Chapter 10: "Truly Powerful"

Everything was so vague, and her head ached from a deep pain. Raven moaned faintly, her eyes opening bleary and tired. She looked down, and saw her hands locked in thick, dark brown fetters with all-too-familiar markings etched into their boxy surfaces, chains leading down to the edges of the circular platform on which she was kneeling, sunken over her own legs with her cloak draped around her, hood down. Controlled alarm appeared in her more aware lavender eyes, and she quickly looked around, her hair dancing around her face.

A large chamber of dark, brown, earthy rock loomed all around her, a dais beneath her intricately carved with runes of the same style Slade had burnt into her skin. It was murky and dark, difficult to distinguish much detail, but then she tried to reach out with her power. Raven winced with pain, looking down as the shackles glowed with unnatural fire in their runes, the entire dais glistening beneath her in response to her attempt. Abruptly, flame burst to life along portions of the cavern walls, casting the whole chamber into a bright, fiery light as hot wind started to spin idly across the walls.

Familiar voices started to sound behind her, and Raven looked back over her left shoulder, her eyes widening. "Robin, Cyborg, everyone!" she called urgently.

Shackled by the elbows to the back wall on smaller, raised platforms of stone, were the other Titans. As Raven looked back at them, Cyborg was on the far left, then Beast Boy, Robin almost directly behind her, Starfire, and Rith on the far right, his staff on the stone near his legs. They were all starting to wake up, but were restrained awkwardly with their elbows up high, knees on the ground, heads lolled forward.

Starfire moaned pitifully, and her eyes finally opened. "…Raven?" she called in astonishment as she realized what was going on. Beast Boy and the others quickly roused as well, Starfire gathering power in her eyes and fists.

"No, Starfire!" Raven tried to warn her, a hand flying up with her panicked voice.

Starfire cried out, her power fading as her shackles blazed with flame, obviously hurting the alien girl. Robin jerked on his. "Starfire!" He received a similar blast of pain for his trouble, his body flashing with an aura of hellish fire.

Raven winced with the others, who realized their powers were restrained as much as their bodies. "I'm sorry, everyone… If I hadn't-"

"Hey, don't blame yourself for this, Ray," Cyborg cut her off calmly, gently testing his own shackles. They were loose and passive so long as he didn't try to escape. Focusing back on the pale girl on the central dais, he smiled a bit, "We'll figure something out, don't worry."

Rith, though his powers were negated, could still sense what was going on quite well. "Cyborg is right, Raven. I believe the Teen Titans have stolen victory from the jaws of defeat often enough," he offered with some mild humor to help lighten the understandably raw mood.

Beast Boy sighed. "Yeah, but it's still a mondo bummer to get caught like this."

Robin gave the shape-shifter a dry stare. "Not helping…"

"Actually, Titans," Slade's voice emanated from the front of the chamber, drawing their grave attention to him as he stepped out from the shadows between two pillars of flame along the wall, "he's the only one who's spoken with some sense."

Robin narrowed his eyes, Raven controlling her dismay as she looked at Slade from the dais, still weak from the battle in the warehouse and kneeling. The leader of the Titans replied, "We're taking you down once and for all, Slade. Just because Trigon decided to make you his pet- Agh!" he cried out as the shackles burned him again, everyone focusing on him with alarmed concern before he moaned, limply hanging from his restraints as he caught his breath.

Slade just chuckled, making Starfire especially frown with controlled outrage. "You have no powers, are restrained, and I have Raven exactly where my master needs her. You should feel honored, though. My master thinks you should get front-row seats to the end of the world."

"I won't!" Raven shouted firmly, regaining some strength. "You can't make me hurt my friends or my home."

Slade raised his hands out to the sides. "This isn't your home, Raven. You have much grander designs in store for you."

Rith actually growled faintly. "You can't make her do anything she doesn't want, Slade."

The resurrected villain focused his eye on the blind boy. "Can't I? Let's see, shall we?" He aimed his left hand at Raven, her eyes widening as Rith and the others controlled their alarm and panic. "It has begun, Raven!"

A deep roar filled the chamber as Raven's back arched, her arms jerking against the fetters as she cried out, wind blasting around her, making her hair and cloak lash upward while the runes on the dais flared with red light. Rith's expression fell with horror. "Raven…" Guilt flooded his mind, feeling as though he had betrayed her, as if it were somehow his fault she was being overwhelmed.

"Stop it! You're hurting her!" Robin shouted desperately, ignoring the pain his shackles as he scrambled. Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Starfire were right there with him, struggling and shouting.

Rith just focused on Raven, his jaw slack as he sensed her deep pain and fear over what was happening. How can this happen…? How can she be violated like this?

Raven just screamed as much as her lungs could manage, her eyes shut tightly but letting tears fly up into the raging wind. Slade seemed pleased with himself, a channel of flame ripping down from the dais, across the broad floor of the cavern, to the wall directly in front of Raven, where it suddenly shot up and blazed into the emblem of Trigon, exactly like the one on Slade's forehead, only hundreds of times the size. Raven's hands contorted as she stared down her face at the glowing symbol on the far wall. Her eyes widened with horrid shock. "No…" she breathed painfully.

Yes.

The Titans along the back wall were struck with flaming pain, making Raven twist her head around to see them, pained empathy in her eyes as the deep, inhuman voice filled the chamber and their minds. The torturous pain ended, leaving her friends panting and weak. A fresh roar of flame from the wall made Raven quickly glance back to it, the other Titans doing likewise as they recovered, hanging heavily from their bonds. Trigon's symbol burst into a portal of raging fire on the wall, and a towering effigy appeared through the licking tongues of evil power. Tiered horns loomed above an angular body, four, crimson slits blazing through the flames.

All Raven could do was shake her head slowly at what was happening in front of her, her power being sucked out of her by the dais, opening the doorway to the end of the world. She tried and tried, but she couldn't get control of her power again, it was just rushing out of her. Trigon himself laughed with terrible triumph, and his horns blazed through the opening, exposing his long white hair, crimson skin, and burning eyes. The black markings, like stripes, on his torso came through, then his powerful legs, his right then left claws grinding into the stone ahead of Raven, towering over Slade, who stood to the demon's right, his hand still raised at the pale girl.

Trigon nearly filled the cavern himself, his hair tied back in a ponytail, a simple waist-cloth covering his body, revealing most of his sculpted, crimson form. The already warm wind turned uncomfortable hot in his presence, continuing to stir around the chamber in addition to the vortex around poor Raven. Trigon stretched his back, claws gripping leisurely at the air, and then looked down to Slade. "You have done well, messenger. Release her for now." He focused on Raven.

Slade lowered his hand, the wind dying down around Raven as the runes on the dais faded. She fell to her knees, almost crumpling in place. Her eyes were shut, and her sorrowed face was bowed toward the dais as she let her arms hang limply from her shoulders. It was done, she hadn't done anything to stop it. How could she have failed her friends so miserably? The other Titans, for their part, were just staring in shock and awe, Cyborg and Beast Boy recognizing Trigon instantly.

Trigon smiled in a faint manner, disturbingly reminiscent of Raven's own, and stomped toward her, leaning down into her face as she averted herself as far from his presence as she could, her arms caught by the chains attached to her wrists. He continued to smirk until she finally let her eyes sink into his four-point stare. The crimson slits narrowed with malefic pleasure. "What you have hidden you shall become… dear daughter."

"Get away from her!" Robin shouted, struggling against his bonds.

"Hush now," Slade replied, gesturing at the boy. Flames engulfed Robin briefly, and he screamed in pain.

Something inside Raven woke up at her friend's pained outcry, and she twisted her head over her shoulder. "Robin!"

The blast of pain had faded, and he fell limp and weak from its release. Outrage and hopelessness warred in Raven's heart as she saw Robin sag, wincing from residual pain. He looked up again, firm anger in his gaze as it focused on Trigon.

Trigon pulled Raven's chin to face his four glowing eyes as he smiled with dark pleasure. "Ignore them, Raven. They are specks of dust not worth your attention."

"They are my friends!" she shouted back at him, suddenly finding renewed strength in her mind and body, jerking her wrists against the restraints, her eyes flaring white, but the shackles refused to obey her soulself.

A crimson claw shot out, and grabbed Raven over her forehead. She gritted her teeth against the crushing pain, and the burning sting in her skin.

Rith struggled, his brow knotted over his scarred eyelids, but he could not break free, and the shackles made his power unusable. "…Leave her be, Trigon," he managed through gritted teeth.

The demon lord laughed, still holding Raven. "I think not! Witness the destroyer of your world!" He pulled Raven up, her arms taut against the chains as she groaned in pain. Abruptly she screamed, her friends calling out in dismay.

Crimson runes etched into her skin. All down her legs, through her palms, over her forehead. And the mark on her forehead grew, etching down over her temples, and curling over her cheeks. Raven gasped from her scream, tears dripping down her cheeks, evaporating as they hit the glowing runes.

"You are hurting Raven! Let her go!" Starfire yelled, ramming forward, but to no avail.

Rith was breathing hard, his heart pounding in the growing claws of panic. Stop! Think, think, think! If he just makes her do it, why? What's the… point… His face turned up, calming into a dark expression at Trigon. "Is this your power, Trigon? Picking on a wounded, shackled girl?"

The demon lord narrowed his many eyes at the boy, and Slade started to move for him with vicious satisfaction narrowing his visible eye, but Trigon raised his free claw. "Wait. I'll deal with this one… personally."

Slade eased back, Trigon letting Raven drop though the marks remained. She looked back with tear-stained eyes. "Rith! No!"

Trigon smiled, flame building around his hands. Rith just returned the smile in his own faint manner. "I know why you need her."

Abruptly everything became quiet and still, Trigon's gaze wary and appraising. Raven grew puzzled, not sure what exactly Rith could know about her father's plans. Had it all been a lie again? Her lips firmed at the idea, but looking at Rith, she saw a deep anger in the boy's face, wholly directed at Trigon. …Then what is it?

Trigon leaned down into the boy's face. "And just what is it you think you know, mortal?"

Rith continued to smile. "She's more powerful than you are."

The demon lord's eyes flared, and he moved to strike the boy a death-blow.

"The very power you turned your back on is the ultimate power she discovered."

Raven assumed Rith was just stalling Trigon at this point, he wasn't making any sense. Everyone, however, took note when Trigon let his claw drop from the proposed attack.

Rith kept going, strangely confident, "I was wondering why such a powerful demon lord would care about a bunch of little specks like us, why Earth would mean anything next to getting your daughter back at your side. But we've become vital. Vital because she cares about us."

Raven's expression softened, everyone focused on Rith at the moment.

"You have to defeat her so that she won't surpass you, and, as you feared, she already has."

Trigon grabbed Rith by the neck, yanking him taut from the chains as the boy groaned in pain. "How would you know anything? You're just stalling for time, mortal!"

Rith actually chuckled a bit. "That's right. Destroy me. That's all you can do. Weak hate, pathetic destruction." Though his voice was strained, he maintained surprising power as he spoke, "Mercy, creation, the very powers you refused in your lust for power, are the ultimate powers in the universe, and you're just powerful enough to understand that fact."

"Silence!" But there was alarm in Trigon's voice, controlled panic. Raven's brow creased, not sure how to use the information. How had she mastered the ultimate power Rith was speaking about? She could use her soulself, wield spells, but mercy and creation?

The blind boy continued. "That's why you have to kill us all, that's why you created the prophecy. To force Raven into refuting that power. If you can make her destroy this world, then none of the others matter. If you can make her turn on her friends, no force in all reality could stop the pair of you… because she would obey you, lacking all else. This girl," his voice built with natural power and strength, everyone, Robin, Starfire, even Slade watching with growing fascination, "who has withstood every torture you could throw at her without breaking stride, who has accepted every awful responsibility you forced on her, now stands on her own feet. She needs nothing from you… but you can't exist without her. The great demon lord… at the mercy of a mortal child. And do you want to know why?"

Trigon roared, pulling Rith upward so that his arms were dangerously strained down. Raven's eyes flared in alarm. "Rith, stop! He'll kill you!"

"That doesn't matter," he called back clearly and strongly. "You have the power Raven. It's in your heart! You trust, you love! Every strength your father refused in his blind grasp at shadows. He can't make you do anything, he just has to convince you he can!" He finished with a choked scream, his arms shivering as Trigon started to squeeze upward.

"I'll rip you to pieces, mortal."

Raven breathed heavily, her heart pounding.

"He's right, Raven!" Robin shouted, straining himself against the fetters. "You have friends, you heal, you empathize! All Trigon can do is destroy everything around him!"

"Yes, he can only break what others have made. He can make nothing of his own without destroying first!" Starfire called powerfully in addition.

"No kidding! Trust your heart, Ray!" Cyborg shouted, ignoring the shocks blasting him from the shackles, Robin and Starfire resisting the pain from theirs as well. "You more than this extra-crispy creep will ever be!"

Trigon dropped Rith. "Silence, all of you! Raven! Open the portal, let my realm pour into this one, or I will kill your so-called friends here and now!" He chuckled as he calmed a bit. "Obey me, and I'll let you keep them as… pets, perhaps."

Raven stared back at him, her eyes hard and focused despite the runes glowing on her skin. Why was Trigon hesitating if he could just make her do it? What did he need any of this for? Why was he bothering with her if he could already come through? Was it her power that opened the portal, or had Slade simply drained her through the dais, and opened a portal that was already waiting to open? Strength and focus shone in her eyes. "I know you're lying. I will never help you destroy this world, not if I have any choice left!"

Trigon stomped closer to her, leaning down into her face. "A brave stand, child, but…"

She gasped weakly, falling over herself as her runes flared bright, obviously causing her pain. The vision, pain, her guilt and anger all swirled in her mind and engulfed her heart. She couldn't think, she could barely breathe.

"They've alienated you, ostracized you since the beginning. Take your true place at my side, and we will be together forever…"

Raven's eyes dripped heavy tears onto the red dais, curled over her legs, her hair weighing down around her face. "…No…"

A voice cut through the maelstrom of pain clawing at her heart. "Raven," Rith spoke gently through the rushing air, "you're not alone."

Her eyes opened, and she looked over to him as the hot wind tossed her hair. The blind boy was kind and gentle as ever, smiling for her as he always had, supportive and trusting.

"Exactly! We're your friends, Raven!" Beast Boy shouted urgently. "We'll stick with you no matter what!"

"Nobody's gonna split us up because he wants to blow up a few worlds!" Cyborg joined in, grinning.

Rith called to her, "You have the power, Raven! We're at your side, but you can handle that monster yourself! If you can't see the light, that doesn't mean it isn't there! Trust your friends!"

"Do it, Raven!" Robin shouted, grinning despite the situation.

"Yes, Raven! Beat the bad demon person!" Starfire chimed happily.

Trigon roared back at them. "Slade!" he snapped to his servant. "Kill them all!"

"With pleasure, master," the armored warrior replied with dark satisfaction, striding forward with his eye focused on Robin first.

Raven snapped upright, her hair flailing. "NO!" her voice thundered through the cavern, shaking the very fabric of reality for a heart-beat. Her eyes blazed, and Trigon leapt back. Slade struck a black wall, and was flung back into the far stone.

"Your choice, Raven. Your heart," Rith said, calm and sincere.

She closed her fists and bowed her head. Trigon raised his claws, flame bleeding from them both, and aimed at the Titans against the wall. "You'll interfere no more, mortals."

"No, Trigon."

He stopped, looking down at Raven, his eyes suddenly flaring with alarm.

She raised her head, her eyes calm and peaceful within the glowing runes. Her hands opened… and the runes faded, cracked, and blew away like black dust from her palms. They scattered off her legs, vanishing from her body. "I will not hurt my friends for you." The runes fell away from her face as her eyes blazed with white power.

Trigon cried out, charging at her, but a lashing wave of darkness slammed him back against the wall where his portal had formed. Raven shattered her fetters with a thought, darkness tearing them to pieces, and raised her hands as she stood. "Azarath metrion ZINTHOS!" Her soulself erupted from her body, tearing into the chamber with spiraling waves. Her friends' shackles flew apart, and the dais at her feet fractured into rubble as she floated above it.

Rith gripped his staff, Cyborg activated his cannon, Starfire's eyes blazed as power flashed around her fists, Robin snapped his staff free and three cryo-discs from his belt, all of them leaping in behind Raven, Beast Boy a large wolf with bared teeth.

Trigon chuckled. "You think this means anything? Those marks are still inside you, Raven!"

She shook her head faintly. "Only if I accept them." Her voice was calm, focused, completely in control.

Slade rose up, and shot toward Raven, flames licking off his legs and hands. Raven simply held her hand toward him, eyes focusing sidelong as her brow creased, though if it was out of focus or disgust was difficult to say. Slade froze in mid-flight, encased in a black aura. "Begone!"

The eye widened. "What?" His body burst into spiraling waves of ashen dust, scattering against the ground and vanishing into the air like nothing. Her power rushed back into her hand.

The other Titans paused, blinking at the abrupt defeat of their most powerful enemy up to that moment, and then looked ahead together, already smiling. Cyborg whistled. "Nice one, Raven!"

She smiled a bit herself. "He didn't belong here anyway."

Trigon reared back, and snapped his hands forward. A ripping beam-blast of hellish fire burst toward the team, but Raven didn't even have to block it. She glanced down to her left as a distortion shattered the power across the group, letting it disperse harmlessly. Rith smiled faintly as he stood with his staff to the ground, one hand raised in a focusing posture.

Raven rose higher in the air, her soulself writhing around her as she raised her arms high. "Now you truly will go back where you belong, Trigon. I will give you a last chance. Leave now, and never bother this realm again." Her hood rose up over her head, darkness writhing around her.

Trigon spread his feet as he stood before the symbol on the wall. "You think you can make me do anything, child? You were born for me! Your are MINE!"

"Had you done anything to treat me like a daughter, had you even once acted as a father to me, that might mean something to me. As it is…" her head tilted down a bit, her old battle-smirk forming, "I only see a monster who wants to attack my friends. They are my family."

Starfire smiled with everyone, but she clasped her hands and swirled around as well. "Oh glorious day! Yes! Let us kick the Trigon's butt back to his home!" She spread her arms, power flaring around her fists and eyes once more.

Trigon built another powerful blast in his hands, Raven letting her soulself swirl into hers. Robin twirled his staff under one arm. "Titans! GO!"

Trigon unleashed, and so did the Titans. A green armadillo crashed into Trigon's chest, leaping away as beams of sound from Cyborg and Rith met with Starfire's eye and hand-blasts, Robin's cryo-discs, and Raven's shadow wall rushing up behind them. They collided and exploded, shaking the cavern… and rushed toward Trigon in a wave of fire, ice, sound, and power.

Raven focused, her eyes sharpening, and the symbol on the wall burst into a fresh portal.

Trigon looked back with alarm. "No! NOOOO!"

The wave of power struck, and he skidded back by his foot-claws, pressing against the power with hands wreathed in flame. It all dispersed, and he stood on the precipice of the portal, breathing heavily, hair disheveled. He looked up, and saw the six young ones facing him, power writhing around them. Above and at the front, Raven looked down on him with power coursing off her form. "I will not destroy the world."

He laughed. "It is your destiny!"

"Who are you to determine destiny? If I hadn't been so foolish, I would have realized this power before, and your 'messenger' would have failed completely. I was too frightened to face you. Thanks to my friends, I'm past that, at least for now," she admitted with a calm nod. "I'll make mistakes, we all do…" she smiled a bit, "but with my friends, I can work through it."

"We all can," Robin affirmed, grinning as he held his staff with a battle-stance, just begging for Trigon to try and attack again. "Can we show this guy the door, Raven?"

"Oh please," she replied with a fresh smirk, "let me." Grinning, she raised her arms, her power swirling with strength. Basking in her soulself for a heart-beat, Raven snapped her arms down, her body curling from force of the gesture, and her power released.

Trigon raised a shield of flame, but the darkness struck like a thunder-bolt with the mass of a tsunami, obliterating his power like so much water scattering off stone. He roared… and his feet slipped free, his towering body falling through the threshold of the portal. "I'll be back, Raven! And I won't be so kind to your friends!"

Floating upright, she shook her head. "No… you won't."

He vanished within the portal, and the dark power wrenched the hole shut, rushing through it and sealing it before retreating back into Raven. She relaxed, and then moaned, falling to the ground. Robin caught her as the cavern started to shake.

"Without Trigon, this place is falling apart!" Cyborg warned.

Rith stepped forward. "Cyborg. Shoot me."

"What's cookin'?" the metal heavy-hitter asked lightly, activating his cannon.

"Getting us out of here as fast as possible," the blind boy answered in kind.

Cyborg aimed and fired, and the blast erupted into a sphere around the whole group. Rith looked to Starfire. "Care to make us a hole, madam?"

"By all means!" she replied happily, and as he raised everyone in a sphere of distortion, she unleashed blasts of power into the rock above and behind them. They flew out, leaving the collapsing cavern to its fate.

As they flew, Rith managed to look to Robin. "Is she alright?"

Robin nodded. "Just worn to the quick. We'll get her home and let her rest. Don't worry."

Rith smiled a bit, and Beast Boy danced around. "Oh yeah, oh yeah! We showed that big bad demon whose badder! We bad! We bad!"

For once everyone just laughed at his bad joke. Raven's expression was peaceful as she lay unconscious in Robin's arms, her hair lashing softly against her cheeks. She had done it, with her friends help, but she had made the final choice. She was free.

Safely held in Rith's bubble of sound, they flew on home.

(Later…)

Raven was in her bed, tucked under the covers, her cloak draped carefully over a pile of books near the foot of the bed, and her lavender hair gently splayed across the pillow as she lay on her right side. Daylight warmly wafted through the windows around her bed, revealing the dark but myriad colors of her room. The young woman moaned gently, clearly content where she lay, and then inhaled with more depth, her eyebrows rising leisurely before her eyes drifted open. Though drowsy, she felt wonderfully relaxed, warm in her soft bed-covers, and well rested.

Abruptly she remembered what had happened before she fell unconscious, and sat up, her hair dancing across her cheeks as her blanket fell down into her lap. Her shoulders relaxed with a soft smile on her lips, relief pouring out of her beautiful eyes. She remembered. They had beaten Trigon, she had refuted his prophecy for her, and sealed him away in his horrid realm. It was over, the horrible ordeal was done, and her friends weren't hurt, the world wasn't in ruins. She had control.

Her eyes closed with deep gratitude as she bowed her head, her hands closing into confident fists as they lay in her lap. Of course, her emotions had to be disciplined, losing control would always be a danger. It had to be for someone like her, with such power at her disposal, but she had proved to herself that she could control it. She could take responsibility with confidence, failure or success determined by her… but all thanks to her friends, without whom she never would have realized the simple truth. "That's right," she muttered with mild humor, "where is everyone?" An eyebrow quirked as she looked up to her door.

Her cloak flew off the books, and her door rushed open a heart-beat later, the tail rippling around the threshold before it closed again in her wake. In the living room of the tower, Beast Boy and Cyborg were playfully bad-mouthing each other over a video-game, Robin and Starfire were playing cards at the counter of the kitchen, and Rith was washing some dishes with a peaceful smile on his face. Starfire glanced up while she played with Robin, and saw the blind boy's expression. "Rith, what is making you smile so happily?"

Robin glanced back to their newest friend as well, curious as he saw the almost wistful expression on Rith's face. The sound-controller answered easily, "Raven's awake, she's coming this way."

Beast Boy twisted his head around so fast his neck popped, making him cringe and fall over as Cyborg just chuckled, pausing their game. The half-metal Titan stood up, pulling his green friend over the couch. "Well alright. I was beginning to think she'd never wake up."

Rith playfully chuckled, setting a last dish down in the strainer near the sink. "It's only been a little over a day…"

The door to the living room rushed open next, and everyone looked up to see a calmly pleased Raven in the opening. "I guess it's a bit late to say 'good morning'."

Her attempt to move down the stairs was interrupted by a purple, gray, and red streak as Starfire zipped over and grabbed Raven in a crushing embrace, glowing with joy. Raven twitched, her hands contorted below her friend's bear-hug, but then smiled faintly with a light laugh as Starfire let go, giggling. "You may give any time-greeting you wish, dear friend! It is too glorious to see you up and smiling to care about such things!" In classic style, she was floating up and down with clapping hands and swinging feet.

For once, Raven actually found her exuberance welcome. "Thanks, Starfire." She looked to the whole team, everyone smiling or grinning (Beast Boy) at her. "…I wanted to thank you all for what you've done for me… been doing for me. I couldn't have beaten my father without your help."

Cyborg finally grinned as well, smacking Beast Boy across the shoulder casually, though it nearly sent the green Titan flying off. "Don't even worry about it, Raven! What are friends for?"

"Exactly," the darkly dressed girl answered with her characteristic smirk, her manner pleasant and relaxed more than ever before. "I can't repay what you've done, but I'm very glad we're friends."

Everyone started blowing off how much she owed them, welcoming her as she descended the steps with Starfire. Cyborg gave her a light pat on the shoulder, and she was adorably meek yet happy with the attention this time. Everyone knew it was the severe relief of defeating Trigon that had relaxed her so much, and were quite sure she'd be back to her usual dryly amused, generally calm self in no time, but for right then, it was just good to be together.

Beast Boy popped up in front of her with a sly grin, flicking his eyebrows. "So, Raven… think you'd be down for some gaming today?"

Everyone watched with calm amusement as Raven opened her mouth with her usual dry manner starting, but then paused, smirking at him a moment, and raised an eyebrow. "…Just this once, alright?"

Even Rith seemed shocked, Beast Boy reeling back with massive eyes, dust clouds ahead of his feet. "REALLY? You'll play? OH MAN!" He streaked to the TV, sitting with a huge grin and controller in hand.

Raven sweatdropped, hanging her head as she started forward herself. "Joy…"

The others were smiling or chuckling lightly. Rith smiled more warmly before adding, "I'll have some tea ready for you when you two finish."

She looked back over her shoulder with a soft smile of her own, tipping her head in thanks. Then she floated over the couch, sitting down to the right of the green shape-shifter, pulling a controller to her hands with her powers. "…So… how do I play?"

Cyborg sympathetically winced, though on the verge of grinning, as Beast Boy burst into an exaggerated, diagram-assisted explanation of the controls. "Gotta say, even after sending' Trigon packin', I'm surprised she agreed to play with BB."

"So am I," Robin agreed with a faint nod. He grinned back at his half-metal friend, "but it's great to see her so relaxed."

Starfire giggled. "Indeed!"

Rith just smiled as he prepared the tea in the kitchen. Welcome home, Raven…

Over the next few minutes, Raven proved quite a good sport about playing with Beast Boy. She took two races to get used to the controls, but then Beast Boy was raving and whining as much as when he played Cyborg usually, Raven maintaining a calm smirk as she pulled ahead of his car on one curve. The green boy wailed, and grimly focused. Raven couldn't help laughing a bit, keeping her lips closed. Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg played some more cards with the weather-based, picture deck they'd used before. Rith chuckled, pouring a cup of tea at last as Starfire slapped down a tornado and cried out with triumph, Cyborg and Robin frowning and dejected in defeat under the girl's floating dance.

Finishing their last race with a near-tie, favoring Beast Boy, Raven and the shape-shifting Titan walked back to the kitchen. Beast Boy grinned as the others looked to them. "She was really good on that last race! Think you'll play again sometime, Raven?" he asked hopefully, star-eyed and chibi in front of her, hands clasped.

Raven twitched faintly. "…I'll think about it."

Beast Boy leapt for joy, making her sigh as the others smiled, and she finally walked around, taking the cup of tea from Rith, who was smiling warmly himself. She tipped her head in thanks, taking a sip as he just started to turn back to the kitchen. "Rith?"

He paused, turning back to her with light curiosity.

The others watched as Raven stepped closer, leaned up, and pecked Rith on the cheek, then calmly turned, walking over to the table to sit down and enjoy her tea. She had a faintly mischievous smile on her lips as she did however.

Beast Boy's eyes widened, the others staring in amused surprise… and Rith just stood there, his cheeks turning from pink to red, shock frozen on his face. His right hand slowly came up, and touched the skin her lips had kissed. He gave a faint noise, obviously very happy, and promptly fell over, his staff rolling a few inches away.

Everyone quickly appeared over him, including Raven. Robin grinned as Rith continued to murmur contented gibberish, and looked across to the pale girl. "Wow, Raven. You really are powerful. Not even Slade dropped him that fast."

A mild blush and amused giggled responded from Raven, still abnormally playful, the others grinning. Rith's hand shot up between them. "How right you are!" It quickly fell back down.

Beast Boy leaned further over him. "Dude… he's totally gone."

Starfire was giggling with pleasure as she floated like a giddy little girl. Raven finally seemed a bit awkward, touching the back of her head anxiously. "Rith, I didn't mean to freak you out this badly…"

The gibberish managed something along the lines of 'don't worry about it'. Starfire spun around. "It is too late, Raven! Your kiss has overwhelmed our friend!"

They looked down as Rith seemed to calm a bit, an eyebrow rising with one finger. "Did she actually-?"

"Yep," Beast Boy answered with a nod.

"On my-?"

"Yep," this time it was Robin.

"Really?"

They all nodded with a quick, "Yes."

Chibi, Rith popped off the floor and shot off in a streaming ark, blinking out of sight. Raven smirked, set her hands on her hips, and tilted her head frankly. "Okay, Rith, real cute. I was just trying to thank you."

He popped up in front of her, grinning. "Oh you did! And now I'm even more in your debt than before!"

Playfully dismal, Raven's arms fell slack as the others giggled and laughed. Finally, she just shook her head, smiling. "I give up."

Rith laughed in his calm, warm way, back to normal, and everyone enjoyed the pleasant, relaxed mood. A short time later, they split off to take care of their daily routines, Raven and Rith going up to the roof to meditate. Though she was still adapting to the fact that she'd actually beaten her father and overcome the prophecy, Raven was almost glowing with happiness. Up to that day, she had never been more grateful for her wonderful friends, and she would only continue to appreciate them more.

As she settled down to mediate with Rith, she realized what she had to do next. If at all possible, she had to find a way to help Terra. Thanks to the trust and love of her friends, the lavender-haired Titan was confident she would succeed. Terra had sacrificed her life to save the city and her friends. Raven wanted to show the same devotion. She was free, it was time to act like it. She smiled as she started to chant, Rith closing off their world with silence. Even if just for that moment, she felt at peace, all of her emotions in order, her heart easy. Indeed, there was no power greater than this.