This sotry will be multi-chapter. I'm trying to be better at updating, really I am. But, unfortuantly, with exams going on, I can't promise anything. Sorry, but enjoy anyway and know that I will update...eventually.
It was a normal morning in Titan's Tower. Beast Boy and Cyborg were having their usual discussion on the merits of eggs vs. tofu. Robin was trying to convince Starfire that humans did not use mustard as a beverage. Raven sighed as she walked in. It was impossible to get any sort of peace around here! Not that she'd be here for long anyway…
"Well. I'll see you in about a week. Goodbye." Immediately, all movement stopped as all heads turned to Raven.
"E…excuse me?" She sighed,
"I've been called home. I'll be back in a week." Seeing their expressions, she grimaced. "No, I'm not getting married." She turned to leave, when a green body appeared in front of her.
"Oh no you don't! You're gonna have to give a reason! You can't just leave out of nowhere!" Raven calmly moved around him.
"It is none of your business. It doesn't affect you aside from the fact that I will not be here."
"Raven! You're our friend. Whatever happens to you, it affects us." She didn't even turn to Robin.
"Not this time it doesn't. I'll be back within the week. I promise." With that she headed upstairs to leave. Robin turned to Cyborg and Starfire, who nodded. They ran after her, followed closely by Beat Boy, who was still confused about the whole matter. But even so, he wasn't about to let Raven just walk out of his life for a week.
"Friend Raven! Even if it does not affect us, we would be happy to accompany you on your journey. I would be glorious to view where you were born…" Raven curtly shook her head, and continued towards the roof.
"We got chewed out for following you, and that was an emergency. You stay here. You're still needed."
"Still man, someone should go with you."
"I don't need any one. Teleporting will be hard enough as it is without tag alongs."
"Well….alright, but you will back, right?" Raven turned back to them, just in the doorway to the roof.
"Of course. You're all the family I have now." Quickly she turned away, blushing. She had said too much. "See you later" She concentrated on creating a portal that would be able to jump to the nearest rest point. Though she didn't notice, a little green bug jumped onto her shoulder. Robin gave the thumbs up sign. Mission accomplished. Someone would be with Raven if things got bad. She walked through the portal,
The scenery one the other side was pretty lifeless. Just bare rock from where she was standing until the horizon.
"One down, 3 more to go." All the while, Beat Boy stayed quiet. He was positive that if revealed himself now, Raven would send him home, after giving him a good beating. So, he waited a couple of transportations.
Finally, Raven stopped. Through bug eyes, he could see someone greeting them. But it was in a language he didn't understand. They gestured, and Raven nodded. She headed towards a large palace. Once inside a bedroom, she took off her hood.
"Alright Beast Boy. You can come out. I won't kill you…yet." Not particularly comforted, he reverted back to human and grinned nervously. "I assume the others know you're here?"
"Uh...yeah." a few minutes passed before Beast Boy couldn't stand the silence any more. "So…nice place you got! Are you a princess, like Star?" For a moment, he thought he saw a flash of sadness cross her face, but it was gone within an instant.
"No. My mother was highly respected here though. So they give me nice rooms and tolerate me." Even Beast Boy could tell by her tone that he should drop the subject. But he mentally filed it away for later questioning
"So….uh….why are we here?"
"You're here because you directly disrespected my wishes and followed me when I expressly told you to stay behind."
"Yeah…opps….why'd you come here anyway?"
"I was called."
"For what?"
"That is none of your business."
"C'mon Rae! Don't be like that! I just wanna help!" She threw a pillow at him.
"It's not wanted. You'll be needing that." She gestured to the pillow. "There won't be any rooms left, so you get the couch." She pointed him to a living area conjoined to her room. There was a small couch. But it looked comfy enough that he didn't complain.
"What now?"
"I have to go meet with some representatives to make arrangements for everything…"
"What should I do? Can I come with you?" She sighed. Everything was wearing down her barriers, her patience and her brain.
"…I suppose. Just stay silent. You won't understand anything. Not many people speak English around here." She pulled her hood back on and he followed her out the door and into the hallway. It really beautiful. The large windows let in light from the nearest star, and the decorating seemed to lean towards simplicity, but a closer look brought more complexity then he would've imagined.
"What arrangements are you making? Is there some kinda ceremony that you have to attend?"
"I guess you could call it that."
"Is your mom gonna be there? You said she lived here."
"She did Beast Boy."
"So were is she now?"
"…dead. This is her funeral." Beast Boy stopped behind her. How could she be so calm? She was called to her mother's funeral, and she acted like it barely mattered.
"I…I'm sorry. Was it sudden?" Raven stopped walking, but refused to turn to him.
"I don't know. I haven't been allowed to contact her in along time." He couldn't be sure, but Beast Boy could swear that he could hear her repressing tears. He slowly walked up until he was directly behind her.
"Rae…why?"
"Because. No one's supposed to care about me." She took a breath, and spoke as if she had memorized her next speech. "Feelings are exploitable by my father. To insure I never give into the darkness that is laced into my flesh Arella, my mother, was forbidden to touch me. Hardly ever came to see me. It is forbidden to express feelings such as love or care towards me, because I can't feel." She turned to Beast Boy. Though he could clearly see her eyes were bright with unshed tears, her voice was as steady as ever. "Not that it is really necessary. Who's about to care for a half-demon anyway?" She turned back and kept walking.
"Rae! Raven! You know that's not true! We care about you. All of the Titans."
"I know. Sit here and wait." She pointed to a couch that was waiting before the entrance to a small room. Obediently, he sat and watched her go in on her own. Once he was sure that she was out of ear shot, he got out his communicator.
"Guys?" there was static until Cyborg's voice came online.
"B! Hey man, what's up?" Beast Boy sighed.
"It's nothing huge on the scale of a kidnapping or anything, but…"
"But what? What is the matter with friend Raven?"
"It's her mother. She just died. Raven is attending her mother's funeral." There was silence on the other line. Beast Boy was afraid he'd been off until Robin's voice came.
"Oh…God, poor Raven." Beast Boy nodded, although they couldn't see him.
"I know…that's not even the worst of it, but…well, let's just say Raven's life hasn't been rainbows…" He heard footsteps. "Gotta go." A chorus of goodbyes was heard before he shut off the communicator and settled into the couch, trying to look innocent. But it wasn't Raven, as he was expecting. Instead, a native Azarathian came around the corner.
"Hello." She said, in perfect English. "You must be from Earth." He nodded, not quite sure what to do. "Are you lost? How did you come to be here?"
"No, I'm just waiting for my friend. She brought me here."
"Who would that be? I don't know of anyone who has been anywhere close to Earth."
"Raven, Raven…" He realized that he had no clue what Raven's last name was. So he just shrugged. The girl started laughing.
"Raven? Ha ha ha! That's a good one!" Utterly confused, he stared at her. "You mean you weren't joking?" He shook his head. "Hosora and Azar! You mean that thing has friends? You must not know her very well then! You seem to smart enough to dump her once you found out. Listen. She's half-demon. She's dangerous. You shouldn't hang around with things like her. My suggestion would be get her to send you back home, and forget her. If you're afraid, I'm sure we could find…" She stopped when Beast Boy shook is head. He was speechless. This was how Raven was treated? No wonder she left. Just as he was about to voice his thoughts, Raven appeared in the doorway.
"Jerichana. How nice to see you." The girl, Jerichana, jumped up to face Raven. She looked petrified, but managed to sneer as she ran away.
"Wow, something sure scared her! Must've been my amazing talents…." He trailed off as he saw Raven staring in the direction Jerichana had fled. "Hey, you alright?" She nodded and started to walk to their rooms. "You do know that you shouldn't take any notice of what they say, right? I mean, it doesn't matter 'cause you have friends now. You're like family to the Titans. You'll always be welcome there."
"Thanks Beast Boy. For everything." She walked into the room. Cautiously, he followed, but passed by the bed to crash onto the couch. It was more comfy then he had thought. He was asleep within minutes. But, even in sleep his mind would not let him forget the ill treatment that these people gave to his friend.