Stargazing
A small shadow, about the size of a young boy's, peeked from out of a candlelit doorway.
The African sun had finally dipped behind the jungle trees, and a blanket of darkness now covered the small village. The torches were lit, the children were safely herded inside, and the neighboring doors were shut tight.
He smiled. Time for 'Secret Agent Ninja Spy 007' to make his move.
His mission (which he obviously had chosen to accept) was simple: escape the confines of his homely little prison without being caught.
But, he had to be careful. The parental wardens, who were several times his size, did not take kindly to blatant attempts at escape, especially by misbehaving juvenile delinquents. Rumors had it that their punishments ranged anywhere from a denial of cookies after dinner to a ban on television cartoons for a whole week! Such cruelty!
Of course, those were just mere rumors to him. It's not like he'd ever been caught before, no way. He didn't call himself 'Secret Agent Ninja Spy 007' for nothing.
He checked on the prison security one last time. The female warden was in the kitchen, cleaning plates, cups, and some sharp looking knifes. The male warden was in the study, peering at the carcass of a dead rat under his gleaming microscope.
Yep, time to make his exit.
A deep breath, a small creak of the door, and—go, go, go! With spritely agility, he darted from cover to cover, his bare feet touching lightly on the cool dirt grounds. First behind the neighbor's hut; then the quilts hanging from the clothesline; then the stone water well. Around the communal bonfire, under the old mahogany tree, past the last torchlights. Quickly now, a final sprint—and he was free!
He glanced behind him, a self-satisfied smirk playing across his lips. Mission accomplished. The village lights were little more than a soft hazy glow now; should be far enough.
Finding a soft patch of grass among the tall savannah meadows, he lay down on his back, breathing rapidly from exertion and excitement. Then, folding his hands behind his head, he looked up towards the heavens…and simply watched.
It was amazing! So many stars dotted the night sky, like little fireflies dancing on a celestial stage. Some were white, some were yellow; some were bright, others a bit mellow. And if it didn't twinkle at all, well, then that was a planet!
Of course, that was just the tip of the iceberg, stargazing for dummies. A true expert like himself could identify constellations, collections of stars that formed recognizable shapes. Like…there: Leo, the lion. Okay, so it didn't really look like a lion, but if he looked at it at just the right angle…
"It's beautiful, isn't it Gar?"
Blinking, the young boy turned his head and saw the outline of a rather giant figure looming over him. A…familiar figure. He sat up instantly.
"Am—am I in trouble Mommy?"
His mother took a seat next to him, wrapping a soft warm blanket around his trembling shoulders. He saw that she was smiling.
"Not this time. But, please tell me whenever you want to go outside at night, okay? I don't want you to get hurt."
His breathing slowly calmed down. "Okay, Mommy. I will."
She laid a gentle arm around his shoulders. "Good."
Comforted, he snuggled into his mother's warm embrace, resuming his gaze upon the stars. For a moment, neither of them said a word, simply enjoying the otherworldly view.
"The tribe here has a special belief," his mother said softly. "Whenever someone passes on from this life, their spirit lives on as a star in the sky. An eternal guardian, forever watching over each and every person still here on this earth."
"Even me?"
She smiled. "Even you, Garfield. So if you ever get scared, or sad, or lonely, just look up at the stars. They will always watch over you." She paused, gazing outwards for a moment. "And some day…when my time comes...I'll be up there, watching over you too."
The young boy turned his gaze towards his mother's. Even for him, this was a bit hard to believe, but Mommy had never lied to him before…
"You promise?"
Without hesitation, she kissed him on the forehead. "I promise."
-TT-
"Friend Beast Boy?"
Surprised, the green Titan turned around. He hadn't expected anyone to come looking for him, or check the rooftop at all.
"Oh, hey Star," he replied with a smile.
The Tameranean princess smiled back, her hands folded politely over her skirt. "I wish to inform you that dinner is ready."
"Thanks. I'll be down in a minute."
She tilted her head slightly. "It…is the night of pizza, friend. We have your favorite, the vegetarian," she added. "Will you not join us in this glorious feast?"
"Yeah, I will." He turned away hesitantly, looking out over the bay. "Just…gimme a moment."
Starfire appeared at his side, a concerned look on her face. "Is everything the alright?"
He breathed a long sigh. Sliding his hands into his pockets, Beast Boy turned his gaze upward. Even this far away from the city, it was hard to see much of anything in the night sky through all that hazy pollution, save for the brightest of stars. But even then, it wasn't the same. Not like he remembered.
"Star…you've been to space a lot, right? Are stars, um…what are stars like?"
"Well…it's complicated." She paused, frowning. "But I suppose, in basic terms, a star is a sphere of hot plasma, held together by the force of gravity, and powered by the thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen and—"
"No," he interrupted. "I mean, uh, thanks, but that's not what I meant. I meant, like …are stars…nice?"
"Ah," she replied, nodding with a small smile. "It is curious that you thought of stars as being…nice. Like people." Starfire glanced upwards. "In the culture of my people, stars are said to be a gift from the great X'hal herself. Their radiant energies nourish us, give life to each of the planets, and shine lights of hope in even the darkest corners of the universe."
"But, they are more than just mere objects, as you say. Every star is the embodiment of a benevolent spirit; a luminous angel charged by X'hal with the care and protection of everything their light touches. Every galaxy, every world…and every living being, from the biggest Flarnop to the tiniest little bumgorf. Forever watching over each and every one of us, until the end of time."
She looked back towards Beast Boy with a smile. "It is a nice thought, yes? While it is difficult to say whether it holds any truth or not…I like to think that it does."
Beast Boy nodded, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "Thanks, Starfire. That—that meant a lot to me."
"I welcome you, friend Beast Boy." She laid a soft hand on his shoulder. "Please, stay as long as you like. I shall be sure to save plenty of food for you upon your return." She then headed back downstairs, taking one soft step at a time.
Beast Boy sighed, glancing back at the stars one more time. If only there actually was a way to prove whether the stories were true…
Well, come to think of it, there was…
No. No way. It was a pretty stupid idea, even by his standards, and that was coming from the guy who thought microwaving a bunch of grapes would make grape-popcorn.
Seriously. It had been about one in the afternoon at the time, a bright sunny day. He was indoors, walking down one of the windowless hallways of Titans Tower, and somehow, he caught a brief glimpse of outer space. Maybe. Actually, it was more like a flash of light purple, with a sprinkle of tiny lights. Yeah, talk about crazy. And of course, it was only for a moment.
But to get a prolonged look? He had a plan, of sorts, but it was really risky. As in, total and utter humiliation risky. Pain was definitely going to be involved too. Maybe irreversible pain. All based on a maybe.
Was that all worth it? For a chance?
He toed the edge with his shoe. Did he want to see his mom again?
Closing his eyes, he stepped blindly out into the unknown, allowing gravity to do the rest. One small step for man, one giant leap of faith for mankind.
-TT-
When Beast Boy opened his eyes, he found himself staring into the heart of the universe.
It…worked! It worked!
He swiveled his head, taking in the star-speckled view. This was…this was just like he had always dreamed about! Dancing with the fireflies in space! Although, these lights didn't really look like tiny fireflies anymore; rather, they were like huge balls of heavenly fire, radiating massive amounts of heat in every direction.
In fact, everything seemed so massive to him now. Showers of streaking ice, rings of cosmic dust. Entire worlds of potential, gaping maws of blackness. And among all of this grandeur and wisdom lay him: a green speck in the empty void of space. An errant human imperfection among an otherwise illustrious landscape. It was impossible not to feel a little intimidated and helpless compared to the sheer cosmic supremacy that lay before him.
He smiled dreamily. If only his mother were here to see this too…
Mom…Mom!
Instantly alert, Beast Boy began scanning the space around him, glancing at each and every star, searching for…what, exactly? A sign, or a signal. Something. Anything. She had to be here, right? Mom said she would be. She promised. But there were so many stars…which one? Which one?
Suddenly, a blinding flash of white engulfed his vision, forcing him to shield his eyes. Then, the light dimmed, and he carefully looked back. A star was now looming in front of him, a yellow-orange sphere of pulsing luminescence whose heat bathed his entire being.
But surprisingly, he didn't feel that hot floating this close to a star. Sure, he felt something alright, but it wasn't the kind of heat that made him sweat. It was more like…a warm heat, like from the bonfire in the middle of the African village. The kind that everyone drew close to, basking in its soft warmth and comfort. The kind of fire that made him feel safe, protected, and…loved.
…Mom?
"Beast Boy!"
Startled, the changeling blinked, the universe fading from his sight. In its place sat a familiar violet-haired girl, glaring at him with piercing amethyst eyes. She did not look happy.
"Did you even hear what I just said?" Raven asked, her eyes narrowing.
He stared at her blankly. "Uh…"
She sighed. "I was almost finished explaining that you need to pay more attention to what's going on around you, and what do you do? Stare off into space aimlessly."
"Heh, sorry Rae…" he replied, his cheeks heating up a little. He watched as the mystical Titan withdrew her hand from his forehead, the soft white glow of magic slowly fading from her fingertips.
"Now, if you want to prevent something like this from happening again, I suggest that you get your head out of the clouds and focus on what's right in front of your face. You're lucky not to have been more seriously injured."
"Yeah…I know…"
Raven rose to her feet, considering him with a frown. "Honestly Beast Boy, falling down three flights of stairs? It's almost like you were trying to get yourself hurt…" And with that, she turned and left the medical bay.
Beast Boy smiled, watching the ends of Raven's cloak flutter behind her like the tail of a comet. He couldn't help it if the stars were bright out tonight.