Heya,
Here's the chapter. Thanks to all our favers, and subscribers. And also a huge thank you to our reviewers; Gingerstorm 101, ravenkakashiluv26, The Amethyst Eyes, KraZiiePyrozHavemoreFun, sinomin, ArtMelody, and GreenNightStar.
Also, as this is qweerlittlefish writing now, I would just like to apologise. I updated the wrong chapter 12 last time (as a few of you noticed) then re-updated it. I'm soooo sorry for all of the confusion. I'M SUPPOSED TO BE THE UPDATER AND I SCREW UP! Haha! Anyways, Sorry again...sorry SRF.
Anyways, Enjoy.
"Come to join me, Raven?" She smirked, as he had figured it out. Slade craned his neck, to look at her. "Really, Raven? It's a little immature to try and sneak up on me. Besides, it takes more than silent footsteps to complete such a feat." He gave a low chuckle.
It was the crack of dawn, and Raven had awoken to the sound of Slade using her meditation. A sense of pride welled in her chest. With a hint of childish amusement, she had tried to creep up on Slade.
Still smirking, she floated next to him, and Raven chanted her mantra in unison to him.
"You know, Slade, you can talk while meditating." Their eyes stayed closed, but they knew each other well enough to not worry.
"Well, what do you want to say, Raven?" He watched her tense, and her arms faltered slightly from their position.
"Nothing," she answered, too quickly. "Will we be going to get more fish? I think some of ours are rotting?"
An obvious change of subject. Slade knew what she was doing, but if she wanted conversation, he'd give it.
"No, we'll be hunting. I'll teach you how, Raven. You know that you are perfectly capable of killing a creature. Don't deny it."
Capable of killing a creature? Was he crazy? She couldn't take life. Never, right? Killing. She hated that word. It sounded so... wide of the mark. Butchery and slaughter, were other words for killing, they were wrong.
Slade knew he had to convince her on this. In his mind, he thought himself right. The girl was being stubborn. People had to kill, and animals die every day. There were hunting seasons, slaughter to eat cows, deer, sheep, pigs and chickens.
"People kill animals every day, for food. How do you think you get your pork, beef, any meat?" he asked.
She struggled for an answer. "That's different," she replied.
"Is it really? We are hunting for food, so we can eat it. So, tell me, how is it different, Raven?" he questioned. Bombarding her with questions seemed the way to confuse her. After all, he was the world's greatest tactician.
"Well, it is. I...I mean that I can't destroy an animal. Killing is erroneous."
"Is it? Sometimes we have to kill. It's them, or us. The government sometimes kills criminals, Bin Laden, and people like that. If they can't give mercy, why should you?"
"People deserve it..." she trailed off.
"Do they? What's a few animals hunted to keep us alive, Raven, compared to the mass slaughter on earth? Animals die every day, and one more is not going to make a difference."
Raven didn't answer. She was confused. This criminal, this man, made everything make sense. Everything he said was so... logical. Animals did die every day, and some governments did have to take lives to save their own. Selfish, that's what they were.
Killing was wrong, wasn't it? She wasn't sure anymore. She needed time to think. Relief swept through Raven as he had finally stopped asking questions.
"I... I don't know. Things may die every day, but that doesn't mean we can't save some lives."
"Heroes are selfish; they only save lives of mankind, and not of animals. Have the Teen Titans ever saved an animal's life?"
Silkie, was the first thing to pop into her head. Maybe he was right...
Slade noticed she needed serious encouragement. "Think of it as doing them a favour, stopping them from the suffering they'd have to endure if they lived."
"You're right... I guess one or two can be... killed." What she spoke seemed so messed up. Slade didn't mock her, though he did smirk at being accurate.
Raven sighed. This conversation had gotten in the way of meditation. She felt even more stressed. A lot of pent up energy was building inside. She instantly denied what she'd said. She couldn't kill flora and fauna, right?
Seeming to sense what she was feeling, Slade offered to spar. She nodded slowly, still mulling over his words.
After a few minutes, both hero and villain had managed to go to their first empty spar area, as well sink into their stances. Slade noticed Raven looked distant, and almost felt guilty for giving such a lecture. Almost.
"Raven?"
She turned to face him, her gloomy look replaced with sudden alertness. "Sorry. I got lost... in thought..." she said, half muttering it.
"Today, Raven, we'll work on situational awareness. At the moment, what are our surroundings like?"
He reminded her of a drill instructor, forever calm, and in control. She noticed that he'd never raised his voice.
"It's sand for the ground, mostly empty, trees within a short range, and a few branches off to the side. Good weather, clear skies, and it's bright."
Slade gave a tight smile, behind his mask. "Correct. Now think of some advantages and disadvantages before we spar. For example, the sandy ground would break any falls, but also, the sand could get into our eyes, causing potential harm."
Raven surveyed the surroundings.
There were a lot of advantages and disadvantages. She noticed she'd have to stay in the centre, or else she could be cornered. Branches could be used as weapons?
"Have you thought of any?" Slade asked. She nodded. "It's your move, my dear. Defend yourself, as well as attack." He gestured for her to move, to start the battle, while he lifted out his bo-staff.
Raven shifted her weight from one foot to another, and Slade saw a glint on her belt. He signalled for her to stop.
"Do you still have that knife I gave you for Christmas?" A nod. "Why don't you use it against my bo-staff, and make it a fair fight?"
She looked hesitant, but pulled it out. The knife shone in the sun, as she held it out in front of her.
"Will I ever use a bo-staff?" Innocent query, innocent girl. Full of questions, but never full of answers.
"Perhaps."
Did he have to answer indefinitely? It was frustrating! She wanted a solid answer. Without waiting, she lunged at him, making sure the knife's blade would only hit the metal.
They clashed, screeching against each other. The knife easily cut through the staff, rendering it useless. It clattered quietly, as Slade dropped it.
Now it was fists for him and a knife for her. She aimed for his shoulder, and he gripped her wrist, stopping her.
She pulled the knife back, and pushed it forward as she attempted to be in control. Slade was obviously stronger than Raven, as he pulled the blade further from himself.
Raven's hand slid off the knife, and instantly, with all the force pulling on it, the knife lodged itself into Slade's shoulder. She had been pushing it that time.
She suppressed a scream, which came as a loud gasp, and he grunted, in pain.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean for that to happen, it's my fault..." She glanced at him, the guilt overwhelming her.
-
The girls healing powers were very effective, Slade thought, shrugging his shoulders. There was no pain.
As soon as they'd sat around their fire, Raven immediately threw the knife onto the ground, and started to heal him.
He found her healing abilities were extraordinary. By tomorrow, with the help of her powers and his own healing abilities, he'd be back to normal.
"Thank you." She shrugged. It seemed strange for her leader's worst enemy to say that to her.
"Don't say thanks. It was my fault, I know it was. I shouldn't have let go. The least I could do was to make it better."
"I would have healed on my own, you know," he told her, sounding nonchalant. She felt the urge to slap him across the face.
Raven suppressed the negative emotions, settling into a glare instead. "You could have told me before, Slade. Don't tell me I just wasted my energy on you..."
"But you did, didn't you? Oh, and choose your words more carefully, my darling. You didn't waste the energy, as it wouldn't taken me longer to heal. Now, we can go for a swim."
Confusion crossed her face. "A swim, why?" His one eye narrowed, and he sighed. Slade felt as though he was dealing with a stubborn kid. She was far from that though.
"Firstly, we stink. Secondly, I'd like to flex my muscles."
Raven readied to leave, attaching the bloodied knife to her belt. Fear was weakness, and now wasn't the time to be scared of a little bit of blood.
-
It was like a hot spring. Slade and Raven had found a natural-looking lake, which they'd sink into. She'd discarded her cloak and belt, with him taking off his belt and bandolier.
It was warm, as well as refreshing. Raven rested with her arms on the surface, as though the lake were a swimming pool. Her leotard clubbed to her like a swimming costume.
"Relaxed, are we?" As always, the peace was disturbed by the baddie, the villain. It applied in more ways than one.
"Yes. It seems as though it's washing off every bad thing that's happened. Now all that has to disappear is you..."
He gave a dry laugh, which held no real humour. She rolled her eyes. "So, Slade, why are we here?"
"To clean ourselves and to relax, though I'd rather be in my shower or bath."
She stared, dumbfounded. "You shower?" She and the Titans had theories he was an alien, or a monster. Robin had explained what he'd seen when Slade's mask was off, in hell.
"Yes. Fortunately for me, Raven, my demon scales are waterproof." She smirked. That was... funny?
"Now, since that's over, let's head back to base," she muttered. Dragging herself out the pool, while stifling a toothy grin, Slade followed.
After picking up their items of clothing, both headed to their temporary...home.
That was that. Did you guys enjoy?
We'll update soon, if you R & R!
Laters,
The Pear.