Late Night Studying [Raven/Rapture]

Skilled Metahuman Posts : 105 Join date : 2017-01-12

Raven was hardly a social butterfly.

Time she did not spend fighting crime or begrudgingly socializing with her close and very tight-knit group of friends, the half-demon girl usually spent in her room, reading, meditating, or sulking about this thing or another. But there was a certain place in Jump city that she occasionally visited. And it was ... the library. A nice, quiet place, full of books, and people that liked books. Here, Raven felt welcome, more so than in any other place. She almost felt... home.

Being a largely nocturnal creature, it was not uncommon for her to visit libraries at night. Luckily, many of them worked 24/7, even though hardly anyone showed up at this hour. It helped, as being a semi-public figure, Raven's presence anywhere likely attracted attention. Here, it was just the librarian - a tall, lanky man in his thirties, wearing reading glasses. Most likely British. Entering through the heavy wooden door, the petite mage let it close behind her, a bit louder than she wanted to. The sound made Raven tuck her head into her shoulders, briefly. The librarian noticed her.

"Ah, miss Roth. Another reading night, I presume?" - the man asked, kindly, leaning forward a bit, at the book counter. A flush briefly crossed Raven's face, as she fished out her reading pass. She was never used to being called 'Miss Roth.' And yet, she did not dislike it. She placed the pass on the counter.

"Yes, mister Simon. Did you ... manage to get the book I was looking for?" - she asked, hopefully.

"Of course, my dear. I did give you my word, after all. It took some effort and a few strings pulled, but I did manage to convince the central archives that Jump City absolutely needs to have at least a copy of this 16th-century manuscript. You must be quite a historian to be interested in such... esoteric literature." - the man chuckled, and looked at Raven with a perceptive gaze.

"It is a hobby..." - the girl replied evasively, and the man did not press the issue. Instead, he placed the copy of the text in front of her. A good 600 pages, containing both the original, and various translations.

"Thank you..." - she said, taking the hefty book.

"Now, do return it when you are done reading. Since this is in single exemplar, I cannot let it out of the library, unfortunately. Happy reading!"

With that, Raven took the book, and made way to the farthest reading table in the hall. Little did most people know, that the 'bizarre and esoteric 16-century texts contained knowledge over she could understand. But what she did not know, was that the library was about to have another late-night visitor.

Subject: Re: Late Night Studying [Raven/Rapture] Sat Sep 07, 2019 4:56 pm

Unknown to the mage, the late-night visitor had arrived before her, slipping through a recklessly under-secured back door. It had been a simple task, really, having the knowledge already under her belt for years by now as a fully-trained master of martial arts.

Idunn Skadi Ryuuzaki-Ymirsson had tracked Raven of the Teen Titans easily enough after figuring out what she looked like –– hardly a large ordeal seeing that the Titans were well known anyhow. Lurking in the library’s furthest reaches, the young vigilante had waited for less than four minutes before her target arrived, and just on time in her book. Four was a good number, albeit a superstitious one by Japanese and Chinese cultures. But Rapture thrived off the superstitious and macabre, taboo and unorthodox, not unlike the one she sought answers from. Four minutes later, she had stealthily made her way to the lanky librarian, swiftly rendered him unconscious, and retreated into the shadows to… introduce herself. Ryuuzaki had even brought a tome of her own –– an ancient Japanese text on various legends of gods and monsters, of particular interest being the story of a killer kaiju that terrorized the masses: Gashadokuro, the giant skeleton.

Fighting the beast for the second time had certainly been unexpected and unwelcome, although the end result of a vanished yokai yielded more unease than solace. Now, answers were at hand. Approaching the rather conspicuous Titan, the girl with pure white skin and eyes that gleamed and burned like the cosmos approached Raven, quietly setting down the book, opening to the page on Gashadokuro, and taking a seat. All without malice, all with ease, as if visiting an old friend. Leaning back slightly, Rapture addressed her fellow bookworm.

“You are Raven of the Teen Titans,” she stated cooly, eyes intense as ever but body completely relaxed. “I believe you are responsible for imprisoning an old foe of mine,” she tapped an aged painting of Gashadokuro in her book. “That means I have a use for you.”

Skilled Metahuman Posts : 105 Join date : 2017-01-12

Raven had sensed a thing approaching.

Two things, actually. One being the brief moment of Mr. Simon's consciousness snuffed out, and the other - a stranger approaching her. Internally, the girl prepared for a fight, yet from the outside she remained as motionless as before. Lowering the book down, to see who was it. It was ... the girl from before. The one Robin talked to. Rapture, or something. She looked very ... goth-like, with all those piercings and spikes. And despite looking and sounding calm, the eyes told a different story.

"Rapture, was it?" - Raven had asked, briefly looking over the girl's shoulder, to see the librarian slumped over the counter, out cold. She sighed, and rolled her eyes. "You could have used the front door, you know. It is a public space."

Her eyes drifted down to the book the strange girl opened in front of her. It depicted a skeleton they fought not a while ago. The fires were still fresh and some parts of the city still picking up the pieces. When Rapture mentioned her sealing it and having a use for her, Raven let out a "hmpf," before turning a page in her own book.

"Yes, I have sealed your giant skeleton away. Are you planning to let another one loose upon the city?"

She was only half-joking, there.

Subject: Re: Late Night Studying [Raven/Rapture] Sun Sep 08, 2019 4:34 pm

Raven may have had a point on the ‘public’ aspect of ‘public library,’ but the petite vigilante doubted she would be welcomed as cordially as her subject. Besides, it had been a simple enough ordeal and one without serious consequences; the librarian would wake with only a slight headache and dull ache where she had pinched his neck. Overboard? Maybe, but better safe than sorry.

Returning to the matter at hand, the decked-out rebel leaned forward, eyes fixed on Raven’s. “I’m planning on that thing not coming back,” Rapture replied flatly, only slightly perturbed by the girl’s nonchalance. “I sealed him away before, and that obviously didn’t work too well. Spirits are tricky ****s,” she continued, turning the page that featured Oni and Onryō. “Including these bastards. They seemed to vanish, Phantom-Menace style. Seemed, I stress. Yokai aren’t finished with until their unfinished business has been taken care of. Their spirits still roam. I want to know how exactly you ‘sealed’ my old foe away.”

If she sounded caustic, it came naturally; after all the damage and trauma, Rapture could not handle another round of tragedy. Everything had been burning, just as so many events in her life –– literally and metaphorically. The physical forms of these nightly creatures may have been vanquished, but their essences still roamed free. Rapture had already been doing a lot of cleanup of her own, absorbing rogue energy and obliterating the new dark forces that had crept through the cracks of the Yokai’s plane of existence.

Drumming her black-painted nails, Rapture studied Raven further. All this time, she had not blinked and did not intend on doing so. This individual could be useful as a ‘friend’ or a foe; either way, coming to this library had already begun to pay off.

Skilled Metahuman Posts : 105 Join date : 2017-01-12

Impatient...

Raven thought, as her eyes eyed the fingers drumming against the table. She did not answer immediately, instead just letting the pause sink in, and choosing to talk at her own pace. Taking a moment to analyze. Brash... - a thought went into her head, as she briefly eyed mr. Simon, who was still there, knocked out quietly. Then, she made eye contact, those fiery eyes meeting her cold, controlled, passionless gaze, as if she could see behind the facade of immediate emotions.

Scared.

Raven's gaze shifted back to the picture of the creature.

"Exactly?" - she rose her eyebrow. "I recited an incantation and shot a beam of magical energy at the creature, which was then sealed in a book. That would be the short explanation." - her lips thinned into a line as she looked back into her book. Flipping another page.

"The exact one would require you to have my knowledge of magic to understand, and then a few days of time to spell it out. And I'm not giving free magic lessons." - there was a bit of ridicule in her voice, before letting out a sigh. "It is not coming back. There are only two people in the world who know how to undo my seal. And one of them is trapped inside the book."

After that, Raven went silent for a little while, as if finding something of note in the book she's been reading. Before a sudden question came along.

"Why did it follow you?"

Subject: Re: Late Night Studying [Raven/Rapture] Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:54 pm

Rapture had no intention of magic lessons or any of that mumbo jumbo –– she wanted clearer answers, and these would not cut it. “I don’t care for your magics,” she stated, emotionless and unmoved by the other girl’s equally unimpressed dialogue. “Just know, the burden is passed to you now. If Gashadokuro awakens, it will be at your behest. I will not hesitate to find and punish both of you.”

The air, tense with anticipation, screamed for some sort of solace; the dark energies exuded from the strange duo threatening any semblance of peace. This meeting, this very moment, this tying of threads from the bond of akai ito remained laced in vagueness. As the seconds wore on, Ryuuzaki listened intently before saying her piece.

“Why it followed me is none of your concern,” she pointed out, leaning into the wooden chair while retaining a rigid appearance. Placing her hand over the ancient Japanese text, it appeared as if the image of Gashadokuro moved, hand reaching for a frightened villager and seemingly grasped its prey before returning to stagnant ink. “What followed it cannot have simply vanished as it would appear. Another flick of the page, and Oni and Onyrō alike danced across the page, mouths agape and presences almost palpable. “You may have sealed away evil, but it sticks to you like flies trapped in honey. Your aura appears to gather negative energy, which makes you susceptible to more attacks.”

Rapture sighed slightly, watching keenly as the text became inanimate again. “Look… these things will haunt you. I may not need your magic, but you need my help.”

…sincerity. Such a taboo and frankly quaint little concept, but nonetheless behind those burning eyes. Rapture had lost good friends, strong people –– shamans, necromancers, fellow Yokai killers –– to the madness that seemed to whisper in the ears of those who came into contact with the dreaded creatures of nightmare. As she closed her eyes for the first time since arriving, the visages of the dead flooded her sight. In one all-too-vivid image, Rapture saw Raven huddled in a corner, Onryō surrounding the Titan and sucking her life force. Another image, and the cloaked one had been impaled by the jaws of a Jorōgumo, pale neck snapped nearly in two as the spider-woman drained her of her blood. Ryuuzaki forced her eyes open, welcomed by a sudden headache. As she put her index fingers to her temples, the Yokai Priestess continued.

“You... have a use for me.”

Skilled Metahuman Posts : 105 Join date : 2017-01-12

"You can start with yourself. Bringing that thing here to wreak havoc deserves punishment."

Raven retorted, and closed her hand, with a relatively loud snap. She did not like threats, and the girl first asked her for explanations, and then told she did not care about them either way. And lastly, she refused to answer questions. Questions that, in Raven's opinion, were much more important. "And since it followed you to wreck my city, it becomes my concern."

This is going to be a fight, isn't it?

Mentally, the witch-girl was already prepared for it. Fortunately, Mrs. Spiky finally decided to throw her cards on the table and reveal what she really came here for. And that was ... to warn her. Of spirits and evil magic pursuing her the moment she got in contact with them. It was ... different. It hit a vibe. Raven knew better than anyone what was it like to be pursued by evil, and not finding solace anywhere, not even within her mind. After her father fell, for the first time in a long while, she felt free. The idea of such things returning was ... disconcerting.

But years of living under the Damocles' Sword, waiting for it to fall, gave her a little bit of clarity and ... nihilism, when it came to such measures. Also, she had one thing that Rapture did not. And it was that very thing, that saved her before.

"Thank you for... caring. Whatever these creatures bring, I am ready to withstand it. Would not be the first time. And besides... I won't be alone." - For the first time in this conversation, on Raven's face appeared... a smile.

"If you want to help me out - be my guest. But... let me help you in turn. I cannot do that, if you don't tell me..." - the smile slowly faded, expression serious, as Raven looked into Rapture's eyes again.

"What made a giant evil skeleton and its army of minions chase you from Japan all the way to Jump?"

Subject: Re: Late Night Studying [Raven/Rapture] Thu Sep 12, 2019 2:50 pm

If Rapture weren’t so patient, her nerves would have already been frayed. But she had studied this girl well enough to know that becoming irate would be as fruitful as an immovable object and unstoppable force. Drumming her fingers once more upon the images of Yokai, their ink yet again began to dance. “Gashadokuro…” she began, lifting the paint from the ancient text and making it appear in the three-dimensional. A giant skeleton loomed over Tokyo Tower, much taller than the one in Jump City, ripping apart infrastructure and causing immeasurable damage. And from the pages came a tiny figure, glowing red and wielding a sword as tall as she. With such ease, she dismembered the beast, strategically doing so in order for the limbs to fall in already-evacuated areas. Other nondescript figures audibly screamed, holding their hands to their mouths and ears respectively. The tiny scene played out quickly, with one intermittent flash of cobalt blue as the blade-wielding figure wedged herself between two stories worth of tower, bringing the two down as gently as possible before a flash of gold erupted, allowing an escape. The building had been saved, the citizens unharmed. The police, already aware of the strange entity called ‘Rapture’ cooperated with ease, standing away as she sliced the bones to ribbons. Another flash, and a beautiful girl with grey-purple hair and eyes like the cosmos stood in the Red Dragon’s place, having reverted to her natural state as a Yokai Priestess.

A turn of the page revealed a giant burial ground, deep the earth would allow. Everyday citizens helped to dump the shredded remains of the Gashadokuro, charms and sigils round their necks and upon their clothing. Adjacent to the earthen burial ground sat the scene of an underwater cave, reachable only by the help of Rapture’s friend, Riptide. The leg bones were stored in a deep cavern, then crushed with expert underwater demolition. Further down the page, the Kaiju’s hands were being lowered into separate tar pits. Again, all in three-dimension, as if the paintings had come alive. Finally, as Rapture turned the next page, the remnants of Gashadokuro’s skull were thrown into Mt. Fuji as several incantations were placed upon the infernal thing.

“I thought I had gotten rid of him,” Rapture said quietly, almost a tinge of humbleness in her strangely accented voice. “…but revenge is more powerful than the elements of earth. He had unfinished business. He wanted to destroy the source of his near-undoing, and that is… was me. I never… I never imagined he would follow me so far. The only explanation I can think of is that he had help –– my old enemies, forever vengeful.” A slight look of uneasy nostalgia crossed her face, even for a second.

Back to the page featuring the Oni and Onryō, now stagnant in their artistry. “These two were not present in my first fight, and that damn Yokai certainly did not have the power to utilize fire. I may have doomed myself, believing that a volcano could rid him of his power rather than bolster it.”

Rapture sat back, cocking her head as her eyes seemed to dull as they closed, then reopened like shivering moths, bright and shiny and piercing as ever. “I said I have a use for you,” she continued, “turns out, I already did…” a ‘thank you’ had nearly slipped her lips, but that petty sentiment seemed ridiculous. Mutual goal notwithstanding, Raven of the Teen Titans could not be underestimated, used, nor trifled with. That, at least, Rapture could respect.

Skilled Metahuman Posts : 105 Join date : 2017-01-12

Revenge...

Revenge was a powerful thing. Raven knew this better than anybody. After all, her coming to Earth, and even joining the Team could be possibly attributed to revenge. In a moment of self-reflection, the girl looked back at herself. I wanted to hurt him, to deny him the chance of seeing me become like him... Deny him the chance to wreak havoc upon the world... Ironic... most people become villains, when seeking revenge. - she thought, looking back at the strange, spiked lady.

"Well, if Gashadokuro is as vengeful as you say, he will be more preoccupied with me, than you now. Would not be the first time someone wanted revenge on me for sealing them in a book. It does not have to be your problem anymore. Not yours alone. So... peace?"

In an uncharacteristic moment, she smiled. But only briefly, as such things were rare. Looking over the girl's shoulder, she said:

"But if you knock out my favorite librarian out again I will send you to another dimension." - an almost comical frown appeared on her face, coupled with her typically dour-sounding voice.

Subject: Re: Late Night Studying [Raven/Rapture] Sat Sep 21, 2019 6:21 pm

Peace… peace was never an option, but a truce could be.

“Truce,” Rapture compromised, closing her tome with a definitive movement. “Ours to deal with…” the notion still settled on her as comfortably as wet blanket, but the Titan seemed to be extending a rather rare olive branch. “And I won’t knock out your librarian again, seeing as matters are coming to a close and I have no use for this place.”

‘Then again…’

Rapture leaned back, stretching as if this conversation were boring her –– all a façade, of course. This had been the most stimulating conversation she’d had in years. Raven intrigued her… her mannerisms, her dark magic, all that had been researched by the smaller woman.

“I want to know more about your sorcery,” Rapture confessed. “I’m not asking for dark secrets of the north, but anyone of the superstitious typing interests me, especially magic users. I myself identify as a spiritualist of sorts—my type of ‘hoodoo voodoo’ comes from the remnants of the damned, meditation, and thorough practice.” The girl was not entirely sure why she was being so open about her abilities, albeit few and far between. Perhaps due to the presence of someone like her? She hated the idea that anyone could be, but understood how illogical the notion stood.

Eyes uncannily cold and narrowed, Rapture gazed into Raven’s. “We could learn. We have a use for each other.”

That mantra meant leagues beyond even Rapture's understanding ––I have a use for you, or any variations. It was an acknowledgment of importance in the secondary party's significance. It could be a compliment, an invitation, a warning. Raven would have to decide which interpretation to pursue.

Skilled Metahuman Posts : 105 Join date : 2017-01-12

"This is a place of knowledge. Everyone has a use for it. Some more than others."

For some reason, her thoughts briefly went back to Beastboy. The green-skinned knucklehead could certainly use a book or two. The ease with which this girl declared she needed or did not need something was staggering. She could use a bit of foresight... - Raven thought. Maybe it could help rule in her destructive tendencies...

She reminded Raven of herself... at her darkest of times.

And with a lot more spikes than fashion sense dictated. The girl also appeared to be self-taught... Or something. Given with how she threw different words about. Mixing magic with sorcery, and putting 'hoodoo voodoo' into the mix. That line alone made the witch girl cringe, just a little. Should I explain my magic to her? We've barely met... - a cautious voice sounded at the back of her head. It was a wise thought. The best way to defeat a magic user was to figure out how their magic worked. Such knowledge was highly guarded, and... dangerous.

What this strange girl showed just now was a foolish demonstration of trust to nearly a perfect stranger. Very few people did that to Raven. And she felt the need to respond, in some kind, she sighed.

"I suppose we could. I am well-versed in many arcane arts. But my magic comes from my soul. It is capable of great destruction. I temper it with discipline, meditation, and ... mercy."

Subject: Re: Late Night Studying [Raven/Rapture] Tue Sep 24, 2019 10:17 pm

’Mercy.’

A strange five-letter little word with huge ramifications and endless meaning. It resonated within Rapture like electric repulsion, tightening her nerves and raising the hair on her arms. If there were a fourth mantra for her live by, it would be “show no mercy,” but it was so integrated that there needed no reminder for such a fool’s errand. How could one’s power come through mercy? She would ponder that for the rest of that night.

’…soul.’

She had never had one, not from the day she came screaming into this world nor ever since; her spirits had eaten it in exchange for their energy input. Rapture looked downward, trying and failing to come up with a personal analogy of a soul. When she killed something, she gained their spiritual energy, so…

‘Does it matter?’ a voice prompted, sounding very much like it didn’t. She supposed it didn’t; what did matter was the bond already made between the two magic users. Raven had the prospect of being a good ally, especially when it came to the Teen Titans; sure, she had met Robin, but he did not stand out in her mind as more than a human speck. This young woman? An outstanding powerhouse.

“Souls and mercy…” she repeated darkly. “I’m afraid I don’t have the capacity for such things. But I respect your methods, even if I don’t understand them. I’m sure I’ve babbled on enough about what needs and doesn’t need to be said.” A slight smile, somewhat sad yet genuine. “At any rate, your librarian will be waking up soon and I see no point to be around for that. Here––“ Rapture paused before retrieving a sleek black business card. On it was a crimson butterfly at a radio sequencing number. “Your fancy communicators should be able to read this. Let’s get together again.”

Nothing left to be said, Rapture secured her book underneath her arm, stood up, and bowed slightly. She appeared in silhouette as the moon shone through the single nearby window, a spotlight for a spiky maven in black, spooky yet suave. Turning heel, she walked toward the front door and exited before saying one last thing:   “This has been very useful.”

» Where do we go from here? [Raven/Rapture]
» Late night (Mr.S)
» Late night early moring(open)
» An Eerie Encounter [Rapture/Invite]
» The New Night Hawk. (Night Hawks only)