What Chapter Two
"Did you get the books?" Morgan asked playfully, as they walked through the mall. Currently, she was wearing black heels that had ribbons tied around her ankles, a black skirt that flowed out with lace on each layer (there were three), and a black tank top with white ribbons, which made it look like a corset. It also made her hair, which wasn't in a pony tail for once, stand out more than it normally did. She had put a black velvet headband in said hair (to keep it out of the way she said), and pushed her bangs to the side.
When Raven raised an eyebrow to her jewelry (she had a multi-stringed black bracelet and necklace) as well as clothing options Morgan could only laugh and say, "What? I felt like ribbons today. And it's not like it looks bad. You look so different too by the way."
Raven's outfit was nearly the same every time.
"Yeah, putting them in a box wrapped with a large ribbon and bow. Nearly everyone thought it was a bomb or something."
They were at the mall nearly a week later, the criminals of Jump City finally taking a day off, window shopping and occasionally Morgan would convince Raven to enter a shop.
"You should try this on," Morgan said, holding up a dress. It was a taste full looking thing dark purple in color with a square cut and large straps.
Raven sighed and headed to the changing room. When she came out Morgan immediately began complementing her. The dress went well with her hair and ended near her knees.
"Now you need shoes for that. Ballet shoes would be best…maybe in black," Morgan was talking to herself now, "Come see yourself in the mirror."
"No I saw myself in the changing room mirror, I'm fine," Raven protested, picking up the familiar energies of her teammates, "I'm going to change."
"And I'm going to buy that dress. It'll be wonderful at the charity ball. Consider it a gift," Morgan told her cheerfully, "you're just lucky I already have a dress."
"Lucky me," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"Let's go shoe shopping," Morgan told her excitedly, laughing when Raven sighed and rolled her eyes again.
--
"If I never have to try on another shoe again," Morgan cried, as they rode the escalator up, "I will be forever happy."
"Stop complaining, we found our shoes didn't we?" Raven asked, with a slight teasing in her tone.
"So? My feet hurt…hey, aren't they your teammates?" Morgan whispered as a group of four came into view. They were at the food court, on the other side of the escalators, chowing down on some food or another.
"Yeah," Raven muttered, holding her head against her hand, "they're in uniform too." She nearly moaned, "Azar help us all."
Morgan nodded in agreement and the two began to walk, trying to stay out of the team's line of view, towards the food.
"No offense Rae, but I like the Titans East more," Morgan whispered, "they're much cuter." It broke the tension that Raven was feeling and the two laughed quietly about it.
"And single."
"And built."
"And nicer."
"And cuter."
"You said that already," Raven pointed out as they got in line for the fast food.
"They're really, really cute? Well compared to your men," Morgan threw them a disparaging look, "I would hate to clean up after them."
"Yeah," they paused as the two ordered their food, "They are pretty messy."
"Only a lot."
They kept shooting glances at the group, hoping they wouldn't notice them.
"So do you have an alias or something?" Morgan asked suddenly, noticing the paparazzi approaching, "I don't think they would like it if you phased away now.
"Rachel Roth," Raven said quickly, trying to covertly look at her team.
"Ms. McArthur, what can you tell us about your near-kidnapping."
"I don't know why they would want to kidnap me but I give my thanks to the Teen Titans East and Raven for saving my life. Who knows what would have happened if they weren't there."
"Who's your friend Ms. McArthur?" another reporter asked, when the Titans were spotted. The flock of paparazzi split up and most went to talk to the Titans but a few stayed with me.
"This is Rachel, a good friend of mine. We only just got reacquainted a few days ago and we're catching up on old times." Raven managed a small smile when the cameras were directed to her, and Morgan
continued, "But if you'll please excuse us. We need to eat. I think the Titans might have some more answers for you guys about my near kidnapping or the escape of Dr. Light."
With that being said, the remaining reporters rushed the Teen Titans.
"Problem solved," Morgan said as she picked up her food, strangely she was in the mood for a salad, "No more cameras and no questions from the team."
"Who knew you could think so fast on your feet," Raven teased as the two began looking for a table.
When they found one, they quickly began eating, watching as the Titans began answering question after question. Almost too soon (in Morgan's opinion at least) the camera crew and reporters left, leaving the girls to wonder if they had chosen a spot too close to the heroes. Thankfully, Raven kept her back to the group but Morgan couldn't help but watch them.
They seemed pretty close, happy to look at the lighter side of things, and it would be hard to notice that someone was missing. It wasn't obvious but Morgan could tell that this was upsetting Raven.
"I think I'm full," Morgan said, going to throw away her tray, "What about you Rae?"
"I'm not hungry anymore," she told her friend, throwing away the barely touched food.
"Let's go to that curiosity shop they added here," the taller girl suggested, knowing it was on the opposite side of the mall, "it looks promising and I could always use more decorations."
Raven smiled slightly at that as she rolled her eyes, "I'm sure ambiance is very hard to achieve in your room."
"Mom's letting me steal the guest room next to my library so I can make it an addition to my 'wing' as she likes to put it. I think it's going to be another library."
"And yet I'm not surprised," Raven teased, "you read more than I do."
"I can't help it, I thirst for knowledge!" Morgan said dramatically, noticing that they were nearing the Titans' table, "And books equal knowledge and knowledge equals power. And when I rule the world I'll just say I told you so."
As it was planned to do, Raven laughed gently as the two passed the table of teens. None of them looked up.
"You're an idiot," she told the other girl, who stuck her tongue out in reply.
"An idiot that just got you passed the Team."
"Fine and idiot that can be distracting."
"That's better."
--
"You know that the Teen Titans East are going to be at the charity ball right?" Morgan brought up as the two girls wearily climbed the stairs to Morgan's room.
"I figured as much. Your mom probably wanted to repay them for saving you right?"
"Yeah, but that also means she had to invite the original Teen Titans. But they declined; they said they should be working instead of attending an event like that."
"Meaning that they'll be playing video games all night."
Morgan nodded, "But it's not them I'm worried about. How are we going to hang out if your other teammates are here?"
"They won't mind, it's Robin that would care the most and only because he'll think that our friendship would get in the way of me doing my duty," Raven said, almost sadly.
"You need to get over Robin," Morgan told her, "He's not even worth your time of day. I think you and that water guy, Aqualad right, would look good together."
Raven laughed and said, "I'm not sure but there's a bet going around to see which team he actually bats for."
"So does that mean he's free?" Morgan asked, "Because he is very cute."
"Going to try a shot at him? No offense but many a girl has tried and none have succeeded."
"Eh, probably not," Morgan shrugged, "But I can't forget that I have to talk to that one guy, Speedy I think, at one point tonight."
"Do what you want," Raven told her nonchalantly, or at least tried to. It was easy to see (if one knew Raven well) that the casualness was forced. It gave Morgan even more reason to talk to the archer.
--
"Ta-da!" Morgan said theatrically, later that day, opening the doors to the guest room-turned-library. Already shelves were built on the walls and most were filled with books. "I decided to have one room for fiction and the other for…well…nonfiction. And-look!-it has a balcony in it so I can read outside!"
"You seem very excited," Raven muttered, looking at the book titles.
"It doesn't take much to make me happy," Morgan said in a gleeful tone, "Give me a good book and I'm awesome and I know you're the same way."
Raven had to smirk at that. It was true after all. She was happiest when she had a good book in hand. However, besides Morgan and herself, no one knew, or cared enough, what her kind of 'good book' was.
The thought made her frown slightly. Shaking the depressing idea away, she noticed something about most of the books in this room.
"All of these books are about Celtic or Irish mythology," she stated.
"Yeah," Morgan looked uncomfortable, "I'm just doing some research on my parents' background. Did you know, before the McArthur clan became Christians they were devout worshippers to the gods and goddesses of the Celtic religion?" Raven shook her head, "It's true and not something that gets voiced very often," she sounded sad for some reason, unknown to Raven, "It took a lot of research to figure that out. I found that the ancestors actually would have a daughter each generation or two called to serve one of their goddesses. Literally called into Her service," she sounded wistful, "She's not widely known because she only has control of one river but her name is Ancamna. She had-or has-control of the Moselle River."
Raven looked at her sharply before changing the subject to something lighter, "When is this ball of yours?"
"Why to be subtle," the other girl laughed.
"I try," Raven said sardonically.
"Its next month, on the third I think," Morgan mused, now out of her depressing funk, "So I was thinking of having a couch here and outside, with an awning over half of the balcony and the sides of it. That way, when it rains my other couch won't get wet.
"Don't you think of everything?" Raven mused.
Morgan nodded, oblivious to the sarcastic remark.
--
He needed the perfect time to steal the girl. She was needed for the ritual and without her all the plans would fall to pieces.
The man leaned into his chair, his face covered in the shadows, and began to plan.
--
A/N: Yes, I realize this is shorter than I expected too but I didn't want to have the charity ball in it, which will be in the next chapter, since I'm planning for it to be a chapter alone.