Disclaimer: Still don't own Teen Titans. If I did, we'd be seeing more episodes. Still don't own a gundam or the Megas. If I did, the war would be over and Bush would shut up. (Yes. I don't like our current president. He is a moron.)
I haven't had many ideas for this story lately, but I thought I'd give a shot to an idea I came up with a few days ago. Any problems in grammar are to be blamed on my darker side. He likes to bother me whenever possible. More on him later, on with the show.
The day after Gene became Grim-scythe came faster than Raven wanted. She still didn't have her powers at full. The most she could do was levitate several feet at a time or lift small objects. She sighed in defeat.
"Looks like I'll have to let Gene try to help me. I only hope he doesn't end up killing me or himself." She sighed again. She looked at her clock and saw that it was five A.M. She figured she could make herself a light breakfast before the others got up.
She left her room and went down the hall without her cloak, levitating five feet every few moments. When she entered the living area she smelled something cooking, something delicious. She looked at the kitchen and saw Jinx sitting at the table and Gene at the stove. He wasn't wearing his armor or cloak. He wore a gray t-shirt, black jeans, and an apron and chef hat. Jinx was wearing a pink t-shirt and black pants.
"What's cooking Gene? I can't wait." Jinx couldn't stand the suspense. The smell of whatever he was cooking was almost more than she could stand.
Raven floated behind Jinx and tried to get a good look at what was in the pan.
"Don't worry Jinx! It'll be done in a minute. I guarentee you're going to love it." Gene made sure Jinx, and by extension Raven, couldn't see the pan.
Jinx sighed. "It smells heavenly Gene. Whatever it is, I believe you."
"Hey Raven, have a seat. I'll take your order when I'm done with this."
Jinx turned around and jumped in her chair. "Well, I was tired."
Gene gave a small laugh. "'Keep your wits at least as sharp as your sword and you shall never be caught unaware.' At least, that's what I was taught."
Raven sat down next to Jinx. "What's that you're making?"
"You'll see in a moment. I just have to put it on a plate. I overdid it on the ingredients, so I should be able to split it between the both of you if you'd like."
Jinx nodded. "I can live with that. How 'bout you Rae?"
Raven smelled the air again. "Sure. I've got nothing to lose."
Gene picked up the two plates and set one in front of each of the girls. On the plate was a pancake covered in a green slime. The pancake itself was blue.
"Enjoy." He went back to the stove where a second pan sat. "I made this one for myself. It's slightly stronger."
Raven looked at the blue pancake looking meal in front of her, then at Jinx. She had already cut herself a piece and was in the process of chewing it. She looked like she were eating concentrated lemon juice.
"Are you okay Jinx?" Raven was worried that whatever it was she was eating might be dangerous.
Jinx swallowed the piece she was eating. She cut another piece and started eating as fast as she could.
"It doesn't bite back Raven. It may look strange but I eat these every morning I can. The pancake is only blue from the food coloring. The slime is a lemon-lime gelatin. It's very healty but still tastes good." Gene sat the pans and spatula in the sink and sat his own plate down across from Jinx. He cut a medium size piece and ate it. He didn't get the sour look Jinx got despite his being stronger in flavor.
"You've got to try this Raven. It's great!" Jinx was spooning the gel into her mouth, still getting the sour look on her face. "It's sour, but it's delicious."
Raven looked down at the pancake and cut a small piece for herself. She immediately tasted the sour flavor of the gel, but loved it. After she recovered from the sour kick she dug in.
"This is great. I've never tasted anything like this before." She finished the blue pancake in minutes while Gene was only a quarter of the way finished.
"Thank you. It took me a few years to perfect the gel, but I always knew it'd be a hit. If I didn't mind the trouble, I would have opened a bed and breakfast back home. Too late now, but I still make a mean pancake." Gene took another bite of the pancake when Raven noticed a skull ring on his right ring finger.
"Where'd you get that ring?" Gene looked at his hand while he chewed. After a few seconds he swallowed his food before answering.
"I made it before I went to sleep. It's got a storage spell on it. Whenever I twist the skull around, my Grimscythe costume magically overtakes whatever I'm wearing at the time. I picked up the spell from a friend." He took a large chunk of the food before him when Robin entered the room.
"Hey Gene. Girls. What's that smell?" He walked over to the table when a plate floated over to one end of the table, along with a fork, knife, and spoon.
"Dig in. It's Genes own recipe. It's sour, but it's delish." Jinx had cleaned her plate of all of the gelatin, and put it in the sink.
"Gene made it?" Gene motioned to the seat with his left hand. Robin sat down and tried a small piece. "Sour is right. It's like trying to swallow a whole glass of lemon juice in one gulp. It is good though." He finished the first bite, and began eating as fast as he could.
two hours later all of the Titans had had at least one of the delicious blue pancakes.
"Glorious! Those cakes of the pan were better than zorka berries."
"Yeah. I wouldn't mind having these every morning. I'd almost give up meat for these."
"They aren't tofu, but the were interesting. Where'd you get the recipe?"
Gene was washing the dishes with Ravens help. "I came up with it myself. I didn't have the usual ingredients I normally use. I'll have to make a list and get them at my earliest convenience. Just wait until I get the normal stuff, you'll flip."
"That reminds me, Raven, have your powers returned yet?" Raven nearly dropped the plate she was holding.
"No." Gene continued cleaning the dishes, using his powers to dry them.
"I can try to help after I'm finished with the dishes if you'd like. I've got a remedy I think might work, but I'll have to assess the amount of power you normally have Raven. Once I've assessed your powers, I should be able to respond accordingly." Raven looked at him.
"Thanks. But if it looks like it's too dificult, I'll just meditate until they come back on their own."
Ten minutes passed in silence until the dishes were done.
Gene reviewed some papers and videos Robin had provided, occasionally jotting notes down on a pad of paper. When he was done he reviewed his notes in silence while the others watched.
After five minutes of silence Gene stood up, and his backpack floated into the room. "I have two solutions. Neither of them are pleasent, but they're the only ways I can think to restore Ravens powers." He opened the bag and pulled out one of the bags of holding. He opened it and another backpack floated out of it. It reeked of some unnameable odor.
"Dude! What is that stink? I can't feel my nose hairs!" Beast boy cringed at the smell.
"This is plan 'A'. It stinks to high heaven, but it's my last resort. It's been proven to restore any power to its full potential." He opened the bag and pulled out a smaller bag which smelled even worse.
"Oh man! That's a crime against humanity! I think I'm going to hurl!" Beast boy put a hand to his mouth and ran out of the room.
"BB's right man. Isn't there an easier way?"
Gene put the small bag back, and the backpack back in the bag of holding. "Yes."
Raven uncovered her nose. "What is it? You look kind of unsure."
Gene looked over at her. "It's not exactly something to be done lightly Raven. It's not dangerous, but if I do it, I can never take it back." He looked serious. More serious than Robin had ever looked.
Starfire put a hand on Genes shoulder. "What is it friend Gene? What is it that you are so troubled of doing? Surely it cannot be so bad that it would trouble us."
Gene looked into her eyes. "I have telekinetic powers. Not just normal lift and move and drop powers, but some really heavy ones. Telepathy is one of them. The only other option to the Reek Plant, is to look into Ravens mind and try to fix the problem from their. Her powers work by emotions right?"
Raven nodded. "Yeah. If I feel too strongly with any emotion, I usually cause something to explode."
Gene nodded as well and closed his eyes. "What I would have to do is not simple. The data indicates that you have a number of world like planes in your mind, each with one of your emotions. What I would have to do, is find a way to make that disappear."
Every one gasped except Raven, who stood there staring at him.
"That sounds a little extreme. Is there no other way? Surely there is some third option." Robin stepped forward but Gene held up his left hand.
"Two options. Option one: reek plant tea. Option two: I go into her mind and find a way to make her emotions go under her complete control. The first option returns her powers to normal. The second gives her more control, allowing her to feel complete emotional range without destroying anything. The first has a ninety percent chance of success. The second has next to no chance to fail. My psychic powers have been honed to near perfection. I don't want to resort to that however. I would be have to have at least three to twelve hours to do it, which is why it has almost no way of failing. I can try it again tomorrow even if it does." Gene picked up the bag again. "Your choice Raven. Remember, you can say no and restore your powers on your own."
Everyone looked at her, as though questioning her as to what she was going to do.
Beast boy entered the room again, but didn't say anything. He knew when to be quiet, and this was when.
Ravens emotions were all telling her to go with the telekinetic option, but she wanted to try the tea first. Her emotions won in the end. "I think you should try to fix my mind Gene. I want to be able to feel normal emotions. My emotions feel the same way. They want me to be closer to normal. If you think you can do it, I'd like you to try."
Gene set the bag down. "Are you sure? One hundred percent? If I do this, there's no going back. I don't want to do something you might regret later."
Raven nodded. "Yes Gene. I need to be able to control my powers. I'm tired of blowing stuff up whenever I feel sad or happy or angry or anything. I've had to keep my emotions in check my whole life. I want to be able to laugh or cry whenever I'm happy or sad. I want to be able to interact with normal people without them being afraid of me destroying them with my powers. I've made up my mind Gene. You wanted me to trust you, now's your chance to earn it."
Gene sighed. "Alright. We'll have to go somewhere silent. I really have to concentrate to make the initial connection. I'll also need some headache medicine. I'm going to need after this." He walked over to the backpack and picked it up.
"Gene?" Raven walked over to him and put her right hand on his left shoulder.
"I never thought it'd come to this, but if that is what you want, I can't say no. I know how it is to live with restrictions." He looked at the others with a grim look on his face. "Robin. I'll need a room that's completely silent. I'll also need some water. This may be a while, but I promise I'll help Raven get her powers under control."
Robin motioned to follow as he walked down the hall.
"Let's go then. No time like the present." Gene was smiling now, but Raven could tell it was a facade to make the others feel better. It worked for the most part.
When the got to the room Raven recognized it immediately. It was the room they put her in when Trigon tried to capture her.
"This room again? I hoped I'd never have to see it again."
"We can still opt for the tea. Once we get this started, I can't stop." Gene looked at the room as Robin opened the door.
"Scared?" Raven chuckled lightly.
"Yes. I know this will work, but I still don't like doing this. I've done it before, and the headache is a real monster." Gene looked serious again, like he was facing death.
"If you don't want to do this Gene, we can just get the tea." She chuckled again, nervously this time.
"No. I know how you feel. I have a serious restriction on my powers too. If there was a way for me to end it, I wouldn't go for option a either. You want to feel normal emotions, and I can give that to you." He looked at her with a somber face. "I made a promise to try, and I will."
Robin cleared his throat. "I've put the water and some tylenol in the room. You can start any time you want." He walked away, not wanting to interfere.
They both entered the room and the door shut behind them.
"Shall we begin?" Gene used his psychic powers to move two chairs facing each other and sat down on one.
Raven nodded and took the other chair.
Upstairs the others were worried. They trusted Gene, but were unsure if he could actually let Raven feel emotions. Five hours had passed in agonizing silence when the alarm went off. Gene came rushing down the hall with Raven flying close behind him. Gene was in his Grimscythe armor with his staff in his left hand and the skull mask on.
"What's the problem?" Raven sounded the same as always.
Robin checked the computer monitor. "Cinderblock and Overload are robbing a bank with some high tech weapons in the vault."
Everyone headed to the garage except for Raven, Starfire, and Gene, who headed for the roof.
Raven and Starfire took off immediately while Gene flexed his winged cape before taking to the skies.
Sorry for such a long wait on this one. I was trying to portray a softer side to Gene with the pancakes while maintaining a serious atmosphere for Ravens lost powers. More will be detailed on what happened later, but I've got a fightscene to come up with. Let me know who you would like to see Gene clobber. Sorry about my profile by the way. I'm a little unstable at times of stress and I've got an interview coming up and it's driving me up the wall. Until next time, stay safe, stay clean, and don't mess with my alter ego. He can get really mean when he's annoyed.