Common Room

Xzuk's old Deadzone wounds were back thanks to her twisting his arms... these werent nearly as serious though... only a couple veins were split...

He fell back onto the floor and laid there as his wrists began to turn purple again... damn internal bleeding...

"You okay?"

Alyss looked up at him. "My head hurts." she said, clutching her hair. "Now do you see? If i don't suppress that.....she comes out."

He smiled...

"Ah... C'mon... she's not so bad... I'm sure she's a total bitch once you get to know her..."

He laughed a little bit then stopped short...

"Ouch... You're normal again though? you're not hurt or anything?"

Alyss nodded and got up slowly. "Only a bit, but not from you. Fear never gets out very much. That's the fifth time ever she's gotten free. And she likes to leave marks." Alyss said, grimly. She pulled up her shirt slightly and on the top of her hipbone was the word 'FEAR' etched in deep scratches. Alyss touched it and winced uncomfortably. "The first few times it was just bruises. But there are two more of these on my back. They only hurt for a few days, but they scar. I suppose she likes to leave a memory."

"If you're not too uncomfortable with it I can try and help. All sound is is a vibration anyway, and if I tone it down low enough I'm pretty sure I can make an okay massuese.. and with a wet rag, we may be able to stop that one from scarring."

He looked down at his wrists again... they werent getting worse... that was good, but he couldn't help but worry...

Alyss stared at him, eyes wide. "N-no thanks. They always scar anyway. Fear makes sure of it, she'll just keep etching away inside. I try not to displease her." she got up off the floor and looked at Xzuk, who was checking his wrists. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine. I didn't live this long by letting injuries get to me.... besides... I've had this same wound before... only much more severe..."

He glanced away from her and turned..

"Now, let me try this again... I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to hurt you or make you suffer because I was being headstrong. I apologize."

Alyss blinked. "That's okay, I overreacted anyway. I'm sorry I keep freaking out on you." she replied. She sat down on the floor, crossing her legs and looked out of the Titans East window. "I wonder if Slade is in Jump somewhere. He's got to be out there. And this...Death person you are afraid of."

"He's my exact opposite. I'm the light in the shadows and the sound of hope."

But... Deadzone...

"He is the blackest night and the pit of everlasting silence. He can create black holes at will.... when we fight, its as if... an unstoppable force... meets an immovable object..."

Xzuk sat on the couch and caught glimpses of the freak in his memory...

cloaks of the dead he'd killed... sharp fangs... lifeless eyes.. no circulatory system... no heart... no brain... just... Death...

Alyss nodded and looked up at him on the couch. "Thats him?" she said. "Sorry, I invade peoples personal thoughts sometimes. They can get a little...peeved." she grinned.

"I don't mind... Sumi used to turn me into a girl and laugh because there was nothing I could do about it. SO this is no where near as bad."

He smiled a little and opened a fresh mountain dew from the fridge.

"If Slade is out there, I want a shot at him. I want to know just how good I really am... I've never won an important fight on my own... I've always lost when it came down to the wire..."

He looked up at her..

"But this time, I refuse to lose... I'll either win, or die trying."

Alyss shook her head. "This is why I could never be a Titan. I am selfish about my life. I keep Fear, because she protects me. I value my own life far beyond killing someone elses. If Slade offered me more protection I'm sure I'd go right back to him. I don't want to fight. I want to be safe." she said, frowning.

"Slade would use you to fight for him... until you were killed or outlived your usefulness."

He knew Slade's history.. he wouldn't fall into anything remotely involving Slade unless his friends were in danger... Slade was one person you don't mess with...

"Well.. I guess that I should be the best bodygaurd I can possibly be then huh?"

Alyss smiled faintly and looked down. "If you hadn't noticed, we've already had one fight. Plus, you can explode too. Sorry, your head is an interesting place."
She looked down. Slade had never mistreated her. He'd cared for her even. "Slade made me feel safe," she said, confused.

"I'm not gonna tell you how to live your life out... Bu let me at least say this: I think that going back to Slade leads you down the start of a path that brings nothing but pain and suffering in your future. And that is in no way a threat."

He covered his head and ruffled his hair a bit trying to shake loose some thoughts...