Raven Roth and Damian Wayne: The Walk of Life (Book 1 Of 2)

Chapter Twenty

"How are you holding up?" asked Helena stepping into the isolation chamber. "Better now that I'm here. I can still feel my father fighting against me and the machine. I don't know how I didn't notice the strength he'd been gathering. This machine helps keep him in check but I know it's not going to hold him for long." Raven answered from her temporary bed, sitting up to allow Helena to sit. "Sorry you have to be stuck in here. Our, guests, have started to arrive. Apparently Superman and Flash sped around the global at full throttle to tell everyone. Did it in a matter of hours. Any other time I'd be impressed but right now there are bigger priorities. Damian is filling people in on what he knows. Anything I can relay to them?" Helena calmly questioned with a concerned but caring tone. "Nothing that Damian wouldn't already know. Just, please check he's alright. I know he's going to be blaming himself for being a distraction of some kind and I don't want him to feel like that. Tell him it's not his fault. Might have to yell it at him." Raven jokingly replied as Helena got to her feet. "Sounds about right. You Hang in there ok, we'll work it out." She said as Raven tried calming her mind with a big intake of air. Helena stepped back out and headed up the stairs passing Alfred on the way as he went down with a tray. "I think she'll need something stronger Alfred." Helena said through a small smile. "I do agree miss Helena, alas poor girl is not of age and thus a pot of green tea, a few books of Master Damians choice and some company must do for now." He replied clearly sympathetic for Raven being stuck in the cave alone. With an agreeable nod the two parted, continuing on their paths.

"Wait wait wait. So old daddy dearest is THE devil and is locked up in a nice shinny gem on her head and is now trying to break out. Almost did. Was too much for sparkly butt, alien boy and speed pants. But you think WE can help?! I mean, sure, Ivy could help with her plants maybe. But ME?! What am I gunna do?!" Proclaimed Harley, horrified by the gauntlet that had just been placed before her. "Try whinging at him." Said Bruce dryly, he was in no mood for her protests but he did see her point, no powers and acrobatic ability wouldn't really do much judging from the incident report of Trigon last visit. "Alright Harls no need to lose our heads just yet." Said Dinah as she and her husband walked into the large dinning room of Wayne Manor where everyone was gathering. "DINAH! OLLIE! YAY!!" Harley cried running over to the pair jumping into a hug. "We're doing the hugs again. I don't mind but I'm always worried you'll get a crack or something." Joked Oliver to Dinah and Harleys confusion. "Porcelain. Your white comple... never mind, it's ruined now." He tried to explain. "Oh like a dolly. Ha. I get it." Harley smiled. "Nope just. So Bruce, Clark gave us the run down. I assume Mr always has a plan, you know, has a plan." Said Oliver as he walked over to Bruce leaving the girls smiling at one another before they followed behind him. "The workings of one yes but I need to wait for the experts to get here before I know for sure if it's plausible enough to work. Damian has told me all he knows which is more than Kori or Dick knew, so that's a bonus. We'll just have to wait for everyone else to get here." Bruce replied standing up from leaning on the large table before him. "Sounds like you're calling in all the favours owed to you. Things are that bad?" Asked a new voice coming from a floating woman with blonde hair that stopped near her jaw line. When everyone turned to see who it was Harley was filled with excitement, again. "Oh it's like a big get together of all my favs people." She said as she began to take off towards the new comer. "Hold it right there. I need a word with you Harley. Did you let yourself into my apartment and take one of my suits?" she asked as she set her feet gracefully on the ground. "Oh P Girl, I only borrowed it and then I put it back. All washed and everything." Harley replied with a smile. "Out of uniform it's just Karen, and that's besides the point. You broke in and stole my suit Harley." Replied Kara Zor-El of Earth Two. She had travelled to this Earth with Helena and been stranded here just like her friend. Unlike her friend though there was already a Supergirl, a Kara Zor-El of this universe flying around saving the day so after a talk with Superman and, herself, she took the name Karen Starr to simplify matters and began helping her cousins as Power Girl. "I'm sorry. There was a party and was fancy dress, how could I not go as you. And do you know how much a Power Girl costume costs?! I can't afford that, so I, borrowed, one of yours..." Harley responded with an apologetic smile. Letting out a sigh Karen dropped the matter and refocused on Bruce. "Flash told me to head here, Kal was off to Atlantis apparently and then he spoke too fast for even me to really understand. What's the quick version of how bad things are going to get?" she asked pulling out a chair and sitting down. "Basically the devil is real. My brothers girlfriend is his daughter. She trapped him in a prison that's on her forehead and psychicly linked to her mind to keep him there. Now he's stronger than she is again and is breaking out to conquer and kill us all." Said Helena as she joined the small group. "Always a pleasant conversation when I see you Hel. So brute strength the main goal here?" Replied Karen as she leaned forward. "I highly doubt that love. Tall and brooding here wouldn't call me in for brute force." Said a man as he and a woman materialised through the floor in a ring of purple accented by unreadable script. "Thank you for coming. I honestly wasn't sure if you would." Said Bruce as he turned to the pair. "After what your heavy hitter told me, you'll need more than just me here. Unfortunately unlike you, I owe too many favours to be able to call any in. Zatanna is the only person that would come with. Probably just to make sure I play fair like." The man replied pointing his thumb over his shoulder to the woman behind. "I'm here to make sure you don't die on me." Zatanna responded with a scowl. "Its alright love. Do ya really think I'm gunna go get killed after I finally let you convince me into settling down? Not bloody likely, you'd bring me back just to kill me again." He replied, cheeky grin across his lips. "You'll both be a huge help. Everyone, this is John Constantine. He knows more about magic, dark arts and all manner of other supernaturals than anyone else I dare to think of. If he tells you to do something, you do it." Bruce declared. "Cup of tea would be good, English if you've got it mate." John joked pulling up a seat and getting nothing but a glare from Zatanna.

A few hours passed as friends and allies continued to gather at Wayne Manor and Bruce explained the situation in detail including the previous encounter with Trigon to the gathered mass that took up the entirety of his dinning room. "That's a tall order mate. Even if you play it down to him being just an interdimensional being, which would be easy to deal with, it'll be a really tough fight. I've fought beings similar but Trigon is written in a lot of the books in the house, which is a bad sign to start with, and all the books he's in are unfinished. Meaning he won those fights. Side note, mind if I smoke in here?" John said plainly. "Even if I said I did, you would." Bruce replied and John just shrugged a 'true' and lit up a cigarette. "When we battled last he wasn't deterred by us at all. Didn't register we were there, even on us being an annoyance. Kal and I hit him with everything we had as did Barry and all it did was make him lean back half a step. How do we fight that?" Asked Diana as she sat at the table. Bruce looked down collecting his thoughts. "Have you thought of killing the girl? No anchor, no Trigon." Asked John to everyones horror. "Not going to happen. She is part of my family, anything happens to her and you'll find out what happens when I truly lose it." Bruce barked and everyone felt themselves straighten slightly at the thought. "Kal has always regarded him as one of the best but also THE most dangerous man alive. I can see why he would." Thought Kara, this world's Kara Zor-El, as she looked up at her cousin seeing that even he had straightened up. "Your asked me here cause I'm the expert, I'm just trying to work every possible angle I know, so just calm it." John replied almost as sternly. "This isn't going to be solved tonight that's for sure. Zatanna can go look in on her and place wards and spells to help her hold him back and recover some strength. I'll look through the books I have. In the mean time, can you house everyone here?" John concluded. "Yes, I've already set up bedrooms and moved other things around to accommodate everyone. There's some bunking up involved I'm afraid." Replied Bruce calmer than he was a moment ago. "What's this Bruce, not rich enough to house basically the whole super hero community in your fancy house? The shame." Joked Hal trying to raise the spirits to good effect, not great but good. With everyone chuckling Bruce smiled as he shook his head and told everyone to make themselves at home as he lead Zatanna to the cave below and where Raven had been staying.