Wine Rack

It was already 9:30 when they reached the busy parking lot of Fanion station with the relentless ring of Koriand'r's phone a constant reminder of how late they were. They had left Raven's house around an hour ago, only stopping to get a drink from McDonald's to wash down Kori's taunting bottle of tequila. Despite Miguel's constant reminder that everyone arrived downtown hours ago, and Raven's impatient driving as she weaved through the uncharacteristically crowded streets, it was still a long drive from her house. As soon as they parked, Kori opened the door of Raven's SUV and started making her tequila cocktails that Raven knew would never be as good as they hoped. Getting out of the car herself, Raven made her way towards the parking ticket machine, watching two families say bye and get into their respective cars. The kids wore bright smiles as they ran around together, even though it was probably past their bedtimes, and the parents were trying to round their own kids seemingly ready to get home. The smallest one reminded her of Melvin, more collected than the rest, always one step ahead and never getting caught by whoever was 'it'. Kori thrusting a McDonald's cup in her hand abruptly disrupted her thoughts and pulled her towards the station as Raven quickly locked her car. The SUV's beep echoed as they made their way across the lot.

Kori hurried ahead down the stairs, her white sneakers a blur, while Raven quietly followed behind, her black heels clicking swiftly to keep up with the excited alien. Even getting there was a hassle, the GPS leading raven into a bus zone but finally after numerous U-turns and bickering they made it. Everyone at the station seemed to be going the opposite way, in a hurry to get to wherever they are needed without any unnecessary interactions. Yet, Kori hastily retreated to Raven's side, whispering worries of onlookers. Raven laughed despite herself. Koriand'r was a 6 foot 4 orange alien with breath-taking auburn hair cascading down her waist and piercing green eyes. Of course, she would catch the eyes of many, but that wasn't what she was really referring to that night. Koriand'r and Raven's attire made them stand out more than their usual civvies in the dull station but it still fell short for their downtown event. Raven readjusted Kori's snakeskin bodysuit, which was tucked into her white mini skirt as they reached the ticket counter.

"No one's looking Kori," Raven promised.

"Perhaps they will not be seeing you friend, but they are seeing me"

Raven wore a pink bodysuit with a pair of black slit jeans and although Kori left her coat in the car, Raven decided to keep her jean jacket on, favouring a warm night out over parading a Kori approved outfit. She walked ahead, paying their fee to get in before asking the woman behind the desk for directions. She avoided the subway or any public transport for that matter as much as she could because, on top of it being crowded with too many minds, she was horrible with directions. There was only a moment's wait before the subway cars bustled in. As they got on, Kori got one final text from Connor complaining about waiting, before they were pulled away into the darkness and away from cell phone reception. That's when she noticed that Raven hadn't taken a sip of her cocktail while she was halfway done her own. Grimacing, Raven took a tentative sip before turning to smile at Kori who was awaiting her approval. To give Kori some credit, it was not half as bad as Raven suspected, which is saying a lot since tequila was not her drink of choice. However, as the alien was passionately giving Raven a rundown of what they should do that night, the half-demon quickly transferred half her concoction into Kori's cup. She had to drive them both home when it was all over anyway. It seemed so mundane to think about drinking and driving but unfortunately, Raven knew it was worse to drink and fly from experience. Kori would be more stubborn and full of emotion than she already was when drunk and Raven was probably going to have to take care of her when they were home as well. So, she smiled and sipped her remaining drink while she listened to her oblivious friend.

The passengers seemed lifeless in the dimly lit subway car as they were all jostled around in unison, occasionally lit by a peek of sky that snuck by in the train's path. Raven shifted in her worn out stiff seat as they neared the final station and started to giggle as a woman struggled to walk through the car while keeping her balance. Kori quickly turned to Raven with concern.

"Oh no, I am being the loud!" she exclaimed earning a glance from a couple seated opposite from them.

"No you're not Kori"

"But you are laughing"

"I'll tell you later don't worry"

"I was right, I am the loud"

With Kori quieting down, the train pulled into the station. This time everyone in the station had outfits more bizarre than them, the bright outfits radiating the beige tiles bellow. With big smiles, half of them teetering on tired the other half giddy with excite, Raven and Kori followed the crowd out onto the colourful streets. From Kori showing up unannounced at Raven's house to chiding her into a pink top and a lot of grovelling later, the two titans had finally made it to PRIDE.

As soon as the girls got out onto the streets it was like they were in a whole new part of town. Rainbows littered the floor, glitter was sprinkled everywhere and everyone seemed genuinely content to be there. But Raven knew that they had not yet reached the celebration and this sprinkle of groups in the street before them would soon turn into a swarm that would never let the party end. Koriand'r stumbled in front of her as Raven was engulfed by waves of her giddiness.

"I think I have the tequila feeling now"

"Maybe we should call Miguel to come get us then"

Ding

"Oh I am finding the friend on my phone...this way"

Raven sprinted behind Kori muttering reminders to herself to stay grounded while fighting the urge to teleport beside her. In a blink of an eye and the turn of a corner, they had reached Thrutch Street. Everyone was talking excitedly, walking somewhere with purpose, becoming best friends with strangers. Kori began to fly a little before Raven dragged her back down, making sure to hold her hand as they weaved through the eccentric crowd. Raven's house was near her university, but in the quaint tucked away corner where old houses were. It was a quiet neighbourhood with new families or old couples and she relished in its constant calm presence. She could go to sleep with the window open, only hearing the occasional car whiz by down the street. The loudest moments in the morning would be when kids were out on the street ready to play. Here it was so busy, with the cars blaring their horns on the freeway drowned out by the music coming out of a bunch of clubs and people hysterically trying to talk over one another. Before it became too much for Raven Koriand'r pulled her into a quieter street.

"Miguel!"

"Kori! You finally made it!"

Raven walked behind dreading having to talk to the group of friends with unrelenting smiles. She tried to remember the little summaries Kori gave of each of Miguel's friends but she came short and realized there were more people than she had anticipated.

"Raven, I have heard so much about you!"

"Yeah, I've heard a lot about you too Miguel"

"Kori told me that you have your own place now"

"Yeah it's kind of far though"

"Cherry vodka?"

"Oh my friends they have let the carts unattended," Kori cried grabbing Miguel's drink, "Let us drive them"

Raven followed her tequila filled friend to two gray carts parked on the side of the road with her arms crossed. She wished she could just down Miguel's drink herself. Talking to new people came a lot easier to Kori than it did to her but she wasn't in a hurry to get to know these people either. She muttered something about keys that no one seemed to hear before Miguel's date Ethan introduced himself to her. In front of them, Miguel was on the ground trying to drag the cart with his bare hands while Kori sat inside with his other friend and tried to move it by forcing the steering wheel to cooperate. Eventually, Ethan's friend from college exclaimed there are no keys loud enough for everyone to realize and start laughing.

"Let us drive them" Miguel mocked Kori

"Hush we need more drinks" she retorted.

And so the group made a beeline to Wine Rack, which was to close in 15 minutes but was fortunately only a street away. They tried to get past many just walking, in wheelchairs, trying to drive a motorcycle and just getting across the block seemed endless. At one point Kori had come back to Raven's side because a man had sneered at her to slow down. But after a fleeting moment, she returned to the crowd making sure to tell everyone that they are so very pretty. At one point Miguel had asked a bewildered security guard if he could sit on him. Connor and M'gann had found Miguel as they rounded the corner but bumped into the same man who berated Kori as he waved them over. Kori and Miguel immediately began arguing with him until they parted ways at the intersection. Being dragged by Koriand'r, all Raven knew was that the last words exchanged by Kori was an aggressive suggestion for the man to go back to his retirement home. Miguel turned to Kori.

"Wait why are we fighting him"

"I thought he was doing the fighting with you"

"Nope"

They laughed all the way to the wine rack, making it with 6 minutes to spare. There was a small line up but it seemed to be moving quickly as Raven was about to get a migraine from the abrupt mood swings from her two drunken friends. Kori tried and failed to convince Raven that she was only like this on tequila. For a girl so bubbly and welcoming, Raven knew she was just as loyal if not more, and if she thought anyone threatened her friends her drunken wrath would not be an afterthought. As soon as they made it inside everyone ran to get drinks like there was a drought and this was the last place with water. After an unsuccessful attempt to get Kori to put away the extra bottle of wine, she headed to the checkout line. It seemed to wind around the entire store but Kori spotted Miguel and Ethan at the front. Miguel being Miguel had already made friends with a man in line in front of them. Raven was starting to understand why Kori became such good friends with him so fast.

"Miguel, move forwards I am wanting to buy this"

"I don't even know who this girl is," Miguel said to the confused man in front of him "but she just really wants me"

"Miguel move"

"She wants to hop on my dick"

"Do the shutting up you gay-"

That was when Raven heard a collective gasp and watched the man behind them try to get a better view with his eyebrows raised in shock. As far as anyone in the store could see, Kori was some random girl bothering Miguel. They did not know that she called him gay just as he would call her E.T for fun. Regardless, Kori said gay. In the middle of PRIDE. Quite loudly.

"We're going to die because you pissed off all of Wine Rack. Great," Raven whispered.

Miraculously they had made it outside without a scratch and were now beside an angry group of people who could not get inside because it was officially 11:02pm. In the short time that Raven had taken her eye off of Kori to talk to Connor, she had finished most of the wine and stole a sticker that said 'Slut' off of a stranger's chest.

"So you're working while being on the team?"

"Yeah, M'gann wanted us to go to school together but I got an apprenticeship at this small mechanic shop"

"Near Clark's home?"

"Yeah M-"

Kori came back clutching a petite male with someone else trailing behind them. Connor recognized him immediately and introduced his boss and his boyfriend to the girls.

"We loooove Connor," Kori piped in, "You should be of great delight to hire him"

"Well I actually knew him before the-"

"Did you know of this creepy man who followed my friend on the net"

Silence. Kori had done it again. Connor's boss was led away by his boyfriend back onto the lively streets. Everything got quieter as Wine Rack officially closed for the night and the disappointed customers headed back into the wave of people on the street ahead. M'gann had come back with Ethan's friends in tow after raiding the nearest convenience store for munchies. Beside them, Kori was bickering with a girl about sharing when Miguel suddenly started yelling at everyone to get up and celebrate. He had a quick rant about no one celebrating his day before disappearing into the street with Kori. Raven, instead of running after them was preoccupied with someone undoubtedly in immense pain. She ran the opposite way straining to focus on this one person without getting mixed up with the jumble of emotions beaming out of the intoxicated partiers. She rounded the corner and made sure no one was in sight before stepping into the darkness to be teleported closer. She promised Kori that she would be normal tonight, that she would help her blend in, but no one was here to recognize her. No harm no foul she thought just as she arrived a few blocks down just as a shadow of a man loomed over her. Raven quickly turned her right hand forming a shield, her left raised to blast whoever it was in case her defence was intercepted. However, instead of fighting, the man landed feet first on her shield, bounced off and landed behind her, coming face to face with her fist full of dark energy.

"Connor?!"

"Are you trying to kill me?"

"No something's wrong, what are you doing here?"

"I heard weird screams...are you supposed to be doing that in civvies?"

"It never really stops, even on our days off. Now come on and try not to get killed by me"

Connor muttered something under his breath that Raven didn't care enough to try and hear. They were left in an empty room with garage doors at the other end that filtered the moonlight onto the gray floor. The feeling of dread, confusion and great pain seemed to still be in the room that Raven was sure whoever it was lay on the floor just moments ago. She was about to turn around when Connor crossed the room and crouched down just before the moon lit floor. Blood; only a tiny bit but it was there. Connor collected a sample and said he would take it back to the lab and get someone to run a few tests. Raven didn't ask why he was carrying a tubed cotton swab because she didn't really want to talk about what really drew her there. Beyond the pain, there was a lingering, unearthly rancour that almost reminded her that of Trigon's. Whoever this was, she knew they were not of earth but she wanted to know what superboy could find out about this thing's victim first. They agreed to keep this to themselves until more information came up and walked back towards their friends, a heavy silence hanging between them.