Hello everyone!
Once more, thank you for all the reviews and support with this story. Bless my girlfriend for editing over each chapter. Oh wait…Bless my fiancé!
So, yeah, there's that.
Anyways, onwards to this chapter. Hope you all enjoy.
"No."
"Raven, be reasonable."
"No," she repeated.
"Come on!"
"I said no!" Raven snapped, looking up from her book. She glared at Robin, annoyed with his begging.
"It won't be that bad," he said, clasping his hands in front of his chest. He closed his eyes, refusing to look at her.
"I need one good reason why."
"Because then I can ask Mento about the stone Beastboy gave to Star," he explained. He had hoped she would understand or at least gain some reaction. "That and Cyborg and I would get a lead on finding Beastboy's birthday. We're not including Star in it just yet…I don't want her to feel worried."
"What will I be doing?" she asked.
"You can join us or stay here. It's up to you."
"It won't hurt to have a pair of extra eyes," she grumbled.
"And Star?" he asked. There was a silent pause as the two thought it over. Raven bit her lower lip, holding back a shriek of frustration.
"Fine!" she snapped, "She can go with Beastboy. Just this once, got it?" Raven huffed, book falling onto her lap. "Where is Beastboy anyways? It's almost noon and I haven't seen him or Cyborg."
"He's running laps on the obstacle course. Cyborg is there to make sure it gets done."
"That explains why its so quiet. How long have they been at it?"
"Since eight."
"Why so long?" she asked. Raven set her book down on her bed, exiting her room. Robin, who stood by the entrance, joined her as they made way to the common room.
"I gave him something light but he nearly broke the record. He's been going at it since. Cyborg has been egging him to keep going, too," he answered, shrugging. She sighed softly, feeling a little left out. Granted, she did need to meditate and Beastboy had invited her several times through her communicator. As Raven remembered, she couldn't help but smile; she heard Cyborg yell at Beastboy every time he called her.
"So what happens if he beats his record?"
"Nothing. We just keep getting better. I set a new record today, too. Shaved off almost four seconds off my last one," Robin replied, smirking with pride. "On a side note, you invite Star. She doesn't know yet."
"You haven't told her?"
"I didn't want to get her hopes up. What if you said no?"
"Fine. I'll tell her at lunch," Raven huffed. The door in front of them swished open, revealing Cyborg and Beastboy on the couch, playing video games. Raven and Robin approached, hearing the ongoing clicks of the controllers.
"What are you doing?"
"Beating BB's butt as per usual. What else?" Cyborg replied, tilting his controller; he was in the lead.
"Ha! You wish! I am so gonna win this next game," Beastboy said, smacking the rematch button. Cyborg grinned, nodding. Raven moved to her side of the sofa, sitting next to Beastboy. Although she kept a distance, she felt the need to reach out to him.
Must be Love again…
"Hey, Rae. How have you been?" Beastboy asked.
"Fine. It's Ra-ven, remember? When are you going to learn?"
"Never, I guess."
"I'm calling next round. You're not supposed to be playing this; you still have to beat the record before lunch," Robin said, taking a seat.
"Done that half an hour ago," Beastboy replied, still focused on the game.
"Without your powers?"
"Yep!"
"I don't believe it," Robin said. Raven arched a brow, intrigued, "You must have tried and then came upstairs when you got bored.
"He's not lying, Rob. I have it all recorded," Cyborg added. He paused the game, left hand tapping the side of his right arm. Starfire flew through the entrance of the common room, waving hello. She landed by the couch, a grin on her tanned face. "You're right on time, Star. You might need to help Robin get over his depression."
"What is wrong?" she asked.
"Don't worry, Star. He's just joking," Robin said. He grasped her hand from his seat, giving her a gentle smile and a reassuring squeeze. They both turned their attention to the clip Cyborg started to play. The video revealed Beastboy running the course, jumping and turning through the paths. Robin narrowed his eyes, watching Beastboy jumped on top of a chained swinging ball, passing through a wall climb with ease; this is where he had bested him.
"I admit defeat…"
"You should have seen all the times he nearly got hit. Now those were funny."
Raven didn't say anything, merely watching the screen. Cyborg kept it on replay, rubbing salt on Robin's wounds. She saw the details as he zipped through the course, his focus on the prize. His movement was swift but graceful. She seemed to distracted, she didn't pay attention to the world around her. Suddenly, there was a tap on her shoulder.
"I suggest you stop the checking out before they notice," Starfire suggested, flashing an innocent smile.
"I wasn't looking."
"But your eyes were on the glue on the screen."
"I just tuned out, Starfire," she replied. Pausing, Raven turned her head, glancing at her alien friend, "Do you mind joining Beastboy in my mind today?"
"Oh yes! That would be most wonderful!" Starfire replied, clapping her hands in joy. Raven's cheeks flushed in embarrassment; she hated being caught. "Friends, I have the great news! Raven has invited me to enter her mind with Beastboy today."
"That's right. Expect company today, Beastboy," Raven agreed.
"That's cool and all but…why?" he asked.
"I just prefer her joining you. Plus, this is my way of making sure you don't do anything you're not supposed to," she answered, voice soft but monotone. Raven trusted Starfire enough. Granted, she trusted Beastboy, too. He had proved himself so far.
"Figures," he said, pouting. He wasn't a kid that needed a babysitter.
"What about the city, Robin?" Starfire asked.
"Don't worry about it. Cyborg, Raven and I can handle it. Just have fun today."
"Okay, Robin," she said, smiling softly. As the excitement started to creep through, Starfire let out a large squeal. She grabbed Beastboy's arm, dragging him closer to her. "I am most excited! Friend Beastboy, tell me what Raven's mind is like."
"Wait, Star. I haven't eaten yet!"
"Oh yes! Let us grab a bite to eat and you can tell me all about it," Starfire replied, nodding. Cyborg tossed the controller on the couch, shaking his head.
"You're going to let her kill Beastboy at this rate."
"He'll be fine. She's just excited at the moment; she'll calm down," Robin replied, waving it off. He took Beastboy's seat, ready to play. "Come on! Start it up."
"You sure? Because it looks like it'll be like this all day," Raven added. Robin and Cyborg, already in a match, didn't fully hear her. She turned over to Starfire and Beastboy, curious as to what he had to tell Starfire.
"Really?" Starfire asked, "But…she not seem like that kind of person."
"Like what kind of person?" Raven asked, annoyed.
"Oh! I was just telling Star about what I've been doing in your mind. Like, hanging out with all the other emotions and stuff," he replied, smiling, "So, Rae…what do you want for lunch, I'll make it!"
"Can I have one, too?" Starfire asked. He nodded, sliding out a few pots and pans from the kitchen. Taking out an apron from one of the cabinets, he slid the white material on.
"Something most delicious. Do you not agree, Raven?"
"I didn't even agree to eating."
"Well, you didn't say no. How about a caprese salad to share? Just tomatoes, basil and mozzarella? I'll put the oil and other stuff on the side. Anything to drink?" he suggested. Raven shrugged, having no argument with that. She took a seat in the kitchen, joining in the chatter between Starfire and Beastboy. Beastboy didn't go over the emotions with Starfire, opting to surprise her instead. After a while, Raven started to read from her book, a warm cup of tea and plate full of food in front of her. Robin managed to join after a few matches, sharing a plate with Starfire. Finally, after playing enough, Cyborg joined in. He looked at the shared meal and shuddered; he went through the fridge to grab some meat.
After everyone finished, the group split. Starfire and Beastboy followed Raven into her room. Cyborg and Robin went to the garage, waiting for her. Although Raven felt at ease that Starfire would join her mind (to prevent Beastboy from doing anything stupid), she still wanted to join in on the fun. As they approached her door, Raven paused, grabbing Starfire's arm.
"Can we talk for a moment?" she asked. Starfire nodded, stepping in. Beastboy paused, watching Raven's expression. "You stay. Girl talk."
She stepped in, the door sliding behind her. Beastboy shrugged, waving it off.
"I'll be in my room!" he called out, walking away. With Starfire bouncing about in her room, ready to talk, Raven bit her lower lip.
"Just a sec, Starfire. I'm going to tell Robin to go ahead without me," she started. She turned around, taking out her communicator. Once the message was through, she looked back at a happy Starfire. "Alright…I…I need you to do me a favor."
"What is it?" Starfire asked, tilting her head. Raven took a seat on her bed, patting the seat next to her. Starfire took a seat, sending a look of concern to her friend. Raven's face seemed to flush, cheeks turning red. She pressed her hands together on her lap, teeth sinking into her lower lip.
"I need you to keep an eye on Beastboy."
"Does he misbehave in your mind?"
"No. He's really nice to my emotions. I just need you to make sure that my Love and Lust emotions don't do anything to him," she explained.
I just admitted that I like Beastboy to someone! Starfire can understand, can she? She won't read into it too much, I think…
With her flush of emotions, her powers reacted; a book was thrown across the room.
Damn…
"Love? Lust?" Starfire asked. She glanced at the crumpled book, knowing full well her emotions were acting up. It had been a while since such a surge had happened, however. "What would they want with Beastboy…?" she asked. It took a moment for everything to click. The alien blinked, large doe green eyes widening. Her lips spread in a grin. "Oh! You are!"
More items started to float and toss around.
"Starfire…This isn't what you're thinking," Raven said, trying to calm her friend down. It was too late.
"But…You were not looking at him when training…or when his shirt was off yesterday."
"Just, don't ruin anything with Beastboy, okay?"
"Raven, on my planet, every emotion is out in the open for all to see. Why don't you tell him how you feel?"
"I can't. I just can't, Starfire. This is something that will pass over time."
Starfire bit her lip, a look of hurt spreading over her face.
"They have not told Beastboy, am I correct?"
"Yes."
"And he has been alone with them?"
"Yes."
"Then you have little to fear."
"Thank you."
"You are welcome, friend Raven. But, just know this…you are only hurting yourself by hiding your feelings," Starfire said. She looked around the mess formed from Raven's powers.
"What do you mean?" Raven asked.
"Beastboy is always there to try and make you smile. He has always tried to make you happy. At first I did not understand why but I just knew he cared for all of our happiness. Now, I know he cares a lot for your happiness."
"My emotions can kill. Starfire. Is that not simple for you?"
"It is true that I cannot understand. I was taught to never hide one's feelings. I also know that you are the strongest amongst all of us. If you really wanted something, you could make it happen, much like you've saved the world from your father."
The words were oddly comforting. She smiled softly, feeling her muscles relax; she felt confident.
"Thank you, Star. I also want to apologize in advance. I'm not sure of what my emotions will say or do to you."
"Don't worry, friend. If they are your emotions, I fear nothing. You have always been kind to me, either alone or with Beastboy," Starfire replied, shrugging, "I do find it funny, Raven. You never notice but you sometimes let Beastboy in without even thinking about it…"
"I didn't realize," Raven mumbled. She paused, picking up her communicator, "Beastboy, get over here."
"Alrighty! I'll be there in a sec," he replied. She switched the device off, tossing it on the bed. She started to stand, pointing over to the mirror. "This is the mirror Beastboy mentioned to you earlier. It's a portal to my mind; I use it to control my powers."
"Why does it pull Beastboy in?"
"It's just the natural power that comes from darkness. I never did give it much thought as to why. But, this makes it easier then meditating," she explained. There was a knock, interrupting Raven. "Come in."
"So, how was girl talk?" Beastboy asked, entering the room. He looked at the mess.
"Most wonderful! Are you ready for out departure?" Starfire asked. Raven approached the mirror, preparing it for them. She turned, seeing Starfire and Beastboy close, arms wrapped around each other. She bit her lower lip.
Not that close!
She handed the mirror to Beastboy, stepping away.
"Bye, Rae! Hold on to me tightly, Star," Beastboy said. Raven left the room, watching them get sucked in. She sighed softly, heading towards the roof; she needed to meditate. Having Beastboy and Starfire in her head might be a little too much.
While traveling in the vortex, Beastboy could hear Starfire screaming in joy. She had let go of him, her arms opened as she flew through. Once out of the vortex, she floated softly on the ground, gripping onto Beastboy again; she helped him land.
"Oh, that was most joyous! That is like a ride of the coaster, was it not?"
"I guess. Anyway, let's wait here for the other Ravens to show up."
"Do you mean them?" Starfire asked, pointing to the ground behind him. She wasn't surprised to see so many. She was surprised to see so many different colors.
"Hey guys!" Beastboy said, turning to wave at them, "I want you to meet Starfire. At least, personally meet her, to be honest." He paused, noting how silent they were at first. "I'll introduce you by colors." They nodded, Beastboy grinned in response. "The pink Raven is Happy, dark green is Brave, red is Rage, yellow is Knowledge, brown is Rude." He moved his hand to the rest of the group, "Over here we have Wisdom in dark blue, Timid is gray, Love is light purple, Envy is lime green and Lust is scarlet red."
There were a few mixed greetings, some loud, some grunting and others quiet.
"It is lovely to meet you all!" Starfire said, flying to them. She was able to collect a few in a bone-crushing hug.
"Hi, Beastboy," Timid mumbled, staring down at her feet, hood covering her face.
"Hey, Timid. No nightmares last night?"
"No. None," she said with a light smile, warming up almost instantly. Beastboy found it cute. He felt a hand hit his back and turned, seeing Brave.
"I hope Star will like it here."
"I'm sure she will. You guys are pretty awesome," he told the two. He approached Starfire after a while, seeing her floating around, talking to the emotions. "What do you think so far?"
"I think this is wonderful. I like talking to Raven like this. I hope she speaks to me like this back in the tower one day," she replied.
"We all do," Love said, gaining a few nods from some of the emotions. Starfire saw the faint blush on Love's cheeks, her eyes darting to Beastboy.
Is Raven really in love with Beastboy? Or does she merely like him?
"It'll happen in due time," Knowledge said, sighing softly.
"She likes taking her time," Envy added.
"Which is fine. If you force something, it can be doomed to fail," Wisdom said, eyeing Envy and Knowledge. The last thing she wanted was a fight between them. She was too late, however. Already, they started to go over the pros and cons, leaving Beastboy, Starfire, Happy, Rude, and Timid on the sidelines.
"Should we try to resolve this?" Starfire asked.
"I don't know, Star. I don't think we can even stop them at this point. That and I don't want them to get mad at me," he said. All the while, they continued to watch. Distracted from the argument, Beastboy failed to see Lust behind him. Her arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him back. He flushed, glancing over at her. "What'cha doin?" he asked. Starfire, Happy, Timid, and Rude looked over at the two.
"I just want to hug you, Beastboy. I missed you so much," Lust said, putting his hands on her waist. She tugged him close. "You did really well with breaking Robin's record; I was impressed." Although she never expressed it, the video Cyborg had shown left an effect with Raven. Her face moved closer to Beastboy's, causing him to gulp.
"Thank you," he stuttered. He stayed still, unable to move his hands away from her. He took steps back, tripping over the ground. Yelping, Beastboy found himself on his back, Lust falling on top. "I'm so sorry!"
"No worries! I fell on you, so I can live with that," she replied, grabbing his face. She winked, lips pursing to give off a seductive look. Starfire knew that look. She had seen Robin give her the same eye (and her to Robin) on a weekly basis.
"Alright! That's enough fun for now. You can get off of him now," Happy said, her voice loud enough to gain everyone's attention. The fight in front of the crowd stopped, a warning look shot at Lust. With a huff, Lust got off of him, remaining quiet. With the help from Starfire and Happy, Beastboy got up, his face red.
I can see why Raven had asked me for assistance. That was most aggressive. But, she does indeed like him. I like that.
"I was just messing around," Lust said, giving him some room. Beastboy shuddered, looking down.
"So, what are we doing today?" he asked, "Actually, who gets to pick? I forgot the order."
With a squeak, Timid was shoved forward by Rage. She stuttered, staring at her feet.
"It's my day," she mumbled, looking away.
"Alright. Just be calm, okay? It's just Star and me. We're not that scary looking, are we?" he said, offering her a soft smile.
"Well, I wanted to know if you wanted to do anything special today?" she asked. There was silence amongst the emotions; they had never given him the choice.
"Not sure. Is there anything you want to do, Star?"
"I do not know of this place so little does come to mind. But, is it possible to see the realms you spoke of, Beastboy?"
"That's a good idea. Is that alright?" he asked, glancing at Timid.
"Sure, we can. We can see a few of the realms, however," she answered. She turned, approaching an opening portal. Beastboy could already see that it was the opening for Happy's world.
"Don't you have any questions for me?" he asked. She paused, still facing the portal.
"What was the most hurtful thing Raven has ever done to you?"
"I already answered that on Rude's day."
"Well, you're right," she said. She remained quiet, thinking over on what to say. She remembered the night where Raven had a nightmare some time ago. She thought Beastboy had seen her as some monster. "How do you see Raven?" she asked, her voice light, timid by her nature.
"Well, I can't lie. Whenever she's mad at me, I can't help but see her as something adorable. Don't get me wrong, I'll still run for my life but the faces are just so cute," he started. Rage flushed, hiding her face with her hood, "I also would like to see her with glasses." Knowledge was next to blush, looking away from him. Starfire took mental note of his statement. "But, all joking aside, I see her as one of the most kindest person I've ever met. She's really smart and has been able to help everyone so easily.
"There are small fears that can hold her back or even sometime stop her but that shows you how human she is. She's not as much of a demon or a monster as she thinks she is. She may come off like one but she's a saint through and through. Raven is one of my closest friends and I'd like for it to stay that way for the rest of my life," he said, finishing up his speech with a grin. Every word had ebbed away all the fears and doubts from Timid's face. She had turned to look at him mid-speech, unable to look away.
"Thank you for saying that," she said, her voice still soft.
"I'm telling you the truth," he replied. As Starfire looked on, she saw that the emotions cared for Beastboy deeply. There was a bond forming, strong and sturdy.
Raven was on the roof, deep in meditation to relax her mind. It was sudden. She gasped, her eyelids opening wide. She blushed heavily, breaking out of her pose. Cool fingers touched her hot cheeks as she tried to calm herself. Raven knew that it would take her a while to calm down. Arms crossed over her chest as she tapped her foot.
"I was just getting into it…
Starfire was next to Happy, giggling along with the emotions. Happy was just glad to hear his speech, unable to retain her joy. Starfire, on the other hand, was just joy incarnate. The other emotions had remained silent, processing everything he had said.
"Is everything okay, guys?" he asked, "None of you are saying anything…"
"Don't worry, Beastboy. Your words are much appreciated," Love said.
"Can we get along now? I'm getting bored," Envy chipped in. Her words brought everyone into focus.
"Let's go to Happy's realm and then my own; mine is next to hers," Timid told everyone.
"Let's go, everyone!" Happy yelled. It was almost instant but Beastboy found himself surrounded by Envy, Lust, and Happy; the emotions were talking at the same time. He was trying his best to keep up but quickly found himself confused. Brave was trying to get Timid to talk to Beastboy but the emotion remained silent. Love was with Starfire, Lust and Rude. Rage kept her distance, listening to Wisdom and Knowledge as they talked. Once the group entered Happy's realm, Starfire stopped talking, staring ahead in awe.
"I think she likes it," Rude remarked.
"Raven's happiness is most wonderful. It reminds me of the flies I had experienced in Tamaran when I was just a little one," Starfire said. She took flight, heading upwards into the sky to capture the view.
"Glad you like it. You can just call me Happy," the emotion explained. Starfire nodded, "Wanna do something before we go to Timid's realm?"
"I am not sure. This place is so beautiful," Star replied, settling back onto the ground again. She approached the group.
"If you like this, wait till you see Wisdom's Realm. It's amazing," Beastboy spoke up. Wisdom shrugged, avoiding glancing at Beastboy's direction.
"Why don't we just walk through the theme park?" Envy suggested.
"Good idea. Let's kill some time there," Lust said.
"Alright. Everyone, stand back. Watch this, Star; its going to be so cool!" Happy said, bringing her hands up. With a flick of her hands, the theme park appeared once more. Over the skies was a rainbow, shimmering in the light. "Ta-da!"
"How?" Starfire asked, face in awe.
"I was the same way when I first saw it," Beastboy said, laughing.
"It's her realm. She can do whatever she wants with it," Rude explained.
"Let us go and venture in the park!" Starfire said, flying ahead. The rest followed. With Starfire in the lead, the group had gone through the game booths, the food court and the photo booth. Beastboy was glad he got a deeper glance into the area. With him now in the backline, he opted to watch the girls and be the referee between the competitive fun. The deeper they went into the park, the more he saw games he and Raven (or even Cyborg) had played in the past.
"Hey, Happy…Can I ask you something?" he started. She was in the waiting line, watching Starfire and Brave play Rhythm King Three.
"What is it BB?"
"Does Raven like playing games?"
"Nope! She finds them useless but, we can openly admit they can be fun like books," she replied. She paused, covering her lips with her fingers, "I was not supposed to say that. Whoops."
"Oh? But I see the games I got her to play here."
"That's because she played them with you."
"So, she's a co-op player then?"
"You're funny when you don't get things."
There was a pause.
"Wait! She likes playing games with me?"
"I don't know?" Happy retorted, her tone playful. She walked away, still waiting for her turn. Beastboy was left alone for a moment, grinning as he realized the truth. Time seemed to fly then; they were soon ready to move onto Timid's Realm.
"Once we pass the nearby stone gate, we will be in my realm," Timid told them, "You will need to cover your heads for bit. Let me get an umbrella for you guys." She moved her fingers under her cloak, getting them tangled with the fabric. It was a struggle but she created two umbrellas, one pink and the other green. The emotions put on their hoods, preparing themselves.
"Is it raining in your realm?"
"You can say that," Rude answered, leaving the group.
"Where are you going?" Beastboy asked.
"I don't like it in there. I don't like walking around a lot so I'll see you later, Beastboy."
"Okay…We'll see you later," Beastboy replied, waving goodbye. Starfire gave the emotion a tight hug. With her gone, Timid took command again, leading the way. Passing through the gates, the group found themselves in the cold and wet woods. It was raining enough that both Beastboy and Starfire used the umbrellas instantly. The plants, overwatered and grey, just needed a bit of sunshine to brighten up. There was a breeze, enough to make you shudder but not enough to chill.
"Wow. What happened to the maze here?" Beastboy asked.
"My realm changed once Raven defeated Trigon. It's really rainy and there's thunderstorms every now and again. I think things have gotten better," Timid answered.
"But, why does it rain, friend?" Starfire asked.
"Cause Raven is a little sad sometimes…I guess?" Timid explained. Beastboy felt himself twitch once he listened to her. "I don't really know much when it comes to the weather here. I never really thought about it."
"Doom and gloom is Timid," Lust said, "We have guests. You can at least spare a bit of sun."
"I'm sorry…"
"Hey, Lust, why don't you shut it? You know this doesn't help anyone, right?" Envy snapped. The rain started to pick up, "See what you did? You can be so rude!"
The bickering started almost instantly, energies beginning to flare. Knowledge cleared her throat.
"Not here, guys. We have guests, remember?" Knowledge said, intervening. Love walked by Timid, offering her support. Even Rage moved in, remaining silent but calm.
"Don't worry, Timid. You didn't do anything wrong," Love said. Rage nodded in agreement.
"Thank you," the grey emotion said again. Once more, they started to walk.
"How much longer till we reach your home?" Wisdom asked.
"Not too long. I'm sorry about the mud," she replied. She lifted her cloak, the ends brown and murky. Wisdom shrugged.
"We can clean it up later," Wisdom said. She started to float, prompting the other emotions to follow. "This can help."
"That is a wonderful idea," Starfire said, lifting herself, "But what about Beastboy?"
"Don't worry! I don't mind getting wet," he replied. He closed the umbrella and stood by Timid, "Lead the way."
Timid started to float forward with Beastboy following close behind. She felt so sad with the state of her home; the sun would not rise here today. As her thoughts remained anguished, the rain started to pick up again. Beastboy was soon drenched, knowing full well that she was the cause of it. Timid grew even sadder knowing he was getting wet.
"Hey Timid?"
"Yes?"
"Its okay. I like the rain, this is okay," he said. There was a spark between the two that Starfire and Happy noticed. With giggles and grins, they took to bouncing in the air, unable to contain themselves. Even Love joined in, causing the other emotions to watch. There was a soothing feeling falling over the emotions and Beastboy. Timid lowered her head, nodding in thanks. The rain, this time, started to lighten up.
Once they reached Timid's home, Beastboy and Starfire took it all in. They were in front of what looked like an abandon house. The front door was broken, windows shattered with glass all over. Amongst the creaks and crevices were spider webs.
"We're here."
"You sleep here?" Beastboy asked, looking at her. Timid nodded. "Want to…want to show us inside?"
"You sure? My place is kind of creepy…"
"We would still like to see. Is that okay?" Starfire asked, landing on the ground beside them. The rain was starting to pick up again.
"C'mon, Timid. Give them the grand tour!" Brave chipped in.
"Uh… are you sure ..my place is kind of creepy?" Timid finally spoke.
"Don't worry. We'll be quick!" Happy said. Beastboy twitched again; Starfire, Love, Lust and Rage noticed.
"Okay. Come in," Timid said, her fingers brushing against the door. It fell to the floor; she stepped in. The home was dark and cold, covered in various shades of grey. As Beastboy looked about, he saw wreckage, spider webs and emptiness. He spotted a few tools scattered around, set aside for fixing up the place. As they passed through a few rooms, they spotted the oddly clean and functional bathroom. Approaching the last room, Beastboy saw more spiders and dust scattered along the bedroom. There was no door, the nearby mirror was shattered, dresser on the floor and the windows had seen better days. Towards the center of her room was a bed, a hole directly above. With the rain pouring in, the sheets were already soaked. Beastboy approached the area, looking at the mirror.
"You can't actually sleep here…"
"I do, sometimes," she replied, shrugging. She looked over at him, seeing how miserable he was.
"But, you have rain fall on you all night."
"Yeah."
"How can you sleep like that?" he asked, looking at her in disbelief. Starfire made a sad face.
"Its not so bad when you get used to it," she said. The rain started to pick up again.
"Have you ever tried patching the hole up?"
"I did try once but then I fell and forgot about it. Don't worry; I spend most of my nights with Happy, Knowledge, Love, Wisdom or Brave," she said, giving him a false smile.
"Alright, lets get going. Next is Brave's realm. You'll like it more there."
Everyone began to move outside, excited to leave the broken home. Timid was the last to exit, pausing to pick up the door and place it back in.
"Wait. Where is Beastboy?" Starfire asked, looking around. The emotions took a turn, not seeing him anywhere.
"I don't see him here," Wisdom answered.
"Did he move ahead without us?" Envy asked.
"He wouldn't know where to go," Knowledge pointed out. Love turned back to the house.
"He must still be inside," she said. Everyone went back in, staying in the living room to hear something. A few seconds passed before they heard footsteps thudding not too far off. Rage was the first to move, following the noise to Timid's room. She walked in, seeing no one in. Wisdom, Knowledge, Happy, Envy and Brave went outside, looking through the woods. The other emotions lingered, (with Starfire in tow) hoping to find him.
"Where is he?" Rage hissed, scanning the room.
"I don't know. Let's take a closer look," Lust said, stepping into Timid's room. She approached the mirror, eying herself with a flirty grin.
"Maybe he did go ahead without us," Love suggested, not spotting Beastboy around. Starfire, Timid and Rage nodded. There was a moment of silence before the ceiling started to creak. Beastboy fell through the roof, catching everyone by surprise; they screamed. Love jumped back, Timid covered herself in her hood, ready to disappear. Starfire stood ready, hands glowing green with energy. Rage stood beside her, eyes glowing with power.
"Oh hey guys! You didn't go ahead," he said, standing up. He started to dust himself. Rage approached him, slapping the male across the face. He fell again.
"Don't you ever scare us like that again!"
"I'm sorry! I swear I wasn't trying to scare you guys! I was just trying to fix the roof but I fell," he said, holding his hands up in defeat. Starfire helped him up, Love calming Timid down.
"What? Why?" Rage asked.
"It's wet so it's really hard for me to keep my footing.
"What happened?" Lust asked, running in.
"Beastboy…Why were you on the roof?"
"Well," he started, ready to explain himself. Brave who came in, jumping when she realized he was there, cut him off. Happy, Envy, Wisdom and Knowledge followed her in.
"What happened? Who needs a butt kicking?"
"Beastboy!" Rage hissed out.
"But Beastboy was merely trying to fix the hole above Timid's bed," Starfire explained.
"What?" Timid mumbled, calming down from the scare, "Why would you?"
"Beastboy. That is something she needs to do on her own," Wisdom said.
"Why?"
"Raven said we couldn't help Timid. She forbid us," Envy answered, looking at the floor.
"That doesn't make sense! Why would she?"
"Because if I can fix this place by myself, Raven will have more confidence. I've tried many times but it's harder then it looks," she said, looking at the broken mirror.
"What happens if you get help?" Starfire asked.
"I'll get yelled at."
"Ok. I get it," Beastboy said, picking up some nails and a hammer. "You're saying that they can't help you, right?" Timid nodded. "Good. I'll help."
"You can't! She'll yell at you too!" Timid said.
"Just let it go, Beastboy," Envy said.
"I just can't do that."
"Why?" Happy asked.
"I want to help Timid fix this place up. I know that Raven can be really hard on herself sometimes. But, Timid needs help and I'm here for her. If Raven has a problem with that, then I'll talk to her. Sorry, Star. If you want to see the rest of the realms, you can go with the others."
"I wish to help as well," she said. She approached him as he walked out of the room and towards the back door. Timid and her sisters stayed back for a bit. She flushed, mumbling a small thank you. Even from a few doors away, the emotions could hear Beastboy and Starfire talking about fixing the roof.
"Did Beastboy just challenge Raven?" Brave asked.
"Yes. He did," Rage answered, walking out of the room. She was actually smiling, unable to restrain it. Beastboy rarely challenged Raven on anything important. Usually, it was something so small like games or bets; it always got a rise out of Happy, Brave, and Envy. When it was something important, he would always fight for what he thought was right. Raven would always back away, taking time to calm herself before seeing his opinion. There was a fire in his eyes, something that she learned to love.
"BB just put his big boy pants on, guys. Let's watch what happens next," Lust said. Knowledge, Wisdom and Envy glanced at each other.
"Let's take the kitchen," Wisdom said, walking away with them.
"But, why? Raven will get mad and it'll be all my fault," Timid said, ready to cry. She tried to blink away the tears.
"Timid, its okay," she heard. She looked up from a hole in the ceiling, seeing Beastboy's face. He smiled at her, hair stuck all over his face as he worked. "Don't worry. I promise you won't get yelled at. Trust me."
"Beastboy, I found some nails," Starfire called out from the rooftop.
"Great! Put them over here and we're going to start over by the living room. Then we'll move up here," he explained, disappearing from the hole. Noise broke out from the roof. Back in the bedroom, Timid lowered her head, staring at her feet. Love approached her.
"You alright?"
"Come, girl. Don't cry. You didn't do anything wrong," Brave said, patting her shoulder.
"No. I'm just really happy. I like it when we're all together like this. I'm just glad you're all helping me. I've been meaning to ask for help. So, thank you," she said, wiping her face with her cloak.
"Don't thank us! Thank Beastboy!" Happy said.
"I will."
"Let's take care of the living room, Brave," Happy said, running out the door, "RACE YA!"
"No fair! You didn't even say go!" Brave yelled back, running out the room.
"Timid, let's fix your room," Love said. Everyone got to work towards repairing her home. For once, there was noise and bustle in her home. Timid smiled softly, enjoying the warmth that her emotions, Beastboy, and Starfire brought. She welcomed change.
The hour's pass.
Beastboy, Starfire, Lust, and Rage were on the roof but only Beastboy and Starfire worked. It was up to them to patch up all the holes. Starfire held an umbrella over him, preventing the rain from obstructing his view. Both emotions did not want to do anything when it came to fixing the roof. Both emotions focused on watching Beastboy work, wet with a tight suit; both smirked in appreciation. Beastboy busied himself with working with the tile. He slipped a few times but Starfire was there to catch him. Lust, after watching for a while, tried to reach for him, wanting a hug.
"Knock it off. I can't fly like you," he said. Love and Timid looked up and went up towards the roof. They could hear the steps getting closer to the hole above her bed.
"Calm down, Beastboy. I just want to make sure I'm close to you. I can catch you when you gall, ya know?"
Starfire grinned. She knew what Lust was doing and found it oddly cute.
I wonder if friend Raven would be mad if I didn't do anything.
"I can't focus if you're trying!" he said. He took a step, falling through the hole. He landed on Timid's bed, gripping onto the sheets.
"Beastboy! Are you the okay?" Starfire asked, looking down. Lust and Rage stood beside her, glancing over.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Do you think you can patch that last hole, Star? I don't want to fall again," he said, slowly sitting up.
"Leave it to me!"
"Beastboy, are you sure you're okay?" Love asked. Timid stood behind her sister.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"I wanted to thank you for everything you're doing," Timid said. She held her hands in front of herself, giving him a light bow.
"Everyone is doing their part, I think…Not sure if Lust or Rage will do anything," he said. He looked up and saw the hole was covered. Finally, he was out of the rain. "Can you turn on the light here? It's kinda dark."
"Give me a sec," Love said, approaching the door. She flicked the switch, lighting up the room.
"I see you got the dresser off the floor and fixed the back door. You even repaired the windows. That just leaves the mirrors next to fix."
"Beastboy?" Timid asked, gaining his attention. He turned his attention to her.
So innocent…
"Please dry off. I believe you've done enough," Timid said. The rain was rather light, a ray of light shinning on Beastboy. He was still soaking in his suit.
"I should get out of this but I don't have anything to wear."
"You can use the bathroom here. There are some towels," Love offered. He nodded, leaving the room for the bathroom. He walked past the kitchen and saw it was getting cleaned up. He took a small peek into the living room and saw that it was also cleaned up.
Why is no one using their powers? Not sure if that matters or not but still…
He entered the bathroom, shutting the door behind himself. He removed his shirt and gloves, grabbing a towel to dry himself with. He thought it would be best to leave his pants on. After all, the house was currently filled with girls. After a while, he left the restroom, his shirt left on the shower to hang and dry. Beastboy entered Timid's room, finding everyone there.
"Hey guys! What's up?" he started. The emotions looked over, taking note of his dry naked sin. Starfire smiled in the background, understanding the trespassing eyes.
"Why are you without your shirt?" Starfire asked.
"I let it dry off in the bathroom. You had an umbrella, I didn't," he said, running his hands through his wet hair.
"Anyways," Knowledge started. She paused, adjusting her glasses, "We are here to discuss something important."
"What is it?" Starfire asked. Envy stepped forward.
"We talked over and think we've done enough here. Timid should be able to take care of the rest."
"But, there is still so much work to do! We can't stop now!"
They remained silent. Starfire looked around the room, pleading.
"We know, Star. But this is something Timid needs to do herself," Wisdom said.
"I understand. But, Beastboy…Please tell them we still have to help Timid," she said. Beastboy approached the broken mirror, picking up the glass pieces. He started to place them where they belonged. More and more it looked like Timid started to become whole. He started at his own fractured image; everyone was looking at him from behind his form.
C'mon, Star. Why did you put this all on me? I have to think of something cool to say! Maybe I should just be honest instead.
"Timid," he said, approaching her. She had taken a seat on the edge of the bed, staring at her hands.
"Yes?" she mumbled.
"Can you handle the rest on your own?"
"Yes. I believe I can," she admitted. Finally, she looked up, flashing a bright smile.
"Okay. I will leave it to you. Just know that I'll be sometime soon and I expect this place to be awesome!" he said. She slowly stood, wrapping her arms around him.
"I will do my best," she said. He embraced her back and she sighed softly, molding into him. He felt so comforting.
"Don't you think you should put on a shirt?" Envy asked.
"Lucky her," Lust whispered. Timid pulled away, squeaking and flushing. She looked ready to faint.
"Alright, BB! Put on your shirt and give us a moment," Brave said. She grabbed his arm, spinning him towards the door. Once he was out, she morphed a magic green door, keeping it locked. "Okay, Starfire. We need to talk!"
"Can't Beastboy talk with us?"
"Let's just say its girl talk," Lust explained.
"What do you wish to speak about?"
"How do we put an end to this?" Love asked.
"We want you to be the one to tell Raven what happened here," Happy explained.
"Why? If I do then you all will get into trouble. Besides, Beastboy is the one who want to take the responsibility."
"No. Raven would listen to you but fight with Beastboy if he told her."
"You see…Raven is very strict when it comes to the care of her mind," Envy said.
"We didn't use our powers because Raven doesn't want us to rely on them too much," Wisdom added.
"We are afraid that if this is not handled with great care, Raven will close herself from the team…From Beastboy," Knowledge said.
"This is why we would like for you to tell her what happened," Timid added.
"I see. Then I will do as you ask and speak to her myself," Starfire answered. She saw the green door disappear. The emotions, with the understanding of the agreement, started to disperse from the room. They found Beastboy in the living room, sweeping the floor.
"All done!"
"Yep. And, so are you. Put the broom down buster or we will use force!" Happy warned. Brave, Lust, Envy, Rage, and Wisdom stood behind her, giving him a warning look. Beastboy took one glance and dropped the broom, holding his hands up to surrender. He tilted his head, looking outside.
"Catch me if you can!" he started. Transforming into a cat, he sprinted off. Brave pointed at the door.
"GET HIM!" she yelled. The emotions ran out, hurdling towards him. He moved quickly, morphing into other animals to keep out of their view.
"Quickly! He ran off into the woods. Search and report back!" Lust yelled. The emotions spread out, beginning their search. Starfire, Love, Knowledge, and Timid remained, sitting in the living room.
"I hope Beastboy doesn't make a mess," Love said, smiling at the group.
"It would be just like him to clean everything…and then mess it up somehow," Knowledge added.
"Mhm. I would like to thank you all, friends. You have been so nice to Beastboy."
"We should be thanking him."
"I wish that Raven would be a bit nicer to him," Love said.
"I believe she will get there one day," Starfire replied, grinning at the emotion. She turned her head, seeing Beastboy come out of Timid's room. "Were you not outside?"
"Nope! I just gave them the slip. I wanted to do one more thing in the room before we leave."
"Oh! That's right, it is time for you guys to go," Knowledge said, standing. She blinked, her eyes glowing with power. Quickly, she sent out a message to her sisters.
"What else did you want to do to my room?" Timid asked.
"I'll show ya. Come on!" he said. He took Timid's hand and led her to the room. Her doorway had a bed sheet tucked over it, hiding away her room. The door was still broken, set aside for repair. "I know how much Raven likes her privacy so I knew you'd like some, too. Also, take a look at the window."
Timid sat on her bed, turning her body to glance at the window. She saw nothing. Tilting her head in confusion, she eyed Beastboy. He pointed to the bottom-half of the window but she still saw nothing.
What is he talking about? I don't see anything!
Finally, she got a clear look. Etched into the wood were a few words.
I believe in you.
Timid's eyes began to water. She looked up from the writing to Beastboy's smiling face.
"Always," he said. She nodded, the tears flowing freely down her face. There was silence in the room, appreciation hung how in the air. Wisdom entered after a while.
"Beastboy, we have to go," she said. She looked at her sister, "Timid, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, let's go," she replied. Outside, the sun was shinning down on the house. The other emotions looked out the fixed windows, appreciating the warmth. Whatever Beastboy had done left Timid in high spirits. Wisdom walked out her room, leaving Beastboy and Timid alone for a moment.
"Thank you," she said, voice light but happy. She flashed him her innocent smile.
"Anytime," he replied. He walked out, joining the others in the living room. After cleaning her face up, Timid joined everyone.
"Sorry I took so long. Let's go," she said. As they left the house, the group approached one of the forbidden doors. For a little while, the group sat nearby the door, relaxing and talking. They discussed Happy's realm and the events from before. Even Rude had joined in. Beastboy explained his first day to Starfire who loved every moment of it. Even the emotions listened on, happy to hear the story again. After a while, Raven appeared.
"You ready?" she asked.
"Yep! What about you, Star?" Beastboy asked; she nodded in response. Beastboy waved goodbye to the group, accepting a few hugs from some of the emotions. Starfire, however, hugged as many as possible.
"I am ready, friend Raven. Let us go," she said. Before Raven opened the door to the Tower, Knowledge and Wisdom pulled Starfire back in. Raven nodded, waiting for the small talk to end. A few minutes later, Beastboy and Starfire found themselves in Raven's room again. Raven was sitting on her bed, unfolding from her lotus pose. Raven opened her eyes, seeing Starfire on Beastboy's lap, arms around his chest. There was a twinge of rage and envy that seeped into her expression.
"Starfire, can you please get off?" Beastboy asked.
"Sorry, Beastboy!" she replied with a giggle. Sliding off of him, she straightened herself, "Thank you for allowing me to visit your mind, Raven. It was most enjoyable!"
"You had fun?" Raven asked, arching a brow. Starfire and Beastboy nodded. "Guess everything went fine then. Wisdom mentioned there was something you had to tell me?"
"Right! Raven…Well," Beastboy started. Starfire stepped forward.
"Beastboy!" she yelped, making him pause, "Raven and I need to have the girl talk right now." She grabbed his arm, tugging him out of the room. "Please give us a moment!" Before he could answer, he was shoved out, the door closing behind him. Hands in defeat, Beastboy stepped back from the room.
"Fine! I'll just see what Cy is doing," he said to himself. Shaking his head, he started to walk down the hall in search of his friend.
"What did you want to tell me, Star?" Raven asked, taking a seat back on her bed. Starfire joined her, taking a seat beside the empath.
"First, I would like to thank you again for letting me inside your mind. It has been most pleasant," she started. Raven smiled gently, nodding in response, "I want you to know that Beastboy and I were told not to do something but we didn't listen."
"Told what?" she asked. She began to think everything over, her anger starting to show.
"We were told not to help Timid repair her home," she answered.
"If you two were told not to, then why…?"
"Raven," Starfire started. Her tone was serious, stopping Raven from thinking. It was a tone that Starfire used with Robin when it came to Slade. Instantly, Raven knew this would be really important. "First, you must know what happened. Once everything has been said you can talk to Beastboy."
"Okay…"
Starfire started to explain everything to Raven. She talked about meeting the emotions, Timid's question and Beastboy's answer. She talked about what Beastboy saw in Raven. She got a bit sidetracked as she talked about the games in Happy's realm. Soon enough, she discussed everything with Timid's realm; her smile had started to drop from there. She told Raven about the walk there and how Rude left before they even started the trek. When Starfire finally started to discuss the house, she took her time. She told Raven about the state of the house and the little work that Timid had tried to do.
Raven watched how Starfire's face went from worry to sadness. She told Raven everything. Raven wasn't sure if she could even be angry at this point. The emotions had tried to stop him but he grabbed the tools and went for it anyways. Beastboy was just being himself, helping others like he had done before. Starfire told Raven that, in the end, Beastboy had asked Timid if she could handle the rest on her own. She had smiled and said yes; that was enough for Beastboy.
Because of Beastboy, there was no rain in Timid's realm. There was actual sunshine and a happy smiling Timid. From there, the girls stayed in Raven's room, talking about everything in great detail. Starfire didn't speak of Lust's motive, believing that it was harmless. Soon after, Raven asked for some time alone to collect herself. Starfire agreed to leave her alone; she just had to talk to Beastboy before speaking to her emotions.
All the while, Beastboy was in the common room, playing video games. After a while, he got bored and went to Cyborg. His friend was working on his car as per usual.
"Hey, Cy. How was your day?"
"Been okay so far," he replied, looking over his friend for a second, "How was it in Raven's head with Star?"
"It was fun. Did you know that Raven has a theme park in her head?"
Beastboy took a nearby seat, watching his friend work.
"You sure we talking about Raven, BB?" Cyborg replied with a chuckle.
"I know! But, she does have a ton of games, rides and food. It's just as good as the real thing."
"Damn. Sounds like she has it all up there."
"You could say that. I was wondering if you could show me some tricks on home repair."
"Why? Did something happen with Raven's mind? Something you need fixing?"
"If that's the case, I would be running from my life and not talking to you," he joked.
"Sure. What do you want to know?"
"I was thinking it would be good to know some things. I could help around the tower, ya know? I know you like to do repairs by yourself but I think I should learn something just in case."
"You're scaring me, Beastboy."
"What? How?"
"What happened in Raven's head?"
"Dude. Just trust me. Nothing bad happen, you can even ask Star."
"You know what? I'll teach you but first you gotta finish your deal with Rae. You have a lot of lingo and tech to learn before we can really get started. You've got a lot to learn…wanna watch a movie and chill?" he asked suddenly. He closed the hood of his car and put away his tools. Beastboy shrugged a yes and left with Cyborg towards the common room. On their way, they met up with Raven.
"We need to talk," she said, stopping in front of the boys.
"See? You did do something! I knew it," Cyborg said with a smirk. One look at Raven and he knew she wasn't kidding. He took a step back, shaking his head. "See ya in a bit, Beastboy. If you survive!" He stepped away, walking towards the common room.
Raven took the lead with Beastboy following behind. He wasn't sure what he had done. Soon enough, they were by her door. She stood at the entrance, hand bracing against the metal.
"I just have one question," she started, stepping in as the door opened. She stayed by the entrance, "Why?"
Beastboy was scared at first. He didn't want to answer and make her mad again. But then, he remembered what he had done in Timid's realm.
I should just be honest.
"When I entered Timid's realm, I didn't expect to see a dark and wet forest. I didn't expect to see a broken down home," he explained, "While we were walking, I heard Timid explain that it was raining because you're somehow always sad. I understand the feeling. When she showed us her room…I just couldn't leave without doing something. I just couldn't help but try to fix it. Just knowing she slept under the rain pained me."
"Why?" she asked again. He stepped forward and looked her in the eyes.
"Because she's still you, Rae."
"Do you know why I told her that she needs to get it done herself?"
"Yes I do," he replied. He didn't care what Raven was going to do to him, "But you know what I saw in her realm."
"What? Sadness, fear, weakness or sorrows?"
"No. I never saw any of that there. I saw hope, the grass and the trees. All she needed was a little bit of sunshine. Her home has a long way to go but you won't get much if you don't help her. It's like you gave up on yourself. I, however, refuse to give up on you. I believe Timid only needed a little bit of a push to get started on her own."
He expected her to yell. He expected her to get angry and say something. All she did was just close the door and leave Beastboy in the hall. He wanted to knock and continue but…he had said his part. He had done enough. With a heavy sigh he left the door; he walked to the common room to meet up with Cyborg.
Raven sat on her bed, playing the music box. She picked it up and brought it over to the window.
"Why is he always right?" she grumbled. Raven took a moment, thinking everything over. With the music playing in the background, she found herself at peace. Traveling into her mind, she went to see the work done in Timid's realm.
And there ya go! Once again, thank you for reading my work. I welcome all questions, comments or concerns. Props go again to my fiancé for editing all of this. She works from scratch piece by piece on a daily basis.
I'll update soon!
Best,
SantoRamon