Feelings begin to explode between them now. I wonder what kind of hidden feelings are revealed today? Read on to find out!
By the way, I've had some people think that the reason Arella had switched Raven and Beast Boy was to "set them up" with each other. Not that I don't appreciate you guys making guesses (love it, actually), but I feel compelled to tell you that that guess is completely wrong. Not trying to bash you guys haha but I just wanted you to know that Arella feeling sorry for her daughter and not wanting her to be lonely is definitely NOT the reason for the switch. That has to be understood in order for the rest of the story to make better sense.
Bluedog197 - Ahh what a twist! And no, she sadly wasn't playing matchmaker. There's a darker reason behind her actions.
gabylokita41 - Good eye! I felt the biggest clue (which was also somewhat hard to pick up) was when I purposefully had Raven say "Nice to meet you" while the cook said "Nice to see you." Meet =/= See, so I was wondering who'd be able to catch that.
Wolvmbm - Nope, sorry. That unfortunately was not the reason for the switch. You'll find out the reason soon enough. Just keep on reading! :)
Renton-torston - I'm sorry, I don't speak Spanish. But I'll take that as a compliment :)
Guest - Hopefully this was quick enough for you!
titanfan45 - Thanks! Now the remaining question is why?
shugokage - Many thanks to you too. Hopefully this chapter will please!
big red - Thanks a lot my much appreciated reader.
Kaarlinaa - Awh, why'd you skip? Don't worry, it'll start getting more and more interesting, promise!
BartWLewis - That Arella! Wonder why she did what she did... hmm...
Chapter VIII - Return
"No, it's not working," Beast Boy said as he spit out the brown liquid back into the cup. "Sorry, Mister Etzel," he said sheepishly as he returned the cup to its owner. "But it's just not working."
The man sighed. "It's fine. I just can't figure out why these aren't working. This is the fourteenth formula already!"
"Take your time, Etzel," Raven sighed. "The meeting was already over so there's no more rush."
"You know," the captain said as he packed up his things. "Ever since your little speech yesterday, the councilmen having been talking about it all day. Especially because of the bow at the end. Really great stuff, Beast Boy."
"Thanks," he smiled.
"Now there's another meeting today, too, isn't there? About the future of the political parties?"
"We already got that covered," Beast Boy explained. "Raven spent most of yesterday writing a speech to get the councilmen to dissolve their parties and become one like it was before. All I have to do is bring the paper with me and read it there. Because this meeting isn't as important as yesterday's our case won't be hurt if I read the speech."
"Perfect. Well then, I'll see you two later?"
"Later!" the changeling replied.
"Goodbye!" the sorceress followed.
As the door shut, Beast Boy sighed and said, "Well what now?"
She shrugged in reply. "I guess we just hang out a while until the meeting starts." Standing up, she made her way to the door before it opened, allowing Cyborg to walk in.
"Sup, B—ahh!..." he stammered as he stood mute before Raven. "I—urgh, um… I mean—R—Raven…"
The girl in the green boy's body chuckled as she patted her friend's back. "You'll get used to it, Cy," she said casually as she walked out the room. On her way out, she came face to face with Robin, who looked just as shaken up and awkward as Cyborg was.
"Whoa—um… Hiya, Raven…" he bumbled. "So you—uh, you're in—"
"Yes, Boy Wonder. I am in Beast Boy's body," she said monotonously. "To be honest, I'm kind of surprised we managed to trick you for so long. You, trained by the Dark Knight, himself. Batman would be disappointed."
"Shut up," he grumbled as Raven started walking past him. "Well, it's only been like a week since you guys switched. That's not much time for me to pick up on things. Especially since you two were avoiding us like the plague. By the way, you're acting kinda weird. I mean not that I'm trying to insult you, but—"
"I get it," Raven interrupted. "I'm thinking it's a side effect of body-switching. As much as I'd like to gag when I say this, I'm afraid I'm acting more and more like Beast Boy. So if I start cracking jokes, I'm depending on you to slap me back to normal, okay?"
"Haha, sure," he laughed. Robin began walking into the room before stopping still as if a bucket of ice had been dumped down his shirt. "W—wait a second…" he said slowly. "If—if you and Beast Boy switched bodies… then back at Andern Falls, while we were in the public bath…" His mask doubled in size.
"Oh crap…" Raven whispered as she suppressed her gag reflex.
"OH MY GOD!" Robin screamed. "YOU SAW MY—"
…
"Here's what we found, Raphael," Cyborg said as he handed the young lieutenant a folder. He opened it and saw a few papers, documents, and photos. "After you gave us access to the Azarathean Records Library, this was all we could find. Unfortunately, it doesn't help much."
Robin added, "We've translated as much Azarathean texts as we could with the translation codex and the dic—" he winced at the first syllable of the word, "—dictionary."
"Thanks anyway," Raphael replied. "Although with Sorenda dead, I'm not sure there is much we can do."
"What was the reason behind our investigation, Friend Raphael?" Starfire asked.
"Well it was Captain Etzel's idea to begin with. Ever since the formation of the Renewers, he's been really suspicious about Sorenda. He suspected corruption. That kind of thing was long gone in Azarath so he really couldn't tell anybody else about his idea—except me, of course. The thing that made me really convinced that there was something shady was when she had mentioned a Three-Fourths Vote rule that would override the say of Her Holiness Azar. I admit I failed Government class when I was a kid but I know that nothing can override or take the place of Azar. So there has to be some kind of corruption, but I don't know how so many people can be corrupt."
"Maybe they're not," Cyborg wondered aloud. "What if they were forced—controlled—to do whatever it is they've been doing."
"That's easier said than done. These are the most capable sorcerers and sorceresses in New Azarath. I doubt they could be mind-controlled very easily."
The Titans looked at each other. "We're not so sure," Robin spoke. "We've been getting into some pretty nasty situations with a certain someone recently. His name is Rift. We don't know exactly what he wants but it always seems to involve us."
"You think this Rift character is behind this, too?" Raphael inquired.
"Not sure. But I wouldn't be surprised. You said Sorenda was killed with a gun, right? A weapon from Earth?"
Raphael nodded. "It matches," Cyborg noted. "He's also capable of teleportation and mind-control. Fairly strong, too, from what we've seen."
"He has managed to completely control the actions of five of our friends," Starfire added. "Controlling five superheroes at once is not an easy feat, especially since part of their training is to fight against subconscious manipulation."
"It's a perfect fit," Robin finished.
"The only question is, why?" Raphael rubbed his chin.
"That's what we've been asking for a while now," Cyborg said. "First he stole Unobtainium. Then he brainwashed the Titans East. Now he's assassinated an Azarathean official and manipulated its government to launch a universe-wide takeover?"
"It sounds like he wants to take over the universe. That wouldn't be the first time we met someone like that," Robin said.
"No, that seems far too simple a goal for a clever man like Rift to want," Starfire argued. "And the Unobtainium does not make sense in that situation."
"And why would he have controlled your friends if his target was New Azarath?" Raphael piped in.
"He ordered them to fight us," Cyborg tried. "Maybe he was trying to stop us from going to Azarath?"
"He wouldn't have any way of knowing we were going there in the first place," Robin pointed out. "If he wanted us to stay on Earth he could've just attacked Raphael, instead."
"And thank Azar he didn't," Raphael half-wittingly joked. As he stuffed the folder into his cloak, he rose and said to them, "Well I guess that's that. We're at a stand-still until anything else happens. Now all that's left is for Raven—er, I mean Beast Boy—to give a speech about the future of the two political parties. If all goes well, the Renewers and Returners will merge and become one complete Azarathean Council once again."
"Oh!" Starfire suddenly jumped as if she had remembered something. "We cannot stay here!" she cried.
"What?" Robin immediately said. "What's the matter, Star?"
"The Crowe's!" she shouted. "We were supposed to protect them. We have been gone for three days. They might be in danger!"
"Crap," Cyborg grunted. "We can't get one quiet day anymore."
"If you need to go back to Earth, I'd be more than happy to transport you," Raphael offered.
"Please," Robin nodded. "Tell Raven and Beast Boy we went back to take care of the Crowe couple. They'll know what we mean."
Raphael muttered some incantations and with some difficulty constructed a portal for them. "That should lead you back to your tower," he said. Saluting them with a warm smile as the three disappeared into the portal, he said, "Thank you for all your help and support, Titans!"
…
Raven held back a smile as she watched the boy in her body stand in front of the Councilmen and give the speech she wrote. In a way, she was proud of him. Ever so slightly. Of course, a six-year-old could have pretended to be her and read from a paper. But this was different. This was the boy she thought would never amount to anything. And now he was speaking to the New Azarath Council as one of the most respected women in the world? Even if he was in her body, this was a sight to see.
"What could can come of division?" she heard her own voice say from the boy inside her body. "We have created this whole new world to escape the very thing we are creating right now! Division, chaos, turmoil. We have cast all that aside when we created Azarath. And look at where it has brought us!—We have become one of the most advanced worlds in existence. What of these Returners and Renewers? I am neither of these. Rather, I am a Reuniter. A Rejoiner. I ask of you now to join my cause and return our government back into one united council so we can renew the causes we have sought when this world was still young! The only way we can move forward is if both our feet work together. How can we move at all if the left foot goes one way and the right goes the other?"
"How am I doing?" Raven heard from the back of her head.
"Good," she thought as she slowly nodded her head. "Keep it up."
"This is kinda easy. I could get used to this."
"Don't get cocky, Green Bean."
As Beast Boy finished Raven's speech, he gave a courteous and respectful bow to the councilmen before resuming his seat next to Raphael and Etzel. "Good job, Beast Boy," the former whispered. "I'll bet no one suspects a thing."
"Let's hope so," came the hushed reply. The meeting proceeded for about another hour before it was adjourned. Raven listened around and, from the excited whispers she heard passed about in the crowd, observed that her speech had done its job.
A smile came before her face until she felt a hand tap her shoulder. Quickly she turned her head before feeling a finger being pushed against her cheek. She knocked the hand off and snapped, "Wow, this guy! Raphael, the youngest lieutenant of New Azarath and he still acts like the fifteen-year-old boy he was four years ago."
"Haha, I can't help but reminisce," he giggled. His face lightened as he said in a hushed tone, "Hey, I was wondering… If you're not busy, you want to go for a spin around New Azarath? Maybe we could catch up?"
The sorceress's green eyes lit up at the thought. It certainly had been a while since she'd been to Azarath. She turned around and saw Beast Boy making his way from the crowd of Councilmen. "I suppose I could send Beast Boy to the others," she said.
"Umm, a little problem—the Titans went back home. I sent them back because they said they needed to protect the "Crowe's" or something. Does that make any sense to you?"
"Oh yeah… Oh crap, what'm I going to do with him?" Raven rolled her eyes. "As hard as it may be to believe, Beast Boy needs a babysitter. Especially since the entire world thinks he's one of the most powerful sorceresses in the government."
"We could have him stick around the Palace for the time being. Captain Etzel would be more than happy to take care of him," Raphael proposed. "I mean… I'd invite him to come with us but he'd probably be a third wheel."
"No, I'd think it's more like he's a little kid at a video game and candy store and we're his parents."
"Ooh," the man said with a coy smile. "So we're a couple in your little fantasy?" He was met with a light punch on the shoulder and a half teasing-half lethal glare.
"Beast Boy!" she cried to the boy, who came bumbling over.
"Sup, Rae! I did good, didn't I?" he declared cheerfully.
"Yeah you sure were a real slugger," Raven said as if talking to a little child. "Listen, can you stick around here with Etzel for a while? Raphael and I need to go around Azarath for a bit so I can catch up and some new things."
"Sure thing. Where's Cy?"
"…He's not here. Cyborg and the others went back to Earth to see if anything's wrong with Malcolm and Anna Crowe."
The changeling's gray ears drooped. "You mean I'm by myself?"
"You'll have Captain Etzel!" Raphael interjected. "I've known him for years. He's one of my closest friends."
"We'll be back in a few hours, Beast Boy. By sunset at the latest," Raven reassured him.
Beast Boy glared at him with an almost resentful look before muttering a "Fine," and going to find the captain.
"What'd I say?" the sorceress remarked. "Just like a little kid."
"Come on, let's go already!" the lieutenant cheered as he wrapped his arm around her neck.
Beast Boy looked back at the pair in an almost jealous way. "So I heard you're coming with me?" he suddenly heard.
Spinning around to come face to face with Etzel, he said meekly, "Uh… I guess. So… what're we gonna do?"
He shrugged in return. "I'm not sure what people on Earth like to do for fun but I'm pretty sure it's not the same as here. Magic dueling?" Beast Boy shook his head. "Play Firecatchers?" Again, the boy shook his head. "You gamble any?" Another 'No' from the boy made him let out a sigh of frustration. "Hm… I guess since there's not much else for us to do—and I doubt you'd like to help me create some more potions—how about I teach you how to magic duel?"
"M—me?"
"Yeah, it'll be fun. I'll round up some of my old students—some of Raphael and Raven's friends. I'll explain to 'em about this whole body-switching thing and they'll teach you how to magic duel. But I gotta warn ya, you got some big shoes to fill if you're in Raven's body."
"Sure then," Beast Boy hesitantly agreed.
"Then it's settled!" The captain motioned him forward before suddenly stopping. "Oh, before we meet them though, I think it's best not to tell them Raven and Raphael are off together."
"Huh? Why?" he asked confusingly.
The man put up a playful face. "You know they used to date, right?" The changeling nodded. "Well, they were really close. They've practically been dating since the moment they've met, which was years before Raven ended it to go to Earth. I'm sure there's still feelings there and Raven's always been kind of adored by the guys in the magic dueling team. Especially since she was the only girl and could easily dominate any of them. It just kind of spares their feelings, you know what I mean?"
"Yeah," he said. "Hey… If you don't mind me asking, what kind of guy is Raphael like?"
"Ol' Raph?" he chuckled. "Not much to say, really. He's a simple ol' boy, true to his farmer roots. Strong, loyal, respectful, independent. What better match for him than the young, beautiful royalty that was Raven? For her, it was that one poor farmer that eventually managed to woo her. For him, it was his far-away princess that finally came into his life. For me, it was a case of Romeo-and-Juliet-itis. He ran away from his parents to be with her and his parents died in an accident a little while later. After that, I sort of took him under my wing.
"I didn't know exactly why I became sort of his surrogate father. I think it was mostly due to his mother. You see, Beast Boy, I used to live in a temple. Born and raised as a monk boy and brought up to be a monk all my life. Then I met Raphael's mother and boy!—she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. I spent much of my life adoring her and when she went to live the cities near the Capital, I decided to leave my temple and chase after her. We lived as friends for a while and I knew and she knew there was a spark. But in the end, she married someone else and went to live with him on the farms while I stayed in the city and studied potions, eventually becoming the man I am today. After I learned Raphael was her son, how could I keep myself from him?"
They kept on walking, meeting some of Raven's old classmates and fellow magic duelers. At one point, Etzel pulled out an old photograph, saying that it was in that photo that he knew Raven and Raphael were meant for each other.
As the picture was handed to him, the changeling gazed at the pale white face under a blue hood that stared back at him. It was almost hypnotic, her smile and her gaze was as she sat next to a younger Raphael under a tree. He couldn't help but smile as he gently rubbed his thumb on Raven's face in the picture. He had forgotten what Raven had looked like four years ago. And yet, something about her seemed different. Her skin in here was not much gray, but was more white, and her eyes seemed to sparkle more. But her most impressive feature was that small, gentle smile on her lips. It was a genuine smile, one Beast Boy had almost never seen on Earth before. "She'd almost never smile and was so serious," he heard one of Raven's friends say as they examined the photograph. "Unless she was with Raphael. If she's with him, she'd feel like the happiest person in the world."
"Did—" Beast Boy felt himself say. "Did she love him? I wonder… was she in love back then? Is she in love now…?" For some reason, those words burned on his lips as he uttered them.
…
The Crowe residence was rather luxurious for a newly-wedded couple. It was located in the richer and more isolated side of Jump City and had a scenery that seemed straight out of a Jane Austen novel—a large modern style mansion set in patch of grassy plains, surrounded by a thick forest that crisply rustled its leaves in the autumn air that was slowly approaching winter. The mansion—Batman had informed his former sidekick—was recently bought by Malcolm Crowe shortly after his wedding. As three of the Teen Titans approached the house, they supposed they would have awed at the scenery had one wall of the house—composed completely of crystal clear glass—not been crushed, demolished, and shattered.
They entered the house through the shattered wall uneasily. "H—Hello?" Starfire called as they noticed the signs of struggle inside the house. "Is anybody here?"
All was silent. All was still.
The Tamaranian slowly relaxed her arms. Then knocked aside by a black mammoth of a gorilla. Cyborg instinctively readied his sonic cannon and fired at the being, who was thrown against the wall. Monsieur Mallah quickly recuperated and, wielding his twin pistols, began firing at the two male Titans with deadly precision.
Robin deftly dodged the barrage of bullets as he counterattacked with his own bird-a-rangs which flew through the air and lodged themselves neatly onto the massive gorilla's shoulders. The Boy Wonder unleashed his bo staff, waving it expertly into position before it was knocked out of his arms by a small arrow. He swiftly spun around and came face to face with Speedy. "Grr… again?" the former grunted before he somersaulted backwards in order to evade a bombardment of arrows from the possessed Titan.
Mallah picked the bird-a-rangs from his shoulders as if they were toothpicks and reached for a bigger gun in his disposal, but was promptly thrust aside by a starbolt from the Tamaranian girl, who then proceeded to fire several successful starbolts at Bumblebee, who had been making her way into the room. Cyborg prepared to fire another sonic blast at Speedy but was taken down by the rapid movements of Más y Menos.
"The Crowe's!" he heard Starfire shout. "Where are they?"
"I dunno but it's not looking too good!" he cried back as he roughly grabbed the twins' necks and tossed them aside, being careful not to injure them too much. "Robin! Find them stat!"
As successive jabs to the stomach and a swift uppercut knocked Speedy out, Robin nodded and ran straight towards General Immortus, who he caught in the corner of his eye. The aged general attempted to run away but was easily caught by Robin, who held him gruffly with his fists.
"Where are the Crowe's?" he spat. The general giggled menacingly in return, inciting Robin to deal him a painful punch in the face. "Where are they?!" he roared. "Where is she?!"
"My, my!" the man giggled. "You DO take after Batman, don't you?" With this, Robin was suddenly kicked painfully in the back by Aqualad, forcing him to release Immortus. "Have you found her?" the general asked as he dusted off his uniform.
Garth nodded. "She is resisting the Brain, however," he informed the man. "I tried to convince him to use force now but he insists on making her come with her own will. Says that it'll be the most torture to Malcolm Crowe."
"Well he'd better hurry," the other man grumbled. "Now that the pesky Titans are here, we don't exactly have time to dilly-dally shilly-shally." Motioning his head towards the crowd fighting in the previous room, he ordered, "Keep 'em busy."
Waiting for the Titan to leave, Robin immediately kicked the general's feet, causing him to fall down. The Boy Wonder jumped into the air and quickly took out a restraint bird-a-rang and dropped it on General Immortus. As the bird-a-rang shot out several steel-strength cords that tied themselves around the man, Robin swiftly ran up the stairs towards the sound of voices. Going into a bedroom, the first thing he saw was Malcolm Crowe bound to a chair with some rope watching the Brain speaking to his wife.
"…come with us now," Robin heard. "It is time to leave."
"No, Anna!" Malcolm cried. "Don't listen to him! He's lying!"
"Malcolm's the one that's lying to you," the Brain continued. "You can feel it deep inside, can't you? Resist him, woman. Resist his words."
"I…" the woman said softly as if she was in a daze. "I don't know… what to do…"
"No, please!" Malcolm begged. "Anna! Would you please stop listening to him! Listen to me. Listen to the sound of my voice."
"M—Malcolm?" she muttered.
"Shut up you fool!" the Brain shrieked as a chainsaw emerged from the machine's body. "Or shall I have to silence you forever?" The weapon loomed close to Malcolm before a bird-a-rang attached itself to the Brain. "What?" he cried as the bird-a-rang beeped twice and deactivated the Brain's weapon, which fell harmlessly to the ground.
"I always have time for new toys," Robin said with a cocky smile as he delivered a single blow to the Brain, cracking his glass head.
"No! You fools! You know not what you do!" the leader of the Brotherhood of Evil cried. "Ignorant fools! You fail to understand! This woman—!"
"Stay right there!" the possessed Speedy shouted as he stood at the doorway of the bedroom with an arrow adjusted nicely on his bow, which was aimed directly at Robin and the Brain.
"Shoot," the leader of Titans West challenged. "Shoot me."
The latter's mask narrowed as he released the arrow, which Robin easily dodged and countered with a bird-a-rang. The arrow lodged itself on the Brain and completely deactivated him, forcing him to shut off.
Speedy was suddenly knocked aside by the massive Mallah, who proceeded to grab the deactivated Brain and jump through the bedroom window. Speedy soon scrambled after him. Robin heard the distinctive sounds of footsteps downstairs, indicating the others were leaving as well.
Within moments, Starfire and Cyborg came rushing to his location. "It was all so very strange," Starfire panted.
"What happened?" Robin asked.
"While we were fighting, Más and Menos accidentally ran into Mallah and in the confusion, Bumblebee and Aqualad accidentally injured each other. Mallah then decided to retreat, so he ordered them to run away. Then he freed Immortus and ran upstairs, probably to get the Brain," Cyborg answered.
"Are you alright, Anna?" Starfire said softly as she helped Anna Crowe sit down on the bed.
"I—I think so."
Robin sighed and took out a bird-a-rang, cutting the rope that bound Malcolm. "How long were they here?" he asked.
"Not too long," came the exhausted reply. "It's a good thing you came when you did. Just in the nick of time like last time at that resort place." He sighed. "I'm guessing you Titans have a knack for timing, huh?"
"It's our specialty," Cyborg shrugged.
"What did they want?" Robin interrogated.
Malcolm threw his hands up in the air in defeat. "Beats me. The same thing as last time—Anna. I still have no idea why."
The Teen Titans shared a glance. They were fairly certain they knew the reason. Cellular degeneration, they remembered the Dark Knight saying. The Brotherhood wish to create a weapon out of it. Imagine the possibilities—a weapon that can cause instant cellular degeneration.
"Sorry we're a bit late," he apologized. "We would've been here sooner but we've been a bit… busy."
"You could say we were in a completely different world," Cyborg joked.
"But your beautiful home is ruined," Starfire gasped exasperatedly. "How will you ever pay for the fixing?"
"It's fine," Malcolm replied. "We have some resources."
"Are you sure?" Robin asked.
The Crowe nodded. "We'll have some people come by and fix it. It'll be done by a week." Standing up, he said, "Well thank you for your help, Teen Titans. If there's anything we need, we'll be sure to call you."
Robin nodded and began to leave, followed by his two friends. "Wait! The party!" Anna suddenly cried.
"Party?" Cyborg said.
"Oh that's right!" Malcolm said. "Would you like to tell them, dear?"
Anna smiled and promptly said to the three, "We were planning to invite you later, but now that it's almost winter, Malcolm and I were planning to throw a small Christmas party here. We kind of want to get to know some of the people here so Malcolm wanted to have a party for some of his business friends. It'll be around the middle of December, two or three weeks from now. We're hoping you'd come."
The three Titans looked at each other with hopeful eyes. "Well it beats hanging out by ourselves in the Tower," Robin answered. "I think you can add five people to your guest list."
…
Beast Boy absentmindedly strolled into a building near the Palace, in which he was told there would be some drinks. He rubbed his back, aching in pain at the rigorous magic duels he was semi-forced to participate in. Night had fallen upon the magical world and there was a soft chirping similar to crickets but much more softer and melodic. The cool air brushed against his skin.
Walking past a man and half-absently greeting him (often times now complete strangers would recognize him as Raven and greet him courteously, to which he learned to reply back just as respectfully), Beast Boy eventually made his way to what seemed like a lunch room, in which he noticed a certain green boy lying asleep on the chair with her head facing sideways.
"Tch," he scoffed as he wandered over to her location. She was peacefully asleep. It was almost unnerving to watch his own self sleeping, Beast Boy thought. Even more unnerving was that it wasn't lazily slouched over the table and snoring like he truly would've done.
"What?" he said to her. "You spend the entire day with your old boyfriend and leave me alone here? All alone with barely anyone I know? Without even thinking about how I'd feel?" Grumbling as he unconsciously stroked his fingers through her green hair, he mumbled, "Course not. You're Raven. You hardly ever care about other people…" He suddenly found himself picturing Raven in her own body, with her own face. He hadn't realized how soft her hair was, how gentle her skin seemed, how daintily her chest rose and fell as she breathed. Her lips.
Beast Boy hastily came to his senses and looked down to see his hand resting on top of hers. He hurriedly drew it away, wondering when and how long their hands had been touching. He began repeatedly pounding his head softly, whispering, "What are you doing, Beast Boy? What's going on with you? You're not thinking… that way are you? With Raven? Disgusting! How could you do that to your best friend? And with Raven? Is that the best you can do? Are you sure?"
He stopped pounding his head when he felt Raven's soft hair course through his fingers.
His temporary struggle was not unheard by Raven, who slowly lifted her head unceremoniously and gaze at her visitor with half-awake eyes. "Oh? You're here?" she muttered.
Much of Beast Boy's previous thoughts disappeared in a flash. "Yeah, I'm here!" he said in a harsh voice. "What? Am I in your way or something? Is Raphael coming in a little while so you two can go broomstick or magic carpet flying or something?"
Raven was puzzled. "What?"
"You heard me!" he continued. "Come on Rae, don't you ever think about what I feel? You left me alone on this stupid world so you could hang out with your ex. Don't you have a single regard for me? Don't you ever for a single, tiny moment, ever think about me? You know how long I've been waiting for you to come back so I'd have a friend I know to talk to or to see? 'A few hours' you said. 'Sunset at the latest' you said. Well what time is it now?"
"I—" Raven stammered. She hadn't expected an outburst like that, least of all from Beast Boy. "I'm sorry Beast Boy, alright?"
"Oh, you're sorry? After all we've been through, that's all you have to say? Sorry might've cut it years ago when you barely spoke to us. Sorry might've cut it when you always thought of me as an annoying little creep. Sorry might've cut it when no matter what I'd do to make you smile, to make you open up to us, you'd always shut us out. But not now! We've been with each other for years! We helped defeat so many bad guys, including your father. We've literally lived in each other's shoes! And after all this you still treat me like I'm a little annoying pest?"
"Beast Boy—"
"Four years!" he kept going. "Four years I've done all I could to make you a member of our team. Four years I've been doing everything I could to get you to smile at least once. Four years you keep pushing me back and pushing me back but I still try. Now you take one step on Azarath and one look at Raphael and you turn into a teenage girl with a huge crush."
"What? What's that supposed to mean?" she cried.
"Don't act all innocent! I know you still have feelings for Raphael. It's so obvious!" he nearly barked. "Why don't you bring him a pink elephant floating on a cloud with flowers and candy and balloons and a sign that says 'I Lurve You' while you're at it?"
"My relationship with Raphael is none of your business, Beast Boy!" she hissed in reply. "And besides, we're just friends. I don't feel anything for him anymore, and even if I did, it's none of your business."
"You know what?" Beast Boy said angrily. "I don't even know what to do with you anymore. I've been waiting for you but I guess it wasn't worth it. I'll be in my room."
He turned around to leave but found himself stopping in his tracks. It was almost as if something inside him didn't want to leave.
"H—How long were you waiting?" he heard a quiet voice say. "You said you were waiting… how long exactly?"
"…Since the moment you left," he grumbled half-heartedly.
"Look, Beast Boy," Raven started in a soft, kinder voice than before, one Beast Boy didn't think was possible for her. "Garfield. I really am sorry, okay?" She let out a sigh. "Next time… I'll call you when I'm late for something."
Beast Boy flinched slightly. She had almost never called him by his real name before. "It's just…" she continued. "Having someone waiting for me like that… I'm not really used to that feeling. I'm used to having officials or really important people waiting for me, and those time's I'd always come early. But having a friend like you waiting for me… I never really knew what that feels like. Raphael never waited for me like that. Neither did any of the other Teen Titans because we'd always be together. So I'm sorry…
"Having someone—a friend—waiting for me… worrying about me… wondering when I'll be back… it's difficult for me," Raven admitted. "I'm sorry for all those times, okay? All the times I ignored you or pushed you away. I guess… I just didn't know how to react to something like that. No one here ever tried to do that to me besides Raphael. The monks and officials here just see me as the daughter of Arella. And my mother—well she barely ever saw me at all."
Beast Boy felt his eyes flickering and his heart racing, though he didn't understand why.
"Raven…" he started.
"You—" Raven said. "Garfield… you're not a person… who means nothing to me."
At this, Beast Boy couldn't help but turn around and face her. And even though he was looking at his own face, he saw—perhaps only for a split second—Raven's face under the green skin. He saw her apologetic frown, her eyes that dashed from here to there nervously. He saw it then—the true Raven. The same one who had hugged him after they fought Malchior. The same one he gave his lucky penny to when they fought Trigon. She was there and then. She was here and now.
"Raven—" he began before the door burst open and Etzel came bumbling in with his same suitcase.
"Hey, sorry if I'm interrupting!" he muttered quickly. "But I really do have it this time."
"Uh, Etzel…" Raven stammered. "This really isn't a good time."
"It'll be just a second!" Etzel protested. "I have a bunch more for you to try!" He excitedly set down his suitcase and took out numerous bottles along with the two cups that the two switched Titans were so used to seeing by now. "I've been doing some research," he bumbled. "And it turns out I've been missing a core ingredient the entire time—firefox blood! It makes perfect sense now that I think about it due to the animal's genetically magical properties." He began pouring out a liquid from one bottle. "I've added the missing ingredient into all previous potions. I know it'll work this time. I'm sure of it! Alright, let's start with Sample 1-alpha."
He poured to them a light orange liquid and handed it to them.
"Etzel…" Beast Boy moaned.
"Please!"
Beast Boy and Raven sighed as they drank it within seconds. Nothing happened, as usual.
"Sample 2-alpha," the captain tried as he poured them a dark green potion. Again, nothing happened.
"Sample 3-alpha." He poured a violet potion. Nothing happened.
"Sample 4-alpha." A maroon potion came into the cups. Nothing happened.
"Sample 5-alpha." A brownish liquid. Nothing happened.
"Sample 6-alpha." A darker orange. They were getting tired of drinking.
"Sample 7-alpha." A red. Beast Boy felt like vomiting.
"Sample 8-alpha." Pink. Nothing happened.
"This isn't working," Beast Boy interrupted. "I'm sorry, Etzel. But I can't take much more of this. It—it's been a long day and I feel like I'm gonna throw up. Sorry."
"O—oh," he stammered in return. "Oh well… that's fine. I understand."
"I'll be in my room," the changeling said. "Night Etzel. Night—" He stopped for a split second. "Good night, Raven," he said before leaving.
"Oh… well…" Etzel sighed as he began to pack up his things. "I guess I'll go now, Raven."
Raven was silent before suddenly stopping him. "Wait! Where's my sample 9-alpha?" she asked with a smile.
"Oh? Well I'm not sure if the potion will work if you're the only one that drinks it."
"We never know. This kind of potion was never made before," Raven shrugged. "And besides I could use a few more drinks."
The captain smiled warmly and agreed, "Sure thing," as he poured her sample 9-alpha—a clear liquid almost like water.
"Cheers," Raven said to herself as she downed the drink.
"Sample 10-alpha," he said as a yellow liquid came. "So what is it with you and him?" He asked.
"What is there to say? We're friends," she smiled as she gulped down the substance.
As he poured out sample 11-alpha, a deep blue, he said, "A man and a woman who've known each other for years are just friends? I find that a bit hard to believe. Especially because you two are literally living in each other's shoes."
She drank the potion expertly. "There comes to a point when you can never see a guy like that, Captain Etzel," she returned. "I mean. I—he's great and all. But as a boyfriend? That would be torture."
"What were you two talking about before, then? From the looks on your faces, I can tell it was something serious. Something about your relationship with each other." He chuckled. "Come on, I'm only thirty one. Do you think me old enough to not know these things?"
He poured out a dark red wine. "Sample 12-alpha."
Raven smiled. "We're friends," she said. "Friends. Nothing more. Nothing else. We can't be anything more than that. Best friends. That's it."
She drank the wine slowly, feeling its warmth glide down her throat.
Meanwhile, Beast Boy had reached the front entrance and was making his way out before he heard thunder rumble. Within seconds, he felt some light rain pitter-patter on the ground.
"Wow," he grunted as he crossed his arms and started walking out into the rain. "A magic world and they can't figure out a spell to stop being rained on?" Feeling the rain drench his clothes, he covered his head with the hood and wrapped his blue cloak around Raven's thin body.
He suddenly felt very nauseous and felt a strange warmth in his chest. "Ugh, too much wine," he complained as the warmth grew and grew. "Oh God… is this what a period feels like? Wait... does Raven even get periods?" He stopped, suspiciously feeling his burning chest. "What the?" The warmth quickly disappeared and left a freezing sensation in his chest as a bright orb of green light burst from his chest. The wispy, phantom-like light flew into the air and swiftly glided back into the building.
"Sample 13-alpha," Etzel spoke as Raven suddenly felt a burning sensation in her chest.
"Uh… I think that's enough for me," she said. "Beast Boy's not a drinker. I'm not sure if this body can take anymore…" The warmth became hotter and hotter until it suddenly dropped to an ice-cold feeling. Raven gasped and dropped her glass cup on the table as a dark blue orb of light escaped her body and flew through the walls and out the door.
She sat limp on her chair. "R—Raven?" Etzel called. "Raven? Raven! Are you okay?" He grabbed her green hands. They felt cold.
In a blink, a flash of green light came into the room and flew straight into the lifeless body, sending it flying onto the table. "Raven!" the man cried as he raised her head. "Are you okay? What happened? Raven!"
"R—Raven?" Beast Boy mumbled as his eyes slowly opened. "Who—where am I?" He placed a hand on his forehead before suddenly noticing his hand was green once more.
Meanwhile, Raven woke up to the pitter-patter of rain, feeling her entire body drenched and wet. "What the?" she mumbled. "What just happened?" She picked herself up from the hard ground and noticed she was wearing her old blue cloak. She gasped, "No…" as she felt all around her body, her face, her hair. Her eyes widened as she ran back inside the building.
She didn't know what to think, only that she had to go back. Within seconds, she reached the room where Etzel was and saw with her very own eyes a green boy staring back at her, looking just as surprised as she was. He smiled, "R—Raven?"
A wide grin appeared on her face. "Beast Boy?" she cried, her eyes lighting up in joy.
~Difficult Words to Say~
Bet you didn't see that one coming! (But admittingly a bit meh in the middle...)
Yes, they are truly switched back. No tricks. Raven is now Raven and Beast Boy is now Beast Boy. And NO the story is not over. Far from it actually. But what's going to happen now that they are back to normal? Especially now that they're truly inching closer and closer to admitting their true feelings?
Will Beast Boy and Raven ever find out their true feelings for each other?
What's going to happen at the Crowe's Christmas party?
Why were Titans East helping the Brotherhood of Evil? Is Rift a part of the Brotherhood?
Who is Rift and what exactly are his motives?
All will be revealed in time, many in the very next chapter. Stay tuned and keep on reading! :D