Hola, homies. I'm trying really hard to update as soon as I can, because you guys are totally worth it! I'm so psyched about getting to the good part…you know, the climax and everything…but if I did, there would be no back story, would there? Lol. Patience, the time will come.
You'll probably find in this chapter sunshine, 'Little Lotte's' lullaby, Figaro's suspicion, Robin's suspicion, and an accusation.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, song lyrics or ideas that may relate to TT or POTO. If that doesn't convince you enough, check my other disclaimers from previous chapters.
"So Raven, you're really a 'superhero'?"
Figaro and Raven sat under the midday sun on the roof, their legs dangling over the edge, their faces turned upwards in meeting the sun's tickling gaze. Raven herself was not too shy of the daylight today, being in the presence of one who made her recollect all her memories of sunshine and happiness from the past. Memories before her soul was contained and her eyes shielded from gaiety.
Raven scoffed at the idea, though her eyes were shining dully, not a common sight. "A superhero? I never considered myself anything of the like…"
"But you save innocents, punish criminals, defeat the wicked. Do you also rob from the rich and give to the poor?" he teased.
"Not funny." Raven leaned back on her hands, her body lounged back lazily. The sun was so high above it was starting to make her nose redden. "You can't tell me, that with all your powers, you just sit back and watch bad things happen?"
"Of course not. I just don't go out of my way to help people. The world has done nothing for me. The one kindness my life has given me was to find you once again." He sat up, turning to look at her. "Times were bad when you were gone, Little Lotte."
Raven jumped with embarrassment. "Don't you dare-."
He sniggered, highly amused by Raven's misfortune. "Yes, you do remember, don't you? Your old nickname."
"One that should be left behind in my memories. It was a terrible nickname. Who ever gave that to me?"
"Certainly not your father," Figaro said, his face not serious at all. His smile itself was an equivalent to the sun's brilliance. "I gave you that nickname. When I went to rescue your cape from the sea…"
"You were an idiot to do that. The water was freezing cold," Raven remembered, scolding his actions.
"Ah, I suppose. But I seem to remember you were very thankful at the time."
Raven leaned forward, gazing out into the aquamarine waves of the bay. She smiled slightly, her face starting to release its defensiveness and becoming more open. She looked into his face, searchingly. "You used to sing to me…."
Figaro cleared his throat. "Little Lotte let her mind wander…"
Raven visually shuttered under the influence of the past, her face burning with mortification and delight. She seemed totally different, her old childhood friend releasing the young girl she once was.
"Little Lotte thought, am I fonder of dolls, or of goblins, of shoes…" He paused, waiting for Raven to enter the serenade with the lyrics she remembered.
"No….way…." Raven interjected, knowing exactly what he was up to. Jumping to his feet, Figaro leaned over and took Raven's hands in his, springing her up. He held her hands in his, letting his folly and nonsense ring through the afternoon.
"Or of riddles, or of chocolates…" Figaro smiled, holding out his hand for her to enter the lullaby.
Raven, defeated, hardly audibly responded, "No- what I love best,"
Figaro's smile widened, if possible at all, joining in with her,
"Lotte said, is when I'm in bed, and an angel of music sings songs in my head."
Both laughed aloud, Raven hardly holding back. Figaro looked into the gothic girl's eyes, searching for something he thought was there. "See? You don't have to hide your true feelings."
"If you're so clever, maybe you can tell me what my feelings are."
Figaro stopped, his smile now missing. His face was all a canvas of study, of deep contemplation. "You are in love, aren't you?"
Raven was taken aback by his statement. It was the last thing in the world she expected to hear from anyone's lips. "Now you are going insane. I have no idea what you're talking about."
Figaro did not look amused, nor did he soften his expression. "Yes….," he said solemnly. "You are. I can see it, in your eyes. No one knows you better than myself. I have been truthful with you, Raven, kindly do me that same consideration."
She was astounded. In her mind she could not piece together a sentence in which to prove his downfall, nor could she put one together for his triumph. It was bizarre to think that anyone could tell she was in love. Was she? She didn't know herself. How could one tell if one was in love? She knew that ever since Figaro came back, she had been more confused about her emotions than ever before. Her head spun, and she soon became dizzy.
"Is it Beast Boy?" His voice was serious, almost reproaching. His eyes did not leave her face for a moment, and it was then that Raven realized her hands were still attached to his and the closeness between them.
"Figaro, you're cutting off my circulation." He dropped her hands, almost roughly, but not throwing them. She rubbed her sore wrists, her head starting to pound. She began to back away, remembering in which direction the edge of the roof was. "We're training soon…," she added quietly, not meeting his gaze.
"You're changing the subject. Answer me."
Raven looked at him. She had never seen him so serious before in her life. His face was impenetrable, his lips thin and set fiercely, his skin almost ashy and stretched, thin against his forehead. It gave him an almost phantom-like appearance. He was, in fact, a little intimidating at that moment.
"Don't be an idiot," Raven remarked. "You claim to know everything about me. Remember that I can't feel a thing. Don't provoke me, Figaro, my life is hard enough." She levitated from the roof, heading towards the doorway. He watched her leave into the sun's rays, his gaze of longing and desperation filling his eyes with salty tears.
She flew into the Tower, just outside the rooftop, and leaned against the wall. Sighing, all her former feelings of joy that might have been, fled from her being. …No dreams within, her heart but dreams of love…
"Set the course for Figaro," Robin said, unmoving. He sat at the control tower with Raven, watching as the Titans trained on the ground below. Raven looked strangely at him, wondering if he were joking or not. Of course he's not. I just wish he was. Towards Figaro, Robin had the most suspicions, though they were not displayed nor justified. The only titans that did not suspect him were Starfire and Cyborg, who, though not witless, still trusted him more than the others did.
Raven hesitated. "What level?" She asked slowly.
"Maximum," he answered surreptitiously.
Raven did as she was told. Pushing the button to the level desired, she witnessed Figaro look up into her face questioningly.
"We're going to need your help to figure out who stole the artifact, so you should probably see how we tick." Robin held his ever-so famous tone of respect, though his gaze was wavering. "To cross the course, simply avoid darting missiles, collisions with brick walls, and anything else that might come your way. Understand?"
Figaro nodded singularly. He cracked his knuckles, smoothed back his shoulder-length hair from his forehead, and stood still. As the clock signaled him to go, he raced off towards the first obstacle.
This was very different from the one the Titans formerly had, being torn apart and dissembled from over-usage. The first course was five slicing blades, all coming towards their victim from different directions. The razors were sharp enough to carve a boulder as easily as carving a pumpkin on Halloween. Their white-grey knives pierced the air with horrible screeching sounds, ripping the wind in half. As Figaro slide his way gracefully between the knives, he noticed a pit of sharp spikes that lay before him. Not catching himself on time to avoid the fall, he fell face-front into the pit.
Raven stood up, stock still. Her pupils became tiny as specs, her skin white and dead-like. Gazing into the distance, she sighed heavily as a circling smoke filled the air above the 100 yard deep pit. Figaro had managed to burn the sides of the pit, forming a platform to walk across. Heaving himself onto the ground again, he broke into a run as the last of the blades fell behind him. Managing to pass each one with ease, Figaro survived the first test.
Robin was judicious of every action, every movement. He watched carefully as Figaro stepped this way or that, what choices he made, what decisions. Raven turned to him, saying under her hot breath, "What is this going to accomplish?"
"Doesn't he want to be part of the team?" Robin asked innocently.
"No. He's only here to help me. He never said he wanted to be a Titan."
"He sure is acting like it," Robin answered, hardly able to contain a grumble.
Figaro raced on, as persistent as ever. He burned holes through brick walls, scorched darting arrows, and pummeled every turn, every way. The last obstacle was upon him, and it was the hardest yet. Before him was a sea of flames, an inferno of no end. The fire stretched out as far as he could see. The flames themselves issued from the earth, spurting out from gas throwers. Cyborg cheesed at the sight. "You see that? Yeah…that was me." He kept repeating to Beast Boy, who only smiled triumphantly in turn.
Figaro balanced his weight onto both feet. Closing his eyes, he summoned the waves of the bay to his hands, clamping them together before releasing the ocean itself from his palms. The flames were consumed by the massive wave, and the fire was out. With one long sigh, Figaro shot the flood into the clouds above, which seemed to swallow the whole of the body of water. The titans watched amazed, looking at Figaro with awe. "Never start forest fires," he called out.
Raven shot Robin a glance. He didn't look surprised at all. Stepping down from the control tower, Robin deliberately walked towards him, taking sharp, quick steps. Never moving from his spot, Figaro watched as Robin came towards him, his state menacing as he approached the teen. The rest of the team approached as well, watching what action their leader may take. Robin stopped dead in front of the titan, staring him straight in the eye. "You stole it," he accused.
Figaro glanced at Raven, hoping to find some assistance. She looked helplessly at him, shrugging her shoulders. He, however, did not blink an eye, and replied as calmly as ever, "And if I did?"
Robin looked on the verge of outrage. "Figaro! You stole a priceless piece of art! And you're staying with us, the titans. Could you please explain that?" Robin was distressed, at a loss for words at an attack so futile. The rest of the titans stared at him in wonder, his betrayal sending them cold vibes.
"Robin, if you simply let me explain…"
"No." His voice was ice-cold and his manner forbidding. He turned to look at each of the titans, Raven in particular, as if she had betrayed them with her alliance to him. He crossed his arms with arrogance, stepping away from Figaro haughtily. "You are no longer our friend here. Give us back the talisman and leave."
Figaro looked at all of them, his expression of sadness deepened. His gaze turned to the ground, almost in concentration. "No…"
"What!" Robin asked, fuming.
He looked up, his face masked with innocence and serenity. "No, I will not give it back. No one knows where it is, and I will not take it with me when I leave. If you want it, find it. But if you want me gone, I shall go." He turned on his heel, walking towards the sea. They all watched in silence as the teen walked upon the water, becoming solid as his foot stepped upon it. In the darkening sunlight, a grin of malice shone on the teen's face.
Cliffhanger! Is he really gone for good? What do you think? Next chapter I think you will love….let me clue in those phans who I know review to my story….
MASQUERADE!
Lol….now what could THAT mean? Hehe. Reviewer time!
Kate: Aww, really? You should read the book, it's great! It may disappoint you though. I really want to read Kay's novel…I hear that's brilliant. Thanks for reviewing...as always!
Scathac's warrior: Lol. Raven will NEVER die. Promise
Blonde Shadowcat: Thank you! I'm so glad you notice my hinting about all things Phantom. Yes, Gerry is so very hot. And what a voice! Omg. I've been reading your phanfic…I love it! I think I've reviewed, haven't I? Well, thanks for reviewing!
I remain, reviewers, your obedient servant,
StakeMeSpike04
