Nightmare

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans or "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe.

Summary: Someone's having a nightmare, and another try to help. Has the poem "The Raven" in it. Please Read & Review! Or Read & Flame!

I apologize if my idea's too much like someone else's story. 'Cause I'm still a newbie, and I didn't read a lot of TT stories yet, so please don't sue me!

Rap, rap, noise

"I wonder..." thoughts

"I wonder..." talking

I wonder... the poem (The Raven)

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The moon shone brightly into the inky blackness of the night, its light upon the T-shaped tower. Inside a purple-haired girl slept. Her gemstone in her forehead briefly flashed a blood red, but the light died away, leaving the gem dark red, nearly black. But the peace didn't last long, for the girl began trashing around in her bed. On her face there is a horror, a fear so great it can't be described.

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door ---

Only this, and nothing more."

"No. No, no. Please, no." She barely managed to croak out, so softly it couldn't be heard useless your ear is one inch away from her face. As she continued to trash, a rapping came. Rap, rap, rap, the noise continued.

Ah, distinctly I remembered it was in bleak December,

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

Eagerly I wished the morrow – vainly I had tried to borrow

From my books surcease of sorrow – sorrow for the lost Lenore---

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore---

Nameless here for evermore.

"Mother! Arella!" The girl whispered, trashing around. "Arella! Please, help me! Help your daughter!" She continued to call for this Arella. The rapping didn't stop; it still continued on. Rap, rap, rap.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain

Thrilled me – filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating

"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door ---

Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door ---

This it is and nothing more."

The dark blue curtains covering her window rustled; as if something or someone is hiding behind it. The girl cried out, "Arella! Help me!" as she trashes around, not noticing how the rapping has not stopped. Rap, rap, rap.

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,

"Sir," said I "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;

But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,

And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,

That I scarce was sure I heard you" – here I opened the door –

Darkness there, and nothing more.

As the girl continued trashing, in another room, another girl was sleeping peacefully. This girl, she has gold skin and red hair. Her eyes opened; they are bright green. She sat up in her bed, puzzled, and trying to hear where the source of noise was coming from. Her eyes widened as she heard the purple-haired girl cried out, "No! Leave Arella alone!" The redhead quickly flew out her room, down the hallway, and to the trashing girl's room. The redhead flung open the door and saw only darkness. Rap, rap, rap.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;

But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,

And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore!"

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"

Merely this, and nothing more.

The dark seems forbidden; and it taunted the redhead girl who stood there, too scared of the dark. She could hear the sleeping girl whisper "Arella!" The darkness seems to echo, "Arella!" 'Arella?' The redhead wondered. 'Who is she?' Then she heard the rapping. Rap, rap, rap.

Then into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,

Soon I heard again a tapping, somewhat louder then before.

"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;

Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore ---

Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore ---

'Tis the wind, and nothing more."

'Should I get the boys?' The redhead wondered. 'Or should I go help my friend?' She started to turn but hesitated as she heard the rapping and her friend crying out, "Mother!" 'Mother?' The redhead puzzled, for she never had, not even once, hears her best friend mention her family. The red-haired girl then decided to plunge into the dark. The rapping continues. Rap, rap, rap.

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,

In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore;

Not the least obeisance made he, not an instant stopped or stayed he,

But, with mien of lord, or lady, perched above my chamber door ---

Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door ---

Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

The redhead's bright green eyes widened. The dark is too dark; she can't conjure up some kind source of light; the darkness just swallowed it up. She could hear the rapping and the cries of "Arella!" of her sleeping friend. Rap, rap, rap.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,

"Though thy chest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,"

Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Night's shore ---

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"

Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

As the redhead stumbled around blindly, trying to find her friend in the inky blackness. "Arella!" The redhead could hear her friend cry out. As she wandered around, she tripped over something. She grunted in pain; but then she heard the rapping. It seems to grow louder. Rap, rap, rap.

Much I marveled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,

Though its answer little meaning – little relevancy bore;

For we cannot help agreeing that no sublunary being

Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door ---

Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,

With such name as "Nevermore."

The rapping just grew louder and louder. The redhead just laid there, worried, when she heard her friend cry out, "Arella! No!" The trashing girl cried. "Father! Leave Mother alone! Trigon, leave Arella alone!!" 'Arella? Father, Mother? Trigon? Who are they?' The redhead pondered. Rap, rap, rap.

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only

That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing farther than he uttered – not a feather then he fluttered ---

'Till I scarcely more than muttered, "Other friends have flown before – On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."

Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

The redhead whimpered. The darkness scared her; they're threatening to swallow her up. And why that rapping won't stop? She closed her eyes for a moment as she heard her friend trashing around. "Help me!!!" The redhead opened her eyes; her friend sounded as if she had poured all her soul into that plea. Rap, rap, rap.

Wondering at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,

"Doubtless," said I, 'what it utters is its only stock and store,

Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster

Followed fast and followed faster --- so, when Hope he would adjure,

Stern Despair returned, instead of the sweet Hope he dare adjure ---

That sad answer, "Nevermore!"

'I must help her!' The red-haired girl thought as she tried to locate where the voice's coming from, but she did it in vain. Despair flooded her; but she must not give up! Besides, she owed her friend a favor. The rapping grew even louder; Rap, rap, rap.

But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust, and door;

Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking

Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore ---

What that grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore

Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

"Arella! No! Trigon, no!" The purple-haired girl cried out. The another girl furrowed her brows together, trying to figure out who those Arella and Trigon is. From the sound of things, Arella is treasured, while Trigon is hated and feared, but mainly hated. 'What do that mean?' The redhead wondered. Rap, rap, rap.

This I sat engaging in guessing, but no syllable expressing

To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;

This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining

On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,

But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,

She shall press, ah, nevermore!

The sleeping girl's hand enclosed over the particular rings that once belonged to someone. The red rubies embedded in the gold rings shone blood red, matching the purple-haired girl's forehead jewel. The person whose the rings belonged to, she shall never wear them again. Rap, rap, rap.

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer

Swung by angels whose faint footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.

"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee --- by these angels he hath sent thee

Respite – respite and Nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!

Let me quaff this kind Nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

For some strange reason she couldn't breathe, the redhead noticed. Is it just her or is the air getting thicker? Is that footsteps? What is that smell? "No, Trigon! You can't make me attack Arella!" The sleeping girl cried. "Mother, run! Run from Father!" 'Who are those people?!' The redhead puzzled. Rap, rap, rap.

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! – prophet still, if bird or devil!---

Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

Desolate, yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted ---

On this home by Horror haunted – tell me truly, I implore ---

Is there – is there balm in Gilead? – tell me – tell me, I implore!"

Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

'When will that awful rapping stops?' The redhead asked herself. 'And who is Arella and Trigon?' As if reading the redhead's mind, the purple-haired girl, still sleeping and trashing, spoke; "Arella... my mother... my father... Trigon... how dare you to hurt Mother!" 'Wait. Trigon?' She've heard that name before, but where? The redhead continued on, musing. Rap, rap, rap.


"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! – prophet still, if bird or devil!

By that Heaven that bends above us – by that God we both adore ---

Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,

It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore ---

Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."

Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

The girl stumbled on; she must find her friend, and help her. But... who is Trigon? Little did she knew that she's only five feet away from her sleeping friend's bed. That is perhaps why she jumped when she heard the purple-haired girl laugh, a maniacal laugh. "What? You can't stop Mother or I from escaping? Is Trigon the Terrible getting weak?" She seems to be taunting her father. The redhead's eyes widened. 'Trigon!' Rap, rap, rap.

"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting

"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!

Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!

Leave my loneliness unbroken! – quit the bust above my door!

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"

Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

'Trigon the Terrible! The demon whose had conquered great numbers of universes!' The redhead gasped; for she had recognized her friend's father.

She cannot allow this nightmare to last. Going in the direction of the voice, she bumped into the bed. "Arella, don't cry! Trigon will be gone! I promise!" The purple-haired girl said, still sleeping and trashing around. The redhead began shaking her friend, ignoring the rapping. Rap, rap, rap.

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon that is dreaming,

And the lamplight o'er him steaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted --- nevermore!

"Arella, stop shaking me! I'm trying to stop Trigon!" The purple-haired girl insisted as the redhead shook her. The sleeping girl began trashing even harder; she eventually flung the redhead away. Then her eyes finally opened, revealing blue-violet eyes. She looked surprised as she saw her best friend laying on the floor. "Starfire? What are you doing there?" She asked the redhead. Rap, rap, rap.

"Do you not recall? You are talking in your dream, and I am worried. As far as I know, you are, apparently, protecting your mother... Arella, correct? From your father, which I presumed to be Trigon. Am I correct?" The redhead, Starfire, asked her friend. "But... what of Trigon, now, in the real world?" Rap, rap, rap.

The purple-haired girl said nothing, so Starfire asked, "Raven? Will you please answer?" Rap, rap, rap.

The purple-haired girl, apparently Raven, looked at Starfire and simply said, "My father, Trigon, is alive nevermore." She then said, "You can go back to your bed. I'm fine." She then settled back into her own bed, ignoring the confused look Starfire gave her.

Starfire shrugged, then she left Raven's room to go to her room. While flying to her room, she noticed something. 'The rapping... it stopped when Raven said, "Trigon is alive nevermore" What do that mean? Ah, I shall ask her tomorrow...' She thought as she drifted off to slumber.

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All right, I'm putting down the meanings for the words in the poem if you can't understand.

Quaint... lore: strange book of ancient learning

Surcease: end

Token: sign

Lattice: framework of wood or metal

Thereat: there

Flirt: quick, uneven movement

Obeisance: a bow or another sign of respect

Mien: manner

Bust of Pallas: sculpture of the head and shoulders of Pallas Athena, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom

Fancy: imagination

Countenance: facial appearance

Craven: coward

Plutonian: Like the underworld, ruled over by the ancient Roman god Pluto (or Greek god, Hades)

Quoth: said

Sublunary: earthly

Adjure: appeal to

Divining: Guessing

Censer: container for burning incense

Nepenthe: a drug used in ancient times to cause forgetfulness of sorrow

Quaff: drink

Tempter: the devil

Balm in Gilead: cure for suffering; the Bible refers to a medicinal ointment, or balm, made in a region called Gilead

Aidenn: a name meant to suggest Eden or paradise

Nevermore: never again

Count 'em: 24 new words! (depends if you already knows them or not) Anyway, I hope you'll review. Heck, even flames' welcomed too! To ensure that you'll review, I'll ask nicely.

(takes a deep breath)

Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, (takes a REALLY deep breath) please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please... plea... please... re... review.... Please revie... (passes out from lack of air)