Hi, everyone. This is Athena's Wings (The Shadow Phoenix) speaking. Well, I guess I should explain first. Daydreamer71, MutilatedBliss and I decided to collaborate… And they succeeded persuading me to post the first chapter. Well, here it is.
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Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, what would this story be doing here?
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Chapter 1
"W-what… What am I doing here?" Raven looked around wildly. Just a moment ago she thought – no, wait, knew she was inside the Titans' Tower. "Where am I?"
Slowly, she drank in and got used to the sight of her surroundings. If memories served, she was nowhere inside Jump City; let alone near the Tower. She was in an especially large hallway which looked as if it came from the Elizabethan period. The wallpaper was of a dark, navy blue shade, and the carpeted floor was an even darker version of it, giving it a very dark and mysterious look.
She concentrated as hard as she could, picturing the Tower so she would be able to teleport back to her room before anyone noticed she was gone.
She didn't feel any of the familiar feeling of energy crackling throughout her whole body.
She opened her eyes and discovered that she hadn't moved an inch.
Raven started to panic. This couldn't be happening. Not here, not now, which was when she needed it.
Calming herself down, she directed her focus on a nearby door. Please, she pleaded mentally, Please move…
Nothing happened. None of the black, translucent energy was seen.
Something tickled her left hand. Surprised, she whipped her head to the direction. When she saw what it was, her shoulders relaxed in extreme relief, with her being alone and her loss of telekinetic powers and all.
Then it struck her.
She craned her neck to confirm what she suspected. Sure enough, there was her hair; still the same shade of violet, still as straight as ever, but waist-length.
Not only was that; she was wearing a full-length loose, dark blue silk dress.
She was wearing a real, live dress.
Great. Now I have to deal with long hair, combing, washing, tying it up and whatnot. She rolled her eyes. What a laugh Tofu Boy would have, seeing me in this state.
Wait a minute, the thought suddenly flashed, Where are they?
She looked around again. "Starfire?"
She didn't answer.
"Beast Boy?"
He was silent for the first time in his life.
"Cyborg?"
No familiar sounds from him she could identify, and that was saying something.
She sighed. "Robin?"
The silence was almost overwhelming.
"Where on Earth is everyone?" she fumed loudly.
Suddenly, as if it was on cue, a door opened somewhere in the long hallway.
Raven turned.
A young girl with black curls around her age, wearing what seemed to be a brown and white, just-below-the-knee attire, along with a dirty apron that made her resemble a servant, emerged from the said door. She froze at the sight of Raven and cried, "Miss Rachael! Are you not supposed to be in the study?"
Raven looked at her and asked monotonously, "Okay, who are you?" After a pause she hastily added, "Okay, scratch that. How do you know my real name?"
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Theme song (a/n: Don't even ask me why I put it here, it was just for fun :D)
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Act One
"Okay, scratch that. How do you know my real name?"
The girl just raised her eyebrow. "Am I not the servant who has served Miss' family after my mother and her mother?"
Raven was mildly amused. "Uh… right." Then, spotting her chance, she asked again, with a little interest spilling through her voice. "If you really are my servant, then can you tell me where we're standing right now?"
"… We are currently at home, miss." Looking concerned and worried, she rushed over to Raven, pressed her hand to her forehead and gushed, "My mistress' head is warm. Is my lady all right? Should I call the doctor?"
Raven decided she would just have to play along until the other missing Titans came her way. "No, no, I think I'm just a little dazed," she laughed falsely, "Thanks for being concerned, though, uh…" She looked helplessly at the girl. "Would you mind to tell me – no, I mean, re-tell me your name?"
The girl looked extremely worried by now. "Rebecca, miss." Evident concern filled her voice as she asked, "Are you certain we mustn't call the doctor?"
"No, Rebecca, I don't need a doctor."
Rebecca, however, looked unconvinced at all. "Very well, then," she replied. "What of a rest at your bedroom, miss?"
Raven considered. Well, she was quite tired. "Thank you. That will do."
"I assume you need showing of your bedroom, miss?" Rebecca asked.
Raven looked at Rebecca. "I'll manage."
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Raven didn't want to admit it, but it was the cold (North Pole-freezing), hard (chrome steel) truth:
She was lost.
It turned out that her 'home' was a mansion; an especially enormous, expensive one. After a wee bit of poking around – which, incidentally, resulted in more than a few servants suspicious – she found out that her parents were filthy rich and rumors were spreading about the Roth family owning nine living places all over the country. She decided not to believe it.
Raven stopped walking all of a sudden. She examined at the room she was in. Hadn't she been there… already…?
Azar help her. She had wasted the last four (or was it five?) hours going in circles.
She needed a guide. Now.
At the least expected moment, Rachael heard voices and echoes of footsteps down the hall. Turning around, she identified two different voices engaged in the conversation – a handy skill she picked up from being second-in-command together with Cyborg – one she recognized so well, but couldn't recall where she had heard it, and the other unfamiliar. However, she could swear she heard three sets of footsteps. It was easy – one was light and quick, very much like her own, the second one was strong and so much in rhythm, she could set a watch by it, and the third were firm and fast, the ones you would only usually hear around Robin.
Is it… Raven began to hope, but crashed down when she made out three faces. She couldn't recognize one, although the other two were familiar.
The three silhouettes became clearer and clearer and when she could see fully what their faces looked like, her eyes widened at the one to the farthest left.
"…Arella?"
The female wearing the loose, white cloak with golden edges turned her head to her direction and said softly, slight French accent filling her words, "Dearest Rachael. Please, meet Monsieur Wayne, who will be donating more books to our library."
How she missed that soft, comforting, melodious voice. Raven fought the urgent desire to hug her. Instead, she nodded. "A very pleasant afternoon to you, Mr. Wayne."
He grinned, took off his hat (He's wearing a hat? Raven thought, INSIDE?), bowed, and replied cheerfully, "A pleasant afternoon to you too, Miss." He gave a brief chuckle and added to Arella, "You've raised your daughter excellently, madam. She has the courteous manners of a true host."
Arella smiled. "I thank you, Mr. Wayne," she replied. "She is my greatest pride."
Wayne chuckled and then suddenly sad hastily, "I have forgotten. Richard, come here!" he motioned to the third presence in the room. Almost reluctantly, the figure moved towards him. "Miss Rachael, please meet my son, Richard."
The figure was a male around Raven's own age, with unruly ebony hair and eyes the most brilliant shade of lightning blue she had ever seen. His build was medium, although she could tell his limbs were muscled.
The minute she saw him, a whispered name came to her lips.
"Robin?"
Richard, who looked very bored and uninterested a moment before, suddenly changed his expression into one of surprise and curiosity.
"What was that?" he asked her quickly.
Raven realized she had just uttered it out loud. "I… apologize. I've mistaken you for someone else I know," she replied hastily.
Wayne sighed. "Another time, then, Mrs. Roth."
She nodded. "Another time, Mr. Wayne."
After a few nods and farewell wishes, Wayne left with Richard.
Just before the door was shut behind them, Raven was very sure she saw Richard smile at her.
Something Robin would rarely do.
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Author's Note: I would love to continue the chapter, but my mother is already urging her head off for me to get off the computer. I hope we'll meet again the next time it's my turn.
I know it was completely sappy and terrible, and… and… #sigh# You get what I mean. I'm not very confident about it and I kind of dislike it, so I won't be surprised when everyone will say they hate it too…
Good luck writing, Daydreamer71! You can either continue this one or make a new 'episode'… I'll continue this one if you do that. Or MB, you can post first before her if you'd like…
I nearly forgot: flames are welcome for this chapter. Constructive criticism is very helpful for writing skills, don't you agree? )
Regards,
Athena's Wings
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P.S.: Please review kindly, and I might love you forever.
