Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, nor do I own any associated intellectual property.
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A Woman Scorned
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"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." - The Mourning Bride, William Congreve.
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Robin wiped his brow as he finished his daily training course. He'd worked hard today, trying his best to push the situation with Beastboy and Raven out of his mind. He'd known for some time that they were more involved with eachother than they let on, and had approached Raven about it a month before Terra had arrived. Raven hadn't denied it, and had simply asked that he not discuss it with Beastboy or any of the other Titans. Until today, he'd obeyed her request.
He'd spoken shortly with Beastboy after Raven had left the common room, he'd explained that he had begun dating Terra to find out what it was like to date someone with more emotion. Robin had expressed his disapproval and disappointment in Beastboy, and the green changeling had left the room looking saddened.
Robin turned towards the staircase leading up from the third floor training rooms. He jogged up the staircase, until he reached the top, common room and residences. He stepped through the door, thinking. He turned left, heading out of the common room, and towards Raven's room.
Robin knocked on the door lightly, not wanting to jar Raven any more than was necessary. A response came from inside. "Go away, Beastboy. I don't feel like talking."
Robin leaned towards the door, speaking in a quiet tone. "Raven, it's Robin, and we need to talk about the situation."
A few seconds later, the door opened, and Robin found himself staring into the cold eyes of Raven. She was dressed in her normal longsleeved black leather costume, though she was not wearing her cloak. She stared icily at Robin, though she seemed willing to talk. Robin stepped forward, brushing past her and entering her room despite her obvious intent to keep him out. She glared at him coldly.
"You said you wanted to talk to me. Say something."
Robin tried to keep calm, despite her antagonistic attitude. "Raven, you can't just bottle your anger at Beastboy. It won't stay hidden forever. What he did was bad, but he's our friend, and we need to keep him as one."
Raven looked to the side, avoiding Robin's gaze. "I can't let my anger out Robin. I have no choice but to supress it."
Robin nodded. "I know you can't let it out all at once, but you also can't just pretend that it never happened. You need to talk to him."
Raven sat down on her bed, sighing. "Robin, every time I see him, I am overtaken by rage. When I saw Terra in the hall, I had to suppress the voice in my mind that was screaming to crush her where she stood."
Robin's face didn't change, but inside he was cringing from her calm tone as she described the violent fantasies her mind showed her.
"I saw it. A vision, of her body crumpling under my power's stength. I saw her begging, pleading for me to let her live. I saw Beas-- I saw him crying, his body broken. I saw-"
"Raven, you may have seen it, but it doesn't have to come true. I don't know why you have these visions, and I don't expect you to tell me. The point is, you can control it, and I can help, if you will let me."
Robin held his hand out. Raven's eyes glanced towards his hand. She seemd to be thinking hard about something. She stood suddenly, ignoring Robin's hand, and stepping towards her dresser. She picked up a small, ornate mirror. She looked at the mirror for a moment, then looked towards Robin.
"Robin, I am about to show you something that will change your view of me forever. Beastboy and Cyborg saw it the night that I lost control battling Dr. Light." Raven sighed heavily, seemingly nervous about whatever she was going to show him. Finally she calmed herself, and held out the mirror. Robin looked into it.
"It's a mirror, Raven. I don't see what's so important." As Robin stared, the image on the mirror began to swirl, and he was pulled into the mirror by an invisible force. A moment later, Raven activated the mirror herself.
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Robin landed nimbly on his feet, looking around quickly, trying to discern where he was. He didn't recognize it. He was standing on a roughly circular island of stone, suspended above an endless abyss of space. He scowled. "Raven, where am I? If this is a joke--"
"It's not a joke. We are in my mind." Robin turned switfly towards the voice, seeing the blue-cloaked girl approaching him.
"The mirror is a meditation tool. Beastboy was holding it when..." Raven paused for a moment. "HE activated it." The emphasis on the word 'he' was obvious, and equally obvious was that she didn't mean Beastboy.
Robin cocked an eyebrow. "Who is 'HE'?"
Raven sighed, then walked forward, a stone path appearing in front of her as she walked. "I will show you, but first there is someone you need to meet."
Robin followed Raven as she led him down the eerie, physically impossible walkway. A natural stone arch appeared suddenly in front of them. Raven walked through, and Robin followed.
Suddenly, Robin found himself in a large, immaculate library. Books were everywhere, with titles so precise as to render themselves meaningless. 'Arithmetic, Simple.'. 'History of Azerath, Year 001'. 'Teen Titans, Strengths'. 'Teen Titans, Weaknesses'. Robin reached for the last title, but suddenly he saw Raven's hand holding his arm. He looked up, then his eyes widened. She was suddenly wearing a bright yellow robe, and thick-rimmed glasses.
Raven's voice sounded strange as she spoke. "Robin, it takes years to sort these books if they are misplaced. Do not misplace them."
Robin pulled his hand away from the book, looking at Raven strangely. "How did you change robes so quickly? Why are we in the library?" Suddenly, he heard a voice from behind him.
"That's not exactly me. It's knowledge, a side of me. She is my inquisitive nature, my questioning mind. The side of me that is most like you." Raven walked towards Robin, holding a book in her hands. She held it out to him.
"Teen Titans: Robin" He read the title aloud. He cast a look at her, over the top of the book. "This book contains everything you know about me?"
Raven nodded, sitting at a table. Robin sat across from her, and opened the book to a random page. He tried to ignore the yellow cloaked figure brazenly reading over his shoulder.
Robin knows. He knows about Beastboy. (Cross-check with 'Teen Titans: Beastboy Volume Three', Pg. 230) He came to me today in the late morning, interrupting my meditation, as he often does. (See 'Common Irritations', Pgs. 1-32) He said that he'd noticed my looks towards Beastboy, and a softening of my jokes at his expense. (TT: BB V1, Pg. 147) I acknowledged my heretofore secret relationship with Beastboy, asking Robin to keep it a secret from the other Titans. I predict that he will be able to do it. (See Teen Titans: Strengths, Pg. 11)
Robin closed the book, handing it to the yellow figure to go replace on the shelf. He looked at Raven. "How do you read that? It's all so heavily annotated."
Raven sighed. "It's memory, everything links to something else. That's not the point, however. Follow me."
Raven stood, walking through a heavy wooden door set into the wall of the library.
They stepped into a brightly colored place, with pink grass and strange fruit trees surrounding them. Robin coughed slightly, the air here had a heavy floral perfume to it, and it stung his nose. He followed Raven as she walked down the cobblestone path. Suddenly, he fell forward as an apple beaned him in the back of the head.
Robin leapt up, ready to face the attacker, but was met instead with a pink-robed Raven, laughing happily and smiling at him. Robin put away his bo staff, and straighted up from his aggressive stance.
"Which emotion is this, Raven?"
Raven's sigh was palpable. "It's... happiness."
The pink robed Raven walked around Robin slowly, looking him over. She grinned. "So I finally get to meet you. You're second to Beastboy for making Raven happy. She likes your calm intelligence, and your drive to win."
Robin grinned back at the pink girl. "Is that so? Raven, what do you have to say about that?"
The true Raven blushed slightly, looking to the side. "She's telling the truth, but you inspire very different feelings than Beastboy, trust me."
Robin nodded. The pink Raven didn't seem daunted. "That's not really my department. But anyway, Raven?"
Raven looked towards the emotion almost dismissively.
"He's gotten out again. He's weak at the moment, but still. I can't do my job until he's gone, and you know that."
Robin looked at the two Ravens, his logical mind was being overwhelmed by the unerring strangeness in the place. Still, he resolved to find out as much as he could. He turned to the pink Raven.
"Happiness, was it? Tell me, who is it that keeps you from doing your job?"
The pink Raven grinned at him. "She doesn't want you to know yet. It would make her less happy, and I can't do that. She'll tell you soon enough. For now, however..." The pink Raven disappeared into the ground.
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Meanwhile, Beastboy had finished his agility training, dodging through all the flying projectiles and moving walls of the exterior training course. He heard clapping from the control panel.
"Go Beastboy! That was great!" Terra grinned, waving and shouting to Beastboy. He waved back, then changed into a bird and flew up to her. He changed back and hugged her.
"So what's my time?" Beastboy looked down at the clock, 1:45. "Dude! I beat Cyborg!"
Beastboy started dancing around. "Look at me! Who beat Cyborg? I did, I'm the fastest, better than anyone!"
Terra grinned before speaking up. "Uh.. Beastboy? My best time is still 1:39, remember?"
Beastboy frowned. "That SO doesn't count! You just flew over the entire course on a rock! You're such a-" Beastboy changed into a chicken, clucking and walking around on the control panel.
Terra picked up the chicken by the wings, holding it in the air. She stuck out her tongue. "You're the chicken, can't beat a girl's time! Ha ha h-mmph!" Beastboy changed back into a human, putting his hands around her head and kissing her before she could finish taunting him.
When he pulled his lips away, she was blushing. "No fair kissing me when I'm teasing you, Beastboy!"
Terra smiled, then remembered that she'd wanted to ask Beastboy something. "Hey, Besastboy. What's up with Raven? I saw her in the hallway today, and she looked like she was about to kill me."
Beastboy's smile faded, and he stared down at the console. "Why are you asking me? Why not Robin or one of the others?"
Terra stepped closer to Beastboy. He looked so sad, she was worried about him. "Well, you know her better than they do. You're the only person I've ever seen go into her room. She seems to trust you a bit more than the others. But anyway, do you have any idea what she's so mad at me for?"
Beastboy stared downward for a second, then shrugged. "No idea. She's just weird like that. You probably just said the wrong word to her or something. She'll get over it." Beastboy smiled, but it didn't look very real.
"C'mon, let's go get some ice cream in town or something. I don't want to get too thin from all this training."
Terra grinned, happy that Beastboy seemed to be ok, and that Raven would at least get over it eventually. She took his hand and moved the ground underneath them, taking a chunk large enough to fly them across the bay to town.
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Robin landed hard on his back, then vaulted himself to his feet, facing the red-cloaked Raven that had suddenly attacked him. The true Raven had disappeared after stepping through another archway, and he had appeared here, in a dark area of Raven's mind, the same stone floor, but no stars to light the way. The strange red-cloaked girl seemed to be fighting him with her eyes closed, as there was nothing but blackness under the hood.
The Raven dodged quickly forward as he threw two explosive discs at her, and then brought her hand hard against his right temple, in a chopping motion. Robin reeled backwards, fighting unconsciousness from the blow to his pressure point. This emotion knew combat well, to say the least. Robin stepped forward, feinting a kick. The girl took the bait, blocking low, and missing the signs of his weight shifting.
His punch knocked the girl back hard, and she fell to the ground a few feet back. In no time he jumped, landing on top of her with his hand at her throat. He squeezed just enough to cause slight dizziness.
"Give up! I don't want to hurt you! Just give up!" Robin stared at the struggling girl, who was pinned too well to throw him. Suddenly it's eyes opened, revealing four glowing red slits. An unearthly laughter echoed in the void as the girl disappeared. Suddenly, Robin heard Raven's voice behind him.
"THAT is who 'he' is. Although he's too weak right now to take his true form." Robin turned to see Raven, with a strangely vulnerable look on her face.
"True form? What do you mean?"
Raven paused for a moment. She then closed her eyes, and a small section of the air began to show a hologram-like movie. Robin watched as Raven, Beastboy, and Cyborg battled a large red fiend. He watched as they fought, fruitlessly throwing the fiend down again and again. The battle eventually culminated in a large, white cloaked Raven reducing the fiend to the red Raven, then absorbing it. The hologram faded as Raven opened her eyes.
"That was a memory of what Beastboy and Cyborg helped me defeat. That is what takes control of my powers when I lose control. That... is my father."
Robin kept a straight face, though his mind reeled with the new information. That explained her violent mind, and her constant struggle to keep control. It also explained her hesitation to discuss her past with her teammates. She was a product of daemonic heritage.
Robin walked towards Raven, and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Look, Raven, this is all new knowledge to me, but it doesn't change my view of you. You are a friend, and I... we all will help you deal with this, however we can."
Raven stared at him for a moment, thinking deeply. Robin felt her relax slightly. "I just... wanted to show you why I couldn't talk to Beastboy, or to Terra. They are both friends, but if I am alone with them... I might kill them."
Robin moved beside Raven, putting his right arm across her shoulders, and leading her towards the ornate door on the other side of the island. "That is the doorway out of your mind, right?"
Raven nodded slowly.
"Then let's leave. You can talk to me about your feelings towards Beastboy. I'm faster than you are. If your powers get out of control..." Robin grinned at Raven. "I'll knock you unconscious, and we can start again."
The image of Raven's mind melted as they stepped through the door, and found themselves back in Raven's room. Raven looked towards Robin's arm, still around her shoulder. She brushed it off, and he just grinned. Robin pulled up a chair, and sat on it, facing her and her bed. She sat on her bed, blankly staring at the floor for a few moments.
Robin gave her time, assuming that she was compiling her thoughts. Suddenly, a glisten caught his eye. He looked up, and saw another teardrop fall from her face to her legs, splashing silently on her pale thigh. He stood up, then walked over to her, putting his arms around her and pulling her to him as she cried.
He'd never seen her act this way. She was crying. He held her, trying to console the weeping woman. He winced, thinking of what Starfire would inevitably think if she saw them right now, but then noticed that Raven wasn't hugging him back, she was simply crying as he held her. She was just letting her emotions out, not generating new ones for him.
He held her for nearly an hour as she sobbed miserably into his uniform. Not once during that time did he feel the need to leave her, or to check on the rest of the tower. All he knew was that his friend needed help, and that he was doing all he could do to help her, despite the connotations that others would put on it.
Finally, she lifted her head, and looked at his face. He looked down at her, and his eyes widened. Her eyes were reddened from crying, and her face glistened with tears. He felt terrible for her, but also happy in knowing that she had someone to come to when she needed it.
Raven looked away from his face, pulling away from him slightly as she did so.
"Thank you, Robin. I didn't know who to turn to."
Robin nodded. "It's ok, Raven. I told you that I would help however I could."
Raven picked up her cloak, and put it on. She pulled up her hood, hiding her face from him. "Don't start thinking that this means that I..."
He stopped her. "I know. I don't think of you that way either. We're friends, Raven. We are all your friends, even Beastboy, even Terra. Nothing will ever change that."
Raven looked at him, her eyes as deadpan as ever. There was no evidence left on her of her recent outpouring of emotion. She closed her eyes for a moment.
Robin waited silently. Raven opened her eyes once more. "Starfire is looking for you. I'd suggest you take a shower first, however. Starfire's sense of smell is uncanny, and I wouldn't want her to get the wrong impression."
Robin grinned. "Thanks Raven, and remember, if you need me-"
"I'll remember Robin. I'll..." Raven paused a minute. "I'll try to talk to Beastboy."
Robin nodded, opening the door. "I'll keep an eye on you. Bye Raven." He stepped through her door and walked down the hallway.
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A/N: Don't worry, it's not Raven/Robin time. She and Robin don't feel romantically close, she just respects his ability to keep secrets and his loyalty to friendship enough to open up to him. Robin isn't officially dating Starfire either, but he's aware that she gets jealous of him. (Watch 'Date with Destiny' if you doubt that.) Anyway, There's the latest chapter. This will be updated again soon, perhaps even later tonight if I get bored or something. Anyway, review please, and see you soon.
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A Woman Scorned
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"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." - The Mourning Bride, William Congreve.
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Robin wiped his brow as he finished his daily training course. He'd worked hard today, trying his best to push the situation with Beastboy and Raven out of his mind. He'd known for some time that they were more involved with eachother than they let on, and had approached Raven about it a month before Terra had arrived. Raven hadn't denied it, and had simply asked that he not discuss it with Beastboy or any of the other Titans. Until today, he'd obeyed her request.
He'd spoken shortly with Beastboy after Raven had left the common room, he'd explained that he had begun dating Terra to find out what it was like to date someone with more emotion. Robin had expressed his disapproval and disappointment in Beastboy, and the green changeling had left the room looking saddened.
Robin turned towards the staircase leading up from the third floor training rooms. He jogged up the staircase, until he reached the top, common room and residences. He stepped through the door, thinking. He turned left, heading out of the common room, and towards Raven's room.
Robin knocked on the door lightly, not wanting to jar Raven any more than was necessary. A response came from inside. "Go away, Beastboy. I don't feel like talking."
Robin leaned towards the door, speaking in a quiet tone. "Raven, it's Robin, and we need to talk about the situation."
A few seconds later, the door opened, and Robin found himself staring into the cold eyes of Raven. She was dressed in her normal longsleeved black leather costume, though she was not wearing her cloak. She stared icily at Robin, though she seemed willing to talk. Robin stepped forward, brushing past her and entering her room despite her obvious intent to keep him out. She glared at him coldly.
"You said you wanted to talk to me. Say something."
Robin tried to keep calm, despite her antagonistic attitude. "Raven, you can't just bottle your anger at Beastboy. It won't stay hidden forever. What he did was bad, but he's our friend, and we need to keep him as one."
Raven looked to the side, avoiding Robin's gaze. "I can't let my anger out Robin. I have no choice but to supress it."
Robin nodded. "I know you can't let it out all at once, but you also can't just pretend that it never happened. You need to talk to him."
Raven sat down on her bed, sighing. "Robin, every time I see him, I am overtaken by rage. When I saw Terra in the hall, I had to suppress the voice in my mind that was screaming to crush her where she stood."
Robin's face didn't change, but inside he was cringing from her calm tone as she described the violent fantasies her mind showed her.
"I saw it. A vision, of her body crumpling under my power's stength. I saw her begging, pleading for me to let her live. I saw Beas-- I saw him crying, his body broken. I saw-"
"Raven, you may have seen it, but it doesn't have to come true. I don't know why you have these visions, and I don't expect you to tell me. The point is, you can control it, and I can help, if you will let me."
Robin held his hand out. Raven's eyes glanced towards his hand. She seemd to be thinking hard about something. She stood suddenly, ignoring Robin's hand, and stepping towards her dresser. She picked up a small, ornate mirror. She looked at the mirror for a moment, then looked towards Robin.
"Robin, I am about to show you something that will change your view of me forever. Beastboy and Cyborg saw it the night that I lost control battling Dr. Light." Raven sighed heavily, seemingly nervous about whatever she was going to show him. Finally she calmed herself, and held out the mirror. Robin looked into it.
"It's a mirror, Raven. I don't see what's so important." As Robin stared, the image on the mirror began to swirl, and he was pulled into the mirror by an invisible force. A moment later, Raven activated the mirror herself.
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Robin landed nimbly on his feet, looking around quickly, trying to discern where he was. He didn't recognize it. He was standing on a roughly circular island of stone, suspended above an endless abyss of space. He scowled. "Raven, where am I? If this is a joke--"
"It's not a joke. We are in my mind." Robin turned switfly towards the voice, seeing the blue-cloaked girl approaching him.
"The mirror is a meditation tool. Beastboy was holding it when..." Raven paused for a moment. "HE activated it." The emphasis on the word 'he' was obvious, and equally obvious was that she didn't mean Beastboy.
Robin cocked an eyebrow. "Who is 'HE'?"
Raven sighed, then walked forward, a stone path appearing in front of her as she walked. "I will show you, but first there is someone you need to meet."
Robin followed Raven as she led him down the eerie, physically impossible walkway. A natural stone arch appeared suddenly in front of them. Raven walked through, and Robin followed.
Suddenly, Robin found himself in a large, immaculate library. Books were everywhere, with titles so precise as to render themselves meaningless. 'Arithmetic, Simple.'. 'History of Azerath, Year 001'. 'Teen Titans, Strengths'. 'Teen Titans, Weaknesses'. Robin reached for the last title, but suddenly he saw Raven's hand holding his arm. He looked up, then his eyes widened. She was suddenly wearing a bright yellow robe, and thick-rimmed glasses.
Raven's voice sounded strange as she spoke. "Robin, it takes years to sort these books if they are misplaced. Do not misplace them."
Robin pulled his hand away from the book, looking at Raven strangely. "How did you change robes so quickly? Why are we in the library?" Suddenly, he heard a voice from behind him.
"That's not exactly me. It's knowledge, a side of me. She is my inquisitive nature, my questioning mind. The side of me that is most like you." Raven walked towards Robin, holding a book in her hands. She held it out to him.
"Teen Titans: Robin" He read the title aloud. He cast a look at her, over the top of the book. "This book contains everything you know about me?"
Raven nodded, sitting at a table. Robin sat across from her, and opened the book to a random page. He tried to ignore the yellow cloaked figure brazenly reading over his shoulder.
Robin knows. He knows about Beastboy. (Cross-check with 'Teen Titans: Beastboy Volume Three', Pg. 230) He came to me today in the late morning, interrupting my meditation, as he often does. (See 'Common Irritations', Pgs. 1-32) He said that he'd noticed my looks towards Beastboy, and a softening of my jokes at his expense. (TT: BB V1, Pg. 147) I acknowledged my heretofore secret relationship with Beastboy, asking Robin to keep it a secret from the other Titans. I predict that he will be able to do it. (See Teen Titans: Strengths, Pg. 11)
Robin closed the book, handing it to the yellow figure to go replace on the shelf. He looked at Raven. "How do you read that? It's all so heavily annotated."
Raven sighed. "It's memory, everything links to something else. That's not the point, however. Follow me."
Raven stood, walking through a heavy wooden door set into the wall of the library.
They stepped into a brightly colored place, with pink grass and strange fruit trees surrounding them. Robin coughed slightly, the air here had a heavy floral perfume to it, and it stung his nose. He followed Raven as she walked down the cobblestone path. Suddenly, he fell forward as an apple beaned him in the back of the head.
Robin leapt up, ready to face the attacker, but was met instead with a pink-robed Raven, laughing happily and smiling at him. Robin put away his bo staff, and straighted up from his aggressive stance.
"Which emotion is this, Raven?"
Raven's sigh was palpable. "It's... happiness."
The pink robed Raven walked around Robin slowly, looking him over. She grinned. "So I finally get to meet you. You're second to Beastboy for making Raven happy. She likes your calm intelligence, and your drive to win."
Robin grinned back at the pink girl. "Is that so? Raven, what do you have to say about that?"
The true Raven blushed slightly, looking to the side. "She's telling the truth, but you inspire very different feelings than Beastboy, trust me."
Robin nodded. The pink Raven didn't seem daunted. "That's not really my department. But anyway, Raven?"
Raven looked towards the emotion almost dismissively.
"He's gotten out again. He's weak at the moment, but still. I can't do my job until he's gone, and you know that."
Robin looked at the two Ravens, his logical mind was being overwhelmed by the unerring strangeness in the place. Still, he resolved to find out as much as he could. He turned to the pink Raven.
"Happiness, was it? Tell me, who is it that keeps you from doing your job?"
The pink Raven grinned at him. "She doesn't want you to know yet. It would make her less happy, and I can't do that. She'll tell you soon enough. For now, however..." The pink Raven disappeared into the ground.
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Meanwhile, Beastboy had finished his agility training, dodging through all the flying projectiles and moving walls of the exterior training course. He heard clapping from the control panel.
"Go Beastboy! That was great!" Terra grinned, waving and shouting to Beastboy. He waved back, then changed into a bird and flew up to her. He changed back and hugged her.
"So what's my time?" Beastboy looked down at the clock, 1:45. "Dude! I beat Cyborg!"
Beastboy started dancing around. "Look at me! Who beat Cyborg? I did, I'm the fastest, better than anyone!"
Terra grinned before speaking up. "Uh.. Beastboy? My best time is still 1:39, remember?"
Beastboy frowned. "That SO doesn't count! You just flew over the entire course on a rock! You're such a-" Beastboy changed into a chicken, clucking and walking around on the control panel.
Terra picked up the chicken by the wings, holding it in the air. She stuck out her tongue. "You're the chicken, can't beat a girl's time! Ha ha h-mmph!" Beastboy changed back into a human, putting his hands around her head and kissing her before she could finish taunting him.
When he pulled his lips away, she was blushing. "No fair kissing me when I'm teasing you, Beastboy!"
Terra smiled, then remembered that she'd wanted to ask Beastboy something. "Hey, Besastboy. What's up with Raven? I saw her in the hallway today, and she looked like she was about to kill me."
Beastboy's smile faded, and he stared down at the console. "Why are you asking me? Why not Robin or one of the others?"
Terra stepped closer to Beastboy. He looked so sad, she was worried about him. "Well, you know her better than they do. You're the only person I've ever seen go into her room. She seems to trust you a bit more than the others. But anyway, do you have any idea what she's so mad at me for?"
Beastboy stared downward for a second, then shrugged. "No idea. She's just weird like that. You probably just said the wrong word to her or something. She'll get over it." Beastboy smiled, but it didn't look very real.
"C'mon, let's go get some ice cream in town or something. I don't want to get too thin from all this training."
Terra grinned, happy that Beastboy seemed to be ok, and that Raven would at least get over it eventually. She took his hand and moved the ground underneath them, taking a chunk large enough to fly them across the bay to town.
......................................................................
Robin landed hard on his back, then vaulted himself to his feet, facing the red-cloaked Raven that had suddenly attacked him. The true Raven had disappeared after stepping through another archway, and he had appeared here, in a dark area of Raven's mind, the same stone floor, but no stars to light the way. The strange red-cloaked girl seemed to be fighting him with her eyes closed, as there was nothing but blackness under the hood.
The Raven dodged quickly forward as he threw two explosive discs at her, and then brought her hand hard against his right temple, in a chopping motion. Robin reeled backwards, fighting unconsciousness from the blow to his pressure point. This emotion knew combat well, to say the least. Robin stepped forward, feinting a kick. The girl took the bait, blocking low, and missing the signs of his weight shifting.
His punch knocked the girl back hard, and she fell to the ground a few feet back. In no time he jumped, landing on top of her with his hand at her throat. He squeezed just enough to cause slight dizziness.
"Give up! I don't want to hurt you! Just give up!" Robin stared at the struggling girl, who was pinned too well to throw him. Suddenly it's eyes opened, revealing four glowing red slits. An unearthly laughter echoed in the void as the girl disappeared. Suddenly, Robin heard Raven's voice behind him.
"THAT is who 'he' is. Although he's too weak right now to take his true form." Robin turned to see Raven, with a strangely vulnerable look on her face.
"True form? What do you mean?"
Raven paused for a moment. She then closed her eyes, and a small section of the air began to show a hologram-like movie. Robin watched as Raven, Beastboy, and Cyborg battled a large red fiend. He watched as they fought, fruitlessly throwing the fiend down again and again. The battle eventually culminated in a large, white cloaked Raven reducing the fiend to the red Raven, then absorbing it. The hologram faded as Raven opened her eyes.
"That was a memory of what Beastboy and Cyborg helped me defeat. That is what takes control of my powers when I lose control. That... is my father."
Robin kept a straight face, though his mind reeled with the new information. That explained her violent mind, and her constant struggle to keep control. It also explained her hesitation to discuss her past with her teammates. She was a product of daemonic heritage.
Robin walked towards Raven, and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Look, Raven, this is all new knowledge to me, but it doesn't change my view of you. You are a friend, and I... we all will help you deal with this, however we can."
Raven stared at him for a moment, thinking deeply. Robin felt her relax slightly. "I just... wanted to show you why I couldn't talk to Beastboy, or to Terra. They are both friends, but if I am alone with them... I might kill them."
Robin moved beside Raven, putting his right arm across her shoulders, and leading her towards the ornate door on the other side of the island. "That is the doorway out of your mind, right?"
Raven nodded slowly.
"Then let's leave. You can talk to me about your feelings towards Beastboy. I'm faster than you are. If your powers get out of control..." Robin grinned at Raven. "I'll knock you unconscious, and we can start again."
The image of Raven's mind melted as they stepped through the door, and found themselves back in Raven's room. Raven looked towards Robin's arm, still around her shoulder. She brushed it off, and he just grinned. Robin pulled up a chair, and sat on it, facing her and her bed. She sat on her bed, blankly staring at the floor for a few moments.
Robin gave her time, assuming that she was compiling her thoughts. Suddenly, a glisten caught his eye. He looked up, and saw another teardrop fall from her face to her legs, splashing silently on her pale thigh. He stood up, then walked over to her, putting his arms around her and pulling her to him as she cried.
He'd never seen her act this way. She was crying. He held her, trying to console the weeping woman. He winced, thinking of what Starfire would inevitably think if she saw them right now, but then noticed that Raven wasn't hugging him back, she was simply crying as he held her. She was just letting her emotions out, not generating new ones for him.
He held her for nearly an hour as she sobbed miserably into his uniform. Not once during that time did he feel the need to leave her, or to check on the rest of the tower. All he knew was that his friend needed help, and that he was doing all he could do to help her, despite the connotations that others would put on it.
Finally, she lifted her head, and looked at his face. He looked down at her, and his eyes widened. Her eyes were reddened from crying, and her face glistened with tears. He felt terrible for her, but also happy in knowing that she had someone to come to when she needed it.
Raven looked away from his face, pulling away from him slightly as she did so.
"Thank you, Robin. I didn't know who to turn to."
Robin nodded. "It's ok, Raven. I told you that I would help however I could."
Raven picked up her cloak, and put it on. She pulled up her hood, hiding her face from him. "Don't start thinking that this means that I..."
He stopped her. "I know. I don't think of you that way either. We're friends, Raven. We are all your friends, even Beastboy, even Terra. Nothing will ever change that."
Raven looked at him, her eyes as deadpan as ever. There was no evidence left on her of her recent outpouring of emotion. She closed her eyes for a moment.
Robin waited silently. Raven opened her eyes once more. "Starfire is looking for you. I'd suggest you take a shower first, however. Starfire's sense of smell is uncanny, and I wouldn't want her to get the wrong impression."
Robin grinned. "Thanks Raven, and remember, if you need me-"
"I'll remember Robin. I'll..." Raven paused a minute. "I'll try to talk to Beastboy."
Robin nodded, opening the door. "I'll keep an eye on you. Bye Raven." He stepped through her door and walked down the hallway.
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A/N: Don't worry, it's not Raven/Robin time. She and Robin don't feel romantically close, she just respects his ability to keep secrets and his loyalty to friendship enough to open up to him. Robin isn't officially dating Starfire either, but he's aware that she gets jealous of him. (Watch 'Date with Destiny' if you doubt that.) Anyway, There's the latest chapter. This will be updated again soon, perhaps even later tonight if I get bored or something. Anyway, review please, and see you soon.