Despite spending her time in meditation, Raven couldn't find inner peace in her soul. These... feelings that had formed between them. She couldn't just seal them away or hold them back. After all, throughout the entire time she had been in Trigon's underground kingdom, she had still... controlled herself, even in this horrible form.
Perhaps it was because all her thoughts, feelings, and desires were focused on defeating her father? Or maybe there was something else going on?
Then what was the point of this meditation? To give herself the illusion of protection and control? Perhaps it was just the usual fear of rejection?
"Are you still afraid to be honest with yourself, my dear Raven?..."
"I didn't ask for your advice, Father."
"Sooner or later, I'll break free from this spell, and I will!
A small mental effort and her father's thoughts fall silent.
No, she knows why she's still holding back. Fear for Alex breeds anger, anger breeds hatred, and hatred breeds only trouble and suffering. Understanding your own emotions can be so difficult at times. Is there really nothing left but to hope that they remain nothing more than partners? Her skin turned crimson, her face changed.
"Is it so easy to read intentions? You don't want this? No, more accurately, we don't want this.
She had long accepted who she was. After all, after the day her home planet was destroyed, her soul had experienced pain, suffering, hatred, malice, and despair, everything that her "Father" loved so much. After that day, she was completely "defiled." She said things she would never have said, did things she would never want to do again. And all this without a hint of regret, but rather with sadistic pleasure. Because that's how it should be.
She was able to wake up, realise, and through extensive meditation training, rein in her dark side. Well, the rest of the story is familiar.
That is precisely what she fears. What might he see in this ability, and what might he not? In any case, if she cannot reveal this truth to him, what kind of "mutually beneficial relationship" can there be between them?
"Yes, that's exactly how it is...
I woke up with a terrible headache in my temples, and the fact that my body felt as if it were bound by something invisible at the slightest movement did not add to the pleasant sensations. Fortunately, my condition was the only bad news, for Raven was nearby in her favourite meditation pose. I wonder how long I've been lying in bed?
"A day. Your body may have recovered, but the magical attack on your spirit did not pass without a trace. You will need at least...
"27 hours and 47 minutes to recover," I finished for her, reading the status window, and groaned plaintively, no longer from pain, but from the prospect of future boredom. Although... A sly smile crept onto my face."You know, I was thinking, since everything ended on such a positive note, let me make a, shall we say, logical calculation of my 'reward'. I rubbed my hands together happily, and Raven's silhouette seemed to grow slightly taller, and her eyes peered at me from under her hood with a look of... contempt.
"Hey! I don't know what you're thinking, but it's not what you think it is!
"Speak. I warn you: be careful what you wish for.
"I just wanted to ask you to take care of me. That's all." I raise my hands in a gesture of surrender and force a nervous smile.
"It's a perfectly reasonable request, only...
"You already know who I am and what I can do. — I finish her sentence with a smirk. — You just don't quite understand my reasons. Let's keep it simple, since we can understand each other without words. If there are... let's say... "moments" that you don't like, you can always stop. How does that sound?
I think Raven is just a little confused by everything that has happened to her and who she is, but now that most of her problems have been resolved, there is nothing stopping her from doing what she thinks is right and acceptable.
In response, I received a short nod. She suddenly flew up into the air and landed on my bed.
"You know, I think you can look at my 'specifications' now. If you're still interested.
Name: Raven
Age: 15
Titles: "Cannibal," "Sadist," "Still... pure?!" "The one who caused the destruction of the planet," "Conductor of Magic," "Denier/Acceptor of Her Nature," "Dark/Light Will."
Race: Half-demon
Class: "Universal Mage."
Level: 67
Professions: Dark Mage, Soul Mage, Elemental Mage.
Strength: 78
Dexterity: 67
Luck: 99
Intuition: 108
Willpower: 305
Wisdom: 234
Build: 80
Endurance: 70
Charisma: 89
Intelligence: 187
Mana: 10,000 (Own), with Azarat support -???" — Cannot be determined.
Special Abilities/Skills: Polyglot, Master of Emotional Control, Emotional Separation, Telekinesis, Elemental Control, Projection/Illusion Creation, Mental Form, Emotion Absorption, Mental/Physical Pain Absorption, Shape-Shifting, Various Types of Enhancements, Weakening Spells, Curses, Teleportation, Spatial Rift Creation.
And all this is hidden in a fifteen-year-old body? And what does "still pure" mean if she has the status of Cannibal and Sadist? For some reason, I don't really want to ask. With these two statuses, it's easy to see how Raven could have developed some negative traits while living in her father's house. After all, who knows what could have happened to her psychologically after her planet was destroyed... right?
I have a theory as to why she is still "clean," but I don't really want to say it out loud. If things with Raven turn out the way I predict, I'll be able to get the answer to that question a little later.
"I sensed your mental interference. So why aren't you asking questions about... some 'strange' things?
"Are they that important? I told you before that I don't care. Everyone has their own demons, and I'm no exception.
"Yes, they are important. Because they can cause anxiety, suspicion and negative attitudes. When my planet was destroyed, I was in despair. I blamed myself for everything. I hated my father and myself, and it awakened something... dark within me. In my father's house, in my second form, I revealed a completely different side of myself. I enjoyed the pain of others, enjoyed my power and dominance until I was able to remember my true home and my true self.
"You see. Despite that...
"I'm not finished. In my house, there were people and other races from other planets who were nothing more than food for us. Sometimes we played with our food, throwing them into a special arena where they fought for their lives. In the end, the strongest had to fight one of our family members. My father usually picked me as his favourite because I entertained them. I looked for a way to please him. But it was never enough for him. He was always bored until he wanted to destroy or conquer a new planet. That's when I woke up...
"And that still doesn't change anything, Raven. Either way, you were able to make your own choice, not the one that was forced on you. And I'm glad about that.
I sensed that her mood had lifted noticeably, so I decided to take another cautious step.
"You know, even though you're fifteen, I would never take advantage of your beautiful body..." I reached out to her, smiled slightly, put my arm around her waist and pulled her closer.
"You used the body shape change yourself. I can feel it. When I touched your mind, I realised that you're barely older than me.
"Hoo? What else did we see...? Maybe some interesting erotic stories?
Embarrassment, eyes looking away. Ha! You hit the nail on the head.
"Raven, I want you to be my... um... let's say... 'partner' in adventure. I like you and I want to spend more time together. I'll understand if the Titans mean more to you and you want to stay. I just thought I'd ask...
"It's probably strange, but I like you too. Like... like the first person who reached out to help me without any hidden motives.
"Now that we've revealed different sides of ourselves, can I take some liberties?
I managed to move slightly from the bed and bring my face close enough to... playfully kiss the tip of her nose. Her face showed confusion and disappointment.
"Were you expecting something more?
"You always do this. I don't see the difference...
"It seems like my playful side has become routine. I'm becoming terribly predictable...
I am gentle and patient with Raven because she has become dear to me in this short time. I don't want to cross the line and rush her with my feelings. After all, as she said, I have no idea what might happen if her dark side takes over when the turning point comes. In a passionate kiss or in... bed?
In any case, when I am fully recovered, I promised someone that I would visit the Tower of Titans. I think everyone will be interested in meeting her. I just hope that everything will be fine and that nothing unexpected happens. It was very nice to receive Raven's care. I deliberately pretended that I couldn't do anything on my own. In general, I enjoyed the free show. Raven probably knew about my physical ability to perform certain simple tasks and just wanted to repay a "debt".
"Listen, Alex, I wanted to know...
You're so late, Starfire...! You ruined such a nice sight...! What happened? I finally managed to convince her to cosplay as Catwoman. I got a regular tail just above the pelvis to go with the eternal black bodysuit, an extra pair of cute black ears on her head, and to top it off, a black ribbon collar with a small round gold bell.
"Di-Lin!" — her bell announced her presence with a short movement. I was lying on the bed with my camera, and Raven was on all fours, trying to make a gesture of a begging cat. Noticing the new unexpected guest, her cheeks turned crimson, and she looked as if she wanted to sink into the ground with shame. However, instead of doing that, she turned into a black crow and simply disappeared from the room in a black flash of smoke.
"Oh... well, what did you want?
"I just wanted to know where Raven might be, since she wasn't in her room...
"Well, now she's definitely in her room," I added sarcastically. "Listen, could you give Raven some 'intimate' advice?
"I've noticed how you look at her and I'm happy for you! I hope everything works out for you, and don't worry about that! I'll definitely help you with it!
I don't really like your kind smile. Argh! Never mind! Nothing bad should happen anyway.
And now I'm standing confidently in front of the Titans' tower. I made a small tear in space with the Talos dagger. On the other side, I was greeted by my own copy, created with the power of time, as well as a small "girl" a head shorter than me, completely covered in a black military suit with a thick gas mask on her head, completely hiding her face. The only exception to her appearance was a long ponytail at the back of her head. Her hair was red, or perhaps even a rich crimson. Starfire, Dick Grayson, Blue Beetle, Beast Boy, and Raven were clearly surprised by the new and unusual guest, judging by their silence.
"Well, allow me to introduce you. This is Fiore. As it happens, she is my...
"Dad! Is that necessary?! I could introduce myself!" a disgruntled female voice came from under the mask.
"Dad?!" Beast Boy exclaimed in shock, expressing a spectrum of surprise, something like "when, where, and why."
"I think I should explain a little. She's our adopted daughter. Not our biological daughter. I already told you, Dick, it's a sad story.
"I don't think you'd mind if you told us more, would you?
"Of course. Okay, Fi, go to the green boy. He's just as hyperactive and cheerful, so you'll definitely hit it off. I patted her on the back, causing her to place her hand uncertainly on the back of her head where her mask had been, then look at me uncertainly. I understood without words and nodded quietly. After removing the necessary fastenings, Fiore took off her mask, revealing a humanoid amphibian. Blue skin, with noticeable scales in places, a toothy shark mouth, and a single amber-coloured eye with a vertical pupil, while her left eye was securely covered with a special black patch.
"Y-yo! Anyway, I'm Fiore! Nice to meet you!
"Are you from the movie 'Fantomas' or something?
And where did Beast Boy even see that 'classic'? I didn't think he was such a fan of old-school fantasy. Although, it's a funny comparison.
"What?! Is he cool?! Like in Naruto?
"Um... you could say that.
Beast Boy raised his eyebrows questioningly at me. I shrugged and spread my arms wide. My doppelganger may have raised her and watched over her most of the time, but I couldn't cruelly destroy her with the simple fact that anime doesn't exist in this world, even though it's full of heroes and villains...
Even taking this fact into account, if she copies some phrases or techniques, it won't affect the world's overall perception of her. Just another weirdo to add to the collection.
"So, what happened? We're curious, 'Daddy'.
Almost everyone was in the dining hall of the Tower of Titans, except for Beast Boy, who was spending time with Fiona.
"It just so happened that when I left on my journey, I decided not to start it right away, but to go fishing instead. Who knew that it would end with two strange carcasses floating right up to my shore. One apparently belonged to a parent, and the other, in a kind of hemispherical capsule, to a child. The parent had lost the lower half of its body and died, while the child needed care, so I... decided to take it in. It was a funny time. — I reminisced with a soft smile. "At that moment, it looked like some kind of evil blue goblin with a piranha jaw. It hissed and snorted constantly. It bit me and left marks on my arm. Later, I learned that this was a kind of custom that allowed one to accept another as their parent. I knew I couldn't devote much time to this random experiment, but I didn't really want to just throw her into the ocean either... so I created my double with the aim of giving her a future. At first, I thought it would take her a decade to develop, but I was wrong. Fiora... is developing and learning very quickly.
"In less than a year, she looks like a normal human teenager," Dick Grayson said with some interest and thoughtfulness.
"Her special power is accelerated adaptation, but I still haven't been able to figure out where it comes from or what it's for.
I know more precisely, but I can't share that with them yet. There is an important reason why I'm not telling them, and the main one is in her left eye.
"All right. As long as she's helping people, I don't think she'll be a problem.
"Well, her mind is at the level of a child who has watched too much anime and now wants to be as cool as the main character in one of those stories...
I got up from the table and headed straight for the training room. Already behind the armoured glass, I could watch with a slight smile as Fiore used her skills to show off. Well, of course, because before, the only opponents she had for sparring were me or one of my knights, and here she was simply experiencing curiosity mixed with excitement. Despite her teenage appearance, half-fish, Fiore is very fast and strong. During the fight, her face was always contorted into a grin, and a sharp shark fin formed behind her back.
...She strikes with a spin in the air and twists her body in flight so that her heel crashes down directly on her opponent. Garfield successfully catches her foot and throws her aside, to which she calmly finds support with her hands and feet on the wall like a real "spider-man". A split-second flash of electricity, and her body begins to generate a special energy resembling mana, but this is only a feature of her special species that allows her to form various attacks, or even weapons or attack forms, from energy more resembling electricity.
"Raito: 'Lightning Spear'!" Clapping her hands and spreading them apart, Fiore created a spear with a sharp tip on one side. I slapped my face in embarrassment. Not only was it unnecessary to say that out loud, but it was also a direct reference to Naruto and their techniques. Spinning the spear in front of me and taking a fighting stance, I decided to intervene and press the microphone button...
"Fiora, that's enough. Beast Boy may be strong, but you shouldn't test your spear on him. He's not Asta, and he's a living creature.
"Fine! Well, you're lucky, my green friend, but remember: next time I'll definitely pin you down, so be ready by then, or I'll become stronger than you!
"I've only recently learned how to transform into special demons, so you should be afraid!
"Pff! Words of a petty upstart!
"You're the small one! I'm not small! I'm popular and strong!
"Shorty, shorty, shorty!
Despite the terribly childish taunts, Beast Boy was really getting pumped up for a new round. It seemed that Fiona had found a kindred spirit. Unbelievable. However, I was glad, because I had been worried about her adaptation to human society. Over the past year, I was the only person she had contact with. Apparently, television and the internet had become a good example for her to meet people. She suggested the most common way to make a friend, namely through sparring to create a competitive environment. And judging by her satisfied smile, everything went as she expected...
"You didn't mention you had a 'daughter'," Raven commented with interest.
"You didn't ask. "I shrugged. "Want some advice on how not to be a father? Thanks, no need, I'll figure it out myself...
"No, I'm just pleasantly surprised.
"That even someone like me is capable of feeling affection?
"You're too hard on yourself. You're much better than you think...
"Want to go on a date sometime?
"Not yet.
"Better than nothing. That's fine.
I always thought that Fiore was an experiment. My own personal experiment. However, there are moments in life when, despite the masks you create and the false reasons you give, you cannot hide the truth. It always comes out when things that seem like mere objects are thrown into extreme situations on the brink of life and death.
***
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