We march.

We march.

The world around us melts.

The sand gives way to carpet.

The desert sky turns to cool ceiling.

And like a dissolving solution, Raven's world takes the place of the facsimile 'behind' us.

And the first things we see are Cyborg's sonic cannon, Robin's birdarang, and Static's electrical charge collectively aimed at us as we walk 'out' the demonically wavering mirror.

"HAAAAH!"

"YAAAAH!"

"BACK, YOU DEVIL OF RAGE---!"

Bard and I collectively shriek. I don't realize that my legs have moved until I find myself hopped up into Bard's arms as we cling to each other.

"AAAAAAAAAH!"

"!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!"

A violent beat…..

Cyborg lowers his weapons with a sigh of relief. Robin silently retracts his birdarang. Static dissipates his electrical field and wipes a brow. "Yeeesh.. ….it's you two…."

"… .. …and our urine," Bard mutters.

"Ahem….," Beast Boy clears his throat from the distance. "'Yoinks' much?"

"Huh?"

Beast Boy clears his throat again.

Bard and I glance at each other… …at each other. We blush as I leap out of his arms and straighten my casual gear.

Gear… …My jeans and denim jacket. Thank God they're back. I guess that's all I get of the red skin and moccasins… …

I shrug.

Goodbye, scholarships.

"You are.. ….," Starfire blinks from where she hides cutely behind a chair. "… …not a pair of demons?"

"Hell no! We just got done fighting somebody that looked like one!" Bard frowns. "Just what are y'all sniffin' on?"

Static walks over. "Who's the greatest female diva who ever lived?"

Bard doesn't blink once. "Patsy Cline."

Static turns and smiles at the Titans. "It's them all right."

"Good enough for me," Robin marches up and glares at us up close. He's closest to me for some reason.

I lean back, sweating. Robin is an inch and a half taller than me. I suppose that is both a lucky and unlucky thing.

Right now, though.. ….

"Do you.. ….Have any.. …Idea… ….What kind of trouble you were in?"

"Shucks!" Bard folds his arms and smirks. "If that's what you call 'trouble', I hope I get called in for it more often! That was the funnest trouble I ever did get a heapin' helping of!"

"Erm… ….," Beast Boy sweatdrops. "……huzzuhhh?"

"We were like—'Holy Cow! We're in the Old West!' And Noir was an Indian Brave. And I was this lone ranger called 'Luke the Drifter', and I did a mighty fine job fillin' his boots too. Eh heh heh. And then there were saloons and showgirls and campfires and abandoned gold mines and this really whoopin' purty train scene at the end—"

"Wait Wait Wait…," Terra holds her gloved hands up and forms a strange face. "… …you mean to say that you walked into Raven's mindscape mirror and it turned into the Old West?"

"Is that what you call that darned thing?" Bard made a face. "'Mindscape Mirror'?"

Robin begins: "It's an interdimensionable portal through which she and others can have open access to her subconscious in the event that her emotions might—"

"Wait, she's got a back door outhouse to her brain?"

"… ….it's not exactly like that—"

"You think she'd put it in a better place than on a random table!" Bard takes his hat off, scratches his head, and chuckles. "With the things I reckon I've got festerin' in my skull, I'd have that thing under lock and key… …in Fort Knox!… .. …Like, chained to Chuck Norris' 'bad' ankle or something…"

"That's not the point here!" Robin growls.

"YEAH!" Beast Boy growls even harder. "Chuck Norris DOESN'T have a 'bad ankle'—DAH!" CRASH!

Robin shoves Beast Boy to the floor, marches up, and shoves a glove finger into the cowboy's chest. "You risked not only your life but your teammate Noir's as well! Undoubtedly you snooped around somewhere your nose wasn't meant to go and it sucked the two of you into some place that nearly got you—and perhaps even Raven—seriously….SERIOUSLY HURT!"

"… … ….," Bard fights. He fights it and fights it and fights it—but he can barely keep a straight face.

Robin blinks under his mask and raises an eyebrow. "Just what is it now?"

"Nothing.. ….It's p-pretty darn pathetic and the like.. …."

"I'm the Titan Leader. I'm giving you an order," Robin grumbles. "Tell me."

"I had a whoopin' good time taking 'you to the woodshed."

"… …. …excuse me?" Robin leans his head to the side.

"Cyborg too!" Bard points, then turns to wink at me. "Ain't that right, Noirry?"

"… … .." I spit. I clutch a hand over my mouth and another over my chest as I bend over in a helpless fit of giggles. I all but fall to my knees, shaking all over with my black eyes tearing.

Hehehehehehehehe… …

Terra smiles helplessly. So do Static and Starfire. They glance at each other…

"Well….," Robin steps into view. "I'm not sure what you mean by that—"

"It means—nnghhh—that Bard and Noir encountered—mmfff---s-symbols of the closest souls in my life.. …" says a weathered voice from across the room.

We all turn to gaze.

Raven rubs a throbbing head and slowly sits up on the edge of her blue, blue bed. She winces and manages to glance at us through thin eyes.

"Normally, such an intrusion would have plunged the two rookies into an emotional allusion of my mindscape. But something performed a sort of 'override' and took over my subconscious. I seriously….," she glares at the cowboy in particular. "… …seriously doubt it could be anyone's fault but the one who first entered my 'soul-self' to begin with."

"Eh heh heh…," Bard nervously scratches the back of his neck. "I was gonna say. If you truly was such an avid fan of 'Waltz Across Texas', I'd say I found my soul mate."

"Don't push it. What were you doing in my room to begin with?" She asks with a lethargic repression of her anger.

"To be perfectly honest, I was coming to apologize most sincerely over the spat we had last night."

"…. …. …. …. ….how ironic."

Bard frowns. "Now, see here—"

I tug on his wrist.

He glances at me. "What?"

I hand-sign.

He makes a face. "What do you mean: 'But the story took place in Kansas'? Noirry, kid, NOTHING'S bigger than Texas! Not even the entire West—my soul be damned if I'm wrong!"

"So… …uhm, Raven?" a nervous Beast Boy limps his way into the blue sorceress' vision. ".. …you angry at us?"

"I'm too worn out to be…. …Azar Above," she strokes her temples as Cyborg walks over to perform a medical scan on her. "That was some meditation session."

"I never saw you exercise so much with a potted plant before," Terra smiles.

Raven glares out one squinting eye. "…. … …What?"

"Erm….," Terra blushes.

Cyborg turns and winks at Static. "I've got security camera footage."

"Ha ha ha ha! Oh no you didn't!"

"WHAT?" Raven chirps with a shrug.

"Ahem—Nothing, girl," Cyborg walks up. "What say you get some rest?"

"Wait wait wait—I ain't getting done what I came here to do!" Bard waves his hand and walks up humbly to Raven's bed. He half-bows and asks in all politeness: "Miss Raven, would you hold it in your heart to forgive me for my shenanigans as of late? It sure ain't becoming a gentleman—much less a Titan gentleman. I'd like to do my best to make up for it."

"…. …. .. ….," Raven stares.

"Seriously, I mean it," Bard crosses his heart. "Hope to die."

"…. … …," Raven's lip curves. She flicks a wrist towards Bard.

FLASH!

"…. … …," Bard blinks.

"Dude….uhhhh—" Beast Boy looks around curiously.

"Raven, what'd you just do?" Terra shrugs.

"Wait for it… …."

"Huh?" Bard blinks. Then suddenly his eyes bulge as he lurks forward. "GURRRRK!" He coughs. Hacks. Sputters, and spits up his own boxer shorts.. …vomiting them out slobberingly to the floor. "BLEAACHKK!"

"Aaaaa—aaa-aaaa-aaaawww dayummmmmm!" Cyborg howls.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Static clutches his side.

Robin even manages a slight smirk.

I can't help but wince. I walk over to a keeled-over Bard and pat my friend's shoulder.

"URP---I'm fine, Noir…," he coughs and smiles with a pale face. "… ..just a tad bit bruised—okay—LACERATED in the ego."

"Okay, now we're square," Raven smirks.

"Yeah, you RECKON?" Bard hisses at her. "At least give me the benefit of walking to my room without chafing."

"You want me to make you vomit up your boots, next?"

"No'm. Goodbye'm," Bard turns and walks off hurriedly.

"Seriously, though, Bard," Beast Boy begins a merriment of chuckling. "Sheriff Woody?"

"Gosh.. …darn it!" Bard hurriedly whisks back, picks up the slobbery boxers off the ground, and runs out of the room.

I giggle breathily.

Terra's louder as she exclaims: "Where's Buzz Lightyear?"

"Go blow your nose!"

"Hehehehehe!"

Robin sighs and looks Raven's way. "Well.. ….Raven? Now that you're seemingly back to normal.. …"

"Dearest friend…," Starfire floats up to the bed along the rest of us. "Please, you have been through much—it would seem. Inform us as to what you would have us do to assist you."

"I can think of one thing," Raven drones.

"What?" Cyborg asks.

Raven's eyes flare a hot crimson. "GET OUT OF MY ROOM!"

FWOOOOOOSH! A black wall of quivering telekinesis slams into us and shoves us like a murky hockey puck out into the hallway.

"Ooof!"

"Eeek!"

"Daaah!'

"Ack!"

"Augh!"

"!.!.!.!"

FWUMP! We land in a teenage pile.

SWISSSH-CLANG! The door to the sorceress' room slams shut.

We all disentangle ourselves and slowly stand up to our feet in the hallway, brushing ourselves off.

"That girl sure knows how to put in for vacation time," Cyborg remarks, adjusting his metal joints.

"Uh huh.. …," Robin waves him off. He points at me. "This isn't over. Tell Bard that."

I nervously salute him.

He turns and faces the Titans 'in general'. "Well, it's a new day. The Power's back on. Raven's… …'episode' is over. And I've got some metathugs at the Jump City Penitentiary to interrogate. Unless one of you wants to join me for a 'learning experience', I suggest you go about your normal tasks, chores, and schedules. In the meantime, I'll be—"

He starts to march off in mid-speech, but runs straight into Static.

Virgil stares down Robin. Slowly, he smiles. With a silent motion of the head, he points out Starfire in the distance.

"… … …," Robin slowly turns and glances off.

Starfire stands on her own. Looking cut off. Alone. She sighs and hugs her far shoulder, staring at a nondescript splotch on the metal floor.

"…. … .. … .. ….ahem," Robin clears his throat, walks over to Starfire, and gently takes her by the arm. "Say, Star… ….you wouldn't happen to have anything on your mind, would you?"

She does a double-take at him. Blinks. And turns a slight shade of pink-on-amber. "Why, Robin. …. …wh-what ever gave you that idea?"

"But is it true?"

"… … ..d-do you truly wish to find out?" She bites her lip.

"Hmmm mmm," he smirks. "Well, what's a team leader for?" The two walk away.

Static smacks his forehead. He sighs and smiles with a shrug. "Well.. …halfway there is better than nothing.. … .. …Doofus."

"Just what in the Hell have you been up to, Benvolio?" Cyborg winks.

"Nuts to you, Mercutio. Say, wanna go over the harmonic resequencers of the Tower's sonic defense system?"

"Boo-Ya! I've been waiting for the Power to go back on for that very same reason!"

"You're welcome!'

"Pfft—Rumor is, YOU were the reason the power went off to begin with."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Cyborg. I know how terrible it is to interrupt you in the middle of downloading home appliance porn."

"Okay, that's enough, Virgil—"

"Mmmmmm….such subtle heat coils to that spread-eagle toaster---"

"I GET THE POINT!" The two walk off.

Beast Boy and Terra look at me. I look at Beast Boy and Terra.

"…. …… ……There a Saved by the Bell convention in town?"

"… …. …" I blush. I close my denim jacket around myself and shake a fist.

"Heh.. …We didn't mean anything by it, dude."

I smile.

"Hey!" Terra jumps. "Before Robin enslaves you to more laundry duty or something, want to check out the News Report on the Jump City Beauty Pageant!"

"Awww jeez, Terra. Why are you interested in that thing?"

"And why are you not, B.B.? Tons of girls? Glittering dresses? Live t.v. and potential celebrity hosting?"

"… … .. …all right, let's go."

"Pffft-hehehehe—TYPICAL!"

"Last one there's a rotten superhero! I'VE GOT DIBS ON THE REMOTE!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Come on, Noir!"

I smirk. I get into a faux 'sprinting' position, summon murk, and blur impossibly fast ahead of them. FWOOOOSH!

"Hey! Noir!"

"No cheating!"

"Hehe… …"

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

In her room….

Raven places the mirror back on a stand.

She mutters and gripes under her breath.

'Cowboy' this. 'Cowboy' that.

Her movements are quick and jerky.

A subtle anger.

She sighs it all away with a lasting moan: "It's going to take me WEEKS to get all of that junk out of my mindscape!"

She walks over to her closet---but pauses.

In her vanity mirror….

Her NORMAL mirror…. …she sees something.

She glances back.

She narrows her violet eyes. She blinks a few times.

Did they.. … ..flicker?

"… .. …."

She slowly raises a hand.

She rubs her fingers together.

And….

She flicks her wrist—

Fl-Flash! A burst of tiny, wispy smoke.

Then…

Nothing.

"…. .. … ….," she takes a deep breath. Her lips slowly move: "Somebody's got a secret… … … …"