Dang. You where late. Hoping they wouldn't be upset, you were up pretty late last night. Not because of any missions, no. You just where very indulge in the book you were reading. Well in a sense assigned. Given to you by someone very important now in your life. Who understood your pain well. In shadows protected you, before making themselves known. Assured you things would be alright, the two of you where in this together. Taking you under their wing, no pun intended, to help you with your newly arise demonic powers. That where inherited and unlocked by the one who fathered you. Powers and abilities you feared. Which was something you had to get under control. Fear had a way of manifesting itself into something else.
Which caused you become reclusive and hesitant to using them, but with their help you started to overcome it. Still, you where a long way from mastering complete control. As they told you, "We are beings split between two worlds. We have to find peace a sort of balance if we can."
Those words etched in your mind, all time. It was true, being what you are the luxury to experience anything normal seem gone. In so many ways. Control was always the key, letting a little out here and there was still dangerous. Which was meditation was very important, to clear the mind, keep the balance and control. Morning, noon and night. You would meditate, most of the time with them. Though sometimes just by yourself. These powers, what a curse. A curse that can be used for good and help others.
It would just take time to accept it was part of you, the same with your appearance too. Which you still seem to have issues with. You did miss your black hair, the white was just working for you. Having tired to dye it before, which failed. The markings on your body, there was just no way for you to hide or conceal them. Nor your ears and teeth. Which caused you most of the time to rarely talk or do a full smile. You felt rather insecure about your appearance. Especially when you went outside, in the world. You kept yourself covered up, but it still didn't seem to work. If by accident you where exposed, stares came and mumbles. What made it worse was the fact, you could feel their rising negative emotions. Giving you and insight deeper than you would like. That you would take off and leave. You then just preferred to stay at home, at least you weren't looked at differently. Sure you would still go on missions, but when it came to outings you, stayed home. The only time you would leave, was to watch the waves by the rocks or sit on the roof watching the water. Even to just fly around, which you at times didn't like to do. Having Hellfire wings sprout from your shoulder blades always left a rather painful aftermath. Which you slightly became use too. The pain only lasted for a few seconds whenever you sprouted them or made them vanish.
Staying back at the Tower, you didn't seem to mind, even if you became rather withdrawn. You still enjoyed your time with them back at the Tower. It was just going to take time. The others knew you still where rather fragile and getting things back to "normal". Just trying to find yourself, that's all. Searching your mind, soul and heart every day. If they others could not find in your room, most of the time you would be sitting on the roof of the Tower. Just in deep thought, or in another quiet place.
Raven sat waiting for someone. The one she's been waiting for was late. She could sense them hurrying to up. No doubt, they over slept because they stayed up late again reading. Which was alright, she never was bothered by it, all this was new to them. All of it. So it was only natural they would want to learn everything they could about this new chapter in their life. And Raven having taken them as her student, though of course it was their choice. And she was happy they took it. In fact decided to stay. Raven understood them more than they knew, the feeling of wanting to be alone because of what one was. Fear of themselves. A feeling that took a strong hold, should one allow it. Angry and confused about their existence.
"Raven. Raven!"
Hearing her name along with running footstep approaching closer. Getting Raven turns around to see her student and younger half sister. You. Violet Greyson. The other daughter and child of demon Trigon. Who just like Raven inherited some of his demonic powers. The main both she and you shared, was empathy. Though unlike her's in which she can sense emotions across the spectrum, her younger sister only had one side of the spectrum. Negative emotions. Which never turned off, she was always feeling them, and when or if she made physical contact. Since what happened to her, it was more amplified. Her sister managed to learn some control over it. With Raven's teaching and guidance her sister slowly began to take better hold of her demonic powers and nature. Which was good. The only downside was her sister had started to become less social. Withdrawn. Isolated. Though not so much among the team, but with the world.
Something Raven felt and knew needed to change. Her eyes follow her sister approaching closer, dressed in her hero attire. Which she changed up a bit: Bell sleeve long gypsy gothic fitted maroon tunic mid-thigh dress with a dark corset lacing in the front. The back cut out for her wings, she traded out her leather pants no longer wearing them. Her footwear dark corset flat knee high boots. Under sleeves she wore dark laced glovelettes with her attire, even outside her hero outfit.
You inhale deeply apologizing to Raven."I'm so sorry."you tell her, catching your breath."I d-didn't mean to keep you waiting."Raven just waited for you catch your breath. She wasn't bothered. It took you about a minute before you breathing return back to normal. It was then you realized something, she wasn't in her hero attire, instead more so in casual clothes.
This was rather confusing. "Umm...Raven? Why aren't you in your..."you point to yourself then to her.
She didn't answer, instead forms a portal and walks through."This is part of your training. Come." Not sure what this training was leading to, you follow her through the portal. To find two things. One, your attire had changed to your casual wear. A gypsy tribal style dark purple bohemia skirt with deep red patterns, dark blue chiffon long sleeve blouse off shoulder smocked stretch waist top and simple brown flats. With a tribal scarf you wore to try and conceal your lower part of your face. This was what you wore mainly when off duty. Back in the Tower and use to when you had gone outside.
Which was the second thing, Raven had made a portal to take you outside in the center of the city. A place you would rather not be, fear and anxiety started to take hold. Raven of course sensing it, tells you to calm down.
Not understanding her reasoning. You ask for to explain."Raven? Why did you...You know I don't being out in the public. Unless-Unless needed. I want to go ba-"you turn heal ready to go but she stops you. Grabbing you by the wrist.
"Like I said."she repeats."This is part of your training."
"My training?"you where a bit lost."My training consist of learning how to control my powers. Hours on meditation and tranquility. Finding a balance. Suppress my...This isn't training!"You snipe upset."I want to go back. I-You know I can't be out here."Looking around the people around, moving away from them if they got to close.
Even with you moving, you could feel the negative emotions from them starting to find their way to you. Seeing them coming at you like haunting spirits. Ready to fight back, if not for Raven she takes hold of your wrist, bring your attention to her. The look she had told you, to calm down and she wasn't going to rethink what she did. Either you snap out of it or else.
Trying hard to relax yourself, it was just hard. The emotions just came at you. You could feel them crawling on your skin, making you shiver. Trying hard to keep your fire under control. It was ready to burst out and if that happened...Just knowing what would or will happen should you stay any longer, you try to get your wrist back from Raven. Which surprisingly her grip was rather strong. You and her stare at one another.
"You've have to learn how to keep your cool, and control in everyday situations."she said."This will help. Hiding away doesn't do anything. I've told you before, you can't let fear take hold of you, find a balance." Understanding her words, you still wanted to go back to the Tower.
At least, there you would be safe. Away from all of this. But Raven wasn't going to let you go. Despite your pleas.
Back at the Tower, the others where relaxing. Gar and Jaime going at it again with playing DDR, Damian watching rather board awaiting his turn. They clearly had not skills compared his own, yet he still didn't mind joining their little attempts of trying to best the other. A rather trivial effort, he would often say. Neither of them could beat his high score. Still it was entertaining to watch. Especially Gar, watching him fail was quite a delight.
Still, he was rather surprise Gar was actually doing fairly well. He was better than Jaime, but this time Damian noticed a bit more pep in his footwork. Adding a bit more flare as it was called. Looking at the score board, he was clearly leaving Jaime in the dust more than usual. This caught Damian's attention just a bit. Just a few more seconds to go and...The winner Gar, again.
"YES!"Gar enthusiastically yells."And victor...ME."he points to himself with the hugest smile on. He started to do a victory dance."Who's bad? Me. That's who!"
Jaime rolls his eyes at his over thrilled friend."Okay. So you beat me. Nothing new. I was rather close..."he turns to look at the score board, to be wrong. The gap in points was rather huge. He had to do a double take."Dude!"he points it out, then thumbs over to Damian."You're close to Boy Wonder over there."
Gar looks at his score reading it, he turns around to Damian flashing him a cocky smile."Guess I am. I mean why wouldn't I be?"He shrugs his shoulders like it was nothing."I'm feeling real good. About time that bird gets knocked off his perch."
Reading the challenge behind his words. Damian accepts and steps up to the plate. Taking Jaime spot, who takes Damian on the coach. Looking at the two give the other one a competitive stares.
"Before we start."Gar said with a sly smile."Why don't we make this interesting."
This peaked Damian's interest though he hid it well."I don't believe you losing will make it interesting."
Earning an "Oh Snap." From Jaime, who didn't hide his laughter. Gar growls lowly at the snide remark from Damian who clearly took delight in what he said. Smiling cockily at the green teen, for it to drop seeing something in his eyes. Which ignited a flame behind his stale green eyes. Allowing Gar to take back control again.
"See I've been practicing night and day for the past two months and well..."he winks at Damian."I think I can beat you. So about that deal, I beat you I call dibs on Violet. Yeah. Thought you'd be interested. I get to take her out for a week, no make that two weeks. And you can't intervene, and have to leave us alone. But if you win, than it's a free for all. I think that's rather fair. Don't you?"
Jaime nearly spits out his drink upon hearing what Gar just said."Gar!? Seriously? Your beating on, Vi? What's wrong with you? You and I know, no, we all know she's...NO. No this is stupid. What you're saying is just...Seriously?"
Gar though paid no mind to his friend's protest."It's just a little beat, that's all."Gar defends himself."I mean, the two of you are just friends right? If you are, we can totally call this off. And you won't mind me taking her out anyway."
He pressures Damian. Putting him on the spot, awaiting his answer. All with a smug grin on his face, to which Damian clearly wanted to smack away, but kept his cool. But his eyes furrowed at Gar. This was the only way he could keep his cool. Even if his fist was itching to rip that grin off his face.
Jaime could feel the heated tension building between the two, mainly when it came to Raven's sister. It was clear as day Gar had a liking to her, even before finding out she was related to Raven and a half demon too. The day she came to the Tower, he didn't hide it. Though of course Violet never seem to notice or just choose not too. Gar often tired to make as moves as he could on her, only for them rise when Damian came into the picture. He felt an instant threat with the boy being there. It was clear he and Violet shared a close relationship, well at least back then. Now it was uncertain. It was hard to read Damian, except for that one night, when they all went after her, after her powers went haywire. He was the only besides Nightwing who managed to get to her and allowed inside her Hellish Hellfire vortex, and not forget how the others found them. After that, there wasn't really that much interaction between them. Jaime assumed that Damian must still be feeling guilty that he might have been the one cause all of what happened to Violet. He often acted cordial with her, which she didn't mind. Her mind was more focus on her new training. And getting better control of her powers, but mainly on trying to figure herself out still. The way the two acted, caused distance between them. Just seeing the other as a teammate.
A few times during training, Jaime would see her struggle and once he caught Damian looking concerned. Tempted to help her, but refused to offer it. And once caught him either watching or spying on her walking down the hall alone. Which of course he had some idiotic reason behind it. If not for his fancy words and wording many would believe him. But Jaime in a way began to figure them out. He didn't though overstep his boundaries unless it was necessary. Like right now, with Gar's stupid beat. Did this green idiot not realize what he was doing? By the look on his face, he didn't seem to care one bit. Waiting for Damian to respond at least, which all he said was...
"You run mouth to much."he starts the game."Let's hope it's as quick as your feet."
No clear answer came from Damian leaving not just Gar puzzled but Jaime as well. He couldn't really understand what boy just said. All he knew was that Damian meant business. With the game starting, Gar and Damian begin.
With you and Raven, you had no choice but to give in. Expecting her to just throw you in, for either sink of swim. Instead she took you to a rather quiet and humble coffee shop. Without the hustle and bustle. It was rather mellow, with very little negative emotions floating about and trying to attach themselves to you. Giving you in a sense, some peace. Sitting across the small circular table with Raven on the other end. With you cup of, Earl Gray tea. A favorite of yours, the same with Alfred. He had introduced it to you when you use to live at Wayne Manor. It was a strange tea, but you grew to enjoy it. It was very relaxing for you.
Raven had herbal tea. The setting of the place was rather nice and calm. With slight dim lights and rustic look about it. Clearly some would think this was a place for either Hippies or Goths, even Tree Huggers. But it seem far from it. You actually felt yourself enjoying the place. It felt harmonic and serene, almost heavenly. Befitting for the name of the place: Heaven's Cup.
You could get use to a place like this. Everyone just seem to relaxed and at peace. Maybe coming back outside, to places like this wasn't so bad. Still you where rather shy and withdrawn.
"Relax."Raven tells you, you look up from your cup at her.
She was reading a book casually."...Oh...Sorry."you apologize."This place, it seems so nice."
Raven turns a page on the book she had."Yes. It is. This is perfect for you to ease yourself back into the world. I know because of what we are and our powers it seems easy to just hide away. But what good would that do? We always have to push pass whatever it is that holding us back. Otherwise we give into it. So just relax and focus on your center."
She wasn't kidding, this was really part of your training. Looking around, there was just so little negativity you felt no need. But then again...Closing your eyes you do your best to keep your center.
Over at the counter a pair a slightly light violet colored matured eyes focus on you, you and Raven. Rather delighted."Hello..."
In case any of you want to know I just though of doing a few chapters about May's well background a bit more. Seeing how only half of her lineage is known and past. Thought you would like to know the rest. Hope that is okay.
