The Ruins of Azarath, above and below, late Saturday night Fandom time
Once Karla had vanished and Dinah taken Rook and run, Raven did her best to prevent her future self from pursuing them. She couldn't stop all of the minions, but she could keep the deadliest threat occupied while Dinah got Rook to safety and Karla sought out her own future self and Warren.
Their Soul-Selves still clashed overhead, neither gaining the upper hand over the other. "You can't stop me," the older Raven said as she lashed out with a jolt of pain. "No one can. I will destroy the child, and you all will be mine."
Raven
"You will try, and you will fail," Raven said, nearly doubling over in pain. "Your hate and rage may make you strong, but you cannot fathom the lengths we will go to to protect this child. You gave your soul to Karla to protect it from your madness, and we will not fail in that request."
She gathered all the love in her, for Karla and Dinah and their other friends and even Rook and thrust it at her future self, hoping somehow she could reach her and awaken some goodness inside her.
Evil Raven
Raven snarled as the feelings of love flooded through her, forcing them away. "The part of me you seek to affect is long dead, little sister," she snapped. "Except for the spark that lives on in Rook. And once that is destroyed, then nothing can stop me. Not you, not Karla, not anyone. And I will hunt down all our friends who are strong enough to bear Trigon's seeds and implant our lost brothers and sisters within them."
She held out her hand and sent another blast of pain and her younger self.
Raven
Raven cried out, reeling backwards. The pain was incredible, but she gritted her teeth and fought her way through it, banishing it just as she would if she were healing someone.
"You need to be healed," she said, straightening up to face her older self. "I do not understand what has happened to make you become as you are, but I know this is not truly you, because I would never allow this to happen."
Raven
"That's where you're wrong," Raven laughed. "You are the mask that we use to hide from the world, the mask that makes people care, lets them trust you. But underneath, you are just like me. Daughter of Trigon, heir to his power. And I will make you see that. You relished in their suffering once, sister, and you will do so again."
Another blast of pain, but this time, beneath it, hunger, lust for power, for pleasure, for pain.
Raven
That was more effective than just hurting her, for Raven could feel the demon in her rising.
"No!" she shouted. "I will not allow you to do this. Our father took me once, but never again." She was Pride, after all, and too proud to allow herself to be controlled like that. She'd destroy this future abomination first.
She glowed with power now as she lashed out in anger.
Evil Raven
"Much better, little sister," Raven taunted, "but you're still going to have to try harder than that. You're not nearly strong enough to stop me. Not from destroying Rook, not from making your precious Karla and Dinah into my own. And through you, I'll have two worlds to choose the hosts for my siblings. I'll use you to travel back to Fandom and help myself to all those souls, so ripe for the picking. I'll take everyone you love and destroy them before your eyes."
She held up her arms and called her Soul-Self back down to her body, then teleported away.
Raven
"No!" Raven howled. She pulled her own Soul-Self back inside and followed. Much as she hated to think it, she and this Raven were one and the same, just different paths, so she could sense her and track her. And she had to do whatever it took to stop her before she allowed this creature to be unleashed on Fandom. She'd hurt her friends once already; she'd never allow them to be tortured in that way again.
Her older self hadn't gone far, and Raven found herself above the ruined buildings of a familiar place. Azarath. Her stomach twisted as she recognized her former home; this Raven must've claimed it as her own, twisting it to suit her own desires. But the shattered streets were unchanged, still littered with the bones of those who had once lived there.
Evil Raven
"Remember this place?" Raven said. "Remember how they hated and feared you? Remember how Juris tried to slay you when you were just hours old? Others would have tried to do the same had Azar not stopped them. They feared you so much they would have forsaken all their vows, for they knew you meant their deaths. All this was your fault. You brought their destruction upon them. You killed them. Just like everything you touch."
Raven
She remembered watching her father's demons attack the city, rending flesh and tearing down the marble towers. She had brought death to Azarath, but they'd known that was their fate. They had willingly given their lives to stop Trigon. Still, that didn't stop the guilt from clawing at her. Her fault. Her fault. And if this Raven used her to get to Fandom, that would be her fault, too.
"Never," she whispered, eyes flaring red. All her pain and rage became a weapon, and she thrust it at her older self.
Evil Raven
"Yes, yes, little sister," Raven said, shuddering in ecstasy as she soaked in all the pain. She was making this far too easy. "This is the only way you can stop me."
Destroy me. Become me.
Of course, she had no intention of being destroyed, but she'd let the younger Raven break herself trying.
Raven
Raven knew what she was doing. Part of her didn't want to stop, just wanted to continue tearing at her older self, doing whatever it took to stop her. But if she did that, she'd be giving in to the part of her that was her father's. She couldn't give into fear and hatred. There had to be another way.
Her future self had given Karla the good part of her soul. To protect it, she'd said. And this Raven wished to destroy it. She must fear it, because of the power it had. The power to stop her, like Azar had used her soul to stop her when she served her father.
Karla! she thought, hoping she was close enough to hear her. I need Rook! Can you reach her and Dinah?
Karla
Down in the tunnels, Karla paused, cocking her head to the side. Had she heard--?
"Why did you stop?" her older self asked. "Are more coming?"
"Shh," she said absently, waving a hand. "I think Raven's trying to talk to me."
*You need Rook?* Karla sent, sounding wary. *Why? How do I know this is you?*
Older Karla
"Raven?!" Karla hissed, staring down at her counterpart with incredulous eyes. "And you're just going to chat with her, like nothing is wrong? Are you insane?"
Karla
"Not your Raven," Karla snapped back. "Mine. She's here with me, along with my Dinah. We've come to set things right. Now, could you please hush? She's not exactly a telepath, here."
Raven
With no idea of the Karla versus Karla drama elsewhere, Raven concentrated on sending her Karla her thoughts. She wishes to destroy Rook because she knows Rook can destroy her. She put the good part of her soul into the Karla of this world to protect it from her evil half. This Raven wants to destroy that last spark of goodness, but if Rook and I can force it into her instead, it may change the balance. I will not let any harm come to Rook herself, I swear.
As for how to proof she was who she said she was, she wasn't sure, since wouldn't the other Raven know everything about Karla she did? Except for one thing. You were naked when we woke up, she sent. You and Warren have resumed your physical relationship.
Karla
Good to know there was always time for a facepalm, even in the midst of danger. *Let me contact Dinah,* she sent, trying not to let her worry about Rook--or her chagrin--seep into her thoughts. *We're on our way.*
It wasn't until after Karla broke the connection with Raven did she remember that she couldn't contact Dinah--not without touching her. How to--?
Oh. Right. Dinah was with someone who could speak on psychic threads, wasn't she?
"Thank the Darkness she inherited something of mine, too," Karla muttered, before sending out a psychic link to Rook.
Rook
*Maman?* Rook sounded surprised and elated. *Maman, is that truly you?*
Karla
*Well, Teeny-Maman,* Karla sent with a slight feeling of chagrin. *But I have your real Maman and Stepfather here with me and we're coming as fast as we can to you.*
Hopefully the distance would dull any of the complicated feelings Karla had for Rook's parents, so the little girl wouldn't pick them up over the thread.
*But I need you to do me a favor, if you can. I need you to hold onto your Auntie Dinah and pull her into the link, okay? I need to talk to her and I can't do that from here.*
Rook
*I will try,* Rook sent, then opened her eyes to look at Dinah. "That was Teeny-Maman," she explained. "She says she needs to talk to you in you head, but needs me to to help."
Grasping tightly to Auntie Dinah's hand, Rook sent out a questing thought to both females. Teeny-Maman? Auntie Dinah? Can you hear me?
Dinah
You're a champ, kiddo, Dinah sent, clear as a bell, but with the definite echo of bouncing off Rook's mind. What's up, Karla? Got a plan? Any other questions were going to have to wait until they weren't on a party line-- now was not the time for Rookie to find out how hurt her parents were.
Karla
*Not exactly?* Karla said, which was just sure to inspire confidence in everyone. *But Raven--our Raven--does. Unfortunately, she needs Rook to pull it off.*
Yep, have some more of her general unease right there.
*This Raven apparently snuck whatever good was left within her into Rook's soul when she, uhhh, did the implantation...kiss...thingy. Raven thinks she can pull it out of Rook and shove it back inside the other one. But she needs Rook to do that. So she needs you and Rookie to come out of hiding.*
Dinah
Are you crazy? Dinah sent without thinking, then gave Rook an apologetic look. I mean. Tell me you know how we're going to keep this under control?
Damnit, Karla. It was bad enough failing civilians, or failing Raven when she died, but if she had to put Rookie in danger....
Rook
*I do not believe my Maman would like me to do that,* Rook said, her psychic thread nearly radiating fear. *I am not supposed to go anywhere near Mother. This--this scares me. I do not know if I could do it.*
At nine, Rook was supposed to be a big girl, but facing down her Mother was something even the grown-ups were afraid to do.
Karla
It broke Karla's heart to have to ask this of her, especially considering how little and frightened she sounded. But she wasn't sure they had a choice.
*Hey, munchkin,* she sent, trying to sound encouraging and gentle. *I know it's scary and I know that your Maman would tell you not to do it. I'm sorry that I have to go against her wishes and ask you otherwise. But this might be our only chance to stop your Mother and free you all. And we'll be there when you do it--we're almost to where you are.*
There was a tunnel, filled with light, leading up to the surface. Karla created a staircase of air with barely a thought and began dashing up, gesturing for Warren to follow.
*But, for this, I think we have to trust Raven.* That thought was directed towards Rook and Dinah, both. *I don't know what other options we have.*
Dinah
Dinah thought a very bad word, then told Rookie aloud, "You didn't hear that from me, okay?"
Okay. Okay. She knelt down next to Rook and held her eyes. I won't let anything happen to her. I promised, Karla. I'm going to trust you guys on this.
Rookie, I promise. I will be right next to you the whole time. I will get hurt before you will. She gripped Rook's hands. But nobody can make you do this. You gotta be a big girl. And make up your own mind.
Karla
From the bottom of her heart, Karla thanked Dinah for saying what she could not, for giving Rook the choice that she deserved, but hadn't been able to bring herself to offer aloud.
Maybe she hadn't changed that much since January.
Rook
I don't want to and you can't make me!! That's what Rook wanted to say. She wanted to scream and cry and hide behind Auntie Dinah. She wanted to yell at her Teeny-Maman, tell her it was unfair of her to ask and that her real Maman who loved her would never ask her such a thing.
But it wasn't fair that her real Maman had been poisoned and had to beg to Mother to be Healed--only to turn her away when Mother had demanded Rook be traded for her help. And it wasn't fair that Stepfather had been taken and his wings cut off and Maman taken after Uncle Morton had been killed and and and--
So much was awful and scary. So much was unfair. And if she could stop it...shouldn't she? It was what her Maman would do. Both of them. And her Auntie Dinah. And Auntie J. And even her Raven-Mom, from Fandom.
So instead of crying and running and saying no, Rook swallowed hard and sent, *I will do it.*
Dinah
Dinah hugged her, fighting back tears. If you're too scared, if it's too much-- we can come back again, do it later, when you're older, when you're ready. This isn't all-or-nothing. Just... if you can. We should do it soon.
How many worlds would this evil version of Raven pursue them across? So damn many. Rookie was so little, but if they could fix this now, they should. For her sake as well as everyone else's.
I love you so much. Nobody but nobody was hurting this kid on her watch.
Rook
*If I do not do it now, I do not know if I ever will,* Rook admitted. *I might be too scared to do it later.*
She shifted a little, drawing away from Dinah and stood. *We should go. I do not want Maman and Stepfather to be in any more danger than they have to be. And Tiny-Maman says they are on their way.*
Dinah
"Okay." Dinah swiped quickly at her eyes, and sent to Karla, On our way. Tell them we'll be ready.
Aloud, to Rookie, she said, "I'm so proud of you. And I meant it. They go through me first. C'mon."
Karla
Unknowingly, Karla echoed the same sentiments over the link. *I am so, so proud of you, my brave girl. And as soon as Raven does what she has to do, you get out of there, you hear me? Grab Auntie Dinah and go. We'll take care of the rest.*
She was glad that she was running ahead of Warren and Karla--they couldn't see her wipe her face as she ran.
*Raven?* she sent a stair or three later. *They're on their way.*
Raven
Good. Raven didn't like endangering Rook by bringing her this close, but this was the only way. She couldn't defeat her older self on her own without unleashing her inner demon, and if she did that, there might be no coming back.
Replacing one evil with another wasn't an option here.
Evil Raven
Raven could sense her younger self wavering, and that simply wouldn't do. "Look at you," she sneered. "You allowed yourself to be controlled by our father. You allowed yourself to be controlled by Brother Blood. And now you're simply going to stand there and allow me to destroy you? Fight, little sister. Fight for once in your life, or you will lose your Karla and Dinah...just like you lost Jono."
Raven
Raven stared at her older self. "What do you mean?" she said, feeling fear twist her heart. "What happened to Jono?"
She didn't know where he was in this awful world -- she'd been a little afraid to ask -- but she'd hoped he was safe.
Evil Raven
"I killed him," Raven said. "He didn't like the new me, so...."
She shrugged her shoulders (and wings). "I thought about implanting a Seed in him, but I didn't want to risk it with that mess inside him. And I remember what he did to me last time, so I couldn't allow him to live."
Raven
Raven felt her anger surge again and struggled to tamp it down. No. She was just trying to incite her -- there was no proof that what she said was true, and no reason she should take her older self's word on it.
"I will not allow you to use him as a weapon against me," she snapped. "You are lying."
Evil Raven
Of course she was. "I can show you what was left of him when I finished," Raven offered, gesturing to the remains of Temple Azarath. "I kept it, of course. A reminder of old times. Old times that you're living right now, aren't you? Wouldn't it be fun to use you to lure him here so I can do it all again, but this time where you can see it?"
Raven
"You will die before you lay a hand on him," Raven said, somehow managing to keep her voice calm despite the fear and anger churning inside her. Her eyes glowed red, but she refused to rise to the bait.
Evil Raven
"If that is the way you wish to play," Raven said, disappointed. "So be it."
She lunged for her younger self, wrapping her arms around her before soaring up into the air. When she was high enough to her satisfaction, she let go.
Raven
Raven dropped, tumbling through the air. She tried to teleport herself to safety, but the fall disoriented her, and she smacked into the ground hard enough to break bones and knock her unconscious.
She lay still, but even unconscious, her body began to heal.
[NFI, NFB, OOC is always love. Preplayed with glacial_witch and blondecanary, coded using whateverknight's spiffy coder. Warning for violence, megalomania, the occasional comic book villain monologue, and cliffhangers. Follows this, this, this, and this, happening concurrently with this and this. This is what happens when you let Nu play with your canon.]
Their Soul-Selves still clashed overhead, neither gaining the upper hand over the other. "You can't stop me," the older Raven said as she lashed out with a jolt of pain. "No one can. I will destroy the child, and you all will be mine."
Raven
"You will try, and you will fail," Raven said, nearly doubling over in pain. "Your hate and rage may make you strong, but you cannot fathom the lengths we will go to to protect this child. You gave your soul to Karla to protect it from your madness, and we will not fail in that request."
She gathered all the love in her, for Karla and Dinah and their other friends and even Rook and thrust it at her future self, hoping somehow she could reach her and awaken some goodness inside her.
Evil Raven
Raven snarled as the feelings of love flooded through her, forcing them away. "The part of me you seek to affect is long dead, little sister," she snapped. "Except for the spark that lives on in Rook. And once that is destroyed, then nothing can stop me. Not you, not Karla, not anyone. And I will hunt down all our friends who are strong enough to bear Trigon's seeds and implant our lost brothers and sisters within them."
She held out her hand and sent another blast of pain and her younger self.
Raven
Raven cried out, reeling backwards. The pain was incredible, but she gritted her teeth and fought her way through it, banishing it just as she would if she were healing someone.
"You need to be healed," she said, straightening up to face her older self. "I do not understand what has happened to make you become as you are, but I know this is not truly you, because I would never allow this to happen."
Raven
"That's where you're wrong," Raven laughed. "You are the mask that we use to hide from the world, the mask that makes people care, lets them trust you. But underneath, you are just like me. Daughter of Trigon, heir to his power. And I will make you see that. You relished in their suffering once, sister, and you will do so again."
Another blast of pain, but this time, beneath it, hunger, lust for power, for pleasure, for pain.
Raven
That was more effective than just hurting her, for Raven could feel the demon in her rising.
"No!" she shouted. "I will not allow you to do this. Our father took me once, but never again." She was Pride, after all, and too proud to allow herself to be controlled like that. She'd destroy this future abomination first.
She glowed with power now as she lashed out in anger.
Evil Raven
"Much better, little sister," Raven taunted, "but you're still going to have to try harder than that. You're not nearly strong enough to stop me. Not from destroying Rook, not from making your precious Karla and Dinah into my own. And through you, I'll have two worlds to choose the hosts for my siblings. I'll use you to travel back to Fandom and help myself to all those souls, so ripe for the picking. I'll take everyone you love and destroy them before your eyes."
She held up her arms and called her Soul-Self back down to her body, then teleported away.
Raven
"No!" Raven howled. She pulled her own Soul-Self back inside and followed. Much as she hated to think it, she and this Raven were one and the same, just different paths, so she could sense her and track her. And she had to do whatever it took to stop her before she allowed this creature to be unleashed on Fandom. She'd hurt her friends once already; she'd never allow them to be tortured in that way again.
Her older self hadn't gone far, and Raven found herself above the ruined buildings of a familiar place. Azarath. Her stomach twisted as she recognized her former home; this Raven must've claimed it as her own, twisting it to suit her own desires. But the shattered streets were unchanged, still littered with the bones of those who had once lived there.
Evil Raven
"Remember this place?" Raven said. "Remember how they hated and feared you? Remember how Juris tried to slay you when you were just hours old? Others would have tried to do the same had Azar not stopped them. They feared you so much they would have forsaken all their vows, for they knew you meant their deaths. All this was your fault. You brought their destruction upon them. You killed them. Just like everything you touch."
Raven
She remembered watching her father's demons attack the city, rending flesh and tearing down the marble towers. She had brought death to Azarath, but they'd known that was their fate. They had willingly given their lives to stop Trigon. Still, that didn't stop the guilt from clawing at her. Her fault. Her fault. And if this Raven used her to get to Fandom, that would be her fault, too.
"Never," she whispered, eyes flaring red. All her pain and rage became a weapon, and she thrust it at her older self.
Evil Raven
"Yes, yes, little sister," Raven said, shuddering in ecstasy as she soaked in all the pain. She was making this far too easy. "This is the only way you can stop me."
Destroy me. Become me.
Of course, she had no intention of being destroyed, but she'd let the younger Raven break herself trying.
Raven
Raven knew what she was doing. Part of her didn't want to stop, just wanted to continue tearing at her older self, doing whatever it took to stop her. But if she did that, she'd be giving in to the part of her that was her father's. She couldn't give into fear and hatred. There had to be another way.
Her future self had given Karla the good part of her soul. To protect it, she'd said. And this Raven wished to destroy it. She must fear it, because of the power it had. The power to stop her, like Azar had used her soul to stop her when she served her father.
Karla! she thought, hoping she was close enough to hear her. I need Rook! Can you reach her and Dinah?
Karla
Down in the tunnels, Karla paused, cocking her head to the side. Had she heard--?
"Why did you stop?" her older self asked. "Are more coming?"
"Shh," she said absently, waving a hand. "I think Raven's trying to talk to me."
*You need Rook?* Karla sent, sounding wary. *Why? How do I know this is you?*
Older Karla
"Raven?!" Karla hissed, staring down at her counterpart with incredulous eyes. "And you're just going to chat with her, like nothing is wrong? Are you insane?"
Karla
"Not your Raven," Karla snapped back. "Mine. She's here with me, along with my Dinah. We've come to set things right. Now, could you please hush? She's not exactly a telepath, here."
Raven
With no idea of the Karla versus Karla drama elsewhere, Raven concentrated on sending her Karla her thoughts. She wishes to destroy Rook because she knows Rook can destroy her. She put the good part of her soul into the Karla of this world to protect it from her evil half. This Raven wants to destroy that last spark of goodness, but if Rook and I can force it into her instead, it may change the balance. I will not let any harm come to Rook herself, I swear.
As for how to proof she was who she said she was, she wasn't sure, since wouldn't the other Raven know everything about Karla she did? Except for one thing. You were naked when we woke up, she sent. You and Warren have resumed your physical relationship.
Karla
Good to know there was always time for a facepalm, even in the midst of danger. *Let me contact Dinah,* she sent, trying not to let her worry about Rook--or her chagrin--seep into her thoughts. *We're on our way.*
It wasn't until after Karla broke the connection with Raven did she remember that she couldn't contact Dinah--not without touching her. How to--?
Oh. Right. Dinah was with someone who could speak on psychic threads, wasn't she?
"Thank the Darkness she inherited something of mine, too," Karla muttered, before sending out a psychic link to Rook.
Rook
*Maman?* Rook sounded surprised and elated. *Maman, is that truly you?*
Karla
*Well, Teeny-Maman,* Karla sent with a slight feeling of chagrin. *But I have your real Maman and Stepfather here with me and we're coming as fast as we can to you.*
Hopefully the distance would dull any of the complicated feelings Karla had for Rook's parents, so the little girl wouldn't pick them up over the thread.
*But I need you to do me a favor, if you can. I need you to hold onto your Auntie Dinah and pull her into the link, okay? I need to talk to her and I can't do that from here.*
Rook
*I will try,* Rook sent, then opened her eyes to look at Dinah. "That was Teeny-Maman," she explained. "She says she needs to talk to you in you head, but needs me to to help."
Grasping tightly to Auntie Dinah's hand, Rook sent out a questing thought to both females. Teeny-Maman? Auntie Dinah? Can you hear me?
Dinah
You're a champ, kiddo, Dinah sent, clear as a bell, but with the definite echo of bouncing off Rook's mind. What's up, Karla? Got a plan? Any other questions were going to have to wait until they weren't on a party line-- now was not the time for Rookie to find out how hurt her parents were.
Karla
*Not exactly?* Karla said, which was just sure to inspire confidence in everyone. *But Raven--our Raven--does. Unfortunately, she needs Rook to pull it off.*
Yep, have some more of her general unease right there.
*This Raven apparently snuck whatever good was left within her into Rook's soul when she, uhhh, did the implantation...kiss...thingy. Raven thinks she can pull it out of Rook and shove it back inside the other one. But she needs Rook to do that. So she needs you and Rookie to come out of hiding.*
Dinah
Are you crazy? Dinah sent without thinking, then gave Rook an apologetic look. I mean. Tell me you know how we're going to keep this under control?
Damnit, Karla. It was bad enough failing civilians, or failing Raven when she died, but if she had to put Rookie in danger....
Rook
*I do not believe my Maman would like me to do that,* Rook said, her psychic thread nearly radiating fear. *I am not supposed to go anywhere near Mother. This--this scares me. I do not know if I could do it.*
At nine, Rook was supposed to be a big girl, but facing down her Mother was something even the grown-ups were afraid to do.
Karla
It broke Karla's heart to have to ask this of her, especially considering how little and frightened she sounded. But she wasn't sure they had a choice.
*Hey, munchkin,* she sent, trying to sound encouraging and gentle. *I know it's scary and I know that your Maman would tell you not to do it. I'm sorry that I have to go against her wishes and ask you otherwise. But this might be our only chance to stop your Mother and free you all. And we'll be there when you do it--we're almost to where you are.*
There was a tunnel, filled with light, leading up to the surface. Karla created a staircase of air with barely a thought and began dashing up, gesturing for Warren to follow.
*But, for this, I think we have to trust Raven.* That thought was directed towards Rook and Dinah, both. *I don't know what other options we have.*
Dinah
Dinah thought a very bad word, then told Rookie aloud, "You didn't hear that from me, okay?"
Okay. Okay. She knelt down next to Rook and held her eyes. I won't let anything happen to her. I promised, Karla. I'm going to trust you guys on this.
Rookie, I promise. I will be right next to you the whole time. I will get hurt before you will. She gripped Rook's hands. But nobody can make you do this. You gotta be a big girl. And make up your own mind.
Karla
From the bottom of her heart, Karla thanked Dinah for saying what she could not, for giving Rook the choice that she deserved, but hadn't been able to bring herself to offer aloud.
Maybe she hadn't changed that much since January.
Rook
I don't want to and you can't make me!! That's what Rook wanted to say. She wanted to scream and cry and hide behind Auntie Dinah. She wanted to yell at her Teeny-Maman, tell her it was unfair of her to ask and that her real Maman who loved her would never ask her such a thing.
But it wasn't fair that her real Maman had been poisoned and had to beg to Mother to be Healed--only to turn her away when Mother had demanded Rook be traded for her help. And it wasn't fair that Stepfather had been taken and his wings cut off and Maman taken after Uncle Morton had been killed and and and--
So much was awful and scary. So much was unfair. And if she could stop it...shouldn't she? It was what her Maman would do. Both of them. And her Auntie Dinah. And Auntie J. And even her Raven-Mom, from Fandom.
So instead of crying and running and saying no, Rook swallowed hard and sent, *I will do it.*
Dinah
Dinah hugged her, fighting back tears. If you're too scared, if it's too much-- we can come back again, do it later, when you're older, when you're ready. This isn't all-or-nothing. Just... if you can. We should do it soon.
How many worlds would this evil version of Raven pursue them across? So damn many. Rookie was so little, but if they could fix this now, they should. For her sake as well as everyone else's.
I love you so much. Nobody but nobody was hurting this kid on her watch.
Rook
*If I do not do it now, I do not know if I ever will,* Rook admitted. *I might be too scared to do it later.*
She shifted a little, drawing away from Dinah and stood. *We should go. I do not want Maman and Stepfather to be in any more danger than they have to be. And Tiny-Maman says they are on their way.*
Dinah
"Okay." Dinah swiped quickly at her eyes, and sent to Karla, On our way. Tell them we'll be ready.
Aloud, to Rookie, she said, "I'm so proud of you. And I meant it. They go through me first. C'mon."
Karla
Unknowingly, Karla echoed the same sentiments over the link. *I am so, so proud of you, my brave girl. And as soon as Raven does what she has to do, you get out of there, you hear me? Grab Auntie Dinah and go. We'll take care of the rest.*
She was glad that she was running ahead of Warren and Karla--they couldn't see her wipe her face as she ran.
*Raven?* she sent a stair or three later. *They're on their way.*
Raven
Good. Raven didn't like endangering Rook by bringing her this close, but this was the only way. She couldn't defeat her older self on her own without unleashing her inner demon, and if she did that, there might be no coming back.
Replacing one evil with another wasn't an option here.
Evil Raven
Raven could sense her younger self wavering, and that simply wouldn't do. "Look at you," she sneered. "You allowed yourself to be controlled by our father. You allowed yourself to be controlled by Brother Blood. And now you're simply going to stand there and allow me to destroy you? Fight, little sister. Fight for once in your life, or you will lose your Karla and Dinah...just like you lost Jono."
Raven
Raven stared at her older self. "What do you mean?" she said, feeling fear twist her heart. "What happened to Jono?"
She didn't know where he was in this awful world -- she'd been a little afraid to ask -- but she'd hoped he was safe.
Evil Raven
"I killed him," Raven said. "He didn't like the new me, so...."
She shrugged her shoulders (and wings). "I thought about implanting a Seed in him, but I didn't want to risk it with that mess inside him. And I remember what he did to me last time, so I couldn't allow him to live."
Raven
Raven felt her anger surge again and struggled to tamp it down. No. She was just trying to incite her -- there was no proof that what she said was true, and no reason she should take her older self's word on it.
"I will not allow you to use him as a weapon against me," she snapped. "You are lying."
Evil Raven
Of course she was. "I can show you what was left of him when I finished," Raven offered, gesturing to the remains of Temple Azarath. "I kept it, of course. A reminder of old times. Old times that you're living right now, aren't you? Wouldn't it be fun to use you to lure him here so I can do it all again, but this time where you can see it?"
Raven
"You will die before you lay a hand on him," Raven said, somehow managing to keep her voice calm despite the fear and anger churning inside her. Her eyes glowed red, but she refused to rise to the bait.
Evil Raven
"If that is the way you wish to play," Raven said, disappointed. "So be it."
She lunged for her younger self, wrapping her arms around her before soaring up into the air. When she was high enough to her satisfaction, she let go.
Raven
Raven dropped, tumbling through the air. She tried to teleport herself to safety, but the fall disoriented her, and she smacked into the ground hard enough to break bones and knock her unconscious.
She lay still, but even unconscious, her body began to heal.
[NFI, NFB, OOC is always love. Preplayed with glacial_witch and blondecanary, coded using whateverknight's spiffy coder. Warning for violence, megalomania, the occasional comic book villain monologue, and cliffhangers. Follows this, this, this, and this, happening concurrently with this and this. This is what happens when you let Nu play with your canon.]