Latch Key Kids 6

"A simple clasp of hands would have sufficed," Hippolyta said, amused.

"True, however I wanted there to be no mistaking my intentions," Starfire said, her arm curled possessively around Beastboy's waist.

"You do not find it demeaning?" Donna Troy asked, easily recognizable as she looked like a younger Diana.

"I find it arousing," Beastboy said honestly, making Starfire giggle.

"Her actions could easily be taken to mean she is a superior warrior," Donna added, as she considered Amazon vs American culture.

"She is," Beastboy replied easily.

"There are many environments and situations where you have been much more effective than I could ever be," Starfire quickly assured him.

"Yeah, I have some unusual skills and abilities," Beastboy admitted. "But in human form, going hand to hand, you'd hand me my ass," he assured her, admiration in his gaze.

Starfire blushed.

A number of warriors, the Queen among them, laughed and welcomed them to the island. Introductions were made and a feast was prepared while they got to know the prospective new Titan.

During the feast

"Your shieldmate, while not excessively skilled, has a great deal of heart," Hippolyta complimented Starfire as they watched a naked and greased up Beast Boy get pinned by an Amazon with long black hair.

The arena was filled with Amazons showing off their skills, competing with one another, and just having a lot of fun.

"He has not the strength to win, but I am surprised by his flexibility and endurance," another Amazon agreed.

"I think some of our less experienced sisters are using it as a chance to grope him," Donna said with a frown.

The Amazon yelped and lost her hold as he bit her inner thigh, allowing him to pin her in a series of moves that were almost as much marital as martial.

Starfire giggled. "As long as they are not upsetting him it is fine."

"It is still rude of them not to seek your permission first," Donna said, going over what she was learning of Amazon culture.

"That would only apply if they were seeking to couple with him," Hippolyta corrected her.

"They aren't?" Donna asked doubtfully.

"Not... quite," Hippolyta said amused. "None of what they are doing is capable of producing children."

"Oh," Donna said, and nodded. "I was unaware that was the purpose of that rule."

"Rare is the man who is allowed on our island and rarer still is a man present during a feast," the Queen replied. "And even then I must admit the custom is a bit looser involving males. As long as the warrior does not seek to have him spill his seed inside her womb, it's generally overlooked."

Starfire tilted her head as she considered the Queen's words. "So a... tight lipped woman might... breathe life into another's womb?" she inquired carefully.

"That is one way to phrase it," Hippolyta agreed. "Of course it was rarely done, as the child was considered to be without a father so if it was a boy the woman who 'breathed life' would then have to move into the men's quarters and live as a man to raise 'his' son."

"That does seem fair," Donna agreed.

Starfire bit her lip and considered it. "If the man knew in advance of the possibility it would be fair, but I am almost certain Beastboy does not know of the custom yet."

"While I doubt it'll come up, I'll have someone keep an eye on things and explain things to him when he takes a break," Hippolyta said, gesturing for one of her guards.

"Thank you," Starfire said gratefully. After a few minutes of watching she said, "This reminds me of some of the parties back home, though a little quieter."

"Oh, really?" a nearby amazon asked with a smirk.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"My head hurts," Starfire noted as she woke up lying on the beach next to Donna and Beastboy.

"So does mine," Donna groaned.

"I was unaware Earth had alcohols that would be strong enough to affect me," Starfire said, as she fumbled with her clothing.

"Earth may not," Donna agreed, "however, the gods saw fit to grace us with their presence and Bacchus' ale never fails to cause inebriation."

"That-" Starfire fell silent as she got a good look at Beastboy. "Are you ok?"

The black clad Beastboy gave her a thumbs up while the Jack o' Lantern on his shoulders just grinned, the flames inside it merrily dancing about.

"What is the significance of that form?" Donna asked slowly, as she sat up.

"No head, no hangover," Beastboy wrote in the sand with his finger.

"I envy you," Starfire said as she finally managed to shed her outfit and stumbled out of the shade of the trees to stand directly in the sunlight. She fell over with a thud, kicking up a small cloud of sand and giving off a relieved sigh.

"You two are weird," Donna said, "but a fun weird."

The Jack o' Lantern on Beastboy's shoulders burped, sending out a four-foot tongue of flame. "Pardon me," it said, in a voice that would haunt the nightmares of the guilty.

"Was that you or the Pumpkin?" Donna asked, unnerved.

"Me," came the ominous sounding reply.

"This is going to be interesting," Donna said with a giggle that turned into a wince. "Someone please toss me in the ocean."

Beastboy climbed to his feet and picked Donna up bridal style, his black leather biker outfit creaking as he carried her down the beach. As the sunlight hit him, the candle in his head flickered and went out changing him back to normal. "Ow," Beastboy groaned as he continued on and stumbled into the water, a wave hitting his knees and causing him to fall, dropping Donna into the surf.

Donna spit out a mouthful of water and laughed, allowing herself to float lazily along with the waves.

"I feel a bit more human or Amazon now," Donna joked.

Beastboy shifted into a copy of Starfire and let out a relieved sigh as he crawled out of the water. "What is your story?" Beastboy asked.

"My story?" Donna asked as she thought about the best way to explain it. "No one really knows. I grew up in a series of foster homes, never knowing my real parents. I was completely normal until a fire broke out while I was asleep and I woke up surrounded by flames."

"I'm not seeing any scars," Beastboy noted.

"The fire awoke my power," Donna replied, crawling out of the water to sprawl next to Beastboy. "Suddenly I was strong, and I mean really strong!"

"Have any nightmares about yellow eyed monsters with deformed faces?" Beastboy asked.

"No, nothing like that, why?" she asked.

"Different magic girl origin story," the green teen replied. "Continue."

"The fact that I had powers was really obvious, since I kinda flew to escape the collapsing building," Donna said. "Long story short, I have the same fingerprints as Princess Diana and a similar set of powers, so they contacted her and the next thing I knew I'm an Amazon Princess trying to learn the culture. Three years pass by and here we are. Now what are your stories?"

"Princess turned slave, escaped the slavers causing their ship to crash to Earth, where upon I joined the Titans," Starfire said.

"Dying of a rare disease, injected with an experimental serum, I joined the Titans to be with heroes my own age," Beastboy explained.

"What's being a Titan like?" Donna asked.

"More fun than being a slave or a Princess," Starfire said with a grin, the noonday sun washing away her aches and pains as it slowly energized her.

"Being a hero is a blast," Beastboy assured her, "you get to know that what you are doing is making a difference, that the world is better for your presence."

"I meant being a Titan in particular, not just a hero," Donna said, sitting up, water cascading down her form.

"It is interesting," Starfire said. "There is always something new to figure out, the battles are glorious, and the Titans are great friends."

Donna smiled. "I think I'll enjoy my time with the Titans."

"Beastboy, what was the form with a gourd for a head? I do not believe I have ever seen you take that form before," Starfire said.

"That was the headless horseman," Beastboy explained. "It's a type of supernatural creature caused by someone getting beheaded, not given last rites, and then buried on unhallowed ground."

"I thought you could only take the form of animals," Donna said, before correcting herself, "but you showing up as a twin of Starfire does show otherwise."

"People count as animals," Beastboy explained. "If they have entered Earth's biosphere, I can take their form."

"And that includes supernatural creatures?" Donna asked.

"It does," Beastboy replied. "I generally stick to a handful of forms, because with each one I had to learn to deal with their instincts and overcome them. Turning into a T-Rex would be useless if I fled the battle because of the noise and strange smells. Supernatural creatures are even worse as their instincts are even more powerful, though I've... remembered a number of mental defenses that make it feasible to use them now."

"Can you do me?" Donna asked curiously.

"I think Amazon custom means you have to ask Star's permission first," Beastboy said with a grin.

Donna burst out laughing followed by Starfire as she got the joke.

"I avoid named Supernatural beings because they are much harder to deal with, having individual desires and drives in addition to species instinct," Beastboy explained.

"How about gods?" Donna asked.

"Gods are right out," Beastboy said. "I'd be mentally plowed under in an instant, becoming nothing more than an extension of their will, and I'm not sure if all the king's horses and all the king's men could ever put me together again."

"Which king and why would his horses be involved?" Starfire asked innocently, prompting a three-minute explanation of Humpty Dumpty from Donna.

Beastboy was shocked that she could feel Starfire's amusement and wondered if Raven knew Star was just messing with them sometimes.

"Speaking of gods," Donna said, "what did you say to Hera? She went from annoyed at Zeus' flirting to amused. I've never even heard of that happening before."

"Give me a second to remember it," Beastboy said as she thought about it, "I was pretty tipsy at that point."

"It was after you won Mercury's sandals by making him laugh and almost choke on his mead," Donna reminded her.

"Oh yeah, now I remember!" Beastboy exclaimed. "She was upset because of all the flirting he does, so I suggested she could seduce him in the form of the girls he flirted with. I'm a shapeshifter, so naturally I thought of that, plus it fits what Zeus used to do, so I like the irony. Hera liked the idea as well and wondered if I had any wisdom to share about his philandering."

Donna winced. "Many a person has been cursed for giving her advice she did not like."

"My advice, because I was drunk, was that anyone he seduced became fair game for her to seduce as well," Beastboy said.

Starfire nodded. "That seems very fair."

"I don't think anyone has ever suggested anything remotely like that to her before," Donna said, surprised Hera had liked that idea.

"Then she asked about all his bastards," Beastboy said. "I suggested she make them twins."

"Twins?" the two chorused, neither sure what he meant.

"Yep," Beastboy said cheerfully. "Hera is a major goddess, so a little miracle here and there is well within her rights. If Zeus has a son, Hera should have a daughter and vice versa to make things fair. Plus Hera's kid would help keep Zeus' in line. A win win situation."

"I am one hundred percent certain no one has ever suggested that to Hera," Donna said. "How did she take it?"

"She loved the idea," Beastboy replied smugly. "Said it was one of the most romantic ideas she'd ever heard of. Then she blessed me and wished me happiness in marriage."

"Gods have interesting ideas on what is romantic," Star decided.

"Yeah..." Donna slowly agreed, positive Hera hadn't meant it quite the way these two thought she had. "Let's go get lunch, I'm starving," she said, standing up and brushing the sand off herself.

"Sounds good," the twin Tamaraneans agreed. "Let's go!"

Typing by: Abyssal Angel

T.N: If any biological lifeform within Earth's biosphere counts, why hasn't Beastboy made himself Kryptonian?

AN: Because while they do have a greater base strength due to higher tissue density, they take even longer to charge with solar energy than Tamaraneans do.