14 - Joy

Vivio felt, for a moment, like she was back at Riot Force Six, back with the explosions and the soldiers and pain. Then, she shook herself and grabbed Rae's arms. Her friend, probably adoptive sister, looked through her, sweat and fear turning her skin nearly transparent, and purple eyes resigned to something, something unforgivably painful. Vivio knew that look. Vivio had worn that look.

She smiled through it and tugged, dragging the other girl forward, behind something that might block a couple of blows. Then, she gave a sharp turn and raised her fists up. The Belkan magic square reacted, spiraling into existence so fast it barely needed a calculation.

The creatures oozed forward, not making any noise beyond the hissing of the melting ground. Vivio concentrated, then pushed off, punching one right in the face. Her knuckles ached and smoked a little and she drew back. No good, she wasn't strong enough. Maybe pure magic? She began to gather it, floating it over her palm. Then a tentacle of flame thrust forward. Rae leaped, rolling her away. It melted a hole in the nearby dumpster. Gosh that was old. Magical disposal was so much cleaner.

Still. These guys were really tough. Sacred Defender would buy time, she thought to herself. But she wasn't very good at it, she hadn't been training for very long. She gathered the magic again. This was what made her wish she had her mama's ability to pull the magical energy from the air. She had barely any clue how to do anything and Rae-chan was…

She had stopped screaming now, at least. She was staring off into the distance like a broken eyed ragdoll. Vivio tried to smile. She would be strong, like she had promised her mama. She would protect the people she loved no matter what!

As she moved to do just that, something reverberated in her body. It was heavy and thick, like her blood had been replaced with clotted cream.

'Oh,' crooned the something. It was deep and cold. It reminded her of Quattro, but somehow. 'What is this? What is this insect doing protecting my daughter?'

Vivio made to turn her head, to look at Rae's still terrified face. "Rae-chan…" But Raven was staring right past her towards the sky as it slowly ripped from blue to black, rimmed in red. As more fire monsters rained from the sky, multiple red eyes blinked down at them, followed by a fanged smile.

"What an interesting little world. If only it wouldn't be so easy to conquer."

The eyes blinked away and the flame monsters converged. Vivio looked around. Her mamas would have the power and smarts to get out of this. All she had was her fists. What was she going to do?

What were they going to try and do to the two of them?

Vivio did not get her answer. Instead, a black and white shroud wrapped around her, bursting and throwing the monsters back into the wall where they crumbled. Even as more formed to take their place, Vivio turned. The white magic square spun beneath Rae's feet, dancing purple as sweat fell from her brow. The utter surprise in her face was palpable. Her bracelet had spun into gloves and a strangely familiar golden belt. The jewels on it sparkled in the light of her magic.

Vivio beamed. "Nice timing, Rae-chan!" She pumped a fist in the air. "Do a spell on me, do one on me!"

Raven blinked, brought from her daze. For a moment, she had remembered something. So many somethings she had forgotten even though she had needed them, so many things too blurry to word but they all added up to one thing:

She had released her father. And he had destroyed her homes.

She couldn't let him destroy this one too.

It was an odd feeling, to have courage. She wasn't actually sure that she could stop him. She didn't think she had a chance to drag him into a seal, like so many had. But she could stop his minions, couldn't she?

Raven wanted to believe that she could, that she had any chance of making destiny end differently. She didn't know why either. Everyone she had ever loved before was surely dead.

But Robin… he was still here. That was hope, maybe.

She closed her eyes and thought of what Vivio wanted her to do. Use a spell… on her? Like… support? Support her? She had never been good at that. Her magic was itching to try, itching to be cast and used and not trapped in a bottle.

So she clenched one fist. "Azarath… boost."

"Boosting," chirped the gloves on her hands and purple light wound around Vivio. She beamed at her.

"Nice! Nice!"And then she was off and punching again. Only this time, it was working.

Raven almost sunk to her knees. "Just what am I doing?" You weren't supposed to defy your parents.

The flutter in her chest said otherwise.