Fan Fiction ❯ Releasing Her Demons ❯ Chapter 17 ( Chapter 17 )

Releasing Her Demons

By: Jedi_Zea

Summary: Raven finally decides to join the other Titans in a game, but it's not a video game. She wants them to play Dungeons & Dragons and decides to share something about herself while doing so. PG-13

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, Dungeons and Dragons, any of the places I got my music from, or any other real things I may make reference to while writing this story. I do, however, own all the other characters except Natora, Saorise, Adrian, and Ivan Balthazar. (None of which will appear in this chapter)

Chapter 17

Raven glanced out of her room as soon as her teleportation spell had finished. Happy that no one was there she shut and locked the door. The confused Titan stared out her window `Why can't I stop thinking of him?' she wondered quietly. After a moment of staring out at nothing in particular Raven decided she would have to visit Nevermore soon.

She looked over onto her vanity; the mirror was right where it was supposed to be. She walked closer to it, but stopped with the mirror just out of reach. `Take the last step, damn it!' she commanded herself, but her legs wouldn't respond.

`You can't come in unless you promise me something first,' Love teased within Raven's mind.

`Great,' she thought bitterly. `Held at ransom by my own emotions. What next?' wondered Raven while she continued to struggle, reaching towards her mirror.

Love giggled, and prevented Raven from reaching close enough to grab the portal into Nevermore. `You can't come in unless you promise one thing…' the ecstatic emotion teased

Raven growled and continued to struggle against herself. Long ago she swore her emotions wouldn't control her, and she'd be damned if she broke that vow. Still she couldn't reach the portal into her mind. `Fine what do I have to promise,' Raven asked, although she wasn't sure she would keep her promise.

`You have to kiss Robin,' Love said. `And not just any kiss, you really have to mean it. It has to be a loving kiss,' the emotion insisted.

Raven stood there shocked, `My emotions can't be doing this! They just can't!' Raven told herself. `I don't do those kind of kisses,' she said firmly to the excited emotion.

Love giggled again. The laughter was starting to irritate Raven, but Love didn't seem to care. `You don't have to slip him the tongue, although it might help. You just have to tell him that you love him through the kiss.'

Raven was as still as a statue. She couldn't have just been blackmailed by herself, could she? But then there was a noise at her door, saving her from her emotions, or so she thought. “What?” she growled deeply.

“Raven I need to talk to you,” Robin's voice called out from the other side of the metal portal.

“We have nothing to discuss,” Raven firmly insisted. “I already told you it was a mistake. I'm just glad we both managed to keep our clothes on,” she added bitterly.

“Fine,” Robin conceded. “I have something I need to tell you. How's that?” he asked with a little bit of anger seeping into his even voice. “It wasn't a mistake, I meant what I said last night.”

Raven stood perfectly on the other side of the door, not letting any of her emotions take control, even for a split second. `I don't care. It wouldn't work,' she told herself. `Besides he never actually said he loved me, even if just about everything he did and said implied it.' Raven shook her head to try and banish any emotional thoughts. “Are you done yet?” ghe asked.

“I have one more thing before I give up.” Robin said. “I've been invited to a masquerade ball at Wayne Manor in Gotham in two weeks and I need a date…”

Raven cut him off right there, “I'm sure Starfire would love to go with you, just ask her.” She hung her head slightly and whispered quiet enough so that he couldn't hear on the other side of the door, “And so would I.”

Robin chuckled softly at the comment about Starfire. “I don't think a formal ball with the richest man in Gotham would be a good place to bring Star. Can you imagine what kind of questions she would have? Plus it's a masquerade ball; she would try to touch all the costumes. Taking her would not be a good idea.”

“Then why are you here if you don't need help asking Star?” She asked in a tone much colder then her normal monotone voice. `Azareth Metrion Zinthos, Azareth Metrion Zinthos,' she chanted in her head. She couldn't let her powers take control and make anything blow up. `If Robin doesn't want to take her maybe…' she considered.

“It's because I wanted to bring you as my date,” Robin said bluntly. `A little forward, but it seemed like the only way to keep her from turning what I wanted to say away.'

Raven took a deep breath and made sure her powers were under control. She also paused for a moment to make sure all her emotions were silent. “I'll think about it,” she said calmly. “Now just leave me alone for a while.”

“Fine,” Robin agreed. “But I want your answer in a few days.” Then he turned around and walked down the hallway to the training room. `She always gets me worked up,' he thought, `but I'm never sure if it's a good thing or not.'

Raven listened to Robin leaving and waited for a few minutes after she couldn't hear his footsteps. Then she walked over to her vanity, stood in front of the mirror to Nevermore and hesitantly reached for the handle. She met no resistance this time and was able to easily pick it up. She looked into the mirror and tried to decide if she really should visit or not.

`Remember our promise,' Love teased from the mirror and Raven's head. `If you come in you'll have to kiss Robin'

She tossed the mirror back where it was. `I don't need to deal with this right now,' she decided. Raven walked around to a hanging brazier just above the center of the room. She levitated lighter over to it and lit the incense and candles in the brazier. She took a deep breath and calmed herself, then sat in the middle of the room, levitated herself a few inches above the ground and started meditating.

Some time later there was a knock at her door. At first it wasn't enough to jar her out of her trance like state, but after the person on the other side called out `Friend Raven,' several times she finally woke from her trance. “What do you want Star?” she growled.

“Friend Raven,” the red-haired Titan called through the door. “May I enter your room? I wish to discuss something with you. Please.”

Raven shook her head wondering what Starfire could possibly want to talk about, but opened the door anyway. “Yes?” Raven asked gruffly while motioning for Starfire to enter.

“Thank you Friend Raven,” Starfire paused and sniffed the air. “Your room smells most, unusual.” she asked, unaware of any potential insult she may have just made.

Raven glared at Starfire, but knew she wasn't trying to be mean. “It's just my incense, it helps me meditate,” the dark girl replied.

“Oh, ok.” Starfire said happily. “I like your new white clothing as well Friend Raven.” Star again paused for a second but before Raven could respond she started talking again. “I have a question about the game you're making us play,” she stated simply. “It is not just a game is it? You are also trying to tell us something. Is Trigon really going to attack soon Friend Raven?” she asked nervously.

Raven took a deep breath and stood perfectly still for a moment. “Yes,” Raven said. “But do not tell anyone else, Beast Boy and Cyborg know enough to figure it out and I've told Robin some as well.”

“What about Terra? Should she not know?” Starfire asked curiously.

“I don't entirely trust Terra, I'm not sure I want her to know everything. If Beast Boy tells her then fine, but I don't want you blurting it out,” Raven replied firmly.

“If you wish,” Star said, although she was still very confused. “However friend Raven I was sent here to see if you wished to play the game again. The others seem anxious to play again, especially Friend Robin.”

Raven laughed dryly and thought to herself, `Of course Robin would.' She turned and started to levitate her stack of books and other objects, “Fine. Take these books to the living room and I'll be along in a minute.” Starfire nodded and grabbed the books then she quickly flew off to gather the other Titans in the living room.