"How did you do that?" Blood looked at her in amazement. Behind him, the Titans began to stir slightly as Blood's power was broken. "I've lost my power."

"How sad for you," Daria told him in a monotone. "Now," she reached out and a claw of green fire shot out to grab him, "you will leave me to my work." The green claw threw Blood out of the window of the tower and out into the harbor.

"Nice work," Jane observed weakly.

"Distractions are not welcome." Daria's tone made it unclear if she was referring to Blood or Jane.

"Thank you," Robin said as he walked up to Daria. "You got here just in time."

"I am here for the gem."

"The gem?" Beast Boy spoke up from where he had just released Cyborg. "What gem? We've got a gem?"

"The only gem I know of," Cyborg paused, then looked over, "is Raven."

"So," Raven said as she stepped away from the others, "you found me."

Ignoring everyone else, Daria moved toward Raven and said, "You killed our father."

"He was evil and was going to destroy the world, not to mention enslave the galaxy."

"Raven," Robin was scowling at Daria's back, "is this the girl you told me about?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Robin said to Daria.

"When I have fulfilled my purpose I will leave," she replied. She turned and looked at him before adding, "Do not make me kill you, too."

"No one's getting killed here." Robin crouched as he prepared to move. Daria was faster, however, catching him in a green claw before he could so much as twitch.

"You are wrong, child," she corrected. "There will be death here. And I am its bearer." Daria threw the teen across the room and into Cyborg and Beast Boy, knocking all three down.

Raven watched as Starfire landed next to Robin. "Leave my friends alone," she commanded, turning back toward Daria. "This is between you and me."

"Just the way I want it," Daria agreed, nodding. Bringing up both hands, Daria fired twin streams of green fire toward her half-sister. Raven brought up a bubble of black energy just in time. "You are strong," Daria commented as she kept up the flames. "But not strong enough. After all," the flames began to wrap around the bubble and squeeze, "I was born to kill you."

Raven grimaced as she concentrated on keeping her shield up. She didn't see the tendril of green that came up through the floor until it wrapped itself around her hands. "NO!" she cried as the shield fell and the green fire enveloped her.

"Silly girl," Daria's voice had taken on a growling tone, "you thought you could defeat me. Now you understand that fate is not something you -"

A muffled voice from within the flames cut her off. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Black energy blew the ball of fire away from Raven. Raising her arms, Raven fired beams of black at Daria.

Caught by surprise, Daria was blown back into the remains of the monitor. Green flame erupted around her as she fought off the attack. Stepping away from the destroyed screen, she shot her own energy back at Raven. The two grimaced as they tried to overwhelm the other.

"You cannot defeat me!" Daria called out. "I was born to kill you. I am the one who show's you your fate! I am the Sword of GUH!" the last sound came from Daria as something hard collided with the back of her head. As the green and black energies faded, the Teen Titans saw a raven-haired woman standing over Daria's body with a piece of wood in her hand.

"Sorry, amiga," Jane said to her unconscious friend, "but the end of the world isn't something I want to watch."

"Thank you," Raven said as she walked up.

"She's not herself." Jane knelt next to Daria, then looked up at Raven, "This Trigon guy did something to her. Can you help her?"

"Help her?" Beast Boy asked as he walked up. "She tried to kill Raven!"

"And she'll try again if we don't do something," Robin reminded him.

Jane looked at the group and asked, "Can you do anything?"

"Let's see if she's okay, first," Cyborg said, lifting Daria in his arms. "Then we'll worry about if she's gonna come to and blow up the tower."

The steady beeping of Daria's heart as she lay on the table was the only thing indicating that she was alive. Her breaths were shallow and barely visible, leaving Jane with nothing to do for several minutes but stare at the heart monitor.

"I didn't kill her, did I?" she finally asked.

"No," Cyborg replied. "But I've given her a sedative so she'll sleep until we figure out what to do about her."

"Dude," Beast Boy asked, "if she's sedated, why are her eyes moving?"

"She's dreaming," Raven told him, her voice grim.

"That's the last thing she needs," Jane told her. "This whole thing started with dreams."

"Yes," Raven nodded slowly, "it did." In dreams to learn of emerald fire, she quoted to herself. "Tell me what happened," she said to Jane.

"It started back before finals when she started having these weird dreams . . ."

For the next hour, Jane recounted how her friend had been having nightmares that finally began to manifest themselves physically, only to seemingly end after she had finished finals and fallen asleep on Jane's couch.

"She's been sleeping a lot, but I thought it was just exhaustion," Jane went on. "Since she got into college, Daria's been the kind to keep pushing herself so she could get something finished. That way she could really kick back and relax."

"You two sound close," Cyborg commented.

"Not as close as we were in high school," Jane told him with a shrug. "We had some problems when we tried to share an apartment. I'm a bit of a slob and I like to work out at night."

"Sound like 'The Odd Couple,'" Beast Boy commented.

"I guess. But we're still best friends." With a sigh, she looked at Daria's figure, "I just wish I knew what to do, now."

"I do," Raven told her. "I'm going in there."

"Raven," Robin protested, "you don't know what you'll find."

"No, but we can't keep her sedated forever." With a sigh, she moved to lie on the table next to Daria. "And it could show us how to stop this," she answered him as she arranged herself.

"Wait," Jane was confused, "how can you go into someone's dreams?"

Beast Boy smirked, "Hey, is that any harder to believe than flying cross-country inside a giant bird of fire?"

After thinking for a second, Jane nodded and said, "Good point."

"Robin," Raven looked at the leader of the Titans, "if I don't come back -"

"Come back," he cut her off. "That's an order."

Nodding, she smiled a little, then lay her head back and closed her eyes. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos," she intoned a few times. Then, her body went limp as a black shape rose from it. As Jane gave out a squeak of surprise, it moved to Daria's body, then seemed to be absorbed by it.

"Hey," Beast Boy told her, "I've seen it a bazillion times and I'm still freaked out by it."

The landscape of Daria's mind was unlike anything Raven had seen before. Her own was like a vast universe with paths and twists and turns, while others had been everything from forests to random thoughts in a whirlwind. This one, however, was like a cavern. As she headed down it, Raven hoped it led to the central part of Daria's psyche. There, she knew, she'd be most likely to find the source and perhaps the solution to the problem.

"I kissed your boyfriend." The words echoed down the tunnel Raven was cautiously walking down.

"I don't have a boyfriend," Raven grumbled, more to herself than to the voice.

A different voice, this one older, echoed past her. "You keep hiding your real face behind that antisocial mask and one day the mask will be your face. I'm not letting that happen. You're working at that camp."

As she progressed, Raven heard unconnected bits of conversations, most included Jane's voice.

"You baked this?" Daria's voice asked in one exchange.

"Baked, bought. Let's not ruin the moment with a lot of technical mumbo-jumbo," came Jane's response.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Raven found herself smiling the barest of smiles.

"Hey," Jane asked as she looked up from watching over Daria's body, "you never told me who that guy with the weird mask was?"

"Brother Blood," Cyborg answered with a scowl. "And that wasn't a mask."

"You know, it looked kinda like your, uh," Jane stumbled as she tried to be polite.

"My head. Yeah, I know."

"Cyborg and Blood go back a ways," Robin told her. "You see, Blood has the power to manipulate the will of others. He uses it to get 'students' for his school of evil."

"Yeah," Beast Boy agreed, patting Cyborg on the back. "But he can't mess with Cyborg, here." Looking proud, he added, "He just ain't man enough."

"Well," looking embarrassed, the tall teen rubbed the back of his head, "he can't take over my mind, anyway. Don't really know why."

"While the situation is grim," Starfire spoke up, "it is good that the both of you arrived when you did."

"Oh, we in time for cookies?" Cringing, Jane said, "Sorry, sarcasm's a habit."

"No," Starfire smiled and shook her head, "the humoring is fine. But we are pleased because Brother Blood was going to do the disassembling of friend Cyborg."

"That would have been ugly," Jane told her, "not to mention messy."

"And probably painful," Cyborg added, smirking at Jane. "Anyway, what Daria, here, did should scare him off for a while."

"Speaking of which," Robin said, standing, "we need to get rid of those robots and find out how he got in here."

"I already know how he got in," Cyborg told the leader. "He just waltzed in when we were off trying to save Raven from Trigon."

"But," Beast Boy interjected, "I thought all that was a big do-over."

"I think he was already gone by the time Raven opened the portal."

"Wait a minute," Jane held up a hand, "what portal?"

Robin glanced at the still form of Raven before he looked back at Jane and explained, "Raven's, and I guess your friend, Daria's father is a powerful demon named Trigon the Terrible. He fathered Raven so she could serve as a portal to allow him to come to Earth. It," he dropped his eyes for a moment. "She was almost destroyed when it happened."

"But she came back and destroyed him, instead," Beast Boy told Jane.

"We thought he was destroyed, anyway," Robin went on. "But it looks like he planned for the contingency."

"Daria was talking about having to kill her sister and the person who killed her father," Jane told them. "You mean she's really half-demon? But what about Jake?"

"Jake?" Beast Boy, Starfire and Cyborg asked together.

"Jake Morgendorffer, Daria's dad and, I thought, father."

"I guess he just thought he was," Robin said, looking away. Narrowing his eyes, he turned to Starfire, "Star, let's go get rid of those robots."

As the two left, Jane raised an eyebrow and turned to Cyborg. "Those two an item?" she asked.

"They are," he replied, "but they don't know it."

"Yeah, it's like something from a sitcom," Beast Boy added. "They've got it bad, but won't admit it."

"Oy," Jane grumbled, "have I seen that before." Looking at Daria, she thought, Just come back normal, amiga, and I'll let you kiss every boyfriend I have for the rest of my life. Well, I'll let you kiss them once.

As she continued, the voices began to become stronger and were joined by images. Raven staggered back as the voice and image were suddenly added to by feelings of self-loathing.

"I kissed your boyfriend. I kissed Tom." An image of Tom appeared, with dark hair and a warm smile. The feeling of loathing faded to one of happiness as images of Tom beside Daria appeared.

"I feel dirty," Raven commented as she tried to block the memories. "If she's had a sex life I'm really going to feel dirty."

Continuing on, Raven finally had to surround herself with a thin veil of energy to keep the memories from intruding on her own mind. Finally, she came to an opening at the end of the corridor. As she stepped out of it, she gaped.

"Oh, crap."

She could see many tunnels like the one she had just navigated opened up onto the central area. The cavern was as large as a small city, with a few stalagmites and stalactites along the edges. The floor was covered with fire that rose only as high as well-trimmed grass. Most of it was red, with green patches near the tunnels and scattered amongst the red. Hordes of the flame-creatures that served Trigon waited in rows for orders.

"You have failed to kill the gem." The booming voice of her father caused Raven to crouch as she prepared to fight. Instead, she saw the massive shape of Trigon on the far end of the cavern. His attention was toward two small shapes below him. Raven flew along the edges of the cavern to avoid detection but still get close enough to find out what was going on.

"It was her," came the voice of Raven's sister. Pointing, she indicated a shape that was being held upright by her hands and ankles by a circle of fire. "She made me take Jane with me."

Raven's eyes widened in surprise as she realized that the woman in the circle was also Daria. This figure was dressed in a green jacket, with a black pleated skirt and yellow-T-shirt. Her glasses were in place, but her feet were bare. Is this the real Daria? Then where did the other come from?

"There is no excuse for failing me," Trigon stated. "I created you and I can just as easily uncreate you."

"Let me kill her," the robed Daria begged. "That way she can't stop me again."

Trigon seemed to consider it for a moment. "You have shown you can survive in the body. You may kill her."

The imprisoned Daria glared at her double. "Nice of you to give me a fair trial," she grumbled.

"Oh shut up and die, already." Bringing up her hands, the free Daria fired twin streams of power toward the Daria in the jacket. Before they could strike, a black wall appeared, blocking the attack.

A white bird shape appeared then faded, leaving Raven. "You're not hurting her," Raven stated.

"So," Trigon said, "my lesser child has decided to interfere to save her life."

"I've come to save the real Daria," she corrected. Turning, she raised a hand and chanted, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" The fire around the 'real' Daria faded, dropping the woman. She tried to pull herself up, but was too weak.

"By coming here you've sentenced yourself to an early death," the 'fake' Daria told her.

"You kill me and you can't sacrifice me," Raven told her. "I have to be in my body and alive for you to do that."

"Does she?" Raven's opponent looked toward the massive shape.

"She does," Trigon replied. "But that does not mean her soul-self must be unharmed. Render her helpless then send her back before you awaken. She will be unable to stop you."

Holding onto what she was convinced was the real version of Daria Morgendorffer, Raven considered her options. As green fire erupted around them, Raven took to the air, carrying Daria with her.

"Listen to me," she said as she flew an evasive pattern, "this is all inside your mind. You need to collect yourself and then take back what is yours. You've got the strength, you just need the will."

"I've also got scars from being tortured down here for months," Daria groaned.

"That was so you wouldn't learn how to take control," Raven told her. "You need to rest for a little while. Just don't forget about me." Without warning, she dropped her cargo. As Daria began to scream, Raven brought her hands together and chanted a spell.

Daria saw Raven knocked out of the sky by a ball of green flame just before blackness consumed her.

"She's waking up." She could hear the voices before her eyes started to work.

"Is she okay?"

"You think she was able to find out what's going on?" This voice was familiar.

"Jane?" she muttered.

"Yeah?" Opening her eyes, she could see Jane looking down at her, surprised.

"What happened?" She asked, sitting up.

Instead of Jane, the teenager with black hair and a mask answered, "You decided to go into Daria's mind so you could see what was going on."

"Go into . . ." The rest of the sentence died as she looked over at the still figure on the other table. "Uh," she pointed, "please tell me that's an illusion."

The group looked at the other woman, then back at her. "Raven," the boy asked, "what are you talking about?"

"Raven?" Looking down at herself, she let loose with an "Eep."

"Don't tell me," Jane said. "You're Daria?"

"You said not to tell you," Daria reminded her.

"So, friend Raven is still inside your body?" The girl who spoke didn't look quite normal.

"I-I guess so." Self-conscious, she ran Raven's hands up her arms. "Um," she looked around, "who are you people?"

"Daria Morgendorffer," Jane smirked, "let me introduce you to the Teen Titans." Quickly, she pointed out each of the members and their names. "And you know who's body you're in."

"Yeah," Beast Boy said, "the girl you're trying to kill."

"Um, yeah." Daria looked down before speaking. "I know you don't have any reason to trust me, but I really don't want to hurt anyone. It's, it's -"

"Something to do with Trigon," Robin said, scowling.

She nodded but didn't look up. "He's in my mind. First he forced me to admit he was my father, then he just," she shivered, "he just seemed to take over."

"But what about Raven?" Cyborg asked.

"She was being attacked by my other self," Daria reported. "When I finished learning how to use my powers, he created some kind of evil version of me." Looking up, she met their eyes, "That's who was sent to kill Raven. I could barely keep her from killing Jane."

"You saved me? Thanks, amiga. I don't think I'd like being a pan fried artist."

"It would take suffering for your art to a whole new level," Daria told her with a smirk. Seeing the serious looks on the faces around her, Daria's smirk vanished. "Look, they can't kill her. They need her whole if they're going to resurrect Trigon to his full power."

"After a time, Raven's soul-self will die if she doesn't get back to her body," Robin told her. "She said something once about the limit being an hour."

"And it's already been forty-five minutes!" Beast Boy called out.

"Thank you, town crier," Daria grumbled.

"Hey," Beast Boy scowled at her, "Raven's our friend."

"And we are most worried," Starfire added.

"And I'm sure you'd rather have your own body back," Robin concluded.

"I don't know," Daria said as she looked at her own body with a scowl, "it was getting a little crowded in there."

"Daria," Jane warned.

"I know, I know," Daria replied. Then, sighing, she said, "I just don't know how she did it. I mean, she just pointed at me and said something I couldn't hear and here I was. Besides, if I go back, they might be able to send Raven here, then wake up and kill her."

"Sacrificing her to Trigon and bringing him back to Earth." Cyborg scowled, "Ah, man I hate catch 22's."

"No." Robin crossed his arms. "I'm sorry, Daria, but you're not going to kill Raven while we're around. You took us by surprise earlier, but that won't happen again."

Daria rolled her eyes, "Robin, I do not want to hurt anyone, much less Raven. It was Trigon's damn psychic construct that was doing that. Hmm," she rubbed her chin in thought. "You know, Raven said something about it all being in my control. She said I just needed to 'collect myself' and then 'take back' what was mine." Standing, she moved next to her body. Reaching out, she removed the glasses her body was still wearing. She put a hand on her own forehead and scowled.

Let me in! She mentally screamed. Looking up, she shook her head, "I don't know how to get in there," she told them. "Raven might have the training to do that kind of thing, but I was just taught how to use my powers in battle." Holding up a hand, she concentrated, causing a ball of green fire to appear. "I'm not even sure I can do this kind of thing."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Beast Boy perked up. "I got just the thing. Be right back!" Shape shifting into a jaguar, he sped out of the room, leaving the others to just look at each other. It took him three minutes to return. "She moved it from last time," he explained as he held out a hand mirror.

"Am I supposed to check my makeup in that?" Daria asked.

"It's a portal into Raven's mind," Cyborg explained. "Beast Boy and I stumbled into it once."

"Sooo," Daria took the mirror, "what do I do?"

"Don't know," Beast Boy told her. "We did it by accident."

"But if she's in your head," Cyborg said, "then you might be able to get back by going through hers."

"It's worth a try, anyway," Robin said.

"Hrm," was Daria's response.

"That means she'll try it," Jane interpreted.

"Let me think a minute," Daria told them as she moved to sit on the end of the table she had awakened on. Scowling, she looked the mirror over. It was nothing fancy. In fact, her sister - other sister, Daria reminded herself - had fancier ones. She placed a hand over the glass and concentrated.

Nothing.

"Maybe you should try Raven's mantra," Robin suggested.

"Which is?"

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" the Titans intoned as one.

"Okay, now that's scary," Jane supplied.

Daria placed her hand on the mirror, closed her eyes and concentrated as she spoke, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos. Azarath Metrion Zinthos." After a minute, she opened her eyes again to see the Titans and Jane staring at her. "Crap," she muttered.

"We're running out of time," Cyborg reminded them.

No pressure here, Daria thought as she looked at the mirror. Seeing the unfamiliar reflection, she gazed at the purple eyes that stared back at her. What happens if she doesn't come back? Will my body die and leave me stuck in this one? God, I hope not, I've already survived being a teenager once, I don't want to have to do it again.

Something in the reflection seemed to change. Instead of a reflection of Raven's eyes, they seemed to become more three-dimensional. Like pools, she thought. She stared harder at them as they seemed to take up more of her consciousness. Daria began to feel a tugging at her mind as she continued to stare. For a moment she fought it, then changed and began to try to reach further into it. Unaware that she was doing so, she began to chant, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." Then, the eyes seemed to pull her into the mirror.