Note: Now you guys on FFN are all caught up with what I've posted on 'emsscraps', so no more new side story ever day. Now, you guys'll have to wait until I write the next one just like the people on 'emsscraps'. Although there will be five more of them, they're just not written yet.

A/N: See SideStory #1 for full Notes and explanation.

Based on Kysra's sketch to be found here: www . deviantart . com / deviation / 33685488 / (remove spaces) -- Please remember to drop her a note and make her feel wonderful for having done this amazing thing for me? If you can't get the link to work (even removing the spaces) then just go to my emsscraps or go straight to Kysra's deviantart page. Just have kysra . deviantart . com (without spaces) or, just go to my profile page here and you'll find links to both my deviantart page and my emsscraps journal. But people, don't give up! Look at this picture! It's so worth it. Well, any of her stuff is worth it, but if you haven't seen the picture there might be nuances to what I wrote that you won't get.

It Only Takes A Moment – Sidestory 7 (From Part VIII)
Butterfly
by Em

"...the ones with the butterflies on them..."

"Seriously," Beast Boy insisted, "I think there's gotta be something that still's not all together right..." he trailed off when Robin gave him that look. The look that said Robin thought he was being ridiculous or overreacting. Beast Boy frowned, "Just come look, will you?" he asked, frustrated.

"Beast Boy," Robin started and Beast Boy rolled his eyes at his tone of voice. "Causing the end of the world and then bringing it back is bound to leave her a little changed."

"No," Beast Boy insisted. "This is beyond just a little, this is I mean..." he trailed off, "Sure, she hugged you and that was different..."

"And she didn't kill you when you hugged her..." Cyborg pointed out helpfully from the couch.

Beast Boy glared at him too, "And she didn't kill me when I hugged her," he conceded, "But this goes beyond that," he motioned wildly with his hands. "I mean...just look, will you?"

Robin sighed and looked at Cyborg who put away his car magazine to stand, "Well, I don't know about you, but my interest is piqued," Cyborg said, walking toward the elevator.

Robin set aside his files and followed.

What they found was almost beyond imagining.

On the roof, in a patch of sunlight breaking through the clouds that had overcast the sky for most of the morning, Raven stood: arms outstretched and face lifted as if drinking in the sun.

And sure, the position was strange in its openness, the soft cotton pajama pants with the multi-colored butterflies print was strange in its colorfulness, and the spaghetti strap tank top with the green and red butterfly splayed across the chest was disconcerting in the way it hugged her body and showed off alarming amounts of flesh, but nothing was stranger than the look of utter bliss etched on Raven's usually somber features. Her eyes were closed as if in peaceful enjoyment, her lips gently curved in the sweetest of smiles.

She looked, Robin thought, rather like a butterfly herself, who had just come out of a cocoon.

Robin didn't bother to turn to see the looks on his friends faces, he was too enthralled by watching her sway gently with the breeze. "How long has she been like this?" he asked on a whisper.

"A fourth of an hour," Starfire answered, suddenly next to him.

Robin glanced at the alien who he had not been aware was on the roof as well. "What happened?" he asked.

Starfire grinned brilliantly at him, "This is her Happy emotion," she told him simply. "She is experimenting with releasing them for short bursts of time while in deep meditation," Starfire answered. "I am here to...how did she put it?" she searched for the term, "Play the Guard?" she tried.

"She's been doing this for how long?" Cyborg asked.

Starfire looked at him, "Today is the first attempt," she informed them. "She decided to do so three days ago, the day after the almost end of the world." Starfire glanced at Raven, "Does she not look beautiful?" she asked joyfully.

"She looks peaceful," Cyborg answered, awed.

"Yeah," Beast Boy added, "The Happy we met was totally hyperactive."

Cyborg nodded, "That's true, she looks almost subdued as far as Happy went."

"She does not allow them complete freedom," Starfire explained. "She said she is wary of the reactions if she were to do so."

"Well, what dangerous reaction can Happy have?" Cyborg asked, amused, "Skip around the Tower for a bit?"

Starfire blinked at him, "Not the reaction of her emotions," Starfire corrected. When the others looked at her in confusion, she motioned to all of them, "The reactions of all of us."

"Oh," Beast Boy breathed, blushing.

Cyborg sighed.

And Robin...

Well, he took an involuntary step toward her, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Are you sure this is Happy?" he asked quietly.

"Why do you ask?" Starfire wondered.

"Because it looks more like Hope to me," Robin answered.

"Maybe it is both," Starfire mused.

'...you're actually the most hopeful person I've ever met...'(1)

Robin nodded. "Yes, maybe you're right."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: So this one was HARD. I went through like three different reasons why she'd look the way she does in the picture and this was the best one I could come up with. I don't really like the characterization in this, I don't like that Raven doesn't really say anything, I don't like the ending...let's face it, I just don't like it, but I have a feeling it's the best I'm going to do.

Can everyone tell how badly I write Starfire? ((shakes head)) Gawd, I suck at it.

Obviously, the event mentioned here is a reference to "The End I-III".

(1) Direct quote from The End – Part III