-Chaos-

What is this girl doing to me?

Robin is livid when we finally get back to the Tower, but his ire does nothing to dim the odd positivity that gives me a lighter-than-air feeling as I escort the villainess across the living room and into the kitchen.

She's only been here for around a week and this is the first time she's consented to eating with the rest of the team who is currently seated around the kitchen table, arguing loudly, mouths full, as they scoop huge servings of food onto their plates and into their faces.

The Boy Wonder slides into his seat next to Starfire and returns to his much more reasonable portion, shaking his head impatiently when the red-head gives him a questioning look and rests a hand on his arm.

"Look who decided to join us!" Cyborg grins, reaching for the pile of steaming meat tactically positioned within his reach. "And just in time for my special BBQ platter."

My stomach howls, reminding me that it has been a while since I have last eaten and I move to sit in the chair he gestures to. That leaves Jinx with a seat next to Beast Boy, who frowns distastefully at me as I dig in.

"Problem?"

She shakes her head. "How can you eat that?"

"I know, right?!" the green-skinned teen cries.

Cyborg snorts. "Easy. I pick it up and put it in my mouth. Chew, swallow, digest, and sh—"

"Is that entirely necessary?" I interrupt before he can complete his inappropriate sentence.

He guffaws and Beast Boy joins in. I'm honestly surprised when Jinx does too and the lighthearted sound makes my heart give a curious little start.

"Man… Ya'll are crazy." Just like that, it seems she's completely accepted by my teammates (sans Robin) and Beast Boy beams at his unexpected new ally in his war on animal injustice.

The way the small, bemused smile that Jinx gives him in return makes me feel is confusing to say the least.

"Azarath… Metrion… Zinthos…"

There are footsteps—so soft that I just barely catch them. There's only one person who's that light on their feet.

"Azarath… Metrion… Zinthos…"

She stops moving and, for a moment, the quiet sound of her breathing lulls me into an even more relaxed state.

"Azarath… Metrion… Zinthos…"

"I'm curious," she says at last.

I open an eye. "That's an understatement." She grins and I sigh, unfolding my legs and lowering myself gently to the bed. She shouldn't even be here—in my room; my personal space—right now, but somehow her presence doesn't bother me as much as it should. "What now?"

"That… Thing I saw the other day. Can you tell me more about it?"

I bristle, instinctively rebelling against the thought of sharing anything of myself with anyone else. "No."

"But—"

"Absolutely not."

"Raven." Her expression is deadly serious. "Please?"

I don't understand her curiosity. Sure, many have harassed me—tried to pick my brain in order to understand the roots of my powers and their seemingly nonexistent limit—but none have seemed particularly interested in me.

For some reason, I get the feeling that the villainess isn't interested in my powers, but the person wielding them, and…

Something warmth swells beneath my breast.

Finally, I say, "It would be easier if I showed you."

…

I trace a finger absentmindedly over the complicated pattern on the handle of my mirror, feeling out the unique energy slumbering within, and gesture for Jinx to sit next to me. She does so without question, her long leg brushing up against mine as she crosses them.

"Ready."

I sincerely doubt that, but I nod and the mirror gives off a brilliant flash of light, sucking us into the world within.

"Where are we this time?"

I turn to look at Jinx—she's fidgeting anxiously, her arms crossed over her chest—then back to the stone walls and dim, flickering torches surrounding us.

"My mind."

She shivers. "Geez… I knew you were gloomy, but—"

"This is only a small part of it," I interrupt. "Enough to answer your question."

"Oh…" I step past her, into the flickering shadows, and she follows after a moment's hesitation, hurrying down the steps two at a time to keep up. "What's the rush?"

"We'll probably be thrown out."

"By who…? This is your mind."

"You'd like to think that, wouldn't you, Raven?"

At that resonant double timbre, the villainess latches onto my arm, a spike of pure, unadulterated fear filling the air even though her voice is steady when she asks, "What the hell was that?"

I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to comfort her.

"Wrath."

I continue on, Jinx still pressed against my side, and we come to a metal door covered in ancient writing and sealed with a huge padlock. The instant I'm in range with my most deadly emotion, red runes light up all over my torso and arms and two sets of eyes appear in the darkness beyond the bars at the top of the door in response.

"You've returned."

The pinkette flinches, her grip tightening and I…

Well, I shouldn't, but I reach out a tendril of magic and nudge the negative cloud of emotion surrounding her, uplifting them just a bit.

She gasps. "Did you just—"

"And who is this?"

Red scraps of fabric leak from between the bars like trails of blood and I throw an arm out, shielding my companion behind the blue of my cape.

"Jinx, this is Wrath. The embodiment of all of the violence, hatred, and anger within me. I locked it here because it was tampering with my control over my powers."

That hadn't been easy.

Wrath scoffs. "What good is control when it only dulls your true potential?"

"So there are other embodiments like it?"

"Mhmm."

She takes a step forward, her curiosity getting the best of her. "What I saw… That was it being sealed away?"

"For good."

Wrath's eyes shift as though it's tilting its head and I get the feeling that it hasn't heard a word of our conversation. "I sense power beyond a mere mortal."

That's… Interesting. I hadn't actually been able to classify the level of power I had sensed from my mysterious new housemate, but that was a step in the right direction. Cutting out the part of me that made me the daughter of Trigon severely weakened my powers, but it was the price I had to pay to keep myself from going mad with bloodlust and destroying the world as I knew it.

That was simply what demons did.

"What does that mean?" Pink eyes are wilder than usual, a sign that her mind is working hyperactively to cope with the strangeness of the situation.

"Approach me, girl."

"Don't."

Crimson orbs flick towards me and I hiss, dropping to one knee and clutching my head. The Chakram in the center of my forehead burns viciously and I can only reach towards Jinx's back as, ensnared, she takes hesitant steps towards the caged being.

I desperately try to get to my feet, but it feels as though my head is going to split in two and I can't even manage to cry out to her.

"Tell me, child, what is your power?"

"Bad luck," she answers softly.

A single strip of red cloth stretches towards her, the end of it frayed—resembling fingers. One such faux finger strokes the hexer's cheek and she goes stock still.

"Show me."

Instantly, the cramped hallway is flooded with fuchsia light and Jinx's darkens, thin white tendrils of ink coiling along her arms and dripping down the sides of her face. The whites of her eyes go black, the pupils expanding to twice their normal size and she growls—a low, guttural sound that rocks structure to its foundation.

Wrath's eyes narrow and the red cloth bursts into flame, turning immediately to ash that swirls around the room in the whirlwind of cool air that encircles the two.

"What is this…?"

Jinx's shoulders shake and it takes me a moment to realize that she's laughing. "Chaos."

That voice… I've heard it before somewhere. The splitting pain in my head prevents me from pinpointing the memory exactly, but I get the feeling that it's incredibly important that I do.

"Impossible…"

The wind picks up, howling like a trapped beast, and I'm pushed back until I'm flush against the cold stone wall. I have to squint to see Jinx and Wrath: they're locked in a stare-off, the former glowing pink and the latter glowing red. Everywhere their auras touch disintegrates, returned to the intangible form it began with before my powers breathed life into them.

Jinx turns toward me, a manic grin curving her lips. "Run."

…

Blink.

I shift and rub my temple, the debilitating ache dulling now that I'm no longer buried within my own psyche.

A groan escapes me and I let my head fall forward.

"Are you okay?" A gentle hand rests on my shoulder and I flinch at the visible spark that travels along my arm from the point of contact. "Holy—! What was that?"

I reach out and grasp her chin, angling her face so that her eyes meet mine: something swirls within them—something terrifying in its intensity—and I groan again, relinquishing my grip and raking a hand through my hair. "Whatever's living inside of you has awakened. At the rate it's gaining power, we'll have to find a way to destroy it completely before it destroys you."

She pales and my heart throbs guiltily. Without thinking, I reach out and take her hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"I'll figure this out. I just need a little more time."

Wild pink orbs flick to our joined hands and I sense a flood of emotions—curiosity, fear, hesitance, and, most potently, happiness—as she averts her gaze and bites her lip. "Thanks, Raven."

The silence that stretches between us is far too heavy and I clear my throat, feeling uncharacteristically nervous for the first time in…

Well, ever.

"Today's going to go down in the history books."

She smiles and I sense her gratefulness for my change of subject. "Why's that?"

"You called me by name. Twice."

"Oh yeah… Don't get used to it." Jinx chuckles and her fingers entwine with mine. The simple gesture sets off little red flags in my head, but it also makes my heart pound against the inside of my chest like a bird attempting to escape the confines of a metal cage. It's a disconcerting sensation and my breathing quickens. "Are you okay?"

I nod, quickly clamping down on the sudden, unexpected, dangerous upsurge of emotion, but it's too late: my bed lifts into the air, glowing an inky black, and books fly from the shelves lining the walls, wrapped in that same dark energy.

I need space to breathe.

Without another word I wave my hand, pushing the villainess out of my room and slamming the door shut behind her. The lack of her presence allows me to calm the runaway pace of my heart and the suspended objects return to their rightful places.

"Raven?" There's a gentle knock and I close my eyes, clenching my jaw to silence the apology that swells in my throat. "Did I do something wrong?"

"I need to be alone right now."

Normally, this was the part where the person on the other side of the door argues with me, but the pinkette just releases a soft sigh. "Okay…"

Those quiet footsteps fade away shortly thereafter and I sigh, drawing my hood up over my head.

Why does it feel as though I'm the one who's done something wrong here?

"Raven!"

Happy tackles me to the warm grass and, for once, I don't snap at her. Instead, I hug her back, burying my face in her throat and she squeaks.

"Oh no… What's wrong?"

Several more forms appear at the edges of the meadow, lingering hesitantly as a result of the confusing maelstrom of thoughts whirling violently around my head.

"I, uh…" It hurts to think these words, much less say them. "I really don't want to be alone right now."

Happy's eyes are huge within the shadow of her pink hood and a hushed murmur goes through the group of on-looking Ravens.

"What about Jinx?" The horizon darkens and the girl cowers against me, trembling like a solitary leaf in a storm. "I don't understand..."

Me neither.

Another Raven steps forward, this one wearing a pristine white cloak. The hood is drawn up around her head, obscuring her features from view. "Perhaps I can explain."

This is the aspect of myself that I am most familiar with. "Control."

"This Jinx girl is important to us, Raven. You're trying to lock her out like you do with everyone else and I believe that's an enormous mistake."

I scoff and Happy giggles. "I like Jinx."

"As do I," the white-clad Raven agrees.

The murmur is one of agreement this time and I bristle. "Whether you like her or not, it doesn't matter. She's the enemy. Once I figure out how we can get her powers under control, she'll go back to crime and I'll go back to stopping her."

Thinking about it now made my heart ache.

"The answer may be right in front of you," Control says cryptically and somehow it feels as though she isn't talking about just Jinx. "What better way to control something than to confront it?"

Normally I'd trust her word without question, but things have changed since the hexer started living in the Tower—perhaps more than I had originally thought or even been willing to acknowledge.

I hum thoughtfully, crossing my arms over my chest, and Happy prods my side. "You're so stubborn."

"She always has been." The hood falls back to reveal features that are similar to mine in every way with the exception of the white eye patch that covers up her left eye. The right eye is the clear, sharp yellow colour of a predator's and I instinctively avert my gaze when she looks at me. She hadn't always worn an eye patch. "We have never experienced such a disturbance over any one person before, Raven. Emotions that I have not yet met are present and they look upon this girl with favour. You would be wise to heed what your heart tells you."

The heart… The bane of my existence.

A quiet roar travels through the gathered Ravens as they discuss their stand on the subject and I grimace, unaccustomed to both the number of emotions gathered and the loudness with which they voiced their opinions now that they are able to.

Jinx was right—this is chaos.

-End Chapter-