I started this story in late 07. I worked on it off and on before finally finishing in late 09. A reviewer requested a Raven-Red X-Robin triangle. I do have a short one the second chapter of my Corporate Titans story. I did promise to work on typing up this handwritten story which deals with all three of those characters even though it is not a triangle. I had plans for one once, but I am trying to finish up some old stories that were started and never finished so at the moment I am not writing any new ones. Please leave a review and let me know what you think of this story.

Of Moonbeams and Starlight

chapter 1

Red X has been watching the Titans a lot lately. He has done so since he first heard Raven say those three little words. Tonight he attacks only to draw her out-he has to know once and for all if it is really her. He picked tonight because it is storming-he has a feeling he knows why the dark sorceress always hides beneath the blue cloak and he intends to prove it.

Raven tries to remain dry but that is proving difficult as Red X takes full advantage of the suits teleporting capabilities. None of them are able to get a lock on the thief tonight. She shoots Robin a dirty look for creating that suit. Her attention quickly snaps back to Red X who now has his attention on Robin-she tries to send a nearby trash can flying at him.

Red X glances back at the dark bird before back flipping over the make-shift projectile-letting it clobber the boy wonder. He lands directly behind Raven and clamps a sticky x over her mouth before she can get her magic words out. He could easily use her as a shield-in her shock as the other three titans charge him from different directions-but he instead shoves her down into a large puddle of water in the street. He disappears at the last second letting Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Starfire come crashing together in a heap.

Raven tries to cover herself with her cloak as her goth makeup is washed away. She looks around at the other Titans are getting back up in search of the thief. She backs away from all them as she realizes the villain is now gone.

A flash of lightning reveals the proof that Red X wants as he watches Raven from a nearby roof top. He quickly leaves before the Titans locate him again.

Beast Boy stomps a nearby puddle of water in frustration "He got away again! That is the third time this week."

"Fourth." Starfire turns to look at Robin.

"Do we go after him?"

"Not this time Cyborg. I'm sure he's long gone by now."

"We could catch him if--"

Starfire elbows Beast Boy in the stomach before he can finish his sentence.

Robin turns to the T-car knowing full well what Beast Boy meant to say. "Lets go home." He stops when he realizes that Raven isn't with them. He spots her almost a block away from them. He is about to call out to her when he sees her fly away in her dark spirit form.

*****

Raven rushes back to her room-quickly changing out of her wet clothes and drying off. She doesn't even bother with the x plastered to her mouth as she dresses in dry clothes and exits her own private bathroom to retrieve the jar of goth make-up. There are several on the dresser, but she finds them all empty. She bangs her fist on the dresser as she realizes that all the stores are closed for the night. She stares at her silver sparkled skin in the dim light--she can't let her friends see her like this.

"You look just like the pale silvery beams of the Azarathian moon Zinthos. Good thing you were named Artemis-Zinthos just doesn't suit you."

Raven searches for the source of the voice, but she can't see anyone. She grabbed from behind and the x removed from her mouth-but no one is there when she turns around. "Who are you? How do you know what Zinthos and Azarath are? How do you know my name?"

Red X steps into the light. "I've been watching you for sometime now. After I heard you say those three little words that only someone from Azarath would know. I kept hoping, but was almost afraid to find out if it was you or not. Now, I'm glad that I did."

Red X?! What are you trying to pull?"

Raven gasps as Red X removes his mask-revealing the same pale-yet yellowish and gold sparkled-just like that of the distant Azarathian sun-Metrion. His eyes match her own and he even has a chakra stone on his forehead-and that shaggy white hair is unruly as ever. She stands there in disbelief for sometime before she can speak. "Apollo? You're, Red X?"

"You sound as if that surprises you."

"It shouldn't the way you were always able to sneak into the monistary without being caught."

"I couldn't stand the way they treated you. Outlawing all physical contact or even showing emotions toward you. I couldn't just leave you locked in there all alone doing nothing but meditating."

"Then why did you stop coming."

"They caught me. I was sent away from Azarath so I couldn't get to you."

"But you were only--"

"--five?...yeah and no one here wanted a kid that looked like me. I wasn't born with powers so I had no way to get back to Azarath. I took care of myself the only way I knew how."

"I'm so sorry."

He pulls Raven into his arms as diamond tears flow down her cheeks. "It's not your fault. They should have known better than to try and separate twins.

Raven still isn't comfortable with physical contact after all the years spent growing up on Azarath, but she settles into her twin's embrace. Both gasp when a knock on the door startles them. For a moment there all the years had fallen away and they were five again-he the daring little boy that refused to follow the laws that basically left his twin sister a prisoner.

Robin knocks on the door again. "Raven, are you okay?"

Raven pulls away from Red X. "Hide." As she turns toward the door she pulls the hood up on her cloak and draws it close around her. She looks back to make sure that her brother is out of sight before she opens the door.

"You disappeared on us back there. I didn't even think you could use your powers if--"

"It isn't easy to focus when I can't say my mantra, but I can still do somethings with my powers. Was that all you came to ask me?"

"You seemed to be in a big hurry to leave. I just wanted to make sure that you were okay."

"I'm fine...now if you don't mind I need to be alone right now."

"I understand that you need your privacy so you can work on controlling your powers but that is always your excuse and it is starting to get old. I know something happened out there tonight."

Raven levitates the empty jars of make-up over to Robin. She as to stifle a laugh as he flinches back as if she had intended to hit him. "There that is what's wrong right now. Are you happy?"

"That's all? It's just make-up."

"That no one is going to see me without...and since all the stores are closed tonight, I would greatly appreciate it if you would leave me alone."

Robin tries not to laugh as he speaks. "Okay, if it is that important to you."

Raven hisses with glowing red eyes. "Not one word to the others."

It had been funny up to the point he saw the glowing demonic eyes. If that is any indication as to her reason for the goth make-up he figures it best to leave her alone until she can get some more. "Okay, I'll make sure the others leave you alone."

Raven stands there at the door watching until Robin disappears down the hall before she closes it.

"A bit hard on the bird brain weren't you?"

"Maybe the glowing eyes was a bit much--but its your fault."

"How is it my fault?"

"You just had to pick a night to do this when I'm out of make-up."

"How was I supposed to know that...and what's up with your hair?"

"A glamor-every superhero is supposed to have an alter ego, right?"." Raven lets her hair return to its normal black."

"You couldn't do that instead of using make-up?"

"I never could get it to work. No matter what I did-I couldn't hide the sparkles."

"No one would ever guess that you're Raven now--even wearing your uniform. You look like some teeny bopper dressed up for Halloween." Red X ducks as Raven uses her powers to toss the pillow from her bed at him.

Raven sits down heavily on her bed almost afraid to voice what's on her mind. "So what happens now? I can't go back to--"

"--there is something I want to show you. You should change out of your uniform first--you wouldn't want to risk exposing your alter ego."

She sticks her tongue out at her brother before she goes over to her closet and retrieves some street clothes before going into her bathroom to change.

Something glittering on the floor in the dim light where they stood before Robin came in catches Red X's attention. He inspects it to discover that it is diamonds. Diamond tears-he remembers thinking earlier--these are his twin sister's tears. He picks them up as raven emerges from her bathroom. "You know you should really be careful dressing like that."

"What's wrong with the way I'm dressed?"

"You're powers can't protect you from everything--a blow to the head-or even drugs slipped into your drink at that cafe you like to go to-is all it will take to knock you out. Trust me you would not want some of the guys I know to get their hands on you."

Raven looks down at her clothes-the tight jeans have diamond cutouts all the way up both sides of the legs. Chains dangle loosely inside the diamond cutouts-and matching belt hangs loosely around her waist. The cut of the tank top she wears only draws attention to her ample breasts. "You don't have to be so over protective." She notices what he has in his hand as she passes by him to get a hoodie from the closet and a pair of boots. "Crying meant showing emotion-so it wasn't allowed. I cried a lot after you disappeared. This was a curse to stop it--I think, I never knew what the monks did with all of them."

Red X places the diamonds in Raven's hand. "You can't let anyone find out about this. If anyone were to--"

"--it's not like I have any use for them."

"I'm serious Artemis. All the Titans in the world couldn't protect you if this got out."

Raven goes over to her dresser and opens a up the top drawer and pulling out a velvet lined box that is almost full. "I'll be careful, I promise. Now where are we going?"

"First back to my apartment, so I can get out of this get up. It's kind of hard to believe the walking traffic light designed this."

"Finally some agrees with me on Boy Blunder's lack of style."