Pretty in Pink.

She was called Scarlet due to a slight flick of red hair that hung in a sea of deep purple. It had been a nickname. To have called her Raven would have been far to complicated. So the nickname had stuck. Scarlet had only been alive for ten years, but to her it felt longer. She had been an exact duplicate of the six year old Raven. Well not exact… past events had proved that.

The girl knew that she was a clone. No one had ever told her differently. She had been informed at a very early age that she was nothing more then a 'back-up', in case the true child of Trigon did not fulfil their destiny and awake her father before her sixteen day of birth, where Raven's soul would be at it ripest and the link at it's strongest. However, many had long suspected that Raven would have no part in this. You had to have been living in a cave not to know that she was a member of a crime fighting team. It was very unlikely that she would give that up. So Scarlet, the back-up, had been used. But even that had fallen through.

Scarlet could feel the corners of her mouth transforming into a smile when she recalled the looks on their faces. She gently floating to the ground, taking a good look at her new surroundings.

"I'm free," the girl whispered to no one in particular. "I'm finally free!" Her violet eyes shone deeply with curiosity and wonder as she glazed around the town. The buildings were so tall, she had to strain her neck just to look at them.

"Why didn't you do this before?" she wondered. "Why did you stay? You hated those people?"

As Scarlet was deep in thought she never noticed the shadow of a figure creeping up from behind.

"Friend Raven, how glorious it is to see you out of your dark and dreary room!" Starfire's arms gripped Scarlet and held her tightly.

"Hey, get off of me!" Scarlet pushed Starfire away with a single mental blast.

Starfire tumbled to the ground. Her face fell, but she tried to force a smile. "I forgot Friend Raven doesn't like to be hugged," she looked at her feet. "I will leave you to walk alone,"

Alone. The clone had been alone for the majority of her life. She didn't want to be alone anymore. Besides she kinda enjoyed the hug.

"You don't have to go, I mean if you want to we could walk together,"

"You mean it!!?"

Scarlet nodded.

"Oh glorious day!" Starfire linked her arm with the other girl and dragged her into the mall.

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"Okay, now try this on!" Starfire held up a plain black dress. Scarlet wrinkled her nose. She had been trying on outfits all day that the alien girl had picked out for her. All plain black. All, in Scarlet's opinion, very boring. She sighed.

"Do I have to?"

"Why yes of course, how else am I to select a present for you?" Starfire beamed holding up the dress. "Try it…why what is the matter?" she had caught Scarlet's stunned face.

"Nothing. I guess…Why would you want to buy me anything?"

A giggle flowed across Starfire's lips. "Because today is your birthday," Her face fell again. "Am I to understand that you do not buy presents upon this day?"

Scarlet did her best to hold back a smile. She liked this girl. "No you were right before, but maybe we could choose something with a bit more colour?"

Starfire leapt into the air with joy. "Oh Raven, I have always hoped for this day!"

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Starfire returned to the tower alone. She didn't think it was odd for Raven to suddenly disappear. The girl did that all the time. She smiled happily to herself, clutching the gift in her hands, Starfire felt a bubble of excitement within her. How fun today had been. She never knew that Raven liked pink as much as she! She couldn't wait to show the others.

"And your saying that Raven…Our Raven…Little miss doom and gloom, picked that?" Cyborg stared in disbelief at the pink flock that Starfire was showing off.

"Yes," Starfire nodded. "I met her in the town and we went shopping together!!"

Robin hung the last of the balloons up. "Funny, I didn't think she had left her room,"

Cyborg shrugged. "You know Raven. She's unpredictable," There came a bling from the kitchen. "Cakes done!"

Beast Boy had only moved from the sofa to see the gift that Starfire was proposing they gave Raven. He sank back down again. "Now I know she's going to kill me!"

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All 4now

DIT