A/N: Standard Disclaimers Apply
Chapter Seven: The Tree of Knowledge
Ravager crouched and tensed her muscles. Her crystal blue eyes narrowed on the hooded man and she thought, for an instant, of lashing out. The black lights under the hood flashed, and her body tightened up, every nerve flooding her brain with a single message: Pain.
Worthless whores, a cold, brittle voice cracked in her mind.
Ravager glanced over to Shimmer who writhed on the ground in gasping agony.
You will not upset my plans. You will fulfill the roles I gave you, and nothing else. This is your final, and only, warning.
The book snapped shut and floated over to the hooded man. He held it like a baby and glided out of the room. Ravager took a deep breath and flexed her hands. They felt as if they'd been pricked by a thousand needles. The young women stumbled to her feet, her armor weighing double or triple than it used to.
"Selinda?" Rose asked.
Shimmer slowly stood, her eyes sparking angrily. "I swear to God, I will kill that bastard."
Rose tried to comfort the other woman, but Shimmer shrugged her away. "Get off Rose," the redhead spat and stormed out of the room. Selinda walked to the end of the corridor and leaned against the wall. She let out a short huff and imagined delicious ways to end the hooded man's existence.
"Upset the apple cart did we?"
Shimmer only moved her eyes and glanced at a green clad brunette. Her hair was pulled sharply back from her face in a tight ponytail. She rose one of her thin, high arching eyebrows. A cruel grin slowly crept across the dark haired woman's face.
"Why if it isn't that pommy, Lady Angela," Selinda said as if introducing the other woman to someone not there. "What brings her ladyship down from her ivory tower?"
Angela Hawkins scowled and thought about giving the red haired tart a sampling of her powers. But this commoner was far beneath her. The dark haired woman took a breath, straightened her posture and walked proudly by the sulking redhead.
"Slut," Angela snarled under her breath.
"Bitch," Selinda growled in response.
…..
Raven's eyes shot open. The pale witch glistened with perspiration, and she pulled her cloak about her. She forced back the thought of Robin's imagined kiss: how it felt, how it tasted, how she quivered. It was all too terribly real.
"Robin and Starfire are together," she said, trying to convince herself.
Raven took a deep breath and leaned on the wall. Her emotions raged against each other. There was nothing in the world that she desired more than Robin, but there was also no friendship she held dearer than Kory's. And, as much as she now hated to admit, they were good together. A deep melancholy smothered Raven, and the young witch closed her eyes as she slid down. The ashen girl wrapped her arms about her thighs and curled into a quiet ball.
…..
Jinx and Victor stood on the opposite ends of the table. Vic rubbed his arm nervously and tried, four times, to start a casual conversation. Jinx, too, was flushed with embarrassment. Buried feelings boiled to the surface, and although each one knew that anything they may or may not have had was over, they each felt a terrible and consuming craving.
Even Jinx was, uncharacteristically, lost for words. She demurely folded her hands behind her and kept coiling her fingers around themselves. Neither of them made eye contact.
"Um…" Vic started.
Jinx opened her mouth to say anything but, "Er.." only came out.
Victor took a deep cleansing breath. "Okay, if you need me, I'll be in my room taking a shower." He took three steps toward his room before slapping himself on the forehead and blushing madly, "Oh crap, that's not what I meant to say; I mean I'm taking a shower, a very-very-very-very-very cold one."
Cyborg nearly ran out of the room.
Jinx glanced around at the empty common room, now eerily quiet.
"That's not a bad idea," she agreed before dashing to her room.
…..
"Rob?"
"Rob? You okay?"
Robin shook his head as if waking up from a daydream. He glanced around the Batcave and grounded himself again. "What was that, Beast Boy?"
"Dude," Gar exclaimed, "I've never seen you get spacey before. It was freaky."
Robin pursed his lips together, "Yeah, it was. Pack up, we're heading back to the Tower."
Beast Boy's jaw hit the floor. "But we just got here! The T-Pod isn't fueled up, and did you see the size of that computer? It makes the one we've got at home look like a pocket calculator! Vic'd go freaking nuts!"
"I concur with the young man," Alfred interjected. "You've been flying all day, and logged enough hours. I will prepare the guest quarters here and bring you both a tray of food."
Dick Grayson knew better than to argue with Alfred Pennyworth. Robin closed his eyes and remembered Kory and Vic saying they could handle whatever they were facing. He wanted to trust them. He had to trust them. It was what separated Robin from his mentor. The long flight after a long night of patrolling the city was quickly catching up to the Teen Wonder.
"All right," Robin conceded much to Beast Boy's delight.
Robin slept lightly and uncomfortably. He had strange, lurid dreams that he quickly forgot upon waking. The only images he could recall were birds and stars. He rolled out of bed, put on a gui, and made his way to the Batcave's dojo. Robin bowed respectfully and began his training kata. He blended several disciplines, Wu Shu, Jeet Kune Do, Akido, and various animal styles of Kung Fu into one. He was in his tenth kata when Beast Boy appeared at the mat.
"Dude, it's like five in the morning. And we're on the East Coast. Don't you ever sleep?"
Robin finished a move, stood tall and bowed to the spirit of the dojo. He walked to the edge, bowed again, and joined his friend.
"Sorry I woke you," Robin said as he took a long drink from his water bottle.
"It's all right, bro. Yanno, with half the lights off, this place is way creepy."
Robin nodded in agreement. He was about to say something when Robin's T-Communicator sounded. The two Titans dashed to the device.
"Robin? It is Red Star. My contacts in Markovia have reported a massacre in nearby Zandia. Argent and I are to be meeting with Prince Brion Markov today about it."
"Thanks for the update Leonid," Robin said. He was about to close the connection when the place names resonated. "Wait, did you say 'Zandia?'"
Beast Boy, too, recognized a name. "Markov? That was Tara's last name!"
