Chapter 6: Schism by Tool
Jump City:
The silence hung in the air once again. The longer it dragged on, the mood became heavier in the room. Jinx picked up on it first, her expression shifting to one of worry. Donna wasn't far behind, but her face stayed stoic, only a small frown appearing. Wally was the last to pick up on it, not really placing anything until Raven finally responded.
"No." Raven lowered her head enough to hide her eyes and as much of her face as she could. In fact, she seemed to be doing her best to become mostly cloak.
"What?" Gar blinked, the response hitting him in slow motion.
"I said, no, I don't want to go on a date with you." She kept her head bowed, but what could be seen of her face was in a severe frown.
"...Well, why not?" Gar sounded more angry than hurt.
"What would be the point, Gar?" Raven spat. "Why should I give you a captive audience to bother, pick at and annoy for god knows how long? Especially when that audience is me. It's not worth it."
"Not worth-How would you even know?" Gar's voice raised slightly. "What makes you think I'd do that during a date of all things?"
"I've got no reason to think you wouldn't. You certainly haven't proven to be more than an overgrown child in most situations, how would this be any different?" Raven's tone maintained a sharp, vicious edge.
"I'm in charge of the team, that's gotta mean something!" Gar threw up his arms.
"That was Robin's judgment, doesn't mean I agree with it." Raven looked up, a red glint barely visible in under the hood.
"You're just dodging the whole thing, again, What's the problem with going on one date?! What, would it eat into your avoiding everybody by 'reading' time?"
"Just drop it, Gar. We're not going on a date, ever. There's no reason to even go down that road." The glint in Raven's eyes was turning into a harsh glare in the hood.
"Why?! Why not even fucking try?! What do I got to do, cover myself in paper then attack the team?! Would that make me more appealing to you?!" Gar's yelling was shifting into a harsh growl as he spoke.
The eyes under the hood split into four. "You're one to talk; I'm surprised you're even trying at all, I mean, I'm not blonde and haven't betrayed the team lately, so I'm shocked that I'm your type!"
Gar's growl had no words, his jaw didn't seem capable of unclenching.
Raven's head tilted for a second. "OH right, she 'forgot' everything, so I guess it's alright then. My bad."
"At least she seemed to give a shit about people and wasn't afraid of the barest hints of affection." The words were no longer yelled, but they distinctly resonated in the room.
Raven's aggressive stance faltered, eyes dimming and second set beginning to close. "I'm...I'm not afraid of affection."
"Then what the hell have you been doing now? Lashing out for shit's and giggles? Causing pain for fun? Guess you really are a daddy's girl." Gar growled out.
The shift in energy was almost faster than Wally's senses; Jinx, being attuned to these things, actually picked it up first; "Raven don't-!"
A black tendril already had Gar in it's crushing grip, picking him up and smashing him viciously into the large bay window of the common area. The glass had been switched to shatter proof a while ago, so he didn't launch through. It probably would've been better if he had. The tendril released it grip and slithered back under Raven's cloak, her four eyes blazing, teeth clenched in a low growl. What snapped her out of it was the sight of Gar stuck to the glass, briefly, before falling back to the floor with a thud, followed by little shards of the window peppering him. There was a red mark at the center of the impact point. The four eyes collapsed back to two as she stared at the unmoving green man before her. Her face was almost void of emotion as she turned and walked out of the room swiftly.
Donna went to get up to go after her but Jinx put a hand on her arm, shaking her head.
"Now would not be a good time." Jinx said simply. She looked over at Wally, who was already looking over Gar. "How is he?"
"I mean, he's breathing so there's that." Wally lightly pressed his hand onto Gar's shoulder, wincing to himself as he looked at his cut up, glass ingrained back. "You there, bud?"
"I'm awake just in a great deal of pain." Gar said, eyes still closed, looking like he was trying his best not to cry.
"Emotional, physical?" Wally continued to examine his back.
"Bit of both at the moment. Did Raven run out?" Gar stood up, leaning on the splintered glass as he did so, a small crunch and him hissing in pain accompanied the motion.
"She did, but dude, sit down and rest a minute." Wally motioned for him to sit. "We gotta get that glass out and clean your back up, man."
Gar stood there in thought for a moment, before walking with a slight limp out of the room, in the direction Raven went. The others just watched him leave, unable to think of what to do or say.*
"...When did we become bad people?" Donna frowned.
"Technically, I've always been bad people." Jinx said dryly.
"You know what I mean, it's just...it seems like when we try to help them it backfires, and this shit happens." Donna grumbled, motioning at the door with her arm.
"Look, there has to be more going on between them. I have a hard time thinking this was all just about a date rejection." Wally said as he leaned on the window, sitting up in a blur as it gave a small crinkling noise. There was a long pause as everyone thought on the words.
"...Well, should we call Vic and Kory to get an idea of where to begin to fix this?" Jinx asked casually. They had been keeping in contact with Kory and Vic to both keep them updated on the going ons in the tower. More Vic after the initial failed attempt by Jinx and Donna. His advice seemed to be particularly helpful, well usually. The dinner thing was his idea.
Wally sighed. "I'll go ahead and call call Vic, see what he'll think. Donna, try and get a hold of Kory. Jinx?" Jinx looked at him intently as he held the most serious face he could. "Call Uncle Barry, he'll know why."
"Wait, why do I have to call your Uncle?" Jinx asked confused.
"...Uhm. I uh..." Wally stuttered.
"What did you do?" Jinx crossed her arms, tapping her foot.
"Look, it's not important, just, please call Uncle Barry for me?" Wally held up his hands in a praying motion and strained a smile.
Jinx sighed before walking off. "Fine, but you owe me big time."
"Thank you, I know, thank you!" Wally said cheerfully. He took out his communicator and rang up Cyborg, grateful for not talking to his uncle for the moment.
Metropolis:
Cyborg woke up to the buzzing of his communicator on the desk. He had decided to take a nap at the labs, having become very engrossed in the prostheses project with his father. He had almost forgotten to recharge the other day.
But not today. Vic sat up from the small puddle of drool, wearily looking for the communicator with his arm as an emergency power cord zipped back into him from a power outlet. Finally finding it, he set flipped it open, keeping his leaning position on the desk.
"Mrmello." Vic mumbled as he stared at Wally on the screen.
"Hey, Vic, uhm...we got a kinda...situation over here..." Wally said nervously.
"Situation?" Vic yawned.
"Yeah well...it's...hrm." Wally seemed at a lose for words.
"Is anyone dead?"
"No."
"Is the tower destroyed?"
"Not that either."
"Forgot to feed Silkie?"
"Haven't seen 'em today but no, food's out."
"Raven and Gar get into a spat?"
"N-Yes, that's the one." Wally said quickly.
Cyborg raised his eyebrow, having expected this. "How bad?"
"It ended with Gar calling her a "daddy's girl" and she near broke the shatter proof glass in the common room with him." Wally responded flatly.
Cyborg winced and let out a low whistle, "And what triggered all of this?"
"Him asking her out on the date." Wally grumbled.
Cyborg blinked then stared at the screen. "You're shittin' me."
"God's honest, man. BB asks her out, she says no, and it snowballed from there straight into hell." Wally made a downward motion with his free hand.
"Hold on, lemme see real quick." Cyborg started to kind of stare off into space.
"What do you mean 'see'?"
"I'm still connected to the Tower's security frame, got camera's with microphones throughout the place." Vic winced as he watched the argument go full tilt.
"...All the rooms?" Wally was now very nervously.
"Only the main public areas. And seriously? Thanks for cleaning the infirmary, that's supposed to be a sterile environment, jackass." Cyborg grumbled.
"You are the creepiest land lord ever." Wally's face tinged red, scrunching it uncomfortably.
"You two still aren't as bad as Dick and Star. They were everywhere. Every. Where. " Cyborg said as the fight wrapped up and he let out a low whistle as he watched Gar hit the window. "Damn, Rae. Didn't hold back on that one. Hrm, string bean still got up, though. He's always tougher than we give 'em credit for."
"A) I really, really don't want to know about Dick and Star, now I'm scared to touch anything, B) Why do you want us to update you if you can see what goes on all the time?" Wally asked, more confused.
"A) Motherfucker, I didn't want to know. I do, and now that knowledge haunts me, B) I like hearing from you guys and I trust y'all enough not to check all the time, just when little warnings go off in my sensors. Too much movement and such. Example; infirmary." Vic raised an eyebrow.
"Ah." Wally said simply, looking away from the screen awkwardly, before looking back up. "Hey, can you track where those two went?"
"Raven locked herself in her safe room, it was initially built to keep out her father but it's kinda become where she goes when she needs to...let off some steam." Vic stated before frowning. "Oh, man Rae, why didn't you tell us." He said more to himself than to Wally, continuing to watch the footage. "Good on ya, green bean. Gar went to go talk to her...and...damn." Vic sighed. "She chased him off. He's probably out on the rocks, staring off into space. Give Raven another hour or two before talking to her, but Gar's usually good around any time. He doesn't brood well."
"Alright, I'm just gonna wait for my back up, I'll let you know what happens. Also, How in the name of fuck do I fix the window?" Wally turned to look out at the bay, staring at the large crack with it's uncomfortable stain in the middle.
"You don't, it'll fix itself. Auto repair nanomachines in the glass. Really useful." Vic smiled, thumbing up at the camera.
"You get bored a lot, don't you?"
"All the time." Vic cut off the communicator with a sigh. 'Might have to cut this short soon, Rae and Gar might need me there to mediate.' He then lingered on the camera's for a bit, before closing the windows in his internal browser. 'Or not.'
Jump City:
Wally hung up the communicator, looking back at a confused Donna. "What's up?"
"Kory...said she couldn't talk right now then hung up." Donna's eyebrows were furrowed, still processing the moment.
"...Kory? Starfire? Nicest alien this side of Metropolis, hung up on someone, let alone a friend?" Wally's confusion sunk into his own facial expression.
"Yeah..." Donna frowned. "It's not a good day, is it?"
"Probably not, no." Wally confirmed.
Gotham:
Kory had put down the communicator and decided to go back down the the cave after changing out of her ruined uniform. It had been hours and there was no word from Dick. Needless to say, she was getting worried. And angry. Really, really angry.
As she walked down the hall, Alfred, who simply happened to be going towards her, almost motioned for her to stop. He then noticed her hands were on fire and he simply stepped out of her way, face not changing from it's normal calm. By the time she reached the door to the cave, her eyes were glowing and steaming off energy.
Bruce was talking with someone while standing at the computer, still in full costume, hand to the earpiece in his cowl. "Yes, it was a few hours ago. Well, I decided to let you sleep in a little, be nice for a change. ...I'm fine. I said I'm fine." He looked up to see Starfire standing across from him, hands and eyes on fire. "I'll talk to you later, Clark, she finally came down." Bruce looked at her, face completely impassive. "May I help you?"
"Why are you so horrible?" Star growled.
"I don't understand the question."
"Boyfriend-Richard left, you drove him away, for what point? What was any of your training, tearing him down and sheer cruelty meant to accomplish?" Starfire's voice got a little louder.
"To make sure he's ready."
"He is more than prepared for anything! He led the Titans through battles that make the Joker seem minuscule! What purpose does your beating of his brow serve if he has already proved himself again and again?!" Starfire full yelled, energy on her hands and in her eyes glowing and fuming brighter.
"Are you done?"
"And you continue to not seem to care! You are the most ruthless calculating creature I have ever met. My people are from Vega, I trained on Okaara, I have seen many horrible, manipulative things and beings. I have dealt with my sister on more occasions than I care to admit. And you, Bruce Wayne, are by far the worst I have seen." The energy on her hands and in her eyes faded but she continued to glare at Batman, who's eyes narrowed in response.
Silence loomed in the cave for minutes as they continued to glare at each other.
Batman's face finally cracked into a small smile "You are one of the few people I have met that have stood their ground like that."
Starfire blinked, still angry but confusion began to mix into her expression.
"Yes, I drove Dick away. He actually lasted a lot longer than I anticipated. I would have expected him to crack a few weeks ago, but he proved me wrong." Bruce sighed. "Always seems to."
"But why-" Star started.
"I told you, I needed to see if he was ready." Bruce stressed.
"Ready for what?" Starfire saw a shift in Bruce's body language. He almost looked...uncomfortable?
"To work on his own. To be on his own. I..." He looked to the floor of the cave. "I wanted to make sure I didn't fail him, like I failed Jason." Bruce pulled the cowl off his face to expose the sad expression on his face as he looked at Jason's uniform in it's glass case. "He was still so reckless, so angry. He got killed because I failed him. There was...more I could have done, could have said..." he looked back down. "I just...needed to see that I didn't fail Dick as well."
"Failed him how?" Kory's anger was ebbing as curiosity replaced it. An...emotionally vulnerable Batman does that to people.
He sighed, fists clenching and unclenching as he talked. "He...I didn't want him to turn out like I did after my parents died. No one else should walk this path."
"But isn't that why you trained others?"
"No." Bruce said firmly. "I did that to make sure no one else had to. I acknowledge I've gone to...extreme lengths to do what I do. But that doesn't mean I should force others to do so as well. I needed to see that Dick was willing to go on his own path, forcefully."
Kory remained silent for a few minutes. "...Might I suggest that you not do so in a way that causes as much stress?"
"I'll consider it."
Kory nodded. "I understand; but you should know he's been on that path since he's been with our family in the Titans. Though, I believe Boyfriend-Richard has done as well as he has thanks to your training and raising, Gnorfka-Bruce."
"Hrm." Bruce smiled softly. "Thank you. Now I just need to wait and see that the other part of this works."
"What is 'the other part'?" Kory raised an eyebrow.
"When things like this happen, and I know I'll make it worse, I do one thing I try my damnedest not to do; Ask for help from a friend."
Jump City:
Gar sat on the rocks, staring absentmindedly at the waves crashing into the shore. He heard the quick movement of air behind him, and sighed. "Hey, Wally, now's not really a good time."
"I'm not Wally, but if you're sure." An older voice said calmly.
Gar blinked and turned to see the Flash standing behind him, arms folded over his chest, analyzing the green young man as he stood there. "Uhm...sorry...confused you with the usual speedster I have to deal with."
Flash chuckled. "It's alright. Gotta call saying that you needed "relationship trouble help fixing" I believe was the phrasing Jinx used." He frowned slightly, "She's an odd one."
"Really now? Have you met her boyfriend?" Gar asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Fair point. So, Garfield-"
"Please, Gar, not Garfield...it makes me sound old and...just don't wanna hear the full name at the moment." Gar muttered the last part.
"Ahhh...got full named." Wally said, having appeared a second ago with an apple.
"Do you people just pop into existence at will?" Gar blinked
"A) We're still not sure and B) what do you mean 'you people?'" Wally's eyes narrowed as he took a bite of apple while speaking. Barry raised his eyebrows under his mask.
"Uhmmm nothin, nothin at all." Gar said, uncomfortable. "So what do you mean, 'full named'?"
"The level of messing up in a relationship can be determined by how much of your name your partner uses." Barry said casually as he went to sit next to Gar, Wally continuing to lean against the taller rock he was near. "Just first name, it's pretty bad, first and middle name, it's worse, first, middle and surname? Near instant dog house." Barry explained, motioning his hand in a slight blur to show the three levels.
Gar stared back out at the waves wincing as he felt the salted wind pass over his back. "That is somewhere between the dumbest thing I've ever heard or the smartest, and I really can't tell where it lands."
"Eeee must've hit all three." Wally talked through a bite of apple. Barry nodded.
Gar sighed "I'm not even in a relationship, Barry, I'm not sure how much help you're going to be."
Barry blinked, then looked at Wally, "If he wasn't a Titan, we'd be having the identity talk again." Wally rolled his eyes. "Gar, from what Wally's told me, it seems like you're in a relationship already."
Gar blinked, coughed slightly then stared at Barry. "How do you figure?"
"Well, you two have known each other, what, five years now?" Barry asked, to which Gar nodded, "Wally says you bicker more like a married couple than he and his girl do, you seem to know what buttons to push to get a reaction, and she seems to know yours. You both like each other-"
"Okay, how the fuck do you know that one?" Gar asked nervously.
Barry scrunched his face, "Mind the language please."
"Why, Wally-" Gar started before seeing Wally wave his arms frantically at high speeds making a "No" face- "doesn't seem to mind."
"Well, I do, fair enough?" Barry said calmly.
"Fair enough." Gar replied as Wally sighed behind Barry.
"Jinx said Raven owned up to it weeks ago. And I told her that you owned up to me liking her on my end. Hence all the uhm..." Wally paused as he tried to reach for the right word.
"Poorly planned match making plots?" Gar quirked an eyebrow.
"Eeeeeyeah." Wally scratched the back of his head, flinging the his apple core into the water.
Barry frowned slightly. 'I'm not Ralph, but I smell a mystery here' he thought before asking; " If both of you like each other, why haven't you tried to asking her out anytime before?"
Gar sighed, shuffling in his spot slightly. "Hey, Wally, can I just talk to Barry for a bit?"
Wally shrugged. "I was gonna go check on Jinx in the tower, she and Donna have been checking on Raven, so it's all good." With that, Wally blurred towards the tower.
Inside the Tower:
Raven's safe room had been modified over the years, part as an increase of her powers as she's gotten older and part as a difference in purpose. Originally built to keep Raven safe from Trigon's forces, it now acts more as an emergency venting room, spiritual isolation chamber, and place of last resort when she absolutely, positively has to get away from everyone for a while. To this end, the main door had been more sealed off from the rest of the tower and an elevator installed in the observation room that lead directly to the entrance of the chamber. The room itself was still fairly bare, an occasional pillow here and there added for comforts sake but little else.
Jinx stood at the door to the elevator that led down to the safe room, holding a tray with a tea set on it, the pot full and steam wafting from it. Donna and her blinked at the red lock holographic symbol that floated in front of the door.
"Wally gave you the code, right?" Donna eyed a crack in the glass of the control windows as she looked down at Raven, who was huddled under her cloak on the floor of the spartan room.
"Yeah, I just really don't wanna say it." Jinx grumbled. Donna gave her a look to which Jinx replied, "I know, I know. Just remind me to kick Vic for this later." She sighed before looking at the door and speaking the unlock code in a flat, unamused tone; "Grobyc si eht Tsetaerg."
The door's hologram shifted to a green unlocked lock with a small ding noise then opened. Jinx walked into the elevator and raised an eyebrow at Donna. "Wish me luck."
"I'll be here if you need me." Donna smiled. As the elevator door closed she looked down into the room, swearing she saw Raven standing and staring at her a second ago, but Raven hadn't moved from her spot on the ground. 'Odd' Donna thought as she looked down into the blue hued room.
Jinx walked through the first two sets of doors before getting to the last which had the palm scanner. "Oh c'mon."
"Incorrect vocal override." A pacifying female computerized voice replied.
Jinx sighed again, "Grobyc si llits eht Tsetaerg."
"Override accepted." The voice replied as the doors opened. Raven was still on the ground of the center of the room, her cloak covering her hunched over form. Jinx cautiously stepped into the room and walked until she stood a few feet in front of Raven.
Jinx smiled softly. "Brought ya some tea, thought it might-" She was cut off as an image of Raven created out of a static, shifting red light appeared before her, glaring with four red eyes and knocking the tray out of her hands to the other side of the room before vanishing into nothingness. Jinx blinked and stood there as another Raven appeared, this time with a grayish tint to her form, magically reforming the whole tray, tea and all, leaving it there.
"I'm sorry about that." The gray Raven said mournfully before fading out herself.
Jinx continued to give a blank stare, as the solid Raven still had not moved from her spot. Carefully, she went over, picked up the tea set and set it to the front of Raven. Jinx then went to a corner, grabbing a random pillow, and then plopped it down on the other side of the tea set. She looked at Raven intently, whose hood was of course up and obscuring her face to the best of it's abilities. After a few minutes of silence, Jinx spoke up.
"So...forgive my lack of tact here...but what the fuck just happened?" She asked with as casual of tone she could maintain.
Raven stayed silent for another minute, before speaking, her voice slightly hoarse, stating simply "I told you I've been having trouble with my powers."
"There's trouble with your powers, then there's your emoticlones appearing and disappearing from and into thin air." Jinx retorted.
Raven looked up, eyes barely visible under her hood, looking confused. "You know what they are?"
"Wally told me about them, said that apparently Vic and Gar ended up in your head through a mirror and ran into them. Then they busted out a while ago and ran a muck." Jinx explained.
"Wally told you?" Raven asked, tone momentarily serious. Jinx nodded. The red Raven appeared, next to Raven, both speaking at the same time, "I'm throwing him in a realm of Lovecraftian horror." before the red Raven disappeared.
"Look, Gar told him but I figured you two have had enough issues today." Jinx said almost offhandedly. Raven lowered her head as various colored Raven's blinked in and out around them.
"This is all my fault." The grey hued one said quickly.
"Fuck that, they meddled, they pushed, it's their fault! Their fault and his!" The red one yelled.
"Great job, bitch, look what you started." An orange colored one said, leaning and looking at Jinx with a mix of disdain and amusement before flickering out.
"It was better when it was just me laying here doing nothing. Doing nothing would be better right now." A brown shade said, appearing on her back staring at the ceiling before disappearing.
Jinx watched wide eyed, the emotions appearing and disappearing with the same speed Wally usually flips the channels at. All of them were chattering their perspectives around them as Raven, the real one, continued to sit there, saying nothing.
"Why is this even happening, I thought they couldn't get out?" Jinx asked with a slightly raised tone over the din of the emotions talking.
A yellow shade of Raven appeared, wearing glasses that it pushed up as it started speaking in a clipped tone, like a teacher trying to rush through a lesson, "When a severe imbalance of emotions occurs, this is a possibility due to the nature of my powers and the method of emotional control I learned via a traditional Azrathian technique. Combined with my tendency to revert to hiding any problems, and the underlying psychological factors mixed with my linea-"
"Enough." The solid Raven stated, and the yellow shade evaporated mid sentence.
Jinx thought it over as Raven's emotion shades seemed to just stop popping up. Raven very slowly reached forward, pouring herself a cup of tea and taking a small sip. They sat like that for a few more minutes, Jinx allowing Raven (and herself) to enjoy the momentary quiet.
Gotham:
Dick sat on the roof of a building on the outer edges of the city. It was close enough to still be considered a sky scrapper, but far away enough from the center of the city to allow him to view the sky line and mull over his current predicament in quiet for hours. Bruce had pushed him too far for a reason, he knew it. He just didn't know why and honestly didn't care for the moment. What ever he needed him to do, he could've just asked like a normal person. Dick scoffed at the idea. Not Bruce asking, just the idea of Bruce as a normal person in anyway shape or form. He felt a small woosh of wind behind him, and looked down at the shadow that had joined him on the roof.
"Bit far from home, Superman." Dick said flatly, without turning around.
"It's not that far from my perspective." Superman said plainly, floating lightly over before landing softly next to Dick, standing over him. "Penny for your thoughts?"
"Bruce send you?" Dick asked coldly.
"I heard that you ran out so I decided to-" Superman started, before Dick looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. Clark sighed, Bruce had trained Dick far too well. "Yes, he said you'd actually talk to me."
"Well, that's true." Dick muttered as he looked back at the sky line. "I just...am trying to piece it all together. What Bruce wants me to do, that is."
"From what I can tell based on what he's said to me about all this? It seems like he just wanted to make sure you were you're own man." Clark shrugged.
"There's better ways than making me absolutely livid and driving me away." Dick said bitterly.
"It's how he operates, you know that. Sometimes I wonder if he really, really knows how to interact with others beyond subtle mind games." Clark looked up thoughtfully, then over at Dick. "Though, you're the main reason I don't think he does."
Dick looked up at him, confused. "And why is that now?"
"I met Bruce before you and he started working together. He was always distant and incredibly cold towards me and the rest of the league. Sure, he and I built up our trust over the years, but he really didn't start working harder to connect until after he adopted you. Bruce had to change his perspective, had to learn how to connect not just to people, but a child. And you helped him do that, even if you didn't notice or realize." Clark explained, smiling warmly.
Dick looked back over the city, losing himself in thought. "Wonder what went wrong along the way..."
"He had the same problem every parent has; not fully grasping the person in front of them, just the kid they raised." Clark sighed.
"So he still sees me as the circus kid jumping off the chandelier?" Dick raised an eyebrow at Clark.
"Kara still sees me as the baby she was stuck watching while her father and uncle were at a party." Clark's eyebrows went up.
"Hrm." Dick stared back off. "I understand it. And I do want to do my own thing, but I don't...I don't want to cut him out, y'know? As much of an ass as he's been, the times when we've been on patrol again, or just hanging around the house or cave...I did miss those. And someone needs to keep an eye on him..."
"Because of Jason's death?" Clark asked directly to the point.
"I think it hit him harder than he's been letting on. Hell, the Joker bringing it up almost confirms it. The maniac always seems to know what's in Bruce's head, in his own twisted way." Dick said bitterly.
"We've been doing our best at the League, but I understand what you mean. All we can do is be there when he needs us, even if he doesn't think he needs us or anyone." Clark said, not quite as bitterly but there were hints in his normal pleasant tones.
Dick continued to stare out at the city. "I still am not sure who to be now...I can't really be "Robin" any more..."
Clark looked out with him, seeming to mull something over. "There's an old Kryptonian legend I learned from Kara a while ago; she was taught it by my father actually. Long ago on Krypton, in the city of Kandor, the city had been divided by the feuding, ancient clans. In a daring raid, one of the ruling families destroyed a lesser rivals of theirs, leaving just one survivor. In his desire for justice, he took up the name Nightwing, as he was now clanless and became a vigilante. After halting the greed of the clan that destroyed his family, he eventually was able to bring peace, reminding the noble houses that the people of Kandor and Krypton as a whole deserved better."
Dick listened, pondering over the name. "Nightwing, huh..." He had heard the name before, something Star had told him about a possible future self of his. It seemed more than coincidence that he was told the name as many times as he had. "A man forced from his family to work on his own...seems fitting enough."
Clark smiled "Figured you would like it."
Dick sat up and stretched. "Might as well finally go back and talk to Bruce, get it all over with. Thanks, Mr. Kent."
"You're welcome, but please, Dick you're in your twenties, you can call me Clark now." Superman said as he shook his hand.
"I could but that'd seem weird." Dick smiled before casually jumping off the side of the building, grappling towards where he hid his bike.
Superman just shook his head before tapping at his ear. "Hey, Bruce? He's on his way back. Thought I'd warn you." He flew up slightly, before darting off into the distance.
Jump City; The Safe Room:
"So how long has this been going on?" Jinx asked, breaking the near quarter hour of silence.
Raven sighed "About six months."
"I see a correlation from the amount of time that your beatings of everyone's favorite changeling have been getting worse." Jinx sipped her own cup of tea.
"Naw, really?" the Orange Raven flickered in and out.
Jinx ignored the comment, "So what have you been doing differently?"
Raven shifted in her spot uncomfortably. "Well, as my brain tried to explain, I've just been trying to hide...everything more."
"You mean there was a time you didn't?" Jinx quirked an eyebrow.
A pink hued Raven appeared floating on her back, like she was swimming "Man those days were awesome!" then seemed to pop out of sight as Raven glared up, what of her face Jinx could see was tinged red.
Jinx looked at Raven, trying to keep a plain face. "Love?"
"Happy." Raven muttered. "It was last summer and fall actually. We hung out more, and chatted more often. Admittedly, it was...nice."
"Understatement!" The pink Raven appeared over the real Raven's head again, smiling wide. Raven glared up again and her form popped out of existence again.
"What happened then?" Jinx asked, confused.
"It...I just...I couldn't take it." Raven put her cup down roughly and curled her legs to her chest, wrapping her arms around them as she did so. "He was getting too close and I..." Her head fell onto her knees.
"Chickened out." A green Raven appeared, looking up in an annoyed manner. "Wuss." She said roughly before fading out.
The Gray Raven appeared, curled up like the real Raven, but facing a corner. "Couldn't do it, too scared, too close,couldn't do it, too scared, too close..." She started almost chanting in the corner, continuing to do so as she faded away.
"So you snapped back like a rubber band..." Jinx said, watching everything curiously. "You couldn't handle going one way, so you went the other and went so hard that...well...this happened."
"I didn't want this to happen!" The Red Raven appeared, growling at Jinx before the real Raven's arm lifted and waved it away. Or at least tried. The Red Raven's four eyes narrowed, pointing an accusatory finger at Jinx, "You people pushed, shoved and tried to force things! That's not how this works!" The red image finally dissipated, Raven actually having to sit up a little and focus to make it happen.
"How's it supposed to work, Raven?" Jinx asked sternly. Even though she had been yelled at by an emotion shade, she knew that this was a thought of Raven's.
"I...I figure it's just...at my own pace...at my own time...when I'm stable and not broken." Raven stammered, weary.
"You...really don't know how a relationship works, do you?" Jinx tilted her head.
Raven frowned, before curling herself back up into a ball. "For me, they don't."
"Not with that attitude." Jinx said playfully, before taking a softer tone "Look, I get wanting to present a better front to your partner. Believe me, I get it. But sometimes you got to let someone in, even if you're not at your best. They may even help you get there in the end. But this back and forth thing? Gar may be stubborn, but I don't know if even he can take being close to something, then being violently tossed around like a rag doll. He's still shown he's willing to work at it though. So, maybe you could pitch in too, ya know?"
When Raven didn't respond for a few minutes, Jinx decided to leave her to her thoughts and head back up.
Jinx walked out of the elevator into the observation room, where Wally had joined Donna.
"So what's with the Ravens of the rainbow?" Wally asked calmly.
"Remember the emotion Ravens? Apparently they're having trouble staying in her head because she's not managing them well." Jinx said flatly, frowning. "What, I thought you heard the conversation?"
"Only you and her, when the other Raven's appeared, we couldn't make out a word." Donna said calmly.
Jinx looked confused for moment, thinking out loud "Must have to be in the room to hear them. They are magical constructs." She then looked at Wally, "How're things with the green bean?"
"He's talkin' to Barry now. Wanted to talk to him on his own. Figured I'd let him." Wally replied.
Jinx nodded then remembered; "So, why did I have to call Barry anyways?"
Donna looked at Wally, adding pressure, "What'd you do this time?"
Wally shifted in his spot. "I...uh...okay, so you know how Uncle Barry and I hang out every other weekend?" The two girls nodded. "Well, every now and then we race. Nothing serious, but just to pass the time. I uh, beat Barry last time."
The two women stared. Donna said what they both were thinking "You beat the Flash in a race?"
Wally scratched the back of his head, looking down, "Yeah...it was a little awkward. I'm not even sure how hard he was trying to be honest."
Jinx raised an eyebrow, grinning widely, "And how hard were you trying?"
"I think I almost tore the tendon in my heel." Wally frowned.
They left the observation room to wander back out into the common area, Wally going to check on Gar and Barry.
Raven continued to sit in the center of the room, her emotions being quiet for now, save one. A violet hued Raven had appeared behind her, sitting down, back leaning on a wall.
"I just want this to work again." The shade said softly, looking at the ceiling with a sad expression.
Jump City, On the Rocks:
"...and that's how this entire thing's my fault." Gar finished explaining to Barry.
Barry had listened intently, going over Gar's side of things. He wasn't surprised but still, it was an interesting story.
"...Please don't tell Wally." Gar added quickly.
"I wouldn't worry about that." Barry said calmly, smiling.
"Don't tell me what?" Wally said, almost popping up at the mention of his name.
"Don't worry about it." Barry replied quickly, keeping his grin. Wally's shoulders slumped at this, while Barry turned his attention back to Gar. "I'm going to give you the quick assessment; Not everything has to be your fault, Gar. Sometimes she can make mistakes too. From the sounds of it, both of you did, one way or the other."
Gar stared out over the water, sighing. "I was afraid of that."
Barry chuckled "Don't be." Gar looked up at him, confused. "Mistakes are what make us, especially us, human. Keep that in mind, Gar."
Gar smiled softly for the first time since the fight, "Thanks, Barry,"
"Never a problem. And don't forget to call your parents, they might have something to add in." Barry smiled.
"No, I expect Steve would tell me to man up and I really...really don't want to talk to Rita about this." Gar waved his hands quickly as he answered.
"If you say so." Barry looked at Wally, "I've gotta head out, J'onn's telling me Captain Boomerang's robbing a bank. Again. Wanna lend a hand?"
"Naw, I think I have a bit to help handle here, thanks though. Send Digger my regards." Wally said cheerfully, shaking Barry's hand.
"Will do." Barry nodded to Gar before disappearing in a blur, running across the bay in less than a second.
"You're uncle's a cool guy." Gar said after a minute.
"Eh, I've met better." Wally smirked. "Let's get inside and I can make up for you getting that knife outta me."
"Yeah, this is gonna be a blast." Gar hissed as he stood up, his pain in his back reminding him that there was still glass there. "Ah, man this is gonna suck. "
"Yup." Wally agreed as they turned to go back towards the tower.
Later, as evening had hit, everyone save Raven had gathered in the common area. Gar was wandering aimlessly in a fantasy game, Wally was trying his best to backseat game, Jinx was reading and Donna was apparently trying to snooze on one of the chairs in the corner, tablet covering her eyes as she had been reading notes before hand.
Everyone jumped a little as the door from the halls opened and Raven walked in. Donna fumbled with the tablet, trying to go back to reading. Gar and Wally looked at her, blinked, then rapidly became reabsorbed into attempting to locate where the hell Gar had gotten himself lost this time. Raven did her best not to focus on Gar's t-shirt he had switched into or the blotched bandages underneath. Jinx, whose spot was closest to the door, looked up at Raven, smiling tentatively.
"Feeling better?"
Raven nodded "That and I'm really damn hungry." She walked over to the counter, a muffin that was left as part of a snack bowl floating along with her as she passed by. Raven opened the door to the microwave, and put the muffin inside, and tried to get it to start. She sighed, having confirmed that she had busted the machine earlier, and simply took the muffin out, taking a bite before walking over to the couch area and sitting on the other side of Gar.
Gar nervously looked over at Raven. She looked back at him with equal nervousness.
"Hey-" Gar started before the main elevator door opened with a ding. Everyone in the room went to look, though two were a bit more annoyed than the others.
"What's up, Titans?!" Rose Wilson, the Ravager stepped out of the elevator, grin on her face.
A/N '22: Wow this chapter had some shifts. Not big ones, like I said in the beginning I don't want to completely change the plot structure. Just, little things here and there. The big one that lead to the most changes was the fight; I told myself "I can make that more viscous." And I did. And it fucked it up down the line. Ah well. Hopefully I keep this ball rolling and get Ch. 11 out asap. Y'know. After 9 years. hrm. -Tearlach