Note: I do not own the Teen Titans
I do not know how long ago this takes place. Probably about two months before Raven came to become a Titan. But how long ago was that? (Hint hint)
18 months ago
"You're late." The sharp silvery voice surprised Raven as she bumbled down the hallway carrying a massive amount of books.
"Oh Sterling, it's just you."
"Yes, just me, just me that doesn't require you to come to your lessons on time, eh?" Sterling looked into Raven's eyes and sighed. Raven attempted a pathetic excuse. "Cut it, will you? Come along, we've got things to do!"
Raven nodded and followed Sterling out of the corridor into a nearby building where Sterling lived. "I can tell you're upset with me, good job!"
"What?" Raven looked up. "You're congratulating me for being upset with you?" Did that make any sense?
"I'm congratulating you for not showing your emotions. You're getting better."
"I am?"
"Yes, Rae you are." She put her hand on the sophomore's shoulder. "A couple more years and, BANG!" She clapped her hands sharply, "You'll be perfect. Just like me."
Raven wanted to smile, but held it back. All her life, she was un able to be happy or sad without exploding something. She feared going to school, knowing she be taken as a freak. But Sterling had found her, she had told her not to feel and Raven obeyed. Things were going her way now. Sterling, the great Sterling, was teaching her everything she knew. No matter how grateful she was, Raven kept the feelings inside. And Sterling was glad she did.
"Today we're working on how to plot revenge," Sterling said hovering in the air.
Raven immediately joined her, "Vengeance is vengeance, there is no way to complicate it."
"That's where you're wrong. Vengeance is the most interesting of all emotions, and defiantly no thrown into one category. They are different types of revenge for different types of betrayal. Some you may want them to die, quickly painfully, slowly. Or you may want them to live a life of damnation forever. It depends on what the person did to you."
"How do you decide," Raven looked into her eyes, "How do you decide what is just?"
"You have to look into your heart. Calm yourself. Let time take it's poll, and think of vengeance. It depends on how you want they to suffer. That's how you decide. Do you understand?"
"I guess, but Sterling, how will this help me?"
"Trust in yourself, Raven. It's the other people you give your life to. Everyone else is unimportant. I don't trust you Raven. You have to learn to say that to people and let them understand. Azrathians are not the most kindest race in the world. People will always try to kill us, no matter how much good we do to reverse it. Listen good, never trust anyone with your secrets. Understand this, and your training will be complete."
"I understand."
"This is not something you can just say you understand. Medicate on it, Rae. Really think about the meaning."
It was several weeks later and Raven was still caught on this idea of revenge and not trusting. It didn't make sense! Damn Sterling and her cursed cryptic messages! She scurried down the hallway, as she had done everyday. But Sterling was not there. Raven was late, but she wasn't that late. She looked around the vacant corridors, where was she?
"Rae," Sterling yelled running up the hallway. She was grinning excitedly, something she had never seen her do before. "Guess what, Rae-vie?!"
"I'm bubbling with anticipation," Raven said sarcastically.
"I got the scholarship! I actually got it!" She hugged Raven, who stood stunned at her actions.
"What scholarship?"
"The scholarship to the Wynterven School for the Gifted."
"You're leaving?"
"Yes, Raven," her voice went down, "But I'll visit you, don't worry."
"I don't care about that, what about my training?"
"Raven, listen. You're a great kid, you're gifted with tremendous power. But Rae, this school...it's all I've dreamed about."
"Why can't you leave after graduation, you're still a junior?" Raven turned from her. The only good thing in her life was this training to learn very spell, very hex, everything to be a perfect assassin and now her teacher was leaving her? It was horrible.
"Rae..."
"Just leave me alone," She said calmly and slipped in the ground, leaving Sterling where she stood.
"Oh, I remember that!" Sterling said, cutting Raven off from the story. "You were so sad."
"I wasn't SAD!!" Raven growled.
"Can we continue?" Robin implied rather than actually asking.
"So..."
Days went by slowly. Raven tried to get as much in as she could before Sterling left. She wanted to make her happy by figuring out that vengeance answer before she went away ro Wynterven. She had been medicating in her classes and was struck by an answer. She had to tell Sterling!
Raven looked everywhere for her but it was futile. Their school was just too huge. Then she heard voices, one a high silvery one, the other a blunt English. Sterling and her boyfriend! Raven actually had found her. She to them, but stopped hearing Sterling say, "That stupid bird!"
Raven hid behind the corner and listened in:
"She's so stupid, I can't believe she actually believed me!" Her laughter rang out through the halls, stinging...
"YOU KILLED ME OVER A CONVERSATION?!" Sterling was flaming in anger. She hissed and pouted, "What the fuck is that?!"
"If you let me continue...!" Raven shouted, "You'd see..."
"That wasn't even over you!"
"What?" Raven was taken back.
"That 'bird' I was talking about was Robyn...not you," she pointed to the other Robin, "I was teaching her too. Her parents were paying me. I hated her. I told her I was leaving to visit my family and would be back soon. I'd keep her waiting, but I'd never come back. If you had asked me about it...!"
"I'm...I thought you were talking about me."
"Well that was stupid!"
"Well it wasn't only that! They were other reasons!"
"Oh! Oh! Like what?!"
"Can I continue PLEASE?!"
Raven could not believe what she had just heard. Sterling had betrayed her. She...where was she going? If she was not going to Wynterven, where the hell was she off to?! She had to find out. She'd go up to her and ask her. No, no that wouldn't work. Look into your heart, calm yourself. Let time take its poll, and think of vengeance. Think of how you want them to suffer. Raven wanted Sterling to suffer for what she did.
"Sterling, have a moment?" Raven asked her tutor, coming out of the shadows.
"Sure, what's on your mind?"
"You've taught me everything, but..."
"But..."
"Was it shit, or not?"
"What?"
"I want to find out if the things you taught me actually meant anything at all."
"How?"
"Let's have a duel. Winner has to tell the loser everything about themselves, no lies, no details skipped."
"That's an odd request, what are your motives?"
"Nothing..." her voice trailed.
"And how do you suggest this work, how would the winner be determined? We can't kill each other, or that would defeat the purpose."
"Purpose? The purpose is to fight."
"Your purpose is to win and learn everything about me."
"Yes."
"Well?"
"The winner has the other so close to death, and in an impossible situation to get out of. Then the loser is defeated."
"If you insist..."
Raven and Sterling began their duel. It raged for many hours until both sides were worn out, Raven more so than Sterling. Crowds of Azrathian people came to look at the fight in awe. They knew Raven was Sterling's student and it was amazing how such people would fight. Then it ended. Sterling was the victor. And Raven had lost. She was embarrassed and quickly floated away.
She wanted revenge. And she now knew what her tutor meant how plotting revenge was important. It was one of the strongest emotions. It was bubbling in her, and she couldn't control it. She knew what she was going to do to Sterling. She'd kill her.
So that night as Sterling was sleeping, her student allowed herself in, a black dagger hovering by her side. She grabbed the knife and...
"This is the part where I die," Sterling said, cutting into the story once again.
"God!" Raven yelled, getting annoyed. She threw out her power and hit Sterling, so she fell over on the couch.
"As I repeat, this is the part where I die."
