I do not claim Teen Titans, or anything to do with Dragon Riders. (Eragon, Eldest, et cetra)
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Summary:
When the Titans are granted dragons, are they really up to the task? The new era of Dragon Riders has arrived, but can five simple-but powerful-teenagers and five courageous dragons be able to save the world from destruction? And when a dragon is taken down with its Rider, how do the others react; will they continue on to save the world, or help their friends?
The trust they place in each other is put to the test. Can they allow the boundries between all of them to die in order to save the world from devastation? A little BBxRae.
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Raven Roth glanced down to see an old man tugging ever so gently at the bottom of her cloak. She swallowed, turning her full body around to the man and crouching down to his height. Before she could say anything, the man had withdrawn five oddly coloured stones from a bag he held in his hand. Without a word, he had pushed each one into the Goth's hands, forcing her to hold them as she gawked slightly at the man.
"Please," he croaked, his small, blue eyes pleading. "Please, please take these."
Just as she parted her lips to speak, the man had turned and fled into the crowd, leaving Raven stooped down, holding five odd stones. Her violet eyes glanced down at each one in turn; shrugging, she rose, walking away as she headed back to the tower. There she would be eligible to get a much better look at these stones.
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A hand propping up her chin, her legs crossed over as she sat on the sofa, she sat silently in the empty common room, regarding the five stones she had placed on the table with interest. Reaching out testily to touch the black one closest to her, she jumped when Beast Boy ran into the common room to do what he normally did. She retracted her hand suddenly, looking away from the stones as if she didn't even know they were there as she ignored the green changeling.
"What's with the stones?" he inquired, staring down at them as he slowed his pace to walk up to them.
She glared at him, but she didn't utter a single word, refusing to even cast a glance at the stones assembled before her.
"HELLO!" Beast Boy called, knocking on Raven's head with his knuckles.
She narrowed her eyes and his feet were enveloped in a black aura as he was sent over the back of the couch.
Groaning, he rose groggily.
"All right, sorry, dude, but what are those stones doing in here?" he squeaked, rubbing his butt as he stared at them again. "And where did you get them?"
"For your information, an old man gave them to me," she snapped. "And I don't know why he gave them to me anyways. He just shoved them to me and disappeared."
He walked up to the sofa again, flopping down right beside her, eyeing the stones. He rapped on one with his knuckles and a hollow sound filled the air. He pulled his hand back and the sound came to a close.
"Ya sure they're rocks?" he questioned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, but he wasn't really thinking; he never truly thought anyways.
"What else would they be? Birds?" she sneered sarcastically, reaching out to the black one again.
She picked it up and held it in her hands as she stared at it calmly. The hollow sound filled the room again.
"Cut it out, BB," Raven hissed, staring deeper at the stone.
He held up his hands, but the hollow sound continued as he whined: "I didn't do anything!"
The black stone quivered, before a sound like a high-pitched wail erupted from it. The changeling cocked his head as he regarded the object as it trembled more, the sound growing louder steadily. It stopped and the rock was still; something cracked. Raven stared at the rock in awe as cracks began to form along it.
"You broke it!" Beast Boy squeaked, grinning.
"Shut up," she snarled and he flinched at her tone.
She moved the rock around, but a growl stopped her. The stone broke apart to reveal a small creature with wings that had a hooked claw at the top. They seemed like bat wings as the creature flapped them, growling low at Beast Boy. Golden horns on its head seemed to big and at the tip of its tail was what appeared to be something similar to a spear. It was metal, sharp and hard. Its talons were gentle in her pale grey hands and its red eyes glared at Beast Boy before they rested on Raven. As it shifted to rise on its hind legs, the ivory spikes that ran from the back of its head to its tail gleamed.
It had large fangs protruding from its small jaws and it parted them to reveal sharp teeth. Fish-like scales ran along its underbelly and its black scales matched the stone perfectly. Except it wasn't a stone…it was an egg.
"Sweet! It's a dragon! I didn't know they existed…except-that is-Malchior," Beast Boy commented.
"Well, if this is a dragon egg, then I guess the rest are dragon eggs as well," the girl said with a sigh.
"Can I touch it!" the changeling yelped joyously, but before she could reply, he had poked it gently on the shoulder.
It hissed a warning, but before he could react, it had slammed its metal-like tail tip hard against his gloved hand. Whimpering, he retracted his hand. The tail-although the dragon had not hit it hard-had sliced through the glove and cut his hand. And thankfully, it wasn't deep, although it did sting and Raven couldn't help but giggle at the dragon.
"Owww!" he complained, glaring at his hand. "That thing's evil!"
The baby dragon hissed again, flattening its ears and he wriggled farther away. She smirked slightly, and allowed a blue aura to coat her hands. She reached over, allowing her hands to move just above his hand. He sighed as the sting began to leave and the cut closed itself.
"Thanks," he said, then stared at the eggs. "I want a dragon two!"
"You can't even keep your own room clean; how do you expect to take care of a dragon? Besides, don't you know they're carnivores and eat meat?" she taunted, focusing on each egg in turn.
"Hey, I'll train it to eat tofu, okay dude?" he answered with a smirk: "And how hard can it be?"
He scooped up all the eggs at once, watching each one. When nothing happened, he put them all down, picking them up one at a time. He picked up the green one second, shaking it near his ear. It jumped out of his hands, making him jump as well, falling over the back of the sofa and disappearing as Raven shook her head in disgust at the boy.
Without making a noise though, the egg cracked open to reveal a green dragon that landed calmly on the sofa. It croaked gently and Beast Boy peeked over the top of the sofa, then jumped over, landing almost on top of the poor dragon whom squealed in alarm.
It beat its wings, which were like branches with large leaves attached. It had no horns, just antennae that seemed to be like a butterfly that hung low instead of high. Vines wrapped themselves around each of its legs and it had a vine for a tail, much unlike the black dragon. Its green eyes stared into Beast Boy's emerald ones before it pounced into his lap and curled up.
"Umm…how do we tell if it's a dude, or a dudette?" he asked and Raven shook her head yet again.
"How do you think?"
"I am a male," a voice sounded calmly, although there was an icy bitterness to it.
Raven and Beast Boy both stared wide-eyed at the dragon held in Raven's hands as it lowered itself down to all fours.
"Dude, did it just talk?" Beast Boy breathed, amazed.
"Obviously," the dragon hissed, glaring at him.
"I am, as you would say, a 'dude' as well," the green dragon chimed in.
"Do you have a name?" the green boy asked excitedly at the dragon perched in his lap.
"Why would we? We were just born, genius. Doesn't really take anyone with a great intelligence to know that, changeling. Also, you two are the beginning of a new era with us," Raven's dragon spoke.
"Um, excuse me?" Beast Boy said, staring at both.
"We are dragons, you are our riders. You are the new dragon riders!" the green dragon chattered excitedly.
"I've heard of them in ancient legends," Raven commented dryly. "Now, shall we name you both?"
"Yes, I do believe names are in order…" the black dragon said, staring at the female.
"Raven."
"I'm Beast Boy!" the boy introduced himself.
"Good to meet you, Raven," the black and green dragons both said, but the green dragon added in: "And Beast Boy!"
"So, let me think here. You both have elements in which you can wield at your own mercy, correct?" Raven inquired thoughtfully.
"Yes. I am a dragon of darkness. He is a dragon of earth."
"Then how about you are Zarathustra, meaning darkness?" the Goth suggested.
"Yes, Zarathustra is a great name; excellent choice, my rider," Zarathustra said.
"How about me, BB?" the green dragon chirped hopefully.
"Umm…Raven?" he muttered, glancing sideways at the girl.
"It is your choice."
"How do you say hospitality in Azarath?"
"You want an Azarath name like Zarathustra? Xenos."
"Then how about Xenos?!"
"I thank you for naming me Xenos, BB," Xenos answered.
"You catch on fast!" Beast Boy complimented his dragon, rubbing his head and receiving a purr.
"Everyone catches on fast compared to you," Zarathustra sneered and Raven could only giggle as Beast Boy glared at the baby dragon, but then recoiled.