Devil in My Mind

Freaked Out

That afternoon at the tower, the Titans are still exchanging discord about the day's events.

Beast Boy defends his position with, "We're just saying, Raven, you started seeing demons that no one else could see, then this guy shows up and now there are more of them? I don't think he's on our side. He seems more like a bad guy to me. I mean, look at me! I'm covered in guts, you guys!"

Raven counters with, "You're the ones who hired him to help me, now you're mad that he's doing his job?"

"Hold up, we're not saying he's a criminal," Cyborg assures, "I like the guy. You saw how he rode that motorcycle that came out of nowhere. That was out of this world-cool. But I gotta side with BB and Robin on this one, the demons showed up at the same time he did."

"You don't know that," says Raven.

"We don't know that for sure," Robin agrees, "but everything lines up within the span of a few days. With that level of power and no regard for how violent his tactics are, we have to be..."

"He's a Devil Hunter," Raven interrupts. "What did you think that meant, that he turns them all over to the authorities?"

Everyone is silent. It's not like Raven to snap at Robin.

"I am happy for your newfound friendship, Raven, truly I am," Starfire thoughtfully chimes in.

"His behavior was reckless and that concerns me," Robin interrupts. "He could have killed someone. Those civilians were running from him too. He frightened them."

Saddened, Raven gives each of her friends a careful look up and down.

"Are you all... afraid of me too?"

"No. No, of course not," Starfire promises. "We are all friends!"

"Raven, what happened when the two of you were inside your mind?" Robin asks, "Did you see anything unusual?"

Raven lowers her head, regretting withholding important information from her friends.

Sigh. "Yes. I saw Slade."

"SLADE?!" her friends exclaim all at once.

"Raven, why didn't you tell us?!" Robin demands, trying not to become infuriated.

Raven folds her arms, closes her eyes, and turns away, saying, "Because he wasn't real. He comes in my mind sometimes, trying to trick me. He's only in my mind. He can't hurt you guys."

"Raven," Starfire says lovingly, "we are here to help."

Raven opens up a bit.

"One thing I know for sure, Dante's another half demon, like me. And when you judge another half demon, like me, especially a good one, it feels... personal."

"Of course it does and we are very sorry," Starfire sincerely tells her. "Right, friends?" she adds, gazing at Robin, Cyborg and Beast Boy.

"What's with the attachment issues?" Beast Boy mocks. "You've known him for like, not even two days. And hello, look what he did too me! I'm gonna have to use an entire gallon of soap to get this gunk out!"

Hurt by their words, Raven uses her powers to embrace herself in blackness and retire to her room via teleportation.

"We may barely know him," says Cyborg, "but he was inside her mind. It sounds like he even saved her from Slade while he was in there. You remember when you and I entered her mind, Beast Boy, how close it brought us to her, don't you?"

Beast Boy folds his arms and pouts.

"It's not the same. We're not wackos."

"Maybe it is the same," Cyborg refutes, "and let's get off our high horses, we make a mess all the time when we go into battle. I dunno why we're raggin' on him for doing it. So what if he one-upped us?"

"We need to find Slade," Robin obsesses.

Starfire gets up and glides into the hallway, where she knocks on Raven's door. Raven opens.

"It is only me."

"Hi Starfire, come in," Raven says, stepping aside so Star can enter. They promptly shut the door and take a seat on the floor, where Raven prefers to meditate.

"Listen, the Devil Hunter makes me feel safe. I wished for... um, look, he's just important to me, okay?"

"He went inside your mind and slaughtered monsters for you. Of course he makes you feel safe! On my planet, there are warriors very much like him, they make us feel safe and make no apologies for it. I could tell, he wanted to protect you. Perhaps tomorrow, you can take me to him, so that I may assure him, that we wish to be friends."

"Sure, of course."

They have a little girl time together. Raven even lets Star braid her hair. Things taper down and night comes without any strife. This seems to entice dawn to once again, emerge quickly.

The next day, on the way to Devil May Cry, two days in a row, Raven suggests, "Maybe we should call first?" After showing up so early the day before, the last thing she wants, is to appear clingy.

"Oh yes, what is the phone number? I will use my communicator!" Starfire offers peppily.

Raven hands her the business card.

At the shop, after a shower and a spiffy change of clothes, Dante exits a large lavatory to answer a ringing, vintage, rotary phone.

"Devil May Cr-"

"DANTE! It is I, Starfire! Raven's friend! We are near to you and wish to see you in person so that we may initiate the Tamaranean Song of Camaraderie! It is 47 hours long and will fill your heart with unbridled joy!"

He hangs up and goes outside.

"I fear there has been an interference with the connection."

He comes around the corner and finds them standing in the morning sun rays, looking awkward.

"Nah, I hung up on you, figured I'd come outside. Heard you from the shop."

"Oh, haha," Starfire laughs sheepishly.

"So what can I do for you two?"

"I was wondering if we could be friends!"

"We are friends. Is that all?"

"And Raven thinks very highly of you!"

"Doesn't surprise me after you let me inside your mind," he says to Raven.

"I did that for a reason," Raven starts but doesn't finish.

"Glorious! We are all friends! Let us have breakfast now! There is an ice cream parlor right across the street and they are open so early, as though they knew we would be here!"

A few minutes later, unable to escape Starfire's exuberance, Dante and Raven find themselves sitting in the parlor while Starfire and the confectioner attempt to build a colossal sundae for the three of them.

"Glad to see you again, Raven," Dante says sincerely.

She smiles, "Very good to see you too."

Starfire zooms to them with a pretty kick-ass sundae.

"I have constructed a sundae of the ice cream worthy of a Tamaranean Warrior!" she announces, pigging out. They join her, though, they're unable to match her level of enthusiasm, best compared to a unicorn galloping on a rainbow.

"So, what is it like to be a Devil Hunter?" she asks. "Is it always so full of the gore?"

"In this city? So far, it's a little slow. I'd prefer to get my hands dirty with a real challenge. You okay, Raven?"

"I'm fine," she lies, wanting desperately to open up to him.

"I know what you're thinking."

"What is she thinking?"

"You're worried about Slade. You don't think I finished him off. I'll gladly try again. You paid me good money for that."

"So you both really did see Slade?"

"We did, yeah. And she wants me to kill him for real this time," he says, then eats a spoonful of ice cream with a strawberry on top. He then pauses and grins. "Man, this is good."