Current Events > Teen Titans CYOA: Romance Resurrected

(+) Yeah! (+)

B

"Levitation," you say. "We have more of those to work on, and they're arguably the more important Drives."

You bring the three Levitation Drives over, you sit at the one on the left and Raven on the right so that one is in the middle.

The Levitation Drive, being that it is basically what gives the ability of limited flight to the vehicle it is attached, resembles a turbine and uses the vehicle's engine for its power source.

"Alright, we'll do this together, step by step," you say. "First, we need to open up this outer shell, so we start by removing these little screws."

You and Raven use power drills to unscrew the crossheads and pop open the shell like an oyster.

"You should be seeing the system of shafts that interlink with gears like a gear box, or 'transmission'," you say.

"Whoa, I don't think I've seen something like this before," she says.

"My grandfather decided to use an epicyclic gearing system," you say. "It's also known as a 'planetary gear system', and was first created in the 2nd Century by Ptolemy as a way to predict and mimic the movement of the planets in our solar system. The 'Sun gear' is what connects to engine block and it makes the 'planet' gears move around. In this way, not only does each gear spin the turbine blades to create a vortex, the vortex revolve around the center to make a larger vortex. Vortexes within a vortex for the wind element of the Levitation spell."

"Incredible," she says. "And it even has stabilizing braces to keep the gears aligned."

"Yes, and-- wait, what's this...?"

You look closer at those stabilizing braces, specifically at what they're made from.

"Is this carbon fiber?" you say. "Raven, let me see yours."

Raven swings hers over and you look at the braces. They're the same as in the other. You quickly open the third Levitation Drive and access the gear box.

"Carbon fiber here, too," you say. "Raven, could you carefully remove the central bolts and disassemble the drives completely? It's just the Sun Gear holding things in place."

"Sure, but what're you going to do?"

"I need to explain to Sebastian why Null Co. doesn't substitute materials."

You leave the room as Raven uses a power spanner/wrenche to remove the central wheel/lug nut from the Drives.

"Sebastian," you call. "Sebastian!"

"Yes, sir?" he asks as he walks over.

"Why is there carbon fiber in the Levitation Drives?"

"What do you mean?"

"The stabilizing braces, and I think even the Planet Gears' shaft rods," you say. "They're carbon fiber."

"Because they're more durable and lighter weight," Sebastian says.

"Yes, I know they're scientifically more efficient," you say, "but Magi-Drives are part magic, and magic is very particular about what goes into it. My grandfather invented the Levitation Drive using all steel, as he made it in the years before carbon fiber became widespread. As such, the recipe was created and that is the recipe we must use."

"But the carbon fiber--"

"I know, it's counter intuitive," you say. "But think of it as how... you can only make green with blue and yellow. You can't make green by substituting one of those colors with red, it has to be blue and yellow. Therefore, every piece has to be made with the materials detailed in the schematics. Steel may not be as strong as carbon fiber but it is crucial to the Drive. Understood?"
---

"Yes, sir," Sebastian says.

"Alright, good," you say. "Now do you have steel versions of the braces?"

"Yes, the set of drawers on the right side, top drawer."

"Thank you," you say. "You may return to your work."

You walk back and return to the side room. You see Raven did a splendid job disassembling the three Levitation Drives, so that all the pieces are seperate and organized. You go to the drawer Sebastian directed you to and find plenty of steel triangular braces. The shaft rods are obvious, they're in a bin on top of the drawers.

You walk over to the table and toss the carbon fiber pieces aside to replace them with their steel counterparts. You then reassemble one Drive completely and attach it to a test motor. You start up the motor, flip on the Drive and loosen the straps on the engine. The whole system, engine and Magi-Drive, float up like a helium balloon.

"Success," you say.

Raven has already taken the initiative and assembled a Drive herself. You deactivate the first and put it away before assembling the third.

A) Move right into the Gravitation Drives
B) Take a break
---

B

Resting for a little bit never hurts
---

B.
---

B..i guess
---

B.
---

B

"Let's rest a bit before getting to the Gravitation Drives," you say. "We've done a lot since arriving, between helping with the marketing, the Ley Line products and pouring mana into the Phase Drive."

"Okay," Raven says.

You two sit quietly a moment.

"So... What're we supposed to do while we're resting?" she asks.

"Oh, I hadn't really thought," you say. "Hold on, I can get us something from a vending machine to eat, I'm sure there's one just outside."

You go out of the room and out of the garage through the back door. Just as you guessed, there is a vending machine on the other side. In fact, two vending machines, one for food and one for drinks. You pull out your $1 bills and use them to buy two cans of colas and two bags of potato crisps, aka American chips.

You return to the side room and give Raven one cola and one bag of crisps before sitting down and popping the pull tab.

"So are you at least enjoying your time here?" you ask.

"Well, I can see why you didn't want to do this, given a choice," she smirks. "But it's not all that bad. I never thought magic could be something so scientific, functional and versatile, it's pretty great."

"I thank you on behalf of the family," you say.

"Speaking of your family," Raven says, "you did promise to talk more about Rorek the Fifth and Sixth when we had the chance. Why not tell me about them now?"

"Well alright," you say. "Starting where we left off, Rorek the Fourth established this company, which was originally titled the 'Null Trade and Service Company' as it was still the days where goods and services were just as good as legal tender. However, it did not 'make it big' during his lifetime, it took smarter and savvier minds in the family's following generations to do that.

"It wasn't until about the... late 17th century, that the business grew with the international interplay of the British, French and Spanish empires. The Null Family truly prospered, and was truly accepted in both magical and non-magical societies as a noble and aristocratic lineage.

"So it was in this time that Rorek the Fifth came along, several generations removed to the point where the family wondered if there would ever be another Rorek. When the Fifth finally did appear, the family took it as a blessing, an affirmation of their prosperity.

"Now, as was the way of such, um, elite families of this time, the Null Family, too, was caught up in the practice of searching for suitors among their fellow elites. While the Null Family was not the wealthiest family, it was the strongest family, both from the legacies of Rorek the First and Rorek the Second and from having taken in the Merlin Druid line through Rorek the Fourth's wife. A combination of wealth and strength was very appealing, so Rorek the Fifth was highly sought after. The short version of it was that he was practically the Prince of Magic, every young maiden fantasized about marrying him."

"The Prince of Magic?" Raven says with a smirk. "Does that make you a prince, too?"

"I try to stay humble about my status," you say. "For one, being 'the Prince' wasn't as fun as it sounds. The courting and negotiations of the Fifth started becoming more and more about the status of the relationship over the feelings of the groom to be. While all the eligible bachelorettes were beautiful, many of them fed into the glamour and superficial elements of the betrothal, which did not help build the Fifth's interest at all.
---

"That's when he met Ruth Anne Chestnut. Compared to the other candidates, Ruth Anne was not the prettiest, though she was rather lovely. Her family was not the wealthiest, though they were never in need. And they weren't even magical, everyone else in her family thought magic was gone from the world. What made Ruth Anne special was that she did believe magic was still real. That she dreamed of bringing magic back to the forefront to help the world. She has even been credited with the shift in the company's manifest, in that she's the reason we use magic and science together for things like the Ley Line dynamo, heater and freezer."

"Wow, that's pretty incredible."

"Yes, among the 'Wives of Rorek', as the family thinks of them, Ruth Anne Chestnut Null is perhaps the most remarkable of them. Not that my grandmother, who happens to be simply named 'Ruth', isn't incredible herself. But I'll get to her and Grandfather Rorek momentarily.

"The story of Ruth Anne and Rorek the Fifth was rather sweet, at least the way I've heard my family describe it. There are details that sound like they were taken from Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast."

"As in, those fairy tales?"

"Yes, exactly," you say. "There was a ball, and all families with eligible daughters were invited. But the way Ruth Anne herself was, her personality seemed very much like Belle. She was intellectual and eager to learn, and also very kind and understanding. She knew who Rorek the Fifth was, and at first assumed he was snobbish and uptight. But then she met him in town while running errands and saw his modesty and charity and gave him a chance. Also, she marveled at how he was a real life wizard, like she always dreamed of meeting, so that helped.

"Of course, similarly to the story of Cinderella, the Null Family tried to steer the Fifth towards the wealthier and stronger families, and there are footnotes that friends and closer relatives like siblings and cousins tried to steer him towards the most beautiful choice, but the Fifth would not listen. He fell in love with Ruth Anne's genuine concern for others, and her genuine feelings for him, and that was that. The other families were greatly upset, but the Null family accepted his choice."

"And they lived happily ever after, right?" Raven smirks.

"Naturally."

"So... How do you think I'd do?" Raven asks with a shy yet curious look up at you.

"How do you mean?"

"Let's say your family had brides lined up for you, and then they met me," she says, looking down at her knees. "Do you think your family would accept me as an option or would they insist on their choice?"

"That's quite a heavy question for us only just meeting yesterday," you say with a nervous laugh. "But to answer it..."

A) Go with a kindly sparing and general "Yes"
B) Go family member by family member
---

A.
---

B brutal honesty is better here
---

B

I would like to think yes but royalty is weird about marriage.

Also they wouldn't like that her dad is Trigon. Pretty sure magic users would know who he is.
---

B

"My sisters would definitely approve, so that's two votes for. My grandfather would like you, you have a stong personality, very assertive and confident. Ironically my grandmother wouldn't like that, because while she herself is the strong and confident type, she expects compliance and compromise with the family. That's not to say she wants a submissive or weak woman, just one who will follow the family's lead.

"That makes the score three to one," you review. "My parents would be the deciding factor. I can't be sure how they'd react. They supported me when I chose what they liked, much of which was whatever went in line with what the other Roreks did. Art, poetry, and horse riding were things I pursued and they supported, but only because there was a Rorek in the past that did those things."

"You write poetry?" she asks, intrigued.

"Sometimes," you say. "Nothing special."

"Well, let me hear some and I can tell you if that's true or not."

You think about it, then shrug.

"Alright," you say.

You take out your little notebook and open it to your previous poem, from before the limerick. You take a deep breath before reading.

"Winding road,
Coil of dirt.
Leave behind
Yesterday's hurt.
Wind at my back
It cheers me on
As I ride
From dusk to dawn.
Wind around
The coil winds
Joining me
In my finds."

You put the notebook away and scratch your head nervously.

"So, clearly I wrote that when I was a bit... moody," you say.

"No it's good," Raven says. "It must be about Isabel."

You nod.

"So it was alright?" you say.

"Yes," she says. "Kinda clever actually, using both wind and wind."

"I thought it was a bit confusing myself at first, but it was already on the page so I just left it."

"It's good, it's good," Raven says reassuringly. "Now, what're the things they didn't support you trying?"

"Well, my mother was very worried about my transition from horses to motorcycles, she held out against it all the way until she saw me ride home on my first one. Then both of them were less than pleased with my tastes in music."

"What do you like?"

"Oh a variety of things," you say, "but there's a lot of the newer, rougher forms of rock 'n' roll that I enjoy that they don't."

"You'll have to share those with me later," she says. "But then, you can't be sure how they'll react to your taste in women?"

"No," you say. "I think the probability is that of a coin toss. They'll either add for a whopping majority or tie things up."

"What about other relatives? Uncles, aunts, cousins?"

"Oh, as unfair as it sounds, Uncle Roger, his wife Rita, and my cousins Ross and Reed, don't get a vote in our hypothetical. Only the main line of the family would decide the fate of the Roreks."

"How do you determine who is in the main line?"

"The line that bore a Rorek," you say. "The Null Family main line therefore goes through my grandfather, the previous Rorek, and then through my father after he had me. Equally unfair, would be that even if I wasn't the first born, the fact that I am Rorek the Seventh, my children would still be part of the main line over my sisters."

"Whoa..."

"Yes. I am first born in my family, but my cousin Ross is the oldest of all the grandchildren by eight months. If he had been born looking more like, well, me, and I was in anyway different, he would've been Rorek the Seventh and I would've been named something else."
---

"So he doesn't look like Rorek the First?"

"No, he has green eyes and a sort of 'smokey' off-white color to his hair, same as Reed, who is only a year older than my sisters."

"Okay so I either get a 5 to 1 score or a 3 to 3 split," Raven says. "I don't mind that."

"Well, let's get back to work, shall we?" you ask.

"But I thought you were going to move on to Rorek the Sixth, your grandfather," Raven says.

A) Talk about him first
B) Talk about him while working
C) Talk about him after working
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B
---

B) Talk about him while working
---

B.
---

B

"I can tell you his story while we work," you say.

Raven accepts the condition and the two of you swing over the Gravitation Drives.

"Gravitation Drives are installed into ground vehicles to allow them the ability to drive on walls or even ceilings," you explain. "This is possibly through an enchanted gyroscope and shock-absorbing springs. The first check is that they are following the 'exact materials' rule."

You and Raven pick up the power drills and unscrew crossheads again to pop the shells open.

"What is this made out of?" she asks as she looks at the gyroscope.

"The very center is a disk of brass. The framework should all be iron, except for the washers on the outside. Those should be made of a 56 percent copper, 35 percent silver and 9 percent manganese composite."

"Um... I can definitely tell the center disk is brass and these are iron," she says. "Why are the washers such a weird composite?"

"My grandfather had to improvise pieces for the very first Gravitation Drive gyroscope during World War II," you say. "He had no standard iron washer rings, so he used nickels borrowed from an American soldier he ended up meeting and befriending on the battlefield. Before World War II, nickels were 75 percent copper but still 25 percent nickel the element.

"When the war started, nickel became a critical metal to the war effort so the United States federal mint had to change the formual. They were allowed to substitute in silver for nickel and make the mix a 50-50 split of silver and copper, but were allowed to vary proportions and add other metals if needed. The end result was this 56-35-9 split of copper, silver and manganese. Therefore, those were the kinds of nickels Rorek the Sixth's friend had and were the kind shoved into the gyroscope."

"Huh. What a great little history lesson."

"Indeed," you say. "By the way, after the war, the nickel formula was allowed to go back to 75-25, copper and nickel."

Raven nods as you double check both gyroscopes.

"Alright, these all seem to be the right materials," you say. "Gravitation Drives are also proportional in power, so if something is the wrong size, even by just a millimeter, that will prevent it from working."

You take out a ruler and calipers and do the math on these Drives versus the one on Shadowfax. You get the proper lengths, widths and thicknesses of all parts and measure the gyroscopes in front of you.

"Here's the problem," you say. "The inner frame's too thin, it needs to be another two millimeters wider. Not to mention it isn't very uniform, there are spots where it's the right width but then the rest is the incorrect width."

"Is there anything we can do?"

"No, the pieces will have to be made over from scratch so that they're the exact specifications. That means our job here is done."

You make notes on the documents to make sure the engineers know to be more careful with the inner frames. You then put things away and you leave with Raven to the shipping yard, the separate building by the docks.

"Hello," you call as you and Raven approach the men loading and unloading trucks. "Is an Art Wilken here?"

"That's me," a man with long, shaggy hair says as he trots over. "So good to finally meet you, Mr. Null."

"Please, call me Rorek," you say. "This is Raven, a good friend of mine who was willing to assist on my visit."

"Hello," Art says.

"Hello," Raven says.

"Now, I see from this report that the only real problem the shipping yard has is the labor force," you say. "Are we behind schedule that often?"
---

"We started slowing down about a month and a half ago," Art says. "I think that was when business picked up around here, I think special orders jumped up."

"I heard our website finally got up and running," you say. "So how hard is it to get these all out on time?"

"We've slipped down to about a 75 percent efficiency," he says. "I want to give a number for job openings we need but I can't be sure if management will think it's too much."

A) Stick around to time a team and calculate figures
B) Volunteer to help load/unload to get a personal feel
---

B.
---

B
---

B

"I can help out, get a feel for how much time and effort it takes," you say.

"If that's how you want to try it," Art shrugs.

"I'll help, too," Raven says.

You and Raven walk over to the truck that most recently arrived and join the team opening it up.

"Good afternoon, gents," you say as they pull out the truck's ramp. "We'll be helping out if it's alright with you."

"Glad to have you," one man says as he walks up the ramp. "We've got the rolling assembly line there, boxes come down the line, we need someone to catch the box and pass them on, the rest of us sort out how to fit everything in the truck."

"I'll assist with the loading," you say as you walk up.

Boxes come down the line, Raven waits at the end and catches them one at a time, passing them to the next man who passes them to you and the other man in the truck.

"Big box for the base, right?" you say as you take the weighty 60 by 60 by 60 centimeter cube of cardboard and stick it in a corner.

"Yeah, good instincts," the lead employee says as he sets the wider yet shorter box next to yours to fill the back wall.

Thinner and shorter boxes go on top of those, and though the stacking is uneven, you do manage to fill the space from top to bottom. You then move up with a new row and continue the stacking. There are less bulky boxes as you go through, but that just means they come down faster and push the pace of stacking.

You finish filling the truck with boxes and walk down the ramp.

"How did we do?" you ask.

"That was about 17 minutes," Art says. "That's really good, ahead of the usual pace if about 20 to 25 minutes."

"And that was with two more people?" you ask.

"Yeah, we average two people a team, the catcher and the stacker," the man who was in the truck with you says.

"Well obviously doubling the people per truck would speed things up," you say. "How many people do we have working the shipping area total?"

"Fourteen, but we have up to four trucks at a time and then a boat," Art says. "We can just barely cover all those things, as the boat needs four people."

"And all fourteen work full-time? Nine to five?"

"Way earlier and later than that, sir," Art says. "Seven in the morning to seven in the evening, then they tag out to another 14 people that work overnight."

"24 hour shipping preparedness, I applaud that," you say. "But both shifts, day and overnight, are struggling to keep up the pace?"

"Yes, sir."

"Each truck getting two more people, and there's two shifts, means eight people total. I personally approve of hiring four more daytime and four more overnight workers, don't let management tell you otherwise."

"Yes, sir," Art says with a smile.

"And with that, we can take our leave," you tell Raven. "Art, good luck finding eight capable people."

"Thank you, sir," Art says.

You and Raven make your way back to the main building. You return the documents to the woman at the front desk and then return to the parking lot to retrieve Shadowfax.

"It's already this close to 5?" you say when you look at the clock on your phone. "The drive out here alone took anywhere from seven to eight hours."

A) Stay at a motel
B) Stay at a hotel
C) Drive as long as you can before finding somewhere to sleep
---

D fly back
---

C
---

C.

Just the two of them.
---

C

"I suppose we could just drive and get as far as we can. Are you alright with that?"

"Yeah, that's fine," Raven says. "How long do you think you can go?"

"I'm pretty sure I can go until about 11," you say. "That should get us back to Santa Cruz at least. Oh, we should get dinner first. What would you like?"

"Um, maybe more burgers and fries? Though, wouldn't taking time slow us down? You won't be able to eat while driving Shadowfax."

"Don't worry, there are ways around that," you say. "Burgers and fries it is."

You ride to the nearest Big Belly Burger with a drive thru and wait in line. It's rather busy here, but that gives you time to look at the menu.

"Will medium everything for the Big Belly Meal be alright?" you ask. "It's the best I can really do with the money on-hand."

"That's fine," she says.

After the three cars in front of you finally get their orders taken and the last waits for theirs to be filled, you are at last at the little speaker box.

"Hello, welcome to Big Belly Burger, may I take your order?" a male voice asks.

"Yes, I'd like two medium Number Ones, with fries and Cokes," you say.

"Cheese or no cheese on those burgers?" the employee asks.

You look at Raven.

"I'm fine with either," she says.

"No cheese for both then," you say. "I'm not a fan of cheese on burgers."

"That'll be $10.72 at the next window," he says.

"Thank you," you say.

You coast the motorcycle to the next window as the car in front of you moves on. You then pull out $11 from inside your wallet. After about a minute or so, an employee comes to the window with a bag and a tray of drinks. She seems a bit surprised you're on a motorcycle and not in some kind of car.

"10 72," she says. "Would you like ketchup for the fries?"

"Yes, please," you say.

She puts packets of ketchup into the bag then wraps it closed again. You hand over the $11 and she hands the things to Raven as you take the 28 cents in change.

"Thank you for choosing Big Belly Burger," she says as you and Raven sit back down.

"Thank you," you say before slowly driving away.

"Okay so what's your way around eating and driving?" Raven asks as you continue on the road.

"Barrier magic, of course," you say.

You create magical panels, one acting as a tray and the other as a windscreen. The floating tray follows alongside you as you drive.

"Clever," she says as she pulls out the food.

Raven places the burgers in their wrappers on the tray with her own magic, as well as the fries and drinks. You wait until you're back on the highway to put Shadowfax on auto-pilot.

"Could you pour out ketchup from the packets?" you ask as you sit up and unwrap a burger.

Raven nervously sits up and pulls the packets out of the bag. She uses magic to tear one open and squeeze out all the ketchup inside, right onto the magical barrier tray. You take a bite out of your medium Big Belly Burger burger.

"Pretty good," you say.

You then dip a fry into the ketchup and take a bite. You always enjoy ketchup from the vendor because it'll be warmed by the food.

Raven, though nervous, partakes as well, dipping fries into ketchup and sipping soda through the straw. You two drive and eat like this, watching the setting sun on your left and the lights of the cities on your right.
---

"This is pretty nice," Raven says.

"Yeah?" you say as you look at her over your shoulder.

"Yeah," she smiles softly.

*WOP WOP*

"Oh, whoa," you say as you turn around.

You see cars up ahead, coming up fast from not moving at all. You take Shadowfax off auto-pilot and slow him down.

"Great," you say sarcastically. "Gridlock."

"So much for nice," Raven sighs.

You steady Shadowfax with your feet, you and Raven continue your meal as you go at a snail's pace.

"I've always heard about American traffic in Los Angeles but I didn't think it was like this," you say.

You and Raven finish your food long before you pass through Los Angeles, but you still have drinks as you continue on the other side. All in all, it added at least another hour to your drive time, so it's 8 PM and you still have about five hours until Santa Cruz...

Even so, you soldier on. Raven holds on tight as you pass by canyons, the city of Santa Clara, the Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park and long stretches of hills in the hours after leaving Los Angeles behind.

By the time it is 11 PM, you arrive in the city of Paso Robles. Two more hours until Santa Cruz, which takes you to 1 AM, which is also into the next day.

A) Stop here for the night
B) Go one more hour and see how far you get
---

A.
---

B
---

A
---

A

"Well, this seems a good a place as any to stop for the night," you say as you pull off the Interstate.

You ride down the streets of Paso Robles and see a La Quinta Inn up ahead. You pull into the parking lot and find an open space. You park and have Shadowfax stand while you and Raven grab your things and head inside.

"Hello, and welcome to La Quinta Inn and Suites of Paso Robles," the man behind the counter greets.

"Hello," you say. "You have rooms for the night, yes?"

"Yes, of course," he says. "One room for two?"

"Um, well, no," you say nervously, "two rooms for one, actually."

"Oh, well, there's only one room for one," he says apologetically, "but it is a California King."

"No, separate beds is even more important," you say, both you and Raven nervously darting your eyes around.

"Then we have plenty of rooms for two," he says. "And just for one night?"

"Yes, just the night," you say.

"Then that will be $120."

"A moment, please," you say. "You take cash, don't you?"

"Yes," the man says.

You go to the ATM in the corner. You access your account and withdraw that much, though the withdrawal fee makes it $123 dollars... You walk back to the front desk.

"Here you are," you say as you give him the $120.

"Thank you," he says. "Here is your key, the wifi password is 'Paso Robles', all one word with zeros for the O's, enjoy your stay."

"Thank you," you say.

You lead the way to the elevators. You two enter and ride up, sipping your soda while Raven holds on to her stuffed animal snake. You arrive on the right floor and find your way to the room. You open it up and enter inside to find the two beds.

"Do you have any concerns over which bed is yours?" you ask.

"No," Raven says.

"Then I'll take the far side," you say as you set your drink and knapsack down. "So... wait, do you change into sleepwear?"

"No, I wear the same one all day," she says. "Which now makes me realize this is the only one I packed..."

You two are awkwardly quiet and blushing for several minutes.

"Well, you could change into one of the Museum of Death shirts," you say as you pull out the Blackest Heart and Where the Stars End shirts.

"But what about bottoms...?" Raven mutters.

More awkward silence.

A) Use an Alchemy circle for clothing
B) Offer to loan clothes of your own
---

A

Style points
---

A
---

A.
---

A

"We can use an Alchemy Circle," you say. "We can make your cloak into something. Maybe pants or shorts?"

"Maybe," Raven says tentatively. "How do they even work?"

You dig around in your knapsack's Magi-Pocket and find your spare Alchemy Circle tags.

"They're all pre-written," you say, "with spaces left to write in what you're changing and what you're changing it to. Then you simply sew them into the article of clothing like any other tag."

You walk over and Raven takes off her cloak.

"It could go right there, at the neck of the hood," you say. "What would you like to make the cloak become?"

"I dunno," she shrugs. "I literally wear this leotard 90 percent of the time, so I don't... really know what I look good in..."

Raven blushing, pouting and shrinking away into her shoulders is almost too much for your heart.

"Well, if I may be so bold," you say nervously, "you actually have wonderful legs."

Raven looks up at you with wide eyes and an even stronger blush on the cheeks. She then turns away slightly and hugs her cloak tightly as she squirms and fidgets somehow cheerfully. At the same time, her aura sparks and crackles, making the occasional heart shape.

"So, how about I make the cloak become a pair of shorts?" you say, walking over to an end table.

"Um, yeah, shorts will be fine," Raven says, calming down.

You write "cloak" for the Before and write "shorts" for the After.

"Alright, let me sew this into the cloak," you say.

Raven hands the cloak over, you take a needle and thread from your knapsack and attach the tag nice and flat to the cloak so that it doesn't flap around to possibly itch and scratch her neck.

"Done," you say. "All you have to do is spark a little magic and it'll do the rest."

Raven touches the tag with a bit of her mana and the cloak magically shrinks and rearranges itself into a pair of shorts, complete with button, zipper and pockets, both front and back. Raven slips them on, and they fit snugly.

"Success!" you say.

"Okay, so... Could you... Figure out what to do while I shower?"

"Oh," you say, turning red yourself now. "Um, right, with the bathroom closer to my side of the room, I should..."

A) Take time to call home
B) Take time to talk to the Titans
C) Put up a curtain or something to block your view
---

---

C then A
---

A
---

A

"Take time to call home. I'll be in the hall if you need something."

You leave the room as Raven goes into the bathroom. You take out your Magi-Phone and dial your sisters. After a few seconds, the call is answered and the projector turns on.

"Morning, Rory!" Rebecca says.

"Or, good evening for you, yeah?" Roselind says.

"Either way, hi!" Rebecca says.

"Hello, you two," you say. "Let mother and father know that I did visit the Pacific Coast branch."

"That's great!" Roselind says.

"Did you also take pictures like you promised?" Rebecca asks.

"Yes, and they feature Raven," you say. "I'll be sure to send you those momentarily. I did also get you souvenirs after all."

"Sun hats, sunglasses and sandals?!" Roselind asks.

"No," you say.

"Boo," she says.

"So what did you get us?" Rebecca asks.

"I got you t-shirts and mesh hats," you say.

"Aww, that's all?" Rebecca says.

"Hey, you should be grateful I'm getting you these things," you say. "They were a lot pricier than you'd expect. And, they're from the Museum of Death."

"Oooh...!" they both say.

"I made sure to get different shirts and different hats so that our parents can tell you apart," you say. "I'll make sure to mail those to you tomorrow, as well."

"Yay!" the two cheer.

"Alright, see yo--"

"Wait!" Rebecca says.

"So Raven came with you on the visit to Null Co?" Roselind asks.

"Yes, that's how we got pictures California and of her," you say.

"Where are you now?" Rebecca asks. "It's really late over there, right?"

"Are you in a hotel?" Roselind says.

"Ye--"

"You are in a hotel!" Rebecca says.

"With Raven!?" Roselind says.

Both sisters gasp and smile, hands just below their mouths.

"Don't you two even start thinking that way," you say. "I wanted separate rooms but they didn't have any."

"Okay~," Rebecca says.

"Sure~," Roselind says.

"I'm telling the truth," you say. "So shut it."

Roselind and Rebecca giggle, being entertained by your annoyance.

"So," Rebecca says, "are you going to find another excuse to miss Father's birthday?"

"And then send yet another cliche gift more suited to Father's Day?" Roselind adds.

"Depends," you say. "What did he do with last year's gift?"

"You mean the fifteenth mug in a row?" Rebecca asks sarcastically.

"Which includes Father's Day mugs," Roselind adds.

"Father uses it," Rebecca continues. "For his toothbrush holder."

"At least it's being used," you say. "I'll make sure I go with a tie or pair of shoes this year, but no promises I'll be there in person."

"Why do you two have to fight?" Roselind asks. "This is so stupid."

"Don't let Father hear you say that," you say sarcastically. "He'll blow a gasket and call you 'lazy' or 'aimless'."

"Well what is he supposed to think of you when you don't have something you want to be?" Rebecca says.

"You mean when I don't just automatically become the next head of the company? Which is what he wants, not what I want?"
---

"You can still do things you want to do!" Roselind says. "Father has hobbies."

"So being overbearing is a hobby now?"

Both your sisters groan.

"What is all this noise coming from over here?" Mother says as she walks into view. "Oh, are you girls talking with Rory again?"

She walks over as your sisters make room in the projection.

"Hello again, mum," you say. "I was just letting the girls know that I visited the American branch here. Please let Father know so he can be at ease."

"Oh don't you use that sarcastic tone," Mother scolds. "But thank you for doing that. Your father will be thankful."

"Wouldn't that be nice," you say.

"Rory's already planning to not attend Father's birthday..." Roselind says.

"Oh, Rory, come now," Mother scolds. "This will be three years in a row. Not to mention the last three Father's Days."

"Maybe if you manage to turn his attitude around, I'll try," you say.

"You're both so stubborn!" Mother pouts.

"Father is probably who I get it from," you retort.

You mother groans now.

"And that is where you two get that from," you say to your sisters.

"Rachel," Father calls. "Girls. What's going on so early in the day?"

"I'll talk to you all again later," you say as Father comes into view. "Bye."

"Rory, don't--!" is all Mother gets in before you cut off the signal.

"Well," you say as you turn off your phone, "that was a mistake."

You put your phone away and rest against the doorframe a moment. Upon reflecting, you will admit you're not doing yourself any favors by avoiding Father, even just on the Magi-Phone. You still have time before Father's birthday, maybe by then you'll feel up to talking to him. Maybe.

You knock on the door.

"Raven," you say. "Are you done in the shower?"

"Yes," she says. "You can come in now."

You open the door and walk inside the room, and see Raven toweling her hair dry, fully dressed in the Blackest Heart tee and shorts made from the transformed cloak. Needless to say, she looks great in all of it.

"Do you have a comb or brush I can borrow?" she asks.

"Yes, just a moment," you say.

You take out the spare brush from the knapsack and hand it over to Raven.

"So... I could hear you through the door," she says as she brushes out tangles in her hair. "I didn't hear the words, but that conversation definitely sounded like an argument."

"You heard correctly," you say as you lie down on your bed.

"I'm not really one to ask this kinda stuff," she says as she sits down on the other, "but do you want to talk about it?"

A) No, but thank you for offering
B) Yes, that might help
---

B.
---

A
---

A
---

B.

You've got Daddy issues? I've got Daddy Issues!
---

coin toss determined the winner, so we're getting...

A

"No," you say with a sigh. "But, thank you, Raven, for offering. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome, Rorek," she says with a soft smile. "Sleep tight."

"Good night," you say as you turn off the lights.

You settle into bed and hear Raven do the same. It's rather warm so you stay on top of the covers.

You stare up at the ceiling in the dark as you slowly drift to sleep. You are sure as soon as you turn your Magi-Phone, your family will try to contact you so that Father can talk to you. You'll be dreading that.

Your eyes eventually adjust to the dark, as there is dim light coming in through the curtains. Lights of the city are constant, but there is an occasional swiping light from one of the cars passing by. There is also the light coming in through the bottom of the door from the hallway.

You look over and see Raven on her bed. She's curled up, turned away from you and cuddling the stuffed animal snake. She's also above the sheets, so you allow yourself a peek at those slender legs. Her calves and thighs smooth against each other and against the sheets, and-- No, don't stare at her buttocks, that's rude. Even if it is a really nice one...

You force your eyes away and roll over to face the window. You stretch one last time before falling asleep.


You grumble as you wake up to the Sun peering through the gap between curtains and wall. You sit up and look over at Raven's bed. She's still there, but more on her back than she was during the night. The snake has somehow intertwined with one of her legs, and its eyes are on you like it's taunting you. You quietly get out of bed and go to the bathroom to take your turn in the shower.

Good water pressure, but not like Titan's Tower. Temperature change is sensitive, too, but you get through a wash and shampoo. You turn the shower off and wrap yourself in your towel, only to realize you once again forgot to bring in fresh clothes.

For the second time in three days, you carefully peer out of a bathroom, dripping wet in a towel. Raven didn't wake up from the noise of the shower, so you have a chance. You open the door slowly, and step lightly towards the bed. You tuck the towel to keep it closed while you rummage through your knapsack for fresh everything.

You get underwear and pants out when you hear Raven stir. You look up quickly, and are relieved when you see she is still asleep. You hurriedly pull a shirt and socks out and start getting dressed.

Your heart is racing as you, naked on the bed, keep an eye on Raven while slipping on your underwear and socks. You have faced thugs, demons and supervillains, yet you have never been more scared for your life than being caught mostly nude by a young woman.

"Rorek...?" Raven mutters as she lifts her head.

In a fit of panic, you use magic to pull up your bed sheets and make a curtain out of them between you and her.

"What's going on...?" she asks slowly.

"Sorry," you say quickly. "I should've waited until you were awake to let you know I was going to take a shower, but I thought I could get it all done before then."

"Well, it was nice of you to put these up just in case," she says.

"... Right! I put these up before I showered, just in case."

You really hope her empathy powers don't pick up on lies...

You finish dressing head to toe, and put the bed sheets down as you dry your hair.

"So," you say. "On the way back, we need to get things to put the gifts for my sisters in."

"Okay," she says as she puts her boots and belt back on. "Do these still look okay with the shirt and shorts?"
---

"Of course," you say.

You pack everything away in your knapsack and head back down to the lobby.

"Good morning," a different person says. "Are we checking out?"

"Yes," you say as you hand back the room keys.

"Did you enjoy your stay?"

"Yes, actually," you say. "Comfortable bed, good shower."

"Good to hear," they say. "Feel free to stay at a La Quinta Inn or our related hotels again."

"Thank you," you say before you and Raven make your exit.

You return to the parking lot and put the knapsack back on Shadowfax. You and Raven put on helmets and straddle the motorcycle before pulling out onto the street.

After driving around, you find a supermarket. You park close to the entrance and head inside with Raven. You spot an ATM and use it to get another $100 all in $10 bills. You then walk down the aisles with Raven in search of gift wrap and boxing.

"I'll just do plain white tissue paper for everything," you say as you pull out a roll of the stuff from the bin.

"Oh, black gift wrap," Raven says. "You don't normally see that."

"That'll look nice," you say.

Raven pulls out the tube as you grab two white stick-on ribbons. Then you grab two folded gift box kits, also in white, and two gift bags for the hats, one black with white spots and the other white with black spots.

"To the registers," you say.

You and Raven line up at Register #5 and set your things on the conveyor belt. The cashier scans everything in and the total comes out to $20.15. You give over two $10 bills and some spare change to break even. You and Raven take the items outside and go to Shadowfax.

You take out the hats and shirts as Raven uses magic to unroll gift wrap and tissue paper. You take a sheets of tissue paper and use them to tuck the hats securely in the bags. You use your pen to quickly write "From: Rory" on each tag, not bothering with who they're to, because your sisters will share the hats anyway.

Raven has lined the boxes with tissue paper for you, so you simply fold the shirts and place them inside. The tissue paper is folded over the shirts, then the lids are slipped on before you take out the tape from your knapsack. You and Raven then work to wrap one box each.

"I'm not very good at this," Raven admits as she looks up at you, paper a bit lopsided and wrinkled.

"It's alright," you say as you finish taping your neat and trim box. "Here, let me."

Raven hands the box over, you smooth out and cleanly wrap the paper and tape it closed. You then stick on the ribbons to complete the packaging.

"So how're you going to send these?" Raven asks. "The ribbons will get smashed in delivery and the bags will let the hats fall out."

"A magical invention of my grandfather's design," you say. "Watch and be amazed at the Magi-Courier!"

You pull out a mechanical pigeon from the Magi-Pocket. You activate it, and it opens its robotic beak unbelievably wide. You then load the bags and boxes inside, as it has its own take on the Magi-Pocket for a stomach, and then send it on its way.

"All Magi-Courier pigeons are automatically able to find their way to our home in England," you explain. "Courier #26 there will securely bring the gifts for my sisters home and deposit them like eggs, without fail."

"Wow," Raven says as she watches it fly away. "Your grandfather did a lot of inventing."

"Yes, Rorek the Sixth has always been known for tinkering and fine-tuning machines. It's always been his hobby. Oh, I should send the pictures, too..."
---

You turn your Magi-Phone back on and, after seeing messages left for you, go to the set of photos and send them all to your sisters' phone.

"Now, let's get some breakfast, shall we?" you say as you put your phone away.

A) Fast Food Breakfast
B) Diner Breakfast
---

A
---

B
---

B.
---

I really want to vote differently to make it say "ABBA," but B.

Diners are non-negotiable on a road trip.
---