TRUE LOVE IS IMMORTAL. BUT IS IT REALLY?
I do not own the Teen Titans. Nor do I intend to dishonor their characters.
Chapter 1:
Heart Broken
Raven tossed and turned on her bed. Visions of her past entered her reality of dreams.
Her conversation with Robin after she blew up her birthday celebrations.
Robin: I know something's wrong Raven. I can feel it. I have once let you inside my mind. Now let me be inside yours. We have a bond, remember?
Raven: Robin, you are the only person who understands me better than anyone else, but there're some corners in my mind, which I can't let, anyone see. Not even you.
Robin coming rushing into her room when she screamed after her father's message to open the portal.
Trigon: What you have concealed you shall become. You shall open the portal. You shall bring me to earth.
Raven: No!
Robin: Raven, I heard you scream. Is everything all right?
How she told him her dark secret inside the old church with his head rested upon her lap.
How he rescued her when Slade threw her back from a tall tower after ripping her clothes into pieces.
His consoling words back at the tower promising to take care of her.
How she fell into the ground as weak as she never was before when the sun casted shadow as sign of the end of the world. And how Robin came running upto her and lifted her up.
Robin: Raven! (liftsher up) It's happening, isn't it? Why didn't you tell us?
Starfire: Friend Raven, today's the day…
Raven: The end of the world… (cries)
His hesitance to give up hope and letting her go with Slade to bring the end to this world.
Robin holding her hand before she could perform the deed said in the prophecy.
Robin: No one knows their destiny. Not even you. You can change it if you want.
Raven: There were some things that I didn't know. Like how I would meet such wonderful friends.
Robin: And that's what friends are for. To care for you.
Raven: And as my friends you must let me go.
His words of hope on their journey back to the disrupted earth's surface, which gave her strength to fight and defeat her own powerful demonic father.
Raven: Robin, why are you doing this?
Robin: You do remember, don't you?
Raven: (nods) This story you were telling, I can see it. Bits and pieces. You, our friends, my father, it's like a nightmare. There was a prophecy Robin and now it's been fulfilled.
Robin: Yeah. It's the end of the world. But so what? We are still here. Still friends. Still fighting.
Raven: Look at me Robin. I don't have my powers anymore. My father gave me those so that I could bring him to the earth. And now that he's done with me, I don't have them anymore. There is no hope.
Robin: Well then I just got to have enough hope for both of us.
The hug she gave him after defeating Trigon.
Starfire: Raven, that was…
Cyborg: Unbelievable
Raven: No, it wasn't. Somebody believed. (hugs Robin)
Robin: Welcome back Raven.
Their little conversation back at the tower.
Raven: Slade got away didn't he?
Robin: And if he ever shows up again, we'll be ready.
Raven: Robin how do you do it?
Robin: Do what?
Raven: Keep hoping?
Robin: I learnt it from you. You might not know it Raven but you are the most hopeful person I've ever seen. From the day you were born, people said you were born to do unspeakable things. But you dared to hope. You hoped that someday you could become a hero. And now you've got your whole life ahead of you.
Raven: And in the end, there really is no end. Just new beginnings.
Raven… Raven… Raven… Robin's voice echoed in her mind. Raven suddenly got up from her sleep and sat upright on her bed. She sweated as if she had a terrible nightmare. What's happening to me? She thought to herself. Am I in…No of course you're not! A voice within her suddenly spoke. It was just a dream. Relax and meditate. Then it'll all be all right. She folded her legs to meditate and chanted to herself. Azerath Metrion Zinthos Azerath Metrion Zinthos. She floated in the air several feet above from her bed. Azerath Metrion…'Raven?' Robin knocked on the door. 'Aren't you coming for breakfast?' Having her concentration broken so abruptly, she fell back onto her bed with a thud. 'Aaargh!' she screamed while falling. 'Raven! Are you all right!' Robin came running into her room and saw Raven sitting on her bed without her blue cloak on. (She never wears it for bed, remember?) 'I'm okay' these words escaped her lips and then she looked at Robin. 'Sorry for barging into your room like that' he said. 'It's okay. I just lost my concentration while meditating' she said with her same cold tone. 'You really should have some breakfast. Or else you'd be late for combat practice' he said ignoring Raven's coldness. 'Anyway, I should better get going.' he said and left her room.
After a refreshing bath she went to the living room for breakfast. One advantage of being a superhero and a witch at the same time is you can have aroma baths any day you want. 'What's for breakfast?' she asked after catching a whiff of something delicious. 'Waffles with a double serving of honey' Beastboy said handing her over a plate which had two large waffles covered neatly with honey. 'Surely, you didn't make this' Raven said and started to eat. 'No he didn't. Our dear friend Robin made this especially for knowing how much you like these delicious sweet circles of baked flour dough' Starfire said. Raven stared at her for a moment with disbelief and swallowed the piece of waffle she was eating with much difficulty. Then she put down her fork and spoon and made her way to the refrigerator. She didn't know what had gotten into her today. 'Friend Raven, don't you like The Waffles anymore' Starfire asked with a little surprise on her voice. Raven opened the fridge and poured herself a glass of milk. 'I do, I just don't feel like eating today' she said and slowly drank the milk.
Robin came to the living room holding some letters with white envelopes, probably bills, on his left hand and another pink envelope on his right. 'Hey guys, look what I found in our mail' At the sound of his voice, Raven dropped her empty glass of milk. Starfire was reading a women's magazine and Cyborg and Beastboy were fighting for the TV remote as usual but with the loud slam of the glass, their attention dived immediately to Raven. 'Well there's something you don't see very often' Beastboy said. 'What did you say you found in the mail, Robin?' Cyborg asked ignoring Beastboy. Raven mended the glass with the use of her powers and sent it to the kitchen sink. 'An invitation' Robin said. 'Let me read it to you' and he opened the envelope and took out the invitation card.
INVITATION
The Teen Titans Are cordially invited to
A Grand Ball which will be held
In tribute to all the Teen Super Heroes of the world
With the kind sponsorship of
The Youth Services Association of Jump City
On the 15th of June
At the Jump City Port from 8.00 pm onwards
We are looking forward to see you there
Youth Services Association
Jump City
10th of June 2006
'Glorious! Wonderful! Isn't it really nice for our dear citizens of Jump City to organize this fabulous event to thank us for all the kickings of the butt we receive to protect their city?' Robin grinned at Starfire's usage of language. 'And so, all of us got to have dates to go to this ball right?' Beastboy asked. 'Yes' Robin answered. 'Dude, I might not have a gal but I'm in for the food!' Beastboy said. 'And what about you, Cyborg?' Robin asked from the half robot human. 'If it's all the teen super heroes in the world, I hope to see Bumble Bee there. So I can ask her out today itself' Cyborg said. Everyone seemed so excited about the night of the ball that they all seemed to forget that a Raven even existed. 'Yes, it all sounds fascinating' Raven said with her cold tone meaning the opposite of what she said. Even she needed to get some attention. She might not have a date, but even she should be asked what she was going to do.
But today, the titans took her usual rude remarks too much into their hearts. Probably, they were too excited to have their hearts let down by the simplest of rude responses. Starfire, Beastboy and Cyborg let out sparks of anger from their heads. 'Yo Raven! Just because you don't have a date doesn't mean we have to miss all the fun!' Cyborg yelled at Raven. 'I wasn't…' Raven started but was cut half way through Starfire. 'I most strongly agree' 'Starfire, don't' Robin mumbled so that only Starfire would hear his voice. 'You are just jealous because all of us have experienced the wonderful emotion called Love and you have not' Starfire continued and cuddled to Robin who really wasn't expecting something like that. 'You are too selfish. Too selfish even to fall in love with someone else' It was Beastboy this time. Robin let go of Starfire and tried to hush Beastboy. 'All you do is hang out in your dark room reading your nasty books. You are way too creepy. No wonder guys don't want you as their girlfriend. At this rate, I don't think you could even love yourself!' Beastboy finished while gasping for air.
Raven was really hurt with her teammates' behavior. Her eyes were filled with tears. She looked at the mad faces of Starfire, Beastboy and Cyborg and the helpless face of Robin. She covered her face with her hands and ran to her room. 'Raven, wait!' Robin said but she was already gone. He looked at his remaining teammates who stood with their hands crossed and their noses up in the air. 'Oh brother' he mumbled to himself and followed Raven. He stopped by the door, which had 'RAVEN' written big and bold on it. He placed his ear on the door and listened to get a clue about what was happening inside. He heard Raven sobbing and crying. 'Raven?' he asked. 'Go away!' Raven said through sobs. Robin has never heard Raven crying out this loud. 'Raven, are you crying?' he asked again. He wanted to console her. 'No! I'm Not!' Raven's voice came again. 'Look, I'm sorry for everything they said. I'm sure they didn't probably mean it. After all, they're your friends. I'm really, really sorry. Will you please let me inside just once?' Robin asked. 'And make fun of me like everyone else did for not having boyfriend. I don't need anyone to comfort me. Not even you! So just go away' Raven was really hurt and Robin could feel it. 'But…' he started. And instead of replying, Raven let out a flash of her energy through the door and kicked Robin to land on the floor. Starfire who has come to eavesdrop on Robin and Raven's conversation ran to him and helped him back on his feet. 'Robin, are you alright?' Starfire asked. 'I'm okay' he said. Starfire frowned at Raven's room as if Raven could see through it at took Robin back to his room.