Disclaimer: I only own a select few characters in this story.
Ch.2 Shadows
Raven giggled as Beast Boy led her down the passageway, "Where are we going?" She asked for the third time.
Beast Boy stopped and turned to her, a warm smile was on his face. He slowly brought his face to hers and they kissed. He embraced her waist while she slid her arms over his chest. They closed their eyes and favored the moment. A few years ago it would have been impossible for Raven to do this. Because of her unstable powers she couldn't feel any emotions, if she did then something terrible would happen. So she would keep herself isolated in her room, meditating or reading. The other titans especially Beast Boy grew suspicious of her past, one day it got to him and he snuck into her room after Raven had come out to eat something. When she returned and found him looking through her books and scrolls she wasn't pleased at first, but then the unexpected happened the next thing she knew she was in his arms kissing him! And she began experiencing an emotion she had never felt before, at the time she dismissed it as nothing more than puppy love.
But over time that emotion grew and grew, until Raven finally admitted that it was true, untainted, pure love. After finally coming clean to herself she began going through intense meditation to get her feelings under control, it took a while but she eventually did it. And the results were wonderful, she could express more thoughts and feelings than she could ever before. Out of joy she admitted her love for Beast Boy and he admitted his romantic feelings for her as well. The two became inseparable they went everywhere together, the movies, and the park, everywhere. Their love for each other grew along with them, amazingly despite their different personalities and tastes they never argued or fought in any way. And when they decided they were ready, they slept with one another. Nothing intimate took place; they simply cuddled in each other's arms. In a way it was just as satisfying as sex.
They were now nineteen and loving it. They were planning to become husband and wife soon, start a family, have kids and do whatever young couples do. Anyway today was their fifth year being together and Beast Boy was going to make today special. Pulling away from her he began to trace Ravens face with his index finger. She shivered when she felt him cup her cheek.
"I told you before love, it's a secret." He told her again.
"Come on cant you just give me a hint?" Raven asked him.
Beast Boy led her to a doorway at the end of the passageway. He unlocked it and turned to her once more,
"No but I can tell you this. It's someplace you've always wanted to see." He said to her warmly as he led her through the darkness on the other side.
When he saw that Raven was inside safely, he shut the door and Raven found herself surrounded in darkness. Everything was covered in gloom, and the only thing that lit up the room was a small light bulb dangling on a chain. But still it lit up the room well enough so she could see Beast Boy by her side and an iron door on the far corner of the room. Smiling to her Beast Boy headed towards the door and opened it. A blinding light spewed out of the opening and Raven brought her hands up to her face, a pitiful attempt to try to shield her eyes.
"Ladies first." He told her as Raven stepped inside.
It took Raven a few minutes to get adjusted to the light. When her eyes stopped hurting she looked at a sign swinging overhead. It read Art to the right, Ancient Scrolls to the left, Torture Devices up ahead. She gasped when she realized where she was at; she was at The Museum Of Dark History. The museum that opened not too long ago, she always wanted to see it but couldn't due to crimes and villains. Beast Boy shut the door behind him and walked up beside her, he gently grabbed Raven's hand. She turned her head to face him, he was smiling slyly.
"So babe, what do you think?" He asked her.
Her response was a warm kiss on the lips, "Thank you." She told him, "But how?"
He smiled slyly before responding, "Made a deal with the curator, he agreed to let us in for free and before opening time if I agreed to pass out fliers for the place. So for about two hours we have the place all to ourselves."
Smiling back at him the lovers began looking through the many different exhibits. They stopped at the Devices Of Torture room and shuddered when they gazed upon the many machines of torture displayed there. Among them was malice, a small dagger that was used to inflict deep wounds, and the most infamous torture device of all the iron maiden. Beast Boy felt Raven shudder as she looked at the device of torment.
"How terrible it must have been to have to die like that." She thought to herself.
Beast Boy stroked her arm and she was comforted. After staring at the torture devices for a few minutes they continued on towards the Chapel Room. And they nearly screamed in horror at the grotesque art there, that's if you want to call it art. Stomaching as much as they could they entered another corridor that led to The Ancient Scrolls Room. Raven stared in wonder at the many different poems and literature written hundreds of years ago. Beast Boy unlike Raven nearly fell asleep; when she saw the blank expression on his face she gave him a playful poke in the waist. This caused him to jolt forwards and give out a cry. Raven rolled her eyes when he began to rub the spot that she poked.
"Boys." She said to herself.
After nearly dying of boredom Beast Boy and Raven exited the scrolls section and entered the Room Of Gothic Art. They stared in utter awe at the many portraits and sketches of demons, devils, witches, and other creatures of darkness. Raven shuddered and grabbed Beast Boy's arm when she saw a portrait of a devil lord that looked strangely similar to Trigon. Her wicked satanic father. The couple walked down a little more and found themselves staring in wonder at a huge twenty foot portrait of a man dressed in a long black robe holding up what looked like a bowl of blood and a skull glowing with green mist. In the background an enormous creature was emerging out of the gloom. Raven couldn't quite make out what it was; turning her eyes away from it she looked at a small scripture at the bottom of the portrait and read it aloud,
"Only the blood of a devil and the energy of one forsaken can the emperor of the undead once again rise." She said in wonder.
Beast Boy frowned when he saw the sadistic smile on the figure that was holding the bowel of blood and skull.
"Wonder what he's so happy about?" He said to Raven who shrugged and led him out of the room.
About an hour passed and they had visited many interesting exhibits, The Sacrificial Chamber, Dungeon Of Devils, Weapons Room, and who could forget The Void Of The Forsaken. Beast Boy's face was frozen in terror as he and Raven left The Void Of The Forsaken. Raven laughed aloud when she saw her boyfriends face. Blushing Beast Boy checked his watch,
"One o' clock." He said aloud. "The place is going to be opening in half an hour, enough time to see one more exhibit. Which one now love?"
Raven pointed towards a room filled with demonic looking figures, Beast Boy felt a shiver go down his spine.
"O-okay." He managed to stutter out when Raven led him into the room filled with statues of hellish creatures.
Beast Boy looked around at his surroundings. The statues around him were those of devils, dragons, and other things of the night. He stopped in front of a display, which had an executioner about to bring down his axe on a convicted souls head. He gulped and continued onward. Looking to the side he spotted an enormous saurian like dragon, his eyes widened when he saw the magnificent detail of the statue. The eyes were ruby red, the skin was night black, and the surface was jagged. Forty foot wings spread over its head, taking up half of the room. The dragon stood in its hind legs and was about sixty feet tall, it was enormous. Its head resembled that of a dinosaur and its mouth was twisted in a savage snarl, jagged fangs exposed. Beast Boy could almost swear that he could hear it breathing…
While Beast Boy was glued to the dragon, Raven made her way towards the center of the room. Her eyes widened when she saw what awaited her. An enormous statue of a creature seated on a throne was in the middle of the room. It had to be over sixty feet tall and the detail put into it was amazing. The creature had a cloth around its waist, and its physique was muscular. Enormous horns sprouted out from its shoulder's to its face.
"It's face…" Raven thought with a shudder.
Its face was demonic and the expression on it was sadistic, its mouth was spread into an evil grin. Tusks projected out of its cheeks and jagged fangs were visible in its mouth. Raven walked over to it and looked at the scripture written at the bottom,
"Lord Tyranus, emperor of the specter realm and almighty lord of the supernatural." She read aloud. "Did people actually think that something like this existed?"
She looked at the face once more and found herself staring at it as if she was in a trance, it looked so lifelike. The care and detail put into it was amazing. The sound of a child crying brought Raven out of her trance like state. She spotted a small foot sticking out from behind the statues throne. She looked around for Beast Boy, not seeing him she walked over to whomever it was. She gasped when she who it was. It was a beautiful young girl, maybe seven or eight dressed in old time colonial cloths on her the floor weeping. Since she was embracing her knees and he blonde hair was dangling in front of her, seeing her face was impossible.
"Excuse me?" she asked reaching towards the girl. "Is everything okay?"
The little girl slowly raised her head, not all the way but just enough for Raven to see her eyes. They were beautiful baby blue, but at the same time pale and full of pain and suffering. Suddenly a hand came out of nowhere and grabbed Raven by the shoulder. She cried out, frightened when the hand began to rub her shoulder in a soothing gesture.
"I'm sorry if I scared you babe. But we have to go." A voice came from behind her.
Raven recognized it immediately and let out a sign of relief. It was Beast Boy. She turned away from the girl to look at him.
"Beast Boy," She said in a serious tone, "give me a hand with this girl I think she's hurt."
Beast Boy looked past her towards the statue, after a few seconds he looked back at her. A questionable expression was on his face.
"What girl?" He asked.
"Don't play stupid she's right…" Raven stopped when she turned to look at the girl.
She was gone, vanished into thin air. Raven looked around wildly to see if she had gone anywhere.
"Are you okay Raven? You seem kind of pale." Beast Boy asked her.
Raven faced him, "You have to believe me she was sitting right there crying!" She told him.
Beast Boy nodded his head, "I think your just drowsy from not eating anything."
Raven rubbed her temples and sighed, "Yeah your probably right."
Beast Boy grabbed her hand, "Anyway I came to tell you that the museum is going to open any minute now, and I very much doubt that you want to try to admire art while being chased by thousands of adoring fans." He said to her.
Raven smiled, "You know it." She responded.
Beast Boy began to lead her to the back door. Raven didn't seem to notice pale blue eyes staring out of the darkness observing as she and Beast Boy walked hand in hand out of the room and disappeared. When the room was empty a small girl about eight emerged from the darkness. She was dressed in a night black dress, the kind you'd expect to see in the 1800's. Her skin was as white as snow and her ponytails with red ribbons attached to the heads dangled around her face. She had a pretty yet delicate face, a bright red scar could be seen on her right cheek. Her face showed no emotion when suddenly her eyes changed from baby blue to ember yellow.
"I've found you." The girl giggled playfully before stepping back into the gloom and disappearing into the shadows.
Authors Note: Second chapter redone, read and review!