The Preserve, Saturday Afternoon

[trigons_child]

It was a pleasant enough day, and Raven found it hard to meditate in the cabins due to the noise and close quarters, so she took Professor Skywalker's advice and decided to explore the Preserve. She found a peaceful clearing and settled in the middle of it, breathing in the scent of the woods and the incense she lit. Closing her eyes, she let herself drift into a trance. The shadow raven form of her Soul-Self rose from her body and into the air, soaring about the trees.

[ooc: open if you happen to be wandering the area (or you could spot the giant raven form in the sky and follow it back toward her)]

Comments

[trigons_child]

"They did not believe me," Raven said quietly, eyes downcast.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"They thought you were lying about needing help?" Dinah asked, confused and a little disillusioned with her heroes. Well. Alternative heroes. Not hers.

[trigons_child]

"Zatanna did not believe me," Raven clarified. "And she convinced the rest to ignore me." She was probably lucky they did not try to destroy her.

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry," Dinah quietly, pushing aside feelings of collateral guilt. "I've never heard of her. I wish they'd listened to you. That's what heroes are supposed to do."

[trigons_child]

"They did not understand, and I could not make them see," Raven said. "I came here after they bade me to leave. I was not seeking help her, though I have found some support to my surprise. I thought merely to hide here and pretend to be normal...."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Help with what?" Dinah bit her lip, then slowly said, "If it's too personal, you don't have to say. And I'm glad you've got support here, but as for normal?" She waved her fingers, then grinned. "Over-rated. No one here is, are they."

[trigons_child]

"I knew this school was a place for gifted students, but I did not know how gifted," Raven said. "It was a pleasant surprise. And the help that I had sought...the danger that I wished the Justice League to aid me against...it was my father."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Ohhh," Dinah said, voice lowering. She studied Rachel's face, and bit her lip. "So your dad's... not a good guy. And powerful? If you needed the Justice League's help?"

[trigons_child]

"Yes," Raven admitted. "He is very evil and very powerful. When I could find no help from the Justice League, I came here, hoping he could not find me."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah drew her knees up to her chin, and contemplated that. "This is a nexus. They can't find-- someone else I know about, who's hiding from people who'd hurt him. I think you're pretty safe here." She gave Rachel a sober look. "You grew up in Azarath, you said before. Have you ever met your father?"

[trigons_child]

Raven couldn't stop a violent shudder from shaking her shoulders as she thought about that moment. She wrapped her arms around herself. "Yes, once, though I have seen him in dreams as well," she said. "I was foolish. After Azar, my teacher, died, I heard Trigon call to me. I followed his call to the Great Door, a portal that opened to the space between worlds. He was waiting for me there, and told me he was pleased to see me. I was his only child that had survived, and he had waited years to claim me so that I would rule at his side. I refused him, of course. He did not force me to come with him at that time, for I was still too young; he was content with making me face my heritage. He told me he needed to know if I was truly his daughter and...and if I could be corrupted. He said he would return ...when I was a woman."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

As Dinah had listened to this she had gone significantly paler.

"That was your dream?"

[trigons_child]

Giving Dinah a concerned look, Raven said, "I sometimes dream of that moment, yes, but it did happen, several years ago."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Ohhh, boy." Dinah put her hands to her face and sighed. "When we were on Arrakis? I got exposed to too much Spice. I ended up dreamwalking everyone within range. I'm pretty sure I saw that." She let her hands fall, watching Rachel with concern. "Stepping stones in space, and him laughing? Gold eyes?" She shuddered. "Terrifying."

[trigons_child]

"Red skin? A hundred feet tall, two sets of eyes?" Raven shook her head. "You must not do that again! If he sees you, if he senses you...!"

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"I didn't mean to! It was the drug! I've never done that before, not on accident, not without touching someone," Dinah protested, then gulped. "It was more a memory of your memory I saw, but yeah. Him. Jeeez." She had absolutely no wish to get any closer to that guy than someone else's memory. "No wonder you're hiding from him."

[trigons_child]

"If it were only a dream I would not be so concerned for your safety," Raven said. "But the dreams have been feeling more and more real. I think he may actually be there, in my mind."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah took in a scared breath. "What, looking out of your eyes? Is he here now?" Run awaaaaay!

[trigons_child]

"No, not that," Raven said quickly. "Trigon is part of me. And when I dream, he is able to use our bond to communicate with me. Professor Skywalker is helping me learn to shield myself when I sleep."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Oh, that had to suck, to be connected to something-- someone-- that scary and evil. She gave Rachel a worried look. "How are you doing with that? You seem mostly okay..?"

[trigons_child]

"My lessons with Professor Skywalker have been invaluable," Raven said. "He has helped me strengthen my shielding to keep others' emotions from affecting me so strongly. Joan has been trying to convince me to relax and enjoy life, that I do not have to be so fearful of my father's blood, but it is hard for me to do so."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

Dinah nodded slowly, thinking. "Why would being happy, or having fun, let him in further? I wouldn't think something like that would have anything to do with it."

[trigons_child]

"Azar believed that any emotion would be a gateway for Trigon to take me," Raven said. "I could not be allowed to know love or hate or sorrow. Even emotions considered good may be corrupted and turned bad. I may taste them in others, but if I embrace those emotions myself, my father can use them to control me." She dropped her gaze, finding the ground fascinating as she struggled to control her sorrow and her tears. "It...hurts sometimes, to want what I cannot have. I would like to know love, but...."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Aw, Rachel." That sucked. And wasn't fair. Dinah had no idea if it was true or not; Azar had to know more than she did about how to deal with terrifying demon guys. But still, it left the other girl so alone. She reached out tentatively, to stroke Rachel's hair if she'd let her, confused and unsure of what to do. "I'm sorry. That's really, really rough." Impossibly rough.

[trigons_child]

The contact gave Raven some comfort she could not find within herself, and she did not shrink away. "It is my fate, and I must accept it," she said, almost mechanically. "Do I dare risk testing Azar's warnings?"