Back to Reality, or something like it

Raven gaped at the screen containing Vic'x face. It was impossible, well, she knew it wasn't impossible, but had no idea what would have given her away. "I don't know what you are talking about." She doubted he would believe her, but it was worth a try.

Vic's frown deepened. "Don't bother, I have proof." Before she could ask, he continued. "When you sleep, several hairs fall out, a side effect of having a human body. The fact that you knew so much about Garlo bothered me, so when you left to change into your new uniform, I took some of those hairs and ran tests. Your DNA matched Raven's. There was no possible way for it to be wrong."

Raven leaned against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest. She was trying to look as calm as possible, but her eyes were giving her away. "Why didn't you tell Garlo?"

"I don't see a need to."

She shook her head, this electronic man wasn't making any sense in her opinion. "What are you talking about?"

Vic finally smiled again, a genuine smile. "I said your DNA matched Raven's, not the Supreme Leader. Her every cell was altered during her change, including her DNA. In my opinion,, they are two different beings. My only question is, how can there be two of you?"

She sighed, there was no point in lying anymore, especially if he wasn't going to tell Garlo. It just felt too soon for him to know. "I come from another world, or at least another version of this world. Beast Boy died there, and I was the one who found his body. Apparently, I was so upset, my powers pulled me here."

"Sounds understandable, grief can be a powerful emotion. But why don't your powers seem the same. Were they always that way in your world?" The digital face looked like a child who was being explained something that they had wondered about for years.

Raven looked at her hand, now back to normal, remembering the claw it had become. "No, I think it has to do with the stress my mind and body had to go through when I went through dimensions."

"Is that why you are more able to express emotion? I noticed a lot more from you then I ever did from......our Raven."

"My real problem wasn't my emotions, but the mental link with my father putting pressure on and giving power to my more negative ones. I guess there is no link here, so they don't have as much power over my abilities." How she had come up with the answer she didn't know, but she knew it was right. Probably a subconscious message from one of her inner selves.

Her thoughts were interrupted by his voice once more. "Makes sense, since Trigon is dead, your mental link would be destroyed."

Raven jerked upright, running over to the screen and staring at it. "He's dead?" It wasn't like she wasn't relieved , just amazed at the same time.

The picture nodded. His face serious. "Yeah, the Supreme Leader tore out his heart when he tried to take over the domination of the Earth. Kind of pissed her off I guess."

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Garlo entered his room, stomped over to his chair and slumped down in it. Tossing his mask to the desk, he grumbled. She was so infuriating, so irritating, so intense. He just couldn't calm his heart once he started thinking about her. Pushing his hood back, he growled deeply. His eyes traveling to the ceiling.

The screen in front of his chair lit up, a familiar face covering it. Vic's features set in a serious frown. "I have something important to tell you."

"If it's about the match, don't." Closing his eyes, he slumped further in the seat.

Vic shook his head, "It's not about her, It's about, the blond."

Garlo groaned loudly, jerking his body forward to stare at the screen. "What about Terra?" The word came from his lips sounding more like he was commenting about a pile of demon waste instead of a person.

The screen was suddenly filled with the vision of a blue eyed woman in a black metal uniform. Her blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, hanging over here left shoulder. Her smile was amazing, or would have been to anyone else. Garlo on the other hand, was far from impressed with her. He hadn't been for three years. "Hi Garlo sweety. How have you been?"

Green eyes narrowed, he cracked his neck and spit on the floor directly in front of the screen dramatically. "What do you want bitch?"

Her smile faded, forming a pout. "I..I just wanted to tell you that our end of the mission is done. The third section has been taken as well. Once you get your sector, it will be ready."

Garlo nodded, "Good enough." Immediately her picture disappeared from the screen. "God I hate her." His mind ached suddenly, she always did that to him.

Vic's face reappeared. "You want Ra...leen to come in now?" He was secretly amused that his green friend's eyes lit up with the name, even if he would never admit it.

Leaning back in the chair, he suddenly felt better. Though his body still held some tension from earlier, but he could handle being in the same room with her. "Fine."

The door swung open and the pale woman entered, still holding her sore arm. She stood there for a moment, looking around the room. They just looked at one another for a while, then she glared at him. "Aren't you going to offer me a seat?"

Garlo raised an eyebrow and smirked. "No, but if you insist, sit on the bed."

Crossing her arms, Raven tapped her foot and smirked right back. "Bet you would like that wouldn't you?"

"Not as much as you apparently, I wasn't the one offering my body to you over a sparring match now was I?" Turning to one side, he laid across the arms of the chair.

"I only had a few questions anyway. For now at least. So I think I will stand." She chose to not comment on his remark, though mentally she had been asking herself why she had made the wager. It seemed too spontaneous, too reckless, too not like her. "What started the war?" It seemed the only real relevant question at the moment, the only one that mattered to her state of being. The other she planned to ask was more personal.

"It started because of a kiss, or more precisely two." Garlo would have stopped there, but the look on her face told her what the next question would be if he didn't continue. "I was sort of dating this girl, well one night this other girl named Terra came to me and confessed her love and kissed me. The first girl saw it and went berserk. She had these powers, that were controlled by her emotions, when she lost control, the world fell at her feet. She became..."

"Queen Raven." Raven finished for him. She understood much more then he thought she did now. It was obvious, he blamed himself for what had happened. Not just the kiss, but the entire war. It was written all over his face.

Suddenly he stood, and walked to the door. "That's enough for now, I have a mission to plan and not a lot of time to do it in. So if you will excuse me."

"Wait, just one more." He paused at the door, his hood already up and mask in hand. "Why do you wear that?" Her finger pointing to the mask.

"This, this is an important symbol. It means I don't have to over act and tell stupid jokes to fit in. Behind this I don't have to care about anything or anyone. I don't have to let anyone in. With this my orders are unquestionable. Behind this my skills are unequalled." He looked at her, at the almost pity just behind her eyes. "You wouldn't understand, behind this I am a hero."

He barely heard her response as he stormed away, but it ate at him as he moved through the halls.

"You're a hero without it."