Hikari981: Yes. The Kirby shuffle. Teehee -shuffles-
WickedWitchoftheSE: Yes. I left it like that! BWUHAHAHAHA! Actually, at first I waasn't planning to, but my little writer's b;ock friend had stopped me from writing ,like, the last two paragraphs. Arrrr! I hate writer's block!
Tammy Tamborine: Teehee, -sweatdrop-. Sure, let's go with that.
JapaneseAnime16: -shrugs- Most of it Paulo translated, the rest I figured was just random, pointless stuff. I could revise the chapter and put some more translations in if you'd like.
Soldier of Darkness: Thank-you so much for the review! I'm glad your 'faving' it. -gigglesnort- Never heard that term before! I like it!
AnimationWickedRaven: You'll just have to wait and see, now won't ya?
BrokenNevermore: -gives really big, shiny medal- Your a ducky! -evil smirk- Yes! The cliffies!
Loki14: Crimey! I'm a limey! A Tommy! A Brit! Crimey! I'm a limey! A Tommy! A Brit! Teehee! I have no idea what that means, but I love it! -sweatdrops and continues to chant-
silver angel 03: I did! -runs back to check- Oh my... I did! I'm /so/ sorry! -tosses ducky plushie- I hope this cheers you up!
To all readers: I'm terribly sorry this chapter took so long to put up. I was at a loss of how to introduce Raven! I was gonna have her be all "You jerk! Why didn't you come and see me!" or something like that and then it hit me 9/01 that that was totally /not/ Raven and so POOF! I started to write again! Although this isn't my favorite chapter, and I hope to improve the next one, I still think it;s moderately okay. Yay! I hope you like it and I truly hope that the chapters will go faster after this little speed bump! Thankies for all the reviews!
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Raven remained silent, staring into the emerald eye's of the one before her. Logan, although he wished with all his heart to turn away, could not muster his strength to do so. He felt trapped within her gaze. /Raven's/ gaze. The gaze that he had sought after for so long in his Titan-hood. The gaze that always bore into him. The gaze that always seemed to mock him. But this time it was... different. She looked surprised, I mean, who wouldn't. The friend she hadn't seen for over six years had just showed up at her doorstep! Surprise wasn't the only thing though. She looked hurt, to the extent of true and nearly unbearable pain. Was this because of him? Oh he hoped not. Or was it something else? He couldn't tell, for he had given up rational thought the moment he had seen her. The shuffling steps of Dick echoed up the hall, finally shaking Logan from his stare, which had resulted in his crimson blush growing even brighter. At this point, he wondered if that was even possible.
Dick's head popped from the left side of the door, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "In a bit of a hurry there, eh Logan?" he teased, striding into the room with a pleased aire about him. An 'oomph' slid past his lips as Logan retorted with a nice smack on the head. "Aye, watch it!" Dick yelled, rubbing the spot delicately. The man formerly known as Robin looked toward Raven, acting as if he had noticed her for the first time. "Oh, hey Raven." he greeted casually, "What's up?"
Raven remained silent still, Logan now returning his attention to his childhood, and so it seems, adulthood crush. The room was silent once again, although the slightly labored breath of Andria gave an almost needed backdrop. Raven opened her mouth, closed it, and opened again. No sound. She breathed deeply, brushing a strand of short black hair behind her. "Not much..." she replied dryly.
Logan gasped, "That's it!" he yelled, a bit louder than he had intended. "Momma!" Andria yelled nervously, running for the door, "MOMMA! The boogie man is scaring me!"
Dick turned and watched as she left as Logan continued with his rant. "We haven't seen or heard from you in like, a bazzilion years and all you have to say is not much!"
She shrugged, "Yea, pretty much." Logan's jaw dropped, "Can you believe this?" he asked, turning toward his blue-eyed friend and pointing accusingly in Raven's direction. Dick shrugged also and replied with a mumble, "It's Raven, what'd you expect." The green man gasped.
"Mind if we sit?" Dick asked a moment later, a more serious tone now in place. With a quick flick of his hand, he bumbed the bottom of his dumb-struck friend's chin, forcing him to close. Raven's plum eyes flashed with amusement for a quick second. "Ummm.. yea." she replied, heading past the duo. "I have some chairs in my apartment."
----
A few long minutes had passed and Logan and Dick had found themselves in Raven's new abode, uncomfortably old chairs and all. Dick was now busy explaining their reasons for coming, although he seemed to be putting off the reunion subject for some odd reason. Logan, being one with an amazingly short attention span, had been glancing around Raven's two room apartment with interest.
The place was small, of course, but homey. Oddly, it was nothing he would've expected Raven to live in. In fact, the quarters were the complete opposite. The walls were bright, and each panel was painted with a different color. A rough stucco texture added the final touch. Wicker furniture, the colors reminding Logan of the finger painting he did as a child, were placed around the room. A new hobby of hers he figured. With his inspection finished, he turned his attention back to the conversation.
" ---- shows up a few hours later, almost in the state of panic I was in. It seems he had a meeting with, oh, who was it again?"
"Seamus Drake."
"Yes, him. So, Barockin is helping with the rough details. Seems Blackfire----" And yet again he was lost. Aw, how he loved ADHD... This time, however, he attempted focused his 'unfocasable' attention on something else: Raven. Oh, he could do that any day. She was oddly different now. She looked to be her rightful age of twenty three, but her eyes! They seemed so old, so aged. Her hair was a bit longer now, and she had finally grown out of that 'V' look she had been determined to stick with. Oh how he hated that look!
"----Starfire's gone, huh?" asked Raven, an even more pained look spreading across her face, "I never thought it would happen... At least not now."
"Yea, it's terrible." Logan added, trying to get back into the conversation.
Raven nodded, "So, this Barockin guy. Anything odd about him? Anything---" He was slipping again! So this was why he had never done well in school... He sighed, Okay dude. Focus! Now is not the time for this! Even though Raven does look really gorgeous in this- No! Away from the thought! This stuff is way more important than Raven's new hair style! Okay, jump back in.
"I totally agree." The shape shifter commented dumbly, hoping it would fall into the discussion. Both Raven and Dick eyed him oddly, "Dude, we didn't even ask a question..." Dick commented, sipping his tea afterward. Logan blushed yet again. Why did he do that so much when he was around Raven! He sipped his tea nervously and said "Right... Go on."
Dick coughed slightly, more out of amusement than anything else. Raven turned her gaze back toward him. "So, as I was saying. Alfred got us ready to come here, Beast--Logan learned some Italian, and we landed here. We arrived her a little while before we came to see you. Boy! You should've seen the way Logan over here reacted! He thought that Paulo was- Ack!" A large thud issued a second later. Dick, now positioned on the paint splattered hard wood floor, tea rushing every which way, being the cause. Logan cleared his throat. "And so we came here." he finished, sipping his tea again.
Raven lifted a brow slightly, obviously still interested in the Paulo subject. "Right..." she said, standing. "I'll get a rag for that..." The moment Raven left the room, Dick lunged for his friend. "What was that for you little grass stain! You know it was the truth!"
"It was not! I will deny it forever and always! And I'm /not/ a grass stain!""
"Face the facts, you totally thought he was that." He paused before adding, "And your /totally/ a grass stain!"
"I did and am not!"
"Did to and are to."
Logan huffed and replied hastily, "I did /not/ think that and I am no grass stain, thank-you very much!" Raven reentered, eying the pair suspiciously, and tossed the rag toward Dick, who went to work cleaning up his spill.
"I hate that name you know..." She commented as she sat, catching both by surprise. Both looked on with confusion
"The whole Dick thing." she explained, "From now on you're Rich."
The newly named Rich took his place on the couch again, "Don't you think it should be my decision if I -"
"You're Rich." she repeated bluntly. Rich nodded while Logan looked on with an idolizing look. He liked this new assertive Raven.
"Now, if we may continue. You say that this Tameranian guy said Blackfire did this? Why? What motives would she have."
"We're not sure." Rich replied, "We believe she may be working for someone, maybe even something." Raven sat her coffee cup down on the table in front of her, sighing deeply as she did. "And you're looking for help on this I'm guessing?" she asked, eying Rich, who nodded in response." A moment passed and all remained silent. "We---we were thinking about getting the team together again." Logan added sheepishly, "You know, try and figure this out." Raven glared at him for a moment, causing the crimson blush to creep unto his cheeks once again, before glancing down toward her lap.
A few minutes passed and nothing, save the muffled voices of the Italian family downstairs and the few cars passing by outside, could be heard. Raven seemed to be meditating. Rich was staring blankly to his right, more than likely thinking about his lost love, and Logan could only help but examine his friend more.
Her attire had changed completely. Well, that was a no-duh. Who would want to live their entire life in a spandex leotard? He shuddered at the though, visions of his jump suit flying through his head. With another sip from his tea, which was by now running low, he refocused. The enchantress had turned to a more casual look, something that he had never seen on her before. Odd, huh? Never seeing one of you best friends in simple blue jeans and a loose sweater?
Raven's movement woke Logan from his daydream like state. "What do I need to pack?" she asked. Logan's face lit up, as did Rich's to a lesser extent, "Anything you can carry."
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A few hours later
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"So, we're off to find Cyborg now?" Asked Raven, who had busied herself with fixing her hair into a small ponytail.
"Well, technically the-" Demon..."-butler already found him. We just have to convince him to come with us." Logan answered, still bristling at the thought of the Rich's butler.
The trip had been smooth so far. No plane troubles, no relationship problems, as far as Logan could tell, and he had even managed to convince Rich to get him some Tofu! Yup, the green man was set for the rest of their ride.
"I happen to know that 'not much' isn't the only thing that's been going on in your life." Logan said, trying to start up a conversation. He leaned back in his tan chair, closing his eyes. "I mean, why Italy? Why an Artist?"
Raven glided to a seat opposite him and sat, clearly uncomfortable. "Well, I always loved art so I guess I just wanted to... expand upon it." One of Logan's green eyes flickered open, "That's it?" she nodded. "And Italy, what of that?"
She sighed, "I'd rather not get into this conversation with you." she retorted, "Plus, I don't even know what you've been up to." she huffed.
He smirked and his eye flickered closed once more. "If you /must/ know, for you seem so very interested in /my/ personal life, I've been working for The Pulse. Top writer two years running.": At this Raven couldn't help but laugh. Logan frowned and sat up, "What?"
"It's just, I can't see you as a writer. I mean, come one." His frown grew deeper, "I'll have you know that I've interviewed some of the most well known and influential people on Earth! My last being Seamus Drake!"
"Sure..." she replied sarcastically.
"Do you not read! my articles are everywhere!"
"Never liked the news and yea right."
He chose not to retaliate, but pestered her further. "Now that I've answered your question Ms. Nosy, answer mine! Why Italy?" She sighed deeply. "I guess I just felt safe..." she began. Whoa whoa! Hold on! Did she just do what I wanted? Like, without any force? "I mean, with the religious stuff, I thought it might be a good idea."
So that was it. How could he have missed it? Her father was the reason! He shuddered within. That had been one of the worst times of his life. He hated it. Seeing her suffer like that. And watching her die, his present dropping to floor... Boy, that very confession brought so much up. Being without her, taking her for dead. He would rather die then feel that hurt again. "Well, I liked your art." he said after a moment, feeling that dropping the subject would be a better choice then striving for more information. He glanced toward her and noticed a smile across her lips. Ha! So she wasn't stone! "Thanks." she replied after a moment.
"Hey guys!" Rich's voice called from the cockpit, "Buckle up! We're coming in for a landing!"
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Chainsburg ------------ Livingston Space Center
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It was huge! How could a place be this big! How could someone have all this crap! Okay, so it wasn't crap, it was everything ranging from rocket engines to tilt-a-hurls, as Raven put it. Okay okay, so it was crap, at least in Logan's point of view. He was never good with all this engineering stuff. As they say; "In one ear and out the other."
The Livingston Space Center in Chainsburg was known for it's contributions to the world of science and space flight. They were also known for having the best known mechanic around. One Victor Stone, or Cyborg as he was known to the trio now waiting patiently in the entrance foyer for their friend.
Logan yawned deeply. "How long has it been?" Raven sighed with frustration and checked her watch. /Again/. "Well, it has been approximately two minutes and twelve seconds since you last asked. Do the math." Logan huffed, "You don't have to be so rude about it!" Rich chuckled but remained silent otherwise. He was having too much fun with this...
By now, Raven was rubbing her temple, trying to keep the frustration down. It had been what? Six hours since the green man had shown up in her apartment? Yes, six hours and he had already driven her to the edge of her toleration limit. "I'm not being rude. You've asked the same question for the last fifteen minutes. Over. And over. And /over/ again!"
Logan glared in her direction. I can't believe I like this chick... He gulped Oh crap. Can she hear my thoughts? What if she can! Okay, stop panicking! Say something smart. "Well, ummm, I can't help it!" Oh yea, my genius really flourished in that statement...
Raven was about to answer, a nice little retort brewing in her dark mind, when a laugh echoed through the large ,hugely large, room. "You guys never learn do you?" Logan looked up happily as Cyborg entered, mechanical parts gleaming as always. "Cy!" Logan yelled happily, racing forward, "Dude! What's up!" Raven rolled her eyes at Logan's reaction and headed toward the engineer.
"Nothin' but the ceiling baby!" he replied, smirking. "What's up with you? You wouldn't believe how surprised I was to get your call." Before Logan could answer, Rich intervened. "That, my friend, needs to be discussed elsewhere." he replied, also smiling. Cy nodded his half-metal head and headed back the way he came. "My office is this way!" he called. Logan took of after him, questions spilling out one after the other.
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The story was being relayed once again. From the call from Logan, to the trip to Ravens, Cyborg had been filled in. But then why, oh why, did this Titan seem skepticle? Three words: Wife and kids. Yes, it was a shock to all of them. Cyborg! A dad! Who'd have thought? The wife? Some chick named Tess. Logan had no idea who this Tess person was and it just happened she was out of town. That information had nearly sent him an early grave.
"Guys, I can't." Cyborg stated eyebrows furrowed, "I can't just up an' leave! I have a family to think of!" This discussion, or something near it, had been going on for the last fifteen minutes. Rich and Raven had, of course, excepted it and were now trying to shut the big-mouth of Logan who had gone off on how stupid the excuse was.
"Come one Cy, it'll be like old times! You, me, spandex and breakfast bonanzas! You can't resist the goodness of tofu eggs and bakey!" A snort came from Raven as she tried to surpress her laughter. "Yea, sorry, go on."
Vic, as he was known now, rolled his human eye and sighed deeply. "Logan. Once again the answer is no. I have too much to loose at this point to run around saving the world. Plus, I still /hate/ the idea of fake meat."
Logan seemed to growl and opened his mouth for a retort. He would have made one to, if Rich hadn't interrupted, "Logan, just drop it." The changeling huffed. "Now, Cy, we know that you have a family, wife, all that, but why couldn't you come?" asked Rich. Vic sighed deeply once again, "Rich, they're not just 'all that', they're my family. They're part of me! I can't leave. And I won't leave." The room remained silent.
Raven was the first to speak after a moment, once again trying to keep her wild hair out of her pale face. "Thanks for your time Cy." she started, her voice sounding oddly kind. "But at the moment, I think it might just be better, for /all/ of us, if we headed out." Vic looked hurt as he nodded slowly, Rich doing the same. "That'd be best." he replied. Logan simply huffed again.
The wind whipped through the fall afternoon as the remaining Titans' former made their way to the runway, all of them remaining silent. The plane was just ahead, and Logan lagged behind further, trying to catch his metallic friend's ear. "Dude, I'm sorry for the.. you know." Vic nodded, "No prob dude,I would've reacted much the same." The duo continued on in silence as the jet loomed closer. Rich had stalled near the stairs, Raven slowing also.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye for know." commented Rich, a fake smiled plastered across his face. "Keep in touch?" How ironic. That question was the very same he had asked when the Titans' parted for the first time. He hoped that this time, however, would have a better outcome.
Vic smirked, extending a hand for him to shake. "You know it." Rich took it and shook before heading up the stairs.
"You'd better keep it this time." Raven added, also grinning. Vic chuckled and watched her board also.
Logan was last to come, trying to pick his words as carefully as humanly possible. "It was awesome seeing you again dude." he said sheepishly, "I hope Tess and the kids will be here next time."
"I'll tell 'em you said hi." Logan nodded and turned toward the staircase, hesitating slightly, and started up.
"Ay, almost forgot!" Vic called, Logan turning to see what the commotion was about. "Here dude," He continued, tossing something toward his green friend. Logan caught the present. It was a ring of some sort. "It's the Illusioner." he explained with a wink, "Just in case you have some undercover duty."
Logan smiled. "Thanks dude! Best of luck!"
"Back at ya!"
Logan entered the plane a moment later, Rich getting ready to fire up the engines and Raven taking her usual window seat. "So, where are we off to next?" Rich called back, "Tokyo, Bermuda, Antarctica?"
Logan chuckled nervously, "Actually, I had something I needed to do in Pulse City." He replied, taking his seat.
For some odd reason, he had an inkling that this would be a /very/ long trip.
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Mesa CrazyYo yo yo! What's up with my homey dog skillet bisquits with butter and jam? PEACE!
Govs' and Duckies: What tha... -twitch-
Mesa Crazy: -sweatdrop- Come one, it's my rap speech! Work with me my homies!
Govs' and Duckies: You've got to be kidding me...
Mesa Crazy: Dog, like, review dog. That's the only way you'll get me to shut-up man! Peace out to the third powwwwer!