OOC: Tis drama, poetry, battle and love in one single chapter...possibly the best one yet. But I'm not adding that last chapter until I have AT LEAST 15 reviews- so please, if you read it, review it.
I'm going to advertise for my other story to-Twisted Truth:
Mirage is everything Raven wanted in a friend, quiet and deadly, mysterious, yet she understands Raven instantly. Its as if every time Raven stares into her pale face she sees her own reflection. Meanwhile the other Titans become fond of Mirage's twin brother- Logan, a perfect guy- courageous, handsome, friendly, funny. Two opposite sides of the same coin, the twins hold and air of mystery and strength no one can place. But when things begin to happen in the Tower, things that cause friendships to fall apart and love to become just a memory- Raven learns a lesson that could rip out her soul and allow somethingmuch worse to take its place- The Truth is just as decieving as the Lie.
Disclaimer: No I do not own Raven, Red X, the emotion 'anger' or any Titans. But I do own the emotion anger's new face, Red, and the pole Raven used to wrap Beast Boy in.
And now onto the story!
Raven didn't know where she was going. She could feel the cool wind as she glided through it, ruffling her hair and causing it to fly back against her head, her eyes closed still as she sobbed. She cried, tears trickling down her face as she cried for herself, for Red, for Robin, for Rose.
Hard cold ground hit her knees as she fell in a pile in Red's apartment, the lights all off and abandoned completely. Why had she come here? To get her bag? To run, to leave- to go away forever?
That was it. Through the tears Raven reached for her bag and held it close, licking her finger and attempting to scrub away the small rose between her eyes. It wouldn't rub away.
The tears started up again as Raven slumped against the couch, her legs cold on the freezing ground. Her hands seemed to move on their own as she suddenly pulled out a cool hard objet from her bag. Blinking a few moments to clear the tears, she looked down to see what it was- and gasped.
She held her reflection in her hands.
She dropped the mirror and slid it away where I began to shake- two pairs of gleaming red eyes appearing within the glassy depths. Raven bit her lip and stared at it in horror.
Raven...
"No...no..."
Raven...
"No..go away..."
Raven...why do you cry?
Raven bit her lip as she felt the tears running down her face and attempted to stop them.
"Leave me alone...go away..."
Raven, you know I can't do that...I'm part of you, you know.
"No! You're not real!"
I'm as real as that mirror on the ground in front of you. I am Rose, Raven..I am that mischievous growing hate that fills your heart. I am what controls you...
"You're not real!"
Not real? Not real- of course I am foolish girl. Get that through your head. I am as real as you for I am you! I am the part of you people adore, the emotional, the strong, the fierce and fiery. I am the one who got you to where you are and you foolish wench let it all die the moment you looked into the mirror!
"No!"
Yes. Raven, don't you remember that power that flooded through you? That uncontrollable pulsing power...how strong it was, remember that Raven? Remember the feeling of ecstasy as it entered your body? Oh, I remember...
Raven began to cry again before attempting to stifle her tears. She slid away again until her back was against the couch. "No...you're not real..."
She closed her eyes and crossed her legs before murmuring softly into the room. "Azarath Metreon Zinthos..."
Mirror, mirror on the wall-
Come on in my dear..
I can sense your growing hate,
I feed upon your fear...
Mocking her...mocking her so evilly, with such a burning hatred in her voice that Raven fought to supress a shudder. Yet still it escaped her and she closed her eyes, fighting the tears that hit her again. She barely ever cried, and suddenly she cried non-stop?
"No...please...go away.."
Raven was so tired...she just wanted to sleep...sleep seemed so nice right now...her head began to slide onto her shoulder as the tears instantly dried...
Mirror, mirror in your hand-
How evil are those eyes!
For crimson stains of darkened blood
Stare at you from where they lie...
That voice again, that damned voice! Raven's eyes snapped open for suddenly she was awake again. She bit her lip and her eyes flashed, the lightbulb smashing into pieces with a bolt of black light. "I will defy you! Hear me? I WILL!"
Raven shouted and stood up, making a sharp gesture as a bolt of black swept form her fingers in a slicing blow to slice the mirror. But a shield of black appeared and the mirror came form a cloud of dust unscathed.
Letting your emotions get the best of you?
Raven gasped and slid back down to her feet. What had she done..what had she done...oh what if someone had been hurt...what would she do...she hurt Robin...she hurt the Titans...she hurt Red...she felt so guilty...
"Please...make it all go away.."
Suddenly voices swarmed her mind, voices yelling and arguing, crying and screaming, such chaos, such pain..Argh! Raven threw her hands over her ears and began to rock.
Mirror, mirror, mirror child...
"No.."
Tell me what you see...
"Please no..."
Do you see four crimson eyes?
"Red...Robin..help me..."
Or do you only see me?
Raven snapped.
Her emotions began to weave through her like a flurry of icy blue power- sorrow retching through her soul as she began to cry blue tears large enough to drown herself in, before guilt flooded through her once more- then exhaustion and bravery and jealousy and ecstasy and then...
Anger.
The worst of all and Raven fought it- she fought it as desperately as possible, the gleaming red fire, trying so hard to enter her veins... Raven screamed in fursy as she fought, lamps shattering and the couch hurled at the wall.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!"
Yes, Raven. Yes. Come on in, please...oh please come on in my friend. We have so much catching up to do...
"No!"
Afraid Raven? Perhaps some bravery and determination will fix that...
Afraid? She wasn't afraid! Raven could do anything! She could beat this stupid red bitch in her head, she had before? Why was this any different? Raven easily reached out for the mirror but something stopped her- suddenly a black shadow smacked her hard against the wall and made her moan in pain.
Still afraid, Raven? I would have thought you would fight for your friends... I would have thought you'd fight for the Titans...I thought you would fight for Red.
Raven suddenly went numb as the mirror hissed words at her.
You love him, don't you Raven? The problem is, I love him too. And who does he love? He loves Rose, Raven...Come now, won't you fight for his love?
Raven stood up again.
But this time she was different.
For a black aura swirled around her, hiding her from view and fading into her surroundings, leaving her different. Her hair was the same yes but that accursed rose was gone and the red jewel back in place. Her long cloak swept to the ground and her tight outfit was back. The only difference was the blue rose necklace about her neck.
She said nothing. There was nothing that needed to be said. For she stepped forward and picked up the mirror, staring with emotionless eyes int the four narrowed slits that stared back. A black claw reached from the mirror to grab her but with a sweep of her hand it fell back. For instead the mirror hovered in the air before her and a pair of white steps descended. The mirror widened to the size of a door and Raven mounted the steps and entered the doorway, never looking back as she entered her own mind.
"Where is she?" Starfire helped Robin to her feet, soothing him to calm him but robin had nothing of it.
"Dude..she almost killed you.." Beast Boy's voice was a hushed whisper. Raven couldn't betray them..he knew it deep down in his wires that she was a good person and she cared about them.
"But she didn't! Terra tried to and she came back, she turned good! Raven didn't and she's not evil! She's not like him!" Robin pointed furiously to Red.
Red had stood there, staring at a piece of glass shard in his hand, staring at it and seeming as if unaware of the Titans. His cloak billowed around him as he stared down at that glass shard thinking of what he had just seen in the reflection.
Slowly, as if coming out of a dream, Red raised his head to look at them- look at the Titans- Star who held Robin up, Beast Boy, standing partially in front of them all with defience in his eyes- Cyborg, standing in the back and staring at him with an odd look.
Beast Boy loves her- Red realized. It was in his eyes, the way he so disliked Red that Raven had loved the villain. He loved Raven like a sister, perhaps more. Perhaps this green boy loved Raven as he did.
Starfire wants toknow her- The alien's eyes were slightly red from tears and filled with such a deep sorrow...still she was beautiful. Still Red saw in her the beauty he had seen to begin with. But there was another face he loved more, saw more beauty in. But was the face the one he truly understood?
Robin cares for her- The proud fury, the denial to the fact Raven had almost killed him, replacing that look of defeat he had just worn. The determination- Robin wanted Raven back. Robin thought he understood Raven, thought her knew her best. But no, Red knew her best. And even Red was startled by her.
Cyborg understands her better than them all- The mechanical man is like her in many ways. He cares about her like them all but she is like a sister to him. For Red looked into his single human eye and saw understanding there, saw that Cyborg understood Red, that the mechanical man knew what it was like to love one who you weren't supposed to care for. He saw in those eyes slight warmth that reminded him so much of Raven, how deep within her icy exterior lied a warm beating passion, a passion that Red had found and Red had embraced.
"Come with me. I know where she is."
"Go with you! Hello? You're a VILLAIN!"
Cyborg stepped forward and murmured somehting in Robin's ear, the Boy Wonder's eyes narrowed in mistrust.
After a long moment he nodded slightly and Starfire's eyes widened in surprise. Cyborg stepped forward, close enough to touch Red and the small boy was overshadowed by his prescence.
"We're in this together." Cyborg held out his hand. "We both care for Raven. We all want what's best for her, and if you care for her how I think you do, you want the same."
Red stared at the hand and then up into Cyborg's eyes in amazement. He understands..he truly understands...
He took the hand and gave a handshake of agreement. "I care for her more than you can imagine."
Cyborg nodded.
"I think I can imagine."
Raven opened her eyes.
The black and red planes came into view, the small black birds resting on a dead tree in front of her. In the distance stood Rose.
She was Rose, for her hair had been dyed black but with the bangs highlighted red. A red cloak swept about her body, the outline of a rose painted between the four eyes and the replica of a glass rose- this one red, around her neck.
Hello Raven.
Suddenly other figures appeared behind Raven, other figures wearing cloaks of different colors- each one landing behind and around Rose. Suddenly Raven realized why her emotions had been strange.
"What are you doing? You all can't be supporting her!"
One in a green cloak stepped forward. "She's given us power. We're all sick of just sitting here and with her in charge...we can have a say in what happens and she won't destroy the world because of it. She can control emotions..."
"No, you can't do that..." Raven fought for words as she stared in astonishment at them. They were uniting against her?
You see, Raven...I have the power. Rose raised an arm and suddenly the other emotions began to whirl about her until absorbed into her body. Rose grew brighter, red light flickering around those bloodied eyes and malice running through her grinning teeth.
I am Rose. I am the one who Red loves..
Raven gritted her teeth to keep control and to keep herself steady.
Rose laughed at her. Come now, Raven. You couldn't have really thought he loved you? I am the things that made you leave the Tower..and slowly, slowly I gained support from the others within this plane. Why do you think you were unable to move when that man attacked you? Fear and Timid are quite strong when they try to be..I was going to have anger sweep through you and save your skin but, oh no..something so much better came along.
Imagine my happiness when I saw Red there! A chance to become a Villain- perfect for us both. And slowly I began to change you...slowly you acted less and less like yourself and more and more like me until today when you were almost complete. For Raven, honestly would you have accepted his offer? Oh, and I had you! I had you in my grasp! The slightest action today and you would have been mine...But no, you still love the Titans...you still adore them...
You won't when I'm through with you.
Raven looked at Rose and allowed a grim smile to cross her lips, one of grim amusement. "Well Rose, we aren't as similar as I thought. I would never give a monolog." (-cough-)
Rose smiled, her smile gleaming with satisfaction. "Are you sure about that?"
"Quite."
Rose nodded and made a sharp gesture with her hand. A beam of red began to fire at Raven and within moments a black form of a raven had taken flight.
The battle of Rose and Raven had begun.
"No..."
Whose voice it was, no one was sure. But when the Titans and Red entered the apartment to see her bag still there and the mirror lying on the cold hard ground, they all thought the same thing.
Raven was in danger.
For Beast Boy and Cyborg knew very well what danger lie in Raven's mind- they had looked upon Trigon and had felt his fury. Robin and Starfire, though never going into her mind, though Raven had been in Robin's, understood the peril she faced every night.
Most likely it was Red who said this. For he had looked into the reflection and seen the red-eyes monster staring back at him. No one else had seen that. He had seen the hideous creature within and upon seeing the four red eyes staring from the mirror, he recognized them immediately.
Robin stepped forward as if to touch the mirror but suddenly a bolt of black shot from the red eyes and zapped him, making him pull his hand away.
"Raven doesn't want us in..." Cyborg's voice broke the silence.
"Are you kidding me?" Beast Boy freaked out. "We have to help her! She's gone into her mind and there's really bad stuff in there!"
"We can't. This is her own battle." Cyborg could easily hear the defeat in Red's voice.
"We're her friends! You may not want to help her but we do!"
Red turned on the green boy. "Not help her? How dare you! I have appreciated Raven more than you have, I have sheltered her and given her what she wants- power! Not once did I hurt her in any way- for I never questioned her ways or insulted her actions. I found her true self and embraced it! Not like you, who shoved it away."
"You mean you appreciated that red thing in her. You only like her for a villain, not for who she is!" Beast Boy sneered at him. "We loved her, we cared about her, she belongs with us!"
Red lunged at Beast Boy and Beast Boy threw himself at red. It took Cyborg holding Red back and Starfire holding Beast Boy with Robin the middle to keep them apart.
"We all care about her, alright? We need to help raven, remember! And we need to help her now!"
Red stared at Cyborg for a long moment before shaking off his arm.
"How well do you know Raven? Well enough to realize what she will do for others? Oh, I know the tales of what she has done- many of them she told me herself. She is a good person, yes, but she is not perfect. She became a Villain and it was easy for her. But I know Raven well. I can see that this is a battle she will fight on her own."
The word 'battle' hit them all suddenly.
"Battle?" Starfire's eyes were fearful as she stared at Red. "Raven is performing a war within her mind?"
"Raven is fighting her own demons. We can only wait to see who is victorious..."
They all grew quiet for a long time. Red slid into a chair and let his head drop into his hands- Starfire and Robin fell onto the couch and Starfire's crimson hair fell onto his shoulder as she rested her head upon him. Cyborg leaned against a wall and Beast Boy stared at the ground, his back against the door as if preparing to flee.
Its going to be a long day.... Red thought sadly to himself as he stared at the mirror lying on the floor and staring at them maliciously.
(OOC: Now here's when the drama really starts...)
A single rose,
A tearing thorn
Deadly in it's beauty-
Well aware of what it's torn.
The red bolt struck Raven full in the chest and she fell to the ground, landing on her side as she wheezed for breath, coughing the dust from her lungs as she struggled. After a long moment she stood and faced Rose again.
Meanwhile I am in shadow
Trapped drowning in my tears-
Raven why do you continue to stand? You know I will beat you in the end...
Her voice...so mocking...so mocking... For as Raven stared at that red-cloaked girl, her red eyes gleaming maliciously, she felt the fire burn in her heart and knew where it came from. Desperately she clung to reality- clung to the image of those red eyes for as horrifying as they were, they were reality and they were the most real thing in this world. Fear is real. And fear was what kept her holding on, kept ehr from letting go into the flame of alternate reality, the flame of her downfall. For as long as she'd fear, she wouldn't lose control.
Screaming at my demons,
Fighting against my greatest fear-
Rose smiled slightly, her toothy grin visible from under the shadow of the hood. She began to approach Raven, gliding across the earth without taking a single step.
Give up, Raven..
Raven hissed at her and threw a wave of energy at the figure, taking the shape of a black X and striking Rose full in the chest, where she stumbled for a moment before straightening.
You're in my world.
Raven closed her eyes and opened them immediately, staring at Rose and beating down the fire. For suddenly the blue rose around her neck had begun to glow-
Rose's red rose glowed as well until it unattached itself from her neck and the blue around Raven's did the same. They flew up into the air and began to melt into one another, fusing and taking shape until molting into a single shade of violet and falling to the ground gently.
And as I gaze upon that rose
I see its darkened blood
And I know very well
When I wake my eyes will be shut
Violet. The color of the hair streaming about Raven's face, the color of her eyes, her icy unkind eyes that could change so quickly. The mix of blue, her own color- her icy wall she had shielded herself with, and red, the flame that could melt it.
Raven lunged- Rose lunged. And they fought.
They fought with a fury few would ever see. They fought with a passion as the violet rose gleamed and glowed, urging them on in turn and spiting insults and harsh words as well. Hatred burned in Rose and passion burned in Raven- loved against hatred and emotions versus ice. Every blow Raven made Rose countered. Every attack Rose tried Raven blocked. They were evenly matched for a long time before Raven began to weary...
For she was one person and Rose was many. She had the power of herself but Rose had the power of others. Raven began to tire and it was then that she fell to the ground as a red raven shot towards her and bound her in its grasp.
Raven gasped and slumped forward.
A single rose,
A tearing thorn
Deadly in it's beauty-
Well aware of what it's torn.
Meanwhile I am in shadow
Trapped drowning in my tears-
Screaming at my demons,
Fighting against my greatest fear-
And as I gaze upon that rose
I see its darkened blood
And I know very well
When I wake my eyes will be shut.
Yes Raven...fall onto your knees. This is pointless and you know...you know that no matter how hard you fight- you cannot defeat yourself. For that's all your doing Raven, fighting yourself. Look at the rose. Look at how it mocks you, mocks me. We are one but I am stronger. For I am the passion burning in you- you are the weak. Bow to me, Raven. Bow to me for I am better than you.
Raven didn't fight it..Oh, she wanted to sleep...wanted to sleep forever. She would be willing to give in to Rose if it ended this torture. For a moment she thought of Red and it only made her more tired..
Reach out to me, my dear
Grab onto me in you can,
I'm dying for love, my dear-
I'm running as fast as I can.
Red bit his lip as he stared at the mirror...for he could see Raven there- was it the trick of his eye? Could he truly see Raven fallen to her knees upon an unearthly plain where a malicious figure stood over her... "No.." he murmured.
The others looked up at him but he made no notice. For they in turn looked into the mirror and they in turn gasped or murmured their own deficience to belief.
Hide me from that rose
Hide me from its deadly touch
Hide me from that thorn-
From that angry hating rush.
I can't hold on much more
Your fingers are sliding from mine
Grab onto me, my dear
And hold me as I let go and die...
This is the end...Raven thought, as she stared into those merciless eyes. I will die here. Rose will become me. But Raven could not find strength within her to battle it. She wanted to give up, she wanted to quit.
Suddenly a voice began to sing to her, a soft lulling voice so calm and so gentle that Raven could have fallen asleep to it...But the words...The words touched her so deeply that the image of red eyes disappeared and was replaced by another- an image that rekindled the flame in her heart.
This time the flame was not a danger. She could feel it burn with her, feel its warmth melting the glass and ice she had created around her heart.
Rose stepped over her and smiled. Good-bye Raven.
Raven closed her eyes and let the song wash through her. For it was the song she had heard as a child, as a poor and cursed child by a woman she had called mother and by people she had dared to call family. And as she stared up at Rose, only one word escaped her mouth.
"Home..."
Raven's Lullaby-
Remember me, my child
Hold forever in your heart
The icy fear, the saddened day
The angered, hateful start...
Do not forget, my darling
My child, my precious dear
For I won't forget your beating heart
Or saddened eyes of tears.
Raven, oh my Raven
Such a curse you have to bear...
To feel no sorrow, feel not pain
Nor joy, or anger or fear.
And as you fight your shadow
As you wage war in your mind
Remember your life is yours to control
As are the horrors in your mind.
Remember me, sweet Raven-
Hold me deeply in your heart...
And do not forget the angered hate
The sad, the joyful starts...
(One more chapter left folks...hang in there... It'll all be over with soon... After 15 reviews or more! More reviews, the better the next chapter.)