"Yeah sorry Mr. Yukon. I won't be coming in tomorrow." says Raven, still a bit queasy from her experience as a human sandwich fill. "I feel a little troubled…"

"Too many things closing in?" says Yukon over the phone.

"You could say that." says Raven, taking a side glance at Starfire bringing in some more pain relievers for her, as well as a large assortment of food for the other guests.

"You sound pretty terrible over there. What's going on?"

Raven grimaces "I'm being invaded by aliens."

"Ha-ha. Having relatives over then? Have a good time anyway. Hope to see you better soon, though Charles would probably say otherwise. He'll be ecstatic when he finds out that he won't have any competition. Goodnight!"

"Yeah, c'ya." and she puts down the phone.

"I hope we are not imposing upon you friend Raven?" says Starfire, unpacking the large amounts of edibles. "I am truly sorry for my carelessness."

"That's okay Star. Just as long as you can keep the others under control." sighs Raven. She notices the teddy under her arm and quickly puts it away, floating it back to Robin's room.

"It is good to see your powers are still functioning."

"Not really…" and she remembers the issue on her mind. "Shekra Kaizar…"

"Who?"

"Oh, nothing." says Raven, absent minded. "Just someone I remember."

"I think you should tell me your concern friend Raven." says Starfire, more intrigued. "What is troubling you?"

"Um… err… why not continue the story?" says Raven, not wanting to reveal her true problem. "I'm sure I will feel better after that." and she tries hard not to show her sarcasm that is dribbling out her ears.

"That may be a good idea." agrees Starfire. "Now, where was I?"

…

"I think we should abandon this place of hiding. For it is not hiding us very well." says I.

"Maybe…" sighs Rich, rubbing his arms together to rid the cold of being jammed in the fridge. "But where?"

I look at him, with serious eyes. "You must put aside your pride Robin…"

"No…"

"It is an ideal place…"

"I will NOT go back to that dungeon of a cave!"

"He is like a FATHER to you."

"He is a MONSTER!" says Rich, almost yelling. "He turns people into fighting machines, into killing machines. He does everything in his power to keep Gotham safe, but by manipulating others, using the closest he has… He pulls strings, anything to get what he wants!"

"And you fear him doing this to our child? Think please Rich! He wouldn't!"

"You don't know him!"

"He raised YOU didn't he?"

"AND JUST LOOK AT ME!"

There is a dreaded silence and Rich paces over and leans on a table. I calm myself.

"I'm sorry Kori…" He continues with more calm. "I don't want our child turning into someone who has to fear every day… someone who becomes a machine. Putting aside everything they could become to act as a shadow of a person. Someone, like me…"

"You are a great man." says I, getting behind and holding onto him. "You are more than a shadow to me."

"Shadows seem more to other shadows…"

"Rich!"

"I won't guarantee that I won't hit him if he shows any intent to 'hire' our child."

"So you agree?" says I, suddenly brightening up.

"I'll help you pack up. I'll catch all the guys at the fashion show."

"Thankyou Rich!" says I, and we hug, all four of us…

…

"I think you'd better stop." says Raven.

"Not feeling well friend Raven?" says Starfire. "Or is my sister and K'norfka's dining worrying you?"

"Yes… yes… and something else." says Raven. "Robin's trying to listen in."

Starfire glances over. "No, he is eyes of closed, lying down far from our conversation. Right where I left him."

"Sneaky little bugger!"smiles Raven, forgetting her headache for a bit. "I have to hand it to you Rob, you're getting better." thinks Raven.

"Aww. You found out." thinks Rob. "I had hoped your aching of mind would prove hindering to your powers. It is a very interesting sequence of events. Why are you guarding your anxiety so much? It is only increasing your strain. Can't we help?"

"It's none of your business R. Just get to slee…"

"…"

"…"

"How do I slee?"

"…"

"Aunt Raven?"

"Galfore, Kommandr; Raven has fainted!" calls out Starfire, and Rae goes into dark dreams that even Rob can't follow.

Scenes pass by…

…

Flashbacks in Raven's mind

…

"Lord Phyzzon." says the red skinned alien on his knee. His white hair tucked into his round helmet. His suit was resembling a Japanese samurai armour, yet clearly a space equipted piece of machinery as well.

"Arise…" says the captain, the general Phyzzon, another of the same species of great stature. The hair on his head somewhat resembled Trigon, yet he had a white beard as well like Mammoth.

"We have come into the Earth solar system." says the trooper. "The security of the planet has asked us to withdraw our approach."

"Of course, I had almost forgotten that human's dislike war-ships. Do as they say; we are not at war and by no means shall we start one. We come in peace. You shall wait outside the border." says Phyzzon, rising from his seat. Two other troopers approach and pass him his helmet and sword. "You are to comply with their demands unless they prove fatal or otherwise to our undoing. They shall have their will observed on their planet. I will take a scout party only. There will be no need for invasion craft; that would be provocative, my own private transport will do."

"We will await your return lord Phyzzon." salutes the troopers. "We are but a call away if you find fate against you."

"If fate is hard at work here, my trip will be short, for good or ill, farewell…"

…

"Just a dizzy spell, I'll be fine." says Raven, starting to gain more control of this sensation. Indeed, she was looking a lot better than usual for some strange reason, not just in beauty or health, but in the strength of her hidden power that seemed to fill her with energy that displayed outside.

It was another flash from the past in which she herself was not present. But how was she doing it?

"I really can't get to a sleeping status." says Robin, sitting down feasting with his family. There is mustard and pizza all round. "Can I hear more of the tale?"

Raven was in a more tolerable mood now that Starfire was here. Indeed, it wasn't her child, but her's. If Starfire allowed she would stand by that.

"Maybe it will get too violent…" says Raven. "Now that I mention it, there was a lot that went on that you might not want to hear…" she looks to Starfire and they exchange glances of understanding. Starfire had not told Robin much at all of his birth, nor the true costs.

"It was a sad and gruesome time yes." agrees Galfore. "But there were also great acts and deeds that are still mentioned in our archives."

"That does not help me sleep any better." frowns Robin. "I would truelly like to find out, some day. If it is mentioned in the archives it must be worth knowing. Perhaps I may see them there myself, when I am allowed to leave this atmosphere. But if that is what you suggest aunt raven, that I should learn later rather than at present, then I shall abide."

"You've turned him into a robot you fiend!" says Blackfire. "I bet he hasn't even seen an M rated movie yet!"

"They make movies of M rating?"

Blackfire almost falls over. "By the great galactica, you have brainwashed the child through your censorship!"

"Rather than brainwashing him through tonnes of violent and immoral garbage." says Raven, disliking Blackfire even more with each second. "I think I know what I'm doing."

"There's a line between safety of mind and blind ignorance 'k'norfka'. He has to know of this some day, and he has to see that the world is not really the happy place you make him see. A point of reality."

"How real can hollywood get?"

"There is some violence that helps us to bare other violence."

"And grow complacent. Yes I want to bring him to knowledge of it, but I do not want him to miss the significance. People now see death all the time that it doesn't really seem significant. I don't want him thinking that. Don't underestimate him, he's a lot stronger than he makes out to be. He knows of evil." and she stands off against Blackfire.

"Knows of, but he doesn't truly understand." says Blackfire, sitting back down. "One day he's going to see, and it will overwhelm him. He is not a child anymore."

"Yet he isn't an adult yet either." and Raven sits down as well. The others slowly munch at the grub (Literarily) "What do you think Kori?"

"Well…" she says, gulping down her food. "Though I must admit I do miss treating him as an infant, it is time for him to… grow… up…" and she starts to water at the eyes.

Robin's groan is shared by Blackfire as Kori gives him a rather large and embarrassing hug. (Starfire hug; noun/verb to squeeze, constrict, strangle. also see Boa)

"THEY ENLARGE UP SO FAST!" Starfire cries. "WHY CAN THEY NOT REMAIN SMALL?"

"That would prove very inefficient to the human civilisation." says Robin. "I would also be unable to eat large amounts of food."

…

Flashback

…

"Yes, here we are at the galla opening of Jump City's New City Hall." says Beastboy, microphone in hand. "And boy, is there a turnout here tonight!"

"Yes Gar, here to see the main event of the hour, the new fashion line from Solar Dreams Workshops." says Rachel Roth on her second TV appearance. "Some of the greatest names in fashion have turned up for the event."

"Yes I see Mr. Blahblah, Miss Yakkity and even Hava Biscit. I hope that's not REAL fur they're wearing?" and he fakes a faint.

"While Gar recovers, we'll give you some glimpses of this massive festival of fashion." says Raven. "And we'll be right back with the live coverage after the messages. C'ya!"

"Cut!" shouts the director. "Good work people!"

"WAS it fur?" says Gar, sitting back up. He waves smiling but teeth clenched.

"It was real hair…" says Raven, waving nervously to the crowd.

"WHAT? Why that monster of a …"

"It was HER hair…"

"Oh, then that's alright!" and they make it to the trailer.

…

"So Mr. Stone," says Charles Cosmo, channel 5 news anchorman. "Is it true that your firm is negotiating with Gizmo Industries? Was not the director a… ahem… enemy of yours?"

"What's past is past!" says Cyborg, all in Tux. "We're on good terms now and he's been on the right track for a long time. This deal will prove very beneficial to the company, and possibly lower prices considerably."

"I take it that you are no longer completely in dependence of Wayne Enterprises? What does Mr. Wayne think of it?"

"Oh, he knew about that. We actually had a talk a few days prior, and he's alright with it, in fact he expects and wants it. Competition keeps the economy stable."

"Any comment on the recent rise in Sigma Corp stocks?"

"Lucius Sigma is an old friend of mine, also from Wayne Enterprises as well, and I hold no grudges to know he's doing well." says Cyborg. "I wish him the best, but that doesn't mean I'll be slackening the pace of my business for his sake. Booyah!"

"Thanks for your time Mr. Stone, and maybe next time we can actually see your wife?"

"Mrs. Stone really doesn't like publicity, but maybe some day. Thanks Charles."

"We now give you back to Gar and Rachel at the show itself." smiles the beaming man.

"Cut." says the director. "Good scene people!"

"Those plucky amateurs!" sneers Cosmo, baring his teeth like a great big rat. His face shadows over. "If it wasn't for that freak's powers, he'd be a low life sad laugh in a slum. Imagine! Putting me to do door duty on a main event? I should be the one inside! We hates them! It's ours, it is, and we want's it! Curse that green impudent goblin! And his little dog too!" but even as he closes his trailer door, lined with photos of himself (And where there wasn't a photo, there was a mirror), he smiled wickedly. "But I shall soon get rid of that beast of a pest, and I'll soon be number 1 again! Hahaha!"