Disclaimer: Teen Titans does not belong to me
Just another one featuring our favorite pink and violet couple... if you want to read into it, this is almost like an allegory, but it's not necessary to go that deep.
Another note... this one is a little dry and doesn't have any action at all. It might even be somewhat biblical in style, since I did have several bible stories in mind while writing it. So as fair warning, I'll mention that it might be a bit boring to some people.
"Speech"
Thoughts
Exordium
Everything was blank. Nothing but a blank white space all around her, a void of light. She stretched a hand out, then shifted an arm, and a leg. And slowly became aware that she seemed to be floating. Floating in a white oblivion.
Where am I..?
She tried moving around, but there was nothing. She couldn't even tell if she was going anywhere because it was all white and the air around her did not seem to move at all.
Like, what is this place? Did someone just stick me in a white room or something? Or did I get caught in some weird spell? Or am I crazy? I hope I'm not...
She scratched her head.
And then she realized her hair was longer. Much longer, reaching almost all the way down to her waist. What it might have been if she had grown it out for years.
The second thing she noticed was that she was naked. Not that it was cold or anything, nor was there anyone to see her, but it still seemed odd. What kind of person, or spell, would strip her and put here somewhere like this? It would have to be someone or something really weird...
She grimaced. Let's see... do I still have my memories at least? She closed her eyes and thought for a moment.
She knew who she was and she had a general idea of what her life had been. A fight against evil; she had beaten her father, she had made some friends, and all in all, it hadn't been too horrible. Not the worst life possible.
Good. So I'm not completely crippled. But that still doesn't explain how I got here...
Sighing, she sat, or at least she thought she sat, and closed her eyes. What was I doing? I think I was out to dinner with my friends. Yeah... Robin was there. And Starfire, and Beast Boy and Cyborg. And Jinx...
Oh. That's right. We had dinner, then Jinx took me to a bar. I think we had a couple of drinks, but nothing too hardcore... and then we were going back... but what happened after that? She thought for a while, but nothing occurred to her. Hmm...
Suddenly, she sensed something nearby and opened her eyes.
A grey mist had begun to billow everywhere, and slowly, the blank, white canvas took form.
At first, it was shapeless masses of dulled hues, infused with the tiniest hints of color, the most prominent of which was a shade of mauve, similar to the color of her hair. The faded mist took shape, formed into vague, humanoid creatures, dressed in hooded robes, and their soft voices echoed out.
"You were a cursed child. Demon spawn. We did all that we could to suppress that side of you, but we could never be sure it would be enough."
"We know what we did to you was akin to torture, but it was with the future in mind, dear child. We were thinking of your wellbeing for when you grew older."
"Perhaps we erred, perhaps we were wrong in shattering your soul. It is difficult to say."
Around her, the mist exploded with vibrant color, varied hues of crimson, violet, lavender, cerulean... a rainbow of color, at first intermingled in a vast, chaotic mosaic, then settled into something a little more stable. Crimson retreated to one corner, the golden luster of yellow to another, and each color seemed to find its own resting place. But not long after, the grey that had birthed the color returned, and masked everything in a dulled, timid tint.
"You were unhappy, my daughter. You were cursed to despair. It was in the nature of what you were. An abomination to most, a tool to others. But you were still my daughter. I tried to love you."
Raven bit her lip, staring at the strange apparition before her. The hooded figure, a shade of greyed violet, a faceless, feminine figure, spoke with the voice that she would always recognize as her mother's own.
"But love was not enough. You had to find your own way. Find your own course. And so when the time came for you to leave, I had to let you go."
The hooded figure stretched a hand out toward Raven, moving closer and closer to the demoness, but right before her hand was about to reach Raven's chin, it disappeared in a puff of smoke and the greying, faintly colored mist shifted again.
Those colors, she knew distinctly.
The fiery scarlet, cool sapphire, vibrant orange, the vivid green... her teammates. Her friends... and her family.
"We were suspicious of you at first," the sound came from the red one. "You were different. A little creepy... dangerous... and powerful."
"We did not understand," the orange spoke.
"You totally hated me."
"Yep, you hated him a lot. Even I had a hard time putting up with his shit."
Raven rolled her eyes. Part of her wanted to reply to them, these strange forms that sounded so much like her teammates, but she still wasn't sure what the hell they were, and where exactly they had come from. Or where she even was. So she refrained, and let them speak, all the while watching the mist around her glow with a faint, rainbowed hue.
"But everyone deserves a chance. You were another person and you were the one to make peace between us to begin with. So of course we accepted you as our friend, without question. Even if we did not understand."
"It wasn't until we went into your mind that we found out how broken you were."
"Broken? She was like... all angry and stuff."
"Dude. You remember the grey Raven? And the green one? And the pink one... she had like a hundred different personalities. But she hid them all."
"She said she had to. Her powers are based on emotion. She could not let herself feel, or she would be dangerous."
Story of my life. Always trying to force back who I was in order to help other people. But better that I, alone, suffer, than I hurt the lives of countless other people. Even if I was destined to kill them in the end...
The red one stretched out its hand and this time, it made contact with hers. Strangely, it felt a little warm, pulsing with faint life, though it was not solid like a real body. If she wanted to, she thought that she could just push up right through it, but for some reason, the touch was somewhat comforting. So she let it stay.
"You were alone, but that made us all the more determined to help you. You always worried about other people and forsook yourself in the process. That was why we wanted to help you figure out who you were. You, as another person."
And around her, the colored mist began to merge, taking on a more definite shade of violet. Her eyes shone for a moment as she recognized that particular shade, the one that was so characteristic of her, Raven, but then she frowned as crimson began to flood through it, tainting the calm lilac with its agitated sanguine.
"You were part demon. You had to fight it all your life. It was the other side of you, one that could not be denied, yet one that had to be suppressed."
For all of you. If I did not force that side away, I could have hurt you guys.
"Your heritage as well. Your fate. You always fought it, and that also became part of who you were. A fighter. One that never gave up. Even born a demon, you never stopped believing that you could be something more than a harbinger of destruction."
"And because of that, you won," the red one whispered proudly. "You defied all odds and renounced the heritage that you so despised."
The four, colored lights shone brightly in front of her, surrounded by a sea of rich mauve.
"We didn't realize how amazing you were until then. Dealing with all of your problems and still being able to hope for something better... and doing it all, while still being uncertain about who you were, as a person. Not just a demon."
Raven's lips twisted. As a person, huh. I'm not so great of a person. Moody most of the time. Impatient. Ill-tempered.
"Kind," the blue one spoke, as if it could read her thoughts. "Maybe a little sarcastic, but truthfully one of the most affectionate and caring people I knew."
"Willing to risk her own life to save other people."
"Good sense of humor. But my jokes are still better."
"Always there to listen. And help. You sacrificed so much... but kept on persevering."
There was a slight, uncomfortable pause.
"Which was why it was so hard on all of us when we found out that you died."
Raven froze.
... what?
...
... I'm dead?
The mist around her roiled tumultuously. The four figures turned and began gliding away, letting the sea of lavender close in around her.
"Wait!" Raven shouted after them, but they disappeared and she was left with nothing but the violet mist. "What do you mean I'm dead?"
... silence.
"I'm obviously not dead, guys," she muttered, staring at her hands. "I'm still here. I can still see, think, breathe. I'm... not dead."
Silence.
"Alright. So if I'm dead, where am I? Hell? Doesn't look like it. Heaven? Don't see any angels anywhere. Why don't you explain that, then?"
Still quiet.
Raven clenched her hands into fists in frustration and turned.
So now what? How am I supposed to get out of here? As far as I can see, there's nothing but this violet mist. And I bet if I get past it, everything will just turn white again. Damn it. I don't want to be stuck here forever. But nothing seems to be changing-
And as soon as that thought entered her mind, the violet darkened to a black void and everything faded into oblivion.
Purgatorio
"Hello? Hellloooo? Wake up, sleepyhead."
Raven made a noise of discomfort and held a hand to her head. This voice... "Jinx?" She forced her eyes open and found the pinkette staring at her.
"Your hair's long. And you're... naked."
Raven's cheeks flushed crimson. "I think your hair is just as long as mine. And so are you."
Jinx grinned. "Excellent. Hate clothes anyway. What?" She said defensively. "They're really confining, you know. Just have to wear them for decency's sake and all that garbage."
Raven rolled her eyes. "Good to know. But why are you randomly here without any clothes on-" and abruptly, she broke off, remembering what she was supposedly here for.
She groaned, laying back.
Jinx looked at her concernedly. "You okay?"
"I have no clue where I am, I have nothing to wear, and I'm supposedly dead. Doing great."
The pink haired girl tilted her head. "Well, I'm dead too, so we're in the same boat."
The demoness frowned. "Wait... you're..."
"Don't you remember?"
"Um, no?"
"Really-"
"Just tell me what happened."
"We were at a bar - you remember that, right?"
"Yes, but nothing after we left."
"That makes sense. I think someone spiked your drink or something 'cause you couldn't really walk straight. So I figured we should just go back to the tower. But you started acting really funny and stuff and you said some weird things..."
"Like?"
"Well... uh... you were babblin' about us, and you were the one who wanted to keep quiet about it, and you said something about kids..."
Raven thought for a moment. "Oh yeah. Melvin, Timmy, and Teether. They were supposed to come to the tower. You remember them? From that whole fight with the Brotherhood of Evil."
Jinx nodded. "Well you said you wanted to see them and you were late, so you ran out into the street. Right in front of a bus."
Raven winced. "And you tried to save me."
"Well, duh. Besides, if you were gonna die, I was gonna die with you," Jinx said matter-of-factly. "Least it wasn't painful."
"So we really are..."
"Dead, yeah. Can't imagine surviving a collision with a bus, even if you are half demon." Jinx paused, sighing. "So here we are."
"You mean, where are we."
"Well," Jinx smirked. "Take a guess!"
Raven frowned, looking around.
Unlike before, where everything had just been blank white, or shapeless masses of mist, this landscape actually took form. Around her, a grassy field spread out, rising up into rolling hills, dotted with small patches of trees, and not too far away from them, a thing river ran peacefully through the earth, rippling gently in the wind. But everything seemed slightly dulled. Tinted with grey. Her gaze turned up and above, the drab color of the sky spread out, covered with a blanket of clouds that blocked the sun - if there was a sun - behind them.
It seems a lot like the countryside... but everything's faded. Maybe that's because we're spirits now... or souls, or whatever. But I get this feeling...
"It looks like Earth... but it's not?"
"Supposedly we're in purgatory," Jinx shrugged. "You know, that place where people go before they can enter heaven."
"Um, what?"
"Don't ask me. That's just what I was told?"
"By who?"
"Well, I dunno know about you, but when I first got here, everything was white for a bit, then there was mist and these weird things came out-"
"Oh. Yeah. So they said this was purgatory?"
Jinx nodded. "But I'm not exactly sure what that is..."
"Well, nobody is. Last I checked, nobody's come back from the dead."
"I guess. So what do we do?"
"Explore? Unless we're not supposed to..."
"Who cares! Let's just look around a bit. We're dead, it doesn't matter."
"Yes it does. What if like... we get sent to Hell or something because we were careless-"
"Please. I wasn't saying we were gonna do something bad. Just look around. And if we get sent to Hell 'cause of it, then we're dealing with one messed up god."
"True..." Raven sighed.
She reached over and held Jinx's hand. The pinkette smiled at her. "Shh, it'll be fine. Come."
They began walking.
As they passed through the tall grass, the wind began to pick up a little bit and the green landscape blew gently, bending to the flowing air. Above, a couple of pear trees shaded their passage and Jinx reached up, plucking a couple fruit off of the branches and tossing one over to Raven. They sat and ate the fruit silently, savoring the sweetness in the cool air surrounding them.
It was peaceful for sure. Which was weird... if it really was purgatory, shouldn't there have been a lot more pain and purification involved? After all, it was supposed to be where the imperfect souls of humans (and apparently half-demons) were to be cleansed and made perfect before entering heaven. But then, things didn't always turn out how they were supposed to be. The vivid imagination of mortals was interesting, but often flawed and incorrect. Nobody is perfect. Actually, it's probably our imperfections that make us who we are. Get rid of those, and we all become the same being. And if Heaven is a place where only the perfect can go, then do I really want to go there? Do I really want to forsake who I am? I mean, it's pretty nice around here. Not exactly a utopia or anything, but it's quiet. And peaceful. And Jinx is here...
But then she grimaced. It might have been very serene, but there was a sense of hollowness gnawing at her insides that was distinctly disturbing. She felt barren, incorporeal, just like the spirit she was.
And Jinx seemed to notice it too because she looked up at the same time that Raven did.
"It tastes good," she muttered, "but I still feel empty."
"Guess it's because we don't have real bodies."
Jinx laid back. "Ugh. This feels so... weird." She put a hand on her stomach. "I mean, I feel like I'm here 'n everything but it's like I don't have any substance."
Raven laid down next to the other girl. "It's nice here but... I don't think I can get used to the feeling of being hollow forever."
"Well it's purgatory. You're not supposed to stay here... I think."
"What, so you want to find a way out? Where would we go? Heaven?"
"Pff. I'm probably not good enough for them. Dun wanna be anyway. I'm no goody two-shoes. Chaos is the name of the game," she grinned, rubbing her fingertips together, but then frowned. "Oh. Guess I don't get my powers here."
Raven rolled her eyes. "So where else, then? I don't really fancy going down to Hell..."
"Well... maybe there's somewhere else we could go? Aren't there like... a whole bunch of other dimensions and stuff..."
"I don't really think there's anyway to get there..."
"Doesn't hurt to try. We've got an eternity after all. Since we're dead."
The violet haired girl sighed and got up, looking around. "Doesn't look like there's much around though. All I see is a bunch of grass."
"So... we pick a direction and keep walking."
"Eh, okay. But I'm telling you-"
"Shush," Jinx held out a hand and helped the other girl up. "C'mon, it'll be fun. Think about it. If we ever find a way back to Earth, we can tell everyone 'bout purgatory. It'll be great."
"I'm sure..."
Jinx ignored her and they walked toward a hill in the distance a little ways away.
Raven sighed and followed. Honestly, she had no sense of direction so she had no clue whether they were going north, south, east, or west, if there were even such directions in purgatory, but then again, it didn't matter. It was highly doubtful that purgatory had any specific layout anyway - it probably varied from person to person in most cases, and only because she and Jinx were so close and they had died under the same circumstances were they here together.
But that was why she was skeptical about exploring the area. Purgatory is probably different for different people. That's why we haven't seen anyone else yet. But that also means that just blindly walking around isn't going to get us anywhere. If the landscape changes based on us, that means if we change, then it should change with us. Well, that's easy to say. But as a person, it's not that easy to change, when you don't even know who you are.
Raven glanced at Jinx, who was staring up at the sky. Same for her too. We're just a pair of lost souls. We always have been. Too many people trying to force colors on us, not letting us figure out who we were as people, deep down inside. So now we're stuck here, wondering 'who am I?'. Am I just another nameless, faceless soul, or was I really a person, who lived... and died?
Suddenly, the ground around them shifted. From the grass in front of them, trees began springing up from the ground at an alarming rate, growing quickly toward the sky. Their branches spread, barring the path forward and they continued growing until they formed a dense, nearly impenetrable layer of forest that stretched as far as the eye could see. And then it was still, and the two girls were left to stare at the chaotic jumble of plant life that had just emerged in front of them.
"Uh, Rae. Did you do something?"
"No..."
"But?"
"I had an idea. You know how we haven't seen anyone else yet?"
"Mhmm."
"I was thinking that meant that puragtory's different for different people, in most cases. So like if Robin died, he'd go to a different purgatory than we're in and we'd never see him."
"So why am I with you? I mean, we're similar, but not that similar."
"I guess it's because we died together?"
"Maybe. So what's this idea?"
"Well, if what I said is true, maybe it'll change based on our thoughts."
Jinx blinked, then turned to the forest. "So you were thinking about a whole bunch of plants..."
Raven's cheeks flushed. "I wasn't."
"Uh huh. Then what were you thinking about?"
"I was... kind of just thinking, maybe purgatory depends on who you are as a person. But I don't really know who I am. I'm not really sure what I even am."
Jinx blinked in surprise, then looked away, smiling faintly. "You said something like that before. I didn't pay much attention to you then, but..."
"You were probably drunk."
The pinkette grinned. "Maybe. I don't really care to think too much. That's your thing. But I s'pose you have a point."
There was a short silence in which both of them continued staring at the forest.
"So... you think that's the trick to this place? That whole Azarath-monk-meditation figure out who I am business?"
Raven glared at her. "Meditating is to keep your mind calm. And it's just a hypothesis. If you have any better ideas-"
"I don't. But ugh. Having to think-"
The violet haired girl rolled her eyes. "Might want to exercise that brain of yours before it turns to pudding."
"Too late," Jinx flashed a smile at her. "Nothin' in here but empty air and swiss cheese," she put a finger to her head.
Raven sighed. "Wonderful. You know, maybe if - never mind." She shook her head, turning away. And noticed something odd. "Hey, Jinx. Jiiinx. Isn't there someone over there?"
She pointed to her right, and the pinkette followed her finger. She squinted, and caught the sight of a humanoid figure floating in front of the huge forest, a little distance away.
"I... think so. Should we go?"
"Maybe. Was he... she... it there before?"
Jinx shrugged. "You're askin' the wrong girl. I don't pay attention to these things."
"Fine. Let's just go."
The two girls approached the floating figure tentatively, studying it cautiously from a distance.
From everything they had ever seen, or told, it looked like an angel. Dressed in radiant white, with a pair of large wings on its back, the angel's entire body was masked by the purest light, which nearly blinded them as they got closer.
"Halt," a soft, but firm female voice sounded.
"Um... hi. I'm Jinx and this is Raven and-"
"I know of you. I know what you seek."
"You do? That's great! 'Cause even I don't know what I'm lookin' for-"
"What is it that we seek, and where do we find it?" Raven broke in.
The angel shook her head. "What you seek lies beyond this forest. What it is, you shall have to find for yourself."
"... okay, and how do we get past this place?"
The angel gestured to her sides and two paths appeared.
One rose above the forest, far above, into the sky, a path of glorious golden light. The other burrowed into the ground and presumably extended deep beneath the forest, filled with fire and smelling distinctly of sulfur.
"Two paths. One for those who seek perfection, the other for those who are irredeemable."
"And if we're neither? I mean c'mon, I haven't got a brain and even I know this old trick," Jinx smirked. "Asking us to choose between Heaven and Hell is like-"
"The paths are merely what you see in yourselves. They are not the paths that lead to the Paradise, or Abbadon. Merely a test of your character, if you will."
"And like she said, we are neither. We don't mean to be perfect, and we also don't think we're irredeemable," Raven replied. "If anything, we would go straight through the forest itself."
The angel nodded. "The third path, not considered by many. This forest, an impenetrable maze to most, is naught but chaos and unknown paths. It is feared by most and easy lose oneself in."
"But we're dead," Jinx pointed out. "So we have an eternity to figure out how to get through it."
"If you insist that chaos is your path, then you may pass through here," she disappeared, revealing a small opening in the dense underbrush.
Raven and Jinx glanced at each other, then clasped their hands together and walked into the dark forest.
"... we're lost."
"I thought you said that didn't matter."
"I was just pointing it out."
"Is it a problem?"
"I don't think so..."
"Then why point it out?"
Jinx huffed. "Just sayin'. Do I really need to make a point with everything I say?"
"No, I just like messing with you," Raven smirked.
The pinkette glared at her.
"Besides," Raven continued on, "I don't think we really had a set destination to begin with."
"Um, yeah, we sort of did."
"Where?"
"The... other side of this forest," Jinx muttered rather vaguely. "You know, somewhere over there."
Raven rolled her eyes. "You know, that angel might've meant it metaphorically. Not physically."
"Metaph- oh god, not this again."
The violet haired girl smirked. "Think about it. That angel was basically helping us figure out who we are. And what we seek."
"Yeah? And what would that be?"
"I have no clue. That's why we're stumbling around in this forest, aren't we?"
"Oh. Well I don't know about for you, but I think that life's just life, ya know. Live it and see which way it takes you."
"Yeah but you have to want something. And you have to have favorites."
"Duh. Favorite color's pink. And after that, it's purple," she grinned. "And wants... well, I always did want someone who understood what it was like being cursed. Someone who got me. And I already have that that."
Raven's cheeks turned faintly red. "So that's it? Nothing else?"
"What else should I want? I mean, I already have a pretty girlfriend who understands me..."
"Jinx..."
"Whaat? It's true," she smiled widely. "And if you call yourself ugly..."
Raven turned away. "That's not-" and just as she was about to finish her sentence, the landscape around them shifted again.
A small section of trees parted, revealing a shallow pond, from which bubbled clear, sparkling water.
Jinx laughed. "See, I did something useful... what exactly did I do?"
Raven sighed, staring at her reflection in the pool. "Water represents life and rebirth..." she paused, hesitating. "...so maybe this is telling us that all we want is to be ourselves. We don't need anything else."
"Right. Or maybe it's saying that... that we're thirsty and need a drink," the pink haired girl bent down and took a sip of water. "It's sweet!"
Raven rolled her eyes and sat by the pond, dipping her feet into the cool water. "I doubt that."
Jinx shrugged and dove into the pool, landing with a splash. A moment later, she emerged, her pink hair spreading about her like a mantle. "Ever think that you might be looking too deep into it?"
"No."
Jinx folded her arms over her chest. "Well tell me when you figure somethin' out then."
The violet haired girl frowned. How on earth am I supposed to figure out what this means? Or am I really supposed to accept it for what it is and not question its appearance? She pursed her lips together, looking down at the water. Purgatory is complex and difficult. It's probably the creation of some sort of higher deity, far beyond what either of us can comprehend. Maybe it is not meant to be understood.
"Raven. Raaavennn."
She blinked a couple times. "Yes?"
"Catch." Jinx splashed the other girl with water.
Raven moved the wet strands of hair out of her face, glaring at the pinkette. "What w-" she broke off as Jinx splashed her again.
"You think too much. Just have some fun."
"Fun?" she growled back, slipping into the water as well. "Fine. Let's have some fun."
Raven pushed off the side of the pond, propelling herself toward Jinx quickly. She caught the other girl's arms and slipped her hands down, running along Jinx's smooth, sensitive sides.
"R-Rae," the pinkette squirmed around, laughing uncontrollably. "Rae, i-it tickles," she gasped for breath, tears pouring down from her eyes.
"I'm sure it does," Raven monotoned.
And then she yelped as Jinx poked her stomach.
"You're evil," Jinx wiped her eyes, chest heaving.
"Admit it. You liked it."
"Did not."
"Yes you did."
"Did n- whoa," the pinkette froze looking down at her own body.
Raven raised an eyebrow. "... what?"
"Don't you feel it?" Jinx poked her own stomach, feeling the firm flesh under her finger. "I feel... solid again."
Raven paused. "Solid."
And suddenly, she was aware that indeed, the hollow feeling that she had had earlier was gone. No long empty inside, her body felt whole once more. Almost like she had been when she was still alive.
"Whoa."
"That's what I said."
Raven took a light breath and now, she could actually feel her lungs expand, her body tingling. "Wow."
Jinx laughed. "What do you think?"
"... I'm not sure what to make of it. What do you think?"
"I don't, remember?"
"Right..." Raven sighed, getting out of the water. "I'm beginning to think that... never mind."
"What?"
Raven shook her head. "I almost feel like something's out there, watching us and changing the landscape according to what we think and feel. But that seems... unlikely?"
"What's wrong about it? Ever hear of God?"
The violet haired girl rolled her eyes. "And what makes you think that some supreme god would worry about two random teenage girls? God probably has better things to do than that."
Jinx shrugged. "Omnipotent things can see everything at once, right?"
"Still skeptical."
"Was just a suggestion. Besides, the fact that we're in purgatory..."
Raven rubbed her temples. "We're not going to find out by sitting here. Want to keep going?"
"Sure." Jinx got out of the water, wringing out her hair. "But ya know, Rae, you really should loosen up a bit. Even if some god thing is watching us, what's the big deal?"
"It's disturbing. Some old creepy man-"
"Didn't know supreme gods were old creepy men."
"Ever look in a book? They always are."
"Reading's your thing," Jinx yawned. "Anyway, are we going?"
"I guess," Raven muttered, looking up at the dense layer of forest above them.
And they continued walking silently through the dark forest.
Eventually, the trees ended and the two girls emerged into the dim light radiating down from the clouded sky. In front of them, a little distance away, the ground dropped away into what appeared to be a deep fissure. Jinx glanced at Raven, then sat down, taking a deep breath.
"Felt like we were walking forever..."
"I thought you said we had an eternity," Raven grumbled, sitting as well.
She leaned against the other girl, closing her eyes. Jinx grinned. "Tired?"
"Mmm." Raven murmured back. "Thinking too much is stressful."
"Then maybe you shouldn't"
"Can't help it. Might be our only way out of here."
Jinx laid back. "I suppose."
They rested against each other quietly for a few moments, then Raven raised her head slightly, looking at the chasm spanning out in front of them. And caught sight of another winged figure floating in front of it, seemingly staring right at them.
"Jinx."
"Hmm?"
Raven pointed. "There's another one."
The pinkette looked up. "Ooh. I was wonderin' when they'd show up again." She got up and began walking toward the gorge.
As the two girls approached the figure, it spread its wings out and its eyes sparkled with light.
"Welcome," the same, feminine voice from before. "I know of you, Raven and Jinx. And of what you seek."
"Great. Same question as before. What, and where?"
"Think upon what I have to say, and there will lie your path," the figure turned, gesturing cross the chasm. "To rise, you must have first fallen. Redemption lies only for those who have sinned. Life precedes death, and likewise death precedes life in an endless cycle."
"... um... what?"
"Think," the voice repeated, and suddenly the figure disappeared in a flash of light.
Jinx turned to Raven. "Any ideas?"
Raven frowned, putting a hand to her chin. "To rise, you must fall first..." she stared down into the fissure in front of them. Then looked back at Jinx. "Call me crazy, but I think she wants us to jump down into this thing."
"Excuse me?"
"Yep."
Jinx shook her head violently. "Um. Rae, I think you know this, but usually you're supposed to figure out a way to cross these things. Right? Jumping down into 'em-"
"I know, I know. But I think she doesn't want us to act on what we're supposed to do. Because that's not always right."
"Oh, suurrreee. So we'll just jump down into it and hit the ground and... splat!"
"Well..." Raven's voice trailed off. "We don't really have real bodies anyway. And like you said, we're already dead. So it's not like we can still die."
Jinx scratched her head. "In death you die again... so that makes you... never mind. But still..."
"Okay then, what do you suggest we do?"
"Ah..." Jinx bit her lip. "Well, usually you're the one who figures these things out..." she blushed. "And usually you're right."
Raven blinked a few times. "I guess this seems kind of crazy though. But it makes sense, according to what she told us. Right?"
"Don't ask me."
The violet haired girl sighed, then stood right at the edge of the chasm, looking down into it. Jinx moved up beside her, clasping Raven's fingers in her own. "Well here goes nothing..."
Darkness.
Silence.
...
"Helloooo?"
"No need to shout," a voice grumbled. "I'm right beside you."
"Oh. Sorry. Are we still falling?"
"I don't know. It doesn't feel like it. But we haven't hit the ground."
"Don't jinx it."
"That's your job."
"Hey!"
There was the sound of soft laughter. "You set yourself up for that one."
"True." A quiet sigh. "So what do we do now? It doesn't look like anything's gonna chan-"
And right on cue, the darkness around the two girls faded and dim, clouded light flooded the area around them.
It was some sort of garden, but not just a normal garden. A luscious, fruit filled garden with all sorts of exotic plants growing here and there, colorful and vibrant, like some sort of untouched paradise. Flowers, of the brightest and richest hues, growing up larger than either of them released fragrant vapors into the air. The branches of large trees above them curved gracefully, shading the ground beneath, bent over with the weight of an abundance of fruit, hanging right above their heads. A plethora of vivacious colors, a display of a diversity of life that neither of them had ever seen before...
Instinctively, Raven looked down and found that the ground beneath her feet was - or at least felt - very solid, forming a neat path of packed dirt through the vivid greenery around them. She heard a noise of wonderment from beside her and could not help but feel a little bit awed as well, awed at the sheer paradise surrounding them.
But suddenly, she sensed something that seemed distinctly out of place and looked up. Jinx looked at her oddly, but did not question it as Raven led them down the path. They came to a small grove of dense shrubbery that blocked their vision, and Raven parted the bushes slightly, revealing a building right in the center of a large clearing.
They stared at it in surprise for a moment, then looked at each other.
"Isn't that a little... out of place?"
Jinx laughed. "It's a bar, isn't it?"
It certainly seemed to be.
Flashy neon lights of various colors spelled out "EDEN" above the entrance and in a small sign hung outside the door, large red letters read out "No Minors."
The pinkette grinned and began walking toward it.
"Uh, Jinx, I don't think-"
"Why? What's wrong?"
"It seems so... weird."
"Well you've been looking for things that seem out of place, right? Somethin' about that showing us the right path to go on-"
"Yes, but-"
"So what are you waiting for? C'mon!"
And without waiting for a reply, she began dragging Raven toward the building. The violet haired girl sighed, but let Jinx lead her through the entrance without complaint.
Inside, it seemed like it might have been any normal bar, dimly lit with dark, orangish light, with tables scattered all around and a counter on the far side of the room, but the strange thing was that there were tree-like metal stands upon which different varieties of beer and wine were hung. And the other weird thing was that it was completely empty.
They approached the counter tentatively.
"Hello? Anyone home?"
There was a slight noise and a dark-haired girl emerged from the back room. The bartender, apparently, though there were a couple strange things about her. She seemed unnaturally pale, and the way her clothes shimmered as she moved made it hard to tell where she actually was at any given time. And the other thing - her eyes... not any particular color, but instead, they radiated a myriad of hues, almost like a pair of opals.
"Can I help you?" Her voice was smooth and low, pleasant to listen to.
"Yeah. What kind of stuff you got?"
"Have a look around. Everything's on display."
The two girls turned back toward the metal stands, and the bartender nodded, following them around as they perused the selection of alcohol. Random types of beer, wine - lots of strong, red wine - and liquor and vodka... champagne...
"That one looks interesting," Jinx pointed toward one of the stands.
They moved toward it and Raven frowned as she looked at one of the bottles on it.
The stand bore only one type of alcohol - wine in a black bottle, with crimson labeling all over it.
Forbidden Fruit - Pinot Noir - from the Cellar of Scath's Inferno...
"It says it's forbidden," Raven turned away.
"That's just it's name, right?"
"I don't know. Something seems weird," Raven shook her head. "This place's name is Eden... the bottle's labeled forbidden fruit..."
"From that bible story?"
The violet haired girl nodded. "It's too much of a coincidence. The only things missing now are the snake to tempt us into drinking it and God-"
Abruptly, she froze. And turned to the dark haired girl standing behind them.
"Wait a second... that means you're-"
Jinx's eyes widened as the realization hit her as well. "No way..."
The dark haired girl laughed softly and walked past them, picking up a bottle of the wine. "I was wondering when you two would figure it out."
"N-no way. That's impossible. That's- but... you can't be."
"Why not?"
"You- you just can't. In the first place, God's supposed to be a man-"
The girl shook her head. "Who ever spouted such nonsense like that? I can be whatever you want me to be. To some, I appear as a man. To others, a woman, and others, a child. It matters not. They all recognize me in the end."
"But-"
The girl smiled faintly. "You did not think I would actually appear before you two, is that it? You believed that I was something remote, removed from the existence of your world. Something you were utterly unconcerned with, and likewise, the same for me. Or, you doubted that I even existed."
Jinx and Raven both blushed, looking down at the ground.
The girl's smile widened and she uncorked the bottle, pouring out two glasses of rich, red wine and holding it out to the two of them. Instantly, they both tensed.
"You can relax. Under most circumstances, it is indeed forbidden. 'Truth' is hard thing to comprehend, and a harder thing to refrain from abusing. But in this case, you may drink with my blessing."
Raven raised an eyebrow skeptically. "And how do we know that you're not the snake?"
"You don't," she replied smoothly. "It is up to you whether you can trust me or not. I do not have to make you believe me."
The two girls glanced at each other.
I trust her, Jinx's eyes seemed to say. I don't know why, but I trust her.
Raven nodded. I suppose with any sort of supreme deity, it's like that. She tilted her head. But I wonder why she doesn't seem like anything out of the ordinary?
'Cause she's God, right? No need to show it.
The violet haired girl sighed, then grabbed a glass. Jinx did so as well, and they both sipped at the wine lightly, wondering what would happen.
"The forbidden truths," the girl's voice echoed again, and suddenly, they were both sure of who she was. "They are denied to mortals, who often abuse that knowledge due to their imperfections. But to the dead, who fall under my direct jurisdiction, a certain measure of truth may be granted."
"Knowledge is power, huh," Raven muttered, drinking the last of the wine. "I've heard that before."
"Knowledge is the means to do all manner of great things. Great - wonderful, and terrible, from all different viewpoints," the girl refilled their glasses.
"You're letting us drink more?" Jinx tilted her head. "I thought you were supposed to be like-"
"Just until you finish the bottle," the girl tapped it lightly. "And the image that many humans have imposed on me is rather... inaccurate. But they merely mortals, so that can be understood."
Raven set her glass down. Her empty glass down. Jinx's eyes bugged out. "Whoa girl. Goin' hardcore-"
"It's good," Raven muttered. "And besides, I want to see what this 'truth' is."
"A portion of the truth." The dark haired girl corrected her, then poured the last of the wine into Jinx's glass. "Just enough for you to make a decision." She paused, waiting for them to finish. "All done? Good. Now, it is time for me to let you in on a little secret. You two are not really dead."
"... what?"
"Well, you are," she pointed at Jinx. "But Raven, you still live. Yes, your physical form was destroyed, but because half of your soul comes from a demon background, you still have a tether to the living world."
"So..."
"So I can send you back. With your girlfriend, since it would be cruel part you two. I can make you alive again."
Silence.
"I am not forcing you; it is your choice."
"The alternative?"
The girl gestured beside her, revealing a portal swirling with chaotic, but not malicious, energy. "Paradise. Not heaven - paradise for each mortal soul may be different. Just how purgatory takes a different form to different people. Or..." she opened another portal, revealing an image of the Titans' Tower. "Back to your life."
Raven opened her mouth, but Jinx spoke first. "What's the catch?"
"There is no 'catch'," she replied smoothly. "You will forget everything that transpired here and when you die again, your souls will once more undergo the tests of purgatory. But there is no penalty for wanting to live again."
They looked at each other again. Are you prepared to move on with your life? Are you willing to let go? The unspoken question hung in the air. Raven bit her lip. Paradise, huh. It would be nice... Jinx would be there with me. And if it's paradise to me, Robin, Cyborg, Starfire... and yes, even Beast Boy... would be there. It would be perfect... but that's not how life works. Is it? Our violent, flawed world... it needs heroes to change it. They need us to be there to help them. Can I move on, knowing that my friends, who have supported me all this time, will suffer?
But how does Jinx feel? Won't she want to-
"I'll follow you wherever you go," the pinkette whispered, guessing at Raven's emotions. "It doesn't matter to me."
"I... don't know what to think."
"Then don't," Jinx grinned. "Relax, for once. Just go with whatever ya feel."
Raven shifted uncomfortably and looked at the dark haired girl standing between the two portals. "You're God," she whispered. "Can't you tell me what to do-"
"I could, but I shall not. You know it is your decision to make. Not mine."
The violet haired girl shook her head, stretching a hand forward. Toward the portal of wondrous, chaotic, but oh so wondrous energy, that spoke of paradise, where there would be no fear, no pain, just sheer bliss... I can't...
The thought crept on her - she wasn't sure where it had originated, but that shred of doubt was there. I can't. I can't abandon them.
"I... we'll go back."
The dark girl closed her eyes. "As you wish. Then I will restore the two of you to your world."
Raven glanced at Jinx, who reached over and squeezed her hand. "It's fine," she whispered. "We can live a happy life on Earth too. No need to rush it."
"The portal is open, whenever you are ready."
Raven nodded. "Then we'll be going. Uh... thanks."
"I'll be seeing you again, sometime. Live well."
"We will!" Jinx called back as the portal's light began engulfing them.
And as the world faded to white, the girl on the other side of the portal seemed to shift shape, away from her human form into something utterly incomprehensible, a figure of the divine, with power beyond all reckoning, chaotic and orderly at once, all encompassing... then they were gone.
"Raven. Raavennnn."
"Ugh... my head."
There was a soft laugh. "You drank too much, you dummie."
"Where am I..? What... happened?" She tried sitting up but everything spun around her, making her dizzier than ever, and she fell back.
"You're in your room. And... I dunno. I think you were hallucinating. You were mutterin' a bunch of stuff 'bout purgatory and god and stuff..."
"Really?" She groaned. "I really must've been out of it. I'm not a christian-"
"I know that," Jinx grinned. "Here, sit tight. I'll get you some water."
"Mmm," she replied, and faintly, she sensed the other girl leave.
Why do I feel so weird? Was I really imagining things? What did I even think about? What - ugh. Too much thinking... head hurts... she sighed lightly and curled up into a little ball. Around her, the warmth of her blankets crept in, and slowly, the tension in her body faded. Not too long after, darkness forced itself on her mind and she fell into a dreamless sleep.