Teen Titans: Rising Darkness

Part 2

Three men walked in wearing ski masks. The lead man held a gun at Conner’s head and began yelling. “Empty the register and put your hands into the air!” He looks over to one of his goons. “Find all the valuables.” Conner looks around at the three guys as Beast Boy mumbles to himself, catching the first guy’s attention. “What the hell you say?”

Beast Boy was about to glare at the man before Conner spoke up. “Excuse me gentlemen, but if you are not here to browse or shop, I’m gonna have to ask you to leave.” Beast Boy was surprised by Conner’s bluntness. He just stared at him as Conner smiled at the gunman.

“Do you not understand what going on?” The gunman spat. “Now empty the register and tell my guys where all the valuables are.”

Conner looked around. “Sir,” he said with a quizzical stare, “this is an antique store. Everything’s valuable here.”

The gunman looked at Conner. “This is all junk.” That’s when Conner’s smile disappeared. Beast Boy had never seen someone’s expression change that fast. The gunman smiled. “Oh, did I strike a nerve?” He said in a taunting voice.

“Leave now.” Conner glared at the man, who at that moment, shot Conner. His head went back but he didn’t fall. As he brought his head up, the bullet fell onto the counter. Beast Boy was surprised, Conner’s entire forehead was covered in green and black scales. The man looked at him with sheer fear. That was when Conner began to growl.

“You’re one of those freaks.” The smallest of the three said.

“Let’s get outa here.” The other said as he ran out the door, with his two friends in tow. As soon has he was sure they were gone, Conner let out a sigh of relief.

“What the hell was that all about?” Beast Boy asked. “You looked as though were about ready to tear them apart.”

“I almost did,” Conner said with a heavy tone. “I’m just glad they didn’t pursue the intentions. I hate fighting.” Connor went silent for a while. Moments later, the bell rang again, this time letting in a girl Beast Boy had never seen before. She looked to be at least 18 years old, and she wore cloths that screamed private school, though a little more revealing like the girls in one of Cyborg private videos. Her blonde hair was cut short and the ends where dyed red. She walked past Beast Boy and went straight for the counter, where Conner was smiling. “Alese,” Conner came close to her to the point where their noses almost touch, “how can I be of service for you today.”

“I just came to talk,” she smiled, the look on her face was one of lust towards Conner.

“Bullshit,” Conner replied but not in a cruel way. “Your father sent you, didn’t he?”

She pulls away from him, and, with an hmph sound, crosses her arms. “Yeah,” she continues looking away from him, “my old man sent me. Doesn’t mean that I didn’t mean want to see you.”

Conner walks around the counter and wraps his arms around her. “I know babe, I know.” He hugs gently and squeezes her.

“Look,” she says as her face nuzzled into his chest, “my dad still thinks that you leaving the order was a big mistake.” She looks up into his face. “I understand that you left for your own reasons. But my father is going to make a move with or without you.”

Conner’s eyes went wide. “You mean, he found her?”

Alese gave a small nod. “Her name is Rachel Roth.”

Beast Boy looked at them with an even more confused look. “What does your dad want with Raven?” He asked Alese.

She lifts her head from Conner’s chest. “’Raven,’ as you call her, is the daughter of Trigon, if I’m not mistaken.” She walks up to Beast Boy. When she was standing before him, she continued. “My father, a being that refers to himself as the Demon King, wants to bring Trigon back into this world.”

Beast Boy’s eyes shot open. “Are you serious!?!” He practically shouted. “After all the Hell we went through to stop the End of the World the first time? Now you want to start it up again?”

“Look Kid,” she said to him, poking him in the chest with her finger, “I’m not the one who wants to destroy the world. I mean come on,” she throws her arms into the air and turns her back on him, “I may be a succubus, but I still think that my dad’s in the wrong.”

Beast Boy was shocked. “You’re a succubus?”

“Yeah,” she turned to look at him, “and I’m not gonna try to seduce you.” She looks over her shoulder at Conner. “That power was stripped from me.” Conner smiles guiltily. “Anyway, the way I see it, your friend is in trouble. And if you are gonna keep her safe, you’re gonna need our help.” Looking at her watch, she cursed. “I gotta go,” she continued, “I’ll tell my dad that you are hell-bent on not taking any sides.”

“Actually,” Conner replied, “I’m hell-bent on keeping the natural order. Since your father wants to bring back the Demon Lord of Chaos, I’m making it my own responsibility to make sure that doesn’t happen.

“Well then,” she began walking to the door, “if that’s the case, I best go home and pack a few things.”

“Pack?” Beast Boy stared at her as she left.

“Ain’t no way in hell,” she said halfway out the door, “am I going to let my boyfriend near some super powered floozy.”

“Rachel isn’t a floozy!” Beast Boy snapped.

“I was talking about that alien chick.” Alese replied with a laugh before disappearing.

“Ah, Alese,” Conner said dreamily, before looking at Beast Boy, “she is some kind of woman.” Beast Boy didn’t know what was going on. Did he really just see a Succubus? And if so, why did she say her power was stripped away? “I guess you’re wondering about what Alese said, right?” Beast Boy just shook his head up and down. “Apparently,” Conner explained, “Succubae lose their seduction abilities when they fall in love themselves.” After he said that he turned back towards the counter. “Go figure.”

“Wait!” Beast boy said, still a little confused. “She lost her powers because she loves you?”

“Yep,” Conner smiled, “Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy she chose me. I love her no matter what she is. Always have. Always will. And if giving up her seduction powers is the price she has to pay for her heart to have what it want’s, I bet she’d pay it every single time.”

“That’s cruel,” Beast Boy remarked.

“That’s love.” Conner’s smile hadn’t faded as he continued. “And truthfully, I’d give up everything I had to be with her. It is all about what sacrifices you would be willing to make for the one you love.” With that, he went into the door behind the counter, only to return with a brown, leather messenger bag strapped to his shoulder. “Now, all we have to do is wait for Alese.”

“Present,” she said, making Beast Boy jump. Turning to look at her, Beast Boy saw that she had a small, blue, duffle bag strapped to her shoulder. “I told my dad that I was gonna be staying at a friend’s house for a while. Can’t believe he actually believed that.” Not knowing what was going on, Beast Boy lead the two weirdo’s to Titan Tower. But as they walked, the memory of what he saw in that Dream Share he had with Raven a year ago suddenly popped into his head. Specifically, the memory of the stained glass window. Was it coming true? He asked himself. Was the choice that I have to make going to present itself again? And if so, what am I going to do when Raven turns? So many questions filled his head. And not one of them had offered him any comfort as to the problems that lay ahead.