Not such a bad dad after all

It was time for the prophecy to be fulfilled.

Raven spoke the mantra that worked its way into her head, ignoring the cries of her teammates, her friends, as they begged her not to go through with her destiny.

There was no way she could hope to explain why she was doing this, the way that her body and mind were no longer solely hers, the power of Trigon, her father, guiding her actions.

And the only reason it was merely guiding rather than controlling?

She was no longer trying to resist.

The markings that had appeared across her skin as the time of the prophecy approached moved, leaving her body to form a cocoon of light, which didn't stay around her as she'd expected but rather flowed to a point in the air before her, growing in size.

As the cocoon grew she could feel it draining her strength, to the point the coin Beastboy had found and given to her for good luck fell from her hand.

I'm sorry, she thought, trying to will her friends to hear.

The drain reached the point that the barrier she had placed to prevent the other Titans interfering, and hopefully even protect them, fell, and then it was over.

The cocoon opened, and he stepped through.

The demon Trigon.

Moving even before the others could respond to the lowering of the barrier, he -

Drew her into a hug.

"My daughter, we meet at last," he stated, even as everyone else was frozen by the sheer unexpected nature of his action. "And to have made such loyal friends, I am very proud."

"Wait, what happened to the whole 'end of all things mortal' thing?"

Beastboy was the first to recover, although the way his words made the demon hugging his teammate flinch, it might have been better if he hadn't.

"I am sure your peoples have had naming fads they regret," was Trigons response. "That and I didn't realise just what sort of person was recording the damn prophecy. There's a reason so few mortals tend to use contract magic," he muttered.

The almost casual conversation was enough to remind Robin to act.

"Let go of her," he tried to command, slipping into a combat-ready stance.

"Do you mind, it's the first time I've even seen my daughter. Of course I'm going to give her a hug."

"We won't permit you to harm the people of this world," was Starfires contribution.

"Why would I want to destroy the world?" It seemed Trigon was genuinely confused. "I mean, I've only just escaped that blasted prison, why would I want to recreate it here?"

That was a point that clearly nobody had considered.

"Do you expect us to believe you, after everything Slade did on your orders?"

"Thank you for reminding me. Slade!" With his shout the masked man appeared in the chamber via a burst of fire. "Pursuant to the penalty clauses of our contract, you are due to serve as my daughters bodyguard for the next three months."

"Penalty clauses?" It was clear the assassin had no idea what the demon was speaking of.

"Unless you'd rather take the early release option. The contract," He released Raven with one hand to pull a sheave of papers from... somewhere... and handed them to Slade to look through.

Slades only visible eye widened. "This must be some kind of joke. You can't seriously expect-"

"Oh, but I can. From the moment our signatures were placed upon the contract it became binding. So, will you serve as my daughters bodyguard or would you rather-"

"I'll protect her," he snarled, throwing the contract back at his employer.

"Excellent. Now remember, the counts of trauma continue as long as the terms of the contract apply, and the early release clause gets applied if you build up to twelve months remaining. So unless you want to-"

"I've got it, don't you worry. Any threats to your precious daughters," and it was impressive quite how much he made it sound like some obscure variety of insult, "life will be rendered into-"

"I think that makes it four months."

After her father had removed one of his arms Raven had started to 'reboot', so to speak, unfortunately just in time to be traumatised by the idea of what Slade, one of the teams most dangerous enemies, was going to do to anyone he considered a 'threat' to her.

At the very least it inspired her to break away from her fathers other arm, fleeing to rejoin her team.

Trigon raised an eyebrow. "Was it something I said?"

"No, I won't be tricked," she stated. "You destroyed Azarath!"

"I think you'll find I was imprisoned when that happened. And what did you expect? A city of magic users that kicked out a child," and here a growing anger could be heard in his voice, "alone, into an unfamiliar plane of existence because some moron wrote a prophecy so it sounded like that childs presence would mean the end of the world she was on in a few years time, all to protect their 'precious little existence' at the cost of how many times as many people? Of course they'll resist the temptation to go on witch hunts that wipe out their entire population," the finish was highly sarcastic before a final snorted "idiots."

Raven hesitated. It wasn't an entirely incorrect view of certain people she'd known in the city...

"In any case, mind if I crash at your place? I didn't exactly have any way to organise a place to live beforehand."

And so it was that the Titans ended up with the last roommate they would have ever expected.

[T]

The entity known as Mother Mae-Eye stirred, as the last pie it had been sealed within was cut into.

It had been too long since the last time it had been able to find victims, and as the inhabitants of the... tower? Yes, a tower... as they slumbered, Mother Mae-Eye took on its customary form.

And came face to face with a very much still awake individual.

A quick consideration of what was outside its senses, and Mother Mae-Eye identified them.

A demon.

"A greater demon, thank you," they responded.

The entity hesitated. "You clearly have your own goals here," it started, "would you agree to an... alliance, I help you, you help me?" The entity's voice was much more pleading or hopeful than ever before.

"I don't think you'll want to continue, considering your usual modus operandi. You get all your victims to call you 'mother', correct?"

The entity nodded slowly, wondering where the demon, sorry, greater demon, was going with this.

"Considering my daughter lives here," and the entity froze, "for you to want her to call you mother would suggest-"

Whatever the greater demon was about to say was lost as Mae-Eye fled as fast as possible.

It had heard about marriages with demons.

[T]

Trigon laughed at the sight of the entity fleeing.

"To think dad always said you needed to make threats to scare things. So, what to do about this 'Cyborg' for bringing it in in the first place..."

[T]

"Now Raven, we have to talk about how you use your magic."

Raven frowned at the demon she was only just beginning to consider her father.

"I can use magic just fine."

"You use human magic fine, but what of your demon side?"

"I swore long ago that I would never use that!"

Trigon approximated raising an eyebrow. "Oh, and is there a reason not to use your demon side? Are all demons irredeemably evil?"

She frowned harder. "Maybe not, but you can't deny that the majority of demons seek only to destroy."

"Technically, that is right," Trigon hedged, "but only because most demons are, in fact, inbred."

"Demons are inbred?"

"Yes. In general, we, the non-inbred demons, have always tried to get rid of them, often by hiring them out across dimensions to those seeking mindless minions. Well, until that incident when one messed up the battlecries and called for 'blood for the skull throne' and drove the commander into a murderous rage against his own followers. I don't think they remembered what actually set him off..."

Raven could only stare, uncomprehendingly, at her father.

"What..?"

Trigon coughed into his fist. "Anyway, you can't just ignore your demon side, magic seeks to be used and demonic magic more so. By ignoring your demon magic you allow it to do whatever it feels you want. Have you ever experienced something like that?"

Raven thought back to the night after her introduction to horror films and her powers bringing it to life, her distant memories of why she was taught to suppress her emotions at all times, and shook her head. "Never," she lied.

"Uhuh," Trigon nodded slowly and in a clearly sarcastic manner. "Is that why you do your best not to acknowledge your emotions? Have you ever questioned what life is without emotions? For that is not truly life at all. With my instruction you will be free to feel whatever emotions you desire."

Something about Trigons argument felt... off... to Raven. This was the one thing he kept coming back to, arguing for the lessons much harder than anything else, and always coming up with a different starting point to argue.

"Why do you really want me to learn this?"

"So you can stop acting so emotionless," was the immediate reply.

"And why are you so keen on me no longer suppressing emotions?"

"I can't want the best life possible for my daughter?" He paused in a hopeful manner until Ravens glare proved too strong. "Fine, I'll give the other reason. Without emotions, you are far less likely to produce grandchildren for me."

Raven was unable to keep her hand from her face. "That is why you keep arguing for me to learn? You do realise I'm too young?"

"And you do realise that it will take years for you to master what I will be teaching you?"

They stood, facing each other, for about a minute before Raven gave in.

"Fine, I'll let you teach me to use my demon side. I'd better not regret this."

[T]

The titans returned from a mission in which they were heavily outclassed, a mission of the type they would usually have retreated from and prepare better to fight, but this time Raven, with her new ability to use her demonic heritage to at least some degree, had chosen to continue the apparently hopeless fight, instead of using her magic to bring them safely back to the tower.

And while they had indeed won, Trigon was hardly pleased with his daughters recklessness.

He stood, arms crossed, before them as they returned.

"Daughter," he began, "I am most disappointed with your irresponsibility. You others," he motioned towards her teammates, "leave us. I wish to have a talk with my daughter."

"If you think-" one started, but Trigon interrupted.

"You are all badly injured, you need medical aid, besides I'm hardly going to harm my daughter," he dismissed.

"Go on," Raven encouraged. "You need to get yourselves fixed up."

The team reluctantly left.

"And what is this 'talk' about," Raven demanded. "That I shouldn't have used my power? We won, didn't we?"

Trigon shook his head. "No, while you acted irresponsibly in the battle, it is a different talk I we will be having..."

[T]

The titans were fixed up, in the towers living room, still waiting for Raven to finish the talk with her father.

When Raven finally entered, she was walking almost robotically, staring straight ahead, in an unseeing manner.

The first to realise the state she was in was Beastboy, who was immediately on his feet and running towards her.

"Are you alright? What did he do to you? I knew we couldn't trust him!"

Ravens response was much quieter.

"He gave me the talk," she whispered.

Everyone froze.

"What?"

She turned to Cyborg. "Whatever you do, don't turn off safe search on any computer I use," she told him, before turning to Robin, "and please don't send me to Japan. Ever."

"Um, why?" Beastboy was the most confused by far.

"It was bad enough what he told me, I don't want to know what he meant by 'humans being more creative than demons'."

It was then that Trigon walked in.

"You know," he mentioned, "there was a succubus/incubus couple who wanted to give you the talk when they heard about you. I think they mentioned 'practical examples' as well..."

Raven froze for a moment, as though her brain needed to reboot. When she unfroze again she all but dove into a bag she had for easy access to her spellbooks. "Where was that amnesia spell..."

"If you want the talk from them so badly, I could always call them in without you needing to erase your memories..."

Raven twitched, turned to face him, and finally fainted.

Robin rushed over to check on her, before looking up at Trigon. "Why?"

Trigon shrugged. "She needed to have the talk at some point, and this way she will learn there are consequences to acting irresponsibly, without any lasting damage."

Robin looked between his unconscious teammate and her proud father. "Without lasting damage?"

Trigon shrugged. "I'll sort out the psychological trauma later. Now, how to tell those two they won't be needed for the talk..."


AN: Trigon may appear OOC, but then the entire concept of him not being completely evil is the concept of the story and what makes him OOC, so I feel it is defensible.

Please feel free to write your own, full story version of this. Just make sure to tell me the name of the story so I can find it.