Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.

Hey Guys! Thank you all soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for your wonderful reviews. They mean the world and make me really happy. Oh yeah, they also get up another chapter. Well I have two things to say to you all. One, I need a total of 100 reviews for the next chapter. Two I'll tell you after you read this chapter. Well, we'll be reaching 100 and I will try to make the next chapter extra special. But anyway, the story.

Kori and Robin/Richard have a truce.

Or so it would seem.

Here's a little peek at Kori and Ginger's relationship.

Alright, I won't hold you up any longer.

Enjoy the Chapter.

Kori glanced around her friend's room. Raven had painted her bedroom walls a dark blue color, as if shunning the light. The dark dresser, a matching desk set and a coarse rug also stood in the bedroom. And of course, there was the comfy bed that Kori was sitting on, with a deep blue quilt and a matching pillow case. Overall, the room reflected Raven and her personality by not revealing a thing.

"You're sure it's ok that stay over tonight?" Kori asked Raven, who was looking something for that Kori could sleep in.

"Its fine," Raven replied monotonously. Raven kept glancing over at Kori with an odd look. She tossed a pair of drawstring sweatpants and a t-shirt to Kori, who immediately pulled them on.

"Why are you looking at me strangely?" Kori finally asked.

Raven was one of those people who are upfront and blunt. "Who called the cab?"

"Robin," Kori replied perplexed. What was Raven up to? She normally didn't try instigating a conversation if she had nothing to say. This made Kori a slight bit nervous. Raven seemed to be waiting for an explanation, so Kori continued. "He seems to always pop up when I am—" She couldn't really say upset, since that was a sign of weakness so she decided on "—not very happy." Kori stopped, unsure of what Raven wanted to hear.

"How do you take that?" Raven asked in her monotone voice.

"I—err—" Kori really wasn't too sure how she took it. The first time it happened, she had been outraged. The second time the boy intruded, she was too devastated to care.

"Just as I thought," Raven said and Kori turned even more bewildered.

"What are you talking about?"

"I have a riddle for you," Raven replied. "What's hard to touch but easy to break? Beware, Andy. The thing you seek to protect may be the thing that breaks you."

"What do you mean by that, Raven?" Kori asked, utterly confused. Why was Raven giving her riddles? Why was she being so unclear? Grr. It was like gibberish. "Are you going to give me a hint?"

"I'll tell you when the time is right," was Raven's answer. "But I think you'll figure it out for yourself. Now what did Viana do this time?"

That was all it took to turn Kori's mind away from the riddle. The riddle would be at the back of her head, until she was ready to discern its meaning. "Viana took away my right to be a volunteer."

"That's never stopped you before," Raven told her with a half smile.

Kori answered that half smile with a vicious one of her own. "I will save Ginger if it's the last thing I do."

"Don't speak so drastically. And don't make such promises."

"I will do it. I will save her."

"I have no doubt."

Richard leaned back into his bed, trying to calm his racing mind and heart. Starfire would definitely be a challenge. She was as moody as one could get, going from upset to angry in a mila second. But he would get her to trust him. It would require deft skill and he felt up to meeting the challenge. He needed to call Victor. His friend would go psycho once he heard that Richard was right—that he could get through to Kori. He picked up his landline and dialed Victor's number from memory.

"Hello?" came the yawning reply on the other side of the phone.

"Yo, Stony," Richard greeted.

"Why the hell are you calling me at two in the morning, you prick?" Victor asked, slightly irritated. He knew it was Richard.

"Well, I just dropped off Kori Anders at her friend's house," Richard replied smoothly.

"You WHAT!!!" Victor screamed, seeming to have lost all drowsiness.

"I just dropped off Kori Anders at her friend's house," Richard replied calmly, though inside he was jumping like mad.

"Kori Anders?" Victor spluttered. "The Kori Anders? Grayson, you better not be joshing me here."

"I swear it, I'm not."

"How'd you pull that off?"

"I have my ways," Richard replied smugly.

"Care to enlighten your fellow?" Victor asked humorously.

"Naw. It's my little secret."

"Dude, you are so screwed when I see you."

"That's only if you can catch me!"

"Done," Victor told Richard victoriously. "Video games at my place."

"You'll be eating my dust, Stony."

"You wish, Grayson."

TTTTT

Kori glared at the mirror. Emerald orbs glared back. Her slim shoulders were squared angrily and her flaming red hair streamed down her back like fire. Well it looked like fire whenever a gush of wind would sweep over her. She was not looking forward to the zoo today. Who knew how Ginger would react once Kori told her that she wasn't a volunteer anymore. Ginger was one of a kind. It was almost funny how Kori realized the first time she could understand the cheetah.

It had been a long day and 12 year old Kori was not the least bit happy. Everyone was mean and stinky and stupid. Kori had wandered to the zoo, a place where she knew animals wouldn't be mean. Yeah, they'd probably ignore her, but hey, at least they couldn't say anything to her. 12 year old Kori let her feet do the wandering, until she heard something that sounded like a cry for help. Who would need help in here? 12 year old Kori wondered. She followed the cry and found herself in front of a cheetah's pen.

"Hello?" 12 year old Kori called timidly. "Is anyone in there?"

A cheetah bounded up to the edge of the pen and looked at her sadly. It was as if she were saying, "Yeah, unfortunately I am."

12 year old Kori had immediately lost her heart to the cheetah. "I'm sorry. I'm also stuck here."

The cheetah looked up at her with mournful eyes. But those eyes seemed to glimmer with something. "Well, it looks like we're both stuck here," was the body language that the cheetah gave off. "Against our wills."

"Maybe it won't be so bad if we become friends," the lonely, saddened, 12 year old Kori suggested.

The cheetah seemed to perk up. "Well, that is definitely an improvement. I'm Ginger."

"I'm Kori." Kori stuck her hand through the pen and gave it to the cheetah to shake. She didn't realize that cheetahs didn't shake hands. The cheetah licked her hand approvingly instead.

"You're going to have to figure out a way to come in here," Ginger somehow told her.

"I agree. Any idea how I could get in?" Kori asked her newfound friend.

"Volunteer?" Ginger suggested.

"Ok."

That was why Kori had volunteered in the first place. Her lonely heart had met another lonely soul and together, they helped pull each other out of their sadness. Now, only Kori could cheer up Ginger. Only Kori could make Ginger happy and it was only Kori that Ginger listened to. Now Ginger would be devastated that Kori couldn't volunteer anymore. Well, it didn't mean that Kori couldn't visit her best friend in the whole entire world; it just meant she couldn't go into Ginger's pen. Refusing to push it off any longer, Kori left the zoo restroom and allowed her feet to go to Ginger's pen.

Reaching the edge of the pen, Kori called out to Ginger. Ginger immediately bounded up to Kori, who petted her head through the pen. "Ginger?"

Ginger gave her an "Oh no" look.

"I have a slight problem. Viana's not very nice."

"That's an understatement," Ginger told her.

"Well, she kind of banded me from being a volunteer," Kori muttered. Ginger reared up on her hind legs in shock.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Ginger exclaimed through body language.

"I wish I were. I tried; I really did, but Mr. Anders was going to—" Kori shivered just by thinking about it.

Ginger immediately calmed down and was back to being petted by Kori. "He didn't, did he?"

"No, he only threatened. But it's enough to have it threatened. But I gave that woman exactly what she deserved. I threw those keys at her head and heard a loud crack."

"So that's why she hasn't shown up today," Ginger said.

"Oh, maybe that woman is in the hospital?" Kori asked excitedly.

"Yeah, she's just leaving," came a male voice from behind her. Kori turned to see Robin looking at her with a small smile on his face. He was the type of guy all girls fell head over heels for, but Kori wouldn't buy into that. She wasn't the type to. His smile would have made girls faint, but not Kori. Kori didn't care what he did as long as he didn't hurt her or her friends.

"And how would you know that?" Kori asked, eyes narrowing. Ginger gave a little growl, as if sensing Kori's mood change. Kori went from open to defensive in a heartbeat.

"I have my ways," Richard replied smoothly. He had been shocked to see Kori all excited while talking to Ginger, but once he had made his presence known, she had gotten all defensive. This girl was going to be even more of a challenge than he thought. The only time he ever saw her defenses down was when she was with Ginger. Time would get her to lighten up on him.

"What are you doing here?" Kori asked, glaring at him. Why did he intrude on her time with Ginger? Why was he always there when she just wanted a private moment? Was he following her? Was he just being stupid?

"Can't a guy be nice?" Richard countered. Why was she like this? Why did she always get mad at him? He honestly wasn't following her this time. He had just finished his game with Victor and of course, Victor smoked him. But that was chill, even though Richard had to treat Victor out for some pizza. Richard had headed over to the zoo, in hopes of finding Kori there and he was lucky to have found her.

"When they're nice they usually have motivation behind it," Kori replied, still glaring.

"Maybe I don't. Maybe my only motivation is to get to know you better. Is that a crime?"

"In this world, I'd probably say yes."

"Oh, come on Star, let me treat you out for lunch."

"Why?"

"Because I'm nice."

"No, you're a guy."

"Is guy synonymous for mean?"

Kori smiled at him for the first time. "You catch on quick, Robin. Alright, you can 'treat me out for lunch' if you insist."

So what did you guys think of that? Remember, I need a total of 100 reviews for the next chapter to go up. Alright, now I have to beg for everyone's forgiveness. I am going out of states for about 6 weeks and I won't have any computer with me. I feel horrible leaving you all hanging, so I tried not to leave such a big cliffy. Anyway, I hope you all can forgive me and I sincerely apologize. But look at it this way; I don't leave until Tuesday morning. If--and only if--I get the total of 100 by tomorrow (Monday), I can possibly get up another chapter. I am not promising/guaranteeing anything, but it is only a possibility. Remember, I didn't promise anything, but I'll promise this, when I get back you guys will get a chapter up (since I should probably have the total of reviews needed by that time anyway). That was the second thing.

Ok, a total of 100 reviews and I'll get up the next chapter when I can. I will totally love you all forever if you guys want to give me more than 100 reviews, but I'm just saying 100 is the minimum.

Also, you guys should also try to figure out the riddle. I'll give it to you again. What's hard to touch but easy to break? Beware Andy, the thing you seek to protect may be the thing that breaks you. What is it? Alrighty, have fun figuring that out.

Again, I am begging everyone's forgiveness for leaving you all hanging for 6 weeks.

Can't wait to hear from you all,

Your's truly,

moonlitsfantasy