I do not own X-men or Young Justice
*Mount Justice: August 19, 19:39*
Laura had done it. It'd taken her over a week but from the knowledge she'd secretly picked up from both Robin and Dr. Roquette she had managed to create a rudimentary program designed to hack into and retrieve any files the Justice League has on Weapon X.
And still she was hesitant to go through with it. It was true she wasn't good enough to cover her tracks, and the instant she went through with it the League would be after her and so would the Team. In her time with them, Laura had grown to care about her teammates…even Wally to some extent. Did she really want to throw it all away?
Deciding she needed some air, she left her room and entered the command room, where she found Wally, Artemis and M'gann watching Superboy and Kaldur spar. Well the girls were watching, Wally was more interested in eating as usual.
Not interested in training at the moment, she continued walking, picking up on Artemis and M'gann's conversation as they passed.
"Kaldur's nice, don't you think?" Artemis asked M'gann. "Handsome. Commanding. You should totally ask him out."
"He's like a big brother to me" said M'gann. "But you know who'd make the cutest couple? You and Wally." They watched as Wally took an oversized bite out of his burrito. "You're so full of passion, and he's so full of, uh…"
"It?" the archer suggested, setting them off laughing. That was when M'gann noticed Laura walking by.
"Oh, Laura, are you going somewhere?" she asked.
"Just out" Laura replied. As she left the room she could just pick up on Wally asking Red Tornado for a mission. Feeling like she needed time to think away from the Team, she continued on her way, stopping only to retrieve her motorcycle before heading into town, leaving her com behind.
*Happy Harbor: August 19, 21:00*
Laura's mind continued to be plagued with worries, as she ran through all the scenarios she could think of. None of them were good. The best case scenario was Batman would simply have her locked up in prison, after which she'd easily escape and live the rest of her life being hunted by her former friends and the League.
There's no guarantee my program will work either she reminded herself. Her work had been based solely on the work she's seen done by Robin and Roquette. Laura had no guarantee her program would work she'd have nothing to show for it, and the League would still be after her.
Laura continued riding around the city until after dark, when she stumbled across a couple of paramedics wheeling an old man out of a shop on a gurney. While ordinarily not that odd of a sight, the man's muttering caught her attention.
"It's there…it's there" the old man raved, pulling on a paramedic's collar. "Castle Branek. That's where it is. The stone…the stone…power… so vast…it's there…"
The old man then fell back, unable to carry on as he struggled to breathe. The paramedics wrote it off as delirium. Maybe she was just looking for a distraction but for whatever reason, Laura found herself curious.
Waiting until the ambulance and the police drove off, Laura snuck inside what she discovered to be a bookstore for the occult. The place had been ransacked, shelves had been knocked over, books scattered across the floor. Someone had been looking for something and according to the old man, it had something to do with Castle Branek.
Looking around she zeroed in on a book sitting on the front counter, with a page torn out.
The Philosopher's Stone she read, just then she suddenly picked up on a strange scent. She turned around just in time to see a mysterious figure walk out from between the bookshelves, their face completely hidden beneath a dark blue hooded cloak.
"You don't belong here" said the cloak stranger, in the voice of a young girl. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" a dark energy enveloped the shelves behind the hooded girl, lifting them off the ground and with a wave of her hand the hooded girl sent them flying at Laura.
Unsheathing her claws, Laura sliced clean through the shelves, turning them into broken piles of scrap. Unfortunately for her, this left her open to her hooded foe, taking a blast of dark energy sending her crashing into the back wall.
Shaking the stars out of her eyes, Laura slowly climbed back to her feet, feeling an unfamiliar sensation washing over her. Her eyes widened in shock, as she soon identified the feeling as an open wound. Confused she hazard a peak down at her chest, where she found a growing bloodstain forming on her shirt…her healing factor wasn't working.
The feeling of energy crackling in the air, forced her attention back to the fight, as the mystery girl fired another blast of dark energy at her, forcing Laura to dive for cover.
With her healing powers not working, Laura was forced to use all her speed and agility to evade the mystery girl's energy blasts. But as the battle went on she began to notice her condition slowly improving.
"Alright so she only slows my healing" Laura noted. Still she knew she wasn't going to be able to win if she stayed on the defensive.
Summoning up her courage, she made a mad charge at the girl, bobbing and weaving around her energy blasts. The moment she got in close enough, Laura lunged at the girl tackling her to the ground, turning it into a wrestling match.
"Alright that's enough" a voice called out, interrupting their fight.
Glancing at the door, Laura found a man who looked to be in his mid-twenties with dark red hair with a single streak of white. Dressed in a beige suit jacket over a black turtleneck, and dress pants. It was a strange combination of dressy yet practical, that Laura hadn't seen before.
"Master Jason" said the mystery girl, identifying the man, from her position currently pinned under Laura. "I believe this to be a servant of le Fey."
"I don't serve anyone" Laura growled.
With her hood knocked off during their fight, Laura finally got a good look at the girl. She was about her age. With very pale almost gray skin, violet eyes and hair, cut short enough to just frame her face. Beneath her cloak she wore a dark blue long-sleeved leotard, and a red and gold jeweled belt around her waist.
"I'm afraid you are mistaken, Raven" said Jason. "I believe this is one of the young heroes, Batman told me about."
Now that was certainly a surprise as the man didn't seem like the type of person, the Dark Knight would socialize with. Actually Laura didn't believe the Batman spoke to anyone other than Robin or League members, if he didn't have to. Still if these people had a connection to Batman, then it was enough to convince Laura to release Raven.
"He sometimes to me, when he comes across cases of a magical nature" Jason explained, noticing Laura's skepticism. "Jason Blood" he introduced himself, offering his hand.
"X-23" Laura replied, choosing to go by her codename. Though she denied the handshake, Jason accepted it graciously, while Raven gave her a suspicious look. "Why are you here?"
"I'm a friend of the owner" Jason explained.
"The old man?"
"He's 32 years old."
Laura couldn't keep the shock off her face. There was no way that was possible.
"Magic by its very nature is to do the impossible" said Jason.
Laura tensed as a faint glow of mystical energy suddenly surrounded the man's hand, holding his palm out towards her, a strange sensation washed over Laura followed by the familiar feeling of her healing factor working on her injuries.
"I've exorcised the excess magic from your wounds" he explained. "And I'm sure my student would like to apologize for her rash behavior."
"Sorry" Raven said meekly, ashamed that her mentor had to see her mistake.
Laura chose to brush off the entire affair, far more interested in the moment about what had brought them to the store.
"Morgaine le Fey" said Jason.
"The witch from Arthurian lore?" X asked.
"They're no mere legends" said Raven. "le Fey is very real. When I saw you reading about the Philosopher's Stone, I assumed…" she fell quiet, at her mentor's disapproving look.
"So the Stone's real too" X said sardonically. But they looked very serious. "Right, of course it is."
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy" Jason smirked. "According to legend, the Philosopher's Stone was a gem from the hilt of Excalibur. And was the source of the sword's fabled power. The wizard Merlin hid the Stone when Camelot fell. Now Morgaine, has returned to track it down."
Laura wanted to write the whole thing off as impossible. But given that Kaldur makes use of magic often on missions, she decided to approach it with an open mind.
"Do you know why she wants the gem?" she asked.
"With it she can resurrect Camelot and place her son Mordred on the throne" said Jason. "The Stone is believed to be hidden in Merlin's ark. Sadly, the shop owner was the last living guardian of its location."
"Castle Branek" Raven and Jason questioningly at Laura. "The shop owner kept muttering 'it's there', when the paramedics took him away" she explained.
"Then that's where we're going"
Jason nodded at Raven, signaling her to take action. With her hands glowing with dark mystical energy, that same energy enveloped all three of them, taking the form of a giant raven, before flying up through the ceiling and vanishing from sight.
*Castle Branek: August 19, 22:08*
Transported by Raven's magic, Laura followed her and Jason Blood into the ancient castle. From the way it was still maintained, she could tell it was currently used as a museum.
Jason led the way to the innermost chamber with a sense of familiarity that made Laura suspect he'd been to the castle before. Which didn't add up with his earlier assertion that the shop owner back in Happy Harbor was the only one to know the location of Merlin's ark.
Still she chose to shelve her questions for the time being, as they reached their destination. The chamber was lined with suits of armor, elegant tapestries hanged from the ceiling, and at the end of the hall on a dais was a stone coffin. But when they opened there was neither a body nor any gem.
"Could, le Fey already have the Stone?" Laura asked.
"Believe me, if she had it we'd know" said Jason. Reaching inside the coffin, he felt around searching for any sign of Morgaine or the Philosopher's Stone. His efforts were rewarded when a glow of magical energy washed over his hand. "She's been here, but she doesn't have the Stone…yet."
"Are you certain?" Raven asked.
Suddenly a gust of wind blew past them slamming the door to the chamber shut.
"I'm certain" Jason deadpanned, as the suits of armor around the room started to come to life.
"Get us out of here!" X told Raven.
"I can't" the young witch glared, not appreciating the attitude. "le Fey must've warded the room."
"Fine, we do this the hard way."
Unsheathing her claws, X lunged at the approaching suits of armor. Her claws more than a match for medieval steel, carved straight through them, only for le Fey's magic to instantly repair the damage. And X soon found herself surrounded.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Enveloped by Raven's power the armors surrounding X were lifted into the air. "le Fey's too powerful, I can't hold this for long!"
Not wasting any time, X quickly fell back by Jason and Raven just as the ancient witch's magic overpowered Raven's sending the armors back towards them.
"Master Jason?" Raven asked turning to her mentor.
"No other choice" he acknowledged. Pulling Raven and X-23 behind him, he stepped forward to face the approaching hoard. X was about to demand to know what he was talking about when the man began to speak. "Gone! Gone! - the form of man - Rise, the Demon Etrigan!"
In burst of fire, Laura watched as Jason Blood transformed into a squat, muscular humanoid creature, with glowing red eyes, horns protruding from his forehead, and fined ears resembling bat wings. Dressed up in a simple red leotard, with a torn cape draped around his shoulders like a cloak.
"What is that?" she couldn't help but ask.
"That is Etrigan" Raven replied calmly. "Now stay back."
"Inferno!" the demon roared, releasing a torrent of hellfire on the suits of armor, leaving nothing but as and the scent of burning mental.
With the destruction of her trap, le Fey's warding fell, allowing Raven to magically teleport them to a hillside not far from the castle grounds. As one would expect X immediately asked for the story behind Jason Blood and his inner demon.
"So le Fey tricked Jason Blood into betraying Camelot. And as punishment Merlin bound you two together" she summarized once Etrigan finished his tale. "And you've been chasing her ever since."
"Aye" Etrigan confirmed. "Neither Blood nor I enjoy being bound. So chase the witch like a hound. When she dies she'll know our pain. Until that day the curse shall remain."
Blood's tale of eternal punishment for his act of treachery resonated with Laura. The curse of forever being branded a traitor, to search for the redemption that may be forever unattainable. She could now understand why Batman might call Jason Blood a friend. The whole eternal vengeance thing seemed like something the Dark Knight would appreciate. Though Etrigan's rhyming was a bit much for her.
"Etrigan is a rhyme demon" Raven explained, as if she read her mind. "He's trying to break the habit."
"Tis the sign of a servant" the demon growled.
While she was sure there was story there, Laura felt it was best to get back to the problem at hand.
"If you've been chasing le Fey for centuries, how have you not caught her yet?" she asked the demon.
"The witch has an amulet, which can sense when I'm drawing near."
"But not Raven?"
"I've only been studying under Master Jason for about a year" Raven explained. "I've never faced le Fey, so she wouldn't have a means of defending against me."
"Which is a moot point if you're always with Etrigan" Laura summed up. "So the key is to find the Stone."
"Which that cursed wizard could've hidden anywhere" Etrigan snarled.
"What if Merlin, didn't hide it somewhere else" she offered.
"You think the archeologists who studied the castle might've taken?" Raven asked, following Laura's train of thought.
"It's as good a lead as any."
*Pendragon University: August 20, 00:01*
After World War 2, archeologist Henry Moss took part in the excavation of Castle Branek. The only surviving member of the team, he now spends his golden years teaching at the university. Having grown into his seventies he believed all his adventures were behind him. So imagine his surprise when two teenage girls and a demon suddenly appeared in his office.
"Henry Moss" Etrigan growled.
Turns out Henry was right about being too old for adventures. Etrigan saying his name was too much for the old man, causing him to pass out from what appeared to be a heart attack.
"Great" X sighed. "We have to get him to a hospital."
Raven kneeled down and ran her hand over the old man, muttering a few a spell under her breath.
"He'll be fine" Raven reported. "He's only in shock but he'll recover."
"Why bother with him" said Etrigan. "He'll pass on soon enough anyway. Search his mind for the Stone."
Following the demon's orders, Raven placed her hands around Moss' head. Shifting through the archeologist's memories concerning Castle Branek.
"I've found it" she told them.
Walking over to Moss' bookcase, Raven removed a book concerning the legends of King Arthur. Inside in a hollowed out section was the Philosopher's Stone, that contrary to legends calling it a gem it instead had the appearance of a small stone obelisk.
"You two take it and go" Etrigan ordered. "le Fey will come and I will be here to tear out her heart."
"Forget it" X argued. "I didn't come all this way not to see it through."
"This has nothing to do with you girl. Raven, now!"
"Understood" summoning her powers Raven enveloped herself and X-23 in her dark energy, teleporting themselves away and leaving Etrigan to wait for his prey.
"Can't help noticing we're still here" X deadpanned. All Raven did was teleport them to the top of the campus' bell tower, overlooking Moss' office. "You plan to defy orders."
"My teacher is Jason Blood" Raven replied. "Etrigan is a demon. He serves his own purposes over all else. It'd be foolish to leave him alone."
"Stakeout it is then."
So the girls waited in silence of Morgaine le Fey to arrive. From their vantage point they could see that Etrigan had vanished into the shadows to do the same. Question was how long until the witch arrived.
"Why do you call yourself 'X-23?'" Raven asked, breaking the silence.
"It's who I am" Laura replied, without hesitation. I am weapon X-23.
"But you don't want to be." X glared at Raven, not appreciating the impromptu therapy session. "Your feelings about your name are confusing."
"Drop it!"
Raven fell quiet, silently chastising herself for her failure to engage someone in a simple conversation.
On her part Laura was trying to get her own emotions under control, unaware that as an empath, Raven was involuntarily sensing her feelings as if they were her own.
The two sat in uncomfortable silence for what felt like hours when finally, they saw a brief flash of light in Moss' office.
In flash of light and smoke, two figures appeared in Henry Moss' office. The first was Morgaine le Fey. A tall woman wearing an ornament golden mask that covered her entire face, with matching armor plating over an elegant purple gown.
At her side was an eight-year-old blonde haired boy dressed in a purple medieval prince outfit; her son Mordred.
"Mother the professor isn't here" said Mordred.
"So it seems. Though I suspect we may still…" the sorceress paused as the amulet around her neck started to glow, meaning only one thing. "So it seems we meet again, my love."
No point in hiding any longer, Etrigan emerged from the shadows with hellfire burning in his hands.
"Burn, witch!" the demon roared, sending a stream of flames at le Fey.
Holding out her hand, le Fey blocked the demon's fire with an energy shield.
"Such bitterness" the sorceress mocked. "Perhaps you and Jason share more than a body, demon."
Going on the attack, Morgaine blasted Etrigan in the chest with a blast of magical energy, sending the demon crashing through a wall and out onto the campus courtyard.
Le Fey kept up her attack, blasting Etrigan every time the demon tried to rise.
"Is this the best you can do?" she taunted, enjoying the sound of Etrigan's screams. "I suppose it's time we ended our game."
Morgaine raised her hand, magical energy crackling between her fingertips, as she prepared to land the final blow. Suddenly a wall of dark energy rose up separating her from Etrigan, and Raven appeared at the demon's side.
"Amateur" le Fey scoffed, preparing to dispel Raven's barrier. Suddenly her son's voice called out.
"Mother!" Mordred cried.
Morgaine turned to find her son captured by X-23, her claws resting against the boy's neck.
"Unhand him!" Morgaine demanded, only to be met with X's unwavering stare.
"Surrender to Etrigan now" X commanded.
"You're certainly an interesting one" the sorceress commented, suddenly regaining her composure. "So much blood on one so young."
Holding the girl's gaze, le Fey's eyes flashed golden for just a moment. The next thing Laura knew the world went dark.
When she came too, Laura found herself in a sterile white room. The room was bare, with the exception of a metal bench off to the side. The door to the room had an observation window equipped with a one-way mirror. But she didn't need to be able to look outside to know where she was. The feeling of the room was already making Laura's skin crawl and she knew with certainty that this cold empty cell could only be her room…her room at the Facility.
When the door suddenly slid open, Laura didn't bother waiting, to see who it was. Unsheathing her claws, she charged forward stabbing into their chest.
"G-Gakusei" Laura's eyes widened in horror as she came face to face with a short, bald elderly Japanese man. A man that was long dead, killed by her hands.
"S-sensei." He was one of the few people to not treat her as a weapon. He was kind to her whenever he could hide it from the Facility members monitoring them. And yet it wasn't enough, they found out and made her kill him.
Laura couldn't speak, all she could do was watch as her beloved sensei's body fell back off her claws, staining her hands red with his blood.
"X-23" Laura turned to find that somehow the room behind her had vanished, replaced with what she recognized as the Facility's training room. But instead of the usual training program, waiting for her was a large crowd of people.
Countless number of people all screaming and raging, calling for her blood. And at the front of the crowd was a woman that Laura saw every time she looked in the mirror…her creator…her mother…Dr. Sarah Kinney.
"Why" her mother said sorrowfully. "Why did you kill me? We were going to be together. We were going to be free."
Laura didn't tear her eyes away from her mother, not even when the rest of the crowd swarmed her. She could feel them pulling and tearing at her body, but she didn't fight back. Laura recognized every man, woman, and child now attacking her. They were her targets, her victims. This was what she deserved.
Suddenly there was a large burst of energy splitting the crowd apart as Raven appeared, standing above the fallen Laura.
"This isn't real" she spoke within her mind. "Morgaine le Fey is toying with your mind."
"Leave" Laura said listlessly. "I deserve this."
"No, you don't."
Raven took Laura's hand and the world around them began to bend and twist into a distorted mess. But while Raven worked to free Laura's mind, she unexpectedly found herself looking into hers.
There were brief images of places, people and names: Trigon be the most prevalent. Then it all went dark.
When she came to, this time Laura found herself pinned to the side of a building, held in place by a bent light post. Raven was floating in front of her in a meditative position, with several visible cuts and bruises, and Etrigan was pacing the grounds, growling.
"What happened?" she asked.
Raven was about to explain when Etrigan decided he'd prefer to tell her himself.
"I'll tell you what happened!" the demon roared. "You stupid fools brought the Stone to le Fey! I have chased that witch since centuries past. Now this night may be our last!"
"When le Fey infected your mind, she used your body to attack us" Raven explained more clearly. "In the chaos I pinned you down but…"
"The witch now has the Stone!" Etrigan shouted, glaring at X-23. "I should feast upon your still beating heart!"
"It wasn't Laura's fault" Raven defended the other girl. But Etrigan wouldn't hear it, pushing Jason's student aside as he stalked towards the still trapped Laura. "Gone, gone O Etrigan! Rise once more the Form of Man!"
With Raven's final word Etrigan transformed once more back into Jason Blood.
"I knew it was a good idea to teach you that" he told his student.
Accepting her teacher's acknowledgement, Raven then turned her attention to Laura, using her powers to remove the light post, and freeing her.
"So the spell works as long as either of them can hear it" Laura concluded.
"Yes, Etrigan can be difficult at times" said Raven. "It's good to give him a timeout every now and again."
"Still, he was right" said Jason. "You shouldn't have come back. Still now that we've been in contact with the Stone, perhaps I can scry its location."
Laura and Raven stood off to the side, watching as Jason began his spell to try and locate the Philosopher's Stone and with it Morgaine le Fey.
"So, you called me Laura."
"Yes, I saw it in your mind. It's the name your mother gave you, before…she passed."
"And you're half demon."
"Yes. I am the daughter of Trigon."
Raven and Laura shared uncomfortable looks as neither of them had been in a situation where someone actually knew the full truth about their pasts. Yet it still wasn't as bad as their initial attempt at conversation. Underneath it all both girls now felt a sense of comradery over their less than pleasant histories. There was finally someone that could relate.
"You should use your name more" said Raven. "'Laura', it suits you."
"It's not easy to change who you are" X replied. "You should understand. That's why you sought out Jason Blood. To find a way to change."
The conversation came to an end as Jason Blood completed his spell.
"I have her."
*London: August 20, 02:00*
Having secured the Philosopher's Stone, Morgaine le Fey transported herself and her son to their newest hideout: the highest room of an old museum in the heart of London.
"You asked when you would receive your kingdom, my son" said Morgaine, stepping out onto a balcony to look over the city, remembering an age long past. "That time is now. The world will be yours."
"A castle, mother" said Mordred. "I must have my own castle."
"And so you shall."
With the Stone in hand, le Fey's magic spread out over London, transforming the museum and the entire city into a medieval castle complex.
"Behold, here is your palace."
Overjoyed by his mother's work, Mordred happily took his place in his throne, giggling madly like the child he appeared to be.
"And with the Stone's infinite power, I can make this last forever" Morgaine promised her son.
Just then a magical portal opened up in the middle of the throne room delivering Raven, X-23, and Etrigan.
Not wasting time Etrigan fired a blast of demonic energy at le Fey, who immediately defended with a magical barrier.
"Get out of my castle!" Rushing to his mother's side Mordred began to add his own efforts, throwing bolts of magical energy at them.
Raven quickly threw up a barrier wall of dark energy to defend themselves from the young would be king.
"Guess the rotten apple doesn't fall far from the tree" Raven commented.
"Deal with the brat" Etrigan growled. "le Fey is mine."
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos" using her powers, Raven cloaked Mordred's throne in dark energy, telekinetically throwing it into the boy's back, knocking him to the ground.
"Mordred!" Morgaine cried.
With le Fey distracted, Raven dropped her barrier allowing Etrigan to tackle the sorceress.
"Mother!" Mordred cried, turning to run to le Fey's side only for Raven to block his path.
"That's enough out of you, mama's boy."
"I am your king!" the boy screamed, firing a bolt of energy at Raven, who easily blocked it with a barrier of dark energy.
Still Mordred was stubborn and continued to fire blast after blast, hoping to eventually break through Raven's defenses. But in his single mindedness he had forgotten that Raven and Etrigan hadn't come alone, a fact made abundant as he felt X's adamantium claws brush up against his cheek.
Mordred cautiously looked over his shoulder meeting X-23's cold gaze, promising a swift end if he didn't stand down.
"Seems you don't learn" said Raven, as Mordred once again found himself held hostage.
"And neither do you" came le Fey's voice.
Raven jumped back to stand by X's side as Morgaine le Fey stood over a beaten Etrigan. The demon was no match for the power of the Philosopher's Stone, and they could only watch as he transformed back into an unconscious Jason Blood.
"You should know by now, what happens when you threaten my child."
Raven backed away cautiously as X's eyes began to glow under le Fey's magic. Releasing Mordred, she charged at Raven slashing her claws wildly.
"He should see this, Mother" said Mordred, watching as Raven did her best to evade X's deadly claws.
"Indeed he should" Morgaine agreed, firing a burst of energy at Jason Blood, she painfully forced her immortal pursuer awake. "Watch my beloved, see what will befall all those who align themselves with you."
Throwing up shields of dark energy, Raven struggled to deflect X's deadly blades.
"Laura, stop" she cried out. "le Fey is controlling your mind.
But Raven's voice couldn't seem to reach her. Laura's continued assault soon proving difficult to handle.
"Sorry about this" going on the offensive, Raven fired a burst of dark energy sending X flying back, landing at le Fey's feet.
"I must admit I am surprised" said le Fey. "From what I gleamed, I expected more from her."
"I wouldn't count Laura out just yet" Raven smirked.
Before le Fey could register Raven's words, Laura snapped into action. Using the element of surprise to catch the sorceress off guard as she stabbed her claws clean through the Philosopher's Stone – from where it hung around her neck – into her chest.
"Mother!" Mordred cried, watching as le Fey staggered back clutching a hand over her bleeding wound.
"No the Stone!" Morgaine snarled, glaring behind her mask at Raven and Laura's smirking faces. "How, I had you?"
"Guess you underestimated the amateur" said Raven. Her emphatic powers had created a bound between her and Laura, so much so that it was possible for her to defend against le Fey's intrusion.
"Have we lost, Mother?" Mordred asked timidly.
"Only this battle, my son" said Morgaine. "But not the war."
In a flash of light Morgaine and Mordred vanished. With the Stone gone and le Fey no longer able to sustain it the castle around them faded away, transforming back into modern day London.
"You had that entire thing planed" said Jason Blood, once he recovered.
"We couldn't tell Etrigan" said Raven. "He enjoys giving orders but he isn't very good at following a plan that isn't his own."
"So we used the demon's single mindedness to our advantage" said Laura. "Etrigan was sure to lose with le Fey's powers amplified by the Stone. Using Mordred was the key."
"Still she'll survive" Jason said with certainty. "So my quest continues. Though I must admit I am pleased to see you two have become friends."
Raven and Laura shared a surprised look, as neither of them was sure about that. Raven didn't really have anyone to talk too other than Jason. While Laura may have the Team, and she did care about them; Batman had been the one to place her with them. This would be the first time she would actively pursue a relationship outside of her work the Team.
"So friends?" Raven asked.
"Friends" Laura agreed. The first friend she ever made on her own. As first friends went, she could probably do worse than a half demon witch.
*Mount Justice: August 20, 04:00*
With her adventure with Raven and Jason Blood over, Laura was returned home arriving just in time to see Wally running after M'gann spouting something about tickets to a magic show. She seemed to be letting him down easy, when she noticed her walking into the room.
"Oh, Laura you missed it" said M'gann. "We had a mission from Red Tornado to visit the Tower of Fate: the home of the Earth's sorcerer sup…"
"M'gann" Laura interrupted. "Do not mention anything to do magic. I've had a long night."
M'gann's face dropped a little as she had wanted to share about the experience. Wally just stared at Laura, as that was probably the most he'd heard her speak outside of a mission.
"I'm sorry" said M'gann. "Did anything interesting happen with you tonight?"
"I made a friend" Laura told her, before continuing on to her room.
Once inside her room, Laura walked over to her computer and brought up the hacking program she had been working on. In addition to making a new friend, the night's adventure had shown her the price of giving into temptation. And while she doubted her soul would end up bound to a literal demon, Jason Blood's story was still a good example. So Laura decided to delete the program. She wouldn't betray the Team to find Weapon X.
Maybe she could just let him go.