"Dude, what am I supposed to tell everyone? That Raven is going to ditch her party to smooch with her vampire girlfriend?"
It was a quiet day for the Titans. Everyone was in the common room except for Raven; Robin and Cyborg were racing each other in the gamestation, while Starfire cooked some of her strange alien food. Everyone was having a good time, except for Changeling, who had drawn the short straw and was now in charge of calling everyone to cancel Raven's birthday party as she had requested.
"I don't think that's necessary BB… maybe you can just tell them Raven is not in the mood to party. They know her, so they'll understand."
"Dude, everyone was looking forward to this day, it's going to be such a bummer."
"Just do it. Raven doesn't want a party. She'll be with her girlfriend." Dick's tone of I'm not taking no for an answer left the youngest of the team with no choice.
"I think we should just tell Mika about the party" jumped in Starfire, eager to celebrate that day as well.
"Yeah, maybe she'll like to join the celebration and then take her someplace else afterwards, it's not like they go to sleep early anyway." Cy sided up with his teammates.
"Alright." their leader finally gave in "We'll see if Mika wants to side with us for Raven's party. But how are we going to contact her? We don't have her number and she has not stopped by the Tower lately."
At that moment the doors slid open and the vampire walked in.
"Speaking of the devil." said Nightwing "How the hell did you enter without a key?"
"Good to see you too Dick; I also missed you."
"You did not answer my question."
"Cy programmed the door to recognize my digital prints so I would not accidentally trigger your security system on my late night visits."
Richard turned to look at Cyborg and he nodded in agreement.
"Fine, next time just let me know beforehand, I wouldn't want anyone dangerous walking in the Tower unnoticed."
Mika was ready for a comeback of her own when Gar interrupted their little dispute.
"Alright guys, we know you two love each other, but let's please not lose focus on the important things!" the green teen was not willing to risk a big party at Titan's Tower for a stupid rivalry between those two "Mika, we want to know what you are planning for this Friday?"
"This Friday? I don't know, I don't usually think so far into the future…"
"Dude how can you have no plans yet? Raven is going to be so disappointed!"
"Disappointed? Why? What's so special about this Friday?" the vampire was confused.
"Do you have short memory span? It's Raven's birthday!" yelped Garfield.
"Raven's Birthday? I didn't know this Friday it's her birthday! Why nobody told me before? That leaves me only a few days to plan her present."
"You didn't know? Raven told us not to throw a party for her because she was going out with you!"
"Actually… she didn't say that." Cyborg thought about it "She just said she was not going to be around that day, and we assumed she would be with you."
"She never told me when her birthday was and I never got around to asking her that. The topic of age is still a sensitive issue between us. " explained Mika.
"Well, maybe she wanted you to find out on your own and plan something romantic for her as a surprise?" commented Starfire trying to justify her friend's behavior.
"That doesn't make sense Starfire… Besides; she's been keeping me away from here for some reason. I haven't really seen her this week. She told me she's being very busy."
"That is strange. We haven't had any bad guy activity lately. Maybe she just doesn't want to celebrate her birthday and is trying to make everyone ignore it." said Richard, worried that they might be disturbing their reclusive friend by trying to impose her a big party.
"Maybe she is worried of ageing since you do not age." added Starfire looking at Mika.
"That would be so Twilight! …please don't tell her I made such analogy."
"If she's been keeping you away, what are you doing here right now?" asked Nightwing.
"I came to give her a surprise. I miss her; I wanted to see if we could smooch a little, maybe sneak in a little quicky before she went off to fight crime."
"Do you have to be so graphic?" barked Richard scandalized.
"Do I make you uncomfortable with my comments? Because that's not nearly as graphic as I can be."
"Would you two please stop fighting? Friend Raven is acting strange, even for Raven." commented the Tamaranean worriedly.
"I'll go to her room, pump her for information." said Mika as she left the common room.
"Make sure that's all you pump her for!" yelled Richard after her.
"Now who's being graphic Boy Blunder!"
Raven meditated in front of the lake outside of Arella's cottage. She liked it there, with the cool breeze caressing her skin and the soothing coo of the white doves that visited that place. Tomorrow began her training at Azar's Temple in preparation for her Zarathian Passage and she had to be in her best control of her emotions. The Titan opened her eyes as she felt her mother approach her from behind.
"I am sorry to disturb you."
"That's ok, it's getting late. I should get going." said the empath as she stood up.
"Will you bring your friends to your celebration?"
"I haven't told them anything yet." admitted Rae.
"You want them to be here during that day?"
"That would be nice I guess…"
Raven looked a little down. She had planned that day a lot more differently than it was going to happen; and even though she was excited about the whole deal, it still made her kind of nostalgic. Arella sensed where her daughter's insecurities might come from.
"You can also bring your girlfriend, you know. Azarathians are not homophobic."
"I don't think she'll be coming."
"Already breaking your heart then?" ventured Arella.
"It's not that. Is not that she wouldn't want to come. Is that she can't come."
"Why?"
"The sun never sets on Azarath… and she is more of a creature of the dark." explained Raven.
"What do you mean?" asked her mother confused.
"Mika is a vampire."
Arella was a little surprised by Raven's confession, and she was a little worried as well. "So you like the bad girls?"
"She's not bad… she's kind of like me. She has this darkness inside, but tries to make up for it. She's even a vegan!"
"A vegan vampire? Well, I'm sorry I won't be able to meet her. That would have been interesting." Arella relaxed a little at her words. "What does she think of not been able to come to your rite of passage?"
"I have not told her either… But I'll call her as soon as I get back to the Tower." Raven took from her belt two bottles with different powders which she used to create a circle to go back home. "I'll come tomorrow morning, probably with all my friends."
"I'll be waiting."
"She's not in her room! And I found this!" the vampire flashed a post it in front of their faces which Cyborg took from her hand.
"Remind Dick it is his turn doing the laundry. Buy herbal tea. Have lunch with Arella… Who is Arella?" asked Cy as he read the post it.
"I have no idea! Isn't Arella this goth Australian chick with superpowers? I so think she's gay!"
"That is Argent, not Arella." corrected Starfire.
"Then she is out with some chick no one knows about?!" Mika was totally freaking out "You think she's cheating on me?!"
"Raven would never do the cheating!" defended Starfire, indignant that she would even suggest such a thing of her friend.
"Then why didn't she tell me about her birthday?" whined the vampire in a totally depressive tone.
"I didn't tell you about my birthday so you wouldn't go overboard about it." interrupted Raven in her monotone voice as she entered the common room.
"Raven where were you?" asked Changeling.
"I was in my room."
"Don't lie, I was just there looking for you. You were gone and I found this!" yelped Mika still a little crazy showing her the post-it that had been on her laptop "Who is Arella!?"
"You went into my room on your own and snooped into my things? You and I are going to have to talk about personal space boundaries in our relationship."
"Don't change the subject! Who is Arella?"
"Mika, you are making a jealous scene in front of my friends." chided Raven a little embarrassed.
"Everyone is thinking the same as I am anyway. You are cheating on me aren't you?"
"No idiot! I'm not cheating on you!" Raven began losing her patience "Arella is my mother."
"Oh…" everyone looked a little taken aback by it. Raven had never talked about her mother before. "You went to see your mother?"
"Yes, I was in Azarath visiting my mother. Are you going to freak out about that?"
"Oh… I just made an ass out of myself didn't I?" asked Mika timidly "Sorry."
"Friend Raven what have you been doing in Azarath. Is it not in another dimension?" wondered Starfire. Curious as to why she went there. Unlike Starfire, Raven had never mentioned ever gotten homesick.
"Guess it's time to tell you guys about it." said the empath as she urged everyone to take a seat in the half moon couch. "As you all know, my 20th birthday is approaching."
"Yeah, thanks for telling me by the way." Raven rolled her eyes at her girlfriend's snide comment. She could be so immature sometimes.
"As I was saying, it's my 20th birthday and it means it's time for my Zarathian Passage, like a coming of age celebration in Azarath. My mother wrote to me a few days back urging me to go back home to prepare for it. It is a big deal for my people, so I have to be in Azarath that day."
"That's why you said you would not be around?" wondered Richard.
"I didn't know at that moment. But it all worked out that way anyway."
"So we are not going to be seeing you that day at all?" asked Garfield a little disappointed.
"Well, my mother said the Titans are invited to the ceremony." replied the empath.
"Awesome!" everyone's faces lit up at the idea of going to Raven's home to celebrate her birthday. They knew a lot of her demonic heritage, but very little about her mother and the culture she grew up in.
"What about me? Did your mother invite me too?" asked her girlfriend hopefully "You did tell your mother about me, didn't you?"
"Yes, she does know about you… and she did mention wanting to meet you, but I'm not sure if that could be possible…" trailed off the dark titan.
"What do you mean?"
"Azarath is not a place suitable for dark creatures, the passage for that dimension even has a shield that protects it from evil and…"
"You think I'm evil? This is worst than thinking you are cheating on me!"
"Mika let me finish…" Raven had never imagined her ever confident girlfriend could be so insecure all of a sudden "I don't think you are evil. I just think that maybe you are a little bit like me, and in essence you are considered an evil being, even if you don't act on your impulses."
"So you are saying you don't believe I might be able to go through the seal… and that everyone else will."
"I don't know, maybe. Look I don't want to hurt your feelings but even I have trouble getting in and I was born there, I practically have to push myself in. So I don't know if the seal will allow you entrance… but even if you did pass through, I don't know if it would be a good idea to take you; it's the realm of eternal day."
"Oh…" Mika looked extremely depressed now.
"You say you get blisters and stuff right, maybe massive amounts of sunscreen can make up for it." tried to help Cyborg, noticing how down the pale girl was now.
"No, that won't help."
"Mika what exactly happens to you with sunlight?" asked the green teen with curiosity. All they knew about vampires came from monster movies and many of those things didn't really apply to her.
"I'll burn to ashes…" admitted the eternal teen deflated.
"Guess that's not a myth like the garlic then."
"No, it's not."
Everyone remained quiet; they felt kind of bad for the vampire.
"I have to be in Azarath tomorrow morning for the preparations of my Zarathian Passage." Raven continued with her explanation "If you guys want to attend, you'll have to come with me."
"Count us in."
"Arella will be expecting us. Pack what you'll need for the next days. I'll advice you Vick to take food. Azarathians are mostly vegetarian. You are going to like my mother's cooking Gar."
"Sweet!"
As the Titans began chattering what they were going to take for their interdimensional trip, Raven took Mika's hand and dragged her to her bedroom.
"We'll do something nice when I get back, ok? I'll even let you plan something ridiculously romantic and expensive for me if you want." offered Raven. She had taken Mika to her room and were both now lying in bed looking at each other.
"What if I'm still mad at you and I don't feel like planning anything stupidly expensive and romantic for you?"
"Then I'll do the planning… just don't expect anything expensive. Superheroes don't really have a big pay check."
"Ok. Sounds good." said the vamp not very convinced of her own words.
"Are we alright then?"
"Yes, I understand why I can't go. It has nothing to do with us. I'll wait for you here." answered the vampire still disheartened.
They remained in silence for a couple of minutes, just lying there on the bed. Even though Raven liked silence, this tension between them was making her very uncomfortable.
"Mika I am an empath; even though I don't feel your emotions so strong, you are drowning me in your sorrow. Just tell me what is wrong."
"Nothing, it's just that… have you ever wished to just be normal?"
"All the time." admitted the Titan.
"You know, when the comic books about superheroes became popular in the 70s, I always toyed with the idea of having a secret identity. You know, being this mysterious creature of the night that tries to balance an alternate normal life full of teenage drama. But for me there is no normal life, there is just this. There is no college student with a secret identity that fights crime at night to atone for the mistakes of the past. There is no mastermind super villain that plots for world dominance. There is just this, a night predator that remains immune to the passage of time; a mere spectator of life."
It was the first time Raven ever heard Mika refer to herself as an immortal, dark being, and the burden it had to be. She had never mentioned how old she was, but now she knew she had lived for at least 4 decades as a vampire. The Titan was going to be turning 20 soon, which was really no big deal, but what would happen to them when the difference became wider? Would she really be able to live by her side knowing all the things she did during daylight that her girlfriend could not participate in?
"Mika how old are you?"
"I am 19… I will forever be 19."
Raven snuggled Mika into her arms. She was feeling as confused about their relationship as her girlfriend was probably feeling, yet she tried to comfort her as best as she could.
"I can help heal your pain… but you would have to let me into your mind."
"Thanks, but there are places in my mind no one should go to; not even me." replied the vampire.
"I can relate to that… tell you what, I'll leave you an assignment for when I come back."
"What kind of assignment?" wondered Mika.
"I want you to imagine what it would be like to have this secret identity, to be a superhero of your own, and what your everyday life would be like."
"I'm not much of a hero type."
"Well then a super villain, whatever suits you better. It's only for fun. And when I come back, we can do a little role playing…"
"Raven! I didn't know you could be that kinky! Where did that come from?"
"Well, you get all turned on when we make out and I am wearing my battle uniform. So I thought maybe we could switch roles; have you being the hero and me the thief that you capture or whatever. I don't know, we'll think of something. I just want to give you something to look up to for when I return."
"This is a side of you I had never seen."
"Sometimes my demon side gets some good ideas." answered the goth hero with a smirk as she sensed her girlfriend's mood cheer up.
"I'll like to see that side more often then."
"No you don't." added Raven playfully.
They smiled at each other lovingly and kissed deeply for a few minutes. Then Mika wasted no time in positioning herself on top of Raven and pinning her against the bed as she kissed her neck. Raven loved it when Mika nibbled on her neck. The vampire thing made it all sexier.
The empath marveled at how fast her girlfriend was able to turn her on. Sexuality had never been a big part of her psyche, but now every night spent with her was filled with uncontainable passion. So she quickly threw away her cloak, and removed her girlfriend's jacket. Mika smiled and grabbed her leotard and ripped it away. The empath suddenly found herself naked under her girlfriend.
"That was my battle suit!" protested the Titan.
"Consider it payback for all the shirts you have ruined." answered the vampire running her hands up and down her naked chest.
Raven was dripping wet so she used her powers to remove Mika's remaining clothes. The empath smiled mischievously as she now had a naked vampire straddling her privates.
Mika began rocking back and forth, rubbing her clitoris on her pelvis and getting small shivers from her. Raven knew what was coming; the vampire enjoyed making her come several times during the night and this was just the warming up. So she opened her drawer and levitated a small wooden box to her hands. She took out the necklace Mika had given her as a present to contain her powers, and quickly placed it on her neck.
The vampire smiled and she increased the speed of her movement. Raven's breath came in short gasps and her muscles tensed. Liquid pleasure ran from her center wetting the bed. And as the shivers of the first orgasm subsided she knew they would be up for a fun night.
The next day the Titans arrived early to Azarath. Arella was waiting for them and gave them a warm welcome. Starfire was ecstatic to see the resemblance between mother and daughter, and all were delighted to see that the place Raven had been born in was not the gloomy, dark place they had imagined.
Raven was surprised that her mother had prepared for them, not a traditional Azarathian breakfast, but waffles. If there was something Raven could not resist, were homemade waffles.
After breakfast, Arella gave them all robes, so they could mingle better in their visit to the city. She had made them herself and chose the same color of their uniforms, except for Nightwing's, whose robe had the same colors of his old Robin suit. After they all changed and Raven put on a white robe, they headed for Azar's Temple on the main island.
The Titans were impressed by the magnificence of the place. Tall buildings of golden colors and wide gardens filled with different flowers adorned the clean city landscape. White doves soared the skies and smiling people went on their daily lives.
"Wow, this is amazing."
"Dude, if this place is so shiny and happy, why are you always so dark and gloomy?" asked Gar.
Raven just shrugged her shoulders and they began walking down the main street towards their destination. Main Street was very crowded, just as Raven remembered it to be, it housed many stores so people were coming and going all the time doing business. Azarathians did not used money, so the exchange of goods usually took place there. On their way she noticed that people in the street turned to look at her and then began whispering amongst them. She was used to that, everyone knew she was the daughter of a demon, regardless of the color of robes she wore.
Then a little tyke came running towards them and stumbled with Raven, falling to the ground on the process. Without a second thought Raven picked him up as his mother approached running after him.
"Here… you should take better care of him, the street is very busy at this hour and he might get hurt." said Raven nonchalantly.
"Thank you." appreciated the mother holding her youngster and looking at the Titan's with wide open eyes "It is really you…"
"Am sorry?"
"You are already here! All of you!" she said as she raised her voice.
Everyone in the street closer to them began surrounding the group of teenage heroes. At first they were a little confused, believing maybe they had done something wrong, but then they realized everyone was approaching to try and shake their hands or pat them in the back.
"May Azar bless you!"
"It is an honor to be in your presence."
"The heroes are here! They have come to the celebration!"
"Uhm guys, what is going on?" asked the changeling.
"I think they recognized us as the Titans." explained their leader as he was presented with various gifts which he tried to refuse graciously.
Starfire was thrilled by all the attention, they had been praised before as heroes, but never had she felt so much love from the people before. They adorned them with flowers and colorful necklaces making the Tamaranean beam in glee. Cyborg was also excited; many food stands were inviting him to try their food and he just couldn't resist himself to be treated like a king. As soon as the original shock passed, Gar also enjoyed all the attention from the girls and was now transforming into different animals at request. Raven was the most startled of them; mothers began approaching to try and make her hold their children to bless them, just like she had hold the toddler that stumbled with her.
"Raven, I did not know the entire city was expecting our arrival." said Nightwing with surprise.
"Arella said something like that to me. But I didn't expect this. I was never really the most popular last time I was here."
"Things change my child." Everyone around them stopped what they were doing and turned to look at the new comer. Men, women and children all bowed to the tall woman in front of them. Azar, the ruler of Azarath had approached them with a party of monks behind her.
"Azar, blessed be." said Raven as she bowed. Seeing this, all the Titans bowed as well.
"Welcome to Azarath young heroes. Please, follow me. We were expecting your arrival at the temple."
The Titans were escorted to the main temple at the heart of the city, amongst the cheers of the people. As they got to the temple her 4 friends were taken to a different part to be shown Azarathian's culture and lifestyle, while Raven followed her old mentor Azar to a ceremonial chamber inside the main building. She was to prepare for the ritual with her.
"Has your mother explained to you the nature of the Zarathian Passage?"
"Well, Arella said it is a ritual to embrace oneself as a new adult and leave behind childish fears and mythologies. We already made my ceremonial robes, and prepared an offering for me to bring to the temple. I don't know what else I should know."
"My child, the ritual is not just symbolic in nature, as in human cultures. It is spiritual and magical as well. In your case, the ritual will suppress definitely your… dark side… and bind you spirit self to Azarath. You will have a vision of your future, and the place you will take in our society."
"Wait… does that mean I will have to stay here? Won't I be able to go back home, to Earth?"
"Dear Raven this is your home, your real home. But if you wish you will be able to go back to Earth, the ritual will not take away your free will."
"But it will take away my powers?"
"It will take away your demonic side… which is the source of your powers, so yes."
"Wow. That's a big change, I mean huge…"
"You don't have to be scared." said Azar patiently "Come. I'll show you."
Raven was taken to the edge of a pond that was right in the middle of the chamber. The water in it was of a deep blue color and it housed two big fish, a white and a black one.
"This is the pond of Destiny. Sit here in front of the pond and allow the spirits that live in it to guide you on a spiritual journey. They will show you your life after the ritual."
Raven hesitated a little but did as instructed. Azar looked at her with patience and love in her golden eyes, so she could not refuse her petition. As she sat down, her attention was immediately caught by the beautiful dance of the two fish in the pond. They danced around each other making a perfect ying yang with their movements. The empath soon fell in a deep trance, and as her body relaxed with every passing minute, she was taken on a journey to the future that might be.
Mikaela the vampire woke before the sun went down to find herself alone in Raven's room. She hated to admit that her cool bravado had gone out the window and she was really depressed. The worst thing was not the fact of not going to be at her girlfriend's birthday party; it was that everyone else was.
"She might be all dark and gloom, but she still lives in the world of sunlight… unlike me."
The ageless teen looked around the room and decided to take advantage of the opportunity and explore Raven's life a little more. She went through some of her books, but many were in a strange language. She decided to peek on her laptop, but it was password protected so she closed it back. Then she opened the drawers and found various pictures. In the photographs she was with her friends at the beach, or at a park, or at the pizza place; all under the blazing sun. One picture caught her attention though, it was the team all wearing Richard's old Robin's uniform. They looked much younger and like they were having a lot of fun cosplaying as their leader. Something was scribbled on the back of the picture: Who would have thought the mask makes you feel really cool.
"Feel cool? In Dick's old traffic light suit?"
She looked at the picture one more time before putting it back on the drawer, deep in thought.
"Although come to think about it, even though he has a stick up his ass most of the time, he has all the coolest toys…"
Raven was sitting on a bench in one of the gardens of the temple. She knew it was late, but it was always bright outside. As bright as the vision she had seen moments ago. Azar had explained it was a possible future, for future could be change by one simple decision one made, so it was not written in stone. But if she really desired it, that's the future she could live.
"Friend Raven, shouldn't you be resting? Are you not tired from all your training?" said Starfire as she approached her friend.
"I didn't feel like sleeping just yet."
"Is there something bothering you? You look… gloomier than usual."
"Kori can you keep a secret?" asked the empath to her friend.
"Of course! You are my best of friends. What is it that you wish to confide in me?"
"I just found out what this whole passage thing is about; is to suppress definitely my demonic side… forever."
"Is that not a wonderful news Raven? Should you not be happy?" asked the alien a little confused.
"Maybe… I don't know Star. If my demon side is suppressed my powers would be gone. Do you understand what that means?"
"It means you could no longer be a Titan…" answered Starfire finally realizing the implications of it.
"Yes."
"What would you do then?"
"Azar is offering me to stay here, and become a spiritual guide for my people. She wants me to be her successor. She says I am the best candidate to guide my people in our pacifistic way of life, since I know what it is like to live in a world of fear." said Raven referring to her life in Earth and all the hardships of her profession to ensure a safe place for everyone "I was actually shown what that would be like, she took me to a special place to see a glimpse of the possible future I would have as ruler of Azarath. It is a great opportunity for me, to take on a new identity not as the daughter of a demon, but as a spiritual guide. I'll be able to do great things and return home to my people."
"If it is as great as you say, why is it then that you sound so sad?" asked Starfire understanding what her predicament might be.
"Cause it means leaving everything behind, leaving my life in earth, my career as a super hero, you guys that have become my family, my vampire girlfriend… it's just too much to take. Star, I don't know what I should do."
"When I was faced with the same dilemma, a wise man once told me to follow my heart." said the Tamaranean remembering the time she was called to rule over her planet.
"What if I am not sure what my heart wants?"
"When the time comes you will know."
Raven sighed as her friend placed an arm around her shoulders for moral support. She knew the goth was not too fond of hugs, but could use one right now.
"I wonder what Mika is doing right now…"
The sun had set on Jump City. The streets were still busy of people getting out of their jobs and heading into their homes. It was rush hour, and everyone was a little crazy at the wheel; but when they heard the loud motor sound of the Nightcycle approach everyone moved out of the way. Nightwing was not only a hero; he was a legend in the city. What nobody knew as they made room for him to pass was that it was not Nightwing behind the wheel this time…
"Wooooohooooooo!"
Mika yelled into the night as she raced through the streets dressed up as Nightwing. As soon as the sun had gone down, she had sneaked into his room and grabbed his stuff, they were mostly the same height, although she had to improvise to cover her boobs and broaden her shoulders.
"Who would have thought? The mask does make me feel very cool!"
To be continued…
