Endless
Disclaimer: I do not in any way, shape, or form own the show Teen Titans, nor the various DC comics on which this fanfiction is based.
"This copy of me… It got to you, somehow," Raven reasons after seemingly an eternity of tense silence.
Jinx's pace falters for a moment, though the meta refuses to turn back.
She hates to admit it, but the gate had gotten to her, and she becomes angrier with every second she fails to simply shrug its claim off.
"I kicked its ass, and that's all that matters," Jinx nearly growls in return when she realizes Raven is expecting a response. "Let's just keep walking."
"We can still talk as we go. You're angry, and that takes a lot to accomplish, Ji-"
Jinx whirls on her, eyes narrowed at the psychic.
The claim sends a spark of burning anger off in the meta, though she's entirely aware that her lover is in no way deserving of being its victim.
"Are you in my head, now, too? Don't fucking tell me what I'm feeling!" she snarls nonetheless.
Raven blinks in surprise at the hostility in the meta's tone.
"Jinx, I would have to be blind to miss that you're angry," she reasons. "Please, tell me what's wrong."
Jinx's glare narrows further, both at her lover's placating tone and her hands, raised in surrender.
The combination makes her feel like a snapping animal, and it ratchets her building emotions firmly into a fury that her mind is entirely not used to coping with.
She steps closer to Raven, her muscles coiled tight as her rationality slips somewhat.
"This place is a living damn nightmare, for me. An entire world that can get an open window into my head. A gate, just a frame for two damn doors, rooted around in my brain and manifested one of my worst nightma-"
She suddenly cuts herself off, eyes going wide to match Raven's own expression.
"I'm one of your worst nightmares?" Raven questions, unable to even attempt hiding the hurt in her voice.
Jinx's eyes close, a deep sigh sounding as she forces herself to relax.
Her anger is snuffed out in an instant under the wounded sound of her lover's tone.
When she again opens her eyes, the glow to the orbs is from a different emotion entirely.
She winces at the feelings she sees in the demonling's gaze, and a hand cautiously rises to clasp her shoulder.
"No, Raven, I'm sorry. You aren't a nightmare, at least to me. But, if I'm completely level about it, lately, you've been acting a whole lot different than you."
"I apologized for the Oblivion-"
"This goes back way before that, Rae. This stuff's been happening since Wotan. Every time you've gone hellion since then, you've been pulling shit off that…"
She trails off, the slight glow to Raven's eyes that has nothing to do with her magic giving her reason to think of her words carefully.
"I mean, look, it's amazing, the things you keep doing. And I sure as hell ain't complainin' that you keep kickin' evil's ass left and right. When I said I wasn't afraid of you messin' with me, or goin' evil, I meant it, and it's still just as true."
"But…?" Raven reluctantly prompts, a slight waver to her voice.
Jinx winces again, her eyes unable to meet the demonling's.
"But… look, I hadn't really been putting much thought to this, mostly because, again, I've got no reason to worry about you and it's all been directed at the monsters we keep facing… But what that doppelgänger bitch said had to have come from somewhere in my head. And now that she brought it up, and now that I'm thinking about it, it's kind of true."
"What is true?" Raven demands, though her hurt tone still softens her voice.
Jinx's mind plays scenes back before her, her eyes finally meeting Raven's once more.
"Okay, look, this is going to piss you off, and I want you to listen to everything before you jump down my throat, okay?"
The worry in the metahuman's tone surprises Raven, confusion quickly marring with the hurt she feels.
"We've never danced around issues, Jinx," the empath sighs in exasperation. "If there's something you think that could put you, or any others in danger, you're better off telling me. I call you my spotter for a reason."
Nodding, Jinx brings her free hand to the other shoulder, seeming to hold Raven in place.
"Like I said, it's nothin' like that. There's just some things that, when I really think about it, are really kinda' messed up. Back when we were getting our asses beaten by Wotan, you started changing reality around us when your magic and his went head-to-head, for starters," Jinx begins.
"A very poor reaction, to be sure."
"Sure. Except, you fight with me at your back all the time. If shit like that happened, we'd have been blown to some weird pocket dimension months ago. So it wasn't just his chaos magic that did it."
"I cannot alter reality," Raven argues as she begins to realize the direction of her lover's thoughts.
"Clearly, you can, 'cause you did back then. And it makes sense. There're probably a lot of things you can do but never did or even thought you could do."
She doesn't say anything related to why it would make sense, but the slight narrowing to Raven's eyes tell the meta she didn't need to.
"Then, there was dispelling the illusion around the Avalon, too. I don't know much about the Celtic stuff, but I do know that there's magic around that place that's older than old."
"It was already weakened," Raven reasons.
"Sure, but not enough. I didn't even know there was somethin' there until you broke it, meaning it was still way above your average cloaking shit. Sure, it knocked you on your ass, but it didn't kill you, which considering what it was and what shape you were in going there to begin with, it absolutely should've."
Raven's eyes go wide, and Jinx immediately winces as her words replay in her mind.
"Okay, don't take that wrong, because I know that really didn't come out right. You know that sure as hell ain't what I meant. What I'm saying is that there's no good explanation for how you could've survived something like that, as a mortal being," she quickly follows up.
Raven nods in acceptance, though the wounded expression remains nonetheless.
"Then, there's the perpetual motion shit you've been pulling, always seeming to get new energy when you shouldn't have any left."
Jinx raises her hand, cutting off Raven's next explanation.
"I told you listen to everything first, okay? You got fresh out of your healing trance, and proceeded to take Morgaine Le Fey down. I was nearly passed out, so I can't be entirely sure, but I'm guessin' it wasn't too hard, right?"
A weight begins settling in Raven's stomach, the queasiness remaining even as she actively thinks about her lack of organs at the moment.
The fact that Jinx's clear thought process so perfectly aligned with her father's own words, real or imagined, was not helping her mind calm.
"She… she'd overextended herself , between Nimue, Etrigan, you, her summonings, and her spell. She was in even lesser condition for fighting than myself."
Jinx's flat stare perfectly shows Raven how little water her continued excuses hold to the meta.
"Yeah, that all softened her up. But you still took an immortal to her knees and put on a good enough show that she figured giving up was better than the alternative. Then, there was Jared-"
Raven's eyes narrow in reaction, the expression vanishing as she turns her gaze to the stones below them instead.
Jinx doesn't miss the response, though, and tightens her hold on the empath's body.
The cape's fabric under her touch is noticeably less solid than a moment earlier, the material seeming to turn to shadow for a bare instant.
"You killed him, and then, his mojo shifted to you. I'm not proud of it, but we both know there's somewhat of a body count under me, and I've never taken on the powers of the metas I took out, Raven."
A phantom of Raven's heart hammers away at her chest, her eyes steadfastly remaining locked on their feet.
"Energy doesn't usually just transfer to the nearest medium," she sighs.
"Exactly. And yet, you've had it happen to you twice. And it can't be a coincidence that both times-"
"I am not-"
"-it was related to Trigon," Jinx continues undeterred.
Raven's head jerks as though she'd been slapped.
"You took the power from your bloodline, Rae. First, with the old man, then with Wrath. In fact, it's how Wrath found you in the first place when we were done with Snow, that your demonic power was lightin' you up like a neon sign for him. Then, there was that fight itself. He put you into a solid brick wall. Believe me, I know you're basically a walking tank, but even still, that should've taken you down for a lot longer than a second. Hell, I've even seen Superman get dazed from a hit like that!"
"I-"
"The more you keep pulling that side of yourself out, the more you're getting to be like… well… like a demon. Like-"
"Do not finish that sentence the way I think you are going to," Raven warns harshly, eyes narrowed nearly to slits.
"You can alter reality. You, in the span of a few hours, were firebombed, teleported us who knows how far across the world a few times, were drained by using Excalibur, fought even like that, then you added on all the shit across the pond. You can chalk a lot up to adrenaline and being a powerful magician, but that all goes way beyond stretchin' it. Not to forget that you threatened everyone at the Oblivion with a pretty terrible death, apologies and demon-roid-rage notwithstanding, and were having a chat with the devil like he was just any other supernatural informant."
Jinx notices a lot more of Raven's body turning to shadow, her agitation clear.
She's sure that, were they in their own bodies, there would have been multiple explosions around the psychic as her soul-self lashed out.
She puts her hands on Raven's cheeks, forcing the empath to meet her gaze.
"And you've been putting on the ice queen act a few times recently, like nothin's getting to you, like back when you were afraid that shit would let Rage loose on everything around. There's no doubt that you're way, way on the other side of Trigon, and I, for one, will never have that doubt. But Raven, you can't look at all that and say that you're stayin' completely you. That's what's been sittin' somewhere in the back of my mind, what the stupid gate pulled up, but whatever. Then you went and told me that you saw Trigon telling you he's actually in your head. You can see where I'm gettin' it from, right?"
The tension continues building in Raven's stomach, even as she realizes the logic behind her lover's statements.
Noticing the state of most of her shell, the empath focuses her mind on returning to being completely solid.
With her attention diverted thusly, the fear creeping up her false spine slowly dissipates.
When she's solid once more, she gives the meta a nod in acknowledgment.
"What you're saying, what this copy of myself evidently said, I do not have an argument against."
Seeing the growing horror in Raven's eyes, Jinx quickly pulls her into a comforting embrace.
"Look, we'll hash this out when we're back in our bodies. It's not like you'll suddenly turn into your family, even if there was any reason to worry about it. I've known you're a demon for a long time, so it's not like somethin' new's going to suddenly spring up and kills us both if you get more like what people think a demon's like. We should finish what we came here to do, and then, we can go somewhere nice and quiet, and you can have a serious freakout somewhere that won't throw us on our asses when things start breaking. It's like you said with taking over Jared's powers; if you know somethin's there, you can correct for it. I'm sorry I got angry, okay?"
A thought occurs to Raven, then, a harsh grimace twisting her expression.
"Your anger is justified, Jinx," Raven sighs. "The same reason this place sets you so on edge is the same reason I try avoiding some of my powers. Which could be seen as me denying a part of myself, as I did before, and given what it resulted in before I merged my soul together…"
Jinx blinks in surprise, a sense of foreboding settling into her.
"What? Like, you've got another Rage in your head?"
Raven shrugs, looking decidedly uncomfortable and afraid.
"Possibly. I will need to enter Nevermore to be positive, and I need to be grounded in my body to do so safely. The issue of me actually having him in my soul may very well just be the gate's trick, and once I know for sure, I'll know what I need to deal with. You're right, when looking at everything as one long event, it does not make for a very pleasing image."
She grabs Jinx's hand, warmth radiating between them as both calm down.
"We will deal with everything else later. For now, we focus on keeping the keys from them," she states before setting off down their path once again.
The meta takes notice of the mist, which seems to recede around them as they move closer to the the growing silhouette of the castle looming over them.
When they reach the castle itself, they realize that, until then, there had been a slight humming sound in the air.
The deafening silence around the structure makes them aware of the previously present sound, and its absence is shockingly grating on their senses.
In a ring around the behemoth of black and grey stone, not even the mist seems willing to come close.
Raven's eyes move constantly around them as they approach, both of them giving anxious sparks of color from their bodies.
"Fate mentioned gatekeepers, right?" Jinx asks nervously, their previous stresses entirely forgotten in the face of their new wariness.
"Three magical creatures," Raven agrees.
"Does this feel like a huge trap to you?" the meta demands, her body coiled tight as a spring as they finally reach the massive doors.
"It feels far too easy, to be certain. Of course, it is possible, this being Morpheus's domain and all, that he already knew we were here and simply gave us permission to enter his castle, which would mean no creatures."
"And if, somehow, somethin' happened to get here before us with an army, and kill them ahead of us?"
"There would likely be more noticeable damage around us… but are you eager to take such a chance?"
In response, Jinx's eyes flash pink, her hand going against the door.
"Agreed," Raven quips before her own body pulses with dark light.
The doors slip open, loud, metallic screeches flooding the air in a horrendous cacophony.
Both women's jaws clamp tight, eyes twitching at the agonizingly loud sound after the previous silence.
"Okay, I think we were invited. There's no way in hell that anything in this place didn't hear somethin' like that," Jinx groans.
Raven nods, though her body remains ignited in black flames as they step through the threshold.
Standing a few steps within is a figure seemingly carved from marble.
If not for the glowing light within his eyes, which Jinx initially thinks is heavily surrounded in black makeup before realizing the skin itself is black, the meta would be inclined to think he actually is a statue.
As that light focuses on her, though, Jinx feels something in her mind tightening, a sense of dread taking root firmly in her.
Raven bristles at the same sensation, though she immediately releases her tight hold on her magic, lest she end up getting herself turned to dust.
The three remain staring at each other for a small eternity, no sound passing through the air in the once-more silent domain.
Jinx uses the opportunity to take in the appearance of what an Endless looks like.
His guise does not disappoint in terms of intimidation.
Standing at nearly seven feet tall, the black robe draping him may as well be a curtain from an old king's chamber.
The fabric moves around him as though alive, and the light around them seems to be absorbed into it, making it appear that much darker.
The effect carries over to his hair and eyes, both seeming like shining obsidian due to the sparking light marking where his irises are.
His body is thin and tall, reminding her very much of a scarecrow's figure, though Jinx notices distinctive rippling beneath the robe marking wiry, powerful muscle.
The stringy mop of hair on his head, seeming as though it was the result of sticking a fork in a power outlet, sticks out in every direction to frame his gaunt face.
The darkness of everything about him is harshly offset by the corpse-like pallor to his white skin.
"You've mostly wasted a trip, I'm afraid," he finally speaks, breaking Jinx from her stare.
His voice is low and strangely melodic, as though merely hearing him speak is intended to put any mortal to sleep.
Jinx's eyes start slipping closed before she realizes it, only for her to suddenly jerk her head to the side.
Raven's fear keeps her from the same lulled sensation, though only barely.
Clearly, her method for dealign with the devil is not going to work with the Endless.
"What do you mean we've wasted a trip? The Sons of Trigon are coming for them. We had to warn you, to make sure-"
He raises a hand, Raven's mouth immediately snapping closed in response.
"I assure you, I know. It would take far more than a handful of demons to kill an Endless. The odds would be very much against them to begin with. And ultimately, they, too, would have wasted a trip."
"You… don't have the keys, do you?" Raven groans as she pieces his statement together in her suddenly tired mind.
Curses in multiple languages begin rolling through her mind, the sentiment more than matched by her fiancé.
"I do not have the keys," Morpheus agrees. "Not anymore. I did, for a time, when Lucifer took his leave. But I've since handed them over to a pair of angels."
"I do not understand. Everyone thinks that you have them," Raven argues. "What point was there in so much wasted-"
He again cuts her off, this time with a mere narrowing of his eyes.
"John Constantine knows only second-hand information, and Lucifer is not as… in the loop… as he deigns to believe."
Jinx groans, her fingers flying to pinch the bridge of her nose as though it will save her from the horrific headache building behind her eyes.
"So we're a step behind. Again. Son of a-"
"You said the Sons of Trigon would have wasted a trip. I regretfully have to ask. What do you mean?" Raven asks, though her heavy sigh signals how much she agrees with the meta's sentiment.
Her heart sinks when Morpheus shakes his head.
"They are receiving their information directly from another of your line, one who resides actively within Hell. Though they, too, were not given perfect intelligence, either, it seems."
The strange glint to his eyes ratchets Raven's tension even higher, the empath suddenly fighting against her hands tightening to clenched fists.
The same sensation that had overtaken Lucifer in their discussion forms once again, the creature before them evidently also looking into somewhere she can't even fathom.
"They believed there to be only one key, and so, they went after only half of those with them. They managed to summon and intimidate Ramiel, a smart but unfortunately cowardly angel. They quickly realized that there are, in fact, two keys, which are halves of the single key they assumed to be in existence. They, as we speak, are making their way to the angel of silence, Duma, the holder of the other key and currently the true leader of Hell."
The claim nearly makes Raven hunch in on herself, eyes widening in horror as she continues staring at the terrible messenger before them…
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Author's Notes:
Not really much to say on this chapter. I did find that depicting Dream's speech, which in the comics is offset by way of having his text bubbles normally written while everyone else is given block text, was surprisingly difficult, so I mostly just went with making him wordy. Also, this was far less focused on the interaction with Dream than the previous two scenes had been in my original plot draft. I realized when I started this chapter that it probably wasn't a good idea to just mention that Jinx is actually afraid of Raven, despite her protests to the contrary, and leave it hanging, unless I wanted to go for more of a melodramatic story for the characters.
Let me know your thoughts, good or bad, as always, and I'll see you all next time!