PAST BROKEN MIRRORS
Mirror 8: Voice in the darkness
Reaching out
My fingers touch nothing but air
Reaching out
I know only emptiness is there
Yes, there is nothing
Nothing but
Loneliness and despair
Then why
Why does my heart
Still search through the darkness?
Why does it still beat with hope?
As my held back tears
Begin to fall
Something calls out to me
I listen closely
And I know
Because I hear it
Hear your voice
Voice in the darkness
---
"She'll be alright…"
Those were Cyborg's assuring words after the examination on Raven's condition had been complete. He and the others had acted quickly upon hearing Beast Boy's panicked cries – rushing in to find Raven in her unconscious state. Feeling just as relieved as the others, he went on to explain that the test results showed that she had experienced a sudden energy drain – nothing that rest could not cure. Robin however was suspicious as to how this could have happened in the first place but was unable to obtain any satisfactory answer at the current moment. Beast Boy then offered to keep a watch over her for the time being.
Thus, here he was, by her bedside; listening to her gentle breathing as it filled the silence of the room. His eyes were filled with the utmost concern as he gazed over her sleeping form – her face paler then usual. He hoped that for certain she was okay…
As his gaze wandered, looking for answers to the vague questions in his mind: recalling the events of the day – it stopped on an object at the far end of the room. Atop the table by the window, a crystal vase filled with beautiful flowers stood.
His eyes widened as he realized: The flowers he had given to her…
Somehow, as it came back to him that she had actually accepted them, the thought touched a tender spot in his heart – he couldn't help but smile as he returned his gaze back to her. Tentatively, he reached out and held her hand in his. It seemed weird in a way – but he couldn't help feeling a growing attachment towards her: The girl who had always kept to herself, who had always found him annoying, who had always acted sarcastic towards his antics – yeah, the girl he had once before thought to be 'creepy'. But over time, they seemed to understand each other better – that they each had their own reasons for acting the way they acted: for being the way they were. Taking a deep breath, he whispered gently,
"Raven, please wake up…"
---
Where was she?
Somehow her soul-self had left her body, free of her consciousness. She began to realize this as her surroundings began to form a clearer image.
She saw herself, deep in slumber, and someone by her bed.
Beast Boy?
Yes. That's right.
Turning her gaze in the direction of the voice – that familiar voice; void of all emotion, Raven found herself face to face with the mysterious girl that she had confronted in battle the day before.
Your friend remains by your side as you lay there, vulnerable and unconscious.
Glaring at her, Raven asked,
Who are you?
Somehow, something about this stranger made her feel drawn to her – a connection she felt between them. The girl however held her silence before proceeding to speak, ignoring Raven's present question altogether:
With knowledge comes absolute power. The knowledge of what has past, what is now, and what is yet to be – it is of such high value, that the very course of time is set to change.
Her words confused Raven – it didn't make sense, but it seemed that she was making a statement of some sort.
Just then, the surroundings around them began to change. The view of her room faded away and Raven's eyes widened as she took in what she saw around her now. This was Jump City – but it looked…different.
Yes, as you have learned from your friend, Starfire – yours and the future of your friends are set to unravel. But as you've come to realize – that future which she has seen does not necessarily mean to be the future of your present. For things do change…
Raven's alertness heightened as somehow she began to see the light of this riddle – she asked once more:
Who are you? What do you want?
Even behind the mask, Raven could feel the girl's stare piercing through her,
Not me, but 'us'…we intend to recreate what you and your friends have made…or 'are' yet to make…You see, one small part can play an important role in the big picture…but my only purpose – is you.
As the clear sky in that scene drastically changed into darkness; the girl lifted back her black hood over her shoulders and slowly motioned to her face. She pulled away the mask – revealing the face beneath it.
Raven froze at the familiar features of likeness she found herself staring at:
It was the chakra on the girl's forehead that had Raven's attention, for aside that, the girl possessed the same violet eyes that she had – only that they deflected any form of feeling: complete emptiness. The rest was that of a young girl who had snowy white skin and wild long hair as dark as night.
I was bestowed the name; Crowe. I was born in a timeline where you at present are yet to set foot in.
And yes, we do have a link, she answered Raven's unspoken intuitions. For a certain and most essential reason: It is that as you become weaker…I will be stronger.
She advanced steadily towards Raven, her chakra glowing.
I was created for this one sole purpose, Raven.
She lifted up her hand towards Raven and all around Raven, shadows emerged and started to pull at her, tightly, into the total darkness that had begun to spread around the scene: Its veiled claws enclosing over her – determined to make her one with it. Struggling with whatever strength she had inside of her, the back of her mind told her she was about to lose this battle. Shutting her eyes tight, Raven tried desperately to focus. She was not about to give up just like that…
Raven…
That voice. Someone was calling her name. It was like a blade of light had cut through the shroud of shadows and Raven's mind was completely cleared. She felt a glowing sensation of warmth emitting around her…
Azarath Metrion Zinthos!
In line with her mantra, her powers completely forced away the threatening evil and she was left in a wide space of brilliant white light.
Raven, wake up…
---
She opened her eyes. This time the light she saw was less blinding, and gradually she realized that she was back in her room, back in her own body. But something seemed different. Turning to her side, she realized in pure surprise that a sleeping Beast Boy had his head on her bed, his hand over hers. She realized that that had been the warmth that she had felt…
A soft hue of pink radiated over her cheeks as she watched him quietly: deep in sleep – breathing softly. He looked so worn out. She wondered with concern how long it had been that she had been in her own slumber – how long had he been here by her side.
Did he really go through that much trouble for her?
Reflecting back, it dawned to her that the voice she heard calling to her in the darkness – was his. Reaching out, she placed her hand over his which had her other one beneath it and smiled appreciatively.
Thank you…
---
"He has been most attentive of you."
Raven listened quietly as Starfire told her about last night whilst expertly doing Raven's long dark hair into a braid which Raven did not seem to mind – in fact, she did not seem to mind a whole lot of other things when she had solemnly decided to be more 'open', especially to strange and new things Starfire so found adoration in.
However, recalling back to the rest of what happened in her room, Raven could still feel her face burning hot red. She'd tried to get out of bed without waking Beast Boy up, but that plan had not worked out:
When she'd tried to move her hand out from under his; he started to stir upon the movement. Coming into focus, his green eyes widened and this huge grin appeared on his face as he saw that she was up.
"Raven you're awake!" he practically shouted as he sprang up and enveloped her into a bear hug.
"Yes, yes…" she gasped, feeling muffled as they landed in a squash among the cover and pillows of her bed.
"Oops, sorry," Beast Boy apologized as he realized that he had gotten carried away with his overjoyed feelings. Quickly releasing his embrace, he was about to get up from that position – when the door swung open.
"Beast Boy, we just came to see how Raven –"
An awkward silence fell upon the room as Robin and Cyborg stared at the scene they had walked into.
"Err, if we're interrupting something – we'll just come back a while later," Cyborg said as he began to pull Robin back out the door.
"Wait! It's not what you think!" Beast Boy and Raven said at the same time as they both sat up that instant – their cheeks glowing bright red.
An excited gasp broke through the moment as Starfire entered the room just then and immediately flew to Raven – her joyous hug causing Raven to fall back onto her bed yet again. "Raven – you have finally awoken!"
"Yes," replied a resigned Raven, smiling through her friend's glorious embrace. "I'm happy to see you too, Star…"
Afterwards, when everyone was settled, Raven told them about what she had encountered during her state of unconsciousness – all, except for the one about what Crowe had revealed to her about their 'link'. She had her reasons to why she left that part of the ordeal out. With the rest of the information that they had gathered, they pieced it all together with the events that had been happening in the city. It crossed their minds of the villain Warp who had used 'time-traveling' – the possibility that their current foes were using the same way to unleash whatever it was that they were planning to do.
Just before they could go further into the matter – they were alerted of a distress call in the city. As they were about to go off to deal with the matter, Robin stopped Raven who was getting her cloak on.
"Raven, you should probably stay."
Staring at him, Raven assured him, "I'm fine. Besides, I've rested enough."
Shaking his head, Robin insisted, "Just to be sure."
Before Raven could put in another word, Starfire volunteered to stay with her. That was how they both ended up in Starfire's room while the others went to keep crime at bay.
"I offered to take the turn to do the watching over you – but he declined. He wanted to make certain you would be okay…"
Starfire continued as she fed a hungry Silkie who had just woken from its sleep. Knowing what Beast Boy had done for her, Raven couldn't help that warm feeling glowing inside of her.
"Raven?"
Raven looked up, and realized that Starfire had been saying something.
"Sorry. My mind was somewhere else…"
Starfire nodded understandingly, and smiling, she repeated,
"When he left, I was concerned that it would affect our friendship – I was afraid that we would all drift apart…"
"But we didn't."
"Yes, we did not. Even though so much has happened, we still remained close – we are still friends."
Raven smiled at her, "Yes, we are."
Friends…
Her mind drifted again as she watched Starfire play with the fully grown Silkie. Yes, she wouldn't let anything or anyone harm her friends…
---
Dreamchild's Notes:
I hope you all are having a wonderful week :) I have to apologize first for posting this up late (it is late considering it's supposed to be a weekly update!) But this chapter went through various rewrites till I was finally satisfied (or am I? LoL), also I made a slight correction in my previous chappy (just to inform). Whoo-It's a holiday here now. Definitely need a break. Remind me never to make more commitments than I can handle – how does one do it? Also, please check out the artwork of BB & Raven I just finished :) Especially for all BBxRae fans.
Hope you've enjoyed the chapter. Any suggestions for further improvements on the fic is most welcomed. Thanks for reviewing!