Chapter Two-Illusionist

Robin paced silently in his room, watching the sword he had slipped into the folds of his cape slowly fade away, glittering in an unreal manner. His finger throbbed where the blade had cut when he had first examined it, but now his hand passed through it, as if it had never existed.

He whirled around defensively as the door opened, Cyborg entering, not at all surprised by Robin's strange mannerisms while in deep thought.

"She's comin' to."

Robin lowered his arms and returned to an eased stance, a light frown playing across his forehead. His tone was monotonous, all business.

"Has she said anything?"

"Naw. Jus' woke up. I searched for weapons, but my scanners got nothin'."

Robin thought grimly of the fading sword, an enigma. What had they come upon?

Raven levitated slightly above the floor, keeping half a mind on the sleeping guest lying sprawled across the coach. She couldn't help but be reminded of another visitor from not long ago that had shared the same coach. One with long blond hair that had stolen the heart of one of their members. A girl that had powers too deadly...and had made mistakes too deadly...to be forgiven easily or quickly. Raven would not forget those things, if ever that girl came back.

Raven half opened one of her eyes as Starfire came in joyfully, holding some her strange cooking.

"I have made the Bread of Welcoming! It will bring the harmony and peace of feelings between us and our guest!"

"Umm...looks appetizing..." Raven lied uncertainly, never having actually eaten Starfire's food. So far she had avoided the misfortune.

Mirage opened her eyes tiredly and heard two people conversing. The ceiling was strange, unlike her bland quarters back at the H.I.V.E. Sitting up, she noticed two girls staring at her, one holding a strange dish, and the other floating in mid-air.

"Um...hi."

"Hi," A door behind her opened and closed, and three boys came in. The lead she recognized as Robin, head of the Teen Titans. 'Great', she thought to herself. 'the "good guys". So what have I done now?'

"I'm..." Robin began, but was quickly cut off as Mirage stood. Not, of course, by the fact that she began to speak was he cut off, but by her eyes. They were deep violet when she first stood, but as she began to speak they went from crimson red to emerald green, from crystal blue to clouded white.

"...Robin. I know, as well as Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven, and Starfire. I am Mirage." Her tone was somewhat suspicious and cold, as if she wasn't used to being greeted courteously.

Robin and Cyborg exchanged surprised looks. The girl had looked fragile enough unconscious, and yet she had cuts in a half dozen places, and she wasn't even flinching, not to mention she spoke without a hint of fear. There was the slightest hint of a pause before Starfire spoke pleadingly.

"Please, friend, you required medical attention. You were bleeding quite horribly..." Starfire trailed off as she saw Mirage's expression soften.

"It's alright. It's nothing more than a few scratches." Mirage turned back to Cyborg and Robin, her gaze lingering on Beast Boy. "I suppose you want to know how I got those cuts."

Robin nodded, but Beast Boy just looked at her, wide-eyed. This girl was freaking him out. Her eyes were now a bright gold, like that of an eagle.

Raven, who had picked up her poetry book in half boredom, looked up at Beast Boy. "Is something wrong?"

Beast Boy shook his head, but Mirage smiled as if suddenly remembering something. Without warning, her white skin gained color, her hair became black and her eyes a light blue. "Sorry if my appearance disturbed you. May I have a seat?"

Raven gave a "go-ahead" look, and the group settled in for the girl's tale.