Q'n'A#2: Of Tamaraneans, bubble gums and hair

“Hi guys!” Cyborg almost yelled, waving his hand just like Beast Boy on his right hand, then Robin and Starfire. Raven wasn’t waving, being too busy with her steaming mug.

“Are ya ready for another Questions and Answers?” Cyborg continued vigorously.
“This time all of us will answer questions of their own” Robin began. “I hope we won’t get all crazy again.”
“Why? It was awesome!” Beast Boy laughed.
“Okay, we’re gonna draw lots first” Cyborg said then turned to Robin.
“Hit the button, dude” Beast Boy said to Cyborg. The metal man obliged happily, pushing some buttons on the laptop he had taken out at some point.
“Starfire!” he announced and the alien girl clapped her hands joyfully.
“I’m in your mailbox, aaaaand, there’s your random question.” He said, then started reading.
“’Dear Starfire. Since you’re from another planet, I was wondering about anatomic differences between people of your race and humans. By the way, you rule. Yours forever, Trevor.’”
“You know, she’s taken, right?” Robin asked, snaking his arm around Starfire’s shoulders.
“Oh, stop it, I think it’s the sweet” Starfire bashed him slightly. Cyborg and Beast Boy snickered.
“This should be good” Beast Boy said. “C’mon, Star.”

The alien girl put a finger to her chin.

“Oh, X’Hal, I need to think about it. Um… Well, first, Tamaraneans have nine stomachs.”
“Seriously?” Cyborg asked. Starfire merely nodded, still thinking about her answer.
“Also our tongues are purple, much longer than human’s, oh, and it’s prehensile.”
“Ew.” Raven muttered. Beast Boy laughed shortly.
“Yeah, French kissing is either awesome, or just plainly weird” Robin said, causing Beast Boy and Cyborg to laugh nervously and Raven to frown with another ‘ew’ on her mouth.
“My eyes, hair and skin color are the common Tamaranean trait too. And we can breathe in outer space. Also we don’t feel temperature changes as severly as humans do” Starfire said and wondered a moment longer. “Oh, also, because Tamaraneans are related to felines, females do not menstruate like humans do.”
“You don’t?” Boys asked in unison. Starfire blushed and started playing with her hair.
“No. But we do get into heat instead. Also monthly.”
“So my nose didn’t lie to me” Beast Boy said.
“What do you mean?” Robin asked.
“I can kinda smell differences in a person’s smell, probably something with pyromones” he shrugged.
“You mean pheromones” Cyborg and Raven corrected simultaneously.
“Yeah, that.” Beast Boy admitted and other Titans shook their heads.
“So you can smell when people are afraid or when they are in a heat” Starfire concluded.
“Yup.” He said, popping the P. Then Raven started nervously, saying.
“Oh, dear Azar.”
“What is it, Raven?” Robin asked. She leaned to the front to look at Beast Boy.
“Can you smell when I’m…?”she hesitated, not really wanting to finish her sentence.
“Rae, blood’s one of the most powerful smells.” He simply stated. Raven’s face contorted.
“Ew. And you didn’t tell me?”
“I didn’t have to. I can tell when you’re PMS-ing or on your fertile days too.”

Hearing that Raven leaned back into her sit, staring into space, still disgusted.

“I’m never coming near you again.” This made him laugh shortly.
“You know, you show some other signs of PMS and stuff, right?”
“Shut up or I’ll throw you outta the window” she threatened and sipped from her mug.
“That’s actually pretty good ability of yours” Robin interjected, glancing at Beast Boy.
“Yeah, sounds useful” Cyborg admitted.
“It is. I know when to stay away from Miss Grumpy McGrouch” he laughed shortly and immediately was blown out of the view, a sound of a window shattering audible along with Beast Boy’s scream.
“Anything else, Star?” Raven asked, sipping from the mug in her hands as if she didn’t just throw Beast Boy into the ocean. The movie paused and the words “thug life” appeared next to Raven along with some gangsta music. Then it all stopped and the movie went on.
“I’m not really sure it’s anatomic difference. But humans do not possess this ability, and it’s connected to physical contact, so…” Starfire kept playing with her hair.
“Just say it, girl” Cyborg said.
“Tamaraneans can learn any language through lip contact“ she said. “And I only mean lips to lips contact, no tongue involved. And... I think I have finished my answer.”
“Oh, that’s the weirdest thing ever” Cyborg said.
“But it works, I know it from experience” Robin smiled. Raven and Cyborg both said ‘ew’ this time.
“Okay, now a question fooooor… Raven” Cyborg stated pushing few buttons on his laptop.
“Oh Azar, do I have to?”
“Here’s your randomly shuffled question.” He totally ignored her which made her roll her eyes. “‘Hi, Raven.’” he began reading. “I think I walked into the wrong side of the internet and I came across a Japanese commercial of some bubble gum with you. Can you tell how it happened? Yours faithfully, Damian.’ Go, girl.”
“Wait, I have to recall the events of that day. I was walking aimlessly around Tokyo. And it seemed we were going to stay a while, so because I was absolutely bored I started to look for something to read. But I don’t read Japanese, and somehow I got myself into booth thingies with Japanese comic books… ”
“They’re called manga” Robin butted in.
“Yeah, whatever…”She said in a bored, non-caring tone. Cyborg and Robin laughed. Raven continued. “And I walk to that one booth, desperation coming off of me in waves and I say to the seller: I know English, German, Latin, Romanian, Ancient Sumerian and Sanskrit. Have you got anything I can read? And I’m really hoping he does. So he digs up this one small gum that has four English words on the wrapper. Super Twinkle Donkey Gum.”

Remaining three Titans burst out laughing.

“Yeah, I give him the ‘seriously?’ look” she said, showing the said look to the camera. “And then the guy winks at me.” She shuddered. “Not that I’m not flattered, but… Let’s just say, he wasn’t really attractive. A little nerdy actually. And he gave me the creeps.”

After Cyborg, Robin and Starfire stopped laughing she began talking again.

“After that it took life of its own, I guess. I don’t really remember much, it happened so fast, it’s all a blur. People jumping into my face, saying things I have no chance of understanding, because I don’t speak Japanese, then talking in Japanese-English about the gum, cameras, photos being taken. Me using my powers for no reason. That stuff.”

Cyborg snickered along with Robin.

“But they did pay me.”
“They did?” Robin asked.
“Yeah. And sent me a whole box of the gum.”
“What are you going to do with it?” Starfire asked. Raven shrugged.
“I chew it when I’m really bored. Or when Beast Boy’s around. So I ended up with an addiction.” They all looked at her wide-eyed. “Just kidding.” They sighed relieved.
“Friend Raven, I did not know you knew so many languages” Starfire said, changing topics swiftly.
“Yeah, two of them are dead and one is so rarely used that I’m starting to forget it. I mostly read and write in them. It’s not like I have anyone to talk to in those languages. I sometimes talk to myself in them so I don’t forget how they sound.”
“Aaww, that’s sad” Cyborg said.
“You don’t say” she replied ironically.
“Friend Raven, I would gladly talk with you in the languages you know if you agree on the lip contact” Starfire suggested, leaving Raven a little dumbfounded, her words followed by immediate and a little too quick and powerful ‘NO!’ from Robin.
“No?” Cyborg asked looking at his leader.
“Why not?” Starfire asked.
“I forbid it” Robin stated, crossing his arms on his chest.
“But Robin-…!“
“It’s fine, Starfire” Raven cut her off. “I don’t think I would be comfortable with… lip-contacting you anyways.”
“Good” Robin said.
“Robin approves” Cyborg smiled, and the others followed.

The door suddenly opened and in waltzed Beast Boy. He sat on the couch.

“What’d I miss?”
“I’m forbidden” Raven announced proudly.
“Robin forbade me from lip-contact with friend Raven” Starfire explained.
“Why’d you want to kiss Raven?” Beast Boy raised an eyebrow on her.
“Lip-contact is not a kiss, friend Beast Boy” Star corrected.
“And did you know Raven speaks six languages?” Cyborg asked.
“Did not!” Beast Boy looked at Raven incredulously.
“Seven if you count my mother tongue” she clarified, then drank form her mug.
“Isn’t English your mother tongue?” Robin asked.
“Actually I started off bilingual. I spoke English only with my mother.”
“Sweet” Robin commented and Raven shrugged. “You’re still forbidden.” Raven smirked.
“I still don’t get it” Beast Boy said, and Cyborg promised to explain later then eyed his green friend cautiously. He narrowed his human eye. “Why aren’t you wet? Rae sent you swimming.”
“I turned into a dog after the swim, I’m still sorta damp.”
“You mean dumb” Raven said with a smirk. Robin high fived with her and Beast Boy shot him a glare.
“I take it you’re still mad at me, mama?” the green boy asked and Raven pondered the question.
“Wait, why did I sent you swimming again?” she asked with her brows furrowed.
“I dunno” Beast Boy said, trying to get rid of the water in his left ear.
“I forgot too. Meh” she shrugged “Then I guess I’m not mad anymore.”
“He called you Miss Grumpy McGrouch” Cyborg reminded. Beast Boy cringed.
“Oh. Right.” Raven said slowly. “Thank you, Cyborg.”
“Yeah, thanks a bunch” Beast Boy added sarcastically. Meanwhile Raven leaned to the front so she could see him. She called his name and waited for him to look back at her.
“It’s such a lovely evening today, don’t you want to go swimming again?” she asked calmly with a slight smirk on her face. Beast Boy smirked back, a playful gleam in his eyes.
“Only if it’s skinny dipping with ya, mama” he said, winking to her. Raven narrowed her eyes, but before she could do anything, Cyborg hit him on the back of his head, simultaneously with Robin, who punched Beast Boy’s arm painfully.
“Ow!” Beast Boy exclaimed. “Dudes! What was that for?!”
“For being a perv to our little sis” Cyborg said. Beast Boy groaned and Starfire giggled. Raven smirked and spoke.
“I’m sorry Beast Boy, I can’t go swimming with you. I don’t want my chastity belt to go rusty.”

Robin, Cyborg and Starfire laughed.

“All right, I’m drawing lots again.” Cyborg announced. “And the question goes toooo… Green beaaaaan!”
“Yeah! Bring it, dude!” Beast Boy grinned.
“K, I’m reading. ‘Dear Beast Boy, I visited your deviant page lately (fyi, you’re amazing)…’”
“Thank ya” the shapeshifter interjected.
“’And I saw couple of drawings of Raven in long hair’…” Raven’s eyes widened. “…’and I was wondering: was it just your creativity or did you get some inspiration? Love, Cindy’”

All eyes landed on Beast Boy.

“Well, Beast Boy” Raven said slowly “Did you get some inspiration?” Beast Boy grinned goofily.
“Sure thing, you’re my muse, mama” he replied and winked at her again. Raven smirked, trying to suppress the blush on her face. Then Cyborg whined and Robin started yelling 'yeah!' over and over again. He then outstretched his hand to the metal man and said
“Pay up!” Cyborg put a bill on the leader’s gloved hand. Robin grinned.
“Haha. Hello, Benjy.”
“What did you bet about?” Starfire inquired.
“About Beast Boy confessing to Raven that she’s his muse” Robin replied, pocketing the new bill.
“Dude!”
“I did not see that coming” Cyborg said, shaking his head slowly.
“Dude?”
“Wait, that was for real?” Raven asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Have you not visited friend Beast Boy’s account on the Art of Deviant?” Starfire asked with her eyes wide as saucers.
“Not really, I’m scared to see all the perv stuff. My virgin eyes may not handle it, and I don’t exactly look forward to learning Braill alphabet” Raven replied.  
“Uh, dude! I don’t post perv stuff!” Beast Boy said offended, crossing his arms on his chest. “That much” he added under his breath and remaining boys snickered.
“It’s not that bad” Cyborg said, tapping furiously on his laptop and then handled it to Raven (by Robin and Starfire’s hands of course). “You look around his drawings while the grass stain will answer his question.”
“Right now?” Beast Boy and Raven asked in unison. Other Titans shot them a glare.
“You gave her my DA?” Beast Boy asked, audibly panicked.
“Yup, answer your question from a fan” Cyborg ordered. Beast Boy glanced at Raven nervously. She just raised an eyebrow, obviously looking at one of his works.
“Okay, so… Raven had long hair twice, last time I checked. So, ‘cause I kinda liked it that way I drew it. A few times” he grinned sheepishly.
“Twice?” Raven asked, frowning but not getting her eyes off the laptop’s screen. “When?”
“Uh, first time with the prophecy stuff when Slade was chasing ya, and second time after you whooped your father’s red ass.” Raven looked to the side, still frowning.
“Right” she agreed and kept on looking through.
“Friend Beast Boy, you said something about liking friend Raven’s appearance with her hair being long?” Starfire reminded, smiling knowingly. Robin and Cyborg grinned mischievously, watching Beast Boy turn red instead of green. Raven seemingly stayed focused on the art, but blushed nonetheless. Beast Boy stuttered.
“Yea, it looked nice. I mean, not that it doesn’t look nice now…” He then quickly got up, stole the laptop from Raven’s lap and ran out screaming like a crackpot.
“I was using that” Raven muttered offended.
“Tell me ‘bout it” Cyborg said. “I needed it for the questions.”
“So, I believe this is it for today?” Starfire asked innocently.
“Looks like it, Star” Robin nodded, then looked directly into the camera lens. “Thanks for watching guys, next time maybe all of us will answer a question.”
“Bye!” Starfire waved her hand as Cyborg did.