Mika felt so close he could almost taste it.

Like a log, he laid perfectly straight on his circular rug, letting the candles that surrounded his entire body warm his icy cold skin. His pale blue eyes were firmly closed, his hands in tight fists. He took a deep, silent breath and rose his chest high into the air. Like a balloon, he let his warm breath escape his lips and curl into the cold breeze. It seemed that the only sound that filled his able ears was the cracking flames from the melting wax of the candles.

Although all was nearly quiet and dark in his little room, it still felt warm and comfortable to him, even if wasn't normally fond of the dark. Yet, it was enough to quell his normally frantic, beating heart that seemed to want to burst out of his chest everyday.

At least until a rapid knock slammed into his ears.

His pale blue eyes snapped wide open as he shot up, stumbling to his feet. A squeak escaped his throat as he nearly planted his hand a brightly lit candle, angrily burning the the wick and ready to toast everything in sight. He frantically scanned his candles, deciding whether he should put them out and make his unknown guest wait awkwardly longer, or leave them there and let awkward questions of why he even had candles in the first place.

Without a thought, the incredibly frazzled Mika scooped out a handful of his tall, white candles and feverishly blew them out. Tossing them frantically on his desk, he ran out for more. At least until the knocking returned.

"J-just a-a-a minute!" He stuttered out incoherently. He could already feel his stomach turn and twist like it always did when he was frantic. Even his heart felt like it was about to jump from his chest and run away from everything that made him annoyingly anxious. Right as he was about to scoop another handful of candles into his arms, he shook his head. In an instant, he bolted to the door, refusing to hear another knock. Little did he know, a flaming candle tumbled into his carpet.

The golden skinned teen swung the door open, revealing the bright eyed, smiling Tamaranian.

"H-hi Starfire…" Mika awkwardly waved his hand "What-what do you need?"

"Hello Mika, please-" Starfire was about to say, until her expression dropped. She carefully peaked over the incredibly nervous Mika, and saw smoke peak over his shoulder. Not to mention the smell of burning clothes. Or rather, the carpet.

A nervous tear of sweat immediately ran down her face, although it was no match for Mika's incredibly teary face.

"Mika, I do not wish to frighten you, however…" she pointed into her room "I believe your room is on fire"

"Huh?" Mika croaked. He squinted his eyes and sniffed the smoky air a few times before he turned around and saw the mess he created. His pale blue eyes immediately shot open as he saw bright flames consume his carpet, and crawling ever so dangerously to his book case. He squeaked in absolute shock, and darted towards his mess.

It didn't take long for the nervous sorcerer to put out the carpet fire. A quick tug of the carpet and a few yanks through the air, the fire dissipated in a flash. Except for the giant, charred hole that was burned into the edge. So, on his knees, he desperately clung onto the warm piece of carpet. Then the edge fell apart in his slightly singed hands.

He groaned and buried his head into the carpet in absolute shame.

Starfire curiously floated up towards the utterly embarrassed golden skinned boy. She didn't know whether to ask her question or not, considering how...sad Mika looked.

"Er..." Starfire muttered as she glanced across the burned carpet.

"What...what did you need?" Mika asked in a low, absolute destroyed voice as he clung onto his carpet like it was his child. Even if he did just buy it at a local store.

"Yes!" The Tamaranian explained "Have you seen Robin?"

"I-I haven't..."

"What about Cyborg?"

"Not him either..."

"...Beast Boy?"

"Oh right," Mika blinked in realization. In an instant, he set down his carpet and glanced up at Starfire "Never mind, I do know where they are. They all went out for a boy's day out, or something like that...I-I really don't know"

"But they are not here, correct?" Starfire asked.

Mika shook his head "N-No"

"Why did you not join them on their brotherly adventure?" the Tamaranian asked ever so innocently "Or, did they not ask you to join?"

Mika sighed, and let his pale blue eyes wander away to his shoes "No, they-they did ask. I-I said I was busy but...I didn't want to go"

Starfire furrowed her brows in confusion "Why is that? You always take pleasure in accompanying me to the mall of shopping"

"Yeah, but that's different," With another sigh, he hopped onto the edge of his bed, letting his head sink into his shoulders "You're always talking, it's easy. With them...I really don't know what to say. It's quieter with them. I just don't think I have anything to talk about with them. It's-It's just awkward"

Mika let his cheeks turn a rosy pink and nearly consume his entire face. He knew he didn't explain the entirety of his little situation with people, but he didn't need to. Starfire was clever enough to figure out what the anxious sorcerer was really trying to say. So, with a light, warm smile, he floated up to his bed and sat next to him.

"Why must you be so...afraid? They are your friends" Starfire tilted her head curiously.

"I-I don't know..." Mika furrowed his thick brows "I've been like this ever since..."

He let his words sit into the silent air, as though he refused to even finish the sentence. Mainly because he did.

Mika quickly shook his head and jumped off the bed "It-it doesn't matter. It's fine. The point is, it' s easier to say I won't be shy than it is not to be shy"

Starfire opened her mouth to protest, but immediately closed it. She didn't want another incident like when the sorcerer first came to the tower. It pained her to see Mika think so little of himself back then. She just hoped he thought better of himself now.

She washed off the concern from her face, and jumped up from the bed "Would you like to go to the mall of shopping with me?"

The sorcerer blinked a few times before the question finally registered with him "Oh, um, yes. That would be nice. I need...a new rug anyways"

Starfire squealed in delight as she grasped onto Mika arm "We shall ask Raven!"

"Wha-" Before he could say another word, the wind was knocked right out of him. In a quick, bone stalling yank, happily dragged him through the halls. With another happy giggle, she burst into the common room. Mika watched as the blue cloaked Raven floated ever so peacefully at the edge of the tower, letting the sun and blue sky soak into her face. At least until, Starfire burst in. It seemed like Raven's head sunk into her chest as soon as the happy Tamaranian took her first step into the room.

"Raven?" Starfire asked "Please forgive my interruption, but would you like to go to the mall of shopping with me and Mika?"

"No" Raven swiftly replied.

"I-I think we should go now..." Mika anxiously whispered.

Starfire ignored him "Why not? Perhaps we could go to your favorite bookstore"

"No"

"Then perhaps we-" Starfire cut herself off as she saw Raven lower her head even further down in her chest in a boiling frustrated mess "You wish to be alone?"

"How could you tell?" Raven said in a composed voice, but even Mika could feel the dagger like glares that shot out of her eyes.

"Shall we go?" Starfire asked, causing Mika to nod.

With that, Raven continue her peaceful chant "Azarath Metrion Zinth-"

Right as Starfire and Mika opened the door, Cyborg came barreling through with a giant grin and a box in his hands.

"MAIL CALL!" He called out at the top of his lungs.

The half-demon instantly released a shocked cry, causing her to fall right to the ground in an annoyed mess. No one bothered to check her, not even Mika. Instead, the Titans rushed to Cyborg in curiosity.

"Robin! Cyborg! Beast Boy! You are back!," Starfire exclaimed as she rushed towards Cyborg "It was...quiet while you were gone"

"Not that quiet..." Raven softly growled as she brushed her cloak clean of dust.

Mika approached the giant crate in utter curiosity. Not even when Cyborg hurled the heavy box on the table did he jump or yelp in surprise. His interest only consumed his mind.

"Who is it from?" Mika asked.

"Check it out. This was sitting by the front door. Fan mail-probably a gift from one of my many admirers," Beast Boy raised his brow ever so seductively. As seductively as a green skinned, long eared, sharp toothed teenager could. Either way, it was enough to make Raven's dark eyes roll.

"Actually, it doesn't say who it's from" Robin explained.

"Well, one way to find out" Cyborg said. As the Titans crowded around him like a pack of cold, huddling penguins, he ripped the lid clean off the box.

"Whoa!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"Cool!" Robin grinned, earning a giggle from Starfire.

"Honestly, I was kinda hoping for chocolate..." Beast Boy raised his brow in disappointment.

Cyborg reached into the box and pulled out a small, homemade puppet. With a red, glowing eye, intricate inorganic legs, and metal everywhere, it looked exactly like the dark skinned teen himself. Apart from the lack of actual metal, of course

"Aww, isn't that cute? Puppet Cy has a light-up eye" Cyborg said, nearly giggling like some school girl gushing over her crush.

Robin pulled out his own puppet and began to carefully inspect it. A grin crossed his face as he gently pulled at the his copy's belt, causing a string to pop out "Yeah. They got all the details just right"

"Speak for yourself," Beast Boy scoffed, yanking his copy around "I'm way better looking than this-and taller"

Mika carefully grabbed his from the box and glanced over it with fascination. Robin was right, whoever made the puppet certainly got everything right. From the long yarn hair to the faded clothes, it seemed as though the creator of the puppet shrunk his wardrobe. They had a small-napkin like version of his little blanket like sash that hung over the copy's body. They even had tiny little black and gold fans stuffed into its pockets. Mika couldn't help but smile. The puppet certainly had a lot of care put into it.

Raven thought otherwise.

Raven simply let the puppet sit lazily in her hand, as an uninterested look crossed her face.

"Someone certainly has a lot of time on their hands" Raven mumbled.

Starfire giggled as she swung her copy around her hands, letting the puppet's smile shine as bright as the sun "I have never seen such a whimsical device"

"Hello, Starfire!" The Tamaranian proclaimed in a deep, voice "Hello, tiny wooden replica of Starfire!" She turned to Mika, who was attempting to uncover how the puppet actually moved "Hello tiny wooden replica of Mika!"

"Why, hello Starfire" Mika slowly lifted up the puppets arm and shook the replica of Starfire. They both quickly giggled as they attempted to make their replicas shake with their other hands. The two Titans quickly glanced to the side, letting their sight fill with a dog pile of puppets from none other than the boys. Starfire immediately widened her eyes as a new idea crossed her head.

"Boys..." Raven shook her head in disappointment.

"Shall my and Mika's tiny replica do battle with your tiny replica?" Starfire suggested with a bright, ever so innocent smile.

Raven simply sighed and tossed her puppet into Starfire's hand like trash "Knock yourself out"

Starfire raised his brow in confusion as Raven fled into the hallway, leaving the fun and excitement that came from the puppets. She didn't understand why Raven couldn't find enjoyment in the little wooden puppets. No, she couldn't understand. She knew Raven wasn't the most...friendly individual in the world, but even so...

Would it kill her to enjoy something with the rest of her friends once in awhile?

"There we go…"

Mika mumbled ever so quietly under his breath as he yanked out new rug into the air, causing to flatten within mere seconds. With a small smile, he flipped it into the air and let it glide down safely to the floor. Sure, his room still stunk of burning yarn and perhaps wood even if his former rig was tossed aside, but it wasn't anything a few scented candles couldn't solve.

Satisfied, the golden skinned teen put his hands on his hips and glanced over to his new little puppet, propped up against his bookshelf. He grew rather fond of his double, even if he received it mere hours ago. There was something about it he found comforting. He didn't know exactly what, but he didn't care. He just liked it.

Right as he lifted his covers, a soft, white glow appeared across the wall. He squinted in confusion. He knew he turned off all his lamps, and his lights never simply turned themselves on. His eyes grew wider as he slowly turned around to the mysterious lights source.

He gasped.

As Mika delt with the mysterious light in his room, Starfire wandered around aimlessly throughout the tower, searching for whatever spooky her awake.

"Is someone there?" She called out as her shoulders huddled together in slight fear. She shuttered as she heard a chuckle echo throughout the tower

Starfire's ears perked up causing her eyes to draw to the door "Huh? f this is a joke, it is not-"

She opened the door and screamed.

It was only moments later that her screams quelled into silent breaths of relief. That dark, evil cloak she first laid her eyes on became a cloak that belonged to none other than the half-demon, who was also momentary frightened.

"Raven!" Starfire exclaimed "You have also heard the strange noises?"

"The strange noises of you talking outside my door? Hard to miss" Raven replied bluntly.

"Oh..." The alien girl blushed "Forgive me, I thought there was someone-"

Suddenly, a thick beam of light blue energy shot just fight above their heads, and crashed far into the wall. As dust billowed in the air, the two Titans snapped their heads down the hall, only to see Cyborg. Starfire felt relief cross over her at first, but then she drew to his eyes. His empty, blue glowing eyes.

Robin and Beast Boy darted down the hall, charging the two Titans. As Beast Boy transformed into a dinosaur, Robin leapt into the air and sent a kick right towards Starfire. The Tamaranian girl gasped as she ducked, sending Robin to slam and tumblr across the ground like an old rag doll. Right as the green dinosaur unhinged his jaws, Raven let dark energy seep through her fingers, forming a sturdy shield.

"Beast Boy, it's me!" Raven called out "Don't make me hurt you!"

Suddenly, two gold and black fans wizzed into the air, and banked right behind Raven shield. Raven cried in pain as the two sharp fans nicked her fleshy arms, causing her shield to dissipate into thin air.

"Raven!" Starfire called out. Right as she leapt into the air, Robin shot one of his discs straight into the air. In an instant, the disc exploded, sending Starfire straight to the ground. Right as she was about to slam harshly into the ground, the unattentive Cyborg caught her by her collar, as though she was a fish and he was the fisherman.

A thick, green tail slammed right into Raven, causing her to slam back first into the wall. A crack escaped her throat as Cyborg yanked her from the ground, pinning her right under his thick, unmoving arm .

"Let me go!" Raven yelled as she struggled to shake her way out. The three other listless Titans simply walked by her, was though she wasn't even there. Their glowing, blue eyes simply stared into nothingness.

"Friends! Why do you attack us?" Starfire cried out.

"Oh. They're not your friends anymore" a mysterious voice called from the darkness.

The two gasped as a small, wooden puppet emerged from the darkness, with slick, wooden hair and hinged mouth. It looked like any other puppet that was put on the shelf. Including the ones they received in the mail.

It didn't take long to put the pieces together.

"They are my puppets," the Puppet King announced "These are your friends"

From behind his back, he pulled out four puppets that dangled loosely in his wooden fingers. The Titan boys.

"Starfire!" Robin called out in a weak, muffled voice

"Raven!" Cyborg's little eye glowed

"Help!" Beast Boy cried.

The puppet that looked like Mika stayed awfully silent. Too silent.

"Release them!" Raven growled.

"Sorry, but you're not in charge here. You don't command me" the Puppet King swung their puppet friend like little toys, something to use. In an instant, he took out his white crosspiece remote and pumped it into the air as high as his wooden body would allow.

"I command you" he called out. As groan escaped the two Titan girls as their faces and mouths began to glow bright, as though someone stuck a night light within their body.

"And with the Puppet King pulling the strings, the Teen Titans will command the entire city" The Puppet King proclaimed.

At least until a giant force shoved him into the ground.

It all happened so fast. Like a giant burst of wind, the Puppet King was knocked clean off his feet as the two Titans souls began to leech into his remote. His little control panel flew across the ground, far out of reach.

"My control!" He cried out. It was too late. The two souls shot up from his remote and danced straight to the nearest body it could find. By the time the Puppet King sprinted to his remote, the two Titans were nothing more than shadows on the wall.

"After them" The puppet growled. Like stringed puppets themselves, the Titan boys bodies floated to their feet. They were ready to take anything down their master desired.

As the Titans bodies searched diligently for their two remaining teammates, the two girls swung into the nearest basement and slammed the door cleanly shut.

As the Titans bodies searched diligently for their two remaining teammates, the two girls swung into the nearest basement and slammed the door cleanly shut. They held their mouths tightly shut as the sound of feet crashing right above them passed by, like an eerie sound that spelled their certain death. Starfire released a silent sigh of relief as the controlled Titans passed right by them.

"The boys! Raven! What are we going to-" Starfire was about to exclaim. At least until Raven pulled the lights on.

She gasped.

Instead of the Raven Starfire knew and loved, she...stated back at herself? She quickly glanced down at her hands. Sure enough, her own hands didn't belong to her. They belonged to Raven.

"Starfire?" Starfire's body asked, in Raven's familiar voice.

"Raven?" Starfire released a horrified gasp "You are me! And I am you!"

"Raven? Starfire?"

The two Titans whipped their heads around, causing the Tamaranian girl to gasp and the half-demon to raise her brow.

"Mika?" Raven asked doubtfully. Instead of the fleshy Mika that pranced around attacking them only moments ago, the golden skinned teen that stood right in front of her was only a faint, transparent ghost like entity. Or rather, floated right in front of them.

The transparent Mika squinted in contagion "Raven? Is-Is that you?"

"Friend Mika!" Starfire exclaimed "Why are you not solid?"

"And why did you attack us earlier?"

Mika sighed "That-that wasn't me. Somehow the puppet guy took my body, along with our other friends. This form your seeing right now is called my Astral form. It's like being able to control where one's soul goes, either inside or outside the body. I suppose you could say I'm talking to you from another world close to this one. Any-anyhow, I was lucky enough to go in this form before my body was taken over, but I'm pretty much useless in my Astral form so...sorry. I-I-I was the one who pushed him and knocked the remote o-out of his hand. I-I-I'm sorry about all this, with your bodies and all. I need to get back to my own body soon or I'll-"

"We don't have time to dwell on the past," Raven cut through Mika's long apology "We need to get moving"

Mika's eyes widened "R-right"

Suddenly a loud squeal escape Starfire, causing thick, black energy to escape her forehead and shatter the light bulb. In seconds, the three lost Titans were consumed in darkness.

It wasn't long before the two switched Titans and the Titans without a body made it up to the surface of Jump City. Sure, Starfire rattled nearly everything in sight with her new found powers in Raven's body, but it failed to attract their puppeted friends. So, without another thought to stop the three, the Titans wandered across the city, in search of a plan.

If Starfire wouldn't stop freaking out.

Oh, Raven! Oh Mika!" She exclaimed dramatically "This is awful! Terribly, horribly awful!"

"It could be...Yeah, it is…" Mika was about to defend, yet the courage within his tall, lanky body was not enough to sustain his optimism. The problem was that he didn't have a body, but instead a ghost-like projection that floated across the sidewalk.

"Tell me about it" Raven muttered. She didn't know what to make of her newfound body. She couldn't help but squeezes her shoulders together and cling onto her arms, as though she was freezing cold within the Tamaranian's body. Starfire revealed too much skin for her taste. She was also significantly taller than her. It was a win-lose situation in the mind of the half-demon.

"Robin, Cyborg, and Beast Boy have been trapped inside tiny wooden bodies, while a nasty creature called the Puppet King has taken control of their real bodies," Starfire began to rant.

"Starfire…" Mika mumbled in anxiety.

As her worry and concern spilled out of her body, street lamps began to creak and cower at her command. Newspapers flew out of their stands like leaves falling off of trees. Mail boxes began to melt into shiny, thin puddles "which he is using to hunt us down, and you and I are in the wrong bodies and-"

"Starfire!" Raven clapped her hand over her mouth "You have to calm down. My powers are driven by emotion. The more you feel, the more energy you unleash"

"But what if they find us? What if our friends are doomed? What if I am stuck looking like this forever?" Starfire spit out like a Pez Dispenser.

Raven placed her hands onto Starfire's shoulders, or rather her own "We'll fix it. I don't know how, but we will rescue the boys and we will get our bodies back," She paused and raised her brow "What's wrong with the way I look?"

"Nothing" Starfire squeaked. Her words were immediately smashed down as a pedestrian sign exploded.

"You-you need to calm down Starfire" Mika said, earning a nod.

"I will try to calm down," Starfire took a long, deep breath and softly closed her brilliant green eyes. The tense muscles within her face began to relax, causing her pale skin to melt within the darkness of the cloak "Peace...quiet...tranquil-"

Mika squealed and floated behind Raven as a car flipped far into the air, shot up by her dark energy. In an instant, it crashed straight into the ground, letting its alarm blare out in the empty streets of Jump City

Raven face planted into her hand "We are so doomed"

"Beast Boy!" Starfire called out. The three Titans snapped their heads up, revealing a painfully green falcon. The falcon swooped through the air, its feathers illuminated by the giant moon that sat in the air. Suddenly, the falcon clenched its giant claws, and charged the three Titans.

"You mean zombie Beast Boy," Raven clenched onto Starfire's hand and yanked her "Run!

Starfire immediately reached out for Mika. When her hand dove for Mika, her fleshy, warm hand slipped right through his transparent hand like it was air. Mika immediately reacted his transparent hand and shook his hand in disappointment.

"It-It doesn't work," Mika muttered, cowering his hands close to his useless body "I-I-I told you, I can't do anything like this"

"Yes you can!" Raven growled back, causing Mika's eyes to widen "The others are probably looking for us too. Warn us! Or distract them!"

Before Mika could say another word, she dragged the helpless Starfire behind a wall. Mika's transparent, thin hands began to shake like a leaf. It was own thing during against villains, but against his friends? The thought of even throwing his fans at them made him want to cower into a corner.

Yet, he had no choice. If he wanted to save his all of his friends, he had to take the risk. He couldn't afford to not too.

He clenched his fist.

Mika glanced up into the night sky as a loud, shrill crow escaped the air. He watched as the lifeless Beast Boy searched for his prey, as though the two female Titans were juicy mice for his picking.

He instantly darted down the alley and made a corner. His eyes lit up as he floated near a pile of old, rusted cans. Without another thought, he attempted to pick up the pile of cans. As though a thick wind rushed by, the cans were swept off their giant pile and crashed into the ground.

Mika gasped as the green falcon fixated on his position and quickly swooped down to the source of the noise. As though Mika was a figment of the controlled Beast Boy's imagination, the falcon swept right through the transparent Mika. With a confident grin, he quickly fled the scene.

Right as he banked the corner, he saw a dark, large shadow sweep across the illuminated pavement. He snapped his head up, revealing the boy wonder darting across the rooftops high above his head. Mika quickly galited to the nearest dumper and rammed right through it. By the time he melted out from the other side, the giant dumpster rocked violently into the wall. In an instant, Robin jumped obliviously from the roof and crashed into the floor.

Mika fled the scene as though Robin carried some kind of disease.

He frantically darted through corners and walls, until he caught a glimpse of a dark, long cloak. He instantly floated right to a stop, and saw Raven and Starfire weaving through corners.

"Raven! Starfire!" He called out at the top of his lungs. Within mere seconds, he floated right next to the two Titans, who his safely behind a wall.

"Mika!" Starfire exclaimed in relief.

"I managed to distract Beastboy and Robin for the time being" Mika said quickly.

"What about your body? And Cyborg?" Raven asked.

Mika's face fell "Oh…I-"

Suddenly, the wall crashed into itself, causing the three to squeal in shock. Starfire and Mika's eyes widened as Cyborg's lifeless, stern face emerge from the brick wall, as though his face was nothing more than a mount. A shared horrified squeal sliced through the air as the three darted away from the rather frightening Cyborg.

"Wait for me, please!" Starfire screamed out, quickly scrambling to her friends sides. They frantically rounded a corner, only to meet their ultimate demise. A dead end.

Mika quickly snapped his head around, causing his eyes to widen. Even in his current firm, he couldn't help but curl his arms up tight to his chest as his friends as puppets of friends closed in on him. Like soulless zombies, the tyre Titans, including Mika's own body closed in onto them like bees to honey.

"If I can't fly, you have to levitate," Raven suddenly snapped "You know those words I always-"

"Yes!" Starfire exclaimed, taking a deep breath.

"Wait! You have to focus!" Raven pleaded. Even the golden skinned teen knew it was too late.

Starfire spit out the words as though they were on fire "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

Raven clung on helplessly as Starfire burst high into the air in her own body. Mika anxiously watched as the two screamed at the top of their lungs as they helplessly floated through the night air. Within seconds, the two female Titans became nothing more than specks in the sky.

Until those specks came crashing straight down.

"Raven! Starfire!" Mika cried. In an island, he frantically floated to his friends, weaving through building after building, corner after corner. He couldn't help but gasp as his controlled friends flew right past him, either darting across the roof or simply punching through walls. With no real body to do such things, he let a worried squeal, escape his throat.

Relief filled his face as he turned a corner, revealing Starfire and Raven quietly hiding behind a pile of trash bags.

"Ra-" he was about to call out.

"Shhh!" Raven snapped back, lifting her finger to her mouth. Mika quickly nodded, causing him to softly close his eyes. Within seconds, his slightly transparent figure became utterly invisible.

The sound of empty foot steps filled his ears, as though a small army filled the alley. Mika couldn't help but shake slightly, as though he was as transparent as a traffic cone on a bright, sunny day.

"Peace, quiet, tranquility...peace, quiet, tranquility" He heard Starfire recite.

"It's all right. They're goi-" Raven was about to assure. Suddenly, She slapped her hand right over Starfire's mouth. The two Titans slowly lifted their eyes up, revealing a small, green mouse. It's empty, blue eyes simply stated into the distance as its nose lead it across the mountainous landscape that was the trash bags. A tear of sweat ran down Starfire's face, as he lip trembled within Raven's hand. It felt like with one breath, they would have been goners.

"Enough!" A voice called out, causing Beast Boy to lift his small head. He pounced off the trash bag and transformed back into his human form, along with his other controlled friends. The two Titans slowly peeked their heads above the pile of trash, revealing none other than the Puppet King.

"We will catch the other two after the ceremony is complete" The Puppet King announced.

"Ceremony?" Robin softly said, lifting his wooden head.

"What ceremony?" Cyborg croaked out.

"Just a little spell that will destroy you three," he lifted up his delightful pile of wooden puppets, right to his empty, beady eyes "and make your bodies mine. Come, my puppets"

With his final words, he began his trek back into the darkness of the city. Like loyal zombies, the controlled Titans slowly followed him, until they became nothing more than shadows on the wall.

Right as Mika heard the last faint foot step, he immediately rushed to the Raven and Starfire "Are you alright? You-you flew up pretty high back there"

Raven sighed in response. Within seconds, she dug her nails into her new, tangled hair, scraping off whatever got tightly tangled within it "How can you stand having this much hair?"

Starfire shrugged.

"A ceremony..." Mika trailed off, letting his thoughts run ramped within his mind. It all sounded too familiar to him. Moving dolls. Soulless bodies. Souls attracted to dolls. He couldn't help but feel a new found anxiousness as his realization crawled further and further up to the surface of his mind.

His pale blue eyes widened.

"He's going to get rid of their souls..." Mika realized in horror.

"What did you say?" Raven raised her brow in curiosity.

"The Puppet King, I know the ceremony he's going to perform. I've read about it before in one of my books and I was young. He's to take the bodies of our friends through the ceremony. He's going to..." He furrowed his brows, as though the words were begging to say in his mind "He's going to burn their souls"

The Tamaranian gasped.

"Quickly, Raven! Our friends are in danger!" Starfire shot up to her feet "We must follow and-"

Starfire gasped as she felt a hand forcefully tug her back. She snapped her head around, revealing a rather disappointed Raven who simply shook her head.

"And what? Save them with my unusable powers while your unbridled emotions blow us to bits?" Raven sarcastically snapped "Nice flying, by the way"

"At least I am able to fly!" Starfire angrily responded, narrowing her newfound dark eyes "On my planet, even a newborn can unleash the joy of flight. But you are too busy being grumpy and rude to feel anything at all!"

The half-demon sighed, crossing her arms "Maybe you haven't noticed, but my emotions are dangerous. I can't afford to feel anything. You may have my body, but you know nothing about me"

Mika coaxed his eyebrows "I know we're not in the best-"

"Perhaps you are right," Starfire suddenly rang in, causing Mika spake blue eyes to widen "And if you and I are to overcome this ordeal, we must know everything about each other. So...begin sharing"

Raven let a small smile frame her face "All right" she released a deep sigh, letting her plans relax "I was born in a place called Azarath..."

Her words simply melted away right as they entered Mika's ears. No matter how hard he tried to listen, he simply couldn't. Worry ate at his mind. If he was right, his friends could have been nothing more than ashes at that point. His friends could have been soulless puppets, weaning on every little command that puppet gave them. His body could have been waiting for him to return. He knew he didn't have much time left. If he didn't get back to his body soon...

"And that is how I arrived to earth" Starfire's voice suddenly rang through Mika's ears, causing him to snap his head up from his aching thoughts.

"Hm?" He blinked a few times. His eyes only grew wider as Starfire and Raven let their eyes wander right at the golden skinned teen himself. It didn't take very long for him to out the pieces together.

Mika's face turned a rather rosy link as he frantically waved his hands in the air "I-I-I can't! It's fine! I don't have reason t-t-to! We should get going, anyhow"

No matter how much he pleaded, Starfire and Raven stared at him expectantly, waiting for him to spill his guts out on a platter. That's what it felt like to the golden skinned teen, anyways.

The longer his anxiety simmered in his stomach, the more he began to notice their eyes. Although their bodies were completely switched, they had the same, glimmering eyes. Glimmering eyes that were filled with disappointment.

It was the same disappointment he saw within his own eyes all his life. Towards himself.

He gave a deep breath and sighed.

"Alright..." He let his pale blue eyes wander to the ground "Where to begin..."

"You do not need to speak of everything, if it is too much" Starfire assured, yet Mika quickly shook his head.

"No, no, you were right. If we want to get our friends back, we need to share everything. We need to understand eachother. No matter how much it pains us" Mika assured, before he let silence cling onto the air around him.

"I was born in England. My father was a doctor who traveled across the world to help small communities. He never thought he would bring back my mother from India and marry her. When I was 3, we moved to a small community in India to join an enclave for people who practiced the Mystic Arts. You see, my mother practiced the Mystic Arts, as a result she wanted to expose my father and me to her ways," a smile crossed his face "I remember when I received my fans. They were a gift from my mother. I thought they were far too feminine at first, any little bit would have thought that. After time...they grew on me..."

He frowned "When I was 7...a group of people attacked our enclave and killed a lot of our people who struggled against them violently . My mother was pregnant at the time with my brother, so me and my father tried to fend them off but...it didn't work. My family and I were kidnapped and sent to work in some gold mines as slaves, along with the survivors of my community. My brother Soma was essentially born into slavery...but, my mother managed to hide his existence, and when she wasn't working, taught us both more about the Mystic Arts as well as some other people from our former community. It wasn't long before I wasn't sent to work in the mines however..."

Mika's fists began to gently shake, as though the thoughts in his mind sent needles in his chest "There were times where me and my father almost died from our exhaustion. We worked endlessly through the day, with little food or water. But our kidnappers didn't care. We were expendable. If my mother wasn't assigned to laundry and cooking, I'm sure my father and I would have been in our graves. We made the most out of our situation. Soma was so innocent of the things that occurred around him, yet...I loved him for that. But...when I was 13..."

A single tear fell from his face. It nearly melted in his ghost-like face.

"There was a mine accident near the living communities. A part of a cliff came down and swallowed up many of the shacks. I was out doing work at the time while my father and mother fell ill, and Soma was still in hiding. It...It consumed my entire family. Our kidnappers didn't bother to look through the rubble. They were consumed by money and expenses. As much as I hated them for that, I knew my family was...gone. I...ran away. I thought I couldn't trust anyone. I think this was the time I became so apprehensive of people. I wandered around from country to country, searching for a way to empty my mind of my indentured servitude. So...that's how I ended up in Jump City. And met people who I can confidently call friends"

He did something he never thought he would do. One minute he was wiping a transparent tear from his eye, the next he was bent over willingly on his knees, causing his thick, wavy hair curtain his eyes. He didn't cover his face because his pale blue eyes because they were ready to burst with tears. But because a warm, rosy blush coated his face. And it wasn't from embersassent.

"Thank you"

It didn't take long for the Titans to find the hideout of the Puppet King. It wasn't too difficult to find, anyhow. The curling, faint blue smoke that billowed from an old abandoned theatre was a dead give away for Mika.

The golden skinned teen carefully floated across the giant fountain that stood willingly in front of the theatre. Invisible to his friends as the green Doberman that carefully sniffed around, Mika scoured the door, attempting to find a way in. With a sigh, he retreated to the stone fountain, where Starfire and Raven carefully peaked from.

"It's not safe to go through the door with Beast Boy around," Mika said in disappointment "I couldn't find another entrance either"

"We'll have to try the roof" Raven announced. Her newly found brilliant green eyes widened as she felt a cold hand creep up her arm. She couldn't believe how icy her skin felt

"Agreed. Now, do just as I instructed. Close your eyes and think of something joyful" Starfire commanded. She frowned once Raven sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You might choose flowers, or kittens, or the laughter of children, or-"

Before she could finish her suggestions, Raven gently flew into the air. Mika couldn't help but bring a smile of his face as he watched the quiet Raven drag up Starfire high into the air, far from the prying eyes of their controlled friend. He quickly shook his head from his thoughts and followed suit.

"Very, very good!" Starfire exclaimed joyously as she softly landed into the roof "What was your joyful thought?"

"You don't want to know..." Raven trailed off.

"Oh, but I do. Please tell me. What did you imagine?" Starfire pushed. Raven sighed as Starfire clapped her hands together, begging for an answer.

"You not talking" the half-demon bluntly admitted.

"Oh," Starfire blinked in surprise, not knowing whether to feel joyous or put down by her comment "Well...I am glad I was able to help"

"Your turn," Raven command, taking a step back "Find your center. Focus your energy on the lock"

Starfire nodded. She softly closed her dark eyes and raise her hands ever so delicately into the air. Within moments, her hands began to softly glow with black energy above the iron trapdoor. Her dark energy began to crawl across the door and onto the thick, shiny lock.

"Azarath...Metrion..Zinthos..." She quickly snapped her hands apart, causing the lock to break apart.

"Wow, it worked" Mika widened his eyes as Starfire giggled in glee.

Raven raised her brow in amusement "Nice work"

Starfire squealed in delight "Success!" Right as the words left her mouth, the giant trapdoor flung wide open.

"Nice work..." The half-demon mumbled.

Raven and Mika slowly floated in as Starfire hopped through the open trap door, revealing a long, iron catwalk that sprawled across the entire theatre. Immediately, the scent of festering smoke and fire filled their noses. Well, in the very least the Tamerianian and the half-demon.

"Search and destroy" a faint voice filled their ears. Starfire almost gasped in realization, not before Raven slapped her hand over her mouth once again.

The three carefully followed a faint, blue light that softly illuminated the empty theatre. They turned a corner, revealing a tall, curling blue fire, along with the Puppet King. The Puppet King let his tall, dangerous creation lick his face, as though the flames were too afraid to even char any of his body. Not even his controlled minions dared to run to save their so-called master from the blue fire.

"You see that fire?" Mika quietly whispered, as he carefully pointed at its angry flames "It's part of his ceremony. We need to put it out before he throws our friends in there or...their souls will be burned up. And he'll take our friends bodies"

"Why not take them as of now?" Starfire asked "In your current form, you could perhaps sneak past him and take our friends back"

Mika sighed, "I-I-I can't get close to the f-fire, or I may get burned up. It's far too risky for me. Sorry..."

"Then we'll have to put out the flames and take that remote of his if we want to stop him" Raven announced, earning a few nods in response "Starfire and I will focus on getting Robin, Cyborg and Beast Boy back. Mika, focus on getting your body back. We need all the help we can get"

"R-right"

"I do not want an audience," The Puppet King announced, causing the controlled Titans spread out. Satisfied, he pulled out a small tube filled with liquid, and threw it into his fire. Almost instantly, the fire angrily roared and grew high to the ceiling "Well, Titans...time for your grand finale"

Raven's widened as the wooden villain pulled out her friends. Her very helpless friends "No..."

"It's going to be a real showstopper" The Puppet King raised the wooden Titans close to the flames, ready to burn up their souls into ashes.

"Stop!" Robin cried.

"Don't!" Cyborg weakly muttered.

"Please!" Beast Boy pleaded.

"Don't worry. I'll take good care of your bodies. After all, they'll be mine forever" The Puppet King assured. He let go of the strings, letting his wooden puppets fall into the flames.

At least before a ball of black energy consumed them.

Even if the wooden villain count register any emotion, it was clear surprise consumed his face as the wooden Titans floated up from the fire and darted across the sky. Starfire yelped in joy as her borrowed energy landed in her equally borrowed body. She squeezed her trapped friends into a tight, warm hug.

"My friends!" Starfire squealed in delight "You are unharmed!"

"Starfire?" Robin weakly questioned.

"It's a long story" Raven explained.

The Puppet King, angered up his rather abrupt interruption, pumped his remote into the air "Go, my puppets! Capture them!"

In an instant, the green skinned teen hopped into the air and transformed into a bat, darting towards the three Titans. It was long after that Robin pounced onto the scaffolding and began his rapid ascent. Mika's body stretched out his hands and made a shiny, glimmering rope, which he threw over the rail and rapidly climbed up.

"Move!" Raven yelled, yanking Starfire's arm. Before she could dart away however, the Tamaranian screamed out as Beast Boy landed right on the catwalk. Raven rapidly turned around, causing her eyes to widen. Sure enough, their escape route was cut off the controlled boy wonder and the controlled green skinned teen. Suddenly, a large, blue laser shot up from the catwalk, sending the two Titans tumbling across the theatre. Starfire squealed in terror as the grip on her friends loosened, letting the wooden Titans crash to the ground.

Right as the two Titans plummeted to the ground, Mika quickly undid a rope and chucked it towards their direction before it simply slipped out of his transparent hands. Starfire immediately grasped onto the rope, letting the skin of her hands peel off as she violently slid down. Raven squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated in an attempt to fly and shred through the air. With no luck, she gasped and yanked the rope towards herself.

Mika cried out as one of his fans shredded through his transparent clothing. Like a knife, it dug into his soul and mind, causing...blood? He squinted in confusion, through the sharp pain and surprise. Sure enough, when he brought his finger back from his shoulder, his transparent self has his thick, red transparent blood was coated on his fingers.

He gasped, causing his eyes to widen "My fans...they can hurt me like this?"

He quickly curved his back as another fan sliced through the air, letting it to run only inches from his chest. His pale blue eyes scanned the fan as it banked around now body, and curved back to its master. Or rather, it's controlled master.

It was odd for the golden skinned teen to see himself, or rather how body acting on its own will. It's eyes are as empty as a blue black hole that swallowed any emotion in sight. The few scratches on its face and arms was a clear sign to Mika that it didn't care what happened to itself. It just wanted to serve its wooden master and attack his friends.

It was enough to cause Mika to blush angrily.

He anxiously narrowed his eyes and pointed his accusing finger towards his controlled body "Stop attacking my friends and give me back my body!"

He yelled it out even if his body didn't have a clue in the world what the ghost-like apparition spewed out. It didn't even register any emotion its mind and soul charged it. And melted into its body. Or rather Mika's.

As Mika fought tooth and nail for his body, Raven went a violent kick right into Cyborg's metal stomach. His controlled self failed to register any amount of emotion as his helpless body plunged straight down. Right towards his trapped soul.

Starfire gasped and threw her arms out "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

Suddenly, thick, black energy consumed Cyborg, stopping him from crushing his and his friends souls into toothpicks. Starfire's threw Cyborg to the side like trash, causing him to crash into a giant pole. Satisfied, Starfire smiled. At least until she looked up.

A horrified gasp filled her body and mind as against sand sack came rushing towards her head. She threw herself into the railing of the catwalk, letting the dangerous sand sack plummet to the ground. Before relief could come over her mind, Robin swung down from his sack trap and landed right in front of Starfire. Right as he pulled out his staff, Starfire swiped her hand across the air. In moments, the controlled Cyborg crashed straight into Robin, sending them both flying off the catwalk.

A smile crossed Raven's face as she peered down from above. A loud, threatening growl however filled her nimble ears, causing her to gasp and jump further down the catwalk. She snapped her surprised head towards the opposing side of the catwalk, revealing a very angry and unamused green gorilla. Suddenly, Beast Boy rush towards her and howled as he aimed his beefy hands into the air. Before Raven became nothing more than a splatter, she jumped back, and raised her deadly hands into the air.

"Righteous fury, righteous fury, concentrate..." She mumbled. Her hands slowly became consumed with bright, green energy. Before she could charge her powers, Beast Boy violently swatted the half-demon into a wall. Raven hissed loudly as her shoulder cracked loudly as she smashed into the wall. Her brilliant green eyes widened as the giant, black shadow that was the green gorilla towered over her.

Then a fan rushed by her face.

The sharp black and gold fan hurled right past Raven and Beast Boy, slicing into the metal railing that kept the catwalk afloat. Raven's eyes widened as the very solid and fleshy Mika landed right in front of her. Along with a fan protectively in front of his chest.

"Mika?" Raven asked. She breathed a sigh of relief as Mika's body glanced down, revealing his worried, pale blue eyes.

He lightly smiled "It's me"

The golden skinned boy caught his fan, and immediately sliced the floor right below him. A loud creaking sound filled the theatre as the last tiny, pitiful poles snapped like twigs, causing the catwalk to collapse in itself and swing away from Raven and Mika. Along with Beast Boy.

As the blank, unamused green gorilla swung away, Raven rose to her feet and swiped away the dust that coated her body.

"Are you alright?" Mika asked.

"I'm fine" Raven assured. Although she was as blank and unemotional aa ever, Mika couldn't help but smile.

"Mika, Raven, help!" Starfire suddenly screamed out.

Right as Raven snapped her head down, a loud cry filled her ears. She turned around, revealing Mika slumped up against the wall, hissing in pain. She gasped as a giant, mechanical fist whizzed past her face. She jumped frantically out of the way, before Cyborg's hand latched onto her frail head and lifted her up as though she was a doll. Raven growled and sent her feet right into his blank face. With a grunt, she flipped away from Cyborg, who crashed to the ground.

"Starfire!" Raven yelled as she rushed to the railing. She jumped straight of the catwalk and sent her foot flying into Robin. Right before the controlled boy wonder could send a violent fist into Starfire's face, Raven crashed into Robin, sending him to the ground below.

"Not me!" Starfire frantically shook her head, pointing to herself

"Them!" Mika yelled from above, pointed down. Raven followed his finger and let her newfound green eyes tail across the burning blue flames. She gasped.

The Puppet King, with the wooden Titans tight in his hands, rushed to the blue fire "The Puppet King is in command!"

"NO!"

Raven felt what she never expected to feel from whole mess of the day. She felt strong, passionate emotion.

A blazing starbolt smoked from her hand and shot off right at the wooden Villain. The green starbolt piece right into the Puppet King, causing his remote and his wooden Titans to scatter across the ground. As the Titans souls swept across the ground, the white remote arced across the air, and landed right into the glimmering blue fire.

"Uh! My control!" The Puppet King cried out. The blazing flames flared up high into the ceiling, causing a thick stream blue light to pour out of his eyes and mouth.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Mika watched as the wooden Titans twitched and moved with fury. He gasped as a sudden streak of light left their wooden bodies, like days of light that peaked from trees and vines in the earliest of mornings. Their glowing souls danced elegantly across the theatre, circling madly until they flew right back into their warm, flesh ridden bodies. Those same streaks of light leaked out of Starfire and Raven's bodies, until they finally switched into their proper bodies.

"You're alright!" Mika cried in relief as he hopped over the railing.

Starfire giggled in glee as she caressed her arms. Her own arms "I am me! And you are you!"

Cyborg grinned as he flexed his own arms "And we're us!"

"Thanks to you three" Robin with a sly grin.

Beast Boy pumped his fist into the air "You go, girls! And Mika!"

"Raven, Mika, we have done it!" Starfire exclaimed once again. Consumed in her happy emotions, she wrapped her arms around Raven and Mika in a tight, warm hug. Although Mika smiled, Raven looked as blank and unamused as ever.

"You're hugging me..." Raven muttered.

"NOOOOOOO!"

A shrill, loud scream filled the Titans ears like sharp nails on a chalkboard. The Puppet King desperately crawled towards his burning fire, as though he could scoop out the ashes of his remote with his bare hands unscaved. He dug his little wooden hands into the floor below him, scraping off the tips of his fingers.

"The magic! Without it, I'm just a..."

Before he could finish, he collapsed to the ground. His hinged jaw simply sprawled open, and his eyes separated and stared into nothingness.

Beast Boy anxiously scratched his head "So, this is the thing that caused us so much trouble?"

It was a rather bright morning on the roof of Titan tower.

The sun leaked from the shy ocean and consumed everything in sight. Everything from the giant, thin windows to the soft winds were touched by the warmness of the giant curve in the sky. Including Mika's blank face.

He let a handful of straw go from his hands into a giant, metal pot filled with blue flames. His pale blue eyes registered surprise as he yanked his hand away. Almost instant, the blue fire curled into the sky and licked the wind around it, waiting to be carried away and infest other kinds of flammable objects. Including Mika himself.

His surprise settled as the fire safely retracted into the boiling heat of the pot. Reliably safe from being set on fire and burning, he wiggled his arms under his blanket-like cape that was hung over his shoulder, and sighed. Although the cape did little to protect him from the cold, as the soft winds blew it, he still shriveled up his arms.

"Hm?" He muttered as through the crackling blue fire, the squeak of a door hissed through his ears. He blinked as he saw none other than the boy wonder carefully slide through the door.

"Oh, hi Robin" Mika greeted softly, before he turned around.

"You're up early. W-" Robin shut his mouth as he curiously peered into the blue flames of the fire. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he saw an incredibly charred piece wood admits the straw and sticks. It didn't take much time after that for him to put the pieces together.

Robin's eyes widened as he rushed towards the golden skinned boy "Mika, are you insane? What are you-"

"It's better this way," Mika softly interrupted "I don't think we can risk that puppet ever coming back again. What I'm doing only assures the safety of our friends. That's why I'm burning him and everything else he created"

"That was evidence!" Robin protested "We need to understand why attacked us in the first place!"

"It was magic, nothing more," he turned around and clenched his fist "Please understand Robin, when he took your body I...I felt so useless. I-I-I felt so hopeless at times. I understand his plan but...I felt like I couldn't do anything about it. Starfire and Raven helped my realize differently, but I just understood that he wanted to take us down, so I'm doing what I think needs to be done," he hung his head low "I-I'm sorry!"

Robin paused, letting Mika's words simmer in his mind. Mika widened his eyes in surprise as a grin crossed Robin's face.

"Look, I understand what you mean but, we're a team. I understand that you feel alone in your feelings, but your really not. Your not the only one who felt like they count do anything today" Robin explained.

"Oh...r-right" Mika stuttered, the memories of the night flooding back to him.

"Just let us know what your thinking, ok? And don't make decisions like this on your own. We're a team for a reason, you know"

"O-of course. I-I-It won't happen again"

Robin nodded "The guys are I are planning to go out later today. You wanna come?"

Mika's face lit up like it never did before.

"Yeah!"

Thank you guest, brave-story, and Theboblinator for your reviews!

Woo, I finally got this chapter done! I really wanted this one done by this weekend, so I grinded this chapter out! In all honesty, this was to me was difficult to write. I knew it was important to the background of Mika and his powers, so I really wanted to make sure those aspects were good before moving on. I also didn't want him to take away too much from Starfire and Raven, so that was a tough balance too. Otherwise, it was interesting to write out. (I didn't realize how much stuff in burning in this chapter until now..."

I hope you enjoyed! Reviews are appreciated!

- X-Xepher-X