Chapter Three - Where Thoughts Can Bloom

Life in the Tower had changed for the Titans. Bacon sizzled loudly in the pan, hissing out a signal of readiness. Cyborg tiredly flipped the meat in the pan, the hissing dulled as if it had been sated for the moment.

"Breakfast just isn't the same without B around to complain." he whined. "Kinda miss him trying to switch our stuff with tofu…" He sighed wistfully, scrambling the eggs in the pan before him. Robin acknowledged him with a grunt as he continued to look over a file, his mouth full of cereal. The bacon hissed demandingly again, a small smile spread over his face.

"Though I do love me some bacon!" Cyborg hummed as the bacon crackled on his plate.

He poured a fresh glass of milk, taking a swig. Robin looked up from the file with a smirk, Cyborg's face was a picture of disgust.

"Well you seemed so down…" Robin started with a chuckle "That when beast boy asked me to switch the milk labels, I thought I was doing you a favor" his nonchalant tone betrayed by the amusement on his face. A loud "bleh" was heard as he spit the "soy not milk" down the sink. "So wrong" he mumbled pouring another glass, sniffing it cautiously.

Raven sat quietly in her room. Reading one of the many arcane books she owned. She flipped through the pages, skimming them lightly. She had read it before, many times. Just like she had most of the books on the bookshelf that stood across from her. She had received a message last night. She looked down a her communicator curiously. A red light blinking silently every few seconds before stopping only to start a again a few minutes later. She had an idea of what it was. Ever since Beast Boy started hanging out with his new normal friends the Titans started to get messages from him every so often. She smiled fondly, remembering the picture of a caterpillar he had sent to Starfire. She had spent all day trying to find it. Robin had gotten one when Beast Boy had found replica's of his old Doom Patrol mask in a costume shop, saying something about how it "wasn't so dorky". Cyborg got the most. Videos, picture, texts, to many to remember. She made a mental note to ask him about some later.

"And then there's me…" She mumbled sadly. This was her first. Her heart beat quickened as she opened her communicator. The screen blinked to life, the new message symbol displayed brightly on the screen. She quickly pressed play and was very confused by what she saw. A Cupcake…

A green ungloved hand set the Cupcake down in view of the recorder. It was pink with bright red swirls, lopsided and bulgy. In short she could use one word to describe it, ugly. That's when she heard him narrate.

"This is the Tale of Cupnelious, King of the Cupcakes." The video zoomed away from the King to show it sitting alone on a plate.

"From the moment the Great Baker had pulled him out of the warm oven of Creation, he was destined for greatness." The camera panned over to a of white cupcakes with red swirls, all smaller and more symmetrical than they're monstrous king.

"And with his army he protect the land of Kitchenopia!" She heard a distinctively feminine chortle. "Tonight the army will march to War!" An obviously female voice cried out in the back ground "Tonight we dine in Hell!"

The video skipped ahead suddenly, the tray visible on a dirty table.

"The Army places itself in a strategic position." Setting the King in front of the tray. "Preparing for the imminent attack the King stands proudly with the troops. You must survive the battle sire!" A green hand using another cupcake as a puppet. A earsplitting voice rendition of happy birthday started as the image dashed ahead again.

"Hey! where's the birthday girls cupcake?" called out a gruff voice from somewhere off screen as Beast Boy walked through a hallway, said cupcake in view.

"The king had escaped! And that is the tale of King Cupnelios!" The image freezing and al that could be seen was a pink and red blur. The video had ended.

Raven's eye twitched slightly. "What did I just watch?" she questioned thinking about the "epic quest" of the Cupcake King. She smiled for a moment before shaking her head.

"Well it is Beast Boy after all." She picked up her book ready to return her half interest to it when a loud grumble fill the room. Grey cheeks blushed brightly as she rubbed her stomach thoughtfully. "Breakfast sounds nice." Looking at the communicator on her bed she suddenly had a craving for something sweet.

When she entered the Ops Room she saw Star wildly beating a some type of batter. "Probably for waffles" she thought quietly to herself. She had attempted to make them so long ago and Raven still remembered how horrible they had been. But Robin, being the gentleman he was, told Star they tasted great. Every time she made breakfast she tried some variation of waffle. She had gotten quite good at making them and most of the time they were pretty good.

"The non-Tamaranean ones at least" she thought with a shudder. Robin looked over the top of the file his nose crinkling along with his mask as a frown marred his face.

"Uhh, Star that's an awful lot of batter you got there… I only wanted one, remember?" he pushed his empty cereal bowl away, his stomach groaning in protest at the idea of more food.

"Of course! But I have a great hunger for the "Waffles of Delightedness"! " she squealed happily, batter flying from the bowl as she waved her hands excitedly.

Raven swiftly dodged the incoming batter missiles. Collecting her tea kettle and necessary morning tea.

"Good morning Friend Raven! Would you like a waffle?" Raven grimaced at her morning cheer and her reply was a monotone "No…" as she put the tea kettle on the stove.

"Where's Cyborg?" she asked as she sat down.

"Beast Boy got back a few minutes ago. He was putting something in the fridge and didn't look so good. Cyborg went with him, helping him to his room." the boy wonder replied, eyes focused on the file.

"I hope friend beast Boy is not ill." Starfire called worriedly as the batter hissed in the waffle maker. "I think I'll go check up on him, I have something to ask him." and with that her dark energy cloaked Raven's body as she sank into the floor.

She pressed her ear against the wall, her hands flat against the wall she was leaning onto. She could hear them, but just barely.

"Bro, it's cool" that had been Beast Boy. She closed here eyes as she listened.

"Dude, you smell like BOOZE! What the HELL MAN!" she groaned thinking of the setting of video she had seen earlier.

"Cy, bro… You know I'd never do anything stupid." she heard a muffled groan "C'mon, Bro, you know me…" that made her wonder, what had Beast Boy been doing with "his normal life"?

"Fine, but dude, be more careful man. You lucky Robin didn't notice. Angry wouldn't even begin to describe it." she grimaced for the second time that morning, questioning if she should respect her green friend's privacy (Just like she was obviously doing at the moment) or if she should be more concerned (and nosy) about Beast Boy's personal life.

"Get some rest, we got training to do in a few hours." Cyborg was leaving, she could feel him approaching. Panicked, dark magic engulfed her as she sunk into the wall and vanished. Not a trace of her left as Cyborg passed the spot she had just been.

She returned to her tea. The Kettle screaming loudly for attention, steam rushing out.

"There was nothing creepy about that!" She groaned to herself as she poured a mug of the herbal drink. She gave a hum of satisfaction as she sipped at the warm beverage, her shoulder's sinking in relief.

"I was worried, that's all" she silently reassured.

"Friend Raven, are you feeling well?" she flinched, startled by Star's sudden question.

"Yea...? Why?" she answered slowly.

"You looked ill for a moment..." she lifted her hand against a grey forehead. Raven's small hand swatted the Tamaranean's arm away. "There!" Starfire yelped. "Your face has gone all red again! Are you certain you are not ill?" she asked her hand already trying to find it's way back to it's lost target.

"No Star! I'm fine!" The goth roughly picked up her mug. "I think I'll go meditate though..." she said hastily as she started to leave. Slowing when she saw her friend sadden. "Just in case, Ya know..." she added, Star perking up, happy because she had been "helpful".

She watched him. When it was his turn to run the course, she had watched him. She could see him shaking the sleep from his eyes as he stretched. He was a mess. Hair messy, dark bags under his eyes, and he was a slightly paler green than usual. She wondered to herself for a moment, "is that what a hangover looks like?" as she watched him yawn tiredly. But then the buzzer sounded and he was off. Sprinting down the obstacle course, he was a blur of green. Shifting into a leopard as the mounted turrets fired their non-lethal rounds at him. Nearing the first he quickly shifted into an ape, animalistic muscles slamming into the turret effectively disabling it. Climbing the machine, he changed yet again, into a hawk. Flying swiftly through the turret fire he transformed into a elephant above the next, crushing it.

She rolled her eyes at the display "He's showing off" she thought to herself, she was sure the other titans were sharing her sentiments though. He charged through two more then return to his human form as he danced around the turret fire from the last three crossing the safe zone.

He took a mock bow as he approached. "No need for applause! I know I'm great!" he called to his "adoring fans".

"Not bad, for level four that is. Maybe next time you can turn off the handicap?" Raven jeered earning a laugh from the other titans.

"Raven! Did you just make a joke? And at my expense? I'm so proud of you!" he laughed happily with the rest of the titans. She noticed she was watching him again. His face twisted in happiness. And for the moment she was happy too.

Ok I know it's short but I'm kinda stuck on the story. I got a few plans and I have a few ways the next chapter can go. I appreciate all of you who take the time to read my fanfiction and I'm really thankful for those of you who review. They really make my day when I see them!