Stranger and Stranger

Beast Boy was lightly petting his cat and reading up on a spell when he heard a knock on the door. "She's here," He heard Beast say to him in a playful manner. Garfield rolled his eyes as he opened the door to an interesting and surprising sight. Raven had asked someone to dye her hair back to the gradient of purple to red color that she was used to. She also wore a black tank top with a dark purple light open hoodie jacket that sat loosely on her arms, exposing her shoulders. She wore blue jean shorts which still revealed her legs and black gothic boots. Beast Boy had to blink several times before realizing what he was seeing.

"Um... Uh... Um..."

"What?"

"The... outfit," Beast Boy stuttered.

"You don't like it," Raven teased with a smirk.

"No, no, no! I love it! It's just... um... you... normally don't wear... this."

"I'm... branching out," Raven replied with a smirk. "What about you? You're staying in your room more. That's my gig."

"Not by the clothes you're wearing. Seems like you've been out," Beast Boy said with a raised eyebrow of suspicion.

"I found a spell that manages to change my clothes on the whim. I've been expanding my knowledge of magic a bit."

"Why?"

"Can't be afraid of trying new things," Raven replied with a devilishly smirk. Beast Boy shook his head.

"What's wrong with you?" Beast Boy asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You're... different. More so than I remember."

"I could say the same for you. Not coming out, staying locked in your room, only having that black cat for company, not that I mind Blackbird," Raven said as she bent down to catch the kitten that Beast Boy had brought from off the streets. She cradled it in her arms as she stroked its back. "I'm just saying that you've changed as well."

"You're deferring."

"I'm surprised you know that word,"

"I've been... around," Beast Boy carefully replied to which Raven only smirked as she passed Blackbird to Beast Boy. "But why did you come here?"

"Other than to make sure that you haven't burned down the place," Raven snarked in wit. "We're going to the picnic. The others wanted to get some fresh air."

"And you?"

"I... I would be going with them, but I have... other things to do as well."

"Like?"

"Answer the question," Raven monotonously replied, "Are you coming with us, yes or no?"

"No, I have something to pick up downtown," Beast Boy explained, closing the door behind him.

"Hmm," Raven hummed suspiciously. "Well, if you're going down there, could you please pick up a black journal for me?"

"Sure, why?" Beast Boy asked casually.

"It's... for an event that's coming up. Some kind of... mystery meeting," Raven replied cryptically. Beast Boy rose an eyebrow as she walked away.

"You're more... mysterious now than I remember, Raven."

"Is that a problem?" She asked looking back over her shoulder.

"I'm still deciding," Beast Boy replied. Raven smirked and left the changeling to himself. Er... relatively speaking.

"She likes you."

"Beast," Beast Boy sighed.

"Come on, you and I both know the Raven we know. That was not her. She's either gone crazy by some random spell or she likes you." Beast Boy blinked as if he were staring Beast right in the face. Beast was still in his head, though.

"That's a very Huge range of 'what if', dude."

"I'm just saying," Beast replied as Beast Boy walked out to do his earning.

Raven came in a little later after Cyborg, Starfire, and Robin to get some... special person. As the doors flew open, Robin, Cyborg, and Starfire were surprised to see the sorceress with a friend. She was blonde, blue-eyed, similar to Raven in height. Her clothes were a tattered shirt with a picture of a blue bear on it and ripped shorts. She walked shyly as she stood next to the more confident Raven. "Everyone, this is Pura. I met her down at the Eastern part of town."

"Hey," She shyly waved to everyone.

"Hey, um... Raven. Why did you bring a random stranger into the tower?" Cyborg asked.

"You guys are always saying I need to be more outgoing. This is my way of doing that," Raven replied.

"Yes, but-"

"You've never listened to us," Robin finished Starfire's thought. Raven gave a monster glare at the three.

"But there's a first for everything," Cyborg nervously laughed as he slowly approached the girl, clearing his throat. "I'm Cyborg, the spiky one is Robin, and the floating orange girl is Starfire. Careful, she's a hugger."

"Oh, wondrous! We now must sing the Tamarian song of new friend making! All six thousand verses!" Starfire practically sang. Raven quickly shut her mouth before she could utter a note.

"How about no," Raven sighed. Pura stood awkwardly at the door next to the big metal man. "Pura is a sorceress like me, but she needs the right kind of training. Can you all please act normally enough for her to do that?" Raven sighed with a hint of pleading. Cyborg rose his eyebrow.

"You're telling us to be normal? Who are you and what have you done with Raven?" Cyborg asked, causing Pura to softly chuckle. Raven rolled her eyes as she walked back to Pura.

"Well, Raven knows the most about magical stuff. She'll definitely help you out with that," Robin said with a warm smile. Pura bowed very formally.

"Thank you so much for taking me in. You all are very kind to a stranger you just met," Pura noted.

"We're good guys, it's what we do," Cyborg smiled. Pura smiled back. Suddenly, Raven sniffed.

"Oh, there's another person you should meet," Raven said as she pointed to the door that opened up to a big green furry monster that the team was all familiar with. Robin prepared his boomerang, Starfire readied her star-bolts, and Cyborg grabbed Pura and placed her behind him as he readied his sonic cannon. There standing in the doorway was the huge massive Beast himself. The team readied themselves to fight the out of control creature.

But was he?

Continued...