Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. So many views and reviews (at least by my standards). I already have twice as many as my longest fic. (Bobpocalypse, also my first and worst) Who knew people liked green kids so much?
Raven wakes up from an uncomfortable sleep. She looks around her dark room with tired eyes. They eventually land on her clock.
"Only five?" She moans. "It's too early to get up... Even for me!"
She lies back in her bed and recalls her strange dream. The team had been fighting Mumbo and failed to capture him. Beast Boy got turned tiny and no one could locate Mumbo after his escape. What an odd dream. At least, she hoped it was a dream.
Deciding that sleep would not find her again this morning, Raven rolls out of bed and puts on her standard outfit. She shuffles down to the common room and opens the door. To her surprise, Cyborg is already awake, typing away on the main computer.
Ignoring the metal man for now, Raven sits down at the table. Across the room a few cupboards open and numerous objects fly out. A kettle, tea bags, and her favorite mug all fly to their positions as she levitates them with her powers. A bit later the kettle starts spewing steam like an angry bull and the empath removes it from the stove and fills her mug. She summons the mug and takes a sip. The scalding hotness wakes her right up.
Setting down the mug she turns to look at Cyborg. He is still typing away. A map of the city is displayed in the top of the screen and numerous reports fill the bottom.
A picture of Mumbo is in the top left corner of the screen.
Raven moans again, but this time it has nothing to do with being tired.
'It wasn't a dream.' She thinks to herself. 'It was real, curse it.'
"Ya'll right there Rae?" Comes Cyborg's voice. He hasn't looked away from the screen.
"I'm just realizing that it wasn't just a bad dream." The half-demon mutters.
"Yeah, I went through that a few hours ago when I got up." He sympathizes. "But it really happened. So it's our job to find Mumbo and get BB back to normal."
"Speaking of Beast Boy, how long do you figure he'll be asleep for considering his new condition?" Questions a voice from the doorway. Robin strides in, face all business.
"Best guess? A few more minutes." Cyborg says.
"Only that long?" Raven asks, surprised.
"He's got the body of a two year old. Like yesterday he's gonna need to eat a LOT. So he should be up soon enough for some chow."
"Will friend Beast Boy even be able to do the opening of his door?" Inquires Starfire, entering and pulling a bottle of mustard from the fridge.
Silence.
"Umm... I think I'll go check on the little guy." Cyborg says hurriedly. He dashes out of the room. Robin steps aside to avoid the metal man and enters the room.
And few more seconds of silence.
"If Beast Boy was still sleeping, he's gonna be pissed about being woken up at five thirty in the morning." Robin notes, breaking the stillness.
Starfire smiles. "He looks sooooo cute when he's mad! His little face does the scrunching, and his adorable eyes look at you in a way that is just to much of the funny to be taken with seriousness! I wish I could be there to see the waking of the, Beast Boy!" She starts giggling again, just like yesterday.
Robin's frowns once again and Raven spends a moment hushing Affection, who agrees with Starfire wholeheartedly.
"That's slightly creepy Star." Raven remarks after silencing her emoticlone.
Starfire it too busy giggling to pay any attention to her friends, much to Robin's irritation. Robin mutters something under his breath about "stupid, attention grabbing, changelings." and the empath raises an eyebrow.
"Feeling a bit left out are we?" Raven remarks casually to her fuming leader. "Just starving for attention?"
"What? No! I-I just was thinking of... Ways to find Mumbo! Yeah!" Robin lies. Raven stares at him calmly.
"So you weren't just muttering about Beast Boy grabbing the attention of a certain teammate?" Raven teases. Robin flushes.
"N-No! Of course not!" He denies, embarrassed.
"Good." Says Raven. She suddenly closes the distance between the two of them. "Because it would be rude to be complaining about our friend when he's in such a bad spot, and the universe has a way of getting back at people who look down upon others. Get my drift?" Raven is leaning over a cowering Robin.
"I-I wasn't looking down on him! I'm just... Jealous." He admits. "Don't tell anyone!"
Raven backs off. "I know, and I apologize for jumping to conclusions. My emotions have been acting up a bit, so I'm a little impulsive."
"It's fine Raven. We know your worried about Beast Boy." Robin says, putting a comforting hand on the empath's shoulder.
"I am NOT worried about that green bean!" She hisses in denial. She pulls away from Robin, hiding her red tinted cheeks in her hood.
"What happened to "the universe has a way of getting back at people who look down on others?"" Robin teases.
Raven mutters something incoherent and shuffles her feet.
The doorway opens again and Cyborg walks in, tears running from his eyes as he tries to stop laughing. Beast Boy waddles in beside him, face burning red.
"Is nowt fuhey!" He pouts.
"What happened?" Robin asks, insanely curious. Cyborg opens his mouth to speak, but breaks down before he can. He clutches his stomach as he struggles for breath.
"He- He-" Is all the half-robot gets out before he is howling again.
Robin turns to Beast Boy who doesn't seem to want to answer.
"Is nofing." The changeling mutters. "Don awsk."
Robin raises an eyebrow.
After a solid ten minutes Cyborg finally manages to stop laughing. He wipes tears from his eyes as he lies on the couch. The other Titans, minus Beast Boy who is munching on toast, are huddled around him, eager to hear the story.
"Are you the OK friend Cyborg?" Starfire asks in concern.
"Man. I haven't laughed that hard in... Well, EVER!" The half-robot says, smiling insanely. "Honestly it was more funny to see than anything ever before. But I hope it doesn't happen again."
"What happened?" Questions Robin again. His impatience is clear.
"Not much, all that happened was that I went into BB's room to find him just walking up. Remind me to buy him some clothes by the way, only his current uniform shrunk. But he said that he needed to go to the bathroom so I walked him over. He was in there for a few minutes before I heard him calling out. I went in and he- he-" Cyborg can't finish, he just laughs again.
"Azarath, JUST FINISH!" Raven roars.
"He had fallen in!" Cyborg howls.
It takes a moment for everyone to realize what he means. Robin's face twitchs as he tries to hold in his own laughter, Starfire doesn't understand, and Raven just shakes her head and mutters about the immaturity of males under her breath.
Out of the corner of her eye Raven can see Beast Boy with his head down on the table. She walks over and sits down next to him.
"You alright?" She asks gently.
"It's embawasing. I cawn't evan go to da badwom by mytelf." He sounds absolutely miserable.
Despite the fact that she knows it's only his appearance that drives the impulse, Raven reaches down and scoops up the crying changeling. She hugs the sobbing boy against her chest and hushes him.
"It's fine Beast Boy. They just found it funny this one time. Whoever mocks you about it will find themself in another dimension." Raven is actually considering following through with the promise as she looks at Cyborg and Robin who are now rolling on the floor. She strokes the back of the changeling's head as she continues. "No matter what happens you WILL be fine. I promised remember?"
He nods, but doesn't pull his head away. He continues to sniffle.
The two Titans stay in that position for a while. Raven keeps on stroking and reassuring the mortified and terrified Beast Boy as he takes comfort in her closeness and care.
After ten minutes or so, the changeling plants his hands on her stomach and pushes himself away from her. Raven sets him down on the table, only faintly aware that the laughter stopped and that the other three Titans are watching.
"Tank you again Waben." He says emotionally, looking up at her with puffy eyes. Raven gives a soft smile, uncharacteristic for her, and turns towards her other teammates who fall back in face of her angry expression.
"Uhh... Sorry?" Cyborg offers meekly.
"We didn't mean to sadden friend Beast Boy." Starfire adds quickly.
"It was just one laugh, cut us some slack." Robin says, putting his hands up before him as a shield.
There is a painful silence as Raven looks down upon her fearful teammates.
"This better not happen again." Is the only thing Raven says before summoning a book from her room, picking up Beast Boy, placing him on the couch, and sitting down next to him in the corner.
The others breath a sigh of relief. Their lives have been spared.
"Sorry BB." Cyborg apologises, looking ashamed. "I don't know what came over me."
"Is fine. I kno dat you don men to be men." Beast Boy accepts. Luckily for Cyborg, Beast Boy doesn't seem capable of holding grudges. He sticks a hand out. "Siwl buddies?"
"Still buddies." Cyborg shakes the tiny hand with his finger. "In other news," He straightens up. "Mumbo was spotted in five different places last night. All at the same time."
"How is that possible?" Starfire asks, feeling confused.
"Magic Star." Robin says. Serious once more. "At which places was he seen?"
Cyborg walks over to the main computer, which was still on the entire time, and maximizes the map from the top half of the screen.
"Here, here, here, here, and here." He points to five different locations, all spread around he city.
"They're all stores known for having finely cut diamonds." Robin notes. "Three ring dealerships, and two jewelry makers."
"Please, are rings not jewelry?" Starfire asks.
"They are Star, but ring dealerships only sell rings while jewlers sell all sorts of fancy accessories." Cyborg explains. Starfire makes a silent O with her mouth as Cyborg continues. "He hit all of them at eleven o'clock and was gone lickity split."
"That makes seven robbed jewlers and ring dealers in two days." Robin mutters, "What's he after?"
"Dood, dis is Mumo. He dos what he dos becauws he feel wike it." Beast Boy points out. Everyone stares at the changeling. "What? I pay attention to things sometimes!" He crosses his arms and looks away.
"BB's right. Mumbo is crazy, there's no telling why he does anything." Cyborg says. "All we know is that he's after diamonds, so we gotta hang by diamond dealing places and he should pop up eventually."
"But that would be relying on chance!" Robin complains, frustrated.
"What do want us to do, Robin? This isn't a rational villain; there isn't any figuring out his next move because he probably doesn't know until he makes it." Raven snaps before returning to her book.
Robin sighs. "I know. I just... Hate being helpless."
"Join da club." Beast Boy mutters.
"Perhaps we should search instead of just sitting then yes? It might raise our spirits and make us feel more of the usefulness?" Starfire suggests.
"Good idea Star." Robin praises. "But we can't leave Beast Boy alone, he can't get his own food or anything."
"I'll stay." Cyborg volunteers. "I can start making changes to the tower so Beast Boy can get around easier and do stuff without us. That way I can help out next time and we can leave BB here."
"Good idea Cyborg. Everyone else, let's move!" Robin is the first one out the door, he and Starfire run for the elevator, eager to get started. Raven remains behind for a moment.
"Don't even think about mocking him or you'll find yourself in another dimension." She hisses quietly to an intimidated and quite terrified Cyborg, making sure Beast Boy doesn't hear, before phasing through the floor down to the garage.
And few moments of quiet follow before Cyborg speaks up.
"Well. I suppose I should get to work." Cyborg starts drawing up schematics in his mind while he walks to his room to get a tool kit.
Beast Boy sighs. 'This is gonna be a looong day' He thinks to himself.
Chapter 3 complete. I kinda turned Cyborg into a jerk for a bit, but he has his heart in the right place.