Chapter 1: Midnight's Arrival
It was a dark, rainy night and every light in the city shone brightly through the thick fog that had descended upon it. It was one of those days when it was almost impossible to be cheerful. But, in the distance, where a tall tower shaped like a capital 'T' stood, one being managed to stay cheerful: Raven. She found it easier to meditate in these dark conditions. She hovered in the corner muttering a spell.
"Azarath Metreon Zinthos..." Raven would chant repeatedly. Beast Boy was playing video games with Cyborg and munching on pizza while Cyborg struggled to keep up with him in Starfighters, a task in which he was failing dismally. Robin was sitting on the couch, watching the two played their game and sipping a soda. Starfire was watching with interest.
"How does one defeat this 'Game of the Video'?" Starfire questioned. Beast Boy knocked Cyborg's ship out of orbit and succeeded in beating him.
"Well Star," Beast Boy began, smirking "the object of the game is to destroy the other person's spaceship. Notice how I...what's the word I'm looking for...DESTROYED Cyborg in this game. It is because I am a more superior game player then him." Beast Boy smirked at a fuming Cyborg.
"Don't push it..." Cyborg grumbled. Starfire eyed the game.
"Why would you want to destroy spaceships for fun?" Starfire asked. "They are very useful." Beast Boy shrugged.
"It's only a game. Besides, it's fun," Beast Boy replied. He looked around the room, which seemed to be full of depression. He glared at the sky. "GAH! When are we going to get some cheerful weather?" Raven's brow twitched as she opened one eye.
"Never hopefully...and can you be any louder?" Raven growled. She then returned to meditating. Beast Boy heaved a heavy sigh as Cyborg started playing games alone. Beast Boy looked outside and saw a shadow slide past the window.
"Must be a bird..." he mumbled to himself. There was a crack of thunder and a flash of lighting and Beast Boy caught a small glimpse of what looked like himself only silver and...as a female! "What the heck!" Beast Boy shouted, jumping backwards. Everyone looked up, including Raven, who looked very angry.
"What did I just finish telling you?" Raven growled. Starfire, however, looked concerned.
"Beast Boy, what is troubling you?" Starfire asked. She would float over to him and the window.
"I saw...someone out there...and they looked like me!" Beast Boy stated in a panicky voice. Starfire gazed out the window, searching for someone.
"I don't see anything but falling water," Starfire said.
"You probably saw your reflection..." Cyborg chuckled.
"No, you don't understand! It was a girl and she was silver!" Beast Boy interjected. "She had eyes and ears like me too! But it looked like she had your hair, Raven..." Raven's eye snapped open.
"Who dares steal my hairstyle?" Raven growled, floating over to look out the window with Starfire. She also saw nothing of the sort. "Why do you torture me?" Raven said in her monotone voice before starting back to her meditating.
"I'm telling you, I saw someone!" Beast Boy retaliated. Starfire gasped and backed away from the window. As the lightning flashed again, the same figure was seen shooting downward.
"I saw her too. Beast Boy is not lying," Starfire said. Raven looked at Starfire.
"So, she has my hairstyle then?" Raven asked. Starfire nodded. "Well...I guess I'll have to meet her and teach her a thing or two..." She floated over again and looked out the window, seeing a shadow hanging onto the window and looking in. When the lighting flashed again, it showed a very startled silver girl with pointed ears and silver hair in Raven's style before she disappeared onto the rooftop. Raven turned to the group. "It actually looks good on her...anyway, she's headed for the roof."
"We should go after her," Robin said. "We don't know whether she's friend or foe." Cyborg, Starfire, and Raven nodded but Beast Boy shook his head.
"I don't think we need to go after her," Beast Boy stated simply when the group looked at him in surprise. Cyborg then proceeded to drag him out of the room with the rest of the group following.
Robin took the lead as the group made their way up to the roof, Starfire following close behind, Raven behind her, and Cyborg trailing with Beast Boy. As they reached the roof, they searched for the silver girl but she seemed to have disappeared. Beast Boy was released shortly after reaching the roof.
"Listen..."Beast Boy started "I think she's a changeling like me...so she could be anywhere right now...her skin and hair is silver so I'm assuming whatever form she takes will also be silver." The whole group stared at him, mouths agape. "What?"
"That actually makes sense," Cyborg said in surprise. Beast Boy growled but just before he was about to retaliate, he saw a shadow move quickly across the ground. He stared at it for a while, but it was just a spider.
"What is it Beast Boy?" Robin asked.
"Just a silver spider..."Beast Boy said turning around. They all shrugged and were about to walk back downstairs before they all realized what Beast Boy had said.
"A silver spider!" they exclaimed in unison. All five titans whipped around to spot the spider skittering across the ground and towards the end of the building. Raven quickly reacted.
"Azarath Metreon Zinthos!" Raven yelled, pointing her now black glowing hands towards the spider. She managed to grab hold of the spider and bring it back to them. They formed a tight circle as she released her hold on the spider. It stared running around frantically before pausing right in the middle of the circle. Robin knelt down to the spider.
"Listen here," Robin started "we know you're human. As long as you reveal yourself, we won't have to harm you." The spider looked for an exit before it seemed to nod. Robin opened the circle and the spider crawled out. The arachnid shifted into a silver girl with Beast Boy's eyes and ears, a few pieces of Starfire's armor, and Raven's hairstyle. She looked quite distraught.
"You have to listen to me," she said. Her voice hinted that she was scared. "I'm not an enemy. I'm just exploring...I didn't mean to startle you..." Starfire floated forward and observed the girl's neck plate.
"Where did you get that?" Starfire asked, pointing to it.
"Tameran..." she gulped. "I got it when I was traveling." She looked at Starfire and observed her for a moment. "Judging by your appearance, you must be a Tameranian." Starfire nodded, smiling slightly. Raven walked over, looking slightly intimidating. The girl froze, looking at Raven.
"That hair looks good on you..." Raven said in a monotonous voice. The girl blinked before smiling slightly.
"Erm...thanks," she said. Her eyes trailed to Beast Boy, which widened in surprise. "You're...you're like me! You can transform too, right?" All of a sudden, she seemed very excited. A sweat drop would appear on the side of his head as he nodded. "Awesome! Oh...I've forgotten my manners. My name is Midnight and, as I'm sure you've already guessed, I'm a shape shifter." She quickly transformed into a silver Velociraptor. Beast Boy's mouth was agape and Robin was nodding his approval.
"Very nice," Robin said. "I'd guess that you're at Beast Boy's level." Beast Boy looked up and smirked at Midnight.
"Impressive..." he said. "But can you do this?" Beast Boy then shifted into a green Tyrannosaurus Rex, giving a loud roar.
"Well...sorta...mine's not green though." Midnight said. She then shifted into a silver Tyrannosaurus Rex, trashing her tail. Beast Boy returned to normal with Midnight.
"Very impressive," he said with a grin. "I thought I was the only changeling around here." Raven eyed Midnight suspiciously, and then walked over to Robin.
"You know," Raven started "this has happened before...I don't think she should stay."
"Raven, I know you're concerned...I am too..." Robin stated, stroking his chin. "She seems alright, but I'm not taking any chances. She looks like a wanderer to me...all the more reason for us to worry...After all...Terra was a wanderer. We'll let her stay tonight and test her tomorrow morning. Until then, be on guard." Raven sighed and nodded. Robin spoke again. "This is for Beast Boy's sake...after all, he was the only changeling around here for a while...maybe Midnight will keep him busy." Raven huffed lightly and walked away. She knew she was overreacting, but this girl seemed like an easy target for a villain and she wasn't too sure what to make of it. If someone was controlling her, it could put all of their lives in danger, including Midnight's. Midnight, however, seemed to be settling in quite nicely.
"She better not get too comfortable," Raven mumbled to herself.