Bound
"You told me, Raven…you told me…"
"Shut up!" My hands are shaking as I sit cross legged on my bed.
"You told me everything…"
"Get…out…of…my…mind!" I scream, clutching my face.
"But it's so nice here…and so easy to get in…"
"Get out before I BURN you!" I spin around, twisting the satin covers beneath my bare knees as I glare at the trunk.
"You know you can't do that. That would just release me…"
"Ugh," I collapse back on the pillows, kneading my forehead. "You know what? You're pathetic.
"Really? I'M the pathetic one in this relationship?"
"There IS no relationship. Someone would have to be completely insane to like you!"
"And yet you did."
I fall silent.
"Honestly, Raven, how could you ever think I loved you? Who could ever love an ugly EVIL thing such as you?"
"Well, I could say the same for you," I snort.
"Oh, that ever present sarcasm. That CHARM. That endearing endless cruelty. I pity the Titans, I really do. The fools, loving you so when you'll only hurt them in the end."
"SHUT UP!"
Before I know it, I've sprung off my bed, ripped the trunk open and grabbed that infernal book. I slam it against the floor again and again, using all of my strength. "SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!" Pages fly out if it, fluttering, flapping furiously along with my rage. Finally I stop breathing heavily.
"…Did that make you feel better, Raven?"
"Yes."
"Beating up a book. You have sunk to new lows."
"Well, better than being trapped in a book."
"Oh, RAVEN. Sweet Raven. So prone to violence. That cutting tongue. Azar would be ashamed, wouldn't she?"
"You do not DESERVE to speak Azar's name!"
"You know, Raven, I think it's true what I said. You and I are VERY much alike…"
"Azar died when I was ten. Then I lived with my mother.
"I'm sorry to hear someone so close to you died. Is your mother still alive?"
"Yes."
"Azar sounds like a great socceress."
"She was. But truth be told, she was mostly a pacifist." My hair hangs over the edge of the bed as I peer at the solitary book. "Sometimes I wonder if she'd approve. What I'm doing, the superhero thing."
"You and your friends are trying to achieve peace, yes?"
"Through violence. Azar doesn't think that is the way…didn't think…I guess…"
"Well, I'm sure she'd respect your differences. You don't strike me as the pacifist type, my dear."
I give an evil little smirk and he laughs. "No, not quite. I'd always be sneaking off to train in martial arts with some of the…less rule abiding priests…"
"Ah, my little rebel. You and I are so very much alike," His voice is smooth and lilting. I smile.
"But intrinsically, it's the same. Azar and I both believe violence and evil should be eradicated. We just have different ways of going about it. She's still my greatest teacher. Both in magic, and in lifestyle. I…miss her."
"I'd imagine so ."
"We see her as a goddess. So sometimes…I think she's still with me."
"Well, we of all people know the dead never really leave."
"Yes…indeed we do,"
There is a silence that fills the room as I sate at the seemingly endless ceiling above.
"You know, Malchior, I've never really been able to talk about this before. To anyone. But you…you understand me. Like no one else can. You're so…wise…"
"That's very sweet, Raven. Hmmm…Sweet Raven…"
"Heh."
Heh
Heh."
"STOP it!"
"Is that all you can ever say?"
"There's a lot I WANT too say."
"Does it still hurt, Raven? Does it still hurt how I betrayed you? The ONE TIME you ever opened up to somebody, it blew up in your face."
"This is the last warning, Malchior," I growl.
"Oooh, scary little girl."
"Scarier than you. Or need I mention once more that I TRAPPED YOU IN AN BOOK?"
"You know what's really scary, Raven? What's truly scary is that YOU'RE trapped and you don't even need a book…"
"I'm evil, Malchior. There, I said it."
"Hmmm…and what led you to this shocking conclusion.?" He puts his hand on his hip mockingly. I throw him a glare.
"I'm serious."
"Relax. I'm just nonplussed at this statement. Why on earth do you believe you are evil?"
"I can't…tell you," I sit on my bed, sighing. "I can't tell anyone…but believe me…my claim is true…if you knew what I really was…"
"What you are, Raven, is whatever you wish to be." His eyes are so expressive through his paper mask.
"I don't have a choice."
"I can't understand your problem unless you tell me what it is."
"Let's talk…fate."
"Fate?" He raises an eyebrow.
"Do you believe in it?"
"Hmmm…I have been around long enough to see that prophecies, real ones, always come true."
"…Oh."
"But they are words. And words have many meanings. One can easily manipulate those words, that decree, to suit ones self. Like many forms of magic, perception is key."
"Really?"
"Raven, whatever your dilemma is, I am certain you are strong enough to overcome it."
"You…think?" I let the tiniest gleam of hope show through.
"I know."
"Raven?"
"WHAT?"
"Remember that little chat we had about fate?"
"Malchior-
"I lied."
"That's IT!" I grab the book and stand up giving it a final violent shake for good measure. "You are going in the evidence room, where you can't bother me anymore!"
"It doesn't matter where you put me, Raven. I will ALWAYS bother you…"
I stare at myself in the mirror, an infinitely dangerous past time I usually don't partake in. He comes up behind me and runs his fingers through my hair. I giggle, a completely un-Raven high pitched giggle. Any of my team mates would be severely creeped out of this display. I'm creeped out a bit myself.
"Do not stare at yourself so, Raven. You will not get any less beautiful."
"Oh, stop it," I bat his hand away, another unnatural sound. Azar, what is wrong with me?
"What are you thinking, my great contemplater?"
"Nothing…it's silly…"
"Come now, you know that doesn't work with me…"
"Well…I guess I was just…wishing I could…feel."
"Feel?"
"I can't, because of my powers. Because of…of…"
"Of what?"
"Nothing. Nothing…that's what I feel." I blush when the self pitying words escape my mouth. He strokes my cheek.
" But you do feel, Raven. Your emotions are more…subdued than a regular teenage girls…not so shallow and energized…but you feel very, very deeply, sweet. I can sense it."
"You…do?"
"Would I lie to you? You are more mature…than other girls your age…more intelligent…but you feel so deeply…so complex, really. And I love that about you, Raven."
He wraps his arm around me and spins me around. I give him a grin, my arms around his neck. Love.
"What about now, Raven?" he whispers. "Are you feeling?"
"Yes, Malchior. I always feel around you."
Always.
"How do you feel NOW, Raven?"
"Sickened," I say shortly, a lie and he knows it. I push open the metal door with perhaps a little too much force. "Welcome to the evidence room?"
"I'm evidence now? Of what? How STUPID you are?"
"I see the great dragon, so powerful, yet so mysteriously subdud by a single spell from a supposedly stupid teenage girl, is starting to feel a little miffed about how easily he can be locked away," I say, the bitter stream of words sharp as a razor as I put him on one of Robin's evidence stands.
He laughs.
"Sweet Raven…" he says smoothly as I stalk away, "You can out me in all the different rooms you like, but you will NEVER get me out of your head."
I slam the door on his voice forever.
That night, I snuggle into bed, content with the newfound silence of my room.
As I close my eyes, I hear something…ever so softly…
Sweet Raven…
My eyes snap open, and I look around wildly for the book. It's not in here. He can't be in here, and he can't contact me telepathically from this far away…
So it was only me.
I lay back down, closing my eyes and clutching my covers like a straightjacket around my body.
It was only me.