Eric's Apartment, New Gotham City, Saturday Afternoon

[trigons_child]

After storming out on Dinah and Momoko the night before, Raven had retreated to the netherverse, but she found little solace there from the chaos of her emotions. It wasn't like it had been with her father trying to influence her. That she had known was wrong, and she'd fought it as hard as she could. This was more subtle and insidious, as Eric preyed on her own desire for affection and acceptance.

She knew Dinah and Momoko would never hurt her. But neither would Eric. He couldn't be fooling her empathy, could he? Desperate for answers -- and comfort -- she went directly to Eric's apartment once she emerged from the netherverse.

[For those who know who they are. Warning: extremely dubious consent issues. Also imminent but well-deserved violence.]

Comments

[heromaniac]

Blossom recovered faster than she expected she would, after witnessing that. She moved to what was left of Eric and quickly gagged him. "No. You don't get to do that. You've hurt her enough; she doesn't need that to be the last memory she has of you."

She turned back to Raven. "He was beyond saving before he ever heard your name. You know that, right?"

[trigons_child]

"He will not harm anyone ever again," Raven said softly, barely hearing Blossom as she looked at Eric's body as the last of his life fled him. Nothing but machine now. "He is gone."

She stood up, all business. "I will teleport us from here. The police may explain this as they wish."

[blondecanary.livejournal.com]

"Or not. This case is going to be one for the 'unsolved' files." Dinah didn't look down at Eric, but stepped lightly over the scattered electronic chaos, watching Raven's face, hurting for her. Not knowing what to say.

"I'm glad you're ..." Not okay, no. But alive. "In one piece." She looped an arm through Raven's. "Let's get out of here."

[trigons_child]

Raven was...numb, mostly. Her head was clear and her mind her own, but she was angry that she'd been so easily deceived and sickened by what had almost happened.

"I am myself again," she said. "And those he has harmed are free to pass on as they will. I cannot restore their lives, but at least they are no longer ensnared."

She could hear the sirens in the distance, getting closer. A neighbor must've called the police at the commotion from the apartment. She called up her Soul-Self again, using it to teleport Dinah, Blossom, and herself to the safety of the Clocktower.