An hour later she was standing outside the common room doors. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and stepped forward.
The doors opened to reveal her friends on the couch. Beastboy, Robin and Cyborg were attempting to teach Starfire how to play with some patience and a heavy duty controller. "...and that's basically it! Anything else you need to know?" Robin asked.
"Yes. How can I change my land vehicle to the colour pink?" she asked with her trademark smile.
"Hey guys!" Raven said, causing then to turn around.
"Hey Raven!" Beastboy said for them all before returning there attention back to the game that was starting. But Beastboy noticed something. Raven didn't look like herself. "You okay, Raven?"
The others turned around upon hearing Beastboy's question. Raven looked nervous. That's what Beastboy notice. This was a rare look for her and I mean very rare.
"To be honest...no!" Raven said simply.
"Come sit down and tell us what's wrong!" Cyborg said as he gestured her to sit. "Well spill it!" cyborg said as she sat.
"From the beginning?" Raven asked. The others nodded. "Very well. Do you recall the letter I got this morning?"
"Yeah, it's from Azar." Cyborg stated.
"How do you know?" Robin enquired.
"Sent by Dimensional Mail!" Cyborg said bluntly.
"Correct!" Raven confirmed. "But it's not a letter. Its a set of instructions for a spell!"
"Spell?" Beastboy cocked an eyebrow.
"It's a spell designed to help me release my emotions!" Raven briefly explained.
"Sweet!" Beastboy's eyes began to shine, "How did the Lion get lost in the jungle?" a slight pause with silence, "Because Jungle is massive!". Still silence.
"I haven't performed it yet!" Raven pointed out, "And more to the point. I can't!"
"Why?" Beastboy's smile sunk a few inches closer to the floor.
"Because I can't do it on my own!" Raven said before flicking his ear.
"OW!"
"So you need an assistant!" Starfire thought for a moment "Perhaps friend Jinx will assist you!".
"She can't!" Raven brought Starfires spirits down. "But it was a good idea!" Raven said to make Stars smile return. "I have to find someone who fits to a set of rules and I don't want a stranger to help so I have to see if any of you fit the bill!"
"10 bucks says it's Boy Wonder!" Beastboy held the cash to Cyborgs face.
"Your on!" Cyborg agreed with the briefest of handshakes.
"First off, this person has to have good knowledge of body language!" Raven said.
"That is me out!" Starfire said "I still have difficultly with human expressions!"
"Secondly, this person has to be 'unbound'!" Everyone gave Raven a confused stare as she predicted, " I'm not sure what Azar meant by this so I going to go with every meaning of the word. So if your in a relationship and have lost virginity, raise your hand!" Only Robin raised his hand. "Your out!"
"Pay up, grass strain!" Cyborg held out his hand. Beastboy handed over the money with grunt.
"Finally, this person has to emotional unrestrained!" Everyone just stared blankly again. "And from experience, Cyborg is out!"
"Say what!" Cyborg said somewhat insulted.
"Calm down and I will explain why!" Raven ordered, Cyborg as she ordered and unclenched his fists. "Due to your mechanical mind you can only experience one emotion at any given time. That's why your out!". She had a point.
"Plus I did think this was made for Windows XP!" Beastboy giggled. Cyborg snorted his nostrils and crossed his arms. "That just leaves..." then he realised, "...Oh crud!", in the space of a second, he had gone from giggling kid into a deer caught in front of a freight train.
"Why the heck is he the best choice?" Cyborg grunted. Still annoyed that he wasn't up to par.
"First of all: Don't remind me!" Raven just looked at the floor in frustration before lifting herself to restore eye contact with everyone, "I know it sounds ludicrous but Beastboy is the best candidate. He can read body language and emotions better than anyone we know, besides myself."
Everyone besides Beastboy reluctantly agreed. He is the best choice. But something was plaguing everyone's mind.
Robins thought "He's dead meat!"
Ravens just said to myself "God help me now!"
Starfires, "I don't want to loose a friend!"
Cyborgs, "Great! I bet it'll be me to clean up what's left of him!"
And Beastboy, "OHMYGODOHMYGODOMYGOD.."
Raven continued. "Now that part has been done. I need some help with the next part!"
"Let me guess? My coffin!" Beastboy said trying raise his spirits. If that was possible?
"Five foot six by one foot nine!" Cyborg said out loud as he jotted on a note pad.
"Not funny, dude!", Beastboy scoffed at the walking scrap pile's gag.
"Who said this was a joke?", Cyborg replied in a serious tone and turning Beastboy's fears up a notch.
"I wish!" Raven said under her breath, agreeing to the coffin. But back to present, "Cyborg! I need you change the password to my room and seal the windows!"
"Why?" Cyborg asked.
"During the spell I need to be alone with Beastboy and locked away from any outside interference!" Raven explained. Beastboy just stared at Raven in horror as the other just looked at each other in confusion. "I know it sounds weird but it is essential to keep both of us in, as well as some of my more dangerous emotions."
"Say what?" Cyborg asked.
Raven forgot to explain what will happen. "During the spell each of my emotions will take control of my body and each one acts as a form of immunity to my powers!" Raven explained. It made sense to her friends but worried Beastboy even more who was now biting his nails through his gloves.
"Okay! I'll get working on the door lock!" Cyborg got up and left to do his part.
"Okay Raven!" Robin spoke out, "You can go through with this but I want to monitor the both of you! Just as a precaution and to make it easier on Beastboy!".
"A camera in my room?" Raven thought for a moment. "Very well!". 'Just so you can be nosy!', Raven thought.
"I haven't said I would do it yet!" Beastboy finally spoke.
"Could you two give me and Beastboy some privacy!" Raven asked Robin and Starfire. They both got up and left the room leaving Beastboy and Raven alone.
"Your worried!" Raven pointed out.
"You have no idea!" Beastboy remarked.
"If it gives you comfort, I won't be able to fully use my powers." Raven added.
"That helps a little!" Beastboy's mind eased slightly.
"I don't want to force you into this!" Raven said.
"Thanks!", easing him further.
"But I will if I have to!" Raven glared.
"That isn't helping!" Beastboy said angrily.
Raven thought for a moment. 'Want can I do to make Beastboy agree? A week inside her mind? No! His personal slave for a month? No! The night of his life?....definitely not!' Then it clicked, "You will be the first person to see me smile!" she pointed out.
Beastboy finally looked at her. That had been his goal for nearly five long years.
A smile slowly grow on his face until it was ear to ear.
"That has been a goal of yours every since I cracked rge faintest of smiles on the day we first met!" Raven recalled. "I also know for a fact that you are protective of me, more so than towards anyone else...!"
Beastboy blushed slightly, "Yeah...I got no shame in that!", he commented slightly nervously.
"...and I know for a fact that you won't attempt anything 'unmentionable' as it were!", she praised. "Your an idiot, an terrible clown and clumsy. But I take great comfort that under that green skin of yours, you have a heart of gold and deep down you are a perfect gentleman with every meaning of that title".
What a complement, and from Raven. It's a pity Beastboy wasn't listening. He was still fixed on the idea of making her smile.
It was one of the great mysteries of Raven. Could she smile? Would it be like a shining lighthouse after a long journey? Or would she just beat him to a pulp if he took a picture?
Risk assessed and noted, "I'll do it!" Beastboy agreed.
"Good! Meet me outside my room in an hour!" That was that. He agreed and the rest was in the hands of god.
Raven left Beastboy to his thoughts and went to her room. She stopped and leaned against the wall once the door had closed. He agreed to help her. Injuries were certain and death a possibility. "Lord have mercy on his soul..", she prayed, "...and Satan give me strength!"