"Comfy sofa…" A gloved hand patted the sofa repeatedly, pushing and pulling to make it puffy. "Check."
The hands now raised to create a peeping hole aimed at the wide TV.
"Perfect. Remote control…" The hand reached to a remote on the sofa and pressed the on/off switch. The TV burst to life. Another press of the same button and the TV blinked back to darkness.
"Check!" The teen plopped down on the sofa, snuggling slightly against the soft surface.
"Now there's nothing stopping me from watching the rerun of War Trek III!" He lazily switched the TV on. He flipped to the channel where a couple was locking lips. He stuck his tongue out. He averted his gaze to the clock.
Apparently he was too early by thirty minutes. He sighed and slumped further down in his seat. In front of him the screen displayed even more R-rated scenes. He revolted turned the TV off. As he did so, he had a feeble nagging feeling that he had forgotten something. He mused to himself. What had he forgotten? To refresh his memory, he walked around the room, pondering all the while.
He walked to the door, where an armchair was leaning against it. He examined both. Then smiled satisfied. Nope, definitely not the door. It's locked and intruder free. He continued his trek to the front of a button, which had several labels on including:
EMERGENCY ONLY
THAT MEANS YOU!
He could care less about that. He screwed his face, trying hard to make out the gut feeling. Suddenly his face brightened. He snapped his fingers. "Of course! How can I forget?" He rushed to the refrigerator. He opened it excitedly. It went to the opposite in the next second.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
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The door swished open. Due to his haste, Robin wasn't aware even when the heavy armchair fell on his toes. His eyes bulged. He lifted the armchair. "Beast Boy! What in the name of….What is it this time!" He winced. He stepped into the room carefully. "Haven't I told you to use that alarm for emergency only! And what's the deal with that!" He angrily gestured to the button and the armchair.
The door opened again, and this time Cyborg ran in, followed by levitating Starfire and Raven.
"What is it, dawg? Control Freak? Rancid?" He noticed the chair. "What's this doing in here?"
Starfire gasped and moved closer to Beast Boy's back, who was oddly silent and stiff the whole time.
"Stay back, Star." He said firmly. The confused Starfire obeyed and hesitantly moved back with the rest of the Titans.
"Yo, man! Don't tell me you gather us here for nothing! Where's the danger?"
"Just what I want to know, Cy", Robin frowned.
Beast Boy stirred.
"We haven't all day", Raven droned impatiently.
And finally the changeling faced his teammates. Only that he somehow had a stern look on his face, which made the others felt a tad uneasy.
"My fellow Titans", he spoke with a grave voice, "today, something terrible has befallen on us."
He paused. The air was filled with sudden tension. Beast Boy and solemnity hadn't been good friends. At least until now.
"Is this the day of Glordanian attack?" Starfire squeaked.
Beast Boy shook his head solemnly. "This, my friend!" He showed his hand.
In it was a moderately sized empty plate. Cyborg snorted. Robin twisted his lips. Starfire breathed a sigh of relief and a puzzled expression all the same.
"And, that's plate is supposed to be what threat?" Raven quirked an eyebrow. "Is it going to swipe our heads off our necks and place them on it?"
Beast Boy gritted his teeth. "This isn't funny, Raven. Someone has eaten my special tofu cake! Is this the time for joke?"
As if the word wanted to define itself, Cyborg began chuckling, which soon turned in to a fit of laughter. Robin wore his leader face. Starfire looked at Raven for clues, and received none but rolled eyes.
"What's so funny!" Beast Boy half-shouted.
Cyborg wiped a tear. "Sorry, man. Yeah, you're right. This is horrible. I'm sincerely hoping whoever's stomach ate that thing is still in one piece."
Beast Boy opened his mouth in protest. Robin held his hand up.
"Beast Boy, if that's the only emergency…then I'm afraid the law is still applicable", the Boy Wonder spoke seriously.
"We've told you times and times to use this alarm only-for-emergencies! And I mean the real ones!" Beast Boy blinked.
"What are you talking about? Sure, that one night after Control Freak wasn't dire, but we had to get your attention somehow! And what about the second Control Freak?" Beast Boy boomed indignantly.
Robin ran a hand on his face. Cyborg placed a shaky-he was suppressing a great deal of laughter-hand on the leader's shoulder. "Let him be. You know how he is."
Robin sighed. "Okay, then, go back to whatever you were doing before", he ordered boredly. Beast Boy glared at their backs. "Sure, go ahead, run away! You're guilty aren't you?"
Raven stopped on her track. She deadpanned at the elf. "Listen here, if there's one thing that we're going to be sorry for, it's the culprit's bowels. And your butt once I'm done with it."
Beast Boy cowered slightly. He soon regained his courage. "Do you know how long it took me to get the right recipe? I'm gonna find out who did it, and when I do, I'll make you all begging for my mercy!"
Raven smirked. "And if not?"
"Then I am the Beast Dumb! Come on; don't tell me you guys think that the fuzzy dudes always have no brain!"
Raven snorted. "Go ahead, make my day."
She calmly strode out. Starfire joined her in front of the door. "Do you think our friend is indeed troubled?"
"Him? He just needs time."
"But, friend Beast Boy seems to be a bit confused. Shouldn't we…"
"Like what Cyborg said, just let him be."
Starfire shuffled tentatively. Raven shrugged. "Besides, I wonder how 'Sherlock' he could be."
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With a brown old-styled hat, a brown trench coat, and a magnifying glass in his hands-all of them bigger by at least three sizes-Beast Boy put on a serious face that didn't fit with his comical appearance and situation.
"I'll show her", he muttered to himself, "I'll show her that Robin's not the only detective around here! I'll show that I too have tiny gray cells!"
With the apparatus, he scanned the refrigerator's handle. He changed into a Doberman, shook off the clothes that blanketed him and sniffed around the handle.
Hello, what's this? There were various smells, from the smell of metal, bug, to newspapers.
Aha! Beast Boy was now back on his elf form, scribbling furiously on the notepad he put on the table. He produced a small book from the oversized pocket. "According to 'Super Sleuth Handbook', the best clue to find is fingerprint!"
He took out a small paper ball. He opened it, and blew the black carbon powder to the handle. Coughing, he took out a much larger ball and blew it to several places, like the table, the sofa, the remote, and the stove. He produced a plain paper, and slapped it against the spots he raided. He brought it over his head, so that the light penetrated every space of the paper except for the black patterns. He slapped his forehead disappointedly. For only one pattern was visible on the paper.
Not giving up, the sleuth opened the refrigerator. Again as a Doberman he sniffed the inside of the fridge. He also noticed that the soy bean milk bottle was also empty. He frowned. Not only his special tofu cake but his milk too? He also noted that several objects had also been moved. The mustard bottle that he had shoved to the backmost of the fridge to make room for his cake was suspiciously on the front row. The pile of frosted ham which he had unceremoniously piled as far away from the tofu had also somehow found its way to the uppermost rack. He also noticed that the cheese pizza box was nowhere to find, which meant someone had finished it and neatly thrown it away.
Doberman-Beast Boy sniffed the plate. Every scent he had detected before was on the plate too. His heart suddenly beat faster. He could even smelt faint traces of herbal tea.
Beast Boy scribbled excitedly. He was getting so close. He felt like he could smell it now. Although after checking the notes he wrote down he wasn't so sure of it anymore. He desperately opened the handbook.
"But the most important thing of all is the motive", he read aloud. An idea flashed across his head. He smugly pocketed the note and the book.
"Look out, Titans! An analysis show brought to you by the Beast Boy Wonder is coming soon!"
He confidently pressed the button.
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Robin grumpily trudged into the common room. "Beast Boy, I swear! If this is what happens to the trust I give you…" He trailed off once he was inside the dark room. He gaped.
"What in the world?" Was none than Cyborg's voice. "Yo, grass stain! What have you done now!"
Raven slowly walked in. She deadpanned. "An opera? About what? The Tofu Murder?"
Starfire gasped loudly. "Robin! Has Overload invaded our home again!"
Robin groaned annoyedly-obviously directed to Beast Boy.
Before anyone could say any word, a spot in front of them was brightly lit. The Titans blinked, adjusting their eyes to the sudden brightness. And standing in the spotlight, was Beast Boy in his ridiculous attire.
"Fellow Titans", he spoke in the same tone and demeanor as the one when he summoned them for the first time," and the culprit hiding in the dark. Fear me, for I, Beast Boy, had finally succeeded in lighting the crime done in the dark."
"What in tarnation--?"Robin's eyemask twitched.
"Yes!" Beast Boy ploughed on, oblivious to the reaction," fear it! Fear the truth! And you shall laugh no more!"
The whole common room exploded in neon light. All of them blinked. "Hey!" Beast Boy shouted in his childish voice again.
All eyes darted to Raven, who had her hood up and her hands glowing black. She obviously had just turned the light switch on. "Yes, Marple?" Raven drawled.
Robin fidgeted irritatedly. Cyborg looked longingly at the X-Box lying on the floor. Starfire was distracted by a baseball cap with plastic glasses attached on each side, straws dangling from their hole. They were strangely white despite the fact that they should be transparent.
"Okay, Beast Boy", Robin growled, "Just say what you want, then we're done."
Beast Boy cleared his throat. "I summoned you all here because I have made a discovery." He proudly smirked when the Titans exchanged glances. "Yes, I have found the thief."
"And the hidden culprit, who hide among us, showing innocent face but laughing inside, and the one responsible of stealing my tofu cake--
"Ladies and gentlemen, that thief is…."
"…..RAVEN!"
Contrary to what he believed-or what he usually watched-none of them seemed to be shocked. Not even Raven, who rolled her eyes.
"And how do you come with that conclusion, pray tell?" The half demon droned.
Beast Boy flicked the head lightly. "Simple", he answered,"I found everyone's smell in the fridge, but none of it belongs to you. But…"
He dramatically produced the tofu plate from his pocket. "I found your scent here", he said triumphantly, "on this plate."
"So this is what you do", he shifted closer to her," you use your telekinesis to open the fridge, take out the plate and my milk, then eat it without your powers, thus opening a chance for me to sniff you out!" He smirked in her face.
Raven unexpectedly raised her eyebrow. "The motive?"
"The motive is that you had suddenly found my tofu so delicious and irresistible you took it the moment you had chance! Which is midnight, by the way, so that no one could know what you did!" Beast Boy coolly folded his arms.
His moment of victory was ruined when Cyborg cracked up. Beast Boy glowered at his laughing best friend. "What's so funny!"
Cyborg cupped his mouth. "Hello, we have a surveillance camera in this room, dawg!" He resumed cackling.
Beast Boy turned sharply to the ceiling, where a camera was innocently hanging. His green face was shaded in red. How come I forget? "T-Then we should check it and see by ourselves, shall we?" He looked for approval at Robin. The leader shrugged and motioned to Cyborg. The half robot finally stopped laughing, enough for him to punch some commands into his arm. The TV blipped brightly, and they could see the common room from bird's eye view.
"See, Beast Boy", Robin gestured to the lowest right of the screen," this recording started at twenty four hundred yesterday. If we take a quick look--"Cyborg pressed fast-forward. Blurs of colors could be seen going in and out of the room, while none seemed to be heading to the fridge. Beast Boy drooped when the tape was ended. Then he brightened.
"I knew it! It was you, Cyborg!" He pointed feverishly. The accused Titan blinked, along with the TV. He dumbly repeated, "It was me?"
"Yes, it was you! You manipulated the tape so that your picture of stealing the cake couldn't be seen!' Beast Boy clicked his tongue. "Nasty little Cyborg, you did it because you had had enough!"
"Of this stupid joke?" Raven interjected. "Suure…"
Unperturbedly, Beast Boy continued,"When you opened the fridge, you couldn't stand the sight of my tofu cake on the top shelf and your beloved ham on the lowest! So you ditched my tofu cake and soy milk and replaced them with your favorites!"
This time it was Robin's turn to smile. "If you weren't so silly, Beast Boy, I'd say that you've quite the detective in you."
"Friend Beast Boy has a detective within?" Starfire asked.
"Presumably Mouri", Raven answered.
"Give it up, Cy", in spite of his size he managed to create an intimidating pose, "you can no longer hide."
"That's funny Beast Boy. So I ditched the tofu cake and the milk without the plate or the bottle?" Cyborg snorted. "You know I can't stand even the smell of it."
"Uhhh…." Beast Boy scratched his head sheepishly. He snapped his fingers. "So it was you, Robin!"
"Huh?"
"You're the world's second best detective, aren't you? Then you could easily fake all the evidence so that it leads to someone else!"
Robin's smile faltered. "You know, detectives solve crimes, not creating them."
Beast Boy shook his index finger. "Nuh-uh. You created a crime because you were bored of solving them all of the time, plus to get revenge at Cyborg for beating you at that Duel Monster Card Game!"
"He already beat me in that game of chess afterwards, so that's kinda redundant, man", Cyborg declined.
Beast Boy simpered. He opened his mouth to do something when Robin cut in.
"Let me guess, you're going to accuse Starfire?" He asked sharply.
Beast Boy nod an inch, thought again for a moment, the shook his head slowly. "The day Starfire steal would be Doomsday", he gulped. "Then who did it?"
Raven threw a stare at Cyborg. "I told you he shouldn't be prowling after that shock."
"Wasn't my fault. My censors showed nothing's wrong with him. How should I know it deleted some of his memories?" Cyborg retorted.
"Whoa, wait a minute. What shock? My memories are deleted?" Beast Boy gaped horrified.
Robin nodded. "Now it all makes sense."
"It does?"
"Yes. So this is what really happens. Last night, you ate the tofu cake and drank the milk with this", Robin pointed at the odd cap in Starfire's hand,"While you were watching a movie."
"Then, Overload barged in. We got into a fight-all of us-but he especially shocked you big time, so we can see the effects now."
"The tape didn't record it, because it caused an overload-pun so intended-in the entire tower's server. And in your brain too", Cyborg added.
The green jaw hit the floor. "No way."
"Are you still harmed?" Starfire inquired worriedly.
"All this time, it was me all along?" Beast Boy ignored her, shades of crimson trailing on his face.
"Most definitely."
"Now, since you've hit the emergency button for no reason twice", Robin pointed at the kitchen, "do the laundry and the dishes."
Beast Boy embarrassedly glanced at everyone. Cyborg snickered and waved at him while leaving. Starfire looked at him softly before going out with Robin. Raven levitated her way out. She stopped just before the door.
"They are a mix of gray and green, aren't they?"
She left him alone. Beast Boy exhaled.
"Yeah, Rae. I guess watching and reading all those mystery stories don't help after all."