Diclaimer: Disclaimed.

Theme Two: Facets

(unwanted)

When Raven visits, everyone gathers around her, except me. She brushes them off and glances at me for one second before she begins to meditate. That moment is imprinted within me forever.

Her gaze is almost like a lover's, and for that second, I am cleansed and pure.

Then the familiar, ugly reality seeps within me and I am consumed in fire. I take a step forward. It hurts.

Instantly, Raven is ready, whispering her sacred chant, attacking with everything she has. The others—even the pathetic Timid—are ready. I sneer in contempt and begin my attack.

The War has begun.

I should like to lose, but the thought fuels my power and determination to win. I cannot help it.

For I am Rage.

And this is truly Hell.

But you can call it Nevermore.

.:x:.

"Azar?" the child asked in fright.

"It will not hurt, child," said the woman.

Raven thinks she understands, which is an idea so laughable and so tempting, my sanity is threatened. But she is not a vessel, as we are. Our energy combines in her body, our emotions pass through her soul. She, at least, feels something wonderous, some emotion so mixed in each of us that it is something all together different. Perhaps that is what you call Love. In time, perhaps a new entity will form, one whose function is merely to annoy the shit out of me. She and Happy,and even Compassion (who is known never to take any side in any issue), will get along greatly, perhaps. I wouldn't know. I'm just Rage after all…

I was not always this way. Once, we were all human. I was not doomed. No—I was prepared (or so I thought) for what lay ahead. But this prison, my current state—everything I abhor—was not the work of Trigon the Terrible.

Foolish mortal. How I hate you, Azar.

She thought that if I had no choice, if anger was merely a single entity than a complex part of my soul, I could control it. With one command, she divided us into powerful wielders of emotions, and in doing so, took away my humanity.

"How do you feel?" Azar asked.

"Fine," was the monotonous reply. It took a moment for the speaker to register the change.

"Azar, what happened to me?" the girl asked in that void tone. It could have easily been fright, but then again, very few could tell just by looking at her.

"What happened to my voice?"

The only reply was in the form of a jeweled mirror, glinting in some ethereal light.

The others have, very likely, chosen to forget. But it is not my nature to do the same. I scream and curse in the dark shadows of Nevermore, where even Envy dare not enter.

At Azar, who doomed me.

At Compassion, who tries too hard.

And most especially at Robin, who meddles too damn much.

It is here, in the darkness of Raven's pathetic mind, that I reign as demoness. Even then, there are times when the darkness overcomes what very little sanity I have left (also divided amongst ourselves) and Trigon—or simply Raven's fear of the creature—steps forward in my wake.

I loathe those moments far more than I loathe I my existence. In the end, I come to a very simple, albeit morbid, conclusion: there can only be one Hell and one ruler over it. Trigon may consider ruling over this miserable planet, but according to my theory, Hell on Earth is one Hell too many. Besides, as far as I can see, I have no plans to move.

I suppose, in my own way, I do rebel.

But they'll never know that.

And the Rage begins anew…

.:x:.

Author's Note: I think I did pretty well with this one. I wanted to have Raven wake at the end of her meditation and have a chat with you-know-who, but I'm afraid that one sentence will have to do for now. The idea of Nevermore being created by Azar and the monks of Azarath--not true. But it made sense to me.

I'm leaving for Korea on the 28th—and will probably die from the heat—and won't be writing for a month, at least.

So when I come back, I will either start one of the following stories:

Night: SlightAU. Just who is Red X? After a mysterious "Robin" rescues them from a mission gone awry, the Titans travel to Gotham to unearth the truth, and unknowingly, Raven's intertwined past. Features Tim Drake, Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne, "Nightwing". RobinRae.

Moonlight: Swan Princess retelling, AU.

Hush, Little Birdie: PostTT. After a rocky on-off relationship with Starfire, Richard Grayson needs a place to crash and burn. Specifically, Raven's.

Flying in the Wind: Mulan Fandom.

Silver and Gold: Pirates of the Caribbean Fandom.

Please vote!

Happy Summer!