Yeah, um sorry…I was having some serious issues…had to do some "soul searching" in order to continue…lol sometimes I wonder if my mind is as screwed up as Robin's…come to think of it, it probably is. Ok so I will stop rambling.
Jambey: LOL just as long as there is no spit involved, I'm fine with it. Thanks…always nice to know people are still liking it…Basically, Nameless is wearing himself out in battle after battle that will in the end prove absolutely pointless…lol hey one of my favorite authors! Ugh, he's really gotten inside my mind…I honestly didn't realize I was doing it… -slaps self- BAD DUSTY, BAD DUSTY! Lol I think the statement is true either way…
Raving Lunatic: Thanks…it seems this story is stuffed to the brim with plot, while broken has nothing…sigh. In this virtual reality, they had a bit of "history" before she died…it's not identical to the actual events of Robin's past. In fact, actual memories have an incredibly difficult time breaking through Venton's handy work…for instance, when Nameless "remembered" the car crash in a different setting. Lol don't worry, you shall see.
An Angel from Hell: Yay, I love those things! –jumps around room like a four-year-old on a sugar high-
Furubafun24: LOL it does seem like the only option. Thanks so much, your reviews really make my day…feels good to know I'll be hearing from you when I update :)
Shadow Creature: LOL wonderful…I felt so bad confusing you guys…it all made sense to me, but of course my mind is…different from other people's. LOL well you rock times three:P
Nevermoretheraven: Yes. No. No, although that is an intriguing idea. Something like that…well yeah chapter 6 explained it all. No. LOL I honestly didn't mean to…knew the quote was familiar, just didn't know who said it…I apologize.
RavenDarkSorceress: Thanks, you rock too! LOL I sound stupid…sorry. I did, as you know, Fallen Raven is awesome! So sad, so beautiful!
EvilYellowCrayon: LOL u swore on the sausages, you must be serious this time :P LOL hurray for sausage, minions, and being able to write something worth while!
Raven-Fieryblack: Chap six…should explain it all. Glad you like it.
DGA101: Lol perhaps…Sorry for the wait.
Majestical: In the immortal words of Larry, YAY!
AriesFalcon: Glad you like it…dang copiers! Smack 'em with a paddle…LOL just kidding. I'll do my best. LOL hello, Demise, how are you?
Ravens-Rage: Phew…glad it makes sense now. Thanks for reviewing.
Raven-Fieryblack: YES! Uh… -cough- excellent, jolly good.
Ravenrocs4eva: Wonderful, and I'm glad you like it.
Furubafun24: LOL no it's not weird, I wanted to know if that helped or not…if it didn't you might have seen an extremely rare sobbing fit. No, thank you
Raeandrob4eva: Hurray!
Aeris-Raven: Nah, everyone was confused so it's ok. Glad it helped. Yeah…I honestly felt like I was getting kinda dependant on the evil psycho to provide my villainary (yeah I know its not a word) needs, so I thought I'd branch out a bit. Thanks, support is always good.
An Angel from Hell: YAY! Lol yeah you could say it like that. I know what you mean…if I can get you to love to hate him, that is more than enough for me…a lot more is planned to be revealed about him in upcoming chapters. Lol nah I like long reviews.
Nevermoretheraven: LOL no prob! You were doing a very good job of guessing though…some of those ideas make me want to write a story…That's good…I just know some people don't like them. Thanks for reading.
CelticHeiressFiona: Thanks! Sorry the update took so long.
Strixvaria: Thanks.
Chibi-Ra-Chan: Ah, new name I see. LOL I hear that…mom has done the same thing to me numerous times. YOU BLEW UP THE MICROWAVE? Why didn't I think of that? LOL! Don't mind him…you are probably just reminding him of Larry… Open, closed, open closed! LOL I would save you Robin, but I don't know if you'd be much better off here…
YoukaiTenshi: Yes sir, or madam, as the case may be.
People who create computer viruses ought to be dragged out into the street and shot…multiple times…in the heart…and the head… -sigh-… -looks suspiciously at Robin- You wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the worm on my computer, would you, Wonder Boy? Robin: Uh…Well, enough about us. Shut up and read! Dusty: -glares- Italics equals thoughts.
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"Azarath Metrion Zinthos…Azarath Metrion Zinthos…"
Raven was doing her best to concentrate, but the steady beep and whir of machines drilled into her consciousness, bringing with it thoughts of the extremely unfortunate situation in which she found herself. Robin being hit by a drunk driver, of all things, undergoing intense surgery, and now in a coma. As if that wasn't enough, some unknown presence was attempting, or perhaps already successful, in possessing his body. And this being had threatened to destroy Robin if she tried to stop him.
Raven groaned in frustration, all thoughts of meditation gone from her mind. The facts were few and far between. There wasn't enough information to even begin to formulate a plan of action. Should she enter his mind? What would she find there? Raven knew all too well what a demon could do to a person…she shivered. If she attempted to help Robin, the thing would undoubtedly kill him. If she did nothing, the demon would do much worse than that. She had to think, someplace quiet and dark, somewhere away from Robin where she could concentrate. Raven was afraid to leave him, but they would never get anywhere if she kept chasing random fears and ridiculous ideas around in her chaotic mind.
She took a long look at his pale face, subconsciously running her eyes along his familiar features. Though his face was still, it was not peaceful. Small details, like a slight crease in his brow, a downward tilt to his lips, spoke of some form of inner torment. "Don't worry, Robin. I'll be back soon." In the face of tragedy, she was truly realizing just how much she cared for her leader. He undoubtedly knew her better than anyone in this world or the next, and she was sure that she knew more of his secrets than any of her fellow Titans, even Starfire. It had all started that fateful day, when she had entered his mind in desperation. That moment united them somehow, creating a bond of friendship beyond that of leader and teammate. Their relationship couldn't be defined or analyzed, but no one could deny that it was there. Robin had always been there for her when she needed him; here was a chance to return the favor.
With one last glance at her vulnerable friend, uttering a silent prayer for his safety, she headed for the one place she could call her own.
0
"Uh…Hey, Raven. Everything…ok?"
Raven stared calmly into the three pairs of eyes focused on her. "No, Cyborg. This situation could hardly be called 'ok'." It came out a little harsher than she had meant it.
Cyborg blushed. "Uh…Yeah…So, um, how is he?"
How do you think he is? Jump in front of a speeding vehicle and see how you feel! "No change."
Starfire piped up. "Oh…well that is good. At least friend Robin's condition has not become worse."
Sure, and it hasn't gotten any better either. "I need to meditate."
"Um…ok…I'll see you—" Cyborg sighed as her cloak whipped out of sight. "…later."
0
Meditation by scratch would be too difficult; her nerves were frazzled, her mind, in a traffic jam. Relaxing was just too much to ask. Raven reached for her nightstand, wrapping her fingers around the cold, metal handle of her mirror. She sighed; this was going to be tedious, if not downright painful. She gazed deep into the glass, seeing a forehead wrinkled with worry, a mouth turned down in guilt, eyes heavy with fatigue… The next moment, she felt her body leave the floor, spinning and whirling through the portal connecting her mind to the real world…
Raven touched the ground in what could have been anywhere between five minutes and an hour. None of her emotions were in sight, but they couldn't be far. She could sense them like an electric current in the air surrounding her, tingling on her skin and shocking her like ice water. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and summoned them…
"Let me guess. You come seeking council about our dear leader?"
Yet another voice scoffed from the semi darkness. "Isn't it a little late for that?"
"It has always been too late. This situation is impossible. Plain and simple."
Hysterical sobs issued from the shadows to her right. "But I don't want Robin to…It's all my fault!"
"SILENCE!"
Raven opened her eyes to blissful quiet. She was now encircled by her emotions, a gang of multicolored versions of herself, all watching her expectantly. "Wisdom, you're right. I have come because of Robin. Depression, get a hold of yourself. Crying is not going to do any good. Sarcasm and Logic, with that attitude we'll never accomplish anything." She took a deep breath, attempting to sooth her crazed nerves. "Where are the others?"
Wisdom spoke up. "You've been suppressing everyone but us. If you want my opinion, you should trade Sarcasm and Depression for some more useful and less annoying emotions. Perhaps Knowledge and Serenity?"
"THE WORLD IS ENDING! WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!"
Wisdom rolled her eyes. "And Panic definitely has to go."
"Right." Summoning and dismissing emotions was no easier in here than it was out there. Concentrating on calming her mind into a peaceful neutral, she felt Panic and Depression slip away, slowly being replaced with emotions that could only be Serenity and Knowledge. Try as she might, Sarcasm stayed put. Getting rid of her was like trying to pull off her own arm.
Raven exhaled slowly, surveying the emotions gathered around her. "Ok, I'm sure you are all aware of the situation—"
"Situation?", asked Sarcasm innocently. "What situation?"
Raven ignored her. "Apparently, an unknown being is either attempting to or currently possessing Robin. It has threatened to destroy him if I…we, interfere in the smallest degree. So the question is: what do we do?"
"Empty threats. The thing is plainly bent on destroying him anyway, whether we interfere or not, so there is no loss in taking action; at least, none that is avoidable. However, if we do nothing, we will be giving Robin to this creature on a silver platter."
"Logic has a point, but…" Knowledge took a huge breath, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose in a way that said they were in for a lecture. "We know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, what a demon is capable of, thanks to our 'dear' father, Trigon." Her fellow emotions nodded in agreement, their faces grave. "There is a method of possession which causes the victim to become so heavily dependant on the invading spirit that when it leaves, the individual immediately dies. Then, of course, there is the method of Drid, in which the victim's soul must be physically murdered to allow the demon to possess complete control of the body. And these unpleasant rituals are merely methods of possession; complete destruction is an entirely different story."
A ringing silence fell with these words. Raven knew al of this a lot better than she would have liked to. The thought of… She shook her head, not allowing herself to even contemplate it.
"And here we are, back at square one."
"True, this hardly seems like a fair choice. There is no risk-free path in real life. The question is merely this: do you care for him enough to try, even if it kills you, him, or both?"
Raven considered Wisdom's words; what exactly were her feelings for Robin? "I…I trust him. I trust him more than anyone else. It's almost like…when I'm around him, I feel…normal. Like I can be myself because he already knows who I am. With Robin I feel…safe. And complete. He completes me." A shadow fell across the young girl's face. "Without him, I can never be whole."
Serenity placed a hand on her shoulder. "You know what you have to do."
"If you live without risk, you are not truly alive." Wisdom joined Serenity at Raven's shoulder.
"If anyone can defeat this demon, we can." Knowledge smiled slightly as she stepped forward.
Logic nodded solemnly, while Sarcasm rolled her eyes. "So are you going to do it, or what?"
Suddenly a green-cloaked figure joined the five surrounding Raven. "You can do this, Rae. We can do this."
A weak smile, fragile as a dry leaf, crept onto Raven's troubled face. This was for Robin. "This guy will never know what hit him."
Ok, so there you go. By the way, the green-cloaked emotion is Courage, in case you didn't know. Sorry if this seemed like filler space, but hey filler space is how we get where we are going. Drid is just a wordI made up...doesn't mean anything, justthought it sounded creapy.See you later…Dusty