Just think, Grandmother—there are two forces perpetually at work in the universe: the um principle (that which our Chinese neighbors would call yin) that represents all that is dark, negative, and feminine in the world; and the yang principle, representing the light, positive, and masculine forces. For the universe to function, um and yang must stay in perfect balance. There can be no positive force without a negative force—just as there can be no day without night.
Sŏndŏk, Sŏndŏk: Princess of the Moon and Stars (The Royal Diaries), by Sheri Holman
Jinx was free.
Well, not really. She wasn't allowed to leave Jump City and she had to be in her specially chosen apartment by nine PM, but she was out of jail, at least. Jinx was still a juvenile, after all, and she had been let out for good behavior. They had given her a small apartment near the jail that she was to stay in. She wore a metal identification bracelet that was also a tracking device and impossible to take off. Gizmo and Mammoth were still in jail.
Jinx sat on the beach, watching the sun set over Titans Tower. She, along with Jump City's citizens, had noticed that the Titans hadn't been doing anything lately. Squinting, she could see that there were no lights on in their windows. Maybe they took a vacation.
The pink haired girl sighed and dipped a foot into the water. Freezing cold. She withdrew it and traced pictures in the sand, pictures that just happened to look like Cyborg. Jinx was bored. Resignedly, she headed home.
When she arrived at her door, she noticed the person next to her, who was unlocking the door to the apartment next to her. She had a hooded gray sweatshirt and jeans. A perfectly normal person, but something was different about her. Jinx frowned, watching her fumble with the keys.
"It's the smallest key on your key ring," Jinx informed her. The girl turned around slowly and jumped a little.
"Aren't you supposed to be in jail?" The girl blurted out. She then covered her mouth and checked to make sure her hood was covering her face.
"And I always thought you lived in Titans Tower," Jinx said dryly. "So, what's up, Raven?"
Raven sighed. She would have to find a new apartment once Jinx told the others. "What are you doing here?"
"Let out for good behavior and tried as a juvenile," Jinx held up her wrist with the metal bracelet.
Raven leaned onto the wall. She had had quite enough of metal bracelets. "Lucky you. So Gizmo and Mammoth were bad boys?" What am I doing, talking to a criminal? She thought to herself. Oh well.
"Damn straight," Jinx smoothed her black dress out. "Want to come in?" She gestured toward her open door.
Raven raised an eyebrow. Heck, whatever, if she does anything, it wouldn't be difficult to bring her to jail, she figured. The empath walked in.
"Tea?" Jinx held up a teapot and teabags in her other hand.
"Yes, please," Raven settled herself on a chair next to a small table. "Interesting. We drink the same type of tea."
Jinx poured two mugs of tea. "So, what did the green midget do to drive you out? Or was it the blond, Terry or whatever?"
Raven sipped some of the tea. Perfectly made. "Both, really."
"Are you going back?" Jinx watched her closely. I never thought I'd be drinking tea with a Titan. We're not even arguing or anything. It's just like we're two random people who decided to have a drink together.
"No," Raven said, staring at her tea. "I don't think so."
"That bad, huh?" Jinx leaned back in her chair.
Raven changed the subject. "So, still crushing on Cyborg?"
Jinx blushed. "He's a traitor."
He's a traitor. The words echoed in Raven's mind.
The witch sensed Raven's uneasiness. "I don't get you guys. Right after Terry betrayed you, you decide to betray us. Just because we're criminals doesn't mean we don't have feelings."
Raven remained silent. Yes, they had been fools to do that.
Jinx finished her tea and there was a silence between the two.
"So, are the Titans still in Africa?" Jinx broke the silence.
"What?" Raven looked up, startled. "How did you--?"
"You're not the only empath here," Jinx smiled. "It must've sucked seeing Terra and Beastboy kiss. Just when you were thinking that he liked you." Jinx sighed. "I felt the same way when Stone—I mean, Cyborg turned out to be against us all that time."
"He's such a…" Raven tried to find a suitable word.
"Jerk? Player? Poser? Flirt? Hunk?" Jinx suggested.
Raven actually found herself smiling. Imagine that, Raven thought. I'm smiling because of a criminal's words. "If it helps you any, Cyborg likes you, too."
Jinx blushed again. "Well, it's not as if we could ever go out."
"Why not? You're not in jail anymore."
"Right, like I can really just march up to Titans Tower, ring the bell, and when Cyborg answers it, say, 'Hey, I'm out of jail. Let's go out for pizza.'" Jinx sighed and drummed her fingers on the table.
Raven put her empty mug in the sink. "You could always use your communicator. He still has his HIVE one in his room."
Jinx shrugged. "Why don't you ask Beastboy out, then? He definitely likes you better than Terry."
"I'm not going back to the tower while Terry is still there," Raven said. Terry, Terra, they were both stupid names.
"Hey—you know what would be fun? We should prank call Terry!" Jinx brightened and brought out her communicator. "She doesn't know who I am yet."
Raven was indifferent to the idea, so Jinx barged ahead. She managed to find Terra's communicator number somehow and called her.
"Hey, Terry!" Jinx said.
Terra's face peered at her from the communicator window. "Um, who are you? And my name is Terra." In the background, Raven could see the back of Terra's compartment in the T-Ship. So they were flying back.
"I'm, like, one of your greatest fans!" Jinx giggled and grinned in a convincing way. "Like, I totally think that you're totally awesome!"
Raven nearly fell off her chair.
"Um…okay…. Thanks, I guess," Terra looked puzzled, wondering how someone could be one of her greatest fans if she didn't even know her name.
"Like, I totally support your decision," Jinx continued.
"Huh?"
"Duh, your decision of breaking up with Beastboy so he can get Raven!" Jinx said loudly. Raven flushed and stared down at her hands.
"I did that?" Terra looked bewildered. "Wait, how did you get my number?"
"Terra, what are you doing?" Beastboy's voice could be heard in the background, projecting from the speakers in Terra's place in the T-Ship.
"Some weirdo with pink hair called me," Terra replied. Though Raven and Jinx couldn't see, Cyborg was perking up.
"What'd you say, Terra? Pink hair?" Cyborg's voice could be heard, as well.
"We're landing, guys!" Robin could be heard saying.
"Yea, some girl with bright pink hair and a black dress. And there's another girl with a hood on in the background."
"WHAT?" Beastboy and Cyborg shouted.
"Hang up, Jinx," Raven commanded her. Jinx obediently closed the communicator after a final little wave and smile.
"I do not understand—why was friend Raven with Jinx?"
The Titans were gathered in the common room, discussing the call. They hadn't been able to trace it.
"I don't know, Star," Robin paced back in forth in front of the windows. "I don't understand what happened back in Africa, either, and how Slade was involved."
"BB knows, right?" Cyborg glanced at his best friend, who was sitting next to Terra on the couch.
Beastboy raised an eyebrow. "How do you know I know, dude?"
"…Duh."
"Fine, then," Beastboy sighed. "Here goes, from the beginning. Raven left Titans Tower and was walking back to wherever she was staying when a couple of guys cornered her in an alley. They stank, too. I was walking past and I saw them and I beat them up 'cause they were about to hurt Raven, but I didn't know it was Raven then. She was wearing something else. So I found out who she was and she ran away somewhere and then I came back and told you and we chased her and found her on the roof with Slade's bots attacking her and Slade kidnapped her to somewhere and left the mirror, which threw out these marble things and one of the marble things dissolved and that was Happy and Slade took all the other marble things and threw them in the Tower but kept Rage and then we went to Africa and Slade was controlling Raven with these two metal bracelets and Rage was controlling all the negative emotions, which were Sarcasm, Gross, Jealousy, and Timid and he sent Raven over to Upper Lamumba but Raven was being controlled so she attacked us but for a moment the bracelets failed and she told me to get the stone and we did and when Intelligence and Happy went in the chakra, it turned out Rage was already controlling Raven so Intelligence and Happy got into Trigon's amulet, just like in the Tournament of Heroes and then I realized that and we got them out and then they all went back into Raven's mind. The End." Beastboy took a deep breath.
Cyborg blinked. "Somehow, I'm even more confused now."
"But what about Slade?" Robin asked. Something in his mind just wouldn't click. Why didn't Slade just destroy the Alucinor Mortis? If he had wanted Trigon out, he could've easily stopped the Titans from getting the stone in the temple in Upper Lamumba.
Beastboy shrugged. "I don't know everything. I think he just like, gave up or something and he's lurking in some lair planning another way to dominate the world."
"So what now?" Terra fidgeted with a lock of blonde hair.
They all turned towards Robin.
"We go look for Raven first," He said firmly. "Then we go after Slade."
"What, we're just supposed to find her and drag her home?" Beastboy said incredulously.
"Have any other plans?" Robin asked him bitterly.
Beastboy grumbled, but shut up.
"Titans…" Robin started to say. The Titans got ready to run out of the Tower.
"Stop!"
The Titans were halfway out the door, but then stopped and turned around.
Robin cracked up. "Sorry," He choked out between giggles, "I just had to do that. Titans, GO!"
Why? Starfire wondered to herself as she flew over the rooftops. Why does friend Raven wish to desert us?
She sighed and dropped on a rooftop. The Tamaranian couldn't feel the joy of flight anymore.
Friend Terra—she has betrayed us, but she will not do it again. Why does Raven not understand that? Starfire twirled a lock of amber hair around her finger. She frowned. Perhaps I am too trusting and friend Raven is right not to trust Terra. But she means well, I can tell.
The teenage girl climbed down the fire escape to the ground and walked down the street. It was noon and many people looked at her curiously as she walked past the rows of shops. She kept her eyes straight ahead. But friend Raven said that she left because of Beastboy—what did Beastboy do? This is very confusing.
A small little girl, four or five years old and in a pretty bright sundress, ran up to Starfire and gazed up her with shining blue eyes. Her two black pigtails bounced behind her as she asked, "Are you Stah-fiyah?"
Starfire looked down at her and smiled, kneeling down. "Yes, I am. What is your name?"
The little girl beamed. "My name is Raven, 'cept my parents call me Rae-Rae. There they are," She pointed to a couple nearby, who were watching them and smiling. "They said they named me after my hair color. Can I have your autograph?" She held out a piece of paper and a pen.
"That is a beautiful name. I have a friend with your name," Starfire scribbled her name on the paper and handed it back.
"I know! My friends say she likes the green guy," Raven took the paper back and grinned, showing one missing front tooth. "Thank you!" She gave Starfire a little hug and ran back to her parents.
"You're welcome," She called to her. Starfire stood up, smoothing down her skirt. Earth children are very delightful, she thought, a smile dancing on her lips. I wonder how friend Raven would react to that little girl. Perhaps Beastboy did something with Terra, and Raven was angry and that was why she left?
Starfire passed Raven's depressing café and saw Beastboy in there, talking to a Goth and asking her questions about Raven and had she seen her lately? Starfire decided to visit him. She entered the shop. Immediately, she felt shy, like she always did when she entered the shop. The people looked scary and the music was scary and everything was scary in there. Starfire quickly went to Beastboy's side.
"Yeah, she came here a few minutes ago to buy some tea," The Goth looked bored. "Why? Gone to ask her out?"
"No!" Beastboy blushed furiously and Starfire giggled. He glanced at her, his ears turning red. "Did you see what direction she went?"
"To the left, near the apartments near the jailhouse," The Goth girl examined her black fingernails. "She was with this freak with pink hair."
"Was this 'freak in pink hair' harming her?" Starfire asked.
She looked at Starfire, just noticing her. "No, they were just talking about some guy named Slade. Weird name, huh?"
"Yeah, thanks, Brittany," Beastboy sped out of the café, trailed by Starfire. He turned into a bird and took flight and Star followed as they arrived at the apartments.
"Friend Beastboy, what have you done to anger Raven?" Starfire asked innocently as they rode the elevator to the first floor. They were going to check each floor thoroughly.
"Nothing!" Beastboy said as they stepped out into the hallway. He knocked on the first door. "I don't know why she's mad."
The door swung open slowly, but no one was there. Starfire and Beastboy peered in, wondering how the door opened.
Star noticed a small yellow object on the table. "Look, Beastboy! There is Raven's communicator."
Beastboy picked it up and examined it. He then flipped open the cover and a recorded voice projected from it, with Raven's face.
"For whom this may concern, I am never rejoining the Titans. I quit. Even if Terra were to leave, I still wouldn't rejoin. Is that clear? Nothing can change my mind. To clear things up: Beastboy's explanation was correct. Slade was involved because he wanted to get Trigon out and then overpower him with Rage, which wouldn't have worked anyway, so no love lost. I don't know why Slade didn't destroy the Alucinor Mortis. Have a nice life." The screen blacked out.
Starfire and Beastboy stared at the empty screen.
"We have to get back to the Tower," Beastboy finally said. "She's there."
"How do you know?" Starfire asked.
"She needs to get her stuff, plus, the background is our kitchen," Beastboy said.
Starfire blinked. She had a feeling that Beastboy was a lot smarter than he acted.
"Goodbye, room," Raven muttered, taking one last look at her empty room. She had taken her favorite books and had scoured the tower for her mirror, but it was nowhere to be found.
"I still don't get why you're leaving," Jinx examined their big screen TV. "This place is so awesome!"
Raven ignored her. "I better go. Thanks for your help, Jinx."
"No problem," Jinx replied. She had helped Raven disable the security cameras so that Cyborg, who was in the garage, wouldn't see them. She had also helped Rae gather her favorite books. Jinx turned to leave. "Bye."
Raven watched her get into the elevator. Life just kept getting stranger—since when had Jinx been so friendly? She sighed as she turned to go through a black portal. She really didn't want to leave, but she had to. Not because of Terra, and not because of Beastboy, either, as she had let the other Titans believe. Trigon was the reason she couldn't stay. If Trigon got out again, he could kill the Titans, not to mention Jump City. Strange, though—she couldn't sense his evil inside of her anymore. Raven frowned. Oh well. Better safe than sorry.
The empath turned around and walked to the elevator Jinx had disappeared down. Suddenly, it dinged and opened. Inside was Beastboy.
"Hey, Rae," He greeted her calmly, as if nothing had happened. "I saw Jinx come out." The changeling walked right past Raven into the common room. Raven narrowed her eyes, confused. So he had put two and two together and had figured out she was here. So what the hell was he doing now?
Raven cautiously floated over to where he was sitting on the black sofa. "Beastboy?" She figured it couldn't hurt to have a little conversation before she left.
Besides, inside, Love was threatening to let Rage loose if she didn't.
Beastboy didn't turn around. "What?"
"Um…" Raven bounced on the balls of her feet, an annoying habit that she had somehow gotten from Jinx. She stalled and fished for a topic to talk about. "Where's my mirror?"
"It dissolved."
Raven felt fluttery inside. What was he doing?
"Why do you want to leave, Raven?" Beastboy turned around and looked her straight in the eyes. His green eyes were deadly serious and there was no spark in them like there usually was.
She looked away: first at the ground, then the ceiling, then to a spot to the left of Beastboy. Raven could feel a new emotion forming: Nervous, who was light green. Suddenly, one of the enormous windows were engulfed in light green and cracked. They both jumped.
"Dude!" Beastboy stared at the window, and then at Raven. "Why was that green?"
Raven looked away from him again. She had no clue. Why? The only time that her powers were supposed to be different from black when all her emotions were in her mind was if all the evil was cleansed from her mind, but how was that possible? Trigon was still inside of her…right?
Beastboy grabbed her wrist. "Look, Rae…"
Raven jerked away.
"I don't know what the hell your problem is, but I want you to stay. We all do, even Terra. You don't have to stay in the same room as her. You don't even have to talk to her. To put it straight: we all like you better than Terra and there's no denying that. Dude, Robin hates Terra almost as much as you."
She stared down at her pale hands. It was true; what could she say?
"And Jinx told me—Trigon isn't in you anymore. He's dead. By destroying the amulet, we destroyed him for—what, the third time? He's really gone this time. Jinx would've sensed him if he was still in there, and you sense it too, don't you?" Beastboy continued. He touched her hand and she looked up into his eyes.
Was he right? Was Trigon gone? Raven felt uneasy. The window shattered completely. "Um."
"I'm sorry."
"For what?" Raven asked. Her heart pounded heavily.
"I'm sorry for all the times I've been a jerk and that once I called you mean behind your back while I was kissing Terra and I don't like her I was just confused at the time and will you please forgive me?" He said in a rush, with a pleading tone.
"You don't like her?" Raven felt like her brain was swimming through mud.
"No, I really don't," Beastboy repeated. He took a deep breath. "Because I like you. More than a friend."
Raven's eyes widened and she felt heat rush to her cheeks.
"You—you were wrong. Opposites attract. I am Yang, and you are Yin," Beastboy said. What if she didn't like him back? His whole plan would backfire. "According to—well…when I ran away in America, Superman found Cyborg and me and he lectured us about good and evil. He said that it balances, like Yin and Yang. Opposites balance and attract. Without one, there can't be the other. We—I think we attract. Will you stay?" Beastboy looked steadily at her. Inside, he was just as nervous as Raven. Confrontations were not his thing, but for Raven, anything.
Raven had a flood of memories…
-
"Thanks for the help on the T-Car…" Cyborg smiled and Raven felt happy inside.
-
"The mall of shopping is simply wondrous, isn't it, friend Raven?" Starfire grinned at her and Raven found herself smiling back.
-
"So, this could be called Plan Alpha, then?" Robin asked. "Wow, that's a good plan, Rae…"
-
"STANKBALL!" Beastboy and Cyborg grinned at her.
-
"Veggie pizza!" Beastboy piped up.
"Meat Lovers!" Cyborg argued back.
"Ice cream?" Starfire suggested hopefully.
-
"I win!" Robin did a victory dance.
"No fair!" Beastboy whined.
-
"You are right, friend Raven, meditating helps a lot!" Starfire twirled in the air.
-
"Titans, GO!"
-
"Well, you're pretty, the locket's pretty…"
-
"I like you," Beastboy said softly.
"I like both of you, now get over here!"
-
"We'll help you defeat the Monster," Robin put a hand on her shoulder.
-
"Yea, we really do work together well as a team!" Beastboy grinned.
"Perhaps we should form a team to fight criminals?" Starfire suggested.
"Dude, that'd be awesome!" Cyborg punched his left hand with his right fist.
"We could call ourselves the Teen Titans!" Robin proclaimed. They all looked at Raven. "Will you stay?"
She paused. Raven nodded.
-
Raven knew what she had to do: she nodded.
finite
The end. -dramatic music plays loudly- How did y'all like it? Don't ask about Slade. You find out what happens to him in the sequel, which is already uploaded. Go check it out. ;)
This story is dedicated to my big sister, Robin, because she turned 17 today (12/13/04). :)
Shiruba Shi--How did you like Teen Titans: Shadows?
lil-c-girl2218--Not really. A bit harsh, way too obsessive, and not very trusting, yes, but stuck-up and self-centered, no.
10920--I am so, so sorry. :( I must've skipped over you by accident or maybe your review didn't show up yet (since it takes 24 hours to show up). Here, have a cookie to make you feel better. :)
MlzMissa--Yeah, me too, but I have never, ever finished a fanfiction before, so I just felt it was time to wrap it up. xD I forgot...I think I emailed you about something, but I'm not sure. Check your email?
Silvery-veritas--Cool. I'm a big Sirius Black fan (the young version, not Gary Oldman. -shudder-). :) I knew about Veritaserum, but not about what it looked like. That was an interesting FYI. And I think I emailed you, but I don't quite remember. oo;
dissappear--Thanks. :) They're teens. They swear. I'm 12, and I swear. Mildly (as in suck, or if I drop something on me or walk into a wall or something, something harsher.)
scubagurl--Sequal's out. :) Wow, my sister's in high school, not me. xD
IAmImmortal--Sequel, sequal...I always thought it was sequal, but I'm pretty sure it's sequel, or--gah. No clue what I'm saying. xD Did I email you?
Zeldagurli--MUFFIN! -snarf- Did you get my email?
Pain and Tears--Yeah, Seth Turtle. Great story. Lol, the earrings were from the school Holiday Fair. They were like, 10 bucks. xD I went snooping and I found an IPOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I know it's mine cuz I asked my sister and she said my daddy got it for me. -squeal- I'm pretty sure the sequel will be longer. Hopefully. I can't wait till Christmas...did I email you about something?
Amscray--Ha, I get it! :D
aurorasmist--Thanks. Damn, I thought my battle scenes sucked. xD
mew-xena--You are the most enthusiastic reviewer I have ever had. -glomps-
And thanks to: Tori, Firpi, Reveric Tigeress, Unforgettable, ultraviolet4ever, Pixie10111, dancingirl3, Robyn222, warprince2000, CHEENAMI Danny, angelzsweet90, and Zee.
Everyone check your email. I emailed some of you, but I forgot which people I emailed, so do me a favor and check, please. :)
Thank you all for reviewing my story and I hope you enjoyed it. Special mentions to dancingirl3, who was almost always the first one to review new chapters, anyone else who reviewed ALL my chapters, Zeldagurli for the muffins (yum), MlzMissa for the cookies (mm), Haruko-sama for that awesome face, even though you didn't review this chapter, Pain and Tears for that attention getting idea that I thought was awesome (HEY! You! OVER HERE!!!!!), Pain and Tears for long reviews (I love them. :) Oh, and can you log in this one time? I want to ask you something...),warprince2000 for the same exact review almost every time,and everyone in general for giving me the most reviews I have ever gotten.
I started a c2 community, by the way.
Check out the sequel,
Lily