RavenOfNight: Thank you so much for reviewing. I don't know what happened to all of my wonderful reviewers... they left me, so thanks for staying by and reviewing!
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Raven sat, staring in the darkness of her room. She couldn't sleep; but it wasn't because of the usual reasons.
Even before her birthday, when Slade had come to remind her of her birth-right; she had the dreams. In these dreams, or rather nightmares; Raven would see the end of the world. She would gave upon death and destruction and above it all loomed Trigon, her father. He would laugh and mock her; reaching out to grab her small frame and catch her. Then the dream would end and Raven would awaken in a cold sweat. A few hours and a cup of herbal tea later and she would fall into a deep, dreamless sleep till morning.
But lately, a week after her birthday, to be specific; the dreams had ended abruptly. Whenever she felt the looming presence of Trigon begin to stir in her mind; a silver light would appear. Then Raven found herself in some fantasy utopia. It was either a park with her friends, or a quiet star-gazing late at night. These dreams were strange to the teen. Happiness rarely held in her mind; and never in dreams. It was the change that kept Raven from sleeping tonight.
"Why have they stopped?" She murmured to herself in the darkness.
No one answered.
"Is someone doing this? What do they want?" Raven asked; her mind spinning with deadly scenarios.
No! A strong voice commanded her. She was beginning to slip up; to lose control. With a sigh, Raven walked out of her room and into the kitchen for a cup of strong chamomile tea. She walked quietly into the kitchen and nearly jumped with surprise when she saw someone else already there.
"Starfire?" She questioned the other girl as she walked in.
Starfire looked up. "Hello Raven," her tone was gloomy.
"Something on your mind?" Raven asked as she set the kettle to boil.
"It is just-" The alien girl stopped.
"Just what?" Raven asked, hiding the concern she felt. Starfire was rarely sad; and never for a foolish reason.
"I am scared Raven." She admitted; hugging herself. "I am afraid that the this world called Earth will be destroyed. I think Earth is my home now; and I do not want to leave it."
Raven's mouth went dry; and only when the tea kettle whistled profusely did she manage to find herself. The half-demon teen walked over and silently poured two cups of chamomile tea, a herbal sleep tea.
"Here." She muttered and handed a cup to Starfire.
"And I am... angry at Slade." Starfire added to the swirling contents of her cup.
"Slade?" Raven encouraged.
"Whenever something really bad happens... like when we thought Robin turned bad or Terra... Terra being stuck in the rock... it was always his fault. I wish he would just Go AWAY!" Tears pooled in her eyes; and she slammed against the table, denting it.
"Crying and hitting things isn't going to change that Starfire." Raven replied with force calm.
Starfire nodded and sipped her tea; wiping away the tears.
"Go to bed Starfire; don't worry about Slade. He can't do anything really." She said, putting her own empty cup away.
Starfire ran up and hugged her. "Thank you friend Raven for your calm talk. I feel better now."
Raven nodded stiffly against the choking embrace. "Okay, Starfire."
The alien teen floated up to her room; leaving Raven with her thoughts.
It isn't Slade that we have to worry about. It is Trigon.
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Raven gave a shuttering halt and took a deep breath. She needed all her patience for what she was going to do.
She extended a pale hand to the door, softly knocking.
The door flew open and a slightly disgruntled Starfire appeared.
"Raven?" She asked with a yawn.
"Hi Starfire... I just wanted to know if..." Raven struggled.
" If what friend Raven?" Starfire asked.
"If you want... to go to the mall and shop." Raven asked darkly.
Of course, Starfire ignored her toe. She gave Raven a spine-cracking embrace and shouted, "Oh, yes! Let us go to the mall of shopping!"
"Great." Raven muttered. What have I gotten myself into?
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The day went by for the titans; Starfire dragged Raven through the mall. They got their hair colored and cut. (It took extra persuasion to get Raven to turn her hair a color, and even then she only would get black.) Starfire was very fond of her own purple hair, and she skipped around the mall with Raven. Raven bought Starfire anything she wanted; clothes, hair-stuff, make-up... random shiny objects. And finally, they headed back to the tower.
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"I WIN!" Cyborg shouted as he beat Beastboy again at a video game.
"Dude you chea- Whoa! What happened to you Raven?" BB asked with his mouth open.
"What you do not like it?" Starfire asked.
She had put make-up on Starfire and Raven had put make-up on her.
Starfire had her purple hair tied in a tight bun, with black eye-liner, mascara, and dark red lipstick. Despite the strangeness of seeing the alien girl wearing the dark stuff; it looked rather good on her. Raven had a surprising artistic hand.
Raven, on the other hand, had her black hair tied back in a pink bow and curled. Her pale face had light pink eyeshadow and a clear gloss.
"No, Starfire it looks great, ignore him." Raven muttered.
Starfire beamed at her and said, "What do you think Cyborg?"
"It looks... good I guess." He admitted. "Strange, but good."
"What is going o-" Robin walked in suddenly and froze at the sight of his two teammates.
"Me and Raven went to the mall of shopping!" Starfire proclaimed happily.
"Well you both look ah... nice." He replied; unsure if that was really Raven.
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"Raven?" Robin called her right before she entered into her private chambers. "Yes?"
"Om... do you mind if I ask you something?" He asked, running his fingers through his hair.
"Your going to ask it anyway, so why not?" Raven replied calmly.
"Why did you.. go with Starfire to the mall and then let her put on make-up. You hate doing that." he said slowly.
"It doesn't matter what I want, only what she wanted." Raven gave her cryptic answer before she shut her dark room shut.
Damn you Trigon! She thought bitterly as a tear rolled down her cheek.
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Sorry about the shortness. There are going to be a few more Raven chapters and then back to Celeste and Azerath. Keep reading and PLEASE REVIEW!