CLEANSING
by Concolor44
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Reviews & Responses
discb .. chapter 7
When Raven started to realize that it's not real my little cousin started to sing London Bridge... Creepy shit.
Creepy coincidences seem to happen a lot where fanfiction is concerned. I wouldn't worry about it. Just enjoy the goosebumps.
.. chapter 8
Utu bone? Huh...
I'd dig a titan channel...
So would I!
.. chapter 9
Either pose as bb, help remove Rae from Rage's clutches, or flat out take control.
Or … none of the above! Maybe. You'll find out.
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Caprichoso .. chapter 7
Holy crap. You're awesome.
I'm glad to see an update, but now I'm back to sitting on pins and needles for the next installment. Timid gone... will Raven overbalance and become reckless in the fight with the Justice League? Then again, Timid was largely absent before anyway.
Also, as a side note, I love how your mental voices in this and other pieces flow like free verse, largely aided by the formatting.
Thank you. And … thank you! I would like it even more if FFnet allowed the use of multiple fonts. Sadly, they do not. I've found that to be very effective in some cases. I think in the original incarnation of "Gone Wylde" (published on the Raccoon's Bookshelf in PDF format) I used over thirty different fonts. The effect was pleasing, I thought.
As for Timid being gone … heh. Have you been peeking at my notes?
.. chapter 8
Whoa.
You're back, and this is crazier than ever.
Kudos for the first time I've ever seen the word gelid. Not often that I get a new vocab word in English these days.
I'm assuming Rage soaked the city in blood for its magical purposes; there are a ton of uses for blood, and I'm guessing the blood of a specific kind of person killed in a specific way will augment whatever spell it's intended to facilitate.
Green Lantern's ring being lost via his hand is a wonderful touch, and it adds a whole new gravity to the story. Can't wait to see where this heads...
Rage has a lot of nastiness up her sleeve, and yes, the blood was useful for her ends. For one thing, it helped power the dark mantle covering the city. For another … well, that's for later.
Glad I could help as regards vocabulary. English is a lovely thing, and I love to work with it.
.. chapter 9
Jericho against Raven? Possession works if there's an unconscious body, but how to knock such a powerful sorceress unconscious? I'm guessing you've got something else up your sleeve here, though.
More great touches, and I can tell you're setting up for something even more awesome. Another wonderful chapter.
Heh! Thanks. I love such speculation, especially when it's slightly off-base. My Muse got a little convoluted with things here …
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skywiseskychan .. chapter 7
Killing Timid… think about the philosophical ramifications of that for a moment Rage. Just pause and think what that might mean. Also, Bravery, you have a piece of the roof in your hands. Think about that for a moment. Those scissors can cut through bronze, and perhaps have already made a hole in the roof from someone who is too busy being happy to worry over it.
Ah, you are wise, skywise-san! I think you will appreciate this chapter.
.. chapter 8
Hmm, well to answer your questions,
-an anti-magic bone presumably
-because it is part of a greater invocation, demons and blood tend to get along
-he could help bring raven back to herself or fight rage on a battlefield more easily dominated
Okay now that I've answered your three, I wonder even more what the rest of the watchtower is up to. They're clearly very upset, pissed off, and will they I wonder stoop to 'raven's' level in dealing with her or not? Black Canary seems willing to at this point.
You will see what the Watchtower is up to here! Now … whether or not it will do them any good remains to be seen.
.. chapter 9
Well given that I don't know who Jericho is... I can't really answer any of your questions. I like Batman's willingness to use terrible weapons on the earth so that the lanterns don't use terrible weapons on the earth... good job batman...
My only comment is that you mention the size of jump city's populace, and it should be FAAAAAAR to large to fit where you have it. Or the death toll has been simply atrocious. Now given you probably don't intend that I would recommend you change it to a cathedral in a park somewhere, and have every square inch of park surrounding the cathedral as well filled by people. That way you might, just possibly get enough there.
Assume 1 million people, with a "footprint" of 2 square feet to indicate how scrunched up they are. You would still need an area of 2million square feet. That is still a square with sides around 3000 feet each. Or 1000 yards. A big park. Ten football fields, etc, the size building you describe just wouldn't do. Besides from Rage's perspective a park would be better to see. Maybe a church graveyard just to be extra morbid.
Anyway Go Dr. Fate, I don't know you either but good luck!
We exchanged PMs on the population issue, but to reiterate … That was only a small fraction of the CITY'S population, totaling maybe two or three thousand people. It was just the locals, those within walking distance. There are other such concentrations around the city, and they don't include every last citizen. My bad on the explanation. You were right, it could have been a LOT clearer. (I should get an editor …)
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SepticMind .. chapter 8
I am SO sorry I haven't reviewed this recently. Been too busy to read but now I've caught up... this is so going onto my favourites list. Damn, you are so good at painting a picture you can actually see. A horrific, grotesque, disneyland that I am so far loving. Raven's take out of Green Lantern and J'onn was well done. Unless they can get J'onn back in time, and well, I'm starting to agree with Robin. I think they have lost Rae, and if they haven't, I don't think she'll want to regain control of her body if she ever learns what Rage has done. I know I wouldn't.
Right on several counts. We'll have to see what Raven's reaction is when everything hits the fan.
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Thanks so much for all the great reviews, guys! It really makes my day.
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CHAPTER TEN
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Nevermore, outside Rage's fortress
"I think we should make for my domain. It's defensible."
"Against Rage? My summation of that tactic is that Timid's demise has had a deleterious effect on your mental acuity."
The green-cloaked Emotion just stared at the one in yellow. "Huh?"
"She means," stated Insolence as she examined the contents of her nose, "that you're stupid."
"Hey!"
"Not stupid," corrected Knowledge, "just not thinking clearly. We must remain concealed."
None of the former captives knew for sure what had caused the massive earthquake that shivered the door to their prison. All they knew for sure was that it did enough damage that Bravery was able to open it afterward. They also knew that any event that could cause that much disturbance to Raven's mindscape must have been epic.
"Hide? You're kidding, right? We gotta fight this thing! If Raven …"
"I did not indicate that we would not fight, only that we would avoid detection."
Realization and a slow smile took over Bravery's face. "I get it. Guerrilla warfare."
"Precisely. And we need a place to make our plans in safety."
Joy piped up, "I bet we could do that in Timid's maze!"
"Yes. That had occurred to me." Knowledge's countenance fell somewhat. She began walking toward Timid's old portal. "She will have no more use for it. And perhaps we may avenge her, to a degree."
"Vengeance? You?" Bravery was clearly skeptical.
"Has it not occurred to you to think about what Timid's passing means for each of us?" Knowledge waved a hand around to take in the rest of the Emotions. "We are not pure. That would not be truly possible. Joy is primarily upbeat and positive, comical and relatable …"
"Yep! That's me!"
"… but she must also incorporate some Intelligence, a dash of Bravery, a soupcon of Impudence. Otherwise, 'one-dimensional' would not begin to describe her. All of us, therefore, contained a tiny portion of Timid, though given her primary function, the bulk of that aspect of Raven's psyche was bound up in her."
"Okay. I can see that. So?"
"I had long contemplated, as a sort of mental exercise, what would happen if one of the Aspects underwent full dissolution. Would her essence return to the central matrix, unbalancing Raven? Would it be split among us? If so, how evenly? How would it affect each of us? The ramifications were … intriguing." She glanced over at Bravery, then at Joy. "The thought I had not truly entertained was that an Aspect would cease utterly to be a part of Raven."
"And you think that's what happened?"
"I am certain of it. We could all feel it when she was … taken from us. Since that point I have felt myself become more aggressive, less … constrained. It is difficult now to consider plans of action that don't involve direct conflict. I make myself do it because I understand the wisdom of that path, but I must make myself do it; that mindset no longer comes naturally. I am sure each of you would realize the same differences if you think about it."
Joy nodded her head. "I wondered why I'd been feeling more … geez, what's a word? Flirty? Nah, that ain't it."
"Isn't. Please."
"Hah! Yeah, I can see it in you!"
Bravery said, "Y'know, I wondered why you were so eager to get into a scrap."
"Indeed. I do not believe I would be quite as invested in taking the battle to our former captors if one of them hadn't removed Timid from the equation."
A grin stretched wide on Bravery's face. "We'll just have to make sure they experience the error of their ways." She slapped a fist into her palm. "First-hand."
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Nevermore, inside a nameless rock
Okay, Raven, let's see if this all adds up.
You've been the victim of a hoax. A very cruel hoax. One designed for maximum distraction. And the distraction was so that you wouldn't see that you'd been hoodwinked into your own mindscape.
Gar is dead. He's really, really dead, and he's not coming back, and I can't go to wherever he is now. He doesn't have demonic forebears and a prophecy hanging over his head and the resources of a dimension to help with the whole resurrection thing. He's gone. He's going to stay gone, and my misery isn't going to make any difference to the outcome.
Timid was … excised from my psyche. Somehow. I can feel that she's gone. Completely. Maybe that's why I'm not frightened by my current circumstances. Azar knows I should be. Rage has …
Rage. She has had free reign with my body for … how long? Days? Weeks? That must not continue.
Indeed, that all does add up. Unfortunately.
I have to regain control.
Irritatingly, that is one of those things that is easy to propose, but tricky to effect. It will require much thought, much planning.
I should see about locating the other Emotions. Doubtless Rage has managed to sequester them, somehow … and it would be just like her to trap them in her old prison. I will check there first.
Now … how to move around without attracting Rage's attention? That, I believe, should be my next task.
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The Tower of Fate
Time, as one wag once put it, is nature's way of keeping everything from happening at once. Depending on which aspect of quantum mechanics one ascribes to, time may be variously described as the fourth dimension, a linear and deterministic arrangement of events, or nothing more than an illusion created by sentient beings to keep themselves marginally sane.
No matter. Time, as the characters in this tale understand it, does not exist inside the sanctum of the Lords of Order. One bit of fallout from that fact – a perk if you will – is that dust never accumulates in the Tower. Whether there is no dust there in the first place, or conditions exist that prevent said accumulation, will be left as a mental exercise for the reader.
In any case, Jericho was duly impressed by the cleanliness and order extant in the storage area where Dr. Fate had led him. The sorcerer opened an ornate wooden box and withdrew an oddly-shaped helmet, which he handed to the young man.
** This is the item you were telling me about? **
"Yes. You will put it on before we leave this place. It will render you undetectable by arcane or psychic means as long as you are on Earth."
Solemnly, Jericho placed it on his head. There was a tiny flash of light, several muted clicking noises, and then the helmet expanded to cover his head, neck and shoulders. As soon as it reached its limits, it faded to no more than a smoky outline.
** You say I will still be able to operate my power with this on? **
"It will not affect it in the slightest."
** This would be a great thing to have on missions. **
"Indeed it might … were it not for certain side effects associated with long-term use."
Jericho blinked a few times and signed, ** What do you mean? **
"If it is worn for longer than three days, or more than three times in the span of a year, the user stands a very good chance of becoming permanently intangible. And before you begin to think that such a fate might not be all that bad, recall that he would be unable to touch food or drink. His existence thereafter would be painful and brief."
** I will keep that in mind. **
"See that you do. I will place you as close as I can, but you will still have a lengthy walk ahead of you before you reach your goal."
** I will do my best, sir. **
"I know you will." He handed Jericho the battered titanium case and led the way back to the central chamber.
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The Watchtower
The Flash popped into the targeting control room. "Hey, Bruce."
"Barry."
"Clark and Diana want to see you."
He looked up from his console. "Where?"
"Communications."
"Is this about …"
"The President, yeah."
That pulled an aggrieved sigh from Batman. "I told them not to tell him."
"And you knew it wouldn't do any good."
"Yes. I did." He stood and trotted out into the hall.
When they got to the space station's communications hub, it was to find two very agitated heroes and a President that was nearly apoplectic. Superman insisted, "Mr. President, I don't like this any more than you do. Possibly less. But we have little in the way of options."
"You are NOT gonna blow away one of my cities! You hear me? I'll have you banished from the planet! You'll have to hide on the coldest asteroid in …"
"Mr. Jameson," interrupted Batman, "you will be so kind as to shut up."
The very audacity of that statement reduced the "leader of the Free World" to sputtering incoherence.
Batman leaned in close to the video pickup. "Do you suppose, even for a second, that we have not considered every other avenue?"
"My cities are …"
"Doomed, if the Lantern Corps decides that Raven is too dangerous to simply contain. And they might. This is a last-ditch effort to prevent the destruction of the continent, and possibly the planet, and frankly you have no say in how it turns out. We will expend every effort in trying to avert such a catastrophe, but when you balance a million or so lives against the half-billion just in North America, the point is rather moot."
"You will not fire …"
"We notified you of our contingency as a show of respect for your office, not to get your permission. So be advised." He broke the connection and stood straight.
"Well that was diplomatic," observed Wonder Woman.
"You weren't going to change his mind, and he was only wasting your time."
The other three heroes looked at each other. Flash shrugged and zipped out of the room. Wonder Woman gave her head a rueful shake and followed him.
Superman cleared his throat. "So …"
"Yes. The M.A.M.E. is primed. And we are in a geosynchronous orbit that gives us line-of-sight on Jump City. Or what's left of it."
"I don't suppose you've heard …"
"Not a word. Not a breath. The only way I know they're still in the Tower is that two life signs show up when I scan the place."
"I hope your faith isn't misplaced."
Batman turned to stare at his friend. "You mean 'this time', don't you?"
"… Well …"
"No. You're right. I suppose we should have given Zatanna more credit. But Raven's own very extensive efforts to combat her demonic heritage …"
"I know."
"Hindsight."
"Yeah."
"How's Hal?"
Relieved at the change of subject, Superman answered, "He'll be in the autodoc for another day, maybe two. The hand is regenerating nicely."
"Good." Glancing at a nearby chronometer, he said, "We may have to pry him out of it in thirty-two hours whether he's fully healed or not. He might be able to buy us some time when the other Lanterns get here."
"I'll pass that on to Dr. Brown." Taking a couple of steps toward the door, he looked back at Batman and asked, "When was the last time you ate?"
"Had a couple of protein bars …" He frowned in thought for a few seconds. "Hmm. Okay, that explains the hunger."
"Come on. Let's see what the chef has lying around."
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Titans' Tower
After connecting the final ground wire, Robin asked, "How's that?"
"I got eighty-three percent on the gain. You got one net left, right?"
"Right. Where'd you say you wanted it?"
The cybernetic teen studied his readouts. "I think the best spot would be … okay, there's a microwave array on the south side of the Tower, hangin' from the underside of …"
"Got it. I know where that is."
"Good. If you'd string that last net between the nearest city-side window and the end of the array, that ought to get me over ninety percent."
"I'll have it up in ten."
Victor leaned back in his seat, eyes darting from one to another of the half-dozen monitors. He'd analyzed the energy patterns in the dark mantle covering Jump City, and felt fairly confident that his design would penetrate it. The specifications for his device were bundled up nicely and would shortly be sent to the Watchtower in a microburst.
After Robin's last attempt at reasoning with Raven before they left the city, the (quite obviously) insane empath had not deigned to notice them. They hoped that wasn't just a ruse. But … there'd been no interference so far, so either she didn't know what they were doing, or (more likely) didn't consider them enough of a threat to do anything about it.
Fifteen minutes later, Robin jogged into the room. "You get ninety?"
"Almost ninety-two."
"That'll have to be enough."
"Yeah, let's hope." He tapped in a lengthy series of commands and then looked up at Robin. "Here goes nothin'."
The focused energy flux was invisible, but its effect on the eldritch pall was not. The darkness writhed and tore and broke … for all of five seconds, before every circuit in the Tower arced and blew. A couple of breaths later, the emergency generator kicked in, bathing the room in red light. They looked at each other and sighed.
Robin.
Both teens jerked upright. "Raven?"
You should come to the main room.
Now.
Cyborg flicked on his shoulder-mounted lamp and they bolted. Twenty seconds later, the large doors yielded to his fingers.
Raven – or a semblance of Raven – floated in front of the huge bank of windows, the afternoon sunlight outlining her form. On either hand floated a plastic five-gallon bucket.
Robin, I told you before not to try my patience.
"Raven, please, if you'd just listen for a …"
This is going to serve as your final warning.
The buckets floated toward the boys, who watched them warily. Robin asked, "What is that?"
When they got to the center of the room, the buckets flipped over, spilling a decent-sized pile of off-white chips of … something … onto the floor.
Those are Captain Gerard's bones.
Robin's skin crawled so fiercely it hurt. "… What?"
And here is the rest of him.
An inky portal opened in the air, and the man in question fell through it onto the floor beside his bones, hitting the carpet like a wet sock. Robin knew instantly that he was still alive … but just as certainly, he knew the Captain couldn't possibly survive like that. Without bones, there was nothing to anchor the diaphragm. Very soon he would suffocate, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
This would not have been necessary
if you had left well enough alone.
But you just couldn't.
And this man paid the price for your hubris.
He turned haunted eyes her way, completely at a loss for any response.
Think well on this, Robin.
Think long and well.
And she vanished.
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A/N: What was it that Robin had said before? She's escalating? Yeah, you might say that.
Kindly let me know your thoughts. And thanks for reading!