"I thought that going to bed earlier would mean you wouldn't be so tired." Mom said as I laid my head against the dinner table. "You always go to bed at 10:00. How are you still exhausted even after eight-and-a-half-hour nights?"
"Uh... restlessness?" I said, lifting my head.
Mom rolled her eyes. "Eat your breakfast. We have a few more minutes before we need to get going."
I nodded and ate my eggs and toast.
"You know, Mom..." I said, staring at my crumb-covered plate. "I'm really starting to understand what it means to stand for what's right."
Mom turned to me and smiled. "I'm so glad. You're growing up, Ciela, and you know I want the best for you. It's important for you to be yourself in this hectic world we live in. Don't you just wish you could take a vacation from this place?"
I chuckled and stood up with my dishes. "I know exactly what you mean, Mom."
With a substitute teacher in my English class, my last class before lunch, we have a free hour to work on our homework. Of course, all of my classmates interpreted it as "do nothing for an hour". I pulled out a book and started reading. Absentmindedly, I tuned in and out of the conversation going on behind me between a couple of boys.
"I mean it!" one boy said.
"Are you sure? Maybe you've been playing too much Call of Duty." another voice said.
"What does that have to do with anything?!"
"I've seen the series a dozen times, front and back. There's no way that I could've missed something as major as that." a third voice said.
"I'm serious, guys! That new Teen Titan just appeared out of nowhere! Maybe it's a remake of the series?" the first voice said.
I froze and quickly closed my book. I turned around in my seat.
"New Teen Titan? What are you talking about?" I said, nervously gripping the metal bar on the side of my desk.
"I'm surprised you don't know about it, Ciela. You're, like, the biggest nerd about the show." the second boy snorted.
"Know about what?" I said anxiously.
"Get this: I started watching the show again and I noticed there was a new female character in the Teen Titans. She's a weird one, that's for sure." the first boy said. "We've been debating whether or not she's psychic or from the future."
"Why would you debate that? What's so special about her?"
"She's always there to warn her comrades about events about to take place. I watched "Final Exam" yesterday and I was totally bummed that Gizmo didn't strap a rocket to Cyborg's back and blast him to Gotham City!"
"She could be breaking the fourth wall harder than Deadpool." the third boy said.
"What's the new Titan's name?"
"Actually, her name is also Ciela. That's probably why she's so weird." the three boys giggled. I turned around, too shocked to roll my eyes.
The bell rang, and I was the first to leave the classroom. I made a beeline for the library. After scribbling in my sign-in information with unreadable handwriting that could compete with a doctor's, I sat down and booted up a computer. I plugged in my headphones and pulled up the "Forces of Nature" episode.
The episode began with a first-person perspective of eyes opening in an empty room, with white walls and a desk propped against the wall.
"What...?" a voice mumbled, and I gasped. The angle had moved to the person who spoke.
It was me. I watched myself swing my legs over the side of the bed.
"Good morning, Ciela." Robin said as I looked up and saw the Teen Titans. I watched this scene take place once again, from the perspective of the screen, as the Titans welcomed me into their team. I paused the show on the image of my smiling face and I sat back in disbelief.
I'm changing the story. My mere presence is affecting everything. I thought. The question is... is that a good thing or a bad thing? Uh- bad thing, of course! What if someone figures out that's really me? Imagine what crazy government experiments I'll be put through!
I pressed play for another second and then paused it again. This time, the camera was on the Titans, who all had grins on their faces directed towards me.
But... there's nothing I can do to stop from going into the world. I still don't know what will happen after the series is over. And besides... The smiles of each Titan's face made one appear on mine. Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy... they're my friends. How could I ever bail on them? I need them... and they need me.
I pondered to myself. There are other scenes in episodes that I'm not a part of, especially in the first season when the scene pans to Slade plotting his next scheme. Are those scenes different now because I'm in the series?
Also... I can use my time in the real world to my advantage. I can study the next episode ahead of time, increase my knowledge even further, and help the Titans out more during their troubles.
I smiled to myself. I closed the internet window, logged off the computer, and left the library.
I entered Ops and saw Raven meditating in the center of the room. Very quietly, I closed the doors and sat down at the dining table. As Raven chanted in an entranced drone, Starfire entered the room.
"Greeting, my female friends." she said. Raven flinched from her sudden jolt back to reality. "Forgive me for my interruption. Have either of you seen Robin, Cyborg, or Beast Boy?"
"No, Starfire. I think they would be here annoying me, too, if they were." Raven said.
Starfire held her hands together. "They must be in another place doing the hanging out." Starfire's eyes lit up. "Perhaps we should do the hanging out as well! You simply must join us, Raven; it is most fun! We might journey to the mall of shopping and eat unhealty amounts of food, or perhaps perform maneuvers on each other's hair while we engage in small talk, or-"
"As fun as that sounds, I think I'll pass."
"Oh... Very well." Starfire crept over and sat next to me. "I do wonder where our friends might be."
"Three... two... one..." I said.
"MAIL CALL!" The doors flew open, and Cyborg, Robin, and Beast Boy came in. Raven screamed and fell to the ground.
"Welcome back, friends! You were dearly missed!" Starfire said.
Cyborg set down a large crate that was in his arms. On the side of the crate was a label that read: "TO: TEEN TITANS - TITANS TOWER".
"We found this outside the Tower. Any idea who it could be from?" Cyborg said.
"Not to brag, but it might be fan mail for me. After all, my admirers can't get enough of me." Beast Boy said. Cyborg rolled his eyes.
"I don't see any return address." Robin said.
"Let's just crack this open and see what's inside." Cyborg said, opening the crate and peering inside. He reached in and pulled out a puppet designed just like him. "Aw, ain't this the cutest me I've ever seen!"
Raven held up her puppet. "Whoever made this, they sure had a lot of free time."
"Nevertheless, the effort they placed in producing these devices is certainly evident!" Starfire said, making her puppet dance.
As the Titans played with their dolls, I walked over and peeked inside the crate. My blood ran cold as I stared at the remaining puppet in the box. I reached in and picked it up. It was of me! It, however, was dressed in my oversized clothing from when I first came here instead of my new outfit.
"Aren't these simply wonderful?" Starfire said, flying her puppet over to mine.
"Um... yeah..." I said, setting my puppet on the table. Chills flowed down my spine. I dug my hand into the hay that cushioned the toys and felt something wooden underneath. I gasped and yanked my hand out of the box.
The Puppet King. He's in there.
I glanced down at my puppet. I picked it up and scowled as I stared into its black eyes.
He can't have this. I have to hide it.
Before I went to sleep, I stuffed my puppet underneath my pillow. I had a hard time to fall asleep; nerves and paranoia kept me awake. When I did manage to sleep, I awoke a few hours later to sounds. I gasped and sat up straight.
He's alive.
I climbed out of bed, grabbed my puppet, and crept down the hallways. I headed to the training room. As I walked in, I paused when my darkened reflection startled me. Taking a moment to calm my racing heart, I laid my puppet on the ground and grabbed the heaviest weight I could lift. With a grunt, I lifted the weight up and brought it down. There was a loud smash as the weight came down right on top of my puppet, and the demon toy shattered into pieces. I picked up the pieces, walked to the window, and scattered the bits out. I watched them fall into the ocean.
Well, I'm safe... for now.
I crept through the hallways. A chilling laughter echoed through the building, and I froze as a drop of sweat trickled down the back of my neck. I heard footsteps coming towards me. Doing the stupid thing, I followed the sound. I turned the corner, coming face-to-face with two silhouettes.
The three of us screamed in fright, and the shrieks coming from the other two sounded familiar.
"Oh, Ciela, it is you!" Starfire cried, wrapping her arms around me. "Thank goodness! You have heard the strange noises, too, yes?"
"Yeah, I did." I said.
"We checked the boys' rooms, but they weren't there." Raven said. "Mind telling us what's going on?"
A cannon ray shot between us and crashed into the wall next to us. We gasped and backed away. We looked down the hallway and saw the three Titan boys run toward us, their eyes glowing light blue. Robin lunged at Starfire with a kick while Beast Boy, transformed into a dinosaur, charged at Raven with a gaping mouth filled with sharp teeth. Cyborg launched his fist at me, and I jumped into the wall.
"Guys, knock it off!" Raven said. "This isn't funny!"
"They can't hear you!" I said, dodging another of Cyborg's punches. "They're not themselves anymore!"
Cyborg threw another punch at me. I brought my arms up in an attempt to block. His fist connected with my forearms, and I tumbled down the hallway. I pulled myself to my knees, and when I looked up, I saw Starfire and Raven thrashing in Cyborg's arms while the other two stood around them.
"Friends, why are you acting like this?" Starfire said.
"They're not your friends anymore. They are my puppets." The Puppet King emerged from the shadows, his hands behind his back. He pulled one out, revealing the real Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Robin trapped inside their respective puppets. "Your friends are right here."
"Help... us...!" the boys cried.
"Release them!" Raven said.
"Sorry, but you're not the one in command here- I am." The Puppet King raised his other hand, which had his special remote, up to the girls while Robin and Beast Boy held their puppets out. They began to glow blue as The Puppet King started to remove their souls from their bodies. "Do not try and fight. With your bodies under my control, they will rule this city."
"Azarath... metrion... zinthos." Raven grunted before the girls' bodies went limp. A blast of astral magic burst from her, knocking the boys to the ground. The Puppet King's controller flew across the hallway, and he scrambled to retrieve it.
"Ciela! Hurry!" I heard Starfire call. The girls disappeared down the hallway. I picked up into a run and followed them out of the Tower.
We headed into town, turned into an alley, and jumped through a sewer grate. We remained silent as footsteps passed over us.
"Oh... Whatever are we going to do?" Starfire said.
I reached into the dark and fumbled for a lightswitch. I found the string attached and yanked it, turning on the lightbulb that dangled above us.
It was silent while Starfire and Raven stared at each other with wide eyes.
"...Starfire?" Raven said, her voice coming from Starfire's body.
Starfire gasped. "You are me! And I am you!"
A small burst of astral magic escaped from Raven's chakra, hitting the lightbulb and leaving us in the dark again.
"Great..." Raven said.
We found a manhole, and Starfire managed to blow it off using Raven's magic. She grabbed it to stop its loud clattering and we climbed out.
"Oh, this is awful!" Starfire cried. A mailbox melted nearby.
"Starfire, you have to calm down. My powers are driven by emotion. If you don't learn to control yourself while your in my body, it'll cause my powers to go haywire." Raven sighed and turned to me. "Okay, so the boys are possessed by the Puppet King while Starfire and I are trapped in each other's bodies. Why are you unaffected?"
"I destroyed my puppet before the Puppet King could try and use it against me." I said. "Besides, I'm just as affected by... this... as you are."
"What must we do to fix this problem?" Starfire said.
"We'll have to work together. Especially you two."
"...Do I have to?" Raven said.
The caw of a bird caught our attention, and we looked up and saw Beast Boy circling above us as a crow.
"Run!" I cried. We sprinted into the nearest alley. As we ran, Raven tried and failed many times to fly.
"Okay... How do you fly this thing?" Raven said, staring at her hands.
"On my planet, emotions are also greatly connected to our powers. What we feel determines how they work." Starfire said.
"So... What do you feel for flying?"
"Unbridled joy."
"Um... That's not really my thing."
Something growled behind us, and we froze and turned around. Beast Boy, now as a tiger, slowly crept toward us.
"What do I have to do to use starbolts?" Raven said.
"Righteous fury!"
"Your alien strength?"
"Boundless confidence!"
Raven growled. "Nevermind."
We turned a corner, and a shadow landed in front of us. Robin's glowing blue eyes glared at us. Beast Boy stood behind us. They both lunged, and we jumped out of the way and ran.
"I must... catch my breath..." Starfire wheezed. She stopped and leaned against the wall.
"Maybe you shouldn't stand there..." I said.
A pair of fists drove through the wall. I grabbed the two girls while Starfire screamed. A burst of astral energy launched Raven in the air, taking the two of us with her. We fell on the roof of the building. The Titan boys followed us to the top.
"I can't fly, so you have to levitate and get us out of here." Raven said to Starfire. "Do you know the words I always say?"
"Yes!" Starfire took a deep breath.
"Wait, you need to focus first!"
"Azarath metrion zinthos!"
I latched onto Starfire's arm while Raven grabbed the other, and the three of us flew up into the air at blinding speeds.
"Slow down!" Raven said.
"I do not know how!" Starfire said. "I wish to stop! Please tell me the way to stop!"
"Look at the ground and imagine-" Raven said. Immediately, Starfire looked at the ground. "No, wait!"
The three of us plunged in a pile of garbage. Starfire wrinkled her nose in disgust as she pulled a banana peel off her shoulder.
"Quick, hide." Raven said, and we ducked underneath the garbage as Cyborg and Robin passed by. "I think they're gone..."
"Wait." I said, sinking the three of us lower against the garbage.
We heard squeaking sounds, which was Beast Boy as a mouse. He sniffed the garbage. I glanced at the girls and pressed a finger to my lips. Sweat trickled down Starfire's forehead.
"Enough!" We heard the Puppet King cry. "We will focus on the other three after the ceremony is complete."
"What ceremony?" Cyborg said.
"Just a little spell that will destroy you three. If I want to have control over your bodies, I don't want you in the way. Come, my puppets."
The Puppet King and his mindless slaves left. When the coast was clear, Raven threw the garbage bags off us, and we stood up.
"Quickly, we must follow them!" Starfire said, tugging on Raven's arm.
"What good will we do now? Neither of us can use each other's powers properly. Ciela and I will be sitting ducks while your emotions blow us all to bits." Raven said.
"Even if I cannot control them properly, at least I am able to use your powers! If you did not spend so much of your time being grumpy and rude, you would be able to feel something!"
"In case you haven't noticed, my emotions are dangerous. I can't afford to feel anything." Raven folded her arms and turned her back on us. "You may have my body, but you know nothing about you."
Starfire calmed down. "Perhaps... you are right."
"If you guys want to get us out of this mess, you two need to work together." I said. "Maybe it'll be better if you two shared about each other."
"All right..." Raven said.
Using a combined force of Raven and Starfire's powers, we made it inside the old theater where the Puppet King was. We watched the Puppet King pour a vial of liquid into a cauldron of rising blue fire. Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg's puppets were held up against a piece of cardboard.
"Do not worry; I'll take good care of your bodies. After all, I'll have them for the rest of forever." the Puppet King said, holding the Titan puppets over the fire. Starfire stretched her hand out, covered the boys with astral magic, and brought them over to her.
"Friends! You are safe!" Starfire said, hugging them tightly.
"Star... fire?" Robin said.
"It's a long story." Raven said.
"Capture them, my puppets! Bring them to me!" the Puppet King cried.
"Ciela, you keep the boys safe. We'll handle the minions." Raven said as the three possessed boys charged at us.
Starfire placed the puppet boys in my arms. I nodded and ran down the railing. I jumped up and grabbed onto a rope, which I used to slide down to the main floor.
"You're the Titan who escaped my plan." the Puppet King said. "How could you possibly have figured it out?"
"I'm a lot smarter than you think." I said. "I also know that destroying that remote in your hands will reverse everything- even you. So, be a doll and hand that over, will you?"
"Never! My puppets! Come to me!" The Puppet King raised his remote. I gasped as the three boys jumped down and surrounded me.
"Raven!" I cried, throwing the puppet boys into the air. Raven flew over and caught them.
"Leave her alone!" Raven cried. She thrust her arm out, and a starbolt shot from her hand. It crashed to the ground in front of the Puppet King. He cried out and fell to the ground. His remote flew out of his hand and into the cauldron.
I watched the light show as the souls of my friends returned to their proper bodies. I sighed and leaned against the wall.
"We are normal again!" Starfire said, clapping her hands together.
"It's all thanks to you three." Robin said.
Starfire grinned and wrapped her arms around me and Raven. "We have done it!"
"Please don't hug me." Raven mumbled.
