I am still working on my other story. I really wanted to get this up though, and in my haste, it may not be the best, but I am partially satisfied with what has been written. Beast Boy and Robin will be next and I think I'll write them in first person. Maybe I'll even change this to first person will see. But it won't be up for a while because I'm working on a final project for this class. Stupid String Theory. Anyways, Happy reading to you all! Please enjoy!
I do not own teen titans and some artistic licensing has been taken in this story. I don't really know raven's child hood, but it's a fictional story.
The woman handed the man some change, and then she picked up the last box. Her daughter walked carefully behind her as a silent spectator. As they left the yard sale, she watched as the man that her mother had just paid cheat an old woman on her purchase.
The pair walked down the ragged streets. Graffiti decorated many of the old buildings. Alarms and shots could be heard in the distance. Loud music came from cars that rolled by, forcing the girl to cover her ears. The woman looked down at her daughter and nodded sympathetically. The girl frowned and faced forward. With in her, emotions stirred furiously. She bit her lip and wondered if she was being punished.
They came to an apartment building. Careful as to not step on a man who had made his home in the doorway, the two made their way in to their new home.
Once inside their room, the woman settled her down on the wooden floor. Boxes stacked on top of one another were strewn about the room, looking like mismatched buildings in a patchwork city. The ones they had just bought joined the rest. The windows that had been opened allowed the cool, fading summer air to move freely in and out of the room as it pleased. Outside, the light had begun to fade, and sounds of night settled in to place.
The girl fidgeted. Her nose itched. She peaked one eye open and then the other, both of them staring down to the tip of the offended appendage. She wiggled it. It still itched. Again. No relief. Her eyes were already opened, she reasoned to herself. It wouldn't hurt if she did scratch it. Lifting a delicate hand to her face, she gave it rub. Returning to her pose, her head happened to turn towards the window. Everything was so alien, so new but dull. The solace of Azarath was completely absent in this world, as was the beauty. Like there was a shadow hanging over everything.
Why was it she had to sit her right away with her mother and meditate? It was impossible to. No one here seemed to respect anything, especially peace. She found herself leaning closer to the window, as if this could get her to where she wanted.
The change had been sudden. In the night, arms had scooped her up from slumber. Sleepily she had gazed up at her mother. She had seemed frightened, but smiled when she saw her daughter looking at her.
" It's ok sweetie, just go back to sleep." Her mother had cooed at her. Nevertheless, there was fear in her mother's eyes. The little girl could tell. Though she was only four, it was clear she held with in her an old soul. For the things she would come to bare would need, nothing more than the experience age can bring.
'Ummph' The girl landed on her side. She had leaned too far over while she thought. Her mother opened her eyes and frowned.
"Rae-Rae, we have to do this. You need to concentrate. You need to do your practices." Her mother's voice rang. The girl watched as her mother ran her hand through her hair, seemingly frustrated. Raven's eyes began to shimmer. She had not meant to upset her mother.
The lights blinked off. The boxes surrounding them shrunk back into the corners. Shame and sadness were palpable, choking the room with their grip. The mother quickly cupped the child's face, but this seemed to upset the girl more. Boxes tipped opened, like a reason being searched for amongst their contents. Confusion had now been thrown into the mix, and the child was begging for answers.
Where was Azar? Where was the silence? The serenity? All that was here was discord and why had they left in the middle of the night? Where was their home?
Her mother fell back in surprise. The child still sat bubbling over with cluttered emotions that had been strong enough to stroke the woman's mind. She did not realize that children had such cognitive activity. But then again, her daughter was not ordinary. With maternal instinct at hand, the woman briskly raised herself and maneuvered in to the kitchen, dodging various household elements caught up in emotion.
Raven sat, objects twirling around her small body. The child's eyes sparkled with grief; the absence of understanding had disrupted the poor child severely.
Her mother reappeared at the doorway; her hand was holding a steaming mug. She came to the child, stroking a fallen strand of hair out of the child's eyes.
What could make her understand? How could she tell her daughter she was a threat to humanity? How could she say they left because of her? How could she say that in her darkness moments, she too, had thought maybe it was best to destroy this life she had created? Not for the sake of civilization, far from that. Humans were innately evil in her eyes. There was no good to be found in a person. Wickedness and greed reigned supreme inside of them. She had been shunned from their society and the Azaranians had saved her. However, they had turned on her as well. And in a moment of weakness, she had thought maybe it was better for her daughter to be exterminated.
The thought of her daughter having to suffer through life overwhelmed her. She would never be like other children. Life would be like living in a box, watching through a window. Emotions would always be tightly monitored. The child would have to remain untouched by life's gifts for the sake of the world. And for a moment, Arella had hesitated. Her own bias creeping in and contorted her decision. But this was not her life; it was her child's. Though there would be inedible hardships, there may be some hope. A gift that Raven could touch and deserved to receive.
The woman handed the mug to the child. A smell of familiarity struck the girl. She looked up to her mother. The woman smiled.
"I have a feeling this will remind you of home."
The girl looked down into the cup and then up to her mother. Her mother nodded her head with encouragement as the girl hesitated. The last time she had taken a cup of tea, a priestess had reprimanded the child. Nevertheless, it was inviting to the girl, like home had been. Raven took a sip and then another. The natural flavor flooded her mouth as well as her mind. She almost felt as if she was back in the courtyard mediating with the sound of silence.
The tea seemed to relax the child's anxieties and the woman nodded with approval. She reached her hand out to her daughter, holding the girl's thin face. For a moment, they shared each other's gaze and an understanding that there would be many more cups of tea to come.