Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to the Teen Titans or any characters in the DC Universe.
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The Batmobile glided through one of the Batcave's hidden and secret entrances. In this case a massive boulder rolled out of the way, granting the famous black car access to Gotham's best kept secret: the location of the Batcave.
The tunnel appeared to be an ordinary cave at first. There was no artificial lighting or electrical fixtures visible and the floor was bumpy and uneven. To a casual observer it looked like an ordinary cave. Further into the cave there was a wide chasm that was spanned temporarily by a platform that slid out. The chasm was there to keep any would be explorers from delving any deeper and accidentally discovering the Batcave. There were other security measures as well, including a robotic bear that had more than once shooed away the curious who had made it past the sliding boulder.
The Batmobile was the latest incarnation in the dynasty of vehicles that served as Batman's ground transportation. It possessed technology that even put the T-Car to shame, plus as Beast Boy had mentioned earlier it was way cooler than the T-Car. It seated four and Dick sat in the back seat, wearing his Robin costume while Tim was attired in his own less flashy version of the Boy Wonder.
Dick felt uneasy about this situation. He had been Robin for years and his alter ego had ingrained itself into his psyche, to the point where he often had difficulty in separating Dick Grayson from Robin. While it was true that being Robin implied that he was still the Batman's sidekick he knew that was no longer anyone's sidekick and that it was time to let Tim replace him as the Boy Wonder. Nevertheless, surrendering his traffic light wasn't easy, in spite of all the baggage that came with it.
Dick recalled the blowup that had happened between him and Bruce. It had been building up for some time, he remembered the bitterness that had swelled up in him back when Bruce refused to treat him as a partner. The straw that broke the camel's back had been the time when Bruce used excessive force on a two bit hood, trying to extract information from him about the Joker. It had happened right in front of the man's wife and young son.
At that point Dick realized he could no longer work with Bruce. The words he shouted still rang in his ears as if it had happened just yesterday.
I'm out of here.
At that fateful moment Dick severed all ties with Batman and headed out to the west coast, to Jump City, to start a new life for himself, a life where he wouldn't be a sidekick.
Yet that had proven to be elusive. As much as Robin had tried to be the "unBatman" he failed. Even though he tried to be different, to be unique, his own man, he kept catching himself behaving like his old mentor, especially after the Titans were founded and he became their leader. Early on he had almost ripped the team apart after his fight with Cyborg.
If there was a saving grace for him it was that unlike Bruce he could, sometimes, admit he was wrong. He knew that his teammates were fantastic, without peer. They were also his dearest friends. Cyborg and Raven were the siblings he never had. He had been able to overcome the Batclan obsession with crime fighting to build a romantic relationship with Starfire.
And then there was Beast Boy. He at first had his doubts about the changeling and mostly tolerated him at first because his powers occasionally came in handy. It wasn't until the showdown with the Brotherhood of Evil that Dick finally understood the mettle the changeling had within him.
So much had happened and changed in so little time, and as it happens so often in life, often against one's own will, it was time to move on.
"Hey Dick! We're back!" Tim's voice echoed inside the Batmobile. Richard acknowledged that he heard Tim's remark with a wave of his hand and climbed out of the Batmobile. It was then that he experienced déjà vu, reliving what was both a familiar and yet at the same time new experience. It was as if he had returned home and yet was an outsider. For the first time in his life he understood the parable of the Prodigal Son, for he had once been dead (to Bruce) but was alive again.
"Are you OK Dick?" Bruce asked him while Dick stared off into the void. Snapping back into reality he turned to his former mentor.
"I'm sorry Bruce."
"So am I." The Dark Knight replied as he lowered his cowl while Tim retrieved a plate of sandwiches that Alfred had left for them in a fridge in the rear of the Batcave.
"What happened to us Bruce?"
"We were victims of our own success." He replied between mouthfuls of sandwich.
Richard nodded as he absentmindedly shoved a sandwich into his mouth, which he washed down with a glass of milk.
"You made me in your own image."
"I did Dick, and for that I'm sorry. You have no idea how glad I am that you have found someone to share your life with. Heaven knows I tried, and failed every time. Speaking of which, I think we might need to have a talk…"
Dick swallowed the remainder of his sandwich in a single gulp.
"What do you mean? What kind of talk?"
"Starfire is a lovely young lady, but she is an alien…"
Dick broke out laughing.
"Relax Bruce, we've got that covered."
"You're certain of that?"
"Yes, we are. Yesterday we had Cyborg run a scan on Starfire. She and I are fully … well … you know what I mean."
"What is he talking about?" Tim mumbled as he shoved another sandwich into his mouth.
Dick grinned as he turned towards his replacement.
"When a mommy and a daddy love each other very much …"
"Stop!" Tim yelped. "That's gross! I don't wanna hear about it!"
"Good to see you're a normal kid Tim." Dick teased him. "Trust me, some day you won't think it's gross."
"Sez you!"
"Well, now that we got this out of the way, I do have a more serious question … why are the Logans travelling in disguise to Europe? Something tells me that this isn't a belated honeymoon for them." Bruce asked.
Robin tensed up as the moment of levity evaporated. This was Titans' business, his business. He could feel the pride swelling within him. They weren't kids anymore; they had proven that time over time. In many ways Raven and Beast Boy were now more mature than Bruce, more balanced than the compulsive obsessive mentor Dick had left behind years ago.
But Dick also knew that they needed all the help they could get. The Logans were off to face a mysterious foe, one who probably had ties to Trigon himself. Dick was fully aware of what was at risk, for there was no room for error. This would no doubt be the last chance they would get to find a way to break the curse, which held on to the Logans with the viciousness, resolve and determination that a pit bull held on when it bit its prey.
Dick knew that this was not the time to prove anything to Bruce and that there was no dishonor in asking for help when it was truly needed. And he knew this was one of those times.
All that remained in the fireplace were a few glowing embers, which crackled and sparked occasionally. One very loud pop was heard as a stray piece of wood, still full of resin cracked with a loud snap, violating the peace in the large Victorian room.
The occupants of the large canopy bed were slumbering peacefully, like two spoons in a drawer in their intimate pose. The now taller green man had his right arm draped over his wife's hip; his rough palm was resting on her silk smooth thigh as they both snored in near unison. It was then that two amethyst eyes popped open, startled by the sound from the fireplace.
Beast Boy shifted as he mumbled something unintelligible and quickly settled back into a deep slumber, his hand now resting on Raven's stomach, briefly caressing it before it too became quiescent. Raven placed her own hand on top of his and savored the moment.
If anyone would have told her a year ago that she and the changeling would be mated and become lovers she never would have believed it, yet now sleeping every night au natural with her young spouse felt as natural as drinking a glass of water and as comforting as a morning breeze. It already seemed as if it had always been this way, the sharing and the intimacy had become an integral part of their lives.
And yet it was in constant danger of being lost. It irritated Raven when Beast Boy told her to relax, but deep down she knew that he was right, that no amount of fretting or worrying would have any effect on the curse. Still, it was so hard to not stress over the issue. This was of course terra incognita for Raven. She had always been able to keep her feelings in check with meditation, but she could not do so this time, especially as their mission into the unknown loomed menacingly before them.
Raven clutched his hand as she pondered what was lying ahead, waiting for them in Europe. She glanced at the alarm clock and saw that it was just barely past 3 AM and she knew that she needed to get some more sleep, knowing well that unlike her mate she would not be able to sleep while travelling in the jet.
At the same time those troubles felt as if they were far away and she felt calm, even happy resting next to Beast Boy. Raven wished that she could stop time, or at least slow it down, her only desire at the moment that she be able to make this brief moment of bliss and happiness last forever. Of course she knew that it was a pipe dream, even without the curse. Even perfect marriages only lasted as long as Father Time allowed them to endure. She knew that her mate was right, all anyone could do was live life to the fullest and not fear the unknown, for the end was inevitable for everyone, no one was spared the inevitable curse of physical mortality. Just the other day he told her that a long life and a short life were but mere moments in eternity, and thus not all that different. At first she was very impressed with that tidbit of wisdom he shared with her, until he later confessed that he had heard it on a rerun of the old Kung Fu TV series.
Just as she had given up hope of catching any more sleep that night she felt his warm lips caress the nape of her neck.
"Just relax Rae, you need to sleep." He muttered still half asleep himself.
Raven gently rolled over and kissed him several times before settling into his gentle embrace.
Within minutes the two slept as one, their souls as intertwined as their lives. Tomorrow they would embark on their mission, two superheroes with an objective, but for now they were two friends, soul mates and lovers.
That night, even if it was only for a brief moment, Raven experienced peace in her lover's arms.
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Bruce listened intently as Dick ran through everything that had happened regarding the curse. Starfire and Barbara had returned to the Batcave and listened in as well.
"So that's all you were able to find out about Andreas?" Barbara asked.
"So far. Raven and BB are actually going on a fact finding trip to Europe. Raven is going the visit the entire magical community across the continent. They'll be starting in Zurich, arriving undercover. From there they'll take trains and buses to visit places like Budapest, Transylvania, Prague, etc. One they believe they have enough dirt on Andreas we'll decide what the next step is." Dick replied as Barbara strolled over to the Bat computer.
Barbara began to type away furiously and after a few minutes she shouted "Bingo!"
As everyone turned in her direction they saw what looked like a mug shot of Andreas on the huge screen above the console. Dick gasped as he saw the copious amounts of text that appeared next to the image.
"Where did you find all that information?"
Babs grinned at her former teammate.
"Justice League database. I'm surprised you guys haven't petitioned for membership in the League, you'd get access to all kinds of goodies…"
"No thanks, the Titans would rather not be on a leash, with a babysitter appointed by the league."
Babs sighed.
"You guys shouldn't be so proud Dick, league membership has it benefits. They won't treat you like kids, you've already proven yourselves."
"Barbara is right." Bruce added. "There has been some discussion of extending an invitation to your team."
Dick's tension vanished and he unfolded his arms, having unconsciously adopted the defensive posture.
"Cyborg and Beast Boy will be thrilled. So what does that dossier say about Andreas?"
"Richard, shall I go and retrieve our friends to see this?"
Dick shook his head.
"Let them rest, we can brief them in the morning."
Barbara had just printed a hard copy of the report and began to go over the main points.
"First of all it says that the Von Zweig family had been known to be harbor dark sorcerers for centuries. Some were rather formidable and had to be defeated by a coordinated effort of good mages. It also says that until Andreas appeared on the scene that there had been no known sorcerers in family since the late 1800's".
Babs flipped to the next page and continued reading.
"Andreas is the current holder of the family's title of nobility, as the 36th Viscount of Salzburg, a title that is currently only honorary in modern Austria. His great grandfather was the Viscount during World War II and collaborated with the Nazis. He vanished soon after the war ended. Andreas' grandfather Helmut became the Viscount after the war and he father Norbert became the Viscount at the age of 18 when Helmut also vanished. Norbert held that title until he too disappeared in 2003 and Andreas assumed the title immediately."
"Nice family. Patience doesn't seem to run in it." Dick interjected.
"Apparently Andreas learned that having offspring in the Von Zweig family can be hazardous to one's health. He has never married and in public projects the image of being a free spending, hedonistic playboy in Salzburg. His net worth is estimated to exceed 1 billion Euros as the family owns vast amounts of prime property all across Europe, much of which was acquired by Helmut at fire sale prices after the war concluded."
"What is there to not like about the guy?" Tim asked sarcastically.
Barbara flipped to the next page in the report.
"And now here comes the juicy part. As a college student he went to Japan as an exchange student and wound up staying there until he completed his degree. He befriended a woman named Hiromi Ayase who introduced him to Japanese dark magic. It is believed that they are lovers but it has never been confirmed. After he finished in Japan he attended the University of Metropolis where he worked on a graduate degree. It says here that at the time he befriended an Arella Roth who introduced him into the cult of Trigon. It is also rumored that they were lovers."
Starfire gasped at that last piece of information.
"Starfire, what is it? Do you know who Arella Roth is?" Dick asked her.
The princess nodded sadly.
"Yes friends, I do. This news is not glorious, for Arella Roth … is Raven's mother."
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A shorter chapter, I figure you guys are tapping your feet impatiently, waiting for an update. So here it is.
Also, as some of you probably noticed, I lifted the Robin/Batman breakup flashback from Batman the Animated Series from the episode where Nightwing tells Tim Drake how he and Bruce split up (I did skip the part where Robin punches Batman).
And without further ado, it's time for the mail bag!
Anon - "OMG! I missed reviewing the chapter before this! Curse you Thanksgiving turkey and your evil ways of making me forgetful! I hope your holidays were good. I want to see more Alfred-Raven interaction; maybe shed some light on why he doesn't like any of demon decent. I have to ask...is Raven aging quicker? The gray hairs, the slight weight gain. Maybe the curse is that she ages quicker and dies sooner rather than one of them dying in battle? Just speculating. Can't wait for the next chapter!"
Ooh! I love it when readers speculate at what's really happening!
crazynerd - "Ohh nice chapter. Glad that Bruce doesn't have hostile feelings towards Rae anymore. I'm kinda surprised on how well he took the news of robstar getting married. Soo Im thinking that it'll b hilarious when bbrae try to star about being compatible with rob"
As you now know, Starfire and Robin aren't as clueless as Raven thinks they are.
The Cretan - "Awesome chapter dude, but I should have expected it, you have never failed to keep me entertained. Nobody does twists as nobody does twists as good you. Props on Bruce. In my opinion you nailed him pat.
Hope to read more. I think I might have given you misconceptions. I actually live in the southern Appalachian Mts. and I've absorbed every piece of literature I can find. Anyway I just call myself The Cretan and joke about the Minotaur sometimes because its my favorite Greek myth. I'm sorry if I've offended you or anything. You're one my favorite authors, fanfic or professional, and your stories are some of the best on this website in my opinion. Peace."
No worries! But what I said before is true, I am very touched that there are so many international readers. The stats page on fan fiction gives a breakdown on the number of visitors and hits from each country and while the lion's share of readers are in the USA the number of internationals is not trivial.
titanfan45 - "First off, I cracked up when Raven reminded BeastBoy that he had promised to seduce her! LOL! Well at least he's a man of his word. I already don't like Andreas in the least."
As you may have already figured out, Andreas is this story's arch villain.
AllYourWafflesBelongToMe - "Yes, I'd want your waffles even if they were turkey waffles!
Yay! As always, you've written another great chapter about everyone's chromatically(sp?) challenged couple!
Hope you update (and give me waffles) soon!"
I'll send you your turkey waffles as soon as I figure out how to email them.
Shyguy1 - "Keepin' it short. Alfred is great. What a scene between BB and Rae. Hiromi has me worried. And do the puzzle pieces (aka. Robin and Starfire) go together or are we goin' out of a different box here. Keep Writing Space Cowboy."
Keep an eye out for Hiromi in future chapters.
Ferlion12 - "Im going to take a guess here, and its probably wrong..
Ravnes lifeforce is being fed into Evangeline, and THATS the way Raven will "lose" beast boy. By her ceasing to exist.
Great few last chapters.."
Another interesting guess. Of course I won't spill the beans, at least not yet.
Ben A - "Another awesome chapter! I remember Starfire saying that she had nine stomachs in the episode "Mother-Mae-Eye." Here's two more questions. Didn't Zatanna also reveal Raven's demonic nature to the JLA and tell them not to trust her in the older DC comics? Shouldn't Robin and Starfire have decided on Robin's new superhero name before this? After all, Starfire went to the future and saw Robin as Nightwing in the episode "How Long Is Forever?" "
Oops! Good point! Let's just pretend Starfire never took that trip to the future with Warp.
Light versus Dark - "Can't wait till the next update! And when is Terra going to show up. And I think the vision Raven had from the other chapter is what the spell will do. And will Alfred ever warm up to Raven?"
Terra will show up later. As to whether Raven's dreams are prophetic or not, who knows? Maybe she just hates Terra.
almostinsane - "Great chapter! Wow, Andreas is a jerk, big surprise. This is getting better and better. LOL. It's good to see Raven has a healthy libido. Thanks for writing this. God bless!"
I think villains are better when they are jerks.
xXCanaryXx - "Oh..my..god!
Ok, added gray hairs to the list, just incase.
Ok, im gonna go out on a branch and say maybe she's turnin full demon or somethin. Because demon Rae does look a bit chubby, and she has silvery hair.
Bit, i highly doubt my guessin. But, whatevs.
Uggh, racist Alfred. Hehe, well we know he doesnt trust Rae but he dislikes BB just cuz their married, or...?
Well, as always, a great chapter, and as always, i loved it!"
More speculation! I kind of like yours (no promises though).
GreenRock - "Hmmmmm . . . future family matters conflicting in with the plot; this don't look good.
The current matter of Rae gathering grey hairs on her noggin is certainly seems to be nonchantly regarded by either Rae and BB, but I'm starting to think that they should be more worried about this than they are already.
Also, this Andreas seems to be a real gentlemen. I'd have thought that if he has woman sniffing around him every waking hour, he should be more appreciative. Anyways, beggars can't be choosers I guess.
The mystery is still being poured onto the story and I can't wait to see it all unfold."
I'm glad I'm getting you guys to dislike Andreas.
FelynxTiger - "Bruce with sense of humor lol, and looks like u take Zatana like in the original comics of 1980 she tells the justice league bout Raven , Andreas first appearance was nice and somewhat intimidating . oh and i must say we r lucky because u give us a fast update thanks! ,
i also check Young Justice, i like the animation , and Miss Martial animated was awesome, i think my fav character so far will be Kid Flash i like it i like it,also Robin's tenology it was way cool he may not have powers but it have super amazing tecnology! until next chapter"
Robins exploding birdarangs reminded me of the ones Slade gave him when Robin was his apprentice.
Hairul The Nightrage Beast - "Haha no , Ms Ashmore from one of yer fix returns on The Gift xD
Anyways lolcopter moment on Gar addressing Bruce as Mr Wayne, luckily he didn't pull off a Henry Rollins and go starstuck and went hysterical lol like when Henry did when he met his idol Iggy Pop xD
Anyways so the Von Zweig helped the Nazis and etc and gut feeling says that the Nazis during WW2 nearly wanted the help of Trigon and gut feeling also says that the Von Zweig clan were Trigonite Worshippers. And you know what Screw Zatanna, Raven can whallop her fishnet wand wearing arse any time as White Raven. Sorry Zatanna but the most powerful sorceress in Titan land hands down it's Raven."
Lisa is perhaps my favorite OC. She deserved at least a cameo in this story.
bk00 - "Really great chapter! I'm glad I understand why Alfred's treating them so! lol at BB meeting Bruce. I love how Babara is totally like Starfire's new sister!
Also I saw Young Justice as well! I was really impressed watching. Their Robin is hilarous, though I'm gonna miss our fearless, spot 't wait to see what the rest of the Titans look like (and hopefully will actually have some BBRae this time around!) And who knows, maybe a brave soul with write a cross over fic combine both series!"
Speaking of crossovers, Star of Airdrie is writing an amusing story where the Titans from the comics meet the Titans from the show. My favorite line so far is when comic book Starfire sees TV Raven meditating: "That's Raven?" she asks. Send her a message, encourging her to finish what is a hilarious story.
And finally, a late review for chapter 8:
Novus Ordo Seclorum - "Though I am woefully and regrettably behind, I must pause to applaud you in this work, particularly this chapter. It definitely threw me for a loop. I have to admit that I was not expecting the witch they were chasing to be a mere golem (a la Inuyasha.) That characteristic alone sent me reeling. When you topped it all off with a slipshod suicide by extension cord? Well, let me just say you really know how to charm a guy. That was awesome!
I can only stand back in awe of what you are creating here. You have been putting quality over quantity and it really shows. Your writing has an entirely new voice to it and osme of your similes and metaphors have been absolutely spot on and undeniably meaningful. The characterization has been spot on and the storyline itself continues to grow and evolve into something new... an uncharted territory is very hard to find these days.
I look forward to catching up with the crowd and delving further into what has already proven to be a beautifully woven tale of love and despair."
Thanks! I lie awake at night wondering "How am I going to top this chapter."
Also, I got the golem idea from Negima! (where else?). Sometimes I think Raven and Negi should meet.