Titans and Gods: Awakening
A Teen Titans Fanfic by Lavender Gaia
Editing and Assistance by Laine
Chapter 5: Infiltration, Part 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or any of the recognizable characters appearing in this chapter. They are all property of DC Comics.
Dedicated to Cassie, for always making sure that I write…even if it's not this. It's always got Donna, Dick and Roy in it one way or another, so that helps.
There was a general feeling of failure as the Titans assembled back at the Tower. No one spoke much and even Beast Boy was too depressed to tell a joke. They knew that they had hit rock bottom.
After they had spent one day wallowing in their catastrophe, Starfire brought up a good point the next morning at breakfast. "What are we to do now?"
Everyone turned to look at Robin, who looked at his half-empty plate of eggs with a sigh. "I wish I knew. We could scout out the Earth Elixir, but I'm not even sure what we'd be looking for, despite the fact that we know the rough area where it is. It would be so much easier if we knew who was doing this."
The others murmured their consent as the leader got up, scooping the remainder of his breakfast into the trash before sitting on the couch, lost in thought. Starfire followed, taking the seat next to him and resting her head on his shoulder comfortingly. Dick's arm unconsciously wrapped around her.
The remaining members of Titans West glanced at each other. "Well, if nothing else good comes of this, at least those two finally got it together," Cyborg pointed out.
"What does it matter if the world blows up in a few days?" Beast Boy grumbled. No one was really hungry, so everyone cleaned up as Aqualad and Donna looked over the map again, arguing about the drift from the time when the Elixirs were first hidden.
Suddenly the monitor screen flashed "INCOMING MESSAGE." Robin got up and pressed a few buttons until a pretty redhead in her twenties appeared on the screen. He blinked in surprise. "Babs?"
"Hey, there, kid," She greeted him. "What's up?"
"Um…nothing. Why are you calling? How did you even get this number?"
"The Big Guy mentioned that you guys were caught up in something that might be a little over your heads," Barbara explained as Dick scowled. "Oh, don't do that. And just for the record, Superman didn't tell him anything. He got the news from Wonder Woman."
Robin turned around to glare at Donna, who held her hands up. "Hey, don't blame me! Plus, you know Diana doesn't keep secrets and she can't tell lies."
"Alright, Babs, what've you got for me then?" he raised an eyebrow at the screen.
"Have you forgotten all your manners? Say please," she teased, light blue eyes twinkling.
His eyes rolled behind the mask as his mouth twisted into some combinations of a scowl and a smirk. "Please."
The older redhead typed a few things on her computer and a web page appeared before the Titans. "I did some research and this is what I came up with. They call themselves the Gaian Ministers. You've heard of those die-hard, preachy Catholics or the Jehovah Witnesses who come and want to bring you to their side? Well, this is like those for the Greco-Roman gods."
Donna sighed. "Great, the few people that are still left of my faith and they're fanatics."
"Well, I lurked around their message boards for a little and they've been on this huge discussion about apocalyptic symbols in different texts, especially the Elixirs," Barbara continued to explain. "I hacked into the account of what seems to be the director and he's in the area. If these are the guys you're looking for, that could be the reason your little pyromaniac keeps showing up."
Bee nodded, staring at the information on the screen. "Makes sense. Well, as much sense as obsessed cult members wanting to end the world."
The redhead shrugged a shoulder. "I'm sending all the information I hacked your way."
"Thanks a lot, Babs," Robin told her. "This really helps."
"No problem, Short Pants," Barbara grinned. "I just wanted to help you out before I go to lunch with my dad. Good luck."
"You've definitely helped. Tell your dad I said hello."
She winked at him. "Will do. Talk to you later." The part of the screen with Barbara's face faded away, maximizing the webpage of the Gaian Ministers.
Speedy ran a hand through his hair. "Ok, excuse me for being a little slow-"
"Don't worry, we're used to it," Aqualad interjected.
"But who was that?" he finished. "Shut up, Gillhead."
Robin was looking through the files they'd just received. "That was Batgirl. The former Batgirl, at least."
Roy smirked. "I can see leaving Bats, but you didn't want to work with her? She's hot!" He noticed that Donna didn't look the least bit amused by his comments. "Of course, I prefer brunettes."
The Amazon rolled her eyes, leaning over the back of the circular couch and smiling wickedly at Dick. "You used to have the biggest crush on her."
A wild blush spread over his cheeks as Starfire looked at him sharply. "Shut up," he grumbled. "I was thirteen and a college girl was talking to me."
"Can't really blame him for that," Cyborg said. "Any thirteen-year-old guy would be in love if a college girl noticed them."
"I'd love it if a college girl noticed me now!" Beast Boy added.
Starfire relaxed a tad and Robin shot his friends a grateful look, before shifting his gaze to Raven as she looked over the information. "What have we got?"
"It looks like their leader's name is Lord Fury, and he is in Jump City," she reported. "I would say that they're recruiting, but I'm not sure why when it's so close to the apocalypse and all."
"Maybe they don't have anyone to get the Earth Elixir?" Aqualad offered. "I mean, it has to be someone special, right?"
Roy sighed. "Do you really think we're that lucky?"
There was a light grumbling as Raven pulled up a map, a red dot blinking. "Apparently, Batgirl located their headquarters here."
"That's right next to Jump City University," Bee noticed. "Greek Row actually."
"I guess college students—or dropouts—are pretty good cult material. And they've really got this obsession thing down pat, huh?" Cyborg mused.
Starfire looked at her new boyfriend—whether they were official or not, she couldn't help but call him that in her head. "Dick, are we going to infiltrate the premises and get our guy?"
Everyone seemed a bit surprised that she called him by his first name, except Raven, who fixed Beast Boy and Cyborg with a glare. "You've been letting her watch CSI again, haven't you?"
They chuckled nervously, but Dick considered the idea. "That actually sounds good. Get in there, find out what's really going on and what they're really about. Good idea."
She beamed at the praise. "I offer myself!"
"Thanks for volunteering, Kory," he chuckled. "But I don't think it would be a good idea." Her face fell as the other Titans gave each other looks, mouthing 'Kory?' Dick squeezed her hand. "It's just that whoever goes has to remain inconspicuous and you're very…conspicuous."
The Tamaranean didn't seem convinced. Bee rolled her eyes at Robin's poor handling of the situation as Donna put her hand calmly on Starfire's shoulder. "What he means is that there aren't a lot of strikingly beautiful, exotic redheads like you walking around. Someone would surely notice that you're Starfire of the Teen Titans and we don't want you to risk getting hurt."
"Oh," Starfire nodded her understanding. "Thank you." It didn't occur to her exactly who she was thanking, so she smiled at both Dick and Donna.
Beast Boy stretched. "Well, if Star's out, I guess I am too."
Cyborg nodded. "Me too."
"I guess I'm out," Bee took a look at her wings with a shrug.
"¡Estamos hacia fuera!"
"If you guys wouldn't mind, I'd rather not," Aqualad requested. "I'm not sure how long we'd be in there and I can't risk not being near a source of water."
Roy nodded, then looked at Raven, Donna and Dick. "I guess it's just the four of us."
Dick ran a hand through his spiky hair. "Actually…I don't think I should go either."
"What's wrong with you, man?" Cyborg frowned at him.
Beast Boy moved his face close to the Teen Wonder's, eyes narrowed. "Do you have some like, really disfiguring scar behind your mask or something? Is that why you never take it off?"
Robin pushed him away, a bit disgusted at how eager his friend had sounded. "No. But I'm sure the house is known around campus as being a shelter for a cult, or at least that really weird people live there. If it got to the media or tabloids that I was there, Br—Batman would not be happy, no matter what my reasons are."
A look of realization dawned on Roy's face. "Oh, right. Maybe I shouldn't go either…"
"No, that's a good idea!" Aqualad grinned. "Think about it. The son of a rich guy, who really has nothing to do but spend money," he pointed at Roy, who glared at him, "and his gorgeous girlfriend," he pointed at a surprised Donna, "who really knows and is in to the whole Greek Gods thing and wants to join. I mean, not only would they have someone who knows what they're talking about, but also a new financial backer. You'd be in."
The ruddy haired man wrapped his arm around the Amazon's waist. "That doesn't sound too bad." She raised an eyebrow at him, but did not pull away.
Each leader considered it. "I think it sounds good," Bumblebee said. "We'll get good intel from the leader."
Robin nodded. "I agree. But we need more." Behind his mask, dark blue eyes settled on Raven.
She noticed. "What do you want?"
"We need more," he told her simply.
"If you think I'm pretending to be Speedy's other girlfriend, you're fooling yourself."
Speedy grinned. "I wouldn't say no to that." Then he winced as the other "girlfriend" stepped on his foot with a good amount of her strength, digging in the heel of her boot.
Her leader shook his head. "That's not what I meant. I need you to get in there. Pretend you're some sort of new freshman, just getting the hang of things. Find out all the inside information from the members, things that they won't tell any prospective onlookers. You're the only one of us who knows enough about this to pass for someone who would join a cult about it."
The empath considered it for a second. "I guess I could do that."
"Wondrous!" Starfire flew to join her friend at the computer. "Now you may wear the funny sheets!" Upon Raven's curious look, she took the mouse, enlarging a picture from the webpage.
Raven's violet eyes widened in horror. "They wear togas?"
Beast Boy, Cyborg, Speedy and Aqualad punched their fists in the air. "Toga! Toga! Toga!" They quieted immediately when the half-demon growled.
She focused her gaze on Robin. "I'm not wearing a toga."
"You just agreed to it," he protested.
"That's before I knew there was a dress code," she crossed her arms over her chest. "Plus, I don't even know how to tie a toga."
Donna raised her hand. "I do!" She shirked against Roy's side as Raven fixed her with the glare of doom.
She sighed. "And what will the rest of you be doing while I am publicly humiliating myself?"
"I'll probably be keeping an eye on you guys electronically. Check out whatever we can," Cyborg offered.
"Not to mention the whole 'protecting the city' thing," Aqualad reminded her.
Beast Boy rested a hand lightly on her shoulder. "C'mon, Rae, everyone's doing their part." He lowered his voice so only she could hear. "And you did say that you liked stopping the end of the world for once."
"Fine," she grumbled sourly.
Dick turned to look at Donna. "Take her, now, before she changes her mind." Bumblebee grabbed one of her arms while Wonder Girl took the other, calling to Starfire, "We need lots of sheets and safety pins!"
The girls spent the next ten minutes wrapping Raven in mimicry of the Greek togas Donna and Diana had grown up wearing on Paradise Island. Unfortunately, this included using pins, as these sheets were not the blessed robes of the gods. Bumblebee also made sure there were a lot of pockets, enough to plant camera and voice recording equipment on her.
Bee and Star took her out to the common room while Donna changed into her civilian clothes. The Titans East leader settled a microphone at the top hem of the toga, hidden between the cloth and her flesh. "You know, your cleavage actually comes in handy," she murmured. Cyborg apparently heard as he tried to keep from laughing, but Raven just turned a deep shade of red. "I mean, you're no match for Starfire or Donna, but it's quite useful."
Raven was glad she had at least some control over her emotions or her current one—death by embarrassment—would have blown them up already. "You know, maybe my dad was right. You mortals suck, let your world blow up."
A moment later, Beast Boy came in with an armload of junk food—he had been planning to veg on the couch until he was actually needed. "Whoa. You…you look like a girl." He gestured to her outfit. "But why is Bee feeling you up?"
"I'm planting mics and cameras on her, idiot!" she snapped as Raven groaned, "Please, just make him stop talking." This was, of course, after the bowl of popcorn he had been carrying had telekinetically emptied itself on his head.
Robin put a hand on the green boy's shoulder. "I'm glad you're so enthusiastic about Raven's part in this, BB. You're going with her."
The two stared at him as if he was nuts. "What!"
"While Raven talks to the members and gets used to what I do, you look around. Get into the hidden areas, things like that," the leader explained. "You have to stick near each other though. Be ready to help each other or leave together in a crisis." Drawing his hand away, he wiped the excess butter off on his cape. "Go get cleaned up and get ready to leave."
While he trudged off to do what he was ordered, Raven glared at Robin for the hundredth time that day. "You hate me, don't you? Just because you have a girlfriend now doesn't mean you can torture the rest of us." He simply smiled and kissed Starfire's cheek.
Down the hall, Donna finished pulling on a new pair of boots after donning street clothes. Roy poked his head in as she stood up, taking a moment to stare at her. She was glad she'd taken Bee's advice and gone for the skirt, as his eyes seemed locked on to her shapely legs. "Did you want something?"
He shook himself out of the trance. "Oh, yeah." Donna leaned herself against the wall, looking slightly interested as he leaned over her, palm bracing his arm against the wall. "You know, while we're there, you can't be all skittish."
"Skittish?"
"We are supposed to be a loving couple. So much so that I would join a cult for you," he reminded her. "So if I try to hold your hand to convince them, you can't pull away."
She nodded. "Makes sense."
His free hand brushed some of her soft hair back. "And if I put my arm around you or call you nauseating pet names, you have to go along with it."
"I'm shocked," Donna smirked. "You actually know some aspects of a loving relationship. Maybe you're not completely hopeless."
"I actually know quite a bit about loving," Roy informed her, neither of them aware of how their bodies were gravitating towards each other. "And I've never been described as hopeless."
She realized that she was scared to breathe. "Well, I suppose if we have to do it for the mission, I shouldn't fight it." Donna swallowed hard.
"Right." His voice had suddenly gotten very low. "Don't fight it." Their lips met aggressively, Donna's hands holding Roy's face as his arm wrapped around her waist, drawing their bodies together. They kissed passionately, hungrily feeding off each other. Roy's tongue licked gently at her lips, which she opened, sucking on the pink muscle as his hand stroked the outside of her bare thigh, skirt rising to dangerous heights.
He could feel her purring with contentment deep in her chest as it pressed against his, which only fueled him on. They continued in this manner until both felt their lungs might collapse from the lack of oxygen. Breaking off, neither could speak for a full minute, both panting heavily. She lowered her leg and he fixed her skirt. When Roy finally caught his breath, he murmured, "So, if I have to do that while we're out, you understand that it's just to keep up appearances."
"Right," she agreed. "I guess I have to go along if we're going to make this look good."
A smirk came over his face. "Donna, there's nothing you can't make look good." For a moment it seemed like he was going to kiss her again, then decided against it. "I'll see you out there."
He turned and left, letting the door close behind him. Donna propped herself against the wall, taking a minute to gather her composure. She was still semi-breathless, half wondering how long they were allowed to keep up the 'loving couple' charade. She liked that game.
Outside, Roy was glad to run into Aqualad. "Remind me never to kiss Donna before a mission," he told the Atlantian. "I'm not sure when my brain is going to restart again."
"So how are we going to get there?" Beast Boy asked, rubbing a towel over his newly drenched hair, wondering if it was stilly shiny from all the butter.
"You'll fly over with Raven," Cyborg told him, giving him a few mini-cams and mics.
Roy held up a small piece of plastic. "And I've got Ollie's credit card. Are there any rental car places around here?"
"There's one on twenty-fifth," Dick told him. "Have Donna fly you over there as discreetly as possible."
Raven sighed. "I guess we should get going."
"Oh, friends, please be careful!" Starfire insisted.
"Thanks, Star," Beast Boy sighed. With a look from Raven, he changed into a sparrow, taking off. It only took them a few minutes to reach the campus. Raven assumed her look in the toga, wrinkling her nose. "I still can't believe I'm wearing this," she grumbled.
He transformed back into himself. "Why? You don't look half bad." A green squirrel crawled up her shoulder, handing her an acorn.
She rolled her eyes, but took it with a tiny smile. "Get off, I bet you have rabies."
Before he could do anything, both Titans froze as a loud voice behind them ordered. "You there! Freeze!"
A/N: I'm so sorry this took so long. I do have excuses though. Finals were two weeks ago, and then I had surgery AGAIN. It's healing and I get to go back to school next week, but it's very painful and the medication makes me drowsy. Drowsy chapters are never good chapters and I'd rather have you wait and give something good then put out something not-so-decent.
While Robin and Starfire is a very sweet relationship (in the cartoon), Roy and Donna have sexual tension up the wazoo when written correctly. It's one of the things I really liked about the "The Titans" comic. They got the physical part of the couple down pat, since the two were going at it like rabbits.
Oh, and the "Toga!" thing isn't mine. It's from National Lampoon's Animal House. I couldn't help myself.
Questions, comments, reactions and reviews are greatly appreciated.
