Hello, my loyal readers and reviewers. I have introed the baddie in this chapter, and I decided on Trigon. (hears groans) I know, cliché, but, well, it fit. Yeah. Read on!

Review Answers:

aly'n'jen: Thank you.

Kala: No! It's not the end! Here's the next chapter. I wish it was gonna be on TV (sighs). You don't have to have one. We'll find another good home for it.

KidFlashisHot: Cy's not much better off this chapter...and yes, fluff is good.

Nightwater: Thanks for vouching for me. I'm VERY MUCH aspiring.

DarkRavenna: Like I said before, fluff is good. I'm glad my 18 wheeler is safe and sound, too. Oh! Guess what? You can have a fuzzy elephant and a Mammoth! I'll paint them both blue, too.

The Devils Nightmare: Sorry, sorry! Calm down... I updated. If you kill me with your animals, I can't finish the story! Glad you like it.

LuckyNut, gothic kid 13: Thanks!

Wrathchylde: Thank you. I thought about the timing after I posted, and yes, it would hurt to rearrange somethings. My only hope is that I'll improve!

DigitalGlowStick: I'm really sorry—I have to juggle school and everything else, so it cuts into my story time. I'm not a very fast writer either. Thanks-a-lot! Yay! I'm in a C2!

Triforce90: I lent him some phone books... Thanks.

scathac's warrior: At me, or with me? Or maybe both... Thanks.

bluesapphire391: Whatever. I may note That it's "Your story sucks ass!" and "Learn from professionals!"

Dakyu: Thanks.

disappearer/Syani: I threw in the Porkyplace as dumb stuff. I'll try to get your approval. the dialogue is a working progress for me, though.

dragoon-bane: Update!

beastboy and raven 4 ever: BBRae rox. We both know that. :-)

Oh, and for anyone who watches the Simpsons, I had the song idea before the "future" episode.

Anyway, read on!

Disclaimer: Thought I better say this again: I don't own Teen Titans, or the song I.G.Y. by Donald Fagen.

———————————————————————————Chapter Eight—————————

"Ok, friend Cyborg, it appears you will be wanting the Interstate 10, at which will connect with the 75 interstate, which will be followed to the turnpike of Florida, in which you will transfer to the toll road of the five-twenty-eight, which you will follow all the way to the Ocean of the Atlantic," Starfire said as she looked at a map.

"Whatzabuthuh?"

"You're doing fine." Robin gave Cyborg a friendly pat on the back.

"So, dudes, do ya know where we're headed?" Happy asked.

"Weeeeeell...not really. We figured out we have to go to a place called 'Port Canaveral' and follow a ship we're almost a day behind already," Robin answered.

A billboard caught Cyborg's eye. "But first, were gonna stop at THE PORKYPLACE!"

"The 'Porkyplace'?" Robin raised an eyebrow.

"Look! Five different flavors of sweet, delicious PORK!"

"Cyborg, honestly, we don't have time. We have get to Florida."

Too late. Cyborg was already exiting.

...And for the 3.6 miles (as the sign put it) to the Porkyplace, Cyborg ranted on.

"...And their BBQ pork is supposed to legend! Now don't get me started on those BAKED POTATOES!"

Robin was fuming. "Cyborg, we don't have time for this."

"But they were rated 5/5 in Meat Lovers Weekly! How can you refuse a roll the size of a compact car!"

Three blank stares.

"Friend Cyborg, I'm afraid I could do the refusing of the roll."

"We have to GO!"

Happy looked around. "No comment."

Cyborg was beat. He was the only one who wanted to stop.

"Can we at least get take out?"

————————

Cyborg sucked happily on the last rib. Robin had ordered a cheeseburger, and Starfire had been intrigued by the "rings of onion" ("but how did they ever get the onion inside the salty coating? There is no hole!").

That left Happy to drive.

Cyborg handed over the keys to Happy thinking he was handing the keys to a responsible emotionless 15 year old with a learners permit, not a crazed emotion.

Cyborg didn't notice her lead foot. Happy slowly started to creep up on the speedometer.

"Booya! Finally ate at the Porkyplace! Now all I have left Mr. Meat's Steakatorium, and I'll have covered to top 50 steakhouses in America!"

The happy little eating moment was ended by flashing lights and a siren.

"How fast are you going, Raven?"

Raven checked her speed. "Whoops..."

She began to pull over.

—————

The trooper walked up to the odd looking vehicle. Happy rolled down the window. "Ma'am, do you know how fast you were going back there?" asked the officer.

"Hehe...90...sorry." said Happy.

The officer sighed. "Your license and registration, please."

Cyborg leaned over to look at the cop. "Sir, we are the..."

"Teen Titans, yes, I know. But the law doesn't stop because of a few speed crazed teenagers, I'm afraid. In fact..." he said after glancing at the registration...

"I'm going to have to take you in."

"WHAT!" screamed Cyborg and Robin.

"Well, this, this isn't a registration. It's a computer chip."

"Yes sir, we are one of the first to move to the electronic register system. Stick it in your car, and everything you need to know about this car is there." Cyborg explained.

The officer lowered his sunglasses. "Look kid, we don't have that out here." He swept his arm in a movement across the plains area they were driving through.

"When I say 'go', put the car in 'T' and floor it." Cyborg whispered to Happy.

Cyborg plastered a giant fake smile on. "Oh, of course, silly me. May I have that back now, seeing it's fake."

"No."

Cyborg then stuck his arm out the window, and aimed for a tree across the road.

KABOOM! The sonic blast hit the tree. "What the—"

"GO!"

Without a moment's notice, Happy had put the car in gear. P, N, R, D, 1, 2, 3. She shifted through the gears. ...T.

"T?" Robin asked Cyborg.

"Thruster."

Happy pounded the gas, and the car lurched forward, rocket igniting. Everyone was thrown back into their seats as the g-forces grew in number.

The officer stood there, eyebrows scorched off. The last thing he heard was a "WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!" from Happy.

The officer stood there until an invisible force jerked the computer chip and license from his hand. Encased in dark energy, they took off after the T-car.

The guys at the station were never going to believe that one...

————————

Raven and Beast Boy walked silently down the corridor. They blushed every time they looked at each other. They finally reached the room. Raven was finally caught off guard.

"Um, Raven? Where am I going to sleep?" asked the changeling, a quizzical look on his face.

"Well, I suppose you could...no. I couldn't make you do that."

"What?"

"Sleep in my dresser."

Beast Boy anime-fell.

"Oh! I know!" Beast Boy's face lit up, and a light bulb switched on above his head.

"Gonna need that light bulb, son. The 40 watt ones are in short supply," said afterdark.

"Ok, here ya go." Beast Boy unscrewed the bulb, and tossed it to afterdark.

"Hey," Raven looked perplexed. "Who was that guy?"

"Beats me," replied Beast Boy. "But I can understand why he needed a light bulb. Obviously, he needed light to write his story. I think he writes afterdark."

"Hey!" Exclaimed Raven, "Isn't that his name?"

"How'd you know that!" questioned Beast Boy.

"Well, I was reading that story, ya know, the one I kept telling you about?"

"Oh, Raven's Week Of—"

PAUSE

Snookman100 put away his handy-dandy remote-thingy. He looked at Beast Boy as he hung in suspended animation. "You know, of course, they know too much..." he said to afterdark.

"Well if anyone wants me to finish this, I needed that bulb!" afterdark growled, screwing in the bulb.

"You know what you have to do now..."

"I know, I know! Someday they will need to know the truth, though." With that, he began typing furiously, instigating a second—

TIME SNAP!

Um, Raven? Where am I going to sleep?" asked the changeling, a quizzical look on his face.

"Well, I suppose you could...no. I couldn't make you do that."

"What?"

"Sleep in my dresser."

Beast Boy anime-fell.

"Oh! I know!" Beast Boy's face lit up, and a light bulb switched on above his head.

He picked up the phone and dialed room service. "Twenty pillows please. Yes. Room 34. Deck RA."

'I wonder what he's planning...'

"Well, ask," said Beast Boy.

"What the— How'd you know that was my question?"

"Eh, lucky guess."

———————

The twenty pillows arrived. Beast Boy thanked the room service...guy, and after a painful elbowing courtesy of Raven, tipped him.

Beast Boy shut the door.

"Well, I suppose your idea is that all our troubles will go away with a pillow fight?" Raven raised an eyebrow.

Beast Boy's face fell. "Well, then...moving on to plan B..." he joked. "I actually thought we could put the pillows in-between us and share the bed."

Raven looked uncertain. "Well, I suppose..."

"I don't bite, you know." Beast Boy looked mischievous.

Raven slapped him, then smiled. "Fine."

'What have I gotten myself into...'

Beast Boy skipped off to the bathroom to brush his teeth with his finger. Which can be hard...

"...When you have fangs!" Beast Boy complained.

"Aww, suck it up ya big baby."

"Hey, you should know!"

"Beast Boy, honestly, how many times have you seen me brush my teeth, with my finger, when Rage and my demon side take over?"

"Well..." Beast Boy pondered the situation. "Maybe...once..."

Raven sighed. "Mr. Hopeless..."

Raven took off her cloak and hung it up while Beast Boy finished up. While making his way to the bed, he gave Raven a quick kiss on the cheek. Raven blushed, but said nothing. Beast Boy laid out the pillows, and was immediately asleep. Raven climbed into bed, and after inspecting the pillows, and deciding there was enough pillows between them ('for now'), climbed into bed, and turned out the light. She was out within seconds.

Raven's Dream:

Raven cringed as she fought Trigon. She was protecting something. Trigon sent a bolder flying at her. She held out her hand to stop it with dark magic. "..." She couldn't remember the words! "Mtroninum Zinthazarath!" No. "Azrani Zentosium Metros!" No! Wait...yes! That was it! "Azarath Metrughhh!" She didn't catch it fast enough, and the bolder hit her head on. She was unconscious, but she could see Trigon walking towards something... The Forbidden Door! He was escaping... She heard his evil laugh as he opened the door and walked through...

NO!

Raven sat up, cod sweat beading on her forehead. Next to her, Beast Boy snored lightly, drooling on his pillow. Something wasn't right. Then suddenly unimaginable pain pierced her head, and she heard:

The world crumbles around you,

It will come under my control,

You cannot stop it.

Destiny

Will

Be

FULFILLED!

The headache stopped. Raven sat there, frozen. What destiny? Her destiny was to destroy the world, not rule it.

Things...have...changed...

Raven was confused. How had things changed? She glanced out the porthole. Her eyes widened in shock. The sky remained midnight black, even though the sun peaked over the horizon. Something was terribly wrong. The sun was a lifeless black sphere, glowing red (think Raven's mind). Raven's hand creeped over to Beast Boy, still oblivious to the whole situation. She shook him. "hummph...fivemore..minutesss..." He spewed the jumbled words out. Raven shook harder, until Beast Boy finally sat up and muttered "Whatawant?" Raven just stared out the porthole. Finally, making a whole lot of effort (For a pre-11:00 Beast Boy) he craned his neck to look out the porthole.

He stared.

And stared.

"Bad dreams," was the last thing he said before fainting/clasping/falling back to sleep.

——————————
Robin had driven all night. He had scoffed at the idea of stopping, which automatically volunteered him to drive from 1:00 until Cyborg finished charging, and his biological parts finished sleeping. Cyborg had shown them how the back seat cleverly slid forward and folded back into a two person sleeping area, complete with access to the trunk's built in fridge (stocked with assorted drinks and many artery-clogging goodies). After a midnight snack, Starfire and Happy were sleeping. Robin set the cruise control at 75, and glanced at the clock. 6:30. The sun would be coming up soon, and he would have a front row seat. He turned on the radio, and listened to the first song that came on:

Standing tough under stars and stripes

We can tell

This dream's in sight

You've got to admit it

At this point in time that it's clear

The future looks bright

On that train all graphite and glitter

Undersea by rail

Ninety minutes from New York to Paris

Well by seventy-six we'll be A.O.K.

The song had a certain beat to it, and Robin decided to give it a chance.

What a beautiful world this will be

What a glorious time to be free

What a beautiful world this will be

What a glorious time to be free

Get your ticket to that wheel in space

While there's time

The fix is in

You'll be a witness to that game of chance in the sky

You know we've got to win

Here at home we'll play in the city

Powered by the sun

Perfect weather for a streamlined world

There'll be spandex jackets one for everyone

What a beautiful world this will be

What a glorious time to be free

What a beautiful world this will be

What a glorious time to be free

The sun was rising now, and Robin noticed something. It wasn't getting light.

On that train all graphite and glitter

Undersea by rail

Ninety minutes from New York to Paris

(More leisure for artists everywhere)

A just machine to make big decisions

Programmed by fellows with compassion and vision

We'll be clean when their work is done

We'll be eternally free yes and eternally young

The sun finally began showing from behind earth. But it was all wrong. Robin slammed on the breaks, and pulled off the road. Cyborg felt the sudden stop, and started to wake up. Happy coughed, and Starfire turned over.

What a beautiful world this will be

What a glorious time to be free

Cyborg finally opened his eyes. He first stared at gaping Robin, and then turned to face the sunrise.

What a beautiful world this will be

What a glorious time to be free

"What the..." Cyborg began, but just couldn't finish.

What a beautiful world this will be

What a glorious time to be free

What a beautiful world this will be

What a glorious time to be free...

——————————————————————————————————————————

I know the poem/spell/vision is kinda, erm, crappy, but it's the best I got. You like? You hate?

Share your reviews with me. And I know the song is ancient, but it fits. Look it up. If you already know it, you get a cookie.

Kudos,

afterdark