Chapter One: The Boombox of Erised
Time Line: Season One
(Can't Get Enough of Your Love – Barry White)
'Twas a beautiful day in sunny Jump City. The birds were singing, dogs and cats playfully chased each other in circles, and random strangers thought nothing of giving a fond hello to those they see on the streets. Inside the large T-shaped building housing the illustrious superheroes known as the Teen Titans, all was as it should be. The alien princess of Tamaran, Starfire, was cooking inedible food-at least to humans-in the open kitchen, humming happily to herself. The half-demon sorceress, Raven, was quietly reading a very large book while floating in front of the windows overlooking the sparkling ocean. The cybernetic hero Cyborg and the Boy Wonder Robin were currently nose-to-nose as they duked it out on the latest GameStation fighting game. All was as it should be...
But wait, where was the changeling, Beast Boy? Why is he not with his friends on this most glorious of days? Because, dear readers, our favorite green hero was on his way back from the city, holding a bag of tofu in one hand, and a large previously-owned boombox in the other, grinning happily to himself. 'Dude, I can't wait to get back, they're gonna freak at the sweet radio I picked up!' he thought to himself, singing a popular song out of key. 'First a special hero discount at the vegan shop, then a new electronics store opens up? Best day ever!' And he quickly made his way home.
Arriving at the common room, he was greeted by a bone-crushing hug-quite literally, unfortunately-from Starfire. As she let go with a quick apology and a smile, everybody gathered around to look at the new addition to the technological marvel that was the Titan Tower. "Yo, grass stain, where'd you get the sweet 'box?" Cyborg asked, looking appraisingly at said appliance. "Looks pretty sweet and retro."
"I know, dude, and it works perfectly and everything!" Beast Boy exclaimed, sliding the bag of tofu across the floor to the kitchen. "There was this new store in town, called Erised's Electronics or something like that, and I got this thing for way cheap!"
After being told to plug it in by everybody but the disinterested Raven, Beast Boy made his way over next to the big screen TV still showing the pause screen of Cyborg and Robin's game. Unfortunately, right as Beast Boy plugged in the power cord, his green gaze caught Raven's amethyst, and the boombox started playing the smooth voice of Barry White.
"I've heard people say that
Too much of anything is not good for you, baby
Oh no
But I don't know about that
There's many times that we've loved
We've shared love and made love
It doesn't seem to me like it's enough
There's just not enough of it
There's just not enough
Oh oh, babe."
The room was silent. No noise from the ocean waves. If birds were singing, it wasn't for a fifty mile radius. The world seemed to hold it's very breath as green eyes stared at amethyst. Slowly a blush settled over the grey skin of Raven. Then chaos erupted.
Beast Boy found himself sailing through the window and towards the rocky beach several stories below as every light bulb on that floor exploded. Raven covered her head in her hood and melted through the floor and appeared in her room. Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg ducked for cover and hid wherever they thought was safe.
Several minutes passed like days as things quieted down. Robin came out from the cupboard under the sink, small wash cloths covering his head and shoulders. Starfire floated down from a nearby air duct, eyes searching the area in barely contained fear. Cyborg poked his head out from under the couch, though how he fit nobody thought to wonder.
"I-is it safe now, friends?" Starfire asked quietly, voice barely a whisper. "I have not been this scared since my sister released a hungry glorflaxik in my room and started eating my bed."
Robin just nodded. Nothing Batman had him train for ever came close to the terrible power Raven displayed.
Slowly, Cyborg stood up, glancing around the room. Sighing, all he said was, "I guess I'll go get the green bean and replace the lights."
Oooh, look, it's a wild Author's Note! Go, Titan Ball! ... You caught a wild Author's Note!
Alrighty then. This is the first in a series of partial one-shots based around a cursed boombox that Beast Boy buys from a new electronics store. I say partial one-shots because the only thing that they'll have in common is the boombox.
Five white-chocolate-macadamia-nut-cookies, homemade, to the first person that figures out where I got the name 'Erised'.
Also, I will take suggestions. Just give me a song, one non-Beast Boy character, and a genre (optional) that you'd like to see.
~WolfBloodBaptism