YAY! I love this chapter! It's not even in the original story! Ok I have to clear some things. Arella, in actualality, is NOT the queen of Azerath. She just is in my story. And for all of you criticizers, DEAL WITH IT! Also Raven has an older brother in this story. Again for all of you who have to stick exactly to the actual story, DEAL WITH IT! Ok I have actually made the world of Azerath in my way and I LIKE IT SO DON'T FAULT ME. Ok I'm done spazzing out now. Lots of weird hidden jokes in this. (You probably won't know their there. Only I understand.) I like this chapter quiet a lot. I could barely finish it because I was so freaked out by own joke. Gosh…Anyway enjoy! Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, Arella, or Azerath. I do own Lord Coonar and his family. And Raven's older brother.

Chapter 9

Raven's choice

The sun was setting in jump city. The sky was a sea of orange and purple, the light dancing on the waves of the bay. It was a most relaxing scene. Not a single person could be seen across the bay, that is except for Raven. The lone figure sat atop the tower.

The dark titan was showered in orange light, tinting the silver color of her wheelchair. Raven had returned to meditating on the rooftop. It was also one of the only places she could get away and forget that she was disabled.

Her aliment still haunted her. Raven was constantly reminded that she could no longer walk, be it from new physical limitations to what her friends said when they thought she wasn't listening. There was what felt like a hole to her, one that would never heal, inside of her.

As these thoughts returned to her yet again, Raven absently reached onto her belt and pulled out Shasta's broach. As she gently stroked it, her eyes went distant as visions of long past moments swirled in her head.

Raven nervously clutched the hand of her older brother Crow, her white cloak dragging in the dust. The older boy snatched her hand away from her.

Glaring at his sister, Crow snarled, "Quit it!"

Raven looked up at him, her eyes wide and growing wet. Crow rolled his eyes and said, "Fine."

He held out his hand and the little girl eagerly grabbed it. The trio waited a moment longer then the door opened. A boy with blonde hair, a single strand shaped like a lightning bolt hanging in his face, greeted them.

Raven's mother greeted him. "Greetings Falstaff."

The boy nodded shyly, then turned and led them inside. The main room was humble, simple wooden furniture and objects adorning it. The moment the queen entered the room, a woman with long red hair glanced up.

"Lady Arella! My, it is a surprise to see you! And you brought along the children!" The red haired woman said.

"Lady Para. It is good to see you." Arella replied.

As the two women became engrossed in a conversation, Raven noticed a boy her age peeking out from behind the chair Lady Para was sitting in. His hair was reddish blonde, his light green eyes shyly watching her.

Arella finished the conversation with Para and asked, "I have the need to speak to Lord Coonar. If you could, would you watch Crow and Raven?"

Para nodded, and smiled softly. "Of course I will. Coonar is where he always is at, his beloved study. Sometimes I wonder who he loves more, me or those dusty old books."

Arella smiled and then walked down a nearby hall and disappeared. Raven held Crow's hand nervously. Falstaff smiled and said, "Hey Crow, want to play sword fight?"

The young prince nodded enthusiastically. He pulled his hand free from Raven's and raced after the blonde haired boy. Raven stood alone in the middle of the room and whimpered softly. Para's soft green eyes turned on her. She chuckled.

"Don't be so nervous." The woman said as she absently brushed her streaming red hair behind her ear. Then she said half to herself, "Now, where did that boy go?"

She looked around the room and then turned and looked behind her chair. "Ah ha! There you are. Come out and meet this pretty young girl."

Slowly, the boy that Raven had seen earlier came out from behind the chair. He walked up to her and dipped his head submissively. He toyed with the edge of his light green cloak, which was the same hue as his eyes.

"H-hi, my name is S-Shasta." The boy stuttered quietly.

Raven smiled and said, "My name's Raven."

Shasta smiled back. Raven then said, "Your hair looks funny."

The boy looked down. His hair indeed was an interesting sight for it flipped off of his head to either side of his face. Raven saw his reaction and thought quickly.

She picked up one of her violet locks, "My hair's funnier though. It's purple!"

Shasta laughed. Then he said, "I like you."

Raven looked down shyly at her white shoes. "I like you too."

There was a moment of silence then Shasta asked, "Do you want to play with me?"

Raven smiled and replied, "Sure!"

The two ran out the door together. Para sat in her chair knitting. The red haired women shook her head and said to herself, "There are times when I wish we could have moments like that forever."

Raven's memories were disturbed by the sound of the rooftop door opening. She didn't turn to see who it was; instead she continued to stare into the bay. Footsteps resounded across the quiet space until they stopped next to the dark titan. Out of the corner of her eye the dark titan saw a flash of blonde hair.

Terra. Raven thought in annoyance. Why did this wanna-be titan have to come up here and bother her? She pointedly ignored the geomancer. Terra sat down next to dark titan. Raven finally turned to her.

"What do you want?" Raven snarled impolitely.

Terra looked into Raven's amethyst eyes. "Because I want to know."

"Know what?" Raven asked irritably. Terra nodded to her chair. Raven narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"Because I want to know and the other Titans won't tell me." Terra said.

Raven closed her eyes and growled, "Your buddy Slade and his robots were distracting me. An explosion knocked a big crane on me. I didn't have anytime to react."

"Slade had something to do with this?" Terra asked.

Raven remained silent. Terra took that as a yes and continued on. "Bet it was on purpose too. If I ever…."

Raven glanced at the geomancer and saw her gripping her hands around an imaginary throat.

"If I EVER see him again, I will crush his skull for when he brainwashed me into doing to you guys, for telling me all of his fucking lies, and for what he did to you. Every thing he did to you." Terra growled.

Raven glanced at her, the dark titan's eyebrows raised. She had not expected the geomancer to know about the "Birthmark" incident. The dark titan listened to Terra as she rambled on about the tortures Slade had put the Titans through time and time again. Finally, the girl fell silent.

There was an awkward quiet. Then Terra asked, "What's this Shasta like? You seem to like his broach a lot."

Raven blushed slightly. She didn't think the other Titans noticed her obsessive stroking of the broach. She slowly responded, "H-he's nice."

Terra lifted an eyebrow and asked, "Nice huh? Then why is he stealing?"

Raven sighed. "He doesn't know this world, and besides he's a natural at it."

Terra gave the dark titan a strange look. Raven smiled and gave her a wink, but said nothing else. Terra eyes were wide, and then she stood up and smiled sheepishly.

"Uh…Robin wanted me to get that information out of you…" Terra trailed off.

Raven lifted an eyebrow. "Why doesn't he just ask me?"

Terra shrugged. "He said something about bothering you and getting his head bit off. He asked if any of us would like to try and get the info out of you, and I volunteered."

Raven smirked. "Well tell the boy blunder he can talk to me anytime he wants."

Terra nodded, and began to walk towards the stairs. Then Raven called to the geomancer, "And tell him I give my vote."

Terra turned around slowly, and uneasy look on her face. Raven smiled evilly and said, "Yes, even if I don't like it."

Terra's eyes were wide, and they grew wet. She ran back to Raven and gave her a hug. "Thank you so much!"

"Yeah, yeah. Just get off me." Raven said. Terra, with a huge smile on her face, raced down the stairs. Raven's face fell and she looked down at the silver broach in her hand. She closed her hand and put it across her heart.

"Where are you?" she whispered as darkness began to descend upon the city.