Raven ended up being the one to clean the living room, much to her own annoyance as she always cleaned up after herself.
After she finished the clean-up she decided to meditate. Usually Rorschach would join her, but this time she did alone.
She hooved in the middle of the living room. In her mind she floated in deep space. Calm, quiet, serene.
"Raven?" Starfire called breaking her concentration "Please forgive my interruption but have you seen Robin?"
"No."
"Oh, perhaps you have seen Cyborg?"
"No."
"Beast Boy?"
"My eyes are closed Starfire; I haven't seen anyone this afternoon."
"They must be doing the hanging out some place else." she began to walk off when I thought hit her "perhaps we should do the hanging out, we never have before by ourselves and conceivably it could be fun, we might journey to the mall of shopping or perform braiding manoeuvres upon each other's hair, or…" she then looked at Raven who fumed almost to the point of flame, Starfire embarrassed spoke again "You wish to be alone?"
"How could you guess?" Starfire left the blue witch to her meditation "Azarath Metrion Zinth…"
"Mail Call!" yelled Cyborg knocking Raven out of concertation landing on floor with a thud. Cyborg, Beast Boy and Robin stood in the doorway with the technical jock holding a large package. Starfire floated next to them excited "Your back. It was, quiet while you were gone.", Raven dusted herself off as she stood up "Not that quiet."
Cyborg walk over to one of the tables and put the crate on it, Beast Boy walked up "Check it out. This was sitting by the front door. Fan mail. Probably a gift from one of my many admirers." Raven rolled her eyes as Robin inspected the address "Actually, it doesn't say who it's from." The address simply said 'To: Teen Titans, Titans Tower.'
"Well," Cyborg said grabbing the lid "one way to find out." with that he pulled the lid of and peered in "Woah.", Starfire and Robin leaned into for a view as well.
"Cool." the Boy Wonder said as Starfire laughed, Beast Boy then look in himself "Honesty, I was kind of hoping for chocolate.", Cyborg reached in and pulled out a marionette of himself "Aww, isn't that cute? Puppet Cy has a light-up eye."
The other held puppet version of themselves as well, Robin examined his marionette's belt "Yeah. They got all the details just right."
"Speak for yourself," Beast Boy said "I'm way better looking than this, and taller."
Raven looked at her puppet "Someone certainly has a lot of time on their hands." She pulled the hood of to see both her hair and Ajna diamond were there.
Starfire initially seemed confused before chuckling "I have never seen such a whimsical device." She began to move her puppet about "Hello, Starfire!" she said before taking its little hand "Hello, tiny wooden replica of Starfire."
Robin looked into the crate again "Here's one for Rorschach.", he pulled it out as the two other boys looked at it, and Cyborg scoffed "Too bad the mask doesn't change shape."
"Dude where is Rorschach?" Beast Boy asked, Starfire ran passed making her marionette look as if it flew "Friend Rorschach said he was visiting his parents and would probably not be until the morning."
"Aw man," Cyborg said "I wanted to get into a puppet match with him."
"Boys." Raven said putting her puppet down and walking away.
Nicholas looked at his son with reservation "I think that plan Robin is cooking up is downright bird brain, and yes the pun is intended. I bet Judy's turning in her grave."
"Well he's the leader." Josh knew he couldn't tell the team but he needed to tell somebody "He doing what he thinks is best for the team, I can't blame him for that, but I've got this feeling it won't work."
"Same here, haven't had any dreams about this Deathstorke person though."
"Well it not my immediate concern at the moment, I think I'm having a problem with the gloves."
"That's why you gave them to Mum when you came in?"
"Yes, they sparked this morning."
"Sounds dangerous, anyway Sasu fine, she's sleeping in the tree."
"At four in the afternoon?"
"She's been looking for Cynefrith, that Kitsune's gone run about again."
"I would have him moved to the Tower, but Robin's against keeping animals in there."
"Not even when a teammate can turn into several?"
"Odd I know, when do you think Sasu will be awake? I want to go out with her."
"I heard some teenagers saying you'd taken a girlfriend." Josh blushed, Nick laughed "I don't hear a no."
"Okay I like Sasu, I just want her happy on Earth, being focused on her home in the manner she is, it's not healthy."
"True, but be fair to here, her last memory of her home was the death of her family."
"Josh," Suzanna called "I need you to see this."
"Coming Mum." he got up and walked into his mother's study/ workshop, "Found the problem?"
"The problem Josh, is that there is no problem, there's no fault with the gloves."
"But the spark…"
"You said the spark was red?"
"Yes."
"Like you magic?"
"So the problem is something with my magic?"
"I believe so; can we do a scan?"
"Fine." Josh concentrated and drew forth his magic, Suzanna starred his scanning equipment and took a reading "Okay." she said and Josh let go.
The result came up on the screen, "So this is you power level as of now," she pressed a few buttons and another window came, this one said a higher result "and that was your power level when we last scanned you.", Josh eye widened "My power level's gone down? How?"
"Maybe some of it escaped in that spark, it reacted badly to something, what happened that caused the spark?" Josh explained and Suzanna thought for a moment "Maybe your magic's reacting badly to you anger."
"That sound more like Raven's magic then mine."
"To me Josh magic is magic."
"Alright I'll try and keep calm."
"Josh," Nick called "Sasu's getting out of the tree."
"Okay Dad, I'll figure this out later Mum."
"That's fine sweetheart." the Techno-mage nodded and walked out of the study to spend time with Sasu.
Night came down fast.
The five members of the Titans in the tower slept soundly in their rooms, the marionettes close to their persons.
The living room a figure climbed out of the crate.
Starfire's door opened, the sound of movement awoke her, as she got up she heard the doors close causing her to jump with a gasp "Who is there?"
Beast Boy slept on the top buck, why he used a bunkbed when only he slept in the room was a mystery, as he dreamt about being surrounded by fan girls the figure appeared behind him and pressed a button on a remote shaped like a marionette control bar, green energy covered Beast Boy who cringed before it moved into the puppet strung up by his bed.
The eyes of the puppet moved.
"Hello?" Starfire said existing her room missing the shadow on the corridor wall behind her.
The figure entered Cyborg's room and press the controller again, white energy surrounded Cyborg and the light on his puppet head lit up.
"Is someone there?" Starfire could out into the stairway as something scurried up the stairs
Robin floated, bathed in red energy that flooded to the marionette above him, its head looked up.
A laugh echoed down the hallway startling Starfire "If this is a joke it is not…" a door opened cutting her off, she looked around and shriek, so did Raven.
"Raven?" Star asked "You have also heard the strange noises?"
"The strange noises of you talking outside my door? Hard to miss."
"Oh," the Tamaranean blushed "Forgive me, I thought there was someone…" a sonic blast flew between the two stop the conversation, the girls turned. Robin, Beast Boy and Cyborg rushed towards them, their eye glowing blue. Robin went into a jump kick and tried to hit Starfire, but she flew out the way. Beast Boy a raptor dinosaur charged at Raven, the blue witch made quick shield of the black magic "Beast Boy it's me. Don't make me hurt you." Beast Boy pounced at the next shield breaking it.
Robin threw three disc at Starfire, she blasted two, the third went off and cause a massive light flash, causing her to lose her flight and landing in Cyborg's arms.
Beast Boy smacked Raven with his tail and Cyborg caught her as well, holding both girls in one arm each. "Let me go." the blue witch demanded.
"Friends," Starfire asked as Beast Boy and Robin approached "Why do you attack us?"
"Oh," a new voice said, "They're not your friends' anymore." a short figure appeared, a walking puppet dressed like royalty complete with crown "They are my puppets." He showed the marionettes of the boys "These are you friends.", the puppets spoke with strained voices yet they were definitely the voices of the boy as they cried for help.
"Release them." Raven demanded.
"Sorry," the puppet said "but you're not in charge here, you don't command me, I command you." he pressed the controller again and blue and yellow energy covered Raven and Starfire respectively as Beast Boy and Robin, their bodies at least, held out the puppets of the girls.
"Once I am finished transferring your souls into these figures," the puppet said "I will send my puppets to find Rorschach and do the same, and with the Puppet King pulling the strings, the Teen Titans will command the entire city."
As the energy pulled out of the girl's souls Raven weakly cast a spell "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." a black swirling mass of her magic emitted from her Ajna diamond knocking back the boys and the device the Puppet King held "My control!" he yelled, the blue and yellow lights on the control burst and the souls of Raven and Starfire left the puppets and into their bodies.
The Puppet King retrieved his control as the two lights went dim, he looked around as the girls ran off "After them." he said and the boys' bodies stood up.
The girls ducking into a service vent before the boys reached them, they walked over the vent.
"The boys." Starfire whispered "Raven! What are we going to…" the light came on and realisation dawned on them, Starfire currently occupied Raven's body and the blue witch inhabited the Tamaranean's body. In surprise some black magic escaped the Ajna diamond and crack the blub.
Josh sat on the branch of the tree with Sasu on his lap and a star map in his hands "See those three stars there" he said pointed, she nodded before nodded "That's Orion's belt, not to be confused with the superhero Orion.", Sasu looked up and Josh sighed "You remember Mum mention two planets, Apokolips and New Genesis?" she nodded "Orion is the second born son of Darkseid the ruler of Apokolips, ominous I know, for political reason Darkseid and the ruler of New Genesis Highfather exchanged son, Orion was raised on New Genesis and Highfather's son Scott Free, better known here on Earth as Mister Miracle was raised on Apokolips."
"I see," Sasu sighed "How do you know this?"
"Darkseid attacked Earth years ago by taking control of Superman, Orion occasionally comes to Earth and Mister Miracle practically lives on Earth with his wife Barta."
"Okay, I take they live far away so we cannot ask them if we can borrow their portal device and head to Isro?"
"I don't know where they live, only that they have a house here on Earth."
"Okay, watch other constellations are seen from here."
"Well over there are the bears, the Great Bear and the Little Bear."
"You give your star constellations animal names?"
"You going to ask me if there are any dogs in the sky?" she chuckled and nodded, he chuckled himself and looked up "Close to Orion there should be the Great Dog and the Little Dog."
"Great Dog and Little Dog? Like Cynhund and Cynefrith?"
"Two figures from your mythology?"
"Yes," she said checking the star map before looking up "I see them! Oh Josh, their still watching over me!" she snuggled up to Josh and put her hands to her heart. Josh smiled and wrapped his arms around her before placing a kiss on the back of her head.
Beast Boy's body in eagle form flew over the city.
Flying over a street it missed a manhole cover being launched off by black magic energy, Starfire, in Raven's body climbed out the sewer "Oh, Raven! This is awful! Terribly, horribly awful!" Raven in Starfire's body emerged from the hole "Tell me about it."
"Very well." Then Starfire went into a panic "Robin, Cyborg, and Beast Boy have been trapped inside tiny wooden bodies, while a nasty creature called the Puppet King has taken control of their real bodies, which he is using to hunt us down, and you and I are in the wrong bodies and…"
As Starfire rambled about the situation the magic in Raven's body reacted to the emotion Starfire emitted, causing objects around the girls to become manipulated, parking meters bent double, newspaper jumped in mass from the venders and a mailbox began to melt, Starfire only stopped when Raven grabbed her shoulder "Starfire, you have to calm down. My powers are driven by emotion. The more you feel, the more energy you unleash."
"But what if they find us? What if they find Friend Rorschach? What if our friends are doomed? What if I am stuck looking like this forever?"
"We'll fix it. I don't know how, but we will rescue the boys and we will get our bodies back. We also can't go finding Rorschach, if we find him then get caught we'll all be in trouble. What's wrong with the way I look?"
"Nothing." the pedestrian light near them exploded, seeing this Starfire relented "I will try to calm down" she took a deep breath "Peace, quiet, tranquillity…" the next car park beside the girls jumped with a bang and landed upside down. Raven looked unimpressed "We are so doomed."
Overhead they heard an eagle's cry, Starfire pointed "Beast Boy!" a green eagle circle above before going into a dive.
"You mean zombie Beast Boy." Raven said taking hold of Starfire's (in Raven's body) arms and pulled her into an alleyway with a shot of "Run!" they turned a few corners of the alleyway while Raven jumped trying to fly in Starfire's body but to no avail, after a few moments they slowed to a walk, looking back in case they got followed.
Starfire spoke "We cannot fight them again. I do not wish to, and in our present condition we would surely be defeated."
"Okay" Raven agreed then asked the alien a question "How do you fly this thing?" she gestured to the Tamaranean body.
"You must feel flight."
"What?"
"When you feel the unbridled joy of flight you will fly."
"Unbridled joy? Not really my thing." Starfire looked down the alleyway before point with surprises, the emotion full accidentally magic made Raven jump.
Beast Boy as a tiger came bounding up, Raven took a stance "What do I feel to use Starbolts?"
"Righteous fury."
"Your alien strength?"
"Bondless confidence."
"Never mind." she turned around and to two ran back down the way they came before turning another corner when another figure landed in front of them make the girls stop. The silhouette of Robin stood before them as Beast Boy, still a tiger came up from behind. Robin pulled out his staff and jumped, however without his soul and subsequently his mind the body simple flew between the girls and struck Beast Boy, giving the girl the opportunity to escape.
The girls hid in the shadow of another alleyway as the two boys passed, the rest bide became short lived when two mechanical hands punched through the wall. Starfire shriek making Raven jump again and the two ran away. However, they turned into a dead end, then turned around as all three boys appeared. Raven turned to Starfire "If I can't fly then you'll have to levitate, you know those words I always…"
"Yes." Starfire took a deep breath.
"Wait you have to focus."
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" then the two shot off like a rocket before swiftly flying away, with Raven keeping a tight grip on Starfire.
After a few moment Starfire looked back "I wish to stop! Please tell me the way to stop!"
"Look at the ground and imagine…" Starfire at the ground.
"Wait." Raven said, just then the Starfire stopped flying and the two fell into a pile of plastic rubbish bags, the dug themselves out as Starfire spoke "I smell like the breath of a Snervian blork worm. Raven, what are you…" the witch quieted the alien and made them duck down under the covered of bags as the bodies of Robin and Cyborg came walking down the alleyway. The magic of Raven's body reacted to Starfire's worry, so she calmed herself down by quietly repeating "Peace, quiet, tranquillity."
"It's all right. They're going." Raven eventually said, Starfire looked up through a hole in the wall of rubbish as the figures of Cyborg and Robin walked away, then green rat appeared, Star almost gasped but Raven held her back a Beast Boy shifted around, the two girl sweated.
"Enough," called the Puppet King, the three bodies resembled as the Puppet King appeared in the alleyway "We will catch the other three after the ceremony is complete." he held the puppets with the soul of the boys, and Robin spoke first "Ceremony?" Cyborg spoke next "What ceremony?"
"Just a little spell that will destroy you three, and make your bodies mine forever. Come my puppets." and they left.
The girls dug themselves of the rubbish bag, Raven untying the knots in Starfire's hair "How can you stand having this much hair?" Starfire did not answer instead she took hold of Raven's hand "Quickly, Raven! Our friends are in danger! We must follow and…"
"And what? Save them with my unusable powers while your unbridled emotions blow us to bits? Nice flying, by the way." Starfire became annoyed as the black aura surrounded her "At least I am able to fly. On my planet, even a new-born can unleash the joy of flight. But you are too busy being grumpy and rude to feel anything at all!"
"Maybe you haven't notice," Raven retorted "but my emotions are dangerous, I can't afford to feel anything. You may have my body, but you know nothing about me." That calmed Starfire "Perhaps you are right. And if you and I are to overcome this ordeal, we must know everything about each other. So, begin sharing."
"Alright," the two sat down as Raven began "I was born in a place called Azarath…"
Josh ran his hands through his hair as he looked at the design he had made. 'Took long enough.' he looked at the clock beside his bed which neared midnight, then he looked out his window out towards the bay and Titan's Tower, 'I hope Robin appreciates this, and that everything does go how he plans.' he sighed and stood up 'First I take a shower and then a good night's rest.'
He walked into the bathroom, with soup, towel and pyjamas in hand and passed the mirror, then he stopped and looked back. He could have sworn another man stood behind him in the corner, with orange hair and a grotesque face. He stood look for a few minutes until he turned around and went to the shower.
The girl reached an abandoned theatre, Beast Boy as guard dog prowled around outside.
"Safe to say we're not walking through the front door." Raven said "We'll have to try the roof."
"Agreed." Starfire said taking Raven's hand "Now, do just as I instructed. Close your eyes and think of something joyful." Raven rolled her eyes as Star continued "You might choose flowers, or kittens, or the laughter of children, or…" Raven started to fly and took both of them up gently, when they landed Starfire clapped "Very, very good! What was your joyful thought?"
"You don't want to know."
"Oh, but I do. Please tell me. What did you imagine?"
"You not taking." this caused Starfire to stop "Oh," she said "well, I am glad I was able to help." Raven looked at the lock and back to Starfire "Your turn. Find your centre. Focus your energies on the lock." Starfire nodded her eye glowed white like Raven's normally did and the black aura covered her hand "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." the lock stood up and snapped apart. Raven smiled "Nice work."
Starfire jumped "Success.", the door swung opened fast shocking the alien in the witch's body. Raven sighed "Nice work."
The sound of the doors opening caught the attention of the Puppet King who stood before a blow of blue fire with six lit candles surrounding it, he turned to the bodies of Robin and Cyborg "Search and destroy. I do not want an audience." The two bodies walked off as the Puppet King looked the puppets of the captured three "Well Titans," he said pouring a vial of chemicals into the fire before grabbing and holding them over the fire "time for your grand finale." the three protested.
Raven and Starfire had made it to the gangways that hung from the ceiling and stared completely still as the King continued "It's going to be a real showstopper. Don't worry. I'll take good care of your bodies. After all, they'll be mine forever." He let the strings go. A black energy sphere caught them before the three could fall into the fire. It floated up and Starfire hugged them three laughing "My friends! You are unharmed!"
"Starfire?" Robin asked.
"It's a long story." Raven said.
Down below the Puppet King summoned the bodies, all three, "Go, my puppets! Capture them!" Beast Boy changed into a bat, Robin climbed up the scaffolding. Raven grabbed Starfire and the two began to run only to be stopped by Beast Boy and Robin who surrounded them followed swiftly by Cyborg who swung in on a cable and fired his sonic cannon, knocking the girls away and causing Starfire to let go of the three puppets who crashed onto the ground.
The girls quickly stopped falling by activating their flight.
Beast Boy changed into a gorilla, and Robin swung on a cable, the Boy Wonder's body went after Starfire "Robin I do not wish to fight you." he grabbed her cape and flipped her over, he approached putting his foot into a coil of rope, Starfire grimaced "But I will if I must." she used the magic and moved the sandbag connected to the over end of the rope causing Robin to get caught in the coil and drag up into the rafters.
Beast Boy caught Raven, however when they hit the gangway she kicked him in the chest knocking him down and send her back quite some ways, then Cyborg landed.
"Okay Raven, Starbolts. Just let go of your emotions, feel the righteous fury, and…" Cyborg punched the wall, and Beast Boy lunged, she flew out the way but the green gorilla brought his fist down on the catwalk the vibrations cause the gangway to break apart and for Raven to fall off, however she flew into the air, her eye glowing green and she punched Beast Boy in the chin, the gorilla flew back and changed back to normal knocked out.
Cyborg jumped on to the railings and jumped again grabbing a rope and swinging around, Raven barely dodged as the mechanical jock ploughed through both railing the witch then did a drop kick making Cyborg lose his grip and fall.
Starfire gasp "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." she caught Cyborg's body in time so that I didn't land right on top of the puppets with the captured trio and moved him out the way. A sad bang fell right in front of her and Robin's body landed, then Cyborg's body still under Starfire's magic flew straight into the Boy Wonder and the two crashed.
Raven looked down smiling until a growl caught her attention. Beast Boy once again a gorilla came down on the catwalk, Raven jumped out the way "Righteous fury, righteous fury, concentrate." a Starbolt started to form but quickly dissipated she tried to fly off but Beast Boy grabbed her ankle and slammed her down. She recovered just into time to roll out the way before the gorilla slammed his fists down on her.
Starfire screamed "Raven help." Robin took a swing at her which left her precariously balancing on the railing before jumping out the way of Cyborg's punch.
Raven felt herself be grabbed by the head, she flipped and kicked Beast Boy in the head before jumping upward and them diagonally into Robin's body and then float holding him by his cape.
"Not me," Starfire said pointing downwards "them." Raven turned to see the Puppet King running to the bowl of blue fire with the captured trio in his arms "The Puppet King is in command." Raven gritted her teeth, a Starbolt formed in her hand and with a shout of "No." she fired it hitting next to the blow, knocking the Puppet King back and causing him to let go of the three puppet Titans. The Puppet King's control flew high into the air, bounced off the underside of a gangway and fell straight into the fire, "My control!" The King shouted before his mouth opened and blue lights escaped it and his eyes.
The boys' souls left their puppet prison and flew straight into their original bodies.
The girls' souls existed their bodies and entered the correct ones.
Starfire with Robin in her arms gently lowered to the ground and put the leader of the team back to his feet, Raven landed soon after.
"I am me" Starfire said "and you are you.", Cyborg and Beast Boy walked "And we're us." the technical jock proclaimed.
"Thanks to you." Robin said.
"You go girls." Beast Boy cheered. Starfire hugged Raven "Raven we have done it."
"You're hugging me." the blue witch pointed out. A loud cry from the Puppet King drew everyone's attention. The puppet, still with the light emitting from his mouth and eye clawed to the bowl of blue flame "The magic! Without it I'm just a…" the light left him and he slumped over motionless, the crown fell of his head. No longer the Puppet King, just a mere puppet.
Rorschach entered to the Tower in a bit of a rush to see the group sitting on the sofa with the remains of the Puppet King and their replicas, Rorschach tilted his head "May I ask why my gloves found traces of frightfully nasty magic in the corridors and off you lot?"
"So," Rorschach said taking a sip of tea as the Titans finished "what are you going to do with him?" he gestured to the Puppet King, "Whatever magic was fuelling him is long gone and for good."
"Batman sometime put the things left over from his battles with villains in the bat-cave," Robin said "I'm thinking about putting him in my office."
"Man," Cyborg said throwing his puppet away "You can do whatever you want with it, don't want to see that ever again."
"Yeah," Beast Boy said "me too."
"Well Robin," Rorschach said pulling his mask back over his mouth "as I was not a part of this misadventure it would wrong to put the marionette of myself along with the others, may I be permitted to take it home with me."
"Not leaving again?" Cyborg said "You just got here."
"When I next visit my parents I meant."
"Yeah" Robin said "Do what you like, right now I want to talk with you in private." the Techno-mage nodded and the two got up. This seemed to finish the meeting as Cyborg and Beast got up and walked out the living room as well.
Raven stayed in the room but went the large window and began her meditation.
"Raven?" Starfire asked "Forgive my interruption but…"
"Your just saw the boy's leave the room."
"Truthfully," Starfire rubbed her arm "I am, wishing to join you in meditation."
"Really? Alright." Starfire quickly hovered next to the blue witch and took a crossed legged position before Raven began "Find your centre, focus your energies and…"
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos." the two chanted in unison.
Author's Notes
I know this is just the same episode with just some extra scenes with Joshua, but I thought it best to have him removed from the plot so not to confuse it too much. Either Rorschach would be trapped like the boys, or with Raven and Starfire, having him body swap would be a little wrong for my tastes so he'd probably just be reacting to the situations, which isn't that exciting.