Sorry this took so long, but I've finally finished chapter 13 and will hopefully be able to get ahead more easily now. We'll see. I don't own Teen Titans.
Beast Boy had tried breaking out of the room with every kind of useful animal he could think of, and found it impossible. He had resorted to doing push-ups to pass the time when Ronald came to his door to bring him to dinner. He got up and followed the gecko man out the door, wondering whether or not to bolt now. Eventually he decided to be a good little shape shifter, only because he didn't want to leave Raven behind.
The hallway Ronald was leading him down didn't seem to have any doors at all. Beast Boy turned back to see if his door was still visible, and saw only blank wall were his room should have been. The passage he was led through twisted and turned, and at one point they had to step into an elevator, but not once did he see another door, or another person. He was about to ask when they were going to get there when the gecko stopped and held up his hand.
"Please wait here while I go and tell the Master that you are here," was all he said before he trotted on ahead and rounded a corner.
Beast Boy was stunned. They had just left him here, alone, as if he wouldn't run away. He was sorely tempted to turn around and bolt, but thought of Raven again, and kept still. He had to see her out of this.
Ronald came around the corner and motioned with his hand, "The Master will see you now."
Beast Boy frowned, but walked forward, trying to stay well behaved. They turned the corner and he saw a great set of double doors in the wall, stained a dark, almost black, brown. The gecko went ahead of him and opened one of the doors.
The changeling stepped in to a long, dim room. The walls were paneled with a deep mahogany wood. There was a fireplace with a small fire going, flanked by two leather armchairs, one of which was occupied. Chandeliers dotted the ceiling, and bookcases lined the walls, cushioning any sound and muffling the soft voices coming from the other end of the room. Carlise, a glass of red wine in his hand, was lounging in one of the chairs, talking to the spider lady. He seemed to be pleased with what she was telling him, as he smiled into his glass and sipped the wine. He nodded and handed her a package similar to the one Beast Boy's clothes had come in. She stepped away and walked past the changeling, not sparing him a second glance.
"Ah! And here's my shape shifter! How have my facilities been treating you?" the Master asked, standing up from his seat.
Beast Boy just nodded his head.
Mr. Retchmund looked past him and to the gecko, "Did he pass the test, Ronald?"
BB looked to the butler, startled and watched as he nodded his head.
"Yes sir, he didn't move."
"Excellent, excellent! Come, sit and talk with me while we wait for your friend!" Carlise positively beamed.
The changeling walked over to the armchair and sat down, shaking his head when the Master offered him wine.
"So tell me, why did you not run away when Ronald left you?"
The teen stared. It was a test? Something about this whole thing seemed off. "Um, I don't know. I guess I was curious why you brought us here," he fibbed.
Mr. Retchmund frowned. "Now, I don't tolerate lying here. I already told you why I brought you here, you had no reason not to run off and try to escape my home. Why didn't you?"
Beast Boy just looked down, his gut telling him not to say anything else.
The Master's voice was much lighter when he spoke again. "It was because of your friend, wasn't it?" he asked.
The changeling looked up and watched as the zookeeper started to smile wolfishly. He suddenly felt very small. "I've got plans for you two, and they're shaping up nicely."
Just then the gecko man came up beside Carlise and whispered in his ear. The man's smile got wider and he nodded his head. Ronald walked back across the room and the Master turned back to Beast Boy.
"It looks as if your friend has decided to grace us with her presence. Come, and I will show you where you will be staying."
They both stood up to walk to the door and BB had to hold himself back from sprinting through it and away from this crazy man. As they got closer to the door, he started to smell something wonderful. It was beyond any description he could think of. It was refreshing and intoxicating at the same time, like a drink of champagne, and he was in danger of drowning in it if he didn't have something to focus on.
The door opened before they got to it, and he saw Raven and the spider girl waiting there for them. When Beast Boy laid eyes on Raven he almost stopped walking. She no longer looked like his old teammate. Her hair was much longer for one, almost down to her waist. But that wasn't what really got his attention. It was her dress that did that. Some sort of roman-style teddy, it only had one strap, leaving her shoulder and throat bare. The bottom was cut at an angle so that the longest part only reached mid-thigh and the shortest edge left the whole of her right leg to be seen. As they got closer he saw that the fabric was dark purple in color, and so thin you could faintly see the color of her skin under it. It clung to her chest and hips, pooling in-between her legs, making it hard to look away, and proved impossible not to catch your eye when she walked.
Raven caught his stare and ducked her head; obviously not comfortable with the clothes they had given her. "I asked Ms. Fantoccini if I could have something else to wear, but she said this was the most modest thing Carlise would let her choose," she explained in a whisper when BB got closer.
"I'm not complaining," he replied, and immediately got hit for it. "What? I'm just saying, as evil as that zoo guy is, he's got taste!" the changeling defended, rubbing his sore shoulder.
"Just shut up now before you make it any worse!" the empath hissed at her companion.
"This way, my pets, and I will show you my home!" the Master called over his shoulder, while walking down the hallway.
Sending you all love!