The Holiday

[old_saint_nick]

Christmas as a celebration has been through many changes throughout history. It has absorbed aspects of other winter celebrations over the years, and many accuse it of now being nothing more than crass commercialism

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[trigon_jr]

Christmas Day.

Eddie stands in a graveyard, in front of a tombstone, with small bundle of roses in one hand. On the tombstone reads Marlene Bloomberg. Sister, Aunt, Loved One. Eddie places the roses at the base of the tombstone.

"It's the best I could get you, Aunt Marla, but I hope you like it." He smiles, sadly. "I didn't make it in Hollywood, but I'm a superhero now, see? A real one, just like Danny. I've even got a place to stay, Titans Tower. Can you believe it?" The tombstone stays as silent as ever. "I wish you were still here though. I wish Danny could see me, then he'd be proud of me. I hope you're proud of me too, Aunt Marla." Eddie kneels in front of Marla's grave and says a little prayer. "I've got to go now Marla. I need to go give a gift to a new friend of mine. I think you'd like her. Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah."

[blue_blackbird]

Raven watches from a distance. She transported him here but he wanted to go to the grave by himself, which she understands.

She kneels to meditate and clear her mind, but today she thinks of her mother and Azar, missing them and not being able to dismiss the loneliness.

[trigon_jr]

"Alright, I'm done now." Eddie calls out to Raven as he approaches. He pulls a little square case wrapped in blue with a red bow stickered to the corner.

"Here, I got this for you, for Christmas."

[blue_blackbird]

She opens it.

"Evan -es- ants?" She's been dead awhile. Probably a good thing she can only get the Daredevil movie on DVD as a director's cut.

[trigon_jr]

"They're a pretty popular group. Not quite the style I listen to, but I like 'Bring Me to Life.' Give it a spin when you've got the time. I think you'll like the songs they've got."

[blue_blackbird]

"I did not replace any of my music on this return." She notes his comment about music taste. "What bands do you prefer?"

[trigon_jr]

"Oh, the classic stuff. Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth, Hammerfall." He scratches his head. "I like Aerosmith, The Offspring, Tenacious D and Weird Al's stuff too. Anything good, really, but mostly rock and metal. Oh, and of course, Queen."

[blue_blackbird]

"I have heard Judas Priest. Gar listens to Weird Al. I do not understand his jokes." She looks off in the distance. She tends to keep her cloak hood down around Eddie. "One of my favorite song is 'Dream On'."

[trigon_jr]

"That's a good one." It's been a while since he last heard Dream On, but it immediately comes back to his memory. "My favorite song is You've Got Another Thing Comin'. Music really helps when you're feeling down, ya know?"

[blue_blackbird]

They begin to walk and the tune from Wallace's radio bubbles up through her memories. "I was trained to drain myself of all emotion. Any feeling was dangerous. Why people listed to songs in order to feel was difficult for me to understand when I came here."

[trigon_jr]

"Why was that anyway? I heard some stuff about that, but no one really gave me any details. What happened if you felt anything?" Eddie thinks that question over a second. "Not that you have to tell me or anything."

[blue_blackbird]

"I am a demon. Azarath was a place of peace. They had exorcised their emotions, unwittingly creating my father. I had to learn peace and control or my powers could have destroyed me." She rethinks that. "Now that I know more, perhaps it would not have destroyed me, but it would have destroyed their peace and allied me with Trigon."

[trigon_jr]

"Oh. That would be bad." Eddie shrugs his shoulders a little. A place with no emotions sounded dull. "You're powers don't seem all that violent. Useful though. Are things better for you now though?"

[blue_blackbird]

"They can be." She reaches out and puts a hand on Eddie's shoulder. "I am grateful you allow me to feel almost past what I am and what has happened."

"As for your other question: I do not know. My powers have changed recently."

[trigon_jr]

"You're welcome. And try not to worry so much, it causes wrinkles." He gives a small laugh and pats Raven's hand. "Always look on the bright side of life. Now how 'bout we check out that Tower?"

[blue_blackbird]

She nods. Teleportation is strange with her. It's like walking trough a weird, disturbing dream and then waking at your destination. At least it was the first time they teleported. Getting to the cemetery there was a small glowing yellow light in the darkness which felt warm and dazzled with a need to run both closer and father away. Coming back, a green tinge, powerful and smelling of redwood trees colors the trip.