Author's Note:
Lost In Dreams19: haha sorry I wanted to end with some sort of cliffy. Hope this chapter makes up for it! Thanks for reviewing
Katwizzle: Haha thanks! Finally finally finally Beast Boy finds out:D Thanks for reviewing!
Queen-Werempire: Yes I know it's so sad but omg I think it would be even better when they get back together it's gonna be so fluffyxD Thanks for reviewing!
Sorry heh I just finished my first songfic for BBxRae. If you haven't read it, do go to check it out and tell me what you think! Hopefully this update will be interesting to you guys!
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.
Chapter 9: Blumiere Mark Roth
Beast Boy's POV:
Beast Boy stared at the gurgling baby as he waved his fists in the air. Blu was reaching out with his little hands, trying to touch Beast Boy, and his eyes were wide with curiosity. Beast Boy reached out with his fingers and lightly brushed them across the soft grey skin of the baby. Happily, the baby smiled and clutched his tiny chubby hand around Beast Boy's fingers, tugging lightly at them. He tried to put Beast Boy's fingers into his own mouth, but Beast Boy slipped them away, causing the baby to break out into hysterical screaming and loud sobs.
Immediately, Arella looked worried, rocking the baby back and forth and cooing to him until he fell asleep. She scowled at Beast Boy when the baby had finally fell silent.
"Dude—I mean your majesty, he was going to slobber all over my fingers," he protested.
"Call me Arella, Garfield, and babies are curious. You shouldn't have upset him by pulling away. Just let him play and explore."
Beast Boy was suddenly filled with anger when he remembered what Estella had told him about her childhood.
"Like how you let Raven play and explore when she was young?" he bravely countered.
Arella's eyes darkened and her whole aura seemed to be intimidating, scaring Beast Boy slightly. Then she abruptly sighed and her whole demeanor flattened. She gestured for Beast Boy to sit on the red couch behind them, and he tried to do so as dignifiedly as he could possible manage. He managed to not fall backwards and cause the whole couch to shift out of its original position. But it wasn't exactly graceful, not like how Raven always sat down.
Arella placed Blu into the crib in the corner and covered him with a blanket, and then sat on the couch opposite of him with as much grace and poise as Raven possessed.
"Raven wasn't allowed to play because of her powers. I'm sure you understand. She would have destroyed everything and everyone around her because of that," she reasoned.
"But surely when she was a kid she wasn't all that powerful! You could have at least let her play for a bit," he argued.
Arella sighed.
"I confess I wasn't much of a great mother. She almost wasn't born, it was just dumb luck that Azar convinced me to allow Raven to live. I wanted to kill the baby in me when I was pregnant, after I learnt of the horrible thing she would be destined to do. When she was born, I resented her for a long time, always being strict with her. I didn't think she deserved to have fun, to be like other children, especially since she would cause great misery to everyone. When Azar finally reprimanded me and caused me to change my view on things, it was too late. Raven's powers were already developing, and she had wasted her time cooped up in the house when she could've gone out to play with the other children, because I was too hard on her, and believed she wasn't worthy of playing with the other Azarathians. I regret that I might have been the main reason why she was always too serious. She may not have told you, but she could feel brief periods of strong emotions before, but she was too hard on herself. She devoted all her time to studying about her powers. Even when she was a child, during break times, she wouldn't go out to play with the others, though Azar gave her permission to. In a way, I think she was afraid I would chastise her," she said, looking down guiltily.
Beast Boy didn't know Raven's childhood had been such a painful one. He thought she wasn't allowed to feel. Now he knew that she could feel, she just didn't choose to. No wonder she had fallen so easily for Malchior's charms. No one had ever given her that kind of love, and without thinking, she fell head over heels for a dragon trapped in a book without much thought. She was so desperate for acceptance that she didn't think much about what she was getting herself into. Beast Boy wanted to blame Arella for all the troubles Raven had faced throughout her life, but he couldn't, because he knew he was to blame as well.
If only he had been more caring towards Raven, to try to make her feel like she was loved within their team, she might not have gotten hurt by Malchior. If only he had paid her more attention these past few months, he would have noticed her discomfort. If only he had not been so fixated on Terra, he would have noticed her love for him and she wouldn't have gotten hurt, and she wouldn't have lost her powers, and they could still be happily sitting in the tower just like always.
"It's not entirely your fault. You may have had some influence on Raven's personality, but I should have been a better friend. I shouldn't have acted on my drunken stupor, and I feel really horrible that I didn't help her through everything. Now she's run away, and only now do I know that I have a son," Beast Boy said, putting his head into his hands.
Arella stood up and walked over to sit beside him, putting her hand on top of his shoulder in a comforting gesture. Beast Boy looked up and saw that her eyebrows were furrowed and she looked slightly disturbed.
"What's going on? Why are you here? Raven made it very clear that she would not tell you, unless something were to happen to her. Tell me everything, and don't try to spare my feelings."
Beast Boy nodded, took a deep breath and started.
"Basically when Raven came back, I didn't pay much attention to her. I ignored my feelings for her and basically just pushed her away. During a recent battle with one of the villains, he captured her and sucked out all her powers. Raven nearly didn't survive then, but thankfully we managed to save her just in time and we tried to return her powers back to her own body, but unfortunately they had been mixed with the powers of the villain, who specialized in light, and her body rejected those powers. She grew very weak over the night, and she couldn't walk straight, or lift a teapot anymore. She told me she wanted to take a nap, and I brought her back to her room and didn't disturb her like she asked. Instead, I went to play volleyball with my teammates. I should've known Raven wouldn't want to depend on anyone. I should have known she would try something like this. I should have kept a closer watch on her, but now she's gone, and it's all thanks to me," he finished, tears spilling out of his eyes.
Arella just rubbed her hand up and down his back soothingly.
"It isn't entirely your fault. My daughter's pride was to blame as well. If only she weren't so independent. Right now, we cannot cry over spilt milk. What we can do is to find her as soon as possible. I cannot allow you to take Blu with you," she said, and Beast Boy's face fell slightly.
"However," she continued, "there has recently been a situation in Azarath. One of the monks, Crestelle, has been corrupted by a great evil, and she is out to get ahold of Raven and myself. She believes that she can harness the powers of Raven and myself to unleash havoc around the world. I believe she is working hand in hand with a dragon named Malchior. This is why security has been dramatically increased around the castle grounds, and I believe you were interrogated when you arrived."
Beast Boy gasped.
"But…Malchior…that's the evil dragon that Raven—"
"Raven what?"
"Nothing," Beast Boy covered up. Evidently Raven had not told her mother about her past relationship with the dreaded dragon Malchior.
Arella looked at him skeptically for a second before continuing.
"That is why it is unsafe for me to remain around here, especially if she finds out that Raven has produced a son. I hope you will allow me to return to Earth with you, along with Blumiere as well, and aid in your search to find Raven."
Beast Boy nodded his head slowly, as if he were still trying to grasp his mind around the situation at hand.
"Arella, I think my team will welcome you at our home, and we can leave as soon as you get all your belongings ready."
Arella had a small smile on her face.
"Garfield, I thought you would have learnt something about us Roths after staying with Raven for such a long time. We are always ready, and we are always well organised and prepared for the future," she claimed.
She gestured to the corner of the room, where Beast Boy saw three suitcases. At a closer glance, Beast Boy realised Arella's room had indeed been emptied. The closet was empty, and Arella seemed to be fully ready to depart.
"I have already written a note explaining my departure to the guards, and I'm sure my note will find them well in due course," she said, picking up Blumiere from his crib.
"Now, if you are r—"
She was interrupted by loud noises wafting up from the courtyard. Both of them rushed onto the balcony and saw a whole crowd of guards. Suddenly all of them were blasted away and in the centre stood a woman with flowing long hair. Her eyes were glowing demonically and her aura was crackling with electricity. She looked up and her eyes met Beast Boy's and she cackled maniacally. With a cry, Arella tugged Beast Boy back into the chamber, shutting the doors and then quickly grabbing all her belongings and Beast Boy.
Tapping Beast Boy's ring three times, she muttered the words Azarath Metrion Zinthos 3 times before they whirled back to Earth. The last thing Beast Boy saw before he teleported away was the face of Crestelle plastered onto the window, in her eyes a demonic gleam.
Beast Boy and Arella landed in the middle of the Titans' commons, and the both of them, especially Beast Boy, was feeling slightly disorientated. Beast Boy thought that the room was spinning, and everything around him was blurring in and out of focus. He felt his hand around for something to grab onto and finally managed to find a surface to clamp his hand down on. When his head had finally stopped throbbing and his vision had come back into focus, he frantically looked around, hoping that Blu was alright.
In fact, he was more than alright. He was still snoozing away lightly on Arella's arm, and Arella was still standing gracefully in the middle of the commons, staring a little worriedly at himself. Huh, he thought to himself, must be an Azarathian thing to not get sick after teleporting.
"Garfield, are you alright?"
"Yeah yeah I'm fine, but dude, that was so close! That Crestelle person almost got to us!"
Arella looked extremely worried.
"You're right. I think she knows we're on earth now, so what we need to do is find Raven as quickly as possible. In her defenseless state, Raven is no match for Crestelle."
Beast Boy nodded and pressed the alarm. The Titans streamed into the room quickly after that, and all of them settled down after curious glances at Arella and his son.
"Titans, I would like you to meet Arella, Raven's mother, and this is Blumiere, my son."
He hadn't planned on saying it so directly, but now that the words were out of his mouth, he couldn't do anything to take them back. Arella chuckled lightly when she saw the reactions of all the Titans. Their jaws were hanging slack and they were all staring at the baby in Arella's hands.
Terra was the first to react.
"So BB, this is the product of that one night with Raven?"
All the Titans turned their gazes to Beast Boy and he glared at Terra. He had wanted to break it to them slowly, not have it all thrown into their faces. Starfire looked confused while Robin and Cyborg looked ready to rip him apart.
"I…hehheh…yeah."
Cyborg came closer to Beast Boy now, cracking his robotic knuckles menacingly.
"You mean to tell me that you had a one night stand with Raven, and then waltzed back to Terra after she came back without any care for Raven's feelings?"
When Beast Boy nodded meekly, Cyborg's face turned into one of pure anger.
"So all those times she stayed in her room was because of you! You hurt my little sister, and there will be hell to pay," he yelled, raising his fists and coming towards Beast Boy.
Frightened, Beast Boy instinctively turned into a bunny and hid behind the legs of Arella. She glanced at his cowering form and rolled her eyes, before placing her hand right in front of Cyborg's charging figure.
"Stop."
Her voice commanded power, and like Raven, she could get the attention of everyone with just a simple soft word. Cyborg halted in his footsteps and all of the Titans' attentions were now on Arella. Beast Boy had now changed back into a human, but still stood slightly behind Arella.
"Fighting like children is not going to help Raven. What's done is done. Right now all we can do is to find her as soon as possible, so that she can be cared for. I'm not saying Beast Boy's actions should be tolerated, and the truth is that he has hurt Raven far more than he realised by being with you," she said, pointing at Terra, "but, all of you are to blame."
"None of you were there for her when she needed you most, and though she never confided in any of you about her feelings, you should have been able to perceive them through her actions. All of you were so stuck on her return," she said, gesturing at Terra, "that you failed to realise you were pushing Raven away in the process. I'm not saying it's your fault dear, but you should have known better. I know Raven doesn't seem like she cares, but inside she's just a normal teenage girl who wants to be loved. Sad to say she hasn't gotten much affection from me, and I regret that, but I would have never imagined her to come running back to me, with a swollen stomach, crying and hurt by her friends. All her life Raven has tried to fit in, to belong somewhere, but because of her heritage she is afraid of rejection, and you just confirmed her fears."
Arella was getting slightly choked up at the end, and most of the Titans were sporting tear-streaked faces now. Arella took a deep breath and continued.
"She hasn't had the most easy childhood; I admit I was harsh towards her. It was a good thing for her to come to Earth, I thought, and I was right. She found wonderful friends in all of you, who helped her overcome her father, who taught her everything she could know about friendship. She trusted you guys wholeheartedly, and her devotion towards the team made her return, even though she confessed she did not feel welcome any longer. She used to send me lengthy letters about her new discoveries, about all of you. She loved all of you. You were like the family she never had, and I hope you can work together and get the lost family member back."
There was not a single dry eye after Arella had finished speaking to them. Beast Boy felt horrible for treating Raven badly, and he knew everyone in the room was feeling the same. Robin was the first to move. He handed out tissues to everyone and dried his own eyes. He had to remove his mask to do so, but he made sure his eyes were closed the entire time.
"So," Arella continued, "you can start by telling me your names. I have a fairly good guess who you are, but just to be absolutely certain. My name is Arella, as most of you might have already known, and I am from Azarath. I have very limited powers and I am not strong, like Raven."
Each of the Titans' introduced themselves, and Arella nodded.
Robin finally decided to step in as the team's detective and addressed Arella.
"So Arella, what brings you to Earth?"
"Well, as most of you know, Raven recently went back to Azarath to give birth to Blumiere. After that, he was entrusted in my care. During our time apart, there is a threat to both myself and Raven. Her name is Crestelle and she is an Azarathian sorceress, one of the most powerful in the whole of Azarath. She has been influenced by an evil dragon named Malchior, and she is out to get my family. I believe she is seeking our powers, and she thinks that by killing us, she will be able to dominate the world. I assure you she is heading to Earth as we speak, and that is why we must find Raven as soon as possible."
"Wait…isn't Malchior the bad dragon that friend Raven let out by the accident, and then got kicked by us," Starfire asked, unaware of the frantic gestures that Beast Boy was giving her.
Arella looked confused for a moment.
"You mean Raven has been tricked by this Malchior? That makes it all the more dangerous. He will know her weaknesses, and will exploit them at all costs. My guess is that he wants to get rid of Raven so that he will no longer risk being trapped in a book. When Raven lost her powers, the enchantments surrounding the book were destroyed, so Malchior must have found his way out. He would want to get his hands on the book, so we had better guard it safely from now on."
The Titans nodded their heads, and Robin immediately sent Terra to retrieve the book from Raven's room. Terra returned not a minute later with a thick dusty tome, and Robin assigned Cyborg to set up some electronic field around said object to prevent it from being stolen. Meanwhile, the remaining Titans talked about their leads on Raven.
"No leads so far Beast Boy. I'm sorry, but it seems like she's dropped right off the face of the earth. We tracked her car to a storage company, but the employee had no idea where Raven had went. We checked Jump City bank, and it took a lot of persuasion before one of the tellers told us Raven had withdrawn all her money from her account. None of them however, could tell us where she went."
Beast Boy's ears drooped.
"How are we going to find her now?"
All the Titans were deep in thought before Arella suddenly straightened up.
"I have an idea. Do any of you know if Raven brought her mirror along with her?"
Terra shook her head.
"She didn't. It was sitting on the desk when I went in to retrieve the book. Why?"
"Because that's how we're going to find Raven," Arella said, rolling her eyes at the Titans' stupidity.
"Raven's mirror allows the user to enter her mind, and if someone asked nicely, I'm sure one of the logical emotions would tell them what they wanted to know. It is for Raven's own good."
Beast Boy brightened up considerably.
"Dude, that's awesome!"
Robin allowed himself one of the first smiles he had worn ever since Raven's disappearance.
"Then that's settled. Beast Boy and Arella, you will both enter Raven's mind to try to find her location. Cyborg, you will work on keeping the book away from Malchior. Terra and Starfire, you will both take care of Beast Boy's son, while I will do some research on this Crestelle character. If she is as powerful as she seems, and if she has the support of Malchior, we will need to rally all the Titans together to take them down."
Everyone nodded, and Blumiere turned slightly, his eyes still shut and blissfully unaware of everything that was going on in the room.
"Alright, Titans GO!"