Mind Games
Uh-oh, me tinx some peeps misunderstood my wording in the first chappie. This is not a one-shot. The original idea was designed to be a one-shot, but then this whole 'psychological thriller' plot came to mind, and the both just intertwined to become this ficcy that I'm hoping will become the 13 chappies I'm wanting to type. If no one's noticed yet, I'm rather partial to having superstitious numbers in my stories…it's a 'me' thing…13 being a bad luck number and all. I'd say more on the subject if I wanted to give things away, but I really don't wanna ruin anything.
Random question: Anyone else here notice my pattern of one-shots and chappie fics? Whaddaya think? Should I live up to the pattern or not?
BROWNIE POINTS TO: artemisgirl, byebyebb18, Captain Scarlet penguin keeper, Peter the Muggle (although he didn't have a dog…a dog would've been good for the scene though, huh? :P), and Dante Gemini. 'Twas indeed the elevator scene.
To reply to a few reviews with the questions in 'em that had nothing to do with Spiderman 2…
ICTOAN: "Or is it afford?" :S I'm confuzzled. Please clarify, if you're still reading this.
Flying Star: 'Tis extended fuh sho. So when am I gonna see ya review when you're signed in? Does that happen on very rare occasions? :P (You know I love you!!! )
WrItErGrL: Thanks…Carl Sandberg just kinda POPPED into my head there…spank you much for the putting of the me on the favies! Truly appreciated! NOW UPDATE!!! :P
Zoe Rose: That has got to be the best review I've ever gotten. So you're one o' the peeps who look at the bottom of the review box where it says "Constructive Criticism is beneficial to writers…" and stuff along those lines, eh? You must make many authors proud . Thanks a bunch!
TamerTerra: You catch on pretty quick…let's just say you're not cold, but you're not hot either…rather warm. Excellent guess, though!
As for artemisgirl, Kestrel, Under it all, byebyebb18, Captain Scarlet penguin keeper, Sarah-Crysala, Peter the Muggle, AzerathMetrionZinthos12, and Dante Gemini: thanks so much for the reviews! You see something wrong, you just lemme know, otayz? OTAYZ!!!
Before I start, I just wanna share some words of…well, it's not wisdom…er…just words from Homer Simpson:
"From now on, walking is my beer, and feeling good is my hangover."
Read it. Learn from it…if that's even possible. Just be entertained. That is all.
This chapter is dedicated to the evil cannevil TamerTerra who won't update Herbal Tea 'til I update here…so get to posting, TT!!! :P
Disclaimer: I'm still not with the owning of the TT and what not.
Chapter 2 – Bryan Spencer
Randomly situated prodding sensations made Raven stir a good thirty minutes later. At first, the dark girl simply waved off the sleep-distracting feeling, until a particularly hard prod jabbed at her rib cage.
"Ow…Hey! What was that for?" Raven said rather monotonously, now opening her eyes and yawning, taking in the surroundings of Room 378.
"You were sleeping," the boy on the hospital bed in front of her stated, pushing a stick back under his bed. It was Bryan – awake and energetic in all his confined glory.
"I hardly noticed," Raven returned, stretching a bit.
"Well, actually, sleeping's an understatement. You were drooling quite a bit, too."
Raven stopped stretching and quickly wiped at her mouth in embarrassment to witness Bryan collapse into a fit of laughter.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Gotcha!" he exclaimed in his squeaky voice.
Raven scowled, but at seeing his amusement, shed her frown for a simple smirk, and removed her hood in a habitual fashion. How very Beast Boy of you…
"So, did you have a good dream?" Bryan asked, situated on his side, his head propped under his right hand, so as to face Raven more fully.
"Dream?" Raven said, and then, remembering that she was sleeping just a moment ago, tried to recall if she had a dream at all…but she couldn't think up anything. She merely looked at Bryan, stating, "It's hard to say. I don't remember."
Bryan looked slightly put out. "Oh. Okay. If you remember, though, tell me. I like hearing dreams."
"Do you?" Raven asked, amused at the prospect. "And why is that?"
The boy shrugged. "I like to read. Hearing a dream is the same as having someone tell you a story."
"Your eyes aren't on a page, but as long as you have the storyteller, it's like you're still reading," Raven added, still highly amused.
"Through imagination," Bryan beamed.
The psychic looked at him as though he were unreal. "Very interesting. Seems like we have something in common."
"I make a mean cup of herbal tea, too. Does that count?"
Raven couldn't help but smile at this – a genuine smile – and she nodded to answer his question. He was simply too cute to be real, and yet here he was. Half her age and size, Bryan was still someone that Raven could imagine herself really getting along with…and could hold a conversation with very easily.
To slightly change the subject, however, Raven asked, "They allow you keep a stick in here?"
The boy cocked his head as though the question was extremely random, and then recalled that he was the one who poked her awake. He chortled a little, and patted the side of his mattress where the stick lay in a faithful manner. "Yup. When I first came here, I told them that I was scared robbers would break in or something, so they gave me a stick just in case someone tried to come in here."
"The nurses don't mind it?" the Goth said, raising a quizzical eyebrow.
"Well, I haven't whacked any of 'em," he shrugged, smiling.
Raven tilted her head as if to validate what he said, when Bryan pointedly added, "You're not laughing."
She looked up at him. "What?"
"You're not laughing," he repeated. "It was a joke. I've lost my hair, not my sense of humor." He sniggered a bit more, and Raven simply shook her head at the witticism and gave a grin of her own.
"And here I thought you had a lot in common with me," Raven said, leaning back into her chair.
"I do!" the boy protested.
"Then you should know why I don't laugh."
"I do know why you don't laugh. It stinks, though."
Raven nodded in agreement. "If I could, I would."
Bryan smiled at her saying this. "…You know, if I could make another wish, it'd be that you could show your emotions, and not have to bottle them up all the time."
Raven gazed at him in surprise. How could he say something like that? He didn't even know her, and yet…he knew her so well. It was heart wrenching really, to hear someone utter the wish that she had been yearning for since she realized her powers in her childhood years. But she treasured the statement, and Bryan knew so, too.
"Thanks," she whispered, smiling appreciatively.
Bryan nodded.
"I'm not too sure I'd want that, though," she confessed quietly.
The boy looked at her and frowned, somewhat perplexed. "How come?"
"…It's a long story…and there's not much time. The Make-a-Wish Foundationrepresentative here, Carl, said that they usually give these things an hour or so."
"Oh…okay."
Deep down, relief swept through Raven as though she was drenched in an ice-cold bucket of water. She was glad that Bryan dropped the subject right then and there. After all, how would she explain her father's existence to him?
"By the way," Raven said, a thought just occurring to her, "did Carl come by yet to check up on us?"
"Oh! So he's the tall guy with the brown hair, right?" Bryan said, sudden realization apparent in his eyes.
"Yes."
"Yeah, he passed by when you were sleeping. He said he'd come back later."
"Mmm…I see."
"Why?" Bryan asked, suddenly.
Raven's eyes snapped up to meet his. "…Why what?"
"Why do you wanna know? You wanna leave now or something?" he said, somewhat hurt.
"No…no," Raven said, shaking her head. "Just curious, that's all. He told me he would check up on us. I was just wondering why I didn't see him."
"Well…I guess it is almost time for you to go."
He looked so sad.
"…I…I guess so. I'm not leaving yet, though," Raven confirmed.
An awkward silence passed between the two before Bryan spoke again.
"Raven?"
"Hmm?"
"…You're my hero."
Raven jumped at hearing this, and looked at him as if searching for the truth in his eyes. "I…I am?"
"Mmm-hmm," Bryan smiled widely.
"…Why?" was the only word that she could manage to utter; Raven couldn't believe it. It was unreal. She was someone's hero.
"Why?" Bryan said incredulously. "Hello?! Look at you!"
Raven raised an eyebrow and replied by taking Bryan's command literally, making him burst into a fit of laughter.
"You're funny, for starters," he said, "even if you don't 'do' funny," he added, seeing that Raven was about to protest. This made him snicker a little bit more. "And you're strong, and smart, and you never give up. I mean, if you were a guy, you'd be everything I'd ever want to be if I ever saw the light of day at your age."
Spoken so wisely for a little kid. It made Raven go speechless for a moment.
She wanted to tell him that miracles happen…that he would see the light of day at her age…but she couldn't control fate, and to give Bryan that confidence would mean that Raven would lie to herself as well as him. Instead, she modestly falsified what he said.
"Thanks, Bryan. But…really. I don't think I'm good enough to be your hero."
"Of course you are!"
"No, Bryan. I'm not as strong as you think I am," she insisted.
"Yes you are! You can lift really heavy things with your mind, and you need to meditate for hours just to keep your powers under control…"
How does he know me so well?!
"And, most importantly," he said in a practiced manner, "you don't show your emotions much. If you ever so much as laughed, you could blow up the whole city!"
"That doesn't make me strong, Bryan."
"Why not?"
"To be able to hide your emotions so no one knows what you're feeling – it's a strong trait, sure. But not to be afraid – to truly have the ability to show your emotions without losing control of anything that matters, or caring what other people might think – that's where real strength lies."
Bryan looked at her, absorbing her wisdom for a while.
"It doesn't change anything, though," he said. "You're still worthy of being my hero, and I'd still want you to be able to show your emotions."
"…Thanks, Bryan," Raven said, smiling at him. "You're my hero, too."
Bryan perked up. "Really?! Why?"
"No matter how much you don't think it, you are strong. You can do something I can't, so always cherish the fact that you can afford to feel anything without becoming dangerous."
"Okay," he said, beaming broadly.
Another moment passed before the two said another word.
"Raven, can I ask a favor of you?"
"Sure, anything."
"Could you teach me how to meditate?" he asked.
Raven looked at him in disbelief. "You want to learn how to meditate?"
"Mmm-hmmm," he nodded.
"…Okay," she said, getting up and ready to teach.
She knew what she liked about Bryan. He was everything she wanted in a friend – he represented the friends she already had. He joked mercilessly like Beast Boy, was insistent like Robin, durable and strong like Cyborg, naïve and ever optimistic like Starfire, not to mention wise like her. All of this wrapped up into a small being…who she'd never see again if fate had it their way.
And fate had it her way too soon, in the form of Carl Sandberg.
"Awake, I see?" he said, smirking at Raven's meditatively poised body.
"Quite," she remarked, pulling up her hood.
"Well, uh…I'd hate to break this…uh…moment or what not, but time's up, so…" he motioned for Raven. "Bryan, didja have a good time?"
"Yup."
"Good to hear," Carl said. "Well, Miss Raven, if you'd, uh, kindly say your good-byes and step out with me."
Raven stood up, and walked over to the front of the bed (she was meditating near the edge). Bryan tucked himself under the hospital bed sheets again, careful so as to not hurt himself with the tubes and wiring covering his body.
"It was…very nice to meet you," Raven said, holding out her hand.
"Are you kidding me?" Bryan guffawed.
Raven prepared herself for another load of compliments, but she got something different to react to.
"I ask the Make-a-Wish Foundation to let me meet you, I finally do, and we have a great time talking and stuff, and all you do is hold your hand out to me?! I so deserve a hug," was the boy's protest.
Raven looked at him startled, clearly unaware that a simple hug would mean the world to Bryan. With any one else, she would have declined, but this was Bryan. This was a boy who found her presence necessary; who found it impossible to die without meeting her face to face. It was required that the Goth showed how much the invitation honored her.
She retracted her hand, and bent low with both of her arms outstretched in a welcoming fashion.
Bryan smiled widely, and bound into her arms.
A whirl of color instantly flashed before Raven's eyes upon his contact. As if being in his presence weren't comfortable enough, to actually feel Bryan's physical being made the dark girl feel, well…warm. It was as though she were meditating. Raven almost forgot where she was for a second, as his aura so familiarly made her reminisce of the comfort wandering in her mind gave her. She felt free…free to feel, to do whatever she so pleased…empowered by his affection for her.
As instantly as the feeling came, it left…the whirl of color faded into the infinite white of the walls around them.
The two broke free of each other, Raven carrying a curious expression on her face, and Bryan looking despondent.
In seeing Bryan as so, Raven had to smile, and when Bryan looked up, he did so, too.
"Bye, Raven," he said, almost in a whisper.
"It's not goodbye," Raven corrected, shaking her head. "I will see you again."
"…You won't forget me?"
"Couldn't if I tried."
"Thanks for everything, Raven."
The introvert analyzed his figure, at a loss for what to say.
"Thanks for everything, Bryan."
With that, Raven stepped out of Room 378 as if on a cloud, casting one last glance at the vivacious figure of Bryan Spencer.
---
She arrived at the Tower contemplative and relaxed.
Raven sighed contently, upon seeing her fellow teammates Robin and Cyborg, and got to the subject of Bryan before either of them could ask how her visit was.
"You know, I don't think I've ever smiled so much in my life," she told them.
The two male Titans looked at each other blankly, before looking back at the blue-clad girl, stern expressions set, and arms crossed – almost…defensively.
"You think the situation's funny, Rae?" Cyborg said, disgustedly.
"Funny?" Raven said, as though the word was poison. "Cyborg, you know I hardly think of death as funny."
"Well, you've got a funny…very interesting way of showing it," Robin said defensively.
"Okay, what are you going on about? All I said was that we had a good time – "
"Oh, a good time? That's what you think it is?!" Robin inquired further.
"Forgive us, Raven," Cyborg jumped in, "we didn't know that near death experiences were so high on BB's fun list."
"'BB'? Beast Boy? What does he have to do with – "
"He has everything to do with you," Robin said icily, interrupting the Romantic once more.
"Do you even know what you just did, Rae?" Cyborg asked.
"Yes, I do know," Raven confirmed. "But by all means, since '20 Questions' clearly isn't my gaming forte, how about you tell me what I did; I'm very interested in your version," she said crisply, crossing her arms.
"Raven," Robin said, shaking. "You… you almost killed Beast Boy."
Again, reviews are very much appreciated!