Slade's Manipulation

Chapter 8: A Target

"Hello, welcome to Carrie's Comics! How may I help you today?" a high-pitched female voice crackled over the feed. The young woman, appearing to be around fifteen but actually in her twenties, stood behind a cash register, waiting to help a customer. Based on the screen projection, she was wearing a dark blue sweater with a white button-up underneath, maroon jeans, and gray ankle boots. Her hair was tied up into a ponytail, an earring sparkled on her right ear and her eyes were hidden behind the glare of her glasses.

"It's almost time," Slade expressed with delight. He had been observing the girl for weeks now, becoming more and more anxious as time passed. He could almost feel the object he desired in his grasp. As he watched her, he had learned a few things about her. She was an artist, proud to show it off to coworkers but not to try and sell it quite yet.

"Well if you're a fan of superheroines of all shapes and sizes, I would suggest..."

She also seemed to enjoy it when customers wouldn't show up for hours on end and she could draw in her sketchbook. But the biggest thing he learned, and would help secure his plan, was that Raven was her role model.

~~~

"The definition of brave is 'ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage" Knowledge recited.

"Well what's courage?" Beast boy requested, genuinely curious.

"Courage: the ability to do something that frightens one or strength in the face of pain or grief."

"Oh, well that's helpful..." Raven muttered.

"Raven, you need to remember that if you let yourself feel in here, your powers won't go haywire. You need to let-"

"It's not easy to just turn it on and off!" Rage and Raven snapped in unison.

An idea struck Robin. "Starfire, how do you summon the emotions necessary for your starbolts?"

"I believe you mean my strength as we have already located Rage. Courage is a part of it, in a general meaning."

"And how do you summon that emotion?" Robin pressed.

"But you've already asked me this...?"

"Not in this sense, please Star, think about it."

"Well, I guess I put faith in our previous victories and hope that we prevail."

Robin grasped Raven's shoulders. Her eyes grew wide at the gesture. "Use that hope you have. Use it to summon Brave. We believe in you."

"Er, um, I don't mean to interrupt, but Sloth is right over there..." Timid mumbled.

~~~

Ugh, why does time have to be so slow? Arden stared at her watch, waiting for her lunch break. She still had fifteen minutes. To pass the time she continued working in her sketchbook, which had mostly drawings of her favorite superhero team. Most guess the Justice League, but Arden idolized the local heroes: the Teen Titans. One member appeared more than the others, Raven, and it was no secret that Arden admired her.

The tinkle of a bell went off. Arden looked up once again to say "Hello, welcome to Carrie's Comics! How may I help you today?" The customer had headphones in and ignored her, but Arden didn't care. It meant she could go back to drawing. The customer browsed for a few minutes and left without buying anything.

"Only five more minutes...but I'm so hungry..." Arden muttered to herself. She couldn't focus on sketching anymore and stared at the clock. She fiddled with the earring on her right ear, a green gem encased in silver. Once the minute hand struck the twelve, she grabbed her bag, flipped the sign which read "Back in 30 minutes!", and locked the door on her way out. She turned around to be face-to-face with a certain someone.

~~~

"Sloth, you need to come with us. It's urgent." Passion was trying to coax Sloth from the ground.

"We don't have time for this!" Rage fumed. She proceeded to drag Sloth to her feet by her arm. She refused to hold her own weight.

"Do I have to?"

"Yes." Raven had been silent since locating Sloth, and the importance of her involvement became clear to Sloth. She stood on her own, ready as she ever was.

"So, what next?" Beast boy asked.

He was answered by a gasp from Raven and Knowledge simultaneously. "What's wrong?" Robin inquired urgently.

"I have to act now, and you guys need to get out. Now." Before the Titans could protest, Raven sent them away to the exit from Nevermore. She didn't get them all the way, but close enough to get out in time.

"We need to go hel-" Starfire began in a frantic worry, but Robin cut her off.

"If we stay, our presence will only distract her. We better get going." He stalked off crossing his arms and taking the lead.

~~~

Arden stood speechless, her forest green eyes wide behind her glasses. It took her an eternity to get her voice back, or it seemed that way to her. She was finally able to whisper "Oh. My. Y-you're, you're Raven."

The voice that came from her mouth was not what Arden was expecting. Instead of the raspy, unused voice she heard over the news and team reports it came from her worst nightmares which she told no one about. "Not the one you're thinking of." The demon summoned dark energy and used it to raise Arden from the ground, first by her wrists. She flinched at the contact; the energy was burning her. "I have control now, and I do what I need to," she explained.

"W-why me?" Arden voiced in barely a whisper. She then gained confidence as she realized her question had merit. "Why target me?" She waited for my lunch shift when she could have gone after someone on the street.

"Honestly, I only have this body thanks to someone known here as Slade. He struck a bargain with me." As she spoke, the demon Raven let her dark energy coil itself around Arden's neck. The heat was searing her skin, but she refused to cry out and give this being satisfaction. "He said he doesn't care about what happens to you..." The dark energy began to constrict and Arden braced herself, but the darkness never came. Actually, she didn't feel any pressure at all. She noticed a green glow protecting her neck.

"I guess I'll have to get my hands dirty..." the demon stated. She lowered Arden to ground level so she could reach her neck with ease. As the dark energy faded from her neck, so did the glow.

Oh shit oh shit oh shit why isn't anyone seeing this?!?! Arden repeated in her head. The demon clasped her hands around her neck, squeezing with all of her strength. Before Arden passed out, she could hear arguing from right in front of her.