Titans Beyond

Episode 10: Different Side

Author: Brruundin

Warning, I do not own the Titans or any other DC characters I may use.

Weeks have passed, and the Titans were not really getting closer to figuring out how to stop Slade's plan. Robin was growing more frustrated each day, especially since Chang had not really died. (His pill merely slowed down his heart rate enough to make him appear dead, and then when he was left alone downstairs a few hours later, he quickly got away and Robin was quite furious when he learned about this.)

However, the Titans were also not really seeing much of an increase of crime of any kind, so they have had sort of a break lately, growing idle and bored, trying to make the most out of it. All of this down time has given the Titans a lot of time to think as well, Jinx especially was growing more torn between her old friends and the Titans; and Kid Flash and Vibe. However, the time mostly affected Raven, who was had decided to go back to her old ways of no emotion, when she realized in what was no use to feel for things that she truly couldn't grasp. But then one day something interesting happened to change her views on things completely.

One early morning, Starfire was getting ready for anything the day was going to throw at her. She woke up at her usual 5:30 am, to stretch, workout, shower, dress, cook, eat and wait for the other Titans to start the day. She was cheerfully going about her tasks, when a thought comes across her head, "What if friend Raven would like to participate in these activities?" She knew Raven was going through a lot emotionally after the long talk the girls had at Terra's house a few weeks back, and she knew this could be a good change for Raven. So Starfire decides to quietly leave her room, to not disturb the others, and goes down the other hall to Raven's room. She knocks on Raven's door three times, loud enough to alert Raven, but trying not to wake the others. Starfire hears a faint sigh and movement over towards the door. The door slowly opens just a few inches so that Starfire can barely see more than Raven's eyes and messy purple hair.

"Starfire do you realize what time it is?" Raven asks, confused on to why Starfire would be disturbing her sleep at this hour.

"Oh I am very sorry to disturb your sleep, friend Raven, but I was curious to know if you wanted to participate in my morning activities with me. I know you have been struggling with emotions lately, and usually working out helps me deal with my emotions, so I thought it might help you." Starfire adds in, then smiles.

"Umm I'll think I'll pass this morning Starfire." Then Raven slowly shuts the door and heads back over to her bed and sits down. Once she was woken up, she couldn't go back to sleep so she decides to begin to mediate, "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos, Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos, Azarath…." Raven goes on and on, trying to clear her head, finding inner peace. Then another knock on the door interrupts her, Raven once again sighs and heads towards the door, opening it a little more this time. Again Starfire is at the door, smiling very brightly.

"Yes Starfire?" Raven asks, starting to become irritable with her fellow Titan.

"Oh again sorry to disturb you friend Raven, but I overheard you mediating and would very much so like to participate with you, if that is okay?" Starfire asks, still smiling very at her friend.

"Umm sure, I guess that's fine, come in." Raven says, opening the door wide enough so Starfire could enter.

They both begin to sit down, while Raven begins to brew up some tea with what she has in her room. Cyborg and Beast Boy thought it would be nice to make something for her on her birthday a while back, and decided to make a tea machine, something Cyborg was extremely proud of. Raven was glad they did this, for it eliminated multiple trips back and forth to the kitchen.

"Okay Starfire, do you remember what I told you about mediation, it's the focus of the mind, let everything go, clear your head, focus on a calm place and go there." Raven says, beginning to sit down next to Starfire and begins to join her in chant.

A few hours pass, and then Starfire begins to stop and interrupt Raven. "That was quite wonderful friend Raven, thank you it reminds me of the times when I was a little girl on Tamaran and my mother would read to me stories before I would go to bed." Raven then looks up at Starfire very sadly; this then causes some confusion with Starfire.

"Is everything okay friend Raven? Did something that was said sadden you?" Starfire asks, trying to figure out what bothered Raven all of a sudden.

"No Starfire, it's just that it's been a long time since I've seen my mother. The thought of her just brought back a lot of difficult memories, I'm not even sure if she is still alive or not," Raven says, very solemnly while a tear sheds from her face. Starfire cannot recall a time when she has seen Raven cry, so she is very alarmed when she notices this.

"Oh Raven, I am so very sorry, I did not know. Maybe you should go find out the whereabouts of your mother, I'm sure she would be thrilled if you went and visited her." Starfire adds in, trying to find something to help cheer Raven up.

Raven then lets a sort of half smile come across her face and begins to clear her throat. "Yeah Starfire, that sounds like a good idea, I'm going to do that. But you could give me a little bit of time to myself, I'd really appreciate it." Raven responds, heading back over to her bed.

"Of course Raven, I very much understand." Starfire says, then gets up, and quickly leaves Raven's room. Raven then begins to really focus in on her destination, "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos, Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos, Azarath…." Then a flash of light appears, and transports Raven into a far off world. A familiar world, covered in beautiful golden sand, the winds blows through, but no other sound was heard. She could see a few buildings off in the distant, and begins to heads towards them. When she gets closer she sees the place she knew her mother last resided at, so heads inside. When she enters, the place is very quiet, and looks like no one been in there in ages. Raven lets out a soft sigh and turns around. But before she could take a step, she hears a familiar sweet soothing voice, "Who goes there, turn around and show yourself."

"Mother," Raven says very excitedly, and turns around and sees a familiar face.

"Raven, what are you doing here?" Raven's mother, Arella, says very surprised.

"Oh mother I have missed you, I came to you because I have been problems lately and I don't know what to do. Then a friend of mine mentioned something, and it reminded me of you. I decided that you may know what I should do, so I hope you can help me." Raven answers, while running towards her mother, leaning in for a hug, something Raven really needed right now.

"Of course my daughter, what is your problem?" Arella adds in, holding her daughter very closely.

"Mother as you know, I am finally free from Trigon's power. So I should finally be able to feel emotion again, but it's hard, because I don't know how to express how I am feeling to friends or others. I want to be able to love mother, to feel joy, to feel sorrow, to be excited. But every day I just go on feeling cold and emotionless. I thought that being free from Trigon's spell would fix this, but it hasn't and it wasn't until recently that I realized this. What do I do? Help me." Raven says, letting go of her mother to inform her of her difficulties.

"Well my daughter, it doesn't seem that way to me, when you first realized it was me, you were filled with joy and emotion. I am sure you are perfectly fine my daughter, do not worry." Arella says, explaining to her daughter that everything would be okay.

"But, it's only because of you, when you aren't at mind I am the same cold emotionless person I was before. How do I feel emotion all the time mother?" Raven asks, still very confused at what her mother is getting at.

"Ah my daughter, I think you may just have to let go, do not be afraid to love, to live, to feel joy or sorrow, just remember how you felt when you saw me, and focus that into your mediation, soon I feel you will be able to care again. I promise." Arella says, smiling at Raven.

"I think I understand mother, thank you. I guess I will be going now. I'll try to come by more often, I promise." Then Raven sits down, focuses on where she needs to be, then she opens her eyes, and she is back in her room, like nothing had even happened. She smiles, and begins to mediate again, this time her mother's thoughts in mind.

Meanwhile, Starfire and Cyborg were having a conversation in the living room.

"So Star, how are you and Rob lately?" Cyborg asks, interested in his friend's relationship.

"Um, I'm not too sure friend Cyborg, Robin has been very decently lately, we did enjoy a nice evening together a few weeks ago, but I'm not really sure how he feels." Starfire says, answering her friend's question.

"Ah I think I know what you mean Star." Cyborg adds in, while grabbing a picture out from his wallet. "This girl used to be my girlfriend before my accident, once I became part robot, she couldn't feel the same way. Ever since, it's been difficult for me to care about another girl the same way. I'm pretty sure Robin has some sort of similar situation, or maybe he's just not ready yet."

"Oh Cyborg I am so very sorry to hear this, I am sure there will be something else that will care about you no matter how you look. For it is about the person on the inside, and not the outside appearance." Starfire says, trying to cheer up her friend.

"Yeah well thanks Star, there is this one other girl, but I don't know just yet, she is always so far away and I haven't really had the chance to talk to her about this lately."

"Oh friend Cyborg do tell me who it is?" Starfire asks, trying to get Cyborg to tell him about this mysterious person.

"Well, let's just says she's a member of Titans East, and leave it at that." Cyborg says, smiling while he heads back to his room.

"Oh I see, well maybe you should go visit her soon Cyborg, I am very much sure should would like to see you again". Starfire adds in, while doing the same as Cyborg.

"Thanks Star, I'll see you later."

Meanwhile, in a distant place a familiar figure is watching the Titans in the Tower.

"Well, it looks like our Titan friends are closer to each other than I thought; looks like I need to have some friends pay a visit to Titans East very soon." Then the figure appears from the shadows. Slade, cloaked in black, he hits a button on intercom type system and begins to make an announcement "Attention HIVE academy students, I have a mission in store you for you all, I need you take a visit to Titans East, and greet them very warmly". Slade says, beginning to laugh very sinisterly. Then a moment passes, and a voice responds. "Will do, HIVE out." Then Slade heads out into the darkness, plotting more for the Titans to deal with.

A/N Chapter 10 done! Got more background on Raven/Cyborg and a return of the Titans East is in store. What is Slade planning? We'll find out more on that next time. Review please!