Author's Note: Sorry I took so long to update. I've been sick with the flu. And sorry for some of the errors, like, extra commas, in the last chapter…Anyways, I'm also sorry if the fight scene was really confusing. Just the main idea: hostages, taken. Grey people, strange evil villains. Titans, lost, because they lost the 2 hostages. Yeah. :D


Robin was in the training room. Again. This time, he was angry at himself for losing the hostages, when he could've saved them. If he had followed them by foot, and not by motorcycle. If he had taken that speed boost for his bike that Cyborg had offered before the battle. If only he ha--

"Hey Robin." Mariana's depressed voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey Mariana. What's up? What brings you to the training room?"

"Same reason you're here."

Robin stopped punching the punching bag.

"And what's that?"

"It feels like my fault. That we didn't get them back. That was the first major call we've been out to, and…I failed, Robin. Miserably."

"It's not your fault Mariana. It always happens like this. If we do fail, we'll find a way to get back. And succeed. We always do." Robin clenched his fist confidently.

Mariana aimed a loud roundhouse kick at the bag.

"I guess so." She said dejectedly.

She turned around, about to go.

"Wait! Mariana, I want you to go to Raven's room, and tell her Robin says it's time."

"Time for what?"

"It doesn't matter. She'll know."

"Okay…"

Mariana closed the door, leaving Robin alone with his thoughts. Robin, kicking the bag Mariana kicked earlier, thought about the information Raven had given him earlier. His mind replayed the conversation.

**flashback**

"Oh yeah, Robin, by the way, Mariana, there's something I've been meaning to tell you about her."

"What?"

"Her powers."

"She has powers?"

"Those hunches? They aren't hunches."

"What are they?"

"They're actually a power. She can feel the future. She can sense things. Those aren't coincidence. Those are an actual gift. They're quite powerful for her just beginning to know about them. I think…with time with the Titans, she could be…well, really good."

"How good?"

"I don't know for sure yet, but I think she could actually have glimpses into other's minds, glimpses of the future, and telepathically 'speak' to us. She might even be able to give and take parts of a person."

"What do you mean 'speak'"?

"I don't know. She could either come in a voice, which is most common, or communicate in visual flashes of something she's seen."

"And the giving and taking?"

"She could do that, but it all depends on how powerful she is."

Robin thought for a few minutes.

"Well. I've got an idea. Raven, this is perfect for you to give her a chance, and to have your fill of watching her, the way you couldn't for Terra. It also helps me know what she could result in."

"So…" She appeared to think for a moment, "You want me to…teach her?"

"Not teach, just…well, sort of teach. I'd like you to educate her on how to focus your powers. To…umm…Azerath Mediterranean Zorro?"

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos."

"Yeah. That."

"Yes. That." Raven drawled slowly in her rasp.

"So this makes her…a telepath?"

"Yep." She said again. She moved towards the door.

"Yeah, so remember…give her a chance."

"Okay." She said a tad bit impatiently, her back already to him.

**back to reality**

Mariana, having just told Raven that it "was time", had just had that scene replayed in her mind after Raven pressed her fingers onto her forehead, but without the "keep an eye on her" part.

"Whoa Raven, how'd you do that?"

"I didn't do that, you did."

"I did? How? Then why could you?"

"I was merely drawing off your power to show you my memories."

"Whoa. Umm…Awesome?"

"Quite. It appears you have a more visual touch. You communicate by images. I communicate through words, and dark energy. Yours is channelled completely in images that come through your mind."

"So…I make pictures?"

"Yes…" Raven was struggling to be more patient, "You make pictures."

"But mines, they aren't pictures really, they're more…hunches."

"Well those are either just routine 6th sense, for the more gifted population, most people with any power of the mind gets those. And they may be extremely fast images, flashing through your mind's eye. So fast, your brain appears to not have any recollection of seeing it, it merely gives you the idea, that it has. Thus, your 'hunches'."

Mariana thought for a moment.

"So the hunches are subliminal messages?"

"Precisely."

"So, you're here to teach me to…use them to their full extent?"

"Yes. I use these three words to help me calm myself, meditate, control my powers and emotions, as well as to release them."

With that, Raven got off of the blue cushion in her room and sat cross legged on the ground.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos…" Raven started to float as she chanted calmly. She did this for a couple of minutes before opening an eye and arching an eyebrow.

"Come on. Do it with me." She closed her eyes and started chanting again. Mariana looked confused, but sat down as well.

"Errrr…Do I say…..?"

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos…"Raven ignored her.

"Okay…." Mariana got down and started to copy Raven. Within moments they were both chanting and meditating. Except Mariana wasn't floating.


After about 20 minutes of chanting, Raven stopped, but Mariana kept going, completely unaware.

"Mariana…" Raven started.

"Azarath…What? Hmm? Oh!" Seeing Raven standing, Mariana got up fluidly.

"I think that concludes our session for today."

"Oh, okay. Thanks. It was calming."

"Yes, meditating can have that effect on people." Raven said sarcastically. She immediately bit her lip and put on her hood. She was supposed to be giving Mariana a chance here. She had to control her emotions. She thought of dead puppies. Anything, just to keep anything from exploding…

"Okay the--" Mariana started.

"BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Raven laughed maniacally (and uncharacteristically). A vase shattered.

"Whoa??? Raven, are you…okay?"

Raven immediately straightened up.

"Well, yes. That was just…Merely a slip…See, I've never meditated…Always alone, you see…And, may have had an effect, yes, I was thinking about dead puppies…not to laugh…wasn't supposed to…must control…" She mumbled incoherently.

"Oh, yeah…sometimes I think of stuff to make me not laugh. But it never works." Said Mariana solemnly.

"Yes. Exactly what happened."

Mariana winked.

"Thanks anyways. It was fun…When will…next time be?"

"Oh…I don't know. But there's this…errr…" Raven desperately thought of something to do with Mariana, as to appease Robin. Amusement park? No. Too… filled with emotions. The mall? NO WAY. Too...disgustingly cliche. Arcade? Too…Beastboy…Beastboy…The green face entered her head…She shook it off. Maybe…A poetry slam? She imagined it. Her and mariana, snapping their---

"Oh, what? A poetry slam?"

"Huh? I didn't…oh. Visuals. You saw an image of a poetry slam, didn't you?"

"Well, no. It sorta…came to me…"

"Remember what I said? Flashes turn to hunches, because they're so fast, the brain has no recollection of ever seeing it."

"Oh…Yeah…that. But yeah, sure a poetry slam. Coffee place, I guess?"

"Yep. Next Friday. 5."

"PM, right?"

"What? Yes."

"Okay. Thanks. Bye." Mariana walked to the door. It slid open. She glanced back. Raven was watching her with her hood on.