A/N: Does anyone but me think Auron is an odd boss to have?

XP

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, Nevermore.'

The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe

XD

Raven took a deep breath, braced herself, and then walked through the door whose overhead sign displayed the name of the shop as "Alabaster's". She heard the bell make a small, nearly inaudible 'ping' as the door hit it, and then 'ping' again when the door closed. The incense and dim light was familiar, almost comforting. She always liked to be in here, even while working it was a relaxing place for her. However now she was dreading what lay ahead of her. Elsa.

Raven pulled down the hood of the black cloak which was her work uniform, and looked up to where the counter was, only to see that it wasn't Elsa manning it, but someone else. Mentally, Raven groaned, praying with all her might that this new co-worker wouldn't be as bad, nor worse than, Elsa, gods knew one was bad enough. She then gathered herself up, and walked to the back door which said 'Employees only' to find Auron.

He was there, sorting through a new shipment of candles, and when he looked up to see who had come in, he nearly caused the entire box to spill its contents all over the floor. "Raven! Is that, is that you!" He exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Yeah, it's me, here to see if I still have a job, though it looks like you've found a replacement already." She said.

"Who, Justin? Gods no, he's only here temporarily while Elsa visits her once-ex-but-now-current-boyfriend in Los Angeles. Something about needing her for a movie…though if that's true it'll be her who's replaced by Justin, not you." He explained.

"I suppose I should be surprised, considering all the off time I took, but the sad thing is I'm not. I can work now if you need me." Raven told him.

"Of course! But, one thing," Here it comes, "How'd you get your hair to grow out so fast?" He asked. Raven sweatdropped.

"Special potion I added to my shampoo." She answered.

"I see. I like it! Here, can you price those books over there, and put them up on the shelves, for me?" He asked, pointing to a box.

"Alright." She answered, getting to work.

"Oh, by the way, when I called you, er, someone said you had a bullet wound. I guess they were joking weren't they?" He asked.

"No, I did get a bullet wound. But it's healed up thanks to a few powerful spells." She answered.

"Ah, um, also…I know it's none of my business, but is this Malchior really a dragon?" He asked.

Darn. Raven thought, she was hoping to get out of this subject. "If I say 'no' will you be able to sleep better at night? Or would you rather I say 'yes' and tell you that no, he will not be having your arm for an evening snack?" She asked.

"Uh…"

"Let's just put it this way, Malchior and Rorek are two halves of the same person with their own bodies. Malchior is the dark side, while Rorek is the light. You can decide whether to believe they're really dragons or not." She finished.

The rest of her hours were relatively peaceful considering the hell she had expected to go through, with Elsa especially. Her new temporary co-worker was a collage freshmen working temporary spots whenever he could find them to get extra money and help his parents pay for his tuition. From what Raven gathered through Auron's briefing, he actually got pretty high grades and was an exceptionally hard worker. But one look at him and Raven could tell why he got the job at Alabaster's.

He had the pale skin, the black dyed hair, spiked and with white streaks here and there, he had the goatee, two lip rings, a tongue ring, and three rings on each ear (in all different places). His build was rather lean, but he was about as tall as Malchior and Rorek, though much more scrawny than they were. He wore a black T-shirt with a bloody cross on the front, huge black pants with pockets all over the place, and silver chains everywhere. Around his neck, his wrists, his waist, and all around his pants.

He probably appeared with the resume in his hand and was hired on the spot as well.

However, the entire day's conversation with him went like this:

Raven: Hi, I'm Raven.

Justin: Hi, I'm Justin.

Raven: I'll be your co-worker during the evenings.

Justin: Cool.

That was it. He hardly said a word at all, even to customers the only thing he said was, "Your total is (whatever)." And "Have a nice day, whatever that is."

If you could have a goth that was the polar opposite of Elsa, he was it. And to be honest, Raven found working with him a favorable reprieve. A co-worker who preferred you paid him no attention whatsoever, it was a nice change.

But the negative emotions he was constantly radiating was going to drive Raven up the wall eventually, and she knew it. And when that happened she just might have second thoughts on working with a real goth.

XD

"I'm back, and could someone help me with all this?" Raven called. In a huff she set down the many bags she'd had on her person and rubbed her soar arms. The next instant both Malchior and Rorek seemed to come out of nowhere (and giving each other a bit of push-and-shove while they were at it). "That was fast. Could you help me take these up to my room?" She asked them.

"Of course.", "What, you think I'd let you do it all by yourself?" They said just as Beast Boy and Zacroma poked their heads in the hall.

"Did you need help with something Raven?" Zacroma asked as the two dragons gathered up all the bags (glaring at each other) and began the trek to her room.

"Not anymore." Raven answered (She'd sort of meant for her to carry some as well, but just shrugged it off as being something she should have expected.).

"Aw, you're so lucky! You've got two hot guys who'd wait on you hand and foot if you'd only let them, some girls don't even have one. Too bad you refuse to exploit your power, we could have some real fun." The girl said, rubbing her hands and grinning evilly. Beast Boy just looked at her.

"Uh, I'm going back to the TV." He said, and then disappeared.

"Hey Raven!" Zacroma hailed, following Raven up the stairs. "I'm due for another hair color change, and Starfire was gonna come with me, you wanna come too? We could make it a girl's night! Starfire's got a lot of extra money, and so do I for that matter, we could go out get some popcorn and candy, then rent a few movies to watch in Starfire's room! It'll be fun!" She said.

"Sorry Zacroma, but I've got plans for tonight, being half a moon, so I think I'll pass. Maybe later." Raven answered.

"Awwww, oh okay. I'll hold you to it though! Later!" Zacroma said, running back down to the TV as Raven approached her open door.

"I see you were finally able to restock." Rorek greeted when she entered. Raven resisted breathing a sigh of relief, looked like they'd done nothing but glare at each other as everything in her room was still in tact.

"Yeah, I was able to get some stuff that was only sold in back, for special customers." She said. "Seemed Auron had been holding out on me, or rather I just never bothered going in that room because it wasn't needed."

"And you being an employee could count as a 'special customer' correct?" Malchior asked.

"No, more like the fact that I'm a real magic user made me a special customer. And also Auron's desperate to keep me as an employee, probably thinks that me being 'Raven' will draw in more customers. Sad part is, he's right." She answered. "Here," She said, picking up a few bags, "this all goes in my closet, so if you could just bring the bags in, I'll put everything up."

"I can help if you want." Rorek said swiftly.

"Uh, no, that's fine. It's a big closet, but only for one person. Thanks though." She said, going inside.

"Oh Malchior, guess what I have!" a voice called from outside the door. The dark dragon turned his eyes from glaring at Rorek to where Zacroma's dark magenta head was peeking into the room.

"What?" He asked, not really caring, that is until she stuck her hand into view, which held a new bottle of shaving cream. Previous focus forgotten, Malchior practically launched himself after her.

"Uh oh, eep!" Zacroma shrieked, running for it.

Rorek blinked, did Zacroma just do that on purpose? He couldn't believe it worked. "Was that Zacroma?" Raven asked, poking her head out the door to a Malchior-free room.

"Yeah, she had a bottle of shaving cream and Malchior went after it." He answered, his voice rather bemused.

"Of all the things he could obsess over, it's shaving cream." She muttered. "Well if you want to help, I guess you could start handing me things, get them out of the bags so I can put them up." She told him.

"Alright." Rorek said, he knelt down and began handing her jars, veils, pouches, and boxes from inside the many black shopping bags on the floor. "So, ah, how are your dreams going?" he asked, searching for subject matter.

"They're getting rather repetitive now, I mean, what I remember of them after waking up is. Even the surge of emotion is beginning to become mundane, I don't even cry anymore. I haven't had any more with particularly vivid words or pictures, check that, I have, but they feature that Judora woman." She told him. "Which probably means she does have a connection to them somehow."

"You said she was 'tainted', right? What exactly does that mean?" Rorek asked.

"A Tainted human, well, I'm not sure how best to explain it, but basically it's a member of the Blood Clan that has absorbed and fused themselves with a demon, more precisely, one of Trigon's children, so that, in essence, they become like a child of Trigon, instead of merely injecting the blood into their system so that they only have a semblance of it like the rest of the Blood Clan. However, the Tainted are those who are like that on purpose. They're not really a part of the Blood Clan, more like a step up, completely in a league of their own. These are humans who were bad from the beginning, who needed no help in that department, the kind of humans that should never be allowed to walk the earth, but do anyway. They are generally powerful in very dark, evil magics, and don't really care what they have to do in order to obtain what they want. In this case, they wanted more power, so they study the Book of Blood in order to learn the demon rituals. They do it themselves, they don't need any pushing, and they know exactly what they're getting themselves into. You see, these are the only humans who can survive the ritual that summons one of Trigon's own lesser children to infuse with their own bodies. There are few Tainted, but those that are out there, such as Judora, are extremely powerful, as it takes a lot of power to go through with something like that, and then if you survive, well, let's just say the result is worse than having to face the mystic and the demon at the same time in battle." She explained.

"Wow, no wonder we couldn't defeat her." Rorek mused.

"Judora's the first Tainted I've had the unfortunate pleasure of actually meeting, but for some reason I still have a suspicion that she's, different, from the rest. Whether it was the snake familiar, or the fact that I keep seeing her in my dreams, I don't know." Raven sighed.

"Familiar? What would that have to do with anything?"

"So far as I know, no known member of the Blood Clan, tainted or otherwise, has had one, not many mystics do in this day and age. It sort of went out of fashion I guess." She answered with a shrug. "Well, that's the last of it, lucky too. And not a day too soon either, I can start making the kethnic water tonight as it's a half moon." Raven said.

"Oh! So that's what all this is for. I almost forgot about the Slade person."

"Yeah, after Trigon and now with Judora, Slade just seems like a pushover. I also get the feeling he knows Zacroma's on our side, and is scared stiff." She mused.

"Why's that?"

"Zacroma's main power is the manipulation of metal. She can change temperature, morph it, and just about everything else with only a touch. Slade's entire body is metal, if she gets a hand on him, well, you remember what she did to the oven last time she attempted to cook." Raven explained.

Rorek visibly flinched, "I see, yes. This must be why we haven't had any notable trouble from him lately." He said.

"Yeah." Raven said, she then stretched her soar arms and stepped out of the closet, gathering the bags while she was at it. "I can just return these tomorrow, nothing wrong with them." She said, folding them up so she could put them on her desk.

"Raven?"

"Hm?" She asked, turning around, and finding Rorek only inches away from her, his scarf pulled down off his face. At first she was a little taken aback by this sudden change of mood, but then her hands fell away from the bags she was smoothing on her countertop.

She met him part of the way, slipping her arms around his neck as his went around her waist. He caressed her back, and she the side of his smooth face as they massaged each other's lips. Slow, deliberate, and sweet. The space between them closed even more as the kiss became more passionate. Raven could feel her heart begin to beat, butterflies welled up inside of her as an odd ache began to grow in the space just below her naval. She wanted more, she knew, and was having a hard time suppressing it.

It felt so strange, being the one to push forward, probably because Rorek just flat didn't make any moves passed starting the kiss. She gave Malchior an inch and he went a mile, but Rorek went as far as she did, and no more, which felt somehow dissatisfying, and welcome at the same time. By now Malchior would have moved from her lips to her neck and test just how far he could push his luck, which was pretty irritating, but so was Rorek not pushing at all.

There was a medium, there had to be a medium, she just needed to wait for it. WHY CAN'T THEY MERGE FASTER!

The kiss ended after they had gently tickled each other's tongue, and when their lips parted they were both panting a bit. "I think that was the first time we've actually kissed without being interrupted one way or another." Rorek commented.

"Yeah, shocking as my door's wide open." Raven commented, her eyes drawn to the said spot. It looked to be deserted, but she was fairly certain she saw a lock of red hair flick out of view when she spoke.

"So, ah, have you figured something out for our date? Because I have no idea how we're going to pull it off." Rorek asked.

"Well, we could secretly organize a Shaving Cream Convention, then tell Malchior about it." She answered.

"A what?"

"Uh, never mind. But I think the only way we'll be able to pull it off is to either go halfway around the world, another dimension, or promise Malchior I'll go out with him too." She sighed.

"Or, we could bribe Zacroma to stock up on shaving cream and get Beast Boy and Cyborg in on an all-night shaving cream fight." Rorek considered.

"She'd probably do that for free. We'd have to tell Robin what we're planning so he'll consent to letting them do it so long as they avoid carpeted areas." Raven put in.

"Right, I'll talk to Zacroma and you can talk to Robin. Let's try to keep this as low key as possi—"

BOOM!

"Well, that's foreboding." Raven muttered as they ran out to see what happened.

XD

"MY BABY! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BABY!" Cyborg cried.

"I slipped." Malchior muttered, emerging from the wreckage covered in glass and burn marks. He pinched a lock of his bangs, which had previously been supporting a small spark of fire.

"I thought the TV belonged to everyone." Zacroma said in a small voice.

"NOOOOOOOO, Oh what has happened to you my precious?" Beast Boy cried, putting his arms over the front and back of the now demolished big screen television set.

"Uh oh." Raven said, she and Rorek entering the scene only a moment before Robin did.

"WHAT HAPPENED!" He yelled.

"Raven! It had life, it was there, it spoke, now it's gone! It's gone! Can you do something, please?" Beast Boy begged, groveling at Raven's feet.

"I'm sorry, Beast Boy, but, honestly, it would just be cheaper to buy a new TV." Raven said.

"I repeat, WHAT HAPPENED!" Robin exclaimed again.

"Well, ah, I was running around with a new can of shaving cream, and Malchior was running after me trying to get it, and for a while I was able to evade him by putting myself in an iron box for a space of time, then running around again. Well, that time I didn't exactly move fast enough, he snatched my gem and threw it across the room, but tried to get the shaving cream can at the same time. This happened in an odd fashion with him halfway on the coffee table, and well he lost his balanced. He tried to pick himself back up somehow, I'm not sure why he thought a bit of flight magic would work, but instead of just landing on the ground he hit the TV." Zacroma explained.

"Oh. Well in that case you two get to pay for the new one." Robin told them.

"Awwww, oh well." Zacroma said, picking her gem up off the floor, "It'll be easy if I get artistic. Hey Raven, how much do figurines sell at Alabaster's?" Zacroma asked.

"Depends on amount, the metal used, the purity of the metal, and the mastery of the object. But they do sell pretty quickly, especially dragons, so I'm sure Auron would be thrilled to have another supplier." Raven answered.

"See? Problem solved!" Zacroma cheered.

"But, but, we can't get a new one, this was our baby, it was our friend, we raised it from, from a brand new big screen to a much loved one. Can't we fix it somehow?" Beast Boy whimpered.

"The thing, is dead. It has been smashed practically to bits, let it go." Raven said. "And the problem isn't solved, Malchior is also responsible for the TV." She said, rounding on him.

"Fine, here." He said, tossing her something. She caught it and stared.

"Whoa! Where'd you get that!" Zacroma exclaimed, looking over Raven's shoulder.

"Oh my gosh it's beautiful!" Starfire squealed.

"You've been holding out on us man!" Beast Boy cried.

"Um, I am a dragon. Therefore having a horde of gold and precious jewels goes without saying. We're just lucky we have sub-space pockets and were able to keep it in spite of the whole sealing away factor." Malchior explained.

The broach was about as long as Raven's palm and half as wide. It had a brilliant iridescent opal set in gold which had a detailed pattern of many fairies bordering it, each in different positions around it, with their wings also adding to the design. It was a thousand years old, in perfect condition, and could probably pay for an entire movie theater. Especially if they got it appraised by a professional, but then it would probably go into a museum that would pay them a sum of money to display it each week.

"This is going to pay for a lot more than a busted TV." Raven said.

"Well, then it can be my rent for the next hundred years." Malchior said, smirking at Robin.

"Heh, fine by me, but don't think it'll get you out of house cleaning." Robin told him.

"D#." Malchior swore.

XD

Blood becomes life, becomes fire, becomes air, becomes water, becomes wind, becomes earth, becomes lightning, becomes light, becomes darkness, becomes death, and death, in turn, becomes life once again. So is the endless cycle, the spiral in which no living being can escape, thought many have tried.

Blood is the first, the liquid of the body that sustains the second, life. That which is circulated throughout the body, picking up all which is noticed by the body. This blood circulates, also, through the mind, absorbing memories, thoughts, and feelings that are relinquished to the earth through a cut in the flesh. Merely by blood, by thoughts, by being, all things can be accomplished.

Blood is life, blood keeps life, but blood can also take life. The living blood of a dead god is poisonous to dragons, phoenixes, and unicorns alike. In turn, the blood of a dragon is coursing with magic, magic that can be made fatal to any creature. The blood of a phoenix, though, if mixed in the right potion, can also kill any and all who drink it. However, the blood of a unicorn is so pure, that it can sustain immortality in a being for a period of time, though with a high price.

While the elements, the third entity of this cycle, can be controlled, used, and manipulated, it is not so with blood. Life and Death are the same, though not so much. To give death to the living is possible without direct use of the very entity. Destroy the body so that blood can no longer grant it life, and you have brought death. However, to give life to the dead, can only be accomplished through the use of this very power, but even if a being could do such, it is unforgivable. For the walking dead are cursed with the second life until they can die again. It is hardly any better a fate than to burn in the bowls of hell forever.

But blood, blood is more dangerous, more powerful than either. Blood is all. Merely with a drop of a person's blood, one might obtain all their past memories, thoughts, emotions, and even the body's memory of physical afflictions and diseases. With blood, one can take the life force of another, causing death, and give this life force to another, causing life. It is the first of the cycle, it controls the cycle, and to control it is to control being.

In all of history, only one has obtained full ability to manipulate and control blood with such precision it was as if it was an element. Only one has mastered the entities of life and death, only one. A brilliant mystic, sorceress, shamanist, magician, wizard, witch, alchemist, and even scientist, with the ability to bend the laws of reality, to do what was thought impossible, and the only one to have mastered all forms of magic. And her name was Avelona.

Raven's jaw dropped, her hands shook as she read that last line of her book several times over. "Oh, my, god." She whispered.

XP

A/N: AHAHAHAHAHAHA! EVIL CLIFFHANGER! Now we're getting somewhere, heheh. And you know what to do to get the next chapter to come out faster? That's right, review! It's nice to know that my hard work is being appreciated. (Sarcastic voice: Yeah, you sit on your bum and press buttons, that's really hard!) (Me: Shut up!)

Well, I'm kinda in a rush right now, I have work in 5 minutes, so I don't have time to answer reviews. Sorry!

Ja ne