GAMES – Chapter 3; Castle Of Knowledge
Words: 1542 unedited in 35 minutes; 1792 words edited.
Authors Note: I know I said last chapter that you wouldn't get more until after Easter... But I just sat down, and away we went! Beast Boy has been trying to get me to write his chapter since almost the beginning, so when I finally sat down to do so, you got almost 2000 words! I hope you enjoy this chapter, I had fun writing it!
Have a fantastic Easter. And this time, I really don't think you'll get more until sometime week after next! But you never know ;D
FD
Beast Boy and his accompanying girls were walking with purposeful speed. They'd originally been running, with Happy leading the way, her pink cloak flowing out behind her, while Knowledge, who was holding his hand lightly, followed her, tugging him along. Beast Boy would be lying, if he said he hadn't enjoyed himself immensely in those few minutes, their breath's puffing as they fled the scene where Robin was counting slowly and loudly to One Hundred. He was anxious to get right away from the Boy Wonder, so he could enjoy the company of these two remarkable portions of Raven.
The Changeling loved the how different Raven's personified emotions were, and enjoyed their company. Particularly Happy, who was everything he wished Raven was able to express. She was remarkably pretty when she smiled, and her laugh was adorable. Grinning, Beast Boy tugged now on Knowledge's hand, and the pair caught up to the excitable Pink emotion. They slowed their trot back to the rapid walk; breath's still puffing from the ten minute run they'd undergone in order to come as far as they had. It wasn't that they'd had to run so far, so much as they'd ended up having such fun and were simply enjoying themselves, that they hadn't sought to stop until they were all well and truly puffed. Now, as they walked along, Beast Boy could gather both his breath and his thoughts.
Unlike Starfire, Beast Boy wasn't at all surprised by the emotions that had decided to join him. He and Happy got along famously, and he believed Raven knew how much he enjoyed this spunky, outgoing side to her nature. Knowledge should have, perhaps, been a surprising addition. But she wasn't. Raven knew there was more to Beast Boy than his goofy exterior – and he knew she knew this – but also, Knowledge was perhaps the only emotion that could both put up with, and control, not only Beast Boy, but also Happy. It all made perfect sense to the green young man, and he'd barely thought about it at all.
"So, where are we going?" Beast Boy asked, still smiling placidly, as his bright green gaze flickered between Happy and Knowledge.
"To Knowledge's little corner of Nevermore!" Happy said excitedly, though she managed to refrain from squealing, her voice was a high pitched whisper, and she flung her arms out exuberantly whilst spinning around, delighted.
"I think it will be a good place to hide from Robin," Knowledge added, smiling almost slyly. "It is a large building, with many interlinking corridors. Though it isn't the maze that Timid's domain is, it is sufficiently complicated so as to get easily lost."
"Sounds great!" Beast Boy exclaimed, delighted. Knowledge's corner of Raven's mind was likely to have all kinds of exciting things in it; Raven was such a bookworm, and Beast Boy had no doubt that she would be the kind to store her memories in the pages of books within her emotion's library. With any luck, he'd be able to flick through some while they were hiding from Robin.
"So, how far away is it?" He asked, looking at Knowledge questioningly, but his gaze was quickly captured by Happy, as she started cartwheeling along ahead of them. Her cloak was swirling up and around with the motions of her body and it all looked rather spectacular.
Knowledge watched Happy with some amusement for a moment, before replying. "Not far. Just through that doorway there," and she pointed ahead several meters, where a doorway seemed to have popped up out of no where to loom almost in the middle of the meadow, seemingly without any real purpose.
"Race you!" Beast Boy suddenly exclaimed, and pelted towards the doorway, still in human shape. Knowledge let loose an explosive exclamation that had Beast Boy spluttering laughter between breaths. Happy bounded along behind them, more interested in her plane impersonation than the actual race.
The three crossed through the archway not long afterwards, and Beast Boy stopped to take in his surroundings, looking around with interest. The meadow itself didn't appear to have changed much, still being a lush green landscape with a vivid blue sky above. However, off slightly to one side and standing in a grandeur all it's own, was a tall, majestic, massive building that was apparently Knowledge's home.
"Sweet." Beast Boy said appreciatively, and when the two girls stopped either side of him, he wrapped his arms around their shoulders and began walking in that direction with them. Happy giggled and slung an arm around Beast Boy's waist, while Knowledge appeared slightly taken away by his familiarity and stood a little more stiffly at his side. Beast Boy either didn't notice, or ignored her.
"This is your home, yeah?" He asked, looking down (Sweet! When had he out grown Raven?) at Knowledge.
"Yes, it is," she replied proudly, though she didn't look back up at him. Beast Boy smirked, noting the light blush that covered the emotions cheeks.
"Awesome."
Releasing the girls when they reached the building, he placed a hand on the cool wall. It was made of stones, fitted carefully together and was without paint. It was a magnificent building, and Beast Boy was duly impressed.
"What did you base it off?"
Knowledge smiled while Happy let herself in. "A combination of some of our favourite castles from several of our favourite novels."
Nodding, the green Titan entered after Happy, allowing Knowledge to come in after them and close the door quietly.
"Where to?" He queried, while Happy seemed content to hover at his side, also looking expectantly at Knowledge. Her eyes were bright with excitement, and she seemed to almost be quivering with pent up energy. Knowledge was almost afraid she would cause more distruction than Beast Boy would. So where to put them?
"Hrm. Perhaps in this room over here," and she lead the way over to a far corner. The door that separated the room beyond from the entrance hall was a single, solid piece of wood, made of a lovely mahogany and carved with patterns. Beast Boy paused to examine it, and raised an eyebrow as he noticed that all of the actual images were of the Team, sans Raven. Additional images interlinked each of those of Robin, Starfire, Cyborg and Beast Boy himself.
"What do these other little pictures mean?" He asked, running gloved fingers lightly across the patterns, following them with interest.
"They're all symbols for friendship," Knowledge started, and began pointing several out and explaining them in detail, though Beast Boy wasn't really listening by that time, caught up more in the process of actively looking at each image, and running fingers across them to feel the pattern.
"Nice," he murmured eventually, and Knowledge rolled her eyes, realising he hadn't heard a word she'd said. Indicating that he should step though, she waited patiently before closing the door. His eyes were still lingering on the door as she closed it, and she smiled slightly, pleased with his interest.
"So, what is this room?" Beast Boy asked, looking around with renewed interest at the walls that were lined with shelving. There were hundreds of books all seemingly scattered about at random, though knowing Raven, there was undoubtedly a reason for the placing of every one of her books. He smiled.
"This is the Friendship Room," Knowledge said, returning his smile. "It's devoted to yourself, Starfire, Cyborg and Robin namely. Knowing you, you won't keep your nose out of her memory-books," she grinned when Beast Boy looked somewhat bashful about being caught out so easily, "but there shouldn't be anything in here you're not allowed to see."
"Cool. What other rooms does Rae have?"
"Raven. And all kinds. If you can think of it, chances are there is a room on it, or one in which such a think is located."
Beast Boy nodded.
"Is everyone's mind like Ravens? I mean, the way it's all set up in here?" He waved his hands, indicating the emotions and the room they stood in.
"I would expect so. The complexity depends on the person in question."
"Hey! Look-it this, BB!" Bounding over, Happy carried a heavy looking tomb, and thrust it under Beast Boy's nose, the covers open to reveal double pages. Looking down, the shape shifting Titan grinned suddenly.
"I remember that!" He said excitedly, tapping a finger on the left hand page. "That was the first time Rae actually laughed at one of my jokes." He grinned hugely, fang flashing, and gently took the weighty book from the pink emotion.
"That one is all you!" She said brightly, grinning. "There are hundreds, for each of you!"
Still grinning, she skipped off, pulling another huge book off a shelf, flicking through a few pages, and dumping it on the floor.
Knowledge grimaced and rubbed her temples with one hand, looking pained. "Please put them back, Happy. Please."
"Oh, sorry!" And she shoved the book back on the shelf: at random. Knowledge groaned.
"Hey, Knowledge," Beast Boy spoke up suddenly. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor with the book spread across his knees. Hewas looking up at her with a puzzled frown.
"Yes?"
"Raven brought us here for a reason, right?"
The emotion, taken by surprise with the question, opened her mouth to reply. However, not being able to think of something to say once she'd done so, she simply ended up snapping it shut.
"Rae wouldn't let us in here, just 'cause I dared her too, unless she wanted to." Beast Boy pointed out reasonably. "So, she has to have a reason."
Knowledge just continued to stare at him, looking dumbstruck.
"Does she want us to see something?" He asked, not at all put out by her silence. But rather, seeming to take strength in it. "What does she want us to learn?"
"I'm not at liberty to say." She said, and abruptly, she vanished.
Shocked, Beast Boy turned to question Happy, wondering where Knowledge was going (and leaving he, Beast Boy, alone in the most intimate part of Raven's brain...) but she, too, had vanished.
Dumbstruck, Beast Boy looked down at the book he was holding, smiled at the picture of Raven hugging him, (that had happened after Malchoir had hurt her.) and stood up. He placed the book on a small table in the corner of the room, and looked around.
"Well, if you aren't going to tell me, I'm going to find out!"
No one appeared to contest his threat, and with a fluttering stomach, Beast Boy opened the door slowly, and began to weave through the corridors, searching for a door. He was unsure which one it was, but knowing he's recognise it when he saw it.
