A Normal Life
Author's note: So, what did you think of the last chapter? Exciting? I hope it was at least a little interesting, and hopefully I surprised you a little by having her powers not working. Enjoy...
Disclaimer: I own zilch
Chapter 8 – "Ice Skating and Old Friends"
Becky was dragging Raven by her hand through the park toward the ice skating rink. "Come on Raven! I want you to teach me to skate!!" Raven wasn't walking as fast as she could. She was trying to stall the little girl a little bit while she thought of a plan. 'I don't know the first thing about ice-skating! How am I supposed to teach her? At least when my powers were working, I could have made it look like I was skating, but now what?' Raven and Becky were the first to get to the rink. Raven's "parents" and the rest of Becky's family were still catching up. As much as Raven didn't want to skate, she wanted to stay away from her "father" even more. He hadn't said anything since they'd left the house. While he seemed like nothing was wrong, Raven could see he was still mad at her. 'He's pretending for the rest of the family. I've got a feeling, I'm going to get a beating tonight...' Raven thought to herself as she sat down and began slowly putting her skates on. "Hurry up, Raven!! I want to learn to skate!" Becky said in attempts to rush her cousin. Raven knew she was only delaying the inevitable. She finally got her skates on, and slowly made her way to the edge of the ice. She put one foot on the ice, and fell flat on her back. "Raven?! Are you okay?" The little girl asked.
"Yeah, I think so Becky." Raven said as she attempted to stand up. As soon as she got back on her feet, she fell back on her butt. 'There is no way I can pull this off.' Raven's "mother" saw her fall the second time, and rushed over to her. "Are you okay, sweetie?" She asked.
"I think so Mother." Raven replied.
"I don't know honey, you look a little pale. Maybe you should go sit with Brian." Brian was sitting off on a bench watching everyone skate. "Yeah, maybe you're right, Mother. I think I will..." Raven said as her "mother" helped her to solid ground.
"But Raven! You promised me!" Becky started, but a stern look from Arella shut her up quickly. "I'll teach you how to skate, Becky." Arella said, "I think Raven needs to take a break." Becky must have realized she was on thin ice (no pun intended) with Arella, because she didn't make a fuss.
Raven made her way over to the bench, and sat next to Brian. "Hey" Brian said never breaking his stare from the skaters. Up close, Brian looked a lot like Beast Boy minus the green skin and pointy ears. "Hey" Raven replied back. She wondered what he was thinking.
After a moment or two, he said, "So what's wrong with you today? You're usually Miss Princess Sunshine skating around out there."
Raven was afraid to say anything. She wasn't sure how to respond to someone who said that she was "usually" something. 'How would he know if I was "usually" anything? This guy doesn't know me at all. It's not like I'm actually apart of his family or anything." But somehow, Raven had a feeling that she was apart of this family. She felt almost, as if in another place...another time, she was. 'I've got to be dreaming.' She thought. 'Please wake up. Please-' Raven looked at her "cousin", it was clear he was waiting for an answer.
"I guess I'm just not feeling so good today..." Raven replied, looking away from him. He suddenly put his arm around her, causing her to look back at him. "You're dad hit you again didn't he?" Brian asked. Raven was surprised that this boy seemed to know her so well. She couldn't answer him; all she could do was nod. The boy held her tighter, and smiled. All he said was, "It's going to be okay. I've got it under control." This seemed so familiar to Raven. If she just closed her eyes, she could have completely believed that it was really Beast Boy holding her. If she just closed her eyes, she could have easily believed that it was Beast Boy saying that it'd be okay. Raven looked up as her "cousin." He was watching the skaters, and wearing a familiar smirk. A smirk that said, 'I've got it under control, I'm totally on top of it'. Looking at his smile made her desperately wish he were Beast Boy. If he was Beast Boy, she could have easily believed that everything would be okay.
They sat on the bench for easily a half hour. With Brian's arm around her, Raven wasn't even cold. She was staring out across the rink, not really watching the skaters. She was off in thought, terrified that she may never see Beast Boy again. Suddenly, she saw a familiar face. It was Starfire...and Robin was with her. They were at the hot chocolate stand. Seeing them made Raven's spirits soar. Finally, someone that could help her. She turned to Brian, and said "I see a few friends of mine, I'm going to go talk to them. I'll be back in a minute." Brian just nodded, and continued to watch the skaters. Slightly surprised that she escaped so easily, she ran over to Starfire and Robin.
"Starfire! Robin!" Raven shouted. The two teens turn to see who was calling them. When they saw Raven though, they didn't seem to recognize her. A little confused at first, Raven realized that they must not have recognized her because of her altered appearance. "It's me, Raven." She said. Starfire and Robin still didn't seem to recognize their friend. "It's nice to meet you...Raven was it?" Robin said as he put out his hand to shake.
"Nice to meet me? What are you talking about? Robin, it's me, Raven. Don't you know me?"
"No, I think you might have me confused with someone else. I've never seen you before in my life." Robin said.
"You've got to be kidding me. I'm a Teen Titan." Raven said, feeling a little panicky, she turned to Starfire, "Tell him Starfire. You know me, don't you?"
"I am sorry, but I do not know you. Maybe Robin is right. Maybe you are 'confused'." Starfire said. Raven was in a full-blown panic by now. How could they not know her? They were her friends. Frantically thinking of some way to prove herself, she said, "Where's Cyborg? He'll tell you, he knows me." Suddenly, Raven heard a voice from behind her. "Who do I know?" It was Cyborg.
"Cyborg, tell them. You know who I am. I'm Raven. You know me, right?" Raven said.
"Um...I don't think I know you. Can you tell me where we met?"
"Where we met?! We met on the Teen Titans! We're team mates!" Raven said, amazed that none of her friends seemed to know her. It was then that she realized something strange. "Why are you three here?" Raven said. Turning to Starfire and Robin, she asked, "I thought you two went back to Tameran to meet Starfire's parents." Then turning to Cyborg, she said, "I thought you went to visit your dad..."
The rest of the Titans continued to look at her with puzzled stares. 'Why don't they know me?! Someone has to know me...Beast Boy! He'll know me.' A small light of hope burned within her, Beast Boy would convince them. "Where is Beast Boy?! He'll tell you. I know he knows me!" Raven said, looking around for her green friend. When she looked back at the Titans, she was surprised at the looks they were giving her. Robin looked extremely mad, and Starfire looked on the brink of tears. "How dare you bring Beast Boy into this pathetic prank." Robin said angrily.
"Prank?! What are you talking about? Where is Beast Boy?" Raven said, getting more confused by the minute.
"I am sorry, but you must be mistaken if you know Beast Boy." Starfire said.
"What do you mean?" Raven said, confused.
"Beast Boy is dead." Starfire explained as a single tear slid down her cheek. Raven felt as if she'd been punched in the stomach. She was speechless. she couldn't even say anything as the three heroes walked away.
Author's note: So, what did you think of the last chapter? Exciting? I hope it was at least a little interesting, and hopefully I surprised you a little by having her powers not working. Enjoy...
Disclaimer: I own zilch
Chapter 8 – "Ice Skating and Old Friends"
Becky was dragging Raven by her hand through the park toward the ice skating rink. "Come on Raven! I want you to teach me to skate!!" Raven wasn't walking as fast as she could. She was trying to stall the little girl a little bit while she thought of a plan. 'I don't know the first thing about ice-skating! How am I supposed to teach her? At least when my powers were working, I could have made it look like I was skating, but now what?' Raven and Becky were the first to get to the rink. Raven's "parents" and the rest of Becky's family were still catching up. As much as Raven didn't want to skate, she wanted to stay away from her "father" even more. He hadn't said anything since they'd left the house. While he seemed like nothing was wrong, Raven could see he was still mad at her. 'He's pretending for the rest of the family. I've got a feeling, I'm going to get a beating tonight...' Raven thought to herself as she sat down and began slowly putting her skates on. "Hurry up, Raven!! I want to learn to skate!" Becky said in attempts to rush her cousin. Raven knew she was only delaying the inevitable. She finally got her skates on, and slowly made her way to the edge of the ice. She put one foot on the ice, and fell flat on her back. "Raven?! Are you okay?" The little girl asked.
"Yeah, I think so Becky." Raven said as she attempted to stand up. As soon as she got back on her feet, she fell back on her butt. 'There is no way I can pull this off.' Raven's "mother" saw her fall the second time, and rushed over to her. "Are you okay, sweetie?" She asked.
"I think so Mother." Raven replied.
"I don't know honey, you look a little pale. Maybe you should go sit with Brian." Brian was sitting off on a bench watching everyone skate. "Yeah, maybe you're right, Mother. I think I will..." Raven said as her "mother" helped her to solid ground.
"But Raven! You promised me!" Becky started, but a stern look from Arella shut her up quickly. "I'll teach you how to skate, Becky." Arella said, "I think Raven needs to take a break." Becky must have realized she was on thin ice (no pun intended) with Arella, because she didn't make a fuss.
Raven made her way over to the bench, and sat next to Brian. "Hey" Brian said never breaking his stare from the skaters. Up close, Brian looked a lot like Beast Boy minus the green skin and pointy ears. "Hey" Raven replied back. She wondered what he was thinking.
After a moment or two, he said, "So what's wrong with you today? You're usually Miss Princess Sunshine skating around out there."
Raven was afraid to say anything. She wasn't sure how to respond to someone who said that she was "usually" something. 'How would he know if I was "usually" anything? This guy doesn't know me at all. It's not like I'm actually apart of his family or anything." But somehow, Raven had a feeling that she was apart of this family. She felt almost, as if in another place...another time, she was. 'I've got to be dreaming.' She thought. 'Please wake up. Please-' Raven looked at her "cousin", it was clear he was waiting for an answer.
"I guess I'm just not feeling so good today..." Raven replied, looking away from him. He suddenly put his arm around her, causing her to look back at him. "You're dad hit you again didn't he?" Brian asked. Raven was surprised that this boy seemed to know her so well. She couldn't answer him; all she could do was nod. The boy held her tighter, and smiled. All he said was, "It's going to be okay. I've got it under control." This seemed so familiar to Raven. If she just closed her eyes, she could have completely believed that it was really Beast Boy holding her. If she just closed her eyes, she could have easily believed that it was Beast Boy saying that it'd be okay. Raven looked up as her "cousin." He was watching the skaters, and wearing a familiar smirk. A smirk that said, 'I've got it under control, I'm totally on top of it'. Looking at his smile made her desperately wish he were Beast Boy. If he was Beast Boy, she could have easily believed that everything would be okay.
They sat on the bench for easily a half hour. With Brian's arm around her, Raven wasn't even cold. She was staring out across the rink, not really watching the skaters. She was off in thought, terrified that she may never see Beast Boy again. Suddenly, she saw a familiar face. It was Starfire...and Robin was with her. They were at the hot chocolate stand. Seeing them made Raven's spirits soar. Finally, someone that could help her. She turned to Brian, and said "I see a few friends of mine, I'm going to go talk to them. I'll be back in a minute." Brian just nodded, and continued to watch the skaters. Slightly surprised that she escaped so easily, she ran over to Starfire and Robin.
"Starfire! Robin!" Raven shouted. The two teens turn to see who was calling them. When they saw Raven though, they didn't seem to recognize her. A little confused at first, Raven realized that they must not have recognized her because of her altered appearance. "It's me, Raven." She said. Starfire and Robin still didn't seem to recognize their friend. "It's nice to meet you...Raven was it?" Robin said as he put out his hand to shake.
"Nice to meet me? What are you talking about? Robin, it's me, Raven. Don't you know me?"
"No, I think you might have me confused with someone else. I've never seen you before in my life." Robin said.
"You've got to be kidding me. I'm a Teen Titan." Raven said, feeling a little panicky, she turned to Starfire, "Tell him Starfire. You know me, don't you?"
"I am sorry, but I do not know you. Maybe Robin is right. Maybe you are 'confused'." Starfire said. Raven was in a full-blown panic by now. How could they not know her? They were her friends. Frantically thinking of some way to prove herself, she said, "Where's Cyborg? He'll tell you, he knows me." Suddenly, Raven heard a voice from behind her. "Who do I know?" It was Cyborg.
"Cyborg, tell them. You know who I am. I'm Raven. You know me, right?" Raven said.
"Um...I don't think I know you. Can you tell me where we met?"
"Where we met?! We met on the Teen Titans! We're team mates!" Raven said, amazed that none of her friends seemed to know her. It was then that she realized something strange. "Why are you three here?" Raven said. Turning to Starfire and Robin, she asked, "I thought you two went back to Tameran to meet Starfire's parents." Then turning to Cyborg, she said, "I thought you went to visit your dad..."
The rest of the Titans continued to look at her with puzzled stares. 'Why don't they know me?! Someone has to know me...Beast Boy! He'll know me.' A small light of hope burned within her, Beast Boy would convince them. "Where is Beast Boy?! He'll tell you. I know he knows me!" Raven said, looking around for her green friend. When she looked back at the Titans, she was surprised at the looks they were giving her. Robin looked extremely mad, and Starfire looked on the brink of tears. "How dare you bring Beast Boy into this pathetic prank." Robin said angrily.
"Prank?! What are you talking about? Where is Beast Boy?" Raven said, getting more confused by the minute.
"I am sorry, but you must be mistaken if you know Beast Boy." Starfire said.
"What do you mean?" Raven said, confused.
"Beast Boy is dead." Starfire explained as a single tear slid down her cheek. Raven felt as if she'd been punched in the stomach. She was speechless. she couldn't even say anything as the three heroes walked away.