"Hey, what gives?" piped up a squeaky, high-pitched voice from behind Raven. Robin leaned to the right in order to see the little pink-haired girl sitting in the edge of a fallen wall. She had a disgruntled expression on her features, like someone promised a nice cream cone and getting a sticker of one instead. Raven didn't turn, but she did lower her arms a fraction.

"You said this world would bow before us, not some guy named Trigon."

"Lord Trigon," Raven corrected in an imperious voice, though she spoke more as an afterthought than as a reprimand. "He is my father. He is the greatest of all the demon lords. It is my destiny to return him to this plane of existence." Jinx sniffed.

"He must not be all that powerful if he's counting on you to free him. If you ask me, cut him loose and keep all this power for yourself. I mean, sure, this place is a dump now, but just imagine the possibilities. A whole planet all bowing down at your feet."

"Dude, I think I'm in love," whispered Kid Flash, leaning over Robin's shoulder to get a closer look at the petite girl lounging comfortably in front of Raven's terrifying new persona. Robin elbowed him lightly in the ribs to get him to shut up. He narrowed his eyes at Jinx. What was her angle? Whose side was she on? He had to give it to her, she had Raven's full attention, and what she was saying seemed to be getting through to her.

"You know not what you say, human. Lord Trigon is ruler of all things."

"Even you? And here I thought you were a girl after my own heart. Whatevs, I'm out." She slipped daintily from her perch and started sauntering off in the opposite direction. Raven turned to watch her go. Robin held his breath at the conflicted look that crossed her features.

Suddenly a black arm of power shot out and snatched Jinx off the ground. She wriggled indignantly as Raven pulled her back in front of her. Slowly, Raven dropped from the sky until her feet touched the ground. The rage was fading from her aura. The winds whipping her hair back from her face started to die down.

"You dare turn your back on me?" Raven's voice no longer sounded as though it was overlaid by a dozen voices. There were perhaps only five there now. Jinx glared.

"You're going to want to put me down before something bad happens," said Jinx darkly, wriggling her right arm free. Raven smirked and her upper pair of eyes closed.

"You think to intimidate me?" Only two voices now. Jinx flicked an eyebrow toward her hairline.

"I'm just saying, ticking me off is kinda like twirling through a hall of mirrors with a sledgehammer. You won't be around long enough to outlive the bad luck I can send your way."

Raven actually laughed, and while the sound wasn't one that the others were very familiar with, it was definitely all hers. She set Jinx on the ground and bowed her head. As Robin watched, the four pairs of red glowing eyes faded seamlessly back into her skin. It was one of the creepiest things he'd ever seen.

"Thanks," said Raven quietly. "I needed that." She was panting slightly, and Robin suspected that she had barely managed to crawl back from the dark place she had been about to descend into. Jinx shrugged and Robin might have believed her cavalier attitude if he didn't catch the light trembling in her fingers before she balled them into fists and folded her arms across her chest. She realized how close she had come to disaster. He applauded her quick thinking.

"Ain't no way you'll ever catch me taking orders from some man, and you shouldn't either." At that, she suddenly turned at shot Robin a pointed look. His eyes widened in affront. And there he'd been giving her a compliment in his mind. Raven gasped suddenly and grasped for Jinx's shoulder. Jinx gave herself away again when she flinched away. A ripple went through Raven's frame, and her violet eyes rolled back into her head. Jinx squealed as Raven fainted at her feet. No one said a word or made any move to go to her aid. Jinx scowled at them.

"Well don't just stand there, do something!" she snapped. Robin, Kid Flash, Beast Boy, and Speedy exchanged dubious looks. Beast Boy held up his hands and backed away shaking his head.

"No way dude, that was seriously creepy."

"I'm with the green guy," said Speedy, straight-faced. Kid Flash glanced from Jinx's increasingly furious face to Robin's stoic one and laughed.

"All I'm going to say is that you're in serious trouble in that tower of yours when their cycles sync." Jinx snapped her fingers, and a whip of pink light knocked Kid Flash off his feet.

"Ouch! Hey, what was that for?"

"Because you're an idiot. Now get over her and help me," she snapped. Kid Flash turned his back on her as he got slowly to his feet. He took the opportunity to grin at Robin before he arranged his features into a more put-upon expression. Oh yes, it was definitely love, thought Robin sarcastically. He started to follow Wally to help Raven when he heard a beeping sound coming from somewhere behind him. Speedy squawked and spun with his fists raised at the hulking mass that was Cyborg. The sound was coming from his right ear. Cautiously, Robin stepped toward the fallen Titan and inspected the right side of his head. There was a small metal box just behind the flesh of his ear. He recognized it instantly. He whooped excitedly and punched the air with his fist.

"So, not a bomb then...?" Speedy drawled, lowering his arms.

"It's a tracker. Flash must have tagged him while they were working on the ship. They're coming. Come on guys, let's go back to the stadium and flag them down!" Robin was euphoric. They were saved! They were going to get off this planet. He didn't even care about all the lectures he would hear from Bruce.

"We're going back in there?" Beast Boy whimpered. "Where Starfire...?"

Robin's joy exploded in a blaze of guilt and pain. Starfire... How could he have forgotten? Could he really walk back in there now? What if her body...? No, he owed her a proper burial if there was anything left to bury. She was a princess. Her people would want to receive her remains. A huge weight settled over his shoulders and he wiped his hands over his face, wearier than he had ever been in his life. His head began to swim again. His legs shook beneath him and gave out. He growled his frustration. They needed to get to an open space where the Justice League could land... He needed to find Starfire... His team still needed him...

Darkness took him.

A/N: a little lightheartedness after all that tension. Hope you don't feel cheated out of a Trigon showdown. I figured with everything she's going through Raven would loose some of her control. Her relationships with the team aren't established enough for them to be the reason to bring her out of it yet, so I figured a little teenage rebellion mixed with girl power would do the trick. Jinx is perfect for that. The drama's not over yet though. The League is none too happy with Robin right now. Not at all...