Cubix

Teen Titans: Divided We Fall

It was now or never. With the boys outside spraying testosterone upon the tanks and soldiers that had began to siege their tower, any chances of them looking decent to the public eye was eviscerated with much brutality. Hatty wasn't going to hold this portal forever, so, with a slight pat on his shoulder, Rhea leaped through the waning rift. She tumbled through the dark chasm, tripping on her feet upon landing on the dusty floor. The place, wherever they were, reeked of dust and disuse; this was something that Rhea had expected of Smokey's hideout-- or any hideout for that matter. Finally, Rhea got to her feet but, no sooner did she do this, immediately a barrage of people appeared from the rift, one of them knocking Rhea back to the floor with his or her collision. "Great... just great..." the healer groaned before dusting herself, noticing that the lights were beginning to flicker on. She briefly saw Smokey waltzing around the room before noticing that the whole place had the stench of gunpowder in it, reminding the healer that they were in the home of a trained killer. Honestly speaking, she never expected someone so secretive and reclusive to share her home with them. For one, she could have easily rushed out of the tower and went to her hideouts without a second thought for them; she could have gotten away clean. She didn't-- that was what mattered to the healer who was busy examining the targets that were embedded to the walls, some of them were riddled with bullets. "Dis place be remindin' me of da monastery where I be comin' from." Rhea smoothed her fingers over the bullet holes, picturing the assassin to have trained here day and night. Her eyes turned to Smokey, noticing that she was paying little attention to them. Well, the assassin was normally distant to the team, so this was no surprise. Still...

"Smokey." Rhea began as a slight small formed on her lips. Heck, this might be the first time that she and Smokey interacted. "Thanks for leadin' us 'ere. I'm sorry for thinkin' dat ye might have skedaddled when things be turnin' fer the worst. I was wrong 'bout ya. No matter what other people be sayin', I really think yer a good person... if you dig deep enough--- like, really, really deep enough."

She might make a good leader in hindsight. She's got the brains and the beauty to seal the deal. Her ability to weave out strategies under the stress of pressure was already something that the other titans didn't have; she was the most mature out of everyone here. She didn't panic or become nervous and, if she did, Smokey had the innate talent to keep it hidden. Truly, she was the closest image of Rose that the titans had-- hopefully, she wouldn't end up the same way. Others may not agree but Rhea could really see Smokey leading them in the future. Sure, she held no visible emotions whatsoever but, then again, that's what the other titans were there for: to balance the leader out. A leader would always be hated, no matter what. No matter how many times the leader had succeeded, there would always be loathers and Smokey knew how to deal with them. She was headstrong and determined; the traits that the Teen Traitors needed the most at the helm. If there was anything that Rhea could do, it would be to follow Smokey's banner in the future. That is... if there was even a future for them to begin with.

Suddenly, Evan slunk out into the open, laying out his plans to go to the netherworld and, apparently, dance with some devils to resurrect the people that they had killed. The plan was plausible... if the ones who would go were the big-time titans like Tulip, Sentinel and Evan himself... however, if Rhea were to go, would her life really weigh equal to that of saving multiple lives? Unlikely. It still felt uncomfortable looking at Evan when the memories of him lashing out at her still echoed clearly inside her but, perhaps, it was all a matter of emotional highs-- they were teens before traitors after all. Now was not the time to hold grudges; besides, Rhea was never the type to hold grudges. Even JC pitched in with his idea of bringing Sentinel along with them... assuming Kid Krypto doesn't literally make Hell freeze over. She had to admit... the plan sounded tantalizing with the idea of bringing back everybody to life. However, an offer this good had to have a price that was just as good. After all, you can't get a porsche without throwing in an arm or two-- unless, you steal it. In their case, to bring back the slain, they would need to pay something more than just mere lives and divinity. Unless... they do something illegal-- heck, as if the things that they did were legal.

"What if lil'o Hades don't take no offer?" Rhea blurted out. She had heard some information on Tartarus or, generally, in greek mythology when reading books to improve her English. "I doubt he'd easily be lettin' yer hides outta Hell. After all, only the dead should be tippy-toin' inside Tartarus, yes?" the healer sighed in exasperation. "Look, I'm all for the plan. I think it be a good idea but we maybe bitin' more dan what we could be chewin'. Messin' with life and death could be havin' too many'a consequences." Her eyes turned to Evan, the one who had offered his immortality on a silver platter. "Evan, I be believin' that offerin' yer immortality should be da last resort when all else be failin'." Besides, should the civilians come back to life... Luthor might just take the credit for himself, putting us on the bad spot. We're already divided as it is... getting split up further would just be... insane.

So, what now? The suicide squad was composed of Evan, Skelly, JC and Sentinel? Brilliant... Rhea couldn't help but feel that they were all just puppets on strings; someone was pulling the threads and watching them dance like a sick entertainment. It seemed like... everything was just a part of someone else's plan. All events were like a line of dominoes... once the first piece fell, everything came down with it. All of it started on that one fateful clash at the chinese restaurant. The better question was... who assembled those dominoes?

Everything was moving way too fast for her. Just a week ago, they were still vagrant titans inside the tower. Now? Refugees on the run. "I can go if Sentinel don't want no trip to the underworld, but... he's not really here, is he?" Rhea pondered as she pinched the bridge of her nose in thought. "Just..." her voice broke. "...just make sure you all come back home. We've already lost a lot as it is."

I don't want to lose any more of you.

Teen Titans: Divided We Fall

Also, it's not every day you might be able to get out of Tartarus.

Teen Titans: Divided We Fall

"JC..." Rhea mumbled his name like a small prayer as the brief physical contact between the two of them left her barely capable of coherent speech. No, it wasn't the hug that really triggered the reaction. Actually, the words that JC spoke to her caused whatever doubt in her mind to vanish all too suddenly. Every letter, every word that left the fellow titan's lips were laced with an emotion that Rhea had never expected JC to have: concern and care. While everyone was busy turning against one another, blaming themselves for the deaths of their comrades, they weren't just fighting against the zombies but against themselves as well. Rhea knew that she couldn't mope around and feel sorry herself; she had to move and do everything she can to end it. As the visage of the de facto leader vanished from the stairway, Rhea turned to Static with a nod. "I be fine, Static. Lez just try and be helpin' da others." With that, the healer sheathed her katana as she sped away but, before she could do so, a wave of zombies blocked her path which she fought back by lopping a few heads. However, a guttural cry was heard as the cadavers began to fall one after the other; they fell like how marionettes did when their puppeteers severed the strings. Rhea raised her brow in confusion, opting to sheathe her sword back when, suddenly, the zombies began to revert back into their original forms-- innocent civilians; man, women and child were all slain at her hands. The rolling heads turned from mummified husks to fleshy people, spurts of crimson liquid ejecting brutally from the cuts and wounds. Like a blood fountain, the dismembered dead coated the healer with a stain of red so dark that a repugnant and sanguine stench invaded Rhea's nostrils. This was not good... not good; not good...

Rhea began to feel that her fingers were becoming numb, her feet refused to budge and her very nerves were frozen solid. Her eyes widened in horror, her auburn eyes trembling in pure terror. SHE FELT IT AGAIN... she heard it all, saw it all! Like nightmares that never vanish even when you open your eyes, the horrors of her past ensnared Rhea, pulling her down to the depths of her sanity. Rhea's fingers gripped her hair tightly, pulling her locks with all her might, causing the chestnut strands to fall to the ground-- forgotten. She began to whimper pitifully. Every breath she took was pained and labour, her core dropping coldly without restrain. It seemed that she was trap in a box barely enough to fit her; there was nowhere to run, nowhere to escape and she was trapped in the darkness with her nightmares and fears as the vivacious accompaniment to her orchestra of sorrow. The people she killed... they were innocent civilians; she had sliced off a child's head, she had mutilated an elder woman... Did she really deserve this fate?! It was... hours since she was suffering and, during this time, the very threads of her sanity were threatening to snap when a benign face with crimson hair assaulted her shackles with much light and warmth; like a blazing phoenix, her kindred soul reminded her of the words which she, herself, uttered. "Just... 'cus... I be stumblin'... dun mean dat... I lost... I just be needin'... to try... harder..." Rhea chanted to herself, peeling her fingers away from tearing her skull apart. "I'm... Rhea... sixteen... years old... I'm... no, no... I'm... a titan." she mumbled softly, feeling her frayed nerves begin to ease down.

Rhea wobbled as she stood up, slowly slinging the katana over her shoulder via a rope that was attached to the sheathe. She slowly walked around the devastated base, her eyes blurring towards the dead civilians around the place. It seemed that titans were already starting with cleaning up the place. She would help soon... not now... but soon. Her aimless wandering landed her outside of the Hall of Mentors, hearing Sentinel's voice echoing the words that had pulled her out from the chasm of her mind.

You just have to try harder...

She had heard him mutter. Rhea would have wanted to see him, her first friend on the team but... it felt wrong to smile at him when her heart was still not through blaming Sentinel for something that was out of his control. She'd talk to him soon but not now. She would smile at him when her conscience was clear; smiles were supposed to be genuine after all. She placed her bloodied hand on the great doors, her mind in solemn contemplation. She knew he could hear her; he always heard everyone. "Thanks..." Rhea sighed before removing her hand from the door, leaving a bloody handprint on the once pristine barrier. She wanted to go somewhere... somewhere... quiet. Rhea wanted to be alone; she needed to be alone.

The only place which wasn't as bloody as the ones she went to were the gardens. Only in this serene place did Rhea plop down, feeling a little bit relaxed since all Hell broke loose. The flowers looked extremely beautiful today... This was the last thought that entered her mind before her cellular acceleration abruptly shut down. Rhea's eyes rolled to the back of hear head before she succumbed to a much awaited slumber. She was going to be out for a while and, when she would awaken, she would need to eat... a lot.

---

Rhea's eyes fluttered awake as the rise of a new morning sun greeted her. The healer stretched her arms before standing up, waltzing over to her room, noticing that the titans must have cleaned everything up. Well, this was awkward... she was useless in the cleaning, after all. Chances are, they also saw her sleeping in the garden, bloodstains and all. The healer looked up to her chalkboard, steadily picking up a chalk before tracing down two vertical lines on the left side of the board. "Rest in peace." Rhea solemnly mumbled before cleaning herself up, walking down to the kitchen and fixing herself a well-earned breakfast. The katana that was now normally slung behind her was not just there because Rhea had found a weapon; no, it was more of a memento from Rose who the healer had not heard from in a while. For the rest of the day, Rhea helped out with cleaning up the tower, not really daring to venture out into the city for she knew that horrid sights would await her there.

---

Soon, even Rhea was surprised when Sentinel screamed into the communicator, warning them of an incoming trouble. In an instant, Rhea sped down to the kitchen, just in time to hear Skelly's whined inquiry. Rhea spun around the corner, the sword behind her. "We run." Rhea grimly stated. "Dis not be a question of dem killin' us; it's a question of us bein' able to stop ourselves from killin' dem. If Luthor's bull-droppings is true, den, da public be already scared of us. Knowin' dem, if we be turnin' ourselves in... they'd just be usin' our powers for der purposes." In an instant, cannons began to fire into the air, making Rhea realize that their time was running short. "We did what he had to do to survive. We're not like Tulip or Sentinel... if we had held back... we'd be the ones dead. Ye saw what happened when dey killed Lock an' Load. If dey killed anyone of us... they'd be unstoppable. We did da people a favour... by not letting ourselves get done in." Rhea shuddered at the thought of the zombies merely killing Skelly and her; the blokes would have invincible bones and enhanced regeneration from a cellular level... they'd be, more or less, immortal. Her eyes turned to JC with a pleading gaze. "We can't be lettin' it end like dis, JC."

It sickened her to say something so lightly when faced with the notion of them murdering thousands of civilians, but she knew that she had a point. For the most part, Tulip, Sentinel and Evan had the largest chances of holding back. However, for titans like them... one mistake and they would have rested in pieces.

Teen Titans: Divided We Fall

With Thermo alongside her journey, Rhea managed to ascend to the senior rooms with a few zombies knocked away by her iron pipes. For the most part of the journey, Rhea had always avoided any fatal attack but when the news of the twins' death reached her ears, a dark void began to surge within her. Instantly, memories of the ones who had died in front of her began to haunt her mind. The blood, the tears, the cries and the nerve-wrecking moment when their final breaths would leave their lips, overrode her psyche to the point where her body felt hot and jumpy; revenge would only be the only verdict now. With a guttural scream of horror and fury, Rhea dashed towards one of the last few zombies blocking the way towards the senior dorms, forcibly launching the two iron pipes towards them, impaling the cadavers to the walls with a sickening splat. She burst through Rose's rooms, realizing that the senior titan's room was in shambles, Rhea got to work on finding anything, just anything that could do more damage than a mere iron pipe. After a few minutes of snooping, she finally found a japanese katana, probably one of Rose's favoured weapons since the titan did excel in swordsmanship alongside her martial arts prowess. She unsheathed the blade, realizing that the faint vibration upon pulling out the sword was similar to that of a melody of death-- for those damned zombies, specifically. Suddenly, she heard Tulip echo to her communicator, telling them to avoid killing any more of those monsters. "Negatory dat, Tulip." Rhea responded as a few bladed zombies came shambling towards her. "Dey killed Lock and Load... true, dey ain't no demons but dey ain't no humans either... not in my book, they ain't." With that, Rhea swung the blade in a wide arc with her empowered strength.

All she could see was red and darkness; she wanted to blame herself. She wanted to put all the blame on herself but, for some reason, three faces appeared in her mind almost too forcibly. Sentinel, he who sped away without a second thought, leaving his team behind to die. Tulip, he whose consciousness would never be able to understand the pain of losing a comrade when you were there to witness them die. Finally, Evan... he whose arrogance and deceit left them with none of the strongest titans remaining. Oh, how she wanted to tell herself that everything was her fault but, no... she was just human. "Be sendin' my regards to hell, you sons of bitches." Rhea cussed, noticing that after she had beheaded the first wave of cadavers, another set barged inside the room. Oh, yes, bring it on... Rhea would never satisfied until a river of heads would roll. The enraged healer swung the sheath with much force, sending a resounding blow to her foes, a great torrent of emotions fuelling her every attack.

The zombies were knocked back a few inches but were undeterred as they continued on their rampage. Rhea eyed the bed beside her and, with a few breaths of preparation, she lifted the entire furniture and threw it towards her opponents, pinning them against the room before plunging the katana into the wall and slashing it horizontally, slicing their necks off. As she stepped out of the room, the empowered zombies began to attack her from all sides as she tried her best to stay alive. Slowly but surely, bits of her clothing were beginning to get torn up as wounds were inflicted on her body, although, the incisions healed almost too quickly due to the trillions of cells pumping through her system. The pain that coursed all over her body was welcomed by the healer, believing that the pain would help her atone for her inability to protect Lock and Load; the pain would help her not to blame the three dumbbells. But, no, after each incision was dealt to her, she would only remember the three boys, blaming them for the wounds on both her soul and body.

Finally, after what seemed to be ages, the last zombie fell at her feet. Rhea looked terrible, her own blood staining her shredded robes with crimson liquid. Her nerves were too frayed to even care for the blood that covered her figure from head to toe. She noticed the zombies that Tulip had restrained as a twisted smile crept up on her face. Her lips parted as her voice sang a melody she knew all too well from her childhood.

“Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head,
Chip chop chip chop – the last man’s dead.”

As Rhea began walking down the steps, she left behind her a trail of the restrained zombies, their heads rolling on the floor. It seemed that something else was attracting the cadavers; there was someone much more important than them. It didn't take a genius for her to know who it was though. She saw a zombie at her feet as her eyes glared at the writhing restrained cadaver; after a few seconds, the katana was swung high as the head rolled away from the body. "Scum..." her lips spat out with much venom. Finally, she saw Thermo once more. Her eyes were blank and cold, her mind suppressing her emotions or else... she would be a whimpering pile of mess by now. Beside, Thermo was Static... supposedly, a good sight but for Rhea, he was nothing; she felt nothing. She had sworn that none of her comrades would suffer while she was alive... for her to fail so quickly was too much for the healer to bear. "Thermo, I think I done somethin' bad. I couldn't save dem and, now, I be killin' dis people." Rhea mumbled, the katana gripped firmly in her hand. "If I can't save anyone... what am I good for?" Her shaking shoulders betrayed how much in shambles she actually was, her teeth biting her lower lip to such an extent that sanguine liquid dripped out of it.

What am I good for? What am I even worth for? Should I even be a titan?

[Mid-High Casual] The Wings of the Seraph

I was waiting for the two brothers to post but if they ain't gonna post, I'll have no choice but to move the RP.

@Jack the Lad@TheWizardLizard

[Mid-High Casual] The Wings of the Seraph

A'right, so we have two more to wait for before I unveil the plan for the first ever mission for the survivors!

Teen Titans: Divided We Fall

Whack a demigod... anyone? No? Okay...

Teen Titans: Divided We Fall

That's two more strokes on the chalkboard.

Teen Titans: Divided We Fall

Yep. The problem would be freshmen aren't the most motivated when it comes to discipline lectures, so, I would be expecting a few Zzzs in the room.

Teen Titans: Divided We Fall

Dandy and nervous for a lecture tomorrow. Other than that, pretty good.