46. Scattered Raven part 1
They gathered in a small circle dotting the vast wasteland. Mysterious cosmos spun and danced overhead; a mirror of some forsaken land of all forsaken lands.
The air was cool and breezy; which was a feat in and of itself since there was no air in the place at all.
But there was ground, and ground's name was 'Sanity'. Sanity stretched across towards the horizon of Knowledge. Everything in between was chaos.
And governing the chaos was the circle. They all faced the center. The hoods to their robes flapped in nonexistent breeze like a heart's pulse on strings.
"Things have been too quiet lately!" Green Raven grunted. "I want butt to kick! I didn't get enough action while Viper was in town!!""Viper?!" Gray Raven cowered and hugged her cloak to herself. "D-Don't mention his name! H-How could you want t-to see someone that v-violent?!"
"She is partially legitimate in her negative disposition towards that," Yellow Raven nodded and adjusted her spectacles. "Viper's presence in the City was nothing short of a massacre of inhumane proportions. To desire his further presence is to selfishly promote the possibility of future loss of life."
"I don't want him here to kill people," Green smirked. "I'd smash his freakin' head in before he had a chance to do anything!!""Hehehehehe!!" Pink Raven giggled. "Give him a Whopper!! Hehehehehe!"
"Well something's gotta happen?!" Green exclaimed and pulled at her hair. "I've been sitting around this Tower for hours!! You'd think there'd be a robbery to stop or a hostage to save or some crap like that!!"
"Your anxiousness perplexes me," Yellow said with her head cocked to the side. "I assumed that the general consensus of recent events was relief in regards to their conclusion!"
"I can never rest!!" Green shook. "The longer we wait around, the more bad things can happen! And that doesn't sit right with me, yo! Give me some ass to tear!!""Can we all j-just go home?" Gray whimpered. "I'm sc-scared……th-this topic is scaring me……"
"Every topic scares you, wimp!!" Green spat.
Gray sniffled.
"Wimpy!!" Pink giggled. She lowered her voice comically: "'I'll buy a hamburger, for which I'll gladly pay you Tuesday'! Hehehehehehehehe!!"
"I must share in some of the impatience," Yellow stated, looking over her shoulder. "This is an insurmountable amount of time to be waiting…""Oooh! Oooh!" Pink hopped. "How about a song?!"
"Another time, perhaps….," droned a voice.
The circle looked up.
Blue Raven….True Raven dropped down from the sky and landed softly in their midst. She stood up and faced them all. "Forgive me for being late. Meditation lately has been….unpredictable for some reason. I took me forever to get here."
"Most curious….," Yellow breathed."I-Is everything okay?" Gray asked worriedly.
Raven turned to face her. "I do not know. A few days ago, one of you slipped."
"Who?!" Green asked, snarling and palming a fist. "Tell us and we'll pound her!!"
Raven glared. "You know as well as I do that that's not the solution."
"Yeah! Take it easy!" Pink smiled.
"What do you hypothesize the situation to be?" Yellow inquired.
"Not sure yet," Raven spun. "I first sensed it the night of the funeral."
"Oh….," Gray mumbled and held herself. "That….."
"Not my department," Pink shrugged with a grin.
Raven stomped through the group and out of the circle as the rest watched. "I think it's about time I met with our little friend….""Need a hand?" Green asked.
"I must do this alone. I must always do this alone."
Yellow glanced at Green. "She's right."
"Grrrrrrr," Green shook.
Raven walked down into a dark valley far from the eyesight of her personalities. She jumped down from crag to crag till she stood at the bottom of a deep abyss that barely sang with the twilight. Mysterious sounds echoed back and forth as she smoothly trekked through the obsidian corridor of rock. A gradual, flickering glow lit her figure as she reached a dead end flanked by torches. Thorny vines were grown into the granite. The ground was uneven and showered with pebbles, like an eternally fresh impact site.
Raven stood firmly. She spread her legs. She held out her fingers in a harmonic pose.
"Azarath…Metrion….Zinthos…."
The ground shook. The pebbles danced. The ground between the torches opened up. With a gurgling roar, a wrought iron cube rose up out of the ground—fastened to the earth by chains that glowed with the faint touch of bitter was a cell. A kennel. A rusted, black-metal jail with barred windows and gargoyles ornately poised on the corners.
Raven took a deep breath. Frowning, she stepped forward and pressed herself up against the barred window and peered in.
A beat.
She breathed through the bars: "I know you're there. It's not like you to hide."
In a rumbling tone, a humored voice of pure evil spoke from the dark interior.
"It is always you who are hiding, you brat!! Hiding your emotions because you're afraid of me……"
"I did not come here for you to restate your redundant desire for mental conquest," Raven rolled her eyes.
Four red eyes opened in the darkness. Red Raven stood up, glaring with barred teeth. "Then what do you want, little girl??"
"We need to talk….……"
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
Inside the atrium of the Titan Tower, a doorbell rang.
Yes, that's right, a doorbell rang.
There was no reply. After all, it's a very large building.
So…after a few minutes…it rang again.
And again.
And again…..
"Sheesh…I GOT IT!!" Beast Boy exclaimed. He came down a flight of stairs, mumbling, and stomped towards the huge doorway. "God…nobody here knows the meaning of patience. And—for crying out loud!!—who in his right mind would walk the land bridge alllllll the way to knock on the door of a bunch of superheroes?!"
He slammed his fist over a wall panel.
With a huge clanking of metal, the entrance way opened up and a bright slit of daylight swam over the atrium.
Beast Boy squinted his eyes and leaned forward. "Who rang that bell?!"
There was a short shadow standing in front of the bright sunlight.
"Um…excuse me, sir. How're you doing today?"
Beast Boy blinked. "Um….just fine. You a fan or something? Cuz we've got a hotline—"
The figure was slowly coming into focus. "No no no no no, sir. Don't you remember me?"
"Give me a second, and I might," Beast Boy blinked and rubbed his eyes.
The figure came into focus.
Beast Boy gasped. "You!!"
"Took you a while."
"Wow! Hey! Welcome to the Titan's Tower!" he dashed forward and shook her hands. "What brings you to town?!"
"The very same thing that brings me here," she smiled. "Is Noir around?!"
"You bet!" Beast Boy beamed. He spun around and cupped his hands over his mouth: "HEY NOIR!! YOU'D NEVER GUESS WHO'S HERE! COME ON!!" He faced her again. "You know, we're still in debt to you for many things!"
"Oh please, sir. The feeling's more than mutual. You know that."
"Well, any chance I get to be 'mutual' with a ladyfriend, I'll leap upon it!" Beast Boy winked.
"Um…..yeah." A pause. "Is Noir here yet??"
I stumbled down the stairs, looking curiously at the open doorway with shaded eyes.
"Well speak of the devil!! Or angel…depends what you're into."
"Hehehehehe."
"Noir! Come look! We have a visitor!"
I raised an eyebrow and walked up beside him. I squinted from the painfully bright world outside.
"Yeah, I know," Beast Boy chuckled. "Shake it like a Polaroid picture."
A figure came into focus…complete with brown hair, glasses, and a librarian smile. "I still haven't read that novel you asked about, Noir."
I beamed. Sandy!!
"How're things?"
Naturally I jumped forth and shook her hand.
Beast Boy chuckled.
I cleared my throat, stood straight, and gestured.
She giggled and replied in sign language: 'I am volunteering. As always.'
'And that is why you are here?'
'If you mean here as in the Tower, I had something to ask of you.'
'Anything! You can ask anything!'
'I should talk with the other Titans first.'
"Um….," Beast Boy cleared his throat. "S-Sorry to interrupt, guys, but I don't speak 'fingers'. What's going on?"
"If you must know," Sandy nodded, "I was in town for volunteer reasons. I'm working with a fundraiser for the Westhaven Opera House. There's a carnival taking place in Town, and its proceedings are going directly to the construction."
"Oh yeah! I heard of that!" Beast Boy looked at me and then back at her. "On the front lawn of Veronica Vreeland's Summer home!"
"She's a major supporter of the Opera House which Ms. Cartwright is managing," Sandy said. "She's inviting a lot of wealthy patrons, but she wants to open it up to everyone in general. She doesn't know how to go about doing it….unless…."
"She got some….'special icons' of the City to come," Beast Boy slyly pointed at himself.
Sandy took a breath. "You could put it that way."
"I know just who to bring this up to!" Beast Boy spun and dashed up the stairs. "Come on! Follow me! It's okay! You're welcome in our home!"
"I-I should hope so," Sandy blushed. She looked at me.
I smirked down at her. I gestured: 'You are too bashful'.
Sandy shrugged. "Perhaps." She squinted her spectacled eyes. "I see your hair is still long."
I did a double-take.
"So….show me around! I'm dying to see this place!" Sandy exclaimed.
I shrugged, smiled, and led her towards the elevator.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"And so you're saying Ms. Vreeland needs us to make an appearance?" Robin asked as he sat in reverse in a chair of the Main Room and faced Sandy.
"See? It makes total sense!" Sandy gestured. "The Titans are the ones who saved the operahouse!"
"And did manage to smash it to bits," Cyborg gestured with a smirk.
Sandy rolled her spectacled eyes. "Besides that. Hundreds upon hundreds of rich people owe their lives to you bunch. Thanks to your noble actions, the night Il Trovatore showed was spared from being a holocaust! People look back on the evening now with good spirits. To have you at the carnival fundraiser would make everyone happy! And it'd help bring in people from the City and spread the good news about Westhaven around!"
"She is right," Starfire nodded at the Boy Wonder. "And after unfolding events with Anderson's notoriety, it would be most beneficial to Ms. Catrwright and her people to have us appear for them, no?"
"Right on, Star!" Beast Boy grinned. "Time to show the world what the Titans think is a real class act." A beat. "Er….even if I don't understand opera."
Starfire giggled.
"To be honest…," Robin smirked. "It sounds like an excellent idea. When's it taking place?"
Sandy bit her lip. "Tomorrow evening. I'm sorry for such short notice. I had suggested it to Ms. Cartwright long ago. And she suggested it to Ms. Vreeland's agent. And Ms. Vreeland's agent eventually got around to notifying Veronica herself and—well—the will of the aristocracy is seldom punctual."
"How would we know?" Cyborg shrugged. "HA!"
I smirked.
"Are you all still up to it?" Sandy sheepishly asked.
Starfire looked at everyone, smiled, and said: "Consider it signed, sealed, and in the mail!"
"You mean you will?" Sandy beamed.
"Why not?!" Beast Boy grinned.
"Sure thing," Robin nodded. "We're getting rather used to these events, to tell the truth." A pause. "Is a certain red-haired archer going to be at the charity too?"
"Um…..n-not that I'm aware of, sir."
"Heh…," Robin sweatdropped and scratched his neck. "No biggie."
"Great!" Sandy clapped. "I can't wait to tell Ms. Cartwright!"
"Hold on a sec….," Cyborg said.
Everyone looked his way. "This ain't unanimous yet."
"How do you mean, Cyborg?" Starfire inquired.
"Um….aren't we forgetting someone really important?" the android remarked.
I blinked.
I looked at Raven's favorite reading seat.
She wasn't there.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"I understand a time and a place for anger…," True Raven paced around the wrought iron cell. "…but I draw the line at hatred. I always draw the line at hatred!"
"And that's where you're weak and incompetent, girllllll…..," Red Raven hissed from inside the dark contents.
"Okay, enough with the ridicule," Raven pressed herself up against the bars and glared inside. "Either you answer my question or I'm putting you to sleep for a long time."
"RAAAAGHH!!!" The metal box shook as four red eyes flew up and stared into Raven from the other side. "You can't put me to sleep every hour of every day, chilllld! And you knowwwww that. As much as you hatttte me. As much as I makkkke you think of your dear olllld Dadddddddy, you need meeeeee."
"I don't kneed you……," Raven mumbled. "I need what you could have been." Her voice was soft and deflated.
"Heh….heh….heh….heh….," Red slurred with a slant of her four eyes. "Do I smell….—sniff sniff--….regret?! Be careful, girrrrrl. Looks like sssssssssomeone needs a new colorrrrrr.""You're not the master of this domain," Raven glared. "Let me keep things straight here. You almost leaked out a few days ago. And in front of my friends. I will not stand for that."
"Friendssssssssss," Red hissed at the word. "Friendssssssssssssssss? Friendsssssss is an 'idea', girrrrrrrl. Such a stupidly weakkkkkkk 'idea'. I swear to yyyyyyyou, one day when you lose conttttttrol and I am free, yourrrrrrr friends will truly….truly know what it meanssssss for me to 'leak'. Heh heh heh heh."Raven inhaled. "Is that a threat?"
"IT'S INEVITABILITY!!!" The iron cage shook. The chains flexed her fingers, staring at the bars. "Whenever we meet……I am reminded as to why you're so dangerous. And it's not just because of my father. No…you're dangerous because I hate you so much…in spite of the fact that I know you're Hatred itself."
"Love it or leave it, princesssss! Heh heh heh heh."There was a rumbling sound throughout the entire, dark world.
Birds flew, cawing high overhead.
Raven glanced up.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"Please……," she groaned. "Not now.""RAVEN?? RAVEN ARE YOU THERE?"
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"I must go……," Raven sighed, defeated.
"I will be watching…."The chains pulled. The torches danced as the cage was dragged back underground with a haunting rattle.
"You're always 'watching'," Raven rolled her eyes. "What else is new?"
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"RAVEN, AM I DISTURBING YOU?!
Raven grumbled. "Just a minute!!!"
And the entire world started to fade……
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
Starfire reconsidered knocking on the door one last time.
But it slid open and there stood Raven, glaring.
"What?"
Starfire blushed. "Er….s-sorry for the intrusion. I imagine you were—"
"Meditating, yes," Raven nodded. "What do you need?"
"Your verdict."
"Verdict?"
Starfire innocently twiddled her fingers. "A volunteer from the Westhaven Opera House has visited the Tower this afternoon, requesting the Titans' presence at a charity event in honor of the civil function and—"
"Get. To. The Point."
Starfire simpered: "We wanted to know how you felt about our possible attendance at a carnival tomorrow evening!"
"How do I usually feel when I'm interrupted in the middle of my meditation?" Raven fumed.
"Um……"
SLAM!!!
"The verdict is 'no'," came Raven's muffled voice from inside her closed room.
Starfire sighed. "Are you certain you will not reconsider?"
"It depends," the muffled voice says. "Is this a vote by unanimity? Or majority?"
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
The next day's evening….inside the T-Car that zoomed off towards the carnival….
"Yeah! Majority rules!" Beast Boy cheered.
Raven sat to the left of me in the backseat, her arms folded and her face sour. "I should have known…."
"Come on, Rae!" Cyborg smiled from the driver's seat, glancing at her in the rear view mirror. "This thing is key to us winning the hearts of those in high places!"
"Not to mention making up for the spontaneous deconstruction of the Opera House in attaining custody of Killer Moth and H.I.V.E.!" Starfire bubbly added from the front passenger seat.
I winced.
"Um….no need to state the obvious, Star," Beast Boy sweatdropped and rubbed his neck.
"I shouldn't be here…," Raven grumbled. "I've. Been. Very. Busy. Lately."
"Busy doing what?!" Cyborg remarked. "Being cooped up in that darklit room of yours?! How's that being 'busy'?!"
"You forget who you're talking to," Robin remarked with a smirk.
"Oh, I remember all right!"
Raven sighed and stared out the passing scenery through the window. "I hate my life." A pause. She glanced at me. "How're you doing?" she spoke with sarcasm.
I shrugged and gave a thumb's up. Then pointed at her.
"Absolutely rapturous….," she said. It was droll.
I chuckled with a breath.
"Hey! I think that's the Vreeland Mansion straight ahead!" Robin pointed.
"Well, this has been a most brief trip," Starfire blinked.
"We're heeeeere folks!" Cyborg smiled.
"Dude! They've got a scrambler!"
"Huh?" Raven glanced through the front seat area out the windshield. "Oh great. Spinning lights and organ music. This will do wonders to my head."
"Hang on, people," Beast Boy prophecied, "Raven's carrying a bucket of sarcasm!"
"Well, she's just gonna have to kick it," Cyborg smirked and parked us on the edge of a grassy knoll. "I, for one, want to enjoy this gala occasion!"
And we proceeded to get out.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
Under the starlit night, the carnival flashed with merriment and illuminated the wide patch of grass in front of Veronica Vreeland's luscious manor. Richly attired citizens laughed, chattered, and filed their way like ants around big bodies of Merry-Go-Rounds, Ferris Wheels, and Fun Houses. There were middle class citizens there too, lining up and enjoying shooting galleries and other fun games where prizes were involved. Finally, a stage stood roughly at the every end of the carnival grounds. It was well lit up, and it was awaiting the appearance of the Titans.
But the speech was a good half hour off, so the six heroes went about their time casually. They walked down the path between rides in a group, pointing at the various sights and going the usual route of 'ooh!' and 'aaah!'. There was a fair share of citizens pointing at them and going 'ooh!' and 'aah!' as well, but that was normal.
I was still getting used to it, though……
"Hey! Guys! There you are!" cried out a voice. It wasn't just a normal fan, for even I recognized it.
I looked over, smiled, and waved Sandy over.
She rushed up, wearing a…suit of sorts. All workers were wearing suits that night. They looked like ushers.
Sandy the usher……
"I'm glad you came! I really am! This is going to be the best night ever for Westhaven!"
"More than willing to help," Robin smiled. "Besides, this place looks rather enjoyable."
"Indeed!" Starfire beamed.
"Are we needed already?" Cyborg asked.
"Not quite. Veronica's gotta freshen up to make the opening speech to the crowd and such. Real drama queen if you ask me," she said the last part with a hushed voice.
I winked under my shades.
"Do we have to be here long?" Raven droned.
Sandy curtsied. "Well, greetings'm. I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you."
"That's rather believable…," Raven said bluntly.
"……," Sandy blinked.
"Um…..," Robin sweatdropped. "Sandy, meet Raven."
"Subtitles: 'The Ice Titan'," Beast Boy said, imitating quotation marks with his fingers.
Raven glared at him, but was interrupted by an invading shake of the hand by Sandy.
"Glad I could finally see you in person, Raven," the girl smiled. "You've always intrigued me out of all the Titans."
"…..," Raven stared. "You don't know me," she muttered and walked off.
"Er….was it something bad I said?" Sandy simpered.
I gestured: 'Could have said anything'. I politely smiled and followed after Raven.
"It's okay, Sandy," Beast Boy said. "It's just Raven's way. If Mother Theresa came down from heaven and asked to have a match of table tennis, Raven would find something cold to say like : 'What'll we use for a ball, one of your rosary beads?'"
Cyborg chuckled.
"That sounds rather………wrong," Starfire said.
"You said it," Robin nodded. He leaned towards Sandy. "Care to show us around?"
"My pleasure, sir," Sandy said. "Follow me!"
"I wish to join you! May I?!" Starfire asked.
Robin looked back at her and smirked. "Are you kidding?"
The Tamaranian blinked. "No."
Robin rolled his eyes under his eyemask. "That means 'come on!' Star!"
"Oh! Heeeeee!"
The three walked, skipped, and floated off.
Cyborg placed his hands on his hips. "Well, we only have so much time. Whaddya want to check out? The scrambler? The dunking machine? The Ferris Wheel?---"
The android's voice trailed. He watched silently as the green elf looked forlornly up at a nearby Ferris Wheel. His shoulders sagged. His pointed ears drooped.
"I…..d-don't like ferris wheels anymore….," Beast Boy murmured.
"Huh?" Cyborg remarked. He paused a second….then realized. "Oh." He looked solemn for a second, then brightened. "Hey, squirt! Bet I could beat you at ring toss!"
"Pffft!! No way!!"
"Let's race! First there, first toss!"
"You're on!!"
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"I hate carnivals," Raven griped.
I nodded as we walked lazily across the flashing and warbling sights.
"Mankind, in all its lunacy, contrives ways to distract itself from the seriousness of the world with no regards of the future."
I shrugged.
"What? You don't believe me?!"
I shook my head and waved my hands emphatically.
She glared at me through the corner of her eyes and folded her arms. "This is all your fault, you realize."
I pointed a finger at myself incredulously.
"You and Beast Boy were the geniuses caught up in the whole Westhaven fiasco," she mumbled. "Now look at all these rich saps crawling to us…."
I formed a 'circle' with my fingers and held it over my left shades lens.
"Okay….so Cyborg too."
I smirked.
"I sooooooo did not want to be a part of this," she sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose stressfully. "I've got so much to worry about as it is. So much on my mind. On my mind…."
I cocked my head to the side and looked at her funny. I was concerned.
She saw it.
"It's pointless to talk about it," she droned and walked on. "I just want this night to end."
I shrugged and followed her.
The two of us were neglectful of a lanky figure in the shadows behind us. The figure stared at us—hiding flat up against the rear of a Fun House. As we walked off, the figure pranced in pursuit, carrying an awkwardly slender object in his arms. He stared at us, let out a comical chuckle, and danced off into the shadows on flailing, lanky limbs.
Disappearing…..
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
Starfire gasped, shading her eyes as if spotting dry land. "Over there, Robin!! A stand of concession!! They must have the pink cotton there!!"
"Hey…that sounds nice," Robin smirked. "I could go for some, to tell the truth."
"Oooooh! May I go procure some for the whole party?!" the Tamaranian beamed.
"Um…it's a long walk, Star."
She floated up, beaming. "But an even shorter flight!" And she zipped off towards the stand over people's heads.
"Guess there's no arguing with her," Sandy mused.
Robin stood and folded his arms. "Nope. She's a lot less pensive than when she first arrived on our planet."
"You say that like you're 'proud' of her or something," Sandy squinted.
"Nah. Not pride. Not exactly."
"Then what?"
"Ahem," Robin cleared his throat. "Noir was right. You are the nosy type."
"So he told you?"
"As beast as Noir can 'tell'."
"You mean….you can't 'speak' to him?" Sandy remarked, surprised.
Robin shook his head. "Not like you can."
"Then how do you communicate?!" Sandy inquired. "I mean, you're the team leader and all!"
"Our communicators have a morse code function," Robin said. "Besides that, Cyborg is an avid translator."
"But shouldn't you and the other Titans….I dunno….learn to talk to Noir?" Sandy remarked. "He's practically family to you all, right?"
"Yeah, well….," Robin sweatdropped and scratched his neck. "We're working on that."
"I hope so….," Sandy trailed. She was eyeing Raven and I across the way, walking slowly across the grounds.
Robin followed Sandy's eyes. "Yeah, they're a lot alike," Robin said. "Both masters of the dark arts."
"Not alike in my book," Sandy said. "I mean….I know Noir. Somewhat. But Raven, she—" The girl hesitated. She looked up at Robin. "I-I didn't mean to intrude when I asked the Titans on such short notice to attend this carnival. And I can tell Raven's heart is not into it…."
"Raven's heart is not into a lot of things," Robin said. "In fact, it may not be an insult to say that Raven tries not to 'have a heart' period."
"Why is that?" Sandy asked. "If it's not too much to know?"
"Not too much to know a little," Robin emphasized. "Raven is…….a lot more vulnerable than the rest of us."
"Pfft. Could have fooled me!"
"No, seriously," Robin defended. "I've known her longer than anyone else. She and I were the ones who founded the Titans."
"Really?"
Robin nodded. "She has immense powers. All the same, she has immense demons she must struggle with."
"Demons?"
"You and I, we are lucky people," Robin said. "When we go to sleep, we are in sound mind. When we wake up, we have the same head. We don't have to worry about our little feelings and personalities and all the tiny pieces of us running loose from our skull and creating mischief for our psyche."
"And it's different with Raven…."
"She must keep all of her emotions in check. On a daily basis," Robin emphasized, looking at the dark girl from afar off. "Raven is always in constant meditation. Perfecting her mind. Maintaining a grip on her powers. She has to sacrifice pleasure…desire…warmth and feeling," he sighed. "I can't blame a person so ascetic as that being bitter every now and then." A beat. He looked at Sandy, "Do you understand where Raven comes from, now? Her mindscape is a daily battle. As of late, things have been a little……tough for her to hold things at bay. Heck, it's been tough for all of us. Battling Viper was no walk in the park. And Starfire's sister invading the Tower and stuff to boot—we've been in stressful times."
"I had no idea," Sandy shook her head. "Er, th-that is to say, I had some idea…but…..well, I guess I'm in no place to judge. Raven is right. I don't know her."
Robin placed a hand on the volunteer's shoulder. "Hey. Don't feel so bad. None of us truly knows Raven either." He folded his arms again and looked our way. "I suppose—if fate would allow it—the only way to understand Raven is to be Raven."
"Thank God for reality….," Sandy mused.
Starfire flew down. "Friends! Rejoice! I have brought the pink cotton!!"
"Alright!" Robin smiled, accepting a cone of cotton candy from the alien girl. "It's felt like forever since I indulged in one of these!"
"And look what else I retrieved!!" Starfire smiled with her eyes closed tightly. "Nectar!!"
"Nectar?!—aw jeez, Star!" Robin winced.
The girl brandished the mustard jar and popped the lid open. "Hehehe!! Such a great night! Bottoms to the up!"
"What's she talking about?" Sandy asked.
"Whatever you do—trust me—do…not…look…."
"Look at what?" Sandy looked. "Ohhhhh, sweet mother of---"
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"I can't explain it, Noir," Raven mumbled. She leaned back against the side of a concession stand while I listened. "Meditation is so hectic lately. I can't seem to concentrate. I'm afraid that—any second—a thought or emotion can slip and—wham! I may not show it, Noir, but I don't want any of the Titans hurt."
A pause.
She made a face. She looked up at me. "Wait….how'd I get here?"
I scratched my head.
"How'd I start opening up to you?"
I shrugged, smiling.
"Ugh….," Raven clutched her head and shook it. "I hate carnivals…."
"Ahem….," a middle-aged voice cleared itself.
I looked lazily to the left. I made a double-take.
"Greetings, Miss Raven. Mr. Noir."
"Huh?" Raven glanced up. Her eyes widened a bit. "Oh……um….."
Blake Glover stood—in the flesh—smiling subtly and extending a hand towards me. "Fancy meeting you here tonight."
"Come, Noir," Raven gently tugged at my arm. "Let's go and…..er…..regroup with the others."
I held a hand up to stop her. I turned around, swallowed, and politely shook Glover's hand.
"Whew….," the man exhaled. "Wasn't sure if you were gonna chop it off or something."
I simpered.
"I'm here off assignment of investigating a possible case of abuse in a local senior home," Blake Glover said. He took the time to role his eyes at his own, stereotypical antics of journalism. He then said: "I've picked up a considerable amount of funds throughout the year. Believe me, it's no price for me to be here and bless the Westhaven troupe with a contribution or two."
I nodded. Smiling slightly.
"And….um….," the man—in all humility—fumbled with his words. He scratched the hair behind his ear and said: "It's….nice seeing you Titans here. It truly is."
I felt that was an apology from him. I smiled. It made him feel better; his face showed it.
"So many people look up to y'all. It's true," he rambled.
Whatever……
I glanced at his lapel. There was a ribbon of sorts on it.
I gestured and pointed at it curiously.
"Oh….this," he fingered the ribbon, sighed, and managed a weak smile. "I've been involved with charity for lung cancer."
I cocked my head to the side.
"Not only am I an employee, I'm also a client."
I realized what he meant. My face fell.
"That is unfortunate," Raven droned. I held my breath. Thankfully, the inflection in her voice wasn't so bland. It was a few safe rungs below bitter sarcasm.
Glover seemed nowhere affected. "Well, I'd love to chat, but—it seems like one of you is needed."
"????" we both looked towards the stage.
Vreeland was already making a speech. She pointed outward and the loudspeakers boomed: "…and now I present to you, the Teen Titans!"
I jumped.
"That's our cue," Raven said. She finally regripped my arm and glanced (more like glared) at Glover. "We're going now."
"So long…."
She dragged me off.
The man stood alone with his ribbon.
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"It's about time you got here!" Cyborg hissed as he stood on the stage next to a perfectly posed Beast Boy and Starfire. "Get your butts in gear!"
"Get your own butt….," Raven grumbled.
"Smooth," Beast Boy winked.
Cyborg elbowed him.
"Ow!"
"They've all come here to personally support the fundraiser for the Westhaven Opera House!" Veronica Vreeland grinned. She spun and pointed the microphone at Robin's chin. "Isn't that right?"
"Uhhhh…," the Boy Wonder cleared his throat and spoke textbookly into the recording instrument. "Yes, we have all come here to personally support the fundraiser…for th-the Westhaven Opera House."
Starfire winced.
Sandy giggled off stage.
"Well naturally you have!" Vreeland cooed. Aaaah, the rich. "In fact, it was three of you that saved the necks of me and my fellow audience members weeks ago!"
The gathered crowd on the grass clapped and cheered.
Beast Boy grinned wide.
"And who else is here to commend those three in person?! None other than the fresh young manager of the Westhaven Opera House, Ms. Cartwright herself!!"
There was applause.
I glanced over curiously. I hadn't seen the woman since the incident at the prison with Slug and Reload.
She shuffled up in a shimmering black dress, looking as mature and powerful as ever.
Ah yes…Cartwright.
"Ah yes….Cartwright," Beast Boy murmured with hearts in his eyes.
I slowly stared at him….
"I remember you two," the woman smiled slyly. She was holding something in her grasp. Medals. "The most mischievous, deceiving, dishonest lot ever to come to one of my shows!"
Beast Boy sweatdropped.
"Y-Yeah….heheh…that's us!" Beast Boy simpered.
But Cartwright smiled. "And we couldn't possibly be more thankful for your having saved us from Killer Moth and H.I.V.E." She looked at Cyborg. "You too. You came in the nick of time and showed us we weren't totally hopeless."
People chuckled.
"Pleased to be of help!" Cyborg bowed.
"Hey!" Beast Boy whispered up at me. "He was a newcomer! How come he—"
"Please accept these tokens of our gratitude," Cartwright knelt and draped one around Beast Boy's neck before patting his head.
The changeling grinned wide. "Hey, Cy! Welcome aboard!"
"HA!"
I rolled my black eyes. I smiled and bowed at Cartwright as she put the medal around my neck.
"Thanks, Noir," she said. She glanced. "I see your hair is still long."
Again, I did a double-take.
She finally put the medal around the android's neck. "Once the charity donations are in…and the Opera House is fully prepared…expect three free tickets to all showings from here on out!"
"Well, allright!" Cyborg grinned.
"Heck with it. Six free tickets!"
Robin did a thumb's up.
Starfire cupped her hands together: "Glorious!"
Raven blew a strand of hand out from over her face and crossed her arms impatiently.
"And now that the formalities are over with," Cartwright grinned. She waved at the crowd. "Enjoy the festivities! Carpe diem!"
People cheered. Cartwright and Vreeland walked off the stage. Off in the shadowy distance, a lanky figure with a slim object in his grasp peered over the necks of aristocracy.
We were left standing on the stage….a little dizzy with confusion.
Starfire blinked. "That was….faster than normal."
"Hey," Robin shrugged. "I can't complain."
"All the more time to check out the sights and sounds of this place!"
"Speak for yourself," Raven mumbled and headed towards the steps. "Can we go home now?"
"Uh uh uh!!" slinked in a quirky voice from across the grass.
"Um…..," Beast Boy popped a question mark out of his forehead.
The lanky figure hobbled out of the shadows. He was a retired beatnik of a man with an angular face, long tufts of black hair for bangs that danced straight out from under a woolen cap. Above a pointed, pale nose he wore solid black specs. A goatee hung under his grinning teeth as he stumbled out—dragging and hold fashioned camera in his arms—and bowed.
"Please, do not exit just yet!" the lanky man exclaimed. "Allow me to take a picture of the gallant heroes while they're still on the stage! I really dig this charity fundraiser, you see, and it would be a crime not to capture the guests of honor in their moment of generosity and all that jazz. You get me?"
"Er….well….I dunno," Robin shrugged.
"Don't be afraid!" the man leaned on the stilts of his cloth-covered camera and grinned like a Muppet would if it took too much amphetamines. "I've been beat looking for a good chance like this, ya dig? I'd kill myself if I went to sleep tonight without snapping a shot of you cats!"
Sandy cleared her throat and walked towards the man—suppressing a grin. "Allright, allright. That's enough. I don't know who you are, but I can't force the guests to go through a camera shoot if they don't wan—"
"Nah, it's all right," Robin smirked.
"Yeah!" Cyborg nodded. "I don't mind a picture or two. How about you guys?"
"Fine by me," Starfire said.
"All the more copies of me, the merrier," Beast Boy's eyebrows danced.
I shrugged. I hadn't had my picture taken a lot lately. It's not that I hated cameras. Only their inevitable, bright FLASH! I adjusted my shades for good measure.
Raven, however…….
"Um….,"she fumbled. "You sure we can't just go home?"
"Relax, Raven. This is a publicity thing."
"So the answer is yes?!" The old beatnick hopped.
"Yes, the answer is!" Starfire beamed.
"Great! I really dig you for this!" the lanky photographer shooed Sandy back with a wave of his hand, propped the camera, and slinked up behind it and under the tarp of the old-fashioned contraption. "Really…..really……dig you……" he grinned under his breath. Nobody heard him then.
"All together now," Cyborg said, smiling and pulling Starfire and Robin closer.
"Oomf!" the Boy Wonder grunted. "Assuming he's zooming in, huh?"
"I'm tallest," Cyborg winked. "I'm in the back."
I raised a hand.
"Next to me, Noir," Cyborg motioned with his head.
I smiled and stood next to him.
"I should stand in the back too, no?" Starfire held her hands behind her back and said.
"Yeah, you're kinda tall too," Cyborg scratched his chin. "So Robin…exchange places."
"Hey! What made you art director all of the sudden?!" Beast Boy stuck his tongue out.
"I'll have you know, my mother was a photographer!"
"I thought you said all she took photos of was plants!"
"You're pretty green yourself, little man. Now stand next to Robin."
"Blah."
"Um…where should I go?" Raven asked with a lethargic shrug.
"I'd say you'd do well in the very front," Robin nodded.
"Whoopeee," Raven droned. A beat. "But wait a minute. Isn't Beast Boy the shortes—"
"Depends on if your wearing heels or not," Cyborg said. "Now down in front!"
Beast Boy giggled.
Raven rolled her eyes. She stood in position.
As we all posed for the photo….
Raven was directly in front. She stood in ahead of everyone…closest to the camera and in the absolute center of the shot.
Behind her—parallel to each other—were Robin and Beast Boy.
Then there was the final layer of the Titans. Cyborg stood in the back center. Starfire was to his left. And I was to his right.
For some reason or another, I was a few inches farther away from Cyborg's right shoulder than Starfire was from his left.
I thought nothing of it at the time.
The same with Raven. She was in front of everyone.
But thought nothing of it at the time……
"Looks like they're ready," Sandy folded her arms. She smiled at the fellow. "Take your shot, old man."
"Right-o-rooney!" he exclaimed, muffled from the tarp. "On the count of three, say cheese!"
Starfire glanced around. "But I do not see a dairy product anywhere!"
"Just say 'cheese', Star."
"O-Okay…."
"One…."
We stood up straight.
"Two…."
Raven exhaled.
"Three………"
FLASH!!!!
I winced hard. It was inevitable. My black eyes burned for a few frothy seconds before things faded back to normality under the safe halo of my shades. I shook my head and took a deep breath.
I glanced over and….saw Raven's head nodding.
"Rae?" Beast Boy remarked.
"Ugh….," the girl clutched her head and teetered over.
"Whoah! Take it easy, girl!" Robin grabbed her shoulders and held her upright. "You okay??"
"I…..I don't know," the girl dizzily shook her head. She glanced up and blinked at the chaos of the carnival. "So many lights….i-it gets disorienting after a while, I guess."
"Poor thing," Starfire said. "Perhaps we should get you home early."
"Yeah…," Cyborg nodded. "Enough excitement for Raven is enough excitement for all of us."
The rest of us chuckled.
Raven smirked slightly. She still fought off some mysterious dizziness, standing upright once again.
"Yes! Perfect!!" the skinny man said and danced out from under the tarp of his old camera. "I shall have prints for you in no time! I know where you all live!"
"Heh," Beast Boy shrugged. "Who doesn't! Sorry, but, we gotta split now."
"All in good time!" the old, lanky beatnik bowed. "I bid you cats adieu. Live long and jazz it, baby!" And he danced away—giggling—into the night. He was hugging his old camera like some forbidden treasure.
"What a…..fascinating creature," Starfire remarked.
"I've seen enough," Robin yawned. "Let's go home."
We started descending the stage.
"Better not find out you blinked, Raven," Beast Boy smiled and pointed. A beat. "Raven? You okay?"
Raven still shook her head. "Yeah…..j-just….tired is all."
"Jeez…what did you eat this afternoon?"
"……….nothing."
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
We returned to the Tower and all shuffled to our bedrooms. We were all a bit more tired than normal. Everyone save for Raven, that is. Along the T-Car trip home, her dizziness left. And—I swear—I saw more of the white in her eyes than ever before.
When you're someone like me, you take note of the 'white' in people's eyes a lot. You really do.
I was just passing through the Main Room for a glass of water sometime after midnight.
Robin sat in front of a video phone.
"I'm telling you, the charity has been a blast!" Sandy said on the tiny screen. She seemed genuinely happy. "Ms. Cartwright will be so pleased!"
"How much is the earnings?" Robin asked, sipping some juice.
"Don't know exact figures yet…."
"But it's a lot, you think?"
"Oh yeah!" Sandy beamed. "C-Can I come by the Tower again tomorrow to go over with you what I've found?!"
"Sure thing," Robin said. "We'd love to have you by again."
"Splendid! Ooops! Get a good night's sleep, sir. I'm sorry, I didn't notice the time."
"Quite allright. Chat with you later. Good night, Sandy."
"Good night, sir."
Blip!
Robin sighed, smiling. "Not bad. We did good tonight." He spun around and saw me. "ACK!!! Oh….whew….Noir….you gave me the heebie jeebies."
I glanced at him from besides the fridge.
Um………okay……
"Say….do you get this wyrd feeling of….I dunno…..like a bunch of insects and stuff in the halls of the Tower?" I shook my head. In the middle of doing so, I accidentally dropped a jug of milk—spilling contents everywhere.
Damn!!!
I grit my teeth and rather forcibly yanked a handful of paper towels to do cleanup. I took a breath, calmed down for some reason, and went at the task down on my knees.
"……..," Robin watched. "I dunno…just me I guess," he scratched his arm and glanced out the windows at the moonlit Bay beyond. "Must have seen a lot of bugs and stuff at the Carnival grounds and it got me thinking wyrd things." A beat. "I wonder how Raven's doing?"
I grunted and continued mopping up the milk.
I could care less about what Robin was worried about just then……
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
Halfway into the night, Raven couldn't sleep.
Ever since the arrival home at the Tower, her body felt----alive. Awake. Antsy. Anxious. All the other 'A' words.
She felt hot. She perspired a lot. And yet, she wasn't sick.
She tried showering to cool herself off. But it didn't work. And it wasn't that time in her cycle either. So she was perplexed. She was worried. She was---
Raven sat up straight in bed.
Worried?
Something invisible pushed at her. She huffed and jumped out of bed.
She tripped on a sheet and toppled over, slamming her knee into the wooden gargoyle of an ornamental chair.
WHACK!!
"Owch!!" she fell to her rear on the carpet and gripped her knee. The nerve had been stabbed just right, and it sent unnerving waves of pain throughout her body.
She clenched her teeth. She shut her eyes. She….
"!!!"
Raven gasped.
She froze.
She raised a hand to her face.
Moistness.
A tear……
Raven's mouth fell agape.
She looked at her wet finger.
Her hand was trembling.
She looked up towards the pale walls of her darklit room.
The emptiness.
The bleakness.
It all seemed so….so…..
"Stupid….," she whispered.
Silence.
She bolted up, limped her way across the room till her leg was no longer sore, and burst out through the automatic doors in her bedclothes. Things inside her being became a flurry. A rush. Adrenaline. Blood. Pumping. Throbbing. Jumping. Pulsing. Her legs rushed up and down. She locomotived down the hallway and up the stairwell. She dashed up steps, panting. Huffing. Heaving. Living.
CLANG!!
There!!
The door to the rooftop flew open.
Raven froze.
She was staring up at a sky full of stars. Celestial glory. So large. So vast. Mysterious and….
was all so……very beautiful……
Raven exhaled. "Oh wow……"
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
"Jordan……please……you m-must do it—"Screaming voices.
Hair and arms.
Scalps bleeding.
"M-Must………"
Metal limbs. Gunpoint. Sparks. Screams.
"……do it……"
I jumped forward. I was anchored to the wall by plastic tendons."Jordan…please……"
She was weeping. She was golden. She was being torn apart by sparks.
My angel……
"Your Master taught you well. You are a resilient one. Yet not as much as her. We spent hours and hours upon her—""WHAT DID YOU DO, JORDAN?!?! YOU BASTARD!!!!"
"P-Please……"Beating the ground. Screaming.
Metal.
Plastic tendons.
"You must…"
Myrkblade's hilt.
My aching knuckles.
Numb legs.
Drenched legs.
Brown eyes twitching.
Hair and mouths.
Pool……
"WHAT DID YOU DO, JORDAN?!?!"
My heart pounded. They were all dead. Pouring onto the floor around me with spaghetti sauce.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!?!"
SLASH!!!!!The screams cut short.
Hair flew with a bowling ball and formed a crater in the earth that swallowed her away with her angel eyes and blond hair and all I saw were four red specks peaking into existence and swimming into me.
"Heh heh heh heh……"I was holding Myrkblade.
I was covered in sauce.
"I know…….I know what….."
The red spots had teeth. They devoured me and I fell down the tube full of blood and hair and she sobbed into my face.
"Jordan!!!"
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
I shot up straight in bed, clutching my head. My black eyes bulged. I sweated bullets. Hyperventilating.
The lanterns flickered as if a ghost was rushing away at the last second.
I looked all around me, shoulders heaving.
Everything heaving.
Hot and heaving.
Blood rushing.
Blood……
I gripped my neck. I felt the scar. The vision of four red specks faded from my eyes.
My lips quivered.
I fell down onto the covers and curled into a fetal position.
Shivering…
Horrified…
-T-T-T-T-T-T-
That morning, Robin yawned. Answering a call on his communicator, he sauntered up the stairwell of the Tower. He had a hard time sleeping that night. He kept hearing noises in his bedroom. Childhood revisited. He shrugged it off and trekked upwards—but froze when he saw the door to the rooftop hanging open.
"Huh???"
He dashed up the steps and into the blinding sunrise.
He squinted across the rooftop and saw a familiar, dark figure perched on the side in her bedclothes.
"R-Raven??" Robin remarked. He stumbled over. "What's going on? I thought there was something wrong! What're you doing up this early—"
He stopped in mid sentence.
Raven had turned to look at him, and she was doing two monumental things.
Smiling and tearing…..
"Raven…," Robin gasped. He knelt down and put a hand on her shoulder. "You're…..you're….."
"I'm free, Robin," Raven murmured. Her eyes were streaming with tears. And yet—all the time—there was a bitter sweet smile on her face. The Boy Wonder could also see her fists clenched, as if a righteous anger was hidden under the surface. And Raven's posture was straight and strong. Full of confidence. Full of fervor.
Full of emotion……
"I…..can feel," the girl sobbed. She stroked a palm across her face, gathered the tears, and stared at it in the glistening sunlight. "In the middle of the night…I-I felt it all lift my shoulders. It's all gone." She looked straight into the Boy Wonder's eyemask. "And….HE is even gone! It's….a m-miracle…."
Robin was at a loss for words. So, he tried to do something for Raven that he had never tried before.
He offered her a hug.
And she accepted it.
"This…th-this is amazing, Raven!"
"I know it is….," Raven shook against him with a sob and a smile at the same, paradoxical time. "I know it is…."