So many feelings...sweep over Clark at the scene before him, most of them old and good memories of his younger times. Riding with his father in the old blue pick up truck down the road same road leading into town and back home. The drive was long but always worth it, even if there was nothing but corn stalk fields for miles, he didn't mind. Sticking his head out the window, imaging himself flying before he could, always excited to recive a slice Mrs. Dolly's famous apple pie at the diner. After errands and rounds where done, he and his parents would come on Sundays mainly to have it such a sweet treat. They'd sit at their booth in the center, Mrs. Dolly knew their order just like she did like everyone else's. A few times she'd put extra whipcream on Clark's or give him a scoop of ice-cream for being a 'special' boy. For a moment he could smell the warm apples and cinnamon and vanilla, taste it too. What a time...what a moment...living in a small town always had its perks and that was one of best.
How he wanted to stay back in that moment...he couldn't, coming back to his senses, to reality, to desolated wasteland before him. The town that once stood here...Smallville was nothing more but crumbles and dust of the past. The broken, splintered...of the town that once stood. Buildings...metals ripped off cars like paper...the bones of those decayed with maybe bits of flesh being pecked off by ravenous birds...ants...flies...guilt piled on Clark with the rest he carried that no amount of super strength, if he had it, could fix except for one thing.
And that thing was the reason why he was and the others where here, he was a little surprise it was here, he thought or at least assumed it'd be somewhere else. But, Lois told them this was the place, she kept tabs in words on the location. Joyful a bit at the notion of seem them again after all this time...didn't take the sullen feeling inside. He wondered if the others with him felt that way, looking solely at Raven, Constatine, and Damian dressed back as Robin and companied by Lady Shiva, agreed to join them. To put an end to all...this. Clark wondered what each of them thought at the moment, he tried reading their near expressionless faces. Well, John's was more not caring and a bit annoyed. Etrigan remained broad, kicking a few bits of rubble and chunks around.
"Why weren't we able to teleport closer," Damian asked Raven. Looking and surveilling the area for any enemy that might happen to appear. Holding his katana out.
Clark wondered that too, Raven teleported everyone here after John used his location spell actually find the next one they needed. One Lois already had covered, the other one...needed more convincing. Something Lois wasn't able to do, she told them to tread carefully.
Before Raven could answer Damian's previous question John does, "Magic. There's a spell that's being used dually, as repealing and as cloaking, impressive really. Combining the two, but it wasn't done well enough. I was able to find them, incantations aren't thing it seems. So, shall we go add more to our merry band? The longer I stay in this shit hole I might just add to it."
Ignoring his expressive choice of words, everyone follows Clark to their next destination, down the long road leading in and out of town. It was going to be a rather long walk without flying or drive or teleport closer. If did his math right, Clark knew the walk would take at least...a good hour at best. Compared to a good 30 minutes. During that time it allowed him and few others to prepare themselves when they arrived. What to say...how to react...it was going to be hard, Lois's words repeated themselves. They've changed and was seemingly a bit more hostile now. From what Lois had gathered, their mind was snapped shut with refusal on changing or doing anything of the sort. It was sad...Lois had said, seeing them like that. She knew what was holding them back, she wasn't the only one. Raven and Damian knew too, but now it was ten times more.
Trying hard not to think of what might go wrong, switch thoughts on what the reunion was going to be like. It'd been...years really even with these two years that went by since they last saw and spoke. Raven, even in her sickly state could barely wait and reunite with her younger sister. When she found out you were...alive a wave of joy and relief washed over her. Her father, screaming in her mind was right you were actually alive. Guess daddy dearest was worried too. She wondered how you where doing...after all this time...when you didn't return back to the Teen Titans and Superboy came instead she was shocked. And wanted to know why, but never bothered to ask...something that sat pitted in her stomach. But she didn't have time to think about that, anger rose in her a bit..not too much otherwise daddy dearest might take hold of it, that you hadn't bother to communicate back. Just what was going on? With you...one thing that she sensed in a way coming from you...was fear. She always knew it held some sort of power over you in many things, it directed you choices more than you realized...she wished she had given you the proper tools to deal with it.
What did you look like now? She wondered, actually, why did you choose to come and live in Smallville Kansas?
She wasn't the only one who wondered that, pass his hard and aloof face, thoughts of unanswered questions raced in Damian's mind. He furrowed deeper to find a way to focus and keep his own feelings from bubbling over. Now wasn't the time for emotions to get in the way, even if...they needed to be answered. Especially...why? That was the biggest one...just why. Being careful not turn his walking into a harden stride, went into his mind for a moment to clear away the clutter surfacing, an memory of you, years ago came out. Made his heart skip a bit, it didn't flutter as it had before...just leaped. He wasn't sure why. Coming to his own reasoning left it at that.
The walk was quieter than usual, John noticed the heaviness of it. Coming off from Raven, Clark, and Damian the most. He arched a brow, why they all felt that way. All for you...this person called Sinner or that was once your alias. Casting his eyes up at the murky sky of darken browns, reds, and tainted light blues with bits of if any sunlight coming through, thought for a moment...
Violet, he mused quietly. That name...he wasn't sure why...but it had the strangest effect on him. He recalled Zatanna saying the name a few times when they met back up.
Something about...a person named Violet and where she was? He had no clue...and it left this...hollowness inside...it stirred up this pain in his heart he'd been carrying for a while, that...Zatanna couldn't fill. It was small but felt so big, most nights he'd drink himself to sleep to suppress it...but it did little. He'd wake up suddenly in a cold sweat from strange...dreams...reaching out into the air grabbing nothing, but he expected too. There where times he felt...no he could feel as though someone was watching him. He wasn't sure, but he had a trick up his sleeve. This person...you, named Violet had something...he wasn't sure. But, oddly he felt this eager sensation guiding him and filling him with...something he couldn't quite explain inside. It was good not bad, he just...felt it was..just...
"We're here," Clark announcement broke John and the others out their thoughts, stops and stands before the house that once was his home...now...though it was still standing had wear and some tear. There was a bit of damage but not as bad as the rest around it. There was even a bit of green patches of grass around it. Some life was here.
Feeling something, John held out a hand, yep just as he thought...magic. From that spell he talked around earlier, it was no wonder this area was left seemingly untouched. Looking around the lot, there where three trees, one had a small swing on it. To his surprise and Clark's.
"Yours?" John asked thumbing to it.
"No, I don't remember having a swing."
A small toddler size swing? Raven and Damian look at one another questionably, filled with more questions now. But, those would have to wait, taking the lead Raven steps onto the property, ignoring her dizziness and spinning vision. Walks up the steps, the others follow, reaching out a hand gets ready to knock when the door opens by you. You stare speechless, eyes doubling their size, at the Raven...standing on the porch. Joanna in arms clinging to you, her blue eyes on Raven. Who stocked and surprised like the others at the little girl you were holding. Damian's words snatched away at...this, gripped the halt of his katana tightly his knuckles nearly went white.
Blinking broke you out of your freeze, quickly notice the others...gasp slightly, look back at Raven...tears slowly well up in your eyes seeing her. Your chin wanted to drop to your chest, but you kept it up, open your mouth the same time she did...ready to say her name when she collapsed.
"Raven!"
