"Eugh…" Raven moaned into her pillow, what time was it? Peering through the gloom she saw the blinking digital face of her clock, one of the few submissions to modern technology in the room. Five forty-five… For the love of god, her head flopped back onto the pillow, hair dropping over her eyes. Lying there she tried to think, so currently out in the city there was a mage who had evaded capture for around three thousand years, thirty centuries, three hundred decades whose presence was still unexplained while under their own roof rested a warrior raised from birth to hate Trigon. That in itself was fine, but how long would they have between saying 'Well you now that demon who's followers you have been hunting and probably killing? Well guess what? I'm his daughter destined to bring about the apocalypse…. But its ok because I really don't want to." And him putting that sword through her? She groaned and nuzzled deeper into her pillow. But it wasn't working, sleep was lost. Groaning she dragged herself out of bed.

"May as well get an hours training in." She muttered floating to the door, her cloak meeting her half way. Silently she drifted down the corridors and dropped down the centre of the stair well.

"Third floor, computer game, garage and training." She smiled slightly and drifted on. If last night was anything to go by she would need to be at her sharpest. Those things were insatiable and a mage with Three thousand years experience was nothing to be trifled with. Great, just great.

That's odd, the lights to the training room were on. The room was huge, three stories tall and taking up most of each floor still it allowed training for combat and almost anything else you could ask for. Robin's inspiration and Cyborg's skill had made the room nothing if not adaptable. Landing close to the door she padded forward. Was she about to get a look on one of Robin's private sessions? Filled with a rising almost child like curiosity she peered round the door. It wasn't Robin.

Guardian was stripped to the waist and barefoot, just wearing those light flowing trousers. His top, gauntlets, shoulder guards, boots and cloak were piled in a corner. He moved like he was dancing, spinning suddenly on one foot, twisting in the air to balance on one hand. Every movement flowing into the next, it was not as rushed as Robin's style, not as forceful. She caught herself looking at his body beneath the glowing lamps, a head taller than herself he was broader than Robin, heavier set while the boy wonder was wolf lean. Why was she staring? Rubbing her eyes she leant back against the wall in the corridor. What was she doing? Get a hold of your self, she ordered her mind. Shaking her head she lifted into the air and drifted into the cavernous room.

"Morning." As ever her tone stayed the same. Guardian tripped mid move and clumsily landed sprawled across the floor.

"Sorry, eh, I didn't since you." He smiled nervously. "It's ok to be in here isn't it? Robin said make myself at home and…"

"Don't worry about it." She tried her best at a warm smile, probably just made her look creepier.

"Thanks." he paused as if thinking. "You couldn't get some of these machines working could you? I had a horrific nights sleep, I was thinking about… Things. Anyway I need to loosen up." Raven looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"I'll see what I can do." Her tone pointed with more than a little irony. Turning she drifted to the control panel in the corner. "What's that on your chest?" A black birthmark stood out clearly.

"I don't know really, it kinda looks like a bird or a dragon. Something about destiny apparently" He smiled ruefully. "Some prophesy, about the end of the world, my father always says.. Said, prophecy's are self fulfilling if you know them. Better to make up your own mind, right?" He tried a smile but Raven didn't smile back she just nodded.

"Your probably right. Now how lucky are you feeling?" So hard to hold her emotions in that tight little ball at her heart. That fluttering when she saw him, was it fear?

"Try me." He smiled, for a moment shadow fell across his face, for now at least he was on their side. Tapping a few controls and panels in the walls opened. Two drones sped out, firing out clay disks meant for target shooters. Guardian dived into a roll, coming up on one knee between the speeding drones. A lance of dark energy short from each hand.

The smoking wreckage of the drones his the ground, the circuitry giving off a pitiful whine.

"Not to bad, I guess." Still any of the titan's could have done as well, even Beastboy. Guardian just smiled. Six drones accelerated out into the room, they were moving at least twice as fast and blasting metal balls an inch across from rotating cannons slung beneath their main bodies. These drones ducked and weaved dodging his energy bolts as he ran from their fire power. Suddenly Raven saw him grin as he reached a wall, leaping at the wall he jumped again. Landing on top of the nearest drone , a black spear surrounding him. The other drones swung around and opened fire. The drone was torn to pieces beneath the hailstorm to metal. Guardian stayed, hovering like an avenging angel. He opened his right hand and called out.

"To me!" The black sword short from the scabbard, spinning so fast it looked like a black disk it shot into Guardian's outstretched hand. He waited as drones slowed to a steady orbit. Then made a slashing gesture with his sword, crescent arcs of black light destroyed the last of the drones and Guardian dropped to the floor.

"And here was me thinking that the Titan's were the greatest hero's in the world. You train against these?" Raven gave an evil little half smile.

"Oh the big, strong warrior wants a challenge." She tapped the last button and raised a shield around herself and the controls. Dozens of panels opened in the walls, a good dozen drones of black and silver flew out into the room, launchers rose up from the floor and protruded from walls and exploding disks filled the air…

Twenty minutes later, Guardian was panting on his knees as the last drone finished its slow spiral to the ground with a tiny explosion. Raven's slow clapping filled the room.

"Not to bad, for a beginner."

"That…." He gasped. "Was a nice challenge." Sweat was dripping from him. "Breakfast?" He walked across to his clothes.

"Sure… After you have a shower so you don't smell like beast boy." she added sardonically, he really did smell. Guardian gave a low sweeping bow.

"As the lady commands."

"Sure, shower is through there." she pointed as a towel wrapped in a black corona hit him in the chest.

By the time they were back in the main room it was daylight, the sun poured through the huge bay windows.

"How do you afford a place like this anyway? I mean the council headquarters isn't that much bigger." Guardian was still looking around himself in amazement.

"Robin dates a lot of rich older men." Raven said in a flat dead pan tone that dropped his jaw. Raven smiled at him. "Don't be stupid, it was a sort of reward from the government and Jump. We watch over the city and we get food and cable. Not a bad deal right? Because they cant really pay us if they don't know who we are right? Beastboy was never on any sort of record, Star Fire isn't from earth, Cyborg is legally dead, I didn't even grow up in this universe and Robin wont tell." She shrugged and went back to rummaging through the fridge. "Ok, ok, we have either…" She brought one hand from behind her back. "Cold Chinese, or" Brining out the other hand. "Fresh Glork." Guardian shuddered.

"The Chinese sounds great…. Burn the Glork and exorcise the ashes." He added with a grin.

Moments later they were watching the ships across the bay, munching on old take out food.

"Isn't it weird how it tastes better the next day?" He asked.

"I hadn't noticed, normally I'm in bed at this time. Y'know like a sane person."

"What on earth would posses you to act like one of those? I think I prefer it when you are yourself." A black aura surrounded pillow hit him in the side of the head. "For shame! Uncouth woman assaulting a fellow while he is eating!" He said in mock fury. Three cushions lifted off the sofa next to him and accelerated towards Raven. Who dodged neatly. She just grinned at him, all eight pillows lifted into the air.

"Come on now…. You wouldn't attack a guest would you?" He smiled hopefully.

She smiled back… Then the pillows hit him.

The conflict that unfurled was one of epic proportions far to complicated and confusing for the writer to portray here with even the glimmer of a hope of accuracy. Suffice to say though when Star Fire arrived a good five minutes later the air was full of stuffing and pillow scraps, with Raven and Guardian lying on opposite ends of the sofa, both claiming victory.

"Friend Raven, new friend Guardian! What happened were we attacked?" She bit her lip, her friends were clearly tired, what could have got into the tower? "Is it still here?" a Star bolt began to charge in her hand.

"Your friend, oh charming Star Fire, is a brute and a ruffian!" Guardian declared in mock outrage, Star Fire couldn't tell.

"Is this true Raven? Did you attack out guest?" Her eyebrows wrinkling in an effort to understand, if they had been fighting why were they both laughing?

"Don't worry about it, just a pillow fight." Raven intoned.

"Whoa! Who tore up the place?" Cyborg walked in looking around admiringly, one of the piles of feathers and cushion bits hit him in the face.

"Friend Raven and Friend Guardian have been having a fight of pillows!"

"And you didn't invite me?" Cyborg asked, looking almost a little hurt.

"It was an impromptu thing, old boy. Didn't you say you had a car or something you wanted to show me?" Cyborg perked up and grinned.

"Sure, my baby is down stairs…" with that the two strode out of the side door into the lift.

"Star.."

"Yes friend Raven?"

"How do you know if you like someone?" Star fire turned and looked at Raven who had all the remains of the pillows floating in front of her in a black haloed ball. She seemed a little uneasy.

"Your father tells you! Or at least that's how it is where I come from. Robin says humans choose themselves, that you cant help it and you'll just know. He gets sad when he says things like that…" Raven twisted her hands and the great black ball shrank until it was the size of a tennis ball. Then let her power flicker out and dropped the ball in the trash.

"Yeah it's a little different here. Oh and ask Robin out." She added as she left the room.