Chapter 44
GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY! THIS THE LOVELY JEM FUKUYAMA COMING TO YOU A-LIVE FROM THE SOON TO BE CHAPTER 44 OF WHAT IF? How are ya'll doin tonight? well, was I worth the wait? Oh who am I kidding? Of course I was! Ohohoho!...Ahem yeah for anyone who catches that reference from Steven Universe, cootoes. For those that don't catch the reference...what Steven Universe. It's pretty awesome. Anyway I won't keep you. To recap Raven's at Haven House now! ONWARD TO THE BATTLE FIELD!
Once Raven had changed clothes, she and Cherie walked back to downstairs to find Sue-sue. Though, Cherie wasn't too thrilled with the idea, and Raven felt a bit uncomfortable wearing the pale pink strawberry sweatshirt(the neck of which covered her inhibitor collar) and yellow skinny jeans. As she walked downs stairs she saw more people, thought strange considering she hadn't noticed them when she came in. she wondered briefly, what they were at Haven House for, but immediately put it out of her mind since it was—in all honesty—not her business. Silently Raven made her way into what she assumed was the living area of the large house. It was all a buzz with people chit-chatting. However she ignored them and searched for Sue-sue.
"Oh. My. God." A Voice behind her said, Raven fought the urge to turn around. She hoped they weren't talking to her, "What are you wearing?"
Raven sighed. No such luck. She then looked over her shoulder to see a black haired girl, she was about the same age as Raven—though, since Raven spent a decent chunk of her time in a parallel world it was pretty hard to tell. The girl wore what looked like designer clothes from one of those expensive outfitters one would find in the mall. Her hair was short, with her bang were cut in a v-shape, her eyes were a golden brown and her face was contorted in a look of disgust as she glared directly at Raven. She cut her eyes and turned to face this girl.
'Mind your temper Raven Dearest.' Cherie mewled from Raven's shoulders. Raven nodded inwardly as the girl walked toward her. The girl bared a striking attitude resemblance to Nancy Kesha, and Raven wondered briefly if they were related. 'I would highly doubt that Dearest.'
"Uh hello, I know you heard me." The girl said as she walked toward her. Raven stood her ground.
"Yeah, I heard you." She grumbled. "Doesn't mean I have to answer."
"Oh God, you look so tacky. Clearly they've roomed you with that Hec girl." The girl spat as she donned a snarling smile, "What's your name girly?"
Raven cocked an eyebrow. She found it very odd that the girl didn't know who she was, after all she was sure that her face and name had been all over the news. Someone who caused as much destruction as she did never went unnoticed.
"Raven." She mumbled.
"Hm. Well, Raven, I'm Brit," The girl said rolling the R in her name, which made Raven roll her eyes as Brit walked up to her.
"Uh, good for you?" was all she responded with, she didn't really care who this girl was, or what her hang up was for being at Haven House.
"So are you?" Brit asked, Raven cocked an eyebrow.
"Am I what?"
"Bunked with that….sweet little Hec girl?" She elaborated, using the word 'sweet' as an obvious substitute for something else. Raven crossed her arms and shifted her weight to her left foot.
"Yeah, so what if I am?" She asked back. Brit gave a repulsed look, as if Cherie had just hacked on her no doubt expensive shoes. She then placed a black gloved hand on Raven's shoulder, and her face quickly turned to one of false sympathy. One Raven was all too familiar with. Raven looked at Brit's hand on her shoulder then up the length of her arm to Brit herself. Her eyes narrowed.
"I feel bad for you Raven deary," She said with false concern, "That girl has serious problems."
"Don't we all?" Raven asked, after all they clearly all had some issue otherwise why would they be in a halfway home? Brit, pursed her lips for a moment then spoke.
"Well….yes, however, Sue-sue Heck's possibly the worst of the worst here at Haven House." she said, then removed her hand from Raven's shoulder and held it to the side of her mouth, as if to block off anyone who might be listening. She then leaned in close to Raven, a smile graced her lips, as she said slowly, "In fact, I heard that her family, turned. Her. out."
Raven's eyes widened at this. Obviously she didn't believe Brit, Sue-sue just didn't seem the type, however it still shocked her that someone would say something like that. Then as if feeling the same way, Cherie growled from Raven's shoulders and swiped at Brit's face. Frightened, Brit stumbled backwards to avoid the white and black cat's claws. She glared at him.
"Since when did Haven House allow mongrels like that in here?!" She screamed. Raven scowled.
"I'm a special case." She said while trying to cover up her inhibitor callor with the neck of the sweater she borrowed from Sue-sue. "Anyway nice, meeting you Brit, was it? but I gotta go find Sue-sue."
With that Raven turned and walked away from the obviously toxic girl, petting Cherie on the head in an attempt to calm her familiar.
"What was that about minding tempers?" She asked, Cherie huffed.
'That is more for you than myself.' He mewed, 'however, despite how odd she is, she seems genuine and I do not like how that Brit human acts.'
"I knew you were a softie." Raven said walking toward what looked like an exit. Cherie's ears folded back in annoyance, "Either way I don't really care, she's just another Nancy."
"Raven." a familiar disembodied voice called behind her. Raven turned to see the ever goofy looking Sue-sue. She looked to Cherie and frowned, "Were you talking to your cat?"
"Uh…well…that is…" Raven mumbled, she didn't want anyone to know that she was technically meta. Not now anyway. She was still surprised none of the residents she'd met so far had recognized her. she'd been in the news for weeks, surely someone knew who she was. Though despite that she was more than happy to just be another face at Haven house.
"It's cool, I used to talk to my stuffed animals when I first got here." Sue-sue said, as if understanding what Raven was going through, even though she clearly had no idea. Raven gave an embarrassed smile.
"Y-yeah, it's…it's a little embarrassing." She mumbled, "uhm please don't tell anyone."
"Not a problem, mum's the word." Sue-sue promised as she zipped her lips, and pretended to throw away the key. Raven wasn't entirely sure how to respond to that last bit. "Anyway, ready to meet the others?"
"Actually to be honest, after meeting that last girl—"
"What last girl?" Sue-sue interrupted a look of panic washed over her face, that Raven couldn't help but notice.
"I think she called herself Brit? Tall, wears a lot of expensive clothes, buck toothed?" She answered. "Anyway if that's the kind of people that are living here, I think I'll pass."
"Did she say something to you?" Sue-sue asked, Raven shook her head.
"Nothing of Substance." She said, "Anyway who cares, she's just your run of the mill wannabe Barbie."
Sue-sue smiled, the look of fear leaving as she started laughing. "No one would dare say that to her face."
"I've dealt with worse."
"Really?"
"You'd be amazed, I went to Gotham High, there was this girl there don't know why but she had it out for me." Raven explained as she and Sue-sue left the room. Sue-sue nodded.
"I know how that feels." She said somberly. There was an obvious story there, but Raven chose to ignore it, it was none of her business anyway.
~0~
As the day went on, Sue-sue had not only given Raven a re-tour, but also introduced her to about half of the people living there. As they walked around Haven House, the duo came across the head woman herself Giselle.
"I see you two are getting along pretty well." She said smiling toward the duo. Raven kept silent, crossing her arms over her chest and fidgeting with a lock of her deep blue hair. Sue-sue on the other hand smiled happily and nodded.
"Like apples and oranges!" She exclaimed, Raven cocked an eyebrow toward her.
'Correct me if I am wrong Raven Dearest, but is that not a human saying when comparing two completely different things?' Cherie asked, his left ear twitching. Raven shrugged, he wasn't wrong, but something deep down told her that Sue-sue meant it exactly as she had said it; Opposites, but the same. Just like apples and Oranges were different in many ways, but the same in a few.
Giselle smiled, "I knew it was a good idea to room Raven with you." She then looked to Raven, "It's always good to have at least one person you have things in common with. Right?"
"uh…right." Raven answered, though she wasn't sure what she had meant by that. Sue-sue beamed.
"Yeah! I was just introducing Raven to the other occupants at haven House." She said. "Next I'm gonna show her the places we all typically hang out."
Raven looked to Sue-sue and tried not to let her look of concern show. She had no idea how far the inhibitor collar would let her go from Haven House, and the last thing she wanted was for A) The Justice League to think she was up to no good(especially the day she was released) or B) for anyone to realize she was technically meta. Not only would it set her plans to recovery back, but it'd also mean everyone avoiding her and thinking she was just another criminal—which to be fair she was, but not anymore—not to mention it would mean losing the ability to talk to Cherie. People avoiding her was one thing, losing the ability to talk to the only true friend she had was another.
"Well, I'll leave you guys to that then." Giselle said, then left the room.
"So, ready to hit the pavement?" Sue-sue asked. Raven snapped out of her train of thought and shook her head.
"A-actually…sue-sue…I've had a really long day." She said finally. Sue-sue looked to Raven, "I'm really tired, so I think I'm going to hit the hay early today."
"Oh no, did I overwhelm you?" Sue-sue asked, her face filled with genuine concern. It actually surprised Raven.
"No, nothing like that. I just had a long trip from…where I was previously." She said, "and everything is just so new to me right now….and…well…ok maybe meeting everyone in one day was…a little overwhelming."
"I'm sorry Raven, I didn't mean to tire you out. Let's get you back to our room then." Sue-sue said, putting her arm around Raven's shoulder and guiding her toward the staircase.
"If it's ok, I think I might need some time alone." Raven said. Sue-sue almost looked hurt when she'd said that, but the sad face soon left and was replaced with a warm smile.
"Sure thing, I understand, being uprooted like that can be tiring, and everyone needs to cope in their own way." She said, "You needing alone time is totally understandable."
"Thanks," Raven said taking a step backwards, "I really do appreciate everything you did today, meeting everyone, the second tour, the clothes."
"It's no problem. You go get some rest," Sue-sue said making a shoeing motion with her hands, "I'll go up and bring you dinner later if you want."
"Sounds…awesome." Raven said, then turned her back to the sun-shining girl and left to find her room again.
"She seems to show genuine concern for you, Raven dearest." Cherie mewed. Raven shook her head.
"It's almost a little creepy." She mumbled, "I can't shake the feeling something's…up with her."
"Perhaps a similar fate as you?" The white and black cat quizzed, Raven frowned, "Sans the magical state of affairs, of course."
Raven sighed and rubbed her forearms. She didn't know what to think. The last female to show that much concern turned out to be a liar, what if this was just Zatanna in disguise again? She groaned inwardly, how was she supposed to trust people again after what that woman did to her? She couldn't sense any kind of magic, but the inhibitor collar blocked so much of her abilities. Aside from that, sensing people's intentions wasn't exactly her strong point to begin with. Hence, the reason she landed herself at Haven House. A loud yowling in her head silenced Raven's thoughts.
"You must not allow what one person—"
"Three. People, Cherie; Uriah, Zatanna, and…" she hesitated on Klarion's name. She wasn't sure what hurt more. Her best friend lying to her, or the boy she thought loved her. Cherie purred soothingly, trying to once again calm Raven's mind.
"You must not allow the betrayals of a few, cloud your judgment of future relationships, Raven lovely." He said nudging Raven's face with his own. "Aside from that, she does not smell of the magical woman Zatanna. She also sounds genuine when she shows her concerns for you."
Raven placed a hand on Cherie as she made her way upstairs and into her shared bedroom. Cherie was right; she couldn't let what those three did hold any affect on her now. She was going to get better, tomorrow was a new day. Tomorrow she'd start getting her life back on track, she would do her daily therapy with Leland, eventually find a new place to live, and move on with her life. Hell, Raven enjoyed magic and books so much maybe she'd open her own shop one day. One that could help other girls discover their own talents for the mystique arts.
"I highly doubt any sane human being would allow you to set up shop in Gotham, my love." Cherie said with a slight laugh. Raven shrugged.
"Well, whatever." Raven said, having finally made it to her room. Shutting the door behind her, she made her way towards the bed and flopped down, "In the meantime, let's get to bed. Today was exhausting….and tomorrow, is another day."
"Agreed. Raven dearest." Cherie mewed as her curled up on the foot of her bed, and the duo went to sleep.
~0~
Raven awoke to the feeling of someone wrapping their arms around her waist. She groaned and rolled over to see a familiar face. Klarion.
Hey everybody! Been a while, I'm still getting in the hang of things with my laptop. So it's good to have my impulse back…..that's what I named my laptop. It's also pretty good to be able to get my creative juices flowing again. See you in the next chapter! See you later armadillos…unless I see you first. HAHAHA!