Hello!
Thank you for being patient with the next chapter. My girlfriend and I are working steady through each chapter/section of the story. Again, we'll update the story every few weeks or so depending on her schedule.
If you have any questions or anything, feel free to ask.
Enjoy!
Beastboy screamed through the portal, landing in a pool of water. He sunk, eyelids fluttering to a shut. Gasping, water filled his mouth, nearly drowning him. Beastboy finally opened his eyes. He raced to the surface, gasping for air.
"What did you do that for?" he yelled, wiping away water from his face. Gaining no reply, he looked around. The area was new; he was alone. "Where did you guys go?" he asked. Swimming out of the pool, Beastboy took another look around again. He started to walk down the only road. The ground formed underneath his footsteps, wobbly at best. Grabbing his communicator, he saw the red light on the side.
"Don't get yourself killed," Robin said. Beastboy smirked, tucking it away.
"Not sure if I can help it, Rob."
It didn't take long for Beastboy to find himself in the presence of Raven's crows. The crows blinked, squinting at him. He made a squeaking noise, hoping that they wouldn't attack him.
"Go back," the birds whispered. "Go back. Go back. Go back."
"I would if I could but there's a dead end there. The only way out is forward."
"Go back," the birds said, getting louder. They started to move towards him, causing Beastboy to move back. He noticed the more stepped back, they paused.
I can't go back and they are in the way. I wonder if they're still scary like last time.
Beastboy approached them, taking small step. He spotted their teeth and stepped back. Biting his lip, Beastboy could only wonder. Were they hunting or trying to protect something? Straightening himself, he approached them.
"Go back! Go back go back GO BACK!" the group started to scream. He continued to approach, getting closer then before. Once more, they bared teeth, ready to strike. "GO BACK!"
"I need to get through here. I promise I won't do anything wrong. I just need to find Raven and the others. Let me pass," he reasoned.
"Go back!" he heard once again. His animal instinct insisted that the fought back against him. He just wasn't sure what to do. Sighing softly, he sat on the ground, not getting any closer to the crows.
Guess I gotta wait for them to calm down before I can make a run for it.
Raven was flying around, glancing around the ground, trying to locate Beastboy. She was hoping to find him first. If Lust, Rage or Envy found him, she wasn't sure what they would do to the male. She hated the idea of Lust and Rage the most. With Lust, it was self-explanatory; her name said it all. Rage might hurt him or send him to another dimension if he said or did anything wrong. If she had to choose between either of them, she would pick Rage. With Lust, everything would have been too much too soon.
"Raven, you need to calm down," she heard. Wisdom spoke clearly in her ears.
"I just want to make sure he's okay."
"I know. We all do."
"Have you or the others sensed him yet?" she asked.
"Not yet. Wherever Rude sent him must have been far out in the Nevermore. I can't get a hold of Brave, Lust, Envy and Rage. We'd have to be pretty close to sense him."
"I'm more worried about Rage and Lust finding him first."
"All of us just want to win this, don't we?"
"Whatever. Let me know as soon as you find something," Raven replied, landing on a large rock. She looked onward, glancing ahead at the wasteland. She took a small break, going into her lotus pose. Quickly, her form started to float as she started to focus.
Beastboy didn't know how long he had been sitting but he assumed it was about thirty minutes. The crows had stopped talking but, they were looking at him. Slowly, they started to creep towards him. He smiled softly, getting up from his spot. He could see the anger flashing in their eyes. He continued to walk, going past them. They started to flap, spreading their wings.
"GO BACK GO BACK GO BACK."
Beastboy had his head down, hands forming in his fist. Slowly, he opened his eyes. Primal rage filled his very being, emptying out in his voice.
"YOU WILL LET ME PASS!"
The birds grew quiet. They moved away, forming a walkway for him. He walked forward with a smile, his eyes retaining a crazed look. He knew the crows could swarm at any moment. Beastboy was surprised that it had worked so well. However, his outburst didn't go unnoticed. Rage had found Beastboy a while back; this area was close to her realm after all.
She had been watching him for a while. Rage was curious as to why he was just sitting around in front of all of the crows. She didn't want to tell the others that she had located him; so she sat and watched. The moment he stood, she could feel the malice in the air. It was dark and hungry, like a lion stalking its prey. As she heard him cry out, surprise filling her form. His eyes and form was strong; she was in awe. Although he smiled there was a cold malice still drifting off his shoulders. Rage blushed as she witnessed this primal part of Beastboy. It was something that she, Love and Lust were longing for.
She followed Beastboy from afar, keeping her distance to not be detected. She learned from Happy's mistake and wasn't going to lead herself into a trap. Beastboy soon let his guard down, the malice decapitating in the air. He was calm again, back to his usual carefree form.
Beastboy paused, looking around. The road had stopped forming around him; he didn't want to fly out in some unknown region of Raven's mind. The last thing he wanted to do was enter an area he couldn't get out of. As he thought the details over, he saw Brave from afar.
"There you are!" he called out, waving. She flew from the darken sky. Rage hid behind the floating rocks, keeping her distance still. She glanced over, seeing Brave fly in.
"Wow, BB. You were sent pretty far!" she said, smiling.
"Man, I am so glad to see you. Can you please tell me what's going on?"
"Sure. But, first, let's make it so we can walk," Brave replied. She held out her hand towards the dusk rocks, motioning them to create a path. She flew to the ground, settling herself next to Beastboy. "So, the best way to sum it all up is that Rude is lazy and everyone is looking for you." She continued to talk about the area, letting him know he was very close to Rage's realm. She also let him know that whoever had found him could do anything with him till it was time to go. Rage listened from afar, wanting nothing more then to tackle the other emotion; she was just waiting for the right moment.
"She really doesn't try, does she?" Beastboy stated, getting angry at Rude.
"Yeah. But, that's Rude for ya."
"What are we going to do, anyways?"
"We're gonna go to my realm to play. Not sure what; I just really wanted to win."
"Sounds like fun."
"Awesome. I'm gonna let the others know once we arrive there. Wanna race?"
"Would love to. I just don't know my way around here."
"Right! You can try to keep up with me or we can warp there."
"How long till we get there?"
"Ten minutes if you can keep up," she replied. He jumped in the sky, turning into a hawk. "I take that as a yes." She giggled, springing into the air. They started to fly through the realm, Rage still flying far behind. Her eyes blazed; she was waiting for her chance with Beastboy. Turning invisible, she kept her eye on the hawk. As they moved closer towards Brave's realm, Rage spotted a portal opening in front of them. With the speed Beastboy was going, he was unable to turn away in time. Stopping Rage waited to see what was going now.
Brave came back looking for Beastboy. Lust hiding behind some rock she blew a dusty kiss, hitting Brave on the cheek. Brave fell, falling into deep sleep landing on some rocks. Lust chuckled, purring as she flew after Beastboy. She opened another portal, jumping in herself. Rage instantly knew what was going on. She hissed, swapping her hand forward. A portal opened, ready for her. Tilting her head, she looked over at Brave, casting a portal underneath Brave. She sunk inside, instantly teleported to a safer location where the others could locate her.
As for Beastboy, he found himself in a bedroom; a large bed at the center under red lights. He tilted his head, looking outside, spotting a waterfall and beautiful jungles. He flushed as he looked around the room. Undergarments were scattered everywhere, painting the room red and pink. Beastboy turned, reaching for the door.
"Hello, Beastboy," a voice purred behind him. Beastboy moved closer to the door, grasping the doorknob, hoping it would open. He cried out, realizing he was trapped with Lust. The emotion giggled, gliding a finger along the center of his back making him jump. "Beastboy, why don't you turn around to face me?"
Her voice is so cute…
"Uh…Well," he started. He wasn't sure what to say to her exactly. Although she was Raven, she was far from the girl he knew. He wasn't even sure if he could trust her. Turning slowly, he faced the scarlet clad woman. "Hi?" he said. He watched her blush, her eyes flashing with something mischievous. "Don't we need to find the others?"
"Soon. Why don't we have a little one on one first?" she offered. She closed the distance between them. Her form pressed against his own, giving him a hint of what she wanted. "Don't you want to have some fun with Raven?" Beastboy felt his face grow red, his eyes widening. Picturing it all. All the things he wanted to with her, to do to her. The animal inside him dared him to try. The images continued to berate his brain until finally, it all cleared. All he saw was her just sitting, talking and even laughing. The smile on her lips was what got to him. Raven, the girl who hardly smiled, had such a beautiful smile; he was happy to witness it whenever it came.
"Lust…Thank you but, no," he replied. He made space between them. He finally calmed down, earning a questioning glance from him. She backed away slowly.
"Oh? What if I was naked?" she asked. Her fingers ran along the button of her cloak. She started to undress; Beastboy turned around. "Oh, come on. I know you have a lot of animals inside of you that want out."
"Doesn't matter. Its not what I want," he said. His legs lifted off the floor, hands locked in. He was starting to float towards the bed via magic.
"You're making it harder then it needs to be."
"That's what she said," he replied. He smirked, struggling to break free."
"Cute."
She approached her bed, a look of disappointment on her face. Bond by magic ropes, Beastboy wasn't given that many options to move his limbs. She huffed to herself.
"Why are you doing this? This isn't right. Please, you don't have to do this," he said. Lust paused in her walk, lips pressing in a pout. This isn't how she wanted him.
What's the point if he's not willing?
"Can't you understand that I can't help what I'm doing? I know I'm going to get locked up and thrown in a cage forever," she said, looking at the floor, but this is what I'm meant to do; this is what I am." She was starting to get tearful.
"Lust, let me do a favor for you," he offered. Beastboy started to understand. Lust was like one of the animals inside of him that just wanted to do what came naturally.
"What is it...?"
"Let me hold you for a bit. I promise, it will help," he offered. The magical bonds around him were gone, allowing him to move. He sat up, moving towards the edge of the bed. Lust approached him slowly, falling into his arms. Tears dripped down her cheeks. The room echoed with her cries. "Just wait a little while longer. I'm sure you'll get your turn when the right guy comes around."
Your right here. Raven just doesn't let it be.
Lust held him closer, causing Beastboy to blush. He smiled softly, running his fingers on her back. After a while, she had stopped crying, the tears drying on her cheeks. Her hands soon dropped from holding him, making Beastboy worried. He glanced down, surprised that she was asleep. Laying her on the bed, he let her sleep.
Getting up, Beastboy made his way to the door. Beastboy had a feeling that she would return to her normal self later. He left the room, going through the elegant living room. As he left the house, the outside changed. Red skies and floating rocks decorated the home.
"Right. Dimensions and stuff. I should get used to that," he said, closing the door. He saw Rage flying towards him. Raising his arm, he flagged her down.
"Wake up, Brave! Brave! Guys, is something wrong with her?" Timid asked.
"No, silly. She's just sleeping! You know there's no waking her once she's out," Happy replied, laughing softly She place a hand on brave and fell asleep. Timid moved back, hiding in her hood. Envy entered, stepping next to Wisdom. Wisdom was looking over at Brave, figuring out the details.
"This looks like a spell."
"What spell?" Envy asked. Wisdom arched a brow, pointing over. "What? Looks like a nap me." Wisdom glanced, Envy reached, tugging at Brave to wake her.
"Don't!" she yelled. It was too late; her lime sister was already sleeping.
"Who did this?" Timid asked, peeking from her hood. "What about Beastboy?"
"They must have taken him as well. We need knowledge; she'll know about this."
"Okay," the shy Raven said, sitting down. She waited as Wisdom went into her lotus pose, ready to meditate. In moments she was in a peaceful state, memories flowing through her mind as she waited for the others to arrive. She remembered the time that Raven would meditate every moment she could. She left her room for missions, bathroom breaks and food. Other then that, she made no interactions. Everyone but Beastboy left her alone.
Beastboy kept her company, occasionally silent but fun. It kept her in a weird state where she kept an eye on him. While meditating she would see him smiling on the roof beside her, watching the sunset. She started to meditate more and more on the roof. As the days continued to fly by, he had finally asked her why she meditated so much.
"It's wiser to have control on one self and the situation they're in."
"Is this from your Wisdom?"
"Yes."
"I'm not sure if I should tell you this but…"
"Then don't."
"But, here's the funny thing. Wisdom can sometimes cloud what you see," he said. Raven opened her eyes and looked at Beastboy, eyes narrowing. "Are you sure you're making the most of your time for meditating every second of the day? Like, can't you learn with experience? Wisdom is gained through mistakes and living with others."
"Where did you learn that?"
"My father told me when I was scared too scared to go outside sometimes," Beastboy replied, looking at the sunset again. He turned back to Raven, smiling at her. "I know you just want to meditate so I'll leave you alone."
Beastboy left her on the roof with angering feelings. She turned to the sunset again, closing her eyes. Ten minutes later, she didn't want to meditate anymore; she left to her room. Later that night, she joined everyone in the common room, a book in hand. It was a pleasant sight to see. As the night continued on, Raven would glance at him from her hood.
Wisdom opened her eyes, gaining focus back into the world. She saw that nothing had changed. Timid was still looking at the three sleeping emotions on the floor.
"I think we should tell the others to teleport to us."
"What's with the change of plans?"
"Nothing. Just actions seem to be a better path," she answered, closing her eyes. She sent out a message to the others. Almost instantly, Raven, Love and Knowledge showed up. Silence covered the crowd.
"Happy, Timid and I found Brave sleeping here. Happy tried to wake her but the moment she touched her, she fell asleep. Same with Envy."
"Must have been a sleep spell," Raven said, "Knowledge, do you know a way to undo it?"
"Let me check my books," she replied. She opened a portal, quickly stepping in.
"I'm guessing it was either Rage or Lust since they aren't here," Love said.
"Or Rude. Maybe all three?" suggested Wisdom.
"So, what are we going to do?" Timid asked.
"We wait and see what Knowledge can do."
"Can you remember anything about a spell like this?" Love asked, sitting down next to Timid.
"Not really," Raven answered, "I don't dwell on sleep magic. This must have been in one of the books I've read."
"Then we have to." Said Timid
"At least we know who might have done it. They must have cast the spell and taken Beastboy," Wisdom replied, looking at the trio on the ground.
"I don't think it was Rude. What do you think, Raven?" Ask love.
"You might be right about that…"
Beastboy stood still as Rage landed near him. He didn't say a word; she looked confused that Lust had just let him go.
"What happened?" Why aren't you with Lust?" she asked. There was a dark glow around her form. The anger wasn't directed at him but towards the other emotion.
"We talked for a little bit. Now she's sleeping."
"What?" Rage spat. She knew that Lust would never let go of Beastboy after getting him alone. But, as she looked at him, she could tell that he wasn't lying. She just couldn't believe it.
"So, how did you know I was here?"
She didn't answer him, simply staring at him. Her mind drew a blank but her heart started to race. Beastboy couldn't help but smile at her. Rage opened her mouth, not sure what to say.
"Yes?" he asked. He was hoping that she wouldn't yell at him. Or send him through another portal.
"Well," she started. She struggled with her words. It was new to her to speak to Beastboy alone. There was always someone around telling her not to break anything or lose it. Right now, there was no one to hold her back. With Trigon out of the picture Rage didn't want to destroy anything anymore. She was just angry all the time; that was what she was. But, at that moment, all she heard was the beating in her chest.
"Are you okay? Do you need to sit down? I can get the others if you want," he said, seeing her face grow red. He stepped closer to her, she looked at the floor.
"No!" she yelled. Beastboy stopped moving, unsure if he should start running or stay.
"I found you…first! So…so that means you have to do whatever I want, right?" she said. She felt so nervous and terrified. She felt weak, scared, hopeful and happy all at once.
"No. It was Brave."
"No! I found you sitting down by those stupid crows and doing nothing for an hour!" she said, pointing at him.
"Oh. Well, I guess your right," he said. Seeing that Brave found him after the crows, he had no reason to doubt her. "So, what do you want to do then?" Rage seemed to instantly brighten up, her lips twisting in a smirk.
"We'll to go my realm," she said. She created a portal in front of Beastboy, shoving him in. "And you are going to sit and do nothing!"
Beastboy looked up at Rage, thinking that she wasn't just a persona that would just hurt him. There was no demon eyes or angry expression; she was just smirking. As he landed in her realm, taking a seat.
"What now?"
"Nothing," she answered, sitting in front of him. She wasn't sure what to do with him. She felt comfortable and seemed to enjoy it. It was there that Beastboy noticed the smile on Rage that Raven got from time to time. He wanted to pull her hood down and see her face, her cheeks and the light hit her eyes. But, he just sat there.
It's funny how misunderstood she is. Just like Lust.
"The floor is kinda cold, don't you think?" he said. In mere seconds the area turned into grass. As a tree grew beside them, the sky turned light blue. Everything around them was still a wasteland but the patch felt perfect.
"Better?" Rage asked, her voice struggling to be soft. Beastboy felt his heart flutter again once when he saw her smile.
Wow. I never knew she could smile like this. She's so cute.
Rage held her cloak close to her, trying to cover her blushing cheeks. Beastboy noticed but remained silent. He was happy to pass time.
Knowledge returned to see Love, Raven and Wisdom in a heated conversation. Timid was behind a pile of punching backs stacked on the ground.
"Beastboy wouldn't do anything like that!" Love yelled.
"You said that when Malchior showed up!" Raven spat.
"In all fairness, that was when she was still new," Wisdom said. She sat in the middle of the two. The other emotions were still sleeping without a care in the world.
"I don't care. It was the worst thing that happened to me."
"Well, sure I went nuts for him. But, if you let others get close to you I wouldn't have gone nuts. I go nuts every time a guy says something sweet or nice to you," Lust said, striking Raven hard.
"I don't know how it gets like this with you in the first place. I was never supposed to feel you. All those lessons in Azarath to prevent you from ever showing up," Raven said. She knew her words cut deep to her personas. Knowledge, Timid and Wisdom glanced Love, knowing how hard that struck.
"It's because Beastboy brought me out of you!" Love yelled back. "I was weak and hid from everyone in here." She stepped forward with tears in her eyes. Raven still felt anger but didn't move.
"I was called Crush and I knew I wasn't ever supposed to feel anything when I got here. So I hid from you. I hid from Happy, Rage…Everyone but one day you were alone with Beastboy on the roof. He said he wanted to make you smile and will never give up trying to brighten up your day. He said that you deserve to smile everyday. And you felt me." Her eyes were red from tears. Knowledge stepped in between them.
"Love its okay. Don't…"
Wisdom pulled Knowledge away. "This is something that Raven needs to hear, Knowledge."
"This is really scary," Timid mumbled.
"I hated Beastboy so much that I wanted nothing to do with him. I wanted to throw him somewhere he couldn't claw out of. I would have helped Rage and Rude so they would hurt him and say awful things. So Beastboy would leave you alone but he always came back.
"You hated him?" Raven said, surprised. She was surprised to hear that Love, of all people, hated something. He was the object of her affection, Raven affection. Love always fought so hard for Beastboy but hearing that once, for a little while, she hated him…that shocked her.
"Yes! It was Beastboy! It's because of him that I cause you so much pain. You always get so confused around him and never know what he's going to do or say. It's like poison taking over your body. I tried to leave your body so many times since I've gotten here. But, because of Beastboy…He's always there. He's always trying to brighten you up. He always wants to make you smile. I can't help but slowly fall for him each time." Love paused, looking at Raven. Her expression went from angry to despair so quickly. She opened her mouth again.
"And when Malchior came along I couldn't help but make it that way! I never wanted you to be with Beastboy!" she screamed. She pulled at her hair, giving out a harsh cry."But, I took it too far and he used you. I made it easy for him." Love paused with her cries. Her fist flew to the floor. The emotions approached her, Wisdom touching her shoulder. "Just as I was about to go in a dark hole, your mind locked me away forever. After everything Malchior did to us, I was tossed away." Love smiled.
"But, like always, Beastboy came for you. He wanted to be there when you needed someone. He told you that no matter what. No matter how many times you think you are alone in this world, he would be there for you. I…I just couldn't fight Beastboy anymore. He always wins in the end." She looked up at Raven, her eyes full of such sorrow. A sad smile twisted over her trembling lips. "So, even if you hate me, even if I hate myself…I could never hate Beastboy. He's too much. He's too sweet, too nice and too caring for that."
Raven was going to speak after everything. She wanted to say something but felt like crap. Knowledge stood up, offering support to her sister.
"Love, go back and calm down. Timid, go with her. Raven, Wisdom and I will wake the others." Love nodded, still shaking. Timid held her sister and took her away. Raven looked at Wisdom, knowing the look she was getting.
"What? You were going to say something."
"No. I'm pretty sure that Love just did a number on you. I don't need to tip in," Wisdom responded.
"Whatever. What did you find out?"
"It was a spell you learned a while back. But, since you don't use sleep magic, it was forgotten," Knowledge replied. She swiped her hand, summoning the book. It appeared, opening to the correct page.
"What do we do?" Wisdom asked.
"We can wait. They'll wake and be well rested. Or we can undo it. But, I'm not sure how strong the spell is."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, if we cure them and its too weak, nothing will happen. If it's too strong, there will be an overflow of energy. I don't need to tell you how that will be."
Knowledge sighed.
"My powers would be in total chaos," Raven said, shaking her head. "Is there a way to detect the strength of the spell?"
"Yes. You can tell by how many people are put to sleep from contact. The spell is known to put ten people to sleep."
"Should we get Rude?" Wisdom asked.
"Not sure if she can help but we can try," Raven said, creating a portal. She stepped into it, disappearing.
"So, care to explain what happened earlier?" Knowledge asked, glancing over at Love from afar. Wisdom made a face, shaking her head.
"Raven asked why Love felt like she owed Beastboy so much. As you can see, it didn't end well. But, at least Raven got an insight on her feelings towards him."
Another portal parted, revealing Raven again. She dragged a lazy Rude on the floor. Rude reached for her cloak.
"I was sleeping! Let go!" she cried out.
"You said that you don't care as long as you don't have to move. So, I'm doing it for you."
"Ugh. Fine. What do you want?"
"Get Brave to wake up," Raven said, pointing to the sleeping trio. Rude made a grumbling noise, reaching out to them. Soon after, she fell forward, falling asleep on top of Envy.
"She did say she wanted to go back to sleep. Well, what now?" Wisdom offered.
"I don't know. Putting Love and Timid to sleep will get us nowhere."
"So…Rude is under the spell, too?" Timid asked, entering the area with Love. Knowledge and Wisdom looked over at Love, offering soft smiles.
"Better?" Wisdom asked. Love nodded, stilly shaky. She looked over at Raven, giving her a smile.
"Let's try putting through an awakening spell in moderation," Knowledge suggested.
"Why didn't you offer that in the first place?" Raven asked.
"It would take too long for one of us to cast the spell. But, seeing as how we now have four of us sleeping, we might as well start with half strength. It would take some time, but we can try to get them up eventually."
"Sounds like a plan," Love said.
"Now, let's get started. This will take some concentration," Knowledge said. They said in a circle around the sleeping girls. Energy formed from their hands, dripping onto the ground. It didn't take long for Timid to be the first to cast the spell. Next was Love followed by Knowledge. The spell didn't seem to do anything towards them. Wisdom cast the next spell, energy pouring once more. The sleeping girls started to wake; Raven broke from the circle, breaking the energy.
"What happened?" Brave asked, sitting up.
"Someone used a sleep spell on you," Love answered, "The moment someone touches you, they fall asleep, too. Do you remember what happened before you went to sleep?"
"Well, I was flying with Beastboy. Then, everything got dark and I woke up here," Love said. "Rage or Lust must have got him."
"I'm going back to my realm," Rude said, moving away quickly. She didn't want anyone to drag her back in.
"Any idea who has Beastboy? Which one?" Envy asked, annoyed.
"Why don't we check on Lust then Rage? They are next to each other."
"C'mon," Raven said. She started to fly, beckoning the others to follow. Raven seemed calm on the outside. But, she was far from it. Love's voice still echoed in her head.
"I tried to leave your body so many times since I've gotten here. But, because of Beastboy…He's always there. He's always trying to brighten you up. He always wants to make you smile."
Raven smiled a little, thinking of the heated words. Raven could never blame Love in the end; it was Raven herself who had fallen for Beastboy. She had always thought that Love was one-dimensional. She only spoke of her affections for the male. The fact that she had struggled to accept her feelings was an eye-opener for Raven.
Why am I so complicated?
"He was here. I feel it," Happy said. Entering Lust's home, they explored the domain. Envy and Timid nodded in agreement. Love approached Lust's bedroom.
"He was here some time ago," she said. Timid pulled Love's hand away from the handle.
"Not sure if you would want to go in there. I don't want to go…"
"I will stay with you," Wisdom offered, giving Timid a light smile, "We all don't need to go."
The rest entered the bedroom, finding Lust asleep on her bed. There was confusion as to why she was just sleeping fully clothed. There was a collective sigh of relief. Raven approached the emotion, wondering if it had been Rage that had cast the spell.
"Don't touch her! She might be under the spell," Envy said.
"Lust. It's time to get up!" Happy said. Lust turned around, pulling the sheets over her head. That was enough to get everyone the clear.
"I think she needs help getting up," Brave said. Happy brightened up. She climbed into bed and started to bounce.
"Come on, Lust! We have to find green bean!" she sang. Lust opened her eyes, springing up. She kicked off Happy from her bed; Happy giggled.
"Do you know where Beastboy went?" Knowledge asked. Lust looked around the area, glancing at the empty spot on the bed.
"He was here on my bed. I wonder where he could have gone," she said, smirking. The girls looked at her in horror.
"What!" Raven yelled. Fury clouded her eyes. Brave, Love, Envy and Happy grabbed at her arms, struggling to stop her. "What did you do to him?" Knowledge cut Raven away, blocking her view of a smiling Lust.
"What did you do?" Knowledge asked.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" she retorted, pressing her hands on her hips.
"Just tell us. We can't hold her back forever, you know?" Brave added.
"Let me out. Get off!" Raven spat.
"I took him here and we sat on the bed. We talked for a bit," Lust said, losing her smirk. She started to remember what happened. "I fell asleep after a while. He kept massaging my back; I couldn't help it. I don't know after that."
Raven stopped fighting her personas. "So…you did nothing with him? You're lying," she said. She got out of the emotions' grasp, approaching Lust. "You're everything I want to do to him. How could you not?"
"Oh, so you want me to? Because, I can come out at night if you want?" Lust replied, arching a brow.
"Shut up," Raven said. Rolling her eyes, she relaxed, "Did you cast a spell on Brave?"
"Yes. I saw them flying and took my chance. I sent Beastboy here and left her. How did you guys find her? She was on a rock close to her realm."
"What?" Brave asked.
"No. She was in her realm, sleeping," Wisdom said. Timid followed the emotion in.
"I didn't put her there."
"Whatever. Beastboy isn't here. We have to go to Rage's realm!" Raven said. She turned, making her way to the door. Everyone paused, looking down at their feet.
"Something must be bothering her."
"Let's go guys," Envy said, taking the first few steps. Timid followed right after her. "We wouldn't want her to blow up on us again, do we?"
"She's just worried." Wisdom
"I'm sure he's fine." Added Love
"But…what if he is with Rage?" Timid mumbled.
"Then we have to have faith. Maybe he'll survive," Happy said, smiling softly.
The group stood just outside the door to Rage's realm. Knowledge landed by the group, pausing with her next step. Raven looked at the emotions, confused.
"What are we waiting for?"
"We need to have a plan in case if Rage is up to something."
"What do you mean?"
"She could be ready for us," Timid mumbled, tucking her cloak over herself.
"We can't fly. Or use our powers if she detects us," Love noted.
"And maybe she's not even there," Wisdom added.
"Let the plan of Team Green commence!" Brave said, striking a pose.
Happy pouted. "Why green? I like pink!"
"What about red?" Lust asked, shrugging.
"This is pointless," Raven grumbled. Wisdom nodded.
"She's right. It's team blue and that's final!" Wisdom said.
"How dare you?" Knowledge asked, frowning.
"Thank Azar someone has some sense."
"We're team yellow. That's the final for final," Knowledge said, adjusting her glasses. Raven rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on.
"You all must be joking It must be PURPLE! The color of love!" Love yelled.
"Why is this happening?" Ask Raven.
"We get it together like Raven." Timid suggested, her voice light, "We don't get to have much fun as a group but… With you here Raven you don't have to control your powers. It's kinda nice in a way? And, on a plus side, I think Rage hasn't had Beastboy this whole time and I don't think she has harmed him…much." She bit her lower lip, noticing the group had started to focus on her. "Can we please be team grey?" Brave instantly kicked in, going for green; Envy agreed.
Raven pictured her team laughing and eating pizza. Beastboy was the butt of another combo joke between Cyborg and Robin. Starfire was giggling, drinking down her mustard. Raven was smiling softly, looking at her green friend who's face was covered in cheese.
"Enough!" she cried out, catching the attention of her emotions. "We are Team Beast, got it?" She smirked, eyeing the girls. There was a pause, the girls looking at her in awe. She had actually joined the argument, surprising them. She would never join in the fun with her emotion. But now she did on her own. Knowledge wasted no time in marking it in her books.
Beastboy wasn't sure how long he had been sitting around. At this point, he didn't seem to care. Rage, at the moment, was a shy and rather cute girl; he liked it. He liked that Raven would be shy for no reason at all. It tickled him pink. The silence between them had put Rage to sleep, her head falling onto his lap. He would rather not have her sleeping in such a situation but there was little he could do. If he woke her, she might kill him. So, sliding off his glove, he ran his fingers through her hair.
Rage snuggled into his leg, lips pressing into a smile. Beastboy found it ironic that it was rage snuggling into him. He expected Love, Happy or Timid. He never expected Rage to be the first. Leaning against the tree, he simply relaxed with her on his leg. Soon enough, Beastboy knew he was going to get yelled at and then beat up. Shrugging, he closed his eyes.
The group had finally entered the realm, paranoid for an attack. Yet, everything was quiet. There were no screams from Beastboy; Raven grew worried.
"I don't feel good about this," Timid said.
"Me too," Envy agreed, hiding behind Happy.
"Rage would not have let us in this far without attacking," Brave said.
"What if she doesn't know?" knowledge pointed out.
"But what if she isn't even here? He could still be out there and Rage could be looking."
"I have a feeling he's here," Raven said.
"We're almost at the center of the realm. We have to keep looking." Said Envy.
"I see a trees. Has that always been there?" Raven said, causing the group to pause.
"Dead trees are typically her thing," Lust said, arching a brow.
"Well, these have leaves on it. And grass," Raven said, pointing over. The group glanced, confirming. Approaching the area, they were surprised to see a living plant in Rage's realm. As they approached the spot, they saw Beastboy's legs. Raven tilted her head, calling out.
"Beastboy?"
"Raven," he said as the group approached. They looked over, shocked. He pressed a finger against his lips, telling them to keep quiet. One of his hands was intertwined her hair running through.
I know what I want for my day..
Envy made a pleased face, eyes twinkling in delight. Happy didn't say anything. She joined him, laying her head on his shoulder.
"Isn't it time for Raven and I to go?" he asked, his face growing pink.
"True. It is almost time, Raven," Brave said. The emotions started to pile on top of the male, finding a place to lean onto. Either it was the shoulder, chest, his legs or lap.
"We can't let them have all the fun," Lust said with a yawn. She arched a brow at Knowledge and Wisdom who still stood.
"That's agreeable."
"Am I dreaming?" Raven said, watching the scene before her.
"It's better not to question some things, Raven," Wisdom said. She found a spot in the pile, edging closer to Beastboy.
"I have no idea what's going on. Raven, do you want to join or for us to go? I know it's been about three hours so it's all on you," he said. He moved Rage a bit, giving Raven a small spot to sit next to him. She flushed at the invitation, slowly approaching him.
"Fine. But you have to explain Rage later," she said. She took her spot, relaxing. Raven didn't notice the sky change. The murky reds transitioned to light blue; the breeze was perfect on her skin. She closed her eyes; the last thing she saw was Beastboy's smiling face. Seeing the sleeping emotions and Raven herself taking a nap, Beastboy decided to join in. Considering himself lucky, he fell into a light slumber.
"Yo, sleepyhead! It's time to go," Happy said, poking at his cheek. The emotions were awake (even Rude), standing and looking over Beastboy and Raven. Confused, he started to stretch.
"How long have we been sleeping?"
"About an hour," Lust answered.
"Mhm! It's time for you and Raven to head out."
"Doesn't Raven need to open the door?" he asked. He stood up, looking at the cheery emotions.
"Not really. If all of us work as a unit, we can get Raven out of head! Just hold onto her so you can get back," Lust explained.
"But…how?"
"Here's the thing, B. If Raven was ever trapped here, we can get her out. It's a failsafe to make sure she can get back," Brave answered. He nodded, agreeing with the idea. He picked up Raven, holding her bridal style.
"We have a few others just in case," Envy said, bragging.
"Thank for the grass and trees I really like it." Said Beastboy Timid giggled, glancing at Rage. She flew by him, growling.
"You'd better!"
"Wouldn't the portal wake Raven up?" Lust asked.
"I'll put a light sleeping spell on her. That should help her through it and refresh her," Knowledge said. She lifted her hand, sending a bolt of energy towards Raven. Wisdom opened a portal to the forbidden door. Seeing it active, the other emotions stepped in. Closing their eyes, they chanted the words, opening the door.
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…"
"Thanks for the fun day! I'll see you guys later," Beastboy said. He turned to the door, stepping in. Closing his eyes, he pulled Raven close to them. As the black and red tunnel came to an end, Beastboy landed on Raven's bed. The books she planned to read scattered allover. Sighing softly, he laid her down at the edge of the bed.
He got up and cleaned the bed, stacking her books on the nightstand. Taking off her cloak he set it aside. Hearing the noise outside, he was glad he had left the tower in shelter mode; the storm still raged on. Soon enough, his stomach grumbled. He left Raven in her room and went to the kitchen.
Later on, Raven awoke from her sleep. She sat up, finding herself in her room, cloak set aside, books cleaned up. As she looked at the window, she saw it wasn't raining anymore. The sun was out, beating against her curtains.
"What time is it?" she mumbled. She grabbed her communicator, seeing an unread message from Robin.
"Beastboy is going to try and pull you into your mind. If you get this before he does, try to stop him. If you don't, just try not to hurt him, okay?"
"What is he talking about?" she grumbled. Soon enough, it all came back to her. She remembered her time with him in her mind. She remembered finding Lust and then Rage. She remembered being petted by Beastboy; she flushed. "How did I get here..?"
Getting up from her bed, she slid on her cloak. She approached her mirror.
"Knowledge! I need to speak to you," she called. It took a few moments but the mirror started to fog over. An emotion appeared, adjusting her glasses.
"Good morning, Raven. What can I help you with?" she said.
"Morning. How did I get back? I didn't open the door," she asked. Knowledge smiled softly, going over the details with her. "Do you know what happened between Rage and Beastboy?"
"I'm sorry. She does not want to say a word about it."
"That's fine. I'll be leaving now; I have to get ready," she said. She glanced at the time, noting that it was nine in the morning. "That spell really knocked me out for the night." Groaning, she got dressed and walked out of her room. She approached the common room. As she made her way, she paused by Beastboy's room. She was going to stop by but decided to get tea and something to eat instead.
As she entered the common room, she spotted Cyborg, Robin and Starfire in the kitchen, ready to eat. They turned over, smiling at the empath.
"Hey, Rae. How have you been?" Cyborg asked.
"It's good to see you, friend Raven," Starfire said. She flew over to her friend, giving her a hug. Robin grinned, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Morning," he said.
"Hey," she said. She approached the kitchen, hungry for food and tea. Taking out her teapot, she started her morning meal preparation. Arching a brow, Raven noticed the group staring at her. "What?"
"Well…Raven?" Starfire started, unsure on what to say. Cyborg and Robin looked at each other and then back to Raven. She knew what they wanted to hear; they wanted to know what happened between her and Beastboy over the last few days. "How are things while we were gone?" Starfire finally asked.
"Fine. Nothing happened; I did a lot of meditation."
"But…Cyborg mentioned…"
"He said what?" she said, glaring at Cyborg. Starfire bit her lower lip, not sure what to say at this point. She felt like she had said the wrong thing. The last issue Starfire wanted was a hurt Cyborg.
"Well…How does one say um...?" she started, struggling with the situation. She didn't know how to lie on the spot.
"You were in Beastboy's room," Robin said, filling in the missing points.
"All I did was read. Beastboy did the same," Raven retorted.
"Oh. Well, Cyborg didn't say that," Robin explained. He looked at Cyborg who was making a break for it from the commons. "Give me back my fifty!"
"Anyways!" Starfire said, trying to save her metal brother, "Where is Beastboy? I wanted to tell him we are back."
"I don't know. He can be sleeping for all I care," Raven said, voice monotone.
"Well, he better be up soon. We have training soon. We don't have enemies but," he started. The alarm cut him off, revealing the Hive five attacking a local bank. Moments later, Beastboy came rushing in, his skin covered in sweat, shirt off.
"Raven! The alarm! Oh…hey guys! I thought you'd be back at noon," Beastboy started. Raven arched a brow, quiet.
"Beastboy! It's good to see you again!" Starfire said, hugging the green boy. Starfire looked at Raven, seeing the empath smile lightly. "Have you been training?" she asked. He nodded.
"Star, this is going to wait. We've got trouble," Robin said. He took his communicator out. "Cyborg, get the car ready."
"Already done, Robin. Waiting on you guys," Cyborg said over the tower speaker.
"Titans, GO!" Robin yelled. He made his way out the door with Beastboy following; he slid his shirt on.
"Raven, we have to go!" Starfire said. Raven snapped into the real world, sliding her hood over her face. "That's better. Its good if you stare with your hood up!" Raven blushed, Starfire laughed and flew out the door. Grumbling, Raven followed.
"I really need my tea…"
Well, that's it for now. I really hope you like this chapter. Next chapter should be out in about three weeks or so (1 week break, 2 weeks to rewrite everything). If you have any questions, comments or concerns, feel free to PM me or leave me a review!
Best,
SantoRamon