Going to the Dogs
Chapter Two
Hey! God, I'm so happy that everyone liked this. Anybody who REVEIWED, anyways.
Responses are at the end of the chapter.
Beastboy let out an apologetic sort of woof. Raven glanced at him sideways, confused.
(Well, you see, I sort of…can't…?)
"WHAT?"
Beastboy winced.
"What do you mean, you can't change back?" Raven asked dangerously, a few trinkets glowing black.
(It's that spell), he said, (It messed with my powers, and somehow, I can't change back. I'm stuck in this morph.)
Raven moaned and cursed. "Let me see."
(Huh?)
"Let me see inside your head."
(NO!) If Beastboy had been human, he would have been clutching his head. (Nobody goes inside MY head. It's MINE.)
"I say, an eye for an eye."
(What?)
"You've been in my head before. Now it's only fair if you let me inside yours." Raven deadpanned, arms crossed. Her stare on Beastboy's eyes never wavered.
(An eye for an eye only winds up making the whole world blind.)
Raven blinked, surprised. She had never thought that Beastboy could have come up with something as witty, and as true, as that. Not to mention that it was extremely clever.
Raven then raised her eyebrow. Beastboy's tail wagged cautiously, trying to figure out her next move.
"You're right." Raven sighed, dropping her hands.
(Really?)
"No."
Beastboy was nearly knocked over by the sheer power of Raven's metal attack. She had come at him full force, hitting him with every once of telepathic power that she had. Beastboy snuck a look at her face, but it was blank. Empty. Her eyes had gone wide and unblinking, staring at something that he couldn't see.
A tickle was forming at his hairline, oh, excuse me, the top of his doggy head. He whined, shaking his head as though trying to dislodge her hold.
He could feel something inching towards the back part of his mind- the personal part. Where he still hurt from Terra's betrayal, and how he really hated the taste of tofu but ate it anyway because of his powers. Back there was also the true face of the "comic relief"- someone who tried to lighten the mood at the darkest of times, because they were a hopeless optimist.
And deep, deep down in there- where he kept his love locked up inside. Raven was the last person who he wanted to know who he loved.
Because it was her.
Raven felt her consciousness become less aware. She could still feel the floor, and the softness of her cape, put her mind was elsewhere.
She hadn't expected the angst. The raw, soul-wrenching angst that she thought that only she could feel.
"I couldn't save them!" A memory wailed at her, "They died because I couldn't save them!"
Raven mentally side-stepped, letting the thought pass, despair in its wake.
"Mommy? Daddy? Why am I green?"
Confusion lingered as this memory passed on by. Raven averted her eyes, watching a woman who had Beastboy's eyes. She realized that the man must be his father. And Beastboy was a spitting image of him.
'No, you can't hurt my mom!' Something thought. A green mongoose took shape, and started beating the living crap out of a snake that was poised to strike at a horrified woman.
Rage shook her when the memory nearly fell from the top of his mind.
Damn this empathy, she thought, makes everything freaking impossible.
"SLADE!"
'No, it's not true, it can't be true. Not Terra!'
Memories flashed and whirled around Raven, as well as detached feelings such as frustration, anger, annoyance… and something very, very deeply felt.
Raven headed in a general direction- to the back of Beastboy's mind. Sure, there was the random videogame directions floating around in there, and the costs of mopeds, a few strange dreams involving Slade, rabbits, and huge black-and-purple birds, but she found it all okay.
Thank god there weren't any Happys, Timids, or Rages to meet…
Then, a door materialized in front of her. 'My Space- keep out' it read. Raven reached for the doorknob, when she was blown backwards, out of his head and back into her own.
Beastboy saw Raven stumble suddenly and sway. He yipped, rushing to her side. She wound up crashing into him- he didn't catch very well.
"You-" there was a gasp; "You shove very hard." Raven breathed shallowly, trying to catch her breath.
(Hey, are you okay?)
"I'll be fine in a minute or two. I- I need to rest." Raven shakily sat down on the floor, unable to hold herself up any longer.
(D'you want me to get you anything? Tea? Tofu?)
"I'd like to see you explain how you're gonna get those things in your condition."
(Oh yeah…)
"No, I'm fine."
Raven rested her head on the floor, a clonking sound softly echoing in the room. Beastboy's cold nose nudged her side.
(You're cold, Raven. Are you sure you're okay?)
Raven decided not to lie this time.
"Yeah, I am cold… my room is freezing…"
(Then why do you sleep in here? Or, you could get a heater.)
"It's privacy. And the cold helps me focus." Raven said, then continuing with, "I have to focus…I could so easily go out of control with my powers…"
(You think you've got it worst? I could tell you a frustrating thing or two about mine. Like when I get a cold. I sneeze, and morph into any random animal. You never want to see me with the chicken pox. It's not pretty.)
Raven mused slightly, her eyes closed. She listened to the sound of Beastboy's voice in her head. This time, it was so much easier to read the emotions. No more lengthy deciphering about someone's tone and if they were messing with you or not. Now she could tell his intentions.
He wanted to make her feel better. And he was worried about her being cold.
Okay, think, Beastboy, think! How to get her herbal tea. While in doggy morph.
Beastboy looked up, the counters now insanely high up. His ears perked up, his head titled, as he tried to figure out the best way to do things.
Jump, he told himself, it's not that high up…
Beastboy jumped on top of the counter. His tail swished happily, knocking over a few things and sending them clattering to the floor. His nose sniffed like crazy, searching for the herbal tea.
Ha. There.
Once having found it, Beastboy attempted to open the cabinet doors. After nudging it with his nose failed, he went ahead and took a hold of it in his teeth. Strangely, it worked. He found himself face to face with a box of instant coffee.
Knocking that down to the counter, he stuck his nose in it and sniffed around for the smell of herbal tea. The familiar scent tickled his nose, and he sneezed inside the box. The sneeze made his whole body jump, and he and around ten other miscellaneous items went crashing to the floor.
"What the hell is going on in here?" Raven demanded.
(Herbal tea.)
Raven caught sight of the mess- mustard on the ground, squirted, a few pots and pans still swirling around, coming to a stop with metallic whirring noises. The whole box of instant coffee was still stuck on the end of Beastboy's nose. Her teapot was precariously close to the edge of the stove
"You idiot canine!"Raven yelled, coming at him. Beastboy yelped and took off with a scrabbling start towards the couch.
Raven chased him, cutting him off at one end, but he was too fast in his dog form.
Beastboy had finally shaken the box off his nose, and he was sporting a very silly doggy smile.
"Woof!" His whole head had gotten thrown into the vocal action.
Raven carefully took one step forward, smiling dangerously. Beastboy took a step backward, alarmed.
He had a good reason to be.
Suddenly, Raven launched herself towards Beastboy, her arms outstretched. She wound up colliding with the couch. Beastboy trotted up to her, and playfully took a mouthful of her cloak.
Raven glanced down to see a green dog with her cloak in her mouth, and her heart gave the oddest lurch. She shushed the familiar giggling of Happy.
Tentatively, she reached out and stroked his head.
There was quiet for a minute.
(Do you realize that you just gave the equivalent of ruffling my hair?)
He never saw that pillow coming.
I hope it'll get longer… I'm trying…
Reviewer Responses:
scathac's warrior: Heh, it could be the opposite way around. I know what it's like to have an idiot canine myself… though he's never made me herbal tea.
Miss Poisonous: Thanks! This is another attempt at a humorous story- something I haven't done in a long, long time. Glad you like.
The Last: Nope, haven't read it yet. What's it about? I'll have to add in romance to the categories… but only when it seriously starts popping up
Terra: No, not the angry mob! Thanks!
Half- Gothic Girl: Thanks, here's an update!
Regrem Erutaerc: Oooh, good idea. Thanks! I love it when people do that.
Chibi Scooby: -hails to the buttered milk- Continuing, and hoping you keep reading.
GizmoBunny: Well, here's more! Hope you could wait…
random: hangovers? Do you mean cliffhangers? 'Cause you kinda freaked me out for a minute there.
Gem W: Will do. Are you talking about that one where BB has to learn how to teach her to be a dog too? I can't remember the authoress's name…
Raven of Azarath: Yes, I know… and trying to update ASAP.
Savi: Well, we'll see- OOH! PLOT IDEA! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Ryuu no Taiyo: What exactly does your name mean? I've always wondered… thanks for that compliment. Hope you enjoy.
blackmagic111090: Hey, I've got Fruits Basket 6, 7, and 8 for you to read. Give me a ring. Tell Julie thanks.
satusimpson: Hey! I LOVE YOUR STORY! Updating… soon… I hope…
Ninjamuffin13: Oh yes, very interesting. –holds up BB and Rae voodoo dolls and cackles evilly-
Review on your way out!