear, would you like a chance to practice these spells?”
“For real?”
“On truly real people.”
“But who?”
“Criminals, villains….”
The mentor let the words roll around in his mouth, savoring the taste of every one of them.
“Let me at them.” Raven replied with quiet determination.

Ice Prison- Aqualad

Aqualad was at his hideaway with his little servant, as usual. Then, the ice started cracking all around him.
"We have to get out, it's going to blow!"
Without a second's hesitation, he grabbed the assistant and fled out into the main place, plunging into the ocean. As soon as his feet touched the surface he started swimming for his life. And it did save his life. He got away just in time, just as the entire ice cave imploded, scatterin shards everywhere into the ocean.

I can help you get your home back"
"I don't need your help, I'll find a new place on my own."
"I don't think you understand me. Let me make myself clearer-"
Without hesitation, the mysterious masked man grabbed Aqualad's helper by the neck, threatening to strangle him.
"Wait no! Don't hurt him!"
"Then allow me to assist you."
"Alright. If I must."

Through time, Aqualad grew to like his mentor. He showed him how to swim faster than ever, achieve greater telepathy contact and even fight in hand to hand land combat better. But he couldn’t help wondering, what was it all for?
His mentor would soon tell him. And he wouldn’t like it.

Changeling

Beast Boy was strolling leisurely through the streets of town, humming a simple tune to himself and all the while, keeping an eye out for any hot chicks that might be hanging around. Then, in an alleyway, just into the shadows he saw a beautiful girl. Waistlength black hair and a purple and black miniskirt and top and then battle armor on her arms and legs made her the most beautiful girl Beast Boy had ever seen.
She caught his eye and his breath stopped short. She sank back into the shadows, but her eyes danced with excitement and he couldn't help but follow her.

Almost playfully, she led him on a chase through the streets and the alleys before stopping at a door on a side road. There she turned around to face a panting Beast Boy, still catching his breath.
“Go inside, my master is in there. Don’t worry, he won’t bite.”
The girl kissed Beast Boy on the cheek and he dazedly walked inside.
“Welcome young fellow. Are you here to learn?”
“I guess so,”
“Excellent. She will be your tutor.”
Beast Boy looked around to face the girl who was now standing in the door frame.
“Oh yeah.”

Despite her wondrous dark looks, the girl proved to be an excellent tutor. Beast Boy hung on to her every word, taking it for law. She never kissed him again, much to his disappointment but she taught him every martial arts trick she knew and enhanced his powers exponentially. This, coupled with his shape changing ability made him a formidable foe. One day after training, she gave a satisfied sigh.
“I think you are ready for what my master requires of you. Go and see him:”
She roughly pushed him through a door and he was wondering, what did the master require of him?

Red Light

His power cell was draining, and fast. He had to get to a recharge station, something. If they found him here, they might kill him trying to charge him up. His circuits were the most advanced and complex of any in that century or for a few decades to come. It had been specially fused to him and personally designed after his horrible accident, which almost cost him his life. And no one know how to fix it. The only person who did had died years ago.
In the middle of his step, trying to run home, he blacked out.

He woke up, in a laboratory, miraculously on full power.
“Who?”
“You needn’t know my name” said a voice as he stepped out of the darkness. “But I rather would know, should you like to work for me?”
“Thanks man, but no. I already have a job. But thanks for everything.”
He walked out the door, musing about the man and how he had control of such advanced technology but he thought no more of it as he stepped out into the streets.
However, back in the lab, the master smiled cunningly. The plan was beautifully falling into place. A few more adjustments and they would never know what hit them.

Over the next few weeks, strange things kept happening to Cyborg. He would lash out at people and get into aggressive fights for no reason. Afterwards, he could remember it but he kept wondering, why?
He was sitting in his car at a red light and drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. If the light didn’t change soon, he could feel a breakdown coming. Suddenly, the light started blinking and he lost control. He pulled out and went into incoming traffic. He had to go see the master.

Soul and Lightning

“Why must you cheat on me?” She sobbed furiously.
“Starfire, I never-!”
“I know you did! I just know it! I’ve been told that you did! We’re through Robin! We’re through!”
She stormed out the door and into the sunlight, tears pouring down her cheeks, leaving him in the apartment crying.

Soul

He knew that he had done nothing. So why was she mad at him? With a sigh, he sat down at the apartment table when suddenly a brochure slid under the door. He picked it up. It advertised “Feel like your Soul has been ripped out? Heartbroken? Rediscover your Soul on the Journey of a Life Time. To apply, come to …..”
He didn’t have to read any more. He raced out the door with only the brochure in his hands.

“Well, looks like this is the place.”
He walked inside to find a dark room and a man stepped out of the shadows.
“Hello, do you need help?”
“I’m supposed to rediscover my soul.”
“I can help,”
He threw Robin a Bo staff.
“Fight me”
And so Robin did. It was exhilarating and he kept pushing his limits, getting better and better. He became almost addicted to the power. It was exhilarating and it took his mind off his troubles. When his master offered him the option of more, he graciously accepted.

Lightning

She stormed out the door and took off, flying into the city. The slightest trouble angered her immensely and she lashed out with her laser eyes. The city would be destroyed soon, once her starbolts went to work. And they soon did. Like lightning they cut across the bridge and it’s rails, severing them in more than two places.
“Aargh!”
With a final assault, the bridge fell.

No one was injured, but when Starfire descended back to earth, they all glared at her contemptuously. Even so, she unleashed a few starbolts and walked into the nearest bookshop. Loosing the bridge had done little to improve her temper.
The man at the counter looked up when she entered.
“Hello. You have incredible power.”
“I know.”
“Would you like to use the power for something more? Something greater?”
“Like what?”
“You’ll see.”

Miniature

How did it happen? She lost the height changing power again! Until she got it back, she would have to stay this way- tiny and small! It did not fit her personality. He personality was tough and aggressive. Tough and aggressive rarely came pint sized.
Oh no, here was another person going to capture her in a jam jar. Third time today.

Usually one good blast with her buzzer did it, shattering the jar in four places. But this jar stayed. The lid was on tight, she couldn’t unscrew it. All she could do was wait.
About ten minutes later, she was set down on a table in an odd control room.
“Now, fight me” he said.
She launched herself at him with relish.

He doubtless proved a good fighter and she could not defeat him. Exhausted, he put her back in the jar.
“When you can beat me, you can receive your freedom.”
She kept practicing and working until she finally was able to escape.
“Next time you want a good fight, come to me.” Were his last words as she walked out the door. She barely even considered them, but they registered in her mind.

Seperated

“Nooo!!”
Mas and Menos screamed as they were carried off into two separate directions. Would they ever see their twin again! It was agony, it was torture, it was pain! They had always been together, forever. Their powers didn’t work any other way, and it was their only power. What would they do without each other?

To each of them separately, a strange man in black walked up.
“Would you like to see your twin again?”
“Si! Si senor!!!!” They then both preceeded to cry their eyes out.
“You can see your twin again, but only if you watch a little movie for me.”
“Si! Si! We will!”
“Very good, now let me just put the movie on.”
Once he put it on, he walked out of the room, secretly smiling. These two had been the most gullible yet.

They did watch the video, with all the pretty patterns and the Spanish words. It was most entertaining, and they sat with their eyes glued to it the entire time. He then called them both out to a practice room.
“Nombre!!” They both jumped up and down and hugged each other.
“Quiete!”
They turned around to him, their eyes flashed red and they started to growl.

Stretch

Speedy was practicing his shooting at an indoor target range, only with normal arrows but he still used his own bow. He got bulls-eye every time, no surprise. Then a mysterious stranger came up to him with an interesting look in his eye.
“You’re a very good shot”
“That’s stating the obvious”
“What would you say to more training?”
“Thanks but I’ve got all the training I need. I’ve worked with Green Arrow, I’m good.”
“Suit yourself”
The stranger walked away, very disgruntled but obviously trying not to care.
“Hmm, wonder what’s gotten into that guy?” Speedy thought, but paid no more attention to him.

Later, Speedy went to the locker room to freshen up and the stranger once again accosted him.
“What would you say if I gave you money too, to train with me?”
“Sorry, I’m materialistic but I have all the money I want. I told you I’m not interested.”
Speedy walked out, but once he left the room he realized he dropped his spying arrow.
“I probably should go get it,”
However, at that second his bow started vibrating, the sign that there was incoming data from the arrow.
“Maybe I should listen. Just in case.”

He snuck behind a trash can and held his nose to avoid the smell. Then he listened close on his bow.
“Little brat. The one snag in my plan, the other’s came so easily. This is going to cause problems. Let’s see, what should I do with him? Force him to? No, that’s hardy subtle. Bribing doesn’t work, hypnosis…no I used the last of the program, it’ll take ages to design a new one.”
Then there was silence for a while and Speedy assumed he was thinking. Suddenly, Speedy was dragged upwards by his neck.
“Sneaky little one aren’t you?”

Pairings

Speedy was dragged back to his headquarters, literally dragged.
“Oh, what have I gotten myself into this time?”
Then he was thrust down onto the floor with great force and the master stood above him, glaringly.
“Since you wouldn’t take my offer, you must fight anyway. To the death,”
“No way”
“Oh, you don’t have a choice. In a matter of minutes, I will have you transported to the place where you must fight…” He sucked air in through his teeth, relishing it, “Terra.”
“But why would Terra fight me?”
“Because that’s what I told her to do.”

Cyborg ran straight through the red lights and didn’t stop till he was at his master’s hideaway.
“What is it you require me to do?”
“You must kill the one called Raven. Or else she will kill you.”
“I will if I must.”
“That’s my good boy.”

Starfire rammed through the wall of the hideout.
“When can I use my power for greater good? When can I use it?!”
“I have found a worthy opponent for you. A small green fellow who is often on the wrong side of the law. He may prove a challenge. In fact, he may try to dispose of you.”
“I will not let him!”

Raven traveled the galaxy for a while but then her visualization system sensed an incoming probe.
“Open”
“Hello, sweet Raven.”
“Yes master?”
“Would you like to use that spell again? The one to kill a being?”
“Yes, but who would fight me?”
“I have secured an unworthy Cyborg to fight you. He should prove a challenge but must be destroyed immediately.”
“I am on my way.”

“No way will I do that! No way!” Aqualad exploded at the Controller.
“You must. Unless you wish me to harm your friend. Your…Tram.”
“I’ll do as you wish. But only because I must.”

Mas and Menos were easily taken care of. The hypnotizing screens only needed to be adjusted a slight more bit… and they were like mad, raid wolves. Trained or rather hypnotized, to kill. And a certain sea man would be the first to cross their path.

Robin was easily gullible. If you offered him the option of fighting, he couldn’t resist. Even if you told him he would face Bumblebee. He desperately wanted the practice. And Bumblebee was eager to stand up to any man. They were the perfect fighting team. Except they were against each other.

Beast Boy was almost another snag in the plan. Luckily, the assistant was able to convince him otherwise.
“Oh, just imagine you’re fighting me. It will be easy. But she may want to kill you though I never would.”
She stepped forward and kissed Beast Boy full on the lips for a long time. He couldn’t stop and by the end, he was ready to fight.

Preparation

Terra went to the place where her master told her to fight. It was a roomy back alley with a fence, grass and trashcans plus a fire escape. Going slowly around the corner, she saw him sulking behind a trashcan.
“Come out and fight me like a man!” She cried and leapt upon him with force, he only just managed to get out of her way.
“He was right” Speedy thought “I will have to fight to the death. Unless I can convince her otherwise.”

Mas and Menos showed up ahead of time of course, bloodthirsty for Aqualad. Aqualad got thrown into a transport chute to get him there. And then, they attacked.

Robin showed up, ready for a good steady fight. Bee buzzed around in the air, scouting out her target. The minute he stepped on his guard, she dive bombed him and he fought back.

Raven evaporated in front of Cyborg and his sensors set off a major reaction. Her power sensors went haywire and they engaged in combat without looking back.

Starfire flew down to the designated meeting spot for her opponent, just as Beast Boy rounded the corner. He stopped in his tracks as she attacked him full on but didn’t hesitate to start fighting her.

FIGHT!

Speedy jumped up and used his blow to block Terra but she kept attacking and forcing him back.
“Wait! Stop! You don’t want to hurt me!”
“If master says I must than I will!”
“You don’t have to!”
“Yes I do!”
She assailed him full on with a rock barrage and he was knocked back into the wall. Then she readied up to use the fireworks.
“No! Not the fireworks! Please, don’t hurt me! I’m Speedy!”
She stopped dead in her tracks.
“Who did you say you are?”
“Speedy, the hero.”
Terra looked wiped like someone had thrown a brick at her.
“Was I really going to kill you?”
“Yes. What made you snap out of it?”
“I don’t know. But I do know this. We’re not the only ones fighting. We have to save whoever else he set up. And fast before someone ends up killed!”
They ran out of the alley, and they both jumped onto one of her rocks and set off searching.

Raven meanwhile was fighting Cyborg way out in the galaxy on a distant planet. He lobbed sonic cannon blasts at her but she just used the cobwebs to stop it and then she wrapped him up in it, in a cocoon.
“Now it’s time for the kill!”
“Pintax Morsniff Olberen!”
Unknown to Raven, she said the exact opposite of the spell, the one that eliminates corruption in the vicinity, clearing Cyborg’s hard drive and her own mind. The force of it blew her back and she hit a tree and then sank to the floor.
Cyborg managed to get untangled from the cobwebs and ran over to her.
“Oh no! I think he might have corrupted her too! But how are we going to get back from this place?”
As if in response she woke up and formed a bubble around both of them from her power and levitated them through the galaxy.
“Thanks, I’m Cyborg,”
“I’m Raven, nice to meet you. Now let’s stop that madman.”

Starfire grabbed Beast Boy by the collar and slammed him in to a brick wall sideways which severely stunned him. Then she shot him with starbolts and shoved him backwards before grabbing him by the collar again. This time he was ready and turned into a gorilla and gripped her in his arms. Unfortunately, she did a neat little kick and he lost her. From there is was an exciting chase which involved Beast Boy turning into various animals and Star shooting him with starbolts but missing. Then, when he was a dinosaur she grabbed him and he reverted back to human form and was thus slammed into the wall yet again. Then, she went to shoot him with her laser eyes, the most powerful force she had ever summoned, the most emotion she had ever felt and blasted him.
Or so she thought. At that exact moment, Raven and Cyborg swooped down and Raven blocked her shot at Beast Boy. However, it took so much out of her that she [Star] fainted. Cyborg ran to help Beast Boy up and Raven went to Starfire.
“Are you okay?”
“Are you…Raven? The heroine?”
“Yes but I kind of have a bad reputation. Did the master manipulate you too?”
“Yes, I went… power crazy but it’s over now.”
“Let me go heal Beast Boy and then we will go and find the master.”
“He will pay.”

Bumblebee attacked Robin who fought back with amazing skill and cunning, it looked like a draw, they would both keep fighting till they collapsed. Then Terra and Speedy ran in.
“No, Bumblebee! Stop!”
“He’s a guy, why should I stop?”
Terra brought a chunk of rock up above her.
“Because if you don’t I’m gonna smush you like the bug that you are!”
Meanwhile, Speedy intercepted Robins attacks, he was just a good as Bumblebee.
“Stop man! Why are you fighting?”
“To improve my skills of course”
“You can improve them without hurting anybody, please just listen to me and stop! Stop!”
Speedy then happened to lose it and pinned Robin with an arrow that went through his chest, right into the wall behind but dragged him with it.
“What have you done to me?” Robin cried as he struggled.
“I’m going to have to keep you like that until you stop trying to hurt me, okay? You’re being controlled, you have to get over it NOW Robin.”
“Unhhhhh” Robin murmured as he struggled, but this time it was in his mind. “Do I really not have to hurt people to fight?”
“Yes,” Speedy responded emphatically “Robin, you can fight it!”
Suddenly Robin went limp and then the arrow fell away.
Meanwhile, Terra had Bee trapped.
“You can’t trap me! I will not be trapped!”
She began shooting at the walls but to no avail.
“Bee, you don’t have to fight guys to prove you’re better. We girls know we’re better.”
“Yes, we are, but they don’t believe it so we have to show them in something that they love.”
“Not every guy likes fighting. Maybe one day you’ll meet a guy who wants to beat you at shoe shopping or something, I don’t know! The point is, fighting is not the solution, Robin is not evil!”
“But I’ve been fighting for so long.”
“You can stop though; just control yourself until you need to. Trust me”
“I-I…okay” Bumblebee stopped fighting it and was let out of the box. Then Speedy came over with Robin.
“Time to get the Master?”
“Oh yeah, way past that time”
And then they all raced out of the arena, all intent on revenge.

CONFRONTATION

The Master was in a stone dome arena, with a water moat around the outside edges, waiting. When Terra, Speedy, Bumblebee, and Robin blasted in through one door and then Raven, Cyborg, Starfire and Beast Boy in through the other, he was not in the least bit fazed.
“Welcome, this is a surprise. I expected you to all be dead. But no matter, I guess I shall kill you myself instead.”
The Master jumped onto Robin and sent him and Speedy flying back against the wall. Raven then attacked him and ripped off his mask.
“Slade!” That call was not from any of them, but from Aqualad and MasYMenos who had just ripped through the wall.
“We can’t let him escape!”
Speedy nailed him with an arrow and sent him back into the middle, Bee and Star simultaneously shot him with Buzzers and starbolts but he seemed immune. Aqualad conjured up a wall of water and wrapped him in it, but first MasYMenos knocked Slade into the ground so it would be easier for Aqualad. Slade twisted and turned and fell out of it with little struggle.
“This guy is immune to everything!”
“No, let me try something stronger”
Raven conjured up webs of the black material and wrapped him tightly in it. Suddenly, it began to shake and then broke open, the force sending her flying back into the wall.
“Ugh!”
Cyborg stepped up to the plate and did the sonic cannon, and then Beast Boy turned into a lion and slashed him through the chest. He was sufficiently wounded, but not enough so Terra grabbed rocks from the surroundings and levitated four of them in the air.
“I hope this works!”
And she used fireworks above Slade’s head, raining a shower of sparks down upon him but he was still standing.
Robin couldn’t take it anymore; he went up and punched him in the jaw, then in the stomach and a back flip with a kick in the head. He did an impressive back flip and landed on his feet. Slade was on his back, flat on the floor and sufficiently knocked out.
“Well, we did it”
“So what now?”

Aftermath

MasYMenos ran off through the wall into an office and then came back with a bunch of papers in their hands and handed it to Bumblebee who read it with Cyborg and Raven over her shoulder.
“It says here that he’s been setting us up for months, luring us and setting the traps in place so we would kill each other. I feel so ashamed”
“He got to each one of us, learned our weaknesses, not just yours. Don’t be ashamed” Raven said. “But Starfire, Robin, come here. Did you ever go out?”
“Umm, yes but then he-”
“Robin didn’t cheat on you, Slade only made it appear like that. You guys should be together.”
“Oh Robin!” Starfire cried and then ran and kissed him. A sufficiently confused Robin managed to hug her back though.
“What about that other girl?” Beast Boy wondered aloud.
“She was working for him but we may never find her,”
“Good, she creeps me out now” Beast Boy turned into a little mouse and started running around in circles, Terra laughed.
“I’m funny?”
“Totally,”
He went over and took her arm, sidling off to the side.
“Maybe you and I can get to know each other better sometime.”
“Thanks, I’d really like that,”
Beast Boy had a distinct look of jealously on his face though when Cyborg walked by with Bumblebee and Raven on each arm. No matter, he had found a girl who thought he was funny, he was happy.
Robin and Starfire clung to each other for the rest of the time, but Speedy looked distinctly put out that all of the girls were taken so he started talking to Aqualad.
MasYMenos and Terra kept on going back into the hideout and getting more papers, documents and explanations of how everything was done until everyone was sufficiently ticked off.

Epilogue

Slade went to jail and I’ll let you guys just figure out the rest for yourselves, shall I?