Disclaimer: Teen Titans isn't mine.
Oh gawd, it's happening. It's actually happening. I, uh, claim no responsibility for what occurs in this chapter. ._.
Jinx?
I'm comin'!
I feel like I'm dying...
Don't say stuff like that!
...
Rae, I'm here! Just hold on, I'll get ya out of there in a sec.
...
Click. Click. Click.
The lock turned and the door swung open. Jinx rushed forward.
"Hey," her voice trembled, "hey, look at me. Rae?"
The demoness moaned. She tried lifting her head, but found that her body had no strength left in it.
"Hold tight. I'll get ya free."
The pinkette inserted a small metal pick into one of the holes of the shackles chaining Raven's wrists. It came free - she turned her attention to the second one, then down toward the chains around Raven's ankles.
As the metal came free, the violet haired girl collapsed forward. Jinx caught her and sank down to the ground, stroking her hair.
"Hey."
Raven's face trembled with pain. It seared through her whole body in a constant, burning sensation, setting her nerve endings alight with electricity. The agonizing hurt tore through her like blood from a wound, a fan of knives cutting her apart from the inside out. And yet...
She somehow managed to fight it down and even give Jinx a tiny smile.
"Hey."
Jinx moved forward, then stopped and laughed softly. "I was 'bout to hug ya, but seein' how you're so bruised..."
"Yes, no hugs please. We need to focus on how to get out of here. Hold my hand."
"'Kay."
Raven grimaced, then summoned her powers. "We're stuck in a tiny maze, but it's not too hard to see how we can get out. The problem is, we have to get all the way to the top, since that's where the escape pods are. And that means going right past their main control station and meeting room."
"Ooh, there's a self-destruct button too."
"Let's just get out of here first before thinking about anything like that."
"But Rae, we could totally take 'em all down in one go and-"
"Or," Raven squeezed her eyes shut. "We can get out alive."
The structure around them rumbled a bit. Jinx paled, then looked back at Raven's pained expression. "Yeah. Sorry. Let's get the the hell outta here. Can you walk?"
"... yeah. I think so." The demoness got up tentatively, rolling her ankles and wrists. "We just need to go slowly and try to not get caught."
"Mkay. Guess I'll lead then?"
"That... would probably be good." Raven's voice tightened as a wave of pain surged through her, but she forced it to the back of her mind.
She held onto Jinx's hand as they began moving. The pinkette spared her a worried look, but decided not to press the issue at the insistence in Raven's eyes.
It was dark all around. The lights were yellowish and dim in these halls. There were doors to containment cells lining the metallic floors and walls. The violet haired girl's forearms tensed as she tried to draw upon her powers again, but the strain was too much - she had no energy left to give. Another sharp, searing sensation tore through her body, prompting Jinx to turn immediately.
"Rae, you gotta stop," she whispered. "You're killin' yourself."
The demoness gasped and sank down to the ground. Her head throbbed painfully. Bright lights flashed behind her eyelids. A ringing noise in her ears only added to the painful jumble, amplifying the ache in each muscle fiber and bone.
"Rae!"
The violet haired girl didn't respond. She slumped down farther, nearly unconscious. Jinx bit her lip and picked Raven up again. She looked around frantically. Think I saw a medic room or somethin' when Rae was projectin' this place to me. Gotta find it fast.
She turned a couple corners. Gah! Where is it? This place is a mess, and I kinda don't remember which way to go. Hmm. Gotta hope for a bit of luck.
"C'mon," Jinx whispered, frustrated. "Stay with me."
Raven groaned. "Jinx..."
"I'm here."
"That way." She pointed to the left.
Jinx nodded immediately and rushed down the hall. Finding a room with a red cross above it, she entered and closed the door behind her. She left the lights off, and after a moment, her eyes began glowing.
"Uhh. What the hell do I even feed you?" Pink eyes shifted around rapidly. "Dunno. Aspirin, maybe? Let's try it."
The pinkette opened a bottle and put a small pill in Raven's mouth. The demoness coughed, then swallowed. A moment later, she blinked and shook her head.
"Look for a blue liquid," she whispered hoarsely.
"Blue... blue. Something like this?" Jinx held up a small vial of glowing fluid.
Raven nodded slightly.
"'Kay. Open up."
Jinx tilted Raven's chin up and poured it slowly down her throat. The violet haired girl gagged a little, but swallowed without problem. She coughed a little, but after several minutes, her eyes opened and her breathing was a little less labored than before.
"Better?"
"A little."
"What was that?"
"A cleanser." Raven muttered. "It suppresses and removes magical effects. Unfortunately, this also means my powers are gone for the time being."
"But least you're not hurt, right?"
The demoness stood, then winced. "It still stings. But I am not dying, no."
"Great. 'Cuz I can still use my hexes 'n stuff-"
"I do hope you can fight them off alone."
Jinx paled, raising her hands. "Heh, uh... not really..."
"There's an armory nearby. Not sure it will be much help, but we can check it out."
"Might as well. You sure you okay?"
"Yes. I'm fine. We should - oh." Raven's voice got caught in her throat and she took a step back. "We have a problem."
"Rae?" Jinx moved toward her friend, but a strong arm encircling her waist stopped her.
"Yes, you do." A deep voice growled out from the darkness.
"Let her go." Raven spoke coldly, a hint of nervousness creeping into her voice.
"You're in no position to bargain."
"Am I?"
The demoness leapt forward, but was kicked down easily. A foot came stomping on her chest and she coughed up a bit of blood as her rib began to crack.
"Rae- mmpf!"
"Now listen. You can stop resisting, and I can put you back in your cells without a fight, or you can-"
"Hell if I'm gonna let that happen."
Pink light flared, but the dark figure grabbed Jinx's arm and twisted it back. The pinkette shrieked as the bones in her forearm cracked. Her eyes squeezed shut in the darkness and she gave off another soft whimper when her arm broke cleanly near the shoulder. Raven thrashed around wildly beneath, but a quick stomp down broke several ribs and she quieted as well, knowing that Batman would beat them down harder if she tried to fight.
"Fine," Jinx's voice was tight and hurt. Her left arm hung uselessly by her side. "Just please don't hurt her anymore. Please."
At the desperation in Jinx's voice, Batman nodded and removed his foot from the demoness's chest. The violet haired girl curled in, clutching her wounded chest. For an instant, she felt a tiny bit of pity in the back of her mind, but it was quickly replaced by a sensation of coldness, of alienation.
He wants to pity me because I look like just another girl. But he knows I'm a demon. And that's enough for him to kill us both mercilessly if he needs to. Just because I'm a demon. Raven shook her head. And because I killed his friends. Of course I couldn't expect any less.
Her eyes shifted up as Batman began cuffing Jinx's arms. She cried out again, the pain from her broken left arm shooting up her body from the sudden movement.
He's hurting her. He doesn't care anymore. Not that any of them ever did. She's just a criminal to them. I'm just a demon. Even if we hadn't done all this, they wouldn't have cared. They stuck her in that jail even when she was trying to be their friend. They left her there to die. Now, the only difference is that they are actively trying to kill us. Well... what's done is done. But for Jinx's sake...
For Jinx's sake, I have to get us out of here.
She deserves to live.
...
I have to try.
...
Move, Raven, move!
With a low growl, Raven rose and tackled the dark knight to the ground in a surprisingly swift motion. A quick palm thrust came up between her breasts, putting extra strain on her already broken ribs, but she spat out the blood into his face and held him down as best she could, mustering up what little remained of her strength. Behind her, Jinx took aim.
As a pink bolt of energy flew through the air, a knee came up between the demoness's legs - she jerked back again, feeling the impact of the blow doubly so against her sensitive areas - and darted away. Batman raised his cloak and the hex made contact with the dark cloth. Almost instantly, electricity began racing through his suit as all the electronic components malfunctioned.
"Let's go!" Raven grabbed Jinx's hand and tugged her toward the door.
They made a mad dash down the hall, through a couple doorways, up a flight of stairs, then another, before Raven started coughing up blood again. Despite her best efforts, she found that she simply could not hold it in; it wasn't the pain this time, but simply the fact that she couldn't breathe properly. Jinx took a deep breath, then grabbed her friend with her good arm and dragged her into a nearby room.
Raven's eyes opened a sliver. "We can't stall for too long. Your hex only grazed his suit, not him."
"I know, but you're like... ugh, Rae." Jinx's eyes watered as she put a couple fingers to her friend's chest. Her hands trembled. "Why do you have to get hurt for me..?"
"Because," Raven whispered. "It's what friends do, right?"
Jinx wiped her eyes, smiling a little. "Yeah. They stick out for each other. Nobody's willin' to do that nowadays."
"Besides us, apparently."
"Yeah."
The pinkette slumped down, resting her injured arm on Raven's stomach. Raven sighed, then closed her eyes. It was quiet and still. In the darkness, even here, it was calm again. Up here, up out in space, it was all gone. There were no constant sirens from the police cars and ambulances, nor the horrified screaming of a chorus of tortured voices, nor the agony of an indefinite number of souls, nor the insanity and depravity that ran rampant in the dark cities of the human world. Up here, it was a numbed heaven, upon which they could not even see the chaotic hell below. Up here, all was calm and serene.
Raven took a short breath.
"I get it now."
"You get what?"
"Why they found it so easy to ignore the predicament of those beneath them."
Jinx tilted her head.
"Why do you think they thought it was easier to ignore you?"
"Because... 'cause... oh. 'Cuz it's easier that way."
"Why dwell in misery if you don't have to?"
"But I mean... I mean come on."
"We're creatures that were born in Hell. Different ones, but still. They are, by analogy, the angels. They look down from above, but choose to be blind to the plight of those they pretend to save. They dabble in a bit of 'good' here and there, and call it good enough. And they get to be unaffected by it. Must be nice."
"Rae, you're not seriously..."
"I'm not," the demoness sighed. "I'm just musing about how we have had to struggle. And none of them really have. Not the way we have."
"Ohhh. Yeah, I get it. Must be nice. But we're not like that."
"No, we're not." Raven laughed softly, before coughing again. "I think my lungs are in the process of collapsing," she grimaced. "At the very least, I don't think I can take another beating."
"Me neither."
The violet haired girl groaned, then sat up. "Well, look at where we landed. The armory. Convenient."
"You really think so?" Jinx stood as well, looking around.
They dared not turn on the lights, but given that both of them were used to seeing in the dark, it wasn't a big deal. They could make out the shapes of dim weaponry lining a bunch of shelves. There were swords and bows of many different types, amulets and carvings - many of which were designed specially for demons - assorted spellbooks, and...
"Guns," Jinx ran her fingers over the top of one of the barrels. "Ya know, most of these guys hate guns. 'Specially Batman."
Raven shrugged. "They are hypocritical enough that I don't think they would hesitate to use them, if the situation truly called for it."
"Yeah. Still." The pinkette shuddered. "I never realized how scary they were 'till now. Just thinkin' about it, it's like all it takes is one shot. Bam. And you're dead. Or if it goes in the wrong place, you're paralyzed. Like, one of these bad boys could probably put a hole in even you. If the bullet got that far."
"Yes, they probably could," Raven said softly. "They are never scary until you're on the receiving end."
It was silent. Jinx lifted one up nervously, then put it back. She shook her head.
"I never liked them. Even if they're good weapons."
"It's fine. You can stock up on knives in here, at least. I think I could use a couple too."
"Yeah." Jinx tore her eyes away. "You're right. Knives are better for when we get up close 'n personal anyway."
"That's one way to look at it." Raven turned, then gasped softly.
She put a finger to her lips. Jinx understood immediately. Both of them crouched down right as the door to the armory opened. A large, muscular man stepped inside. He put a hand to his hear, evidently listening to someone communicate to him from farther up.
"No, Shayera, I don't believe the cameras caught sight of them. Yes, Bruce is fine, but his gadgets are messed up. I think I heard them from somewhere around here. I'm checking it out now. Put the whole station on lockdown. We'll take them down, no matter what. Get ready to self-destruct, if it comes to it."
The two girls shared a glance. Both of them knew that they were thinking the same thing. If he catches us, we're fucked.
Superman stepped in farther. Jinx jerked her head for Raven to move; they were going to get caught if they stayed where they were. It was too open - he was sure to see them. Luckily, the superhero was still talking on his communicator, so he failed to hear very soft shuffling of their movements. Raven's eyes shifted.
The pinkette had ducked into a closet, barely able to squeeze inside. It was tempting to go join her - having the other girl near her made her feel more comfortable - but she instinctively knew that they would be caught if they stuck together, and besides, it didn't seem like there was spare room inside.
She took a deep breath and darted away silently. There was a large, metal box attached to the floor nearby; it was already open. She took a quick look inside and found that it was empty. But if I just get inside and he happens to open it, he'll see me instantly. I need better cover.
Raven's eyes shifted. There are a bunch of armored clothes laying around, though. And cloaks. If I can just gather some of them without alerting him... She stretched a hand out and managed to grab a few articles of clothing. Abruptly, Superman stopped. He turned.
"Hello? Anyone there?"
Raven froze. Shit. He's coming.
He took a step forward. She tilted her eyes slightly and saw that he was two shelves away from her, near the cabinet where Jinx was at. His attention, however, seemed to be diverted in directly the opposite direction, near the entrance to the room itself. So he heard something from outside? Well, whatever the case, this is my chance.
There was a faint noise from outside. Superman turned completely. Raven took a deep breath, then grabbed several more cloaks, then slid into the metal box. She piled the clothes on top of herself, then waited.
"Bruce? Is that you?"
"Clark," Batman's voice was a little hoarse.
"My God, you're hurt!"
"It looks worse than it is. I'll be fine after a bit of patching in the infirmary. The issue is, I'll need to head back down sometime to restock on my weapons."
"That can wait until we've caught them."
"Yes. Once they're back in the cells, or they're dead, I'll head down."
Raven reached up and closed the box's top as they finished talking. It was quiet again as Batman left. She held her breath as Superman began walking around again. His footsteps pounded in rhythm with her heartbeat. They felt loud and echoing in the otherwise complete silence of the darkened room. A bead of sweat ran down her cheek, hanging near her jaw. There was an itch on her shin. The piles of clothing created a sweltering heat in the cramped box.
It was maddening. All of it drove her crazy, but she knew that she could not move. Given his enhanced hearing, he would notice in a moment. So, she ground her teeth together and tried to ignore it, instead focusing on where he was.
He stepped between shelves again. The pounding rhythm of each step grew louder as he drew closer. She felt her breath catch in her throat. He's coming. Oh Azar, he's coming.
Raven squeezed her eyes shut. In that cramped position, her ribs began stinging again. It wasn't like she hadn't dealt with broken bones before, but somehow, the dreadful silence made it all worse. It was like a fire had been lit in her chest, each nerve ablaze with agony - it was sheer torment, but one that she had to hold in lest he find her.
It was as quiet as ever. Strained tension hung in the air. Raven held her breath, not even daring to breathe. It was as if merely exhaling would cause the still, glass world around her to break in pieces. Yes, it was like a world made of the most delicate crystal; one false move, and it would all come crashing down.
Her brain began to protest even as Superman came closer. The heat and lack of oxygen made her delirious. Bright spots of light flashed cross her vision. The further tightening sensation in her chest told her that she was slowly suffocating herself. And yet...
He's here!
He was standing right in front of the box.
Oh Azar. He knows. He has to know. He has X-ray vision... wait. Metal stops that stuff. He can't know. He can't have seen me with that. So why is he just standing there? Did he... did he hear me? He had to have heard me. Oh no.
Raven's chest constricted yet further. Her lungs were screaming at her to breathe, but her brain forced her to hold it. Darkness began to cloud her mind as the lack of oxygen began to drive her unconscious.
Even so, her heart leapt in her body as the top to the box opened. He has to know. He has to know. Ahhh... I can't...
Her eyes rolled up; without air, her body could no longer function properly. It was only on reflex that she flinched when Superman reached down and pulled a couple of the cloaks away.
Fortunately, she had stacked on many layers, so he didn't notice that there was actually a person hiding under the clothes. And, luckily, very luckily, he hadn't decided to use his X-ray vision to look through them.
She continued holding her breath. Her brain forced her eyes shut. Her ears stopped working. All she could feel was the pounding of her heart through her whole body. Just a little longer. Just a bit... Raven bit her lip so hard that she drew blood. The iron taste of crimson liquid was bitter in her mouth.
...
Abruptly, against her will, her brain shut down entirely and the tension in her muscles drained away. She blacked out.
Just for a moment.
...
Blink. Blink.
...
Shit!
Everything came back into focus. Especially the pain. It took all of her willpower to refrain from gasping, and even more than that to force herself to not move at all. Did he catch me? Did - okay no. He's walking away. I got lucky. So very lucky...
Raven took a small breath and shifted into a more comfortable position. She continued listening carefully.
He's going to the right. So he's checking the other side of the room now. It seems like he's looking through all the cabinets and boxes, since he can't just see through them with his vision. Wait, but... oh no. That means he'll find Jinx! Oh Azar... I hope she managed to cover herself up somehow...
Superman continued walking. A metal door creaked as he opened it.
The movement was incredibly fast.
Even before the pinkette could raise an arm or throw a hex or anything, he was gripping her right wrist and restraining her against the back of the cabinet. Seeing that she wasn't struggling, however, he loosened his grip on her a little and pulled her out.
Somehow, she managed to keep a small grin on her face. "Damn. How'd you know?"
"Thought I heard you breathing in there. I was ready."
"Oh. Well shit."
Superman raised an eyebrow. "What made you think sneaking out of your cell was a good idea? It's not like you two can escape."
"Was worth a shot."
"Oh, really." He eyed her broken arm. "All you've done is make us injure you more."
"Not like you really care."
Superman's eyes were hard. "In your case, yes, we do care a little."
"Why? 'Cuz I was one of you? And you don't give a shit about Rae at all?"
"She is, for lack of a better phrase, doomed. Her death is certain. Speaking of which, where is she?"
"Dunno." Jinx's movement and response were both quite natural. Her eyes narrowed. "Last I checked, she was nearly bleedin' out from the beatin' that asshole gave her. I wanted to take her back to the infirmary, but she said you were comin', so we split. I guess she probably tried to go back there."
Raven frowned. She's good at lying to them. So she's trying to protect me? I mean, yes, they do seem to be more lenient with her, but... Jinx, that's really dangerous! Urgh. I have to do something about this.
The demoness breathed out and wormed her way quietly through the piles of clothing above her. It was quiet enough that Superman didn't notice above the sound of their conversation.
"You're not lying to me, are you?"
"Dude."
"You don't look like you're lying, at least. But if, say, she were in this room nearby..."
"You already checked."
"Not in here." Superman grabbed the door to a nearby cabinet and flung it open.
It was empty. Jinx snickered. "Like I said. She's not here."
The superhero grunted, then held his free hand to his ear. "Hawkgirl, Batman, the demon's still missing. I've got Jinx. I'll put her back in her cell. In the meantime, keep your eyes out. Self-destruct if necessary."
Right. They'd suicide bomb themselves if it meant getting rid of us. Well, I could do several things here. I could let him take Jinx back to her cell and try to do something on my own. But... I can't take the risk of escaping by myself. If they find out I left, they could kill her as soon as that happened. I could try to sneak Jinx out of her cell after he takes her back but... ugh. No. I think we have to fight here. I have to catch him off guard. Keep distracting him!
Her eyes appeared above the rim of her box. Jinx caught sight after a moment, and catching the glare the demoness gave her, understood what she had to do.
"Say," she spoke suddenly. "You think that's really necessary?"
"What is?"
"Blowin' yourselves up. Just to get rid of us two."
"You two are enough of a threat-"
"Yeah, but if you guys are gone, then who's gonna save the world? I mean, c'mon," Jinx's voice was sly, almost mirthful. "It's just 'cause you hate Rae's guts. Isn't that the real reason?"
Superman's brows furrowed and he raised a fist to hit her. Jinx stared unflinchingly as it came flying toward her. At the last possible second, right before he would have broken her nose, Superman stopped.
"Not gonna hit me?"
"I don't assault defenseless girls. This is pointless. It would be an immature and irresponsible thing for me to do."
"Oooh, so that's how it is. 'Kay, 'kay. But that just means I was right. Why do you guys hate her so much anyway?"
"Isn't that obvious? She killed-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know that, I was there too. Doesn't explain why you hate her way more than you hate me."
"That's none of your business."
"It's 'cuz you're totally biased. Face it. It's since she's a demon, so you guys are just more scared of her. And you think she's automatically evil or something."
"That's-"
"Very perceptive," Raven's voice broke through as she thrust a sword down.
The metal pierced straight through Superman's abdomen before he could react. He froze for a moment, stunned by the sudden attack. Raven didn't hesitate. A second blow pierced his chest, and then a third cut an arm clean off.
"Fine blade you have here. Slices really well. I do have to say, though," Raven leaned in close as the hero began groaning with pain. "You might be tough. But your weakness has always been underestimating your enemy. Just because Jinx is there doesn't mean she's helpless. You heroes will always be weaker than us. And that's not because you're weaker in terms of raw strength."
She thrust the sword in his stomach again, turning it in circles. "It's because you don't know how to kill when you need to do it. And it's because you're terrible at reading other people."
Raven withdrew the blade, moving to cut at him again. Superman grunted and twisted his body. A spurt of blood from one of his arteries hit Raven in the face, blinding her momentarily. She gasped and tripped back.
"Don't count me out either," Superman gurgled blood out his throat. "I'll take you to Hell with me if I have to."
The demoness aimed the blade at his head. Despite his wounded state, however, he was still faster. The sword nicked his cheek - he countered with a powerful strike to her stomach. Raven grunted and dropped, clutching her stomach while trying to wipe the blood from her eyes.
"Rae!"
Jinx hurled a hex at the wounded hero, but he managed to dodge again. A powerful punch flew toward the pinkette's head, but Raven responded by grabbing onto his shoulders and restraining his movements with as much strength as she could possibly muster. A sharp kick up between his legs produced a satisfying squawk, then a blade jammed into his lower back dropped him again.
Still, as she tried to finish him off again, Superman resisted, flinging her to the side. Another hex flew at him. It clipped his cloak, which promptly tore in two and got caught on a loose nail nearby when he tried to get up.
"Just die," Raven hissed, rising again.
"Rae, behind you!"
She chucked the sword aside and haphazardly tried dodging; it failed and a spike worked its way into her thigh, piercing the flesh to the bone. Hawkgirl raised her mace again.
"Say your prayers."
The mace came flying at her. Raven tried desperately to move, but her leg was numb from the force of the blow. The light from the doorway sparkled off of the bright metal, a wave of searing radiance breaking through the thick darkness. The swing was slow, but powerful. Instinctively, she knew that it would kill her instantly. She closed her eyes and looked away. Guess this is it.
...
There was a slight grunt from above her. Raven's eyes opened slowly.
"Jinx?"
"Don't you dare give up," the pinkette hissed.
Raven squinted. Something didn't seem right. Something - shit... oh Azar...
The mace drew back. Jinx slumped down, clutching her stomach, where several of the spikes had punctured deep into her body. Hawkgirl grimaced.
"As much as I admire your loyalty to each other, this is going to end here and now. I don't give a shit about what Waller says. You two are too dangerous to let live. It's nothing personal."
Raven gasped. "Get the hell out of the here!" Her eyes widened, filling with fear.
"Kiss my ass, bitch," Jinx smirked, then ground her teeth and blocked the second hit with her legs.
This time, when the mace withdrew, the pinkette was already on the floor, eyes half closed. She panted for breath, bleeding everywhere. Raven's eyes bled crimson. She tried moving again; this time her leg twitched. She can't take another hit or she'll actually die! I need to do something! I need-
"Stop!" Raven cried out, panic flooding into her voice. "Please... she doesn't deserve this. Kill me all you want. But please don't punish her just for trying to protect me."
"That desperate, are you? Too bad. I've set my mind on this. But, I suppose I can get rid of you first. If that makes you feel any better."
The demoness's eyes darkened. Now or never. Move!
The mace came flying at her. At the last possible second, she rolled over, dodging the hit. Simultaneously, Jinx miraculously kicked at Hawkgirl's legs, causing the hero to stumble a little. Raven flew forward and tackled her to the ground. She raised a fist.
And then a pair of red beams flew out of the darkness, piercing straight through one of her kidneys. She gasped, arching her back. The winged hero kicked her off, then grabbed her mace again.
"You recovered fast."
"I won't stay down for long. Not while I'm still alive," Superman muttered. "Looks like she's actually done this time."
Raven's breath came out in short gasps. Her heart raced in her chest. Her muscles were totally relaxed; she no longer had the strength to even move. The two heroes stood above her. Their eyes were white and expressionless in the blinding light.
"Have any last words?"
Raven's throat constricted. It seemed that the only thing she could do was breathe. Her body was completely drained of energy - despite her brain's best efforts, her body simply would not obey.
It was quiet. All was still.
Suddenly, Jinx's voice broke through the silence. "Yeah. Fuck you."
A pair of hexes flew out. Hawkgirl darted back quickly, but Superman - wounded as he was - was slower and the hex impacted him on the leg. He screamed in pain as all the tendons in left leg broke simultaneously.
"Clark!"
Hawkgirl stepped toward him, but a knife came out of nowhere, cutting into her shin. A second one flew at her an instant later, severing the tendons near her other ankle. Then, not a second later, another hex impacted Superman's back. A third hit him on the head.
"Superman, no!" Hawkgirl's wing's spread, but another blade cut straight through one and pinned her to the wall.
"Rae!"
"Jinx," Raven replied breathlessly. "How can you even walk?"
"Never mind that. Let's get the hell out of here."
"Not so fast- nngh-"
Hawkgirl broke off as the two girls hurled more blades at her. They cut into her body, causing blood to spurt out. Frustrated, the winged hero swung her mace out in a wide circle, but missed her mark completely - the two girls had already fled down the hall.
"Jinx, you're bleeding out!"
"I realize," the pinkette muttered wryly. "Thanks for tellin' me."
"We need to get to the infirmary and patch you up."
Jinx's eyes glazed over for a moment before she responded. "Uhh... yeah. That'd be good... but ya know, you're bleedin' pretty bad too."
"Irrelevant."
They hobbled down the hall back toward the stairs, arms wrapped around each other's shoulders. It was a miracle they could even move at all. It was a miracle that they had managed to fight those two off. It was-
Abruptly, the lights above them began flashing red and sirens blared through the Watchtower.
"Warning. Warning. Warning. Self-destruct sequence activated. Ten minutes remain until full facility destruction."
Raven glanced to the side, feeling her heart sink in her chest. The pinkette slumped down farther.
"Jinx? Hey Jinx?"
"Mmm..."
The demoness bit her lip. She tried to pick up the other girl, but found that she lacked the strength to even hold her properly. Muttering to herself, she wrapped Jinx more tightly to her own body, shifting as much of the other girl's weight onto herself as possible.
"Stay with me," she whispered.
"I'm... trying..."
Raven headed back up. They cleared a couple flights of stairs as the walls and ground began rumbling. A faint screeching sound told her that the inner machinery of the Watchtower had begun to tear itself apart.
She felt like she had gained a million pounds. Her legs were numb - it was only by instinct that she could still move, nothing else. There was no sensation in the rest of her flesh. She no longer had the energy to feel pain. There was only the grinding of metal parts and blaring light in her eyes. And the feeling of Jinx's blood dripping down her skin.
Abruptly, a nearby wall socket blew up and an arc of electricity flew out. It hit another appliance, which blew up as well and began a spreading chain of growing charge. One of the arcs made contact with something flammable, and in moments, the whole hall was lit with flame. Smoke billowed up toward the ceiling, while intense heat quickly roared up to sear her skin. Still, she managed to keep going.
"Jinx," Raven breathed out heavily. "If you're still conscious, grab my shoulder with your hand."
She felt a light squeeze.
"Hey," the pinkette's voice was alarmingly soft. "Don't count me out just yet."
Raven sighed, but smiled very slightly. Thank goodness.
The flames grew hotter and brighter. The air was thick with smoke. It was almost impossible to see anything. She only knew that they were going up. They were going vaguely in the right direction, and that was good enough for now. It was...
"Warning. Warning. Seven minutes remain until full destruction."
Gotta keep going. I have to get us out of here. I have to... Raven's eyes widened as Jinx's grip on her shoulder slipped.
"Jinx! Hey, Jinx!"
The pinkette didn't respond. Blood dripped freely from her gaping wounds. Raven's heart began pounding even faster. Screw it. I have to try healing her. Using my powers right now might kill me, but... I have to at least try. I-
"Don't. You. Dare..." Jinx whispered hoarsely.
Her eyes opened a sliver, revealing sparkling pink beneath.
Raven made a noise of irritation, but continued going. Abruptly, she felt a shift in the air flow behind her and stepped aside just in time as a mace flew out of the fire right at her body.
She's back. Still no sign of Batman. Well, if that guy isn't here, it's fine. The flames will stop her. There are more behind us than in front. She can't possibly move faster than us. She can't-
Wings broke through the wall of fire, and a badly singed Hawkgirl charged at them. Raven gasped, positioning Jinx behind her and steeling herself for the incoming blow.
Hawkgirl dove down, but right as she did so, a massive explosion thrust them apart and blew the lights out. The winged hero disappeared back into the fire. Raven turned mid air, moving Jinx's body above her own. Her back impacted a wall, then a second explosion slammed her against the ground, shattering the bones in one of her arms. Fire blazed up as everything went dark.
...
Hello, there, little one. Do you know who I am?
...
Mama?
...
That's right! And who are you?
I'm... uhh...
Make sure you remember this, dear. Your name is Raven.
Ra... ven.
Yes. Say it again?
Raven. My name is Raven.
Very good! And do you remember what my name is?
...
You are... mother. Your name... uhh... A... Ar-
It's Arella. Can you say it?
Ar- Arella. Arella. I think... mama sounds better.
Haha! That's okay. You can call me whatever you like.
Okay! But mama, if that is your name, then what is papa's name?
Raven! I told you we are not going to talk about that until you are older!
But-
Raven...
But mama-
Do you trust me?
...
O-of course I do. You are my mo-mother.
Good. Then please, trust me when I say we should leave it for later.
But why?
Your father is difficult. He would not be... a good parent for you. He's also... ugh. Here, listen, Raven. Come here. Hold my hand.
O-okay.
You are a very special girl. You are different. It makes you unique. It is something... it can be a gift. It is not necessarily bad. Do you understand me?
I... think so.
Good. I want you to understand. You are different in a way that you may not like. I even...
...
Mama? Mama, why do you- do you... do you hate me?
...
What? Don't say such silly things. Of course I don't hate you. I just want you to know that because of something that happened outside of my control, life may sometimes be difficult for you. But I also want you to know that it's not your fault. There are ways to compromise over your... dual nature.
Dual... nature? What does that mean?
I will tell you later. But, here, I can explain it this way. You know how you sometimes get a little... violent?
Like when I beat up little Wrath?
Yes. Like that. Listen. I know it might be hard, but I want you to try to avoid doing that.
Why?
It's not a good thing to do. I know it's part of who you are, but please, Raven, it is not proper for anyone - especially not a little girl - to be doing such things. I want you to repeat after me. Violence is not the answer.
But-
Raven.
O-okay. V-violence i-is not the answer.
Say it with more confidence.
Violence... is not the answer.
...
Thank you.
But mama, what about when the other kids came to make fun of me? Why can't I defend myself?
Dear Raven, I will protect you.
But what if father comes and-
I will protect you.
But father is so strong and he is not afraid of violence and-
It doesn't matter.
But what if you get hurt? Mama, I don't want to see you get hurt.
Raven... I guess there's no better time to say it than now. I want you to know this. You may not remember later, but I'll remind you then. Are you listening?
Yes, mama.
Good. Now look. In the future, when you grow older, you'll find that we don't always see eye to eye on things. Meaning, we won't always agree. Even now we don't. The difference is, in the future, you may even actively try to fight me.
I would never-
Hear me out, Raven. It will happen some time or another. It's part of you being different. It may be hard at times, but I want you to know this. You are my little girl. I will always love you, and I will always protect you. Do you understand me? No matter what happens, I will protect you.
...
Arella...
...
Blink. Blink.
"Arella..." Raven wiped her eyes, then let out a low, soft breath. Her voice was quiet and bitter. "You were the one who drove me crazy in that shithole. Fuck you. Fuck you, Arella," she shook her head, finding that her eyes were watering again. "Mother..."
It sucks. It sucks so much. She tried. Even though she couldn't accept me for being half demon, she still tried to love me. She tried to protect me. She cared... she was the only person who cared... and she totally fucked me in the end. Why? Why did it have to turn out like this?
She put her hand over her eyes, laughing a little.
Damn it all. First you, Arella, and now Jinx. Ugh.
...
You might have failed to protect me, but I won't let that happen here. I won't let her die. I can't. I can't... Raven fought down a wave of fear. If I can't be confident about it, then there's no way I can save her. I'm getting Jinx out of here.
Abruptly, she sat up. There was no more time to think. She put Jinx's arm around her shoulder again and began walking as fast as she could. The blaring noise of the sirens was a faint murmur in the background. The searing heat from the fire was only a lukewarm nuisance all around her. The crumbling walls and exploding machinery were minor annoyances. The only thing she was focused on was the faint rhythm of Jinx's heartbeat pressed against her back.
She's alive. Thank Azar. But...
They crossed a large room - a training room, she supposed - and she knew that it wouldn't be too much farther until they could get to the escape pods. It was only several more levels - it was a lot, given the torn up state of her leg, but a lot less than they had traveled to get up here.
"Warning. Warning. Three minutes remain until full destruction."
Raven felt something tear in her leg. She gritted her teeth and ignored it.
They crossed another room, then went up a flight of stairs. Her senses were dulled, but sharp enough that she noticed when a black projectile flew out of nowhere and nearly sliced into Jinx's body. She blocked the attack with her own, then slipped a knife out of her sleeve and hurled it in the general direction where the attack had come from. A grunt was her reward.
I don't have time to take care of him right now! I have to get us out of here. I have to-
Raven took another step, then cried out when her leg refused to hold her up any longer. The two girls tumbled to the ground. The demoness groaned, then turned to look at the pinkette.
I pushed it too hard. It looks like I couldn't support her whole weight along with myself. Damn. If only I were a bit stronger...
Fire blazed all around. It closed in, growing hotter and hotter by the moment. Electricity crackled through the metallic floor and walls. The sirens were louder than ever. Everything was coming apart at the seams. Debris was falling all around them everywhere.
"Warning. Warning. Two minutes-"
Raven's ears cut out the rest of the statement. Her whole attention focused in on the shadowy figure limping through the flames toward them. I have to move! I have to, but... what if I'm not strong enough to carry her? What if...
"Come... on... Rae..."
The demoness looked up. Jinx was leaning against a wall, skin turned a pasty white with the loss of blood. She was panting heavily, cold sweat dripping down her face, but somehow, somehow, she was still conscious.
"I... think I can still walk... a little..."
Raven took a deep breath, then hurled her last knife at the shadow. She didn't care to see whether it had made contact or not.
"Let's go."
They hobbled together up the stairs. Raven chanced a look back. Batman was still following. At her side, Jinx was half delirious, hanging onto life only by the thinnest thread. She was still bleeding. It somehow seemed unlikely that the pinkette even had so much blood inside her body, and yet...
"Rae," Jinx's voice was a little clearer, despite her clearly being even weaker than before.
"Shush. Don't talk."
"Rae, it's... important."
The demoness bit her lip, then nodded.
"I... don't think... I'll make it-"
"Don't say that."
Jinx's face was pale - too pale. Still, she managed to grin a little. "Hey. A girl knows... when she's done."
"You don't. I still have a bit of energy left in me. I can heal you. Watch."
They paused momentarily. Raven stretched a hand out, but the instant she tried to summon her powers, her body recoiled and the energy rebounded through her. She hissed at the slight pain, but tried again. Still, try as she might, she couldn't get it to work.
"... see? Look... I... don't have much... left in me. So lemme just talk."
Raven's lips quivered.
"I think... you know this. But I... gotta say it. You're the best friend I ever had, Rae. I... had a lot of fun together with you. And look... maybe... maybe I will make it out with ya. But maybe... I won't. I just want you to know... I think... I'm pretty sure I lo-"
"I know," Raven's voice was very quiet. "You think I don't know that?"
Jinx nodded very slightly. Her eyelids drooped lower. "Also... please... promise me. If I tell you to... to ditch me here... please do it. If I'm dead... please don't... stick behind over my dead carcass," the pinkette managed a small laugh, but it broke off as a groan.
Raven shook her head. "I can't-"
"Promise."
"I..."
"Please. Yer... suppos'd... to be the logical one."
"I know, but..."
"Just do it, Miss Sentimental. If... I can't make it... you at least can... you owe it to me..." Jinx grinned a tiny bit again.
There was no reply from the other girl.
"Warning. Warning. One minute-"
"Rae."
Another explosion send them flying down. Raven gasped as several metal pipes fell down on them. She tried to roll to the side and pull Jinx with her, but a surprise push from the pinkette threw her balance off.
"Jinx!"
The demoness staggered back, mouth agape in horror as several of the pipes fell on Jinx's legs. The pinkette didn't even have the energy to cry out in pain when they buried her lower body under their weight.
"Go," the other girl whispered. "Get... the hell outta here."
"I... can't... just leave you-"
Jinx's eyes were tiny slivers. "Rae... please..."
Bang.
The sound was disproportionally loud compared to rest of the noise around her. Somehow, it was the only thing she could hear. It could have been one of many sounds, but the cold dread in the bottom of her heart told her exactly what it had been. She knew, without having to check, what it was.
Batman took aim again. She spotted him, but didn't care and rushed toward Jinx's body. A bullet came flying out, nicking her already broken arm, but she ignored it anyway. Batman raised the gun once more. He pulled the trigger.
The device clicked - there was no ammunition left in it.
Raven ignored him and touched the pinkette's face. The other girl was completely still. She wasn't breathing.
A few drops of water fell on cold skin. Raven hugged Jinx's head to her chest and wasn't surprised when she felt warm, sticky fluid on the back of Jinx's neck. She shuddered, trying desperately not to lose herself completely.
Fire blazed all around. It must have been more than a minute already. This was Hell. It had to be. It was the pits of Hell all over again. No. Even Hell had not been this bad. Even then... even then, there was no sense of finality, not like there was here. She had lost herself in Hell. She had completely lost her mind. Here, she had lost her heart. No, it had been torn straight out of her body. By the person she had cared about the most, no less. Not that it was really Jinx's fault, but... she was tempted to just stay there and die as well. There was no point in leaving any longer. There was...
What the fuck are you doing? Get outta here!
Raven looked up, eyes wide. Somehow, she fancied that she heard Jinx's voice in her head. She closed her eyes, feeling the flames burn her slightly. It's happening again. It's... ah. This time it's really over.
Part of her didn't want to move. Part of her...
You promised me!
Of course Jinx would have said that. Not that Raven had ever made any such promise, but... somehow, she felt compelled to obey. It had been the pinkette's last wish, after all.
Raven stood slowly, taking care to shift her weight onto her relatively uninjured leg, before taking one last look back. Her first glance made contact with a pair of steely blue eyes. Violet irises bled sanguine.
"There's a special place in Hell for filth like you," she whispered. Her words cut through the rest of the noise clearly. The menace in her tone was utterly terrifying. "And when I go to join you there, I'll make sure daddy dearest has his way with you."
She turned away. There was nothing else to say. He couldn't catch up to her - he was too injured and lacked the stamina of a demon to keep pursuing through it. She had gotten the message across. That was enough.
Her second stare settled back on Jinx, just momentarily, before the voice appeared in her head again.
'Kay, so now that you've gotten that over with, will ya please get your ass movin'?
She shook her head. Part of her wanted to laugh. Most of her wanted to cry. But at the moment, she had the energy to do neither. All she could to was obey the tiny voice talking inside her head.
It was only a few more steps. It wasn't as far as she had imagined it would be. It was another few steps to a flight of stairs, then down another hall, and she found herself rushing through an airtight entrance into a small, cramped room. She turned and saw a console; without knowing what any of the buttons were, she pushed a few at random, and was rewarded by a bit of luck - and a tiny flash of pink - when the escape pod detached itself from the main structure and began falling back toward the planet below.
See? Not so bad, right? Thanks, Rae. Thanks for listenin', for once. Anyway, think this is it. Bye, babe.
She looked back up through the small window. Part of her wanted to speak. Her throat protested that desire.
Another minute passed by. The flaming ball of metal above her began to crumble apart. The dusky glow from the fire began to dim. The darkness reflected in her eyes was thick and opaque. She felt utterly drained. It felt as if she were dying as well. Not that she really cared if she did.
The fire disappeared. Charred remains of metal structures floated out into empty space. It was quiet. It was still. She was alone again.
Minutes passed by. She wanted to hope - she wanted to believe, but...
Raven's lips moved slightly.
"Hey," she whispered. "You there?"
She waited. It was silent. There was nothing. The voice in her head was gone.
Raven buried her face in her arms as the pod continued falling through the black limbo.