((Authors Note: It's been awhile since I've updated, but this story has been swirling around my brain so I figured I should update. Time setting would be before the Teen Titans Cartoon begins, it's about Raven's childhood, particularly about her mother and Azar. ~Raven Rachel Roth))
Everything Burns
She sits in her corner
Singing herself to sleep
Wrapped in all of the promises
That no one seems to keep
"Please stay…" The voice was female, small, child-like and innocent. The only answer she received was the firm shutting of the heavy wooden door, the metal lock sliding into place. A cold hard silence filled the small room. In the darkest corner, on the hard stone floor a small figure huddled in the shadows. A faint, muffled melody coming from her lips, muffling her tears in her sleeve. The dark heavy clouds which had been covering the moon, slid away, sending a bright lance of light into the middle of the room. The humming stopped, the small girl crawling forward until she sat in the ray of silvery light. Her large amethyst eyes were brimming with unshed tears, her long hair hanging in a halo of tangles around her innocent dirt-streaked face. "Mommy… why don't you love me?" The tears spill down her cheeks.
She no longer cries to herself
No tears left to wash away
Just diaries of empty pages
Feelings gone astray
But she will sing
The same dark amethyst eyes watched in silence as the tall slender woman walked away without a backward glance, her white robes were a stark contrast to the brown and grey tones the monks always wore. Her eyes full of unanswered questions, she looked up at the woman who stood beside her. A tall woman, slender as well, but she held a maturity… a sort of age-less beauty and wisdom about her, like no one else the young girl had ever met. "Azar?" The woman's kind face, lines of wisdom crinkling out from her light colored eyes, looked down at the young girl, a hand resting gently on her head. "Yes Raven?" The young girl sighed as she looked back to where the woman in white had disappeared. "Why… doesn't my mother love me?" Azar's gaze remained on Raven's young face, her old fingers gently caressing her hair. "Oh Raven, it really doesn't have anything to do with you. I'm sure she does love you in her own way. But… Arella hates herself, she regrets her own mistakes." The small head bobbed in understanding. The older woman knelt beside Raven, looking straight in her dark eyes. "Raven, you know that you are welcome here in Azarath, the monks will look after you, and adore you as one of my own. Despite the prophecy… despite everything."
Till everything burns
While everyone screams
Burning in their lies
Burning my dreams
Fire blazed everywhere, explosions rocking the ground beneath her feet, Raven fell to her knees, her eyes wide with terror. "No…." It was barely a whisper, the fire roared like a lion, consuming everything in its path. Azarath was dying in the flames. "NOO!" The scream shrilled from her lips as she ran forward, her tiny hands pulling Azar's body from under a piece of flaming wreckage, and carefully turning her over to face the dark smoky sky. The old woman's eyes opened slowly, a faint smile pulling at her lips, she lifted a finger and lightly touched Raven's smooth cheek with her wrinkled fingers. "Raven… don't cry child. We knew this would happen. Hush now… it's not your fault. I still love you." Tears dripped from Raven's eyes as the old woman sagged in her arms, the coolness of death taking her beloved Azar from her world forever. A cry rose from the young girl, the flames around her whipped and whirled violently as dark energy tore the very ground apart. Energy surging like gysers from the holes in the ground, ripping what remained into pieces.
All of this hate
And all of this pain
I'll burn it all down
As my anger reigns
Till everything burns
The cloak was too large for her, but it was all she had left from her beloved Azar, the only reminders from Azarath that had gone unspoiled from the rage that took over. Even now Raven shivered in memory of the blinding fury that had overwhelmed her slender body. Taking refuge in a small cluster of trees alongside a small grassy park, she watched as families and couples strolled casually by in the twilight of the evening. Carefully, she walked out on to the sidewalk, holding her cloak up with one hand so that it wouldn't pool at her feet. But the family passing by paid her no attention. This dimension was so much different than Azarath… there it had been light and welcoming, albeit the monks weren't very personal. But here… this earth… it was like she was invisible. With a sigh she turned away, her eyes catching on the movement of costumed characters in the street nearby. Raven moved closer, watching in silence as the trio took down a bank robbery without so much as breaking a sweat. Her eyes were wide with wonder and amazement. Perhaps they could help me…
Walking through life unnoticed
Knowing that no one cares
Too consumed in their masquerade
No one sees her there
And still she sings
Raven fell to her knees, the dark indigo cloak pooling around her small body as she looked up at the three adults standing before her, tears filled her eyes. "Please… I'm begging for your help." One was dressed in all black with a mask covering his face, pointed ears at the top, only his lower jaw was visible. The other was a woman, dressed in red, blue and gold with shimmering long dark hair and bright piercing blue eyes. The third was dressed in similar colors to the woman, the same dark hair and piercing eyes, but he sported a large S-shaped symbol across his chest and a long red cape hanging from his broad shoulders. The one in black turned towards the man in the long red cape. "Superman, we can't get involved, if there is an other-dimension battle over this girl… we don't want to give anyone a reason to bring it to earth." The man in the red cape looked at the man in the black. "She's already here Batman… and she needs help." The two men argued, Raven sinking into her cloak fearfully at the heated argument. The woman knelt down before her, blue eyes smiling kindly. "What is your name?" She asked in a warm voice. "Raven." The young girl whispered back. The woman opened her mouth to say something else, but the man in black took her arm and pulled her away. "Diana, don't get attached." Her blue eyes turned cold and angry. "Bruce you're being unfair." Superman stepped forward, "Raven. I'm sorry, but Batman has a point. We can't endanger this planet to help you." Raven fled, tears threatening as she pushed the emotions churning, pressing to come to the surface as far away as she could, she knew now how dangerous they were. "Raven…" Diana called out, but the one called Batman stopped her.
Till everything burns
While everyone screams
Burning in their lies
Burning my dreams
All of this hate
And all of this pain
I'll burn it all down
As my anger reigns
It seemed like a lifetime that Raven wandered, completely alone, constantly trying to suppress her emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. As she grew older, she grew as well, the cloak becoming a proper fit, she adopted a dark look, keeping herself confined except for at night when no one would see her. She told herself it was best this way, perhaps, just maybe she could even escape Trigon's notice…
It was one such night that everything changed forever.
Raven had little to no idea what city she occupied her time in anymore, every city was the same to her, dark and unfriendly terrain. Keeping to the alleys and the shadows was her method. She watched in silence as the green light fell into the city, slamming into a building not far away from where she hid. To her amazement, it wasn't the heroes from the Justice League who showed up, she'd witnessed them from afar several times since their fateful meeting. No, this time it was a boy, he looked to be about her age, and he approached the situation without fear. Remaining in the shadows, she saw two others join him… one was dressed in rags, looking similar to herself and wanting to only hide in the shadows. The other… gangly and green, seemed odd and a bit loud, but trying to be helpful. She carefully surveyed the situation, following the trio from the shadows. Before she even realized what she was doing, Raven became part of the group, opposing an alien invasion. It was the first contact with other humans she'd had since Azarath had been destroyed. It was surprising, shocking, and… it felt… nice.
Despite her darkness, her moodiness… they seemed to accept her… even possibly like her. The next morning when they stood looking out over the water with the sun rising bright and beautiful on the horizon; Raven stood with them, the first time she'd seen the sun in what seemed like years. The green qwirky one told her a joke, a smile spread hesitantly across her face. A first spark of hope, for a life… friends.
Raven wondered if for the first time, she'd found a home.
Watching it all fade away