The sun slipped in through a narrow crack between the curtains of Raven's new room. She was already awake, having hardly slept at all. Once the beams of light fighting their way into the room grew brighter, Raven slipped out of the bed. Her barefeet crossed the hardwood floors over to the large armchair against the wall where she had left her cape the night before. She pulled the cape around her, fastening the red jeweled clip on the front to hold it in place, and then she went to the window. The curtains were heavy and thick, and Raven wove her fingers into their fabric, pushing the curtains apart to let the light in.

The morning sun gave Raven her first real look at her new room. The door was positioned on the left side of the room, just a few feet from the left wall. Along that wall was the armchair, handsomely made from mahogany wood and vintage white fabric. A wardrobe was centered between the armchair and the bed. Like the armchair, the wardrobe and bedposts were made from mahogany wood as well. The bed was covered with a thick off-white quilt. The curtains matched the fabrics of the bed. Continuing the theme of the room, a mahogany desk rested against the far wall on the right side of the door. The only thing on the desk was a clear vase with five white lilies sitting in water inside it.

Raven waved her hand over the bed and her magic pulled the quilt up and fluffed the pillows back into place. She levitated over her boots and slipped them onto her feet. The wardrobe was empty. Raven found a blank notepad and a pen in the desk drawer. Just as she finished searching through the desk, a soft knock came on the door.

"Yes?" Raven asked.

"May I come in, dear?" a woman's voice replied.

Raven surrounded the doorknob in her magic and pulled the door open. A small, older woman stood in the doorway. She was a foot shorter than Raven was, with greying brown hair tied up in a bun behind her head. Her pale skin had wrinkles around her lips and her blue eyes.

"Who are you?" Raven asked, pushing the desk drawer in front of her closed. The woman came in pulling a large, black suitcase rolling behind her.

"Fiona, dear"

"What do you want?"

"Master Slade had asked me to stop in today. He said you'd be needing a fitting." The woman unzipped the top pocket of the suitcase and pulled out a roll of measuring tape.

"A what?" Raven asked.

"A fitting, dear. For a uniform." Fiona unrolled the tape, dropping one end of it to the floor, holding it up against Raven's shoulder.

"I have a uniform," Raven replied. She stared at the short, kind-faced woman. Where could Slade have found a sweet little tailor to come design supervillain uniforms.

Fiona nodded. "Yes, yes I see." She pulled the measuring tape back up and held it along Raven's arm, then stretched it horizontally from shoulder to shoulder. "How do you feel about the color orange? The Master prefers it, and I think it'd brighten you up a bit."

"I am not changing my uniform," Raven replied.

"Yes, he said you'd say that," Fiona said. She dug through the suitcase she brought with her, pulling out a different measuring tape. "How about some touch ups, then?"

"I wouldn't have guessed Slade would have a personal stylist," Raven replied as Fiona pulled the measuring tape around Raven's waist, much to Raven's discomfort.

"I don't think he'd have guessed it himself either. Yet, here I am. Now, if you are very set on keeping this uniform, we could get away with it. Keep the leotard, I'll make you some duplicates, and we change the cape to orange," Fiona explained.

"I'm not changing -"

Fiona rose a hand to silence Raven. "I won't hear another word on it, I've decided. Now, about the gemstone fastening your cape closed, do you feel particularly attached to it? I'm thinking we switch it up for one with an S. You know Slade's symbol, of course? I would hope so. I designed it to be memorable."

Fiona packed her measuring tape away, and then she turned to smile at Raven. "We're all set then," Fiona said, zipping her suitcase shut again. "That didn't take long, now did it?" She wheeled her suitcase towards the door and placed it just outside. "Are you doing alright, dearie? The master hasn't scared you, has he?"

"Slade doesn't scare me," Raven replied.

Fiona nodded, but it was clear she didn't believe Raven. "Still," Fiona said, "It was a brave thing you did, taking your friend's place like that."

"Yeah, brave," Raven said sarcastically. "I lost all my friends. My team. Everything."

"Cheer up, child. It'll turn out alright in the end. You'll see." Fiona took Raven's hand and patted it gently. "Now, enough jabberin'. There's work to be done. I'll have a new uniform for you in no time at all."

With that, Fiona gave Raven a quick wink and shuffled out the door, suitcase rolling behind her.


Raven spent the day sitting in the room mediating. The house, much unlike Titan's Tower, was quiet and Raven found it easy to focus on her mantra. The day passed by quickly without interruption until the sun was setting, and a soft rapping came to the door.

"Who is it?" Raven asked. The door opened very slowly, with more than enough time for Raven to stop it, but when she didn't, an elderly man stepped inside.

"Wintergreen, madam," the old man said with a short bow. "Dinner is served. Master Slade is already waiting."

"I'm not going," Raven replied.

Wintergreen straightened up. "Not - not going? My dear there is no need to starve yourself. The master has decided you would join him for dinner."

"Was Cyborg joining him for dinner when you had him chained in the cellar?"

"I-" Wintergreen started.

"I said I'm not going," Raven replied. She crossed her legs into the air and returned to mediation.


Several floors below, Slade paced the dining room downstairs. The long table was covered with a handmade cloth and glass plates surrounded by silverware. At the center of the table, a single candle was lit. The dining room had no windows, but it did have a large fireplace that was burning, giving the room light that it otherwise lacked.

The heels of Slade's boots clicked with each step against the marble tiles. "What is taking so long?" Slade asked.

"Good evening, sir," Wintergreen said, pushing open the doorway.

"Well, where is she?" Slade replied.

"Uh, she is not coming," Wintergreen said slowly. He walked towards the table, lifting a plate. "Shall I -"

"What?" Slade yelled.

"I-"

Slade pushed past Wintergreen, storming up the steps towards Raven's door. "Open the door," Slade demanding, pounding on it's wood. He could hear Raven moving on the other side.

"No," Raven said.

"I command you-"

"You can't just command me to do whatever you want," Raven interrupted. "I'll be your apprentice. If you have a mission, fine, but I'm not eating dinner with you."

"You do not make the rules, Raven. I command you to come down to dinner."

"I'm not hungry," Raven replied.

"Come out here or I'll break this door down," Slade yelled.

"Sir," Wintergreen whispered. "I could be wrong but that may not be the best way to convince her. Be kind."

Slade glared at Wintergreen for a moment, but he then turned to the door and knocked gently. "Will you come to dinner?"

"No!" Raven replied.

"You can't stay in there forever," Slade said.

"Yes I can," Raven called back.

"Fine," Slade said. "Stay in there and starve then." Slade turned to Wintergreen. "You are forbidden from feeding her anything. If she won't eat with me then she won't eat at all."