A warning: this is an open-ended fanfic. Also, it is a Raven/Beast Boy pairing. Contains spoilers for episodes Nevermore, and most of Terra's episodes.
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"Why are you here?"
Raven was confused. Her meditation mirror showed her the problems and conflict of her mind, helping her sort them out. Also housed within it were the aspects of her she couldn't show, her emotions, which were there because her need to conceal them was a stress in and of itself. That she could deal with.
However, she had never encountered a phantasm of another person while in her mirror. In fact, she hadn't been aware of that aspect of it until she had slipped inside to find herself face to face with Terra.
Thus, her blunt inquiry.
"Because you apparently still have a problem to do with me, or rather the person I appear to be." An equally direct answer. Crouched on a rock, Terra seemed to appear as at ease with the earth of Raven's mind as she was in real life.
"Why would I have a conflict with you? I made my peace with your betrayal when you turned to stone saving us." Settling into her mediating position, floating alongside Terra, she watched as the blonde thought for a moment, and then replied, "Must be something new, then. And since neither of us knows what it is, it's subconscious. Seriously, though, I've been stone for half a year. Why would you have a problem with me now?"
This was puzzling Raven as well. She had sorted through her emotions as far as Terra's stint as a turncoat went, but this meant that something else was amiss.
"It might not even involve you. It could simply be that you are a convenient phantom, as I don't see you everyday and thus would not feel awkward. By the time we find a cure for you, I'll have sorted through whatever you're here for." Terra looked this she was considering this, but frowned and shook her head.
"No, it has to do with me. Remember, I'm not really Terra; I'm a phantom, like you said. As such, I'm a part of you, and this has to do with me." "That means," said Raven carefully, "that there's a problem I'm not aware of, not even minimally, and we'll have to go straight to my subconscious. That means summoning up all of my personalities and seeing their reactions to you."
As Raven straightened her legs, Terra broke the bit of rock she was sitting on from the mass and they both flew toward the first gate, and Raven inwardly groaned. Happy's domain.
Sure enough, flowers, sunshine, and a general sense of fluffiness greeted them. Almost as instantly, up came a pink-clad Raven, who immediately flew up to them.
"Hi Terra! Long time no see!" She then nearly tackled her off the rock, and Terra managed to get out, "I…don't think… Happy has a problem… with me…" Then Raven was forced to intercede before Terra choked. That is, if she could choke, being a construct of Raven's own mind. Deciding not to test it, Raven pulled Happy off her, and, after many, many good-byes (and assuring Happy that they would say hi to BB), they were off to the next domain, belonging to Studious.
The instant they passed through the gate, the smell of herbal tea and well-worn books greeted them. Tall piles of books surrounded a messy desk, where a Raven wearing glasses and a yellow cape was reading, a quill in her hand as she jotted down notes. As if suddenly sensing their presence, Studious jumped, book falling from her lap. Tucking the quill behind her ear, she stood and nodded to Raven before turning to Terra.
"How did you get your powers, anyway? Science or magic? I've been wondering. See, Starfire and I both get our powers from within, and they're magical, but Cyborg, Robin, and Beast Boy rely on science. Though Beats Boy's I find rather borderline, but the fact that it stems from his DNA is definitely science. I've given thought to him, but—" She was stopped rather abruptly by Raven's glare. Terra knocked her forehead to rid herself of the swirly eyes that Studious's fast-paced monologue had given her and, turning to Raven, she said, "She's not our concern, then, seeing as she hasn't been objectionable to me." Nodding farewell to Studious, who promptly returned to her work, they left.
Now a jagged and ill-kept landscape met their gaze. The random and hazardous placement of the things around, from rocks to statues, made it look very much as if a four-year old with super-strength had used the place as a playground. Which, barring the four-year-old part, was a fairly accurate description. They were in the domain of Irritation, a less dangerous offshoot of Rage.
And, striding toward them was a figure in a brown cloak, who narrowed her eyes at them before speaking.
"Get out of my domain. I don't have a special problem with you, Beast Boy, or anyone else under the sun, and the door's that way. Going before you annoy me more than the mandatory amount for existing would be nice." With that she stalked off, and on her way she kicked a broken statue in her way. It flew and landed yards away, upside down and crumbling further. Looking over her shoulder, she called to them, "Aren't you gone yet?" Raven and Terra made for the gate quickly.
"Well," remarked Terra as they materialized in the next domain, "she wasn't particularly polite, but at least she isn't what we're here for. I wonder why she mentioned Beast Boy in particular, though" Raven frowned.
"He annoys her the most, so she mentioned him, I think." Something had occurred to her, but it remained just beyond her reach when she tried to pursue the thought. Shrugging it off, she looked around. A gray maze stretched before them, and out of it stepped its caretaker, Regret.
"Hi Raven, Terra." Gathering her gray cloak around her, she started listing all of the things she was sorry for to Terra. As they made their way through the maze, a vein twitched in Raven's temple and Terra constantly assured the skittish girl that all was forgiven.
As they exited, very glad that they did no have to deal with Regret any longer, she kept up with monologue.
"And I'm sorry for letting out Rage and I'm sorry for doubting Beast Boy about you and l—" Then they passed through the gate and breathed a sigh of relief as her voice vanished with her domain.
"How do you live with her here?" asked a flustered Terra. Raven glanced at her, and then answered, "With difficulty."
"Do you mind? You're getting dirt all over the floors of your betters." Turning, Terra and Raven faced a Raven look-a-like in purple, her smug sneer announcing her as Pride.
"Seriously, you make more of a mess than Beast Boy as a dog makes on a couch. Leave as quickly as possible." And with that she strode away, down the halls of her miniature palace-domain. Exchanging a glance, Raven and Terra decided to brave the next domain rather than stay with Pride any longer.
A distinctive scent reached their noses as they stepped through. It smelled like Beast Boy or Cyborg had been in the room all day. Terra looked questioningly at Raven, about to ask what personality resided here, when a ratty couch floated into view, carrying a Raven in orange, who belched.
"Hey. Whasup?" she asked from her sprawled position on the couch. "Hello, Lazy," said Raven, vein pulsing again. Terra twitched slightly and muttered to Raven, "I guess everyone has an inner Beast Boy."
As they exited, Lazy called to them, "Tell Beast Boy if I find Tofu in the meat box in the fridge again he's toast." Terra and Raven exchanged a glance and dived through the portal.
"Keep your guard up here," Raven told Terra. "This is Bravado's domain, and she keeps it stocked with—" Suddenly a monster leapt at Terra from the nearest rock. Before it could strike, a boulder flew at it and knocked it back. Skidding a few yards, it crashed into another rock. It didn't rise.
"Nice one! High five, Terra!" Turning, Raven and Terra saw Bravado, dressed in her green cloak. A huge, slightly maniac smile lit her face, and her hand was up for Terra to slap it. Hesitantly, she did so.
"Anyway, fun fighting! And tell BB that the T-Rex move is so awesome" And with that Bravado left, presumably to find more monsters to fight. Terra looked at Raven, and asked, "Why does she remind me of me?" Raven shrugged, and then frowned.
"Bravado's the last personality I know of. Rage is sealed, and she has a problem with everyone, so there's no point in going to her. There could be a new personality, but—" She broke off, thinking.
Terra bit her lip for a moment also thinking, and then said, "None of them had a reaction to me. Maybe you were right, and it's just that my form is convenient?" Raven shook her head.
"Something's not right. There has to be a thread that connects all of their responses to you. Either that, or there is a new personality. We'll have to search Bravado's domain for the gate." Shifting, Raven gestured and she and Terra made their way across the landscape. Sure enough, three monsters later, a new gate loomed ahead. After jumping through, Terra and Raven looked, startled, at the new domain.
It was as jagged and random as Irritation's, but shrouded in a green mist. Also, the aura that surrounded it was clearly related to both Rage and Irritation, but closer to Rage and it had a slightly familiar, bitter taste in the air. Raven glanced around. Something about this domain, the feel of it, was known. After a moment, she connected it to traces of something she felt when she thought of two people:
Terra and Beast Boy.
But before she could carry that thought any farther, a footfall sounded behind them, and they whirled. Glancing at Terra, Raven saw that she was just as edgy in this place as Raven herself. However, Raven's attention was now directed toward the new her.
She was wearing green—but it was a lighter color than Bravado's, though Raven knew that she'd seen that shade before.
"Hello, Terra. You look colorful today. Last time I saw you, you were looking rather monochromatic." She completely ignored Raven, glaring at Terra, who whispered to Raven, "I think she's the problem." Nodding, Raven tried to figure out her new self. Tinged with Rage even more strongly than Irritation, and whose aura reminded her of something she felt when she thought of Terra and Beast Boy… a common thread… the color of her cloak…
Suddenly something clicked in Raven's head. "Her cloak… it's the same color as…" Terra's eyes widened, and, in the same instant, they both said, "Beast Boy!" The new personality laughed, scornfully.
"Yes, Beast Boy. Think you're such a little charmer, don't you, rock girl. He still thinks only of you, even though you just used him to give us to Slade. I'm sick of him mooning over you!" Her voice tightened on the last words, and he flung her arms out towards Terra. The boulder she was floating on flew back, slamming Terra into a flat sheet of stone sticking up from the ground.
Raven was almost too busy being shocked to aid Terra as new bits of info flooded her mind, as if they'd been waiting for the prompt. All of the hers had mentioned Beast Boy… Terra and Beast Boy had been…
Whirling, Raven looked wide-eyed at the girl with her face and a green cloak. She knew her name now.
"Jealousy!" Jealousy smirked, and said, "Correct, Raven." Terra, behind them, got shakily to her feet. Jealousy paid her no heed, focusing on Raven, who narrowed her eyes.
"What does Terra have for me to be jealous over? She's buried in an underground cavern! We don't know if there is a cure! Why should I be jealous if Beast Boy paid more attention to her half a year ago?" Jealousy grinned.
"Because he still pays more attention to her and you know it, don't you, Raven. She has him and you don't. She's a stone statue and he cares more for her than for us. You'd trade places with her in a heartbeat if you could. Even when you were fighting her in the mud. Do you really think a betrayal would push you over the edge? You've been betrayed before, after all. It was her hold on Beast Boy you couldn't stand." Each sentence bit deeper into a wound Raven hadn't known she had possessed. Then Terra made her presence known again.
"One, you cannot knock me out with stone. Two, I did NOT use Beast Boy to hand you to Slade. And three, you're a telepath! You know he hasn't thought of me in months! You just assume that he thinks that way about me because of what he and I had!" All through Terra's speech, Jealousy's aura was getting closer and closer to Rage's.
"Yes, you had him! Had him on a leash that he didn't try to tug free even when you were Slade's apprentice! Had him on such a leash that you'll never let him go!" yelled Jealousy, her eyes turning vaguely red as they narrowed. Black magic gathered in her palms—
Raven's eyes shot open to her own room. In her lap was her mirror. Tossing it away, she looked at herself in her normal mirror. Was that conflict really going on inside of her? Reaching within her consciousness, she felt the familiar threads. Happy, Bravado, Studious… finally she found one that, before, had lurked just beneath her range. It curled inside of her, feeling so akin to Rage that Raven nearly choked at its intensity. How had it escaped her notice for so long?
Feeling sick, Raven thrust it back into the outermost reaches of her mind. Resolving it would take time and patience, neither of which she had at the moment. Falling onto her bed, a restless sleep crept over her, filled with dreams of green eyes and cloaks.
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Author's Note: A few have asked where I'm going with this. Answer: it's a one-shot. However, if anyone's interested, you may e-mail me if you want to continue it, and we'll talk.