"You seem surprised?" J'onn says noticing Raven staring oddly at the remains of her fruit.
"It's not every day I get a fruit that tastes like salted ham." Raven replies.
"But hopefully it doesn't taste bad?"
"Well no, it's just a bit out of place to me." Raven admits. "Beastboy should try this." She adds, wondering how the vegetarian would take it.
"So Raven, you said earlier that you were only part human, may we ask what the other part is?" M'ria enquires.
"J'onn hasn't told you?" Raven counters.
"Only that you are one of many with extra-human abilities." M'ria answers.
"With J'onn's permission, I think it is easier if I show you." J'onn nods at Ravens request, who slowly changes into her demon self. Noting M'ria and the boy's eyes grow wide.
"Whoa, you defiantly have to be a Red Martian!" C'li exclaims excitedly.
"There is no such thing C'li. But I am perplexed, what are you?" M'ria asks.
"Do you know the name; Trigon?"
"I am afraid not." M'ria says while folding her hands in front of her on the table.
"He may have gone under a different name here, but he claimed he was the source of all evil. A demon of tremendous power, his only goal was to destroy or enslave anything he came into contact with. I am his only child." Raven explains, hoping they get the drift.
"You speak of him in past tense?" M'ria notes.
"Well, with the help of my friends, I hope I destroyed him when he tried taking over the Earth." Raven says while changing back to her human guise.
"I see, and he would not have stopped at Earth?" M'ria continues while J'onn collects the remains of fruit.
"No, he had his own universe, yet still wanted Earth and the worlds beyond it."
"A grim being indeed. So what is it you can do, since J'onn's colleagues want to recruit you?"
"Yeah, show us." H'ry demands in playful tone, Raven feels she is warming to the pair, like her Kids the pair wasn't at all scared of her, rather they were curious and excited.
"Well I am what we on Earth call an empath, meaning I can sense the emotions of others. Also I am a telekinetic, means I can move things by focusing on it." Raven demonstrates by having one of the three remaining fruit float a few rounds around the table, much to the amusement of the boys, C'li begins poking the fruit once it lands. "Also my empathy allows me to heal myself and others. I can also teleport to other places and dimensions, as long as I know where I am going. Lastly I have some knowledge of a branch of magic, but I have very little control over it, so I rarely use it."
"Magic is hard to describe, it is capable of many things; from harmless pranks and conjuring to destructive blasts." J'onn explains as he returns, Raven assumes there is no such thing as a Martian magician.
"And lastly then there's the shape shifting, and it's not limited to my other shape." Raven finishes the list of her usual extra human powers, demonstrating the last one by turning her right arm into a snake. After turning it back, Raven decides to ask one of her own questions; "J'onn, when I arrived here, I followed a group of kids into a building where they took part in a gathering of some sort. Where they joined into a kind of choir service?"
J'onn replies with a small smirk on his face. "That would have been our equal of church service, where we give thanks to the sky above us, the ground beneath us and the fire that we fear."
"You fear fire?"
"Yes, light a match near me and I become less than useful. It is something all Martians fear, White as well as Green. We do not know why but it has always been this way, so it should hardly be surprising that our god of death is a being made of fire?" J'onn explains.
Raven nods; "Makes sense, humans fear death itself. So they made up the idea that the being that will take them from the land of the living is a human skeleton."
"Your kind fear old bones?" H'ry asks.
"Only if they move around on their own. More accurately, humans fear what happens to them after they pass on. Depending on belief system, you can end in some very unpleasant places, live again as human or beast or find peace and happiness, but the fewest believe they will get there."
"So what do you believe?" C'li continues.
Raven sighs, this is something she does not want to be reminded of; "I was raised, in a place where the god walked amongst us. To them there was nothing after death, just complete peace. I always questioned their beliefs; especially after she died, of old age. After I came to Earth and learned more of the faiths there, I am afraid to say that because of my father, I only have one place to go when I pass on. No matter what I may do in life, will have no effect on what becomes of me after I die."
"Fear not, as J'onn has told me; some of the gods on Earth show remarkable capacity for forgiveness." M'ria says while putting a hand on Ravens shoulder for comfort.
"I hope that is true." A strange silence seems to fill the room, before Raven asks something else. "So why is it you are so much different from the world outside? I was nearly invisible to everyone I saw at first and I absorbed memories just by making contact."
"Partially it is because I remember my family better than anything else. But what you see here is something you would find in any Martian mind, at a young age we all undergo a psychic ritual where we bond with our parents. We repeat the ritual when we marry. But you said nearly invisible?" J'onn asks.
"After the songs were finished, the speaker told the assembly to thank the 'great spirit' that were amongst them, at that point they all turned to look at where I stood. I could see they couldn't actually see me, but it seemed like they could sense me."
"You believe it was you?" M'ria asks.
"Actually I am kind of hoping the whole event is a memory and that I just happened to stand where something happened." Raven explains, J'onn leans back in his chair while rubbing his chin before answering.
"It would have been you they sensed, when we sing we become more aware of presences we can't see. The speaker can usually tell who is watching, if she did not address you by name, it is because she doesn't know you. It happened from time to time that one of our gods would drop by to watch and listen to the songs, but sometimes a great ancestor would come."
"So there's no chance of it being me of stumbling into your memories?" Raven asks.
"Not in the way you want it to, does it trouble you?" J'onn notes.
"As you have been in Timid's labyrinth, you will know I wonder if terrible isn't a better word than great to describe my spirit?" Raven asks while sulking a bit.
"You worry too much Raven, during my journey though your mind, I have yet to encounter anything worrying other than Wisdom reading my mind without permission." J'onn replies.
"And I will talk to her about that, but there is little hope that she will change even if she could. And you have yet to meet my bad emotions. But till you meet them, why don't you tell me about yourselves?" Raven asks which brings out small smiles on the Martian's faces.
"We could do like you have already tried, by touching." M'ria suggests.
"If it's ok with you, I do like the conversation."
"And so shall it be." J'onn says, motioning for them all to move to the couch.
Jump City:
"I take it Dr. Rodriguez is not the only one in the city who has a frigid view of the League." Shayera asks Foley as they exit S.T.A.R. Labs.
"Most only wonder why you never showed up, either during the fight or after. Some think you had your reasons or other emergencies to tend to. But some think you don't care about this city." He replies while walking over to his car.
"I can understand that." She says while watching him unlocking his car. "Look Thomas, I want to thank you for showing me around, but I've booked a meeting with the mayor in a few minutes and I will be heading back afterward."
He looks up with a somewhat strange look on his face before recovering. "Well I was glad I was able to help, it was a pleasure to meet you Hawkgirl." He says while extending his hand to her, which she shakes.
"It was a pleasure to meet you as well officer Foley." With this she spreads her wings and takes off, leaving the blond man behind.
Who mutters to himself; "It really was a pleasure."
While in the afternoon sky, Shayera contacts her colleagues. "Hawkgirl to Watchtower."
"This is Watchtower, go ahead Shayera." Captain Atom's voice chimes through.
"Captain, can I get you to relay a message to Dr. Fate?" With the captain, it is always a gamble if you could get him to do more manual chores. Something which Supergirl and Stargirl have found out the hard way.
"Of course Ma'am." The Captain replies, it had taken a while to get used to, but Shayera is the only one who is still addressed as Captain, the others having persuaded him to stop being so rigid.
"Ok, tell him S.T.A.R. Lab's in Jump City has a dragon he can help them with identifying."
"I will relay your message. Speaking of; Dr. Fate wanted to let you know that he is looking into something concerning the rookie, but he is tight lipped about specifics." Over the years, Shayera had gotten used to that both John and the Captain has a habit of calling the new faces on the Watchtower rookies, no matter how many years they may have been active outside of it.
"Keep me posted if he wants to share anything." Shayera considers if it may be good or bad what Fate finds and what his lead is.
"Will do Ma'am."
"Ok, Shayera signing off." She says as she touches down on the steps of City Hall, getting the people there to stare in surprise.
Raven's mind:
"She is hardly an emotion I'd call useful." J'onn says as they leave Rude's realm, accompanied by the seemingly endless stream of verbal abuse from the mistress of the realm. Thankfully her voice falls silent as they exit. Again J'onn felt somewhat violated, as Rude had started to read his every thought aloud when they met her, Hemon had assured she only did it because he found it offending, which was of little comfort before she started mocking his choice of clothing.
"I agree, but Raven has found use of her for a long time. Mostly when interacting with people she either doesn't like or find annoying. Her green friend, for instance." Hemon replies, as happy to be out of earshot of Rude as J'onn is. "Usually she only taps into Rude to get him to leave her alone or to make some remark. Unfortunately Raven's sense of humor is usually tied with Rude as well."
"You are referring to sarcasm?" J'onn asks as they draw near to the next portal, one carved into the bottom of the rock Azerath rests on.
"Yes, fortunately Happy manages to delude Rude so the remarks loose the barbs that could prove counterproductive in most cases." Hemon answers, halting them both before the portal. "We are about to enter the most dangerous part of Ravens mind and hopefully avoid aggravating the emotions that dwell here. You must understand that Anger or Rage is the part of Raven that is still completely enslaved to the whims of her father and as such, utterly inhuman. If she becomes dominant here, well, you saw what happened to Diana." J'onn nods at him; it had been a major stir amongst the Founders when Raven attacked Diana. "It is Raven's wish you see why she lets Timid hold such sway she does. And remember, what you see here is what Rage and her brood wants to be real. And don't draw attention to us, it can prove dangerous." J'onn nods again and follows Hemon inside the cave.
Walking thought the dark tunnel for a while; the pair sees a red glow illuminating the left wall after around 10 minutes of walking, according to J'onn. Hemon slows down and motions for J'onn to halt before he dims his own glow and leans up the wall on the right and looks through the opening, scouting for danger. Waving his left hand he calls J'onn up to join him, J'onn as a precaution lets himself become partially invisible before moving up to see what Hemon is seeing. The sight makes him wonder and partially regret mentioning the Martian vulnerability to fire.
Inside is a massive cavern with only a narrow ledge, barely wide enough for a person to stand on. The cavern floor itself is sunk fifty meters below the ledge, in the center of the part they can see is a huge bonfire. The fire alone is enough to worry J'onn even if it's almost a hundred meters away, what truly sets off J'onn's alarm bells it's the fuel; human bodies. J'onn quickly tears his gaze away from the pyre, afraid he would see something that he didn't want to. Instead he looks at the floor; the sight makes him cringe, more bodies. Some clearly dead, some barely alive but all in a very poor condition. Hemon's ghostly hand passes over J'onn's vision, causing him to look at his ghostly companion, who is motioning for them to move along the ledge.
Hemon goes first, edging slowly along the wall. J'onn follows even slower, trying not to be captivated by the pyre. For J'onn it feels like it takes an eternity for him to put one foot forwards, but eventually he is three quarters across, when suddenly the air is pierced by an inhuman scream, causing both J'onn and Hemon to freeze and stare into the cave. At first they can see nothing beyond the pyre, after 10 seconds of holding breaths, J'onn catches sight of movement.
At first it seems like a shadow moving over the floor, but shortly after, J'onn catches sight of a pale leg in a black boot walking on the shadow. The rest of the person steps into view, J'onn realizes who it is; Hatred. The shadow before her is her powers blackening the bodies around her, practically rotting them away in her presence. J'onn's gaze wanders up the black cloaked form of Hatred, stopping at her eyes, all four of them.
"I HATE being stared at!" Hatred yells in a voice that sounds like torn cardboard, while locking eyes with J'onn who freezes all movement. His mind almost fails to notice the second arrival.
"I know you do, and it ANGERS me greatly!" J'onn forcibly shuts down his telepathic senses, as another Raven appears behind Hatred, one dressed in a red cape; Rage. Her voice is unlike anything J'onn would expect from the guise she wears, it is that of Raven as he's seen her in reality but Rage speaks with a second voice as well, one of a deep bass. "Soo, you would learn of my Anger and my Hate?" J'onn remains completely frozen, not seeing Hemon frantically trying to get his attention. "Very well, know me!"
J'onn's mindscape suffers a sudden quake while J'onn collapses on the ground, while clutching his head. The kids, M'ria and Raven rushes to his side.
Inside J'onn's mind, he is flooded by images and feeling, images of a man in ancient blue armor with glowing red eyes, his image blurs with that of a bare-chested brute with brown curly hair with his back turned towards a burning city. The brute disappears, being replaced by high-pitched screams and the image of a man J'onn recognizes as Dr. Light. His image is replaced by one of a one eyed man with a piercing stare in a orange and black mask that parts in the middle, he surrounded by shadow. Before the image disappears he sees two figures emerging from the shadows, one a blond girl with blue eyes and a boy with spiky hair and a domino mask, the names Slade, Terra and Robin make their way into J'onn's mind. The one eyed man suddenly grows a red rune on his forehead and the image changes. J'onn finds him in a burning wasteland sanding on a pillar of rock with the symbol the man wore on his forehead stamped into the ground. From his perch J'onn watches the previous images he saw, standing in a circle fighting a losing battle against multiple black and red cloaked Raven's. While he watches, Dr. Light goes down and is torn apart by a black and a red cloaked Raven, using nothing but their bare hands. The others swiftly suffer the same fate and the Raven's start fighting amongst themselves, visiting their hatred and fury on each other. Soon there are only two left, one red and one black, still trying to wrestle each other to the ground.
"You have done well done my child." An incredibly deep voice materializes out of nowhere and the two Raven's and the remains of their victims are lifted into the sky by a red skinned hand that grows out of the ground. As J'onn watches the owner of the hand materializes out of the air; Trigon. "A father could be no prouder of his daughter than I."
"Hatred, rules you!" One of the two Raven's says to Trigon as both of them ignite in black flames.
"Rage, consumes you!" The other echoes, Trigon appears displeased as the pair leaps at him. At this the vision ends, as the three are struck by a pillar of light that expands outwards, obliterating everything it touches.
Inside J'onn's mindscape:
"What has happened to him?" M'ria asks as J'onn calms down, but is now unconscious.
"I told you he was on a journey through my mind?" M'ria and the kids nod. "He just met the embodiments of my anger and my hatred, but he's safe now, he should wake up in a matter of minutes." Raven explains.
"You have no control over them?" C'li asks.
"Not when they are within their own realms, giving them that kind of freedom makes them easier to manage as a whole. But it does make Rage's cave the most dangerous part of my mind. I was hoping J'onn and his guide could avoid meeting them. I am sure you know your father would not be satisfied had I said he shouldn't go in because of the danger."
"He is like that." M'ria admits while looking at the unconscious form of her husband.
Raven's mind:
"Is he coming to?" Someone asks.
"I hope so." Someone else replies.
"I know so." A third, slightly familiar, voice counters.
"Told you he was stupid to go in there." J'onn waking mind wonders how many there are around him, and where is he?
"Hush Rude, he would not have had it any other way." The third voice counters, receiving a disdainful reply of some kind.
J'onn opens his eyes, with a blurry vision he sees a brown ceiling above him. He can see one source of light is placed somewhere near his feet and a blue shape standing over him, who starts speaking.
"Welcome back J'onn, you had me worried for a moment." J'onn recognizes Hemons voice, guessing he is the one standing above him.
"What happened?" J'onn asks while rolling over onto his side, he feels groggy and his head hurts.
"Isn't it obvious? I let you know my anger and hatred." The double voice makes J'onn's head snap around to face the speaker, only seeing a red and black spot on the brown canvas.
"Don't worry; she won't do anything in here." Hemon says, while offering his hand so J'onn can get up. With his vision clearing as well as his memory, J'onn recognizes the place he is in, the Council of Ravens.
"I'm sorry that happened J'onn." Timid apologies; while looking very small in her seat between Wisdom and Bravery, J'onn can see she is on the verge of tears.
"Well J'onn you wanted to know how many we are. Take a look around." Wisdom instructs. While leaning slightly on Hemon, who seems to become more solid, J'onn notes there really are many emotions here, at least 50 of them, all wearing their own colors, but they seem to disappear into the back of the room. He is not surprised to see the more hostile emotions he had met sitting near each other; with Hatred on the flank with Rage next to her. Rage in turn has Rude on her right and the fast asleep Sloth on Rude's other side.
"I think I will need a pen and pencil." J'onn groans, wondering if he is to meet all of them, Wisdom smirks while Rude grumbles.
"You won't." She says as a cold wind suddenly sweeps through the room.
"You better watch this. " Hemon says, knowing what is to come.
J'onn watches intently with a throbbing head. One by one, the emotions turn intangible and float into the glowing white sphere in the center, J'onn notes it is all the lesser emotions that disappear first, like Hatred. When there is only seven left, they all get up and walk to the sphere, each placing a hand on it. As J'onn watches, they all disappear in a flash of white that blinds him, when his vision returns; he sees there is no sphere anymore, only one Raven, dressed completely in white. Inside J'onn's mind Ravens clothes take a similar change as does her moving shape in the real world.
"This is…" J'onn's question trails off, noticing this new form does not think in fragments like the emotions.
"This is me, when you put all my emotions in one place." Raven replies as she walks over, J'onn instantly feels better in her presence. In his own mind he wakes up on the couch with a start, surprising his family.
"You seem so different." J'onn notes, to his eyes, Raven appears a lot more at peace than what she usually does.
"I am different." Raven replies; "This is the person I would have been, had it not been for my father, emotionally related powers and the dangers that come with them. So how about a tour of Azerath? Normally I can't let most of my emotions walk around it in case they do something foolish, but like this I can."
"And we are quite happy when you do, since speaking to your fractured self is somewhat confusing at times." Hemon adds.
"Since you can choose to be a whole person, why don't you stay like this?" J'onn asks, thinking that it should be an obvious choice, Raven smirks at him.
"It is elementary my dear J'onzz, all may seem fine now. But my powers are still fueled and controlled by my emotions; all is well now because I am in complete control of all of them. But eventually something will happen that upsets the balance that is even more delicate now than it usually is, the result will be something melted, blown up or otherwise destroyed. After that, things will spiral out of control quickly with more destruction as a result and, well, you get the picture." Raven shrugs, noticing someone opening the door to the Council.
"Raven?" J'onn turns around to see the pigeon feeder he saw weeks ago standing there with her hood down, revealing a female with striking similarity with Raven.
"Hey mom." Raven greets, confirming the suspicion J'onn had at the sight of the woman. "J'onn this is Arella, my mother. Mom, this is J'onn J'onzz one of the Founders of the Justice League."
"Pleasure to meet you." Arella greets J'onn, who notes she has a sour tone, so does Raven.
"It was an honest mistake Mom, it's not his fault." Arella is still resentful of the League for the round of questioning Raven underwent and for what came before it, but nods at this thought she doesn't accept it.
"Well it's good to see yourself assembled again." Arella says to Raven.
"Rage, Rude and Hatred usually drive Arella away when she visits the Council. So she waits outside for the few times Raven assembles herself."Hemon whispers to J'onn, knowing Raven is listening, but Arella is not.
"So Mom would you like to come with us while we show J'onn the city? We can talk on the way." Raven asks.
"We have much speak of." Arella mentions while nodding her acceptance.
The Watchtower, monitor womb:
"Don't you look thrilled." John notes as he addresses the Amazon princess, his sarcasm is oozing.
"You know me; monitor duty is always a high note on my schedule. At least I have the Captain to take the calls." Diana replies while casting a bored glaze at Captain Atom. "How about you?"
"I'm good; just gotten everything squared with the Corp in regards to Raven." John replies while Diana eyes him.
"Please tell me you are not planning on dumping her on some deserted planet." John smirks at her, it is one of the standard threats he uses on Wally and a select few when they get on his nerves.
"Actually I am, but she won't be alone." Diana sighs at him, but he just chuckles at her. "Anyways I have been talking to Clark, he's been thinking lately."
"So what has he been thinking about?" Diana asks with a somewhat bored tone, guessing this is just John trying to cheer her up.
"Well most of the old Teen Titans are now past their teen years and we even have one on the roster. Clark is planning on suggesting we do a recruitment drive, since most of them are somewhat rootless."
"You know Bruce might disagree?" Diana asks, knowing at least one former Titan is directly attached to him.
"He might, but it is worth looking into at least." John shrugs.
"So do we have to test them like we do Raven?" Diana asks, wondering how the woman would take it if all of her former teammates suddenly become Leaguers without having to undergo any trials at all.
"You know why we are doing this, but you're right, they should be tested or we should have rounds of screening at least." Diana remembers how often John complains about the League letting too many untried hero's into it, Booster Gold being his favorite example of this.
"I know why you are doing it, but I don't believe it's been necessary." She notes.
"She must have done something really impressive while on that island of yours." John notes again.
"You have no idea, but you will hear about it later." She smirks at him, knowing both he and Wally are dying to know and Clark is just really good at hiding his own curiosity.
John sighs at her, knowing he is not getting any more information on the subject. "So how was last night?"
"Wonderful, except having to run off and stop a group of former Titan villains and Raven getting injured as a result."
"Anything serious?" She looks at him, telling him to elaborate. "Both accounts."
"Five broken fingers, but she seems confident it won't have any lasting effect. Other than that, I will give the Titans that they have at least one extraordinarily resilient opponent."
"Thought they were all just a bunch of bank robbers and nut cases?"
"Couldn't the same be applied to Batman's and Flashes usual gallery?" Diana counters.
"Ahh…Good point." John admits, knowing that most of the station, himself included, considered the Gotham based villains to be a particularly dangerous breed. Diana just smirks at him again.
Raven's mind:
"Raven you have yet to tell me how I came to wake up in the council chamber?" J'onn asks as the quartet is walking thought the streets of Azerath, all of the ghostly inhabitants are parting to let them thought unobstructed.
"Simple, Wisdom dared Bravery to go in and get you after you fell off the ledge while she had Happy to distract the two others." Raven explains as they enter the square with the statues. "She can wind them up like no one else."
Before J'onn asked, they have been engaging in small talk. With Arella expressing her happiness that Raven had found a new home, but that she personally didn't applaud that it was with a group of warriors. Raven had just smirked at her before shrugging; it had after all not been her choice to have those memories implanted.
"You know I never understood why you insisted on making this, it does go against all you believe in." Raven says as they look at the statue of herself.
"It's as Azar would have wanted it, she was Trigon's enemy after all. And such an event as his undoing deservers to be remembered." Hemon explains. "Remember Raven, Azar always believed that you were the one capable of doing what she and the rest of us were incapable of. I still wonder if she is disapproving or not when it comes to your own beliefs however."
"I was the only one you were allowed to raise your hand against Hemon, all my childhood I was told I was evil and that it was for my own good when you did it. I understood that, for some to be able to live in peace, some have to sacrifice something and in this case that it had to be me. So I choose the road you all turned your back on, to find a way to fight him in a way I could do something, unless I would bear the blame of allowing the universe to suffer under Trigon's heel."
"I am referring to the time afterwards Raven." Hemon says quietly, Raven just shakes her head.
"Since Azerath is no more in the real world, I have no place to retreat to. But on Earth there are so many in need of help, and with the powers I have, I cannot sit on the sideline and do nothing. I know Azerath would have wanted it otherwise, but it is what I believe." Arella and Hemon smiles sadly at her, all of them know they consider the outside world brutish and should embrace their faith.
"There will always be humans that are envious of those who have more and have the will to do bad things to change it." J'onn mentions.
"Sadly that is true." Arealla sighs, Hemon nods in agreement. "So J'onn, what is it you find so interesting about Azerath?" She asks, wanting to change the subject before Raven has to separate again.
"When I visited last time, I was reminded of a Martian legend where my people were greatly threatened. A hero arose amongst us and offered to hide the Martian race within his mind, so that he could escape and carry them all to safety. Alas sheltering so many minds within his own made him go mad as soon as his job was complete." J'onn explains.
"So you fear our presence here may cause the same with Raven?" Hemon asks.
"I worried initially that it might, but you have been here for years with only beneficial effects. I wanted to observe you since this is a first for me, that during my time on Earth, that I have encountered anything like this." Hemon and Arella nod their understanding.
"You are welcome to observe then." Hemon say's after getting the nod of approval from Raven, they are after all, still inside her mind.
Later that day, J'onn and Raven resume their normal forms, sitting cross legged a little further from each other in the garden than they remember. The first thing Raven notices is the stabbing pain in her hands, telling her there is still some healing to do. But she also feels calm and centered, as if she had just been doing her normal meditation and that she is hungry.
"You had a nice family." She says.
"Thank you, I am glad you enjoyed the visit. And I must say your mind is a fascinating place to wander, when one is allowed to." He replies with a smirk. "But dangerous in some places."
"I figured you would have demanded to see those parts of my mind if you found out about them afterwards and your wife agreed to that you'd be like that."
"I would." J'onn confirms, if nothing, amongst human he is almost overconfident in his own abilities in psychic matters. "May I enquire to the event Bravery felt ended her time as being in control?" He asks.
"Well…I was meditating at night and I had removed my dress while doing it. Just when I was feeling ready to go to bed the goddess Aphrodite had appeared behind me, because…she, eh, hoped to catch me in bed with someone." This has J'onn quirk an eyebrow before nodding noticing how blushed she's become.
"Ah, as punctual as one could wish, Miss Raven, Mister Jones, the afternoon tea is about to be served on the balcony." Alfred says as he nears the pair, his job has him restrained from simply shouting to them from the door.
"Ah, well, that sounds good Alfred, what time is it?" Raven asks as she notices the sun is shining down on them, but it has passed its zenith, hoping it would be enough to hide her blush from him.
"The clock is just about to strike two in the afternoon Miss Raven." Alfred replies before turning to J'onn. "I will have the footage recorded saved to a disc for you Mister Jones." This causes Raven to quirk an eyebrow at J'onn.
"Thank you Alfred." He says before turning to Raven to explain. "As there was no one to watch us dance, I asked Alfred to record it for me."
"Ah." Ravens own curiosity creeps up on her; "I wonder what we looked like?"
"I shall go prepare the tea. Master Bruce should be joining us at any moment." Alfred mentions before turning back to the mansion. As Alfred disappears into the house, Raven and J'onn both hear and senses Bruce's return. Hearing the engines of his car and the pebbles it is displacing and sensing his mood, which is surprisingly upbeat.
"I wonder if Alfred is psychic?" Raven asks out loud, wondering how the elderly man always seems to know.
"I doubt it." J'onn says flatly, failing to catch one of the few jokes Raven has done that does not involve sarcasm. But then again the League could have told her J'onn has the humor of a rock, or he chooses just not to show he has one. In a strange way J'onn has attracted the dubious attention of the Flash because of this, who very much like Beastboy used to do with Raven, tries to make him laugh, and always fails.
Authors notes: And that concludes the Ch'ar Men'nas. Next; the Green Lantern.
R&R