Greetings again, folks! A word of warning: Updates may become somewhat more haphazard in the future. My computer privileges are currently in a questionable state, and I'm not sure if I'll have access eevery Wednesday and Saturday. Cross your fingers…
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans, Viewtiful Joe, or the movie Dogma. I do own Rufus the cyborg teddy bear; so citing me if you use him would be appreciated.
As the two kissed, the sun rose, and with it rose Titans Tower. The giant consonant rumbled as it began to rise off the island, disrupting the snogfest the two teens had been enjoying up until then. The horizontal portions of the T shape bent and elongated into arms, as the ops center rose above the intersection point within a giant head shape. As the trunk of the T split into legs, a certain half-mechanical superteen gloated over his ultimate creation.
"Booyah! Mega Raven, say hello to the Tower Majin 6!" Cyborg cheered.
"Um, Cyborg?" Robin interrupted the mechanoman's revery to bring unwelcome news. "I'm not picking up Raven's powers on the scanners."
"What?" Cyborg frowned, determined to make sure the maiden activation of the TM6 would be one to remember. "Do another sweep. She's gotta be around here somewhere."
"Friend Cyborg, I have examined Robin's scans and they show no sign of the negative energy that the very frightening new Raven was emitting." Starfire was almost as sad looking as Cyborg.
Noting this, the technoteen patted her on the shoulder. "I know Star, I wanted to use the Puree Reality function too."
"Actually, friend," she corrected, "I am merely conflicted between disappointment for losing the opportunity for a climactic battle, and relief that our friend Raven is no longer even more frightening than usual."
Robin nodded, sympathizing with the alien. He was about to order the Tower's reversion when a communicator signal showed up on the main screen. The face seemed familiar to the trio, but they knew no one who looked like Raven, but with normally colored features. "This is a reserved frequency," Robin stated, "please switch to another one now."
The stranger's eyes narrowed. "Guys, it's me. Raven."
"Uh huh," Cyborg replied sarcastically, "and I'm the queen of Bulgaria."
"Your majesty," countered the unknown girl, bowing her head.
"Look, girl," the half-man continued, "Raven has gray skin, purple hair, and purple eyes. You do kinda look like her, but in the Unusually Colored Body Parts column, you're getting' a zero out of three."
The stranger sighed. "I don't have time for this. Look, Beast Boy is still weak, my powers have been depleted, and we both could use some time in the medbay. Now please let us in."
Robin responded only after thinking long and hard about the situation at hand. "Only if you tell us something only the real Raven would know, and I don't mean something you could just read off a fansite."
The possibly-Raven sighed again. "Fine. Robin, your parents were acrobats. Cyborg, you named your teddy bear Rufus after the thirteenth apostle in Dogma. Starfire, your favorite holiday is Florpniginalk, the Tamaranean festival of the annual florpnig hunt." She smirked as she saw their shocked faces on her communicator. One of the advantages of usually having near-perfect emotional control was that Raven had become the team's de facto counselor. She was an excellent listener and advisor, and now she used the former skill to her advantage.
Still, Robin remained skeptical. "I don't know, that could have been a lucky guess."
"Yes," agreed Starfire, "And even the smallest child knows of the joyous festivities of Florpniginalk!"
"Uh, Star?" Cyborg asked, "How many people on Earth have heard of Florpni…glib…nalack?"
"FLORPNIGINALK!" The alien cried, infuriated by her teammate's difficulty with the name of her favorite holiday. She calmed down almost instantly as she considered his question. "However, friend, you do make an excellent point. It is possible this seemingly human girl is indeed Raven."
"I know it's Raven," Cyborg insisted. "I never tell anyone else about Rufus!" Noting the stares he was receiving from the others in the ops room, he looked down and mumbled, "until now…"
Raven put on a mask of calm, the closest thing to a smile she dared. "Great, now that we've confirmed I'm me, can you guys turn that oversized action figure back into the Tower?"
Cyborg's brow wrinkled in anger. "Fine, but the next time you call my Tower Majin 6 an 'action figure,' I'm having Star redecorate your room." After savoring Raven's look of horror, he closed the communication channel and reverted the giant robot to the giant consonant we all know and love.
Returning her communicator to its usual location, Raven entered the Tower with Beast Boy, each leaning on the other for support. "So…" she began awkwardly, "do we tell the others about what happened?"
Her companion's brow furrowed in confusion. "I'm pretty sure they were there for it."
Shaking her head at her love's obliviousness, Raven rephrased, "Not that, the…kiss."
Blushing, Beast Boy replied, "Oh, that. Um, do you?"
She shook her head. "Not unless they need to know." The two had made it to the elevator and now entered it. Pressing the button for ops, she turned to Beast Boy and said emphatically, "They don't need to know."
The changeling nodded vigorously. "Yeah, they'll never let us hear the end of it." His expression returned to one of awkward embarrassment. "So, um, how long have you-?"
"Since the Malchior incident," Raven replied. "That was when I started appreciating you."
"For what?"
"You're always there for me. It doesn't matter what the problem is, or what risks you'd have to take. If I'm in danger, you charge in to help regardless."
"Actually," the shapeshifter noted, "I feel like you been doing the same for me. You usually think about it more, but you do help me whenever and however you can." He rubbed his head nervously, "That you're beautiful doesn't hurt either." Both blushed at this comment, each noting the incredible slowness of the elevator today.
"So, what about you?" Raven asked, the blush contrasting far less with her skin tone than usual.
"I think…ever since I met you. You were so sad, so withdrawn. It almost felt like my duty to open you up. After Terra-" Beast Boy paused. Raven's eyes, while incapable of multiplying, filled with hate. "Well, I guess that was when I understood the difference between a crush and what I feel for you." Almost terminally embarrassed and desperate for a change in subject, he asked, "So, does Cy really have a teddy bear named Rufus?"
Raven smiled. "Yes. It actually kind of looks like he did when we were inside Mumbo's hat, only cute."
"Like me?" Beast Boy blurted, unable to stop the comment.
Making sure there were no cameras on the elevator car, Raven kissed his cheek. "Yes, like you. Only with more circuitry and less fuzz."
The question that had been nagging at Beast Boy since their earlier kiss resurfaced. "So why hasn't anything gone all explodey when you kiss me?" Slicking back his hair, he attempted looking at the telepath seductively. "Is it my irresistible charms?"
She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Beast Boy. Your suave sophistication overcame the residual influence of one of the most powerful demons of all time." Breaking out of sarcasm when she saw him start to droop, she continued. "You've probably noticed that I'm looking, well-"
"Normal?" the shapeshifter offered.
"I was going to say 'less gray,' but I suppose 'normal' works. Anyway, it's because using the Mox Jet to the extent that I did totally depleted my powers, and when they went, so did the other marks of my demonic heritage."
Beast Boy's face became a mask of worry. "You're powerless? What if Robin tries to kick you of the Titans?"
"Don't worry, it's only temporary," she said soothingly, "I'd estimate a week at most until my powers regenerate on their own."
"Oh, that's OK then."
"Not entirely…" she spoke hesitantly.
"Why?" Beast Boy asked, "Is there something else I should know?"
"Sort of." Raven blushed a little. "Well, we won't be able to search for the next Mox until my powers restore themselves, and I'll be able to feel emotion without repercussion for a little while, so…wanna go out some time this week?"
The changeling broke into his trademark grin and held the embarrassed girl's hands in his own. "Do I ever! Rae, it's a date."
The doors of the elevator opened, and Raven frantically pulled her hands out of his. "Thank you," she whispered, and the two exited the elevator.
LATERTHATNIGHTLATERTHATNIGHTLATERTHATNIGHTLATERTHATNIGHT
After Raven briefed everyone on the situation with her powers, life returned to relative normalcy in the Tower. Beast Boy and Cyborg played video games, though the green teen was less focused than usual, surreptitiously watching a certain disempowered half-demon read. Likewise, Raven was too busy sneaking looks at the antics of a certain shapeshifter to focus much on her book. Fortunately, everyone else was too absorbed in their actual activities to notice the glances.
Come bedtime (which, given the early start, was around three in the afternoon,) everyone slept like rocks, exhausted from the intense battle. The only entity active was the Mox Jet, resting in the chest in which Malchior's tome once lay. One day, my dear, the jewel thought, you will return to me. I'll make certain of it. And Raven slept, oblivious and smiling.
ENDCHAPTERSIXTEENENDCHAPTERSIXTEENENDCHAPTERSIXTEEN
Okay, folks, I need your opinions on where this story's going to go. Do I spend a few chapters on the ensuing week of fluff, or skip past it and get right to the action-packed retrieval of the Mox Ruby? Tell me in your reviews, and your wishes will be my commands.