Author's note: Don't you love it when alcohol has a positive effect for
once..? I'm in a good mood right now...I just had a nice warm brownie with
vanilla ice cream on top so expect some sweetness this time around... maybe
not the lovey dovey type...mm warm brownie...

Chapter 5: When Worlds Collide

She slammed the door shut and locked it. Her lamp blew up.

"God.... Why me..."

She leaned on her door and slid down to kneel... This wasn't easy on her. She
could hear them talking about her even without using her powers. Beast Boy
said something about her eyes making her look like she wouldn't bite your
head off or something of the sort...This was just not her day...

-knock knock

She woke up to a knock on her door. She had fallen asleep on the spot.

"Raven, it is I, Starfire... may I please come in?"
"What do you want?"
"Please... I do not wish to further upset you and..."
Raven opened the door halfway and peered at her Green-eyed friend. Starfire
had a sorry look on her face... Raven didn't want to cause anymore discomfort
to anyone so she might as well put up with the pep queen for now.

"Come in."
"Thank you."
"Well..?"
"I have noticed that you do not seem to like the change that has occurred...
and I was hoping I could help you out."
"You want to help me change my appearance..."

An image of her in Starfire's wardrobe made her return to her sickly color
for a split second...

"Fear not, friend Raven, I do know what is not to your liking and would
like to how they say 'give it a shot'..."

Raven contemplated on this... Since she already looks like this, Starfire
can't possibly make her look any worse... then again...

"If I turn out anything like you..."
"I know that you and I do not see eye to eye on certain things but I assure
you that I will not further your humiliation... Though you must know, you do
not have any reason to be embarrassed about your new appearance."
"Save it... just...get on with it."

Starfire had gone into her room and brought in a bag when she got ack to
Raven's room... The boys saw her and were wondering what they were doing in
there. Raven could feel them listening close to her door trying to pry into
their business.

"Boys..." She muttered... she stretched out her hand towards the door.

The door opened quick enough to hit their heads and shut itself just as
quickly.

-----------------------------------------------

"Well...I think it looks very suitable for your personality." Starfire was
standing proud of her work.

"I don't even want to look..."

"Oh come now... trust me on this. You will not be disappointed. I want to
show our friends...!!!"

"Starfire don't even...." Before she could finish, Starfire had grabbed her
by her hand and flew out of her room. The boys were sitting on the couches
with ice bags on the side of their faces. Starfire's sudden entrance made
them turn to their direction.

Raven froze... she was dead stiff in the middle of a stare fest.

"I like it." Robin's voice snapped her out of her trance.
"Cool feathers man! Now you really look like your name! Nice job Star!"
Beast Boy was putting his thumbs up.
"Now that is a tight look." Cyborg was eying her funny...

"See... I told you, you needn't worry..." Starfire was beaming with pride.
Raven finally remembered how to move her joints and made her way to the
nearest mirror...

Her hair had two small braids at each side with silver beads holding them...
and black feathers had been banded to the beads in the middle of every
braid. Her bangs were long enough to put behind her ears so as not to cover
her face and Starfire left long strands that fell across the side of her
face...She had to admit. It wasn't bad at all.

"...thanks."
"Woah... I never thought I'd hear that from you... we have got o celebrate this
moment of history!" Beast Boy always was looking for an excuse to party but
this was really embarrassing Raven.
"Amen to that! Let's go get some pizza!" Cyborg and Beast Boy had, for
once in a long time, been unified in mind. They both volunteered to get the
pizza.
"Well... I guess I shall prepare the rest of the feast... I shall make my
pudding of happiness..." With that Starfire skipped off towards the kitchen
leaving a red Raven and a grimacing Robin...

"...this is sad." She said aloud.
"To be honest, I think she did a pretty good job. You look nice."

Ever seen a beet-red Raven? Now Robin has...

"...thanks."

Robin began to walk towards his room.

"You know, I think you should learn to pat yourself on the back a bit."

Raven was left in the common room with mixed emotions...

'No... Starfire deserves the pat on the back.' She thought...

She went back to her room to wait for the boys to come back with the pizza
and for the first time...she really looked at herself. She admitted that she
did look a bit more... feminine but not too the point where she resembled
Starfire. And the thought of Robin's comment made her feel something she
had not allowed herself to feel for the longest time... A slight appreciation
of self.

--------
Ok...I think I kind of embarrassed Raven enough in the previous chapters so I
thought maybe I should give her a break...for a while... About Robin's
perspective... I think I'll do that a lot later...