It was the point in the story where the soft spoken but determined young sorcerer's apprentice was set to storm the gates of the dark castle, defeat the evil Lord Nilbog and rescue her kidnapped mentor, thereby saving the realm and proving her own position as a fully-fledged master of the elements -In other words the most exciting part. With her legs crossed and her back resting comfortably against the sofa, Raven read her book. While she often read stories with an almost passing interest this time was different, this time she was completely immersed. The story had been a rollercoaster ride of love, heroism, deception and bravery and now, as it was nearing its climax, she was more than ready to throw herself completely into the final remaining chapters. Before she could, however, something quite unexpected suddenly occurred to her.
Tearing her gaze away from the pages of her book, Raven looked to the massive, blank TV monitor in front of her. In one smooth transition her eyes scanned over to the currently off Gamestation 720, to the completely clean and free of clutter coffee table, to the silent and unused stereo system. Behind her she found an empty kitchen, no cooking food, no clattering silverware and no obnoxious debates on the validity of Tofu. Rotating in her seat, she slowly took in all of her surroundings. Ending up back where she started, she then sat and simply listened. She held her breath, her vision lost focus and she remained completely still, but no matter what all she could hear was the dull hush of the air conditioner as it kept the room at a perfect 72 degrees. And that was when it hit her. She had not been imagining things. She was in fact completely and utterly alone.
And oh what a glorious realization it was.
She sighed contentedly and a small smile crossed her lips as she settled back into her seat and returned her attention to her book, at long last reveling in the feeling of total peace and quiet.
"HEEEEEYYY RAAAAVEEEEEN!"
Easy come, easy go.
Beast Boy was all piss and vinegar as he burst into the room. Turning into a monkey he bounded along the carpet. He leapt into the air, turned into an armadillo and performed a perfect triple somersault before shifting back into human form and landing on the head of the sofa with perfect grace. Resting on his haunches for a moment, he then stood, extended one foot out and, with a slight pause, dropped into a seated position just to Raven's left. He smiled at her and calmly asked, "How's it going, Rave?"
Raven simply sat staring at the green teen for a few moments then in her usual monotone (and with the slightest hint of irritation) replied, "Fine."
Getting in close, Beast Boy peered over Raven's shoulder at the book in her hands. "What'cha reading?"
"A book," replied Raven, blushing slightly at the green boy's close proximity.
"What's it about?"
"Nothing you'd be interested in." Turing sharply, she faced the opposite direction and buried her nose in the pages.
"Oh oh, is it about pirates?"
"No."
"How about ninja assassins?"
"No."
"Zombie cowboys? No wait, mutant alien frogs."
"Leave. Me. Alone."
A grey gloved finger appeared in front of Raven's eyes, dividing the pages and gently forcing the book away from her face.
"Aw come on, Raven, tell meeeee."
Raven sighed. She rolled her eyes, said, "Fine," and sat back comfortably in her seat. "It's about-"
"Oooooh Space Chef is on!"
The TV monitor blinked to life and screamed with excitement as a four armed alien of some kind wearing an apron and a toque and armed with a two phasers, a spatula and a meat cleaver filled the screen.
"You're gonna love this show, Rave. See Degmodiar there was a master chef back on his home planet when it was suddenly attacked by a swarm of- hey where're you going?"
Not even bothering to wait for Beast Boy to finish, Raven got up off the sofa and made for the exit.
"Hey, wait," called Beast Boy after her. "You're gonna miss the show."
"I don't want to watch TV. I want to read my book."
"Well, you don't have to leave. Stay. I'll put the volume reeeeaaaaally low."
"No thanks."
"Are you sure? I'll make Hot Pockets."
Raven was on her way out of the common room when she felt the tug at the bottom of her cloak and turning she found Beast Boy dragging the floor behind her, saying "Come on, Raven, don't go!" She growled and her cloak seemed to take on a life of its own as it effortlessly flicked Beast Boy away, sending him spinning through the air before crash landing at some random point in the common room. Raven didn't see where; she was already heading through the automated doors.
"Well, that's enough Beast Boy for one day," she muttered to herself.
Walking through the halls, Raven resumed reading her book as she headed for her room. She was nearly there when she detected a splash of yellow in her peripherals. Looking up she saw Robin down the hall with his back to her. He was standing still and his head was down as if he were studying something.
"Hey Robin," she said once she got close enough. "You might want to steer clear of Beast Boy today. He's being more irritating than usual. I think he might have gotten into a bad brick of tofu or-"
Eyes going wide, Raven recoiled sharply as the young man in front of her suddenly turned around, revealing himself to be not Robin but rather Beast Boy wearing the boy wonder's clothes.
"Hey Rae-Rae," he called. "Want to pretend to be Robin again?" He tossed her a sideways glance, waggled his eyebrows and said, "You know I always thought you looked pretty foxy in that mask."
Gritting her teeth, Raven once again flushed in embarrassment. Summoning her powers she blinked into existence a black force field to Beast Boy's left and swiftly bulldozed him out of the way, pinning him to the wall. Marching her way past she stormed into her room and closed the door behind her. Bathed in the dark and silent tranquility of her room she breathed a sigh of relief. She leaned against the door and closed her eyes. Seconds passed and there soon came a sudden knocking, a light tong tong tong like the sound of knuckles on glass. Opening her eyes she looked straight ahead to find Beast Boy pressed up against her bedroom window, inexplicably sticking to the glass with his hands and feet and face. He smiled at her and then held up a sign, pulled from seemingly out of nowhere, that said "Pizza?" with a question mark.
Growling again, Raven swiftly closed the blinds with her powers, removing Beast Boy from sight. Finding herself too frazzled to read she instead made for her bed. Crossing her legs she hovered above the mattress and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and droned out her patented mantra.
"Azerath Metrion Zinthos."
She raised her chin and felt a deep sense of calm wash over her.
"Azerath Metrion Zinthos."
The strains and hectic pursuits of the everyday world slowly vanished.
"Azerath Metrion Zinthos."
"Azerath Metrion Zinthos."
"Azerath Metrion Zinthos."
It took to about the fourth or fifth Zinthos for Raven to realize something was amiss. Her eyes shot open as it occurred to her that her mantra was now coming out in stereo. Looking to the right, she spotted Beast Boy perched atop a stack of books, sitting beside her with his legs crossed and his eyes closed, mimicking her lotus position perfectly.
Looking at her out of one open eye, he smiled. "Hey, you know this meditation thing isn't as boring as I thought. Check it out. Have I transcended yet?"
Raven's patience had just about run out. Her eyes flashed red. A long black tentacle snaked its way out from under her cloak; it loomed menacingly over Beast Boy for a moment or two before racing down and snatching him disapprovingly by one of his long, pointy ears and dragging him towards the door.
"For the last time, I want you to leave me alone."
"But you are alone."
"What are you-"
Raven stopped. She looked behind her and found that yes, she was alone. Beast Boy was gone, nowhere to be seen.
She was still struggling to make sense of Beast Boy's vanishing act when an unfamiliar voice suddenly filled her room. "You are alone, Raven," it said.
"Who-" Raven began.
"There is no one else here. To whom are you speaking?"
Raven looked at the floor. "I-I don't know," she answered hesitantly.
"Raven?...Raven?..."
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Raven's eyes blinked open. Looking rapidly back and forth she was perplexed to suddenly find herself back in the common room. The sun was shining, there was no Beast Boy and she was hovering in lotus position over the kitchen table, just before a rather confused looking Starfire.
"What?" said Raven, his voice cracking somewhat from lack of use.
"I simply wished to know if you were alright," said Starfire. "I came to partake in the Earthen mid-day feasting ritual known as 'lunch' and noticed you doing the meditating. I was going to leave you be, but suddenly you appeared distressed and you began doing the talking to yourself, so I became worried. Is something troubling you?"
"I uh...I'm fine," answered Raven, placing a hand against her forehead. "The mind...it sometimes goes to strange places when one is in deep meditation. I was...just having really weird trip I suppose."
"Do you need assistance? Shall I get the others? Cyborg or Robin or Beast Boy perhaps?"
At the mention of Beast Boy's name Raven's eyes went wide. "NO," she shot quickly. She steadied herself and then in a more relaxed manner answered, "No, that's okay, Star. I'll be fine."
The alien girl nodded and said, "Very well," and returned to her lunch preparations. Raven meanwhile slowly recollected herself. Rubbing her face with her hands she reflected on the visions showed to her in her meditative state. It had all seemed so real. Beast Boy: He was everywhere. She couldn't seem to escape him and then all of a sudden he was gone just like that. There was no mistaking the loneliness she felt in those final moments. How aggravating he was was mesmerizing; the only thing more so was just how often such a thought entered her mind. It was almost like...
Behind her she heard the beeping of the microwave. She heard the gentle knocking of dish against counter and the familiar scraping of knife and plate.
"Mmmm," droned Starfire. "Yummy, delicious, refried tofu."
Raven's brow furrowed in confusion as her train of thought derailed. Tofu? Turning she looked over her shoulder and said, "Starfire since when do..." As soon as she saw that familiar flash of green she stopped cold. To her complete and utter astonishment Starfire was gone from behind the counter and now Beast Boy stood in her place, munching away at a bowl of darkly tanned tofu cubes. "What the..." she began. "Beast Boy, where did you come from?"
For a moment the green boy looked confused. "What do you mean?" he asked through a mouth full of tofu. "I've always been here."
"But I...but...Starfire was just here and I...and she..." Raven could not seem to find the words to speak.
"Wait a minute," said the green boy after a beat. "Did you just call me Beast Boy?"
"What? Of course."
"Dude, I'm not Beast Boy."
"Uh...excuse me?" Raven could hardly believe what she was hearing. She may have been a little confused at the moment but just how dumb did this little green nuisance think she was? "What the hell are you talking about? Of course you are."
"No I'm not."
Anger flashed in Raven's eyes and for a brief moment her teeth became like a row of kitchen knives. "Yes. You are," she hissed loudly.
"Dude, how can I be Beast Boy when he's standing right over there."
Raven turned, she followed Beast Boy's gaze across the room to the automated doors. Her eyes went wide and her mouth went slack. There standing not far from her...was Beast Boy.
"Hey, Raven," he said, smiling. "Check it out, new Gamestation 720 game. Want to play?"
In a complete state of disbelief Raven swiftly looked back and forth between the two Beast Boys. Each one smiled innocently at her as he filled her gaze, first one then the other. She began slowly backing away as the one by the door made his way over and stood by the other. Before any words could find their way to her lips, she felt a pair of hands suddenly grip her by the shoulders and spin her around. Her vision skewed as she twirled and suddenly gravity took hold of her and a pair of strong arms held her mere inches above the floor. Looking up she found a third Beast Boy hovering over her, a rose betwixt his teeth. Still holding her, he removed the flower, waggled his eyebrows and sultry voice said, "Guess who learned how to tango?"
Gasping slightly and soaring out of the green copy's grip, Raven bolted for the exit. She didn't wait for the automated doors to do their thing, instead opting to throw them open with her powers so violently they broke off the track. She sought an escape from the madness but instead found yet another Beast Boy waiting for her on the other side, standing in the middle of the hallway.
"Hey, Raver," he said, wearing a referee shirt and holding up a rather repugnant smelling ball of dirty laundry. "Care for a rousing game of stankball? You can be our fourth." He gestured behind him to where a trio Beast Boys stood waiting, waving at Raven and calling her name.
In a mad dash Raven raced past them. "Too many Beast Boys" she babbled to herself. "There's too many Beast Boys." She had to get away. She knew she had to get away. In her haste the hallway became a maze of expressionless gray corridors peppered with green Beast Boy shaped statues. No matter where she went she found at least three of him, waving and smiling and asking her to join in all manner of games and activities. They were everywhere, their voices an overlapping mishmash of greetings and compliments and nicknames.
"Hey, Raven."
"Hi Rae,"
"Rae-Rae, how's it going?"
"Looking good today, Ravey"
"Raven, is that a new cloak?"
"Gamestation Rae?"
"Wrote a new joke, Rae. Wanna hear?"
"What's up Rae? How's it going Raven? Rae-Rae, Ravey, Raver, Rave-O, Rave-Babe, Quoth the Raven, Rae-beam, Rae-gun, X-Rae, Rae-ban, Little Rae of Sunshine, 50 Shades of Rae, Rae Don Chong, Wes Raven, From Cradle to Rave, A Penny Raved is a Penny Earned-"
Covering her ears and doing her best to drown out the sound of the Beast Boys Raven pushed onward. Turning the corner she found a dead end. Another pair of Beast Boys stood before her.
"Come play with us, Raven," they said in unison. "Forever...and ever...and ever."
Screaming, Raven's soulself enveloped her and she rocketed up through the ceiling. She broke through to the crisp blue sky and flew as fast as she could for the city. Dropping down into the center of an empty street, her soulself retreated and she stumbled forward, putting her hands on her knees and struggling to catch her breath.
"Hello," she called to no one in particular. "Is anyone here? And by that I mean is there anyone here that ISN'T BEAST BOY!" She turned and saw a gray-haired old man sweeping the sidewalk in front of a nearby convenient store. She went to him. She tried calling out to him, but as soon as he turned to face her.
"Hey, Rae."
Raven recoiled as there before her suddenly appeared yet another smiling Beast Boy. Raven's head spun as the previously empty city street suddenly seemed to come alive around her. All at once there were Beast Boys walking up and down the sidewalks. Beast Boys held hands, laughed and joked with other Beast Boys. Smaller child like Beast Boys played games of tag and catch while adult sized Beast Boys pushed baby sized Beast Boys in green strollers. There came the sound of fluttering wings and out of nowhere the entire sky was filled with green birds. One by one they descended on the street, becoming even more Beast Boys, each one looking to her, smiling at her, waving and calling her name. Like a zombie hoard they surrounded her and then...
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Raven's eyes shot open. She sat up swiftly in bed as simultaneously about twelve different items in her room went crashing to the floor, the involuntary energy fields that surrounded them suddenly vanishing with her waking. Sweat drenched her brow as she struggled to gather her thoughts. Sunlight streamed in through her window and slowly she came to realize it had all been a dream. It was all just a dream.
It took a bit of meditating but Raven finally felt calm enough to leave her room. Dressing in her usual garb she made for the common room. It was empty when she got there and she took the time to fry herself up a sizable helping of eggs and sausage. She had just finished eating and was putting the dishes away when the automated doors opened and the rest of the team entered, Robin, Starfire, Cyborg and, of course, Beast Boy. And as fate would have it, the team's favorite green changeling was the first to acknowledge her.
As the team made their way over to the sofa, he called to her, "Hey, Raven. Finally went and got myself a copy of Brain Suckers from Pluto Part 3. We're all gonna give it a watch care to...join..."
Beast Boy's sentence slowly trailed off as in a heartbeat he suddenly found Raven towering over him. Her cloak billowing as though in a breeze, her eyes glowing a hellish red, the sorceress leered down at the (now very nervous) young man. His words failed him (everyone's did) as a long, black energy claw suddenly leapt from her cloak and snatched him up by his shirt, raising him up so that the two of them were eye level. Her red eyes pulsed and crackled with energy, and then like a cobra, she struck.
Beast Boy's eyes went wide and his body tingled with pleasure as Raven without warning thrust her lips against his own, trapping him in the deepest most powerful kiss he'd ever experienced. His arms and legs dangled in the air and his eye lids drooped as her soft, pillow-y lips danced over his own. A soft moan filled her throat as a wave of wonderful heat flooded his insides, turning him to mush and making him feel as if he'd died and gone to heaven.
Raven slowly lowered the two of them back to the floor and released him from her grip. Beast Boy teetered slightly on his feet as he struggled to remember how to stand, and Raven simply stared at him for a few moments before taking him by the cheeks and placing one more short and gentle kiss on his lips, turning and heading for the exit.
"Wuh-wait," called Beast Boy once he reclaimed the ability to speak. "What-uh...why did...Why?"
Raven simply looked at him for a moment and then calmly gave her reply. "Because of all the people in all the world there is only...ONE...you." And with that she disappeared through the automated doors.
Beast Boy, smiling dreamily, waved a clumsy good bye. He turned and faced the rest of the Titans, who by now all sported the exact same incredulous look. He gestured to where Raven had previously stood. "See," he said, still sounding half smitten. "Told you she liked me."