After ransacking both Circe's and Tala's collection of books and magical trinkets from their rooms, along with procuring a number of interesting documents from Lex's quarters; Raven has been suggested that they go see what some of the major players had to say, incarcerated as they are in the prison above them. Lex is out of the question, they all knew, partially because he's still comatose and that Raven might not be wise to have in the same room as him. Officer Foley jumps out of his seat when Raven suddenly appears in the lobby.
"Jeez I nearly shit myself!" He complains.
"Sorry. I need to talk to Rancid, unless you can grant me access to some of the prisoners from below?" She asks.
"I thought you'd never get up here." Rancid says as he storms out of his office before Foley can answer, sporting a broad smirk.
"So can you?" She asks again, knowing he heard her the first time.
"Well under a number of laws that's about as long as my arm, I can't just let civilians waltz in and ask questions without an appointment and state approval, but I think I can dodge the Commish for you, just this once." He says still with the broad smile. "But I got to let you know, the nutter's like Slade, apparently, have been transferred back to their homey nuthouses. And those who were badly wounded are in the hospital wing. So who do you want?"
"Tala will probably be the most informative." Raven replies after a short debate amongst the other. "After that, I would like a word with Circe."
"Hmm, well if they can get their heads out of the toilet bowls." Rancid mentions as he leads her off into the prison.
"Are they sick?" Raven asks.
"No, but according to our friendly bossy government official, both of them are very powerful witches. So we have had some special equipment made available to us. It doesn't bother normal people, but my skin crawls whenever I'm near. You will probably also be affected, but in a lesser degree." He explains as they pass through first the checkpoints and then the prison block itself with Raven getting lots of catcalls as she passes the inmates, but she ignores them.
"Thanks for the heads up."
"No problem, let me know if you will need a bucket or something." Johnny says as he waves at a pair of heavily armed and armored guards to open a heavy door, leading down a corridor where the meta human prisoners are kept. Unlike the rest of the prison, that has the more traditional iron doors to hold the prisoners in, the cells here have large glass facades that are completely air tight. Communication has to happen over a speaker system that the prisoners can't activate on their own. From the entrance Raven can tell where Tala and Circe are kept, since the bulky equipment moved here is standing in the hallway. "Second one, I'll stay here." Johnny says as he leans against the wall, letting Raven walk alone the rest of the way. Passing several of her old Titan enemies and a few of the ones from below, they either don't notice her or just stare after her. Passing Circe, she notes the purple headed woman is lying on her bunk facing the wall. Like Johnny said, Tala is lying sprawled on the floor while hanging onto the metal toilet bowl. Like Tala is undoubtedly doing, Raven feels a degree of nausea creep up on her as she stands between the machine and Tala's glass prison, but she fights it down.
"How the mighty have fallen." Raven notes dryly, getting the woman to look up, she is sweating heavily.
"You wouldn't be so mighty either If you had to endure this." Tala sighs.
"Perhaps, but I haven't broken the law either so that won't be tested." Raven replies while crossing her arms. "I have some questions for you."
"I have nothing to say Daughter of Trigon." Tala says before putting her head into the toilet again.
"You do, you don't have a chip, meaning Luthor had you in his inner circles." Raven counters.
"I have nothing to say." Tala continues before groaning.
"Try threatening her." Batman says.
"You know, I am quite certain that due to its maker; that this machine can actually do a lot worse than it is now." This gets Tala's attention as she pulls her head out of the bowl in time to see Raven turn around calmly to study the machine behind her. "Maybe it's this one?" Raven asks while letting her fingers toy with a button.
"No…don't." Tala pleads as she crawls from the toilet to the glass separating them. "I'll talk."
"Figured you might." Raven says as she turns back to face the woman. "We have searched through most of the complex below, but we have not found the corpse of the dragon you made off with. What did you do with it."
"We…we stored it…the remains that is." Tala admits. "We used some of the meat."
"For?" Raven asks.
"The mind wiping."
"You fed Machior to the ones who would not be controlled through more conventional means?" Raven asks, wondering if she should tell the victims, while Batman checks off one of he lingering theories about the mind controlling.
"Yes. We also used a few other bits for the ritual too." Tala says while looking at the ground after she curls up in a corner.
"Where is the rest of him?" Raven asks. Tala remains silent and stares at the ground. After a few seconds pass, Raven suddenly grabs the button she was toying with and twists it a few notches up before moving out of the way, even she could not stay in that for long without getting affected. Tala reacts as if kicked in the stomach before she goes into spasms, slamming her head and limbs into the walls, Raven lets it continue for five seconds before turning it back down to its previous setting, Tala collapses on the ground with a blank expression in her eyes. "Talk, or I leave it up."
"Un…m…my…domain." Tala sighs, now looking more dead than alive.
"Ask her why she is alive." Batman mentions. "She was reported dead a few years ago, used as component by Luthor to resurrect Brainiac but they ended up with Darkseid instead."
"Why are you again on this plane of existence?" Tala gives Raven a weak smirk from the floor.
"It's…just too much fun here, and I only die temporarily before I can return." Raven nods before turning away. "Wait, why do you do it?" She asks.
"Do what?" Raven asks as she turns her head.
"Deny what you are?" Tala says. "You could have everything."
"I don't want anything that isn't freely offered. You can see what I am, what the dominant part of me is and what is not. This is the part that does this." She says as she turns the device down a notch from its original setting. "You should be able to hold your meals down now." Raven replies before turning to the smirking woman in the cell next to Tala's, who doesn't seem to be affected by the device at all. "And you."
"And me; the all-powerful Circe." The woman smiles as she leans into the corner, placing her face inches from Raven's. "What would you ask of me little Amazon."
"I know a man you once encountered in Greece." Raven replies without showing any emotions, while the Founders hear Happy suggest they should point out that the All-Powerful Circe is in a box but is refuted by Wisdom without further elaborating.
"Ahh, one of my darling admirers?"
"I doubt he would hesitate snapping your neck if he had the chance." Raven replies flatly, deflating the woman's attitude immediately, her mood immediately turns sour.
"What do you want?" Circe growls.
"Change him back." The two end up glaring at each other.
"Such an odd request. Why would I want to?" Circe asks.
"Quid pro que." Raven replies.
"Hmm how interesting." Circe smirks, while Raven wonders if she had just made a mistake, Circe still had the power of persuasion and she was not one you could afford to underestimate and definitely one you don't want to have influence over you. "But what have you to offer me?"
"I won't tell a seething Wonder Woman where they are keeping you." Raven replies, getting Circe to blink a few times. Inside Raven's head however Wonder Woman is remaining oddly stoic, she had long since found out what Circe had done to her after she and Batman found her.
"Hmm, deal. But I need to know who or by what method I changed him."
"He said he was offered a cup." Raven replies while wondering if that had been all of it; it could have easily been a sedative of some kind making the victim nice and placid for Circe to work her magic on.
"Ah, a pity, the seething Wonder Woman broke that particular cup. Without it, I can do nothing and the spell is permanent. But you still have to hold up your part." Circe smirks confidently, believing herself to have fooled the woman on the other side, Raven remains blank.
"Hmm that's true, and I have no choice since we are bound by magic." Raven replies before teleporting out of sight. Batman however quickly takes note of that line.
"But I already know where you are!" Diana's voice rings behind Circe making her turn in time to receive a right fist in her face that leaves her lying unconscious on the ground.
"I couldn't help it if Diana listened in on this." Raven's voice sounds again before she leaves the cell.
"I didn't see anything." Rancid says from down the hallway.
"I did." A deep voice makes Rancid jump into the hallway in surprise. "I'm usually the first one here."
"Batman." Raven nods at him without batting an eye. "Sorry, but Fate reminded me that a certain dragon was missing. I thought it best to ask the most likely users."
"Jeez man, I'm already paranoid!" Rancid huffs while his guards remain impressively silent. "Hey how'd you get in here?" Batman just gives him a small smirk.
"Hmm, I came here for the same thing. What have you leaned?" He asks Raven, ignoring Rancid.
"Tala has the remains stored in her domain, after using a few parts. I will try and get it back later when time allows."
"Good, come with me." Batman says before turning around and marches out.
"Well hello to you too." Rancid growls.
"He's like that to everyone." Raven notes to him as the two follow. "So where are we going?"
"The scene of the crime."
"Already been there." Raven sends.
"Damn meetings, I was looking forwards to that." Richard sounds disappointed.
"Is it just me or does he seem, different?" Rancid whispers to Raven, she and the others have to agree, that Dick is not quite as broad as Bruce is.
"It's just you, there's only one Batman after all." Raven shrugs. "Anyways how is this side of the fence for you Jonny?" She asks changing subject.
"Oh it's all right, except I there are too many of the special cases that make it out of here." Rancid sighs in an annoyed tone.
"You have a good head, when you choose to use it." Raven replies.
"Rancid has a good head?" Richard sends across the telepathic bond.
"Built a giant robot, didn't he?" Raven sends back, thinking mainly of Rexzilla and its predecessor Rex.
"Thanks, but I have a budget the higher-ups are quite insisting on me keeping." Rancid replies as they come to the basement access. "Anyways, I was really nice to see you again Raven, I hope it won't be the last time. Got a desk with lots of new names on it that needs tending." He says before walking on, Raven notes that the guards he passes all salute him like trained soldiers.
"He's changed a lot. Does a good job too." Batman notes.
"He does." Raven agrees.
"Get us out of here." Batman says with Richard using his own voice before getting swallowed by Raven's shadow.
"And I thought with a thermal insulated suit, that that would be less chilly." Richard says as he appears out of Raven's shadow, finding himself on a rather familiar island.
"It's actually your soul that gets chilled, you body just thinks it's cold as well." Raven replies.
"He looks good." Diana notes to Bruce now that they can see Richard in the sunshine.
"He looks uncomfortable." Bruce counters. "But he sounds like me."
"Doesn't quite feel like we lived here for four years, does it?" Richard asks as he surveys the grass covered island.
"No." Raven agrees. "But there are many good memories tied to this place." She continues as she pulls off her hood, Richard guesses she is walking down memory lane.
"There is." He agrees as he walks down the lane as well, before the memory of Terra brings him back.
"What?" Raven asks, noticing the shift in him, he sighs.
"Cy, BB and Star went to the monastery." They end up locking eyes, Richard can tell she is halfway dreading and halfway hoping for him to continue with good news. "I'm sorry." Raven's eyes changes slowly, from ones containing an equal mix of fear and hope, to ones filled with grief before she turns away.
"Terra is in custody." She sighs with a defeated tone in her voice. "The killer is already caught." She continues as her cape and hood changes to black. "I will wear it like this, for them and for the others for a month." Richard knows it is taking a lot out of her to remain calm and is about to say something when a blink from a small bush draws his attention, leaving Raven to stare out over the bay in the midday sun. Crouching down he retrieves the object, a cracked beauty mirror framed with a particular design Richard knows. Smiling to himself he brings it over to Raven. "What? What's…my mirror?" She asks in surprise as he hands it to her. "Where did you get this?" She looks up at him in question.
"That bush." Richard says with a smirk, thumbing at the piece of vegetation.
"Pity it's just what it is now, but thanks." She says while studying herself with it. Richard knows he has to say something now, before Raven drifts back into the depression he could almost see creep up on her.
"No problem. Look, I know what it's like to lose, but don't let it eat you." She just nods at him but remains silent. "Say, since we are here and not expected anywhere soon, do you want to see what the city is like these days?" She looks at him in surprise at the turn in the conversation before replying.
"Batman in a sunny city?" She asks with a raised eyebrow, getting a smirk out of him.
"Nope; Richard Grayson and one of several Raven fangirls." She just stares at him.
"A date to make her forget the grief, nice move." John notes with an amused huff.
"They could be working." Bruce replies, obviously not keen on the distraction.
"They need to relax once in a while, besides it's not going anywhere. Actually I think Richard has the right idea, and you are coming with me." Diana smirks at him while the others look on amused at the exchange. "Like you will have anything better to do."She continues.
"Ok." Bruce sighs, before following Diana out, leaving the others behind to wait for Superman who returns a few seconds later.
"Seems I missed something?" He asks while Flash finally breaks into laughing.
"Only Batman getting hauled off on a date." Shayera notes, while smiling. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah, I went to ask the demon about a few things." Superman sighs. "She was right to destroy it; I was just thinking it was just like Conner. All it would need was a decent upbringing."
"It was too late for that." J'onn mentions.
"I know, now." Superman sighs.
Switzerland:
"Well, don't you two look comfy?" Cyborg notes as he comes across his two friends, still seated on their rock, they turn around too look at him with what he calls wet cat eyes, where they are very large and give the impression that the two have been caught red handed doing something they shouldn't. Cyborg had of course noticed the noise the two were making, but pretended to not hear it and kept the press' focus on him. "You don't have to stay here you know?"
"No, I'll stay till the last one is out." Beastboy says.
"As will I. I wish to know how many have been lost in this tragedy." Starfire adds.
"Ok, I am going to go see if there is anything I can do to help them, you want in?" Cyborg asks.
"Yeah, the shock has passed, we can help too." Beastboy speaks for the both of them.
"Good. I have notified Rob about what we have found here, he said he would tell Rae when he catches up with her and try to keep her from going into a depression. KF and Jinx have collected Cole and Gnaark and brought it to the satellite; we will bring whoever else we find there as well." Cyborg says as he leads the pair back to the job at hand.
Back in Jump City:
"Doesn't seem to have changed much." Richard notes as he walks besides Raven down the streets of Jump City. With Raven having opted to just change into a pair of black jeans and a matching sweat shirt to cover the bracelets. Whereas Richard is sporting a pair of sunglasses, a red t-shirt and a pair of army-green canvas pants.
"Well I am not getting harassed, which is a positive thing." Raven adds as they walk onto the street that runs besides the shoreline overlooking the bay and Titan Island. "That's new." She notes at a small park down the road.
"Let's check it out." Richard suggests, for both of them, it is a little weird walking around the city they defended for years without getting recognized. "Titan Park?" He notes at the sign hanging over the entrance.
"A memorial?" Raven suggests as they enter through the gate, to find the narrow stretch of trees shielding the park from the traffic noise to hide a small green lawn with a pool of clear water in the middle. To the side facing the bay is a chest high barrier of rocks with a number of slots in it. Half are vacant when not counting the fixed binoculars visitors can use to look over the bay and to Titan Isle. The rest are occupied by large statues, one of each Titan and a single large one with them all included. In front of each statue is a small console where a screen is displaying a some information's about the people the statues depict. "Crowded." Raven notes, the park really seem to be, with numerous people present, most of them appear to be families here to amuse their kids.
"Seems we have become a tourist attraction." Richard adds as they walk, noting many of the people here appear to be Japanese.
"Robin, the Boy Wonder." Raven reads from the interactive information screen in front of the first statue of a boy with his arms crossed over his chest, spiked hair and a confident smirk on his face.
"Officially recognized as the leader of the Teen Titans, Robin was the one who most often dealt with public relations and the city representatives. Although the only one without special powers, all Titans trusted in his wisdom and leadership and eventually regarded him as the unofficial head of the entire Titan organization. Many suspect he had connections to the infamous urban myth; the Batman from Gotham City, as a similarly attired and named individual was known to operate there, but these rumors have never been confirmed." Richard reads, looking over a few options below the text; abilities, fighting style and the address of the Robin fan site, or rather the largest one, he knew of at least two dozen dedicated to Robin alone.
"Garfield Logan, better known as Beastboy was always viewed as the prankster of the group. Often noted to crack jokes at the successful conclusion of a battle, is a changeling capable of changing into all forms of animals and inherit their abilities, except he is green no matter what form he takes. Raised by and as a member of the Doom Patrol, Garfield Logan was reported to have returned to his old team after the Titans disbanded." Raven reads from the screen in front of the statue of Beastboy, he has been portrayed like Robin, but with less of a smirk. Raven notes he also has movies of his fighting style and a link to both the Doom Patrol homepage and the link to an unofficial fan site.
"Cyborg, half man, half machine, saved from an untimely death by the technicians at the Jump City branch of S.T.A.R. Labs. Unofficially recognized as the second in command of the Titans West, was built to be better than most, fitted with numerous weapons and a high endurance and strength as well as being gifted with a grand mind for all matters technological. Physically the largest and oldest of the Titans, he was also known to be an avid gamer, fun and food lover." Richard reads, again noting the extra videos and another web link. Like the other males, Cyborg stands with his arms crossed over his chest, unlike the others; he has a stern visage as he stares at the city like it had offended him.
"Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran, better known as Starfire, was undoubtedly the physical powerhouse of the Titans. Capable of many great feats of strength as well as firing lasers from her hands and eyes, she was an instrumental part of many of the Titan's battles. Arriving on Earth, she possessed no knowledge of our customs or speech, which often led to mistakes being made between her and those she interacted with. Known to be the most friendly and outgoing of all of the Titans, she could often be seen in the city attempting to adapt to human culture, with varying degrees of success. Her relationship, or want for one, with her leader was obvious and served as a source of rumors in the papers." Raven finishes. "They shouldn't have written this last part." She says while looking up at the statue of her friend in full flight and a happy smile on her face. "When the Titan's disbanded, Starfire was reported to have returned to her home world to take up the throne." "If only they knew." Raven sighs internally.
"Raven, the Dark One, the Last Titan. Little is known about the most mysterious of the Titans except for her awesome power. Some called her arrogant and lofty others called her shy and private, fact remains she rarely talked to those who did not need to hear her voice. Though little is actually known about her, the rumors about her are legion. While the others were present Raven went mostly unseen by the press, all of which changed when the Titans disbanded, leaving Raven as the only member to defend Jump City. The press, used to the open team housed in the bay, was suddenly met with a wall of silence. Though she defended Jump City single handedly for three years, the press never relented its attempts in cornering the elusive guardian. Where Raven is today, no one knows, as she disappeared after defending the city from the monstrous form of a dragon that left much of the city scarred by the battle. Where ever she may be, we, the City, thank her for her selfless dedication to protect us and we pray for her return one day. Signed by the Jump City Council." Richard reads aloud, Raven almost pushes him to the ground to read the last line, she looks surprised as she looks up. "They don't seem to hate you." He mentions.
Raven's statue seems to be more of an impression of her, which would make sense since she always kept her hood up whenever she noticed a photographer around. Richard had once asked her to take it off for the team shot, only to have his request countered that she would take off the hood, if he would remove the mask. She seems taller than the others as the cloak is wrapped around her completely without any clear cut line of where it leaves the rock it is attached to. Raven notes it could be her emerging from the ground, while being impressed that the artist could get the hood to hang like the real thing while still having calm face visible underneath it.
"I'm at a loss for words." Raven finally manages. "I thought they would have been happy to get rid of me."
"Think you spent too much time glaring at the people on the peers." Richard says with a smirk. "Come on; let's see what they write about the team."
"I think we have to forgo that." Raven mentions flatly as large class of kids line up around the group statue and their teacher.
"Or we can listen in." Richard suggests, knowing she is about to turn away he halt her by grabbing onto her hand. When she turns to glare at him, he shushes her as the elderly female teacher begins.
"Ok everyone, this little park was made to honor a group of young people who spent four years protecting this city from all manner of bad men. The leader of the group was this boy, Robin." She says as she points out the statue of Robin that is running into action. "He was a brave boy to do what he did, even if he never seemed to have any superhuman powers."
"But, why was he the leader?" A small boy asks.
"Well, we never knew really, but perhaps the others trusted him to keep them in touch with the rest of us, a reminder that not everyone had their powers?" The teacher replies. "His second in command was Cyborg, a very loud boy when he spoke and his cannon were even louder." She continues holding her ears at the last part for emphasis, getting a small chorus of giggles out of the kids. Both Raven and Richard knows she hasn't actually been anywhere near Cyborg when he fired them, since they don't make that much noise, for a sonic cannon that is. Victor once explained that it actually compresses sound into a physical force, meaning you'd have to get hit by it in the head to have an idea how loud the really were. The statue of the man is also depicted as running, to the back left of Robin with the right cannon aimed at the enemy. "This young lady was known as Starfire, she was from another planet and had powers like our Superman, but just not as much. She had a kind heart, but she was, a little, foolish. Last I heard of her, she returned home."
"But teacher, why did she go back? Didn't she like it here?" A girl asks.
"I heard she was really a princess and had to return home to marry a handsome prince that was waiting for her." The teacher smiles, both Titans wish it had been that. "Now this young man, Beastboy, he was a funny one, could always tell a joke. He could change into all sorts of animals to help out his friends…"
"Even dinosaurs?!" A boy interrupts.
"Oh, yes, all of them, big and small." The teacher confirms.
"Wow, I wanna be like Beastboy!" An enthusiastic boy shouts.
Starfire and Beastboy are depicted as flying and running respectively to the right of Robin, one above the other.
"He wants to be an annoying grass stain on a sugar rush?" Raven whispers to Richard, who smirks, it was one of the things Cyborg called him when he lost to him while playing video games.
"Who is the lady at the back?" A girl asks. "She looks scary." Raven's mood drops a fraction at this.
"Oh, that is Raven, the last of them to leave this City. And yes she was scary, but she only scared bad men, scared them very much in fact. But all witches are scary after all." The teacher smiles knowingly, Richard was wondering if Raven would react if she ended up being compared to the Wicked Witch of the West.
"But, don't you burn witches?" A girl asks.
"No, sweetie, not any more at least, and Raven never hurt anyone who didn't break the law." The teacher replies.
"My uncle says she's not a witch." A boy speaks up. "He says she's just got some special powers that let's her move stuff with her head."
"Oh and how does your uncle know that?" The teacher asks.
"He's a cop here." The boy shrugs.
"My mom read she is a devil, told me to run if I saw her." A girl counters.
"We better go before I feel I have to reveal myself." Raven whispers as the group of children descend into boasting and warnings.
"I think you're right." Richard agrees and they leave.
"Is it always like that?" She sends to Bruce.
"A necessary sacrifice." The man replies. The two continue their tour of the City, visiting many of the sites where they had memorable battles or other events before growing hungry.