"And that's how a toaster works."

Luliana clapped her hands in obvious delight. "How amusing! A small device that burns bread for your convenience! On Azarath, Kia-Raven and I would just use a 'stove' I believe it is called?"

Cyborg nodded, then went on to explain how the keys work on earth to the strange blonde girl. The Titans had all tried to make Luliana feel more at home, even though she had nearly destroyed the city. Starfire took her to the "mall of shopping", where they returned with massive amounts of clothing. Beastboy had amused her by teaching her how to work a gamestation. So far she had beaten him in three straight rematches. The half robot wondered what Raven was doing at that moment.

He didn't have to wonder long. Raven appeared at that moment, combing her short hair back with her fingers. Cyborg greeted her warmly.

"What's up dark girl? I was just teaching your friend here about keys." he said, acutely aware of how strange that sounded. Raven nodded, and stopped directly in front on Luliana.

"I need to talk to you." she said in her dull monotone. Luliana started to bow, but stopped when she saw that Cyborg was looking at her strangely.

"Of course Ki-Raven." she replied, barely stopping herself from saying "Your Majesty." She followed Raven to her room. The door closed behind them and the sorceress muttered a quick spell over her door.

"Now nobody will be able to eavesdrop." she explained, noticing the surprised look on Luliana's face. They sat down on the floor together. "Please tell me everything that happed since I disappeared."

Luliana took a deep breath and began, slowly at first, then gaining speed as her story continued.

"After you disappeared, Pravus said that Arella was unfit to rule Azarath. She crept into the Forbidden Temple and stole some ancient manuscripts, using their power to banish your mother and making her almost impossible to defeat. Azarath fell quickly, and she is using the power from the Forbidden Temple to make herself wealthier! High priestess Lamore sent a few Azarathians to search for you, because if you return and claim your throne, then Pravus will have no choice but to leave. Someone told her though, which is why we have to get you to Azarath quickly, before she can find you. If she does… she'll kill you K-Raven!"

Raven was silent while Luliana told her tale. When Luliana finished, she got up from her place on the floor, and started pacing her room.

"Pravus… I always knew she was up to no good." she said quietly, turning to look at her friend. Luliana obediently looked down and bowed her head.

"Stop Luliana, I'm not a princess here, remember? Nobody knows I'm royalty, and I prefer to keep it that way."

Luliana raised her head and looked Raven in the eye. "You are MY princess, and I will treat you like one, no matter what anybody else thinks." she replied stubbornly.

Nodding in approval, Raven leaned against the wall and smiled a rare smile. "Good, keep acting in that impertinent manner and no one will believe I am royalty." Luliana blushed.

"May I ask one question? Why do you look… different than you truly are?" she asked, hazel eyes clouding with confusion.

Raven laughed humorlessly. "A little spell from Azar, to shield my appearance from those who wish to do me harm. It disguises me well, and helps me distance myself from others so I would not form any attachments. I would have felt far less guilty about destroying the earth if I had no friends."

A vase shattered. Luliana looked at Raven in alarm. She shrugged and flicked a finger at the shattered pottery. The pieces instantly flew up and bonded together.

"Another side effect of the spell. It ties my telekinetic powers to my emotions." she explained.

"Dear friend, much has befallen you." Luliana said sadly, shaking her head back and forth. "But still I must ask you this: will you come back to Azarath with me to claim your throne?"

Raven thought about how many times she had longed to return to her home since she had joined the Titans, the many people she wished to see again. Would the kingdom welcome her? She knew it would.

On the other hand, she had everything she wanted on earth. Her family was on earth. The sorceress was certain that her friends would miss her and want her to return. Robin would miss her, wouldn't he? She was happy here.

"Luliana, I…I…"

The alarm went off.

The Teen Titans plus Luliana ran downtown as fast as they could. There had been reports of a strange, black haired woman with mysterious powers that had demanded the city bow to her. Raven knew instantly who it was.

Pravus.

"I am Queen Pravus, feeble mortals of earth. Bow to me!" she cried as the heroes skidded to a stop behind her. Without missing a beat, Robin threw a boomerang at her back. It promptly exploded as soon as it got near her. A slight breeze blew through the city, ruffling the short black hair the woman had. The gaudy red gown that Pravus wore seemed unaffected by the wind. Atop her head was a garish gold crown, encrusted with rubies and diamonds. She turned around and smiled a smile that chilled the Titans to the bone.

"More mortals? Do you think you can defeat me?" she screeched, sending out waves of red magic that swept the team off their feet. Her cruel crimson eyes narrowed in delight as Starfire fired a starbolt at her. Pravus caught it and sent it back with ten times more force. Starfire barely managed to dodge it.

"Mortals with special abilities, I see. Much better sport than the other humans here." Pravus hissed as Cyborg fired his sonic cannon at her. The blast hit her in the center of the chest, but she didn't even flinch. Instead, the same blue light that his cannon had fired was shot back at him, sending him into a transforming Beastboy. The two tumbled head over heels into a nearby building.

Pravus pouted, her flat features distorting into a vaguely disappointed look. "Not much fun at all!" she said in her best disappointed voice. She stopped abruptly as one of Robin's bombs missed her by an inch. Without even turning her head, Pravus pointed to a nearby lamppost and shot a bolt of red magic at it. The lamppost stretched to twice its original height and grew teeth and horns before wrapping around the helpless Boy Wonder. Raven heard several ribs crack as it squeezed tighter and tighter, cutting off his air.

"Luliana, distract Pravus while I help Robin!" Raven ordered, not bothering to see if the girl was listening. The fearless leader was unconscious, the living lamppost winding ever tighter around his torso. Raven used her black magic to tear the metal like tissue paper. The remaining enchantment fled from the twisted steel. The sorceress used her healing magic and quickly healed Robin's various injuries. He opened his eyes and blinked several times.

"Raven? What…" Robin started to get up, standing weakly and leaning against Raven for support. She tried not to blush and blow something up.

Pravus turned and saw them. Raven's hood had blown off long ago, and the gem in the center of her forehead told the wicked queen the entire story. Cackling in delight, she waved her hands in a downward chopping motion. Scarlet light covered the Titan's' forms, including Luliana.

"Bow to me, pathetic mortals!" she shouted as her magic forced the teens to their knees. She laughed harshly, taking pleasure at these humans groveling before her. Only Raven stood, hands streaming black magic.

"I bow to no one witch." she said coldly, using her powers to throw Pravus through several buildings. The queen seemed dazed, though unhurt.

"Kiara? Still hanging on to life I see. Have you seen my new crown? Are you going to run home to mommy your majesty?" she sneered, venom coating her last two words. Raven trembled with suppressed anger.

"It's RAVEN now. You will pay for the damage you've done to my home, mark my words." Raven swore, eyes glowing white. A car was surrounded with dark aura and thrown at Pravus, who merely sliced the vehicle in half. A torrent of other items were thrown in rapid succession, which the queen barely managed to dodge. Raven showed no sign of slowing, but the queen was starting to run out of breath. Finally a bus caught Pravus full force and flung her backwards. She slowly got up, wiping the sweat off her brow.

"You have gotten stronger Raven." she panted, attempting to fix her now-messy back hair. "But next time we meet, it will be on my own terms. Be on your guard dear, for I will grow stronger as well. And I fight dirty."

The darkness seemed to bend and fold around her, hiding her for a brief moment. Raven felt the hatred coming in torrents from her just for a second before the queen disappeared, leaving her standing in an empty street with her friends.