Multiverse
#Part 1#

The idea of ripping through the fabric of time and space by travelling beyond the speed of light has definitely caught the interest of many including the speedster himself. He was the one who experienced it close hand. He just wanted to know exactly how something like that actually worked.

Jaime, Tim, Damian, and Wally went into NASA to find Theodore Kord who was assisting in more research of Interstellar Travels. While the four were walking on the hallway towards the main engine room, they had some brief chatting. There weren't a lot of peoples in the NASA base, and Damian's attachment to Wayne Enterprises and Titans funding allowed him to free roam around the base. Ever since the Brotherhood of Evil incident, perhaps the US Government has approved the Titans of their methods to save the world.

"So how are you and Ted?" Damian asked to Jaime.

"We're doing great." Jaime said. "I went to him for training. He knew how to control and communicate with the scarab, so he knew what to do with it."

"It's strange." Tim said. "It's like you're having some sort of a controlled multiple personality disorder. How was the scarab like?"

Jaime put a hand near his ear. The scarab was connected through his nervous systems. So he is able to know what the scarab thought on his head before telling anyone about it. Wally always find that quite creepy especially if the scarab somehow found a way to override his orders and began to kill people.

"It says hi." Jaime said. "And he also warns you to not to talk about him while he's around."

"Oh sorry for caring, you little snot."

As Wally said that, Jaime belched. His right hand waved uncontrollably and pointed right towards Wally. His right hand was suddenly covered with a blue metal gauntlet resembling a sonic gun. Wally's heart skipped a beat just right where it was about to charge up.

"Whoa, relax!" Wally said. "I was joking!"

Jaime tried his hardest to grab his right hand and control that thing. "Stop! Please! He's just joking!"

The armor retracted back to its original position. Wally's breath turned from panicked breath to a very constant one.

"Jesus Christ." Wally said. "You scared the shit out of me."

"Sorry." Jaime said. "You don't want to do that in front of the thing."

"God." Wally said. "How the hell are you supposed to control the thing?"

"Well, we had our shares of fights before." Jaime said. "The thing just couldn't shut up sometimes."

"I thought you know better not to do that, Wally." Damian said. "He's from your universe too, right?"

"Yeah, but he's... friendlier." Wally said. "And at least Jaime could control it."

"Well, whatever the scarab does is my responsibility too." Jaime said.

"We all need to be responsible." Damian said. "If what Wally said is right, then that scarab is one of Reach's main components for their victory. If the Reach is coming at any moment, we're going to need something to prevent it from happening."

"Also," Wally continued. "The only reason you're able to gain independence from the scarab is that it was separated from the Reach's database. So when the Reach comes, we're not sure if you're going to be in our side or not."

Jaime frowned. "If the Reach does come, I'm not going to let them to control the scarab. In a way, he's a part of me now, so I have to take care of him as much as I take care of myself."

"That's the spirit." Wally said. "We're going to need it if we're going to kick some serious alien butt."

"We're here."

Damian introduced them into the meeting room. Kord was only reading a bunch of files working on their formulas and equations on how to figure out proper life support for the spaceship. And he couldn't believe it himself: Teddy Kord was just as he looked like on his universe, probably slightly younger but he still looks very great.

"Ah good evening, Titans, well some of them at least." Kord said. "Jaime, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, thank you Ted." Jaime said, shaking his hands.

"Damian, how's your dad?"

"He's doing fine." Damian said. "Managing the company was quite the hassle, but as long as he's not on the outfit, he's good."

"That's great." Ted said. "Hey, Timmy."

"It's nice to meet you again, Mr. Kord."

"Ted, please." Ted raised his arms towards Wally, offering his hand. "You must be new to the team. I'm Ted Kord."

Wally paused for a bit. There was a look of shock on his face like he was literally seeing a dead person coming back to life. Perhaps there was a mention on his name to the list of peoples that had died on his universe.

"Um... hello?" Ted called. "Is he alright?"

Wally snapped back to reality and greeted him. "Wally West. I'm sorry. I just... being a speedster can hurt your head sometimes."

"You're a speedster?" Ted said. "Faster than the Flash?"

"Not exactly, but still pretty fast." Wally commented.

"Incredible." Ted said. "Have you experienced it?"

"Experienced what?"

"Lightspeed?"

Wally sighed. "That's why we're here. We want to talk about something bigger than lightspeed."

"What is it?"

"Universe Leap."

As Damian uttered those words, Ted froze still in place before making a questioned face. "Universe Leap?"

"Wally here didn't just come from a neighborhood in El Paso or something." Jaime said. "He's out of this world... literally."

"Oh." Ted said. "You're suggesting that he came from another universe."

"That's right." Damian said. "I didn't believe it at first, but I know when peoples lie and hide something, mostly thanks to Megan, and Wally is not hiding something there."

"So somewhere out there, there's another universe with many different twists and variables?" Ted asked.

"Very different." Wally said. "But not too different."

"Oh my god." Ted grabbed his head, scoffing and laughing in joy. "This is brilliant! This is incredible! But... how are you able to undertake such journey?"

"Travelling beyond the speed of light." Wally said. "In my universe in the year 2016, there was an alien invasion. This alien, the Reach, has made devices that disturbed the Earth's gravitational pull or something. I don't know. I got hit by one of these devices and just suddenly I dissipate. I don't know where I went. I'm just... gone. I remembered running really fast. There was too much light, and then there was darkness for about two hours before I found myself on this universe."

"But... that's impossible." Ted said. "It's physically impossible for you to go beyond the speed of light. Even if you do manage to get to the exact amount of the speed of light, time stops and nothing happens. Say if you could, then time reverses and your mass is beyond infinite. So it is absolutely unlikely that we're going to see that kind of speedsters."

"This is the same universe where two aliens from Krypton and a Tamaranean alien become superheroes." Tim said. "I'll take my chances on multiverse leap anytime."

"Multiverse leap... beyond the speed of light... it's just unbelievable." Ted said. "Milky Way is about billions of light years. By that speed, you should've reached any part of that realm, but considering that our mass is infinite beyond the speed of light, then maybe it will cause disturbance to spacetime and it will tear up a portal through that universe realm. The big question is how can someone achieve such speed? Please sit down. We need to discuss this even further."

Ted took his seat, but the four Titans froze at the sight of someone right behind him. They widened their eyes to the sight of one sorcerer that just tore up a portal from the Titans Tower into here in a matter of seconds.

"Uh... boys?" Ted turned around to see that Raven was standing right beside him, wearing a purple hoodie and jeans. The moment he got his eyes on her, he jumped and shrieked.

"I want to join." Raven said. "May I?"

"No offense, Raven, but I thought you were onto the magic stuff." Damian said.

"I've studied too much magic on my childhood." Raven said. "A slice of real science always caught my eyes especially if this whole multiverse thing can be explained scientifically."

"So you're suggesting that you can access the multiverse through the power of magic?" Ted asked.

"No." Raven said. "A universe consists of five different dimensions. My magic only traverse and controls those dimensions and not through the fabric of time and space, even then I can only control the third. I'm shocked that science are able to overcome magic. Not even magic can travel beyond those five secluded dimensions, not even the fifth one."

"You can make wormholes and portals out of nowhere, Raven." Damian said.

"Even my portals have their own limits." Raven said. "Anyway, can we just move on to the theories please? Let's face it. If the Reach didn't come, we still would only have speculations."

"Okay." Ted said. "I'd be happy if you join, but please do me a favor not to jump at me for once."

"I make no promises."

Raven took a seat right across the boys while Kord began the meeting.

"Now are you planning to keep this a secret?" Ted Kord

"The Titans knew. Barry knew. We're probably going to tell Batman and Superman, but those are it. We don't want anyone else." Damian said. "We're just here to know your input."

"Okay."

##

Stephanie always find a lot of pleasant conversation with Starfire. She spent a lot of time with her talking about mostly girly stuff. Usually Stephanie was uncomfortable talking about those stuff, the stuff that exposes most of her feminine side, but she didn't care. She's still a female after all. She deserved to have a little bit of feminism inside.

"Diner Time!" Starfire loudly announced with that squeaky, cute anime voice of her. Oh my god. Seriously. She really wanted to just come in and squeeze her cheeks she's that adorable. No wonder why Damian really wanted her.

"I have prepared you all a French Toast, Richard's recipe." Starfire said. "I am very pleased if you would have some time to taste it and tell me what you think."

Besides Stephanie are Victor and Garfield. They're very fun to hang around with. Not to mention that Steph had known Garfield for years as being one of Damian's most responsible babysitter does introduce her to his well-known friends. Both are using their civilian outfits, like most of the Titans at the tower.

"French Toast!" Victor shouted. "Give me! Give me!"

"Me too!" Stephanie said. "I'm quite hungry for some."

"Do you want a taste, Beast Boy?"

"I'm a vegan, Star." Garfield said. "I don't eat eggs."

"I am sorry." Starfire said. "I have forgotten that you are a vegan. I was wondering how does it feel devouring one of your kind."

Victor, Stephanie, and Garfield glanced at the alien weird.

"I wish I would not come into such circumstances." Starfire said, smiling awkwardly while waving her hands in embarrassment.

Garfield sighed. "Thank god. I really thought you were a zombie for once."

"Zombie?" Starfire asked. "Are you referring to those man-eating creatures?"

"Yeah, that's how you'll feel eating your own." Garfield crossed his hands on the back of his head, smiling smugly towards her.

"Eww!" Starfire said, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "I really do not wish to come into those circumstances."

"Well, what can you say Star. Gar is a little bit paranoid." Stephanie said. She turned her attention towards Garfield, who instead of French Toast, only given vegetarian sandwich. "So you're saying that you can turn into tigers, dogs and other carnivorous animals, but you still don't eat meat."

"Hey, dogs eat vegetables too sometimes!" Garfield said. "Besides, I don't turn into a tiger often. I'm more used to taking animal traits. You know like cheetah speed, rhino shells, horse legs..."

Stephanie tried to hold her laughter, but she just couldn't let it out of her system and laughed out loud of that bizarre imagination she had.

"What's so funny?" Garfield asked.

"Nothing." Stephanie said. "I'm just... every time I want to get the image of you running with horse legs, I can only think of you running with donkey legs."

Soon enough, Victor followed her laughter. Vic's laughter were always the loudest. When Stephanie made that statement, he exploded in laughter. He even bothered to just slap Gar out of the way. Even Starfire made a soft giggle under her breath.

"Real funny, guys." Garfield said.

"Just try to pick up animal traits that make you look cool." Stephanie said. "Cheetah speed and rhino shells might be awesome, but horse legs? Really? Try something cooler like tiger claws or maybe giant wings."

"I did giant wings so many times." Garfield said. "I don't do tiger claws because I don't kill. That's why I thought rhino shells were always the best. They punch peoples hard."

"Oh no! The big man has spoken!" Stephanie said. "Can you make spider webs too?"

Garfield formed some sort of a metal gesture towards a root beer. Soon enough, a sling of spider web began to come out of his hand. The spider web hit the root beer. He pulled the root beer using the web towards him and catch it in quite the interesting fashion.

He opened the root beer and gave it a drink just through that bottle. "You were saying?"

"Um… nothing." Stephanie said, putting the most awkward face of all.

"Alright then." Garfield stood up from the table. "I'm going out. I got something to do."

"Does this have anything to do with Raven?" Stephanie teased.

"Yeah, Beasty." Victor said. "Does this have anything to do with Raven?"

Garfield turned around, glancing at the two weird, three in fact as Starfire also gave her comments.

"I have noticed you two lately." Starfire said. "You have been very close."

"Well, think anything you like, but there's nothing big between us... yet." Garfield added before he left the room.

The three glanced at each other back and forth before stopping and trying to make sure they got his message. Beast Boy was trying to get close to Raven? Out of all the female chicks that he wanted to hang out with... Terra, she could understand, but Raven?

"Is there something happening between Beast Boy and Raven?" Starfire asked. "I am hoping that it is not bothering them."

"They're not just bothering each other, Star." The Cyborg said. "They're close... strangely close. I don't know how they do that."

"Just remember when Beast Boy got crazy insane beast mode to Damian, the one who stopped him was Raven." Stephanie said. "You know who else was guarding Beast Boy after that little incident? Raven. When he got out of that room, it's totally crazy. One second, he's like going into super killer beast mode. Then the other, he apologized Damian. He just sacrificed his about-to-be girlfriend without his knowledge and he apologized him for that. I honestly don't know what did Raven say but it has to be something."

"Yeah." Cyborg said.

"The point is they're not the kind of peoples that I expect to get close." Stephanie said. "Before Terra, all they do is just fight at each other. And I'm just standing on the background saying just kiss already."

"It is no good thinking of forcing someone into a physical intimate relationship." Starfire said.

"Oh really?" Stephanie said. "So how are you and Damian already? I bet you never sleep with the guy."

"Damian is not that kind of person!" Starfire said, blushing. "He would never engage me in such activities!"

"Doesn't mean he doesn't want to. Maybe you also wanted it too." Stephanie said. "Come on, Star. I knew you very well to know how your little heart works. If you want to do it with him, just do it already. He won't fight. In fact, he'll probably enjoy it."

"Are you sure?" Starfire said. "Don't you think he will be angry about it?"