AN: I do not own Teen Titans

Chapter 3

Almost everyone loved the mall, or as Starfire put it the 'mall of shopping'. Of course there were the select few who didn't care for the mall. And then there was the even smaller percentage who hated it. And in the T tower lived both extremes. Starfire loved the mall and Raven hated it.

But somehow the two girls always ended up there. This was mostly because Starfire begged Raven to the point where she had to go just to shut her up. But that didn't mean Raven enjoyed herself at all. She simply followed after Starfire like a chaperone and did her best to avoid trying on clothes or jewelry or makeup.

"Oh, Raven, is that skirt not pretty?" asked Starfire, clasping her hands and staring into a window display.

"Yeah, it's real nice," said Raven, rolling her eyes.

"May I try it on?" asked Starfire.

"No," said Raven, walking away.

Starfire sighed, but her spirit was quickly lifted when she saw another store with another piece of clothing she fancied. "Ooh, let us go over there!" she said excitedly, grabbed Ravens hand, and led her over to the next store.

Raven groaned and wished she were anywhere else. She hated crowds for various reasons. People were slow, ignorant, selfish, and to have them in a closed environment was nearly unbearable. But, the biggest reason she hated the mall was because she could feel all of the people's emotions. The mall was able to provoke some pretty strong feelings from people, and it flustered her and gave her a headache. All of their emotions put an enormous amount of pressure on her brain.

"Raven, do you not think that shirt would look most adorable on Robin?" asked Starfire looking into a men's clothing store window display.

"Whatever," Raven sighed.

"Please, may we go get the iced cream from the court of food?" asked Starfire.

"Starfire, you've got five more minutes before I'm heading home," said Raven, crossing her arms. "Do what you want."

"There is only five minutes left in our hanging out at the mall of shopping time?" asked Starfire with wide eyes. "I believed there was more. Oh, we must do more of the window shopping!" She grabbed Raven again and quickly pulled her further into the mall.

Starfire flew through the mall with poor Raven being dragged behind her. Her head was throbbing and she wished she had some aspirin on her. As she was being pulled along by Starfire she felt every emotion of every person she passed. She felt like she was going to explode from emotional overload.

Finally the time was up and Raven was off the hook. Starfire was going to stay behind, but she would at least walk Raven to the mall's exit. She loved to spend time with her best friend.

"Oh, Raven, I very much wish our hanging out at the mall of shopping time was longer," Starfire sighed.

"I'm sorry, Starfire, but if anything I wish it was shorter," Raven sighed.

Starfire gasped, hurt, and said, "You do not wish to do the hanging out with me."

"No, you have nothing to do with it," said Raven. "I just dislike the mall very much."

"But why do you dislike the mall of shopping so much?" asked Starfire.

"Because I'm allergic to it," said Raven plainly.

"You have the allergies for the mall of shopping?" asked Starfire, confused.

"Basically," said Raven, "whenever I come here I feel so many different emotions from people that I get a migraine and then I get physically ill. So, basically, I'm allergic to the mall due to the people and their emotions."

"But why do you not simply block their emotions out?" asked Starfire.

"I can only block out so much," Raven sighed. "It takes a lot of concentration just to block you four out back at the tower. But there are hundreds of people here, so I can't possibly block all of their emotions out."

"Oh, Raven, I did not know," said Starfire, feeling bad.

"The worst part is that all of their emotions affect my emotions," said Raven, looking down at the floor as they walked. "Since that's what my powers are driven by, it's hard for me to keep myself under control."

"Perhaps we should not do the hanging out at the mall of shopping anymore," suggested Starfire sorrowfully.

"No, it's okay," said Raven. "As long as it's not for too long I can survive. Besides, I know how much you enjoy coming here."

"You are a magnificent friend indeed to come here with me when it makes you feel the ill," said Starfire.

"I do my best," said Raven plainly.

They reached the exit and the two walked outside together. Raven took a big breath of fresh air in and began to feel a little better. At least out in the open air she could feel the pressure lifting off of her.

"Well, I do hope you will feel better," said Starfire.

"I already am," said Raven. "By the time I get back to the tower I should be fine."

"I am glad to hear that," said Starfire with a small smile. "Oh, I wish people did not have their emotions so that you would not feel so bad."

"Don't wish for that, Starfire," said Raven. "I would never wish for people to live the way I live. It's selfish and a waste of a wish."

"Then what do you wish for?" asked Starfire, curiously. "If you could do the wishing for anything. A wish that was just for you."

"Well… what would you wish for?" asked Raven.

Starfire thought for a moment then her eyes brightened. "If I could make a wish, I would wish for friend Robin to do the asking out of me for a date. And perhaps for him to kiss me more."

Raven smile softly. That Starfire was a hopeless romantic, even if she didn't know it. "That is a good wish," said Raven. "I mean, for you."

"Now will you tell me what you would wish for?" asked Starfire.

Raven grew quiet again. She knew exactly what she would wish for. Other than wishing her powers weren't controlled by emotions and that she couldn't feel what others felt. She wanted her voice back. She wanted to sound like she had most of her life. She wanted the voice that had drawn people in and made them not afraid of her. She wished for her voice.

Starfire watched as Raven seemed to become lost within her own thoughts. She couldn't believe she was actually thinking about this. Usually, Raven would brush off such a question and call it pointless. But not this question. Now Starfire truly wanted to know what Raven wished.

"Raven?" asked Starfire.

Raven hadn't even notice that her hand went up to her throat as she thought. She quickly realized what she was doing and her hand quickly dropped to her side. "I… I don't know, Starfire," she said at last. "I have no wish for myself." And with that she took off into the air and began flying home.

"I shall see you later then my friend!" Starfire called out, waving as Raven flew away.

Poor Starfire felt so terrible for bringing Raven to the mall for all of these years. She knew that her friend didn't like to go, but she had no idea it actually made her sick! She sighed and headed back into the mall.

"Perhaps I should get friend Raven a present," Starfire said to herself as she walked around. "I feel most terrible for making her feel sick. Yes, a present shall show her how very sorry I am." She smiled to herself and began to search for an appropriate gift for her friend.

"Now what does friend Raven like?" Starfire queried as she looked around. "She does not like the clothes or the animals that are stuffed or the color pink or… perhaps I should think of what she does like."

As she walked she finally found a store that screamed 'Raven' out to her. It colored with dark blues and various other dark colors. Starfire would never go into such a store on her own, it was far too dark and mysterious for the chipper alien. But, this was for Raven, so she would venture inside.

She walked into the store and saw various figurines of mystical creatures and other various fantasy items. The smell of incense was in the air and would have made any normal person sneeze. She saw clothing that was dark and beautiful, and very expensive looking. She walked further on and saw a case full of jewelry of all sorts.

'I believe I shall get friend Raven a bit of jewelry,' Starfire thought. 'She would not refuse a necklace… I hope.'

"May I help you?" an older woman asked. She was dressed in the same sort of clothing that was for sale and she looked to be a mystical woman. Of course, when you worked in such a store, it would be pretty unintelligent not to. You had to draw in customers somehow. Around her neck hung dozens of necklaces, each with a different pendant.

Starfire looked up and saw the woman, giving a small gasp since no one had been there three seconds ago. "Oh, yes, I was looking for a gift for my friend," said Starfire with a smile.

"Perhaps I can help you," said the woman. "What's your friend like?"

"Well… she would like this store very much," said Starfire. "She likes to read and she does the meditating."

"Meditating?" asked the woman.

"Oh, yes, she must meditate," said Starfire. "For, you see, she has very strong powers and if she does not meditate then they make things do the exploding."

"Your friend sounds quite… interesting," said the woman.

"Oh, yes, that is the correct word for her indeed," said Starfire cheerily. "But, perhaps you have heard of her? Her name is Raven of the Teen Titans. Oh! And I am Starfire." She held out her hand and smiled.

"Nice to meet you," said the woman, shaking Starfire's hand. "And I think I can help." She looked down into the glass case where all of the small breakable items were kept, such as the jewelry. "How about these earrings?"

"I do not believe her ears are pierced," said Starfire.

"That bracelet is very nice," said the woman.

"Actually, I would like to purchase a necklace for my friend," said Starfire.

"Wonderful," said the woman. "I have quite a selection. Come, pick one out."

Starfire looked over to a display of many necklaces. They were all beautiful and very unique. But which would be best for Raven? Starfire took her time and looked through every single last necklace until she found the absolutely most perfect one for her dear friend.

"I believe I shall choose that one," said Starfire with a smile, pointing to a necklace.

"A very good choice," said the old woman and she plucked it from the display. "Your friend will be very happy with this."