Things really start to get going in this chapter, and Starfire comes in! I had to replace this one because I realized the paragraph breaks were missing. Sorry to those who struggled through it already! Enjoy!

Warnings: Mild language.

I do not own the Teen Titans.

---Chapter Two: Superficiality---

The fact that Vic Stone joined Dick Grayson and Garfield Logan at lunch the next day was the subject of conversation at almost every table but theirs. Tara Markov was shocked. "How dare he do this to me," she hissed to her friends. "After all of the effort I have put in-"

Something inside Rachel snapped. "Tara, shut up."

All of the girls stared at Rachel as though she had lost her mind. She glared back at them. "I am tired of pretending that I agree with you and that you're always right about everything. You aren't, and you and your Gucci heels can go to hell." She picked up her lunch and walked calmly over to the table where the three boys sat. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

They stared at her in amazement. Vic grinned. "I wondered how long it would take you to get tired of Tara's shit. Pull up a chair, Rae."

Rachel slid into the chair next to Gar. He continued to stare at her. If she were a flirt, like Tara, she would have smiled and said something sickly-sweet. But Rachel had just renounced all things Tara-like. So she glared at him. She was starting to enjoy glaring at people. "Can I help you?"

"No," he squeaked before turning to his sandwich. Vic laughed, and Dick fought off his grin. "Harsh, Rachel."

"Raven," she said firmly. "I don't want to be Rachel anymore." She didn't have to give any more of an explanation. The boys exchanged a look and smiled, showing that they understood. "Raven it is."

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Word quickly spread (as it does in high schools) of Rachel Roth's descent into the lower levels of the teenage hierarchy and her new identity as Raven. Equally astonishing was that Vic Stone also abandoned his previous friends for the three outcasts. Tara's underlings and the rest of the football team had decided the blame lay with Dick Grayson. It was his appearance that had caused the mutiny, and he would have to be dealt with accordingly. But they were not willing to deal with him unless he was alone, and Dick was never alone. At least one of his new friends was in each of his classes, and the four were inseparable outside of class and school. So the snubbed popular ones had no choice but to leave him alone for the moment. Tara watched the four friends carefully, searching for any clues that might help her take psychological revenge.

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Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran stared at the planet. It was so blue and green, so different from her own world. Koriand'r's hands clenched into fists. Her world had been destroyed. She would not allow that to happen to Earth. She would find them, and all would be well again.

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"Dude, I'm telling you, Duke Starhopper could so kick Garth Vapor's ass."

"In your dreams, little man! Did you even see episode eighteen?"

"Fine, we'll ask someone else's opinion. Dick?"

"Actually, I've never watched Clash of the Planets. I don't watch much TV."

Raven couldn't help smiling just a tiny bit as Gar and Vic both stared at Dick as though he'd just said he had never flushed a toilet. They then resumed the argument they had everyday at lunch. Dick sighed in relief and picked up his sandwich. Ham and provolone on wheat with lettuce and tomato, the same thing he ate every day. Gar preferred peanut butter and jelly on white bread, though he did experiment with the flavors. His current favorite was chocolate peanut butter and kiwi jelly, a combination that Vic had declared disgusting. Vic himself was a hard-core carnivore, devouring a foot-long sub with three kinds of meat and most of the large bag of potato chips they all shared. Raven didn't talk much at lunch, so she had time to observe her companions taste in food. The boys respected her desire not to speak and listened- really listened- when she did. She loved that. Everything about her new "self" was only what she wanted it to be. For her own lunch she was currently on a sushi kick, and today had oniigiri she'd made for everyone. They expressed their appreciation, as Raven had proven to be an excellent cook and usually willing to share her creations. She didn't miss being Rachel at all. Looking at her friends, Raven had a sudden vision of the four of them being in another place, a room decorated in red, black, and yellow. Gar's skin and hair were green and Vic looked to be mostly robotic. There was a girl with orange-toned skin, long dark red hair, and green eyes brighter than Gar's sitting near Dick, who wore a black mask over his eyes. Raven herself was wearing a blue cloak. And then the vision faded and she saw only three normal boys in front of her. Raven blinked but didn't say anything about the vision or the slight headache that followed it, and the boys had no idea anything had happened.

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That afternoon they decided to go to the mall. There wasn't really any purpose in them going to the mall, but that is what they chose to do. The four walked in a line, shoulder to shoulder. They took up most of the walkway, but none of them cared. Raven liked to be second from the end nearest the stores, since that position meant she ran into the fewest people. Dick would walk on her right and Gar on her left. Vic took the end with the most collision risks, since he was the biggest and passers-by avoided running into him. They were passing the Gap when Raven saw the girl from her vision literally appear in the middle of the mall. She stopped short, and her friends stopped too. "Raven? What is it?" Dick asked. Raven didn't answer but walked towards the girl. Her friends followed, curious and worried. The girl spotted them as they moved closer and smiled brightly, closing the gap quickly. "Shmardar! Silgos famribeen sconart!" The four friends blinked. "Any of you guys get that?" Gar asked. Raven, Vic, and Dick shook their heads. The girl looked dismayed. "Skigal gwarmif?" When she didn't get a response, she grabbed Dick and kissed him. The other three blinked. The girl released Dick, who looked absolutely stunned. The girl smiled brightly again. "Friends, it is so good to see you! I am pleased to have found you so soon." She received four stares.

"Friends?"

"Found us so soon?"

"Who are you?"

Only Raven was silent. The girl blinked. "I am Koriand'r of Tamaran. I was under the impression that you would be expecting me…"

"Starfire…" Raven said softly. They all looked at her. "We called her Starfire, and we had other names too…" She sank onto a nearby bench, her hand going to her forehead. Her friends moved closer, concerned. "Raven, are you okay?" Dick asked. She shook her head. "I don't know. I'm remembering things that never happened, but not like they were dreams. They feel so real…"

Gar turned to Dick, worried. "I think we should take her home."

"You're right. Vic, can you drive us to Raven's house?"

"Sure, but what do we do with… uh, Starfire… in the meantime?"

"She comes with us," Raven said. "She can stay at my house, but she has to come with us."

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This was the first time the boys had been to Raven's apartment, but none of them commented on its size or location. She found herself loving their friendship more and more. Her headache was lessening too. Her mother had left a note on the refrigerator saying she would be working late and wouldn't be home until eleven. Vic and Gar managed to help Raven settle on the couch before she waved them away, impatient with their babying. "Sit," she insisted. Everyone obeyed, Gar joining her on the couch and Vic taking the armchair, leaving the loveseat for Dick and Starfire. Dick waited until everyone was settled before turning to Raven. "What's going on?"

Raven sighed. "I didn't tell you, but I had… I guess you could call it a vision… at lunch today. It was the five of us, and everyone but Starfire looked different. It went away almost as soon as it came, so I dismissed it. I had a tiny headache afterwards. Then when we met Starfire…" Raven took a deep breath. "I saw it. All of it. The way things could have been; the way they should have been. Nothing here- the way we are, the way our lives have gone- none of it is real. This life shouldn't exist."

---End Chapter Two---

Starfire's Tamaranean dialogue is completely made up. You'll find out why Raven gets woozy after every vision soon. Stay tuned for the next chapter, coming as soon as I finish it! Review please!