Birds of a Feather
A Teen Titans Fanfic
Part 1
Author's Note: This will take into account the movies Teen Titans vs Justice League as well as Teen Titans: The Judas Contract. It won't deal with Justice League Dark: Apokolips War. I've imagined that Raven and Damian are 17-18 years old for this story and they are friends.
[All standard disclaimers apply].
Damian glared at the bright lights as the rest of the Titans gathered together. They were having another of Starfire's mandatory fun nights. She had tried picnics in the park, baseball games, a trip to the zoo, even bowling.
He had to admit that he hadn't hated the bowling. Especially since he won rather easily. Though he had detested wearing borrowed footwear.
Tonight they were at another carnival. The cheesy music and the screams of the crowd had him itching for his sword. But again, he was made to leave it in the car. He hoped that wouldn't prove to be a mistake. Again.
"Now remember," Starfire said as she eyed the teenagers before her, "the goal is to have fun."
"Then we shouldn't be here," Damian muttered. He grunted as Raven elbowed him in his side.
"Do you have a question, Damian?" Starfire asked.
"No."
She studied him for a moment before moving on. "We'll meet back here in two hours. Call if you need anything."
"Have a good time," Dick added, "but stay out of trouble."
"Dude, we know," Garfield said. "Let's go already!"
"Dismissed," Dick announced with a chuckle.
The teens scattered into the carnival. Some raced to the rides. Others toward the games.
Damian watched as Dick and Kori walked into the crowd, holding hands.
"So, Damian, what do you want to do?" Raven asked.
"Go home."
"Don't ruin this for Kori. She works hard to get these nights together for us."
"This doesn't seem like something you'd enjoy, Raven."
"It's not," she agreed. "But it's not always about me."
She started to walk away but turned back to look at him. "I'm getting some cotton candy. Want to come?"
"Might as well," he said.
scene change scene change scene change scene change scene change
"You're not going to share?" Damian asked.
Raven shook her head as she ate another chunk of her bright blue cotton candy. "If you wanted some, you should have gotten some."
"But I thought friends shared," Damian said, moving closer to her.
"They do," she said. "Just not cotton candy."
Before she could react, he tore a hunk out of her treat and ate it. "Too sweet."
"Jerk."
"You don't need all that sugar anyway."
She rolled her eyes. "So, what do you want to do now?"
Damian shrugged. "Want to try some games?"
"I'm not going to dance against you."
He gave her a grin. "There are other games."
"Pretty sure you're still banned from the ring toss."
"There you are!" a voice called.
Raven and Damian turned to see Gar and Jaime approaching. Jaime waved at them while Gar carried a giant stuffed chicken.
"Looks like you guys have been busy at the games," Raven said.
"You won't believe it!" Gar announced. "The guy at the ring toss stand has a picture of Damian in his booth. Looks like you're still banned, dude."
Raven shot Damian a smirk as he muttered something about peasants holding grudges.
"What have you two been doing?" Jaime asked.
"Cotton candy," Raven said, waving her now mostly empty paper cone.
"Well, we saw this fortune telling booth," Jaime said.
"It's new," Gar added. "We'd thought we'd check it out."
"Fortune telling?" Raven asked, her tone obviously skeptical.
"We know it's going to be fake," Gar said, "but it could be fun."
"Besides, we're nearly out of tickets," Jaime said.
Raven glanced at Damian, who shrugged. "Fine."
"Awesome," Gar said. "Let's go."
scene change scene change scene change scene change scene change
Unlike the other attractions at the carnival, there was no line outside the fortune telling booth. Also, unlike the other booths, you had to leave the main path and actually enter the booth. All to heighten the mysterious atmosphere, Raven thought.
She followed the boys inside. The small room was lit by candles. It held a table covered with a striped cloth and a couple of chairs. The scent of sage plus thyme and fennel made her wonder if they were dealing with a true practitioner. The cheap crystal ball sitting in the center of the table made her change her mind.
A short, dark-haired woman of indeterminate age emerged from curtained section of the booth. "Welcome, young visitors. I will be with you shortly." She disappeared behind the curtains again.
"Oh, please, take your time," Damian said, earning another elbow in the ribs from Raven.
"Don't be rude," she hissed.
The woman emerged and sat down at the table. "Well, young friends, you have come to Madam Rosa. You wish to know your future. Who should go first?"
Gar and Jaime played rock, paper, scissors and Jaime won. Madam Rosa gestured for Jaime to sit down across from her. With a grin to his friends, he sat down and gave the woman his tickets.
"Place your hands on the ball." He put his hands near the top. She guided his hands near the base and kept his hands covered with hers.
"Look into the ball. Look deep into the center." Jaime's smile faded as he peered into the crystal ball. "Look deep. Look deeper still."
Raven felt a sense of unease as she watched Jaime and the fortune teller. She couldn't detect any real magic. But something felt off.
"Ah," Madam Rosa said as she gazed into the ball. "I see it now."
She released Jaime's hands and he leaned back into his chair. He looked a little dazed. Then he frowned and shook his head as he probably argued with the scarab
"You have a struggle within you," Madam Rosa stated. "You have tried many times and many ways to end this without success. I'm afraid that this will always be. However, you will make peace with it. Take comfort in that, my young friend."
Jaime still looked a little dazed as he stood up. "Thank you."
Gar sat down. He promptly gave Madam Rosa his tickets. With a huge smile, he placed his hands on the ball when instructed to do so.
"Look deep into the ball," she asked.
After just a moment, she let go of Gar's hands. "For one who changes so quickly, you have many changes ahead of you. Changes of heart. Changes of mind. But also changes of body."
"Really? Like what? I get even more handsome?"
"Look into the ball again."
Gar eagerly leaned forward to look again. But his smile quickly faded. "Bald? I'm going to be bald!"
"The future is never certain," Madam Rosa said. "This is but a possibility."
"Bald!" Gar huffed as he rose from the table.
Raven frowned as she continued to study the woman and the setup. The whole thing screamed charlatan. But something still seemed off.
"Everything all right?" Damian asked quietly. "Want to go?"
Madam Rosa looked at her. She smiled but there was a challenge in her eyes. "Are you next, dear?"
She had to find out what was going on, Raven decided. "Yes."
She placed her tickets on the table and sat down. She took a moment to raise her mental shields. Then she placed her hands on the crystal ball.
She felt something trying to invade her, invade her mind as Madam Rosa's hands covered hers. Raven tried to pull away. Yet she couldn't move.
"Ah, what do we have here?" Madam Rosa asked, gripping Raven's hands tighter to the crystal. "A rare treat indeed."
"Raven, are you okay?" Damian asked. "Raven!"
He moved to grab her but a ring of light suddenly surrounded the table and two women, preventing him from reaching her. He went for his sword but only found air. He cursed as he remembered it was safely in Kori's car.
"Daughter of Trigon, Daughter of Hell," Madam Rosa intoned, her eyes turning black, "now I bind you and bind you well. Journey forth and journey far. Find out what you truly are."
There was a rush of wind. Raven screamed as all the candles went out. When the light returned, she was gone. Only Madam Rosa remained sitting at the table.
"Dios mio," Jaime murmured.
"What?" Gar gasped. "What happened?"
"Where is she? Bring her back!" Damian demanded.
Madam Rosa glared at him with her full black eyes. "You order me? Who are you to order me?"
"Surely a being of your power knows who I am," Damian said.
She smiled. "Yes. Grandson of the Demon's Head. Son of the Bat."
"Bring her back," Damian ordered. "Now."
"No."
A knife suddenly pinned her sleeve to the table. "The next one won't miss," he promised. "Bring her back now."
"It is not that simple."
"Make it simple."
"If you wish." The crystal ball began to glow. "Child of blood, child of night, can you see what's in plain sight? Trials you will face together, my pretty, pretty birds of a feather."
There was another rush of wind, putting the candles out again and plunging the room into darkness. However, when light returned, Gar and Jaime were standing in an empty lot. The booth, Madam Rosa and Damian were gone.
"We gotta find Kori and Dick," Jaime said.