For those of you who I haven't told already, Carmen is a big fan of Megatokyo. I don't own Megatokyo but visit the site it's 4503!!!
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Carmen awoke at 7:45a.m. It took her a moment to gain her bearings, but she remembered where she was. She tried to get up but there was something on her shoulder. Cyborg's arm rested there limply as he slept. His faint snoring made her giggle. Carmen lifted his arm and rolled off the couch. She walked over to the window and sat in full lotus position, resting her hands on her knees, palms up. She breathed deeply in and out as she lifted her right arm lethargically upwards followed by her left arm. She stretched her shoulders then brought her arms down back to her knees in unison, then began again. The sun rose brightly as she continued with her wake up routine; it had been so long she was surprised she could still pull off a full lotus, although it was particularly strainful on her knees. Carmen glanced at the clock. 8:10a.m. She did numerous other stretches some that made her bones crack loudly. Cyborg still slept soundly, drooling a little, as he snored. Carmen snorted and held her breath to keep from laughing. While she tried not to choke on her air, Raven entered the living room.
"Oh, good morning Raven," Carmen greeted. Raven smiled back at her as she poured her morning tea. "Not much of a morning person?"
"Not particularly,"
"Don't fret, you're not the only one," Carmen pointed to Cyborg. He mumbled gibberish as he slept. They both giggled quietly.
"I've never seen him so happy, before you came," Raven admitted. "He really missed you." Carmen closed her eyes and smiled.
"I wonder what he'll say," Carmen walked over to the couch. Raven gave her a questioning look that said 'I don't get it'. Seeing her expression Carmen added "Watch," she reached out and cracked her fingers one by one by Cyborg's ear.
"Ah, no more firecrackas," he mumbled as he woke. Raven almost spewed her tea as Carmen laughed at the oblivious Cyborg. "What's so funny?" he asked yawning.
"Nothing you need to be concerned of just go back to sleep," Carmen said sweetly. He raised an eyebrow.
"What are you up to?"
"Nothing at all," she answered in an angelic voice. Raven finished off her tea as Starfire walked in.
"Good morning friends, did you all sleep well?" Starfire asked full of her joyful spirit. Raven nodded. "Are we to eat breakfast soon?" she asked. Raven knew Robin didn't trust Carmen and she didn't want him tagging along on their trip to the mall. Nothing was more annoying than trying to have fun with someone always staring at his watch and asking 'are we done yet?'
"Come we are to celebrate the rising of the sun!" Well, almost nothing. Besides Carmen looked like a mall roamer anyway.
"Actually Star, why don't we have breakfast in the mall? Carmen does need new clothes and it's best to get there early," Raven suggested.
"A wonderful idea! It could be a girl's day yes?" Starfire looked back at Carmen who smiled and nodded. She looked back at Cyborg who was still half asleep. He smiled/yawned and waved.
"Bye bye have fun," Cyborg lay down on the couch and went back to sleep. Carmen slipped on her shoes and they headed out the door. Not two minutes later, Robin walked into the living room. He looked around and heard Cyborg's snores.
"Hey Cyborg, where's Carmen?" Cyborg opened his eye then closed it again and rolled onto his stomach.
"Shoppin' with Raven and yawn Star. No worries she'll behave like a good girl," Cyborg was obviously not awake enough for a very serious conversation. Robin looked out the window and saw Raven, Starfire, who was carrying Carmen, fly off to the city.
When they entered the mall Carmen looked around the new interior. A lot of it had changed. It was so much bigger! So many new places to visit, things to buy, people to dodge. Speaking of people to dodge, Carmen noticed a group of boys watching them. They whistled and laughed.
"Do you know where you want to go first?" Raven asked as they pretended to ignore the group of boys.
"So much of the mall has changed. I don't think I remember where places are," Carmen commented.
"After we get you fitted into a new outfit, might we be able to find ourselves some breakfast?" Starfire asked. Her stomach gurgled deeply and she blushed. Carmen smiled.
"Of course, I'm pretty hungry too. I'm sure there…are…lots of…"Carmen left her sentence incomplete as she noticed a store with the words 'Megatokyo' over the doorway. She walked towards it as if in a trance, her arms to her sides and her mouth open. "They, they have Megatokyo here!?!" she bolted for the store, leaving Raven and Starfire behind.
"Um, Raven, what is Megatokyo?" Starfire asked keeping an eye on her new friend so they didn't lose her.
"Not sure, but Carmen seems to know," Raven followed Carmen into the store where she was busying herself looking at, well everything.
"Hey it's Largo's cool thing! And Ping's 'Overclocked' shirt! And gasp it's the 'NINJ4' hoodie," Carmen grabbed the sweater off the shelf and unfolded it. "I love this store. When did it open?" Carmen asked to anyone in her general area.
"This store just opened yesterday, you're the fifth customer so you get a special discount," the man at the counter said cheerfully. Carmen's eyes widened and sparkled.
"I get a discount?"
"Sure do. You buy one thing, not matter what the price, you get three things free!" He man held up a pen. "Even if you just buy this little trinket, you get three things free. Not a bad deal, eh?"
"Not a bad deal at all," Raven said walking up behind Carmen. "I'll buy the pen and you get some clothes you want," Raven took a weird pen with a hamster on it out of the cup and placed some money on the counter. Starfire looked at the Megatokyo graphic novels as Carmen picked out a shirt, baggy denim capris and the 'NINJ4' sweater.
"I'm coming back to this store!" Carmen said as she bit the tag off her new sweater. Starfire walked to the counter and put the graphic novel she was reading on the counter.
"I wish to purchase this please," Starfire handed the man her money and wrapped the bag around her wrist. "Might we go find breakfast now?" she pleaded.
"Yea, I'm starving. To the food court we go!" Carmen marched to the nearest pizza line. It was 11:02a.m., lunch time to Carmen. She got a slice of cheese and a slice of ham and mushroom. Starfire had a variety of foods and Raven got some Arby's curly fries.
"Tell me Carmen, how long have you known Cyborg?" Starfire asked starting conversation. Carmen took a bite of her pizza.
"I don't even remember when we met, we've been friends for as long as I can remember it's just always been that way," she answered causally.
"On my planet, such long friendships of the opposite gender evolve into love, has that happened to the two of you?" Carmen almost choked on her food. "I notice the way he looks at you, from what I have learned it is a look of love," Starfire continued. Carmen set her pizza down, as she zoned out, her eyes shifted left and right lost in thought. "Carmen?" Starfire looked at Raven who was watching Carmen attentively. "Did I say something to upset her?" she whispered. Raven shrugged. She didn't know if Carmen was taking the comment in a positive or a negative way.
"Do you really think so?" Carmen asked after a short but awkward silence.
"Yes I do. He looks at you with passion," Starfire nodded. "Have you noticed Raven?" Carmen looked at Raven with intense wanting. She could say no to her. That would be lying.
"Especially last night when you showed us your tattoo," Raven admitted. Carmen smiled thoughtfully.
"Thank you for telling me," she added. Then she perked back up to her 'normal' self. "Speaking of which, Starfire you still want to check out the tattooing parlor? It's just across the street," Carmen tempted.
"I am not quite certain this is such a good idea," Starfire mumbled as they entered the creepy looking building. The parlor had Ozzy Ozborne playing quietly from a boom box. The different designs of tattoos that could be made lined the walls in glass cases.
"It's ok Starfire, don't worry. All we want is to see a tattooing, no big deal," Carmen reassured. A stereotype biker looking man was behind the counter.
"Hey there girlies, how's ya day goin'?" he asked in a raspy voice. Carmen smiled at him while Starfire peered out from behind her.
"Not too shabby, how's yours goin' Bear?" Carmen asked, head held up high. 'Bear', as he was called, was the man who put the tattoo on Carmen, who was also her uncle (twice removed). Her 'death' had reached him and he had a tattoo on his arm that said 'Real Men Cry' which was something Carmen had told him before she got her own tattoo. (A/N: see nothing to worry about, she had permission) He lifted up his sunglasses, revealing a tan-line; his eyes looked at Carmen in disbelief.
"Nash? Is zat you?" Bear walked around the counter and looked her over. His expression turned to uncontainable joy. "Carzy Nash! You's alive! HAHA!" Bear picked Carmen up and swung her around twice before lifting her up like a child. Carmen opened her mouth to tell him he missed 'Pick on Carmen time' ,but he interrupted her. "I don't care if I missed 'Pick on Carmen time' 'cuz it's neva ova fo me!" the big man set Carmen down and wiped his eyes. "Oh, little missy, you cause quite a commotion. I've thinkin' all these year you was dead,"
"Well, I'm not Bear. I'm ok now," Carmen smiled sweetly at the grizzly man.
"Dat's good. Now what you want here, another tattoo, or just to see me?" he asked placing his hands on his pot-bellied stomach.
"Nah, my friend here wanted to see a tattooing so here we are. You got a victim…oh I mean customer?" she asked jokingly.
"Very funny, but yea someone just came in before you. Come check it out," Bear led the three of them to a back room where a middle-aged woman was tattooing a skull on some guy's shoulder.
"Hey Skittles, Nash is alive and she gots friends who want to see your 'art'," he explained.
"Nash welcome back to the living world! This is Eric," the woman said in that weird fortune teller accent. Starfire watch the woman as she moved the needles around Eric's shoulder.
"This process does not hurt you?" Starfire asked Eric as he himself watched the process.
"Not too bad, you kinda get over it after a while," Eric smiled at Star, erasing his seemingly intimidating appearance. Starfire went over to the wall where Raven was looking at the designs. One she liked personally just happened to be a raven, wings spread as if flying.
"I'd be willin' to give you a freebee since you's Carzy's friend if ya want one," Bear offered seeing Raven interest in the raven tattoo.
"Maybe another time. Carmen it's getting late, Robin will be real upset if we don't get back soon and I really don't want to deal with him today," Raven suggested. Carmen looked back her with a pouting face.
"Oh alright. Bye bye Bear! Later Skittles!" Carmen waved good bye as they walked to the door.
"See ya 'round Carzy."
"Come back soon Nash," Skittles called out.
Back at the tower, the boys were all playing their video games. The girls walked in the room, each with their own bags, talking away about what kinds of tattoos they would get if they got one. In Carmen's case, if she got another one.
"I really liked the butterfly, it was adorable," Starfire replied. "What would you get Raven?"
"I liked the flying raven or maybe the sleeping panther I saw before," she replied actually interested in the conversation. She had always thought tattoos were just some stupid fad, but now they seemed like a sort of art. You had to have a good artistic talent to be a tattoo person. Not just anybody.
"Hey ladies, have fun?" Cyborg asked not taking his eyes off the screen.
"Sure did. Look it they had a Megatokyo store at the mall!" Carmen said showing off her new sweater.
"Cool," Cyborg replied. "Dinner's in the microwave if to guys want some,"
"I'm not hungry and I need to meditate before I got stir-crazy," Raven made her way to the roof.
"Would you like me to join you?" Starfire asked. Raven looked back at her.
"Actually Star, why don't you find Carmen a room where she can put her stuff," Raven suggested. Carmen stood there with her bag from the store. Starfire led Carmen down the hallway where the Titan's rooms were.
"That is Cyborg's room, and that is Raven's room, and this is my room. You can stay here until we create you your own room, ok?" Starfire explained.
"Cool, thanks." Starfire pulled out a mattress from her closet and set it on the opposite side of the room. Carmen went and got the blankets and pillow Cyborg had brought her from the night before. Starfire helped make her bed before they settled down for the night. When the lights were turned off Carmen lay wake. 'I wonder if what Starfire and Raven said was true. Does he really look at me that way? Then why didn't he answer me? Maybe he doesn't remember. I'll have to remind him how much I care soon.' When her rambles where over, Carmen drifted into a deep sleep and dreamed about how she would remind him of her love.
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Wow that was longer than I intended it to be, but oh well. Hope you liked it. R&R
full lotus position- when you bring your feet on top of your thighs. Yoga pose.
stereotype biker-fat men with bald heads, beards, who wear leather vests, and have many tattoos