Ok, here are standard disclaimers. I do not own, nor claim to own any rights to the Teen Titans, or any other borrowed characters. I also make no claims towards any original characters I invent for this story.
The breakfast dishes had been cleared, rinsed and loaded into the dishwasher. Robin stood before his 4 teammates as they sat at the breakfast table, satisfied with the late morning meal. The environment at the Tower had taken a casual tone. Raven and Beast Boy were still in their pajamas. Starfire was wearing a pair of skin tight jeans and a bright pink T-Shirt. Cyborg wore what he always wore: nothing. Robin of course was wearing a freshly laundered and pressed traffic light costume. The only civvies he had were those that Alfred sent him and they were still unpacked in the box that Batman's majordomo had shipped them in and would probably remain in that box long after the sun had burned out.
"Before we explore any other options I have to ask this question: Are we even going to consider Slade's offer?"
"Do you even have to ask?" Raven replied in a monotone that was dry even by her own standards.
"Raven is correct. It would be a dishonor for a warrior to accept assistance from one such as Slade …"
"… or Terra." Beast Boy added. The faintest hint of a smile formed on Raven's face, which did not go unnoticed by the others.
"Sorry, that question had to be asked." Robin paused. "So now that we got that out of the way … do we have any other ideas?"
"I've got enough parts in the garage to build 10 T-Cycles." Cyborg volunteered. "I'm sure I could sell them. I'm not sure how much to ask for them though."
"We could have an auction." Beast Boy beamed. "Plus Rob and Star could auction themselves off as dates."
Starfire giggled while Robin gave Beast Boy a Batclan death glare.
"And what about you Beast Boy? Why aren't you volunteering your services?"
"As I told Terra yesterday, he's spoken for." Raven growled dangerously. "And don't even think of volunteering me bird boy. Not interested."
Starfire perked up and levitated over to the sorceress.
"But Raven, it could be fun. What harm could come from auctioning ourselves off as dates?"
Beast Boy saw a devious smile form on Raven's lips.
"First of all I doubt anyone would bid on me, except for the creeps and perverts. But tell me Starfire," Raven asked her in a voice with a hint of mischief. "what will you do if Kitten has the highest bid on Robin?"
It took the princess a moment to recover from the shocking potential outcome of the bachelor and bachelorette auction.
"I see your point friend Raven." Starfire replied in a nervous voice before turning to Robin. "We will not do the auction."
Robin chuckled. "Well, maybe we shouldn't auction ourselves off. Though I wonder how much Terra would bid for Beast Boy …"
"Dude! I thought we agreed not to take their money!" The changeling bellowed.
"I'm with Gar on this one. Just the thought of that makes my skin crawl." Raven added.
Everyone shared a brief laugh at the prospect of Beast Boy being sold to Terra for one evening, except of course for Raven who found the prospect to be unsettling to say the least.
"What can we sell?" Raven asked. "Isn't almost everything in the Tower city property?"
"We could sell mementos. You know, stuff like old costumes, maybe some junk in the evidence room." Cyborg remarked.
Robin sighed.
"This isn't going to raise a lot of money. At least not the kind of money we need."
Raven snapped her fingers.
"I could ask for help in Azarath. I know a few rich families there."
Robin gave Raven an amused look.
"I didn't know you hobnobbed with Azarath's rich and famous." He teased her.
"Laugh all you want Robin, but this just might work. They owe us big time. Remember that Trigon destroyed Azarath and it was restored after we defeated him."
"After you defeated him." Beast Boy corrected her.
Robin stroked his chin.
"I hadn't thought of that." He admitted. "So when are you guys leaving?"
"As soon as we're packed." She replied.
Robin, Starfire and Cyborg waited in the common room. Raven had told them that she would create the travel portal there so that they could see them off. Cyborg had set up a video camera and some strange looking sensors to record the event while Robin and Starfire cleared the furniture to make room for Raven's portal.
As if on cue the sliding doors opened revealing the two missing Titans. Both were carrying backpacks with what they deemed essential for the trip. Raven was also carrying two bottles that were full of a strange liquid. As they reached the middle of the room she gestured to her friends to make room. Once they had stepped back the bottles floated out of her hands and after uncorking themselves they poured their contents out, forming a circle around Raven and Beast Boy.
"We'll see you in two weeks." Raven addressed her friends.
"Bring back lots of money!" Starfire cheered.
"And have a good time introducing your boy toy to mom!" Cyborg teased her. Beast Boy responded with a glare.
"That's not cool Cy."
Raven ignored the friendly ribbing and began the incantation that would open the portal to Azarath, just as she had done a few years before, shortly after her 16th birthday. Beast Boy stood next to her as she began.
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos …" She chanted slowly in her deep gravelly voice.
"Karazon, Racashos, Endareth … "
The poured fluid began to form a transparent wall around them.
"Vasirix, Zendien, Azarath …"
Beast Boy and Raven were now levitating. Raven's eyes glowed white while the changeling clung nervously to her arm as the portal opened above them.
"Azarath, AZARATH!" Raven shouted. Then as the time before she, along with her beau, was quickly sucked into the vortex that was above them. Beast Boy briefly shrieked and in a flash they were gone as the portal closed behind them.
Starfire smiled.
"Have a good time dear friends." She wished them belatedly.
Beast Boy clung to Raven for dear life. All he saw around him was an endless void. He was in no danger of falling and could he have easily flown under his own power were he to morph into an avian. But the lack of a point of reference disconcerted him. It was then that he noticed that his arms were tightly wrapped around Raven's chest and blushed, but he did not let go.
"Rae, do you know where you're going?"
The two were cheek to cheek and the Changeling loosened his grip from Raven's bosom.
"Just relax, we're almost there." She deadpanned.
After a few more minutes of flying through the void Beast Boy thought he saw something ahead, in the direction they were travelling. At first it appeared to be a tiny dot that stood out in the void, shimmering like a star. As they continued to approach it the circle grew in size and the changeling began to wonder just how big it was. Soon he was able to discern that it was a mandala and it was slowly rotating in the void. Without a point of reference he was unable to tell how large or far away it was.
"Rae, what is that?" He asked breathlessly.
"It's the gate of Azarath." She replied in her monotone.
The mandala continued to grow as they approached. Beast Boy couldn't believe how large it was; it looked as if all of Jump City would fit on its surface. Finally Raven reduced her speed and eventually stopped in front of it.
"Let us in." She demanded as the chakra stone on her forehead glowed a deep red.
After a moment one of the facets in the mandala faded away and Raven quickly flew through the gap. Once through the sight that greeted them took Beast Boy's breath away. A large, featureless plain stood before them. Raven continued to fly towards the horizon. After a few more minutes the changeling was able to see where it ended: a precipice that had no bottom.
Raven landed at near the cliff's edge. Standing before them, floating like a jellyfish in the sea was the city of Azarath, it skyline reaching for the sky like a medusa's tentacles. The city was connected to the cliff by a single suspension bridge. Its image defied both belief and logic as it looked both massive and light.
"Dude!" Was his only comment.
Raven took his hand.
"There it is Gar, Azarath. My home, my people."
She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Come on. We still have to cross the bridge."
The bridge was a magnificent structure. It was longer and wider than the bridge that spanned the Bay in Jump City and it felt a lot stronger. It had a steady source of traffic in both directions, mostly cargo vehicles bringing all sorts of goods into the city as well as removing all of its waste. Nothing was discarded into the void, Raven explained to her sweetheart as they walked across the bridge which spanned the bottomless void beneath them.
"What's holding the city up?" He asked, still clearly amazed and unable to believe what he saw.
"An unbreakable spell, cast thousands of years ago. So long ago in fact that it's unknown who did it."
The pedestrian walkway was deserted and they were the only ones crossing on foot. When they reached the other end the border guard had not seen them approach. They reached the guard station and waited for her to notice their arrival. When that did not happen Raven cleared her throat.
Without looking up the guard spoke to them.
"Your name please."
"Raven Roth." She replied.
The guard looked up with a surprised look on her face. Upon seeing that was indeed Raven she leapt to her feet.
"Miss Roth! Please forgive me, I was distracted, I mean … no one ever walks across the bridge … welcome home." The guard stammered as she pushed a button. A door opened behind her and Raven led Beast Boy into Azarath.
Cyborg was busy mopping up the remains of Raven's portal. The liquid she poured on the ground wound up splattered around the common room. The vortex has also dislocated many smaller objects like the GameStation controllers around the room which Starfire was collecting and putting away. The fluid that Raven had used smelled foul and the tin man grimaced as he cleaned up the mess.
"Whoever said that Raven is neat and tidy doesn't know the girl." He grumbled under his breath.
Starfire grinned in response.
"Is it not glorious friend Cyborg?" She asked in a love struck voice.
"You mean this mess?" He asked, clearly annoyed. "Aw man! It splattered on the wall too."
The princess glared at the tin man.
"If you are trying to be the funny then you are failing." She answered in a cross voice. "You know of what I speak."
He stopped cleaning and gave her a stern look.
"If you're talking about BB and Raven, then no, it's not 'glorious'."
Starfire's annoyed exterior was replaced by one wracked with confusion.
"I do not understand. Why is it not glorious? They are so happy together."
Cyborg snorted.
"Hasn't it occurred to you that they won't stay happy? Once the honeymoon's over they'll be at each other's necks. She'll probably kill him ..."
"Do not exaggerate Cyborg."
"Ok, she won't kill him." He conceded. "But they will fight, which means they're gonna break up, and when that happens the team will be done for. One of them will have to leave. Who knows, they might both leave."
"I do not share your pessimism." She paused as of a light bulb had gone off on her head.
"You are the jealous!" She shouted as she snapped her fingers.
"Say what!" He shrieked. "Listen here missy; are you trying to say something? Cuz if you think I got something for BB, then you need to get that pretty Tamaranian head of yours examined…"
The princess began to laugh boisterously.
"Oh Cyborg, all I am saying is that you feel that you have lost your friend to Raven. But do not worry, Raven cannot take your place and you cannot take hers."
Cyborg shoved the mop back into its bucket.
"He never has time to play GameStation. He only watches movies with her and I can't remember the last time we argued over food … I used to think he was my best bud … but he doesn't give me the time of day anymore."
Starfire giggled.
"Do not worry friend. Once they return from Azarath you will see that everything will be back to normal."
Grabbing his mop he snorted derisively.
"As long as Slade and Terra are partners and considered model citizens nothing's normal Star." He said as he resumed mopping up Ravens liquid mess.
Beast Boy walked down the futuristic looking main boulevard, wide eyed at the sights he was taking in. The skyline put Jump City's own downtown to shame. The buildings gleamed immaculately, the air was as fresh as a forest breeze and the sidewalk looked clean enough to eat off of. Silent air sedans flitted overhead, like mechanical birds flying on the thermals.
After walking a few blocks Raven nudged him with her elbow and his attention returned to ground level. The sidewalk was now teeming with pedestrians from all walks of Azarathian life. The first thing he noticed was their attire, which consisted of hooded cassocks for the men and elegant dresses with hooded capes for the women.
The next thing he noticed was that all of the men were looking at the ground and didn't make eye contact with him. Most were walking behind a woman and appeared to be following them with great deference. When he tried to make eye contact with the women they simply glared at him, until they noticed who he was with after which they simply looked away. After a few minutes of this he couldn't take it any longer and turned towards his girlfriend. They were the only couple walking side by side.
"Rae, what's going on here? I feel really weirded out." He whispered to her.
"There are a few things you need to know about Azarath."
"You mean like everyone hates me?"
"No Gar, they don't hate you. They're just confused."
"And why's that Rae?"
She took his hand and squeezed it.
"Well, you see, Azarath is a matriarchal society."
As she spoke a middle aged, matronly woman walked out of a shop followed by four middle aged men. The woman was dressed entirely in white and the men were dressed in green, except for one who wore blue. They were carrying shopping bags while they silently followed her, their collective gazes focused on the ground. As they made their way down the sidewalk the crowd opened wide, giving them a wide berth.
Raven did not move over, and the portly women glared at her, but suddenly stopped as she recognized her.
"Raven Roth?" She said as she examined the sorceress with a critical eye. "It is you! You have finally returned."
"Hello Mayra." Raven replied.
"Why aren't you wearing white? You are of age if I recall correctly."
"We have just arrived. I have not been back to Roth Tower yet."
"We?" The woman asked as she sized up the changeling.
"Is this a servant you brought back from Earth? I didn't know that Earthlings were green."
Beast Boy bristled at the comment.
"This is Garfield Logan. He is my boyfri" She paused. "I am courting him."
"I see." Mayra answered in a clearly amused tone. "Does Arella know of this?"
"No, not yet."
"Very well, I expect I'll be seeing you at the Matriarch's council tomorrow. Until then my dear."
Without even acknowledging Beast Boy the women gestured to her escorts and they left together.
"Now I'm really weirded out Rae." He said as soon as Mayra was out of earshot. "What was that all about?"
Raven saw a café further down the street.
"Let's go somewhere quiet where I can explain everything."
The changeling nodded in agreement and taking his hand she led him to the sidewalk coffee house. They were greeted by the proprietor, a young woman, who led them to a quiet cozy table. They quickly ordered their drinks and woman disappeared back into the building.
"So what's going on here Rae? The men won't make eye contact and the women get pissed when I do. And what was fatso's problem anyway? She like totally ignored me…"
Raven took his hand in both of hers.
"I'm sorry; I should have prepared you for this. I guess I've been gone for so long that I kind of forgot how different it is here."
"I already know it's different Rae, but I'm still not sure what's going on here. You said something about matriarchs…"
"Yes, I did. I know this will seem strange to you Gar, but men and women are not considered to be equals in Azarath. Men are kind of … their wives' property here."
The green hero stroked his chin.
"I guess that explains a lot, but what about Mayra? And don't tell me those four dudes are her husbands."
Raven sighed.
"Mayra is a Matriarch. There is a group of about 100 families in Azarath that control most of the wealth. Each one is headed by a Matriarch. Matriarchs and their heiresses dress in white, no one else is allowed to wear white but them. The council of Matriarchs is one of the three branches of government in Azarath, the other two are the Mayor's office and the chamber of deputies, both of which are elected by popular vote."
"Deputies?" He asked.
"Think members of the state assembly. Anyway, the Matriarchs get a lot of perks. They don't answer to the voters since their positions in the council are hereditary. Matriarchs are allowed to have four husbands as well. They don't pay taxes but provide most of the employment for the general population."
"Sounds like a sweet deal." He commented.
"So why did she say that she'd see you at the Matriarch's council tomorrow? And why did she …" His eyes grew wide when he figured out the answer to the question he was about to ask. "… ask you why you weren't wearing white …" His voice trailed off.
Raven hung her head in shame.
"Yes Gar, it's true … I'm a Matriarch."