Once Broken, Twice Shattered
Part Four: "Just a small problem. . ."
Raven could feel things moving around her. Her powers were shifting a massive amount of stone away from her. They also loomed over her in the form of a raven, acting like a protective shield. Raven propped herself up on one arm, and put her other hand to her head. She couldn't think straight. Her emotions were shifting like lightning. She was overwhelmingly happy to be alive, furiously mad at Rorek the black, terrified for her life should the walls around her fall, trying to calmly think of a way out of the cavern. Stop! Stop! She thought.
She tried to get to her feet, but gasped out in pain. Her right leg was bleeding profusely, and Raven was horrified to see bone protruding from her skin. Oh god. Oh god.
Panic took over, and Raven couldn't think sensibly to get herself out of the situation. I'm going to bleed to death. Terra must have been crushed, Malchior's dead too for sure, and I'm going to bleed to death and no one will know. What am I supposed to do?
----
Terra was moving rocks faster than she ever had in her life, and Beastboy had turned into a large ape to pry out the stones she hadn't gotten to yet.
"Beastboy, she can't be dead. I- I never got to apologize to her for- for the things I did- The stuff I said-" Terra whimpered.
"She's not dead!" Beastboy said loudly, shifting back into his normal form for a moment. "Raven can't be dead."
Malchior shakily stood up on his own. "She's frightened, powerfully frightened, but she's still alive." He began gesturing at the rocks. Unstable areas melded into solid sheets of rock which Terra could safely remove.
Beastboy picked up the piece of cloak they had found. It stained his hands with Raven's blood. If he had been there, he might have been able to help. What was Raven doing here with Malchior anyway? Terra. . . Raven and Malchior freed Terra, but why would Raven do that? She hates Terra. He clenched the little piece of cloth in his hands, the ramifications hitting him. Did she do this for me?
"Beastboy!" Terra shouted. "I found her!"
Beastboy threw the piece of cloak down and darted over. Terra moved one final large rock, revealing the dark cave that Raven's powers had formed around her. Raven was struggling to sit up, but she was slipping in a growing pool of blood. In the darkness of the chamber he cloak looked almost gray.
"Raven!" Beastboy shouted. Raven, startled, jerked back, yelping as pain shot through her leg.
"B- Beastboy?" She whimpered. She was shivering in fear. "Terra? Malchior?" Suddenly her face broke into a huge grin. Beastboy blinked in shock as Raven's cloak turned a brilliant shade of pink. "You're all right!" She threw her arms around Beastboy, then yelped again as a spasm of pain shot through her leg. Her cloak shifted back into a gray color and she began weeping. "I was so scared."
"Beeeeeastboy?" Terra said, "Since when was Raven a chameleon?"
Malchior placed his hands on Raven's broken leg, at it began to heal slowly. "Her aura is changing minute by minute. It's unlike anything I have ever seen."
Beastboy couldn't speak for shock. He'd seen the pink and gray Raven's only once before- inside Raven's mirror. "Raven? What happened?"
"Rorek came," suddenly Raven's cloak began mixing red and gray. "He attacked my mind. I still-" he cloak stabilized into the gray color once more, "-I still can't think properly. My mind is so scrambled."
Beastboy cradled her as Malchior healed her leg. Terra was a little jealous, but it faded when she saw the pain Raven was in.
"Hey Raven? When did you get a mood cloak?" Terra asked curiously.
The shade of gray deepened drastically. Raven looked horrified. "Mood cloak?" She looked down at her cloak and saw the color change. The gray deepened even more, until it was just a few shades lighter than black. "No. No!" The rocks that were held up by her power began to fall. Terra directed them away from her and her companions.
Beastboy questioned his teammate, "Raven? What's going on? What did he do to you?"
Raven's cloak turned a deadly looking red and her eyes glowed. "He mentally raped me! He attacked every memory, every nook and cranny of my mind! Once I find him I'll kill him!"
Terra backed away, worried about how Raven would react to her. Raven noticed the movement and her head swiveled to face Terra. The blonde froze. Raven looked like she was ready to reach out and snap Terra's neck. Thinking on her feet, Terra spit out, "Hey, Raven. . . Thanks for getting me out of that block of stone."
Raven closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Her cloak faded to blue. "What happened to Robin and the others? Are they okay?"
"Battered, but alive," the changeling informed her.
Rorek didn't lie, Raven thought. Her cloak changed to a yellow color. What exactly does he want? He must want something. . .
"Raven? This color change thing is really getting kinda freaky," Beastboy said, concerned. "Does it have anything to do with your mirror exploding?"
"Exploding?" Raven said. "Oh, damn." I was going to use it to sort everything out! Now what? He cloak shifted back to gray. "Robin's gonna kick me out of the tower," she whimpered. "I'm going to be too dangerous! I'm a half demon, just like Rorek said. . . And I can't deny it any longer."
Terra gave Beastboy a funny look. She pointed at Raven and mouthed 'She's lost her mind!' Malchior finished healing Raven's leg and Beastboy helped her to her feet. For a second her cloak looked purple, but it settled back to blue. Her head ached like there was no tomorrow.
"I need to lie down," she said, suddenly tired.
"We have to get you back to the tower first," Beastboy advised her.
Malchior stood. "I can carry you," he said to Raven, holding out his arms. "Rest Raven," he said, waving his hand in front of her face. Her eyelids drooped, and Malchior scooped her into his arms, shifting them as he felt the proper places to give her support.
"What'd you do?" Beastboy said suspiciously.
"I simply made her sleep."
Beastboy looked at Malchior's face. The young sorcerer was unable to hide his troubled frown. "What did he do to her?"
"Something that very few can do, and something that we are taught not to resort to unless we are in a dire situation," Malchior said quietly. "Rorek has splintered her mind. Most likely she will shift from extreme to extreme until finally she is able to sort out her thoughts once more, or she dies of exhaustion."
"Dies?! Who the heck is this Rorek guy that he can do that to Raven?" Terra shouted. Her focus then shifted to Beastboy, "What did you mean when you said the Titans were battered? What's been going on since I've been stone?!"
"I'll explain it all on the way back to the tower. Boy have you missed a lot," Beastboy said. Terra had been absent for so long. . . It was very strange to have her suddenly back. Beastboy's feelings for her were in a jumble. She'd repented at the very last minute when she had been working for Slade. She had betrayed the Titan's then betrayed him. Her loyalties were shaky at best. Would the other Titans give her another chance? Could he? Raven did. Sort of. . . I guess. He glanced at Raven's limp figure in Malchior's arms. She and her cloak were still bloody, despite the healing. "Can we do anything to help her?"
"Pray to whatever gods you pay homage to," Malchior said in a flat tone. After stroking Raven's forehead, he let Beastboy lead the way back to the tower.
--------------------
Terra stared slack jawed at Beastboy, pointing a finger at him. She was wearing a fresh new Titans outfit, identical to her old Titans uniform. "Holy crap! You? A were-Beastboy? Mad Mod turned Jump city into Britain? Raven fell in love?" She threw her arms into the air. "I missed all the good stuff!"
Beastboy halfheartedly laughed. Terra picked up on it. She lowered her eyes and looked away.
"Beastboy, I- I've been- I need to apologize to you. I was- am- a monster. I- I can't believe that I let myself get carried away like that and-" she shook her head. "It was all my fault. I'll understand if you and the others never forgive me."
"Terra, we've already forgiven you," Beastboy said quietly. He couldn't meet her eyes. "No one's touched your room since you left."
They both looked up. Terra's eyes watered. "Beastboy- I-" She shook her head. Beastboy reached out and hugged her. Terra cried into his shoulder. "I thought I'd never see anyone again. In that last moment before- before my body was transformed- all I could think of was what a horrible person I was. All the harm I had done- and for what? Acceptance from a psychopath? Control over my powers? I could have gotten control and acceptance here. . . But I thought that you had told Robin about- about my powers. . ."
"It's okay Terra. I'm sorry too. I'm sorry for the things I said."
There was a short shriek from the doorway and suddenly Terra was snatched out of his arms. Beastboy looked around in a panic, but soon realized what was going on. Starfire, returning from Titans East, had grabbed Terra, plopped her in the middle of the floor and was now poking, prodding and pinching her.
"Ow! Starfire!" Terra said. Starfire promptly grabbed Terra's open mouth and nearly stuck her head in.
"You are not a clone or a robot or a hologram or a illusion are you? Because if you are this is a mean trick to play!" Starfire scolded her.
"Ah naht ahn ahllushion ahr ahythying!" Terra said, her mouth still pried open.
"Have you forgotten how to talk in English? Or is this a new language?" Starfire asked.
"Dude, Star! She can't talk if you're holding her jaw like that."
"Oh," Starfire let go. "What is it you say? 'My badder'?"
"Something like that," Terra said, massaging her jaw.
Starfire promptly threw her arms around Terra in a bone crushing hug. "You are all right! You are not like a rock any longer! This is glorious!" She thrust Terra away from her, but still held on, inspecting the younger Titan's face.
Terra gasped, "Grip still as strong as ever I see."
"How is it that this came about? Was it like in the tales of fairy, where the Prince kisses the princess and she returns to normal?" She rounded on Beastboy, "Are you a prince and you have not told us, friend Beastboy?"
Beastboy shook his head. "I didn't have anything to do with it. It was all-"
"What the-?!"
"Is that who I think it is?"
Robin (who was looking better than he had several hours ago) and Cyborg entered the common room. They were thunderstruck by the sight of Terra. The blond wilted away slightly when she saw them. Starfire picked her up and held her out to the boys. "It is! Terra is no longer a stone!"
"Starfire, you can put me down. . ." Terra said.
Robin walked up to Terra and scrutinized her closely. Suddenly he plucked out one of her hairs.
"Ow!" Terra exclaimed. Robin handed the hair to Cyborg who place it into a slot that popped open on his right arm. "What the heck was that for-?" Terra growled.
"DNA's a match," Cyborg informed his dark haired comrade. "It's her."
Robin's eyes widened. "You- how did this-?"
Terra shook her head slightly. "Not sure. Raven and that alien-wizard with the funky markings around his eyes did something, but I wasn't really awake for the process. When that other alien showed up things got way too intense to try and figure out-"
"What other alien?" Robin demanded suddenly.
"Rorek," Beastboy said. Instantly everyone's attention was directed towards him.
"What?!" Robin exclaimed.
"Tall dark and brutal met you guys and you didn't get a pounding?" Cyborg said, astonished.
"I am most curious about that. Did he not notice you?" Starfire looked concerned and she finally set down Terra. "He was very persistent in hurting us when we met him."
"He only hurt one person irreparably," Malchior said, floating into the room with worry etched around his eyes- the only thing you could see. The three returning Titans realized who was missing. Silence pierced the room like an arrow. Malchior closed his eyes. "My brother has- done something horrible."
"Oh no. Not Rae." Cyborg looked as if his systems had been shut down.
"Raven is hurt? How so? Can we do nothing to help?" Starfire gripped Mal's arm so tightly that he almost lost circulation.
"Irreparably? He didn't kill-" Robin began, but he was cut off by the strangest sight.
"Nope, I'm still in perfect working order. Physically, that is," Raven said, a huge grin across her face. Starfire, Cyborg and Robin looked thunderstruck.
"Are you wearing pink?" A twitch was going in one of Robin's eyes.
"I've only seen that face once before!" Cyborg said. He looked over at Beastboy. "What the heck did you do man?!"
"It wasn't me!" Beastboy protested. He was about to explain what had happened when Starfire, overjoyed that Raven appeared to be all right (and unfazed by the sudden wardrobe change) threw her arms around her friend.
"You are unharmed!" Starfire exploded. Raven laughed happily.
"So are you guys! Oh, you don't now how relieved I am to see you all!" Raven was beaming. Cyborg and Robin were giving Raven weirder looks by the moment.
"Uh, this might sound odd, but Raven, why are you so happy?" Robin was getting more confused as the seconds ticked on.
Raven and Starfire stopped hugging, and Raven's cloak suddenly shifted back to blue. "Oh, god," she held her head in her hands, then rubbed her temples. "I- I'm sorry. I can't keep my emotions at bay. I'm trying but He- my mind is clouded and I can't fix it. . ." Raven took a couple of deep breaths and regained her composure. Before anyone could react Beastboy and Malchior launched into a long explanation so Raven's didn't have to. When they were finished Robin looked at Raven again. She seemed more focused at the moment, so he risked asking a question.
"Beastboy said he and Cyborg met some parts of you. Some were friendly, some were not, and they all had different colors. Which colors can we trust and what do they represent?"
Raven sighed. "Most of my emotions are very broad, so they don't represent a single thing. My normal blue is Self-restraint. You can trust it always. Gray is Timid, but it also encompasses fear, sorrow, doubt. . . Not a person you want to rely on in a battle. Yellow is Intellect, book smarts, wisdom, memory, all of that, but usually more of a talker than a fighter. Green is Bravery, self-confidence, my battle sense. Pink-" Raven looked pained, "- it's unrestrained Happiness and everything it encompasses. Entirely too talkative, open, and shares my sense of humor with Intellect and- Orange," she breezed over that quickly. "Purple is- well, purple is friendly. Too friendly. Avoid purple."
"How can it be 'too friendly'? And why isn't it grouped in Happiness?" Cyborg asked. "She was awfully friendly."
"Purple is different. Avoid her, Orange, and most of all avoid Red. That is Anger, hate, rage. . . It's the wonderful side of me that would destroy you all." Raven paused. "And avoid Brown if you see her, which I somehow doubt you will."
"Wait, Orange we saw in the mirror, that was like- Rudeness, wasn't it?" Beastboy volunteered.
Raven scowled. "To put it mildly. It is the total lack of any and all self-restraint. She is more or less friendly, but dangerous in her own way."
"And are the Purple and the Brown dangerous as well?" Starfire asked.
"No, I'd just rather be left alone in those forms," Raven said, just a mite too quickly. Only Malchior (due to a sudden aura flux) and Beastboy picked up on it. Neither Purple nor Brown had done anything to identify themselves when he and Cyborg were in the mirror. He wondered why Raven wanted them kept a secret.
"Okay, so we'll watch out for them," Robin nodded.
Malchior noticed small flares in Raven's aura when talking about Anger, but also Purple. He could guess what it was. "Raven, I may be able to help you repair some of what my brother has-"
Raven's cloak snapped to orange. "I don't need your help," it shifted back to blue. "I'm sorry, I need more rest." She teleported out of the room abruptly.
"Oh man, that is so not good," Cyborg said.
"I am curious- what could the Brown and the Purple be that would make Raven want us to avoid them?" Starfire asked Robin. Robin shrugged.
"I have no clue, but they're either dangerous- or embarrassing," Robin said. "We should take her advice until we know more. I'll have to talk to her later about it-"
"I don't think that's wise," Malchior said, as Beastboy said "Robin, that's a bad idea." Malchior picked it up. "Your confronting her will only compound the problem. I can monitor how she's doing through my Second Sight. You don't need to worry. It is my responsibility to undo what my brother has done," he said seriously.
"Uh, no offense Alien-boy," Terra said, an eyebrow raising, "but brother dear threw you around like a baseball. Without breaking a sweat, might I add. How are you gonna reverse this?"
Malchior looked at the earth mover sadly. "I do not know." He could sense her uneasiness around him and the others and could guess why. He had seen Raven's memories after all. "I am going to meditate upon the answer to that question." He slipped out of the room. Terra frowned.
"Okay, maybe the broody people just don't like me. They sure don't hang around me a lot," Terra mumbled. Robin and Cyborg were still giving her odd looks. Starfire, it seemed, had totally and unconditionally forgiven Terra. The two boys didn't quite seem as quick to embrace the idea that she was back. Terra looked down at her shoes. "I'm only going to stay the night. I'll be gone in the morning."
"But friend-!" Starfire began to protest but Beastboy put a hand over her mouth.
Cyborg and Robin glanced at one another and nodded. Robin stepped forward. "Terra, I think you know I can't let you do that." He folded his arms.
Terra turned sheet white. "You mean you're going to haul me off to jail?" She whispered. "I- I know I deserve it but please- I just want one more chance-"
Cyborg stepped up so that he was lined up with Robin. "There's no way we're letting you run off away from the Titans again. You're not going anywhere now and you're certainly not leaving in the morning." He ruffled up Terra's hair. Robin broke into a big grin.
"We forgive you," he said, "just- don't do it again. Once we can forgive, but twice we won't forget."
Terra looked relieved. She grinned nervously. Cyborg patted her on the back and nearly knocked her over. "We're going to need all the help we can get against Rorek," he muttered. "It's good to have a strong teammate back."
"It's good to BE back," Terra said. "Although I kinda wish it was under better circumstances. . ."
Robin nodded. "Me too, Terra. Me too."
----------------------------
Malchior had taken up looking in Raven's room every hour or so, checking up on her. For nearly a day Raven had been in a meditative trance, trying to calm her mind. It wasn't working. He could tell. Her aura still fluctuated wildly, and the colors of her cloak were constantly changing. It was only a matter if time before she gave up this tactic and tried something else.
Raven, on the other hand, was getting more and more irked by the visits she was getting. It was a perfect cycle. Malchior would pop his head in for a moment, and a few seconds later, Beastboy, as a small animal, would sneak in to check on her. Robin often stopped by well after they had both left, with Starfire clinging to his arm. Then Cyborg's hand or something else with a camera attached would sneak in and report back to her cybernetic buddy. Terra was passing the room every so often but never stopped in. She was probably too afraid of what Raven might do to her. Frankly, Raven was more fearful than she was. She was unstable, and as soon as she stepped out of her trance one emotion or another would overwhelm her, and her powers would go ballistic. Raven screwed her eyes shut. She had to find her center.
"Rae?"
Raven's eyes snapped open. Her cloak flashed a frustrated red, but settled into blue. "Hello Beastboy," she said quietly.
The door slid open more, and he slipped in, holding a tray. "You haven't eaten anything since we found you." There was an odd silence. "I brought you some food." He set it down on her bed in front of her. Raven looked at it.
"Soup and herbal tea," she muttered. Her robe turned pink. "Thank you so much Beastboy," she smiled. She scooped up the spoon and started digging in. "Boy, I didn't realize how hungry I was!" She was loud and happy, and Beastboy couldn't help but let out a little snort of laughter.
"What?" Raven said through the spoon.
"You're just so- awkward doing the 'happy' thing. It- it's not you. Even though it really is. . ." Beastboy said with a sort of lopsided grin.
"Hey, you think this is awkward, wait 'till you meet Purple and Brown. Hah! I bet they'll throw you for a loop!" She laughed. Suddenly her cloak turned gray. "You won't meet Purple. I'd never be that lucky. I thought that Mal-" she shook her head, blinking back tears. She ate more soup to prevent herself from saying any more. Beastboy was growing more and more concerned for her. He slipped an arm around her. Raven's cloak turned orange. "Get off," she shoved him. Go play with Terra." She said in spiteful tones. "Are you going to act like a dog and follow her everywhere until she breaks your heart again? Or are you too stupid to keep tabs on her after she's betrayed us once?"
"Well, now I know where the jerk part of you comes from," Beastboy snapped. "This is everything I don't like about you Raven."
The cloak suddenly went into a very dark shade of gray. Beastboy was startled, he had expected a fancy rebuttal from Rudeness. Instead, Raven curled up weeping. Things in the room began to tremble. Raven couldn't stand it any longer. She was being ruled by her emotions, and she was doing things she never would normally. If she couldn't fix this. . . Well, she would have to fix it or leave the Titans and destroy herself. She would not give into Trigon. She couldn't. He'd kill her friends, raze the city and consume the good of the world until he had twisted it into evil. She would not be his avatar. She was not like him. Her demon blood was not stronger than her human blood.
"I broke free of the restraints my father's blood imposed upon me. I made it part of my very being, then I was able to destroy him." Rorek's words haunted her. "You can do the same. I can help you." He was clearly stronger than he should be. He had embraced something about his nature that was beyond the normal reach of a mortal. He was powerful enough to simply play with her, then toss her aside, broken. He had done it to Titans East, he had done it to Malchior. . .
Raven trembled, still weeping. He had only harmed them physically. He had attacked her mentally, her weakness for sure. There was no way back to the semi-stable point she had managed to get her mind to through years and years of meditating every day. She couldn't even concentrate long enough to meditate for a minute now.
She felt Beastboy sit down next to her. "You don't need to apologize," she said quietly. "I should-"
"If you start apologizing then I'm gonna have to hit you," Beastboy said. "Last time you were in gray and you started apologizing Cyborg and I couldn't get you to shut up for an hour."
Raven made a sound that was a cross between a laugh and a broken sob.
"Is there anything we can do to help?"
Raven shook her head.
"Terra's been wanting to talk to you."
"It's not the best idea right now," Raven whispered.
"She was so worried that you had died back in the caves-"
"I don't want to talk about that!" Raven said, clutching her head. It was throbbing with pain. "I don't want to talk about the caves, or what happened there or how royally screwed I am!" Raven cried. "I can't stay here Beastboy. I'm endangering everyone."
"So where are you going to go?" Beastboy said forcefully. Raven cowered a little, which he expected. "We're the only ones who could help you and the only ones who might survive if you do attack us. Do you want to put innocent people at risk by running off somewhere?"
"No-" she sobbed.
"Then you're just going to have to stay here and deal with us checking up on you and trying to help you," Beastboy said firmly. "And we'll deal with sorting out this Raven or that Raven."
Raven suddenly threw her arms around his shoulders, much like she had after her encounter with Malchior the Dragon. "You're a good person to be such a wonderful friend to such a monster like me," she said.
Beastboy shifted awkwardly. It was just weird to have Raven hug him. "I don't see any monsters here," Beastboy said, pulling back away from her and smiling. "I just see your pretty face."
Raven shrunk back, then murmured "I'd like to be alone now. Tell Terra I forgive her."
Beastboy nodded,. Raven's cloak was still gray. He really didn't want to leave her like that. "Promise me you'll eat the rest of the soup? It's full of Tofu goodness," he said with a smile.
Raven nodded, a faint smile playing across her features and her cloak rapidly brightening to pink. "I promise."
Beastboy, satisfied, walked out of the room, turned a corner and nearly ran into Cyborg, Robin and Starfire. "What are you guys doing?"
"We were worried about Raven but we were not sure if she wished to talk to us. So we did the dropping of the eves while you talked to her," Starfire said. "She is very upset that she cannot control her emotions, is that correct?"
"Well, yeah, I would be too if I was wearing my emotions on my sleeve and couldn't stop them."
Starfire looked confused for a second. Then she smiled. "Oh! I see! Wearing your emotions on your sleeve causes the sleeve to change color like Raven's cloak?"
"It's an expression Star," Robin said. "It means your feelings are out in the open."
Starfire nodded gravely, but still looked confused. "So just the sleeve in the open changes color?"
Robin sighed and shook his head.
"Well? How's she doing?" Cyborg demanded."
"She's okay, but she needs time alone," Beastboy said. "She'd really worried that we're gonna kick her out."
"We'd never do that!" Robin said indignantly.
"You try telling that to her Timid side," Beastboy shook his head. The four Titans stood there in silence, then they collectively began moving down the hall. "The fact remains, Raven's mind is splintered, and we don't know how long until she can't control it any longer. She's worried about emotional stress. She doesn't even want to see Terra."
"Considering the last time they really got to talk, I'm not surprised," Cyborg murmured. "But why'd Raven bring Terra back?"
Beastboy shook his head. "I don't know." He stopped walking. "I'm going to find Mal. Maybe I can help him think of something." Beastboy trotted off in another direction. As he left earshot, Robing inclined his head towards Cyborg.
"Cy, there's a very simple explanation for why Raven brought Terra back."
"There is?" The tin man looked intrigued. "What's that?"
"Even normally Raven is fearful of her emotions. What happens when she is angry, being blinded by love to the Dragon, all of that is tied into it. If there is ever a more complicated emotion than anger and hate, it's its counterpart: love." Robin glanced at Starfire for the briefest of moments, safe in knowing that his eyes were hidden by his mask.
Cyborg rubbed the back of his neck. "I know BB had, or has, a crush on Rae- but are you suggesting it might go both ways?"
"That and Malchior showing up confounded her totally. You saw how crazy she got."
"Crazy's not a strong enough word," Cyborg said, recalling vividly the black power that Raven used. "You know, if she did let her emotions get a little wild she could probably take down Rorek in no time."
Starfire shook her head, finally interjecting. "Raven has met Rorek already. That did not turn out well at all. I do not think that letting her emotions run wild will give Raven any sort of advantage."
"It would probably be a disadvantage," Robin said. The group started walking again heading toward the common room area. "Raven would be so emotionally involved in the battle she wouldn't think straight."
Bringing the conversation back, Cyborg raised his eyebrow. "So, Raven brought Terra back so BB would fall back head over heels in love with her and Raven wouldn't have to sort out her emotions? Is Raven really that scared of them?"
"She keeps them locked up in a magic mirror and when they're out she is almost always Timid," Robin said, slightly amused. "If that's not being afraid of something, nothing is."
Terra's head appeared around the corner. She looked at the other Titans and was about to ask a question when Cyborg answered for her. "Raven's okay, but I wouldn't go talk to her yet. She's still stressed out."
Terra nodded. The four Titans proceeded to the kitchen. Worry burned a lot of calories.
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Malchior had been meditating for only a few minutes when he felt the presence beside him. His sightless eyes opened. Letting his hands fall from his kneecaps and into the middle of his lap he spoke a single word. "Why?"
"Why? Oh, please, how long have we been brothers? All your life, for sure," Rorek sighed dramatically, "and yet still you know nothing about me."
"You are Rorek the Black. My brother, a murderer and a mind shatterer. That is all I ever need to know," Malchior said, his voice laced with venom. "Shouldn't the Titans know you're here? Doesn't their security system detect intruders?"
Rorek laughed, a surprisingly pleasant laugh. It brought back memories of their younger days. "You'll never listen to me Mal, so I'm not going to even try to explain." Rorek mimicked his brother, floating in the lotus position. Malchior could not see the mockery, but he could feel it in his brother's twisted aura.
"You have grasped power that wasn't meant to be grasped."
"Not by normal mortals, but we are different."
"You are different. You are corrupt."
Rorek rolled his eyes. "You know, you're incredibly stubborn."
"And you're a monster."
"We'll see about that," Rorek hissed. "You know that girl you're attracted to? She's the daughter of a demon. She's a monster, just like me." He flicked his brother's ear. "You think she's strong enough to not let her anger take her over? You wait and see. Just wait and see."
"Raven is not like you," Malchior yelled. "You are evil! She is not!"
"This is coming from the man who absolutely cannot see the world in black and white!" Rorek shouted, rising to his feet. "You know nothing about evil and good brother! There is no such thing! There are people who do things that appear good and there are people who do things that appear evil. You never know what the outcome of your actions will be. Letting a rat survive- a kind thing- can cause a plague, while killing it- which you would deem evil- may save a thousand lives!" Malchior shaded his eyes, as his brother's aura flared up blindingly. When he was able to see with his second sight again, he saw a comfortable, concerned green aura.
"Hey, is this a bad time?" Beastboy asked cautiously.
"It's a very good time, actually," Malchior said quietly. "I need someone sensible to talk to."
"Oh. I see. I'll go get Robin-" Beastboy said. Malchior laughed. Beastboy's aura doubled in brightness as he smiled.
"You got the joke," Beastboy said, sitting down next to Malchior. "I thought you would be more like-"
"More like Raven and ignore it?"
"Yeah. Hey, how'd you know that?"
"I talked to the others. They told me a lot about Raven and you." Malchior closed his eyes. "You are her counterpart, after all."
Beastboy's aura twisted. "C- counterpart?" He stammered.
"Yes. Your are wild while she is reserved. You make jokes, she makes observations. You throw yourself into the limelight, while she retreats into the darkness behind the scenes," Malchior slowly put a hand on Beastboy's shoulder. "You are her counterpart. You balance her out."
Beastboy felt a blush rising to his face at the idea. "Yeah, I think of her as a friend, she thinks of me as an annoyance."
"Perhaps," Malchior said.
"I just don't get it!" Beastboy suddenly blurt out. "Star's always happy and bubbly and Raven hardly ever has a problem with her, but with me, it's like everything I do offends her!"
"I don't think it does."
"Oh? Then why does she act like that?"
"You want my honest opinion?"
Beastboy nodded. Malchior remained silent. Beastboy was going to lose his temper when he realized his mistake. "I mean, yeah! What do you think?"
"I think she's jealous," the blind sorcerer said.
"Oh, so that's it- wait- jealous?" Beastboy's aura changed shades with shock. "Why would she be jealous of me?"
"Because you can throw yourself into the limelight. You get to express yourself, while she has to keep her emotions under wraps. Now that is even harder for her than ever," Malchior sighed.
"Is there anything we can do?"
"I don't know," Malchior said. "I've never heard of any way to reverse damage done to a person's mind. We were taught never to do it because it was irreversible."
"There has to be something!" Beastboy said.
"And I will do my best to find it, I assure you."
"And I'll help any way I can!" Beastboy said enthusiastically. "Who knows, the blind sorcerer and the annoying green changeling may just create a new set of rules for your magic."
"Maybe so," Malchior said. Beastboy's aura glowed with hope.
"I don't think that brooding out here is gonna help. You think Raven might let us take a look at your grandpa's book? That might give us some clues."
Malchior stood. "An intriguing idea. You could travel to the library."
"Library? Whoa. That means I'd have to read?"
"Well I certainly can't," Malchior said, gesturing at his eyes.
"You know, that's a great way to get out of work and stuff," Beastboy rubbed his chin in thought. "However, I like TV too much to give up my sight." He bounded to the door back into Titan's tower. "You coming Mal?"
"In a minute." Beastboy nodded and went back inside. Malchior walked slowly to the edge of the Tower, looking over a black rent in the sky where his brother had passed. "I don't understand Rorek. I don't understand. What is it that you're looking for? What is it that you want?"
Whatever it was, Raven was the key.
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A/N: Me 3 Rorek. Such a cool character to play with. So is Mal, but Rorek is the 'crazy' brother so he can do whatever he wants! Woot!
Before you even ask, yes, you will see Brown and Purple and find out what they are. Brown is special for me that's the only hint I'll give you. There's enough hints about purple in the story all ready. Next chapter: Raven gone Wild! Let's see what happes when you let all the different sides of her loose, shall we? How will the other Titans react? How will she react to the other Titans? coughTerracough. How will Malchior convince Beastboy to go into a Library?
You'll just have to wait and see.