"Raven get up its time for school," Rain nudges the boy in the bed trying to get him up.
Ravens eyes fly open in suprize, 'crap i've over slept' she thinks to herself, 'thank God this book is across my chest.'
"Ok, ok i'm getting up. Just leave me alone so I can get ready," Raven said grumpily for emphasis. Amazed that she was still wearing yesterdays clothes she grabbed things for the shower...including new bindings from under a loose base board. After showering and "getting ready" Raven gets dressed and heads out of her rooms and to the kitchen to make up her lunch.
She hears laughter when she steps in the kitchen...and then remembers.....
"Why...you....RAIN!! Its vacation time gahhh i fell for it..." Raven 'slumps' into the nearest chair and begins to tap her hand on the table.
Mad Raven refuses her breakfast...Domon laughts and ruffs her hair, "We all fall for things at times, Raven...Happy Birthday,"
Raven looks at the calendar and sure enough its is the day....picked because it was the day she first picked Rains pocket.
"Thanks..." she mutters.
Later that day, while cleaning the dojo:
"Raven," Domon says coming up to her when she was setting things up for todays class, " I really need to practice with Jaenen today; do you mind...."
Raven knows whats coming next, understanding that Jaenen is the latest in the now infamous line of potential replacements, so she interjects..."no problem sir. I'll stay out of things today and just work."
"Thanks you Raven. I know its your birthday and all but I must get a feel for my new student. I'll make it up to you...." he says to Ravens back. He watches the boy walk away...feeling a bit guilty, but it had to be done.
Raven watched while she did what needed to be done around the dojo. She decided to clean up a bit at the house then went to the woods for a short practice before homework. In the midst of her practice someone cleared their throat. "Raven Skindari." booms an offical voice. Raven looked at him and nodded The man held out an envelop and gesturing to Raven to take it. After taking it the man walked away, leaving her to wonder how he found her in the woods.
She shook her head as if to clear her last thought, "Its a mystery to me."
Looking at the letter she opened it. Inside was an official looking card with message, brief though it was.
RAVEN SKINDARI
Case 561.42A
11 am
Blue Level One Court Room
06.3.94
"Crap, now what...thats tomoRROW," she says with a groan. Realizing the day of the Alliance's Annual Picnic. This time it was Argos turn to host ... both Natasha and him decided to have it in a small village about 8 hours from here.
"I cant go...and I got to figure a way out of it," she thinks dejectedly. Sitting down knees scrunched up to her chest and head on them she shakes her head, "what now..."
Later that night:
"We leave at 7 am for Kiato (the place of the picnic), we should arrive by 3," Domon says looking as if he was calculating. And so ensued the discussion that he and Rain always had...exicited about seeing everyone and all...blah blah blah.
Raven took her leave and went to bed.
The next morning Raven pretended to be ill and when Rain went to check up on 'him' she knows thats not going to work so she changes course.
"I cant go," starts Raven, who gets immediate looks from the pair early the next morning, "I invited Kerina to a movie, I forgot about the Picnic...sorry."
Domon and Rain smile and nod, "Cant break your promises now," says Domon. "You two have a good time," added Rain, "dont worry about not going...it'll be the same old thing."
She waves as they take off....in their Gundams...Domon had promised her a ride in his gundam this year. Shaking the feeling off she goes and prepairs for the hearing.
10:30 am
Raven enters the courtroom in black slacks, and a beautiful black silk button up blouse with red print... a matching sash at her waist. Her boy clothes were in the knapsack on her shoulder for later...the judge had long ago figured out her true gender.
He was the same man who gave her her last name....though it was never used except between them and the courts. The judge still got his kicks over the cruel moniker. After one year of dealing with Raven the first time and continually telling her that she was a reject and even sand had more value he named her Sandari....even the Kasshu's didnt know of the insulting name, for it was only used in his courtroom. He even ordered her to appear in court in sutible garments befitting her gender....but ONLY in court. The only major victory Raven had in dealing with the judge is when she won the slacks vs skirt battle.
The shirt was new...having outgrown her old one. The Kasshu's assumed she blew her money elsewhere after she was unable to purchace the practice outfit needed for the class. If only they knew where her money was going...but Ortani had put a gag order on that. Some things were between her and the courts...well Judge Ortani anyway.
Hearing her case called Raven stepped forward and took her place.
"Raven Sandari, it has come to this courts attention that you have been training with Domon Kasshu, the same man who took you in after your run in with his wife Rain."
"Yes sir." responds Raven.
"You are still employed at Rising Kioijin are you not?" asksed the judge.
"Yes sir."
"How is this training effecting your already strained budget....hmmm?"
"I am still able to make housing payments and get the other things I need with the classes, yes. The budget is strained but I am not being charged for the classes which makes things a bit easier sir."
"Your NOT?"
"No sir."
"This is something you like, correct? It is not a REQUIRED thing is it.."
Raven seeing where this was headed cringes, "Yes sir."
"I see." The judge once again shuffles his papers as if looking for something and suddenly stops..."Ahh," he says as if finding mecca. "Raven, Mr. Kilari an inspector has been monitoring your training from a distance. He has suggested to the court that based on your previouse criminal activities (refering to her early days) that this is a highly dangerous activity for you to be involved in. In fact he goes on to say that "In my opinion Raven should be stopped before he becomes a danger to not only himself but to others....who knows where this activity shall lead."
Stopping he looks at Raven, "this is a very serious matter Ms. Sandari, one this court cannot ignore. Therefore it is so ordered that since no cash transfer has begun and you have stated this is something NOT needed, you shall cease all training activities at the Center. If this creates a problem with the Kasshu's you shall quit working there altogether and be employed at a place you can make your payements to this court for your fees...which includes such things housing fees (an unknown thing to the Kasshus) and case fees...do I make my self clear?"
"Yes sir."
"Good. If it should come to pass that you can no longer work at the Center for any reason whatso ever, you shall be employed in the Factory Inetek...as an adult. Understood?"
"Yes sir."
"Good, you can change in there," he points to the room across the hall, "Session over. Until next time Ms. Sandari." he says with a snear and smirk.
-------------------
Later that day in the woods near her cave she regularily used for thinking...Raven once again burried the knapsack and returned to the house. Unable to sit in the house Raven decoded to go over to the dojo.
Once she got near her locker Raven paused a moment, reflecting. Opening it she pulls out her shorts and shirt (for display really, she always had em on before class) and towel. Shutting the locker she walks over to the tag and flips it from occupied to available and erases her name off the locker and the books. Turning away Raven closed up walked out, locking up behind her.
Deciding to take a nice long run she headed off into the woods, coming back at around 9:30. Once inside she took a long shower and went to bed. Domon and Rain returned at 11 pm the next evening they rouse Raven out of bed.
"Sorry to wake you but we have something for you," says Domon pushing a package towords the boy.
"Thanks...," she says as she opens it. Lifting the lid she sees....she begins to stare....and pulls out a practice outfit. Shocked her mouth hangs open...overwhelmed by a thousand emotions most of them at the same time.
"Thanks a lot Mr. Kasshu sir," Raven says in awe, placing the outfit in the box and heading to her room.
"By the way, Rave (his nick name for her). There was another discussion and well...if your interested...." Domon stammers unsure of how to bring the subject up of Rave's being a full fledged student of his instead of just the help...
"Thank you sir." Raven walks off into her room before he can finish the thought...a little while later with tears trickling down her face she fell into a troubled sleep clutching the outfit and dreaming could not be.
Late that night Rain checked in on Raven, seeing the uniform in his fist, she thought the tears were those of joy, not sadness, "Everything will be alright....you'll see Domon," she whispers to herself and quietly shuts the door, heading to the lab to work on Arc-Angel for a bit.
There you go if you're interested in more let me know...you know what to use...the button is down there. See , yep thats the one.