[10 pm]
[Café]
Jason and Raven were sitting there, enjoying the readings that Raven enjoyed. With the lack of villainy going on, it was a good opportunity for the two to be together outside of the tower. Raven was only dressed in casual clothes, as per usual, while Jason had changed his human form again, not willing to be seen in the public eye in his hybrid form while he was still worried about the infiltrators reporting back to the Circle too early.
As the event came closer to ending, Jason was surprised to feel something nudging his leg. He shot a look over at Raven, but she seemed more interested in the readings than anything else at the moment. However, when it happened again, he decided to call her out on it.
[Getting bored?] he asked, smirking a bit.
[Not really... just figured I'd try something new] she responded, and he could see the tiniest tinge of pink on her cheeks. [I'm still not used to dating, so I'm sorry if I make things awkward.]
[And you think I'm any better? My people mate based on strength alone, normally. I'm just as lost as you are] Jason assured. [I'm happy that you're willing to put up with me.]
The empath gave a tiny smile, and a short round of applause as the final poem was finished. The two got up, heading for the exit. "Should we go for a walk?" Jason asked. "I don't want to head back home yet."
"I think we could", Raven agreed. "It's not too hot tonight; it's worth going to a park and enjoying the night."
As the pair made their way, though, they were unaware as another teen eyed them from behind. He pulled his hand to his mouth, activating a bracelet very similar to the one Edward gave Terra. "Target's heading for the nearby park, Mistress. Awaiting your orders."
"Wait", came the reply. "Let me give them a chance to see how easily the Darkness overtakes the Light. Even with that empath's powers, they are no match for us. And I'd rather show that blasted hybrid how helpless he is against us."
As Jason and Raven finally arrived at the park, seeing as it was deserted, suddenly the empath stopped, looking around. "We're not alone", she told Jason, giving a glare. "I think we have company."
The dragon looked around, his eyes scanning their surroundings. There were plenty of trees and bushes; someone could be hiding. But then he used his mental prowess to scan for thoughts, and felt something rather familiar. That was when the Dark Dragoness they had seen before stepped forward, a smug smile on her face. "You again... what are you doing here?"
"My question is what you're doing here, mosquito", she replied. "I thought members of the Light Clan hated the darkness... and yet here you are, at the darkest time of the day... with one of our own, no less", she said as she motioned to Raven. "You are awfully surprising for a bigoted member of Lair, aren't you?"
Jason snarled, getting in front of Raven. "You stay away from her... I won't let you place a claw on her hair!"
That was when the dragoness gave a laugh. "Oh, poor mosquito... who said I was here for her? Better yet... who said I was here for your brother?"
"Um... Jason?" came Raven's monotone, as she tugged at his arm. He turned to look behind them, and he saw that the dragoness wasn't alone. More members of the Dark clan were surrounding them as they spoke. And he could see that, like him, they had opted for a hybrid form, standing on two legs with their claws gleaming in the moonlight. He felt the implications of the dragoness' words, and knew immediately what to do.
[Raven... get out of here and contact Edward now] he said, trying to sound as calm as possible, despite his rapidly beating heart. [If you stay... they won't hold back against you. They might kill you.]
[What about you?] she replied, not liking the idea. [Aren't you hated enemies?]
[For whatever reason, they want me alive] Jason responded. [I can hold them back until my brother gets here, but I will not risk you getting caught in the crossfire. And if you try to contact him now, they might do what they can to silence you.]
The empath wanted to argue more, but she could feel his fear. If this would give him some peace of mind, then she should at least get out of the way. She knew she couldn't do much against this many enemies, and they were all just as powerful as Jason was. Without another word, she took to the sky, flying off. A couple of the Dark Clan moved to fly after her, but a bark from their leader stopped them.
"Only one, boys", she growled. "We don't need her getting to her friends too quickly." She nodded to a burly one, who took to the air as well.
Solor glared, breathing in to shoot that dragon down, but he was struck from the side, eliciting a snarl. In response, he shifted to his hybrid form, ready to fight. He should have known that they wouldn't let her get away so easily! That was a stupid decision on his part!
But... at least she'd be safer against one than against what seemed to be a dozen of them. He growled as he activated his Blessing, his scales glowing white as he got ready to fight. "If you think I'm going to go down easily, then you are sorely mistaken, Traitors!"
The dragoness gave a grin, gripping a metallic collar in her hand. "That is what I'm hoping, mosquito."
With Raven, she could feel the Dark Dragon's thoughts as it chased after her. She knew right away she was going to have a hell of a time getting away, and decided to at least try to lose him while she flew. Meanwhile, she reached out with her mental powers.
[Edward, if you can hear me, I could really use your help! And Mally too, if she's with you!] she called out. She let out a gasp as she avoided a fireball in the air.
{What's wrong?] he responded.
[Darkness! And lots of it!] she said. [Jason and I got surrounded by them at the park near our cafe! He told me to run and get you, but I'm getting tailed by one of them, and he's not taking no for an answer!]
[We'll see about that!] Edward replied.
Back at the Tower, Edward said, "We gotta run, Mally. Raven's in distress. Darkness is making a move!"
They went to the roof and he formed his mini-dragon form and Mally got on. Robin raced after them, only to see Edward taking to the air and teleporting.
"Crap!" he swore, "What's got them in a hurry?" He went to gather the team, just in case.
Edward emerged from the teleport and roared angrily, sounding a challenge. He spotted Raven flying for her life as the Dark Dragon launched another fireball that missed the tiring demoness.
Edward said, "That was his last mistake!" His spine ridges flashed white, followed by the rest of him as his Blessing came into play.
A beam of pure light spewed out of Edward's maw and struck the Dark Dragon, getting a roar out of it before Edward teleported again and struck the Dark Dragon as hard as he could, sending the Dark Dragon falling to the ground.
The Dark Dragon wasn't stunned for long as Edward landed and Mally got off.
"Watch as I teach the Darkness, again, not to mess with me," Edward said.
"The Darkness shall extinguish the Light!" the Dark Dragon said as he charged Edward, who was morphing. Edward swung around, using his clubbed tail and striking the Dark Dragon hard enough to send it tumbling on the ground. The Dark Dragon jumped up and tried using his flame breath, only to discover Edward was countering it with his ice breath, before unleashing a barrage of green Starbolts, forcing the Dark Dragon to the air once more, Edward followed as his Dark Blessing activated.
Raven saw that and stayed out of the way, remembering the last time she tangled with that aspect of Edward's Dark Powers. Edward shot off a wave of Darkness followed by his own Dark tendrils of power that ensnared the Dark Dragon. Edward had discovered several weeks ago that he had some of Raven's soul-self abilities, so, she offered to teach him how to use those. Well, the Dark Dragon wasn't expecting that, nor for his rather hard impact into the ground that left him wondering if anyone got the number of the train that hit him.
"Now, Mally!" Raven called out.
Mally used her life powers to entrap the Dark Dragon in vines as well as tying the dragon to a tree.
[BROTHER!] Edward called out, but, there was no response from the link.
Raven, having had her attacker intercepted turned around, her eyes glowing white with anger and concern.
"I cannot sense him," she said.
"OK, we'll go to where you saw him last," Edward said.
By then, the rest of the team had managed to catch up and Edward said, "Terra, make sure this guy doesn't try to escape, but, be careful. He's from the Dark Clan."
"What's going on?" Robin asked.
"Solor's possibly been kidnapped," Edward said, "My mission, Robin. Sorry."
"It's OK," Robin said, "What do you want us to do?"
"Search the park for anything out of the ordinary," Edward said, "Trust me, you'll know it when you see it."
However, when they got there, there wasn't much of the park left. The fight had been short, but in that time, a lot of damage had been done. There were scorch marks, claw marks, and a few splashes of blood on the ground. There were no living traces of the dragons, though; whatever had happened meant that the Dark Clan had won, and Jason was gone.
The words that came out of Edward's mouth were not fit for innocent ears, even though he was using different languages.
"HONORLESS DOGS!" he roared, "I SHALL HUNT YOU DOWN AND DESTROY YOU!" He was beyond livid as he stormed beck to where Mally and Terra had secured the Dark Dragon. Who by then had woken up and was struggling to free himself.
Edward claws were shining brightly as he approached the Dark Dragon and he snarled, "Where did they take my brother?" He put his glowing talons around the enemy's neck and said, "You have one set of options...talk and I will not kill you. Refuse, and I swear in the name of the Light that I will kill you, slowly and with extreme agony."
The dragon, however, only laughed. "You think I'm scared of you?! Whatever you can even think to do to me, Vilea would do a hundred times worse! I will never betray my clan!"
Raven, however, took that moment to step in the way, pushing Edward aside with her powers. Her eyes were glowing blood red as tendrils of power writhing around her. "WHERE. IS. MY. BOYFRIEND."
The dragon only glared back at her. "Your father may bring fear to my kind... but you do not scare me, spawn. Just kill me how you see fit; I will say NOTHING."
Edward realized, again, how dangerous Raven could be and suggested, "Raven, rip the information out of his mind if you have to. He would rather tell you then feel his every nerve ending on fire from having the information torn from his rapidly shredding mind."
Robin could only stare in shock as Raven said, "You heard him, monster. You can either tell us...or I. WILL. SHRED. YOUR. MIND! It would leave you in a living, permanent Hell far worse then what this Vilea could do to you...and I will ship you to someplace you will never escape from regardless!"
Edward decided that some encouragement was needed and a beam of white light erupted from his body that hit the Dark Dragon in the face. The Dark Dragon hollered in pain.
"Uhh," Robin said, "The police are en route and the media is probably coming as well."
That got Edward to lift the Dark Dragon's "prison" out of the ground and he opened a Tear to the island where they first sparred.
Everyone stepped through and Edward said to the team, "If you do not wish to witness what is about to happen, say so and I will open a new Tear to the Tower."
Oddly enough, no one opted to leave.
Edward turned towards the Dark Dragon and said, "There is no one here to hear you scream, no one here to save you from me...and, sonny...no one to save you from Raven. Talk now, or you will beg for Death's cold embrace and, I promise you, that Death will only come when I allow it."
"Do your worst!" the Dragon said, "I'll never talk."
"You do not have to," Raven said coldly, her voice reflecting that of her demon side as her secondary pair of eyes emerged.
"I shall merely tear the information out of your skull before I send your soul to my father," she said, "Tell me, Dark Dragon: Do you fear Alduin? Do you fear Trigon the Terrible...the Soul-Devourer? For he is my Dark Father and he hungers for souls to feast upon."
The Dark Dragon's resolve faltered for a brief moment before he said, "I fear Vilea and my master more. If I talk, they will torture me far worse than your pitiful methods."
"Leave his mind intact, Raven" Edward suggested, "I want him to know just what happens when my family is attacked and to remember it.
"Titans, I will offer you a chance to leave, once more. This is a matter of Dragons alone. Our ways of getting information are not bound by any mortal conventions. Raven, you may stay, but, that goes without saying. Guys, I am sorry about this. But, maybe the less you know, the better it will be."
Robin said, "Edward, do what you gotta do. We want Solor back just as much as you do. Titans, if you want to stay, we'll stay. If not, maybe we should depart."
They decided to stay, taking the risk. Edward had to admire the strength of their courage.
The Dark Dragon was defiant still. Edward's eyes shone brightly in the fading light (as the sun was just setting), as did his claws.
Mally, however, headed for Lair to let Sol know what had happened and his reaction on hearing Jason had been kidnapped was to open his own tear and he and Mally emerged to see Edward's body glowing like the midday sun.
"I'll take it from here," Sol said, "Son, you weren't the Chief Interrogator for Lair. I was, so, I still have a few tricks that you do not. Why don't you head home?"
Edward smirked and said, "He's all yours, father. He's going to be a tough nut to crack."
With that, Edward opened a tear and ushered the others through it. He had to talk Raven into going, saying, "Raven, it will be OK. Father does know how to extract information. And, if this Dark Traitor dies, he dies."
[Remember, Dad doesn't know about you and Filkiin,] he added, [If he finds out, he is obligated to inform the Circle.]
That got the unhappy empath to follow Edward. The tear collapsed as soon as Mally went through.
"Well," Sol said, looking around the small island, "A fitting place, far from human eyes. No one to interrupt our talk."
With that Sol began the process of getting information the hard way. The Dark Dragon's screams went unheard except by the island's birds, and, they scattered hearing the first pain filled roar.
[Dark Lair]
Jason woke up and tried to move, only to discover that he was as weak as a newborn hatchling.
"So," a familiar voice sneered, "The mosquito is awake. I told you that you would regret letting me walk away. Now, I will take what I came for, Filkiin... though, I suppose you should know who you're at the mercy of."
He stared at the voice, seeing the dragoness from the attack. Before his very eyes, her human form shifted, as bones cracked and reformed. Finally, his eyes widened as he realized who she was. Vilea... the daughter of the Traitor.
"I'm certain you've already figured out that you cannot move", she said, not caring whether or not he could even answer. "Well, that's where that collar I've placed on my new pet comes into play. Unlike your kind, my kind learned to adapt and advance our knowledge of the world... especially in technology and science. With that collar on your neck... your body is your prison." She ran a claw down his neck, and Solor couldn't even shudder in disgust, let alone move away from her. "So that means you're all primed and ready for our experiments." She shifted back into her human form, motioning over to a set of syringes and test tubes.
"'What experiments?' I'm sure you're thinking... either that or your cursing my name and threatening what you'll do to me when you get free." She picked up a scalpel. "Well... I would tell you... but I think I'll save that surprise until we've gotten some successful results. Which might take months to do." She gave a malicious grin. "But what I need for it is your DNA... so I hope you're ready to feel a lot of pain. Because I'm going to take everything you have to offer."
Jason, meanwhile, could feel the fear starting to grip him. Without anyone to aid him, he was completely at her mercy. And without his team knowing where he was, he'd be trapped for a long time. And so, as the metal knife began to descend upon him, only one thought hit him.
Someone... anyone... help me!
[A week later]
Even under Sol's constant interrogation (and Edward having to heal the Dark Dragon multiple times), the bastard still had not talked. The only good thing is that Mally was given plenty of practice in healing dragons. And, through Edward's mentoring and teaching, she was getting better at it.
But, finally, though, Edward drew the line and told the Traitor that his time for his soul to be sent to Hell or Trigon, whichever came first was nigh. He was given 24 hours to change his mind or he would merely be tortured to death. Not that a week without any food and just enough water to keep him alive, and, thus weakened plus the repeated sessions of "encouragement" that had thus far failed to produce any results.
Jason's end, as well, was not any better. Every day, he was harvested for everything that Vilea could get her claws on. Scales, hair, blood, marrow, saliva... anything and everything was taken from him. He survived only on an iv drip, and was given a few hours a day to recover before he was harvested again. And since he could not move, all that he could do was scream and roar in pure agony as her "experiment" continued.
At this point, he was certain that it had been a month or more already; time meant nothing to him here, and he knew only the agony the torture brought him. He clung only to the thought of one day escaping, but at the moment, he saw no way out. His internal monologues slowly devolved to only emotions and roars and the slight glimmer of hope he desperately held onto.
Raven, however, was getting desperate and there were times Edward or the team would have to try to keep her calm. It was easier said then done and some side missions resulted in the villain wishing he had not annoyed the usually unemotional Titan.
Edward finally said to her, "Raven, you cannot continue down this path. We will find him, but, you need to calm down. You're a powerful empath and telepath, but, you going off on these villains is keeping you from being able to focus. Have you even tried to meditate?"
Raven shook her head, "How can I meditate when I cannot focus, Edward. That Dark Dragon hasn't said a word no matter what we threaten him with, and, even your dad isn't having any luck." She was on the verge of a complete emotional breakdown due to her not being able to meditate and that got Edward to suggest going down to the edge of the water.
"Why should I do that?" Raven snarled, "It won't help."
"To focus on the calming effects of the waves coming in," Edward said, "To let the gentle ocean breezes carry your anger away. Our minds are full of static, are they not? I know mine is and I am also trying not to rip someone's head off. If we can clear our minds of everything, that static, I hope, will fade away and we can focus on Jason's mental pattern. His being a dragon will help, I hope. Then again, he's probably with a lot of other Dragons. His pattern is similar to mine, is it not?"
He took Raven down to the shore and sat down, "Might as well take a seat, Raven."
She sat down and sighed, "Now what?"
"Take my hand," he said, reaching out. She took it and he said, "Find your center, Raven. Deep, calming breaths. Embrace your anger, then, let it go. Clearing your mind this way, focus on finding Jason. I will do the same."
Raven gave a sigh, before focusing on what she was asked. Her eyes closed, and for the first time, she focused on only the waves, not even bothering with her mantra. She let the waves and breeze flow around her, the sensations of the wind and the sound of the water envelope her senses. And slowly, but surely, her anger began to dissipate. She focused only on Solor, silently begging that he'd be okay. That he'd return to them.
And then it clicked. Suddenly, she felt his mind, his thoughts. There weren't the words, like normal, but instead emotions of despair and anger and pain. But he was alive, that much she could make out. She reached as far as she could, trying her best to connect with him. To show that she had found him, that they'd get to him.
The moment her thoughts touched his, the anger and fear vanished. For a moment, nothing seemed to go through his mind, as he felt the familiar presence. Then, like that, he felt a wave of peace around him, and he clung desperately to the hope he had found.
[Filkiin, it's me], she called to him in a soothing tone. [It's me... it's Raven. Oh, thank God you're still alive... where are you? We'll come get you right now.]
His reply was only a wave of confusion. And a tiny twinge of fear. From what she could gather, he was being tortured, and she managed to catch him at a time when he was resting. Raven felt her anger spike a bit again, but she managed to quell it; he needed calm, not anger.
So, awake again, are you? came the voice of the dragoness. Raven didn't understand for a moment, but soon realized that she had probably walked into his holding cell. Have to admit, after that ringer we put you through, I half expected you to still be unconscious. But I'm glad I was wrong; you are everything a Light Dragon can be... strong and stubborn. I like that. Now... are you curious to see the results of our experiment, mosquito?
There was another pause, and Raven could feel his heart drop. Whatever he was seeing, he found it shocking and horrible. But, in time, a surge of anger filled his thoughts. Then he said the one thing she wasn't expecting.
[Raven... I'll be home soon... but I will not be going home alone.]
And just like that, she was back on the beach, the spray of salt water hitting her face... adding only to the single tear that was rolling down her left cheek.
Edward had "eavesdropped" a bit and knew that something had happened. His eyes opened to see the tear rolling down her face and reached over and pulled the empath into a gentle hug. For once, she didn't pull back, but, returned it.
"I found him," she said and relayed what she saw, felt and heard before she broke down. Her powers reacted, but, it wasn't as bad as when her anger was at the forefront. She was trying to restrain them, even though she knew that Edward could handle it.
When she calmed down, she looked at him and said, "We have to rescue him. His captor showed him something that I think to your people is something that should not be."
Edward was concerned hearing that. But he said, "We can't go in there half-cocked, Raven. It could be a trap that if sprung would get someone killed. That's what got Kreinkiin. He went in without a plan and without backup. I'll talk to Father, see what is available to back us up. But, it will be just us. And, Father will likely realize that you and he are soulbound as a result. He will not be overly pleased, given our laws."
[Dark Lair]
Vilea grinned as she stared down at her captive. In her hands was a large egg, bronze and black, and she could only imagine the fury that Filkiin was feeling. "This... this will be the downfall of your precious Lair..." She gave a wicked smile. "Tell me, Filkiin... what do you get in the hours when the Light and Dark are perfectly balanced? A beautiful dawn... or a foreboding Twilight? We have so many of them, waiting to hatch... I am certain that this first batch will be imperfect, and thus have to be destroyed... but the next batches afterwards will slowly be closer and closer to what we desire... Dragons who are willing to do whatever it takes, like us Dark... and who are stubborn and strong enough to keep at it, no matter how long it takes to win."
Solor's jaw would've dropped if he could. She had created a new hybrid species of dragons? And then to use them against Lair... but what hit him the worst was that if this batch didn't turn out right... she was going to kill them... just like that. The plight of these hatchlings reminded him so much of his brother that it hurt.
That was when his eyes began to glow.
The moment that happened, the smug grin on Vilea's face faded into a look of confusion... then extreme panic when she saw the intensity of the light. The collar on his neck began to spark, fighting hard to keep him in check and losing. "No... NO! Only a GRAND could destroy that collar!"
The collar soon broke off, no longer usable, and Solor got up, glaring at Vilea with that glowing light in his eyes. His scales grew onto his body again, covering up his bruised and scabbed skin. And his spines began to shine in the same light.
The movement was so fast, if one blinked, they would have missed it. He charged forward at an almost impossible speed, elbowing Vilea in the face with a satisfying crack. Then, he snatched the egg, and while he knew he could get in trouble if he got caught using it, he only had one option.
"Bex nu! Luv do Oblivion!"
In an instant, Solor and the egg were gone, escaping the Dark Lair. He knew not where he was, but he hoped he was close to Jump City - or at least within range that he could use his communicator without any interference. But, there was the chance that the Dark Dragons did something to it if they were as technologically advanced as he thought. So, he decided to try something else.
He looked around, seeing that he was in the secret training area that he and Edward frequented before they became Titans. He focused on the markings in the cliff wall that they had formed together, and attempted to project his thoughts. Having never done it before, he wasn't sure it would work. But he had to try.
[I... am... here...] he thought, his energy spent. Without proper food, that escape had only been because of pure adrenaline and rage; he knew he didn't have time to fight because of his lack of power. He was lucky he got out alive. [I am... here... Raven... Edward... help me...] He let himself fall to the ground, curling around the egg he had grabbed in an attempt to keep it safe.
Both Raven and Edward heard the distress call and she said, "I am feeling something odd, Edward. He's someplace that I am unfamiliar with, but there are claw marks on some cliff walls. Wait a second...on second thought...I know this place! It's where we found Terra leading that creature into a trap."
Edward's jaw dropped and opened a Tear, prompting Raven and he to race through it.
They found Jason, curled up and out cold. He looked terrible, with several fresh wounds as well as wounds in an advanced stage of healing.
"We gotta get him back to the Tower," Edward said, "But, why is he curled up. It looks like he's protecting something."
Raven reached down, lightly running a hand along his cheek. "We're here, Jason... we're here..." And while kneeling, she managed to get a good look at what he was holding. "Uh... Edward... how big are... dragon eggs?"
Edward lifted Jason's hand and his jaw literally hit the ground before he recovered, "Oh my! About this big, Raven. But, black and bronze colored? The last multi colored egg was mine! This is a hybrid."
Edward carefully removed the warm egg and said, "Raven, you have to hold this carefully. Don't jostle it any more than it probably has been. Keep it as warm as possible."
She removed her cloak and wrapped it around the egg before taking it.
Edward then bent down and picked his brother up in a "fireman's carry" and reopened the Tear to the Tower's medical bay.
Both stepped through and Edward hit the alarm button, causing the lights and sirens to go off.
That, of course, got the team and Mally to come racing in to see Edward making Jason comfortable as the vital sign monitor flared to life. Edward reset it to Jason's baseline (and, getting that was difficult, Jason had balked at first until Edward glared and said, "Get. on." That got him to at least submit to the brief test. It was merely to get their baseline vitals, nothing more). The machine immediately started chirping away, but, showing severe dehydration and lower than normal nutrient levels.
"What the hell?" Robin exclaimed, "How did you find him?"
"We got lucky," Edward said, "He managed to escape, but, he wasn't alone."
"What do you mean?" was the next question.
Raven merely unwrapped the egg, getting everyone's jaws to drop.
"Is that...?" Robin started to ask and Mally said, "An egg. Yes, Robin, that is a Dragon's egg. But, bronze and black?"
"Whatever is in this egg, Mally," Edward said, "is a hybrid, I think. We'll have to wait until he wakes up to find out for sure, but, this could be his. Half his and half some other dragon from the Darkness."
"We have to incubate it," Mally said after a moment, "Unless you want me to sit on it."
"No," Edward said, "We can incubate it here. Cyborg, can you build one with a temp of 500 degrees? Well, for a temporary solution, you can if you feel the need to, Mally."
"Well... I can convert a room to an incubation area for the egg. And I'm sure that we'll need to install a window so Solor can keep an eye on it, right?" Cyborg asked. He headed for the door. "I'll get to looking at parts I can use; if it's going to be that hot, I better make sure nothing goes wrong."
"Please do", Robin stated. He then turned back to Edward. "What else can we do to help until he wakes up?"
"Prepare a very high protein meal," Edward said, "As well as plenty of liquids. Mally and I will tend to his injuries in the meantime. Raven, can you do a gentle mind touch to see if his mind is still intact? These wounds remind me of the tests Josef Mengele did on the Jews in World War II."
That got a shudder from the humans in the room. Starfire, had not heard of the "Butcher of Berlin", though.
Edward sighed, "Outside of that, we have to wait. Father will have to be told as well. Hope he doesn't decide to destroy the egg. But, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Raven reached to Jason with her telepathy, doing a minor probe. She didn't go too far, but from what she could tell, he seemed to be on slight edge, even in his sleep. "He's hurting... but he can get better. It's not permanent. I won't be able to get a proper look until he wakes up."
Edward sighed in relief, "OK, everyone else, out. Raven, I'm not going to even try to get you to leave, so, pull up a chair. Besides, I think the first face he will want to see is yours." He actually smiled despite the gravity of the situation. He set up an IV tree and set up one IV of saline and Ringers' Lactate and another of nutrients that while not protein would still replenish a dragon's body,
Mally had taken the egg and decided to coil around it to keep it as warm as possible. Edward noted that and said, "Well, some heat is better than letting it cool too much. It will affect the sex of the infant regardless."
"What do you mean?" Raven asked.
"Our eggs, being reptilian in nature, are affected by the amount of heat they get. Cooler eggs tend to be female, eggs that are closer to the source of heat tend to be males," Mally explained.
It would be a while before the room was ready and for Jason to wake up. He pondered if using his Blessing of Fire would keep the egg warmer than Mally's body heat.
But, he excused himself for a bit. He went to check on the room Cyborg was setting up and saw that he was setting up a liquid cooling system for the inner walls. He didn't bother Cyborg, who had drafted Robin into helping.
He went to the roof and sighed, "Oh, First, creator of all that we know. If your servant has ever found favor in your sight, please guide my steps and my words with my father. Please, give my father the ability to see that this egg of my brother's should be given the same chance that I have been so blessed with. Thank you for all that you've done for me. Thank you for sparing Filkiin's mind and body."
Edward opened a Tear of Oblivion and stepped through.
[Lair]
It didn't take long to locate Sol and Edward announced himself, "Father, it is I, Kiinnum. Do you have a moment."
Sol came out of his cave and saw the look on his son's face.
"What is it, my son?" he asked.
"Well, good news and some not so good news," Edward said, "The good news is that despite that Dark Dragon refusing to tell us anything, somehow Raven was able to reach Filkiin. We were meditating together, to help her regain control over her emotions when she suddenly ended the session, saying that she had found him.
"Before we could mount a rescue mission, she said that he was in a canyon where the Titans first encountered Terra. We found him there, out cold.
"But, here's the not-so-good news. He was curled around an egg that is half bronze and half black. I don't know what happened, Father, but, I suspect that the egg is his. He's also wounded with wounds I have only seen pictures of and that from the Butcher of Berlin during World War II. It looks like, and this is an educated guess, he was harvested for DNA. If that is the case, that egg contains his first hatchling."
Sol merely absorbed the news, first, glad that his other son was found alive. But, he was concerned hearing about the new egg.
"How is the egg keeping warm?" Sol asked.
"Well, Mally's coiled around it, keeping it warm," Edward said, "Cyborg is converting a spare room of the Tower into an incubation chamber. With Jason still out, though, we will have to wait and see what he says."
"Well, son," Sol said, "This is fortunate news regardless as our 'friend' is sitting in judgment of the First. He has passed from the pain finally. I fed him to the beasts of the sea.
"But, I shall want to see this egg for myself. Before you ask, son, I won't smash the egg. I didn't smash yours, and I am not about to start now.
"Son...between a father and his son, your reports have told us that Filkiin is getting close to Raven. Has he considered trying to claim her? Will he break the Breed Traitor law?"
Edward answered honestly, "They are indeed close, Father. They have gone out on several dates. Given that we suspect that the Traitor of the Circle is Alduin's father, and Alduin is Raven's father, there is a possibility that she is part Dragon. I have to ask if she would submit to a DNA test with my DNA to check. If we are part-siblings..."
"...that's a loophole in the law. We'd have to allow them to petition. It doesn't mean that the others would agree, though.
"Son, fear not. I will keep this between us for the time being."
Edward was relieved greatly hearing his father's words. Edward opened the tear once more and they both went to the Tower.
They had to go by the room undergoing renovation and Cyborg said, "Yo, Edward! Come on ... Grand Light!"
Robin wheeled around before recognizing Edward's father.
"You may relax," Sol said, "I am not here on official business. I am here to see how my son is doing as well as examine that egg. As I told Edward, I will not make an omelette out of it."
[Edward,] he heard in his head, [He's waking up.]
Edward said, "Solor's awakening."
They headed to the Med Bay in time to see Jason's emerald eyes opening up and quickly sitting up.
"Dark beasts!" he shouted. He was still asleep.
"I got this," Edward said quietly.
He went over and said softly in the dragon tongue, "Filkiin, you are having a dream. It's your brother in the waking world. You need to come out of it. You are safe. You are at home. Awaken and know that I speak the truth. There are no dark dragons here."
As he heard his brother speak, his eyes became clearer. He looked around, seeing the iv drip in his arm, but instead of the darkness he had gotten used to, he could see the lights glowing around him and hear the machine beeping as it kept track of his vitals. He looked around, seeing his brother and father next to him on one side, while Raven was sitting in a chair on the other. The three of them could see the gears grinding in his head as he stared, taking in the situation. Then his eyes widened, and he turned to his brother. "The egg! Where is-?!"
"Calm yourself, son", Sol said, motioning towards Mally. "Your friend is doing her best to keep it warm. It's safe; no one will smash it."
Solor stared at the egg for a moment, and the others could see he wanted it back badly. But he soon relaxed in the bed, staying sitting as he looked at his hands, wiggling his fingers a bit. He gave a haggard breath, as the gravity of the situation hit him. "I... I can move... I can talk..." He shuddered again. "Give me a moment... I've been caught in a... unique... situation earlier..."
"Take your time, son," Sol said, "But, I want to know everything that happened."
"Same here," Edward said, "And, Solor, do not worry about this egg. Cyborg's setting up a room where it will be nice and warm."
Jason sighed in relief.
After a few minutes, he told them what had happened from the time he and Raven went to the park until his escape.
"So, Vilea has something in mind for these eggs they are developing?" Edward said, "Father, I knew Lair should have kept up with the times. We are at a technological disadvantage. A huge one if they are able to make power cancelling devices as well as genetic engineering."
"I know, son," Sol said sadly, "Mally, you're correct. We have to change and adapt and we are so far behind the times." That got a smile out of the Life Dragon. She was rather enjoying her practice sitting with an egg and in her mind, she was looking forward to her first clutch of eggs now.
"There is another matter as well," Sol said as he looked at Raven and Jason, "You two have practically claimed one another as well, correct? Just be honest with me."
The look of "Busted!" came across their faces and Sol sighed, "I was afraid of that. Unless we know that there is some dragon DNA within Raven, there is the Breed Traitor law in play. That means, Raven and Jason, you should submit to DNA testing as well as Edward. If there is enough of a percentage of Dragon within you... then we can allow this relationship."
However, to everyone's surprise, it was Jason that spoke up. "I'm afraid I cannot agree to that, Father. I wish to argue my case against the Circle directly."
The look on Sol's face was one of gobsmacked confusion. Despite the severity of the situation, Edward couldn't help the thought that it was rare to see his father surprised. "Filkiin... are you sure of this?"
"I see no harm in allowing dragons to claim mortal wives, even if they cannot have children thanks to that Curse", Jason presented. "The main reason that a mortal and dragon are not allowed to be wed is that their children could create an amalgamation the Circle would have to put down... lest another Alduin be born." Raven noted how formally Solor was speaking, giving away how nervous he was. "But with the Curse in effect, there is no reason to ban these pairings at all, and yet the couples are still grounds for banishment. What is the point?"
Sol decided to try and sway his son's mind. "Because, without proper children and heirs, the bloodline could end with those dragons that choose mortal wives."
"True... for about 80 years at most, perhaps more for those who have chosen a wife or husband with powers", Solor countered. "My decision to date Raven is completely selfish, I understand that... and when she dies, I will feel a hole in my heart that will never recover. I understand the vulnerability I am putting myself at... but it is for my own happiness that I choose this path." He glanced over at Edward. "Think of those who are refused mates due to how weak they are, or those denied due to 'preservation of the bloodline'. Dozens of bloodlines end with every generation, simply because they are seen as too weak to contribute to future generations. And even then, despite being strong, those that do mate do not experience true love. There is the obvious many exceptions... but remember Sosfil and her mate. They do not love one another, but have chosen each other for their strengths."
He looked up at his father once more. "Tell me, Father... should I give up my own happiness for future generations as soon as my 750th year arrives... or can I not be allowed to be happy for a while... and perhaps teach my children to put love in their hearts, instead of the rest of us who value physical strength over all else?"
Raven couldn't help the small smile on her face. Words were never Solor's strong point, and yet here he was, presenting a very strong argument for his right to choose his mate, no matter if they were mortal or dragon. She connected to his thoughts, giving her support through their link as she turned to Sol. "I agree with both of your sons, sir... your people are stagnating... and maybe it's time to take a look at your society at a whole and rethink how you look at everything. Would it really help if you banish everyone who fall in love with humans?"
Sol looked at the pair, his eyes still wide. He wasn't sure what to say; Solor had a very compelling argument; with the curse in effect, there was essentially no reason to banish those who chose mortal mates. And perhaps valuing only strength was a flawed way at life. He turned to Edward, who had remained silent. "What do you think? Should I punish your brother? Or do you think this might be a good first step towards moving forward?"
"No, do not punish him as I agree with Jason, Father," he replied, "Punishing him for being with someone he loves isn't right. I see Robin and Starfire being together at some point. Beast Boy and Terra might as well continue dating. I see no harm in what Jason is advocating for. Father, I can't help but notice the calming effect she has on him. It's the same as Mally's being able to calm me when I am distressed. You and the rest of the Circle saw this first hand three weeks ago.
"Yes, this is a good first step towards moving forward. Our culture is going stale. If Mally's noticed it as an insider, and I can see her logic being basically an outsider, save for the few trips I make home each year, maybe it's time to welcome home those who fell afoul of the law. What is 50-60 years to us? It's really nothing in terms of time, but, if it gives one of our kind even a few decades of true happiness, why are we stopping them, outside of the obvious issues like Alduin?
"However, I feel that if Jason is able to sway the Circle, and he deserves the opportunity to petition for that with his own head held high, I would support that and if my words hold more sway within the Circle's chamber, I would speak as well...this time, without the angry confrontation from the last time."
Sol looked between his sons. He eventually gave a low sigh, scratching the back of his head. "Well... I suppose I don't have a choice then." He turned to Jason. "I will tell the Circle of your wish to petition for your relationship... and once you have recovered, we will call you to meet us in Lair once more. This time... alone." He looked to Raven. "And... I wish that he succeeds in convincing the others. I have no qualms... if this young lady can help you in your mission for mastering his anger." He then turned to Mally and the egg she was warming. "And in the meantime... let us know the moment the egg hatches. We'll need to know what this experiment yields, if the Darkness has gone through so much to create them."
Speaking of the egg, Cyborg came in and said, "The room is ready. We can move the egg over in about 30 minutes, just gotta let it warm up a bit. Edward, you may want to move it yourself, given your healing."
"Dragons have a fair amount of heat tolerance," Edward said, "If Jason is the unwitting biological father, he should do the honors."
"You do have the room at 500°-505°F?" Sol asked, "Any cooler and the hatchling will be female. And given that Mally's keeping it as warm as possible, even this short amount of time away from that heat will likely cause the hatchling to be a girl regardless."
"Working on heating up right now. Last I checked, it was at 200 and slowly rising", Cyborg confirmed. "As for Solor bringing it... I know he doesn't like being told what to do, but I think he should stay in bed for a while. His muscles have faced some deterioration with whatever they did to him. He won't be able to move around easily for a while."
"I will not be stuck in bed when-" Solor started, but a harsh glare from Raven told him it was not happening. After a few moments of the two staring at each other, Solor eventually cowed, grumbling. "Can... can I at least get a wheelchair? I was stuck on a lab table for a week straight... I'll go crazy if I have to lay in bed for any longer."
"I see no harm in that," Edward said, "But, only for limited time for the first few days. I know Mally or I could heal him up pretty quickly, but, I think this will teach more patience as well."
Robin nodded over to Terra, who moved to get the wheelchair. "In the meantime, obviously... we're gonna bench you for a while. We can't risk it while those Dark Dragons are looking for you, and with you not having enough strength to take on missions."
Solor reluctantly nodded. "... I need to stay by the egg for the time being. Without her mother here, I need to take responsibility and be ready for when she hatches."
Edward and Sol both reacted the same way...jaws dropping. It was the first time they both could recall Jason wanting to take responsibility for anything. But, he also had a point, the infant would see the first dragon it came into contact with as a parent. So, it was vital that he be there when the egg hatched in about six weeks.
"Son," Sol said, "I couldn't be more surprised...or prouder of you. Both of you to be honest. I never thought I would see Filkiin not only standing down when asked to... or his girlfriend glaring at him, or seeing him stepping up to take responsibility for a future hatchling of his. I had my reservations about this whole Titans thing, but, no more."
Edward merely smiled, knowing that his brother was well on his way to being named the official Heir of Light...Sosfil could pound sand now for all he cared. He would love to be there when she would be told that she was going to not only be an aunt, but, that she might as well give up her quest.
Jason also smiled at the high praise from his father as he gingerly sat up, Raven at his side to help guide him to the awaiting chair.
Soon as he was seated, Mally uncoiled and allowed Raven to once again take the egg. She transferred it to Jason's waiting arms.
Raven went behind the chair to push him over to the other room. It was a short trip and Cyborg said, "We'll install a window later today, even with one being installed, the heat in the room won't escape for long."
They got to the room where the temperature was reading 350. It was slowly climbing, but, Sol said, "Edward, you may want to take the egg in now. I fear that it's been too cool already."
Jason, with great hesitation, allowed his immortal brother to take the egg. He opened the room and there was an area set up to place the egg where it would be elevated and visible. He went in and placed the egg gently on the table that had a makeshift drawer there to prevent it from rolling. It was the best that they could do on very short notice. Edward would go to the local building center and get what would be needed. He also suspected that he would be on egg duty as well, turning it every so often as he was one of two who could tolerate the heat unless Raven was able to use her powers to shield herself from the heat.
He went back out quickly as his feet were very toasty.
"Ow," he said, hopping on each foot till they cooled down.
"Nothing like a hot foot," Beast Boy said with a smirk...Until Raven opted to throw him out the nearest window. There was the sound of an "AAAIIIIIIEEEE!" before Beast Boy remembered that he could fly back as a bird.
That got a laugh out of everyone, including Sol.
"Does that happen often?" he asked.
"About once a week," Raven replied, "He usually doesn't yell like Daffy Duck falling off a bridge, though."
Edward laughed hard, even a 3000+ year old dragon enjoyed the classic cartoons and "The Million Hare" was one of them.
"Which fall? When Daffy was 'way out in front' as he ran off a canyon wall, or when he ignored Bugs' warning about the bridge and drove off it?" he asked, chuckling.
"Both," was the dry reply as the subject of the laughter came back in.
Edward looked at the temperature readout and it was already at 450°F. He felt the wall and while it was warm, the liquid cooling setup that was jury rigged was holding up so far.
But, Edward knew it was a matter of time before the Darkness came knocking to reclaim their "property".
"Guys," he said, "Robin's correct about something. The Dark Dragons are going to come looking for Jason and the egg at some point. I must assume that they know where he is if they intercepted him and Raven. They will realize that he made it back here somehow.
"They may come calling for their deceased comrade as well. Titans, I'm sorry you're all being dragged into what should be a matter between dragons.
"What do they want, though? They are risking putting us all out there in the open. Dammit, this could be bad."
His anger was on a slow burn, a fact that Raven and Mally noticed. It wasn't at critical levels yet, but, he would want payback for injuring Jason regardless.
"You OK?" Raven asked him.
"Yeah," Edward said, "I am not happy with these developments, but, what can I do about it? Do I want to tear Vilea's head off and ..."
"I get it," Raven said, "But, save some for me and Jason?"
Edward looked at her and smirked, "Sure thing."
"Son," Sol said, "I can have some of the solders stand guard."
"That's Robin's call, Father," he said, "If it were up to me, I'd approve it. But, that would also get the attention of the local media if they saw security here was kicked up several notches."
"Maybe not," Mally said, "Mother's also concerned about what is going on here. Maybe have some Life Dragons here in different animal forms? They'd be incognito to the humans and we could set up some space on the lower floor for them?"
Sol nodded, "Sounds like a plan, Maldriin. You agree, Robin? I have no real say in what you decide."
Robin nodded as well, "I like the way you think, Mally. Go ahead."
The rest of the team did not object, either.
A buzzer sounded and Cyborg said, "That's the room coming to temp, finally. It's tied into my system as well, so, if it gets too cold, I'll know."
Jason nodded gratefully, "I don't know how to thank you guys for being so understanding about this."
Robin smiled and said, "We're a team, Jason. That means we have one another's backs covered. You just thanked us."
Jason's head bowed, "I think I finally understand this whole teamwork thing."
Terra went over to him and said, "Hey, Smoke Breath? You've known about teamwork a lot longer than you realize. You were one of the guys who gave me the strength to even attempt going back to Slade with that plan. You took a risk in believing in me and you knew that I was sent here to betray the team, correct?"
Jason nodded, "Yeah."
"And, you caught me when we met," Raven said, "You weren't even on the team yet, but, it takes teamwork to catch someone about to hit a brick wall and take the hit instead."
"And, friend Jason," Starfire said, "You and friend Edward were the team mates when we met."
Solor chuckled at all of that. He looked up at Raven, giving a soft smile. "Yeah... still don't know why I dove for you... but I'm glad I did." He let out a sigh. "Well, if I'm going to recover, I should probably head back to that crappy bed... I think, with my shapeshifting, I'll be back in action a lot shorter than you think, Cyborg... but I need time to regain my energy... and some food. Do you know how much it sucks to not have anything in your stomach for a week?"
Despite the seriousness of his torture, the team couldn't help but laugh a bit at that. Raven turned the chair around. "Hope you don't mind hearing 'Azarath Metrion Zinthos' a lot... I plan on keeping you company."
"I don't mind at all, Ruuvak", he said, giving her a gentle smile as they headed down the hall. Sol gave a soft sigh.
"I hope his plan works", he said to Edward. "I can forgive him for this... and I believe Grand Life will be willing to bend the rules. The others, though... I'm not so certain about. He needs to sway at least two more of the Circle if he wants to win."
"I do, too," Edward said, "For their sakes, it better, because if I know my younger brother, he will walk away from being your Heir. Leave Grand Life to Mally, though. She's got her mother wrapped around her little talon. Father, I know you want Jason to plead his case solo and I have no problem with that. However, I will stand ready to help convince the others. I know Grand Death will want to right wrongs from his predecessor and if he wants to consider voting in favor as some sort of repayment, I will have to consider it, but, he owes me nothing. The former holder of the position is surely paying for his sins."
"Time will tell, my son," Sol said. He paused for a moment and said, "Ruuvak? He's given Raven a name in our language. Edward, do you think that they are truly soul-bound?"
Edward thought about it for a good minute before nodding, "I am certain of it. That's why I know that if pushed, he will feel it necessary to walk away from Lair. Father, we know that Sosfil, in her obsession, will move to replace him and unless the Circle reverses that ruling regarding my ... ability to be an Heir Potential, that is what will happen. She will demand to be named your Heir outright and if he accepts banishment willingly this time, you'll have to let her. She'll have an airtight case and no need for the Challenge."
Sol sighed, knowing that Edward had a strong case for his own reinstatement as an Heir Potential.
"I don't know what's going to happen, my son," Sol said, "I know that unless we start to grow and adapt the way the Dark Traitors have, we've lost the whole thing. This will tell if we can adapt or if we are doomed to let the Darkness win.
"We're due to meet next week anyway to consider your petition for our blessing your claim. We'll probably allow Filkiin to watch, but, the time for him to make his petition is not going to be right. He needs to be 100% before we can summon him. I'm surprised that you or Mally haven't moved to fix that."
"He hasn't asked," Edward said, "I've worked with her in my spare time to figure out why her healing powers are not as good as they could be. Sure, with Terra, she did what I could not. In fact, I need to ask Grand Life to teach me how to amplify that power more. Raven is good, but, there's a limit on how much she can draw on her own power. It will be good to have a second or third healer on the team. Then again, her skills were improving with our now deceased Dark Traitor
"Will we offer her a full-time spot on the team? Personally, I wouldn't say no to that, but, I am biased. Her volunteering to keep Filkiin's adopted egg warm is a huge plus for the rest of the team. We'd have to teach her self-defense if nothing more. I know that she will not kill an attacker, but, I want her to learn some martial arts training just in case."
"You know I am on board, son," Sol said as they entered Ops.
Edward took a deep breath and smiled, "Rib night. Cyborg makes some killer ribs."
"You got that right," Cyborg said, "Would the Grand Light wish to partake in the meal?"
Sol smiled and said, "The Grand Light would be honored. But, Cyborg, while I appreciate the respect you are offering, you are not required to. I have no jurisdiction here, and you are not a subject."
Edward was thinking back to Iilahkun, Solor's mother. He was kicking himself for not treating her better because Sahqo, Kreinkiin, Solor were very similar in personality. Each had been taught that to love someone is the best gift from the First. It took Jason the longest to put that into practice. Yet, Edward didn't see that until a year or two before she died.
He thought back nearly 740 years ago to when he was talking to Filkiin and saying, "Little Brother, I want to tell you something that I want you to remember: I predict that you are capable of doing great things as your life unfolds. Stay on this path and you might even surpass the Circle. I will have faith that you can stay on the straight and narrow path."
The small hatchling, at the time, looked up at Edward with a look of awe at that point. "You really think I can be better than the Circle? Better than Father?"
Edward smiled at the much smaller dragon and said, "Each generation has the capacity to be better then the one before, Filkiin. I know that you can be better than Father or the Circle. You can be even better than your big brother here, if you really set your heart and mind to it. I wouldn't even be that jealous."
That got a smile on the young whelp's face.
"But..." Edward said, "To be even an Heir Potential takes a lot of hard work and dedication. You'll have to really put an effort into the title. You think you're up to the challenge?"
Filkiin mock glared at his half-brother and said, "You just watch me! I'll be the best Heir Lair's ever seen!"
Edward smiled and said, "Don't ever lose the Light in your soul, nor the Fire in your heart, Little brother. I know I'm not around that much, but, I'll always be here if you need me."
Present day Edward sighed. Jason had thrown his all into what he certainly wanted, but, would he actually walk away from being Heir Potential much less the actual Heir of the Light if the Circle could not be convinced?
Everyone gathered around to get their plates of food, and, Raven insisted on taking some to Solor before she was stopped by Edward.
"He's been on a week long forced fast," he reminded her, "Feed him this much and he will likely vomit them back up. We have to slowly get his system to where it will accept food. I hate to say this, but, he needs to be on a liquid diet for today. That doesn't mean a lack of proteins, though."
He went over to the cabinet and got out the high protein shake mix. He put one together and said, "Give him this, Raven. He cannot drink this in one sitting, though. He will have to listen to his body telling him to stop. He might only be able to drink a couple sips at first. But, then again, he might insist on trying to down this in one go. If he can keep it down, then, I have no problem clearing him tomorrow for some solid stuff. We'll keep this monster plate of ribs for him."
She sighed and said, "He's not going to like this, one bit."
"I know," Edward said, "nothing to be done till he builds his strength back up."
Raven nodded, before taking the drink and heading back to the medbay, where Solor was waiting. His excited expression quickly soured when, instead of ribs, he saw the protein shake. He gave her a look, and she held up one hand. "Edward's orders. Your system might not be able to handle a belly full of meat."
Solor growled, but sighed. "Fine... if my brother thinks that I can't handle it, I suppose I'll have to listen."
"He did say, however, if you can keep it down, you'll get to have ribs tomorrow."
Solor's claw immediately shot up, reaching. "Give me the stupid shake."
Raven hesitated, but despite her better judgement, she handed the shake over. Immediately he began chugging the shake, downing about half of it before he had to stop, coughing a bit. He paused, testing to see if his stomach would reject the shake. After a short while, he took a few more ginger sips, before stopping again. He made a face, but managed to hold down the drink.
Finally, he gave up. As hungry as he was, he could feel his stomach complaining. So rather than risking losing what little sustenance he could stomach, he ended his meal there, grumbling a bit. "I hate this... I hate that I couldn't win that fight..."
"It's not your fault", Raven countered, sitting next to him again. "You were surrounded; even with your strength, it's not easy to handle so many opponents at once."
Solor gave a grumble, smoke puffing out of his nostrils. He then looked to her. "Well, I suppose this means that Mally has a good practice dummy for her healing magic, then. I'm surprised she hasn't already moved to try and heal me."
"I think that she was waiting for you to give her permission", Raven stated. "After all... you went through an ordeal... and those Dark dragons were... thorough, if your explanation of what happened is any indication. I don't think I'd want someone trying to help me if I'd been... violated like that."
Solor gave another shudder, remembering exactly everything that Vilea had done. "I appreciate that, then... but next time you see her, tell her I am willing to let her try. And... well, we know that your healing spells, while powerful, won't be able to help with this so easily... this is a little more than a sprained wing."
Raven nodded, looking at him. "Well, you should rest for now. I'll tell Edward you were able to almost finish off that shake... maybe you'll get something with a little more substance to eat tomorrow." However, when she moved to leave, Solor took a hold of her cloak, tugging her back. She looked at him, and saw him looking down at his claws, shaking slightly.
"Could... could you stay for a bit longer?" he asked. "I don't want to be alone..."
The empath hesitated once more, but soon found herself back in the chair. This time, her hand was in his, her fingers intertwining with his. She wished that it had been a happier time when she could find the courage to do this, but... with how broken he looked, she knew he needed her. Her and the rest of the team would need to support him as best as they could as he made his recovery.
She decided to do something rare...really rare, in fact.
[Edward?] she asked telepathically, [I need a favor, please?]
[Certainly, Raven,] Edward replied, [How may I assist you?]
[Well, for one, Jason drank about 2/3rd of the shake. You were right, he wasn't very happy about it, but, you were also right on something else: He was having a hard time with it, but, for now, is keeping it down. But, the favor is...I need some reading material. You're getting a rare thing: Permission to go into my room. Could you grab a couple of books? I don't care which ones. Also, send Mally back if she wants some practice with her healing powers.]
In Ops, Edward's jaw lowered a bit before he got up and headed for Raven's room.
"Wait!" Beast Boy called out, "You can't go into her room. Bad things hap..."
"She telepathically gave me permission, BB", Edward said.
Mally was also following and Edward said, "Hon, if you're done eating those great ribs, Jason will let you practice, I think. But, wait until I get there. I'll be right behind you."
The doors opened and Edward went in and looked around, "Interesting decor. Somewhat dark, but, I like it."
He got a couple of her books and headed back to the Med Bay.
He went in and handed Raven her requested books, getting a wide eyed look from Jason.
"You got permission to go into her room?!" he said, shocked.
"Just to get some books, man," he said, "I do like the decor, though, Raven. But, if you and he are dating, maybe let him spend some time there. I do not like a jealous Little Brother."
"You haven't called me that in centuries," Jason said.
"I know," Edward said, "I used to call him that since he hatched a long time after I did...after Mother went to the first. He's not so little anymore, at least to you."
Raven and Mally giggled at Jason's reddened face.
"Ok, Mally," Edward said, "Remember what I have been teaching you. Focus your Blessing of Life into your hands. Let the healing energies build in power until it feels like it will overflow your being. When you feel that, reach over and take the patient by the talons of both hands and release that power.
"You will glow for several moments and, if done the way I learned, Jason's body will also glow green."
Mally nodded, activating her blessing. Her eyes began glowing green, and instead of healing instantly, like she had with Terra, she let the energy build. A minute passed, her hands slowly glowing brighter until she couldn't hold it in anymore. Finally, they were placed on Solor's arm, and he jumped a bit, but didn't say anything. His body soon began to glow as well, but it didn't last as long as Edward hoped. A lot of his newer wounds vanished, as if they never even happened, but a lot of the injuries he gained when the week began remained. Mally panted, deactivating her blessing as her eyes returned to normal.
"Well... better than... I expected..." she panted out, placing a hand against her chest. "I don't... think I can do that... anytime soon..."
Solor looked at his arms, noticing that his arms seemed stronger now. He decided to test something, and swung his legs over the edge. Raven moved to stop him, but he gave her a look. "I'm just testing something, Rae... give me a chance." When she relented, he stood up. Unlike how they looked earlier, his legs seemed stronger. Granted, he could feel them shaking very lightly, so he doubted he could walk, but at least standing wasn't going to be as painful as he thought it would be. With a grunt, he lowered himself onto the bed again. "Well... I'm happy with that progress. That was a very good first attempt, Mally."
The Life dragoness, despite being winded, smiled. "Glad... to help..."
Edward smiled as he wrapped his arm around her waist, "That was really good, sweetie. We will have to train you to increase your stamina and endurance. But, I think that is why you can't heal dragons as easily as you can humans. I did not learn perfect control in one sitting. It took a while."
He guided her to a spare chair, knowing that the use of her blessing drained her.
"How is your stomach, Jason?" Edward asked.
"It's feeling better as well," Jason said, "I might be able to enjoy those ribs tomorrow. Thanks for the shake, though."
"You would have shocked your stomach given your condition," Edward said honestly, "Yes, we can go a week without, but, that's if one hasn't been harvested without mercy. Given how you had been weakened by this, it's best to break your fast in a more human way."
Jason smiled and said, "Well, I wasn't happy at first, but, I can admit when my older brother is right. Had I chugged that whole thing..."
"You'd be cleaning up the mess," Raven said.
Edward chuckled, "Well, I think we should leave you two alone for now." He stood up and Mally tried, but, the use of her Blessing drained her, so, Edward picked her up and she put her arms around his neck and they headed off to their room. Robin had allowed them to share his quarters after being told that it's against Dragon law to perform any "mating ceremonies" until the Circle had blessed the union.
Besides, Edward wouldn't take advantage of his fiancee anyway.
Solor, meanwhile, lay back in bed, sighing. Raven floated over, making sure he was comfortable, before looking up at him. "Will you be alright if I check in with Robin really quick?"
"I'll be fine", the dragon said. "Go ahead."
As the empath left the room, Solor looked around. The sound of the monitor gave him a sense of tepid calmness, and his eyes slowly closed, slipping for the first time in a week into a dreamless sleep.
His life was going to be different from this point on.