Stormy Friendship and Sunny Love

By Readerpal

A/N: This story was created as an entry in Contest 0107 AKASoundwave 0107'sRarePair Contest. This story changes more friendship than romance but I hope the romance portion is realistic and interesting. This fic is a sequel to"A Black Rose and Two Pink Carnations!"

By the way I should explain something about Raven's abilities: she has emotional personifications that are sometimes more annoying than helpful. Because her powers have a connection between her emotions and their personifications their realigned caused Raven to freely* experience emotion. This is due to the obliteration of her father's "demonic" aspect and her father. However, with certain exceptions (Terra being one of them) she intends to let her emotions be experienced slowly over time. In other words, she has adopted a 'cautiously optimistic' wait-and-see approach. Finally, her ability to move objects is a form of magicand not telekinesis.

Like many cities Jump City had its landmarks however, its most famous was rather unusual. In the 1st Pl. a landmark was on an island several miles away from the mainland. In the 2nd pl. the oddly shaped structure was occupied by five or more super-powered beings at a time. These people were the Teen Titans, of course at the moment something strange was going on in the room which most sociable member…

As a raging nighttime thunderstorm grew outside the bedrooms of the Titans were comparatively quiet save for incessant tapping. This sound came from a room occupied by a being from another planet, a world with a culture completely different from our own and right now this being was troubled. In the room, a young woman with long red hair, green eyes orange skin, and light-yellow nails twisted fidgeted uncertainly for a few minutes then came to a decision. She said "I must speak to friend Raven soon!"

The Sun rose as it always did, with some brilliant but mysterious quality that no artist could ever duplicate. Inside the physics defying tower that served as the multipurpose home-base of Jump City's superheroes, someone was stirring.

The dark room was almost as pitch black as space with no stars I'm was almost completely silent on to the alarm clock went off. A moment later the lives were reluctantly turned on as though they knew what the rooms so occupant wanted them to do. This occupant was named Raven would despite her dark nature and seeming gloom she was really caring, witty, and recently become ciosthly optimistic about her life.

She was also the only one of the Titans would actually managed to save the entire planet from destruction. The other Titans had been both the catalyst and a support structure in that particular situation. However, she had been the one to destroy her demonic father and undo the damage he had caused. Despite this, another team member, Beast Boy deserved credit for destroying a major super villain conglomerate. But then this was the nature of being local superheroes, one rarely had the chance to save the world.

Raven sat up yawned and stretched out her arms to put aside as far as they could go. She was groggy; her meetings with Terra usually left her this way. She was lovesick but in a detached sort of way, short of like a divine revelation being received with some manner of calmness. For a moment Raven smiled, her last act of "mutual recuperation" had gone over well.

Raven did a series of stretches that she sometimes used to complement her meditation. Then the dark and often silent but not quite gloomy Titan went downstairs. As she often did she rode the elevator in silence and pondered her dreams, particularly those concerning her friends or her lover. The elevator reached its destination in a short time and came to a stop of a slight lurch. Raven concentrated for a moment and thought' Knowledge, please remind me to have Cyborg take a look at this elevator for I have begun to suspect that either it isn't working properly or that it doesn't like me'. Her emotional personification replied 'certainly, also your magical energy levels continue to remain at an all time low. If this continues it seems certain that you are truly free to experience emotion'.

Raven chuckled lightly and said as she got out of the elevator "ah, Knowledge, ever been curious skeptic. Of course as usual theory is one thing and reality is another."

Raven got her cup of herbal (Fair-Trade. of course) tea and sat down in the seat nearest the kitchen. She enjoyed a few moments of silence before her friends and teammates came downstairs. As occasionally happens, Beast Boy and cyborg argued over them merits of real "food" versus tofu while Robin or Raven attempted to mediate the dispute. The last time this had happened she had suggested (more like threatened) but they should have pancakes, grits, bananas, and toast for breakfast. This satisfied both parties and she was still slightly annoyed at herself for getting so angry but then they were almost to the point of a fist fight by the time Raven intervened.

After the argument between Beast Boy and Cyborg had concluded the green shape changer looked worn out. In fact everyone did, Raven turned to Beast Boy and asked "what's wrong, you seem kind of tired?" Beast Boy shied and said "well last night there was a thunder storm and Starfire's pet worm was snoring like you wouldn't believe. So I guess everyone had a bad night."

He then heard a sound that seemed like there was an angry dog out of his line of sight... The worm's owner in question was looking at Beast Boy like he had figured out a way to combine tofu and the 'Pudding of Sadness' and had fed the concoction to silky. The Tamaranean princess shouted "that was me snoring, not Silky!" Beast Boy said "oh, that makes more sense… I think!" Raven looked at him and said "it's about time you started to do that."

Starfire looked at Raven and said "friend Raven, could you please come to my room at some point today? There is something I need to talk you about in private." The alien then walked away rather than floating as she usually did. Raven thought 'hmmm, there must be something wrong with her if she cannot feel the joy necessary to fly. Perhaps she just is walking because she feels like it and I'm being paranoid again. Still her emotions would normally be like a neon sign to an empath like me and I am picking up some guilt and fear coming from her'.

Raven's thoughts on that subject were interrupted by Robin coming into the room with his arms full of letters and packages, at least some of which was from their fans scattered throughout Jump City. Robin then sorted each letter and package by the name of its owner.

Raven had a few magazine subscriptions to renew but the main object of interest was a small blue package with a pink bow tied around it. Everything in the mail had already been put through a special scanning device that would alert the Titans if a partial contained a bomb or deadly chemical. Therefore Raven was relatively certain that the box was safe. Raven undid the bow and lifted up the top of a box only to immediately stare into space due to the shock she had received. Fortunately, Knowledge, the embodiment of her subconscious in general as well as her personal store house of useless information and memories managed to snap her out of it.

Raven took the box and immediately went to her room. Upon entering her room she turned her head to the door and said "voice command: lock door". The door shut behind her as Raven was secure in the knowledge that she would be able to ponder this latest shocking turn of events in private. The teen sorceress then put the box in the center of her bed and sat down Indian style to take a look at it. After a minute or so she lifted off the top and then rubbed her eyes twice, as if she could not believe what she was seeing. She then reached in the box and pulled out its content: a diamond. However, this was not just any diamond. This diamond had been part of the reason a friendship him been destroyed.

The diamond had two features that made it recognizable. First it was light blue in color, second there were three small initials that had been carved near the diamonds tip. The diamond had been a proud possession of its owner for a long time; 'she' would never part with it under any circumstances unless… it meant forgiveness… on both sides. Raven thought 'my friend wishes to make amends, the question is do I?'

Absentmindedly Raven looked back into the box and noticed that something was still in it. Shaking slightly she picked it up. The object was a piece of paper with the names of two streets with the word "intersection" between them Raven would have flown in order to reach her destination but when she wanted to go somewhere secretly, she walked.

By the time Raven reached the place where she was supposed to meet her 'friend' the sky was being slowly filled with gray Clouds. The intersection they were supposed to meet at what is made of dull gray concrete and filled with all manner of cracks, including one that will alarmingly like former Pres. Richard Nixon. Raven glanced around, slightly nervous. This was after all a part of the city that few outsiders (the Titans included) ever went to. This particular neighborhood was commonly referred to as a ghetto: a separated place filled with gang's, poverty, non-legal, drugs and various kinds of other miseries. This was the type of place that inspired independent rappers to tell the world their stories, despite the music industry's class shift and commercialism. Despite the danger of her being there Raven found that there was something admirable about the people who lived here. Right now however, there was no one the only sound were pieces of paper being blown about.

For a moment Raven wondered if she'd been stood up but then she saw someone. At first the figure was indistinct but then it became clearer, it was the diamond's owner. The person standing before Raven had on black leather boots with small buckles on them. The boots were healed and went up 4 inches more than they had before her knees, upon which began black and light-dark purple striped socks. The socks were something of a trademark. The female's black dress was strategically torn and ended slightly further above her knees than before. Her fingernails were more like claws then fingernails and were somewhat darker than the rest of her skin.

Her arms were hidden by black sleeves that grew slightly larger as they went down from her elbows. The sleeves ended in fluffy pink cuffs. Across her shoulders were draped two dark purple coverings that looked like bat wings.

She had a small purple dot between the opposite sides of where her shoulder blades met (in the front of her body). She wore a thin piece of leather that way all the way around her neck and was several inches tall. Her chin was shaped like the bottom part of a heart and was rather large. Her nose was rather small and pointed. The cheeks seem to have an eternal pink blush upon them. Her eyes were cat-like large and pink. Her hair resembled pink horns stretching out from the sides of her head. It was held in place by two black bans that were similar to the one around her neck but was made of metal instead of leather.

The outfit made the odd figure look like a gothic witch, her demeanor was like a court jester and her movements reminding one more of the acrobat or ballerina. At times she was crazy like a fox and was often far less stupid than one would initially assume. Her wit was of the type that often made Raven's personification of Lust laugh hysterically.

Her name was Jinx, and she had once been Raven's friend. When Raven and Jinx were several feet away from each other when Raven stopped and looked at her former friend saying "I like the new outfit but where your famous pink and black socks?" Jinx thought for a moment and replied "I last pair wore out a while back and you'd be surprised how hard it is to find that particular kind of garment anymore."

After a moment Raven thought out loud "you know there are days I wish that I never suggested that we stop for camp that particular part of the desert for the night."

"So do I but I think we both know by now that wishing changes nothing."

"Ha, you're one to talk; you left me alone in the desert simply because some idiot on a camel shoves a big fat diamond in your face."

"I regret that now and in hindsight that was probably the worst mistake I ever made."

"And to make things worse you stuck to me by holding up the diamond high above your head and while turning your neck almost completely backwards so you could stick your tongue out at me."

"In any event I ended up paying for what I did. The guy showed off the diamond so we could be alone with me long enough so he could rape me."

"While I will never discount the fact to rape is the most horrifying thing any woman will ever go through, and the power that he would have possessed (were it not what your abilities) is terrifying, you still murdered him."

"I didn't kill him; I knocked him unconscious and left them in the middle of a trade route which in three days of a passing caravan. I left him with food and water but I pinned man to a rock with a dagger so he wouldn't try to follow me. He was picked up by a caravan but was apparently stupid enough to use all his food and water in one go. They found him half dead and dehydrated. Later he got whacked by a camel and fell onto a spear that he had only recently used to kill someone while trying to steal a camel and the goods was carrying."

"Need I remind you that for a long time you were a master diamond thief?"

"I've reformed since then. I've returned all the jewels to their owners and those who I could not find had their gems sold to collectors with the resulting the money given to charity. The only gems I own now are ones I have bought myself."

"While you were stealing jewels you also manage to work for a group of Fascist spies who planned to use a powerful laser to destroy every synagogue in New York."

"I didn't know who they were until after I stole a huge diamond for them. When I realized who they were and what they planed to do, I turned against them and helped you put them behind bars."

"Finally, what about the other reason you had for leaving me? Your crush on me, have you given up your spite due to my refusal to return your feelings?"

"Yes I have. I did date Kid Flash, didn't I? Besides over the years I have come to realize that you were honest, kind, polite, compassionate, and caring but I did not see it at the time. In short as far as let downs are concerned you gave me one of the best ever."

"Judging by your emphasis I take it that you are single at the moment. I suppose it's a pity, a year and a half earlier I would've been perfectly willing to go out on a date with you. You are rather attractive after all." "

I see that you're already taken. Good for you I guess."

"You'll find someone eventually. You are the kind of person who is fun to hang around with and you always came up something that was interesting poignant, or funny to say. You were a true friend."

Jinx looked at Raven nervously. Raven's face was unreadable but her eyes said many things. For a few minutes Raven closed her eyes, then she turned to look at Jinx whose eyes were at her feet. Then Jinx moved her eyes up to meet the sorceress's own pupils.

Raven finally spoke, "and I hope you will be so again." At that moment Jinx ran forward her old friend and with the greatest of pleasure Raven returned the hug.

For the first time since Raven begin her meditation and her girlfriend she felt at peace. After the two friends talked for an hour or so they started to head back to their respective homes. Before leaving Jinx said to Raven "by the way thanks for not asking what happened with Kid Flash."

Raven smiled and said "any time my friend any time." Raven was practically walking on air, as though she had received the deepest and most passionate kiss from imaginable from Terra.

Raven hailed a cab and got up out as close to Titans Tower as she could get. She then tipped the driver and flew home. Upon arriving with she went to the rec room where the Titans usually hung out. The team was there and as usual Cyborg and Beast Boy playing Stink-ball, Robin was scanning the newspaper for any crimes on usual activity.

However, Starfire was acting oddly. She was fidgeting and glancing around nervously. Upon spotting Raven, Starfire walked (not floated) over to her friend. Upon getting within 3 inches of Raven Starfire said "Raven may I speak to you for a moment? It is a very important and very distressing as well." Raven noticed that her friend was trying not to look her in the eye. She also realized that her friend was too troubled to feel good joy of flight so Raven replied "sure, would you like to talk in your room or in mine?" Starfire looked slightly relieved and said "I believe your room would be best friend Raven."

As of the two girls went up to Raven's room Raven noticed that Starfire was getting more agitated and nervous by the second as they reached their destination. The girl's entered in Raven's room and for a minute there was silence with one being concerned but optimistic and are being nervous and fearful. Ironically the two warriors now had emotions that were the complete opposite of what they felt on an average day.

"Friend Raven before we began to discuss the matter at hand you may want to sit down. Also I must beg for your forgiveness in advance."

Raven stared at her for a moment and then said "um, okay. I think I'll sit down."

Starfire paused, took good deep breath, and then said "friend I have a terrible secret, full of shame, which I must tell you. One night, some time ago I could not sleep so I entered the hallway with the intent of going downstairs in order to get something to eat but then I saw you leaving the tower in the middle of the night. Then out of shameful curiosity I followed you. When you are right at your destination I was shocked to see that not only were you meeting Terra and bringing her flowers but you were also dating her in secrecy."

Raven stared at her rant as any thoughts of bliss and happiness she had gotten from her renew friendship vanished instantaneously. They were replaced with feelings of great shock betrayal and quickly rising fury.

Finally Raven shouted with great rage "you did want? You followed me! You saw me kiss Terra! I can't believe it. Why, I should feed you nothing but tofu for an entire month. I should hook up your pet to a stereo system so that its snoring drives you absolutely nuts. I should strip you naked and slip a Chrysalis Eater shaped dildo up you're… Oops, sorry that's Lust talking." Raven was blushing from embarrassment and while Starfire had her eyes to the ground in shame.

For a short time there was silence and then Raven looked Starfire in the eye and spoke "I'm really ticked at you for invading my privacy but I'm even more concerned about you seeing me with Terra." "Friend Raven, I am truly sorry for following and even sorrier for staying longer than I should have."

Raven thought for a moment and replied "Well considering how honest your people are about your emotions I believe your apology is genuine and thus I accept it. The matter of what you saw after you followed me it's going to be more difficult to deal with."

"Raven, I swear to you I will never tell a living… even a dead soul about what I saw that night."

Raven sighed "I do not doubt your willingness to keep a secret but I suspect you may not have the ability to do so. It was easy your species is very upfront with your motions emotions and because of that when you were trying to hide something your face and body give off all kinds of nonverbal cues that can be easily seen and you are. Therefore despite your very best efforts I doubt you are capable of not accidentally giving away my secret romance."

Starfire looked at Raven with a mixture of curiosity and puzzlement saying "so I am like Beast Boy, yes?"

Raven thought for a moment about how to put her feelings into words and then said "well, you at least try to keep secrets; Beast Boy on the other hand is just a gossip."

Starfire still looks slightly puzzled and asked "then how may I keep your secret? Will you perform some kind of spell that will erase my memory"

Raven stared at her friend in shock and disgust "I would never do that to you. Besides in my home dimension those spells are absolutely forbidden even when incredibly painful memories are involved. The on spells and charms which can be looped or eliminate the pain of those types of memories. No, instead I will draw up a magical contract for you to sign."

Starfire looked slightly alarmed"you mean of the types demon's use?"

Raven shook her head and replied "although that kind is the most famous kind of magical contract, they have far more than benevolent uses. Say for example you are afraid that an ambitious and power hungry politician or military leader of a country or planet may try to seize power. You could get that person and anyone else in their administration that is corrupt to sign this type of contract that specifies that they will for no reason trying to set up dictatorship. Then the reality warping nature magical contract takes over and the politician or military leader in addition to their lackeys have no choice but to follow what the contract states. Unless of course, an exceptionally powerful reality controller for like my father nullifies it."

Starfire nodded in understanding but was still somewhat concerned. She said "will it interfere with my free will?"

Raven shook her head a second time and replied "it will simply alter probability or situations so if the subject does come up you will not need to respond".

Starfire thought for a moment and then said "sadly I must agree with you. It is probably best that you draw up a contract as Tamaranean's have a history of unintentionally revealing secrets."

Then out of sheer joy and relief Starfire gave her friend one of her famous "bone breaking" hugs, which amazingly did not give Raven any permit injuries. The two friends hung out for a little while longer. Finally just before Raven was about to leave the Tamaranean said to her "by the way Raven you and Terra make a very cute couple."

Raven smiled wider than she normally did and replied "thanks Star, I really appreciate the compliment."

Raven thought to herself I think I'd better tell Terra about this latest development. The half demon mage concentrated and after a moment as a portal of black colored energy appeared on the wall in front of her. She passed through it, entering the room of her girlfriend.

As always the portal opened in Terra's closet so that there was less likelihood of it being noticed. Also Raven could poke out her head to peer around the room in order to make sure her beloved was alone. Only when she knew that the coast was clear did Raven enter the room. She also noted that it was sunny in the afternoon sky.

Terra was deeply in engrossed in a book entitled "A Cultural and Political History of Markovia." Because of this she didn't see Raven at all. The sorceress crept towards Terra and grabbed her shoulders just as the Markovian girl turned her head sideways. The result was an unforeseen but not unwelcomed kiss.

Terra smirked and asked "what's with the pleasant surprise?" Raven smirked back and whispered "it's called a sneak attack!" Terra chuckled softly and replied "and this is what is called a pincer movement." Terra then turned around and kissed Raven on her left cheek then on her right. After taking a moment to enjoy the warmth that had just struck her cheeks and looked to her girlfriend saying "hmm, perhaps it's time I brushed up on military strategy."

Raven now became rather concerned; Terra noticed this and asked "you worried, what's going on?"

Raven thought how to best described the situation for a a few minutes and then said "you're not going to like hearing this but Starfire followed me out of curiosity on the night you gave me that black rose (at this point Terra's eyes grew larger than average). She also knows we're dating." Terra's eyes grew even wider still. However, unlike Raven's emotions at the time of discovery the Geomancer's were those oh fear anxiety and frustration.

Raven looked her lover in the eye and said "relax Terra; Starfire swears she won't tell anyone. I know she's telling the truth because Tamaranean's are terrible liars. This is because their emotions are clearly visible on their faces. Besides I'm going to have her sign a magical contract that will make certain that she is not put in situations where she is forced to reveal
our love, unless absolutely necessary."

The former official but still honorary Titan looked very relieved. Then she looked and somewhat annoyed. Raven asked "is something still the matter?" Terra shied in annoyance and replied "well as much as I would like spend time with the team and go on a double date with Robin and Starfire… I'm just not sure how much I want to get back into my old life him and him or if I even want to do that at all."

Raven smiled and said "Whatever you decide I'll be there for you just as you have helped me explore my emotions. You saved my soul Terra; I will never forget that… ever."

Terra put her arms around her girlfriend's neck and said "you gave me a second chance, helped me get back on my feet, tired your very best not to be overprotective and to insist instead but I try to protecting myself and others, and shown me true romantic love and genuine compassion. By the way , I'm going to be on a three month school break soon and I was wondering if you would like to go backpacking camping or something like that?"

Raven pretended to think for a moment and said "three months with just animal noises, cactus fruit, the stars, and thou… how could I possibly resist." After they said their goodbyes Terra kissed Raven on the lips and neck and forehead while Happy fell into a coma for several our hours out of intense joy. The two lovers parted ways, filled with great contentment...

Epilogue: However this was to be the last bit of peace but type of this would have for a very long time. This was due to the fact that one of the Titans most sinister opponents was currently making his way back to his headquarters for the first time in a long while. When he reaches his destination he will unwittingly set up on a path that would lead to his next encounter with his old fools. This particular encounter would bring about a slight change in Raven's life but more importantly it would cause one honorary Titan to meet with disaster at the hands of someone they killed.

FIN.

A/N: Stay tuned for my next fanfiction to get a full account of this terrifying but enlightening adventure!