A/N: Alright, another chappie comin' at ya! Oh, wait, I've still gotta do the review-answerin' first…Right:
SG: Uh, about the mosquito….Want a bug zapper? They have two good uses. 1.) They zap bugs. 2.) They send a nice jolt of electricity to jump start you. O.o. Just be careful. –nods- XD.
OM: Hmmm, I like your advice. XDDD. It'll help, that's for sure! Thanks!
SA: Yay! You be the tenth reviewer! –throws confetti into air- I felt like doing that…and you be right, not many people review. That's all right, though. I'm writin', it's fun…eh…So people aren't reviewing. It's 'cuz they all try at once, and the review-submit-thingy gets clogged, that's why. –nods-
And I've gotta warn ya, this chappie is actually a homework assignment. Yup, I'm writing this chapter for my English teacher at school. XP, I told him the plot and whatnot, and he's gotta kid that watches the show, but not much, and I'm trying to get an AWESOME grade. How do you think this sounds? XD.
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If the room was messier, you'd have to bring your own shovel to make your own path. Not to mention, you may want to bring disinfectant, or some other germ-killing substance, or you'd be bogged down by micro organisms, or killer dust bunnies. The overall mess of the room is enough to send the tiniest perfectionist into a fit of hyperventilating and twitching, before the said perfectionist would go fleeing from the room in sheer terror, running to the confines of their own clean, pristine, and orderly home. Many a time, it had been cleaned. Or, that's what the owner said, when asked about a fuzzy dark green and yellow fuzzy sock, crawling the halls near his room, hellbent on grabbing some tofu.
And the room may be disorganized, messy, infested with clothes, moldy food, and heaven only knows what else, but the smell is another thing entirely.
Words cannot even begin to explain the aroma emanating from behind the closed door. The smell seemed to leak from any holes, disfigurements in the area around the room, or cracks that could be found. Cyborg would repeat over and over again that his tower was perfect, in every way possible. Too bad his theory has been beaten down by the lingering scent of one member's living quarters. Fellow Titans wonder how he can stand it, living in his own squalor day after day, with no illnesses, viruses, or even any sign of body odor. Well, that's not true, but they want to give him the benefit of the doubt. If one room smelled that bad, wouldn't the occupant smell just as bad? And there's the matter of his heightened sense of smell. He can alter his appearance into any species of animal he wishes, when he feels the need. Wouldn't some sort of scent-heightening reward come along with the metamorphosis? It was that he either learned to not smell, or to even BREATHE with his nose, only his mouth, or…He liked the smell.
He would protect his room, and all the inhabitants, dormant and life-like alike, with his sanity, and life, or until someone pulled his kicking and screaming body out so they could try to clean away at the grime, muck, and waste found within the confines of his living arrangements. Too bad the strict cleaning of his room has only been accomplished only once, and by the next day, his visitors, and the grime they ALL had labored against like they were fighting an evil foe, would be back, in force.
This is, of course, Beastboy's room. After he had stormed off, there had been a heated argument, determining who would go and check up on him, to make sure he was alright. Starfire won out, or lost out, depending upon the circumstances. As she flew towards his room, the smell getting more and more putrid with each second, the same questions and thoughts roamed through her head. How can he live in such stink? Even the glorfbag snazzleboft of the Moons of Zraft do not smell like this. Carefully making sure to not breathe with her nose, she knocked upon his door.
"Friend Beastboy? I am wishing to see if you are alright." She called, after a few seconds of silence. Was he even in this foul-smelling dwelling?
"I'm fine." Finally, his voice could be heard behind the door, though it was slightly muffled, like he was talking into a pillow, or something of that sort. Starfire cocked her head to the side, her orange hair falling over her shoulder.
"I do not mean to intrude, but you were quite, well, angry when we arrived back. Can I ask what the matter is?" she asked to his door, and she distinctly heard a snort.
"Ask Raven." Beastboy's voice was very much unlike his usual tone, and Starfire wondered if he was once again under the mind control of this H and W Cyborg and Robin were now discussing before she flew to see Beastboy. He sounded angry, and hurt, for some rhyme or reason. Her worry towards the green Titan increased considerably.
"I will,
but I want to make sure you are—"
"I'm fine, Star. Just
leave me alone for a while." Starfire bit her lip, but didn't
argue with him. Even if the 'personal space' concept was new to
her, she knew to leave him alone. Robin had talked with her many
times on the subject of the personal space that she never understood.
People on Tamaran didn't have use for such things, for they all
made sure everyone was alright. The only exception, other than
previous Tamaranians in history, of one who was reclusive, rude, and
backstabbing, was her very own sister, Blackfire. But she was still
being punished for her crimes, and even then, Starfire still loved
her sister, even after all she had done.
"I will leave you then. I hope you feel better, Friend Beastboy." She said, before turning and fleeing the area, heading towards Raven's room. As soon as she got a safe distance away from Beastboy's room, she took a deep breath, with her nose and mouth, taking in the satisfying smells of the air she normally took advantage of, until she was faced with the stench of Beastboy's room or being squished by a falling skyscraper.
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Now, in contrast to Beastboy's dwelling, the other female member of the Titans room was orderly, even if it was dreary and had an air of discontentment within its confines. Every object in her room was in its proper place, but it seemed to be more shadowed, more gloomy. Even the books upon the dark shelves seem to emanate sadness and anger, or a feeling of callousness. Nothing in here was the least bit light. The brightest item found within the whole room was found on her dresser, sitting up against the wall. It was a picture, about the size of one of her precious books. It was a picture of the four Titans, the occupant not being in the picture. It was next to her bedside, facing the bed, as if the occupant would watch the picture until she went to sleep. Other than that, everything seemed to have been straight out of a haunted house, as Beastboy had once put, when he first laid his eyes upon her room. The door, a cold grey sliding door with 'Raven' etched onto it, would never have given a passer-by the hint that the mysterious empath resided there. The feeling that you felt when you passed by it, though, would send a totally different message entirely. It could have been because Starfire, and the other members of the Titans who walked past her room on a now-normal basis, had gotten used to the feeling, but, as Starfire neared the door to Raven's room, she remembered how unhappy she felt when she first came to the Titans, and resided in the same abode with the eerie teen. She had confided in Robin, who admitted that they all had the same feeling. When they passed her door, they felt abnormally concerned, or they felt a need to get away, quickly, from the area, leaving the girl to herself. They felt like something bad was lurking, just beyond the door, waiting to pounce upon them. Their love for their friend gave them the courage to move forwards, until the feeling all but disappeared. But, as Starfire held her hand up to knock upon the door, that feeling, the feeling on insecurity, the feeling of fear, slammed into her being. She gulped and closed her eyes, pushing her unwilling fist onto the door, knocking upon it twice. The knocks sounded weak and more timid than normal, so Starfire took a deep breath and knocked again, this time stronger, more confident.
"I heard you the first time." Raven's voice drawled from behind the door, and the door slid open, and Starfire could see a violet eye watching her.
"Friend Raven?" Starfire inquired, and the violet orb rolled her eye.
"Yes, that's me." Starfire laughed, then her expression sobered immediately, focusing on the chore at hand.
"Raven, are you feeling fine? How are your feelings inside?" she asked, and Raven's eye, the one she could actually see, narrowed.
"I'm fine." She agreed, though there was a lace of coldness in her voice.
"Do not be offended upon my intrusion, it is just that we are worried about you. This new villain is coming upon a spot that is soft in you, one that you have protecte—"
"Yes, Starfire. My emotions are something I have protected. You, of all people, should know that." It was true. Having occupied her body for a short time, Starfire had learned much about her friend, and how her emotions were something she loved, and at the same time, protected.
"I am aware. That is why I want to…chat? With you." She said, watching her friends eye.
"Alright." With that, Raven's door slid open fully, and Starfire flew into her room, and the door closed firmly behind them.
---
"Star's been gone a while. Maybe the smell knocked her out." Cyborg said, after about fifteen minutes of heated talking about the new villain. So far, Robin AND Cyborg couldn't think of anything that would help them out, in any way. They didn't know about the villain, only that they would control your emotions, until they controlled you, or so Robin thought. It would be like you were trapped in your own body, watching you do horrible things, without a means to stop yourself. Cyborg had just thought it was a second-rate baddie, who just wanted to mess with everyone's head. Everyone knew that Beastboy and Raven already had short tempers with each other, normally lasting a few minutes with each other until they would begin to squabble. The co-existence would last longer if Beastboy would only keep his mouth shut. Raven seemed to accept him if his mouth was closed. His determination, however, was something with great expanses, and with great patience. They have been together for about two years, maybe three, and Beastboy still was trying to get Raven to truly laugh at one of his jokes. Too bad he'd just make things worse between the two, normally.
"Nah. I bet they're in some serious talk, about feelings." Robin said, shrugging and flicking his bo staff between his fingers. Cyborg snorted.
"I don't think BB's the type to have serious talks." He said, and right on cue, Beastboy walked into the room, a peculiar look on his face. He had, for lack of describable words, a Raven-ish look about him. He wasn't smiling, he wasn't frowning. He was just…there. His arms were folded at his chest, a huge old book in his hands. That in itself would make Robin and Cyborg strongly lean in the direction of HW making another emotion-controlling scene. Beastboy would never be seen in daylight with a book Raven would probably read, judging from the title. His green eyes flicked over to the two surprised Titans, who were kneeling on the couch, watching him from over the couch back.
"What are you looking at?" he asked sourly, sitting down next to them, on the edge, the book falling onto his lap.
"Dude, you have one of Raven's books. How'd ya get it?" Cyborg asked, pointing at the book. Beastboy glanced down, then snorted and opened the book with a snap, holding it up to his nose, so his face was covered.
"I've had this book for a while." Robin and Cyborg glanced at each other, then they both burst out in laughter.
"BB, reading a book? That'll be the day!" Robin laughed, glancing at Beastboy, who's gloved hands were tapping upon the book's cover.
"Yeah, and Rae'll be found playing video games!" Cyborg added, clutching his stomach and shaking his head.
"Do you two mind? I'm trying to read. Jeez, you guys are loud." Beastboy said, in a monotone voice, and the two stopped, glancing at the green teen.
"Okay, I'll hook him up." Cyborg said, getting up and dashing from the room. Robin nodded and glanced at Beastboy, who was looking over at them, one of his eyebrows raised.
"Hook me up for what?"
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Okay, there! Yay! Izzat longer for all of you? And, I've had plenty of people readin' this, at least 289 hits. Can't someone other than my regulars, which I'm REALLY happy for, btw, review? It'll only take a minute or two. I like reviews. o.o.
