Fan Fiction ❯ Anything, Anytime, Anywhere, For You ❯ Robin Gets Lucky, Beast Boy Doesn't ( Chapter 10 )

Anything, Anytime, Anywhere, For You

 

Chapter Ten

“Robin Gets Lucky, Beast Boy Doesn't”

 

A/N: Ten Chapters, Fifty-Eight Reviews; One Month. Heheh, I love writing this story man. A HUGE thanks to everyone on Fanfiction.net and Mediaminer.org who have read and/or reviewed this story. Now on with this chapter!

 

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After a quick walk, Robin found himself in the Throne Room of the underground bunker face to face with Starfire's parents. The throne room wasn't fancy, not by comparison to the one in the main palace. The only “royal” looking thing about it was the raised chairs and the King and Queen who sat on them. The rest of the room looked more like a military control room - which it was.

 

The King and Queen controlled the military, and this bunker was used only in times of invasion or civil war; therefore, it was perfect for its purpose. The Tamaranian's knew war; they knew how to start war, how to fight war, and how to end war. This was just another part of that knowledge now at work; because they were at war. It wasn't a tradition war against a traditional foe; but it was a war.

 

However, from the somber face of King Myand'r, and the teary eyes of Queen Luand'r; Robin's side was losing the war. The moment he'd entered the room he'd taken notice of their emotion and his heart suddenly felt as if it was made of stone. He was here to talk about the Trials - the Tamaranian Love Trials that had started this entire affair - and the discussion wasn't one he'd like.

 

“You're highnesses.” Robin bowed politely, dipping himself down to waist level and trying to keep the worry in his eyes masked away.

 

“Please Master Robin, have a seat.” King Myand'r said in a somber voice, moving his arm to indicate a small wooden chair that was placed off to the side of the King's throne.

 

“Thank you.” Robin replied, though only for formality. He wasn't thankful to be here, or to be asked to sit; but he did anyway. Once he had, King Myand'r turned his head so that he and Robin were staring into each other's eyes. Robin knew in an instant the news was every bit as bad as he'd expected, and words soon came from the Tamaranian ruler's mouth to confirm his suspicions.

 

“Master Robin, I am afraid we cannot hold the trails as planned. Recent events cannot be overlooked, and there is too much that must be done. I am sorry.”

 

Robin dropped his head, rubbed the bridge of his nose with his index and middle finger, and shook his head. He wasn't all that disappointed in getting out of the trails - he didn't need a test to tell him how he felt about Starfire. Starfire, however, was the problem. She was so happy at any mention of the trails. On the ship, on Tamaran; anytime someone had brought the conversation back to the strange tradition she'd light up. Now that light would have to be stamped out - and to Robin that was worse than anything he'd endured so far.

 

“I understand Your Highness; but Starfire won't. She won't understand this and she won't be happy.” Robin looked back at the King now, expecting anger or disappointment. He found neither - rather the King had a mischievous grin spread across his face. It reminded him of Beast Boy, which was unnerving.

 

“Ah, but I have a solution that may please you both. The traditional trails cannot be held; we simply do not have the labor or the time to build the stadium or design the test. However, the original trails can still be undergone. They are quicker, more effective and much more dangerous than the ones you would have been doing.” Myand'r explained.

 

Robin wasn't sure if he should be filled with happiness or worry at this news, so he decided to press the point. “History lesson?”

 

Queen Luand'r spoke this time; Her first time speaking since the meeting had begun. Unlike her husband, who seemed excited and proud that his daughter would be undergoing the “original” trails, the Queen seemed to be against the idea completely. However she made no mention of her emotion except through the quiet warning she flashed Robin when their eyes made contact. Then she explained.

 

“The Trails of Love, or the Lover's Trials, have always been a part of Tamaran's history going back longer than many realize. The trails you were to undergo have been the ones used for many hundreds of years; but they are not the originals. When they were first founded, the trails were much simpler and much deadlier. Two young lovers would by their own accord travel to a place in the Tamaranian desert that we call “Ochu Nador”, or “Ochu's Dancing Ground”. There they would find a cavern in the midst of the desert. Beneath the cavern is a series of underground catacombs; and atop the cavern's is a chasm. The chasm leads into the catacombs. The lovers would select a small keepsake that represents their love to them and drop it inside the chasm. Then they'd enter the cavern, seek out the entrance to the catacombs, and enter them in an attempt to find their keepsake. If they found it, their love was assured. If they did not recover it - or if they died in the process - it would be failure.”

 

Robin had been waiting for that last part. Anyone could search a cave for a keepsake, but only on Tamaran did the risk of dying in the process become such an important topic. Flashing a small grin, Robin looked up at the King and Queen. “I take it the catacombs aren't just empty caves?”

 

The King returned his grin, though it was much larger than Robin's. “Of course not! According to those who successfully completed the old trails the terrain inside is harrowing and dangerous, the stress endured by the lovers in their such is unbearable and there are creatures too dark and too foul to be named lurking in every shadowy corner ready to strike and kill anything they could consider food. Every couple to return successfully, though, wound up marrying and staying together in happiness for life - which is more than I can say for the newer trails.”

Now Robin was confused. The old ways seemed much deadlier and much more effective - none of his knowledge on Tamaranian society told him that changing to a more civilized, less effective way of picking their leader's lover was something likely to occur. “So why did you change to the new way, anyway?”

The King shrugged his massive shoulders. “No one could watch the old way. With the new way, there's a stadium, and everyone on Tamaran can watch the lover's and cheer them on. However, my people must focus on the war crimes being committed against us now; not entertainment. What say you Master Robin? Though they be outdated, shall you partake in the Trails of Old?”

 

Robin stood up from the chair and looked the King in his eyes. “We both know that decision isn't up to me. I've been doing everything for Starfire, whatever her answer is; is my answer too.”

 

The Queen smiled, as if she'd known this was coming all along; and her husband seemed to once again be impressed by Robin's manner in answering his question. Myand'r's response wasn't hard to predict. “Then we shall await her answer, though we hardly need too.” There was a pause. “Has she awakened yet?”

 

Robin's voice dropped a little. “She was still asleep when I left. Actually, I haven't really seen her since the attack. We've been sleeping in shifts so that one of us is awake to keep and eye on Raven and Beast Boy.”

 

The Queen nodded in understanding. They hadn't seen Starfire since the attack either; their duties as monarchs had kept them from their responsibility as parents and they'd been forced to have faith in her friends to look after her. It was apparent that faith had been well placed. “Then return to the infirmary Master Robin; go be with your friends.”

 

Robin smiled at the Queen and bowed one final time. “Thank your, Your Grace, I'll do just that.”

 

That is exactly what he did. Robin made his way swiftly out of the throne room, his spirits significantly higher than they were when he went in; and retraced his steps back to the infirmary. Upon arriving he was delighted to find it hadn't changed much; at least not on the outside. Cyborg and Raven were still awake, and apparently, their breakfast had arrived. Cyborg offered a wave as he munched down on something that Robin wouldn't have eaten for all the money on this world or his own. Raven was poking the contents of her own plate with her fork, apparently trying to decide on how eatable it was.

 

“How'd it go?” Raven asked.

 

“Better than I thought. They want us to go through a much quicker, much deadlier version of the trails. I'm leaving it up to Starfire, though.” Robin summed up the entire meeting as he walked across the room and sat down on the edge of the redhead's bed. “She's still asleep, I see.”

“Yeah, but we all know Star and the trails. I don't think she'd be too mad if you woke her for this one buddy.” Cyborg's big white grin was stained with tiny bits of the whatever-it-was that he was eating.

 

“Yeah, but our eardrums and your back might thank you if you let her sleep.” Raven added in her usual fashion.

 

Very little seemed to have changed since he left; but that was not the case. There was a massive change about to take place - one that would affect the Teen Titans for the rest of their lives. Beast Boy was not going to wake up anytime soon, and he was not leaving the room. His body was still in need of serious healing - but his soul was another story.

 

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“Dude, my head hurts.”

 

Beast Boy had always liked talking. To himself, to others, to animals - he was a talker. Which is why it wasn't strange for him to be announcing to no one that his head hurt as he sat up and rubbed his gloved hand through his messy green hair. What was strange, however, was the fact that he could run his hand through his hair - or the fact he could even wake up at all.

Memories rushed into his mind and suddenly Beast Boy realized this wasn't right.

 

“Oh crap.”

 

Hadn't he been shot by Slade's creepy eye thing? Wasn't he on the verge of death, lying in bed across from Raven in the infirmary? Well if that was true how did he wind up sitting on his bum in . . .

 

It was now that Beast Boy took in his surroundings, and it was now that he became genuinely terrified. He was sitting on the ground. Where he was, he didn't know - but it wasn't the kind of place he wanted to be. The ground was like a desert, nothing but sand and stone for as far as the eye could see in any direction. Old gray dust and fresh beach sand mixed over rocks that looked older than anything the frightened Titan had even seen before.

 

That was the ground. The sky was black. Just black. In every direction. No clouds, no trees, no buildings, no people. Just an empty void.

 

“Welcome to the Astral Plane, Beast Boy.”

 

He was about as confused as he could possibly be about where he was, how he'd gotten there, and what had happened to the injuries he'd been covered in when Slade's voice reached his ears. That answered all of questions. He didn't know the actual answers, but knowing Slade was involved was enough. Beast Boy jumped up and transformed into bear, whipping around to find Slade and Trigon standing side by side and staring at him as if he was an amusing sideshow act at the circus.

 

“Don't bother fighting us. I extracted your soul-self for this meeting; I take it my daughter has explained what a soul-self is?” Trigon asked.

 

Ding. Now things made sense. Beast Boy returned to his normal form and stood with his arms crossed. “Kinda.”

 

“It doesn't matter.” Slade was quick to cut them off. “We can't hurt you and you can't hurt us; not in this world. You were brought here for the purpose of making a deal.”

 

This time Beast Boy laughed. Not just snickers or giggled, but full-blown laughter. He had to restrain himself from falling to his knees. “Dude, what in the HELL would make you think I'd make a deal with you? Hell-ooooo? Do you like have no memory of the past or what?”

 

“What I have is a way to end Raven's existence the second you piss me off.” Slade replied, narrowing his eye. “Which you're about to do. Explain Trigon.”

 

At this Beast Boy's laughter ceased and his attention was full and undivided. Trigon apparently had been waiting and he launched into an explanation that normally would have confused Beast Boy had it been about anyone else but Raven.

 

“While she was recovering from our last encounter, I entered Raven's mind and left her a present; a piece of me. A piece of my Soul-Self, actually. You see the Soul-Self is a tricky thing. If even a tiny piece of it is destroyed, the entire soul will begin to deteriorate and eventually turn into nothing. Without a soul, you have no emotion, no consciousness. You are nothing but an empty shell. However a soul can be broken without being destroyed; as mine is now. Moreover, that piece of my soul inside Raven can, and will, devour her soul the moment I tell it too. Then all that's left is an empty shell, complete with all of Raven's powers and none of her personality - and my soul will be driving it.”

“Bottom line is this.” Slade said. “You either do what we say when we say it, or we turn your girlfriend into a soulless killing machine. What do you say, do we have a deal?”

 

Beast Boy had noticed two flaws in this plan. One, if Raven found Trigon's soul inside her, and what they said about souls was true; this could be her big chance to destroy her father forever. More importantly two; Beast Boy was fried like a poptart that had been in the toasted too long.

 

“Okay, seriously, for Raven I'll do it; but how am I suppose to help you when I can't do anything in the real world?”

 

Slade shook his head. “You underestimate me. Trigon is going to use his new connection to Raven to strengthen her healing powers, and to implant the suggestion that she should try healing you in her head. You'll be back in your own body, good as news, in no time.”

 

Beast Boy had to think quickly. “And you don't think Raven will be just a little suspicious if she can all of the sudden heal injures as bad as mine without killing herself?”

 

“You read too much into these things.” Slade sighed. “And I don't feel like explaining them any longer. We're sending you back to your body now, Beast Boy. All you have to do is wait. Of course if you try to tell Raven or anyone else about this experience you know what will happen. Just wait, that's it. We'll contact you again soon with your actual orders.”

 

Before Beast Boy could speak, it was over.

 

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Raven's courage had finally grown enough to try her breakfast. The fork that had speared the green-slimy thing was just outside her mouth when her mind exploded with a fierce heat. She dropped the fork, cried out in pain, and fell forward onto her lap. The breakfast plat went spilling all over the bed and Cyborg and Robin were at her side in a split second, both of them reaching hands out to her shoulders and each asking the same question.

“Raven!”

“Yo, you okay Rae?”

 

“I'm . . . fine.”

 

Raven sat up. The pain that had been severe enough to knock her out a moment ago was gone. The burning sensation that reminded her of hell itself had also vanished. In their place was the foolish confidence that she could do something she knew she could not; heal Beast Boy. She couldn't explain where the idea had come from - perhaps her emotions were working in overdrive again - but she honestly felt that if she tried too, she could heal him right now.

 

It was impossible, suspicious, and bizarre; and she was going to try. Normally Raven would never have given into such an idea; but perhaps because of circumstances, promises and recent events she was a different person, and she was going to try.

 

“I can heal him.” Raven muttered, making even less sense to her than she did to Cyborg and Robin. Cyborg looked over at Beast Boy and then back at Raven.

“Yeah, you can. Then you'd be the one whose all messed up. Look, Rae, BB'll be fine. Don't think you have too -”

 

“No.” Raven said not only cutting Cyborg off but also actually pushing him away and climbing out of bed. “I can heal him and I'll be fine.”

 

Raven had been near the edge of Beast Boy's bed; and Robin cut her off. She attempted to go around him to the right and he blocked her again. This caused Raven to narrow her eyes; which only made Robin narrow his right back.

“Raven, you're powers don't work that way.”

“Don't get in my way Robin.” Raven warned.

“Don't give me a reason too.” Robin replied. “What your doing will only hurt you; emotionally and physically.”

 

“Which is perfectly fine when we're talking about you and Starfire; but out of the question when it comes to Beast Boy and I?” Raven shot back. Robin stopped dead, unable to answer that question at all. Though he didn't want too and knew what it meant to do so; Robin stepped aside.

Raven continued to Beast Boy's bedside and was careful in climbing up onto his bed. She didn't want to aggravate his injuries, even if she knew they'd be gone soon. She was suspicious of her newfound knowledge - of course, she was. She was Raven and she second-guessed everything in life. That's why it had taken her so long to find her recent happiness in Beast Boy, because she'd always second-guessed it. Well, not this time. If she felt so strongly about this she was going to just do it - consequences be damned.

Raven bent forward and pressed her hands against Beast Boy's burnt chest as lightly as she could. Then she closed her eyes and began to concentrate - and her hands did the rest. The room became very dark, the only source of light being the white flaring up under her fingertips and blinding anyone looking at it. Robin and Cyborg both shielded their eyes and Raven's were already closed. It seemed to last an eternity to her, but in reality it was only a few moments.

 

Then the lights came back on, the white flashes went away, and Beast Boy's body was back to normal. Raven stared down at him in disbelief of what had just happened. His body was healed. There wasn't a single scratch, cut, scrape, bruise, burn or beat mark anywhere to be seen. Even his goofy haircut had been fixed. She waited with anticipation and a held breath.

 

Then Beast Boy's nose twitched. A moment later, his eyes opened and he looked up at Raven, whose face had broken out into a mixture of amazement and happiness. Beast Boy was not quite as happy. She had healed him. She had saved his life, and now her own was in danger. Of course if she found that out, she would die. At least the Raven he knew would die. Therefore, Beast Boy did all he could do.

 

“Hiya Rae.” He said shakily as leaned upward into a sitting stance.

 

“Beast Boy.” Raven tried to contain herself, but she didn't try long. A flash of a second later and she had her arms around him, hugging him tightly and crying into his shoulder; all her usual reserved nature forgotten. Beast Boy smiled weakly and returned the hug. On the one hand, it felt good to be able to hug her again - but on the other . . .

 

She, and probably everyone else, would have been better off if Beast Boy had just died when Slade attacked him.

 

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A/N: This one is much shorter than the usual chapter length; but I honestly have nothing else I can add to this one. Anyway, chapter eleven will be underway shortly. I'm trying to update as often as possible; but quality is more important to me, so sometimes it takes longer than I'd like. A few reviews would make me smile, by the way. *wink wink nudge nudge*

 

~ Brandon