Chapter 2

Raven calmly stood up and tried to figure out where Robin had gone. She had no idea what was going on at all. It seemed like Robin had been replaced by an evil twin. Stop being childish.

That isn't possible. She decided to send out an astral projection to figure out where he was.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!"

She had only been in his mind for a fraction of a second when she was punched in the face. She doubled over in her own body. All she had gotten was that he was on a building somewhere.

She tried again, only this time she sent the projection into a bird flying not so far from Robin. Whatever had been going on was over. Robin was laying on the rooftop of a building Raven

recognized. Nobody else was around the building. Raven's projection returned to her body and she mentally jumped (though she appeared calm on the outside) as a voice said, "So, where is

he? Is he unharmed?"

She should have known Starfire wasn't the type to just sit in her room and cry.

"Not really." Starfire crossed her arms.

"Well, what are we going to do? Are you going to let me go after him or...."

"No. I'm sorry, but I don't think it's safe for you. Let's just wait, okay? And check on Cyborg and Beast Boy, think Beast Boy's got allergies again........."

Starfire giggled. "Well, that was a most unnatural and amusing event last time." She walked out the door.

Raven looked at the clock. She had 15 minutes to get ready for school. She hated school. The only reason she went was because it was much easier to keep an eye on recent events. The

school was 20 minutes away, by driving, from nearly everything in the city. If anything happened, she could skip class pretty easily. Being the mature, smart person she was, Raven could

handle missing a little school once in a while. And 'saving the city' as Beast Boy put it, was undoubtedly more important anyway. Especially in my case, she thought angrily. Or as angry as

she could get.

A girl by the name of Layla was trying to concentrate on her math lesson. Instead, she was hearing whispers from boys in the back of the class that nobody else but them and her could

hear. She had very acute hearing for some reason.

"I'm going to pull my switch on you!" The boy pulled out a comb and pretended it was a pocketknife.

"And then this will go in your face, hood!" Layla flinched. She knew they were playing, pretending. Her class thought gangsters were cool. It angered her. They don't know what they're

talking about, what they're promoting... Suddenly she felt herself losing control. She felt like she was going to lecture them about the subject, tell them about the victims she knew. Reveal

all of her life she tried to keep secret. She slammed her book down and ran just as the bell rang. The others were walking slowly to the door. One boy, however, separated himself from

group and ran after Layla. Oh NO, not this idiot! Well.....guess i should let him catch up. If I escape from him, he'll spread some weird gossip about me... She stopped running. He ran in front of

her and turned around to face her, acting quite dramatic. Layla was amused. Someone has been watching too many weird movies...he doesn't know what it's really like to be a spy.

"Why are you running?"

"I can do what I want. Being a year older than me doesn't give you authority over me. And you don't act like it, anyway." Layla didn't usually hurl insults at people like him, but today they

had upset her. Seeing that Layla was not intimidated, he tried a different approach.

"Please tell me what's bothering you." Layla hated how Trevor found acting like he liked girls funny. When they thought he really liked them and swooned over him. He and his friends

found it funny. Layla felt herself getting angrier and she yelled at him.

"My secrets are not for public display! Get out!" He took a step towards her.

"Secrets, hmm?" Suddenly a girl wearing a very long sweater came towards them. Or really, it seemed like a cape with arms and a hood to Layla.

"Leave her alone." The girl said in a monotone voice. Trevor found it creepy. He ran down the hall. Layla didn't find it creepy. The girl seemed dark. She has secrets, too.

The girl walked over to Layla.

"Why aren't you going to eat lunch?" Layla asked her.

You're sharp, thought Raven. She was silent for a minute.

"You're going to the library, aren't you?" Raven was shocked. How did this girl know?

"Yes, I am. How did you know that?"

"Well, you look like the type of person who reads a lot. Like me. And you're not going to the cafeteria to eat, like the rest of this oblivious school."

"I'm Rachel."

"I'm Layla. You're in high school, aren't you?" This was a school for kids from 1st through 11th grade.

"Yes I am. And what grade are you in?" By this time Raven would have made the girl leave, but she seemed of interest. And Layla was seething in anger Raven had barely felt in average

teenagers. She seemed different. Like me.

"I'm in 7th grade." Raven was surprised, but she sure didn't show it.

"I'm tall for my age," She added. Wow. Not even a teenager yet. And how did she know I was surprised? The girl seemed to be more and more intriguing by the minute. Suddenly Raven felt

the girl getting very, very angry. More angry than Raven had ever felt anyone being. She was going to lose control of her powers if this continued.

"I'm sorry. I just got really angry today. My class seems to think violence is cool, and.." She broke off, aware she was rambling.

"How did you..?" Raven was halfway considering asking her if she had some type of mind-reading power.

"I just know these things. And I know your name isn't Rachel." Raven could feel her anger subsiding, or rather being pushed away. Now Layla was slightly amused.

"And you know that how?"

"Um, I've seen you guys fighting that weird guy. Think his name is Plasmus? If it is, it fits his outer structure.."

"What? You're supposed to run away when a ick monster is about to kill you!"

"I knew I was safe. You always send your projections into him and win. And besides, it's really a once in a lifetime opportunity to see you guys fight. I wasn't just going to run to go tell

everyone gossip about you guys. And they didn't call you Rachel. They called you Raven. And I don't know why, but you have to control your emotions. Just as I do."

"You do? Why?" This Layla is quite interesting.

"I am partially trained in martial arts. My temper flares quickly. I could attack people when they get me mad. And I can't think very straight when I get really mad."

"And how do you know all this other stuff about me?"

"Well, I use my brain. And I guess you could say I have a small ability of clairvoyance. Really, its all brainpower. I'm a human." Raven smiled at her.

"Well, you're really smart. Would you like to--" She broke off as she sensed panic in her feelings.

"What is it?"

"I'm going to black out. You know,--just see--spots--in front of my--eyes. It'll be over soon." Raven waited. Soon, Layla's fear was gone.

"Do you know why you do that?"

"When I feel really angry, that happens sometimes too. And it happened when you came and when you were battling Plasmus. One of the many weird things about me. I'm not average."

"I'm not either."

"I'm proud of not being average. It seems boring. Very boring."

"It seems like you can sense dark magic. Perhaps it is intuition. I think you see things in ways others don't." They had reached the library.

"Well, we have 15 minutes. What book would you like? Just curious."

"Kiki Strike. Either one."

"We have the first one here. I see being a 'mere human' isn't going to stop you from defending yourself."

"Sure isn't. And being 12 years old isn't either."

Raven smiled. For the first time ever, it seemed like she had met someone who understood her.

Well, I'm done for the day and I need reviews! this is my first story and i have no idea how good im doing. Appreciation or constructive criticism would be enjoyed!