A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far!
As Raven made her way to the living room, she was met with the sound of arguing. She was quickly able to distinguish the voices of Jinx and Gizmo and she didn't need to ask what they were arguing about. The small boy had made it clear to them the night before that he didn't want Jinx discussing their school – no doubt Jinx had told him of her intention to bring Raven with them.
"You're gonna get us killed! Demoted! We're not gonna get trusted with another mission again! You know the stinkin' rules Jinx! The only people allowed to bring newbies to the school are their scouts – and we aint one of them!"
"Giz you saw what she can do – if she can do all that she told me last night as well-"
"You think the headmistress is gonna give us a free pass? You're out of your mind!"
Raven stood in the doorway as she listened. Mammoth was the first to notice her, the giant offering her a smile though it was more of a grimace. She returned the look before going back to watching the two teens argue.
"No – she'll have to work for it but it's worth it. What's life without a little risk?"
"A little risk? Remember that big rule – anything your teammate does, your whole team also suffers the consequences?"
"Don't worry, I'll take her to the headmistress myself. You two can go to your lessons. It was my idea after all. I'll make sure she knows that."
Raven cleared her throat and stepped forward, grabbing their attention. "Like I said last night, if it's too much trouble…"
"It is." Gizmo responded quickly, earning a glare from Jinx.
"It's not. Not if it works out well. Besides, it's been decided. Nothing's changing so you might as well drop it Giz. I'm not trying to get us into trouble."
Happy the pair had stopped shouting at each other, Mammoth switched on the TV while Jinx motioned for Raven to make herself comfortable, the empath still standing in the middle of the room, unsure on what to do.
"We've got about an hour until one of the drivers from the school pick us up. There's some leftovers in the fridge, if you want breakfast."
Raven didn't answer her, her eyes on the TV. Mammoth had turned on the news. Someone had managed to film the green light that had fallen into the city and the news presenters were eagerly talking about it.
"That's right June, it gave a lot of people quite a bit of a scare. Before it had landed there was some speculation whether or not the city was getting a visit from Green Lantern, however I don't think he's ever failed a landing like that before."
The video footage being shown changed to something rather blurry but no doubt at the site of the crash. The crater in the road was huge. As the person filming carefully tried to get closer, to see inside the crater, something flew out. It landed near the crowd that had gathered – girl with orange skin and flame red hair. Her eyes glowed green and she shouted in a language no one understood.
"That's a Tamaranian." Raven spoke up in shock.
"A what?" Mammoth asked.
"Tamaranian. They're one of the best warrior races in this dimension." When Raven had been younger, an envoy from Tamaran had arrived at Azarath to look into some records from their past – the city's wealth had always been knowledge. They weren't the only visitors Azarath had seen but Raven remembered the warriors well. All female, they had towered over everyone else. They had been as intimidating as they were friendly and Raven remembered being able to feel their ever-changing emotions from the other side of the monastery. "They've been at war with the citadel for over a century now."
"The who?" Jinx asked just as the footage changed again, this time focusing on a large spacecraft that hovered over the city.
"Them." Raven pointed to the screen. "They're from the Vega system too."
A few people had managed to get some shaky footage of reptilian aliens, and a few more of these new aliens being attacked.
"Looks like Robin's in Jump," Gizmo muttered. "There goes our easy pickings."
The TV presenters openly praised this Robin and the work that was done to remove the threat to the city, before showing a few shots of people who had fought beside them, the Tamaranian also included.
"Good job the fight didn't move into our side of the neighbourhood," Mammoth grinned. "That would have been messy."
"It is going to be messy for us they decide to set up shop." Gizmo told them, less interested in the aliens and more interested in the group of people who had tried to stop them.
The picture changed back to the studio and it's two presenters.
"In other news, Jump City isn't the only place that has had a recent brush with so called meta humans. In Gotham City – well known for it's high crime rate and dangerous criminals such as the Joker – a police officer, Samuel Newthorpe, died in an attack while transporting an unknown prisoner."
Raven's heart sank, instantly recognising the name, and tried to withdraw into her cloak.
"Yesterday afternoon, the patrol car he was in exploded-" The screen again changed back to footage, this time of the burning remains of the car, panicked civilians in the background "- the blast also causing damage to the surrounding street. Witnesses say they saw a young teenager, who had also been thrown from the car during the explosion, get up and run towards the city's outskirts. They are unsure at this point if girl is a meta human or if it was a bomb attack. Gotham City's police department has released the following statement."
The image changed to a man stood behind a podium, dressed in full uniform, his hat tucked under one arm. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Samuel Newthorpe who lost his life in a brutal attack against the Gotham Police force. We are currently doing everything we can to track down the current suspect and bring them to justice. The suspect has been described as a young female with purple hair and pale skin. She was last seen wearing jeans and a black jumper. She is considered to be extremely dangerous and members of the public should not approach her, but immediately report any sighting to the police. There is the potential that she is also injured. Any witnesses to the attack, we would ask that you come forward and provide a statement to help us with the search effort."
Raven slowly looked around her however the only one still watching TV was Mammoth. He hadn't made any connection. Jinx and Gizmo were focused on the backpacks still containing the items from the jewellers.
"We can't just leave them lying around," Gizmo was frowning as he grabbed one of the bags.
"We're not. Most of it is coming with us, remember? What we're keeping we just got to find a good hiding place for. Until we get a safe fitted anyway." Jinx stood. "So what you gonna do? Help me pick a spot or just moan about it forever?"
The boy grumbled but got off the sofa and started to move deeper into the building. Jinx hesitated by the doorway to look at Raven. "You are packed, right? I mean you said you were staying somewhere. Do you have anything there you need to collect before we go?"
Raven shook her head. "I have everything."
(….)
The second Raven saw the school – H.I.V.E Academy, according to the large lettering on the wall inside the entrance – she wondered what she'd gotten herself into, and if accepting Jinx's offer had really been a good idea.
Everything was painted a shade of bright yellow or black. The opening hall, which was little more than a large open space, was made of six internal walls, joined together to create a large hexagon. The corridors she could see leading off, one on each wall, also seemed to share the same structure. It was making her uncomfortable just looking at it; Raven couldn't begin to imagine how she would feel after a few hours, never mind days.
Jinx quickly sent Mammoth and Gizmo to their lessons, reassuring them everything would be fine, before leading Raven through the corridors at a quick pace, reminding her to keep close. They didn't come across many people, students or otherwise, but everyone who did stared at Raven as they passed. It didn't take her long to figure out that everyone knew each other within the school. Her arrival wouldn't go unnoticed.
"Remember, I really aint supposed to do this so you really need to sell yourself. Impress her – don't waste time on modesty, she won't appreciate it. If she doesn't like you, well, let's just say you won't have to worry about living on the streets again – you won't have to worry about living anywhere." Seeing the dubious expression on Raven's face, she patted the girl on the back, oblivious when the empath jumped from the sudden contact. "You'll be fine. Just… watch what you say."
"Exactly how do I 'sell myself'?" Raven asked. She tried to keep track of where they were going, however each corridor looked the same, the school a maze of yellow.
"She's probably going to ask you about your abilities – what you can do. Don't hold back. Oversell it if you need to. Don't worry I'll make sure to mention your role in our little heist as well. She's a no-nonsense kinda woman though so don't ramble. She appreciates efficiency." Jinx handed Raven one of the backpacks before readjusting her own. "Might look better if you hand over one of these too. Ya know, make a point and all that."
Raven nodded, suddenly feeling nervous. She tried to distract herself. "Why is it so quiet?"
"Lessons are in progress. You really don't want to skive from classes here – a detention would be the least of your worries."
Jinx eventually stopped, having come to the end of a corridor with nowhere else to go but through a metal door. She turned to look at Raven with a small smile. "You ready?"
When Raven nodded the thief stepped up to the door and knocked twice. The door slid open revealing a room not yellow and black as Raven had been expecting but utilitarian grey. Jinx quickly walked in and Raven followed close behind her. At the top end of the room a woman sat behind a well polished desk, wearing an expression that was as tight and no-nonsense as the bun her grey hair was pulled back into. She sat up perfectly straight, half-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. She had initially dismissed Jinx to keep her harsh gaze on the empath. Raven felt like she was back at the Temple of Azar, about to be scolded by one of the monks. There was no hint of surprise from her, and no one needed to tell Raven the Headmistress knew of everything that went on in the academy.
"I am very disappointed." Her eyes moved to Jinx, who did her best to stand proud and not shrink away. "As one of our top students, you of all people should know the regulations and rules – and why we have them." She stood up from behind her desk and carefully smoothed down the skirt to her black suit before moving around to the front.
"I know, and I do understand, but-"
"There are no excuses," She interrupted. "Our institute needs a high level of anonymity for a reason. You do not know who this girl is or where she has come from. But the damage has already been done." The woman's tone softened, though it wasn't comforting. If anything Raven found it worse. She couldn't pick out any emotion from the headmistress as she circled Raven like a vulture, inspecting her from every angle as though she really were for sale.
"I wouldn't have brought her here if I didn't have a good reason, Mrs. She's powerful. She helped me and my group break into a jewellery store – as asked." Jinx chose that moment to hold out her backpack. Raven quickly copied her. "We doubled the amount that had been asked for."
Stood back in front of them, the woman merely sniffed at the bags. "Put them next to my desk."
Jinx grabbed Raven's and did as asked, leaving her in front of the headmistress alone.
"What are you? A meta human?"
Raven hesitated, unsure if she should be honest or not. She recalled the reaction the Justice League had had towards her and decided on lying. "I'm a meta human."
"I take it you have a name?"
"Raven. My name is Raven."
"Last name?"
The girl froze up, not wanting to give a wrong answer, but last names had never been used on Azarath. Her father certainly didn't have one, unless she was bold enough to adopt 'the Terrible, Destroyer of worlds.'. It was a title she hadn't earned, and didn't want to. She decided on her mother's. "Roth."
"Very well. How did you meet my student?" She had gone back to circling round Raven, and she tried her hardest to stay still, not comfortable with the woman at her back.
"I was in Jump City. I saw Jinx and her team trying to get into a building and helped." She looked at Jinx, silently asking for help.
"She got us in, Ma'am. Helped us clean the place before giving us her share."
"The girl has a tongue – she can speak for herself." The headmistress replied and Jinx quickly stepped back with a nod. "What exactly do you think the H.I.V.E Academy is, Raven?"
Jinx's anxiety was starting to get to her, as she worried about why the girl was so nervous. "A place that trains people? Mercenaries and… other types of hired help."
She let out a breath as the Headmistress walked away from her, back towards her desk. She leaned against the front before putting her steely gaze back on the empath. Raven still couldn't feel much from her, the woman's emotions strangely quiet.
"Not just 'people'. We train for a much more specific clientele, who expect the exceptionally high standards. We don't make a habit of accepting students as old as yourself. I'm assuming you are in your late teenage years?"
"Fifteen, Ma'am." Raven quickly told her.
"This school is dedicated to producing the worlds best mercenaries, trained so they can complete any job they may be assigned," She continued, as though Raven's answer was of little consequence. "We don't have time for incompetence, or people who are unreceptive to the program. So tell me, Raven Roth, exactly what makes you think you'd be worth the academy's time?"
The girl glanced at Jinx, who nodded encouragingly. She had been told to sell herself, and she figured this was the time to do it. "I… have several abilities which I think you'll find adaptable to most situations." Raven paused, but the woman merely crossed her arms impatiently. "I have telekinesis abilities. I'm a trained sorceress, an empath and in theory a telepath. I can teleport almost instantly short distances and travel to just about anywhere with magical assistance. I'm multi-lingual."
She hesitated, not sure whether to mention her darker abilities, such as shapeshifting, the ability to possess others with her soul self and her access to interdimensional travel. She didn't need to, and for a second could have sworn she saw the woman smile – though she was just as likely to have imagined it.
"H.I.V.E Academy strives for excellence. While I would not expect you to be among our top students at first, I do expect you to show quick progress in getting there. Should you fail to prove personal growth, the academy has no use for you. Should you prove to be a disruptive influence, the academy has no use for you. You will attend the gym at half one today, where one of my teachers will assess your talents." She pushed off her desk and walked over to one of the filing cabinet lining the wall behind her. "Should we have reason to feel you have lied about your abilities, the academy has no use for you. I will need you to fill out come paperwork."
Raven saw Jinx's smile and knew it meant she was in – at least for now.
"By becoming a student of this academy you agree to work for the academy for a minimum of three years upon your graduation. 70% of any earnings during this time will be paid to us. Refusal to do so could end with anything from legal action to your… 'disappearance', with all your funds and assets liquidated and give to the academy. Until we can be certain that your appearance here is not the work of foul play or outside interests, you will not be permitted to leave the academy. Now, I assume you have a birth certificate." Having gathered the papers she wanted, she moved back towards the empath.
"...No. I'm not from America. I didn't bring anything with me."
"Very well. Should you pass your probation period, we may decide to create documentation for you." She passed over the sheets of paper. "I want these completing and returning today. I am sure Jinx will be able to help you with this." She turned her gaze to Jinx, who quickly tried to hide her smile. "I will inform your teachers you will be absent from today's lessons. I want you to introduce our newest student to the Academy. And remember, if this doesn't work out, it'll be on your head." The woman sat back behind her desk and, clearly done with the girls, went backs to some papers. "Dismissed."
Jinx didn't hesitate, quickly making to leave with Raven hot on her heel. She waited until the girl had lead them down the corridor away from the office before asking, "Why would you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Put yourself in trouble for my sake? You heard what she said."
Jinx shrugged, offering the empath a smile. "Sometimes you've just got to take the initiative. You're right – if this doesn't pay off, I'm gonna be in serious trouble. But if it does? It'll be more than worth it."
"But… you don't know me."
"And you didn't know us when you helped us break into that store." Jinx pointed out. She stopped, dragging Raven to stand next to the wall before taking hold of the paperwork she was holding. "Let's see what we've got." She started flicking through, but her attention was elsewhere. "When you said you were a trained sorceress, were you talking about black cats and hex bags or?"
"Sorcery, Jinx. Not witchcraft. While it is a… somewhat respectable path, depending on the side you choose, it is a completely different branch of magic."
"Just checking," Jinx grinned. "Most people who talk about magic can't tell the difference from a spell, an enchantment and a curse. "
"And you can?"
"I've dabbled. I have a knack for curses but nothing else. Though I am all about the bad luck. Come on, we'll grab a seat somewhere and start filling these out before we go to the gym. I don't think you're going to want to do much thinking after that."
Raven didn't like Jinx's tone, and frowned. "Why? What is this assessment?"
"Everyone has to do it," Jinx started walking again. She kept her tone cheery, but her emotions didn't match. "One of the teachers, either Mrs Connelly or Mr Rhodes, will spar with you. You have to hold out for as long as you can. You can use any of your abilities, just don't expect to win – hardly anyone does. Mrs Connelly doesn't have any abilities that I'm aware of but she's fast, mean and throws a great right hook. Mr Rhodes makes Mammoth look small and he's got the strength to go with it. He's slow though – as long as you're patient you'll get some openings."
"Wait, they're going to… beat me up?"
Jinx winced but nodded. "More or less, yeah. Then they'll write a little summery of you for the Headteacher. Just remember, no one expects you to win. They just wanna see you in action."
Her mind instantly went to the man from the alleyway. The car she destroyed. Raven had accidentality killed two people in less than twenty four hours, just because she was trying to defend herself. She felt panic set in, the lights flickering above her as her power leaked. Jinx, not noticing Raven's sudden shift in mood glanced up before muttering about the 'shit school and poor maintenance.'
"Jinx, I can't do that."
"Sure you can. I mean you might be a little sore for a few days afterwards but it's no big deal, honest."
"You don't understand." She could feel her panic getting worse, and tried to stuff it back down but she didn't know how to tell Jinx without giving too much away. "My powers… I've never intentionally used them to fight before and there's been some… accidents. Things go wrong. Someone could end up severely hurt. I'm not in full control."
"Also part of the reason for testing you – the teachers will know what kinda help you need with getting good. When I first got here, I couldn't form my hex-bolts. I just kinda released my energy at random and I mean, that was dangerous. I still leak out sometimes now but the results aren't as bad. Busted lightbulb, cracked tile, that kinda thing. Besides, if you think you can win the fight, try it. It might even make the headmistress like you."
"I'm not just talking about a shattered lightbulb, or a cracked tile. I-" She stopped walking to take a deep breath. Jinx stopped with her, frowning. "I was attacked, on the streets. I didn't mean to – didn't even think about using my powers and they were hurt. Really badly. When I was younger, I brought down part of a building. I haven't done that in a long time but I haven't tried to use my powers under stress. I don't want to kill someone."
"I mean, if it's Mrs Connelly, no one would miss her," Jinx tried for optimistic, sighing when she realised it hadn't worked. "These teachers are good – some of the best. They'll be able to protect themselves if something goes wrong. Rae, if you're strong enough to bring down half the gym by accident, the school's gonna be ecstatic. Imagine what you could do with full control?"
Raven knew exactly what she was capable of in theory, and it wasn't a comforting thought. For so long, she had been taught to stunt her abilities. To control them in a way that kept them from their full potential. She realised that if she was going to try and fight against her prophecy, it wouldn't hurt to tap into some of that but the idea still terrified her. She didn't know what to say to Jinx, so stayed quiet.
"Come on, we'll worry about it after we've done the paperwork." The girl started walking again, leaving Raven to follow her in silence as she led Jinx into an empty cafeteria. The room was full of metal tables with benches, the far side cut off with a serving counter. From the smell, she knew there were people somewhere cooking. Jinx didn't waste time on choosing a table, sitting down at the one closest for them before tapping on the top sheet of paper. "How about we start with that identity of yours? I know they're not gonna process it until they're happy with you, but what you wanna use? Your birth name, or something completely different?"
Raven sighed, but let the matter of her powers drop. "What did you do?"
"Changed it completely. It's comforting to know that I have an untarnished identity to fall back on, should I need it. Don't use anything too obvious though. No Jane or Smith." Jinx slid the sheet of paper across to her along with a pen. She quickly scanned the page, the girl telling here, "Don't worry too much about anything but name and date of birth. Oh and gender or that could get a bit messy. Everything else the Headmistress can do for you, if you don't mind what's put there." She slid closer to Raven on the bench so she could see what the girl was writing but it was closer than what Raven was comfortable with and she tried not to squirm.
She ended up shuffling away slightly before filling out the first field – her first name. She didn't want to use anything that would link her to the church of blood, so scribbled down 'Rachel'. She got stuck on the last name. Her mother's was the only person she really knew from Earth, and there was a good chance 'Roth' would do exactly what she didn't want it to.
Seeing that she was struggling, Jinx told her, "Just make it something easy to remember. Murphy? Jackson? Howell? Robinson? Fisher?"
She decided on Fisher. She didn't bother making up her date of birth, and saw Jinx look at it with a smile, not surprised it it was something the girl would try to remember. It was an easy enough date – 6th June. The universe had really delivered every joke it could with her birth. She crossed the box for female before giving the form back to Jinx. She didn't care what city her new new identity was from, what country or the names of family members. If she lasted long enough at the academy, she would memorise it once completed.
"Afraid this one might take slightly longer." The thief muttered as she passed across several sheets, all stapled together in one corner.
Raven quickly looked through them. Health needs, abilities, skills, allergies, qualifications. She stopped as she reached one that made her scowl and asked Jinx, "A mental examination?"
"You don't fill out that one – or the one below. If we get time before your appointment at the gym we'll try and do at least one of those – gotta go see one of the doctors and the shrink. Don't worry – you can blag your way through the last one." She moved closer to Raven again as she flipped the paper back to the first page. Raven looked to move but she was running out of bench. "Let's get this done. Any chronic illnesses? Past injuries? Surgery?"
Raven thought about it, but couldn't even remember a time where she had caught a cold. "No."
"Allergies?"
"Not that I've encountered."
"Alright then, leave it blank. Abilities – and this is the meta human magic kinda stuff. Not things anyone can learn."
Raven started to write, then hesitated. "Do they want a description or?"
"Not if it's self explanatory. Empath, for example, don't need one. If it was 'ability to effect probability' that might need one."
Carefully, Raven started writing. Empath, telepath. Telekinesis, teleportation, healing abilities. Sorcery, Levitation. She tried to think if there was anything else she wanted to include.
"You seem stuck. Surely this is the easiest bit?" Jinx teased.
"Just wanted to make sure I haven't missed anything," Raven muttered in response, even though she was doing the opposite.
"Anything else can just be a happy surprise at this point. Come on, next one. Previous education? You know, schools, grades and subjects you've done."
"I've never gone to a school. I suppose I was taught from home."
"Okay… so just put down what you studied at home. Don't worry about grading it."
She quickly filled out the box. Written and spoken fluency in English, Romanian, Latin, Sumerian, Sanskrit, German. History and the History of magic and sorcery, sciences, philosophy, maths.
"Wait, you know Sanskrit?" Jinx asked, drawing Raven's attention again.
"I do. Why?"
Jinx smiled, but shook her head. "No reason. So, contacts. Anyone useful you've come across the school could use?"
She quickly shook her head. She imagined the Church of Blood would have been the sort of thing they were looking for but she certainly didn't want them involved. Judging from what the cult member had said to her before she'd blown the car to pieces, Raven figured they would still be looking for her.
"Alright then. Almost done. We just gotta see the doctors." She took the papers back from the empath before checking the clock that hung on the nearby wall. "We should be able to see one of them before one-thirty. How bout we do the regular doctor first?"
Raven looked at Jinx wearily. "Exactly what is that going to involve?"
"Just a basic check up. Weight, height, probably a few blood tests. He'll re-ask questions about your medical history. Simple enough. Figure it's probably better to see him before your test at the gym than afterwards. Though we may end up there again anyway."
"What about that third sheet?" She girl motioned back to the paperwork.
Jinx frowned at it, before telling Raven, "That's where you sign your teenage years and then some to the devil. Though you might want to leave it till last."
Raven almost laughed at her phrasing. She couldn't stop her small smile. Raven was planning on signing her life away to try and help her avoid a demon, not the other way around. "Oh trust me, she's no devil." She held her hand out for the paperwork. "No, I want to do this. No point in letting it drag on.
Jinx placed it in front of her. "It covers the basics, such as rules of the Academy, disclosures, publicity policies and pretty much says that, following graduation, they get 70% of everything you earn for three years. And don't think that just cause you're not declaring it, they wont know. Not sure how they do it but the Academy has ears everywhere."
If Raven couldn't get this to work out, no one would be worried about earnings or taxes. What were a few years if things worked out? "Any rules I should know?"
"Obviously don't tell anyone about the place, and definitely don't tell anyone it's location. No fights between classes or general disruptive behaviour. No leaving the school without specific instruction. No alcohol or drugs, though there are always some students who get around that one. 10Pm curfew – that is no wandering the school after that time. Dorm areas are fine. No skipping class without permission. General school stuff."
It would be easier than following the rules of the Temple of Azar. Raven signed her name at the bottom of the paper before dating it and handing it back to the girl.
"Doctors, then?"
(...)
Similar to the headmistress's room – and very much different from the rest of the Academy – the doctor's office was stark white. The large room was separated into several sections, a door on the back wall holding blinds over it's glass window. Everything smelt sharp to her nose, leaving her with a desire to sneeze, reminding Raven somewhat of white vinegar. The doctor, a balding man in his late forties, let her look round a moment before motioning towards a chair opposite his own.
"Please, take a seat. I'm Dr Norton. You must be Raven."
The empath looked at him in alarm and the man smiled.
"The Headmistress informed me to expect you today. Did you bring your paperwork?"
Raven slowly sat down before handing him the forms she'd filled out. She glanced back at the exit, able to feel Jinx not far away, no doubt making use of the chairs that lined the corridor outside.
He flicked through the papers, humming a few times before looking across the desk at Raven. "You've left your medical history blank?"
"I didn't have anything to put," Raven told him quietly before looking at the posters on the wall behind him. She worked her way through the labels on the annotated anatomy poster.
"So, no medical conditions I should know about?"
"No." She moved to a poster highlighting the amount of sugar in certain foods.
"Do you smoke?" The man turned to his computer, hit a few keys then paused as he waited for the girl to answer.
"No."
"Using any recreational drugs?"
"What?" She looked at him then, not sure what he was asking.
"Cannabis, cocaine, heroin, that sort of thing?"
She shook her head, eyes going back to the door with the blinds, curious as to what was behind it. "No."
"Alcohol?"
"No." Raven had seen adults in Azarath drinking on the rare occasions they were permitted – usually during a celebration. Watching people stumble around and make a fool of themselves had never encouraged her to even want to try it. The mix with her powers could prove disastrous.
"We will be doing some tests today – I would rather you let me know now than wait until the results come back."
"I don't make a habit out of lying to people, Dr Norton."
"Alright." The man sighed and fidgeted slightly before moving on. "Any chance you're pregnant?"
"Certainly not." She kept her gaze fixed on that back door, not wanting him to see her eyes widen at such a suggestion.
"Any family history with medical conditions? Heart failure, cancer, a history of dementia?"
"Not that I'm aware of." She had run out of things to look at, her gaze finally going back to the doctor.
"Alright. Lets run through a few things. Would you mind standing up? This will be better if you remove your cloak, then head to the scales behind you."
Raven quietly ran through his instructions, letting the man weigh her, check her height, blood pressure and lung capacity before letting her sit back down.
"I will need to take some blood samples. Not squeamish, are you?"
"They will find out. They will abandon you as everyone else has." The quiet voice made her flinch. She resisted the urge to rub her eyes – or respond back, convinced that would do anything but give her a clear pass with the doctor.
Raven tried to keep her attention on the man as he continued typing at his computer, no doubt putting in the information he'd gathered so far. "Blood samples for what?"
Her physiology wouldn't match that of a normal human, or even a meta. Raven knew that. If something came back on one of the tests that made them question her 'meta-human' status, it could open up a lot of questions she didn't want to answer.
"Sugar levels, to check for any deficiencies – that sort of thing." He told her happily as he reached for a bag under his desk, pulling out several phials. "I will have to take quite a bit for the initial tests. You can stay seated. Any way you can role up your sleeves to above your elbow. You pick the arm."
Raven could feel herself starting to panic. Slowly, she rolled up her sleeve, trying to think of a way out of it. The Doctor walked around with a tourniquet in one hand.
"What you're ready, pop this over your hand and pull it up your arm."
She knew time was up when everything was ready and he was preparing the needle. She doubted she'd have an opportunity to come back here and try and find the vials – she wouldn't even know where to start looking – so instead focused on the man, the emotions she could feel from him.
She tried to latch on to that, tried to get closer to his mind than she had ever attempted with anyone else. Something was stopping her, however.
"Doctor?"
At her question he looked away from her arm and at her. The moment their eyes met, it was as though everything clicked into place. Raven let her mental shields down and suddenly it wasn't just his emotions she was feeling, she could hear his internal thoughts as he mused over what to have to lunch and whether or not he should place a bet with his nurse on how Raven's toxology report comes back. She got the flicker of other thoughts – thoughts that weren't the doctor's – but tried not to focus on them.
Focusing as hard as she could, she repeated over and over in her mind, "You've already done the blood tests. The tests came back fine. There's no point in doing them again."
She tried to attach it to the thoughts she could feel from the Doctor, push it across until it would become his thought. Dr Norton didn't move, but she felt him go quiet. She tried again, this time speaking quietly. "You've already done the blood tests. The tests came back fine. There's no point in doing them again."
The man nodded, though made no move to retreat. Raven slipped the tourniquet off before handing it to him. "You want to put the spare vials away and go back to your desk."
He followed her instructions, his movements jerky. Raven was suddenly very happy there was no one else in the room with her. Some of her readings of telepaths and mind control had made it seem so flawless, some people going for years without their friends and family recognising the change in them. She decided it was a matter of practice, and something she could worry about later. Raven pulled her sleeve back down, careful to keep watching the doctor.
As he sat down, Raven asked, "Now that we've finished, how about filling in that bit of paper work for me?" In her mind she pictured the box that had been on one of the forms – that Jinx had said wasn't hers to fill out. She tried to push that image at him, of him completing it, and held her breath as she waited. Her head was starting to hurt.
He went to his computer, pressed a few buttons and the printer next to him started working. His hands were shaking as he took the paper and tried to pull the back off. Worried Raven would lose control of the situation, she quickly took it off him. She didn't need instructions to know what he was trying to do. She peeled the back off the paper in one smooth motion and quickly pressed it onto the paper work under the box 'physical exam', fitting it perfectly within the lines. She hastily took the paperwork and retreated towards the door, hesitating only to throw up her mental shields and – she hoped – break the connection. She didn't wait to see if it had worked, leaving the room and closing the door behind her with more force than necessary.
"Everything alright?" Jinx asked as she stood, Raven seeing the movement out of the corner of her eyes. Raven nodded, not trusting her voice, fearing it would shake as much as the doctor's hands would.
Raven was torn between a sense of pride and horror. She had, on her first try, successfully entered someone's mind and controlled them. Azar would have been horrified. At the very least disappointed. She tried to shake herself free of the guilt as she reasoned in three years time something that was all knowing, all seeing would be her opponent – surely being able to use her telepathy fully would only benefit her? Give her an edge she would otherwise lack. Part of her agreed – a part she never thought she'd see eye to eye with. It didn't help her guilt. The road to hell was paved with good intentions – was this one of these roads?
Jinx held her hand out for the paperwork, Raven quickly passing it to her. She quickly scanned it. "Aren't you little miss perfect? Clean health bill. Until your bloods come back anyway."
The empath winced, wondering if she should tell the girl. Instead she quietly asked, "How long does that take?"
"Usually a week. The doc will only want to see you if something comes up on them. I wouldn't worry about it." The hex-caster started walking again, leading Raven back through the maze of corridors. "We'll stop for lunch – we have time – before going to the gym. The boys should already be there. Think it's time to let them know you're in, don't you?"
"Technically this is a trial period," Raven muttered.
"Technically. You're gonna pass. I wouldn't be surprised if you pass the trial period early. You've got to pass otherwise I'm in the shit."
There were more students moving about the halls as Jinx backtracked to the cafeteria, many who stopped to stare at Raven as they passed. "You don't get new arrivals often, do you?"
She glanced back at Raven, before scowling at a group of girls who weren't trying to hide their interest. Raven stared, but for other reasons. One of the girl had large wings protruding from her back, the white feathers as long as her forearms near the tips of the wings. She didn't know meta-humans could vary so much from the human form and wondered if she had panicked about the blood test for nothing.
"We don't. Not at this point. The younger kids – twelve and below – are kept separate. The next class to move up isn't due for a few months yet. Don't worry, people will lose interest soon enough."
It wasn't much better as they reached the cafeteria and Raven kept her head down as she followed Jinx to the line. Between the noise of people talking over one another, the overwhelming mix of emotions and having people's attention Raven felt overwhelmed. Her companion shoved a tray at her before grabbing her own, oblivious to Raven's discomfort, or uninterested in it.
"Even if you don't wanna eat, Mammoth wont turn down the extra portion, though I didn't see you eat anything before we left this morning and you're gonna need the energy to fight Connelly. Just remember, your best chance is to take a few hits, make her overconfident then hit her hard when you get an opening. Don't be scared to throw everything you've got either. Any abilities she sees you use during the fight, she'll confirm with your paperwork."
They reached the front of the small line and Jinx passed her tray over to the dinner lady. As Jinx was handed her tray back, Raven asked, "Is there a vegan friendly option by chance?"
The girl laughed. "Not a chance in hell. Suck it up. Here you eat what you're given. If you have an intolerance or allergy you get a pass, but you said you didn't have any."
Raven scowled but passed over her tray. "I don't." Just a life long rule from the Monks that she could not consume flesh. One of the many rules she'd had while they did her best to preserve her humanity. Demons, by nature, were carnivores. Her diet was planned to weaken that half of her, while providing her human components what it needed.
"Don't feel too bad for the cute fuzzy animals," Jinx grinned as Raven took her tray back."
"That's not why I don't eat meat."
"When why?" Jinx lead them through the large space, weaving between tables, a clear destination in mind.
"I… it's just how I was raised."
Jinx's brow rose at her lame answer, but instead of questioning her, shrugged. "I get it. I didn't eat beef before I came here. Beggers can't be choosers."
She led them to a table, Mammoth and Gizmo already sat down and eating. The giant paused long enough to look at them as they slid onto the bench opposite. "You get in?"
"Yup," Jinx grinned before Raven could say anything, not wanting Gizmo to know about the trial period. "Did I tell you, or did I tell you?"
"Just because you were right about this doesn't mean you're less off an idiot," Gizmo scowled as Raven pushed her food around her tray with her fork. She recognised stew when she saw it, but that didn't mean she wanted to eat it.
"So what have you been doing all morning anyway?" Gizmo asked.
"Paperwork, health checks – the standard joining stuff," Jinx shrugged. "Did I miss anything important?"
Gizmo grinned, pleased with himself as he told her, "Not at all. In fact you've got the worksheets from all the lessons this morning, as well as the homework assignments. I took the liberty of dropping them off in your room."
Raven felt the anger suddenly flow through the other girl and stopped playing with here food as she leaned to the side, trying to get some distance.
"One, how the hell did you get into the girls dorm? Two, what have I fucking told you about going into my room?!"
"Don't have a cow! I didn't touch anything." He defended himself.
The bench crashed to the floor without warning, Gizmo going with it. Jinx smiled, pleased with herself as she chimed, "Oops. Did I do that?"
Mammoth let out a snort of laughter before he cleared his tray of food and – noticing Raven was yet to touch her own – asked, "You gonna eat that?"
"Back off big guy, Rae's got some personal growth to be doing in the form of her diet. Can't have her starving to death."
Raven scowled at her. "I'm sorry, I must have missed the part when you became my mother."
"News flash," Gizmo muttered as he pulled himself to his feet with the aid of the table. "As far as the Academy's concerned, she's the recognised 'leader' of our little group. Of course we all know in reality it's me."
Jinx ignored him, telling Raven, "Think of it like a sports captain. I'm responsible for everything from your fitness levels to your grades. You get in trouble, so do I. So eat up."
"You're not going to let this go, are you?" She asked, and Jinx shook her head. Raven's eyes dropped to her food.
Jinx didn't rush her, focusing instead on updating the boys with their plan for the day. "So at one thirty Rae's got her assessment with one of the trainers. We've got the shrink to see and then back to the Headmistress but that's all that's left. Might even get a class in at the end. No reason why she can't – I imagine she'll get the same time table as us."
"We have a free period next," Gizmo grinned. "We'll come watch."
"Why do I get the feeling you're no coming to offer moral support." Raven muttered, but Gizmo heard her.
"Cause we're not."
"Don't worry about it," Mammoth tried to sound reassuring. "Happens to everyone. Gizmo lasted all of a minute."
"Did I have my tech available? No."
Raven looked at Mammoth a moment before forcing herself to eat a mouthful of the stew. Her feeling of nausea at eating meat didn't last long and when she realised she was looking at her tray with almost longing, she quickly shoved it across the table to Mammoth.
"Here." She flinched as her stomach rumbled, suddenly feeling hungry – she hadn't when they'd entered the cafeteria. With a small twinge of regret, she wondered if it would have been so bad to keep the tray.
Jinx patted her on the back, making her jump. "You'll get used to it."
(….)
The gym was the most impressive space Raven had seen within the school. It's sheer size alone was enough to marvel at. The yellow and black honeycomb theme continued in the gym. Near the door they had entered through, neat lines of machinery – of which Raven had no idea for their uses – filled the floor. There was a gap with nothing but mats on the floor, arranged in large squares, before the room expanded out and up. Raised on platforms were benches, people already sat their, laughing and talking with each other. The middle area was several feet lower than the rest of the floor, a set of stairs leading down.
Noticing Raven's wide eyes, Jinx told her, "That space usually houses the training equipment. The robotic stuff where you really test your fighting skills. Sometimes it's used for sparring too – you know, one on one fights – if powers are in use. There are some other rooms dotted about the school as well but this is the main one.
Raven looked uncomfortably at the people sat. "They're not going to be watching, are they?"
"Pretty sure you're interrupting their class, so I'd say yes."
They reached the top of the stairs, Gizmo and Mammoth leaving to find somewhere to sit. Raven quickly spotted the woman stood in the centre of the arena – she had no other way of describing it – and quietly asked Jinx, "Mrs Connelly?"
"Yup." She gave Raven a small push. "Go on then. I'll hold on to your paperwork. You'll be fine."
The last thing Raven wanted to do was head down those steps, however with her heart pounding in her ears she moved forward, careful to keep her eyes on the floor or the teacher, not wanting to know how much of an audience there was.
The woman did not look much like a fighter, Raven mused to herself. She wasn't young and her frame was quite thin. Her flame red hair was pulled back in a ponytail, the roots showing grey.
"Raven, I presume?" The woman sounded terribly unimpressed as she greeted the girl, not waiting for a response before she continued. "This is how it works. On the sound of the buzzer, we fight. You can use any abilities you have. The fight ends when you tap out. This will not be dragged out – you are interrupting my class. Any questions?"
Raven shook her head, trying to keep her mind off the man in the alleyway. The man in the car. She needed to keep calm. She could keep calm.
"Good." Mrs Connelly took two steps back before turning sideways, one foot forward, the matching arm raised to cover her front.
She looked at someone Raven couldn't see and gave them a small nod before fixing her gaze back on Raven. Seeing she hadn't moved, she grinned. Raven could feel her confidence growing.
The buzzer sounded and Mrs Connelly moved with surprising speed. The first punch took Raven straight on the jaw and she stumbled back a few steps as the force knocked her off balance. It didn't hurt as much as she had expected, but then she didn't expect to feel strangely numb. Raven looked back at the woman in time to see the second punch coming her way.
She didn't try to fight back but stumbled to get out of the way, only just managing to. Everything was happening too fast for Raven. Mrs Connelly pursued her and Raven felt herself panicking. She didn't want to get hit again but she didn't want to use her powers on the woman either. She continued trying to dodge, not her easiest feat while she was also trying to remain calm. Panic would be just as bad if she couldn't control her powers.
"Let me help. She will hurt us. I can hurt you."
She wanted to shout at the dark voice to shut up – now was not the time for distractions – but held here tongue. Raven stumbled as she tried to step to the side, Mrs Connelly rushing forward to take advantage of the slip up. She swung hard, the woman twisting in her shoulder to put her bodyweight behind the punch. Raven knew she wouldn't be able to move quick enough and threw up her arm in an attempt tot block it, but it wasn't her arm that took the force of the blow. She heard a sickening 'crack' and when she looked at Mrs Connelly, it was through a shield of black. The woman was cradling her hand, her eyes angry. Raven dropped the barrier, worried about the uncontrolled response. It had killed the man in the alleyway.
Before she could think about getting space between them again, Mrs Connelly landed a high kick that bruised Raven's ribs and knocked her off her feet. She feel onto her back, struggling for breath, as the teacher's shoe came down towards her again. Raven rolled to the side just in time and tried to get to her feet. She had only managed as far as her knees when the woman was there again, unrelenting. Raven's soul-self lashed out again, a flash of black launching the woman across the arena. She hit the floor and skidded a moment before slowly standing.
Raven wanted to worry, but she was feeling the first strings of anger.
"Let me finish this. What is she to us? We should crush her."
Raven had taken two steps forward before she stopped herself, trying not to show her horror. She made herself stand still and wait for Mrs Connelly to come to her, the woman keeping her stance loose and relaxed, Raven able to see her calculating her next move.
The teacher hesitated to close the last gap, and when she started walking again Raven realised she really didn't want her to get any closer. She tried to feel for the dark abyss of energy at the centre of her very being and pulled at it. She flicked her hand forward and it followed, forming a dark tendril. It travelled easier than Raven had expected, no resistance at all despite her fighting it for so long, and it skimmed the woman's arm, slicing into the flesh. Raven felt the cut as it formed, just as she had the cogs within the lock she opened at the jewellers. What she hadn't expected to feel was the woman's blood as though it was on her own flesh and the shock broke here concentration, the dark mass dissipating.
The unusual attack and surprised the teacher, but it didn't do much to slow her down. Before Raven could conjure up another attack Mrs Connelly had reached her, new determination fuelled by the anger Raven could feel. The first fist landed on the soft skin of Raven's stomach, making here double over. The next blow – Raven couldn't have said whether it was one fist, two, or an elbow – cracked down on the back of her head with such force Raven dropped to her knees. Raven saw movement but the next attack never landed. Fuzzy from the hit to the head, she couldn't have said if she was in control or not as she drove herself to her feet, her shoulder catching the woman's lower abdomen.
She ran, hand holding onto the teacher's waist so she couldn't escape, forcing her with her. She ran until they hit a wall of the arena, Mrs Connelly taking the impact with here back. Raven released here before stumbling back, feeling dizzy. Not sure she could take another hit and remain standing, she went on the offensive, clenching her hand into a fist and throwing it towards the woman with as much force as she could muster. She missed, the teacher having stepped to the side just in time, and her fist buried into the wall. Raven removed her hand slowly, starring at the damaged wall in shock. That was something she hadn't done before.
Taking advantage of Raven's distraction, the teacher quickly moved behind the girl and wrapped her arm in front of her neck, pressing firmly into here throat with the side of her forearm, cutting off her air. Mrs Connelly tucked herself up against Raven's back, making herself a smaller target as she held on. The empath's hand flew up to the arm around her neck and pulled on it desperately, trying to elevate some of the pressure.
"Two words and you can end this," The teacher spoke calmly, as though they had all the time in the world.
Jinx had told her she wasn't expected to win the fight, but she couldn't make herself tap out. The realisation that she wanted to win this gave her the calm she needed to think. With three muttered words – "Azarath, metrion, zinthos," - she disappeared in a flash of black, reappearing on the far side of the arena. Raven rubbed at the sore skin on her neck, catching her breath but didn't take her eyes from Mrs Connelly. There was some cheering from those watching but she tried her best to tune it out. Lowering her hand from her throat, Raven made herself relax before trying to manipulate her soul self into an attack again. The dark tendril reappeared, absorbing in the light around it. Raven sent it forward again, this time trying to wrap it round the teacher like a rope.
It was harder to control than Raven expected – eager to be used but almost with a mind of it's own – and her face fell into a scowl as the woman quickly dodged it. As she lost her grip on the dark energy she felt it snap. The backlash of energy felt like something had slammed into the front of her head. She was still recovering when Mrs Connelly reached her and punched her three times in quick succession. She could taste blood as she collapsed to her hands and knees, a dull ache quickly spreading from behind her eyes and down her neck, making her body feel heavy and unmoveable. She would have happily given up then, if it weren't for a small voice telling her to get back up – telling her that losing wasn't an option. She wiped her arm across her lower face, the material turning warm and sticky as her nose steadily poured red, but forced herself back up to her feet.
The teacher moved quickly, wanting to finish the fight. Raven couldn't move quick enough to dodge and she pulled both her arms up to her face, not wanting to take another hit there. Her soul self responded, the blast throwing the teacher back like a ragdoll. She landed wrong, her arm twisted awkwardly beneath her. Those watching had fallen silent as everyone waited for Mrs Connelly to get to her feet. When she did there was a collective moan from the students. Raven almost joined in – she didn't want to continue the fight any more. As tired as she was, it would only get more dangerous for the teacher.
As Mrs Connelly started walking back over Raven wiped at her face again, trying to clear it of blood before mentally preparing herself for the next attack. She watched the woman tuck her arm up against her chest, trying to figure out what she was going to do, but the attack never came.
"Enough." Mrs Connelly's voice rang clear across the room. "I've seen enough. I have a class to teach. Get yourself to the infirmary. Send Dr Norton this way when you're finished."
Raven watched her as she turned her back, waiting for the next attack, but it never came. Jinx quickly made her way down from the benches, patting Raven on the back before grabbing her by the shoulders and steering her away.
"A little clumsy, and we're gonna have a lot to work with but damn you can take a hit." Jinx grinned.
Adrenaline still course through her veins and Raven just stared at Jinx with wide eyes, not sure what she had said. The bright yellow of the walls hurt her eyes and she winced as she asked Jinx, "Where are we going?"
"Back to the doctors. She hit your head quite a few times there. Better safe than sorry, right?"
Jinx continued talking as she led Raven through the school, not that she was listening to any of it, the noise like angry bees inside her head. It was with some relief that they reached the doctors, and Raven got to see what lay behind the door with the blinds as she was led to one of a dozen cots. Jinx didn't let go of her until she was sat down and the doctor motioned for her to move. Raven didn't want to look at him, but he didn't seem to suspect her of anything as he offered here a smile.
"Wondered how long it'd be before you were back. What are looking at?"
"Just about everything," Jinx piped in as the doctor prepared the small table next to the cot. "She took several hits to the head. Not sure if her nose was broken."
He studied her nose first, before gripping the bridge of her nose with his fingers. Raven wasn't expecting it to hurt as much as it did, and she winced as she heard something go with a bang, not sure what she had broken and not wanting to know.
"Just bruised," He told her cheerfully, before passing here a wad of cotton wool. "Hold it to your nose – it'll stop bleeding on it's own." He went to his desk, coming back with a small flashlight. He switched it on before flicking it into the girl's eyes.
Raven gasped and turned her head a little too quickly, the sudden pain making her feel sick.
"I need to check the dilation of your pupils. I know it's uncomfortable but please could you keep your head still?"
It took everything Raven had not to flinch as Doctor Norton shined the light back in her eyes, first her left, then her right.
"Any blurriness?"
"Not sure," Raven winced.
"Where's the pain in your head?" He turned the light off and stood up straight.
"Everywhere."
"Doesn't look like you've got a bleed. Might be a minor concussion. Would be best if you stayed-"
"Don't worry! I'll wake her up every couple hours tonight," Jinx quickly interrupted. She did not want Raven staying in the school's small infirmary if she could help it – it would look better with the headmistress that way. "I've got it covered."
The doctor eventually nodded. "I'll get you some painkillers. Wait here."
"We've still got a few things to do before the end of the day," Jinx told Raven. "They wont get done if you stay in here and we're still on thin ice with the Headmistress. Will be for a few weeks. We'll head to one of the bathrooms first though. Get you cleaned up." She gave Raven a look of sympathy before looking back at the Doctor as he returned, carrying a small white pill bottle.
"No more than three a day – better to take them on a full stomach." He passed the bottle to Raven. "That being said, if you start to feel any worse make sure you come back here."
"We will," Jinx quickly answered for her, nudging Raven to her feet before leading them out of the doctors.
It took most of an hour in the bathroom for Raven's nose to stop bleeding and for her to clean up to a point that she felt was respectable. She was left with a split bottom lip and an ugly red bruise that was forming on her cheek, a matching mark on her jaw.
"You'll end up with black eyes too," Jinx told her. "Always happens when you take a nasty hit to the nose. If your lip keeps bleeding, we might need to get it glued. I'd save those painkillers for tomorrow if I were you. You're gonna hurt a whole lot more after a few hours."
Eventually, they found themselves waiting in a setup almost identical to the doctors, only this time the door had a silver plaque that read 'Dr Fisher's Office'."
Raven could feel herself getting nervous again. She had been prodded, poked and studied far too much in one day for her liking and was ready for some time on her own. "Exactly what is this going to be?"
Jinx looked startled, the girl having lapsed into silence for the first time that day. She shrugged. "She'll just get you to talk about stuff. Ask questions… I dunno, I'm not a shrink."
"Well, surely you've seen her before?"
"For half an hour at nine thirty every first Friday of the month." Jinx told her. "Doesn't mean I know what she does. Some crap about well-being. I think she asked me about my past and stuff a few times. I just spout random stuff and it seems to work fine for me. Mammoth doesn't talk at all but he doesn't exactly look like Mr Conversation so he gets away with it. I think Gizmo is the only one who takes it seriously and even then I'm convinced he just uses the time to slag us off where we can't here him."
Raven wasn't quite sure about get but she didn't get to ask as the door swung open and she was called forward.
Dr Fisher was a young brunette who couldn't have been much older than thirty. Her office was painted beige – a much more soothing colour after the brightness of the rest of the academy. She motioned for Raven to take a seat on a padded chair. Everything about the room from it's neat bookshelves to the plant on the woman's desk was meant to make her feel comfortable. It left her sitting on the edge of the seat instead, trying to fight back the headache.
"I'm Doctor Fisher," The woman smiled warmly as she pulled her chair out from behind the desk and set it so she was sat opposite the empath. "It's nice to meet you, Raven. You look like you've been through the wars."
"Had my assessment in the gym," She muttered in response.
"How do you feel you did?"
Raven looked at the woman with suspicion and didn't answer. Her silence didn't phase Dr Fisher who smiled again before telling her, "My job is to make sure you're mental health is good – that you're happy and comfortable. Now, I know kids your age often find it silly, but I'd like to have a chat with you – get to know you and where you've come from. During the time with the academy you'll have chance to check in with us each month and talk about how you're doing, either with me or one of my colleges. Schools can be tough – this school in particular – and it's important you don't get too stressed – often talking to someone can help."
Raven had had monks assessing her mind and emotions for years. The concept was nothing new to her and she knew the school would be looking out for unstable pupils – kids who would cause problems and put them at risk. She imagined telling the doctor her exact mind state, how it worked, the voice of rage – her darker instinct – that would often try and push it's way forward, and the image of the woman's response made her smile.
"Something funny?"
"No." She let the smile drop from her face as quick as it had arrived.
"Alright, let's start with you. The headmistress filled me in following your meeting this morning. You don't have any American documents, however your accent would happily place you from somewhere in the country."
"My Mom's American." Raven shrugged. "I'm not."
"Where are you from?" Raven didn't answer. "Alright. We don't have to go into specifics if you don't want to. Why did you leave home? Were you unhappy there?"
Raven couldn't really imagine being happy anywhere. How could she when she had such weight on her shoulders. "I don't dislike anyone at home."
"So you didn't run?"
"I didn't tell anyone I was leaving."
Raven continued in that fashion as the questions kept coming, the doctor moving from her family and home life to her more recent experiences on the street, until the Doctor finally moved on with a smile and "Perhaps you'll find it easier to discuss with time. It can be difficult to think back on things you'd rather forget." Raven had barely managed to conceal an eye-roll. She moved onto her first day at the Academy, and Raven did give her more of an answer then as she asked about her test and the injuries she had sustained.
"I'm late starting – or so I've been informed. I didn't want to give up too early. It's supposed to be a test of my skills. How can they test my skills if I give up after the first injury?"
"You feel like you have the prove your worth?" Dr Fisher asked, the comment hitting close to home. Raven had always had to prove herself – prove to the monks and Azar she could control herself, be a functioning member of their society, and now prove to the Headmistress Jinx hadn't made a mistake. "I get the feeling you're someone who rarely gives up, even if the odds are stacked against you."
Raven flinched and leaned back from the woman. Trying to save face, she scowled but couldn't bring herself to say anything – not sure what she would say.
"It may seem a little weird, but my job is to figure things out. It's a strong trait, Raven, however it's also good to know when to give in. Not all battles are worth fighting."
Raven decided to opt for silence during the rest of the questions she was asked, the woman eventually completing her paperwork before letting her go, stopping her before she opened the door. "Just so you are aware Raven, anything said in this room is confidential, unless we're worried about you doing something dangerous. Feel free to check what I've written – it's just a summery. That's all that gets passed on."
She empath quickly left, looking at Jinx with wide eyes as she closed the door. "I think I like her less than the Headmistress."
Jinx laughed. "It's pretty uncomfortable, right? So, all forms are done. Ready to go face the dragon again? She'll give you a time table and allocate you a dorm room before sending us off again. No biggie – I can even tell you what your timetable will look like – as part of our group we get to stick together. We shouldn't even have to lay eyes on her again until Friday morning."
"Why Friday?"
"She teaches strategy class."
A/N: A bit of a slow character, but I wanted to build some background into H.I.V.E Academy and how it works!
Please leave a review and let me know what you thought (good or bad!)