Hey, all. I'm sorry it's been
so long since I wrote anything. I'd like to say I was busy, but in
all honestly, I just neglected it. Please enjoy this story. I whipped
it up late last night (or this morning?). Finishing it at 1:30 am.
There's no real pairing, just friendship and family. Raven needs to
get over a few things, but it's mostly meant to be a sort of light
hearted event. Nothing too dramatic…I've seen (and written)
enough of those. I much prefer a nice comedy. Enjoy, and R&R. If you decide to favorite this story, please review. It's a nice
thing to do ^^
XxX XxX XxX
My name is Raven Roth;
I'm a half demon that makes up 1/5th of a
crime fighting team based in Jump City, California. We handle things
from armed robbery to alien invasions (and everything in between).
We've taken down magicians, electricians and musicians. We've
destroyed an entire group of super-villains, yet I myself am no
better than those we've set out to extinguish.
I mentioned that
demon thing, right?
Just making sure.
I was born in Azarath,
raised by Azar until I was around ten, then by my mother until I left
to go to Earth; in a desperate attempt to get help. After the
Justice League turned me away, I went to Jump City and was dragged
into a team that included Robin, Beast Boy, Starfire, Cyborg and I.
With their help I was able to---
Raven groaned and lifted
her quill from the page. "Robin." Her tone was as unemotional as
ever, but the trained ear could hear the annoyance behind it.
"Yes,
Raven?"
"Do I really have to write this?"
"The Mayor
would 'appreciate' it if we all wrote down a basic memoir. To
help the citizens understand us better. It'll help us gain the
trust of the higher-ups as well."
"It's stupid."
"It's
what we need to do if we want to keep from drawing attention to
ourselves. We don't need them thinking we have something to hide."
"Robin, we're super heroes. Of course we have
something to hide."
Robin sighed and shook his head before
turning his attention back to the computer screen.
"Shouldn't
you be typing it? So you can send it as a file to the press?"
"Why
should I make it easy for them?"
After a few annoyed twitches,
Robin decided to let Raven do what she wanted. She always did,
anyway—regardless of how much he begged.
XxX
After my 18th birthday, and the defeat of my father, the world was brought back to normal. I doubt that anyone reading this remembers the three days they were stone, but I do. It all looked so hopeless, but they saved me—and everyone else—before the worst could happen. I defeated my destiny, but only because I had help. Without them, I---
"Dude, are you really
using a fountain pen to write that?"
"It's actually a quill
pen. A fountain pen has an internal reservoir system that is able to
hold the ink in its center. It was first mentioned in 10th
century in Egypt, when the Caliph demanded that he could have a pen
that didn't stain his hands. In 1636, a quill pen with a second,
smaller, partially sealed quill inside was invented that acted as a
primitive reservoir. The ink had to be squeezed through the hole and
into the nib. This pen, however, doesn't have that. It's a basic
quill pen made from the second wing feather of a hawk."
There
was a pause as Beast Boy and Robin glanced at her.
"How the
Hell do you know that?"
"I figured you'd ask, so I looked
it up."
"…Of course."
Another pause, then, "Are
they going to be able to read that?"
Beast Boy could swear he
saw the ghost of a smirk play on Raven's features as she answered,
"I don't really care."
XxX
An hour later, Raven
had succeeded in covering the better part of seven pages in the same
bullshit over and over again. 'My friends are my life. Without them
I would have destroyed the world. There's nothing I can't do
without them.'
It wasn't that she didn't believe what she
had written whole-heartedly, but after having to rephrase it for the
thirteenth time, she was a little worried that her severe lack of
caring about the project would be found out.
A half an hour after
she handed the paper to Robin, he came back, a scowl covering his
half masked face.
"Raven, I can't send this in."
"Why
not, Robin?"
"A, I can't read it…" At this, Raven
definitely grinned, "And B, it's all the same thing over
and over."
"Actually, page four is slightly different."
Robin stifled a groan before handing her the paper back, "Please
just re-write it. I don't need us getting in trouble because you
were trying to cut corners."
"Is it the font?" Raven called
to his retreating form, "I can change it if you want!" before
smirking to herself and heading down the hall to her room.
XxX
The
next day, Robin handed Raven's second draft back, a vein in his
temple distinctly pulsing.
"What do you have against this,
Raven? It's a simple task! Write a memoir!"
"Correct me if
I'm wrong, but I'm fairly certain that's what I did."
"This," Robin stressed while throwing it down on the
table, "is nothing more than you trying to bullshit your way out of
writing something serious!"
"It's serious."
"Really?
Let's see…" He flipped a few pages in, cleared his throat and
started reading (to the best of his ability) what Raven had written
the night before:
" 'And then, after Beast Boy found the
Muffin Man, we had free breakfast for the next four months. Corn,
chocolate, raisin bran, whole wheat…You name it, Beast Boy was able
to get it. Our new ally was a valuable asset to the team, as we were
always re-charged and getting our daily recommended dose of wheat and
carbs. He once helped us take down Control Freak by throwing a
cranberry wheat muffin at him—the healthiness of the snack forcing
the overweight man into submission.' "
"Well, I thought
it was well written."
"Re-write it or you're on kitchen
duty for the next year. And make it serious this time!"
With a
sigh, Raven disappeared into the floor, her story vanishing from
Robin's hands in a frigid obsidian aura.
"And don't make
me tell you again!" He shouted to the empty room.
XxX
Near
midnight Raven was sitting at the kitchen's island, fingers
drumming absently as she stared at the single line she'd written.
My name is Raven Roth…I don't know exactly what to
say, but I was told to write about myself…She groaned,
ran a hand through her hair and glared at the paper in front of her.
"Y'know, glaring at it won't get it done."
"Have
you finished yours yet?"
"Yesterday." Beast Boy said as he
sat next to her, looking over the line then chuckling.
"What's
so funny?" It came out harsher than she had intended it to, but
Beast Boy already knew that.
"I never thought I'd
finish something before you. Especially something like this."
"Well, I'm not exactly the open type."
"I know what
you mean." He leaned back, tilting the chair onto its back legs and
looking up at the ceiling. "It wasn't easy telling a bunch of
strangers about my folks…About my life before here…I didn't use
names or anything, but I still felt like I was telling them something
they just…didn't need to know."
Raven nodded, then ran a
finger over the edge of her page, feeling the pulp and the residual
emotions of Robin's last attack on the notebook. "It shouldn't
be this hard."
"My guess is you've got a lot you want to
say, but nothing you want to tell anyone."
She gave him a
sideways glance and then sighed. "A lot of bad things have happened
to me, Beast Boy, and I've done a lot of bad things. If I tell them
about that, they'll never trust me. The team's credibility could
be put in danger."
"We've all done stupid things, Raven."
She shook her head, closing the notebook. "Forget it, Beast
Boy. I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning."
"You
know where I am if you want to talk."
"Yeah…Thank you."
XxX
"I just don't get it, Star. Why won't
she just write it correctly? I did it! You did it! Hell, even Beast
Boy did it! I think she's just trying to mess with me…"
Starfire patted his shoulder reassuringly, a smile playing at her
lips. "Raven is a very complicated person, Robin. You must not get
so frustrated with her for being unable to write about her past so
easily."
"Starfire, you were a slave. If you can tell
a few thousand people about that, why can't she?"
"Everyone
deals with things differently, Robin. I was never taught to hide from
my feelings. Friend Raven, on the opposing hand was only taught such
things. She will get it done in her own time."
"I guess
you're right…"
"Would you like me to do the…'girl
talk' with her?"
"Do you mind?"
"Of course not! It
is always a pleasure to spend time with Raven!"
As Starfire
flew off, Robin couldn't help but wonder what Raven she knew.
XxX
"Friend Raven!" The pounding on the door
mimicked the pounding in her head. Raven glared at the vibrating
piece of metal before letting her head fall back to the pillow with a
muffled thud.
"Friend Raven, I know you are awake!" After a
few more minutes of pounding, Raven opened the door, clad only in her
leotard. Her hair lay in a disheveled mess, falling into her eyes.
"I am now. What do you want, Starfire?"
"I was hoping
to do the 'Girl Talk' with you, Raven."
"At…" Raven
glanced at the clock, "Seven in the morning?" Starfire nodded
urgently, so Raven sighed and stepped aside, letting the vibrant
alien into her room.
"It is not like you to still be asleep so
late in the day."
"It's not like you to be up."
"I
had much on my mind. Robin found me in the living room and questioned
me as to why you were unable to write a proper story for the Mayor."
"And what did you tell him?"
"I told him that you
were…'complicated'."
"I'm sure he knew that already."
"I believe that it was necessary to remind him."
Raven
made her way back to her bed, letting herself fall onto it with a
sigh. Starfire sat next to her, smiling.
"You are still tired,
friend?"
"I didn't get to sleep until late, Star."
"Because you were working on the story?"
"I was trying,
at the very least."
"How far have you gotten?"
Raven
grimaced, burying her head in the blankets. "One sentence."
"Raven!" Starfire's shriek carried through the room
harshly, "That is most unacceptable!"
"I know, Star! It's
just-...I can't make the words come out, right."
"I believe
that you are merely afraid to."
Raven's form shrunk further
into the covers, causing Starfire to pat her back reassuringly.
"The
words will come when they are ready, friend. I am sure of it."
"How did you get over it, Star?"
"Over what, Raven?"
"The fear."
"I did not. I learned to live with it. You
have been avoiding it—You have allowed it to grow to the point that
it has taken root. It is now controlling you, you, the Raven
that always controls her emotions! Be strong, friend, and you will be
able to move past this."
Raven's head lifted off the bed, her
eyes meeting the green one's of Starfire.
"You're right.
Thanks, Star."
"Anytime, friend! I am glad to be of help to
you!"
As soon as she left, Raven sat down at her desk, quill in
hand and, flipping to a new page, she began to write.
XxX
My
name is Raven Roth. I took my last name in honor of my mother,
Arella. I was born of the union of my mother and a demon named
Trigon. I used to be afraid of this. I used to be afraid of myself. I
knew I was capable of horrible things—thought that's all I'd be
able to do. But I know better now. I might be part demon, but I am
not him. And I never will be.
I am, and forever will be,
myself. Raven Roth. A Teen Titan, and 1/5th
of, not only a group of super heroes, but a family. It was once said
that family isn't always found under the same roof—that sometimes
you have to search for it. Well, I've found mine. And I wouldn't
trade it for the world.
