I live! Sorry, but I've been rather busy directing a play. No time to write when you have actual power to wield. However, now that my thespian endeavor has ended, it's time to get back to the ol' keyboard.

Now then, bit of a heads-up before I start this chapter: There will be a bit of Robin-bashing, but this is a plot-necessary chapter, so Robin fans will have to bear with me. (And if you're a RobRae shipper, WHY ARE YOU STILL READING THIS? Shoo, shoo.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans or Magic: the Gathering. If I did, I'd have prevented the cancellation of the former.

PEARLSAPPHIREJETRUBYEMERALDPEARLSAPPHIREJETRUBYEMERALD

Raven realized she was kneeling, and stood up. She was ready. She would go forth and retrieve the jewels, then get her wish. And then...she blushed again, and something rattled ominously. Well, she'd get to that after she had control. It was time to begin her quest.

Just then, she became aware of a furious knocking on her door. "RAVEN!" shouted the knocker, in a familiar voice. Suddenly, the floor shook, and a large green gorilla knocked her door down. Returning to his human shape, Beast Boy rushed in frantically and exclaimed, "Dude, what's been going on? I've been knocking for, like, fifteen minutes! There was this huge flash, and Cyborg's energy scan thingy went all weird, and there was someone else in here!"

As the shapeshifter caught his breath, Raven was able to respond. "Um, sorry Beast Boy. I was just performing a spell. It, uh...rendered me deaf for a little while." 'Crap,' she thought, 'I was so caught up in talking to that weirdo, I didn't think about the others noticing! Wait...Beast Boy was worried? About me?'

As Raven sank deeper into introspection, Beast Boy frantically waved his hand in front of her unresponsive face. "Hello? Raven? Earth to Raven, we've lost your signal."

She blinked, realized she was lost in thought again, and apologized again. "Just thinking about something, Beast Boy. I-I'm going to go out for a bit." 'Yeah,' part of her muttered bitterly, 'I'll just go on a quick jaunt around the world, pick up some all-powerful artifacts, and be back in time for dinner. No problem.' Sighing, she walked past him and made for the elevator.

Beast Boy watched as she moved past him, marveling at her. 'Say it, you moron, SAY IT!' He struggled to say the three little words he first realized about the dark girl after visiting the psychological landscape of Nevermore (or, as he put it, "that really freaky place in Raven's mirror.") But it seemed impossible that she'd even tolerate his feelings, much less share them. And now, she was talking with...with some magic guy, AGAIN! He couldn't believe that she'd do this again, not after Malchior. And another voice, raw and primal, lying underneath the moderately civilized tofu addict, merely gave a threatening growl. "Raven, I still heard someone else in here..." he managed.

"Don't worry about it, Beast Boy. Just, just get out of my room." And with that, she sulked off, preparing herself to abandon her friends for who knows how long for the love of one. He simply looked on sadly as she walked away, the girl of his dreams who would soon only be seen in them.

But another, freshly returned to his beach, watched the scene, and decided that was not to be. With but a wave of his hand, he rethreaded the fabric of reality, and things changed.

Raven drifted down the hallway, her eyes cast downwards, and suddenly walked into something. Large. And quite hard. "Ow..." she moaned, and looked up.

Cyborg smirked at her, cocked an eyebrow, and said, "Now where do you think you're goin'?"

Suddenly, Starfire popped up behind his shoulder, and joined in the new conversation. "Yes, friend Raven, where are you headed with such haste?"

Raven stared at them. She was sure she hadn't heard footsteps, or even the whooshing air currents that accompanied Starfire as she wafted down the hallways. "I'm just going...out."

Cyborg maintained his sarcastic grin and replied, "I'm sure. And that huge flash of light that made my energy sensors go off the charts has nothing to do with you going 'out'?", adding some air quotes to the last word. The half-demon nodded. "And, of course, that power cell I gave you has absolutely no relevance to this trip either."

Starfire picked up on Cyborg's sarcasm, and continued, "And I am certain the Tlem'gark I lit for you has not contributed to this most unexpected and spontaneous excursion, yes?"

Raven frowned. No one was going to stop her from her mission. Not even her teammates. "You can't keep me from leaving." she declared.

The half-hardware human seemed surprised at this, and replied, "Keep you? We just wanted to come with!"

The Tamaranean nodded. "Oh yes, we heard you conversing with the Pentagram, and the task you must perform so you may express emotion freely. It was most enlightening, and we wish to join you in your quest!"

Raven narrowed her eyes. "I can't let you come with me. This is my problem, not yours, and you need to stay here to protect the city. Besides, only I can read the scroll. Unless either of you know Azarathi..."

Cyborg rolled his eyes and rebutted, "Please, you aren't doin' the 'tragic, lone sufferer' act while we're around. Besides, Robin got so Slade-crazy 'cause of that flash, he said he'll be patrolling the city for three days straight!"

Starfire bowed her head and continued, "Yes, friend Robin is doing the 'freaking out,' sadly. And did not the Pentagram say the scroll would be written in many languages? Surely, Raven, you will encounter at least one you will be unable to read."

"And even if Star and I don't come with," stated Cyborg, "you have to take Beast Boy with you."

"What? Wh-Why him?" Raven demanded, pulling up her hood to hide the sudden flush that was creeping up her face.

Cy sighed, and continued, "Please, you two are more pathetic and obvious than Robin and Star...uh, no offense."

Starfire frowned, but quickly shook it off. "I forgive you, friend Cyborg. After all, friends Beast Boy and Raven are clearly slger'klin'rvneq." Both goth and droid looked at her blankly for a moment, and she continued, "I believe the Earth term is 'crushing,' yes?" The largely metallic teen nodded enthusiastically.

Raven's blush deepened, making her look like a cherry in the middle of a tub of blueberries. The shock of Starfire's last statement had pulled the metaphorical rug out from under her mental feet. "Beast Boy...with me...but...how" she mumbled, still shocked by the idea that someone could ever love someone like her.

Cyborg literally picked her up, looked at her eye to eye, and said, "You are going on this thing with Beast Boy, and that's final. No arguments, no excuses, no kidding." She looked both at him and deep within herself, nodded, and phased through his arms. "Where you goin'?" he asked.

Raven looked back at him, smiled, and said, "I'm getting Beast Boy."

Cyborg and Starfire smiled at each other, happy that their friends would soon finally admit their true feelings for one another. It was a truly beautiful scene, at least until Robin, leaving a trail of crazy-person drool, came careening through the hallway shouting "SLAAAAAAAAAAAADE!" at the top of his voice.

ROBINSALOONYROBINSALOONYROBINSALOONYROBINSALOONYROBINSALOONYROBINSALOONY

After Robin was safely secured in the his new, padded Slade-investigation room (filled with happy colors and devoid of anything sharp or pointy,) the other Titans congregated around the scroll, to see where they were going. Raven carefully read the sparkling, luminescent symbols before her, and said aloud the message they formed:

"The first of the Moxen that ye seek

Ye shan't find in bog or on peak.

Look to the stars, for among them you'll see

The white Mox Pearl, 'cause it's orbiting thee.

The tower of Justice, the energy source

There's the first step to ending remorse."

"OK, so what does that mean?" asked Beast Boy, scratching his head.

"It means we're paying a visit to the Watchtower." replied Raven, who had read enough mystic riddle-poems to qualify as an expert in their translation.

Cyborg was elated. "Really? Justice League HQ, home the most awesome tech off Earth? Ah yeah, baby, road trip!"

Soon, the T-Ship was prepped, and the launch countdown began, courtesy of Cyborg. "10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1...WE'S OUTTA HERE, BABY!" With that, the ship launched, setting a course for the home of the greatest collection of heroes since the Iliad: The Justice League Watchtower.

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Well, the Titans are off for adventure, but will await them as they attempt to collect the Mox Pearl? Will Pentagram be pulling anymore deus ex machinae? Find out next chapter! Sorry to any Robin fans who didn't like my treatment of the Boy Wonder, but I always thought his sanity was fragile at best, and figured a spontaneous blinding flash of magical light would be enough to shatter the poor boy's psyche.

Furthermore, as a reparation for the prolonged delay, I'll be posting a new chapter every weekday this week. Thank you all for your patience. You've read, so you clearly have time to review. Press the button!